In August of 2010 I weighed in at 226 lbs with a BMI of 30.6. I wasn’t just fat, I looked pregnant.
In the two years before and the months that followed, my weight averaged 220 lbs. It would dip down around 217 and then rebound back up. It was a roller coaster.
My birthday this year opened my eyes to my destructive behavior. On my birthday eve I ate half a pizza (medium double dough YUM!). For lunch on my birthday I finished off the other half. I was stuffed and bloated. I looked at the numbers, the roller coaster, and had enough.
I decided that I was going to get the weight off and keep it off. Another major goal was to improve my overall health and stamina. I was getting winded too easily.
I dusted off the elliptical and started working out. When I started I weighed 221 lbs. Due to my bad knees I which can’t handle too many jarring workouts, so I focused on the elliptical. During the workouts I watched some of my favorite comedies (The Big Bang Theory FTW) to help distract me and pass the time. I worked out three days a week, initially doing 30 to 45 minute workouts but quickly settling on 45 minute workouts.
My goal is to get down to 185 lbs with the first milestone of 200 lbs (i.e. lose 21 lbs) by August 1, 2011.
It was an effort, not just the workouts but making myself take the time to workout. I focused on making the workouts a priority while still trying to deal with work and home life.
After a month of these workouts my weight fluctuated between 215 and 219 lbs.
I stepped up the workouts pushing some of them to 60 or 70 minutes. My weight stayed in that same range. I started watching software training videos to double the effectiveness of the workouts which I dubbed #LearnandBurn.
Slowly I started the next phase, trying to change my eating habits. Even though I wasn’t eating half a pizza any more, I still ate large portions especially of my favorite foods. Of course, it didn’t help that my favorite foods are very unhealthy, fattening foods. I’ve been avoiding, or severely restricting, my favorite foods. I’ve been eating smaller portions. If I didn’t feel hungry before my next meal I knew I had eaten too much at the previous meal. I tried to weigh myself everyday to see where I was at and to remind myself of the goals and dangers.
When I was able to fit in a fourth workout, I did. It still took (takes) effort because when the stretching and cool down time is factored in, my 60-70 minute workout takes 90-100 minutes.
This past week I finally broke under the 215 barrier. For a full week (weighing in daily) I stayed under 215 lbs, well below it. I still have a way to go to reach my first milestone. I still have a fat belly but the waistbands of my pants confirm the progress.
Today I weighed in at 210 lbs with a BMI of 28.5. I lost 11 lbs in 63 days.
I have 57 days to shed the next 10. It won’t be easy but I’m determined to do it.
We celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary on September 13, 2009. Since we had plans to go out for a formal anniversary dinner on Saturday the 19th, we decided to do something we haven’t done in 7 years or more. We went canoeing.
While on the Kishwaukee River (“The Kish”) it dawned on me that canoeing on our anniversary was apropos.
Canoeing, like a marriage, takes teamwork. One person can do all the paddling, but that wears a person down quickly. Sharing the work not only eases the burden, but can also speed things along.
Canoeing also requires a coordinated effort. If both people paddle on the same side of the canoe, it will veer to the other side. Getting to the destination requires teamwork.
Here are some photos from our canoe trip. Unfortunately, not pictured is the eagle that flew overhead.
You may have seen the various Twitter reports of incidents as they’ve taken place, or shortly there after. The most recent, and most news worthy, is the account shortly after the US Airways plane landed safely in the Hudson River (Wall Street Journal post). A month earlier a Continental airplane slid off the runaway in Denver and the story unfolded via Mike Wilson’s Twitter account. Not all events are news worthy. Nonetheless even small, localized event are chronicled on Twitter as they occur.
On Monday January 26, 2009 a power outage occurred in parts of McHenry County, IL (Northwest Herald report). Below are the tweets that chronicled this event from a few Twitter users.
Power out in what looks like the whole neighborhood. Family all downstairs preparing for zombie attack. @rbieber (Woodstock, IL) 20:31
Power is out… what the heck. @jolisouci (Capron, IL) 20:32
so many candles lit I feel like I’m living the last scene in Carrie. @rbieber 20:35
WOW major power outage. Parts of Woodstock, IL and Capron, IL according to @rbieber and @jolisouci. Any other reports? @frumpa (Woodstock, IL) 20:41
Power is back on. Too bad I couldn’t pause this PBS special on Oppenheimer’s trial! @jolisouci 20:43
@jolisouci how long was power out for you. We only lost power for a minute but sounds like @rbieber is still in the dark (know what I mean?) @frumpa 20:44
Power outage longer than Linux server UPS lasts. There goes my uptime @rbieber 20:45
Jonna still doesn’t get this Twitter thing. She replies to me verbally. @rbieber 20:47
forgot to tell the family I was afraid of the dark. Panic setting in. @rbieber 20:48
Can’t breathe … Oh wait this is a power outage. Not stuck in space … @rbieber 20:49
Dammit, I just put by Braille books in the basement yesterday. @rbieber 20:58
Dear god. I’m sorry for goofing on Ubuntu Christian Edition. Please turn the lights on now. @rbieber 21:04
Is in hell: power is out in the whole town and Ron is entertaining the family with ifart @jonna404 (Woodstock, IL) 21:06
I eat chocolate fudge pop tarts and drink Guiness – two things you can’t find in the dark. Just my luck. @rbieber 21:09
Power back on. @rbieber 21:12
@frumpa your power just went out? Ours was out for about an hour, came back at 9:10 @imps (Woodstock, IL) 22:00
There you have it, citizen’s journalism at it’s best.
Posted by Al Degutis
Interacted with another Barton employee and once again felt the tinge of tears and emotion well up inside. Just when I thought I had moved past that stage. I realize now that I may never be over it. Barton was a great place to work and the people there are great. They were a part of my life for many years and I will always feel that tug of emotion when I think about them or interact with them, because I care. I know they feel the same, that’s just the way it was there. Like family.
