Kevin W. McCarthy

The Professor of On-Purpose

diet

On-Purpose Profile: Michelle Aguilar

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Weight loss has a definite physical component, but there is so much more to being well.  Our heart and soul, however, are what's often eating at us and why we eat to fill the void.  This video
from the I Am Second series with Michelle Aguilar, a winner of The Biggest Loser TV show, provides great insight into the cause and cure.  (Click on the image below of Michelle to watch the video.)

After watching Michelle's story, continue to view many more stories of some famous and not so famous people and why they are second.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

Michelle Aguilar

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Kevin, How Did You Lose Weight And Keep It Off For Two Years ?

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Many people have asked me to reveal the secret to my success with losing my weight and keeping it off.  This On-Purpose “Minute” gives you the skinny on the keys to my weight loss, keeping it off, and staying at a healthy weight. Warning: this “Minute” is a bit different from what you might be used to seeing.

After watching the video, keep reading as I share my update and a surprising residual insight to this whole healthy experience.

OK!  So I had a bit of fun there with you in this On-Purpose Minute.  Hey, it’s the summer so it’s time to cut loose a bit.  Did you watch it all the way?  Hopefully, you hung in there with me and learned my many “secrets.”

From March to July of 2008, I lost 50 pounds.  Candidly, about 10 pounds have crept back on me here on my 2nd anniversary.  I’m in much better shape so I hope some of it is muscle weight – or is that a rationalization?  The tips I gave you work amazing well, if you apply them.

More importantly, I’ve learned a few things about myself, too.  Keeping a healthy weight isn’t nearly as hard as I imagined it to be.  Certainly my behaviors and habits are much healthier, yet there is still this unnecessary and unhealthy desire – call it an occasional lust – for sweets.  It isn’t a physiological need, but an emotional longing of some sort.  But what?

Some unmet need, hurt, frustration, or anger causes me to run to my drug of choice.  I’m working on understanding what the heck is happening and the pattern.  It mostly rears its ugly head at night.

Thankfully the weight loss and new habits have given me a margin of health, a fresh start, and a clearer mind, but there’s more work to be done on good (not so old) old Kevin.  By stripping away a pile of fat-boy producing habits, I’m getting to the root of my issue(s).  It is all good!

My prayer would be that you, too, get on a journey of healthy on-purpose living.  Your personal insights refine and enrich your life if you will go to them instead of running from them.  If you have a health coach, then work with them.   If you need a health coach, then please contact Judith McCarthy at judithmccarthy@cfl.rr.com to learn how you can do what I did.

1 Year Ago Today – Still Taking Shape For Life

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Wow!  What a difference a year makes!  One year ago today I began Day One of the Take Shape For Life program.  At the time I weighed 230 pounds – down from 239 on Jan. 1. 

I lost my first 9 pounds by exercising it off – "the first gear way" is the way I refer to that now.  "High gear" is the TSFL way.  That is to get into a fat burning stage where the fat burns away and the lean muscle mass remains.  

My health coach, Lori Andersen, helped me set a goal to lose 30 pounds.  For me to weigh 200 pounds was frankly unimaginable – I thought it would require an amputation of a leg.  More accurately, I set my 200 pound goal weight goal because I thought less wasn't realistic.  Truth be told, Lori encouraged me to consider 190 pounds as my stretch goal weight.

Was I a skeptic? You bet!  I have a sweet tooth that doesn't stop wanting chocolate, Hot Tamales, caramels, and ice cream.  Couple this with a pizza habit and you've got the makings of an early demise for the pioneer of being On-Purpose! 

I chronicled my return to health on these blog pages, so I encourage you to read the Health & Fitness Category starting on April 4, 2008.  The real question in your mind is, "So, Kevin, what do you weigh today?  Have you kept the weight off?"

This morning I weighed 191!  The weight I lost, I've kept off.  More importantly, I'm living the BESLIM approach and developing the Habits of Health (see special offer below). 

To top it all off, my wife, Judith, caught the vision of TSFL when I spoke at the National Convention in July 2008.  She joined the ranks of TSFL as a health coach and is experiencing the joy of helping clients share my experience.  She is back to her college weight.  Now a few of her clients are becoming health coaches.  Dr. A's vision is to "Get America Healthy."  Judith is a part of that movement.  If you're looking for a health coach or to learn more here's a link to Judith's web site: www.certifiedhealthadvisor.com. 

Take Shape For Life has changed my life… my family's health and life.  This is the power of having a well-designed system that works and simply engaging the genius of others to my benefit.  Thank you TSFL, Medifast, and Dr. A and Lori.  Special thanks go to my dear friend, Janet Cronstedt, who introduced me to Dr. A.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

DrA TOPP Bundle On-Purpose Health Bundle: Through April 15, we're offering a special package that includes Dr. A's Habits of Health, an amazing book, and The On-Purpose Person ebook.  Normally, both would be $54.95.  Through April 15, we're selling both for $35.95 – a savings of $19!  Click the book image to go to our shopping cart.

189 Pounds – Thanks Dr. Andersen & Take Shape For Life

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I did it!  This morning I weighed 189 pounds!  That means I've lost weight to the tune of 51 pounds since January 1!   My goal was to get under 200 pounds; however, my coach, Lori Andersen, encouraged me to go the extra 10 pounds.   Honestly, as positive and goal oriented as I am, I just couldn't believe that I would ever be under 190 pounds again without the "help" of an illness. 

The journey has actually been a lot easier than I imagined thanks to the combination Medifast meal replacements and the personal involvement of having a coach from Medifast's coaching division: Take Shape For Life.  Co-founder, Dr. Wayne Andersen, is an amazing source of inspiration, education, and vision.  His vision for the Health Coaches to get America healthy is one thing.   How that vision translates to each client is another.  I'm living proof and a huge fan!

[please note, the photo on my blog will be updated with a new one soon.  This shot is me at 240 pounds.  You'll see the new me soon.  Yesterday we had a photo shoot so a new Kevin will be appearing soon.]

[Read more…] about 189 Pounds – Thanks Dr. Andersen & Take Shape For Life

My On-Purpose Pants!

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One of the oddities about an affluent society is our clothes closet.  Many of us who have gained a few pounds over the years have two and, sometimes, three sets of clothes.  I'm not talking seasonal clothing like winter and summer clothes.  No I'm talking normal, fat, and even fatter.  By the time most of us reach "even fatter," we've lost hope and finally given away the normal clothes settling for the fat and even fatter selection. 

Since I've been in the process of reprogramming my eating through the Take Shape For Life system, I've dropped over thirty pounds since April 3.  Yep, 30 pounds in 2 months.  My "even fatter" clothes began drooping on me within a couple of weeks.  After about a month, I was digging around into the "fat" set of clothes.  Now they're bagging. 

Over the weekend I bought two pair of men's pants and a pair of jeans – size 36!  My belts no longer fit either.  I've shrunk out of my 40s and 38s.  I was looking like a homeless guy with baggy pants.  Honestly, I can't remember wearing 36s.  There were none in my closet.  When I played a lot of competitive tennis – some 18 years ago – I was a size 34 tennis short.  So to wear a 36 is like rediscovering my youth.  What a joy for the baby boomer! 

I am still in my fat burning state.  Who knows, could 34s actually be in my life again?  Why not?  Honestly, the image of size 34 was so hopelessly erased from my self-perception that it is still hard for me to imagine it.  And I'm a guy with vision!  Yet I know it is not only possible, it is probable if I simply decide to commit to it.  My goal weight is 190.  At that weight the 36s will probably fit just fine.  Then again size 34 might be just the thing.

There isn't a day that goes by that someone doesn't ask me about my weight loss and tell me how good I look.  Never in my life have I had so many kind words spoken to me about my appearance.  Family, friends, and clients have asked for my help so I decided to get smarter about TSFL so I can better advise them rightly.  Plus, I love to learn.  I am such a fan of Take Shape For Life that I accepted the invitation by Dr. Andersen to be trained as a Health Coach.  I'll be trained by the best so I can help people be on-purpose with their health.  My wife, Judith, is really the person most interested in actually doing the day-to-coaching with coaching.  Together, we'll be learning.  I'm a zealot about this life changing program that has helped move me toward optimal health and away from disease.  I cannot NOT share it with you.

If you've done a want list and tournament on your Physical/Health Life Account and had "lose weight" show up as your top want, then TSFL may be the program just for you.  Do you have an on-purpose plan to trim down and keep off the weight?  Great!  If not, then let's connect… on-purpose.  Wouldn't you like to own a pair of on-purpose pants as well?

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin