Often women don't like "competing" against men in weight loss contests due to "men being able to lose weight faster;" so the argument goes.
I recently posted on my RebootSupport Facebook page;
"The one thing that we all have to remember... each of us are on a similar path but each path has unique characteristics that make it our own."
The weight loss contest I joined on HealthyLoser has a "Women's only Transformation Contest!"
Healthy Loser’s Newest Women's Weight Loss Contest pays $1,000 and is capped at 75 participants!
Are you a woman? Do you want to compete against only women and really see and show what you can do?
You can start your transformation today, tomorrow or anytime! Weigh ins for the next Transformation Contest are open from now until 75 are weighed in. Once 75 are, another round is opened.
"The team at Healthy Loser wants to give women an exclusive chance to compete in a weight loss contest for women designed to evaluate the whole contest experience. Not only will female contestants be judged on their weight loss success but they will also be evaluated on their "before and after pictures" and written essay explaining their strategy and experience.
Contestants will have 91 days to complete their transformation using any method or strategy. At the close of the contest,the board of directors at Healthy Loser will make a decision based on the following factors:
1. Weight lost.
2. Before and after pictures transformations.
3. Essay explaining the entire experience of the Women's Transformation Contest.
"The contestant who has made the biggest transformation overall wins the $1000 cash prize!!"
There you go ladies... do you have what it takes to transform yourself more so than 74 others while improving your overall health? If so... $1,000 could be yours! Click here to see all the details on HealthyLoser's Women's Transformation Contest.
Good luck to all who enter!
If you do want to compete against anyone, male or female, you can enter the $5,000 Challenge! Capped at 300 participants, the highest percentage of weight lost wins the top prize of $5,000! Up for grabs is over $12,000 in cash, to be awarded per round.
From HealthyLoser regarding the $5,000 Challenge; "All participants who lose at least 15% of their Body Weight will win Cash."
I personally lost 26.76%!
There you go... go get it! And... Good luck to everyone at losing weight and improving your overall health!
Showing posts with label weight loss contest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss contest. Show all posts
improving your health
It is inspiring to me to learn that so many of you are looking into improving your overall health!
"It turns out, the one ingredient you need to lose weight is motivation.
Everyone who loses 15% or higher wins cash."
Everyone who loses 15% or higher wins cash."
Since overall health is most important and then of course, my family, when some pain appeared I chose to stop working out for about 6 weeks until I got the "okay" from my doctor. During the 6 weeks of not working out, I kept juicing and eating healthy and didn't put back on any of the weight.
How cool is this? The website HealthyLoser (one of the challenges I participated in) has added this blog to their drop down selection due to the number of readers who have been signing up! This is the challenge that pays out over $12,000 and $5,000 to the winner of each group!
"All participants who lose at least 15% of their Body Weight will win Cash."
If you have 15% or more to lose, this challenge is just what you need to keep you focused! This really helped me when the temptations to stop or give up hit. It was hard, but succeeding was my intention and this kept me focused! The cool thing is only 300 people are allowed in each group and then another one starts forming.
It is awesome to hear that many of you are looking into improving your health and using this as a way to add to your motivation and success! Best of luck to you and your continued success!
Being 252 pounds with a goal weight of 166, losing 15% was going to be doable. It was a no brainer for me. And the extra incentive only pushed me further!
The result of this challenge:
I lost 26.76% while participating in the HealthyLoser $5,000 challenge!
1440 minutes in a day
I love helping and interacting with readers on the Reboot Support Page. It is a great way to publicly get support or to connect with privately through messages and not have the world know. I'm the only one that reads the messages that come in.
The page allows for the sharing of tips, ideas and experiences, and also provides the ability for my mind to be open and engaged as people continually send me messages with questions about my reboot and my ongoing juicing lifestyle. Juicing has given me my life back. This is not a trend or a diet for me, this is my new lifestyle. Without it, I'd still be way fat.
The following blog was inspired from a recent conversation with someone. It covers questions about juicers, pulp, recipes, motivation, tips, weight gain / loss question and more...
"I am trying to so research now to figure out if the breville you have been using is more effective then the juicer I am using."
Things to consider:
What is your overall goal with a juicer? Are you looking for the highest juice yield? The fastest way to make a juice? A quick and easy cleanup? A long warranty? All of these are factors when deciding what is most effective. All of these will be different for each person. Which is why it can be hard to read a review and just say, Oh... that's me too, 100%, I want that one for that reason. Usually there are other factors that the reader and the review writer don't share but that come into play.
Also, is the reviewer being compensated?
I'm not. Breville probably doesn't know I exist. I can't image they know me from a spot on the wall at their competitor's break room. With that said, I love the Breville for what it does for me now. However, the more I look into things, the more I want the Norwalk (but it is $2,495) or a high end Omega, but I'm not sure how easy it is to clean. I'll be heading to YouTube to watch some videos and see.
Why do this? Well, times are changing and my little man is almost four so I'll have more time to do things. Also, as I stood over the Breville this weekend, cleaning it, I started thinking about the overall time it takes to juice and clean a juicer. I love that I can literally make a juice with 5 or more ingredients in literally 2 to 5 minutes. I just love that!
Then, the cleanup, and scrubbing the screen (filter) and the other parts has to be done too. I don't know how long it would take to clean an Omega. I know it takes longer to make the actual juice. I've heard as long as 30 minutes. But typically 10 to 20, depending on the ingredients. The prep time and juicing time is what takes the longest. If cleaning is also difficult or lengthy, then that would be a factor to weigh in on as well.
I just watched two videos and it looks like someone might have to then strain their juice if they use a masticating juicer, as it doesn't have a built in filter / screen like the Breville does. I am not sure how long that would take, but it would be one more thing to consider too.
When it comes down to it, each person is unique and you need to decide what is most important to you.
For me, and my family, it is time. I need to have the ability to make a juice fast. Even if that means I come back and clean the juicer in 10 to 30 minutes, as I'm in high demand. I can't imaging standing in front of the juicer, feeding it produce and fruit for 10 to 30 minutes, just to get a juice. Worst case, if my juicer sat on the counter dirty until nap time, it would be "okay" as the juice would be made and the kids would be cared for. Sure beats (in my opinion) having a juice half made and having to stop for 20 or 30 minutes due to kids needing me and then have to come back and commence juicing again.
"How dry is your pulp typically?"
It depends on what the item is. Tomatoes are always wet. Carrots are pretty dry. Apples, somewhere in the middle, depending on the brand. Fujis are pretty dry though and that is what I use the most.
I love juicing grapes with the vines on, and the efficiency of the Breville and it's ability to juice without having to remove them is pretty awesome! Not having to slice / cut up most items is key to making the juices, fast!
Eating FOOD while Juicing
"Yesterday was supposed to be day one... I made it till dinner and after I cooked for my family I ended up eating too."
Any day can be "Day one" just know that Day two is only 24 hours away and that you can build upon that number without doing much, as no matter what you do, the next day is coming, the earth is rotating and the next day is coming.
The question is, are you going to keep eating the way you are, and possibly still keep being sluggish, tired, unhappy or remain the way you are today? The answer is most likely yes, unless you say no, and do something about it.
No one else can eat for you.
It has to be a choice and an action. A choice without action is typically just a thought that doesn't evolve into anything worthwhile.
Cooking and feeding a family... while the cook is juicing!
Is it possible? Yes!
I understand the feeling and the literal requirements of having to cook for the family. In Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, Joe and Phil were able to get away. They didn't have family and friends around them, demanding them, tempting them, eating around and oddly eyeballing them. Instead, they left home. They ventured out, or in Phil's case, went to a hotel. This would be a lot easier if we all could do this. In reality though, most people can't pull themselves away and go juice for 30, 60 or 90 days. Especially if the responsibility of feeding and caring for their families falls on the juicer. When you are going through your reboot, keep that in mind. You truly are accomplishing more than they did with each meal that you juice while your family is there too. Each time you do this, you take a step in the right direction, in accomplishing your overall goal(s). Today is a new day! And a day that only you get to make choices on that will impact and improve your overall health and quality of life!
Tips while cooking while juicing.
Might I suggest, have a juice at the ready, before you start cooking. Have it on the counter, next to the stove. Consume it while you cook. Have it in arm's reach. Then, as you cook, drink it. It takes about 10 to 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you are full. By the time you finish cooking, you're stomach will most likely be communicating with your brain and you may feel pretty full and satisfied. This can help limit the desire to sit down and eat more food and also limit the amount of food you consume while eating, mainly because your stomach is full. Then, after dinner is made. Grab the juice and go sit down and socialize like normal. Don't worry about not having a plate in front of you. It is one less dishe to clean. :-) Just enjoy the family and the time with them.
With 1440 minutes in a day, a lot of people get fatter and unhealthier in a 30 to 50 minute span (spread throughout the day) as they consume unhealthy, less nutritious foods and beverages. Most people don't spend more than 10 minutes actually eating per meal. But, once the food is gone, they tend to consume snacks, sodas, other caloric beverages and sweet foods to satisfy little urges and hunger feelings throughout the day. The body sends almost (if not exactly) the same feelings for hunger and thirst. Therefore, if someone "feels" hungry they really should drink a glass of water and then wait 5 to 10 minutes to see if they were really hungry or just interpreting their bodies "thirst" for "hunger," as so many people mistakenly do.
It seems like your taste buds did some changing. Do you now ever crave vegetables that you didn't like before?"
I started out juicing the items that I knew I liked "raw" and steamed" and then I ventured out to other items. Yes, taste buds do change. You can look it up online, taste buds change and as you consume more or different things, they slowly adapt and desire more and more of what you are consuming. If all you ate was pizza, day in and day out, you would desire pizza, as that is what the body is used to.
Humans tend to be creatures of habits and for some reason, easy and tasty tend to be the way of life for most. But then, unhealthy lives and many Dr. Appointments come up. I was buying avocados yesterday when I noticed that the lady in front of me (and I used to be the same way, so I am not trying to judge her, just observing) had everything processed on the conveyor belt. Nothing was fresh. Then I saw it, the bottle of pills. I wasn't looking for them, but they were what stood out to me. Besides two headaches (one at the start of my reboot and the other about a month ago after I consumed some gyozas that my little man wanted me to "bite," I haven't had a headache since January 2013... almost 5 months (4 1/2 months)! My eating and overall health has improved. I don't spend money on processed foods, nor do I spend money on pills, medications or other things that I would be, if I was "sick" often or even sick from "time to time." In my opinion, it isn't "normal" to have headaches or to be "sick" from time to time, so long as the body is getting what it needs. I try to keep myself active, and consuming highly nutritious foods.
"Did you gain any of the weight back when adding solids back in?"
Not at all. Also, I am still juicing and still working out. I still want to get to 166 pounds. We just spent the weekend on the road for a family reunion and my weight didn't change upon returning home. I was careful. When we went out for my Dad's birthday to Joe's Crab Shack, I ordered a salad. not a dumb "side salad" but a hearty, BIG salad!
What can a person do to eat well, but not make a scene if they want more than just a "side salad" at a restaurant?
I go through their menu and select items that they list on other salads or entrees and then I write them all down, quietly hand the list / request to the manager and ask if they will make a salad with those ingredients. I have never had a manager say no. The manager has always looked over the list, told me the items they didn't have and what they did have and then said yes. The salad comes out with everyone else's food. There wasn't a big scene made and I looked "normal" to anyone else.
Before, when I was juicing 100%, I would simply consume my juice on the way to the restaurant or before we left. At times, I'd bring it in a metal water bottle and drink it at the restaurant and would tell the waiter; "I'm good." or that "I already ate." This did a few things, one it made it so the bill overall bill was less and it freed me up to help with kids, since I wasn't physically eating my meal at the restaurant. And, it allowed me to talk and communicate more, so I was actually move social than normal. Kind of cool to interact with the family, not just stuff in food the entire night.
This weekend was a bit of a challenge.
Two days I didn't really "juice" and even when I did, I accidentally left the juice at the reunion site. So, I had to order the salad that I mentioned above. On those days, I went vegetable (the salad) and fruit... I made guacamole (which is technically fruit), and consumed that. For me, it was better to eat something "healthy" then nothing at all, and I didn't want the chocolate covered pretzels that were in my wife's purse, hand, mouth... what is she doing!??? haha I just smiled and continued on.
No one can eat for me. No one can be healthy for me. This can only be done by myself.
"Thank you for the support by the way!"
Anytime, I'm glad I can give you some insights to my juicing experience and the life I have because of it!
Here is a pdf of the Breville booklet that I pull several recipes from
http://www.brevilleusa.com/media/mediaappearance/4532/BJE200XL.pdf
I also use a lot of the recipes on www.makeitvegan.com/juice-recipes
If you have 15% or more to lose, this challenge really got me going! And the payout can potentially be 3 to 16 times the challenge above. With this one, "All participants who lose at least 15% of their Body Weight will win Cash." The cool thing is only 300 people are allowed in each group and then another one starts forming. The payout for 25% or more is a split of $5,000!
And as always, come on by my Reboot Support page on Facebook page and say hi!
Friday
Finally! The weekend is on the horizon! My wife says she may start juicing this weekend. Something about Friday just seems to motivate people.
I get asked about the "cost" of juicing daily and even more questions have come in today. Not sure if it is because it is Friday and people want to have the weekend to fully jump into juicing or if the end of the work week inspires people to move on their goals.
In my opinion, since I don't buy processed foods, it isn't "expensive" if anything, it is a wash. With that said, I can honestly say that I've basically been paid to juice. Not by a company. Not by a sponsor. Not because someone has endorsed me. But because I used my brain. I took my goal and found a way to use it and the incentives around me to push and motivate the weight loss efforts! Juicing isn't expensive, if you are looking at the whole picture. I was asked if I have one of "those big expensive juicers?" Well, at $149 or so, even a Breville fountain juicer on amazon like I use, is basically $0.41 cents a day the first year, if you juice each day.
I've been juicing (consuming a juice as my meals) for 125 days straight! This is a lifestyle for me, not a moment in time. For some of you, this will be a reboot. A detox. A moment to get your overall health in check. When I started this journey, I wasn't thinking I'd do it for any longer than Joe Cross did in Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.
When I first started, I went through "hot food" cravings and withdrawals like none other! I needed motivation, and I knew I would. My wife has always said I had a lot of willpower, but I knew I'd need a little extra push! Well..., 125 days into this lifestyle and I love it! I'm happier, healthier and fitter than ever before!
Losing 70+ pounds in 14 weeks has given me a new life!
Jan / 2013 --- Apr / 2013
252 pounds --- 181 pounds!
252 pounds --- 181 pounds!
The goal is 166! I'm still losing weight.
This Lifestyle has given me so much and now, people ask me questions and they say they are "inspired by" my story.
Are you looking to lose weight too? I was "obese" and not happy with the direction my weight was going.
My question to you.
Do you have at least 10% body weight to lose and want to do so in 6 months or 15% or more and want to lose it in 3 months?
I'm sharing the love. I did this and it made "cents;" $800+ so far. With at least another $1,300 still to be paid out; $300 in July and at least $1,000 in January 2014.
Each person has different weight loss goals and. And I want to respect your privacy. You can use the links below and just sign up or you can message or email me here on my Reboot Support Page on facebook and I will send you the specific details, answer any questions you have and provide the links to the two sites. This is what I did, and it makes sense to me. Actually it made a lot of "cents."
In reality, if you can lose around 10 to 14.99%, you can pocket $150 in 6 months. If you can lose 15%, 20% or 25% in 3 months, you are guaranteed to split 1k, 2k or 5k with anyone else who also does. There are only 300 people allowed in each round, with at least $8k up for grabs. Whichever percentage you end up at, you will share the pot with any others and you add that amount to the $150 that is yours for losing the 10% six months after your start date.
The financial element motivated me to keep going and to push myself. The HealthyLoser contest with the 5k payout has a $100 registration fee and they give you 91 days to lose the weight in. "All participants who lose at least 15% of their Body Weight will win Cash." The 10% challenge has a $150 fee. They give you 6 months to lose 10%. When you do, they pay $300.
The winnings alone paid for my juicer, produce and are going to be helping with my new clothes. :)
Weight Loss Motivation
Over 70 pounds lost! I am still heading towards the 84 pound goal! It wasn't in 84 days, but it will still happen! The journey continues! People caution me about maintaining my weight and and the roller coaster weight loss potential. I started this FB page: https://www.facebook.com/RebootSupport I want a place for people of all stages to be able to connect. If you are just starting, have ended, somewhere in the middle... or just looking to maintain weight. I've learned a lot and am willing to share and motivate. My wife and I also started a coaching page; www.facebook.com/coachswart
How did I lose the weight? A combination of will power, dedication, learning new things, eating healthy, crushing a lot of cardio via Insanity workouts, signing up and competing in a few weight loss contests, along with inspiration from the documentary; Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead! A single line from the documentary hit me and motivated me the most. This 400+ pound man, Phil, was asked if he felt full after drinking a juice and he said "Yes." I turned to my wife and said; If that man can feel full, "This fat man can feel full too!" And.. well, I did.
I firmly believe that losing weight is possible when one limits the number of calories they consume and makes sure that they consume highly nutritious calories! I juiced nearly everything I consumed for 100 days. Even after I started consuming solid foods, I kept and keep on juicing! I'm juicing about 90% of what I consume.
The weight lost contests entered increased my motivation as the financial incentive (payout) was just enough to encourage me. While the fee to join them was low enough to be affordable, but high enough to make me push myself!
The HealthyWage website has three different incentives for losing weight.
They give each person a referral ID number if they share their site: My ID number is: 1011207644
Within HealthyWage they have:
A free BMI challenge that pays $100.00 for lowering your BMI to a healthy number (a year challenge).
A 10% weight loss challenge that pays $150, up to $300 (a 6 month challenge).
A 5 person team challenge called "The Matchup" that pays $10,000, $5000 and $2,000 (3 months).
A chance at $500.00, $25,000 and $100,000!
Just for working out, entering my workouts and entering the contests on the first of every month I have a chance of winning $500.00 from BeachBody via their free profile! You don't have to buy their programs or even do them to enter the contest. You can enter your "other workouts", so if you walked today, or did some push-ups, ran, etc... just enter in what you did, save and repeat when you workout again. On the first of every month people submit their entries and each day BeachBody selects a $500.00 winner. Those winners are pooled and eventually one of them can win $100,000! I also use this free account for tracking my goals, weight loss, etc... And as a way to connect with other juicers and like minded individuals, I signed up to be a coach! Yes... me. So, when you use this link I will become your coach on BeachBody! There is NO charge for this. Encouragement + Support + Accountability + motivation can = results! Feel free to click here and connect with me on BeachBody: It will say;
After losing so much weight and still losing even more; I decided to connect with others and to hopefully add to their motivation and potential for overall health as well! If you find this blog motivating and want to workout with me click the links above. I strive to be the best coach that I can be. I also am setting up private challenge groups that are limited to 25 participants that do the same workout program! Together we inspire, motivate and encourage one another as we move forward to overall improved health!
The links below are to posts that I made throughout this journey.
I don't expect everyone to jump in with both feet and juice nearly every fruit or vegetable they consume for 100+ days. However, I do believe that even one juice a day can help your body get healthier.
Down 21 pounds in 8 1/2 days!
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-calorie-is-calorie.html
The 14th day of my efforts. I am down 25 pounds in 14 days! http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/01/todays-breakfast.html
41.8 Pounds lost in 38 days!
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-good-turn-daily.html
Everyone is different.
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/02/2-people-2-stages-2-juices.html
What about the fiber? Humans need a few grams of fiber a day, not pounds of it. http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/03/3-pounds-72-ounces.html
Tips on making juices and even cleaning the juicer:
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/02/tips-as-promised.html
Inspiration:
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/02/inspiration.html
As of June 21st, 2013, I decided to become a "coach" with BeachBody.
As a stay-at-home-dad, this is giving me an opportunity to help others and to share my story as a way to pay-it-forward and help them to find confidence and inspiration to lose weight too!
As my followers know, Insanity workouts helped (and continue to help) me eliminate calories! Overall better health and maintaining it is key to living my life happy and healthily. When I'm unable to make a juice due to time and the busy lives we lead, I have found that BeachBody's shakeology drink is a way for me to get and absorb high quality nutrients!
I prefer juicing, as anyone who follows this knows. However, with over 70 natural ingredients and they have vegan varieties to choose from, this is truly an addition to my overall better health that I enjoy! I love my juices, but sometimes life happens and I can't make one before we have to leave the house! I have to hide it from my wife! She loves it! And just like my juices, she drinks the ones she enjoys and I get the leftovers (if I don't make enough)! *Update* I no longer hide it, she bought her own.
How did I lose the weight? A combination of will power, dedication, learning new things, eating healthy, crushing a lot of cardio via Insanity workouts, signing up and competing in a few weight loss contests, along with inspiration from the documentary; Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead! A single line from the documentary hit me and motivated me the most. This 400+ pound man, Phil, was asked if he felt full after drinking a juice and he said "Yes." I turned to my wife and said; If that man can feel full, "This fat man can feel full too!" And.. well, I did.
I firmly believe that losing weight is possible when one limits the number of calories they consume and makes sure that they consume highly nutritious calories! I juiced nearly everything I consumed for 100 days. Even after I started consuming solid foods, I kept and keep on juicing! I'm juicing about 90% of what I consume.
The weight lost contests entered increased my motivation as the financial incentive (payout) was just enough to encourage me. While the fee to join them was low enough to be affordable, but high enough to make me push myself!
The HealthyLoser contest fee was $100 with $12,300 given out to those who place.
$5,000 goes to the TOP finisher! And $4,000 to the first place!
On their pre-registration page, please tell them that you heard about them here; on 84lbs84days.blogspot
$5,000 goes to the TOP finisher! And $4,000 to the first place!
On their pre-registration page, please tell them that you heard about them here; on 84lbs84days.blogspot
"All participants who lose at least 15% of their Body Weight will win Cash."
Only 300 people are allowed in each group and then another one can start forming.
They give each person a referral ID number if they share their site: My ID number is: 1011207644
Within HealthyWage they have:
A free BMI challenge that pays $100.00 for lowering your BMI to a healthy number (a year challenge).
A 10% weight loss challenge that pays $150, up to $300 (a 6 month challenge).
A 5 person team challenge called "The Matchup" that pays $10,000, $5000 and $2,000 (3 months).
A chance at $500.00, $25,000 and $100,000!
Just for working out, entering my workouts and entering the contests on the first of every month I have a chance of winning $500.00 from BeachBody via their free profile! You don't have to buy their programs or even do them to enter the contest. You can enter your "other workouts", so if you walked today, or did some push-ups, ran, etc... just enter in what you did, save and repeat when you workout again. On the first of every month people submit their entries and each day BeachBody selects a $500.00 winner. Those winners are pooled and eventually one of them can win $100,000! I also use this free account for tracking my goals, weight loss, etc... And as a way to connect with other juicers and like minded individuals, I signed up to be a coach! Yes... me. So, when you use this link I will become your coach on BeachBody! There is NO charge for this. Encouragement + Support + Accountability + motivation can = results! Feel free to click here and connect with me on BeachBody: It will say;
After losing so much weight and still losing even more; I decided to connect with others and to hopefully add to their motivation and potential for overall health as well! If you find this blog motivating and want to workout with me click the links above. I strive to be the best coach that I can be. I also am setting up private challenge groups that are limited to 25 participants that do the same workout program! Together we inspire, motivate and encourage one another as we move forward to overall improved health!
The links below are to posts that I made throughout this journey.
I don't expect everyone to jump in with both feet and juice nearly every fruit or vegetable they consume for 100+ days. However, I do believe that even one juice a day can help your body get healthier.
Down 21 pounds in 8 1/2 days!
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-calorie-is-calorie.html
The 14th day of my efforts. I am down 25 pounds in 14 days! http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/01/todays-breakfast.html
41.8 Pounds lost in 38 days!
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-good-turn-daily.html
Everyone is different.
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/02/2-people-2-stages-2-juices.html
What about the fiber? Humans need a few grams of fiber a day, not pounds of it. http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/03/3-pounds-72-ounces.html
Tips on making juices and even cleaning the juicer:
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/02/tips-as-promised.html
Inspiration:
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/02/inspiration.html
As of June 21st, 2013, I decided to become a "coach" with BeachBody.
As a stay-at-home-dad, this is giving me an opportunity to help others and to share my story as a way to pay-it-forward and help them to find confidence and inspiration to lose weight too!
As my followers know, Insanity workouts helped (and continue to help) me eliminate calories! Overall better health and maintaining it is key to living my life happy and healthily. When I'm unable to make a juice due to time and the busy lives we lead, I have found that BeachBody's shakeology drink is a way for me to get and absorb high quality nutrients!
I prefer juicing, as anyone who follows this knows. However, with over 70 natural ingredients and they have vegan varieties to choose from, this is truly an addition to my overall better health that I enjoy! I love my juices, but sometimes life happens and I can't make one before we have to leave the house! I have to hide it from my wife! She loves it! And just like my juices, she drinks the ones she enjoys and I get the leftovers (if I don't make enough)! *Update* I no longer hide it, she bought her own.
Lose Weight
It is official... 67.4 pounds lost in 84 days!
See photo below.
See photo below.
My goal is still to lose 84 pounds.
I will continue on this journey. Once there I plan on toning up, remaining healthy and enjoying life!
These weight lost contests that I entered increased my motivation. The financial incentives (payouts) was just enough to encourage me to keep pushing forward. While the small fee to join them was low enough to be affordable, but high enough to make me push myself!
The HealthyLoser contest fee was $100 with $8,000 given out to those who place. On their pre-registration page, please tell them that you heard about them here; on 84lbs84days.blogspot
"All participants who lose at least 15% of their Body Weight will win Cash."
Only 300 people are allowed in each group and then another one can start forming.
Only 300 people are allowed in each group and then another one can start forming.
The HealthyWage website has three different incentives for losing weight.
They give each person a referral ID number if they share their site: My ID number is: 1011207644
Within HealthyWage they have:
A free BMI challenge that pays you $100.00 for lowering your BMI to a healthy one.
A 10% weight loss challenge that pays $150, up to $300.
A 5 person team challenge called "The Matchup" that pays $10,000, $5000 and $2,000
These links to other posts that I made throughout this journey. I'm hoping they will help first time readers with any questions they have.
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/02/inspiration.html
Down 21 pounds in 8 1/2 days!
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-calorie-is-calorie.html
The 14th day of my efforts. I am down 25 pounds in 14 days!
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/01/todays-breakfast.html
What about the fiber? Humans need a few grams of fiber a day, not pounds of it.
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/03/3-pounds-72-ounces.html
Tips:
http://84lbs84days.blogspot.com/2013/02/tips-as-promised.html
I desired to lose weight for my own health. Entering a weight loss contest gave me additional motivation as the financial commitment added an extra push. It was only $50 to join the contest, but the incentive of a winner take all contest helped me along the way. At one point I fell into second place... which was actually probably a HUGE blessing. Going from being chased to chasing someone really turned my mentality around as well!
The contest was brutal... as I knew that two of my competitors were actively losing weight. Being that the three of us are part of a five member team going for a $10,000 prize, I knew that at least two members of the individual contest on facebook would be pushing themselves hard too! In reality the incentive was great, but more importantly, the pounds I had hanging around my body got shed, and that is the biggest reward! I posted the photo above on facebook as well, now since the individual competition is completed, I'm okay with my teammates seeing these results.
I'm surprised at how much a percentage contest really makes a difference versus looking at just pounds lost. Losing 67.4 pounds, a 26.75 percent loss was only 2.05 percent more than my closest competitor! She lost 24.7% during the 12 week contest!
Going from 252 pounds on January 12th, 2013 to weighing out at 184.6 pounds (on the same scale) on April 8th, 2013 is awesome! I feel lighter (obviously), more fit, happier, I have more energy, etc...
The last twelve weeks have educated me about the power of choice and what having knowledge really means. I've said it before on here and I'll say it again. Having knowledge is one thing, implementing that is another. You can know everything about something and never actually use it or apply it in your life and it will not benefit you. When it comes to weight loss and eating well, no one can do those things for you. I can't do an Insanity workout and you benefit from it. Likewise, a salad consumed by you gives me no nutrients.
It has been nearly 90 days since I started "juicing" my meals. People ask me if I am going to juice forever. This is the best way to answer that question. I can easily see myself making one large juice a day and sticking that in mason jars or some form of a bottle and placing it in the fridge for consumption throughout the day. I used to make several juices a day. The time it took to clean the juicer every time, was a lot. Now, I simply decide what I want for the day and make it. If, as the day progresses I want an apple juice or I want something more, I can fire up the juicer and make something. For now though a juice can be made in just a few minutes in the morning. It yields between 50 to 80 ounces. About 16 to 30 are enjoyed for breakfast and the rest is divided into jars and placed in the fridge. I love variety, so at times I will make a 40 to 60 ounce juice and then another 40+ ounce with different ingredients. Maybe make a sweet one and a vegetable based one.
Do I feel full... and what about calories? I get this question a lot too. When the 400+ pound man in Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead said he felt "full" I turned to my wife and said, if he can feel full. This fat man (who was about 1/2 his size) can feel full too! If you are on a "diet" or trying this "juice" lifestyle for a little while or making a change that could involve at least one juice a day, forever. The question about feeling satisfied or better yet, NOT feeling hungry always comes up. The best thing about juicing is you can literally control your calories better (in my opinion) and feel fuller than you ever can while consuming processed foods. Why? Well a 100 calorie snack pack is just that. A snack, with 100 calories in it and it is gone... gone in just a few minutes when most people open it. Take a 100 calories and put it into a juice. Simply said, I can juice 100 calories of vegetables and get several ounces of "juice" and then that can be divided into jars/bottles and consumed throughout the day. Now, I know 100 calories ins't much. That was just an easy number to use. Imagine if your goal was to consume 1,200 calories a day. Well, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is nearly 400 calories (closer to 360). Eat that 3 or 4 times in a day and you're at your threshold. Unless you slice the sandwiches down into pieces and ration them out so you get portion of it every few hours, most people eat their sandwich within a few minutes of making it. Now... the juice. A 1,200 calorie juice. WoW! I don't think I've ever made that caloric of a juice. I'm guessing a bunch of apples would do it. In reality though, most juices, even the best tasting ones will yield around 40 ounces of juice and only maybe give you 400 calories... and that is if it is fruit based. You can hit 1,200 calories if you really wanted to do so, but that would be intentional. Most of the juices I've posted on this blog or any juice from my friend's website; www.makeitvegan.com/juice-recipes would hold you over and keep you feeling full. If you get hungry, you're human. Grab an apple, an orange, a tangerine, some celery, a carrot. People say they want to "feel full." Honestly, a burger versus a 16 ounce juice. Both will feel your stomach up. One is going to be more healthier for you than the other.
A little disclaimer for first time readers. I grew up eating steaks, chicken, fish, having miracle whip, butter, cookies, you name it, jello, etc... I'm not a nutty "vegan" that has no sense of what taste good or that has a warped sense of reality. Instead, I'm an educated person who doesn't have room for all the junk, fillers, antibiotics, salt, chemicals, etc... that are pumped into, injected, fed to or put on or in animals and their processed products. If food was what we all thought it was, I'd be more okay with consuming it. However, a burger in 2013 isn't the same as a burger in 1913. The animals are fed things and given antibiotics to help them be "healthy" enough to be consumed by humans. Finding range (grass) fed meat, in my opinion, is worth the extra cost. If I was going to have a burger, I would pay the higher cost to find meat that wasn't packed full of all of the chemicals, dyes, fillers and other things. I want to be healthier and to have clean arteries. Having a life that is filled with fun times and memories, includes living a long and full life. As much as I love good food. As much as I have always enjoyed beef, fish, sushi, chicken, turkey, exotic and creative meals, I don't have room for those things in my life, not when what we think we are consuming and what we actually are consuming is so different. I understand that not everything I consume is organic. At least though, I can attempt to limit my intake of all the chemicals and enjoy a healthy life and this lifestyle is giving me just that.
Fruits and vegetables provide more than most people think and know. I read something the other day that said once an item is heated up than only 1/2 of the protein contained within it is actually usable by the human bodies. I'm still researching this. However, if this is true then this example is a real eyeopener.
Imagine a piece of chicken having 30 grams of protein.
Cook it: Only 15 grams are now usable by the body
Eat it: Only about 40 to 60% of the protein is actually absorbed by the body: <-- I'll use 50%
Yield: Our body just received 7.5 grams of protein.
A head of romaine lettuce has 8 grams of protein in it: http://cronometer.com/food.html?food=5520 Place that in your juicer or consume it in a salad and viola! More protein than a piece of chicken.
A 250 gram head of Kale (I prefer purple kale): http://cronometer.com/food.html?food=52694 also has 8 grams of protein. But check out all the other nutrients, vitamins, and benefits that something like this has in it! This beats a chicken breast any day! Especially if it was a cheap one on sale, with a "solution" added to it, fillers, water and sodium... why not just chicken? Anyways... the point is, vegetables and fruits have more to offer than most people know. And when it comes down to it, I'm getting the protein levels I need. Here are my lab results... I'm healthy and I feel full. I'm getting all the fiber and even more nutrients than a piece of beef or chicken is going to offer.
My Progress: I "officially" lost 67.4 pounds!
Day 84!
Day 84 is here! I'm so excited! However, I am going to wait to update the above weight loss number until AFTER we officially weigh in? Why...? Well, this goal started on their scale... it should rightly END on their scale too! So hang in there a little longer and I will update the total number of pounds lost once we weigh in!
I'm currently still hoping to shed some more... even more importantly, hoping that the "official" scale will reflect a nice reduction in overall weight! I know that I've been busting my butt at losing weight!
When I fell into "second" place I knew that would provide some relief, but also some urgency too! Now, with ALL of the Insanity workouts, the sweating, the cardio, the plateauing, the... UGG! Life as we know it happening, it will be nice to see this contest over and done with. The bodybuilding one is now officially over for me too. In terms of days. I need to submit my "After" photos and a paragraph about my "transformation." Maybe I should just give them the link to this blog? haha I doubt that is what they want from me.
I finally broke through the last plateau! That took a while! just happened in the last 24 hours or so! Now... to get to crushing those calories!
I'm still juicing... just made yet another Purple Kale and Apple juice... this time I added a head of romaine lettuce to it. YUMMM! And it has protein, nutrients, and tons of vitamins! Just an all around great juice!
Well, it is a few minutes after 2:40 in the morning here. I'm still wide awake and still shedding calories! Back to "work" I go... as I need to get myself to lose as much as I can before we go weigh in (out). I'm excited to see what the final number will say. Then, on Day 91. HealthyLoser is over and on day 96, the HealthyWage Team Challenge is over! We're in third overall for Team Weight loss currently. My weight loss doesn't apply to the team's overall loss, so I can only motivate and ask for people to vote for our team. Which several team members and I have been doing a lot this week. I'll probably post a link to this week's mini challenge (like I've done before) tomorrow or Tuesday. For now, I'm ending this here so I can get back to ELIMINATING calories!
I'm currently still hoping to shed some more... even more importantly, hoping that the "official" scale will reflect a nice reduction in overall weight! I know that I've been busting my butt at losing weight!
When I fell into "second" place I knew that would provide some relief, but also some urgency too! Now, with ALL of the Insanity workouts, the sweating, the cardio, the plateauing, the... UGG! Life as we know it happening, it will be nice to see this contest over and done with. The bodybuilding one is now officially over for me too. In terms of days. I need to submit my "After" photos and a paragraph about my "transformation." Maybe I should just give them the link to this blog? haha I doubt that is what they want from me.
I finally broke through the last plateau! That took a while! just happened in the last 24 hours or so! Now... to get to crushing those calories!
I'm still juicing... just made yet another Purple Kale and Apple juice... this time I added a head of romaine lettuce to it. YUMMM! And it has protein, nutrients, and tons of vitamins! Just an all around great juice!
Well, it is a few minutes after 2:40 in the morning here. I'm still wide awake and still shedding calories! Back to "work" I go... as I need to get myself to lose as much as I can before we go weigh in (out). I'm excited to see what the final number will say. Then, on Day 91. HealthyLoser is over and on day 96, the HealthyWage Team Challenge is over! We're in third overall for Team Weight loss currently. My weight loss doesn't apply to the team's overall loss, so I can only motivate and ask for people to vote for our team. Which several team members and I have been doing a lot this week. I'll probably post a link to this week's mini challenge (like I've done before) tomorrow or Tuesday. For now, I'm ending this here so I can get back to ELIMINATING calories!
My progress 60.1+ LBS In 84 Days!
(I will update the exact number after we officially weigh in.)
Updated Photo!
Updated photos... with the new weight loss and finally getting below 200 pounds, here is a look at the last 65 days! I'm down 54.7 pounds thus far! With basically 30 pounds to go to reach my goal weight of 166, I'm thrilled at the progress!
I have been working out like crazy! Having done over three hours of cardio and ab workouts yesterday has, as MyFitnessPal says; "earned" me more calories. I don't want to "earn" calories as of yet... I want to shed them!
The text at the bottom of the image says "If every day were like today you'd weigh 158.9 lbs in 5 weeks"
I would LOVE to be at 166 by April 8th. That may not happen, but I will be close. The final contest needs to be weighed out on April 21st, maybe the 19th. Either way, I am hoping to be at 166 by that day. April 8th is the deadline for the first contest. Eating well, doing these Insanity and P90X workouts and implementing little tidbits that I've picked up to help me minimize the quantity that I consume and eat per meal is really paying off!
I am taking two servings of nutritional yeast each day to ensure I'm getting the essential nutrients and I am still consuming my juice. Only for two, maybe three weeks will my caloric intake be between 400 and 800. I'm doing this, with the nutritional yeast and the workouts to ensure weight loss, but also keep the nutrient levels up, so my body isn't lacking.
The previous winners of the second weight loss contest that I am in lost about 34% of their body weight. That contest pays out $5,000 to first place. My intention is to WIN that one... and then tone up and add muscle and a few pounds of weight. However, I am listening to my body and will not ignore warning signs. I am "winning" by losing as much as I have lost. Win or lose the five grand, I'll be healthier and happier at the new weight. One thing is, I know that my body needs more than just low calories. A body needs nutrients. A bowl of cabbage soup each day would be low calories, but would not provide the nutrients to sustain life. Which is why the nutritional yeast is being consumed with my juice.
After three weeks I'll continue eating (juicing and eating) as normal. I find it interesting that my stomach gets full a lot faster than ever before. Yesterday after drinking about 8 ounces of juice, I ate (yes, chewed) about half of my son's bean burrito (whole wheat tortilla and refried beans - he likes them pretty plain) and a few bites of the filling from the stuffed yellow pepper that I made the family for dinner, I felt like I was going to pop! This is good to learn now, as I want to avoid the "roller coaster" weight gain that is a potential after losing a lot of weight. I understand the need to avoid going back to the bad eating habits of the past. Slowing down. Smaller bites. Smaller portions. More, but smaller meals throughout the day will allow for feeling fuller and satisfied throughout the day, without tanking it on.
I look forward to a healthy, long and energetic life with my wife, kids, family and friends!
I have been working out like crazy! Having done over three hours of cardio and ab workouts yesterday has, as MyFitnessPal says; "earned" me more calories. I don't want to "earn" calories as of yet... I want to shed them!
I would LOVE to be at 166 by April 8th. That may not happen, but I will be close. The final contest needs to be weighed out on April 21st, maybe the 19th. Either way, I am hoping to be at 166 by that day. April 8th is the deadline for the first contest. Eating well, doing these Insanity and P90X workouts and implementing little tidbits that I've picked up to help me minimize the quantity that I consume and eat per meal is really paying off!
I am taking two servings of nutritional yeast each day to ensure I'm getting the essential nutrients and I am still consuming my juice. Only for two, maybe three weeks will my caloric intake be between 400 and 800. I'm doing this, with the nutritional yeast and the workouts to ensure weight loss, but also keep the nutrient levels up, so my body isn't lacking.
The previous winners of the second weight loss contest that I am in lost about 34% of their body weight. That contest pays out $5,000 to first place. My intention is to WIN that one... and then tone up and add muscle and a few pounds of weight. However, I am listening to my body and will not ignore warning signs. I am "winning" by losing as much as I have lost. Win or lose the five grand, I'll be healthier and happier at the new weight. One thing is, I know that my body needs more than just low calories. A body needs nutrients. A bowl of cabbage soup each day would be low calories, but would not provide the nutrients to sustain life. Which is why the nutritional yeast is being consumed with my juice.
After three weeks I'll continue eating (juicing and eating) as normal. I find it interesting that my stomach gets full a lot faster than ever before. Yesterday after drinking about 8 ounces of juice, I ate (yes, chewed) about half of my son's bean burrito (whole wheat tortilla and refried beans - he likes them pretty plain) and a few bites of the filling from the stuffed yellow pepper that I made the family for dinner, I felt like I was going to pop! This is good to learn now, as I want to avoid the "roller coaster" weight gain that is a potential after losing a lot of weight. I understand the need to avoid going back to the bad eating habits of the past. Slowing down. Smaller bites. Smaller portions. More, but smaller meals throughout the day will allow for feeling fuller and satisfied throughout the day, without tanking it on.
I look forward to a healthy, long and energetic life with my wife, kids, family and friends!
Still here.
I'm still around... and still more 'round' than I'd like to be. I've been stuck on a plateau all week. Doesn't help much that I haven't worked out at all this week. Between life, kids, time, and the mental fog I posted about a week or so ago... it has been interesting, at best.
It is now 12:11 a.m on the 27th of February. I'm about to crush an Insanity workout...
It is now 12:11 a.m on the 27th of February. I'm about to crush an Insanity workout...
My Progress: 42.2 Pounds Lost in 45 Days!
Say what??
Looks like I have some catching up to do in the pounds lost department! Bring it! I'm ready (again)!
2 People. 2 Stages. 2 Juices
My wife says I can consume anything because sometimes I just drink it. I tell her, "In thirty seconds it will be gone and I'll get all the nutrients and vitamins from it. Then, I just won't make it again."
My wife is eating well and juicing from time to time to help her get more nutrients and vitamins in her body. Much better than just eating breads, processed foods, noodles, etc... This way she is getting a bit of both.
She started with a bowl of European Hot Cereal (oatmeal with figs and raisins) from Sprouts and then made a juice for later in the day:
My wife's juice this morning:
4 Fuji Apples
1 Stalk of Celery
1 large handful of Spinach
Yield: about 24 ounces
My juice this morning:
1 head of Romaine Lettuce
2 Bok Choy heads
1 Yellow pepper
1/4 a Jalapeno (stuffed inside the yellow pepper)
1 small handful of Parsley (also stuffed inside the yellow pepper)
5 Carrots
4 Stalks of Celery
5 Roma Tomatoes (I wish I had more... but this was all I had on hand).
4 leaves (with stems) of Lacinato Kale
1/2 a Lime
Yield: 48 ounces
Stats From MyFitnessPal:
Calories: 775
Carbs: 164
Fat: 6
Protein; 51
Fiber: 58
Calcium: 233
Our taste buds change over time. Who knows how my juice would have tasted to me 40 days ago, but today, I'd give it a 6, maybe a 7. Had I had another 2 or 3 tomatoes, I would probably give it an 8 or more. Tomatoes are awesome! My next juice will be a sweeter one. It will consist of pears, fuji apples, kale and possibly blueberries.
Tip:
A nice sweet treat is a few pears juiced with blueberries and a handful of spinach or kale. You can swap out the pears for really good and sweet apples, like fuji, gala or pink lady. I'd avoid the green apples... but that is my opinion.
I know apples have "sugar" in them and so do the other fruits that I mentioned. Just remember the "sugar" in them isn't refined, bleached or stripped of nutrients. It is a different kind of sugar than what is found in soda, candy, processed foods, etc... this is natural and it forces your body to break it down and then it (your body) is rewarded with nutrients and vitamins that it will not find in white sugar.
This morning was my first workout since Saturday as I pulled my leg muscle some when I fell skating with my wife on the 13th. I have been taking it easy, as I didn't want to make it worse. The workout this morning was pure cardio and cardio abs from Insanity. I fully intend on doing another workout this afternoon when the kids are down for a nap... and call me crazy, but probably one more this evening when they go to sleep. Why? Well tit is said that there are approximately 3,500 calories in a pound. My days gone by are catching up to my pounds lost. And I didn't workout for a few days... so, it is time to push myself! Time to make sure I'm BURNING calories throughout the day and make sure my pounds lost keep in line with my 84 pounds lost in 84 days goal.
My wife is eating well and juicing from time to time to help her get more nutrients and vitamins in her body. Much better than just eating breads, processed foods, noodles, etc... This way she is getting a bit of both.
She started with a bowl of European Hot Cereal (oatmeal with figs and raisins) from Sprouts and then made a juice for later in the day:
My wife's juice this morning:
4 Fuji Apples
1 Stalk of Celery
1 large handful of Spinach
Yield: about 24 ounces
My juice this morning:
1 head of Romaine Lettuce
2 Bok Choy heads
1 Yellow pepper
1/4 a Jalapeno (stuffed inside the yellow pepper)
1 small handful of Parsley (also stuffed inside the yellow pepper)
5 Carrots
4 Stalks of Celery
5 Roma Tomatoes (I wish I had more... but this was all I had on hand).
4 leaves (with stems) of Lacinato Kale
1/2 a Lime
Yield: 48 ounces
Stats From MyFitnessPal:
Calories: 775
Carbs: 164
Fat: 6
Protein; 51
Fiber: 58
Calcium: 233
Our taste buds change over time. Who knows how my juice would have tasted to me 40 days ago, but today, I'd give it a 6, maybe a 7. Had I had another 2 or 3 tomatoes, I would probably give it an 8 or more. Tomatoes are awesome! My next juice will be a sweeter one. It will consist of pears, fuji apples, kale and possibly blueberries.
Tip:
A nice sweet treat is a few pears juiced with blueberries and a handful of spinach or kale. You can swap out the pears for really good and sweet apples, like fuji, gala or pink lady. I'd avoid the green apples... but that is my opinion.
I know apples have "sugar" in them and so do the other fruits that I mentioned. Just remember the "sugar" in them isn't refined, bleached or stripped of nutrients. It is a different kind of sugar than what is found in soda, candy, processed foods, etc... this is natural and it forces your body to break it down and then it (your body) is rewarded with nutrients and vitamins that it will not find in white sugar.
This morning was my first workout since Saturday as I pulled my leg muscle some when I fell skating with my wife on the 13th. I have been taking it easy, as I didn't want to make it worse. The workout this morning was pure cardio and cardio abs from Insanity. I fully intend on doing another workout this afternoon when the kids are down for a nap... and call me crazy, but probably one more this evening when they go to sleep. Why? Well tit is said that there are approximately 3,500 calories in a pound. My days gone by are catching up to my pounds lost. And I didn't workout for a few days... so, it is time to push myself! Time to make sure I'm BURNING calories throughout the day and make sure my pounds lost keep in line with my 84 pounds lost in 84 days goal.
My Progress: 41.8 Pounds in 38 Days!
''How do you all cope?''
I saw this question asked by a fellow MyFitnessPal participant.
"All these cravings are driving me crazy. .. How do you all cope? =/"
This was my answer:
I look at it like this... I WILL BE ALIVE THE NEXT 3 MONTHS ANYWAYS... And I tell myself that.
Seriously! I'm going to be here.. so I can be here FAT or I can be here Healthy and Fit and enjoy life! I have chosen to be here as a healthy fit person! Something that I let go for way to long. I have the unfortunate stretch marks on my stomach to show for my horrid choices and lazy ways... funny thing is. My choices were not HORRID... I was not a big soda, or candy person. I was simply a BIG lover of food. I'd pack it in. Instead of slowing down and enjoying it. I'd simply keep shoveling it in. Why? Because it was good! Food was good! Food IS good! When it comes right down to it. I have decided that once I hit my goal (166 pounds) that I will seriously maintain. How to maintain? How to get me there. By savoring each bite. One bite at a time. By slowing down and ALLOWING the food to sit on my taste buds longer. You no longer 'taste' the food once it passes the back of the tongue. So... I'll enjoy it. I'll let each bite resonate on my tongue for a bit longer and I'll take smaller bites. I'll eat less and truly enjoy the meal a lot more!
I'll do all that I can. And I'm not taking any 'diet pills' or supplements. I'm simply consuming the most nutrient rich foods that I can. The Standard American Diet consists of a lot of 'white' food (rice, noodles, breads, sugar, etc...) that has been stripped of most of their nutrients and minerals. That is what we eat. And we feel that we need a lot of it! Give us the most bang for our buck!
We don't need that. We simply need a nice meal and a bit of self control. Small bites... (place your fork or spoon down between each bite will help too) Allow the AMAZING food and flavors that we love to hangout on our tongue and in our mouth for a few more seconds. That we can truly enjoy those flavors before we send them down the pipes to be decomposed, broken down and absorbed. Allowing us to satisfy the desire for flavorful food and will give the stomach time needed to tell the brain that it is full.
One of the best thing (imo) to overcome eating bad things when a craving hits is having less of the 'bad' things in the house. Have your fruits and veggies in the fridge ready to go. When I buy grapes, strawberries and blueberries for the family, I wash them when I stick them in the fridge. That way they are ready to go and become a quick snack when a craving hits. You can do this for apples, pears, etc... I also wash off my greens first. Collards, kale, cucumbers, or whatever else I have. It takes a few seconds and then they are ready to go whenever a craving hits.
For anyone taking the steps to lose weight and to get their life back... Best of luck to you all!
My Progress: 35.8 Pounds Lost in 28 Days!
Before Photos & Day 27 of Juicing Photos!
My wife and others wanted to see some before and after photos. The pictures in the shorts were taken on January 12th, 2013 when I weighed in for the first weight loss challenge. I was 252 pounds.
The pictures above on the right were taken on February 9th, 2013.
After only 27 days of juicing exclusively... I am down to 217.2 pounds!
A 34.2 pound weight loss in 27 days!
For kicks... Since a pound is roughly 3,500 calories, 119,700 calories have been exterminated!
The initial 18 to 20 pounds were lost solely due to juicing!
The next 14.2 pounds were lost with a combination of juicing, Insanity workouts and P90X workouts!
I have more energy today than I have had in years! Special thanks go out to my friends Mike and Breann for introducing me to Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead! Special thanks goes to my sweet wife for having faith in me and for letting me do all I can and allowing me to freely juice and accept this change of pace. A thank you also goes out to BeachBody, Shaun T. and Tony Horton for their programs and workout DVDs! And of course, to my Doctor for giving me the green light to continue after the blood work results came back with my being 'healthy,' besides still being overweight.
Discipline + Motivation + Willpower all combine to create the smaller man you see above!
I look forward to successfully completing my weight loss goal and returning to 166 pounds!
Feel free to join me on Team BeachBody and send me a Buddy Request I signed up as a coach o help inspire others. I'd love to connect and be yours too, click here to make that happen.
Thank you to ALL of you who frequent my blog! I am motivated THAT much more knowing that YOU are watching me lose while I achieve this 84 pound weight loss goal! Yesterday this blog was visited by over 300 people... WoW! Thank you! Several people have said that they are inspired by my story and progress. If you want to share this blog on facebook, twitter, or wherever... please feel free to do so!
Seriously, I'd LOVE it if this blog was shared more. Why? Because, I am truly inspired to keep digging deeper and pushing myself harder just knowing that my blog is being followed, shared and read!
Once again, thank you for visiting and following my blog! I look forward to losing, as I achieve the goal of shedding 84 pounds!
My 'Motivaion' post can be seen here. This image is on Facebook too! Feel free to comment, like and share.
Blueberries and Rainbow Collards!
This morning I wanted a real treat. Something crisp! Something with a cool and refreshing flavor!
I also wanted nutrients, vitamins and some protein.
The craving for lettuce came over me. Usually I want to throw in Romaine lettuce when I am craving nutrients. This morning I wanted something different. Upon opening the fridge there was a brand new head of red leaf lettuce and about a cup and a half of rainbow collard... bring it!
My breakfast:
About a cup of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.
3 bartlett pears
5 medium pink lady apples
1/2 a head of red leaf lettuce
About 1.5 cups, of rainbow collards (all of it... stems and leaves)
This made 46 ounces of juice. I consumed 32 of those and saved the rest for a few hours later.
I entered in all of the ingredients in MyFitnessPal and this is what they gave me:
Calories Carbs Fat Protein Fiber Iron
1,035 265 0 21 71 63
The rainbow collards alone added 14 grams of protein! BAM!
This juice was amazing! And since I keep all of my produce in the fridge. It was exactly what the cravings asked for. It was cool, refreshing and PACKED with nutrients, vitamins and protein!
When I put in my new weight at MyFitnessPal...
217.2 POUNDS! I received this little message!
I also wanted nutrients, vitamins and some protein.
The craving for lettuce came over me. Usually I want to throw in Romaine lettuce when I am craving nutrients. This morning I wanted something different. Upon opening the fridge there was a brand new head of red leaf lettuce and about a cup and a half of rainbow collard... bring it!
My breakfast:
About a cup of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.
3 bartlett pears
5 medium pink lady apples
1/2 a head of red leaf lettuce
About 1.5 cups, of rainbow collards (all of it... stems and leaves)
This made 46 ounces of juice. I consumed 32 of those and saved the rest for a few hours later.
I entered in all of the ingredients in MyFitnessPal and this is what they gave me:
Calories Carbs Fat Protein Fiber Iron
1,035 265 0 21 71 63
The rainbow collards alone added 14 grams of protein! BAM!
This juice was amazing! And since I keep all of my produce in the fridge. It was exactly what the cravings asked for. It was cool, refreshing and PACKED with nutrients, vitamins and protein!
When I put in my new weight at MyFitnessPal...
217.2 POUNDS! I received this little message!
Congratulations!
You've lost more than 10 lbs since the last time your goals were set!
I weighed in officially at 252 pounds on January 12th!
Only 27 Days Later...
I am now 217.2 pounds!
I feel more energized than ever!
Possibly better than the Powerball Jackpot!
I don't actually play the Powerball lottery however going to Sprouts the other day delivered me a prize of lottery status...
Check out the size of this organic parsley! And the tiny one on the right.
I asked the produce guy if they were the same and if so, did I just hit the jackpot? He looked... did a double take and looked at the labels and said, Yes! You hit the jackpot there! Both things of parsley were priced at $1.50.
This was by far the largest size difference I've seen in the same items however, it isn't new to me to find large size differences in organic fruits and produce. Simply said, they aren't controlled like crops are that are genetically modified, therefore you have chances to find these. This is the third or fourth time that I found a larger item just by digging around a little!
If you are going to be juicing or eating the vegetables and fruits raw, why not get the biggest bang for your buck?
Tip: If you are paying per pound and not per item, look for what is practical. Tomatoes at $0.99 or $1.50 a pound is a good price, but grabbing 2 or three large ones means that you need to cut them up or buy several more foe each juice. I LOVE tomatoes and know that I will use a lot of them. Therefore, when buying by the pound, I select a bag full of small to medium tomatoes. That way I can juice them according to my needs or recipes. It is easy to add another tomato or two. Slicing a large one down to size makes for potential juice loss and then having to store a partial tomato. Simply said, buying multiple small or medium ones gives you variety and flexibility when juicing. Besides it would be awful difficult to remove the juice after it goes in with everything else.
Check out the size of this organic parsley! And the tiny one on the right.
I asked the produce guy if they were the same and if so, did I just hit the jackpot? He looked... did a double take and looked at the labels and said, Yes! You hit the jackpot there! Both things of parsley were priced at $1.50.
This was by far the largest size difference I've seen in the same items however, it isn't new to me to find large size differences in organic fruits and produce. Simply said, they aren't controlled like crops are that are genetically modified, therefore you have chances to find these. This is the third or fourth time that I found a larger item just by digging around a little!
If you are going to be juicing or eating the vegetables and fruits raw, why not get the biggest bang for your buck?
Tip: If you are paying per pound and not per item, look for what is practical. Tomatoes at $0.99 or $1.50 a pound is a good price, but grabbing 2 or three large ones means that you need to cut them up or buy several more foe each juice. I LOVE tomatoes and know that I will use a lot of them. Therefore, when buying by the pound, I select a bag full of small to medium tomatoes. That way I can juice them according to my needs or recipes. It is easy to add another tomato or two. Slicing a large one down to size makes for potential juice loss and then having to store a partial tomato. Simply said, buying multiple small or medium ones gives you variety and flexibility when juicing. Besides it would be awful difficult to remove the juice after it goes in with everything else.
My Progress: 34.2 Pounds lost in 26 Days!
Fitting Better
Several years ago my wife purchased me a nice jacket. Around the first of the year we were in Sedona, AZ And I was complaining about how it did not fit anymore. It was way too tight and it was all I could do to zip it up.
I weighed in this morning at 218.6 pounds. I just got done putting on the jacket to go outside... Expecting the same discomfort, just because the last time I put it on I remember it not fitting well. To my enjoyment and surprise jacket fits perfectly fine.
In a few months I might just have to go and purchase another one... I like this kind of a jacket can be taken in.
Over 33 pounds lost in only 25 days. I have not done a workout today or even yesterday because we just got busy with the kids and family.
Juicing works for losing weight even if you are not able to work out every single day. My intentions are to go ahead and do my work out that I planned for this afternoon, this evening when the kids go to sleep.
And hopefully in the morning I will be down another half a pound or another pound.
I weighed in this morning at 218.6 pounds. I just got done putting on the jacket to go outside... Expecting the same discomfort, just because the last time I put it on I remember it not fitting well. To my enjoyment and surprise jacket fits perfectly fine.
In a few months I might just have to go and purchase another one... I like this kind of a jacket can be taken in.
Over 33 pounds lost in only 25 days. I have not done a workout today or even yesterday because we just got busy with the kids and family.
Juicing works for losing weight even if you are not able to work out every single day. My intentions are to go ahead and do my work out that I planned for this afternoon, this evening when the kids go to sleep.
And hopefully in the morning I will be down another half a pound or another pound.
22 days into juicing... and I had my first HOT meal (Juice).
I'm human. I am.
I have cravings too.
Most of which I have found the will power to ignore, modify or overlook. At times though, embracing them is the best way to overcome them!
I actually enjoy going to dinner with my family, knowing that I will not be eating. I will be smelling the food.
Crazy? Not really. When it comes down to it, making a big scene over "not being able to eat" would be much worse. And in reality, I LOVE flavorful, excellent, unique and intriguing foods and dishes. The flavors, the spices, the way they can all come together to make one's mouth water. Excellent. I also love spending time with my kids, having clean arteries, and not carrying around so many extra pounds.
When I go to dinner, walk by a restaurant or through a kitchen, I take in all the smells and aromas. They remind me of what I had and satisfies my cravings.
The other day someone told me (or I read it somewhere) that once your food passes your taste buds, it is gone. I knew this... but now I really think about it a fairly often. There is so much truth to that statement. On my way to 252 pounds I would pound food like none other! I knew that I could punish at least two plates of food and a pizza... a large pizza was something I would finish on my own, without even thinking about it. I'm not talking about your normal pepperoni or meat lovers pizza. No, I would do gourmet pizzas. If I was going to eat, I wanted it unique and as flavorful as I could get it!
Why? Because food is good! It tastes great! Smells amazing! And it is a social activity that builds friendships, brings families together and helps individuals bond in ways that other activities may not be able to.
Two nights ago I had a craving for a hot meal like none other. I had not thought of it, it truly had been over 20 days since I sat down to a warm meal or eaten with a spoon or fork. I pulled out the Breville juicing / cookbook. I was determined to make something warm even if that meant I would juice a bunch of vegetables and then warm it up on the stove. To my surprise upon opening the book I discovered three soups. Two called for meats and one did not. I picked the one with the most vegetables and commenced juicing!
The recipe: "Gazpacho"
4 medium tomatoes
4 sprigs of parsley
1 large clove garlic, peeled (I used about 1/4th a clove)
1 small onion, peeled and trimmed (I used a tiny onion that I picked up from Sprouts)
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
1 red pepper
1 Lebanese cucumber (I used an English one)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar <-- Omitted this.
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup crushed ice <-- Omitted this (My Gazpacho was going on the stove.)
3 tbl chopped fresh basil -- sprinkled on top <-- Didn't do.
It may not have looked the best... but it HIT THE SPOT! And slaughtered the craving!
After warming up the juice that came out of the Breville, I poured it in one of our bowls and grabbed a spoon. After about 3 bites, I grabbed a large hot chocolate mug and poured it in there and drank it.
I have cravings too.
Most of which I have found the will power to ignore, modify or overlook. At times though, embracing them is the best way to overcome them!
I actually enjoy going to dinner with my family, knowing that I will not be eating. I will be smelling the food.
Crazy? Not really. When it comes down to it, making a big scene over "not being able to eat" would be much worse. And in reality, I LOVE flavorful, excellent, unique and intriguing foods and dishes. The flavors, the spices, the way they can all come together to make one's mouth water. Excellent. I also love spending time with my kids, having clean arteries, and not carrying around so many extra pounds.
When I go to dinner, walk by a restaurant or through a kitchen, I take in all the smells and aromas. They remind me of what I had and satisfies my cravings.
The other day someone told me (or I read it somewhere) that once your food passes your taste buds, it is gone. I knew this... but now I really think about it a fairly often. There is so much truth to that statement. On my way to 252 pounds I would pound food like none other! I knew that I could punish at least two plates of food and a pizza... a large pizza was something I would finish on my own, without even thinking about it. I'm not talking about your normal pepperoni or meat lovers pizza. No, I would do gourmet pizzas. If I was going to eat, I wanted it unique and as flavorful as I could get it!
Why? Because food is good! It tastes great! Smells amazing! And it is a social activity that builds friendships, brings families together and helps individuals bond in ways that other activities may not be able to.
Two nights ago I had a craving for a hot meal like none other. I had not thought of it, it truly had been over 20 days since I sat down to a warm meal or eaten with a spoon or fork. I pulled out the Breville juicing / cookbook. I was determined to make something warm even if that meant I would juice a bunch of vegetables and then warm it up on the stove. To my surprise upon opening the book I discovered three soups. Two called for meats and one did not. I picked the one with the most vegetables and commenced juicing!
The recipe: "Gazpacho"
4 medium tomatoes
4 sprigs of parsley
1 large clove garlic, peeled (I used about 1/4th a clove)
1 small onion, peeled and trimmed (I used a tiny onion that I picked up from Sprouts)
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
1 red pepper
1 Lebanese cucumber (I used an English one)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar <-- Omitted this.
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup crushed ice <-- Omitted this (My Gazpacho was going on the stove.)
3 tbl chopped fresh basil -- sprinkled on top <-- Didn't do.
It may not have looked the best... but it HIT THE SPOT! And slaughtered the craving!
My Progress: 30.6 pounds in 22 Days!
Lab Report
My wife has been very supportive thus far however, as anyone who cares about someone she also has been concerned with "IF" I am healthy and if I am getting enough protein.
On the 31st of January (day 19 of my Juice Fast (my reboot)), I had blood work done. With that blood draw they checked my sodium, potassium, CO2, Glocose, Calcium, Protein, Cholesterol, Triglycerides, HDL Cholesterol, and LDL Cholesterol, among other things.
On February 4th, I received my results:
**Drum Roll**
After juicing for only 19 days:
Test name Result Normal (reference) Range
Sodium: 137 136 - 144
Potassium: 3.9 3.6 - 5.1
Protein: 6.7 6.1 - 7.9
Cholesterol: 127 0 - 200
HDL: 49 40 - 60
(Good) Cholesterol
LDL: 66 0 - 100
(Bad) Cholesterol
Triglycerides: 57 0 - 150
Calcium: 9.6 8.9 - 10.3
Alkaline: 59 32 - 91
Glocose: 75 74 - 118
After seeing the above lab results and the rest of the two pages of results my Doctor gave me the "Green Light" to keep juicing and to continue what I've been doing. He also mentioned that with my numbers looking as great as they do, that I have no risk of stroke, heart problems, etc... He said the normal range for LDL (Bad) Cholesterol is 0 - 100 however, with these results he'd make the range 0 - 160 for me. In addition to that he said that I brought my Good Cholesterol up 30 points! This was since the last time I had lab work done!
On the 31st of January (day 19 of my Juice Fast (my reboot)), I had blood work done. With that blood draw they checked my sodium, potassium, CO2, Glocose, Calcium, Protein, Cholesterol, Triglycerides, HDL Cholesterol, and LDL Cholesterol, among other things.
On February 4th, I received my results:
**Drum Roll**
After juicing for only 19 days:
Test name Result Normal (reference) Range
Sodium: 137 136 - 144
Potassium: 3.9 3.6 - 5.1
Protein: 6.7 6.1 - 7.9
Cholesterol: 127 0 - 200
HDL: 49 40 - 60
(Good) Cholesterol
LDL: 66 0 - 100
(Bad) Cholesterol
Triglycerides: 57 0 - 150
Calcium: 9.6 8.9 - 10.3
Alkaline: 59 32 - 91
Glocose: 75 74 - 118
After seeing the above lab results and the rest of the two pages of results my Doctor gave me the "Green Light" to keep juicing and to continue what I've been doing. He also mentioned that with my numbers looking as great as they do, that I have no risk of stroke, heart problems, etc... He said the normal range for LDL (Bad) Cholesterol is 0 - 100 however, with these results he'd make the range 0 - 160 for me. In addition to that he said that I brought my Good Cholesterol up 30 points! This was since the last time I had lab work done!
UPDATE for Mobile Device Users (all others can see the tracker at the top of the page):
My Progress: 31.2 Pounds Lost in 24 Days!
Saw this question.
"What do you guys think about training on an empty stomach? Yes? No? If you do eat before then what is it and how soon before your training?"
My reply:
Just started doing nothing before and I love it! I have heard that some people cannot do it because they get light headed. Fortunately for me that has not been an issue. I would much rather force my body to burn the calories that are already there then to burn the new calories that I just stuffed in. After the workout I wait at least 30 to 45 minutes before I eat. As my body will still be burning calories even though I am done with the workout. It is like having a burning log on the fire. The log will still smolder and burn even if the main flames has been stopped.
My family came to visit and while it has been fun my workouts have been slightly off. I have stayed true to my eating. Otherwise known as juicing.
I have a lot to blog about, including the results from my doctor's appointment yesterday and blood work last week. However, it probably will not be updated until late tonight or tomorrow morning.
Family is what is most important and just about every time I go to do something workout and or blog wise they grab me and want to play games or go do an activity.
I will ask my sweet wife to take some photos and will upload those as well.
My reply:
Just started doing nothing before and I love it! I have heard that some people cannot do it because they get light headed. Fortunately for me that has not been an issue. I would much rather force my body to burn the calories that are already there then to burn the new calories that I just stuffed in. After the workout I wait at least 30 to 45 minutes before I eat. As my body will still be burning calories even though I am done with the workout. It is like having a burning log on the fire. The log will still smolder and burn even if the main flames has been stopped.
My family came to visit and while it has been fun my workouts have been slightly off. I have stayed true to my eating. Otherwise known as juicing.
I have a lot to blog about, including the results from my doctor's appointment yesterday and blood work last week. However, it probably will not be updated until late tonight or tomorrow morning.
Family is what is most important and just about every time I go to do something workout and or blog wise they grab me and want to play games or go do an activity.
I will ask my sweet wife to take some photos and will upload those as well.
An eventful day.
Sunday... Insanity calls it the "rest" day. Not a day of vest around here. Not with two kids. However, I think the scale knew it was a rest day too. As it actually moved my weight up a little. Truth be said, that makes since, as I knew I wasn't going to be hitting play so I drank my juice and started the day without thinking of what the scale would say or reflect.
For some reason I didn't sleep much through the night and found myself wide awake at 3:30 in the morning. After about an hour I finally fell back asleep. 11 a.m. church means we we're going to get the kids fed and ready for church, etc... We somehow actually got there on time! With two kids, that alone is a challenge at times.
After church we put the kids down for a nap around 3:30. I was thinking that they would sleep while the Super Bowl was on and that my wife and I would get to see most, if not all of it, before they woke up. Then the big lights out / delay happened. Oh well... we love our little family and enjoyed the family time as the 49ers gave the game a new surge of energy after the blackout! It was fun to watch the game turn into a "game!"
Today was the first Super Bowl ever for me to juice all my meals... I feel great! It has been over twenty days since I started juicing! I'm looking forward to completing another Insanity workout in the morning and getting the numbers on the scales to keep dropping!
Today's juices were nothing flashy or special. To be honest, I was looking for nutritional value over flavor. I need to look into some other great tasting juices as I know there are plenty out there. Why the value over flavor then? Because we didn't head to the store today... so I made due with what was in the house. A mixture of rainbow collards, bosc pears, fuji apples, carrots, spinach, and more... not all in one juice. But throughout the day. My Super Bowl treat was a strawberry, orange and pineapple juice... wow! Very SWEET! But a nice treat for sure.
Tomorrow morning I'll be hitting play again. Onward I go... with 166 in sight!
Best Monitor?
Do you have a favorite heart rate monitor or way that you track calories?
I want something that will track most accurately track my calories lost. After searching, I'm at a loss as to what is a GREAT and ACCURATE heart rate monitor and calorie tracker. I feel that I need a heart rate monitor. When I looked online I found over 2,900 results in the Sports and Outdoor section on Amazon alone! When I sorted those by four (4) stars and up, the results were still over 700! When sorted by low to high, 506 results came up, but not all were monitors. The Health and Personal Care department had over 1,900 results.
What heart rate monitor do you suggest? The top one on amazon is the Omron HR-100C Heart Rate Monitor. It has a 4 star rating with 1,103 votes giving it that rating. Are monitors with a chest strap, like the Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor better or more accurate? It also has 4 stars, but only 428 votes.
Any suggestions or ideas on which monitor will work best would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments or send me a tweet via twitter @84days84lbs
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