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: Happy America Day!

One of my friends on Facebook has renamed the holiday that we celebrate today, the 4th of July. He has coined it America Day (or more specifically 'Merica Day. Check out his Tumblr and I promise you will smile at least once). I really liked this sentiment, as it reminds us that the true name of the holiday is Independence Day, not "fireworks, barbecue and a day off of work." Today we celebrate our freedom and independence.  

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

Instead of a regular weight loss Wednesday post, I am going to share a few things a coworker shared about this great America Day. This nation's independence is the reason that I have the freedom to write in this blog. It is the reason that we are free to assemble, speak our minds and make our own choices! I know it is not a typical Wednesday post, but I hope you enjoy.

·         1776- U.S.A. declared independence from Great Britain.

·         1777- On the 4^th of July, 13 guns were fired once in the morning and once in the evening in Bristol, Rhode Island.  Philadelphia celebrated our country’s first birthday with toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, fireworks, and parades.

·         1778- George Washington marked the 4^th of July with two times the ration of rum for his soldiers.  He also had an artillery salute.  Benjamin Franklin and John Adams held a dinner for fellow Americans in Paris, France.

·         1781- Massachusetts became the first state legislature to recognize the 4^th of July as a significant day.

·         1791- The first recorded use of the name “Independence Day” occurred.

·         1826- On July 4^th, former presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died.

·         1870- Congress made the 4^th of July an unpaid holiday for federal employees.

·         1884- In Paris, On July 4^th, the Statue of Liberty was presented to the U.S.A.

·         1941- Congress made Independence Day a paid holiday for federal employees.

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

As you relax and enjoy your America Day, I hope you will take a minute to ponder, and to teach your children about, the reason most of us are enjoying a day off of work. Have a safe, fun day and a great week. Thanks for reading and sharing this blog!

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!