RyanReduction

Let me introduce a person I know; this person really isn’t a person at all, but he’s known by most of us! (Not sure why this non existent person is a male, but I’m going with it). Befriending this person usually has a negative impact on the world of dieting; in fact it can be deadly! The person I speak of is without a name, but I call him The Time Monster.

The Time Monster is that guy that often creeps up on you in the middle of your forward progress with enticing words of permission to delay your new eating habits, exercise routine, or whatever lifestyle change you may be embarking on. It wasn’t in the middle of my progress that I shook hands with this character; it was right at the end of my first successful stretch on the Medifast program. That’s right I had lost 31 pounds in 28 days and then he showed up with a smile on.

My conversation with the Time Monster (T.M.) sounded like this:

T.M.: “Hey Ryan, great Job! You are on your way to huge weight loss!!”

Me: “yeah, its amazing how much energy I’ve gained, and my goal for my first month was 20lbs; can you believe I lost 31!!!”

T.M.: “That is awesome, but don’t you miss some of the tasty food choices from the past?”

Me: “Yeah I do miss it some, food was such a big part of my life- It would be nice to have just one reward meal; surely it wouldn’t hurt me if I ate wings just one time!”

T.M.: “No way it could hurt! You just went over your goal by 11 lbs; you could eat all you wanted for a weekend and be just fine!!!”

Me: “Your right, I am heading out of town this weekend, what a great time to reward myself with some old favorites… THE KICKER>>> “I’ll start back on Monday!”

T.M.: “Sounds like a good plan to me… You’ve got time”.

By now you recognize this Monster… Maybe not, maybe it’s only me that has The Time Monster on speed dial. I found myself calling him up and setting new ‘back on track’ dates over and over again until I lost almost 5 weeks of forward progress… The hard part is the cousins the Time Monster brings with him to the party. There is Cousin ‘Reward’; he’s the joker that tells a drug attic to take just one hit, since he’s made it all week sober (it’s not different for food). Oh, then there is Cousin ‘Know one will know’; he’s a doozy- This cat can talk you into three drive thru meals in one day, he’ll coach you on how to do it so nobody will know and he’ll have the Time Monster with him to convince you that it’s okay because ‘your going to start on Monday’. Cousin ‘I’m back on Monday’ doesn’t even need introduction!

What I’ve learned is how easy it is to befriend the wrong company of friends on this weight loss journey if you’re not careful! The Time Monster is a cool guy at first, but I see now that his goal is to show you how many events, dinner dates, lunch appointments, travel meals, family get togethers, work food days, etc. are coming up… These are all decoys that keep you from starting back on the right track to the healthier you! In his defense, the Time Monster has introduced me to enough of his pal’s that I’ve realized that there is always something there for an excuse if you want one… There is also the alternative- Getting Back on Track Today!

Update on me:

I just kicked Cousin ‘I’m back on Monday’ out of my house by starting 100% back on track this past Monday, the 28^th! I started this journey at 335lbs, my first month with Take Shape for Life (medifast) I lost 31lbs, since courting the time monster and his friends I gained 6lbs. Looking on the bright side I’m still down 25lbs, but I’ve lost some time… Still looking on the bright side, I didn’t lay down and die- I’m back on my feet running! I pray that the Time Monster and his entire possie stay away as I press onward toward the goal!

Fight the good fight friends!  

Until next time

-Ryan

NOTE: This Blog starts from the bottom up; if this is your first time visiting, you may want to scroll to the bottom of this screen and start with my 1^st post… Enjoy!

It isn’t failure that makes you a failure; it’s the refusal to get back up!

That is the thought of the day that I am clinging to today as I get back on track. I’ve not posted anything in my blog for a long time now, mostly because I burned out on writing and was taking a break. Partly it is also because I’ve been through about 3 weeks of revisiting my old eating habits. After seeing a 31 lbs weight loss in my first 30 days I thought I could celebrate with my old food; boy was I wrong!

How many successful programs out there allow their ‘crack addicts’ to reward themselves with a line of cocaine? I just don’t think it’s a smart move when it comes to drugs, I’ve never been on crack but I’d guess food isn’t much different. Once you have that 1 meal, it becomes easier to have that 1 day off the program, then it’s easy to have that 1 weekend with Monday being the goal to be back… Next thing you know you are out of control and you are back to your old life. I was this way for the last 3 weeks, and I resolved once again to get back on the train to a healthier me!

Today, September 8, 2009 is the 1^st day of the 2^nd phase of my new lifestyle. My goal is to lose 20lbs every month. My first month on the program I achieved this goal plus 11 lbs totaling a 31 lbs weight loss. Since I’ve gained 8lbs back; returning to the bad habits will do that to you! I’m not like most ‘denial’ dieters; I do not blame the program in anyway. It was me who decided to eat what I wanted for the last 3 weeks (off and on). I earned that extra 8 pounds back the old fashioned way- returning to the troughs! I won’t say it wasn’t enjoyable, but I do have a new found discovery to talk about in the paragraph to come.

The most interesting discovery happened when I went from eating a whole month on the Medifast Program to cheating on my food intake (that’s a nice way of putting it)… It’s a simple discovery really; I could not find anything that was satisfying my cravings. I was eating all the food I use to love, but I found that it wasn’t fulfilling my food desire. Was this true; was it possible that the ‘bad, but so good’ food was no longer that great to me and my taste buds? Did just 30 days on Medifast actually change the relationship between me and my ‘greasy, high calorie, full of fat’ lover? I found the satisfaction from a large bowl of salad greens and chicken breast to be greater than that of a double bacon cheese burger. My wife made me ‘mashed cauliflower’ in the place of mashed potatoes and I found it was amazing- So amazing that I liked it over the ‘white cheddar mashed potatoes’ at Ruby Tuesdays! I was trying everything this past weekend in hopes to ‘hit the spot’ and then it hit me, bad food isn’t going to do this for me like healthy food is, so I raised the white flag and gave in. I’m happy to say that healthy food is good food, really good!!!

Today I am back on track, yeah I’m up 8 pounds, but I look forward to reporting a 20+ pound weight loss in the next 30 days! Who knows maybe it’ll be 28 pounds to make up for the gain!!!

Until next time,

-The ‘back on his feet’ Ryan!

NOTE: This Blog starts from the bottom up; if this is your first time visiting, you may want to scroll to the bottom of this screen and start with my 1^st post… Enjoy!

I never thought I’d say it, but it is becoming a little more normal to eat right. Yeah I am kind of cheating because 5 of my 6 meals a day are on the Medifast plan, but still. It is starting to feel normal to make good choices. I do feel hunger from time to time, that hasn’t gone away. However, I think it’s normal and healthy for our bodies to have a gage inside that says ‘you know; I might just be hungry’. My gage was being ignored often during my work day and then I would over due it when it was finally time to eat.

Nights and weekends are still harder than during the day, that’s a given for me. I am coming from a life of only eating at night and on weekends. It can be a challenge at times to get all 5 of my meals in during my work day, but with the alarms on my phone it is working for me. I am looking forward to a large bowl of warm spinach and some tuna laced in Franks hot sauce tonight when I get home! I have found that I really like warm tuna.

I weighed in at 318 last Monday and for me that was a 17 lbs loss since day one (two weeks ago)… Today is day 18 for me and I’ve not been down to visit the scale yet… I think I will wait until Monday the 3^rd when I officially weigh in at 3 weeks. This weekend will be the first time I travel to a family event where there will be TONS of poor food and beverage choices; I already feel the dread of not being able to partake in the heavenly food that will be all around me. Regardless, I will not waiver from my resolve to see results, it’s not worth it!

Day 18 brings increased energy, bright light at the end of the tunnel and I’m not miserable on the plan… In just over two weeks this really is becoming a life style and it’s one I’m starting to enjoy!  Shhhhh, don’t tell my friends!

Until next time; fight the good fight!

NOTE: This Blog starts from the bottom up; if this is your first time visiting, you may want to scroll to the bottom of this screen and start with my 1^st post… Enjoy! 

This coming Monday will be the two week mark of my participation in ‘Take Shape for Life’, eating Medifast meals and enduring the discipline of this weight loss journey! I have to admit, in spite of my early resistance, it is getting easier. It’s funny how we, as the human race, have the power to make a resolve then push, push, push until we’ve met it. Sadly most often the resolve is for the wrong things and every now and then we actually get up and purse the right things.

Months ago my wife posted little notes around the house that read ‘The proof of passion is in pursuit’.  I believe more today than ever before that this is true. This little principal applies to most everything we are. If you are passionate about each other you pursue each other. If you are passionate about your career your energy and time is given to that pursuit.  When you love God and he is your passion your life is a constant reflection of the daily decisions you’ve made, or are making to pursuit Him.

I have found in the first two weeks of my Journey that I was very passionate about what I will call ‘food fulfillment’ in my life. I’m sure that passion isn’t fully removed; however, I can say I’m defiantly coming off of the addiction.  I’m no psychology expert; I am just a guy that is watching this unfold in my life. It has amazed me how pressing through the first week and into the second has changed so many things in my life. My energy level is increasing; also my desire to do active things with my family has doubled in proportion. I find myself wanting to see my wife and kids eat better too, I am starting to see why the best ‘health coaches’ out there say this isn’t dieting, it’s a lifestyle change.

I’ve not arrived, and I don’t know that I ever will; I have a distinct feeling that this may be a lifelong battle to make healthy choices in both food and activities. After all, if you only live in the discipline of ‘dieting’ for a season then you will go right back to bad choices, which result in an unhealthy you. It is perplexing to think that our fleshly man wants us to make the ‘feel good choices’ all the time which are the ones that kill us physically, emotionally and spiritually.

If I had to sum up this first two weeks by making a few statements it would look like this:

1.       Discipline and Resolve were my closest companions; the kind of friends that don’t tickle your ear, but tell you the hard, real truth.

2.       Above all the noise of the dieting world I heard the sweet melody of success when I stepped on that evil device we call a scale and it’s song was 11 pounds down. I can’t wait to visit the scale again in two days to hear that melody once again.

3.       Without the support of my friends and especially my wife I would have never made it to week two. I want to expand on this for just a minute- My wife has been beside me in this endeavor the entire time. She is the one that has to endure my mood swings and even anger when I’m ‘crashing’ off of this addiction. My wife is the one who stays strong with me by being full of encouragement and celebration. Above all other things, without her the light at the end of this tunnel would be very dim.

In closing, I know it’s only been close to two weeks; in all honesty it’s not been easy and it takes work with minute by minute choices to do this; like any passion worth pursuing! 

NOTE: This Blog starts from the bottom up; if this is your first time visiting, you may want to scroll to the bottom of this screen and start with my 1^st post… Enjoy! 

I made it… I made it through the weekend; I made it through… wait a second… Let me just take a minute to vent about weekend dieting. Weekends really do define the reason why the word ‘dieting’ starts with the word DIE! It is so hard to 1.Stay on track with the proper eating schedule, 2. Smell all the grilling, popcorn, and other foods your family is making around you, 3. Not cheat, and finally 4. Not kill someone.  

We went out to Ruby Tuesday for dinner Saturday night and I have to tell you I was not a happy date (ask my family). I was emotionally distraught that I was going to a restaurant that housed some ‘darn good eats’ and I would be ordering fish and veggies with no sauce, or butter! This did not make me happy in the least bit, everything was being looked at through some serious ‘addiction glasses’. The seasoned tilapia and broccoli were very tasty, so that helped… But I’m sure it was nothing like the 3lb shrimp alfredo bowl I saw the waitress walk by with! My family ate ‘regular’ food I guess… Stephanie had Louisiana fried shrimp and mash potatoes, and the kids had their meals accompanied by great looking French fries… It’s a miracle they are still alive today! 

At any rate, I really am doing fine on Medifast meals during the week, but the weekend has been so hard. Have I cheated- NO, have I wanted to-YES!!! The most I’ve done is added some pickle spears and green olives to my mouth when needed, and let me tell you during the weekend- IT WAS NEEDED! I am still waiting for the Mayors office to answer me back regarding the prohibition of grilling while I’m dieting… Those smells make me mean!!! Tom & Nita (health coach) say that I won’t even want those foods I smell in the near future… I think they are great positive people, and I love them very much. However, right now (until proven otherwise) I would kill for those foods!!!  

Here we are Monday morning, I woke late (I was up late)… I got off to a decent start; I ate a crunch bar on the way into the office. About 10:20a.m. I decide I need to go weigh in to see the fruit of my labor! The scale I went to visit in the wellness center of my office building is the same scale that told me I was a 335lbs man on my way to a life of diabetes and health conditions last week. Today the scale told me a different story. Today this very same scale told me that the fight I’m on is one worth fighting. That shiny metal contraption began to speak to me that I can do this, that I have a beautiful wife and kids at home that need me to do this. That scale spoke for the first time as a friend rather than the ignored enemy it has been for so many years. Today my new friend, the scale, said: I am a 324lbs man on my way to great things! That’s right, 11 pounds down in 7 days! The pain of discipline is worth the results of a good and healthy life!

Until next time, fight the good fight!

NOTE: This Blog starts from the bottom up; if this is your first time visiting, you may want to scroll to the bottom of this screen and start with my 1^st post… Enjoy!

Today started off to be a wonderful day… The weather could not have been more perfect! My crazy kids were not so crazy today, and in fact they were very well behaved! Today is Friday and being that I work 4, 10 hour days I am free to enjoy my three day weekends starting with a daddy day today.  Josiah, Eliana (my kids) and I were in the car by 8:40am headed for Grandma’s house. Grandma lives West of me about 15-20min (when the traffic is good). Grandma was told a week in advance that when I arrived she was NOT to prepare any food, or treats for me; kids only today! She was on her best behavior and complied… I took my egg beaters, onions & radishes along with me to her house, so I could eat my ‘lean and green’ meal there today… She was kind enough to prepare them for me at lunch time!

The day was wonderful with Grams… Kids played outside most of the day, I cleaned up her PC and later played cards with her while the kids were resting! It wasn’t too much of a struggle when she made the kids their Mac n Cheese an hour before my meal time. Don’t get me wrong the pan of Mac n cheese had an aroma that boggled the senses. In fact, at one point I’m sure the noodles were singing in an angelic harmony as if to seduce me into their golden paradise! I however was not swayed to the left, or right- I stood fast! At one o’ clock I couldn’t get my food fast enough! Grandma prepared my two fat servings (2 tsp olive oil) in her skillet with diced onions, when ready she emptied my allowed 2 cups of Egg Beaters into the pan and scrambled away! I couldn’t believe the yield 2 cups of egg beaters gives, it was like 5 Medifast packets staring up at me, little piece of heaven! I devoured my radishes with salt while she was scrambling my ‘astronaut eggs’.

I trust you’re sitting down… Something amazing happened to me today that hasn’t happened in years… While eating this LARGE plate of eggs & after killing 1.5 cups of radishes, I felt a little sensation. Maybe sensation isn’t the word; let me describe it this way. If the tank I carry (also known as a stomach) had a voice, I heard it speak today. For so many years this voice was unheard, or more honestly, ignored. Today, it spoke and I heard it say, in a ‘Vinny Vegas-Italian mafia accent’ (hey it’s my story) something like “Hey you up there, I’m good… put the shovel down and walk away, your FULL”! You heard it folks… Fullness! I know, I can’t believe it either… True story,  It happened to me today, it’s been a long time, but it happened… Oh I know everyone gets full right… Well when you’re oBEAST you don’t really do the whole fullness thing, we use words like STUFFED & BLOATED! Today I pushed a plate a food away a little more than half way thru the meal because my body said FULL and I heard it… Yes friends Miracles are still here today!

Well if you’ve read this far you must have nothing better to do. I do however thank you for your dedication and I apologize for my ‘long winded’ personality. By now you must be wondering, or have forgotten that I titled this post ‘Addiction & Murder’… I know the good book speaks against these things being in our lives, however, I fear I have recognized one of them in mine, and I’m about to invite the other in as well. Let me explain…

After all of the above happened today I went to the movies with my family… This is when it all started. I walked into the movie theatre and my cursed nose took it all in. The smell of movie theatre popcorn just about put me in the fetal position! I honestly could have started crying right then and there. In fact if you ask my wife I may have started to whine like a 2 year old for a brief moment! I guess when I was planning the trip to the movies; I forgot to remember that ONLY the thought of movie popcorn even gets me in the door of those things! I’d much rather watch a movie in my lazy boy than amongst the living.  This was rough, but it wasn’t the worst of it and it wasn’t even when the ‘light bulb went off’.

After the movie, my lovely wife decided she’d drive to Broadway (FOOD ALLEY) to get some gas… You know when the weather is amazing and the breeze is just right the smoke of every single fast food chain in America actually travels right to my nose. Today was no different; the burger smell made thoughts of diet infidelity come to mind. It was in this moment that I realized if food were crack cocaine, I am a junkie! As I pumped the gas and my family waited inside the car it hit me- If I were not on Medifast the very next thing I would have done is driven through the ‘Golden Arches’ and over ordered due to that smell that was dancing in my nose! Yes folks addiction, it is very possible, and in fact it is exactly what I’m fighting… I didn’t really know that these foods that kill you were so enticing to me. I can honestly say today that I was addicted to it, and I’m coming off of that addiction by the Grace of God!

Now, onto Murder… I’ll try to be short since I’ve already written a book in this post… My wife, GOD LOVE HER, drove away from the gas station to the interstate as to avoid the FOOD ALLEY route to my house- she did that for me. Maybe she sensed that I was LUSTING for two all beef patties on a sesame seed bun!!! *Insert best Homer Simpson impression here*…  As we approached my house, with the car windows down it smelled like every neighbor I have within 5 miles decided they’d grill out today!  Of course my windows are down in my house right now to enjoy the night breeze and as I sit here typing this blog, I am getting regular waves of the grill smell that use to bring such happiness to my life!!! Because of this, I have to admit and repent for my thoughts of murder!!!

I’ve dumped enough out of my brain on you, if you are still reading this- you are too kind! Though I smell that lovely red meat cooking all around me I shall Stand Medifast Strong! As the apostle Paul said when you’ve done all you can do to stand, stand therefore!

I leave you with this… The weekends are HARD!!! Yet I stand.

NOTE: Because I have several readers who are not ‘tech savvy’ I need to mention that this blog is out of order from your normal reading material. If you want to follow the blog from 1^st post to most current you have to scroll down and read from bottom up; basically it’s like reading a book backwards… Enjoy!

Day 3… The morning

If I was a morning person, and I’m not, I would be singing that song by The Rascals; it’s a Beautiful Morning. I woke up today and actually did not fight to get out of bed, I’m not sure if it’s my new found super powers, or this diet. I know it’s only day three, but the sickly feeling I had is gone and though I was ready for my eggs within 20-30 min of waking, I am not feeling any of that ‘sickly stuff’!

I really do love the Medifast Eggs… Yeah they come in an envelope and look like they should be on a rocket to the moon feeding some astronaut. They are delightful; my Medifast friends keep telling me to ‘trick out’ my food with low sodium broth, onions, hot sauce, etc… Maybe it’s just me, but I say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! A little sea salt and pepper make my eggs wonderful!

Got a call from my Health Coach and friend Thomas this morning, I have to say he might just be as excited for me as I am… He’s great! I had so much to tell him in just two full days on the program, that I talked his head off; I think he needed to go… You know, that in it’s self is a sign that new found energy is already here. The fact that I wanted to have a full on conversation before 10:00am is amazing!

I digress… I need to get ready for work, I pray today is a productive day for all of us and as Tom says: I hope to be seeing ‘less’ of you!

More to come…check back later.

First let me take a minute to catch up…  

Today the alarm went off and was naturally snoozed 4-6 times. At 7:40 a.m. I finally role out of bed and went down stairs to make my Medifast eggs. This is the first meal of my journey to becoming half the man I use to be! I have to say I like the eggs, they are scary when you open an oatmeal sized envelope and see nothing but yellow powder flowing out into your bowl. Overall a little sea salt and pepper and they are just fine!

With my breakfast I had a glass of water and a desire to eat more. Funny thing I’ve noticed about me, I always want the most food in the moment, but if I walk away after having a small portion, the hunger is usually not there. Case & point: This morning I was eating my eggs and as the serving was coming to an end I thought this isn’t enough… I walked away, and now that 15 minutes have gone by I am completely satisfied.

I’m sure I’ll be ready for that crunch bar at 11:00 though!!! I heard a quote recently that said something like ‘You can either suffer the pain of discipline (which get’s easier), or you can suffer the pain of poor health (which gets harder)’. That hit home with me; I have to say that perception is making this easier for me.

By the grace of God, this will be a great ride! More to come… Ryan

Warning: I didn’t spell, grammer, or puncuation check this… I am in a hurry/lazy:

Today is T.G.I.T, meaning I am off for my three day weekend. As you may know if you’ve read my ‘And so it begins…’ post that I start my weight loss journey on Monday the 13th, and I’m very committed to ‘binge eating’ until I go to bed on Sunday, the night before.

 This post will not help you or encourage you in anyway, I’m just chit chatting through text until the big start day! Today I had a very hard time getting out of bed, probably didn’t help that I was up until after Midnight. Regretably so, I did end up rising for the work day. Got the halflings to their grandma’s house and made it to the office. When I arrived I was starving, but like usual I ignored my morning hunger and got right to work. I had a series of meetings today, and like the rest of my week, spent my time putting out fires and reacting to corperate and individual needs. To be a reactive go getter, you must put your own tasks on hold for the good of others, and then you are like me leaving work for the weekend with 1,000 things left to do! I hate that feeling!

 I have decided to spend some time ‘mapping out’ my work day, duties, and tasks as best as I can. This will do a few things; it will help me to manage my time better, track my tasks and prioritze them, also this will help me to start saying NO to all the people whos work I do. I often set goals for myself in my head, and then I don’t remember what they were when I actually get a free minute to work on them, or I’m so tired that I just don’t give them any time…  Since I’ve touched on the topic of goal setting, I’d like to clearify that my ‘over arching’ goal is to be a well oiled machine at work and shut that machine down when it’s time to go home to my family… I’m not there yet, I take too much work home still… but thats the goal!

 If you struggle with food temptation STOP readying here.

 Today I had an amazing lunch, it was enough food for 2.5 people. I went to Famouse Daves and had rib tips, corn on the cob, cole slaw, big steak fries & a corn bread muffin… It was very delisiose and I’m 1/2 asleep in my office writing this blog thanks to that meal! I am still full and I get off at 8pm tonight, so I don’t know if I’ll eat much at home right away…I am famouse for the late night dinner before bed though, I will more than likely have a bowl of my wife’s spagetti then pass out at some point tonight. I think this will be my biggest struggle with Medifast, eating at night.

I have eatin’4th Meal (as my friends in St. Joe call it) for many moons now, and my mind tells me I must eat before bed, even when I’m not really hungry. Come Monday I will no longer be able to do that. If I were real honest, and I am, this will be one of the hardest things for me. I’m thinking about purchasing a chain and master lock for the handles on my fridge and giving the wife the keys.

 At anyrate, I once again am blogging when I should be working, so I need to get back to the pile of papers on my desk until the 8:00 bell says I can go home for the weekend.

 God Bless you & Good luck.

More to come… Ryan