Small Progress Is Still Progress {Video}

Writing feels like my own personal library of information I've learned through the years. I love to share the lessons, thoughts, research, and experiences I've been through. I hope you find it useful for whatever place you're in on your own healthy lifestyle journey. I have begun to dive into recording videos so I can document some of these same principles also. There is a lot of people telling you how to get in shape in 7 days. Tons of content pointing you to a 21- day or 30-day challenges. If that is what you are looking for then it is definitely out there. A healthy lifestyle is one made up of very small daily decisions that add up over time.

You are supposed to fail sometimes.

You should be frustrated at times. 

But as long as you continue to make good decisions then small progress is still progress. 

Transform You | feat. Randall S.

I knew when the doctor told me he wanted to put me on a pace maker I needed to change my lifestyle. ~ Randall S.  Transformation in the dictionary is defined as an act, or process, or dramatic change in form or appearance.

Why is today's society only focused on the end result and not the process? Are you consumed with what other people are thinking about you? Are you trying to fit into a new social circle? Are you trying to impress a loved one or attempting to date again and want to feel comfortable with your self image?

I want to share the story of a friend and a client who battled through yo-yo diets, massive weight loss coupled with massive weight gain, trending exercise routines, endless gym memberships, and the psychological ups and downs he went through to lose 100lbs.

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Growing up I ate a bowl of cereal in the morning, lunch was typically a sandwich with chips. Dinner was normally cooked at home but we had soda and sweet tea with every meal. I would snack on chips or ice cream at night too. ~ Randall S. 

The belief that "a calorie is a calorie" has done much to contribute to the ever worsening health of our society. It's typically even one of the first things dietitians learn in school and it is completely false.

Calories are not created equal, the source of the calories makes all the difference in the world. For example, carbohydrates and fats, or carbohydrates and fat, will cause entirely different metabolic effects. The reason for the difference in metabolic effects is  largely because different nutrients provoke different hormonal responses, and those hormonal responses determine how much fat your body will accumulate and hold on to.

This is why the idea that you can lose weight by counting calories simply doesn't work. Sugars and grains are among the most excessively consumed foods that promotes weight gain and chronic disease.

Another belief that simply isn't true is the idea that obesity is the end result of eating too much and exercising too little; or consuming more calories that you expending.

I got out of the marines in 2001. I slowly gained weight over the next 6 years. I got up to 270lbs in that time frame. I had a 24 hour fitness membership and went but nothing regular or routine. I later gained another 70lbs over the next 2 years and weighed my all time high at 340lbs in 2009. ~ Randall S.

While the first law of thermodynamics does apply to you, in order for you to actually gain a significant amount of weight, research shows us that two things have to take place. You would have to block your sensation of fullness, and your body's ability to burn fat by regulating enzymes responsible for metabolizing fat would have to be impaired. What this means is that in order for you to become severely overweight you must first become leptin resistant. Leptin is a hormone that helps you regulate your appetite. When your leptin levels rise, it signals your body that you’re full, so you’ll stop eating. Refined sugar (in particular highly refined fructose) is exceptionally effective at causing leptin resistance in animals, and it’s also very effective at blocking the burning of fat.

I met Randall at his all time high of 340lbs. We became friends instantly and since then have had a very unique bond. I was able to watch, guide, help, support, and push Randall to regain his lean body. Seeing the ups and downs physically, the highs and the lows emotionally, and the peaks and pitfalls mentally helped shape the coach I am today. Before I met Randall I thought I had it all figured out. But he showed me how much I didn't know and since then has pushed me to new heights. He lost a 100lbs out of the deal but I gained an intense fire to learn more, read more, and write more.

HOW HAS YOUR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY AFFECTED YOU? "I never knew how much my weight was affecting me until I embarked on the journey of losing it once and for all. One thing I know for certain is my sleep patterns were about as inconsistent as the Dallas Cowboys. I snored so loud that it would wake my wife up. I remember gasping for air in the middle of the night because it was so hard to breath. This would affect me the next day because my energy levels would be terrible. The guy in the picture just survived the day. I would be so tired during the day that I would often times fall asleep at the wheel. I would catch my mind wondering during meetings as if I had transcended myself somewhere else while an important conversation was happening. I couldn't even stay focused on simple task at home. Things had gotten so bad that my endurance to even be intimate with my wife became a challenge. Nobody has time for that."

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WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE WHO JUST STARTED OUT OR IS HOPING TO START POSITIVELY EFFECTING THEIR HEALTH? WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR CHALLENGES? "A few pieces of advice that I would give someone who is starting there weight loss journey or on a quest to improve their health is one meal doesn't make you fat just like one workout doesn't make you skinny. It is a long process. Take it from a person who has gained and lost 50 pounds more than once. Make a plan and stick to it. I started off slow. I focused on my diet first. I used to drink diet soda, sweet tea, too much sugar in my coffee, boat loads of snacks, and I had episodes of stress eating all the time. I worked to eliminate those first and saw some great weight loss from it. Once I created that habit I started in the gym. It was a hard habit to create and brought on a lot of ups and downs but I learned a lot about myself during that time."

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"Kelvin had me just do 15 minutes of cardio on the elliptical and some very light weights to begin with. We slowly increased what I did in the gym month by month. This was frustrating because I was a college football player and I used to be a Hoss. Now I'm lifting 10lb dumbbells and it hurts. But I had to forget about everything going on around me and in the past. I am creating a new and better me and I can not worry about the guy next to me lifting 100lbs or the lady that is out leg pressing me. They have their goals and I have mine."

"Since I know when I am going to the gym to workout I know to pack my bag the night before to eliminate any excuse I may come up with. I go to the gym 3 times per week. Kelvin plans my WebFit workouts for about an hour for each of those days and I typically go on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to avoid the huge crowds."

"I used to make myself feel guilty about going to the gym. This is something I struggle with and is a hard mind set to change. I have an amazing wife and child! I want to spend as much time with them as possible. So I like to rush home after work to see them. I used to think that taking the 1 to 2 hours it takes for me to get to the gym, workout, and drive home was a selfish act and taking away from them. This changed when the doctor told me that I was on the fast track to have a heart attack before 40 if I didn't change my lifestyle. My mindset started to shift and now I continuously tell myself how much more time and energy will I have to spend with them later if I take care of myself now. The selfish act was actually me being unhealthy. They deserve the best of me and nothing short of it. I noticed I could not give that to them if I did not take care of myself better than I had been."