2/2

Thank you again Jay for devising this contest.  They say that it takes 21-28 days to form a new habit and now I believe that I have.  Exercise and healthy eating habits.  I'm 46 years old and eating better and feeling better than ever.  Looks like I did pretty well in the contest and I'll take that as well.  Congratulations to the winner when it's all tallied up, whoever that is you deserve it.  Of course, we all win here and that's a great thing!!  This is a huge start on my ultimate weight goal and fitness goal.  I'm not there yet but after this far, I'm closing in fast.

1/5

Well, it's been a month now.  Seems to have gone by fairly quick.  I'm still losing and actually enjoying the exercise and calorie watching.  Today at the gym, I had the first person ask if I've been losing weight.  My neighbor was working out as well and said she asked my wife and son yesterday if I was losing weight!  She says it definitely shows.  It's hard to tell that about yourself day by day but nice to hear others say they notice.  So I guess I'll keep pushing.

1/2

I have to say, that even though the last 2 weeks were slow going, I am very pleased with my progress. I am down 10 total from the beginning and to know I did not gain weight over the holidays is quite nice.  I am ready to gear it up and knock it down now.

12/29 

Tough week for me!  Holiday dinners out and at home.  Lots of good food and treats that I just couldn't pass up.  Slowed way down on the water.  My goal last week was to maintain my weight, just not gain.  I did that and lost a pound.  Now I'm a little behind my plan but hopefully I'll have the will power to catch up.  We'll see.

12/19

Happily surprised at 222 today.  Its all due to increased cardio, adding weights and other activities as well, tons of water, and great food suggestions from my wife.  Willpower is big too.  I coach my daughters basketball team - we had a Christmas tournament last night followed by pizza.  I skipped the pizza and came home and ate an omlet with mushrooms and red peppers instead.  Feel like making the right choices is getting a little easier.   A bit worried about this coming week.  Kids get out of school today, holiday festivities will be at full speed for the next 12 days or so.  Both of the kids are having sleepovers here tonight, I hear there is a cooking decorating party that is going to occur in my kitchen.  I know that all of us have all of these things to think about in the coming days, but I have never even thought about what I eat or how much I work out over the holidays before.  This will be interesting.

12/12

So, 4 lbs this week.  I'm at 226.  I am very pleased.  I decided when I went into this that I wasn't going to have a big number for the goal - just a weekly goal - one step at a time.  So I set my mind to 2 1/2 lbs a week.  And even though I did better, I will stay focused on that - one week at a time. My wife does say I am crabby though.  Someone delivered homemade chocolate chip cookies to the house last night.  I really wanted some but didn't.  I have decided today I will have one.  If I don't, I will wish I did and next time I will probably eat a handful.

Another birthday celebration with junk food I am sure this weekend and out to dinner Saturday night with friends. I will just stay focused on making better choices and keep my eye on 2 1/2 lbs a week.  Off to the treadmill now.

* I do have a photo of the scale from this morning but I don't see off the bat how to add it here.  Anyone?

12/11

So far I am pleased how this is going, I am definitely glad I am doing this.  This week in particular has been full of ways I could have made terrible choices. My daughter's birthday was yesterday.  Tuesday night we had a family dinner here with my entire family - it was great but my daughter picked the menu.  Pork soft tacos - probably not the best choice.. My wife made some suggestions on how I can lighten them up (skipping mounds of cheese & sourcream and she also suggested skipping the tortilla but I didn't) and she added a giant salad, which I had plenty of.  Then of course was the cake.  My cheery 10 year old picked chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling and chocolate frosting.  How can you not have a piece of your now 10 year old's birthday cake?  I had a very tiny piece, a taste really.  There is a very large amount in the fridge as left overs, which I have chosen to avoid.  She also brought donuts to school yesterday and apparently some kids were out sick as some extras came home last night. I don't know if all of you have Lamar's but my daughter loves the ones with the M&M's on top, that's what I was dealing with.  I am pretty darn proud of myself for withholding, I did want one though.  I mentioned before that I eat relatively healthy but added in all the extra crap - that's what I was talking about.  I may have the biggest sweet tooth of anyone!  And thus far I have avoided the drive throughs completely. Which is also great.  Today and tomorrow are busier so I will bring food with me to keep that going.  I am also drinking more water which is good too.  I see this all about just making the best choices I can the majority of the time.  I would be miserable if I didn't indulge a little here or there (thus I had the tortilla), and I can't just do that. 

The excercise is going well.  I have added more cardio than I normally do. Today I am going to add in some weights up at the Rec Center, in fact I am going up there in just a few minutes.  I have enjoyed reading the other entries as too, even though I don't know most of you, its been great to know that there is a whole group of us out there doing this together.

12/7 /08 - As I mentioned on Jay’s original blog when I joined, I debated doing this.  Crazy time of year, plus in my extended family we celebrate about a birthday a week between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

My wife started being “good” when the kids went back to school in the fall.  She said something to the effect of “no more diets – this is a permanent thing”.  And she’s been doing great – about a pound a week she says.  Her goal is 40 by her 40^th – which is at the end of February.  So I am joining her – and thus joining all of you.

Weight has never been hugely a problem for me – and I do exercise and eat relatively healthy, but tend to add lots of crap with it.  If my wife stocks the shelves with a little Hostess for the kid’s treats for the week, I eat my fair share of them.  I am a regular at Taco Bell.  I am fortunate for that tall frame, so 230 on me isn’t horrible – but I seem to creep up a little further each year – so its time to be done with it.  My biggest concern is the long term effects on my health – I know that even the extra I have has its risks and no more rolling the dice for me.

I already ride regularly – outside when it’s nice, inside at the Rec Center when its not.  I have been using the treadmill here at the house lately, however I shouldn’t run due to bad knees.  One scope already! I have been using that to walk at a steep incline when I don’t have time to get up to the gym. 

My biggest obstacle is time.  On top of work we run the kids around to multiple sports – one in competitive hockey, the other soccer & basketball.  We eat on the road OFTEN and that is probably the biggest doing-in.  From October until March I spend a huge amount of time all over the state of Colorado every weekend hanging out in ice arenas.  They have soda, Gatorade, chips, snickers, soft pretzels and chilli dogs.  Which I enjoy all of.  We will head home at 8pm and stop at whatever restaurant looks vaguely familiar – many times for pizza, pasta or Chinese food.  The worst days are when both kids have games or practices back to back, that’s when the really unhealthy drive through food comes into play.  Or if there is a tournament weekend, 3 days of eating out for everything pretty much.

I went on a “diet” last year after the holidays.  Hung up a chart on my bathroom mirror with the goal weight and a picture of me looking less than stellar on the beach from the summer before.  Until this started this week, it was still there.  I had a few good weeks at the beginning and then went downhill.  I actually took it down and put up a new goal sheet, week by week for this.   I left the unflattering photo though.  A little motivation. 

So far since Friday its been going ok.  Working out as usual but have upped it a bit.  Food has been harder.  Ate things yesterday like yogurt and broccoli with grilled chicken for lunch.  Have to admit it wasn’t great.  Went to dinner last night and had a Cobb salad.  I was in an Irish Pub and watched my son devour Buffalo wings and people around me were eating Sheppard’s Pie and French Dip sandwiches with fries. 

This afternoon we are heading to the Av’s game, in fact have to leave shortly.  My son’s team is selling the Programs for the game.  We will stand on the concourse for 2 hours selling the programs next to the Pizza stand I am sure or maybe it will be by the ice cream.  My son wants to get dinner there.  Do they have anything healthy at all at the Pepsi Center?  I’m about to find out.

12/7 - I have weighed in & created my page.  Now its time to work out.  I will write a little something later after the excercising is done.