100 days later

Well, logged in to finish yesterday's food diary and enter breakfast...MFP noted 100 days of logging, so it seems a fitting time to post an update to my progress.

This journey started after I got back some bloodwork for a life insurance policy update earlier this year. After all, I was 40...needed to do that dreaded male (don't laugh ladies, I know you think we're sissies about it) 40-yr old physical. So, in August, I had the physical done...results received on September 9, and I was horrified...at least after I did some research.

See, I knew I was overweight--I mean, c'mon I couldn't snap any of my jeans...had to zip up as far as possible, then hold 'em closed with my belt (one I had bought not all that long ago) on the last hole--but hey, happens to all of us right? We slow down physically, work is busy, kids keep us busy, blah, blah, blah...

I went online to see how to interpret my bloodwork, and there the bad news was...

cholesterol 273
triglycerides 534
HDL 27
Chol/LDL ratio 10.1
LDL -- unable to calculate since total chol too high :P
weight 279
height 5' 10"

No surprise to those who've seen doctor's regularly--we never went as kids unless we were sick more than 3 days running, or had bleeding...that we couldn't stop ourselves -- or who have had blood checks done at a health fair or something like that, but I was a mucho primo candidate for heart attack, stroke, etc. Did I mention that I was diagnosed with sleep apnea last June? If you didn't know...that alone makes a person MUCH more likely to have heart attacks, strokes, etc. anyway, without any weight/cholesterol problems.

It was time to acknowledge the truh that I hadn't wanted to face. I had to do something, or my wife would most likely be a widow in the near future and my 2 children (5 yr old son and 13 yr old daughter) fatherless. Even if I didn't croak...what kind of example was I teaching the 2 people I was given the responsiblity to raise?

I had heard about MFP from some people at church and went to the website to check it out. Well, as a numbers kind of guy, I was hooked from then on. As many of you know...and many more will find out---it's really not that hard...once you see what you're consuming, calorie-wise, it just becomes about making better choices, not starving yourself, or even depriving yourself of everything you've ever loved.

Admittedly, at first, basically it sucked---but mostly for self-imposed restrictions--since my chol and tri's were so high, I modified the recommended daily amount to under 100g a day if I splurged, and under 50g on a normal basis. This meant, to my horror...almost no meat...and my old mantra was, no meat? no meal!

I found substitutes (I LOVE Progresso Light Beef Pot Roast, tastes SO meaty, and I don't really have sodium issues), and found other ways to reward myself...3 oreos at the end of the day...eaten verrrrry slowly...heaven! Each day I stayed under a minimum of 100 calories under target, though most days it was more like 300 calories and started with walking for cardio to avoid the shin splints I usually get when I just start off running (plus more calories on my allowance). After 2 weeks of walking daily for at least 45 mins (4.5 m/h pace), I added in some basic strength training 3 days a week, alternating cardio--pretty much whole body--hit each major muscle group once for 3 sets---that went on for about 4 weeks, then instead of walking, I started on the ease into 5k app. Had one week off with sinus crud (but kept under calorie goal...without exercise, bleh!), then back at it.

Nov 4 was my physical...I went in hoping that I had made progress...here were the results after 54 days on MFP

cholesterol 217
triglycerides 128
HDL 33
Chol/LDL ratio 6.6
LDL -- 168
weight 247
height 5' 10"

Now running/walking 5+ mi under an hour (week 6 of C2 5k starts next week) without shin splints (yay!), just finished week 3 of P90x (just using strength portions alternating with my running), and have hit a landmark for me...

50 lbs gone!
Yep, down to 229

I go back in the spring to see my doctor and check my blood levels--she wanted me to start plavix for my borderline high cholesterol and because I don't think she thought the initial weight loss I told her about would continue...especially with T'giving and Christmas holidays. I'm a stubborn fellow and though I picked up the prescription, I still haven't taken it--hope I'm not wrecking my heart being stubborn, but I just know that if I dropped the #'s 56 pts in the first 54 days, then it has to still be dropping...right? Well, she'll fuss at me for not taking it, but hopefully the new blood results will mean I shouldn't be on the meds at all.

Thanks for listening/reading...and for all the success stories I've read the whole time I've been on--they are motivating, inspirational, and heartening to me and everyone else who reads them.

Let's all keep chugging.