Losing Weight, for real.

OK, it’s time.   I’ve slowly grown over the past 20 years to a weight that I’m no longer comfortable with.  3 weeks ago I weighed myself and it wasn’t pretty.  I’m wearing 38-40 inch pants…  Which is 12-14 inches large then when we got married.  (Yes my Tux had a 26 inch waist). 

It’s not that bad, I can still walk, even jog, but it’s just bothering me.  I also don’t fit into a good portion of my clothes.  I’ll need to be in a suit for a wedding in a couple months and I really don’t want to buy another suit.  I have a couple good ones.  I just need to fit them.

So it started.   ‘The diet’, although it’s more of a lifestyle change than a diet.

About 2 years ago we joined the YMCA near us in an attempt to ‘work out more’ and eat better, etc, etc.   About 3 weeks of that netted exactly 0 lbs of weight loss.  I did feel a little better though, but just wasn’t convenient.  Needless to say it didn’t last long.

So I was a bit skeptical when Claudine decided to take over my menu.  I didn’t eat large proportions to begin with.  My caloric intake, at least from my perspective, wasn’t all that high.   But what I wasn’t doing was eating all the time.

I often skipped breakfast.  Well actually I never ate breakfast, apparently a pot of coffee is not equal to breakfast, and I often skipped lunch.   When I did eat lunch it wasn’t healthy about 70% of the time.  Then came dinner, which because of our lifestyle with 5 kids and someone always doing something means we generally eat late.  Like 8-9pm.  Of course I’d like to snack a lot too when watching TV and playing PS3.

Well no more.

I’m eating breakfast everyday.  Cheerio’s no less, and Claudine has been packing my lunch.  Has it always been tasty?  Uh No, but it hasn’t been that bad either.

So with a decent breakfast, if that’s what Cheerios is, and a reasonable lunch and snacking throughout the day on somewhat healthy stuff (a banana here, an orange there, a reasonable portion of pretzels, etc.) followed up with a reasonable dinner.  (mostly salad, and some decent meat and a good portion of veggies).   It’s working.

It didn’t work right away, in fact the first two weeks saw a lb gained, but then like magic over night 3-4 lbs have vanished.  This is good.

I think the rule of thumb is for every 10lbs lost it will feel like a 5 horse power gain on my motorcycle.  Given my goal of 30-40 lbs that’s a 15-20 hp gain.   (I might even get better gas mileage as well).

So that will be huge.  🙂

I’ll keep track of what’s happening.  I do feel better, although I still have a cold that’s lingering and starting to piss-me-off enough that I might actually go to the Dr.

But so far, all is good.

Congrats Michael

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Michael was accepted into the Today’s Learner’s, Tomorrow’s Leaders (TL2) Program at the University of Cincinnati.

It’s a summer college prep program that will score him 3 College credits this summer.  Only 30 area students were chosen.

I don’t know all the details yet but this is a good thing.  He’s going to be doing post secondary college stuff for his senior year.  He continues to be a straight A student despite his father’s influence 🙂

We’re proud of this kid.

(From the TL2 Brochure)

Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders is a highly selective, free, three-week summer program for high school Juniors and Seniors.  Tl2 participants will learn to better understand Cincinnati’s neighborhoods and economy, why jobs are scarce in some communities and abundant in others, and how individuals from all backgrounds can become entrepreneurs and successful business owners.

TL2 allows students to earn transferable college credit at the end of the program.  Time is spent on the main campus of the University of Cincinnati, and touring various businesses in the Tri-State area.

Cool eh?

Claudine and the Deer

While we live out in the sticks we rarely see deer.  In the 8 years I’ve been here I’ve only seen them near our place one other time.

A couple of days ago we saw one out by the Horses near the burn pile.  We watched it for a while until it finally meandered into the woods.

This morning it was back.

It certainly wasn’t very big. 

Claudine wondered how close she could get.  So with camera in hand she set out towards it.  Using her Monty Roberts “Horse Whisperer” techniques, she slowly approached and retreated.   It didn’t take long and the little deer was watching her and curious.  It was clear she wasn’t a threat and it eventually walked up to her.  It was alone, and probably looking for someone to hang with.

Eventually she got to pet it (more like rub up against it).

There are more photos in the Deer Gallery.  It was one of those once in a lifetime things.

We kind of hope it sticks around, at least until the garden is planted, then it’s game on if it starts eating the garden.