weight-loss

Mom on the Run tagged me to do this, and I shall!

Tagging is easy. Just copy the following onto your post. The rules of the game are posted at the start of your blog post. In this case, I’m asking you 5 questions about running. Each player answers the 5 questions on their own blog. At the end of your post you tag 5 other people and post their names. Go to their blogs and leave a comment on their blogs telling them they’ve been tagged and to look at your blog for details. When they’ve answered the questions on their own blog, they come back to yours to tell you. Got that? OK - here is my reply:

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?
Ten years ago I could not run. I was, however, riding a bicycle fairly often (my oldest son would have just started walking, and we were also foster parents at the time). I would ride either at 5:00 AM or late at night, around 11:00 PM, because that way I didn’t leave my wife stranded with the kids, they would usually be asleep. Key word “usually,” because the little buggers have an uncanny ability to know if a parent is out of the house, and tend to wake up at odd hours if that is the case. I started running probably three or four years ago, when I joined an adult soccer league for a little while and they (literally) kicked my ass. Also, cycling seemed to be getting more dangerous, I had a couple of people try and run me off the road, which when you are riding out in the middle of nowhere, is a pretty scary thing. Not that aggressive drivers are ever fun, but when they make a point to do it where there are certainly no witnesses? Think about that.

2. What is your best and worst run/race experience?
I don’t race. I’ve run a few 5Ks, pretty much at my turtle-like recreational runner speed.

3. Why do you run?
On the one hand, to try and stay healthy (I’m “morbidly obese,” in case I haven’t made that clear enough elsewhere in my blog. Heart attack waiting to happen, if I don’t do something). On the other hand because I like to hear some heavy breathing and maybe get a little time to think.

4. What is the best or worst piece of advice you’ve been given about running?
Buy good shoes. Us heavy guys (see #3) need shoes that don’t torture our feet. Also? Body glide.

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.
When I graduated college I weighed over 100 pounds less than I do now.

I don’t know enough folks to tag anyone to do this, but if you want to do it, just leave a comment or link back and I’ll put you on the list!

So, it’s Summer.

I thought maybe I should write something here, since I haven’t been writing much lately. Work is busy, kids are nuts, I’m an idiot, what else is new? Anyway.

Here’s something for me to talk about this summer: I’ve made up my mind to lose 20 pounds by Labor Day. I want to be below 250. I’ve been stuck at my current weight - just at or below 270 - since at least January. I don’t even want to pull up my 2007 chart (yes, chart, shut up) and see how far back my current stagnation goes.

I’ve been running - 183 miles since January. That’s nothing to sneeze at, and I’m proud of the fact that a 270 pound middle aged guy CAN run that much. That is 65 times that I have laced up the shoes and gone out and pounded the pavement. Wow. But in spite of all that, I still weigh the same.

Why? Well, I could list a dozen reason. Like the fact that donuts are sold by the dozen. Or that I happen to love Pop Tarts more than is humanly possible. And that I don’t get enough salad in my life. So that’s why I’m going to go about losing some poundage this summer. It should make running a little easier (imagine being the legs on a 270 pound guy, running. yeah. Ouch.). It might make it less traumatic for the kids when I take them to the swimming pool. Maybe less chest pain. Etc.

20 pounds in three months. I was gonna start on the 1st of June, but hey, the kids wanted McDonalds… I can do this.

Today: ran 4 miles, 48 minutes and 16 seconds. Weight: 267.4 according to my poor, abused bathroom scale. Cereal with raisins for breakfast, with a yogurt chaser. I’m on my way.

(stop laughing. You know who you are…)

I was poking around at nutrition labels and information, and ran accross the site called Nutrition Data.

And then, I looked up frosted strawberry pop-tarts. Which I had for breakfast this morning. Of course, I also had a clif bar, but only for research purposes.

It’s no wonder I’m not losing weight faster.

(but, in my defense, at least they are better than Krispy Kreme’s)

Just one of those wonderful little updates about myself! The ultimate use of a blog - naval gazing.

Let’s see.

I found this picture of me at wal-mart. Yeah. Did I mention they had some kinda new potato chip? And that I ate a bunch of them last night, and they were really good, and I thought “I should mention this to somebody” but now I can’t remember what they were, other than there was some blue on the bag? I didn’t think I had.

Speaking of eating (I was), I weighed 251 this morning. I’ve officially cancelled my e-diet subscription, since it was $4.00 a week and that was cutting into my ice cream money. Also that I’m only using it to guilt me into writing down my weight, which I do in three other places anyway (here, a spreadsheet that I have, and on my running log at coolrunning). I’m not giving up the lifestyle change, no, far from it. Just not enrolled at that web site anymore. And I lost two pounds since last Wednesday.

My wife and I grabbed a little grown-up time last night. And for once, I’m not referring to re-organizing closets. As payback, my son was up at five AM today, and he proceeded to make sure everyone else was up by six.

But I was up before him! Because, I run on Wednesdays. 3.2 miles this morning at 11 something minutes / mile. Getting a little faster. Although that is an abuse of the english word “fast” if there ever was one. Maybe I should say ‘less slow.’

Finally, what’s so funny about peace, love, and understanding?

Scientists from Mexico’s tequila producing region say juice extracted from the blue agave plant, best known when distilled into the fiery spirit, may help dieters shed pounds and cut cholesterol.

Sure. It also helps you loosen up for karaoke night…