Well… day one was not as bad as I thought it would be. When I woke up this morning, I weighed myself as I usually do and noted a 3 pound loss putting me under the 240 mark for the first time and what seems like forever. I’m pretty sure that is just an anomaly, but it was nice to see you in the morning.

As I thought… Writing a blog every day is going to be a bigger challenge than staying on this plan. It’s 9 o’clock at night and I had my final meal at 8:30. Still doing pretty good and actually feel shall I say much more energetic? I don’t know it’s kind of a positive vibe. Very abnormal.

My wife is pretty hungry throughout the day yesterday, but she also indicated that today was easier. And she also experienced the weight loss. She checked a second scale just to make sure. He can certainly be a loss of water weight, but we both drank so much of it, that we would be surprised!

Today’s meals included ranch puffs, some penne pasta, a couple of shakes and a lemon zest bar. Honestly not too bad! Be sure to check out the Fueling taste chart to get my feedback!

Well, off to bed! I’ll post more in the morning!

Fueling	Taste	Texture	Smell	Look	Overall Impressions
Raisin Oat Cinnamon Crisp Bar	5/10	5/10	8/10	9/10	Too sweet for my taste, Dry
Carmel Delight Crisp Bar	7/10	8/10	8/10	8/10	Good taste, just dry
Creamy Chocolate Shake	8/10	8/10	8/10	7/10	Very good taste and texture
Wild Strawberry Shake	7/10	8/10	8/10	7/10	Not bad, just needs to be cold
Jalapeno Cheddar Poppers	5/10	8/10	8/10	7/10	Bland crunch with a hint of spice
Ranch Puffed Snacks	10/10	10/10	10/10	9/10	Yum. Just wish the package was bigger
Mocha Blast Shake	3/10	8/10	8/10	8/10	Eek – Underwhelming
Creamy Vanilla Shake	6/10	8/10	8/10	8/10	Good w/Coffee
Essential Rustic Tomato Herb Penne	10/10	10/10	10/10	10/10	Great Dish!

Day one… Ground Zero… Honestly I’m not sure what to call it. This blog starts like I’m sure many others do I guess; at the start of a journey.

I started this blog to act as an accountability journal of sorts. I’ve never been really good at sticking with habits in general and typically never make it past the first two weeks. I hope that this is different.

Ever since I can remember, I have struggled with my weight and my self-image. I have started and quit multiple times trying to get into shape and lose weight. In part, because I want to feel better about myself, but in reality, I want to be around for a bit! The CDC considers my 242.5 starting weight on a 6 foot 2 inch frame to be “Obese”. It also considers the healthy weight for someone my height to be between 144 and 194. Seriously? The last time I remember being close to that is when I left US Army basic training at 196 lbs and I honestly don’t think I looked healthy. I am just a big guy and I am ok with that, but I certainly would benefit from “dropping a few” to move into the comfortably Overweight BMI category.

Today, December 13, 2021, is a start of a new attempt to create healthy balance in my life, but this time I am not on this journey alone as I am on it with my wife of 20 years. My wife too began to struggle with her body and self-image recently and that was the catalyst I needed to try something new.

We are kicking off the Optavia Optimal 5&1 plan. It’s a plan that incorporates five “Fuelings” and one sensible meal that includes lean meat a green vegetables (I know… what are those?). I have to be honest in stating that I am nervous about the restrictive nature of this program and also freaking out about the cost, but I know it works. I have seen a number of friends and family scattered throughout social media that have tried and been successful with this program. They have openly share about their experiences and success in losing weight and becoming healthier in their lifestyle. I am pretty skeptical on thigs, but I don’t think there’s a more powerful marketing story in the world than being closest to the people that have found success in product or service. That doesn’t mean it works for everybody, and it certainly doesn’t mean it’s going to work for me. However, it’s certainly worth a shot.

My hope is that each day I leave you with a little bit more insight from my journey as well as an attempt to share the good, bad and ugly in an unfiltered and un-biased way. I look forward to connecting with you again tomorrow!

Today’s Fuelings: Raisin Oat Cinnamon Crisp Bar, Carmel Delight Crisp Bar, Creamy Chocolate Shake, Wild Strawberry Shake & Jalapeno Cheddar Poppers