Since the story ran in the paper...

I've received three calls.

One was from someone who called my house. Kind of creepy. Anyway, really nice, well meaning lady. She ended up hooking us up with Juice Plus.

Another call was from a guy named Bart, who used to attend a church that I served. When he called, I thought he was going to sell me something too. I couldn't have been more wrong. He called to genuinely wish me luck and said that he used to be a trainer and was willing to help me accomplish my goal.

Of course...I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop..."at what cost?" I"m thinking...

Nothing. He'll do it for free! Man, that is so sweet.

Then the last call was from some dude, allegedly a believer, who was going to try to sell me some snake oil magic pill, etc.

I can't imagine the phone calls McNutt is receiving, especially if I'm just one person he's inspired.

I'm happy with three.

So I'm scared...

I guess this is as good of a place as any to say it.

I'm scared.

I haven't worked out in...let's see...how many days...exactly two weeks.

Now, I did roof a house last week, which killed me, but that was last Wed, Thurs, and Friday.

Since then...nothing.

It's quarter after midnight tonight...and I want to sleep. I don't want to get up early.

And I don't want to keep a food log. I want to eat whatever I want.

And that's exactly what got me here.

I may not excercise first thing in the morning...but I will do an hour of cardio tomorrow.

And before that...I'll weigh in.

I've got to.

I've got to do something.

And then I'll call Bart.

And then...I'll be back.

McNutt is off the show...for now

Okay, so I'm stalking Matthew McNutt. He was the youth guy that inspired me to do the Wichita's biggest loser thing. And he didn't make the cut. He can still make the show, but dang.

Once he was not picked, I looked over at my sweet wife and said, "Why are we even watching this anymore?"

Nevertheless, I'll keep watching, hoping he makes it back.

Pretty interesting show. I hadn't seen it before. Sidebar: How many bikini shots can they throw in of the other trainer chick? And how many times will Ken from Washington hug her?

Okay, rant done.

Dude, those people were losing 10-20 pounds in one week! That'd be so sweet. And I guess expected if all I was doing was eating less, eating healthier, and excercising all stinking day.

Loved the one dude, the fire fighter dude (sarcasm). I think he wanted to quit but didn't want to say so, instead he said that he really missed his kids. Maybe so. But I doubt it. I know...I'm an ass.

Here's a quick update...

Had to do an update for the Wichita Eagle today. Here are the answers to my questions:


1) Have you lost weight? If so, how much? If not, what has held you back?

[Ken] I don't know. Haven't weighed in for over a week. I keep getting comments that my face looks thinner, my stomache looks smaller, etc. So...I think so. Some of my answer relates to my next answer...


2) Have you exercised? If so, how often? If not, what has held you back?

[Ken] I haven't exercised in over a week. At least not your traditional exercise. I'm really not trying to add suspense. Last week I spent Wed-Fri roofing a house and let me tell you, good night! That is some stinking exercise!!! Man, was it tough! So I'm hoping I lost some weight from doing that. The stress of getting all my work done so that I could take off time from work to roof that house held me back. But now that it's done, I'm hoping to be back this week!


3) Overall, how have things gone? Are you getting used to smaller portions
or fewer calories (or whatever other approach you're using)?

[Ken] One of the big things I struggle with is the idea that because I have to eat smaller portions, I'm some how missing out on something really good. Which brings back LOADS of memories as a kid, being deprived of ice cream and cookies. So that when I was an adult, I could finally have these things I was missing out on, and I was afraid of never getting it again. I know that sounds lame, but it is what is in my mindset all the time.

I haven't used my food log yet. I keep thinking that it's too much work....But I know that it'll help. So I need to get on it.

Are you getting support and encouragement from people around you?

[Ken] Tons. All the time. Way cool.

Have you had anyone say, "Hey, aren't you the one in the newspaper?"

[Ken] A few people. I've gotten some phone calls too, that were kind of strange. But one was from a friend who used to be a trainer and he told me that he'd help me meet my goal free of charge! So that is WAY awesome!


Are you feeling more energetic? Better overall? Or worse?

[Ken] I feel great! Even not excercising, my mental state is really good.

4) Anything else you'd like folks to know.

[Ken] Thanks for all the encouragement! Making a life change is really difficult, but with all the people encouraging us, man, that is so helpful!

Well, it's officially on!!!

The paper looks great today!

I've received lots of encouragement from all kinds of people. Way cool!

And even though I'm last in the web article I was first in the newspaper. We hit the front page and the front page of the Wichitalk section. Great pics. Lots of fun. I bought a couple papers to send to my family.

I'll share more later, but for now, here's a link to the page and the text in case it get's out of date:

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/15494728.htm


Taking the challenge
Meet the Wichitans committed to losing weight and getting healthier
BY KAREN SHIDELER
The Wichita Eagle
Bo Rader/The Wichita Eagle

SIX volunteers in WichiTalk's Weight-Loss Challenge hope to be a combined 150 pounds lighter before Christmas.

The six were chosen from 65 people who were willing to go public with their weight-loss attempts. We told Tom Allen, Jamie Goltz, Toni Harden, Crystal Iseman, Andrea McClellan and

Ken Rawson that we would follow them for three months, reporting on their progress as they worked toward the goals they set.

Unlike TV's "The Biggest Loser," this isn't a contest to see who can lose the most. Instead, the payoff is better health.

In December -- just before it's time to make New Year's resolutions -- we'll report back on how our team did and share their tips for success.

We'll update you, too, on how they're doing along the way, with the hope that their stories will inspire all of us to commit to our own health efforts.

Here's a look at each of them:

Tom Allen

Bio: Age 43. Married with three children. Teacher and coach at Northwest High School.

His goal: To lose about 40 pounds.

How he'll do it: Exercise -- riding a stationary bike or running every day -- and monitoring calories. "I'm going to look for foods that are filling yet low in calories." He has started a food journal.

Potential challenges: Weekends. "During the week, I'm so busy that I don't get hungry." He also eats when he gets too tired.

His motivation: Health concerns, a promise to his wife that he'd lose weight before her birthday in January, and "I want to be around for my kids' graduations."


Jamie Goltz

Bio: Age 23. Married. Does secretarial-clerical work for Army National Guard.

Her goal: To lose 25 to 30 pounds.

How she'll do it: Counting calories, giving up junk food and watching portion sizes. She'll do cardio work in the McConnell Air Force Base gym and strength work on her own.

Potential challenges: Family and holidays. Over Labor Day weekend, "I was eating more starches and stuff I'm trying to cut out."

Her motivation: She got married in March but didn't have a "wedding wedding." They'll have that in April, and she hopes "to fit in a dress I like." She also has health concerns that weight loss would lessen.


Toni Harden

Bio: Age 46. Single with two children. Para educator at Wells Special Education Center.

Her goal: To lose 20 to 30 pounds. "I want to be healthy. I'm too old to be skinny."

How she'll do it: Counting calories and reducing fat intake. She already exercises but "I really am not as consistent with the weights as I am with the cardio."

Potential challenges: A slowing metabolism. Plus, "I'm a big snacker... I eat a lot of healthy stuff. But I love chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake."

Her motivation: Health issues. And her job is physically demanding. "Maybe if I lost a little bit of weight, it wouldn't be such a challenge."


Crystal Iseman

Bio: Age 26. Married, three children. Stay-at-home mom, day-care provider and online college student.

Her goal: To lose 25 pounds.

How she'll do it: Counting calories. She has enlisted a weight-loss/exercise buddy. They will work out together three times a week.

Potential challenges: "It's really easy to just go with fast food or frozen dinners sometimes when I'm so busy." She plans to shop more wisely.

Her motivation: She lost weight before her most recent pregnancy and remembers how good she felt. Plus, "I want to show myself and other mommies out there that there has to be time for Mom to take care of herself."


Andrea McClellan

Bio: Age 31. Married with two children. Stay-at-home mom.

Her goal: To lose 25 pounds.

How she'll do it: She's using a meal-replacement drink for two meals a day and eating a sensible meal for the third. She is working with a personal trainer.

Potential challenges: Getting though holidays and family celebrations, eating for emotional reasons and eating at night. "If I eat at night, I can't stop."

Her motivation: Health concerns: Her father died of a heart attack at age 41. One son has Type 1 diabetes. And "I'm just so tired of telling my husband that I'm going to lose weight, and then I just put it off and put it off."


Ken Rawson

Bio: Age 30. Married with three children. Director of student ministries at First United
Methodist Church.

His goal: "This is going to sound pathetic, but I'm going to say 15 pounds -- a pound a week."

How he'll do it: Eating better foods and smaller portions, plus exercising five to six times a week and "not eating when I'm not hungry." He'll keep a food journal, to track calories.

Potential challenges: Stress eating. "Eating out is a hard one for me, too," he says. He doesn't often take food home "because I think it's never going to taste as good as it does right now."

His motivation: "I'm worried about my health and I want to be a good example for my kids. I want to enjoy life with my sweet wife."

282...again

Well, no weightloss this week. I'm still at 282. Kind of deflating. However, a lesson learned.

I can't expect to lose weight and eat whatever I want. I went out to eat three times and overate EACH time. I only excersized twice, the two biking classes.

On Mon. my alarm wasn't set so I slept in.
Tues I did the cycle class.
Wed I overslept or something
Thurs I hit the cycle class
Friday I was sick
Saturday I wanted to stay home with my kids
Sunday I didn't work out.

Monday I did 45 minutes on the Arc Trainer at level 10 and burned 1077 calories with my man Bobby Reed.

Today I did the cycle class.

Anyway, eating is the whole deal here. I've got to track my calories, eat healthy, and not over eat. THAT, combined with excercise will take me to my goal, which is 109 pounds away, or roughly two years.

Man, do I feel like crap today

So yesterday I work out and I eat a baggie of grapes. I am starving at one so I go to lunch with my friend Kirk at Old Chicago's where I get my favorite, the Oriental Chicken Salad. Oh my, so good. I should have ordered a half salad cause the thing is El Gigante.

So I'm stuffed. After work there is very little time before we need to head to soccer practice. So after soccer practice we head up to IHOP, or as my sweet daughter calls it, the National house of pancakes.

(sidebar: Great server, Annette, but terrible manager. Allegedly it's kid's eat free night, but you can't use a coupon with kid's eat free night?! What?)

I am not even hungry but my sweet wife and kids are stinking famished. I have to order a meal and a drink to get a kid's meal free, but I should have ordered smarter. I gave in to my favorite, the chocolate chip pancakes. Let me here you...Oh yeah. And a side of hashbrowns.

Okay, so I'm done at the hashbrowns but I've got to eat the pancakes. I can't even finish them. But I feel sick to my stomache. The whole way home I fantacized about bulemia.

So when I got home I tried to puke some. And I got a little, but not much. Nevertheless, the whole rest of the night I just felt like crap.

Fastforward to this morning and I feel like crap when my alarm goes off, so I go back to bed. Sleep in late and all day I'm just dragging. Yuck. No energy. Feel like poop.

Ate a small breakfast, am skipping lunch, and am going over to a friend's house for dinner. I'll be eating light.