Weight Loss Wednesday: Big Guys and the "Slob" Stereotype

I went to work yesterday with a fresh haircut, a tailored suit and a lightly starched shirt. I felt good. More than that... I felt like I looked good. Not movie star good, but better than I have looked in quite some time. I looked in the mirror and saw progress. People at work, both customers and coworkers seemed to notice as well. I received several comments like "You look great!" or "How much weight have you lost?"

The funny thing is... I have not lost a lot lately. I have lost 10 pounds or so this year. This is progress, but not the kind that people usually notice on a guy my size. That is when it dawned on me... it was the professional look that accentuated the weight loss.

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

You see, most of us big guys fight what I call the "Slob" Stereotype. You know, when people picture a guy my size, they picture someone who looks like Kevin Smith in this photo. Baggy clothes, ratty beard, unkempt hair. Lazy, messy and maybe smelly. Probably eating a bag of potato chips and a 44 oz. Mountain Dew. You know the stereotype... I know I do. 

Us big guys have to fight hard to kick this stereotype. A young, fit guy can pull off a 5 o'clock shadow as a style, but I just look like I was too lazy to shave. Suit-coat without a tie... same thing. For him it is a style, for me it is sloppy. This got me thinking about a few tips for building a basic professional wardrobe as a big guy. 

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

• Build your wardrobe a little bit at a time. Maybe one item of clothing each pay period. Buy quality, and it will last longer.

• Fit is king, nothing can make cheap clothes look better like a good fit, and conversely, nothing can make expensive clothes look cheap like a bad fit. Tagged clothing size varies widely by manufacturer, a large isn't always a large and an XXL might be a medium. 

• Build your "Interview Outfit" first -  For most professional positions (human resources, finance, management, high-clerical, education, sales) you'll want a suit. Some positions will require a simple button-up and dress trousers or chinos.
• Suits
• Start with a simple charcoal or navy suit. These work for anything from an interview to daily wear or even a funeral. Add a black suit next, and then something different like olive or pinstriped.
• Make sure it fits at the shoulders. Anything else can be tailored, and should be.
• Find a good tailor - nothing fits off of the shelf when you are a big guy.
• A white button up is standard. The shirt sleeve should just show past the suit sleeve.
• You should never button the bottom button. The Jacket should not stretch or pull when you button it.
• If a tie is worn, it should end at the top of your belt. Learn to tie a Windsor knot.
• Button up shirts
• As with the suit, make sure it fits at the shoulders. The seam should be right at your shoulder bone. Have it tailored.
• Stick with long sleeves in the professional world. If you do go short sleeves, don't wear a tie. It will make you look like a waiter. 
• The lighter the color, the more formal. The shirt should generally be lighter in color than the pants.
• Tuck it in and wear a belt.
• Your undershirt should not show.
• Pants
• Avoid pleats. Flat front pants are more flattering on us big guys.
• Typically pants should stay at the hips without a belt. I know your belly will push the pants down when you walk, but when trying them on, that is how they should fit.
• Pants should not drag the ground and fray. Have them tailored... are you sick of that advice yet?
• Chinos or dress pants. 
• If you have a casual Friday, go with a dark blue paired with black dress shoes. 
• Accessories
• Shoes and belts should generally match.
• A watch is a good way to dress up an outfit. Black faces are more casual, and white faces are more professional. Might I suggest  The Timex Weekender?

So that is my list. I am in the process of building my wardrobe right now. My biggest complaint is that I am dropping weight fast enough that I am replacing things more often than I'd like, but I guess that is a good problem to have! 

Let me know if you agree or disagree with my thoughts on fashion. Sorry ladies, I don't know a lot about fashion, and what I do know is just what I have learned to help myself. I'd love to share more fashion tips for you ladies in another blog, so email me or leave your fashion tips in the comments below. I'll use them in the future.

 Email me, Chimtot@gmail.com. Twitter @chimtot. Leave a comment right here if you want! I'd love to hear from you!

Weight Loss Wednesday on Friday? Why Not? Culture Trumps Strategy

I am posting a few days late this week because my wife and kids, who were visiting Florida, returned home on Wednesday. As much as I enjoy blogging, and find catharsis in putting my words in this format, I value time spent with my family more. I hope you will all understand that sentiment, and that is why I am posting a few days late.

I attended an event sponsored by ALPFA's Northwest Arkansas Chapter last night. The speaker was telling us about her story and philosophy on business, leadership and the lessons that she has learned in a lifetime of working in corporate America. One of the quotes she asked us to think about was "Culture trumps strategy. Every Time." This was not the first time I have heard this quote, but it resonated last night. And not just in the business and professional world... I instantly thought that it applies to losing weight...

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Of course the speaker was talking about the different organizations that she has worked for. She taught us that her personal goal, or mission was to help people. Until she found an organization that shared her values, she felt she was always fighting against the system.

Have you ever tried one of the diets that circulate the internet, around the office or with your friends? It seems that these diets occasionally grow legs and make their way around a group of people. I have been on the HCG diet a couple of times. I have had good results, but it always feels like I am fighting against the constraining rules of the diet. I think that is the very nature of a "diet." It never feels like anything more than a temporarily painful change to bring on fast results. They are rarely natural and rewarding.

If you truly want to change your weight, body or self image, you must change the culture surrounding you. You must change your life itself. A great diet and exercise program are a perfect strategy to lose weight. It won't work until you buy in and change your habits to match that strategy, or find a strategy that aligns with your personal and family culture.

As I say each week, I look forward to hearing from each of you. Send me an email, chimtot@gmail.com, and tell me about your week, good or bad. Send me a topic you'd like to see me talk about in a blog post sometime. If you want to write a blog post, I'd love to have an occasional guest post from one of you! This blog will be a lot more fun to read if you all get involved!

Weight Loss Wednesday: Every time I See You, You Are a Little Smaller

Alright Weight Loss Friday aficionados! I am going to be honest with you, I am phoning in this blog post. I feel terrible. I spent three hours in my office at work today with a space heater on my arms and legs... and it is 95 degrees outside. I drove home, which was a questionable decision, and took a shower and crawled into bed. I am not going through the motions of a blog post, but my heart is not in it. My post to Facebook says it all:

I get sick every time Carley Smith Rice and the kids go out of town. I am pretty sure I worry to the point where I cant sleep, then after a few days I show signs of sleep deficiency, then I get sick. That being said, I think the scariest part about today was that I drove home. I should not have been behind the wheel.Zen music to the rescue tonight... I hope.

That being said, I did want to give you all a little something to think about. The name of this post, "Every time I See You, You Are a Little Smaller," is an awesome comment that I got from a coworker this week.

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Not sure if it the sleep deprivation kicking in, but this is totally what came to my mind. I talked a couple of weeks ago about having a  great group of people who support your weight loss... well this was one of the best so far! Thanks Pam! You made my day!

Oh, the dolls above are called Matryoshka Dolls or Nesting Dolls. You can buy them on Amazon. Go ahead and click over there and see. I will also mention that I am not an Amazon affiliate. I just think these dolls are cool, and can teach kids a lot about spatial recognition... and they are cool!

Weight Loss Wednesday: Less Bacon, More Shakin'

That's right... less bacon! Or, for those of you with a sweet tooth... Less bakin', more shakin'! Today's focus will be the little changes, and how big of an effect they can have on weight loss.

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Here are a few fun facts about the great difference a small change can make:

• Park 100 ft farther from the door at work, and you will walk an extra 10 miles each year.
• Cut out 1 can of soda per day and you will cut 54,750 calories out of you diet each year. That is the equivalent of 21 days worth of food (assuming a 2500 calorie/day diet)!
• If you lose 1 pound per week, you will lose 52 pounds in a year!
• I don't drink coffee, but I know that some of you do. Drinking it black, rather than with cream and sugar and assuming you drink 2 cups per day, will cut 32,850 calories per year. That is the equivalent of 13 days worth of food!
• The average American drinks 25 gallons of milk per year. Here is how that breaks down:
• Skim Milk - 32,000 calories
• 1% Milk - 40,000 calories
• 2% Milk - 48,000 calories
• Whole Milk - 60,000 calories
• So switching from whole to 1% would cut 20,000 calories per year! 2% to skim - 16,000!

As you can see these little things, especially if we combine multiple items from this list, make a huge difference over the course of a year. Imaging what they would do over a decade, a work career or a lifetime! Small things have great power!

I am going to close this post by doing something a little different, and I hope nobody is offended. I am going to quote some scripture. Whether you consider this the word of the lord or not, it is at least good advice. 

"And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things."

Tweet at me, email me or leave a comment here with your small means that have brought about great change in your weight loss journey! I would love to hear from you!

Weight Loss Wednesday: Oddly Inspirational

About a month ago I wrote a post called "Why Do YOU Want to Lose Weight?" I got some fun feedback on that post in the days after I wrote it. I decided it might be fun to do something a little different with today's post, so I am going to share some of the interesting things that you all have shared with me, and a few that I have found out and about on the interwebs. Some are serious, some are silly... I just hope that some of them give you a touch of inspiration for the week.

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

• Inspiration Outfits - This is the outfit that you buy, knowing that it will not fit. You hang it where you will see it every day. Try it on every once in a while... until it fits! One forum poster said "I WANT A LADY SUIT. But like, a sexy lady suit. NOT a Hilary Clinton lady suit."
• A friend asked me "Is it bad that my inspiration to lose weight and get fit is that I want to look like Batman?" I say that is a wonderful, wacky and perfect form of inspiration... although if we are striving to look like a superhero... let's not forget about Captain America... or The Hulk... definitely The Hulk!
• A Facebook friend writes "I joined weight watchers last friday for the 3rd time and I'm going to try it again. Its not how many times you get throwed off the horse its how many times you get back on. Last time I lost 43 pounds with no problem. But gained it back with less problem." I think he'll have much better luck this time! Get back on the horse!
• "I’m 25 and I want to lose weight so I can look in the mirror and be happy." Can't argue with that!
• "One word... kids." You all know that was the one word that got me going.
• "I like to beat the scale. It is like a video game, and we are going for a low score." I love my friends... everything is a video game... and we play to win!

There are countless reasons to get fit. Hopefully one of these strikes a chord with you. If not, keep looking for the one that will help you. Incidentally, these bits of inspiration will help with any project you take on - quit smoking, lose weight, get a promotion at work, pay down debt, get good grades... figure out why you are working for these things and you will successfully achieve your goal! It will always be on your mind, gnawing at your consciousnesses until you make it happen. Remember, you can do it once you figure out why it is important to you.

Weight Loss Wednesday: Three Ideas to Kickstart Your Workout Routine

I talked a few weeks ago about changing my schedule so that I could get up and walk/run early in the morning. Changing habits takes time, even if you are very dedicated. Lifehacker did a nice article on changing habits today, and it got me thinking about some of the things that have helped me make the transition to walking and working out. This is still an ongoing process, and this is by no means a definitive list, but here are three ideas to help you establish a workout routine:

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

1. Keep a journal, write a blog or video taking care to talk about how your workout makes you feel - Writing or voicing our thought is a cathartic process. When we verbalize or write down our thought, we are more likely to remember them. You may never share this with anyone else, but it will help you remember how you felt each day. When you look back on this journal in a year, you will remember why you started working out.
2. Workout with a friend, and hold each other accountable - When I was in college I met up with one of my best friends every day at the gym at 2:00 to work out. This was before the days of cell phones (that seems strange...), so if I didn't want to work out one day, I had to go to the gym and tell him I was going to flake out on him. This, as you can imagine, kept me working out. I mean, I was all the way at the gym already. He needed a spotter, and I was there... so I usually ended up just working out anyway. This worked the same way if he did not feel like working out some days. We held each other accountable, and gave each other all sorts of grief if one of us did not show up, or if we "phoned in" a less than heart-felt workout. Having a work out buddy is awesome!
3. Change the way you talk about your workouts - This one is going to seem silly, but it is very powerful. Instead of saying "I have to go work out," try saying "I get to go work out." Instead of "I am  so sore from my workout," try using "I feel like I actually did some work today at the gym." The power of language is truly amazing. Changing your words, even if you don't believe them at first, will change your attitude. This is why the people at Chik-fil-a say "My pleasure," and "How may I serve you." This is why Disney calls their theme park workers "Cast members" and customers "Guests." There is power in language.

 Please take a moment to leave a comment below talking about some of your ideas on how to kickstart your workout routine. You guys are amazing, and I learn from you each week. Also, take a minute to share this blog with anyone who might like it. As a group we can help inspire each other to do bigger and better things!

Weight Loss Wednesday: 5 Reasons You Need a Weight Loss Support Team

Happy Wednesday (night... probably Thursday by the time I get this posted...) friends! I has been a crazy week here in my world! I have started a crazy new diet. You can read about it over the past week's worth of blog posts, except the weekend... I was too busy/lazy/sick to post this weekend. I have been sick for the past few days, but have mostly stuck to my diet. I lost 12 pounds this week! That is almost as much as I have lost since I started this blog!

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

The fact that I spent a few days being sick leads me right into what I want to talk to you about this week. While I was sick, I received some amazing support from my family and friends, including my beautiful and amazing wife, Carley. It really made me think about how important the people around you are when you set a goal like losing weight. Here are the top 5 things that my weight loss support team have done for me:

1. They remind you why you want to lose weight - I did a whole post a few weeks ago on why it is so important to know WHY you want to lose weight. For me, the people who I consider to be my support team - my wife, my kids, my friends and coworker - are the reason I want to drop some extra Chimtot. It is easy to remember Why you want to lose weight when you look at the every day.
2. They keep you accountable - This is what I love about www.myfitnesspal.com (remember, my username is Chimtot - add me!) and writing this blog each week. You guys, who have become an amazing part of my support team, keep me honest. I know if I go eat half a pizza I have to tell you about it. or I can not tell you about it, but then I don't lose any weight and people get all indignant about the fat guy with the weight loss blog who never loses any weight. And yes, I actually did get that email... it always makes me nervous when the internet gives people complete anonymity. They say crazy things for no other purpose than for the lulz.
3. They motivate you - This may be one of my favorite things about writing this blog. I get to hear your stories! You all do some amazing things! I have a friend who is training hard for a marathon. I love to hear about his runs. I have another friend who is killing it with weight watchers. He looks great! You guys remind me that we can do this!
4. They help you when you have a tough day - My wife and kids were amazing while I was sick this week. They helped me get my food ready. They hugged me and told me they were proud of me, and that they loved me. They took what could have been a really tough weekend, and made it into one I will always remember for the love and support they showed. 
5. They celebrate your success with you - The person who is the most excited in the world that I am losing weight or as he puts it, my numbers are going down, is my four year old son. Every morning he asks me what my numbers are and gives me a high five. Even if I gain a pound or two he does this. He may not have a real grasp on numbers yet... but he sure likes high fives! I got a message from another friend of mine this week congratulating me on my progress. It felt so good to celebrate with someone else!

Tell me about your weight loss support team. What have they done for you? Leave me a comment below or email me Chimtot@gmail.com. Let me be a part of your weight loss support team!

HCG Diet Day 5: I Hit the Wall

Today was tough. I stuck to the diet, but I could actually feel the effects of such sparse food intake today. On the drive to work I felt sluggish, and my reactions felt slow. By 10:15 I was hungry. I went to lunch at around 11:00 and actually ate my apple rather than saving it for an afternoon snack.

I drove across town back to my own office at about 1:00, and while I felt better and more responsive, I could tell my attention span was short. It was going to be a tough afternoon... especially since we make popcorn (one of my top 3 favorite snacks of all time) every Friday.

I managed to accomplish 90% of what I had put on my to-do list today, but it was mostly just due to will power and an encouraging visit from a coworker at about 3:30. She has done this diet as well, and reminded me that day 5 is usually the hardest.

On my way home Carley asked me to run a couple of errands. One of these errands included lugging around a 25 lb sack of chicken feed. I didn't mind, but it really pointed out the lack of energy I was feeling.

I returned home, ate dinner and laid on the couch for a few hours playing with the kids and talking to Carley. I am tired, and headed to bed. Before I go, I will share my menu for today. I am too pooped to type, so here is a copy-paste version. Fair warning, the formatting will probably be terrible :)

Breakfast	Calories
Nuclear - Pomegranate Berry Energy Drink	40
Lunch
Tyson - Prem. Chunk Chicken	120
Fresh Raw - Tomato Large	33
Apple - Golden Delicious	80
	233
Dinner
Angus Steak Burger	160
Green Beans	38
Melba Toast- Wheat, 1 piece	15
	213
Snacks
Melba Snacks	15
Peach 1 large	68
	83
Totals	569

HCG Day 4: Still Feeling OK

I was pretty surprised that today was still not all that bad. I remember days 2-4 being a hazy, headache filled mess the last time, but I had no headache today. I was alert and productive at work, accomplishes everything on my to-do list and only felt hungry at around 3:00. This was solved by an apple. All in all I have been very pleasantly surprised his go-around.

Breakfast was a couple Nuclear energy drinks (no sugar, only 10 calories).

Lunch was a can of chicken and a tomato with a Melba toast.

I had a snack at about 3:00, an apple.

Dinner was "Buffalo" chicken, made by my beautiful wife, with a side of celery.

I ended my day with a snack of a peach.

I am a little bit hungry right now, but nothing bad. No headaches, as I mentioned before, either. I am not looking forward to tomorrow. I clearly remember day five, the third day of the VLCD, being terrible. We will see tomorrow!

HCG Days 1 to 3: Rose Colored Glasses

I am blogging from my phone today. It is a little odd, and I am not sure it will work, but if it does it will be a nice easy way to do these daily diaries.

Today was day three of the HCG diet. For anyone who is not familiar with the diet, you are to gorge on high fat foods for days one and two. Day three is the first day of what is referred to as phase 2, or the VLCD (very low calorie diet). By very low calorie, I mean less than 500 calories. Yeah, it is rough.

The cool thing about day three is that I have stuffed myself so much over the last two days (phase one is all about eating high fat foods to the point you almost feel sick) that eating lighter feels so good!

We did not have any fruit in the house, so breakfast was 2 Total Zero Red Bulls. Energy drinks are not actually a part of the diet, but I rationalize that since coffee is allowed and they did not have energy drinks back in the day, they are a viable substitute. They help fight the headaches as well. I plan to cut them out and go to strictly water after the first week is over.

Lunch was a tomato and a can of Tyson chicken.

Dinner was a zucchini, one melba toast cracker and 100g of grilled chicken (about a third of a large breast).

As I type this post, Carley has gone to the store to buy some fruits for a snack later this evening. It will likely be an apple or a peach.

All in all it was a pleasant day. I am excited about losing weight again, and was not hungry until about 4:30. This was remedied as soon as I got home and ate. I know the tough days are coming, but I'm am feeling like this will be an easy and successful diet!

Weight Loss Wednesday: Have a Weight Loss Plan

Happy Wednesday friends! I hope you have had a great, successful week of being healthy and getting fit! Before I jump into my weekly post I want to point out a few changes that I have made to the site.

First, I am going to stop talking about my personal progress at the beginning of each post. I have added a new image to the sidebar of this blog that will track my progress to date. I might occasionally talk about my personal progress, but I think the blog will be easier to read if there is less of that at the beginning of the post. More content = a better read!

I have also added a counter to the sidebar to track the collective weight that the readers of this blog have lost. (Yes, I know I still need to work on the overall layout of the blog... but I need more time in my day to make it look as nice as I'd like it to. Eventually I will tweak it.) You amazing people have lost 160 lbs so far! If you'd like to have your weight loss added to the ticker:

• Send me a tweet - @chimtot or http://twitter.com/chimtot
• Email me - chimtot@gmail.com
• Leave a comment anywhere on this blog
• Send me a Facebook message

I have said before that I'd really like for this to be an interactive blog where we share ideas, support each other and together achieve things that we could not do alone. The interactivity depends on each of you!


This week I want to talk about the importance of having a plan in weight loss. Losing weight is like any other project we take on. The first thing I do at work when I take on a project is to meet with the members of my team, or sit down with my handy, dandy notepad (Evernote is amazing for this) and organize my thoughts. I write out a goal, a time frame to accomplish it and the metrics I will use to get there.

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Why is it then that when I want to lose weight I just say to myself "OK. Time to get serious and get in shape. No more junk food, no more sugar and no more fried foods." I then proceed to lose focus, slip on those general goals and never accomplish anything. I obviously know how to make a commitment and set goals. I do it at work. For some reason with weight loss I just don't take the time to do the things I know will make me successful.

Three times in my life I have been very successful in losing weight/getting in shape. The first time was as a young man in high school. I was on a 6 week weightlifting and cardio program as a part of school sports. It was very regimented and planned. I also had a team of coaches making sure that we all stuck to it.
The second time was when I lived in Argentina. This was not so much weight loss by program as weight loss by there-was-no-other-option. We lived on a meager amount of money, ate meager meals given to us by church members and walked many, many miles each day.

The third time, the one I want to focus on in this post, was when I went on the HCG diet (Link leads to a PDF file outlining the diet by the man who created it) last year. Say what you want about this diet, it leaves no room for conjecture or variation. If followed correctly, you can know what to expect. It gets right to the details of what makeup ladies can wear and what lotion and medicine is compatible with the diet.

The thing all three of these experiences have in common is the consistency and structure associated with my daily habits and diet. There are a ton of diet plans out there, and they all share this consistency and structure. A few that I can think of are Jenny Craig, Atkins, L.A. Weight Loss, Weight Watchers... there are just too many to name. CNN even did a story on a guy who lost 27 pounds on a "Twinkie Diet."

No matter what plan you choose, or if you work with your doctor to come up with something tailored to you (please consult with a healthcare professional. Diets can be unpredictable and volatile), I think the power in the diet, the ingredient that helps us lose weight, is the structure. We have a set of rules, and promised results for following the protocol. Let me say that again in a separate, bold, big font:

The power of diets to help us lose weight is in the plan and the structure.

This is nothing new. We know it works. It works in business, building and architecture, writing and it will work in weight loss. The goal is met, the budget broken or the task accomplished in the planning phase. Take the time to plan out the details. Plan your meals, your exercise routine, your water intake... all of it! I would even suggest planning out what meals you will order at some of your regular restaurants so that you are not caught off guard when a client or colleague invites you to break bread.




Thanks for coming out and reading today's post! Leave me some comments about the most successful weight loss or fitness plans that you have been able to stick to!

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Now a bonus mini-blog thought...People have asked me why I do not go back on the HCG diet that I was so successful on. The honest truth is that I remember hating it. It was producing such wonderful results that I just powered on through, but the memories are all of hunger pangs and annoyance with all of the rules.That being said, I am going to try it again.

More than for the weight loss, I thought it would be interesting to try out a few of the diet regiments that are out there and record my experiences. I plan to make a short post on how I felt dieting each day. Don't worry Facebook friends, I am not going to spam your feeds with my blog posts each day. I am doing this for me. Feel free to stop by and read my experiences. Don't worry if I miss a day. I'll probably miss a lot of them as I live a busy life.

I am just going to do this so that I can know what works for me. My memories fade, but if I can ready my own words each day, that should give me a feel for each of the diets when I am done. After 60 days on HCG and a short time to readjust myself I may try Weight Watchers, Body for Life or any of the other multitudes of diets out there.

Weight Loss Wednesday: Wonderful Water

Special Thursday edition! Also known as, Chuck was too lazy to write a post yesterday! Let's get the personal accountability stuff out of the way so that I can share my vast wisdom (or well-meaning rambling) with you all.


As of this morning I am at 337.8 lbs. I am up roughly half a pound for the week, but I think the following post will explain a lot of that away. 

Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

As usual, I will put my YouTube video here if you would prefer to listen to or watch what I have to say this week rather than reading. It is still processing, so I will update as soon as it is ready.

This week I made an active decision to drink more water. I always hear about how great water is for you, and I know it has to be better that diet soda, Kool-aid and energy drinks... so I decided to take the plunge (Yeah, yeah... if I am not allowed to use lame puns I might never speak again...)

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

I went out last week and bought a six pac of bottled water. Any brand will do, but I bought Fiji because it has the second coolest bottle, behind Voss :) Now I just refill the bottles every day. My goal each day is to drink all 6 bottles while I am at work.

http://www.amazon.com

Instagram - @Chimtot

Here are 5 things that I noticed about the way drinking more water has made me feel. Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor, fitness expert or making any claims or suggestions about what water can do for you. I am just a guy who has lost some weight, would like to lose more weight and has a blog where he voices his opinions. Plain and simple.

1. Water makes me feel full - After drinking two and a half bottles of water on Monday, I met Carley for lunch. I ordered my normal dish at a local Mexican food restaurant (Carnitas... mmmm). I ate just the meat with some salt and lime juice. No tortillas, very few chips and salsa, no beans and rice, etc. Eating just the meat, I was full. That is probably a third or a half of the calories that I used to eat with the exact same order. This might seem obvious to you guys, but I have come to realize that often when I think that I am hungry, I am actually thirsty. I also have a theory that my increased water intake might be responsible for my weight gain as I might be retaining some water weight. It will even out in time.
2. I have more energy - I am sure that I am normally dehydrated. My normal drinks of choice are so laden with sodium, caffeine and other things that they just cannot be keeping me properly hydrated. Proper energy leads to more energy.
3. No more headaches - Dehydration causes headaches. I often used to treat my headaches with an energy drink. That probably caused dehydration, and thus a headache. This lead to another energy drink... do you see the vicious cycle here? I always thought coming off the caffeine would cause headaches, but it turns out that keeping properly hydrated has helped my avoid withdrawal headaches completely.
4. My skin feels awesome - I know, I know... that is not the kind of thing you normally hear from a 340 lb. beast of a bearded man. That does not make it any less true. I cannot quantify this claim, but my skin feels softer and more healthy.
5. I am more focused and productive at work - I have actually looked around my office a few times at 3:00 and wondered if I forgot something. My daily routing has been interrupted by being completed. I have even taken on a couple of extra tasks and finished those as well. Things that I have classified as "important to do, just later" have started to get checked off on my to-do list. It feels awesome!

That leads me into bonus realization #6 from my water-drinking experiment. I am in a better mood! I am more patient with my kids, my wife and my employees. I attribute this to the fact that I am feeling better physically, therefore my mental health is also improved. I'll also add that water from a drinking fountain each day is much cheaper than stopping at the gas station and buying a soda!


Tell me what you have gained from drinking more water, or changing some other part of your routine! Share your success with me, and I will share it here on the blog! Keep working hard, and I will talk to you all again in a week!

Frugal Friday: Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms - Healthy Meal or Fancy Hors D'oeuvres

I was running low on dinner ideas a few weeks ago, and we were low on ingredients in the house. Carley was out playing Bunco, so I decided to get creative with my dinner. While this is normally a clue that the entire contents of our kitchen will be dirty on the counter, this meal turned out to be simple and delicious.


The picture does not really do these treats justice. I tried to pile some left over Melba toast in the middle as a garnish, but it just looks like crumbs :) Carley commented that the real thing looked good enough to be served at a fancy dinner or cocktail party.

"Chuck"en Stuffed Mushrooms... yeah, I said "Chuck"-en

Ingredients that you will need per serving:

• Chicken breast or thigh, 100g or roughly 3.5oz., trimmed of fat, skin and veins - We usually buy frozen chicken breasts. The 6 lb. bag usually costs about ten dollars and change at the superstore, or about 50 cents per serving.

• Fresh button mushrooms, 5 to 10 depending on size - We picked these up at the local superstore as well.I asked Carley the price, and she seems to think they are about $3 a pack, and the recipe uses about a third of the package, or $1 per serving.

• Melba Toast, crushed - 1 cracker or 2 rounds. At $2.25 a box, this comes in at about 15 cents per serving.

• Chimtot's super special seasoning blend (I talked about this last week, but it is 1 part pepper, 1 part garlic powder, 4 parts salt.) - Staple

• Lemon juice (fresh, bottled... however works for you) or  cider vinegar, whatever you prefer  -  Staple

• Cider Vinegar - Staple

• Paprika or Cayenne pepper -  Staple

• Cooking oil (I use EVOO) or Bragg's amino acids as you prefer to cook with - Staple

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, brush oil (or spray with cooking spray) onto a baking sheet
2. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. 
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Pop the stems out of your mushrooms and finely dice them throwing out the tough ends.
5. Finely dice the chicken.
6. Combine the chicken, diced stems, crushed Melba toast, seasoning blend and lemon juice in a bowl and allow to stand for 2 to 3 minutes or until the toast has absorbed the liquid.
7. Fry the mixture until the chicken is fully cooked and any moisture has cooked off.
8. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool.
9. Fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing and place on the baking sheet.
10. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are hot and liquid starts to form underneath.
11. Remove from the oven, sprinkle on Paprika or Cayenne for color and additional flavor.
12. Serve and enjoy.

I actually ate this as a meal, and found it to be quite satisfying.  All together it comes in at less than 250 calories and less than two dollars and fifty cents a serving! Frugal and healthy, just the way I like it! 
There is also plenty of room to alter this recipe to your tastes. You could add a bit of Parmesan cheese,  Pecorino Romano or cream cheese to make the filling more creamy. You could use mint, parsley or oregano to give it a different, more Italian flavor and a different color. You could use a nice italian sausage, or cook the mixture in Marsala wine... the possibilities are quite numerous!


Feel free to share this recipe with others, try it yourself or pint it to one of your boards :) If you do try it, let me know what you thought.


 Send me your favorite frugal and figure-friendly recipes and I may include them in a future post!

Weight Loss Wednesday: Bad Habits, Good Habits

Hey everyone! Welcome out to this week's Weight Loss Wednesday post! As normal I will start by sharing some progress that I have made. I have to keep up that accountability after all!


As of this morning I am at 337.8 lbs, down roughly .8 lb for the week and 51 from my heaviest point. 

 

Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

As usual, here is my Youtube video if you would prefer to listen to or watch what I have to say this week rather than reading.

The topic of the day is habits. We all have habits. Habits are what drive us through the day. The trick is learning to replace bad habits with good ones. I was once told that it takes approximately 21 days to form or break habits. I have no idea if that is true or not, but it is an assumption that I have worked with for as long as I can remember. In today's blog, I want to lay out my habits from 21+ days ago vs. my habits today. (I apologize for the strange formatting later in the post. I'll get around to fixing it sooner or later.)

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/ 

The chart below is a typical day full of my old bad habits and what they did to my body nutritionally. Please keep in mind that this is a pile of bad habits all lumped into one theoretical day. I am an overweight man, but I never let my diet become quite this poor on a daily basis. I am exaggerating to emphasize the point of this post. Hyperbole is my favorite literary device after all!

Breakfast	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein
Sausage egg and cheese muffin	370	29	22	14
Glazed Donut	217	22	13	3
Mountain Dew - Throwback	220	58	0	0
	807	109	35	17
Lunch
Popeye's Wicked Chicken Meal	830	72	44	35
Mountain Dew	280	73	0	0
	1,110	145	44	35
Dinner
Southwestern Eggrolls W/ Avocado Ranch	640	48	42	36
Boneless Buffalo Wings W/ Bleu Cheese	810	26	60	24
Fried Cheese W/ Marinara Sauce	390	33	21	19
Mountain Dew - Fountain 355ml (12 oz), 1065 ml	495	138	0	0
	2,335	245	123	79
Snacks
Mountain Dew	170	46	0	0
Butterfinger	460	76	18	6
Peanut Butter Cups Blizzard	1,040	141	44	26
	1,670	263	62	32
Totals	5,922	762	264	163
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein

As you can see, this adds up to a ridiculous six thousand calories. No wonder I developed a weight problem! Even half of these calories is about one thousand more than is recommended for active people! The real kicker to habits is that the mind can be aware of just how poor the habits are, but that does not mean that it has the power to change those habits.

While your mind may not have the ability to passively correct bad habits, we do have the power to actively change our habits. I will end this article the same way that I started it.  We all have habits. Habits are what drive us through the day. The trick is learning to replace bad habits with good ones. What bad habit will you replace this week?

Now let's look at a typical day with my new habits.

Breakfast	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein
Milk - Reduced fat, 2%	61	6	2	4
Honey	64	17	0	0
Strawberries	49	12	0	1
	174	35	2	5
Lunch
Lettuce - Iceberg	38	8	0	2
Pork Sausage (Ground)	190	0	13	12
Sharp Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese	83	1	7	5
Chipotle - Tomato Salsa, 0.5 cup	20	4	0	1
Celery - Raw, 1 stalk	6	1	0	0
	337	14	20	20
Dinner
Whole Wheat Rotini	105	21	1	4
Beef Stroganoff	470	34	11	30
Peas & Carrots	50	9	0	2
	625	64	12	36
Snacks
Smokehouse Almonds	340	10	32	12
	340	10	32	12
Totals	1,476	123	66	73
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein

Less than fifteen hundred calories! I was not hungry at any point today. Not only that, but I did not even load this up into the calorie counter to check it until I got home from work tonight. Eating healthy has become my new habit. I did not even think about the changes that have come to me.

I want to hear about your new weight-loss, health-friendly and fitness habits! Take a minute to comment, email or add me as a friend on myfitnesspal.com!