Diaries of a Nearly Dead Man

It's been 1635 days in a row. It sounds like a lot, but logging in doesn't matter all that much. What matters are the changes that I have made to be fit. A lot more fit. I call them lifestyle changes.

I stopped using the scale at 276 pounds. I am sure I went higher.

I guess you have to ask yourself what is fit and why am I here? And in my case, why am I still here for over 4 years? Why is MFP a staple of daily life? There are lots of reasons. I tried diets, eating what I wanted to in moderation, but what really changed was the long list of things I no longer eat.

Sure I missed them for a while, but I am just not interested.

Here is a list of things I haven't had in a year or more (if I did, it was a very small amount so I didn't die that day): Casseroles, crock-pot meals, sauces, gravy, white potatoes, rice, all candy except for a bit of chocolate, sweet drinks with or without sugar, deep fried foods, cereal, bread, chips, pasta, McDonalds, Arby’s, BK or Wendy's anything, processed meat (except for a rare few slices of nitrate-free bacon because I am human) and sex err, I mean waffles.

This weight loss thing is just too damn fragile!

I have made a number of friends here on MFP. Some have crossed over to Facebook and a number of them I have met at races all over the US. I have been writing a blog for all of my time here. I even wrote a book ICU to Marathon. It's been a way for me to focus on what matters in life, have some fun and express feelings in a forum where someone might even care.

Getting fit is more than just losing weight!

I am down somewhere between 70 and a 100 pounds. My waist went from 44" to 33". I was pre-diabetic, had higher blood pressure than I do now and my cholesterol was pretty high too. I went from huffing and puffing a 55 minute mile to running a 6 minute mile - just one, but hey. My heart catheterization, meniscus repair, rotator cuff surgery, the removal of 4 melanoma and Basal Cell carcinoma spots as well as a colon tumor have all been successful! My blood work and last echocardiogram were all normal too. I have run 68 races including 7 marathons, 14 half marathons and some other shorter stuff.

I can run a marathon tomorrow if I feel like it.

I guess over all, I am fit. I am still keeping a prostate tumor under surveillance. For the most part it hasn't been a problem for running or eating. However, something has been going on for the last 6 weeks or so. I will be having tests on Thursday to see what the problem is.

Cancer is scary.

As 2015 draws to a close, I am working to finish my next book, visiting my kids, saving for retirement and spending the rest.

How about you? How’s it going in 2015?