Experience...

I know this post is early, I am going on our second vacation as a family tomorrow so I won't be around - so enjoy!


"Experience is not what happens to a man. It is what a man does with what happens to him." Aldous Huxley



This week's episode of "The Fattening of America" is titled, "Puttin' on the Foil", which is a reference to the movie "Slapshot" starring Paul Newman. The focus of the episode was a call-to-arms, calling us to "put on the foil" daily in order to be ready for the battle.

Gaining experience is one way to prepare for battle. Sure we all make mistakes in our lives, trial and error are ways to gain experience so that we can take that knowledge and integrate it into our databases for similar situations that may come up.

Someone once asked Thomas Edison how he felt about failing 10,000 times before finding a working solution to the lightbulb. Thomas replied that he did not fail 10,000 times but rather found that inventing his lightbulb took 10,000 steps.

My "diet" isn't a "diet" per se, it is rather a lifelong journey. And I will continue to battle on a daily basis, hence I too will have to remember to "put on the foil"...


"Experience is what causes a person to make new mistakes instead of old ones." - Author Unknown




Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com (updated!)

What fits you?

"Chase down your passion like it's the last bus of the night." - Glade Byron Addams


What fits you for exercise? Is jogging your bag? How about golf? We are all unique and have different likes, passions, dislikes. It's up to you to figure out what fits you in every area of your life. I enjoy getting up at 4am and jogging in the early morning. The rabbits in the yards, the dew on the grass, the quietness of the streets help me to focus on just being alive. I get some of my ideas during this time since there are no distractions to hinder my thought process.

I am beginning to understand what fits me and what doesn't. MLMs do not fit me. I recall a few months ago when a trusted friend/mentor tried to get me to join some crackpot MLM scheme. MLMs can be profitable business ideas but you have to have a certain personality to make it work. I do not fit the personality needed to make a venture like that work.

Broke my heart to have this person continually push me into handing over $274 that I didn't have. The huckster that came to his house to push this on me was a piece of work. Talking about how he has a Hummer and a BMW paid for, wears a Rolex watch, telling me that this fits in with Dave Ramsey and Robert Kyosaki's teachings on one side of his mouth and then asking me for a credit card number out the other side. All this before really explaining what the venture really was.

Found out through my own research that the money is made from getting people to get onboard under you. Think "pyramid scheme" and this is where the particular MLM model I was being sold.

Whether it's finding a new job, a new exercise program, lifestyle management, whatever it is - you need to find something that fits you. There is no cookie-cutter, end-all be-all that spells instant success that you can plug into. You are unique and it's up to you to find out what you're all about.


"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. " - Harold Whitman



Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Flaws...

"Certain flaws are necessary for the whole. It would seem strange if old friends lacked certain quirks." - Goethe


I have a keen eye sometimes, I noticed things around me - returnable pop bottles/cans on the side of the road, weird junk, money. I've found all sorts of money lying in the street from time to time. Kinda hard to spot when you are always in a rush, but can be seen large as life if you slow down.

Lately I have been finding coins. Most are marred to almost being unrecognizable except from the size and color. I have a penny sitting here on my desk that looks like it's been through some rough times. The zinc center is starting to show around the edges and the coin's faces are throughly scratched up. But it still has value. Dollar bills can go through the wash, become covered in muck, even almost totally be burned - but they have value. Some of the extreme cases would need to be turned over to the treasury department for exchange, but as long as some part of the serial number is intact - it still is considered legal tender.

I relate that to our own lives. We are all marred in some way, but we still have value. It doesn't matter that we've gained 13lbs or got a divorce or slipped back into drinking or drugs. These are temporary situations. We are valuable to others, we are meant to help and support our fellow man. Look in the mirror and the person looking back at you has more value that you or anyone could ever think or imagine.

That's how we need to start looking at ourselves - we have worth, we are important...





"Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without." - Confucius




Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Posers...

"The only exercise some people get is jumping to conclusions, running down their friends, side-stepping responsibility, and pushing their luck!" - Author Unknown

Was thinking about this on my daily walks. I have noticed that I see people on a semi-regular basis around town walking as well. They have usually started when the weather got nice and will probably stop when the cold weather starts. I coined that as "fair weather fitness", unlike die-hards like myself that are out in all sorts of weather (except thunderstorms, learned my lesson on that one).

I remember a scene in the movie, "SLC Punk!" where Matthew Lillard's character goes on a diatribe about posers:

Stevo: There were quite a few punks in the SLC back in '85, but there were equally as many posers. Posers were kids who would dress and act like punks but they did it for fashion. They were fools! They'd say sh*t like...
Poser: Anarchy in the U.K.!
Stevo: See what I mean? Posers. "Anarchy in the U.K." What the f*ck's that? It was a Sex Pistols thing. That's where they were from, they were British! They were allowed to go on about anarchy in the U.K. but what does that mean to us in Utah, America? That's all you ever hear from these trendy f*cks like [in really bad British accent]
Stevo: "Did you hear the new Smiths album? It's f*ckin' terriff'!" Stupid posers walking around Utah saying "terriff'" with a stupid English twang. [Grabs a poser with Union Jack patch]
Stevo: See what I mean? What's up with the England bullsh*t. Union Jack is a FAG! I used to know this girl who would only have sex with a guy if he had a stupid f*ckin' accent. So these a*sholes... and there are plenty of a*sholes in this general area would get her drunk and then put on some stupid f*ckin' accent and go to her and say
Stevo: [in really bad English accent]
Stevo: "'Ello misstress! You fancy a shag?" And there she'd be, f*ckin knees in the sky. It was sad, it made me sad! Girl had no self respect!

At the end of the movie he reflected on his own life after his friend died of a drug overdose and came to the conclusion that maybe he himself was a poser.

I've been a poser in a lot of situations, pretending to be something I'm not. I've been a skater poser, a card collecting poser, a Magic: The Gathering card playing poser. None of it was in my heart, I rather wore those things as trendy clothing trying to be liked or admired. It wasn't the true me.

Are you a poser in your weight loss journey? Good intentions don't get you very far. You need to be committed and true in your heart that this is what you want to do.

Don't be a "fair weather" exerciser, doing the exercise when it is convenient. Get into a routine and stick with it! Be like the postal service, "rain, snow, sleet, dead of night..."


"To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice." - Confucius


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Skipping out...

"It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?" - Ronald Reagan


This week's episode of "The Fattening of America" I tackled some questions that were raised from the previous episode by some of my subscribers. I've skipped meals on purpose. I've skipped school on purpose. I've skipped exercise on purpose.

You know, I can tell when I skip exercise. I feel sluggish. Right now I am debating on whether or not to walk today. Have a lot of things on my mind and really don't feel like doing it. But I should. I need to get out there and do it even though I don't feel like it. I know deep down that I will feel better once I get out there into the sunshine with my tunes.

Don't skip out of your routine if you can help it. You will know that something is missing...

"The time will come when winter will ask you what you were doing all summer." - Henry Clay



Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Fullness...

"You can never get enough of what you don't need to make you happy." - Eric Hoffer

My latest episode of "The Fattening of America" talks about being full. It's funny sometimes to think that the pharmaceutical companies has a multi-million dollar business in selling antacids, anti-diarhheals, and diet products. Helping to eliminate nature's fullness meter on the one hand and giving false hope of losing what the result of eliminating that signal (fat) on the other.

Does anyone really know what "full" is in their lives? What does it look like? What does it feel like? I think of the big corporate CEOs that make millions in bonuses each year while regular Joe's positions are eliminated. Honestly, what are you going to do with all of that money? Can't take it with you, and I would imagine that acquiring everything your heart desires would get awful boring and tedious after a while.

Read the book of Ecclesiastes sometime, Solomon did just that and found that nothing on this earth can ever satisfy in the long-term.

We need to be satisfied with who we are and what we have first. Then we can work to achieve greater goals in our lives. If we aren't satisfied with who we are(personally/emotionally/mentally/spiritually) - no amount of money in the world will fix that.

Like the freaky woman that constantly has plastic surgery out in California - she has become a grotesque because of her obssession.

"There must be more to life than having everything!" - Maurice Sendak


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Pride...

"It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways." - Buddha

A lot of trouble these past two weeks. Took a song to bring some clarity to the situation. Funny how a book, slogan, article, or song can seem to pierce the darkness of thought and promote a new idea or possible reasoning.

My family has become addicted to a video game called, "Guitar Hero" - my son is getting to be a fanatic about it to the point of having his own cardboard guitar to jam on. Actually, it can be a good form of exercise, you have to stand up to play the guitar and with one hand working the fret buttons, the other hand working the strum & whammy bars, and your feet tapping away - that can add up to some serious calorie burning...

Anyway, among the songs on the "set list" is one by David Bowie called, "Ziggy Stardust". The song is a sad tale of a talented guitar player that let his pride over his ability get the best of him to the point of becoming so self-absorbed that his fans finally turned on him and ended his life.

I got to thinking, maybe my weight loss stall and loss of energy to reach goal is somehow pride-based? Maybe I got too big of a head about my accomplishment that I needed to get slapped back down to earth? The bible talks about pride and this verse caught my attention as I was preparing to blog:

"Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor." Proverbs 29:23 (NLT)

Maybe the events of the last two weeks have been God's way of tapping me on the shoulder telling me that it's not about me... It's about Him and His plan for my life...

Today is a new month, a start to a new weekend, a good day to start over again - with humility and understanding and trust. Trust that there is a plan, a plan to prosper me and my family, and give up the reins of my life to the one that needs to be in control...

"Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with Weird and Gilly,
The Spiders from Mars.
He played it left hand, but made it too far,
Became the special man, then we were Ziggy's Band..." - David Bowie, "Ziggy Stardust"


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Fear...

"You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith." - Mary Manin Morrissey

A friend of mine postulated the question to me on my fear of achieving my weight goal. I blew the question off as ridiculous, me, afraid of reaching my goal? As the words rolled over and over in my brain, it began to sink in. Maybe I am afraid of reaching my goal, maybe I am afraid of success. I have been at the bottom of the barrel all my life, how could I even attempt to think that I would be worthy of success?

It's not that unbelievable, I recount a few times where I could see that I deliberately sabotaged my eating/exercise. Why would I want to do that to myself?

These fears/negative feelings need to be pushed aside. We are all worthy of success. Success is not something that is just for those that think they deserve it. You and I are worth pursuing success, we can achieve success, it is reachable. It is within our grasp as long as we are COMMITTED to that goal.

"There is a time to take counsel of your fears, and there is a time to never listen to any fear." - George S. Patton

Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Aftermath...Rebirth...

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." - Winston Churchill

My episode of "The Fattening of America" for this week deals with aftermath. I used the example of the tulips that litter our fair city. Last week they were arrayed in glorious splendiferous colors and now they are bare stems.

Maybe you've fallen off the wagon. Indulged a little too much. Got off track and are now dealing with the aftermath of those choices. Sure it's easy to feel guilty or have a "what's the use?" attitude, but it doesn't have to be that way.

The city isn't going to leave those stems all summer. They will be dug up and new flowers will be planted in their place. Just like that we need to remember to dig out the old stems in our journeys and plant new fresh ideas and perspectives.

A weird analogy - Think of the post-apocalyptic movies that are out ("The Road Warrior", "Phoenix the Warrior", "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome", etc.). After the bombs dropped and civilization was in dire straits - did the survivors give up? No, they adapted and learned to start anew. So must we.

"The only people who find what they are looking for in life are the fault finders." - Foster's Law


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Simplicity

"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." - Confucius

We tend to make mountains out of mole hills. We insist in making our lives as complicated as possible, piling on pressures and emotions and whatever else we can get our hands on.

People cannot believe my accomplishment is due to the 4 simple keys: Commitment, Portion Control, Exercise, & Accountability. Like there had to be something more, some special formula or piece of equipment. No gym membership required, no special equipment or diet.

I myself have gotten lost along the way. I have taken my eye off the prize. I've lost my way. That's why I am blogging about simplicity. I've made my own lifestyle so complicated that I think I may have burned myself out.

I am taking steps to remedy that. It'll take time, and thankfully, I have that luxury now because I have lost so much weight.

Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.


"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." - Leonardo DaVinci


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Indulgence...

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." - Oscar Wilde

I looked up the word 'indulge' in the dictionary to get the true meaning of the word. This is what I found:

indulge (in-duhlj): to yield to, satisfy, or gratify one's desires, feelings, etc.

In this lifestyle change it is quite alright to indulge from time to time. We all get cravings for different things from beef jerky or bottle of Coca-Cola to chocolate ice cream or chinese food. The thing of it is, we need to satisfy these cravings, otherwise they will grow into obsessions and cause either over-indulgence or bingeing.

I have been a 'victim' of this. I found myself at times constantly thinking about chinese food. Dreaming of it, it seemed to consume my entire being. At last I could take no more and I tried to mildy satisfy the craving (which by this time had grown into a full-blown obsession). Let me just say the night ended with massive guilt and a VERY sick stomach.

If it can fit into your lifestyle change, feel free to indulge once in a while. Obviously there are things that we cannot indulge because our self-control is not there or they are detrimental to our lifestyle. I know for a fact that I cannot eat at certain restaurants because I cannot control myself.

Above all, remember that you are on a lifestyle change and not a diet. Diets tend to be restrictive and unforgiving, lifestyle changes are flexible and more forgiving - as long as the commitment to keep on track is there.

"It's all right letting yourself go, as long as you can get yourself back." - Mick Jagger

Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Pressure...

"When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time." " - Author Unknown

A simple water bottle. Filled to capacity and left in a freezer. Pressure within the bottle became too much and it split. Ruined. Never again able to perform its task. Sometimes we can feel like that. Pressures of life seem to be unbearable. Then it all comes crashing down and we split open from it. Unable to see through it to the other side, we huddle in a corner and lick our wounds.

I loved that water bottle. But I nor anyone else should not equate our lives or our lifestyle journey to that bottle when the pressures of life get too great to cause a split or rift. Even after something devastating, we are still able to carry on, repair ourselves, get back on track, and become stronger.

No one is useless. The road may be filled with potholes, but as long as you keep your focus on putting one foot in front of the other, you will ultimately conquer. Don't let the pressures of today cloud your view of the prize...

"If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again." - Flavia Weedn

Leadership...

"A leader leads by example, whether he intends to or not." - Author Unknown


After a talk and some reconciliation this week, I've come to realize that I am a leader. Call me the 'reluctant leader' of sorts because there are some areas where I would rather step back and follow than lead. But I learned that this is not an option for a leader. When you are a leader, you are leading by example in EVERY area of your life - and that is a hard thing for me to grasp.

I mean, I thought I saw myself more as a guide than a leader - but what is a guide? Someone who leads...

This whole concept of leadership is overwhelming. I cannot say that I have been "thrust" into it, rather through my life, experiences, and trials I have "grown" into it. Sometimes I wish I could just step back and not have all these eyes watching me, but deep down I have a feeling that this is something I was born to become. I struggle daily with it, battling my hardest against it, but I suppose I need to step aside and let it sink in - I am a leader.

Who knows? I may grow to enjoy it and grow other leaders along the way...

"Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders." - Tom Peters


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Looking Within...

"Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves." - Henry David Thoreau


I am finally back on track after two weeks of what I can only call an annihilated sense of self. That stress I spoke about in last week's blog? I can only say (without pinning someone to the wall) that people really need to think about what they are going to say in reaction to situations. Emotions can bring out the worst in people and with something as impersonal as an email, we can say pretty much whatever we want without fear of immediate retaliation or reaction.

My character was pretty much assassinated in reaction to an email I sent to someone regarding no longer wanting to be involved in a project. I did my best to make the email as non-threatening or blaming as possible as the recipient was only a cog in the project. I guess I am candy-coating it when I say 'pretty much', I mean to say that I was devastatingly annihilated. Something that is going to take quite a while to get over.

Over the past two weeks I have taken what was said in that email as fact, that I was indeed all of those things mentioned - poor leader, insensitive, unforgiving, being unchristian. But that was my instinctive reactions taking over. I was headed into defense mode and as a result my will to continue to exercise and watch my eating habits began to fall apart.

It was today that I finally am back on track. I jogged the full 70min, biked my 25min, and exercised my 45min this morning and I feel like myself again. My eating will be back on track today and my attitude will change. I have come along way and I cannot let things like irrational and unfounded comments to rattle my resolve.

Sometimes I guess we need to have setbacks like these to realize our true strength and refocus our life goals.


"Every one of us has in him a continent of undiscovered character. Blessed is he who acts the Columbus to his own soul." - Author Unknown


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Setbacks...

"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." - John Powell

Setbacks. We all have them. Some can be huge and painful, some can be seemingly insignificant but still weigh in on the back of your mind. Dwelling on them is the one trap that we all try to avoid but ultimately fall victim to.

I started a motivation group in response to inquiries after my speaking engagement for Holland Hospital. Initially I had 19 interested, one gave me a bum email address and not other contact info. Last week I emailed the group to see how the first month went. The only response I received was from someone that I could tell has not gotten to the 'crossroads' in his life to be committed to change. Here is the response I got:

"Matty,

Thanks for the update. I have just not been able to get myself motivated to begin a program of exercising and intake reduction. I really had good intentions, but so far I just have not made any lifestyle changes. I know that if I don’t loose some weight my Type II diabetes will only get worse and my life will end much sooner than it would if I could just get started..."

He sees the train coming but refuses to get off the track. Sometimes that's what setbacks can do to us mentally. We can see where we are going by dwelling on the setback, but we get too wrapped up in the guilt/shame/depression that we cannot motivate ourselves enough to get back on track.

I felt the exact same way earlier this week. I had some stress going on that really took a toll on my body and my eating habits. I finally told myself that I could not go off track anymore. The stress will still be there, but at least I can get back into routine and make some semblance of life again and press on. Not back up to full speed on my routine, but I have made some great strides by getting back into the swing of things.

We are all human. You, me, everyone. We all make mistakes, that is a part of life. We need to learn from them and move on, being bold to know that we will make more mistakes. That's what learning is all about.

"Just because you make mistakes doesn't mean you are one." - Author Unknown



Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Matty's Monthly Update - March 2007

Where to begin...

This last month was filled with a plethora of good times and bad times. All were growing experiences and I have learned a lot about myself and my capabilities.

I try to use these monthly updates as an encouragement tool, something for people to read and gain some strength or inspiration. Sometimes I feel as though I am gloating in a way. That has not and is not my intention. I do apologize if these updates feel that way from time to time.

I am glad to report that another 2lbs are off! That brings my current weight to 252lbs and the total lost to 258lbs. I keep reminding myself that the last 50 or so pounds tend to be the hardest to lose. I miss the months of losing 10-12-14lbs...

Here are some other highlights from the month:

* Won 1st place in my Toastmasters Club's International Speech Contest. I will be competing at the area contest next Saturday. From there if I win I will move to the division contest and on to the international contest where I would compete against winners from all over the world.
One contest at a time, though...

* Ran my first 5k race a couple of Fridays ago. 39min 12sec was my time, a lot faster than I thought I would do. Had a lot of fun and am planning on doing it again in May with the "Run for Habitat" 5k.

* "The Fattening of America" is starting to blow up on YouTube. I have 19 subscribers that tune in to my show every week and many more that view the episodes without subscribing. Many of my episodes so far have had over 300 views! Very exciting!

* Stage one of my triathlon training is completed. I now run 4.91mi (or 7.9k) in about 70min (14min mile). Next is biking 22.8mi in one trip...

If you haven't been to my website in a while, check it out (www.iweighedmorethanjared.com). I have added a few things, including a new sample chapter of the book I am writing on my weight loss adventures...



Thank you all once again for being a big part of my weight loss journey. You guys keep me honest!



Matty (www.iweighedmorethanjared.com)
510/252/210
(starting weight/current weight/goal weight)

* mini goal achieved - jog 7k by 03/31/07
* mini goal - 300lbs total lost by 09/30/07

The Future

"The future is always beginning now." - Mark Strand


I was listening to a poem by Jim Morrison this morning called,
"The Movie" and a portion of it goes as follows:

"The movie will begin in five moments
The mindless voice announced
All those unseated will await the next show.
We filed slowly, languidly into the hall
The auditorium was vast and silent
As we seated and were darkened, the voice continued.

The program for this evening is not new
You've seen this entertainment through and through
You've seen your birth your life and death
You might recall all of the rest
Did you have a good world when you died?
Enough to base a movie on?"

Make today a call to action. Is there something you've always wanted to do or see or experience? Have you been procrastinating over quitting smoking, getting on the health program, finding a new job? Don't wait one more minute, as the quote above states - the future is now. Step out onto that ledge, throw those arms in the air, and jump. Today is your day. Today is a day to shine. A new day, a new beginning. Make today count for something...


"And in today already walks tomorrow." - Samuel Taylor Coleridge


Matty
http://www.iweighedmorethanjared.com/

Ignorance...

"A little learning is a dangerous thing, but a lot of ignorance is just as bad." - Bob Edwards

Was out for a walk yesterday around noontime. I had walked all the way from downtown to my old high school (which is about 1.5mi) enjoying the sunshine and the warmth. It was time for the kids to head back to class as I passed groups of kids walking toward the school. I was crossing the street across from a group of guys, they were smiling and laughing while looking in my direction. I passed them and one of them said, "Hey there big fella", with the rest of the guys giggling like little school girls.

I acted like I didn't hear it and kept walking. Ignorance. I could have turned around and mentioned something to the effect that I am now actually half the man I once was. But it would have been lost on these kids. Sometimes I tend to believe Ron White when he says, "You can't fix stupid," but I was like those kids growing up.

We used to tease this one old guy that rode around on a rusted bike with the side baskets on the back, the ones that looked like wire saddlebags. Everytime we saw him we would shout out, "Hey Marvin Levineeeee!!!!!!!" Had no idea what the guy's name was, one of my friends just came up with the name. Everytime we would see him, we would shout that out. He would act all disgusted and shout back, "That's not my name!!!!!" Turned out the guy lived at a halfway house (or group home) and would travel around all day on his bike looking for returnables to get money for smokes.

Even as we get older we tend to get snarky or make snide comments about someone that is different from us or has something we envy. Reminds me of that car commercial where the little girl gets into the back of her mom's SUV after a birthday party and asks, "What does spoiled mean?" and the mom says, "Who called you that?" to which the little girl replied, "Nobody - they were calling you that." Or something to that effect.

Words hurt. Be careful how you use them...

"A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance." Saul Bellow


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Nervousness...

"Nerves and butterflies are fine - they're a physical sign that you're mentally ready and eager. You have to get the butterflies to fly in formation, that's the trick." - Steve Bull


I blog from time to time about things that strike me that may apply not only to my own journey but also hopefully to you as well. A song popped into my head as a good thing to blog about today...

Michigan native Eminem has had a reputation as a loudmouth, pottymouth, bigmouth rapper. His songs are peppered with f-bombs, degredation towards women, scenes of abuse & neglect. But there is one song in his catalog that is worth checking out. Founded as the autobiography of his rise to stardom, "Lose Yourself" is filled with honesty, pain, excitement, regret, anger, power. He relays his nervousness in performing his first gig,

"His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti
He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready
To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgettin'
What he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud
He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out
He's chokin, how everybody's jokin now
The clock's run out, time's up over, bloah!
Snap back to reality, Oh there goes gravity
Oh, there goes Rabbit, he choked
He's so mad, but he won't give up that easy, no..."

It goes on to his determination to make it out of the trailerpark and provide a better life for his family. The chorus is powerful:

"You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo..."

One shot. One chance. He grabbed with both hands and ran with it. Something to think about when we are faced with a nervous situation. I used to find myself eating to assuage the butterflies. Now I am finding reflection and meditation to be the thing to calm me down. I had to use that technique last week when I spoke in front of the largest crowd I had to date. I was shaking on the inside, my palms were sweaty, I just kept reflecting on how far I had come and those people were there to hear my story - me, they came to hear me.

Once I got in front of the crowd - I was on fire. The nervousness went away and confidence returned. I owned that stage...

Worry, nervousness, fretting - three things that get us nowhere but down in the dumps. Climb out of that pit of despair and realize that we are all human.


"Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is to small to be made into a burden."
- Corrie ten Boom, "Clippings from My Notebook"


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Matty's Monthly Update - February 2007

A new month awaits...

Outside the freezing snow is coming down, one of those days you wish you could just snuggle up at home under a warm blanket while sipping some hot coffee or tea.Sitting here at my desk I put together a "snowy day" mix of songs to listen to while working. Of course Led Zeppelin's "The Rain Song" is required as well as some moreobscure tunes from the likes Chuck Mangione (master of the flugelhorn) and The Smiths...

The past month has been a whirlwind of excitement and growth. Things are starting to happen at a fast pace and it is hard right now to get a grip on the wheel.Some highlights (if you hadn't heard about them before):

* First paying speaking engagement - Oakland CRC in Hamilton, MI. They heard me on JQ99fm and inquired about having me come out to speak.One of the comments I received was encouraging, "It wasn't just about your weight loss. Anyone in the audience could have taken something away from whatyou had to say and apply it to their own lives..."

* Featured on MacMedia Television's "Lakeshore Living" with Wendy Wigger - turns out the host of the program is the director of wellness at Priority Health.She is planning on contacting me in the future to come out and speak to their clients.

* Yet another article in the Holland Sentinel - promoting my speaking engagement at Herrick Library and also my fledgling business, 4:13 Fitness Concepts

* Featured on WZZM-13's "Real People" segment - promoting my speaking engagement at Herrick Library (www.wzzm13.com, click on "videos" and scroll down the list to find it)

* Speaking engagement at Herrick Library - around 127 people signed up to come in and hear me speak, about 80-90 showed up. The original venue was booked at leasta month prior and there was a waiting list. I spoke with the coordinator about it and she was able to get the auditorium at Herrick Library which can seat up to 200 people.I had a great response for a new venture I am starting called "Matty's Motivators", which is an email accountability program. 18 people have signed up so far, which I think is a great response!

* www.iweighedmorethanjared.com - the website is doing well, I am averaging about 30-50 visits a day and the contest for my book title continues on."Almost-Dead Man Walking: 4 Keys for Successful and Realistic Weight Loss" is the front-runner so far...

So many things, so many new opportunities to explore and expand.

I am truly happy to say that this month, despite some off days, I have ended a 2 month stall! I weighed in this morning at 254lbs, which is a 2lbs loss!

Continue to think of me as I solicit more speaking engagements from schools, businesses, civic groups, & churches. And don't forget tobookmark www.iweighedmorethanjared.com to keep track of more exciting stuff!

3 years and counting, with the rest of my life to go...

Matty V.
510/254/210
(starting weight/current weight/goal weight)
New Mini-Goals!Mini-Goal #1 - get my morning jog up 4.8mi by 03/31/07
Mini-Goal #2 - 300lbs total lost by 08/31/07

Passion...

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Harold Whitman




What drives you?

Someone once said that if you choose to make a career out of something you enjoy, you will never work another day in your life. I always dream of that. Doing something I enjoy and never dreading going to work like we all do some days.

Things are exploding around me. I was on the local public access channel for an interview the other day. Turns out the host is a director of wellness for a big health insurance company. She is interested in me coming out to speak to some of their clients on healthy living.

I have a seminar coming up that is sponsored by the local hospital, they had to change the venue because the event was maxed out with a waiting list for the venue they had originally selected.

I am going to be in the Zeeland Record, & the Holland Sentinel because of the seminar.

I am filling out a business license application for 4:13 Fitness Concepts, a business I am starting up to handle the speaking engagements.

Am I excited? You bet. Am I scared? You bet. But I love speaking to people, I love being able to inspire others. I love the feeling of comforting those that need it. If I could make my life out of speaking to people around the world, that would be great.

I have to remember, one step at a time...


So tell me, what are you passionate about? No, really. Post a comment about what you are passionate about, I'd love to hear it!



"Follow your passion, and success will follow you." - Arthur Buddhold



Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Weakness...

"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." - John Powell


Much like Dave Ramsey, the more I talk about losing weight and making a commitment I am doomed to re-learn the same lesson each and every day. Dave Ramsey is "doomed" to teach and counsel people on money and finances each and every day as a reminder.

We all make mistakes, we are all human. It's what we learn from our mistakes that makes us better. Thomas Edison was credited as stating that he did not make 10,000 mistakes while inventing the light bulb, but rather it took 10,000 steps to making a working lightbulb.

When you make a mistake, don't get upset. Take a deep breath, step back, and think about what you could learn from that mistake. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn.


"From the errors of others, a wise man corrects his own." - Syrus


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Adversity...

"If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you got a problem. Everything else is inconvenience." - Robert Fulghum

Just got off the phone with someone that I know a little bit, not too closely but well enough to be able to chit-chat with. I could tell she was troubled and was asking me about my weight loss and about my involvement with Dave Ramsey.

I could hear the pain in her voice, I think she was getting to the crossroads where I was when I finally made the decision to change my life and lose weight. The vibe of the conversation was starting to weigh down on me, I wanted to help as much as I could and give as much encouragement as I could muster.

Sometimes it takes the weight of the world pushing down on you or the crashing down of the walls of your life to finally come back to the realization that what you were doing wasn't working. Dave Ramsey likes to call it having a "Prozac moment" when we teeter on the edge blissfully unaware of the danger.

Life is filled with adversity. It's how we deal with it and how we let it affect us that determines our future. I will be praying for her today...


"I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders." - Jewish Proverb

Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Persistence

"If you're going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill

Perserverance is weathering the storm, persistence is storming the castle. Sometimes we just need to press on and keep going though the current circumstances say "quit and give up now". i felt that way this week. Weigh in came back at 256lbs - no gain/no loss. Another month with no change really begins to grate or wear down one's motivation or drive.

But I continue on, making tweaks and changes to my lifestyle that will jumpstart or facilitate the weight loss again. Years ago I would have just given up, grabbed a quart of toffee ice cream and said "piss on it". But then again I did not have the drive nor the support that I do now.

Are you among the 9% of Americans that have stuck with their New Year's resolutions? Persistence and Perserverance go hand in hand. Today is your day to start over. Dust off that list of resolutions and try again. You can do it!

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas Alva Edison


Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Integrity...

"God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless." - Chester W. Nimitz

Had a bit of clarity today. I was getting ice and originally was going to set the trays aside. but instead I refilled them and put them back in the freezer. That was a sign of integrity. We need to remind ourselves of this wherever we are. I fail almost on a daily basis. I can remember going grocery shopping last week, we only had so much to spend and in doing a quick calculation, I had too much in the cart. I took some things out and instead of walking them back to their proper place, I just left them on a shelf. It would have taken me all of 2 minutes to go back and place the items back where I got them. But I didn't.

Integrity is important and we all need to think about that on a daily basis. What kind of an example am I going to present to others today? What kind of example am I going to portray to my wife, children, peers, co-workers?

I look back at this week and there are things that I wished I had done differently. Maybe this next week I will remember that and make a difference...



"Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good." - Author Unknown

Matty
www.iweighedmorethanjared.com

Don't give up...

"When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty." - Woody Allen


Overheard a conversation a while ago. "I'm not dieting any more. I am just going to watch what I eat and cut down. I'm not going to exercise either..."

See, that is the mentality that diets bring. A negative, beaten-down mentality.

What we (you and I) are attempting is a lifestyle change. This connotation has promise, flexibility, changeability. Don't let feelings of inadequacy or defeat permeate your mind. All it takes is a little poison to spoil your progress. You can overcome these feelings, it takes motivation, determination, & a positive mental picture.

We all have our off days. I've had a few off days this week but I refuse to let them spoil the accomplishment I have achieved. Over 200lbs in a little less than 3 years without medication or surgery is a HUGE accomplishment. Even maintaining a loss of 1lb a week is a HUGE accomplishment.

Look at your lifestyle change and see the positives. Talk to friends and co-workers. Smile. You are worth a lot more than you think!


"The one way to get thin is to re-establish a purpose in life." - Cyril Connolly, "The Unquiet Grave"

"A world without heroes..."

"Is like a world without sun
You can't look up to anyone
Without heroes

And a world without heroes
Is like a never ending race
Is like a time without a place
A pointless thing devoid of grace..." - "A World Without Heroes", Kiss



This was the second single that was released from the album,
"Music from the Elder", an ill-fated concept that turned out to
be the last straw for a few members of Kiss.

A very strong song, much like the first single, "I",with truth in its message. What would our world be like without heroes, someone to look up to, someone to strive to be like? We all have a hero, or maybe we have several heroes.

Could be someone historical, famous, infamous, or even someone not too well-known. Maybe we are a hero to someone. I know that I am a "hero" to several people. I haven't really done anything "heroic" other than stick with my commitment to lose weight and inspire others to do the same.

Who is your hero? More importantly, who looks to you as their hero?
Are you living a good example for that person (or persons)?


"Success and failure. We think of them as opposites, but they're really not. They're companions - the hero and the sidekick." - Laurence Shames

Making a difference...

"The shortest answer is doing." - Lord Herbert

I recently received this email from someone on the ASD newsgroup (alt.support.diet). I will treasure the words and use this as continued motivation that the choice I made almost 3 years ago was the right choice...


"Hi Matty,

I want to say "Thank you" for all the inspiration you provided to me in 2006. I think I mentioned I stumbled across your posts on alt.suport.diet when I first began my lifestyle change in January. When I read about your success losing 200 some pounds, I spent the better part of two hours reading your monthly updates in the newsgroup archives. I thought, if this fellow could lose so much, I surely could lose a measly 165 pounds. Well, now I've lost 110!

If you ever get down, as it appears from your posts you sometimes do, make a list of all the things you can do now that you couldn't do at 500 pounds. And not just the 'big' or 'important' things. Little things, like fitting into a diner booth or being able to bend over and touch your toes. Sleeping through the night. Eating without becoming bloated. The things you should rightly take for granted, but couldn't enjoy as the fat guy. I find this motivates me.

I understand the desire to change your entire life as the result of weight loss, since I am undergoing the same rethinking. I'm returning to school in the fall to get my degree. I hate my job, for much the same reason you probably hate writing insurance policies - it's a waist of time for someone with so much energy and so much to offer other people.

Best of luck with the book. It has the potential to be tremendously inspirational.

And thanks again, Matty.

Cordially,

(Name Withheld)"


Reaching people by living your life. Inspiring through doing. Making a difference.


Thanks, Neil...


"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do." - Lewis Cass

The Four Keys To A Successful Resolution (or Lifestyle Change)

People tend to make many mistakes when it comes to making New Year's resolutions each year. I thought I would give a little advice on how to make a "resolution" (I prefer "lifestyle change") that will last the entire year and beyond. My end of the year gift to you...

Key #1 - Be Specific

The first mistake is that most people make general resolutions, "I will lose weight", "I will quit smoking", etc...

Instead of saying, "I will lose weight", trying being more specific like "I will lose 50lbs". Instead of saying, "I will quit smoking", try "I will quit smoking in 6 months".
Being specific will give you a goal to shoot for. Best quote I heard on the subject of goals was, "Aim for nothing and you will hit it every time."

#2 - Be Reasonable

Another mistake people make with New Year's resolutions is that they go too far in their expectations or aspirations. When making a resolution (or "lifestyle change") be reasonable (or realistic). Don't say things like, "I will lose 100lbs in 6 months," or "I will run a marathon by the end of the year" (knowing full well the last time you ran was in high school).

Shoot for things like, "I will lose and maintain a 1lb loss a week", or "I will train to run 2 miles non-stop in 6 months". These are both specific and realistic or attainable.

#3 - Be Measurable

Your resolution (or "lifestyle change") should be specific and reasonable, it should also be measurable. Weight loss is obvious, for smoking my dad actually came up with "cigarettes not smoked" and "hours added to life" as his measurements for his lifestyle change. Looking for a new job? How about "resumes sent out" or "responses received".

With my weight loss, I had the scale as a measurement but also had what I call "non-scale victories". Buying clothes from a regular store and not a specialty store or catalog, walking for 2.5mi without huffing, riding a bike again, sitting in a restaurant booth - things that I could not have done when I was heavier.

#4 - Be Committed
This is probably the most important key to any lifestyle change. You have to be committed to making that change no matter what. Fall off the wagon? Then don't wallow in self-pity, get back up and get right back on track. The longer you stay in that self-pity mode, the harder it is to get right back on track.

People are amazed (and think I am crazy) when I tell them that I wake up at 3am 5 days a week to exercise. I do more before 7am then a lot of people do all day. I jog almost 3 miles, bike (weather-permitting) 3.5 miles, and then use an exercise program for 30 minutes. I'm not crazy, I am committed to this lifestyle change, case closed.

I'm no ironman, I've fallen off the wagon many times. Like today I weighed in and found that I gained 5lbs over the past month. news like that a few years ago would have found me in a shame spiral and a 'heck with this' attitude. I indulged for the holidays, I allowed myself that luxury so that I did not become so over-sensitive on what I was eating that it thrashed my entire lifestyle change. I look back, see that it was a once-a-year indulgence and look forward to getting right back on track. Does that bum me out a little? Sure, but I look at what I have lost overall - the weight equivalent of my wife and son combined. And that was done due to commitment and faith, not by surgery or pills or fad diets.

The success of any lifestyle change hinges on commitment. If you aren't committed, the lifestyle change you pursue will ultimately fail.

I hope these keys will help you make some positive changes to your lifestyle in 2007!

Reflections...

"It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory." - W. Edwards Deming


This morning I was reflecting on my eating pattern yesterday. The office had a luncheon and I induldged maybe a little too much. I thought I would be alright with eating a small salad when I got home for dinner, but found myself mindlessly munching the evening away.

I thought about the old me - the one who would have given up. I think about this guy that works in my office building, maybe late 40's early 50's. He looks as though he weighs in at close to 500lbs and needs a cane to walk. Takes him 5 or so minutes to get in and out of his vehicle everyday and has to park in the customer parking area. That could have been me. Actually I would have been much larger than he is now with the path I was going down.

Sometimes I wonder about people like that. Wonder why they haven't been hit on the head with the revelation that changing one's lifestyle, although sometimes painful, is one of the most freeing feelings that one could experience.

That's why in January I am going to start working harder on getting my public speaking off the ground. I know that my story could inspire many others to change their lives for the better. It breaks my heart every time I see an overweight person have to stop walking and sit, or stop because they are huffing so hard.

Think of me and wish me well...


On a side note, this has not been shared with too many people so keep it under your hat for now. My wife just turned in our formal application to begin the adoption process of (hopefully) a little girl from either Russia, the Ukraine, or Uzbekistan. We have been trying for the past 2 years without success and the doctors both concurred that we are fertile, just with a mix of health issues the chances of pregnancy are slim and nil. The cost is going to be around $35,000 and we were approved for a $20,000 loan. I am trying hard to come up with ways of making some money so that we can pay back the loan promptly and not have to go into debt to bring Analise Elizabeth home. If anyone has ideas, feel free to post or email me....


"Our only security is our ability to change." - John Lilly

Depression & Seasonal Affective Disorder

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
- Bill Cosby


An interesting thing my doctor mentioned to me when I was in for my physical a couple of weeks ago. Told me to take vitamin D supplements, it apparently helps to combat "Seasonal Affective Disorder" which becomes rather rampant up here in Michigan since we don't receive enough sunlight. SAD is described as:

"Throughout the centuries, poets have described a sense of sadness, loss and lethargy which can accompany the shortening days of fall and winter. Many cultures and religions have winter festivals associated with candles or fire. Many of us notice tiredness, a bit of weight gain, difficulty getting out of bed and bouts of "the blues" as fall turns to winter."

One of the ways people combat this is by using UV "light boxes" for an hour or so a day. This concentrated UV light stimulates the skin to produce vitamin D natural sunlight would.

Of course UV light has been known to cause skin cancer, so the alternative would be to add vitamin D supplements to your diet. I have been recommended to take 2000 units and the supplements that include calcium.

So if you are feeling a little depressed or "blah", give your body a boost with some vitamin D...




"There is no failure. Only feedback." - Robert Allen

Christmas Diet???

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action." - Frank Tibolt


I recently came across this article while perusing Fark.com. Scientists in New Zealand are claiming that it isn't realistic to start a diet around the holidays and expect to stick with it. I tend to disagree to a point.

I think that you can start a diet (I really hate that term, rather like "lifestyle change" instead) at any time of the year. To make it successful and ongoing takes commitment. Commitment has been the most important key for me in my journey. I have fallen off the wagon, had months of no progress as far as the weight goes, but I continue on because I have committed in my heart that I will stick with it. No commitment = failure.

Sure the holidays are tempting with the cakes, candy, sweets, nuts, and other favorites, but if you resign yourself to the fact that you need to indulge a little - your chances of success will increase.

The goal of the holiday season is to maintain your lifestyle change, it took a few friends on ASD (thanks to The Historian especially) for me to truly understand this concept. Once I got the message, the worries of over-indulging and ending up in a shame spiral began to disappear. Just need my accountability partner to understand that concept...

"All know the way; few actually walk it." - Bodhidharma

Matty's Monthly Update - November 2006

Well another holiday has come and gone. Hard to believe that another year on my weight loss journey is close to the end. Lots of memories and lots of things to look forward to as well.

To get the weight out of the way, no gain/no loss. Staying steady at 251lbs, which to think about Thanksgiving and the few days that followed where I fell off the wagon - this is a good thing. I need to take time to re-group after Christmas and come up with a more effective attack plan to kick-start the weight loss again.

Some more exciting things happened this month, I wound up in the Grand Rapids Press twice this past month. One time I was a part of their 'Vital Signs' column where they pick someone that has changed their lifestyle in a healthy way. The second ended up on the front page of the Lakeshore Grand Rapids Press on Thanksgiving Day:

http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1164268436145990.xml?grpress?NELK&coll=6

It was a well-received article, I even got phone calls and comments from some of our agency's clients...

I also recently completed my 10th speech for Toastmasters (www.toastmasters.org), which gives me the designation of Certified ToastMaster. I am excited about this and the continuing journey through the club. It has helped me immensely in my pursuit of becoming a public speaker.

My webshow, "The Fattening of America" is gaining momentum (www.youtube.com/user/phatteningphilms), I have had over 100 hits on several episodes and even a couple of subscribers. I hope to keep this project going to get my message out there to inspire others...

I saw my doctor for the first time in a year yesterday. He was very impressed and relayed that all of my lab work came out near perfect. Cholesterol, sodium, protein, calcium, blood sugar were all in the optimal ranges. My blood pressure came in at 116/60, which was excellent. He had commented on the articles and mentioned that now that I had such noteriety, I have no choice but to keep going. How right he is...
Well, that's another month! Thank you all again for being a part of my support system!

Matty (I weighed more than Jared from Subway)
481/251/225(starting weight/current weight/goal weight)

First mini goal achieved - 104lbs lost 10/26/04Second mini goal achieved - 137lbs lost 01/28/05Third mini goal achieved - 183lbs lost 09/30/05Fourth mini goal achieved - 204lbs total lost 01/30/06Fifth mini goal achieved - 233lbs total lost by 08/31/06Sixth mini goal - 256lbs total lost by 02/24/2007

Post-Turkey Day Blues

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas." - Author Unknown


Yep. Tried hard to stick with the plan of attack that I blogged about last time as far as the Thanksgiving festivities were concerned. The thing is, one day of splurging turned into another and snowballed into a long weekend of going over in calories. But today is a new day, a new beginning.

Before I would have given up and said "screw this" and ate myself into even more misery. But I am determined to get back on track today. Holidays come and go, but my lifestyle change is for the rest of my life.

Some say that the holidays are some of the worst times to start a "diet" or lifestyle change. Well, there is no time like the present. I am not an ironman, I am just a regular guy that decided to get back up and press on instead of wallowing in self-pity.

You can make the choice today to press on or wallow. I hope you choose to press on...



"Clogged with yesterday's excess, the body drags the mind down with it." - Horace


Matty



PS - Was on the front page of the Lakeshore edition of the Grand Rapids Press:

http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1164268436145990.xml?grpress?NELK&coll=6

Enjoy!

Tips for Turkey Day

"Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence." - Erma Bombeck

Tips for Turkey Day...

Americans consume around 18lbs of turkey each year, much of it during the Thansgiving and Christmas holidays. The average American packs away 4500cal, which is about twice their daily consumption.

Thanksgiving is about family, giving thanks for the blessings we receive, and the food. Here are some tips to enjoy the day without over-doing it:

1) Get some exercise in the morning - go for a walk or a bike ride. The exercise will help to jumpstart your metabolism in preparation for the big meal.

2) Eat breakfast - most people skip breakfast, wanting to save room for the turkey and trimmings. This leads to over-eating and uncomfortable feelings later in the day. A bagel or bowl of cereal, or even a piece of fruit would help.

3) Have an appetizer - have some appetizers but don't gorge yourself on them. My family tends to go overboard in the appetizer area, so try to limit yourself.

4) Try a little of everything - don't fill up your plate with mounds of turkey and stuffing or mashed potatoes. Put a little of everything on your plate and ENJOY the food.

5) Wait on going for seconds - give your stomach time to process what you've already eaten. This will hopefully cut down on the bloating and nausea caused by over-eating. Remember, leftover turkey and stuffing is better the second day!

Enjoy the day, but don't make gorging on the food your primary focus...

"For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The surgery, for/against?

To tell you the truth, I am not for or against having gastric bypass surgery. I just decided for myself that it wasn't for me. I realized that I would have to change my lifestyle anyway and why not try to do that on my own and avoid the pain & expense of the surgery.

I bring this up on 2 points, the first is that one of my wife's friends (and in turn my friend) had mentioned to her that she was considering the surgery. And to that I offer this advice:

1) Do research. Do a Google search on the pros/cons of having the surgery. Look up blogs or webpages of people that have had the surgery. There are going to be some slanted views, but dig through all the mess and pick up answers to the questions that you have. Their blogs/pages may bring up new questions that you may not have thought of.

2) Go to the orientation. Most gastric/bypass clinics have orientation meetings to discuss what the procedure is, how it works, and what to expect. Bring someone with you that does not have a "vested" interest in you (no blood relatives or wife/husband), someone hopefully objective that can help you keep a handle on the information provided.

3) Talk it out with your doctor and your spouse/family. You need to make an informed decision. All of these people are important to making this decision as this decision means the rest of your life.

The second point was in response to a repeat of MTV's "True Life" I saw yesterday entitled, "I am obese" which followed the lives of 3 obese people:

Amy- 615lbs, planned on having gastric bypass (uses a wheelchair to get around)

Corey- 400lbs, thinks that the gastric by-pass will solve all his problems by forcing him to change his lifestyle

Frances- 215lbs, Happy to be overweight and strives to be a model/diva for large women

I felt for Amy, she could barely get around her apartment - a prisoner of sorts. She had the surgery and lost over 500lbs. Her website does tout the fact that the surgery isn't for everyone and that it was only a tool for weightloss. I must admit, though - she is looking awfully pale and sickly. Possibly due to lack of nutrients and vitamins (malnutrition), which is a consideration to take under advisement when deciding on the surgery.

People like Corey think that the surgery will be a breeze and it will be his magic bullet cure to turn him into the slim, good-looking dude he wants to be. Unfortunately I think that Corey will (if he hasn't already - this was filmed in 2004) be one of the failures - one of the ones that will stretch out the pouch and actually gain weight back. His heart isn't (or wasn't) into making that change for good.

Again, I am not for/against the surgery - I just ask that people do the research and make an informed decision.

Moderation...

"Even nectar is poison if taken to excess." - Hindu Proverb


The world and everything in it is here for us to enjoy. Smells, tastes, sounds, textures, everything has a beauty and an innate sense of well-being. No food or other object is inherently evil or bad, it's how the object is used that garners the connotation of being bad or evil.

Alcohol, for example, if taken in moderation is a wonderful thing. I do enjoy a frosty Guinness from time to time, but I know that too much can not only cause weight gain (@ 15ocal for 12oz) and other problems, both physical and mental.

Money, in another example, is not evil. The bible even states this, "For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. " 1Tim 6:10, NLT

In our own walk to losing weight, we need to remember that food isn't the enemy - it's the indulgence to excess. Have a food that you know you cannot stop eating? Walk away for a while until you get to a point where you have confidence to be able to eat one or two. It's all about control...




"Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance." - Epicurus

Matty's Monthly Update - October 2006

It's that time again. Fall is officially here and winter is definitely right around the corner. Mowed my lawn for the last time yesterday, a sad day indeed. I am looking forward to winter, ready to get the workouts from snow shoveling.

We went out and purchased a digital scale for our home, the doctor's office that I usually weigh in at still has not gotten theirs fixed (going on 2 months now). I believe it to be fairly accurate and will be using this month's weigh-in figure as the baseline for subsequent weigh-ins. I topped the scale today at 251lbs, which is definitely the wrong direction. A 3lb gain over the past 2 months, which isn't too bad but still is not acceptable.

I have increased my jogging to 5 days a week and increased the distance by a 1/4 of a mile to 2.75mi. I am thinking on adding a walk in the evenings to the schedule, my puppy (BIG puppy) Celine probably could use a workout and since I will get the major exercise out of the way during the day I can slow my pace for her in the evenings.

A few other plusses to add to my monthly report:

- I received a letter from the Surgeon General of Michigan commending me on my weightloss and an offer to be an article in a "Michigan Steps Up" newsletter. I forwarded my contact information, so we will see how that pans out. (see http://photos.yahoo.com/mvanderplow for scans of the letter and other awards)

- I was recently honored by the West Michigan Character First! Council for my weightloss efforts. I received a recognition award for self-control. I ended up in the paper:

http://hollandsentinel.com/stories/101306/local_20061013008.shtml

(username: hatereg password: 123456)

- Nancy was gracious enough to pass my name and information on to a contact at the Grand Rapids Press. I have an interview set for next week, it will be a part of the health and fitness column with a chance for the article to be a front page story on the Lakeshore edition!

- A few weekends ago I had the chance to be a part of the Toastmasters area humorous speech contest. It was an exciting and interesting opportunity and I won 2nd place with a chance to compete in the southwest division contest in Portage, MI. Unfortunately I cannot attend, but just having the opportunity to go is enough for me.

- My YouTube video project is in full swing, I've been posting episodes of my web show "The Fattening of America" and they have created quite a stir, garnering between 50 and 70 viewings so far. I have also posted my latest speech on accountability, feel free to check them out:

http://www.youtube.com/user/phatteningphilms

- I have 6 speeches under my belt at Toastmasters with 4 more to go before I receive my CTM designation (hopefully I will receive that before the end of the year!). Toastmasters has been invaluable towards my path of becoming an inspirational speaker. Check them out:

http://www.toastmasters.org

- The date is set for my first paying gig as a motivational speaker. I have been added to the winter catalog of events for Holland Hospital, which should be printing shortly. Of course the pay is in the form of a gift certificate, but hey not too bad for my first gig!

Keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers, I have a few health items to deal with and have been overwhelmed by the attention I have gotten for my efforts. Pray for direction and also for more speaking engagements to come through, if you know of any organization looking for a motivational or inspirational speaker, my email is mattyspeaks@yahoo.com.



Matty (I weighed more than Jared from Subway)481/251/225(starting weight/current weight/goal weight)

First mini goal achieved - 104lbs lost 10/26/04Second mini goal achieved - 137lbs lost 01/28/05Third mini goal achieved - 183lbs lost 09/30/05Fourth mini goal achieved - 204lbs total lost 01/30/06Fifth mini goal achieved - 233lbs total lost by 08/31/06Sixth mini goal - 256lbs total lost by 02/24/2007

Looking forward...

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven." Phil 3:13,14 NLT


Got a digital scale last night. Needed to as the scale I use at the doctor's office has been broken for the past 3 weeks. My worst fears have been confirmed, I gained 7lbs over the past 7 weeks. I know again that I really cannot compare readings between the two scales, but I tend to think that this is an accurate reading since it is in line with what the traditional beam scales showed.

Having this scale is going to be a good thing. I will be able to monitor my weekly progress, on my fitness program loading screen it said that in a study 75% of those who weighed weekly maintained their weight loss.

Am I a little, teensy bit depressed? Sure, but I will continue to press on towards the goal...

CHARACTER FIRST

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/stories/101306/local_20061013008.shtml





"SELF-CONTROL: Character First representative Nancy DeBoer, right, presents Matthew Vander Plow with a certificate of recognition for self-control Thursday morning. Vander Plow was recognized for his two-year weight control effort, resulting in the loss of more than 200 pounds without the use of drugs or surgery."

From the Department of Community Health

Mr. Vander Plow,
Thank you so much for writing to the Governer about your great accomplishments using lifestyle changes, and further, for offering to reach others as an "ambassador" for Michigan Steps Up.

Governer Granholm and I extend to you our heartfelt congratulations, Matthew. That you have been able to lose 230lbs by moving more and eating better - two of the three "pillars" of Michigan Steps Up - is truly remarkable. I am not surprised that Richard Simmons as well as your local newspaper have chosen to honor you.

The fact is: you already are an ambassador for Michigan Steps Up, in how you are living your life each day and setting such an inspiring example for others. But we do want to take you up on your offer to do more! With your permission, we would like to consider you as a personal story for an upcoming profile in our Michigan Steps Up newsletter, Steps Up-To-Date.

I have already passed along your letter and media clips to my Communications Coordinator, Tiffany Baker, who will be in touch with you about the next steps. If you would, could you please send a convenient email address and/or phone number to **** or contact my office at **** with this information?

Again, many thanks for all you are doing for your own health, and by example, for the health of countless Michigan residents. Thank you for writing!


Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, MD, MS
Michigan Surgeon General
Michigan Department of Community Health

Fall is definitely here. Downtown Holland is decked out with pumpkins, hay bales, & cornstalks. It's getting a bit chillier on my 4am jogs as well, I may need to break out my winter hat and gloves if it gets much colder.

To get the bad stuff out of the way first, I was unable to get a weigh-in number this month due to the fact that the scale I use for my weigh-ins was in need of repair. Hopefully they will have it fixed soon so I can check my weight. They did have a traditional sliding-weight scale, but I cannot compare those numbers to the electronic scale (as I think it was in need of calibration).

On the other side of things I have several exciting things to report:

* I had recently sent a letter to the mayor of Holland explaining my weight loss efforts and how on my noon walks I noticed so many lovely things about the city. From the changing seasons on the Window on the Waterfront, to the wonderful Victorian architecture in many of the historic homes. I thought that the city could benefit from taking a day to check out their own neighborhoods and had asked the mayor to dedicate September 28th as "Walk Your Neighborhood Day".
I met with the mayor in person this past Monday, where he proceeded to present a proclamation stating that September 28th would indeed be "Walk Your Neighborhood Day" in Holland. I have scanned a copy of it into my photo album on Yahoo.

* I was recently contacted by the events coordinator for Holland Hospital and was asked to speak publicly about my weight loss as a part of their winter catalog of events. I was absolutely floored! Of course I would do it!

* This past Tuesday I entered my Toastmasters International group's humorous speech contest. To my surprise, my speech entitled - "The See Food Diet", won first place! And now apparently I have the opportunity to compete in an area speaking contest among the winners of the 4 other area Toastmasters International groups. i have scanned a copy of that award as well.

* I also have to honor of being presented with an award in a few weeks from the West Michigan Character Council, a group that meets to discuss character-building and recognize those in the area that have shown character.

* I have also launched a new project on YouTube that I have titled "PhatteningPhilms". I will be posting videos of my speeches as well as starting a bi-weekly show called, "The Fattening of America", where I hope to share some of the bizarre and misleadings things I have come across in my weight loss journey - www.youtube.com/user/phatteningphilmsI have two videos up now with more to come...

Lots of positive things going on, I truly feel blessed.Yesterday was a very special day for me and my wife Brenda. 10 years ago yesterday we were pronounced man and wife. Bren has been a great wife, mother, supporter, & friend. Honestly I cannot say where I would be today without her love and support. She truly deserves much more than I could ever give her. Happy Anniversary, Bren...

Feel free to check out some of the photos from that magical day:http://photos.yahoo.com/mvanderplow

Although this update didn't include a weigh-in figure, there still are many positive non-scale victories!

Thank you all again for your continued support throughout my weight loss journey. Myself and my family really and deeply appreciate it!

Matty
481/248??/225(starting weight/current weight/goal weight)
First mini goal achieved - 104lbs lost 10/26/04
Second mini goal achieved - 137lbs lost 01/28/05
Third mini goal achieved - 183lbs lost 09/30/05
Fourth mini goal achieved - 204lbs total lost 01/30/06
Fifth mini goal achieved - 233lbs total lost by 08/31/06
Sixth mini goal - 256lbs total lost by 02/27/07

Priorities

"Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned." - Peter Marshall

Sometimes things just pop into my head as far as what to blog about...

Priorities. We need to have them in our lives if we can ever expect to keep control. The thing that spurred this thought was an offer I got to go to Kalamazoo to see some races with a friend that I recently met. Unfortunately the cost is a little too much for our budget right now. We have several expenses coming up including a couple of birthdays and doctor's appointments.
I was kinda looking forward to going and hanging out with some guys (the first time in a l-o-o-o-o-ong time) but I really could not justify the expense. the money involved could have been one doctor's appointment or one birthday present. And with insurance sales on the decline, every penny counts.

But that is a priority. Bills and prior commitments before fun. Sure future opportunities will come up and hopefully we will have the money set aside to do them. You need to have a list of priorities in your life, it's a good time management, money management, & life management tool. Quality time - in that you spend your time and energy on a small list of important things than trying to spread your time an energy over a broad list of things that include some stuff that may or may not be important.

Go ahead (today is a great day to start) and make a list of important things in your life and prioritize them. It'll be a VERY freeing experience...


"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin

My first public speech...

I gave a speech recently to a group of FPU students on commitment. I was nervous and did a lot of hand wringing as you will see on the video. Not too bad for my first...

Things done differently...

"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies." - Author Unknown


Found someone I went to school with on Myspace (well I found a few people) and we have been conversing a little back and forth, catching up and all that. I had commented that since high school, many of the things I envied in people had become really petty over the years.

For example, 2 of the preps I knew in high school - guys that seemed to have it all, chicks, money, friends, etc., we in totally different situations now. One is a car salesman and the other is a realtor. They turned out a lot different than I had once imagined they would after high school/college. But that's the thing, we have plans but sometimes those plans don't work out the way we had hoped. Just to toss in a bible verse - Proverbs 16:9,

'We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.'

In the conversation, she had mentioned an experience at a store in Chicago when she was 18. She was being lorded over because the staff thought she was a model. Once the truth came out, some had suggested she get into the business. She chose not to take that particular career path, but as all of us do - sometimes wondered what would have happened if she did. Of course not saying that the lives we have now aren't great, but there is always a few 'what if's' hanging in the back of our minds.

I have a few, 'What if I got the balls to ask Luann to the prom instead of going with Andrea?', 'What if I got my act together and pursued the film career path at WMU instead of being overwhelmed to the point of suicide?', 'What if I didn't meet Bren, would I be living in Texas with my mother right now?'

I've heard it before and always seem to use it when people say, 'I should have' or 'I could have' - Hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20, always. Sure there are things that I would have changed or done differently, but that wouldn't have brought me to here, to right now. Have you ever seen the movie, "The Family Man" with Nicholas Cage? He had the opportunity to make a different choice in his life, to snag the girl he'd let go of previously. He went from Wall Street to Main Street, watch the movie to see what he chose to do in the end...

It's alright and important to make plans for your life, but remember who holds that life in the balance. Little interruptions or distractions or frustrations may be steering you onto a pathway that is better than you could ever have even imagined...


"Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly." - Francis Bacon


Matty

"Changed, nothing stays the same..."

"Unchained, hit the ground running..." - Van Halen, "Unchained"

Nothing can't stay the same. Life has to move forward. We need to experience new things. The day we are born is the same day we begin to die. There is so much out there, we need to cram in as much as possible. Create new memories that we will cherish forever.

My parents came back from Florida this week. They had gone to Disneyworld to spend a little time in their second childhood. My step-mom is getting up in years and they both try to make as many memories as possible of the time they spend together. My dad told me a story of going to a restaurant at Disney where Mickey, Pluto, Chip & Dale came around the restaurant and visited with all the patrons. Mickey made it a point to stop by my parents table at least 4 times, each time giving my step-mom a hug & a kiss. I can only imagine the look of joy on her face and hear the little school-girl giggle that she gets when she is happy.

I took the time to map out a plan for each day so that my parents could maximize their vacation time. My dad told me when they got back that he truly appreciated that because they were able to create some really memorable times together. That made me feel good.

In this fast-paced world, we often overlook opportunities to make memories like that. We're too busy, too lazy, too self-absorbed to aspire to do that. I know myself, I have been guilty of that. Choosing my own selfish ambitions or paths instead of making what could have been some really great memories.







This is me back in the summer of 2003. I could barely keep up with the family, using Javan's stroller to lean on. You would think that seeing the expanding waistband or the slow creeping of the car seat backwards would have made me stop and think about the life that was slowly escaping not only me, but that of my friends and family. I was blind and deaf to the warning signs.




This is me today. I have come a long way. I still struggle with my selfish tendencies. I still have missed opportunities to interact and strengthen bonds with neighbors, friends, & family. The difference now is that it is my choice and not my limitations. And I deal with that on a daily basis.

Try to create some special memories with your loved ones and friends today. Down the road you will be glad you did....

Ch-ch-changes...

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." - Anatole France


Was watching "Can't Buy Me Love" this afternoon on television. This is one of those 80's teen flicks that has a place deep in my heart. The story of a nerd that basically pays his way into popularity and how the whole thing blows up in his face because he tries to be something he isn't. He cannot accept who he is and build relationships off of that.

I guess I feel a little like him lately. Trying to fit in where I really shouldn't be. I need to learn to be content with how God made me and not worry about being like or popular. Trust me, even when you get older, that whole "preps", "jocks", "nerds" thing still seems to haunt you. You're not "in" unless you have the right car or clothes or job.

I am going through changes with my weightloss, but I cannot let those changes change who I am in Christ. I cannot let those things deter me from reaching out to others in love. I cannot let the promise of being accepted by my peers control and shape my way of thinking - not speaking out or rebuking when necessary.

Funny, yesterday at the farmer's market I saw my Latin teacher. I hadn't seen her for at least 15 years. Her daughter was with her (a year older than myself). Back in school she was hot to trot and ran with the preppy crowd. Now she is at least 50-75lbs overweight and didn't look like she was married. Not comparing, mind you, just an observation that being seemingly perfect in high school doesn't necessarily mean that life will be always perfect.

My cousin stopped me on the street also, I always thought her life was perfect. But seeing her made me realize that no, she has her own cross to bear - it may not look like mine, but it's still there. Don't compare yourself to others - someone will always have a bigger and better yardstick...




"Time, which changes people, does not alter the image we have retained of them." - Marcel Proust

Matty
481/251/200

The body temple...

In my daily devotional I am reading through the bible in a year. Working my way through both the old and new testament with a Psalm and Proverb put in for good measure.

I am working through 1st Corinthians and the other day Paul was explaining all about eating food sacrificed to pagan idols. This verse caught my attention:

"Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God." - 1Cor 10:31, NLT

Which made me think, when you over-indulge & become overweight, are you truly honoring God? Of course the food available is there for us to enjoy, but it's there to enjoy in moderation. Now sure there are cases where the weight gain cannot be helped (medication, certain diseases, etc.) but what about those of us who became overweight 'naturally'? What excuses do we often use?

I have taken personal responsibility for my situation, the person to blame for my overweight problem is the person I shave with every morning. I used food to satisfy my emotions & to some extent, my soul. I did not realize and understand that food's comfort was temporary and fleeting until a few years ago. Whatever it is - food, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, pornography - these earthly things do not satisfy in the long term which makes us need them constantly to keep that sense of comfort going...

You can change. It takes commitment to change. It takes a decision in your heart to say, "Today I will make changes to my lifestyle that will bring glory to God." You will fall. God knows I have fallen many times, but if you have made that commitment - it won't matter. You will get back up, dust yourself off, and get right back on track. Nothing in this life is easy and being a Christian doesn't make it easy. But it does make it worthwhile and gives you strength to carry on when life does pounce on you.

"Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,

for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." - 1Cor 6:19,20



Read that again... Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. How's your temple looking today?


Matty

Unity 2006 Music Festival Roundup

Well, I am back from my experience at Unity 2006. I am tired but glad I did it. It was a new experience that I will treasure.
I met some interesting people and had a good time overall. And I got to express my appreciation to the men and women that wrote/perform the song
that has become the anthem to my lifestyle change - Superchic[k]. The two who were really impressed and happy for me were
Matthew(bass guitar/vocals/synthesizer) & Melisa (rhythm guitar/background vocals).

I asked each of the members to sign my volunteer shirt and put down their favorite bible verse, and here they are:

Matthew (bass guitar/vocals/synthesizer) : Philipians 4:6-7 - 'Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.'

Brandon (drums) - Genesis 1:1 - 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.'

Dave (lead guitar) - 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 - 'He will keep you strong right up to the end, and he will keep you free from all blame on the great day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord'

Tricia (lead vocals) - Job 23: 8-10 - 'I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I turn to the south, but I cannot find him. But he knows where I am going. And when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent.'

Melisa (rhythm guitar/background vocals) - Psalm 139:14 - 'Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous and how well I know it.'

I didn't think I could volunteer and contribute, but I got out there and stretched myself. I was glad that I had the opportunity, and I will possibly be open to volunteering again next year (for 1 or 2 days, not all again - my son and wife missed me too much). I will definitely consider taking the whole family, there was a lot to do and the food prices were really family-friendly...

I would never have imagined being a volunteer several years ago, but with my weightloss has come an urge to try new things. this is a good thing and I pray that it continues.

Here are a few photos from my experience:


My signed volunteer shirt




The Newsboys




Superchic[k] ready to rock the house




Thousand Foot Krutch giving out their "Rawkfist"





Hawk Nelson rockin' the joint...

A Letter...

I finished reading the book, 'Come Thirsty' by Max Lucado today. At the back of the book was a letter that I thought I would post. The letter represents what could be a personal letter to you from God:

'Dear child of mine,

Are you thirsty? Come and drink. I am one who comforts you. I bought you and complete you. I delight in you and claim you as my own, rejoicing over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. I will never fail you or forsake you.

I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins, yet my grace is sufficient for you. I have cast all your sins behind my back, trampled them under my feet, and thrown them into the depths of the ocean! Your sins have been washed away, swept away like the morning mists, scattered like the clouds. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.

Your death is swallowed up in victory. I disarmed the evil rulers and authorities and and broke the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Blessed are those who die in the Lord. Your citizenship is in heaven. Come, inherit the kingdom prepared for you where I will remove all of your sorrows, and there will be no more death or sadness or crying or pain.

You are worried and troubled about many things; trust me with all your heart. I know how to rescue godly people from their trials. My Spirit helps you in your distress. Let me strengthen you with my glorious power. I did not spare my Son but gave him up for you. Won't I give you everything else? March on, dear soul, with courage! Never give up. I will help you. I will uphold you.

Trust in me always. I am the Eternal Rock, your Shepard, the Guardian of your soul. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

So don't worry. I never tire or sleep. I stand beside you. The angel of the LORD encamps around you. I hide you in the shelter of my presence. I will go ahead of you, directing your steps and delighting in every detail of your life. If you stumble, you will not fall, for I hold you by the hand. I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

Wars will break out near and far, but don't panic. I have overcome the world. Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. I surround you with a shield of love.I will make you fruitful in the land of suffering, trading beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, praise for despair. I live with the low spirited and spirit crushed. I put a new spirit in you and get you on your feet again. Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning. If I am for you, who can ever be against you?

I throw my arms around you, lavish attention on you, and guard you as the apple of my eye. I rejoice over you with great gladness. My thoughts of you cannot be counted; they outnumber the grains of sand! Nothing can ever separate you from my love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't and the demons can't. Your fears for today, your worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep my love away.

You sometimes say, "The Lord has deserted me; the Lord has forgotten me." But can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? Even if it were possible, I would not forget you! I paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, my sinless, spotless lamb. No one will snatch you away from me. See, I have written your name on my hand. I call you my friend. Why, the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are valuable to me.

Give me your burdens; I will take care of you. I know how weak you are, that you are made of dust. Give all your worries and cares to me, because I care about what happens to you.Remember, I am at hand. Come to me when you are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. I delight in you, and I can be trusted to keep my promises. Come and drink the waters of life.

Your Maker, your Father,

God "

Brings tears to my eyes when I read that...