Sunday, January 31, 2010

It has been a while

I know some of you have been wondering if I have given up. Nope. I am still moving forward. As a student teacher and a father it seems like I am being pulled in fifteen directions at once. I am still working toward my goal of 210 in 2010.

Praise God we have a two hour delay tomorrow. I am going to a local gym and check out what they have going on. If they have clean showers, I just may be joining tomorrow. If I find the showers acceptable to use, then I will be able to work out even more.

The low impact stuff will help keep me from being out of commission for three and four says at a time. Which in turn will speed up my weight loss. I cannot wait until Feb 10th when I put up a new picture and reveal how much weight I have lost in the first month of my journey.

Dave Odom, thanks for the great music at church this AM. Sorry we had to give you the beat down on the hardwood though.

Some of these people on the Grammy's really should re-think their wardrobe. Just because you are rich and skinny enough to wear it does not mean it makes you look good. Use some of that money and hire me to keep you from looking crazy.

Still making progress and eating much more healthy.

SHEP

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Waiting is the hardest part.

I had a message in my inbox today. No, no, no it wasn't the usual spam, but an actual message from someone checking up on my progress. I tried to sound as up beat as possible, but I am really bummed out.

My eating habits have changed for the better. My portion sizes have decreased by at least half. I am getting some sort of breakfast daily. (Protein shake when I don't actually eat food.) I am eating fresh fruits as snacks instead of those glazed honey buns. I have still been able to avoid Coke for 26 days. When I say Coke, I am referencing the cola, not the drug sold to the rich white kids. I am not eating just because I am lonely or bored. Some of these meetings I have gone to, the boredom I have had to endure, would have been a 3 or 4 Little Debbie cake binge in the past. Now I just snack on some fresh fruit and drink my Walmart bottled water. I have completely cut out white bread. As wonderful as it was, I know I have to make sacrifices. It is not easy though. I have a strong desire to keep my white bread. Candy was something I really loved to eat, now when I see people eating it, it doesn't bother me. I don't crave it. My headaches have pretty much stopped.

Here comes the bummer.

My lower body has taken a beating because of all this weight I am carrying. My knees, legs, ankles, and feet hurt for 2 or 3 days after a run. I do not feel I am getting any where. I had a friend suggest riding a bike. Out here in the Middle of No Where it is far from safe to be riding a bike. And it's not because of the banjo music. I am going to have to formulate a plan to keep me exercising. I am making zero from this blog and zero from student teaching right now, so joining a gym is out of the question. I am going to figure out a way to stuff the bike I have out in the storage shack in my little Honda Accord and find a decent area to ride in.

AS long as I keep eating these more healthy foods, I know I will be successful. My fitness goals may come slower than I had hoped, but I know I will reach them.

Shuffling one foot in front of the other,

SHEP

Sunday, January 24, 2010

NQNBA Not Quite the NBA.

Today's basketball game with the church league was fun like always. And we pulled out a win. Dave Odom and his Hurricane's better watch out next Sunday. I was actually a pretty good ball player back when I wasn't so stinking fat. I can barely jump now with this mud tire around my waist. I am working toward being able to play to the caliber I was able to back when I lived in a much more diverse city.

After watching The Biggest Loser on my handy dandy DVR, I got to thinking about why I am as fat as I am. Why did I start turning to food as a comforter. In order for me to make a healthy change and keep that change in place, I have to identify why food became a safe haven for me.

The only thing that I can think of, is me being a lonely guy. I am often awake after everyone else has gone to bed and find myself wanting to have a companion. What better companion than that big bag of chips, or that half of sleeve of Chips Ahoy cookies? When I would stay up watching my TV shows on the handy dandy DVR, I would make up for the meals I missed during the day. I would also want to have conversation with another adult. Since my wife wasn't the night owl I was, I would turn to the things that never disagreed with me or called me on the bull crap I was believing, food. Actually, it was the junk food.

I do not eat after 7:30 pm now-a-days. When my children ask me to buy doughnuts, cookies, or ice cream I give them a firm NO. I feel like I am on my way to changing the way I ate, but I am not going to put the temptations in front of me. If it isn't here in the cabinet, it is that much harder to get to.

I got my wife to buy me some fruit and yogurt for my lunches. I am still plugging along on the Internet trying to find some advice on the more healthy choices I can make for myself.

Tomorrow is going to be a long busy day. I am going to have to work extra hard at making myself hit the treadmill for just a little bit tomorrow.

Still taking baby steps toward my goal of 210 lbs in 2010.

SHEP

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Rest

After Thursday's Fat Buddy Shuffle my legs are still sore. I hit the treadmill tonight after taking Friday off. My legs wanted no part of the running. SO, instead of running, I walked very briskly with an incline. Tomorrow I am playing in another basketball game. So I will get in some quality cardio.

I am still staying away from the junk food. I should really buy stock in a water bottling company. I am drinking at least 5 bottles of water per day.

It is slow going, but any thing worth having requires hard work.

SHEP

Thursday, January 21, 2010

The Fat Buddy Shuffle

Today's workout was what will be referred to as the Fat Buddy Shuffle from here on out. I warmed up with a brisk 10 minute walk moving into a slow run for five minutes moving into a five minute walk moving (What's that? Oh OK, you understand). I kept the Fat Buddy Shuffle up for 60 minutes. No, you read that right. SIXTY minutes.

I have really grown tired of the pain impeding my progress. I have no real formula or scientific way for figuring out how long I should walk/run. So I figured if I had to mix in the walking with the running, then I should go for as long as I possibly could.

After the second time I ran for five minutes (25 minutes in) I wanted to quit so bad. All I could think of was this verse from Isaiah 40:31 But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. I know there is no way I can reach my goals. I need the support of the people around me and the help from my deliverer; Jesus.

I know that come December I will be down to at least my target weight. I can do it. Not because of me, but because of what Philippians 4:13 says. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

I have struggled this week. I have fought the desire to get that frosted honey bun out of the teacher's lounge vending machine. The Coke machine has been whispering to me during the school day. "Just one drink Shep, just one drink and it will be OK." The half dozen gas stations I pass on the way home. Do you know what a pocket of change can do to a Little Debbie display rack????? I am fighting an uphill battle everyday.

An uphill battle, with God's help, I am going to win. Satan is not going to hold me back. I am done standing in the way of my own success. Life is so much more than the next good meal. I have some little girls that need to have me around so I can walk them down the aisle at their weddings and cry like a big Ole' dummy. I have a son who needs his Dad around to teach him how to shave. My wife needs me around to reach things that are too high for her to reach. She may not ever be able to use the hair dryer again if I die.

My knees, chins, calves, ankles, and feet are going to hurt until I get a lot of this fat off of my frame. Can't get the fat off if I am just sitting around waiting for the pain to go away. I will have to take the pain in little doses to make it to my goal. But that is OK with me. The pain will not last forever. And as fat as I am now, neither will I.

Loving my life on this path to the new me.

SHEP

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Pain Pain Go Away

This pain in my legs is begining to really make me angry. I want to run and get this stupid gut gone. I am motivated and feel like Satan is trying to put a stumbling block up in front of my path.

Tomorrow is going to be busy busy busy. I don't know what time I will be getting home. If the kids are already in bed, I don't run because I am afraid the nosie would wake them up. Getting them to go to bed is already as hard as fighting Nazi Germany in WWII.

I have to come up with some kind of solution. 4:30 AM is not my first choice at all. Hopefully I can figure something out.

I really wanted to be able to get in some kind of exercise today, but by time we finally made it home for the evening, it was well past the kids bed time.

Waiting to see what tomorrow holds,

SHEP
Today was a long tedious day. I had a terrible headache again. I am not quite sure what is making me have these headaches. I know a Coke would fix it up, but I am resisting the urge to take the easy way out. I was so tempted to stop at the gas station and grab a Coke and three or four Little Debbie cakes. Instead I went home and had dinner and relaxed. Eventually the headache went away. Not nearly as fast as it would have been with a Coke. If I am ever going to get to my target weight, I have to make those sacrifices.

My legs and knees are still sore. Next time I will not try and push myself when my body is clearly saying STUPID, I need to rest.

Instead of not doing anything on those days I need to rest, I am going to at least walk for a little while. At least that way, my body is getting some type of exercise.

I am finally starting to feel guilty for not getting exercise in. This is going to help me stay motivated to get up and do something so I don't become the 500 pound man. I want to be famous and be recognizable, but not that way.

Goodnight

SHEP

Monday, January 18, 2010

Frustration

I jumped on the treadmill today. I was on the machine for a minute for a whole minute before my knees were screaming at me. My shins and ankles were also expressing tons of displeasure. I did not want to not run so I set my mind to struggling through. Nope, wasn't happening. My legs from the knees down were pretty much numb after four minutes. I was able to struggle through 10 minutes of some very painful running.

I stretched a little bit after the 10 minutes and went to walking. I jacked the incline all the way up so I would have a good walk. I was able to walk for about two minutes at this incline level. I lowered it and did some interval running for about 5 minutes.

Overall my run sucked big time. I am so disappointed in today's run. I have just now gotten back into running and now I am hurting after just a few minutes. I am frustrated with the whole situation. It makes me think, am I being a wimp, am I pushing myself too hard too fast, could I do more????? It is very frustrating.

I was hoping to keep the momentum going from yesterday's awesome run. This is one sorry way to start off a week. At least I did have a good run yesterday. Hopefully tomorrow or Wed. I will be ready to run strong again.

I am going to ice my legs down for a little while and then off to bed for another LONG day tomorrow.

SHEP

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Slow Moving Vehicle Ahead

This week has been great for me. My eating habits are slowly transforming. I am by no means a health food fanatic, but I am slowly making some changes that will be beneficial to my health. I am still on a steady stream of water. I am drinking between five and six bottles of water each day. I have switched my bread from the delicious Captain John Derst white bread, to wheat. Plain, regular wheat bread. I am actually OK with wheat bread, it is the wheat tortilla shells that I really, really hate.

My beautiful wife and I had dinner out with some friends Saturday night. We went to a steak house, you know the gimmicky place where you throw the peanut shells on the floor. They bring out the bread. Instead of my eating the customary 6 pieces, I go moderate and only eat three. I normally order an appetizer, a salad, the biggest RIBEYE they have, side items, sweet tea and a dessert. This time, I did switch up my game plan. I skipped dessert, the sweet tea, the appetizer, the side items, and the biggest steak. I simply got myself a salad with steak in it. Much less food than I normally order, but I still left feeling like I got enough to eat.

After an awesome day at church I came home and checked out my face book page. I saw that an athlete that played up the road at Clemson University had died of a heart attack at 26. TWENTY SIX years old. I am older than that, and in much worse shape physically. I feel terrible for his family. But this makes me really look at my own health with an even higher powered magnifying glass. I have three of the smartest, sweetest children that I want to see graduate high school and college and get married. I have to make some healthy changes to make sure this happens.

My awesome church has it's own basketball league that I play in. I played basketball today and went home and jumped on the treadmill. I set a goal of 36 minutes. I walked briskly for two minutes and then ran for 34 minutes. I got to the 36 minute mark and slowed down to a nice walk to cool down. I got to thinking about the football player who died and ran for another five minutes.

I tell you about my running and personal struggles because I want to encourage some one else to make a healthy change in their life and have some accountability. I also want to use this media outlet to tell you about the love of Jesus. Without the love of Jesus my life would be much worse off than it is. I have messed up all my life and Jesus still loves me unconditionally. No matter how bad I mess up, Jesus will run to me. Life is hard with or with out the love of Jesus in your life, but with Jesus in your life it is so much more worth it.

I cannot wait to get this week started.

SHEP

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Are you standing in the way of your success?

How good do you feel when you set a goal and meet that goal?Let's take that one step further. How great do you feel when you set a goal and not only meet that particular goal, but exceed that goal? Today's exercise goal was to spend 35 minutes on the treadmill. Goal, CHECK. Not only did I spend 35 minutes on the treadmill, I went an extra five minutes.

On Monday I covered two miles in 30 minutes. I am ecstatic to say that I covered those same two miles in 24 minutes. In 30 minutes I was able to cover three miles. I was so ready to quit about 17 minutes into the run. I pushed through and refused to quit (which does not happen often.) I am proud of my performance.

I know, three miles in 30 minutes is not a great feat by any stretch of the imagination. Michael Jordan did not become a World Champion overnight. C.J. Spiller did not become the fastest man to lose to the University of South Carolina overnight. My goal is to gradually run faster and farther. I doubt I will ever be CJ fast, but its cool.

Right now I am planning on running three times a week for two weeks. At the end of that two week period I will move to four times a week. I will eventually be able to run like I want to. My long term goal is to run in the Myrtle Beach Marathon next February.

Today I did not feel as bad. I was able to eat more today and did not get a headache and did not feel like crap.

Today's Food intake looks like this:
Breakfast
Medium Bowl of HN Cheerios with 2% milk 6:15 AM
Small Tangerine 10:00 AM
Two Turkey Sandwiches (still on white bread), some pita chips and a small tangerine 11:40 AM
Handful of Almonds (9:15 AM, 12:15 PM)
Small Tangerine 2:35 PM
Medium Firehouse Sub, Baked Lays (I NEVER eat this stuff), and a Coke Zero. 6:00 PM
And I drank about four 20 OZ bottles of water through the day.

If you know of any good Reliable websites that have nutritional tips on them would you leave them in the comment box?

Looking forward to getting out of my so I can be successful.

SHEP

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Baby Steps

Today was a trying day. After spending half the day in a meeting (that went around in circles and got us NO WHERE) I had a terrible headache and was ready to hit the drive-thru. I do not think the drive-thru is the worst choice available, but I knew I was taking a day off from running, so I avoided the drive-thru and grabbed some peanuts and a diet coke. I normally do not indulge in diet drinks, but the headache won out. After drinking about half my headache was gone. It is a huge step in the right direction to only get a 12 ounce diet coke.

Normally in this situation I would have bought 2 or 3 Little Debbie cakes and a 20 ounce Coke. I didn't even consider this option. I stuck with something that was much less damaging to my Journey to weight loss.

Here is what I had to eat today:

6:20 AM Bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with Reduced Fat Milk
10 AM Healthy handful of grapes
11:40 AM 2 Turkey Sandwiches and 2 small tangerines
1:10 PM Medium handful of grapes
4:10 PM Cup of peanuts one 12 OZ Diet Coke
6:15 PM 2 Grilled Skinless Boneless Chicken Fajitas

I drank 4 to 5 20 OZ bottles of water.

Tomorrows goal is to continue eating less than I normally do and not drinking Coke and other sugary drinks and to spend 35 minutes on the treadmill.

I am pleased with the progress of the past three days. One foot in front of the other. Success does not happen over night, at least not in the real world. And I ASSURE you I am living in the real world.

Your comments are appreciated.

Looking forward to what tomorrow has to offer.

SHEP

Monday, January 11, 2010

The above photo is of me crossing the finish line of the Octoberfest 2009 5K. As you can see my race time was terrible. At one point in my life I could run a mile in under 8 minutes and run 2 miles in under 15 minutes......

Today was a fairly good day overall. Minus the confusion of what is expected of me as a Student Teacher at Un-Said U. I had breakfast. Cherrios with reduced fat milk and some toast. Not too bad, but I am in no way an expert in nutrition, nor am I ready to become one. For lunch I had some leftover pasta alfredo. After lunch I had some time to kill, so I went for a brisk walk. For dinner I had a subway sub and a bag of potato chips. Not great, but not bad either. The only beverage of the day was WATER. Hence the 50 million trips the bathroom.

I jumped on the treadmill this evening and went to work. I set a goal to complete 30 minutes. I started out at a brisk walk working my way up to a slow steady jog. I felt pride and accomplishment because I set a goal and did not give up on myself. Normally I start feeling discomfort and I throw in the towel. I am proud that I met my goal.

On the other hand, I feel shame and guilt. 30 minutes on the treadmill is not too bad, but I only covered 2 miles in 30:05. No way am I happy with the distance covered. I feel shame and guilt for allowing myself to fall this far below my previous fitness level. At one point I loved to run and could run forever.

I know this is just a small step in the right direction. And I know the increases in my fitness level will not be as fast as I want them to be. I know that I am going to improve and make my way back to where I was in the past.

Please feel free to leave comments and to sign up to follow my blog.
I look forward to hearing from you.

SHEP

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Numero Uno

For most of my adult life I have been fat. I am tired of paying extra for bigger clothes. I am going to talk about my struggles and failures along with my wins. My goal for 2010 is to get down to 210 pounds. My current weight is 262. I am currently wearing a 2XL shirt and a 42 waist.

I am going to be real with you. I am going to tell you exactly how I feel about any and everything.

I was watching TV's The Biggest Loser and saw how the contestants were weighing in infront of all their families and friends and was inspired to start this blog. I need some accountablity. I also want to encourage others in their weight loss struggles.

My family and I like to get out and enjoy life. We love to go camping, swimming, hiking, pretty much anything that gets us out of the house. My wife is fond of taking pictures of our family when we are out enjoying life. I have hidden from the camera many times because I was shirt-less and did not want to have my picture taken with no shirt. I have deleted many, many, many pictures of me with out a shirt on. It is embarrasing and I am tired of it.

This is the first of many steps to be taken to shed the weight and keep it off.

My 2010 goals:
Drop my weight to 210 pounds
Drink more water
Exercise at least 3 times a week
Encourage others in the struggles

I look forward to blogging about this journey.

SHEP

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