How to Beat a Buffet

How to Beat a Buffet

Oh Buffets, you are the curse of humanity and the plague of all fat people.  I can likely contribute 25% of my recent weight gain to the Hong Kong Chinese restaurant in Niceville, Florida.  In fact it is on my list of places to go on my cheat day.

Today on vacation I ate at a buffet.  I was nervous as a cat in room full of rocking chairs going into that restaurant.  I am much like the late W.C. Fields who said, "I can resist anything except temptation."

So how did I do?  I would give myself a "B".

This restaurant had a nice salad bar which I got a full salad plate full of goodies, mostly dark green lettuce. I used a fairly light dressing.  Added turkey for protein, and a little chicken salad.  No Croutons. No Cheese.

Off the hot bar I had baked fish and a small spoonful of rice pilaf and 3 cheese stuffed tortellini.  I had a half cup of clam chowder.

Now I give myself a B because I shouldn't have gone back for the hot foods. I was really pretty full after the first salad plate. I don't give myself a lower grade because I probably ate half the food I would have normally eaten, and probably only a third of the calories.

Maybe someday I can eat at buffets and honestly fell like I don't have to overeat to just get my moneys worth.  Today was a start.

Oh, Flo stopped after one salad plate. She had a salad with one piece of grilled fish.  I would give that girl an A+.

Joe and Flo

When Your Diet Goes on Vacation

Yesterday my diet started a vacation.  Joe, Flo, and Vi are on vacation in Orlando.  Normally vacation means death to a diet.  We pack on an inevitable 5 pounds.  There are several reasons.

1.  I deserve a break - I mean I NEED to indulge because I have been working so hard and after all I have dieted so faithfully I NEED a break from that too.

2.  What am I going to eat? - Serious question if you are on most diets.  Fast food?  Huge meals at upscale restaurants?  There are not many good options.

3.  Lack of Exercise. - It can be hard to exercise on a vacation from scheduling to equipment, to motivation. There are obstacles.

Well I am not making any promises but Flo and Joe are staying on our plan.  I have already lost 3.5 pounds this week and I want to keep up the progress.

Here are a couple of tips.

1. Prepare for Travel - Visalus is not hard to travel with.  We packed all our stuff and we are saving money.  We had a cooler with milk, boiled eggs, fruit, bottled water, nuts and our Visalus products.  We packed our bullet blender and even planned that we could stop at a rest stop to make a shake.

2. Eat right -  Yesterday we had two meals out.  We stopped at Cracker Barrel  and had grilled trout fillets, salad and green beans.  We actually split a meal and added a side salad.  Less than 300 calories. That night we had a salad and a serving of sushi. Eating healthy worked for us.

3. Save Money - Our bill with tip and two purchases from the Ole Country Store was 23 dollars.  We split the meal and saved calories and money.  We were pleased and satisfied.

I can't weigh in until Tuesday but I think we are going to do fine.  We are prepared and motivated. Hope you join us soon.

Joe and Flo

Breaking Through

If you have ever dieted for any length of time you have likely hit a plateau.   For the past week I have been stuck.  This week I have lost 3.5 pounds.  What is the secret? If I have found it I could likely sell it for a lot of money.  The fact is I didn't find a secret.  The secret is consistency.  Not giving up.

Yes, sometimes you have to change your eating pattern.  You may need to look for hidden calories.  You may need to exercise more.  But the fact is the secret is keeping on, keeping on.

Flo is on a plateau and I just broke though one.  I am super excited and she is a little frustrated.  But we are both committed to keeping on track.  That is why having a buddy is so helpful.

One of the great things about "Body by Vi" is the challenge. You can join the challenge with other friends and encourage each other. It is not about competing. It is about being a support community.

I wish you much success.

I am down 21.4 pounds in 38 days.

Flo is down 11.5 pounds.

Down 20 Pounds

I don't have time to write this morning.  I just want to say I am down 20 pounds as of today.  Less than six weeks and going strong.  I love this plan.

Food Addictions

I don't know what kinds of diets you have tried but there are two obstacles to many of the diets I have tried.

1.  Food Addictions - I am not talking like a drug addict but almost.  My wife was addicted to ice cream.  When we were dating she would have a big bowl of ice cream almost every night for dinner. I am not meaning with dinner, but FOR dinner.   For many of our diets ice cream would be the downfall.  I don't usually buy junk food when I am trying to eat right, but I can't resist it if it is in the house.

Body by Vi shakes are so good that they literally have taken the place of ice cream in our diet.  She hasn't had a bowl, or taste of ice cream in over five weeks and is not even missing it.  I can literally remember her begging me for ice cream.  You probably think I am joking, but I am not.

2.  Another problem with many diets is BOREDOM.  I mean I love steak but I'd get tired of it at every meal.  When I tried a low carb diet that was hard. The diets where you eat one soup all the time is equally hard. I mean it might work if I needed to lose 10 pounds but what if it is 100? They also just don't fit into every day life.

I don't get bored because I have so many combinations which I can make my shakes out of.  I also have many types of food I can eat.  In fact I can eat anything.  This program gives me a great balance. I can drink my shakes for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks.  I can' eat anything.  I just have to watch my diet and keep my calorie intake in the appropriate range.

JOE AND FLO REPORT.

Today I hit milestone.  I broke 250 pounds and have lost 18.5 pounds in five weeks.  Flo is down 11.5 pounds.

Fighting the Battle of the Bulge

All I got to say is, "Ain't that the truth."

As we get older fighting the battle of the bulge gets more difficult.  There are many reasons why.

1.  Our metabolism slows down.

2. We continue eating like we were younger.

3. We often exercise less.

4.  Sometimes our job becomes more management than physical.

So we are here fighting this battle.  I am learning to eat a whole different way on this diet.  I am really content that this is not a diet but a new way of life. I know that I can now keep going and when I hit my goal weight I can use the shakes to maintain my weight.

This week I didn't lose a lot  I lost about 2 pounds.  I am down 18 pounds in 5 weeks.  Although I am not losing as fast  as I did the first week, I am losing, and the battle is so easy.  I had a banana shake this morning.  It was delicious.  About 300 calories and packed with protein from the shake and natural fiber from the Banana.  I don't even like Bananas but they taste great in the shake.

So keep fighting.

You Write the Blog Sunday

Today I want you to share a healthy recipe for weight loss.

Here is one I made for the first time this week.  I bought all these ingredients at my favorite asian market.  The Chinese black fungus seem to be just a mushroom but it isn't shaped like a traditional mushroom.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP

4 cups of chicken broth (use gluten-free broth for gluten-free version)

6 dried Chinese black fungus

6 dried wood ear, black, cloud, straw, or shiitake mushrooms, or one bunch of fresh enoki mushrooms

5 dried lily buds

For Acidity

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of white vinegar or rice vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce

Seasonings

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 teaspoons of finely ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon of chili oil (optional)

Cilantro (optional)

One can of bamboo shoots

1/2 block of firm tofu, diced into small cubes

3 scallions, diced

Thickening Agents

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Boil some chicken or use your favorite chicken broth.

Add in the dried ingredients first after you have made the broth.

Later I took out my mushroom and black fungus and chopped them up.

Add in your vinegar and seasonings.

Add the bamboo shoots, tofu and scallions.

Last of all beat the egg and add it in slowly in a small ribbon so that it cooks as it hits the water in makes strings of egg in the broth.  Mix cornstarch with a small amount  of water and add to the soup.

I think the soup could be a little hotter and a little sharper so I am going to experiment with more vinegar, and other peppers.

Step By Step

Weight loss and fitness are a journey, not a destination.

You can set goals, but in another sense you never arrive.

There is always another hill to climb, another road to travel, another adventure to enjoy.

Remember riding in the car as a youngster and asking your Mom or Dad,  "Are we there yet?"  After a while my dad would tire of the question and say, "No we are only 5 miles further than the last time you asked the question."  But that is the point each day we are on the journey we are a little further than we were before.


This week a friend shared this photo which I shared and got lots of comments on.  That guy who is obviously a "Life After 50" guy is a lot like me.  He's got a way to go, but he is on the road and that is all that counts.

One of the things I have tried to do on my blog is to simply share from a non professional basis the  success and frustrations of weight loss and fitness goals.

I figured up today that I have lost 6.5% of my original start weight.  I am still 82 pounds from my ultimate goal.

But I got lots of goals along the way. I am reaching to break 250.  Then I want to lose 20 pounds.  My challenge goal was 30, but now I want to finish the 90 days losing 40.  After this challenge I want to do another and break below 200.  Then I want to hit my high school weight of 180.  Then I want to hit the century mark of losing 100 pounds.  I am sure then I can set another goal.  Because fitness is one goal that when you think you have arrived and can therefore stop, you will find you are no longer where you want to be.

Joe and Flo

We held steady today but went for a brisk two mile walk so we are really getting there step by step.

Good News

After a week of frustration this morning my weigh in showed me down 1.5 pounds. I have watched the biggest loser and seen those contestants doing the right thing and still not lose so it shouldn't shock me, but trying to lose weight can be an emotional roller coaster.

My friend "Lady Bug" who posted a comment on my last blog used to be a counselor for a national weight loss company that does great work.  Her advice was right on.  One of the reasons I started this blog was because it keeps me from quitting on emotional days like the previous week. It is the ultimate in accountability.  Here are some tips that can keep us going.

1.  Have a buddy.  My wife is my diet buddy she keeps telling me I can't stop.

2. Define your motivation.  I want to lose for my health.  I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I was starting to feel old, and I was using being out of shape as a reason to do not do things.

3. Be realistic. I have lost 4 pounds a week the first month.  I don't really expect to lose that fast the rest of the 9 weeks of this challenge.  I just want to be diligent and consistent.

JOE & FLO REPORT.

I am down 17.6 pounds

Flo is down 11 pounds.

Life on the Go - Day 31

Life on the Go

Yesterday was so busy I didn't get to blog.  I got up and left the house to take a friend to run some errands and then it was back to the church and the hospital to visit a friend who had surgery. I am glad that I can fit my shakes into my busy schedule.  It is really convenient and helps my overall eating plan stay on track.

Okay here is my dilemma this week.  I am stuck.  I have lost or gained.  I am just stuck.  I am trying to figure out what is wrong.

• Am I eating too much?
• Am I eating too little?
• Is my body just taking a break?

Yesterday I ate

Breakfast - Shake

Lunch - Pork loin, brussels sprouts, and tomato florentine soup.

Snack Neuro and some peanuts.

Dinner - Salad - Shake

Snack Cucumber roll up with laughing cow cheese and cucumbers.

I really felt good all day and feel like I am doing everything just right.  So here I am in my dilemma.

If you have any feedback I'd appreciate it.

Work is Exercise

WORK IS EXERCISE

Exercise is work some claim, but work can be exercise.  I decided the last couple of days to make my daily exercise work.  I got out in the yard and mowed and cleaned up the yard.

It feels great to me to be accomplishing two tasks at the same time. I do this a lot. I am ADD so I tell my wife I can't multi-task but I can double-task.  So I am a double-tasker.  Here are some other ways I double task.

• Listening to an audio book while cleaning the house.
• Listening to my Bible MP3 while walking.
• Going out on my pontoon boat with someone from church that needs encouragement.
• Exercising with a friend or family member so you can have quality time.
• Spending time praying while I drive or walk.

Using work as exercise is a great way to use time efficiently.  So fire that lawn guy and get out there and mow that yard with a push mower.   Get out the rake and get those arms moving.  Get out the mop and get those floor a little extra TLC.  Trim those hedges and give your biceps a work out.  Wash and wax your car. "Wax on / Wax off.  (Do you remember that line?)  Who can forget "Paint the fence" and "Sand the floor."  

Day 29

I gained a little today and I don't really know about Flo but I had a great day and getting all that work done has sure made me feel more energetic, productive, and happy.   Now I just need to go buy a pressure washer.  

See you tomorrow.

Week 4 Report

After 4 full weeks of doing Body by Vi here are our results.

Flo is down 10 pounds.  That is averaging 2.5 pounds of weight loss per week.

Joe is down 16 pounds. That is averaging 4 pounds of weight loss per week.

Yesterday I wore a pair of pants that were a full size smaller than the ones I had been wearing.  I also was able to fully button my sport coat.

So we have answered the burning question. Does this work?

I feel very confident that I can use Body by Vi to help me lose weight and keep it off.  I have big goals.   I have decided to aim for my ideal Body weight.  I know it will take me a while to get there but I can do it and if I don't I'll still be healthier than I am now.

In two day we will be 1/3 of the way through the 90 day challenge and we will measure and give you our results.   I don't have a lot of distraction the next two days so I think I can do really good.

I have two other relatives who are on the program and both are having great results.  I have another friend who has been on the program less time than I have and she has lost equal to my weight loss.

Let me continue to emphasize that this is an aid to help you lose weight. It has really helped me eat healthy.

Thanks for all your encouragement.  If you want to try the product give me a call and I'll give you a sample, or sign up here.

http://Niceguy4life.myvi.net/challenge

READY FOR THE WEEKEND? Day 26

I am ready for the weekend. Happy Fathers day to all of you.  I am in a hurry because I am going out on the pontoon boat this morning with Flow and some good friends.  Weekends can be another barrier. We let down our guard.  We are out of our week day pattern.  We want to celebrate.

Don't let the weekend sabotage your progress.  Make proper plans so you can stay healthy.

I am down 15 pounds as of Today.  This week has been a slow week so far in weight loss.  I have lost 1.5 pounds since Monday.  LOL that is by most accounts a great week.

Flo is down 9 pounds.  So she is happy.

Well I hope you have a great weekend. If I get time I'll post more later.

Don't X out on Exercise

Lots of people lose weight on diets including Body by Vi without exercise, but I recommend you exercise.  This morning I walked two miles and I even. (cue drumroll)....RAN.  Yes, I ran a whopping .2 miles. That is two tenths if you are decimal challenged.  I know that this is not far.  I should probably be ashamed instead of being proud but if you where carrying an extra 85 pounds could you do it?

I have been trying to walk regularly and have done so but not as frequent as I should.  I am feeling stronger and more energetic and want to challenge myself so I have begun running a little. This morning was the first time I used my phone ap "Runkeeper" to track my distance.

Why you should exercise.

1.  Burn Calories.

2.  Build muscle.

3.  Improve heart health.

4.  Exercise is good for diabetes too.

5.  Improve your attitude.

6.  Proven to be good for your emotional health, including helping with depression.

You can probably add to my list but these will do.

A lot of people have trouble exercising due to their current medical condition and physical condition.  If you are in that boat just do something. Get a set of dumbbells and exercise in your chair. Walk whatever distance you are allowed to by your doctor. Find a piece of equipment or type of exercise that fits your physical limitations and just do your best.  In the long term it will pay off.

JOE & FLO REPORT

Today my weight went up and Flo went down .2 of a pound.  My weight increase is likely due to being off my pattern of eating the last few days with my son.  Overall I have lost weight this week and that in itself was a challenge I am sure by the start of next week I will see some positive results for this week.  I feel so good that I was able to spend time with my son, go out to eat, cook good meals and still lose weight.  That is a big win for me.

YOU CAN DO IT TOO.

My life on a Diet - Day Day 24

MY LIFE ON A DIET

Today I took my son to get on a plane to go live in Korea.  I got up at 2:30 and left at 3:00.  I am really sleepy.  I have shared a lot on making this diet fit into my lifestyle.  I think that is the challenge for any diet.   I'd like to share a little about some of the diets I have been on.

The most extreme diet I have been on was the one called the "Miracle Cleanse."   On this diet you drink Grade B Maple Syrup, Lemon, and Cayenne Pepper. Nothing else can be consumed.  I did it for a couple weeks.  I lost a lot and much faster than I have now but I gained it all back.  This diet doesn't fit into your lifestyle at all.  I would literally go out to eat with people and sit and watch them eat.

FASTING - I have fasted.  I was doing this partly due to my faith.  I found it an effective way to lose weight.  The advantage was that fasting for a day or two lowered my appetite. I would drink broths and juices but leave off hard foods.  This diet is hard to fit into your lifestyle.  I have not yet tried going on a Body By Vi fast yet, but I may do this in the future.

CARB REDUCTION -  Whatever you call it Atkins, or South Beach or Sugar Busters, I have done a low carb diet. This was never very successful for me.  I lost some weight but stalled out and gained it back. It was also so limiting I was hard to fit into my lifestyle.

MYFITNESSPAL - If you have a smart phone or a computer you can find an application that helps you count calories.  This was a great deal of help. I think this is a good addition to using the Body by VI shakes. I contend that with Body By Vi if you aren't changing your eating habits you are wasting your time and money because the weight gain will be insignificant and return quickly.

BALANCED DIET - I have tried just cutting back and eating a balanced diet but sometimes that is difficult because you have a hard time finding good food choices if you don't prepare them ahead of time. I really did great on a diet like this for a few months once when my daughter was cooking every night and preparing lunch for us too.

By far for me the combination of a balanced diet, Body By Vi shakes and exercise is the best plan I have ever been on. I love being able to pick and choose when to drink a shake and when to eat a meal. This week I went out to eat and had company over and went to someone else's house and yet I am still losing weight.

I know there are many other diets.  I have also tried other shakes.  But these taste the best, and I believe are the best on the market. 

PLEASE SHARE YOUR DIET TIPS AND REVIEWS BELOW. I'd love to hear from some of the other uses of Body By Vi and what has worked and not worked for you.  

Joe Palmer


JOE & FLO REPORT

Due to the early hour I left we didn't weigh in.

Weight Loss Quotes

I was looking for a little weight loss inspiration this morning and I found these quotes.  I thought they were pretty good. I hope one inspires you today.

Weight Loss Quotes

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.  Thomas A. Edison

Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow ye diet.  William Gilmore Beymer 

If you wish to grow thinner, diminish your dinner. Henry Sambrooke Leigh

Skinny cooks can't be trusted. American Saying

As I ramble through life, whatever be my goal, I will unfortunately always keep my eye upon the doughnut and not upon the whole.  Wendy Wasserstein

The rest of the world lives to eat, while I eat to live. Socrates

We never repent of having eaten too little.  Thomas Jefferson

Take twice as long to eat half as much.  Anonymous

Gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign something is eating us.  Peter De Vries

Your body is the baggage you must carry through life. The more excess the baggage, the shorter the trip. Arnold H. Glasgow

Feed sparingly and defy the physician. James Howell

In eating, a third of the stomach should be filled with food, a third with drink and the rest left empty. Talmud

JOE AND FLO REPORT

Joe - I am down 14.8 pounds.

Flo is down 8.5 pounds

It is nice to fit back into some of my old clothes.  Even my T shirts feel more comfortable.

Vitameatavegamin Vs. Body By Vi

My Favorite Lucy skit is about VitaMeataVegamin.  She is doing a T.V. commercial for a supposedly amazing new health product.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

See the full length version below if you have time.

One of the best benefits of using "Body By Vi" is how good I feel.  I was out running around yesterday with my sons and I was just thinking how good I feel.  How much more energy I have.

I was really skeptical about this product before I tried it.  I probably thought it like the old "snake oil" salesmen from days of all.  It was just another supposed miracle product. I literally put off doing this for months because I was so cynical.

So far I am really impressed with everything I am taking.  No I can't tell exactly what every product does, but I know I am losing the weight and feeling better.  The nutrition and vitamin content of these product is doing wonders for me.

My favorite product so far are:

Visalus shakes - If you are taking a shake just compare this one. I think mine is better tasting and very effective.

Neuro -  If you take five hour energy on a regular basis, or would like to have more energy but not so much caffeine, this product is for you.  I drink one of these a day and it really picks me up.

Vi Slim - This is their metabolism boosting pill. I haven't reviewed it yet.  The first week of my diet I didn't take this pill. The second week I did.  Normally for me weight loss starts really slowing down after a week.  I believe this product has help me keep it going.

I know some of you are on the fence and skeptical.  All I can say is I am glad I finally got off the fence and tried these products.

Another great benefit of Visalus products is they don't get you drunk like Lucy, nor do they contain so much caffeine or other products that make you jittery.

JOE & FLO REPORT


I lost another pound. I am down 14.5 pounds total.

Flo had a scare yesterday. She went to work and the scales showed her up two pounds.  Boy that makes it tempting to abandon ship on a diet plan.  I told her it wasn't a real reading.  I know for a fact she is more faithful than I am to eat right.  She dropped it back today.  Every time I have done this I got up and then if I stay consistent I start going back down.

She is still down 8 pounds in three weeks. So I am proud of her.  It is so great to do this as a couple.  She doesn't really have the health concerns I do, nor does she need to lose as much weight.

Well have a great day.

Joe and Flo

Sign up Here.

http://Niceguy4life.myvi.net/challenge

LONGER VERSION

Week 3 Report - FACING CHALLENGES

FACING CHALLENGES

• Friday I had 45 people at my house for a wedding rehearsal dinner
• Saturday I attended a wedding and reception.
• Sunday we had a potluck at church. 

Luckily my friend Donna brought a pot of one of my favorite soups,  Weight Watchers Taco soup Sunday. This isn't an official Weight Watchers product but a soup a lot of people on that plan make.  It was awesome and is fairly healthy.

I stayed on my plan all week, ate healthy, and I am down 13.7 pounds.  I lost 3.6 pounds this week.  I was hoping to be down more but honestly I am very happy because I want permanent  weight loss not just a YO YO diet plan.

IS THIS A FAD DIET?

This isn't a fad diet.  It is tool to help eat healthy.  Last night my sons baked me a delicious red snapper.  We had cucumbers, asparagus, and baked acorn squash.  At the wedding reception I had to make healthy choices. Body By Vi won't work unless you also eat a sensible diet with it.

Having my shakes lets me supplement my diet and eat healthy and keep my metabolism up by giving my body regular protein.

This morning I had a delicious shake. I added an instant sugar free French Vanilla coffee to it.  I love it.

BTW I have lost 5% of my original weight.

Good luck and keep going.

You Write The Blog

YOU WRITE THE BLOG

Today is Sunday.  Very busy day for a preacher, plus my son is in town.  I didn't know what I wanted to say today but while a church a friend gave me a weight loss tip and recipe. I was just thinking I wish I could get people to share with me other weight loss tips, recipes, suggestions or questions.  


So today you write the blog just add a comment, after this post.  Comments will appear immediately.  This will be fun.  If you have something you want to share or ask please do so.


Joe Palmer

Taking a Long Range Perspective - Day 19

Taking a Long Range Perspective

I am fifty years old so that is exactly how long it has take me to get from the approximately 7 pound weight I was born at to the over 268 pounds I started my challenge at.  So losing weight has to be a long range goal.

There are two ways to look at long range goals.

1.  I can eat things I shouldn't and put off my weight loss until tomorrow, using the long range perspective as an excuse.

2.  I can eat a proper diet an not get discouraged with the fluctuations or if my weight tics up a little.

The first leads you to weight gain. The second will lead you to long term weight loss and health benefits.

What I love about doing this 90 day challenge is it keeps me motivated and feeling a sense of urgency and yet at the same time it helps me remember that I have a long range goal of changing my eating habits.

I weight on the Wii this morning and it told me I had gained just a little.  I was disappointed because I thought since I worked so hard and sweated yesterday mowing the yard I was sure to lose.  But you know what?  I am loosing weight at an incredible but healthy pace.  I am not killing myself doing it. I am learning how to say no and get through situations that used to really sabotage me.  So I am content.

Instead of being discouraged I took a walk,  drank my morning shake and am ready for a great day and looking forward to day 90 when I can see the final results of what my first 90 day challenge has accomplished.  Oh and by the way the next day I start the next 90 day challenge because this truly is a long term project.

Joe Palmer

Click below to join me.

Join Joe and Flo on the Challenge

The Payoffs - Day 18

If you are getting in shape or losing weight what are the payoffs you are looking for?

I had my first one today.  I wore a shirt that I had not worn in several months because it was too tight around my stomach.  It felt good to not feel that shirt pinch when i sat down.

Now that isn't much but it is something that gives me that positive reinforcement that I was looking for.   So here are some of the payoffs I am looking forward to.

THE PAYOFFS

1.  Wearing the clothes in my closet I have outgrown.

2.  Getting off my high blood pressure medication.

3.  Being able to look straight down and see my feet.

4.  Being able to run / play basketball / or other sports without feeling so old and winded.

5.  Feeling more confident in my appearance.

6.  Not having my Wii say, "That's Obese."

7.  Not hearing people make fat jokes about me.

8.  Being able to buy life and health insurance at lower rates.

9.  Hopefully feeling and looking younger.

10.  Knowing I will hopefully have more years to enjoy living with Flo and serving the Lord.

Joe & Flo Report

Today I lost 3/4 pounds  - I have lost 13.2 pounds total.  It will be Monday before Flo can weigh again since she is off work.   We were talking about her program yesterday and have a theory that she needs to add in more meals and exercise to kick up her results.  I honestly believe she isn't get enough calories.  We are both still losing weight although you would expect the results to slow down.  I have lost 3 pounds this week and FLO has lost 2.  That is pretty good since my exercise has decreased.

Have You Got What it Takes? DAY 17

Have you got what it takes to lose weight and get in shape?  I was thinking this morning how  sometimes people lack that missing ingredient.  I know some days I do.

Here some things I think we need to reach our goal

INSPIRATION -  Inspiration is answering the question of why am I doing this.  Sometimes we lose weight for artificial reason.  I am losing weight to find a date.  That motivation can fail us later when we are married.

My motivation is my health.  I know personally that I don't need to lose a few pounds to look good. I need to lose a 60 pounds so I don't deal with some horrific issues later.  I don't want to get to that point that I can't exercise.

PERSPIRATION -  The second thing we need is the willingness to work at it.

I have to get up and walk, or go to the gym, or just do chair exercises.  Find a way to do whatever exercise you can.

I saw a story once about a morbidly obese man who could barely walk. He started his path to weight loss by just walking to the mail box.  Then every day he walked a few more steps. As the pounds came off his endurance increased.

I have to plan my meals.

DEDICATION -  I have laughed and told people that me and Flo dieted every monday between breakfast and lunch.  Now that is an exaggeration but we have started and stopped a lot.

I have found something that I can stick with and I am going to stick with it.

Zig Ziglar said,  You didn't gain weight all at once, you gained it one bite at a time and you have to take if off the same way.

Part of dedication is overcoming obstacles.  I have lots of obstacles.  Yesterday we had another meal at church, fried rice and spring rolls. I stuck within my boundaries and had a serving of fried rice and salad, and skipped the spring rolls.  That was really hard.

I was rewarded this morning with a half pound weight loss.  I am now down 12.5 pounds.

So think about what is your missing ingredient in your weight loss plan.

If you want to join me on the Body By Vi challenge please do.  It really helps to have folks doing the plan with you. Just click the link at the top of the page that says join the challenge and sign up.  I have been getting lots of encouragement from you folks.  Feel free to add a comment at the bottom of the page and we can all discuss what our missing ingredient is.  If you enjoy these articles I would ask you to share them with other or on Facebook.

Joe

Lean, Green, and Protein - Day 16

One of the focuses of my current diet is on eating...

• LEAN

• GREEN &

• PROTEIN.

KEEP IT LEAN -  I have been focusing on chicken and fish although there is nothing wrong with lean pork loin, or steak cuts like sirloin that are lean.  I have stayed away from ground beef, and other high fat meats.  This has nothing to do with being a low carb diet. I had pasta today.  Eating lean gives me more nutrition with less calories.  So that is a big win and helps me lose weight.

GO FOR THE GREEN - Green is synonymous with vegetables.   Green vegetables are great for a diet because they are normally low in calories and loaded with nutrients, low in carbs, and contain natural fiber. Choices like spinach, kale, collards, lettuces, (especially the darker green varieties) green beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and zucchini, are a few of my favorites. Actually it is not just the color that matters, but the make up of the vegetables, avoiding starchy vegetables like potatoes, especially french fries makes dieting easier.  I eat a lot of yellow squash, and enjoy California blend vegetables.

POWERFUL PROTEIN - Our body runs on protein.  Lean protein fuels our body longer than high carb foods.  Protein help keep down sugar spikes especially when combined with vegetables high in fiber.  Spreading your servings of protein through the day helps your body heat up your metabolism because it knows it is being feed. Body by Vi is packed with proteins and other essential vitamins.




Joe

JOE and FLO REPORT

JOE - I am down 12 pounds

FLO - Is down an amazing 8 Pounds

Day 16 Menu

Pineapple  Body by Vi Shake

Vegetable lasagna / California Blend Veggies / Spinach

Mocha Shake - That was really good.

Tilapia and Sautéed Squash

GOT GOALS? Day 15

Do you have any goals?

The Visalus Company who creates the Body by Vi shakes which I use created a 90 day challenge.  since I joined the challenge I set some goals.

You can see my profile and goals here.

My Profile

Honestly I expect to do better than the 30 pounds in 90 days goal I set, but if that is what I do I'll be happy.    I just watched a couple of videos today.  One was about a guy who gained 72 pounds to become obese and then lost it again.  He is a personal trainer.  Sure I know he did it as a publicity stunt for his book but it was amazing to see what a really fit guy would look like obese.

You can watch it here.

Fit 2 fat 2 Fit

Here is a story of a guy who weighed 700 pounds


Neal Burns

So I have bigger goals.  On my blog "About me" page.  I say that Flo and I are "Fat and Happy" but we want to be "Fit and Happy."   My ultimate goal is to get back down to my weight from high school.  To do that I will have to break 200 pounds.  I don't expect to do that in 90 days. The ninety days is just a start because I want to "Fit and Happy for Life"


So where are we today?

I am down a little over 11 pounds.
FLO is down 7 pounds.

Joe Palmer


If you want to join the challenge click here:  http://Niceguy4life.myvi.net/challenge

Week Two Report

Today is the start of week three for me in my Challenge.  Over the weekend my body weight fluctuated. I went up two day and then down today a little.  I attribute it to some changes in my diet.  I was eating some things that caused me to slightly overeat and hold water.

At the end of two week here are our results.

Joe - 10.1
Flo - 7 pounds

Now that is awesome.  I also have other family members doing this and they too are getting good results.  It depends you, your body, your self discipline.  I don't care what your diet is those are essentials.

Body by Vi is just an aid.  It has really helped me. Over the weekend I went two church events and didn't over eat due to the help of these shakes. Let me add that I am eating real food too.  I even at at one of the fellowship meals because some of the food brought was food that I could eat in a healthy way.  The other one I didn't eat because I simply didn't have time to stay for the meal.

We have to make our eating program fit our life.  It has to be able to fit back into the real world when we get to our weight goal.  I'll talk more about that later.

What to Do...

When you gain weight?

During my 12 day trek on this weight loss journey this has been the second day I have gained rather than lost.  I went up a little yesterday.  But really that doesn't mean anything.  The day before I lost 2 pounds on the scales. That doesn't mean I lost two pounds of fat. It just means I weighed two pounds less than I did the day before.

There are a number of factors than can influence your weight that have nothing to do with fat or muscle.

1. Sodium - If you had a lot of sodium you may be retaining water.
2. Cycle - A woman especially has a cycle that may be causing weight gain.
3. Exercise can actually cause muscle stress and cause your body to retain water.
4. The amount of  waste product in your colon.
5. You are storing more carbs which also means more water.

http://www.shape.com/latest-news-trends/3-reasons-your-weight-fluctuates-have-nothing-do-body-fat

STAY THE COURSE - So if you are like me on a 90 day challenge you have to know that you have got to stay the course. Keep a long term perspective. I know I am on the easy exciting early part of this ride.  I plan to stick to it for 90 days.  So before anyone judges me a success or a failure, see me in 90 days.

LOOK FOR A CAUSE - This is where a food diary comes in handy.  Look at what you ate differently or did that might have influenced you weight.  Yesterday I ate some black beans.  Did that cause me to gain weight. I am not sure. Honestly I don't think so.

DON'T GET DISCOURAGED - If we throw in the towel or revert to old habits then you are going to compound your problems. Don't get emotional about one day of weight gain.

ARE YOU EATING ENOUGH? - I had a friend who was trying to lose weight who was literally told by a dietitian that he was under eating and need to add more calories to his diet. He did and started losing weight again. Don't shut down your metabolism by starving yourself.

BACK TO THE BASICS - The bottom line weight loss is a matter of eating less than we consume. Over the long term there is a basic formula for weight loss.

CALORIES CONSUMED

-            CALORIES USED

=          WEIGHT LOSS

The way a diet works is by affecting the two variables. 

1. EAT LESS   - So we consume less calories
2. EXERCISE MORE   - So we burn more calories.

You may also want to go back to the food and portions that have been working for if you changed your diet.

The main thing is don't panic.  Just keep on keeping on.

Joe Palmer

ConGRADulations / Eating Plan - Day 11

ConGRADulations 

Today was graduation day in my town so here is a tip of the hat to all those who graduated.  To those of you still in the fight to finish school don't give up it is worth it.

WEIGHT LOSS

Today my weight loss hit another high. I lost 2 pounds.  I am down 11 pounds in 11 days.  I haven't even mentioned very much how much energy the nutrient combination of the products has given me.

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I thought I'd share something about my daily eating plan today..

BREAKFAST - This morning I experimented and made a pineapple/coconut Vi shake. I wasn't crazy about it but it was okay.  About 200 Calories

SNACK - I had a Neuro energy drank about 10 A.M. along with about an ounce of peanuts.

LUNCH - I had a salad with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar with half a chicken breast and some croutons.

SNACK  - I had another shake. This one was good.  I added a pack of swiss miss sugar free cocoa to my shake mix. I always use a lot of ice with my skim milk so I get a cold frosty milk shake like taste.  That was pretty good.  About 220 calories.

DINNER - I had a sautéed flounder.  I added some Tony Chacheree's and Old Bay to season it.  We had some brussels sprouts and steamed mixed vegetables.

After dinner Flo and I went for a walk.  I walked two miles.  She walked a little less than a mile.

This is a good schedule for me because it lets me mix in lot of protein with fiber, vegetables, and water and exercise.  I get the shakes and the joy of eating thinks I like.  My body never gets hungry and hopefully keep my metabolism up.