The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing...

2-9-4

That’s 6 away from 300. Yikes.

That is a high number.  Really high. Wow, that’s way way way too much, high.

That’s what I saw when I weighed myself at Publix last week on 7/19/11. The day before I started this blog and this lifestyle change. The day I determined once and for all to do something.

I really don’t think I look the part of 2-9-4, or maybe I do? It’s out there now. You know it and I know it lol. Either way it’s changing and that’s the last time I will ever see that number. 2-9-4. Whew.

So as you saw on the last post I was planning to buy a scale yesterday,  and I did. And I used it.
I literally closed my eyes when I used it and was nervous about whether any progress was made.

God is so good.

After a week of effort.... I saw..... 290.2 :-)  I checked and triple checked. And I know it doesn’t seem like much when I have so far to go. But, 4 pounds really feels like a big deal.  And it’s a start right! 290.2 

Had a nice workout tonight and am just trying to establish a good routine and be as active as possible.
Here are some great message clips from friends and followers. THANK YOU for your encouragement! These are just a few of many and it really is a HUGE help so thanks!

“You'll succeed if you want, you just have to remain strong. One piece of chocolate at work is in fact a big deal when you're trying to accomplish something so don't let any one get you off track.”

“I will be supporting Phil and i just want to say that i think the Lord used his post to support me. “

“Phil, if anyone I know can do it, you can do it. I think this is really cool. Once you get past week 3-4 it will get much, much easier.”

“You have a few more pounds to lose than I did, I understand, but it is a very attainable goal to achieve, and you will be so happy when you start looking in a mirror and seeing a new, smaller, more fit you! Let me know if I can help in any way. “

“Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have.” ~Norman Vincent Peale

"I think you are slimming down!"

Weekend Success!
I think the challenge with weekends is that it is much harder to stay on a set schedule.

Therefore, I had to find a way to plan things out and just make my own schedule, and try and stick with it.

Things actually went really well. We went out with our friends Matt and Sara to celebrate their getting back from their Honeymoon out in San Fran.

We went to a Mexican restaurant which was actually pretty good for me. I ate some fajitas which were a mix of chicken and steak and lots of veggies. I stuck to just one tortilla and very little sour cream or cheese. All that to say, I achieved my calorie goals for that day still and managed to stay in the game.


Lifestyle Changes
That is the phrase you always here from everyone and everything when learning how to lose weight the long-term way, and keep it off. I’m working on this slowly but surely. The temptation is to make a bunch of really extreme drastic changes all at once. I’ve tried this before and I can do it for about a week or two but then I stop. So.... I’ve decided to take advice and make significant changes and then build on them.

Here are some things I’m doing:

• I go to the 2nd floor bathroom at work. This way I get two flights of stairs every time.
• I am keeping track of every little thing I eat
• I always am looking to stay under 2,000 calories every day no matter what. But my big goal is 1,500 or under. So far I’ve only had one day over 1,500 , but have stayed underneath 2,000 every single day
• I try to pack and plan for everything. I’m actually pretty busy during the week, so I try and make sure that I have lunch and dinner planned. ( I was really tempted to get Wendy’s today, because I was in a huge rush to make it from work back home, and then to music practice. I abstained. VICTORY!) You’d be surprised how much you fall back on fast-food or unhealthy food just because it’s convenient.

I have also decided to weigh myself weekly. I am going to be picking up a scale tomorrow (finally).

The hardest thing for me right now is that I want instant results. I know this is going to take several months , if not longer. So I like little things , like when a shirt starts to fit a little better.
One thing that helped me with this, was a sweet little old lady at church on Sunday that told me I looked like I was slimming down. She told me that she’s been meaning to tell me for a few days, and that no matter what, I shouldn’t give up. God definitely sent her my way.

I am also working on getting more consistent with my daily exercise.

Cravings come and go, but I am finding that the more I just do something else when  I think I’m hungry and stick to my snacks and meals, that they usually go away.

Funny People
I like how some of my friends are taking my goal into consideration. “Should we eat here?”  “Are you sure you can have that?”

Thank you . I need all of your help if I’m gonna make it long-term.

Anyone up for Chic-fil-a? Just kidding :-)

I have found that, as in with most things, much of the “sacrifices” of losing weight are just perspective. It’s just food after all. I keep saying that, and hopefully it will stick.

On to the next day …

“You can complain that roses have thorns, or rejoice that thorns have roses.” ~Ziggy

Hooray , I didn't quit yet!

First off, Thanks so much to everyone for your support! I was truly overwhelmed by the all the messages, posts, comments etc. Very exciting. Now I just have to make sure I don’t disappoint!

Second, …... I’m Hungryyyyyyyyyyyyy

Hahaha it’s actually not that bad at all.

The only time I really got super hungry today was between lunch and dinner. And that’s because I forgot to pack my afternoon snack. Lesson Learned. 

At dinner I was still hungry after I ate the grilled chicken, veggies, and orzo. So I ate some Rainier cherries to fill in the gap. They were awesome lol
Jaimie bought a bunch of good foods I can pack and take with me for lunches, so that will make planning much easier.

I am using this sweet App that my friend Luke showed me called Fat Secret. It lets you input all your food and track exercise. It makes it easy to track everything. So no excuses. 

Today’s grand total of Calories Eaten = 1,217

:-) 

Not too shabby.

For exercise today I started with some yard work, and then did some lap swimming.
Let me just say that swimming laps must be really good for you because it felt like a crazy good workout.

Since today was the first day after starting this Blog, it was important for me to stick to the calorie watch and make sure I got my exercise in.

So now, I’ve started planning for this weekend. I know we are getting together with some friends on Friday and Saturday, and I know that of course this will involve food. So I’ve taken the advice I’ve heard from people and seen all over the place and planned out what I’m going to order. This will help me not blow my calories and also still have a great time.

I’m feeling better already if you can believe it, and I think a big part of it is because I have accountability. Determined to stick with it ...

“People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.” ~Lewis Cass

OK.... Here we go.

My name is Philip. Phil to most.  I just turned 27 on 7/14/11. Beside me is my lovely wife Jaimie :-)

I've decided to "Blog" for two reasons.

1) Accountability and hopefully a learning experience
2) Maybe I can help other people at the same time

I consider myself blessed. I have attained a moderate amount of success with my job. I have a beautiful wife. I have a great relationship with my family. My friends are second to none , and if nothing else they keep me laughing and grounded. God has been really good to me.

There is, however, one thing that I have never been able to accomplish with any amount of success. Drum-roll please ...... and that is getting myself to a weight I'm happy with and healthy with. My entire life, literally, I have wanted to lose weight.

I enjoy life. For this simple reason I want to enjoy life as long as I can. And that means getting healthy , and staying that way.

Before we get all emotional here let's establish a few facts:
1) This is not the fat kid in gym class story.
2) I didn't suffer scarring embarrassing ridicule from my peers growing up (at least not that much lol)
3) I'm not trying to go all "biggest loser" on everyone (although hopefully that's the kind of success at this I have)
4) I don't need a breathing apparatus when I run around the block
5) This is not a boo-hoo apology, poor old me, it's not my fault, sorry I've let anyone down kind of thing. The fact is whining about it won't change a thing. Trust me. I've been there and done that.

I am overweight. I have been very complacent about it. Mainly because I don't always look the part and I can't think of many things I've missed out on because of it. (At least I used to think so)  But let's face it, it's a slippery slope and over the past few years I have not been going in the right direction. I've recently faced the facts that you don't get smaller as you get older lol, so now is the time.

I am scared to death and excited  at the same time posting this because I usually can succeed at whatever I put my mind to. It's scary because if this is like every other time I've tried to do this, then this will be quite embarrassing. I'm sure my brother Patrick will never let me live it down lol. I need that. I keep finding myself dreading this, and I don't know why. It’s exciting because this is going to change my life and be a milestone I never forget. I know I have an awesome support group and a God that loves me to help me all the way through.

The nice thing about weight loss is that it doesn't mean I can't do the things I love. All I'm giving up is food. Sounds silly. But it is way harder than it looks. Especially when you love food as much as I do lol.

This is just an intro. Long story short I'm going to work on a plan of attack that means eat less and exercise more. I need group support so this covers that.

I am going to buy a scale because I don't know my weight. Yikes. I know I need to post the weight on here, and that will be awful, but extremely important.

My Mom had a great point when she's told me over the last few years, "No one can do this for you, and you can't do this for anyone else. Until you decide this is what you want to change, you won't." Touche, Mom.

I'm going to update this blog a few times a week, hopefully more. I don't want this to be a food journal or a minute by minute recap of every day, but I do want to post what I've changed, am changing, and any slip ups along the way. I do want this to be a big way for me to look back and see the journey. I do want my friends , family, and then whoever else comes across this to help me. I need encouragement.

The big test will be to see where things are in August, September, then 2012, etc etc.

I don't know if anyone will follow this besides my wife and family lol, but even if that's all there is, this is important.

I start today.

I'm sweating already...

“Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality.” ~Ralph Marston