From "BIG STUD" to just STUD

[BigStud72]

Well, I decided since I'm having so much success on the diet that I would write about what I'm doing, where I came from and where I want to be. I find that when I post what I eat and my workouts that it keeps me on target.

Growing up I was always considered "husky". I had to get my clothes at a specialty store in Memphis (it was somewhere on the east side near Goldsmith's). I finally lost 35+ pounds of baby fat in between my sophomore and junior years of high school. When I graduated from high school in 1990 I was 5' 10" and around 180#. Then came the college years... frat parties, keggers, etc. I gained at least 30# in my freshman year alone and the pounds kept on coming. I attribute some of this weight gain to my overeating after my mother passed away in October of 1990. I'm a grief eater and man did I pile it in. Weight gain continued my sophomore and junior years and then my father died in November of 1992. When I came home I was hovering near 235 and I kept telling myself that I would NOT go out and buy new clothes... but it just got easier and easier to give in and next thing you know I'm at 470 pounds in early 2006.

Over the course of the past 3+ years I have lost and gained a TOTAL of 200#, not all at once. The first time I tried out Atkins was in April of 2004. When I came home from Spring Break I looked at my pics and was just disgusted with myself! A friend had bought the Atkins book and videos and gave them to me. I was highly motivated to try it out as I also had a few golfing buds who had been on the diet and were successful. I started on April 28 with a goal of losing 50# by my birthday on August 28. Well, I lost 50# by July 4 and another 25# by my birthday. That was when I made my first mistake... I said "What the hell... it's my birthday, allow yourself a fun weekend." Long story short, I did and that weekend lasted 6 months and I gained back 40#. After Spring Break in 2005 I decided to try it for a second time as I was going on a cruise the last week of July. I lost 35# by the cruise and made mistake #2... allowing myself to be a glutton on the cruise ship. Man, talk about anything and everything you want at anytime! Needless to say I probably gained 10# that week alone and when I got home I just kept right on sliding for the next 7 months. I gained back all of the 80# I had previously lost, plus gained another 20#. Now we are at February of 2006 and I decided to do the diet again (3rd time is a charm, right?). I knew I was going on a cruise the first week of June and knew that I would have to lose some weight if I was going to walk all over the ship and the ports of call. I dropped about 35# in the next 4 months but this time I stuck to the diet... for at least the first 5 days of the cruise, then I caved in and, yep, you guessed... fell off the wagon again. I decided to get back on the horse for a 4th time on Dec. 30, 2006. I was going to wait until after New Year's, but my friends were like NO! Start it today and I'm glad I did. I had a trip to Las Vegas looming the first week of February and knew that I would be miserable flying and walking the strip if I didn't lose anything. Well, I stuck to the diet like a madman and even gave up BEER! Which is hard for me since I love those tall, golden, creamy, frosty delicious drinks. I stayed on the diet four of the five days I was in Vegas and was very proud of myself. When I got home I joined the local Wellness center and worked out every day for 2 weeks straight with the exception of one day. Unfortunately I haven't worked out in a week now. But I'm happy to say that I have not wavered from the diet at all. There will always be temptations but so far I have not given in to them. I'm going on a New Year's Eve cruise and we leave on December 28. My goal is to be 80# lighter by then. I've still not had a beer this year... I didn't think I could make it this long but it's funny... the longer I go without one the less I want one. Don't get me wrong, I drink plenty of vodka and whiskey!

If you have read some of my posts on the main board, you know that for the year, I'm down over 50 pounds, my cholesterol is lower and so is my blood pressure. I still face temptations and occasionally I still give in to them. But instead of letting that beat me down and falling back into the old way of living, I treat each slip as a blip on the radar screen and get right back on that horse the next day.

Anyway, that's where I'm coming from. Hope I didn't bore you to sleep. I wish EVERYONE good luck in our "quest" to lose the unwanted pounds. If you ever want to chat, feel free to email me at crimsontidefan72@yahoo.com or if you are on Yahoo you can enter the same email address.

[BigStud72]

Today, this is what I've already had and plan to have:

B: South Beach Vanilla Creme Bar and cup of coffee

L: Slice of Impossible Taco Pie

D: Stew Meat with seasoning and small salad

S: a few pieces of home made beef jerky this morning and Popsicles tonight

I need to get to the gym sometime soon.... buy my right foot has been killing me! I think it's tendinitis and it's a real b****!

[monet0329]

HIYA STUD!! AND TO THE JOURNALS..

LOOKS LIKE YOU GOT IT GOIN ON THIS TIME.. ..

I HAVE TO SAY.. I DON'T CARE FOR THE TASTE OF BEER..LOL.. BUT YOU MADE IT SOUNDS AWESOME.. BUT GOOD FOR YOU ON THAT ONE !!

I SEE YOU ARE HERE IN INDIANA.. AS I AM.. SO I WANTED TO SAY HELLO AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!!

YOU CAN TO THIS!!..

[BigStud72]

Thanks for the welcome fellow Hoosier! Yes, this time it's going to stick because I'm not going back to where I was just a few short months ago.

I still miss beer, but as long as I have vodka or whiskey near by, I'm good to go, LOL.

Stay in touch and keep up the good work on your progress!

[monet0329]

Originally Posted by BigStud72

Thanks for the welcome fellow Hoosier! Yes, this time it's going to stick because I'm not going back to where I was just a few short months ago.

I still miss beer, but as long as I have vodka or whiskey near by, I'm good to go, LOL.

Stay in touch and keep up the good work on your progress!

THANKS.. I SURE WILL BE CHECKIN IN ON YA.. ..

OH HEY.. DONT KNOW IF YOU ALREADY KNOW OR NOT.. BUT THERE IS A THREAD.. IN ML I BELIEVE.. ITS JUST GUYS.. ??..ALEX GOES IN THERE.. SAYS THEY ARE GREAT SUPPORT
CATCHYA LATER

[BigStud72]

Changed my mind on dinner. Had a package of ground beef that was going to be bad in the next day or so. Cooked it up and had some spaghetti, mashed cauliflower and a small side salad. Was wonderful!

Would say 5g on the Dreamfields, 8g on the pasta sauce, 3g on the cauliflower and 5g on the salad. That's a bit more than I like to eat at dinner, and I'm very full, LOL, but I'm glad I made it. I've got lunch for tomorrow or dinner for my kid brother when he gets home... whenever that will be, LOL.

Time to kick back, watch Law & Order and keep my eye on the Lady Boilermakers in the NCAA tournament.

[monet0329]

Originally Posted by BigStud72

Changed my mind on dinner. Had a package of ground beef that was going to be bad in the next day or so. Cooked it up and had some spaghetti, mashed cauliflower and a small side salad. Was wonderful!

Would say 5g on the Dreamfields, 8g on the pasta sauce, 3g on the cauliflower and 5g on the salad. That's a bit more than I like to eat at dinner, and I'm very full, LOL, but I'm glad I made it. I've got lunch for tomorrow or dinner for my kid brother when he gets home... whenever that will be, LOL.

Time to kick back, watch Law & Order and keep my eye on the Lady Boilermakers in the NCAA tournament.

Yumm.. sounds delish .. have a great day tomorrow..

[BigStud72]

Good Morning to everyone!

Slept well last night, but it was still after midnight before I fell asleep and 6AM comes pretty quick.

Had a cup of coffee and a South Beach Vanilla Creme bar for breakfast. The spaghetti meat from last night I left at home for the brother to have today. I've still got a small piece of Impossible Taco Pie for lunch here at work and a few Tyson hot wings I can heat up.

Don't know about dinner yet. Will probably fix up some stew meat with worchestershire sauce and some spices. I've started planning out my dinners for the week on Sunday night. I just go through my collection of low-carb recipes that I've printed out and make a list of main dishes and side dishes. I do try to eat a side salad with dinner every night or at lunch. Mashed cauliflower is pretty darn tasty let me tell you, especially if you spice it up a bit. I like to take Dreamfield's macaroni pasta and mix it with a cup of Ragu alfredo sauce and treat it like macaroni and cheese.... although lately I've been using some shredded cheddar cheese instead.

Was not happy that Marsh did not have ANY sugar-free popsicles last night when I went shopping. They did have the Blue Bunny ice cream candy bars which only have 2g carbs each. But they are $4 a box and I can't keep my brother out of them, LOL. I know some people say that these type of items make them crave sweets... but they don't affect me that way. I look at it as at least there is a frozen ice cream treat out there I can still have. If there wasn't, the temptation would be too much.

I also think I've hit a stall point in my weight loss. While all of my clothes have become loose fitting... my pants in the waist have not changed in over 2 weeks. They are still loose on me and I love that... but guess I'm thinking they should be even looser, LOL. Oh well. I've got 6 pairs of slacks hanging in the closet that I was able to wear about 2.5 years ago. That was the smallest I've been in quite sometime. I tried a pair on the other day and could not get them to button... so I figure I'm still looking at mid-summer and at least 50 pounds before I can wear them again.

I'm a clothes w****! There, I said it. How many men do you know that have over 100 golf shirts in their closet? I probably have another 50 or so that are too small for me right now! I'm like the Imelda Marcos of shirts, LOL. At least I only buy them when they are on sale... but I do like to look nice. I have always said that just because I am a big guy doesn't mean I have to look all frumpy and dumpy. You can still take care of your looks and appearance as much as possible. Maybe that's just my way of dealing with my weight?

Well, I've killed enough time here at work. Time to earn some money. I hope that I start to get some responses to my posts. Feedback is appreciated!

[BigStud72]

Just finished up lunch... about a dozen Tyson Hot Wings which is about 3g carbs. Pretty filling actually along with two bottles of water. I did snack on a few small pieces of home made beef jerky around mid-morning.

Gonna hit the store tonight to get my sugar-free popsicles then home to make dinner.

[Mel78]

Congrats on the 50#s down!!! That's AWESOME!!! KUTGW!!!

[Domonee]

Congrats on your awesome progress. I also looked at your home page and I just have one thing to say about the next time you take a cruise...

TAKE ME!

The pics were great and I had a fantastic time just watching your slide show. Also nice to see a bit of interest in your team lol!

Also wanna say you're hawt and love your shirts!!!! They rock

Oh, and just one more thing... KUTGW!

[Edwards20]

Originally Posted by BigStud72

I'm a clothes w****!

I just spit my drink on the screen. You are tooo funny.

Thanks for stopping by journal. Glad I found yours, I'll be checking on ya. You are in EXCELLENT company here with Monet ..... she is my ROCK !!

[BigStud72]

Mel and Monet, thanks again for the kind words.

Domonee if you thought the pictures were fun, just imagine being there. The folks that I go with are just the absolute best friends you could find. Good people who know how to have a good time! Thanks for the compliments!

Edwards... I hope you didn't short your monitor out! I'm glad that I have found a place with like-minded people that understand what I'm dealing with on the low-carb journey.

I think I finally get it... it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. I believe that once you comprehend that, it just comes naturally.

Thanks again to you wonderful ladies for making my day with your comments!

[Edwards20]

Originally Posted by BigStud72

I think I finally get it... it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. I believe that once you comprehend that, it just comes naturally.

is how I felt, once I GOT it. And the monitor is ok, that was just too funny.

[Domonee]

[quote=BigStud72;8387257]
I think I finally get it... it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. I believe that once you comprehend that, it just comes naturally. quote]

By George, I think he's got it!

It makes all the difference in the world when you realize that you are not on a diet, that you must make a lifestyle change and that change will be for a better life til the end of your life.

I've been a diabetic for years, and not the brightest one either. Less than a year ago I actually bought a dozen cream filled, chocolate iced pastries and consumed them ALL in one sitting. WTH was I thinking? Apparently nothing? Perhaps I'd failed to engage my brain that day. Well a lot of days. I didn't reach 300 pounds by eating 1 dozen pastries. I consistently chose the wrong foods and I am now paying for those choices. I am wondering how I managed to avoid a trip to the hospital from a sugar induced coma? The good news is that I finally got it too! Isn't it just the best feeling? My realization came with a sense of relief I still can't explain.

I'm just really proud of you and happy for you that you discovered the key of this whole thing sooner than I did!

[BigStud72]

The stew meat will have to wait one more night. I had so much ground beef left over from last night that I made a taco salad, minus the chips of course. Big plate of salad, ground beef with onion and peppers cooked in, shredded Mexican cheese, spoonful of salsa and some crumbled up Parmesan crackers. Wish I had some sour cream to top it all off with, LOL.

Oh yeah, got my Sugar-Free Popsicles at Wal-Mart and they were on sale for $2.68 a box. Also got four boxes of South Beach breakfast bars and they were also on sale for $5.98 a box.

[Edwards20]

Are the SB bars new for you ? I have only tried one kind of bar, and I "think" it stalled me. It was Atkins and said 2 net carbs, but it didn't like me.

[DarbyAz]

Hi. I just stumbled upon your journal and wanted to say congratulations! What a great attitude and outlook you have. One thing I do is refer to my eating as a way of life or a way of eating. I find that really puts it all in perspective, rather than referring to 'diet' all the time. Good luck!

[monet0329]

Good Eeev-a-ning...

just wanted to run over and say hello.. I have been busy all day.. ugg.. I am tired and my feet hurt.. .. a day of good exercise..
ok gotta run.. have a great tomorrow..

oh.. I need to check out this homepage.. ttfa..

oh.. and oh again..lol.. love the pic.. you are a looker.. ..nice to see who I am talkin with..

[BigStud72]

Originally Posted by Edwards20

Are the SB bars new for you ? I have only tried one kind of bar, and I "think" it stalled me. It was Atkins and said 2 net carbs, but it didn't like me.

Nope, I've been eating them since day one. My breakfast "regimen" is a SB Bar Monday through Friday along with a cup of coffee most of the time, sometimes with an Atkins Shake.

On Saturday and Sunday I make myself an omelette along with sausage and bacon or some low-carb pancakes.

The only Atkins bar I like is the apple breakfast bar. They only come 5 to a box and are $6. The SB bars are 6 to a box for only $6 and if I remember correctly are quite a bit larger.

I swear by the SB Cinnamon Creme bars. They are WONDERFUL.

And as I'm typing this, I'm having one right now! Gotta still make the coffee though :-)

[BigStud72]

I posted this in Domonee's journal, but wanted to also share here.

I order from Netrition about twice a month and I go grocery shopping every week. I've basically got it down to where I'm just picking up perishables now and the occasional sale items. I go online every Thursday to look at the Kroger and Marsh grocery ads. I click on the sale items I want and then it prints my shopping list out for me. I also created a low-carb shopping list in Excel to help jog my memory when I'm in the store. I have my kid brother who lives with me and I tell him that the middle shelf in the pantry is MINE! It's all of my low-carb mixes, sauces, foods, etc. He also knows to stay away from anything of mine in the fridge. I find that if I have several choices for low-carb foods then I'm good. Last night is the first night this week I haven't cooked. I had leftovers. This is what works for me. Keep the faith!

By the way, I would be happy to share the Excel list with anyone. I have it broken down into drinks, snacks, meats, produce, sides and extras. It really helps keep me focused at the store and I know which aisles to stay away from!

[Mel78]

Mornin' Hope you don't mind another "gutter girl" stopping by


On the bars... I know what you mean, it took me a long time to finally find some I like... The only one that I care for is the Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate CRUNCH... Actually, the only ones of any of the bars I can actually say taste good are the ones with those crunchy texture ball things ... There is just something yucko about the "smooth" textured ones...

Anyways... just popping in to say "HI"... and KUTGW!!!

[dantesmom]

Hey U! Thnaks for stopping by my journal. I really appreciate all the kind words. You soudn like you have a good routine down with all of your meals and I think that is sooo important! I do so much better when I plan ahead. Its nice to read others experiences and see how different things worked for them. You have alot of great ideas that I havent tried. Im anxious to hear about some of your recipes too! Ill look ya up on yahoo if we are on at the same time or if ya want PM me and ill give ya my info then we can cheer each other on if ya like. Have a wonderful Day!!