Weekly Update: After Week 11

Weigh-In Date/Weight/Total Pounds Lost:
4-19-2010/226/0
4-26-2010/223/3
5-3-2010/214/12
5-10-2010/212/14
5-17-2010/209/17
5-24-2010/210/16
5-31-2010/208/18
6-7-2010/205/21

6-14-2010/202/24

6-21-2010/198/28

6-28-2010/196/30

7-5-2010/194/32

WEEKLY UPDATE FOR MONDAY, JULY 5TH, 2010:
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Well my weight loss continues at a steady 2 pounds per week, and this week most of my actual "weight" loss came in the weekend, so I suspect that my losses will start slowing down now. I am mentally preparing myself for this, but it shouldn't be that hard because I can finally tell by looking in the mirror now. When I get closer to goal I will post before and after pics.

This past week was difficult because we were preparing for our Patriotic service on Sunday, which meant busy, busy, busy, plus I'm going on vacation this week and next, so I needed to get ahead in my work in order to relax. I can't relax on vacation if I think I'm coming back to a mountain of work when it's over.

The town of Jonesborough, TN (Tennessee's oldest town) has a celebration each year around the 4th of July called "Jonesborough Days" and at the last minute they hired me to bagpipe for them all day. It was a blast, though I worked like a dog and bagpiped intermittently for a full 10 hours! The cool thing is the last time I put on my full kilt outfit I had to lay on the bed, suck in my gut, and have my wife help me to get it all on because it was so tight. BUT THIS TIME, we had to take the belt in FIVE NOTCHES! At the end of the day I went to take my kilt off (keeping in mind the last time I wore it, it took two of us to get it on), and when I took the belt off, the kilt just fell off me!!!

While at the festival, I had several people who hadn't seen me in over a year, and they didn't recognize me until they heard my playing, and figuring there aren't many bagpipers in our area, they came to see if it was me after all. It was great having them all ask me for weight loss advice instead of patting my belly (yes this really used to happen to me a lot).

To top it all off, the local news was there filming the event and the crew followed me around for one of my sessions and I ended up on the 6pm and 11pm news slots, both playing in the background, and as a featured part of the segment. I had some people immediately text me and ask me what I did to lose the weight.

Bottom line: I am SOOOOO glad to not be the fat guy in the corner anymore, and though I've still got 30 some pounds to lose, I'm over halfway there, and while I would call myself seriously overweight still, I would NOT call myself an obese slob anymore!

Now the next two weeks will REALLY be a challenge:

We have our annual FunFest block party Wednesday night, which I am in charge of.

I will be at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games this weekend, and there aren't many readily available Low Carb options (I'm going prepared).

The week after that we're headed to Pigeon Forge (just down the road really) to go to a water park resort, Dollywood (we have season passes and they sell turkey legs), a Tennessee Smokies game, and then to Atlanta to see the first place Braves wreak havoc on the Brewers, and to visit the World of Coke Museum.

MILESTONE DAY!

I hit an official milestone in my weight loss today! I weighed in today at 196 lbs, which is 30 pounds lost!

I have been dieting for exactly 10 weeks, so my weekly average weight loss during this first phase has been exactly 3 pounds per week. Some have been more, some less, but it's no big deal. My goal is to be on target for 2 pounds per week.

I set my new mid-term goal for Labor Day (Sept 6th) at 174pounds, which is keeping with my 2 pounds per week loss, and my long term goal of being at my goal weight of 160 is still December 6th.

Some interesting numbers:

If I slow to an expected 2 pound per week weight loss, I will reach my final goal of 160 lbs on October 25th.

If by some miracle of God I continue the 3 pound per week average (I really don't expect that to happen), I will reach my final goal of 160 lbs on September 20th.

9 Weeks Down

Well, it seems I had a bit of a **whoosh** this past week, with a 4 pound weight loss. I hope that doesn't mean this week will be a stinker.

Weigh-In Date/Weight/Total Pounds Lost:
4-19-2010/226/0
4-26-2010/223/3
5-3-2010/214/12
5-10-2010/212/14
5-17-2010/209/17
5-24-2010/210/16
5-31-2010/208/18
6-7-2010/205/21

6-14-2010/202/24

6-21-2010/198/28

Wellness Journey Update: Week 9 Starts Today

Well, I'm fairly certain no one is reading this blog anymore because a) not many people read it anyway and b) I hardly ever update it. Well if I can remember to, I am going to update it every Monday with my weight loss results. Today starts week 9, and in 8 weeks I've lost 24 pounds and SEVERAL inches off my gut. Most of my meals are eaten at Pals, KFC, Applebees, Chilis, Perkins, Cracker Barrel, Phil's Dream Pit, and every now and then, home. I am proof you can eat fast food and drop weight like crazy. Here are the hard numbers:

Weigh-In Date/Weight/Total Pounds Lost:
4-19-2010/226/0
4-26-2010/223/3
5-3-2010/214/12
5-10-2010/212/14
5-17-2010/209/17
5-24-2010/210/16
5-31-2010/208/18
6-7-2010/205/21

6-14-2010/202/24

Goal for June 21st: 200lbs (26 total lbs lost)

Mid Term Goal for July 5th was 202 lbs, which I busted today, so I'll let that one ride and set my next Mid Term Goal for Labor Day once I get to July 5th and can properly evaluate my situation.

Long Term Permanent Goal for Monday, December 6th is 160 lbs (66 Total lbs lost)

Current Low Carb Weight Loss Update

Eating a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet in addition to exercising 4 days a week is integral to my wellness recovery plan. I have labeled it that instead of "weight loss plan" or "diet" because this is a permanent lifestyle change for me that will result in far more than simply changing the number that represents the earth's gravitational pull on my mass. Today begins week 8 of my new life and I thought I would share with you my current results just to encourage anyone who may be considering or participating in a similar journey.

Weigh-In Date/Weight/Total Pounds Lost:
4-19-2010/226/0
4-26-2010/223/3
5-3-2010/214/12
5-10-2010/212/14
5-17-2010/209/17
5-24-2010/210/16 (I increased my weights this week, thus the mild "gain" from muscle growth)
5-31-2010/208/18
6-7-2010/205/21

In addition to the pounds lost, I have increased muscle mass as well. My distance has improved on all my cardio workouts, and I have to REALLY work to keep my heart rate in the 150's. I ran out of blood pressure medicine about 4 weeks ago, and WITHOUT THE MEDICINE, my blood pressure has been stable at 120/80 (my wife is a nursing student, so she checks it daily). I went from wearing a size 38 expandable elastic waist pants to now wearing size 36 waist jeans, and will soon be in 34's! On the leg press machine I started out lifting 140 pounds and now I'm up to 240 pounds, and most likely will be raising that this week as well!

17 Pounds Gone

Quick Update:

After 3 weeks on High Fat/Moderate Protein/Low Carb I've lost 17 pounds.

Low Carb Again

Yes, I am now Low Carbing again, and yes, I am blogging again.

I started Induction on Monday of LAST week and at my first weigh in Monday of this week I'd lost 9 pounds. Can't wait to see what next Monday brings.

On another note, the Keurig mini brewer is the bomb. I picked mine up on Craigslist for $40 and it's the best appliance I've ever owned.