The FatBoy Chronicles

[SBMike]

I am going to begin a personal journal and keep it up for as long as I have time and interest. It may help keep me focused on this when it ceases to be novel and becomes more of a chore. If you are reading this and you are not me, you’ll find that I tend to meander a bit between talking for my own benefit and throwing in background and jokes for you. Not only is it typical of my scattered mind but it also proves that I am nothing without an audience. And if no one else ever reads this, so be it.

If you do read along, please feel free to comment, criticize, or leave a joke for me.



So here goes. My name is Mike. While my body is 52 years old, I am a closet 12 year old – I want Everything my way and I want it now. And sometimes Everything is self-contradictory. I want to be thin AND to eat whatever I want. To have a flat belly AND drink copious amounts of beer with da boys. To buy what I want all the time AND to have a nice early retirement. To be thought of as a rebel AND to fit in. Nope, I never grew up. And by and large when it comes to the push and pull of what I want, I have usually made the short term, easier choice. Which is how I got here.

I did SBD once before, solely to lose some weight. This was somewhere in the mid 2000’s, not sure when. I do know I dropped from 220-ish to 204, within 4 pounds of my first goal, when I crashed and burned. Since then, things have changed for me. I have been diagnosed as Type 2 diabetic. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a host of other issues related to the indignities of aging. Slowly, the meds I have taken for blood sugar have ceased to be effective when put up against my continuing bad eating habits. So here I am again, looking at SBD as a path to regaining control of my situation. This isn’t about the flat abs any more, it’s about avoiding needles and heart attacks.

Today is P1 D4 for me. The first three days went well, mostly. With the novelty of actually DOING SOMETHING about my weight and diet, I didn’t feel particularly deprived at all. I did suffer headaches at the end of Days 1 and 2, but they were minor. And my blood sugars were damn near normal beginning as soon as dawn on Day 2 (as opposed to my more usual 100 points OVER normal.) Day 3 went well as well, up to bed time. At that point, I checked my blood sugar and it was actually a little LOW. That is not a bad problem to have during the day, but a crash in the middle of the night is very unpleasant. So I did what I think was the right thing to do – I broke discipline and had two crackers with peanut butter, and chased them down with 8 to 10 sweetarts. (My doctor tells me to eat 5 of these when things get really low for a quick fix.) I figured this would carry me through the night, and they did. Unfortunately my insulin resistant body grabbed hold of that feast and has embraced it like a death grip. Blood sugar this morning (8 hours after snack) was 151, and just before lunch it was still in the 150’s. I am not discouraged or irritated, but it does point out the special challenges I am going to face managing in both Phase 1 and later in Phase 2. Phase 1 will require a lot of monitoring to make sure I don’t let sugars get too low. Phase 2 will require a great deal of finesse to ensure that I do not add too many or the wrong carbs back and go back to high sugar counts. I may have to find a personalized Phase 1.5 in order to get the weight off successfully while maintaining good sugar.

All in all, though, I am doing well. I began SB this time at 229.4 pounds. Today I weighed in at 224.2 and even though I know it is water at this stage I am glad to be rid of it! Goal weight is 180, which seems like an impossible dream at this point. Right now I’ll just concentrate on 220…..


- Mike 3/27

[bethy]

Hey MIKEY, you're in HERE, yay!

P1 wipes me out, too. I don't have all the diagnoses for it, except ugly The first time I, like, fainted and fell down some stairs and broke bones on day 9. I DID pay attn to a doctor that once: I sat up and said "You're gonna do WHAT?" I used to look at this website right there in the hospital and see all these people going "Day 2, I feel GREAT, Better already, So much energy, blah blah blah" and I'd think "Stay tuned for day 4". All that to say: You do what you gotta do and be careful on them stairs. This time I took little drinks of milk all day and ate beans and way more veggies than I wanted (I kept thinking about Nike: just chew it) and expected zippedy else from myself in the way of getting things done. No exercise, no laundry, no nuthin. Spent half the time in bed feeling like doggy poop in a plastic bag run over by a car, reading scandinavian thrillers and other people's SB stories, and hollering for room service. I hope your relatives are cooking that Easter feast and you're leaving your house a mess, it'll provide a nice topic of conversation.

I'll come over and vacuum for a bite of that bunny and I'll make the coconut cake. I hate it. Freakin waste of good icing, putting Baby Fingernails all in it. Hardly worth the hassle to eat around them, but I've made the effort. You gotta be polite.

You're the highlight of my morning, Mikey. Seriously.

[SBMike]

Yesterday was a good day through daylight hours. And I did not even get tempted to go scrounging for anything off-diet. And my BS, which stayed naggingly in the 150’s throughout the day and into the evening (still not a terrible number for me even in my recent pre-SBD past, but above doctor’s orders) fell before dinner to nominal – 99. (If you have no idea what normal BS is, most folks pre-meal are 75 – 110 and 140- 180 after a meal. Mine has been running…. Higher than that. Even on meds.)

Wyfe is being very supportive. She asked for the permitted food list and went shopping and has been putting together some on-plan meals, at least based on items. But last night’s combo was a little heavy (1.5 cups pinto beans simmered in pork, 6 oz 85/15 ground beef with a slice of provolone, 1.5 or so cups of leftover steamed kale) and when I plugged it into LiveStrong it came up to being a 700 calorie dinner. Calories for the day totaled 1277 which is more than I had the previous few days, and no exercise. Carbs were 67, fiber 30, sugars 8 and LOADS of protein (106). All in all, a LITTLE heavy on the total intake of calories but not terrible. This morning I hadn’t gained or lost, and BS was 123, so things are moving sort of on track. I am just happy she is being supportive and helpful. (She served mine without the bun she had on her burger, and didn't even offer me the homemade cornbread muffins she'd made to go along with the beans.) I'll tweak the shopping list a bit next time, or better yet, get home from work in time to influence the menu. (Half the beans and scratch the provolone, for instance, would have cut 190 calories out.) I need to skew a bit more toward the veggies and away from the animal protein.

Random thoughts -- I wonder if Fiber One bars are okay on P2? I have a drawer full that I used to eat for snacks or breakfast. And I also have Special K cereal bars, 90 calories. I’ll have to look into these as P2 items, and maybe find them a new home.

Went to Costco last night and bought 2.5 pounds of spinach, a four pack of laughing cow, and a bag of Cabot reduced fat cheddar snacks @ 50 calories. I guess I am committed at least until these foodstuffs run out!

[bethy]

Mikemikemikemikemike.
How many veggies MUST we eat? Class? "two cups at lunch, two cups at dinner, half cup at breakfast. four and a half cups min i MUM, miss bethy."
And how many veggies MAY we eat ? "UN limited"
And how much protein MAY we eat? "All we want as long as we ATE ALL OUR VEGGIES, Miss Bethy."
And how many beans? "1/3 to 1/2 cup per serving."
And did we drink all our milk? "YES Miss Bethy"
And WHY did we drink all our milk? "LACK TOES, Miss Bethy!"

[SBMike]

Okay, so my first mistake was writing down dinner instead of lunch for the world to see. (Lunch was 2 cups of salad and 12 shrimp.) LOL

Too many beans, more than enough veggies, so protein level was fine.

Not nearly enough milk during the day. But that is easily fixed.


I STILL need to watch total calories. Sooner or later, you have to pay for the calories you eat, regardless of source.

[SBMike]

Tonight, still Day 5, I am dealing with the eating HABIT a bit. I am not hungry, my blood sugar is fine (115) but I want to nibble. One of my (many) bad habits is to sit at the computer or at the TV or reading a book and nosh a (whole) bag of chips or pretzels or a bowl of popcorn, or maybe something sweet. Or both. So now, not hungry, I still keep wandering into the kitchen, popping open the fridge, and I take a look around and close the door. I have no idea what I am looking for, I just know it is "time for munching." I have been trying to fill the void with cherry tomatoes (about 1 calorie a piece, yo.) But they just don't taste like Utz made them. Maybe if they came in Salt and Vinegar flavor......

Maybe I should just go to bed.

Habit eating is like habit smoking -- and I kicked that one squarely about 10 years ago. So I know the traps and the tools of dealing with habits: get active, keep busy, drink lots of water, and know that habits are modified over a period of weeks with effort. Besides, it is not like I am doing something horrificly hard like quitting heroin, I am just ignoring the bag of jelly beans my Wyfe stuck in the closet. And the scones Wyfe made today.

Nah, it's been a good on-plan eating kind of day. I have done pretty well, no need to mess it up. Tomorrow will be Day 6, and then comes the weekend!

I think I WILL just go to bed. Can't eat j-beans in my sleep.

[Kyan]

Hey Mike - try making the kale chips! They are salty and crunchy and you can eat a bunch of them!

[SBMike]

First, a huge TY to Kyan for the kale chip suggestion. I know I have seen it mentioned somewhere here, probably Kyan’s journal. I’ll look for the instructions.

I took my own advice last night and went to bed. Even ignored the sweettarts in my sock drawer. (I have to keep those around for sugar crashes. Dancing with the devil is a way of life.) It looks like I dodged a bullet too -- there was evidence of popcorn having been popped and consumed by Wyfe after my departure. Apparently she picked up my psychic angst and went for it. I am glad I wasn't still awake, I may not have been good. But my successful avoidance of extra food last night was rewarded with a downtick of 0.4 this morning. I’ll take it. Sugar continue to look good! 99 last night when I got home from work, 123 this morning.

Wyfe mentioned in passing on the phone she was going to stop by Chick-Fil-A and get some coleslaw to go with tonight’s dinner. I had the presence of mind to look it up on their website, turns out it is loaded with fats, and has 360 calories and 26 sugars per serving. She has agreed to make coleslaw instead, using splenda. What a great lady!

This weekend is going to be tough. Not only do I normally eat more on weekends, since I am home and the fridge is there, but my wife is involuntarily quitting smoking beginning tomorrow. (It was part of an agreement we made – I’d find a way to afford for her to quit work if she’d quit smoking.) Having seen the Nicodemon in all his glory before, I know how hard it will be for her. And therefore I anticipate a very rough three or four weeks, with her compensating by 1) eating everything in sight, and 2) taking my head off twice a day. It’s worth it, if she can make it through the withdrawals. I know the quitting smoking was the hardest, best thing I ever did for myself, but I also know the struggle it took.

So, the weekend: a 10k in the morning, a smoke junkie in withdrawal by midday, tax returns to be done, and the NCAA final four. Sounds like a full agenda!

[bethy]

Down in the dumps, Diabetes, old thing? (That chuffed w' m'self, I was, for coming up with Lack Toes and never so much as a giggle out of the laikes of you.) Are those sweetarts you're holding for ME? I say! Ever so handsome. Five, for me? that *is* sporting. Tally ho, pip pip, must pop round the shops. Tiddley Pips!

(Chick-fil-a coleslaw is so ripping, too. I was gob-smacked when I looked it up.I thought I could skip the chicken and just have the slaw- found out the slaw was WORSE. Check out the lemon merinque pie- worse than CHEESECAKE. Let me know INSTANTLY if she comes up with something anyway similar.)

[SBMike]

Oh Miss Bethy, I DID hoot at the Lack Toes! I am so sorry you couldn't hear me from there! Maybe it was the direction the wind was blowing, perhaps?

Actually, I got caught up in my own cleverness, trying to frame a response about Miss Bethy versus Mistress Bethy, and the darker connotations there got me to giggling about Lady Heather and Gil Grissolm on CSI, and then I diverted into the serious apsect of your statement and how useful the info was. And my moment was gone. Timing is everything, so please just forgive an old fool.

Dumps? Nah. Last night was more in the "agitation" category. I really WANTED to be munching. Hey, when you are changing a lifestyle you are making and breaking habits. P1 is about eliminating the craving for bad stuff, which is another way of saying break the habit. I was jonesing.

Did I mention she made homemade scones yesterday?????

[bethy]

Good Morning! Hope you're fine and dandy and don't like Basketball.
My husband has a hard time watching it with me around complaining about how noisy it is and critiquing the shorts.
And I don't even need a cigarette. Boy Howdy.

[SBMike]

Sooooo. I got too hungry and then ate too much for dinner last night and felt miserable. But by this AM I was ready to roll again -- went out and walked a local 10k event with my daughter, as we have for the last 6 or 7 years. Just us and 50,000 of our closest friends, live music every few blocks, a regular street party. The serious runners got out first, and then the rest of us normal folks took over, some jogging, some meandering, some in superhero costumes. My Girl is majorly obese and had a hard time with it but finished it like a real champion. Even walking the pace was slower than I would prefer but having quality alone time with my adult daughter is priceless. Taking into account the walk to and from the parking area, I'd guess we totalled 6.75 miles, maybe more. Then we discussed lunch, which we always do afterward. usually it's BW3 for wings and beer. This was considered, more or less (I figured I could manage something there) and then she shifted to a pizza place, which I outright refused. A gourmet burger shop was an hour deep to wait, so we went to a neighborhood place and I got what I wanted in the first place. A nice grilled chicken ceasar salad and tea. mmmmm I know a lot of the folks in P2 and P3 are tired of salads, but this was exactly what I wanted.

So now it's home to clean a little, fiddle with the taxes which will probably wait til tomorrow, and watch some basketball. Yes, Bethy I said it.

But first a shower -- I feel gross.

More later.

[SBMike]

Week in recap:

Weight: down 4 pounds from the starting point, but up 1.6 from the low. could be a scale thing, or my leg muscles holding on to water from the long walk yesterday. Or could be my farking metabolism not wanting to let go! LOL Anywho, 4 pounds in a week is great. I look forward to 1 - 2 pounds a week and the fact that at that rate in 2 years I'll weigh 16 pounds.

Sugar: At Day 8, I have had 4 mornings with sugars below 120 (excellent for me) 2 in the 130's, and 2 in the 150's. And whereas pre-SBD I had no daily random BS below 140, this week I have had 6 that were below 100 and had to be "medicated" with juice or peanut butter crackers, etc. If these keeps up, next appointment with the endocrynologist will involve a convo to reduce my meds! That is a GREAT prospect! Proof's in the pudding: BS average last 7 days: 118. BS average previous 23 days: 160.

Hunger: intermittent. I have woken up early and hungry (like, 4 AM) twice. And later afternoons even immediately after a decent snack I feel empty -- last from 4 to dinner, usually forestalled a bit by 10 - 15 planters dry roasted peanut pieces as soon as I get home. And I have been really peckish at least two nights, maybe three. Cheats have been minimal (other than to correct BS issues).

Attitude: excited to be DOING something. Happy that my wife is encouraging.

Biggest success this week: Avoiding homemade scones on Friday, and beer 'n' BW3 wings on Saturday.

Biggest failure or disappointment: There were two pieces of saltwater taffy left from the beach trip......

What I missed the most: there are 10 bags of easter candy in the pantry. Normally I'd be on them like sand in a bathingsuit. They are here for neices' easter treats and to set out during our Easter pot luck. Wyfe and I are already discussing what to do with them afterward. She rollwed her eyes when I told her not to worry about it, that I'd take care of them.

What I Iook forward to the most next week: next week I get to start PLANNING for P2. Bethy says all the cool kids are doing it. Can't wait to get there. (That's a lie -- I actually have a lot of concerns about P2 and am terrifiied by the prospect of P3 but that's another post.)

Goals for next week: 7 clean days (BS management notwithstanding) and 2 pounds lost. Also need to work on finding the right balance of carbs at mealtime to PREVENT having to do BS interventions!

[Chris55]

You've had a great week! The prospect of getting your BS under control must be really satisfying, worth the hard work! Sounds like you have lots of support from your wife. And think of the great example you're being for your daughter - that's HUGE (no pun intended!)

About those beans - 1/3 to 1/2 cup per meal is supposed to be the limit. It's nice to have a big batch made in the fridge so you can have a quick side to your meal when everyone else is scarfing down mashed potatoes. I'm trying to do more with beans and have more veggie meals. I do that mostly for breakfast and lunch for myeslf since the rest of the family members are serious carnivores unless they're eating fat-laden pasta.

[bethy]

hey, mikey! it's april, fool! I must have been yakking with you on My page yesterday cause I totally missed this whole 10K thing and now there's even a Bigger one to read. Soon as I put up the groceries, I'm gonna microwave some chili and catch up. Had this whole "Mistress Bethy" vs "Maso Mike" dialogue half worked out in my mind, but got sidetracked on whether dominatrices wear latex, or spandex, or leather, or what and forgot the rest. DAY 8!!! Mikey! We're doin it!