Wednesday Weigh-In May 6, 2009 Guest update: Sean Platt

Totally Worth It

Hi, I’m Sean Platt. It’s been two weeks since my last Blog to Fit post.

When I last left you I admitted I had a problem. Where I was once a lean machine who tended his body, I’d grown into an M&M munching writer who sat a bum running on fumes of coffee. I said then that I knew what I needed to do. I meant what I said.

Here’s a bit of a rundown:

I went two full weeks without sugar. The first few days were easy. The fourth was a bit like being dragged through a desert of donuts with masking tape over my mouth.

Midway through the day I was grouchy and exhausted, carrying the same motivation I might have had searching for keys before a dentist appointment. Fortunately, my mood subsided with sleep and I rose the next morning feeling better than I have in a while.

During this period of renewal I have also made sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day and have done my push-ups and sit-ups without missing a single session. For 16 days I went without a single granule of sugar.

Until today.

My daughter had a celebration at her school. There was cake and ice cream. I tried to decline, but her teacher (whom I love dearly) insisted. I wish I could say it was good cake but my parents raised me not to lie.

It was the kind of cake that tastes like you should ask for your quarter back. I’m sure it tasted worse because I wasn’t used to the sugary assault on my senses. I ate 2/3 of what was on my plate, tossed the paper in the can, grabbed my girl’s hand, and headed for the exit.

The sugar hit me like a punch in the teeth before I even started the engine. Two weeks without sugar made the drive home seem about a thousand years. I was exhausted, could barely keep my eyes open, and felt a little bit…. twitchy.

I had a hearty soup for dinner and all is well, but it sure makes me wonder what a shock sugar really is to the system and how we commit to desensitizing ourselves to its effects without even blinking.

My diet over the last two weeks has been based on Dr. Tarnower’s “Scarsdale Diet.” This is the nutritional program I always cling to when I feel myself falling out of balance. It’s worked for me for 15 years and I love it. It eliminates refined sugar and severely limits carbohydrates in general. The biggest benefit of the diet is that you can eat all the protein and vegetable you want, so hunger isn’t an issue (so long as you remain disciplined with your available options).

The diet works with two weeks of restriction followed by two weeks of light eating, then two weeks more of the regime if you’re game.

I’m game.

I’ve not only shed ten pounds like a jacket in summer, but a couple of days ago my daughter said, “Daddy you look much stronger today.”

Totally worth it.

Sean Platt is a creative blogger who is looking much stronger today.

Now, for the weekly Wednesday Weigh-In

David Wright

Unlike my friend, Sean, I did not give up on refined sugar. I think it might be one of the only things holding my body together and fear what withdrawal would do.

That being said, this week was yet another where I ate okay but didn’t get much exercise. This time, though, I didn’t lose any weight.

I’m hitting the exercise trail with my family this weekend though, so next week should be better.

The stats: David Wright

• Starting weight Wed. Nov.19: 350 lbs.
• Goal weight: 250 lbs.
• Weight last week: 325 lbs.
• Weight today: 325 lbs.
• Amount lost this week: 0 lbs.
• Total lost since Nov. 19: 25 pounds

Tara Cain

I absolutely know where Sean is coming from with the whole giving sugar up thing. It’s really really hard, but when you’ve purged your body of all that crap and you eventually feel human again, it’s really really hard to go back to eating it.
I’ve had an intensely busy week and find myself not eating properly still. However, I have managed to ditch reaching for the crap and have rediscovered smoothies, apples and a handful of nuts to keep me going.

I must must must must rack up my activity levels. I am meeting with a local gym to discuss ways of promoting their classes this week so I’ve got no excuse really.
They actually do a Bootcamp Bikini class. I wonder if they expect the class members to turn up in their bikinis  . . .

The stats:

• Starting weight Wed. Nov.19: 168 lbs.
• Goal weight: 140 lbs.
• Weight last week: 164 lbs.
• Weight today: 164lbs
• Amount lost this week: 0lb

Now it’s your turn. Share your success (or setback) story with us.

If you’d like to post a Wednesday Weigh-In post on your blog and help spread the word of our goals, please do so. Get all the info on how you can participate right here.

See you downstairs in the comments – and let’s all show our support and visit anyone taking part.

Update

As always, thank you to everyone who takes part in the Wednesday Weigh-In.

Thank you!

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