48,000 steps in a week

I am walking like crazy and increasing my steps from the previous week. The last week of august I walked over 48,000 steps, averaging over 6,800 steps per day. That equates to over 22 miles walked according to my fitbit for that week. My calorie count for that week was over 21,500 calories burned.

Next week I will get on the scale and check my blood pressure and post those results. In the mean time I will continue to push and make myself healthy as possible.

Speaking of walking, my wife and I are walking for my company Optum Healthcare for the Kidney foundation to raise fund to help fight this disease. Our walk at a local park will take place on September 27, 2015. Over 25 million suffer from this disease including my mother. See link below if you want to help sponsor me, thanks in advance.

http://donate.kidney.org/site/TR/Walk/Kentucky?px=2638506&pg=personal&fr_id=7780

Five Pounds Down in two Weeks!

Today I got on the scale to see my two week progress. Glad to report I blew it out of the water. The last two weeks I lost FIVE pounds (new weight 292), which equates to 17, 500 burned calories. To say the least my Fitbit has changed my life for the better. I am obsessed looking at it all the time, by the way, I am recharging it while online.

I've had my fitbit for three weeks and every week I've increased my steps and calorie burned from the previous week. My first week I walked like 16,000 steps and last week I walked 23,000 steps Included in that was last week Saturday's walk of 4.3 miles at a local park my wife and I frequent. My routine is still two day of exercise and one day off for rest and recovery.

This week I hit the heavy bag, lifted  weights, and got on my elliptical  in my home gym. This week promoted to coach/supervisor at work, where I am more active walking around more as well. At home cut back on watching as much TV and staying active cleaning up and just getting more movement when not exercising.

As far as my diet I drink more water, averaging about 30 oz's per day which is half of what is recommended. With that small increase, that is making a big impact as well with my success. I still eat fried foods but have cut down on the portion size I normally eat. Stopped eating pizza every week, since it is loaded with fat, salt, and calories. That is now on my special occasion list.

Since my blood pressure has spiked I'm reading every food label for sodium content when  I shop at the grocery store. Only buying low sodium foods to keep from stoking out. Sodium will help bind food in your body and keep it stored in you for a longer time. This has help to contribute to my weight loss big time as well.

Another diet change is for work, I make sure I take fruit everyday and twice a week take a low cal sandwich like turkey/cheese sandwich. The rest of the days I take a low calorie weight watcher dinner.

As far as liquids, during the week I limit myself to a soda twice a week and maybe one on the weekend. I drink a lot of water or low cal drink mix. For my gout I drink a cup of cherry juice everyday to stay pain free.

FIVE pounds off in two weeks blows me away. Later today I will check my blood pressure to make sure it is still going in the right direction as well. I will keep you guys updated in the future.

26 Miles Milestone

Yesterday earned a marathon badge for walking 26 miles over a two week period using my fitbit. I'm hooked on this technology. Today I joined the fitbit google plus page.

Lost two pounds in the last two weeks, down to 297 pounds. My blood pressure is down to 152/86, trying to bring it down to normal in the next three months thru diet and exercise. Hoping to avoid having to get medication.

My weeds in my flower bed had become trees and were everywhere. This is something I don't like doing. My wife and I spent two hours clearing those out over the weekend. Ended up with three 55 gallon trash bags full of branches  and small weeds.. Burned some serious calories doing that.

Trying to stay as active as I can to keep burning those calories. In the mean time I buying bigger clothes to keep me going while I begin to battle this weight problem again and get healthy.
Food is my biggest challenge since I like to eat good tasting food.

Will keep updating my status and stuff. Take care.

High Blood Pressure and Fitbit

It's been a really long time since I have posted anything on my blog. I fell of the band wagon and gained all the weight back. My exercise fell off big time; only doing a few sessions a month.

Then had to do my annual health assessment last month and found out my blood pressure was extremely high for the first time in my life, reading 169/92. This is like stroke city range and needing hospital stays. I was determined to watch my sodium intake and increase my exercise to combat this problem. Luckily it has been going down. Last time I checked it read like 154/85. Still high but going in the right direction. I think it spiked from eating a lot of country ham.

Then two week ago, my wife purchased us both fitbit bands that measure our walking steps and calories burns. Got hooked from day 1!! Everyday trying to get my 10,000 steps in. Last weekend walked both day in the park doing two miles each day.

My weight is now 299 pounds, one pound heavier than when I started this process. Every two weeks I'm weighing myself and checking my blood pressure. 

This is my update for now and will keep posting again.

The Biggest Loser

november 4, 2014

Had my gout under control and was pain free. then a couple of days ago it came back. still dealing with it the natural way thru diet and now exercise. before while under attack from it, i wouldn't exercise but the last two days I did workouts.

did 45 minutes on the elliptical and burned over 500 calories two days ago and yesterday lifted weights for half an hour. to my surprise the pain went down some, but it is still painful.

i now have new motivation to lose the weight. at my new job, i joined the biggest loser contest to see who can lose the most weight between now and december 22 of this year. the winner will get a money prize of what of amount is unknown. everyweek we will weigh in and keep up with total body fat loss too.

with this competition i will step up my exercise and diet program. this will help me carry this into my own journey as well. until next time, take care and God bless.

Lost Three Pounds

Oct. 21, 2014

In two weeks I've lost three pounds on my diet alone, now my weight is 284 pounds. Still can't work out due to recovering from gout in my foot.

Having gout changed my diet for the better. Cut out a lot of things like over eating, way down on sugar, and meat. Eating salad every other day, eating 6 oz. of meat a day, and drinking a ton of water.

I've been reading up on natural foods to stop the gout attacks. Added oranges, tomatoes and cherry juice to my diet to calm the gout attacks.

that's it for now and will keep you guys posted. Take care and God Bless. 

down with painful gout

oct 5. 2014

it's been a very long time since i've posted about my journey but had a lot of changes since then. in july laid off from my job and in august stated a new career as a saleman of health insurance policies. at the end of june came out of physical therapy.

for the last four days dealing with painful gout and changing my diet to keep this from happening again. gout is more serious than i realize. searching the internet, it says it can be disabling and can attack several joints all over your body. mine is in my feet, so walking is a challenge.

before  this gout attack i had been lifting weights frequently recently. tried to do a short thirty minute workout today but the pain was too much and had to give up after five minutes. now staying off my feet as much as possible and cut a lot of red meat out of my diet.

today bought a ton of different kinds of vegetables and drinking plenty of water. still researching and building a good diet for gout. if anyone has any good suggestions let me know. also got on the scale yesterday and lost one pound and back down to 287 pounds. with the radically changes in my diet i should be able to lose better.  until next time take care and God Bless.