Being Prepared

Here is a few items I keep on hand from day-to-day to help me with my weight loss success: water, apple, Fiber One bar, Muscle Milk, and a pack of sugar free gum. I always keep this kind of stuff in my office, car or if I am on the go, in my backpack. It is a must to be prepared if you want to have a successful weight loss journey.

Another thing I do most days is have what I like to call ‘clean caffeine’, like a cup of coffee or a medium to large glass of ice tea (with NuStevia for a bit of sweetness). I do this after noon, but before 2 p.m. I am not a fan of energy drinks at all. I think they are one of the worst things you can put into your body - “just my opinion”. The ‘clean caffeine’ gives me that little extra boost of energy to make it to the end of the day, without the crash & burn effect you get after downing an energy drink. Good clean eating, great sleep, plenty of water, and heart-pumping workouts will help get you to that next level.

I was talking with a friend of mine some time back and he said, “It takes 30 days to develop a habit, no matter if it’s a good habit or a bad habit”. I took this information and said, “I am going to create good habits” and this is just what I did. It’s true, in just under 30 days I implemented new and improved habits and it has helped change my life forever. I love it when we put to use powerful information.

What have you got to lose except that extra weight?

This little piggy.
-Dave

small CHANGES lead to HUGE results!!!!

THE SECRET IS OUT THE PIGGY DIET REVEALED
Well here you go - if you must know, I am about to let you in on the “BIG SECRET” of how I lost the weight. Here it is. Lights-camera-action! Here you go…are you ready? Here it is…. drum roll please…. Well sorry, but I have no big secret. The secret really is just a lot of hard work and dedication along the way. I have come to realize it is choices that have made me who I am today. Think about it, each day is filled with choices. We reap what we sow. Make good choices and become more successful, make bad choices and, well do I need to say more? One day it clicked, if choices got me to the point of over 420 lbs., choices can get me to a healthy manageable weight. It was at this point I knew I had to make better choices because I did not like whom I was choosing to be. I realized I had no one but myself to blame. And that’s the way I like it. If I am the only one in my way, then I am the only one who can get ‘me’ out of my way.
Changes. I knew I needed to make changes because what I was doing was not working for me. I have an old pal named Josh, he always used this quote: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got!” (Sorry Josh if I did not say it correctly). But really, I could not live another day like the day before. If I wanted to change, I had to change everything about my life. Yes, it can seem overwhelming, but I did it one day at a time. Small changes lead to big changes and big changes lead to huge changes. Like Dave Ramsey says, “Take baby steps, one foot in front of the other”. I knew I did not grow over 420 lbs. overnight and I knew I was not going to lose all the weight overnight. It was a process and I had to be realistic. I had to be the one to make the changes and do the work. I set a goal that I thought was never reachable and then I set many small reachable goals along the way. Now I look back and by the grace of God, I reached my unreachable goal only by reaching the small goals along the way. The small goals led to my huge goal and what an amazing journey it has been! I am here to show you all that it can be done if you choose to do it. The ball is in your court; the choice is yours. Get good sleep, make better healthy food choices, and start going to the gym - take one day at a time. Your journey will be as successful as you make it. Change is hard, but is well worth it!
This Little Piggy,
-Dave

The following is a glimpse of an approximate amount of calories I consumed in a day when I was at my biggest (see the above photo). I could and would really eat this way.:

BREAKFAST:
Breakfast Burrito (Egg, Bacon, Potatoes & Salsa):
Calories: 530
Fat: 27
Carbs: 53

Large Coke:
Calories: 290
Carbs (all sugar): 79
Total Meal Calories: 820

LUNCH:
Super Slice of Pepperoni Pizza:
Calories: 720
Fat: 33
Carbs: 69

Large Coke:
Calories: 290
Carbs (all sugar): 79
Total Meal Calories: 1,010

DINNER:
Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger:
Calories: 970
Fat: 52
Carbs: 71

Large Fries:
Calories: 620
Fat: 29
Carbs: 80

Large Coke:
Calories: 290
Carbs (all sugar): 79
Total Meal Calories: 1,880

DESSERT:
3 (about 15 oz.) Generous Scoops of Ice Cream (Everyone’s favorite, especially in the summertime!)
Calories: 450
Fat: 21
Carbs: 51

Total Calories for the Day: 4,160
Total Grams of Fat for the Day: 162
Total Grams of Carbs for the Day: 561
Amount of $$$ MONEY $$$ spent: $22.82 (this was 1 day of eating)

And you know the pizza and fries were probably dipped in Ranch dressing, that’s an additional 140 calories, 14 g of fat, and 2 g of carbs in a serving size of 2 tbsp. And really, who only eats 2 tbsp. of this stuff at a time? If you eat about ¼ cup of Ranch each time, just double the numbers. Yikes!

Imagine eating like this more than one day a week…But how many of us really eat/ate like this multiple meals/days a week? Now, what I used to consume in one day, it now takes me 2-3 days to eat this many calories. I made the small changes necessary to get me to my goal.

Make some small changes this week. Limit the amount of fast food you eat. Limit the amount of restaurant food you eat. I dare you to look up the calories of your favorite fast food meals to see what you are putting into your body.

The following is an example of what I now eat and I am NEVER hungry. I eat often, which keeps me going through my day:

BREAKFAST:
Oatmeal & apple
Calories: 260
Fat: 3.4
Carbs: 56

SNACK:
Muscle Milk Protein Shake
Calories: 220
Fat: 9
Carbs: 10

LUNCH:
2 Chicken Tacos (w/out corn tort fried) & Pinto/Pot Beans
Calories: 350
Fat: 3.5
Carbs: 38

SNACK:
Fiber 1 Bar
Calories: 140
Fat: 4
Carbs: 29

DINNER:
Baked Chicken (about 4-6 oz. Serving) w/ Steamed Broccoli (about 3 oz.) & Brown Rice (about 1/2 cup)
Calories: 325
Fat: 2.5
Carbs: 35

DESSERT:
Fiber 1 Muffin
Calories: 130
Fat: 2.5
Carbs: 29

Total Calories for the Day: 1,425
Total Grams of Fat for the Day: 26
Total Grams of Carbs for the Day: 197
Total $$$ MONEY $$$ Spent: $7.55

You have to get creative and look at healthy foods that have a reasonable amount of calories and fat to create your meals. The calorie difference between my old eating habits and my new way of eating: -2,735 and a savings of $15.27. Now do the math 30 days X $15 = $450...Hey - that's more than personal training w/ Tom Strongin's Biggest Loser program. This new way of eating (and the personal training w/ Tom) has created the new me….

IF I MADE CHANGES, SO CAN YOU!!!

IT REALLY WORKS, BUT IF YOU NEVER TRY,

YOU'LL NEVER KNOW!

Call Tom Strongin today (477-5004),

tell him you want to change your life like I did!

WHICH PATH WILL YOU CHOOSE?

Okay people, if we do not like how we look or feel about ourselves, it's time to do something about it. Today is a great day for change. Why go on another day not being happy with yourself? I like what John Maxwell says, ''Procrastination is the fertilizer that makes difficulties grow''. It's time to make it happen. If you have a problem, look deep within yourself and admit you have a problem and it's okay to seek professional help. I have heard it said time after time "personal training cost too much money". Come on people it's your body we are talking about here. So many people are willing to spend big money on cars, Christmas gifts, and vacations, but not a dime on their health. If this is you, who needs help, I encourage you to take the step and seek professional help. You and your family deserve it. Please do not put it off another day. Yes it's very hard, but with the correct support you too can overcome your battle with food. I was once defeated by a food addiction and I was able to overcome it with professional help, plus a tons of support from family and friends. I am here to tell you it's OK if you need help, I once did and it has forever changed my life as well as the people around me. I believe in you and now it's time for you to believe in you! Life only becomes better when you become better.

This little piggy,

-Dave

YUMMY APPLE SNACK

Here is a great snack idea for on-the-go or at home. I like this one after a fun hike, walk or jog. It's also great if you want something sweet. Check it out and let me know what you think. It's a candy apple without the candy.

 

Take an apple and slice it up, sprinkle some cinnamon and a packet of NuStevia on it and BAM start eating!

Eating healthy does not have to be hard - it can be fun. Get the family involved and see what cool things you can come up with. One of the tricks to my success is changing bad habits for good ones. Before I would reach for a Coke and a candy bar, but now it's an apple and a bottle of water. I pray you will choose the same.

PREPARE FOR SUCCESS: Healthy Food to Go!

The most common question I get from people when they have seen my significant weight loss is: How do you eat healthy on the go? My answer is PREPARATION IS KEY. Every evening we cook/bake/simmer about 8 chicken breasts. This is enough for me to have dinner and lunch the next day. When I prepare my brown rice, I make sure I have enough for more than one meal. This way in the morning when I get ready for work, I measure out my rice, chop up my chicken and throw it all in a ziploc bag. I add BBQ sauce, but you could easily add salsa, or chopped up veggies, whatever you like that is low fat/low calorie.  Always stay true to the "Serving Size" that is on the Nutrition Facts label. For example, there is 150 calories in 1/2 cup of steamed brown rice.  Measure out your BBQ sauce too. There is about 60 calories in 2 tbsp. of BBQ sauce, but how easy is it use 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce which would be 120 calories...and check out the grams of sugar in your BBQ sauce. Some have quite a bit.

This idea can also be used w/ your breakfast: 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal (not the 'instant'), a pinch of cinnamon, and for some sweetness - a packet of Stevia (the NON-artificial sweetener found at your local Lassens or Trader Joe's...I prefer "NuNaturals" brand, NuStevia - White Stevia Powder at Lassens).

I just wanted to give you an example of what I eat for breakfast or lunch on the go. It is a MUST to really prepare and take your own meals to work. Fast Food is the dieter's enemy. Not only is most fast food loaded with fat, but tons of carbs and a ton of sodium.  I challenge you to limit your fast food meals to ONLY 1 MEAL this next week. Be extreme! You will not only save a ton of money, but you will skip out on a ton of excess calories. Let me know if you were able to resist the temptation...I did not eat "fast food" for over a year and I know that is what helped me lose the weight. I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and a couple of snacks - ALL FROM HOME!  I was a fast food junkie. At one time in my life, I ate a John's Burgers breakfast burrito in the morning, a giant slice of pizza for lunch, and from the Taco Bell menu I ate a grilled stuffed burrito, nacho bell grande, and a couple of bean burritos w/ sour cream...and each meal was followed with a large/extra large Pepsi.  I added up these calories and I realized I was consuming about 3900 A DAY!!! That's what I eat in about 3 days now!!! So I know you can do it - just limit your fast food meal to once this week and watch how you feel.

The Journey of My Weight Loss of 236 lbs.

I do not remember being a 'normal-sized' kid. I have been overweight as long as I can remember. So weighing in at around 420 lbs. wasn't a shocker. But I soon realized that I could no longer live at that weight. Below is a brief summary of my weight loss journey, written by my wife Jennifer.

"David has taken persistence and self-discipline to a whole new level. David decided in March 2008 to finally lose weight. He weighed in at around 423 lbs. He started with a 'portion-control eating plan' and by September '08, he had lost 60 lbs. Then hitting a plateau of weight loss, he was introduced to Trainer Tom in that same month, and since then has totally transformed his body. After 17 months w/ Trainer Tom Strongin, David lost a total of 160 lbs.

The following is a photo journey of Dave's transformation w/ his words of encouragement, emotions, and mindset to reach this goal!

Dave, before making the decision to change his life and lose weight. Yet, we still were a happy couple! Dave thanks me for believing in him, but most of all, for not giving up in prayer. I prayed daily starting in April '06 when he began to pack on weight after our wedding. I did not believe it was God's will that my husband stay obese and die young from heart disease or diabetes. I prayed and prayed & knew God would do a work in Dave's heart for the sake of him and our family. The more Dave refused to go to the gym, the more I prayed. And then one day, Dave came home to tell me he would be starting personal training. Let's just say there were tears and a super grateful heart towards what God did in my husband's heart. "With God all things are possible"...Matthew 19:26

Dave w/ Daniel - July '07 - 420+ lbs. Daniel 5 mos. old. Our first family vacation. (Just got to mention....our son is such a cutie!!!)

Dave - October 13, 2007 - 420ish lbs. Making the decision to lose the weight was the hardest thing he had ever done, but the pain had become greater than the pleasure! He had a disorder in his feet (plantar fascitis) where it was agonizing to just stand or walk. He was always complaining of lower back pain, fatigue, and he didn't get very good sleep at night. Thank God he made the decision to lose the weight before he was prescribed high blood pressure medicine, or any other medication for obese-related illnesses.

Here's Dave, Christmas morning 2007, still around 420+ lbs. This was our son's first Christmas. David's desire for his son to NEVER know him huge helped Dave decide to make the commitment!

Dave - Christmas morning 2008 - 304 lbs. (Weight loss of 119 lbs. here.) At this point he had been working out with his trainer, Tom Strongin, for 3 mos. and had lost a total of 63 lbs. with Tom. (What David lost on his own in 6 mos., he accomplished with Trainer Tom in 1/2 the time.) Go Dave!

Dave - Jan. 3, 2009 - 297 lbs. Dave says that he has experienced the pain of being heavy & extremely obese in the physical, mental, and spiritual sense. This experience is so fresh to him and he wants people to know that they CAN overcome their battle with their weight! You can reach your goals!


The NEW & IMPROVED DAVID!!!! Pic taken Wed. Aug. 26, 2009 - weighing in at 214 lbs. w/ a total of 209 lbs. lost in 1 year & 5 months. Beginning waist size: 48 shrunk down to a waist size of 34. He's shrunk from a 4X t-shirt (that was starting to get snug) to an XL. And some XL shirts are starting to get baggy on him! THANK YOU TOM STRONGIN FOR THE YEARS OF LIFE YOU ADDED TO DAVE'S LIFE!!


Here's Dave flexing his long lean muscles! Aug. 2009 - 214 lbs. Dave told me that his trainer told him in the beginning (9/08), "I can see the skeletal structure under all that weight. If you could only see what I can see, you would see an athletic stud".....and that's just what Dave is becoming! (Thank you Tom for my super hot husband!!!)


Dave - 214 lbs. No, he's not sucking it in. He's standing up straight. He works out 1 hr./day, Mon. - Fri. and does extra cardio most of the time. Wow Dave! Dave lost the 209 lbs. the "ALL NATURAL, NON-SURGICAL, LIFESTYLE CHANGED" way! (The Tom (Team) Strongin way.)


How much hotter can he get! That smile, those eyes, the dimple, the spiky hair, and the goatee. He still wants to lose about 15-25 lbs.


And here is the final pic of Dave I wanted to add. He went deer hunting in September and this was his getup. This hunting trip took him for a hike around the mountains for 6-8+ hours. Lord knows he was in shape to do that hunting trip. I think this gun weighs 7 lbs. unloaded, or something. He's in such great shape!

He has continued to lose another 10 lbs. in the last month & 1/2 as he continues to use the tools and knowledge that he learned from Tom. Today (3-6-10) David weighs in at 187 lbs. with a total weight loss of 236 lbs. You can definitely see the transformation of his body. This picture above is the most recent of him at 187 lbs. He now wears medium to large shirts and just bought a pair of jeans with a waist of 31. This is absolutely unheard of these days! David has accomplished this by mere diet and exercise! No surgery or procedures - just the super-natural way!

Because of Team Strongin/Trainer Tom Strongin, David now understands the importance of nutrition and the power of personal training. David remembers thanking Tom for all that he has done for Dave, and Tom replied, "It's you that has done the work". In John Maxwell's words: TO BE MORE YOU HAVE TO BECOME MORE; IN THE MIRROR YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM & THE SOLUTION."

"Thank you Tom for believing in me and pushing me. And thank you God for the strength to conquer my old lifestyle of food addiction." -- David Morin

Dave trains at a local Body Xchange w/ Tom Strongin, Mon. - Fri., 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. and follows a strict diet plan w/ a food log. Dave is dedicated to expanding his lifespan and being strong and available to his family. I am Dave's BIGGEST FAN! - Jen

Tom Strongin is a personal trainer. He can be reached at (661) 477-5004.