Three Pounds A Week . . .

Well, after getting to 203.8 last weekend, and then tanking badly over the weekend (I don’t even remember what excuse I used to eat what I wanted, oh yah, Saturday night I went to a poker game which means not only alcohol but some junk food – then on Sunday I just hobbled back into my diet with some other crap food).

Anyway, this week was that for me, hobbling along. I would have one bad meal, then a good meal. I went up to just under 206, and now finally after not hobbling the last 48 hours or less I am back to 203.8

It’s Friday. I dread Friday’s.

The weekend is the most difficult time for me, and I tend to gain 1lb or stay the same over the weekend – which basically causes me to fail at my 3lb a week goal (let’s face it, I am way past that now, I didn’t make it but haven’t given up).

We were supposed to have dinner at my parents house tonight but had to cancel due to the fact that my wife has appointments in Santa Monica this afternoon and won’t be home til 7pm probably. That’s good for me, that means eating light at home on my own with just me and my dog (and my computer or my new Low Limit Hold Em’ book).

When I did weight watchers with my wife (long time ago) one thing I remember they preached was to plan out your “bad” moments. Try to think ahead where you see issues and make sure you work around them.

Well, I have a couple big ones coming down….

First of all, I am constantly having opportunities to drink being thrown at me. Most the time, if not all the time, currently in my life I turn them down (that was an odd sentence wasn’t it?). For instance tonight a bunch of friends are meeting at a local pub by work – almost a weekly thing around here. And I just go home, because the 1 or 2 beers is not worth the 500+ calories, especially at 6 or 7pm. I love my friends, and I enjoy hanging out, but I don’t have the discipline to sit there and have diet coke while staring at their pints…

But the big one this month that I am most concerned about (April actually) is on the 11th. I leave for Mojave – on a 4-5 day trip with about 9 or 10 other guys. This is a houseboat trip. Do I need to even explain why this is a bad idea for someone on a diet. When I suggested we load up some alternative foods besides junk food I got scourged. This is not even taking into account alcohol. Of course this is the killer. I am trying to ask myself, “what am I going to do to limit the damage about to be done”? Take crack? Hah, I don’t know, but this is why I need to buckle down for the next 10 or so days so that it’s not such a huge hit or set back when I come back on the 15th. And if any of you guys coming on the trip read this – I don’t mind about the junk food actually. I agree, why change or contribute money to food that only I will be interested in – and some of you that have known me for years should know it’s my M/O to ask for something like this only to completely go crazy and throw the diet into the wind…which would be a waste of our money.

Bottom line, my goal was (and still is) 195 by the 11th.

I am realizing now, 190 is probably not low enough for me. I have about 13+ to go and I still feel very heavy.

Oh – I ran into a very old friend, a family friend, at the office the other day. He is actually a regional manager for a particular manufacturer in our industry (construction). Anyway, the first thing he said to me was “wow you’ve lost weight”. I had to smile, yep, over 20 pounds. It was good to hear that finally. People who see you daily don’t recognize the weight loss when it’s slow and steady. Even the friends I played poker with last week (who I don’t see but every few weeks or months) didn’t say much (well one of them did but I talked to him about it before hand). Like I said, the 20 I have lost doesn’t feel like a lot, and I don’t think even my friends notice it that much. If I took my picture exactly as I did in the header image you may or may not notice either. Actually, you probably would. I am waiting until I get to 190 to do that btw. I am beginning to think 185 may be a better idea for me though….even 180.

190 would have to include muscle weight and a lower body fat %.

I have no idea what I weigh right now.

Here’s the deal, I am out of shape, fat, and lazy. I had a competition with my Father going last year. First one to 190lbs has to buy the other one dinner at Morton’s Steak House. Great idea, reach a diet goal and the first thing you do is go out and eat a pound and a half of red meat with 2 pounds of starch. All in the name of good healthy living right?

So a year has gone by, we are approaching yet another holiday season. Well my life is one giant holiday when it comes to my diet, so I guess it doesn’t really matter what time of year it is. For lunch today I ate 2 Double-Double’s from In-N-Out. I am not even including the french fries and about 3/4 liter of Dr. Pepper. As I contemplated my state of mind while eating this lunch I realized something, that is, I am going to die and the last thing I want to think while dying is my last meal killed me. I know that is not literally true, but consider that my last meal was probably consumed weekly for years and you do the math.

I have a gym membership that I do not use. Yes, I pay monthly, for the last handful of months I have gone one time. My wife dragged me there that one time.

The goal I have set is 3lbs a week for at least 10 weeks. That means I will lose 30lbs by Feb. 13th, 2007. Delightfully, the day before Valentines (my wife will be happy!). From there, I think I will need to lose another 5-10lbs to hit 190, as I really think I am pushing 230lbs right now, possibly more.

I stand at 6′1″ tall.

So, we’ll see. I will probably weigh in tonight after my shower and post stats here, and then again in the morning and continue to post stats.

Watch out world!