#1 The Wellness Program

The Wellness Program has been a smashing success. I am currently 20 lbs down and I continue to lose. I have more energy than I’ve had in years and I can see the results starting to rub off on other people (if that doesn’t make any sense…then you haven’t hung out with me in the last 3 months).

#2 The New Company

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you may have heard me hinting about this one. I don’t want to give much away yet, but I’ve been working on this with a few people for the last 6 months or so. In the next 3 months or so I will be announcing things. We begin our Big Market Testing soon and I’m excited to see how it compares to what we’ve done locally. I’ll Keep you posted (a company website will probably go live in the next few months).

#3 The Summer Show Plan

My TV and Video Game habit have pretty much become things of the past, which has freed me up to do alot of other things. I plan on squeezing in a few music shows this summer in the SEMO and NEAR areas. No locked dates by any means…but it’s looking good.

#4 Memphis in May

For everyone who has asked…Kelli (The Wife) and I will be attending. We can’t wait to see familiar faces!

That’s all for now…

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter at twitter.com/benadkins and add me as a friend on facebook.

Detox Just To Retox is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

This Post is part of Dr. Ben’s “Fitness 2009″ program. To follow Dr. Ben’s progress every week, visit the main “Fitness 2009″ page.

Failure and Bouncing back……

Those are the themes of week 5 and 6.

Week 5

If I learned anything at all in week 5, it was to trust what you blog in week 4 (haha). If you remember, in the “Week 3-4 Review” post I talked about how, for my weight, it was important that I only lose around 2 lbs. per week. I warned my readers that if I lost much more than that, that I would most likely “rebound”.

Well…. In week 5 I had my worst week yet.

I started off really tearing it up in week five. I was down around 4 lbs in the first few days (which I knew would turn around and  bite me in the ass. Sure enough, I went out and ate on Saturday night (a meal bigger than my usual 300-400 calories) and by Monday Morning I had only lost half a pound for the week. Now normally, one “off” meal wouldn’t hurt my progress, but I had lost too much weight at once, and my body went into “Rebound” mode.

I was very discouraged last week. In all failures, however, we learn something.

On to week 6…..

Week 6

At the beginning of week 5 I was really bummed out because I hadn’t lost much (total) weight in the previous week. I really wanted to hit it hard and exercise like crazy and not eat much…..

But the “Smarter Me” prevailed. I decided to stick to my program and goals. I didn’t modify my exercise or diet, and instead I opted to keep going with what had gotten me this far.

I am proud to announce that at the end of Week 5 (coming into Week 6) I had lost 3 and a half pounds.  In short…I rebounded from the rebound.

I am currently at 213 lbs (I started at 229 lbs).

I am at a milestone….I am around 2-3 lbs from being the weight I was when I was in highschool. I’m pretty excited to see if I can hit it.

I’ll let you know next week

-Dr. Ben

Week 5 and 6 is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

This Post is part of Dr. Ben’s “Fitness 2009″ program. To follow Dr. Ben’s progress every week, visit the main “Fitness 2009″ page.

Let me start off by saying sorry for missing a week of posting my progress (hence the “week 3-4″ review together). The ice storm that hit the “midwest” hit me as well and I was without electricity for a little while and without internet for even longer.

With that said, let’s get down to business.

In both week 3 and week 4 I lost 2 lbs (each week) for a grand total of four pounds. I started the “Fitness 2009″ program a month ago at 229 lbs and as of this past Monday I weighed 217 lbs.

My energy continues to be through the roof and I am consistently losing 2 lbs each week. This is exactly where I want to be.

So Why is it so Important that I only lose 2lbs per week?

Even though it can be especially frustrating to lose 2 lbs or below when you have alot to lose….it’s essential to not lose too much too quickly.

Minus the initial plunge……(Which usually happens when you first start a good fitness program) you should aim to lose less than two lbs per week (2 lbs is the absolute upper limit).

If you start losing more weight than 2lbs per week then your opening yourself up to gain it back….and quickly. You don’t want to make your body think that its starving and thereby cue it to store energy as fat any chance it gets.

If your losing under 2lbs per week, then that one night of bad eating isn’t going to bite you in the ass as much.

THE RULE: TRY TO KEEP WEIGHT LOSS UNDER 2LBS PER WEEK….

It’s healthier and it will last for the long haul.

If you skipped the box above…go back and read it….

So what have I changed since I started the program. (Every fitness program needs to adapt as you go)

1) I stopped charting my food after a month. I got to the point where I could maintain my daily calorie intake without having to chart everything. I didn’t get to this point over night. It took me a while and I still look up “new meals” that I’m not sure about. I eat alot…….it’s all about eating the right things and “pacing” (If you have no idea what “Pacing” is then make sure to sign up for the Newsletter because we’ll be talking in depth about pacing in February’s version (Which comes out this Friday so hurry and sign up!)

2) I run a little more than I did in the half of the month (1.5 mile a day or a mile at a faster pace).

3) I make sure that I don’t stress too much over my failure (like when I sleep in and miss my morning workout). Failures are okay as long as you make them up.

-Dr. Ben

Week 3-4 Review is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

This Post is part of Dr. Ben’s “Fitness 2009″ program. To follow Dr. Ben’s progress every week, visit the main “Fitness 2009″ page.

Week 2 is Done!

Anyone who has been on a Fitness program or diet knows that week 2 is HARD. Week 2 is when the “new” starts to wear off and you start to stuggle to find motivation. My number one goal for week 2 was to make it out alive. Minus one mistep…I did that. Read on for more.

Major Changes

I didn’t really try to do anything different than what I did in Week 1 because I didn’t want to overdue things (this is a marathon…not a sprint). I really just tried to stick to the core strengths of Week 1 (if it isn’t broke…don’t fix it). The theme of week 2 was “STICK TO IT!!!”

The Results

DISCLAIMER: I know this is the section that everyone will be looking at, but make sure you read the “Why it Worked” section that comes next….that’s where the big information will be.

1) Weight Loss

I went from 229 lbs to 223lbs in Week 1. This week (Week 2) I went from 223 to just under 221. I lost a little over 2 lbs. This is exactly where I wanted to be after Week 2, so I am ecstatic. My “Week 2″ is a model of what a healthy week of weight loss should be. Considering that I took Friday off (from my exercise routine) I am pretty psyched.

2) Increased Energy

My energy was great this week. My focus on work and on other activities has gained a boost as a result. It’s like my brain has been struggling to keep up for the last 4 years and all of a sudden it’s like life is trying to catch up with me….pretty damn cool.

3) I Look (even) Better

I went shopping over the weekend and tried on new clothes… That’s always a huge test of any program your on… Let’s just say I spent some money Best shopping trip in 3 years.

Why it Worked

I once again addressed 3 main areas (which is the focus of the “Creating Wellness” Program that I’m on for “Fitness 2009) all at once.

1) Exercise (Physical)

The exercise regime sucked this week. I got it in (except for Friday), but It was 10 times harder this week to get up at 5AM and run or do strength training. The day I missed (Friday) didn’t have much to do with being tired (although that was my “excuse” most of the day). It had more to do with my “head”. I lost motivation for a split second and I fell back asleep that morning. I was mad at myself all weekend because of it. This week will go without a “miss”. I guarantee it

2) Food (Biochemical)

Eating was so much easier this week. Week 1 taught me alot about portions and calorie content and I carried it over into week 2. I ate good….and I really didn’t miss any of the old food I wasn’t eating… I highly recommend browsing online and finding some of your favorite restaurants sites. Check out their menu’s nutritional content. Is that Salad that you’ve been eating really that healthy? (My food intake for Week 2)

MY RULE FOR EATING:

1) 6-8 Meals per day

2) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner are around 400 calories (I used to hit 800-1200 per meal…yikes!)

3) The other “Snack-type” meals are 200-300 calories.

(Keep in mind that the  calorie content of my meals are tailored to my bodies needs…which was 2,256 calories in Weeks 1 and 2 and will probably stay that way until I stall)

3) Mind (Mental)

I waivered this week in my motivation (Friday….still mad about it) and as bad as I feel about it, I will be using it as motivation to kick it into high gear this week (If you had seen me run this morning you would understand….I rocked it hard).

I learned alot about myself through the failure. I learned that toward the end of the week I’m going to need an extra kick. I’m working on a few things to make sure that I’m just as geared up on Friday as I am on Monday…I’ll let you know about them later.

Conclusion

Week 2 was a great learning experience. I am right on track to achieve my goals and most importantly I learned a little more about the challenges that my patients face when they are on this program (The Creating Wellness Program is the program that I am using…in case you missed that in earlier post).

Week 3 is going to be great… I’m recalibrating a few parts of my program. I’m feeling stronger every day and I want to do whatever it takes to maintain this feeling (and the physical changes are nice too…lol)

-Dr. Ben

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

So I got through Week 1 of “Fitness 2009” and I am simply amazed. I’m not saying this to toot my own horn…I am seriously blown away by what I accomplished in 1 week…. and in a healthy way.

Let’s get started with the Week 1 Review…

Major Changes

1) Eating Better and More Often

I went from eating 3 meals a day (most of the time) to eating 6-8 meals a day. My meals consist of around 200-400 calories and I eat every 2-3 hours (I don’t really time it though….I just eat when I get hungry again and it usually comes out to about every 2-3 hours). (My Week 1 Food intake)

I absolutely love eating like this. The hardest part was doing it for the first few days. I wasn’t used to making it to my next meal and “needing” food. The first two days I wasn’t used to eating like this and every 2-3 hours I just felt extremely hungry… I ate a small amount and then I was good for another 2-3. Once I got my rhythm down my “energy” shot through the roof. By day 3 I was like a rocket waiting to go off. It was amazing (especially considering my next major change).

2) Getting up in the 5′s

My rule to live by now is getting up when there is still a “leading 5″ on the clock. This absolutely sucked the first few days, but it played a big role in my week 1 routine. I would get up around 5-5:15AM and run a mile (or do aerobics, yoga, strength training, etc) and then I would eat my first meal.

This was a sharp contrast to my getting up at 7-7:15 (I get to work around 8AM). I have a ton of energy in the morning now and my patients have already noticed the change…and so have I. (not to mention that I get to catch the morning version of Sportscenter and still have time to play a little guitar if I want…all before work)

3) Decreased Soda Intake

I haven’t had a “non-diet” soda for over a week and that was a huge step. I am drinking some caffeine free diet sodas (which I plan to start cutting back this week) but the change away from caffeine and sugar enriched sodas was a big accomplishment for Week 1 of “Fitness 2009″. (If you don’t understand why this was huge….try quitting a 2-4 a day caffeinated soda habit cold turkey)

4) Increased Water Intake

This one was huge!!! I went from mayber drinking 16 ounces of water a day to drinking 60-80 ounces a day. All I can say is….everything seems to be working better . I attribute the weight loss to this as much as I do my modified dietary intake.

The Results

I know this is the section that everyone will be looking at, but make sure you read the “Why it Worked” section that comes next….that’s where the big information will be.

1) Weight Loss

I went from 229 lbs to 223lbs in one week. My weight dropped by 6 lbs in Week 1 (which is way more than I was looking for) and it got me alot closer to my goal. (I’ve lost more in one week…but it was in such an unhealthy way…and guess what…it always came back really quick)

Listen when I say this…… “It was the easiest weight I’ve ever lost and I feel amazing”.

2) Increased Energy

For those of you that don’t know what I’m talking about I know that it pisses you of when you hear people say this. It pissed me off too (lol). But I can honestly say that I “get it” now. Even when I’m tired I feel like I have a ton of energy. What I mean by this is that my “sluggishness” has been history since day 2 of the program.

3) I Look Better

I’m not going to say alot on this one because it makes me feel a tad bit vain, but I can’t tell you how many people have told me they notice how much different I look after only a week… It kind of rocks.

Why it Worked

I addressed 3 main areas (which is the focus of the “Creating Wellness” Program that I’m on for “Fitness 2009) all at once.

1) Exercise (Physical)

It was a slow, hard start…but considering my exercise regime was nil before I started, I expected it to be tough. I am doing a mile at least 3x a week and then throughing in other aerobic and muscle balancing exercises (my weapon of choice is a “Wii Fit”). The “Wii Fit” and Running has been great…but I attribute the success mostly to my dietary changes….which brings me to….

2) Food (Biochemical)

I didn’t eat anything crazy…I just monitored my portions. Instead of 3 meals at 500-1000 calories each, I am doing 6-8 at 200-400. My metabolism has skyrocketed. You can check out exactly what I ate by clicking here. I did screw up one day (Tuesday I ate way below my calorie goal….and wouldn’t you know it…I lost the least amount of weight I had all week on that day…it’s all about giving your body enough energy to burn fat).

3) Mind (Mental)

This is the hardest part for most people. I knew that to be succesful I needed alot of mental stimulation. I needed motivation to carry me when my will to get up at 5AM was waivering…that came from two places…..

a) This being a public thing (plastered on my blog, facebook, twitter, and myspace) has keep me strong because I don’t want to let my readers and friends see me fail (GREAT MOTIVATION).

b) My Wellness Ladder: The clinic where I work is amazingly supportive and we have a “ladder” that manages my progress. Every patient that comes through the door sees how well I am doing….so I’m not going to let them down.

Conclusion

All I can say is that Week 1 was amazing. I lost way more weight than I thought I would and I did it in a healthy way (except on Tuesday…I ate 6 times that day but never enough calories).

I don’t expect week 2 to be so dramatic but I’m excited to see where it takes me.

-Dr. Ben

Week 1 Review is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

I got out of bed at around 5:00AM and got a mile in on the treadmill. I did a little “Wii Fit” to round out the morning.

I actually did more this morning than what I had planned for my first day on the program (I don’t want to overdue it… Pacing myself)

At the end of the week I’ll post my daily food intake (for each day of the week), exercise regime, as well as a few other tidbits. Make sure to check out my “Progress Page” for a detailed weekly breakdown starting this Sunday.

This Morning’s Workout Playlist

1) Breath by Breaking Benjamin (get it?!?….lol)

2) Feel Good Drag by Anberlin

3) I Don’t Care by Fallout Boy

4) Thriller by Fallout Boy

5) Hum Hallelujah by Fallout Boy

6) Stronger by Kanye West

WOOT!

-Dr. Ben

Day 1 (Fitness 2009) is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

2009 is officially here and it’s almost time (January 5th is day 1) to start the Fitness 2009 program. If you haven’t signed up for the “Drbenadkins.com Newsletter” yet, then you should jump on it now. The newsletter will be packed with a ton of things that won’t be on the blog (that will help you follow along with the Fitness 2009 program).

So the other day I listed my goals for the “Fitness 2009″ program and promised that I would give you my starting stats for the program. This is my “BEFORE” stats….I can’t wait to see the “After”.

Dr. Ben’s Starting Stats

Height- 5’10″

Weight- 229

BMI- 32.93 (My BMI score is always skewwed toward the high end because of my build…but I’m interested to see the change).

Body Fat Percentage- 25.53 (GAG!)

Lean Muscle Mass- 170.54 lbs

Blood Pressure- 143/81 (I always run high but this is a few points over my norm)

Seated Heart Rate- 86 beats per minute (Not Good…Gotta work on this)

Lung Capacity- 6.30 Liters (Not going to improve this…lol…but nice to know)

MOST IMPORTANTLY

MY Wellness Quotient (This Number takes everthing into account and grades me)

64 Challenged

For an explanation of what the Wellness Quotient is Click here.

This is an abbreviated version of my stats. You can get my full Wellness Report by Clicking Here (PDF). This is the exact evaluation that all of our patients go through when they go on the “Creating Wellness” Program.

I must comment and say that posting all this was very scary…but there you go…I’m out there…I challenge you to challenge yourself and follow me on this journey. Let’s see how great we can be.

Fitness 2009 is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

I wanted to outline my goals for the program so that you can follow my progress.

The 10 week program begins on January 5th and ends on March 23rd (although the good habits formed will last….at least thats the plan)

MY Short Term GOALS FOR “FITNESS 2009“

1 ) Lose 20lbs of fat (I want to replace some of that with muscle)

2 ) Cut my soda intake down to one a week (if that) (Too Much Sugar in Sodas!)

3 ) Convert my Current 3 meal a day plan to 5 or more (small meals)

4 ) Lock in a Budgeting System (I have a decent system…but need a better one)

5 ) Go out and socialize more (I stay in too much and work in off hours)

6 ) Schedule…Schedule…Schedule (It’s been a good 7 years since I was able to establish a schedule and have a chance to sticking to it… now is the time)

7 ) Cook More (I love cooking…but I got out of the habit)

8 ) Sleep More (my 6 hrs needs to become 8hrs)

9 ) Up by 5 Every Morning

MY Long Term GOALS FOR FITNESS 2009

(Goals that I won’t reach in the 10 weeks but will be on my way to achieving at the end of the program)

1) Run 20 miles a week

2) Finish my 2nd CD (The “Scheduling” should help with this.

3) Help more people learn how to live better (Fitness 2009 is a step)

My Starting Stats (Weight, BMI, etc.) will be coming later this week….

Stay tuned…The fun starts next week.

We Start Next Monday… is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker

I have been getting ready for our “Fitness 2009″ Program and I came across a great set of exercises that are great for toning, but don’t take that long.

I thought that I should share.

You can check them out right here.

-Dr. Ben

Fast Workouts that Really Work is a post from: DrBenAdkins.com - Serial Progress Seeker