Category Archives: Texas Rangers

Trying to Get it All Aligned

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“When the mooooooooooooon is in the seventh house
and Jupiterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr lines with Mars…“

Wait…that’s not what I mean…

You hear it all the time “get fit in the gym, lose weight in the kitchen.” While I have fought with this notion for a long time, I’ve seen how true it really is through out my weight loss journey. With that, it’s been easy to have one component of that statement down and have the other one completely lopsided.When I lost my first 100 pounds, my eating was at the forefront of this journey. Sure I worked out, but making smart decisions helped peel off the weight. Some time after that, I lost sight of that. I got caught up in the fitness side a little too much and it seemed to throw me off because I didn’t know how to refuel properly with my eating. Then, I started training for my first half marathon which kind of put my weight loss dead in the water because, contrary to popular belief, you don’t always lose weight when you train for long distance races like half marathons. So right now, I’m not training for a specific race. I’ve put on about 15 pounds since December so I want to get that off ASAP to get my weight loss momentum going.

Since I’ve been working out regularly, usually a combination of running and circuit training classes 3-5 times a week, I feel awesome and actually strong for the first time in close to forever. In the past, I’ve been quick to beat myself up when I want to go work out in the “bro den” (the part of the gym that has free weights, benches, awkward grunting) because I don’t feel like I belong. But how can I make progress if I don’t work out in there? (I’m going to talk about more on that in a post I’m working on. Stay tuned.) Anyway, the point is that good things are happening. After working out regularly like this for the past ten weeks, it would be really hard to stop. I just love it too much!

So now that I’m in such an awesome place with my fitness, I’m really working to change my eating. I’m eating fruits and veggies like they’re going out of style and I’m incredibly intentional about drinking water (#alltheclearpee).

But I’m not perfect…
Can I still pound down a bag of potato chips? Yessir.
Do I hoard candy sometimes like those spoiled brats in Willie Wonka? Sure do.
But…Do I immediately regret it? Now more than ever.

I really hate that feeling of regret after a mini-binge, so I’ve been trying to combat that with just abstaining as much as I can. I tell myself that I won’t miss it in 5 minutes because all they are are just impulses. For example, we walked by a cupcake store in Tallahassee and I thought I really wanted one.

I knew I had two options:
1) Keep walking and go on with my day
or
2) Go in, spend money on a dessert that I’m generally kind of ambivalent towards, and then sulk because I could have spent those Weight Watchers points on bacon.

So, I’m making progress with my eating! I really feel like I’m on the verge of everything lining up for some serious weight loss awesomeness.

Speaking of weight loss…

I lost 2.8 pounds this week! After losing 3 pounds or so two weeks ago, I gained it back last week. (Between kidney stones and traveling, the MacDonalds have been a little cray…) This week, I wasn’t perfect at all. In fact (and if you try to troll me on this, so help me…) I had McDonald’s for the first time since we’ve lived in Tallahassee. I drove to Jacksonville twice this week and I really needed some coffee and breakfast. So, I had an Egg McMuffin and a hash brown. It was 12 points. I counted it and I moved on. I also ate at Hardee’s for breakfast one day and I counted it too. So I wasn’t perfect, but I counted my points and I exercised to bring balance to the Weight Watchers force. This past week was once again proof that when you count regardless and exercise, everything will fall into place.

Count all the points

 

Day 574: Post Graduation Weigh In

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Welcome to my retirement. From school.

It has been an intense two years, before that it was an intense fours and before that it was an intense 13 years (including preschool.) While grad school was a great challenge where I spent a majority of my time in the fetal position in UCC 3116 (but that’s just because it was -30 degrees in there,) there wasn’t a day that went by where I questioned if it was the right choice for me. Florida State helped me become a better student of my craft, helped me realize my calling and facilitated friendships that I will cherish forever. It feels like only yesterday I was talking to this black-haired goofball on the bus who convinced me to get Amazon Student to save money on my textbooks. Come to find out he would become a key source of support for my weight loss. I’ll also never forget that kid who sat behind me in class whose car was struck by lightning. Then there was that kid who looked so much like Edward Cullen. Finally, there was that kid who is one of the few people I know who can pull off saying their first and last time together. These four guys were in one of my first classes at Florida State. Thanks for being awesome guys.

So I have been getting the question “What’s next?” a lot lately. A fair question to ask a recent graduate. The answer is I don’t know. I have applied to my share of agencies, organizations and other establishments, but unfortunately so is everyone else. So right now, I’m going to start to losing weight like it’s my job. This is my time to establish some good habits from working out to eating better. This semester was rough. Heck, I gained about 5 pounds in the past two weeks. (Yes, I gained 2.2 pounds this week.) I’m ready to eat start counting points again. I have felt like a Weight Watchers hypocrite recently. I can’t remember I have reported my points on this blog! It’s crazy! And it’s time for that to change. Now I’m not saying I’m going to be perfect. That’s not going to happen. However, I have big plans for this blog and more importantly my life. My weight has gotten in the way of that and that’s going to change.

Alright, now that that’s all out of the way….

So here are some pictures of this past week with my folks and other stuff. Tomorrow, it’s getting better. Losing weight like a boss… of my life. Enjoy. See ya tomorrow.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 558: Thursday and Stuff

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Hello!

I love all of you. There, I said it.

I still can’t believe my Facebook Page got to 200+ Likes last night!

This week I was feeling a little sluggish and lazy. Luckily I was able to pull myself out of it and have an awesome day! Good things. Alright, let’s get at it.

Breakfast: This morning, as per usual, we went to Atomic Coffee before class and school and stuff. I just had a bagel with butter and a little honey. It was fantastic and filling. Awesomeness.

Lunch: Today I had to go to a luncheon for a class. I walked from campus uphill both ways (yes, like your parents did when they were kids) to the downtown Double Tree. The menu had a lot of awesome healthy choices, but I was still thinking about getting something a little heavier. That was when my friend Andrew (the Edward Cullen lookalike) told the whole I was his dietician and then asked for a healthy option. It was the conviction I needed to make a much better decision. I ended up getting a grouper sandwich and instead of fries I got a salad with honey mustard. It was delicious, but it was also hard to conceal my picture taking ability in front of a bunch of strangers. When I got home I had a 100 calorie Klondike ice cream sandwich that was awesome. Then I ate two servings of chips.

Awesome Non Scale Victory: So today I was organizing my old fat clothes in order to sell them online (anyone want size 54 khakis or some really nice XXL polo t-shirts?) and then I found these bad boys. I bought these plaid shorts a few weeks before I started grad school. It was like folding up an American flag. Those things are huge. I was huge. Anyway, I held them up, thought for a second, and then got in one of the leg holes. They fit me in the waist. I know I’m not half them man I used to be, but I am making awesome progress. It was seriously the motivation I needed to get focused on losing weight. It also made me proud because this kind of picture is usually in an infomercial for some weight loss cookie or some shake that tastes like ground up chalk. This is proof that all you need is a healthier diet, a good pair of running shoes, a little patience and a persistent attitude. Oh yeah, and a bunch of awesome supportive friends doesn’t hurt either ;).

SAWS:So after that moment of NSV clarity, I decided I needed to keep it up so I can no longer fit in my current clothes and went to the gym. It’s kind of sad because it was one of my last times working out at Leach. I’ve burned a ton of calories in that place. Anyway, I wanted to keep up the same intensity I had when I was working with Joe so I went after it. I divided my hour into three 20 minute segments. The first 20 I did a circuit that involved stairs, burpees, box jumps, jump squats, push ups and running up and down stairs. It was awesome. Then, I got on the ARC Trainer and did 20 minutes on the weight loss setting which was a hill climb pattern of awesomeness. Finally, I did 20 minutes of abs. Elevated sit ups, this weird leg lift row and then holding a plank position. I felt like I made really good use of my hour, I did what I came there to do: sweat through my shirt.

 

 

 

 

Late Night Dinner: After staying on campus to try to get some work done, Megan and I went through the drive thru at Jimmy John’s (the only thing faster than their delivery dudes) and had a Turkey Tom sans mayo and a nice layer of avocado spread. Not to mention their classic pickle. The healthiest drive thru around.

So that was my day. Not too shabby. Although I didn’t write them down, I’m definitely back in the mindset of counting points and being better about what I eat. I was looking at an older post and I realized it took me 4 months to lose the last 15 pounds to break the 100 pound mark. It was because I was kind of a slacker and wasn’t strict with my points. With my new-found love for weight lifting, sticking with my points should be the perfect recipe for some serious weight loss. If anything my body would feel better, and isn’t that what it’s all about? See ya tomorrow.

 

Day 288: Monday Edition

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So last night’s concert was RIDICULOUS!!! I got down like a crazy person. It’s always awesome to see your favorite band play pretty much all of your favorite songs. Anyways, I haven’t spent a lot of time in Jacksonville, but it seems like a pretty cool place. On Wednesday I’ll post some pics of the trip and the concert.

If you follow me on Facebook, then you saw yesterday that I gained 1.4 pounds this past week. I wasn’t the best this week so I kind of expected it. I’m a little frustrated with myself because it has just been an ebb and flow of getting complacent and just wanting to eat what I want. However, I knew this was going to get to a point where this was going to get hard. Weight loss is a process and some weeks you have to dig a little deeper than other weeks.

Breakfast: the hotel we stayed at had an Einstein Brothers Bagels next door so we stopped in for a bagel and coffee before we hit the road. Einstein’s has my favorite brewed coffee of all: their vanilla hazelnut. I always burn my tongue because I want to drink it right out of the tap (aka when it is in its molten state). Anyways, I had an everything bagel with cream cheese. I forgot that they schlacked your bagel with fattened deliciousness, but it was pretty awesome. It was only 8 points which is usually how much I “spend” for breakfast so it’s all good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch: When we got home, I made a sandwich before class and work. I had some of the kettle chips that we bought for the trip. Pretty simple yet delicious.

Snack: I’ve unintentionally developed a bad habit of buying candy before my class. Don’t worry, it’s not anything really bad, just some chik-o-sticks and atomic fireballs. I had about 4 points worth of candy today. I need to get it out of my backpack so I stop eating it. I don’t have the points for excess stuff like that.

Pre-Run Snack: By the time I got home, I was pretty hungry so I had a bowl of grape nuts and granola. It was the perfect pre-run food. 8 points.

 

 

Run: I did work son. I have no clue what the deal was but to quote Forest Gump “I was run-ning” and it felt awesome. I don’t know if I just lengthened my stride or if my body knew I needed a solid run, but whatever it was it felt awesome. I ran a 5k in 32:47 with a 10:31/mile average (first mile was 10:20) which shaved off a good chunk of time considering my last 5k time was 35:39. I’m hoping with the adrenaline that goes along with a race that I can maybe get down below 30. Lofty goal? Of course, but what’s the point of not aiming high when you have nothing to lose? (He said in his best Tony Robbins impression.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner: Last week, I had grilled up some Italian sausage solely for the purpose of spaghetti this week. So tonight, I warmed them up and added it to the sauce. It turned out pretty well, but I ate too much for dinner. I’m a little frustrated, but it is what it is.

So today wasn’t too bad, but I had a big portion of seconds during dinner that just made me disappointed in myself. Awe well, tomorrow is another day. See ya tomorrow.

Day 385A: Where The Crap Have You Been? Edition

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[Insert so witty comment about blogging here]

So this kidney stone of a week has finally passed. It was painful when it was building up to this point and boy did it hurt when I got it our of my system. What’s on the agenda now? MORE HOMEWORK! The fun never stops here in Tallahassee (even when you’ve stopped and you’ve had enough.) [Insert Micheal Jackson dance move here.] Anyways, my eating this week has been pretty rough. I’ve tried to keep it in check, but it’s been hard with being so busy which has lead to eating out and grazing like a boss. However, soda has not touched these lips (no matter how tempting it’s been.) I have discovered the awesomeness known as flavored seltzer water which has no calories and no sodium so I’ve been throwing that back a lot this week. I’m finally going to get some exercise in this weekend with racquetball today and a morning run tomorrow. I’m running a 5k next Friday evening so I really need to get in to training mode to record a good time. I also still need to figure out my costume for too. Any suggestions? I really like the idea of just wearing a Flash shirt. It will be funny and ironic all in one. Hmmmm…

Anyways, in lieu of a Wordless Wednesday and such, here are a few pics from this week. Please note the food truck pics. Last night, we went out with some my friends from my department to this lot around Lake Ella where food trucks camp out on Thursday nights. Hipsters aside, it was pretty awesome. From a pulled pork taco with chipotle mac n’ cheese on top and a grilled pb and j, it was a good night. So ladies and gents, I give… PICTURES OF THINGS AND STUFF!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 378: Saturday!

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(I really need to be better about this whole blogging thing…)

So today was pretty good. It might have been the first time ever that I have to do homework on a Saturday. This semester is going to kill me. Anyways, I’m hoping my Rangers will be able to pull out the W tonight, but I guess we’ll see how it goes. (THEN THEY BOOMSTICKED A 9 RUN INNING!) Good times.

Breakfast: I had a mix of grape nuts and Back to Nature granola which was BOGO at Publix. It was a super awesome combo 0f deliciousness.

Lunch: Megan was going to get her hair did and dyed at the mall so we went to Jimmy John’s for some subtasticess. I had the Beach Club with half the mayo. It was yummy as always.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snack: After Megan got her hair awesomefied, we went to Target so I could buy some new clothes. At this point, I’m done to about three shirts that actually fit. The rest are pretty baggy. Anyways, we got some Starbucks in Target. I got my classic Venti Iced Caramel Machiatto. It’s been a long time since I had had any Starbucks so it was delicious.

 

 

 

 

Dinner: We decided to grab a light dinner out so we went to Red Elephant. Although they’re known for their pizzas, they have this awesome oriental salad with seared tuna. This time, we also tried their spinach artichoke chip which was awesome! A pretty awesome dinner.

So today wasn’t too bad with food. I’ve been drinking my water this week and for the most part I’ve been staying within my points. I think I gained last week because of my high stress last week but we’ll see if my mellowing this week will help out. Here’s hoping for an awesome loss. See ya tomorrow.

Day 360!!!

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HI!!!!!

(Hello there! Thanks for reading!)

So I’ve been due for a decent weigh in, but for the past few weeks I haven’t been really sticking to it. This week, we have been working on our budget which has meant less eating out, which in turn has lead to less calories and sodium. Fun stuff. Anyways, this week I freakin lost 4.2 pounds! Which means I am down to 250.6 pounds! So close to jumping in to the 240’s! I’m so stoked. However, I really want to exercise this week, but my leg hurts really sore. I’m not really sure what I did during racquetball (I blame Jonathan) but it’s pretty sore so we’ll see what happens. Here’s to another week of weight loss awesomeness!

Breakfast: I just had a 4 point Nature Valley peanut butter bar. Yum.

Lunch: So on Friday, we got two large pepperoni pizzas from Pizza Hut for $11! (Thanks student discount/discount card!) Obviously, we didn’t each eat a large pizza on Friday (since this isn’t Nathan circa 2005 writing this) so we have a lot of leftovers. I had two slices which was still awesome! It’s pretty tight when you can spread an $11 food over at least 5 meals each.12 points.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snack: After a nice Sunday afternoon nap and a few episodes of The Simpsons, we went and ran some errands around town. We stopped in to TCBY for some froyo! We also had a discount card for that so we got BOGO deliciousness. I had a waffle bowl full of chocolate chip cookie dough. It was pretty awesome. 8 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner: For dinner, we were both craving for some Chinese food, so we got some takeout from Panda Express. Before we got there, we looked up on the Eat This Not That app for the best entree. We both decided on beef broccoli which had an -A rating. For 3 points a serving, I had that with some brown rice we made at home. It was a pretty awesome 10 point Chinese dinner.

Then Megan made cookies… and they were awesome. I had 6 points worth.

So today, I unintentionally ate a lot of sweets, but that happens. This week I’m really going to be good with my food, not drink any soda (like I did this week. Water makes a difference folks!) and I’m going to try to at least go on a walk tomorrow and then turn it up a notch later in the week. 240’s or bust folks. See ya tomorrow.

Day 181: Weigh In Day!!!!!!

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Why Hello!

It’s been way too long since I have posted and for that I’m sorry. I have gotten a lot of guff (yes, I said guff) from people about missing two posts in a row and for that I thank you. I really appreciate the support and accountability this community provides. It is a key contributor to my success so far and with the century pound mark in sight, your support is appreciated now more than ever. So thanks for calling me out Matt DC. I know you were just giving me a hard time, but it meant more than you know. So this morning I got in the scale with low expectations. We had to eat out the majority of last week due to the insanity of our schedule (somehow this week is going to be more insane. What what!) Anyways, for the few posts I did have, you saw the cheesey goodness that I consumed in mass proportions so I was just hoping to at least maintain (it would have been gained if I hadn’t worked out.) Well, my metabolism must be better than I think. I lost 2.2 pounds! Pretty awesome stuff!!! I am sooooo close to being in the 270’s now. I weigh 280.4 so super duper close. So with this week’s loss, I am 23.4 pounds away from 100 pounds. It’s getting there! Like I said this week is going to be bonkers, but we are going to be smarter with meals so 270’s: see ya soon!

Breakfast: So I made two packets of double fiber oatmeal but had it in the microwave too long. It always feels like when you make two packets, it either has the consistency of snot, or it blows up and gets all over the microwave. Well… the latter happened, and a large portion of my oatmeal was everywhere. (No, I did not eat the oatmeal shrapnel left in the microwave.) It was about 5 points worth of oatmeal. Yumtastic.

 

 

 

 

Lunch: After church, we needed to eat somewhere pretty fast so Megan could meet up with her friends for their study marathon. We ended up going to the Panera next to our house. Panera’s food is deceiving because you expect it to be healthy since it’s fresh but then it’s more points/calories than you hope. Regardless, it’s delicious so we still go there :). I had the half asain sesame chicken salad and half a Mediterranean veggie sandwich. It was really good and the salad was huge for just being half a salad. For the salad, the sandwich and the yummy baguette, it was 14 points. Not bad for how good it tastes.

 

 

Snack: While I was studying, I had 3 points of pretzels. That’s 30 pretzels. Holy cow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner: So this was a little different. While Megan was studying with our friend Catherine, I was at my small group and they had gotten dinner. By the time I was done it was 9:00 so I was starving. Megan texted my with news of leftover Chinese so I headed over there. I had Megan’s left over orange chicken with rice and an egg roll. I was good at the time. It took me back to my favorite super cheap Chinese place in Abilene where you could get a mountain of food for about $4. While the savoring moment lasted for a while, I still have the sodium taste in my mouth as I’m writing this. Not good. So it was high in points, and I have no real way of figuring it out, but here is what I know: I’m not the same guy I used to be. A meal like this was what I ate at least 3 times a week and it didn’t phase me at all. Tonight, I tried to go back to my old self and it wasn’t near as good as I remember. That’s so encouraging to me. To me it means that it would take a lot to get back to where I was, and that’s how I want it.

Snack: We went to Publix to get some groceries including watermelon and Cinnamon Toast Eggos which I have never had. They were delicious and  2 points.

So today wasn’t the best, but I have learned from my mistakes and I plan to work hard this week to lose a good chunk of weight. It’s going to be an interesting week. Bring it on. See ya tomorrow.

 

 

FSU WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SWEET 16 BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 102: 2010 The Year of the Catalyst

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Well 2010, you felt like you flew by but looking back it was a packed year. 2009 left a horrible taste in my mouth so I was excited to see what was next in my life. If I were to put a title to 2010, it would be “The Year of the Catalyst.” This is the year I started to get my life back. What most of you don’t know is that I really did try to live healthier and eat better, but I had so many personal obstacles in my way. I just get going through spurts of eating well and then just eating crap (figuratively of course) for long periods of time. I would have a pretty good running regiment going and then I would just quit. I also didn’t have the same support system. I always thought that telling people you were trying to lose weight always set yourself up for failure because it was just more people to let down and the more guilt you would feel if they saw you eating or being lazy. The fact is that telling people you are going to be better doesn’t produce guilt, rather it builds a support system around you. Another thing was that I wasn’t trying to lose it for any reason. I was just doing it. When we moved to Tallahassee, I really took a good look at myself, along with pictures of me, and I said “I have lost control of my life and I need to do something about this. I’m pushing 400 pounds and I have two choices: eat all the unhealthy crap you want and die young, or make the effort now so I can live the life that God wants you to live.” So on September 14th 2010, I took my life back and I haven’t looked back ever since.

This year was full of change not just because of this, but because of many other things. At the beginning of this year, we had no clue where we were going to end up. Megan graduated in December of ’09 and we were on the hunt for graduate schools. It was about four months of a lot of uncertainty and living on faith. We had toured the University of Colorado in October of ’09 which was awesome, and then we made the trip to Tallahassee to visit The Florida State University in February. As you may recall, FSU was my dream school growing up, but I really didn’t have the grades or the GRE score to get in but I visited the department anyways. Megan fell in love with her department and I fell in love with mine as well as the city. I then made a checklist to compare CU and FSU which involved such things as Big 12 vs ACC, Mountains vs. Beaches, Cold Winters vs. Humidity, etc.  more importantly we prayed a lot about it. We finally decided on Tallahassee so then I started looking for a job with no luck. As the saying goes, the rest is history. We moved here on July 15th, I got in to the department as a non-degree student, worked my butt off and 50 pounds later I’m a full time student.

I also had some sad times this year but also some closure things that deeply needed it. In March of 2009, two of my dearest friends Travis and Rachel Joiner were murdered by Rachel’s ex-boyfriend. It was a great blow to me, along with everyone who had ever met them. Nothing more terrible could have happened to better people. Travis and I were best friends when I lived in the small town of Eldorado, Texas. I was awkward and portly, but Travis and I were both in Boy Scouts together and we both had a great love for Legos which is how our friendship grew. Even after I moved, we would spend time at each others houses over the summer and I went to visit him a lot when he went to college. This year, the trial finally happened and Rachel’s ex-boyfriend was found guilty and got the death penalty. This summer before we moved, we went down and saw their parents and their little brother. It was awkward at first since I hadn’t been back since before the tragedy, but then we reminisced about all the fun and crazy times we had with one another and it really brought it all together. I miss Travis and Rachel greatly, but their memory still beats in my heart.

This year I also lost my dear Grandma Knote. She was a great lady who loved all of her grandkids and great-grandkids very much. I’ll never forget the summers we would go up to Montana and stay with Grandma and Grandpa. We would always go up around the Fourth of July and they would save the fireworks coupons for us so we could buy an arsenal of explosives. Every morning, I would wake up, watch Nickelodeon, watch Grandma and Grandpa read the Bible and pray together, and then we would eat breakfast. A few hours later, we would go to McDonald’s, then go swimming. It was like every summer you knew what to expect, you had a schedule of fun. I miss those days. Grandma was another one of those that would love you and treat you as if you were her own no matter what. I miss you Grandma Knote.

Okay, now on to happier things… THE RANGERS WENT TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!!! How cool is that!?! A lot of us thought it would never happen but it finally did! I know I know, we lost. But we still beat the Yankees and the Rays which was just awesome. There’s always next year… and the year after that…. and the year after that. Either way, it was a special season to be a Ranger. My dad and I went to the Season Opener and I kept saying “this is the year” (not that I’m taking credit or anything.)

Overall, this year has had it’s ups and downs, but more importantly it has been a year for new beginnings and a new lease on life. I’m stoked to see what 2011 will bring. Should be an adventure. See ya next year.

Day 47: Hooray for Goals!

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Well… the Rangers lost. It was an amazing season and I was proud to be at this years Opening Day. Even then you could tell that something was going to be special about this season. Well, all I can say is: we beat the Yankees, and that is what matters. There’s 149 more days until the start of next season, and it will be exciting to see what will happen then.

Anyways [wiping away the tears] let’s talk about food shall we?

Breakfast: This morning, I tried my hand at scrambled eggs (which I haven’t done since Day 1) and they turned out pretty well. I added 1/2 a cup of skim milk to them instead of using fat free half and half which I think was better because that way you can use more milk to get them fluffier. I also didn’t use a square pan which always made them funky looking so I think that helped as well. The bacon was awesome as always, a little burnt but that’s how we like it. 4.5 points and the 3 slices of bacon was only 2 points.

 

 

 

 

Lunch: After falling in love with the Smart Ones Chicken Enchilada Suiza, I decided to give the Lean Cuisine version a shot and it didn’t disappoint. Although the portion size was smaller, the queso actually tasted like a real cheese sauce! Like I said, the portion size was smaller (it was only 4 points) so I added some salsa and 3 points of chips. For dessert I had a 1 point orange.

 

 

 

Exercise: I went over to Leach this afternoon to start on my November Go The Distance Challenge (more on that in a bit.) I haven’t been on the treadmill in a while but it felt great to get back on there and run like the dickens (well… kinda.) I went 4.27 miles in 65 minutes and burned 863 calories, a high calorie burn is like the best thing about being overweight. From that, I racked in around 17 points which is pretty redonkulous.

Snack: Immediately after I was done I ate the Kashi cereal bar that I had packed in my bag which was a life saver because I was on empty. Since a 2 point cereal bar can only get you so far, Megan and I hit up Hiro’s frozen yogurt. The girl who always asks about the blog was working and we talked a little bit which is always nice to meet your fans (just kidding.) My workout shorts didn’t have pockets so I didn’t bring in my phone, but believe when I say it was the most beautiful cup of FroYo ever. I almost caved and topped it with some oreo’s (my blood sugar must have been low) but I went for the broken up sugar cone and strawberries instead. It was 6 points of happiness.

 

Dinner: While Megan took a well deserved nap, I made Uncle Jim’s vegetarian chili. It was particularly good, maybe it was because of the Fall weather or something like that, I don’t know. Anyways, 2 cups of chili is 5 points and we added 2 points of cheese. We both had the points so we said “why not?” It really hit the spot and I’m pretty full. 

Goal Time!

So I’ve been wanting to set some goals for myself for this month because although I had a really good October, I kept feeling like I was starting to get in a bit of a rut, which I’m sure is common for people who are making a lifestyle change. I think it’s because I have these “ultimate” goals that are going to take time so if you don’t have little things to celebrate along the way, it’s easy to lose sight and veer off in to a ditch of gravy (what am I talking about???) So here are a few I have thought about and I plan on trying to accomplish on this eleventh month of two thousand ten (I have no clue why I just wrote that out.) So here. We. Go…

50 miles for NovGTD: Like I was mentioning earlier, Fat Girl vs. The World has on her site something called Going the Distance (GTD) where you commit to going a certain distance (50 miles) on a certain medium (in my case, treadmill/ground.) You report every week how many miles you’ve gone and if you achieve your goal, you reward yourself with a non-food reward (a much needed new pair of jeans.) So today I went 4.27 miles so I have 45.73 miles to go. 
Beat my 5k time: we are doing the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day and I want to beat my last time of 39:32. I have to really hit it hard the next few weeks to make this one.
Workout 4 times a week
Get up early enough to workout 4 times a week
Beat Matt in Racquetball at least 3 times: Matt: it’s on.
Finish HP and the Goblet of Fire: I’m about half way through, but I stopped because I was getting sick of Harry in this book. Maybe it’s because Prisoner of Azkaban was just so good and Goblet of Fire… well… isn’t.
Successfully do No Shave November (I look like a naked mole rat right now) Brian Wilson Beard of Death here I come.
Finish my HM research paper by Dec 1: It’s due on the 3rd so if it’s not done, it better be close by then!
Read my bible more during the week
Not gain any weight the week of Thanksgiving: This might be the hardest one on this list. I freakin’ love Thanksgiving and so does my gluttonous side. The temptation to gorge is going to be beastly, but I’m going to do my best to do it.
Break the 320 mark: With all this running and racquetballing, I think I can do it.
Overall, I think I’ll be able to get through this list but it won’t be easy. I’ll still be happy if I get like 90% of it done so we will see.
So right now, I’m at 29.5 points but I still have those exercise point so I’ll eat something a little later, just not too late. See ya tomorrow.