RaySharpton Weekly Journal

[RaySharpton]

I am starting the W.I.S.H Challenge on the Adkin's Diet, today, 05/10/03. Weight 328 lbs.

I started Alex's Challenge today for one week of no sugar, no sweets, and I will drink several glasses of water every day.

Day-2 - I haven't cheated. I've been good....but last night at work I was a bear to be around all night. I was very busy, but I think it's sugar withdrawal. I am going to try and behave myself tonight....I mean be nice.

Day-3 - (very early day three.) It's 3:00 A.M. in Atlanta and I volunteered to go home after midnight since our workload decreased. Of course, I might have been a little tired of everyone asking me why I was growling and grumpy so much. I was growling (I didn't know that I was so I'll have to take their word for it) because I was so GRUMPY!!! Thankyou for everyone's good wishes. Thank you, Katholyn, for the slim jim idea, the cheese sticks just don't satisfy me. And eating fat with protein. And , I have not cheated. I am drinking coffee(for the caffiene) at work and caffiene-free, diet coke at home. I just gotta. Oh, and I got my first clippie:

Day-4- (very late day four.) I slept all day today. I'm still on the Atkin's Diet, I have an upset tummy...so I'm still a little grumpy because of that. But Saturday is coming. A have a desire to drink more water today than caffiene-free diet-coke.

Day-5- I feel much better today. I'm going to try and marinate and bake some boneless chicken breasts. I have the squirts today...I know...a little bit to uch info.


Day-6- I baked six boneless chicken breasts in the oven and they taste pretty good. I'm going to save the rest of them for work lunch this weekend.

Day-7- I'm not hungry. I need to go to the store this morning for some more eggs, try and find some beef jerky for snack at work, parmasen cheese, green olives, cheese sticks, cucumber, and dare I buy whip cream. I weigh myself when I get off work Saturday morning for the first week on Atkins. Wonderful support here.

Ray

 

[RaySharpton]

WEEK TWO: Weight = 322 lbs.
Loss 6 lbs.
on W.I.S.H. Challenge on Atkin's Diet.

Day-8- Well, my first week on Atkin's Diet weigh day, and I weigh 322 lbs, and I lost 6-lbs. No sweets and no sugar, and more water drank for first goal met. I guess this week my goal will be the same, plus, find and get on the teadmill, and try to walk longer each day up to 30 minutes a day will be my goal. And I'm not hungry, and I need to go to sleep for work in a few hours.

Day-9- Well, I found the treadmill, and went 6 minutes until I increased the speed. I got some looks with my cane. I think that I will keep the speed low and work my way up to 30 minutes first, before increasing speed or grade. I got my new clippie:

I've been thinking about my wish list for goals.
1. To "RUN".
2. To walk without a cane as far as I want to without stopping, and to walk as long as I want to at Walt Disney World.
3. To reach my goal weight of 175 lbs..

Day-10- (Extremely late day-10.) {{{{{Ray hangs head in shame.}}}}}} Well, I cheated big time. I worked a couple of hours late, so I went to the store after work on Monday morning and bought Atkin's Diet food stuff like hamburger, taco powder, lettuce, chicken breasts, and steak. No problem, I always used go to the store after the last night of my work week. At home, watched TV, and had a hankering for something sweet other than cheese sticks, beef jerky, and I was too tired to cook bacon and eggs. I know that I wasn't supposed to eat any whip cream until Saturday as a reward, but I thought that I would have 2 tablespoons or 3 or 4, or 4, knowing that there was 1 gram of carb per tablespoon. By the time that I had the the fifth spoon full (I knew that I couldn't have more than 20 carbs per day), I lost it. I kept eating. By the time I got to 20 carbs worth, I thought to myself, now I can't eat my first time taco salad today because I used up all my carbs for the day. Then I looked at the tub of whip cream and thought how this was like ice cream, my favorite dessert. Yes...I done doed it. 57 servings at 2 tablespoons per serving at 2 grams of carbs. {{{{Ray hangs head in shame.}}}}} I forgot to tell you that I had a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate, Fudge Brownie Ice Cream (in the fridge), 4 servings at 1/2 cup each, 27 grams each or 222 grams of carbs total. I figure that since I cheated that I might as well get rid of that temtation, too, and cheat all at the same time. {{{{{Ray really hangs head in shame.}}}} But I did not give up. I still wanted to do the Atkin's Diet because I worked so hard so far. I decided to fast for 24 hours or more if I could and then eat strict Atkin's for 48 or 60 hours. I really want to lose wait on Saturday. Lessons learned:
1. Don't buy whipped cream (reminds me of ice cream. A huge trigger for me. And I don't have anymore ice cream in the freezer.)
2. Don't go shopping immediately after work at the end of my work week. ( A big trigger. I knew this. I planned on going after sleeping and eating, but I worked late, and I wanted to get taco salad stuff in case I overslept and didn't feel like going to the store.
3. Keep satisfying food ready in refridgerator, like baked chicken breast and mayo. It reminds me of left over turkey and mayo sandwiches without the bread.
Well, I'm not hungry now and it has been almost 18 hours of fasting. I can do it. I'm not hanging my head down anymore. I'm on my way again...onward and downwards. I am a proud loser of the WISH team. I could not do it without the DIS WISH support.

Day-11- I did good eating Atkins today, but I need to get on the treadmill. And chicken breasts are in the fridge.

Day-12- Good day.

Day-13- Thank goodness for chicken and mayo in fridge.

Day-14- Weigh day when I get off work in the morning. I hope that I lose some weight.

 

[RaySharpton]

Well, I am so very disappointed. I thought for sure that I would lose 6 lbs. again this week. Instead, I gained 1-lb. I now weigh 223(sorry 323) lbs. with a total lose of only 5 lbs. in two weeks. But I'm not going to quit. I guess that I need to start exercising. Maybe I had to much mayo with chicken or something isn't right.

Day-15- I guess this week, I'll try not to drink coffee or diet-coke, start the treadmill again, eat more frequently, watch the carbs. in steak sauce, etc. I must be eating more than 20 carbs. per day. Oh well, maybe next week.

Day -16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 - I've been doing real good on my goal this week. I'm still eating Atkin's, and I haven't had any caffeine or aspartine either. I signed up for Alex's zero carb Challenge today. I see where I must discard the greese from the bacon before frying eggs(adds .5-gm. per lge. egg) That I can't use Worstershire Steak sauce (adds 1.0 gm per teaspoon.). I did find that the following has zero carbs.(salt, horseradish sauce, mustard, soy sauce, tobasco sauce, no smoke sauce). And thank you zurgswife. I appreciate it.

 

[zurgswife]

Ray don't get disappointed...It has taken me 10 weeks of low carbs and lots of cheating to get 10 lbs.....I'm trying a new philosophy this week...lots of red meat....I'm a high sugar and yuck carb lover....ice cream, cookies, poptarts, chips...etc...

I'm doing eggs for breakfast...can't get more creative....and some sort of hamburger or steak for lunch and steak again for dinner....and I'm down to only drinking water....I truly don't have the I feel gross sugar downer...But over the past 10 weeks that hasn't been enough to make me stop eating them ....but I've decided that this time I'm going to do it...

So, Ray I know you can

PS Ray...If you read your last post you have actually lost 99lbs not gained 1 .... so, you're doing better then you thought...

 

[RaySharpton]

Day- 22 - Weigh=321 lbs. 2-lbs lost this week, 7-lbs. total. No, I'm not going to quit. And yes, I'm disappointed insuch low weight loss for my size in three weeks on induction of less than 20 carbs.. On zero carbs. this week with Alex's Challenge.

Day- 22, 23, 24 - That's O.K., Carol.

Checking in Alex.

I just awakened a few hours ago. This will be my first full day and night after a very long work week.

It's also my 4th week on Atkin's Diet and finishing 4th day of Alex's Challenge.

I seem to be working backwards on the Atkin's Diet, I started on the less than 20 carbs. per day induction, and I'm still on it. And I learned a few things that were maybe adding carbs..

Like with my bacon and eggs. I was using Publix thick bacon, but it has 1-gram of carbs. per slice. I know make sure that the label says no carbs. I also was told that cooking the fried eggs in the bacon drippings added another 1/2 gram per egg. So now I dump the bacon drippings. And I have to be careful with using cheese with less carbs. on my scambled eggs.

For snacks, I ate red hot pork rinds. I thought they were zero carbs., but they were one carb. per serving, so now I eat plain, zero-labeled pork rinds.

Also cheese sticks that I was eating had 1-gram per cheese stick. no more.

And with steaks, I love worstershire sauce, but it had 1-gram of carb. per teaspoon. Now, I use zero carb. Liquid Smoke sauce and butter.

And onions. My weakness with cooking hamburgers with onions at 7-grams per 1/2 cup. No more.

Also, no coffee(they say caffeine may make me hungry).
No Diet-Coke, Crystal Light(they say aspartine may slow weight loss).
No green olives(1-gram per 5-olives).

I drink 22-ounces of water at a time. Many times. Nothing else.

Alex, I'm still on zero carbs., or at least, very close to it, as best as I can tell.



My body must be very resistent, or I'm doing something very wrong.

But I am not hungry. And I feel much better. And I only eat when I feel hungry, which is about twice a day.

I just want to see the scale go down faster. Especially for my huge size.

I'm not hungry. But I'm not losing the weight for my size.

Thanks for the Challenge, Alex.

I'm on zero carbs., I hope, and I've started the treadmill this week.

I've sorta worked backwards on Atkin's Diet by going from less than 20-grams per day to as close to zero carbs. per day as best as I can figure out. I also learned a lot about hidden carbs.

Day- 25, 26, 27 - Thursday evening, I had a great evening with ead79 and her DH to be, olena and her DH, sha_lyn and her DS, and Dan Murphy for an Atlanta DIS meet. Her is a link to some pictures by olena:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=3632436

And I stayed on zero carbs., Alex. I drank water, and ate dry pork and dry ribs with Texas Pete hot sauce and "NO" bar-b-que sauce. The pork and ribs were very fresh and moist. And I got my new star for Day 1 from Jody(even though I haven't cheated 18 days.)

Best wishes and encouragement, RaySharpton

 

[CarolA]

Deleted after reading Ray's post on the top post. (At least I tried to delete it.!) Sorry Ray.

 

[RaySharpton]

Week - 5

Day - 29 - After one week of zero carbs. on Alex's Challenge without cheating, I gained 1-lb., lost 4-inches, and walked on the treadmill 1.4 miles. The only thing keeping me going is that I feel much better and I'm not hungry, and my clothes feel looser. Oh well. It may be my prescriptions, too, that is stalling my weight loss, but I can't stop that.

God bless you, best wishes, and encouragement, RaySharpton

 

[zurgswife]

Ray keep going soon your weigh must drop....but I did read something interesting today in a fitness magazine...If you eat too few calories your body shuts down and doesn't drop any weigh with some people. So, even though you are doing no carbs ...how many actual calories are you eating....make sure it is enough to sustain you....If you've been eating a low number of calories try uping it for a week and see if it makes a difference...

Also, you may have one of those very resistant bodies like me...Just keep trying...I know that sooner or later it will work..you sound like you are doing everything right...

 

[RaySharpton]

Week - 6 - 4-lbs. lost and lost 1-inch.

Day - 36 - Finally, and barely got my 10-lb clippie.

Thank you, zurgswife, Ray

Day - 37, 38, 39 - I can finally post on the DISboards. I thought that they were off for maintainance when I got home from work Monday. Then I couldn't get on until Tuesday night,but I couldn't go past the front page. But now all is right with the world.

I'm holding my breath for weigh-in this Saturday. It seems like I lose one week and gain the next week. I don't want to gain 4 or 5 pounds.

Tuesday morning was exciting.

I got back from being outside for several hours after walking down 19 floors. _ We had a fire. _ I didn't know about it because I was asleep with ear plugs.

When I got up to go to the restroom, I thought that I left the water on somewhere. It wasn't the sink and it wasn't the shower. _ It sounded like it was raining on the bathroom ceiling, without seeing any water.

Then I called the lobby and they said that the building is evacuated because of a fire on the 25th floor.

But I'm back, and I don't see any damage. _ Some people on the 25th floor said that there was 3 to 4 inches of water in the hallway and all their rooms. _ They had hardwood floors...oh my. _ They also heard that someone left their food cooking and left the building.

I'm letting several of the unfortunate neighbors store some of their valuables in my living room, and just a place to stay until they get things together. _ I can't imagine what all the day time workers were going to think when they came home or were called at work.

I thought that I was going to have a heart attack when I got to the road...lol. _ One of the firemen sat me down and demanded to check my heartrate and blood pressure.

I must have looked pretty bad. _ I told him that this is the way that I usually look.

But I was fine and went go back to sleep...but without the ear plugs...lol. I'm glad that I didn't have to walk up those 19 floors...lol. Well, I did get some exercise.

And I feel pretty safe if a fire breaks out. Some neighbors say that the burnt unit was minimal and contained to the burned ktchen wall. But the water damage must be terrible. The noise of water that I heard was water falling down a shaft next to my bathroom wall.

Thank goodness there is no damage.

Today I discovered macadamia nuts. A very nice treat with 1/4 cup is 3-grams of carbs., and 2-grams of fiber, and 22 grams of fat. Yesterday, I also, very reluctently, bought the low fat popsicle that had only 3-grams of fat. Of course, I must limit these two items as a quick treat.

Day - 40, 41, 42 - Well, I made it through my birthday without eating cake and ice cream. I did eat more carbs. in one meal than I have since tying to eat close to zero carbs..

I ate at Houston's restaurant last night. I wanted the ribeye steak, but it had a sauce that it was cooked in, so I ordered a great beef filet. They had limited fresh vegetables to choose from. I ordered the sliced tomatos and ate only one slice which wa the size of a small tomato and 4-gms. of carbs.. The only other side was creamed spinach. I only ate about 1/2 a cup and that wa 10-gms. of carbs.. The side salad was great with the crotons removed. I had to pick out the carrots though. The bacon and ranch dressing was great. I also just drank wter and no dessert, cake or ice cream. The berries were out of season.

So I guess that I had about 15 gms. for the day and I was very full...lol. Then I went to see the movie, the Matrix. I didn't like the ending.

Ray Sharpton

 

[wdwnutze]

 

[RaySharpton]

WEEK - 6 - Day-43 - I lost 8-lbs. for the week, for a total of 18-lbs. lost, and I got my new clippie!
<img src="http://www.disboards.com/wish/15wish.gif">
I don't know why, I lost, but I owe most of it to everyone's wondeful support. Thankyou all, very, very much.

God bless you, best wishes, and encouragement, RaySharpton

 

[Jomrog]

Yay! Ray!! I love that 15lb clippie. You are doing great!!!

Thank goodness you didn't get hurt or any damage in that fire. How scary.

Keep up the good work!!!!

 

[RaySharpton]

Week - 7 - Lost 2-lbs. this week for a total of 20 lbs. in 6 - weeks.

 

[RaySharpton]

This week, I gained four pounds for total of 16-lbs lost instead of 20. Lost my 20-lb. clippie and back to 15-lb. clippie.

 

[RaySharpton]

Ninth week, I lost 6-lbs., now I weigh 306, and total of 22-lbs lost.

 

[RaySharpton]

End of 10th week on Atkin's Diet. I lost 11-lbs. this week, for a total of 33-lbs. lost, and I now weigh 295.

<img src="http://www.disboards.com/wish/30wish.gif">

And I got a new clippie if this works.

Noe it doesn't. I just changed the 20 to 30.

 

[*Flower*]

Congratulations Ray!!!

I've been reading your journal and trying to get up the courage to sign up for the W.I.S.H. group (even if I don't know what the initials mean).
I'd bought some peaches and plums last week- before I decided to try Atkins- so I'm doing Atkins and fruit until I run out of fruit.

Good luck to you....

 

[RaySharpton]

Just finished 11th week, and I lost 4-lbs, for a total of 37-lbs..

Two weeks till WDW at DTD CbM trip, and I'm still having a hard time walking any distance.

But amazingly, I'm still losing weight.

 

[*Flower*]

Well Ray, I bit the bullet......

All of the fruit is gone..... I do have grape tomatoes in the house for salads, broccoli florets, field greens and different dressings than what I'm used to.

I started on the 17th and haven't stepped on the scale yet. I'm nervous about it- so I'll do it tomorrow.

Be strong, and have confidence!!

 

[RaySharpton]

Just finished my 12th week on Atkin's Diet and lost 3-lbs. for a total of 40-lbs. lost and now I weigh 288-lbs..

I get my new clippie, too, thanks to Mr. Crickett changing it from ".bmp" to ".gif".

This week, I developed gout or pseudo-gout in my left big toe. So I am drinking more water instead of Diet-Rite. I'll use Diet-Rite as a treat or a reward or in an emergency.

I discovered "Life-Savers", 10-calorie, 2-gram carb pop-cycles, and Atkin's brand chocolate ice cream that comes in four 4-ounce cups at 3-grams of carbs per 4-ounce cups.

Both of these were just too good and to tempting.

My weakness is ice cream, and the Life-Savers pop-cycles ar so much better than the 3-gram, 15-calorie Pop-cycle brand.

I have the desire to want to keep eating the Atkin's and Life-Saver stuff...lol.

Now, I need to look for a podiatrist.

My prayers for strength are still with my Dear Friend Katholyn.