Month: September 2018

Feels good, man. I hit my goal of losing 5 lbs this week (and then some). I started the week at 183.8 lbs, and my weigh-in on Thursday after my run was 178.1 lbs. If I’m lucky, I’ll get another 1 or 2 lbs lower by Monday morning, although weekends are usually rather hard on me in terms of weight loss. During the week, I eat very well/carefully. During the weekend, we tend to eat out, or when we eat fresh prepared food, I tend to eat larger portions.

Making progress is motivating. At one point Thursday morning, the scale told me I was up 2 lbs from the day before. That almost demotivated me, and in fact, it did irritate me a bit, but I told myself to trust in the process and just keep doing the right things. Later that same day, and after my run, I weighed over 3.5 lbs less. Sure, some of that was water weight, but another big portion of that was (and this might be TMI) a big bowel movement.

Progress is slow when it’s done right, but it’s solid. Sometimes, the scale will read up a bit, but progress is happening as the body reconfigures. Even though the scale was reading up a bit, I could feel trousers and shirts getting a bit looser. I know that over the next few months, I will be watching the numbers yo-yo a bit on the scale, and that’s okay, because all the while, I’ll be making progress.

I make mistakes all the time, just like anyone else. I receive compliments in person, via email, message, or comments about how amazing it must be to have such self-control, motivation, determination, and perseverance. The truth is that I falter, just like anyone else.

There are times I eat too much. Sometimes I drink alcohol. Sometimes, I’ll even allow myself bread pudding or chocolate cake for a dessert. Over the past few months, I’ve allowed all of the above far too often, and as a result, now I have to work hard to drop weight I’ve gained.

The difference between the new me and the old me is that now, I know how to handle failure: I get right back up, dust myself off, and keep going. The old me would let a day of eating bad food derail my motivation and determination in seeing a new lifestyle through. The new me, however, sees it as a temporary setback, a little hiccup, and I then continue on the original path to success.

Adopting a new lifestyle is tricky because there really is no destination. It is the proverbial journey that never ends, and I had to get used to that idea to be able to embrace it. That makes it okay every now and then to stray off the path as long as I get right back onto it. Don’t beat yourself up if you stray. Just find your way back to the path as quickly as possible and avoid as many of the diversions as you can. It’s the most you can expect, and the best you can hope for.

I’m going to get right to it: the balanced diet idea is a myth. We need a mix of vitamins and minerals in our food to maintain our health, but those nutrients can come from many different sources. It is NOT required for us to eat certain portions of grains, sugars, meats, or vegetables and fruits every day. It’s important we eat a good amount of healthy, natural foods (preferably whole before used to prepare your meals), but it’s not necessary to eat something from every “Food group.”

I put “Food group” into quotes because it’s a made-up idea. “Food groups” were developed in the 60’s and 70’s for school children in an attempt to educate them on varying their diet by pushing the 4-4-3-2 plan. Four servings of grains, four servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of dairy, and two servings of meat. This was based on pseudoscience, at best, and is largely to blame for today’s obesity epidemic.

When people ask me how I lost 150 lbs and I tell them that I cut sugar, grains, beans, soy, and alcohol from my diet, many admonish me for adopting such a “Harmful” or “Dangerous” diet, and tell me that it’s much better for me to eat a balanced diet. Many more tell me that my diet deprives me of too many important food groups, and that eventually, I will face many health problems. When I explain to them the many health problems that have been solved since I adopted the Paleo Diet, I am often told that it’s only a short-term or temporary “Fix,” and that in the long run, my health will pay the price.

It is this very mindset that I combat on this website. It is this misinformation based on pseudoscience I fight daily, and it is my sincere hope that people do the research and realize that what they’ve been taught their entire lives is wrong: there is no need for a so-called balanced diet of basic food groups.

I eat meat and vegetables with some fruit here and there. Nothing more, nothing less. Everything I eat is healthy, purchased whole, and prepared in our kitchen by my wife with my help. We eat recipes that contain ingredients that are always healthy, and we source our food as ethically as possible. Because of this, my wife and I are healthy, and we were able to lose a combined 215 lbs without the aid of exercise. Nutrition alone is the primary source of weight loss, and the foundation of good health. Food groups have no part in this, and is an idea as antiquated as the 8-track. Literally.

We hear this all the time about doing the right thing in society. Our culture values doing the right thing, because we all know that doing the right thing isn’t always the easy thing. However, this applies not only to morality issues, but to your lifestyle and nutrition. Only in these realms, doing the wrong thing generally only affects you negatively.

When you cheat on your diet by eating something that goes against your eating plan, you are going against your own best interest. To take it a step further, you are actually sabotaging your progress. Cheating is defined as gaining an unfair advantage over a competitor. In adopting a healthy lifestyle, you are your own competitor, yet you don’t gain any advantage over yourself when you eat foods that are not a part of your healthy diet. In fact, in many cases, you are actually hurting your progress, your willpower, and your future ability to stick with your diet when you eat non-diet foods. This, in my opinion, is sabotage.

It’s hard to do the right thing, and it’s hard to say no to treats when you’re used to eating them. It’s hard to slow down your eating, and it’s hard to limit your portion sizes to something reasonable. It’s hard to give up sweet drinks, alcohol, and foods you’ve been used to eating your entire life. I know all this, because I live it. Even today, three years after I gave up eating grains, I still miss them.

But I don’t miss being overweight, bloated, out of shape, and unhealthy. I much prefer how I feel now: fit, healthy, and able to tackle anything both mentally and physically. I can do this now because I eat right and I get exercise. It’s not easy, but it’s worthwhile, it’s satisfying, and most of all, it’s the right thing to do.

Nothing worthwhile is accomplished with little time and little effort. Whether it’s a marble statue, a college degree, or graduating from a military occupational specialty (MOS) school in the military, these things take time and effort. Getting healthy, getting fit, and losing weight also takes time and effort.

First things first: trust the process. Sherry and I adopted the Paleo lifestyle three years ago when we started our first Whole30. Since then, I lost 150 lbs and kept it (mostly) off. I say mostly because I recently gained about 18 lbs that I need to once again get rid of. It’s my fault completely, but I know what to do to fix it: I just need to get back to what worked for me (The Paleo Diet). I know that if I eat the right food with sensible portions, I will lose weight even without exercise. The exercise I’m doing will help get me fit for my upcoming military schools, duty, and will also help me get a little more toned in areas that could use it.

Second is getting healthy and losing the weight. I’m pretty healthy, and that’s in large part to having changed my lifestyle completely three years ago. Now, however, I find myself having to lose weight. I wish that it would go away quickly, but the fact of the matter is that it took some time for me to pack it on. It didn’t happen overnight (although it was very easy to pack it on, and it definitely is easier to gain weight than to lose it). I need to take my time and let the weight loss happen. I can hope for a steady 2.5 lbs/week in weight loss at best, although the first week can yield 5 lbs if I am careful (as a lot of that will be water weight).

Third, getting fit. I started that yesterday by hitting the pavement. My first two miles were sub-9’s, and the last, a sub-10. I’m fine with those numbers as I haven’t run in nearly two weeks. But that all ends today. I’ll be running again this afternoon, although I’ve not yet decided if it will be another 3 mile run, or maybe a shorter and slower one. Either way, I’m looking to run a minimum of 5 times a week starting this week. I want to give my body the best chance to get fit, get strong, and to assist my body in shedding all this extra weight.

I have to be patient. I have to trust the process. I have to stick to the rules. I weighed myself yesterday morning: 183.8 lbs. This morning, I was down to 180.1 lbs. That’s mainly water weight I lost between yesterday and this morning, but I’ll take it. I’m hoping for a good 5 lbs lost this first week, and it looks like I’m well on my way to it.

This past week was one filled with lots of bad nutritional decisions, but it was calculated. It was my wife’s birthday week coupled with a staycation and the Labor Day weekend. That meant it was a perfect storm for lots of non-Paleo foods, lots of alcohol, and throwing caution (and good eating habits, apparently) to the wind. The result? This morning, I weigh 183.8 lbs, and my 32″ waist pants feel a bit tight. Contrast that with my normal/comfortable 165 lbs where 30′ waist trousers feel just right.

This week also coincides with the three-year anniversary of the start of our healthy nutrition journey and our new lifestyle. In that time, I lost 150 lbs, got fit, and became a soldier in the National Guard. Now, I’m back a few steps, but Sherry and I have recommitted ourselves to getting back to our healthy habits. Starting this morning, we both are doing what we call a non-committed Whole30. That means that we will be eating Whole30 compliant foods except for those times when we are with friends and can’t do so. We don’t want our friends to have to conform to our diet. Besides, we’re not in crisis mode. Sure, we both gained weight and we both have a good chunk to lose to meet our goals, but we’ve done this before, we know how to get it done, and we know that it’s just a matter of eating right and trusting the process.

I have 18 lbs to lose. That’s a lot, but I know that I can do that in three months easily. I am also going to restart my running regimen. I skipped a week and a half due to bad weather and excessive heat (coupled with a lazy streak I’ve not felt in years). Today, I’m back in the right mindset. Even more so, in fact: I’m going to up my running from 3 times a week to 5 times a week (or more). I’m also looking at re-starting my Kettlebell regimen to prepare for the new Army CFT (it doesn’t start for another year, but I might as well start preparing for it).

We all slip and fall sometimes. Even me (and I say that, because people seem to think based on comments, messages, and emails that I have some sort of superpower when it comes to sticking to a good eating/fitness plan). Now, I’m doing what needs to be done: getting back to healthy foods, healty portions, and good exercise.

This week marks three years since I first went down this path. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished with my wife, and proud of the fact that we kept the vast majority of the weight off. I am a bit annoyed with myself for the cavalier attitude I’ve had these past few months in regards to my nutrition and coming to a head this past week. But I am optimistic, I am determined, and I will persevere.