Neglect

Yeah, I know that the production of thus blog suffers a little when I do my December thingy on Joe Average Writer.  That's just tough.  Deal with it.  I do, but it would be remiss if I didn't mention that the last time I weighed this much (283.2 lbs.) was February of 2012.
Babysteps.

Simply...

I lost four pounds over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend!
I'm down to 284.4 pounds.
Think I can keep it up over Christmas?

Pie, Oh Pie!

No, I haven't weighed in after the great Thanksgiving feast yet.  But I must start by saying that I didn't overeat today.  Sure, my plate was still loaded with turkey (light and dark), potatoes (mashed and sweet), stuffing (plain and apple sausage), wheat (honey butter and raspberry butter), cranberry, a relish turkey (peppers, carrots, cucumbers, pickles, olives), and pond scum (I'll do a post on that later).

It did take a while until I was ready for pie, though.  Tonight it was Mom's traditional pumpkin, chocolate, and this year Liz tried (a very successful) raspberry chocolate cheesecake.  Whoa!  Amazing.  Again, I didn't overeat--believe it or not.

Last night we also engaged in mass pie consumption with Amy's side of the family at the traditional Puckett Pie Party, which is always held the night before Thanksgiving.  There I sampled pecan, pumpkin, apple, strawberry, raspberry, banana cream, and a pumpkin trifle.

Maybe I'll see how many different types of pie I can test before the end of the year.  Heh heh.

Wellness Challenge Update

So, it's been ten weeks since Amy and I started our wellness challenge.  That's quite a while for me to consistently be working toward something health-wise.  All you lifetime exercisers can leave now.  For me, this is quite the accomplishment.  We met our goals for being healthier, and I think it's paid dividends beyond the weight loss.  That said, I have lost and kept off ten pounds.  Weighing in this morning, I sat at 288.1 pounds, but have been as low as 286.  What makes me the happiest is that the weight seems to be staying off; it's not dropping and picking up.

Now the next chapter begins.  I feel better, with the exception that I ate too much sugar (as a small reward) last night, and now I feel sluggish.  If anyone says dares mutter "I told you so," they will be horsewhipped immediately.

We've redesigned our challenges for the next several weeks until we pass through the holiday season.  One of my goals is to maintain what I've done and not regress.  Also, this time we're including points for having a decent bedtime, which will be hard for me, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

P.S.  Even if I might not look any smaller, I hitch up my pants more than I used to, even with the belt cinched tighter.

...And I Thought I Blew It

After a weekend of heavy eating lots of pasta (and I mean LOTSA pasta) and sitting around (four sessions of Stake Conference), as well as committing a few late-night candy binges, I thought all my hard work had been shot.  However, after stepping on the scales (after a quick workout) this morning, I was still hanging in there at 286.4 pounds.  I can hardly believe it.  Not too bad.  I'm just trying not to imagine where I would be with a little more self control.

P.S.  I did resist the candy bowl at grandma's house last night, though.  Heh heh.

P.P.S.  Every day I am also throwing away some of the less desirable sweets from the kids' stash.  Not the good stuff, mind you.  Just the stuff that would still be there at Christmas.

Post-Halloween Assessment

Despite the inundation of sugar and the invasion of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, I am still maintaining.  This morning I was holding steady at 286.8.  Not bad.  Although I have to brag that I have only eaten three pieces of Halloween emptiness so far.  I think what did for me were the cookies and the most exquisite Kouign Amann from Les Madeleines (featured on The Food Network).  Wow!  I thought I was back in Europe.

So good. If you have never tried one, put it on your bucket list.

The junk on top of the fridge, though, isn't even tempting right now.  Hopefully, I can eliminate (dispose of not consume) most of it without the kids knowing much.  I'll have to be sneaky.

Small Breakthrough

So I've been hovering around 290 lbs. since the last time I posted.  I guess the weight doesn't really fit with the word "hovering," but it'll do for now.  Regardless, it was somewhat discouraging.  I've been working fairly hard: exercising, eating less, but it didn't really seem to make a difference, but this morning, after a somewhat crappy walk, the scale dipped down to 286.4!  It's going down, baby.  Even if it's incremental, it is going down like a bucket of chicken wings--one bite at a time.

A Little Easier

So yesterday I weighed in at 288.1 lbs.  That's the lowest poundage since April of this year.  Days where I feel like I'm starving are a little more bearable, though.  I find that I'm not craving chocolate (as much) or empty sugar calories either.  It's a little easier to walk by the free chips and salsa without gorging myself just because they're free and in my face.  It's a little easier to get up and exercise, although I still don't like the getting-up part.  I guess that's progress.  And for the math geeks out there that must have quantifiable data...since Amy and I have started our wellness challenge, I have lost (and kept off) 10 pounds.  That's 3.3% or 1/29.8 of my total body weight.  Not bad for a fat guy.

Anybody have any favorite snacks they could recommend?  I getting a little tired with what I'm doing.

Medical Evidence

Since I signed up for the school district's wellness stuff, I figured I should go in and see the doc.  I get a gift card for showing that I'm trying to be healthy, so why not?  Besides that, the fact that my cholesterol med prescription was out of refills, I figured it was time to go in for a physical.  So it had been over a year?  It could have been worse.  (More updates on my wellness plan later.)

So after the blood work last Tuesday, I went in this past Monday to get the good news.  Blood sugar is excellent.  Triglycerides are way down!  Good cholesterol is up.  Bad cholesterol is down. A lot!  Woo hoo!  I'm still working at it--not gonna grind to a halt just because the numbers say I'm not at much risk for heart attack or stroke or things like that (blood pressure is a teeny bit up--doc says it's stress and aging).  My weight is about the same as t was at this time last year, so I;d like to lower it some.  And it's coming off...very...slowly.

So, there.  I'm feeling pretty darn good about myself.  Portions are still hard, and so is battling the after-school snack desire.  It's a good thing there aren't any Oreos in the house right now either.

Like Bob Wiley, I'm not a slacker.  I'm doin' the work!

P.S.  Over the weekend I went under 290 (barely), but I'm back up to 291.  Work is still in progress.

Still Losing Weight...

despite eating grilled sausages, steak, chicken, (bacon and jalapeno) pizza, and a strawberry milkshake this weekend.  Down to 293.4, baby!  I just didn't gorge myself this time.

Witness the Willpower

Just so you know, in the past 72 hours I have passed on free cookies, cake, ice cream, donuts, candy bars, chips, Dum Dums (from  Sam), dark chocolate coconut almonds, and massive amounts of leftover pizza.  That should be worth something.

My mind and body don't agree, though.

I Just Wanted to Say...

No, this is not anything to do with William Carlos Williams or the plums he kifed.  I just wanted to say that I am still going walking in the mornings.  Yesterday I walked past the chocolate chip cookies that the wonderful PTA brought in for Monday Munchies not once but four times without partaking.  Whereas I praised them for the sugar before, they may become Monday's bane.  I also only ate one stuffed pepper for lunch (with quinoa, which does not taste just like rice).

The Monday morning weigh-in resulted higher than the last one, but it was lower than the initial one last Monday.  Progress!  I guess pizza and peach shakes over the weekend make a difference.  Heh heh.

That is all.

Almost from Scratch

So I wrote about my abysmal eating over the summer.  Amy and I have now decided how we're going to be come healthier--together.  It's going to be so much more interesting and motivating to have someone else helping me along.

The initial push starting tomorrow (Monday, September 9, 2013) will include exercising for 30 minutes at least 4 times per week, drinking enough water, eating enough fruits and veggies, not having any carbonation, limiting sugar and extra junk, avoiding eating after 8:00 p.m., daily reading, and more regular writing.  That means I'll probably end up with a few more posts on this blog, as well as my Joe Average Writer blog.

This past week was a practice run as we decided our categories for our wellness challenge and established some incentives.

So, tomorrow I'll try to get in an official weigh-in in the morning after I go for a nice half-hour walk.  The most recent revelation (Saturday) showed that I had lost 1.9 pounds since Monday (That's 296.9 for those that don't pay attention or refuse to do the math).  Not bad.  Since I started writing this blog I have had ups and downs, and I'm just about back to square one; it's almost like I've called the last two years a do-over for my health, but now I'm playing for keeps.  (Cue Rocky theme music.)

I know the results won't be instantaneous, the work will be slow, but I'm good for it.  There isn't any busy work getting in the way.  Just this little thing called a dissertation.

By the way, on Friday I turned down donuts and chocolate milk.

Here We Go Again, Y'all

So it's a brand new school year, a brand new month, and a brand new chance for me to start over with my health.  The vacation that wasn't quite as epic as Odysseus's return home has left me  little worse for the wear around the waist.  I didn't think that I was doing too badly, but apparently I was delusional.  Sitting in a car for muchas hours every day doesn't leave much room for exercise.  Even all the walking around the National Mall and the rest of D.C. plus the early morning jaunts in the humidity didn't combat the fast food and Southern hospitality.

That said, I weighed in this morning.  So, here it is: 297.8 lbs.  Wow!  Not good.  Close to the all-time high.  And since I've even been walking with Amy 3 times a week since we've returned, I can neither confirm nor deny that it was higher than that at any given point during this summer season.  So it's time to take more drastic measures.

I've already cut my portions (Today I only had one pork and slaw sandwich and one hot dog for the Labor Day get-together.) and stopped the carbonation since school began back on the 22nd.  Amy and I are going to try something a little different.  I'm not exactly sure yet, but I'll let you know.  Grrrr!!!

I'm not quite this big, even though my students might see me as such.  Kind of intimidating, huh?

P.S.  I know it's been somewhat disappointing over the past few months, but I'm going to try to get back over one hundred views in one month on this blog again.

Do Calories Really Count While I'm On Vacation?

I haven't weighed myself since I got back from vacation.  Frankly, I'm scared.  In the next short while I'll post all of the delicious fare I sampled while gone from home.  Honestly, it was a lot...and I'm not including all the junk snacks during the actual driving part of things.  Five thousand miles is a lot of beef jerky.

On one of our stops, someone said that while you are on vacation you are young, skinny, and rich, but once you return home you relapse and become old, fat, and poor again.  Yep.  I'm getting there.

However, despite my weight negligence, I have walked in the mornings semi-regularly since returning. I even exercised while I was on vacation.  The National Mall in DC kind of forces that on you.  So do several other sites that I will rehash at a later date.

And the Results...

Yes, this morning, after going 32 complete days without bacon crossing my lips (or even coming near them), I added real bacon bits (not imitation ones) to my awesome breakfast burritos, which also included scrambled eggs, diced green peppers and tomatoes, queso, and hot sauce.

And the result of my bacon fast, you ask?  Well, to be honest, I don't weigh any less, I don't feel my different, and I still like it.  Therefore, this experiment proves that not consuming bacon does nothing to improve my personal health.  Yes, I realize that I am excluding all alternative explanations, but that's how I choose to interpret the results of my study.  And as the author, researcher, and participant of this study, it's my prerogative.  Long live bacon!

P.S.  Country style BBQ ribs (with a home-made self-invented rub) for dinner tonight!

Almost There

Well, I'm still holding out.  No bacon has crossed these lips for 26 days.  Even the free thick-cut, peppered samples at Costco were no temptation for my iron will.  Next Monday doesn't seem so far away.  Suggestions on celebrations?

Bacon Update

No, I haven't lost my bacon bet yet...although it's not really even a bet.  And no, I haven't lost any weight either.  I have exercised four days between the inception of this ridiculous idea and now, but nothing has happened.  I blame this on my comprehensive exams.  But now that those are over with, I won't need as much comfort steak of pastrami.  Heh heh.

Some people call me masochistic since I've done this to myself, especially when I post and share baconic images on Facebook and such.  To them I say," Ain't no thang."

Well, I really don't say that...ever...but the sentiment is the same.  I am strong.  I can resist.  Just like I can let go of carbonation for months at a time without withdrawal.   So, why don't I just give them all up and starve myself skinny?  Point: I enjoy these foods that aren't good for me.  I still feel healthy enough to do what I need to do.

Besides, fat people make the world jolly.

Oh, don't worry.  I'm still gonna see this thing through.  It's become a matter of pride now.  That, and I'm still watching what I eat.   For example, to not be so fat (gratuitous mention of blog subtitle), I only ate one steak fajita (with mostly onions and red peppers) on each of the past three nights: the initial cooking, and two leftover opportunities.   I also let the kids scarf the leftover pizza.  Take that.

Bacon Fast

There is no excuse for my lack of posting, so deal with it.

I am going to boldly go where no man in his right mind has gone before.  No, you Star Trek nerds, I’m not following James T. Kirk anywhere.  Remember, if it’s on this blog, it pertains to my belly.  Duh.

I really don’t know how this evil started, but a week or two ago Amy asked if I could go without bacon for a month.  Context: I’m not sure, but I think we were either talking about our giving up carbonation from January until the end of the school year, or perhaps I was salivating over the new Carl’s Jr. Super Bacon Burger.  By the way, they are highly overrated.  They contain the same floppy, soft bacon they always do—nothing super about it, just more of it.  Usually, that’s a good thing, but after eating it I felt like I got hosed.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I answered Amy that I probably could but I wouldn’t want to.  Zac, overhearing said, “That’s stupid.  Why would anyone ever want to?”  (I’ve trained the man cub well.)  And that was the end of the discussion.

Last week, after the last hurrah of the school year, Amy started walking in the mornings again.  Not wanting to be a bigger slacker than I already am, saw that I had a little extra time on my hands (not much), so I started up on the Wii Fit again.  Now, this is the sorry part.  Since last summer, I have not exercised on the Wii more than two times per week (in most cases none) until this week.  I went thrice into the basement to get my rhythmic boxing and step aerobics on.  Add to that some baseball practice and hiking around Maple Lake with the scouts and across town with the stake youth for an activity, and I’ve had a fairly active week.

Yesterday, I weighed in and found that I was back down to 291.  I’m not going to tell you where I’ve been, but let’s just say that I didn’t cross the barrier that must not be named…or really even came too close, if you know what I mean.

After that weigh-in I went to my classroom (Yes, I know I just left it.) to study in its eerie solitude (Let’s just say it could make a good setting for a zombie movie.) for my upcoming comprehensive exams, of which I am mortally terrified.  (I’d rather face the zombies with nothing more than a #2 pencil.)

WARNING: TANGENT OVERLOAD.  THIS BLOG POST WILL DESTRUCT IF ANY MORE TANGENTS ARE UNLEASHED!

Okay, so the point is…somehow I convince myself that I would give up bacon for a month starting today, Sunday, June 2, 2013.  Not even bacon bits sprinkled on top of maple donuts.

Hurl all the insults you want, but somehow my overloaded circuits have convince myself that it will be “good” for me.  It’s become a matter of pride now.  I don’t think there is any prize.  Truth be told, if the dudes from Epic Meal Time ever found out, they would probably demand that I hand over my man card.  Tough.  All I know is that my burger on July 4^th will be loaded with premium smoked pork product—thick sliced.  Plus, there are other manly meat dishes to satisfy my carnivorous cravings.

My hypothesis: I will lose weight, but not due to lack of bacon consumption.  Rather, I will also be test-free and have time to exercise more than normal.

If any of you have any wagers, or encouragement, or advise, please leave them in the comments below.  But remember, if you can’t say anything nice….

Super Slacker!

So, the name of the game at my house is superheroes, if you ask Sam.  The Caped Crusader being his hero of choice right now.  However, I have not, nor ever will I, run around in tights and a cape.  (That image just made quite a few of you lose your appetites for the next three months.)  In fact, its been the opposite.  Outside of throwing batting practice to Zac's team and one night of flag football, I haven't done much of anything active lately.

All I have to say is that doctoral programs are not good for one's weight or blood pressure or much of anything else health-related.

I probably wouldn't even be posting today, but I figured that I hadn't done any posting since March.  That's not a good sign either.  I will say, though, that I gave up carbonation (again) until the end of the school year.  That started around the date of my last post, and I have kept it up.

Zac wants me to help him earn his Athlete activity pin in Webelos.  I'm not exactly the best role model for fitness, cape or no cape.  So, I'll try to do better.

P.S.  I found this picture on this blog: http://paulbentley.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/is-it-a-bird-is-it-a-plane-no-its-super-morbidly-obese-man-woman/

Sheer Will Power

With a dollar in my pocket, standing in front of the Coke machine, I made a conscious decision to NOT purchase a refreshing beverage or a bag of fried jalapeno and cheddar flavored fat.   I also passed on the pie.

How's that for will power?

3.14 = Pi(e) Day!

Normally I skip lunch and stuff myself full of various pies that the math students bring in for extra credit.  However, in an effort to reign it in, I've only had two slices today.  Compare that to eight or twelve or so.  Not bad, eh?  I've also started the sit-ups again--three days straight so far.  And sometimes I can get Sam to do some "jumping jacks" with me, too.  Gotta get Zac's arm back into shape for baseball, too.  It's been rough with his broken collarbone.  This week the weather finally permitted me to put together the backboard the kids got for Christmas.  Now, we just need a good ball.  (Zac lost his other one.  Go figure.)

Last night another leader and I took the boys to buy some donuts after our service project.  We bought two dozen (boxen) assorted fatty blobs.  Wanna guess how many donuts I ate?  Answer: one.  Aren't you so proud of me?

See, it's coming.  Little by little.

The New Plan?

This morning, despite Daylight Savings hangover, I decided to exercise.  To qualify this new "plan" of mine, I will use a little justification.  Heh heh.  On my trip to Spokane, even though I had "nothing" to do, I did not hobble down to the defunct exercise room of the hotel.  Th equipment looked like my junior high gym.  And those of you who went to JH with me (YHS or LAMS) know that it was pretty crappy.  Anyway, the Wii told me, as I awkwardly tried getting back into rhythmic boxing and step aerobics, that I hadn't "trained' for 63 days.  Honestly, I haven't done much as far as deliberate exercise goes for a long time.  (I know. I know. You don't have to criticize.)

The results of this non-exercise plan: I've lost 4.6 pounds.  Maybe I should keep it up.  (Insert stupid, winking emoticon here.)

Less is More...Right?

So during our kitchen outage (replacing the floors in our upstairs), I haven't eaten the best things.  However, despite this act, I have reduced the amount of toxins (both liquid and solid) that I have put into my body.  That's a step in the right direction, right?  I hope so, because not much else is happening.  I haven't gone to play ball again due to a bruised heel.  And just this week, I've hurt my ribs somehow.  I'm not sure, but it might have had something to do with moving large appliances (with and without help).  It's so hard to be active when you are injured.  At least I can eat less.

P.S.  It's easier not to eat any ice cream if there isn't any in the house.

Basketball Joe

So it's been a long time since I've blogged about being active.  Well, it's been a while since I've been active.

I'd like to turn over a new leaf.  I'd also like to get rid of this spare tire around my middle while eating a bacon sundae.  Yeah, that'll happen.  But I did make a stride, or at least a shuffle forward.  Yesterday, I wrestled with the kids and exercised with them--jumping jacks and sit-ups and push-ups.

Tonight I went and played two-on-two basketball for an hour.  I actually did pretty well for a fat, old white guy who can't jump.  Here goes some weight loss.  Oh, yeah...my friend ran into a brick wall playing basketball tonight and lost his balance, his glasses, and the ball.  Oh, I guess that was me.

Neglect

It doesn't seem like the blog has suffered too badly from the neglect imposed somewhat by the tangential divergence of Joe Average Writer to delve into food issues.  Just so you know, I did not eat everything I posted about.  I have no real idea how much weight I gained from my holiday binge.  However, it wasn't as bad as I predicted.

After not getting on Wii Fit for 77 days, my weight as of December 31st was 290.6 pounds.The new fitness goal through work is to lose five pounds during the month of January.  I think the best way for me to accomplish this is three-fold: 1) Don't stress as much.  We all know that when I am stressed, I eat way too much of what's not good for me.  When I'm not stressed, I can keep the hunger monster at bay.  2) I need my sleep.  I feel better and I exercise more when I'm not trying to catch up on sleep.  So, I've got to find more creative times to read and finish all the house projects (painting, furnace stuff, floors both wood and carpet).  Don't worry; I'm not doing them all myself. Finally, 3) Play more.  'Nuff said.

Kobiyashi should not be my role model.

I still need people to cheer me on, though.