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.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Man of few words
A recent TV commercial made me laugh, and think. A young woman says, "I read an article online - well, I read most of an article online..."
It has been pointed out that my blog entries tend to be on the short side. There is a very good reason for this. I have a very short attention span, and I don't think I'm alone. Whenever I pull up anything online to read and I have to scroll through more than two pages, my eyes glaze over. It stops feeling like interesting information and starts to feel like homework.
I would rather condense my thoughts here to something you can read in a few moments and hopefully take something valuable away with you. If my posts tend to be too long, I'm afraid you might stop visiting. You'll see my post on Facebook and think, "Long-winded Knowles is at it again. No way I'm clicking over there to read War and Peace again." I'd rather you think, "I have a minute, let's see what Stephen has to say today.
So that's why these posts are short. Leave me some feedback on Facebook and let me know what you think. If you'd like more, I'll try to write more. If you appreciate the Nuggets of Wisdom format, I'd love to hear from you, too.
It has been pointed out that my blog entries tend to be on the short side. There is a very good reason for this. I have a very short attention span, and I don't think I'm alone. Whenever I pull up anything online to read and I have to scroll through more than two pages, my eyes glaze over. It stops feeling like interesting information and starts to feel like homework.
I would rather condense my thoughts here to something you can read in a few moments and hopefully take something valuable away with you. If my posts tend to be too long, I'm afraid you might stop visiting. You'll see my post on Facebook and think, "Long-winded Knowles is at it again. No way I'm clicking over there to read War and Peace again." I'd rather you think, "I have a minute, let's see what Stephen has to say today.
So that's why these posts are short. Leave me some feedback on Facebook and let me know what you think. If you'd like more, I'll try to write more. If you appreciate the Nuggets of Wisdom format, I'd love to hear from you, too.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Kindling the fire
My good friend Tom Vorjohan wrote the Foreword for my new book and in it he used a word that struck me, "fervor." He was talking about my passion for weight loss and the way I attacked the goal and stuck with it. I decided to look the word up and see what it actually means. Like most people, I've heard the word used, but never really thought about what it meant.
Fervor means intense and passionate feeling. It comes from the Latin word fervere, which means to boil. That is an adequate description of how I felt as I lost the wait. I was on fire, I bubbled, I couldn't sit still. Like a boiling pot, I often let my enthusiasm spill over, telling anyone who would listen about how I was meeting my goals and how easy it was. I became imbued with a missionary passion for healthy living. I want everyone to share my excitement and to achieve their own goals.
Zig Ziglar said that the best way to get what you want out of life is to help as many other people as you can get what they want out of life. That's why I am writing this blog and why I've written my book. I hope to get you excited and help you along the way to a healthy lifestyle.
Now, about the Kindling the Fire part. I want to get you fired up, that's true, but the Kindle part is important, too. As of today, Fat's Not Funny is available on Amazon Kindle. If you have the e-reader and want to read my book right now before it comes out in print you can, for only $9.99. Just search for it by my name or the title, Fat's Not Funny.
Thanks to everyone who reads this blog and to all of you who have pre-purchased the paper version of the book. Keep reading the blog. I plan to share so much more as time goes by.
Live your dreams, and help others live theirs as well.
Fervor means intense and passionate feeling. It comes from the Latin word fervere, which means to boil. That is an adequate description of how I felt as I lost the wait. I was on fire, I bubbled, I couldn't sit still. Like a boiling pot, I often let my enthusiasm spill over, telling anyone who would listen about how I was meeting my goals and how easy it was. I became imbued with a missionary passion for healthy living. I want everyone to share my excitement and to achieve their own goals.
Zig Ziglar said that the best way to get what you want out of life is to help as many other people as you can get what they want out of life. That's why I am writing this blog and why I've written my book. I hope to get you excited and help you along the way to a healthy lifestyle.
Now, about the Kindling the Fire part. I want to get you fired up, that's true, but the Kindle part is important, too. As of today, Fat's Not Funny is available on Amazon Kindle. If you have the e-reader and want to read my book right now before it comes out in print you can, for only $9.99. Just search for it by my name or the title, Fat's Not Funny.
Thanks to everyone who reads this blog and to all of you who have pre-purchased the paper version of the book. Keep reading the blog. I plan to share so much more as time goes by.
Live your dreams, and help others live theirs as well.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Further validation
I don't really need a pat on the back for what I've accomplished. I feel better than I have in years, and the happiness I feel, the sense of accomplishment, is worth far more than a million "atta-boys."
That being said, it is very gratifying when I see an article on line that totally backs up everything I did to get where I am. The article in the link below highlights 10 fat fighting foods, and its funny to me to see how many of the foods were regular parts of my diet. I didn't eat much lentils, or kiwi, but I did eat some of both. The rest of the list were big parts of my diet.
I finished recording the audio book of Fat's Not Funny yesterday and will have it available within just a few days. The cover for the book is being designed today (I've already looked at one proof and made a few changes) and once it is done I will be ordering the first run of books and getting the book listed with Amazon to be available for Kindle readers. Thanks so much to all of you who have pre-ordered. If you've been thinking about it, there's still time to get in on the pre-publication deal.
Three people I do not know have ordered copies, too, so some of you have been sharing with your friends. Please continue to spread the word. Also, I've started the Facebook group Fat's Not Funny. Please join if you haven't already.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Better than anything I could write
The final hurdle for me is belly fat. People keep saying to me, "You've lost enough weight." I reply, "You haven't seen me with my shirt off." As I continue to work on my mid-section I've been doing a lot of reading online. This is one of the best articles I've read in a while.
http://shine.yahoo.com/vitality/25-ways-flatten-belly-summer-182700093.html
Also, don't forget to go on my website and pre-order my book. Thanks to all of you who already have!
www.fatsnotfunny.com
http://shine.yahoo.com/vitality/25-ways-flatten-belly-summer-182700093.html
Also, don't forget to go on my website and pre-order my book. Thanks to all of you who already have!
www.fatsnotfunny.com
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Snacks
Snacking is a way of life in America. We live to snack, when we are not living to eat heavy meals. Advertising bombards us with sweet snack cakes, salty chips and creamy filling on a daily basis, but we don't see many ads for apples. Of course, apples do have that nifty old saying about keeping health care workers at bay.
I have a radically changed my way of snacking in the last year. There are many things I just don't eat anymore, and many more that I have cut way, way back on. A few things I hadn't touched in years have also become my daily friends.
Candy is dandy, they say, but its also not the best choice for a snack on a regular basis. First of all, you have to eat over 300 calories of candy to really fill up, and those are sugar packed calories that shock your system, spike your insulin and leave you crashed a short while later. Do I eat candy? Sure, but only on occasion. It can't be an every day thing.
Fruit is a much better option. Its high in fiber, has friendly sugar for your system, is full of life-giving nutrients, and should be a daily choice. Nuts are also great, packed with beneficial fats and other nutrients. I eat one ounce of almonds almost every day.
I love hummus, which weighs in at a mere 50 calories a serving, but when you add pita or crackers or chips to the snack (which you have to, because hummus is way too strong to eat from a spoon) you end up eating over 300 calories. I suggest using fresh vegetables to dip instead. Celery, carrots, and pepper strips are all great, but my personal favorite is turnip. That's right, turnip. I peel it, then slice it into 1/8" chips which go great on the hummus. The entire turnip only has 35 calories on average, so with the 50 calories of hummus we are coming in under 100 calories for the very flavorful snack!
Get creative. Find ways to snack that are healthy and taste great. If you have any, please share them with me. I'm always eager to add more healthy variety to my diet.
Don't forget to check out my website www.fatsnotfunny.com to pre-order your copy of my book and to get the free bonuses.
I have a radically changed my way of snacking in the last year. There are many things I just don't eat anymore, and many more that I have cut way, way back on. A few things I hadn't touched in years have also become my daily friends.
Candy is dandy, they say, but its also not the best choice for a snack on a regular basis. First of all, you have to eat over 300 calories of candy to really fill up, and those are sugar packed calories that shock your system, spike your insulin and leave you crashed a short while later. Do I eat candy? Sure, but only on occasion. It can't be an every day thing.
Fruit is a much better option. Its high in fiber, has friendly sugar for your system, is full of life-giving nutrients, and should be a daily choice. Nuts are also great, packed with beneficial fats and other nutrients. I eat one ounce of almonds almost every day.
I love hummus, which weighs in at a mere 50 calories a serving, but when you add pita or crackers or chips to the snack (which you have to, because hummus is way too strong to eat from a spoon) you end up eating over 300 calories. I suggest using fresh vegetables to dip instead. Celery, carrots, and pepper strips are all great, but my personal favorite is turnip. That's right, turnip. I peel it, then slice it into 1/8" chips which go great on the hummus. The entire turnip only has 35 calories on average, so with the 50 calories of hummus we are coming in under 100 calories for the very flavorful snack!
Get creative. Find ways to snack that are healthy and taste great. If you have any, please share them with me. I'm always eager to add more healthy variety to my diet.
Don't forget to check out my website www.fatsnotfunny.com to pre-order your copy of my book and to get the free bonuses.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Launch day
It was 100 years ago today that the RMS Titanic set sail from Southhampton England bound on its way to New York. Of course, we all know how that ended. I'm hoping that my launch today has better luck.
I am proud to announce that my book, Fat's Not Funny, is entering the final stages before going to print. It will be printed and ready for sale before June 1, but I'm offering all my friends a special pre-publication deal. Check out my website, www.fatsnotfunny.com to find out more and to order the book. I also have a special deal for multiple copies of the book if you'd like to share it with your friends, and I have some really cool FREE bonuses for folks who order early.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Choices
I love the guy who comes on the Today show and talks about food choices. His name is David Zinczenko and he is the author of the Eat This, Not That series of books. If you haven't read them, you should. He shows how one meal in a restaurant might have 10,000 calories, while another option on the very same menu might have 300.
Knowledge is power, I've always heard it said, and I believe that is true. We are in a war folks, and its important that we know our enemy; poor nutrition. Find out what you are being offered and don't eat it if it's not consistent with a healthy lifestyle.
It is really a matter of choice. We choose to eat ice cream, or not. We choose how much ice cream to have. We choose what toppings we add and whether we lick the scoop when we are done. You must eat to live, that is true, but you must make healthy choices to live well. People often have a victim mentality when it comes to their weight, but the only one victimizing us is ourselves. No one has ever forced me to eat a donut. What kind of sick person would that be, anyway? Seriously, every donut I've ever eaten was my choice.
Today, I choose to eat in a manner that is consistent with the lifestyle I want to live. There are many great foods that I can eat. There are a many that I must eat in moderation, like one small scoop of ice cream, not a huge bowl. There are a few that I just can't eat at all.
Ultimately, it is my choice. It's your choice, too. How will you choose?
Knowledge is power, I've always heard it said, and I believe that is true. We are in a war folks, and its important that we know our enemy; poor nutrition. Find out what you are being offered and don't eat it if it's not consistent with a healthy lifestyle.
It is really a matter of choice. We choose to eat ice cream, or not. We choose how much ice cream to have. We choose what toppings we add and whether we lick the scoop when we are done. You must eat to live, that is true, but you must make healthy choices to live well. People often have a victim mentality when it comes to their weight, but the only one victimizing us is ourselves. No one has ever forced me to eat a donut. What kind of sick person would that be, anyway? Seriously, every donut I've ever eaten was my choice.
Today, I choose to eat in a manner that is consistent with the lifestyle I want to live. There are many great foods that I can eat. There are a many that I must eat in moderation, like one small scoop of ice cream, not a huge bowl. There are a few that I just can't eat at all.
Ultimately, it is my choice. It's your choice, too. How will you choose?
Friday, April 6, 2012
Diet Sodas and weight gain
There has been a ton written over the last few years about the dangers of artificial sweeteners, especially in diet sodas, and their link to weight gain. I'll be the first to admit, when I was obese I drank a ton of diet soda. Usually, I did so with a huge meal. I have heard so many theories and I just don't know what to believe.
Here is what I do know; most of us do not drink enough water. Water is necessary for life and diet sodas are not. When you look at it that way, you have to admit that diet sodas probably don't belong on the menu, at least not in the portions most of us drink them. Over the last month and a half I have eliminated them from my diet all together and I have to tell you, I don't miss them. I have had two servings of regular soda during that time, both of them only 8 oz, and I have had lots and lots of water. I've also had green tea and fresh fruit and vegetable juice.
When you consider all the great beverages out there that are beneficial, isn't it silly to be debating whether something is neutral? If there is a chance its hurting your health, shouldn't you just can it? (Pardon the pun.)
Out of curiosity, I googled the effects of diet soda on weight and found this very fascinating article on Webmd. Rather than try to paraphrase it, here's the link. I encourage you to take five minutes and read this fair, balanced assessment of the diet soda debate. As for myself, I'm skipping them, but read the article before you decide.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-sodas-and-weight-gain-not-so-fast
Here is what I do know; most of us do not drink enough water. Water is necessary for life and diet sodas are not. When you look at it that way, you have to admit that diet sodas probably don't belong on the menu, at least not in the portions most of us drink them. Over the last month and a half I have eliminated them from my diet all together and I have to tell you, I don't miss them. I have had two servings of regular soda during that time, both of them only 8 oz, and I have had lots and lots of water. I've also had green tea and fresh fruit and vegetable juice.
When you consider all the great beverages out there that are beneficial, isn't it silly to be debating whether something is neutral? If there is a chance its hurting your health, shouldn't you just can it? (Pardon the pun.)
Out of curiosity, I googled the effects of diet soda on weight and found this very fascinating article on Webmd. Rather than try to paraphrase it, here's the link. I encourage you to take five minutes and read this fair, balanced assessment of the diet soda debate. As for myself, I'm skipping them, but read the article before you decide.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-sodas-and-weight-gain-not-so-fast
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Secret of My Success
Everyone keeps asking me, "How have you lost all the weight?" The answer to that question could fill a book. Actually, it has. My new book, Fat's Not Funny, will be out next month. In it, I tell the story of my struggle with weight and how I finally broke free. I'll be offering a special pre-publication deal very soon on this blog, so keep looking.
There are many things that helped me; an understanding of the mechanics of weight loss, determination, goals, and a very handy tool called MyFitnessPal. If you haven't ever heard about it, check it out. If you already have the app on your phone or other mobile device, use it. It works! I go into more detail in the book, but believe me, it made taking the weight off as easy as balancing a check book.
Since March 4, 2011 I have lost 86.2 lbs. I've left several goals in the dust and am fast approaching my final goal. Read about the whole trip in my book. I'll be announcing the pre-publication deal soon.
There are many things that helped me; an understanding of the mechanics of weight loss, determination, goals, and a very handy tool called MyFitnessPal. If you haven't ever heard about it, check it out. If you already have the app on your phone or other mobile device, use it. It works! I go into more detail in the book, but believe me, it made taking the weight off as easy as balancing a check book.
Since March 4, 2011 I have lost 86.2 lbs. I've left several goals in the dust and am fast approaching my final goal. Read about the whole trip in my book. I'll be announcing the pre-publication deal soon.
Monday, April 2, 2012
New title, same purpose
I've slightly changed the name of the blog and the name of my book. The website www.fatisnotfunny.com was already taken so I got www.fatsnotfunny.com instead. To keep the whole process unified, I'm changing the title of the blog and the book to "Fat's Not Funny." Same meaning, and certainly the same mission.
I am excited to announce that I will be publishing the book within the next month and will be offering my friends on facebook and on the blog a special pre-purchase deal. I'll announce details in a few days.
Thanks for reading, and please, share this blog with your friends.
I am excited to announce that I will be publishing the book within the next month and will be offering my friends on facebook and on the blog a special pre-purchase deal. I'll announce details in a few days.
Thanks for reading, and please, share this blog with your friends.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Share the joy
Zig Ziglar said that the best way to get what you want out of life is to help as many other people as possible get what they want out of life. Focus your energies on others and you cannot help but lift yourself higher.
I have encouraged many of my friends to start their own journey to healthier living, and to date they have donated over one hundred pounds. If they in turn help their friends then the ripples will spread to help who knows how many people.
Pay it forward. Tell your friends how you are doing and get them on board as your accountability partners. That is one of the purposes of this blog. Knowing that you are reading helps keep me focused on my daily maintenance. Let's keep each other accountable and encourage each other. If you use MyFitnessPal you can friend me. My username is steknow.
I have encouraged many of my friends to start their own journey to healthier living, and to date they have donated over one hundred pounds. If they in turn help their friends then the ripples will spread to help who knows how many people.
Pay it forward. Tell your friends how you are doing and get them on board as your accountability partners. That is one of the purposes of this blog. Knowing that you are reading helps keep me focused on my daily maintenance. Let's keep each other accountable and encourage each other. If you use MyFitnessPal you can friend me. My username is steknow.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Movie Review - Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
I want to encourage all of you to watch a great documentary, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. It is the story of how Joe Cross, a businessman from Australia, went from 309 lbs to 220 lbs in six months while simultaneously curing himself of an auto-immune disorder. Great film. It is available on Netflix streaming and you can watch a trailer for it and learn more about Joe's program at his website, www.fatsickandnearlydead.com
Monday, March 26, 2012
By the numbers
Over the last year I have changed my focus with regards to numbers and healthy living. We all get wrapped up in the obvious one, the weight number. That can be a big mistake. Too many things can effect your weight on a daily basis. If you think about the fact that a gallon of water weighs eight pounds, then retaining even a quart of water can add two pounds to your total. Yet, we get all worked up when we gain a half a pound? Ridiculous!
There are other far better numbers to look at when working on living a healthy lifestyle.
BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a ratio of your height and weight. Divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared and you will get a number. The number you get is your body mass index. Healthy is considered to be anything from 18.5 to 24.9. From 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight. 30 to 39.9 is obese, and 40 to 49.9 is morbidly obese. Anything above 50 is considered super obese. But again, one of the roots of these calculations is weight, and we know how misleading that number can be.
A better indication is body fat percentage. This number is a little harder to calculate, using a body pinch test, but it gives a more accurate picture of your health as it actually has to do with the amount of fat you are carrying, and lets face it, that's what we all want to lose. There are bathroom scales on the market that use electrical signals sent through your body to calculate both BMI and body fat percentage, and they are available at major retailers for less than fifty dollars.
For me there are only a few numbers that matter.
My cholesterol number was 213. Today it is 110. My LDL Cholesterol (that's the bad one) was 141, now its 58. My triglycerides were 108, now they are 54. My pulse rate is 68 at rest and my blood pressure used to be 140/92 and is now 116/58. Don't know if you understand all the science of these numbers but in layman's terms, I'm as healthy as a horse, though I'm not nearly as big as one, anymore.
And the most important number of all? 34. Yesterday I went into a store and tried on a pair of 34" waist pants. They fit! That was the number I was looking for.
Me, with Stephanie, one of my reasons Why.
There are other far better numbers to look at when working on living a healthy lifestyle.
BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a ratio of your height and weight. Divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared and you will get a number. The number you get is your body mass index. Healthy is considered to be anything from 18.5 to 24.9. From 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight. 30 to 39.9 is obese, and 40 to 49.9 is morbidly obese. Anything above 50 is considered super obese. But again, one of the roots of these calculations is weight, and we know how misleading that number can be.
A better indication is body fat percentage. This number is a little harder to calculate, using a body pinch test, but it gives a more accurate picture of your health as it actually has to do with the amount of fat you are carrying, and lets face it, that's what we all want to lose. There are bathroom scales on the market that use electrical signals sent through your body to calculate both BMI and body fat percentage, and they are available at major retailers for less than fifty dollars.
For me there are only a few numbers that matter.
My cholesterol number was 213. Today it is 110. My LDL Cholesterol (that's the bad one) was 141, now its 58. My triglycerides were 108, now they are 54. My pulse rate is 68 at rest and my blood pressure used to be 140/92 and is now 116/58. Don't know if you understand all the science of these numbers but in layman's terms, I'm as healthy as a horse, though I'm not nearly as big as one, anymore.
And the most important number of all? 34. Yesterday I went into a store and tried on a pair of 34" waist pants. They fit! That was the number I was looking for.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Semantics
There is a big problem with the whole world of weight loss and healthy living and it has to do with the words we use to describe it. Words are very powerful and how we use them colors how we see the reality.
Diet literally means, "the food you eat." That's it. However, we have changed the meaning of that word through common usage to mean a special short list of foods that we must limit ourselves to in order to lose weight, after which time we can go back to eating exactly the way we always have. Because of this restrictive idea and the prevalence of what I call, "Big D Diets," our entire idea of healthy living has become skewed. In order to lose weight, you have to change your diet, not go on a Diet. There is a difference.
A change in diet means you begin to eat smaller portions of healthier foods, eliminate or at least cut back on foods you know you shouldn't eat, and do so in a way that you can live with the rest of your life. A change of diet will make you feel balanced and healthy. Going on a Diet means you will feel angry and restricted while eating food that feels and tastes like cardboard, lose the weight, then binge right back up to where you started or even higher.
Another word we use is "lose." All our lives, we have been told to be winners, now we are being told to be a loser. My friend Evanna Evans called her program a weight donation program. She made it positive and fun, and she donated over 30 lbs!
Frame your experience in positive terms and enjoy the journey.
Diet literally means, "the food you eat." That's it. However, we have changed the meaning of that word through common usage to mean a special short list of foods that we must limit ourselves to in order to lose weight, after which time we can go back to eating exactly the way we always have. Because of this restrictive idea and the prevalence of what I call, "Big D Diets," our entire idea of healthy living has become skewed. In order to lose weight, you have to change your diet, not go on a Diet. There is a difference.
A change in diet means you begin to eat smaller portions of healthier foods, eliminate or at least cut back on foods you know you shouldn't eat, and do so in a way that you can live with the rest of your life. A change of diet will make you feel balanced and healthy. Going on a Diet means you will feel angry and restricted while eating food that feels and tastes like cardboard, lose the weight, then binge right back up to where you started or even higher.
Another word we use is "lose." All our lives, we have been told to be winners, now we are being told to be a loser. My friend Evanna Evans called her program a weight donation program. She made it positive and fun, and she donated over 30 lbs!
Frame your experience in positive terms and enjoy the journey.
Friday, March 23, 2012
How and Why...
People keep asking me how I have lost the weight. They are asking the wrong question.
The important question to ask when it comes to weight loss is not "How?" but "Why?". We all know how to lose weight. Eat Less. Do More. Eliminate, or at least reduce your intake of, foods that we all know are not good for us.
But until you determine why it matters to you, why you want to live a healthier longer life, it will not happen. As the actor said, "What's the motivation?"
Find your Why and the How will take care of itself.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
I've always struggled with my weight since I was 8 years old. At different points in my life I've been slimmer and heavier, but it has always been a fight. Last year, on March 4, I decided that enough was enough. Like Stephen King wrote in his story Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, it was time to get busy living, or get busy dying.
I decided it was time to live.
I have chronicled my success in a new book, Fat Is Not Funny, which I hope to have printed soon. In this blog I will be sharing the day to day successes and failures of maintaining. I hope to use the blog as a tool to inspire others and to motivate myself to stay on top of my food and exercise choices, knowing that you, faithful reader, are watching.
The opinions expressed in this blog are just that - opinions. They are based on my own experiences. You should do what is right for you and consult your doctor before starting any weight loss program. I am not a medical professional and I make no attempt here to diagnose or treat any disease. I merely hope to encourage and inspire.
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