OK let me get the basics out in the open, I am 30 married and the father to four children ages 12, 9, 7, 3 boy girl boy girl. I have a history of heart problems and high cholestoral. I currently have neither of those. I am 5'8 256 and as of 4/10/08 started working out in the morning.

I know this is suppose to be a diary but If I act like I am talking to someone else then atleast I can justify some of the more insane things I might say. Growing up I did not eat much fast food that was untill I moved out on my own. As kids came and work got more hectic fast food became a fast friend. Who would have thought that fast food and sitting on your butt would be a recipe for gaining weight.

Me and my wife are currently changing our eating habbits. Not only what we eat but how much. We have started doing more whole grains fresh fruit and vegtables. At one point I had lost over 40 lbs to the credit of the attiks diet. I did well till I went to singapore and was not able to eat the way I had grown acustom to. Because of this when I got home I almost went on a carb bind for two months. Not only did I gain all the weight back in less than a year I gained an addition 30 pounds.

I do not think it was the attiks diets fault but more my level of ablity to make the full lifestyle change for my whole life.

I have started this week with working out early in the morning between the hours of 6 and 8 for about an hour or so. Doing 10 minutes of bike riding abs and back work outs then alternating everyday between upperbody and lowerbody. I am going to be going 7 days a week for awhile to get myself in the habit of going at that early hour after that I may continue 7 days or move to a 5 or 6 days.

Weight has recently become a raw nerve with me but I am going to try and be as transparent as I can be. I have never had great self asteam as I was hit through all of junior high and some of high school with the trifecta of glasses braces and horrible acne. I would love to feel confident in myself and feel (yes I know this might be too much to ask) sexy.

Hugo,
I'm a new member too and I look forward to reading about your progress!

Welcome to WLF, Hugo! I'm a fellow Lostie, myself. In fact, I started a LOST discussion thread in the off topic section if you want to join in.

Having done Atkins myself (as did my father--had a similar experience to yours), it is very hard to keep the weight off once more carbs are re-introduced into the diet. I've been very successful by keeping a healthy balance of carbs, fats and proteins. Ideally, my diet is 30% fats and 30% proteins (or higher) and under 40% carbs. I like to keep the carbs under 200g per day, and the protein at 1g for every 2lbs of my weight--helps to keep me full and maintain muscle. This also works well b/c I don't have to give up completely some of the naughty foods that I love. I just figure them into my calories.

You spent time in Singapore? What were you doing there? My husband and I both spent 5yrs teaching English in S. Korea.

I'm sure 4 kids keep you very busy. I can't imagine!

very cute username! I love Hugo!

and I always thought if I was lost on a deserted island, id lose weight! haha

welcome aboard! and if you need daycare for thoe little ones, im your girl!!

I do not think busy is truely the word LOL. When I was on the low carb diet I stayed on it for over a year and very few times did I go over 20 grams of carbs a day. So you can imagine how much I binged LOL. I was in Singapore on business. I sell paint chip and scratch repair systems and I go out and train them at thier location and get them dealerships to do work at.

Keep up the good work, and do not let those naughty foods get you.

JIllz I would love to take you up on that expecially since that would mean I get to revisit the upstate NY area I love it up ther so beautiful... thank you for your support.

I was able to get up again at 6:30 am and go work out for an hour. I noticed I have actually been craving working out. Not so much geting up but working out. I know most people I have been talking to have said you are going to get up early on the weekend. Well to tell you the truth I also think this is ludacris but I know that if I go 7 days a week for at least about a month I will get into the routine and then be able to scale back.

My motivations for losing weight are ultimitly a heathier me. There are a few allturisious motives as well. The first being a family reunion June 13-15 in St. Louis. The other being the SEMA show in Las Vegas Movember 1 -4. I know for the family reunion I will not be cut or even showing a lot of results but feeling better and possibly a slightly better figure. As for the SEMA show I hope to be in a pretty good place by then again not expecting huge improvement but it will be approximitly 6 months away.

I will be keeping head down and nose to the grindstone. I keep telling myself the only thing and excusse will get me is further from my goal. I have also found a phrase I am using for insperation. If it helps you as well I am glad I could share.

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person will not be found: You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. [Buddha]

Keep it up, man. I agree with you that changing your wake up time can really put you on the right path to making the good habits stick. It's especially good if your little ones like to sleep in on the weekends. Good luck.

Hi Hugo! We are big Lost fans here in

I love it that you are a Dad to so many littles! You have indeed been blessed.

Good on ya for taking control of your health. You need to be healthy to raise your kids! You are setting a great example for them by getting yourself into a shape you can be happy with - AND BY RESPECTING YOURSELF ENOUGH TO DO SO.

Did you mention if you are doing it by going back on Atkins? I know you mentioned that you and the Mrs. are eating more F&V and whole grains, which is just excellent.

Best wishes on your journey!
Cheers
ABBA

We are currently not doing atkins only because I felt it was too restictive and with family history of heart problems wee would likt to see proof of the atkins diet lowering cholesteral and raising good cholesteral. And see some long term test. I will stick with exercise and eating better unless I can find something.

How's it going? Have you been able to keep getting up early for the workouts? I've been trying myself, but I just can't seem to get my lazy but out of bed. I don't know how you do it. I did get up earlier today, so maybe I'll be able to get up a little earlier tomorrow and go for a run.

What's the update?

I have been staying with the early morning work out and the thing I have started to realise is, the early morning work out have been gving me more energy. THis is acctually one of the most busy weeks I have and noormally would almost pass out when I got home but this week Ihave been working out and have not been near as tired as I usualy am. It is blowing my mind. Kep trying and make a habit of it and it does get easier each day to get up but make sure you allow yourself time to sleep I am going to be now around 11 pm to 12am fiving myself around 6 to 7 hours and it has been amazing.

Yep, it's a proven fact that exercising gives you more energy. My H swears that the days he doesn't work out he feels sluggish and lethargic. But feels good on the days he does go running. I have come to discover he's right, too. There is nothing better than the feeling of accomplishment after a good workout. And all that exercise releases endorphins which make you happy and less stressed.

As to that family reunion, you have about 2 months until then--that is enough time to lose enough weight to get those, "have you been losing weight?" comments. And let me tell ya--they are very motivational and ego stroking.

Good for you. I did get up at 6 this morning with the full intention of going for a run, but the 32 degrees and frost on the ground was excuse enough for me. By 8 am it was up to 50 deg, but I'm at work by then.

Your early mornings workout is an inspiration for me

Hugo

You haven't been on in a while. Where have you been? What's the update? I really hope that you haven't given up. Even if things haven't been going well, keep up the diary. That will help you get back on board when you can.