I first met Jim some years back – his wife Claudia is a close friend of my wife Sherry!
Jim is a very large man – standing 6’5 ” of taller!
He loves to cook and always was making BBQ for his employees!
Claudia was interested in what Sherry was doing for her health.
Then – Jim became interested.
He sent me this email – I had no idea he was writing it.
It is such a story of health and a journey for a individual
who one day said enough is enough!
IN HIS OWN WORDS – JIM MARTIN!
My name is Jim Martin, and I am 65 years old. I live in Reston, Virginia, I still maintain a full-time job.
Heaviest Weight: 350 pounds
Current Weight: 260 pounds
I struggled with my weight my entire adult life. It led to binge eating and weight gain. Before trying Juice Plus, I had done yo-yo diets my whole life. My weight has gone up and down 50 to 80 pounds over the years, but nothing ever stuck.
Before Juice Plus, a typical day consisted of a lack of sleeping of no more that 4 to 5 hours a night and grabbing either a breakfast burrito with an apple juice or a chicken biscuit from a drive thru. I would go to work at my incredibly stressful sales job from 7:30-4:30 and get little to no movement at work. I would always eat out for lunch and pick very unhealthy options—sometimes I would even get dessert (cookies) with lunch! After work I would come home and eat dinner around 6:30 pm and sit on the couch until it was time for bed. Before bed, I would usually have ice cream or another dessert. Sometimes I would wake up and get a “midnight snack.” I was literally eating around the clock.
The first time I heard about Juice Plus was almost a year ago. I was not into fitness at the time, but back then I thought Juice Plus would help me lose weight and promote a good immune system. However, after years of putting on weight, I started learning more about it and decided I wanted to give it a try and joined the “Shred Your Way” Facebook group.
My turning point came on January 6, 2020 with the “Shred Your Way” Sugar Shred Challenge, No sugar for 10 days. As a result of completing this challenge, I have completely removed sugar from my diet for the past 11 months. I have no sugar cravings or desire to eat sweets as I did in the past. This all happened two months prior to the COVID lockdown and I was stress eating like crazy. It was a Monday morning and I stepped on the scale that I had been avoiding for months. After I read it, I just said, “That’s enough.” Something had to change.
My goal when I started this journey was to be in better shape than I was when I was 45. Back then, I was 260 pounds and less than 20% bodyfat. From the start of this journey to get healthy, I told myself that I wanted to be in better shape in the next year than I was in the last.
I found that adding Fasting, Healthy eating and Walking to my journey
I loved it so much, I added the Fasting (Zero Fast), Food Monitoring (MyFitnessPal) and Walking (Fitbit) apps to help me stay on track. It has been a huge help in my journey. Tracking the fast, steps, and foods It helps me to see trends, and with that I can make adjustments. I love being able to look back and see how I have done. The Shred Your Way Facebook group has also been a great source of motivation.
I currently follow a 16:8 fasting schedule, walking 8 to 10 miles a day, and eating about 1500 to 1800 calories a day, while trying to keep it flexible. Most days I end up following 17:7 Fasting, 25,000 steps and 1600 calories. I change my fasting times to suit my lifestyle. If I want to go out and have a big dinner with my wife, I will just do a longer fast leading up to it, so I stay in a deficit. And some days when I am hungry, I will break my fast at 13-14 hours (minimum of 13 hours to be considered fasting). I listen to my body and hunger signals. That is what I love about intermittent fasting—it is all about flexibility.
The first few mornings I started fasting I was so hungry, but honestly by the second week my body had adapted well. That is part of the reason I have been able to do this so long (coming up on 7 months). It is not a struggle for me to follow the plan.
Aside from the weight loss, fasting gives me freedom from food, walking gives me the movement I need and Juice Plus give me a healthy immune system. I no longer feel like food is my source of comfort. I can focus my thoughts and feelings more. I also did change my overall diet. I discovered tons of extremely healthy choices. However, that is another writing exercise.
Here is what I typically eat in a day:
Breakfast: Black coffee, breakfast cereal (Ezekiel or Sola brands, no/exceptionally low sugar) blueberries, raspberries, almond milk, and chia seeds.
Lunch: Arnold whole wheat bread or a Mission brand low carb whole wheat wrap, turkey or ham, mustard, lettuce., tomato and Kettle Brand avocado and Himalaya salt potato chips.
Dinner: Taco Bowl (steak, brown rice, pinto beans, salsa, cheese,) Kevin Brand Chicken entrees with steam veggies.
Snacks: Mixed nuts or, protein shake (1G or less sugar) or apple or protein bar (2G or less sugar)
Dessert: 1oz70% Dark Chocolate
I feel completely different now that I added fasting and walking to my Juice Plus daily routine. I no longer have a need to eat wasteful and harmful foods like sugar. Before, I would always eat a huge lunch and then be worthless for hours afterwards. Now, I experience the mental clarity that comes from eating the right foods, fasting, and walking. I am tracking all my calories in MyFitnessPal because I wanted to stay in a deficit, which was key for weight loss. I aim to eat 1,800 calories each day. I walk 7 days a week. It has been great.
These three changes contributed the most to my weight loss success.
Change 1: I gave myself more than a year to reach my goal.
By taking a longer-view approach, I do not get discouraged by little missteps. I still have plenty of time to reach my goal. When you set a short timeframe to reach your goal, you can get discouraged if it does not happen “fast” enough.
Change 2: I focused on healthy eating at first. I’ve done diets before, and when you change everything in the first week, you drain yourself of willpower and end up falling off the wagon. I just focused on finding healthy food choices that minimize or eliminate SUGAR. SUGAR is the killer of any plan that includes weight loss or a good immune system.
Change 3: I do not get discourage… focus on the big picture
Life happens, and if I get down on myself for being human, that is not going to help me in the future. So instead, I give myself grace and understand this will happen. I acknowledge it and move on instead of making myself feel like a failure. I could barely walk a mile without resting, now I can complete a 10K in less that two hours. It takes one step at a time.
I hope my successful journey can help other archive the life changing experience this has been for me. I think the most rewarding part about making this change has been the mental clarity and focus that comes in the last few hours before breaking a fast. I do not feel mentally drained. But the weight loss has made the biggest difference. It is going to allow me to live an active life well into old age. If I had continued putting on weight, I would have been in extremely poor health within the next five years. But now I feel strong, and I do not feel deprived.
The new Jim Martin – at 260 lbs.
As a side note – Claudia Martin has literally folllowed in Jim’s footsteps.
All the grand kids and their parents with Sherry and myself.
When this picture was taken – the only thing we had planned
was for her 16th. birthday – we would take Ella to Florida with us for a week.
She would go to Hollywood studios to see Star Wars!
When each grand child turns 16 – we do something special with them.
Maddy wanted to swim with the Manatee’s and we did that!
Growing up in the ’60’s – we never imagined taking trips with grandparents – mine were all gone by the time I was 16!
As the year progressed – plans were made and soon – we would leave for one month in Florida.
But first – quality time with the young ones.
I will for the rest of life see this as MORMOR and Taylor – walking hand in hand to church!
Although now she is only ten years old – she comes up to just under Sherry’s chin.
She is going to be very tall and loves horse back riding!
2019 was also the year we had friends from AZ. come to visit – and accomplished crossing off everything on their bucket list to see in DC. This is a reflection of Sherry among the ghosts of the Korean War.
Many friends visited over the 21 years we lived outside D.C.
We acted as tour guides – and in the year past – we toured almost every facility
there was to visit including the Capital Building which was a first for us!
The year in review – blessings will continue in the next blog!
We also venture to outside Raleigh – N.C. to visit her sister.
Here – we went to a farm that had what are called BELTED COWS – GOATS & CHICKENS!
They are white with a black belt around the middle!
Never heard of this and never saw this before!
Standing outside the pen with the goats – chickens and cows at the BELTED FARM!
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A YEAR IN REVIEW WITH BLESSINGS WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT BLOG!
I love this picture – I told Sherry we need to get it blown up and framed!
And – it all happened in a space of two or thee minutes!
Maddy took her phone – while we all just sort of found a place –
put it up and braced it on a tree limb –
set the timer for 6 seconds and “BOOM”
there it was!
We went back to the new trail – but this time – the whole family went!
This family hikes all the time – that is their form of family time together!
Mike will take the older two – Maddy and Ella – overnight hiking!
He would take Sarah – but she is into more like N.Y.City hiking!
Sarah – but she is the adventure type – always climbing – swinging from vines – exploring woods and meadows.
She is the one I think really likes it but has aspirations of one day dancing – acting – fashion –
But once you do get her out there – no boundry is off limits – being the free spirit she is!
Ella – come on – follow me!
Ella is 5 ‘ 8 1/2 ” Sarah who just turned 14 – I think will be taller – both taking after their grand mother Sherry – who is 5’ 9″
We made it a family day hiking – where Debby – Sherry and I had gone the day before!
A new trail within the city limits of Winchester Va.
When it is completed – with all the side trails and loops
you pretty much can get a easy five miles in!
YEP! there are also pastures and cows!Walking the trail – Ella Maddy Sarah Mike Papa the trail is made of crushed limestone the whole way! Easy to walk on and not trip!
This day was somewhat cool but warm in the Sun!
And we made a day of it as long as we could.
Many volunteers keep this project going
helping to clear out brush
and maintaining the cut area’s!
There is a farm silo – which you can walk into – and look up and see this. A hand crank on the wall – makes these turn in opposite directions – providing the look of birds soaring in the clouds!A old farm tractor just sitting there offering a photo opportunity!Thank you for reading Papa’s World – where friends like you meet our family!Sarah on one of the many standing sculptures along the path!Daughter and Mother – living life to the plus – one day at a time!
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Papa (Tom) & MorMor ( Sherry) Swede for Mothers Mother
The night before we came back home to N.VA. – we drove 45 minutes South
Near Pawley’s Island S.C
to “BROOK GREEN”!
( and we will go back in warmer weather – to see it again in daylight!)
Huge Oak trees – with hanging lights – almost from the top!Reflections in the water of lights!
The whole place – hundreds of acres – is dressed up in colored themes –
and over 1000 candles lit by hand!
Bronze statues are everywhere!
Some of the 1000 candles lit by hand!Candles and lights – everywhere we went – a different theme – and colorful lights!
There were food trucks and a tent set up with drinks – hot chocolate – coffee and tea as well as water – soft drinks and beer!
So many different areas lit up – hard to capture them all!You had to stay on the paths – and after dark – you could easily get lost in the maze of light!Hanging moss lit up!Paper lanterns lit in red and white colors!Like fire flies in the sunset!Sculptures with light reflecting on the water!
There must be a lot of volunteers to do all of this!
And – we only saw part of the park –
there also is a zoo here but was closed!
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WISHING YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
First you gather the ingredients – then you gather the grand daughters and their mother!Mother ( Debby) Ella Sarah Sherry ( grand ma) Maddy
Memories are made each year during the holidays –
making Christmas cookies is one of them!
Sherry has done this for years – and they all love it!
They laugh and laugh at her and with her!
The results – or a small fraction of the results – all decorated by each of the grand daughters!
She teaches them her heritage and is passed down generation to generation.
Sherry is Swedish – her grand mother was born in Sweden.
She is 5 ‘ 9″ tall – and Ella is almost as tall – Sarah will be that also and Taylor at 10 years old
comes up to her chin!
The temptations are there – YUMMY!She is a educator – teaching them to be themselves – honor – compassion and self worth!
Respect is what they have for her.
Admiration – and laughing – both at her and with her.
Going shopping with Grandma!
MEMORIES for a lifetime!
Ella Sarah Sherry
We will come up once more and spend a couple days and Christmas eve.
Then we will go back to Tammy’s for Christmas day!
The little ones are so excited and she made cookies with them also!
To them she is not grand ma – but MORMOR – mother’s mother in Swedish!
After Christmas we will once again head back to S.C.
Knowing that Memories were once again made
and captured into this blog
for future reading – seeing !
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WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY
FAMILY MEETS FRIENDS!
MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway
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My little contribution to the cookie making!ELLA will be on a soccer team in college – and will play against her sister Maddy at the University of Lynchburg!
