Week 12 -- Very Little Progress.....

Start Weight: 226.0
Week 12 Weight: 210.4
Weekly Loss/Gain (+): 0.4
Program-to-Date (PTD) Loss: 15.6
% Weekly Loss/(Gain): .17
% PTD Loss: 6.90
Program Goal Weight Loss: 36.0
Program Goal % Loss: 15.9


Very little to get enthusiastic about this week.... .4 lbs came off, was not a gain, but doesn't feel like any kind of victory at all. My spirits aren't suffering too much though after the "intervention" I had this morning with my biker buddy Steve at work. Well, as much as you can have an intervention one on one. Steve sees me in the gym every morning as he's finishing his bike ride in to work. He had me sit down, he tells me he sees me working hard in the gym every morning, but he sees from my posts that I'm not seeing results. So, after a few pleasantries, he guides me through the discussion... "so, if you're working out six days a week, at 45-60 min a pop, then Brian, what do you think the issues are?".... followed up with "tell me about your diet", and "are your reasons you started this whole thing still valid?", etc... It didn't bring me to tears or anything, but he had me transfixed. He even threw in a few tips, some I'll try, but can't divulge right now. So, thanks be to Steve for the shake up, it's only been a day but I'm feelin' it.... let's go day by day. Facts are there are 10 weeks left, and 20.4 lbs to go.. even my rudimentary math skills tell me how much I need to average to get there. Other than all that, a good week.... Wendy with volleyball, the Atens with Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution, and we're sending up a few extra prayers for Steven... he has typhoid in Mexico. Pictures aren't too good this week......

ROUTINE: Nothing real new here, good exercising, but horrible diet. I had to put in some extra hours at the office and I was at a number of off-site luncheons.... I didn't plan for any of it, just reacted to what was there. Good news was it cut down on the AM/PM runs.... I did meet some nice guys at ARCO from the Harley dealership next door. We were all doing the 2-hot dog special, lot of good jokes about the "cheap eats" and cast-iron stomachs. I did walk out of the AM/PM one day... fully intending to do the 2-hot dogs, but as I was getting ready to pull those dogs out of the warming area, I saw a lady open a 10 oz bag of Fritos, she went over to the chili dispenser, shot some chili in the bag, then shot some nacho cheese into the bag, closed the bag and then shook vigorously... paid for the Fritos, walked out munching on a ready-made Frito pie... I just turned around, headed out and went to Subway. Today I was back to the tuna delight. After Michael's guitar lesson with the Atens, they came for dinner, and they had a goodt time with Guitar Hero and DDR. Ryan needed to lighten up a bit, Arianna was a true rocker.... was a fun night. The video came out terrible, so I didn't put it up.



ON THE BIKE: The weather has just been great, the invitations are still coming in, and it looks like I'm going back to a Craigslist search. After the daily exercising and the hours at the office, the bike search gets on the back burner. My bike buds, while they've toned down the grief they've given me, still make sure I know what I'm missing. Could be what's ailing me after all....

ODDS N' ENDS: I'm glancing at the muted TV off and on... is that right, the Bosox are up 13-1 in the sixth in Game 1 of the WS?..... dang American Leaguers.... Wendy had a great volleyball tournament, they won the round robin pool, but got knocked out in the actual 1st round brackets... was fun...


...everyone is growing up..... in his last letter, Steven said he was feeling a little sick, both he and his companion. They took a bus ride (2 hours) to the mission home in Merida, had some tests done, and both he and his comp have typhoid... I've been looking that up, food-borne and all... even after he was immunized for it here before he left. Mission Assistants say that's no surprise as the last few sets of missionaries in that area have contracted it... they've narrowed it down to a certain lady who feeds the elders every day... Mission Prez says no more... Steven tells us not to worry, he's in great spirits, just has to take it easy for a week or so.... they're continuing to teach the on-going investigators, but the Pres has told them to tone down the active 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM schedule for a week or so... he's taking meds and feeling some better. That's it for now... got to check with Arthur on the Bulldogs, BV is doing all right, but Del Campo and Casa are coming up.

FAQs:

Q. I understand your being repulsed at the in-store Frito pie concoction, but isn't that somewhat like the condiment snatch-and-run you pull off at the same AM/PM?

A. Uh... yeah, but I don't mix it up right there in the store and start noshing on it before I get out the door. I discreetly package up the condiments and then take them to the car, where my open and drained tuna can is waiting. No one actually sees the mixing of the ingredients of the tuna medley... no one... so no comparison at all to the Frito pie.

Brian