Quick update

I weigh 257. I feel like I weigh less but the scale insists on the same reading. I get to eat what I like without gaining. 

Next time I will share a photo and a recepie of something I came up with as a dinner option that involves zero carbs and tastes incredibly good.

The Line-Up

This is the typical breakfast or lunch that I am having these days on weekdays:

It is usually accompanied by a lot more veggies. But the main ingredients are: some kind of meat (in this case salami), veggies like cherry tomatoes, broccoli, snap peas, and in this lunch I used pine nut hummus and garlic herb cream cheese. It was delicious. This stuff really works to make you get trimmed. But you have to be consistent. And like I said, you need to include way more veggies than are shown here.


This is what an occasional late afternoon snack or dinner substitute looks like (depending on how many servings):

 

This is a great way to have your fruits with all those micronutrients. Plus it is very refreshing and really sweat and tasty. The ingredients are: banana, strawberries, blue berries, papaya, cinnamon, stevia extract (sweetener), purified water and ice.


You stick to this pattern of eating and you are sure to lose weight like crazy. For me, though, lately it has been about maintenance more than continued loss. And the reason for this is....:

Yes, good eating on the weekends. It is inevitable. In my part of the world, it is a ritual to grill or barbecue meat EVERY WEEKEND! And it's really not the meat but the bread or tortillas and chips and sides like potato salad and rice that are the culprit. Oh, well. The good thing is that I am still NOT gaining. But I realize that to begin to lose weight again, weekends must be sacrificed. It's coming. I'm trying to psyche myself for it. Mmmmmmm...argh! There goes this weekend's battle. The barbecue won the day. Hahaha. Don't judge me!

So long.


GHS

Just an Update

Last Saturday I weighed 256 lbs. I am anticipating another two lost by this Saturday. The trick is a little exercise and eating a lot of veggies, some canned fish, cheese, avocado and spices. No soda. Just diet green tea.

This coming weekend I will try not having soda even on my day "off" and also no alcoholic beverage. That's going to be a tough one. But I think it will make a significant difference for the following weekend's numbers. Let's see if I am strong enough to resist beer this Saturday.

Ahh, but beer tastes so good, the sound of a can being popped open--simply beautiful! It will be difficult but I am feeling more motivated than I have been in a long while. I hope you all have had some positive effects in your diet/weight loss efforts from reading this blog. I will try to write consistently on weekends at least.

Hasta la proxima.

If you ain't gaining, then You ain't lost

The title of this post is exactly what it's all about. I was getting quite depressed this past month, because for exactly one full month I have been doing nothing in regards to the plan I lay out on past posts in this blog. The reason being, as I have stated before, personal problems I have been going through.

I have been feeling a lot better these past few days. I have begun a very light activity routine, otherwise known as an exercise regimen. This is only to speed up the process of recovery. In the past month I undid all the progress I had achieved since I started in April to write this blog. I had lost 15 lbs. and was weighing 250 lbs. But after a month of no discipline and a lot of booze, I have gained 9 lbs.

You might be tempted to call this a failure. I was, too. For that whole month my mind was plagued by thoughts of failure in my weight loss and in my personal life. But just last night I realized something hugely important.

And that is

IF YOU ARE NOT GAINING WEIGHT, YOU ARE NOT A LOSER!

In other words, it has been over a month that I got terribly sidetracked by life's unexpected changes, and still I have maintained myself at or below the weight I started off with in April, which was 265 lbs. Not only that, but I am actually still weighing 6 lbs LESS than what I started off with. That, my friends, is a

RESOUNDING VICTORY!

That's right. Not only am I six pounds under my initial weight, but I seem to have gotten past the worst part of my depression and stress that I was going through during that month of difficult life changes.

I feel myself recovering my funk, getting my groove back, finding my mojo again! I am starting to gain confidence in my abilities and resolve in my goals. But life is hard when you are trying to lose weight without the use of products of any kind, and are a single father of two boys, and have to worry about work and chores, etc.

So I can only hope to continue on this increasing optimism and motivation which seems to be coming back to me. We'll see in about one month. I think I had said I would give myself until sometime in August to lose the intended weight of 30 lbs. However, I know this is not going to be possible, even if I give myself and extension of one more month, which technically I do deserve, since I was out for a good reason.

So then there it is. I am giving myself until September 23 to see how much of the 30 lbs. plan I will be able to lose. And in the end, if I only manage to keep a couple of pounds off, then even that will be a cause for celebration.

Remember:

The goal of weight management is always one of two. Either you need to lose some, so you focus on that for a while. Or you at least change your habits so that you can stop the gaining process. When you can manage to halt that process, that in itself is a huge improvement.

GHS

Thank You

People are coming to this site despite the fact that I have written scarcely lately. Thank you. I have been in a slump. No diet, no exercise, no discipline. I am back to 259 lbs. because for three weeks now I have been "off" the schedule. I will be going back on soon. Just yesterday I began by working out for 20 mins. which was brutal. 

And what is it all due to? A break up. It causes stress, it produces compulsions usually toward destructive patterns or habits. But it's understandable. I will write more in-depth soon. For now I just wanted to fill you in since you have been coming back and I appreciate your interest. When I recover from this snag I hope to improve this blog to its old format but I make no promises! Thanks again.

The Loss

People keep coming back to this blog. I guess it is to follow up on my progress. It's wack. I gained 7 pounds since the last time I wrote a  post. And the reason is that I took an entire week "off" and just ate whatever I wanted and no exercise and plenty of boozing. And one thing about boozing is that it absolutely does not help you lose weight.

So what is the plan? I am barely hanging on here. The other thing that absolutely does not aid in weight loss is being constantly perturbed by troubles. What can I say, sometimes life is just not that easy. It's a miracle I haven't gone on a blind binge-eating frenzy yet. Sometimes I can't help feel like I just cannot hold on to the goals I set for myself here. Everyday is a constant struggle.

Today I began the day on the dark side. Angry, frustrated, and ready to call it quits on my weight loss goals. But slowly, and with the assistance of some very loud and uplifting music in the sun I have begun to recover a positive view.

As I said before, everyday is a challenge on its own. I cannot let myself be discouraged by yesterday. Only what today brings. Only for a while. While this unstable disposition fades away and I achieve balance.

Until then, I can guarantee one thing: many more setbacks.

But that's okay. As long as the setbacks don't become defeat. And even then, the world won't end. Just maybe this blog will be ended in failure. But I still have two more months to work with.

Good luck to me.

Results for Saturday June 8, 2013 (and for today Saturday June 15, 2013)

[For some reason I overlooked posting this up last weekend. Here it is. By the way, No changes for this weekend. Except only half a pound less. So official weight today 6/15/13: 250 lbs.]

I weighed 250.5 lbs. today.

That's another 1.5 lbs. less than last weekend. I will not promise I can maintain this rate of weight loss or even maintain this weight level for next weekend. It feels like it has cost me a lot more than usual to lose the weight and I feel like taking a break from it all for a while. 

Don't know yet. Still mulling it through. We'll see how I feel about it tomorrow and especially on Monday. 

Maybe the solution is to change up the methods. I could go with veggies all next week. Or maybe counting calories strictly but eating anything and everything within that allotment of calories per day. One thing is for sure, increasing the exercise effort is not an option at all. But maintaining the level of activity that I have been keeping I think is achievable.

So far it has been 15 lbs. lost since I began this endeavor in mid to late April. Not bad. 18 lbs. to go from here to late August. 

Time will tell. 

GHS

Results for Saturday June 1, 2013

Weight: 252.5 lbs.

1.5 lbs less than last Saturday

Not quite the standard set of 2 pounds a week, but at least it is progress, not stagnation or regression.

Method: Eating high protein, carbs only from veggies, real butter, olive oil, two meals a day with one snack during the day (peanuts), lots of water, and some form of activity that can be considered exercise but that does not involve a gym membership, repetitive and unproductive routines, and none of the "no pain-no gain" torture.

Life is good. Next Saturday's goal: 250.5 lbs. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

I will!...Hopefully.

GHS

When Life Gives You Lemons...

First off, I went up two pounds this week, so I am back at 256 lbs. Am I disappointed? No! See I was in a two-day workshop as a presenter. This involved me going outside of my regular schedule and diet. In essence, I had to take my "day off" on Thursday instead of today. That means that my next day off the diet will be next Thursday. Therefore, a two pound difference is really not at all that bad. I am willing to bet that, if all else remains the same, I will be able to not only lose these additional two pounds, but perhaps another two on top of that.

You could say that me gaining two pounds is an indication of failure in my approach, but in fact I do not believe the approach is flawed. What I have recognized is that what has been missing from my daily routine has been the constant movement, "exercise" that I used to engage in. This is simply because recently I have been under certain stress, which leaves me fatigued and mentally, and physically, drained everyday. If you ever try losing weight while under any kind of stress, you will see that it is almost impossible. This is because the body is designed to respond in a specific way to stress. This involves elevating cortisol. Here's an interesting quote:

"One of the most common symptoms of elevated cortisol levels in the body is progressive weight gain, explain health officials at Up To Date, a peer-reviewed health information website for patients. High cortisol levels typically cause excess fat to accumulate around the face or neck, causing patients to exhibit round, puffy facial features that are collectively referred to as "moon" face. These patients may also experience weight gain around the neck or abdomen that occurs in conjunction with thinning of the legs and arms."

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/107934-elevated-cortisol-symptoms/#ixzz2UL8szLTJ

So if you are being put under a lot of stress and life hands you lemons, don't make yourself a high sugar-content lemonade drink! Instead grab those lemons and throw them at the face of those people putting you through hell! Ha! But seriously, do something about the stress first and you will see that the weight-loss effort will begin to work again. My strategy will work, I know it. But it takes time. First there must be the achievement of balance and the rest will follow.

Paz.

Gabriel

Results for weigh-in on Saturday, May 18

Just the skinny: 254 lbs.

YES! Last weekend I went up a pound. This weekend I recovered. After my "day off" on Saturday and all the good eating and drinking, I checked the damage today and it was minimal. I think I will be able to begin losing at a faster rate this week. I have gotten over certain hurdles that had kept me stagnant as far as this weight loss goes.

So look for more posts coming up. I'm feeling my mojo returning.

Paz

GHS

Last Week's Results

My first major defeat. Last Saturday I weighed myself. Outcome: 255lbs. A one pound increase. Surely it is no big deal. But it's bad because the trend was down, then stable, now upward. But it's okay. I have been under a tremendous deal of stress and depression-like symptoms. Extremely low energy due to mental fatigue and just an aweful lot of things to ponder and worry about and handle, so it is a miracle that I was able to confine the damage to only a one pound increase.

I am determined to get back to 254 lbs and then lose another two pounds at the very least by the end of this week. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

I hadn't written since last week also because of internet server problems and scheduling. But I hope to take back a more active role again on this blog. I think it helped when I was more actively writing. Perhaps at least one or two posts per week. Good thing I am feeling like I am coming out of this stump.

The Stress Factor

Losing weight is harder said than done when your life isn't as simple as you might like. Life has a way of tripping you up and causing your plans to constantly change. With change often comes hardship. No one likes to have to change their usual ways especially, as they say, "cold turkey". That's the whole point of this blog, isn't it? Undertaking a commitment to lose weight at a certain rate by forgoing my typical American diet of high carbs, high sugar, low fiber and micro nutrients and everything else that is actually good for the body.  

This strategy is extremely difficult to accomplish for anyone trying it. Empty carbs and sugar abound in our food options at every turn. And we are addicted to them. But combine this habit of bad food consumption with high stress and you have a recipe for disaster. Anyone who has been under serious amounts of stress knows well that the easiest way to relieve it is through some good old tasty meal with plenty of bread and oil and sugar. Yum. 

Of course, there are those who are not bound to food for their escape from stressful situations...namely drug addicts and alcoholics. But otherwise, it's the food that goes straight up to your brain pleasure centers like heroin. And it can't just be any food. If it were like that, then how easy would it be to pick up an apple and chomp on that and some carrots all day long? 

No, it's a combination of the highly addictive nature of processed food, fast food and junk food along with our view of them as "comfort foods" that gives us the most sense of relief from stress. That's right, it's partly the food itself, and partly the way we look at that food that leads us to reach for it when we are confronted with unforeseen or necessary, but stressful, change.

I guess what I am saying is, if there is a situation in your life which is causing you stress, then try to remove yourself from it. If this change itself will involve stress, then perhaps it is necessary for you to be able to eventually be free of the stress completely. Say, for instance, that you have a job that is highly stressful but financially rewarding. You could stay on and keep making good money, but eventually the stress is going to kill you for sure.

Now let's say you decide to make a break for it and get a different job. This job won't pay you anywhere near what you were making in the previous one, but at least the stress factor is non-existent. There might be some stress attached to the change of job because it involves gaining less financial reward, which means that your standard of living might have to be downgraded. But not to worry, all you gotta do is simply adapt. 

No more outings to fancy restaurants, no more name brand clothes and shoes, no more gizmos and gadgets that you don't need. In essence, a total life change so that you can actually enjoy life, instead of clinging to your old habits which only force you to have to be tied to a high-paying job that makes you totally miserable anyway.

So, if you want to have a better chance of losing the pounds, get away from stressful situations as much as possible. Seek out proper stress-relieving activities, like exercise or meditation. And always keep an open mind to total and complete change whenever that change is necessary for your health and well-being. 

Here is a very good (and very short) article about what happens in our bodies as a result of high stress:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/255134-how-stress-affects-weight-loss/

UPDATE

I have been under a lot of stress lately, that is why last week I wrote minimally on this blog. The results for last Saturday were not impressive. I didn't lose any weight. But the good news is that I also did not gain. I stayed right at 254 lbs. This is a victory in my view, because I know how difficult it is to lose weight, especially when under a lot of stress. I managed to keep myself in line. 

I do not anticipate much of a difference for next Saturday, either. If there is weight loss, it will be because I will have incorporated more exercise. That's the plan, anyway, but we know that plans are made to be changed. We'll see. Small steps. 

Weight loss should never be a race or rushed. It is a long-term process that will involve a lot of pitfalls and false starts and a whole lot of setbacks. But this should never deter you. Always come right back to it, and never give up. You will persevere. I guarantee it. 

ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Results for last week

I failed the test this weekend. I jumped in the river and I got soaked! In other words Friday night and all day Saturday I ate party food indiscriminately. But there was a reason for this self afforded "green light".

On Friday morning I weigh myself and saw that I had lost another 2 pounds! Which puts me at 254 lbs. However, since Friday night I broke my regular diet/eating habits, I changed the results that I would have had on Saturday morning. I could have lost up to three pounds, had I held firm. Oh, well.

Hopefully, I will continue this weight loss pattern. I am happy losing 2 pounds a week. This morning I weighed myself on another scale, not my regular one. It said 248.4 lbs. I am certain it was wrong.

There is no way that could be accurate. Unless my scale has been wrong all along. Because, otherwise that means that I would have lost close to 8 lbs. in one week! It is not impossible, but I think I am going to take that as a misreading. I will continue to rely on my scale for my official weigh-ins.

That is all for now. I just thought I should post up the results. I didn't get to before because life got in the way. Parties, family time and deep thoughts occupied my weekend.

I hope I can lose another two pounds by next Saturday and not put myself in any more situations that lead to excess.

Excess creates imbalance.

Imbalance creates disharmony within the self and with others. The most difficult thing to do in life is to strike a good balance and keep it.

Temptation Is Innocent

If you find yourself being incredibly tempted to betray your own commitments, it is likely that this is the product of your own doing more than anything else. In other words, if you fail to stay away from the "bad" foods, chances are that you didn't distance yourself far enough from them to begin with, so of course the challenge is going to be that much more difficult to overcome.

As with anything else that we seek to stay away from in order to be faithful to a prior commitment, when trying to lose weight and change the course of your life, it is essential that you open your eyes to your own everyday actions and see where the flaw lies. It is within your control.

You are the one who, when out at the supermarket, allows yourself to grab that bag of potato chips (empty carbs) and soda pop (about 8 to 12 teaspoons of pure sugar) with the idea that,

"It's just a small treat. I don't eat this stuff everyday".

But then the next day you buy yourself a candy bar and orange juice and think nothing of it, because - hey, see, I'm not eating those chips and soda everyday. This line of thinking takes place in our minds. I call it justification. You justify your bad habits by attempting to fool yourself in the way you look at the things you eat.

And then there is the idea of situational temptation. If you know you have a weakness for chocolate cake, don't hang around at a party around the time they are going to cut the cake.

Make up an excuse to leave.

You can come back later when the cake is gone and the pressure is no longer there to participate in this mass sugar overdosing event.

I personaly don't understand why the celebration has to be marked by the inclusion of some decadent treat like a cake?

Why can't it be some other treat, like fruit or beer?
Hmm, beer versus cake...yup, beer wins.

It's easy to not be tempted to eat the bad stuff. All you have to do is walk in the opposite direction of where the bad stuff is being offered. If you go for a swim, chances are you will be getting wet. You don't want to get wet? Don't dive into the river!

With that said, I am confronted by a situation which could very easily lead to me being participant in a night of drinking and eating beyond necessity. I don't have to, but it is a party. And when you go to a party in South Texas, and you don't eat or drink, well that's just like telling your family to go bend over somewhere. Not appreciated. Maybe that's just my family. But anyway, I will be tested. Let's see if I am able to hold and not give in.
Tomorrow I will have new results. Let's hope I can hold. If not, then I will count today as my "off " day, and will start the new week tomorrow. I don't want to do that because I like taking the whole day Saturday to do whatever I like. Oh, well. Until tomorrow.

10 Ways to Avoid Relapse

Alright, let's get right to it.

The 10 Ways To Avoid Relapsing Into Bad Eating Habits.

In descending order, from 10 to 1, Letterman style!

10.) Throw all your junk food in the trash can immediately.

9.) Dump some disguisting filth on top of your junk food already in the can, cuz you know you'll be digging in there when the cravings hit you.

8.) As soon as the cravings hit, don't fight the craving, instead engage in a task that will require time and effort to accomplish and feign interest in returning to fulfill your craving after you are done with that task.

7.) After you have completed the task, if you are still craving, punch yourself in the face to remind yourself that what you would be doing by eating junk is hurting your body just like hitting your face for no reason, like some idiot.

6.) Drink plenty of water.

5.) Drink black coffee or green tea with Stevia extract sweetener. They both contain tons of antioxidants that help clean your cells and give you energy to burn more fat.

4.) Don't sit around letting the cravings get the best of you. Get up and move, exercise, play with your kids, go for a walk, get involved in conversation; anything that will get your mind off that craving. If you have eaten properly, the craving is artificial, therefore will go away in moments. Just ride the wave.

3.) Allow yourself to snack on watery fruits or veggies. Throw in some peanuts or sunflower seeds.

2.) Go to the nearest mirror and place the scale right in front of it. Weigh yourself and look at yourself. If you are happy with what you see, then by all means, go crazy with your junk food. If not, then remind yourself of your goals and your accomplishments so far, and remember that no one and nothing has power over us other than the power we concede.

AND THE NUMBER ONE THING TO DO TO AVOID RELAPSE IS....

1.) Come back and read this blog for more tips! Ha!


But seriously, folks, look at my previous posts. Check out my pictures. You can see I was pretty huge. If I can lose 100 lbs. you, too, can do it. There is nothing special about me, other than determination. You have the power. Take charge and nothing will defeat you. Suerte!

The One-Two, One-Two of Servings

Today I almost slipped back into a hopeless overall attitude, which could have landed me right back where I was yesterday, comforting myself with food. But it was on the trip to drop off my kids at school early this morning that I happened to look into the rear-view mirror and caught sight of my youngest son eating a potato and egg taco in the back seat that immediately brought a smile to my face. The way he was chewing it looked like he was so thoroughly enjoying his food, that it inspired me to be positive again. It got me thinking that this is exactly how it should always be. We should be able to fully enjoy our food without being preoccupied with abusing it.

It is not easy to stop yourself from enjoying a great meal, when all your life you have been accustomed to indulging in tasty food, ignoring your body's loud calls for you to stop, it's full already! That has been my problem for a large part of my life. And I know this is the main problem for most people who become overweight and obese. It may not be entirely that they always overeat, but they certainly indulge by eating mainly foods that please the pallet and do nothing else.

Today I spoke to a young man about weight issues. He is overweight. His family members are overweight. One of his relatives was once known as the largest man in the region. Obesity is obviously a problem that prevails in his family. So in discussing food options and eating habits, I asked him to tell me what he had eaten last night. I assumed immediately that he had eaten all sorts of decadent sides like mashed potatoes and gravy. But he quickly proved me wrong. He had eaten only ground beef on rice. Nothing else. I was impressed...momentarily, that is, until I asked how many servings he had consumed. He admitted he had eaten three servings.

I asked him what the reason was for him to have eaten three servings? He felt put on the spot, of course. Instead of answering forthwith, he justified the extra servings by indicating that the bowl was relatively small. I asked him to be completely honest with me and say whether or not the extra servings were simply because he had enjoyed the taste of the food, and not because he had remained hungry after the first serving. He admitted that it was for the taste of it.

The majority of us do this all the time. I did this just yesterday. We indulge in tasty foods because the act of eating involves so much of the senses. It is addictive. And the worst part of it all is that we indulge in all the foods that immediately go toward creating or storing fat in our bodies.

While I sat with my young friend at lunch today talking about weight issues and how eating the wrong foods and overeating is directly tied to this, behind us was a table with pizza boxes stacked up on top of each other. There had been a meeting in that area where we had sat down. There had not been that many people there, but there sure had been a lot of pizza consumed. They had nothing else but the pies. My friend looked at me and said, "Imagine all the fat that comes with eating that." This, I recognized, was the beginning of an awakening in his awareness about the role our food choices play in our health.

So if you wish to begin to undo some of the bad habits surrounding your eating, start by identifying what foods you usually consume and how often you do. If most of the food you are eating involves flour, wheat, sugar, fried foods or a list of ingredients so complex and scientifically named that you can't even pronounce them, then you are in serous need of a food/eating habit change. If you are the type that can't handle going cold turkey, start by eliminating one of these from your everyday meals.

I would recommend starting with the sugar. Identify anything in your diet that contains sugar in any form: being regular sugar, fructose, sucrose, corn syrup or any other label that is used to disguise it. This will do wonders to normalize your insulin levels. If you are a coffee or tea drinker, hit the supermarket and buy yourself a box of stevia extract sweetener. Make sure it contains erythritol. This kind of sweetener has fewer calories than sugar. There is a product called Truvia, which is the one I use on my coffee.

Check it out here: http://truvia.com/about/?gclid=CLbc7-er4rYCFUyY4AodNXQAzg

As with anything, use in moderation. Nothing in this green Earth is safe to consume in unending quantities. That should never be the case when eating or drinking. That kind of practice is precisely what leads to obesity, because there is no balance. Even "healthy" food can make you obese if you abuse it.

A Setback is not A Defeat

Setbacks are common things we deal with in our lives. If everyday we experienced only success in what we do, there would be no learning process, no need to improve ourselves or rethink our strategy to perform what ever the task at hand.

Today was one of those days for me: a very difficult day full of stress and pressures that drained me of energy and compelled me to comfort myself with food. I tried hard to maintain my discipline, but must admit that today I was not triumphant.

But that is okay.

We must be able to look at each day as isolated and a challenge all of its own.

Each day brings a renewed effort in the battle to keep up with your good habits while distancing yourself from the bad habits.

I did fail on my discipline today. But it was not an entire failure. I craved foods for the sake of eating because I was stressed out, tired, and exhausted. However, instead of simply losing myself in the process, I at least was able to take control of what foods I was eating during this tough day.

I did not consume sugar or flour or wheat in any forms. But I did eat three meals and three snacks during the day. The last meal was at 8 p.m. which is a big no-no for me. Nonetheless, the foods were all meats, cheese, peanuts, fruit, and a lot of diet green tea, plus one large serving of black coffee late at night.

I am sure the list of foods doesn't seem as bad as I was making out, but the problem is two-sided. One, I ate way after 6 p.m.; and two, I did absolutely no exercise. It is possible that some may look at my previous posts and think that I do not believe in exercising for weight loss, but this is far from the truth.

My belief is that exercise is absolutely crucial to weight loss, but it should not hurt, nor incapacitate you, nor should it require that you go out of your daily routine. Since I am a single parent, I do not have the time to get in my car and go to another location away from my home to exercise. I must incorporate exercise into my everyday time demands and duties.

Therefore, although today was a day in which I was way off on my weight-loss strategy, which I am sure will have undone some of my progress because it was like having a second "day off," I still believe in my capacity to effect the changes that I desire and recognize that this will take time and consistency.

It will also take the presence of mind to acknowledge that setbacks are a natural part of life, and they, too, can assist you in motivating yourself to refocus on your goals.

Don't be afraid to lose the battle today. There is always tomorrow to regroup. You should fear losing faith in yourself, for this will certainly lead you to lose the war.

P.s. They can't all be home runs.

Relish the Struggle

Artist unknown

Some people might think I am crazy for thinking the way I do, but to me it's not achieving that defines success, it's the perpetual struggle toward a goal, a person's perseverence despite the greatest odds, that chisels out of our formless mass a strong and well defined character. As in this on-going battle against the pounds, so too with all other aspects of life, I don't want to be at the top of that mountain, because up there, people get lost in the meaninglessness of their lives.

You have achieved, therefore what is there to fight for? You have overcome all challenges and barriers, therefore now all there is to do is sit there and rot on your high position. In the days of ancient Mexico, when the Spaniards invaded, there was a great story unfolding in the midst of the protagonists involved: Moctezuma, Cortez, Malinali.

One was the product of a group which had achieved their goals and was sitting on a high and mighty throne...rotting away. Moctezuma had no where else to go. He was emperor of all. He had no purpose but to get fat off of his riches.

The other was a nobody compared to his magnificence, Moctezuma. Nonetheless, Cortez was destined to be at the right place at the right time, with the right people to assist him achieve his wildest fantasies.

And he did. Yet as soon as he reached the very top of that colosal pyramid that controlled Mesoamerica, and became a great man, he was quickly reduced by his own patrons and reminded of his status as a virtual nobody. He was not given a throne in Mexico, not even a thanks, because he had served his purpose and there was nothing else he could achieve for them or for himself. And he died like the simple merchant/mercenary/sailor that he was.

Malinali's successes, as well, were tied to the conquest. She was a slave who was given to the invaders as a gift among other sex slaves. But she aided the Spaniards well in more ways than one, and they loved her for this. However, as soon as her services as interpreter in tri-lingual conversations were able to be provided by other Spaniards, she was tossed away, like a used rag for washing in others' hands. She was reduced back to her slave status.

Why the history lesson? Because I am a history buff. But the point is, it happens time and time again. Look at great boxers, like Mani Pacquiao. When they are coming up, everyone is exited about their prospects and how they will perform against the current "best" or the champions of the day. But as soon as they reach that summit, the conversation shifts, and the expectation becomes a question of when they will fall, and at the hands of which new up-and-coming challenger?

Once you reach the top, there is nothing left but to fall again.

When speaking of weightloss, it is important to prepare for this possible eventuality. It is not beneficial to "go on a diet" at any time in your life. Diets have a starting point and an ending point. What happens at the end? Statistically, most people rebound right back to their decadent ways and to even greater weight gain than when they started their "diet".

If you want to lose weight and be able to keep it off for good, or for a long time, you absolutely must frame the goal in your head as a lifestyle change.

This involves planning.

Plan what foods you can rely on to quell sudden cravings for decadent treats. For instance, keep peanuts with you everywhere you go. Whether at your office or in your car. Women can carry little packs of peanuts in their purses. Keep bottled water at hand always. When thinking of eating a meal, don't leave the planning phase for when you are hungry and just got an hour or half an hour to eat. Plan your meal at least one day ahead of time.

What fruits are you fond of? Are they the more sugary type? Try sticking to apples, pears, berries and any fruit which contains a lot of seeds or edible peal. As for veggies, if you are the type that never eats that stuff, that is simply because you have only been exposed to a certain variety of vegetables.

Go to your supermarket and take a few more minutes in your shopping routine to look through the variety of veggies available. Buy small amounts of as many as you can so that you can try each one out and determine which one you like and can treat as your default veggie. You NEED to have a go-to veggie and protein source/"good" fat in every meal so that you can help yourself feel fuller longer and enjoy the health benefits that comes from this meal combination.

And, by all means, try to stay away from the soda pop. This is the toughest thing to do. I struggle with this a whole lot. I will be treating this topic on another post.

That's all for now. Peace.

Results for Saturday April 20, 2013

After a week of discipline and dedication, in spite of struggling all week with tremendous pain from my tooth, inflammation of my gums, and taking pain killers, I have persevered.

Next week will be so much easier for me to delve deeper into this weight loss method that I have been engaged in. I plan to structure it a bit more, with more opportunities for exercise whenever possible and meal planning.

So, I suppose some people want to know the results for this week. The first week was unusually successful, since I was able to shed 7 lbs. But, as I mentioned last Saturday, those results are not typical and I did not expect to see that happen again for this week. And that did not happen. However, I did lose an additional two pounds from the weight achieved last week. So that puts me at 256 lbs. today. Oh, yeah.

I mentioned last weekend that usually when you begin to change your eating habits, you will first lose some weight then gain a little back. This is an ongoing process throughout your weight loss period, since you are maintaining a strict adherence to one menu for most of the week and then allow yourself a day to splurge.

As soon as you indulge in carbs and sugar, your body immediately goes through changes, mostly resulting in a greater retention of water. This is my theory. The precise reason for this is probably in some medical journal. But based on my experience for the past 2 years, I have noticed this trend.

So, I said last weekend that since I had gained back 3 lbs after my "day off" that I would be able to lose that amount beyond the achieved 258 lbs. That meant that I was committed to reach the 255 lbs. by today. I was short by one pound, but still, we are talking about me having lost two pounds in one week. That is awesome by any standard. And if we look at it closer, this means that in two weeks, I have lost 9 lbs! That is incredible!

I am very pleased with my results this week. This only fuels my motivation to keep going strong. I hope this is helping some of you out there who may feel trapped by your situation. Believe me when I say that I know exactly how that feels. You feel like you are a prisoner in your own body. With no hope of escape, no way out.

But there is a way. Here it is.

This method can help men and women. It is likely that women might experience a slower rate of success. Nonetheless, success is almost assured if you are honest with yourself, decisive about your goals, and disciplined.

Have a good day! Buena suerte!

Results drive the Motivation

Tomorrow I will be weighing myself again, after an entire week of sticking to a healthy eating habit.

I have been 100% true to myself and have not faltered in my discipline. I have been increasingly active and productive because of this change in habits.

I encourage everyone to challenge yourself a bit everyday. To step outside of your comfort zone and endure the sweet pain that comes through the act of abstinence. You won't be missing a thing.

We have seen how readily available and abundant food of all sorts is. When you have completed a term without it, you can come back to it and truly enjoy it, because it is actually a treat and not the usual.

There was a time when I was young when my family was much more economically challenged. We always had homemade food.

But in the truly rare occasions when we were treated to a meal at a restaurant, it was quite a memorable experience.

I still have recollections of those occasions. If it had been the norm, I would not have formed such special memories of them.

Tomorrow I get to pick what foods I want to savor and indulge in after having gone without them for an entire week.

It will be a special treat, accompanied by my boys. It will be truly memorable. God bless.


*UPDATE:

Today I had the usual: two chicken thighs, three raw Serrano peppers, a bag of single-sized pork rinds with half an avocado, minced raw carrots and diet green tea to drink.

For lunch I had peanuts and water.

For dinner, I had a tall glass of vegetables blended with ice, water, salt, and Tabasco sauce. This is mmm-mmm good. Not to mention that it has tons of fiber and nutrients, and is very filling and satisfying. Come back and check out my results tomorrow.

Sex, Food, and Rock-n-Roll!

Yesterday, I introduced the idea here of comparing the act of eating with the act of sex. It's easy to compare eating to sex. Both acts produce very strong endorphin releases in our brains; that chemical (among others) that leads to a state of pure extasy, no matter how short lived. Both are pleasurable endeavors that lead to extremely positive results. And both can lead you to stray out of your commitments to yourself and your loved ones to live up to some standard of self-discipline when it comes to preventing disease.

But the most important relationship between food consumption and sex is not how each one resembles the other independently. Rather, it is how one affects the other when abused. I am talking particularly about how the consumption of excessive amounts of food, or the wrong kinds of foods, can lead to a diminished level of sexual pleasure. That's right, the more you indulge in your favorite foods without a care in the world, the more you attract those extra pounds onto you instead of attracting your mate. This is predominantly because, more than likely, as is with everything you do, obesity slows your sexual drive a whole lot. You literally become a lazy fuck.

If you have ever been obese, think about how that excess weight affects your pace when you walk, or when you engage in any physically taxing activity. You become agitated easily and need breaks often. So you often sit down or lean on things because your frame can't sustain all that girth in motion for too long.

The same thing occurs on those nights of romance with your significant other. You might be able to get exited about the hot action that is about to ensue, but a few minutes pumping away at it will leave you breathless and ready to lean back and take a breather. Not only that, but since your body has only finite amounts of blood circulating through you, when you become agitated, that blood is redirected to the other organs which are starving for it, since you've taken on a huge task of performing such an arduously athletic activity without being physically apt for the challenge. Of course, this affects primarily guys, since we all know that good erections depend principally upon a proper supply of blood to "that" region.

But, ladies, you are not off the hook, either. Obesity in women can make you feel less attractive to both yourself and your mate, therefore experience a lower sex drive. But not only that. In an article titled, "Obesity and Sex Drive," on the website tree.com, it is stated that:

"Excess body fat results in higher than normal levels of a hormone called sex hormone binding globulin, which binds to testosterone in both men and women, influencing the sex drive in both."

Read the article here: http://www.tree.com/health/obesity-effects-sex.aspx

This hormone "inhibits the function of [sex] hormones," according to Wikipedia. Once your sex hormones are thrown off balance, forget-about-it. Might as well just sit there and cuddle.

Speaking on a more personal level. When I was obese, I secretly always wanted to be taking it easy when getting it on. So I would maneuver around until I was the one relaxing while my partner did all the work. It's embarrassing, yes. But it is also true. You want to have a great sex life? Get a good grip on your eating habits. Become more active. As soon as you lose a few pounds, you will not only look good and feel healthy, but you will also feel more sexy or attractive (women and men respectively) and have greater energy to take on your mate on that horizontal dance of old.

Go on, take me up on that challenge to lose those two to three pounds in a week, and you'll see how you'll be feeling like you're too seeexy for this blog, 'cuz you'll be busy kneading your mate's pizza dough all day long in bed. Happy spanking.


*UPDATE

Today I only had one meal because I went to the dentist and experienced the most gruesome pain in my life to date. I'm just not hungry or looking forward to eating anything else other than maybe fruit and water.

My one meal consisted of a chicken leg quarter, two eggs, four cheese sticks, 12 mini carrots (sauteed), three Serrano peppers, a single-serving size bag of pork rinds with a half avocado, and about 30 oz. of diet green tea.

I have been very active these days. Today included a trip on foot across an international bridge into Mexico. That was fun. But the pain afterwards was excruciating. People, take care of your teeth. That's all I have to say. You don't want none of this pain.

Tao of the Totem (The Way of the Totem)

Eating is such a natural part of our existence. There are but a few things which come easier and more readily to us, for example breathing. But when was the last time that you found yourself fantasising about taking a good, long, profound breath of fresh air? Unless you were being attacked by someone trying to snuff the life out of you through suffocation. There are few exceptions.

And eating is so pleasurable, as well. It provides immediate gratification, because when you are eating for the pleasure of it, the experience truly begins in the mind. It's like fantasising about sex and then having the sexual encounter. By the time you get to those closed quarters, you've already gone half way, your engine's been idling; it's warm and lubed and ready to hit the surface running.

But like with highly anticipated (yet void of meaning) encounters, the amount of fantasising that goes into savoring a meal which you are craving often is not matched in its excellence when you actually take a bite. It leaves you with a feeling of guilt and disappointment in yourself for being weak.

Then there is the issue of eating because you can. How many times have you been asked, "Are you hungry? You want to go get something to eat?" And you respond verbally or internally, "Well, I'm not starved, but I could eat." So you end up accepting the invitation simply because you CAN eat and not because you NEED to eat. In essence, you are totally ignoring what your body is telling you clearly: that it is not hungry, therefore you should not eat.

Or maybe you are bored, have the day off from work, got money in your pocket and nowhere to go. What is the one thing that is constantly shouting out at you from your radio speakers, through your car windows, on your smart phones or iPads?

***ADVERTISEMENTS!***

Constant reminders of the availability and abundance of food. Just think. You could be digging your teeth into a big, juicy double meat, double cheese burger with hot, steaming fries topped with ketchup and, of course, a diet soda with tons of ice...aaahhh, so refreshing and pleasing to all the senses, isn't it? So come on over, eat because you earned it, you deserve it! Treat yourself to something tasty.

That's what ads and signs do to us. They convince us that we need something which we actually don't. And that is why, at moments like these, you absolutely must be prepared for this kind of temptation. Think of yourself as a warrior. You need a shield to defend against all those malicious ads seeking to undermine your self-control. The question is, what is this shield going to be?

I refer to this as the totem approach. You pick something, whether it is a hobby or an object, which acts as a symbol of your commitment to improving your health and losing weight. For me, my totem is writing on this blog.

This is the one thing that keeps me grounded on the reality of my weight management challenges. It keeps me focused on my goal of losing the pounds that I need to achieve my ideal weight. And it keeps me ultra aware of my daily food choices and activities so that I do not end up cheating myself by thinking, as we all do at some point or another, "Oh, it's just one cookie, it won't kill me." Or "I'll just eat this burger [or pizza or any other fast food] today and I won't have my regular day off. I'll just eat vegetables the rest of the week."

Chances are, you will have another day off, because you have already permitted yourself to betray your own commitments. And as for eating veggies all week long, that is immensely difficult even for people like me who enjoy eating veggies all the time.

You need something to be a constant reminder of what you want to accomplish. It can be a pendant that used to belong to your mother or father or any person who made an impact on you and they themselves struggled with weight issues.

Or it could be something of your own invention. The point is, place that responsibility to monitor your actions outside of yourself, because, if you leave it up to just yourself you will very likely succumb to temptation. There is no one in the world who has a bigger weak spot for you than yourself when it comes to the pleasures of the pallet. And that goes for pretty much any other aspect of ourselves, as well.

Have you ever been standing at the register ready to pay your bill. You've already gotten an approximation as to how much you will be charged. Then the cashier gives you a figure that is below what you had anticipated. But you say nothing because, hey, you're about to save a buck or two--heeeh. You had a choice to make. One was morally correct. The other was morally bankrupt. You know this very well, yet you justify it by thinking that, "Oh, it's just a buck or two. No biggie."

Yeah, most times we are all honest. But at some point, we all give ourselves a pass on bad behavior. When you are trying to lose weight, you have to be completely honest with yourself at all times and not give yourself breaks which will only serve to undermine your efforts. A totem will help keep you honest and true to yourself. Now all you got to do is figure out what you want to use.

If you need ideas or have questions, please come on this page and input your comments. I will respond to all comments as soon as I get a chance. No question or comment is stupid. Just the person who laughs at it is stupid. Hasta pronto.

P.s. Don't be acting all blind and stuff, people! You all can see the poll at the top right of this page. Take the time and vote. Get out the vote! :p


*UPDATE!

Today I had two eggs over easy, five strips of bacon, 10 sauteed mini-carrots, two melted mozzarella cheese sticks, half a large avocado, and pork rinds doused with hot sauce. I washed that breakfast down with two 24 oz. servings of diet green tea.

For lunch I had a can of sardines, using pork rinds as chips, half an avocado, two Serrano peppers, and 24 oz. of diet green tea.

For a late snack, I had 8 oz. of redskin peanuts, three strips of pork jerky and water.

I'm Slim James, Biotch!

 

        Do you have a wedding, quinceañera, or some kind of engagement for which you would like to shed a couple of pounds at super rapid speed? I know this sounds like some commercial for a product. But, no, there is no sales pitch here. I can tell you what you need to do to lose the weight immediately, literally over night! That's right.

First, you'll need to kiss goodbye any kind of product that contains flour, wheat, sugar and a long list of preservatives.

I know, you're probably thinking that this is nearly impossible. And it is, if you are the type that limits yourself to just those foods. But if you are open to the idea of eating a few veggies and fruit, then you're in the groove. I'm not talking about juicing or blending. Although, that is good for you once in a while. But if you are also a meat eater, then you have plenty of food options.

The second thing you need to do is make sure that you keep as active as possible.

As mentioned in one of the past posts on this blog, if you are sitting then stand up, if you are standing, then get to moving, and so on. Keep as active as possible.

The third thing you will need is a scale.

There is nothing more motivating than to see that number falling even the smallest bit. That's how you know you are succeeding. Believe me, as soon as you see a drop in your weight, you'll want to keep reproducing those results. Pretty soon you'll want to keep going beyond the couple of pounds that you wanted to shed for the big dance or special occasion.

Back to the food, though. You've seen my lists of meal combinations. There's nothing sexy about them. But if you are like me and you like meat and veggies, and if you follow the three meals a day routine, then just eliminate the said ingredients above and throw in a veggie. I know a lot of people cringe when they hear talk about vegetables. But you cannot tell me that there is not one single veggie out there in the plant kingdom that you can get with.

If you want something sweet, there are tomatoes, carrots, and snow peas to mention just a few. If you want fiber, there is broccoli, Romain lettuce, and pretty much anything that is a deep green color. If it is something crunchy and juicy to refresh your pallet, there is celery, cucumber, and radishes. The possibilities are endless!

Eat some meat product, eggs, or fish accompanied by one veggie, diet green tea, and add cheese for every meal of the day. 

           -Make sure the cheese is some variation of cheddar,  
            preferably the white cheddar. This type of cheese
            contains cultures and enzymes which help you clean out  
            your gut.

          -The diet green tea contains high amounts of antioxidants,
           which help clean you out at a cellular level.

          -Vegetables contain high fiber which helps you eliminate
           waste from your colon and allows your digestive track to 
           absorb the micro nutrients in the veggies that will, in turn,
           help your entire body function much more efficiently. You
           don't have to stop at one vegetable per meal. That's the
           beauty of it. Being veggies, you can eat as much as you
           want.
         
           Go crazy!

As for the meat. Depending on what meat you eat, it can assist you tremendously in kick starting your metabolism. Like the saying goes in the business world: "You need money to make money;" so it is, as well, when talking about weight loss. You need fat to burn fat.

          -Try eating very lean meat if you choose beef. But you can
           also choose chicken breast (I eat dark and white meat
           myself).

         -You should also make sure to eat plenty of fish. Preferably
           the very oily fish like salmon or sardines. The oil in these
           fish contains omega 3 fatty acid, which has an anti-
           inflammatory effect in your body. This can not only help
           you lose weight, but also improve your health. Follow this
           link to an article about this topic:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/who-needs-omega-3s

If you follow this meal plan for the entire day and do not cheat yourself by eating flour, wheat or sugar in any of their forms, you will more than likely be feeling hungry, since your gut is used to eating that every chance it gets. The solution for that feeling of emptiness even right after eating is, as mentioned in a previous post, drink water. Make sure you have water close to you always.

Also, buy yourself a good amount of healthy snacks to fight the bad carb and sugar cravings. Snack on peanuts, walnuts, pecans, pears, apples, berries, and the occasional dried meat. Do all this for a week, and stay true to it, and see the pounds just disappear off your belly. I can almost guarantee it.

Come to this page if you have questions. Go ahead and comment publicly. I invite anyone to use this as a support group site. If you prefer, you can send me a private message. Just go to my profile. Good luck.

Update!

Today I had more pulled pork (the last of the left-overs, I swear!), two eggs, four cheese sticks, three raw Serrano peppers, 15 sauteed mini-carrots, and an 8 oz. cup of orange juice for breakfast. For brunch, I had a small serving of white and red grapes, two cubes of pineapple, and about four strawberries with a bottled water followed by 24 oz. of black coffee using very little sweetener. For a late lunch, I had a can of sardines in olive oil, 1/3 of an avocado, a bag of pork rinds (the single-serving), and two Serrano peppers with water.