Thanks Paul, Tom, & Michael

[MowHoward2210]

I read this thread (http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=419) here in Health and Fitness awhile back, and came back to it several times. My weight had gone up to 188 lbs recently, an all time high for me. I'm not a very big person--5'7"--so I'm definitely packing some weight in the middle. I was getting slightly short of breath just walking up the steps in my house, which definitely was an alarm signal to me. I can eat more than a lot of big guys I know, and for the most part I was always hungry.

My "in shape weight" is about 155 lbs, which is what I was at when I was an avid bicyclist (90% riding a mountain bike on a "rails to trails") for a few years. I hurt my back and then got lazy as far as the bike riding goes.

I've tried numerous diets including the low-carb, and they worked, but just couldn't stay with them. So this time, the only diet emphasis I incorporated was to try to make a diet that was high-fiber with an emphasis on natural foods. I also gave up diet soda (about 40oz a day at work), breads, and all fast food.

So now a lot of times I make a salad to take to work (I'm lazy and get the kind that's pre-made in a bag) with either tuna or rinsed black bean added, and it all soaked in an all natural dressing. I also take mixed nuts, organic blue chips, or dried all natural fruits, like apricots or prunes, to snack on. That was the best decision I made was to have something to snack on between meals. In the evenings I'll have some pre-made frozen all natural entrees like Amy's cheese burritoes, black bean enchiladas, etc. Or a bowl of oatmeal with milk, or an all natural cereal with dairy milk. I also find that the flavored soymiks (which I liked before the diet) and oat milk are good "snacks", as well as organic peanut butters. I cut out bread too, so I have my own jars of organic peanut that I eat directly out of!

I know this all sounds weird and not very appetizing, but this is the first time that I have lost my most of my hunger pangs so quickly, have absolutely no desire for fast food ( I ordered an ice tea last time the family was at McD's). I also can order a salad at a restaurant and not feel "cheated". In the past I would make a conscious effort to go to a certain local vegetarian/organic local restaurant to "do something good for my system", LOL. I always found the food to be good, and now it is outstandingly delicious! I also try to eat salmon or steak with veggies if we go eat out.

I've lost 14lbs in about 6 weeks, and feel great. I have no desire for fast foods, or huge meals at a restaurant. I still get hungry, but not starved like I used to feel. I would like to lose another 16 to 18lbs. Seems like I found something that might work this time.

Thanks for being an inspiration, guys! :fing02:

[Ingersoll444]

Glad to see you made the jump!! :fing02:

Ive falterd a little with mine, and put back another 10lbs. Winters tough, and through a vacation in there, and its a killer. Back on track, and lost 5 of that. Its a life long change, and it is hard at times, but its SOOOO nice now. I feel better, and look better. Also notice people trear me different also. MUCH happer!!!

[Michael]

I had to do it (lose the excess capacity) I had a heart surgery 10 years ago for a bad valve in my heart and the excess weight could of killed me. I am still on track with the weigh management and haven't gained anything back. I took 2 years to go from 410 to 265 now and I do not plan to take anymore off. Being 6'6" tall and at the weight I am is my prime weight. Its hard to walk in the kitchen and not grab anything in the kitchen and eat but once you perfect the push away you have just won half the battle. I do not weigh myself but once a month as if you slip a little and gain a little week by week then the following week you lose a lot it is not the best. JUst keeping it steady and you lose thats what worked for me.
I did have my doctor moniter me closely and supervise the diet for me as any doctor worth his salt is willing to keep his patient is the best doctor for you. This past week I went for yearly stress test and physical and I passed with flying colors. I ACTUALLY COMPLETED THE ENTIRE STRESS TEST (15 MINUTES ON THE THREADMILL) I haven't done that since 1990. I did not even think about it as I did not realize it over until the machine started to slow down.

[MowHoward2210]

Michael Great job :congrats:

Paul :ditto:, and just wanted to say I know it's hard when your away from home. I usually bring my lunch to work, but lately we've had some systems support people at work so I hadn't worked out in the field much, and I ended up goingw to various restaurants several times. At first it was tempting to order what everybody else was ordering (even more so, since a few times I didn't have to pay, LOL), but I ordered big salads with meat in them and enjoyed them. In the past, I still would have been hungry!

Yesterday I went to a BBQ and avoided all the sugary deserts. Did have one beer. It was in a different town though, so consuming several more wasn't an option anyway since I was driving, anyway. I ate a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries in it before I left so I wouldn't pig out so much when I got there! :D

[911radioman]

I was in a very similar boat where I had to get the weight off. I weighed 350 lbs., and had just had my second major back surgery in 10 years (this was in 2002). My back wasn't healing right, and long story short, my neurosurgeon told me if I didn't get at least 100 lbs. off, that I would never work again and might not be able to do much of anything else.

So, since then I have lost that 100 lbs. and then some and weigh in at 186 lbs. today. I went from a size 56 waist to a 36.

Desserts are out as a rule, I do allow myself some on special occasions, as are breads for the most part.

[Michael]

Good job 911radioman, I know the feeling about have to lose the weight. :congrats: The bad part is some of my favorite things are completely off-limits and I know it but I do allow a litle of special treats.
Yesterday I did a favour for a recently reemployed neighbor who is trying to get back on his feet and helped clean some of his property of the dang blackberry vines that invade everything, I ran my rotary brush hog over the backberries so he could get at his bee hives. His wife baked a strawberry-rhubard pie (my favorite and the pie I swear is calling my name again) :hide: I have to be stronger but it wants me to eat the last piece. ROF Oh the heck with it, I just skip supper, LOOK OUT PIE HERE I COME............ :fing20:

[Ingersoll444]

I have learned that wile yu have to cut down, you can;'t totaly ellamate all the things you love. Sure your not going to eat thet pie every day. but a peice once in a wile as a treat is a good thing. Helps you stick to the diet I have found.

[Michael]

Paul, I learned that also and had only a single piece of pie. I enjoyed it a lot and tryed to make a joke of the fact the pie was calling my name. My son, daugther-in law and 2 of the 3 grandkids had the rest of the pie (the youngest grandkid is only 6 months old). I had the last piece last night but generally only have 2 meals on the weekends, breakfast and dinner and generally skip lunch entirely. So for being good about it I had saved the last peice for later and had it last night.

[Keweenaw4310]

The good part about including exercise into the equation, is that it can increase the amount that you "need" to eat. I have bumped up my exercise to 2-4 hours per day. Easy to do now that I'm biking to and from work plus running. I don't do this every day but for about 3 days during the work week I bike to work - 15.5 miles in 55 minutes, run for 1 - 2 hours during the day, then bike home 15.5 miles in 55 minutes. On those days I can eat more than a person might usually consume. The rest of the week I do at least 2 hours on the bike unless I have something physical to do like hauling hay.

I just spent a camping weekend with the family that included about 4-6 hours of biking per day for 3 days - some of it pulling a trailer with 2 kids in it. I ate huge that weekend and was lighter when the weekend was over than when it started.

[guest]

Well, I have been getting plenty of excersice since we have moved to the ranch. Had to dig up the septic tank, I dug up a 1,000 water storage tank last week, today I am digging a 4 ft. deep hole to place a power utility pole for a second well. Add to that loading up all of the boxes of stuff we are storing and hauling to the dump and I have noticed that my pants are fitting MUCH better around the waste line. I sweat like Niagra Falls so I find I am drinking a LOT of water which I think helps too.

Giving up the home made pizza and Coors Lite on Saturday night.............well.......... just ain't gonna happen anytime soon! :trink40: ROF

Although I applaud your efforts and discipline Curt! Hang in there and sounds like you are making some great progress! :bannana:

[MowHoward2210]

I've leveled off my weight loss in the last month or so, and still have another 12 lbs to lose. I need to follow Tom's advice and start exercising more. I'm just so burned out after work and it's been in the mid 90's for about 3 straight weeks, that I just can't pull the trigger. Need to stop making excuses and just do it!

[Ingersoll444]

I also need to step up the workout. I have started weight lifting, and seeing a huge diference. I am not loosing much, but I keep going down belt holes, so I guess its working.

The good news in less then a month, I will hit the one year anavurcy of the "new" me. And wile I have jumped up some from my lowest, I am still holding my own. Never thought I would do it!

[Keweenaw4310]

It helps to find a running or biking partner to drag you out there or vice versa. In my case it's my brother-in-law. We keep coming up with new places to mountain bike and new hills to climb. This past weekend, according to our GPS & mapping software, we climbed approximately 6600ft on bikes over 3 days of riding. I'd have a hard time dragging myself out for that kind of riding if I didn't have a riding partner to share the pain and accomplishments.

It also helps to find local races to make goals. I have a 10 mile running race coming up this weekend. Also I have my eyes on a Labor Day mountain bike 26 mile race and ski races this winter. It's hard to let yourself slip out of activity when you know these types of events are coming up and you want to do well in them.

[Ingersoll444]

Well I just picked up a bike trailer to carry my little girl around in, so I am hoping to get out more.

[Keweenaw4310]

This is what I use to get all 4 of my kids out.

1 & 3 year old in the trailer
7 year old on an attachable "tandem" type 1/2 bike
14 year old on his own bike

http://www.bootjackmi.com/images/biketrain.jpg

[Ingersoll444]

Nice setup!! My little girl is 3 and my only fear is she will try to clime out. You ever had that problem?

[Keweenaw4310]

Nice setup!! My little girl is 3 and my only fear is she will try to clime out. You ever had that problem?

I've been pullling kids in that trailer for years now. I've used it with my 4 kids + 7 neices & nephews & some of my kids friends. Never has a child tried to climb out. The kids love riding in it. They have essentially a 5 point harness around them within that aluminum cage with a screen snapped in front of them at all times. There is also a plastic window which unrolls and snaps over front in the event of rain or cold weather.

The way the harness works, one child can sit in the middle or on either side, or 2 kids can sit side by side. There is an adjustable strap that comes from over the shoulder, goes through a loop on a strap between their legs and back up to the other shoulder to snap in. Then there is a lap belt that can go across both kids. That's where I get the 5 points of contact from. I'm sure they could roll upside down and just hang there laughing.

Any part of the trailer connections that attach have safety straps as backups. Just like an automotive trailer, there is a backup to the main connection.

The pivot point is a ball and socket. The bike is free to move in all directions. I can lay the bike down to the right or left and it just pivots that far. I just can't say enough good about that trailer. Excellent storage in the back and very comfortable for the kids. It has a 100 lb capacity, so I technically could pull my wife in it too. I think she tried it once.

I have a wheel that attaches to the front and a handle that snaps in at the back to convert it into a huge double stroller. With the storage and easy rolling over gravel and grass it's a great way to move 2 little kids around parks and other big gatherings.

http://www.bootjackmi.com/images/biketrain.jpg

[Ingersoll444]

Thats a nice one. Mine is a little lower buck looking then that, but seems to work good. I rode around a little empty to get the hang of it, and took her for a slow buz around the yard. I did not what to go far, or fast till I get her a helmet. She seems to like it though

[MowHoward2210]

:ditto: (on Tom's post above Ingersolls) That's also been my experience with pulling two different kids over the years. Trailer is set up the same way with the exception of the 3rd wheel and handles that Tom mentioned (cool feature, BTW). My youngest has graduated to the Trail-A-Bike like the one pictured attached to the big bike.

[MowHoward2210]

Thats a nice one. Mine is a little lower buck looking then that, but seems to work good. I rode around a little empty to get the hang of it, and took her for a slow buz around the yard. I did not what to go far, or fast till I get her a helmet. She seems to like it though

When my youngest was that age, he'd usually be sound asleep at the end of the ride!

[Ingersoll444]

Im hoping :D