Catching Up

First I had like to thank everyone who has ever posted a constructive comment on this blog. They have ALL helped me more than you can imagine. Has you probably already realize by my writing skills that I am not much of a writer. So, please forgive my lack of proper punctuation, grammar etc. but, I try.

Back on March 6th I declared that I was “Finally Back on Track” and every since then, it seems that “Life” has been trying to prove to me that I am not, here is an update:

• March - Recovering from depression after deaths in the family, regained all the weight I lost.
• March - Laid off indefinitely from job.
• March - Stopped debt reduction completely. Stopped exercising and started looking for another job.
• April   - Found new job doing the same work as a contractor at a 35% pay reduction.
• April   - Gained 5.2lbs.
• May    - Called back to original job as a contractor with a 20% pay reduction from my original pay.

During the last few months it has been a real roller coaster.  But, my mother use to tell always us that “nothing beats a failure but a winner”. So, now I am planning to get back into the gym and back on my diet today! And, once I get our emergency fund back up to $1,000 I will start back on the debt reduction.

Thanks again for your support!  It really helps.

Weight Loss versus Debt Reduction

Although, I’ve been in this world for the last 43 years and I’ve been living on my own, providing for myself and later my family since I was 17 yrs. old its only been over the last several months I’ve discovered something about myself that I don’t think I’ve ever known before. And, that is that its much easier for me to stay focused on reducing my debt than it is reducing my weight. For whatever reason I’ve been much more successful at staying focused with eliminating my debt, (as my chart on this blog would indicate.)

Not to say that my debt reduction isn’t important but, according to family physician if I don’t reduce my weight to at least the 190’s, the repricotions could far out way any that I would experience from being in debt free.
So, with this observation I’ve come to a point where I’m looking for ways to motivate myself to put more effort into my weight reduction.

I have managed to reduce my weight a little since my last post but, I need to up that effort drastically if I’m ever to accomplish what I need to loose for better health.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Finally Back On Track!

Over the last two months I fell into a major depression following the death of a very close family member. But, now I’m finally getting back on track.

I’ve started back getting up at 4:30am to go to the gym and I’m refocusing my efforts on eliminating my debts.

Let’s Get It On!!!!!

Either On Track or Slacking

Its been 14 days since I’ve made my declarations and here is where I stand now:

• No flour : ( (On Track )I’ve stuck to this one pretty good so far. There was one exception when I ate 2 slices of toast but for the most part I’ve been consistent.)
• No sodium: (Slacking: I’ve just realized recently that one of my favorite nuts is high in sodium..so, I’ll need to cut it out also)
• No fat: ( (On Track ) Consistent with one caveat, to be perfectly honest I’ve had low fat meals, not NO fat meals)
• Green vegetables only such as Spinach, Greens, etc.: (Consistent)
• No fried foods (On Track )
• Water only 1 gal a day: (Slacking: I’m finding it difficult to drink this much in a day. Although, I carry a bottle around with me to all of my meetings. Any suggestions.)
• (2) - 35 min. cardio session per day, 6 days per week (Slacking: only doing 5 days per week. Knee trouble.)
• 5 to 6 small meals per day with 70 to 80% protein 20 to 30% carbs (Slacking: I’m finding it difficult to eat this much in a day. Too many meetings.)
• No more than 1500 to 2000 calories per day (On Track )

The above effort resulted in only a 4lb. weight loss. I’m open for any suggestions in the areas where I’m slacking.

Thank you in adavance !

Changes in 2008

1. I got the report back from my doctor and it wasn’t very good. He says that if I don’t reduce my weight to at least 200lbs. my health situation may continue to deteriorate and he may have to increase my BP meds and Cholesterol meds. This was not a good report and due to this I’ve decided to change get more strict:
   • No flour
   • No sodium
   • No fat
   • Green vegetables only (such as Spinach, Greens, etc.)
   • No fried foods
   • Water only ( 1 gal a day)
   • (2) - 35 min. cardio session per day, 6 days per week
   • 5 to 6 small meals per day with 70 to 80% protein 20 to 30% carbs
   • No more than 1500 to 2000 calories per day
2. The other thing that I’ve decided to do is start attending church regularly again:
   • join a local church
   • buy a Bible
   • pray regularly
   • stop seeing……
   • throw out all pornographic material
3. After reading about and hearing all of the successful stories of debt free people on the radio and in books. I’ve decided to get very serious about my personal finances:
   • Eliminate cable television, internet access and VOIP phone
   • Eliminate all carryout for wife and kids (I’ve stopped eating it long back)
   • Use Mass Transit and car pooling
   • Eliminate all entertainment expenditures

Holiday Tempations: Food & Overspending

This is by far the most difficult time of the year for me. Its during this time that my family meets for a Thanksgiving dinner, my wife’s birthday, Christmas name exchanges / dinner, Christmas day /dinner, New Years day / dinner and my mother’s birthday. Each of these gatherings are centered around dinners or meals of some type. And, unfortunately for me I’m exposed to all of my favorite foods.  Up to and following our annual Thanksgiving gathering I’d been doing exceptionally well with my weight-loss but, immediately following my wife’s birthday and our Christmas name exchange I gained an extra 3lbs. Now I’m back in the gym doing morning and evening cardio in an attempt to loose those 3lbs.

Overspending is also a difficult flaw of mine during these holiday/birthday seasons. Especially when it comes to my mother. But, I’m hoping that the budgeting methods that I’ve learned in “The Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey”, combined with my will to stay debt free will help me this year.

Venting

Growing up on the east-side of Detroit in the Brewster projects our mother’s major objective was to make sure that we avoided the drugs, gangs and other obstacles found in our community, and to make sure that we graduated from high school and college.  I succeed in graduating from Wayne State University with a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering  but,  my younger sister unfortunately dropped out of high school , got married, had children then later divorced.

After a couple of years she got involved with another man who was a reputed drug dealer and had two more children and, they are still together.

This past weekend my sister invited my wife and I to her 40th birthday party celebration.  It was held in a very exclusive upscale restaurant. They had all of the typical flashy, expensive things there, none of which really impressed me or made me feel jealous. But, when he had us all look out of the front window of the restaurant in order to see the driver pull up in her new car, (Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano) I must admit I was enraged.

I was enraged not so much due to the fact that she had gotten the car, but more so because,  I’m working my tail off everyday trying to make a honest living and its the CRIMINALS like him who pry on innocent people that live debt free and prosper year after year, and can afford bags of organic food delivered to their home. While my wife and I have to shop at the local grocery store in order to save money.

That’s all. I got it out of my system!

A Major Debt Reduction..But,Major Weight Gain

I don’t know what it is but, I just can’t seem to win at both weight reduction and debt reduction at the same time. Part of the reason why I started this blog was so that I could maintain focus but, it just doesn’t work sometimes.

Debt Reduction

Thanks to a lot of unexpected overtime and the sale of my inherited coin collection I was able to reduce my debt to $10,359. It was very painful selling the coin collection because, I’d inherited it from my Great Uncle but, I felt that I needed to do something to help speed up my debt reduction plan.

Weight Gain

The most upsetting thing that I found that occurs when I average anything over 75 hrs per week is that I can’t seem to maintain my weight loss. The obvious reason is that I’m unable to get up at 4:00am anymore and make it to the gym. But, additionally I start slacking on my diet start eating carry-out again. Well, this October I’m kicking myself because I’ve gained so much weight that I’m now backup up to 242lbs. again! And, though I’ve started working out again the idea of all those days of working out and eating right has been all a waste.

Its back to the drawing board!

Weight loss and debt free update

September was an incredibly busy month. We are working on some very demanding projects. After compiling everything it appears that I’ve an average of 70 hrs. per week. This limited my workouts to 20 minutes only once every other day. And, I paid for it by loosing only 2lbs.

In the debt reduction arena I faired much better. I was able to reduce it by another $1,200.

I’m anxiously looking forward to this month and plan to post my budget online in the next couple of days.

Addiction to Foods?

Growing up and eating the classical African-American diet was a definite health hazard. All of the high fat, high sugar, high cholesterol meals were more than likely to have caused many of the premature deaths that I saw in my uncles, aunts and friends over the last 42 years. Yet, I find myself almost addicted to those foods. It seems that no matter how long I go with eating BBQ ribs, hammocks, bacon, etc. I always find myself coming back to them.

Where I grew up one of the biggest humiliations was to be called a dope-feen or crack-head. But, sometimes when I fall off my diet that is exactly what I feel like. I food-addict!

I wonder is there such a thing. Can a person be addicted to certain foods? And, if so how do you kick that habit?