Breakfast...gag

I had to force feed myself this morning. I made scrambled eggs, sausage, bread and juice for the children. They loved it....coming down the stairs WOWing. There probably will not be any more sausage left. I had my yogurt, granola, some juice and a little sausage. I was battling my gag reflex (almost). This is a habit that will take some time to get used to! I need to start off the day with good food!

I had a really good talk with a friend over the weekend and he is on the South Beach Diet. He talked mostly about white flour and white rice and that he is not eating them anymore. I get the rational (complex carbs). Now to modify....just a little....my eating habits in that vein also. My Coke addiction is still there! :0)

That is my report for this weekend. Miles and I had a great talk on Sunday also, thanks Miles for the pep talk!

Chris

Road trip snacks: Chris v. Miles

Chris and I are on the road to St. Louis today--heading to the temple. We each brought some snacks for the trip. Let's see how they compare.

Chris: organic granola (good choice), and a Coke (tsk, tsk)

Miles: all natural juice smoothie (not bad...not bad), Crunch-n-Munch, pringles, and a Coke (WOW to Health FAIL!)

We see now who is committed here--mostly...

Much more eloquent

Miles is so much more eloquent than I. I second what he said (and third and fourth). This process will be all about behaviors. Once we correct behaviors, we probably will see results in one form or another.

Also, I just downloaded a resource from lds.com regarding addiction. Yes, I have a love affair with food (addiction). I need to know how to temper this addiction and this resource may assist in that success.

Sounds like Miles and I need to get together (rather than just blogging) and set up which behaviors we want to focus on, then create our objectives.

Chris

Exercise felt good

I played basket ball for almost 2 hours tonight. It felt good to get some running in. I really enjoy the group of guys that play. They are there to have fun and not too competitive. Drank more water. Got to come up with those goals for health soon.

As I come home and write I feel more responsible for what I am doing to my body. I think this will work. Too soon to be 100% sure but I find this motivating.

Chris

Miles says: "I've committed myself to what?"

Okay, so yes, I am here, Chris. I didn't abandon you. I decided to accept Chris' challenge for a few reasons. One, he's a good friend and I want to support him. Two, I like the approach that he suggested and that we are taking about focusing on the principles of health and finding specific behaviors we can modify, letting the results come as they may. Three, well, I've got several pound's worth of reasons to get healthy.

My journey started a bit earlier this year. I joined a biggest loser contest at work. There was a big financial incentive. The winner won about $400 for greatest percentage lost. I didn't win--at least not the money. But I did learn something about myself. When I had decided that I wanted to do it. I could do it. I lost about 11 lbs over the course of three months. Perhaps it doesn't seem like a lot, but it's more than I had lost in the past several years. It really felt good. I had a smile on my face, my clothes didn't fit very well (in a good way). People actually noticed.

After the contest I didn't really focus as I wanted to and a slid a bit. Still, I managed to keep enough good habits that I didn't backslide to the beginning. Still, I wanted/want to be healthier. I don't feel that I can really be the best husband, father, church servant I can be if my health is suffering. I think that is why the Word of Wisdom is such important counsel.

As for our approach, I think this is the key. I am sure there are weight loss gurus out there who would say that we don't really have much of a chance we we aren't focused on results, i.e. the pounds lost. But, we are focused on results, but it is the resulting behavior change that we want to focus on. As I learned this year, weight loss is only as good as the behaviors that are changed in the process. So, I would like to identify behavioral goals around reducing stress, exercise, healthier eating, moderated eating, sleep, etc. and work to instill those so that they become life long habits. And that is our next steps...what are the principles that we are following and what are the behaviors that support those principles.

Miles

Not time but better

I did not take the time to evaluate my objectives and goals for my new found need, but I did eat healthier today. I really need to eat breakfast (and didn't). I had a sandwich and banana for lunch with 1/2 of a Dr. Pepper (left over from yesterday). I even drank some water...which is very hard for me to do. Yogurt and Pizza is on the list for dinner. Pizza in moderation!

I will even exercise tonight. Miles I hope you are there.

Miles will also be posting to this blog. So we will each sign the blog with our names so one will know who is taking. I will try not to write in the 3rd person (then you will not know who is talking)! :-)

Chris

The decision

I have been feeling more responsible for my health lately and have been thinking about enacting a plan. Here is goes.....I have enlisted the help of a friend, Miles Coleman. In the principles of my belief system (religious) there is something called the word of wisdom (thus the WOW in the title). This suggests that adherants follow a health code. I do not violate the principles per se but push my limits. The WOW calls for eating things made for our bodies (i.e., grains, fruits, vegetables and other things in moderation). My wife, Rachel, would be jumping for joy if and when she reads this.

I have decided that I need to be more healthy with what I allow in my body. I do not plan to go cold turkey and eat like a rabbit. Rather, I do plan to moderate things in my life. I need to not eat some much, at midnight, I need to exercise more (but nothing too out of the ordinary). I am going to make small modification and chunk things for a better life in the future.

I talked with Miles about this and we agreed that this would be a good, needed thing for both of us. I set up this blog so we could each report our progress or missteps. We both will be reviewing principles of the gospel to help inspire what we need to do, make those goals and track ourselves.

I know that this seems like an amalgamation of words that do not make sense, but have the need to write as a means to commit myself to this process. Some of the outcomes that I have for myself is to generally eat more healthy, reduce my consumption of soda, do things to keep my activity up, and maybe loose a few pounds in the process. Miles and I decided to make this process principle based and not results. MODERATION IN ALL THINGS. We do not want to set ourselves up for failure.

That is it. I will report back with a plan and small goals.....Chris (part of the WOW team)