Trudging the Road of Happy Destiny

[JohnLarson]

Went to the gym today (2nd day in a row) - walked on the treadmill for an hour, a little over 3 miles. My wife isn't going tomorrow and I go as her guest, so tomorrow I am going to go for a walk. At least that is the plan.

Yesterday was day 3 on my Mary's Mini.

L: brown rice w/broccoli & mushrooms (leftovers)
D: large salad, brown rice w/broccoli

I had even more leftover rice than the previous days, which is good because it gives me something to eat while waiting on the rice to cook. I might meal prep, but waiting to eat is not the end of the world. I am really trying to change how I think about food.

So far the Mary's Mini has been going well. I start a 10 day challenge on Facebook on the first. I am excited about being part of that, I hope the people that say they are going to be part of it are. As I am returning to this way of eating I am realizing just how important other people following this lifestyle are important to me, especially those that have or are struggling. I felt I made some great connections with people in the journal section when I was here before. There seemed to be a group of us guys that seemed to be active. I will have to see if they are still around. Right now I am just focusing on my own journal and getting in the habit of posting here.

I bought some used books and picked up the MWL book. I should have bought it years ago. I just finished chapter 4. I also picked up the first book and the 12 Days to Dynamic Health book. I will be eating mostly MWL as I think it gives me the best results. I am doing the Mary's Mini because I was inspired by someone struggling and it made me think of the rice diet, So I decided to do a rice Mary's Mini Diet. I don't really even like brown rice. I guess I could do white rice or mix the two together. Well I am doing brown rice at least until the 10th of January. My birthday is the 11th, I am planning to have pasta, which is now on MWL.

I have been asked to speak at a meeting tonight, it is the end of the month birthday celebration, there will be cake. I won't be eating any.

[bunsofaluminum]

John! You're back!

glad to see you

[JohnLarson]

John! You're back!

glad to see you

I am glad to be back.

Yesterday was a great day.

L: brown rice & vegetables
D: brown rice & vegetables
S: pickled okra

I didn't eat very much for dinner because the brown rice was taking forever to cook and I had to leave the house by 7 PM. I had a small bowl and then a very small bowl at 9 PM when I got home. I had made a decision to not eat after dinner and that going to bed a little hungry wouldn't kill me. Late night snacking has been an issue with me. So I have plenty of rice left over. I am going to make up some this weekend to have for the rest of the week.

Day 4 of my Mary's Mini is complete. Day 5 has a few challenges. I am going for a motorcycle ride and of course our destination is a restaurant, a seafood restaurant on the beach. This will be my first visit to a restaurant since returning to this WOE. I take that back, I did go to a restaurant for an office Christmas party. It went just fine. I ate before hand and had a salad there. That is the plan today. It is about a 2 hour ride. I will be fine.

I recently purchased the MWL book. I like it a lot. Page 72 has some things I had not seen discussed before. I will be making my food a little more spicy.

I am trying not to weigh myself all the time, but I think I will just embrace the morning weigh in each day.

[JohnLarson]

I posted this in a Facebook group:

I have learned a few things after reading a few chapters in MWL, so I am making some changes.

1. Eat veggies first. I had been mixing my brown rice with vegetables. Now I will eat a large portion of vegetables first.

2. Chew food throughly. I am trying to chew at least 25 times, book suggests trying 35 to 50 as an experiment.

3. Normal serving size of starch at first. I normally make a big helping. Now I will roughly follow the suggested serving size, eat it and wait 20 minutes before a second serving. I might start with additional vegetables instead of going straight for more starches.

4. Use hot spices to boost metabolism. I love hot spices. I just read on page 72 about the whole spice thing. I recently bought some Mrs. Dash and one was a hot spice mix. Tastes great. I need to find out if jalapeno peppers work also.

5. Reduce salt. Salt can cause us to overeat, because it makes the food taste better.

[JohnLarson]

Day 5 of my Mary's Mini is complete. It went great. The visit to the restaurant was okay. Everyone got big seafood platters. I got a salad and used my own dressing. No one said a thing. They also all drank sweet tea. I did get unsweet tea. Most got salads with their meals that weren't eaten. If I knew these people better I h would have asked them for their salads, lol. One of the guys was close to 300 pounds, he ess off his diet for the day and was bragging about the 10 pounds he has lost in December. The waitress told him he would lose more if he didn't drink sweet tea, he stated would never give that up. I didn't say anything and smiled.

I have discovered putting hot spices on vegetables is awesome. The salt-free Mrs. Dash spices are working out great. My salt intake is way down.

So I struggle with the scale. I am coming to terms with that and am just going to weigh myself whenever I feel the urge to get on the scale. This is only an issue because I am letting it be one. I am going to just accept the fact that there is a scale in the bathroom. I have been weighing myself in the morning. I have been saying a little prayer when I get up about helping me follow this WOE and to watch for dishonesty and to focus on today as part of my regular morning prayers. This has helped, but there is more progress to be made.

B: broccoli, brown rice
L: salad at restaurant
D: broccoli, brown rice

I also made some spicy rice with jalapenos and hot sauce in it. So I have two batches of rice cooked up. I think that will help. Waiting for ride to cook when in a hurry doesn't go real well.

Looks like we are meeting with family for lunch today, just found out this morning. I will eat before hand and enjoy company. My guess is that we are going to a Mexican restaurant, a sister in law from out of town is visiting and is heading back home today. I know she likes Mexican food. I doubt their rice is oil free. I am staying on plan and on my Mary's Mini today, my wife understands this, the rest of her family has always had their two cents to add. I will need to pray for them and stay strong.

[SilverDollar123]

Welcome Back John! You can do this! From a supportive Carolinean! (sp)?

[JohnLarson]

Welcome Back John! You can do this! From a supportive Carolinean! (sp)?

Thanks! I am in Fayetteville. There are/was a handful of Carolineans here. Someone tried to do a meetup, it didn't happen. I am a transplant from the midwest, been here 20 years. Love it. Not everyone loves Fayetteville, but do. It is home.

[Skyscraper]

Hi John. I think when you posted before I was still in lurker mode. But your journal was one of the ones that I followed regularly with great interest. There have been a couple times over the past few years when I visited the site that I would wonder how you were doing now. So it is very great to see you back.

Even though you were achieving great results back then, you seem different now. You have much greater clarity about certain things and have seemed to make a big shift in your thinking. It seems you have closed the book on SAD foods for good in a way you weren't ready for before and are going to run with the program without any glancing back. I think this is a very important change and you are going to reach your weight and health goals and be a great example for many people.

[JohnLarson]

Skyscraper - thanks for your comments. Things are different this time. I know the only way to get real success on this WOE is to be 100%. I have decided to not make any decisions about SAD foods until I am in the normal BMI range. I have no planned food rewards for goals that I have accomplished. I know that by its design, SAD makes most people sick and overweight. I also have learned that I am unable to just have a little. That has never been my nature. I am counting on the idea that once I hit my goal I won't want SAD food.

Today we went to a Mexican restaurant. I ate a little before we went and did order rice and a salad, which was just lettuce and tomato. I made my own dish with it by topping it with salsa. I really like corn chips. Especially the ones at Mexican restaurants. I knew I couldn't have even one, so I didn't eat one. I can bake some corn tortillas one day if I want to. Right now I am focusing on my Mary's Mini. One day I might be able to have chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant, but today I am obese. If I would have been in the mindset that will never ever have corn chips and salsa again, I would have broke down and had some. Really being 100% hasn't been that hard. People do it all the time.

[JohnLarson]

BS: 228
Wt: 241.6

E: 3.5 miles on treadmill

Yesterday's meals:

B: mixed vegetables, rice
L: rice, lettuce, tomatoes (Mexican restaurant)
D: California mix vegetables, rice

I went to the gym this morning. I am not worried about that number on the scale this morning. I am sure it is mostly water. I am off work today, I have a few things I want to get done. I read another chapter in MWL. I have really enjoyed reading it. I am going to reread The Starch Solution next. I also picked up the first book and 12 Days to Dynamic Health. Tomorrow I start a 10 day Mary's Mini challenge on Facebook, plus I think another MWL group I am in is doing a challenge to stay on MWL. With pasta now on MWL, it shouldn't be an issue.

Last night I pulled out some smaller jeans that I used to wear when I was following this WOE. They are 34w Levi 501 button fly jeans. I am wearing 36w 501s, which is a miracle in itself. Those jeans getting almost too tight to wear is one of the reasons I am back. I just didn't want to buy bigger jeans. I have all sorts of dress pants and pulled out 4 pairs of dress pants that were fitting tight. I last wore them in May. I have all sorts of dress pants. Right now I am wearing 38 waist, the ones I wore 5 plus years ago are 34 waist and very nice. I am confident that I will be in my old jeans soon. The pants are going to take some time. I also pulled out some shirts, they might take some time for me to be able to wear them comfortably. One day AI might even need to buy smaller jeans.

I am still trying to figure out some non-food rewards/celebrations for meeting goals. My first goal is 233. Really being under 240 was my first goal, but I thought it would be too easy. It hasn't been so easy. I feel great. Best I have felt in years. Sleeping good also.

[JohnLarson]

After going to the bathroom and taking a hot shower:

Wt: 240.3

Too funny.

[JohnLarson]

It has been a while since I posted. I have had my ups and downs. I am fairly sure I am not alone in this. I am active on Facebook, but really need to get back to what worked.

The last three days have been good. Focising on MWL. I can do three days. I can do four and sometimes five. Then something happens. When first introduced to this WOE, I stayed on plan for months and when I did slip, it was small. Now when I eat SAD or SVD, I go overboard.

A while back ago, my wife got a fitbit. She has went from a size 14 to a size 8. She has cut back her sodas and drinks more water. She had lost some weight before the fitbit because we eat separate. She still eats SAD and has no interest in changing what she eats. She also knows about this WOE and has no issue telling me I am eating off plan. I now have a fitbit and we have been doing 5ks (walk/run) for about a month. I am able to run 1/2 mile, so that is good. I wish I would have found a physical activity before.

I am roughly at 240 pounds. I have more support at home than I ever have had, even though our house is full of SAD food. I slip more when I go out. I am also good at following this WOE while eating out, when I want to. I like the food.

I am not a vegan, nor do I expect to be one soon. I know that eating SAD on a regular basis is deadly. I feel like the alcoholic who celebrates one year of sobriety by drinking. I still am at a loss how the weight came back. I know how it happened, I just can't believe it happened to me.

Not sure how active I will be here, but I need to be here, so I hope to be back long term. When I was under 200, I still had plenty of body fat. My goal is to be at 197, but really, I am aiming for 165

I am going to set some points that I want to reach.

First I want to get to 233 ASAP, that was my top weight in the AF. Next is 225, something about that number, then under 210, then 204, the top weight allowed for my height in the AF, then under 200, then 197, then 186, why I am not sure but that number means something to me, then 179. I think 179 is very achievable. Getting to 165 will be a challenge, but if I am running and following this WOE I can't see why not.

With my running, I want to be able to run 1 mile ASAP, then be able to run 1 mile twice in a session, then a mile and half at once, then 2 miles at once, then 3.1 miles at once. Once I am able to run the whole 5k, I will want to be able to do a 5k in under 30 minutes.

My food at home will be very simple. Oatmeal for breakfast. A.salad with lunch and dinner. I have a few MWL meals that are my go to meals. I will post that later. I know the food, I just fall into the pleasure trap and eat SAD CRAP, mostly emotional eating. Too many times I have said, "I will get back on track tomorrow". Well tomorrow is now.

^ Post from 2015. OMG, I could have posted this exact post a few days ago. The struggle is real.

[JohnLarson]

So I am doing a Mary's Mini, I started on Christmas, but the plan was to start on January 1st. I started a Facebook event for it. Here is something I posted:

One of the concepts of a Mary's Mini is to get bored of the food. To change how we think and feel about food. We need to keep our meals simple and eat the same things over and over. Sounds boring right? Well that is the idea.

Here is what I am doing. I have one starch. Then I have a few vegetables, but one main one and a few others. The vegetables will be both cooked and raw. I am avoiding condiments beside salad dressing.

My starch: Brown Rice
My main vegetable: Broccoli
My other vegetables: Carrots, Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Onions, Peppers, Romaine Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomatoes
Seasonings: Salt, Pepper, Mrs. Dash Salt-Free Spices
Salad Dressing: Skinny Girl Honey Dijon mixed with Apple Cider Vinegar.

What ever I can create with these items is what I will be eating.

#

Grocery shopping was very easy. Meals have been easy also. The next 10 days should go well. On the 11th I will have pasta and on the 12th I will have a taco bar going on. A potato sure will be in the mix. I haven't had a potato since Christmas Eve.

[Lyndzie]

Hi John! Welcome back. I really like what you wrote about a person celebrating a year of sobriety with a drink. That’s totally what people do with food and dieting, isn’t it?! Such a good analogy. I’m not sure what you are into, but maybe a non-food reward could be going to a movie, getting a massage, or buying new clothes?

I’m glad you found your way back here. Enjoy the mini!

[JohnLarson]

Hi John! Welcome back. I really like what you wrote about a person celebrating a year of sobriety with a drink. That’s totally what people do with food and dieting, isn’t it?! Such a good analogy. I’m not sure what you are into, but maybe a non-food reward could be going to a movie, getting a massage, or buying new clothes?

I’m glad you found your way back here. Enjoy the mini!

I thinking about something for my motorcycle. Once I get to 178, I will need some clothes. I have plenty of clothes until then, plus I don't want to buy clothes for reaching 225, but want to do something to mark a milestone. Maybe a kitchen gadget.