Ok it is now time to work on MEE! MEE is the three part program that I will use to attain my goal which is a healthy life and the loss of 150+ lbs. This journal is to keep me motivated and to keep me accountable for my actions as well as getting help from you guys. It will also track my progress.

What is MEE?

1 M: MINDSET. The first step is to get your mind focused on your task, in this case weightloss. It is soo important to keep your motivation up. I will learn about food, be aware of what is good and bad, keep informed on health issues, and keep motivation up by participating in this website. If the mind has motivation, the body will follow. The saying is true "You can do anything you put your mind to".

2 E: EATING. This means eating food that is healthy for your body, being aware of chemicals and additives that are not good for you and eating correct portion size. Very simple, eat what is good for you.

3 E: EXERCISE. In order for my program to work I will need to exercise. I have been doing the treadmill for 2 weeks and will continue to do so. I will eventually start a weightlifting program.


Today is day 14 and I will weigh in tomorrow morning. All is going well and my motivation is high. I started at 367.8 lbs and eventually would like to reach 200 or even better 199 to be in the "hundreds". It will be a long road ahead of me but I have not put a time limit on my progress because it is not a diet - it is a lifestyle change with no end. I started eating healthy, no more eating out at popeyes and McD's. I have a salad everyday for lunch with turkey and cheese with italian dressing. For dinner... salmon, chicken, stirfry or other healthy dishes in the correct portions with brown rice or potato and veggies. Also I have started drinking water( instead of soda or juice). No more ..."it tastes funny". I have started exercising on the treadmill, the first week 30 min a day and the second week 1 hour a day. I also have a dog that I will walk outside when the weather is better (-5F) to supplement my exercise. I will also start weight lifting a few times a week. As I continue with my journal I will include background info, thoughts, feelings and of corse progress. Alot of the time we make things so complicated ,where, when, how much, how long etc. when the answer is so simple..... eat healthy and exercise! That is all there is to it, nothing more, or less. EAT HEALTHY AND EXERCISE! With that I am off to the treadmill, it is calling my name.....wait......its calling your name! O Darn it ....it was calling my name, wish me luck................

you absolutely can do it - i started higher that that ... just keep going one day at a time.. consistent behavior is what will get you to the end...

Hey there Phoenix,

first off, awesome first post in your diary. I'm loving the MEE Mission. You sound so motivated and that in itself is wonderful. I'm not sure if you're a member of any weight loss sites, but you might want to check out FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal or even Free Diet Plans at SparkPeople. They're both free and they have calorie counters if you're interested. Also, you can read up on countless articles on food/ nutrition/ exercise. It's really helped me along my weight loss journey.

Good on you for joining the forum... finally. haha jk I'll definitely be dropping in more often. Have fun on the treadmill. Once again, welcome to the community.

-Sheryl

Ok yesterday was the 14th day of my program (started 1-2-08) and got on the scale......... 354.2..... that is -13.6lbs for the 2 weeks (started at 367.8)!!! YAY! Today will be another day of eating correctly and exercise. It is getting easier to get on the treadmill and I feel that I have more energy. Each day I will add my thoughts,feelings, concerns, progress as I go along with this process. Todays topic will be my weight history and background.

First of all I am 40 and have a wonderful wife that will be joining me on this journey. I have been overweight all of my adult life and live a sedentary life behind the computer. I have tried many different diets to varying degrees with Atkins working the best for me(lost 65lbs). I finally got fed up of being tired and lethargic, not being able to do the things I want to do, not looking or feeling good. The booths in many restauraunts were too small to fit in, also the struggle to get off the couch (looked like a 9mo pregnant woman)was terrible. Problems finding clothes to wear(48 pants and 4x shirts). The black cloud of impending danger was looming over my head and always on my mind. I knew that if I kept going in the direction I was I would not be here much longer, or so I felt. All this and more helped me decide to change my ways. So here I am ready to start a new chapter in my life.......

You sound extremely motivated, and thats where you need to be. Good on you for thinking things out thoroughly. I too keep a journal offline that had my food entries in it, what I planned to eat and What I did eat column ..as well as good quotes on the fridge that stir me away from eating when I am not really hungry ...

Quotes are great to keep, because everyday you can look at them, and they will inspire you even more ...

Anyway ...
best wishes to a new year
always
natalie jo

Another day and motivation is HIGH, my mind is writing checks my body cant cash! Last night I shoveled snow for 40 min and today so far have gone 1 hour on the treadmill. I am just starting out on the treadmill so I dont put a speed/distance limit on it, I just walk. Which coming from sitting behind my computer for that hour is a long way. I have had my salad for lunch with alot of water and am looking forward to a healthy dinner. Yesterday I tried on a shirt that I purchased 2 months ago that was too tight on the 'ol gut. Well guess what.........yes it fit! Mind you it was'nt loose, but it did fit. Progress no matter how small motivates me a great deal. I ripped the tags off it and when my wife got home and asked "what are you wearing?", I was all smiles.

Todays thoughts: Why do I want to loose weight?

1. First and foremost I want to be healthy.
2. Im tired of being tired with no energy.
3. I want to be more active and do the things I used to do.
4. I dont want to be ashamed of the way I look.
5. I want to hold my head high and have more confidence and self esteem.
6. I want to be able to buy "regular" clothes and look good.
7. I want to be able fit into restauraunt booths and airplane seats.
8. I want to be more outgoing.
9. I greedily want all the time I can get on this planet with my wife!

There are others but these are the main ones that come to mind. I would say wish me luck......but luck is for gamblers, and im in this to win this!

Yesterday along with my healthy eating I walked for 2 hours. One hour was on the treadmill and the other was walking my mangy hound of ill omen. For lunch I had a big salad with turkey and cheese and italian dressing, for dinner homade chicken soup. I threw in a few snacks(apple, sunflower seeds) and alot of water with of course my drink of choice- coffee. So all is well, im just anxious for a few months to pass and to get some good progress behind me.

Thought for the day: Why didnt the other diets work for me?

Well first off im not on a "diet". Diet indicates a timeframe in which you will eventually reach your goal and be done. I want a healthy lifestyle that I will continue til the end of my days. I have tried many diets with Atkins working the best for me(lost 65lbs) but when I ended the diet it all came back to me. There are many diets that ask you to cut out certain items (carbs etc) or to eat certain items (citrus,soup, etc) and that is fine to jumpstart your weightloss but it is not a way of life that you can continue. Have you ever noticed how many diet books there are at the bookstore? Ever wonder why there are so many? Because they dont work! Not in the long term anyways. Nutrition has'nt changed, your body still needs the proper combination of foods to run properly and eficiently, so why all the different books and diets? So with my program I will keep it simple, soo simple- eat what is good for me and exercise. Make healthy choices. Insead of a supersized #2 I will eat chickenbreast with brown rice and veggies, simple as that. Does this mean I will never eat "junk" food again? No I will not rule out anything, again that is a diet thing. I will however limit my eating of these items both in frequency and portion. If I want pizza I will eat mabey 1 slice with a salad instead of the 6 slices that I used to eat, and mabey make it a treat once a month, not all the time. Or popeyes chicken( my fave), I will get one breast and create a meal at home with it(add salad,veggies etc.). Or that vanilla icecream, instead of sawing the gallon in half and going to town, I will eat one scoop, and not all the time. Also exercise is soo important, and I need to make it a regular part of my life, just as eating well, I will exercise! The grim reaper is after us all, the difference is now he will have to catch me running!

Today is saturday and I know I need to watch what I do. Weekends are harder for me. Ususally we see 1 movie a weekend and I always get a medium popcorn with butter which is a bad choice. Instead I will chew on some sunflower seeds. Yesterday was good. For lunch I had my salad w/turkey and cheese with italian dressing and for dinner I had a chicken and shrimp stir-fry and did'nt even clean my plate- suprised me. I walked one hour on the treadmill and 40 minutes with the wife and the hound (actually boxer). So all is going well one day at a time.

Thought for the day: What caused me to gain all this weight?

The first thing is to directly place the blame where it belongs- MYSELF! The choices I made caused me to be in this condition. Nobody twisted my arm, I controlled the fork the whole time! I could have/ should have said no but didnt. What we(I) always try to do is displace or distort the truth and blame about our weight gain. People keep sabotaging me by offfering me food or bringing cake/cookies etc into the house. There was nothing to eat in the house(so I got fast food). Someone offered to treat me out, how could I say no. Its genetic. I was so busy I only had time for fast food. There are many excuses. Personally I just love food. I wasnt depressed or bored or replaceing something in my life, I just loved to eat. I would have fast food 4-7 times a week (popeyes, McD's, skippers, etc) alot of the time corrupting my wife, "there is nothing to cook in the house, just grab a pizza on the way home". When I ate it would be to the excess where I would be way too full, not in moderation at all. Drinking pop didnt help the situation either. Also in addition to not eating healthy, a huge factor in my weight gain was I quit exercising. The most exercise I got was to walk upstairs at dinner time. So with all that said I accept all the blame. Yes, it was me. They say knowing is half the battle. The wind of change is blowing. With that I look forward to a healthy day.......

Have you ever sat down and asked why you eat what you eat? Or the quatinties you eat? If you love food, maybe you are addicted. Just a thought...
best wishes on your journey

natalie jo

Today has been awesome with 1 hour on the treadmill and a salad for lunch. Tonight I will have a 6" subway sandwitch, sunchips and a diet soda after I go shopping for healthy suplies for the week. Setting myself up for success! Yesterday we went to a movie (The Bucketlist-good), we have seen alot of movies in the last 10 years and only twice (that I can remeber) did I not get popcorn. Yesterday was the second time! I had sunflower seeds instead, small changes but for the better. Two more days and we will be at the 3 week mark and I will weigh in again.


Thought for the day: Motivation, a must have for success!

Motivation is the first part of my program, without it there will be no healthy eating and no exercise. Motivation is the one thing that will cause you to excell (or fail if lack of) in all aspects of your life, including health(weight loss). Without motivation on the job you will just get by, probably be passed up for raises and promotions, in college if you dont have motivation to study you might pass but not with that A+ you would have with motivation behind you. Why would losing weight be any different? I believe motivation is the key to my success. Instead of half-assing my weight loss program, I will get motivated, charge ahead, get excited, give it 100%, get informed and keep my mind focused on what I want to achive and the many rewards that lie ahead! I will keep my motivation up by putting it in the front of my mind, when I get up in the morning I will think another day of healthy eating and exercise, I will read about health/fitness/eating and be informed, I will participate in this website and read success stories, I will be motivated by being able to fit into those old clothes hanging in the closet, by others compliments saying "looks like you have lost weight". By seeing the numbers drop on the scale and by feeling better. My mom (71) is one of my great motivators. Diagnosed as pre-diabetic she took charge of her life, started eating well, went to a dietician, joined ti-che(sp?) class, pilates class, strength training class and also a balance class. She lost 50+lbs and was awarded a plaque congradulating her on her success. She is always on the go and has more energy than me. Also a great motivator is my beautiful wife whom is encourageing me and taking this trip with me- thanks! With a little motivation there is nothing you cant do or achieve. The power of the mind is amazing.

Ok today is day 20 of my healthy lifestyle and I will weigh in Wednesday morning to see how I have done for the three weeks, I am excited. Yesterday went well......had a salad for lunch and a 6" sub for dinner w/sunchips and a diet soda. Also did the treadmill for 1.5hrs. Today so far has been a salad for lunch and 1hr of treadmill. It is getting easier for me to follow my program, I fell better and have more energy and also I feel that I have a little "spring" in my step. Ill get these 2 days down then my next goal will be the 1 month mark!

Thought for the day: A little preperation, helping me succeed.

I found out that with a little thought and preperation it helps me to stay on track with my healthy eating. One of my problems was not having the proper ingredients in the house to cook the meals I wanted. "There is nothing to cook for dinner". I would ask my wife to get pizza, chicken, tacos etc for dinner on her way home. Well now I will not give myself that excuse to eat unhealthy fast food. On Sunday we create a menu of all the dinners we are to have until the following saturday then we shop for all the ingredients we need for that week. Lunch is easy for me- salad w/turkey and cheese every day.There is never any question what we are having and the items we need are all on hand. Also after we shop on sunday we stop at Subway and get a 6" with sun chips and a diet soda, this feels like a treat to me haha. Well, the train kept a rollin'..................

Hell ya, today is 3 weeks since me and my wife started our program and all is going as it should. Tomorrow morning I will weigh in and see the progress I have made, im excited. I want to start weight training/lifting at the one month mark so this week I will do research and find a beginners routine that works for me. I almost have a home gym- treadmill, eliptical trainer, exercise bike and a bench for free weights w/ pulldown bar and attachments for curling and leg exercises. Up until now they have been excellent coat hangers of the highest quality haha. As far as the weight lifting goes, right now I just want to tone my muscles and get a little strength not become the Hulk, I want to concentrate on loosing the weight before I bulk up.

Thought of the day: Feelings on previous diet success.

About 7 years ago I went on the Atkins diet, cut out all carbs and had a job where I was moving(sometimes running) 8 hours a day. The pounds came off fast, in 5 months I had lost 50 lbs and lost another 15 by 8 months. I was 300 and went to 235. Wow, I hadnt been this weight since highschool. Mind you I wasnt thin, but I was looking good and feeling like I was on top of the world. I had more energy to do the things I wanted to, I could hike, climb mountains, fish until the sun came up, ride my bike for endless miles. My clothes looked good on me. Instead of size 48 pants I wore a 38, my shirts went from 3x to l or xl. Everyone I knew complimented me on my success, "Wow, looks like you lost alot of weight". It was great times. Then it ended! That quick. Gone. Energy gone, clothes didnt fit anymore, I had to face all the people that cheered my success. A turn for the worse. The reason......myself. At the 1 year mark I decide I could celebrate by eating fast food, prob McD's. Then it continued, "We hav'nt had popeyes in a year, lets go" etc. Atkins went out the door. We celebrated for about 2 months before we really realized the damage we had done, it wasnt too late, but it felt like it. No more diets for me. I want a program that will help me reach my goals and keep them- for life. I want that feeling of success back, I want to look and feel better, I want to ride my bike and actually run. I want clothes that look good on me. I want it back...................

Yesterday was 3 weeks since I started my healthy lifestyle and just got on the scale this morning. 18.7 pounds down in 3 weeks---YAY! Small steps in the right direction. I would like to loose 2-3 more in this 4th week. Yesterday I had a salad for lunch with turkey and cheese and that spritzer dressing(italian) and for dinner had salmon, brown rice, steamed brocoli and a small salad. I am drinking more water and cut back on the creamer in my coffee(4 cups a day). I have dropped below the 350 mark and am closer to 300 than 400 and that is a good thing.

ur doing awesome!! i hope ur taking pics!!

Thanks Jeremy, I was thinking about taking a pic every month like you did and eventually posting when I have a few more months behind me.