Pietro's Life Portal

Wait a second, where did 2011 go?

2012-01-13T18:49:00.000-08:00

I've sort of neglected this blog which was initially inspired to reflect on how I went about losing weight (and various other topics speeding through my head). I believe this goal was accomplished. Still in maintenance mode, and going strong, health and nutrition is still a top priority and always will be. The focus these days has been on raising two beautiful kids (now 4 and 3 years of age) with my beautiful and supportive wife and keeping Igloo Magazine and Digital::Nimbus Radio moving right along. More soon, I think?

Describing sound

2011-05-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here's what I've been writing about via Igloo Magazine... each release has kept my mind awake and inspired:

Karsten Pflum :: No Noia My Love (Hymen)

Strange2 & Nev.Era :: Diario Sonoro (Lovethechaos)

Ahnst Anders :: Home (Ant-Zen)

Dreissk :: The Finding (n5MD)

Millipede :: Powerless (Hymen)

RUBRENE :: Glowing Overtones igloomag mix

Access To Arasaka :: Orbitus (Tympanik Audio)

V/A :: Painting Pictures On Silence V1 (Enig’matik)

elDot :: Among (33)

Philipp Münch :: Into The Absurd (Ant-Zen)

Enabl.ed :: Modules Fail (Enpeg)

Ignatius :: The 2EPs LP (Buried In Time)

Rumpistol :: Talk To You EP (Rump)

C.H. District :: Conclusion (Tympanik Audio/M-Tronic)

Odori :: Gathering Lines EP (Enpeg)

Eden Grey :: Tree Branches (Female Electronic Musician)

Dryft :: Ventricle (n5MD)

Kloudbreak :: Elements EP (Drawn)

Datacrashrobot :: Double review (Crazy Language / Ghost Technology)

Drifting In Silence :: Lifesounds (Labile)

V/A :: Crazy Compilation #5 (Crazy Language)

V/A :: Nine (Nonine)

V/A :: The Reconstruction of Fives (n5MD)

Xurba :: Xurbatronics System 3: Remixes (Electric Studio)

V/A :: Sampler Vol. 1 (Architects + Heroes)

Cepia :: Cepia (Cepia Music)

V/A :: Drinking the Goats Blood & Electric Carpets (Record Label Records)

Solipsism :: It Could Be Clouds EP (Herb)

Dicepeople :: Time To Play (Self Released)

citizenGreen :: Ulterior Motives EP (Nophi)

Polestar :: End Of An Era (Boltfish)

Tzolk’in :: Tonatiuh (Ant-Zen)

Enabl.ed :: Disabled (Lovethechaos)

Slowcream :: River of Flesh (Nonine)

Top releases of twenty-ten

2011-01-15T21:36:00.000-08:00

Top releases of twenty-ten

My baby turns 10 (igloomag.com)

2010-12-15T00:05:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since making any updates on this page and I assure you there's a good reason for everything. Life seems to toss more and more obstacles and it's just a matter of juggling them properly in order to pull through. Rest assured, as far as this blog is concerned (which is usually Health related), I'll always do my best to make updates as frequently as humanly possible. Time is all I'm looking for these days.

The news brief for today is to announce that Igloo Magazine, the online electronic music magazine that I manage, has turned 10 as of December 15th, 2010! This is a milestone that many publications can only hope for, and one that I hold dearly as we continue to promote obscure electronic music from around the globe. Managing Igloo Magazine has been tall order --with many contributors located all over the world, coordination has always been a critical step. To top things off, I have also released a 23-track (free) digital anniversary compilation via our Bandcamp page: Igloo Trax V2: The Most Music.

Please enjoy your stay at Igloo Magazine and have a listen to our anniversary compilation over the holidays!

Ten months in maintenance mode

2010-06-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's been almost ten months since hitting (and surpassing) my target weight of 180-lbs and I've maintained this weight ever since. I'm still baffled with this accomplishment in 2009 with just over 60-lbs lost in a period of 8-months --starting in March 2009 (see Lose It! screen-shot at left).

There has been a lot of information distributed on this website on how I lost the weight and I've been holding back on continually updating this blog with means and methods, however, I do feel the need to write something as we're already midway through 2010! Maintenance mode has been going strong and I continually track all food and liquid intake to keep this mission active. It has become such a consistent practice, where discipline becomes the norm. Here's a quote taken from Ravi Raman's website that really made an impact on me:

"The challenge with discipline is that it requires you to make an effort consistently over an extended period of time. The upshot is that after a certain point – the discipline becomes “the norm” and no longer requires effort. Getting to this point, though, has been the bane of many new years resolutions!" [Set Higher Standards]

In 2007 my weight hovered at around 250-lbs and I finally began to take appropriate steps in March 2008 to lose the weight when I was at 239-lbs. I can't quite explain what sparked the immediate action to take serious steps, but it might have been due to my Endocrinologist's mention of a potential to become diabetic within 10-yrs. That's basically what it took for me to make a positive change.

As of today (6/9/2010) I weigh in at 177.4-lbs and have been able to monitor and adjust caloric intake consistently with the use of an iPhone (using the following app's). This has been a personal mission and these nifty iPhone app's make it very easy to figure out how to monitor your weight.

I have been fluctuating food and liquid intake within a range of approximately 2,100 - 2,400 calories / day. While at this point I can probably estimate (without the use of graphs, applications and guides) the amount of calories consumed in a day, the Lose It! iPhone app plays a critical role in maintaining my weight. Not only is Lose It! an effective tracking tool, their website also offers further graphical representations of food trends over an elapsed period of time, reports on net calories, weight trends, weekly and daily summaries, nutritional content and several other (visual) features that are enlightening now that there's over a year's worth of data to report.

It all really boils down to good quality, high-nutrition foods and understanding what's going inside your body. Read those nutrition labels and try tracking the amount of calories you consume in just one day. You may be surprised at the results. Exercise certainly helps the situation (something I have struggled with), but I am confident that food alone is 90% of the weight loss battle; it worked for me.

Top releases of 2009

2010-01-02T18:32:00.000-08:00

I have recently published a full article at Igloo Magazine (the online electronic music magazine that I manage), as well as the Digital::Nimbus playlist and audio archive featuring the top releases of 2009.

Digital::Nimbus #352 feat. Top releases of 2009 ::
Playlist | Stream | Download | Leave feedback

Featuring tracks by Bitcrush, Anonymous, R/D, TwoFourteen, Tonikom, Hecq, Point 7, Defrag, Somatic Responses, Darkened, Mobthrow, Monolake, Frank Murder, 10-20, PEM, Jezika, Clark, Reklein, Undermathic, Frequent C, Sensiva, Xurba, Milieu, Port-Royal, Worriedaboutsatan, Ford Proco, Displacer, Down Review, Ahnst Anders, Masmod, Worm Is Green, Detritus, Me Raabenstein, RMSonce, Jim Gordon, Shamaic Technology, Deru, Centre, Dicepeople, i/Dex and more!

Top lists for 2009 at Igloo Magazine ::
Article | Leave feedback

I hope that you enjoy this music as much as I have over the past year.

"The Ultimate Weight Loss Guide"

2009-12-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick post regarding a website that I have to give credit to; A Calorie Counter.com. In particular, the article entitled The Ultimate Weight Loss Guide.

The title of this post (and subsequent article) may sound a bit obnoxious, however, this particularly well-written guide was the initial motivation I needed to get started with understanding food and moving towards a healthier living. The Ultimate Weight Loss Guide is a comprehensive (yet simple) article featuring just about everything you need to know about weight loss (and/or weight gain). Printed on paper, it's 34 pages of in-depth information brought to you in an "easy to understand" format.

Here's a quote from the introductory paragraph:

"This is it, folks. This is the first, last and only weight loss article you will EVER need to read. Only, this is much more than an article. This, my friends, is a guide. In fact, it's the ultimate weight loss guide. It's a collection of every single thing you will ever need to know about losing weight. Every helpful tip, every useful fact... it's all here, compiled in one place, just for you."

The Ultimate Weight Loss Guide

Getting graphic

2009-12-12T17:21:00.000-08:00

9 months have passed since the start of my healthier lifestyle and I thought it would be appropriate to display the graphic featured on the left sidebar. As you might have guessed, it's an image capture that displays weight loss from March to December 2009; the yellow line signifies actual weight values (labelled as Data); the blue line is the Trend; Green is the Extrapolation and Red is the Goal trend. You will also notice the Obese and Goal lines; with these pieces of data entry it's easy to see the progression of tracking information over time.

Currently in "Maintenance Mode," I have been successful in keeping the weight off over the last few months and my mission is to keep it going with the inclusion of more physical activity. The reason for this relatively short post is to continue to capture, discuss, display and communicate the methods and benefits of tracking information in relation to a weight loss plan. If you can't visualize where you've been, you may lose sight of where you're going. The image to the left is a screen capture from my iPhone app called Track Your Weight and is very easy to use on a daily basis.

As mentioned in a previous post (entitled "Monitoring results"), I have learned that keeping accurate data including Body Mass Index, current weight, calorie counts and various other pieces of health information will only lead you to the realization of what is truly going on with your body and mental state of mind.

10-year windows

2009-11-16T21:30:00.000-08:00

The past decade has been the fastest and most incredible yet. So much has happened that it is difficult to fathom how it all took place so smoothly: Moving from Canada to California, marrying the love of my life, starting my career in Engineering, traveling, starting a family, hosting a weekly radio show, running an online magazine, being an electronic music enthusiast, going vegetarian and striving for a healthy lifestyle --all this (and more) has occurred in the span of only 10 years! And as life continues to push forward, so too does the time. Yes, these concepts may be obvious and quite simplistic, however, it almost seems as if time is accelerating with every passing year.

I am at the point in my life where I visualize 10-year windows. These windows are 10-year collections of memories and experiences that I've been a part of. Will this span of time stretch to 20-year windows in another decade? Time will only tell.

There are cyclic patterns and inconsistencies that occur in life; an ebb and flow that can be chaotic and confusing while at other times quite peaceful and clear. The more we let time slip by, the less time we have to encapsulate it. As our two children continue to grow (they are only 2 and 1), it's incredible to see that in just 2 years they've not only physically changed, but have also inspired my wife and I to strive for more. We are constantly learning that simplicity is often the key in keeping the momentum positive. Not only have we witnessed these physical changes and taken (literally) 1000's of pictures to capture the moments, we've noticed an emotional charge that is both inspiring and uplifting. Our kids have taught us the meaning of patience and most of all that time spent with them is essential. Why does it take life-altering experiences to understand these theories? How is it that children, who have been on this circular cosmic spot for such a short period of time, can be the greatest of teachers? It's mind boggling to digest, yet it has been quite rewarding on a personal level.

If there's anything to be learned, or at the very least considered, it's the essence of time and its role as a common denominator in everyone's life. Time is the one true dynamic positioning us into any form of normalcy. Whether we decide to move forward, sideways or backwards, it's important to see some form of direction. This constant forward-motion has me thinking about how quickly it can often disappear. So, in keeping with the ebb and flow of life, being in the moment is just as important as taking the time to understand and appreciate it.

I'm looking forward to the next 10-year window.

The biggest sparks, however faint

2009-10-27T22:39:00.000-07:00

After watching a good portion of The Biggest Loser this evening, a show that my wife and I rarely watch, I'm inspired to write about what I've learned. Without getting too far into Abby Rike's heart wrenching story (she lost her entire family in a severe car accident and has rediscovered her life), I am utterly amazed at how one individual with so much spirit can continue to inspire after such an unimaginable experience.

The biggest feeling that has overcome my thoughts is to aspire for more; to consider everything you do and how it affects others. To continue living and enjoying the good times. To cherish people around you, and especially those who love and believe in you. To believe in others and motivate them to push forward. To seek a better place; a place of calm and a place free of stress. To smile in situations where you didn't have to. To keep positive and to seek positivity in all you do. To keep your eyes, mind and heart open to changes, differences and especially u-turns in life. To seek and capture more in life, and to learn from new life.

Though there are several positive thoughts and feelings to shed in words via this blog, I have waited for this inspirational moment to sit down again and write about the importance of the people around us. As memories wisp by, have we ever considered those nostalgic recollections that transport (subtle) smiles to our faces? These recollections come from people, places, sounds, visions and other tangible or intangible moments that created sparks in our lives. As a result, creating our own sparks, however faint, are the foundations of growth and learning.

As I continue to think about the flood of feelings brought forth by an (effective) television program, I am inspired to nurture and create bigger sparks, not only for myself, but for the people closest to me. Shouldn't we all?

Maintenance mode

2009-09-06T22:42:00.000-07:00

Over 180 days have passed and I'm quite thrilled to have met my weight loss goal of 60-lbs. Energy levels are increased, and I feel great! An entirely new perspective on life has unfolded and I've learned quite a bit along the way. From calorie counting to understanding food (organic vs. processed etc.), I look forward to this relatively new outlook and am surprised that I didn't start sooner.

Having only begun in March, 2009, I met my weight loss goal at the end of August, 2009. Now is the time to keep the weight off and to continue learning more about how food (and exercise, for that matter) intermix within our lives. While I continue to eat nutritionally sound meals, every single day; there are always external temptations at every corner and if there's anything I've learned in the past 6-months, it is to simply keep your focus no matter what's in front (or in the way) of you.

Being in an Italian family doesn't make things any easier. I love Italian food and have learned to adjust the usual delicacies (spaghetti, ravioli et al) by replacing, for example, cheese with crushed walnuts, regular pasta with whole grain pasta etc. The flavors are still intact yet the nutritional values are optimized. Some of my immediate family members are concerned with these (drastic) changes I've made, especially when it comes to what I eat. Turning down pizza is not an easy feat, however, staying true to nutritionally rich foods without hesitation and resisting temptation to take the plunge into high calorie, zero nutrition foods has proven to be an interesting exercise in mind of matter.

With that being said, eating well and drinking plenty of water are two critical components affecting my daily life. I pay close attention to how my body reacts to various foods and keep an eye on what I call triggers. These triggers are simply signals that help me determine how I feel after I eat and complete various day to day tasks with careful consideration of my surroundings.

With a young family, day to day workload, running a weekly radio show and online electronic music magazine, I do my best to balance different pieces of life and am persistent with planning what to eat each day. I'm still counting calories and have recently increased my intake to approximately 2000 per day (in order to maintain my current weight). I will also continue to monitor and document how maintenance mode unveils itself over time. So far, so good.

"What are you eating?"

2009-08-21T14:17:00.001-07:00

Over the past several months people have often wondered what I've been eating that has contributed to my healthier lifestyle. I don't claim to know the answers to every particular food and am on a constant mission to learn more about overall health especially as it relates to food and exercise.

I've been hesitant to discuss my entire meal plan (breakfast, lunch, dinner & snacks) because I thought it would be a huge undertaking that would never be fully completed; until today. There are always jokes thrown around regarding my vegetarian and calorie counting focus, most of which I relate to lack of understanding why being vegetarian and understanding calories is so vital (I'm constantly learning more about living healthy as I write this). Without getting into the politics of meat (as the band Consolidated once put it), below is an outline of items that I consume in any given day with an average daily intake of approximately 1650 - 1700 calories. Note that the list below is not what I eat in a full day; it's the variety of foods that are mixed throughout.

The quantities of food also fluctuate per meal with an average of approximately 400 - 500 calories and snacks at around 125 calories per meal. Add to this daily list around 3.5 - 4 liters of water, consistently. For precise calorie and nutritional data on any of the items listed below; refer to the Calorie Database or send me an email and I'd be glad to assist.

Breakfast ::

Omega-3 Fish Oil tablet
Multivitamin (Men's One)
Organic oatmeal (Nature's Path brand); Oats & Flax, Hemp, Raisin spice etc.
Raspberries (1/3 cup)... or strawberries, blueberries, blackberries etc.
Walnuts, crushed (1/8 cup)
Espresso (w/ 1.5 teaspoons of organic all natural sugar) or...
Coffee (w/ 3 teaspoons of sugar & 3 creamers = 104 calories!)

Snacks ::

Banana (6" to 7" length)
Apple, pealed (2 1/2" diameter)

Lunch ::

Omega-3 Fish Oil tablet
Organic whole wheat bread (2 slices) or...
Middle Eastern Flatbread (Trader Joe's brand)
Chicken and/or Pizza patties (Morning Star brand) or... Tofurkey slices
Salsa, mild (Henry's, Trader Joe's and/or Mother's Market brand)
Organic Hummus (1 tablespoon) (Trader Joe's and/or Mother's Market brand)
Vegenaise w/ Flax seed & Olive oil (1 tablespoon)
Organic Snow peas (8 pieces)
Almonds, raw (1/8 cup)

Snacks ::

Almonds, raw (1/8 cup)
Fresh grapes (1 cup)
Cantaloupe (1 cup)
Watermelon (1 cup)
Peach, pealed (2 1/2" diameter)
Apple, pealed (2 1/2" diameter)

Dinner ::

Omega-3 Fish Oil tablet
Firm tofu (approx. 7 ounces)
Low Sodium Organic Vegetable broth (1.5 cups)
Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce (2 tablespoons)
Portabella mushrooms (3-4 pieces)
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1/2 tablespoon)
Walnuts, crushed (1/8 cup)
Broccoli, fresh (1 cup)
Espresso (w/ 1.5 teaspoons of organic all natural sugar)

or... Spaghetti w/ "red" sauce

Omega-3 Fish Oil tablet
Organic whole grain spaghetti pasta (approx. 4-5 ounces, dry)
Organic Tomato basil marinara or any healthy tomato sauce (3/4 - 1 cup)
Walnuts, crushed (1/8 cup)

or... "Garlic Pasta"

Omega-3 Fish Oil tablet
Organic whole grain spaghetti pasta (approx. 4-5 ounces, dry)
Low Sodium Organic Vegetable broth (1.5 cups)
Garlic cloves (5 pieces)
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1/2 tablespoon)
Organic basil leaves (1/2 cup)
Walnuts, crushed (1/8 cup)

or... Mother's Market cold bar

Blackened Tofu taco
Soy chicken nuggets (4-5 pieces)
Beef Jerky Soy (iGreen+ brand)
Organic brown rice (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
Buffalo Tempeh (1/2 cup)
Peanut tofu chicken (1/2 cup)
Asparagus (3/4 cup)
Mushrooms (1/2 cup)

or... on occasions ::

Tofurkey w/ Fire roasted vegetables (Trader Joe's brand)

Exercise ::

Walking (average of around 15-20 minutes daily, sometimes more)
Stationary bike (average of around 40 minutes, 2-3 times per week)

So, there you have it.

There are obviously many other combination's and/or additions to the list that could also include Thai and Chinese food (especially a few extra items from the excellent cold bar at Mother's Market) or various specialty cuisines that filter their way to my plate once every 2-3 weeks. The variety is endless, so there's no concern (at least for me) that I'm getting bored of this healthy living crusade. Counting calories for each item still results in a good understanding of what you're actually consuming. If your mission is to lose, gain or maintain weight, your best option is to determine what your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is in conjunction with your Personal Activity Level (PAL) and adjust your food intake from there.

Here are some useful links mentioned in this article ::

If you have other food suggestions, I welcome you to drop me a note or post a comment on this blog.

Monitoring results

2009-07-22T06:37:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in a previous post how important it is to monitor results. Tracking everything has proven to be quite a hobby, especially when you consider the following pieces of information: weight loss, weight percentage loss, Body Mass Index, Basal Metabolic Rate, weight lost per day/week/month and body fat percentage. It may sound complicated, but once compiled into a spreadsheet, it's actually quite easy to track. I've not only kept a chart but I've also incorporated this data in graphic form and summarized the results in separate spreadsheets (including additional notes, symptoms, notices, resources etc.). Tracking might seem like quite an undertaking, but if you're ready to take the steps towards weight loss, watching what you eat isn't going to be all you have to do.

Here are some great tools I've used to monitor and document results:

iPhone applications ::

Lose It! (caloric intake, nutrition, exercise and customized food items)
Track Weight (weight, body fat, water %, statistics and graphs)
BMI_Calc (Body Mass Index, Body fat % and desired weight goals)
BMR_Calc (Basal Metabolic Rate with built in Personal Activity Level)
Restaurants (Nutritional info for most fast food restaurants)

Online data entry ::

Google Health (create your own medical profile)
Google Docs (create your own spreadsheets)
Health Calculators (calculate various health conditions)

These are a few of the critical tools I've used over the last 5 months. Taking pictures every week, in the same location preferably, proves quite useful as well. This gives you the opportunity to see the changes over a period of time and also boosts your motivation to keep it going.

In closing, it's extremely difficult to gauge how your weight adjusts if you do not monitor and document the results. Start with a simple spreadsheet with some of the data listed above, and you'll learn immediately how your weight is progressing (hopefully in a positive direction).

The commitment

2009-07-12T22:07:00.000-07:00

One of the most important accomplishments I've experienced since March 2, 2009 is the level of commitment it takes to keep, monitor and maintain a positive outlook and attainable goal. Besides the barrage of information I've digested (figuratively, of course), there have been some personal explorations into learning not only what to eat, but how to eat (I'll explain in a future post). In order to move forward and continue with this lifestyle commitment, it has taken a determined mindset and careful observation of my environment in order to continually make healthy choices where ever I go.

Call it commitment, ambition, motivation, dedication or borderline obsession, I have found that staying true to a redefined eating habit and monitored exercise regime is the only way to make a positive change in the direction you want. Evaluating the big picture means making a change in how you view (and consume) food. Simply recreate your environment so it leans in your direction and stay focused on your mission. This has proven to be one of the best methods in making an impact and achieving your goal(s).

In closing, if my point hasn't registered yet, simply read aCalorieCounter.com's The Ultimate Weight Loss Guide. I haven't been able to find anything close to the precision and simplicity of this article; one that has completely changed my life.

A little excited

2009-07-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm a little excited as you might have noted with the frequency of blog posts on this website. Will it taper down? Perhaps. Do I know for sure? No. What I do know is that discussing what I've learned and describing the results is a form of relief (not to be mixed with stress relief). Why do I need relief, you ask? Well, I've been quietly pushing through what my wife recently called a health crusade, and I'm finally at a point where I feel confident enough to discuss where I was over 4-months ago through todays new appreciation of healthy living. The past 4-months have been a complete awakening, and I'm continually perplexed at how easy it has been to make positive changes. The information is out there and it's up to you to grab and make something of it. I'll do my best to pinpoint good resources that I've discovered in forthcoming posts. In the meantime, I highly suggest the Health Links on the right side-bar of this website for starters.

I've already discussed in previous posts some of the results and methods I've learned so far, so I will not reinforce the same information. I will, however, continue to elaborate on key areas that have been more challenging than others, and my so-called crusade remains the same: to continue on this path of health, fitness, well being and constant learning to better myself and the environment I'm surrounded by. Gathering good pieces of information, learning from it, and enabling myself to maneuver my lifestyle in this direction will only lead to positive results. If not, then I'll simply reevaluate, not get frustrated, and develop a new plan.

In trying to transition these randomized thoughts with some sort of appropriate closure, I will leave it just the way it is in hopes that you will consider and interpret these thoughts for your own benefit.

The story so far

2009-07-08T18:35:00.000-07:00

I've kept a spreadsheet log since March 2, 2009 tracking noticeable changes in my life including various charts (with built-in formulas), graphs, resources, commentary and pictures. At the same time, while it might seem slightly overboard, I've kept a log on my iPhone with the following great applications: Lose It!, Track Weight, BMI_Calc, and BMRCalc. These specific applications have assisted me in determining nutritional data of foods, calories expended with almost any exercise, Body Mass Index, Basal Metabolic Rate, Weight, Fat percentage, Weight Loss percentage and several other pieces of data. Data alone might not sound too exciting, but once I began to notice changes trending in the direction that I wanted, it became an amusing hobby to visualize the results.

I could go in depth on specifics, so here's an overview of the changes I've noticed by simply following the steps in my previous post:

The story so far (4 month window)

Lost 45.2-lbs (approximately 19% weight loss)
Average weight loss: 10-lbs/month or 2.5-lbs/week
Lost 5" on waist and 2 shirt sizes
Lost 6% of body fat
Gained more energy (for the entire day)
Skin feels much better
No more snoring
Lowered BMI from 33.3 to 27.0 (BMI goal <24)
Lowered LDL and overall cholesterol to normal levels
Still working on improving HDL levels (using Niacin)
Lowered triglycerides to normal levels
Lowered AST and ALT to normal levels
Cholesterol ratio is close to 5:1

While I continue to notice changes, getting this information to friends, family and anyone else taking note, has been on my mind since the first 15-lbs of weight loss. My mission is to describe the story so far (both past and present) as well as my intentions for the future. In doing so, I hope to supply enough information and resources for you to make educated decisions on how to improve your health and well being.

I'm not a Doctor, nor a nutritionist, however, I'm constantly blown away by the changes that have occurred over the past 4-months and am on a mission to chronicle them on this blog. I hope this is a step in the right direction for you, as it has been for me.

How I'm losing it

2009-07-05T23:21:00.001-07:00

Latest update: 45-lbs lost in 18.1 weeks.

My goal for this blog is to present elements of my life, especially the highlights, that will remain with me forever. In doing so I hope to inspire some of you, and that is a personal satisfaction for me.

In this post I describe (however briefly) the steps I've taken to lose weight, simply and effectively: these 10 steps do not need to happen is this order, and not all of them can be done overnight; but it has
worked for me:

How I'm losing it

Read The Ultimate Weight Loss Guide.
Start counting calories and create a calorie deficit.
Go vegetarian.
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits.
Eat whole grains and legumes (nuts, seeds et al).
Drink a lot of water (1/2 fl.oz per pound of weight) every day.
Stay active and move more.
Monitor your results daily (weight, BMR, BMI and body fat %).
Stay committed.
Stay positive.

I will elaborate more on each item listed above in future posts, however, these (relatively) easy steps are all that it took to start understanding how the body works; what it requires and what it doesn't require. These steps have taken several weeks to accomplish, but I have remained confident, diligent and have drastically noticed the results. Note that most of the bullet points above have to do with food intake and tracking, this is simply because approximately 95% of weight loss has to do with the food you eat, and only 5% with exercise.

Please take note that the above-mentioned tips will assist in just losing weight; if you want to maintain or increase your weight there are other measures to take. Basically if you want to maintain your weight then consume the exact amount of calories you expend in a day. To gain weight consume more then the calories you expend in a day. Calories in, calories out (as the saying goes).

If I'm making it sound too easy, realize that it truly is.

Weight loss

2009-07-04T11:06:00.000-07:00

Latest update: 43.2-lbs lost in 17.9 weeks.

On March 2, 2009 I made a lifestyle commitment to change my eating habits. While these "habits" weren't necessarily that bad, I had to make a change in order to reduce my cholesterol and overall health. In February 2007, on the suggestion from my Doctor, I official went vegetarian and was able to loose only 10-lbs in the span of a month. With this new lifestyle commitment (I'm intentionally avoiding the use of the word "diet"), I've been counting calories, eating nutritionally balanced food, and exercising more frequently. Tracking my Basal Metabolic Rate, BMI and other forms of health data (which I'll describe further in a future post), I've lost 43.2-lbs in just over 4-months. I will elaborate further with specific information, trends, data, resources and tips I've learned along the way but for the time being, this will by an introduction for what's to come.

First post

2009-07-03T14:17:00.001-07:00

To all,

This is my first official "blog" in an attempt to provide updates on new and interesting developments in my life related to family, music, health, nutrition and anything else that comes to mind.

I hope you enjoy these random updates, and thanks for stopping by.