Week 30: Slow & Steady, Sand & Surf

Checking in from the midst of my family vacation on the Florida panhandle, with mixed results.

The good news is I was down near my TS2012 low of 255.9 with a current weight of 256.3.  The bad news is, I’d promised the kids that we’d eat pizza today after my weigh-in.  And I did keep my promise . . . boy, did I eat some pizza!

The cool thing I’ve noticed this week, though, is that simply being at the beach is a form of exercise. Walking in sand. Fighting waves. Eating pizza.  Except for the eating part, enjoying the sand and surf is in itself a “slow and steady” workout.

Time to hit the beach again and burn off this pizza!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’d like to encourage my pursuit of losing 100 lbs or simply add a little “intrigue” to your philanthropic life, email me your pledge for the Missionaries of the Poor today at tipthescales2012@gmail.com!

Check the FAQ page if you have any questions!

Week 29: Status Quo on the Weight, but WAIT . . . MAJOR News!

There’s value in just maintaining. As much as I long to drop more weight, I’m recognizing that value.

Back down a little from last week but still not back to my low.  Good news is that we did get another donation this week, adding another potential $100 to the TS2012 cause.  It’s a good reminder to thank all of you who have so generously pledged money, so THANK YOU!!!

Challenging week ahead, but as a good friend told me today, I need look no further than my “priceless” experience from Six Flags earlier this week as motivation and proof that I am making good progress.  Thanks for that, brother!

On a MAJOR side-note, we just went public this weekend with breaking news that adds further incentive to my efforts for TS2012 . . . we’re having another baby!!!  That makes number 5, for those counting, and God willing, this one will never know me as a fat dad!

Click HERE to visit my other blog and see the video we used to announce it to all our family (if you have seven minutes to spare). 

 

Priceless!

I took my kids to Six Flags over Georgia yesterday. It sounds funny, but one of the things I’ve really looked forward to about losing weight is being able to fit more comfortably (or at all!) into amusement park rides.

It’s embarrassing to hold up a roller coaster in the station because the coaster crew has to give you a little extra due diligence to make sure you’re securely fastened in.  They have these demo seats outside amusement rides anymore that allow riders to make sure they “fit” before getting into line. During my last few trips to parks, I’ve had to try them out.  Not this time.

And my last couple trips to Six Flags, I haven’t even tried to get onto the kiddie coaster. This time I did, and it was wonderful!

1. Losing 54 lbs in 6-1/2 months = ARDUOUS

2. Trimming down = REWARDING

3. Being able to fit in the kiddie coaster to ride with my two youngest kids yesterday = PRICELESS!!!

Week 28: . . . And 4 Steps Back

A day late with the update, because we were out of town and forgot to take the official scales with us. Sorry about that.

I’m rather frustrated this morning. At one point last week , I’d actually crossed below 255 lbs.  For that single, fleeting day, I hoped I’d never see above 255 again, but in the few days since, I’ve worked my way back nearly 4 lbs up and nearly 5 weeks back in time.

Thank God I’m still the right side of 50, but achieving 55 has been terribly daunting.  My wife says I’ll get there, but there is not where I need to get. My vision is far beyond, and I am struggling against some mighty snares mid-way.

I’m not eating poorly, but an honest reflection of these last few weeks shows that perhaps I’ve lacked the early diligence I had. The 55-lb barrier is shaping up to be a proverbial crossroads; I need to suck it up, re-solve my resolve, “re-mox” my moxie and move on.  Time’s awastin’.

Please continue your prayers, and if you feel compelled, please help with a monetary boost by pledging a Christmas donation to the Missionaries of the Poor.

Considering my beautiful wife, four children, and abundant blessings, it seems silly that I need further motivation than to simply be my best for them, but seeing donations grow for this charity do help me to fix my resolve to achieve my goal (and it’s been a while since they’ve grown).

Thank you for any and all of your support throughout this challenge!

Week 27 Update: Slow & Steady

Boy, it seems like progress is coming very slowly at this point.  I’m trying to remain thankful for any progress at all.

I am down a pound this week and did manage to hit a new low, but I’m living for 5-lb increments right now; it’s been over a month since my last, when I hit the 50-lb milestone.

The important thing is that I keep moving in the right direction and keep my eyes on the prize.

Kitty Litter Flashback
One interesting insight from this week came when I attempted to race up the stairs holding a 50-lb bag of cat litter. That left my knees aching in a way they haven’t since back in January, when that extra 50-lbs was part of me!

It made me pause to think about what it would be like to carry that cat litter with me everywhere, at all times.  And that’s effectively what my life was back then.

Never again. I just can’t let that ever happen again.

Snack Tips: Kroger Microwave Popcorn
I love popcorn, so it’s discouraging to see the carb information on much of it.  This week, I found that Kroger’s standard microwave butter-flavored popcorn has only 12 net carbs for a 5-cup serving.  Note: it also indicates that there should be 3 servings per bag, while I counted less than two 5-cup servings.  Not sure, therefore, if that means there are 36 net carbs in a full bag or merely the 20 or so counting the number of 5-cup servings.  In either case, that’s pretty tough to beat for an easy, salty treat – especially at $1.25 for 3-bags!

Half-Time in the Big Game

We’ve officially reached the midpoint of my challenge.

It’s all downhill from here. Going forward, I have less time to lose my stated goal than has already elapsed.  The good news is that I also have less weight to lose than I’ve lost already.

I started out with a goal of losing 100 pounds in 50 weeks. Now that goal is 46 pounds in 25 weeks.

If on January 4, I could’ve seen a future that had me 54 lbs down by July 1, I would call that a win. Now, it just seems like half-time in a very tight game against my arch rival, so I think that calls for some serious Rudy-style firing up!

Seriously, by your generosity, prayers, and other means of support, we’ve come a long way so far.  Thank you again, and I’m not too proud to ask you to continue.

If you’d like to encourage my pursuit of losing 100 lbs or simply add a little “intrigue” to your philanthropic life, email me your pledge for the Missionaries of the Poor today at tipthescales2012@gmail.com!

Check the FAQ page if you have any questions!