The First Week.

So last Thursday I stepped onto the scale and got the news that I already knew was going to be there. So I did, and I saw what always has made me cringe, my weight. 361 lbs. Their was no pity this time, there was no outrage, and there was no shame. I was beyond all those emotions, I was beyond allowing my weight to be my defining characteristic. This trip to the scale was simple, it was a starter's pistol, it was the opening kick-off, it was the bell sounding and signaling that the fight had begun.

This was the first time is such a very long time that the scale did not scare me, because I realize that the scale is not evil, and it does not hold a grudge against me. It is a tool. Plain and simple it is a measuring device. One that I was going to be good friends with. So I stepped off the scale and into my doctor's office.

Dr. Scott Rigden is a weightloss specialist based in Chandler, AZ. He has been doing this for 30 plus years, and been in the valley for 28 of them. He was the "Big Bad Wolf" in my eyes. Atleast last year. It was suggested I go see this doctor last year. But I "knew what I needed to do," and "didn't need help." I guess I will tell you this much upfront, I hate asking for help. It pains me, and makes me feel like I am failing at things, almost as if I am the only person that has ever asked for help. But this year I decided to mix things up this year. I was going to stop BS-ing myself. I was going to be honest with myself, and I was going to love myself. That being said I admitted, "I need help, even if I don't necessarily want to ask for it." "I don't know everything there is to know about weight loss." "I wanted to make myself a priority, and that was okay." Also I had to come to grips with the fact that this was going to be hard, but that good things were worth the hard work it takes to get them.

So after meeting with the good doctor I found out I was in good health now, despite all the excess weight I was carrying around, but that if I was not going to reign this weight issue in, I was setting myself up for diabetes, heart attacks, and generally a life of feeling like crap. My bloodwork showed slightly elevated cholesterol (no biggie), my triglycerides "bad cholesterol" were low (great news), and my good cholesterols were in a good range. Those will go up as I am exercising more. The glucose level that shows for diabetes said this to me "you are out of rope, so either get back in range or you are going to be left hanging." There was these enzymes that cause arteries to clog later in life, and they were high, so this new life change was going to do great things for my health if I was diligent. The great news is that all these things were reversible through eating better and exercising.

This sounds easy and obvious to most people, but I am learning that because my body is not responding to insulin in the way that most people's does due to my weight, that my weight loss is not the simple calories in vs calories burned equation that I had been using for so long. My body even when fed less calories was storing its calories as fat, because it thought it was not getting enough food. (Weird stuff) I am carbohydrate sensitive and have metabolic syndrome. ( I can tell you more about that some other time.) So in order to reverse the way my body works, this is my new diet. I am going to just list what I can eat and can't, its easier to understand that way.

GOOD

1. Green Leafy veggies
2. Lean meat, and fish
3. Low Glycemic Fruit (apples, oranges, apricots, berries, peaches, plums etc.
4. Almonds, and most other nuts (no peanuts)
5. Water

BAD

1. Wheat, corn, and rice (Grains be gone)
2. Bananas, Pineapple (This made me sad, not going to lie)
3. Beans (Crime against Hispanic Males)
4. Potatoes (Do I even need to say anything here? Potatoes are amazingly tasty.)
5. Dairy (where is the cheese please?)
6. Sugars (Processed sugar, and sweets)

Now before you guys get really up in arms and yell at me, know this. I need this type of restricted diet, and it is going to be fine. Also this is like a vacation from those foods not a divorce. I will be on this restricted food list until I am atleast under 300lbs. After that point we will re-evaluate and modify the meal planning.

Water is key in this lifstyle, and I am hitting the water hard. Its filling, refreshing, and great for your body, go out and drink some water right now, don't worry I'll wait. ;)

THE EXTRAS:

1. Breakfast is replaced by a soy protein shake fortified with vitamins and minerals
2. Fish Oil is being taken twice daily to promote the level of good oils in my body.
3. I am taking a supplement that helps lower my above average level of insulin. Essentially I am a car and we are flushing my system.

EXERCISE:

Mostly aerobic: For now its walking since I am so heavy, but I am doing some resistence training to build muscle and turn into a fat burning machine.

TRACKING:

I am litterally tracking everything that goes into my mouth. If its important enough to bite, its important enough to write.

RESULTS:

1/20/2011 I weighed 361 lbs

1/26/2011 I weighed 353 lbs

So far so good, I am 8 lbs less of me, and feeling great. So please continue to follow along with me, on this journey. I will see you later. Hopefully you'll be seeing alot less of me in the weeks, and months to come. Sorry that was a horrible weightloss joke.

Now is the Time!

Well folks, after a longer hiatus than I had anticipated, here we go again. If you are reading this you already know I have a weight problem. This is the year that things turn around, I just know it. This year I am committing to losing the weight, but more importantly, get healthy. Its been so long since I have seen healthy, I kind of miss it. But fear not healthy, Juan is coming to visit real soon.

You may ask me "why is this year any different?" Well this is the year that I am admitting that I need help. This is monumental for me in the fact that I am a stubborn pain in the butt who hates to ask for help. So now I have a team, I have a Doctor, a nutrutionist, and a trainer. Most importantly I have God, and a team of people that love and are praying for me during this new lifestyle.

So here is the pillars on which I will be focusing this year on this goal, but also in life.

1. It's Possible!
2. It's Necessary!
3. I CAN!!!!!!
4. I WILL!!!!!
5. It's hard, but Juan can do hard!

So if you'd like more info, stay tuned. This year is about seeking out what I know to be there deep down. The real me.