This post is to simply show you my before and after picture from the program.

NOTE: This Program was accompanied by exercise! (Results were not just from a diet)

DAY 1 PIC

DAY 30 PIC

As I said in the “3 Week Post“, the goal was to lower my cholesterol (which I did)…but I’m very happy with the program as a whole.

For more information, you can call the Poplar Bluff Bread Company at 573-785-8500 or my office at 573-785-BACK.

Thanks for all the Support!!!

Disclaimer: Even though I live out most of my life online, I am extremely shy when it comes to certain things. This post is absolutely the “biggest limb” I have ever stepped out on. The reason I stepped out on this limb is because I think that its important for people to see results. This is not a bragging post (because I don’t think that I have anything to brag about). This post is about the results I have seen with a diet/exercise program. I am extremely apprehensive about this set of post…..so please be kind!

This program was designed around my body and is not for everyone. Always consult your doctor before starting a diet/exercise program.

Final “30 Days at Breadco” Results is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

Disclaimer: Even though I live out most of my life online, I am extremely shy when it comes to certain things. This post is absolutely the “biggest limb” I have ever stepped out on. The reason I stepped out on this limb is because I think that its important for people to see results. This is not a bragging post (because I don’t think that I have anything to brag about). This post is about the results I have seen with a diet/exercise program. I am extremely apprehensive about this post…..so please be kind!

This program was designed around my body and is not for everyone. Always consult your doctor before starting a diet/exercise program.

3 Weeks ago I started a program at the Poplar Bluff Bread Company called “30 Days at Breadco”. This was a diet designed to fuel a person so that they could get in better shape in a healthy way without feeling like they were on a diet.

Each week since the beginning of the program, we have designed a menu that will help people get results in their fitness program. I have been eating at the Bread Company for 3 solid weeks (at 2x a day) and working out everyday but Saturday (I started out running a mile in the morning…but got bored…so I have been doing the “Insanity” workout for the past month)

I have been absolutely amazed with my results thus far.

Throughout this program, I have never…..ever….felt like I have deprived myself of food. I have eaten very well and still seen some pretty amazing results for my body. Even though I have posted pictures in this post….the physical changes are not what I’m most proud of (although I believe they have to be included to be perfectly transparent about this whole thing). What I am most proud of…is that I was able to lower my cholesterol back down to a safer level.

So………………………

Here we go…………….

We started testing a menu for the Bread Company Diet 2 weeks before we actually launched it. In the two weeks that I was testing the menu and building menu items, I lost 10lbs. That was great, but as I said, my whole goal was to lower my cholesterol. My starting Cholesterol was 389 (for those of you that don’t know lab normal values….this is insanely high). When the program began…. I looked like this.

Moving into week 1 of the program, I was very excited to see what we could accomplish with quality food and quality exercise in 30 days. Our first week’s menu can be found here. After the first week, I was feeling really good….but it was hard to tell any physical results (see pic below) at the time.

Our Week 2 Menu can be found here. At the end of week 2 (see photo below), I was starting to be able to tell a difference. My energy level was through the roof and I could really tell that my clothes were alot looser.

At the End of Week 3, I started to notice that I was loosing weight again (the shock of a new workout and diet had started to be less stress on my system…if you don’t know what I mean by this….google “insanity workout”) My week 3 menu can be found here.

I also decided to take another picture at Week 3 in the original picture location (see below)

I still have a long way to go, but I was extremely impressed with how well the “Breadco Diet” held up. I was never hungry and I always felt like a I got a great meal when I ate. During my daily workouts, I always felt like I had enough fuel to get through and I was never “dragging”. We have one week left in our Breadco Diet experiment…and I have to say that I am impressed……and not because of the physical side….My Cholesterol is now down to 174!!!! Pretty excited about that.…

I hope you have enjoyed the experiment so far. It was extremely hard for me to post the pictures above. I have always been pretty shy about that kind of stuff, but I felt that it was important to show people that stepping on a scale just isn’t enough when you’re measuring progress. You really need to take alot of factors into consideration. I literally haven’t lost that much weight since I started this program….but I have seen so much of a difference in my waistline, cholesterol, as well as my general mood. I will absolutely never…….go on a starvation type diet again…. This was a great experience.

The results aren’t anything dramatic…But considering what changes I have seen in only 3 weeks…. I’m pretty happy.

PLEASE BE KIND WITH YOUR QUESTIONS/COMMENTS!!!! THANKS!

3 Weeks of “30 Days at Breadco” is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

Was a little behind on posting this. I got swamped this week at the office. Better Late than Never! Right?!?

The last two weeks have been pretty amazing.

The shape of my body has really started to change and I am seeing some definite health benefits. The Blood Pressure is down to 125/77 and the resting heart rate sits around 77-85 on a regular basis.

At the end of week 2 I had lost around 8lbs.

At the end of week 3 I had lost around 12….but then something happened….

I mixed up my workout routine and I made a small (but easily fixable) mistake. I didn’t match my food intake to the new program. The new program is a much higher intensity workout than what I had been doing and my body wasn’t getting enough nutrition to support it. Alot of people believe that a hard workout and little food is the way to go to lose weight. Those people would be wrong.

You have to match your intake to your output or your body decides that it has to start conserving. The day that I started eating more was the day that the weight loss started back. I actually gained four pounds back before I made the tiny tweak.

At the end of the first month of this, we are starting something a little different on the food side. You can read all about it at http://www.bluffee.com/2010/04/07/30-days-at-the-poplar-bluff-bread-company/.

I am super excited with the progress so far.

I took a few pictures at the beginning of this and I’m really nervous about posting them…. Going to have to think about that one

Today’s Numbers

• Weight: 216
• BP: 125/77
• Pulse 88

Week 2 and 3 Progress is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

In the talk, we went over things to do….things not to do…and why most people fail when they try to lose weight.

I thought that it would be cool if we shared some stuff from the presentation….

This material is not nearly as good without the audio…but I thought it still might be useful for some of you (be sure to read the included disclaimers).

The Powerpoint is below.

Download (PDF, 1.12MB)

Weight Loss for the New Decade (to Download as a Powerpoint)

(Required Disclaimer: Do not follow anything in the Presentation without consulting with your Doctor first. The information contained in the presentation can be dangerous if not used correctly).

Enjoy!

Poplar Bluff Hospital Weight Loss Talk is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

You may be asking yourself “Why is Doctor Ben Scared of tomorrow’s newsletter?”

I’m excited and scared because after the newsletter comes out…there’s no turning back.

The newsletter makes my “commitment to change” a reality. I have pledged to go on the “Creating Wellness” program for 10 weeks. I came across the Creating Wellness program around a year ago through another Doctor I know and have been infatuated with it ever since. Now it’s time for action.

The Program puts you through a series of simple test and surveys and actually rates your health with a number (so you can mark improvement). I will be going through this screening process on December 27th, 2008. After I go through the screening process I will prepare myself to start a program which “Creating Wellness” has custom fit for my body (I start the Custom Program on January 5th 2009).

I will be posting my progress each week as I move through the program. I will let everyone know what I eat each day, what exercise I did, and what I did to strengthen my mind (which is essential to actually making it through the program succesfully).

I NEED A FAVOR

Tomorrow, when the letter comes out, I will be looking for a support group. I am going to need encouragement. I need people to root me on through this process and give me support.

You’re going to see my struggles (this is the scary part for me) and my successes through the program but I’m psyched to show you what you can accomplish for your health if you’re ready to do it…..and have the right information and support.

This isn’t going to be easy….but I want to prove to the people out there who think health is now an impossible goal for them….. that they are wrong.

ONE MORE THING

If you’ve got the guts (and are ready to change) and want to go on the “Creating Wellness” Program with me….(and not just follow along online, which is free!)….then I’ve got an offer for you…..I’m looking for a group of five people….More on that in the newsletter.

-Dr. Ben

The Friday Newsletter! is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

A new study says that we better be checking our waistlines: whether our BMI is normal or not.

Check out this great article at the Telegraph.

Do you use the BMI scale as your primary indicator of total health?

-Dr. Ben

Waistline Risk: The BMI Paradox is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

Yesterday, in Part 1 of the “Look Better Naked Series”, we covered some of the best foods that you can eat to make your naked skin look great. Today we’re going to cover some of the best exercises that you can do to help your body get that toned look.

We’re not going to cover running (Cardio is a Must!), we’re going to cover some quick toning  exercises which you can do to help tighten up quickly. (Small Changes = Big Impact)

2) Back Muscles (Primarily Male)

One of the best things you can do to look better in the buff if you’re a guy is to work on your upper, superficial back muscles (aka Trapezius, Deltoids, and the Upper part of your Latissimus Dorsi ). Your deep back muscles deserve a good workout too, but we’re primarily focusing on the outter muscles (this series deals with our vain side…lol) at the moment.

A few of the best exercises that you can do for your upper back are Chin-ups, Pull-ups, the Dumbell 1 Arm Row, Inverted Rows, and the Mousti pullover. These few exercises will build you a “monster” upper back for the guys, which is a major plus for that “nude” look. Your significant other will notice right away.

3) Leg, Thigh, Buttock (Primarily Female)

A big concern that many women have when trying to get fit is to get their legs, thighs, and buttocks areas more toned. There are really two ways that you can go about toning these areas. The first way is to do an all in one type exercise, such a dance or swimming. The other would be to actually do a series of different leg workouts that focus on each muscle action.
I am more apt to do an exercise which tricks me (because they’re fun) into exercising so I’m going to focus on dance. In almost any gym across the country you can get signed up for a never ending variety of dance classes (these aren’t classes for dancers…they’re for folks who want to dance for fun and exercise.). If gyms aren’t your thing, you can always find some great dance workout video’s for cheap online (See Widget Below), or jump over to youtube and search “dance workout“.

The "Look Better Naked" Guide (Part 2) is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

There is a whole lot more to being healthy than just wanting to live longer and live better. We all secretly want the “added bonuses” of diet and exercise too. You may act all “high and mighty” and say that you want to be exercise and eat right for the heart, skin, etc. benefits. The simple truth is that we all want to look great too (especially naked).

Over the next few days we’re going to give you some quick tips to look your best in the buff. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss anything!

Part 1

“Foods that Make Your Skin Look Amazing!”

Low Fat Dairy

The benefits of consuming low fat dairy products are two fold.
The first thing that is great about dairy products is the fact that they contain a super-charged amount of Vitamin A. Vitamin A reduces the size and secretion of your sebaceous glands. The idea is to reduce the amount of sebum by the sebaceous glands produced, which is a source of nutrients for bacteria. Less bacteria equals smoother looking skin.

The Second benefit you get from Low fat dairy comes in the form of bacteria (which is kind of the flip side of the first benefit). The bacteria which is contained in yogurt and milk, aids in digestion. When your digestive tract is working the way that its supposed to, your going to see a positive effect on your skin.

Favorite Low Fat Dairy Foods- Yogurt, Milk, and Cottage Cheese.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Foods that are chock full of EFAs are Salmon, Walnuts, and Flax Seed (there are many more). An essential fatty acid is responsible for cell membrane health. This is important because a cell’s membrane functions (in part) to keep water in. If you have healthy cells that can hold in moisture, your going to have more supple, younger looking skin.

The added bonus of EFAs is their benefit toward your circulatory system (heart and arteries).

Favorite EFA containing Foods- Salmon, Walnuts, Shrimp (boiled)

Berries

More Specifically, Strawberries, Plums, Blueberries, and blackberries. These four berries pack a super high antioxidant punch. Antioxidants help to protect a cell from free radical damage to a cells membrane. The values of protecting your skin cells from free radicals is that you’re going to have healthier, younger looking skin…and it’s going to look that way for alot longer.

Other High Antioxidant Foods- Prunes, Pecans, Beans.

Foods containing Selenium

Selenium is contained in all kinds of foods, but is most prevalent in Brazil Nuts. You can also find selenium in things like tuna, whole-wheat bread, an turkey. There can be too much of a good thing when it comes to selenium however. Ingesting too much selenium can lead to selenium toxicity.

Water

Water is number one in my book. You can do everything else right and not drink enough water and your skin will still look awful (not to mention the other things that won’t work correctly). Getting the right amount of water keeps your skin hydrated, helps move the nutrients that your skin needs around, and it also helps keep your skin clean and clear through proper sweating (You sweat for a reason!)

While the jury is still out on how much water you actually need per day, a good method is to use the formula below.

The "Look Better Naked" Guide (Part 1) is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

Understand Caloric Input/Outout

1) -Eating to Fuel- The number one thing you need to realize for an effective weight loss plan is how your body uses calories. When you understand what it takes to run your body, you can make minor tweaks to help you gain or lose weight. The formula below is for your average male who completes a bit of light activity during their day. (If you want help figuring out your formula…just ask!)

“Your Weight” X 13 = Needed Calorie Consumption/Day

(example: 185lb male X 13 = 2405 Calories Each day to fuel his body)

2) -Eating to Lose Weight- Pace Yourself. Plan to lose a pound a week, and nothing more, and your body will thank you for it. (The key is to not overstress your system or your mind….Small Changes spread out over time) If you pace yourself it will also protect you from the dreaded “end of diet weight gain”. Losing 1 pound a week can be achieved by doing the following:

• Decrease your intake 500 calories each day (1 pound= 3500 Calories)
• Don’t do this all in one meal (take a little out of each of your 3 meals…or eat 5 small meals)

Example: Our 185lb male would eat 1,905 calories each day (instead of 2,405) and after a week we would see a weight loss of 1lb.

3) -Adding Exercise- This is the question that I have for my readers… “Why deprive yourself of 500 calories of tasty food, when you could easily just cut out 400 (that 100 calories can make a huge difference in how a meal taste), and make up the difference with exercise. Kick up your activity level just a little bit and it will make a huge difference. Give me 15 minutes of your day to run 1 mile (and alot less time after you get used to it) and burn off 100 quality calories. If you start adding other exercises, you can make a bigger difference. The point I’m trying to make is that exercise is awesome, because you get to eat better when you do.

• Decrease 400 calories a day (2800 calories a week)
• Run 1 mile each day (700 Calories burnt…and you’ll feel better than if you diet without it)

Example: Our 185lb male would eat 2005 Calories and run a mile each day. After 1 week he would lose 1lb and would have increase cardiac function, better circulation, and I would bet money that he would feel like a million bucks (after the soreness wore off from getting started…..Soreness is Good!)

I realize that this is a little oversimplified, but the point is that it gets you thinking about how simple it is to start losing weight with some small modifications. If the small amount of math that I did turns you off to the whole thing, have a doctor do it for you. As Always, its a good idea to see a doctor before you begin any sort of weightloss routine. Having help with your weight loss goals is always a good thing.

If you have any questions, please ask!

Dr. Ben

Diets Are Bad for You! But if You Must… is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

I know what your thinking…

What the heck does the state of the US economy have to do with the shape my body is in?

In short, It can have alot to do with it. The average person eats worse, exercises less, and sleeps less when times are tough. If you’re like most people, you may have noticed that your diet/workout schedule has gone to crap in the last few weeks. (For example, I was getting up at 5AM and running at least a mile every morning until we had a family tragedy a few years back… I broke my habit and it was extremely tough to get back to doing any sort of workout after that…and we’re not even going to talk about what my diet looked like for a few months.)

A nation wide financial crisis is no small amount of stress. Its a lot of stress on a lot of people. I want to show you a few quick things that most people do wrong when they’re under stress (that create habits, which carry over into the less stressful times).

1) Not Moving Around: I know this sounds small, but when you aren’t getting any good exercise (30 minutes to and hour of focused activity), at least you can be getting some exercise. Get up from your desk for two minutes and walk around your office. The real benefit doesn’t really come from the physical exercise your getting, however. The real benefit comes from the fact that you’re thinking about being active. This will translate to better times when you have the freedom to hit the gym or go run.

• Keypoint: Don’t let you mind get out of the habit of exercising. Where your mind goes…Your body will follow.

2) Eating Fast Food: There is a reason that the McDonalds Corporation isn’t worried right now. Most people I know heard the rumor that McDonald’s couldn’t get a line of credit to start a new product line. Whether that rumor was true or not (and I didn’t think for a second that it was), what the heck is McDonald’s doing trying to expand in a time of global economic crisis. McDonald’s knows that they aren’t going anywhere, especially in stressful times. Fast food, no matter how bad for us it is, can act as a comfort mechanism. “I’m too busy/tired to cook tonight,” is a phrase that McDonald’s (and all fast food chains) love!

• Keypoint: Resist the urge to eat like crap when your stressed! Make a sandwich at home…You’ll hug your skinnier/healthier self later in thanks!

3) Eating More than Normal: We form habits because our body thrives on habits. It’s the bad ones that get us into trouble. Good habits, like eating on a regular schedule, keep us healthy. Modifying our eating schedule can spell disaster for our health and figure. For example, I am what you would call a “stress eater”. Some people eat less when they’re stressed, but I tend to eat more. The bad part about eating more is that when your body is stressed, it stores fat. Putting in more food than your body is used to (or needs) easily translates into extra pounds when your stressed.

4) Eating Less than Normal: As bad as eating more food than your body needs can be, eating less than it needs is worse. When you miss a meal, it throws your body into “conservation mode”. When your body is in “conservation mode”, it stores fat a lot quicker. So basically, your getting the double whammy here. Not only is your body storing fat because your stressed in general, but the skipped meal tells your body that the situation is dire and that it needs to save more energy (by storing fat). So when you do finally eat that next meal…your body is going to store a lot more in the reserves (fat) than it normally would.

• Key Point: Whatever you do!!! Don’t deviate from your eating schedule.

5) Sweating the Small Things: Now the theme of my blog is Small Things = Big Change. I’m not even going to try to pretend that this point is a small thing, however. Getting stressed by things that matter quickly leads to us getting stressed by things that don’t. The thing that we all have to work on (I struggle with this a lot) is getting to the bottom of what the real problem is and not letting the small stuff matter. When we let the “small stuff” matter, we amplify the stress on our body (which tells it to store more fat and work less efficiently in general). I’ve seen weight loss goals (I’d rather focus on health goals) go out the door because a person couldn’t let go of a million little things, when one major thing was the problem. One major problem can be hard enough, but when you let yourself be pulled in a million directions, forget about staying healthy.

• Key Point: Actively think about what the real source of stress in your life is. Talk to a friend/family member about it. Saying what the real problem is can make all the difference. You have to get rid of the “side-shows” in life.

If you follow me on Flickr, you know this blog started out as the Top 10 things (I write too much though), but I had to cut it down or it would have been a book.

Have a great day and just start by focusing on the 5 things above. You’ll find that just thinking about making changes or avoiding bad habits can make a huge difference in you overall success in life.

Dr. Ben

5 Things YOU Do Wrong When Trying to Stay Fit (Stressed?) is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker