still standing, even if I am standing in the gutter

Motivation:

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."~Oscar Wilde

Diary:
D: chicken soup, crackers, orange, theraflu, water,
B: eggs, sausage, decongestant, orange juice
S: protien bar
L: oatmeal, tea, vitamins
S: ??? see how my body feels.
g: none- still recouping. I will plan on going to the gym tommorow.

Notes:

I am still recovering from the flu after-affects. It is normal that I usually am out for 1 week each winter with the flu. It usually happens in February, however, so I thought that I had missed it this year. I was wrong.

Interesting - on TV I watched a show about heart patients and new techniques that hospitals are using to reduce the cost of recovery. They are starting to send hypnotic tapes to patients who are getting ready for surgery. They are finding that $200 worth of pre-operative mental training for patients saves the hospitals $3000 worth of after-care costs. They are finally starting to wake up to the concept of the mind-body connection, and that treating the entire person, instead of just a collection of body parts, is starting to be fruitful. (Patch Adams, anyone?)

So, I thought this was a good thing for me to watch. It was a good reminder not only for my illness, but also for the overall 2006 Challenge. There are a lot of stressful things in life that could knock me off of my track. I admit fully that I am a moody individual, and get melancholy and even depressed from time to time and this affects the way that I treat myself, consciously and sub-consciously. This can affect my eating habits, exercise routine, my daily schedule, and the way I see the world, my goals.

There are lots of 'reasons', real or imaginary, to feel pitiful about my condition. Being alone and sick is one of them. I appreciate the nice notes, emails, and calls from family and friends, even if I was too weak to pick up the phone, it was good to hear your voices. thanks.

Woah, I can't wait until I feel better and can get back in the gym and in the program. Being sick the last few days has made me feel like an oaf (clumsy simpleton). I have in the past enjoyed the opportunity to sleep in and watch movies on my couch. But this was no fun at all. I was actually in the mood to go walking around and go to work. Maybe this is a good sign. If I can recover from my flu and get back to the gym, I will have made a mental hurdle in my plan. I am looking forward to that.


Found the following on a Family Medicine website:

Your body responds to the way you think, feel and act. This is often called the “mind/body connection.” When you are stressed, anxious or upset, your body tries to tell you that something isn’t right. For example, high blood pressure or a stomach ulcer might develop after a particularly stressful event, such as the death of a loved one. The following may be physical signs that your emotional health is out of balance:

• Back pain
• Change in appetite
• Chest pain
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Extreme tiredness
• General aches and pains
• Headaches
• High blood pressure
• Sweating
• Upset stomach
• Weight gain or loss

Poor emotional health can weaken your body's immune system, making you more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times. Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious or upset, you may not take care of your helath as well as you should. You may not feel like exercising, eating nutritious foods or taking medicine that your doctor prescribes.

Try not to obsess about the problems at work, at school or at home that lead to negative feelings. This doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be happy when you feel stressed, anxious or upset. It’s important to deal with these negative feelings, but try to focus on the positive things in your life too. You may want to use a journal to keep track of things that make you feel happy or peaceful. Some research has shown that having a positive outlook can improve your quality of life and give your health a boost. You may also need to find ways to let go of some things in your life that make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. Make time for things you enjoy.

Take care of yourself. To have good emotional health, it’s important to take care of your body by having a regular routine for eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep and exercising to relieve pent-up tension.

more later..

Chazz

Technical Difficulties

Dear readers.

No blog yesterday. due to illness.

Today:

Chazz is in still bed today with runny nose, headache, sore throat, sinus pain, and all-over weakness.

He tried to "brave it" and go to work, but after getting dressed, putting together items, etc, Chazz was sweaty and gross and started coughing. Decided to just call in and chalk it up to a 'personal day'.

Eating mostly chicken soup, thera-flu, oranges, crackers, 7up. Most of the time is spent on the couch or upstairs.


Can't wait to get back to normal. I hate being sick.


Chazz.

Snacks and Treats - What are your favorites?

Motivation:

"Clear your mind of can't."~Dr. Samuel Johnson

Diary:

D: chicken noodle soup, ham and cheese sandwich (Note: This was at my sister's house, who had a container of 'pickled items' that had been pickled so long that they had lost their color. I had what looked like a tomato pepper and a banana pepper. They were ok. About 3 hours later, I was in severe pain, belching and uncomfortable. I finally reallized that it had to have been these pickled items attacking me. It was very painful. Also, while my neice was eating apples, I stuck a pickle in with the apples. She grabbed it and starting sucking on it as if it were an apple, and immediately had a sour face. It was very funny. She wouldn't eat the rest of the pickle, and instead went back to the apple. I guess she was expecting a sweet apple taste, and was confused with the pickle. It was funny.)
B: eggs and sausage links
S: protien bar
L: homeade chicken noode, xs, vitamins, mixed greens
S: roast beef and cheese (left over from yesterday)
g: elliptical 1.85 miles, 373+ calories, walk 1 mile, sauna

Notes:

I really enjoy reading Men's Health Magazine, and do read this magazine throughout the week. One of the things it has is snippets of information about studies that are going on and the findings, such as the following:

• Saint Louis University scientists found that people who eat eggs as part of their breakfast consume fewer calories the rest of the day than those who skip the eggs. Egg eaters consumed 264 fewer calories by the end of the day. Researchers think that the meal's higher protien and fat count lead to greater satiety.
  
• People who take 500 milligrams of vitamin C daily burn 39% more fat during exercise, according to Arizona State University.
  
• Burning 1,100 calories a week through exercise prevents the accumulation of dangerous belly fat. Duke University tracked levels of visceral adipose tissue - the adbominal flab that causes high blood sugar, hypertension and aterial inflammation. Those who walked or jogged at least 11 miles a week didn't gain any of the deadly fat, regardless of their intensity or diet. Men who burned an additional 550 calories per week reduced their visceral fat levels by 7%.
  
• Australian scientists recently discovered that combining up to 6 grams of fish oil daily with aerobic exercise decreased body fat significantly more than exercise alone. Fish oil may stimulate enzymes that improve your body's ability to burn fat. (There is some caution that 6 grams may be an unsafe amount, but 1 or 2 grams may also have similar benefit.)

An article in this month's magazine was about possible snack foods

Genius Junk Food
By: Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D.

PORK RINDS
Why you think they're bad: These puffy snacks are literally cut from pigskin. Then they're deep-fried.
Why they're not: A 1-ounce serving contains zero carbohydrates, 17 grams (g) of protein, and 9 g fat. Even better, 43 percent of a pork rind's fat is unsaturated, and most of that is oleic acid -- the same healthy fat found in olive oil. Another 13 percent of its fat content is stearic acid, a type of saturated fat that's considered harmless, because it doesn't raise cholesterol levels.

ALCOHOL
Why you think it's bad: It has little nutritional value and is the reason we need the term "beer belly."
Why it's not: In a study of more than 18,000 men, Harvard scientists discovered those who had an average of two drinks every day, 5 to 7 days a week, had the lowest risk of heart attack. And researchers at the University of Buffalo found men who consume the same amount (2 or less drinks) daily have lower levels of abdominal fat than those who drink only once or twice every 2 weeks but consume more than four drinks.

BEEF JERKY
Why you think it's bad: It's unhealthy meat that's loaded with preservatives.
Why it's not: Beef jerky is high in protein and doesn't raise your level of insulin -- a hormone that signals your body to store fat. That makes it an ideal between-meals snack, especially when you're trying to lose weight. And while some beef-jerky brands are packed with high-sodium ingredients, such as MSG and sodium nitrate, chemical-free products are available. If you have high blood pressure, check the label for brands that are made from all-natural ingredients, which reduce the total sodium content.

COCONUT
Why you think it's bad: Ounce for ounce, coconut contains more saturated fat than butter does. As a result, health experts have warned that it will clog your arteries.
Why it's not: Even though coconut is packed with saturated fat, it appears to have a beneficial effect on heart-disease risk factors. One reason: More than 50 percent of its saturated-fat content is lauric acid. A recent analysis of 60 studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports even though lauric acid raises LDL (bad) cholesterol, it boosts HDL (good) cholesterol even more. Overall, this means it decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease. The rest of the saturated fat is almost entirely composed of "medium-chain" fatty acids, which have little or no effect on cholesterol levels.

CHOCOLATE BARS
Why you think they're bad: They're high in both sugar and fat.
Why they're not: Cocoa is rich in flavonoids -- the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine and green tea. Its most potent form is dark chocolate. In a recent study, Greek researchers found consuming dark chocolate containing 100 milligrams (mg) of flavonoids relaxes your blood vessels, improving bloodflow to your heart. What about the fat? It's mostly stearic and oleic acids.

===================

I found a couple other snacks that I am going to enjoy in moderation:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
5 tablespoons natural peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1/2 cup dry oatmeal or whole grain hot cereal (uncooked)
1/2 cup oat flour (double dry oats if you do not have oat flour)
1 cup chocolate protein powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds (optional)
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup water

Spray an 8 x 8 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Combine dry ingredients in a medium size bowl and mix well. Add peanut butter and mix - the mixture will be crumbly and dry. Add water and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix everything until dough forms. The dough will be sticky. Spread dough into pan using a clean wooden spoon or spatula that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Refrigerate a few hours (or freeze for an hour) and cut into 9 squares. Wrap bars individually (use sandwich bags or plastic wrap) or store in covered container.


Berries Cereal Blend
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

whole bran cereal
low-fat granola
grape nuts cereal
dried cranberries
raisins
Combine everything together and use 1 cup servings for a healthy cereal


other random snacks that I picked up include roasted peanuts mixed with semi-chocolate chips. A handful of this is a fun treat. Also, popcorn (except the buttery stuff at the movie theater) is a great treat, and I also enjoy celery with peanut butter and naked green peppers.

Of course, during the summer, when Farmer's Markets are open, April 30 – November 12, there will be all sorts of natural snacks that will be great to eat. (Sweet Corn, Slicing Tomatoes, Watermelons, Muskmelons, Red Peppers, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Squash, Cabbage, Cauliflower and more. ) mmmm my mouth is watering, because next week it is supposed to be over 50 degrees temperature.... http://www.stpaulfarmersmarket.com/markets/

Have a good weekend. Mine is going to be full of things to do - including making the recipies above.

more later...

Chazz

*#$@?!

Motivation:

WARNING: If you are easily offended or sensitive of curse-words, or if you were born after March 23, 1988, just please skip this section, and especially don't click on the link in this section. You have been warned.

I am pissed. I am working my ass off, but I am still fat. I hate this damn 2006 Challenge. It sucks. I am an idiot for being so fat and stupid. I hate people who suck. I am tired of running every day and still having a ton of flab at the end of my abdomen. I hate looking in the mirror and thinking, "I am not so bad", then seeing the pear-shaped ass and reallizing I am a big loser. I feel like I am kicking ass in my workouts, and my mind feels like it is a thin-man brain, and is making plans and imagines me being a studly, hard-body like that guy in "The Transportor". Then I open my eyes and see a pile of crap who can't fit into a normal pair of jeans.

I smell pizza as I walk down the hallway at work. It smells good. I want to walk into the conference room and knock everyone unconcious and eat their pizza. I hate people who eat pizza and let the smell waft into the hallway where I am walking.

Today's motivation comes from Memphis, as he has captured eloquently exactly how I feel about this whole damn thing. - http://www.geocities.com/memphis1971/poems/whatisthisshit.html

Hey, this is just the way it goes. If you feel offended by the motivation today, grow up. People have these kinds of feelings every day, especially fat people who are feeling the pressure from family, co-workers, friends, and others who don't expect much out of you. Sometimes it is theraputic to get pissed about your condition. (How else do people change?)

Diary:

D: french onion soup, side salad with 'fixins', 1 small lite beer
B: eggs and sausage links
S: protien bar
L: homemade chili, mixed greens, xs, vitamins
S: roast beef slices, provolone cheese, orange
g: eliptical 1.91 miles (yeah!), 378+ calories, walk 1 mile, sauna.

Notes:

Last night I was reminded how glad I am that I quit my job last summer, and am now working as a contractor. I stopped in to get dinner at the watering hole, and overheard conversations of events happening at the old job. It reminded me what was really bad about it.

One big difference that I think about often is the closeness of the workers. It was very common to eat out for Pizza, Chinese, Burritos, Subway, and other places. It was common to go out for drinks on a nightly basis. It was common to do a lot of social events as 'stress relief' activities. We shared each other's dreams and visions of what we wanted to do, and I still consider many of these fine people my friends.

This was both good and bad. Good was the 'family' feel of the relationships. I admired, respected, and often asked opinion of my coworkers. This made going to work fun. The bad part is that some days this was the only reason to go to work when the job felt mundane and my manager overbearing. As the Fat man, the social activities proved to be a catch-22. Do I go to these lunches with my friends, laughing and carrying on, or go to the gym and feel ultimately unsatisfied and left out of the fun?

Now, I am an island. I work in a sea of other contractors, all rather anti-social. No one has invited me to go to lunch, let alone after work for drinks. No one cares if I leave during noon to go workout, as everyone pretty much is to their own schedule and comes and goes when they feel like. I put in my hours, get my projects done, and then leave to do the next task in my life. I have no friendships that require maintenance. This doesn't mean I don't respect my co-workers, but there is no need for a deep relationship, and I am not encouraged to engage socially.

So, I guess part of my release is this Blog. I am somewhat invisible at work, so no-one talks to me about my workouts, my homemade meals, my weight loss, anything. It isn't that they aren't nice people, they simply don't care. They don't know what I am trying to do, and I don't discuss it. There are a few cheerleaders who know about it, but they are over in another area of the building. They check in every now and then, but even they don't talk about progress much.

To compensate for my lack of co-worker relationships, I have to find new or stronger relationships with friends, family, or fellowship groups. I think this is an ok trade-off.

I am overall glad I made the change. For my sanity, my professional development, and my fitness.

more later...

Chazz

Put down the Prozac

Motivation:

Today's motivation is a followup letter from the fake interview with Dr. Chester Zelasko (this is also fake)

Chazz, I have been reading and enjoying your blog. I see that you have been refreshing your core values and reconsidering your goals. This can be the point in time when things get a little old. Your old life was a lot of fun--eating what you wanted, when you wanted, and getting all the exercise that working a channel changer could give you. You miss that, I’ll bet.

Well, get over it.

You have to bring the right attitude into this lifestyle change process--and it can get old. Here’s the question: do you want the body you had or the body of your dreams? I’m assuming you don’t want to stick with your old body, so quit whining and BRING IT.

Bring what? The attitude it’s going to take to get this thing done. Face it. You weren’t happy with your old body, were you? So get your head in the game and do what it takes to keep it there until all this new stuff is part of your life. Read a self-help book, listen to a positive-attitude tape, visit a nursing home to see how life could turn out--whatever.

Find a way to bring the right attitude with you every day. It will get easier, but you’re going to have to learn that by doing.

Bring it.

Diary:

D: hard-boiled egg open sandwich, fish (tilapia), corn, ramen noodles
B: bagel and peanut butter (men's group)
S: protien bar
L: homemade chicken noodle soup, hard boiled eggs, vitamins
S: orange, celery & peanut butter
g: elliptical 1.84 miles, 374+ calories, walk 1 mile, sauna

Notes:

As I mentioned yesterday, I started looking at my current foods and what I need to change to make this whole thing work. I found one thing for sure I should change.

Bowl of Ramen Soup (Calories = 453, Fat = 17.1g, Carbohydrate = 65.5g, Protein = 9.3g). As bad as those numbers are, however, there is an even scarier number with this food item. The worst part of Ramen is the Sodium count of 1,160mg. This amount of sodium at the end of a day. Some Ramen also contains MSG which I have found to be troublesome in the bathroom, if you know what I mean.

I could just stop eating Ramen, however I crave this tasty treat, and it fills my stomach at the end of the day. I think I just need to find something of equal quantity that will be filling but won't cause me to take two steps back during the night.

To fill this need, I am proposing the Potato! Historically, I have been a "meat and potato" type, growing up on a farm in the midwest and all. I remember helping my Grandfather pick potatoes from a patch that he planted near my uncle's home in Nebraska. Very fun and good to eat, and you can do a lot with them. I haven't been eating potatoes for a while, however, due to being somewhat brainwashed by the Atkins and other low-carb diets. I need to tread lightly here, as I did have great success when I did the Atkins diet for 6-months several years ago, however I couldn't sustain the intensity of watching the daily carb count. It restricted a lot of food, including potatoes, that I enjoyed. I did pretty well, limiting my carbs to under 100 grams a day for several months, but in the end it felt like boot camp, and I eventually dropped off and regained all the weight. I decided that with this "2006 Challenge", I would not concern myself as much with carb intake, but try to be more balanced, and to keep my metabolism going strong.

Here is the comparison makeup of a Potato.
1 medium potato (Calories = 212 , Fat = 0.2g, Carbohydrate = 48.7g, Protein = 4.9g). So, not as bad. 1/2 the calories, almost no fat, less carbs, and the best part is the sodium count of 16.2mg.

One of the resources that I have read in the past was Kathleen DesMaisons' "Potatoes not Prozac." In this book she talks about curing medical problems through food. Serotonin and Beta-endorphins are two things she discusses. Here is a synopsis, taken from her website:
==================

Brain Chemistry 101
Your brain is designed to communicate information. Billions of brain cells talk to each other moment by moment via a network of interconnecting cells. However, these cells do not actually touch one another; there is a tiny space between them. Information is passed across this space by way of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The mood-elevating brain chemicals serotonin and beta-endorphin are both neurotransmitters. Each neurotransmitter has a unique molecular shape and carries a unique message.

The message of serotonin, for example, is "calm down". When one brain cell wants to send a message to another, it releases the relevant neurotransmitter, which floats across the tiny space between cells and looks for the receptors in the target cell that match its molecular shape. A serotonin neurotransmitter, for example, can only pass its message to a serotonin receptor. The same is true with beta-endorphin. If any other kind of neurotransmitter hits the receptors, nothing happens; the message does not get delivered.

Serotonin
When your serotonin is at an ideal level, you feel mellow and relaxed, hopeful and optimistic. You have a sense of being at peace with life. You are creative, thoughtful, and focused. You also have a lot of impulse control, which enables you to "just say no" more easily. Insufficient serotonin level in your brain isn't giving you the time you need to make good decisions. Besides being impulsive, you may feel depressed and find yourself craving foods such as bread, pasta or candy. This craving is the work of your brain, not your ego, because your brain knows that getting you to eat such foods will temporarily raise your serotonin level. Unfortunately, it will also have a devastating boomerang effect and cause all sorts of negative feelings. Having low serotonin can cause these feelings:

• Feeling depressed
• Acting impulsively
• Feeling blocked and scattered
• Having a short attention span
• Craving sweets and simple carbohydrates

Beta-Endorphin
The brain chemical beta-endorphin acts likes a powerful natural painkiller. You may have heard of the "runner's high" (also called an "endorphin rush"), when the body responds to the pain of long-distance running by flooding the brain with beta-endorphin. Beta-endorphin produces a sense of well-being, reduces pain, eases emotional distress, increases self-esteem, and even creates a sense of euphoria. Sugar and alcohol cause a release of beta-endorphin. It can make you feel high and can reduce both physical and emotional pain.

Sugar can make you funny, relaxed, silly, inappropriate, talkative, and temporarily self-confident. You feel great -- and you long to feel this way again and again. You have probably noticed this drug-like effect after eating sugar. Having low beta-endorphin means:

• Feeling isolated, depressed, and hopeless
• Having low self-esteem
• Having a low tolerance for pain (emotional and physical)
• Feeling emotionally overwhelmed
• Craving sweets

Eat a Potato
Have a potato (with its skin) every night three hours after dinner. It will help your body raise your serotonin level and make you feel more confident, competent, creative and optimistic. You can eat your potato baked, mashed, roasted, cut into oven fries or grated into hash browns. Just be sure you eat the skin. Top your potato with anything you like except foods that contain a protein. (Protein eaten along with the potato at bedtime will interfere with your serotonin-making process.) Good toppings are butter, salsa, mustard, spices, or olive oil. Toppings you should NOT use are cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, or cream of chicken soup.

The potato creates an insulin response that effects the movement of the amino acid tryptophan from your blood into your brain. Your body uses tryptophan to make serotonin, the brain chemical that makes you feel mellow and happy. Serotonin also helps you to "just say no" to sweets and other things by putting the brakes on your impulsivity. If you find that you are having wild dreams on the nights you have your potato, this is a clue that you have low serotonin.

==================

So I am planning on adding potato as an ingredient for my evening meal and see what happens. If it doesn't help, I can remove it, but if it does all of the things that Kathleen indicates come true, it could be the missing link to jump start the next phase of the challenge.

Countdown:

This week's countdown is a list of the current challenges. I hope I can remember them all:

1. The Biggest Loser Challenge: ends April 7. This 'blind' challenge is overall weight loss %.
2. Ecumenical Crosswalk on Good Friday: April 9. This is not necessarily a challenge by nature, but I will be challenged to do this. There are several churches in Eagan participating in this event, all of different backgrounds including Easter Lutheran, St. John Catholic, All Saints Lutheran, Advent United Methodist, Community Church of Joy, BridgePointe Covenant, and Sts. Martha & Mary Episcopal, that all join together for a 4.6 mile journey remembering Jesus' passage through the valley of death. There are several spots to stop and pray, and I believe there will be some scripture readings and meditations. I haven't done this before, mostly becuase I wasn't sure that a 5 mile walk was in my bag of tricks, but I think I am going to try this year. The good thing is that they advertise "Transportation is available at one-mile locations to shuttle people to their preferred starting point." so I know that I will have a possible "out" if I need one.
3. Opening Day Challenge: April 11. This challenge is to get huge ass into tiny baseball seats.
4. (ongoing) Fat % Challenge: to lose 34.04 lbs. The next weigh in is April 8, and I have lost 7.4lbs so far. The current milestone to hit is 'under 30%'.
5. Fat to 5K Challenge: From May 7 - Oct 7. This challenge consists of several parts, from finishing a 5K in August(ish) to get a starting time, to training and competing in another 5K in October to beat the first time. This is going to be an interesting challenge.
6. The 2006 Challenge: ends Jan 6, 07. Lose 180 lbs overall and 10+ inches of belt. So far, have lost 62 lbs and 4 inches.
7. The Alfalfa Service Coat challenge: to fit into X-Large jacket. My dad's neat jacket - If I can fit into the jacket, I get it. If I meet the 2006 Challenge Goals, this should be doable.

I am sure I have forgotten something. Maybe this is enough. There are more possible challenges that I have had to pass up. I was invited to participate in an MS Walk, and I know many family and friends who are in the Race for a Cure and AIDS Walk. There are many good causes that I would be happy to walk or run for, but I think I will get myself right first, then sign up for the next step.


more later...

Chazz

Day 1 over and over and over again? OR Oops I did it again...

Motivation:

The motivation of the day comes from my mp3 player while on the elliptical:

"God Is A DJ" by Pink

starting in the middle of verse 2.....
So open your mouth and stick out your tongue

You might as well let go, you can't take back what you've done

So find a new lifestyle A new reason to smile

Look for Nirvana Under the strobe lights

Sequins and sex dreams

You whisper to me

There's no reason to cry

If God is a DJ

Life is a dance floor

Love is the rhythm

You are the music

If God is a DJ

Life is a dance floor

You get what you're given

It's all how you use it

You take what you get and you get what you give

I say don't run from yourself, man, that's no way to live

I've got a record in my bag you should give it a spin

Lift your hands in the air so that life can begin

If God is a DJ
Life is a dance floor
Love is the rhythm
You are the music

If God is a DJ
Life is a dance floor
You get what you're given
It's all how you use it

Get your ass on the dance floor

Diary:

D: [brace yourselves - hold on to something, like a corner post or heavy furniture] 3 Lite Beers, 2 KFC® Snackers, 1 Popcorn Chicken, then for some reason, got home and didn't feel satisfied, and still a little buzzed, so I decided a bowl of cereal would put the perceived need to rest. More later in the Notes section.
=====
B: eggs and sausage links
S: protien bar
L: homemade chili & peanut butter sandwich, xs energy, vitamins
S: cubed chicken and mayo
g: elliptical 1.87 miles, 374+ calories, walk 1 mile, sauna


Notes:

Soooooo, yesterday afternoon I got it in my head that it would be ok to stop by the old watering hole and have a beer or so, and ended up staying there a little longer than I had desired, and had the large beer instead of the small one and then got hungry and stopped by KFC (which is rare, even in the olden days) and then went home. Needless to say, I didn't get much productive down last night, and was not satisfied.

This morning one of my cheerleaders gave me a good talking down about the empty calories and bad choices that I made. I didn't see that coming, but took my licks from her. After the scolding, I looked up my damage:

3 Lite Beers = (Calories = 200, Fat = 0g, Carb = 9g, Protien = 3g)
2 - KFC® Snackers (Calories = 320, Fat = 16g, Carb = 31g, Protien = 14g)
1 Popcorn Chicken (Calories = 560, Fat = 31g, Carb = 34g, Protien = 36g)
TOTALS (Calories = 1,810, Fat = 63g, Carb = 123g, Protien = 74g)

Then for some reason, got home and didn't feel satisfied, and still a little buzzed, so I decided a bowl of cereal would put the perceived need to rest.
Cereal & Soy Milk (Calories = 310, Fat = 6g, Carb = 57g, Protien = 15g)

So that is not good. It isn't the end of the world, and certainly won't make a big dent in the long term. (This is a drop in the bucket compared to what I USED to do.) HOWEVER it isn't in the core habits that I have been doing, and if I work my ass off (as Pink puts it) in the gym, how can I justify undoing the good during the day by consuming 1000+ empty calories?

Now, see here! I am not saying that having a beer or two is wrong (hey, I am a single bachelor male in the city who needs to have social interaction with my peers! This is an important part of life, in moderation.), it is just that I didn't plan very well for this event and had some lousy priorities. So what will make this not happen again, during the "2006 Challenge?" Here are the items that I need to consider so that I can enjoy myself:

1) Drink the smaller beers (12 oz). Three small beers at 96calories is do-able. Three large beers at 200cals is difficult.

2) Eat better choices. For example, Onion Soup is 150 cals, Hamburger is about 260 cals and a
Side Salad is around 100 cals (or less).


Thinking about it I reallized that I have slowly but steadily slid on my plan, and need to reset my meter and go through a refresher course on my calorie intake and my weekly plan. I will need to spend some time on the mathematics and go through the weekly meal list again so that I know I am doing the right thing and staying on target. So, in essence, my diversion last night might be a good thing that gets me back on course.

The picture on this page shows an example page for "Tuesday". It lists some of the core things that are part of the habits. Just for review (good for me to do right now)

1) 6 meals per day (approx every three hours).

2) Use your BMR (Base Metabolic Rate) number - mine is 3062.74 - and your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) number - mine is 3675.29 to determine the number of calories you should be consuming to keep your metabolism going. Take the number and subtract 500 to 1000 calories to have a caloric deficit to ensure that you are taking in less than you are putting out. (This should result in weight loss). I am going for a total calorie intake of 2500 per day (with some give and take) to make a deficit in my calories. It is important to not go too far, as your body NEEDS fuel to keep itself going and the metabolism strong.

3) You *should* try to have the majority of your calories in the beginning of the day, and taper off as the day goes on. The first 4 meals would be bigger (more calories) than the last two.

4) Try to have a balanced variety of Protien 45.00%, Carb 30.00% and Fat 25.00%

5) Excersice Daily

6) Drink water (up to 64oz, if possible.) I am a little low on this, as I am consuming (for sure) 34oz.

Tonight I will need to look at the spreadsheets again and look at what i have prepared, what I eat, and make sure they match up. I will try to share these with you, when I can.

One more thing, many have asked if they can share this blog with their friends and others. I say go ahead, if you wish. I think it would be presumptive of me to "advertise" my blog via an email blast, but am considering doing so. Now that I think of it, I won't. If you want to, that is fine with me.

more later...

Chazz

Back to the Beginning - Day 0

Motivation:

"Failure is the ability to begin again, only this time more wisely." ~unknown

Diary:

D: homemade chili, orange, strawberry shortcake (featuring strawberries, animal crackers and coolwhip)
--
B: eggs and sausage link
S: protien bar
L: chicken breast and green beans, mixed greens, xs energy, vitamins
S: celery & peanut butter, orange
g: eliptical 1.88 miles, 375+ calories,walk 1 mile, sauna.

Notes:

wow, so much to write about. I will try to categorize my thougts:

End of First Trial

On Friday, the first milestone had been met. I was to lose 40lbs, and I lost 65.7lbs, and celebrated with a couple of Guinesses with my cheerleaders Mike and Phil. Mike made his goal, and so now we get to go to a Wild hockey game and a Twins Baseball game. I sort of celebrated over the weekend, as I really didn't do much workout, as I thought I was going to. It was fun to get together and enjoy ourselves. It was a good time to look at the milestone and reward ourselves for a job well done. Mike mentioned a few things that had occured during his journey that I am still waiting to have happened. He was a visual motivator for people around him, and others watching him go to the gym everyday felt empowered to do thing that they had been procrastinating about. I hope that this is the case for me someday (like, near the end of the year). Right now, there isn't anything to show for my work, it is all internal changes. I am still waiting for the external signs to start appearing, and believe me, I will be gloating and showing these changes off at any chance I get.

One thing that Mike and I agreed with was that I have started to master these habits that I am using as the core of my lifestyle: eating right and often, diary of my activities, exercising, planning and preparing for my schedule, and continuing to educate myself on things to do. Keeping this up for the next challenge is the right thing to do.

Next Challenge

So I was a little worried that I would slide and I needed to get something going right away and slide on my progress. But I was immediately surprised to hear Phil, who was celebrating with Mike and I on St. Patty's Day, lay down the gauntlet. He indicated that he is motivated to do an ironman-style triathalon this summer and was interested in having a challenge to go along with this. Aha! I also have the 5K challenge in Northfield in October 7th from my friend Kurt. So, it seems that I am all set to start training for these events!

The details for the Ironman challenge are still in the works, but I will post them here when I get them. I do know the basics to the 5K challenge:

Train for, Compete and Complete the St. Olaf Homecoming 5K (and beat my initial time, which has yet to be determined). This challenge starts May 5th and increases in intensity through July 10th, until the big show on Oct 7!

I am thinking that the new Tri-athalon challenge might be a good think to do as part of this big challenge. I believe the event is in August, and it would be a good time for me to get my first base timing for my 5K run. I need to figure out how this is going to work, but I think it is do-able.

Blog Name Change Idea

With the current challenge in formation, I am considering changing the name of the blog to "From FAT to 5K" - subtitle: "Can a 500lb man train for and compete in a 5K within one year?" OR "From Flab to Fab" (ha ha, I like that one.)

Phil indicated we should do some video filming (in a "Supersize me" like format) to show people the before, during and after stuff. that comment reminds me that I need to go to the hospital I went to for my EKG (last summer, during my biggest size) and blood tests. They did blood sugar, blood pressure, etc, and EKG. I wonder if they will let me have a copy of these tests for my own use. I will put this information on the blog.

All I know for sure is that the following have been past measurements.

• Total Cholesterol = 164
• HdL = 35
• TSH (Thyroid) = 4.62
• Blood Pressure: 150 over 100
• Pulse: 80
• Resting: 18

Saturday Home Show & Beer

On Saturday, I volunteered for the Eagan Home Show. Our church had a booth where we handed out water bottles and helped people with questions (and advertised a little about our Easter services) After being there in the afternoon, I went to Applebees, had a steak and a beer.

I didn't reallize it until this morning, but I was at the Home Show for 3 hours straight, standing the entire time, and I didn't feel the need to sit down. I had no pain in my back or legs, nor did I feel tired or out of breath. This doesn't sound like such a big deal, but I can tell you that 3 months ago I could not do this. I would get tired or sore just standing and talking for 2 hours in a row, and need to sit down.

The weird thing is that this didn't even occur to me until this morning, two days later. This is one of the signs that again, is internal to me, but is a big step from where I was. I can tell things are starting to change. The best is yet to come.

Sunday crock-pot frenzy

On Sunday, I did a lot of cooking. I made some chicken-breasts in the crock pot, and froze them for individaul lunch meals. I took a couple breasts and put them in with other ingredients to create chicken noodle soup, and also stored these for meals. Finally I made a crock-pot of chili and also froze these into individual ziploc boxes. I am set for several days. It was fun, but a lot of work. I cleaned up the dishes and feel like a real Betty Crocker.


more later..

Chazz Vader

they got to Patrick too?

Motivation:

on the mp3 during today's run:

Something To Lose by Scot Ninnemann

You'd rather hurt right now for certain, Than maybe live in fear of pain

And so you tie yourself to the tracks, Cause you don't think you can dodge the train

How can you keep going, Resigned to cruel fate

Like life was one big trap that's set With happiness as bait?

If you keep seeking nothing - Nothing's just what you'll find

A whole world waits for you to love it, If you decide to change your mind

listen to the entire song here: http://www.scotjohn.com/plans.html

It is one of my more favorite songs. It used to be a melancholy, painful song, but actually is a motivational songs for the "2006 Challenge".

Diary:

D: pepperoni, turky and swiss pita sandwich, ramen soup
--
B: eggs and sausage
S: protien bar
L: chicken, peas & tomato - mixed greens - leftover eggs
S: celery & peanut butter, orange, (beer)
G: elliptical 1.91 miles, 377+ calories, walk 1 mile

Notes:

Some 1,500 years ago a teenage boy from what is now Great Britain was kidnapped and enslaved by marauders from Ireland. The teenager they captured eventually escaped, but returned voluntarily some years later. He had become convinced that he was handpicked by God to convert the entire country to Christianity. And neither Ireland nor Christianity was ever quite the same.

However, we don't know much about St. Patrick.

• Who, REALLY, is this man we affectionately call St. Patrick?
• What do we REALLY know about St. Patrick?
• Is Patrick just a jolly, harmless, friendly fellow?

Previously, we established the peculiar fact that today’s "Pat" and Saint Patrick are not the same. They never have been. The moodern day "Pat" cartoon is dressed in a green suit, shamrocks, short, burly and obese. The legends of Saint Patrick portrayed a thin, tall, neatly dressed man in religious apparel. You could not possibly find two different characters. This discrepency is called out in the famous poem that is read in most homes on St. Patrick's Day:

He was dressed all in green, from his head to his toes,

And his clothes bright emerald with shamrock and clover;

A six pack of Guiness he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a leprechaun just opening his pack.

He appears to have thought of something you do not know,

He was chasing a pot-o-gold at the end of the rainbow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf. . . .

Wait, I think the end of that poem is familiar somehow.

I don't think we have a holiday that doesn't involve some sort of food item. Here is my list.

• New Year's Day - drinking
• Valentine's Day - candy and chocolate
• Washington's Birthday - apples
• St. Patrick's Day - beer, cabbage and corned beef (even though I could go on about how Corned Beef was really a Jewish dish, and didn't have anything to do with St. Patrick, was introduced in Boston, and mostly is consumed in the USA)
• Independence Day - beer, grilled meats
• Halloween - candy
• Thanksgiving Day - turkey, stuffing, mashed potato, green beans, you name it
• Christmas Day - ham, cookies

more later..

Chazz

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!

The Blogger.com site is having problems. What is going on? Was it something I did?

Motivations:

"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not." ~unknown

Diary:

D: egg omelette with sausage and cheese and veggies, hamburger patty later
-----
B: eggs and sausages: protien bar
L: chicken, tomato, peas, xs, vitamins, mixed greens
S: turkey slices and swiss cheese
G: elliptical 1.91 miles, 378+ calories, walk 1 mile, sauna

Notes:

I am going to be changing the name of the blog from "Tackling the Beast" to something new. I think I will have a contest. Readers - send your suggestions by adding a comment to the blog. The best title for the next phase of the 2006 Challenge, which will go from April - June. The submissions will be taken for the next couple weeks and unvieled on April 1.

I was looking back at a previous post, the day after Ash Wednesday, and reallized that I promised to talk about my friend Darren and the Zambezi Zinger. The Zinger was a steel - sit down style roller coaster at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri. While Worlds of Fun still is in operation, the Zambezi is no longer there, the ride was relocated in 1997.

The thing about the Zambezi that it started with a slow slow slow spiral to the apex of the ride, then it went racing down and finally through a scary underground tunnel, until the end. The top speed was only about 40 mph, and no loop-d-loops, so nothing horribly scary, but the ride did feel like you were so close to the trees and tunnels that you were going to hit them. (The best roller-coaster I have ever been on was at the Six Flags Over Texas. It is a complete wood coaster that shakes during the ride. Very scary and very tall. I want to ride this one again. http://www.rcdb.com/ig2.htm?picture=2) Back to the Zambezi now.

High School. Band Trip, I think. My friend Darren asks me to ride the Zambezi Zinger with him. During the incredibly slow, winding spiral upward he starts to whisper "We are going to die." "We are going to die." in my ear. I am a little taken back by this, and try to ignore his comments. We continue up the spiral and he says louder "We are going to die" "We are going to die. This is the longest spiral I have ever experienced in my life. Darren won't stop saying that, and it is making me very concerned. As we get to the top of this spiral, which is normally boring and the relaxing part of the ride for most, Darren starts screaming in my ear "We are going to die!" "We are going to die!" I am now shaking in my shoes, and feel like I am going to either vomit or pee my pants. I respond "Get me off this thing!", just as we hit the top of the spiral and make a huge descent. WOW! What a thrill. The timing was perfect, that I was scared to hell even before we got to the exciting part of the ride. It was like an orgasm, which was quite frightning at that age, becuase I had absolutely no clue what an orgasm was. Here is a picture of the ride. http://www.rcdb.com/ig23.htm?picture=2 If you look carefully at the picture, you will see they are right at the first drop point, with the slow spiral behind them. This is one of my favorite stories about Darren, but there are others... oh there are others. He was one of my good friends from school. I miss spending time with him and Cory and Scott and others. I hope to see them again sometime. Maybe we can swap stories.

WHY DID THIS STORY ENTER MY MIND on Ash Wednesday? About that time, I was driving to work on my daily commute, which is usually 52 north to I-94 West to 394 west too 100 south. This trip takes me directly by/through the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and if I look, I can see the Metrodome, the Minneapolis skyline, and other buildings. For some reason, the thought occured about the first time I was in Minneapolis. Another High-School event, I went with my mother and father to Minneapolis to visit my sister. She and a friend went to an Amy Grant concert, and my folks took me to see "Cats" at the Orpheum, and I remember the drive up I-35. Being from a town with no traffic and roads wider than a mile, I was shaking like a tree in a strong wind. I really was uncomfortable with the big city and even sitting in the back seat was very nervous about all the traffic, and thinking that we were going to be lost in the shuffle, down and out. I expected some "Adventures in Babysitting" type event where we had to sing our way out of a blues club. I was messed up, obviously.

So, on my commute I was thinking about how much has changed. I don't think twice about driving in the heart of the city, and even had a flat tire for part of the trip without blinking. Changed the tire, and kept going. It just occured to me at that moment that I have grown quite a bit since the Zambezi Zinger days. What a world.

Telling this story reminds me of a BUNCH of stories from my youth. I could spend years telling stories of growing up in a town of 100 people in central Nebraska. Wow, the stories would be boring to many, but are interesting to me.

more later

Chazz

Beware, the Ides of March...

Motivation:

"Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold."~Maurice Seitter

Another Motivation: From one of my cheerleaders, Memphis: "The progress I read about on this blog - the goal setting especially, is part of the inspiration for getting around to finishing the GUH covers CD."

Yes, that is a great Motivation. Thanks Memphis! I find that I am using the goal-setting part of this Challenge to benefit me in work (creating timelines for documents and deliverables) and also in paying of debts, and keeping up with professional reading. (I wish I would do this for my accordion practice, but I have not gotten that disciplined yet.) The concepts are similar, just breaking things down to bite-size portions and getting them done. Part of the reason for a "Diary" section of the blog is for tracking the bite-size portions. They really are boring for most readers, and somewhat considered 'fly-over land' portion of this blog, but I am glad that it is there, not for accountability, but for reminder that the little steps make the difference. Did I already post the story of the stone carver? If so, it wouldn't hurt to post it again:

The stonecarver finds a block of marble or other hard stone (maybe limestone, in Minnesota) and starts pounding on it to split it into a size that she can use. The first hit and nothing moves, the same with the second, third, fourth and subsequent hits. She hits the stone for hours and hours and days and days. After many days of pounding on the stone, the rock splits, and the carving may continue.

The question is, what caused the stone to split? Was it the last hit that was greater than the others, or was it a combination of all the small hits on the rock that finally gave way.

I think we need to think like the stonecarver, and continue to pound on the rock. The rest of the world doesn't see the results of our work until after the last hit, but WE recognize that it was the constant working on the stone that made all the difference. Each effort of pounding on the rock combined to achieve the end result.

Celebrate the Small Steps!

For more information about the CD in reference to that comment, look here: http://www.geocities.com/memphis1971/GUH/covercdindex.html



Diary:

D: pizza (at sister's)
---
B: bagel and peanut butter (men's group). Note: Panera decided to change their prices. My breakfast ALWAYS cost $2.75, which is a perfect number. I hand them $3, and get back a quarter. Perfect. It starts the day off right. NOW PANERA CHARGES $3.07 for the same food! 32 cent increase - that is over 10% increase, PLUS it is a stupid amount that requires odd pieces of change. This is going to screw up my entire day.
On top of it all, Andrea wasn't behind the counter, and some new girl was taking my order, who was having problems with math. I wanted to say "Andrea knows my order, can I just deal with Andrea!", but then I got flashes of Jack Nicholson in "As Good as It Gets", who couldn't eat out unless Helen Hunt was serving him. I snapped back to reallity quickly and just kept going. My complaints fell on deaf ears, as no-one cares about the fact that $2.75 was a perfect number for my schedule, and $3.07 is an akward, annoying number that causes pain and anguish for everyone involved.
Maybe someone should do a study on how much time is saved by cashiers who don't have to deal with bizzare change and dealing with numerous coins. I think we could save MILLIONS of $$$ of commerce by pricing items so that they come out to even amounts.
Maybe i am just off my rocker and am coming across like a bitter old hermit.

S: protien bar
L: homemade chicken, tomato, and pea mixture
S: chicken cubed with mayo
G: eliptical 1.82 miles, 374+ calories, walk 1 mile, sauna (well, my headset finally died. It was holding on to a string of speaker cord for many months now, but today the sound stopped in the left ear. Time to buy a new headset.)

Notes:

I was wanting to mention an article that I have been reading in Men's Health magazine, but I couldn't find the article online, so I will have to postpone the writeup on this article. It is a good story, so stay tuned.

Meanwhile, I got an email from Men's Health, inviting me to get a newsletter about health and fitness via email. I noticed the first article in the newsletter is about "Energy management", by Nancy Clark. It is about how to keep your energy levels stoked all day.

Guess what - basically her suggestions are EXACTLY what I have been doing for the 2006 Challenge. Here is a short synopsis.

7 A.M.: Jump-Start Your Body
fat, protein, and long-burning fiber, plus a little sugar to help wake you up.

10:30 A.M.: Prevent Midmorning Malaise
It takes your body 2 to 3 hours to break down the sugars in the food you eat, release them into your bloodstream, and convert them into energy. Go longer than that without eating again and your energy levels will start to fade. Skip the doughnuts and pastries and grab a handful of fresh berries instead.

Noon: Eat a Power Lunch
protein and carbs in the salad, stabilizing blood-sugar levels and keeping energy levels high
Omega-3s found in fish are one of the primary building blocks of brain tissue, so they're vital for keeping your mind sharp. (I take an omega-3 oil every day as part of my vitamin regime. It is very good.)

3:30 P.M.: Beat the Afternoon Slump
crackers and peanut butter provide quick carb energy plus long-burning protein and fat.


TADA! I think that Men's Health editors have been reading my blog, and gleaning suggestions for thier readers.

To that end, I have been considering upgarding my Blog. I am testing a Stat Counter from http://www.statcounter.com/. It tells me how many unique visitors I have had each day and what pages they look at. (Don't worry about privacy. It doesn't tell me who you are, but what you are looking at.)

What I have found is the following stats:


Date Unique Visitors First Time Visitors Returning Visitors
15th March 8 5 3
14th March 4 4 0

Sweet!


Also, I have found a cool website simply called "Traffic" http://www.traffic.com/ that lets me look at my commute and even email or call me if the traffic jams are so bad that I should make a detour of my regular home - work - home routine. I am going to customize my route and see how this works.

Another of my weird hobbies (along with reading recipe books and diet pamphlets) is searching the internet for new cool ideas. I try to remember them and put them on the link-list on the right... sometimes I forget the ones I like.



Countdown:

2 days - St. Patrick's Day celebration (celebrate the loss of 60+ pounds)
24 days - Next measurement and weigh-in
27 days - Twins home opener
32 days - Easter


more later..

Chazz

Going nowhere slowly

Motivation:

"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us." ~Alexander Graham Bell

Diary:

D: bowl of cereal early snack - salmon patties and ramen later
---------
B: eggs and sausage
S: protien bar
L: homemade chili, xs, vitamins
S: swiss cheese and turkey
G: eliptical 1.84 miles, 377+ calories, walk 1 mile, sauna (increased 1 minute on elliptical for next4 weeks. now at 21:00. I will keep increasing until I get to 30 minutes. by then I will be already into my 5K training program.)

Notes:

The dry sauna at the gym is interesting. At the end of a workout, it is a warm, sweaty, quiet place to relax and meditate. I feel very proud of getting this far, however when I look down at myself, I see a fat pig. I don't feel like a fat pig, (what pig runs 1.84 miles on an elliptical machine?) but I see a huge gut and pasty pink skin, like a big. Damn. I should be thinner.

I hope that all this work and habitual routine is not going to be a huge let down, and I will be a fat pig my whole life, regardless of my own efforts. It is very frustrating, how slow things are.

The other thought I had in the sauna was "I wonder if the chinese buffet and chinese take-out places are still in business?" Maybe they have all closed shop and gone to another environment. I haven't been in a chinese restaurant in 3 and a half months, so I imagine a group of chinese restaurant owners meeting is some back room discussing what they are going to do and the loss of revenues for the first part of this year. They are all scratching their heads wondering what can be done to turn this bad fortune around.



Woah, maybe the sauna heat is getting to my head. I will step out and take a shower.




more later...

Chazz

March Measurments

Motivation:

"It is not hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.

In this life we get nothing, save by effort." ~Theodore Roosevelt

Diary:

D: ham and cheese sandwich, handful of pretzels, ramen soup, diet soda
----
B: eggs and sausage
S: protien bar
L: chicken, tomato and peas (from crockpot), xs energy, mixed greens, vitamins
S: carrots and peanut butter, orange
G: elliptical 1.78 miles, 366+ calories, walk under 1 mile, sauna.

Notes:

March Measurements..... Get ready!

Chest 56
Waist 66.5
Hips 56
Thigh 32.5
Neck 18
Calf 20.50
Bicep 17.00
Forearm 14.50
Difference over Previous Stats = 7 inches (lost)
Difference Overall = 13.75 inches (lost)

Weight 421.8
Estimated Lean Body Weight = 274.83
Estimated Body Fat Weight = 146.97
Estimated Body Fat = 34.84%
Estimated BMI = 54.15
% of Weight Loss = -1.72%
% of Total Weight Loss = -13.03%
BMR 3062.74
TDEE 3675.29


I am somewhat disspaointed by the weight loss numbers, but still going in the right direction. My inches have reduced slightly, so my body is moving the fat around a little bit. That is good.

The Current (2nd) Challenge is to Lose 34.04 lbs. As of March 11, I have lost 7.4lbs (65.7lbs overall), and the next weigh in on this challenge is April 8, 2006. That is four weeks away, becuase of the end of the first Challenge will pass on Friday with a special weigh-in, but no measurements. It doesn't make sence, but it kind of does to me.


Today was a huge snowfall that forced three buses to spin out right in front of me, and I sat on I-94 west for about 1.5 hours. Then they closed my exit ramp, so I ended up about 3 hours late for work. It has been a really annoying day. I don't have much more to say.


more later

Chazz

Had a Bad Day?

Motivation:

Today's "Daily Motivator" at GreatDay.com - http://greatday.com/v.html?1291f02KGf62

Today is the day that it all begins. This is the moment when your greatest possibilities start fervently coming to life.

You've dreamed, you've planned, you've hoped, you've slipped and gotten back up again. You've learned about your strengths and uncovered some of your weaknesses.

Now is when that wisdom and experience get put to good use. You know what must be done and today you're in a perfect position to do it.

There have been moments when you've known how very good life can be. This is the day for you to translate your highest visions into focused action and commitment.

Today, you truly understand like never before how unique and precious your life is. And today, you can feel the magnificent positive potential that is you.

This is a time that is like no other. This is your time to joyously fulfill the grand promise that is your life.

Ralph Marston

Diary:

D: mom's chicken breast recipe (put thawed chicken in ziplock with 1 tblspn flour, black pepper and spices, pound the chicken breasts and fry in olive oiled pan), brussel sprouts in butter, ramen, whole grain bread - yummy..
---------
B: eggs and sausage
S: protien bar
L: lean cuisine, xs energy, vitamins
S: mixed greens with salmon and dressing
G: eliptical 1.74 miles, 351+ calories, walk 1 mile, sauna

Notes:

I saw a music video today that I thought was pretty cool. Daniel Powter: Bad Day on Ifilm.com
http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2670549 It is a melancholy tune with an optimistic ending. Who knows where this story will end.

Minnesota in March is just a bad month. It is mostly grey and cloudy in the sky, and the ground is starting to melt. In the paved areas this means that there are grey and white spots everywhere from the sand and salt that is put down all winter long for ice. And there are huge piles of brown snow that is melting to uncover all the crap that we left (littered) there during winter. It is like cleaning your fridge and finding a tupperware of "something" that now resembels congealed head-cheese. Only to your surprise behind that tupperware sits a 1984 Buick that doesn't look like anything that would possibly fit in a fridge. Some of the snow piles are melting and uncovering things that have no earthly reason to be where they are no sitting.
It is odd. On non-paved areas, dead brown grass and mud are where green beautiful nature should be. The air smells of rot and death and the EPA is sending air quality warnings.
March also has blustery winds and one day of mild temperature followed by a day of frigid cold temps and icy conditions.

We NEED April to get here soon, to shower us with gentle rains and start to perk up the vegetation and put that fresh smell in the air. The rain can wash the crap off of the roads and sidewalks and the ions in the air will feel like "Spring".

This is the month of melancholy in my life too. I usually get sick or depressed in March and I can feel that I am drained.

Something to look forward to....
Tommorow is Measurement Day #4!

Here is the recap as of Feb 18, 06

Measurements
Weight = 429.20
Total Inches = 287.00
Estimated Body Fat = 35.55%
(you can review the rest on the right sidebar.)

Prediction
If I was true to my plan, also listed on the right, I will have lost 2 lbs per week, so I predict to have lost 6 lbs, but would really love it if I lost 10 - 15 lbs.
I don't *feel* like I have lost any inches on my waist, hips, or chest, so I don't predict much inches lost.


see you on Monday....

Chazz

Virtual Interview - Part 3, Fats

Motivation:

"There is no one giant step that does it. It's a lot of little steps." ~Peter A. Cohen

Readers: This quote was just the 'next in line' in a long list of motivational quotes and thoughts. It really fits my attitude today, however. The last several days I have been giving random rabbit trails and then this interview, partly becuase I have been somewhat stalled for things to talk about regarding the "2006 challenge". Instead of Good Story/Bad Story or new things I am finding about my weight loss, I have been lacking stuff to say. I think the cause of this is due to the quote above. I have been taking a lot of little steps that feel like they aren't doing much of a difference.


Diary:

D: hamburger and chedder cheese open-faced sandwich, brussel sprouts, ramen soup
------------
B: eggs and sausage
S: protien bar
L: lean cuisine, vitamins, xs energy
S: celery sticks and peanut butter, banana
G: elliptical 1.78 miles, 356+ calories, walk 1 mile

Notes:

The other day, my sister gave me a grocery bag full of "Cooking Light" magazines, and as you know, I love reading recipie and health books, so this is like hitting the jackpot. I only assume that she gave them to me becuase she is starting to prepare for the big move and is looking for things that she can get off of her list of things to pack.

Also, today there was a "75% off" book sale in the atrium of the building my client is located in. (I will discuss this building more in the next weeks.) I found a nice Slow Cooker book endorsed by the Rival Cookware company, and a special edition of the big "Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook" that is bound in a pink binder, to support breast cancer research with a donation to The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. I bought both of them, so I will be living in bliss for some time to come.

I have more to say, but I will keep it for a later day. Today we will finish up the Interview with Dr. Zelasko:

continuing our virtual interview (that never happened) with Dr. Chester J. Zelasko.

Chazz Vader: Yesterday we spoke about Protiens, the second of the three macronutrients that run our bodies. What is the last macronutrient, Dr. Zelasko?

Dr. Zelasko: Chazz, call me "Chet". The final macronutrient is Fats. Fats, also called lipids, are our primary source of energy while at rest.

CV: Chet, please allow me to stop you there before we get too deep into lipids. I can tell this is going to be a complicated subject, becuase you are using a term I haven't heard of before.

Before we go down this road, I need to clear up something that we talked about yesterday about Protiens. Many readers have indicated that you stated Protiens are used for body building and cellular repair, but also are used for energy during our normal activities. The confusion comes with the statement you made that "Proteins aren't really stored in the body." If Protiens are used for energy, aren't they stored? Please elaborate.

Dr. Z: Chazz, Protiens can be used for energy, but that is not their primary duty. Maybe this will clear things up. An excess of protiens, just like with carbohydrates, will be converted into fat and stored in your fat cells.

CV: Thank you for the clarification. Let's move on to Fats.

Dr. Z: As I indicated, Fats are also known as lipids. Lipids are composed of a molecule of glycerol and one to three fatty acids. Most fats are found with three fatty acids and are called triglycerides.

CV: Oh my, more long words... Obviously, I am not going to understand what you are talking about, so I will try to do my best to interview you. I have a feeling that this interview will include lots of long and complicated words that I don't understand. Tell me more about Lipids.

Dr. Z: I will try and use short, easy words as often as I can. I can see your eyes spinning in your head, so I will try to keep it simple and use examples.

Fats are energy intensive, containing 9 calories per gram. But energy isn't the only function of lipids in our body. The primary function of lipids is to form the membranes of each and every one of the cells of our body -- billions and billions of them. You've heard of the expression that "oil and water don't mix." That characteristic of lipids is very important because it regulates fluids in and out of our cells. Instead of passing through at will, water and other fluids have to move through special openings or channels in the membranes allowing the water content of each cell to be controlled. It's all possible because of lipids.

CV: Thanks for the analogy. I am starting to warm up to the concept of lipids.

Dr. Z: Another important function of lipids is that they’re used to make cholesterol. We've heard so much about how bad cholesterol is for you that we tend to overlook the importance of cholesterol. It works right next to lipids in the cell membranes and makes the membranes rigid and able to hold their shape. There are many more membrane functions thought to be attributed to cholesterol's presence, but the research continues. Cholesterol is also used to make hormones necessary for metabolism and sexual development.

CV: (interrupting) "HELLO NURSE!"

Dr. Z: Yes, ok. continuing... Fat is also used for insulation and shock absorption. It protects organs and joints from the trauma of movement.

CV: I know all about that part. I fell down while walking up a set of 2 steps at the gym today, and fell right on my well protected bumm! My body must do a pretty good job of storing Lipids.

Dr. Z: Speaking of storage, Fat is stored in the form of triglycerides, which was the big word that I used earlier, consisting of one molecule of glycerol and three fatty acids. Unfortunately, we're all too familiar with where the fat cells are located. We can see the subcutaneous (or under the skin) fat stores all too well when we take off our clothes. Men tend to store fat on the back and around the waist while women tend to store fat around the hips and the thighs. However, half of your fat stores may be found under the muscle, surrounding the organs in the abdominal cavity. This "internal fat" is thought to be more dangerous than subcutaneous fat stores and is implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.

CV: Those are bad. So, how do we control the fat surrounding our organs?

Dr. Z: First, Fats are found in animal foods including meat, fish, and dairy products, the oils derived from corn, olives, flaxseed, etc., and in nuts. Fresh fruits and vegetables are generally low in fat, but that doesn't mean all vegetable matter is. We like fats because they add so much flavor to the foods we eat. Think about it. What tastes better: a plain baked potato or a potato with butter and sour cream? Beef jerky or prime rib?

CV: Are you telling me I can't, or shouldn't eat prime rib or put butter on vegetables?

Dr. Z: It is more complicated than just not eating Fats. You need to take in less than 30% of your daily caloric intake from fat with no more than 10% of your daily intake from saturated fats. As part of the total fat intake, adults should consume 1.1-1.6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids from fish, flax, nuts, or dietary supplements.

Eating too much fat has serious health implications. Besides being stored as fat which leads to overweight and obesity, excess dietary fat can be converted to cholesterol. Serum cholesterol has been associated with the development of atherosclerosis; the higher your cholesterol, the greater the risk of heart disease. Excess weight is also associated with diabetes, cancer, gout, arthritis, sleep apnea, and many more conditions.

CV: Woah, you used a big term again. "Saturated Fat?" What is this?

Dr. Z: Sorry, I guess this is also a complicated subject, and let me dumb it down for you. Dietary fats can vary in structure and how the body metabolizes them and therefore, can have differing effects on blood cholesterol.

• Saturated fats are hard at room temperature and generally come from animal sources, dairy products, or vegetable shortenings. Saturated fats increase blood cholesterol and are linked to heart disease.
• Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Most fats contain some monounsaturated fat, but the richest source is olive oil. Monounsaturated fats help lower blood cholesterol levels.
• Polyunsaturated fats are liquid or soft at room temperature, and come from oils of fish, plant, or vegetable origin such as corn or soybean. Polyunsaturated fat is linked to heart disease prevention because it lowers blood cholesterol.
• Cholesterol makes up about 5% of dietary fat and is found in animal foods sources, along with saturated fat. The liver and intestinal wall also synthesize cholesterol.
• Trans-fatty acids are fats formed when oils are partially hydrogenated to make a more solid fat like margarine and shortening. Evidence continues to mount that trans-fatty acids raise blood cholesterol about as much as saturated fat does.

CV: Wow, you are a smart guy, Chet. Thanks so much for visiting with us for the last few days. I think we have all learned something new about what food is made of and how we use it.
Note to readers, Dr. Zelasky earned a Masters and Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology and Health Education from Michigan State University and currently hosts “The Better Life Radio Show” on WGVU’s in Grand Rapids, where he provides listeners with research-based, practical information that can improve the way they look and feel. You can listen on line at www.wgvu.org. Do you have any parting wisdom for our readers?

Dr. Z: Chazz, thanks for the opprotunity, and good luck with your challenge. In today’s society, we are fortunate that food is abundant. With so many choices it can be difficult to eat to live, instead of living to eat. By understanding the composition of food, it’s role in your body, and what constitutes the best choices to make from the variety available, you can make an informed decision about how to eat to attain optimal health.

=============

Interview over. Maybe more interviews to come. Let me know if you liked the interview and the format, or have suggestions of other real people who I can do a fake interview with.

more tommorow..

Chazz

Virtual Interview - Part 2, Protiens

Motivation:

"Concentrate on where you want to go, not on what you fear." ~Anthony Robbins

Diary:

D: steak and sliced potatoes, salad (at sister's home)
--------
B: bagel and peanut butter, coffee
S: protien bar
L: lean cuisine, mixed greens, xs, vitamins
S: orange, maybe canned salmon OR ham and cheese slices
G: elliptical 1.78 miles, walk 1 mile, sauna, shave.

Notes:

continuing our virtual interview (made up) with Dr. Chester J. Zelasko.

Chazz Vader: Yesterday we spoke about Carbohydrates, which is one of the three macronutrients that run our bodies. Can you tell us about Protiens today?

Dr. Zelasko: Yes Chazz, Protiens are another macronutrient. Proteins are actually made up of many thousands of smaller units called amino acids. Some amino acids can be made by the body while others have to be eaten in the foods we consume. Proteins are generally not used for energy by the body except under conditions of starvation, or prolonged, strenuous exercise like long distance cycling and running. The proteins that we eat are used to make:

• Structural Fibers. Muscle is the best example of structural proteins, but there are many more. Proteins help make up the hardest substance in the body -- the enamel of your teeth. They also make up the tough fibers of your ligaments and tendons that keep your skeletal system (bones) together. Finally, they make up the cartilage that covers the ends of your bones and acts as a shock absorber.
• Enzymes, the catalysts which speed up the millions of chemical reactions that occur every minute in your body.
• Hormones such as insulin and glucagon which regulate your blood sugar.
• The antibodies of your immune system which ward off bacterial and viral infections.
• The elements of your blood that are responsible for clotting when you get cut.
• and there are still more...

You can see that proteins have many functions in the body. Proteins contain about 4 calories per gram. But the lowest priority for proteins is to make energy for our normal activities.

CV: You said that protien isn't really used for energy, so what does the body do with protien after we eat it?

Dr. Z: Proteins aren't really stored in the body. By the nature of its structural function, muscle is the largest "storage" container of protein in the body. The building blocks of protein -- amino acids -- circulate in your bloodstream and lymph system and make up the metabolic amino acid pool. Proteins are constantly broken down and the component parts used again and again. This turnover rate is variable; some cells in your digestive system turnover in 3-4 days while cartilage cells take years to turnover. This variability is important because major organs like the liver and heart will be spared from breakdown during starvation at the expense of not-as-essential cells.

CV: Wow, so your body sort of "rebuilds" itself over the course of a year! That is pretty cool. I think it is obvious to ask where Protiens come from, and I assume that I know the answer. Protiens come from MEAT, correct?

Dr. Z: In the typical American diet, the sources of protein are meat, fish, and dairy products. The advantage is that the proteins are complete -- they contain all of the amino acids. However, most of these foods can also be high in fat and total calories.

Beans, lentils and nuts are examples of vegetable sources of protein. It is best to select foods that contain the highest amount of protein with the least amount of fat, especially saturated fat. Some of the amino acids that your body needs to make proteins can be made by the body and some can’t. The ones that can’t are called essential amino acids.

CV: I am confused again. Meat is a good source of complete protiens, but is higher in Fat, Calories, and I imagine cholesterol. Beans and nuts have protien, but don't have all the amino acids for body-building and repair. Are you saying that we need to eat meat to get all essential amino acids?

Dr. Z: Absolutely not, but it will take some effort to learn what foods to combine to receive all the amino acids your body needs. When we combine plant foods to ingest all of the essential amino acids, it’s called using complementary proteins. Depending on what type of vegetarian a person wanted to be, they would use some of the following combinations:

• Cereal + Milk
• Pasta + Cheese
• Bread + Cheese
• Rice + Beans
• Croutons + Split Pea Soup
• Tortillas + Beans
• Corn Bread + Chili beans
• Brown Bread + Baked Beans
• Tahini + Hummus
• Tofu + Sesame Seeds

CV: Thanks Dr. for the information. This will make meal planning easier to make sure we are getting the right combination of foods to complete our protien intake. How much protien do we need per day?

Dr. Z: The Food and Nutrition Council of the National Research Council recommends the following minimum protein consumption for adults: 0.8 grams/kg BW/day where kg stands for kilograms, BW stands for body weight, and Weight (kg) is your weight in kilograms. To convert your weight from pounds to kilograms, simply divide your weight (lbs.) by 2.2

CV: Thanks for the lesson in Protiens. I think I learned something new today, and hope that our readers appreciate the hints and tips. Can you stay around one more day and tell us about Fats? There are so many different Fats that I get confused.

Dr. Z: I would be happy to discuss this tommorow. Did you run 1.78 miles on the eliptical today? Good job.

more later..

Chazz Vader

Virtual Interview - Part 1, Carbohydrates

Motivation:

From Patrick Reusse article in Star Tribune.

Asked about his chunky 5-8 frame, [Kirby] Puckett said he often thought how great it would have been to be transformed into the perfect athletic body.
"I would be 6-2 and all muscle, and I would have Lou Brock's speed and Roberto Clemente's arm and Hank Aaron's power," Puckett said. "But personality? I get to have my personality."

Of course, a huge baseball fan and a Twins fan, I would have a Puck quote for today's motivation.

Diary:

S: yesterday afternoon, I made a peanut butter and banana sandwich,
D: ham and cheese pita sandwiches
--------------------------
B: eggs and sausage
S: protien bar
L: lean cuisine, xs, vitamins
S: mixed greens and chicken cubes

Notes:

After several days of blabber, it is time to get back to weight loss basics.

Today I will publish the first part of my virtual (fake-fake-fake) interview with Chester J. Zelasko, Ph.D.

Chazz Vader: Dr. Zelasko, please take a seat and discuss for me about Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats.

Dr. Zelasko: Thanks Chazz. This is a great blog you have and I am honored to speak with your readers. The foods we eat contain nutrients. Carbohydrate, protein, and fat are considered macronutrients because we need a substantial amount of all three everyday to keep our bodies operating smoothly. They provide us with energy but they also have other important functions in our bodies you may not realize.

CV: That is great. Can you discuss further these macronutrients? How are nutrients stored in our body? What foods contain the energy nutrient? What happens if we eat too much of it?

Dr. Z: Woah, Woah, Chazz. Let's slow down and discuss them one by one. Each macronutrient is used and stored a different way. We can start with Carbohydrates, if you wish.

CV: Ok, tell me about Carbohydrates.

Dr. Z: Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy for most activities. Carbohydrates are found in simple forms, such as fruit or table sugar, or complex forms, like whole wheat breads, rice, or potatoes -- but in all cases they're made up of smaller units. These smaller units are mostly glucose and fructose. The sugar lactose is primarily found in dairy products like milk. All are combinations of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a perfect balance for use in the body. There are other minor sugars found in foods that are important for cellular communication.

CV: What are the uses of Carbs in our body?

Dr. Z: Carbohydrates have one prime directive: provide your body's cells with energy to carry on cell functions. Glucose is the preferred source of energy for the brain -- real brain food -- and for muscles during physical activity. Carbohydrates contain about 4 calories per gram.

CV: Huh? What does the calorie have to do with Carbs usage?

Dr. Z: A Calorie is a unit of energy used to tell us how much potential energy is stored within food. Technically, it is the energy required to raise the temperature of 1 liter of water, 1 degree centigrade. If you can’t relate to that (as many of us cannot) just know that the more of those you take in, the more energy you have to use -- or store!

CV: Thanks. Please talk some more about the storage part. How does the body store these extra calories?

Dr. Z: Glucose and fructose are stored in limited quantities in the body in the form of glycogen. The liver has the highest concentration of glycogen, but the muscular system stores a greater quantity of glycogen overall -- there is more muscle mass in an individual than liver mass. Your body attempts to keep a 24-hour supply (about ½ lb.) of glycogen so you always have a ready supply of glucose available under normal food-intake conditions.

CV: Wow, you are smart. What happens to you if you take in an excess of Carbs? Does your body store it all?

Dr. Z: Carbohydrate intake is converted to fat by the liver and stored in fat cells. Some fat is made this way every day and is necessary to stretch the energy we get from our food. Only when we chronically overeat does the excess fat that's made begin to show up in our favorite fat depositories

CV: Great! I think I understand how the body uses this nutrient. Please tell where we find Carbohydrates.

Dr. Z: Carbohydrates are found chiefly in vegetables, fruits, and grains, and are available in several forms classified under two basic categories:

Simple carbohydrates are sugar molecules, primarily glucose and fructose, that make up short chain-molecules. The primary source of simple carbohydrates in American diets are refined sugars such as table sugar, honey, and the corn syrup found in soft drinks. Also, most fruits are made up of simple sugars. What's the difference between the two? There is no difference in the way your body uses them -- glucose is glucose. The difference is in the concentration of sugar and the additional nutrients that may be supplied. For example, table sugar is made up of sucrose, a disaccharide made up of a glucose and a fructose, but nothing else. An apple contains sucrose but it also contains water, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The energy received from one apple and 5 teaspoons of table sugar are the same, but you get more nutritional benefits from the apple.

Complex carbohydrates are polysaccharides consisting of long chains of glucose molecules. What the chains make depends on the arrangement of the glucose molecules -- wheat is arranged differently from potatoes, etc. Complex carbohydrates are found in wheat, rice, oats, corn, beans and legumes. Starches are found in plants such as potatoes and other tubers or roots. During digestion, your body "chops" the long chains into glucose units and that's the form absorbed into your bloodstream, ready for your body to use. Most complex carbohydrates, and fruits and vegetables as well, contain dietary fiber which is good for keeping your digestive system functioning properly and keeping you healthy.

CV: So, it sounds like we need Carbohydrates, but not in excess. How much Carbohydrate should we eat?

Dr. Z: Total carbohydrate intake varies by how active you are. A sedentary person requires much less than a competitive athlete. In general, 40-70% of the Daily Intake should be from carbohydrates with an emphasis on whole grains, low-fat dairy, vegetables, and fruit; limit refined carbohydrates like soft drinks and sweets to no more than 10% of calories. In addition, adults should strive to eat 25-35 grams of fiber every day.

CV: Dr Zelasko, can I call you Chester? Thanks for taking time today to speak with us about Carbohydrates. Do you have any other suggestions or notes?

Dr. Z: Chazz, it is my pleasure. I can see that you are doing a great job with your "Challenge". Keep up the good work.

We are in the midst of a “low-carb” obsession. People are counting carbohydrates in the hopes that it will contribute to weight loss. When viewing product labels, be sure to pay attention to the “Total Carbohydrate” section of the Nutrition Facts. While they may not effect blood sugar—and thus will not be claimed as carbs on the front of the product—they do contain calories. Read the product Ingredients carefully. Ingredients such as glycerin, maltitol and all sugar alcohols, and polydextrose contain calories and you will absorb them!

Alcohol or ethanol is made when enzymes in yeast’s transform carbohydrates into sugar. Depending on the type of carbohydrate used, the product will vary. If you use fruit, you get wine; if you use barley as the carbohydrate, you get beer. In order to make hard liquor, you need to further distill the initial product. The amount of ethanol found in wine, beer, or hard liquor varies. But the bottom line is this: for every gram of alcohol you drink, you take in 7 calories. It can be used for energy, but it must by metabolized to fat by the liver -- and you know where that fat ends up!



Part II of the interview tommorow - we will discuss Protiens.


more later..

Chazz

Post-Oscar Haze

Motivation:

"Do, or do not. There is no try."~Yoda

Diary:

D: celery, carrots, dressing, popcorn, 1 twizzler, at Oscar party - later a pita with turkey and mayo
----------
B: eggs and sausage links
S: protien bar
L: lean cuisine, vitamins, xs
S: mixed salad, deli ham & cheese
G: eliptical 1.77 miles, 355+ calories, walk 1 mile.

Notes:

I re-read Friday's notes, and I must admit that even I was utterly confused with my blog, so I can understand if you were confused as well. It reminded me of a line in Planes, Trains and Automobiles "You know next time you tell one of you're stories, here's a good idea - have a point - it makes it so much more interesting for the listener."

I have lined up a virtual interview for the next three days, so starting tommorow, we will get back to the basics of the 2006 Challenge by discussing Carbs, Protiens, and Fats. Then on Friday, we will have a wrap-up for the last three weeks and get ready for new measurements and calculations.

Today, however, more random rantings. Last night I saw the Oscars, and I have comments. The president of the Academy again gave us a pitch to go watch movies in the theaters. His pitch was full of folly and my peers were quick to point out that we don't attend movies as much because of people on cell phones, talking during the show, and punks who are rude. The other reason that I don't watch movies in the theater as much is because Hollywood and the Academy of Motion Pictures has a skewed attitude on what movies are and the role in society for them.

I was not excited about any of the movies that were listed in the Best Picture category. Somewhat becuase I have only seen one (Crash), and didn't really care for that movie. It was too fragmented, and the camerawork was difficult to watch, let alone enjoy. It also tried to hard to portray it's "message".

Hollywood thinks that a good movie, one that would make a Best Picture list, needs to have some deep message or philosophy, or some artsy-fartsy leaning to beat us over the head that we need to think outside of the box. Brokeback Mountain, Good Night and Good Luck, and Munich might have challenging, thought provoking subject matter, but they made ZILCH at the box office. What they don't understand is that mainstream America, including me, just want to see a fun movie that takes me on an adventure. If it has a deep cultural message that is ok, but first and foremost it must be FUN. I don't have deep pockets, so I want to make my experiences exciting.

So Academy, here is my response to your plea to get me back in the theater: Make movie-going FUN again. How can you do this? By praising the fun movies. Why didn't the Academy have the following movies in their Best Picture list? These were the movies that we watched and enjoyed. Here are my Best Picture nominees, with ballot-worthy entries in bold:

• King Kong
• Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
• Batman Begins
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Cinderella Man
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith
• Wedding Crashers
• The 40 Year Old Virgin
• Hitch
• Red Eye
• The Skeleton Key
• Mad Hot Ballroom
• No Direction Home: Bob Dylan
• Robots

And the winner is ..... Cinderella Man. This was a FUN movie that had cultural themes like hope, poverty, holding on to family values, and overcoming obstacles. Sorry, no gay cowboys in this movie, just good clean fighting.

Two other thoughts about the awards.

a) Kudos to Reese Witherspoon for winning and having a classy speech. She focused on the type of person she saw in June Carter and that she was just trying to be somebody who mattered. That was refreshing.

b) Also Kudos to "Three 6 Mafia" who won the Oscar for winning for best song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp." I am personally glad they won, becuase I voted for them and that vote put me over the top to win the most picks! Funny thing, though, these rap artists were a huge underdog, and were laughed at constantly by others. Two notes about Three 6 Mafia.

1) Amidst the joyful jumping and incoherent blabber, they thanked Jesus. When they said this, I was a little caught off gaurd and dismissed it, but looking at some of thier lyrics, I see that in one of their other songs, the lyrics start with "Ask Jesus for forgivin' For all the sins that I did". It is interesting to me that none of the other winners recognized God in any way, in fact one of the winners thanked his LAWYERS, which is a comment of where Hollywood has really gone. This may be one of the reasons that the mainstream has lost interested in movies. The winners don't act like classy winners (except Reese, as I mentioned above).

2) Jon Stewart had to mention that Three 6 Mafia was the most happy, overjoyed he had seen anyone after winning an award. Wouldn't it be great if every winner was this blown away with excitement that they couldn't help but let themselves free to jump and scream. Again, it was refreshing.

Those are just my thoughts, as I am a farmer's boy, and somewhat conservative. I see most things that Hollywood does to be ridiculous and self-serving, so I have a different take on these award shows.

One more note: I recently received an email reminding me that the distance from Nazareth to Jerusalem was 80 miles. I have been invited to relive this journey during Lent by walking this distance over the 40 days of Lent. I am planning on doing this, which should be easy, as I usually go over 2 miles during the weekdays. However, this will mean giving up my "leisure weekends", so for the rest of Lent, until April 17th, I will be walking 2 miles on Sat and Sun. This will ensure that I will walk 80 miles in the next 40 days.

Remind me, if I forget, at the end of the year, I will calculate how many miles I have walked/run in 2006 as part of my workouts. I will be interested to see how far I went. (From LA to NY?)

more later..

Chazz