P90X - Day 60

Sixty days of P90X are in the books. I have faithfully been at it everyday with the exception of 1. But I made it up by working out twice the next day.  I have been sore, at times discouraged, but mostly I have felt great about myself.  I debated about putting pictures up on this page do to embarrassment of how out of control I had gotten. Yet on the other hand I have worked hard for two months and have some great results to show.  So take a look at what can be accomplished when you "Do Your Best, and Forget the Rest." Thirty days left and there is no way I won't make it to the end.

Sparkpeople.com

We all need a little help sometimes when it comes to staying on track with our goals of diet, exercise and weight lose. I have tried for years to do it on my own and have not had the success I would like. My wife has encouraged me to join weight watchers or some other group, believing that the social environment and accountability would be a big plus for me. Off course the big minus is they cost. Then along comes http://Sparkpeople.com. This website puts all the tools at your finger tips. There are meal trackers that will even print out the weekly grocery list. There are workout programs. There are specialty groups. Are you a mom of teens, do you have high blood pressure. Do you skip breakfast. There are others out there to connect with. Community is a big part of the program.

The fact that it is free made me a bit skeptical, but as I wondered through the pages I was not asked to pull out my credit card once. I can have my own blog on the sight, I can share my success and failure on line, and get encouragement to push on. It may not be exactly what you are looking for, but for free it is an awesome site. Take a quick look and tell me what you think. To bad I can’t just push a button and have the weight disappear.

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Seasonal Weight Loss

Just like the earth goes through its round of seasons each year, I have found that we as people do as well.  Living in the Pacific Northwest, many go through cycles of depression due to the dark rainy weather.  As the sun shines more  moods become brighter as well.  For me, there is something about spring that triggers a desire to focus on my health, to get outside and be active, to consider the way I look and treat myself.  As a result in April I once again began a focus on changing my lifestyle.  The way I drink, eat, sleep, deal with stress, etc...  All of these play into a healthy lifestyle.  So far I have been very successful. For some reason in the spring it is easy for me to focus and be successful. As summer starts to swing into gear, the summer parties with beer, chips, dips, and all the other unhealthy great tasting food easily knock me off track.  Then it is the seasonal food of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years that keeps me from getting back in gear.

To be successful, it is more about the upcoming seasons I will be facing, then about the current season I am in.  The excitement of losing weight and looking better each day is motivating.  It is what happens when I plateau, and others are enjoying those foods that I used to crave that I need to figure out.  So when I say I am looking forward to summer, it is in a whole new way. 

Wishing you success in this season.

South Beach Diet Success - Week #4

Another week of my life style change and still moving in the right direction. And while the real purpose of my life style change is to avoid becoming diabetic, to reduce blood pressure without medication, and to live past 56 (when my Dad died), I find that the loss of weight is becoming almost an obsession.  Each morning I get up and head right to the scale.  My mood for the day is determined by what the dial reads (I hate the control that scale has on my life).  I spend a lot of time thinking about combinations of foods,their affect on digestion and fat retention.  Gone are the days of sitting down and just simply enjoying the taste of a steak or piece of Salmon. A glass of wine is no longer thought of as a Shiraz or Merlot, or talked about regarding its quality, instead it has become a Carb and calories.  Yet this is exactly what I enjoy.  Eating has become another process to gain control over or system to tweak and master.  So far I am figuring it out.

As of today when I jumped off the scale the dial stopped at 211lbs. That is another 3lbs in a week and 19lbs in four weeks. The only bummer is that my official weigh in day wasn't yesterday when I woke up and saw 210.  While 200 lbs is out of reach for my birthday on June 4th, 205 could be close. 

The cool thing is I am making progress, feel that I am eating very well, seeing visible results, and realizing the benefits of healthy choices in terms of blood pressure and blood sugars.  That is huge and very motivating.  Ok, the comments of people noticing is also motivating. This is so worth the battle.

South Beach Week 3

Another week down and a few more pounds dropped.  This week allowed for the reintroduction of fruits and carbs back into the diet.  I have to admit, with the first two weeks calling foods high in sugar bad, it was almost scary to add them back in.  I have been very limited in how much fruit and bread I eat as I try to figure this part of the diet out.  I went mostly with a piece of 8 grain toast and red grapes.  The toughest part of the week was a party at our house last weekend. Chips, pasta salads, french fries, cheese cake, brownies, more chips, beer, wine, and hamburger buns, made it hard to find the vegetables and chicken. They were there but you had to look hard. Yes, I had a brownie, and a couple of chips.  The real problem was the beer, after two weeks of no alcohol I went overboard and really indulged in this area.  However, after my slip up I went right back on the diet and continued on.

I find that I love grilling food on the BBQ.  I just like the taste better.  Even veggies taste better that way. I am also getting smarter in how I store food before freezing.  I am anticipating nights that I will need to eat differently from the rest of my family and as a result am putting single steaks in a freezer bag so I don't have to thaw full slabs and then figure out how to deal with it.  My wife is also enjoying the fact that I am cooking and tries to have me cook for the entire clan a few times a week.  I am beginning to find it enjoyable. 

So, week three found me weighing in at 214lbs this morning. for my height of 5'11" that puts me at a Body Mass Index of 28.4. I am now officially overweight and not obese (not sure if that is something to cheer about or not).  That is a three pound drop from last week and 16 pounds overall. My birthday is June 4th, and while I won't be under 200lbs by then it sure would be great if I could get down to 205.  Anyway, I have been lax on any kind of exercise, so adding that back in should make a difference.  Although, adding muscle actually increases weight.  Still, I feel a lot better.  It is definitely worth the battle.

Dealing with Diet Setbacks

It was a gorgeous day Sunday.  Friends were coming over for a barbeque, the grill was ready to go, and the first guest to arrive comes in with a wonderful cheese cake for desert. Each guest to follow brought something equally off my diet like chips, rolls, you name it all the foods showed up calling my name.  Earlier in the day I had developed a plan on how to have just one beer, stay away from using a bun, stay with the veggies and not the chips. It was all going well until I noticed I was drinking beer number three and the party was still young.

As you can guess, with the resolve broken soon the chips and fries were on my plate, a brownie and who could pass on the cheese cake.  That night I felt like a loser, taken out of my game, I had blown it.  So now what?  My definition of a setback is something that impedes progress for a short time. I have determined the time for the setback is over and it its time to resume with the original plan of living healthy, so, back on the diet.

With South Beach you can move back and forth between phases.  I am going to jump back on the strict phase for a three to four days and keep moving ahead.  I am anticipating set backs along the way, however, I resolve to have a game plan to deal with them before they occur. And, if I should fail to stay with the plan, I commit to getting back on track the next day.  Again, I am talking about a change in lifestyle, one that corrects my blood chemistry (to the extent it can), that gets me off the obesity chart and even the overweight chart, that helps me lower my blood pressure, and results in a healthy life style.  It is worth the battle over set backs.

Weight Loss in Pictures

 

A week at a time

South Beach Diet - Week 2

I have just stepped off the scale at the end of week #2 on the South Beach Diet.  The first two weeks are the strict phase where you cut out the high carb, high sugar items. Translated that means no bread, cereal, fruit, candy, pop, alcohol, chips, tortillas, etc..... (you know, all the things that used to make up my diet). The purpose of this strict phase is to change you blood chemistry, change your metabolism, and to reduce cravings for the wrong types of food.  Obviously, the byproduct of those three things happening should show up in weight loss result and the claimed reduced inches around the middle. Those who know I am on the diet have asked a number of questions, so let me list a few answers here before giving the results from the week.

• I am on the diet because my Doctor said I am pre-diabetic and need to make a change in my diet and lifestyle.  Also, my weight has crept up and in reading I find I am no longer overweight, but am considered obese at 230 pounds.
• There have been two really tough days on the diet so far.  The first was during a day of work meetings in which the tables are full of candy bowls, there are soft drinks galore, lunch is provided, and we all go out for drinks afterwards.  The second tough day was yesterday following my son's soccer teams state cup victory.  While we celebrated with pizza and wine as a family, I ate a salad and drank water (those who know me, understand that I could live on pizza)
• I am typically a stress eater - however, I have found that eating small snacks throughout the day has helped me control this some what.  I think I am grabbing a cheese stick, or a handful of peanuts instead of making a plate of nacho chips.
• I am having to change a number of bad habits like..... not eating breakfast or lunch, and coming home and attacking the fridge for the next two hours at the end of the day, eating lots of bread to try and stop the hunger, eating as fast as possible, large portions, and going back for seconds.
• I am no longer eating without thinking.  I find as we have been out to eat a few times I am really looking at the menu to see what is a healthy choice, and not just what sounds good. I am making my lunch before I go to work rather than being forced to run across the street at lunch to the McD's
• You may laugh but No, it is not a diet, it is a life style I am trying to develop.

So what has happened this last week?  I started the week at 221 pounds, and this morning as I stepped of the scale I was at 217 pounds.  I weighed without any clothes, without eating anything yet this morning, and having just gone to the bathroom.  That is a 4 pound loss. Total weight lost to date is 13 pounds.  The loss should start slowing down as I introduce some carbs and fruits back into my diet.  My goal is to lose a total of 55 pounds over the year.  That is a simple one pound a week loss.  if it is faster than that you won't hear me complain.  It is worth the battle.

Winning at Weight Loss

I found myself getting a little discourage with my attempt to lose 45 pounds this last week.  Obviously I would like to see it melt off instantly, but as I have mentioned in earlier posts sustained weight loss usually occurs in those who have changed their lifestyle and reached their goal slowly over time.  So to get myself out of the funk I was in I started to ask myself the same questions I ask when I run into similar feelings with my plans/strategies at work.

1. Is the goal specific - Have I really defined what I am shooting for?  In my case the goal is bigger then weight loss, it is about brining my metabolism back on line, changing my blood chemistry, and living healthy.
2. Is the goal attainable - Can I really make it happen?  If the goal is to drop 20 pounds by tomorrow, you probably won't be successful.  If the goal is to reduce your calorie intake by 500 cal per day, now you might make it.  If it is to lose 1 pounds per week over over 45 weeks, you have a fighting chance.
3. Does the goal allow for setbacks - In other words, what happens if you fall short? Do you give up and quit or does your goal allow for the ups and downs of life?  For me and weight loss there will be weeks of 1 pound loss followed by weeks of one pound gains.  Sometimes I might have a three pound loss and be back on track.  Perfection is not my goal.

If you are like me you can be easily discouraged and want to give up.  The trick is to see the long term goal and the outcome it will produce, recognizing that it is worth pursuing.  Short term focus, while necessary, has a tenancy to trip us up.  It is worth the battle.

Effects of Weight Loss on Blood Pressure

Over the last few weeks I have been very interested in finding non pharmaceutical ways to control my blood pressure.  Without to much surprise, weight loss through proper nutrition seems to be the number one thing you can do for yourself.  A 10 pound weight loss is said my some experts to reduce your BP by 8 points.  Eating the right types of food can also have a dramatic impact on your blood pressure.

Most of us resign to the using of medications to control blood pressure because it means we don't have to change our live style.  However, I would rather spend the $50 - $100 a month I would have to pay for medications, on a gym membership, a mountain bike, healthier foods, etc....

This last week I was able to lose 9 pounds following a diet plan. While this is a fast drop in weight my goal is to lose another 45 pounds over the course of this year.  In the first week alone my blood pressure dropped by 5 points systolic and 7 points diastolic.  While that still puts me in the category of Pre-hypertension (Pre-hypertension is 120-139 over 80-89), to me that is significant.  I am not sure if it is a result of the weight or the change in foods.  Next I will be adding a little more exercise, but weight loss does make a difference.  I am proof. For more info on Blood Pressure go to Workings.  They have some great thoughts on this topic.

South Beach Diet Excitement

I have just stepped off the scale after 7 days on the south beach diet.  I have stayed away from weighing myself because in the past I had trouble emotionally handling the 2 pounds lost, one pound gained cycle I typically find myself in.  So here are some quick facts about my past week.

• I started the week at 230 pounds and my goal is to be at 178-175lbs
• I started by going to the store and buying the food I would need to be successful
• I kept a jar of unsalted penults at work for quick snacks and always had a glass of water close by
• I made one mistake, I without thinking grabbed a piece of taffy out of a bowl in one of my employees offices without thinking.
• I tried very hard to anticipate situations that might mess up my diet attempts
• I have a very supportive family - wife and kids - and a few supportive friends.
• I felt hungry often, but found that a slice of thin ham, or cottage cheese, did a great job of helping me get rid of it.
• I took a few walks, but not as many as I had planned 

So what were the results???  I am at 221 pounds this morning.  I have not eaten yet or drank anything this morning, but I am at 221 pounds on 4/29/07. I am off to a very satisfying start to this diet.  As I mentioned before, my real reason for being on the diet has more to do with overall health then weight loss.  As I have been reading, those who have lost the weight and keep it off generally lose small amounts of weight each week, 1-2 pounds, over 2 years or more, not as a result of a fad diet, but as a result in a life style change that effects how they view food, how they use food, what they think about food, and ultimately what they do with their food.

So what did a typical day look like for me? I started each morning with a large glass of water.  I then would make breakfast with a variety of sauteed vegetables ( I love onions, mushrooms and bell peppers), two slices of lean thin sliced ham, two eggs, and a small amount of cheese. I also gave myself a small cup of coffee with some 1% mild.  While breakfast was cooking I would start making a salad for lunch.  I tried to always add chicken, shrimp or ham to the salad for protein and then olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the dressing.  I would grab a cheese stick out of the fridge for a later morning snack and by the time that breakfast was ready I had lunch ready to go as well. My kids laughed at me because I was outside grilling chicken at 7am.  I would try to eat the cheese stick around 10:30 and lunch at noon.  The second half of the day is tough for me.  I would find myself getting hungry around 2pm.  I would have a handful of peanuts but be hungry again at 3pm. With only peanuts around I would have another handful and hope to make it until dinner.  At home around 6pm I would grab another cheese stick or some cottage cheese so I wouldn't be so hungry at dinner I would eat uncontrollably.  Dinner would be some form of grilled beef or chicken, I will buy fish this week. I also would fix up a large amount of vegetables steamed or sauteed, and then make a crispy, crunch salad. Throughout the day I was drinking glass after glass of water.  Sometimes it would help with the hunger, but I swear most of my exercise was walking back and forth from the bathroom.

I found that yesterday I was a little bit bored of the same type of food every day, but after next week will be adding some fruit and carbs back in.

Weight is coming down and so are the blood pressure numbers.  I am excited.  I wish you success this week in your diet endeavors.  It is worth the battle.

South Beach Diet - Obstacles to Success

I am officially on the South Beach Diet, Day 4 is just beginning. I notice I woke up less hungry than the first few days, and after eating I am full. This is great, because during the first few days I almost had to tie myself down to keep from heading to the fridge, convenience store, or fast food restaurant.

There were a few things I didn't anticipate or have a plan for going in, that you might want to be aware of as you start out on your diet, South Beach or other type):

• Co-Workers Candy Jars - Many offices where I work have candy jars. Some full of taffy, others M&M's. Prior to my diet I would take a few whenever I was in one of those offices. On day one I, without thinking, picked up a piece of taffy and popped it in my mouth. You need a plan to deal with your environment.
• The Mother In Law - Day two I got a call at work that we were going over to the In Laws for dinner. Not a problem because we do this almost once a week. However, when at someone else's house you lose control of what is being prepared. Noticing it, I quickly mentioned I was on a diet. We were having Hamburgers, Potatoes, lots of wine, and cake. With her ok I went for the Hamburger without the bun and Ketchup and instead put on some mustard, took some extra tomatoes and onions, poured up a big glass of water, found the makings for a salad, and skipped out on dessert. Since it was only one hamburger patty and I was on day two, I went home a bit hungry. I quickly made up a SB dessert and made it through the day ok. You need to be able to improvise when needed.
• Today I have an all day meeting away from my facility. Of course I am in the medical field so all the healthy snacks will be there like; Costco Muffins - 100% Carb, small little candy bars, hard candy, pop, etc... I am known for eating a good amount of these items as I am a stress eater and these meeting produce a lot of it. Also, I lose control of lunch again. So, I will bring a few of my cheese sticks, and try to grab a bag of nuts on my way in to the meeting. I'll grab some water as well. Think ahead when you know what your walking into.
• After the meeting a group of us usually go out for drinks, and we can drink a lot. Since alcohol is off the diet at the moment, and this is an area of weakness - not the drinking, but the hanging out with friends and having a few, I will probably need to avoid the temptation all together and head home early tonight. Avoid your areas of weakness when possible.

There are many obstacles to success in dieting. My list is growing and I am only starting day four. I anticipate things like boredom with the food choices, the desire to go out to eat, etc... will soon make my list. It would be great to hear from you what obstacles you have faced and what you are doing to keep them from hindering your resolve to live healthy. I will make sure your thoughts get posted.

Picking the South Beach Diet

I have been researching diets for sometime now, looking for one that isn't just hype, but makes sense. There were a number that stated I could lose 20 pounds in 30 days. Others promised I could eat whatever I wanted and lose weight at the same time. I figured that the diet I chose needed to address the health issues that are beginning to creep up on me. Those issues are:

• Obesity - In my research a few weeks back I discovered that my height and weight but my Body Mass Index just into the range of Obesity.
• Diabetes - My last visit to the doctor I was informed that I am pre-diabetic and need to make some changes before I become diabetic.
• Family History of Coronary Heart Disease - May Grandfather died of a Heart Attach, my Dad had open heart surgery.
• High Blood Pressure - My BP has crawled up there and I would love to avoid medication if at all possible. My Dad and Grandfather also had High Blood Pressure.

The South Beach Diet was developed by Cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston. As a result of problems he was seeing with the Heart Healthy Diets, he went to work on something that was simple and addressed the issues he had identified with the growing Obesity issue he was seeing. Through his research he determined that the efficiency in which our bodies break down food into useful energy, makes the difference in wether or not we gain weight and place ourselves at risk for Cardiac Issues, Issues Related to Diabetes, and other problems that affect those who are overweight. At the center of how our bodies breakdown and store food is insulin - the production of, and our bodies acceptance of or resistance to the insulin we produce.

The South Beach Diet appears to be more about changing habits in how we eat and what we eat, then it is about losing weight. It is more about overall health then a fad that everyone is following for a season. The South Beach Diet seems right for me because it addresses some of the specific issues I am facing. I encourage each one who is thinking of dieting to research the diets out there and to chose the one that addresses the medical and genetic issues that you are facing. I don't believe that one diet fits all. I also know that for me to stick with something over a long period of time, it has to make sense to me. I'll keep you posted on how it works for me. Weight will be something that I am expecting to see drop, but I also expect to see my cholesterol and triglycerides come into line, as well as my blood sugars. With those areas being controlled I trust Blood Pressure will be affected in a positive way. My goal is improvement in my overall health and wellness. If that doesn't happen I won't be on the South Beach Diet very long.

Diabetes

Diabetes affects over 150 million people. Most simply it is a problem of how the body breaks down food, and uses it for energy . In a normal body you produce the right amount of insulin to move the sugar you have created into the cells. With Diabetes you fail to make enough insulin and you blood sugar becomes to high. Left untreated you run the risk for many problems.

There are many terms out there you may have heard, Pre- diabetes, type 1, type 2. These are labels to describe those suffering with diabetes. In Pre-Diabetes your cells are beginning to resist your bodies insulin. It can resemble a lock and key. your cell is a locked door. The sugar wants to get in the door, and the cell would like the sugar to come in. The cell picks up a key (the insulin) and is able to get in. Pre Diabetes is the beginning of a sticky lock that won't always open with the key. This is usually the precursor to Type 2. However, a change in diet, or weight loss, can often correct the situation. The South Beach Diet really addresses this whole issue in its book and was very helpful in my understanding.

Type 1 diabetics are those who do not produce any insulin. It most often occurs in those under 30. Because the body is not producing the needed insulin type 1 diabetic require frequent insulin injections. It is usually described as a genetic disorder.

Type 2 diabetes, sometimes called adult onset, is the result of the cells becoming resistant to the insulin. It usually happens in those who are over 30, but has been know to occur earlier in life for some. This is the most common form of diabetes with 95% of all cases being reported as type 2. If type 1 is a genetic disease, type 2 is a disease of choice. It is usually triggered lack of exercise, a poor choice in diet, and obesity. These are all items that can be controlled by the individual.

Living Healthy in an unhealthy world requires that we each make wise choices in how we treat our bodies. What we eat, how we use our free time, controlling our weight, all play into our health and wellness, and obviously have an impact on your chances of becoming a Diabetic, or controlling your pre-diabetic state. It is worth the battle.

Dangers of Obesity

Since determining that I am that magic Body Mass Index number that equals obesity, I have been thinking a lot about what it means or could mean. I work in the health care industry and see people who are morbidly obese, and the effects it has on their health, their live style, their self esteem, their relationships, and just about every other aspect of life. You would think that seeing someone struggle to walk or even breathe would motivate me to get on track and lose the 50 pounds that I need to lose. But since finding out that I am more than overweight, I have become a little depressed and unmotivated. Realizing this is not good, I decided to do a little research on obesity and its potential dangers. Here is what I found:

• Heart disease is greatly increased in those who are in the overweight category - a body mass index of 25+.
• Those who are overweight run a higher risk of type II diabetes
• Those who are obese have a 50% greater chance of dying prematurely than those who are of a healthy weight.
• High Blood Pressure and all the health issues that come with it are twice as likely in those that are obese.
• Increased likelihood of Depression
• Increased likelihood of Gallbladder disease
• increased likelihood of Incontinence

and the lists go on and on and on and ..........

So what does it take for someone to get out of the feeling of being stuck, and to begin embracing and moving towards health. For some there is a strong emotional tie to food, and a councilor is probably needed. For others it is making a choice to change directions and habit patterns.

It is something that I believe is worth battling for, but is very tough to do alone. If you have had success in this area, please share some of the steps you took to be successful. We can all do this.

So What Keeps You From Living Healthy?

Yesterday was a day full of problems for living Healthy. It was Easter, I had to work and deal with a few tough situations, it was raining, friends and family were over, we had Mexican food. All of these things piled up on each other and I found myself not running, I ate more then I wanted, and basically I fell into the victim role.

You are a victim when you feel that others, or your circumstances are controlling you, or that you are powerless to change the way things are going. Click here for a good link on Victim Mentality. Victim mentality is very dangerous to living healthy because it is a way of hiding from the truth, that you are in control of your body, and your choices. I chose to not run in the rain, I chose to eat as much of the dip, and enchilada, and taco's as I did. No one made these decisions for me. I have to be honest with myself, that I chose family, friends, food and drink, over eating healthy and exercising. To make it worse, when I went to bed I wanted to blame my family and friends for my choices

The way out of the victim cycle is to acknowledge that you are in control. Then to prioritize healthy living above everything else. Exercise needs to be scheduled into my life if it is to happen. I need to think through parties ahead of time and the choices I want to make, before I have to make them. In the Battle of Living Healthy, I need to be in control, not choosing to allow others to control me. If I had run and come 30 minutes late, no one would have cared. No one was watching how much I ate. If I had been stronger, I would be feeling better about myself today, and feeling good about yourself is part of living healthy. It is worth battling for.

Your Views on Food

Why do you eat? My wife has been a runner for almost 20 years now. Even after running a marathon and a number of Hood To Coast Relays, and at least a dozen 1/2 marathons, she doesn't think of herself as a run, but she is. She is also very disciplined when it comes to food. I on the other hand have attempted to train for a marathon, have been to Mt. Hood and the Coast, and a number of years ago ran a 5k. I am not disciplined when it comes to food.

I was very intrigued when a few months ago we had a discussion on eating. While my wife enjoys a good meal, for her eating is about feeding the machine. She eats because it is necessary in order to do the things in her day she wants to do. Taste has very little to do with it. Very rately will she have seconds and other than a polite, "that was very good," to friends who invite over for dinner you never hear her talk about the taste or texture of a great meal. For me, food is something to experience and enjoy. Each bite brings pleasure. Getting full gets in the way of my enjoyment. I can talk about the taste of a good steak for days. I wake up thinking about Mexican food.

Obviously we are all very different in our motivation for eating. From a healthy perspective food is about feeding the machine. If our bodies are machines, we need to make sure we are using the right types of fuel in the right combinations. There is nothing that says it can't taste good, but for me, my enjoyment of food is dangerous, and goes against my goal of trying to live healthy. I do not want to go on a diet. I want to think right about food, and eat food right.

The Beginning

For years I have walked by the mirror and thought to myself, "I don't look half bad. Pull in my stomach, sinch up the belt, and I am ok." Last week all the sucking it in didn't do the trick. I realized that bending down is tougher, the shirts hang away from my body, and I am not happy with that. I have stayed away from the scale for fear of what it might really reveal, and while I only weight around 230, and have for the last three years, it is all starting to look different on me. What is happening? Change in job - that has led to more stress and less time (I am a stress eater, so this is a problem). Less active - I am not out playing soccer, climbing mountains, or surfing, like I used to. Eating on the go - I am not being proactive with what I eat, instead I allow myself to be a victim of what is available or close by, like McD's or Taco Bell. So, my goal is to move back towards health. It is not about dieting, or exercise, or less stress, or less drink, or, or, or. It is about being healthy, and for me being healthy is a battle. Everything around me trys to draw me towards unhealthyness. If I am going to become healthy I have to change the way I look at myself, the world around me, and fight for what I want to be. A healthier, more energetic, fit, me. One who walks by the mirror and sees himself for who he really is. This is one man's battle and I would love to have others join me in it.