Ten Years

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Ten years (to the day) difference in these photos.

I remember when I started my first Whole30. People were only mildly encouraging. Most told me, “You know, most people gain all the weight back and then some after doing fad diets.” I persisted despite the negativity and embraced not a fad diet, but a change in lifestyle. I knew that the key to success long-term was not the mindset of losing weight but of changing my lifestyle to get healthy. I wanted to make changes that were permanent and, most importantly, sustainable forever.

Whole30 led me to Paleo which has been my diet for eight years now. While injuries have led me to not be as active for the past 6 months, I’ve still managed to keep the weight off and to remain healthy.

The key to keeping the weight off is to embrace the lifestyle change and to have the mindset that there is no turning back. There is no being unhealthy. There is no accepting sabotage. There is only success.

I am so much better off today than I was 10 years ago. Heck, if I hadn’t made the changes, I might not even be here today. I had fatty liver disease, Type-2 diabetes, and circulation problems in my legs and feet. Even my vision was declining due to the diabetes. All these things were reversed within the first year of doing my first Whole30 just due to diet change alone.

Set your mind to it. Stop putting it off. Commit to being healthy and do the work to make it happen. Once you embrace the lifestyle, it gets easier.

Small Victories

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I did something on Friday that has been one of the most difficult things for me to do: I stopped eating a meal when I felt full instead of when all the food was gone.

Part of the problem I have with eating healthy is not that I eat the wrong things; I very rarely do. The problem I have is that I derive pleasure from not only how delicious the food is, but also in finishing my meals. This comes from my childhood, as it does from many other peoples’ where our parents admonished us if we didn’t “Clean the plate.”

Change little things where you can. Then keep doing it and change another little thing. This morning, I chose something that wasn’t my first choice, but was a much healthier choice for breakfast than what I actually initially wanted.

Never give up, don’t allow yourself to fall on that slippery slope of, “Just this once.” That “Once” turns into another and another and before you know it, you’re having to start all over again.

Quality of Life Transformation: From Whole30 to Paleo Diet and Exercise

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I never would have thought of myself as being the type of person who could stay on a specific diet for any period of time to allow me to be successful long-term in getting fit and healthy. I thought that I was a slave to food, and that I would forever be doomed to eating too much, eating the wrong foods, and honestly, to die young.

Whole30 changed that for me, and transitioning into the Paleo Diet was super easy. Once my sugar addiction was broken and I learned to eat foods made from whole ingredients and avoiding anything with added sugar, grains, dairy, and legumes really made me feel better and improved my health significantly in measurable ways.

Initially, the incredible improvements in my health fueled my desire to stay strictly on the diet and to avoid sabotabing my process through cheat meals or days. Then, the more weight I lost and the healthier my body was getting, the less I wanted to go back. I saw every temptation as sabotage which made it easy to avoid. Then, once I started exercising and added fitness to my plan, I didn’t want to eat anything that would hinder my progress in getting stronger, faster, and more able to do long-term exercise.

In the end, now I am motivated by how I feel followed by how comfortable I am in doing things like mountain biking, hiking, walking up flights of stairs, wearing clothes that I like, and even getting in and out of my Porsche (which would have been impossible at my heaviest). All these things are quality of life (QoL), and my QoL is so much better with a healthy lifestyle than it ever was before.

Do I miss eating anything and everything with wild abandon? Absolutely! I love eating (still), and one of my biggest behavioral issues is that I have a very hard time with portion control. The more I eat, the happier I am, so it’s a struggle I fight still. But when I’m tempted to eat more, I remind myself that I feel great and I don’t want to sabotage that feeling and all the work I’ve done to get there with short-term satisfaction.

At the end of the day, health and fitness are things that you can’t buy; you have to earn it the old fashioned way: by putting in the work.

Eating Through a Hurricane

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This week, we experienced one of the worst storms here in a long time; Hurricane Beryl. We were very fortunate that no-one in our family was injured, and further lucky that our property sustained no damage. What we did endure, however, was three days without power in 90+ degree high temperatures. Fortunately, our power was restored yesterday, and we’re not returning back to normal.

During the powerless days, we relied on food we had in our refrigerator and freezer, and using a solar generator system from Jackery, we were able to keep our refrigerated foods safely cool. Our freezer remained closed for the majority of the power outage, and remained cool enough to keep food frozen.

As for what we ate: it was all Paleo. We ate sausage (sugar-free), fish, shrimp, scallops, vegetables, burgers (with lettuce wrapping) and chicken wings. Breakfasts were typically bacon and eggs. Everything we ate contributed to me losing an inch off my waist. I now have regained another belt hole on my belt, comfortably. This is a huge victory for me, and I’m excited.

It’s interesting that we were able to continue eating well during this emergency. It took a little more planning and effort over buying junk food at a local fast food spot, but it was well worth it.

Slow and Steady Fitness Plan: Returning to Exercise Safely

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This morning, I weighed myself and was greeted with a nice number: 201.1 lbs. This is the lowest I’ve been since I got back from my deployment. I did a minor happy dance and then went about my day washing both my cars. They both needed it, although the 4Runner needed it far more.

While washing the car and listening to music by Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, and Billie Eilish (among others), I thought about how it’s going so far. I thought about the amount of food I eat, the amount of sleep I get, and my level of physical activity. I decided that I’m doing great on the food, I’m doing okay on the sleep, but I’m not doing any real physical activity yet. Part of that is fear of reinjury. My back has been slowly healing, and the last thing I want to do is reaggravate it. I know that back injuries take a long time to heal, but that you can set your healing process back by getting back to exercise too soon. So I’ve been reticent to jump back in.

With that said, I decided that next Monday will be the day I get back into my fitness plan. I will start off much lower than what my StrongLifts app will likely recommend only because I really want to make sure that I get back to things slowly. I will also get back to riding my bike as my Achilles heel is still too sore to run. The biking will be some great cardio, and I actually love biking. I have two mountain bikes I use on trails close to my house.

My weight was hovering between 202-204 for the past week, so it was nice that it finally dropped. I was beginning to really worry about what was going on, and I’m glad to see that the process is continuing to work as planned and as I’ve experienced in the past.

Healthy Living: Embracing the Rewards of Persistence and Self-Determination

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Nothing feels better than progress, especially when it’s hard earned. Nothing worthwhile in life comes easily unless you are just lucky, and let’s face it; most of us just aren’t. So, to attain anything truly special or amazing takes a lot of preparation and hard work.

Getting healthy is no different. Losing weight is no different. Getting fit is no different. It is the reason why people who are fit and healthy get a respect that nothing else does. It takes discipline, effort, planning, and dedication to execution unlike anything else. And also unlike anything else, it’s not something you can shortcut or buy. A fit body isn’t something you can just go to a store and buy. There’s only one way to do it: put in the work.

That’s what I remind myself every time I get an urge to eat some chocolate or to have a larger portion than I should: put in the work. Be disciplined. The payoff will be worth it.

Yesterday, I was able to put on some clothes that I haven’t worn in a few months, and they fit perfectly. It was one of those moments that reminded me why I was doing the work and why I was sticking so strictly to the plan.

It’s not easy. It’s why 40% of all Americans are considered obese. If it were easy, we wouldn’t have to spend so much time and effort trying to get to a healthier weight or to trim down. But it is 100% worth the effort. Feeling good in one’s own skin is the ultimate payoff, and everyone will know that you put in the work and you stuck with it.

I was asked recently on Reddit in a thread I posted over 7 years ago if I kept the weight off. I replied that I had, and beyond that, I got fit and was able to join the National Guard and I’m still serving today. I continue to do the work and continue to be disciplined. Sure, I had a few back-slides here and there where my weight went up more than I’d like, but ultimately, I know what has to be done and I know how to do it. I know how to get the results I want and need. But it ultimately comes down to one thing: nobody can do this for me. I can get help, but what goes into my mouth and how much I move is all determined by me. And it’s a good feeling when you see the fruits of your labor come in.

The secret ingredient to weight loss

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Sleep.

Seriously. That’s the secret ingredient I never see mentioned anywhere. Get at least 7 to 7.5 hours of sleep a night (8 is preferable) and as long as you’re putting in the work and eating right, you will maximize your weight loss.

There is science behind this, but I’m not a doctor nor a scientist. I’m just a guy who has almost 8 years of experience with Whole30 and being on the Paleo Diet, and one thing I can count on is that if I am not getting enough sleep, regardless of how much work I’m putting in or how strict I am with my diet, I will not lose weight. On the other hand, if I am sleeping properly, I can count on steady weight loss.

Don’t underestimate the value of sleep on your health or with weight loss. I call it my secret weapon.

Rethinking Health Metrics: Beyond the Scale

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Too many people put all the emphasis on a single metric for success when adopting a healthier lifestyle: the scale. While a person’s weight is a good, solid, and measurable metric to track, it shouldn’t be not only the sole metric, but even the one with the most emphasis.

I learned almost 8 years ago that health is a collection of different data points that, together, paint the whole picture. Weight, my emotional health, how I feel in my skin, how my clothes fit and feel, how my joints feel; these all put together tell me how I’m doing. The funniest thing about it is that I even mentioned weight first in my little list, and that’s because it’s the easiest data point to acquire. Just step on a scale, and *BOOM* there it is. But how do I feel? How do my clothes fit? My empotional wellbeing? Those are much more subjective, but honestly, they’re more important.

Case in point: this morning, my weight was up. Unexplainebly up by more than I liked, but the crazy part is that my pants haven’t fit so well in months. As for the shirt I put on, it’s another one that was skin-tight just two and a half weeks ago. Today? It fit perfectly. Then, there’s how I feel emotionally. I’m a little tired from not getting enough sleep, but otherwise, I’m doing great. I can feel the progress, and I feel that the sugar addiction is almost all gone. There is a mental clarity that comes with being off sugar, and it makes everything feel hyper-real as compared to a few weeks ago. I love that feeling!

So, the scale may not have been my friend today, but the way my clothes fit, the lack of pain in my joints and my back, and my emotional clarity all told me that I’m well on the right path, and I need to keep going.

First morning without back pain

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It’s been a weird couple of weeks. I somehow hurt my back without doing anything at all. Yeah, yeah: I know. I’m old. But c’mon! I’m not that old.

In the office and thinking, “I need more coffee.”

But anyway, this morning was the first morning I awoke without any back pain. My right Achilles heel still has pain, and I think it always will. I’m learning to just live with it. But while I can do my exercises and even ride my bike with the Achilles heel pain, I can’t do either of those (and more) with the back pain. That it is now gone is significant.

I’m not sure when exactly I’ll start back up my exercise routine; maybe next Monday. I want to give my back enough time to fully heal and feel better. I want to make sure that I’m not rushing things and getting back into exercise too quickly. At the same time, I really want the benefits of exercise as it pertains to my health. I just feel better after a good bike ride or a good session in the gym. But I also don’t enjoy working with injuries, so I will wait.

Weight-wise, my weight didn’t change from yesterday, but that’s a win. I know that not every day will see a loss. I remember from my very first Whole30 that sometimes, I’d go 3-4 days without losing and then WHOOSH 2-3 lbs would disappear. I don’t know why it works like that, but it does. Now that I know what to expect, I’m good with these mini-plateaus and fluctuations.

As for food, today started with my Keto cereal with blueberries, and my lunch with be a Whole30 chicken parmigiana (without cheese or breading, obviously) with zucchini cut up like spaghetti noodles and a tomato sauce. This is one of our favorites, and I’m looking forward to it. Dinner will likely be the carnitas tacos again (one of my ultimate favorites). I will also have an apple after lunch, and likely a peach after dinner. We picked up some peaches on our way home from Dallas on Saturday, and they are the sweetest peaches I’ve had in years.

Cheat Meals are Sabotage

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Plain and simple: cheat meals are sabotage. Let me explain.

A cheat is defined as a way to gain an advantage by behaving dishonestly. Cheat meals don’t help you gain advantage over anything. In fact, what you actually do when you have a cheat meal (or worse, a cheat day) is you sabotage your hard work and your progress by setting you back. How so?

First, you’re reinforcing bad behavior and habits and continuing to make it okay. A lot of cheat meals are (and you know this or you wouldn’t even call it a cheat meal) bad for you or contains foods that contain ingredients that aren’t healthy.

Second, any progress you’re making in breaking those bad habits is being discarded because you’re still clinging to your old way of eating which got you into trouble with your weight or your health (or in my case, both).

Third, it can stall your progress, or worse, set you back. If you’re doing Keto, this can throw you out of ketosis and set you back as much as two weeks. For me during a Whole30 or when I’m on my regular Paleo Diet, it can erase days or even a week or more of progress in weight loss.

Fourth, it is a slippery slope. It’s how I always end up having to do another Whole30. By allowing one cheat meal, you start to rationalize not eating healthy and say to yourself something like, “Oh, it’s just this one meal,” or “It’s just this one dessert.” The problem is that the one meal turns into two which turns into days which turns into falling off the proverbial wagon altogether.

I tend to have cheat meals on vacations. I do this as a treat, but I do so knowing full well that I will need to do a sort of detox by doing a Whole30 afterwards to mitigate the emotional and physical damage done by not watching my diet closely. This is precisely what got me to this most recent Whole30: my last month of deployment to Kosovo, my two months back from my deployment and reintegration into my civilian life, and then a two-week trip to the Balkans. Now, I’m back to eating healthy, and resisting any suggestions from friends about, “Oh, c’mon, just have a cheat meal!”

I can’t, and I won’t. For me, sabotage is what it is, and it’s why I always frame cheat meals as sabotage meals. This morning, I was at 202.2 lbs. That’s almost 8 lbs in just over 2 weeks that I’ve lost already. While it hasn’t been hard, it hasn’t been easy, either. I’ve had to resist a lot of temptation and at a few social events, I’ve had to refrain from indulging in the way that our culture does at gatherings and get-togethers. Some people don’t understand my level of commitment, and they infer it as me being unsocial. It’s nothing of the sort; I’m just taking care of me.

I’ve repeatedly been successful on Whole30’s, and over the nearly 8 years I’ve been on the Paleo Diet, my health has never been better. I’ve kept off the vast majority of the weight I gained, and right now, I’m well on my way to getting back down to a weight I’m much more comfortable at. This will not only make me feel better in my own skin, but allow me to fit back into all my favorite clothes (and uniforms!), but will also allow me to do my exercise much easier. Riding a mountain bike with an extra 30 lbs is much harder than when I weighed 180 lbs!

So, there will be no sabotage for me. I work too hard for this progress. I will not throw it away for the short-term satisfaction that a meal brings. I prefer the delayed gratification and long-term benefits of being healthier and weighing less.