Steve v4.6

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(Day 347 / -140 lbs.) Weight Loss Ain't Rocket Science
2008-05-03 18:11:00
It's biochemistry, physics, neuroscience, genetics, and a whole host of bio-science sub-specialities mixed with equal parts voodoo-logic. Now if I were a thinking man (a little late for me to start... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
More About: Science , Weight Loss , Weight , Rocket , Loss

(Day 346 / -142 lbs.) Please Pardon The Mess
2008-05-02 09:12:00
I working my way through a new design. I appreciate your kindness, patience, and support. Oh yeah, and I'm down a pound! [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 344 / -141 lbs.) Eyes Up Here, Missy
2008-04-30 01:49:00
It was another phenomenal morning at the gym. I increased the amount of weight I'm lifting to commemorate what has come to be called "Ten to the Max Tuesdays". Yeah, dorky to the max, I know. Hey,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 342 / -141 lbs.) And The Crowd Goes Wild
2008-04-27 20:51:00
Here's another thing I've learned along the way: #38 - People Want You To Succeed I cannot begin to describe the boost I get from the reaction I get to every aspect of this journey. People have... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 340 / - 142 lbs.) Smooth Move, Ex-Fats
2008-04-26 02:17:00
Food is meant to be fuel- pure and simple. The thing is, who wants to eat "fuel"? I mean, it's all about flavor, sweet, savory flavor, and aroma. Oh, sweet, fragrant aroma, and texture. Crunchy,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
More About: Move , Smooth , Fats

(Day 338 / -142 lbs.) I Had A Drinking Problem
2008-04-23 17:08:00
That's right, I didn't drink enough water but I downed Diet Coke like I was some sort of dehydrated, "live-on-the-Coke-side-of-life"-phyllic camel on a refreshment bender. So, here is: #40 - Drink... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 337 / -141 lbs.) It's All Very Habit Forming
2008-04-22 16:59:00
I'm riding the curse of the extra brownie(s) this morning. No wonder the scale mocks me. An extra brownie or two makes me very mockable. Nyah, nyah! Brownies can really wreck a diet. Here's the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 336 / -142 lbs.) The Rule of Threes
2008-04-22 07:24:00
Down another pound this morning which is awesome because I had a couple of brownies tonight- Doh! Do as I say, not as I do. Here's a three-fer: #43 - Cut Intake By 1/3 Really, you'll survive. I... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 334 / -141 lbs.) Move It To Lose It
2008-04-20 02:58:00
Getting fat didn't happen all at once. Little by little I added an ounce here and there until I had achieved a level of girth than can most politely be described as "robust" -- and then I just kept... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 333 / -141 lbs.) Own It
2008-04-19 05:50:00
I had a modest workout this morning but I could have skipped it altogether. People say I'm very organized; each thing in it's place, life lived according to a schedule and so on. It's mostly... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

(Day 332 / -141 lbs.) Taking Massive Action To Become Less Massive
2008-04-17 17:38:00
From here on to the end, the remaining tips involve taking action after decision. They are the things I've been DOING over the past several months that have made a huge difference in my weight. ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 331 / -139 lbs.) Weight Loss Tips #1 Through #49
2008-04-16 19:52:00
Yesterday I laid out the first and most important step I took to get moving along the path to losing a respectable amount of weight. I'll tell you right now that while I had decided on that very... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 330 / -138 lbs.) The First Step Is So Simple
2008-04-15 17:56:00
I'm counting down the steps I've taken to lose weight and am reapplying them throughout the remainder of my 46th year. My purpose is to internalize and solidify my commitment to health for the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 329 / -138 lbs.) The Final Fifty Or So
2008-04-14 22:56:00
My goal date is growing ever nearer and I'm getting a little antsy. Once the days-left hit double digits the old urgency gene kicks in. I've been at this goal a while and I've experienced a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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(Day 324 / -139 lbs.) Spring Colds Are Freaking Awesome
2008-04-10 07:17:00
OK, so that's not exactly true at all. Colds suck. Any appetite-suppression bonus is countered with a one-two punch of congestion and snot down the back of your throat. Sniff, sniff, gak, gak.I'm feeling much better this evening- thanks in no small part to rest and plenty of fluids. My nose is a little raw, and for that I have to thank Brawny Paper Towels (my preferred target for blowing my nose- they're ultra-absorbent). And no, Brawny didn't pay me to write that but if they'd like to send me a few replacement rolls, I'll take them. Thank you very much.My last weigh-in was on Monday (4/7) and I was down a pound from the previous weigh-in. I'm curious to find out what tomorrow will bring considering my sniffles and absence from the gym.As the time winds down I can't help but reflect a little on what I've learned over the past ten-plus months. I think that the most important thing that has kept me plodding along this path of personal shrinkage is the desire to become ...
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(Day 315 / -138 lbs.) Success For Rent and Steve Gone Wild!
2008-03-31 23:18:00
I just got back from a week of camping. Yeah, I was gone. Our, and three other families spend Spring Break in yurts on the coast- fishing and relaxing while the kids go nuts amongst the flora and fauna. I look forward to these trips and the get-away-from-it-all venue. Way-cool thing is that, despite the departure from civilization, the gym, my smoothies, and tracking my consumption, I neither gained nor lost any weight. That's right, I can survive in the wild.It got me thinking. If I were locked into some diet program, how might things be different? Would I have packed a week's worth of prepackaged foods? Would I have been able to eat any of the things we brought? As it was, I ate whatever I wanted (in modest portions) and didn't really focus on food at all. I was active- without the gym, hiking and jogging the path around the lake. I had a great time and now I'm back.It occurred to me that if I was following a diet program and continued to follow it while we were on ...
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(Day 306 / -138 lbs.) A Day Late and a Pound Shy
2008-03-22 17:12:00
The thrill of deadline-associated anxiety, the agony of coming up short at the finish; if I've learned nothing else these past 306 days I've learned that disappointment is an unavoidable fact of life... and that means absolutely nothing if your goals are just, your methods are sure, and you take massive, focused action toward reaching those goals.Deadlines come and go- and that was the case this past Thursday. I stated a goal of losing 15 pounds back in February and well, Thursday came and I was more than half a pound off of reaching that goal. Did I tuck-tail and drag-ass back home to kick the dog and scarf pie? Oh hell no! I merely thought about it as I went about my workout. I even added another five pound of weight to each of my sets. C'mon, kick my dog? Truth is I like that pathetic little waste of fur. Besides, we named her "Karma" and I really don't need to have a little kick out of frustration coming back to bite me in the tuckus.So like I said; I worked out my d...
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(Day 303 / -135 lbs.) Embracing the Word of the Day
2008-03-19 17:10:00
transmute rans-MYOOT; tranz-, transitive verb:1. To change from one nature, form, substance, or state into another; to transform.2. To undergo transmutation.I love getting the "Doctor Dictionary" emails every day and try to use the daily word in conversation at some point. It doesn't always work out pleasantly. I'm reminded of the great billingsgate debacle of '02 - it isn't a good idea to yell out examples in mixed company.Today's word is a good one and has been my primary purpose for the past 303 days. It has been a gradual process of good intent, planning, and massive action and I'm becoming more pleased with the results daily. I still have a ways to go to hit optimum healthy weight but hey, one weight goal at a time.Speaking of goals, I set a goal of losing 15 pounds by March 20th about a month ago. I'm one day a little more than 1-1/2 pounds away from making it a reality- and you know what? I'm going to make it, abso-posi-lutely! You might say that I'll transm...
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(Day 302 / -135 lbs.) Avoiding the Word of the Day
2008-03-19 03:23:00
indolent IN-duh-luhnt, adjective:1. Avoiding labor and exertion; habitually idle; lazy; inactive.2. Conducive to or encouraging laziness or inactivity.3. Causing little or no pain.4. Slow to heal, develop, or grow.Indolent was yesterday's Dictionary.com Word of the Day and I cannot imagine a word more so-not-the-word I want to become associated with than that. Oh wait, yes I can- just about every word that is synonymous or describing a condition resulting from anything having to do with that word. I've been there and I'm rabidly committed to not going back.I've been mixing up the workouts so that I'm doing a lot more reps at lower weights. I've also simplified my diet into an easily repeatable menu- including morning smoothies. I had planned on being a little more adventurous with ingredients but you know what? I'm sticking with what works. My focus is results and outcome right now. Variety can be a distraction- and one I think I'll avoid in the short-term.
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(Day 297 / -133 lbs.) Allow Me To Translate
2008-03-13 22:22:00
"Meow meow mow-meow?" "Wah   wuh-wah wah wah."   That's what I hear every time someone asks questions or makes statements that, either through malice or ignorance, can chip away at my resolve. "How can you stand going to the gym so often?"  "Exercise is so boring."  "Don't you get tired of eating the same stuff over and over?"  "Protein smoothies are so gross!"  "I could never do that!" I've heard tons of them and you know what?  It just doesn't matter because my response (though it may come in the form of a shrug, sheepish grin, or something a little more vocal) is always, "It isn't the effort, it's the result that is my focus."
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(Day 296 / -132 lbs.) Shifting Gears To Shrink My Rear
2008-03-13 00:04:00
The last few days at the gym have been great- I've changed my workout so that I lift lighter weight for more reps.  The burn is incredible.  I haven't noticed any real difference in appearance or at the scale (I'm down a little, but not enough to mark down another pound).  I know, I know- it's still too early to tell.
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(Day 291 / -132 lbs.) Speedy Recovery
2008-03-07 20:18:00
Feelin' good, feelin' fine and why not? Started my day with some exercise and my regular smoothie and that nasty evacuation business is behind me (no pun intended). All that and I'm down another pound- wahoo!I added another set and another 5 pounds to my workout. It's a little more of a grunt but when I max-out-plus-5lbs on the biceps-curl machine I feel really strong. This brings up a change in strategy that I'd like to explore.I've used weight lifting throughout the entire 291 days to help burn calories and promote weight loss and it's worked pretty well. The thing is, what I've managed to do is mainly shrink in most of the places I've been measuring. That is, I'm just a more compact version of what I looked like when I started. People have always told me that I carried my weight well- which I took as a polite way of saying that I looked like a giant Shrek-like freak. I've been kind of like the Michelin Man- going through a period of deflation. Now that I'm ge...
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(Day 290 / -131 lbs.) Two Exits, No Waiting
2008-03-06 17:19:00
Seven (7) pounds in two (2) days! What's your secret, Steve?I think it was something I ate. Suffice it to say I didn't lose all that weight at the gym, well almost but I made it home in time. Is it a coincident that, along with all those pleas for assistance from long-lost Nigerian relatives, I've been getting tons of email promising to cleanse my colon? Evidently it's some pretty powerful email and I stayed pretty close to porcelain all day- if you know what I mean.I also stayed hydrated throughout the entire ordeal and ate very little. Some toasted 16 Grain, no-flour bread, a little fruit, a pickle, a protein smoothie; all in all not a whole lot. I didn't think it would be sticking around long anyway, so why make a fuss in the kitchen?OK so there you go- I'll dwell on it no longer. Just realize that I'm eliminating anything I ate that was unique to last Sunday and Monday from any future menu plans. It's a good thing I'm tracking everything I eat on Fitday. Likely...
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(Day 287 / -124 lbs.) Nutritional Self-Sabotage and Dietary Terrorism
2008-03-04 03:35:00
Hang on tight, we're going to move a little fast. First, I'll talk about today's smoothie:"Bleh."That's about all I want to say about it. For those who are interested in the ingredients, here you go:1S EAS Premium Protein1S Ground Flax1/3C Frozen Apricot SlicesWaterI suppose I was expecting a little more flavor. Suffice it to say that mild disappointment doesn't taste all that great. It was a rather bland 234 calories.Moving on...Those predisposed to math may have noticed that I am up a pound since my last weigh-in. It turns out I have more than math to blame and no, I'm not talking about the scale. it's the message, not the messenger.So how do I account for the increase? Self-Sabotage . I'd been doing so well for so long that I became lax and the radical side of my personality just could stand no more and lashed out in the form of Almond Clusters and Biscotti. That's right, a snack attack- the type of dietary terrorism that, with stealth and cunning, demoralizes th...
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(Day 285 / -125 lbs.) 98 Days of Determination On The Wall
2008-03-01 21:59:00
You take one down, try to lose another pound, 97 days of determination on the wall...Ridiculousness aside, I really do feel like I'm getting close to something, some kind of ending or perhaps a coming-together. I began this otherwise unremarkable Saturday with an invigoration hour or so at the gym. It was a dry run to and from but as I write this the weather is fairly soggy. Sometimes the weather cooperates, sometimes it doesn't.I added some weight to my typical routine. At the biceps curl machine I lifted 10-rep sets of 140 lbs each followed by by a slow isometric-like 3 reps of 160 lbs. I moved up to 130 lbs on the triceps extension and 190 for both bench press and butterfly. I also added 10 lbs. for each of my leg exercises. In summary, a good workout.I followed it with a typical smoothie:1/2 Banana2 Frozen Strawberries1/3C Frozen Blueberries1S EAS Premium Protein (Chocolate)1S Ground FlaxWaterMy wife took the kids to their various Saturday activities, leaving me alone t...
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(Day 282 / -125 lbs.) Countin' 'em Down!
2008-02-28 05:56:00
25 pounds to go and time is getting short!

(Day 281 / -125 lbs.) Eating Out Under Control
2008-02-26 19:04:00
My wife and I were invited to lunch by some friends the other day. This is a rare event for me- not so much due to a lack of lunch opportunities but my own neurotic fear of eating at restaurants. Perhaps my trepidation comes from watching too many (ugh!) "Dirty Dining" segments on the local news, or maybe it's the fear of a super-sized, gut-busting carb-fest-- I dunno but I do know that eating out just isn't one of my favorite things. Still, I like these particular friends and they did offer to buy- so off we went.These friends are great people; they're upbeat, motivated, and energetic. They have a great family and do things I like to do and things I'd like to do but haven't discovered yet. They're a great source of ideas and motivation and I'm better off for knowing them. They're also the people who provided the initial inspiration that got me off my ass and working toward living a healthier life. They've done it themselves.It's important to surround yourself with ...
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(Day 278 / -123 lbs.) Watch Me Pull A Rabbit Out Of This Hat
2008-02-23 15:52:00
There really is no trick to lasting weight loss- no wave of the wand, magic word, mirrors, smoke, or flash of light can make the pounds go away. It's all self discipline, focus, and tenacity. There is, though, a certain amount of magic.The magic is in the feeling you get when you slip into that pair of pants you couldn't cram yourself into a few months before. There's magic in the ability to run up a flight of stairs when only a short time ago it was hard to walk down them. There is magic in transformation.Motivation for me has been predominately fear and pain. Fear of the health issues that go along with obesity and the aches and pain I felt in my joints and back from trying to move too much bulk. Physical and emotional pain are big motivators and I had put myself in a position where I felt I was experiencing a lot of it. It was all "stick" at that point. So I decided to change and I took action.It took some time but the magic started happening. Fitting into smaller clo...
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(Day 276 / -122 lbs.) Less-Than-Conspicuous Consumption
2008-02-21 17:21:00
Up a full pound this morning- and just when I was so close to calling another pound lost. Dammit! But who to blame? Hmm. That's easy- it was me. Me and the Girl Scouts of America! Truthfully? It was just me and my weakness for Girl Scout cookies- specifically Thin Mints and Tagalongs. They're so small and they go down so quickly. In no time at all I had eaten half a box of each- for an additional 1275 calories added to my day. My guess is that the additional calories and Sodium (107mg) along with any residual effects from this past weekend's foibles associated with family gatherings and what-have-you accounted for my gain at the scale this morning. What have I learned? That if you're planning on losing the equivalent weight of a couple of Girl Scouts, it's a good idea to stay away from their cookies.I believe it is time to regain focus and set another short term goal. Here it is: Lose 15 pounds by March 20thI'll accomplish this goal using the same methods that have...
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(Day 275 / -123 lbs.) Hocus, Pocus, Regaining Focus
2008-02-20 19:29:00
Lame-assed title aside, regaining focus and going after my goals requires a little magic. Distractions of life tend to get in the way and there are times when I get caught up in the day-to-day activities and find myself unconsciously doing things that undermine what I truly want to accomplish. When I need to get back on track I do a simple little exercise that gets me going again. I grab a pencil and paper and...1. Write down the reasons WHY I set my specific goals in the first place and decide if they're still valid.2. Write down the things I need to move faster towards achieving my goals. What's working, what isn't?3. I imagine the "accomplish by" date is today and I have accomplished the goal. Write down how I feel about it. Then just the opposite; imagine I've failed and write down all the feelings that go along with that. Really FEEL it.4. Take action on one or two things from #2 IMMEDIATELY.This is exercise is usually part of my weekly planning session and really he...
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