I don't want to bore you with my history here, but in summary this is my third attempt at losing weight. This time, I have a catalyst because money is on the line. I'll cut and paste comments from a previous post

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Third time's a charm? I hope so... I lost 17 pounds in the year 2000 with the protein diet (163 from 180) and 15 pounds with calorie counting in '03 (185 from 200) but certain circumstances like being laid off got me out of the habit. This time I have the support I need. I am part of a 12 week biggest loser contest at work that started today and even have money on the line this time ($10). There are about 20 of us who are in the contest so that would be a cool $100 for first place. Little do they know that I have already started a diet about two weeks ago and even bought a $1300 treadmill for my basement since going to the gym is a big pain from where I live.. closest one is 15 miles.

Here is my plan -

Follow my best friends plan that he did for a two years. Treadmill in the morning before work, walking 1/2 hour of the hour lunch break, and walking/riding bike after work and swimming at least three times a month at the public pool. He still ate what he wanted --- probably my biggest reason for backsliding was avoiding foods I loved --- but ate fast food only one or two times a week vs five or more. By doing this, he lost 70 lbs.

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Update --

So far, I'm off to a good start. Strawberry yogurt has been the norm for breakfast and I can feel the boost it gives me in the morning. I usually do not eat breakfast. I am munching on whole wheat crackers throughout the day when I have to have something, and it's helping me with my water intake by doing that. I've averaged about 40 oz/day which is 40 oz more than usual (soft drinks, hi-c, etc is what I normally drank).

My new job is a 10 minute walk away from Kroger and I have been walking there to enjoy their salad bar. They such a huge selection, I don't think I'll ever get bored with it.

Supper usually is a grilled chicken sandwich on the George Foreman. I just moved and bought a house and don't currently have a stove.. the kitchen has to be redone first (along with the rest of the house!) The Foreman has been great.

My treadmill will probably be finished put together tonight and that is what I will be doing while I watch tv. I really don't see how this plan can fail. My taste for fast food is diminishing already and I am already beginning to feel better on my first week of doing this. I just hope my energy level will improve. I'm tired of being worn out by the time I go home.

Wish me luck. Third time's a charm!!! :D

Carson in Kentucky

Good luck. :)

It's nice to have someone that wants to lose the same amount as me, starting at the same time as me. Maybe we can use each other's progress as motivation.

Good luck and welcome back.

Hey Carson,

sounds like you have a great plan going. Hope to cheer you on.

Alice - Sure, we can hold each other accountable. The more support the better. I tryed doing it alone before and it didn't work.

Nancy / Smallfri - Thanks for the encouragement. I tryed going solo, but this will be the first time I'll be part of a team at work on the same mission.

So far, things are still on track. I haven't gotten off course, but I have been highly tempted by a new offer by Papa Johns - my favorite pizza. Almost knowing they are going to lose a lot of business (me), they decided to put up a $6/pizza carryout special. @#$%. I am going to have to find a new way home from work.

I would like your opinion on the best (and tastiest) crackers for snacking inbetween meals to curb hunger. I really like the new Kelloggs All-Bran crackers and they seem to be a good choice with 5g dietary fiber per serving. I'd still like to get an opinion if this is a good choice or if I should get something different.

Breakfast today was my strawberry yogurt from Dannon. I am going to try making my own tonight with some vanilla yogurt and real strawberries. Yet another question. :) I hear that organic yogurt is the best to get. I didn't see the word organic anywhere on this tub of yogurt I got. There isn't a health food store near me (says something about my state) so if there is a brand to look for at Krogers or Meijers, let me know.

Thanks
Carson

Still going strong. I did go to KFC today for a couple of the KFC snackers and a glass of water because it sounded good (and it was). Total hit was 650 calories but since it was all I had w/out sides, that's not totally terrible. I parked in a strip mall about 2 blocks from the restaurant to get some good walking in.

I was hungry last night so I reached for some Total cereal. I ate way too much of it.. about three bowls. I still need to try to curb that down.

Have a good weekend everyone. :wave:

I love KFC. Especially there bowl thingies, they are so good but so bad, but thats ok, as long as you dont do it everyday.

Welcome Carson,sounds fun actually what your doing in a biggest loser competition from work,heres wishing you the best of luck with that,and btw I myself have done very well by eating fast food which is fine to do as long as you don't go overboard like at McD I order a happy meal instead which satisfies without guilt and wow I wouldn't have even thought 2 snackers were over 600 cal.them things are so darn little lol oh well your a man so you can have a few more calories than me any how lol sounds like your off to a good start in fact I am now wanting a dannon yogurt hehe,have a good day and always keep on keepin on.

Thanks MinnieMe and Smallfri. I definitely like the Dannon "All Natural" yogurt and look forward to it every morning. It's the yogurt for those who don't like yogurt like me. Today's results have motivated me to continue.

Monday morning weigh in was a good 3 1/2 lbs lighter than last week. I'll take it.. especially after last night. For Fathers day, we went to Cicis, a popular pizza buffet restaurant in the south. Luckily, they had a salad bar and I loaded up on the veggies topped with italian dressing. I still couldn't resist the pizza though. I had a spinach alfredo pizza... about three slices and a very small piece of pepperoni. Dessert was a small cinnamon roll. My old self would have had twice-3X that. I also saved calories by opting for water.

Still - I was a little worried that all of the work of the week would have come roaring back, but that was the difference between a regular diet and a protein diet. When I came back from vacation in 2000, I was shocked to see that 3/4 of my work when I was on the protein diet flew out the window.

Anyway (off the soap box now), I have found the treadmill to be a terrific part of the plan. 100 calories burned per 25 minute walk really adds up. I actually got up early this morning to do a 100 calorie burn workout and I hope I can continue that trend.

Keep on movin'
- Carson

Ky,

Glad you had a good Father's Day!!! and you did make some good choices at Cici's. Pizza is one of my weaknesses, but it isn't impossible.

Hey, good work on that treadmill!!! Keep it up!!!

Thanks Nancy. I did well at Cicis but not last night. I was running out of Wheaties and Total so I went to Meijers last night. Meijers advertised my favorite brand of cereal (Count Chocula) for an unheard of 3/$5. I only got one, but I just about demolished the whole box last night. I only gained a pound according to the scale, but it looks like I have to avoid Meijers from now on. If I go back, I'm getting another box.

No biggie.. I'll burn off that pound in a couple of days.

- Carson

Eek, those fav foods are trouble sometimes. Good you only bought one box. It could just be that there was probably lots of salt in the cereal. I know it was sweet but still can have lots of salt.

You'll get it off and keep flying soon.

I walked a half hour during lunch, spent some extra time on the treadmill last night (45 minutes) and for the most part ate right last night and the pound was gone this morning. Back to 211. Now that I'm off that bump in the road and the house is free of anything tempting, I should be good to go.

Very good you are doing really good,I love those good ole sweet cereals too,and you can still lose weight by eating them as I won't ever give mine up,ya just can't have the whole box lol my son-in-law to be (possibly) can eat the whole box too so I have to hide mine on him lol you have yourself a good day and keep on keepin on.

Thanks Heather for the note..

I'm glad that week was over! It seemed everywhere I turned someone was tempting me with food. My brother-in-law's mom won when she invited me over for Sunday brunch. Ham, fried taters, beer buscuits.. and strawberry shortcake for a topper. Arggh. I think I was down about a pound before then, but this morning for my Monday morning weigh-in, I remained flat at 211. I didn't hit the treadmill as often as I wanted to either, AND I didn't make it to swimming pool this weekend either. This and my Wednesday binge of sugar cereal, I'm glad I'm at least even. I'll start this day off right with walking on my two 15 minute breaks and walking to lunch - then the treadmill this evening.

- Carson

Hi Carson,don't ya just love when people just put it in your face and want you to have something,my MIL does that to me all the time when she knows full well I am on a diet....well a lifestyle change and it don't include rootbeer and pizza pie in it lol.One thing to always remember though is that we always have room for improvement and though sometimes we give into temptation it still can't take our goal away that with strength and will it can be done,take care and have a good day make it the best and always keep on keepin on.

Thanks Heather -- you're right about family members not understanding the word diet.. but thankfully it's only one day a week.

I should have lost weight this week, but I did not remember to check my weight before going out the door for my Monday morning weighin. The only day I have -- and will continue to be the worst day -- is Sunday afternoon for my usual after church meal with the family. I am eating less and I try to stop eating when it's full with marginal success.

I did weigh myself Thursday and I was a tad under 210, but it was not a good week for exercise. I probably hit the treadmill twice last week and it was only for about 20 minutes each. I still have not made it into a habit like I wanted. I just need to tell myself no treadmill, no tv watching.. only watch during a workout or after a minimum 30 minute workout. I HAVE to exercise to maintain a 2-3 loss/week that I have been shooting for. Overall though, food intake was pretty good. One late night eating during a movie and of course Sunday were bad days.

I'll keep going.. you all do the same.
- Carson

Hi Carson,exercise is definitely something that needs to become a habit and they say it takes 3 weeks of doing it for it to become one,I was going to suggest doing it while watching the tv but of course you said you do that,with me I do my exercise right when I wake up so I don't have anytime to think whether I really want to do it or not this has really worked out well for me and if you work in the morning just set the alarm 30 min. earlier is all well......maybe 40 give yourself 10 extra to wake up just a lil bit lol and you'll see that this will quickly become a habit for you,heck if I miss one morning that is all I dream about when I go to bed so I full well know my buns will be there for sure the next day lol.BTW I would weigh in on Sunday morning if it is Sunday that you have your bigger meal and you may see better ###'s than you do on a Monday.Alrighty you have yourself a good day and keep on keepin on,I'll be back......

Heather -

Yeah, I know it's best to work out in the morning after a good breakfast, but that isn't me. I am much more prone to stay up to 12 AM and get up at 7:15 for my 8:00 arrival to work. I just don't see that changing ( at least while I'm still a bachelor).

However, I did finally lose this time around due to quite a bit of yardwork during the week. I am down to 209.6 for a close to two pound loss for the week. My treadmill work was Zero though! I didn't watch any tv at all so maybe I need to rethink when to do it... like setting a certain time. I might give 7 PM-8PM a try since it's an hour after I normally eat.

Keep on movin'
- Carson

Hello,yes I would say heck with the morning too if you just can't bring yourself to doing it then,I myself like evenings too but then my mind is on it all day long and hoping that I don't have something come up that would ruin it for me which has happened and then I miss out.Good for you on all the yard work,now thats definitely a workout right there I am sure you burned more calories with that than you would have that treadmill anyways,I despise yardwork myself lol.Hey is that bachelor comment a put down to us married folk lol I stay up til after midnight too lol jk thought that was funny though.Wtg for the nearly 2lb loss this week you are doing great!!!!!

Hi Carson,just checking in,I hope all is going well with you,have a nice day make it the best,I'll be back take care.

Hi Heather -

Thanks for checking in. Believe it or not, for the third time in three years, my job got outsourced to India. It's a terrible time to be a tech person in the US. However, I do have a shot at being a member of the my county's school system and I have been devoting all my time at getting that job. My diet has been on the backburner, but I have NOT given up this time. I am still 209 due to watching what I eat, but not necessarily exercise. I think I'll have this job within the next two weeks, and then I can focus on losing this gut again full time.

Thanks
Carson

Well great Carson I will keep you in my prayers and I hope you get that job,wtg on maintaining your weight that too is also an important part about this lifestyle,we do need to know how to maintain it or it will eventually find its way back plus more.Slow and steady wins the race any how so I have every faith that you will do this,as long as you never give up that is the important part and always keep your goals in focus.Alrighty you have a very good day and always keep on keepin on.

Hi Carson,just checking in curious to see if you got that job and to see how things are going with you,hope all is well,keep on keepin on....