Hey there all those looking to better themselves in the new year.

In 2001 I lost 50 pounds and kept most of it off for a couple years. Recent stresses certainly made me gain and looked up one day and had regained over 35 pounds of my initial loss! So the day after Thanksgiving I went to town on my new superfad diet of eating less, and moving more!

Heh.

I'm about halfway to my goal now and made a little song/video about the temptation that's been kickin' my butt: Aunt Jemima.

:smilielol5:

YouTube - Entry #712 - Hey Aunt Jemima (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sya75We1KeE)

Hope you enjoy it and it provides a little motivation for you guys! Ya just gotta believe you can do it!

-A

Dude, that was hilarious!

And you have a very pretty voice. :coolgleamA:

Thanks!

Hope it lightens the mood. I know dieting and working out feels quite often like:

:banghead:

:)

I always remember that everyday that I've worked out and eaten right... is the best day I could've possibly pulled off. The results will come at some point...

And btw - your starting weight and your ending weight ARE EXACTLY the same as mine!

What are the chances of that??!?!?

hehe nice video, you have some great talent there. Good luck on those last pesky pounds :D

oh yeah, and you are HOT! :flame:

And btw - your starting weight and your ending weight ARE EXACTLY the same as mine!

What are the chances of that??!?!?

That is really weird, lol....

But I agree with Wishes. You are very cute as well as talented. Hehe. That just shouldn't be legal. ;)

Hahahaha. I can't stop giggling.

That is really weird, lol....

But I agree with Wishes. You are very cute as well as talented. Hehe. That just shouldn't be legal. ;)

It isn't, and I'm wanted in 3 states. Shhhhh.


Thanks for all the comments and great job on all the weight lost! Those tickers are awesome. Always helps to have a visual of where you are. Oh and sorry to whomever posted on YouTube "Great, there goes my diet" if it came from here! Certainly not my intention!

:-) Oh and now I will post the driving smiley simply because I think it's cool.

:driving:

that was hilarious! I am leaving it up to show hubby when he gets home I love nothign more on a saturday morning than a big stack of pancakes with extra syrup and bacon of course!

Seriously though most people are good with the animation or the voice but not both, you nailed it--great job!

So the day after Thanksgiving I went to 'm about halfway to my goal now and made a little song/video about the temptation that's been kickin' my butt: Aunt Jemima.
YouTube - Entry #712 - Hey Aunt Jemima (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sya75We1KeE)
-A

Just loved it. And you are so easy on the eye... ;-)

OK, I finally watched that. LOL - definitely worth the look. And I agree with everyone else about you being talented. :)

that was hilarious, adding it to my faves :)

but now i want pancakes drenched in aunt jemima :(

that was hilarious, adding it to my faves :)

but now i want pancakes drenched in aunt jemima :(

:-( sorry!

I gotta say though, my sweet tooth is only for the video - my biggest issue is greasy/salty stuff. Carbs, junk food. I see a picture of a double-cheeseburger and I'm hurtin'... Or:

:lurk5:

Mmmmmm buttery popcorn. That's the stuff that really gets me.

get air popped popcorn, you can get butter flavour and its still 400 calories for a HUGE bag of the stuff. Pretty much eat till the cows come home :D

Im the same, savoury tooth rather than sweet. and why oh why does grease have to taste so darned good :/

Yeah we're all certainly pre-wired for that stuff. I don't dislike sweets (not sure there's any food I dislike :drool5:) but would gladly vow never to eat sweets for the rest of my life if it meant I could have all the savory foods I wanted.

Funny how we tend to only think in extremes. Heh.

:-( sorry!

I gotta say though, my sweet tooth is only for the video - my biggest issue is greasy/salty stuff. Carbs, junk food. I see a picture of a double-cheeseburger and I'm hurtin'... Or:

:lurk5:

Mmmmmm buttery popcorn. That's the stuff that really gets me.

yea i know what you mean...i used to be a treasurer at a movie theatre and that meant a constant free supply of freshly popped popcorn. It was very good but at the same time it was very bad.

Adam- you have a great voice and yeah that song is going to be stuck in my head now.. haha good thing i don't eat pancakes or waffles... haha anyways good luck on the last bit of weight you have to lose.

That sound was stuck in my head for days! lol :) It was soo freaking funny!

Adam, you have a killer voice and a great look ;)

Hey, Thanks, Adam.

"What you do to me." That's what I'll be asking myself about everything I eat at least for the next few days.

And by the way, If that ticker's true, you've done amazing things! You look terrific in the video! Gives us all hope!

If you read my "journey" at all, you'll find I'm a bit of a stickler on the truth, so I'm not lying on my ticker!!!

I started November 23rd and have really been on a roll. 53 straight days of working out BEFORE my first meal and then just sensible low cal rice/veggies/chicken at around 1300-1600 calories a day. That's the only thing that works for me. I'm losin' about 2 1/2 pounds a week now.


I really think the key - is finding out exactly what your issues are with food (overeating is mine) and going from there.

Hi Adam, great song, video and voice! You have inspired me!! By the way I buy at Sam's Club by the gallon,lol.

That was great!! I was sitting here laughing out loud (my cat even came in to stare and shake her head at me). Loved the footage of the old Mrs. Butterworth's commercials. Thanks for a shot in the arm! Keep up the great work, looks like your weight loss is going great. And for the record, if that is YOU in the video....you look great! Congrats.

If you read my "journey" at all, you'll find I'm a bit of a stickler on the truth, so I'm not lying on my ticker!!!

I started November 23rd and have really been on a roll. 53 straight days of working out BEFORE my first meal and then just sensible low cal rice/veggies/chicken at around 1300-1600 calories a day. That's the only thing that works for me. I'm losin' about 2 1/2 pounds a week now.


I really think the key - is finding out exactly what your issues are with food (overeating is mine) and going from there.
You know, you make a great point there. I can use sheer willpower to stay on track for a month or two, but in the long run, what is my food weakness. How do I deal with that for the long term. Hmmmm, you got me thinking. Lucky for me, I can watch the video over and over, pancakes aren't an issue.

You know, you make a great point there. I can use sheer willpower to stay on track for a month or two, but in the long run, what is my food weakness. How do I deal with that for the long term. Hmmmm, you got me thinking. Lucky for me, I can watch the video over and over, pancakes aren't an issue.

Yeah long-term will always be tough. I'm still trying to figure out the best way around those issues, and unfortunately I'm afraid I fall in the "can't even dabble in it" category. I have to treat junk food almost like alcohol. Because I tell you, it actually does something chemically to my brain and it's as if I fell off the wagon. If I were to have McDonald's french fries right now - it would all be over. Because even when I'm finished, I'll think about them non-stop. Savory junk food just knocks me out. I want more and more and more...

And the only way I avoid that cycle, is avoid that food. But every day is a struggle.

I Love IT!! You got skilz!!! I'll make you some pancakes!! :drool5:
Do you have any more songs? your on to something!!!:beerchug:

So what do you snack on in place of the savory things you love? any hints? Sweets aren't much of an issue for me either.
I hear you on the fries thing. Thus far (all 2 weeks of my new healthier eating plan), I haven't had to face saying no. On New Year's Day I cleaned out the pantry and dumped all the snack foods that tempt me. (My daughter didn't necessarily appreciate my doing so.) Even the couple of times I have gone out to dinner, it hasn't been to a burger and fry kind of place.

So what do you snack on in place of the savory things you love? any hints? Sweets aren't much of an issue for me either.
I hear you on the fries thing. Thus far (all 2 weeks of my new healthier eating plan), I haven't had to face saying no. On New Year's Day I cleaned out the pantry and dumped all the snack foods that tempt me. (My daughter didn't necessarily appreciate my doing so.) Even the couple of times I have gone out to dinner, it hasn't been to a burger and fry kind of place.

It's really a complete overhaul of how I think of food. The food I eat now triggers nothing - because it's bland. Rice, veggies, chicken. It isn't bad, but it isn't good. Doing this for almost 2 months now. It sounds horrible right? It's made food, just fuel for me. I snack on veggies and whatnot but I really don't eat anything I would consider "GREAT". Because then I want 11 more of those please. It's just my thing. In order to do this long-term, I have to beware of what I once considered "GREAT" food.

My cravings have actually started to change a bit. I look forward to vegetables - which is insane for me. Oranges are now like "Aunt Jemima". I actually crave my rice/chicken/veggies now because I'm actually hungry. In the past 60 days I had a mini-chocolate muffin that my wife bought and it was very clear that I was in trouble. The bread more than the sugar - but I ate it in 2 bites (which alone was 140 calories - lol) and for the next hour I sat and thought about the rest of those little bastards as I salivated. It was torturous. I hate to say it but, I can't even dabble in foods like that...

...meaning I can't even have facsimiles of it. Like all those weight watcher's foods that kinda taste like real junk food? Forget about it. It does the same thing and I want to eat 7 of 'em.

But this really is just me. For some people eating the same bland food everyday is paramount to suicide. Luckily, food was never my biggest joy in life...and the mental stress of battling whatever chemical gets released when I even touch junk food just isn't worth the few minutes of joy I get eating it. So I treat this like alcoholism and just avoid those foods. As sad as it is to me to not be able to get this:

:lurk5:

...at a movie theater - I soon realize I'm there for the MOVIE, and try and focus the joy towards that. 'Cause I know if I got that popcorn (or anything that even remotely tastes like it) I would stop at Mcdonald's on the way home... and then by morning I would be gone. That's me though. I know some of you can actually have a little bit and be fine. I know I am not that person.

I Love IT!! You got skilz!!! I'll make you some pancakes!! :drool5:
Do you have any more songs? your on to something!!!:beerchug:

Oh I have tons more. Click my name on YouTube or (gasp) check out The Official Journey.com - Adam Kontras (http://www.TheOfficialJourney.com) - and know more about me than you ever cared to.

This'll catch you up quick on my last year:

YouTube - Entry #696 - Screaming from the Valley (http://youtube.com/watch?v=jawLGFwb_V4)

Boring bland food?? oh Adam......*she shakes her head* I understand avoiding your trigger foods, but food should TASTE GOOD. I went out to dinner last week to killer restaurant here in Portland. I was committed to staying on plan, so I took a long time deciding how and what to order. I ended up ordering (are you ready for this?) the vegetarian meatloaf (gotta admit, that is funny, an oxymoron if there ever was one). Hold the potatoes, extra veggies, with a glass of so-delicious-it-brings-tears-to-your-eyes cabernet. Let me tell you, I still have dreams about this meal. It was beyond passable. It was beyond good! and the best part, it was really GOOD for me! It may be my once a month treat. Amazing, low fat, balanced, delicious, exciting food.

btw, been checking out your blog. I am liking it! love your openness.

"Let me tell you, I still have dreams about this meal. "

Yeah, see therein lies the rub for me.

I love sushi for example, so I still have that. But none of the fancy stuff - just sashimi and a little rice. But yeah - my key is actually taking the focus off food. I have no problem eating the same thing every day... and finding joy in other stuff. I have to assume it's like an alcoholic drinking an O'Douls (non-alcoholic beer), there's just no way that's gonna work for me. I may be able to do it a little bit, but not long term.

And in your situation of going out, I would get a salad. It'll be good, but it won't be as good as that goddamn meatloaf that I would be dreaming about the next day. Heh - we humans sure find stupid shit to think about you know? It's amazing what a species will do when their hierarchy of needs are met. :coolgleamA:

I liked the part when you asked aunt Jemima if your children will be biracial because she is maple :rotflmao: ;) you think pretty deep I see!! An interesting way to say alot without saying much :) Or maybe that's just me :o

Cracking up here. I actually do have a life beyond food. I promise! and I don't think some of the shit I think about is all that stupid. tyvm.

Keep up the good work. Each of us has to find the thing that works for us and the life changes required to make our weight loss stick long term. I just can't see myself going the next 50 years eating bland chicken and rice. You, on the other hand, may find that to be perfectly acceptable. I still don't see how enjoying a meal that was incredible and I remember vividly, can, in the long run be a bad thing. I didn't "cheat". It was a very tasty, very allowable meal in anyone's diet.


Anyway, been browsing your voyage posts. Intriguing.

Cracking up here. I actually do have a life beyond food. I promise! and I don't think some of the shit I think about is all that stupid. tyvm.

Keep up the good work. Each of us has to find the thing that works for us and the life changes required to make our weight loss stick long term. I just can't see myself going the next 50 years eating bland chicken and rice. You, on the other hand, may find that to be perfectly acceptable. I still don't see how enjoying a meal that was incredible and I remember vividly, can, in the long run be a bad thing. I didn't "cheat". It was a very tasty, very allowable meal in anyone's diet.


Anyway, been browsing your voyage posts. Intriguing.

Oh please, please, please don't take any of that as me judging YOU!!! This is TOTALLY a me thing. I know damn well... what the hell? Did I just see this smiley right?

:puke:

BWAHAHA. That's rather funny considering we're on a weight-loss board. Sorry, where was I? Yeah - guys, this is MY OWN BRAIN. I know hardly anyone like me at all. Whereas you were fine with that meal, doing that personally, would be very difficult. I think my issue with food is extreme. Some foods I can eat and not get that siren in my head that says eat 35 of that. The foods that give me that siren I have to stay away from.

It's all mental, it's all me, and what I meant in previous posts about this was your best bet is finding out WHO you are. What your triggers are. I overeat like nobody's business...but I have found that it's only certain foods. Unfortunately those foods are pretty much everything that tastes DELICIOUS to me. So I have to stick with food that is pretty bland. And believe it or not - I actually CRAVE that food now. So it works good. For example I just worked out, and have my rice & some indian mix from trader joes all ready to go - and I am looking forward to it. When I eat it, I get full and am fine for another 4-5 hours. So it works for me. If that same exact amount of food was French fries? It would never end.

But I wasn't saying you were stupid!!! I totally, completely meant ME ME ME. I'm ENVIOUS of your ability to eat such a variety and stay under control.

I liked the part when you asked aunt Jemima if your children will be biracial because she is maple :rotflmao: ;) you think pretty deep I see!! An interesting way to say alot without saying much :) Or maybe that's just me :o

I am so happy when people point that line out. It is rare with as many things as I write that there's anything I'm ever particularly proud of... but that verse, with that melody, with that video - was just one of those times when I thought: "Yeah, that was good man". So thanks a million. I'm glad it made ya laugh!

Great vid! I love it! You have a great voice! It was a lovely way to feel better! :D

I can understand that "siren call" cause I have it too, though not exactly like yours. I eat something yummy, say, some spaghetti, and then can't seem to stop eating it! It just tastes so good that I just want to have more and more! Ugh, definitely food is an addiction for me!

And I agree with Pink Clouds about the line about being biracial and having to go to a shrink. Made me laugh! :D

Great vid! I love it! You have a great voice! It was a lovely way to feel better! :D

I can understand that "siren call" cause I have it too, though not exactly like yours. I eat something yummy, say, some spaghetti, and then can't seem to stop eating it! It just tastes so good that I just want to have more and more! Ugh, definitely food is an addiction for me!

And I agree with Pink Clouds about the line about being biracial and having to go to a shrink. Made me laugh! :D

Yeah, contrary to the video, pasta is a BIG one for me. Sugar - meh, I could give it up completely if it meant I could have all the savory foods like spaghetti, beef, potaotes... whew. That's always been my biggie...

Yeah, contrary to the video, pasta is a BIG one for me. Sugar - meh, I could give it up completely if it meant I could have all the savory foods like spaghetti, beef, potaotes... whew. That's always been my biggie...

mmm...yeah... bring on the carbs! ugh, they are my worst enemy...or jazz...I'm not sure which.. :D (I don't like singing jazz... :D)

I didn't take it personally. Was doing my best to tease you a bit. you would have to try MUCH harder to get to me. haha.

When I come across a temptation that is driving me crazy, I talk myself through it. Things like "it is ONLY food" (reminding myself that this is America and this isn't the last cookie/potato chip/hamburger I will ever see in my life) or "you have come to far to let a *insert food* control you". Honestly, over the past 2 or 3 years I have completely changed my outlook about food. Yes, I still get hungry and have cravings, but my mindset had changed. That said......I am still 75 lbs overweight and working hard on it! Just wanted to share what has helped me stay on track.

ps, the puking smiley.....just precious. thanks for sharing that one.

ps, the puking smiley.....just precious. thanks for sharing that one.

Yeah I guess they just randomly pop-up? OOh - there's a More button... lemme click that...

:eek2::newbie::argue::dupe:

oh the fun is just never ending.

Last night I pulled up your video once again and had my daughter watch it. She was cracking up. Then she said.....this guy is on a diet?? He looks great! (she is 17)

Just thought you might want to hear that you are looking good. Well done!

Last night I pulled up your video once again and had my daughter watch it. She was cracking up. Then she said.....this guy is on a diet?? He looks great! (she is 17)

Just thought you might want to hear that you are looking good. Well done!

Oh that's very sweet. And there's more than enough footage of me 25 pounds heavier to show WHY I'm on a diet.

;-)

Hello,
I looked at parts of that link you referred me.
(NOT all of it because I did not have 10 hours to check it all out!! :rotflmao: )
You are a great artist!
And you have a beautiful girlfriend/wife too.
Your funny drunk!!!
Was that your kid that turned 18? (Just being nosey)
Have a wonderful day!

Jesus no. Little Brother. And 10 hours? Try 10 weeks. LOL. It's too big to even start.

Heh.

You DO have a history! But It's cool to see your ideas.
Good thinking! Its like a day in the life of Adam4tvs:biggrinjester:
Well - your a cool older Brother,coz my Brother just sends a card.
By the By - Good job on the self control with you diet!
Your doing great with that! :)

Gratz on your loss, motivation and talent!!!!

Do you take requests? I'm sure you could come up with something for ice cream or chocolate? I'll get some song ideas for ya to parody!
:smilielol5:

Still workin' on the ice cream song. LOL. But you'll enjoy this:

YouTube - Entry #719 - 60 Days to Leave The 60s (http://youtube.com/watch?v=a1yTWq4uOgA)

:-)