Week one is down

Well so much for posting everyday. I have to figure out how to post from my ipod touch as that is what I have at my disposal during most of my free time. Well I weighed in at 203 today which is three pounds lighter than last week which is good news. However, after many started diets I am fully aware of quick losses in the beginning due mainly to water weight that quickly plateau. That being said I'll take it. I was pretty good this weekend which is saying something as weekends are typically my downfall both in eating and drinking too much as well as not going to the gym. I went to the gym both saturday and sunday. 35 minutes on the elliptical on saturday and 45 yesterday. Drank a little wine on friday night probably around half a bottle. Probably had 9 glasses on saturday and 3 last night. I would really like to cut drinking down to two days max and only heavy on one day.

Did weight training for the first time in a few weeks today. I took it relatively easy.. two sets of about 9 exercises. My Ipod has the potential to be a valuable ally in this process. Not only in providing motivating tunes but with a couple of apps that I use to track progress. The first is livestrong.com and the second is Ifitness. The former is good for tracking food, weight and aerobic exercise and the second for weigh training exercises. I wish there was one app that combined them but so far I haven't found one.

I've also been trying to cook more at home to take some pressure off my wife and to make sure I have dinners that are healthy and nutritious. Last night I used my pressure cooker to make a lentil soup in all of about 20 minutes. These things are amazing. Every time I use it I kick myself for not busting it out more. They are super quick and energy efficient. And the results have been very tasty so far.

Day 3

Won't you try just a little bit harder,
Couldn't you try just a little bit more?
Won't you try just a little bit harder,
Couldn't you try just a little bit more?

Round, round robin run round, got to get back to where you belong,
Little bit harder, just a little bit more,
A little bit further than you gone before.

The above versus from "The Wheel" written by Robert Hunter for the Grateful Dead seem relevant for today. First because I did 35 minutes on the elliptical which is 5 more than yesterday. Second because I bought my tickets today to see Furthur in Wallingford, CT on December 11.

Trying to come up with a weight loss goal that is substantial yet safe and achievable. I think I've settled on 5 pounds a month. We'll see but if successful that could put me a my lowest college weight of 145 by this time next year.

Day 2

Well better news on the exercise front today, did the elliptical for 30 minutes and it said I burned 617 calories though I am very suspicious. My livestrong app on my ipod touch said 448 which is probably more accurate. Anyway today I found out that the 2010 Chicago Marathon is October 10 so that would be a pretty crazy way to end a year of self improvement. We'll see but it would be nice to shoot for. My wife and I tried the marathon thing the year before we got pregnant with my first son with not so great results. We got up to running about 9 miles but our bodies just couldn't take it. I think the lesson learned was get to a good level of weight and physical health prior to beginning a formal marathon training regiment. Walk before you can run as they say. Well thats it for today hopefully I will be able to do this every day.

All the good blog names are taken.

So yesterday was my 39th birthday and today I woke up in sort of a mini midlife crisis. I decided that in the upcoming year I will try and make many positive changes in my life so that on my fortieth birthday I can celebrate with a sense of triumph rather than one of despair. What better way to document these efforts and hopefully keep me motivated than to post in the blogosphere. Simple enough or so I think. I log into my google account figuring that they offer blogs since they seem to have the market cornered on just about everything in the interweb. Creating a blog url..not so easy, seems I am not alone in this endeavor. Twenty possible titles all involving being thirty nine or approaching forty have all been taken. A quick perusal of a sampling of these blogs results in something even more depressing. Most of them of few or no posts. Okay so with these words I am already ahead of most of the blogs inspired by a looming 40th birthday.

Most of my efforts will be around the pursuit of better physical health. Diet and exercise yada yada yada. After celebrating yesterday with a dinner of orzo risotto, way too much chocolate cake and a whole bottle of really good zin, today is the proverbial first day of the rest of my life. How did it start? Good enough a few cups of coffee in the am (not contemplating giving that up anytime soon) a bowl of shredded wheat and lowfat milk. For lunch a salad with spinach, roasted red peppers and a little bit of feta and tuna. Then off to the gym for a midday work out. The result 4 minutes on the elliptical before I talked myself out of it. The reason, I forgot headphones. Can't workout without a healthy dose of Jerry and the boys. So I took a sauna instead. Presauna weigh in 206 lbs. Yikes.