Tomorrow is Christmas Eve?!?

It is hard to believe that it will be Christmas Eve tomorrow.   It also seems like a long time ago that I started this blog. The blog number tells me different.  Today is blog #71.  Since I have missed either two or three days, I haven't even hit the three month mark yet.  Time flies when you're having fun, right? And we are having fun.

Speaking of fun, if you read this and don't comment (no one ever does), be sure to check out http://www.despair.com/.  It is one of my favorite places to check out.  I especially love the eagle poster with the caption :Leadership.  The saying under the caption is awesome.  I'll let you check it out yourself.  Have fun.

Food:  Oatmeal Squares cereal, two big slices of cheese pizza courtesy of Five Star, a Yuengling beer, and then another large slice of pizza on my way out the door for a few errands.

Exercise:  Running errands?

Weight:  Down 1.5 to have me at a total weight loss of  3.3 pounds for the week and a combined weight loss of 33pouds so far after 10 weeks.  My current weight is 178.6.

Until tomorrow...

Cold Snap

This morning, I had to wear a hooded sweatshirt (hood up), a jean jacket (buttoned) and gloves along with the normal workout attire when I walked the dog.  It was cold (relatively).  My dad would probably disagree since it was about 40 degrees this morning in Florida and he called a little while ago to tell me how his thermometer read eleven below on his back porch in Minnesota.  There are degrees of cold and those extra degrees are big reasons why I live in Florida.  I am all for a winter wonderland and a white Christmas, but I prefer to watch it from inside the house under a very large blanket drinking a huge amount of coffee.

It is still hard to believe that Christmas is in three days.

I still have not had an eggnog shake from McDonalds this season.  That makes me feel a bit grinchy.  :)

Food:  good amount of dried fruit, two spanakopita that my wife made, and the killarney chopped salad from Beef O' Brady's with grilled chicken, blue cheese, honey mustard, and various other good stuff.  I also had my normal water with a little more coffee than normal.

Exercise:  walked the dog this morning

Weight:  Up .4.

Official Weigh-In Wednesday tomorrow.

Until tomorrow...

Am I really in the 170s?

Today, it was a ghost town at my school.  The office staff was all there, but that is it.  No students and only teachers in and out quickly to pick up various items.  This allowed me to get a lot done that I needed to concentrate on in my office.  It is amazing how you can just tackle a task when you're not getting interrupted with an emergency or issue.  I have mre to do tomorrow, and I am confident that I will be productive again. 

And then, I am taking off Wednesday and will be off for Christmas vacation.  Is it really Christmas on Friday?

Food:  Not hungry today.  Not sure why.  I had an apple and a Southwestern grilled chicken salad from McDonalds'.

Exercise:  Actually took the dog for a walk today.

Weight:  Down .4 to hit 179.7.

Until tomorrow...

I need an app for my blog

Last weekend, my wife and I joined the rest of America and bought iPhones for each of us.  It's fun to download the free apps and even check my e-mail and facebook accounts on the move.  I can even check to see what's on woot and my kids can open a present on the advent calendar app each morning.

I was thinking it would be neat to have an app for my blog or the Wii Fit.  The Wii Fit could beam my weight information to the blog and kind of attach itself to whatever I post.  I could even post to my blog if I was unable to get to a computer.

I say this because I won't have a Wii Fit when I go to Minnesota next Monday.  I won't have it for about six days.  This will be a grand experiment.  I will go a week without weighing myself daily.  Should be fun.  Speaking of fun, the Vikings are playing right now.  Better go.

Food:  Quaker Oats cereal, and then coffee and water, and three pizza slices spaced throughout the day.

Exercise:  I actually walked my daughter to Walgreen's which was a very good walk.

Weight:  Down 2.7 which pushes me past 30.  Fun stuff.

Until tomorrow...

Uff Da

Last night, I went to another Christmas party. There were loud card games, interesting Karaoke performances, funny conversations, and plenty to eat and drink.  I also let myself have a free pass at the party.  If I wanted to try something, I ate it.  If I liked it, I had a little extra.  I don't think I went overboard, but it was definitely more than I am used to eating.  It tasted really good and in the long run, it didn't derail me and I am still fine.  I do need to quit being lazy in the morning and take my poor dog for a walk.

Here's to fun Christmas parties! 

Food today:  bowl of Rice Cex, peant butter and honey sandwich, assorted dried fruit, two pieces of roast, some mashed potatoes, and brocooli salad with raisins, sunflower seeds, and some kind of dressing.  I also had my normal coffee and water.

Exercise:  I am off my game here, no doubt.

Weight:  Up 1.1 which is kind of funny because I mentioned to my wife yesterday that after every Wednesday my weight seems to go up.  Hmm.

Until tomorrow...

7.1 to go

That's what the Wii Fit told me tonight.  It said I have only 7.1 more pounds to lose until I reach my goal.  That doesn't sound so bad.  It is only one of my goals.  Once I reach the weight loss goal, I then start to build muscle.  I've never really done that, so I am very excited to get started.  Hopefully, I will be able to reach my weight loss goal by early to mid January and then I can get cracking on actually seeing my muscles rather than knowing I occasionally use them.

Tomorrow is the last for students and teachers before the Christmas break.  It is what I like to call, "The day where teachers might have plans to do some teaching, but the children's minds are nowhere near the school."

Should be fun.

Food:  Quaker Oatmeal squares cereal, slice of cheese pizza from last night, bowl of corn, piece of fried chicken, raspberries, pineapple, coffee, and water

Exercise:  My poor dog must think I hate him

Weight:  Down .2

Until tomorrow...

I can taste 30

So very close tonight.  I will write all about it in the weight section.

Tonight I am going to talk about my great kids.  During the last two nights, my son and daughter sang their hearts out at our school's Christmas programs.  They were simply wonderful.  Not only was everybody decked out in the red dresses and ties, but there was such a feeling of happiness and more importantly, hope.

If this season should teach us anything, it should be hope in the future.  If your kids are as great as mine, I have great hope for the future.

That's right, my kids are great!

Food:  skipped breakfast, turkey on a jumbo bun sandwich, orange wedges, coffee, water, very large slice of cheese pizza, and a buffalo chicken roll

Exercise:  We all accidentally slept in until about 6:45 which made for a hectic morning and no walk for the dog.

Weight:  I was down another 2.4 pounds this week which for the entire time I have been writing this blog, I have lost 29.7 pounds.  So close to 30.  I am excited for the next Official Weigh-In Wednesday to see if  can surpass the 30 mark.  I started at 211.6.  My current weight is 181.9.

Until tomorrow...

Busy Nights This Week

Last night, I really was unable to weigh myself and get on the blog.  My friend who owns Five Star Pizza called me up and wanted to know if I could fix his caller ID system that had crashed.  I said I would and six hours later, it finally worked at the stroke of midnight. 

Tonight, the Pre-K through fourth grade students had their Christmas program.  The 5th through 8th grade students have their concert tomorrow night, and then I have Church Council on Thursday. 

The Christmas programs are one of the highlights of my school year.  That being said, I will try to be more consistent like Jim Collins wants me to.  Better yet, Yoda said, "Do or do not.  There is no try."

Food:  bull's eye, a vendor said she would bring lunch and didn't so I had to scrounge.  Ended up with a gingerbread cookie, a piece of fudge, another little cookie, and finally tonight, the same salad with honey mustard and blue cheese that I always get from Beef O'Brady's.  I alo had water and coffee.

Exercise:  Due to being up really late last night, I didn't get up to walk the dog and I have been going nonstop today.  Other words; nope.

Weight:  Down .4 to put me at minus 1.1 so far this week with Official Weight-In Wednesday tomorrow.

Until tomorrow...

Jim Collins would not be happy

I have a sign on the wall in my office that says, "The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency."  THis was said by Jim Collins who wrote the book, Good to Great.  It basicallt says that if you want to do something excellently, you have to keep at it relentlessly and consistently.  That being said, I have missed two days out of four writing in this blog and getting on the Wii Fit.  I can't rest on my laurels and get lazy.  I am too close to my weight loss goal and besides, there is so much more work to do once I hit the weight loss goal.  Then I can start building muscle mass.  It will be fun.

Speaking of fun, my wife and I got iPhones today.  I need an app for my blog.  :)

Food:  Wheat thins for breakfast (in a hurry), spagheeti squash with turkey sausage and tomato sauce, coffee, water, two bowls of Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal, and one little Red Vine

Exercise:  cut the grass and yesterday I walked in the Kissimmee Parade of Lights (our driver went a little quick and us walkers ended up speed walking during the float)

Weight:  Down 2.9 to have me at 183.6.  Again, we wait for Wednesday.

Until tomorrow...

I wore 32 waist jeans tonight

After nine weeks, I was able to wear my size 32 jeans to my staff Christmas party tonight.  It felt great.  Since though it is almost 1 in the morning, I am just going to record my eating and weight tonight.  It's really late and I am really tired.


Food: biscuit, two sausage lins, slice of cheese pizza, corn, a lot of really good ham, a bean salad, and some frsh fruit.  I also has water and coffee.


Weight.  Up 2.2 which I attribute to really late eating and my normal fluctuation.  We'll see tomorrow.


Until tomorrow...

I love the Muppet Christmas Carol

Tonight, I watched the Muppet Christmas Carol.  I really do like the movie a lot.  One of my favorite parts is when Tiny Tim played by Kermit's nephew, Robin, sings "Bless Us All."

Here are the lyrics: 

Robin: Life is full of sweet surprises, every day's a gift
The sun comes up and I can feel it lift my sprit
It fills me up with laughter, it fills me up with song
I look into the eyes of love and know that I belong
Bless us all, who gather here
Piggy: The loving family I hold dear
Kermit: No place on Earth, compares with home
And every path will bring me back from where I roam

All: Bless us all, that as we live
We always comfort and forgive
We have so much that we can share

Robin: With those in need we see around us everywhere
RobPig: Let us always love each other
Robin: Lead us toward the light
RobPig: Let us hear the voice of reason
Robin: Singing in the night

Kermit: Let us run from anger
Piggy: And catch when we fall
Robin: Teach us in our dreams and please, yes, please
All: Bless us one and all

Robin: Bless us all with playful years
With noisy games and joyous tears
All: We reach for you, and we stand tall
Kermit: And in our prayers and dreams we ask you bless us all
Robin: We reach for you, and we stand tall
And in our prayers and dreams we ask you bless us all

Wouldn't life be great if we counted our blessings regularly and realized how blessed we are?  God is good.

Food:  Grape nuts with vanilla yogurt, forgot lunch, two and a half good sized pieces of Five Star's cheese pizza, a buffalo chicken roll, coffee, water, and four little Red Vines

Exercise:  I had to chase after my dog after he decided to roam aroun a bit

Weight (Official Weigh-in Wednesday):  Down 2.2 which has me at a weight loss of 2.4 this week.  Total pounds so far after 9 weeks is 27.3.

Until tomorrow... 

The Christmas shows are rollin'

This evening, I watched Mickey's Christmas Carol with the kids.  So far, we have watched Rudolph, the Grinch, Charlie Brown, The Santa Clause, and A Christmas Story with Ralphie.  I know we've watched other programs, but I can't recall them right now.  Watching these movies are great traditions.  Only a matter of time until it's time for Ernest Saves Christmas.

Hopefully, I will start a tradition of being in shape and next year, I can eep the tradition by staying in shape.

Food:  Grape Nuts with vanilla yogurt, Italian sausage, Cheez-Its, salad from Beef O'Brady's with bleu cheese, honey mustard dressing, coffee, and lots of water

Exercise:  walked to Beef O'Brady's with the family

Weight:  Static

Official weigh-in tomorrow

Until tomorrow...

Physics is complicated

Tonight on The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon tries to teach physics to Penny.  He attempts to go over 2,600 years worth of information and Penny just struggles with it.

I can actually compare this with my weight loss journey.  Before I started on my trip, I didn't really know exactly what it would take to make me consistent.  I had consistently struggled with yo-yo dieting and I could never make the weight loss stick.  Hopefully now through this Wii Fit and blogging thing, I know what I need to do.  Eat right and exercise.

Besides, I didn't understand much of anything Sheldon said on the show tonight.

Food:  Grape nuts, ham sandwich, apple, Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuit, shrimp chef salad with honey mustard dressing, coffee, tons and tons of water

Exercise:  Tomorrow for sure

Weight: Up 1.1

Until tomorrow...

Up and Down the Scale

Yesterday for some reason, I didn't make it to the blog.  I just feel asleep and didn't get to it.  I made it to the Wii Fit and it told me I had gone up .2, but then I didn't write about it.  Today was the biggest one day weight drop in the past 8 weeks.  I didn't eat differently.  In face, I thought I had eaten a bit more.  Once again, I will be interested to see the results on Wednesday.

Time to go watch the Vikings-Cardinals game

Food: grape nuts, peanut butter and honey sandwich, pineapple, Wheat Thins, some Triscuits, one of my daughter's california rolls, four little Red Vines, coffee, some water, another bowl of grape nuts with some egg nog

Exercise:  I wasn't feeling on my A game so I didn't do much of anything in the way of exercise today

Weight:  Down 3.1

Interesting

Until tomorrow...

The beard is gone

Today, I went to see the dermatologist.  He said we're going to keep up the status quo to let the cream run its course.  Since he wants to see how the cream really works, he said I should shave my beard.  He also suggested buying a Braun shaver as it is much more genlte on your face.  I am going to give it a shot and see what happens.  I don't know if I look younger, but it is weird to see my face again.

Food:  Grape Nuts, couple pieces of pizza, big Target soft pretzel, some big ravioli, bread, Diet Coke, not much water, and two little Red vines

Exercise:  poured rain all day and I didn't do Wii Fit

Weight:  After seeing my day of no exercise and tons of carbs, it's no surprise  I went up .6.  Time to go down tomorrow.

Until tomorrow...

Skin can take a while to heal

During this journey of two months now, I have also been dealing with a reoccurence of a skin disorder I have had since middle school.  It is called Dariers Disease and is characterized by scaly red skin that can pus.  Not only does it not look really good, but it is actually quite painful.  I have had it for a long time, but the severity of the latest episode caught me by surprise.  It went after the front of my neck and my chest, making it almost unbearable to turn my head.  In other words, pretty brutal, but I shouldn't complain.  I have so many other blessings.  All that being said, I have a return trip to the dermatologist tomorrow to show him the progress of the medication.  It's been slow, but I have seen some progress.  I will be interested to hear his take. 

At least the rash gave me an excuse to grow my beard.

Food:  Rice Krispies, peanut butter and honey sandwich, apple, a dish made with rice, spaghetti sauce, and ham, a good helping of peas, and some garlic bread.  I also had plenty of water and a travel mug of coffee.  I even snuck a couple handfuls of pretzels at about 8:00 which broke my rule of no eating after 7:00 p.m.

Exercise:  walked the dog in the morning and then took a walk with the family this evening

Weight:  Up .9 which seems to be status quo

Until tomorrow...

Weigh-In Wednesday Wishes

Today, during our school's chapel service, the Pastor was talking about the wish books that he used to look at such as the J.C. Penney's catalog or the Sears and Roebuck book.  I remember those as well.  I loved looking at the "new" G.I. Joe toys that were coming out at Christmas.  He then brought out different newspaper ads which got the students excited.  Especially when the Toys R Us ad was mentioned.

He then contrasted the wish book with the Bible, which he called the promise book. 

During this Advent time as we prepare for the birth of Jesus, it is great to know that God keeps His promises.

Speaking of wishes, I wish that eggnog didn't have a gazillion calories because I could drink a gazillion glasses.

Food:  Rice Krispies with pomegranate seeds, ham and mustard sandwich, apple, water, coffee (Dunkin Donuts blend), chicken, rice, and bean burrito, frozen raspberries, and corn

Exercise:  walked the dog

Weight:  Down .7 to have this week's weight loss at two pounds.  The grand total after eight weeks is 24.9 pounds which is approximately three pounds a week.

I know I have been changing the template of this blog around lately.  I do it because it's fun.

Until tomorrow...

Sleeveless in December

Today while we were driving home from work, my wife made the comment,"It's the beginning of December, and I am not wearing sleeves."  That's my best paraphrase, but the idea is that for us Hoosiers growing up in Indiana winters, it is extremely weird to know that students will be wearing shorts and polo shirts to school tomorrow here in Kissimmee, Florida.  I will admit that my blood has gotten a bit thin since moving south, but I also don't have to warm up my car forty-five minutes before going anywhere.  I know, that was an exaggeration.  I meant to say forty minutes.

This all lends itself nicely to a bit of a paradigm change.  Christmas lights on palm trees?  I'm dreaming of a Green Christmas?

I had to go through another paradigm shift with my weight, eating habits, and exercise.  I used to be extremely streaky.  I would work out for four days straight, eat great, and then blow it all immediately by falling into old habits.  I have had to create new habits.  5:00 isn't so bad when you're prepared.  I honestly don't miss the ice cream, especially since I have found it is okay to have some now and again.  I have stepped into the "staying the course" mentality.  It would be foolish to stop now and think things will continue to go well.

My paradigms have changed.  Change is good.

Food:  Rice chex with pomegranate seeds, peanut butter and honey sandwich, apple, water, coffee, a great salad from Beef O'Brady's that had honey mustard dressing, bleu cheese, bacon, and other ingredients I can't remember.  I ate every bite.

Exercise:  walked the dog and walked around Wal-Mart with my daughter

Weight:  Up .9 which is not surprising since I dropped 2.6 yesterday.

Until tomorrow...