Dax's Journal

[myhandd]

I chronicled quite a bit of this before when I signed for Wishes, but a brief overview...

All state baseball and basketball player in h.s., played college baseball, got a management job after college gained 130 pounds in 7 years. The usual, no daily exercise, 16 cokes per day, buffet at lunch and dinner etc...

Got a job with the phone company as a supervisor 3 years ago. They just passed a new policy that manager have to go to pole climbing school and to do that you must be under 275 lbs. I started myAtkins diet in April '03 at 330. I did great until Sept. '03 (got down to 294) when we came to WDW for a week and I fell off the wagon. Gained back to 311. In mid Dec. '03 they announced that if you could not lose the weight, you could find another job. I made my mind up on Dec. 20, 2003 that I was tired of being fat. As of Feb. 5, 2004 I am now 287.

Secret, Atkins, basketball one night a week and one hour of walking per day.

 

[LAinSEA]

You are doing an awesome job so far becoming healthier. But it must have been quite threatening to be in fear for your job because of your size. You are a very strong guy for taking steps to change your life and sticking with your plan.

I'm on Atkins as well. If my DH (who loves to cook) wasn't planning and creating most of my meals I know that I couldn't stay on the program. Getting enough regular exercise is my biggest challenge - very difficult with my work schedule.

Keep up the great work - you'll be climbing poles in no time!

-Laurie

 

[marsh0013]

hey dax, sounds like you've got a good plan set in place, and you're doing a great job already! your job sure should serve as a great motivating factor! and if you need extra support, be sure to come to the board, we will be here for you as well . keep up the great work!

 

[myhandd]

Thanks for the words of support guys! This is a great board and I am so glad to hear from others with the same opportunitties as me.

You know what is so great about the Atkins diet is that I absolutely know every meal what I can and can't eat and I don't even have to think about it. That has always been my failing in the past, if I didn't have options I fell off the wagon.

I often joked that I was the healthiest 300 pound person in the world. I still have a pretty athletic build. Most people would say, "You don't weight 330" The wake up call was when I went to Talledega to the 500 mile race a couple of years ago and we had to walk probably 3-4 miles to and from our parking spot. I felt like I was lugging a dead body around with me. My once athletic calves cried in agony.

When I started my walking I could not go 30 minutes without severe calf pain. I am now up to a brisk one hour walk pain free. I simply had to drive through the pain and force myself to go everyday. The last two weeks at church basketball I hit 8 three pointers in one game and played good defense. I am very active on the court again and it is wonderful!!

I would encourage anyone who needs to lose weight ofr their healths sake to do it now!!! Go on Atkins and stick with it at least a month, losing the weight becomes addictive. Believe it or not I can't wait to get on the scale in the morning. It is great!!!

 

[myhandd]

Well my lil brother turned 28 today and we went to Ryan's in Murray, KY (The nicest Ryan's I have ever seen!) to celebrate his bday. I was able to stick to the sirloin steak and sausages and of course lots of water. I got my one hour walk in at lunch time today. Only problem, I think that I have a major bruise on the heel of my right foot. I looked it up on the net and it has a big name (plantar facitis, i know its not spelled correctly lol) ANy way i've bought pads for my heel to try to ease the discomfort but it is not going to stop the walking or the bball on Monday nights.

I am looking so forward to getting the newest 5 lb award.only 4 more to go!

 

[DavidandDenise]

I don't really have time to chat now, but I just had to post real quick and tell you that I love your attitude! Keep up the great work! I'll stop by sometime when I have more time. TTYL.

 

[myhandd]

Haven't checked in for a while, but I have great news...I have lost even more weight!!!!

AS of today 03/04/2004, i have now lost 52 lbs and 19 since I joined WISH.

I am currently at 278, only 3 from my short term goal of 275 for my jobs sake!

I had to go through some training today on backing a truck with a trailer on the back and I met the instructor from Nashville who will conduct my pole climbing class. He advised that I try to get to 270 before I go to Nashville for class as my boots will weigh 2 or 3 lbs. and if I tip the scales over 275 they have to leave training. So alas, a new short term goal, 270! Another month and I will have it!!

Thanks so much for the words of encouragement, as all of you know, losing weight is a major commitment. You really need support. My wife has been tremendous (boiling all those eggs!).

My word to anyone out there is just to take it one day at a time. As good as food tastes, praise from your family and friends is so heart warming.

Till next time..with apologies to Buzz Lightyear, "To 270...and beyond!"

 

[DoeWDW]

Dax, glad you checked in....and with such great news!! You're doing it!! You're getting healthier!!

How's your heel pain? Plantar fascitis (sp?) can be nasty to get rid of!!

It's great that you got to talk to your future pole-climbing instructor! It's also great that he gave you that heads-up about the boots! Now when you go for that pole-climbing training, you'll be able to go with confidence!

Keep up the good work to go down, down, down, Dax!!

 

[myhandd]

Hey Doe,

Thanks for the encouragement, the heel is still quite painful, mostly in the morning when I wake up and later in the evening. It is so funny because at lunchtime when I walk, it really does not give me any trouble.

Last weekend my wife and I went down to Baton Rouge to see my Kentucky Wildcats play LSU in Basketball. My wife's friend's fiance is a trainer for LSU Football and he gave me some stretches to do and icing strategies so with a little luck...

Question, does anyone else have trouble getting a consistent weight with different scales, I have 3 scales that I constantly weigh on and I vary up to 7 lbs. I guess my real question is, how reliable are the old doctors move the blocks scales... I assume much better than bathroom scales... and do you have to recalibrate the dr's scales very often or do they pretty much stay true?

Later!

 

[marsh0013]

oh man, every scale i step on seems to be different! i think the best way to do it is just to pick one and stick to the weight on that one. at least it will be accurate as to how much you've lost. and then just don't worry about what other scales say. because you know your "true" weight.

i'm so happy for you, only 3 pounds from your first goal!!! how exciting! can't wait till you check in and tell us you've made that initial goal, and you're moving on to your next one

keep up the great work, you'll be there in no time

 

[myhandd]

Thanks Marsh,

So you are going to run the Disney Half Marathon...How long did it take you to get yourself up to the distance?

Later!

 

[marsh0013]

hey dax, yeah, i'll be running the half. hehe, but i'm not at that long distance yet! to date, my longest run has been 6.25 miles. i won't start really upping the miles till later in the year. but how long did it take me to get that far? well, that's a complicated answer. this time around, i started running back in november i think. but i started doing about 2 miles at a time. see, i have a history in running, so i could just start out at 2 miles. i used to run in high school, and there was a time during college when i was running 4 miles a day, 5-6 times a week. so yeah, i kinda had a "base" to start with. but i don't run 6 miles every day. i'm on a schedule that varies each day. my short runs are 3-4 miles, and my long run right now is about 6.

ok, that was a pretty long and complicated answer for a simple question, i tend to do that...hehe

 

[myhandd]

Well I had a really good weekend, I got to walk on Saturday for an hour and a half on Saturday, and for 45 minutes on Sunday. I am anxious to weigh again because several folks at church have commented that I look thinner! Doesn't that make you feel grrrrreaaaattt when someone tells you that!?!?!

I am 32 and I did something today that I haven't done since I was probably 12, fly a kite!

My wife bought a frog kite at one of the Discovery Stores in Baton Rouge last weekend and we had quite a blustery March day in West Ky....Our 3 year old son wanted to see it..It was really a blast. My wife could never get the hang of it, but I thought it was great.

I'll report back the next time I weigh... Til then

Later!

 

[DoeWDW]

Dax, flying a kite is great fun!! You've reminded me about the kite we have - I'll have to get it out!! I bet your 3 yr old son had one of those big smiles with sparkly eyes that toddlers get - so cute!!

People are starting to notice your weight loss - how cool is that!? Sometimes that's the best motivation to stick with it!

I'm actually walking the half marathon at Disney. I thought about running it, but my knees don't seem to appreciate the stress. You have to keep a 16 minute mile pace and I can comfortably walk a 15 minute mile pace. The longest I've walked in a day was 11 miles but that wasn't anywhere near race pace. I've done about 6 miles at race pace and could have walked more but had to stop.

Keep up the great work, Dax!! Onward and downward!

 

[myhandd]

Thanks for the info and encouragement Doe!

Well the latest in the Dax weight loss saga....

I received a fax from Concord out of Pennsylvania telling me that I have until April 20th to be down to 275. The part that is really great about this is that we had to report our weight at the end of Jan. and I was 287 which is 12 lbs over 275. Apparently they just this week got to looking at the paper work and decided we could lose 2 lbs per week. So they figured 2 lbs per week, 6 weeks I should be there. Well I obviously had continued to diet, and I am at 278 and only lack 3 lbs to hit the goal and best of all keep my job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So basically I have till April 20 to lose about 3-5 lbs.(depending on the scale ....see earlier post lol)

I feel really good about the way this is all going. I played basketball Monday night, got my hour walking in Tues. and Today so I really hope to be at 275 by the end of next week! Cross your fingers!!!

Well gotta run!

Later!

 

[marsh0013]

hey dax, congrats on being able to keep your job (i'm assuming you'll make it those 3 more pounds...i have no doubt about it though ). that's really good of them to decide that 2 lb/week is acceptable though, because for some people, that's all they can do and still do it healthy. but you're just flying along having even bigger losses...wahoo!!

i'm crossing my fingers for you, good luck

 

[Desiree]

Hey Dax sounds like you're doing great with your Atkins and your workout plan!

Next time your in Baton Rouge, maybe we can have a WISH/DIS mini meet!

That LSU/Ky game sure was a heartbreaker!

 

[DoeWDW]

Hey, Dax, do you have a reward planned for yourself when you hit 275?? I know you want to go a bit lower, so maybe you should save the big reward until you hit 272?

I'm happy things are going so well for you! You sound so positive and upbeat - I have no doubt that you WILL make your goal!!

Keep it goin', Dax!!

 

[myhandd]

Hey guys...

As always thanks again for the encouragement! I do have a little reward for when I hit 270, I plan on having the biggest steak I can find and the best part is...it is still on the diet.

I made a decision that for budget reasons that I would try to do the low budget version of Atkins. As many of you probably know if you eat steak every meal it can really make the grocery bill skyrocket.

My typical day includes boiled eggs and bacon for breakfast with a Diet Sprite.

Lots of water between breakfast and lunch.

Lunch is usually a 5 pack of 1 carb hot dogs microwaved.

Walking for an hour

Lots of water before going home

Supper is usually 3 or 4 eggs sunny side up or 3 or 4 hamburger patties with cheese and ranch dressing and a salad.

It has worked so far so I'll keep on chugging along. The great part about it all is that I don't feel deprived.


Note to Miss LSU, you can just about count on us being back in two years when Kentucky comes back for basketball again. We may even try to sneak down and catch a Tiger football game.

As always.....

Later!

 

[Desiree]

Sweet! You ain't seen nothing like an LSU tailgating party! All the seafood (and beer) you want. I will try to stay away from the jambalaya since it's not good for you with all the rice. But the seafood should be good!

You are doing GREAT! You will reach that 270! Sounds like you are really doing wonderfully on the exercise and eating. Keep up the good work!!!