Well, so far not so good. I really felt like I was making decent progress, getting in some good workouts and trying to eat better food and portions (though I did go overboard at my sister-in-law’s birthday party on Sunday, the BBQ was just SO good…) but it looks like I haven’t made any progress. As of this morning, I weigh EXACTLY the same as I did when I started. I’m going to weigh again tomorrow just to see if there’s any change since technically that would be a full week, but I’m not holding my breath, though I do plan on doing really well today both food and exercise wise to try to counteract yesterday's excess. I’ve also started doing planks in addition to my crunches to help with the abdominal area. Will post again on the morrow…
UPDATE: Ok, so I ended up losing 2 pounds last week...whew! now i'm pushing for 4 this week to get me caught back up to my goal. been eating a lot of salads so far, doing a lot of planks and crunches, and have had one really hard workout. gonna get in at least one more hard workout session and one or two lighter ones. will post more next week!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
battle of the bulge: the beginning
Ok, so like many Americans these days, I need to lose some weight, I’d say about 15 or 20 pounds, though I’d be happy with 10 to start. I’ve been kinda sorta half-heartedly “dieting” for a few months now, surprisingly with little success. That’s a joke. I know I haven’t been committed to the effort, so I’ve really only maintained my current weight, which isn’t a bad thing, just not what I was going for. Now with our beach vacation coming up at the end of June, I realize it’s time to get serious if I’m going to take my shirt off in front of people other than my wife (I can’t do anything about my albino-like skin tone, but if I can look more like a slightly flubby vampire instead of a bloated nightmare creature from the deep, I’ll be happy). Don’t get me wrong – I’m not obese by any means, but like many men my age, I have an ever-growing problem in the gut area.
I’ve always relied on Weight Watchers (not the meetings, etc., just the tools and methodology) for my dieting phases (my typical modus operandi is lose the weight then do ok on my own until I realize that the previously shed pounds have insidiously crept back onto my torso, rinse and repeat). What I realized from this past “effort” (I use that term in the loosest possible way – I’m not trying to kid myself) is that dieting alone, which worked well for me in the past (towards the end of college I lost 25 pounds doing WW with no real exercise) no longer holds up against the ever-increasing inefficiency of my body (i.e. I’m getting old). So now I have to diet and get serious about exercising on a regular basis as well, which I know I need to do anyway, which I am, you don’t have to tell me, so get off my back!
Sorry. Anyway, I will be posting my progress (no pics though, I will spare you that much at least) as we go. Again, my bottom-rung goal is to lose 10 pounds, which should be feasible in a month (I honestly don’t know what the potential weight-loss cap during a month is, but I can tell you that I won’t be wearing one of those shiny sweat suits or sleeping in a sauna, so 10 pounds sounds ok). If I can lose more than that without going to extreme measures, that’s cool. Hopefully knowing that I will be posting the info here will keep my focused, though I can tell you that I can already feel that I am truly determined this time. Of course, my wife will say “that’s what you said last time” which is true, but I mean it this time, just like I did last time. But it really is for real this time. But I said that last time too, so you’ll just have to take my word for it I guess. Either way, I’m gonna do it, so look for the Battle of the Bulge update next week!
I’ve always relied on Weight Watchers (not the meetings, etc., just the tools and methodology) for my dieting phases (my typical modus operandi is lose the weight then do ok on my own until I realize that the previously shed pounds have insidiously crept back onto my torso, rinse and repeat). What I realized from this past “effort” (I use that term in the loosest possible way – I’m not trying to kid myself) is that dieting alone, which worked well for me in the past (towards the end of college I lost 25 pounds doing WW with no real exercise) no longer holds up against the ever-increasing inefficiency of my body (i.e. I’m getting old). So now I have to diet and get serious about exercising on a regular basis as well, which I know I need to do anyway, which I am, you don’t have to tell me, so get off my back!
Sorry. Anyway, I will be posting my progress (no pics though, I will spare you that much at least) as we go. Again, my bottom-rung goal is to lose 10 pounds, which should be feasible in a month (I honestly don’t know what the potential weight-loss cap during a month is, but I can tell you that I won’t be wearing one of those shiny sweat suits or sleeping in a sauna, so 10 pounds sounds ok). If I can lose more than that without going to extreme measures, that’s cool. Hopefully knowing that I will be posting the info here will keep my focused, though I can tell you that I can already feel that I am truly determined this time. Of course, my wife will say “that’s what you said last time” which is true, but I mean it this time, just like I did last time. But it really is for real this time. But I said that last time too, so you’ll just have to take my word for it I guess. Either way, I’m gonna do it, so look for the Battle of the Bulge update next week!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
general updates and other stuff
Well, I finally sorted out my side of the closet, meaning I went through all of my clothes and created a Goodwill pile; stored all of the winter stuff and took out the summer clothes; reorganized a couple of shelves that were out of control, and generally straightened the area up a bit. It’s looking pretty decent in there now, though we still need to get a new hamper, and figure out a new place to put it if possible.
We got pretty close to actually going into the attic last weekend, but it never happened, and now probably won’t happen for another few weeks due to my wife traveling, etc. Unless I did it myself, but I’m not sure I’m to be trusted with such a task on my own – there’s no telling if I’ll go overboard or not, unless there are explicit written instructions, and even then it’s a toss up.
My grass is fairing well, though since I have to wait to cut the new grass, the rest of the yard is getting pretty “full” so to speak. I guess I could trim it up with the weed-eater, but I like to think I’m giving the grass a chance to choke out the weeds. I’ll probably be able to cut it next week sometime.
What else? Well, I’ve got the ole gears turning regarding possibly starting to really write again, and maybe even trying to publish and sell some of my poems and short stories through lulu.com. It definitely couldn’t hurt, and I think the idea of making even a few dollars would help my drive and motivation a bit. I’ll keep you posted on that front as it progresses.
Everything’s good in general. Toni (my wife) is still pretty nauseated most of the day, everyday, so we’re hoping that goes away sometime soon. I hate that she feels so miserable, and there’s not much I can do for her, though I do make myself readily available to her for whatever she may happen to need. I’ve also become convinced that we’re going to have a girl – I don’t really know why, but there it is. And I believe Toni’s now convinced it’s a boy, so how’s that for a flip? Either way, it’s gonna be great! Well, till next time…take care!
We got pretty close to actually going into the attic last weekend, but it never happened, and now probably won’t happen for another few weeks due to my wife traveling, etc. Unless I did it myself, but I’m not sure I’m to be trusted with such a task on my own – there’s no telling if I’ll go overboard or not, unless there are explicit written instructions, and even then it’s a toss up.
My grass is fairing well, though since I have to wait to cut the new grass, the rest of the yard is getting pretty “full” so to speak. I guess I could trim it up with the weed-eater, but I like to think I’m giving the grass a chance to choke out the weeds. I’ll probably be able to cut it next week sometime.
What else? Well, I’ve got the ole gears turning regarding possibly starting to really write again, and maybe even trying to publish and sell some of my poems and short stories through lulu.com. It definitely couldn’t hurt, and I think the idea of making even a few dollars would help my drive and motivation a bit. I’ll keep you posted on that front as it progresses.
Everything’s good in general. Toni (my wife) is still pretty nauseated most of the day, everyday, so we’re hoping that goes away sometime soon. I hate that she feels so miserable, and there’s not much I can do for her, though I do make myself readily available to her for whatever she may happen to need. I’ve also become convinced that we’re going to have a girl – I don’t really know why, but there it is. And I believe Toni’s now convinced it’s a boy, so how’s that for a flip? Either way, it’s gonna be great! Well, till next time…take care!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
update: dogs and yard
As an update to the two posts prior to the baby announcement (I know you’ve been dying to know), I wanted to pass along that our dogs are doing very well out in the house by themselves. So well in fact that we are discussing the permanent removal of their large crate that has taken up a nice piece of corner real estate in our bedroom for over three years. I’m quite proud of both of them for not destroying the house, though let's face it, Kinsley was the only real threat. Little Bit just likes to curl up on something soft and snooze.
My quest to subdue the backyard is moving along nicely as well. The dominant weeds have been reasonably quelled and my grass seed is starting to sprout, so things are looking good. I also took it upon myself to finally, after at least a year (I’m telling myself that it hasn’t been three years, but I’m not really sure), remove the numerous dirt-filled plant containers that have been sitting along the side of the yard. Two of these actually had what appeared to be small trees growing happily in their snug confines. Fare thee well, weed-trees, your days in the sun have come to an end! As far as our other quests involving the attic or closet are concerned, we are still holding out for the right time to really dig in. This weekend is a possibility. Yeah, we’ll see…
My quest to subdue the backyard is moving along nicely as well. The dominant weeds have been reasonably quelled and my grass seed is starting to sprout, so things are looking good. I also took it upon myself to finally, after at least a year (I’m telling myself that it hasn’t been three years, but I’m not really sure), remove the numerous dirt-filled plant containers that have been sitting along the side of the yard. Two of these actually had what appeared to be small trees growing happily in their snug confines. Fare thee well, weed-trees, your days in the sun have come to an end! As far as our other quests involving the attic or closet are concerned, we are still holding out for the right time to really dig in. This weekend is a possibility. Yeah, we’ll see…
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
we're having a baby!
That’s right – as some of you already know, my wife and I are expecting our first child! She’s a little over 2 months along now, and we couldn’t be more excited! We saw it for the first time the other day, and were able to hear the heartbeat. Absolutely AMAZING. We already feel so much love for this tiny thing growing in her abdomen, and it’s crazy to think that it will be a little person by the end of the year!! Of course, we’ve both been battling the common sensations of not feeling prepared to be responsible for another human life like this, but I think that comes with the territory, and we’ll learn and adapt as we go along, just like every other set of parents with their first child. It's probably no surprise that I’m hoping for a boy, but I really don’t care either way. The idea of a boy is nice just for the sake of a little balance (to give you some perspective, in our house it’s me with my wife and our two female dogs, and my sister-in-law’s family of three girls who live about 10 minutes away), and I know that my brother-in-law Scott would appreciate having another guy around as well, plus just the thought of those father/son things is nice, though I am aware that I am somewhat ill-equipped to provide some of the “man lessons” (home improvement, car, etc.) that will be needed. But I guess that’s what Grandpa’s are for. Then the other side of me loves the thought of a little girl, who I know will have me wrapped around her pinky instantly. Of course my wife is all for a girl to do all those wonderful girl things with, which I appreciate. Like I said, either is a blessing to us, and I simply can’t wait to shower our child with all of the love I have to give.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
let loose the dogs...
Today we (or really "I" since it was my grand idea, and therefore my hide if it doesn't work out) are taking a huge chance...we are letting our dogs have free reign of the house while we're at work, as an experiment. Generally, due to the somewhat destructive nature of one of our beloved pets, we keep them in a kennel together during the day, letting them out during lunch. As I was watching TV in bed last night, it popped into my head that perhaps they could handle being alone in the house. This thought stemmed from when I work in the yard for long stretches and my wife isn't home, and I let the dogs inside while I continue working. I may not go back inside for two or three hours, allowing them to do whatever they want. And I realized that they hadn't destroyed anything (to our knowledge, which I guess is as good as not) during those periods, so it should stand to reason that they would react the same way during the work day. Or at least I hope. The increased amount of time does worry me.
We did take some precautions though. We made sure to remove everything from their reach that may look even remotely appetizing to the bored canine palate, closed the doors to the bathrooms (where their most-prized delicacy, tissue paper, is readily available) as well as the study and upstairs, and filled their Kongs with an abundance of not-easily-attainable treats to keep them busy.
Now we simply wait to go home for lunch and hope that it doesn't resemble a disaster zone.
I really hope it works out since neither of us likes the thought of them being cooped up all day. And it should help them release their energy a bit more so that they're not quite so crazy in the evenings. We'll see soon enough.
If anyone besides my wife reads this (thanks hon!), keep your fingers crossed for us!
We did take some precautions though. We made sure to remove everything from their reach that may look even remotely appetizing to the bored canine palate, closed the doors to the bathrooms (where their most-prized delicacy, tissue paper, is readily available) as well as the study and upstairs, and filled their Kongs with an abundance of not-easily-attainable treats to keep them busy.
Now we simply wait to go home for lunch and hope that it doesn't resemble a disaster zone.
I really hope it works out since neither of us likes the thought of them being cooped up all day. And it should help them release their energy a bit more so that they're not quite so crazy in the evenings. We'll see soon enough.
If anyone besides my wife reads this (thanks hon!), keep your fingers crossed for us!
Monday, April 13, 2009
mundane quests of the homeowner
I’ve been joking with my wife about putting together a list of things we need to work on now that it’s somewhat/kinda Spring. Well, I’m putting it down in writing baby!
My first and probably most perilous quest of the Spring: whipping our small but out-of-control backyard into shape! It’s absolutely ridiculous how bad it’s gotten, especially in the last couple of weeks with all of the rain. The weeds are taking over the entire yard and it makes me cringe each day when I feed our dogs. But I will not let it get the best of me! I am master of my domain and will not be pushed around by vegetation! Here’s a list of our other Spring Quests:
1. Vege-ruination!* – defeat the weeds and overall ugliness of the backyard so as to not shame the entire neighborhood.
2. Attic of the Disorganization! – we shall enter and quell the rampant disorganization in the attic, making sure to use labeled plastic containers so we can actually find what we’re looking for in a reasonable amount of time.
3. In the Closet… - we have a fairly decent-sized closet that is full of old clothes (primarily mine) that need to find their way to Goodwill, then what’s left needs to be properly sorted so that I am not overwhelmed with despair each morning when I’m unable to find anything worthwhile to wear.
I’m sure there will be more amazing and dangerous quests to come, but this is a good starting point. I know we'll feel so much more at ease once these things are done!
* UPDATE: the weeds have been conquered! Hopefully the grass will now grow strong again due to copious fertilization. Also added weed-blocking fabric and pine straw to the planting areas.
My first and probably most perilous quest of the Spring: whipping our small but out-of-control backyard into shape! It’s absolutely ridiculous how bad it’s gotten, especially in the last couple of weeks with all of the rain. The weeds are taking over the entire yard and it makes me cringe each day when I feed our dogs. But I will not let it get the best of me! I am master of my domain and will not be pushed around by vegetation! Here’s a list of our other Spring Quests:
1. Vege-ruination!* – defeat the weeds and overall ugliness of the backyard so as to not shame the entire neighborhood.
2. Attic of the Disorganization! – we shall enter and quell the rampant disorganization in the attic, making sure to use labeled plastic containers so we can actually find what we’re looking for in a reasonable amount of time.
3. In the Closet… - we have a fairly decent-sized closet that is full of old clothes (primarily mine) that need to find their way to Goodwill, then what’s left needs to be properly sorted so that I am not overwhelmed with despair each morning when I’m unable to find anything worthwhile to wear.
I’m sure there will be more amazing and dangerous quests to come, but this is a good starting point. I know we'll feel so much more at ease once these things are done!
* UPDATE: the weeds have been conquered! Hopefully the grass will now grow strong again due to copious fertilization. Also added weed-blocking fabric and pine straw to the planting areas.
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