Day 424 The Big Thing "Experts" Miss and The Biggest Breast of Chicken

Day 424

The Big Thing “Experts” Miss and The Biggest Breast of Chicken

My attention was recently drawn to a comment left on a friends blog. Tammy at http://www.foodaddict-fromfattofab.blogspot.com/ received the comment from a weight loss “expert” type person. Here’s an excerpt of the comment: The Law of Energy Conservation in the body isn't clear-cut as in the physics text book, given the complex interrelationship of the neuroendocrine system. This simply means that the body adjusts for the energy balance in order to maintain homeostasis, or the needs of the body in its current state. This adjustment is accomplished through hormonal signaling between the cells and the brain. If the cells are starved, they eventually send a hormonal signals to the brain for more energy intake -- and this may be what you're experiencing when you suddenly (and often uncontrollably) consume an increase in calories. It's not you, but your body's way of survival. This has been implicated as the reason a reduced-calorie diet (or one that requires the user to count calories) invariably fails in the long-term. Many people experience initial weight loss from a calorie-focused diet, but in most of those people, the weight eventually returns. Until the overweight body can partition the calories it stores and the calories it consumes, almost any conventional diet is only temporary, and exercise, no matter how intense, aren't likely to help.

It’s always so scientific with these people. I take issue with this comment because it completely fails to take in to account the mental aspects of this journey. I’ve written before about how anything and everything will work. You can lose weight doing any number of plans and programs, but if you’re doing it solely as a means to lose weight---then it’s temporary. Too many times I lost weight and gained it back because I was simply going through the motions needed to lose weight. I ate less and I exercised more, never considering the mental aspects, the educational aspects, the real change part of this process. This person that commented made mention of “weight loss clients,” wow---can you imagine being consulted with the fancy scientific explanation of everything? Why do most people fail? My opinion? They fail to simplify. They over-complicate this process. Why do people lose successfully, only to gain back what they’ve lost and then some? My opinion? Because they were only going through the motions needed to lose. This is why meal replacement plans, programs with special food you buy, and any other plan that isn’t completely natural---eating everyday foods you would normally eat in everyday food situations---that’s why they ultimately don’t work!

The biggest difference between this time and every other attempt I’ve ever had at weight loss rest in the mental aspects. The learning part of the program is vital. Learning what a proper portion looks like is important, but also slowing down and realizing that a normal portion can be good and filling is vital. Learning to take the focus off the food and onto people around us at special events and gatherings is also important. Learning how to eat responsibly---handle food responsibly, and I’m talking about portions here---this stuff is hardly ever talked about by the “experts” I’ve witnessed. And I just love how the reader comment on her blog scientifically rationalizes meltdowns as “your body’s way of survival.” Well that’s just perfect! My body made me do it! It needed that half gallon of ice cream, it really did. What about self-honesty? What about personal responsibility? Wait a second---hold on---

Geez. Let me stop right here and say this: I’m not an expert. I’m not a doctor. I’m not a molecular biologist. I’m not a psychiatrist. BUT---I am a guy who spent nearly two decades at or above 500 pounds. I am a guy who has tried it all, lost weight, and then gained it all back. I’m a guy who would lay in bed at night crying because I didn’t understand why I couldn’t grab control before it killed me. I’m a guy who finally decided to dissect every weight loss attempt I’d ever experienced---and really get to the heart of why it didn’t work---or why the results were only temporary. This journey and this blog and the 227 pounds I’ve lost in the last 424 days is the result of my self-study, self-analysis, or as I’ve simply put it before: The education of me about me. The decreased calories and the increased exercise drops the weight, but the mental aspects---the learning how to eat like a normal person with normal food, in real---everyday situations---that’s what will keep it off for the rest of my life. Perhaps my argument will have more power in five years or ten, when I’ve kept the weight off successfully. I’ve just had too many solid epiphanies along this road to ever believe it’s not real or just temporary. Go back and read the archives from Day 1---follow along as I make these wonderful discoveries about myself and this journey. Read mine—or a number of my friends blogs before you ever hire an “expert” to coach you.

Wow---I’ve really rambled here…Oh my, look at the time. I haven’t talked at all about Thursday! OK---enough of this, here we go…

I found out today that the number “505” isn’t available for Saturday’s Turkey Trot 10K, but 227 is available, that’s how much I’ve lost to date---am I proud of that or what? That’s like the 7th time I’ve mentioned that, how annoying. OK—maybe only the 2nd time---Anyway---I will proudly wear number 227 as I make it through that 6.2 mile road course Saturday morning! I can’t wait, and yes…we’ll have plenty of pictures and “On The Go Videos” for posting. I’m so excited!

I decided to train tonight. I set out to do an un-official 10K, and ended up doing a 5K instead. It was just getting late---my fault for not getting out there sooner! They key for me surviving Saturday morning will be my pace. I can’t get crazy---wanting to show off, if I do it will surely lead to humiliation, and we don’t need that! I will have periods of jogging and I think I’ll summon the strength to sprint across the finish line, or well, let’s say I’ll certainly try to sprint across that finish line. Can you tell how excited I am about this? They’re gonna have a time keeper and I get to wear one of those official numbers!!!

Dinner tonight was on the road with my sister in law. Billie Sue is the SIL that cried when she saw my dramatic transformation for the first time. She needed a ride to a town about an hour away, so I picked her up and off we went. We talked about weight loss and food and exercise, and we talked about this blog and what it means to me. We also talked about the issues of late in our lives. It was a good conversation. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, with regular mustard—no mayo, hold the bacon. Why do some restaurants insist on taking a good healthy item and turning it into something loaded, just dripping with fat and calories? As soon as I had the sandwich in my hands, I knew this was no ordinary chicken breast sandwich. It was some kind of super bird, because this thing was huge and heavy, I mean---it was like a brick. The bun was giant, I swear I should have snapped a picture with something like my hand or head---something for perspective, crazy! I immediately decided that my strategy had to shift with this one. I threw away the 300 calorie bun---it had to be 300…and I enjoyed the gigantic breast of chicken. The chicken breast was about double what I normally would fix at home. I safely counted 400 calories for this unnaturally big piece of grilled chicken. No sides, nope---I was full and completely satisfied after tackling that bird.

Saturday night at midnight I’ll be going back into the haunted Poncan Theatre. This time I’ll be alongside professional TAPS affiliated paranormal investigators with all of their fancy cool equipment! We’ll be broadcasting the entire investigation from midnight until 2am CST on KLOR 99.3FM and we’ll even have a webcast at http://www.eteamradio.com/ Just click on KLOR when you get there Saturday night. It’ll be fun!

Thank you for reading! Goodnight and…

Good Choices,
Sean