Adopting The New

About two hours ago I was sitting in the dentist’s chair, having my normal six-month check-up and teeth cleaning. I’m new to this office, so no one knows anything about me, my background or what I do. While they know I was referred by a co-worker, and that I’m a graphic designer, they have no knowledge of my past, my weight loss journey, or how hard I’ve worked to become the man I am today.

My hygienist, Becky, was talking with me about what I do in my extra time and I told her I liked to read and run. She, too, loves to do both of these things, so we started talking about the books we’ve been reading. Last night I finished Ali Vincent’s (who was the first female Biggest Loser) book “Believe It, Be It” and I generally enjoyed every aspect of the read. Talking about The Biggest Loser automatically launched into a discussion about health and wellness, and the constant struggle most people have to maintain their weight loss when they’re at their goal.

The whole time we were having this discussion I was arguing with myself as to whether or not I should say anything to Becky about my own journey and the things that have filled my experiences the last two years. But the more I considered the idea, I decided not to. This life that I live is the only one I know how to live, and the things that I’ve been blessed to do to change my life are merely notches in my belt. Losing 200+ lbs does not define who I am—It has helped me rediscover who I am, to reach for the huge goals that I never thought possible—but the guy who could eat an entire large pizza if he wanted to is still buried deep within my being.

So I find myself being a bit conflicted now. This new life that I’ve embraced is wonderful. I feel better than I’ve ever felt, I weigh less than I ever remember weighing, but I don’t always want to be the guy who used to be morbidly obese. I’m entering a new time in life, unafraid of what’s ahead, and armed with the confidence that no matter what challenges arise, I’ll be victorious, because the guy who tipped the scales at more than 460 lbs is the same guy who now weighs nearly half that.

As I’ve been thinking about embracing this new life whole heartedly, I did something crazy last week. I signed up to be a part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training, and I’ve committed to running the Indianapolis Mini Marathon this May. That’s 13.1 miles! As a component of the training, and to be a part of the team, I have to raise donations that benefit LLS as they continue to work towards curing blood-born cancers. This organization really hits close to home as my own Dad is a survivor of non-hodgkin lymphoma, and it’s only through research, medicines and a lot of prayer  that he’s been cancer-free for almost four years now. I’m running in his honor this May, and I can’t wait to greet him at the finish line, signifying the huge accomplishments both of us have made in our lives.

So here’s where I could really use some help… Up at the right side of the page is a ’support me’ badge with a woman running with her arms up. If you are able, click that little button and make a donation as I set out to accomplish this huge task. I can’t tell you how grateful I would be if you could help me out, and better yet, you could be helping someone else say that their parent is now cancer-free, too. I’ll be reporting on my progress as I move ahead, but if you can give, it would mean the world to me and thousands of others affected by cancer across the globe.

I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.
keep moving,
dane.

Harnessing Your Motivation

For the last couple of days I’ve been reading a memoir of a woman who lost over 200 lbs. through diet and exercise. It’s been good to connect with her story, allowing me to reflect upon my own journey and compare her experience with my own. While she now operates a weight loss blog with several thousand readers, she had a rough start blogging about her lifestyle change. In one chapter she talks about her habit of inconsistently blogging, and says something to the effect that when you’re blogging on weight loss and you don’t update for a couple of weeks it probably means you’ve gained weight.

Reading those words a couple of nights ago, it struck something within me. My internal dialogue went something like this: “Wow, I haven’t been updating my blog as consistently as I’ve been wanting to, does this mean my readers assume that I’ve gained weight these past few weeks, too? No, no.. there’s a progress page, where readers can see how I do each week. But what if they don’t know about the progress page, they could think I’m falling off the wagon again…”

To put any wondering aside, I’ve not gained any weight since the holidays (and it was a small gain at that). I sometimes struggle, though, with what is relevant to others as they incorporate healthy choices into their life, sometimes leaving me without an updated blog. I started this blog to share my entire journey, and with that, I’ve decided to start sharing more of where I’m at right now, not always pulling from what it was like when I first started. But I can still use your help—so if you’re looking for my insight or thoughts related to weight loss and lifestyle change, email me, and I’ll be sure to use it in an upcoming entry.

Last night I was really shocked after stepping on the scale at my Weight Watchers meeting. Last week, I lost over 8 lbs., (it was a big week), and I was really excited. Wanting to break free from the ten pound category I’ve been sitting in for the last month, though, I pushed things up a notch this week. I made the best food decisions I could, I pushed myself at the gym, I took the stairs in my parking garage every day, I walked different routes to work to get more steps in—I did as much as I possibly could to get another big loss in.

According to my bathroom scale, I’d done just what I wanted to do—I was so excited that the hard work had paid off. I arrived at my WW meeting early, I approached the scale with excitement and tried to contain my smile as the receptionist recorded my weight. But then she said something that completely surprised me: “Great! You lost two pounds this week!” My internal dialogue went something like this: “WHAT?! TWO POUNDS?! I BURNED OVER 5,000 CALORIES THIS WEEK AND STAYED WITHIN PLAN EVERY SINGLE DAY—ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!” Please note that in reality, however, I didn’t stomp, whine or complain, I said thank you and took my seat. Now, before you start hating on me because I’m not appreciative of losing two pounds, let me explain.

I’m having to do a lot of positive self talk these days. You see, tomorrow, January 21, will be my two year anniversary of starting weight watchers, of adopting a healthy lifestyle that has changed my life, of dragging myself to the gym five times a week. And quite frankly, I’m ready to be done. Don’t get me wrong—I love where I’m at, I love what I’ve accomplished and I’m excited to be at goal, but when one has lost over 210 lbs. and the reality is that they still have a bit more to lose, it can get a bit tiring. This last week was just another part of that frustration. When you have made nearly every decision in your day in hopes of helping the pounds lost go up and it’s not as good as you think it’ll be, it’s really disheartening.

I know that this is a change that I’ve made for the rest of my life.
I know that in order to sustain this loss I’ll need to continue to workout at least three times a week, I know I’ll have to monitor everything that I eat, I know that I’ll continue to struggle with wanting to eat things like unhealthy, greasy, covered-in-sauce chinese food. But right now, in this time of realization (and frustration), I’m having to keep my eyes on the prize to keep myself on track. I had my time of frustration last night, but I’m already over that—my head is in the game, and I’m focused on what’s ahead of me.

Personally, my motivation is hitting my weight loss goal this year. I’ve decided that 2010 is my year (THIN IN 2010!) and I’m going to be working my hardest to make that goal a reality. But I’ve also been able to find things that motivate me in my day-to-day life like fitting in smaller sized clothes, sitting comfortably in a restaurant booth or walking to the grocery store rather than driving. There are always things around you that can serve as incredible forms of motivation, you just have to be the one who decides what they may be.

Need more to fuel your fire? Try these tips:

1. Ask a close friend or family member to help keep you accountable as you go about this change in your life. Check in with them once a week or call them when you’re struggling. If they’re the right person, they’ll keep you grounded and on-track, acting as your biggest supporter as you embrace change.
2. Look at old photos of yourself or an old pair of pants and visually reinforce the change that you’re making for yourself. Remind yourself what it felt like to be that person and turn that emotion into motivation to stay the course.
3. Remind yourself that this is something you can do. Starting was the hardest step, so keep going when you’re ready to quit, and remember that you can do absolutely anything you put your mind to.

As much as I hope you’ll find motivation in these words, know that this is just as much a reminder to me as I move forward, as well. Sometimes it’s hearing the things that we already know to keep moving, and while I hope you’ll believe these things and implement them into your routine, know that I’m doing them right along with you. This is something we can finish! I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

ps: I like to ask a lot of questions, and maybe you do, too. Thanks to the internet, I’ve found a nifty way for you to ask me your questions, and for me to respond to them, too, so head over to my page and ask away, because I’m excited to answer your questions!

What’ll It Be?

Greetings, Friends! Happy 2010. It seems nearly impossible that it’s already January, and even more so that it’s been five months since I started working on this blog. But here we are—and I’m glad to walk this journey alongside you. Whether this is your first stop here or you’ve been reading my entries since the start, I hope that you’ll find my story helpful in whatever lifestyle change you’re pursuing.

As I’ve gone about losing the weight I have, a lot of people have made comments about how hard losing weight is, how difficult it must be. While there is some reality to those comments, making this change in my life has been one of the easiest things I’ve ever done. Sure, there were adjustments that had to be made, I had to learn a few things about myself along the way and I’ve had to remind myself why I drag myself to the gym five times a week. But then I look at old photos of myself and I remember how much worse it felt to be the overweight person that I was, to be detached from the physically demanding activities I longed to be a part of—to feel like I was out of control.

With the new year, there are many individuals who have made the decision to pursue weight loss as a resolution. I remember what it was like to decide (nearly) every new year that I wanted to lose weight for an occasion in the coming year, yet every year I would fail at making that resolution a reality. Studies have shown that most diet and exercise resolutions last a mere four weeks before most individuals slip back into their previous routines. But this year could be your year to break that statistic! So that leads me to challenge you with a simple question:

What will you change in 2010?

When you make the decision to change your life in whatever ways you desire, trust that you can accomplish your goals—that you can do whatever you put your mind to. And remember that if I can do what I’ve done, you can do absolutely ANYTHING you put your mind to. Make 2010 your year for change—and believe it. I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

PS: I apologize for the lack of updates the last couple of weeks—but please stop by every Thursday for updated content, I’ve got big plans!

{author’s note: the photo above is me with a pair of the jeans I used to wear. If you’re getting started on your own weight loss journey I highly encourage you to keep a piece of clothing that will be a reminder of the progress you make, you’d be surprised how good a huge pair of pants can make you feel!}

Ask Away.

Greetings, friends. I hope this finds you doing well and staying warm! It’s been insanely cold in Indianapolis these last few weeks, which makes it difficult to find the motivation to do anything. But I’m still dragging myself to the gym day after day, and it’s totally worth the sting of the cold.

While this blog does exist to share my story, I also want this space to be an outlet for questions to be asked and advice to be shared for individuals who need it. So with that being said, I invite you to ask away. I’ll work these questions into a future post (or several).

On a side note … If you (or someone you know) are a part of a group that is looking for a speaker on weight loss and healthy lifestyles, please don’t be afraid to contact me. When I started all of this I had a really difficult time learning of others’ weight loss journeys. I’d love to share my story with your group, though, so please contact me with any questions!

I want to hear your questions! I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane .

Looking to the Future.

Tuesday night was an awesome night. I worked hard last week, trying to meet my goal of hitting the big 200. But I’m a pretty superstitious person when it comes to my weight, and feared that somewhere along the way I’d messed something up.

I stepped onto the scale and my favorite WW receptionist looked at me, a huge smile stretching across her face. “You did it!” she said, as her face lit up with excitement. We high-fived at the counter and she congratulated me on my progress. I made my way back into the meeting room and people all around me started asking if I had met my goal, and the best part was being able to tell them all that yes, in fact, I had.

Three days later, I’m still excited—it’s been an awesome thing to accomplish. But the truth is, I’m not done yet. While there may be 201.3 lbs less of me hanging on this frame, I’m not where I want to be yet—and I’m having to remind myself that it isn’t time to celebrate the end just yet. Truthfully, this is a great time of year for this to happen in. People are getting ready to make the decision after the holidays to do something about their weight. Grocery stores are going to start promoting healthier items with lower prices and with it being the end of the year, I’m able to really reflect on where I want to be a year from now.

A year from today, I want to be at my lifetime goal weight for weight watchers, I want to have hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim (down and back to the top), I hope to have given my first public speaking session on my weight loss and I hope to be in training to run a half marathon. But more than any of these measurable things, I hope I’m able to look at what I’ve learned, where I’m at in life and realize that this new lifestyle of eating right, working out consistently and taking care of myself is going to be with me for the rest of my life. I will never live a life of obesity again. And while on this day I’m able to feel the accomplishment and excitement of being the thinnest I can remember myself as, I hope a year from now I will not have forgotten the way it feels.

I encourage you to think about your goals for the next year, both measurable and not. Write them down, put them in front of you, make them a part of your life. When you meet one, you can move on to the next one—so start dreaming and thinking of where you want to go from here today. I wish you all the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

Reflecting on the Journey.

Left: May, 2007 | Right: Dec., 2009

As I write this post, I am a mere five ounces from losing 200 lbs. It’s hard for me to believe that since January of 2008 this has all happened. But with that reality comes the fact that I’m not the same person I was two years ago. My choices are carefully considered, I’m always thinking about what is going to fill my time and I’m always conscious of what my body is saying to me.

For a long time I told myself that I could eat whatever I wanted, because one day I was going to get gastric bypass surgery, making all the weight melt away. But one day something snapped within me, and I knew I couldn’t live a life of obesity anymore.
I sometimes struggle with tempting foods, with eating more than I should and finding the desire to workout five times within a week. But then I remember what it felt like to shop in big and tall stores, to be detached from physical activities, to feel like I wasn’t in control of my body—and I’m instantly refocused and ready to keep going.

No matter where you are in life, no matter what decisions for change you might be making, it’s important to reflect on your journey. Time literally flies by—so as we prepare to embrace a new year (in just a few weeks), look back on where you’ve been and look at all you’ve accomplished. Sure, 200 lbs. is going to be my huge accomplishment for this year, but there have been just as many small victories along the way that have motivated and excited me to get me where I am today.

I encourage you to look deep within and reflect on who you are – there’s always something to be proud of yourself for, so start looking today. I wish you the best as you work towards a better you.

keep moving,
dane.

No More Holiday Havoc.

For most of my life the holidays were an excuse to cut loose. I’d eat as much as I wanted, as often as I wanted—and it was okay because I was doing it all in the name of celebration. Have you ever eaten so much that you’ve had to go and lay down? I’ll be completely honest saying that I sure have.

These days, however, things are different. As I look ahead to a week from now, I see myself sitting at Thanksgiving dinner with my family, surrounded by people who love me and are proud of what I’ve accomplished. I see myself with a heart full of passion for the road ahead and the journey I’ve traveled, and a mind full of hope because I’ve learned that what I’m doing for myself is worth every second.

Ready. Set. Run.

Greetings! I hope this finds you doing great and enjoying this wonderful autumn we’re beginning to experience. It’s been gorgeous in the Indianapolis area, and with great weather comes the opportunity to be outside more, enjoying the changing scenery of nature. Below you will find a portion of a post I wrote a couple of weeks ago. I never published this as I didn’t want to come across as negative, but as I thought more about the necessity of being real and sharing with others the realities of my weight loss journey, I decided to share this with you. In my weight loss journey there have been times where I’ve had to be honest with myself about myself in order to move on, and what I’ve written below is an attempt at just that.

[Originally written October 29, 2009]
I don’t mean to be negative from the beginning, but in my pursuit of being realistic and sharing with you where I’m at on my weight loss journey, I want to take just a moment and be real. This month has been one of the hardest months to stay on track with my weight. Thank goodness it’s coming to a close (not that november and december will be any better, eh?). It seems like every weekend this month I’ve had something that has gotten in the way of my constant goal of making healthy choices and losing weight. If you take a look at my progress page, you’ll see that I’ve lost about 7 lbs this month. There have been weeks when I’ve lost 7 pounds! But rather than focusing on a number, I need to remember that this is my life and there will be months like this where it’s extremely difficult to make the choices I know I should be making.

….And once I had that out of my system – I was ready to move forward with this entry. Ta-Da!

Loved This.

Last weekend I went to visit my parents in Missouri, and while I was there I had the opportunity to hike a portion of The Ozark Trail. The Ozark Trail is more than 300 miles long, spanning across multiple regions of the State of Missouri, and is really well developed for how young of a trail it is. As I continue to try new activities and push myself, it’s activities like these that remind me that the discipline of eating right and exercising constantly are totally worth it. There were multiple times during the trail where I challenged myself to do things I wouldn’t normally do. Whether it was balancing on a fallen tree, jumping over 4′ wide creeks or doing seated push ups off of a log in the middle of the trail – it was a reminder that challenging yourself is always possible.

As fall brings a change of pace (and climate) it’s easy to swing back into a sedentary lifestyle. The sun goes down earlier, the foods you crave get heavier and making yourself go to the gym can be quite the task as we all desire to be at home in our sweats. But fall is actually a great time to get active and pursue the healthy activities that cooler temperatures bring. Whether it’s going for a hike or running around your neighborhood, cooler temperatures make it much easier to enjoy outdoor activities, which can also be good for those who need to stick around the neighborhood.

As I’ve talked about in previous posts, I’ve long been envious of runners. It’s a task that is seemingly so simple, yet realistically so demanding on your body. While I’m a very young runner and have only been pursuing this challenge for a couple of months, I’ve learned a thing or two about running that I wanted to share in hopes that it will help those of you who are thinking about or just beginning to run more yourself.

Dropping A Size

Size 22 = 6XL

In January of 2008 I wore a size 6XL dress shirt. That’s XXXXXXL. When you wear a shirt that big you can’t just walk into a store and grab one off the rack, you have to order it or purchase from a big and tall store that charges almost $50 for one shirt. Yes, you read that correctly – $50. One shirt.

While I won’t say that clothes were my reason for losing weight, they were a huge reward for me along the way. I’ve gone down 10 pant sizes since the beginning, and in most cases I’m now able to find a pair that will fit without having to special order them. A lot of people take clothes shopping for granted, but when you’re forced to shop in stores that only cater to big and tall customers or you can’t ever find anything at the mall, shopping becomes a task that is disheartening and frustrating.

These days I’m on the other side of shopping, though. I’m able to find clothes in most stores, I don’t mind trying things on incase I need a smaller size and sometimes I’ll buy something a size smaller as a goal to work towards. I can’t really describe how good it feels when that smaller item fits you, it makes the hours of sweating, discipline and hard work completely worth it.

As Promised :: My Favorite Things

I remember as a child being captivated by the young Julie Andrews, playing the part of Maria in The Sound of Music. I received a VHS copy of the classic film for Christmas one year, the only problem being I had to insert the second cassette half-way through the film. While I wished I was a german-born Vontrapp child who was able to solve my problems by singing and wearing play clothes made out of curtains, that was far from reality. I grew up in a country where obesity is becoming the popular thing for kids to do. As a native of Missouri, I grew up in a state where big bellies and overeating are traits children learn from a young age. It’s reported that more than 21% of Missouri’s children are overweight, and a proven fact that overweight children are likely to become overweight adults.

Now I live in Indiana, where the problem with obesity is just as big, as Indiana falls in the worst ten states of well being among the entire US. I read yesterday that by the year 2030, it is expected that all Americans will be overweight. All these statistics make me wonder what it is that we’re doing to ourselves – why are we allowing this problem that is making people sick, causing heart attacks and hurting our children continue without a fight?

I suppose the reason I’m so passionate about this subject and why I care so much about helping others realize how easy healthy choices can be is that I’ve come to fit into a healthy lifestyle that I truly love without a lot of work. When I made the decision to lose weight it was a cold turkey choice – I gave away the food that I didn’t need to have in my pantry and even today if it won’t be a good choice for me I don’t buy it.

So with all this talk of The Sound of Music and My Favorite Things, I wanted to share with you some of my own favorite things when it comes to eating. The Grocery can be a pretty overwhelming place when you’re trying to make healthy choices, so I wanted to share some of my advice and favorite products in hopes that it can help you. But “When temptation hits – when you’re hungry – when you’re feeling mad . . . I simply reach out to my favorite things, and then I don’t eat so bad!!” (these lyrics modified to the original tune, of course).