tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72921314642492245332024-02-20T01:02:29.089-08:0030 Day Broth FastMy journey to health starting with a 30 day broth fast. Pretty interesting if I do say so myself. I hope you read along.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-44489077857157850472018-08-29T10:58:00.000-07:002018-08-29T10:58:54.379-07:00.A look back at myself 3 1/2 years ago... or "The girl at Pierre La Fond's"Hello visitor<br />
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If you're new to this...Here's the latest. So over 3 years ago I completed my own 30 Day Broth Fast and lost 35 pounds in 2 months and eliminated a whole host of medical problems. I ended up losing another 10 pounds literally without trying over the next few months. Now with over 50,000 people reading this blog, I thought it was time to assemble a book. You're welcome to read from this point or you can go back a couple of years and start at the beginning. If you'd like to do that: <a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">CLICK HERE</a><br />
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First a short story before my main point of today blog posting.<br />
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After being on the road for 17 days working as a consultant to schools I returned to Santa Barbara and the arms of my sweet wife.<br />
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After being away from the house for that many days, the transition back to "home life" is not always the easiest. So to do what is familiar and comforting can help in the process. When I arrived, I knew that my wife would not still be at work. So I walked over to a familiar coffee shop near our house in Montecito called Pierre La Fond. I have been going there for decades. And I found myself enjoying a lovely cup of roasted grains called "Teechino". If you like rich, coffee-like drinks, without caffeine, this might be one that you enjoy. As I was about to leave, I saw a familiar face and a familiar little dog. I greeted her as one might. She stopped me and said, "Can I ask you for some advice?" <br />
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Advice? Are you kidding me? There is little that I like to do better than give advice. And the fact that she asked, impressed me. We live in a world where people believe that they know everything that there is to know, and if for any reason they do happen to see a lack of expertise, they search online for an answer that fits with their way of thinking. It's a rare day when we ask each other for advice. Yet this dear woman did just that. She is wise. A wise individual "seeks" the advice of others...and after pondering the advice makes their own "educated" decision.<br />
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This lady told me that she was going through a lot. How she had a good job but just quit. And then struggled a bit to find another, and then quit again. And she explained the financial ramifications of the time off, without pay, between jobs...well, she wasn't doing as well as she would have liked. She also spoke at length about bosses and co-workers in the past who had not treated her very kindly. They made quite an impact on her, and she clearly hadn't forgotten about that. Furthermore she spoke of family members who were less than nice as well. And when she asked for help they gave her a bad time. And it seemed like at least some of the family had completely shut her off. She said that she was hurting quite a bit...financially and emotionally. Thankfully she was not trying to ask me for money, she only wanted advice...and perhaps a listening ear. And I was the right guy for the job because I sure knew how she felt from first hand experience. I too had been treated badly, been in difficult financial times, and had significant family issues. She was still in the midst of all of this and I had just gone through it.<br />
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She had a great job prospect outside the area but where she knew no one. She was unsure of starting all over, brand new, where no one knew her, nor her past.<br />
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And this is where the main point of the blog begins...<br />
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Often times people who are struggling need a re-start. Like when our computer is all messed up...which probably means that it is not a Mac, we re-boot it. We shut it down and give it a chance to start over. The computer closes all of those pesky programs and attempts to start over. But the problem is that those programs are still in the computer. And perhaps there a viruses, small and large, that are making things run slowly and causing catastrophic failures.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-21449557474965942662017-07-13T16:26:00.003-07:002017-07-13T16:26:53.013-07:00Soup Broth Recipe comments.....or How to Cook Soup with ConfidenceHi Friends....<br />
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If you're just joining us and are new to this blog, feel free to stick around but you might enjoy the story better if you start at the very beginning. It reads like a book so it's fun to start with the first post and read each entry. Here's the link to the first post: <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">Click Here for First Post</a></span><br />
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So the most common question that I get is with regard to recipes.<br />
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It's an interesting question. Is the question raised because someone wants to see what the soup is like that I'm drinking? Or perhaps because they have fully decided to start and want to pump up their recipe list? Either way, clearly it's a topic that people want addressed.<br />
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When it comes to making soup....or really any meal, it's important to be kind and gentle with yourself. Often people are worried that they "won't do it right". Listen....There is no wrong way. Here's the proof. Have you ever eaten a hamburger, taco, chicken soup, cheesesteak, etc. at more than one location? I'd bet you have...note, if not then you need to get out more. One thing that we know for sure is that people make food differently. The largest Chili Cookoff is in Terlingua, Texas...I've actually been to Terlingua. A rough and rugged place to be sure. There are dozens of entries. At the recent Chili Cookoff in Orange County, there were 48 entries with 35,000 people in attendance. Some chili was spicy and some was sweet. Some had meat and some were veterinarian. Point being, multiple ways of cooking still make great meals.<br />
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To be honest, I went to school for a short while to study restaurant management. I finished the formal training to be waiter but never started the cooking portion. But I did learn a lot working in the restaurant business from a great Chef named Ron. Everything he made was from scratch. And although we never made any soup together...other than clam chowder, I learned a lot about basic cooking. That and I read a great book called "The Way to Cook" by the great Julia Child.<br />
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The important thing to know is just to think about how those flavors would work together. How does cinnamon taste? Think about it for a minute...how would salt and cinnamon taste together? Think about it. Most would say, it wouldn't work so well together. The point is that if you think that something will taste good together, then it probably will.<br />
<br />Using a recipe online is always a safe bet :-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-5413599528669191582017-05-31T10:36:00.000-07:002018-08-29T10:44:50.116-07:00Day 1 draftIf you are new here and want to start from the beginning....good idea :-) You can click here and It will bring you to the beginning. <a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">CLICK HERE</a><br />
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So if you have been following this you probably know that I'm writing a book to tell this story. I figure with about 45,000 people reading this, it seemed like it was in order.<br />
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I felt that for a couple of reasons I would "do" another broth fast -- for 15 days.<br />
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In no particular order, I had took an absolutely horrible assignment working with a school in a big city far from home. I was 3 hours from Santa Barbara so commuting wasn't an option. I went to check out the area and realized that I'm not a city guy. I've never liked them. So I found a place to live in the mountains nearby in a town of 1,100 people and it's lovely. The catch is that I have to drive about an hour each way...well worth it. But suffice it to say that eating healthfully became more of a challenge. And the stress of the job (way, way, way more stress than I care to describe here) allowed the Cushing's Syndrome to reappear and this began to affect me quite adversely. All this to say that I started to gain weight again...not much but it was coming on pretty quickly and my health was deteriorating. I knew this path and wasn't about to walk down it again. So I decided that I needed to re-set and re-start...again. So I decided to take 15 days and drink broth to get back to the healthy state that I have been in for over 2 1/2 years.<br />
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The second reason was that if I was to write a book 2 1/2 years after first completing it, it would be helpful to be able to revisit those feelings and issues. After all, when I first went through it, I hadn't been considering writing a book. So here I am writing and drinking broth.<br />
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I'm going to post as I did before giving updates as I go.<br />
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I hope that you'll take the time to read along....should be interesting. :-)<br />
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PLEASE SHARE ON FACEBOOK or TELL YOUR FRIENDS!! That would be a very nice gift.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7292131464249224533#editor/target=post;postID=7734399623396218005;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=1;src=postname">CLICK HERE for the NEXT post</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-43542145846808965692017-05-31T10:20:00.002-07:002018-08-29T10:44:50.008-07:00Day 2 draftDay 2 of the 2016 Broth Fast<br />
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If you're new to this...Here's the latest. So 2 1/2 years ago I did the 30 Day Broth Fast and lost 35 pounds in 2 months and eliminated a whole host of medical problems. I ended up losing another 10 pounds literally without trying over the next few months. Now with about 45,000 people reading this blog, I thought it was time to assemble a book. You're welcome to read from this point or you can go back a couple of years and start at the beginning. If you'd like to do that: <a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">CLICK HERE</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">For those of you who have been following this, here's the update on Day 2 of the latest broth fast.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Yesterday was really hard. It hit me like BAMM! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">There was this intense desire to eat and although it is been a while since I have done this (broth fast), yesterday seemed harder than any other day so far. I really hadn't experienced anything like this during the other two times that I fasted in the past. But what I learned was that for some people there's going to be a point where it just seems too overwhelming.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I had that feeling, that questioning, could I actually do this? Was I going to make it? I was ravishing. I was literally so hungry that I was actually nervous. Anxious. Anxious about the fact that I didn't have food to eat...solid food that is. I had that feeling of impending doom. Like something was going to happen to me, something unpleasant. If you've ever dealt with anxiety issues before, like I have, you might understand the feeling. It felt like I was going to die or something. Even though there were no symptoms, I felt like I was going to have a heart attack or pass out or explode, I didn't know what but it just felt scary.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">It truly overwhelmed me and became my most prevalent thought. It was more than a momentary obsession, it felt like it was life or death. I almost had that feeling like "My gosh! I have to eat right now otherwise I'm going to die." It was that type of hungry. But in reality, it'd only been two days. And I had "some" broth 4 hours earlier. Oh and this feeling... it was the second time that it came over me in the same day, but the earlier was certainly not as bad as this one.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">So how did I make it through? I just stayed convicted. I had to have my brain and logic trump my physical body's request. I knew that the feelings were strictly related to my body craving the carbs and sugars that it had been getting on such a regular basis. I knew that I would get plenty of nutrition in the broth if I just drank it. That "was" my "food". And why was I so crazy hungry? I hadn't eaten! I did not have enough calories that day. I did not get enough nutrition. Whatever you want to call it, I had not ingested enough to stay satisfied.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">But I "knew" that this feeling would subside in a matter of minutes, certainly in less than an hour, as long as I had some broth. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I know enough now about broth fasting to be certain that I needed to have more than 1/2 a cup or even a whole mug. I needed to have at least two. And I needed to slam them.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">So I poured some of my basic chicken broth into a mug and then quickly tried to aerate it to cool it down so that it would be warm rather than hot. I even took a glass that we keep in the freezer and poured some of the soup into the chilled and frosty glass to try to cool it quickly. I was so hungry, I wasn't interested in taking my time to savor the flavor. I just needed to get something in me, and get something in me fast. I know the importance of drinking broth quickly. For this reason I usually keep the broth at a warm, not hot, temperature. I first make the soup, cooking it on high in the crockpot, sometimes leaving it on high for quite a while. Hours, sometimes even a full day or more. This strengthens the flavor. It also, I believe, adds to the nutritional value. But once the flavor is set, I turn it down not just to low but to warm. In truth, I really don't want to drink it hot. It is so much better and easier to drink warm. I think the speed at which one drinks the broth helps immensely. More on that below.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Let's compare it to eating a meal. Think about how long it takes to ingest a hamburger. Think about being at McDonald's...wait, or better yet Tommy Burgers in Los Angeles where every burger comes with chili on it, perhaps the best burgers in America, but I digress. OK, I need to dwell on this some more. Let me explain how good these burgers are. They are so good that if you have two double cheese with extra chili burgers... they are so good, that I can guarantee the next day your stomach will hurt. That's how good they are! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">But think about how long it would take to eat one burger, how long would it really take? 15 minutes? Probably less. It would be interesting for us to time ourselves and see how long it takes us to eat one basic burger. All that to say, we know it would be pretty fast. To take a mug of the soup broth and drag it out for 45 minutes would be like eating that burger over 45 minutes. It would fill you up but it wouldn't feel very satisfying. And it would take a long time to feel comfortably full. And so it is with the broth. I find that if I "slam" a mug of broth, meaning I drink it within five minutes or so, it's very fulfilling. Even if you don't ever take on a diet like this, and I wouldn't recommend it without your personal medical advisory, it would be an interesting mini-experiment. Take a time</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> when you're hungry and try this. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Try take some delicious soup broth that you make, just scoop it out of your regular soup. Put it into a mug and let it get to a comfortable temperature where it is easy to drink, warm to lukewarm. And then drink it quickly, in just a few minutes. I think you will see what I mean. It is really quite satisfying. You don't have to be doing a broth fast to appreciate and understand what I'm saying here.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I have to say, it really was an unnerving day. But it was my own fault.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I really didn't have enough broth. I had a crazy busy day. I should have scheduled my day knowing that I was still very early in this process. I didn't "plan" it out as I should have. Perhaps I was overconfident from the fact that I knew I had already done this twice before. The first time for 30 days. The second time was after a short break.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> After I finished the first 30 days, I took two weeks of "normal" eating while I traveled to work with a school in Philadelphia. But when I came back to Santa Barbara, I restarted the broth fast for 15 more days. So there were two times where I started</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> this; where I went from having solid food to having just broth. Perhaps I looked back at this with a bit too much cavalier bravado.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Well, so I was up early in my little mountain cabin. 446 square feet at 6000ft. That morning I had a mug, maybe two, of my Zesty Chicken Broth and then I left to go down to a coffee shop where I had tea, and then I was running around most of the day. Occasionally I did get some broth, but nowhere near enough. Obviously. Then I drove in the car for four hours in heavy traffic. It became a bit of a challenge to have enough broth while I drove. Wisely, I planned ahead and brought a large travel mug with me. I finally got to Santa Barbara where we were to attend a splendid party at our neighbor's home in our little village of Montecito. I had one mug of broth before the party and then only sparkling mineral water during the nearly 4 hours that we were there. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">And there was a lot of good smelling food there. And people were eating it, at times right next to me. Certainly it wasn't that they were doing anything wrong or inappropriate, but I found myself wanting and desiring what they were having. I remember from the first time that this was an issue for the first two or three days. I know and I knew that it would fade. And I suppose it did. I went to breakfast with my son David this morning, day three. I sat there and watched him eat and it had no effect on me. I was completely full and satisfied and was happy to see him enjoying his meal. But that wouldn't have been the case yesterday.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">But back to the party, I had brought some broth with me in a thermos in the car, which was really a very good idea and would have been helpful. In hindsight it the amount that I brought still would not have been enough. And to make matters worse, I never went back to the car to get it. It would've just been too much of a hassle. The party had valet parking service there and it would have required them getting the car or at least getting the broth for me. I kept thinking I was fine. I felt a little bit more hungry and a little bit more lightheaded as the evening progressed. I kept thinking that we would be leaving soon, but soon turned into close to over an hour. By this point, I was really very hungry. And you know the rest of the story.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">But today is a new day. We always learn from yesterday if we are a good student.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Pass this on if you feel so motivated</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7292131464249224533#editor/target=post;postID=5183877537601618715;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=0;src=postname">CLICK HERE to get to the NEXT post</a></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-452360041450319692017-05-31T10:19:00.001-07:002018-08-29T10:44:50.057-07:00Day 3 draft<div class="MsoNormal">
Day 3<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Improving but not there yet<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was day 3 and I found myself doing much better. I had forgotten how it is so important to drink A LOT of broth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a broth fast post online and the author said to drink 6 servings of broth per day…REDICULOUS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess one could but it sure wouldn’t feel comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should count how many mugs a day I have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I know is it’s a lot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As long as I drink broth when I’m even thinking about getting hungry, I’m really fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the other thing that makes it more comforting and filling is drinking it fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try to finish the mug in less than 5 times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you went to college, you probably learned how to chug a beer in 1 long sip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The feeling that I get from a large amount of broth entering my stomach is comforting and calming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fulfilling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And the other thing that I learned was related to preparation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I nearly ran out and it caused a bit of a panic. Even now I have only one large pot going and only a few servings of the last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I’ve realized how important it is to be well prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truthfully having 3 crockpots going at once really helps a lot!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having a back-up in the frig of pre-made broth is a great insurance policy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So what am I drinking?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a question that I get often enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh and the other thing that I get requests for is recipes. I’m going to include recipes in “the book”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But here’s some basic info about what’s in my mug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m cooking a chipotle beef broth now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took thinly sliced beef (Ranchera is what the Mexican store calls it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got a frying pan really hot, added some butter, heavily seasoned the beef with chipotle powder (which has no sugar in it as opposed to a sauce), and then browned (like darkly brown) to add flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used that with some veggies, etc. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But right now I’m finishing an incredible “roasted chicken” broth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bought one of those half chickens that you can buy pre-cooked at the store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked for one that was really darkly “browned”…almost “blacked”. :-)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It add such a rich flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truly amazing and savory.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ll try to list more as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Late today or tomorrow morning I need to leave SB to head back down south to our little mountain cabin because I have some work down there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time I’m going to be prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to bring a bunch with me in the car ready to drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m also going to bring a bunch extra with me to have once I arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I show up, I won’t have any made and it will take some time to get that ready so I want to be well prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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If you wouldn’t mind sharing this on some forum or social site, or just tell your friends, I’d appreciate it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The growing numbers of readers is a huge motivation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It truly warms my heart.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-75112015243799298642017-05-31T10:18:00.001-07:002018-08-29T10:44:50.165-07:00Day 4 draftDay 4 was definitely not a bore.<br />
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I was crazy busy. And I was running low, or low-ish, on broth today. I had forgotten how much broth I really needed to have on hand pre-made or in the pot and cooking. I thought that I was cruising along pretty well but it seemed like whenever I looked at my stock of soup, no pun intended, I didn't have is much as I thought that I did. There certainly was "enough" but I didn't feel comfortable believing that I could relax for a bit. I always had enough but there was not always a backup.<br />
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So I decided to be proactive. I went to the store and bought a bunch of different types of meats and vegetables. And I found the third crockpot. So armed with as much organic food as I could buy, I went back to the kitchen to start making broths.<br />
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One of the questions that I get often is if I mind watching other people eat food when I'm fasting? My wife often worries about this when I have fasted in the past. But the truth is, as long as I'm comfortably full, it makes little difference. I'm sure some people would use it as away to make others painfully aware that they are fasting, but if I'm not hungry, then it's not a concern. The same holds true when making broth. I suppose if I was really hungry and I was cutting up vegetables and cooking meats, the products going into the soups would seem a bit tempting. I try to make sure that I am fully satisfied, with a full stomach, before I even start shopping or assembling food. What is interesting is that although I may not want to consume solid food or at least be okay with not doing so, I want to chew on something. I asked the doctor about chewing gum and he said it was not a good idea even if it was sugar-free. He dissuaded me from consuming anything that might make my body think it was receiving sugar. That seems reasonable and logical. Although I haven't tried it, I've always thought that chewing on some ice would be good. I'm sure my dentist would love that idea :-)<br />
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Going to the grocery store was, and is, actually kind of fun. I know that every single thing that I buy will be used to make my own soup broth. I try to stick to organic products because after all, I am doing this to help my body and I might as well get the healthiest products that I can. Besides, making soup is far less expensive than making regular food and certainly many times less expensive then going out to eat. The amount of money I save all alone just on not having beer, and I'm not a big drinker, probably pays for most of my ingredients.<br />
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I guess what I learned most yesterday was to be aware of the need to constantly be drinking. The bottom line is to do this, and be comfortable, one needs to plan on drinking something all the time. I always have a glass of water, sparkling water, Ashwaganda tea, some other herbal tea, or broth nearby. But when I get hungry, it's not just the sipping that will solve the problem. When I find myself "getting" hungry, note that I didn't say when I "am" hungry, I know it's time to consume some broth to be preemptive. And as I mentioned in the other posts, I can't stress enough how important it is to drink the broth very quickly.<br />
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As I mentioned earlier, to do this I make sure the broth is warm to lukewarm. This morning I had some that was cold. It wasn't refrigerator cold but it was definitely cold. I think the idea kind of sounded a bit weird but when I drank it, it was really quite nice. I would imagine that it would be especially nice on a hot day. After all, gazpacho is served cold right? I have some in the refrigerator right now and I think I will try to drink it cold rather than warming it up.<br />
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So what am I eating right now? I decided to mix it up a bit. It seems like beef and chicken broths are pretty commonplace at this juncture. I was getting a bit played out on these and decided to go rogue. So when I went to the store I bought ingredients for a ham based soup, a sausage based soup, and a bacon based soup. I guess I was in a pork mode :-) So sorry to mention this to my dear friends in Turkey, or perhaps elsewhere. My Turkish friends don't seem so comfortable in consuming products that are not available in their country. I've asked them if they came to America, would want to have bacon. Some said yes some looked like the idea was just not something that they could do. But for those of you in other countries, although America is commonly thought of related to guns, the truth is this country is more about bacon. There is even a fast food restaurant here that for a short while served ice cream with bacon pieces on it....actually, that sounds pretty good right now.<br />
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I will put the recipes for these broths in my book, but as a snapshot, I made a ham broth with some onions and carrots, etc. I also made two of my favorites. I made my famous, well it's at least famous in my mind because I think about it a lot, Italian sausage, bell pepper, and onion soup. It is perhaps the simplest soup that I make. Other than some herbs and spices that I add, it's nothing but Italian sausage, bell peppers, and onions. I have to tell you, it is absolutely delicious and takes the least amount of time to make and be ready for consumption. Easy and fast. And the most fun part is that everyone is ready to eat pre-cooked Italian sausage, bell peppers, and onions. They make for a great sandwich. My son, his friend, and Suzy my sweet wife will make quick work of that. The third soup that I made was a soup that I like to talk about. I call a BLT. It's made with bacon, leaks, and tomatoes. And that is it. Nothing else. It kind of, sort of, tastes like a BLT. Of course it doesn't taste exactly like one most likely because it is not one. But it is sort of along those lines and I find it is really nice in the morning when I wake up and am in the mood for more of a breakfast-y sort of thing.<br />
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I made all of these soups at the same time. It was nice to have three soups going simultaneously. And then I had a chicken soup available to me that I was drinking while making these. I had enough of the chicken broth to easily make it through until these three new ones were completed. I took the remainder of the chicken soup and put it into a large plastic water bottle and then put it in the refrigerator.<br />
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Today I will be on the road again. And when I get to my destination, there will be no soup waiting for me. So that said, this time I decided to be well-prepared. So I will leave with a decent amount of soup. I'm going to travel with the Italian broth, and the ham broth. I'll be drinking the cold chicken broth on the way. And I'll be drinking the BLT before I depart on the 3-4 hour drive. As I've said before, being prepared is one of the most important things to have a successful fast. At least for me.<br />
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By the way, as a statistical update, I've noticed that the readers have significantly increased over the last few days. That cheers me and motivates me. I'm not sure that I really felt like writing this morning but I felt obligated due to the interest of so many people. On that note, please share this where you can. It's kind of a fun story and is certainly something interesting to talk about between you and your friends."Did you hear about this guy who drank nothing but soup broth for 30 days straight?" Just so you know, if you're jumping into this and haven't read this from the beginning, that is what I did. It helped me immensely with some rather complicated medical issues that I mention towards the beginning of this broth fast and will address in great detail in the book that will be finished by the end of the summer!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-1312593758579656712017-05-31T10:15:00.002-07:002018-08-29T10:44:49.922-07:00Day Five draftToday is day five of my "renewed" soup broth fast.<br />
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I started by day going back and reading some of the first days of my original broth fast. I did not realize in how bad shape I was really in back then. I had forgotten that I used to have night sweats. Oh my gosh, those were horrible. And it was almost every night. </div>
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I also noticed that it was on this day that I got hit with a tremendous set of symptoms that my doctor said were related to many, many years of damage and unhealthy things for my body, this coupled with an unexplainable amount of stress for many years. Back then, I had a bunch of flu-like symptoms and was running a fever. I have not had anything like this on this fast, but I guess the day isn't over yet. </div>
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I have felt a bit queasy in my stomach this morning. Not something I really was hoping to have to admit. I was kind of hoping this was going to go along pretty well and smoothly since I've already done this basically twice. </div>
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Sadly, I have found myself not really enjoying the broth. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the recipes, and more to do with just me. </div>
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But getting back to reading the posts from the first time that I did this, I am amazed by my commitment. I always said that I made a firm and solid commitment and decided to do this no matter what, but in rereading these, I kind of impressed myself. Literally. :-) </div>
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I thought I would give a bit of an update as to how long I'm going to be doing this. I was hoping to do it for 10 to 15 days. After the first few, each day gets easier. So really the difference between 10 days and 15 is really actually insignificant. It really doesn't take that much effort. Once I'm in the groove, it just works fine. But in trying to schedule this, it seemed like I had just a small window. I thought I would have as much is 15 days available to me. Now I realize that it is just not possible. It truly is not a lack of willpower, it's just a matter of logistics. </div>
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My sweet wife will be on her summer vacation in a couple of days. We immediately leave for a bluegrass festival and will be camping there over the weekend. It just doesn't seem realistic. </div>
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So...I'm going to have to alter my initial plan. I'm not sure if I had shared a timeline with you anyway from when I first started this. </div>
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I've decided I am going to do this for seven days and then I will do my transition of two days. And actually I'm quite ok with this. I don't feel like I'm quitting early. It's all about fitting this into a busy life. Perhaps I should have waited until July 5th which would have been wide open. But it is what it is. But rather than beating myself up, I'm deciding to celebrate that I'm doing it for a week. </div>
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If you haven't read anything about broth fasts before, or really any type of fasting, the first two days that you finish your fast are critically important from what the doctor and others have told me. You really don't want to mess this up. It's a major problems apparently. </div>
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One dear friend decided to do a seven day fast in honor of is biblical studies about fasting. To celebrate breaking his fast, he met up with some friends at a coffee shop and ordered a big and delicious cinnamon roll. I think it was a cinnamon roll, it might've been a bear claw, but either way that's what he ordered. He said it was quite large and he happily ate every bite. But then he started having some significant intestinal problems soon thereafter. He said he was very uncomfortable and had a number of troublesome symptoms. It was over a week before he really felt back in the groove. </div>
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I always stress this point when talking with anyone about fasting because it was stressed to me so strongly by Dr. Scott Saunders. </div>
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He instructed me to eat nuts and fruits and vegetables for at least two days after I broke my fast. That is what I did and I had very little, really just about nothing, in the way of issues with regard to my stomach or any other part of my digestive system. And think of it, my fast was for a month. </div>
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I will have to look back, but I think I was able to have lentils as well. But quite honestly, after fasting for a week, 15 days, or 30 days, being able to have solid foods like fruits and nuts is an amazing treat. And it tastes absolutely delicious. Truthfully I <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">am really looking forward to those days.</span></div>
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One last thing, I was talking with a friend today about what I am doing now and about my original 30 day broth fast. I told her that my goal was to improve. Improvement... That has always been my life goal. And it still is a constant goal. </div>
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We can't worry about where we would rate ourselves related to others. We are where we are. We don't need to worry about assigning a grade or number to some area of our life. But to accept our mediocrity and current state is a disappointing way to live. Yes we need to except ourselves as we are. And yes we need to like ourselves. And we don't have to get down on ourselves about our current place in life. We are where we are and if we know we are improving, that should be enough! </div>
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I remember watching Richard Simmons on TV. He had a number of really fat people on his show. But they all seemed pretty happy. And I knew, as did all the other viewers, that these people were actually doing something about it. They were improving! Moreover, I am always impressed when I see fat people out for a jog. They are doing it! They are improving! And I have to say, they are probably putting in more effort than I do. </div>
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There are so many ways that we can improve, not just our physical weight size but also our physical muscular frame, and the way we stand, our posture. And where we are mentally? Are we challenging ourselves? Are we improving with regard to how we handle stressful situations? Are we improving spiritually and emotionally? But I think it's important that we don't get down on ourselves because we see so much room for improvement. It's kind a like I said. We are where we are. And it is unreasonable to address all of these areas simultaneously. But we can work on things. Writing down goals and highlighting a 1 or 2 of subjects improvement, especially with a written plan is huge. Even a sticky note. I took a whiteboard marker and wrote one word on the corner of my rearview mirror. I have posted things that I want to remember to read in the shower. Whatever will help us improve. </div>
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I have been working on my posture for the last 2 1/2 years. I think for me, part of my poor posture was not having the confidence to stand tall. I also have been working on memorizing peoples names from the first time that I meet them. I have been doing that for two years and although it has been a slow process, I have made significant progress. People even say to me that they are amazed that I remember their name. </div>
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So there you are, I really hope you have enjoyed reading this, and the blog in general. There are my thoughts and reflections from the past, on improvement, and an updated timeframe.</div>
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I am continually amazed at how many people read this. And I thank each and everyone of you who has shared this with friends and people whether it be on social media or in direct conversations. </div>
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Thank you!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-68692448280263692202016-06-12T13:01:00.000-07:002018-08-29T10:44:50.141-07:00Day 6 -- Traveling, Tired, and Tremendously BusyDay 6 of the Broth Fast (for the third time).<br />
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If you are new to this, you might think about going back and reading from the very beginning, but you do what you like. I love you either way :-)<br />
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Day 6 was a busy day for sure! I woke up and had to start packing to drive back to the place where I live, in a cabin in the mountains. I had to pack things up because I probably would not be coming back to the Santa Barbara area for about three weeks or so. That said, there was certainly a lot to do. I needed to travel back three hours which ended up being 4 1/2 with traffic. So I had to deal with the broth for traveling. As you may remember, earlier I did not bring enough broth with me and had a really rough trip. This time I made sure I was well-prepared. So when I left, I had probably 2 gallons of broth with me. <br />
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Once I arrived, I needed to get ready to set our cabin has an Airbnb rental. Consequently, I have a lot to do! And to make matters worse, somehow we ended up getting bedbugs. So the linens, all of the clothing, both mattresses, all pillows, and the couch all need to be steam cleaned or laundered in hot water. So I pick these up and started working on putting the house back together. It was pretty exhausting to say the least. I was already tired and weak from the broadcast and then having this much work to do sure made things difficult for su it was pretty exhausting to say the least. I was already tired and weak from the broadcast and then having this much work to do sure made things difficult.<br />
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I guess related to the broth fast and the biggest thing that I would say is just that I was tired. At the end of the day I look at what I got accomplished and noticed that I actually was decently productive. I felt like I was dragging but when it was all said and done, I did pretty darn good job.<br />
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I was so glad that I have made so much extra dr I was so glad that I have made so much extra broth before I left Santa Barbara. It was so nice to be able to immediately tap into that. And one thing that I had noticed was that I was enjoying it when it was cold just as much as when it was hot. The idea of drinking chicken broth Who may not sound all that appealing to but I actually liked it. It was kind of nice actually. Refreshing being that it was reallt hot outside, and inside my cabin sans A/C.<br />
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Tomorrow is a big day for me for sure! I am scheduled to take my bus drivers behind the wheel examination. I don't know what it's like to get this mother is Asian where you live, but out you're in California it's pretty brutal. And to make matters worse, the guy who is doing the testing is the trainer for all of the testers in the state. Is insanely strict! Say a prayer for me :-) I think I'll need it.<br />
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Tomorrow is day seven. I am looking forward to finishing this up and getting ready for a vacation with my sweetheart. More soonAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-27144920123768365532016-05-07T09:11:00.001-07:002016-06-04T19:32:29.125-07:00BOOK by the end of the summer <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Note to newbie's: If you're just joining us, feel free
to stick around but you might enjoy the story better if you start at the very
beginning. It reads like a book so it's fun to start with the first post
and read each entry. Here's the link: <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">Click Here
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For the fans and followers, and for anyone thats new, you might be happy to hear that I'm finishing up the book and I'll have it available before the end of the summer. And yes, it will have lots of recipes!</div>
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As more time goes by and as the blog numbers continue to rise (over 42,00 as of today)...I've realized more and more that what I did was actually quite unusual and a kind of big deal. I didn't really think of it that way. But people are blown away when I tell them and I've seen this reaction enough now to see that it was a pretty cool thing. :-)</div>
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Many have asked if I've written a book, been on Oprah, told Dr. Phil, or some random thing like that. So although I've toyed with the idea of writing a book, and at one point actually decided to do so, I never put in the "action step".<br />
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A decision without action is just a fleeting moment of conviction. So, action I take! And have taken! I have written a good chunk of the "middle" of the book and have completed most of the introduction. I think that the intro is actually pretty good, if I do say so myself.</div>
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Ok, so you can hold me accountable. Drop a note, add a comment, put your name on the mailing list or whatever you'd like. I'd appreciate the encouragement. My email is mike93108 at gmail.<br />
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PLEASE SHARE ON FACEBOOK or TELL YOUR FRIENDS!! That would be a very nice gift.<br />
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-43616618484291918602015-11-15T07:55:00.001-08:002015-12-31T20:54:26.413-08:00Decision-making at 300 pounds<div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Note to newbie's: If you're just joining us, feel free to stick around but you might enjoy the story better if you start at the very beginning. It reads like a book so it's fun to start with the first post and read each entry. Here's the link: <a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">Click Here for First Post</a></span></div><div><br></div>I have a dear friend, well at the time more of an acquaintance that I met at the restaurant, recently told me that he was motivated by my story. He desperately wanted to lose weight. He weighed over 300 pounds. I mentioned in a past blog-post a 300 pound man yet this was another. Well, we met for breakfast one morning recently. He and his very lovely friend, who was in perfectly fit condition. Amazingly so. And quite pretty too. <div><br></div><div>He was at the end of his rope with his body. He told me about how he couldn't even sit in a chair at a restaurant comfortably. He pointed to his legs under the table. He couldn't get close enough to the table sitting in a normal position and had to try to fold them toward the outside, perhaps hard to describe but easy to see that he was not comfortable. He said that it was impossible to sit in a booth. He went on to say that he would sweat constantly, that he'd often spill on his shirt because the distance from the plate to his mouth was so great, that things would fall his the fork in transit to his mouth. He told me about never really feeling comfortable. How he had difficulty tying his shoes and the great challenge of cutting his toe nails. He told me that he has to "pick up his stomach and move it over" to access them. He went into details to strongly convey to me that he was miserable. Clearly he wanted me to understand that he was immensely burdened by this weight. </div><div><br></div><div>But he was not alone. His sweet and lovely lady was with him. Clearly he loved her. And clearly she loved him. But they weren't married. And in truth, his weight was the reason why. She loved him but was afraid to commit because she was convinced that he was going to have a stroke. She said, "he could walk out of this restaurant and take two step and collapse from a stroke." Clearly this idea gripped her and prevented her from committing to him. They loved each other but it was his weight that prevented their connection. The connection that they clearly both wanted. This is why they asked to meet with me. Not because of my ability to provide any sort of health advice being that I'm not a doctor, but to ask about my story and what it was that I did to lose the weight. They asked if it was difficult and what challenges I faced. He asked me if I felt it would be a good choice for him and I told him that he needed to see Dr. Scott Saunders to be able to answer that question. <div><br></div><div>I'm happy to say that he did meet with Dr. Saunders to discuss the 30 Day Broth Fast. </div><div><br></div><div>He asked me about the decision to start such a radical diet and why and how I succeeded. I told him that it worked for me because I made the decision to do it. Let me rephrase that. I made the decision to "COMPLETE" the fast...not just to start it. </div><div><br></div><div>You see, for me it was about the conviction of the decision. Not the decision to "try". That's not really a decision, trying does not involve much decision making. It says, I'll only sample. I'm not going to commit. More like I'll forgo making a decision until later. And often it means, I'll continue until I don't like it or until I change my mind. It's driven by self-pleasure and not by conviction. </div><div><br></div><div>Conviction is what's missing in modern society and it is missing in the life of the chronically overweight. This is a 2-part of the demon with chronically overweight people. They are driven by a desire to please themselves temporarily, knowing full well that with each bite they are making things worse. These two issues connected to self hatred. </div><div><br></div><div>Wow! That's some heady stuff!! But after taking over 2 years to consider my past life, my transition, and my new life, this is what I've noticed again and again. Those who are overweight and say that they "can't " lose weight really mean is that they believe they lack the stamina and the self-control. They lack the motivation to lose weight because that would require them to be uncomfortable and not have their desires met. </div><div><br></div><div>This is untrue. They can. I did. I was a mess. And I did it. </div><div><br></div><div>And it's not uncommon to see many of these people, (me), having a poor self-image and not just from being fat. Sometimes the weight comes on first but often enough it's the self-hatred that led them to their current state that fuels this (me). </div><div><br></div><div>Not always, but too often self-hatred is at the root. For some it was years of family members treating them badly. For others it was the inability to forgive oneself. For some it's something else, but all overweight people who aren't satisfied with their current condition can change that, like it really "is"possible to change that. But it's not necessarily easy. </div><div><br></div><div>I'm reminded of when I was a high school teacher. Graduating from high school isn't necessarily easy either. It meant everyday having to go to school. And then everyday having to do homework. And having to constantly pay attention. And it meant rules. You know...it isn't all that easy but it's not all that hard either.<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">But what these two have in common (weight loss and graduating) is commitment and conviction. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">So getting back to my 300 pound friend, 339 pounds to be exact, he had to make a decision, and we all make a decision. Do I stay as I am, or do I decide to do something about it. And decision-making is a process. Making-a-decision is an event. So while in the decision-making process, he wisely went to see Dr. Saunders . He did his research. He considered his options. He looked at his motivation. Considered his options. And he met with me as someone who had gone down the path ahead of him. And then....he was left with a decision. The decision-making process was complete. It was time to decide. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">No decision is a decision. It's a decision to "hold the course", to stay on the same tack. It's a decision. So he left me, texted me, called me, and asked me about a hundred questions. I referred him to Dr. Saunders for many of his questions as I was only able to tell him my story of my road and my battle as it related to my previous condition. And he waited. </span></div><div><br></div><div>And then I got the text. He sent me a picture of a cutting board, vegetables and a soup on a crockpot. I thought, "Wow, he did it!" He made the decision. And I fully believed that his decision was based on commitment to "finish", and not to just "start and try". </div><div><br></div><div>I was happy to see him embark on a path that I had walked. And off he ran like a marathon runner, conscientious and calculated. </div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-69658322663639006322015-11-02T18:56:00.002-08:002015-11-02T18:56:14.052-08:00How to deal with loss. Loss of weight and loss of friends.Note to newbie's: If you're just joining us, feel free to stick around but you might enjoy the story better if you start at the very beginning. It reads like a book so it's fun to start with the first post and read each entry. Here's the link: <a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">Click Here for First Post</a><br />
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So yes, I lost a lot of weight....especially considering my frame size. And I'd like to write about that, but I'd also like to write about my recent loss of my dear friend Stewart. He died a few days ago at the far too young age of 29.</div>
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Stewart was a joy to all. Well-loved by all who knew him. <br /><br />Dealing with his loss has been difficult for me, and devastating for other friends and family who have know him for much longer than I have. <br /><br />I've dealt with a lot of loss. I've lost many, many friends and associates. Far more then most anyone that I know. But to be clear, when I say that I lost them, I'm not saying that they all died, but truthfully, they might as well have. If you have a very dear friend, or even just a good one, and if this friend moves away, changes jobs, jumps on a sailboat to travel the 7 Seas, they are gone. Poof! They are gone and often we don't hear from or see them again. But not as much today with the advent of social media, texting, Snap Chat, Skype, and plain old email. Even the regular cell phone works just fine. We stay in touch, if both sides want to.<br /><br />But it was different for me growing up. None of those communication methods existed, except a basic home phone. But the problem with the home phone was that to call anyone who was outside of your town was very expensive. Some of you might remember "long distance" charges priced by mileage and time of day. And there was also "local long distance" for calling only a couple of towns over. Hence, keeping in touch became expensive. And it relied on catching people when they were sitting around their house. And since it was expensive and challenging, friendships just died off. Not so different than the "loss" of my dear friend Stewart.</div>
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I say that I've had a lot of loss because as a child, I moved a lot and "lost" a lot of close friends and acquaintances. I "lost" any sense of security. Things familiar just disappeared. </div>
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Before preschool, we lived in at least 3 houses...3 that I know of. </div>
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Between preschool and 4th grade, we lived in 3 houses all hours apart.</div>
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I attended 3 different junior high schools.</div>
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I went to 4 high schools.</div>
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4 colleges, and 2 grad school.</div>
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And I lost a lot of friends, which are the commodity in the pre-18 age group.</div>
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I lost activities like sports (in particular hockey). I was really good at hockey having grown up in the Northeast and having started playing by 5 years old. I was really very good. But then just before I started high school, we moved over 3000 miles to San Diego and my parents weren't going to drive me to the rink about a half an hour away. And there it was. Hockey died. It just stopped. The loss of a sport isn't so easy as one might think. But I'm sure there are some that understand. <br /><br />And it was the loss of everything familiar to me. Although we moved a lot, it was always within a familiar culture in which I knew how to operate. And they were small town with small schools. The town that I lived in before moving to San Diego had 2000 people and 2 ice rinks. My 8th grade graduating class had 20 kids, 10 guys and 10 girls. I "lost" this comfort and moved to the urban sprawl of San Diego and lived in a town with 3 high schools, each bigger than my entire town that we left behind. And the culture was VERY different and way rougher than anything that was familiar. I lost everything that I knew and everything that made me feel secure.</div>
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And I was really, really, really good a speech and debate competitions having finished at the State level my first year of high school. It was a great group of people and we all became very close as we would practice with each other and regularly travel to weekend tournaments together. And then it too died. We moved 8 hours north to San Francisco area. I went to another school of course, and they didn't have such a group, and they didn't have the friends that I had to leave behind. </div>
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I could go on and on (really) listing all of the loss and pain that I experienced while growing up lacking stability. But suffice it to say, that I've had to learn how to deal with it. And learn how to deal with it, I have. </div>
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Rather than focusing on the loss, the past, I focus on the joy of what I have in that moment. I know that this might sound a bit Zen, but I mean really to just be genuinely thankful for what I have right now. I appreciate and am thankful for the friends that I have, while I have them.</div>
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Recently I traveled to South Jersey for work, about 3000 miles away, and I was gone for 3 months. I actually spend a lot of time on the road as I have an upstart consulting firm that I am building. And when you are a male traveling solo, people tend to be a bit wary to develop relationships, or even talk to you. A guy/guy friendship take a while to develop and most guys are just not all that keen on adding random males to their groups especially if they know that you're not going to be around all that long. Girls...well girls are "super" hesitant to be very friendly, even though I wear a wedding ring and am quick to talk about my dear wife and show people pictures of her. They are just too sure that "something is up with this guy". And then there are couples who tend to be more open to say Hi. And perhaps are happy to engage in conversation at a coffee shop, bar, or whatever but then there's that moment when they leave. None of these groups wants to keep the friendship alive. It's just too weird these days. Even with lots of careful effort, these relationships just die. </div>
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Die, death, loss, and lost may sound like strong words but really what difference is the word choice in the end result? We never see them or hear from them again. As crass as it might sound, they might as well be dead as they ceased to exist in my life.</div>
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So.... While I'm out to dinner by myself or when I go out for whatever reason, I talk to people, and genuinely have a great time. I enjoy talking with folks that I meet on the street. And being a chatty sort of friendly guy, I find that I really "crave" that social interaction. Or anyone that there is a reason to talk to....at all. And I love the interaction. It's great!! We laugh, we have fun, it's a great night, or 10 minute conversation, but then....they die. They're gone. No more. Poof.</div>
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So rather than being sad about this, I'm now thankful that I had them in my life. It starts becoming less of, "I don't have any friends" and "I don't know anybody around here and those that I do get to know, leave" and it becomes more of, "I have all these friends that I get to see all the time". I just don't get to be with them long....but it's long enough to provide joy in my life and hopefully I do the same for them. If I have enjoyed their company for a few minutes and then a bit later I enjoy the company of another person, then "en masse" they become one multi-faceted and multi-faced friend.</div>
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So my dear friend Stewart moved away and I'm not going to be able to see him again...just like many other friends that I have. But I'm really thankful that he was my dear friend for the last year.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-57758255828525926352015-10-17T16:36:00.002-07:002015-10-17T16:36:55.366-07:00Decision and Conviction. Pride and Success.Note to newbie's: If you're just joining us, feel free to stick around but you might enjoy the story better if you start at the very beginning. It reads like a book so it's fun to start with the first post and read each entry. Here's the link: <a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">Click Here for First Post</a><br />
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As you most likely remember from the last blog post, I was about to have a significantly challenging skin cancer treatment....<br />
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I walked into an overly hygienic room that smelled of antiseptic. There were no pictures on the wall and in the center of the room was a sole procedural chair and a massive pale looking device with a haunting apparatus at the end an articulating arm.<br />
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They gave me a pair of protective red lenses and placed a disconcerting, and rather frightening contraption of a machine, uncomfortably close to my face. With no warning and shockingly fast the machine came to life. It was a little unnerving to hear what sounded like a nuclear generator starting up in stereo inches from my skin. That electrical noise went from yawning silence within that sterile and overly white office to a deep and eire VROOOM with a heavy drone of a fan far louder than I would have liked. It was all that I could hear, like listening to static full volume through a pair of full-sized 1970's headphones. And the blue light appliance surrounded the forward half of my head. And yes, it was a bit scary. I kept my eyes closed as to avoid staring at this soulless machine that held no pity for me. <br />
<br />
For the first 30 seconds or so I forgot that they said it would hurt. I was distracted by the ominous sound and the realization that the treatment had started. And then it snuck up on me and within the next 30 seconds or so the pain began to build. Quickly. I was startled by the speed at which this grew. It was so fast that it set my heart racing. And it didn't stop. It built and seemed to crescendo in about 2 minutes. I thought to myself, is that it? It hurt for sure but it wasn't unbearable. Then I heard a voice yell over the roar of the hateful machine. "Are you all right?" And I was. It was the technician who wisely waited outside the room with the door closed. She said that she would be back at the 5 minute mark. Then I was alone again. Just me and the monster.<br />
<br />
I thought the pain had evened off but then it began to build and heighten. The machine seemed to increase its intensity. I nervously wondered how much more was yet to come. And in what seemed like 30 seconds, I heard that voice again, checking on me. She said, "You're doing great. I'll be back at the 10 minute mark." Had it already been 5 minutes? It seemed somewhat shorter than that. But I thought, gosh, why couldn't she just stay in there with me? I was sure that it wasn't any safer for her than for the X-ray technician that leaves you on a cold table in a dark room.<br />
<br />
And then it hit. Quickly the burning pain began to intensify. It felt like sitting in the hot sun on a clear day at the peak of the summer, the day after getting completely fried at the beach. It seemed illogical to stay here, especially knowing that it was getting worse and more painful. Then came the needles. Not literal needles. But the sensation of millions of needles pressing into my face simultaneous. Like a face sized tattoo gun. The unyielding sting and burn continued, unrelentingly. <br />
<br />
But I was determined. I was not going to quit. I knew that as much as it hurt me, it hurt the cancer cells more. I would survive, and the enemy would not. <br />
<br />
The door opened, "Ok, it's been 10 minutes." At this news, I felt relief...not physical relief but I remembered the doctor saying that after about the 10 minute mark the pain would most likely not increase any more, but neither would it decrease. The expectation was that it would plateau and continue for the last seven and a half minutes. <br /><br />I took joy and comfort in this. Sure it hurt but I could do it, and I had decided to do it for the full 17 1/2 minutes no matter what. And I was doing it. It was that same feeling that came across me about week two after drinking nothing but broth for half of a month. <br />
<br />
You see it is the <i>decision</i> to do something, to make that unwavering commitment to see something through to the end that allows the process to be bearable. Not that the committed decision would make it easier but it eliminates potential disengagement from the process. It's about making the full-force committed pledge. A pledge to oneself. "I" am going to do this! I "am" going to do this! <span style="background-color: white;">Commitment is what transforms
a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of one's intentions.
And the actions which follow speak louder than the words spoken prior. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Commitment is the stuff
character is made of; the power to change the face of things. It is the daily
triumph of integrity over skepticism. Once this level of decision is made, there is only success.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">This is true of a 17 minute blue light skin cancer treatment or of drinking nothing but soup broth for a month. Decision and conviction.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">The last seven minutes went by with emotional comfort. I did it. I knew that I would complete this and see it through to the end. And so with great pride, truly pride, I sat for the last 7 minutes and 30 seconds a little taller in the chair knowing I had stared this menace down. Face to face we fought and I won. But I won before I walked into the treatment room. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">It's decision, conviction, and commitment that lead to success. <br /><br />Make your decision. Know it. Own it. Have the internal fortitude to carry it out with conviction. Keep your commitment. Know pride. Know success. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-30640958682401916372015-10-07T15:42:00.001-07:002015-10-17T13:57:42.109-07:00Preparing to see the lightNote to newbie's: If you're just joining us, feel free to stick around but you might enjoy the story better if you start at the very beginning. It reads like a book so it's fun to start with the first post and read each entry. Here's the link: <a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">Click Here for First Post</a><br />
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So I am in the waiting room right now. But I've already been into the treatment room. Apparently they wiped my face with acetone first to remove any oils or something like that. And then they broke open the vial of Levulan and painted it all over my face. Now I sit and wait for an hour and a half while the medicine soaks into my skin and prepares the skin for the blue light treatment<br />
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Before they started this the dermatologist asked me if I knew about the risks and benefits associated with this. Clearly I really did not know. So she walked me through the whole thing. It sounds like different people react in different ways. The one thing that was clear, the more damage you have, the more painful and challenging this will be. She said most people do not feel anything when the vial of Levulan is painted on their face, only the people with significant problems would feel anything at this point. So as she painted it on my face, I sat there, somewhat relaxed. But I was slightly dismayed to find that the pain-free vial utilized while painting was actually stinging my face quite a bit and in quite a few places. The implication is that the light treatment will be more painful for me than for many who get this treatment. And then she gave me the good news that if I was prone to cold sores, which I am, that this light treatment would most likely trigger an outbreak. Not the good news that I was hoping for. </div>
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But one important thing that she did say was that the pain that I would experience was not causing any damage but actually was doing the exact opposite. Apparently the pain is related to the cancer cells that are fighting and dying. It's almost like, at least in my mind, the more painful it is the stronger the fight is. And the stronger the fight, the stronger the cancer cells. I don't know if that's medically factual but at least that was my interpretation. </div>
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The idea that being in pain, especially related to something that is so similar to a sunburn, was not only non-damaging but is actually helpful. It goes against all logic. If we were sitting on the beach without any sort of sunscreen and sat there baking in the sun and felt our face getting hotter and more red and then beginning to sting and burn we would fully believe that we were causing damage and that we should stop doing this. But this is the exact opposite logic that we see here.</div>
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She told me that the pain will increase through the first few minutes and crescendo around the 10th minute. She said after that things tend not to get worse and it's easier for the last seven minutes or so. </div>
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The fight really is between the cancer cells and the medicine. The cancer cells attack by creating pain in my body trying to get me to call off the treatment. To quit. The cancer cells know that they are dying and so they attack. They attack with pain hoping that I will give in and say stop I give up. But I am strong. I know my enemy. And I know how to defeat him. I just need to outlast him. Like a prizefighter who knows his opponent can't go the distance. He takes punch after punch knowing that each blow that he receives hurts and will cause him pain for days and weeks to come. But he also knows that his opponent cannot maintain this level of fury for all the rounds to come. He waits until the twilight rounds and then attacks. The weakened opponent who has exerted all of his effort is helpless against the onslaught. I am the superior fighter. I am the champion. I will win. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-17771909390557832372015-10-07T13:53:00.001-07:002015-10-07T13:53:59.327-07:00Skin Cancer, Blue Lights, a Retreat, and a Whole Lot of PAINNote to newbie's: If you're just joining us, feel free to stick around but you might enjoy the story better if you start at the very beginning. It reads like a book so it's fun to start with the first post and read each entry. Here's the link: For First Post <a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">Click Here!</a><br />
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So apparently I have a whole bunch of pre-cancerous skin issues. And since this blog is about improvement, I thought I'd write about them. Improving oneself takes many forms, and apparently has multiple chapters. I got the weight loss down, and a healthy lifestyle, but I need to address some other areas as well. I cannot just accept this unhealthy condition of my skin. Doing so could literally be deadly. And this is not an overstatement. If you haven't been to a dermatologist, I'd strongly encourage you to do so. <br />
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But don't worry, there's more to come about weight loss! And a special bit of news related to one gentleman who is on the fast right now!! How exciting!! He was over 300 pounds, 339 pounds to be exact, and he is dropping weight quickly (of course with a doctor supervising and monitoring him). He's doing it and has a story not so different than mine. I'll write about him soon in some of the next few posts.<br />
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But back to the skin cancer joy... So the dermatologist told me that I have a bunch of "reminders" on my face of all of the years that I spent in the sun skiing, racing and cruising sailboats, driving one of a number of covertibles (including a 1964 Austin Healy Sprite, 1959 Sunbeam Alpine, Chrysler LeBaron, 1962 Rambler American, a Celica, two 1974 VW Things, and a couple of Fiats), and just a bunch of general time in the sun at the beach in warm and sunny Santa Barbara, California. Foolishly, I never wore any "Suntan Lotion" AKA Sun-Block. Now I'm paying the price. By the way, I didn't wear it by choice. Even more foolish. But I hated myself then and I think I did it because of that self-hatred. More on that another time. And definitely a lot more on that in the book.<br /><br />So now I need to fix these years of sun damage and the dermatologist has recommended Photo-Dynamic Therapy with Blue Light and Levulan. To be honest I only know very little about this other than what the doctor has told me and some info the I've read online. According to what I've learned, the doctor puts this lotion (Levulan) on my face, and then they zap me with blue light for 17 minutes, and then you go home and stay out of the light for a few weeks. <br />
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But there is this significant, physical, burining, pain thing.<br />
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Apparently this is really quite painful. Like really painful. They said it will feel like my face is burning. Some people can only take 5 minutes of the treatment. And apparently there is nothing wrong or damaging during the time with the pain, and actually it is very helpful to take the full 17 minutes. Then after this is over, I'll need to be out of the sun, and even out of the light coming through a window for some number of days or weeks. And during the following 2 to 4 weeks, my skin will look and feel very sunburnt. And there will be bleeding. And ugly sores where the cancerous cells resided. Did I mention that I have a bunch of these, hence the treatment. I've seen some pictures, and I don't want to see more.<br />
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There are two things to mention here. The first: my plan is to go away from my family during this time when I'll look disgusting. A dear, dear, sweet friend named Leslie has agreed to kindly allow me to go up to her condo in the mountains near Mammoth Lakes, California to hide away. I cannot express the gratitude that I have for her generosity. I'll be able to hide away and recover without people needing to see me. I will have to drive a night to get there as I cannot be in the light at all after the procedure. And what will I do while hold up in this semi-remote condo for 3 to 4 weeks you ask? What else? Write a book! <br />
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I've been told that if you get over 10,000 folks reading your blog that you might have the makings for a book. Well, as of today, I'm getting pretty close to the 40,000 mark. Pretty cool, eh? Please share this story of self-improvement with your friends and be sure to be on the look out for a book coming soon. <br /><br />But there is that pain and fear thing, which is the second thing that I want to mention. Actually I don't want to mention it but it is a fact that can't be avoided if I don't want to have skin cancer, that runs in my family significantly. I've been told that this will hurt a lot and that I might need to call it quits and not complete the treatment for the full 17 minutes. I cannot do this. What I mean is, I cannot quit. I believe that the biggest part of losing weight through a broth fast is making the decision. Not the decision to try it, but the uncompromising decision to do it and see it through to the end. Unless a doctor calls it off or there's some pressing medical reason, I'm committed to finishing this and going the full 17 minutes. I'm committed to accepting the pain, misery, and discomfort that will follow for as many as 4 weeks. I'm committed. I made the decision. I've stormed the island and burnt the boats. But I have motivation. <br />
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It's not just motivation to remove the skin cancer but it is far more important than that. And this might sound odd to some, but this is my blog and so it's my story of my beliefs. I feel that I need to withstand this pain because I might be called on one day to stand firm in my faith. In the world we live today we have many who are being persecuted and even tortured and killed for their faith. They are being pressed hard to turn from their beliefs and accept another's. And you know, it's one thing to change your mind and choose to "accept" a new faith because of new knowledge or through some sort of new revelation but it's something else to "give up" one's faith because to fear, persecution, or pain. I hope, and pray, that I'm never put to the test and require to withstand horrid and evil pressure to renounce my faith, but if I am, I've chosen to not fold. There are many in the world recently, and perhaps always, that have been physically beaten, burned, and killed for their beliefs. If these can withstand such attacks for their belief, I can withstand 17 minutes of pain and 4 weeks of misery. I don't know if that is completely clear, but my guess is that you get the gist. I know what I believe. And although many could argue what they believe is right and good, we all know what evil looks like. And we all know that murdering people for their faith is not "right and good". It is evil and hateful. I might not know what is right, but I sure know what is wrong. I choose to stand by what is right.<br />
<br />
So, as I wax poetic about this, I must say that I am still scared and nervous. I've asked my sweet wife to come with me to be a support. Having her by my side will be a huge help and support. One day I might not have her by my side, but today she is here, and I love her support and encouragement.<br />
<br />
So off I go in another 10 minutes to willingly accept and take a dosage of pain for my improvement. I've referred to the "30 Day Broth Fast" as the "kick your ass and get it done" weight loss method. Well, this is the "kick you ass and burn your face" skin cancer treatment. I'm sure that I'll be writing more about this in the next few posts. Please stay tuned.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-26699352948644330982015-09-06T19:41:00.000-07:002015-09-09T15:50:23.454-07:00300 pounds of problemsHi Friends,<br />
<br />
Note to newbie's: If you're just joining us, feel free to stick around but you might enjoy the story better if you start at the very beginning. It reads like a book so it's fun to start with the first post and read each entry. Here's the link: <a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">Click Here for First Post</a><br />
<br />
As you may know, I work as a waiter, while I'm building my consulting business, these days at a restaurant in Santa Barbara, California called Benchmark eatery. It's a pretty cool place located on the "main drag" State Street in the Arts and Theater District. Casual dining and a nice <i>al fresco</i> patio. Let's stop for a moment and think about that. I'm 50 years old and I work as a waiter!! It's a very physically demanding job!! The average waiter is less than half my age, literally. But the thing that gets me is that if I tried to do this, even many years back, it would be the same as me doing this while carrying an entire case of wine with me. Next time you're at the store where they have wine or booze on display by the case, pick it up. Then walk around the store with it....for 5 to 10 hours. That's about right. Oh, but walk very, very quickly.<br />
<br />
Well, I digress...that's pretty common for me I guess. <br />
<br />
So while I was working yesterday, I waited on a couple. The man ordered only a side of vegetables and asked for some bread and butter. He was quite large. He said that he needed to lose weight. He said that he didn't have much choice because he had lots of health problems. <br />
<br />
He really was very big. He told me that he weighed 300 pounds. But there were two things that struck me about him. He fully accepted and "knew" that he "must" lose weight. He was clearly committed to this. He had enough health issues that it pushed him to the place of saying, "it's do or die". Not that he used those words, but that is the general theme of what he said.<br />
<br />
The other thing that struck me was what an amazingly nice guy he was!! He had a personality that was bright and cheery. He was funny but not silly. Clearly he was intelligent and was an absolute joy to wait on. He was positive, appreciative, and encouraging to me. He thanked me sincerely, and often. And he also gave me my largest tip of the day, in percentage, and in dollars.<br />
<br />
This was certainly a good man. But for good or ill, society tends to judge people by how they look. And most would shy away from this gentle giant because of his size. <br />
<br />
He told me that he was about to enter into some diet, I missed the name, but that he couldn't have anything with hooves or claws...or was it fins, I don't quite remember, but anyway, I told him about what I did with the "30 day broth fast". He seemed very interested. I gave him the address of this blog and I do hope that he reads it. Not necessarily that he would do what I did. I wouldn't be able to recommend it. Perhaps it would be great for him, but I'm not a doctor and I only did this under the recommendation of my doctor for my specific illness. But the reason why I hope he reads this is to find inspiration for however he chooses to loose the weight so that he can live a healthy life.<br />
<br />
That is the same reason that I write this for you. I hope that this is a motivational story that inspires you to take on life's demons and to improve yourself. <br />
<br />
For me, it changed my life. Once I lost the weight, I found that not only did I have much more energy, feel 20 years younger, lose any sort of illness, but perhaps more importantly, I felt good about the way I looked...pardon me, the way I look. It has given me great confidence. And for a guy who had none for many years, it's a thing to behold. I remember one evening in particular when I was downtown in Santa Barbara on State Street. I was wearing a new tailored black shirt, with skinny jeans, and black pointy shoes. I remember walking along and seeing people smile at me. I remember thinking to myself, "They're smiling at me because I look good". Now I don't know why they were smiling at me but I felt good enough about myself to consider that as a possibility. See. It's a complete change of mindset. It feels great to have confidence, not arrogance, about the way you look. It's life changing. It sure changed my life and I hope this motivates you to IMPROVE!<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-52875320038276879052015-09-05T10:59:00.003-07:002015-09-06T08:59:03.471-07:002 years ago today... Happy Anniversary to me! It was today that it all startedHi Friends,<br />
<br />
Note to newbie's: If you're just joining us, feel free to stick around but you might enjoy the story better if you start at the very beginning. It reads like a book so it's fun to start with the first post and read each entry. Here's the link: <a href="http://30daybrothfast.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-is-last-day-of-normal-eating-for.html">Click Here for First Post</a><br />
<br />
So today is it!! Or more accurately, 2 years ago today, I started my journey to a "new me" through a doctor recommended broth fast. I had no idea what it would be like nor did I have any idea where it would take me. And I have to say that I am genuinely not the same person. <br />
<br />
The changes have been so extreme that my wife says that she has a new husband....I'm just glad that she still likes me. :-) I look completely different. I act completely different. My attitude is different, and so is my outlook on life.<br />
<br />
I now look at each day as a gift. Probably because it is a gift and predominantly because my new life is so much better than my old one. The truth is that the changes are so great that I feel like I was born anew this late in life. Some go through mid-life crisis by buying a Porsche, I just did a restart.<br />
<br />
So what have I learned in these last 2 years....People are amazed that I've done this. And it always shocks me how many people say, "I could never do that". Or as my new friend Aleks asked me yesterday, "What made it possible?". I told her, "It was making the decision to do it." I went on to tell her that I would meet some people who would say, "I'll give it a try" Whenever I hear that I think, you won't be able to do it. The problem is you can't try to do this. You just have to do it. <br />
<br />
I'm reminded of the scene in Star Wars where Luke Skywalker is speaking with Yoda and Luke says, "I'll try". Yoda's response is, "Do. Or do not. There is no try." <br />
I just this moment, as I finished writing that quote thought to myself...Hmmm, did I get that right, is that what he said, like verbatim? So I looked it up on Youtube. Here's what I found. Take a quick moment to watch this and then come back to this blog. But please come back :-) I have another comment about this. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ4yd2W50No">Yoda on YouTube "Do, or do not" "There is no try"</a> <br />
<br />
Did you catch the part where Yoda says, "You must unlearn what you have learned". Yes!! It is so true!! I had learned wrongly. I needed to unlearn what I had learned about poor health and negative thinking. In another quote in talking with Luke, Luke asked Yoda about being alone. The conversation goes like this:<br />
<br />
<i>Luke: "Master Yoda, are you content? You've been alone for so long..."</i><br />
<i> Yoda: "Alone? No. Always the past to keep me company."</i><br />
<br />
Yes, and that is sometime the problem. "Always the past to keep me company." Sometimes company is nice to have. But sometimes company is horrible and you can't wait for them to leave. And sometimes "company" or "the past" show up at the most inopportune times. Sometimes the past is like an evil ghost who is there to torment and remind us of past failures. To accuse us in our new life that we haven't really changed. All that old stuff is still there. But like an old girlfriend, or a troublesome car that has since been sold, we don't have to carry this with us. And even a haunted house can be left and we can move to a new home, in a new city, far away from the past. We can learn from the past but we don't have to carry it around like a ton of lead. <br />
<br />
Jerry Garcia sings in his song, "New Speedway Boogie"<br />
"Now I don't know, but I've been told it's hard to run with the weight of gold,<br />
Other hand I've heard it said, it's just as hard with the weight of lead." <br />
<br />
Yes, what he sings here is true. But a weight of gold has more value than a
weight of lead. How we view the past
determines whether we carry a weight of gold or a weight of lead. And although we do carry the past with us, we
can choose to cary with us the parts of the past that are gold or the parts
that ate lead. In truth, we cannot carry
both. It’s not possible to carry that
much. We can only carry a limited
portion of weight, that is all that is possible. For some of us, it’s best not to carry any at
all. Life is lighter that way. So if you are to carry the load, make sure it’s
gold. For those who try to carry both,
they find a weight to great to carry. It
leads to failure.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So I chose not to to “try”.
I chose to “Do”. And moving
forward I choose not to “carry a weight of lead”. I choose to carry a “weight of gold”. <o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-144531219336653322015-08-20T09:07:00.001-07:002015-08-20T09:07:07.054-07:00SURVEY QUESTION: Should I write a book?My last post (I wrote it moments ago) addressed, in part, making a difference in the lives of some.<br />
<br />
I am happy and thankful for the over 35,000 blog views that I have received. Perhaps there are more at your reading of this. Let's hope so. :-)<br /><br />So here's the question:<br />
<br />
SHOULD I WRITE A BOOK?<br />
<br />
If you think, and you would like to let me know, you might like to drop an email my way. It would mean a lot and I would appreciate your note. My email is:<br />
<br />
mike93108<br />
at<br />
gmail<br />
<br />
There's a lot more to this story than what I shared here. To modern speak; Just sayin'Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-8066481489311637682015-08-20T08:34:00.004-07:002015-08-20T09:12:05.725-07:00IN DEFENSE OF MY FAST -or- A lesson in "vocabulary", And a response to emails that I've receivedSomeone told me that you know when you have done something significant because people you will hear people criticize you and what you've done. I guess that is true with what I've done here.<br />
<br />
NEWBIES: If you're just joining us, I'd encourage you to read this blog from the first entry, but in summary, I lost 45 pounds in total with a jump start of having lost 35 pounds in 2 months drinking nothing but homemade soup broth, yes just the broth, on a doctor supervised broth fast to fix a number of significant health issues that I had been facing. It was only the beginning of a changed life. The story, at this point, is only a little over 70 posts long, like a very short book. I'd encourage you to read it all.<br />
<br />
Now back to our story. <br />
<br />
Recently, I received two emails. The first one that I'll mention was very sweet and heartwarming from a lady who read all of the posts here. This is the first bit from the email that she wrote to me:<br />
<br />
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">My name is Amy and I discovered your blog about 6 months ago. I read it with enthusiasm and loved to hear your stories. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I am now wanting very much to start a broth fast as a catalyst for change in my own life."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span>
That email meant SO much to me. It really inspired me to write more, and I really enjoyed writing back to her and her husband. And she asked questions. Asked for my advice or opinions about a few things related to this. And she also added that she wanted to know some specific soup recipes (a common inquiry). But it was just that she wrote to me at all that made me feel so good. She was and is an encouragement to me. You see, I want to make a difference. I think that this is my main goal in life... To make a difference. Amy and her husband's note showed me that I am having an impact on somebody for "good". Actually, Amy is the real motivation for writing this post today. So, Thanks Amy!! Your note of encouragement has done wonders for me. <br />
<br />
And as they say in the boxing ring, "And in this corner... (he says with his best Howard Cosell) weighing in at some unknown weight is the opponent" Amy's opponent, and I guess mine, was from someone who manages a Fasting website. I wrote in their forum about what I had done, believing that it would be helpful or motivating to readers. And then I received an email entitled "Topic Disapproved" Stating, among other things:<br />
<br />
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">30 days is ridiculous and unhealthy."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span>
I felt like...thank you for your ignorant commentary on my doctor recommended and supervised method for providing me with complete healing, and transformation, from what was in the past a very unhealthy life. I use the word "ignorance" because clearly this person didn't and couldn't have read my complete blog, and doubtful they read any of it, to make that determination. Noah Webster defines Ignorance as: "<span style="color: #223645; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">lack of knowledge, education, or awareness" </span>Webster is right...a "lack of knowledge". It is doubtful that this individual possessed knowledge in the area of not only my personal story, but also about Cushing's disease and hyper-cortisolism. It is doubtful that they studied disease at UCLA after UCLA graduated them as a Medical Doctor. Here is the response I wrote to their email saying that my topic about weight loss was disapproved: <br />
<br />
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">That's fine but it was fully doctor supervised. I had Cushing's Syndrome. Before the fast I was fat, diabetic, cholesterol over 350, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and impotence.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I've lost 45 pounds, kept it off for 2 years, my cholesterol dropped to 182. My blood pressure dropped 30 points, my diabetes is gone and my numbers are normal at A1C of 5.7. I don't have sleep apnea any more and I am as sexual solid as I was when I was in my 20s. Overall, I am much healthier than I ever have been.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">My body was addicted to cortisol and that is no longer an issue.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I appreciate your website and the help that you are providing to many. But you are missing a lot of data to say that what I did was ridiculous or unhealthy. Furthermore it's not that uncommon. Whether it's a vegetable juice fast or a soup broth fast, there are many who have done this who were very sick, like me, and now live very healthy lives. I'm 50 years old and went from working at a desk to losing weight. And then after that I got a job working at a high volume large restaurant as a waiter. I work with all 20-something's and keep up with them just fine. It is very physically demanding and I handle it just fine. (And I go dancing with them after work)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">So, I understand your forum rules and hopefully you understand a little bit more about what I did, the results, and why.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Best of luck to you with your project. I'm sure that you are helping many people."</span><br />
<br />
Although my topic was "Disapproved", I guess that shows that I have done something "significant" in the lives of some. <br />
<br />
For anyone who opposes what I did, I refer you to the wise Native American counsel: "Don't criticize a man until you have walked 2 moons in their moccasins" and the addendum "walk in an other man's moccasins so you know where they pinch". <br />
<br />
I did what I believed was right given the alternatives that I researched with the help of a wise doctor to my "unhealthy" state at that time. And with regard to the reference of what I did as "ridiculous", I would point us back to that same dictionary that tell us that "ridiculous" stems from the word "ridicule" defined as:the act of making fun of someone or something in a cruel or harsh way : harsh comments made by people who are laughing at someone or something. I guess "ridiculous" might be an accurate statement, but then again it depends on how it's used. The manager of the fasting site did provide "ridicule" of me. But I provide no ridicule of what anyone does that takes them from a place of disease and unhealth to a place on healing and health.<br />
<br />
PS: Thanks Amy for not "disapproving" of what I did, and also for your wise lack of "ridicule".<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-73884068013299514552015-06-26T09:52:00.002-07:002015-06-28T14:41:15.442-07:00Weight Loss is the Starting Point in a Makeover...and I'm not talking about MascaraHi friends<br />
<br />
If this is your first visit to the site, you might find this more meaningful by starting at the beginning with the very first blog entry. It is titled "Pre-start Thought". This blog reads kind of like a book and nothing is really that long, I don't think. But feel free to stick around as well. :-) To the rest of you, welcome back! 35,000 views and counting. <br />
<br />
I cannot stress what a difference weight loss has made in my life.<br />
<br />
It is amazing what has happened to me over the last year and a half (plus).<br />
<br />
I am a new person. I pushed the reset button and did a complete restart, in a very large part thanks to Dr. Scott Saunders. I am a new creation, saved be grace. I have been give a second chance. I should have been dead, really. But now I feel more alive than ever. My thinking is different and clearer. My personality has changed and I'm much more positive. Much less negative. I'm less angry. Less combative. Much more accepting.<br />
<br />
No kidding.<br />
<br />
I've been working 3000 miles away from home for the better part of the last 3 months. They say eating on the road is very difficult, meaning it's difficult to maintain body size when eating out so often. I haven't had any problems and am actually not eating as well as I do at home. I have a new body and it processes food differently. It doesn't store the fats and burn off the carbs any more.<br />
<br />
So I'll be back home, and taking a break for a while with hopes of writing a lot more. I'm working on a book. I've been working on it for a couple of years now. And I'm almost done reading it. :-) <br />
But seriously, I need to finish writing it. I have another as well that I'm working on and am looking forward to finishing it. <br />
<br />
One is about this project, no surprise. The other is about fixing broken or weak schools. <br />
<br />
All that to say, stay posted. I should be adding more to this during this summer. <br />
<br />
For all of those of you who have been following this for a while....Thank you very much. I see your support through the number of views to this blog. At this writing it is 35, 000. Blows my mind. So many people have read part of my story, and I like to think that they are rooting me on. I like to think that I'm being helpful and encouraging to them. I'd love it if you'd drop me a note. It would be great to hear from you. Here's the address if you feel so inclined<br />
| |<br />
| |<br />
| |<br />
\/ \/<br />
\/ \/<br />
mike93108<br />
at<br />
gmail<br />
dot<br />
com<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-64788183344273276782015-03-16T08:36:00.001-07:002015-03-16T08:36:53.408-07:00For the people who have always been fat and for those who just need to change.If this is your first visit to the 30 Day Broth Fast, I'd encourage you to read this from the first entry, like a book. It's easy and the entries aren't too long. For the rest of you, welcome back.<br />
<br />
For the people who have always been fat, losing weight must be very difficult idea. They don't really know how awesome they will look. Nor do they know how great they will feel. The reason is, they've never experienced it before. I didn't realize this until I was back in Ocean City, New Jersey working as a consultant, with a Chinese restaurant. There was a girl who was 20 years old but who looked much older because of her weight. She was way too heavy for her young age. She had a pretty face and was always with a smile and a good conversationalist. She was fascinated by my story of weight loss. She was clearly interested in the idea and how this could work for her. I asked her how much weight she would like to lose...ideally. Her answer was, 10 pounds. I don't know how much she would have needed to lose to be healthy, but I knew that is was a lot more than 10 pounds. I would guess about 100, seriously. The issue was that she had always been fat and had no idea about the concept of being thinner, for herself.<br />
<br />
The best that some people have ever looked was chubby, so how could they picture themselves looking hot? But the truth is, you WILL look hot. And you CAN look hot. For me, it's fun to feel good about my body. <br />
<br />
I used to try to avoid allowing my wife to see my body when I was naked, but now, I kinda show off a bit. What the heck, she's my wife and she might as well enjoy the view. :-) I never felt comfortable at the beach with my shirt off. I was always very concerned about how I looked. I didn't like having a belly that was so big, and I certainly didn't like having manboobs, that part was the worst. I just hated how I looked. I was embarrassed by how I looked. My body was a reflection of my "self-care". I couldn't have cared less about myself really. <br />
<br />
I was really very depressed and miserable. I didn't like myself, at all. The self-loathing was horrifyingly overwhelming. Many times I had prayed that the Lord would just take me. I would drive down the road in the fast lane closest to oncoming traffic and hope that a semi-truck would cross the divider and hit me. There was a whole lot of self-hatred. <br /><br />My weight was a symptom of deeper problems. So much of life, and just living, was a fight for me. More like a war. But losing the weight was evidence that demonstrated my determination, that I was going to do something about it. I was going to start the battle to improve myself with the one thing that would give me great joy that was measurable...weight loss. And that I could actually have success with this. I "could" control what I ate and how much I weighed. My life was a war, a war against myself. The weight was one battle. But it was a decisive battle. I knew that this would be a turning point in the war. Perhaps I didn't fully comprehend this at the time but I sure do now. And guess what? I won the battle. I have triumphed. The enemy has turned away. <br />
<br />
I could do it!! I just didn't know that I could. I had just accepted life and my poor health as...."well, that's life". But it wasn't and it isn't. <br />
<br />
I don't know why and I don't really know what made me do it, but one day, I decided that I should try to fix this stuff that caused me strife and pain. I am not sure that I remember a defining moment where lightning struck and made me think, "Aha! Today is the day!" Now I'll lose weight, and now I'll start on my path to improvement. In truth, I don't think that I saw it as a pathway to improvement, but it was. It was the first step. <br />
<br />
But it did happen. One day, it just happened. I don't think that I could have just waited for it. It wasn't a shocking moment. It wasn't because of anything in particular, although the realization that all of my medical issues were stemming from one thing, I was fat. I knew two things.<br />
<br />
1) I didn't want to be fat anymore. I didn't want to be unhealthy and "sick".<br />
2) I could do something about it. There was a solution. There was a solution that fit me and my type of weight loss plan.<br />
<br />
I knew that I could be tough on myself, but not for long. 30 days what a realistic amount of time. I remember telling the doctor, "I can do anything for 30 days". I liked accomplishing things, although I rarely finished anything. But this, I believed that I could do. It was simple enough and my doctor was fully supporting me in this decision and recommendation. It was his idea. I am very thankful for him.<br />
<br />
There was one conversation though. A famous movie star's wife and I had a short, but pivotal, conversation that I will never, ever forget. It gave me encouragement to rethink my thinking. I'll have to share that later, and who the celebrity was. But that is for a different day.<br />
<br />
If you appreciate this blog, please share it with others. I hope to be an encouragement to you and your friends and associates. :-)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-61362146551469215042015-02-28T17:18:00.001-08:002015-06-28T14:35:22.807-07:00Still in perfect health....just a bit sickIf you are just joining us, I'd encourage to go back and read the first posting for to fully understand what it is that I did, and why, and how specifically. I lost 35 pounds in 2 months and then another 10 without trying at all. For the rest of you, here's the latest.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The doctors told me that I am in perfect health, just not today.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I guess it's the season and I decided, unwillingly, to participate in the annual winter flu. I feel sick, but at least I look good. :-) I've had this flu bug for going on a week and with a fever the whole time. Not fun...at all. Ok, enough of that. In other news.... Let's talk heart rate.<br />
<br />
I was running around the restaurant the other day. We were crazy busy, which is common. But on this day we had far too few of us working. The restaurant is very spacious. It causes me to run all over the place. Nothing is all that close. <br />
<br />
As I ran back to the kitchen, I was forced to stand and wait for a meal that was being remade for a customer. There I was, needing to get back to running around but the chef asked me to wait a moment for the food since he was putting the food on the plate as we spoke. So I waited. I wasn't upset and probably welcomed the short break. In truth, I was there for about 2 minutes, which was an eternity at that moment. <br />
<br />
I could feel my heart pounding hard, as it should given the degree at which it was being required to work. I was wondering how fast it was beating. I measured my heart rate as I stood there. I measured it and I was at 122 BPM. Not bad considering how hard and fast I was moving while carrying the heaviest plates ever made fill with 20 ounces of short ribs and a pile of mashed potatoes, and forget the veggies...they're light. :-) I mentioned my heart rate to my boss, Mauricio, who also knew that it was crazy busy. Mauricio is a wonderful boss. Always helpful and genuinely concerned about us. Mauricio encouraged me to measure it again. I thought sure, why not. <br />
</div>
<div>
I knew that I measured it correctly. It's pretty easy to do. Take your pulse for 15 seconds. Whatever number you get, multiply that by 4. You can also do the same for 6 seconds and multiply by 10. But I seem to use the first method as it's easier to see 15 seconds on my particular watch. I got 32. 32x4=122. 122 BPM</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Anyway, I checked it again with Mauricio. It had only been about a minute or so since I had just checked it. As I started to check it, I noticed that my heart had begun to calm down considerably. My heart wasn't beating as hard as before and I could feel the difference. At the end of the test, I had my new number. My rate had dropped to 74. I thought that seemed pretty good. I knew that it was good to have a quick recovery time but didn't really know if that was great, good, fair, or poor. <br />
<br />
I went to some websites that talk about such things to see how I did. Although 2 minutes is the standard period of time for such tests, one thing became clear. That was a pretty darn good recovery rate. <br />
<br />
I remember some years back (when I was fat) hiking in the mountains. I remember that my heart was beating some hard and I could not catch my breath. It was enough to literally force me to lay down on the dirt and pine needles at the edge of the path. I could not believe how hard it was beating but what was unnerving was that it wouldn't slow down, for a very long, and unsettling, amount of time. I wondered what was going to happen next. Would I live? Why wasn't I calming down? Perhaps it was because I was fat and out of shape. <br />
<br />
When comparing the 2 scenarios, I am very thankful for where I am now. The weight loss has helped my health immeasurably. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-63197205282224935702015-02-15T08:53:00.001-08:002015-02-15T08:53:49.502-08:00Weight loss is the catalyst of total life improvement<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">It really is about a decision to improve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">If you've just joined us, I'd heartily recommend reading from the
first posting. Kind of like a book. But in a nutshell, I lost over 30
pounds in 60 days consuming nothing but homemade soup broth. I lost a total of
45 pounds, and have kept it off for over a year now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">But it really started with a decision to improve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">The truth is that I had hit rock bottom, or worse, if there was worse...I am thankful to have been saved from whatever worse was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had lost my job, but not just a job. It was my passion! I
was so tremendously and horribly broken by that. And that made me lose my passion. Or
at least I let it do that. I was in horrible health, financially broke,
socially bankrupt, emotionally drained, and very depressed. A depression
that was so dark and so deep it is uncomfortable to even mention here. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Those words are heavy on me and difficult to write.</span><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 18px;"> In truth, it's a miracle that I’m alive</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">My sweet wife was the one who recommended that I see a doctor to
address some of my health issues and as you know, I’ve fixed the health issues
but it was all the rest that was still a mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fixed my weight and health issues, which had seemed so
formidable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> So, </span>I should be able to improve
in these other areas as well. If it is possible, and there is a way, with determination, I should be able to improve. I have the determination, still working on the rest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">SO I USED THE WEIGHT LOSS TO BE A CATALYST FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">That is an important statement and really expands this blog about weight loss to include what I have been doing to make strides in other areas as well. To think that the weight loss would give me such a sense of accomplishment that I would be able to say, what other areas need fixing and what's the best and quickest way to accomplish that? </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">For me the weight loss came first. M</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">aybe for some, improvement in another area encourages them to seek body and health improvement. It's really not just about weight loss. That's a catalyst to total life improvement. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">For me the weight loss came first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">From that came good health.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">From that came a clearer picture of who I am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now, I continue to strive to improve in these other areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">I now have motivation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do
now know that it is possible to change oneself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">My guess is that anyone could do just that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes desire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And commitment, And determination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it didn’t require lots of money, nor did
it take lots of time…well, at least for the weight loss. The nice thing about
the weight loss was that it was quick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bamm! In 2 months I was 30 pounds lighter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
However, not all areas where improvement is needed are solved with a quick
fix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And not all of them go as
smoothly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In hindsight, the weight loss
was the easy part. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">I'll write some more about specific challenges and what I've been doing to improve in these other areas. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-25307014050054084922014-12-17T13:45:00.001-08:002014-12-17T13:45:53.257-08:00It's official...I'm in perfect health!! After losing 45 pounds, keeping it off for more than a year, I am healthier than ever and there is evidence to prove it.I am in perfect health!<br />
<br />
After a recent trip to the doctor, I thought to myself, "I feel well and healthy". But "Am I <u><i><b>really</b></i></u> healthy?" was the question really that I should be asking. <br />
<br />
So I went to the doctor again. I told him that I wanted to have blood work done. This was a tremendously fearful decision for me as I have fainted in the past from blood tests and even TB tests. But I decided to be brave. I thought to myself, the need to know how my health was, trumped my fear of passing out. I told the doctor that if he was going to take my blood he might as well run all the tests and be able to have a complete workup of what is going on in my body.<br />
<br />
Although I cannot remember the names of all of the tests, I do know that it included cholesterol, A1C, CBC, thyroid, PSA, and I think a couple of others. I wanted to know everything related to my health.<br />
<br />
Well, the results came in, only a couple of hours ago actually. Every item on the list was in the normal range except for one and according to the doctor, the variance in that one subset was insignificant. What a blessing this is! I thank the Good Lord for His grace and mercy and blessing. <br />
<br />
You see, at one point my cholesterol (LDL) was over 350. And my triglycerides were over 790. It was either 790, 860, for 960. I can't remember. Suffice it to say, it was really crazy high and I was very unhealthy. And my A1C was high enough to be basically considered diabetic. <br />
<br />
Now these numbers have all dropped. My LDL went from 350 to 182. 182!! It has never, ever been that low. My triglycerides fell dramatically as well. And my A1C dropped to a place where I would be out of the diabetic spectrum. WOW, can you imagine!!<br />
<br />
Amazing to think that just through two months of being tough on myself and drinking nothing but soup broth, (which in hindsight was a pretty simple and low price to pay for good health) I have such a tremendous health. An enormous blessing that I never expected to see.<br />
<br />
I am telling you. Losing this weight has changed, and saved, my life in ways that I never could have imagined. Truthfully, it was the catalyst to change so many other areas of myself.<br />
<br />
So with that, I can say that I lost 45 pounds, quickly, and I have maintained it, easily, and have improved my health. Outstanding!! Let's rejoice together. I hope that this gives others motivation to make changes in their own lives to IMPROVE!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-21617039702709343172014-12-12T10:17:00.000-08:002014-12-12T21:28:19.028-08:00Nearly 25,000 posts. WOW!!Ok so if you have been following you might know this, but here's the deal in a nutshell.<br />
I lost 30 pounds in less than 2 months. I've kept it off for more than a year, and I'm healthier than at any point in my life. And almost 25,000 people have read about this from all over the world. Crazy huh?<br />
<br />
As the great old hymn says, "I love to tell the story.."<br />
I love to tell the story of successful, and maintained, weight loss. A very nice lady came into the restaurant where I work last night. We had a conversation so similar to those I've had with many others.<br />
<br />
So this lady came in but I want to share with you a bit about my job. I work as a waiter at a great restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara called Benchmark. (look it up, it's pretty cool). Anyway, I find that I walk a lot there. I mean a whole lot, and very quickly, for about 5 hours. While walking all over the place, I find myself carrying plates that are very thick and overtly heavy for their size. And with hearty portions of food aboard. It is a very physical job, but a job that I love. There is no way, that I could have performed this job before. I would have been exhausted. I don't know how far could one walk, at a good clip, in 5 hours, but it has to be pretty far. That's what I do probably 4-5 days a week. But often before or after my shift, I can often be found walking around the pretty and well decorated shops on State Street. And what about the plates, and glasses of water, and the dish racks of glasses, and the buckets of ice. And do you have any idea how heavy large trays of butter knives can be? I mean why with all of our technology can we not manufacture hollow butter knives?<br />
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This work load has had a significant effect on me physically. For the first time in my life...ever, I actually have muscles in my arms. They're not huge, but I'm not a huge guy. But they are bigger than they have ever been before that's for sure. And I'm fit. That statement, "I'm fit" is one that I haven't been able to say that in good faith for well over 25 years. <br />
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So, back to telling the story of the lady at the restaurant..... Last night I had an opportunity to discuss my recent weight loss with a customer. I told her that I lost the weight fast while fasting on soup broth and she brought up a familiar and common question. Weren't you hungry? And her friend had another common question to ask as a follow up to my response.<br />
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I asked them if they were hungry before they came into the restaurant just now. Obviously they were. And so to stop their hunger from overtaking them, they sat down and ate. But surely they would be hungry again, unless they ate again. They would only be hungry when they didn't consume some form of sustenance.<br />
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The soup broth diet was the same way. I was only hungry when I didn't consume some delicious, well flavored, nutritious soup broth. But when I was hungry, I consumed my homemade broth.<br />
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Following up with my answer her "dinner date" (love that old midcentury term) wanted to clarify that she got this right. "So, nothing but soup broth, 3 times a day, for a month?" she asked. I told her that I'd have it like 10 times a day, or 20 times, or whatever. There really wasn't a limit on how much I could have. No prescribed time of ingestion. I was only hungry out of choice or of my own neglect. <br />
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I'd drink broth as others might drink coffee I guess. Oh, or pardon me, perhaps I should say "tea" for those who might live under the Royal Britannia. And if I had the broth often enough, I wasn't really hungry. Every time that I had a mug or bowl of soup broth, any hunger that I had was satisfied completely.<br />
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It's a quite amazing story if I do say so myself. <br />
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Well, I'm literally leaving for "Benchmark eatery" as we speak. I'l be sure to write more and perhaps have a surprise for my 25,000th anniversary. "Come and see."<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292131464249224533.post-9731646538258135402014-12-08T20:52:00.000-08:002018-08-29T10:44:50.226-07:00The Journey continues: Part 3 Improvement sees all different formsTalking about weight loss, losing weight, and being in a state of actually losing weight, is a past, present, and future idea. People "talk" and "think" about the possibility of future weight loss. The hope that it will provide for them a new life. But it is so hard to accurately judge the future, it changes all of the time. Sounds very much like something Yoda would say.<br />
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The journey continues with the improvement of my mental faculties and my attitudeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18091429770546054493noreply@blogger.com0