Hi Everyone, It was great to see everyone today at the weigh in. What a nice group of people we have this year. I want to throw out a big push to everyone this coming month because the next weigh in needs 5% lost, and we do not want to lose anyone from such a great group! I take this contest very serious and I can motivate anyone that is struggling. I owe my results today to the 17 day diet. I needed a solid plan and the timing was perfect as yesterday was the 17th day of the diet.

I am starting to feel good but I have a long road ahead of me and I need to take it off, 1 pound at a time. You see it takes along time to melt concrete and with the amount that this fat man needs to lose, I am glad it is a 6 month contest. Maybe we could talk Jaime and The News-Herald into extending it into 1 YEAR! Kidding just Kidding. Good Luck and Be Strong. Bob  

Hi Everyone, I just finished a 2 mile walk on the treadmill so if I drip any sweat on this blog, get a towel. This journey is all about setting little goals and achieving them. I have been near perfect with the 17 day diet and the results are showing on the scale (today is day 11). I am setting a new goal today of walking 2 miles per day until next Saturday for the second weigh in. I am on pace for another double digit loss but I have to really work hard this coming week because it isn't in the bag yet. I wasted 3 weeks after the last weigh in without a solid plan to follow and now my 17 day push is exactly what I needed to keep the train moving down the weigh loss track. Next stop 34 inch waist (199lbs) toot toot. I am starting to fall into focus just like I did from the last contest 4 years ago. The main difference between now and then was a ton of exercise and running along with a near perfect diet the first time. Good luck and Be Strong! Bob

Hi Everyone, I have a plan! I have noticed that my weight loss after the last weigh in 3 weeks ago has stopped and if I am going to reach my goal of double digit loss each month, I needed a better plan. I think I found it and I have dropped another 5lbs this week. What is the plan you ask? It is a book that was introduced to me from a friend named Paula. This book lays out a plan that I think will not only help me reach my goal of returning to the much lighter weight from 4 years ago in Lighten up 2010, put it will also help me with a lifestyle of eating that I can live with to maintain a healthy weight. As important as it is for me to lose weight, it is equally as important to develop a lifestyle change that will keep me at that healthy weight for the rest of my life. I am the worse dieter and sometimes feel like my appetite is out of control. I can gain weight much faster then it takes me to lose it. 4 years ago I followed a plan of protein shakes and healthy eating (with no cheating) and lots of exercise to reach a high school weight. I am very good at following a plan and this book makes it very easy with quick results. Ok, what is the name of this awesome book you ask? The 17 Day Diet. Read it, Learn it, Live it. Be Strong. Bob  

Hi Everyone, What are you giving up for lent? I am in the battle of my life trying to control my eating and return to a healthy weight. Tonight we went to a local church fish fry. I entered the meal into Vitabot, and it was off the chart. Everything that is served from fried fish, french fries and cole slaw along with macaroni and cheese, bread and sheet cake desert adds up in a big hurry. My whole day, leading into this dinner was perfect and then this super high calorie event blow my totals for the day over 3000 calories. This is the highest total for one day so far and it certainly makes me realize that the Friday fish fries need to be eliminated from my diet during this important period. Now I start to wonder if I would have logged this information into Vitabot before the meal, maybe I would have decided not to have this type of dinner. Maybe I am on to something. If I wasn't journaling my food intake, I would not have even gven it a thought. What am I giving up for lent you ask? AYCE Fish Fries! Be Strong! Bob

Hi Everyone, I had a visit with my doctor yesterday and he was pleased to find out that I am completing in the lighten up contest again this year, and for good reason as I will explain. I changed to Dr. Ted after completing the lighten up contest in 2010. When I set my first visit with him, I explained the details of what I accomplished and I showed him the before and after picture from the contest. He was very impressed with the results and all of my numbers from the blood work were very good. I managed to keep things in check for 2 years, then I started to creep up and it started to snowball out of control. I would visit him and have double digit gains on every visit. After about 2 years, I was up over 70 lbs and all my numbers were affected including blood pressure and cholesterol. I have always been a big guy and it seemed like my body was trying to return to being big. Dr. Ted never knew me as a big guy, so this is why I am so motivated to fight and return back to the healthy weight I need to live at for the rest of my life. The contest my be in jeopardy with the absence of Laura, but I do not plan on needing a third contest. I use Vitabot religiously to track my food. This is something that I may need to do as insurance against regaining as a maintainer. Gook luck everyone and Be Strong. Bob