Hiking

Today I went with Celeste for a hike instead of going to the gym. We went on the Rainforest Trail path in Fryman's Canyon. A few months back we attempted this hike but got very very lost and had to turn around. This time we knew exactly where to go.

For the most part the hike was great. Mostly declined until we got to the actual Rainforest Trailhead. Then it was all uphill. Which was fine since it was exercise. The problems came when we got to a very steep part of the trail that would have normally been fine since there are railway tie stairs... but at some point in the past there most have been lots of rain because it was completely washed out. Being a heavy guy I am a bit worried when it comes to steep trails that are not packed. It's not so much the going up part as it is the going down. Gravity loves me. It wants me to fall... so we got to an EXTREMELY steep and narrow part of the trail and I had to turn around.

I know that it bummed Celeste out since she wanted to see what was at the top... but I really couldn't do it. One again proving that I need to lose some of this weight so that I am not afriad of falling and having all 340lbs of myself crushing a leg or worse, hurting her.

The rest of the way back was all uphill so that was some good exercise on the positive side!

The Journey Of A Thousand Miles Starts With A Single Step: An Introduction

To begin.

My name is Benjamin Dunn. I am an actor living in LA. Not too uncommon. I am an unworking actor living in LA. Again, not rare. I am an unworking actor in LA who is over 300lbs. Now we are narrowing down the playing field!

I moved to this lovely city to pursue acting but have found that, though there is a growing (pun intended?) market for heavier characters, I am still in the top end of that field. I get very few auditions and even fewer roles. Of course I am not saying that if I was average weight it would be any easier, but it does make it tough.

Because of this and various other concerns, such as not wanting to die at an early age, I have decided to make the bold move of losing over 100lbs.

Now, this isn't my first attempt at losing weight. Those of you that have known me, know that I have been struggling with this issue for my whole life. I have tried it all it feels. Trainers, diets, boot camps... none of it has taken. In the end I have always fallen off of the wagon in some way shape or form. To this end, I have started down the path that alot have taken, but still seems very scary. I am getting a Lap-Band.

Well not the Lap-Band per se. Lap-Band, like Band-Aid, is a specific product. The surgery is called Gastric Banding. What that means is that they well insert a rubberband like ballon around the upper part of my stomache. This will create a smaller pouch about the size of an egg that will restrict the amount of food that I can consume at one time. It can be tightened or loosened by the doctor filling it with a saline solution through a port that will be installed in my abdomen. The goal is to essential be on a portioned diet that I cannot cheat at.

The common weight loss by this method is between 45-70% of your excess weight in around 24 months. This is great. It would mean that I could lose around 75-112lbs in 2 years... but I want to do more.

So I have decided to challenge myself. I will go to the gym as much as I can in the time leading up to the surgery and after. I will be taken a photo every day and trying to document it in this journal. (If I miss a few days I vow not to beat myself up over it.) Plus, for every pound lost, I will be putting $1 in a jar. The goal for that is that when I reach $100 I will take my girlfriend to Magic Mountain and ride a roller coaster with her...

I will also be making some videos to supplement this as well.

Well... here we go!