Fat Man UnleashedA Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog

Overeaters Anonymous (OA) Meetings - An Inside Look28 lbs LOSTso farJuly 19, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 6 comments

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Jenny Clark. She primarily blogs about teaching and education related issues. She teaches 2nd grade in an urban Midwest school. You can see her blog at http://doinitjensway.blogspot.com.

First I’d like to say that I’m no expert on this. Please see the Overeaters Anonymous (OA) website www.OA.org for official information. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, I’d like to share my story. I’ve struggled with my weight, and had body issues for as long as I can remember. I remember thinking that I was fat as early as 1st grade. I went on the grapefruit diet when I was in third grade. I’ve since tried: the egg-banana-hotdog diet, anything a magazine told me to do, bulimia, Atkins, South Beach, medical research programs, poopy pills (they blocked the fat, but gave you the poops), and almost any other diet program you can think of. Regardless, my weight just kept increasing. I’ve had a few short lived periods of success, but in general, I’ve always failed. It didn’t make sense. I’m an over-achiever. I’m successful, why is it I couldn’t manage this?

Several years ago, I heard about Overeaters Anonymous meetings. I attended a couple of meetings… cried, listened, read, and decided that it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t ready yet. Finally, this summer, I’d had enough. My doctor had started mentioning my weight at every visit. I was constantly worrying that I would have a heart attack, and felt terrible. I decided that things had to change. I decided to approach this from all my angles. I went to my doctor and got some blood work done. I started seeing a therapist, I’ve met a couple of times with a nutritionist, I started reading, exercising, and I began attending OA
meetings.

It started out rather uncomfortable. Overeaters Anonymous was definitely the hardest. It was hard just to get to the meeting. At the meeting it was hard to speak. It was hard to believe that I was in the right spot. I spent a lot of my time at those initial meetings judging the other people. I sort of knew I was in the right place, but I didn’t want to admit that I was the same as the people I was judging. Then, at about my 5th meeting, a person made a comment about stealing food from the families they were babysitting for. I flashed back to my babysitting years. I totally did that. I would eat little bits of lots of their food and try to put it back in just the same spot so it wouldn’t be noticed. Other people in the room also admitted to doing the same thing. It was then that it clicked. I was among people who, for whatever reason, shared my story. We don’t, and probably never have responded to food like most people. Many of them have overcome their weight problems by working the OA program (not just short term- these folks have been successful for years, and they keep coming back to sustain their success, and to help us newcomers).

After that I got “abstinent.” In Overeaters Anonymous (OA), abstinent, means that you pick a food/life plan, and stick to it. They don’t tell you what to pick, you know your trigger foods better than anyone else. Just like in AA, you keep track of your abstinence. I’ve now been abstinent for 26 days. I thought it would be terrible. I thought I’d constantly be feeling sorry for myself. Honestly, there have been hard parts, but overall, it’s been the most freeing thing of my life. I’m not constantly thinking about food. I’m finally free to be me. I’ve spent my whole life eating to deal with a painful experiences, now, I’m finally dealing with life without eating. I’m finally finding my spiritual path. I’m finally finding my voice, and letting it shine. After a year of abstinence, a person celebrates their “birthday,” now I understand why.

The things I hear in OA, the people I meet, the literature I’ve read, has all been amazing (once I got over the initial discomfort). I feel like a new person. I know that I’ll always have people right there to support me when things are tough. There are no fees, there’s nothing commercial, just people in all different stages of recovery to support each other.

*Image Courtesy OA.org

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Diet Delusions28 lbs LOSTso farJuly 8, 2008 by Chato B. Stewart | 13 comments

Thanks for the warm welcome To FMU! This was going to be my big week to just start right into the a plan and attack my weight issues head on! But, as we all know, life sometimes throws you a curve ball. Sunday I started out in a better mind set. I think that is where weight loss starts. We have to have it in our heads that we are going to do it and we are going to stick it out… That day I started drinking my water… I will shoot for a gallon a day and my goal was to do that every day this week. I guess I thought it would clean out my system a bit. How did I do? Well, no so good… This week I found out one of my members of my mood disorder support group I ran died… The cause is still under investigation.

This helped start the week at a low point and just added to the depression I’ve been in the last 5 weeks. Come hump day (Wednesday), I got another blow, I found out a business associate and friend died back in April. I did not find out because I was just getting out the hospital and so self-consumed with my own problems I forgot about everyone else.

All This triggered emotional eating and a lot of self-loathing. Added to this the financial stress I’m already under and you have your self a bad week to start any type of diet or weight loss plan.

All week I did, however, think about what I can do to improve and make little changes. I did some exercise in my chair while I worked. So, one positive in a week of negatives but I’ll take that and build on it and make this week better! What about you? How was your week? What kind of obstacles did you have and how did you overcome?
Thanks:
Chato B. Stewart
Mental Health Advocate - Cartoonist - and a few other things!
http://www.mentalhealthhumor.com

“Using Humor to Heal and Educate with badly drawn cartoons.”

Start Weight: 356 lbs
7/5/08 week 1 : 365 Lost: 00 Total: 00

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Psychobabble Introduction28 lbs LOSTso farJuly 6, 2008 by Rock Star Jen | 9 comments

Editor’s note: Rock Star Jen is a new contributor to Fat Man Unleashed. I would like to welcome her with open arms as she focuses on the mental health part of being healthy. Rock On!

Wow. Believe it or not this is my first introduction to the Blogging. I guess you can call me a late-adapter. I’m okay with that. Even though this site is mostly about getting healthy and fit on the outside, I’d like to start a discussion series about getting healthy on the inside. I believe every action, failure and success starts internally.

For me, I consider myself pretty healthy. I try to maintain a healthy life-style because I want to be around for a long time. I’m a nurturer and a care-taker by nature so having someone do the same for me, feels a bit unnatural.

I’d like to pose a few questions:

What steps do you take to get motivated to get healthy?

Why is getting in shape important to you?

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Chato as FAT MAN Unleashed, Cartooning True Life!28 lbs LOSTso farJune 28, 2008 by Chato B. Stewart | 8 comments

I feel like a kid in a candy shop… oops bad analogy for weight loss blog. Really, I am thrilled that out of all the hundreds of entries to be a guest cartoonist here at FMU, they picked me… Oh.. there was no contest.

Who am I? I’m Chato B Stewart who the hell are you? I’m the 37 year old Fat Man in the photo and I’ll be posting under “Chato as FAT MAN Unleashed Cartooning True Life!” With each post, I’ll add a cartoon about my weight loss progress and a little useless banter. As you can see from the pic of me, I like to clown around. Yet, what I focus on is no joke. At 356 lbs, I not only cope with my weight but deal with bipolar disorder, too. If you want to lean more about that and other mental illness, check out my blog later. My blog MentalHealthHumor.com is a little different. See I believe that in life we NEED, MUST HAVE humor to really survive in this world. So, I focus on healing with humor.

Mental health is very important with our weight issues. We deal with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, rage, and anger and many other issues. Without the proper mental state, no amount of weight loss will be permanent… We need to be focused on our goal, but sometimes we also need to find out what the root of our weight gain is. I have told people a simple truth about my weight issue… “I eat because I’m depressed, I’m depressed because I eat.” You know sometimes our medications can put on weight and make it much harder to take it off to. What are your root causes?

Join me every other week for the next cartoon installment as I chronicle my weight loss with blood, sweat, and ink. Today My stats are 356lbs Loss: 0

Thanks:

Chato B. Stewart
Mental Health Advocate - Cartoonist - and a few other things!
http://www.mentalhealthhumor.com

“Using Humor to Heal and Educate with badly drawn cartoons.”

P.S. If you really want to get to know me when you check out my site go to my video…

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Are Stretch Marks Haunting You?28 lbs LOSTso farJune 18, 2008 by Amy | 16 comments

Photo Courtesy of Melting Mama

“Striae Gravidarum” or Stretch Marks are nothing but areas of the skin that have been stretched out. It usually happens due to unusual weight gain or weight loss and depending upon the skin’s elasticity, it may leave a mark on the skin. Usually stretch marks are seen as fine lines on the body and are purplish or reddish in color in the early stages and then become hypo pigmented or colorless on maturity. As a result they start looking like glistening lines of scar tissue.

Stretch Marks are the most common type of skin lesion and are often known by medical names Striae Atrophicans, Striae Distensae, Striae Alba and Striae Rubra. Fortunately, stretch marks do not cause any medical problems but do raise cosmetic concerns for some of the individuals.

There are three different layers to the human skin. First there is the epidermis layer, more commonly known as the outer layer. Then there is the dermis layer or the layer in the middle, and lastly there is the deep layer that is called the subcutaneous stratum. The middle layer of the skin is what helps our skin to have elasticity and shape. This layer of the skin is where stretch marks occur. When someone gains weight, develops a lot of muscle mass, or even becomes pregnant, the middle layer of the skin will stay stretched and relaxed longer. This is unfortunately what causes stretch marks – where the skin loses its elasticity and connective fibers are broken.

These marks are completely harmless to our body and are more of a cosmetic or beauty concern then a health issue. They can occur anywhere on our body but are most commonly developed on the thighs, breasts, arms, buttocks and stomach. Stretch marks are likely to occur in men and women of all the age groups.

People who are constantly on diets such as bodybuilders usually have the problem of stretch marks due to drastic fluctuations in the body weight. The safe way to weight loss is to lose it at a slow rate. The risk of stretch marks is lowered if an individual were to let his or her skin and body adjust to the weight loss.

These days a lot of people go to extremes in order to lose weight. But once the drastic weight loss goals are achieved, they are shocked by the marks that appear on the skin. Whether these stretch marks appear due to pregnancy or weight loss, there is a solution to prevent or reduce the unsightly stretch marks. These days a lot of creams are available on the market, which can help you to reduce or prevent the stretch marks. Stretch mark creams work for some people but not for others. That is a topic we will discuss next time.

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Former Fat Guy Rob Cooper On Mental Mindset28 lbs LOSTso farMay 12, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 7 comments

This is the final part of a three part interview with Rob Cooper of FormerFatGuy.com. The past two interviews focused on his fitness and nutrition, this time we will focus on his mental mindset.

How important is the mental aspect to your training and nutritional program?


How you think, and more importantly, what you think is possible is more important than the training or nutrition side of the equation. You get out of any program what you put into it, and if you don’t think it’s possible, or think it’s going to take forever, then you’re right. You have to believe that you can do it and then put your full attention on it.

Pro basketball players are so good at what they do because that’s all they do. They sleep it, they dream it, then imagine it, the practice it, they sacrifice their time on other things to commit to their game. Same with sprinters, golfers, artists, musicians or programmers. The people who are the best at what they do are the best because it’s what they love; it’s what they’re passionate about. They take the time to learn, and more importantly, learn from their mistakes. They’re constantly striving to be better, even by 1%, which makes them the masters of their game / art / discipline.

Yes, you can learn about nutrition and fitness as a hobby.

Yes, you can begin by doing 30 minutes of exercise three times a week and yes, you SHOULD begin.

Take that step. Then take another step and improve it just a little bit each day. Then improve a little more each week, each month.

Increase the intensity when you can, try new things, don’t hold one single thing as gospel.

Then change it up to keep the body guessing. Change your nutritional program, change the calories day to day, change your fitness routine every six weeks – whatever it takes so it’s not routine.

Challenge your beliefs. Consider the fact that what you believe might not be the truth, or there may be other options that you’re not considering because of what you’ve been brought up to know as true, like the dairy thing. Test it out – eliminate dairy for a month and pay attention to what happens – how you feel etc. Challenge the belief of needing meat protein every day – go vegetarian for a week or a month and see how you feel and what results you get.

Most importantly, find a role model that has gone where you’ve gone and knows what they’re talking about. Someone who’s been there and done that and can offer suggestions or that you can simply duplicate what they’ve done. Know that it is possible to lose an enormous amount of weight and get fit, or to even get back in shape if you let yourself go. Know that it’s possible and begin taking steps in the direction you know you should take.

Do you have any favorite sayings? Quotes? Anything that inspires you to be better, train harder or be more diligent with your eating?


My personal quote is “… anything is possible and nothing happens by accident…”

Basically, if you hold the vision in your mind, your body will begin to move towards that vision and you must take action on the steps to get there.

“an object in motion tends to stay in motion, while an object at rest tends to stay at rest”

Knowing this allows me to understand why it’s so hard to get moving, to resist taking the steps, but also that once I begin – the doors begin to open for me and the ball keeps rolling, picking up speed. Once you begin the habit of going to the gym three times a week, it gets easier and easier. Same with nutrition, once you begin learning about new ways of eating, healthier ways of eating, it gets easier and easier while the results come pouring in.

What happens when things don’t go your way?



I either take a break, realizing I need more rest or I kick things up a notch. Over the past 20 years of me doing this, I’ve come to understand that a plateau of me means one of two things – either take a break and recover or kick things up a notch.

Recovery for me means to rest for a week or two and double my nutritional intake. I use Sunrider whole foods exclusively – no whey, no supplements, no commercial products. I use far-infrared sauna therapy, massage, yoga and chiropractor. I have not gone to a doctor in the last 20 years with the exception of a pulmonary embolism I had after a weight training injury. I believe doctors are poorly educated in the ways of nutrition and simply prescribe pharmaceuticals recommended by the pharmaceutical reps. I take care of myself with food, thank you very much. Doctors, in my opinion, are excellent at trauma or fixing broken body parts and that’s when I would use them. PS, I have three medical doctors in my family including my sister.

I believe that everything is exactly right the way it is and I simply have to figure out the lesson. I weighed 475 pounds for a reason. I lost 300 pounds for a reason. I gained over 50 pounds of muscle for a reason. I am where I’m at right now for a reason and it’s absolutely perfect the way it is.

My thing is finding the lesson in it all. What am I supposed to learn from it all? Can I share what I’ve learned with others so that they may benefit or do I experience the lesson over and over until I finally get it and I can move on with my life in a new direction? Who knows? That’s the question isn’t it.

I’m also a big believer in non attachment (that’s a joke by the way – some times I have to explain them). A big believer in non attachment – I crack myself up.

But I digress…

If you’re attached to the outcome, you’ll never get it. The universe doesn’t work that way. I am very clear about what I want – and if I get it, awesome. If I don’t – that’s ok too, as I’ll enjoy the journey.

If things don’t go my way – that’s ok – it is what it is.



How do you deal with boredom in your program?



I change the program. Simple. I never do the same thing more than 4 weeks in a row and I’ll even change methodologies a few times a year – a few months of interval training, a few months of body building, a month of doubles (2x a day in the gym), then two weeks of training but no cardio. Then throw in a bootcamp or two.

I train in the gym,

I train outdoors in the park,

I walk, I stair climb, I run stairs, I use the Expresso Cardio bike, I row,

I do various sorts of bodybuilding techniques always changing things.

I have a personal trainer who develops training programs for me which takes the “development portion” of the program off my shoulders. She creates the programs and then I follow them.

In Ayurveda, my body type is referred to as Kapha-Pita. I’m a two dosha body type and I need stimulation on a daily basis. I can get bored quite easily and I know this, so I have to mix things up a lot to keep interested. The pita part of me is “fire” which generates my drive, so once I get moving, I keep moving.

For my diet – yes I can get bored with it as well. I don’t have a traditional diet by any means. I’m part vegetarian but I eat meat. I like meat and I eat the best quality meat when I do. You’ve heard the saying that “life is too short for bad wine” and It’s a major part of my philosophy. I like the best when it comes to anything that goes in my body. It’s the same reason I choose Sunrider foods. It’s the same reason I search out grass bed bison and only eat grass fed, open air chicken and eggs. I only drink distilled water and I only drink imported beer and the best wines.

Saying I’m “part vegetarian” does not honor vegetarians so I always use a disclaimer when I talk about it. I eat primarily a plant based diet for days or weeks at a time and then have meat for a few days – with the plants, then return to a plant based diet.

Having so much variety in my diet keeps my interest as well, so I don’t get bored. My Girlfriend is an excellent match for me. She’s a fabulous whole foods cook and we create some amazing recipes each week. A new recipe is featured each week on my blog, so if you like whole foods or are looking for something new to try, check it out.

The question is about dealing with boredom and the answer is as easy as saying “I change the program” but I felt it needed a bit more explanation.

How does missing a workout affect you?



I work a “missed” workout into my week. No worries. I train pretty hard, so an extra day of recovery time is fine. It’s also different which keeps the body off guard. A missed workout works to my advantage. Now, that said, I don’t plan to miss workouts, but I most certainly do not stress about it as that would be worse than missing the workout.

What do you do about it?



If I miss a workout, I just get back to it when I can. In the long run, thinking one year, five years or twenty years down the line, a single missed workout is of no consequence. Like I said earlier, it is what it is, so I consider it a positive thing.

How important is a reward meal or a cheat meal from a mental perspective?



A reward meal is critical, for many reasons. Mostly mental of course, where you get to simply indulge and just release any tension you’ve been keeping about it, but also physical, resetting your hormones.

I work a re-feed “weekend” into my program as well as reward meals.

I eat pretty clean as part of my day to day routine, and I enjoy it, so I don’t think of them as cheats. I drink wine on a pretty regular basis, but I know the difference between a “clean training week” or two weeks, then a relax week.

When I focus on something, I can go at it for weeks, then take a break and coast. I recover during the coasting.

There are four ways I look at training / nutrition:

1. Weight loss
2. Maintenance
3. Weight gain – bodybuilding / mass gain
4. Endurance sports

Each one has different methodologies when it comes to training and eating. It’s pretty hard to be in any two at the same time, so I believe that you have to pick one and stick with it for months at a time. I’ll do weight loss for a few months, then switch to weight gain for a month, then go back to weight loss. Then I might maintain for a week while traveling or doing some other project.

Reward meals / cheat meals fit into each of those systems in different ways.

I also plan around cheat meals or evenings out. If I know I have a meal out with friends / girlfriend, I make every effort to train right before so that the meal supports me. I work it into my schedule as it were.

I think the best way to summarize the question about cheat meals is to answer from the “stress” point of view.

Too much stress brings any nutritional or training program to a halt. Training stress stimulates muscle growth, but too much has our bodies eating itself. I once wrote an article about the benefits of simply letting go of all the “rules” around eating and training and it goes something like this:

Eat to live.

Enjoy your food, enjoy your life.

Have your goal clearly in place and take the action steps towards them – food / nutrition being one of them, but then allow room for some fun. The fun you allow yourself supports your goals. Know this – live this.

Eat well 80 to 90% of the time and you’ll get exactly what you want. You always get exactly what you want.

–

For the latest on Rob make sure to visit his site, FormerFatGuy.com and read more on his natural weight loss blog.

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Fasting Diet: No Food, All Water28 lbs LOSTso farApril 1, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 40 comments

I have decided to test my inner strength by undergoing a grueling fasting diet. I won’t be eating anything and will only be drinking water and possibly green tea. I will however take a multi vitamin each morning. This isn’t something I am used to so it should prove to be a challenge.

Why am I doing this? I want to test my will power and test my body. I read and hear of countless people fasting for days on end and they live to tell about it. I plan on doing it for a few days at most. I have read of 2 week fasts. But that’s not something I am interested in doing. I will continue to exercise and go throughout the day as I normally would. That won’t change. I hope.

Now usually I would not do something like this, but I think it’s a welcomed shock to my system. I will make an update the minute I start eating again, which I hope isn’t until Saturday at the earliest. Wow, just thinking about the possibility of fasting for so long amazes me.

I guess we will see if I can last being stranded on a deserted island.

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Chinese Buffets and Fat Men Don’t Mix28 lbs LOSTso farMarch 23, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 22 comments

Photo Courtesy of MidtownLunch

Buffets were created by the devil! Not literally, but it sure does feel like it sometimes. I have a history with buffets. In high school I would go to the same buffet every week. It was a ritual that some of us “bigger” guys on the football team partook in. After high school I would still go about 2 to 3 times a month to a Chinese buffet with friends. It was something we would do when we were bored. Nothing to do on a Saturday afternoon, head out to the China Wok buffet. All you can eat for about $8.

Now in my adult years I haven’t been to as many buffets as I am accustomed to, but I have still made it to some. The craziest ones are on cruise ships: Mounds and mounds of food, all you can eat, all day! Bad mix for a fat guy. Especially if you are still mentally too weak to fight it off. Now a buffet every now and then is okay, but don’t make it a habit. Some, if not all of the foods, are not the healthiest. I know there are fruits, veggies, and healthy meats, but more often than not the food at buffets isn’t prepared with the most care.

So what am I getting at you ask? I met up with a couple of friends recently. I really wanted to see them since it had been a while. Unfortunately, they wanted to meet up at the local Chinese buffet. I immediately knew that it was a disaster waiting to happen. Israel at a buffet? BAD IDEA. I usually go for 4 rounds. That’s a minimum. And doesn’t include the dessert plate. Reluctantly I headed out to meet them.

Side note: Have you noticed that there are so many fat, overweight, usually morbidly obese people eating at buffets and fast food restaurants? I know I have seen it and it’s alarming. When will these folks realize enough is enough?

I must say that I did very well. I only had 3 plates of food. Now hear me out, it wasn’t really that bad. The first plate had some greasy chicken, some rice, and an egg roll. The second was just 4 pieces of sushi. The last was 2 servings of chocolate covered marshmallows with graham crackers, of which I am proud to say I only ate one. That isn’t that bad is it?

Photo Courtesy of Jaymosch

I knew I would give in to the temptation. The trick was to accept it and move on. How do you combat the weaknesses associated with buffets? Don’t put yourself in a position to fail. Don’t act like you wont cave in. Accept it. Eat until you are full, then stop. Also, I learned that getting up several times is sort of embarrassing, especially if you’re a fat person. So I made sure to only get up a few times. It’s a good idea to select something healthy to go along with whatever else you choose to eat. That way there’s somewhat of a “balance.” I would suggest to not let your friends influence you. If they know that you are on a mission to get in shape, lose weight, and lose fat they would probably be less likely to want to go to an all you can eat buffet.

But the best advice I can give from my personal experience regarding Chinese buffets is…

DON’T EAT AT CHINESE BUFFETS!

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

7 Reasons You’re Fat and Why You’ll Probably Stay Fat28 lbs LOSTso farFebruary 10, 2008 by Fat Kid | 68 comments

We fat people are a minority. We are looked upon as different. Kids look at us differently. Adults look at us differently. Its a sad fact that people are judged on their appearance in today’s modern society, even after all the talks of “it’s what’s on the inside that counts.” Today I’m going to give you seven good reasons why you’re fat and why you’ll probably stay fat.

1. You’re Lazy. Plain and simple. The thought of exercising just makes you want another 200 calorie soda.
2. Your job rules your life. Whether you’re a full-time mom or a business executive, you probably don’t have time to eat healthy.
3. You have too much free time to spend eating. If you did more things rather than watch TV or sit at the computer chatting on facebook, maybe you could lose weight
4. You work from home and have a house full of goodies. The temptation is all around you. Doritos in the cabinet, cookies in the jar, ice cream in the freezer. Forget salad!
5. You eat anger/depression away. You can’t help but hate the world, your job, your car, your kids, your friends, your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse. Why not have another Oreo?
6. Your friends are fat and they drag you down. They eat out a lot, they snack, they order pizza/chinese and invite you over. It’s inevitable to happen.
7. You just don’t care about calories, fat content, carbs, you eat what you want because you only get one life to live.

How do we correct these issues?

There’s no simple way to stop a horrible habit. Fact is, you make goals and never follow through. It’s a bad character flaw and we have it and hate ourselves for it. I don’t expect you to change your life style in order to be thin and conform. If you’re happy with who you are, stay that way and don’t let anyone pull you down.

Take your problem one step at a time, attempt to eliminate the things that are causing you to be overweight and unhappy. Like I said, don’t become a vegetarian or vow to never eat chocolate again, just think little. Moderate how you intake these fatty (yet delicious) foods, slowly adjust your body to different and better eating habits. Change your thinking, control your mind, and it’ll change your body.

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Mental Punishment: A Massive Headache28 lbs LOSTso farFebruary 8, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 18 comments

Yesterday I had a massive headache. What from? I am not sure. All I know is that I got home and had to lay down from the throbbing pain. I was thinking that it could be due to my minor relapse. I ate some chips yesterday. I know, shoot me. But at the time I was enjoying them and didn’t think much of it. Plus, it was only one bag.

It all started when I went for a quick walk and stumbled upon 7 Eleven. Like a bug being drawn to a light bulb, I found myself entering the store and heading for the junk food aisle. Next thing you know I was paying for a bag of Lays barbecue flavored chips. My favorites.  I washed it down with a lot of water and figured it wasn’t that bad since I hadn’t treated myself for a while.

Then the headache began. It was approximately 2 hours after I ate the bag of chips. Weird. Is it mental? Am I punishing myself for eating that bag of chips by giving myself a headache? I think that may be the case. I don’t usually get headaches like that unless I eat some really crappy junk food. Maybe it’s my body’s chemical reaction to the unhealthy ingredients in the chips?

I’m not sure, but I do know that the headache was so unbearable that I had to lay down and close my eyes. Does any one have any idea as to why I got such a bad headache after eating the bag of chips? Has this happened to you before?

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Guy Things To Do Before You Die28 lbs LOSTso farJanuary 21, 2008 by Dennis | 7 comments

Every guy has a list. We as men have an inherit obsession with lists. We are programmed to respect the priority and organization that the all Holy List provides. Moses introduced all brethren of the world to the original and ultimate list when he returned from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments.

One of the lists that swirls around the head of every man is a personal “before I die” to-do list. And to be honest it may be the most important list of all. This list is the definitive barometer of overall life accomplishments. I have compiled my personal list and am making it available for public consumption. How does my list compare to yours?

Before I Die I Must:

• Attain the elusive six-pack abdominals. I had them once in my early pre-teens but lost them as soon as I started packing on size for my first year of high school football. Darn cheesecake, Doritos, and chocolate-chip cookie dough ice cream did me in.

• Travel to at least three exotic places. Brazil, Japan, and Iceland are my top choices. Nothing better than being in a new place that makes you feel like an alien. Besides trying new foods is one of my favorite hobbies.

• Have a threesome. Yes we have to be honest folks. And this is on the list. Hey a guy’s gotta dream right? Two girls and just one of me. I guess the fixation with this one is that it proves a man to be the top dog, doubly desirable, and maybe sets you free of sexual insecurities. Perhaps this one is a little immature and the pressure is high to perform. But hey I’m more than up for it and I could probably combine this one with my Brazil trip.

• Get in the ring. This one is something I really look forward to. Testing my fighting skills in one on one combat. Even if I get knocked out at least the training leading up to the fight will get me in top shape. Secondly, the experience I will gain during my journey to be a gladiator even if for one fight will serve as motivation for all my other life endeavors. The only uncertainty with this one is who will be my opponent. I wonder if I can Google my first grade bully?

• Walk across America. Yes I’m serious about this one. I’ll start in the Bronx and finish in San Diego. No better way to find yourself and appreciate the beauty of this great country all at the same time. I look forward to this one more than the others. I know I will wear out a few sneakers for sure.

• Write a novel. I have at least one in me, I know it. But to be realistic I’m not so optimistic with this one. What are the chances of me being able to get all my scattered thoughts and stories out onto paper in one fluid, concise work of art? I have to be really lucky to get this one done but it would be nice to accomplish.

• Become Rich. Yes having enough zeros in the bank to take care of my loved ones and living comfortably would be a major dream of mine. I have so much I want to do in my life but I continuously trip over the “don’t have enough dough to make it happen” hurdle. How will I make myself a financial success? Well I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Nuff said.

• Last but not least, I want to find the woman of my dreams. This goal has remained the same for me for years. But just what defines the girl of my dreams is what has changed. In the past curves and sexy eyes might have been the defining characteristics of my soul mate. But now someone who understands me and dreams just as hard as I do are the traits I most desire. It wouldn’t hurt if she liked to walk and helped me with my list. I wonder if she has a good jab!

To be frank after writing this list down and looking it over I have decided not to make it my life list. Rather it will be my 2008 to-do list. Life is too short to sit on your hands and watch it fly by right before your eyes. Why is “Eye of the Tiger” from Rocky playing in my head?

Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.