Let's see how far we've come...

I love that song by Matchbox 20, btw…

Two months into the 90-day Body by Vi Challenge, I feel like I have hit a wall.  I’ve dropped 28 pounds, but the pace has slowed down over the last couple weeks.  What does that mean?  Honestly, not a damned thing.  I’m still losing, albeit at a little slower rate, but still progressing nicely.  So, the challenge continues.

While doing my Internet Radio Show on Sunday (you can listen live, www.OutlawRadioNetwork.com, Sundays from 7-11pm – that’s a free plug), one of the listeners made a statement that I really wanted to address.

I had mentioned that I had dropped 28 pounds in the two months or so since this started.  He posted in the show’s chat room that he did that by cutting out Soda and changing his diet. 

I don’t make the assertion that this program is for everyone – some people can change their diet and take out soda and *POOF* pounds roll off.  That’s great if it works.  The problem is, I had already dropped soda about a year ago and it didn’t make much difference.  There isn’t an ‘end all, be all’ for the challenge of losing weight and getting healthier.  Some things work for some, some things work for others.

But I will say this, I have done better on this product than attempting to do it on my own.  And sure, I would love to say ‘holy crap, I dropped 100 pounds in 90 days,’ but that is unrealistic, and probably unhealthy.

And while I find it funny when people are always trying to poke holes in any theory that works, do you guys really think I am trying to ‘sell’ you anything?  I don’t make anything if you sign up.  I don’t get any benefit.  I am just following through on what I committed on my show when I started this: If it worked, I would let you know.  If it didn’t work, I would let you know that too.

My hope (goal) is to get down 20 more pounds before Sept 4 when Michelle comes back on the show.  Do you know the last time I was down below 300 lbs?  I can’t remember, but It has been a long damn time.

There is one downside to this:  My pants are already too big for me.  Imagine what it will do to my wardrobe if I drop another 20 pounds…

Oh, what a great issue to have…

Rockin’ the challenge, continues…

ILJS

KDawg

Day 55

That’s right, nearly two thirds of the way into the Challenge, still rocking it strong, with the exception of my BDay weekend the 15th-17^th of July. I drank, I didn’t puke (as I expected to) and I put on weight.

I’m ok with it, though.  Wanna know why?

Ok, here is how awesome the Body by Vi challenge is.  I weighed in the Friday before my bday (the 15^th).  I weighted in at 322.  That means I had dropped 23 pounds.  I knew I was drinking too much tequila (is there such a thing) during my bday parties, and I knew I was eating late at night because of the fact that if I don’t eat when I drink, I get plowed early.  So, for a weekend, I let myself go.

I weighted on last Monday, the 18^th.  And where was I weight wise?  329 pounds.  That’s right, my bday weekend essentially set me back 7 pounds in progress.

So why is Body by Vi so awesome?

I weighed in Sunday morning – I have changed my weigh in to mornings, mainly because it is a much better measure of where I am at – and my weight was back at 322.  That means in a week, I totally compensated for the bad weekend and caught back up to where I was.

It isn’t an excuse to let yourself go every weekend, although it is nice to know that if you allow yourself a lapse, you can get back to where you need to be by sticking with the program.  And back on the program I am, workin’ hard to get down below 300 before the end of my 90 days.

That’s the goal now, btw – and a reachable goal it is.  I need to drop 22 pounds in 5 weeks.  I can do it, I can feel it.

On a side note, the coolest thing about this diet is the comments, where people can see it – sometimes I can see, but I see myself every day so it is harder to gauge progress.  Meanwhile, people say they see it in my face.  It’s very cool to have people notice the progress.

Are you doing the challenge yet?  If you aren’t…and you think you should…then do it.  I wouldn’t blow sunshine up your ass – if it wasn’t working for me, I would just say so.  However, it is working…so, get off your ass and do something if you think you need to.

Happy Monday

ILJS

KDawg

Seriously?

Ok, did the weigh in on the show last night.  I dropped, well, .4 pounds.  That’s right, not FOUR pounds, but POINT FOUR pounds.  That’s not even half a pound.

I’m embarrassed.

I knew I would have a week with zero movement, but I just wasn’t expecting it this week.   And, I’m mad.  I want to lose weight, and I want it gone faster.

 It’s embarrassing, you know most of my friends joke about my weight – and I am to blame for that because I do it to myself too – but dammit, I ain’t going down as ‘fat ass’ anymore. 

 Starting Wednesday Morning, I am getting up at 6:45, and walking for 45 minutes to an hour before work.  Period.  And if that doesn’t work, I will keep adding wrinkles to this until it does.  The Body by Vi is working wonders, but I better kick myself in the ass if I want to do this.

 It’s not over…

 ILJS

 Kevin

One Month down...

It’s been an exciting month in the Challenge, as of last Sunday (June 26^th), I was down 15 pounds.  Now, it’s true – I would love to be down more than that – but more important than that, it’s progress.  At this rate, I could be down more than 40 pounds in 3 months – maybe even close to 50.  Can you imagine that?

Personally, my life the last two weeks has been…well, craptastic to say the least, aided by the drama that only family members can cause.  It’s made it hard to stick with the plan.  I will even admit I caved one night (Monday) and had some chips.  Not a lot, just some.  And while some slight bending is allowed, looking back, I am still a bit disappointed that I cracked.

That’s been the low point.  The high point, however, is the fact that I have done a really good job omitting all sugar from my daily intake, minus whatever is naturally in fruit and a little in the chocolate I put in my Chocolate Banana smoothies.  I think in this Challenge, Sugar is the enemy.  Screw off, Sugar…although, there are times I crave a Twix…

(On a side note, if anyone wanted to get rich, why wouldn’t they just do all these freakin’ candy bars as totally sugar free?)

Michelle asks me consistently how I feel about this – Physially, I am exhausted, More so because of the fireworks stand, the drama and the fact that I am (still) sleeping on a plywood floor in a fireworks stand.  It has definitely affected my sleep, which I know is going to be a hindrance to my progress.  The good news in that is that after Monday night, I should be done camping out until next year.

I feel optimistic for the progress I have made at the one month mark.  I am eager to weigh in this Sunday, although I am honestly a little afraid what those chips last Monday did to me…lol.

No matter what, though, we will keep motoring along.  I feel like some measureable progress has been made.  One third of the way there…more weight left to lose…

ILJS

KDawg

13 Gone...

I will be honest and say I was a little worried after last week’s weigh in.  After all, my first week, I had dropped 6 pounds.  Then last Sunday, the 12^th, I weighed in with a 2 pound loss from the previous week.  I was more than a little disappointed, and I honestly don’t know what I was more disappointed in – the Vi Shakes I have been taking, or myself for either A – messing this up, or B – Believing in something that could end up making me look like an idiot.

I have learned that of all of the issues I have, patience (or the lack thereof) is a big one.  I have always been pretty short-sighted on things requiring long term commitment.  It is one of the reasons why this challenge has been so very important to me – for reasons more than just my weight.  I can’t remember the last time I found something that was important to me that I actually followed through on, and allowed it to happen.  Normally I cut it off, sabotage it. 

So, I honestly expected another 2 pound loss – or less – when I weighed in last night.  I think I have come to the start of the third week, and I needed a little kick in the ass, something to instill some faith and positive thoughts in the process. 

And, faith and positive thoughts were delivered.

5 more gone.

That means 13 pounds gone in 19 days.

I wasn’t sure if I had already hit a plateau or if I had already leveled out, but I was afraid this wasn’t going to be the result.  I think it is amazing that when we need the right kick in the pants, sometimes, God just does it.  And I needed this kick in the pants.  It proved the 6 pounds wasn’t a fluke.  And, in the future when I only lose  a pound or two, it will be easier for me to remember what can happen the next week.

More importantly, though – bigger than this Body By Vi Challenge – it instills upon me the importance of the process, trusting in something that I don’t fully understand, walking with blind faith and opening myself up to the option of looking like an idiot.  Nothing great has ever been gained by someone who was too afraid to take a chance.

So, as I ride the ferry this morning, with my Mango/Strawberry/Banana smoothie by my side, I have a little bigger fire lit under me, a little more determination.  And I know at this rate, I could drop 50, 60…maybe even 70 pounds in my 90 days.  Can you imagine?

For the first time, I think I can really imagine something dramatic happening.  I think I figured I would see a result, but it would be minimal, something small, something un-miraculous. 

And this morning, I suddenly feel like there could be a miracle coming on.

Happy Monday

ILJS

KDawg

TGIF!!!

17 days down, 73 to go.

Let me start out by saying that I hate ‘HATE’ potluck days at work.  Do you realize how hard it is to eat a reasonably healthy meal when no one brings anything health to eat (besides me, I brought a fruit plate.  Yes, I have become ‘that guy’). 

It has become obvious to me, however, that obesity and weight issues really are a ‘poor person’s issue’.  Not that rich people can’t be overweight, but if you think about how cheap and easy the non-healthy crap is, and how much more expensive it is to cook right, use fresh veggies, get stuff without preservatives, etc, it is easy to see why the poor have higher rates of obesity than the upper class.

And then, there is the cost of a gym membership.  Good Lord….

Ok, enough of a social tirade for me.  It’s Friday, after all – all is good in the ‘Hood (and by ‘Hood, I mean West Bremerton, where we sell fireworks, people buy crack on the sidewalk and Bremalo’s are celebrated and often adored.

My menu for the day:

Breakfast – Orange Julius Vi Shake

Lunch – Chicken Sandwhcih
1^st Snack – Humas with Pita Bread
2^nd Snack – Celery
3^rd Snack – Organge
Dinner – Mango Banana Vi Icee

Why is lunch right after breakfast today?  Simple – they put me in training at work, and I have to take a MUCH earlier lunch than normal. 

Sunday is another weigh in.  I am very excited to see what the status is. 

Wish me Luck

 KDawg

Creature of Habit....

So, I ran out of orange juice for yesterday’s Body by Vi shake, and made strawberry banana.  It was really good, mind you – but it wasn’t my Orange Julius.

I am a creature of habit, really – which I am finding out in more ways than one.  It is the hardest part of this challenge, breaking old eating habits and replacing them with new ones.  A counselor once told me that food is an extension of how you feel about things and about life (Thanks, Dr. Steve!).  Essentially, what you choose to eat says a lot about your mental and emotional status at the time.  Some foods hold emotional ‘comfort food’ status, and your body wants to resort back to those when your ego is low, stress hits, whatever…

So for me, it has always been uber-salty foods.  I blame my Mom for my love salt, btw…and she will admit to this day she has the same addiction.  Chips, dips, sauces – whatever. 

And therein lies the biggest challenge to this. I have never lived the most healthy of lifestyles (hence my fat ass), and part of that is because when things get rough, Kev hits the chips.  So it has been a struggle sometimes at night, after I have closed up the stand, when I sit in the fireworks stand and play video games alone that I think ‘damn, fritos sure do sound good right now.’  I am proud of the fact that I haven’t given in and gone and bought some.  I am also helped along by the fact that I am in a fireworks stand and can not leave it to go buy any.  It helps keep me accountable, helps me make it easier to not break.

The fireworks stand – although not the easiest way to do this challenge – actually helps in this respect.  By the time the stand is closed, I will be about 8 weeks into the challenge, so hopefully the worst part of this adjustment will be behind me.

And, I had orange juice this morning for my Orange Julius Body by Vi shake.  Life is good, and developing new habits – while never easy – is going well, at least for this morning.

And another day of Rockin’ the challenge is underway…

ILJS

 

KDawg