Former Fat Guy - Weight Loss Blog

Birds Are Troublemakers

2008-05-17T13:28:00.001-06:00

, originally uploaded by Sameli.

Great shot I found today on Flickr. Had to share it.

Weight Loss Insurance For Your Jeans

2008-05-17T13:05:00.002-06:00

How many times have you decided not to purchase that new pair of jeans because you committed to your weight loss plan and you know that they’ll be too big for you in a few weeks or months?

You stick with the same old, dull clothes that you’ve been wearing for months and months.

Well, not any more!

Bertie Ranger, a former fitness competitor who gained 30 pounds (and subsequently lost 20 of it), had created what most women dream about – Jean insurance.

What she does is insure your jeans at 30% of the original purchase price, then when you lose the weight you want to lose, she buys them back at the original purchase price so that you can buy new jeans that fit.

No more worrying about investing in a pair of jeans that will only last a few weeks or months, insure your jeans and keep buying new ones as you get fit and healthy.

Very interesting concept that I encourage you to check out.

Lose and Win Free Jeans

Lose the weight,
Win free jeans.

Great concept

World Record Weight Loss - Manuel Uribe

2008-05-16T12:47:00.003-06:00

Manuel Uribe holds the title of worlds fattest man according to Guinness World Records, weighing in at his highest weight of 1,235 pounds. Now he’s shooting for a second entry into that record book with his new mission, a world record weight loss!

Since making his plea for help in 2006, Mexican native Manuel Uribe has lost 518 pounds on a diet of grapefruit, egg-white omelets, fish, chicken, vegetables and peanuts, as customized by USA’s Dr Barry Sears.

Current Guiness World Records for weight loss are held by and American woman Rosalie Bradford at 907 pounds lost, and a British man Jon Brower Minnoch who lost 924 pounds.

I first heard of Manuel when I saw him on a TV show about one year ago in 2007. I then googled him and found his website. As far as I can tell, he does not have an English version of it, but it can be translated into english.

I take one day at a time. The doctors told me I had a choice. To choose life or to choose death. I chose life

Manuel made it out of his house for the first time in years once he got to the 840 pound mark, but it was short lived when the truck that was carrying him hit a bridge.

Manuel is now 717 pounds and has to crack 311 pounds before he makes the Guinness book of world records for greatest weight loss for a man. His goal, according to wikipedia, is 265 pounds and he’s well on his way to reaching it. Last year alone, he dropped 400 pounds!

Manuel figures it was his unending diet of burgers, pizza’s and fizzy drinks that he consumed while living in Dallas, Texas for 14 years.

Original Story, and BBC

Olympic Torch on Mt Everest Summit

2008-05-08T13:13:00.005-06:00

The Olympic torch made it to the top of Mt Everest on Thursday May 8. A Tibetan woman took the torch the last few steps to the summit shouting "Long live Tibet" along with the other climbers says this story in Routers.

I'm set to climb to Mt Everest base camp this Oct with a group of six friends.

Story via Straight to the Bar

Fat Man Unleashed - Interview Part 3

2008-05-07T14:42:00.004-06:00

As I said in Part 1 of this interview with healthy weight loss blogger Israel Lagares, in his best shape, a few years ago, standing 6 feet tall and weighing a muscular 235 pounds, Israel enjoyed living the fit life, working out and turning food into muscle. A few years later, having fallen off the fitness wagon and tending to not so healthy foods, he put on some weight and ballooned up to 348 pounds.

It happens to the best of us, something happens, life gets in the way, and for whatever reason, the guru of health or fitness gains some weight back.

Part 1 of this interview discussed his fitness routine, while part 2 was about his diet. We conclude this week with part 3, the Mental Game of getting back in shape.

The Mental Game of Getting Back Into Shape

How important is the mental aspect to your training and nutritional program?

Crucial. Your head has to be in the game. You need to be mentally prepared to undertake the ups and downs that a diet or training program can have on you. There are going to be days when you just want to give it all up, but you need to dig down deep and stick with it.

Do you have any favorite sayings? Quotes? Anything that inspires you to be better, train harder or be more diligent with your eating?

My favorite saying is "Just Do It." I think it explains itself.

What happens when things don't go your way?

I cry like a baby. LOL. Seriously though, I just look at the positives and try to build on them.

How do you deal with boredom in your program?

I tweak it. I tweak out the boredom every so often. Tweaking can be anything from adding/replacing a specific exercise to changing the location of your workouts to alternating a workout altogether (incorporating boxing instead of running).

How does missing a workout affect you?

It really brings me down. I feel guilty and then want to make up for it by over training, so it behoove me to not miss a workout.

What do you do about it?

It rarely happens, but if I do I have a super intense workout the next day. This usually leads to some sort of strain, but i fight through it.

I try to plan ahead of time so that I don't miss any workouts.

How important is a reward meal or a cheat meal from a mental perspective?

It depends on the person. I can go a few weeks without a cheat meal and be fine, but some folks may need one cheat meal a week to stay sane. If that's what works for you, then go for it. When the time comes for a cheat meal you usually won't really overeat if you have been committing to your workouts and dieting. But, like I said, it depends on the individual. The best thing to do is find what works for you and stick to it.

I want to thank Israel for taking the time out of his busy schedule to participate in this interview series. Read about his fitness routine, his weight loss program in parts one and two and more about him on his weight loss blog.

Whole Foods Market Shopping Tips

2008-05-01T18:38:00.002-06:00

How to Shop at Whole Foods Market

The merger of Whole Foods Market with Wild Oats highlights the benefits and drawbacks of this organic retail giant. Although Whole Foods Market certainly provides a "feel good" shopping experience for millions of consumers, it's important to keep in mind that WFM isn't nearly as green as it pretends to be. But of course, for many consumers, Whole Foods Market offers the only access for green and organic products. If Whole Foods Market is the only option available in your area, here are some important tips for the organic-minded shopper:

Tips For Shopping At Whole Foods Market

Look for locally grown produce: Whole Foods offers only a limited supply of local produce, although it is well labeled. Reduce the burden of long-distance food transportant on the planet by asking your WFM produce manager to stock more local produce.
Not everything is as "natural" or "organic" as you might think: Although Whole Foods doesn't carry products with trans fats or artificial coloring, everything else is fair game, including MSG and rBGH, so being a vigilant label reader is still a necessity. Look for the USDA organic label.
Whole Foods has taken the position that unions aren't valid. It is the second largest union-free food retailer, right behind Wal-Mart. Don't assume the employees are all adequately trained in understanding how to distinguish between products that are and are not truly organic and natural.
The OCA always recommends supporting your locally owned food co-op, farmer's market, CSA or independently-owned natural food store, first and foremost, (search for resources near you in OCA's "Local Buying Guide" here: http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc/BuyingGuide.cfm)

Rob's Note: employees at Whole foods indeed, DO NOT know a lot about the products they carry. One of my clients went to Whole Foods Market to purchase Kamut flour. "Doesn't exist" they were told. It most certainly does exsist. In my opinion Whole Foods Market is just another brand. A local business I used to shop at here locally in Edmonton, had the policy of "no artificial sweeteners and no GMO products" would enter their store. After building thier brand for several years, The Big Fresh was purchased by Planet Organic.

Its tough to say this, but it seems that no matter where you shop, no matter how green they say they are or how green you think they look, you have to read labels.

I should say "indeed, there seem to be employees" at Whole Foods Market who do not know a lot about the products they carry rather than lumping in those who work there who are indeed passionate about, well, whole foods.

source: Organic Consumers

Fat Man Unleashed - Interview Part 2

2008-04-30T13:29:00.002-06:00

Last week I began my three part interview series with Israel Lagares who runs his healthy weight loss blog Fat Man Unleashed. Part one of the series was about his fitness routine, and this week we continue with his nutritional program.

Describe the diet you're following to achieve your goal.

I am on a balanced protein, carb, low fat intake diet. I eat a lot of fruit, veggies and chicken. I don't eat a lot of refined or processed foods. I don't drink anything but water and green tea. Simple.

Yep, sounds pretty simple. Seems we both believe eathing natural foods is the way to go. What is the main focus of the diet? (ie: cutting calories? cutting fat? eating natural?)

Initially it was cutting calories, but now I have focused on eating more fruits and veggies to "fill" me up.

So Volumization then? High fiber foods? How many meals a day are you eating?

I strive for 5 to 6 but am more at about 4 to 4.75 meals a day.

I'm finding the same thing. As I eat higher nutrient density foods and higher fiber foods, I'm full longer and eating 5 or 6 meals is a little more tricky. Does the rest of your family / household eat the same way as you?

With the exception of my daughter, yes. My wife has been an integral part in our healthy eating.

Nice. It's always good to have support when it comes to nutrition. I had no idea you had a daughter. Do you allow for a reward meal (cheat meal) [explain how often and how you manage it if the answer is yes, also your favorite cheat meals]

Man o man. I love food. As of right now I am not allowing cheat meals, but I usually do when I am not an such an intense program. My favorite cheat meals are pizza, chicken Alfredo, and lasagna.

What about supplements? Which if any supplements do you add to your diet?

I supplement with a multivitamin, amino acids, creatine, glutamine, and protein.

I used creatine and Glutamine for years. Right now I'm sticking with Sunrider foods for my supplementation. Ok, what about Coffee? Would you choose coffee or green tea?

GREEN TEA! I refuse to drink coffee.

Nice. Coffee is battery acid. Ok, what about water? Would you choose water by itself? or do you dress it up with some sort of mix? or do you drink a calorie free beverage?

Agua.

Eating healty must be expensive for you? How much do you spend on food in a given week / month?

We spend about $100 to 150 a week on groceries.

Awesome. That's less than me. Are there any foods you outright avoid and DO NOT eat?

Yes, definitely. I make a concerted effort to avoid eating anything from a fast food restaurant.

List your top 2 supplements [and why if it applies]?

Glutamine and multivitamins. Glutamine helps my body with the recovery process and multivitamins help fill the void when I don't get all of my nutrients from food.

And finally Isreal, how about leaving some tips for the readers. Please describe 3 of your best eating or dieting tips:

It's important to prepare. Prepare or plan your meals in advance. Know what you are going to eat well in advance that way you don't have to think about anything when the time comes. It's also important to forget.

If you have a bad day you need to acknowledge that you messed up and move on. Dwelling on the fact that you ate 2 whole pizza pies doesn't do anything but make you feel like crap. Put it behind you and get back on track with your life and diet. Finally, drink water. Water is your best friend. It helps with cleaning out your system, filling you up, and processing your foods.

The interview will continue next week when I talk with the Fat Man about his mental mindset to his training and nutrition. For more info about Israel, visit his weight loss blog.

Read this interview from the beginning - Israel's fitness routine.

Free Recipes Blog - a Review

2008-04-28T22:59:00.003-06:00

As I write my course on better eating, I’m realizing that many of the participants are enjoying the recipes that are provided. Great whole food recipes that my girlfriend and I create and eat ourselves here at home.

Everyone loves recipes, and the more the better I always say.

I’ve posted a few of them here on my website and I’ve send out a monthly favorite to my subscribers each month along with my natural health newsletter.

The recipes I’m interested in, and the ones we promote are low fat / good fat, dairy free, whole food vegetarian recipes. I figure that any high school or college student can cook meat, but it’s the rest of the important qualities of food, namely whole foods, that we could all learn more about.

The free recipes website My Recipes Blog is most certainly not in that category.

Great Recipe Photos? Nope! The pictures of the recipes are small and hard to see.

Dairy Free? Certainly not. The front page alone has a Bechamel Sauce that includes 300ml milk, 300 ml light cream (oh good, it’s light) and 55 grams of butter. Uggghhh. I just read that off to my girlfriend sitting in her office and she exclaimed "Jesus! What kind of website is this? Is this a health website?" Nope.

Low fat? Not a chance. Again, the front page has many free recipes that include a "good helping of oil". One has 4 Tbsp of oil, the next 5 Tbsp and the one above of course has 600 ml of milk /cream plus the 55 grams of butter. Nope, certainly not low fat recipes.

You probably know by now that I’m against pop or soft drinks of any sort and diet pop is one of the worst possible chemical concoctions ever made. Aspartame, Sucralose, Nutrasweet and all that crap are know carcinogens, avoid them like the plague. When you see a recipe blog that has a category entitled "Coca-Cola", close the tab and run away.

Yes, it’s a free recipe website.

It’s a "cheap" free recipe website.

Have a look at their about page.

The owner hasn’t even changed it since installing the blog! Do not use these recipes, do not visit this website. I took on this paid review to bring it to your attention so that you could better use your time by learning about the "other side of the coin" – whole food recipes.

This has been an honest, paid, sponsored review of My Recipes Blog. If you want me to review your website, I'll do it, but I'll be honest.

One a scale of 1 to 100, this free recipe website gets a 1.

Lost Generation - More on Choices

2008-04-26T17:15:00.002-06:00

Just a few moments ago I posted about the power of words, about carefully choosing your words and how what you say influences your subconscious.

then...

magically...

I received this...

Length: 1m44s

Thanks to Greg Mooers of Life Camp

The Words You Choose

2008-04-26T15:49:00.002-06:00

Imagine the challenge of climbing to the top of Mt Everest. Imagine standing at the bottom looking up, knowing that the peak is your final destination. Imagine how long it’s going to take and how much effort to finally reach your goal and the summit.

What words do you use to describe the journey ahead of you?

Do you turn around and head home, or do you focus on the single step in front of you to get you moving?

On occasion, I’ll either run a contest to give away my products or the products of good friends that I choose.

During the current Big Give Health and Fitness Challenge that The Fit Bastard and I put on, readers were asked to post their story and why they should win the contest to receive the free products.

One person has already told her story about feeling so motivated about taking action on her health.

She submitted this as part of her story:

When I got the email about this opportunity, I immediately clicked on…ready to enter and tell you my sad story of yo yo diets, the depression that Atkins dieting put me into and how I’m ready to be the fantastically sexy woman hiding under all this fat.

A split second later, she suggested this course of action:

I read the post above and I think you should pick Adam. I don’t know him and I’ve never talked to him, but his story has really moved me. His story is so typical of many of us. Self destructive patterns, emotional eating…..only to wake up and realize the entire chocolate cake couldn’t make you feel any better.

Unfortunately he had to take on a few hundred pounds to get to this point. I have only 60. And I can say ONLY 60 after reading about Adam. Thanks Adam. You have made me realize that it could have been worse if I had kept going. Good luck to you, and I hope this is the opportunity you have waited your whole life for!

Take it and RUN!

She had a powerful realization when she saw what another person was facing. Adam had two hundred pounds to lose and she had only 60.

She choose the words "I have ONLY 60"

When looking at the journey ahead of you, you can choose to be excited about the direction you’re taking, or you can see it as a daunting task – with months or years of sacrifice and hard work.

You can choose to see it as an opportunity to learn more about your body, how it works, how food works and how you can incorporate some new lessons about food.

You can choose to enjoy seeing the changes week by week, feeling better, eliminating indigestion, having more energy or improving your sleep.

Or you can choose to continue along the same path you’re on.

Knowledge isn’t power, it’s knowledge in action that equals power!

You don’t have to know how to do everything to take action, but you do have to get started.

One of my mentors T Harv Eker says "Ready, Fire, Aim" which means get ready, get going, then make little adjustments along the way as you’re moving toward you goal.

One of the bonus items for new subscribers to my monthly newsletter is my eReport "How I Lost 300 Pounds", subtitled "How to lose 10 pounds a month, every month, until you reach your goal weight".

Subscribe to my newsletter using the red form on the right sidebar.Pick one of the strategies in the eReport, and begin.

Realize that no matter where you’re at physically or health wise, you can make improvements one day at a time, one week at a time and focus on the steps you’re taking rather then the road ahead.

Watch how you choose your words.

When you’re speaking – you’re also thinking.

"thoughts become things, so choose your thoughts wisely"

Positive Word Replacements

Consciously choose to make these word replacements and see what sort of results you get:

1. Replace Can’t with "Choose not to"

Nothing is impossible, or put the way I like to say it "anything is possible". In reality, you can do anything – you might just not have the resource right now. Resources include the knowledge. Replacing can’t with “Choose not to” is about honesty – you’re making a choice “not to” do something. Own it. If you don’t like it and it doesn’t feel so good, make another choice and do what you need to do to get the resources. That might include reading a book about the subject or asking someone you know who’s been there to do it, or taking a class or course.

2. Replace "have to" with "get to"

Have to has a negative connotation where “get to” is empowering.

3. When it fits, change "I can’t do that" to "How can I do that?"

Your subconscious is always listening to you and is always there to serve you. You command it through your words and your thoughts. When you say “I can’t do that” or “I can’t afford that”, it responds with “ok, you’re right”.

On the other hand, if you say or think “How can I do that?” it goes to work and begins to formulate a plan to bring you that which you want. It begins to create possibilities for you which you can then sort through and choose the best on.
One statement shuts your brain off, while the other turns your brain on.

Would you like to have some options for ways to get started right now? To take action on your health, your fitness level or your weight?

1. Read my eReport
2. Pick a strategy
3. Take action

Which have you chosen? Read the report and leave your comment

Food Rationing In The US?

2008-04-25T13:43:00.002-06:00

Sams Club and Costco in the US are limiting the amount of rice customers can buy.

Big Give Health and Fitness Challenge

2008-04-24T14:30:00.004-06:00

I love giving away things as much as I love getting things for free. My good friend Scott Tousignant, aka "The Fit Bastard" is in a really great mood (the secret is that he's always in a great mood) and he wants to give away his products to one lucky winner.

Recently Scott and his wife Angie went through a transformation of their own and both achieved 6 Pack Abs. They used the methods that he teaches in his Fit Chic and Fit bastard workouts along with a good sensible eating program.

As a result their lives have changed dramatically...

This is Scott before he started his transformation

Before

And this is he and his wife after their fitness program was complete.

After

As he says, their lives changed dramatically….

They're relationship has risen to a new level, they can keep up with their 2 young children, their business has grown, their confidence has skyrocketed, and they have an overwhelming zest for life.

The best part...

They are willing to do whatever it takes so you can experience these same wonderful feelings and emotions that they are going through.

As a friend and follower of my website, you have the opportunity to win all 3 of the incredible fat-loss products that Scott & Angie used to achieve 6 Pack Abs.


The Fit Chic	The Fit Bastard	Unstoppable Fat Loss

I am proud to be a part of Scott’s fat loss motivational interview series Unstoppable Fat Loss along with 20 other fat loss experts.

… I’m equally proud to be able to select you from the contestants of the Big Give to give all 3 of these incredible fat loss products to.

Enter The Big Give Health Challenge and share your story at the bottom of the blog post.

Scott and I are quite clear that people of passion deserve to be rewarded for that passion.

Tell us exactly why we should give you the 3 package deal in as much detail as possible. What would it mean to you to be in the best shape of your life, to learn the fitness skills that you can keep for a lifetime and to be motivated by 21 fat loss experts so that you want to jump out of bed each morning to start your day full of energy and zest for life!

I know Scott personally and invited him to be a contributing author for my blog. We’ve come to know one another very well and I don’t think I know anyone more passionate about helping others succeed.

Chosen as the winner, you will be blown away at the service Scott provides. He’s a true example of under promise and over deliver!

Go to the Obliterate Obesity Big Give Health Challenge right now, enter your comment at the bottom of the post for your chance at winning. Be as passionate as possible in describing why we should pick you.

Contest closes Sunday April 27th at midnight. Scott and I will be choosing a winner Monday morning.

Good luck!

Fat Man Unleashed - An Interview with Israel

2008-04-22T13:35:00.007-06:00

In his best shape, a few years ago, Israel Lagares stood 6 feet tall and weighed a muscular 235 pounds. Israel enjoyed living the fit life, working out and turning food into muscle. A few years later, having fallen off the fitness wagon and tending to not so healthy foods, he put on some weight and ballooned up to 348 pounds.

Out of shape and wanting to turn his life around, Israel launched his weight loss blog Fat Man Unleashed, in May of 2007 to chronicle the weight loss challenge that lay ahead of him.

In this first part of a three part interview, I ask Israel about the fitness routine that he's following to get him to his goal. In the following two weeks, we'll also discuss his nutritional approach and then finish up with the mental aspect.

Israel, or "Fat Man" as he likes to call himself, is a 27 year old man from Tampa Florida.

Hi Israel, thanks for doing the interview. Lets start with your goals shall we? What is your current fitness or exercise goal?

Thanks Rob, glad to be here. My immediate goal is to get to 265 lbs. while maintaining my strength and muscularity.

What methods are you using to achieve your goal?

I am on a healthy diet, weight training intensely, and performing cardiovascular exercises regularly.

Describe the exercise program you're following to achieve your goal

I do cardio 7 days a week, alternating starting my mornings with a HIIT session or a stationary bike session. I then follow that up later in the day with another cardio bike session. My HIIT sessions are short and intense, no more than 30 minutes, and my stationary bike sessions are from 45 minutes to an hour while I catch up on some television or movies. I also make an effort to be more active than usual, i.e. go for long walks and play at the park with the family.

I also strength train every other day on the days that I don't perform a HIIT session. Lately I have been focusing on compound, multi joint exercises that develop my large muscle groups. I have temporarily eliminated any single joint movements, such as arm curls. My lifting sessions are short, 30 minutes or less, and are heavily focuses around squatting and deadlifting.

Brilliant - going for the big muscle groups first. Is this a year round exercise program?

No, it is not. It's just a program I put together to help achieve my current goal.

What was your exercise program like prior to setting this current goal?

My previous exercise routine did not include as much cardio and did not focus solely on compound movements.

What results are you expecting from this exercise program?

I expect to lose a lot of fat while maintaining muscle mass. I'm also expecting to maintain my endurance and strength.

When do you expect to reach your goal?

I should reach my goal towards the end of June.

Do you have a reward for reaching your goal? What is it?

Nothing really besides going to the beach with my shirt off and telling friends about it. lol.

Nice. Which is more important - Weight training or cardiovascular training in a weight loss / fat loss program?

I'm no expert, but I would say both are equally as important. They still come in second to your diet.

How often do you change your exercise program?

I usually tweak my routines every 6 to 9 weeks.

Do you allow for down time at all? Recovery time?

I'll have plenty of recovery time when I die. Just kidding, I do. It's very important for your body to recover from all of the punishment it gets. Sleep is crucial!

Yes, sleep is critical. What do you do if you simply do not want to go to the gym on a given day?

I have the luxury of working out at home. I have a gym set up in my backyard with all of my equipment, so I have no excuses to not train. If I felt like not working out I would convince myself to go for just 10 minutes and leave. This usually works because 10 minutes was enough to get me going and wanting to stay and finish up my session.

Really? a backyard gym. I'd love to see a picture of it and share it with my readers.

Subscribe to my blog posts using the form below to read the upcoming parts of the interview series with Israel Lagares. Next week I'll ask him about his diet and then finish up with his mental approach.

For more information on this blogger, visit his healthy weigh loss website Fat Man Unleashed. Aside from blogging, Israel is the editor of the brand new health news website dedicated to health and health topics, Health Ranker.

Four Doctors of Health and Fitness

2008-04-17T19:53:00.002-06:00

Found this Paul Chek video via fight geek. I love his position on what to look for in a doctor. No better words have been spoken on the topic.

The Four Doctors

Weight Loss Interviews - Steve

2008-04-16T14:19:00.004-06:00

Steve was 160 pounds when he graduated from high school and entered the Navy but years later, at 38 and being married for almost 13 years, he broke the 200 pound mark topping out at 212. Steve says he started burn the fat, feed the muscle on my recommendation and dropped 25 pounds. A knee injury a few months later stopped him in his tracks and the weight began to creep back on.

He started blogging about his journey on the website No More Fat Dad, and says his turning point was in 2005 when he overheard one of his young sons friends say "Your dad’s fat!"

After dropping 21 pounds in the past 11 weeks, he's on a mission to pass the Navy SEAL fitness challenge.

Steve, aka No More Fat Dad, is a 38 year old sales engineer for a small company that sells Google Enterprise solutions to the U.S. Federal Government and hails from Cleveland, Ohio.

Thanks for taking the time to do the interview Steve. I'm glad I had an impact on you - it's why I run the site here. I know you're married, so tell me a little about your wife.

I'm lucky to be married to Christine, the best wife ever. Nobody else would put up with me as much as she does. We've been married for 12, going on 13 years.

Awesome. I'm lucky enough to be blessed with a very good woman too. What about the kids?

As if having the best wife wasn't enough of a blessing, I have two great young boys. Zach is 8 and Alex is 6. They enjoy all types of sports, playing tag, riding their bikes and scooters, Pokemon (ugh!) and reading and their Nintendo DS'.

Tell me more about why you started your weight loss program. Did you have a specific reason to start?

Several actually, but two that are the most important to me.

A few years back, 2005 I think it was, I knew I was overweight. I topped out at 212 pounds and decided to do something about it. Your site was one of the first I came across and your story was very inspirational. You also led me to Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle and that helped me drop around 25 pounds.

Unfortunately, I hurt my knees on a trampoline (that's when I realized I'm not 18 anymore) and was unable to keep running, which was my main cardio workout. I tend to be an "all or nothing" kind of guy, so when I couldn't run anymore, I gave up all together.

Fast forward a few years. I put back on the weight I'd lost and was now at 208. This past fall, during my boy's flag football season, I was messing around with the kids and one of them told Zach "you're dad's fat"! That absolutely floored me. I'd never been called fat in my life. Heck, when I joined the Navy, I was 160 pounds and I'm 5' 11".

That comment made me re-evaluate my health and fitness. I didn't want to be known as the fat dad and I'm sure my son's didn't want to hear me getting called names like that. I knew it was time to do something, but with the holidays coming, I decided to wait until the new year.

The second reason is because I haven't slept with my wife for the better part of 5 years. I found out that when I hit 190-192 on the scale, I snore every night. And when I say snore, I mean bring the house down snore. Not only do I snore on my back, I snore on my side, front, no matter the position I'm in, I snore. Christine wasn't able to get any sleep and with her being a stay-at-home mother, she really needed it. So I've been relegated to the guest room these past 5 years.

I finally realized that our "arrangement" wasn't too good for our marriage. We're like all the typical couples, we have our ups and our downs. But not sleeping together really changes the dynamics. It's more like we're live in friends with benefits than husband and wife. I wanted to be husband and wife again.

What was your starting weight and your current weight?

This time around, my starting weight was 208 pounds. Currently I'm at 187 for a total loss so far of 21 pounds in 11 weeks.

21 pounds in 11 weeks - Congratulations, well done. Do you have a weight loss goal? Is it a weight number or body fat number you're shooting for?

I have a few goals, both mini-goals and ultimate goals. My weight goal is 180 pounds, but I'm re-evaluating that right now. Since I'm just 7 pounds a way, I can see in the mirror that I can stand to lose more so I'm going to adjust that down to 170.

I typically set mini-goals at the 5 pound marks. So right now, I'm at 187, my mini-goal is 185. After that, my mini-goal is 180. It's a lot easier to focus on the smaller goals that ultimately get you to the big goals.

Just this past week, I put down a body fat percentage goal of 20%. That's my current goal, with my ultimate goal being 15%. When I get there, I may want to get leaner, but I'm pretty sure that's the leanest I've ever been in my adult life so I'll be extremely happy with that.

My final goal is to fit back into size 32 jeans. It was pretty embarrassing to have a waist size that is 20% bigger than the length of my pants. As of yesterday, I'm comfortably in 34s and when I started, I was busting out of my 36's (I refused to buy 38s).

Nice goals. I like the idea of mini goals that you're setting. Instead of looking at the "big picture" and being overwhelmed with 50 pounds to lose, shoot for 5 pounds at a time. Awesome stuff. What sort of exercise program are you following?

I started off with the Men's Health Belly Off program. It's kind of funny, in December I received a copy of Men's Health in the mail. I hadn't subscribed, and nobody I know admitted to subscribing me, but I'm glad I got it. That issue had a short mention of the Belly Off program. Since I knew I was going to start something at the beginning of the year, I decided to check it out.

I loved it! Short workouts that relied on body weight and just a few pieces of simple equipment (fit ball, chinup bar) that I could do at home. I signed up, printed off the materials and got started on January 8th.

The Belly Off program is 8 weeks long. As I was nearing the end of the 8 weeks, I started looking for something else. Since I'm no fitness expert, I knew I couldn't do it on my own. I needed a plan like Belly Off.

The creator of Belly Off, Craig Ballantyne, has another program called Turbulence Training. I decided to stick with what was working and downloaded Turbulence Training which I've been doing since the beginning of March.

I'm in the process of interviewing Craig Ballantyne right now. Excellent program, that Turbulence Training. Tell me more about your experience with Turbulence Training.

You could say I'm a gym rat now. I'm in the gym 4-5 times a week. But the beauty of Turbulence Training is that I'm only there for an hour at the most each time. All told, I spend 5 hours a week in the gym.

Three days a week I do resistance training and then interval training. Once a week I'm in the pool swimming laps getting ready for the Navy SEAL Fitness Challenge in May. If I'm feeling like I need some extra work, I'll throw in one extra interval session for the week.

What's y our favorite exercise?

I really enjoy the swimming. Having been born in Miami and growing up on the water, I was always a strong swimmer. After years of being out of the water, it's been fun getting back into the water on a regular basis.

Out of the exercises I do for resistance training, I'd have to say pullups are my favorite. Simply because, when I started I couldn't do a single one. Over the past 11 weeks I've been able to build up my strength to the point that I can do 5. I love the challenge of trying to improve on something I wasn't able to do at all before.

Oh I know how that is - I love seeing the progression of strength - to be able to lift something that you couldn't before, to be able to do more pushups than when you started, it's awesome. When I began back in 1990 I could only do 3 pushups and I had to do them incline on the stairs. Are there any obstacles you had to overcome to begin exercising / keep exercising?

In the beginning it was all mental. I had to overcome the lazy habits I'd developed over the years. It was a struggle to wake up in the mornings to go do my intervals. Or I would make excuses for not getting the bodyweight workouts in at night. It was all an internal mental battle.

But over time, that changed. So much so, that if I couldn't get a planned workout in when I wanted, I'd get grumpy and feel miserable. After overcoming the mental obstacles, I looked forward to working out and started seeking new challenges.

What is your goal in regards to exercising?

Obviously, this is a lifestyle not a short term program. Keeping that in mind, I've been looking for challenges to keep me motivated to stay healthy.

For example, I've signed up for the Navy SEAL Fitness Challenge taking place in May. To pass the challenge you have to complete the following test;

500M swim (breast stroke or side stroke) in 12:00 minutes or less
40 pushups (or more) in 2:00 minutes
40 situps (or more) in 2:00 minutes
6 pullups (no time limit)
1.5 mile run in 12:00 minutes or less

I figure if I can pass that, I'm in good shape. And, it's a great reason for me to keep going. I don't want to get to the challenge and embarrass myself and it would be fun to do better than some of the kids trying it.

I'm also doing a triathlon sprint this summer. It's just one more event that will keep me motivated.

That's my plan for staying in shape. Constantly seek out new challenges that will push me to stay fit and get better all the time.

Great goals - I wish you the best of luck with the SEAL fitness Challenge. Be sure to let us know how that goes. What sort of nutrition program are you following?

None really. At least not any book type of plan.

In the past, I'd obsess over each calorie, measuring out everything. I kept track of everything I ate and worried all the time. That was just too much for me and I couldn't sustain it.

This time around, I decided to count calories for the first few weeks to get a baseline. Once I had that, I was able to figure out what I could eat for my meals and snacks and I've stuck with that.

My basic approach has been to eliminate all the processed foods, the junk food, the sugars and the sodas. I've replaced all that with whole natural foods, lots of fruits and veggies. One of the immediate benefits I noticed was that my sweet cravings (I'm a HUGE chocoholic) were gone within a week.

When I eat out or I'm in a situation where I don't control what I'm eating or how much is put on my plate, I just rely on portion control.

What is one of the cardinal rules of nutrition that you have learned, always follow or never break?

Dump the sodas & drink lots of water! I went cold turkey on January 1 and it's made a huge difference. It was nothing for me to go through a 6 pack a day (with no water), and there was usually a twinkie or a little debbie or a chocolate bar going down with each one of those sodas. That is the one food item I do not allow myself to have any more.

Do you have a food tip that you'd like to share?

Sure. Have fun with your food. I was a picky eater vowing I'd never eat "rabbit food" (aka salads). The only veggies I'd touch were beans, peas and corn.

Living this new lifestyle required me to get adventurous with my food. I've since learned that I love avocados, spinach, salads, mangoes, carrots, figs and a lot more. Each time I go to the store, I look for something new to try out from the fruit and veggie isle. I've discovered a whole new world and it's made eating a lot more fun since I'm not having the same old thing day in and day out.

Nice. Greens are good! Do you allow for a reward meal? A reward day?

Not really. I don't feel like I'm depriving myself of anything so I don't think I need to have a reward meal/day.

The one indulgence I do allow myself when I reach a goal or after being good for a few days is a square or two of dark chocolate. As I mentioned before, I'm a chocoholic. One of the lessons I've learned is that just one or two small squares of dark chocolate is enough to satisfy me, I don't need the entire bar or bag to enjoy it.

How important do you regard proper rest and sleep in your weight loss program?

Rest and sleep are very important to me. Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night allows your body to release chemicals that help in weight loss and muscle building. If you get any less, your body will release stress hormones which can sabotage your weight loss. I'd rather work with my body than against it.

What sort of nutritional supplements do you use?

Not a single one. Besides being cheap, I just don't think they work. If they did, we wouldn't have this obesity epidemic going on while the supplement industry continues to set revenue records. Everyone taking the supplements would be fit and slim and the companies pushing them wouldn't have any more customers. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I think the pharma companies, and others, are in this for themselves, not to help me or anyone else truly get in shape.

Why did you start blogging your journey at www.nomorefatdad.com?

My original goal of www.nomorefatdad.com was to share my experiences doing the Belly Off program with everyone else on the program. I figured if I was going through something, others were too and it may help them to know they're not alone. It was also a way for me to share my success with them so they could see that the program works.

Obviously, this put pressure on me to keep going because I couldn't live with myself if I just gave up with others watching. So it was great for accountability. Once I started getting some readers and feedback it made me want to keep going and do the best I could.

It turns out, what I started for the purpose of helping others ended up helping me. I've received quite a few messages and comments telling me how motivational I am. ME! That's very humbling to have others say you've motivated them and I'm happy I could do something for them. I never thought of it that way, but just knowing I was motivating even one other person really made the blog worth it and pushed me to succeed.

I've also received great feedback when I needed help. The power of the web community is amazing and I'm always very appreciative when someone offers advice. Thank you to all the NMFD readers and people who comment, I owe a lot to each and every one of you.

If you had any advice to anyone who's considering starting a weight loss journey, or someone who knows they should start but haven't yet, what would you say?

Stop thinking, start doing and realize it will be hard work.

A favorite quote of mine is "To have more, you must first be more", written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. That quote sits on my desk and stares at me every day. To me it means, if you want to be fit or in shape you have to put in the hard work. Nothing comes easy and nothing is handed to you. You have to go out and get it. When you've put in the work and you've given it everything, you'll eventually become the person you want to be, you'll be "more".

Awesome Steve, thanks for all the insight into your new lifestyle. Thanks also for the heads up on the Navy SEAL fitness challenge - I'll have a longer look at it in the future.

For more information on what was discussed here in the interview, check out my interview with Turbulence Training author Craig Ballantyne, the Navy SEAL fitness challenge and Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto. Steve's exercise program this time around was inspired by his participation in the Mens Health Belly Off Program.

My last weight loss blogger interview was with Andrew Scott, another blogger doing Turbulence Training.

Fuhrman's Eat For Health

2008-04-10T22:08:00.004-06:00

Dr Joel fuhrman has a new 2 set book out entitled "Eat For Health" available at Amazon for $46. It's a two book set, part one being about the mind makeover and part two being the body makeover. His first book Eat To Live is a fantastic read that I recommend to anyone.

I'm looking forward to the new two book set and have it in my shopping cart right now.

Tonja R. Nansel, PhD has this to say about Eat For Health:

Dr. Fuhrman's nutritional prescription is a greatly-needed antidote to the US way of eating which has become a leading cause of disease and premature death. Despite all the sophisticated medical technology available today, the sobering truth is that the greatest tools for preventing and reversing disease are your fork and spoon. This way of eating will greatly benefit those in poor health as well as healthy persons desiring optimal wellness and vitality. Further, unlike most weight-loss approaches based on will-power and difficult to sustain, Dr. Fuhrman's approach corrects the underlying causes of excessive hunger and cravings, resulting in permanent, naturally-occurring weight loss. I have had the privilege of personally seeing the tremendous disease reversal that occurs with this way of eating, and whole-heartedly recommend this book.

New Photos of My Cats

2008-04-10T19:36:00.003-06:00

Darlene was able to get some shots of my cats today. They're 14 and 15 (I think) and I want to get some photos done sooner rather than later.

The orange cat is Pumpkin and the black one is Boo. They're my Halloween cats.

I like dogs too, but they're much more responsibility. Cats take care of themselves while Dogs require "supervision". Looking for a dog? here's a Dog for Sale