Happy Hump Day FTE Nevada

Morn Donna & Bruce

 

Good morning FTE and welcome to Mid week!
Having network issues here but still getting on for now haha.
Have a great day and coffee is served!

 

Bruce - Thanks, she is a cutie actually. She is a Border Collie/Retriever mix. Although, I'm starting to think she is possibly a pure Border Collie from everything I read about them. We got her from the Humane Society, so we just went off what they said. Originally they said she was a "Golden Retriever Mix", but every single person that saw her said Border Collie right off the bat and then we looked up info and sure enough, she is definitely Border Collie and has definite traits of a Border Collie as well. Too smart for her own good. LOL

Jeff - Fiona is my dog; Romeo is Bruce's dog. However, I'll see what I can do about training her to grab a beer for guests when they come over. LOL Supposedly Border Collies are one of the most intelligent dogs in the world. However, sometimes when she does certain things I have to say that she is the dumbest smart dog I've seen. LOL (kidding...she really is smart, we just need to take her to training actually)

Donna - I think we are related. Is your father's birthday this month as well? LOL

I'm doing better. Not sure what it is. It seems to come and go, so I don't think it's the flu or a cold. I went into the doc's yesterday regarding some hip issues I've been having if I stand for a long period of time and then finally move around (in other words, if I go and shoot/photograph a sporting event!). So, they took x-rays and all that jazz and everything is good to go. So, basically, it's just me being too damn fat and one of my nerves is being compressed and that is causing me issues and pain. Real fun. So, Monday I'm going back on a diet and getting my weight back down again.

From January 25th to June 12th of 2010, I lost 83 pounds for my wedding in October. I was doing really well and busting my butt, but then I lost focus and let myself go thinking I was doing just fine and didn't quite reach my goal weight (I missed it by 13 pounds). I stayed steady for a little while, but then started gaining weight again. Now I'm about 8 pounds from where I originally started from. It's really sad because I did really well and worked VERY hard at it. People were amazed watching me drop the weight. At first I was losing an average of about 5.5 pounds a week or so and then it slowed to about 4 pounds a week or so once I didn't have as much fat to lose. I was doing it safely and the right way, so it wasn't like I wasn't eating and all of a sudden started eating again and that's why I gained weight back.

Anyway, my point is, my weight probably isn't helping me much with my health, headaches and pains and such. So, I need to somehow find that determination again and this time stick with it even when I finally get to my goal weight.

Anyway, I'm sure you all wanted to know all of that. Sorry for the rant. Ugggghhh...it's gonna be one of those days!

Have a great day everyone!

 

Goodmorning guys

Yeah...it's hump day! I'm sooo ready for Friday to get here!

Although I'm generally feeling better, apparently I'm having a reaction to the Avelox. The last 2 days I've had a mild rash (can barely see it with my tan), itching & tingling, headache & swelling in my face & hands. I just figured that the meds were working & knocking this s**t out of me & the swelling was from lack of sleep. I'm thinking that it's too strong of meds for me. So, now I get to call me Dr. & see what he wants to do, cause I can't afford a dr. visit, muchless to even waste the gas to get to town. In the meantime, I'm drinking water like it's going out of style to flush out my system - that's all I can think to do. All in all I feel fine...but this stupid prickley/tingling feeling is driving me nuts! Kinda feels like when your hand falls asleep, except it's all over my body.

 

Mat - My fathers b-day is in July, but my oldest daughters b-day is this month on the 29th!
I hope you get better soon . I hate it when colds come & go. As for your weight, I have no doubt that you can lose it again. Until then, there's just more of you to love!
Besides, looks aren't everything...it's what's on the inside that counts!

 

Mat,
I feel ya bra! I just hope you can get back on track again and loose what you need. To this date, I have lost around 117 lbs in the past year and half and feel great! I have gone from a 40/34 pants to a 34/34 pants and from XXL (long) shirt to a Large. I am running and cycling all the time and adding weights to build some muscle structure. I wish you well my friend and stick to it, as you can do it!

 

Damn Donna - You best get that looked at. That doesn't sound good. Hopefully the doc says that discontinuing the meds and drinking water will help you out. Well, my father's b-day is on the 10th...so, see, another family member's b-day in the same month. LOL Weird.

Damn Scott, that is AWESOME! Congrats! I was wearing probably a size 52 pants when I first started and got it down to a size 38 when I stopped. I was thrilled and really proud of myself. Now I'm back to a 50. Problem is, when I get bored, I eat. I use food as a hobby and I'm also addicted to the sugar in candy and such. If I don't have any sugar for a few days, I will actually crave something sweet and have to have it. Even if I drink orange juice or have sweetened cereal or whatever...as long as it's sweet. Doesn't have to be candy directly. Even if I'm full and just had dinner, I will eat stuff anyway, just because it's there and I like it and it's "something to do". That's the problem I have. I would SOOOOO love to get back down into a size 36 again. My goal is 170. Lowest I made it to was 183 last year. I'd be happy to hover around 170-175.

Donna - I hear ya about looks/weight not being everything. However, when it affects how you live and what you can/can't do, that's when it's an issue for me. I have my beautiful wife and I'm not looking for anyone else. However, when it's tough for me to walk around or stand for a long period of time to shoot photography or even get into my leathers and ride/race my sport bike on the track, that's when I have an issue with it. Or when it's a b*tch to walk up a flight of stairs without sucking wind. That is what is really bothering me. At almost 40 (in Feb), I really shouldn't be that out of shape. I feel like I'm 70 at times. The problem is...I can't find the motivation to start it again and lose the weight. One day last year it just "clicked" for me and I started. I did go to a clinic that helped me and I was on certain meds, but I also exercised properly, I lowered my food intake, I ate 6 times a day (every 2 hrs or so), but MUCH smaller portions that I usually did, I drank a ton of water, etc... I actually did it right. Overall, I only lost a total of like 6 pounds of muscle in that 83 pounds that I lost. They said it was phenomenal. So, I know how to do it right...the problem is, getting off my azz and actually doing it. I can't find that *spark* again.

Last time I did it for myself, but also for my upcoming wedding and I also promised myself a motorcycle when I reached my goal weight. Well, when I was 13 pounds away, that's when I got my current bike. Around that time, I got cocky and stopped.

Anyway, I'm planning on starting again on Monday and my wife is going to try and do workouts with me to hopefully keep me on track. Last time I pretty much did it all on my own. Not that she didn't support me, she did, but I bought all my own food and cooked all my own stuff up and only worked out myself because I was working a totally opposite shift than her, so we really couldn't work out together. The only time we did is when we got to go hiking on weekends together.

Anyway, I need to make this stick this time and get back on the horse. However, I have to make this a LIFETIME change and be able to figure out how to make it stick for a lifetime instead of just a few months. I wish I could be hypnotized and have someone change my thinking to make me dislike food and not use it as a hobby and/or comfort. If I could only do that, I'd be frickin' thrilled!!!!

 

Aawww Mat, You CAN do this! Based on what you've accomplished already even w/o your wife...having her there to help you & do it together will motivate you more, not to mention the quality time! Heck, if I were there to help you guys, I would. I could use some health & fitness myself. I'll be your cheer team instead, ok? I'll send you a PM w/ my number & if you want to talk to a outside party, I'll try to help motivate you as well! I can't even run to the end of my street w/o being out of breath, but mine comes from years of smoking.(which I quit in 2005) Have you checked into a gym membership or going back to that class you took? Maybe that will bring back the "spark?"
You mentioned that when your bored you eat, have you tried fresh cut carrots or celery w/ or w/o dressing to snack on instead of your current snack food? (that actually sounds pretty damn good right now) Are you diabetic or hypogycemic? You said your into "sweets" (candy mainly). I know most of us like & enjoy candy & sweets, but some people need the extra sugar intake to keep their body in balance. Orange juice is a good source of natural sugars that EMT's will often use for patients in beginning diabetic shock or have a bad sugar count.Sorry if I'm getting to personal. Just trying to look out for my friend.

 

Well Mat, addictions are tough to cope with, however, if you place another addiction (working out, running, cycling) in the mix maybe that will take your mind off the others.

Here is a comparison picture I wasnt even at my biggest here. And I am much smaller than the other pic too. I need to get an update pic of me haha. I am also striving for 170 but everyone says for 6'3, that will be too skinny. I am at 185 and still going for broke.

 

Hey Scott! 6' 3" and 175?

I think you are just trying to cut down your wind resistance!

 

Exactly bra! If I can keep my monster strong legs and loose more weight then I am good. Speaking.....its time to blow this taco stand and hit the streets. Running an 8 miler with a few of my Navy Chiefs. Have a great day all, Mat.......get to it bra.....you can do it!

 

Wow Scott! Check you out...hubba hubba! Great pictures & have fun running. Do a mile for me too please!

 

Good Thursday Morning FTE NV

Morn Donna & Bruce

 

Good morning my favorite people! Time to rise and shine!

 

Donna - Thanks for the info and the help. The main reason I eat the candy is "because it's there". That's really the main reason I eat anything here, because of the "joy" it brings me. It's really hard to explain unless you have truly and physically dealt with it. Scott may be the closest to understanding. It truly is like an addiction to/for me. Just as it would be for a person addicted to alcohol or one addicted to drugs. You take it just because it is there. Then you feel like you "need" it to keep yourself on the level. Then, after a while, it actually makes you feel like crap that you are taking it, but you "have" to take it anyway because it makes you freak out and jittery if you don't take it. I'm not just talking about the sugar...I'm talking about me just eating junk food/food/sugar/candy/ice cream/whatever in general. The bad part is, alcoholics can learn to stop drinking and never have another drink (if they can hold themselves to it); same with people on drugs. I cannot do that with food. I have to have food to survive.

So, that's what makes it 1000 times harder to me (and in my eyes) for me to handle this. It would be like telling a severe alcoholic to just take a "little drink" every day. I'd have to say that probably 99.5% couldn't do it and stay "sober" so to speak. That's what I have to do. I have to eat "a little" to stay on track and survive, but not over do it. However, I still have to eat food, which is my "drug of choice". Know what I'm saying? I'm not saying it can't be done. People all over the world have done it and I'm sure there have been some that have stuck to it. I did it for a while, but then lost the control. That was on me. I have to find a way to regain that control and find a way to keep it...FOR LIFE. I know...little steps first. I truly understand that, but it's still not easy for me.

Scott is right in a certain aspect...I almost need to try and "replace" the one addiction (food) with another addiction. Problem is...I need to find out what that addiction can be. For a while (when I lost the 83 pounds last time) it was working on the elliptical. I would go to the local community center and use their gym (for a fee, of course) every day and work out on their elliptical for 40 minutes a day. After I lost a bit of weight, every other day or so, I would do some situps with weights (it was more of a machine that worked your abs, actually) and abdominal twists and a machine that worked your back muscles after I did my 40 minutes on the elliptical. That, along with eating around 900 calories a day is how I lost my weight. I did this every day except Sun. Most times Sun and/or Mon I would take off and not work out. I also ate 6 times a day (every 2 hrs) and drank a TON of water.

After a while, people would offer me candy, junk food, pizza or whatever and I was able to resist without even thinking about it. I truly didn't care. Heck, I even got totally ticked off at myself if I missed a workout day! I'd go around moping that day if I couldn't get my workout in! LOL But, like I said, I either got sick of the routine or burned myself out or something and/or got cocky and once I got my motorcycle (maybe that was unconsciously my ultimate goal? ), I ended up stopping and started slowly going back to eating like I used to eat. All huge portions and crap.

Anyway, I'm sorry for dumping all this out to you all and on a public forum. I know this is a BS thread, but some of you are probably thinking, this is BS that you have to read all this. LOL Sorry about that. This is the problem when you can type 69 words per minute. LOL

BTW Scott, awesome before and after pics! Congratz bro. Totally cool. That's kind of what mine looked like. Maybe I can look up my original before and after pics. It was a big difference, kinda like yours, but I'm only 5'7", so 170 seems fine for me. Lowest I ever got in my adult life was 167 and I was just coming out of boot camp at the time. I was 181 when I went in.