Jason Bradford

The 4HB Discouragement Day

// May 31st, 2011 // 2 Comments » // life

Yes, they happen.  Days when trying to be healthy and losing weight get very discouraging.  Mine is today.  Although it shouldn’t be… more on why it shouldn’t be below.

About 4-5 years ago my doctor told me to lose the weight or get on heart medicine.  So I did.  I lost 40 pounds in about 3-4 months.  A good bit of that came off the first few weeks.  So obviously I thought it would be this easy again.  Not so much.  The 4HB is more about losing weight, it’s about a change in your lifestyle, metabolism and outlook on what you eat.  The first week I lost 8 pounds and then dropped another 2.75 pounds… close to 11 pounds.  This morning I seemed to have found those 2.75 pounds and am back at 8 pounds total!!!  What!!!  I realize it takes a few days for the cheat day to come off but as you can see I don’t have a lot of patiences which leads to quick discouragement.

BUT, I don’t have any reason to be discouraged.  I lost another 2″.  Yes, 2 more inches are gone.  Some from waist, hips and arms…  my clothes are fitting better and I feel great!  So, I don’t have much of a reason to get discouraged except for that little contraption that sits on my floor and feeds my brain what is happening or what it thinks is happening.

So, as I said before.  It’s better to weigh less and focus on the plan.  It’s working, just not the way that I thought it would (well, I had an idea but wasn’t 100% sure).

So yes, a little discouraged but it’s not so bad when you know the catalyst behind it.  All smiles and focused.  I’ve talked with a few people lately who are doing the diet too…  Congrats!  Let me know how it’s going.  Same issues?  Discouragement?  Working perfect for you?  I’d love to know!!!

Silence Does Not Equal Failure : 4 Hour Body Update

// May 25th, 2011 // No Comments » // life

I know I’ve been quite since Saturday… sorry!  Usually my silence will mean I’ve fallen off the wagon or that I’m trying to avoid talking about failure.  NOT THIS TIME!!!

All is going great still.  I’ve had a few testing moments but I survived.  Usually by now I’ve also cheated a ‘little’ and justified it some how.  Again, NOT THIS TIME!!!

To give you an idea of how bad I am at sneaking food.  The last few diets I went on I played the game very well in front of others (especially my wife).  Not sure what good it does to fool others but I felt like needed too.  One trick was to sneak off to Target and grab a Coke slushee and a cinnamon stick to have while walking… and when walking out the door I’d grab a Reese’s Cup (usually the 4 pack) and suck it down before getting home.  Pathetic, right?!  Happy to say that I took my solo trip to Target the other day and did not cheat-  can’t say I didn’t think about it but bottom line is I grabbed a bottled water and got what I needed.  It was a joyous moment.

It’s the small victories, right?   I’m feeling great and am finding little pockets of energy I didn’t know I had!

Thanks again for supporting and not offering me secret bites of candy!

Cheat Day Was Awesome! : 4 Hour Body Update

// May 22nd, 2011 // 2 Comments » // life

Epic! That’s how I would describe my cheat day. What is cheat day? It’s the one day of the week I can eat & drink whatever I want while doing the Slow Carb Diet from the 4 Hour Body plan. So after 5 days of being strict it was fun to over do it a bit.

First let me give you guys an update:

Cheat Day Check in

Weight: 198
Inches: 152″

Yes! I lost 8 pounds but the best part was losing 4″! That made me smile.

So to celebrate on cheat day what did I do?

Breakfast: Banana then to Puckett’s Grocery for the buffet. Pancakes, sausage, biscuits, grits, potatoes, & eggs Xs 2… Yes two platefuls.

Lunch: McDonalds- Double quarter pounder with cheese, large fries and a diet coke.

Dinner: fajitas, refried beans, chips and guacamole, margarita, Dos XX

Snacks: chocolate covered peanuts, chocolate covered strawberries and with a few mins to spare before midnight a bowl of Lucky Charms.

In all, it wasn’t too bad but I was hurting a bit last night! This morning it’s back to slimming down and eating healthy. Breakfast? 2 scrambled eggs and some refried beans.

Like I said last week, the results are a huge motivator and I was actually excited to get started again this morning!

This week I add in 3 exercises to hopefully take this to another level. I’ll share the exercises tomorrow and some feed back on doing them… This coming from a guy who does NOT like exercise.

Have a great week and thanks again for the notes and support!!! Friends are the best!

3 Days In : 4 Hour Body Update

// May 19th, 2011 // No Comments » // life

Wow, so I’m 3 days in and it’s going great.  #1 motivator?  Results!  I’ve lost 6.5 pounds in just 3 days.  I told myself I wouldn’t check the scale for the first week-  that is usually a major disappointment and a way to get off track and quit.  However, I could tell I had dropped a bit so I was just curious.

I’ve lost the weight by strictly following the 4 Hour Body ‘slow carb diet’.  No exercising.  I’m not saying don’t exercise because I’m going to start.  I can’t wait to see how much comes off after I do a little exercising (20 mins a week).

And now I’m starting to sound like a commercial or ‘testimony’ so I’ll stop.  Just know it’s working and worth checking out the book.

Some Notes On The First 3 Days

My diet has been pretty simple and very easy to maintain and keep up with. I’ve eaten out once and had a grilled chicken salad. I’ve been heavy on the spinach and eggs.  I’ve had hamburger steaks, salmon, cod, pork chops, black bean, white northern beans, spinach and chicken.  I’ve not missed anything yet (except the chocolate).

I’ve also been keeping a list of the items I want on my cheat day…  cheeseburger, chocolate cake, chocolate covered peanuts, fries, pizza, bbq–  It’s ridiculous how many things go thru my mind.  Writing them down helps big time!

I’ve attempted the cold water bit but I don’t like that at all.  There is a section in the book that talks about shivering and being cold.  Your body releases some stuff (can’t remember what it’s called) that helps accelerate fat loss.  My basic understanding is that your body starts using your fat to keep you warm.  Makes sense but I don’t like it.

Surprisingly, I was able to eat within 30 mins of getting up.  Getting Emma and Emerson fed and ready kind of worried me but it’s not been hard at all.  This is crucial to the eating plan… the protein gets your muscles and metabolism rocking for the day.

Yesterday I went to the Farmer’s Market and picked up some organic, grass fed beef and it was affordable and great tasting.  If you are interested check out: Bear Creek Beef

Unofficial Check In (1.5):

Weight: 199.5 Pounds

I won’t measure till Sunday

Thanks again for all the encouragement, tweets and FB comments… Very helpful in this whole accountability thing.  Anyone else doing this or some sort of weight loss/life style change?!  If so, how’s it going?!

So What Did I Eat? : Day 1 of 4 Hour Body

// May 17th, 2011 // No Comments » // life

Well, I survived day one.  Not so hard, eh?  I don’t plan on posting every day regarding my diet and weight loss goals but I figured I’d do a few here and there of what the food is so that some of you who are on the fence will see it’s not that hard.

Wait, what am I talking about?  Read this earlier post about getting healthy, round 2.

Day 1 Food:

• Breakfast:  Scrambled Eggs & Spinach Leaves (w/ balsamic vinegar)
• Lunch: Alaskan Cod, Great White Northern Beans & Spinach Leaves (w/ balsamic vinegar)
• Dinner: Chicken breast, Green Beans & Spinach Leaves (w/ balsamic vinegar)
• Snack: 2 tablespoons of all natural peanut butter

It’s a pretty basic meal plan and as you can see my focus is on spinach.  They didn’t make a cartoon about Popeye for nothing!!!

Some other notes, I’m using macadamia nut oil instead of olive oil-  it tastes WAY better and has less fatty things in it.  The eggs I had for breakfast were from organic chickens (increased Omega 3 Fatty Acids)… Yes they cost a tad bit more but I’m considering that my “flat-ab tax”.

Tomorrow will be much of the same.  I do plan on having a pork chop with my eggs and spinach for breakfast though!  Lunch?  Well, it’ll be my first meal eating out-  I think I know what I can and can’t have…  Dinner?  Not sure, I have to talk to Renee about that one but I’m pretty sure it’ll involve spinach.

Thanks for the encouragement and notes-  I know I can do this and am going to do this.

Round 2 : Getting Healthy

// May 16th, 2011 // 4 Comments » // life

This is NOT a real pic of me- it's from the Fat Booth App. It reminds me of where I could be heading.

In January I set a goal to get healthy.. It lasted about 2 months. I lost 12 pounds and that was nice… it’s all back.

I’m starting round 2 today but with a different approach. I’m going to be public about it. I’m using many of the dietary suggestions and exercise pieces from Tim Ferriss’ new book The 4-Hour Body. It’s not like 8 minute abs I promise.

Tim Ferriss gets me. We’ve never met. I have a million excuses why I never survive eating changes for the better (notice my attempt to avoid the word ‘diet’). All are lame excuses but they are excuses that I use. If I can find a reason to get out of doing something healthy, I do.

In this book he talks about getting rid of the pieces that make you want to quit. For me, the idea of never eating a piece of candy/cake again freaks me out… having to cook detailed meals takes too long… and starving isn’t fun either.

Tim Ferriss is all about hacking the body. I like his style and his research. If you’ve read this book or are reading it tell me what you think! You can get it @ Amazon

So here I am. Starting my 4 hour body plan. It’s a good one. My wonderful wife is going to help me with it and I’m asking you to do the same. Ask me what I weigh? Ask me if I’ve had any candy. Comment on here and say “I’m watching you”.  If you see me out double check what I’m eating or drinking (except Saturday, that’s my cheat day! Yes, a cheat day- read the book).

I’m hoping to update weekly (I like the idea of no calorie counting and not having to weigh in daily) with progress. In all I need to reach about 165 pounds and want to get my body fat below 12%.

So, here’s check in #1:

Weight: 206lbs
Total Inches: 156″

Total inches=  measurements of both arms (biceps), waist, hips, both legs (thighs)

I’ll spare you the before pics… but promise to share the progress pics when I know they won’t make you throw up.

So tell me… if you are dieting or trying to get healthy, what are the few things (excuses) that hinder you or make you want to quit?

Tornado Relief & Help

// April 29th, 2011 // No Comments » // life

Since I couldn’t get all this in a tweet… Here are the details:

The People’s Church, Spring Hill location, has a tractor trailer for donations. The trailer will be manned during the following hours so please stop by at these times:

Friday, April 29th: 4pm – 10pm
Saturday, April 30th: 8am – 10pm
Sunday, May 1st: 10am – 2pm

The truck will leave for Alabama Sunday @ 2pm.

Location of trailer:

View Larger Map
 

What is needed:

• Blankets
• Clothing – all sizes, tshirts, jeans, Shorts
• Children’s clothing
• Feminine products
• Diapers
• Baby food
• Insulin…other immediately necessary meds
• Toys for smaller kids
• Band-Aids
• Socks
• Jackets
• Bottled water
• Chips
• Juice (individual)
• Packaged food for distribution
• Fruit cups
• Paper towels
• Kleenex
• Toilet paper
• Batteries
• Flash lights

Help Japan, Get Music. Good Music

// March 28th, 2011 // No Comments » // life, Music & Entertainment

In my world of indie music I get to participate in cool stuff sometimes… however this time I’m honored to help. Last week our indie label  Velvet Farm (a sub label of Tone Box Digital) partnered with Hello Somebody to release their compilation cd as an exclusive to iTunes. It’s simply called Volume One.

The cool thing about this album is that 100% of the profits will go to help the Japan relief efforts. 100%. Not sure who Hello Somebody is? Then I encourage you to visit their website and learn more. Here’s a quick piece from their site:

Hello Somebody is a non-profit brand that exists to impact and change the world through love, passion and creativity. Our purpose is simple: feed the hungry around the globe.

To change the world, you must first start by changing individual lives. To empower a hopeless human, you must first begin by filling his or her stomach.

Hello Somebody’s first action to end hunger provided 50,000 meals to homeless and desperate Haitians. In our inaugural year, Hello Somebody provided food for over one million starving people.

Join us in our fight to save lives and change lives. Listen to the call of the hopeless and the hungry. Will you help us answer it? Hello Somebody…are you out there?

They’ve had some amazing artists come on board. Bands/Artists like The Almost, The Rocket Summer, Kari Jobe & Group 1 Crew have all given time and music to help this cause.

So. I’m asking you to buy music to help Japan. Or better yet- Help Japan and Get Music. However it needs to sound in your head to get you to help the devastation that has happened.

Once you buy can you please tweet, post to facebook and email your friends. Please? I thank you but I’m sure the people of Japan will thank you way more.

Here you go… the buy button. Do it then ask others to do it.

Check out this video from Bryce of The Rocket Summer. Their cover of Maps is stellar.

For Japan With Love

// March 17th, 2011 // No Comments » // life

Surfing. It’s A Spiritual Thing

// March 17th, 2011 // 4 Comments » // life

“It’s a state of mind; it’s that place where you lose yourself and find yourself” – Bodhi (yes, I just quoted Point Break)

It’s a spiritual thing? I know, people say that a lot about surfing. While many times people just write it off and think surfers are quacks even though they’ve never tried it or don’t understand.

I’m not a professional surfer. I never will be. As a matter of fact, I’m not very good. However, I love it. I can’t explain it. I just do. As far as spiritual… there is just something that takes over in the body, emotionally and spiritually.

I live in Nashville, TN so I don’t surf every day (I’d love to and maybe one day!). I do travel to SC once a month and manage to get in the water and surf every trip. Well, sometimes I don’t surf. I just sit on the board and think. Stare. Take it all in. Usually because there are little to no waves but it doesn’t matter I’m in the water.

This morning we made it out before the sun was fully up… it was sneaking up the horizon as we were paddling out and even though the water was bone-chilling and there was a slight breeze hitting me in the face I couldn’t help but smile. There was this joy that just over took me and I hadn’t even paddled out past the first breaks. Maybe it’s the calm of being one of only two bodies in this mass of water, the beauty of the rising sun or just the fact that when I’m out there I don’t have a single care… It’s hard to explain. I wish I could. I’m trying my best in this post.

I’ve come up a word that I believe defines why I feel this way… simplicity.

I have no cell phone, no ipad, no laptop, no Twitter, no Facebook– I’m not paying attention to anything but the beauty around me… and looking for the next set of waves.

What about you? What takes you to “That” place? Where do feel the simplicity?