Website Moving!

Hello friends!

If you're reading this, you should know some important news!

This particular blog is being retired, and going forward everything will be here:

www.1meal1workout.com

So, go there and subscribe!

Thanks,

Aaron

Liposuction: the Holy Grail? - Podcast Episode #22

This week the guys are joined by Danial Sims. Danial shares the experiences, both good and bad, of his recent liposuction surgery. What went just like he thought, what was better...and what was worse. Click HERE to start listening!

In the news:
MSNBC: Drug helps monkeys lose weight, are humans next?

Eat Less: Pickles...again

Exercise More: How Can I Fit a Workout Into My Daily Route

Physical Therapy Visit #1

Today I had my first visit to physical therapy for my recently diagnosed IT band tendonitis. I was extensively evaluated, given some ultrasound treatments, and sent home with a handful of stretches to do 2-3 times a day.

My next appointment is scheduled for Wednesday, and I have two scheduled next week as well. The orthopedist that referred me recommend 1-2 times a week for next 4-6 weeks. I've also been told to limit my running to 10-15 minutes, one time a week.

It's my hope and prayer that by 2012, this will be a thing of the past. Now that I WANT to be active, NOT being able to be as active as I'd like is not fun at all.

Intermittent Fasting - Podcast Episode #21

This week Aaron and Mark tackle the somewhat controversial topic of Intermittent Fasting, or IF. They discuss different methods, pros and cons, and their personal experiences! Click HERE to start listening!

In the news:
www.runnersworld.com - Drew Carey becomes a runner!

Eat less/exercise more tip: Read the menu!

Gastric Redux - Podcast Episode #20 with John Campbell

This week the guys are joined by recent gastric bypass patient John Campbell. John is also a nurse practitioner by profession and an all around cool guy. He's only a couple of months post-surgery, and candidly shares his experiences. Just click HERE to start listening!

In the news:

NY Times: Midlife Weight Loss Cuts Heart Risk

Eat less/exercise more tip: "Get your mind right." - John Campbell

Sometimes I Should Take My Own Advice

Johnny Carino's. That's where I had lunch today. Due to the fact that I'm allergic to poultry, about 75% of their lunch menu was "off the menu" for me. Looking through the lunch menu in particular, about half of them featured chicken. Two options did jump out at me: the "Homemade 16-Layer Lasagna", and the "Jalapeno Garlic Tilapia". I figured that I had better stay away from the lasagna, because lasagna is traditionally high in calories, so I opted for the fish...because fish is healthy, right?

So my dish comes out, and it's a lovely portion of tilapia...not too large, not too small...served over a bed of angel hair pasta. It was a generous portion, but not TOO big.

And that's where the positive things end.

The entire dish was covered in some kind of rich sauce. Don't get me wrong: it tasted great! In fact, I ate the WHOLE THING. That was Mistake #2.

What was Mistake #1? They also serve small loaves of Bruschetta bread as an appetizer. There were three of us at lunch...and we ate three. So I figure I ate one all by myself. Not good.

But the problems really started with Mistake #0. Months ago I blogged about making good choices eating out. One of my tips was to use the interwebs to LOOK UP THE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION BEFORE YOU ORDER! (I'm not yelling at you. I'm yelling at myself.)

You see, if I had just taken my Droid out BEFORE I ate instead of AFTER, I would have known that the Tilipia was the single most high calorie dish on the lunch menu. AND, that the bread was EQUALLY AS BAD. How bad?

Bruschetta Bread 1,288 calories
Jalapeno Garlic Tilapia 1,255 calories

Oh yeah...and I dipped the bread in the oil, so let's just make it a nice round 2,700 calories. I had MORE calories in one meal then I shoot for eating in an entire day. Ooops!

Thankfully, though, I'm not on a diet. I just do "1 Meal - 1 Workout". When dinner came around, I was back on track. Tomorrow's another chance to make smart choices.

Sweetwater Creek 5K Photos

The photos are in! Michael Stippich did a great job on them, and if you are looking for someone to do your holiday photos, Michael would be a great choice! You can find him on Facebook.

Here's a link to the pictures.

If you "Facebook", feel free to tag those that you know.

Thanks again for coming out!

Aaron

Sweetwater Creek 5K Results

Thanks to everyone that showed up today for the Sweetwater Creek 5K and Family Fun Run! The weather was perfect and the leaves were beautiful.

In regards to the course confusion, the only thing I have to offer are my sincerest apologies. After the race, many of you let me know that in spite of the mix up, you still had a good time and enjoyed the race. I really appreciate that.

Here's a link to the complete race results.

Thanks to Big Peach Running Co, Road ID, Kudo Sports, Chris Hartman and State Farm, and the USA Track & Field Association.

Special thanks to the volunteers that came out early and gave of their time and energy to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Photos will be coming soon, and I'll send an email to all the participants when they are.

Aaron

He's One Tough Mudder - Podcast Episode #19

So...Joshua Perkins and I participated in the Virginia Tough Mudder on October 22nd. It was quite the adventure. You can hear all the details, including an obstacle-by-obstacle breakdown of the course, on this week's podcast. Hear about the hills, walls, hills, water, and hills that we faced...in front of a LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE! Just click HERE to start listening!

If you're interested, you can watch the Tough Mudder Virginia 2011 Official Video!! If you pause it at :26 seconds, you can see Joshua and I in the background. Joshua's the tall one...and I'm the one with gray hair!



In the news:
Washington Post: 3 years after deadline, FDA still hasn’t defined ‘gluten-free’

(This week's tips courtesy of Joshua Perkins!)
Eat Less: Skim Milk

• Skim Milk is less calories and less saturated fats.
• Great with protein shakes or mixing with sugar free pudding for a light snack. Baking too!
• It is best to gradually move down the scale from Whole to 2% to 1% to get used to the taste and texture.
• It is higher in lactose for people that are slightly lactose intolerant and they should switch to lactose free as an alternative.

Exercise More: Change up the routine (AKA muscle confusion)

• Switch up the routine every 9 weeks.
• If you are running on the treadmill then switch to elliptical.
• Running on roads switch to trails.
• Same weight lifting routines switch the exercises and days.
• Yoga on Monday and Zumba on Thursday then switch up the days if possible.

Obstacles:

1. Braveheart Charge
   
2. 10’ Berlin Walls
   
3. Bales of hay AKA “Gauntlet” (single stacked with barbed wire in between, and a little spray thrown in)
   
4. Devil’s Beard (crawling under cargo net)
   
5. Hold Your Wood (pick up a log and carry up and down a ski slope)
   
6. Funky Munkey (monkey bars)
   
7. “Log Bog Jog” thru the woods
   
8. Twinkle Toes (balance beam)
   
9. Chernobyl Jacuzzi (dumpsters with colored ice water)
   
10. Spider’s Web (vertical cargo net)
    
11. Greased Lightning (slip-n-slide)
    
12. Boa Constrictor (tunnels into and out of water)
    
13. Underwater Tunnels
14. Death March/Cliff Hanger (long hike uphill)
    
15. Kiss of Mud (crawl in mud under barbed wire)
    
16. Tires (tires)
    
17. Logjammin’ (over and under horizontal logs)
    
18. Bale Bonds (stacked double-high)
    
19. 12’ Berlin Walls
    
20. Mystery Obstacle (tall drop slide)
    
21. Kinky Tunnels (crawl through tunnels with a couple of turns)
    
22. Shake and Bake (get hosed down then crawl through sand under barbed wire)
    
23. Turd’s Nest (horizontal cargo net with firehose)
    
24. Everest (half-pipe)
    
25. Fire Walker (burning square bales)
    
26. Electroshock Therapy
    

Step Away from the Calories

I'm now 16 months into this journey, and for the past 5 months or so, I've pretty much reached a plateau. To be honest, I'm actually happy with that. My goal when I started was to eat and exercise reasonably, and to see where that took me. It took me down around 150 lbs. Not a bad result.

I've not been able to be as active as I would like because of injury. Also, I've allowed myself to be a little lax on my eating. When I was running 15 miles a week or so, I could afford to do that. Right now, not so much.

So today, when we went through the drive-through at Krispy Kreme, I opted to NOT get a donut. Or to finish the half donut that Nathanael's friend didn't eat. At church, we have all kinds of delectable pastries available in the foyer. Again, I opted out.

I'm not telly you all of this to say, "Ooo! Look at me, I'm Mr. Willpower!" My point is simply this, by avoiding those three things, I lowered my caloric intake by almost 500 calories (I won't bore you with the math). I didn't starve myself or do anything drastic. I didn't really even diet in any way. I just eliminated the unintentional, casual grazing.

Often, it's that simple. I recommend periodically re-evaluating your daily food intake. Do another food diary, or just think back over the last couple of days. Where are you "grazing"? What calories are you picking up here and there that are just flat out "extra"?

Eliminate those calories, and you've got an easy win!

Celiac Disease and the Gluten Free Diet - Podcast Episode #18

This week the guys are joined by registered dietitian Lara Field. Lara is on the advisory board and an executive committee member of the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center. They are also joined by Jennifer Perritte, who has been living with celiac disease for the past several years. Jennifer "asks the expert" the questions that every celiac would like to ask.

If you are living with celiac, know someone that has celiac, or just have questions about the disease, you don't want to miss this episode. Just click HERE to start listening!

Great resources:
Lara's website
University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center
American Celiac Disease Alliance

In the news:
Fit2Fat2Fit - A certified personal trainer packs on 70+ lbs, intending to lose it again.

Eat less:
Apples - a fantastic food. Good for you. Portable. Full of vitamins and stuff. I hear one a day is beneficial or something...that's what I hear.

Exercise more:
HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training. Google it!

Maybe You Should Just Be a Reasonable Guy (or Gal)

We stopped on the way home from the Tough Mudder today to grab some lunch (more on that later), and Joshua and I started talking about lunch choices at Arby's and whether or not mine would meet the 1 Meal - 1 Workout standard. I told him that I had gotten the small sandwich and the small fries with a diet drink.

Pretty reasonable, right?

That started a discussion about what's "reasonable". I told Joshua that I figured if I was reasonably active and ate reasonable meals, then it would make sense that I would be in "reasonably good" shape.

It's my guess that people that do one (eat reasonably or are reasonably active) but maybe fail on the other (eat poorly or are fairly sedentary), would be somewhat out of shape. People like me, that used to fail on BOTH almost all of the time, would be VERY out of shape. I think for most of us, we don't have to strive to be paragons of fitness with a 50 point workout plan, scales to weigh our food and an organic garden behind our house. We just need to work at being reasonable.

Thanks Coach! - Podcast Episode #17

This week the guys talk with Life Coach Jarian Rich. What's a "Life Coach"? Who needs one? Listen and find out all the answers and more! Click HERE to get going!

Get in touch with Jarian:
email: jarianr@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jarian

In the news:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Aaron featured!!

London Telegraph: Marathon runner caught bus to the finish line

Eat Less: Yogurt - milk’s not the only thing that does a body good. Yogurt is a great healthy snack, just watch the calories.

Exercise More: State Parks, National Parks, Dog Parks, ANY Park. Parks are great places to get out, enjoy nature, and get active!

Bootcamp Fitness - Podcast Episode #16

This week, the guys speak with Certified Master Personal Trainer Jason Carver of Dream Body, Inc.. He's also one of the driving forces behind the Active Atlanta Campaign, a non-profit organization comprised of a group of young health professionals who want to make a change in the health of millions of Atlanta residences.

Even if you DON'T live in the Atlanta area, there's still something in this episode for you, so give it a listen! Click HERE to get going!

In the news:
MSNBC: Running a Marathon Can Break Your Butt

Eat less:
We tend to make the worst choices when we aren’t prepared. Plan ahead, put some thought into your day. Especially snacks!

Exercise more:
Do a "squeeze-in activity". I’m not talking about your "cheeks". I’m talking about squeezing in a little activity. Find time to do 5 minutes of activity on an "off" day.

In the News(paper)!

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the main Atlanta newspaper, believes in promoting good health. To that end, they run a weekly "success story" about someone that has managed to lose weight and get healthier. Can you guess who last week's person was?

Did you guess me? Wrong! It was Alex Respess...he was on the show Extreme Makeover: Weightloss Edition.

Now guess who THIS week's person is!

You got it right! It was me.

If you're interested, you can run down to you your corner newsstand (assuming you live in the Atlanta area) and buy a copy...or you can just click HERE to read all about it!

Fun stuff!

Have You Seen My Motivation? - Podcast Episode #15

This week the guys discuss staying motivated: how to do it, what to do when something's stolen your "mojo", and more! Need a little pick me up? This might just be the prescription. Click HERE to get going!

In the news:
You're Only as Old as You Run

Eat less:
Meatless Monday
Spicy Foods

Exercise more:
Take a break...but be intentional with it.

Too Busy to be Active? - Podcast Episode #14

Feel like you meet yourself coming and going? Are you one of the few people that really is too busy to schedule a workout? This week the guys discuss some practical ways to add a little activity to your life.  Just click HERE to get it!

In the news:
MSNBC Article: 'White' fruits, veggies take a bite out of stroke risk

Eat less tip:
Don't wait until the winter to try soups!  They can be filling AND good for you.

Exercise more tip:
"Run tomorrow." - Norman Sandridge
It doesn't mean procrastinate, it means that when you first start exercising, don't do so much you don't want to do it again.

Dealing with Injury

So, one month out from the Tough Mudder, and not only am I NOT at the half way point for my weight loss, I'm actually dealing with an injury. I'm having right hip and knee pain, apparently associated with my ITB.

Not. Fun. At. All.

It's hard to describe the type of pain that I experience when it kicks in, but let's just say I cannot run on it. After about 3/4s of a mile, the pain starts, and it gradually worsens until I have to stop running. I can keep walking, but it is painful.

So I've come up with a simple, two-step for dealing with injury.

1) Come up with a plan to fix it.
2) Do that plan.

Unfortunately, neither step is really that simple. We'll see how it goes.

Fitness by the Numbers - Podcast Episode #13

Fitness by the Numbers! What does that mean?

 Do you know your average blood pressure? How about your latest lipid panel results? Hemoglobin A1c? Also, what's your "BMI"? And should you even care? The guys discuss risk factors, hidden dangers, and more! Just click HERE to get it!


In the news:
New York Times article: Attacking the Obesity Epidemic by First Figuring Out Its Cause

Eat less tip:
Replace your "white foods" - white potatoes, rice, and bread - with wheat or whole grain

Exercise More Tip:
Fuel yourself after a workout

Sleep Fitness - Podcast Episode #12

This week, the guys are joined by Dr. Scott Leibowitz, a sleep specialist with the Piedmont Heart Institute. If you are overweight, you don't want to miss this one! Hear how obesity, sleep disorders, heart disease, diabetes and more, are all tied together. I'm not overstating it when I say this podcast could change your life! Just click HERE to get it!

In the news:
Science Daily article: Fidgeting Your Way to Fitness

Eat less tip:
Try a new - and healthy - food.

Exercise more tip:
Try a free trial gym membership with a friend.

So I Just Tell Myself...

I'll be honest. Sometimes I'm not motivated to exercise. I just don't want to do it. In the past 15 months or so that I've been exercising, it happens more than often than I'd like. When it does, I just go back to the basic tenet of 1 Meal - 1 Workout:

Anybody can eat healthy for one meal. Anyone can workout one time.

So I just tell myself, "I can do one workout. In an hour, this will be behind me. I'll be done."

Then...I go do it.

Next time you don't feel motivated to get active, try it. You might surprise yourself.

If it doesn't work, call me...and I'll yet at you like a drill sergeant. Hey! Different things work for different people.

One Man's Journey through Gastric Bypass - Podcast Episode #11

Today, the guys are joined by Mike Sherrill.  Hear the story of how he came to the decision to have gastric bypass surgery, how it changed his life, and what his life is like now, post-surgery.  You may be surprised by some of the answers! Click HERE for the podcast!

In the news:
A new children's book called: Maggie Goes on a Diet

HCG Diet - Podcast Episode #10

Today, the guys are joined by Dr. Steven Lenhard, MD and Cindi Haga of Piedmont Physicians in Marietta, Georgia, to discuss the facts about the HCG Diet. What it really is, how it really works, and is it something for you?  Click HERE for the podcast!

In the news:
New York Times article:  McDonalds Trims Happy Meal

Eat less tip:
Don't starve yourself.

Exercise more tip:
If you're dreading your workout, ask yourself, "Why?"

Back to Basics!

 "1 Meal - 1 Workout"...you may have seen that name/phrase bandied about lately by me on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, or any of another number of places on the world-wide-interweb. But what does it really mean? Maybe it's time to revisit the basics.

Last June when I made the decision that I needed to lose 100+ pounds, I really didn't have much of a plan, but I did know one thing. As a 42-year-old fat guy, I had tried and failed to lose the weight multiple times over the course of my life. The way I had approached getting fit in the past hadn't worked, so I need to make a fundamental change. As I thought about it, I kept thinking back about my past failures. It usually went something like this:

1. Sit up late at night for no reason.
2. See Tony Horton selling P90X (or some variation thereof).
3. Get disgusted with my current condition and decide "it's time to do something about it".
4. Day 1 of my new lifestyle: Make drastic changes to my eating habits and activity level. 
5. Day 2 of my new lifestyle: Discard all changes and continue life as before.

(The reality is that half the time I never got past step 3.)

So what's different this time? What's sustained me for the past 14 months? It's really a simple, fundamental shift of thinking. I started to think that I didn't need to try to lose 150 lbs. I needed to lose just one...one pound...and then do it over and over.

From that, I decided to break it down even further...all the way down to a single meal and a single workout. All I needed to worry about was eating as healthy as I could, making the best choice I could, at my next meal. I didn't have to train for a marathon or try to get six-pack abs, but just concern myself with getting to my next workout.

Sounds too easy, right? Not necessarily EASY, but very SIMPLE. That simple change did a few things:

• It made the task do-able. It was something I could wrap my mind around. Anybody can eat good one day, right? Anyone can put in one good workout.
• If When I failed, it eliminated the guilt and condemnation.  I hadn't "blown it".  There was no diet I had failed.  Instead, I just needed to do better at the next meal, or put more effect into the next workout.
• Procrastination was taken off the table. No more "I'll start over after the holidays", or "on Monday", "or next month", or "next week". Start now!

That's how I did it. That's what worked for me. I put a string of healthier meals and more active days together.  Fourteen months later, I've lost just over 140 lbs. One meal at a time, one workout at a time.

Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help!

Home Fitness - Podcast Episode #9

On this week's show, the guys talk with trainer (and author) Sam Brown. The discussion covers: working out in the home, exercises that require little or no equipment, Chuck Norris, and more! On top of all that, Sam was nice enough to record an exclusive 1 Meal - 1 Workout video demonstrating some of the exercises he recommends.  Click HERE for the podcast!

See Sam's video HERE!

In the news:
New York Times - Are Crunches Worth the Effort?

Eat Less Tip:
If you're a habitual "snacker", don’t take the bag of snacks with you when you eat. Put your chips/crackers/trailmix on a plate and LEAVE the bag.

Exercise More Tip:
Modified exercises work! If you can't do a push-up, do your push-ups against the wall.

Two Months until the Tough Mudder

In just about two months, my friend Joshua and I will be heading north to participate in the Virginia Tough Mudder. If you don't know what the Tough Mudder is, go HERE, to Joshua's blog and read about A) the Tough Mudder, and B) his prep for it.

Now that I've been on my weight-loss journey for about 14 months or so, after 135+ lbs of weight loss, I'm approaching my predicted plateau. If you want to hear my thoughts about all things plateau related, you can LISTEN to our podcast on that topic. For those of you that have already heard that podcast, I won't rehash it here.

That being said, I'm setting an ambitious goal for myself. My goal is to lose 20 lbs more in the next two months.  In addition to ramping up my strength training, I think losing that last 20 lbs will put me where I need to be in order to be successful at the Tough Mudder.

So, there it is...I've put it out there for the world to read, should they choose to do so. Cheer me on...or better yet...join me!

Back to School 5K Photos Are In!

PHOTOS are in!  Below is a link to all the race photos.  Thanks to Angel Wings Photography for all the great photos from before, during, and after the race! You can purchase copies of any of the photos through Smug Mug.  That's a great way to give back to Angel Wings for doing the photos.  Of course, you can also download a photo by putting your mouse over the image.  A toolbar will appear, and you can save the image by clicking the folder icon...it's the one on the bottom.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Race photos here!

Thanks so much for joining us!  Don't forget to mark your calendar for our next event, the Sweetwater Creek 5K and Family Fun Run on November 5th!

See you next time!

Fitness Tech - Podcast Episode #8

This week on 1 Meal - 1 Workout, I discuss technology in fitness with the Tightwad Techs:  Mark Cockrell and Shawn Kibel. Learn about Runkeeper, Cardiotrainer, Garmin sportswatches, Endomondo, and more. We've also got an interview with Andres Moran, co-founder of Earndit.com.

Just click HERE to check out the latest episode!

In the news:
4 Common Hydration Myths

Eat less tip:
Keep a food diary for a week. It can be very...illuminating.

Exercise more tip:
If you find yourself not being motivated, change it up:  run, bike, walk, swim
If you do miles, and don’t change your activity, change your route.

Back 2 School 5K Race Results!

Thanks so much to everyone that participated in the race today. I hope that everyone had as much fun as I did. You can get the complete race results HERE.

Congrats to our winners:

• Open Male: Ricardo Rodriguez - 18:45
• Open Female: Tara Mooney - 19:36
• Youth Male: Carlos Quintana - 18:54
• Youth Female: Alyssa Dannenfelser - 28:11
• Masters Male: Doug Landrau - 21:02
• Masters Female: Jennifer Summey - 28:30

Again, I really appreciate everyone turning out today. I am still pretty new to the race directing game, so I would love feedback! I hope that any and all of you will go to Active.com and leave a review of the race. I'm still learning, and your input can only help. I know! I forgot the milemarkers. Sorry! It's on my list for next time. If you don't want to go to Active, just shoot me an email:  aaron@1meal1workout.com.

PICTURES:
Pictures will be posted soon.  You can check back here at www.1meal1workout.com, or just watch for an email letting you know when they're up!

T-SHIRTS:
We had such a great race-day turnout, that we RAN OUT OF T-SHIRTS!  A good problem to have, but still an issue.  I will be placing a followup order with the printer tomorrow.  He's pretty quick.  Once the t-shirts are in, I'll send out a communication to confirm your mailing address, etc.  Thanks for your patience.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR OUR NEXT RACE:
November 5th, 2011 - Sweetwater Creek 5K & Family Fun Run

This is going to be an awesome trail run through one of the most scenic State Parks in the metro area, with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society. Situated near Six Flags, it's conveniently located right off of I-20. Pass the word! Online registration is open now, and I'll have a registration form available for download if you'd rather pay for a stamp than pay the Active.com fee!

OUR SPONSORS:
Big Peach Running Co.
State Farm Insurance
Walgreens
Zaxby's
Angel Wings Photography
Mostaza Seed Graphics

One last thanks from me, the youth, and the staff of the Marietta Vineyard Church.

See you next time!

Run for It! - Podcast Episode #7

This week on 1 Meal - 1 Workout, meet "Test Pilot" Tiffany, someone that's working the 1 Meal - 1 Workout plan, and hear about her progress! We also discuss running, racing, and race promotion with Mark Vescio of Run for It! Productions. Hear his inspiring story, and find out why running might just by the ticket for you!  Click HERE for the podcast!

In the news: Colonics? Not so much...
Eat less: Portion size is key! - Visual examples of portions
Exercise more:  Join a team or find an exercise partner!

Some of Mark's Races:
Locomotive Series
Anything is Possible 5K

Big Peach Running Co.

What's the Secret?

Jenny Craig.

Nutrisystem.

BistroMD.

What do these different "diet" plans have in common?  Lots of things actually, but one thing big similarity is that they sell pre-packaged food. And because it is pre-packaged, it comes in reasonably sized portions.

What can we learn from that?  If you eat less, you tend to lose weight. It's almost like, but not entirely the same as, magic!

I know for me personally, it's a lot easier to stop eating when I get to the bottom of a small bag of chips than if I take the big-bag-o-chips and sit down in the recliner.  In fact, I don't recommend EVER doing that.  If you only have the big-bag-o-chips, put some in a bowl and take the bowl to the recliner.

These days you can buy "100 calorie" bags of Oreos, Chip's Ahoy, etc. Again, it's easier to stop at the end of the bag than to limit yourself to only a few cookies. It's a much bigger mental hurdle (at least for me) to open that SECOND bag of chips or cookies.

So what have we learned? You don't have to join Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem to pre-portion your food. Buy it pre-portioned (small bags of snacks, etc.), or portion it yourself using Ziploc bags or your bag of choice.

This is not rocket science...you can do it! It works!

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, but Does Training Really Hurt Me? - Podcast Episode #6

Ever heard the rumor that "running is bad for your knees"? This week, the guys are joined by Dr. Stephen Eggleston, orthopedic surgeon, to tackle that question, among many others, in an episode titled “Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, but Does Training Really Hurt Me?" Check it out here!

Also:

• In the news:  "The Fattest States in America"
• Don's "Motivation Minute"
• Stranger Danger Contest
• Joshua Perkin's "Road to Tough Mudder" blog

Our First Contest Winner

Last Friday, episode #5 of the 1 Meal - 1 Workout podcast came out, and it included our new "Stranger Danger" contest.  It was a simple contest, requiring only three things to participate.

1)  You had to be a stranger. That's right, someone I don't know.

2)  You had to go to Facebook, the forums on Element Opie, Twitter, or anywhere public, really, and leave a comment or message starting with "I'm a stranger", or something along those lines.

3) Then, email me and let me know that you did it.

First one to do this, would win a t-shirt!  OR...a secret alternate prize.

Monday, I got the email.  Eric Miles of Oklahoma was the winner.  You can see his comment on Facebook. He opened for the secret alternate prize:  a Road ID!  Tonight I ordered his Road ID and it should be on the way to Oklahoma by the end of the week!

Keep listening to the 1 Meal - 1 Workout podcast...you never know when you might have a chance to win!

Getting Started - Podcast Episode #5

Are you a person that's been overweight, out of shape, or unhealthy for years?  All your life?  Maybe you've tried to start different diet and exercise plans only to be overwhelmed by all the changes. This week, Aaron and Don (and Mark) are tackling that toughest of topics:  how to get started!  Hear their thoughts and ideas on how to take those crucial first steps.  Maybe it's not as tough as you thought. Click HERE for the podcast!

Also:

• USA Today article:  Go Easy On Your Workout as the Weather Heats Up
• STRANGER DANGER Contest

The Diet Plateau - Podcast Episode #4

Hey everyone!

Episode #4 of the "1 Meal - 1 Workout" podcast is out!

Aaron and Mark had such a good time last week with Don Sullivan, they
invited him back! This week, Aaron, Mark and Don talk about the myths
and realities surrounding the dreaded "diet plateau". How to beat it,
and then when you're ready, how to meet it!

Just click HERE to check it out!

Road ID - You NEED One!

Are you familiar with Road ID?  If your activity of choice includes running, walking, biking, rock climbing, or hiking, you should be.  Basically, if you ever go outside to be active, you need a Road ID.

A Road ID is one of several types of bracelets, shoe pouches, etc. that contain your emergency contact information.  I could go into more detail, but their website does it much better.

I usually run in the evening around 8:00 PM. In the winter months, it's pitch black even when I start.  I realized one day that if anything were to happen to me, by the time my wife was worried enough to get our 5 year-old son out of bed and come looking for me, there's a good chance I might already be on the way to the emergency room.  Without an identification.  I don't carry my wallet or write my name in my underwear.  I do have my phone, but there's no telling where it might end up in the event of an accident.

So I wear a Road ID.  I have the basic wrist band. It has my name, age, emergency contact info, and basic medical history.  The little white stitching around the edges is also highly reflective.

If you are one of those outdoor active types, then you ABSOLUTELY need one.  But think about it for a minute.  What if you go to the gym?  Do you have any ID on you when you work out?  What if something crazy happens and you fly off the treadmill and whack your head?  Will anyone know who to call? To be honest, I've thought about wearing mine ALL the time.

Lastly, I'm a "Road ID Affiliate"!  If you click on the icon below to access their site and order something, I get a small commission.  How cool is that? You can also click on the Road ID logo on the website to access my affiliate link.



Be safe out there!

It's Just Like Riding a Bicycle

Actually, it's not just LIKE riding a bicycle. It IS riding a bicycle.

Today I went for my first real bike ride since I loaned my 10 speed to my college roommate and he didn't chain it up when he got back to the dorm and someone stole it. (Yes, that was a run-on sentence.) That would have been 1991 or so. Just 20 years.

First of all, I, of course, still remembered how to ride. However, my 10 speed from college didn't really shift gears that well, so I never shifted gears. It was more of a 1.0 speed.  My new bike has 24 gears! An 8 speed shifter on the the rear wheel and a 3 speed shifter on the pedal sprocket. It only took me 5 minutes to throw the chain the first time by changing gears and not pedaling.

Second of all, you might think that since running and biking both use your legs, that strength and conditioning in one would translate to the other. Nope. I went a short (6+ mile) ride around the neighborhood. I could feel it in my thighs in the first mile.

I'm really looking forward to doing some cross-training. There's a couple of duathlons that I've got my eye on for next year.

And, getting a bike gets me one step closer to my first triathlon. Wahoo!

No, Not THAT Don Sullivan - Podcast Episode #3

Hey everyone!

Episode #3 of the "1 Meal - 1 Workout" podcast is out!

Meet Jennifer, the first "Test Pilot" in the 1 Meal - 1 Workout
program, as well Don Sullivan, 100+ lbs into a fitness journey of his
own. Hear their stories, battles, successes, and insights. Let's
learn to Eat Less and Exercise More together!

Just click HERE to check it out!

Getting Fit and Meaning It - Podcast Episode #2

Hey everyone!

Episode #2 of the "1 Meal - 1 Workout" podcast came out yesterday. My guest Adam Brown, the "Everyman Fitness Guru", and I, discuss Adam's commitment to a healthy lifestyle, what it has taken for him to stick to it, and how to apply some of the things he's learned to your own life. If you're an "average Joe" or "average Jane" and seem to have trouble making those lifestyle changes stick, this is the episode for you.

Just click HERE to check it out!

Set Yourself Up for Success

"Set yourself up for success."

I tell myself that quite often. It helps me remember that simple choices I make now impact how successful I am in the future. A perfect example is hamburgers.

I LOVE hamburgers. Still. To this day. Even though I know that a big, fatty burger isn't good for me. I cannot order a regular size burger and eat half.  That will never happen.  In fact, if Nathanael gets a kid's meal and doesn't finish his burger, I'll still finish it for him...but I digress. Because I know that I love hamburgers (and if I have the opportunity I will eat more hamburger than I should) when we go to a "burger joint", I order the smallest hamburger they have. That way, when I eat it all, which I will do, I haven't done terrible things to myself.

My point is simple and I'll try to get to it. If you know you have a weakness for a particular food, set some parameters in your mind and then stay within those parameters to limit the damage.  If it's ice cream, set a limit of 1 scoop.  If it's french fries, limit yourself to a small.

I think it's unrealistic (and unnecessary) to eliminate the foods that we love from our diet.  But we can set the rules and make the food play by them. That's how you set yourself up for success.

Let me know what you think. Comments (both positive and negative) are always welcome. Now, go.  Eat...and be active!

2011 Peachtree Road Race!

Today was the 2011 Peachtree Road Race. If you're not into running and/or you're not from Atlanta, you may not be familiar with the Peachtree. It's one of the largest races in the world. Today, 60,000 people hit the streets of Atlanta. My wife and I were two of those 60K.

I decided to do a mini-documentary...a docu-mini-tary if you will...about the event.

Enjoy!

In Case You Missed It! - Podcast Episode #1

In case you missed the big news, our first 1M1W podcast came out on Friday, July 1st.  Very exciting times for us here at "1M1W Central". 


In episode #1 you'll meet me (if you haven't already) and my show's producer, Mark Cockrell.  You'll get a chance to hear a little more in-depth about where I've been, where I am, and where I'm heading in regards to foot, fitness, and living a healthy, active life!


If you are interested in downloading, streaming, or subscribing, all of those options are available to you! Click on the Element Opie Productions logo below. That's where you'll find all the podcast related 1M1W stuff.

I'd love to have you as a subscriber from the very beginning!  Pass the word!

Vacationing's a Bit Different

If you're like me, there's been a lot of things in my life that I've wanted to do, but have yet to do them.Many of those things, for me at least, required a certain amount of physical activity, and before I just wasn't able to do it.It wasn't a matter of want, but more a matter of can't. Now that I've lost 130 lbs or so, my options are a little different.


We currently have some of our great friends from Texas here on vacation for a few days, and we ventured into North Georgia for a few days.In the course of 3 days, I:

Canoed at Unicoi State Park

Paddleboated at Unicoi State Park

Swam (in a pool, not the lake)

Played putt-putt golf (I know, not that physically taxing, but a year ago, I would have made an excuse NOT to do it)

Tubed down the Chattahoochee

Went to a water park

Shot some hoops

Hiked up and down 1,099 stairs and then around 2 different rim trails at Tallulah Gorge State Park

Went rock climbing

Whew!We were busy!But I had a blast doing all of these things.The next thing on my list is white water rafting.


You may be thinking to yourself, "I'm happy for you.Glad you had so much fun."


One short year ago, I could NOT have done this.Okay, I probably could have played putt-putt, but I wouldn't have enjoyed it.


Maybe you're someone that wants to do these kind of things, but right now, you are physically incapable of doing them. Don't give up!Even some small changes can make new activities become accessible to you.


You may not be ready to go rock climbing next week, but maybe you could go canoeing next month!

Saturday...One of the Seven Best Days of the Week

Saturdays are wonderful for many reasons.  Let me enumerate some of them.

1. Saturdays are officially part of the standard weekend package.
2. Lots of fun things happen on Saturdays.
3. Saturday inspired one of the greatest songs of all times.
4. Saturday did not inspire a song by Rebecca Black.
5. Saturday is a great day to get active!

Get active?  What do you mean?  Let me give you some ideas.

• Take a walk
• Take a stroll
• Take a jog
• Take a...you get the idea
• Go for a swim
• Go rock climbing (Google it...I bet there's somewhere near you to do that)
• Clean the house
• Clean the yard
• Play basketball
• Play tennis
• Play...again, you get the idea
• Lift some weights
• Work in your garden (garden required)
• Go hiking

Of course, there are a million things you can do to be active.  Unfortunately, there are a million excuses not to be.  I won't list them here.  You're welcome.

Let me know what your favorite way to be active on a Saturday is.  Time to get moving!

Podcast Coming!

Today was an exciting day!  We recorded the first ever "1 Meal - 1 Workout" podcast, hosted by Element Opie Productions.  Since today was our first recording, we just laid the groundwork for the future:  who am I?  who is Mark Cockrell (my co-host), what is "1 Meal - 1 Workout"? 


Expect to see it published and ready for download (or subscription) sometime around the 1st of July!

So How Does One Get Really Fat?

"So how does one get REALLY fat?"


This was the question posed to me a while back by one of my close friends.  I had just officially past the "100 lbs lost" mark, and we were discussing health in general.


"I mean, as you got bigger and had to buy bigger clothes didn't you realize there's a problem?"


Of course.  But it's a little more complex than that.


When you're fat you don't like to go clothes shopping. At least I didn't.  It's not an enjoyable experience to be confronted with the reality of your situation.  For me, it would usually go like this. 


I would put off clothes shopping as long as possible.  As I gained weight, my clothes would do their best to accommodate me.  Shirts would get stretched out, buttons on pants would loosen...or pop off.  You get the picture.


Eventually I would be forced to shop.  Either because I literally did not have enough clothes to make it through the week, or I had a wedding or other event coming up.  When I ultimately made it to the store, I'd find out that I crept up a size...or two.  Each time, one step at a time, I progressed down that unhealthy path.  44 inch pants turned into 46s...2X shirts to 3X...


The problem is that by the time you're at the Big & Tall Store trying to buy pants, you can't just say, "Hey!  Whoa!!  Hold the phone!  I believe that I may have gained some weight.  I'm not buying any clothes today.  I'm going to go lose some weight and THEN come back and buy some clothes."  You're at the store, you need the clothes or you wouldn't be there, so you buy the clothes that fit.


Lather, rinse, repeat. It's a vicious cycle. In my case, this was perpetuated by an incorrect body image. 


Most of the time when people think about weight issues and body image, they think about bulimia or anorexia: people that see themselves as fat when they really aren't. Mine was the opposite.  It wasn't really that I was in denial, per se, but every time that I saw a picture of myself, I was surprised at how fat I was.  In my mind's eye, my body image was such that I saw myself 75-100 lbs lighter than I actually was.


So how DOES one get really fat?


Simple.  Avoid buying clothes as long as possible so that you aren't confronted with the weight you've gained in any quantifiable way.


That's what I did, and it worked for years!  By the way...I don't recommend it.  If you find yourself in this cycle, don't wait for the next time you're forced to by clothes to find out the bad news.  Start making little changes today, so that the next time you have to buy new clothes, you get to go down a size...or two!

Running 4 My Life Spotlighted

Hey everyone!  Piedmont Healthcare continues to support me in my goals to be healthy, and encouraging others to do the same.  One of the Piedmont entities, Piedmont Medical Care Corporation, featured the Running 4 My Life 5K from April in their June newsletter.  Check it out below!  Thanks Piedmont!

Quick Question

Are you 50 lbs or more overweight? Ready to make a change? 

I'm looking for a couple of people that are willing to be my "test group". I want to take some of the things I've learned over the last year that have helped me lose weight, and see if they are applicable in other's lives. 

There's a bit more to it than that, but if you are interested in finding out more, send me an email and I'll get you the details.


1meal1workout@gmail.com


Thanks!

Where Are We Going To Eat?

I've had that conversation with my wife I don't know how many times.  It's also the most popular topic of conversation after church every Sunday.


Lot's of diet programs make it tough to eat out; there are real restrictions on what you can eat.  My approach is a little more open ended.  I don't really count calories, but I try to be "calorie aware".  I've tried to educate myself on what foods are calorie dense, what foods are nutritious, and what things I should typically avoid.


If you're one of those people that do okay on a diet plan until you dine out, allow me to make a suggestion.  Pick where you're going to go ahead of time (if you can), and do a little investigating.  Lots of restaurants have their entire menu with nutritional information available online.  I'm not above grabbing my Droid and looking it up on the way to the restaurant.


Sounds too simple, right?  A little strategic planning ahead of time can make a huge difference in what happens when you sit down to dine.  Most people eat at the same places over and over.  It doesn't take much research to find some healthy things at pretty much any restaurant.


Try it...you might be surprised.  

Eat a Pickle

I love pickles...I really do.  If you love pickles, then you're in luck.  Pickles, to me, are one of the best snacks out there.  Why?  Let me tell you.

• Super low calorie - the average kosher dill has between 5 and 10 calories.
• Lots of flavor - When you eat a pickle, you know it.
• Crunchy - A pickle gives you something to CHEW!  Yogurt tastes great and it's good for you, but you can't really chew it.
• Handy -  You don't have to spread it on a cracker, cook it, heat it, or doing anything but fish it out of the jar.

However, you can't just go hog wild and eat 10 pickles a day.  I mean...you can, but you shouldn't.  Pickles are also fairly acidic.  Pickles are also very high in sodium.  Very high.  If you already eat a high sodium diet, be careful about adding a bunch of pickles to it.  That being said, if you sweat a lot when you exercise, like I do, then some extra sodium is not necessarily a bad thing.  I usually grab a pickle after I work out. 

What's your favorite low-cal snack?

Are You Dense?

Well...not you specifically, but the foods you eat?  Calorie dense, that is...

Hunger is the main thing that everyone complains about when they start trying to eat less.  The easiest way to keep from being hungry is to eat large volumes of food.  Of course, it seems a little counter-intuitive to try to eat less AND eat large volumes of food.

But when I say "eat less", I mean eat less CALORIES.  I doesn't matter to me if you eat a medium order of Wendy's fries, or 4 1/2  large apples.  Yes, those two things have the same amount of calories.  

How about one of those little 1 oz. bags of baked Lay's potato chips you get at Subway?  If we continue with our apple comparison, you can eat about an apple and a half for the same calories.  We won't even mention how many apples you can eat in place of a non-baked bag of Sour Cream & Onion Lays.

Even some things that are good for you are very calorie dense.  Lean meat, for example.  Lots o' calories.  Nuts.  Everyone always mentions all the "good fat" you can get from nuts.  They're right; you can get good fat from nuts.  But even good fat is calorie dense.  Be careful that your healthy snack of nuts doesn't turn into a 500 calorie "oops".

For dinner the other night, I had pot roast, carrots, potatoes, salad, and corn bread.  This is one of the same meals that I've eaten for years.  The only thing I've changed is the ratio and the quantity.

In the old days, I would have had a huge chunk of meat, two or three pieces of cornbread, heaping portions of both carrots and potatoes, and ignored the salad.  Now, I try to keep my meat portion smaller, about half of what I used to eat.  I make sure to partake of the salad.  Only one piece of cornbread for me these days.  I'll go pretty heavy on the carrots, a little less so on the potatoes.  The potatoes are more "sugary", and a bit more calorie dense.

There's lot of stuff out there on the web about this idea.  One website that I stumbled on had a "Better Choices Diet" that even had a little graph for each food that shows how nutrition and filling it is.  Here's a nice graph from the same site, showing some of the common foods and how they stack up.


Last word of advice from my friend Teri.  Don't drink your calories.  So instead of that 20 oz Dr. Pepper, have 2 1/2 apples.

Getting Ready for the Next Event

Today I met with Mark Vescio, race director for the Locomotive Race Series, to discuss racing, race promotion, and to generally pick his brain about how to host a good race.  He was a super nice guy, and had a lot of good info for me.


On November 5th, I'm planning my next event.  It's going to be a 5K trail run at Sweetwater Creek State Park.  We're also going to have a short Kid's Fun Run, and finish up with a cookout.  It should be a lot of fun in one of the most beautiful areas around metro Atlanta. Here's a link to some pictures we took last fall..  I purposely scheduled it for the first weekend of November because that's during the height of the foliage change.


Right now I'm in the midst of finalizing all the details, locking down the registration fees, and looking for sponsors.


Another important point: this race will benefit the American Cancer Society.


If you aren't interested in running, but you ARE interested in volunteering, shoot me an email, Facebook message me, leave a comment on this post, send me a letter, or just let me know the next time you see me.


Hope to see you out there!

Treat Diet Like a Noun, NOT a Verb

When people began to notice that I was losing weight, lots of people asked, "What kind of diet are you on?"  Truthfully, I'm not doing a particular "diet".

Merriam-Webster has two main definitions for the word diet.

1. Noun: The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
2. Verb: Restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight.

Of course, I have a "diet". I, as a person, have foods that I habitually eat.  But I am not ON a diet, restricting myself to small amounts or special kinds of food.  I have some basic guidelines, but that's about it.  Here they are in a nutshell.

1. I don't drink sweet drinks.  I could drink one 20 oz Dr. Pepper...or eat 5 apples.
2. I don't eat seconds.
3. I choose wheat/whole grain over white bread.
4. I try to keep healthy snacks around.  Some of my favorites:  nuts, pickles, string cheese, protein bars, yogurt, fruit.

This is "my diet".  It's how I eat, and will continue to do so.  Nothing short-term, no quick weight-loss plans.  Just a new way of approaching food.


So, what did I eat today?

For breakfast, I had two packs of instant oatmeal.  Then, about 9 o'clock I had an apple.  Around ten I grabbed a diet drink and a pickle.  I usually eat lunch early.  Today, at about 11:15 I had a big bowl of pasta fagioli soup, a couple of crackers, and some light (70 calorie) yogurt.  About 2 o'clock I had a protein bar.  About 4 o'clock I had another pickle.  Dinner was veggie stir-fry over brown rice and one and a half egg rolls.  After my run, I had some low-cal Gatorade, and handful of Macadamia nuts, and split a bag of popcorn with Cheryl.

Sounds like I ate all day, doesn't it?  I did.  My total calories for the day was still well below 2,000.  It is possible to eat, be full, be healthy, and still lose weight.

What's for breakfast?  I think I'll have grits...

How do I start?

Would you like to lose 5 lbs a week, each and every week, until you reach your goal weight?  With no expensive meals, supplements or videos to buy?  No gym membership required?  Do you want a workout plan that's all plan and no work?  A plan that let's you eat what you want and not change your activity level and STILL lose all the weight you want?


Unfortunately, it doesn't exist.  But on the flip-side, there is a super simple 2-step plan that is basically FREE and works every time.


1)  Eat less
2)  Be more active


If you're struggling to do even one of these two simple steps, allow me to make a suggestion.  Pick one step.  Pick the one that is the most difficult for you.  Now, choose one thing you can do to move in the right direction for that step.  Below are some examples.


If you chose step 1:Eat a healthy breakfast.
Don't drink your afternoon Dr. Pepper.Don't have seconds at dinner.
Go buy some healthy(ier) snacks.


If you chose step 2:
Park further from your office.
Go for a walk after dinner.
Shoot some hoops.
Turn off the TV.


You don't have to change everything today.  If you are like most out-of-shape people, this is about changing a lifetime of habits, not "going on a diet" for six months.  Take a step in the right direction, and let me know how it goes!