Help me raise $100,000 in the next year! For the Choroideremia Research Foundation.

196.4lbs!!! Lost 70.4 lbs!!! WOOHOO!! GOAL ACHiEVED!!!

I've been doing a great job over the years gaining weight. No problem. It was almost effortless, but the truth is a lot goes into gaining as much weight as I did. It's hard work. And I thought losing it would be even harder and in some ways it was and in others it wasn't. Before I lost the weight, over the years, I'd watch shows like Biggest Loser or even Celebrity Fit Club and watch what they go through to lose weight. I thought I needed a drill sergeant. In this little experiment, I learned I don't need a boot camp or someone yelling in my face or to carry boulders up hills or even exercise 10 hours a day. That's what I thought it would take to lose what I needed to lose. The truth is I needed just a little push in the right direction. After that first week, where I lost 6lbs, that was it, I was in it for the long haul. And in 8 months and 4 days I'm quite sure I have added years on to my life. I just gotta keep it up.

The other day on March 3rd I weighed myself after my training run of 4 miles (tread mill) and for the first time my scale showed my a number BELOW where I was trying to get. I feeling of accomplishment and glee washed over me like a cool wave. I was Skyping with my lovely girlfriend at the time and we both enjoyed that moment.

I was watching a special on TV about a Biggest Loser winner who lost over 200lbs and gained most of it back. It was hard watching it. I felt bad for the guy. He thought he had to keep up that work out that lost him the weight but thats an insane schedule. He also is around bad influences: his mother (i think) was shaming him for being so heavy and at the same time serving him a plate full of ribs. When this contradiction was brought up to her, she excused it because "its a Sunday". So I guess on Sundays, even if you're obese, you can eat whatever you want, but the rest of the week, get your shit together, fatty.

I know those moments because I've had them in my own parents house. My mother talked to me the other day complaining about her own weight. That whole household needs help in a big bad way. When went home for the holidays, my sister made me a salad when i went to her house for lunch and when i went to my aunt's she made a healthy appetizer before we went out for dinner where I had salmon. Same thing at my other aunt's house. She made some healthy choices for me.

People are asking me how to lose weight which is still so funny to me. But the real way to do it is be smart about it and know your weaknesses and "triggers" (WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO EAT?) Get your families involvement, ask for their help. Let them know how important this is to you. Hopefully they'll respect it. Try not to give yourself a deadline. Just lose it in a healthy way no matter how long it takes. Hang in there, don't get discouraged even if you slip a bit. Lose it for charity, write a blog.

Big thanks to TED TREMPER!!!! And his family!! Ted and his family became Choroideremia Research Foundation members and have donated a combined $1,000. That's about $14.28 /lb. Bringing my new total up to $192.58/lb. (which is about $13,500) if everyone remembers to pay what they pledged.

I'm very excited for the future and to see what happens on those extra years I'll be around.

I want to thank everyone for their help, supportive words, support in terms of donations and although the weigh loss is over, I am always trying to raise money and awareness for this little known disease that is taking away my sight a little bit everyday.

Go to

www.curechm.org (if it doesn't work try another time, sometimes when they're updating the site its hard to get on)

on the PayPal there's a place where you can type that your donation is for EJ's WeightLoss.

THANKS AGAIN EVERYBODY!!!!!

Much Love

EJ

200.6lbs!!!

I'm so close!!!! I'm almost there!! I have lost since July 1st 66.2 lbs. I have 3.8lbs to go.

Its been a struggle. At least these last handful of pounds have been. The first 60 were a lot easier to lose than I thought they would be before i started. Ofcourse there have been the temptations all around.

These last few days I was traveling on the road with an improv group. I bought some healthier snacks for me to bring along the way so I would be stuck or have to buy out of a machine or something. I was able to get a couple salads and some raisin bran. I did have a big breakfast one day with bacon, eggs and potato chunks. It wasnt even that good. but it was free from the hotel.

I steered clear of sodas, beer, hamburgers. We even went Arby's one day and I had a salad. Not a lot to choose from on the Arby's menu in terms of healthy choices. But I found a salad and it wasnt bad.

I'm excited about getting to my final goal so that I can then concentrate fully on the next goal and thats the marathon runs and making the documentary.

Big thanks to new sponsor

Alana Poma - .25/lb

Deborah Ann Woll - $10/lb

I lost track of a sponsor or two somewhere. Hopefully they'll remember who they are. But that is $1.42/lb (i'll pay it just in case.)

Bringing the total to

$176.38/lb!!!!!

Which is over $12,000!!!!!

I'd still like to get to $200/lb though. There's still time. C'mon people!!!!

Remember you can donate to the cause at

www.curechm.org

There's a PayPal button there. When people donate via "PayPal", on the 2nd page, left hand side is a link titled, "Donation Directed Towards". Clicking on that link opens a text box where you can type in what the donation for. Hopefully everyone that says they'll donate will remember to and not procrastinate (sometimes that happens).

Thank you so much everybody!!!! This has been really inspiring to me. I hope some of it has rubbed off on you. Much love.

EJ

204.0 lbs!!

Having trouble with these last 10lbs. they are being more difficult than any other of the pounds. ive cut out most starchy foods until i get rid of them. I have to get down to 196.8 lbs. Thats the goal. its just really frustrating that the weight was falling off of me so easily before but now its so much harder.

Ive started training for a marathon for October. Basically Im only doing treadmill stuff right now and a couple of yoga classes. I really want these last 7.2 lbs off in the next 4 weeks. by march i want it to be done!

I'm very proud of the accomplishments Ive made so far and Im getting a lot of nice feedback. But I want people to pay off the donations they have promised so i can see how much this weight loss has brought in for the Choroideremia Research Foundation.

Couple new sponsors..

Lisa Linke - $2/lb

Jennifer Estlin - adding $1/lb to her donation.

Tami Sagher added $6/lb

$164.71 /lb total.

I'm still trying to get up to $200/lb. Thatd be amazing.

If youve pledged please go to ..

www.curechm.org

You can pay on Paypal. And please say that its for EJs weightloss. (I think they send you an email asking if youd like to donate in someones name.)

Thank you all so much for supporting me. Much love.

EJ

206.8 lbs!! I lost 60lbs!! 10lbs to go!!!

I thought I had hit a plateau and I did. I was weighing the same amount everyday for several days in a row. Then I joined a gym and started exercising. Just treadmill stuff for now. I'll be taking a couple light yoga classes as I go. It's only been a week, but I lost weight! I weighed myself today and it read 206.8!!!! 60lbs on the button.

Originally my goal was to lose 60lbs. A couple months ago I decided to go for 70lbs cuz it would be healthier.

If you have pledged to donate please do so at www.curechm.org

You're welcome to wait til I lose the other 10lbs. If you only wanted to sponsor me for the 60 thats ok but Id be great if you could sponsor the full 70lbs.

New sponsors...

Shannon MacIntyre (not related to me) - .50/lb

Abby Denson - .50/lb

Pat and Sal Devito - $1.43/lb

$155.71 / lb TOTAL!!!

This is all to find a cure for Choroideremia guys. I have it, my brother has it, my nephew has it, maybe my 1 yr old nephew also has it. My moms a carrier, my sisters a carrier, my aunts a carrier. Please help. I'm trying to get up to $200/lb. Thank you so much everybody for your help and support.

Much Love,

EJ

211.2 lbs!!! over 55lbs lost!!!!

Even though its the holiday season its still possible to lose weight. who'da thought? actually a day or two ago i weighed myself on my parents new scale and it said 210.6. wow. But I'm writing the blog today so I'm counting todays weigh in.

Almost at the original goal of 60lbs then going to blow passed that to the 70lbs. I figure 2 months I should be there. Or really close. I'm feeling good. Looking a lot better. My girlfriend is impressed (even though she loved me when i was fat. Go love her.)

Now I start thinking about the marathons I'll be running for the Choroideremia Research Foundation.

www.curechm.org

Donate and sponsor me!! Its not too late and no amount too small!!! Still trying to get up to the $200/lb mark. I'm about $45 short of that. But if everyone gives a little, it'll happen.

Thanks again for the support. Much love.

EJ

216.2 lbs!!!! Over 50lbs lost!!!!

I never thought I'd lose 50lbs. I never thought that someday I would need to. But that day is here. So there ya go.

Its been a while since my last blog mainly due to Thanksgiving. I was gone for two weeks and didn't have my scale. I was really nervous about going home and being out of my element when it came to food. Turns out for good reason.

Mostly everybody was good about being thoughtful about my diet and new eating habits. Although there was one night when my dad went to an Italian restaurant and got food for me , my mom, my brother and himself. We sat around the dinner table and I took out my chicken Caesar salad an they took out their food. My dad had a giant Meatball or sausage parmesan sandwich, my brother had ravioli smothered in cheese and my mom had some kind of sandwich too.

I brought up to my father how worried I am about his eating and his weight and his health. It seemed to just roll off him like water off a ducks back. On Fathers day my family had a talk with my dad expressing our concern for his well being. We even got him a Jenny Craig program, at the time, he said he'd go to. But he hasn't. And being around that stuff is hard for me too. I would love to chow down on some artery clogging goodness. I felt like a junkie. A food junkie and the people around me are junkies too.

When my dad refuses to get his health together because food is too important, thats a real problem. ANd thats why I'm losing this weight now and trying to develop new habits now rather than later. Its very difficult. And unfortunately isnt taken as seriously as it should be. My dads on heart medication because a few years back he a had a couple stents put in.

I worry about my father and I worry about my brother who is heavier than either me or my father was at his age. He was actually going to lose weight too with me and then changed his mind. I think he realizes he might be a food addict too.

I've decided to run the Chicago marathon next year. I'll probably have to do it blindfolded which sounds like a nightmare to me. But i'm way too light sensitive to be out in the sun for that long. I also think its a good way for me to keep the weight off.

New sponsors

Jason Bartow - added .25 / lb

Debbie Carney - .42 /lb

MG Maloney - .25 /lb

Tami Sagher - $4 / lb

brings me to almost $153.28/lb. I'm still trying to get to $200/lb even though I'm losing 70lbs now. Most of these money numbers are still for 60lbs. But I'm going to lose 70lbs. And hope people will give a little more for the extra 10 lbs.

Thanks to everyone for their help and support. I really appreciate it.

Much love,

EJ

donate at 

www.curechm.org