Cruising

Start Weight: 280.4 (March 3)
Goal Weight: 269.9
Today's Weigh In: 271.4
Days to Goal (March 31): 1 remaining
Total Pounds Lost: 9 out of 10.5 (1.5 to go!)

Ok, so I probably won't hit my goal of 10.5 pounds by tomorrow, but it's possible. If I could hit it before April 1 and start off April under 270, I could definitely deal with that.

I'm heading into the last day of the month going strong, believe it or not. For the past what - 5, 6 months - I've been stagnant. This month, I've started out above 280 (again), and I am SO close to being under 270.

The last few days have been a tough challenge, but I can say that I've done pretty damn well. When we went out for dinner a few nights ago, I had the salad at Red Robin when I really wanted the burger. I saw a 272.0 on the scale yesterday which was nice, and then it pushed me through until yesterday. Yesterday I had the two parties - the FAT party (which was awesome, great work by Kevin and Beck), and then my cousin's surprise party (that she knew about - you can't get ANYTHING past a woman).

I did great - and with help by Erin. I told her on the way to the bar that I wasn't going to drink anything, because I was doing so well on the day. When I got there and around my family (who were "slightly lubricated"), I really wanted to have a beer. Erin reminded me (a few times) about what my goals were, and long story made short, I was doing Karaoke with a glass of ice water in my hand all night. Sober Karaoke - it was my first attempt at it. It's definitely a different ballgame ;)

Which brings me to today - I ate well before the two games because I knew there were going to be a TON of temptations. I get to the Red Wings game and it was easy to pass on everything because I knew we were headed to the Ford Field suites next for the NCAA game (Kansas vs Davidson, GREAT game!) - and the food and beers were free, as opposed to $8.50 for a 22 ounce Bud Light at the Wings game.

So we get to Ford Field and there's a feast good enough for the Last Supper. Crab cake sandwiches, chicken/cheese quesadillas, every type of chocolate and beer you could think of - cheeses on top of cheeses, all my weaknesses. I had a little bit - but I was more concerned about serving sizes, that's always the killer.

Kristen and I were talking at the FAT party about this - how it's not that we're sliding into the habits of eating BAD food - but that we're slipping into eating larger portions of what we're used to eating, which doubles our calories without thinking about it. So, I had limited amounts and tasted a few things. They gave us this chocolate/caramel brownie thing that was *HUGE* - I took it, cut about 3 bites off of it and had that, and put the rest of it in a bowl and took it home for Erin.

Good for me - I get to limit what I ate and was able to enjoy some chocolate within reason, and good because I got mega-bonus points for being at the game and being considerate enough to be a good husband and bring some home. Bonus.

So, I got 271.4 today - and I'm hoping to see it continue. I don't know if I expect a big drop today, I did have a pretty healthy Captain and Diet Coke, some brownie and a small quesadilla - but considering what obstacles I faced in the food realm this weekend, I think I'm pretty proud of myself. Tomorrow's official "Birthday Dinner" is Applebees - I'll be working off of the Weight Watcher's menu.

Let's make April amazing.

Not TWO Far

Start Weight: 280.4 (March 3)
Goal Weight: 269.9
Today's Weigh In: 272.0
Days to Goal (March 31): 4 remaining
Total Pounds Lost: 8.4 out of 10.5 (2.1 to go!)

What can I say? The weight's moving slowly but surely in the right direction, and I can't complain about that. I've been eating well, the Metabolife seems to be working, and I've been in the gym every day. Tonight we ended up going to dinner and out for drinks - I had a Cobb salad minus half of the stuff, and I gave half of the bread to Erin, and had the other half - meaning like I had 3 bites of bread.

Then, out for drinks Erin and I both ordered a 22 of Blue Moon. I took a few sips, but all I could think about the calories - and how I've come SO far lately. I love me some Blue Moon, but not more than I love me some 260's, so I sipped on mine, barely making a dent. When she had like an inch at the bottom of her glass, I traded her. I probably had 6 ounces of beer tonight.

Small successes.

I've got 3 days left - can I lose these last 2.1 pounds? Only one way to find out.

Goal and Weekend To Go

Start Weight: 280.4 (March 3)
Goal Weight: 269.9
Today's Weigh In: 272.4
Days to Goal (March 31): 4 remaining
Total Pounds Lost: 8 out of 10.5 (2.5 to go!)

I just wanted to post earlier than 10:30pm at night because usually by then the blogs are pretty uninspired due to exhaustion.

This weekend is huge for me. I dropped another .6 or so today, and it's because I'm working my ass off. I've been eating perfectly, a handful of almonds on the road to school, a bowl of raisin bran before I leave, a pork chop and a small serving of fake-mashed potatoes for lunch today, I had a 210 calorie cup of soup around 4pm becuase I was starving, and we're going to have a smart dinner tonight.

I made one of my decisions easier on myself for this weekend - on Monday for my birthday dinner I chose to go to Applebees. There was about 30 restaurants I'd rather go to - and I would have gone to in the past - that I would rather go to. In the past, the birthday dinner was the reward. High fat, something I normally wouldn't have (can someone say "Louis' Pizza?), and I'd enjoy it while all the while saying that 'birthday calories don't count".

This year, I choose to do my celebrating with the scale. Applebees has a great weight watchers menu that I can have a nice dinner, enjoy my family and still keep it where I need to be.

That is what's important this year.

4-Pound Dash

Start Weight: 280.4 (March 3)
Goal Weight: 269.9
Today's Weigh In: 273.0
Days to Goal (March 31): 5 remaining
Total Pounds Lost: 7.3 out of 10.5 (3.2 to go!)

So yeah - yesterday it was 277, today it was 273. Not really holding my breath for another day like that, but I ate the same as yesterday, worked out the same as yesterday, took the same pills as yesterday, so I need to stick to the right direction.

I've got to get under 270 - at least SEE it, by my birthday on Monday. And you want to talk ROADBLOCKS?

Friday - going out to eat, then to a show, and then to a bar.
Saturday - FAT Party (wahoo!), then surprise party at a bar.
Sunday - Going out Red Wings game (3pm), possible NCAA tourney game if the schedule works out right. Game times haven't been announced.
Monday - Detroit Tigers Opening Day, my birthday, going out to dinner w/ family for birthday.

So I've got some choices to make this week. Tomorrow is my last "easy" day before my birthday, and I have to get a head start. Thinking I might double up on the gym - before school (6am) and after work (6pm) - then it's just a matter of what I want more this weekend. Do I want to have fun and celebrate? Or, do I want to be the *ULTIMATE* Weekend Warrior and have something to celebrate AFTERwards?

It all comes down to how important this is to me. This ain't going to be an easy weekend, but what the hell - if it was easy, everyone would do it. Who's with me?

The Placebo Effect?

Weigh In: 277.4

I'm trying something starting yesterday that I never thought that I would want to use, but sometimes you have to step out of the box. I've been looking at different supplements for a while and wanted to use something that would kickstart my body. It's no secret that I've been going half-ass while trying to convince myself that I've been going full-ass for a while now. No one works out 6-7 days a week and doesn't lose weight by eating right.

So, I'm trying Metabolife. I got the ephedrine-free, caffeine-free version. It's got a bunch of whatever-dohickey extract stuff in it, but the purpose is to speed up the metabolism safely while supressing appetite. Sounds like a load of crap, doesn't it?

The strange thing is, it's working. I'm not sure how, or if it's just my mind wanting to BELIEVE that taking these pills 3 times a day is working, but it's working so far. I've noticed my ability to keep from eating too much has been better. I've noticed that I've had more energy lately. I've had a better focus.

So, it may very well be the placebo effect. It could be my brain making my body BELIEVE that whatever is in this potion is working when it's really just me being mentally stronger - or even FOOLED.

So what? If it works, it works. The bottle is worth 8 weeks, and they said "Lose 25 pounds in 3 weeks!". Commercials are crap, and sales pitches are even bigger crap - and I can say that since I'm a salesperson by trade. Maybe it's a mental game.

Whatever it takes, though. If I have to use a pill as a crutch, frankly - I'm at the point where I'm ok with it. I need to drop this weight, and if I need to "cheat", I'm going to cheat.

Btw: Kevin and anyone else who wants to play basketball in the Troy, MI area, let me know - we're going to start on April 8th - time pending.

Secret Potion

Weigh In: 277.4

Not really much to say again tonight. I've been at a loss for words lately, but it's because it's the same old stuff, just a different day. I made a point to eat STELLAR today. I did everything right. Was in the gym at 5:45 this morning and had a solid 60 minutes in the gym.

What else can I say that hasn't been said? I finally got back to everyone's blogs today - sorry that I've been out of commission lately. I feel like I've got 100 things going on and sometime replying to blogs seems overwhelming when you haven't done it for a while. I had to reply to like 12 of them today, so hopefully I got to everyone.

I'm not sure why I'm speechless here tonight. I'm sitting here in front of the computer and have writer's block. Erin will tell you, it's not often that I am speechless, I like to talk - but tonight, I am just drawing blanks.

So, eat right, work out, be diligent. It'll eventually come off, right?

.. right?

Hacked

Looks like all of http://makeforum.net, the free site provider that we host the FAT Coalition forums on, has been hacked.

http://fatcoalition.makeforum.org/

I don't understand why these weaselly little nerdy asswipes think it's cool to screw with everyone, but the entire makeforum.org site is being hacked. Losers.

I'll update as I know more.