Say you want a Resolution!

You know what is funny? I do not know what I am more amazed about. Losing over 200 pounds, or living my life over 400 pounds. Both are pretty dramatic.
I found one of my old shirts and decided to put it on. Look at that black shirt with grease stains on the belly (yes, work stains!) I never thought it would be as big as it was on me. Talk about shocking!!!
Oddly enough, I also have a picture with another big shirt. The baby blue shirt picture is a 2XL shirt that I was wearing in August!!! That is crazy!

Anyway, I want to write about resolutions, because that is all I see in the blogging world!

Just so you know, I am like all the wonderful people who leave me comments on my posts. I am inspired my so many bloggers out there. Some for humor, some for determination, some because I just love to see what they eat every single day. But I do spend a good amount of time reading, which is something my parents should be proud of.

Back to resolutions. Hmmm, let me see if I can explain my point, because this could get confusing.

I love goal setting!

It is the foundation of any good leader. I love to write down goals, follow a "S.M.A.R.T" formula (Specific, measurable, blah blah....sorry, I am not Tony Robbins) for my goals and check on them to see how far I have come to getting to my goals. I do it all the time for work. Sometimes we call it an action plan!
I also do it on a personal level.I try to write down my goals, because someone once told me if you do not write down a goal, it will never happen.
A few of my goals I have set over the last few months are:

Weigh in under 200 pounds
Be interviewed for a major newspaper/magazine
Be interviewed by 10 weight loss bloggers
Be interviewed on a national television show
Be a lifetime WW member
Be a WW leader
Have at least 28 blog posts a month

Still waiting on a few of them, but I am hoping in the next six months they will all be fulfilled.

I love telling people about my goals. Everything I have wanted to accomplish, I have written in my blog, or made it clear to my wife. It is important to share your goals with people. If you keep it inside, then no one else can hold you accountable.

Now, I am not fond of the term "New Years Resolutions". Really not a big fan of it at all!

I do not make them, nor will I ever.

I cant wait to see this comment:

"Why Jared, that is quite harsh! I think it is a great time to start fresh!"

No, no, no! Also, my name is Tony, not Jared.

Here is why I do not like "N.Y. Resolutions". Actually, it is only one reason:

Failure- I have never succeeded in a resolution in January. In fact, I have never known anyone to stick to a New Year's resolution for a year! This is how it worked for me: I make a goal, I am pressured to start it January 1st, not able to do it just then, and then it is ruined. Who wants to truly start a "N.Y. Resolution" January 2nd???

I know that memberships at WW, gym's, and "Quit Smoking Today" places all go up at the beginning of the year. But, to make a goal, you need to be ready, and have the confidence of succeeding.
I guess what I am trying to say is that you need to make goals/resolutions. It is so important to do so, but do them on your terms. Do them when you are ready, not because it is January 1st.

They should not be New Year resolutions, they should be your goals.

Share them with everyone!!! Please, if you have goals, post them on here. I would love to see them!

Remember, I lost over 200 pounds in 2008. I made the decision to do it On February 24th.

Tomorrow!

My favorite day used to be Tomorrow!

"Tomorrow" is when all of my dreams would come true, so I thought! It is the day I would start my diets, and the day that I would work out. I would clean the house "Tomorrow" and I would save money "Tomorrow".

Whenever my wife would ask me when I was going to live a healthier life, I would always say, without hesitation:
Tomorrow!
Whenever my wife would ask me when I would start exercising:
Tomorrow!
Whenever my wife would ask me when I was going to do the dishes:
Tomorrow!

Yep, tomorrow was this overweight man's dream!

Sadly, tomorrow never came. Nope! Whenever Tomorrow came, it quickly turned into "Today", and then"Yesterday" before I could get a grasp on it. It vanished in thin air.
My bosses at work also knew about tomorrow. That is when I would turn in better numbers. Tomorrow is when I would get out of the office, and make an impact on my kitchen.

"Tomorrow" was also the day where I would get a promotion.

Then, one day, ten months ago, my wife asked me the same questions she has for then last eight years:

"Tony, when are you going to eat healthy?"

I looked at her, and said "Today!"

"What do you mean today. You mean tomorrow, right?"

"No dear, I mean today. I mean right now. My healthy living starts right now."

The last ten months, I have lived for today. Whenever I want to make a goal happen, I plan on it for today!

Today, I lost 3.6 pounds, bringing my total for the year to 205.4 pounds lost. It is also the most I have lost in a week in three months! Wow, on Christmas week!

Today, I got to hear my baby's heartbeat. It was fast! Puh-dum,Puh-dum,Puh-dum!

Today, I turned in some nice numbers at work.

Today is an awesome day.

Sometimes I wish every day was like today. Oh wait, I control that now.

Every day is like today!!!

Hey Jared!

I love comments! All my friends have great insight, and it makes me think about what I wrote. It also motivates me to write more!

That is, until someone starts the comment by saying, "Hey Jared....."

My name is not Jared. Nope, not even close. My birth name is Tony!

The reason I do not like being called Jared is the same reason why I chose the name The Anti-Jared!
Let me explain. First off, I am not a fan of Subway. In fact, I have not eaten in one in over 15 years! Yes, even with my fast food addiction, I have not stepped foot in a Subway.

The year was 1993. Clinton just got in office, the Bills lost ANOTHER Super Bowl, and Ace of Base was actually a hit band. I was in my first year of college when I went to a Subway for a couple of subs.

Yes, I did say couple of subs. One sub was not enough for me. I had to have two feet of bread and delicious meats. Don't forget the toppings!

Anyway, I ordered my sub, and the girl behind the counter made it wrong. I asked her to make it over for me, and her reply was
"I don't get paid enough to deal with your bull----!"
Well, now I was mad. So I asked for the manager. A middle aged man came out, and I proceeded to tell him the story. He really could care less!
The manager not caring made me REAL mad! I remember telling him that I was outraged and I would not be back.
Then he said the words that haunt me. He made a comment that changed my life, and wanted to go into the restaurant industry to make a difference! He said:

"Listen chubs, I can see you will not pass on a sub! People like you say that all the time. Ha, you will not be back! Oh, you will be back. It is like people saying they will not get gas for their car. They need it, just like you need a sub!"

I really wish I was exaggerating about that comment, but I am not! I could not believe a person in an authority position could make a comment like that. I left mad and without a sub!

I never went back!

Jared to me symbolizes Subway, and what it stands for. Here is a guy who lost over 200 pounds. My story is similar to his. We both wore size 60 pants, and we both would be dead by the time 35 years of age hit!
Here is how we differ. I am annoyed that he is not responsible to the public. This is my opinion, but hey, it is my blog, so I am entitled to it! Telling you that two subs will help you lose 200 pounds is not fair. It is nonsense!
I could get on here and say "I lost 200 pounds in 10 months! It is so easy, all you need is Hydrocuts! Just click the link!"

I guarantee you, you would click the link. I would make a lot of money.

But I have to sleep every night! Losing weight is HARD!!!! It takes dedication, changing your life, and sacrifice. More sacrifice than I ever thought possible! It takes will power, and it also takes the right foods, and the right portions.
Saying a sub twice a day is not realistic!
Truth be told, you would lose weight if you only ate a Snickers bar 3 times a day. Each bar is under 300 calories, so it would be less than 1000 calories a day.

Is it healthy? Is it something you can do for the rest of your life?

My goal is to lose more weight than Jared. I am confident it will happen in 2009. I also want to tell my story to thousands of people! Weight loss is possible.......

But so damn hard!

E-Mail

The day after Christmas! Another day of sales. I would like to know how many door busters we are going to have in December. Also, how many times is Kohl's going to have "the lowest prices of the year"? Actually, I am just happy I can shop for clothing at a normal store, so I will not complain!
Today was a little slow at the restaurant, so I left at a normal hour today. I was happy to do it, yet sad that it wasn't crazy busy like it has been all month long. So when I got home, I started to catch up on some emails.

Let me also add a huge thank you to everyone who has been reading and commenting on my blog! In my wildest dreams, I would never have guessed that 94 people would be following me. Not only that, but I had over 40 comments on two blog posts. I wish you knew how great that made me feel. I was smiling all week long!

I started to read my emails, and they were great. Some thanked me for inspiring them, and some were just about how much they liked my blog. Wow, it is so weird to think that people really read what I write.

Then I got to one email that....well...I did not know what to make of it. I was going to post it on here, but instead decided not to. It hit home way too hard!
It was about a guy who was overweight, very similar to me in the past. He was talking about how he has struggled with weight for a while, and how he was not able to do daily functions...just like I was not able to.
He also wrote about how he did not want to micromanage the way he ate because he would fail if he had to write down everything, or count points. He also did not work out, and knew the answers, but was looking for more answers.
The email made me cry.....because it was where I was 10 months ago. In fact, it is where I was the last 32 years of my life! I was the guy that wanted to do anything to lose weight, yet I would not put forward any effort. Counting points!!! Ha, not for me!
I was the one who talked about walking, and changing my life, yet I was still going to the drive-thru at McDonald's for dollar menu double cheeseburgers, lots of them.
It put me back in a place where I felt helpless, like I could not control my life. I wanted to be skinny, yet did not want to put forth the effort.I had answers, yet failed! It was a miserable place to be.
I wanted to write back to him, but I couldn't do it. I want to help him so bad! Yet, I feel like no matter what I would write, it would go in one ear and out another!

I would rather talk about it here, because it helps me deal with my food addiction!

I wanted to tell him how selfish he was to his family, and how he is a food addict, and how hard it is at first to change your life, and yes, you will have to manage your food for the rest of your life! Weighing your food is better than dying of a heart attack!

Yet, I couldn't do it. Because at the end of the email, I was not mad at the person. Not in the least!

I was mad at myself!

This is a reoccurring theme for me. I have blogged about it in the past. Losing 200 pounds is very new to me. It was not easy, it took serious work. Very serious work! It still takes serious work! I was 420 pounds in 2008! Yes, in January, I was wearing size 60 pants!
Don't get me wrong, I am so proud of myself. I am not only happy that I have lost the weight, or the health factors, but I am happy that I have inspired others! It is something that is new and wonderful to me. I want to be able to inspire people for a long time. I love to hear about people losing 10 pounds because they read my blog, or not eating a doughnut because they read my blog. It makes me feel wonderful! Blogging is something that is so dear to me now. Writing has never been something I have been a fan of!
The email hit home to me, because I felt no matter what I wrote back to him, it would not hit home to him yet. I know, because I am the same way!

Remember, I am still a food addict, and I deal with it every minute of the day!

Fairy Tales!

As you may or may not know, I am now an expecting father. I am super excited about it, and a little nervous as well. I am sure most people having a child have those feelings!
The one thing that I am thrilled about is story time with my baby. I love to read, and I remember my mom and dad reading me stories when I was younger. My mom used to make the best voices for the animal characters in Aesop's fables, and my dad did the same. It was the best part about being a kid!
The other day I went to the bookstore, and looked at some children's books. I was browsing over all of the classics, and some new ones as well. I think the first story I read my new baby will be this one though:

Once upon a time, there was a cook who lived in a village. He was a wonderful man whom people around town always talked to. He had a great wife, and he had a lot of passion as a cook, cooking for some of the most important people in town, including the King.
One day he made the King one of the best meals he has ever eaten. It was amazing! In fact, the King was so thrilled he went up to the cook and said
"That meal was the best I ever had. I would like to do something for you now because you have made me so happy. Tell me what you would like, and I will make sure it happens!"
The cook looked at the King and said
"Hmmm, well, I am very overweight, I would like to lose all of my weight! Um, and my wife and I would like a baby as well. Also, I am tired of being a cook, I would like to own my own restaurant, and have cooks under me. How does that sound?"
The King thought about it and said:
"How does that sound? Well, RIDICULOUS!!! I am a King, not a dream machine. Come to me when you have some realistic ideas! Away with you!"
The cook, saddened, left the King and went home! He told his wife what happened and she said "Those do not seem to unrealistic! It will take some work, but they are possible!"
The cook took that to heart, and decided to do it! I mean, what did he have to lose!
So the cook woke up the next day at 5am to run around his house. It was so hard, but he did not care. He would not give up! He knew the next day when he ran, it would be easier, and easier the day after that.
Consistency was the key!
He also started to eat better. All of the rich soups and cheeses he was eating was not good for him. He realized that fruits and vegetables were very filling, and helped him lose weight.
While he was losing weight, the owner of his restaurant bought another restaurant.
"Cook, you have done so much for me, I am giving you this restaurant" said the owner.
Finally, the cook was a owner!
When he went home to tell his wife, she said "That is wonderful news, especially since we are going to have a baby."
The cook was thrilled! Everything was starting to work out for him.
The cook went to the King's palace, and saw the King. The King looked at him and said "You look familiar, but I am not sure where?"
"Well King, 10 months ago, I was very large. 420 pounds to be exact. I made you a great meal, and you asked me if there was anything I could do for you. I asked to lose weight , get my own restaurant, and have a baby! All of this has happened!" the cook said.
"My, My, My!!! I do remember! How have you been" the King replied.

"Great sir. If you need anything, let me know. I make dreams come true!"

Hot Tips!

I am a sucker!
For the last 20 years or so, whenever I see a magazine that says on the front
"10 Hot Tips To Lose Weight" or something like that, I buy it! I do this ALL the time. I even did it today!
I have lost 200 pounds this year, yet I am still looking for tips from a magazine?
The funny thing is the tips have not changed. I have magazines from 1994 that have the same tips as the ones I have today. Eat more protein, work out, eat less, etc. etc.! There is nothing really new in there.
At one point in my blog life, I also started to write down tips for all of y'all! Here are the ones I have had so far:

Tip #1- Don't make excuses
Tip #2- Drink Water
Tip #3- Failure is not a option
Tip #4- Clothes do not make the person
Tip #5- Eat Fruit

Not very exciting. Well, today I want to add a new one.

Tip #6- Losing weight and getting healthy are two different things!

There are two different things that most "wellness plan" offers. They are:

1. Lose weight
2. Get healthy

I have lost weight my whole life. I have cut back on portions, I have taken diet pills. I have "tried" all the diets. Well, kind of tried them.
Then, I would gain back all of the weight. I would actually gain back the weight and then some!
Before losing the weight I have this year,I gained over 180 pounds over the past 8 years, and this was after I lost 80 pounds in a successful weight loss journey!

Why is this time different! Why am I so confident I will not gain back the weight.

Well, it is because of my smart wife!

Since I have been gaining weight, my wife has NEVER asked me to lose weight. Never ever!
She always asked me to get healthy. She wanted to me to be around for a while.
She did not care how I looked. in fact, I know she loved the 420 pound Tony just as much as the 218.6 pound Tony.
This year, for the first time in my life, I did not try to "lose weight". I went on a mission to get healthy. I changed the way I ate, I worked out, I took vitamins, I even cut out the "diet" drinks.
I changed my life completely. It was not so easy at first, but now I look at it and wonder why I did not live like this earlier!
By changing my life, the weight came off. For the first time in my 33 year life, I know the weight will stay off!
And my wife will not have to worry ever again!

A Deuce Gone!

I am weird! One weird thing about me is that I love Monday's! The beginning of the week, and my future!
Today I woke up like I always do! You guessed it, pup barking. I walked her, and the dog looked at me and said

"Tony, I think you will get that 200 pounds lost today!"

I thought it was kind of weird that the dog was talking, but she is smart. I thanked her, and then was off to the gym!
At the gym, I was working out very hard! I was watching SportsCenter, and all of the NFL highlights. I am a Carolina Panthers fan, so I was bummed about the game yesterday. When they were interviewing Steve Smith of the Panthers, he looked at the screen and said

"Hey Tony! Is it true you have a shot of losing 200 pounds this week!"

Wow, how did he know? I didn't answer back because it would have been a little weird.
After the gym, I took a shower, and was on my way to work. I was going to wait for WW till Wednesday because I wanted to get in early to my job, but I had a few extra minutes, so I decided to see if I did it!

If I lost the 200 pounds! I was not far off, with 199.6 pounds lost!

I have had a good week....better yet, I have had a great 10 months. I have not been tempted by anything I should not have been, nor have I skipped workouts. I have stayed on plan, and realize that this is my life now, not a diet. I am a healthy eater! Kind of weird, but true!
So I went to my WW meeting, and went on the scale. Barbara, my favorite receptionist was not there, so I dealt with some other woman. I went on the scale, and she said:

"OK, 2.2 pounds lost."

2.2 pounds, WOW!!!

That means I have lost 201.8 pounds so far THIS YEAR!!!
Not only that, but I am the only person I know who has lost over 200 pounds without surgery (did that comment make sense?)
I have known people to lose 190+ pounds, but now, I am in the sweet elite 200 pounds lost club!

I love it!

So I was waiting for the big congratulations, the big hooray!! I was waiting to be carried around the WW meeting by all of the 100 year old women!
Instead, there was no fanfare! The only comment I heard after that was a woman saying:

"I can't understand why the Fruities are never on sale!"

Well, at least my dog and Steve Smith were excited!

"I don't want to be a widow so young!"

"I don't want to be a widow so young!"

Those are the words that changed my life. Those are the words that motivate me everyday!

When I was over 400 pounds, I was a walking time bomb! I knew there was no future. How can there be? Walking was a struggle, breathing was a struggle, and sleeping was a struggle. Life in general was a struggle. Life was more of a day to day operation.
What a shame I lived that way as well. Food was more important than my family. I would eat and eat, without caring about myself, or the way I lived. I was supposed to take medication for my heart and cholesterol, but never did. Why??? Maybe laziness, maybe I just did not care!
I have always had a great wife, who has stood by me for eight years. I have never met anyone who cared about me more. She has always talked about us having a family, and living for the future.

Until this year, I really have not had a future.

Here is a story that changed my life forever!
Before my dramatic weight loss, I was working late one day. My boss was talking to me about some new procedures, and it really interested me for some reason. We were talking until 3am, when at the time I usually get home around 1am.
When I strolled in the house around 3:15am, my wife was up crying. I couldn't understand why?
I remember telling her that I was at work, and not cheating on her, or doing something dumb.

She looked at me with that look. And then uttered the words:

"I don't want to be a widow so young!"

It is so true! Why was I living the way I did. I would never be able to have a family! Even if I did, how long would I be around to enjoy it. Maybe a year? Maybe six months?
Plus, being over 400 pounds, it is so hard to have a family. Sure, getting married is easy (Except finding a tuxedo!), but having a baby is impossible. Adoption agencies won't even look at someone over 400 pounds, because how long are they going to be around to take care of a child. Taking care of a pregnant wife is difficult as well, especially since it is tough to even roll out of bed!

When that comment was made, I knew I needed to make a life change. That is the motivation I needed.

Whenever I am around "bad" food, or I am too tired to work out, or a holiday comes up with people shoving snacks in my face, I do not get tempted. Why? Because I am thinking of other people. I am thinking of my wife.......

And I am excited to say I am thinking of my baby on the way!

We are due in July! It is our first baby! It is one of the main reasons why I lost weight, and one of the main reasons I will keep it off. I am beyond thrilled!

So for the first time, I am losing weight while my wife is gaining....

And I could not be happier!

Dear Santa!

Dear Santa,

My name is Tony, and I have been a good boy this year. Now, in the past, I realize I have not been so good. I have been selfish, and a little less compassionate than I should be. I do feel that 2008 was a much better year for me. I lost weight, I am in much better health, I am very good to my wife, and I work very hard!
Now, each year I ask you for things, but for some reason you always skip my house. Maybe it is because I have not been a good boy. Maybe it is because I do not have a chimney. Maybe it is because I am a 33 year old man who would be pretty mad if he saw a man in a red suit in his house!
Either way, I am going to ask you for a few things this year. I am not expecting anything, but I will ask for them anyway. Uhhhhh, here goes nothing!

Tony's Wish List for Mr. Santa C.,

Lifetime Supply of Fiber One (Tanya's favorite!)
Elliptical Machine
A "Magical" apple tree which will make any apple I ask it to
My wife's compassion for friends
My brother's incredible writing talent (He is on the cover of Sports Illustrated!!! Way cool!)
My dog's energy
My parent's determination
My father-in-law's business sense
My mother-in-law's purchasing sense
Margo's great parenting skills and Sara's education
Mizfit's muscles
Pamela's humility
Carlos's humor
Muate's ability to keep weight off
Linda's fight to keep blogging
A PlayStation 3????

Well, there is my list......

Hmmmmmm, you know what Santa. I will be honest with you. you probably will not give me any of these items, and I am okay with that. truth be told, I have gotten what I wanted this year. Health, a great wife, and a future is really all I need. I have some great friends who have supported me this year!
Instead of that list, how about making sure that people like Moonduster, Lisa, CJ, Kerrin, Bbubblyb, Antgirl, Ashley,Wes,Matt,Allison, Carrie, John, Spunkysuzi, Hanlie, Haze, Jeanne, and the many more who have supported me have a wonderful holiday!

I mean, it is the least you can do, right?

Sincerely,
Tony aka "theantijared"

Hi!

I had a really nice day off today. Well, I did spill a bottle of laundry detergent on the floor, which took me a while to clean up, but besides for that it was good (Upside is I have a very clean floor!)
I did not go to my boxing class today, but I did go to the gym for some workout time. I have not worked out less than six days a week since I started on my journey. I can finally say that my gym memberships pay for themselves.

People ask me what I do when I work out, and what motivates me while I work out. I get MANY emails from people who get bored on machines or hate free weights. I love em!
So, I am going to tell you about how a typical workout goes for me, and you might think I am weirder than you already do:

When I walk in the gym, I say hi to the receptionist. That is the last word I say there (unless a huge guy tells me I lost a person!).

That is also the last time I smile.

After she swipes my card, I am in the zone! I walk to my "cardio machine" and think of reasons to be angry. I will see someone working out hard, and I say to myself "That needs to be me!"
I will see someone barely working out and I will think "Why does that jerk even come to the gym!"
Either way, nothing will make me happy.
I get on the machine (usually elliptical) and I look for the most fit person on a cardio machine. I look for the one who loves being at the gym, who is working the machine, the one that loves the gym!
When I find him/her (usually a her) THAT PERSON is my enemy! That is the one I need to work out harder than! I put on my headset, cover the timer with a towel, and off to working out!
I refuse to get off the machine until my enemy has. Once the "hard workout" person is done working out, I throw my hand in the air in victory. For some reason, I feel like I worked out harder than that person! Like I beat them in some sort of race!
Then, and only then, I check my progress on the machine. I do not like looking at the time or progress while I am working out. It messes with my head!
I refuse to ever do less than 60 minutes on a cardio machine. I have worked too hard! I remember when I did 2 minutes on a treadmill, and I was happy. I can not lose my 60 minute routine.
After my cardio, I go to free weights or circuit training. I just started back on free weights, so I will do a body part or two a day, four days a week. I do not concern myself with "how much weight" I work out with, but speed and intensity.
SO this whole workout is about 90 to 100 minutes. I do go twice a day if I can. It is a little insane! I am very passionate about it now. It is such a good feeling to be able to be as active as I am now. It was 10 months ago that I could not buy shoes because I COULD NOT walk through a mall. Now I can! I also try to make "boring" machines a fun adventure. I try to make everything
fun!

Do you really think apples are fun?? They work though!

After my workout, I usually hear a "byyyeeeeee" from the girl at the front desk. I always look back, and wave. I am not rude!

But "Hi" is the only word I say at the gym!

A day off!

Ahhhhhh! Finally a day off. I have been working like crazy, and being able to do nothing for a day is kind of a nice feeling. Well, I have to do stuff, but fun errands, like food shopping and paying bills. I kind of miss doing that.
I am also going to go to my boxing class tonight for the first time in a couple of weeks. I have not been able to go because that gym is far away, and work has been non-stop. So I have been loving the elliptical machine and free weights at the gym by my house.
I went through the mail yesterday, and I realized that I missed a birthday gift. I love gifts!
I got a $10 dollar coupon for the Casual Male XL. They sent a nice little generic letter with the coupon and wanted me to come in before the end of the month!
As much as I like the people who work there (Ronnie and Jordan), I will not be back in the store.

You know you are a shopper when you are friends with the people who work there!

I will not be going back for a while. The sizes start at XLT (Extra Large for tall folks!). I am 5 foot 6, and I wear a medium to large shirt now, and I wear 36 pants. It was not too long ago that size 60 pants were the way of life for me, and 5xl shirts were hard to find (February 24th to be exact!)
The one thing I did like about the Casual male is the way they designed their pants for guys. Actually, a lot of designers do this for overweight guys. Instead of putting elastic on the pants themselves, they have come up with a "non-visible" extender that gives your pants an extra 2-3 inches in the waist. So you can comfortably wear a pair of "size 60" pants because of the extra support. And "no one" knows! I loved those George Foreman pants! Or were they called Harbour Bay pants?
The pants I have now do not have the extra love. It is weird to me. The whole experience is weird to me. I have not been this thin since Bush was is office (The "old skool" Bush). At work, people tell me to slow down now, because I am moving to fast. Me! Too fast. No way!!!!!
So I think I am going to keep that coupon for the Casual Male just to remind me that it is only a few McRib's away. I have donated my 5x clothing earlier this year, now I have some 42 pants and 2xl shirts that need to be given away.

Do you know any good organizations?

Integrity!

So today started out like most Mondays for the last nine months.
I woke up with the pup barking. I worked out, and then I was off to Weight Watchers before work. I only had time to get weighed in today, and not stay for the meeting. Oh well, I guess I could not hear how the new program is the same as the old program, except it has a different name. I can save that for the Internet forums!
I went to my weigh in just 3 pounds away from losing 200 pounds!
I do not know anyone who has lost 200 pounds without surgery. I know many people who have lost 190+ pounds, but not that 200 pounds mark.
I guess it is like when you buy a DVD player for $99.99, you do not realize it is $100, but it is. $99.99 sounds cheaper. Huh?
Anyway, I went to my meeting with my favorite receptionist, Barbara, happy to see me. I got on the scale, she had her fist in the air, and she said:
"That's my boy, 2.6 pounds!!!"
Yep, I lost 2.6 pounds, bringing my total to 199.6 pounds lost.
For a split second, I did say "Awwww man!" on the inside, but then realized how happy I was that I lost 2.6 pounds. I had a good week!
I was telling someone at work it would have been nice to blog that I lost 200 pounds, and he said:
"Well, why don't you just say you lost 200 pounds. You are going to lose it anyway, just subtract it from next week's total. What does it matter."
That is where I am different! It does matter! !t has always mattered!
I am truly a man of integrity. If I gain weight, I will tell you all. If I lose weight, I will tell you all. I am honest about all about my eating and workouts. At work, I am as honest as I can be. If I lose my job, it will not be because of an unethical issue. I will not put myself in a situation like that! In my personal life I am honest. It hurts when you are deceitful!
I look on the Internet, and I see a lot of weight loss stories. I hate to say it, but by looking at the pictures, you can tell a lot are fake. They push their stomachs out, they have different lighting. They look 20 pounds overweight when they say they have lost 85 pounds.
No, I am happy with my 199.6 pounds lost. I am the real deal. I have my little WW booklet to prove it. I am not a liar, and I do not plan on starting now.
I can wait one more week to tell you I lost 200 pounds!

Three Little Words

What a week! It was very busy at work, as I have blogged about earlier.
I worked every day, probable close to 12 hours a day. Truthfully, I feel good. This is the first holiday season as the managing partner, and I think my team is doing a very good job so far.
I was driving home this evening thinking about the upcoming week, and all the parties we are going to have at the restaurant. It is going to be another busy week! While stopped at a traffic light, I saw a sign that sparked my eye. It was a simple sign with three little words. Words that used to bring me so much joy, and so much pain all at the same time. Three words that used to mean more to me than anything else in the world. Those words were:

McRib Is Back!

That is right, the McRib is back at McDonald's. A barbecued pork thing with onions and pickles on a sesame roll. Oh, how I used to get so excited when it came back. I never understood why it went away. I mean, if everyone is so excited when it is at McDonald's, then why wouldn't they have it all year long.
During my 400 pound days, I would always stop at a fast food on the way home from work, sometimes more than once. I would go through the drive through, and order a good amount of food at each place (Between $15 and $25 each time). I would throw the wrappers of the food in my car (A 2 door Acura at the time). It made a HUGE mess. In fact, there was no room to sit in my car except the driver's side because of all the wrappers!
When I cleaned out my car one time (actually I paid someone to do it because I could not bend down in my car) I filled up 4 garbage bags with wrappers, from everywhere.
Taco Bell, Burger King, Arby's, KFC, Wendy's, you name it!
I would spend so much money on fast food. Probably $400 a week, and I wish that was an exaggeration.
When I drove by McDonalds today, I was not tempted, not even close! I was not surprised, but very proud. I have not had fast food in ten months now, and I do not plan on going back. It is not worth it to me. The McRib was there when I ate bad, and it will be there when I am 120 years old. I am not missing anything. In fact, I did not know that McDonalds has a coffee bar now, McCafe or something. Pretty cool!
Now, on my way home from work, I will stop at a grocery store for a bottled water or some fruit. I will not do the fast food thing. This is the first December I have not had a hamburger, or a taco, or chicken strips.

And my three little words now are "I Love You" to my wife.

Bustin' my onions!

I love busy days! Today was one of the busier days of the year. My chef and I were running around and really worked well as a team. The staff was in a great mood, and it was just an overall great day!
Towards the end of the night, we were running out of prepared foods, so I decided to help the team out. You see that big stash of onions! That is right, I got to peel and dice them all. Fun, fun, fun! But I did not cry. I was tough, Tonka tough!
When I was cutting the onions, there was an employee telling me a story about her husband. I really was not paying attention, because my mind wanders. But here is the only part I remember:

"I told him to get off his fat lazy butt and do some work!"

That comment got me thinking a little. Why is it that fat and lazy are always used together?

I know a lot of overweight people who are far from lazy. In fact, most people who are overweight are not lazy. They are people who work very hard to get the same results as everyone else.
When I was severely obese, I would still work 14 hour days. I would do everything my wife asked of me, and I would still run errands. I would not call that lazy.
I did however have to sit a little more because my back hurt. I did take longer to finish certain tasks. I did sweat a lot, and look more sloppy than I do now.

But that is not being lazy. That is me not taking care of myself!

I have been reading some blogs of people who are struggling with their on weight loss journey because they are doing so much for other people. They are taking care of other situations instead of their health. They will work hard, and then eat what they want to . That is not lazy!

That is physically destructive! Trust me, I know!

People ask me how do I stay focused in weight loss. Well, I look at the onion. Sometimes, I make myself cry, and I need to be washed as well. But if you cut me, I still have many layers to go through.

That is why I will not tolerate a "fat lazy" comment. I work too hard at it. I always have worked hard, obese or not.

Oh yeah, I had another interview. This one is from my friend John. Check it out!!

Hey Ricki!

I am not big on writing about current events. I usually do not talk about politics, or the world economy, or anything going on in Hollywood. The truth is, I am not very good at it. My brother is good at that kind of stuff, I am good at taking the same idea and re-writing it 3,989 times. Yes, it is usually about weight loss.
So I guess this blog entry ties in with both. I have gotten some emails that I should give Oprah advice. Are you serious!!! Me, advice for Oprah!
Now, I have been reading a lot of bloggers writing about Oprah, and her weight gain.
Truth be told, I do not read O Magazine, nor do I watch the show that often.

The last time I watched Oprah, it cost me money because we made our house energy efficient. The other time was "Oprah's favorite thing-a ma-bobby's" which cost me more money. Oprah costs me money.

Anyway, my wife loves her, as do so many people in America.Heck, I love her too. She is great! Her show is well produced, and she has some fantastic topics on her show (Per my wife). She is the definition of inspiration!
So recently, or for a little while, Oprah has been gaining a couple of pounds. 40 to be exact. She was a fit 160, and now she is 200 pounds. She does not look bad, but there is a difference in her pictures.
Anyway, everyone in the blog world wants to chime in on her loss, and give her tips and advice.They want to be superstars by saying what she did wrong, and what she can do to fix herself. I read a blog where the author wanted to give Oprah hope. One other blogger wrote that she knew how she could help Oprah lose weight. So here is my opinion:

I have none!

That is right. Who am I to give Oprah advice. Actually, who is anyone to give Oprah advice. We are all struggling with weight loss (I have busted my rump to still weigh 23.4 pounds more than Oprah!) and eating right. Since when did everyone become such an expert! We do not know what it is like to live her life....

Wait, there is someone who knows!

There is hope for Oprah!

I have two words for you, girlfriend!!!!

Ricki Lake!

That is right. Ricki has lost 125 pounds through hard work, and eating right (and something called "Fresh Dining"). She had a pretty successful talk show, although everyone was kicked to the curb on her show (I still love the theme song...doooooo,do,do,do!)
She looks great, and she stays busy. She has been struggling with weight loss for 20 years (Like Oprah). She was 260 pounds at one time (Oprah was 240). Ricki even had a baby, and still dropped a few afterward.
She could give Oprah some advice.

I couldn't. Oprah still has kept off more weight that I have.

The King of Diet Pop!

I am passionate about music.

I have never been the kind of person who "loves" an artist. My brother loves Bruce Springsteen, my Mom loves Elvis, and my wife loves Madonna. There is no artist that I love. I do, however, love certain songs. They put me in a place in the past, or they remind me of a place I want to be in the future. here are some examples:

"Lost in Emotion" Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam- This song reminds me of being an eleven year old, 200+ guy at the seventh grade dance, standing on the side of the gym not dancing.

"This is How We Do It" Montell Jordan- This was the song I heard the first time I lifted weights. I was bench pressing 95 pounds, and could not lift it off of me. My friends were laughing.

"Cats in the Cradle" Harry Chapin- How I will always be there for my family, just like my Dad was there for me.

"Walking in Memphis" Marc Cohn- My brother Joe told me that I would like this song. I always idolized my brother, so it did not matter if I really did like it or not, I was going to like it because he told me I would like it.The good thing is he was right, I really did like it.

"Smack That" Akon- Okay, so this song does not motivate me at all!
Is it me, or has Akon made every single song in 2008. Every song is sung by, featuring, or remixed by Akon. Also, is he the same person as T.I. and T-Pain.

My favorite song of all time is Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror".
Ever since I heard that song when it came out twenty years ago, I loved it. I liked the beat, and at the time, the "King of Pop" was cool. Well, he was starting to become weird, but to a chubby teenager, he was cool.
I was reminded of that song today when I was at the gym. I was working out, when I looked in the mirror, and saw someone that I have never seen before next to me. He was working out hard, and wearing the same stupid black had that I was wearing.
That guy was me!
For the first time ever, I did not recognize myself. I looked good! I looked confident. I was not the same person that I was before. I was thinner, and did not look 33 years of age.
I have heard people tell me I have lost weight, and I look better, but sometimes it goes in one ear and out the other. It is not to be mean, but sometimes it is hard to believe.
Today I believed it. For the first time in nine months, I saw a huge difference! When I saw myself, I thought of the first lyric of "Man in the Mirror":

"I'm gonna make a change, for once in my life"

That is exactly what I did. I finally did the impossible. I have been diligent with eating and working out. I have made a commitment, a true full commitment.
For once, I truly made it. Who knows, maybe one day I will be on those talk shows talking about my weight loss. Or I will have a 30 minute infomercial about a piece of workout equipment, or I will be a district manager for WW, or some other weight loss company.

I am not sure about that. I was working out to hard to ask the man in the mirror.

Big Loser!

I had a few extra minutes today, so I decided to go to Weight Watchers to weigh in before work.I couldn't make it to my normal meeting yesterday, so I did everything I could to go to the one today.
I had a good week with eating and working out, but for some reason I just had this feeling that I gained weight this week. I have had this feeling before, and not sure why, but this week I was SURE that I gained a couple of pounds.
So I went to the "Tuesday Edition" of WW, to see a whole new class of 100 year old women. None of them knew who I was, which in a way was kind of cool.
I went up to the leader, and handed her my little booklet and card. It is like the passport of points! I was not to excited to get weighed in, but mainly because I have been so worn out from
work. I really did not care if I gained, I would just work harder.

I got on the scale, and the leader said "Okay, you can get down now."

Now, at WW, the leader/receptionist is the only one that can see the weight. You don't even get to see it. You just get to hear it from the person behind the desk. They tell you how much you have lost, usually in this fashion:

"Wow, 4 pounds lost. That is great, but remember that 4 pounds is not normal every week!"

"1.6 pounds lost, right on track, fantastic"

If you gain, you hear:

"Okay, you can get down now" (Otherwise known as gaining a couple)

So she said this, and was still typing away. She did not tell me how I did at all, which was the first time that this has happened TO ME at a WW meeting. Finally, I said "So how much did I gain?"

The leader, who was not so nice, sighed and said:

"Well, you only lost .2 pounds."

What??? Let me get this straight. I have gotten beaten up for losing to much weight each week. now I am getting beaten up for not losing enough?
I am supposed to be disappointed for a loss? I do not care, nor have I ever cared how much I lose, as long as I lose, or maintain.
Then I realized something, and that is so many people get so frustrated for "small" losses. I have never been that way. I read a blog about someone who was so mad that he lost 10 pounds in three months. He lost 10 pounds! He should be disappointed if he gained 8 pounds in a month, or 3 pounds in two months.
Why would anyone be disappointed in any loss? Let me tell you, it is still a proud moment when you can tell someone that you are meeting your goals, and you lost .2 pounds in a week!
I have lost 197 pounds this year, but I would be just as content if I lost 20 pounds, or 100 pounds. The reason being is because of the lifestyle change I have. How I am active, and I have a new passion for living. I have told people I am happy now, and if I maintain for the rest of my life, I will be content.
After my weigh in, the leader gave me some books on the new WW program called Momentum. I am sure you have heard about this, so I am not going to bore you any more about it. The leader told me "You will like the new plan, it has more flexibility!"

Nah! Not for me! I liked the plan that helped me lose .2 pounds this week! I think it is called "Kind of Core with a F-Factor Twist."

Free Bread!

"I really need to see a manager!"

I hear this comment about 3 times a week. Whenever I hear it, it is not going to be good. It is usually about cold food, poor service, or a long wait time at the restaurant. Every time I hear that comment, it costs me about $50 and a humble apology.
I am used to this. I have been in the hospitality industry for 12 years. I deal with guests all of the time. I have heard it all!
Today though, it was a little different. It hit home!
A guy came in and was irate because he did not get enough free bread in his to-go order.He did not leave yet, but was shocked at the initial amount of bread he was given. There was nothing wrong with the food or service, there was just not enough free bread.
I was pretty busy, but still made ample amount of time to go and speak to the guest.I apologized, and told him that I would be happy to get him some more bread. That is when I got his response:

"You don't understand! My wife and I love your bread, and it is not enough. I can't understand why you would not give more bread with to-go orders. My wife is going to be mad, and I am mad! I can't even see straight because I am so mad! Why is it so hard to just give more bread for to-go orders. Are you an idiot! What kind of place do you run here! Jesus Christ, I want to punch something!"

Well, this comment made me think of two things. One, how is he going to explain to the inmates that his is in prison for life because he punched a guy for bread:

"Whatcha in for man!"
"They just couldn't give me any more damn bread! I love that stuff. A half loaf is not enough. I love that stuff! I will punch that guy again for bread!"

The more important thing is that this guy was me. He was me making a big deal over stupid things. Which I did all of the time. I never worried about important things, just silly things:

"Tony, the house is on fire"
"Ehhhh, well get a new one"

"Tony, could you go get the mail for me"
"That is ridiculous. Why would you ask for such a crazy request!!!!!"

Worrying about small silly things is how I would sabotage my weight loss journeys. I would be on a roll, eating very well, when suddenly someone would bring cupcakes into work, and I would eat one, and ruin my plan.
"You were eating so well?"
"Stupid Cupcakes"
I would be working out well, when my schedule would change at work, and then I could not adjust.
"You were working out so well?"
"Stupid Schedule"

I still have fears that I will go back to my old ways one day. I will always have those fears. One thing I will not have fear of is that something silly will ruin me. Not any more! I might have a cupcake one day, but it WILL NOT ruin 197 pounds lost, and my schedule changes at work all of the time, but it WILL NOT ruin my 90 minute workouts. Not any more!

So finally, I gave this guy 6 loaves of bread, and paid for his meal. He still left unhappy. There is not much more I could do. I ruined his day.
When he left and employee came up to me and said "Wow, that guy was a JERK!"

I replied "No he wasn't, he was just like a 400 pound guy I used to know."

December

This is the lowest I have weighed while being in the restaurant industry, and I will tell you I have a lot more spunk than I remember. It is amazing that I am keeping up because usually at this time (12:30am), I would be asleep, or being upset with my wife for asking me to do the dishes. never a big fan of the dishes.
I blog about this a lot, but weight loss has really changed my perspective on things. What used to be so hard is not that hard at all. It used to take me 2 hours to clean the kitchen ( I would have to take breaks because my back hurt). Now, I can do it in 20 minutes, and a good job at that. My wife would ask me to get things out of her car before, and I would always do it "later". Now, I do it right away.
Now, December is always a very busy month for me! At least it has been since I have been in the restaurant industry. The current restaurant I am at triples in business in December, so I usually work 13 hour days (If not more), 6 to 7 days a week. I work a lot as it is, but December is super crazy. It goes by fast because of the volume though.
So far this December, I have been a superstar both professionally and personally! I have worked a good amount of hours, and I have not neglected anything at home. Not only that, I am still as focused as ever about my diet and workouts, and I feel the same way about my blog.

I love this blog, and I take a lot of pride into it. I try to write at least once a day, and I truly do feel bad if I do not get to it, like I have let someone down, which is usually myself. I look at my blogroll sometimes, and I see that some people have not updated their blog in days, even weeks. Not me, I can not go longer than three days now.

The reason being is the passion I have for everything I do. Wife/Family,working out, weight loss, managing, blogging. I take it all with so much pride. I am the guy that does things either 300%, or I do not do them at all. That is the way I have always been. It is the reason i was 420 pounds (No one ate as much as me), and the reason I am 223.4 (No one eats as strict as me, but maybe you do?)
This week, I am going to weigh myself at WW on Wednesday, because I have to work on Monday all day, which is usually my weigh in day. That is very weird for me, so I am wondering what i will weigh in that day. Not sure, but I am hoping it will be less that 223.4.
Also, I had my first blog interview. Check it out here, I tried to be as honest as I could!

Big Bowl Of Cereal!

When I was over 400 pounds, my wife would give me a real hard time about my weight, and how I needed to lose it. Some days she would flat out tell me how unhealthy I was, some days she would throw out some "helpful" hints on living a better life. It was annoying at the time. Very annoying!
Truth is, I was selfish, and did not want to lose weight.
But I did live with her, so I had to think of something to keep the peace.I wasn't going to diet, yet I could not have her mad at me all of the time. So I came up with this great idea of tricking her!

What I would do was buy "lowfat" foods, and tell her I was trying to lose weight. Examples of these foods were:

Sugar-Free Oreos
Lowfat Cherry Garcia Ben and Jerry's
Boxes of Lean Pockets
Low Fat Chunky Soup

I would eat a great deal of these items, since I had no moderation, and I would not lose any weight at all. But, my wife was happy at the time because I was making some sort of effort to "eat better".
I think most people do that with their spouses/loved ones. They really do want to make the leap into a healthy lifestyle, but they want to do it on their own terms, not everyone elses.

I was reminded of my trickery a month ago. I was having a rough day at work. It was busy, we had corporate people in town, and I was short staffed. The day before, I put in my blog entry that I would love to help anyone with their weight loss.

"Just send me an email and I will respond right away!"

Wow, I am a regular Dr. Phil!

So I was stressed out at work when I got a email. Boy, do I love emails! It was from a guy who said his wife reads my blog, and she suggested that he talked to me. He was in a rut, and needed to lose weight.
As bad or as busy as i was at work, I was so excited that I got an email. Did I mention that I love emails (Comments too)! I wrote back to him quickly, and gave him my cell phone number, and told him to call me anytime.
He called me back within the hour, and we started to talk. Although his email was very moving, he did not sound like he really wanted to talk on the phone. As a matter of fact, he seemed like he really did not want anything to do with me. Here is how the conversation went:

"So, are you working out?"
"Um, yeah, I go a couple of times a week. Sometimes I go three times, but most of the time I go once or twice."
"Okay, how about your diet."
"Well, here is the thing. I love cereal. Every day, I have a big bowl of cereal!"
"What do you consider a big bowl of cereal?"
"Ummm, big! I love cereal."
"Well, first thing, maybe you can have a little less cereal."
"No, I love cereal!"

And that is when I knew this guy did not want to lose weight. Not yet at least. He wanted a easy way out, just like I did. He probably wanted to appease his wife, so she would think he was making a effort to lose weight.
I was a little sad at first, because I thought I could make a difference in someone, but then realized that this guy was me. I did the same thing! I would do anything to get my wife off my back. Anything. I would have called Jenny Craig personally to have my wife leave me alone.

Now, I thank my wife for caring about me so much. I apologize for not listening, and waiting so long to lose the weight.

After the conversation the guy and I had, I told him to email me anytime his diet, and we would look over it. He has not done so yet. He probably never will.

I do hope one day he does though! And he will eventually thank his wife for caring so much!

Lost a person!

I usually get up to go to the gym at 5am every morning. My pup starts to bark, I take care of her, and then it is off to the land of fitness.
I love going that early because it is not busy at all and I am able to use whichever piece of equipment I would like. I feel comfortable going at 5am, because I know all of the people who go that early. Not by real name, but by nickname. They are:

The Blackberry Twins (Two women who are always texting on their phone)
Pointer Guy (A guy who points at everyone)
Older model man (A older guy who looks like he should be on the cover of GQ)
Dolphin a plenty (A guy who wears a Miami Dolphins hat)
Stupid hat guy (Hey, that's me!)

I have never talked to any of these people (except stupid hat guy) but is is fun to give them nicknames!

Well, today I went to the gym at 8am instead, and it was packed. Really packed! I went in and was irritated at how packed it was. When I was walking to the machines, I saw my favorite elliptical machine was free. Yes! How exciting! I ran to it, and put my towel on it, and was ready to go.
All of the sudden, I heard this guy yelling "Hey you! HEY YOU!!" I looked, and a huge guy who looked like Warren Sapp was yelling at me.
I was not sure why, but he came right up to me. He did not look angry, but he was right in my face when he said:

"Hey, aren't you that fat guy that used to work out here?"

I did not think it was going to be appropriate to tell him how much I hated the word fat, so instead said
"Well, I did lose a little weight this year."
I always downplay my accomplishments to people I do not know. For some reason, I feel like I am gloating or bragging if I tell people how I lost 196.8 pounds in nine months. I do not want to come across arrogant!
He game me a weird look when I said this, and then said:

"No,no,no,no! I lost a little weight this year. You lost a God damn person!"

He caught me! I used to be able to get away with telling people I lost a little weight. No more. I thought it was weird that I have never seen this guy before (Trust me, I would have remembered), yet, he not only recognized me, but knew I lost weight. That is pretty impressive!
He started talking to me about how he lost 40 pounds. He uses some pill, which I do not remember the name, but ends in Zine for weight loss. He eats protein, and also rock climbs. Pretty manly! He asked me how I lost the weight.

"Well, I go to a Weight Watchers meeting with some older women every week, I work out to the new Brittany Spears Album, and I cook dishes from the Hungry-Girl book."
Hmmm, not so manly, but it gets the job done!

Inspiration!

I had the best birthday ever.

I have all of you to thank.

Before I explain that last comment, I need to tell you a quick story. About 12 years ago, I did one of my many weight loss programs. Most of them in the past were successful for about a month, and then it was over. Well, there was one time where I was doing real well. I started at about 265, and I was down to 225. 40 pounds is a lot! I was so proud of myself. I went into work and told my boss that I have lost 40 pounds. He was eating pasta at the time, and he made this comment in an incredibly sarcastic voice with other people around:

"Yeah, yeah! You are such an inspiration to us all!"

Everyone started laughing, and it really hurt my feelings. All of that hard work just to get a sarcastic remark from someone I respected.

From that day forward, I hated referring to someone as an inspiration for that reason.

Until recently!

For the longest time, I did not know the true meaning of an inspiration. I mean, what inspires people to do the things they do. I have heard of people losing weight in the past, but it never inspired me to do so. I always lost weight because it was time, never by hearing a story about someone eating better.
The truth is, I did not understand what a true inspiration was until I started to write this blog. I get a lot of emails, very genuine ones, that tell me how they have been inspired by me.
ME!!!

How they want to learn about fiber, how they want to live a healthier life and work out!

Yesterday, I had 32 comments on my post. 32!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, that is the best birthday gift ever! For one day, I felt like weight loss bloggers Mizfit and Pastaqueen. 32 comments, everyone of
them nicer than the other.

I felt so good, and proud to share my story!

Weight loss is tough! Don't let anyone tell you any different. I wish I could come out here and say "It is so easy, all you have to do is..........", but I can't.
You have to make life changes, and sacrifices to lose 200 pounds. You have to have support from family and friends, and every morning and night, you really have to believe what you are doing will be for the rest of your life.
But I say this in all honesty.....

You are my inspiration!

Every one of you. Every person who reads my blog, the 67 subscribers on my blog, and the ones who come to my blog by accident. You are such a big part of my weight loss, it is not even funny. Every week, I want to lose weight so i do not let you down. I want to write a funny and quirky blog post so you will laugh, or cry (By the way, this is my favorite post, which did not get a lot of recognition). I want to entertain as much as possible!
Thank you so reading my blog, and leaving comments. Please, as always, let me know if there is anything I can do for you. Because you all helped me lose 196.8 pounds!

Oh, and thank you for my gift of 32 comments!

Happy Birthday!

Well, today is my birthday!

I was never the "surprise party" kind of guy. I loved gifts! When I was younger, it was always the newest, greatest toy I wanted, and usually got. A television, a video game system, a Walkman, baseball cards, or even a DVD player is what i would have in mind! I would get so excited when i got the gift, and then would not touch it after two weeks.
As I got older, and more and more unhealthy, birthdays just were not that special to me. When I was severely obese, I would look at a birthday as me getting older, with nothing accomplished personally. It was rough!
When I hit 30 years old, I REALLY hated my birthday. Being over 400 pounds at the time, I would hear about people in their 30's having strokes and heart attacks. Now, I was 30 and over 400 pounds. I was just waiting for the day. Waiting for my arm to go numb, and to have to call 911.
Last year on December 3rd, I had to work. I remember being at work, on my birthday, when a employee came up to me and said:

"You know, you are huge. You will have diabetes soon, if you do not already!"

Wow! The sad reality is that she was not trying to be mean, but in her eyes truthful. There I was, on my most special day, turning 32, wondering how long do I have to survive. How long will it be before I do have diabetes. Or something even worse.
I just posted a new picture of me, and I cried when I looked at it. For the first time since my journey, I have a picture that not only shows my hard work, but it also shows my determination in fitness as well. I have posted a picture in a tank top before, but this is different to me. It is more defined, and confident. A year ago, if you were to tell me that i would lose 197 pounds and would love to blog, I would have told you that was nuts.

Wow, a year ago seems like an eternity. I am loving being 33!

My family members always ask me "What do you want for your birthday this year?"
What more could I ask for?

Hula Hoop!

I go to a Weight Watchers meeting every week! I have done so for the last 9 months. I do not really know why I like them so much, but I do. I am the only guy there most of the time, and the only one that is under 400 years of age. I always sit in the back, and I try not to talk that much.
Over the last month, I have talked a lot more. The leader calls on me, and asks me questions all of the time now, which is fun for me. I think she likes doing that because I never give her the "politically correct" answer:

"Tony, what advice would you give to people on Thanksgiving"
"Stay home, tape your mouth shut, lock the door, and throw away the key!!"

Okay, I am joking there. I do give some tough love to people though. Not mean, but more truthful love than "nice" people would.
Anyway, this meeting started off as the most exciting one ever. I walked in, and I heard the theme for Rocky playing. Wow, already I was excited. I love that Rocky music. I took my seat, and the leader came up and said

"I am wearing sweatpants today because we are going to talk about EXERCISE!!!"

Be still my heart! Finally, after all these weeks, we are going to talk about something I am passionate about! Sure, I love talking about diets, but I do feel a little out of place sometimes telling people what I eat at meetings. I am a Core member (No processed foods), and most people in the meetings are Flex, meaning they count points, and eat what they want. Actually, every one in the meeting counts points.
But FINALLY, a meeting where I could talk about how much I love going to my boxing class. How much I love doing ab work now. I love circuit training, and running. Oh, a meeting where I belong!
She then asked what kind of exercise people have been doing. I was ready to say something profound, when someone ruined my day. Here was the next comment at the meeting:

" I still love using the hula-hoop!"

Yep, for the next 20 minutes, they talked about the hula-hoop. How great of a exercise tool it was, and how much fun it was when they were children, which was 1698. I couldn't get a word in about exercise. Nope, it was all about the hula-hoop!
After that, the leader said "Okay, enough about exercise, how was every one's Thanksgiving! How did you all do."
So then I got to hear for the next 30 minutes how people were fooling themselves that they did well:

" I did so good! I only ate half a pecan pie. I usually eat the whole thing!"
"I used a smaller plate, and only made six trips!"
"I had my fruit! The cranberry sauce was great, and healthy"

The last 10 minutes of my WW meeting is called "Bravo" where they recognize people who did well for the week. I NEVER talk during this time, because I do not want to look like I am gloating. This time I did say I lost three pounds, and got my star.
Really,no one lost weight this week, except for me, and a woman who lost 6 POUNDS!!!
The leader said "Wow, 6 pounds, that is fantastic. That is more than Tony!! You must have been diligent this Thanksgiving! Give us your secret!"

"I had food poisoning"

Yep, the Rocky music fooled me for the first time ever!

Great Personality!!!!

This is a tale of a really nice guy. One that is caring and can be funny at times.

He also has no patience. He likes to be alone at times, and is quite grumpy.Okay, he is VERY grumpy! He is very passionate in things he does, and sometimes he is passionate to a fault. In other words, he is crazy! He also can lash out in a heartbeat, and gets really upset for very silly things, which includes:

1. Every time he sees the words "Biggest Loser Spoiler"
2. Guys wearing sandals
3. The word Zumba

Who is this guy you might ask? That "crazy guy" is me. I have been a real peach my whole life, which will be 33 years this Wednesday. I have my good moments, but I can also be a real pain! In fact, this is what people have been saying about me lately:

Why is Tony in such a bad mood!- Anonymous Employee
You are really grouchy!- Wife
Woof woof woof!!!!!- My dog Bella

Yet, my whole life, I have been been described as a person with a "Great Personality". I never understood that comment, nor will I ever. What is a great personality?
Is it someone who lights up a room?
Is it someone who wows the ladies?
Is it someone who donates all of their money to a local charity?

No, the term "Great Personality" is a term used for someone who is overweight. At least that is what I believe. Sad but true!
There is no such thing as a great personality. Everyone is unique. There are many people who are mean, but I love being around them. Their are people who are nice who I can not stand. Their are people who are dazzling at parties, and those people are called con artists.
Yet, whenever I was described as a youth, no one ever talked about the way I looked. No one mentioned the fact that I was obese. No, they just mentioned that i had a great personality.

" Tell me about Tony?"
" Ummmm, he has a great personality!"
"Great! What does he look like?"
"Ummmm, he has a great personality!"

In fact, I do not have a great personality. If you met me, and did not know that I have lost 196.8 pounds (Yes, I lost 3 pounds this week!!!!!!), you would not think I was so special. In fact, you would think I was shy. I am nice, but being humble can also be misconstrued as being conceited!
Growing up, I always wished I was the muscular one, or the hot one. I wished I was not overweight, and maybe I did not have the great personality I have heard so much about.

33 years later, I have the same personality. Not so great! But, I did lose 196.8 pounds! I will just have to deal with my inner self!