Weigh in Wednesday – Week 3

After stepping on the scale, once again I was surprised. I weighed in at a grand total of 290 lbs. That is 6 pounds less than last week at 296, and 11 pounds since I started seriously counting calories and blogging! And back in July, I weighed 330 so this brings me to a total of exactly 40 pounds! Too bad I hadn’t started this blog or counting calories until a few weeks ago, I think my progress would be even better!

Want to know what is even more amazing though? Not once did I deny myself the food I wanted. Here are some foods that some nutritionists would scoff at:

• Friday night, I had sushi. For the most part this was healthy, minus the cream cheese filled rolls I devoured!
• Saturday afternoon I went and had chicken fajitas from my favorite Mexican restaurant in Knoxville, El Charro’s.
• Monday night, I had chicken strips, pulled pork, slaw, fries, and wings. Smaller portions, but still not “the best”. And I took the ribs in for lunch the next day!

So for those 3 meals, I deviated from my home cooked healthy food and ate the bad food I wanted. I simply ate smaller portions and didn’t just say “oh well, I ate bad this meal… maybe tomorrow!”. Or if I knew I was going to eat a not so good dinner, ie Monday night… I simply adjusted my lunch to include less calories than I wanted. Calories are key to losing weight. There is no quick fix, no miracle “lose weight now” gimmick. I didn’t balloon up over night and I certainly won’t lose it over night. 5 or 6 pounds here or there may not seem significant in relation to my total weight… but 5 or 6 pounds here or there adds up fast!

So, hopefully today will be Goodbye to the 290’s forever. And next week, we can say hello to the 280’s for a couple weeks!

Staying Motivated

As with all new projects, most people feel highly motivated at the beginning. I am feeling this now as well. However, I am not naive. There will be times when it gets hard or I am tempted. I will try to convince myself that I can’t do it. But there are certain things I look to so I can try to stay motivated. Here are a few motivating things I turn to:

• Future Sailor Weightloss This is the story of a guy who was overweight and wished to enlist in the Navy as well. He was 256 when he started. I believe now according to his twitter account (@Geoffbreedwell), he is currently serving and is stationed in CT. Very inspiration to know there are others like me.
• Fat to Fit This is an amazing thread on a forum I like to visit. It is right now, a 239 page long thread of amazing men and women who have lost 10,20,50,75,100, and even 300+ lbs of weight. They have posted progress pics, etc. It is extremely motivating!
• The Navy Cafe This site has some great members that post actively on the forums. Members include Active Duty and retired sailors alike. Very beneficial and motivating to hear of other’s stories.
• 344pounds.com This blog is of a guy who has lost a tremendous amount of weight and has changed his life considerably. Very awesome and inspiring!
• ExNavyNuke This is another blog that is a compilation of ex Navy Nuke’s experiences. Always motivating to read through these and strive for excellence.

Of course the biggest motivation comes from within. I am not only doing this to serve my country, but to serve myself. I am getting healthier to enjoy a long and rewarding life. And that by itself, is the most motivating factor in my pursuit of this goal.