ONE WEEK TO GO ON SHAKES ONLY

I lost 6.7 this week, that brings the total up to 88.9 and my weight down to 266.2!!! I would love to have a really big weight loss this week and end up with 100 pounds in 12 weeks, but hey if I am in the 250s at this time next week that will be awsome for me. I am pumped to start the next step of phasing in fruits and vegetables as I continue the weight loss journey to 220!!!

82.3 Pounds Down in 10 Weeks!

I lost about 4 this week and have now lost over 80 pounds on this diet. I am pumped, and depressed at the same time. I am pumped that I have lost so much, but I am a little bummed that it looks like I won't be able to lose 100 pounds in the twelve weeks. Kim says that is makes her sick that I have lost all this weight and still find something to be bummed about, but hey you have to keep putting goals out there that are tough to reach. It looks like I will be able to get in the 260's safely and that is only 40 or so away from my goal of 220. They have kind of suggested that I go on maintance for the last 40 pounds, but I have not decided for sure what to do. I just don't want to lose half a pound a week for the rest of the year, I want to get there pretty soon, so I may start some real food, but will stay pretty much on the diet till I get to goal.

TWO MORE WEEKS OF SHAKES ONLY. Thanks to all of you for all your comments and support on this journey. Is is far from over, tonight I kind of freaked out when I thought about how I am going to keep all this weight off, but I know with friends like you guys and my aw some family I have the support system in place to make sure I keep it off.
Thanks
Brad

Reporting from Arlington Texas

The last couple of weekends have found me on the road. Last weekend at Gulf Coat Getaway in Panama City Beach Floida and this weekend at Winterfest in Arlington Texas. I have to admit that I love seafood and I love eating in the Dallas area. But with all the college students with me last weekend and my good freind John Woodruff with me this weekend I have had little problems with staying on the plan. It is really hard to cheat with so many knowing what you are doing and knowing that the end of this intensive 12 week core of the program will be over in just 2 and half more weeks. I am hopefull of a big loss this week to get back on target to loss 100 pounds in the 12 weeks, but I have not been able to run as much. I currently weigh 275, I started the journey at 355, so that means 20 pounds in three weigh ins. This will not be easy and I will not be greatly dissapointed if I come up a little short, but it would be nice.

I did run three miles yesterday on the treadmill here at the hotel and I ran a mile at 6 miles and hour, which is an all-time high speed for me. I was excited to get through 3 miles in just over 30 minutes. My goal is to average 10 minute miles someday.

I have a chance to re-state my goals, both short term and long term, so here it goes. 1) Finish the 12 week core strong and loss as close to 100 pounds. 2) Get down to 220 with maintance 3) The Nashville 1/2 marathon April 28 4) The Local triathlon May 5. 5) Another tri to be determined during the sumer 6) and finally the Chicago Marathon in October. The long term goal would be an Ironman race in 2008, but that is a little down the road. I will really have to improve my swimming to do that.

Thanks for keeping up with me, I will give a weight-in update on Monday, I hope to get in the 260's!!

Quick Update

I am now in the 270's I lost 5 pounds this week and with three weigh ins to go getting closer and closer to the 250's. I have been running 5 miles two days a week and 3 miles 2 days a week. Things are going well and I will start the training program for the 1/2 marathon soon. I will try to post again soon, sorry for being so short, but it's crazy!!

Short Week

I had only had from Wednesday to Monday of this past week to count towards my loss and I weighed in at 281.8 a loss of 5.8 that gives me a grand total of 73.8 in the last 8 weeks. I am really excited about that, I am also excited about the 4.5 miles I ran yesterday, but I am most excited about my trip to the department store.

I went in Dillard's to buy a new belt, because I am having some trouble keeping the ole pants up, and I don't want to buy a lot of new clothes right now. So I get the belt and on my way out I go past the regular size Polo section (not the big and tall Polo) I am very familiar with big and tall Polo because they have the biggest cut in the thigh and butt area and that is what I usually need. Anyway I decide to see if I can fit into a pair of jeans. The biggest size their "normal size" jeans go to is 42. I got a pair and went to the dressing room. THEY FIT!!! They were the type of jeans that come with a couple of holes already in them (not just the holes for your legs) and looked a little worn. I am cool with that, I am hip. But I was a little concerned about the integrity of the fabric around the hole. Anyway I went back over to the jean rack and was looking around and this kid sales guy comes up and says, "are you looking for the ones without the holes?" with this smug kind of , you are too old to get it man, kind of attitude. So I said "No, I am just concerned about the integrity of the fabric around this particular hole placement" Then he looked at me like, yeah you are too old, and he said we have jeans without holes. I said " I will take these with the hole, thank you very much!"

Another quick story. I am wearing a pair of pants today that are size 42 that I have had in my closet for almost 7 years with all the tags still on them. About 7 years ago I was at my parents house and we were going to go to a deal at their church to celebrate my grandfather's years of service and I needed a nice pair of pants. My wife and mom were out shopping and Kim just bought me a pair of what she thought I wore. She brought them home and they were way too small. She said she would take them back, but I said no no NO!! I will lose a little weight and get into them soon. I have kept them in my closet this whole time and today my readers, I TOOK THE TAGS OFF and put em' on. It was a good feeling.

Big Big WEEK!

Yesterday I weighed in with a loss of 9.1, to bring the total weight loss in the last 7 weeks to 69 POUNDS! My weight is now 287. I am moving down and quickly. I also ran a little over 4 miles yesterday and am feeling real good about starting the 1/2 marathon training soon.

I have been asked a lot about how long I will stay on the shakes only plan, here is the deal. This diet that St. Bernards weight loss center does called HMR has a 12 week core plan. I chose the most limited one with the shakes only, you could do shakes and meals or shakes meals, and fruits and vegetables. At the end of the core you decide based on how close you are to your goal what you want to do next. You can continue just like you have been, or you can add some stuff, or you can go into maintenance and start adding real food back into your diet. I am leaning towards just adding fruits and vegetables and shakes till I get to 230 or so, then I will start adding "real" food back in until I get to goal and find out how many calories a week it takes to maintain 220 or so. Then they want you stay in the maintenance program for about a year so you can go through all the major holidays and birthdays and vacations and all that stuff and stay at your goal. I think it will be good. I will keep you updated. But for now I am focused on FEB 5, if you see me writing a lot about that day or talking about it's because I am going to have a real meal after that weigh in before I start the next phase, right now I am thinking PIZZA, but steak is a real possibility.

I have 5 more weigh-ins to go and I need to lose 27 pounds to get to 260, that is a little over 6 pounds a week. This is a short week, but I am going to really try and work out a lot between now and then so I will start out on the right track. I will keep you posted.

Here I am last year

This is me running in the Grizzly House 5K with my lovely wife last year. I weigh about 325 in this picture. I should weigh in the 280's when I weigh in today. I am just experimenting with pics because I want to start and chronicle the change from 380 to 220.