SESSION ONE COMPLETED!

I have finished the first 12 week session of Transitions Lifestyle Systems!

I have lost 55 pounds!

I have lost 6 inches on my waist!

I have lost the vision of The Fat Guy that has haunted me all my life!

I have gained energy.

I have gained a positive self image!

I have gained a new style of eating!

I have gained the confidence that I will continue this health beyond the completion of of my goal (loosing 186 pounds) and on through the rest of my life!

(And we have gained over $3000 for Swamp Meadow or The Acoaxet Chapel!)

Thank you God for the health and the original vision,

Thank you Karen for the renewed vision of being fit and healthy!

Thank you all of you for the support and love to keep me going!

I am taking two weeks off for Christmas (maintaining my current level of health.)

Then I will be starting the program over 

(with what I have already learned and gained)

on January 4. 2013

on my way to being healthy enough
to play vigorously with my future grandchildren!

THE FAT GUY IS GONE!

All my life, I have seen myself as A Fat Guy!

It was definitely affirmed
when I had to start shopping in the "Husky" Department at Sears when I was 8.

Even in college,
when I weighed 175 pounds and was running 5 miles a day,
I knew I was really just "The Fat Guy"
who was trying to fool the girls so he could get a date!

                  

Well, yesterday, the Greatest Thing Happened!
I looked in the mirror and could not see The Fat Guy!
He's Gone!

(I still have 140 pounds more on my body than what I want.
I still have fat - too much of it - on my body.)
BUT I NO LONGER SEE THE FAT GUY!

I see A Fit Guy
who is working to get his body to fit the vision that he now sees!

I was successful at making my body fit the vision of The Fat Guy.
I will be equally successful now that I see THE FIT GUY!

CRAVING LETTUCE

Had to go back with my mom to Watkins Glen, NY this week

for my Uncle's Funeral.

The ride up was fine, because I was well prepared 

with my lettuce, nuts, vegetables, meat and no empty carbs!

We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

Woke up in the morning and went to the complimentary express breakfast.

Not too bad.  Did have the powdered egg omelette and bacon

and did taste about a quarter of the irresistible cinnamon bun.

Also had two yogurts.  (So a little off my plan.)

Then after the funeral, I ate at the funeral buffet table,

which ended up being leftover carbs from thanksgiving.

Even the turkey was soaked in gravy or mushed in stuffing.

I did the best I could, but was carb loaded for that meal.

When we got in the car to head home, 

I had the overwhelming urge to eat Romaine Lettuce!

I shoved six leafs of lettuce in my mouth 

as ravenously as I used to stuff cookies!

My body was crying out,

"I need lettuce!  I gotta have some lettuce!"

I was so happy!

Never in my life have I craved lettuce!

Something good is happening!

I'M SO EXCITED!

I don't have any time to make this all pretty and attractive - but here's the news!

I have lost 46 pounds in seven weeks and I feel great!
I can run and move and step in ways I have not been able to do in 10 years!
I have clothes that I cannot wear anymore because they look ridiculously large!
I am well on my way to being a grandfather (when the time arrives) who can play vigorously with his grandchildren!

I am excited!

And if I continue to exercise and make healthy choices through Thanksgiving week,
I will have lost 50 pounds in two months!

Whoo Hoo!

STRESSED OUT SHUT DOWN!

I gained a pound this week and learned a lot in the process!

Three funerals, preparing my mom's new house for occupancy, work, SMCT needs, and life in general

 really stressed me out!

I was still eating in very healthy ways,

(at the very least making the best choices that were available to me at the time)

but I kept seeing my times for exercise pass by without being able to answer the call!

I was getting so angry with myself that I could not take the next step of my healthy lifestyle!

I was so afraid that I was not going to be able to do this!

The STRESS produced a giant monster of despair!

I kept stepping on the scale in hopes that somehow my eating healthy was still making a difference,

nothing was coming off and at the end of the week I had gained a pound!

Enter Karen to the rescue!

(Thank you Karen!)

She taught me that not only does my body shut down 

and start storing everything as fat

when I don't eat regularly,

but the same thing happens when I am stressed!

Great!

Now, not only 

the emotions of three funerals, 

the time demands of work, SMCT, and family,

and the frustration of not having time to work out,

but

the idea of being stressed

was causing me more stress!

Karen told me 

to breathe,

to relax.

and to incorporate exercise into my busy life!

If I can not find a time to work out

find a way to put my work out into my time!

Instead of an hour of yoga,

do butt raises, tummy tucks, and neck tensions while I drive an hour to work,

Instead of walking on the tread mill for an hour,

park my car fifteen minutes from my next two meetings and walk to and from there.

Instead of doing power squats at the gym,

do squats as I am painting baes boards in my mom's house.

(up and down and squat and dip the brush and up and down and squat and paint the baseboard,

and up and down and squat and dip the brush and up and down and squat and paint the baseboard,

and repeat 100 times.)

Instead of lifting weights at the gym,

lift the SMCT equipment from barn to van to stage.

EXCELLENT!

While I am not great at time management,

I am very creative!

While I am not good at making time,

I am god at using my time creatively!

I will not fail at this now!

I will figure out how to put my workout into my time

and will enjoy my workouts at the gym when I get there!

ONE MONTH 
AND HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!

I began this new choice of life one month ago.

That was forty pounds ago.

(But don't worry, 

my official weigh-in was on Monday, October 29 

and I had only lost 35 pounds,

so that is what you owe for the month 

if you sponsored me by the pound!)

My pants, that were too tight are now being given away,

and the next size is already getting loose!

I have a new attitude of being healthy.

I have a new approach to eating.

I am exercising - 

Yoga for Fat Guys, Walking, and Lifting!

And I feel great!

There is a fit guy inside me 

working his way out of this fat suit!

It's not too late to join the crowd in raising money for two very worthy non-profits 

(Swamp Meadow Community Theatre and The Acoaxet Chapel!)

Sponsor me by the pound each month and they will 

Gain Through My Loss!

You can send checks to:

Swamp Meadow Community Theatre

Box 213

Foster, RI 02825

or 

The Acoaxet Chapel

Box 3749

Westport, MA 02790

BREAKFASTS SURE LOOK DIFFERENT AND SUDDENLY I CAN RUN!

This is what breakfast used to look like!

This is what Breakfast looks like now.

And this ....

I used to move like this.

Now I am moving like this!

Coincidence ... I Think NOT!

After a month working with Karen at TLS, I am much more ready to participate in life!

34 pounds down, breathing when I tie my shoes and when I run!

Energy for living!

This is good!

Remember, you can support two very good Non-Profits

by sponsoring me by the pound!

The Acoaxet Chapel (theacoaxetchapel.com)

or

Swamp Meadow Community Theatre (swampmeadow.org)

would appreciate your support!

IT'S A WHOLE NEW ADVENTURE

Wow!  This is a whole new experience.

In many ways I feel as if at 54 years old, I am starting life over!

Today, I made my own fresh Salsa, learned to cook Acorn Squash and Spaghetti Squash!

and combined Tuna a Blueberries for a smashing taste!

I have also been able to walk for an hour

(even uphill)

without stopping for breath!

Being able to breath again makes exercise so much more fun!

Oh, and by the way, 

gaining control of my habits, eating healthy, and exercising

has led to me loosing 28 pounds in less than two weeks!

28 + counting!

I am so excited, so happy, and so much more healthy!

Take a step today that makes you more healthy than you were yesterday!

Remember, you can help my weight LOSS be a GAIN 

for the Acoaxet Chapel or The Swamp Meadow Community Theatre 

by sponsoring me by the pound!  

DETOX SUCCESSFUL

Derox week is over and was an overwhelming success physically, emotionally, and spiritually.!

I lost 21 pounds (I am sure that 16 of that was water weight!)

I now have ankles again and my feet are no longer just big square boxes!

I feel loved, supported, hopeful, and excited - about this process and about life!

I am healthy now and will be healthy for the rest of my life!

I have learned that temptation is just an opportunity to choose God (health) 

and that there is tremendous power in that choice.

I have learned that saying "No" to a temporary distraction is not difficult 

when saying "Yes" towards a permanent goal!

AND I am GAINING financially THROUGH this LOSS at the rate of over $70 a pound

so that the two Non-Profits together will gain about $1500 for this week's work!

Thank you for your spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial support!

I feel great!

BOB IS 0 - 1 - 1 VERSUS RESTAURANTS THIS WEEK

I had to go out to eat two times this week - my Detox Week.

I have lost one and tied one.

The first time I was all set to order a salad - that was my plan from the time I woke up!

But when I read the menu, I saw that they had 6 vegetables listed as sides, 

so I ordered a vegetable plate instead,

The Zucchini and Summer Squash came out fried in oil.

The winter squash came out with butter and brown sugar.

The Cole Slaw was (of course) drenched in mayonnaise.

And the beets were prepared with vinegar and sugar.

All of those things are normal and make sense, 

but I didn't think about it!

I could have paid for them, given them to my table mates, and ordered a salad.

Instead, I ate them.  

Restaurant  -  1

Bob  -  0

The second time I went out, I was prepared to order a salad.

But it was an Italian Restaurant and their salad was an antipasti, which was lettuce and meat and cheese,

or a simple wedge of lettuce.

I saw that one of their specials was roasted peppers and wild mushrooms.

I made sure that there was no sausage in the dish.

I said "no" to the pasta that it was served with.

I said asked to have the lettuce wedge sprinkled with lemon juice instead of oil.

but I did not think about the sauce that covered the peppers and mushroom, until I tasted it -

oil and sugar added!

ARGHHHH!

I considered that a tie - especially since I also said "no" to the abundant basket of Italian Bread on the table!

So this week (by Detox standards) I am 0-1-1 against the restaurants!

I will learn to stick to my plan and investigate everything that detours from that plan!

But I won in reality of life decisions.

The day I had the vegetable plate, I would have had sausage biscuits and gravy.

And the day I had the mushrooms and peppers, I would have had the Tour of Italy with Chicken Parm, Eggplant ,Peppers, Meatballs, Sausage, and half a pound of linguine.

In life, Bob is 2-0 versus the restaurants!

I will win in this division!

TRULY TASTING FOOD

It's only been 30 hours since I started detoxing with vegetables and fruits.

It's only been 30 hours since I have been conscious of what food I am putting into my mouth.

And yet already, I am more conscious of tasting the food I eat!

In the past, I would be half way through my second piece of toast before I even was aware of tasting it!

I would fill my 8 ounce glass with Orange Juice 

and not even taste it until I was 2/3rds of the way done gulping it down.

Now, 

either because I am eating only fresh food

or because I am eating less and paying more attention to it,

I am conscious of tasting it more!

Seriously,

do you know good blueberries and cantaloupe taste together?

It's a good trade off on the way to being more healthy -

Rather than wolfing down whatever I can get my hands on, 

I am now tasting the fresh food I savor.

Nice - It's working for me!

DETOX WEEK!

This is Detox week for me!

It's a week of Vegetables and Fruits 

to give my body a chance to rid itself of the effects of salts, sugars, and fats!

Breaking a few other cycles too!

The Lazy Boy Chair is Off Limits!

A minimum of 6 hours sleep (preferably 8) is required!

Stretching and yoga this week for exercise!

Developing my system of support (internal and external) is in process!

Health Rules The Day!

The First Day of the Rest of My Life

Today is Day I of my new Life Transition - it is the first day of the rest of my life!

Here is the stark reality of what I have let my body become!

This is what 186 extra unhealthy pounds looks like on a person!

Please, do yourself a favor.  Do not let this happen to you!

(I am really sad to post these pictures, but it is important that I face reality,
and it will be a great BEFORE picture to my AFTER one
as we all see how far a person can go if they choose health over indulgence!)

I will never in my life be this unhealthy again!

I am healthier today, than when I took these pictures last night!

Yesterday, I ate to indulge or to escape, I loved my lazy boy chair, 

and I could not engage in the physical activities that would bring me and my family joy!

Today,

I  will eat to fuel the needs of my body.

I will choose activity over my chair.

And I will begin a program of flexibility, strength, and conditioning 

so that I will always be able to play on the floor and in the fields 

with my current family and my future grandchildren!

I am truly thankful to all the many friends who are so happy for me making this decision!

Your love and support gives even more lift to the wings I have spread in knowing that I can!

As my truest friend, God has filled my mind and my heart with the knowledge that it is time 

and the confidence that I can choose the things that will lead me to Abundant Life (not abundant size!)

I am also thankful to Karen Dalton,

from Transitions Lifestyle Solutions

who has offered me her coaching and a program to start this Healthy Lifestyle Change!

I am excited!

I am confident!

And I know that this is the time and place to begin!

As a reminder, I am using this new Lifestyle Change 

to raise money for my two favorite Non-Profit Organizations:

The Acoaxet Chapel in Westport, Massachusetts

and 

Swamp Meadow Community Theatre, Inc in greater Foster, RI.

At the end of each month, I will post how much weight I have lost in this process of health,

You can sponsor me a dollar (or more) a pound

and each month send a check to one of those Non-profits

which are full of people who love me and are so glad that I have chosen to be healthy!

My Starting Weight is 386 pounds.

I hope to loose 30 pounds in October.

I hope to loose 186 pounds by April 2014.

Thank you for joining with me

as We Gain Through Loss!

ONE MORE WEEK BEFORE GAINING (LOSING? ... GAINING? ... BOTH!)

It's been a week since my decision to combine the need for a healthy life and
love for two of my favorite non-profits!
I have been so encouraged by the outpouring of support!

Thank you all so much.

In the past week, I have heard from current friends and colleagues, family,
friends from past jobs, friends from college, even friends from High School!
People have offered their financial backing, their good wishes, their advice, and their prayers!
All of that has been appreciated.

Some people have signed up on the blog,
some have emailed me,
some have simply told me, and
some are just waiting for the monthly updates and will send in a check at that time.
All those options are just wonderful!

I was truly excited because a neighbor,
who has a business as a health systems coach,
 has offered me her time, support, and program as her donation to the cause.
That was the piece that was missing that now gives me great confidence
 as I begin this journey into life-long health!

DETOX starts on October 1.
Gotta admit, I am a little nervous about the sound of it,
but am excited about getting rid of the influence
of salt, fat, and sugar in my diet and in my body!

Watch out world!
I have been pretty effective and fun as a tired, overweight slug!
What are the possibilities when I am a lean, healthy, strong, vital picture of health?

God has been good at keeping me healthy despite my worst efforts.
What happens when I actually work together with God?
Whoo Hoo!

Can You Gain In Loss?

Okay, so, here's the story ... 

Over the past 30 years, 

I have grown as a person in many ways,

 from this  ...

(that's me on your left, in the shorts - 174 lbs)

... to this ...

(That's me on the right - 378 lbs.)

During those years, I have done many great things and met so many wonderful people in my life!

Over the last year, I have been haunted by one question that a doctor asked my friend.

"How many 400 lb people do you know over 70 years old?"

Not many ...

If God is good (and God is) 

I would like to make it well past 70.

I would like to spend lots of quality time with my wife (Carol),

my kids (Andrew, Amy, and AnaCapri),

whatever grandchildren may come along,

and my great friends at the Acoaxet Chapel, Swamp Meadow Community Theatre, and everywhere in between.

I have made best friends with the lazy boy (so aptly named) in my living room;

and would prefer to return to the days of being active,

when I enjoyed walking and running and jumping and leading my team to the finals!

I have done the diet roller coaster ...

losing 25 lbs, gaining back 30

losing 50 lbs, gaining back 75

losing 80 lbs, gaining back 123

and then simply gaining 75 more!

I love roller coasters, but because of these diet ones that I have been on, 

I can't fit on them anymore!

SO ...

As of October 1 (actually, today)

I am going to eat healthy and move more 

in  the process of being more who I am on the inside without the extra person I have added as I have grown!

I thought that in the process, I might invite you to cheer me on 

while supporting two of my favorite communities!

The Swamp Meadow Community Theatre (swampmeadow.org)

and

The Acoaxet Chapel (www.theacoaxetchapel.org)

They are two of the most wonderful communities that I have ever been a part of.

They are both in need of a little cash to help them do the great things that they do.

They both love me and care about my health!

If you would sponsor me for each pound that I lose,

they will gain, 

and I will live a good long time to see it all!

 

Click here to support me!