tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34377284380559612652024-02-20T11:50:29.320-08:00The Logic of LosingLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-74252305414272550272011-04-03T06:15:00.000-07:002011-04-03T06:21:42.961-07:00Still going strong! Where my exercise is at!Just a quick note to say I am still here and going strong. Work has been extremely busy the first quarter and I have been using free time for playing and relaxing as much as possible. <br />
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Diet has been good - I am still doing IF daily with a 16/8 eating setup. I love the freedom to get up and go to work without any prep and enjoy using lunch time at work to go shopping for the evening's fare. It has become a routine break to avoid any chronic stress - for some reason that 45-60 minutes out of the building recharges all the batteries for the afternoon so much more than shutting the office door and reading news or making calls.<br />
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For my twice weekly body weight sessions I have incorporated a suspension trainer for some exercises. Mostly I alternate them in for push-ups every other session instead of plyometric ones. I also use them for Australian pull-up which I have added to the routine and hanging L sits.<br />
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This weekend I just finished up a set of parallettes to incorporate more gymnastic type work. I find it very challenging. The last bit I am considering acquiring is a punching bag - I think I would enjoy it and the kids are asking about one as well.<br />
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My body weight workout sessions have grown from Mark Sisson's primal blueprint framework - I have included more exercises as I have progressed. I have not done anything with added weight and I still maintain the muscle mass I had when I was using heavy weights and a bodybuilding type routine 6 days a week.<br />
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Here is my current session with original exercises from the primal blueprint noted (PB):<br />
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Twice weekly:<br />
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20 Plyometric Clapping Push-Ups (PB) or 20 Suspension Trainer Push-Ups<br />
12 Pull-Ups (PB) or 12 Chin-Ups (PB)<br />
16 Full Dips<br />
12 Australian Pull-Ups using Suspension Trainer<br />
15 Pistol Squats each leg (PB) (I am still using the suspension trainer for balance on these)<br />
16 Hand Stand Push-Ups (PB) (Legs against the wall still)<br />
90s Cross Spiderman Planks (PB) (One arm one leg touch cross knee to elbow)<br />
60s One leg one arm rotating planks (PB)<br />
25 Leg Raises (Dip Station)<br />
10 Flag Raises<br />
Back Bridge Progression - 30s Feet - Shoulders, 30s Feet Hands, 30s Feet Head, 30s Full back bridge<br />
3 x 15s L sits using the suspension trainer<br />
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Typically one properly completed rotation is enough to exhaust everything - if I am particularly energetic I will do a second round hitting the alternate exercise for those listed as either or. I also add one sprint session once a week that takes up ~10 minutes of time.<br />
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So total weekly for exercise is probably around 2 hours not including any walking/playing. I don't exercise to lose weight - I do exercise to maintain whatever weight I am in the best form possible. I still get a lot of comments at work about how much dedication it must take to lose all that weight - I just nod politely. Really two hours is nothing - and I really enjoy it! I suspect they are assuming I am working out daily for hours.......so sad it does not need to be that way!<br />
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Now that I have the suspension trainer and parallettes (both home made!) I am going to work on gymnastic skills - mostly for the challenge and fun. It would be totally badass to be able to take them out on the lawn and do some free form head stand push-ups, planche push-ups, etc...<br />
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I amazed each workout - I always think back to 415 pound me and how impossible it would have seemed to him that he could in two short years be doing pull-ups, Dips, etc...Hopefully by the end of the summer I have even more feats of fitness he would disbelieve.<br />
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With spring here I will be spending less time inside so if you don't see a lot of posts I am still here. Follow me on twitter for updates, etc...or the posts also show up on the right sidebar here.<br />
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I am off to enjoy the semi-spring day (we just had snow Friday....). <br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-70061452971094236092011-02-12T11:35:00.000-08:002011-02-12T11:49:58.762-08:00Reflecting on almost two years and approaching -200 pounds!February 14th 2009 I started on the path that has led me to where I am currently at - so Monday will mark two full years of change! As of last weigh in with the life insurance exam I have lost -190 pounds. 225 pounds current weight (from a high of 415)!<br />
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Some days the old me seems light years away, looking at pictures and videos, when I pull out the old clothes, he seems surreal and almost an impossibility. Then other days he is much closer - when I get a pang of self consciousness in the middle of a room, just before a presentation (I do a lot of training), and sometimes when I just get up and stare at myself in the mirror I can see him looking back at me. Almost haunting me some days.<br />
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That old me is a sobering example of despair. He was so physically out of shape that 3 steps made him lose his breath, he couldn't tie his shoes without a struggle, he could not fit in a booth, he could not fit in an airplane seat, he could not run with his children, his appearance paralyzed his career growth, he was miserable inside and out, he had no future, he was dying, he was lost to the world.....<br />
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I am glad he is there whether close or far - that old me is a reminder of how far I have come and motivates me to keep pushing forward.<br />
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I can see him smile as I play, run, jump, with my children. He can breathe a sigh of relief when I bound up stairs, slide into that small booth, and easily relax in a single seat with room to spare.<br />
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And sometimes me and him are one for a short spell - when we reflect on all we have been through and where we are now - there are tears of joy and relief.<br />
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I apologize I have no new advice - just some personal reflection on an upcoming milestone. One last thought - if you are out there reading this, and you do not like what you have become, consider starting your own journey, you will thank yourself somewhere down the path.<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-54164271296420797262011-01-16T06:16:00.000-08:002011-01-16T06:16:00.849-08:00Learn to "live" Primal as normal!With the New Year's resolutions being pursued full force in January I see alot of discussion around the different forums worrying about which restaurant to go to, what to eat at a party, what to eat on planes, etc...I think it is great to plan ahead for these events when starting out - but the long term goal needs to be to learn to adapt and reach a place mentally where you are not living in a strange foreign land with strange food and backwards customs.<br />
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I believe the same goes for physical activity/exercise - so much worrying about the details, routines, etc....but the bottom line is it needs to become normal for you to and also be enjoyable. Bottom line with both the food and exercise is if it is not enjoyable it will not stick! Even if you have the mental strength to make it stick - do you really want to live the rest of your life struggling with a lifestyle that you are forcing?<br />
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I can honestly say today - almost 2 years (officially 23 months and 2 days), minus 180 pounds, minus the Standard American Diet - that I feel normal and everything I have adopted "feels" normal. Actually I feel more normal now than I ever have - even though most of my new beliefs and practices are contrary to most of the conventional wisdom. It did not happen overnight - but following <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/p/beginning-weight-loss-journey-guide.html">this basic stepped approach</a> I have made each small change part of my "normal".<br />
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Looking back making small steps was a large factor in maintaining normalcy. The sum change is the same in what I did progressively and what I would do today if I could implement everything all at once, but the shock to the system and lifestyle between the two would be huge. Consider the transition made in my progression below and imagine doing that overnight!<br />
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<b>Steps 1-4:</b> <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/08/logical-dietary-goals.html">Dietary Progression</a><br />
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<b>1. High Carb ----> Low Carb</b><br />
<b>2. Low Carb Processed ----> Low Carb Whole Foods</b><br />
<b>3. Low Carb Whole Foods ----> Low Carb Whole Foods No Sweeteners* </b><br />
<b>4. Primal Food ----> Primal with Primal Eating Patterns**</b><br />
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<b> Steps 5-6: </b><a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-does-super-super-obese-man.html">Physical Activity/Exercise Progression:</a><br />
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<b>5. Minimal Activity ----> Normal Activity</b><br />
<b>6. Normal Activity ----> Moderate Primal Exercise</b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">* a.k.a Primal Food</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">**Periodic Intermittent Fasting.</span><br />
So for those out there worrying and struggling - stop, take a breath, and consider thinking about how you will make all these changes normal. It is OK (or in my opinion preferable) to chunk off your resolution into small changes, attack one, make it your normal, and then move on! Before you know it you will be at the goal you wanted all at once - but you will have an excellent chance of never going back!<br />
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For any one new looking to make changes have a look around, read about ditching the Standard Approach (<a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/08/throwing-out-standard-approach-to-diet.html">Part I</a> and <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/08/throwing-out-standard-approach-to-diet_24.html">Part II</a>), and consider the <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/p/beginning-weight-loss-journey-guide.html">Beginning Weight Loss Journey Guide</a> as a start!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-47312449149155970292010-12-28T08:54:00.000-08:002010-12-28T08:54:54.289-08:0022 Months of ChangeIt has been a while since I posted some pictures so here are some from today showing how far I have come in the last 22 months! The before pictures were size 56 pants and 4X shirts - in the picture is my newest outfit - size 36 pants and a size Large shirt! No more "Extra" in my size!!<br />
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I haven't been this small size wise since the 7th grade! All done one step at a time - roughly as outlined in my <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/p/beginning-weight-loss-journey-guide.html">beginning weight-loss journey guide.</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TRoT0B3tl8I/AAAAAAAAAYM/kpj2x1RHh3U/s1600/22+months_LL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TRoT0B3tl8I/AAAAAAAAAYM/kpj2x1RHh3U/s400/22+months_LL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TRoT6qCt3DI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/5HxfUmdCGIA/s1600/22+months2_LL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TRoT6qCt3DI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/5HxfUmdCGIA/s400/22+months2_LL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
and for good measure a picture of my new five fingers I bought as a treat! I am uber excited to have found them available locally:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TRoVkwo--II/AAAAAAAAAYY/_NjNGTe5V3w/s1600/vff+12_28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TRoVkwo--II/AAAAAAAAAYY/_NjNGTe5V3w/s320/vff+12_28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope there is some inspiration for others in the before and durings - I am still a work in progress, but am already living a new life!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Holidays!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-LL</div>Logical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-27496266954579574972010-12-24T07:20:00.000-08:002010-12-24T07:20:17.790-08:00Merry Christmas!A quick note to say Merry Christmas! I am still in the groove as it is - eating whole foods and doing body weight exercises twice a week.<br />
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I can now do a set of 10 pull-ups without rest and 10 chin-ups without rest! I have added dips and hanging leg raises to my workouts for more variety as well. I have also added clapping push-ups fro some plyometric stimulation.<br />
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Eating wise I went from alternate day fasting regimen to daily Intermittent Fasting using an eating window from 4-10pm. I enjoy this regimen more as it allows for more eating - and works out well with all of the holiday parties. It also saves from having to bring any food to work :)<br />
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Weight wise I have seemed to stabilize - bouncing between 235-245 (240 this morning). Based on my clothes still getting looser and the number of repetitions increasing in workouts I think I am actually adding muscle and still reducing body fat. I don't have calipers - but I also have noticed vascularity in places I have never had it.<br />
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I am going to continue my routing through the new year and see where to go . I am not completely sure where my weight should end up. Originally I had targeted 195 - but maybe it will be something higher? This is uncharted territory for me - transitioning from almost two years of fairly rapid weight loss to nearing a balance is interesting.<br />
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For all of the holiday celebrations and stress I am definitely happy with stability! In most years passed I probably added 10-15 pounds every holiday season!!<br />
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Happy Holidays<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-10884880519517518872010-11-28T10:07:00.000-08:002010-11-28T10:07:17.495-08:00Post Thanksgiving Musings - A "Normal" HolidayHad an awesome Thanksgiving - filled the house with family and enjoyed every minute of it. Company started arriving Wednesday and the last left yesterday afternoon. The house seems a little quiet today as we are all winding down and getting ready to head back to work tomorrow.<br />
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So how did the holiday go food/exercise wise? It went exactly as planned - as a normal part of life. This is my second Thanksgiving since changing my life and at this point after 19 months everything seemed normal to me. I ate primal/lowcarb the whole time - smoked turkey, ham, roast cauliflower, butter, fage, cream, <a href="http://www.primal-palate.com/2010/09/pecan-pie-bites.html">awesome pecan pie bites</a>, apple chutney, etc.... it was downright luxurious and I never felt one iota of longing for any of my "old" treats.<br />
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It is very liberating to feel normal again - I am reminded of it everyday as life goes on everything that I changed to lose all of the weight has become normal. It is not a burden or some overly complicated routine of measuring, counting, timing....It is not angst and hand wringing every time I go out to eat or have a work function. If I go out - there is always something on the menu that I can fit in with my primal diet. If I go to a work function there is usually something I can snack on or worst case I do an impromptu IF.<br />
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I always thought the whole room would notice, that someone not eating the bread would be the three headed gorilla in the room....nope as is the case with myself people are generally most interested in what they are doing/eating and not what others are. Reading the message boards I see the angst and trepidation a lot of newcomers have about how in the world will they survive "going out", "a family function", "Thanksgiving", etc....my answer is you don't "survive" these events! Rather learn to incorporate them into a normal lifestyle.<br />
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This doesn't mean foregoing your dietary goals and plan, but rather adapting to the situation and realizing that 99.9% of the time you should be able to enjoy the event whether it be eating some portion of the food, requesting small modifications if you order, or even skipping the food every now and then as part of an IF. Absolute worst case - a small surrender will not derail all of your progress - however in 19 months and almost two complete set of holidays, business lunches, birthdays, funerals, weddings,etc.. I have not found this to be necessary even once!<br />
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I wish I knew now what I didn't know then as I was packing that extra 180 pounds of weight or suffering with it for all those years dragging on my existence. If I knew I could live happily, enjoy life including food and activity, and be fit without it being a constant burden maybe I would have started sooner and I would now have a couple extra years of happy memories.<br />
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Hindsight is 20/20 - hopefully for those out there waiting to get started or even along the way you can incorporate this advice: whatever you are doing to change your life - remember you need to make it your new normal. Do this and hopefully like I have experienced - staying fit and healthy will become almost effortless in your mind regardless of the difference in effort between the old you and the new you.<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-5134385885673737272010-11-14T17:01:00.000-08:002010-11-14T17:01:01.702-08:00Still GoingBeen super busy the last few weeks and had boys weekend this weekend. Just a quick note to say I'm still here and on track.<br />
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I was getting a little obsessed with weighing myself so I have decided to take a break and wait a few weeks or longer until I check. At some point I need to not obsess so much with the number but also being and feeling healthy. I did do 7 chin-ups and 3 pull-ups this week though as a gauge of continued progress!<br />
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I still am getting a flood of congratulations and comments at work since I switched to clothes that are not three sizes too big. Makes me wonder if I had some bigger clothes for a few more weeks and then went back again if it would garner the same reaction?<br />
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Still looking to share success and help others - I will hopefully get some new pics up soon. I tend to be tweeting more now than blogging as life has gotten busy. You can always check them out here in the sidebar.<br />
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Sorry so short!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-85890910889660076112010-10-30T08:34:00.000-07:002010-10-30T08:34:08.183-07:00Results Oriented: -181 Pounds!!! Arriving at a Destination...New weight as of 6:30am this morning is 234.0 for <span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>a total loss of 181 pounds so far.</b></u></span><br />
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I also completed <u><b>6 full chin-ups</b></u> and <u><b>2 full pull-ups</b></u> at this weight!<br />
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Here is my updated weight chart as of today 10/30/2010:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TMw2_i4SoxI/AAAAAAAAAYE/FRtWF6P3IJk/s1600/10_30_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TMw2_i4SoxI/AAAAAAAAAYE/FRtWF6P3IJk/s400/10_30_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Less than 31 pounds now until I am no longer officially obese and only 21 pounds until I am half the man I used to be!<br />
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Even better than where my weight is at - I am not scared to death of what will happen when I get to where I originally set out. I have completely changed my lifestyle and where I am at is the new "normal" - I am not "dieting" for a period of time or until I reach some specific goal. I have been through social situations, work, family events, road trips, cruises, vacations, and even Italian restaurants while being comfortable with my choices - and I have the pleasure of those choices being what I feel is luxuriously.<br />
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I'm still on a journey but I have already made my destination - if that makes sense...<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-16413060645944281412010-10-23T06:26:00.000-07:002010-10-23T06:26:24.385-07:00Gratuitous Meat Pictures!!I mentioned in my last post how I smoked my meat for last week so I figured I would throw up some pictures of the finished product - 20 pounds of brisket from my local butcher!<br />
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Everyone loves good meat pictures:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TMLcjYsPcmI/AAAAAAAAAX0/_lh-8qLk_1Q/s400/briskets.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right off the smoker!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After slicing the flats and pulling the points: <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TMLdgIsTinI/AAAAAAAAAX8/dGzTC00_6Og/s400/briskets+cut.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to Eat!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TMLdgIsTinI/AAAAAAAAAX8/dGzTC00_6Og/s1600/briskets+cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> It was super delicious and I have enough in the freezer for a few weeks. Something very primal to me in smoking the meat - in this case for over 12 hours. No sugary sauce on this at all - just some spices and the color comes from the smoking process! Of course I doubt our ancestors could do it on the comfort of their patio as I did:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TMLez92PTNI/AAAAAAAAAYA/Uw9xUvgZKyY/s1600/smoker.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TMLez92PTNI/AAAAAAAAAYA/Uw9xUvgZKyY/s320/smoker.png" width="265" /></a></div><br />
I never was big into smoking anything until I got <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Weber-721001-Smokey-Mountain-Cooker/dp/B001I8ZTJ0?ie=UTF8&tag=thelo04d-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">this</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thelo04d-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001I8ZTJ0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> smoker from the last place I worked as a recognition award. Turns out to be not that complicated - takes regular ole charcoal from the grocery store and a little practice (I started with big pork shoulders - as they are very forgiving).<br />
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A good way to make a ton of meat if you are like me and can stand eating the same thing for weeks on end - I view it as a tasty hobby :) One hobby of mine the whole family can get behind!<br />
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Now that fall is here I plan on doing more - I will try and remember to share some more gratuitous meat pictures when I do!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-64685546611682991452010-10-23T05:46:00.000-07:002010-10-23T05:46:45.842-07:00Turning down the volume...of food. Finding my eating Zen.I discussed a few weeks ago how, in my opinion, <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-calorie-manifesto.html">at some point calories do count for something</a>. As I was sitting down last night in a local steakhouse and choosing a nice 10 oz. ribeye (rare with steamed broccoli and salad....yum) - I thought about how far I have come from my pre-change state. It was actually pretty powerful to think about what and how I used to eat versus what I currently had on my plate.<br />
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Not just at a steakhouse - but at any restaurant I was always concerned with how much (volume wise) I could get, always worried about feeling full, and always had an insatiable appetite. For example in this steakhouse the typical meal used to always include a starchy appetizer just for me (nachos/loaded fires), the biggest steak 18oz+, two sides usually processed/starchy (mac and cheese/fries), and then a nice sweet desert. So roughly three full size plates of food altogether - without even looking at the macro levels of carbs/proteins/fats it was a holy cow thought! <br />
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The one plate in front of me that held everything for dinner - what have been an old me appetizer! The thing that still amazes me today is that the one plat was enough to completely sate my hunger and still 12 hours later I am just waking up with some coffee with no hunger at all. If a doctor, book, blogger, friend, etc... had told me at my heaviest that I could be completely satisfied on so little food - I would have thought they were nuts.<br />
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Another example is last weekend I smoked almost 20 pounds of brisket which yields a little over half that finished so ~ 10 pounds. Old me would have been able to polish most of that off by Friday. I ate brisket for every meal I had last week and ended up freezing enough of it yesterday for at least another two weeks. It tasted the same as before (super delicious) - I just am not as hungry, eat less often, eat less, while being completely satisfied. I was amazed as I looked in the freezer...huge difference from before and also a nice change in the grocery bill for the next few weeks.<br />
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In the super obese state I was constantly hungry and now I am constantly satisfied. Even on intermittent fasting periods and days I am a functioning normal person - so far away from a ravenously hungry food seeking mess. Eating this volume - which is what is helping to finish my weight loss and will be in the range to maintain - feels like I have achieved some sort of Zen state where my body is right again. I am not sure if I am explaining how powerful the the change is for me - all I can say is I fell "FREE!"<br />
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If your out there - it is so worth making the changes again I'll repeat my message - it does not have to be a herculean effort! Take a <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/p/beginning-weight-loss-journey-guide.html">phased approach</a> - in the end it comes down to whole real food, and some very moderate activity to get you on your way.<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-40490006951707722142010-10-16T06:01:00.000-07:002010-10-16T06:01:58.289-07:00On Excercise - Less is My MoreI don't know exactly how many times now I have been told to keep up the "hard work" and other similar comments implying that I am struggling Biggest Loser style hours a night to lose all of the weight. However I do know that I have heard it enough to come to the conclusion that general public is convinced staying physically fit requires herculean effort and huge amounts of time...<br />
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I generally just nod and smile and take the encouragement. Every once in a while though I will decide to have some fun and say something along the line of "thanks, but I don't really work out all that much - maybe an hour a week total". Generally the person looks a little confused and nods politely - I haven't figured out if they just don't believe me or are straight up confused how I could lose almost 180 pounds now and not spend 24 hours a day in the gym. <br />
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For a while I was also convinced of the necessity of logging as much gym time as possible - I went through at least a 3 month period of working out at least an hour a night for six days a week with free-weights in my basement. Then I<a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-does-super-super-obese-man.html"> re-evaluated my approach</a> and gradually phased down to my current ~ 1 hour a week spread over 2-3 days. That hour is typically one short sprint session of ~5 minutes and two body weight workouts running 20-30 minutes each. My rate of weight loss has actually increased since going to short periodic body weight episodes and my strength still improves every week (I can actually do a pull-up now for the first time in 33 years).<br />
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Amazingly while that hour is enough to keep me gaining strength while and I am still losing weight - the guidelines would say I am woefully sedentary. Does it help me lose weight faster? Logically a little - not so much as the calories being burned, but helping to retain muscle mass, regularly boosting my metabolism, and increasing insulin sensitivity. All that is needed for these basic benefits is a few brief sessions every week - all adding volume does is burn a few more calories and increase wear and tear in my experience. I can shave the few hundred calories that the recommended cardio sessions would burn out of my diet easily over a week without noticing and without soaking up hours of time.<br />
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I am the complete opposite of the current guidelines that keep telling the increasingly obese population to exercise more every year....If we could get away from the all or nothing approach and get people to focus on diet first (90% of the results in my opinion) and then periodic moderate exercise we would be so much better off.<br />
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I do a lot of things different from the guidelines, less exercise (but the right exercise), an upside down food pyramid, intermittent fasting, and alternate day fasting mixed in - all of it may not be for everyone - but everyone should think about the conventional recommendations and think critically. It could not only save hours toiling in the gym or starving on processed health food, but it could save their life!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-18427468745063420352010-10-16T04:02:00.000-07:002010-10-16T04:02:22.655-07:00Results Oriented: -177.6 Pounds, -4 Shirt Sizes, -9 Pant SizesNew weight as of 6:30am this morning is 237.4 for <span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>a total loss of 177.6 pounds so far.</b></u></span><br />
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I also completed <u><b>5 full chin-ups</b></u> and <u><b>1 full pull-up</b><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></u> at this weight!<br />
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I have gone from 56 pant size to a very loose 38 (although I can squeeze size 36 now I am not counting it yet) - that is<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b> 9 pants sizes. </b></u></span><br />
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I had gone from 4XL shirts to XL - this week I am starting to wear some plain old Large - that's <span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>4 shirt sizes!!</b></u></span><br />
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Here is my updated weight chart as of today 10/16/2010:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TLmFbLn86fI/AAAAAAAAAXs/VL6HdPQCqQ4/s1600/10_16_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TLmFbLn86fI/AAAAAAAAAXs/VL6HdPQCqQ4/s400/10_16_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Thanks for stopping to share in my success! It can be done - step by step!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-59658351755856328142010-10-09T13:37:00.000-07:002010-10-09T13:37:33.441-07:00A Beautiful GraphMy updated weight trend from 9/2001 to today: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TLDRuFb4rII/AAAAAAAAAXc/4himPfeXZTo/s1600/10_9_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TLDRuFb4rII/AAAAAAAAAXc/4himPfeXZTo/s400/10_9_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Ditch the Standard American Diet (SAD) - I did and that decision is saving my life!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-73881791910977671522010-10-09T05:21:00.000-07:002010-10-09T05:21:12.869-07:00Results Oriented: -173.4 Pounds, +4 Pull-upsQuick update on the Saturday weigh-in. Current weight now stands at 241.6 for a total loss to date of <span style="font-size: large;"><b>-173.4 pound</b>s</span> since February 14, 2009. Also completed 4 pull-ups this week!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-20090574138895381402010-10-03T15:30:00.000-07:002010-10-03T15:30:51.979-07:00My Calorie ManifestoI frequent a lot of lowcarb, paleo, and fitness websites and blogs and it seems there is a persistent "discussion" regarding whether one needs to count calories when low carbing and/or eating primally. Some folks insist they can eat whatever they want as long as they eat under X grams of carbs. While others insist anything over 1500 calories per day and they stop losing weight and gain. <br />
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So I would like to join the discussion by saying yes and no!<br />
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Let me explain....<br />
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<u><b>No they don't count: </b></u><br />
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If you have a lot of weight to lose, have been eating a high sugar, and refined/processed diet - than initially calories aren't nearly as important as reducing the carbs and normalizing your insulin levels. This was me the first year or so - I lost over a 100 lbs. without watching my calories only the carbs.<br />
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I will not say that I ate huge calories over the whole time though because as the weight dropped and insulin response improved I ate less calories (how much I don't know and don't care). So this is where the calorie side of the argument says see it's just the calories and that they do count.<br />
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It is six, half dozen, one or the other..... the whole argument to me is stupid. For the person losing the weight initially what matters PRACTICALLY is that if they can start by reducing the amount of carbohydrate than they will lose weight. Why burden them with counting calories on top of everything - with the obesity crisis in full swing we need to start people down the right road as soon as possible with the best chance of them sticking to it.<br />
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<i><b>If we could only get people to reduce carbs and go to whole foods without ever mentioning calories - what a HUGE monstrous impact we would have on the obesity problem.</b></i><br />
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With that said....<br />
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<u><b>Yes they do count:</b></u><br />
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When you have lost a large portion of your excess weight and are eating lower in carbohydrate and mostly whole foods - IF you want to continue to lose weight. This is me the last 7 months or so - my losses slowed after the first year and I had to reduce the amount of food I was consuming to maintain the same rate of loss.<br />
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After a while when the huge overburden has been lost - the body needs less calories to operate on while you are still used to eating for some number of pounds ago. With the body operating efficiently a small amount of effort put into reducing overall calorie volume is not painful or stressful (with improved insulin sensitivity and less spikes moderate calorie reduction should not trigger massive hunger/binging) and will help remove those last pounds.<br />
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With that said....<br />
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<u><b>No they don't:</b></u><br />
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If you are at a comfortable weight and maintaining a whole food low carbohydrate/primal diet than you should not be needing to monitor or restrict your calories. Your body will naturally handle small swings and without excess carbohydrates it will be harder for you to store fat with stable insulin levels. This makes sense to me - as with some days when I do bust the calories for the weekend - the worst that happens is I don't lose.<br />
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With that said....<br />
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<u><b>A Summary</b></u>:<br />
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Do Calories Count?<br />
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If your overweight and just starting out - NO - focus on carbs.<br />
If you have lost significant weight and losses have slowed - YES - focus on carbs and calories.<br />
If you are at you ideal weight/goal weight - NO focus on carbs and enjoy life!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-63026222516238266092010-09-25T03:21:00.000-07:002010-09-25T03:21:17.897-07:00Results Oriented: -170.2 Pounds, +3 Pull-upsQuick update on the Saturday weigh-in. Current weight now stands at 244.8 for a total loss to date of <span style="font-size: large;"><b>-170.2 pound</b>s</span> since February 14, 2009. Also completed 3 pull-ups this week!<br />
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I know I am still heavier than most folks weigh - but it is a huge difference for me! I now have less than 50 pounds to my estimated goal of 195 pounds!<br />
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Enjoy your Saturday - I am off to the local apple festival with my family....they have smoked turkey legs, a favorite primal treat of mine :)<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-51080106775934639662010-09-25T02:23:00.000-07:002010-09-25T02:23:45.092-07:00Strange Side EffectBusy with company and the local apple festival this weekend so not too much time this weekend to write. I did have one interesting occurrence this week I wanted to mention.<br />
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I haven't updated my glasses in a little over two years - so before the beginning of my change to paleo/primal/lowcarb. I was eligible for new glasses and felt like a change so I went this week to get an updated eye exam and a new set of glasses. I have worn glasses since the second grade and as far back as I can remember my eyes have been weaker each time and my prescription stronger.<br />
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I was surprised (as was the the ophthalmologist) to find out that my eyes had actually improved over the last two years! My new prescription is not as strong as my old for the first time - pretty interesting.<br />
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Is it because of low carb/primal living? As a scientific minded engineer I can't say yes or no - I can only hypothesis (I am only a sample of one). It could be that all of the wonderful whole foods (including all of the good saturated fat) have helped my eyes heal slightly. It could be the result of eliminating constant blood sugar spikes from my old pre-diabetic state to current. It could also be my new lower blood pressure. I believe it is a probably a little of each.<br />
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Do I expect them to continue to get better? No - most likely, I believe, it is a one time improvement in response to less inflammation as a result of the changes listed. However I am hoping that it may stabilize and I will stop seeing continued deterioration in the future.<br />
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Either way I am taking it as a slight refutation of the conventional wisdom's view of my diet and eating patterns which are completely counter to the USDA and most mainstream dietitians/physicians recommendations. I have managed not to destroy my health by avoiding loads of carbs, avoiding food in boxes, and eating less than six small meals a day...... <br />
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Any unexpected benefits you have seen in your weight loss? Drop me a comment to share!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-22252019568020538432010-09-22T14:50:00.000-07:002010-09-22T14:50:11.995-07:00Finding and Keeping MotivationI have been at this now for 19 months and wanted to share a little on some of the things I have done to keep me motivated.<br />
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Initially it was pretty straight forward - I was killing myself. Weighing as much as I did and eating as much as I did there was no other way to look at it. I don't know if it was one particular moment or the culmination of a few strung together events (<a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/08/standard-life-verse-primal-life-plane.html">having to buy two seats on an airplane for instance</a>) that led to that conclusion, but it was in my head as I started. It wasn't fair to my wife, my kids, the rest of my family, or myself.<br />
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So the initial push was straight forward - save my life! Once I started the initial size loss was motivating - being that big you can a lose quite a bit of "size" quickly. I say "size" because I didn't weigh myself for the first whole year so it wasn't a "weight" loss - but the thrill of going down in pants sizes and shirt sizes was motivation in itself. I also knew from previous attempts that clothes size also are not prone too much to depressing you with daily fluctuations and are forgiving for small transgressions.<br />
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That initial whoosh of weight (size) depending on your size could last 1-6 months for me it was probably the first 4. Once I felt I was off the edge of the abyss and the size changes started to slow down - I found myself watching any and every documentary/series on obesity I could find. All of the discovery health shows, shows about gastric bypass, shows on people trapped in houses, shows on weight loss camps etc...I didn't know why at first, but I had gotten to the point where things had slowed down a little and I think I was actively looking to remind myself that "there but for the grace of God" and staying with my plan go I. Not sure if watching obesity shows can be formalized - but having a way to remind oneself of what is at stake and of where you started seems to be a good idea. It is the same reason I have a pair of 56 pants and 4Xl shirt in the closet - I can always sneak in and put them on to remind myself of how far I have come and what failure could lead to.<br />
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Between the size losses, "what-if" obesity show motivation, and the little victories like fitting in a booth again I stayed well motivated the first year. Then I had my one year weigh-in and had a new starting point at 293 pounds 122 pounds down from my max weight. A great weight loss, but at this point sizes had stopped "melting off", I had watched every episode "400, 500, 600 etc.. Pound Man/Woman/Child" that was around, and I was in my danger zone of feeling like I could live OK at this weight - a good way to go backwards. I couldn't physically feel as awful as my old self and that scared me to death.<br />
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At my work I do continuous improvement - it goes the same kind of way. When you first go into a company there are a lot of simple things you can do to make a lot of progress, cleaning up, organizing, some training, etc...and typically most places do great the first year. It does get to the same point as my weight loss where management is happy with a big change, employees are happy most of the disruptive changes are done and more often than not before anyone realizes the company starts to slip back into it's old ways because the status quo is good enough.<br />
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It's not continuous improvement unless the company views the process as never ending. However the gains will be smaller for the same effort now that the big stuff is out of the way. So if they are to continue to drive change and convince their organization it is worth it they need some data to track progress on more of a micro scale. To do this you need baseline metrics, scrap, productivity, efficiency, etc..that you regularly track and evaluate.<br />
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I ended up at the same point after not weighing for a year to keep from being de-motivated I decided I needed to weigh semi-regularly to keep myself motivated. It was something I could track and see progress when the clothes weren't changing and there were no new milestones (seems like once you fit back into your first booth they are all about the same).<br />
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I say semi regularly because you will go insane weighing yourself every day - I did it for a few and at upwards of 290 pounds my weight could fluctuate 3-4 pounds up and down in a days time. So I try to weigh weekly, but will take a week off here and there if I am feeling bloated or know I went overboard on the vodka the weekend before. I want to track progress and keep motivated - but I am still careful not too obsess with having to know or lose every week.<br />
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That's pretty much where I am - losing a pound or two here and there is motivation at the moment to continue along my journey and maintain the lifestyle I have transitioned to. Also now with the blog here I have some more motivation to keep moving along. I do not want this entry to be my last one that shows up when people are googling weight loss blogs three years from now. <br />
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No specific recommendations here at this time other than you need to examine yourself and what motivates you. Be flexible - there is a range of emotions and different paces of change along the way. What motivates you when your asking for a table because you don't fit in a booth may not be what you need for motivation when your comfortably in that booth choosing between grilled or breaded shrimp!<br />
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-LL<br />
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PS Comments/questions/complaints about the writing all welcome - drop a comment or catch me on twitter!Logical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-28485209530741527582010-09-18T04:23:00.000-07:002010-09-18T04:23:41.802-07:00Results Oriented: -167.8 Pounds, +2 Pull-ups, -9 Pants Sizes, and- 3 Shirt SizesNew weight as of 6:30am this morning is 247.2 for <span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>a total loss of 167.8 pounds so far.</b></u></span><br />
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So about 5 pounds or so in the last month which is slightly slower than the previous, but that month included a week long vacation with luxurious heapings of primal food and a wedding where I had quite the good time and numerous servings of lovely red wine. <br />
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It's an amazing number as it seems I have lost about what an average person weighs. I haven't weighted anywhere near this since I was dating my wife so at least 10 years if not 11. I have gone from approaching a quarter ton to less than an eighth of one :)<br />
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And oh by the way since I am so proud of it - I am going to mention again that I can now do exactly<u><b><span style="font-size: large;"> two pull-ups</span></b></u> at that weight!<br />
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And oh one more thing since I am proud of this as well I have gone from 56 pant size to a very loose 38 - that is<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b> 9 pants sizes. </b></u></span><br />
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And one last thing I have also gone from 4XL shirts to XL that's <span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>3 shirt sizes.</b></u></span><br />
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Posted this the other day, but here it is for good measure:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TJSfQoZhgkI/AAAAAAAAAXU/f9q539FxrDA/s320/19monthsface.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Highest Weight to Current 9/2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Here is my updated weight chart:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TJSe46-ggxI/AAAAAAAAAXM/12Aeco7a9FI/s1600/9_18_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TJSe46-ggxI/AAAAAAAAAXM/12Aeco7a9FI/s320/9_18_10.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So for all those who are afraid less carbs and some IF will make you shrivel and waste away - I am gaining strength and maintaining muscle mass while losing inches and fat!<br />
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Paleo/Primal, and Lowcarb saving my life one day at a time.<br />
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Previewing this it seems a little like bragging. Did I post all these new stats to brag? A little - but mostly to say to those out there depressed and trapped that there is hope and you can do it too. Just get started with little <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/p/beginning-weight-loss-journey-guide.html">steps.</a><br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-91634442366963573102010-09-15T14:34:00.000-07:002010-09-18T04:25:35.955-07:00Be Careful Too Much Paleo Can Do this to Your Face!!!19 months of chronic exposure to wholesome food and moderate activity:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TJE6bK1YtSI/AAAAAAAAAXE/eQYD9W7vFp4/s1600/19monthsface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TJE6bK1YtSI/AAAAAAAAAXE/eQYD9W7vFp4/s320/19monthsface.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Know someone who is on the fence? Need a place to <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/p/beginning-weight-loss-journey-guide.html">start?</a> Looking for <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/p/during-pictures.html">inspiration?</a> Don't be afraid to start, share, and preach the benefits of Paleo/Primal, and Low Carb.<br />
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I'm not all the way yet - please continue to follow on my journey. I aim to inspire and help as many others as possible!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-84828119105408010152010-09-15T14:24:00.000-07:002010-09-15T14:24:46.524-07:00One regular pull-up for most - a huge feat for me!As I detailed in my last <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/09/closing-in-on-first.html">post</a> I could almost taste my first ever in 33 years pull-up. I am ecstatic to report that as of Monday the 13th of September in the year 2010 I Logical Loser completed my first ever pull-up!!!!<br />
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Impossible to explain how awesome that was - for most people not too great of a physical feat, but for me it is a world away from 19 months ago. To top it off I did two pull-ups tonight so watch out professional pull-up world - I may do three next time!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-47090250202493282812010-09-09T16:16:00.000-07:002010-09-09T16:16:45.530-07:00Closing in on a first!I have never in my life been able to do a pull-up.<br />
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Thinking all the way back to grade school - I have never done one. I was pretty much overweight from as far back as I could remember and definitely had no real muscle mass. Too much fat and too little muscle = no pull ups.<br />
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Doing my body weight workout last night - I was soooo close to completing a pull-up I could taste it...but even after kicking in the afterburners I fell a little short at the top. Was I disappointed - hell no! That is so much closer to a pull-up than ever before and it gives me hope that within the next 2-3 weeks I will complete that elusive first pull-up.<br />
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If someone had seen me 19 months ago and I said in less than 2 years I will do a pull-up they would have thought I was delusional. I would have thought the same - at 415 pounds it is hard to be optimistic and in reality when I set out the thought of pull-ups or any other physical accomplishment was far from my mind. <br />
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When I started out I wanted the basic things:<br />
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...to be able to bend over and tie my shoes without losing my breath<br />
...to be able to take a couple flights of stairs (or even three) without needing a rest<br />
...to be able to fit in a booth at a restauraunt<br />
...to fit in a single airplane seat with a single belt<br />
...to be able to play with the kids for more than 5 minutes<br />
...to set a better example as a father<br />
...to feel "normal" in a crowded room<br />
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Now at this point I can say I have accomplished everyone of those plus more.<br />
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So missing that first pull-up made me smile - it's a huge luxury for me to add "complete a pull-up" to my list of goals in this process. It means I have the rest of my life back!<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-45779573793179379522010-09-06T05:28:00.000-07:002010-09-06T05:28:23.174-07:00New Page - Weight Loss guideI have added a summary of the last few posts on how I went about my weight loss journey <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/p/beginning-weight-loss-journey-guide.html">here.</a> I hope it boils my philosophy down clearly enough for everyone to follow.<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-58565364219942222162010-09-05T14:00:00.000-07:002010-09-09T16:19:08.793-07:00How Does a Super-Super Obese Man Exercise?Simple - I didn't.......at first.<br />
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As I outlined in "Throwing Out the Standard Approach" <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/08/throwing-out-standard-approach-to-diet.html">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/08/throwing-out-standard-approach-to-diet_24.html">Part 2</a> I think starting off with the full on diet and exercise onslaught at the same time dooms many weight loss efforts. I also feel it contributes to the "failure penalty" people impose after each unsuccessful attempt which leads to an upward spiral in weight and downward spiral in both physical and mental health.<br />
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Instead of focusing my efforts on two fronts I waited until I had progressed through most of my nutrition phases outlined in my <a href="http://logicoflosing.blogspot.com/2010/08/logical-dietary-goals.html">Logical Dietary Goals</a>. By that point I had lost considerable weight, had some success locked up, and actually felt like moving more.<br />
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Also as I did with nutrition I planned a phased approach to changing my physical activity level to once again avoid an overload of effort that could lead to a sense of failure (think of all those people in January who go faithfully to the gym everyday for 2-3 weeks and then when they miss just one day are so overwhelmed they stop all together). Remember this graph from my earlier posts:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TIP7vFZnJgI/AAAAAAAAAW0/BmBKqpSiTig/s1600/LLacclimation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A7jsRE4smrE/TIP7vFZnJgI/AAAAAAAAAW0/BmBKqpSiTig/s320/LLacclimation.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I waited until the most significant dietary changes were in place before moving on - and started at a low level stepping through changes as follows:<br />
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<b>1. Minimal Activity ----> Normal Activity</b><br />
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Believe it or not when your 415 pounds you really do not feel like moving any more than you have to. I used to get out of breath tying my shoes let alone the three step staircase from the garage to the house. So my basic thought was to just start moving more. Nothing new here just a lot of good basic things you always hear recommended.<br />
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I stopped looking for the closest parking spot and walked the extra 20 yards to the store, made an effort to be the one who got up to do XYZ (let the dog out, get the mail, etc..), and took small short 5 minute walks throughout the day. Nothing strenuous, but it gave me a baseline of normal activity and feeling of accomplishment.<br />
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<b>2. Normal Activity ---->Moderate Exercise</b><br />
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After a month of what I felt was normal activity I added in regular short exercise sessions of very moderate intensity. At this point I did not want anything intense so I went with one of the exercise programs for the wii and did it 3-4 times per week when I could for about a month. It was mostly body weight movements with some plyometric movements mixed in. This really got the joints moving again and gave me a nice base of activity to work from.<br />
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<b>3. Moderate Exercise ----> Intense Exercise **I think this was a misstep now***</b><br />
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At this point I decided I could put the gym full of equipment I had accumulated from many previous attempts to good use. I went back to what I knew from my previous weight loss triumph (At the end of high school 15 years ago I had lost ~100 pounds on a low fat diet and body building regimen - more on that in a different post).<br />
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So I lifted weights 6 days a week for a good 3 months. By this time I had lost enough weight to actually enjoy the exercise and got a little addicted to increasing weights and/or reps every week. Eventually though the constant stress on the body left me feeling run down......I had become and exercise slave.<br />
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<b>4. Intense Exercise ----> Moderate Primal Exercise</b><br />
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After reading some good material on exercise from the folks on the blog roll especially Mark Sisson's take on exercise - I decided to dial everything back. Not to go into it it here - but I came to the conclusion the body is not designed for such constant stress, periodic stress yes, but constant no. Besides what good is being fit if you are miserable??<br />
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I went from 1+ hour five nights a week to 2-3 days of no more than 20-30 minutes of excercise. I also went from using heavy weights to almost exclusively body weight exercises with some walking and sprinting interspersed throughout the week.<br />
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At first I was deathly afraid that my muscles would deflate and i would be on the road to skinny-fat within a week of giving up the weights. To my surprise I have maintained my muscle mass and continue to lose weight and now have much more flexibility and free time.<br />
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<b>What I would have done in Hind Sight:</b><br />
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I really over complicated this going to the standard moderate and then high intensity excercise - if I was starting over today I would simplify it to the following:<br />
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<b>1. Minimal Activity ----> Normal Activity</b><br />
<b>2. Normal Activity ----> Moderate Primal Excercise</b><br />
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Although I think I took a misstep it definitely did not hurt the weight loss - it just took quite a few hours out of my free time that I probably could have used elsewhere.<b></b><br />
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Next time I will try and combine the nutrition and physical activity steps into one brief sequence and try and add a page for those new visitors who want to what I would do today.<b></b><br />
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<b>-LL</b>Logical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437728438055961265.post-15306867240430558312010-09-03T17:15:00.000-07:002010-09-03T17:15:44.294-07:00Back from Vacation and Into a FastBack from vacation and busy catching up with work and the yard work, etc...as well as full primal mode.<br />
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I typically fast a couple times per week on an Alternate Day Fasting (ADF) type schedule (24-36 hours on/24-36 hours off) which for me has been the capstone to my primal transition. While on vacation with all of the nice fresh seafood and some awesome steaks - I ate the typical three a day (all pretty much primal) and by the end of the week I felt rather sluggish and slightly bloated which reminded me of why I love both ADF and Intermittent Fasting (IF).<br />
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They allow for the body to have some down time periodically to take a break from the work of digesting food and crank up some of the built in survival mechanisms in the body including increased immune function and GH release. I never realized before how the constant stuffing of my digestive system really dragged on my energy levels. After a decent 24 hour break from eating everything is empty and cranked up to efficiently receive the next round of food.<br />
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Many people are freaked out when they here "fast" - but these are not extended fasts that go on for weeks. It turns out you can get the benefits of fasting without going too long at all (16 hours is my minimum for calling a fast) while keeping muscle (no skinny fat). Logically our ancestors most likely never regularly ate three meals a day (or six or eight depending on who you listen to), rather they had feast and famine as well as some steady periods of nourishment.<br />
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Our bodies evolved to deal with this irregular pattern of nourishment efficiently - which is why on short fasts your body doesn't shut down and eat it's own vital organs like a lot of folks think. Imagine the paleo hunter who missed his prey on one day and was all foggy and slow the next when he had to hunt to survive - he probably would go hungry a lot or die. Now imagine one adapted to hunger - he misses out one day but his body has evolved to deal with this and cranks up slightly for that next day hunt. He is going to survive longer and enjoy more feasting when he is successful more often. <br />
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That is kind of how I feel now - alert and ready to go. I decided on Wednesday night at the end of the vacation that I would do what has been my longest fast. Mostly to reset the mind/digestive system and get back into hunting mode (clear the cobwebs so to say). It has been almost 48 hours and I am ready to break the fast later tonight and enjoy a weekend of primal meals. Definitely my longest fast and not a length of time I will do often (maybe 2-3 times a year after vacations sounds good) - but a good reminder of how in tune one can get with hunger and the body while also a reminder of how out of tune I was at one point. <br />
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I don't want to go to in depth with ADF/IF here, just wanted a quick intro on some basic thoughts. Later I hope to have some more in depth discussion. Still meaning to document my physical activity transformation - hopefully this weekend. I am working on an accounting class for non-financial managers (very non primal I know) that started while I was on vacation so I need to catch that up first :)<br />
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Happy Hunting.<br />
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-LLLogical Loserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11545835316912607525noreply@blogger.com0