On to the next one & last wishes ...

Well it's 6:30 am and I'm already up so figured I would wake everyone else up. as the final day of 2010 is here, I have a lot to reflect on from the year gone by. One thing I distinctly remember is thinking this time last year how I needed to eat anything and everything that I wanted to within the next 24 hours, because starting on 1/1/10 it was cold turkey for Mickey D's, The King , Dave's Daughter and for whom the Bell tolls in Spanish. And by the end of Jan. I had learned 3 very valuable lesson - I had really been kidding myself about my "muscle" being more than fat, that you can indeed go without comfort foods, and that 30 days of committment will ensure you to lead your way into changing habits.

As I begin this new year, I have some different health goals and will be sharing some thoughts from 2010 and journaling my workouts for the next year. Hopefully I can be an inspiration for others that weight loss will never be easy, but it can be done. -------------

This year I also will be mixing in some of my other thoughts on my other obsession .... Sports. Most notably college basketball. I got a chance to see my alma mater play last night against #16 BYU and let me tell you - the Cougars have a great team. I have seen in person many of the better teams in the country over the last 7-8 yrs, and this team is right up there. Coach Rose and his staff have done an excellent job, and they will be a tough out for any opponent in any conference this year. I have to say Jimmer Fredette is one of the better college players I've seen in a while. There is something to be said about a 4 year college basketball point guard who gets better every year - he will be quite a player in the NBA in years to come.

Well I will be posting later today folks - hopefully this will help me go back to sleep ...

I'm out!

AW

Okay time to get moving .... Motivation

Hope you've had a chance to think about what things have been holding you back from being a conqueror, in this case, over food and nutrition.  One thing you have to do is be real with yourself: You have to stop kidding yourself that you're not that out of shape, that your really muscle and not fat and that that shirt still fits.  It's hard to look at yourself with that critical an eye, but its integral to your improvement.  Take ownership of yourself, and just make a simple promise that you will do better for yourself one day at a time. Motivation to do better can come from all angles, but first it has to come from YOU. Once you have done this, it will be even more fruitful when you have family/friends to give support.

Another thing that I have found is to find a workout partner. Find someone who has similar goals for weight loss and someone whom you both can keep each other accountable for working out and eating healthy.  For the first 6 months of my own challenge, I was largely on my own.  While I was able to do it, it was difficult many days where I may have needed an extra push or someone to say "maybe you shouldn't eat that, do you want to ruin your workout this morning?" The last 6 months I have had someone, and to this person I am forever grateful * You know who you are*

When I started last year, thinking about losing 60 lbs in one year was scary! How could I do that? But looking at it one month at a time made it a bit more manageable, and day by day was even better.  One thing I ran across while doing some reasearch has always stood out to me: Every day you either get leaner or fatter. That has really helped me to gain a great perspective. There will definitely be days where you are getting fatter, but always try to have a 4 or 5:1 ratio of "leaner" to "fatter" days.


Im going to try and leave a quote every post, so here it the one for today from one of the most successful coaches of any sport - the late great John Wooden

"Don't Whine, Don't Complain, and Don't Make Excuses."

Lasting Question: Why do you want to lose weight? Thanks for reading, and please leave comments, or email me @ awitherspoon4@gmail.com

Im out!

AW

NEW Year - Breaking OLD Habits ...

One of the most enduring things that i have learned over the past 12 months is that old habits are especially difficult to break.  Some habits, like always brushing your teeth twice a day, or always putting on deodorant are good habits that should always be kept.  But what about those otehr habits -- always ordering the chicken tenders with onion rings (instead of those despicable french fries) at lunch, or always grabbing a Little Debbie cake when stop in the gas station or always taking the elevator for one flight of stairs to your office.  These, too are habits, and they can be difficult to break.  I use the latter example because that was me. Always opted for dried, dyed and laid to the side items for lunch, always grab a Zebra Cake or a Strawberry Shortcake Roll. And steadily telling myself, I was still only a few pounds over what i was in high school.  "I feel fine, I don't feel like I weigh too much", is what I would tell myself.  Well over the course of the past 12 months I have sucessfully broken those bad habits, and there is no reason why you can't as well.  Now I must say this -- most of the tips that I will be sharing will be pretty universal for all, however, please understand that men and women are quite different (hopefully you paid attention in health class), so differences in weight loss and such will be different.  Also, everyone's metabolism and individual health will vary.  But one thing I can ASSURE you, if you follow these tips you will feel better about yourself. you may go an entire 3 weeks before losing a pund, but you will have more energy, more confidence and will eventually break those habits.

I will check in again later today, but will leave you with one closing thought:

"Oh while I live, to be the ruler of life, not a slave, to meet life as a powerful conqueror, and nothing exterior to me will ever take command of me." - Walt Whitman

What is keeping you from becoming a powerful conqueror???????

*FYI* - check out the nutritional value of those tasty little snack cakes: Strawberry Shortcake Roll; Zebra Cake

Im out,

AW

What a difference a year makes ...

So a year ago I accepted a challenge to lose 5lbs a month for an entire year , and let me tell you it's been an adventure to say the least! Probably the most difficlut task that I have undertaken, but definitely one of the most rewarding - physically, mentally and emotionally ... So I will be giving out all the things I've learned on my blog about motivation, natural weight loss and re-gaining or obtaining your personal confidence and becoming healthy!

Please check back for links, videos and testimonials that will hopefully help change your life for the better !

Im out!

AW

The Challenge

Okay son It's been a minute since my last post, just wanted to share a few items.... I began this whole thing talking about weight loss, so here are the facts, maybe this can help someone else out there

So in Jan. of 2010 I committed to a year-long challenge to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Along with 2 others (54 yr. old, 36 yr. old) we have been embarking on this road together, and the finish line is near. 

The Challenge:

Lose 5lbs a month for the etire calendar year of 2010
- You must lose at least 5 lbs/month
- No average of months, has to be at least 5lbs
- 1 month as stabilizing, dont have to lose 5, but cant gain any weight
- Have to weigh in on 1st of each month

Consequences:

Should you not lose 5lbs, you must write a check to someone/something that would hurt your pride to the fullest degree to have to do ... (real names and situations altered to protect the innocent :) 


So that's it. No diet plan, no excercise plan.  Just plain do as you see fit....  I encourage anyone interested to let me know, I will help you get started.

What I can say is that to this point no checks have been written ... I will update on my thoughts about the year and the last 10lbs over the course of the two months.

Back for the first time...

So quick re-cap : Saw the Dalai Lama a couple days ago .... very interesting. Couldn't understand some of what he was saying, but none the less, interesting. Okay after a while I was definitely nodding a little, but so were the couple in front of me... it was funny

So with the NBA season starting next week, just a few things I was thinking about this season:

1. Can the Heat win a title with the new big three or will they find out it aint that easy
2. Kevin Durantula has now become Elite
3. Do the Celtics have one more run in them...


More to come....

Motivation... get on your job..

So today I want to chat a little about motivation -- One thing i've found in my own quest has been that you need some type of motivation to get yourself going.  It could be to impress the one you have a crush on, it could be to fit that shirt from your high school baseball team - whatever it is, its motivation.  It could proving to that one person who made a fat comment to you, or it could be to just plain feel better about yourself. 

Along thos lines, I want to address Cee Jay's comments. Well, it looks like you may have found your motivation to see your goal - as well as a consequence to not meeting your goals.  I think important for people to unserstand is that when your truly pursuing something, often times you need goals and consequences. Guns and butter (i know the cliche is usally used talking about something else) But sometimes the butter is sweet and makes everything tastse better... but sometimes the gun reminds you that there is a penalty...

The most difficult part about starting any new endeavor is just that. Starting. Some people say eas into it, while others take a layered approach.  My advice, dive right in, at least for a week straight. Cut out all of the things you know you shouldnt be eating - (those late night quick stops to Mickey D's, Wendy's, BK, Taco Bell, the gas station) wherever . And the golden rule -- you have to EXERCISE... there is no magic wand here. It is possible to lose weight by simply eating, however, trust me - exercise is the key. 

I'll give everyone my first month on my own quest:
- No fast food
- One "cheat" lunch per week
- One dessert of my choice per week
- Exercise 4-5 times a week for about 20 minutes
- Only 2 fried food items per week
- Nothing made by Hostess or Little Debbie
- No pop (for those of you like to call it "soda" , I say POP! )

The dessert and the bad lunch were rewards for the punishment of quitting cold turkey with the bad stuff...




Just a start but see if you can do it....

For Real?

Just a quick note -- I watched an episode of "Thintervention", and she took her clients to dinner and ordered every fried, died and laid to the side appetizer on the menu.....

Soooo.... I walk in the office this morning and there's a box of 1/2 dozen Krispy Kremes... do I indulge?

A more indepth chat to follow this afternoon....

In the beginning, there was....

"A Dog, I need to lose about 20 lbs in two weeks..."

Sounds like an impossible task dosen't it?  This is what a simple challenge will do to a person who is driven and holds being accountable to a group of friends.  My aim is simple in this blog: talk about how three guys in three different age groups attempted to change to a helathier lifestyle and lose weight. Mixed in will be a little talk on relationships and sports. I would like to give hope to anyone who feels like weight loss can never happen for them, that they are too old or too fat or too whatever --- I've heard all the excuses before, and  (probably used some of them) Well I will chronicle my own troubles (most retrospectiveley) and beyond. I will try and post everyday so stay tuned ... and please hit me up with questions or anything you want me to touch on...

Being a Fat Boy sometimes has little to do with weight....

Just a little food for thought: What is one thing that would embarass you if you had to do (On a smaller scale, nothing catastrophic), but enough that would hurt your pride? Keep it in mind when we think about motivations and how to lose weight....