Day 54 Review

It was a productive day. I was 103kg for the 5th day. Plateaus scare me and I tried my best to mix things up today in an effort to keep my body guessing. I increased exercise to 5 hours. I ate only raw fruit and vegetables. As planned, tomorrow I am going to eat only fruit and yogurt.

I feel bad that I neglected my family this Saturday. I am very thankful my wife is both understanding and supportive. When a person sets their weight loss goals I think it is really important to consider what impact their living environment will have on their diet. A single mother of three can not be expected to pull big numbers. A guy with a big family, working two jobs can not be expected to pull big numbers. Yet, some people do, confirming it is a mental game and anything is possible.

I am fortunate that I don't have as many hurdles as some of the other bloggers I follow.

Good night.

Day 54 Excercise

2 hour Walk
1 hour 15 minutes Elliptical Trainer
45 minutes Weight Training (Arms & Chest)
1 hour Inline Skating

Total 5 hours

Day 54 Calories

Yogurt & an Apple 170 (6:00am)
Raisins 90 (8:00)
Grapefruit 90 (10:00)
Celery Sticks & Raisins 140 (Noon)
Carrot Sticks 60 (2:00)
Apple, Broccoli & Cabbage 160 (5:00)
Apple 80 (6:30)

Total 790

Day 54 Weight 103kg (127lbs)


Day 53 Review

A good day. I don't mind walking in the rain. I don't know why but it helps me focus on my diet and what I need to do to succeed. Another Friday is here. It feels weird not going to the Pub. I don't receive any more calls asking why I'm not out partying. Everyone knows I am on a diet. A few extra calories would not kill me but I have a problem stopping at 2 or 3 beers. It is kind of like my diet - All or Nothing. I appreciate this attribute of my character is both an asset and liability. After my 3 month diet is finished I will have to address this during my maintenance stage.

Day 53 Excercise

1 hour Walk (Stairs & Hills)
1 hour Batto Jitsu Practice

Total 2 hours

Day 53 Calories

Banana, Yogurt, Cereal, & Soy Milk 390
Apple 80
Firm Tofu & Baked Beans 300
Miso Soup & Hamburger Patty 600

Total 1370

Day 53 Weight 103kg (127lbs)


Random Thoughts

At JCD Fitness I came across Lyle McDonald's Body Recomposition website. I have never read any of his books but I really like what he wrote pertaining to his philosophy.

"The answer to any training or diet question is usually “It depends.” While that may not be what you want to hear and while it may not be as intuitively attractive as someone telling you they have the only correct answer, I think it happens to be the truth of the matter."

You can read the whole thing here. I can really identify with what he believes. I had some people leave really crappy negative comments about my goals. Diets are a personal journey. How you choose to diet depends on so many different factors. Your diet has to reflect your personal realities. Your abilities. Your personality. Your character. It is your diet. It is important to seek advice and be open to different opinions but at the end of the day it is You, who has to grind it out. Again, this is my 3 month goal. I don't care if reach my target as long as at the end, I am satisfied, I tried as hard as I could have.

I have read about other bloggers complain about "haters". It is really sad.

Good Night and Peace.

Day 52 Review

It was another good but wet day. The farmers will be happy with all the rain. I believe I'm doing a fairly decent job with my diet. I'm very fortunate to have great support from my wife. I am also fortunate that I am physically able to diet. I just need to stick to my plan and push as hard as I can till the end. I read on another blog that dieting is 90% mental. I agree.

Day 52 Excercise

1 hour 15 minutes Elliptical Trainer
30 minutes Weight Training (Abs & Squats)

Total 1 hour 45 minutes

Day 52 Calories

Grapefruit & Yogurt 170
Mixed Salad, Tofu & Cheese 320
2 boxes of Raisins 180
Yogurt & Banana 170
Shirataki Noodle Salad & Chicken 600

Total 1440

Day 52 Weight 103kg (227lbs)


Random Thoughts

I just read a post at 194 and Life To Go. Matt concluded his post with, "Remember, it is 90% mental." I never thought about it but he is exactly right. Dieting really is a mental game. Thank you Matt.

Random Thoughts

At the Big Fat Deal Blog there is a post about a fat discrimination Ad that you can see here. Just a warning - there are some real off colour offensive jokes used to make a statement about fat discrimination. The boys at the Gruen Transfer do a follow up with the producer of the Ad.

Everyone knows what happened to the Jews during WWII. They were rounded up, assets confiscated, put into ghettos and then moved to camps where millions were killed. Apparently, "discrimination" against fat people is on par with experiences of the Jews in Awchwitz.

Imagine an older Black gentleman who lived under Jim Crow Laws in the south part of America. We know he experienced discrimination. Maybe a friend or relative was lynched. Is all discrimination really the same?

By suggesting all discrimination is the same is a dangerous game. There is lots of legal justified fat discrimination in society today. Fire & Police Departments, the Military all discriminate against fat people. Airlines discriminate when hiring employees. Strip bars discriminate. Voters discriminate, as there is rarely a fat President or Prime Minister. Consumers of fashion magazines discriminate. The list goes on and on.

Let me be clear. I don't believe discriminating against a person based on his or her Ethnicity or Race is the same as making offensive remarks (intentionally or not) to a fat person.

If the fat lobby groups want to make a difference they should educate the public to keep their mouth shut if they don't have anything nice to say. They should help fat people become more confident. Hopefully with confidence their skin will thicken up.


I am a fat guy. These fat lobby groups do not speak for me. I have shouldered plenty of off colour jokes, comments and questions about my weight. Sometimes people are well meaning. Sometimes people are clueless. Sometimes people are mean. Sometimes people are rude. I do not believe I am a victim of discrimination. I know I am fat. I simply got tired of it all and started to make changes. Imagine, if I was truly discriminated against then discrimination is good - it might add years to my life.

Updated.

I realize that I am lucky (Blessed). I am able to lose weight. To those are not able due to medical or genetic conditions I am sorry. I realize my post is insensitive. I just worry things are getting out of control. Being fat is different for me than it is for some - I can make changes. Not everyone can do this. I am not against progress I just worry about all these -isms.

Day 51 Reveiw

It was a nice but wet day. I walked in the rain this morning and was rewarded with the coolest experience. I was walking up a steep wet road and in front of me I saw thousands of snails. Some were as big as my fist. I found this link on wikipedia. I am not sure if it is the Giant African Land Snail but I suspect so. I thought they were really cool.


Interestingly, these snails first appeared on Okinawa during the Occupation by the Americans. There is no sources cited but on wikipedia someone has written they were introduced by the American Military as a food source in the Pacific during WWII. That is a pretty hard core diet.

Day 51 Excercise

1 hour walk
30 minutes Inline Skating

Total 1 hour 30 minutes.

Day 51 Calories

Banana, Soy Milk & Cereal 290
2 boxes Raisins 180
Vegetable Soup, Firm Tofu & Sardines 400
Prunes 160
Vegetable Soup, Firm Tofu and Tuna Fish Salad 600

Total 1630

Day 51 Weight 103kg (227lbs)


Day 50 Review

It was a good day. My bad knee is fine and I can really feel my fitness improving. I got a bit adventurous cooking today and made a Shirataki Noodle Salad. I added soaked konbu, diced garlic and cherry tomatoes to a cup and a half of noodles. Then I mixed in half a table spoon of olive oil and cracked pepper. I figure, at the most 250 calories.

Today I had; 8 different vegetables (9 including konbu) 2 kinds of fruit (4 including raisins and prunes), seafood, chicken and tofu. I believe eating a wide variety of different food really helps my body cope with the lower caloric intake.

Day 50 Excercise

1 hour Bicycle Ride
1 hour 15 minutes Elliptical Trainer
30 minutes weight training

Total 2 hours 45 minutes.

Day 50 Calories

Yogurt & Banana 170
Apple & Prunes 190
Vegetable Soup & Chicken 360
Raisins, Banana & Celery Sticks 210
Cold Shirataki Noodle Salad, Firm Tofu & Sardines 600

Total 1530

Day 50 103kg (227lbs)


Day 49 Review

It was a good day for calories and exercise. A bad day at work and blogging. The work thing will sort itself out. I am new to blogging and it seems I have a special ability to offend people. It is not my intention. I certainly don't blog to hurt people. I turned off my comments as I did not feel I had the time nor knowledge to properly respond to those I have offended. I'm not hiding. My email is posted at the bottom of the right column. People tend to be more sincere when writing emails than leaving comments. Feel free to drop me a message anytime.

I find the negative comments have a subtle influence on my life. It takes me hours of reflection and thought sometimes to handle one comment to my satisfaction. Of course, I don't have the time to spare. Please remember this is MY three month diet. I am on a diet that reflects my personality, beliefs, opinions and research. Yes, my goal is aggressive.

I am also working on a crazy theory that Western Political Correctness has contributed to the rise of obesity in western societies. This is just a hunch I developed after living the last 10 years in Asia. I find Western societies more tolerant of fat people than Asian societies (excluding Mongolia). I believe the west is more tolerant of fat people than it was 50 years ago. It is only my observation.

Random Thoughts

I received an email critical of my post about the American woman I met studying about health issues related to the use of Depleted Uranium by the US Military. She seemed sincere. Her father suffered from Gulf War Syndrome. This got her into this line of work.

I offended this man and I apologize. He is of course correct. I should not have reiterated another person's opinion on such a serious topic. On refection I must admit she did not actually say what the health issues might be. There could be no health related issues for all I know. Thank God we live in a free society that allows this type research.

Of course, I still stand by my feeling. I have seen poverty in the world. I've seen people oppressed. In light of this, the western diet blog sphere seem surreal. We in the west, have much to be thankful for. Being fat and relatively rich is a problem many people in the world would love to have.

I made changes to the original post. I do not want to be part of any debate. I apologize again to those I offended. I hope I satisfied the author of the critical email. I thank him for taking the time to email me. No one is above criticism.

You can read the edited post here

Day 49 Excercise

45 minute Swim,
1 hour Batto Jitsu Training,
1 hour Walk (Stairs & Hills)

Total 2 hours 45 minutes.

Day 49 Calories

An Apple, Soy Milk & Cheese 290
Boiled Gobo Root & Tuna Fish Salad 500
Prunes 120
Miso Soup & Chicken 600

Total 1510

Day 49 Weight 104kg (229lbs)



Day 48 Review

It was a good day. I decided to change my diet slightly. Every Sunday I'm going to eat only fruit and yogurt until my 3 month diet is finished. I made this decision on a whim. I am worried about plateau(ing) and want to keep my body guessing. Second, I am bored with my current calorie intake. And third, I believe my body is not getting enough fruit. I hope to break my mini plateau tomorrow morning.
We took our son to the beach again. The little guy is losing his fear of the sea. Sitting in his little inner tube he doesn't look unhappy - just unimpressed.
I didn't chat with anyone at the beach today. The very young looking US military guys were out in droves. Their gangsta tattoos, clothes and accessories made being at the beach feel like being in an American movie. Though, their appearance did not match their polite, almost passive demeanour. They were all well behaved.

Day 48 Excercies

1 hour 15 minutes Elliptical Trainer
45 minutes Weight Training (Arms & Chest)

Total 2 hours.

Day 48 Calories

Yogurt & Banana 170 (6:15am)
Apple & Raisins 170 (8:15)
Yogurt & Mango 250 (10:15)
Orange & Raisins 170 (12:15)
Yogurt & Grapefruit 170 (2:15)
Orange 80 (4:15)
Yogurt & Banana 170 (6:15)
Yogurt, an Apple & Kiwi fruit 250 (8:15)

Total 1430

Day 48 Weight 105kg (131lbs)