Day 14: 3/7/2016
The journey is starting to make sense. It hasn't made sense to me for nearly 2 weeks. I've been focusing so much of my time on not eating bad food. Healthy eating isn't about avoiding unhealthy foods, it's about choosing healthier options.
I can hear advertisements over the loudspeaker right now for Whole Foods, "We have a sale on our salad bar price per pound, it is now 6.99 per pound!!"........ Then, driving home with that salad and I drive past a local burger joint "Try our triple bacon cheeseburger combo meal, just $6.99!!"...... Holy balls, are you serious?! My first desire will be to drive back to Whole Foods, and throw those greens right in Shiloh's face, crop dust the entry and run away back to the burger joint! I'm never NOT going to want unhealthy foods. I mean, come on, have you had a cheeseburger??!!!
I titled this post "Doing Things Differently" because I feel like that's what I'm doing. I'm not just eating healthy food. I'm focusing on me being ok. I'm focusing on making good choices.
I AM feeling better. I'm sleeping better. I'm not feeling so attached to the way things used to be. I'm embracing the possibilities and I'm excited for success.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Food vs Fuel
Day 13: 3/6/2016
I've noticed that the collective "we" like to play games with ourselves because for whatever reason, we as Americans, attach happiness to food in a lot of ways. Like I've said before, food is an acceptable drug to most. Most of us need rehab ;-)
Everyone knows how to lose weight. The equation is simple... (Output>intake) BUT, there are many ways to incorporate that equation into life. I've heard SO many people over the years tell me the new "IN" diet that I must try, because it's been proven. Well, I can tell every single one of them that I know the diet will work to lose weight, but.... Is it sustainable??
Here are a list of the fad diets that I've done to lose weight: Please know that I successfully lost weight on ALL of them (ok.... The juicing thing made me break out in hives, so maybe not all of them, but all the rest, yes.)
The Atkins Diet
The South Beach Diet
The Ketogenic Diet
The Paleo Diet
Juice Cleanses
The Grapefruit Diet
The Zone
Jenny Craig
Cabbage Soup Diet
All diets can work to drop the lbs. If they didn't, they wouldn't make money. However, they're not a lifestyle. They're not sustainable. They forget to address the main issues that most overweight individuals have, and that is the mind for a healthy body. Healthy living isn't about diet, it's about giving your body the best chance, and putting it in a position of most potential.
Here's the thing, when I had gastric bypass in 2011, I was ready to make the change. It was 80% mental strength. I figured, I've beaten a severe opiate addiction, I can kick this too. That's exactly what happened. I had my surgery, hated food for a while, because it only made me sick, and then, the lbs melted off. Here is what the deciding factor in my success was.. FOOD IS FUEL. My mentality had changed from trying to suck every ounce of enjoyment out of every calorie, to just fueling my body for whatever I needed at the time.
I lost that along the way. I went from 252 pounds in July of 2012, to 393 lbs at the end of January this year. Now, I'm slowly but surely getting back to the mentality that food is fuel for the most advanced biological machine ever to be on the earth, the human body.
I'm two weeks in, and 8 lbs down from day 1 of this blog series. Onward and downward.
I've noticed that the collective "we" like to play games with ourselves because for whatever reason, we as Americans, attach happiness to food in a lot of ways. Like I've said before, food is an acceptable drug to most. Most of us need rehab ;-)
Everyone knows how to lose weight. The equation is simple... (Output>intake) BUT, there are many ways to incorporate that equation into life. I've heard SO many people over the years tell me the new "IN" diet that I must try, because it's been proven. Well, I can tell every single one of them that I know the diet will work to lose weight, but.... Is it sustainable??
Here are a list of the fad diets that I've done to lose weight: Please know that I successfully lost weight on ALL of them (ok.... The juicing thing made me break out in hives, so maybe not all of them, but all the rest, yes.)
The Atkins Diet
The South Beach Diet
The Ketogenic Diet
The Paleo Diet
Juice Cleanses
The Grapefruit Diet
The Zone
Jenny Craig
Cabbage Soup Diet
All diets can work to drop the lbs. If they didn't, they wouldn't make money. However, they're not a lifestyle. They're not sustainable. They forget to address the main issues that most overweight individuals have, and that is the mind for a healthy body. Healthy living isn't about diet, it's about giving your body the best chance, and putting it in a position of most potential.
Here's the thing, when I had gastric bypass in 2011, I was ready to make the change. It was 80% mental strength. I figured, I've beaten a severe opiate addiction, I can kick this too. That's exactly what happened. I had my surgery, hated food for a while, because it only made me sick, and then, the lbs melted off. Here is what the deciding factor in my success was.. FOOD IS FUEL. My mentality had changed from trying to suck every ounce of enjoyment out of every calorie, to just fueling my body for whatever I needed at the time.
I lost that along the way. I went from 252 pounds in July of 2012, to 393 lbs at the end of January this year. Now, I'm slowly but surely getting back to the mentality that food is fuel for the most advanced biological machine ever to be on the earth, the human body.
I'm two weeks in, and 8 lbs down from day 1 of this blog series. Onward and downward.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Lazy Isn't Always Bad.... Is It?
Day 12: 3/5/2016
The problem with weekends, is that they're typically used to do the few things that you don't get to do during the week... Which is rest. My typical weekend is spent doing as little as possible, while eating non-stop snack foods.
I've decided that my weekends are going to continue to be the thing that I need, which is a recharge. The difference in them now, will be that I can maintain healthy eating habits and plan some time for activity. My wife, Alysa, is going through this journey with me. She is working her own program while I work mine. She and I get to bond over the things that we can come up with to be active. Of course, today is not that day, as we've decided to really relax and recharge.
I've been reading quotes from people who live a life of perseverance. I came across this one from Bear Grylls. Like him or not, he's had an amazing life, full of challenges.
He said: "Survival can be summed up in three words - never give up. That's the heart of it really. Just keep trying."
I would like to say, to those that have reached out to me in support, It means the world to me. I've had such an amazing show of friendship from many. You all help keep me going.
The problem with weekends, is that they're typically used to do the few things that you don't get to do during the week... Which is rest. My typical weekend is spent doing as little as possible, while eating non-stop snack foods.
I've decided that my weekends are going to continue to be the thing that I need, which is a recharge. The difference in them now, will be that I can maintain healthy eating habits and plan some time for activity. My wife, Alysa, is going through this journey with me. She is working her own program while I work mine. She and I get to bond over the things that we can come up with to be active. Of course, today is not that day, as we've decided to really relax and recharge.
I've been reading quotes from people who live a life of perseverance. I came across this one from Bear Grylls. Like him or not, he's had an amazing life, full of challenges.
He said: "Survival can be summed up in three words - never give up. That's the heart of it really. Just keep trying."
I would like to say, to those that have reached out to me in support, It means the world to me. I've had such an amazing show of friendship from many. You all help keep me going.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Nothing Much
Day 11: 3/4/16
Today was uneventful. Pretty much in every way. It was just a day. I ate food that was good for me, made a healthier pizza, and drank a ton of water. Honestly, if I could have more of these days, it would be awesome.
Oh, as of day 11, I've lost 5 lbs since day 1. That's something, right?
Today was uneventful. Pretty much in every way. It was just a day. I ate food that was good for me, made a healthier pizza, and drank a ton of water. Honestly, if I could have more of these days, it would be awesome.
Oh, as of day 11, I've lost 5 lbs since day 1. That's something, right?
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Acceptance.... It's A Beautiful Thing
Day 10: 3/3/2016
Today was a bit of a continuation of yesterday. I only felt disdain for the fact that I can't indulge my every impulse that comes into my brain. However, there was some silver lining in the day. I met with my therapist, who just has a way of putting things in perspective. Not only does he share his wisdom, he does the thing that very few people are able to do with me, and that is get me out of my own way.
My lovely wife, who I haven't mentioned much in these posts (not on purpose, I'm just self-absorbed that way) spent some time voicing my complaints to him (because I've done nothing but complain to her). He looked at me and said "Sounds like we've got an acceptance problem". What he meant, is that in any situation that we're presented, we must learn to accept what our feelings are. That doesn't mean that the feeling dictates what we do in response.
One of the things we identified is that I don't do anything half-assed. No matter what I do, I take it on at full speed. If I'm going to be happy, I'm ecstatic. If I'm going to be angry, I'll be fuming angry. The point is, I decided to take on a healthy lifestyle, therefore, I'm going to go at it 183%. I will be militant on diet. I WILL lose weight. The problem with that, is that when I don't meet a goal, or don't measure up to my own expectations, I become angry, and filled with embarrassment and shame.
So here's what I learned. I need to give myself a break. I'm not going to be perfect. The entire goal is about lifestyle change. I can't make shame and embarrassment a lifestyle. So tonight, I enjoyed a Chik-Fil-A sandwich with my beautiful wife. No shame.... No embarrassment.
Tomorrow's a new day. I get a chance at progressing.
Today was a bit of a continuation of yesterday. I only felt disdain for the fact that I can't indulge my every impulse that comes into my brain. However, there was some silver lining in the day. I met with my therapist, who just has a way of putting things in perspective. Not only does he share his wisdom, he does the thing that very few people are able to do with me, and that is get me out of my own way.
My lovely wife, who I haven't mentioned much in these posts (not on purpose, I'm just self-absorbed that way) spent some time voicing my complaints to him (because I've done nothing but complain to her). He looked at me and said "Sounds like we've got an acceptance problem". What he meant, is that in any situation that we're presented, we must learn to accept what our feelings are. That doesn't mean that the feeling dictates what we do in response.
One of the things we identified is that I don't do anything half-assed. No matter what I do, I take it on at full speed. If I'm going to be happy, I'm ecstatic. If I'm going to be angry, I'll be fuming angry. The point is, I decided to take on a healthy lifestyle, therefore, I'm going to go at it 183%. I will be militant on diet. I WILL lose weight. The problem with that, is that when I don't meet a goal, or don't measure up to my own expectations, I become angry, and filled with embarrassment and shame.
So here's what I learned. I need to give myself a break. I'm not going to be perfect. The entire goal is about lifestyle change. I can't make shame and embarrassment a lifestyle. So tonight, I enjoyed a Chik-Fil-A sandwich with my beautiful wife. No shame.... No embarrassment.
Tomorrow's a new day. I get a chance at progressing.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Today Is Hangry Day... And Not In A Good Way
Day 9: 3/2/2016
I knew it was going to happen. I'm pissed. Literally fuming upset. Over what? Not being able to eat what I want! YEP! Like a child who didn't get the toy they wanted when they went to the store with mom. I'm throwing a tantrum. I'm boycotting food right now because I swear, if I eat any more salad in the near future, I'm going to drop kick a baby sloth and laugh like a cartoon villain. At this point, I would settle for a microwave dinner of fettuccini alfredo, right now. That's where I'm at...
This is my life. I'm the dude, that gets physically, emotionally, and mentally upset over not being able to eat shitty food. Now, let's take that term, "shitty food"... to me, that means any food item that is not conducive to a healthy life. This is how extreme I have to be. I know some would read this and say "Hey, A A Ron... you can have a burger or pizza every once in awhile, that's totally ok." NOPE, it's not! Here's why. Right now, I am NOT capable of giving myself my drug of choice, even for just one meal. It's not that I will die due to one burger or one pizza. It's not that I will lose all progress because of one burger or one pizza. It's that I turn into Bruce from Finding Nemo when I eat high caloric foods and will continue on that path. If I can justify it today, I will justify it tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then the next day.
Food is one of those things that humans can't live without. It's socially, financially, religiously, and legally acceptable to purchase at anytime, in any quantity, and in any place in the world. Therefore, people accept that we eat food that is bad for us. Don't get me wrong, I am not a health crusader. I am the first guy at the serving counter at family dinner. I will be the first one done. I'm just saying, that there aren't restrictions on food, other than the ones you put on yourself.
Here's a fun story. Here's some background first. I am half Mexican, and half white boy. My Mexican family is very traditional in the sense that food is the one thing that brings everyone together, for every occasion. When I was younger, I'd say around 11 or 12, my Mexican Grandparents moved to UT from TX. My Grandmother, who taught me how to cook, makes THE BEST, and I do mean that, THE BEST Mexican food. Food that has been put on tables for 50+ years in her family. We would all meet at the dinner table to eat. It was a time that I can remember, being more than extremely happy. What was funny, is that my Grandfather wouldn't eat with us at the table. In fact, he would eat prior to everyone else eating. While we ate, my Grandfather would sit at the table and watch me eat. He didn't just watch me eat, he would smile ear to ear, speaking in Spanish to my dad and Grandma, saying things like "Man, look at that boy eat. That boy can put that food away." Anytime that I would finish a plate and start a new one, he would tap my dad on the arm and say "Mira, Mira!!" (which means look, look) There was joy in my ability and desire to eat.
Fast forward to today... No one is watching. No one is gleefully supporting my desire to indulge. Now, it's me... morbidly obese, and uncomfortable.... Upset that I'm not able to indulge any longer. I'm 32 years old, and I can't control myself. If I don't get this under control, I will die, and no, that's not extreme.
I know there is joy in being healthy. I lived it post operation. I was obsessed with health. I even got to a point where I no longer sympathized with individuals that have my same addiction to food. I judged obese individuals for being lazy, and without self-control. That's how obsessed I was. Slowly, and steadily, that table has been flipped, turned, and broken.
Here are the thoughts right now that are keeping me going in the right direction:
I knew it was going to happen. I'm pissed. Literally fuming upset. Over what? Not being able to eat what I want! YEP! Like a child who didn't get the toy they wanted when they went to the store with mom. I'm throwing a tantrum. I'm boycotting food right now because I swear, if I eat any more salad in the near future, I'm going to drop kick a baby sloth and laugh like a cartoon villain. At this point, I would settle for a microwave dinner of fettuccini alfredo, right now. That's where I'm at...
This is my life. I'm the dude, that gets physically, emotionally, and mentally upset over not being able to eat shitty food. Now, let's take that term, "shitty food"... to me, that means any food item that is not conducive to a healthy life. This is how extreme I have to be. I know some would read this and say "Hey, A A Ron... you can have a burger or pizza every once in awhile, that's totally ok." NOPE, it's not! Here's why. Right now, I am NOT capable of giving myself my drug of choice, even for just one meal. It's not that I will die due to one burger or one pizza. It's not that I will lose all progress because of one burger or one pizza. It's that I turn into Bruce from Finding Nemo when I eat high caloric foods and will continue on that path. If I can justify it today, I will justify it tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then the next day.
Food is one of those things that humans can't live without. It's socially, financially, religiously, and legally acceptable to purchase at anytime, in any quantity, and in any place in the world. Therefore, people accept that we eat food that is bad for us. Don't get me wrong, I am not a health crusader. I am the first guy at the serving counter at family dinner. I will be the first one done. I'm just saying, that there aren't restrictions on food, other than the ones you put on yourself.
Here's a fun story. Here's some background first. I am half Mexican, and half white boy. My Mexican family is very traditional in the sense that food is the one thing that brings everyone together, for every occasion. When I was younger, I'd say around 11 or 12, my Mexican Grandparents moved to UT from TX. My Grandmother, who taught me how to cook, makes THE BEST, and I do mean that, THE BEST Mexican food. Food that has been put on tables for 50+ years in her family. We would all meet at the dinner table to eat. It was a time that I can remember, being more than extremely happy. What was funny, is that my Grandfather wouldn't eat with us at the table. In fact, he would eat prior to everyone else eating. While we ate, my Grandfather would sit at the table and watch me eat. He didn't just watch me eat, he would smile ear to ear, speaking in Spanish to my dad and Grandma, saying things like "Man, look at that boy eat. That boy can put that food away." Anytime that I would finish a plate and start a new one, he would tap my dad on the arm and say "Mira, Mira!!" (which means look, look) There was joy in my ability and desire to eat.
Fast forward to today... No one is watching. No one is gleefully supporting my desire to indulge. Now, it's me... morbidly obese, and uncomfortable.... Upset that I'm not able to indulge any longer. I'm 32 years old, and I can't control myself. If I don't get this under control, I will die, and no, that's not extreme.
I know there is joy in being healthy. I lived it post operation. I was obsessed with health. I even got to a point where I no longer sympathized with individuals that have my same addiction to food. I judged obese individuals for being lazy, and without self-control. That's how obsessed I was. Slowly, and steadily, that table has been flipped, turned, and broken.
Here are the thoughts right now that are keeping me going in the right direction:
- Put yourself in the place of most potential (thanks Mom)
- Does this help you reach your goal? if not, is it worth making things harder for?
- Do you want to make this a moment? or an event? (Good ol Desmond Lomax)
Anyway... I'm going to make some healthy crap that I don't want to eat, and then exercise. Tomorrow's another day, probably filled with more salad. (I don't know how you vegans do it, it's madness)
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
It's Going To Hurt
Day 8: 3/1/16
Today was an interesting day. Since I'm battling this kidney stone, I woke up in pain. I knew that it was going to be a challenge to "eat healthy". What I did to combat this, was plan every meal the night before. I prepped steel cut oats for the morning, I made a low fat, lower sodium, no sugar added, chile verde for my lunch. Now, the one thing I didn't plan, were any snacks. I normally, will grab the very first thing that I can find. This is not limited to snack foods. If the nearest thing is a $1 menu at a fast food joint, THAT will be my snack. Not today, though. Today, I grabbed a cup of veggies to eat, along with a few pieces of jerky. I have kicked my water intake into gear. For dinner, I made veggie breakfast burritos with some of that chile verde on top.
My rough calculations puts my intake at about 1500 calories for the day. This is more than I anticipated. After I had gastric bypass surgery, I had to work HARD to eat 500 calories a day. Yes, 500... That is why weight melted off of me. Now, that weight is like a parasite. It is holding on for dear life, and I'm going to have to fight as hard as can be to take it off.
Today marked day one of my new exercise program. I have opted to begin my new journey with an at-home workout program. The one I chose, has the DUMBEST names for any workout. It's Beachbody.com's "The Master's Hammer and Chisel"..... yep, that's a dumb name. However, even with a dumb name, it kicked my ass. Come tomorrow morning, my core, hams, glutes and back are going to be stiff and sore.
I found a quote by Vince Lombardi earlier today, and I felt like it defined my day.
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will." -Vince Lombardi
Today was an interesting day. Since I'm battling this kidney stone, I woke up in pain. I knew that it was going to be a challenge to "eat healthy". What I did to combat this, was plan every meal the night before. I prepped steel cut oats for the morning, I made a low fat, lower sodium, no sugar added, chile verde for my lunch. Now, the one thing I didn't plan, were any snacks. I normally, will grab the very first thing that I can find. This is not limited to snack foods. If the nearest thing is a $1 menu at a fast food joint, THAT will be my snack. Not today, though. Today, I grabbed a cup of veggies to eat, along with a few pieces of jerky. I have kicked my water intake into gear. For dinner, I made veggie breakfast burritos with some of that chile verde on top.
My rough calculations puts my intake at about 1500 calories for the day. This is more than I anticipated. After I had gastric bypass surgery, I had to work HARD to eat 500 calories a day. Yes, 500... That is why weight melted off of me. Now, that weight is like a parasite. It is holding on for dear life, and I'm going to have to fight as hard as can be to take it off.
Today marked day one of my new exercise program. I have opted to begin my new journey with an at-home workout program. The one I chose, has the DUMBEST names for any workout. It's Beachbody.com's "The Master's Hammer and Chisel"..... yep, that's a dumb name. However, even with a dumb name, it kicked my ass. Come tomorrow morning, my core, hams, glutes and back are going to be stiff and sore.
I found a quote by Vince Lombardi earlier today, and I felt like it defined my day.
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will." -Vince Lombardi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)