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Old 05-31-2018, 08:32 PM   #16
Show Me the Wire
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A pat on the back for your achievement.
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Old 05-31-2018, 08:44 PM   #17
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Great stuff Jim. Will you be riding at Arlington this summer?
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Old 05-31-2018, 09:28 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ElKabong View Post
Welcome back. And congratulations!

Don't lose too much weight, tho. Consider some weight training in your routine;
I do some calisthenics and body weight exercises in addition to the running.

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Originally Posted by kingfin66 View Post
Wow you look like a totally different person. I'll bet you feel like one too. Well done.
It's not an exaggeration to say that I am a different person. In so many ways not only what you see, it's very true.

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Originally Posted by davew View Post
amazing loss. How many times a week do you run? How many miles?
Thanks. Over the winter I probably averaged 4 days per week, due to running indoors on a treadmill. Now that its warm and I can run outdoors its usually six days per week.

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Originally Posted by NJ Stinks View Post
ArlJim, it's nice to hear from you! And congrats on your determined effort to lose weight.

I guess it goes without saying that you thrilled the prez is considering a pardon for your ex-governor!
Thanks a lot NJ.
Oh boy I don't follow that stuff anymore, even for the entertainment value. Got
kind of disillusioned about all of it. I find it better to focus on other things these days.

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Originally Posted by MutuelClerk View Post
Great stuff Jim. Will you be riding at Arlington this summer?

anything's possible!

Thanks for the kind words everyone.
I did want to clarify one thing. I mentioned below about losing weight and that I'm now an avid runner. I just want to note that the weight didn't come off because of running. The running started after I had lost a lot of weight and was feeling good and wanting to get more physical.
My weight loss was 90% about diet. What I was eating and how often I was eating. Just wanted to pass that on because it was a revelation to me. I've discovered that there is nothing more important to your health than what you eat.

Last edited by ArlJim78; 05-31-2018 at 09:29 PM.
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Old 05-31-2018, 10:46 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by ArlJim78 View Post
Hey all, I've been awol from PA for some time.
Frankly got burned out on racing, also politics.
Then I started into weight loss, nutrition, diet, exercise, and well I've changed a lot in the past two years as you can see below.
I'm an avid runner now and have lost close to 190 pounds from my peak.
Back to a weight I haven't seen since a junior in high school, and feeling better than ever too.
I only check into racing on a few of the big days now. Frankly I just felt like I didn't recognize the game anymore and lost interest.
Anyway I hope all are doing well.
I see the same political storms are being fought on a daily basis around here by the same folks.
good luck to all.
Jim
That is very impressive. I was feeling happy with myself for dropping from 270 several years ago to 207 now, but you make me feel like a slacker. Keep up the good work.
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Old 06-01-2018, 09:06 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArlJim78 View Post
I do some calisthenics and body weight exercises in addition to the running.
Awesome stuff! Glad to hear you're doing well.

I agree though that adding some weight will only add to that feeling you can conquer the world. There is a pretty good and short routine out there I can link to you if you want. Just PM me.

Of course if its not broke don't fix it but adding weight and seeing that progression is a big reward as well.
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Old 06-01-2018, 10:30 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArlJim78 View Post
Oh boy I don't follow that stuff anymore, even for the entertainment value. Got
kind of disillusioned about all of it. I find it better to focus on other things these days.
Monastic Stoicism! I too have been trying to find better balance by filtering out a lot of the noise. Sometimes I'm not too disciplined, but it is really satisfying knowing what else can be accomplished when not constantly ingesting mass-media driven culture crap. Good for you.
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Old 06-01-2018, 01:06 PM   #22
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Jim,

That's awesome!


-jp

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Old 06-01-2018, 01:21 PM   #23
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Jim,

That is an amazing change!

Congratulations!


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Old 06-01-2018, 01:27 PM   #24
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What do you eat now, Jim?
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Old 06-01-2018, 05:58 PM   #25
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Sooner or later I had to do this post.

I've lost 40 lbs in the last year due to a very rare form of leukemia. I was told I had only six months left and was advised I wouldn't be very functional for most of them.

Then an amazing thing happened. The research center that did the bone marrow biopsy to confirm the diagnosis called and said a new chemo drug was being tested. The testing had only been going on six months so there was very little information on dosage, effectiveness etc. The researchers were anxious to get me started, mainly because I had the highest levels of bone marrow mast cells they had seen. They figured if they could arrest my deterioration, the drug would work on just about anyone.

I was told a lot of getting better was up to me. I had a lot of protocols to follow and within three days I was being overwhelmed by the drug and the cancer. Constant nausea. Sleeping 12 hours a day. Eating sparsely and having to give up some of my favorite foods because the smell made me nauseous. So the 40 pounds I lost, I lost the hard way.

For a few months I could hardly move, and the idea of exercising became ludicrous. After five months of misery I decided to go off the drug. I talked to my doctor and he said, before you quit let's see if cutting the dose in half makes you feel better. After about a month I noticed my energy level start to increase, and I was motivated enough to walk around the block. Improvement was slow, but I could tell when I could push myself harder.

I made it to the NHC, finishing 119th out of 695 entries, but it took a lot of my energy and by the time I got home I lost a lot of the motivation provided by the NHC. I finished in the top 20% in a couple of other contests, but I eventually stopped handicapping and doing my blog. The disease and the chemo made me apathetic and moody, and I stayed that way until my 5th bone marrow biopsy (a miserable procedure where they drill into your hip bone and extract marrow) and 8th MRI (the one where you're in a coffin for an hour holding your breath most of the time.) The medical staff agreed that there was a remarkable improvement since I started on the drug, even though I still felt crappy because of the drug's hold on my body. I asked how much longer I'd have to be on the drug. Naturally nobody knows, but they've asked me to keep dosing for another year. It will be a long year.

I started pushing harder to get back my strength and stamina. I felt confident enough that that I could do well enough to do my basketball officials training camp (I do High School varsity ball). It was three of the toughest days of my life, but I got through it. It was the first time in a year that I believed there was a hope for a lot more years. I could immediately tell I was lighter - I felt like I was floating down the court. I wore down over the three days, but I did it. It was a great personal triumph.

The chemo also affects your brain. Even though it is a misnomer, chemo brain is the common term used by cancer patients to describe thinking and memory problems that can occur after cancer treatment. I can tell you it is pretty embarrassing to look at a numerical keypad and have no idea what your telephone number is. It's a very weird feeling, especially since I pride myself on having a good memory for all sorts of things.

I think the good days are starting to outweigh the bad and I hope to get back to a normal life, a full basketball schedule and regeneration of my love of handicapping. Some weeks I wouldn't even look at a racing form, mostly because I didn't give a shit. I hope that changes soon. I'm taking baby steps toward qualifying for my second NHC. I'LL BE AT THE BELMONT NEXT WEEK. I'm golfing, although I have to cover myself because the chemo leads to a nasty sunburn after 10 minutes in the sun. I'm not used to looking ghostly.

Anyway, the thread currently seemed to be focused on losing weight. I lost 40 pounds the hard way. The really hard way.
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Old 06-01-2018, 06:23 PM   #26
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Hardest weight loss program I have ever heard. You both inspire me with your strength and devotion. Hoping the rest of this year is your bests ever.
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Old 06-01-2018, 06:26 PM   #27
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HalvOnHorseracing, thanks for sharing that story and I hope you continue to turn it around.
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Old 06-01-2018, 07:01 PM   #28
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Originally Posted by thaskalos View Post
What do you eat now, Jim?
I'll start from the beginning of my weight loss program because it has evolved along the way. It's more a story of what I don't eat anymore.

First to go was sugar, refined grains/flour, starchy vegetables.
Next I dumped anything containing seed oils like soybean, canola, sunflower, etc. These are nasty unstable manmade industrial oils which are in no way healthy.

I went on like this for a long time, losing a lot of weight, then I started to look at plants, fruits and non starchy vegetables. I came across some people who were eating carnivore style, basically diametrically opposite of a vegan, only food from the animal kingdom, primarily meat. I was curious about this so I decided to give it a 30 day trial.
That was 8 months ago and I'm still doing it. I eat meat plus some eggs and cheese. The only plant based exceptions in my diet are coffee, pepper, and perhaps hot sauce too. Essentially coffee and spices.
I do plan to enjoy some local fruit when it's in season.
In any case, since I've went to this carnivore style of eating I feel fantastic. stronger, faster, calmer, better mood and clarity. It's hard to put into words. It just feels right in all respects. Come to find out plants were never supposed to be our primary fuel, we're not designed to digest them and on top of that they contain self defense chemical toxins which can reek havoc on the body.

So with the weight loss, exercise and these other improvements from my diet, it's like I've rolled back the clock and feel better than I have in ages. I did a half marathon back in November and I'm going to do another one in July.
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Old 06-01-2018, 07:20 PM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HalvOnHorseracing View Post
Sooner or later I had to do this post.

I've lost 40 lbs in the last year due to a very rare form of leukemia. I was told I had only six months left and was advised I wouldn't be very functional for most of them.

Then an amazing thing happened. The research center that did the bone marrow biopsy to confirm the diagnosis called and said a new chemo drug was being tested. The testing had only been going on six months so there was very little information on dosage, effectiveness etc. The researchers were anxious to get me started, mainly because I had the highest levels of bone marrow mast cells they had seen. They figured if they could arrest my deterioration, the drug would work on just about anyone.

I was told a lot of getting better was up to me. I had a lot of protocols to follow and within three days I was being overwhelmed by the drug and the cancer. Constant nausea. Sleeping 12 hours a day. Eating sparsely and having to give up some of my favorite foods because the smell made me nauseous. So the 40 pounds I lost, I lost the hard way.

For a few months I could hardly move, and the idea of exercising became ludicrous. After five months of misery I decided to go off the drug. I talked to my doctor and he said, before you quit let's see if cutting the dose in half makes you feel better. After about a month I noticed my energy level start to increase, and I was motivated enough to walk around the block. Improvement was slow, but I could tell when I could push myself harder.

I made it to the NHC, finishing 119th out of 695 entries, but it took a lot of my energy and by the time I got home I lost a lot of the motivation provided by the NHC. I finished in the top 20% in a couple of other contests, but I eventually stopped handicapping and doing my blog. The disease and the chemo made me apathetic and moody, and I stayed that way until my 5th bone marrow biopsy (a miserable procedure where they drill into your hip bone and extract marrow) and 8th MRI (the one where you're in a coffin for an hour holding your breath most of the time.) The medical staff agreed that there was a remarkable improvement since I started on the drug, even though I still felt crappy because of the drug's hold on my body. I asked how much longer I'd have to be on the drug. Naturally nobody knows, but they've asked me to keep dosing for another year. It will be a long year.

I started pushing harder to get back my strength and stamina. I felt confident enough that that I could do well enough to do my basketball officials training camp (I do High School varsity ball). It was three of the toughest days of my life, but I got through it. It was the first time in a year that I believed there was a hope for a lot more years. I could immediately tell I was lighter - I felt like I was floating down the court. I wore down over the three days, but I did it. It was a great personal triumph.

The chemo also affects your brain. Even though it is a misnomer, chemo brain is the common term used by cancer patients to describe thinking and memory problems that can occur after cancer treatment. I can tell you it is pretty embarrassing to look at a numerical keypad and have no idea what your telephone number is. It's a very weird feeling, especially since I pride myself on having a good memory for all sorts of things.

I think the good days are starting to outweigh the bad and I hope to get back to a normal life, a full basketball schedule and regeneration of my love of handicapping. Some weeks I wouldn't even look at a racing form, mostly because I didn't give a shit. I hope that changes soon. I'm taking baby steps toward qualifying for my second NHC. I'LL BE AT THE BELMONT NEXT WEEK. I'm golfing, although I have to cover myself because the chemo leads to a nasty sunburn after 10 minutes in the sun. I'm not used to looking ghostly.

Anyway, the thread currently seemed to be focused on losing weight. I lost 40 pounds the hard way. The really hard way.
Rich...thank you for sharing your moving story with us. My best wishes for a speedy and total recovery go out to you.
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Old 06-01-2018, 07:37 PM   #30
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That is great Jim, congrats and keep it up!
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