Archives for June 2017

06/06/17
Day 84 Extreme Accountability Challenge
Starting weight 304 pounds
Destination weight 175 pounds
Total weight loss to date 56.6 pounds
72.4 pounds to go

After 84 days of this “public display of weight”, and beginning this journey of posting my scales daily to Facebook, I can say accountability works for me. I cannot speak for anyone else, but it is making the difference day in and day out. Since March 15, 2017, I’ve been to 4 birthday parties, many other events, and nightly wrestled with “the pantry,” calling my name, all with my mind on , what will the scales reveal tomorrow?

I get asked several times per week, if not per day, “what kind of diet are you on?”

I believe that a healthy long term, non-fad, time tested, proven diet is absolutely a necessity for long term weight loss. However, that alone never worked for me long term….correction, “I”, never worked at sticking to a program long term. There are hundreds if not thousands of approaches to losing weight, and I personally don’t believe any approach is the “only” solution.

I knew “the one” that would work for me after trying dozens and dozens of weight loss plans. The key, and without it, is guaranteed failure, is sticking to the plan no matter what. The difference.

ACCOUNTABILITY!

ACCOUNTABILITY!

ACCOUNTABILITY!

ACCOUNTABILITY!

ACCOUNTABILITY!

That’s the elephant in the room!

The program I’m using may be the best approach for me, but it’s probably not for everyone. Over 56 pounds down in 84 days, I know it’s working for me.

The Accountability is THE secret ingredient.

If you want to change, do what’s necessary, for me it was to get accountable.

Press forward.

175 pounds here I come!!!

06/05/17

Day 83 Extreme Accountability Challenge
Starting weight 304 pounds
Destination weight 175 pounds
Total weight loss to date 55.2 pounds
73.8 pounds to go

The last few days I’ve written about the frustration of sticking to a weight loss program and hitting a plateau. Today the scales rewarded my perseverance with a reading of under 250 pounds. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the 240’s. I like to show a weight loss everyday, especially since I’m posting my weight loss journey on Facebook, but really did it make a difference what the scales said?

Yes and No.

No because I’m not stopping posting my scales daily until I reach my destination weight of 175 pounds. Yes because the scales not moving down could mean that I am missing something. I could be eating something that is hampering my weight loss. It caused me to pause and examine if I was completely following the plan that my health coach John Davisson designed for me. In the past, I never did this self examination of what I was eating, when I had lost 10 or 20 pounds and the weight loss stalled, I would immediately give up and go back to my old ways of eating again. Accepting my weight rather than confronting it. In other words, whenever it got tough, I gave up. That kind of weakness can cost big. It caused me to reach 304 pounds, and could have costed me my life, literally.

I did find some things about my eating plan that I was not following exactly, not big things, but really important as I move towards the halfway point of this 129 pounds weight loss journey.

So I guess I should really be thankful for the plateaus, they cause me to strengthen my resolve and align my habits to ultimately achieve optimal health.

Most of all I’m thankful for the Extreme Accountability Challenge, it’s participants, and all of you that follow this journey every day. I know that I would have given up without you. Thank you for helping me to lose this weight but really thank you for helping to save my life.

Press forward.

175 pounds here I come!!!

06/04/17
Day 82 Extreme Accountability Challenge
Starting weight 304 pounds
Destination weight 175 pounds
Total weight loss to date 53.4 pounds
75.6 pounds to go

Another day in the doldrums of 250 pounds. I think this is called a plateau. With over 75 pounds to go, this is a little frustrating but I cheered myself up today by sorting through a lot of clothing that just a few months ago was unthinkablely tight, now I’m giving much of it away because it’s too loose. Pretty amazing. Each week I’m reaching into the closet and drawers that I haven’t even looked in years. The forgotten clothing that tormented me is now either too loose and being discarded, fitting now, or soon to fit. All of it will be too loose by Winter.

Pretty awesome, thanks to this Extreme Accountability Challenge.

Press forward.

175 pounds here I come!!!

06/03/17

Day 81 Extreme Accountability Challenge
Starting weight 304 pounds
Destination weight 175 pounds
Total weight loss to date 54.0 pounds
75.0 pounds to go

I don’t know why another 1/10 of a pound really matters, but to drop below 250 pounds is a pretty big deal. This accountability thing really works if you happen to be paying attention. While conventional wisdom says don’t weigh daily, our group of renegades is debunking that myth. I cannot speak for everyone else that is posting and part of the Extreme Accountability Challenge, but I credit this process with giving me the willpower to overcome the “head hunger” that has added over 100 pounds of fat in the last 35 years. I know that I have to face the scales daily and post them to Facebook. That’s a powerful appetite suppressant!

While I have probably lost over 1000 pounds, I have gained over 1300 pounds. The net result wasn’t good, and it was getting worse. This accountability is helping me stay the course, I’ve never lost over 50 pounds before, I’m in uncharted waters. My resolve is stronger today than when I started. 75 pounds to go, it will happen, 250 pounds, will be a distant memory, and I will be healthy and fit for life.

Bam!

Press forward.

175 pounds here I come!!!