Posnanski Determination

Growing up, I never was so fond of my last name. It was long, it was pronounced differently than it was spelled, and I have never met anyone besides for family members with the last name Posnanski. But now, I am older, and understand that Posnanski is not just a last name, but a breed of people. The members in my family are incredibly determined people, very humble, and never talk about getting results, they just show results. I call this "Posnanski Determination". Here are some examples:
Let's start out with my Dad. He would be the magazine's version of a man. He is good with cars, and fixing things, he is a good provider and has a incredible work ethic. He loves sports, boxing is his favorite. But the one thing I was always so impressed about was the way he loved and played chess. Whenever you see someone in the "chess club", he is that nerdy guy, the one that will grow up and become a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, looking out of his office window saying "I told them I would succeed." Well, my dad was a little different. He studied moves, and read books on chess. He practiced all the time. Now remember, this was before the Internet was popular, so he would go to chess clubs in town and play all week long. He was ranked a master for quite some time, and he was nationally ranked as well (I read a chess club magazine in the bathroom when I was a kid and saw his name misspelled in there.) He was so good, he did not need pieces to play the game, just a board. Yet, no matter how good he was, no matter how much he practiced, he never bragged, he never told people how good he was. He would let his game speak for himself. People would ask him how long he played, and how long he practiced, and all he did was say "Not sure". I really admired that, because it taught me that you can be real good at something, work hard, and let everyone else see the results. He wanted to be the best, but for himself, not for others.
My mom is also a very determined person as well. I remember when my mom went to college, she would study all the time. I was seven at the time, and I remember my mom being up until 4am reading some computer books. She would take notes in spiral notebooks, and there were a ton of spiral notebooks. She always got straight A's. She would not settle for anything less. She has had the same job for over 20 years. She has the same passion for her job now as she did in the 80's. She showed me as well that hard work does pay off.
My brother Joe is the most famous Posnanski. He is a sports writer/columnist for SI.com who is real, real good. I am not just saying that, I wish I had 10% the talent he has. He has been writing for well over 20 years, and he puts so much effort into his writing, it is not funny. Growing up, I admired my brother, because of the passion and hours he put into his writing. When I would see him on holidays, or visits, he was always working. He was always brainstorming. He is the one who really showed me the love for sports. Okay, I cant tell you why Dickie Thon was a better shortstop in 1983 than Ozzie Smith or Cal Ripken, but I do love sports.
To this day, the one thing I took from my brother is his humility. He is incredibly humble, a little to much. He could sign a check, and win 4 Missouri Press Association awards. But he will never tell you that. He will never talk about his career, or who he met, or who he knows. He asks about you, what is going on in your life. The Joe I know now is the same Joe I knew when I was 8 years old.
So this week, I went to weigh in at Weight Watchers, and I lost 3.8 pounds. As always the "leader" looked at me and said "Hmmmm, you know 1 to 2 pounds is what you should be losing every week".

What she does not know is that I wake up every morning at 5am to work out. I don't question the food I eat, I love it. I eat lean meats, fruit, vegetables, and fiber. I am incredibly disciplined, more so than anyone else I have met. I have lost 175 pounds in 7 months. That is more than anyone on "the Biggest Loser". No, better yet, that is more than anyone with Gastric Bypass surgery. I only drink water, and don't even touch sodas, nor Crystal light. I watch everything I put in my system, and never doubt myself. Hell, my doctor didn't even know if I had the surgery or not because of the weight I lost. People tell me all the time, you will gain the weight back. And I love it, I love being doubted! Because mark this blog, I will never, ever gain the weight back.....

But because of my family, I smiled and said "You are right, thank you very much" and walked out.


What I wanted to say was "I did lose 2 pounds. The other 1.8 this week was because of "Posnanski Determination".

"Really, 400 Pounds?"

People ask me how do you get to be over 400 pounds. Okay, no one actually asked me that. A guy yelled one time across the room at me "Jesus, how did you get so fat." Alas, it stuck with me, but it does bring up a good point. You do not see a lot of 400 pound people out there. So I did a little research, asked a few top professionals, and came up with this assessment:

To be over 400 pounds, you eat ALOT of food!!!

It's the truth. And I am not talking about sneaking a extra piece of cake, or seconds at Thanksgiving dinner, I am talking about a huge amount of food. And that was me, a big time eater. I was the Pete Rose of eating. The best in my day, and no one came close ( I guess you could also throw in I "gambled" with my health). My biggest vice was fast food. I don' t think you will believe me when I type this, but I am going to tell you what I would get through the drive-thru at certain restaurants, and this would happen more than once a day ( Like I would ever go in and eat):

McDonald's- Breakfast (I rarely ate breakfast, but if I did, McDonald's would be the only place)- Steak McGriddle (Yes, it is not on the menu, but they will make it), 2 Sausage biscuits, 4 breakfast burritos, large Diet Lemonade.
Dinner- 4 $1 double cheeseburgers, 1 Big Mac, 1 Grilled Chicken Sandwich, 2 $1 Spicy Chicken Sandwiches, large Diet Lemonade

Burger King- 2 Whopper Jr.with cheese, no tomato, 1 Chicken Sandwich and 1 Tendergrill Sandwich, 1 Triple BK Stacker, and a large Oreo Milkshake (I do not know if they still have these)

Arby's- 3 Cheddar beef Sandwiches, 1 Market Fresh Reuben, 3 Cherry Turnovers, 1 Diet lemonade

Wendy's- 4 $1 Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxes, 1 Chicken Sandwich, 1 Double Cheeseburger, no tomato, and a Biggie Diet lemonade

Chili's- 1 Triple Play (Double Chicken Crispers and Shanghai Wings), Explosion Quesadilla Salad, Chicken Rach sandwich, but Honey Chipolte sauce instead of Wing Sauce, and a Paradise Pie

These are just a few examples, and this would be at least twice a day. For some reason, I think I used to justify what I ate because I never got fries, nor did I ever get a regular soda. In fact, i got to 400 pounds, and I have not had a true regular soda since 1990. I would eat these in my car on the way to and from work, away from everyone.

When I would get home from work, I would eat again because I did not want my wife to know I already ate. And the home meal was not so great either. 90% of the time it was Chinese food. I know you have read about Chinese food, so please let me reiterate that this is the most unhealthy food out there. For one, have you ever walked into a Chinese restaurant that everyone was friendly, or the back door was not open, or it was spotless. Second, I have made Chinese food before, it is sugar, oil, and corn starch. Dont be fooled because you buy soy sauce at the store, and say "Hmmmm, not a lot of calories."

This is why for the last year of my life, I have been eating much better, and I made a little blog. I call it the Anti-Jared not because I hate Jared. As a matter of fact, I think anyone who loses weight is awesome. It is a accomplishment, no matter what. I would never do it, but it does take courage to have a surgery, and I commend anyone who makes a commitment to lose weight.

But...... don't piss on my shoes and tell me it is raining. No one loses weight by eating fast-food everyday, no matter what you tell me. I see the point to eating out, but I refuse to listen to someone who says they lost 200 pounds by eating a sub every day. It is ridiculous. Do you really think I want my health to be determined by a 18 year old kid making $8 per hour not happy with life. How do I know he portioned the meats properly. How do I know he gave me the FF sauce instead of the regular? I don't know, and if I eat out once in a while, I don't care.

Truth be told, I have not eaten in a fast food establishment for over 9 months now, and I dont miss a thing.

Restaurant Demands

Over the last few years, more and more people are eating out. It is a part of everyday life for so many people. No more home cooked meals, or going to grandma's for dinner. Restaurants like Chipolte, Chili's, Applebees, McDonalds, and nine million others are out there to take our money for a quick meal.
It is easier than you think to eat "well" when you go out to eat. Most restaurants have a "healthy" section (Also watch out for what some restaurants call healthy), although people always choose foods that sound good, but might not be the healthiest option.
Now, when I go out to eat, I order a little different. I try to get a variation for the dishes that are offered. Here are a few tips on eating out, some you have heard, and some might be new:

1. Be the annoying order person- Okay, you have the menu, but you want a healthier option. Let the server or order taker know this. Here is a example:
" Hmmmmm, I want the chicken sandwich, but no mayo, and extra onions, lettuce, and a pickle. I saw that you have a whole wheat bun for another sandwich, can I get that. Also, I am really not wanting fries, can I get the vegetables instead. Those are steamed, right? Great, make sure they are steamed, and I do not want any butter."

That is it. How easy is that. Well.....it is easy but can be annoying, and a little embarrassing. The truth is, sometimes it is good to be the annoying person when ordering food. Not only will you be able to get the entree you want, but you heart will thank you. Also, make sure you ask for certain things when eating better, such as
Grilled not fried
Sauces on side
Whole wheat pasta/bread
No sauteed items in oil/butter

2. Selecting beverage
Okay, every restaurant serves bottled water, or diet drinks( Most people watching thier weight drink one or the other). The truth is, water in almost every restaurant is filtered, so it is pointless to get a bottled water. Also, most restaurants have diet selections with a lot of caffeine, such as Diet Coke. My suggestion is just go with the water.

3. Bread on the table
Skip it, save your calories for the entree. If you do eat the bread, try to eat the whole wheat version with no butter or oil.

4. Salads
Try to get the dressing on the side. Also, limit your toppings. An example might be if you get a taco salad, get the cheese on the side, and do without the tortila chips. When you get dressing/cheese/etc. on the side, you are less likely to use as much. Also, try to stick with vinegar on your salad.

Those are just a couple of things, but the truth is, when you go out to eat, you are the consumer and you should pay for what you want to get. Make sure you ask for the food that is right for you!

Gym Dandy

I admit it, I love going to the gym. I am not going to beat around the bush, nor am I going to sugarcoat it, I REALLY love going to the gym. When I wake up, and it is gym day, I get ready, walk the dog, and then hit my local gym (Lifestyles). Now remember, this happens all at 5:15 in the morning six days a week. Now if you are or were ever overweight, chances are that you have spent over $12 billion dollars in gym monthly fees. Well, I am not any different. I pay $60 per month, and I can finally say it is worth it.
It was not always like that. During my 400 pound days, I remember telling my wife that I was going to the gym, that I would be working out. This never happened. The only thing I ever did was pay my membership on time, yet I never walked in the gym. At the time, I did not want to go. I mean, I could not tie my shoes, I had one pair of shorts (Which I use as a blanket now), and my back always hurt. What was the point?
When I started on my wight loss journey, I knew that I had to start going to the gym. I joined a $10 per month gym, and in my 3rd week of eating well (Core WW, and already read the F-Factor book) I was ready to go. I still could not tie my shoes, but I did have another pair of 5x shorts. I went in, and went on the treadmill.
After about 2 minutes, I was out of breath, my back hurt, and I was sweating. I had the treadmill at 2 miles per hour. I could not even do a 30 minute mile. Yikes! I left the gym, and hard to admit, I started to cry. I realized this was going to be much harder than I thought.
So I went home, and wrote out a plan. The next day I went for 4 minutes, and every day I pushed myself more and more. Then I upped the speed. Then I started to lift weights.
When I outgrew the gym I was at, I joined a more spiffy gym. TV's on all cardio, two different circuit training options. I saw girls with matching outfits, and guys on their Blackberries texting while lifting. Wow, it was just like LA, except it was Florida. or maybe it was like Florida, who knows.
Today, I work out 6 days a week. I either run 5 miles, or I do the elliptical machine for 70 minutes each time. I circuit train 4 days a a week, and will start back on hard weight training in a month. I go in the gym mismatched every time, I lip sync almost every song on my Ipod, and I sweat profusely.
But now, for the first time in a long time, I can tie my own shoes.

171 Down

So now I am under the 250 mark, I think it is the first time in about 7 years. I went to the doctor today to make sure I was in good health. Sometimes, I get a little nervous that the weight came off too quick, so I try to go every two months to make sure all my blood work is in order, and my heart rate is good as well.
Today was weird, because my doctor got confused. He had to ask me if I got gastric bypass. Huh???? He knew i did not, I mean, he is my doctor. Then he told me that he has never seen or heard of anyone losing so much weight. At first he though I only lost 106 pounds. Then I had to explain to him that on the chart he had me at 350+ because I was too heavy to go on the scale. So then he realized I lost 171 pounds in 7 months. No Surgery, no pills, no food dropped off at my door. Just waking up every morning wanting to be a better person.
He said i should write a book, but as I have said before I am not a writer. I like to write this stuff for myself, and if other people read it, that is cool. But he did ask me a question about the best thing with losing the weight. Hmmmmmm......
1. Clothes. When you are over 400 pounds (Or 300 for that matter) clothes get difficult. For one, there is only one store that carries "large" clothes for men. That is the Casual Male XL. They have all the name brands at ridiculous prices. But what option do you have. I could buy two pairs of pants and a shirt for $250 dollars. Suits, forget about it. And forget about variety. I love the fact that i can go to Target, or Kohl's, or any store and buy a nice shirt for 10 dollars, or get underwear cheap. I like the fact that I have close to 15 dress shirts, and 7 pairs of pants. Clothes bring confidence back.
2. Back pain- Let me tell you, I could not stand for more than 30 min when I was overweight. When my wife and I went to Disney two years ago, I did the trip no justice by having to sit and rest all of the time. I would go see the chiropractor 3 times a week, and I would feel horrible. Since losing the weight, my back feels so much better. I have not felt this good in....well, ever.
3. Seat Belt- Overweight people can not put on seatbelts. it is not a insult, it is a hazard. I am so happy I can put one on now.
4. Shoes with laces- never was able to tie them before
Oh my, there are a million more. I guess the best thing is that I am proud of myself, and very confident in life (Not cocky, but confident). I feel like I can accomplish anything if I put my mind to it, which was not how I felt seven motnhs ago.

The biggest loser

Well, now it looks like 200 pounds lost is really close. I have lost 167 pounds so far this year. I am really happy about that, but I am even happier about the way I have done it. I have not had a diet soda, or any caffeine. I work out at least five days a week. I eat well, and I never feel like I want to stray off course. I think that technology really helps with this, because telling people my story will help me stay on the right path.
About two years ago, "The Biggest Loser" has a audition in Orlando. I was ready to try out for the show. Being over 400 pounds at the time, I was pretty convinced that I would be chosen for the show. I mean I am outgoing, I was a chef at the time, which makes it pretty interesting, and I really felt like I could do well in it.
I took the day off, and was ready to go, when my wife told me it was not a good idea. I was not sure why, I mean, how could it hurt. I did not argue with her, and did not try out for the show.
Looking back at it now, it was a great decision. I bought a book, and say that only about 18 of the 100 people kept their weight off. Not only that, I felt that by educating myself through programs like Weight Watchers, and books like the F-Factor diet, I will truly be the biggest loser. Not by doing a surgery, not by trying the latest greatest pill, but by waking up every day and realizing it is not a struggle anymore. Life is fun!
Plus, I am confident that I will have a little blurb or story posted somewhere when I lose 200 pounds. I can't wait until then.