Winning the Battle

After having numerous conversations with people- heck, it's probably the conversation I have most nowadays- about my transformation, I decided it would be good to put it down in one place as a resource for others and a reminder for me. The post right before this one details some of the process, so I would encourage you to read that if you really have any interest in this. So here is the transformation so far:

The photo on the left was the day I started at over 200 lbs. The photo in the center was 2 months in when I had lost 33 lbs, which was around my original goal. The last photo was at the end of April after I had been on maintenance for about 10 weeks. At that point I had settled in to a size that I am trying to keep- about 55 lbs less than my starting weight.

Honestly, I never thought I could lose 55 lbs and I thought losing 30 would be darn near impossible. I don't think I was the only one holding that view as I regularly get comments like, "you have lost a ton of weight", "I didn't even recognize you", "did you mean to lose that much weight?"*, "are you okay?"* and "you don't need to lose any more weight". When I go back and look at the photos from a year ago, in a way it does look like I am looking at someone else's face. It's strange because I live with that look most of my life. I don't have exact numbers, but I remember weighing around 185 lbs in college ('91-95) and I probably was in the 195 range when I lived in Alabama ('98-'00) and I got over 200 some time in the transition from  Greenville to Thailand ('04-06). The only images of a "thin" me that I know of are from the age of 7 and younger ('73-'80).

So how did it happen?

I think it really started because of 2 main factors. In the fall of 2009, I played in the Pan-Asia Ultimate Frisbee tournament in Hong Kong. After that tournament, I developed some problems in my left knee. It was probably one of my best weekends of ultimate. I had to step up to play against the best guys in Asia and so I ran my butt off, but in the process strained my MCL and might have damaged my meniscus. It seems I also developed some tendentious in my knees as well. It sidelined me for more than a year. About a year after I hurt my left knee, I was trying to play again and injured my right knee in about the same way. So after 2 years of little ultimate, I was gaining weight and wondering if I would ever really be able to play again.

About that time, several people at church started to (noticeably) lose weight. These were guys that I respected. Guys older than me that were looking great. So I asked them how they did it. They all directed me to a lady at church, Claudine, who helps people with the Take Shape For Life program. I learned more about the program, discussed it with my wife and considered if this program was right for me and a good investment**. Based on the results I had seen, the info I had learned and my health situation at that point, I decided to go for it.

I was anxious to start because I was going to Thailand for a wedding in August of 2011 and wanted to be a little thinner for that, but Claudine was travelling and I wasn't able to start until September. I was also nervous about starting. While Take Shape For Life offers a pretty good variety of Medifast meals, there were a lot of options that were foods I never ate or seldom ate in my life like, soup and oatmeal. I wondered if I would really be able to stick to the plan. Thankfully, I did.

THE PLAN
I went over some of the basic principles in my first post, but for those of you that are really interested here is what it typically looked like for me during the weight loss phase:
5 Medifast meals + 1 'Lean & Green" meal
Breakfast - Oatmeal (MF)
Mid-morning - Caramel Crunch bar (MF)
Lunch - Chicken & Wild Rice Soup (MF)
Early afternoon - Chocolate Shake (MF)
Late afternoon - BBQ Bites (MF)
Dinner - Baked lemon pepper chicken (4-6 oz) & ginger/garlic spinach (2-3 cups)

I eat "normal" food now and will try to post a weeks worth of meals so you can see what I eat now. During the weight loss plan I was consuming about 1100-1300 calories a day. Now I try to hit 2100 a day to maintain (more if I am doing strenuous exercise).

Q&A about the plan:
Don't you get hungry eating so little?
Maybe a little, but remember I am eating 6 times a day, so while the portions are smaller, I am eating more of them. I usually would get hungry 2 hours after my latest meal and I was supposed to eat about every 2-3 hours, so it usually wasn't a problem.
Now I eat more food, but still use some portion control. I usually get hungry when it is time to eat, so it really isn't a problem usually.

Do the Medifast meals taste good?
Yes, no and okay.
I like most of the bars and shakes (some of the antioxidant shakes don't mix that well IMO). I like the pudding and cookies. The BBQ bites and Pizza Bites are pretty good.
I have gotten used to the chicken & wild rice soup, chicken noodle soup and the oatmeals enough to like them.
The scrambled eggs are edible, but the SW Style eggs might be the foulest "food" on earth. The pancakes aren't that great and a bit of a disappointment in size and taste, plus they can be tricky to cook correctly.
Of course, these are my opinions and I know others that have different tastes (but I have never found anyone that liked the SW eggs).

**Is it expensive?
It isn't cheap, but I am not going to discuss cost, but rather a philosophy that I use. Before I referred to the plan as an investment and that is how I view it. Some people don't want to do the plan because of the cost and I can understand that, but to me it has been worth it for several reasons.

• Hopefully, the investment now means less medical bills later in life. To my knowledge I am not diabetic, but honestly I was heading that way with the lifestyle I was leading. So I look at it as paying for health instead of paying for insulin... or heart medicine or cholesterol medicine or blood pressure medicine or whatever myriads of meds most people from the US are on or will be on one day.
• I don't necessarily want longevity of life. I want quality of life. Hopefully, I am allowing myself to do things in the future that I wouldn't have been able to do before. I am already back to playing ultimate and I am faster and stronger than I have ever been. I can enjoy life with my wife and friends (see below).
• If you really wanted to, you could do it without the Medifast. However, for me using the Medifast was good because making that big of a life transition is tough and the last thing you need to do it to be calculating calories, sugar, carbs, fats (all the types), proteins, vitamins, etc. for 6 meals a day, 7 days a week. I would have quit. The Medifast meals are pre calculated for all of you dietary needs so it makes life more bearable.  
• Having Claudine as an advisor, cheerleader and source of information was a big help.

Yeah, he probably weighs 120 lbs wet, is 15+ years younger, is lightning quick and has springs for legs, but I still had a good time giving it my all in Bangkok. (Top) On holiday in Israel with Rufina.

How do you feel?

4 days ago, I played ultimate for 2 hours. The first 1.5 hours I felt 29 again. I felt GREAT! The last 30 minutes, I was tired of running after younger, more athletic guys and I felt 39 again. 

The first week is pretty tough. For some it is really hard, but for me it was a little more bearable. I was more irritable and had a harder time focusing, but other than that, it was bearable.

During the beginning of the program, you do have to cut back on your exercise or you will get lightheaded, which I did one night at ultimate. Now, I can alter my daily menu by adding more proteins and healthy carbs & fats on days when I know I will need more energy and it isn't a problem.

You know that mid-afternoon crash you have? I don't get that anymore. Eating smaller portions that aren't heavy in sugars and other carbs keeps my insulin level good and I don't crash. My energy level is better than it's ever been before. I feel good, healthy and able, not fat, tired and unable.

Do you cheat?

Honestly, I have and I do.

It's probably not the answer I should give, but it's the truth. Last week, for Rufina's birthday we had cheesecake for dessert. It happens. I love sweets. I love cookies and ice cream. It's a hard thing to fight off. However, I have also learned that I like fruit and while apples may have a lot of sugar, eating an apple instead of indulging in a piece of chocolate cake, usually is a better choice. But basically here is my advice: Avoid cheating or "treating" as much as you can in the losing phase. The earlier and more frequent you do it, the more likely you will make it a habit. If you know you will be in situations where you might cheat, plan ahead. If I know I am going to have a dim sum lunch with friends after church, I try to eat better the rest of the day and avoid carbs and fats in my other meals. Or I try to take or order a healthy food item instead of eating the junk. I can't stress enough though, avoid cheating. Stick with the plan.

How are you avoiding the bounce and maintaining your weight?

I know some people have had mixed results, but I can only comment on what I have done.

If you read anything here, please understand this: If you view this as a quick weight loss plan and not a lifestyle change you will lose the battle. Also, this has to be your choice. Your wife can't do it for you. Your parents can't do it for you. You have want it and do it yourself. If I go back to eating a lot of fried foods, processed carbs and sugar, then I will gain the weight back. Maybe not all of it, but some of it. Every day, my part-time job is staying healthy. Here's how I do that:

• I spend time in the morning planning and preparing 5 meals a day. I go into the day knowing what I will eat for most of my meals.
• I use an app called myfitnesspal to keep track of my calories and nutrition every day. It takes time and effort, but it cuts down on a lot of the work.
• I play ultimate for about an hour 1-2 times a week. I go on walks with Rufina for about 30-40 minutes about 1-3 times a week.
• I try to make good choices and avoid eating out a lot.
• I make adjustments. If I have a day or week with a lot of bad choices, then I work harder the next days or week. 
• I have a wife, who encourages me in positive ways and supports me in our food choices and dinner preparation.

*Finally, I am often amazed at how people some time react by asking if losing the weight is something I meant to happen. Um, yes, did you not see me before? I was overweight. I understand that sometimes medical issues sometimes create problems that cause unhealthy weight loss, but for me the status quo was what was unhealthy. Honestly, there is a lot to the TSFL plan that I haven't done because I am a bit lazy, but I do understand that for me, this can't be about dropping some pounds and going back to my old life; it has to be about a lifestyle change. I am scared that I won't be able to do it for the next 20, 30 or however many years, but that is the battle I am in. As I tell people, the hard work still lies ahead. It ain't over yet.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer them as best I can. I'll also try to post my meals for a week, so you get a better idea of what I eat now.