I am looking to challenge YOU!  Everyone wants to start the year off with wellness and we all know that the gyms are just a little bit busier right now.  Sometimes, we get in a rut though.  Maybe we just don't want to do the same workout.  Maybe we do not want to go at all!  We need a push or a shove in some cases.  I know that I respond to support and people around me.  I have a perfectly good treadmill in my basement in front of a 92" ceiling projection movie theater.  I rarely use it.  Instead, I drag my butt to our local gym (I live in a small town).  I go to the New Richmond Centre which is a GREAT facility!  It has more of a community feel than many of the big box, corporate owned fitness centers.  Why do I go to the Centre?  I am more likely to push myself on that treadmill when someone is right next to me or behind me.  I am more likely to run longer and faster.  I assume they are all comparing themselves to me....which is probably just a bad case of narcissism but it works.  I love it when someone gets onto a tread next to me after I have started and hangs it up long before I am done.  YES!  I WIN.....it is just unfortunate that they did not realize it was a contest!

That push or goal can come in many formats.    If we set our own goals and have nobody to watch us or cheer us on, some of us might struggle to maintain them especially when the excitement of the new year has passed and we could lose sight of that resolution.

Back on 12/30, I posted about a site called FLEETLY.  I am currently doing the Winter 100 Mile Challenge.  For this one, I need to run 100 miles between January 1 and March 31.  It tracks your progress and gives medals for so many different milestones.

I think the neatest thing about this site is that you can link to friends.  That is a great way to hold each other accountable! 

I am asking for YOU....right NOW.....to go and join Fleetly and sign up for a challenge.  It could be a full year long challenge or something more immediately measurable and attainable to follow our SMART goal direction.

If you are a local here in New Richmond, sign up for a contest and tell me when you are headed to the Centre and I will do whatever workout you choose.  Possibly even Zumba at which I would struggle not physically but with coordination.  I will do whatever you choose. 

Even if you are not here in New Richmond with me, sign up and link to me.  Challenge me to a challenge with you!  We do not need to be together....we do not need to be at Hilton Head Health and we do not need Jeff, Adam, Amy or Amber to be there.  We can own this!

What are you waiting for?

Sign up 

Link to me (Lyle Orr) 

Let the games begin!

Exclusive....Before and After Pictures at 8 Months!

If you are starting a journey this week with the ringing in of 2012 or part way through a journey much like I am, let these pictures show you how much you can really do in a short period of time.  I am not done with my transformation.  I have some pounds to lose still as you can see in the pictures.  Still, looking at the difference of where I was in 2009, 2010 and early 2011 compared with today, I cannot help but be just a little bit proud of myself!  More importantly, I want YOU to know that you can make small changes that over a short period of time (8 months) like I have that will in turn, make a MAJOR difference for YOU too! 

I am excited to know where I will be on my 1 year anniversary of visiting Hilton Head Health on April 24.

An Unhealthy Man On a Cruise - April 2008 

 An Unhealthy Man With Dr. Opheim (College Choir Conductor) - May 2010



An Unhealthy Father with Ashlie...

Black's BBQ in Lockhart, TX - November 2010 (yummy though!)

A Sick Puppy....(not the dog....ME).  Christmas 2010

March 2011....A Throwback...Just About Rock Bottom!

March 2011...Last You'll See This Guy!  DJing a Party 

1 Week Before Leaving for Hilton Head Health...373 Pounds

The Beginning....Feeling GREAT After 1 Hour With Karla Doing Some Cardio Boxing at H3!

 

Finishing My First 5K With A Co-Worker....down 100 Pounds That Day!

Celebrating With A GREAT GUY at H3 After Devin's Dash - My 2nd 5K with Hardware!

January 3, 2012 - Wearing My Pre-H3 Pants and Shirt

 Just a Little Extra Room...

Old Clothes...54" Waist (worn below belly) and a 5XL Shirt!

My Pre-H3 Belt....I Was On The LAST Hole!

The NEW and IMPROVED Orracle! 

Now 120 Pounds Less

38" Waist (Still below the belly!) 

XL Shirt Size

New Year, New Goals To Keep You Motivated

I have to say that I have hit my major goals that I have been pushing for since my visit to Hilton Head Health in April/May 2011.  I have never really stopped pushing and certainly have not regressed in any manner.  Lately though, I have found myself with some distance goals in mind but that was it.  Something has been missing.

Tonight I was at a sporting goods store which actually is dangerous for me now since so many things are appealing and fit my new body that I could easily spend $500 and not break a sweat.  I saw ski boots and thought I'd look at them.

Some of you know that in high school, I was an avid downhill skier with my buddies.  I found that after college as I gained weight, I could barely get ski boots buckled around my legs until the point where it was completely impossible.  I have wanted to ski with my kids for years but have not been able to.

I tried on a few boots tonight and unfortunately, none would close around my legs.  It is good though because I would not be tempted to spend the $300+ on them right away.  It is a little disheartening since I really wanted to ski this winter.  The best thing about it is that I now have a new goal to reach!  I needed this!

Now as we move towards 2012, it is time for you to find your goals.  Call them resolutions or whatever you want but make them.  Make them SMART goals! 

Specific.....Measurable.....Attainable....Realistic.....Timely

I think most importantly, they need to be behavior based goals.  This was one of the most critical things I took away from Adam Martin's goal setting class at H3.  Don't think about numbers or sizes.  Think about things you want to be doing as a goal. For me, skiiing is a behavior based goal.

Think about using a website to help you reach your goals.  A while ago on www.h3daily.com, Amy Kelderhouse posted about a goal setting website called STIKK.com.  I like the idea behind this site!

One that a co-worker showed me today is one to track your activity where you can join challenges of various levels and where you earn points for activities.  These points drive your 'fitness level'.  I really like this site for creative workout ideas for when you are having less time, traveling or just need a change of pace from your normal routine.  Here is the link to this site which is called Fleetly and free to use as well.  I like the ability to link yourself with friends on this site.  Accountability is KING!

When you are standing at the bottom of a giant hill, the climb looks daunting. You know you can do it but it will be such a long, hard task.  That is how I felt in March of this year before I started this journey.  Now, it has been 8 months since the day I checked into H3 and time has flown by.  That day, looking up at the hill seems like just yesterday.  It has been easier to climb this hill than I ever could have imagined while standing at the bottom looking up.  Don't let your mind get in the way of you taking that first step!  This is YOUR YEAR!  YOU have ALL the tools you need to start right now!

To everyone that has cheered me on this year and supported me, whether from work, home, New Richmond or someone I have met along the way, I am truly grateful for you and your support.  I cherish each and every one of you for what you have brought to my life and I only wish I could repay every one of you back for the support you have shown me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Beat The Resolution Rush!

Here we are in the middle of December, officially in Christmas mode (only allowable AFTER The ORRacle's birthday on the 8th).  Those of you out there that have been giving yourself the, "I am going to start eating right and exercising on Monday" talk are probably now shifting to the, "I am going to kick my butt in gear when the New Year comes" talk. 

I know.  I have been there. 

Why not start now?  Does it mean you cannot have a nice Christmas dinner?  Does it mean you cannot have fun on New Year's?  Absolutely not!  There is no reason to wait!  Just think how much better you will feel at your health club having pushed through the beginning workouts BEFORE the newbie rush at the club on January 3.  You will already be on the ground running!

This year has been the best of my life.  I feel better than I can ever remember and love my new lifestyle.  I have one regret about the whole thing.  That regret is that I waited until April of this year to make the change.  I have had amazing success but just imagine where I would be now if I had started last December at this time.  My everyday life is so much easier and especially my work life.  As I type this post, I am flying back from a business trip, sitting in an exit row seat.  This is something I could have not done last December because I had to use a seatbelt extender.  Back then, I could only imagine how freeing it would be to not have to worry about not getting an upgrade or sitting next to someone on a full flight.  It stressed me out beyond belief.

Whether you just have a few pounds of 200 to lose, take that step today.  Don't wait.....you will be glad you did it!

First Ever Thanksgiving Post

I have been blogging for a few years but this will be my first Thanksgiving post.  Sure, I think we're all thankful for our family, friends and our life we get to live in this country.  I think many of us say they are most thankful for the day or two off from work and maybe the Tryptophan coma they put themselves into.

This year as you may suppose, my thoughts are running high on the thankful chart.  I look back on the year that started rough for me with the end of a long, gruelling project at work in March.  Then I realized I was at rock-bottom with my health and needed to make changes.  I found Hilton Head Health.  From that point on April 24, my life would be forever changed and it is something that I cannot express enough thanks for.

I need to start with my employer for granting me the leave of absence and work accomodations.  Then add in my sister for helping me financially with the cost of going to H3.  My wife and kids had to sacrifice as well with me gone for 28 days straight.  Traveling for work has me home on the weekends at least but this was a full month of absence.

Now we come to the H3 staff.  EVERYONE needs to get a mention.  Bob for his wisdom and understanding, Beth for her good ear to hear my story, Adam for the fitness leadership and knowledge, Amber for being tough on us sick guys, Katie for being so awesome as a trainer in and out of the pool, Kat and Kelia for their awesomeness in keeping us happy while onsite.  Christie and John at the front desk to help out with anything or just chat with when you are too sore to go to another workout.  Karla gets a special nod because she is sweet, can cook up a storm and then kick your butt in Cardio Boxing which is my most favorite thing at H3!  Louise for being so kind to chat with and also as a trainer...I miss doing step with her!  Chef Jen for showing me that you can eat different food for 28 days that is healthy and tasty without any exception.  Plus, she is a former Minnesotan...special in my heart.  She understands us from up north!  Alicia for her chat the day I made my testimonial....you made that easy and are a great asset to H3!

Jeff gets his own paragraph.  When I went to H3 if you would have told me that my closest friend leaving would be a 22 year old guy that does ironman competitions, I would have laughed you off.  Jeff is that guy.  We hit it off in class with our mutual love of the challenge but also in how we enjoy the energy and dare I say cutting it up in class.  I fed off of his energy and I think that is mutual.  Then add in the @home coaching.  I looked forward to our sessions which at first were keeping me stable and eliminating the risks of my upcoming weeks.  In the latter meetings, it was more about success and just chatting about what he and I had going on in training and life in general.  I could go on forever about Jeff but I will save something for later/

Now, we come to the amazing people I met at H3,  Lifelong friends.  Dale B, Kelly B, James W, Big Daddy, John, the man that showed me what a metabo-oyster is, my lady friends from North Carolina and Lousiana Lisa, Liz F, John D., Maglio C, Cari D, Chemain, the new friends I made from the cast of Heavy like Stacia, Julia, Johnny and Debbie plus so many others I know I am forgetting.  Throw in the new crew that was there for Devin's Dash that knew me before I got there.  Keep reading these posts and keep working hard!  You inspire me knowing I may have inspired you! 

This year with 118 pounds lost to date has been my best year.  I feel amazing and can do amazing things.  Thankful does not even begin to cut it.  I look forward to the next year and the challenges I have before me such as losing an additional 60 pounds, transitioning to 10Ks, 10 milers and an eventual 1/2 marathon.  Yes Jeff, a spring tri is in there too. I look forward to having amazing health as I turn 41 in a couple of weeks. 

Thank you all for helping me make this monumental change in my life.  Thank you for SAVING my life.  That is something worth being thankful for.

I should save something for a New Year's post but I want to wish you all on a quest to get healthy and lose weight the courage, stamina and strength to beat your demons and kick obesity's butt!  You have all the tools you need to do it. 

Why A Pill For Everything?

USAToday ran this story recently on rasining good cholesterol (HDL).  We all know we need to keep our HDL higher and our LDL lower....well, we (I) know this now.  When I got to Hilton Head Health (H3), I was surprised that the day I arrived, my HDL was 7.  Just....7.  Despite my total cholesterol being in a decent range, the fact that I had all bad LDL was not good news.  To quote Bob Wright, I had lots of garbage (LDL) but no garbage trucks (HDL) to take it away.

Over the course of my stay at H3 for 28 days, I managed to raise my HDL significantly through diet and exercise.  This is not something that is necessarily a common outcome at H3 since their nutrition limits us to 1200 calories a day.  Given my starting point of 7, I guess even with those dietary restrictions, mine had nowhere to go but up!

When I read the story, I found myself with mixed feelings about it.  Another drug is possibly coming available to help raise your HDL.  That is just what America does NOT need....another pill to help accomodate their bad eating and fitness habits.  Have Type II Diabetes....we have pumps, pills and shots.  If you have bad cholesterol, we have pills that lower and soon pills that raise the good. 

The piece that nobody seems to pay attention to in drugs like this is the risk of taking it.  The story points out that an earlier CETP inhibitor actually raised the risk of heart problems. 

Now, like obesity, I believe some people are just not blessed with the right genetics to fend it off.  Same goes for limited diabetics.  If your pancreas just does not do what it is supposed to, that is when the meds are a GREAT innovention in our lives.  The problem with having a pill for everything is that it is far too easy to swallow compared to putting in some effort of eating right and moving your body.

Before jumping into a lap band, pill or medicine to address your cholesterol, weight or diabetes, give yourself one seriously honest effort at fixing it through diet and exercise.  If that does not work after a truly devoted effort, then turn the page to medicine.  You can do this like I have and feel so much better about it down the line!

Finding Pillars In Your Life

Last week, I learned that my college choral conductor, Dr. Vernon Opheim passed at the age of 79.  It the big picture of things, I was only with Doc for a few years in college and saw him a few times after college; the most recent being in May 2010 at his home in Tucson, AZ.  Still, I think to how much I learned from Doc about music, about myself and saw how I wanted to live as a man.  Doc was a pillar in my life.  It breaks my heart to know I will never get to see and chat with him again. 

I also look at the time I spent at Hilton Head Health.  So many people there are top notch, loving caring people.  The entire crew there represents a pillar in my life but especially Jeff.  We connected and we celebrated making the change in my life together.  Jeff is a pillar in my life.  I continually look forward to the next race we might be a part of together or the next visit I make to H3. 

My parents are also pillars in my life.  I look at how they started their family at 16 and managed to build an awesome life for us through nothing but hard work and dedication to their work.  There is so much I take from that kind of mentality every day. 

My very own family represents a pillar for me.  Jess for how hard she works and manages things while I am on the road.  Ashlie for her talents and having the best parts of me in her character.  Jake for being the guy that keeps us honest...always being real and honest about everything he says and does. 

Obviously, we have these people in our lives that have touched us.  Some by a lifetime of knowing them and some for brief periods of time recent or not.  These pillars need to be our foundation of strength when times are tough.  As I continue down my weightloss and wellness journey, I find myself looking inward and continually find these pillars holding me up...keeping me strong.  I am doing this for me but I also do it for them. 

Don't let these pillars collect dust in your memory.  Keep them to the front of your mind whenever you find challenges or rough spots.  Keep them to the front when you are succeeding too!  Use them and the values they have brought to you personally to keep you strong. 

Go Forward With What You Have Available

I had a conversation with someone on my flight from MSP-FLL today about technology and how tethered we are to it.  I need to come clean that for The Orracle, if not for technology, he could not pay the bills...but hang with me on this one.  As I talked, it dawned on me on how much we concern ourselves with purchases around technology.

For example, those of you that know me understand how much I really dislike (cr)apple products.  I would never buy an iPad.  I still do desire a tablet.  I really like the new Kindle Fire that is coming out for just $200 but with a smaller screen and just 8 GB of memory.  Listen again...just 8 GIGABYTES of memory. 

Go back to when we were in a space race.  Our brilliant minds in this country used slide rules and their mind.  Nowhere did they stop and say they could not do something or could not get by without bigger slide rules or slide rules with bigger numbers let alone calculators and 1/2" thick computers with Gigabytes of memory.  No, they used the technology they had and made amazing things happen around them day after day. 

In my case, I am consumed with possibly waiting for the 2nd generation Kindle fire to come out that will most likely have a bigger screen and 16 GB of memory.  We are just not willing to get by with what is available apparently.

I think we can take the same analogy to healthy living and eating.  Sometimes when we do not have the best food available or access to a top notch gym or even any gym, we just cannot make it happen.  We are tied mentally to looking for that easier way to do it when a simple 'slide rule' will do.  Unfortunately, there are wolves lurking on every TV station to sell you today's version of the Thigh Master or .  They know what your mindset is!  You have EVERYTHING you need to do whatever those gimmick items suggest they can do for you within your house already but it looks easier.  It looks like you can have more success if you buy it, right?

Tomorrow, take what tools you have for dinner and for exercise and make them work.  Don't wait until you have the perfect tool set to take your next step.  Don't assume you need the gym.  Make a slide-rule change tomorrow because what you have is exactly enough to do what you need to do tomorrow. 

Finding a New Way to Think or React

An interesting theme has developed with my day today. First, I was reading an article in the NY Times while my flight was boarding and landed on a business article about a guy named Dan Schneider, founder of SIB. He is a high school dropout that founded his first business when he was 16 and had his first store at 18. Since then, he has built other companies which brings me to his most recent. What the company is does not matter. He has some work practices that I find absolutely excellent.
1) Unless it is a dire emergency, nobody is allowed to bring bad news to him after 3 PM. It provokes a culture where people are motivated to leave good situations to share at the end of the day which is what will be on your mind when you go home to your family and friends.

2) When someone makes a mistake that costs them time or money, rather than rant, rave and swear (like he said he used to), he makes that person go buy everyone ice cream complete with toppings which they all sit around and eat as a team. Like he describes, "Even when a little league team loses, they get ice cream!" It changes the culture about how we handle mistakes and ties a positive to it. He said errors have dropped significantly which is the desired outcome. They have only had ice cream 3 or 4 times since the first time.

3) Lastly, he handles employee retention by rewarding employees that stay 5 years with $50,000 and again after each additional 5 years! WOW! This keeps retraining costs down as well as a positive motivation to keep employees engaged, doing their best job they can. In my line of work, ramping up new employees is difficult and then when they bolt after 1-2 years, you really lose more money and productivity than a company realizes.

Then, I jumped on the Gogo Inflight and saw that my buddy Jeff Ford posted a new blog about one of his recent half marathons. He talked about running with the outright women's champion and her awesome sportsmanship. I'd tell you about it but I think you should read it for yourself by following this link!

While I spent 4 weeks at Hilton Head Health, the piece of the journey that I did not expect was the 'SELF' piece. We respond to the condition of our mind. If our mind is not in a good place, we will have a tendency to treat ourselves or others near us poorly. Positivity counts. Find a new way of thinking like the examples above. It will pay back to you ten-fold. Wellness is a multi-faceted task to embrace!

How will you change the way you think or react starting today?

Beginning My Next Chapter

Since finding my way to Hilton Head Health in April, my life has not been better.  It was the beginning of this incredible journey towards personal wellness.  We will call that chapter 1.  My stay of 28 days at H3 was great and was very difficult to leave.  I wondered how great it would have been to have been able to do a stay of 3 months or even 6 months as others have done.  My success at home was just as great despite not being able to do it in a 'bubble' having classes with Jeff, Bob, Amber, Karla, Louise and others. 

My leaving H3 had 2 key goals for the upcoming months. 
1) No more use of a seatbelt extender on ANY airplane.    I still carry the old extender with...more as a reminder of where I was.
2) Return to H3 to run Devin's Dash on 10/8/11 without walking   Not only did I complete this but I did one on September 17th in Minneapolis.  Placing 2nd in my age group at H3 was so uplifting and will push me to do more races and get faster! 

Now with the goals met, it is time to start the next chapter in this journey.  I have not yet decided on the goals which surprisingly is the most difficult thing for me to do.  Keep in mind that the goals are behavior or activity based and not based on a number such as pounds lost or size clothing to be in.  The weight lost and clothing changes are just the beautiful by-product of reaching for the behavior goals.

I know that my future goals will include involving others at work and my great friends that I met at H3, especially those that were on the TV show filmed there, HEAVY. 

As I returned to H3 this week, I realized how many people are reading this blog or have watched my now very old H3 testimonial video on YouTube.  I felt like a celebrity!  A big thanks to Jeff for talking me up and using me as an example.  I am so glad that Jeff is my at home coach.  I want to thank everyone at H3, at work, in my hometown and my family for the support. 

You all inspire me to continue this trek!

9-28-11 Red Road Rush Hour Rage by orr333 at Garmin Connect - Details

9-28-11 Red Road Rush Hour Rage by orr333 at Garmin Connect - Details

Testing the autopost feature from my Garmin Connect to my blog. This is my ride today in Miramar. Ended up missing a turn onto 37th and had to ride the very busy Red Road for a while in rush hour. A little scary for a small town Wisconsin Boy like me! Times are bad because of too many streets to cross. I most likely will not ride this route again.

Find A Way To Stay Inspired

Since my visit to Hilton Head Health, I have not had much of a problem staying motivated.  I have had terrific success in weight loss now over 100 pounds.  I can honestly say that most of that can be accounted for by my steadfast focus on what I eat.  Bob tells us that it is 80% diet but I did not believe it was so true.  Truth is, I have had patterns of good weeks and bad when it comes to working out.  My travel schedule has been crazy and the hotel I stay at has really bad treadmills.  I now have a bike in Florida so that will certainly help me get more workouts in. 

For you, it may be that you have lost the inspiration you need to push through a workout or even start one.  Last week before my first ever 5K, I purchased a Garmin GPS Watch.(Garmin 405CX).  Since my purchase, I have used it on the race and 2 bike rides here in Florida. 

For those that do not know me, I am a geek.  Specifically, I am a data geek.....and I love toys.  This is the coolest thing!  It tracks your route, speed and split times between miles.  I have not used the heartrate monitor yet, but am excited to add that component to it so I can not only see my speed, pace and elevation changes over time but my heartrate as well.

If you go to this link, you can see my bike ride from this morning.  This link goes to my first ever 5K. 

I have had a few rides/workouts when I was just struggling to keep the pace or intensity.  This has given me that added new inspiration to push through.  Go fast.  Work a little harder.  I don't want to look at those stats later on and see proof that I was dogging it!  Maybe that is just my competetive nature mixed with a little OCD. 

Whatever it takes, mix it up and find the tools or methods that make you push it and keep the inspiration!  Do this whether you are fit and staying that way, or on a journey like me. 

Confronting A Problem

So many people face challenges with addiction today. Whether that addiction is substance or if that addiction is food, there comes a time when you have to own up to why you are where you are. I think back to some of the reasons I used to give for my weight gain.

“We were poor and I worked 3 jobs.”

“Money is tight so we have to buy cheap foods which are unhealthy.”

“My work is crazy and I have to eat out all of the time.”

“I don’t have time to work out.”

I used to say all of these things. Never did I admit to anyone that I would binge after going through one or sometimes even 2 different drive thrus! There were times that I could not decide what I wanted to eat so I would just visit both! Sometimes, I literally would realize how embarrassing it was to order that much food for one person and therefore would split it between 2 stops. I even ordered 2 drinks a few times to make it look like I was bringing it home to someone else. I even reached the point in early 2011 where I would rush out of work too late to get home for dinner but early enough to make a Chinese buffet or Old Country Buffet before they closed. Restaurants were chosen based on my knowledge that I would leave – not full – but completely stuffed. I knew who had the biggest portions!

WARNING:  Prepare to wince and groan….I decided to add up a few usual stops for me at fast food restaurants. Note – I always would have diet soda (to offset of course) so no need to add into the calories.

• McDonald’s. One of my favorite combinations was a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese combo which is 740 calories for the burger, 380 for fries (1120 total). But the meal would not stop there. With this, I’d probably get a filet of fish a well for 380 more. Meal total: 1500 calories.
• Another order at McD’s was to ‘downsize’ my combo to the Big Mac. Then I’d have to add 2 additional sandwiches. Big Mac (540), fries (380), filet of fish (380) and topped off with a Mc Chicken (360). Total: 1,660.
• How about breakfast at McD’s (sometimes in the same day as one of the dinners or lunches above). Steak, Egg and Cheese bagel (710), hash brown (150), 2 sausage burritos (600), large OJ (280). Total: 1,740 (that is a half of pound of weight for those playing at home)
• Let’s change it up to Taco Bell. I have some favorites there such as a Grilled Stuft Burrito (880), 7 layer burrito (500), 2 hardshell supremes (400). Total: 1,780.
• I could come up with 15 combos at taco bell – but let’s do one more: Two ½ pound cheesy potato burritos (1,090), volcano burrito (780), crunchwrap supreme (540), cheesy fiesta potatoes (270). Total (OMG….2,680).
• Let’s try Taco John’s: 1 meat and potato burrito (520), small potato ole (480) 2 beefy burritos (880), 2 crispy tacos (340). Total: 2,220.
• One more Taco John’s: 2 beefy burritos (880), 2 crispy tacos (340), regular super potato ole (1,090!). Total: 2,310
• Burger King: Double Whopper with cheese (950), chicken sandwich with heavy mayo (850) and 1 double cheeseburger (450). Total: 2,250.
• How about a sit down restaurant? Applebee’s (which incidentally is one of my favorites now for LOW calories meals). I used to get wings (710) and riblets platter (1,820). Total: 2,530.

I have not even started with the list I could create. What about business trips where there were fast food places that I cannot get at home? All the more reason to binge to try everything! I have not covered White Castle, Sonic or Wendy’s.

I realize that everyone with weight problems did not do this to themselves like I did. Chances are that except in rare cases, there was some reason a person gained so much weight like me. I get it….it is an addiction. It is also a beatable addiction. I crave these foods frequently. Just typing them out makes me salivate. Seeing the numbers also convinces me that I do not need it and I know I can live without it. In fact, I feel better than I ever did when I was eating like that on a daily basis.

It will be hard for me to press ‘PUBLISH POST’ on this. As I read it, it is utterly embarrassing how I treated myself. This will get posted though because I have found that talking about my past behaviors and writing about them is therapeutic. I have nothing to hide. The past is just that. I have today to deal with and will look forward to tomorrow. You can do the same!

"5 Reasons Why Flavored Milk Matters" Propaganda....

Today at the Minnesota State Fair, we made an annual stop at the "All You Can Drink Milk" booth.  This is a popular booth at the fair with roughly 15 lines of people minimally 10-15 people deep at all times.  Most people are toting buckets of Sweet Martha's Chocolate Chip Cookies.  For $1, you can have all the milk, white or chocolate that you can handle.  With Jacob having been part calf most of his life and being a non soda drinker, this is his Mecca. 

People Lined Up For AYCD Milk!

This year was the first time that I found propaganda in their space.  Without question, the pressures being put on schools by people like Jamie Oliver as I talked about in this post are causing more than just regional impact on how people are thinking differently.  I picked up a flyer titled "5 Reasons Flavored Milk Matters".  Let's review them from a counterpoint perspective and see if they really have 5 valid points.

1. Nine Essential Nutients - It says right on the flyer that flavored milk has the same nine essential nutrients as white milk.   So if it is the same, what is the gain here?  No point.
2. Kids Love The Taste - Seriously?  Kids love chocolate?  I would never have guessed.  Next they will start publishing studies that if given a choice, kids will choose cookies over fruits and veggies!  No point.
3. Helps Kids Get 3 Servings A Day - Like #1, no different than white milk.  No point.
4. Better Diet Quality -  Kids that drink flavored milk meet more of their nutrient needs; do not consume more added sugar, fat or calories; and are not heavier than non-milk drinkers.  This makes me want to scream!  Flavored milk contains 10g added sugar than white milk for a 1/2 pint.  That already disqualifies this.  Also, to compare the weight of flavored milk drinkers to non-milk drinkers in terms of weight, etc is a farse!  Milk drinkers or not, kids are eating junk everywhere so you are comparing 2 like groups!  ABSOLUTELY NO POINT!
5. Top Choice In Schools - Low Fat chocolate milk is the most popular choice in schools, and kids drink less milk, and get fewer nutrients, if it's taken away.  This is just a restated version of #2.  Of course kids will choose chocolate over white!  Maybe if the schools served up better food overall, those that dislike white milk won't be missing out so much.  There is more than 1 way to get these essential nutients aside from milk without caving in with flavored milk every day.  No point!

This all comes to you courtesy of the Midwest Dairy Association.  A member of our community wellness group made a comment in a meeting that she did not feel flavored milk was the enemy.  Maybe not completely but in the state of things with how our children eat, let's get balance back before we make that call.  This could be the first generation of kids that do not outlive their parents in life expectancy.  This is from a plethora of causes but right now we need big changes across the board.  Yes, that includes removal of flavored milk.

If Jake wanted chocolate today (they were sold out), would I have said no?  Absolutely not.  This was the fair - a treat - a diversion from everyday life.  That is what eating outside of the norms should be based on.  Every day in school is a completely different story and why we as a country are so overweight.  We have lost that sense of what a treat is.  Our 90/10 split is more like 99/1 but in the wrong direction. 

When You Really Think About It...

I was watching a special on one of the CNN channels the other day.  They were talking about a doctor that is pitching a staunch vegetarian diet to prevent future heart attacks in people having had one or more.  He also was pitching it to have shown that people with artery calcification actually having it reduced or removed by following his plan. 

I do not foresee myself going that far but knowing how I have changed my diet and life and how much better I feel, I do believe what he is saying.  Even looking at former President Clinton you can see how much better he looks and feels by now following such a strict plant based diet.

He said something that caught my ear and I wrote it down.

"Heart disease could be as rare as malaria if we only put into practice what we already know."

If there was suddenly an outbreak of malaria in the US, we'd be nuts yet heart disease fueled by poor diet and obesity does not seem to have us up in arms.  If malaria was present, we'd be demanding that somebody or some government body protect us! 

When you really think about it....we should be up in arms about the trend in our country.  I do not want you to think that I believe the government is the answer or needs to be the source of the solution.  The solution exists.  We just need to act on it.

When you really think about it, even at my company where we are perpetually the biggest fundraisers for the Alzheimer's Association in the Twin Cities, the cost of Alzheimer's pales in comparison to obesity.  Disclaimer:  I am not against the Alzheimer's Association at all and believe companies like ours SHOULD support it.  As I think about the numbers that our fundraising team posted on the wall about the cost of Alzheimer's,  it is staggering.  Now imagine that number being tiny in comparison to the cost of obesity and all of the co-morbidities because it is tiny in comparison! 

When you really think about it....this quote really sums it up.  We can help ourselves not just with heart health but complete wellness.  The tools exist now.  Just implement them into your life!

Little of This, Little of That...

As I get to know more people in our Florida office, the more I like it down here.  The people in our office are SO warm and friendly.  I want to welcome a couple of ladies from the Florida office to the Orracle pages!  I am excited to share ideas and maybe start some walking groups down in that office. 

A word on WHACK.... It looks to be spreading again!  It is like Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution except just WHACK!  HA!  I love it when someone tries it and they say how much they love it.  Better yet is when they say how good they felt that day and how they were not hungry.  That is the beauty of Breakfast Whack.  I literally don't leave home without it.
One thing that I was thinking about this week was how we are truly products of our environment and while we cannot control every aspect of our environment, we can avoid putting ourselves in situations that may become higher risk depending on who you are and what your vices are.  If you take the steps necessary to control the situations you are in, you stand a much better chance of succeeding and meeting any goals you are trying to reach. 

I also wanted to put a link to a great post by Bob Wright on the H3 blog related to the newest fad diet, the HCG diet.  In South Florida, I have seen ads on TV for this and even had a conversation with a server at Red Lobster about it.  At the risk of restating Bob's thoughts - I'll give you my perspective....

When I first heard of this, my first thoughts were related to the calorie restrictions.  First of all, are you losing weight rapidly because of the drug or because of the calorie restrictions?  Secondly, if this diet is so amazing, why do you have to restrict your intake so much?  Lastly, what is their suggested plan for when you finish the 500 calorie regiment?  My hunch is that you will go back to what you were doing before. 

Now, even eating healthy, I could restrict myself to 500 calories.  The truth is, I am not on a diet.  I am living this way.  There will be a day when I stop losing weight but continue to eat this way.  It does seem simple when I think about it but before my eye-opening, life changing experience at H3, I like so many others just did not see this simple solution.  We are blinded by the thousands of diets, books and TV shows with every other concoction for weight loss success when in reality they are just short term fixes and usually very restrictive.

Have a great weekend everyone!  Keep thinking wellness and keep living well!

A New Favorite Restaurant!

I remembered Bob Wright from Hilton Head Health talking about a great place to eat where everything on the menu was low calorie and made from real, healthy ingredients.  I realized that place was Seasons 52 and they are all over South Florida where I have been spending much of my time.  I was alone for dinner tonight and headed that way. 

I liked the short but diverse menu.  Every item is under 475 calories.  I asked about the appetizers also and they also are all under 475 calories.  Not wanting to eat 2 items at 475, I asked for specifics.  Not only were specifics available, but they had the numbers for calories, fat and cholesterol!  WOW!  I knew I wanted the Snapper Piperade which is mentioned in this article.  I was curious about the Chipotle Glazed Shrimp or the Buffalo Chili for an appetizer.  The shrimp was 270 calories and the chili was 210 or 260 depending on the size ordered.  I went for the chili which was possibly the most amazing thing I have tasted in ages!  WOW!  The waiter told me that the secret ingredient was Guinness. 

The Snapper Piperade was 380 calories and served over a stack of marinated jicama, black beans, thin and crispy green beans and shredded red and yellow bell peppers. 

If more people could taste this food, I think they would realize how GOOD this food can taste without blowing your budget on calories.  Why do the Cheesecake Factory?  Why do that to yourself when such amazing flavors and combinations await somewhere else?

Bob was (W)right again!  This place is the real deal!  I cannot wait to go back.

How Changing Habits Can Change How You Are Influenced

As I flew back down to Fort Lauderdale this week, I checked my phone in Cincinnati to see if I could get a status of Jeff Ford's Timerman Half Ironman effort.  I was happy to see that my ancient Blackberry was able to interpret the website and had status of the 1.2 mile swim and the 56 mile bike.  Jeff was killing it.  On the bike, he had a negative split with the 2nd half coming quicker than the first.  I thought about him and his determination to keep pushing through such a gruelling course as he transitioned into the half marathon at the end. 

As I thought about this, it made me think about how I view a race such as the Timberman now vs. how I might have viewed it prior to my visit to Hilton Head Health.  The truth is, in the past, races like this, a sprint triathlon or even a 5K would not have crossed my mind and I certainly would not have had anyone to look up.  This is mostly because I was not surrounding myself with people like Jeff.  Even people I knew before such as a colleague in Richmond, VA that runs frequently and has run several races would not have discussed this with me in the past.  What I realized was that my changed habits and new motivations have changed the people I surround myself with as well as the context of some of the discussion.  It opens a new window to what is happening around me.  This is not to say that existing friends and co-workers are any less important because they absolutely are not. 

It makes me so proud to have selected Jeff to be my @home coach when I left H3i.  I appreciate his level of effort to accomplish intense races like the one he did today finishing 18th in his division and 255th overall which included a large list of professional triathletes.  Most of all, I enjoy having something new to anticipate and follow!

If you are an athlete or aspiring to be one like me, you might also want to check out Jeff's blog that chronicles his quest to compete in the Kona Ironman and discusses the importance of Crossfit Training.  Check it out!!

Delta Forces Man To Survive On Pretzels!

Today as I flew home from Richmond, VA, I had a very early flight and a short leg to Atlanta.  I had a moderate layover but found very little decent, healthy food to eat in the terminal where I was waiting.  I had checked my itinerary knowing that I was sitting in first to see if the longer ATL-MSP flight had food.  It declared that lunch would be served.  Knowing this, I decided to just wait for the flight and live on the banana I had on the first leg. 

Once airborne, the FA came by with the usual peanuts, pretzels, twix, cookies and Sun Chips.  I held off awaiting the choice of salad or sandwich.  She never came back. 

I used the lavatory and asked if lunch would be served and was shot down!  OH NO!  I am starving! 

To hold me over, I had enough pretzels (45 cals per baggie) and peanuts (60 cals per tiny baggie) to get me through to MSP. 

While I did not blow my calories out the door by just eating whatever she had in the goodie box, I sure did not get much.  It reinforced to me that I should always double check with the gate agent first of all and secondly, that good food for the same calories is always a better choice.  Whether it is between a bunch of peanuts and pretzels and a salad or between a quota of calories in fast food vs. a meal of filling food that prevents you from being hungry and at risk for a slip, picking the better or BEST is always the way to go!

Finding Something Normal

The last four weeks for The Orracle have been kind of crazy. As I look back, my schedule has looked something like below (hang in there through the list - the point of the post is down there somewhere).

• Sunday July 10 - Fly to Fort Lauderdale -work there all week


• Saturday July 16 - Fly back home with one week at home planned and then back on the road


• Friday, July 22 - my Father in Law, Dan passes away


• Friday, July 22 - still have to DJ a wedding after such a bad day. Do this with Ashlie since Jess needs to go up to Duluth


• Take care of 'home' while Jess is in Duluth. Friday, July 29 is the funeral in Duluth


• Saturday, July 30 - DJ in the farthest reaches of Northern Wisconsin - work around funeral by staying up north, bringing kids to wedding.

NOW IT STARTS TO REALLY GET FUN!

• Leave the wedding at 1:35 AM to drive home - arrive in New Richmond at 4:15 AM, unload truck, shower, pack remaining toiletries in my bag and head to airport. Fly to Fort Lauderdale on the early flight via Cincinnatti on July 31.


• 
  
  Work all week and fly home on Friday, August 5.


• 
  
  Saturday, August 6 DJ another wedding. Get home in the wee hours of the morning. Actually SLEEP this time for 2-3 hours and then get up to head back to the airport.


• 
  
  Sunday, August 7 - morning flight to Fort Lauderdale - stay there all week and fly home Saturday, August 13.

YOU HAVE REACHED THE PRESENT TIME

• Monday, August 15 - actually go to the office here for 1/2 day, then flying to Richmond, VA.


• Thursday, August 18, 6 AM flight to MSP via ATL. Back in the home office by 1 PM.


• Friday, August 19 - meeting with a company in Minneapolis


• Saturday, August 20 -another wedding! This one is in New Richmond thank goodness!


• Sunday, August 21- Friday, August 26 - back in Fort Lauderdale


• Sunday, August 28 - Friday, September 2 - back in Fort Lauderdale

If you look at this schedule, throw in a family death and all of the travel, you can see how personal events and a train wreck of a personal work/life schedule can put fitness and wellness on the back burner. The truth of the matter is that fitness and especially healthy eating is the one thing you can actually have some control over. This needs to be the one piece of 'normal' in your life. Let the the variable pieces do what they will. Know where the places where you might be in a tough spot with food and plan ahead if necessary. Find the 20 minutes needed for a good thermal walk at a minimum which is also a great time to clear your head of the other turbulence. If you can squeeze in a workout, better yet. Knowing you have maintained a healthy eating regiment through this is the piece of sanity that you can lean on and be proud of your strength to get through anything. I owe some thanks to my Wellness Coach, Jeff Ford also because he gives me that outlet to give up my thoughts and also something to look forward to. Do I want to let him down? No way!

So many of my friends at Hilton Head Health incurred weight gain because of taking care of a loved one or because of a death (and me also going back to 1991 when my mother passed) . These are the hardest times for us as loving, caring people but I wonder how we might cope differently if eating and wellness was not the first thing we chucked to the side of the road. We all know how much better we feel when we eat well and I think that might be true of our strength and emotions as well. Let the good food and fitness be our outlet. Don't cave in to the what we call comfort foods and fast food because it just plays a bigger role in bringing us down.

Wellness is the one thing you can do anywhere and any time. Like the song says, "Let The Rest Of The World Go By".