Weight loss thoughts

I'm winding down on my 8 week fast to loose the pounds I put back on 6 months after my big loss.  Been doing some soul searching on what works and doesn't with weight loss and me.  Trying to come up with life changes I can incorporate to me life.

Three rules to live by.

1.   Don't be afraid to go back to whatever you did to loose weight before.  Just because you gained weight doesn't mean you can't loose it again.

2.  Weigh yourself often.  At least once a week.  Never go longer than 2 weeks or a month.  2 or 3 times a week if you have to.  If you have to deal with weight issues you should get to know how often your weight goes up and down and what causes it.

3.  Maintain some sort of physical activity.  You don't have to call it exercise or go to the gym.  Just do something that gets you moving every week.  Some great advice I got from a friend is the best exercise is the one you will do.


The rest is just details.  My life long goal is to be a weight loss master.  Someone who can look back many years later and say I lost the weight and have never gained it back.

Where the heck did summer go?

So I just read my last post talking about the start of summer...and now it is just about over.

We've had several workshops,  Tombstones, Casting,  Columns & Fencing, and foam texturing.   All of them fun yet a little time consuming.

We've worked on a new Celtic Cross and some crypt walls for the graveyard.   We started setting up the Abbey for some new changes.  We are working on a new comment box figure for the year.

We have started going rollerskating on a weekly basis.  We try to walk 3-4 times a week if we can.

During it all I have gained some weight.  Eating too much and snacking mostly.  I got on the scale a few weeks ago and was up to 289lbs.   So I decided to go back on the liquid fast.  I'm going to do it for 8 weeks so I can get back to my goal weight of 245.  Sort of pushing the reset button while I still can.   I'm on week 2 with only 6 weeks to go.  I'm already down to 272.  I realize now I should have started this a few weeks ago before things really got out of hand.   I'm now thinking that fasting for 2-3 weeks might be a normal thing for me every 4 months or so.   After the winter and during the beginning of summer. Both slow times for me and good times to take a break from food.

Although I've gained some weight over the past 6 months I feel I have made some significant changes in my lifestyle.  I am more active.  I have changed the way I eat and what I eat.  I have a few problem foods (bags of chips, and cheese and crackers) but mostly I enjoy more healthy snacks. The issue is really in quantity.  Chris and I even split meals when going out.  Just need to be more diligent and ease up on the excess.

I am determined to be a weight loss master and want to be able to say years from now that I lost 150lbs and kept it off.

Summer is about to start

I can't believe it has been 2 months since my last post?  I helped with the HAuNTcon convention in Dallas, TX the end of April and then put on the West Coast Haunters Convention the end of May.  Those took a lot out of me and put on several pounds in the process.

Now summer is starting and it is exactly one year ago that I started on my weight loss program.  I weighed 408lbs when I started last year  now I am at 272lbs.   My goal is to get below 260lbs by the end of summer.  I was at 245lbs at the end of my fasting in February.

Summer is always filled with Workshops from the graveyard on Saturdays in between working on our own projects that need to be done.  We want to attend the Oregon Renaissance Fair and the Tiki Convention this summer as well.  Lots to look forward to and do.  Going to try to do lots of walking each week and watch how much and what I eat and stay healthy while I enjoy the summer.   Will post more updates as they happen.
    

50th Birthday in Disneyland

I couldn't have asked for a better time on my 50th birthday.   I had planned this trip months after starting my weight loss program.  I figured it would be nice reward to myself for losing all the weight and a great way to celebrate my 50th birthday making myself feel young.   

We arrived Sunday evening and checked into the Disneyland Hotel around 7pm.  We got dressed up and headed to Disneyland for Dapper Day.   We rode the Monorail into Disneyland and met up with some friends and then grabbed a bite to eat.  Then we took off and road the Carousel with the other peopled dressed up.  Then off to the submarine ride I hadn't seen since it was updated.  Then we rode Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion a few times.  We caught a glimpse or two of the Fantasmia show on the water.  We headed to Trader Sam's after the park closed at 11pm and had drinks at the after party for Dapper Day with friends.

We spent all Day Monday at California Adventure.  We got in the park 1hr early because we were staying at the Resort hotels.  We walked through the Grand Hotel into the park and got in line for Radiator Springs Racers Fast Pass so we could ride them right away.  We spent the day getting fast passes for the popular rides and riding others that were not busy.  It was a great day.

Tuesday was my birthday so we spent the day at Disneyland getting there 1hr early.  I went to City Hall and got my Birthday Pin.  I wasn't sure what to expect but people told me I had to get it.  Turns out it was a LOT of fun.  Everyone saying Happy Birthday to me all day!  We had breakfast at the Carnation Cafe and I got a free ice cream with a candle!  Had a great day ending having dinner at Blue Bayou restaurant at the Pirates ride.  

Wednesday we went back to California Adventure and rode the rides we missed and had dinner at the Napa Rose at the Resort Hotel.  We sat at the Chef's table and had a custom vegetarian meal with red wine flights.  We had such a good time we made reservations for dinner the next night.  

Thursday we met our friend Cliff at the park (he works at Disney) and spent the day with him doing things we didn't get to on Tuesday.  By the end of the day I had almost everything checked off my list.  We had lunch at Carthay Restaurant at California Adventure and road Tower of Terror with our friend Cliff (he works the ride).  We spent the end of the day at Disneyland and then had dinner at Napa Rose which was fantastic.  

Friday we checked out of the Hotel and met our friend Cliff's wife Jen at the park (she works there too) and she spent the morning with us shopping at the park and hanging out.  Then we finished the list of things we wanted to do and left the park at 4pm to head to the airport.  Before leaving we got to see a show at the Horseshoe Review and the Voices of Liberty at Mr Lincoln.  

We ate pretty healthy most of the time with some indulgences along the way when we wanted to.  We did a LOT of walking all day and had a GREAT time.  Best 50th birthday I could ever asked for.

Officially in weight maintenance mode

I am now officially in maintenance mode with my weight.   As expected I gained a few pounds returning to eating normally again.   I weighed in last week at 251 (up 6lbs from my low 245 last day of fasting).  I have been walking 3-4 times a day for 3-4 miles each time.  My walking routes have become longer now that I have built up my endurance.  Walking for 40-50min in each direction is easy for me and exposes a lot more destinations.  There are several great places to walk to from my house now that I can easily go shopping or grab lunch or dinner in all directions.

I am learning a whole new way to eat.  I am paying attention to my hunger and eating much less at a time but more often.  I am also choosing to eat more fruits and vegetables as part of my main diet.  Having been a vegetarian for 27 years (you'd never know it by my health)  I am embracing the lifestyle and choosing to eat healthier than I ever did before.   My mantra is that I'm changing everything about how I eat and exercise so that I'll never go back to where I was again.

I turn 50 next week and will be spending it at Disneyland as a treat to myself for both loosing all the weight and being half a century old.

 My long term goal is to eventually get down to 225lbs over the next few years.   I don't know if or when I'll get there but for 2013 I plan to continue to walk and eat healthy and loose weight over time.

Latest Weight Loss update

This week I officially started my 4 week transition back to eating food.   It is one week of continuing to drink the 5 shakes a day (I do one of them as soup and the other as as a pudding at night so really only drink 3 a day) and 1 serving (1 cup) of vegetables.   The 2nd week I continue with the shakes and add another serving of vegetables the first part of the week and a fruit serving (1 cup or piece) the latter part of the week.  The 3rd week reduce my shakes to 4 a day and I add an entree each day and mid week I add another vegetable serving and a fruit serving for a total of 3 vegetable and 2 fruit servings a day.   On the 4th week I reduce to 2   shakes a day and add a 2nd entree a day.   By the 5th week I discontinue the shakes and am officially on maintenance.

I weighed in at 246 this week (6lbs from my goal).  I will continue to loose weight during these 4 weeks and should be under 246 by next month.

Now the real challenge starts.   I want to keep up my walking 4-5 times a day.  Change my eating habits to continue with the 3 vegetable and 2 fruit servings a day and keep my total calorie intake down to a maintainable level.