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The Miss Black USA Pageant celebrates being smart in body, mind and spirit. So it's only fitting that this year's delegates have joined The Challenge.
The delegate who collects the most support from her state will win a $5,000 scholarship!
Visit the special profile page for your state's delegate and show your support.
To my fellow Challengers:
It excites me to see that so many of us are on this journey together. After reading so many inspirational stories, it’s my turn to step up and share mine.
As a long-time volunteer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), I know that being overweight increases the chances of being diagnosed with cancer, heart disease and diabetes. In my volunteer role with the ACS, I am privileged to travel to locations around the country talking with fellow volunteers about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. The short version of the message we share for prevention and early detection is eat healthy, be active, and follow the guidelines for preventative screenings.
Imagine you are one of the volunteers I am talking to and you look at me and see that I am 130 pounds overweight. How believable is that?? So much for practicing what I preach!
I am passionate about the work that I do for the ACS. Those of you reading this who volunteer in your communities know exactly how I feel. I don’t mean to dwell on my work with the ACS, but a new initiative introduced in 2007 is what finally got me here to the Challenge.
When “Fight Back” was introduced, we were charged with making a change to save one person’s life. The life I was committed to saving was my own. I signed the form with my pledge and went back home. I’m a procrastinator. I didn’t take action right away. I don’t know what I was waiting for.
Fortunately, the 50 Million Pound Challenge was introduced at our company and I was ready.
And am I glad I did! During my journey, I’ve done things I never could have imagined doing even one year ago. At 48, I am proud to say I am a triathlete. I completed two triathlons last summer and have signed up for two more this year. I am an Ironman wannabe and hope to complete my first one in honor of my 50th birthday. (Yes, my 20-something children think I’m having a midlife crisis!)
I feel great. I love being a Challenge team leader. It’s a bit humbling that my success has helped inspire others to begin their own journey. Right now, I have convinced 30 coworkers to “just say no” to the elevator and escalator and take the stairs. This group logged over 50,000 stairs last week alone!! Watching their excitement inspires me!
Having said all of that, I will be honest. It hasn’t always been easy. In the middle of last year after I had lost 50 pounds, I lost my focus and gained back nearly 20 pounds of what I had lost. (Happily, I’m almost back to the 50 pound mark again. YEA!)
My family and friends are a great support system. I love that my older son is my strongest advocate and supporter. Don’t tell him but I’m hoping to run a marathon with him soon.
What am I doing to keep on track? I had been a “Fat Smasher” but now am following the 4-Day Diet. Portion control has always been my biggest challenge. I learned a tip last year that has been a great help. I call it “2 cup, 1 cup”. Basically, I keep my food to two cups for each meal and 1 cup for each snack. (I do measure most things but I’m not totally crazy. For items like a piece of fruit, I just count that as a cup.) I know it doesn’t sound like much. Check it out. Two cups of food is really a good amount.
I journal. I had planned to use my journal to track my food and exercise but what I’ve discovered is that I use it more to plan my day. I spend a few minutes each evening to plan my food and exercise for the following day. When I deviate from my plan, I make a note. That helps me keep on track and if I don’t have the weight loss I expected, I can probably determine why by reviewing my journal.
I try to be active whenever I can. I’m following a training plan I found on the internet to get me ready for my upcoming triathlons. (The internet is a great resource!) Something simple that I believe makes a big difference is adding steps during my work day. I’ve gone “stair crazy”. I skip the elevators and escalators and only take the steps. (I even park at the top of the parking deck to make sure I get in a few more!) And, I schedule meetings away from my work area.
If I have any words of wisdom to share with you it would be these: Don’t give up. I know you can do it. Enjoy everything that this journey has to offer.
Getting to the point when you know you’re full and then you actually push back from the table can be difficult. You may be surprised to find out there are other reasons for overeating other than just fact that food is so good.
According to TIME magazine, our brain is wired in such a complex manner that certain variables can trick it into thinking we're hungry when we're not.
TIME reveals seven variables that can sometimes hinder our ability to make good decisions when it comes to food. Read more about “What Makes You Eat More Food” in this photogallery from TIME magazine. Then come back and post a comment telling us what you think.
I have been battling my weight for most of my adult life. About 10 years ago I had reached 337 pounds and at that point I realized I needed to make a change in my life. With cutting my portion sizes in half and lots of exercise I got my weight done to 262 pounds. After several changes in my life including marrying the most wonderful women in the world and relocating to Columbia, South Carolina, by July of 2007 my weight had gotten back up to about 294 lbs.
It was at this point I just got sick and tired of the weight, so I decided to make a change in my life. This was when my wife and I went out and purchase the Dr. Ian book "The Fat Smash Diet". After my wife and I read the book, we both decided to follow the program in the book. In addition, I decided to join the 50 Million Challenge and I set a goal weight of 250 lbs. I continued to workout at my local fitness center increasing my workout days to 6-7 days without using a personal trainer. Since following the plan in the book, I am at a weight of 194 lbs. I never dreamed that I be this size. I use to wear a 46 pants size, but today I am wearing a 36 size. I am thankful for the support of my wife, making sure that I have healthy meals and snacks, and being my cheerleader. I am also thankful to Dr. Ian's book because it changed my life. Through this entire journey, I give God all the Glory and Praise because he gave me the strength to loss the weight. As you can see from the pictures that I have attached this was a complete life changing experience for me.
Take a moment and imagine something.
There’s a crowd of one million people standing together in unity for something they believe in. That would be like 12 or more football stadiums seated to capacity. Think about the magnitude of their collective voice. Think about how history will remember their collective efforts.
Now, picture yourself. You are among the 1 million.
Well, it’s not something to imagine. It’s true.
Today you stand alongside those you love and those you’ve never met—all for the sake of our cause. Together we speak out loudly and proudly against the detrimental effects of weight-related illnesses. History has no choice but to mark this moment and our movement.
Too many headlines and health reports focus on the limitations and unfortunately, the fatal outcomes of being overweight or obese.
But that’s why we are re-writing the headlines and the stories with The 50 Million Pound Challenge.
One million Americans have said and continue to say, “enough is enough!” We are now making the necessary changes to get control of how we live our lives.
Many of you have used 50millionpounds.com as a resource to help you reach your health and life goal. But there are still many of you who keep saying you’re going to do something different, but you haven’t done it yet.
I’d like to gently remind you today of the promise you once made to yourself. Forget any failures from the past. This is a NEW day. Reject the obstacles and excuses that hinder your progress. And, recommit today.
You have the support to accomplish your goals. And that support is 1 million strong!
No weight-loss campaign has ever registered and tracked 1 million people who decided they wanted to change their lives for the better….until now.
Take a moment to enjoy this. This is OUR time. This is OUR history.
Yours in The Challenge,
Dr. Ian
This page contains all entries posted to The 50 Million Pound Blog in March 2009. They are listed from oldest to newest.
February 2009 is the previous archive.
April 2009 is the next archive.
Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.
