Same Life:New Journey:Weight Loss Again.

 What have I done with my life over the last few years?  What will my life become in the next few years?  I have managed to work my way up to the heaviest I have ever been.  I have also realized that if I keep going the way I am going, my life will probably be shorter than I really want.  What am I going to do about this, dilemma?

The year is 2020, the year of Covid-19.  This so called Pandemic, has the world by the balls.  It seems as if the majority of the population is scared to go outside their tiny little safe havens.  I for one, feel that it is time to get this body back to what it was.  The closing of the gyms managed to get me depressed and just add on pounds.  So, now what?  

Let me start at the beginning of this journey.  It started back in August, I did a video weigh-in for a biggest loser contest on Facebook.  I started out at 337.6, yep you read the correctly.  The heaviest I have been in my life.  Kinda got me down, but at the same time got me motivated.  I bought a bike/elliptical combo from Amazon.  Cost was low, and its a great piece of equipment.  

Oops, weigh in day came pretty quick.  I stepped back on the scale one week later, 333.4.  Down about four pounds.  Nice start, but not really where I was hoping I would be.  I knew I could do better, but my eating just stayed the same, in fact the 2nd weigh in was only down 329.6.  Again, a few pounds down but it could be better.  Time to buckle down and get this figured out, need to get this eating under control.  Need to find the motivation to start working out.  

I figured it was time to put up or shut up.  I bought a bowflex off a co-worker.  Time to get serious.  My last weigh in was around 327, even though all these weigh in were down, I knew that I needed to get serious.  It was time to buckle down and get the eating under control.  Now with the ability to resistance train and cardio, I am ready to conquer life and live my happy life starting now. 

Remember this blog, or follow me and watch my progress.  Photos and updates posted every couple days..

Bringing the Blog Back To Life: Gotta Shed Those Pounds

Trying to eat clean is never easy.  Especially when your used to eating fat and dirty.  Pictured to the left you see a chicken breasts cooking with potatoes.  Of course this sounds bad, but its in olive oil.

Of course I also cook with unsalted butter.  Why?  I say that you need fat in your diet.  Without some of this delicious nastiness, your body wont progress the way you want it. I have dropped my body fat content down from 37% to 35% eating butter and cardio.

Now that I have resurrected this blog from its dormancy, I will be posting at least twice weekly.  I cant wait to show you all my progress over the next few weeks/months.  I will be including videos and pictures along the way.

Stay tuned for cooking with butter blog.

Personal Trainer: Two Months out of Tough Mudder

Today I had a visit with a personal trainer.  I realized that I have to get ready for the Tough Mudder.  It is coming up quick.  First many of you are probably wondering how the Biggest Loser Competition turned out.  Well, I took first place.  It was not easy, in fact I had many days that I realized that I was not eating right.  I was tired and getting drained quick.  Ill get into that a bit more later.  

I have decided to get ready for the Mudder coming up in August.  It is in Andover New York.  I am really excited about this.  Here is what I will be doing over the next few days.


#1 Warm up.  5 minutes on the treadmill 5 minutes with battle ropes



#2  10 different nautilus machines/1 rep each.  5X in less than an hour.  Not much break in between each machine.  Just long enough to wipe it down after each use.


#3  5 minutes rope 5 minutes treadmill 5 minutes elliptical

Im doing the above workout over the next 3 days. 

Im going to get started tonight. 

Really excited about the gains and changes Im making in my life.

Well until next time. 

Go bills!

Visit my trainers site  Bodies By Motivation

7 Tips on Beating The Weight Loss Plateau

Are you stepping on a scale?  Have you seen it not move for a couple weeks in a row?  This is where most people decide to give up.  If your really serious about losing weight then you need to break through the barrier and get that scale moving down again.  Here are  7 tips on beating the dreaded weight loss plateau.

Weight Loss Tip #1

Do not skip any meals.  If you skip a meal your body will start to compensate.  You need to keep your metabolism going by feeding it.  Remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  By eating a breakfast high in fiber and protein, you will stay full longer and in the long run feel better.

Weight Loss Tip #2

Drink plenty of water.  You need to stay hydrated to keep the full feeling.  Water of course will keep you hydrated and keep that feeling of being full.  With that you also eat less.

Weight Loss Tip #3

If the scale refuses to budge, then consider lowering your calorie intake.  Everyone know that weight loss is a simple equation.  Calories in must be less than calories out.  When you reach a point where the scale does not budge, then one of the easiest ways is to lower your calorie intake.

Weight Loss Tip #4

This goes along with weight loss tip #3.   Burn more calories.  This does not necessary mean that you need to spend more time in the gym.  It does however mean that you need to get up and move.  Even a short 10 minute walk after breakfast or lunch.  Just get moving and get that heart pumping.

Weight Loss Tip #5

Try the Apple Cider Vinegar trick.  Well its not really a trick, but a proven method to help your body burn fat and curb hunger cravings.  ACV also helps regulate blood sugar levels and your blood pressure.  My favorite recipe is 2 tablespoons of ACV with a dash of Cayenne Pepper, 4 oz of water and a bit of organic honey to sweeten.

Weight Loss Tip #6 

Counting calories is something that most on a diet dread.  There are many apps out there that will help you with this and keep you on the right track.  How are you supposed know what you eat, if you don't know what you eat, then you will never know what your calories are.  Keeping a food journal is a great way to break the plateau.

Weight Loss Tip #7

The best and most important tip is saved for last.  Do not give up.  Failure is on achieved by those that give up.  Keep going and stay on the right path.  If you falter, then get back on the path with the food plan after a bad weekend.

Diets are always a sure fire way to fail.  In order to succeed at losing weight then you need to consider this a change of life.  This is because most diets are designed to remove a certain item from your life in order to achieve a certain goal.  The problem here is that our bodies will start to crave this item.  When this happens your more than likely to give in and start to fail.  If you are taking in the right amount of nutrients then your body will be full, even if your calorie intake is low.  Eat meals that are high in nutrients and low calorie like whole fruits and vegetables.  As always we welcome comments and tips. 

You Can't Out Train a Bad Diet

Getting fit is not as easy as it sounds.  There are plenty of reasons that people come up with for not succeeding.  At the same time there are many reasons to keep going.  After 2 months into this change of life that I am currently undergoing.  I have come to learn many things.  The most important one is that you can not out train a bad diet.

A bad diet is what is holding many back.  I for one am still fighting this issue.  I will eat great for most of the week, then the weekend comes.  It just so happens that I have found it difficult to keep the diet in check during the last 2 or 3 days of the week.  Why is this? 

The weekend is a time for cookouts, going out and eating at restaurants.  This post is about keeping your diet in check during the hard times.  Motivation is what many of us need.  Motivation Monday is all about starting the week out right and keeping your focus all week long.  How can we do this.  I go back to what my cousins told me two months ago.  If you can get up and go to the gym each day for 2 weeks, it will become habit.  I can tell you from my personal experience that this statement is true.  In fact if I don't go, I actually start to feel guilty that I cheated myself. 

What can I eat on Mondays to kick start my diet after a bad weekend? 

There are many so called experts that will try to sell you on a few things.  They will say things like go on a juice cleanse or low carb meals, some may even tell you to skip a meal or two.  All these things are pit falls that you need to avoid.  Never, ever skip a meal especially breakfast.

Breakfast

This is the most important meal of the day.  That saying is something you have heard over and over again.  It just so happens to be the most important statement ever when it comes to dieting.  I like to start my week with 2 eggs scrambled or poached on a bed of baby spinach.  Saute the spinach in olive oil and garlic.  If you feel that you need a little meat in your meal, add a couple links of Turkey Sausage.

Lunch

Stick to protein and leaves.  I know it sounds like your about to eat a meal fit for rabbits.  Here you can try a 4oz Chicken Breast grilled with some baby spinach and kale.  Or add in some broccoli for a great source of fiber.

Dinner

Brown rice and Salmon are on the menu here.  You need a great source of fiber and protein to round out the day.  Remember its about getting back on track after a weekend of indulging.

A few other pointers before closing.

Remember to drink plenty of water.  You need to drink a minimum of one gallon of water each day.  This may sound like a lot and it is, especially starting out.  Its not going to be easy, but nothing worth having comes easy.  You need to work at it and keep working.  You don't want to lose all the great results that you have achieved.  If you have any great fitness or diet tips please leave them in the comments below.

   

How To Grow A Scoby

Have you tried the brew called Kombucha?  If you are one of the lucky many then your answer should be yes.  If not, then you need to try it now, because if your anything like me, your going to be hooked.  If you have, then you realize the cost of this tea is huge.  One of the best ways that I have found to save money is to brew your very own Kombucha.  

How to Brew Your Very Own Kombucha

First your going to have to obtain a SCOBY.  What exactly is that?  Well its a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast.  It is the only secret ingredient that is needed when brewing your own fermented tea.  Below you will see exactly how to grow your own SCOBY. 

1.  First your going to have to buy a bottle of Kombucha.  I use GTs Original.  It is unflavored and unfiltered.  Not to mention that it is pure love. 

2.  Drink half the jar.  Nice little perk added here.

3.  Brew some green or black tea.  Remember that you need to get caffeinated.  Use about 8 regular size tea bags for each 2 cups of water.

4.  After water starts to boil, remove from heat.  Allow the tea to steep for about 30 minutes.  At this point your going to want to add about 1/2 cup of Organic Sugar.  Adding the sugar while hot, will help it dissolve. .

5.  Allow the tea to cool to room temperature.  This takes about an hour or so. 

6.  Mix the remainder of the GTs Original Kombucha that you bought with the tea you just made. 

7.  Pour the mixture into a glass jar.  A quart size Mason Jar works just great.  Then cover the jar with a coffee filter and hold it in place with the screw on ring that came with the Mason Jar.

8.  Place jar in a spot that it will not be disturbed and is out of direct sun light. 

The process takes about 14 to 21 days.  So, remember that you have to be patient.  Soon you will be the proud owner and grower of your very own SCOBY. 

Below you will see a couple pictures of the SCOBY I just grew.

Just a couple of photos of my very own Scoby.  I grew it, it took about 21 days from start to finish.  Now its time to start a brew of green tea Kombucha.

My First Batch Of Kombucha

I just finished my first home brew of Kombucha.  Now its getting close to time to bottle it up.  If you came here looking for instructions for brewing this great tasting and healthy tea.  Then you came to the right place.  The is my first batch.  It just finished fermentation of 10 days.  Now its just about time to start bottling it up and letting it sit for a few more days to naturally carbonate.

Cant wait to start drinking this great stuff.

Click Here to learn how to make your own Kombucha!!!!

If your in the Rochester New York area, check out Fairport Brewery for some great tasting microbrewed Kombucha.

My First Brew of Kombucha