Post Five

Today's weight: 213.5 lbs.
Today's breakfast: frog legs
Today's mood: excited


This is a sample of my new diet.

I made that last part up...

So I only lost 1/2 pound since my last weigh-in. You know, I figured something out. When the kids spend the weekend with me, and we have dinner, I have to finish what they don't. Part of it is a snacking fixation...part of it is not wanting to waste anything, because I don't feel it's ethical to do so. Whatever the reason, that's what happens.

I have been riding my bike like crazy-sometimes twice a day as I wrap up my vacation from the Cheesecake before starting my new position with The Steak Company, who own Sullivan's, Del Frisco's, Texas Land and Cattle and Lone Star Steakhouse. This is a strategic move, as I switch from unlimited cheesecake sampling to unlimited STEAK sampling. Hey, its part of my job! This will immediately fulfill my desire to return to a low- or no-carb diet. I know....I know. But its worked for me in the past and I feel better doing it than with any other option.

So...things are going well. I have decided to stop smoking on Wednesday, since thats the day I start the new gig. Don't want to make a bad first impression ducking into the stairwell for a hit.

So, I'm sure that my posts will become more insane as I withdraw from the nicotine. If I stay out of bars, I should be okay :)

See you later.

Post Four

Today's weight: 214 lbs.
Today's breakfast: scrambled eggs
Today's mood: content

No the above picture is not me.

I just figured in the interest of Election Day in Texas (yesterday), I would toss up a picture of my pick for President, Mr. Barack Obama. I won't bore you with details about why I am voting for him - suffice it to say that if you have any questions I can answer, let me know.

Down to 214 - making progress, yes? Perhaps the pound that I lost was the weight off of my shoulders now that the election is Texas is over. I told myself I would become more involved this year, partly because of Obama, but mainly because if you don't get involved, you can't bitch about the results, right? I early-voted, and then attended the Caucus last night. Very interesting, yet unorganized process. Go Texas!

I rode on the Katy Trail yesterday, contemplating the political state of things and wondering if my choice was the right one. Not a ton of people on the Trail, as it was slightly cold (but sunny) and I am sure folks had to get to the polls. Still, a good ride and my legs are sore today to tell the tale.

Today looks to be another sunny day in Dallas, hopefully I can get on the bike and make the magic happen.

Have the best day ever.

Post Three

Today's weight: 215.5 lbs.
Today's location: home-catching up on work
Today's mood: optimistic

So the other day, I took the bike out for a spin. I used to ride all of the time as a kid, which explains the freakish calves that I sport. Well, that and genetics. Luckily I have decent thighs as well or my legs would look similar to an upside-down turkey drumstick. My dad is also a big-calved man, and he used to ride, even race, bikes as a younger man and well into his 30's. Flexing of the calf never fails to turn off Laura, who I assume loves every other part of me. So I wear knee-hi socks in bed to be considerate.

I made that last part up.

The Katy Trail is a 3.5 mile path that winds it's way from downtown Dallas near the American Airlines Center on the south end and finishes near SMU on the north. I can access the path at several points about 1/8th mile from our house. The trail almost always has someone on it, but in nice weather especially it is very popular with stroller moms, young professionals, and anyone looking to check out some eye candy.

www.katytraildallas.org

On this day, the thermometer rose to 80 degrees, which for those in Texas won't surprise you; despite being February that only means it will be 25 degrees tomorrow. Thats how we roll in the Lone Star State. SO, you take your opportunities when you can get them.

Nothing crazy happened on this day - it was great to take several laps back and forth between the AAC and SMU, until the 41.5 year old knees started to ache and it was starting to get dark. The Katy is not someplace you want to be after dark, even for a strapping lad such as myself. I did collect about 45 gnats in my teeth, since they had left their self-imposed hibernation from the cold and rejoiced in the rare warm day, celebrating by attacking me at different points on the trail. Hurray.

So, weather permitting, I will continue to get out there. I like the sense of community that exists on the trail, I like the feeling of accomplishment, and SMU girls turn me on, which is why I live with one.

Disclaimer: Laura graduated long ago, so its not like I am living with a 20 year old co-ed, but perhaps I can talk Laura into bringing on a roommate.

I made that last part up.

Or did I?

Thanks for reading.

Post Two

Today's weight: 218 lbs.
Today's cologne: Jo Malone lime-basil-mandarin
Today's mood: lucky (I have the weekend off with the HTG)


This is what I look like now, after only 3 days! Awesome!

I made that last part up. That is actually Christian Bale in 'The Machinist'. Crazy movie if you haven't seen it. It's like the Jenny Craig program from hell mixed with manic depression as seen through the lens of David Fincher.

OK-not sure how I lost 3 pounds since the last posting. I really haven't done much except snack less and eat a little better. Trying to keep good groceries in the house such as salad, soup and eggs (protein). You know-this should be really simple: eat less and exercise more. I think sometimes I just have to snack (an oral fixation?), and sometimes (and the thing that gets me the worse) is snacking right before bedtime. Last night, I had a salad for dinner, then a bowl of Cheerios with fat-free milk. Did I need the Cheerios? Since we no longer forage outside for meals, in the hunter-gatherer sense, have I become lazy? The only foraging that we do out of the house, besides grocery shopping, is the nights out for dinner. Interesting.

Watched the debates last night and could have done sit-ups while doing so. Will plan on doing that tonight (just thought of it).

The MS 150 is in 10 weeks. Frisco to Fort Worth. Did it last year and it was great-would like to be lighter for this year's ride. Makes all the difference.

Anyhow, perhaps I should grab onto this 3 pounds as a (small) victory. Yeah, thats what I'll do.

See you soon.

Big Dave's Big Weight Loss Blog

Today's weight: 221 lbs.
Today's height: 74.5 inches (6'foot 2.5 inches for those that can't convert.)
Today's mood: fat

It's February 14th, 2008 and as I hop on the scale, I realize I now weigh more than I ever had in my life. I weigh as much as Laura, Tristan and Sutton put together. That's 3 humans, dude.

I'm noticing a little extra stuffing these days. I still feel like I can hold my own playing tennis or swimming, but I seem to lose my steam a little faster than before. Chalk it up to being 41? I don't know. I don't want to think I am getting ready for the pasture just yet. I am also noticing (and the Hot Texas Girlfriend is also noticing, which is even worse) that I am a lot more rounder around the middle, a chin that has a twin, and an overall sense of pudgi-ness. Pudgi-ness. I should trademark that for the kids whose parents buy them the "husky" jeans for back to school comfort.

I wanted to start this little quest at the New Year, however several factors contributed to my delay. Well, mainly only one: slackerness. Well, that and the fact that I just, 7 days ago, had the male sterilization procedure.

See also: vasectomy.

SO, its not like I could continue to exercise, which I was doing, mind you. However seeing as how I couldn't subject my privates to bouncing, swinging or any other thing other than horizontal SportsCenter watching, I decided to milk that for all it was worth.

But I digress.

SO, seeing as how I like to write, and writing is what I like, I figured that my focus would be much better if I forced myself to write about losing weight on a DAILY basis. In other words, since art imitates life, I would need to do things during the day to write about: note what I eat, look at myself in the mirror a lot, journal my daily weighings.

I don't necessarily have a weight goal. I think that anything below 200 is good as a start, but I will know it when I reach it...when I feel it, you know? When the clothes start to hang a little better, when the self-esteem starts to flow a little better, and when I am yet again, a full-on-sex-machine. You know what I'm talking about.

So, here we go. Hang on tight. I will try to be as entertaining as possible. Please feel free to offer encouragement and other stuff (except dessert). Being a restaurant professional, it will be tough to maintain my discipline, however I know it needs to be done. I am toying with the idea of doing a before and then after picture but I don't know if I can bring myself to do the before picture sober...

See you soon.