Sly Fox's Weight Loss Attempt

I felt like starting this thread as an attempt to keep myself motivated to lose weight. For starters, my current predicament is not good. Spare me the 'you did it to yourself' comments, as I am well aware.

My medical certification is about to expire and I have high blood pressure. Not that it's a surprise, I've had it most of my life. But, the biggest problem that's contributing to it is my weight.

First, a little about myself (I refuse to divulge too much, as I don't want my true ID to come out, as my company is a PITA). I'm almost 30, own my own truck, but am leased to one of the 'big name' companies. I'm 6' and currently weigh about 360lb (don't know exactly, as I have weighed myself recently). Next chance I get at a truck stop with a scale, I'll face the grim truth then.

I'm not just 'fat', I have a lot of muscle hiding underneath. The years of trucking and not really watching what I'm eating has taken their toll. But, that stops today.

Long before I started trucking, I had weighed 280 pounds and lost just over 100 to get down to 179 (yet for 6', was still classified as overweight dispute having no visible body fat anywhere). New job, wife, moving, etc and the weight crept up further and further. I was just over 300 when I started driving and put most of the weight on the first year that brought me here. I've yo-yoed up or down about 10 pounds since then. Never really taking a serious effort to diet as I had passed two physicals with relative ease.

I've given up caffeine before I started driving, and gave up soft drinks entirely about a year later. I rarely eat candy, although I do have a sweet tooth for chocolate or ice cream. I don't smoke, or drink either.

I'm headed home, and will be off until I get can pass a physical. I'm borderline from getting the 1-year certification, which is what my current aim is for. I don't want to resort to meds, but will if I can't achieve a 1-year certificate (140-159/90-99 BP). My ultimate goal will be to get less than the 140/90 and get the 2-year as I've got in the past.


My purpose of posting this is to hold myself accountable to someone other than myself (I'm married, so I'm hearing it from that side as well) as a form of encouragement to keep going and avoid slipping. I'm going to return to my general WL diet that let me lose 100lb in 6 mo (although that was before trucking and had easier access to healthier foods and more time to exercise). I'll post daily updates as best I can from the road and while home.


Today, my BP was 154/110 at it's best. The problem is, I stress when getting my BP taken. It's weird, but if I can relax, I can get it below 140/90 MOST times, but when I know this is my job on the line, my BP shoots through the roof. Right now, 154/110 will disqualify me from being certified. I read a 104 as a low number with a higher systolic in an earlier reading.

So, I'm trying to lower my diastolic rate, which I'm going to try garlic, fish oil, etc. Any other tips or tricks appreciated.

Today, I'm in the LA suburbs and without easy access to healthy foods, turned to the one place you're not likely to find them, the TA in Ontario. I got the grilled shrimp/fish, to find out the fish was breaded (so that doesn't really help). Had the salad bar with lettuce, onions, mushrooms, egg, raisins, and vinegar (no oil), and had about six strawberries. Drank only water (my usual) with the meal.

Sitting at the terminal waiting to pick up tomorrow, I went for a walk this evening. It's been quite a while since I just walked to walk. I actually enjoy it. It's invigorating. I have very strong legs, so walking feels like it takes relatively little work on my part to do the job. Yet, in this job it's such an impediment. Between sweating and wanting to take a shower that you may not be able to work in after walking, the appointment times for your delivery, where you're at, outside weather, etc, and it's easy to find excuses. But, I walked for 30 minutes. Made one full circle of the terminal and then a few zig-zags around some trailers to finish out my half hour.

Got my heart rate going pretty good as I started speeding up to a brisker pace. Felt good. Sweaty, but good. Now, the problem is no shower. Will make sure I walk tomorrow before taking a shower. My next load gives me plenty of time through the day to exercise and I'll be stopping at a walmart along the way to pick up some fruits/veggies for the truck.

So, with that, I'll end my first post. If the mods feel it should go elsewhere, or deleted, I understand.

Anybody want to tag along with me and start losing some weight themselves, the more the merrier.

Sly Fox