Just as I predicted last week, things really slowed down. However, I’m right on track. I lost 13 pounds during my first week and another 3 this week. Total down in two weeks, 16 pounds. My initial 10% weight loss would be 32 pounds so I’m half way to that goal! Again, I understand that things will move more slowly now but as long as they keep moving DOWN then I’m fine.
The 32 pounds to meet my initial 10% goal should be off by June 5th, at least that’s the goal. That means I need to take off 16 more pounds in the next five weeks. That is a lot but can be done.
I’ll take a pic tonight and add it to this posting. I don’t think you’ll see any difference yet…I can’t. But I said I would do it…so, I will.
Brad
April 30th, 2008 at 07:36am
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Today was “Weigh in Wednesday” at the Williams’ household which means the end to week #1. We were really amazed at how easy it was doing this together. I’m a little shocked I made it all week without a single regular Dr. Pepper. Until this last week, I usually had at least 3 20 oz Dr. Peppers and sometimes as much as a 2 Liter in a single day. I know that sounds like a lot but to me, that was just normal.
As for the weight, Tami still won’t let me put how much she weighs but I can report a very good week for her. She has dropped 6 pounds. It is very encouraging for her and although she knows that rate can’t continue, it is a very good start. I started a week ago at 324. This morning I was 311. That’s 13 pounds in one week. I think 1/2 of that was from not having Dr. Pepper sugar and Dr. Pepper sodium to hold the water weight in. I really think a lot of that is water weight but that is ok. It’s off of my frame.
Weight watchers asks you to lose 10% of your body weight to start. That would put me down to 292. I’ve set my goal for the last day of school which is June 4th. That would be 32 pounds in just over six weeks. I know that sounds like a lot but I’m looking more at the fact that I’ve already dropped 13 of those 32 so I have 19 pounds left to lose in just over 5 weeks. About 4 pounds a week is still high but for someone my size, is possible if I continue to eat right and add the exercise back in.
Well, there it is. For those that have written me and said they have been inspired to join us, let’s go! See ya on the other side.
Brad and Tami
April 23rd, 2008 at 07:22am
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It’s time to change the focus of this blog. At least for now, I’ve been able to push back that nasty cancer stuff. In a strange sort of way, I need to thank cancer. It’s a great teacher. Although you learn a lot about the people around you, you learn the most about yourself. I’ve never been one of those people that believes that popular saying about how you can do anything if you put your mind to it. While it sounds good, it isn’t realistic. Zig Zigler put it best. No matter how hard you try, if you are 6 foot tall, you’ll never be a professional jockey.
Having said that, there are many things we CAN strive for if we are willing to work for it. How does that relate to cancer and what it has taught me? Simple. After what we’ve lived through for the last year, other than being a professional jockey, there shouldn’t be much that I feel is beyond my grasp if I just do it. It will require a plan, lots of effort and support from my friends and family. What am I talking about? The dreaded subject that is even more terrifying than cancer to many people……losing weight.
As many of you that have known me for a while know, I had weight loss surgery back in 2001. Not the band thing, but the “let’s open him all the way up and take most of the intestines and stomach out” surgery. I was 411 pounds then. I was very active for my size…hiking and such while living at over 7,000 foot elevation in Colorado. I got down to 280 or so before ballooning back up to 365 a couple of years ago. I’ve been able to come down from that after finding out my thyroid didn’t work at all. I now take a whopping 350 micrograms of synthroid a day.
Like many of you, I’ve tried most everything and tried it several times. I was at school the other day and mentioned to another teacher that I was going back on Weight Watchers. She made some comment about how many times I’ve started some plan and not stuck with it. WOW ….SLAM
OK, time to make a commitment. I could have left my chemo treatment anytime I wanted to…it made me very sick….but I didn’t. Why not? Simple…I knew that I needed it to live. Well, this isn’t any different. I need to loose weight to live a long life. I’ve often used the excuse that Tami wouldn’t do a weight loss plan with me which made it really hard to stick with. Well, this time she is doing it with me. There goes that excuse.
Why put this out there on the web? Motivation. This is my own little “Biggest Loser” competition. ( by the way, for those of us biggest loser junkies, were you like us and had already said that Kelly’s ex-husband was going to come up with some excuse to not show up at the finale because he had probably gained weight?) If I am going to post updates weekly along with pics, I have an added incentive to stick with it. I also have lots of things on my “bucket list” that I can’t accomplish at this weight. Two of my biggest wishes are to ride a horse on the beach (most places won’t rent a horse to anyone over 250…how much did Hoss weigh on Bonanza?) and to take flying lessons.
Tami and I started weight watchers online three days ago. I’ve gone that long without a real dr. pepper (which is a feat in and of itself) and the scale is moving nicely. Our plan is to report weights on Wednesdays. Youtube has this community of people that post “weigh in Wednesday” videos. I’m going to join them and see if I can get Tami to join me.
I almost forgot. Weight. OK, I started on April 17th and weighed in at 324 pounds. I’ll post the next scale results on Wednesday the 23rd. I said something to Tami about posting her weight. Her response? “To the WORLD? Not a chance!” Even a husband that can’t normally pick up those little hints understands that there isn’t any wiggle room in that statement.
April 20th, 2008 at 01:52pm
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I’m sure most of you have heard about or seen Randy and his “Last Lecture”. If you haven’t, just type in his name in youtube and you’ll be in for a treat. I admire this man a great deal, but people need to know how many people out there that are in a similar situation handle the hand they’ve been dealt in the same courageous manner. No, I’m not talking about myself. My condition is NOT terminal, unlike what we were initially told last year. Randy’s is. However, I met so many wonderful people during my six month stay at MD Anderson that didn’t have much time to live and yet had this same wonderful attitude.
Most of us think that if it happened to us, we just wouldn’t be able to handle it. I think most people sell themselves short. Through your faith, your family and friends, it is amazing what situations you can not only survive, but thrive in. Most of us have a lot more “Randy” in us than we believe.
I applaud Randy and the example he is putting forth for the world to see. He said something that I thought was a great analogy. He talked about playing football and seeing the scoreboard at the end of the game. He said that you don’t always look up and see that your team won, but that doesn’t mean that you didn’t give it your all. Sometimes the other team is just tougher. That is what is happening to him now. He fought cancer hard, but he just can’t beat it.
Our culture these days seems to promote the worst among us for “hero” status. I’m glad to see that Randy is beginning to be seen as the best of what a hero is about. He would never see it that way, you can’t expect him to. He is just playing the cards he has been dealt in the best possible way. Isn’t that what we should all do? Next time you start to complain about your life, think about how someone might be watching how you live your life and what inspiration would they get from you. Is there any doubt what Randy does for those that hear and see him? Does your attitude….your actions…you comments encourage others to strive to achieve more or to complain more….or maybe just give up? Think about it.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:29pm
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