A Weight Loss Key - Avoid Temptations

I was going to change the subject a little today and talk about toxic chemicals in the home and how to get rid of them, but I woke up at 4:30 am and wrote notes on the topic of avoiding temptation.

There are three reasons that I believe can be weight loss downfalls, but by being aware of them, you can control the urges. Here they are: Overconfidence, Hunger, and Lack of Planning.

Overconfidence. As you can see from today's scale picture I'm doing great!! Now if I looked at the number 186.2 and said "I deserve a reward for this, and hey, how bad could one Big Breakfast at McDonalds be", I'd be on the slippery slope of overconfidence. You just have to realize that this is just one day on the journey and remember that "we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit". We need to maintain our daily habit to reach our goal.

Hunger just shouldn't happen unless you skip a meal or snack. If you're out shopping and it's late morning or late afternoon, plan ahead and have an apple with you or a meal replacement bar. If you can't do that, then drink a bottle of water. Remember, you're in control of what goes in your mouth.

I guess it really comes down to Planning, Planning, Planning. I grew up in Massachusetts, the home of Dunkin Donuts. There are two DD's in my area of NE Ohio, both about 8 miles away. If I am overconfident or hungry, one of the first places that comes to mind is Dunkin Donuts for two chocolate glazed donuts. So, how do I handle it? I really do like the coffee there, so occasionally I stop for coffee only, and go to the drive-thru window. I don't want to look at the donut rack. If I'm feeling really weak willed, I get in the passing lane and make sure there's a car in between so I can't go there at all. You need to have a strategy.

If your weakness is pizza, then plan your evening meals for the week and shop to your plan - that's why we have freezers. Don't leave open nights when pizza becomes an easy option.

If crackers and chips, etc. are tugging at your subconscious and you're in the grocery store, then skip that aisle. The only aisles you should be going down are those that contain items you've already planned to purchase.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAND IN THE PATH OF TEMPTATION.

So, if you're really serious about reaching your weight loss goal you just need to ask yourself if succumbing to temptation is getting you closer to your goal. Sometimes you just have to say "____________" (you fill in the blank) to temptation and stay in control!

Two last thoughts: If you didn't take the Longevity Quiz they you really should. It is very informative. It says I'll live to 92, and that's 11,800 days or 8425 blogs - sorry folks.

Second, I'd really appreciate your comments on temptations you're currently having, or have had in the past, and what you did about them when following a weight loss program. I'm hoping to compile the information and put it together in an ebook to help people face the challenges.

Have a terrific last day of March,

Bill Ehmann
Copley, OH & Hilton Head Island, SC
330-576-6061

Weekend Getaway Weight Loss Success!

Good Monday afternoon,

From the picture I'm sure most of you can tell where my wife and I were this past weekend - yes, Niagara Falls. When I last communicated on Friday I weighed 187.8 and I have to admit I was a little concerned about going away and taking my own advice about how to stay focused while travelling. I gave myself an "in-my-face" talking to and proceeded to execute the game plan. I focused on two things: the portion size and eating the right things. I had two excellent steak dinners, but limited the portion to about 5 ounces. I had salad (dressing on the side and used about a third), vegetables, and iced tea. Breakfasts were eggs and bacon with no bread or potatoes, and lunches were salads.

The end result was that when I got on the scale this morning I weighed 187.6 and I'll gladly take the .2 loss.

We did a lot of walking between the Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls itself, and a great trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake - about 30 miles north of Niagara Falls. All in all, a fun trip that allowed me to continue the momentum of losing weight. Now it's pedal-to-the-metal to get rid of the remaining excess!

Here's a fun thing to do. If you're interested in finding out how long you'll live based on your past and current lifestyle, then go to: http://www.sonnyradio.com/realage3.swf and check this out. It is a great test that will show the affect of your current lifestyle on your longevity. It will also point out key areas, where by making some small changes, you can make a significant and positive impact on your longevity.

I've mentioned before that nutrition plays a key role in the weight loss process, because if your nutritional needs aren't met on daily basis your body starts to crave things and that usually means a bad thing for weight loss.

Tomorrow I want to introduce another topic that can be extremely detrimental not only to weight loss, but to your overall health as well - toxic chemicals in the home, and how to get rid of them.

So until tomorrow, in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "most of the shadow of this life are caused by us standing in our own sunshine". Since we create most of our own obstacles, we are in the best position to remove them.

Have a terrific day and keep the great comments coming.

Bill Ehmann
billehmann@boomer-solutions.com

Measuring Success

Good Friday Morning.

A wise man once said that "Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."

That certainly applies to many areas of life, but definitely to a weight loss program. Sometimes you get lost in the day in, day out routine and need to step back to see where you are and where you've come from. That's what I want to do today.

On Feb. 24th when I first saw my picture from my anniversary night a few days earlier I was appalled. I weighed 199.8 and was headed in the wrong direction. At that point I made the decision that Enough was Enough.

As I was deciding how best to move forward and lose weight my subconscious mind was already starting the process. After deciding to go public and "blog my way to my goal" it took a few days to get that set-up. So on March 9th the formal process began and I weighed 194.2. I had lost over 5 lbs before the formal program began simply by doing what I've written about for 3 weeks now. So today, 18 days later, I weighed in at 187.8. That's 12 lbs in 31 days, simply by making small efforts day in and day out.

I'm not patting myself on the back - although I'm very happy with the progress - I'm just sharing that having a goal, and a plan, and measuring the progress along the way is a true key to success.

The goal was the first step and most important step. Knowing that I needed to get to 165 lbs. by August 8th has truly kept me focused. What I mean by that is whether eating or exercising, I'm asking myself if what I'm doing is getting me closer to my goal or not? That's a powerful question to ask yourself when you have a small or large decision to make - will the answer get you closer to your goal? If the answer is yes, then that's probably the direction to head.

The plan is next and if you don't have it just fill out the form in the upper right. I've just followed the plan day in and day out.

Measuring the progress is the key to staying on track. I talked about why weighing in everyday was important because you couldn't get too far off track that way. Tracking what you eat (sounds like a pain, but takes about 5 minutes a day) each day is very important because you can compare what you're doing with the results you're getting. If you're honest about what goes in your mouth (and why wouldn't you be) then it's easy to see where the problem is if you reach a plateau.

I will share with you on Monday a great tracking system (I couldn't get all the information I needed for today) that I've been using for several days that is very easy and comprehensive with great one click reports to show you exactly where you are.

One thing I've learned about trying to reach any worthwhile goal - you can't be casual with the day in, day out activities or you'll never reach your goal.

My wife and I are headed off to Niagara Falls for a brief getaway and a little blackjack. Hope you have a great weekend, and stay true to the plan.

Comments always welcome below.

Bill Ehmann
330-858-1906

Four Great Weigh Loss Tips!

Good Wednesday to you,

What typically happens on a weight loss program is that you get a good plan (fill out the contact form on the right if you don't have yours), you get started with it, and then being a creative person you start tinkering with it. That's all well and good to a point, but you do need to stay focused on the goal and make sure your changes are taking you in the right direction.

I've got 4 tips for you today that have gotten me back on track - to my lowest weight since I started this program. It is all downhill from here. Just one last plug for water. I slacked off the 64 oz's. of water a day last week and it cost me. That's a freebee tip.

Tip #1. Nuts are good for you and your weight loss. You should eat a "small handful" of any type of raw (not roasted) nuts like almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc...three times a day. You can put them on a salad or just eat as a snack. The healthy fats combined with the powerful vitamin/mineral/antioxidant profile of nuts, helps reduce your appetite and cravings, resulting in your eating less calories at meal time.

Tip #2. Forget "Family Style". I'm not sure how many of you still actually sit down at the dining room table and eat meals anymore, but if you do, leave the food in the kitchen. "Buffet Style" is the way to go. Put your food on your own plate in the kitchen keeping portion size "top of mind" and then carry your plate to the table. If the bowl of mashed potatoes or plate of bread or plate of meat is left on the table it's easy to convince yourself that just a little more really is no problem - but it is. If you have to get up and go to the kitchen for seconds, you'll have just enough time to think about it and make a better choice.

Tip #3. When you feel full, stop eating no matter how much is left on your plate. We are all a product of early conditioning. How many times have you heard "eat everything on your plate because there are people starving somewhere"? Well I used to hear it a lot and I bet you did too. There may in fact be people starving somewhere but they don't benefit at all from you getting fat. Put the brakes on and create a truly American delicacy - leftovers. Either eat them at a later time or treat the dog.

Tip #4. Stop using artificial sweeteners. The choice between sugar and high fructose corn syrup versus Splenda, Aspartame, Saccharine and Acesulfame Potassium is a choice between two evils. The artificial sweeteners that are supposed to be natural are actually chemically altered substances that are in virtually everything you buy in the middle of the grocery store. They have been linked to cancer, hypertension, and so many more it's hard to keep track of. For people who need to lose weight these one calorie or zero calorie alternatives seem perfect, but as we all know, not everything is as it seems. I mentioned in a recent blog to put Splenda down when you see your first ants of the spring - you won't see ants anymore and it's not because they lost so much weight they became microscopic. It's because they were poisoned. Here's the best answer - Stevia. You've probably heard of it before but it's hard to find unless you go to a health food store which is exactly what I do. A 100-packet box of Nu-Stevia that I buy is $10 or $.10 a pack. I keep packs in my car so when I stop at Dunkin' Donuts (just for the coffee) I use my own sweetener.

Well that's it for today. Please keep your comments coming. I heard from a couple of people how "shameless" it was using my great nephews picture, but, hey, it's my blog and think of the great exposure he got! I think they were actually kidding because they did comment on how cute he was.

Have a terrific day,

Bill Ehmann
Copley, OH & Hilton Head Island, SC
330-576-6061

Weight Loss and Alcohol

Just like my nephew Alex, I was stunned to find out there was hardly any protein (.7 grams)or fiber in Coors Light.

What a revelation! I must have read the can wrong and thought it said 7 grams, so a couple of beers would have been almost 15 grams of protein while watching college basketball. No wonder I plateaued this weekend. My only other excuse could have been that at 61 I don't always remember lessons learned from the past - like how alcohol literally stops weight loss in it's tracks.

But since this whole journey is based on "common sense" and "no excuses" I just have to admit that I fell off the wagon a little bit and Alex's reaction has put me back on the right track again - alcohol until I reach 165 lbs is a no-no.

And I guess I have no excuses when it comes to wine - red or white - either. It's easy to get swayed with studies like the one I read over the weekend about "Resveratrol in Wine Kills Cancer Cells". That's almost an invitation to start drinking wine in mass quantities since the study went on to say that resveratrol has been shown to kill cancer cells while leaving heathly cells alone. Clinical trials on people will be starting shortly at the University of Wisconsin where the hope is that a number of different cancers that affect children, as well as, cancers of the eyes, skin, and breasts will also be positively affected.

Again, my short term memory loss (the alcohol thing again) was ended by my nephew Alex who was stunned to find that one of the supplements I already take has a high concentration of resveratrol already in it. So I'm covered without having to have wine in the weight loss program.

Well, let me end on two positive notes.

First, one of the most positive outcomes so far has been the fact that I haven't had any diet soda for over two weeks and my digestive system is very happy. Not to mention all the sodium and artifcial sweetner that I am not ingesting. A quick aside - this spring when you see the first gathering of ants just get a yellow Splenda packet and sprinkle it around the ants. Guess what happens - they are poisoned and no more ants. But the FDA approved it so it must be okay.?

Second, in a comment from Keoki, in I believe Hawaii, he made a great point and it goes to the other reason (besides alcohol) that people fall off the wagon and quit a weight loss program - HUNGER! As he broke the 200 barrier and is approaching 190, he finds that cutting carbs (1/2 sandwich for lunch) and eating something every few hours like apples, nuts, carrots, grapes, and cheese, kept him going. By eating small snacks like these the body is being constantly fed, isn't hungry and doesn't need to store energy as fat. He also mentioned he is back drinking more water.

So, I look forward to getting further from Keoki and any of you have taken up the challenge to get where you want to be. Please add your comments below, fill in the contact form in the upper right corner, or email me. If you'd like info on the supplement I'm taking that contains resveratrol, just ask.

Warm regards,

Bill Ehmann
Copley, OH
billehmann@boomer-solutions.com

Spring Has Sprung with a New Challenge!

Welcome to Friday - the 1st Day of Spring 2009!

We've all survived another winter and the time for renewal is upon us. In spring we sow the seeds, we do the cleaning out of the old and get ready for the new, and we have a renewed sense of optimism, even in times when the economy is on shaky ground.

And I believe we are optimistic because our human spirit is begging for another chance to do it better this year than last year. I've always thought New Year's resolutions should be put off until Spring because who really gets motivated with 2 1/2 months of winter facing them. But Spring is the perfect time with the promise of good weather and flowers and beaches in our future.

With all that said, now could be the perfect time to evaluate where you are and decide to make some postive changes. Whether that's losing weight, like you've been watching me do for the past two weeks, or doing something positive financially, or starting a project that just needs doing, NOW - THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING, or this weekend, is your chance to challenge yourself for the better.

So here's the New Challenge! There are 9 weeks left until Memorial Day weekend. The average person can lose a max of 2 lbs of fat a week. So let's be conservative and say that if you chose to, you could lose 15 lbs between now and then. What would that mean to you? Certainly a smaller clothing size or two, and probably a lot more confidence in yourself going into the summer season. So I challenge you to join me from now until Memorial Day and lose the weight. I'll be putting together the exact plan I'm using and it will be available over the weekend - just enter your contact info in the box in the upper left, or call me and we can discuss your situation.

I know there are some of you who don't need to lose any weight and I don't mean to slight you because you've shown better self control in your life than others of us have. So for you my challenge would be to pick something that you'd really like to improve - planning better to be more in control of your days, getting all the harmful chemicals out of your home to live healthier, figuring out how to develop additional income streams, or developing a better relationship with someone you care about. Whatever that "something" is for you, I'd be glad to share my thoughts with you and help you put together a confidential plan to achieve it.

This weekend I'll be working on the Boomer-Solutions Newsletter (really for everyone who participates in life) which should be ready early next week, and getting outdoors and biking along the Cuyahoga River.

As always, please leave your comments here or email me - whichever is easier for you.

Have a terrific day and weekend,

Bill Ehmann
Copley, OH & Hilton Head, SC
billehmann@boomer-solutions.com
330-858-1906

B.I.D.W.T. vs B.I.N.T.

Good Thursday Morning!

So what's with all the capital letters in the title? I'll get to that, but first I want to look at the picture for a second because it doesn't just represent a 5.4 lb weight loss over the past 10 days, it really represents the result of a decision to take control of myself and make a positve change. Maybe wisdom is finally arriving at age 61.

Okay, so what does the title represent - the age old battle of But I Don't Want To versus But I Need To. Want vs. Need. For me I finally decided Need was more important.

Maybe the only good thing about a recession is that people tend to focus on the more important things (needs) and less on the nicities (wants). For most of our lives we're torn between doing what we want to do and what we know we need to do - and the "want to do" usually wins out.

Then times get tough. Half of your retirement investments disappear. You're not sure how secure your job is or how you'll pay the bills if it disappears. You start to pay more attention to people dying too young from cancers, or heart attacks or strokes, and you don't want to be one of them. In other words the real "need" world is in conflict with your "but I want it" world. We've been fat, dumb and happy for a long time in this country, and now is the perfect time to a more serious approach.

So all of this is just a way to say it could be your time to take control of yourself and focus on the needs, whether they be weight loss, or securing your income, or just letting people know how you really feel about them. Whatever the issue is for you, I urge you to make the decision to change it for the better.

Finally, as many of you have requested, I will be sending an attachment by email to those of you who've been folling my journey with a complete list of everything I'm eating, and the exercise I'm doing each day. It will also be part of the information sent if you fill out the contact form in the upper right corner. The newsletter, which will be on broader topics (many of which you've supplied, so thanks for the replies), will begin next week, so make sure to fill out the form to be on the list.

Your comments are always welcome, so please add them below.

Have a terrific day!

Bill Ehmann
Copley, OH & Hilton Head, SC
330-576-6061

One Barrier Down - Two to Go!!

Yesterday I was so frustrated that I couldn’t sit and write how wonderful this weight loss process was going, because it wasn’t going. For three days I’d virtually been at the same weight while doing all the right things (except for maybe too much of that red wine mentioned on Monday) and the scale hadn’t moved a tenth lower.

Well, today that changed and although it wasn’t a huge change, the 190 barrier has now been broken. Since you were a little kid you’ve heard “persistence pays off”, and indeed it does. So now the journey continues to 180 with renewed momentum.

Today, I want to briefly touch on two things – the key role exercise plays in weight loss, and secondly where this blog is going from here. Please read to the end and comment!!

First to exercise. Anyone reading this blog understands that losing weight is a simple calculation. For example, if you maintain your current weight by eating 2500 calories a day and doing whatever physical activity you’re currently doing, then to lose weight you need to be reducing your daily calories to 2000 a day. You can do that by eating less or lower calorie foods and maintaining your current activity. You can increase your current activity enough to burn an additional 500 calories a day and eat what you’re currently eating, or you can do a combination of less calorie intake and more activity. Simple right?

The problem is that many people decide that reducing calories is all they need to do, and if they really did that, they would lose weight. The dirty little secret is that there are hidden calories in most things we eat, or those things like processed crackers and diet sodas that have so much sodium in them that our bodies want more. And don’t underestimate HUNGER. The number one reason people fall off the wagon is that they get hungry and cheat a little. Exercise can help.

I don’t mean crazy exercise like going from no exercise to an hour on a stairmaster. I mean walking, riding a stationary bike the right way, and not taking more than 20 minutes a day to do it. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to check out the PACE Program at www.AlSearsMD.com. I’m not affiliated in any way with him, but his anti-cardio (I know it sounds crazy, but it won’t after you read his stuff) program is the “common-sense” way to boost the weight loss process, by increasing your metabolism which in turn burns more fat.

The bottom line – add some exercise, any calorie burning exercise, and the weight loss process will be much easier.

Now to point two. I started this weight loss adventure with the hope that not only would sharing the experience help keep me be motivated and on track, but that by sharing some “common sense” ideas, others may be motivated to join the challenge or find something else in their lives that needed fixing and start fixing it. Well, your comments have been great (the comment button on the bottom of the blog now actually works) and they’ve opened up other areas that may be worth looking into from a “common sense”, baby boomer perspective to make all our lives better.

I’d like to expand the blog to encompass topics you’re interested in, and I know something about, so please read this list and comment back to me on the two or three areas you’re most interested in or add your own topics. I will keep you updated on the weight loss, but as part of a broader theme.

· Retirement – how can we afford it in these troubling times.

· Developing additional income streams by working part-time from home and not in an MLM.

· How to eliminate as many Big Pharma (that’s drugs with the 40-seconds of disclaimers in every 69 second ad) products from our lives through better nutrition.

· How to get the harmful chemicals and toxins out of our homes – do they contribute to Alzheimer’s, autism, heart disease, ADHD, cancer’s of all types, and more?

· Humor – we all need to laugh more!

· Learning – one of the keys to enjoying the aging process is to always be learning something new – start blogging or many other things to keep the brain functioning.

Please let me know your thoughts.

The mission statement of a company I work with is really great and applies, I think, to how most people should live their lives. Paraphrasing – My goal is to enhance the lives of people I touch, by helping them reach their goals.

Until tomorrow.

Bill Ehmann

330-576-6061

Don't anger the weightloss god's

Good Monday Morning.

I told you there would be some embarrassing pictures on this blog and this is the worst. This picture was taken of me and very attractive wife at Antonio's restaurant on Hilton Head on Feb. 21, 2009 on our 39th wedding anniversary. I didn't see it until a few days later, but when I did I couldn't believe it was belly my wife was holding on to. I weighed 199 at the time and made a decision that day that I would never look like that again.

One full week and I bet you thought it would just be a smooth and steady downward slide watching the scale numbers go down each day. Well, welcome to the real world - it doesn't usually happen that way. On Friday I was moaning about only losing .2 lbs. Well the weightloss gods got back at me (with much help from me) because today - on Day 8 - I weighed in at 190.6, up .2 from Friday.

Of course, if I'd stayed on the program path over the weekend things might have been a little different. I thought I'd experiment a little so I could report back to you with many interesting new menu ideas to keep the weight just dropping off.

So I tried someone's idea (David) of adding red wine to the program - this was Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I guess you meant just one glass a day. Red wine is now officially off my program.

I also thought that getting away from my great tasting Attain shakes for breakfast would be a change of pace, so I switched to two egss over easy with bacon and sausage on Saturday, and ham on Sunday. I guess I shouldn't have been so friendly to the server Saturday morning because they loaded my plate with bacon, which as we all know must be eaten hot. By the way, that brown bread they serve at Outback Steakhouse (Sunday night) probably doesn't fit the plan either.

The best news about losing weight is that no matter what happened yesterday, today is a new day to refocus and move forward. I've had my shake and vitamins and am ready for a great day.

Tomorrow, after my brief workout, I'll be adding some comments on some common-sense exercise that anyone can add to their program to make a positive difference. Exercise is a crucial part of any weight loss program and the place that most fail because the exercise component is too hard or takes too much time. Not here!

Please don't forget to comment and share your ideas by clicking on the comment button below and I'll talk with you tomorrow. If you'd like to talk directly, just call me at 330-858-1906.

Have a terrific day,

Bill Ehmann

Weekends and Weight Loss - Oh My!!

Good Friday the 13th and day 5 of my weight loss journey.

Only a .2 of a pound loss from yesterday, but loss is the key word. In four full days on my program I'm down from 194.2 to 190.4, and if you believe the body fat %, down from 34.9% to 32.1%. All in all, I'll take it.

Two quick topics for the day - How to handle your weight loss plan over a weekend (especially the 1st weekend), and is Fast better than Slow in the weight loss process. PLEASE ADD YOUR COMMENTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG!!

Weekends are for kicking back, shopping, March Madness, NASCAR, pizza, eating out and all the obstacles that many people use as excuses to blow all the good work done during the week. So how do you deal with it and stay on your plan?

• Focus on your goal - if your goal is strong enough you will find it easy. Hang a pair jeans you want to fit into on your bedroom door so you can't miss seeing them.
• Plan to stay busy - plan your Saturday and Sunday to be more than a couch potato. Failing to plan is like planning to fail.
  
• Don't let yourself get hungry - fruit, carrots, celery sticks, water.
• If you eat out plan to take half your meal home - eat something you're not eating at home, like fish or lobster, but watch the butter.
• Focus on how proud you'll be with good results on the Monday morning weigh-in.

Fast versus Slow.

I'm a believer in Faster is Better. Many weight loss "experts" say that slow, steady weight loss of a pound a week is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. I find that a slow process is the quickest way for me to lose my motivation - how about you?

Here's a quote I subscribe to, "Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its' value." Seeing results quickly is the best motivator I know. That's why doing a daily weigh-in keeps you on track better than a weekly weigh-in. There's too much wiggle room weighing in weekly because you always think you can catch up in the last couple of days.

So my weekend is planned to stay busy (mainly working on my website) and I'll weigh-in each day and report back on Monday.

Hope you all have a great and focused weekend, and you may get motivated to join me (if you need to) on your own weight loss journey on Monday.

Regards,
Bill Ehmann
330-576-6061

Are Nutritional Supplements Really Important During Weight Loss?

Good Thursday morning and Day 4 of my Weight Loss Journey.

As you can see from the scale, the downward trend continues, which certainly helps the motivation level.

Just some quick housekeeping. Many of you have sent me emails or contacted me on Facebook and Twitter - which is great - but you can make comments here on the blog by clicking on the word "Comments" at the bottom of each days blog. By doing that, others can read your comments and benefit from them.

To answer today's question of whether nutritional supplements are important during a weight loss program, I would say "absolutely", as well as being important every day of your life.

As I've mentioned before, I've been actively involved in the Health & Wellness industry for the past 7 years, and for 10 years prior I was reading everything I could about nutrition and disease prevention. In 1991 it became clear that my father was losing touch with his surroundings. He was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease and for 8 long years gradually slipped away. After seeing the devastation of that disease, and realizing that it is often hereditary, I embarked on a quest to do what I could do to prevent or at least put off my chances of getting it.

So after much research and working with two companies in the nutrition industry I can unequivocally tell you that the right nutritional supplements are absolutely necessary to help boost your immune system, fight against cancer causing free radicals, and provide every cell in your body the nutrition it needs to maximize your overall health and longevity.

As you can see I'm rather passionate on the topic, but I am because I know the positive effects that can be derived by making a smart 30 second decision everyday and taking your supplements.

Here's the caution. If you already take daily vitamin/mineral supplements and you get them at the grocery store or Walmart or GNC, or you take One-A-Day, Centrum, etc., then you are probably wasting your money. The vast majority of "food grade" vitamins, such as the above, are often synthetic, hard for your body to absorb, and end up passing through your system with little positive effect for you.

If you'd like some information on what supplements I use (they're the best you can buy and are very cost effective compared to those mentioned above), then please just comment below or send me an email.

On Monday, after doing some weekend updating on my website, I'll share it with you so you can get more in-depth, balanced, and up to date information to find a supplement solution that's right for you.

Again, please send your comments by clicking below and I'll blog at you tomorrow!!

Bill Ehmann

billehmann@msn.com

So what are you eating anyway?

Good Wednesday morning to all.

As you can see, the weight is headed in right direction - lower!!

I've had several emails asking "so what are you eating anyway, and what have you cut out?" I thought I would focus on that today and put the nutritional supplement conversation off until tomorrow.

What I've cut out were the easy things. No more two beer evenings with nacho's and salsa, a large dinner with mucho carbs, and then some chocolate for desert. A "Big Breakfast" or a "Bacon/Egg/Cheese Bisquit" from McDonals aren't on the list either. Additionally, I've cut out all diet soda (pop here in the midwest) because, as I'll talk about in another blog, the effects are just the opposite of what you'd expect.

What I do eat is split into 5 sessions a day.

Breakfast is the simplest meal because I make an Attain Shake with soy milk which provides about 20 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber. It is filling and satisfying. Protein is really the key in the mornng, and as Dave from Hilton Head commented, his breakfast consists of one egg everyday. I'll switch to one or two eggs if I get bored with the shakes, but for now they are working great.

Lunch has been Campbell's Select Harvest soup (with a few soup crackers) for the past two days, but today will be a tuna on lettuce lunch because I bought too much lettuce on Saturday.

Dinner is simple as well. Dave and I agree again that portion control, meat or fish, and vegetables and salad, are all it takes. I had tilapia on Monday with Uncle Ben's rice (the 90 second in the microwave kind), and a lettuce and broccoli salad. Tuesday was a 5 oz portion of strip steak, small baked potato with Smart Balance margarine, and a salad. I use a third of the Thousand Island dressing I used to use. I drink water with each meal.

The mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks are three choices. A piece of fruit, a carrot-celery-apple juiced drink, an Attain Bar with excellent nutrition, or a Verve nutritious energy drink. I've had one of each in the four sessions I've had since starting.

Obviously, you can add or subtract what works better in your situation. Please send me your ideas, as Dave did. By the way he lost 37 pounds - he did add a little red wine, and why not!!

Talk to you tomorrow.

Bill Ehmann

billehmann@msn.com

Good Tuesday morning,

I wish everyday in a weight loss effort could be as good as Day 2 - I'd reach my 30 lb goal in 15 days and be drinking beers and eating pizza. Just kidding - actually one Coors Light and a single slice of pizza. The first few days of any program are a little skewed as the body is trying to figure out what is going on. Bottom line - I'll take the 2.2 lb. weight drop.

Before I talk about today's topic - water in weight loss - my wife wanted me to add another key element to "making a decision" that I talked about yesterday. About 2 1/2 weeks ago I got on the scale and hit a whopping 199 pounds. That was when I made the "decision" that I had to do something because weighing 200 pounds wasn't an option. It took me a few days to decide that I would do a very public weight loss program based on personal experience and common sense. The key was that I had already made the decision to lose weight and my subconscious mind started to go to work. By the time of the first weigh-in (yesterday) I had already lost 4.8 pounds without consciously doing much different except drinking a little more water everyday. So just to reiterate, making the decision to change is a major factor in success because it unleashes your subconscious mind to attack the issue.

Okay, so let's move on. Each day I want to talk about a different element of the plan in the order that I do them everyday. The first thing I do everyday is drink at least 8 oz. of water to replenish what I've lost overnight. This not only hydrates me before I go to exercise, which I do every other day, but it fills the stomach so I feel fuller on less food.

No one disputes the importance of water in any weight loss program but many differ on how much is enough or too much. A good former pharmacist friend of mine in Melaleuca believes that if you drink more that 4 to 5 8oz glasses of water a day you'll just end up waterlogged. Others believe 8 8oz glasses a day is correct. Regardless, somewhere between 4 and 8 glasses a day are critical to losing weight.

From an article by Donald S. Robertson, M.D.M.S.C. he claims that after exhaustive research, water is the most important catalyst in losing weight and may be the only "magic potion" for permanent weight loss. Heare are three reasons why:

1. Water suppresses the appetite naturally, allows the kidneys to work properly, and frees the liver to do it's primary function of metabolizing stored fat into energy for the body to use.


2. Although it sounds counter intuitive, drinking enough water each day reduces fluid retention because the body doesn't have to hoard water in case it doesn't get enough. It also helps eliminate excess salt in the body which leads to fluid retention in the first place.


3. Water helps rid the body of waste - during weight loss the body has more waste to get rid of than normal.

I think you get the point - drink more water and have better success with any weight loss plan.

Tomorrow I want to talk about vitamins and the key role they play, not only during a weight loss program, but how vital they are to your overall heatlth.

Please send me your thoughts and comments!! I want to add them to the daily blog.

Until tomorrow, have a terrific day.

Bill Ehmann

billehmann@msn.com

The Weight Loss Plan Starts Today!!

Good Monday to all!

Today is the day that I begin my weight loss journey. With your encouragement, support, and maybe even participation, I'll reach my goal of 165 lbs and be at a weight that is not only more attractive, but also much healthier.

As you can see from the pictures I'm starting about 30 lbs from my goal, and you can also see where most of the weight is located.

So far today I've done my excercise, had my breakfast shake, taken my vitamins, had my mid-morning snack ( a rather creative apple, carrot & celery juice from my 10 year old Juiceman juicer). Lunch is on the agenda in about an hour.

Each day I'll not only give a weight update, but I'll also give a broader explanation of one of the components of the plan I'm using.

Today, I want to touch on the key to success for any plan or program that you embark on to improve your life in some way - THE DECISION. I've been a personal development trainer for many years and have seen first hand how the strength behind a decision is directly related to the success or failure of the plan or project.

Those who are "mad as hell (often at themselves), and won't take it anymore" are usually sufficiently motivated to succeed "no matter what". If the project - in this case weight-loss - is important enough to you, and you make the decision to succeed, then success is just a natural outcome. I've made my decision to succeed and hope you'll share the journey with me.

If you haven't receive a copy of the simple, common-sense plan I'm using, please fill out the contact form on the right and it will be sent to you.

Talk to you tomorrow...and send your comments and suggestions.

Regards,

Bill Ehmann

Is Losing Weight NOW Important to You?

My name is Bill Ehmann and I'm a leading edge baby-boomer who has enough of the 30 or so extra pounds I've been carrying for way too many years. So I've decided (and decided is the key word) to start a major weight loss effort starting Monday, March 9th and let any and all follow my progress on this blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.

I'll share exactly what I'm doing, provide some embarrassing pictures in the beginning and give you a written outline if you care to follow along or participate.

I'll be following a simple plan that includes nutrition, smaller portion sizes, a little exercise and a lot of common sense. My goal is to not be constrained by every “so-called expert” out there, and to lose at least 20 pounds in 77 days before I go to the Indy 500 in late May.

So, if it sounds interesting to watch (or participate) as someone puts it on the line, then I'd like to welcome you aboard. Hopefully, we'll have fun, share some great information, and share success in the end. Stay tuned - you can follow me on this daily blog starting on Monday or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bill_ehmann. Talk with soon.

If you'd like detailed information on the plan I'll be using, please fill out the form on the right.