Eating Change Day 3

Day 3
So, traditionally, day 3-5 are my hardest days during a cleanse.  I always feel crappy because my body is detoxing from all the junk I put in it.  Unfortunately, I have to travel today and tomorrow (day 4).

72 hours in and the weight scale says I'm down about 6lbs.

Please note:  I am drinking as much water as humanly possible (120-150oz) and not having any type of irregular bowel movements.  Everything is normal.  Just eating different and already fitting into my clothes better.












Traveling is the worst for me.  First, it is hard for me to not look at eating out as a treat.  I also typically have my meals paid for me when I travel.  So, I may get the extra app, beer, or bigger meal.
Britt packed a HUGE bag of food to help me stay strong.  I had to wake up around 5:30 so I didn't have time for a workout.  I made 4 eggs, some cheese, and a piece of toast with coconut butter spread.  It was good.  I didn't have time to make juice.

I was so thankful when I got to work to see there were no m&m's in the snack jar.  Not that I am drawn to them.  Just didn't want a distraction.

I had a really busy morning so I didn't have a chance to have any snacks.

I ate an early lunch because I had a lunch meeting.  Britt made me a turkey meatloaf that was probably my favorite meatloaf I've ever had (take that pettisville meats).  I ate a pound of blue berries (tasted SO good) and two string cheeses.  I also at as many carrots and hummus as possible.  I had to eat VERY fast but I finished when I got back a couple hours later.



I ate the turkey meatloaf pretty much all afternoon. It was so good.

I had another meeting after work and then got to my hotel.  I stay at a doubletree which means warm chocolate chip and nut cookies.  I was proud of myself because I refused it.  The lady even said "are you sure?"  Thank Jesus "yes, I'm sure" was easy.  When I got to my room they had written me a letter and left MORE chocolate.  One of the pieces was dark.  I thought "shoot, britt eats dark chocolate!"  However, britt is in a better place than me.  So, I just ignored it too.  May seem small to you but exciting to me!

Britt made me enough food for a week away (just gone over night), but it was going to be a hassle to try to make it for dinner.  So, I decided to do my first eating out.  You HAVE to plan/strategize ahead if you're like me.  All day I had in my mind "just go for the caesar salad!"  I even asked people around me if they knew someone that had a good one. So, I got a caesar salad with grilled chicken and hummus with baked pita.  Now, you have to understand that bread used to be my biggest weakness.  Britt has encouraged me to do a lot less (tortilla chips, toast, bun bread, pita chips) but still be okay eating some.  So, I had about 10-15 pita pieces with as much hummus on them as possible.  I also ate the hummus with the provided celery.  It was another victory!



I won't be able to weigh in tomorrow because I am still traveling.  We'll see Day 5 if my eating choices influenced the scale.

His Grace Alone!

Eating Change Day 2

Day 2


I woke up at 5:45am for a crossfit inspired workout.  I typically do crossfit inspired exercises with weights 3 days per week and do intense running (steps, hills, sprints, 5k runs) with body weight exercises 3 days per week.  This is harder in the winter.

I weigh in before showering every morning.  So, after 24 hours I am down 4lbs.  This is due to my high-calorie intake and poor eating over Christmas and last weekend while watching football.  My weight loss will slow down after 3-5 days.

I made a veggie and fruit juice again this morning.  I drink about 20oz of juice per day along with my big meals.  I also eat almonds for a snack.

I had eggs with cheese and asparagus and a piece of toast for breakfast.

For lunch, I had a spinach salad with black beans, chicken, and other veggies.  I used salsa as a dressing.


I couldn't eat the entire salad above.  Also, it takes a LOT of time to eat.  The two things that stand out the most is that I haven't eaten everything on my plate once (that never happens) and it takes me 2-3 times longer to eat.

I started getting a little light-headed because of my lower caloric intake (very busy day and couldn't eat enough).  When I felt that way I would eat almonds and drink juice.  Both the almonds and juice have a ton of calories.  The feeling would go away almost immediately.

For dinner, britt made me two pieces of tilapia and put black beans and cuscus on it.  She also made the greens on the side and some cheese.  I mixed it all together and it was really good!



I play basketball on Tuesday nights, so I did that for about an hour.  I felt great!

I am struggling with a little congestion and runny nose that started in December.  That will be gone soon!

I am considering incorporating a cheat day or cheat meal eventually.  For now, I'd like to get my mind and body right by giving it as much good stuff as possible.  I want to do more research, but I believe a high calorie day with some bad foods is good mentally and physically.  I believe our bodies adapt to lower caloric intake which slows fat loss.  My theory is that having a high calorie day will confuse my body and keep it honest.  It is a method commonly used by Olympians, professional athletes, and body builders.  I'll keep you updated on what I find and if I think it is beneficial.

By His Grace

Weight loss for the fed up fat guy

Past:

Well, I tried just about everything.  I did the juice fast, I tried "reboots", I tried portion control, I tried counting calories, I tried paleo, I tried intense exercise.  All quick fixes to a life-long problem.

I am going to describe my day to day results in this blog.  It will typically be short.  This one is long because I want to provide some background.

I have went up and down in weight many times over the last 10-11 years.  I have been as low as 205 and as much as 282.  Every summer I lose weight from my winter depression, travel, and poor eating choices.  This summer I managed to get down between 238-245.  Like clockwork, I went up to 252 from thanksgiving to new years.  I do this every year... So, I am up about 10 lbs right now compared to the beginning of November.  I did the same thing last year and the year before and even gained another 10 lbs to get to 265 before spring.

If you are looking through this blog post and see how long it is then please read this and feel free to stop:  We thrive on our weaknesses.  We have unknowingly connected who we are to our misfortune, sickness, unhealthiness, or pain.  We sometimes hold on to our weaknesses as a merit badge.  My son, Jack, loves sticky things.  So, he is dramatic about any sores on his body because he wants that band-aid.  I don't have it all figured out, but I know that I hang onto my weight as my crutch for what makes me, me.  I have chosen through the Grace of God to thrive on his strength and ability in me to become a better me.

If you want help improving your health and quality of life please like the Go Nourished page on facebook.

Britt's Transformation:

Its been awesome over the past 5 months watching my wife transform her body through changing her eating.  However, the fact that I couldn't convince myself to flip the switch has been frustrating.  Previously, Britt, like me, did all the diets and training.

We have both prescribed to the notion that natural foods are the best medicine for our day-to-day needs.  Growing up in one of the most obese areas in the U.S., we didn't have the healthy eating alternatives that larger cities have.  So, processed foods, starches, and meat were pretty much all anyone knew.  We both knew that eating less processed foods and more greens was the way to go.  We just weren't convinced enough to do it.

Britt started researching and reading every book she could get her hands on regarding the topic of natural eating.  She started by testing her research on herself.  She learned that is really isn't about calories.  This was a huge shift for me because I always thought "calories in, calories out" was the formula for weight loss or gain.  I still think there's some fact to that, but I now believe that concept has been developed based on "normal" eating tendencies. For example:  If your body is used to a 2500 calorie diet and you eat 2500 calories worth of greens and natural foods and drink 1000 calories of juice your body will respond differently compared to eating 3500 calories worth of processed foods.  The reason why is because your body can break the calories down and use the calories differently.

Britt developed an eating plan that she started at the beginning of August 2015.  Please note:  Britt did not increase her workout regimen during this time.  In fact, I would say her workout regimen decreased because of the thanksgiving and Christmas season.  Plus, we don't get out as much during the winter.  See her results below:

As you can see, Britt has saw awesome results!  She has started a company called Go Nourished. Please find her on facebook if you are interested in help.

Day 1.

It's the first day but it doesn't feel like all the other first days I've done.  Typically, I am excited but eagerly anticipating the results and end.  Whether is was a 3, 5, 7, or 10 day "change" I always couldn't wait for the results and the end.  This day 1 was different because it felt like the first day of forever.  

Britt and I discussed the things I wanted to keep in my diet before we started.  Toast in the morning was one of those things.  So, I started with 4 eggs (yeah 4 eggs!) with cheese on them (cheese?  your diet includes cheese? whhhaaattt!?) and a piece of toast with butter on it.  I also made a big glass of vegetable and fruit juice.  It included kale (a lot of kale), green apples, cucumber, 2 oranges, avocado, and a banana.  Yeah, I know that's a lot of sugar.  Get off my case! :)

I had almonds as an optional snack.  For lunch, I had a bowl of green veggies, chicken, and shreaded sweet potato (get meal lists and recipes from Go Nourished).  Britt seasoned it to my liking.  PLEASE NOTE:  I DO NOT EAT VEGETABLES, EVER.  YOU LIKE VEGETABLES MORE THAN ME.  ANYONE CAN DO THIS!  Here is a picture:

  

I drank my juice throughout the day but I couldn't even finish the above bowl.  Compare that to me typically eating a HUGE lunch.  The greens were SO filling and the chicken really helped.  

For dinner, I had mashed sweet potatoes, steak, and asparagus.  Picture:

  

I had a boring night at home that would typically turn into a snack-a-thon.  It was different tonight. I felt full and satisfied.  

I also felt the Grace of God working in my life.  I don't have to fight to stay on this "diet".  I have prepared myself by thanking Jesus for his help and thanking him for taking away my desires for the foods that are killing me.  His Grace is sufficient for me.

If you can relate to this but want to see my results then wait a couple weeks.  I'll keep you updated.  If you know in your heart this is what you need but you don't know how to start please reach out to Britt at Go Nourished.  She'll help you through the whole process.

Only by His Grace.

Ava's Monthly Photographs

When I had Jack I decided to document the first year of our kiddos lives via a photograph. Here are Ms Ava's monthly photos

Ava {1 month} ... When I am awake I am very alert. I think I am bigger than what my age says. I try to hold my head up all by myself but get tired after a while. I am a great sleeper at night. I wake up 1-2 times a night. I am a little more picky than my brother was but mom chalks that up to me being a girl 

Ava 2 Months:
I am getting so big! I now smile when I am talked to and coo. I eat roughly every 2.5 hrs and wake up once a night. I love watching my brother play. I am trying to roll over but haven't figured it out yet. My arm tends to get stuck  I am a happy baby! I weigh 13.2lbs and am 23.75 inches 

Ava 3 months:

I am such a good girl! My favorite thing to do is smile. Although I was pretty grumpy during this photo. I love life. I am changing my sleep schedule during the day and have decided to be awake in the morning. I practice sitting up in my bumbo and love watching people. I have come so close to rolling over, I just cant get my arm out. I wake up once at night around 3 am. 

Ava's Birth Story Part 1

On Monday June 16th, 2014 I was one week over due. The fear of induction was very real. I had a fantastic team of midwives who were doing everything in their power to prevent any type of medical intervention. They gave 2 weeks after my due date and if Ava wasn't born they had "no choice" but to induce me. But on that fateful morning I woke up to searing hip pain. I just knew that this was my day, and that my body was going to have a baby. I had an appointment scheduled that morning for a routine stress test and ultrasound to make sure everything looked and sounded okay with the baby. My appointment was at 11:00 am but my contractions started at 6am and were 10-15 minutes apart. They hurt. With every one I braced myself for the next. I called the Dr.'s office to inform them that I believed that I was in labor and I didn't want to come in for the appointment, but they insisted. I met with my midwife and she told me that I wasn't progressed very far physically. This was shattering because I knew that my body was trying to do something. They hooked me up to the monitor for the stress test and my contractions were confirmed. Patty (midwife) said as I was leaving the office that she would see me tonight. She also told me to go home and sleep. This was the best advice ever!

My contractions picked up and went down to roughly 5 minutes apart in the afternoon. My patience was wearing thin. I called my mom earlier in the day and told her to start her drive out to south bend, and I felt like this was in vein because me contractions weren't getting very close very fast. So, we slept and waited for them to get closer. At 8 pm I started bouncing on a yoga ball and it happened, my contractions picked up,  and they were intense. I decided to go to bed and see if they would slow down or continue on the fast pace. Around 9:00pm I called Ryan upstairs and told him that I thought I needed to go to the hospital. (Sidenote: make sure you pack your hospital bag BEFORE you go into labor). I started to scramble for clothes and things for the baby and stuff them into a bag. With every step my body screamed at me. I knew I needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible. Sidenote: I had to go to the hospital at 2 minutes apart because I had GBS ( you have to have an antibiotic).

So, we called the sitter for Jack and we jumped in the car. We got about 3 minutes away from the house and I realized that I forgot the camera. Ryan has never drove so fast to get to our house in his life. That camera was a necessity even if I had Ava in the car it was coming with us. So, we got on our way back to the hospital. My contractions were still very time able at 2 minutes apart. When we got to the hospital it took FOREVER to get up to the labor unit, and once there I was quizzed on why I thought I was in labor. My midwife then stepped into triage and stopped the 100 questions and told them to get me a room because I was clearly in labor. I got into the room and my midwife checked me immediately. By this point I thought for sure Ava was on her way out turns out I was only 5cm but 90% effaced. Really I thought, I am only half way there! Boy was I devastated!

The nurse started the IV of antibiotics and this meant I had to sit there for 1 hr. During this time I had progressed to 7cm. I was in pain but I had a goal, I wanted to have my baby with no medical intervention what so ever (other than the required antibiotics for Ava). My mind raced and I knew that the window had officially closed to any type of medication once I got to 8cm about 1.5 hrs later. I had progressed so fast once I got to the hospital. I was so excited that my body could do it! This experience was amazing compared to Jack's birth. The midwife came in and asked if I wanted my water broke, as I began to ask what the benefit was it broke on its own. At that point Ms. Ava was ready to join us. Sidenote: our midwife was AMAZING she virtually never left my side!

HCA Weight Loss Experiment- Day 1

I started my HCA weight loss experiment on July 30th at 257lbs.  I am taking 3 capsoles per day (as recommended) which is approximately 1800mg of HCA.  The total "Garcinia Cambogia" is 3000mg but 60% is HCA which is what I am focusing on.  It also includes Potassium and Calcium that total at 200mg per capsol (600mg per day).

On July 30th I had a pretty typical day except we had friends over for dinner so britt made a homemade pizza and they brought a peach cobbler.  I had a large helping of the peach cobbler.  I went for a 3 mile trail run at night with a lot of hills.  I woke up on July 31st and did a CrossFit workout (Fran) and an ab workout.  When I weighed in after my workout I was at 254.6 which is the lowest I have been in a few weeks and a weight loss of 2.4lbs since I started.  I don't expect that kind of weight loss every day obviously, and I did do two very hard workouts, but after the peach cobbler I would have typically lost a maximum of 1lbs or probably no weight loss at all.

So far things are looking good!

HCA Weight Loss Journal- Why I'm doing it

I have been working hard for 2.5-3 years to finally once and for get down to a healthier weight and feel better.  I started by running and juicing almost 3 years ago.  I managed to lose weight that way but never kept it off.  I would typically take months to lose the weight and then gain it back while on a business trip or during the holidays.  Britt and I have slowly evolved our eating so that our body craves healthier foods.

I started training for a 5k in March 2014.  I had a very busy work schedule so even though I was running regularly I gained weight from about 246lbs to 266lbs from March-June 1st.  After my 5k I had an opportunity to stay home for a few months so I rededicated myself to healthier living and found a workout partner, Josh, who was as motivated as I was to get in better shape.  We started doing a mix of long runs, short runs, body weight exercises (push-ups, squats, burpees, sit-ups, etc.), and CrossFit inspired weight training.  Josh and I averaged working out 5-6 times per week in June and he lost about 10lbs and I lost about 5lbs.  I don't want to discredit josh, but I had been working out before we started and he was just starting so he seemed to be able to lose weight quicker even though we were doing the same workouts and eating similar foods.  Josh and I continued this through July and I lost an additional 5 lbs or so and Josh lost an additional 3-5lbs or so.  So, July 30th 2014 I was at 257lbs.  5 lbs per month, not bad.

However, I started getting frustrated because it felt like I was hitting a plateau.  So, I decided to do some research to find if I could find a "natural" supplement that has very low or "no" risk but can help accelerate fat loss without sacrificing muscle.  I was specifically looking for something that was clinically tested and approved as a natural weight loss supplement.  I ran across an article on the Forbes website (see below) that described HCA as a natural supplement to help burn fat and suppress your appetite.  It is made from a plant grown in Southern Asia.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken/2012/10/01/7-new-weight-loss-supplements-that-really-work/

It is never good to rely on just one blog post since anyone can write it, but Forbes seems like a reliable source so I decided to research it further.  I read about the clinical study and found that it is legit.  I then ran across the Dr. Oz recommendation for "Garcinia Cambogia" and I thought it was probably worth a try.

Please note: I have never done anything like this.  The only supplements I have ever taken are vitamin C, B12, and a pill for joint movement.  I typically don't take any medicine and I am generally very healthy.  I probably take a handful of Tylenol a year, and that is it.  Needless to say, I was skeptical but I felt safe trying it since the risk seems almost non-existent.

So, I plan on posting as much as possible to provide a record on my results.  As I said, I have been focusing on losing weight long enough that I have a really good gauge on my body.  I spent 2 months straight of working out 5-6 days per week and an escalated diet regimen prior to starting this experiment.   I started at 257lbs (I gained a lbs while on a recent business trip) and will record my daily loss or gain so others can determine if they would like to invest in this supplement.  My diet will include daily natural juice that we make out of fruits and vegetables.  In general, I will keep a very similar diet to what I have done over the last two months so I can gauge the success or failure of the supplement as accurately as possible.  I will post my first day results in a separate blog post.

Cheers to better health!