Getting read to head out...7am.

Well, I did it. I had my doubts, but I managed to pull off my first Century Ride. I rode my bike 101.5 miles across northern Ohio in 95 degree heat and I had the time of my life doing it! According to “The Most Accurate Calories Burned Estimator” online, I burned my way through 9,936 calories. I don’t believe that for a second, but I do believe that it’s entirely possible that I burned through 5-6,000 calories. In fact, when I returned home, I jumped on a scale and found out I had dropped about 8 pounds!

So what was the ride like? Well, if you follow me on Facebook at all, you probably saw that I was really concerned at the beginning. I was sleep-deprived, allergy afflicted and even somewhat nauseous on the morning of the race. I seriously considered calling up my friend Steve and telling him I couldn’t do it. Instead, I decided to pray, ask others to pray, trust God and reassured myself that if I couldn’t make it, that’s what SAG support is there for.

Well, I did make it. Not only did I make it, but I made it despite a couple of thunderstorms, debilitating heat that was dropping other riders like flies, and a bike saddle that I seriously need to try and replace with something more comfortable! Steve had an awesome ride too. He had suffered some cramping issues on other training rides, but those didn’t affect him at all. We are both a testimony to the importance of good hydration and the occasional swig of Gatorade/salt replacement along the way.

 This was around mile 70 or so. It's appropriate that I'm next to a church since I was crying out to God for mercy.

Near mile 80-85, a storm was brewing. I overheard one of the SAG vehicles saying they might have to pull riders off the route if the severe weather predicted actually hit. That was enough to motivate me to get my rear into high gear. I looked at Steve and said, “How do you feel?” “Great,” he said. “Awesome,” I said. “Let’s kick this thing.” And so we did. We clocked several stretches above 20mph with an average of 17.3mph in the last 15 miles or so. We passed many riders along the way as we zoomed toward the finish – both of us feeling great and accomplished as we did so. Shortly thereafter, we found the food and dug in. We were STARVED!

I suppose I could toot my own horn now. I could talk about how hard I trained, the discipline it required, blah, blah, blah…but in the end, all I want you to know is this. YOU CAN DO IT TOO! I know I sound like a broken record, but remember folks – only 3 short years ago, I weighed 430 pounds and could not walk from my car to a store without being winded and wanting to sit down.

I want you to know that being healthy is possible for you too. You CAN change. The first thing that has to go is all the lies and excuses you accept that keep you overweight and unhealthy. They are garbage and that’s exactly where they need to go – the scrap pile. You are a valuable person who deserves to be healthy. Your family NEEDS you to be healthy. So what’s holding you back? Make the choice to do something about it TODAY, commit, NO EXCUSES, and next year, I’ll see you out there smoking me on the Pedal to the Point!

 Afterwards, enjoying supper.

Today I'm choosing to write about a new exercise passion I've developed - cycling. After I had dropped 150 pounds or so walking, I noticed my bike hanging up in my garage. It was covered in dust and the tires were rotten and flat. I distinctly remembered that the last time I had tried to ride it, I couldn't sit on the seat without extreme pain because of my size. Since my rear was now much smaller, I decided to give it a shot.

Down it came, and off to the bike shop to make it road-worthy again. I started riding on some local streets and trails, and felt good about being able to ride 4 or 5 miles without too much difficulty. Gradually, I worked my way up to riding regularly on the Lansing River Trail (www.lansingrivertrail.org) and was capable of doing 15 - 20 miles without too much trouble.

In the fall of 2009, I decided to try my first distance ride, and put in a 60-mile ride on the Pere Marquette Trail (http://www.lmb.org/pmrt/). It was not an easy feat, as my bike (now with nearly 2,000 miles on it since taking it down off the garage wall) was an old mountain bike with wide, knobby tires and only 12 speeds.

This year, I decided I wanted to cycle more regularly and do some distance rides. Out came the bike early in spring, and in early June, I rode in the ADA Tour de Cure on the 25-mile route. I scraped together some money, and in late June, I purchased a new Jamis Coda bicycle from Spin Street Bikes in Old Town (www.spinstreetbikes.com). On Independence Day, I rode the 60-mile Pere Marquette again with my friend Steve. A few weeks later, I did an 80-mile ride with my friend Rick. This Saturday, I will tackle my first century ride (100 miles) with Steve as we Pedal to the Point across northern Ohio.

Cycling is an awesome form of exercise, especially if a person has knee problems. My knees are touchy, to say the least. A lifetime of obesity will do that. While my knees are still impacted by cycling, it actually counterbalances my walking/jogging. In the end, the two together (counter-training) usually result in my knees remaining strong and feeling pretty decent.

Calories burned during cycling are all over the map. It's impacted by terrain, speed, the type of bike you ride, etc. After my 80-mile ride, I visited on online calculator that said I had burned 5,140 calories on that ride (you may recall that blog). I find that hard to believe. Steve says he's always heard that the "average" is about 40 calories per mile. If that's true, then Saturday's ride will be 4,000 burned calories! WOOHOO!! That's great.

If you're just beginning your weight-loss journey and you have a lot to lose, I would suggest walking first because walking is a weight-bearing activity and comes with many benefits for someone who is significantly overweight. Once you get to the point where you feel you can try other forms of exercise - FIND OUT WHAT WORKS FOR YOU, and stick with it. I've developed a lifelong cycling passion. Now, I have to figure out how to outfit myself for winter riding too. Thankfully, my friend Gene has already hooked me up with that info. Wish me luck on Saturday. I'll try to post a few pics when I get back.

OK, all kidding aside, maybe you're curious how a former fat guy completes a half-marathon without dying in the street. Or, maybe you don't really care about that at all and just want some encouragement to get out there and walk even if it's only a block or two. You've come to the right place to satisfy those curiosities.

First, a word about the Chicago Half-Marathon. IT WAS AWESOME!! Runners started stepping off at 6:30am. However, since I was in the walking group, we didn't actually step off until about 7:15. It was a muggy morning in Chicago as we walked and jogged our way through the downtown streets. This particular marathon prides itself on its musical routines which line the route in various places. If you've never participated in a race event like this, it really is a motivational experience. People line the streets in various places to watch you, encourage you, ring bells in your face and tell you to keep going, and greet you with all sorts of colorful signage. This race also featured several cheerleading groups, something I'm sure the male racers such as myself appreciated...

My friends Luke (who also did the Nashville half-marathon in April) and Claudia (who has now done 3 half marathons) joined me (this was my second half-marathon). We had a pretty decent pace going for the first few miles. We jogged a few stretches and set a goal of jogging across each mile marker as soon as we saw it from a distance. We knocked off the first 5 miles with a 15-16 minute pace - pretty decent for walkers.

As I wrote in my last blog, I was worried about my left knee. As we passed mile 5, my knee no longer concerned me. What was starting to ache and scream were my glutes (butt), lower back, and my feet. I started to get concerned since we weren't even at the halfway point yet.

Well, without going into every single detail and boring you to death, I'll tell you this. I MADE IT! Let me tell you, the last few miles were not very pleasant. It was grit and determination. I told Luke and Claudia at one point that I was recalling how hard it was for me to keep walking when I first decided to lose weight. I would chant in my head as I took each step "I do not want to die, I do not want to die" to the walking cadence. Yesterday, I started chanting "I want to sit my ass down, I want to sit my ass down..." and that, along with the fact that I am extremely stubborn about finishing what I start, helped me make it. I finished in about 3 hours and 40 minutes, an average pace of 16.8 minutes per mile.

If you had asked me 3 years ago if I would be anywhere near a half-marathon, I would have laughed in your face. I'm coming up on the 3-year anniversary of my decision to lose weight. I started this journey on August 4, 2007. At that time, I was walking less than 500 feet to the end of my driveway and back. Yesterday, I walked/jogged 13.1 miles. Two weeks from today, I will ride my bike 100 miles.

I'm not telling you any of this to toot my own horn. I'm just an average guy - I'm no different than you, oh mighty blog reader. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THE SAME THING!! Believe me, I still fight the voices all the time of "you can't do that - you're too fat, you're too ugly, you're too dumb, blah, blah, blah..." Who knows if that fight will ever end completely, but I will tell you this...YOU HAVE A CHOICE as to what voice you will listen to. I choose to listen to the truth, which is I am HEALTHY, I am ATHLETIC, and even though I walk with a weird gait and with my feet turned out (30 years of obesity will do a number on how you walk) and even though I look like a freak on a bike, I AM DOING IT, and you can do it too! DON'T EVER GIVE UP! BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE if we put our mind to it.

I'm here rooting for you. My next half-marathon is September 26 in Lansing, Michigan. I will also have a booth at the Expo the day before. Stop by and see me, or join me for the half. I dare ya!! What's holding you back? Kick it in the butt, and make a healthy choice today.

Most people are shocked when I tell them I'm doing a half-marathon. After all, I'm still overweight and carrying a lot of loose skin. The idea that someone in my condition could do a half-marathon astonishes them. I get similar looks when I mention the upcoming 100-mile cycling event I'm doing on August 14. Of course most people assume I'm going to be RUNNING the half-marathon. Well, that would be great, but is not likely to happen anytime soon.

I've written on here before about the consequences of obesity. A lot of obese Americans live in denial of the toll obesity (even moderate obesity - such as 20-30 pounds overweight) takes on the body. We assume there will be a "pill" that will cure anything that comes our way as a result, and we hope and dream for the day when a pill is finally available to cure obesity itself.

I am glad there are medications to treat obesity-related ailments. I'd probably be long dead if there weren't since I took many medications for a lot of years to treat hypertension, high cholesterol, congestive heart failure and arthritis. I'm pleased to now be medication free except for an occasional ibuprofen and a pill I take for reflux. I'm living proof that obesity-related ailments can largely be treated with a lifestyle change. The medications are there to keep many of us alive (thankfully), but come with their own set of side affects too, of course.

As I get ready for the half-marathon, it's a reminder to me that there are long-term consequences to my choice to remain obese for so long. My knees are shot - bone on bone, and although I dream of the day I can jog without any hindrance, it's not likely to happen. In fact, walking the 13.1 miles at a brisk enough pace to maintain time will be a significant challenge, especially since my left knee has been especially cranky this past week.

If you struggle with being overweight, part of getting past obesity is coming to the realization that it damages your body. Most obese people I know live in denial of that fact. I know I did for many years and would convince myself that I was "fine" and that my body could handle it, after all I was "meant" to be a huge person, right? Wrong. You know you're living in denial when you tell yourself you're OK while downing a handful of pills...

So, wish me luck on this half-marathon. Pray for my knee if you feel so inclined. I'm not sure what the results will be - I'm a little bit worried about the prospect of not being able to keep up. Overcoming obesity has helped me tackle other challenges head on, though, and along with a stubborn streak, I'm determined to make it across that finish line.

Goals come in all different shapes, sizes and scopes. The way they are developed and structured is as unique as all the individuals trying to achieve them. I’m often asked, “What should I do to lose weight like you did, Jon?” My response nearly always begins with – “Figure out what works for you and stick with it – NO EXCUSES.” Setting unrealistic goals that don’t reflect our unique personalities (i.e. trying to “copy” someone else’s goal) will often not work very well. Yes, you might have the fortitude (or stubbornness) to make it happen, but you’ll mostly likely be a lot happier and successful if you tailor your goals to how YOU as an individual operate.

With that in mind, I started a practice last year of setting two “challenge” goals each summer. Since summer is the season that usually works the best for outdoor athletic activity, I plan the goals in advance and then work my way toward them during the summer months.

Last year, I decided to tackle a half-marathon and complete a “distance” cycling event. Both of my goals were met in September when I completed the Capital City River Run half-marathon in Lansing and rode my bike 60-miles on the Pere Marquette Rail Trail on Labor Day. Achieving both of those goals was very rewarding.

This year, after some planning and consideration, I decided to tackle another half-marathon and to extend my cycling to at least 100 miles. Both of those events will take place in August. I’m planning to complete the Chicago half-marathon on August 1, and on August 14, I will ride 100 miles in the Pedal to the Point fundraising cycle event for the MS Society.

On Sunday, I achieved a small “mini-goal” on my way to my challenge goals. I cycled 80 miles with a friend who is training for the DALMAC (a cycling event from Lansing to the Mackinac Bridge). On Independence Day, I had cycled 60 miles, but the 80-mile ride on Sunday was the longest distance I’ve attempted to date. The last few miles were very difficult and I was sore the next day, but again, it was very rewarding to reach that goal.

I want to encourage you to set some realistic goals for yourself, and then pursue them with fervor. Working toward a goal does not have to be a painful process. Our attitude is a significant factor in our success with achieving goals. If I had given in to thoughts that losing weight was impossible, felt sorry for myself, and listened to all the excuses running through my mind of why I should just remain fat, I would have never lost 230 pounds. COMMIT today to eliminating those negative thoughts, set some goals you know are achievable (and realistic) and enjoy the journey!

BTW, next year’s events are already in the planning stages…the Hawk Island Triathalon (in Lansing) and the DALMAC…

In 2001, Jodi Davis weighed nearly 300 pounds. Today, she’s dropped 162 of those pounds, has kept them off for eight years and walks on a daily basis to maintain health. In 2007, I weighed 430 pounds and could barely walk from my office to my car without getting winded and breaking into a sweat. I dropped 230 of those pounds, have kept it off for a year and a half now, and walk regularly to maintain health. 

Our lives have changed completely and we want you to join our movement. 

The beauty of our movement is that it’s incredibly simple. 

1. Eat healthy foods 99-percent of the time, but don’t deprive yourself completely of the occasional indulgence.
2. Walk at a brisk pace for at least 30 minutes per day.  

THAT’S IT. Those two lifestyle decisions resulted in Jodi and me losing nearly 400 pounds. It didn’t take a fancy diet plan, it didn’t take expensive surgery, and it didn’t take rocket science. What it took was some common sense about food, a desire to live, and a commitment to stick with it – NO EXCUSES. 

Today, Jodi and I speak to thousands of people each year at various events promoting health and wellness. Why? Well, we want everyone to become part of our movement. Could you imagine how different things would be if instead of nearly 30-percent of Michigan’s residents being obese, that number was only 3-percent? Imagine how much more productive our state would be, how much happier our citizens would be and how much more money people would have in their pockets to buy healthy foods instead of paying for wacky diet plans, expensive surgeries, OR the high cost of doctor’s visits, prescriptions and more to treat their obesity! 

It is possible. We can do it. For future generations, we must do it. 

Others have caught on to our movement. Click here to view an article about my friend Rose Borst, who has lost 130 pounds and is now inspiring and motivating others in her community to do the same. Jodi reached out to me, I reached out to Rose, Rose reaches out to others…it’s a MOVEMENT! Will you join us?

What is a binge? The dictionary defines it as “a period or bout, usually brief, of excessive indulgence.” I guess the “operative” word there is “excessive,” since periodic bouts of indulgence are part of living a happy and fulfilled life. Like most things, when taken to an “excessive” level, it becomes unhealthy.

I chose to write about this today because I’ve been having some problems myself lately with binging. When I weighed 430 pounds, most people probably viewed my daily eating habits as one constant binge, but for me, it was just what I ate. It never felt like a binge. Now that I’m healthy and have established healthy eating patterns, I can definitely more clearly define a binge.

So, what does a binge “look like” for me? Are you ready for some frightening examples?

Earlier this week, I ate a grand total of 14 donuts (in two different periods of time on the same day), all of which were some type of “cream-filled” variety (we’re not talkin’ about TimBits here…). That same day, I also ate 2 coney dogs, and had a regular “dinner” of steak, some potato salad and a regular salad. I think 14 donuts is definitely a binge.

A few days later, I ate 4 Krispy Kreme donuts, a package of hostess donuts, a package of Zingers, 2 Tornados (kind of like a burrito) and washed it down with a Diet Coke. This was all in the course of about 30 minutes. Definitely a binge.

I can’t pinpoint an exact cause or event that led to these binges. I know I’ve been battling some depression lately, and the two often go hand in hand. I also know that I am a creature of habit. Once I start to “allow” some of these unhealthy behaviors, I find it difficult to stop them or keep them only “periodic.” My forays into Speedway and Quality Dairy have become too frequent.

Most significantly, I know that I’m a food addict. My binge behavior is really no different than someone who binges on alcohol or any other potentially destructive substance.  As I’ve written before, my addiction is especially difficult because I can’t just quit “cold turkey.” Obviously, I have to eat.

One thing I also know is that I CAN conquer this destructive behavior. While its impact on me right now is not overly significant or visible, it will certainly become that if I don’t put a stop to it NOW. I know I’m capable of making this change because I’ve done it successfully in the past. I also know that I’m going to have to make some choices and decisions and stick to them – NO EXCUSES. I need to take a hard look at what’s fueling this behavior. Some of it’s emotional, and that’s probably the most difficult to overcome. However, I also know this behavior can be fueled by what I ate earlier in the day, how often I eat, etc. Letting myself get overly hungry contributes significantly to the problem. 

Do any of you out there struggle with binging? What techniques do you use to combat it? Leave a comment and let’s help each other. Thanks for reading.

First, a bit of background.

When I lost 230 pounds, I found myself with several boxes and bags of clothing that I could no longer wear. Most of the stuff was size 5x or 6x or 64 to 66 inch waists. I had paid a lot of money for those clothes. My job required professional dress, so within those items were pants, dress shirts, etc. that cost a couple hundred bucks each, in some cases.

I had a hard time parting with the clothes because of the money I had invested, so I tried to sell them on Craig's List. I had a few bites, but nothing panned out, so in the end, I decided to just give them away. I was going to take them to Goodwill but then I thought about it a little bit more and decided to give them to someone I thought could really use them.

I took the clothes to his house and he was indeed very grateful. He was especially grateful for the winter coat as he had been surviving Michigan's winters with nothing more than a sweatshirt jacket. He was also very grateful because he could not afford to buy the clothes he really needed. Wal-Mart and K-mart only carry up to 3x and the clothes I special-ordered were out of his budget.

I found out that the gentleman I gave these clothes to passed away this week, at the age of 42. He leaves a loving wife and young son. He had many health problems including diabetes and high blood pressure. I didn't have a chance to talk to him again after giving him the clothes and now I really wish I had taken the time to stay in touch with him.

This occurrence reminded me of something that most Americans refuse to acknowledge. Obesity kills. Our culture as a whole refuses to acknowledge this truth. We place Surgeon General warnings on cigarettes, but take our kids to McDonalds 3 times per week. We tell kids they can't consume alcohol until they're 21, but we cook box after box of unhealthy macaroni and cheese and serve it to them with a breadstick and "Juicy Juice."

Our nation has a death wish, and unfortunately, that death wish is being visited upon our children as well. Statistics out this week showed that obesity increased in 28 states from 2008 to 2009, including Michigan, which is ranked #10 nationwide. Michigan is on the cusp of passing the mark where 1/3 of its citizens are obese. Perhaps even more disturbing is the realization of how this trend has skyrocketed in a short period of time. Today, more than 2/3 of states have an obesity rate above 25-percent, whereas only 20 short years ago, NO state had a rate above 20-percent.

Enough is enough. It's too late for my friend, but I know he is now in a better place, but his son will grow up without his dad, and that is a profound injustice. We can do better. We MUST do better.

If you struggle with obesity, take a step - ANY STEP - today, and begin your journey to health and wellness. I began by walking to the end of my driveway and back and started paying attention to what I was eating for the first time in my life. YOU CAN DO IT TOO! Please, don't let yourself become a statistic - do something about it - NOW.

Believe it or not, I am still a human being and just like you, I have my ups and down in life. Sometimes people who have struggled with weight their whole life don't know how to react when they meet me because they feel so guilty about their condition and think my life must now be so "perfect" and that I never have lapses or failures. Well, guess what - I do have both and just like you, I have to decide how to handle them.

Yesterday started out like any other day. I went to work, ate healthily throughout the day, took a short but intense bike ride during my break and headed over to Janet's for a very healthy dinner. Sometime shortly thereafter, depression struck from out of nowhere. Who knows where it comes from, but when it hits me, it often hits very quickly and I sink equally as fast.

By the time I left to go home, I was truly down. "You're a worthless piece of @!%*, Jon - you're never going to be successful, you are fat, ugly and always will be, no one gives a @!%! what you have to say" - the angry words from that deep, wounded part of my soul kept surfacing. I found myself driving toward the nearest Quality Dairy because one way I have found to assuage my self-hatred is with food, and I knew it would "work. "

Well, 5 donuts and 2 very large cookies later, I sat in my driveway at home TRULY feeling like a piece of garbage - both physically and emotionally. Once again, I had failed. Apparently some of the pain still lingered because earlier this afternoon, I found myself eating more unheathy items. Despite my success in losing 230 pounds - THE BATTLE CONTINUES. I must fight the demons within that want me to return to a life of morbid obesity.

As I analyzed this lapse and tried to put a finger on where I went wrong, I realized a couple of things. Talking with the person I love the most helped me put some things in perspective too. 

First, I know I am not worthless or all the other horrible things I tell myself. I know God doesn't make junk, He values me, has gifted me with certain talents and wants me to be healthy and happy. My MIND knows this, my heart has not yet accepted it. Healing takes time, and I have many years of scars that need to be healed. My seeming inability to enjoy "who I am" and my desire to want to be all those things society tells me I should be are ongoing challenges for me and I suspect for others whose lives have followed a similar path.

Second, I have a choice. I have a choice to continue wallowing in self-pity and allowing myself to continue down the path back to destruction, or I have the choice to put the brakes on right now and begin the reverse course back to wholeness. Failures and lapses will happen. That reality makes me very unhappy because I am a perfectionist and I demand unattainable standards for myself.

However, I know what choice I will make. I've applied the emergency brake. What's past is past - guilt and condemnation only make the problem worse.

So why do I write this? Well, it's cathartic for me and I hope it's helpful for you too. I hope it's helpful to know that even someone who has lost 230 pounds still has failures and battles when it comes to food and weight. I hope it's helpful to know that you too can make a choice. We all have to start somewhere. Will you make the choice to be healthy? I hope so.

Jon

 
For readers who might not know the difference, Type 1 diabetes (often referred to as juvenile diabetes) is a disorder of the pancreas that usually results in the body producing little or no insulin. It can be hereditary or strike at whim and there is no cure. Individuals with Type 1 diabetes must generally monitor their blood glucose levels and inject insulin as necessary for their entire lives.
 
Type 2 diabetes (often referred to as adult-onset diabetes) is a disease where the body generally stops responding to the effects of insulin. The result is that blood glucose levels increase because the insulin does not effectively lower the glucose levels when a person eats.
 
Left untreated, both types of diabetes can result in blindness, cardiac problems, damage to the liver, loss of limbs and even death. I personally know individuals who have died at a young age because of diabetes that was not adequately treated.
 
Every 20 seconds, someone in America is diagnosed with diabetes. It’s a leading cause of death in the United States and what is particularly sad to me is that in the case of Type 2, it’s largely avoidable.
 
America is in the midst of a Type 2 diabetes epidemic. Even more disturbing is the realization that this disease that was once relegated mostly to older adults has reached its ugly hand down the line and is now affecting children at an increasing rate. The most significant reason for this explosion of Type 2 diabetes is our sedentary lifestyles and the foods we eat.
 
If we do nothing as a society to address our "food culture" that is killing Americans at an alarming rate, one out of three children today will develop Type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. Further, they will be the first generation of children that have a lower life expectancy than their parents – MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THEIR LIFESTYLE CHOICES.
 
Our kids deserve better. They deserve to be healthy, to have long and prosperous lives, and to live a life free from the debilitating effects of a terrible disease. Please – don’t allow your child(ren) to become a statistic. You are most likely the most significant determiner of what your child eats and how active they are. Help them learn to make healthy choices NOW that will stay with them for the rest of their lives and help them avoid a devastating disease that can sap their future potential.
 
There is good news. Type 2 diabetes can not only be avoided, but can also be treated by adopting a healthy lifestyle. I'm living proof. I was diagnosed with the disease in 2007 and since losing 230 pounds and living a healthy life, I have never required medication and my blood glucose readings are normal.
 
Let’s kick diabetes’ butt and let’s work to change our food and exercise culture in the U.S. so our kids have the best chance of a long and healthy life.

For more information about diabetes, or to donate toward the ADA's efforts to find a cure, click here. Stay tuned for info about the upcoming Step Out and Walk Fundraiser for the ADA - October 2, 2010 at the Detroit Zoo!

Here's a couple more photos from the Tour de Cure for you to enjoy too...