The time has come.

[Sammconn]

So about a month or so ago had my annual visit to my doc
I’ve always been healthy.
About a year ago blood pressure spiked and well I’ve fgot that going on.

So doc asks all the regular questions…weight 290-ish…
On we chat and God love him he point blank slacks me “so ya waitin to tip 300 before you do something”…

Got home and about a week later work was staring a biggest loser challenge.

50 bucks to get in. 70% to winner.
Well with about a hundred pounds to lose I’m in.

I among alone in the lazy fat guy category so it will be a struggle to win the contest.
If I can lose 50 of em it’s a win to me.
The actual win will be getting off the dang meds.

I did a lot of reading.
Settled on common sense and portion control.
I love food.
And eat waaaayy too much most days.

So the plan was simple.
Cut out the beers, Saturday coffee and sugar and snacks.
Now it a full on sugar prohibition. But no sugar snacks and nothing other than natural.

I weighed in April 2nd at 294.2 pounds.
The worst I’ve ever been.

Three weeks in I’m down over 20 and seeing improvements.

[Sammconn]

On to the “diet”.

Well it’s not really a diet.
Nothing is off limits other than junk food.

I even had a beer with my Friday night pizza last week.

I’m doing a variant of carb cycling I suppose.

3 egg and cheese omelette, some days it gets a slice of bacon, or oatmeal for breakfast.
Nuts for a morning snack.
A big garden salad for lunch with some form of fruit
Nuts again afternoon.
And whatever the great spirit moves us for dinner.

Friday is a cheat day for dinner as I’m in a very high caloric deficit.
After day three and the sugar withdrawal it’s been very easy for me.

The Costco jelly belly bag isn’t even tempting me form it’s perch on my desk at work.
Here’s hoping to further gains.

[Sammconn]

Exercise.
The part.

I took an office job in 2015.
It has officially caught up.

Well let’s blame the lockdowns.
Up till then I did lots of extracurricular stuff.
Since, all but couch potato Sam.

Firewood trips involved my buddy and his fleet of busy pilots.
Running a saw isn’t a lot of work, nor is swinging the axe.

So this year I went at it solo.
Worked my poor guts out.
Nearly died…well not really but it felt that way.

So getting off the couch and busy is really the extent of change for me.
Part of the reason for the sawmill was just this.
Keeping me busy.

[Sammconn]

What I’ve saw so far.

Down 22.4 pounds.
Resting heart rate has lowered from mid 70’s (yikes) to 60/61.
BP is down some, and may need to adjust meds here soon.
Snoring has improved mama says but still a thing.
I can feel it in my knees doing stairs. And work has any of those.
My energy is way up. To the point I’m functioning way better and longer every day. Not tired after dinner and ready for bed by 8. I am up between 05 and 0530 every day so some would say 8 isn’t terrible, however 10-11 is now easy again.

Oh yeah, clothes are starting to fit again.
 
I feel all the crap we eat is really bringing us down.

Mama is struggling with chocolate. And sweets. A genetic trait. lol.
But she wants in too.

CM

[oklawall]

Keep up the good work. I've cut out the sugar and have dropped 50# but have hit a wall. Haven't lost anything in about 6 months

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[Atkinsmatt]

Great. Keep up the good work.

[Flyin6]

Last summer I started eating clean and that means very little sugar. Off came 30 pounds. I exercise the best I can with this RA business, but I took some more off and it has stayed off. I flirt with upper 220's to mid-upper 230's diet and exercise dependent.

Eat lots of protein and no bread...

[Sammconn]

Last summer I started eating clean and that means very little sugar. Off came 30 pounds. I exercise the best I can with this RA business, but I took some more off and it has stayed off. I flirt with upper 220's to mid-upper 230's diet and exercise dependent.

Eat lots of protein and no bread...

I’m hoping my approach keeps it maintainable.
I’m not a big bread eater.
But when I do, generally I make it myself.
So unfortunate highly processed flour, but none of the other junk.

[Flyin6]

Last summer I started eating clean and that means very little sugar. Off came 30 pounds. I exercise the best I can with this RA business, but I took some more off and it has stayed off. I flirt with upper 220's to mid-upper 230's diet and exercise dependent.

Eat lots of protein and no bread...

I’m hoping my approach keeps it maintainable.
I’m not a big bread eater.
But when I do, generally I make it myself.
So unfortunate highly processed flour, but none of the other junk.

You are a soldier and have amazing resiliency. I think this weight control for you will be totally doable.

I believe in you!

[TexasRedNeck]

Wow great work Sam.

I started in late January and am at the gym 3 days a week on heavy weights.  I use My Fitness Pal and track everything, even measuring booze.  As long as I get 115 grams of protein I can eat pretty much whatever if I hit my calorie goal.

Im not trying to cut too many calories as I’m building muscle at the moment but down 18, lost 3 inches in the waist and really building muscle.  Put up 310 on the bench press this week for the first time in years.  Still a long way from my personal best of 380 but that was when I was 42 and I’m now 57.

I’m at 238 and really need to be at 215.  Pre covid I was 5 days in the gym and 205 but not hitting muscle as hard.  When I get the muscle mass I’m looking for I’ll switch gears to leaning up a bit to land on 215.


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[Sammconn]

So, nearly at the end.
The biggest loser thing ends Monday morning.

I had planned on a 72 hr fast to end it.
As I dug into the finer points I found that 7 day has better health benefits. Maybe.
So that was Wednesday…so I’m into day three of five.

This morning I weighed in at 250.0.
I believe it was 2012/13 I weighed this little.
That’s 44.2 lbs or just shy of 15%.

I’m right in the thick of it with two others I’m aware of.
All right around this 15% mark.

If I wasn’t I’d probably not be doing the fast.

Strangely enough, my head is in the right spot and it’s been relatively easy.
Normally I can’t get past 0600 without food, so this is epic territory for me.

After weigh in I plan to get my system back working slowly.
And if all goes well a nice meal for supper.

I’ll be back on the “diet” again by Tuesday as I still want to drop another 30.

Cheers

[stlaser]

Nice job 

[Flyin6]

Very nice, Sam

I will lift you up to have the strength and fortitude to stay with it through this fast.

Me: not so good with total fasts. Like 6 days and I'm not feeling great like everyone says. If you can, then you should.

Could you keep us updated [lease?

And a big ask, but do we have any start, mid-way, end day pics to see the physical changes?

Is blood pressure good through all of it?

[TexasRedNeck]

Good on you, Sam.  Keep it going.


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[Atkinsmatt]

Keep it up. Great effort.

[oklawall]

Great job

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[Sammconn]

Thanks for the lift guys.

Something told me I needed to end the fast last night.
Was late and I was tired and heading to bed.
The plan for today was move the dock and some cleanup for the sawmill.
I knew I had it have more energy that I was running on
If I had nothing pressing I would have carried on, but alone four miles out a lake was no place for me without at least part of my normal vigour.

So tomorrow is the end of the competition, I feel I’m not winning, which was never my goal. There are a couple guys that I think have me. And good for them.
My win comes in a few more months when I can lock the pills.

BP is down 15/20 points, so I need to log it some and talk to doc.
My knees are overjoyed with 45 pounds less burden.

I totally forgot a fat pic, and frankly I’m ok with that.
I likely have something I’ll post up, and will do the now mid way.
What I can say is my beer/plate shelf is gone. Like totally gone. 
My belt from Christmas which I was in the last hole out, I’m now in the last hole in and need to find a smaller belt. So based on that I’m down at least 6” on my waist.
My face, that was the first place I saw the weight leave. Down to just two chins now…lol.

Small reset and great tomorrow with a few of the guys, then I’ll be back at it, albeit to a lesser degree. 45 in two months was very aggressive.
I’m tired, cold and weak, so I need more nutrients, and now will.

[cj7ox]

Good work, Sam! It takes dedication to change eating habits when there is so much out there to tempt us. Keep up the good work toward a new and healthy you!

[JR]

Great work, I need to do something. I topped 300 a year or so ago, much came after ankle surgery.

I would love to be around 250, maybe a tad less. Dr had said 195, I laughed. Healthiest I ever was I was still 220, 30 years ago!

[Sammconn]

Yeah. 220/230 is kind of where I think I want to get to.
Took a bit of a break this week and a reset.
Will sort out the new right amount of stuff now so I don’t go back the wrong direction.

[Sammconn]

So a couple months and change in I did my bloodwork from the doc from my annual a few months ago. I wanted to get in a couple months on my new diet to make sure all is good.
I’ve been on the high limit for colesterol for years.
Maybe even beyond but my doc was ok letting my “try”.

Well, had a phone appointment yesterday with him.
He’s quite happy with me.
My numbers for the first time in close to a decade are all good.
Dropping BP meds dosage as well.

For those who say eating eggs, butter and cheese as part of the diet is not good for you…well you’re wrong.

Getting rid of processed garbage and sugar…that’s the money.
Healthy fats are not our problem.
I think we all know that though.

[JR]

Cool

[Sammconn]

Just realized I forgot some ugly fat guy pics…

As I said earlier o didn’t do it to look better did it for my health. Hindsight should have taken the fat guy pic for later comparison.

Anyhoo…

This was Christmas 2023. I believe I added a few more before the April 2 start date.




I can’t find anything from June…apparently I don’t take many pics of myself…lol.

Here’s one from just now.


I’ve not cared what I’ve eaten or drank since mid June. Still doing salads for lunches during the week.
Initially I jumped about 12 pounds and settled back in at about 255.
Bouncing a few pounds either way of that still so what I’m doing should keep me in check.

After summer is done I’ll probably go back at it and try to drop to 230 and see how that goes.


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[oklawall]

Great work

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[Atkinsmatt]

Keep up the great work.

[JR]

Great, thats my goal around 250.

[Flyin6]

You can do it.
Starting at nearly 260 with all that sitting around with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2023, I started eating good/better foods. Gone were sugar and bread.
Then I guess I just started eating less all the time. I fell to 223, then with the bad knee back to mid-230s where I stayed. I went from near the end of the belt holes down to the last one and purchased a new belt. Keeping it off and am now about to drop to 220 again where I think I'll feel great.
You can do it and keep it off.
Keep up the great work.