Kewl-Ness of Weight Loss!

Well, I am almost down about 80 lbs. Not yet, but almost! I have been on-plan (or mostly always on-plan) since November 1st, 2006. No significant cheats or carb binges, or falling off the wagon as of yet. A couple minor indulgences here and there, but nothing really out-of-bounds so far.

We went out to eat tonight as a family. For YEARS, I have always asked restaurant staff for a "Table and Chairs, ...Not a Booth". Fear of booths has been a constant thing for me since I have had to jam my too big body into someplace way too tiny, and try to look like I am eating comfortably. What a scene I must have made....

Anyhow, that is one phobic tick about me that is seemingly going away with the weight loss, as I progress further and further towards a more normal weight for my bod. It used to be that my wife would ask (in recent weeks) "Are you SURE you want to sit in a booth?", and lately I have been bravely trying to see if I could make it work. And lately, more and more of the time it is no big deal. I fit comfortably, and can eat well, and enjoy my meal.

Tonight was the first night my wife didn't ask, "Are you SURE...??"!

So here's to smallish victories and improvements in the quality of my life!! I now fit into most booths, without a problem! That probably doesn't mean much to you if you have never had the problem I have had over the past years. It means alot to me, and it is a significant landmark on my journey to eat healthier and get healthier on a low carb life!

My drawing at the top is a tribute to the award winning graphics featured on the "Lovin Low Carb Life:By Sparky's Girl'" lowcarb blog... if she can draw pictures of herself there, well ...then I can too!!! [smile!] :)

Sure these are low-budget graphics no-doubt, but hopefully you get the point of the picture... It can be a tight fit when you get too out-of-whack with your bod and sometimes have to fit into smallerish places like the typical restaurant booth!

AHHhhhh.... GO EAT YER DONUTS YOU,... DONUT EATERS!

Ah well. I have resisted the temptation of gourmet sweets, and gourmet pastas and even donuts this past week. Work had me at a conference at a swanky hotel with giant boatloads of good-eating. I stuck to big piles of green beans and some chicken. And big piles of green beans and some barbeque. And other low carb goodness. Passed on many things that would have made my pancreas simply self destruct and explode, for sure.

For all of this I hit 331.4 lbs yesterday, staying on-track and on-course. Almost 80 lbs down, and near hitting the 320's. Probably will be another week or so and I will dip into the 320-land ranges. THAT WILL BE SWEETNESS THERE!!! Can't wait!

Tonight my lovin wife ate ice cream in my face in slow motion, making orgasmic sounds in the process, trying to punish me for saying something she didn't like so much. Man, I got Super Lowcarbman armor on, and that kinda stuff just bounces off of me. Like I want to go nose-down into some ice cream after all this. Don't think so. Not happenin.

I am livin a life here and a way of eating that is keeping me healthy, helping me lose weight, reduces my blood pressure and blood sugar problems. I feel better. I am fitting into smaller clothes. I hope to be here for my children - to raise them, Lord Willing, if I should be able to live long enough and the Lord doesn't return before then. That is worth more than ice cream.

I am not working out at all yet, but I have started occasionally walking up the stairs more at work, instead of the elevators - and parking a little further away than in the past, so I am walking more. Just doing a little bit more here and there.

Anyhow - just a quick update. Staying the course. Laughing in the face of danger and donuts.

BuWah-Ha-Ha-Ha!

Forward Progress! Steady As She Goes!

Well, I finally got past 352.0 this morning. Seems like the past few weeks I have been bouncing against barriers to my progress. I will be 352.0 for two mornings in a row, then BLOOOOP on up to 356 or 354.8 for no apparent reason. It is frustrating as I am staying low carb, avoiding all the evil-nastybad-awful things but my body is still doing odd things.

This morning I was down to 351.2 lbs. Lowest weight ever for me in "Who Knows How Long?". I gotta tell ya, it felt GREAT to see those numbers. I am waiting to break through below 350.0 lbs, but it isn't coming as fast and as easy as it did a couple of months ago.

One friendly reader surmised that perhaps I need to up my carbs, just a little. She may have something there. I have been keeping pretty tight control over them, trying to not let them get outa control and into "dropping out of ketosis-land". Still I am seeing forward progress overall, and that is the main thing!!

I checked my blood pressure last weekend for the first time since I started this way of eating and living. I was at 128 over something in the 90's on my best reading. While that may not be great for many folks, for me it is wonderful! I knew it had to be lower, but it was nice to see it for myself. I have run from the high 130's through as high as 160 on the top number in the past (the higher numbers if I took cold meds, or was under mega-stress, which happens occasionally). The bottom number has been in the mid-to-high 90's and maybe 80's at it's best.

I have had so many benefits since I started eating this way. I don't get all jittery if my blood sugar drops too low anymore, or sleepy and drowsy headed if I eat alot. Blood sugar is really steady and I feel great since gluconeogenesis provides the blood sugar it's supply. It is so regulated to the amount I need to feel good!

Also I have not had to take Prilosec or Alka Seltzer (sorry antacid manufacturers) as I no longer am having reflux, acid shoot up my esophagus, or any of the stomach acid problems I had before! I was one of the Alka Seltzer companies biggest customers I am sure - probably have to lay off a few thousand workers on their assembly lines now. Sure feel sorry about all that!

I also had to go out and purchase a tool to drill some new holes in my belts, as I had gone down well past the end of them and they were getting loose on me. THAT IS A WONDERFUL FEELING!!!! I want to keep one of my belts as I drill hole after hole to be able to see myself how far I have come as I lose down to lower inches and pounds.

And one other new and exciting thing happened... my wife had to make a "ring snuggy" for me out of some tape, as my wedding band was about flying off my hand every time I moved it to do something. THAT IS ALSO A WONDERFUL FEELING!!! Even my fingers are getting a little smaller, tho the cold weather is also a factor I am sure. Still, I haven't had THAT particular problem before!

Thanks to all how stop by here to check on me and see how I am doing! I AM DOING GREAT! I am loving life and living well on my low carb life. I am about to the point when people are starting to notice at work a little bit. I had my first question asking if I was losing weight from a coworker the other day. It was nice since I had lost around 50 lbs by that point, and you would think surely ***someone*** would notice my shirts getting baggier, my belt pulled tighter, my neck shrinking inside my collar, etc.

But being so heavy at the start (and still being really heavy) it will probably take even a while longer still for most folks to notice. I am OK with that. It gives me something to look forward to!

The Atkins Low Carb Diet Must Be Good For Your Eyes!

I am thinking that the Atkins low carbohydrate diet (Way of Eating) is really wonderful on the eyes! In fact, to prove it I have created this eye chart, just to test. It is wonderful, as I have found that I am actually able to read lines lower and lower each day, thus PROVING beyond any disputable fact or reasonable doubt, that the Atkins low carb diet is great for the eyes!!!

Of course, my eye chart starts at 400 lbs, and although I am not a trained medical professional, and as such my opinions on this matter are purely my own and of no real significance to anyone else, I would believe that some folks might actually require another model of the eye chart. In fact, I hope that one day I myself may have my own vision improve to the point that I will need a new chart as well!!!

This morning I weighed myself and I found that I was back down to 361.4 lbs! It seems like whatever hump I hit I am over. At least I hope so. I have found that lately I am feeling like I have more energy or am a little lighter on my feet. I was told this would happen at some point, but I really haven't felt that till now. Hopefully this good feeling will continue and I will continue reading my eye chart at lower and lower lines. I have been hovering over 360 now for a little bit, and I am so anxious to get below that. It's like an invisible barrier I keep bouncing off like it has some kind of Star Trek force shield or something. Well, hopefully we will puch through even this in the next few days (maybe tomorrow), and be on to new places.

Like they might have said in Trek (no I'm not really a trekky) if perhaps Capt. Kirk, "Bones" the doctor, and Scotty got together and wanted to live healthier on a low carb lifestyle:

"Low Carb... The final frontier... These are the voyages of the Low Carber. Our continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds... To seek out a new life; Perhaps even new civilisations... To boldly go where we have never gone before!"

It is an adventure! And you certainly take yourself to wonderful new places! And you might even find yourself boldly going where you have never gone before (even lower on the new Atkins diet eye chart).

Stumbling to Bethlehem: Carbohydrate Addict

Another excellent low carber blog worth following - that is a wonderful story of one persons daily "Epic Journey" on the low carb lifestyle is found here on the "Stumbling to Bethlehem" Blogspot blog entitled "Carbohydrate Addict" - by a very nice lady with the dual pseudonyms of "Lady Atkins" and "newbirth". "Lady Atkins" has lost 60 lbs on the low carb lifestyle and is making this more than just a diet, but a continual way of life!

I accidently wandered across her blog after reading about other low carbers mentioning this blog on their own journals.

She has a well written blog that chronicles her low carb life, fitness, past history, faith, etc.. She tells of her past, daily low carb living, measuring and tracking blood sugars, daily diet and excercise, and information about great low carb books, web links, etc.

On her blog I also learned about "walker tracker" a site where you can track the number of steps walked, and there is a great link for "Low Carb for Newbies" on her blog! It got me to thinking about measuring my own steps in a days time, and maybe tracking it at some point to get a handle on a really easy and healthy activity. You don't have to be an Olympic athlete to walk, and no special equipment is really required.

Ok, maybe some good shoes, and an accurate pedometer! :) Still it less involved than a costly gym membership or expensive excercise equipment. I heard of folks spending thousands on Bowflex's and treadmills, and other gym equipment. Nothing beats getting out and walking!

I have read too about all the little and simple things you can do - like parking farther away from the office, to make yourself walk just a little farther each day & add that much more activity into your life. Measuring it (your walking) and tracking it to help push yourself to reach new goals sounds great to me!! Gotta love the metrics!!

Go on and visit: http://stumblingtobethlehem.blogspot.com