Working my way back

So the other day I blogged about the needed to get back to my losing weight. I planned on the idea that if I gained it quick I can lose it quick, something I picked up from all my weight loss adventures.  Well it's not coming off as fast as it went on.  I'm seeing this as a opportunity to learn that this weight battle will always be a slippery(sometimes bacon fat slippery) slope.  I cannot, even after hitting my goals, assume that the weight will stabilize and stay flat.  It will need to be a focused effort to stay at any weight I want to be at simply because I LOVE food.

So, why am I telling you this, because in the last 3 weeks I have learned a couple of things that I want to pass on... as well as the results so far.

1. If you want to drop weight that you already lost once, it is OK to go the same route as the last time...
1. Last time I was successful in losing these pounds I had worked out 1-2 times a week (in addition to volleyball).  So far, I have not hit the gym even once, funny I haven't lost the weight as fast...
2. If you are thirsty, drink-if you are thirsty don't drink pop, drink water. If you don't have water don't just sit there, go get some water.
1. One of my hangups till this week would be my desire to drink carbonated beverages (specifically Diet Dr. Pepper, cause it tastes more like the original).  I enjoy my pop, no not soda but pop (maybe I can go on a rant some other time about this and "duck duck grey duck" not goose)  So anyway, I would drink 1-2 bottles a day.
2. I told myself that I needed to stop/minimize the amount of pop I drink in a day.  Unfortunately this usually meant I would sit at my desk with nothing to drink...not useful in flushing the fat from my system...Funny I haven't lost the weight
3. Working more than 40 hours can be a hazard to your health.  
1. I (my wonderful wife) packs a lunch to get me from lunch to dinner, typically dinner is at 6:00
2. If you leave work at 8:00pm, it's hard on your body and mind to not eat.
3. People in offices have candy at their desks and they are happy to let you eat as much as you want if you give them money in appreciation...Working more than 40 hours can be a hazard to your petty cash too.
4. Buffalo Wild Wings is not part of a balanced diet.
1. Unless your diet is Beer and Wings
2. oh and Onion Rings
3. 3 times in a week may be too much
4. or then again maybe not...

Tomorrow's blog, why I'm happy being fat.  Brought to you by, and written from, my local BW3.  No, not really...I think my progress has been acceptable considering all of the above hang ups.(Psalm 37:24)

For those of you keeping track at home, I am down 4.4 year to date. that means I have 23.6lbs left to go. At this point, I see that I may need to work even harder than I thought I would have to the other day. 

Google- I love you - "The only workout I truly enjoy"-refound

So the other day I posted this, lost it, and it was found again,(Luke 15:32) so for those who didn't read it before...Here it is...

So the other day I was finishing my first semester of college, yes it was my last but that's another story. I was very proud of my GPA with all the distractions going on like having a pregnant girlfriend and my impending academic probation. Yes, I was sitting with a nice 3.8 GPA but apparently if you drop 2/3 of your credits on the last day before it counts as an incomplete (Psychology, Math and English) they frown on that. So what was the 1/3 I kept? Glad you asked.

I kept Band, Band Technique, and Volleyball. How I survived, I'll never know. So why am I telling you all this, simple I still play volleyball...And I love it. I would play every day, unless I was playing golf- you'll read more about that this spring as the itch to play starts growing. But Seriously I love it, I find it weird though that as tall as I am my favorite position is often Setter. I take pure joy out of putting the ball exactly where it needs to be to have someone crush it. Honestly, I think I enjoy that more than killing a ball myself. I find it interesting that at 6'6" that I have a desire to do what is not my "bread and butter" position. I prefer being guard on the basketball court, and, well, ok, that's the only example I can come up with.

Lately volleyball has been the only exercise I can fit in. I have a gym membership but it's only open till 6:00 and I've been working past that too much lately, so my old church's open volleyball night on Sunday is just the ticket. Typically we have 10-14 people and for the most part it’s a high level pickup game. Last night, as my team got beat a lot so I found myself running a lot, and I LOVED IT. I know you shouldn't need to "run" that much when playing volleyball but some new people were there and it was nice to be able to encourage them while shagging errand balls. It also felt good to know that 30lbs ago I wouldn't have been able to get to those balls in the first place (imagine a freight train; Long time to get started, long time to slow down).

I'm hoping in the coming weeks to maybe make it to this new place I recently found out about that has a open gym night and then the weight will really be lost, not this post like the other day...See what I am setting up for you to spike down? huh? HUH? Nevermind....

New Year - New Shirts

So the other day I tipped the scales at a lovely 336lbs.  This was the largest (to my knowledge) I have ever been.  Preferably also the largest I ever will be.  I don't like knowing that my skin could stretch that far and honestly I still have the scars from that weight (physical and mental).

(Buddies wedding Jan 2006)

This picture was from my buddies wedding in Mexico.  7 days of all inclusive liquids and food...and it was all soooo good. The next week I attended Sales Conference in Palm Springs, a work celebration for the top 10% of employees...more all inclusive food and liquids.  It ended with me tipping the scales at a very uncomfortable weight of 336lbs.  I have had many fluctuations in weight since then...2 steps forward 1 step back as they go...I cannot complain too much.  But now, I have my goal and the determination.



Last March my wife and I started Weight Watchers Online.  I started the adventure at 303 lbs, I was determined to hit my wedding weight of  255 lbs.  After I got married in 1998 I shot up not looking at the scale as I did.  First I lost 5% of my weight, then 10% then I hit my lowest weight in remembered history at 271lbs only 4 months after starting.  I pretty much looked awesome and became complacent as this is the best I have looked in 8 years.

Me and my Wonder-Teen

We are now just a measly 3 months from that great day and I am up to 283.  I can give you the excuses of I had a party last night (who didn't) and we had a great spread and some great beers.  BUT I need to be more responsible.  I looked at the scale each day and thought...at least it's not the 300s.

So why am I bringing this all up?  Well simple.  My family, in keeping with the celebration of my weight loss bought me new clothes for Christmas.  It turns out 12 lbs shows up on a body.  So my 6 new tee shirts, a new polo, 2 sweatshirts and 2 pairs of jeans don't fit "comfortably" right now.  OK, I look like a stuffed sausage.

And to add to that reason, these last 3 months my wife has been kicking my arse in weight loss and is looking HOT.  She has a goal to reach by April 1st, so I will be doing the same.  3 months to 255.  This was suppose to be a simple 16 pound push but I had to go and gain 12 lbs. Now 28 is the goal.  2.3 lbs per week.

I don't plan on updating you all with the details but I'll check in on this topic when fitting, but hopefully it's the clothes that will be fitting in no time at all.

I wish you all a blessed New Year and much success to your goals that you set now, and the other day...

Big bargains pay off

So the other day I'm at Kohls, and if you know Kohls, you know I was there looking at their 60% 70% and 80% off racks.  While I'm hunting through the racks, I find this 2XL Adidas "dry fit" shirt on the 80% off rack.  I calculate it at about $5.25.  Me, currently wearing 3XL, like a glove, sees this as a great bargain. mainly because if I can't ever wear it I'm only spending $5.25 and if I can somehow ever, Bonus!

So I get up the the register, yes I am promoting Kohls (and this is why I will forever) and the cashier rings up my $5.25 shirt. Unfortunately for my plan,  I see that my $5.25 awesome workout shirt (yeah, workout) is now $26.25 and I'm like, "Um, I found that on the 80% off rack."  The cashier looks at me, and without a blink of an eye says, "Oh, OK, no problem" hits a button on the screen that says "Make it Happen" and she changes the price to $5.25.  Seriously, no "are you sure", no "I can't do that", just a hit of a button and this fat man has a new workout shirt (Again yea, right).  As I am walking out of the store, I look over at a rack and there it is, the display that my shirt was suppose to be on.  My shirt $26.25 full price...Funny story, I get home that day and think well I can fit into this shirt Now. put it on and stand looking at myself in the mirror.  I look good I tell myself and then proceed to try and take the shirt off...Eventually I was successful with a little help from my wife...EF (epic fail)

So that brings us to today...why did I bring this up?  Well, I recently have been losing some weight and today I found said shirt in the bottom of the workout clothes drawer and I decided to put it on.  I am happy to say.  It looks dang good and I'm also pretty sure that I won't need my wife's help getting it back off.

So remember, bargains that you got the other day are only as good as the story you get to share about them!