PROGRESS UPDATE

I've decided to post my "progress" on a monthly basis, and it was one month ago that I first broadcast my weight to all my adoring fans.

On April 14, I weighed 272 pounds.

On May 13, I weigh 265 pounds.

I am satisfied!

MY MOTIVATION: PART 3

I recently spent 9 weeks in Thailand. My size was an article of amazement for many Thais, and, being honest types (mostly), they made comments.  They were being observant, NOT judgmental.

And of course, in Thailand I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaay larger than the norm.  Especially in contrast to the delightfully beautiful Thai women.

First, Thai ladies are universally petite... slim, trim, curved...extremely so.  At pedestrian stop lights, in the blazing sun, three of them would line up (shoulder to shoulder) behind me and shade themselves from the sun, using the shadow from my width and height.  Several would get into fisticuffs to earn a place in the shelter of my penumbra. It was a bit disconcerting. 

At the massage spa I frequented, 3 of the ladies would greet me as follows:

1. 1 patted my tummy and laughed
2. 1 hugged me and kissed my tummy
3. 1 said I looked like a teddy bear and she wanted to snuggle with me

I was getting MORE reasonably pleasant attention... but although the hugs were quite nice, the whole thing really embarrassed me.  But I kept going back!

The bottom line?  I felt very conscious of my size all the time I was in Thailand. 

I was also wondering just why I felt uncomfortable there... but not so much back in Canada.

The answer came whilst I was in the Seattle airport awaiting my final plane ride back to Canada. I am larger than many North Americans, but not unusually so.  Lots of people my size and a significant minority dwarf me. 

So it was easy to not notice my obesity back home. 

But not in South East Asia.

The self-consciousness, plus a firm desire to spend 4 - 6 winter months in Thailand, henceforth, was another motivational factor in my choice to reduce my weight, and keep myself accountable through this Blog.

If I'm going to be in Thailand, I will be OK with being taller than most of the Thais, but not obscenely larger than they.

INITIAL DECISIONS

I've tried to become more conscious of the way I live, especially around the food/health aspects of my life.

I tend to live in my brain, which means I sop up a tonne of information, make sense of it, then move on to another topic of interest. So, health, food, exercise... I've likely got enough info stored in my brain to write several books on the topic.

Taking action on my knowledge has been the issue... 

1. read it, 
2. learn it, 
3. internalize it, 
4. ignore it... 

my model of action up to now.

I've already mentioned two major motivations for me (there's more... later). These have led me to

• decide to take action
• actually take some action

OF COURSE, I found another book to read about a good action plan!  I am following it to an extent, namely the conscious planning of my daily food intake.

The book is:

How To Be Healthy In A Toxic World
Proven Methods For Detoxing
& Rejuvenating Your Body
By Tim Robins B.Sc.

It's a e-book available f*r*e*e until end of April, 2012 at
www.New-You-Retreat.com

Using my daughter's input (she;s a Personal Fitness Trainer and Nutritional Coach), plus some ideas from Robins' book, (plus other things where antecedents are forgotten) I've done the following:

• upped my intake of supplements
• used more plant-based food products (now using eggs, only, as animal-based food... mostly anyhow)
• do "oil-pulling" daily  www.oilpulling.com/
• upped my intake of fibre
• gone on a cleansing routine
• eat 4 - 6 smaller "meals" daily

Is it working?

That is NOT a good question (even though it's MY question!). 

In 6 months I shall let you know my conclusions about my present actions. It took 60+ years for me to get to this beached-whale status... I suspect it will take several years to overcome it. So, one week into my action plan, I cannot remotely tell if it's working.

You may notice that I have NOT mentioned any change in my exercise routine... still basically nada.

That's the NEXT change I have in mind.

Stay tuned...

MY MOTIVATION: PART 2

Three years ago, I "discovered" a MD who specialized in andropause (male menopause). I went to him intermittently for several months, spending LOTS  of $$, since he was outside the Provincial Health System (a private clinic). 

HOWEVER, he was the most thorough doctor I'd ever visited, and the ideas I had previously researched on

• aging
• testosterone therapy
• need for supplements
• dangers of environmental toxins on overall health
• the "feminizing" of men due to the plethora of estrogen mimickers that surround us

were ones he agreed with and treated.  

I was ecstatic.

HOWEVER, he did warn me that, while it was possible to reverse aging, and become the handsome, virile, and desirable male I'd once been... only 20% of the change would come from supplementation and hormone treatments. "You need to realize," he said, "80% of the change will be due to you making changes in how you eat, and how much you exercise."

I paid attention to what he said (in my brain) but neglected the whole thing both from a food and exercise perspective.  So I was getting, at most, 20% of the results I could anticipate.  

HOWEVER, that was quite encouraging. My beer gut started to soften and diminish, AND I put on muscle without exercising.  That testosterone is an awesome "miracle" worker.  

HOWEVER, I soon reached a plateau (ditch?), languished in lethargy for a few years, and eventually realized that I had to put in the other 80% effort. 

HOWEVER, I didn't until a week or so ago.  Not sure why, but there you are.  AND, here I am... taking steps and writing a Blog.

The memory of the success I'd had remained in the back of my mind... and is one of the motivators for my decision to get on with the other 80%. 

I think this is the Pareto Principle in microcosm.

===============================

I solemnly swear that I will eschew the word "HOWEVER", henceforth.

MAGIC BULLETS

I've always dreamed of a "magic" way of reducing my weight.  I've tried the following:

• special diets ("Peel-a-Pound" soup comes to mind... more like "Gag-a-Mouthful-of-Slop")
• special food delivered to my door, colour-coded according to breakfast, dinner, supper, snacks (after 2 weeks I was really turned off with flavour, texture, smell... barf city)
• 24 days at a (pricey) health spa (lost 24 pounds, bur found them PLUS more when I returned home)

Yesterday I got a letter from a local MD who is starting a Weight Loss Clinic involving daily injections of Human Growth Hormone and a 550 calorie/day diet. 

WOW!  

Promises (in very cautious language) a pound a day for males.

I (in an excited voice and demeanour) told this to my fitness/food guru (FFG). She was less than agreeable.  "So, you going to get a daily injection for the rest of your life? How much does it cost? What are the other major effects outside of weight loss?"

I whined that it would really help me achieve my goal in a short time. "I really want a MAGIC BULLET to take away my pounds."

"And how's that working for you so far?" she asked.

SHOT DOWN IN ONE INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE!

As I reflected on past efforts, and a definite lack of long-term success, I figured out something... this is all about a life-style change.  

(In all fairness, the FFG did mention that as well.)

And life-style is an incremental slow process.  The weight eventually comes off. I finally create/live new habits. I don't resemble a bleached-out beached whale any longer.

You know... all of this would be a lot more palatable if the FFG was anyone other than my daughter!  It really rankles when she points out my idiocies. When did she become the calm voice of reason?   

Whenever, she is.

So, goodbye daily injections.

Hello conscious and rational living.

Started today (sort of)

272 pounds this morning

I am including a "cleanse" in my eating... but it's not a starvation cleanse. Comments?

I'm debating NOT using a microwave for cooking. Any thoughts on that idea?

My Nutritional Consultant bought me lots of fruit and vegetables for my meals. I'll see how that plays out.

OK, not much else to say. 

BUT I do hope you will have things to say, although it seems problematic to write in the COMMENTS section.  I'll check that out.

MY MOTIVATION: PART 1

This is pretty simple, actually.

I was having supper with my younger son, sometime in late March, and he said, "You know, I don't know any old people who are fat. But it's up to you to do something or not."

I took that understated concern to heart... and here I am.