From the Publisher's Pen: Bill's Blog
May 2, 2008
I’m going to take my blog in a different direction this week.
I’m still working towards a healthier lifestyle: I’m trying eat sensibly and incorporate as much walking into my day. But for this blog entry, I’d like to talk a little bit about another project I’ve been working on as a mental health consumer and an advocate. It’s called Let’s Talk About It, and it’s an initiative that aims to focus on the consequences of untreated mental illness.launch of LetsTalkAboutIt.ca, I have been moved and inspired by the stories submitted by people living with schizophrenia. People like Karen F. of Toronto who shares that she was diagnosed with schizophrenia at 29. Karen writes: “I felt my life was over with that diagnosis. I felt I would never get married, never have children, that I would be lucky if I ever fit in society in any way.” But through treatment, medication and support she has been able to persevere and is now married with a daughter and a job.As we have seen the stories on our site and in letters written to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, the cornerstones for treatment are medication and counseling but there is simply not enough support for either in Ontario. That is why we need your help. Our campaign is off to a successful start but we need you to spread the word to your friends and family, as well as take action. In the coming weeks, you will also be informed about important information on forums taking place in Ontario and Quebec. We would encourage you to make a point of attending one forum to ‘talk about’ new drug therapies and additional support to combat this devastating illness.Thank you for all your help, but our campaign and message continues: Through LetsTalkAboutIt.ca, we can help bring those dealing with this tragic illness out of the shadows.
April 4, 2008
It has been almost a year since I started my quest to live healthier and lose some weight in the process. I have lost 20 pounds since April 9, 2007.
I am not saying that is good or bad—it is what it is. However, I am starting over as if I were starting from scratch; I weigh 215 pounds today and if it takes me another year to drop 20 pounds more, I can live with that.
But I am going to try to do better, and there’s no better time than now because spring is here and the weather is gradually getting warmer. That means I can start walking to work in the morning again, as well as walking on my lunch break.So, with a new season and a new start, I look forward to the challenge. And it is a challenge because I have to be careful of what I eat and drink—and that’s not easy with small children in the house; there are lots of things that I could eat and drink but shouldn’t.Another challenge I face is a fairly busy public speaking schedule. I will be traveling and eating on the road and in hotels, which makes it Difficult to fit in my regular exercise routine. I know there are usually places to exercise at a hotel, but it is hard to set your mind on exercising
when you’re staying at a hotel. Keep checking in with me and see if we all can start fresh with the change of season. And don’t forget to email me with your progress update and to share the techniques that are working for you to help you live a healthier lifestyle.
March 7, 2008
One of the most important aspects to losing weight is developing good habits: eating nutritious food, exercising, getting enough sleeping, etc. But in this day and age, we are so busy and our lives are so chaotic. Between work, raising young children, caring for elderly parents, keeping up with church responsibilities, swimming lessons, shopping, and traveling, it sometimes seems impossible to focus on establishing—and keeping—good habits.
When our lives are so busy and we have no structure, we tend to fly by the seat of our pants and do what we have to. It’s hard to lose weight when our cadence is off. When that happens, we eat more fast food, we eat on the run, and we eat fast. In my household, most of us eat at different times as well.
Structure is very important in weight loss; I know that right now, my life is not well structured to lose weight. But I have dropped five pounds over the past two weeks; I’m back down to 205 pounds (still 30 pounds lighter than I was last spring).
Previously, I mentioned I was going to start walking again in the spring. I can’t put it off: I need to face the cold and get walking now.
Do you have any strategies on how to lose weight in the face of hectic schedules? Let me know your thoughts about structure and establishing good habits by sending me an email.
February 22, 2008
One of the most important aspects to losing weight is developing good habits: eating nutritious food, exercising, getting enough sleeping, etc. But in this day and age, we are so busy and our lives are so chaotic. Between work, raising young children, caring for elderly parents, keeping up with church responsibilities, swimming lessons, shopping, and traveling, it sometimes seems impossible to focus on establishing—and keeping—good habits.
When our lives are so busy and we have no structure, we tend to fly by the seat of our pants and do what we have to. It’s hard to lose weight when our cadence is off. When that happens, we eat more fast food, we eat on the run, and we eat fast. In my household, most of us eat at different times as well.
Structure is very important in weight loss; I know that right now, my life is not well structured to lose weight. But I have dropped five pounds over the past two weeks; I’m back down to 205 pounds (still 30 pounds lighter than I was last spring).
Previously, I mentioned I was going to start walking again in the spring. I can’t put it off: I need to face the cold and get walking now.
Do you have any strategies on how to lose weight in the face of hectic schedules? Let me know your thoughts about structure and establishing good habits by sending me an email.
February 8, 2008
March 21—the first day of spring—is fast approaching and it can’t come soon enough for me. I’m anxious to get back on track. I must admit that, since Christmas, I have not been keeping up with my healthy routine and it is starting to show. I am back to 210 pounds. That’s five pounds more than I was two weeks ago, but still 25 pounds less than I was when I started in April of last year.
I want to get down to 190 pounds. I have no doubt that I will reach that goal once I can get back into a disciplined routine. Last spring I started walking to work and took another stroll during my lunch hour. Sometimes I would also walk home at the end of the day, and I was also walking on the treadmill every morning—and I still do. I suppose that is something in my favor: I am still exercising daily. But my portion sizes are out of control right now, and I know I am eating a lot of things that I shouldn’t be. I feel like I’m eating a lot, but when I was walking last year, I never felt so hungry that I found myself overeating. I am counting on that happening again when the spring comes.
For the next five or six weeks, I will not go overboard; I will try to eat good meals and a variety of food that is healthy, but I won’t officially say that I am on a diet. Realistically, no one really should ever be on a “diet.” Losing weight is not about dieting—it’s about living a healthy lifestyle and changing bad habits into good ones. That’s where I want to be again.
Have you been making progress in your efforts to lose weight? If so, send me an email and share your tips with me. And don’t forget to check back again with me in two weeks.
January 25, 2008
Good news! I have dropped three pounds. I’m now back down to 205 pounds. But the really good news is that spring is two weeks closer than it was the last time I posted a blog entry. Why is that important? Because I’ve made up my mind that the start of spring is when I will begin to walk on my lunch hours again. I will still continue to exercise in the morning (using my treadmill), but the extra midday walk in the warmth of the sun (instead of the cold winds of the winter) will get me back on track. I find the older I get, the more I dislike the cold!
Speaking about walking, we have an article coming up in our Spring 2008 issue of Schizophrenia Digest about walking and pedometers. Pedometers are small, portable devices that are typically attached to a belt or waistband. The article it is a great motivator for people to set goals and actually track how far they are walking.
Come back in another two weeks to find out if I dropped another two or three pounds. And, as always, feel free to send me an email and let me know how you are doing.
January 11, 2008
Disaster! I hit an iceberg and the ship went off course, and I am now just starting to assess the damage.
It all began before Christmas: I went off my healthy living routine and indulged in chocolate, cake, ice cream, eggnog, turkey, ham, pop, cookies, pie, shortbread…you get the point. But I was still using my treadmill for 40 minutes each morning. Nevertheless, since my last blog entry on December 14, when I weighed 202 pounds, I have gained six pounds. I weigh 208 pounds now.
Now that I know the damage, I can regroup. Wednesday was my new starting point, and I started out by fasting because—just by coincidence—my church was having a day of fasting and prayer, so I knew it was great time to start my healthy routine again. My plan was to fast for that one day and then double my time on the treadmill; instead of one 40-minute session each day, I’ll do two. And I will get back to drinking only water and eating the right foods (and not eating after dinner). Notice that I am leaving out a commitment to control my portion sizes. Right now I can’t promise that; I need to determine the ship’s performance first.
I am concerned that my body is telling me that it wants food all of the time. Last year, when I really got into the swing of my healthy living regimen, I did not have the urge to eat, nor did I feel hungry or crave food. That really helped me. But now I want to eat all the time. Any advice or comments about this would be appreciated. Drop me an email.
Check back in a couple of weeks and see where I’ve gone from here.
December 14, 2007
Our office motto here at Magpie is: “Nothing is ever simple.” And believe me, that motto extends to every corner of this office, from our editorial department to our sales & marketing department and into our subscription department. Another favorite saying of mine is, “The definition of life and business is the same; it’s all about solving one problem after another.”
Losing weight is definitely not simple—it has been a challenging road for me, as relayed through my blog over the past eight months. Tracing my steps back to April, you can see that I have and continue to battle my weight. I am proud of the fact that since April 9, I have lost 33 pounds. My weight is holding steady at 202 pounds, which is the same weight that I was at when I got married in August 1998. I’m happy with my progress so far.
When I made the decision to get healthier by losing weight, I thought I had a sure plan. I was pumped, disciplined, and ready for a challenge. My strategy was to zero in on four key points: to eat the “right” foods, control my portion sizes, exercise, and keep my emotions under control. Then I decided to eliminate all liquid calories and drink only water. Theoretically, the plan was flawless. But putting it into action was a different story.
Over the course of the past eight months, I have—at one time or another—broken every one of my resolutions. There was a time when I stopped exercising for a few weeks; another time I let my eating get out of control due to boredom; and then I got caught up in eating foods that weren’t healthy. Until the cold weather set in, I was walking to work every day in addition to a noon-hour walk.
So where do I go from here, now that I’ve shed more than 30 pounds? Mine was a two-part plan, the first of which I have achieved. Now, throughout the winter, I will keep using my treadmill for 40 minutes each day and I will try to eat the right things (while watching my portion control). Of course I will continue to drink plenty of water and nothing else. But I will not insist that I loose more weight; instead, I am going to try to maintain the weight I’m at and when spring rolls around, I will start walking to work and during my lunch hour again. I’ll set new goals for myself and continue on my weight-loss journey.
This marks my last blog entry until 2008, and so I’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May Christ fill your heart and God bless you. And please feel free to email me with your questions and comments. I’m always accessible.
November 30, 2007
I am maintaining my weight; I am where I was two weeks ago: 202 pounds (for a total of 33 pounds lost since April 9)—and that is okay by me. However, I knew that I’d be tested this week. I’ve been traveling all week to do some presentations, which means I’m living out of a suitcase, staying in hotels, and fighting an unhealthy environment. In the past, I would get to my hotel and—with too much time on my hands—order out for a pizza right away. Or, in the morning, I’d be tempted by the buffet in the hotel restaurant. If I had a mini bar in my room, I’d forego the alcohol and instead snack on the chips and chocolate bars.
Traveling can spoil the best laid weight-loss plans. Having too much time on your hands (e.g., sitting in an airport for hours during a layover) and not enough sleep time can throw off your routine. And when you reach your destination, you may be attending social functions where there is a lot of unhealthy food.
I am very fortunate because I am aware of this, and I have had some time to think about a strategy to stay focused on healthy eating while I’m traveling.
First of all, it is very important to drink water—and plenty of it—when you’re traveling. If you are invited out for lunch or dinner, select healthy menu items, such at chicken (skinless, if possible). And pass on the dessert. Just say no, no matter how difficult it is. Also, whenever I can, I like to stay at hotels that have exercise facilities with a treadmill or other machines so that I can get a little exercise while I’m away.
What are your traveling tips? Feel free to share with me some of your experiences with weight loss and let me know what motivates you.
November 16, 2007
Well, I have finally reached a milestone. Actually, I’ve reached a few. But the milestone that is most important is the weight that I’m at today: 202 pounds. That is a particularly significant number for me to be at, because it’s the weight I was when I got married in August 1998. I’ve now lost a total of 33 pounds since April 9.
I’ve also been victorious in my quest to fit into the “small pants” in my closet. I have just one more pair of pants that are still too tight; my pile of loose pants is growing and it’s almost time to go shopping for new clothes!
But I don’t want to get too over-confident. I haven’t been exercising all that much over the last few days and I know I need to get back into it in order to keep the weight off.
I blame a little of my decreased activity level on the season. The sun comes up later in the morning at this time of year, and I’ve been sleeping in. And it’s harder to motivate myself to get out for a walk on my lunch hour as the weather gets cooler. But I find that I am eating less, so I think that’s why I’m still losing weight. I am optimistic that I will get back to exercising, though; I just need a little break.
I am pretty proud of the fact that I am losing weight without any specific diet or fad weight loss system. I can eat what I want—within reason, of course. But I didn’t have to go out and buy any special diet food. My success has come from portion control, eating “healthy” foods, exercising, drinking nothing but water (sometimes with a little prune extract), and keeping my emotions in check. I think the latter is also contributing to my lack of motivation to exercise recently.
I’m always curious to know how others are doing in their quest to lose weight. Email me and let me know. And, as always, check back in two weeks to follow my progress.
November 2, 2007
Have you ever felt so guilty about something that it brings you down and occupies your mind?
It started last Friday; I had some banking to do, and my wife asked me to pick up some french fries for her while I was out. Even though I had already eaten my lunch, I started to pick at the fries on the way back to the office. That one moment led to a weekend of bingeing on the foods I’ve been trying to avoid: ice cream, chocolate, toast, waffles, cereal etc.—and large portions of them.
On Saturday, I was at the Iris Ball, a fundraising gala for the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario. Although I ate well and did not need the desert, I still had it. And then I had to face the consequences when I stepped on the scale.
I gained five pounds in a weekend, believe it or not. I bet many people with my kind of metabolism and shape have experienced the same thing. I felt guilty all weekend.
On Monday I put my foot down, pulled up my boot straps, and told myself to get back on track. I started to exercise again, I took control of my portion sizes, and I got back in the groove. And would you believe that not only did I lose the five pounds that I gained over the weekend, but I lost one extra pound, too?
Today I weigh 204 pounds; I’m 31 pounds lighter than I was on April 9.
Can you relate to my story about bingeing? Send me an email and tell me how you have dealt with this or any other obstacle you may have come across as you were trying to lose weight.
October 19, 2007
I have lost another pound since my last blog two weeks ago; I am down to 205 pounds for a grand total of 30 pounds lost since April 9. And as I started out on my walk to work this morning, a neighbor saw me and commented on the weight that I’ve lost. What a great feeling! I’ve almost come to need it. I was just telling my wife that no one at church last Sunday commented on my weight loss. That was a little bit of a downer, but I figure my friends at church see me every week, and since I am losing weight slowly, no one notices.
But I notice, and that’s good enough for me. One of my rituals every morning is to wrap a tape measure around my waist and look at the measurement. Whenever I gain weight, that’s where I notice the pounds first: in my stomach. But the same holds true as I’m losing weight; I’m seeing the size of my stomach go down. It’s far from being flat, but I sure have noticed a difference and so does my wife every time she hugs me.
I’m noticing big changes in how my clothes fit. I play a little game with myself every time I pull clothes out of the closet. I have a pile of clothes that are too big, and a pile of clothes that are too small. And every time I reach into the closet for a pair of pants, I get to choose which pile they will get directed to. If they fit perfectly, I’ll wear them for the day. If they’re a little snug, I’ll wear them a little lower on my waist with the goal of being able to wear them a little higher in a few weeks. It may sound silly, but I love it and it really works for me as a motivational tool.
My success has no great secret: I’m watching what I eat and how much I eat, I’m drinking nothing but water (and lots of it), and I get about an hour of exercise each day. We all “cheat” a little and eat things that aren’t good for us every once in a while, but that doesn’t discourage me. The fact that I acknowledge that I’ve slipped (and the reason why) allows me to forgive myself and move on. And it’s working. I’m down 30 pounds in just over six months and I feel great.
Let me know how you are doing by sending me an email. And come back in two weeks for another update. October 5, 2007
“No sweat” is an expression we use when something is easy for us. But when you’re trying to lose weight, sweat is what you do; it’s the body’s natural way of trying to cool itself down when it starts to overheat from physical activity.
A long time ago my wife told me that if I wanted to lose weight I would have to break a sweat when I exercised. Well, it doesn’t happen often, but I’m here to tell you that my wife was wrong about that. You don’t have to break a sweat when you’re exercising in order to lose weight. It could be true that you can lose weight faster if you sweat while you exercise, but I know you don’t have to.
I walk every day during my lunch hour. I also walk to work in the morning if it isn’t raining. If it is raining, I use my treadmill before I leave for work. I never break a sweat during my walks (either outside or on my treadmill)—but I am losing weight.
Since my last blog entry two weeks ago I have lost another three pounds. I weighed 235 pounds on April 9, and today I am 206 pounds—for a total of 29 pounds lost so far. It’s all about calories: In order to lose weight, we need to burn more calories than we take in. It’s that simple. I don’t count calories, but I estimate that I take in 2000 calories a day or less. So if I burn more than 2000 calories a day, I lose weight.
I must admit, though, that I caught myself bingeing on the weekend again. If you have caught yourself bingeing, please share you story with me; I’d be very interested to hear your thoughts on the subject.
I’m still eating the right things, drinking nothing but water (and lots of it), exercising (30-minute walks twice a day), and controlling my portions so I don’t overeat. It’s working for me. Drop me a line and let me know what’s working for you.
September 21, 2007
Slow but steady: that’s how I feel right now on my quest for better health.
I have lost another pound since my last blog entry two weeks ago. That brings me to a total of 26 pounds lost since April 9 (I am 209 pounds today). I’m reaching a plateau in my weight loss right now, but I think I can understand why.
Last weekend, I felt as though my eating was a little out of control. I blame that on the fact that my weekend wasn’t well structured; I didn’t have a list of activities—which I normally do—and so I had a lot of free time on my hands. That’s not such a good thing for someone like me when I’m trying to lose weight. I tend to relapse into bad habits (mainly eating) because I have nothing else to do. Keeping a routine is no problem for me during the week. I walk to work and I know when I’m going to eat; my day is planned.
Perhaps another reason that I only lost one pound over the past two weeks is due to the fact that I have been walking so much. I can feel the muscle building in my thighs and—since muscle weighs more than fat—it makes sense that I’m not seeing the numbers move down on the scale. But I know this means that my metabolism needs to self-adjust now. My body wants to change, but it’s just unsure of how it’s supposed to do it. I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing and, if in the next week I am still on this plateau, I will dig out my copy of Dr. Phil’s Book, The Ultimate Weight Loss Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom. I’ve read this book a couple of times and I know that it addresses the issue of hitting a plateau.
In general, though, I am very happy with how things are going, and I am looking forward to releasing to you my “before” and “after” photos.
How are you doing with your weight loss program? Have any of you hit a plateau and, if so, how did you break through? Email me and let me know how you’re doing.
September 7, 2007
We all like to receive compliments from our friends; it boosts our self-esteem and confidence and, to a certain degree, our egos. That’s what happened to me recently, and what a great feeling it was!
Last week, I planned to do more filming for a documentary that a friend of mine is doing. I hadn’t seen Mark for a couple of months and as soon as he saw me, he noticed the progress I’ve been making: “Wow, Bill! You have lost a ton of weight!”
What a boost it was to hear that. Of course I haven’t lost that much, but I am down to 210 pounds—four pounds lighter than I was when I wrote my last blog two weeks ago. That brings me to a total of 25 pounds lost since April 9.
My goal—and we should all have goals, whether they’re in our personal lives or our professional lives—is to hit the weight I was when I got married in August 1998: 202 pounds. I’m just eight pounds away; I know I can get there. And then I’ll continue on by setting a new weight-loss goal.
Check back with me in two weeks and in the meantime, let me know how you are doing with your weight-loss goals. And remember: eat the right foods, control your portion sizes, exercise, and drink lots of water.
August 24, 2007
I’m back on track and feeling rejuvenated. Two weeks ago, I reported that I was down to 214 pounds—21 pounds lighter than the 235 pounds I was back in April. I’ve been feeling great, fitting into smaller shorts, and I’m not as hungry as I used to be.
Last week, my family and I took a week off and traveled up to my father’s cottage near Parry Sound, Ontario (hometown of Bobby Orr, the best defenseman to ever play in the NHL). I am sure that most people can relate to this: While was on vacation, I gained back five pounds.
I have an excuse. And I know what you’re thinking: “Excuses, excuses…” But being up north in the clean, fresh air, I was more hungry. I took naps. And, yes, I cheated a little. In my last blog I said that I now only drink water. I splurged on my vacation and had a Diet Pepsi one day and a large chocolate-dipped ice cream another. I didn’t keep up with my exercise and the result was that I gained back five pounds.
This week I’m back to work and into the routine I was before my week off. I’m drinking plenty of water—and water only—and I’m back to eating right and controlling my portion sizes. I’ve also picked up where I left off with exercising, and I’ve lost three of the five pounds I picked up. Now I’m at 216 pounds.
I must admit I was a bit worried that my eating up north would start a chain reaction once I got home, and that I would continue to overeat. I’m happy to say that is not the case; I am back in control and looking forward to watching my weight spiral down.
I will keep you posted on my progress in another two weeks. In the meantime, feel free to email me and let me know how you’re doing with your weight loss plans.
August 10, 2007
I am very excited to write this blog because I am—finally—enjoying success. And along with that success, I’ve been having a lot of fun revisiting my closet.
Some weeks ago, I took all of my shorts out and tried them on. I have what I call my “fat clothes” and “skinny clothes.” I laid them out in order of size and, over the last few weeks, I have been moving down the line and wearing the smaller-sized shorts. It is sort of a game to me, but it’s fun and it gives me goals.
Before I tell you the weight I am down to, I want to first share another success story. I was away this week for a speaking engagement in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and when I travel it is hard for me to maintain portion control and eat the right things. But this time I was okay; I actually had control while I was away.
I now weigh 214 pounds—down five pounds from my last blog entry two weeks ago, and 21 pounds since I announced on April 9 that I was going to get into shape and live healthier. I haven't been down to this weight since about four years ago when I was on the Atkins diet and going to the gym with my wife every night.
I am very motivated and I am having no cravings. My portion size is under control and I am still walking to work every day with an additional stroll at lunch time. I don’t feel hungry, and that’s new to me; every time I’ve attempted to diet in the past, I was always felt hungry.
I also think that I am losing weight because people are praying for me and I can feel the power of those prayers. Come back in two weeks and see how I am doing. In the meantime, feel free to email me with your comments or questions.
July 27, 2007
I have found my groove! Back in April, I began my quest to lose weight and get healthier. It has been a roller coaster ride, but I think I’ve finally found a system that works for me.
I started out on April 9 at 235 pounds and, within two weeks, dropped 10 pounds. But I’ve gone up and down and up again since then; I was eating large portions of food (though healthier food than before), exercising on the treadmill, walking when I could—but it felt like I just wasn’t making any progress. Today I am pleased to tell you that I am down 16 pounds from my starting point in April, and six pounds lighter than I was four weeks ago. I am now 219 pounds and it’s given me the confidence to continue on this road.
You may remember from my blog entry two weeks ago that my plan was to join Weight Watchers to kick-start my weight loss. I admit I was somewhat concerned about my peers who are also trying to lose weight and who don’t have the money to join such a program. For that very same reason, my wife Aileen agreed that I shouldn’t join. I listened to my wife (which any married man would tell you is a smart thing to do).
I was discouraged, frustrated, and I felt as though I’d never reach my goals. But I knew I couldn’t give up. If you know me at all, you know that I have the same philosophy about life and business: it’s all about solving one problem after another. And I am a very resourceful person, so I turned to a book I once read about losing weight: The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom, by Dr. Phil.
After reading the book, I basically went back and started my weight loss plan from scratch, but I’ve lost six pounds since I cracked the book, so I know it’s working for me.
I hope you’ll come back in two weeks to check in on my progress. In the meantime, feel free to email me with your questions or comments.
July 13, 2007
Every dark cloud has a silver lining, and that’s kind of how I feel. My dark cloud is the fact that I am not losing any weight, and the silver lining is that I have a solution (which I will tell you about in a minute). I do have one accomplishment to report: I am still drinking water and water alone, except for the milk I put in my cereal. By drinking only water, I’m starting to feel a lot healthier, and even though I am not losing weight, I think just feeling healthier and better overall is a big deal.
When I pledged to lose weight back in April, I wanted to do it without spending money on gym memberships or expensive exercise equipment; I know the average person with a mental illness is on a tight budget. But I am a believer in support systems. When I was dealing with my illness for the first five years, I went into group therapy, which was a great support system for me. So this is where the silver lining comes in to my weight-loss plan: I am going to try a group approach with the help of Weight Watchers.
If it sounds like I’m running in circles, that’s okay; losing weight is not easy and I am not discouraged at all. Is it a problem for me? Yes. Am I going to loose sleep over it? No. I have a lot of good things happening—I do not feel bloated and I’m not putting on any weight. But just like business, life involves solving one problem after another. And I’m determined to find the solution that works for me.
Stay tuned for my next posting in two weeks, when I will share with you the progress I’m making with the group support approach. Email me at and let me know how about the progress you’re making.
June 30, 2007
I saw the light! I have come across what I believe is a great tool in my battle of the bulge. It’s no secret weapon, in fact it’s literally all around us; it’s what we’re mostly made of. Water!
I have discovered that when you are trying to lose weight, water is very important. Since my last blog entry, I have cut out all drinks except for water. I have even quit drinking diet sodas, even though they have no calories. They’re just not the same as water.
I was very excited to learn when I stepped on the scale this week that I am still the same weight I was two weeks ago: 225 pounds. No, I didn’t lose any weight, but the victory was in the fact that I didn’t gain any weight, either. That was a relief, because I was away in San Diego for a four-day NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) conference and I ate pretty heartily. I wasn’t able to exercise while I was away, but I did drink plenty of water. Now that I am back home, I will get back to exercising and continue drinking water and, hopefully when I sit down to write my next blog entry in a couple of weeks, I will have some even better news and results.
I’m curious to know how others are managing their weight and the progress they’re making. Email questions or comments to me.
June 15, 2007
One step forward and two steps back, or is it two steps back and one step forward? Anyway, you know where I am going with this. As many of you remember, I abandoned my portion control plan and instead I am trying to exercise more; I am walking to or from work once in awhile and I am also using my treadmill twice a day. It is difficult to get on the machine and walk for 30 minutes in the evening after a long day. However, I find it easy in the morning to walk before I shower for the day.
You may think I am disappointed that I am not losing weight, but it’s just the opposite: I know I have a lot to be positive about. I would say that I am now in the habit of exercising, and I am eating fairly healthy. I may not be eating small portions, but I am okay with that because, as I stated in an earlier blog entry, you have to like what you are doing or you won’t do it for very long.
I believe that age has a bearing on losing weight, and I have to factor that in. I am 44 years old and have been overweight for most of my adult life. I think am starting to fall apart! The other day I stretched to grab a bottle of water from the back seat of my car and I strained my arm! My point is that the older you get, the harder it gets to lose weight.
I am not discouraged. I will continue to walk and watch what I eat, and continue to enjoy what I am doing. I know that eventually the pounds will come off.
And by the way, I weighed in this morning at 225 pounds. Let me know how you are doing. Email questions or comments to me.
June 1, 2007
If you are going to play, you have to pay—so the saying goes.
I am somewhat disappointed this week, because I was “playing” last week. I gained five pounds back since my last entry on May 18.
As many of you know, I travel a lot and I spent five days recently in San Diego at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting. I ate pizza twice (and not just one slice), and I had hot dogs and hamburgers and french fries. I was “playing,” and now I’m paying for it.
Regardless, I am not ashamed of the setback. I know losing weight is not easy. And I’m beginning to re-think the principles on which I based my weight-loss plan. Everyone is unique and no two people can control their weight in the same way. So, I am going to take back a statement I made when I first started out—and it relates to the four key principles I vowed to follow.
I did believe that if I could control my portion size, exercise, eat the “right” things, and keep my emotions under control (no snacking simply out of boredom or stress), that I would lose weight. I’m starting to think that’s not necessarily true. Why? Well, just like schizophrenia, not all medicines work for everyone. I have my own metabolism and what works for me may not work for another (and vise versa). So I have a new plan.
I like to eat and I can’t eat small portions. For whatever reason, I’m a hearty eater. I know that in order to lose weight I need to burn more calories than I’m taking in, so I’m really going to put an emphasis on being active. I know I started out with the intention of getting into shape without the use of any special equipment, but I think I need it (others may not). So now I have blown the dust off my treadmill and I am going to try to use it twice a day (30 minutes at a time) to burn off the excess calories.
Stay tuned for my next update in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, drop me a line with your comments or questions. Email me.
May 18, 2007
Slowly but surely, I am winning; I’ve lost another two pounds (for a total of 12 pounds) since April 9 when I started my quest to get in shape. I am down to 223 pounds now. It’s a slow weight loss, but the experts will tell you that losing weight slowly is the best way, especially if you want to keep it off.
I’m sticking to the four key principles of my plan as best I can, but I admit I’m finding it hard to control my portion sizes; I think I’m still eating bigger portions than I should. But as far as exercise goes, I’m walking to work almost every day and with summer fast approaching, I find myself cutting a lot of grass!
I’m trying to eat the “right” things. I’ve been barbecuing a lot lately. But temptation is everywhere; I’ve been at a few events over the past couple of weeks where I was presented with offers of rich, calorie-heavy desserts. I passed on it every time, and I was proud of myself for it. I’m happy to report my emotions are on track (preventing me from eating out of boredom or some other emotional trigger) and I don’t’ feel like I’m depriving myself. I’m enjoying my new, healthy way of living and I’m not hungry. I know I can succeed.
Have you made healthy living a priority, too? Drop me an email and let me know how you’re doing.
May 4, 2007
I’m hanging in there. I’m still the same weight I was two weeks ago: I’m a strapping 225 pounds. I did creep up a couple of pounds over the last two weeks, and here’s why. First, I participated in at least three different functions and I was away on business a couple of times, so I didn’t have the luxury of eating at home. But I was cautious at a few of my lunch meetings and I only ordered soup--and perhaps I had some bread to go with it.
Another reason (or should I say excuse?) is the weather has not been very nice; it rained quite a bit, so I didn’t walk to work as often as I wanted.
I’ve come to the conclusion that no diet ever works if you don’t like the way you’re living. When I started this weight-loss plan, I said that there are four principles to my strategy: portion control, eating the “right” things, exercising, and keeping emotions under control. I still believe in those four fundamentals, but I know I need to also enjoy the way I’m living. I can’t focus solely on dieting. I have to like my lifestyle, and it has to agree with me. For example, I don’t like walking in the rain, so I won’t. I like to have a Diet Coke or a Diet Pepsi every once in a while, so I will. I will have a hot chocolate once in a while because I like it. I cannot completely deprive myself of the things I like because I know that if I do, I’ll eventually go back to my old habits.
That reminds me: I did do well in eating the “right” things, though I admit my portions were probably a little too high and my exercise level was too low because I did not want to walk to work in the rain. I’d say my emotions were in check so I did not binge on anything out of boredom or stress.
I expect, by the next report, I will drop a few more pounds because it’s grass-cutting season and I will also be walking to work more now that the weather is finally turning nice. I have two conferences coming up and I expect they’ll have some effect on my weight-loss plan, but I’m still happy to have shed the first 10 pounds. How are you doing? Are you making changes to improve your health? Get in touch with me at publisher@szdigest.com with your comments or questions. |
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