Day 759-765 Cleansing, Marquee Conspiracy Revisited, Amber's Home, and A Bunch of Pictures

Day 759-765

Cleansing, Marquee Conspiracy Revisited, Amber's Home, and A Bunch of Pictures

I sincerely appreciate the kind words recently messaged me by regular readers who have written out of concern, over the lack of an updated post. Let me assure you, everything is going wonderful, absolutely! I've just been extremely busy and focusing my writing energy toward the manuscript of my upcoming book. The more I write, the more excited I become--I can't wait for you to be able to read what has and will continue to consume me over the next couple of months. One thing is for certain, it will be worth your time...count on it!

One of the things that has always piqued my interest, but I've never tried it out before now, is cleansing and detoxifying my body. I was recently contacted by the Dr. Natura company about their Colonix product. It's the number one colon cleanse in the world, the very best--and they asked me to try it out and give a review on my blog. I'm doing it--and so is my daughter Courtney and my ex-wife Irene. Courtney and Irene have agreed to share their experiences on this blog too, so we'll be hearing from them in the coming weeks as their cleanse progresses. I've just started the process, then missed two days, then back on. I know that consistency is key with this product, and following directions to the letter is imperative. It'll be very interesting how I'll feel when I'm completely cleansed. If you want to find out more about the incredible benefits of Colonix from Dr. Natura--Just visit www.drnatura.com/colonix_program.php

From the serious side of cleansing my colon, to the lighthearted side of Day 36--My time travels today, take me back to the day when every single restaurant marquee seemed aimed directly at me. It was early on this journey, when the Steel Curtain Zone had to be up and tight almost constantly, because I had to succeed---this was my time, and a "two for a dollar" deep-fried corn-dog deal wasn't going to steal this away from me:

Some days it seems like there's an elaborate conspiracy to get me to come down off the wagon. It's like all of the restaurants and convenience store delis got together and decided to tempt me all at the same time. Like my abstinence from high calorie foods is driving their business into the ground. I can just imagine all of them getting together for an emergency meeting:

(insert dream sequence harp music here) The meeting is just getting started when the leader of the conspiracy—The Blue Bell Delivery guy says “All right people, let's keep it together, he's on day 36 now, and we all know that if he gets to Day 100, some of us are going to start going under”...

“But what do we do?” Screams a nervous restaurant manager “He seems so determined! Just the other day he was offered a toasted 800 calorie sub for free and he turned it down!!” (Crowd Gasp)...

The King from BK then chimes in with “We've got to work together, we need to know his exact driving route, then we'll put all of the high calorie foods he loves on our marquees.”

Then Bill Braum stands up and ask “Do you think it will work?”

Ronald McDonald tries to make a serious face to say “It may be the only chance we have to break him, now get out there kids and start putting up those signs, and if you can show him pictures, that's even better.”

Hey, it's a dream sequence, and dreams get crazy! They were really giving it their best shot today. In just a few mile stretch, I drove past several different signs all just begging me to come in and forget about this little journey.

The first sign read “half price ice cream and drinks 2-4pm”...No Sean, keep it together...Then-- “two corn dogs 4 a dollar” ...nice try!---then “Try a Banana Pudding Shake” Stop it!...the next sign was “Try our new oven baked sandwiches” It didn't work last Thursday, and it's not working today! ...then it was “Large Frozen Yogurt Waffle Cone $1.79”...Then a big banner with the most delicious picture of a big, gigantic, king sized Mushroom and Swiss burger, with the invite-- “Try a Mushroom and Swiss Steakhouse Burger.” No King! Leave me be! Before I could get to the safety of my garage, I drove by a banner picture of a foot-long chili cheese coney...It was the size of my van! Have mercy! I can't help it, I'm a sign reader! I've always been a sign reader... I wonder what their strategy will be tomorrow? Whatever it is I know I'll survive, cause I'm determined my friend.

They would have to come out into traffic and stuff the food in my mouth by force at the stoplight, and if that happens, well...we'd have to reach some kind of low calorie peace accord with these nuts. I'm done now. That was fun.

"If he gets to Day 100," nice. This is day 766. Yeah--take that, quick and easy temptation foods--You no longer control me!

I was looking at my bare feet the other evening, when I realized, hey--my feet have lost weight too! I knew of these slimmer feet before, because instead of 13 or 14, I now wear a size 12 shoe, just like when I was thirteen years old, but I never really stopped and examined them closely. I can see tendons, veins, and bones. And then I noticed my incredibly high arch on each foot. How in the world did these arches hold up over the years? I have no earthly idea, really. I'm just really lucky, very blessed--indeed.

The more I thought about these feet and where they've been and the job they've handled, without fail all of these years, I decided--they need something special. A while back, Dr. Amy, a good friend of mine, offered a detox ion foot bath. I think it's time to take her up on the offer. These feet deserve every wonderful minute and benefit of a detox ion foot bath. After carrying around over 500 pounds for nearly twenty years--never breaking, never failing in any way, shape, or form---these super feet of mine, well--they deserve a break, a detox...and maybe some new socks. I love new socks.

I was at a remote broadcast the other night when I was approached by someone I hadn't seen in years. Jeanne Votaw is a regular reader now and a facebook friend, after re-discovering me when AOL featured my story on their welcome page headlines in mid-July. I say re-discovered, because Jeanne and her husband Jim remember "old" Sean---over 500 pound Sean, from more than 15 years ago when I lived and worked in their hometown of Perry, Oklahoma. Jeanne lost 160 pounds years ago and has successfully kept it off. She transformed long before the age of weight loss blogs, and was and continues to be an inspiration to her family and friends, and to me. She blazed this Transformation Road long before I ever found the on-ramp. That's why Jeanne relates to and understands my perspective and weight loss philosophy. She appreciates it and enjoys reading, she tells me. Her husband Jim was at the broadcast too--he's also found a way to lose over 60 pounds. They're incredible people, and I'm very proud to call them friends. Jeanne and I found a moment to snap a picture, it's below!! It was a wonderful way to wrap up a three to seven pm broadcast, after a really long and busy day.

Amber arrived home from school for fall break late Wednesday evening. It works out perfectly too, because Saturday the 23rd is my 39th birthday, and she'll still be here! Thursday afternoon, Amber and I attended a graveside funeral service for my dear Cousin Ronnie, then we headed to Tulsa to meet up with Sherri and Terry. Sherri is my cousin, and along with her husband Terry--operate a successful insurance services company. Sherri is also my business manager, which sounds crazy to say, but really isn't at all. She's known me since birth, probably changed my diapers, and I couldn't think of a better business person to look out for my best interest, than someone who has always genuinely loved me.

Sherri and Terry treated the two of us to a nice dinner at a place called Cheddars (see the pictures below) and then we headed to The Spirit Bank Center in Tulsa for the Miranda Lambert and Eric Church CMT On Tour concert. It was an amazing evening, very exciting--and a wonderful time for Amber and me to enjoy each others company. We talked all the way to Tulsa and most of the way back, until I let her take over the driving, and I was out. We dropped into bed shortly after 2am. With a 5am alarm set and a radio show to start at 6am, I was setting up Friday to be a caffeine filled day of exhaustion. Luckily, my boss allowed me to split the day in half---allowing for a nice long mid-day nap. It was exactly what I needed!!

Saturday will start early (10am), as I make my way to Stillwater with friends--for the tailgating at Boone Pickens stadium, followed by enjoying the OSU homecoming game with Nebraska. After the game, I'm headed back to Ponca City, picking up my youngest daughter Courtney, and the two of us are headed to see REO Speedwagon at the Council Bluff Event Center twenty miles North of where we live. I've always been a huge fan of R.E.O. Speedwagon--and you might remember how special their song "Time For Me To Fly" is to my weight loss experience. From Day 587:

"REO Speedwagon's “Time For Me To Fly” isn't a song about the end of a relationship between two people---Oh, it is---but to me it's about my break-up with obesity. I must have listened to that song five times tonight. It empowers me around that trail."

I'm looking forward to a big weekend, absolutely! On Sunday we're heading to Stillwater to celebrate my birthday with family. Amber and Courtney will be with me for sure. So, honestly---not sure how much of anything else I'll get accomplished, but really--You only turn 39 once, right? Well, for real once...I may claim 39 for awhile, shhh, please! ;)

Thank you so much! I hope you'll friend me on facebook if you haven't already. We have regular weight loss related discussions on my facebook wall--and many of my friends post about their incredible weight loss success. I love the connection it creates...so friend me, please! And also--if you haven't noticed yet---I've started Tweeting on the Twitter. The last five Twitter Tweets will always show along the left hand side of this blog. On facebook, just search for me using my email--- seanboy105@hotmail.com and on Twitter, I'm @SeanAAnderson.

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

Good Choices,

Sean

This is a still from a video shoot for a special weight loss related project last weekend

Notice the absence of potatoes on that plate---Just a fried chicken breast and mixed veggies---it was all I needed and I was satisfied. I love mashed potatoes, but this meal was designed with my calorie budget at the moment in mind. so no potatoes. The 400 calorie fried breast shorted me...but it was so delicious!!!

A recent breakfast---1/3 a Joseph's Lavash wrap, with eggs, mushrooms, onions, and mozzarella. Wow---just amazing, and LOW calorie!!

Occasionally, I prefer Steel Cut Oats for breakfast---1/2 a banana, a little Splenda, a dash of milk, and some cinnamon---Oh my, it's a nice 200 calorie breakfast!! If you like Oatmeal...my facebook friend Jamie recently expressed his dislike for Oatmeal on my facebook wall---and he's absolutely right. Never eat something just because you hear it's a weight loss superfood. I told him, "I eat what I like and nothing I don't," you know me! Jamie has lost 75 pounds in 13 weeks!!

With Jeanne Votaw. Jeanne has lost 160 pounds and kept it off now for well over a decade. It was fantastic to see her and her husband Jim the other evening!

An Appetizer at Cheddars called...uh, something I had never tried--what was it called---Maramei...or something, it was soybeans--I think. Not bad--low calorie, but not my favorite...

Now this, this is one of my favorite appetizers!! ;) I enjoyed a few chips and salsa--and just two or three dips into the cheese---oh my, it was amazing!

My grilled Talapia dinner with little grilled shrimp on top, Italian green beans, and mashed potatoes--sans gravy.

Outside Cheddars waiting on our table to open...with Amber, and wearing my new shirt that Sherri and Terry gave me as a birthday present. Thank you Sherri and Terry!!

With Amber at the Miranda Lambert concert Thursday evening

Amber and me, with our serious mean faces "on."

Amber and me, with our silly-crazy-fun faces "on."

Sherri and Terry at the concert

My incredibly beautiful, talented, smart, mature beyond her years, loving and amazing daughter--Amber. She's a gifted special education major at SWOSU. I'm a proud daddy!

Me--solo picture---at the concert. Love my new birthday shirt!

Big before picture---Over 500 pounds, with my two daughters--maybe three years ago! Oh, how things can change in three years!!