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