Week 25 Update: August 23, 2011

Is it just me...or does it seem like my weight loss has picked up momentum in the last few weeks...  Holy Cow, I can't believe I'm down another 5 pounds this week.

I met with my health coach yesterday and she mentioned that I needed to start to work on my strength training more and try to ramp up calorie intake to slow down weight loss as I get close to my goal weight.

Next week it's 100 pounds down +!!

Can't wait to share the news with the world then!

Week 24: August 16 Update

I haven't wrote for the last couple of weeks - I had a pretty exciting week last week hitting the 90 pound milestone.  This week was equally as exciting; however, as I inch closer to the 100 pound mega milestone.  I was thinking and calculating a bit - I determined that if I lose 3 pounds for the next 2 weeks I will hit 100 pounds by September 1 - which is exactly 6 months into my journey...how cool is that?

I also was selected by my company for a scholarship to OptumHealth Performance, which is a high-end training program for athletes - and those who want to get a 'kick-in the pants' for their fitness/exercise goals...  I'm always up for that - I am pumped!

Just remember, I'm not doing anything fancy or unique, I'm just counting my calories and hitting the gym regularly - and enjoying the journey...  YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

Week 22: August 2nd Update

I must say that this week was a complete surprise.  The fact that I lost another 4 pounds this week, especially after having less than perfect eating habits over the weekend was a shocker.  I know I've been hungrier lately, which must mean my metabolism has sped up, but whoa.  It seems though that not everyone is as excited for me anymore...which kinda wears on the emotions a bit.  It makes it harder to try to lose weight when people act like they don't care.  But...I must press on, I've got a goal to hit after all. 

This week I lost 4 pounds, Total lost to date - 89 pounds.  Total weight 212 pounds.

Heading to the lake this afternoon - should be a good time!

Ski-run 7.30.11

Another reason why losing weight is the best thing ever.

Weekly Update: July 19

Hit another milestone this week.  I am now down 81 total pounds since March 1, or 2 pounds this week.  It is awesome.  Thanks for the encouragement and prayers.

Luke

Progress Update - July 12

Tuesday was my anniversary...and I can't think of a better gift to give my wife than my health.  For the last 8 years of my marriage, I have been lazy, overweight, and excessively tired.  Now...looking ahead at the next MANY years of marriage, I will be active, healthy, and ALIVE!  It feels great!

After coming back from vacation on the 4th, I was able to get back into the swing of things and back to a normal eating/workout routine again...  This week, I lost 4 pounds - total to date is 79 pounds lost.  I am now 222 pounds.

My next goal is to get to 210 pounds by August 15th...that's a tall order, but I'm up for the challenge.

Luke

Progress Update: July 5

I have been delinquent with my posting for the last few weeks...partially because I was on vacation at our family lake cabin for 10 days, and partially because I was pretty busy at work getting ready for vacation.  Either way, I thought it was over-due for an update.  So I hit the 70 pound target on June 21...which was super exciting.  And last week on June 28, I made it below 230...so I hit the second goal of 230 by June.  Now I think I am going to run to 200 by October 21 when I turn 30.  Today, I weighed in at 226...so I am only 26 pounds from 200.

 

The entire weight loss journey was worth it when I was able to enjoy waterskiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, etc at the lake last week.  I had a blast!  In fact, my skiing was probably better than it was in high school...  I am no doubt in better physcial shape than I've ever been.

 

I did get lost of compliments from family who I hadn't seen for a while too...which was very fun.

 

On a side note, my wife hit the 40 pound milestone last week as well...so we are a combined 116 pounds down in just over 4 months. 

 

Pretty cool!

Fun progress made....outside the scale.

Today I put my first pair of size 34 waist shorts on...it felt great to know that the progress is being made in other ways besides the scale. 

Have a great Saturday night!

June 14 - Week 15 Update

My progress this week was somewhat less than expected.  I actually kind of thought I would put up a big number on the scale...in terms of loss I mean, especially given that I was able to run a TON more this week.  In fact, I ran over 3.1 miles each of the last 3 days...but I guess it wasn't enough to pull a 4 or 5 pound loss.  My diet was basically the same as it has been as well...so I don't know.  Either way, 2 pounds is 2 pounds and I did hit the 65 pound milestone.  I am on track to lose 5 more pounds by July 1...or a total of 70 pounds.  230 by 6-30..:) 

I have a Health Coach from my insurance company.  I just got a call this afternoon and they are excited about the progress I've made...in fact, they want to do a marketing piece on my story.  I'm not sure what that means exactly, but I will keep you all posted.  Maybe I'll be on TV :)  not likely, but it COULD happen...right?  Anyways, we always talk goals, about once a month or so...so my new goal is to be 220 by July 15...that's just over 5 weeks from now.  That will require BIG effort, but I think I can do it!

Comment's are always appreciated... have a great week!

June 6 - Update

After an incredible week last week, I wasn't really expecting to put up much of a number on the scale...3 pounds might even be better than I was expecting.  I have pretty much settled into my new lifestyle.  I enjoy the food I eat so much more because I know I am eating things that won't harm my body.  The short term gain of eating something fattening or loaded with calories just doesn't seem worth it anymore.  I have also really started to enjoy my time at the Gym.  It's me time that I can just think about what's going on that day, the things I need to accomplish, and the rewards of a good work out.

One thing I have noticed over the course of the last 3 months is that everyone has an opinion on how to lose weight.  It's actually kinda funny to me.  Someone that clearly has not been on a diet for years or seen the inside of a gym for decades giving someone who's losing weight advice...but it's happened several times and it's incredibly funny to think about.  When I was 301 pounds, I never dreamed of giving someone advice on how to lose weight because I didn't have any credibility...however, now that I've lost over 60 pounds in just over 3 months, I have earned a little credibility and am able to help friends/family out with advice. 


With that, here's the results.  Total weight loss this week:  3 pounds, total weight lost to date:  63 pounds.  7 pounds to go in June...goal of hitting 70 pounds lost by July 1.  I think I should be able to hit it.

Weekly Update - *late*

It has been a crazy week, let me tell you.  I've been super busy at work getting ready to submit a forecast to our leadership team and corporate.  Unfortunately, that has made me very tardy at getting this update in about my progress this last week.  I had great news on Tuesday when I weighed in.  I lost 8 pounds in 1 week for a total of 60 pounds since March 1st.  What a cool milestone to hit 60 pounds in exactly 3 months... I love it!

So I have pretty much SMOKED the 230 by 30 (Oct. 21, 2011) goal... and I am almost certain I will hit 230 by July 1...so what will the new ...by 30 goal be?  200 by 30?  Maybe that's too agressive?  Let me know what you think. 

New pictures to be posted in the coming weeks.  I have some great 'before' pics and will follow-up with the 'after' as it stands today.

Cheers!

Target Field is amazing

Week 12: Weigh-in Results!

I am pleased to announce that I officially hit the 50 pound lost mark this week.  I now am down 52 pounds in 12 weeks...that's so awesome!

I now have my sights set on the 230 mark..which in all reality should be attainable by July...so maybe I should rename this blog 230byJuly or something..but either way, I'm well on my way to hitting the goal I set out for myself.

In fact, I have been watching my health improve as well...  my blood pressure is back within normal range, I no longer get frequent headaches, and I wake up with energy vs. feeling like I've been hit by a train.  It's all good...I mean GREAT!

Our personal training sessions are done now with Mark, so I will have to ramp up my own workouts to incorporate some of the things he taught us and to challenge myself physically in ways that running, eliptical, biking, or lifting just doesn't do.   I am planning on joining a Plyometrics class in June though - which should be great fun!

So long for now!  Please leave me feedback if you can..I'd love to improve my blog so it can be more helpful to others!

Luke

Weekly results - Week 11, May 17, 2011!

I'm a little late with this week's update, but I do have great news!  This week I was able to lose 6 more pounds and now I'm down to 252, total loss at 49 pounds in 11 weeks.  I am so excited for my accomplishment thus far and have no desire to slow down at all.  My workouts are getting tougher, my body is getting used to eating healthy, and I'm starting to feel much better about myself!  This is GREAT!

I can't wait to be able to say I've hit the 50 pound mark...next Tuesday, hopefully.

Adios

Weekly Results: Week 10 - May 10, 2011

This weeks results somewhat disappointed me.  I thought I would have a 3-4 pound loss on the scale...but to my surprise, I was only down 2 pounds.  Although it is frustrating to work so hard to only get 2 pounds loss, it's still a loss and I HAVE to be proud of that accomplishment.  Besides, I am now in the 250's...a mark I haven't been in for decades..so that is very cool!  I might try changing up my workout a little this week and try eating a little differently - perhaps eating more for breakfast and having a morning snack...we'll see.

For now, I will aim at 3 pounds next week...and enjoy the fact that my hard work has brought me this far - 43 pounds down since March 1st!  How cool is that?

Cheers!

First time I can remember wearing clothes from Aero. I usually have to find clothes at Big and Tall stores. Very fun. Waist at 38 down from 48. Shirt size XL down from XXL

Sent by Droid

Weekly Results are in!

I'm not sure what's going on in my head... I thought for sure I would not be losing any weight this week.  Perhaps I'm just a little worried for the first time I will not be able to see any fruits of my labor, but yet again, I'm amazed at the results!  Another 3 pounds this week.  It's hard to believe that just 2 short months ago, I was over 300 pounds and living a lifestyle that would ultimately kill me.  Now, I can run a mile (something that I couldn't even do in high school), limit my food intake, and feel good about the things I've accomplished in such a short time.
I look forward to so much this summer...including getting behind the boat doing some waterskiing - I've been unable to truly enjoy that sport for years since I was so big.  I think my abs are getting strong enough to even kneeboard.  I'm also going to partake in a few races this summer.  Next week, there's a 1 mile race in Minneapolis (the TC 1 Mile).  I'm going to do it!  I've never thought about running before, but for some reason, it just feels like something I need to do. 
So here are the results:  3 pounds lost this week.  Current weight as of May 3: 260.  Total weight lost to date:  41 pounds!
Thanks for the support!

Weekly Update 4.26.11

Going into today's weigh-in, I was pretty sure I hadn't done enough.  I had a rougher week from an eating perspective with the Easter holiday an all.  I thought maybe I would get a pound or two, but 4 pounds is completely unexpected.  I am estatic, don't get me wrong...but very surprised as well.

Here's the results:

This week's weight loss:  4 pounds, total loss to date (Mar 1 - April 26:  38 pounds!)

Keep running!

Luke

The Anderson family on Easter Sunday 2011

Weekly Weigh-in Results!

Another great week!  I knew this would be fun week because I would get back into the 260's...a weight I hadn't seen for at least 6 or 7 years.  I feel AMAZING!  In fact, I was walking around this last weekend with my daughter on my shoulders and I didn't feel winded/tired/exhausted/etc.  I'm doing this for my family.  I AM NOT going to be another statistic.  With every mile run/walked or every weight lifted, I keep thinking about what it will be like to see my daughter grow old...and to hold hands with my wife in our 80's...and that's exciting to me. 

So with that, this week, I'm down another 4 pounds... I am at 267 now...  6 pounds to my 40 pound goal... I am going to try hard to get 6 pounds this week...it will be tough, but I will try! 

~Luke

Weigh-in Results

This week was difficult in so many ways. I wanted to achieve the 5lbs loss mark this week so I could hit the "30 pounds lost" mark. I am happy to announce that I made it, but not without a ton of sweat, fighting the temptation to indulge on some good food at Dave & Busters, Granite City, etc.

I am finding that the longer I do this, the more it is becoming part of my daily routine. Getting up at 5:25 AM, working out till 6:30, out the door by 7:15-7:30 for work... that seems to work for me. What doesn't work well, is the food consumption. Eating too much, or eating the wrong kinds of foods has always been my templation, and I reckon that it always will... but in order to achieve goals, I must press on! I will win!

Total weight lost: 30 pounds
Current weight: 271 pounds.
Goal weight: 230 or less by Oct 21, 2011!

The Human Heart & Weekly Update

So, the human heart is an amazing muscle.  I was on myfitnesspal.com and there's a heart/blood calculator on there that describes how much blood moves through the heart, and how long it travels throughout your body!  It's incredible to see how that muscle is really the lifeblood of our entire cardiovascular system...  All the more reason to protect it with frequent excercise and healthy eating!  Ready Set GO!

Will beat 147,583 times, pump 2,165 gallons of blood, and push that blood nearly 19,627 miles throughout my body!

Created by MyFitnessPal.com

BTW, I lost 3 pounds this week - Total weight loss:  25 pounds!  I'm at 276...only 46 pounds to go till 230...  Yippie!

Let's Dish!

Tonight, my wife and I will be making 10 meals for evening dinner for this month.  We "Dished" last month as well.  Let me tell you the meals are fantastic and they are ok in terms of Calories, Fat Content, and portion size. 

The BEST part of all, you can split the meals up into two portions (enough to feed 3) but we've found that there's still leftovers for work the next day!  At only about $10 bucks per split meal (feeds ~3), you can't go wrong!

I recommend using them for the following reasons:

1.  Portions are limited to the "Let's Dish" portion size.
2.  No guessing on nutrition info...it's published and available!
3.  Fast and easy to make evening meal.
4.  Reduces chances you'll be lazy and order a Pizza or "Go out"
5.  Saves MONEY!  As a Dave Ramsey follower, I'm all for saving cash - and 3.33/serving is a STEAL!

I'm not sure if you have an option for Let's Dish in your area, or a similar company, but if you do...try it out, it's well worth it.

Tomorrow is Weigh-in!  I'll be back!

Progress Update!!!

I started my journey to lose 70 pounds by Oct 21, 2010 on March 1.  My co-worker and his wife challenged my wife and I to a "Biggest Loser" competition, which officially began on March 1, 2011.  It took about a week to get going, so we have been at it for just over 3 weeks today.

Progress thus far:

Week 1:  Starting Weight:  301, 12 pounds loss
Week 2:  Starting Weight, 289, 4 pounds loss
Week 3:  Starting Weight, 285, 6 pounds loss - I'm at 279 right now, Weight loss to date - 22 lbs.

Anyways, I'm extremely excited for the success I've had thus far.

So far, my trick has been counting every calorie I've consumed and burned in the Gym...and then, I have been going to the gym for about 45-60 minutes each day. 

I highly recommend using http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ as a tracker.  They have a great Android Smart Phone Application and an Iphone app.

Cheers!

My road to Financial Peace & my weight loss journey

It's amazing how quickly your priorities change.  My wife and I have been doing Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace for 2 1/2 years now.  We've had great success.  We've paid off over $50k in total debt, eliminated all of our credit cards, and we've changed our lifestyle significantly in the area of our finances.  We're on the road to being completely done with our $120k debt by Christmas 2012.  This focused intensity has taught us how to examine every aspect of our money lives and make sure what we're doing each time we open our wallets aligns with our plans. 

Funny though, I went into the doctor on November 15, 2010 for a routine physical.  The doc had very strong words for this 300 pounder.  In fact, he told me that he was extremely concerned with my weight and my heart health.  Blood Pressure meds were discussed and I PROMISED to get my body in better shape.  Funny though, I never did anything about it.  I continued to eat the way I was eating (how much I was eating) and I didn't work out.  I am, by nature, a classic couch potato.  It wasn't until my company (a Healthcare Company mind you) provided a "know your numbers" biometric screen that it sank in that my condition mandated immediate lifestyle change.  Thus, my journey to 230 begins...  I don't want to stop at 230, I actually want to be in the "normal" BMI range (about 170) for my height, but 230 is doable in the 9 or so months between now and my 30 year birthday (Oct 21).  My wife is in too!  We signed up for a gym (again, about the 4th time...but this time is different).  We're counting calories, excercising each day, and ready to change our lifestyle forever!

So, we've learned that focused intensity can change our lives for the better in the areas of finances....now comes the more important area...our HEALTH!

Cheers -

Luke