Day 535 Sweep The Clocks From My Life---A Weigh Day Attitude

Day 535

Sweep The Clocks From My Life---A Weigh Day Attitude

Stepping on the scale two weeks ago was such a wonderful experience. I lost four pounds that day…even with an added 300 calories per day! Today was once again weigh day, and although it was good…it wasn’t as thrilling as four pounds---half as thrilling. I lost two pounds! I’m now sitting at 263. 242 total pounds lost---and just 11 pounds shy of the magical “crossing point.” A friend of mine for nearly two decades, commented me on facebook---saying that I now weighed less than he did. He told me he had mixed emotions about that. Not me! That’s thrilling! Why? Because I’ve never considered him “obese.” He’s always looked like a normal guy. I weigh less than him…I’m somewhat normal? I guess so…Hmmm, my brain will need a little while to process this information.

I’m happy about the continued downward movement of the scale. But naturally I’d like to explore ways I can make it move along a little faster. It honestly doesn’t matter---time, you know that. I’m headed to my fitness and weight goals regardless of time. However long it takes, I’m getting there. Sweep the clocks from my life, they do not matter anymore. This weigh day attitude is very important. But still---I can’t ignore the question: How could I make this move along a little quicker?

I can get super diligent about my water consumption (I’m still not—and probably never will be perfect on water drinking habits), I can intensify my workouts, and I can start keeping track of different elements in my daily intake, like sodium. Some of this might sound like a broken record around here. I’ve been talking about “turning up the intensity” in my workouts for over a year. I still workout well—But I’ve always been curious what a “Biggest Loser” style workout would do for me. Don’t get me wrong---242 pounds, uh—yeah, no complaints here. It’s just natural for me to wonder if I could be a little more efficient…and the answer to that is a glaring…YES!

My dear Aunt Kelli has started a blog too! I’m very happy for her! Remember the “love-sick” mystery person I wrote about the other day? Mystery solved. It was Kelli. I’ve tried to convince Kelli to give herself a solid 365 days of attention—and I’m just thrilled that she’s gifting herself with this commitment. You can find her blog at: www.snoconegirl.blogspot.com I love Kelli like a sister, we were raised like siblings really—and we’re only three years apart in age, so you can imagine how proud I am of her for taking this step in the direction of freedom.

From Day 170---written exactly one year ago today:

It doesn't matter how many times it happens, I never get tired of hearing someone say, “hey, you've lost a bunch of weight, huh?” Today I stopped into a convenience store to pay for my gas when this very thing happened again. It was a convenience store I use to frequent all the time when we lived in our old house, but since we moved across town, it's just not convenient anymore. And when a convenience store stops being convenient, that's when I stop going there. We moved last June, and since then I've probably darkened that doorway twice. Right when I walked in today, I was greeted with “Wow, you've lost a bunch of weight!” I told the clerk, “yes...over 120 pounds so far!” And then the question came. “How are you doing it?” It's amazing how this question is always the first question 99.9% of the time. I understand it's a human nature thing. It's so ingrained in our minds that losing weight must be a “secret,” or some kind of magical mystery code cracked, or it must be some amazing new weight loss pill or program. Sometimes people look genuinely disappointed when I tell them “I'm eating smaller portions, counting calories, drinking plenty of water, and exercising.”

I've even had people hear me say that, and then they'll still suggest or tout a product, pill, or program that “my Aunt Louwanda lost 57 pounds on.” I'm usually in too much of a hurry to debate the reasons why my plan is better, so I just nod and smile, and say thank you. Unless I feel like I could help that person by taking the time to explain the “secret,” and how it's really not a “secret” at all. If I said it once, I've said it a million times in this blog. You can lose weight on just about every product and plan out there. But if it doesn't address and include real world everyday food choices, how to make better choices, and really teaches about portion control, then it's just a temporary thing. If it doesn't require a person to gain a deeper understanding of their habits and personal psychology that made them fat in the first place, then it's just a temporary thing.

Whenever I hear the words “meal replacement,” as in bars or shakes, I just have to “shake” my head and “pound” the bar. It's amazing to me that billion dollar companies have been built on plans that include “meal replacement” products. I don't know about you, but I like real food. I wouldn't want to eat a bar for breakfast and a shake for lunch everyday for the rest of my life. But I do plan on eating real food for the rest of my life. When the goal is met, and a person becomes another “meal replacement success,” Their success inspires others to try it, and the cycle and money machine continues to roll along. In the meantime, the first person who met their goal weight is facing real food again, and since they didn't address their old habits, they just replaced them, they go back to the same old behaviors and gain back the weight and often times more. Some might say “Sean, are you being a weight loss snob?” No way! What's right is right. And when a person stops searching for a quick fix or magic solution, or something to do it for them, and they start doing the mental exercises, confronting their habits and emotions, they start eating better and smaller portions, and they start moving again, they end up discovering that they can have success without spending a fortune on special plans or products.

Now, let me say this: I've had many friends and family who have gone under the knife for weight loss surgery. I'm not talking about that in my above commentary. You ask any of them who've had it, and they'll tell you, it's not an “easy way out” by any stretch of the imagination. They have to work hard everyday at controlling their intake and managing their cravings, and they have to do it or else they suffer tremendously. I completely understand the feelings and emotions involved with making that decision. At 505 pounds, I was at the point of hopeless desperation; it's not a real fun place to be. So I empathize with anyone making that desperate decision. I looked into weight loss surgery for me at one time. The time I spent last year between June 10th (the day I was told how desperately dangerous my weight had become) and September 15th, (the day I actually started this journey) I discovered that my health insurance wouldn't pay for a surgery and I was really ready to just accept my fate of dying young and morbidly obese. Somehow I harnessed the strength to be honest with myself and confront this crazy brain of mine that somehow thought it was ok to eat a half-gallon of ice cream in two settings. If you haven't read from the beginning of this blog, go back in the archives and read from Day 1...It's been a battle my friend!

Thank you for reading! And I sincerely appreciate your support. Goodnight and…

Good Choices,
Sean