Losing it...

[Daniel Meyer]

Got on the warpath again...
http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2017/03/23/losing-it/

"Six weeks…I’ve lost 24 pounds and gained substantial muscle mass at the same time.

20+% of my goal. 80 pounds left. When I’m done I’ll be less than HALF my peak weight.

And next week I “ramp it up a notch”.

Will I stay motivated?

Wrong question. I’ve ALWAYS been motivated. Problem was…”I” wasn’t on the list."

[Hook#3287]

Good luck, you got a great start to your goal and you sound determined.

Looking forward to seeing less of you, in your pics

[nogrey]

Awesome man! Hang in there, you're doing great! What an inspiration!

[Willow]

Tough decision.  Admirable strength and discipline. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

  I have no doubt you will reach your goal.

[Jopson]

Good luck Daniel! 

[Jess from VA]

Good luck Daniel.  It's really tough changing up lifetime habits and routines.

Regular demanding exercise is hard enough, starvation (or what seems like it) is even worse.

Years ago (at around 40) I decided to run 4-5 times a week for a year (fast jog, 2 minute quarters from 3-5 miles, sometimes farther), and do a better diet.  My regular diet was not bad, and I was not really heavy, but getting close to what the Air Force would lean on me for.  I tell you after 4-6 months, I was still struggling, and still hurting.  And all the exercise made me hungrier.  I learned to drink lots of water.  Oh, and I quit cigarettes at the same time.  It really is the tortoise and not the hare; for this program, slow and steady gets the prize.  

Hang in there and work your plan.  And don't get discouraged from diminishing or backwards results from time to time.  Keep your eyes on the horizon, not the weekly weigh in.

[Beardo]

Congrats on the decision to commit to it.

I spent my 20's badly overweight, I graduated high school weighing 160 lbs but after 2 years of ramen noodles, deer sausage, beer and living in the city with no more farm work, I was 275. When my son was a couple years old and I couldn't play hockey with him(a serious issue for a Canadian), I made the decision to do something about it. I don't believe in diets. I've seen so many people go on a diet and lose a bunch of weight and gain it all back and more because they refused to exercise.  I love food. And there are all those food groups for a reason, they're all good for you. So I decided to work out. In 8 months, I lost 85 lbs. 15 years later, I'm 200 lbs and holding. The working out has become a daily habit. I don't do it because I have to, I do it because I want to. I love it. It's 1 hour a day to blow off some steam, relieve some stress. When I'm on the road, I will make sure the motel has a gym. I feel like crap if I haven't worked out for a day or 2. I dislike cardio...too boring, prefer weights. Something satisfying about lifting heavy things.

And since you're working out, don't worry too much about the scale. You'll gain muscle and it weighs more than fat. Some weeks, you might even gain weight.  You'll see the results in how you feel and how your clothes fit.

I won't say good luck. Losing weight isn't luck. It's hard work. But it changes your life.

Enjoy the transformation and all the energy. 

[Daniel Meyer]

Thanks guys...motivation's never been the issue...it's always been what was on the priority list.

If I can keep myself on the list...I'll make it.

Tough decision.  Admirable strength and discipline. 

It really is a tough one...there is immediate push-back from those that have been tasking me...and no matter what my head tells me...it still feels like a failure...

[Gryphon Rider]

I know what you mean about motivation and priorities.  For the last couple of years fitness hasn't been a priority for me.  Other things have been higher.  I have one big thing to accomplish before I have time to get back on the fitness track, then I will aim to drop 60 lbs of fat and gain 20 lbs of muscle.

[Willow]

Thanks guys...motivation's never been the issue...it's always been what was on the priority list.

If I can keep myself on the list...I'll make it.

Tough decision.  Admirable strength and discipline. 

It really is a tough one...there is immediate push-back from those that have been tasking me...and no matter what my head tells me...it still feels like a failure...

Don't let it feel like failure.  The situation is similar to the instructions given parents on passenger aircraft, "In the event of an emergency put on your own mask before helping your children."  The bottom line is that by taking good care of yourself you are improving your availability to help others. 

Being a giving person is rewarding but now and then there's an element that doesn't seem to feel like what it is.

[matt]

Dang Daniel, That is awesome, ya keeping ones self at the top of the list can be one of the hardest things.

Keep it going
Matt

[BradValk48237]

Daniel..... keep it up...

I also went thru a similar sitation years ago..... Was up to near 300...

I started by walking, bettering my diet, etc, but wasn't enough.

Then in a 6 month period I dropped 85 lbs..... All because I wanted to avoid traffic!!! that a was MY motivation.

My work offered a severely discounted gym membership, it was a hospital and had a Phys Therapy/Gym as part of the facilities....

I worked in downtown Detroit and worked and early shift....If I left right when I was done with work, 4ish i could almost count on a 2 hour commute because of traffic.... (because I came in at 5 AM it was a 45 min drive)

I found out that if I went to the Gym, worked out, 30 min cardio, 30-40 min weights, shower, etc, by the time I was done, traffic had cleared and back to a smooth 45 min drive home. I also did it steadily because I did it right after work as routine and part of my schedule.. so I worked out almost every single weekday for 6+ months

I would have done better, but after 6 months I hated even the 45 min drive ( both ways) and bought a house much nearer...

But have kept most of the weight off for 15 years just by better diet and lite exercise....

BUT your best motivator should be this...

The more you lose.. the FASTER your Valk becomes!!!!!!!!! 

B

[Alien]

Daniel,

as someone who has spent a lifetime fighting the same battle, I get what you're going through and wish you the best of luck and health.  As for myself, I can still do everything I could do when I was seventeen...but it hurts and I can't ignore the wear and tear it's causing any longer.  So, at the end of summer, I'm scheduled to have gastric bypass surgery.  Many people are telling me that I'm taking the easy way out, thin people mostly.  The only analogy that I've found that they can understand is this:  Imagine taking an alcoholic and telling them that they can never get drunk again but they must still drink alcohol 3 times a day.  It's more than a matter of willpower.  Hope to see you in Billings.

Ride Safe,

Alien

[Daniel Meyer]

So, at the end of summer, I'm scheduled to have gastric bypass surgery.  Many people are telling me that I'm taking the easy way out, thin people mostly...

Whatever works, works. There is NO easy way out. (the bypass ain't easy either! Had several friends go through it).

[Daniel Meyer]

My work offered a severely discounted gym membership, it was a hospital and had a Phys Therapy/Gym as part of the facilities....

My work offers 10% off the enrollment fee on a particular club...IF you sign up for TWO years at full price. :/

BUT, they do provide vending machines full of candy bars, an ice-cream vending machine, and regularly bring donuts in.

[hubcapsc]

So, at the end of summer, I'm scheduled to have gastric bypass surgery.  Many people are telling me that I'm taking the easy way out, thin people mostly...

Whatever works, works. There is NO easy way out. (the bypass ain't easy either! Had several friends go through it).

I have a friend who is a pilot who needed to lose weight to make
sure he could keep his pilot license - avoidance of diabetes I think...

He used a program at the hospital, where he could choose gastric or
massive diet change and exercise. He succeeded with the diet and
exercise, but I bet that takes a special focused kind of person...
Daniel probably fits that description. My friend is also named Dan...
he recently rode his bicycle coast to coast.

Al Roker is a famous person who did the gastric route, he has done
well with it.

-Mike

[Pete]

Best of luck to you.
As you already know there are no secrets or magic plans.

It is all about deciding to do it and WANTING to do it.

When you decide you want to do it, you will.

Best wishes.

[Daniel Meyer]

-27

[Danny McMillin]

Hoping you find further success, Daniel....and here's hoping yur next book is not smaller!! See you at Inzane......................

[Varmintmist]

Went the same path for the same reasons. It was always the house, or squeeze some OT in because the wife was staying home with the kids, pick up side work... Well I have a nice place, a funded retirement, 3 kids with small college funds and cars, high  blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol. Topped out around 280, I was 189 the day I came off Parris Island at 18 so I am not the smallest bear in the forest to start with. I changed diet and that held me at 265-270 for years along with feeding a OD woodburner. Cut and hand split 12-15 cord a year for 13 years.

I got the house paid off two years ago, put in a furnace and finished the basement. Heard the Dave Ramsey show on the radio. I listened for a bit and we agree on most things. He mentioned that staying/getting out of debt takes the same discipline as losing weight. You have to work out/save money even when you dont want to. I noodled this for a year and finally decided that since my dad gave me a watch for graduation so I knew when to be at work, and told me I could come back any time for a visit and I have a pretty fair net worth now, the only thing that was keeping me chubby was my own laziness. I am cheap, and bullheaded so paying 650 for the first quarter of the year for statins that make my joints hurt goes against my grain. So I applied the same reasoning that got my house and everything paid off to getting healthier.

I cant lift weights because last time I did I went to the doc with shoulder pain and after I described each exercise he said "Dont do that" I tried walking at work over lunch and that worked, in the summer, not so much in rain and sleet though. So this year I waited for the after Xmas after New years resolution sale at Dicks and bought a treadmill. Changed the diet a bit more, started slow (3mph/30min level)and am now up to  4deg incline, for 44 min at 4.4 mph 5 times a week. I am down to 249 as of this morning started at about 265. I hit a massive plateau at about 253 that stayed for a month. Then it started to drop again. BP is down from 140/85-90 to 120/75-80, sugar is down from 7 to 6.3, cholesterol is borderline 212 with out taking statins and the blood work was pulled a month ago so it should be better now. At this rate I hope to be drug free or at least reduced with the numbers better by mid summer. I am shooting for 230 then we will see.

[Jess from VA]

Varmint, that is surely a success story (though still in progress). 

I would not ever stress a 212 cholesterol (if you are otherwise in decent shape with routine exercise).  At 40, I ran 700 miles in one year, improved my diet, lost some weight (not like you), and got into my best shape since HS football.  At at the end of that year, I had only lost like 15 points off my damn cholesterol; still not under 200 (the alleged magic number).  It's genetic.  And I am never taking those damn statins either. 

Besides, everyone in my family tree dies from cancer or sugar, not heart disease. 

[gregk]

Keep up the good work Dan.

[Daniel Meyer]

Varmint, that is surely a success story (though still in progress). 

I would not ever stress a 212 cholesterol (if you are otherwise in decent shape with routine exercise).  At 40, I ran 700 miles in one year, improved my diet, lost some weight (not like you), and got into my best shape since HS football.  At at the end of that year, I had only lost like 15 points off my damn cholesterol; still not under 200 (the alleged magic number).  It's genetic.  And I am never taking those damn statins either. 

Besides, everyone in my family tree dies from cancer or sugar, not heart disease. 

My employer would charge you $6000 extra/yr for insurance if you weren't "treating" to "under 200"... :/

[Daniel Meyer]

Soo...the wife and I went to see "Logan" the other day...the last of the Wolverine movies...but that's only slightly what this post is about...

See, that was the same day I'd announced I'd just "turned it up to 11" and was now working out 5 days a week.

She looks at me a bit wide-eyed and says, "Wow. What exactly are you shooting for?"

My reply, "Hugh Jackman."

At least I can still make her laugh...even if it's a bit disturbing how long she laughed

Sigh.

[Beardo]

Soo...the wife and I went to see "Logan" the other day...the last of the Wolverine movies...but that's only slightly what this post is about...

See, that was the same day I'd announced I'd just "turned it up to 11" and was now working out 5 days a week.

She looks at me a bit wide-eyed and says, "Wow. What exactly are you shooting for?"

My reply, "Hugh Jackman."

At least I can still make her laugh...even if it's a bit disturbing how long she laughed

Sigh.

 

I saw an interview with Hugh Jackman a while back, they asked him how he gets so ripped for his movies. He said something that stuck with me. He said it's easier to stay in shape than get in shape. So many people have a goal in mind and stop once they get there. Granted, he probably has personal chefs, trainers and no day job to go to, but he makes a good point.

[Jess from VA]

Varmint, that is surely a success story (though still in progress). 

I would not ever stress a 212 cholesterol (if you are otherwise in decent shape with routine exercise).  At 40, I ran 700 miles in one year, improved my diet, lost some weight (not like you), and got into my best shape since HS football.  At at the end of that year, I had only lost like 15 points off my damn cholesterol; still not under 200 (the alleged magic number).  It's genetic.  And I am never taking those damn statins either. 

Besides, everyone in my family tree dies from cancer or sugar, not heart disease. 

My employer would charge you $6000 extra/yr for insurance if you weren't "treating" to "under 200"... :/

Then he's a Communist!   (there's probably more than one)

[cookiedough]

congrats and keep up the daily routine to keep shedding the lbs.

My wife has lost 30-40 lbs. and feels better as well.  My boy when age 13-14 was pushing 200 lbs. all fat,  now he is on a weight lifting kick EVERY single day for 1-2 hours after school the past few years and down to 165lbs. ALL MUSCLE hardly any body fat and probaby the fittest kid in the entire school. 

I guess is my turn someday since the extra 50-80 lbs. can definitely start feeling it as I get into my middle 40s now.  I think you (and the misses) has me NOT at least buying anymore chips and once I run out, I run out, and need to drink MORE WATER that I KNOW.   Exercise would not hurt one bit as well and I need to loose my GUT is pretty bad would like to see size 40 waist again as it should be was 36/38 waist some 20 years ago, I could deal with waist now of 40 as it should be vs. 44 now.

Isn't 8 glasses of water or something like that recommended per day?  guessing I drink only 2 glasses per day or so. 

[Alpha Dog]

To all those fighting the good fight congratulations.  The number one health problem in this country is obesity.  There are too many good tasting foods out there that are terrible for the body.  Wheat and sugar are cheap and the food processor take full advantage.    Eliminate ( or severely cut back )  wheat and processed sugar products.   If you do not processes cholesterol well go with lean chicken and fish.

  Low impact exercise equipment is good like ellipticals, spinning bikes, and well built soft impact treadmills.  Road bikes are good when weather allows and you can see a lot of the countryside.   Using light weights like just dumbells in many reps are good for toning, strength, and can be cardio also.  As can be many small home gyms that take up little space.  Even Charles Atlas type dynamic tension exercises that only incorporate your limbs work very well.  If you have room in your house or garage this will break the drudgery of traveling to a club in which 9 out of 10 people will soon get tired of it and give up.  And you can play the music you like.

[Daniel Meyer]

-32

[Varmintmist]

248.8

[Daniel Meyer]

...and now I'm turning it up to 11.

http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2017/04/06/unexpected/

[The emperor has no clothes]

...and now I'm turning it up to 11.

http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2017/04/06/unexpected/

glad things are working out

[Daniel Meyer]

I get asked what my secret is...

http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2017/04/13/the-secret/

(excerpt):
Turns out it's a LOT like distance motorcycle riding. You'll occasionally love it, often hate it, and frequently wonder, "Just what the bloody hell am I DOING here?" You'll hurt yourself, feel better, feel worse, wonder why you've not done this all the while, and then in the next moment, swear you'll never do it again.

[Daniel Meyer]

An inch at a time...

That's 22 of 'em...for those keeping track.

[Willow]

Wow!  No mean accomplishment.  You are an inspiration to many.   

[Daniel Meyer]

Wow!  No mean accomplishment.  You are an inspiration to many.   

Heh...I would, no doubt...feel better about the entire thing if I'd just not let it get so bad in the first place...

But...life...yanno? Takes more than you've got often enough...and the tendency is to neglect self to make up those shortages.

Anyway...since I like nice round numbers...

-40 now...that's -140 from my peak.

This is despite the faceplant into the brisket I did at the Red River County Chamber BBQ cook-off this weekend

[Novavalker]

Whenever you buy some food take a look at the sugar content. Monitor your sugar intake closely and the pounds will fall off.

[NewValker]

Daniel, -140 is amazing! Good work!
I dropped 40 before the new hip and I'm struggling to keep it off...
Craig

[Daniel Meyer]

Had a really good omelette for breakfast...cooking chicken enchiladas for dinner...

...and still beating my calorie goals.

-43.