It has been a couple of months since I posted to my blog. Two shows a day and raising kids takes most of my time during the Season. I've had a good summer, though. Clyde and I walked almost every day of the two show days, one mile between shows, and logged around 70 miles. My book is selling very well at The Comedy Barn Theater, and reports are coming in from folks who have read it and are now losing weight.
I'm back in the saddle now. I'll be writing a great deal more now that I have a few more hours in the day. I'll be keeping up on the newest research in health and wellness and reporting on those things here. I will also continue to keep you updated on my progress. As for now, I'm still maintaining in the 210's. 215.3 this morning.
If you have purchased my book, Thank you very much. If you haven't, What are you waiting for?
www.fatsnotfunny.com Also available on Amazon Kindle.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
It All Adds Up
We are doing two shows a day at The Comedy Barn Theater now. Summer is one of our busiest times of the year. From the first of June to the third week of August we do two and sometimes three shows a day. It's a grind, but lets be honest, it's not nearly as hard as the farm work I used to do. I've worked much harder. As a matter of fact, it's a fairly sedentary existence.
Over the last week I've been walking between shows with my friend, Clyde Foley Cummins, who plays keyboard, guitar, mandolin, trumpet and harmonica (among other instruments) in the show. We picked a spot a half mile down the parkway and started walking there and back at a brisk 4 mile an hour pace during the fifteen minute break we have between handing out the videos of the first show and beginning seating for the second show. It takes us exactly 15 minutes to make the one mile walk and by the time we get back to the barn we are pumped and ready to meet the next crowd.
As we walked yesterday we were talking about the amount of calories we were burning. I told Clyde that, according to MyFitnessPal, I was burning approximately 125 calories on each of our walks. Being about 25 pounds lighter than me, he is burning less. He said, "Is that all?"
Its very easy to look at things like that. "Is that all?" You might say that as you eat a candy bar with 235 calories. "Hmm, is that all?" But little things add up, especially when they become habitual. Regularly snacking on the same candy bar can become a chronic problem. If you eat that same candy bar even three times a week you can add as much as 15 pounds to your weight in the course of a year.
Lets look at the walks Clyde and I are taking. If I walk 15 minutes a day at 4 miles an hour and burn 125 calories each time I do it, that adds up to 45,625 calories over the course of a year. 3500 calories is a pound. Burn 3500 calories and you lose a pound, eat 3500 calories and you gain a pound. So, that 45,625 calories equates to slightly over 13 pounds. If I keep up the daily walk for a year I should be at least 13 pounds lighter by this time next year. If I take a 30 minute walk every other day I will accomplish the same thing.
How do you eat an elephant?
One bite at a time. Little things add up.
Over the last week I've been walking between shows with my friend, Clyde Foley Cummins, who plays keyboard, guitar, mandolin, trumpet and harmonica (among other instruments) in the show. We picked a spot a half mile down the parkway and started walking there and back at a brisk 4 mile an hour pace during the fifteen minute break we have between handing out the videos of the first show and beginning seating for the second show. It takes us exactly 15 minutes to make the one mile walk and by the time we get back to the barn we are pumped and ready to meet the next crowd.
As we walked yesterday we were talking about the amount of calories we were burning. I told Clyde that, according to MyFitnessPal, I was burning approximately 125 calories on each of our walks. Being about 25 pounds lighter than me, he is burning less. He said, "Is that all?"
Its very easy to look at things like that. "Is that all?" You might say that as you eat a candy bar with 235 calories. "Hmm, is that all?" But little things add up, especially when they become habitual. Regularly snacking on the same candy bar can become a chronic problem. If you eat that same candy bar even three times a week you can add as much as 15 pounds to your weight in the course of a year.
Lets look at the walks Clyde and I are taking. If I walk 15 minutes a day at 4 miles an hour and burn 125 calories each time I do it, that adds up to 45,625 calories over the course of a year. 3500 calories is a pound. Burn 3500 calories and you lose a pound, eat 3500 calories and you gain a pound. So, that 45,625 calories equates to slightly over 13 pounds. If I keep up the daily walk for a year I should be at least 13 pounds lighter by this time next year. If I take a 30 minute walk every other day I will accomplish the same thing.
How do you eat an elephant?
One bite at a time. Little things add up.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Hold the Cheese
Recently on the Doctor Oz show, he discussed how little things can add up to a big difference when it comes to your food choices. Licking the knife after making a peanut butter sandwich can add enough calories to put an extra pound on you over the course of a year.
One thing I have started trying is laying off the cheese. If you add cheese to your sandwich or burger you are adding between and 80 and 160 calories, depending on the type and amount of cheese. Americans eat, on average, 193 sandwiches a year. Just going with the 80 calorie assumption, that's 15,440 calories in cheese each year. In case you are wondering, 3500 calories is equal to a pound. If you eat that much extra calories you will gain a pound, if you exercise that much, you lose a pound, generally speaking. So, by holding the cheese, you can lose an extra 4.4 pounds each year.
Give it a try. I'll bet you won't miss it too much, but you'll feel better when you lose those extra 4 pounds. Get creative and find other places in your food choices where you can make small changes that add up to a big difference annually.
One thing I have started trying is laying off the cheese. If you add cheese to your sandwich or burger you are adding between and 80 and 160 calories, depending on the type and amount of cheese. Americans eat, on average, 193 sandwiches a year. Just going with the 80 calorie assumption, that's 15,440 calories in cheese each year. In case you are wondering, 3500 calories is equal to a pound. If you eat that much extra calories you will gain a pound, if you exercise that much, you lose a pound, generally speaking. So, by holding the cheese, you can lose an extra 4.4 pounds each year.
Give it a try. I'll bet you won't miss it too much, but you'll feel better when you lose those extra 4 pounds. Get creative and find other places in your food choices where you can make small changes that add up to a big difference annually.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Free Sample of My Book
Those who have read or listened to the book have been very enthusiastic. I've had more than one person tell me that they couldn't put it down. That's great to hear. Even better, the people who have read have kick-started their weight loss again. Tom Vorjohan, who wrote the Foreword to the book, has lost 8 pounds in the last month since proof-reading it.
So, with all that in mind, here's a free sample of the book. I hope that, after listening to the sample, you want to read the rest.
www.fatsnotfunny.com/sample
You can order the book from there, and there is a link as well to the Kindle page. Those of you who took advantage of the pre-publication special, your books will be shipping within the week. Thank you all for your patience, I'm just waiting for the arrival of the audio books.
So, with all that in mind, here's a free sample of the book. I hope that, after listening to the sample, you want to read the rest.
www.fatsnotfunny.com/sample
You can order the book from there, and there is a link as well to the Kindle page. Those of you who took advantage of the pre-publication special, your books will be shipping within the week. Thank you all for your patience, I'm just waiting for the arrival of the audio books.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Celebrate Your Victories
Success comes in small bites. Its easy to get side-tracked and think you aren't a success because you haven't hit your ultimate goal. Remember, every day you stay focused on your goals, both short and long term, is a victory. Every right choice you make and every wrong choice you avoid, all of these are successes.
Celebrate your successes. Pat yourself on the back. Send me a message and tell me about it, I'll be happy to pat your back. Atta-boys and Atta-girls are important fuel for the fire. If you don't have a cheerleader, find one. Facebook is a good place for that. Join a social group for weight loss. My group is Weight Loss and Healthy Living. Its a great group, administered by Dee Sholly Dick and its a great place to get encouragement. Share your successes and there will be several people there happy to celebrate with you.
Its also important to celebrate appropriately. If you goal is weight loss, its probably not a good idea to celebrate with a big meal or a huge dessert. Buy yourself a new outfit when you go down a size. Take yourself on a nice vacation, show off that new beach body.
I recently hit the milestone of having lost 30% of my body weight. I bought myself a present.
Celebrate your successes. Pat yourself on the back. Send me a message and tell me about it, I'll be happy to pat your back. Atta-boys and Atta-girls are important fuel for the fire. If you don't have a cheerleader, find one. Facebook is a good place for that. Join a social group for weight loss. My group is Weight Loss and Healthy Living. Its a great group, administered by Dee Sholly Dick and its a great place to get encouragement. Share your successes and there will be several people there happy to celebrate with you.
Its also important to celebrate appropriately. If you goal is weight loss, its probably not a good idea to celebrate with a big meal or a huge dessert. Buy yourself a new outfit when you go down a size. Take yourself on a nice vacation, show off that new beach body.
I recently hit the milestone of having lost 30% of my body weight. I bought myself a present.
As you can see from the smile on my face, I feel good.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
I used to could
Those are the words you will here when old guys sit and talk about the good old days.
"Bob, can you run a mile?"
"Well, I used to could."
I've never been one to relive the glory days. In most cases, they weren't that glorious to begin with. Besides, looking back takes our focus away from where it should be, where we are today and where we hope to be tomorrow.
Before I lost the weight there were many things I could not do that I once could. Wear smaller clothes is one thing, but physically I was very limited on how far I could walk, how long I could stand, how well I could breathe.
I've studied the martial arts for the last 27 years, but in the last few years my skills were showing the effects of the excess weight. I could still do some pretty incredible things, especially for a man as large as I was, but I was limited on the techniques I could do because of the stress they put on my joints. I have lost the equivalent of two large bags of dog food and one small bag. I can barely even pick up a dumbbell that weighs 85 lbs, yet I used to carry the same amount of weight around with me all the time.
The good old days are now. I'm in the best shape I have ever been in, and I don't have any plans or desire to go back. I no longer glory in the things I used to be able to do, I now revel in the things that I've never been able to do before. I'm the lightest I have been since Junior High School, and my technique never looked as good as it does now.
There is one thing I have found that I used to be able to do that I just can't do any more.
I used to be able to finish a basket of onion rings this size by myself. My wife and I both ate all we wanted from this and it still looks full!
If you are carrying extra weight and letting it limit you and your mobility, don't! Do something about it today. Every choice you make is a step in the right direction. Free the thinner you inside and see what you are capable of. I know you can do it!
"Bob, can you run a mile?"
"Well, I used to could."
I've never been one to relive the glory days. In most cases, they weren't that glorious to begin with. Besides, looking back takes our focus away from where it should be, where we are today and where we hope to be tomorrow.
Before I lost the weight there were many things I could not do that I once could. Wear smaller clothes is one thing, but physically I was very limited on how far I could walk, how long I could stand, how well I could breathe.
I've studied the martial arts for the last 27 years, but in the last few years my skills were showing the effects of the excess weight. I could still do some pretty incredible things, especially for a man as large as I was, but I was limited on the techniques I could do because of the stress they put on my joints. I have lost the equivalent of two large bags of dog food and one small bag. I can barely even pick up a dumbbell that weighs 85 lbs, yet I used to carry the same amount of weight around with me all the time.
The good old days are now. I'm in the best shape I have ever been in, and I don't have any plans or desire to go back. I no longer glory in the things I used to be able to do, I now revel in the things that I've never been able to do before. I'm the lightest I have been since Junior High School, and my technique never looked as good as it does now.
There is one thing I have found that I used to be able to do that I just can't do any more.
If you are carrying extra weight and letting it limit you and your mobility, don't! Do something about it today. Every choice you make is a step in the right direction. Free the thinner you inside and see what you are capable of. I know you can do it!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Persistence
As of today I have logged onto the calorie counting app MyFitnessPal for 425 days without missing a day logging my food. I'm sure I've missed a morsel or two in my cataloging, but for the most part I have charted most every bite that has gone in my mouth for the last 14 months. That has been the one of the keys to my success.
I have been asked what the secret to my persistence is. Many of my friends have been using the same app and we are linked as friends so we can check up on each other's progress and encourage one another. I will get a notice from time to time that one of my friends hasn't logged on in a few days and the app will suggest that I contact them and encourage them.
But why haven't I missed a day? Do I have an iron will? Am I more dedicated than the next person? Do I have a secret? The answers to these questions are respectively: I don't know. No. No. No.
To me, MyFitnessPal is like a game. I enjoy the process of logging my food and exercise and trying to balance it like a checkbook (something I was never very good at, but thankfully, my wife is.) I like calculating what I've eaten and figuring out how much I still can eat. Also, I'm just one of those people who has a hard time breaking a streak. If I've done something that many days in a row, I just don't want to stop. I once kept a diary every single day for five years. It really hurt when I stopped, but for some reason, I just didn't pick it back up. I don't want MyFitnessPal to be the same way. Not, at least, until it has served its ultimate purpose in my life; making healthy eating second nature.
In thinking about this question, though, I have tried to come up with a list of things to keep in mind when trying to stay diligent.
1. Be honest. I think one of the reasons people stop recording is, they don't want to log the ice cream and cake they ate at the party, or they don't want to see on the screen the fact that they went 1000 calories over for the day. Not logging the info doesn't make it go away. Commit to being honest with MyFitnessPal and yourself. Did I have over days? You bet. Several. Its not about the individual day. Its about changing life-long patterns. You will slip and fall sometimes. Pick yourself up and get back after it.
2. Use MyFitnessPal on every device you have. The app is available on iPad and on cell phones. It's also available on the internet at www.myfitnesspal.com. If you can't get to any of those devices, write down what you eat and go back later to fill it in. The more readily available the app is, the more likely you are to use it.
3. Pre-plan your day. I very often know what I'm eating for lunch or dinner, so I will enter them before I start my day. Sometimes I have to make subtle adjustments, but that's ok. Doing this gives me a really clear idea of the snacks I can allow myself throughout the day and keeps me from getting to dinner time with very few calories left. If you are pressed for time during the day, logging your food in advance can really save you time.
4. To Quote Nike: Just Do It! It really is just that easy. Commit to yourself and your friends on the app that you will log in every day. Forgive yourself when you fail, but focus on the future and keep moving forward.
I hope this helps, and I hope to see all of you on MyFitnessPal. My member name is steknow. If we aren't already friends on there, feel free to send me a friend request.
I have been asked what the secret to my persistence is. Many of my friends have been using the same app and we are linked as friends so we can check up on each other's progress and encourage one another. I will get a notice from time to time that one of my friends hasn't logged on in a few days and the app will suggest that I contact them and encourage them.
But why haven't I missed a day? Do I have an iron will? Am I more dedicated than the next person? Do I have a secret? The answers to these questions are respectively: I don't know. No. No. No.
To me, MyFitnessPal is like a game. I enjoy the process of logging my food and exercise and trying to balance it like a checkbook (something I was never very good at, but thankfully, my wife is.) I like calculating what I've eaten and figuring out how much I still can eat. Also, I'm just one of those people who has a hard time breaking a streak. If I've done something that many days in a row, I just don't want to stop. I once kept a diary every single day for five years. It really hurt when I stopped, but for some reason, I just didn't pick it back up. I don't want MyFitnessPal to be the same way. Not, at least, until it has served its ultimate purpose in my life; making healthy eating second nature.
In thinking about this question, though, I have tried to come up with a list of things to keep in mind when trying to stay diligent.
1. Be honest. I think one of the reasons people stop recording is, they don't want to log the ice cream and cake they ate at the party, or they don't want to see on the screen the fact that they went 1000 calories over for the day. Not logging the info doesn't make it go away. Commit to being honest with MyFitnessPal and yourself. Did I have over days? You bet. Several. Its not about the individual day. Its about changing life-long patterns. You will slip and fall sometimes. Pick yourself up and get back after it.
2. Use MyFitnessPal on every device you have. The app is available on iPad and on cell phones. It's also available on the internet at www.myfitnesspal.com. If you can't get to any of those devices, write down what you eat and go back later to fill it in. The more readily available the app is, the more likely you are to use it.
3. Pre-plan your day. I very often know what I'm eating for lunch or dinner, so I will enter them before I start my day. Sometimes I have to make subtle adjustments, but that's ok. Doing this gives me a really clear idea of the snacks I can allow myself throughout the day and keeps me from getting to dinner time with very few calories left. If you are pressed for time during the day, logging your food in advance can really save you time.
4. To Quote Nike: Just Do It! It really is just that easy. Commit to yourself and your friends on the app that you will log in every day. Forgive yourself when you fail, but focus on the future and keep moving forward.
I hope this helps, and I hope to see all of you on MyFitnessPal. My member name is steknow. If we aren't already friends on there, feel free to send me a friend request.
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