Happy New Year! The Huck Upchuck is back!

Let this posting be the first of the New Year's Resolutions that follow:

I resolve:

1. To blog again.  My goal is to average one blog posting per day.
2. To tweet more.  One tweet per day.
3. To read 52 books over the course of the year.  That's an average of 1 book per week.
4. To exercise a minimum of 30 minutes per day, even if that exercise is modest.
5. To write at least 100 pages of a book project (whether academic or fiction).
6. To write 12 poems.  That's an average of 1 poem per month.

There's a lot more I want to get accomplished this upcoming year, but I think I'll just stick with these goals for now.

2015 will be an exciting year.  Squirrelly Girlie the Elder will become a High School Senior and will be  applying to colleges.  (Which means that we'll be visiting colleges.)

Squirrelly Girlie the Younger will become a teenager and will be entering the 8th grade, which means applying to High Schools.

My better two-thirds will be looking to ramp up her pottery business, and I'm on board to help out with that.

I will also likely be going in for another knee surgery (most probably to repair a torn meniscus).  But, on the bright side, I might be able to start playing racquetball again.

Also, I think a lot will happen in the realm of national politics, so there should be some juicy political blogging ahead as well.

And, who knows?  Maybe the Saints will pull their act together and make another run at the Super Bowl.

Stay tuned and visit often.

Resolution Update

OK.  The moment of truth has arrived.  It's been ten months and 18 days since I made my New Year's Resolution.  It feels like forever.  What a rollercoaster so far.  And it's not over yet!

But, I am pleased to say that after my workout today, when I stood on the scale at the Gym, I weighed in at 169.6 lbs.  So, it would appear that I've hit my target and fulfilled my New Year's Resolution (and thus won my bet), except ...

1.  I haven't had independent confirmation of this, which I will need to do.
2.  It was immediately following a fairly rigorous workout, so I imagine that it involved maybe a couple of pounds of water weight loss, which I may have (and probably did) gain back a bit as I rehydrated throughout the day.
3.  It was a weigh-in with just my shorts on.  Add on a shirt and some socks and I would have probably tipped the scales at slightly over 170 lbs.
4.  And perhaps the scale at the gym is slightly off, though it's been my measure the whole year and so I feel that I can fairly count on its accuracy (or at least its consistency) in charting my weight loss progress.

Nevertheless, I know that I'm basically there, and it's perhaps just a matter of days before I can weigh in solidly under 170 lbs in a random weigh-in at any hour with basic clothing on.

But these are just minor quibbles.  I will remain disciplined and continue with my diet and exercise regimen until I get to that point, even if it takes a couple more weeks.  I'm not worried.

But I do think it merits (and you're probably waiting for) some visual accountability.  Well, here's a picture from today:

And compare it to my picture from last January 1, 2012:

I think it's pretty clear that it's quite a transformation.  Once I get independent confirmation of reaching the goal, I'll post that information here on the Upchuck along with some full body shots from January 1 compared to some full body shots on the day of my triumph!

Resolution Update

Last January 1, I made just one single New Year's resolution.  It was to get my weight down to 170 lbs by the end of 2012.  If I fail in that resolution, I have to do something that would, to me, be extremely psychologically and emotionally painful.  (Click the link to read what that is.)

For a while, I was keeping regular weekly updates as to my progress on this resolution, even posting weekly pictures of myself as visual evidence.

Along the way, I kinda gave up on the blog and so my Resolution Updates went by the wayside along with it.

However, I have not forgotten this resolution, and I am still intent on meeting it, though I haven't reached it yet.

Here's kinda how it's been since the last I posted on this subject...

If you check the archives of my Resolution Updates, you'll see that at one point I got as far down as 170.6 lbs (on March 7), but never crossed that 170 lbs threshhold completely.  I certainly didn't get independent verification at the time.  Since then, my weight has fluctuated more or less between 175 lbs and 185 lbs, and my diet/exercise regimen was inconsistent and spotty.

I really think that my ideal weight is probably in the 175-180lb range; but that's no matter, because I agreed to get down to 170 lbs, and I will honor that pledge or pay the piper.

As late as a month ago, I was hovering in the 183-185 lbs range.  But knowing that my time to reach my goal of 170 lbs was drawing to a close, and knowing also that the holiday feasting season would soon be upon me, I resolved again to tighten things up and have been pretty disciplined in getting back on a careful and healthy diet, as well as a regular exercise program.

I will be posting visual evidence tomorrow of where I am, but I can report now that my last weigh-in was 171.4 lbs.  And I've resolved to stay disciplined until I hit my goal and have it independently verified, even if it means that I have to forego diving into that succulent turkey I'll be deep frying this coming Thanksgiving Thursday.  We'll see what tomorrow's weigh-in brings.

Sometimes, I think that I have subconsciously kept myself from reaching my goal too early, even though it was well within reach as early as last March, so as to make sure that I made at least some modicum of effort to stay on top of my weight all year long.  And I'm glad, in the end, that it has worked out this way, because even as my weight started inching up again at various points throughout the year, I always had the spectre of this resolution hanging over my head like a Damocles sword to force me to make an effort to keep my weight under some kind of control and not to let myself get too far beyond redemption.  It has been good to feel and look healthier over the course of the year so far.

So drop by the Upchuck tomorrow to see some pictures of where I am; and wish me luck as I make my final push to get to my goal.

Resolution Update

Wow!  It's been way too long since I last posted.  I've really dropped the ball in keeping up with my weekly Resolution Update postings.  That fits a pattern with me, as my B-2/3 will tell you.  I get all enthusiastic about a project and can maintain the enthusiasm for about 3 months or so, and then I gradually slip away into lethargy or lose focus and interest.

That has happened here.

March was mostly a lost month for me.  I travelled a lot and got way off my regular routines.  My exercise and eating habits were also very scrambled.

You know, when you travel to conferences or overseas, you often find yourself eating out a lot or faced with conference banquet food and the need to be social over meals and drinks.  When you couple that with lack of access to regular exercise facilities, it makes for a real diet and exercise routine buster.

So, I got off my exercise regimen and ended up going stretches like 3 or 4 days without being able to get to a gym or a pool.  I did manage on occasion to find a suitable hotel rec room with some exercise equipment that I did use; but this was very irregular.  And I also did try to go on some longish walks when I could swing it.  And even though I ate more high-calorie, rich foods than I would normally eat, I also tried to stay away from the worst of the junk food or too many desserts.

And I also wasn't able to keep track of my weight like I had before, either.  And I just stopped altogether in having my picture taken regularly.  I need to get back into having my picture taken for some visual accountability.

Nevertheless, over the past week, I've managed to push myself back into a routine of sorts; and I am now doing much better in terms of a regular workout schedule and better eating habits again.

Since tomorrow is Easter, since I have the time today, and since I haven't posted an update in a while, I thought I'd provide an update today instead of tomorrow.

I was worried that I would be approaching the 180-185 lb. weight range after my 2-3 week dissipation; but I was surprised to find that my body is apparently still geared up to burning high amounts of calories from my previous rigorous 2 month regimen.  After my workout today, I weighed myself and I clicked in at 173.4 lbs.  So, I'm still well within the range of my goal and haven't slipped so much as to be disheartened by the lapse.

I try to look at this in a positive light and think that because I got really close to my goal before, but didn't quite hit it, if I can keep myself within range but not yet there, I will maintain the incentive to keep at it and not give up completely.  I think subconsciously that's what I'm doing to myself, because I know deep down that once I hit my goal, get it verified, and fulfill my resolution pledge -- thus freeing me from the painful penalties I would have faced -- the temptation to become too lax and let myself slip back into old habits would be very strong and irresistible.   So perhaps I subconsciously am keeping myself from hitting my goal just to keep myself going on the resolution pledge.

I'll try to be more regular in providing Resolution Updates on the blog.  Wish me luck and motivation!

Resolution Update

Well, it's been a while since I posted anything on the blog, much less kept up with my Resolution Updates.

But I've got good reasons, and they're not just because of laziness.  In part, towards the end of the week before last, I got sick with a pretty nasty cold, which kept me off the bike and out of the pool.  And then, when I was just starting to feel better, I took off for a brief trip to Costa Rica last Sunday, early in the morning.  I didn't return home from Costa Rica until Wednesday, late afternoon, of last week.  From then, it was just the business of getting back into the work groove, which always picks up around this time of year.

So, circumstances of illness, followed by overseas travel, coupled with an orientation towards a "break" from the normal routine (after all, last week was our Spring Break week at the university), meant that I fell way off the diet and exercise bandwagon.

I actually wasn't able to (or more exactly, didn't want to) get back into the diet and exercise regimen until yesterday.  Needless to say, I was somewhat trepidatious of getting on the scale after more than a week of laxity.

But before I post the results of my latest weigh-in yesterday, I have to let everyone know that on the last day I exercised and weighed in, which was Wednesday, March 7, I weighed in at 170.6 lbs.  I still don't consider that as having met my resolution goal for a couple of reasons.  First, it still was greater than 170.0 lbs, and my goal is to get to 170.0 lbs.  Second, it wasn't independently verified by a neutral party or observer.  And third, it was right after a workout and I think the official tally needs to take place some hours after a workout and after a meal and rehydration re-calibrates my weight in a more accurate way.

Even still, I got very close to my goal.  But then I got sick, travelled abroad, and just took a longer break than I expected.

Which leads me to yesterday...

After my workout of yesterday, I gingerly got on the scale, and my weight was back up to 176.8 lbs.  I have to say that I was expecting worse, especially since the whole time in Costa Rica, I was really indulging in some rich, heavy meals, and wasn't exercising at all.

Which means to say that I've got some more work cut out for me still.

And I can't say that I'm not too unhappy about it, because one of my fears is that once I hit my goal in the proper way, and have it verified, the temptation will be to relax my vigilance on the healthier lifestyle I've been mostly living since January 1.  So, the motivation is still present and I am now back on the wagon, so to speak.

I did take a picture yesterday, but I haven't yet uploaded it to my computer off my camera.  When I do, I'll post it for some visual evidence of where I am.

So, there you have it.

Until the next update ... healthy eating and regular exercise!

Resolution Update

OK.  I'm a day behind, but I have a good excuse.

I was participating in a Posse Plus Retreat and was really occupied with retreat activities for most of the weekend.

I did return Sunday evening, but I just didn't have time to settle back into my home routine and get my resolution updates in order.

So, I'm posting an update now, on Monday, one day later than normal.

Last week, I weighed in at 174.8 lbs.  As of this afternoon, I weigh 173.2 lbs.  Closer and closer to my goal.

I have found out something interesting, though.  I have usually been weighing myself at the end of my daily workouts in the gym.  I usually work out for about 1.5 hours just before lunchtime, having only eaten a very light breakfast.  The scale is kinder to me then.  But the few times when I have done a workout after lunch later in the evening, the scales are less generous -- sometimes by a good 2-3 lbs.

So, I am facing a dilemma about what will be an appropriate weigh-in moment to track my resolution outcome.  I think that what I will need to do is to try to find an appropriate middle ground.  Weighing myself right after my workouts is probably not an accurate reflection of my stable weight; but weighing myself within a half-hour or so of eating a meal is probably also not an accurate reflection of my stable weight.  So, what I will use as the measuring point for my resolution accountability is to find a mid-point between the end of a workout and a recently full belly.  Anyway, I'll think about how to do this some more.  For now, some visual evidence:

Sunday, March 4, 2012:

Compared to January 1, 2012:

Resolution Update

OK.  Back to the regular Sunday updates.  Sorry I missed last Sunday, but it was Mardi Gras.  More importantly, it was Thoth Sunday. And I was simply unable to post anything last Sunday.

Today, however, is a different story.

Backdrop: I'm back to my regular rigorous exercise regimen and back to a carefully managed diet.

On Thursday, I posted a mid-week resolution update and weighed in at 181.0 lbs.  That must have been a fluke, because on Friday I weighed in at 177 lbs, Saturday was 176 lbs, and today, after my workout this afternoon, which I just completed, I tipped the scales at 174.8 lbs.

One has to wonder about the reliability of the scale at the gym, but I figure if I use the same scale consistently, even the vagaries of the machine will be consistent over time.

In any case, I've only got less than 5 lbs to go to meet my goal.  If and when I hit that goal, I will get independent verification from a number of sources whom I will ask to confirm the results.

Here's my headshot photo from today (the hair is wild, but that's because I'm letting it grow back in from a really short cut):

Compared to my January 1, 2012, picture:

The change has been dramatic.  Even moreso in person, and when looking at my body.  Everyone notices and I have to admit it's a good feeling.

Anyway, that's where I am.  Until next week.

Mid-Week Resolution Update

Well, I finally made it to the gym to re-start my exercise program and get back on the weight loss track again.

I did put myself on the scale to see how far back Mardi Gras set me.

I was suspecting that I would be in the low to mid-180s, and I was please that I was on the very low end of this range.

I weighed in at 181.0 lbs., which is maybe 3-4 lbs up from where I left off.

As I get back to my pre-Mardi Gras eating habits, I suspect that the pounds will again start to melt off; but it is pretty amazing how slowly one loses weight, and how quickly one can put it back on.

But I still only have a mere 11 lbs. to lose to make my goal and I have until the end of the year to do it.  This means that I have to lose about 1.1 lbs per month.  And if I can't do that, shame on me.

I have been taking pictures regularly and will post up some pictures again when I get back to my regular Sunday Resolution updates.

Resolution Update

OK.  The debauchery is over.  I did manage to take pictures on Sunday, but I wasn't able to get to the gym to weigh myself.  So, no Sunday update this past week.  I promise to get back on track this Sunday, with updated weight and picture.

I tried to exercise over the Mardi Gras break, but it was very sporadic.  And I did have a good time eating and imbibing.  You almost can't avoid it over Mardi Gras.  But, I didn't overdo it too much.  At least not like I used to in previous years.

All that said, I am getting back to my regular exercise routine and readjusting my eating patterns again to get back on track.

I have no illusions that I haven't added weight since my last check in, but I'll find out exactly how much I've put back on today when I hit the gym.

I suspect I'm back in the low-to-mid 180s.  But who knows?

At the very least, I've given myself until December 31, 2012 to reach my goal, which I know now is eminently doable.  In fact, I suspect I can reach it by the end of April, if not a bit earlier.

Stay tuned for more Resolutions Updates, which will recommence now that the craziness of Mardi Gras is behind us and now that the Lenten season is upon us.

2012 Resolution Update

Yes, it's that time of the week, once again. This week, I've been much less ascetic in my caloric intake and thus have moderated my weight loss to a better, healthier degree. My reported weight last Sunday was 179.8 lbs. This week it's 178.2 lbs. That's a drop of only 1.6 lbs. Much more modest than in previous weeks, but probably much more along the lines of what healthier weight loss should be. Visual evidence ... Today's picture:

Compared to that of January 1, 2012, when I started this project:

What was interesting about this week was that we had house guests the whole week and thus the social food culture of having guests was a part of our household dynamic this week. Which means, in short, that I had a few "splurges."  Additionally, I had more business "meal" meetings this week than usual, so my inclinations towards food asceticism overall were tempered somewhat this week.

Yet, I still got my full workouts in.  So even though I ate some tasty, high-calorie meals, I still managed to lose a bit of weight. Over the next few weeks, with Mardi Gras festivities kicking into full gear, I'm not even going to pretend to expect any weight loss. In fact, I may even put back on a pound or two; but I will still be exercising regularly and trying to regulate how much of a good time I'm planning to have this Mardi Gras when it comes to calories.

Even if the next couple of weeks set me back some, the good news is that I still will have 10 plus months to reach my goal!  Always a comforting thought.

2012 Resolution Update

Yes, it's that time of the week again -- Sunday ... Superbowl Sunday. And I have to file my report on my own "championship" quest (of a sort): My 2012 Resolution!

On Jan. 1, I committed myself to get my weight down to 170 lbs by the end of the year or face a severe (to me, at least) penalty. Boy what a motivation that has been!

I started off the year on Jan. 1 at 206 lbs. Here's my mug shot from that day:

I've been posting weekly updates every Sunday since then.

This week, I'm pleased to announce that I've crossed another critical threshhold -- I broke 180 lbs. Today, after my workout, I stepped on the scale as usual. And the scale registered: 179.8 lbs!!!

This week's mug shot:

Last Sunday, I weighed in at 184.2 lbs. So I've lost 4 lbs in one week. Still perhaps too much, but I am confident that this weight loss is not coming at the expense of a healthy and balanced diet and exercise regimen.

I've consciously been upping my caloric intake over the past week. Perhaps what is happening is that I'm also getting stronger and my cardiovascular system is able to endure more extended workouts, so my workouts are incrementally getting more vigorous and a tad bit longer. Depending on the day, I ride the stationary bike from between 30-60 minutes and then I go for a swim which, also depending on the day, covers from 1/3 to 1 mile in the water.

I'm still trying to keep my eye on how much weight I'm losing each week, and I really want my goal to be more along the lines of a maximum 1-2 lb loss per week, so I've got some more work to do here. But I'm not too worried. I'm feeling better and I definitely have more energy during the day. I'm sleeping better, too. So, it can't be all that bad. Anyway, it is what it is and that's my report for today. Now, on to the Superbowl!

2012 Resolution Update

Well, it's Sunday again, which means it's that time to provide an update on my 2012 New Year's Resolution to reduce my weight to a healthy 170 lbs.  There are still a couple of days to the end of the first month of 2012; but today marks four full weeks into the 52 week year.  With 48 weeks to go still, I'm in great shape.

To rehash: I started out the 2012 New Year at 206 lbs.  This was my shoulder/head shot on that day:

Now, four weeks later, I tip the scales at a healthy 184.2 lbs.  Here's today's head shot photo:

My face has probably given all that it can give in terms of an indication of my weight loss.  I'm still hoping to get rid of that last little bit of double chin and chubby cheeks; but I'm naturally made that way.  I come from a long line of distinguised "round" faces!  But what is more striking these days in terms of visual evidence of the weight loss are the full body shots I've been taking every Sunday just wearing biking shorts.  I suspect it will be more in the mid-section of my frame where future weight loss will be much more apparent.  My daughters and I looked at my side full-body profile shots from Jan. 1 and then at the ones from today, and they gasped at the difference.  Maybe one day, I'll post them up on the blog, too.

In terms of weekly movement, as you'll be able to note from last Sunday's update, I've lost about 5 lbs over the course of the week.  I went from 189.4 lbs last Sunday to 184.2 this Sunday.  But I did put the brakes on things a bit since last Wednesday and I've increased my caloric intake a bit so that I'm not literally starving myself.  My goal now is just to make consistent progress, maybe 1-2 lbs loss a week from now on until I hit the 170 lb goal and then try to maintain.  We'll see how it goes.

But do visit again to check in and keep me honest in my goal, because I cannot fail!

PS: With this posting, I will have also completed another month (for a consistent half-year now), and thus fulfilled my obligations, of my blogging self-nudge, too.

Good Saturday

In my efforts to try to temper my exercise and weight loss asceticism, I went a bit off schedule today.  I ate a healthy breakfast, then went for a swim after dropping the Squirrelly Girlies off at their dancing lessons. The swim was a modest one, and I didn't push it tacking on my usual stationary bicycling regimen.  Even still, I did put in a good 30 minutes of swimming.

Then, I met up with my brother who is riding with me in the Thoth parade and we went shopping for some specialty throws.  That's always an exciting thing to do.  After that, we went and had lunch together at "Dat Dog" -- and this is where I relaxed a bit on the intensity of my New Year's Resolution.  I ordered a hot sausage dog with the usual fixings.

And later, I ate a regular healthy dinner with my family.

It was a higher calorie intake day (and a lower calorie burning exercise day) than I have been subjecting myself to lately, but it felt good to be in control knowing that I can do these things and still feel comfortable with being able to meet my goal.

I wanted to slow things down, and I'm trying to do just that.  But the key for me is not to let this day become the beginning of a longer and more sustained letdown from the healthier routine that I have been living lately.  And I have to say that I do have this tendency to obsess and go gangbusters for a sustained while, only to have an equally intense wave of lethargy and inactivity.

Here's where the New Year's Resolution "nudge" will hopefully help.  As long as I have that guiding me, I think I may be able to regulate and sustain a healthier exercise and eating regimen, even when that intense first phase gets tempered.

I will still be posting pictures every Sunday (so expect one tomorrow!) along with a weigh-in update.  And that, too, I think will help keep me honest without being overly excessive in carrying out the plan. After all, I did set a modest goal of 3 lbs weight loss per month for a reason.  Let's see if I can be content with that.

Already, I have to say that I am very pleased with where I am today and wouldn't be upset at all if, after this Resolution year is over, I can maintain my weight and practice better living at around where I am now.  Still, I have the resolution to meet, and I will do it.  I think I'm entering a new and critical phase of the plan, so let's hope luck is with me!

Mid-week Resolution Update

Today, after a particularly vigorous workout, I weighed in at 185.0 lbs.  That's an almost 5 lb. drop from Sunday.  I've been averaging a 1.5 lb drop per day.  That can't be good and it has me a bit worried.  I've tried to be more vigilant about my caloric intake and its distribution across various sources of calories (fats, proteins, and carbohydrates); but I think it's clear that I'm way under-nourishing myself.  I shouldn't be losing this much weight this quickly, and I worry that not only am I burning fat cells, but I'm also cutting into muscle cells.

So, I'm going to try to slow things down and try to increase the amount of calories I'm ingesting.  I've read that one should never slip below 1200 calories per day, and I don't think I've been that ascetic; but I do think that I'm staying under 2000 calories, but burning a lot in a rigorous exercise program (probably upwards of 3500 calories per day counting the number of calories one normally burns in a sedentary state, plus the added calories burned through exercise).

I want to lose weight, but I want to do it in a healthy manner, and I have to carefully look at my diet and exercise regimen to find that appropriate balance between cutting weight and keeping up a healthy, balanced, and sustainable supply of energy through food.

Any tips or advice are welcome.

2012 Resolution Update

This week has been one of ups and downs; but given the circumstances I was fairly disciplined.

I had to attend three dinners outside of the home as part of some special events this week. They could not be avoided and all of them were rich food options, even though I tried to prepare for them by reducing my caloric intake the rest of the day.

My saving grace, though, was a dedicated high-calorie-burning workout schedule that I stuck to like a pit bull, even when I was tired and distracted by other things.

All said, I was still pleased with the outcome.

Last Sunday, I weighed in at 192.6 lbs.  This week, I broke the 190 lb barrier -- but just barely.  I weighed in today at 189.4 lbs.  This amounts to a 3.2 lb drop for this week.  And it was hard work.  Still, 3 lbs in one week is pretty admirable given that I need to average 3 lbs in one month to keep pace with my goal.  I'm building up a pretty good reserve just in case I need them.

Anyway, visual evidence... Here's this week's head shot:

Compared to the picture snapped on Jan. 1, 2012:

My naturally round face makes it hard to see much change, but I think the progress is now becoming clearly pretty evident, especially around the jowls and neck lines.  Every Sunday I also take a series of four full body shots (front profile, left side profile, right side profile, and back profile) to be able to track the weight loss evolution over my full body during the course of the year.  And the change in these pictures is pretty pronounced.  Perhaps at the end of this year I'll put together one of those slide shows where one can see a full year's worth of change in rapid presentation format -- both in the head shots as well as the four full body shots.

On to week four and the end of the first month!

2012 Resolution Update

My only New Year's Resolution for 2012 was to get my weight down to 170lbs by the end of the year.

On Jan. 1, 2012, I weighed in at 206 lbs.

After one week, on Jan. 8, 2012, my weight had dropped to 197.8 lbs.

Today, the scale reports my weight as 192.6 lbs.

Visual evidence from today:

Not as dramatic a drop as the first week, but a 5.2 lb decrease in one week is still notable.  And it shows that my first week's big drop was not a fluke, as I had feared it might have been.  So that means that in just two weeks, I have lost 13.4 lbs.

Here's my Jan 1 photo for immediate comparison:

I think the difference is notable; but you be the judge.  Even still, this is all academic.  What really matters is the end goal of reaching 170lbs.  And I can tell you that getting down to that weight will not be easy, especially since I have stepped up my exercise schedule and will be building up some high density muscle mass.

I have to say that I have not been 170 lbs since high school/early college.  Back then, I was probably in the best shape of my life.  And there are certain aspects of one's physique that come with age that simply can't be turned back: a slower metabolism, higher bone density, etc.

But I am determined.  We shall see.  But I do have one caveat to my Resolution that requires some clarification.  My resolution was to get down to 170 lbs over the course of 2012.  Once I hit that goal, regardless of when it happens, I will have met my resolution.  So it doesn't matter if the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays of 2012 lead me to end the year at 175lbs (or greater).  And even though the long-term goal is to maintain a healthy weight well into the future; once (and if!) I hit 170lbs, my goal is fulfilled.  Just wanted to make that clear now, rather than later.

2012 Resolution Update

Well, it's now one week since I put myself on the line and made a New Year's resolution that, should I fail to achieve it, will require me to make a $120 contribution to causes that I just can't stomach.  I had 52 weeks to reach my goal.  Today marks the end of the first week which means I only have 51 more weeks to do it.

What was my resolution, you ask?  Well, assuming you haven't clicked the above link yet, I'll summarize: I have to get my weight down to 170 lbs by the end of 2012.

On January 1, 2012, I put up a "Fitness Check-In" posting, with an accompanying picture.

I weighed in at 206 lbs.

I promised to try to maintain a weekly update of my progress, and that's what I'm doing right now.

I stepped on the scale just a bit ago and my current weight is (drum roll!): 197.8 lbs!

In just one week, I've managed to drop a bit more than 8 lbs.  Now, I should qualify that a bit by saying that when I first weighed in, I had long pants on (with keys and wallet in the pockets) and was wearing shoes.  Today, I stepped on the scale with just shorts and a T-shirt (no shoes), and without the keys and wallet in my pockets.  So you can probably add another pound or two to the above current weight to get a more accurate comparison to day one.  But even still, I've had a good first week.  However, I know it's going to be a long slog because it hasn't been an easy week.  I've basically cut out all sweets, alcohol, and high fat content foods from my diet.  I've also reduced all my meal portions by at least a half, I limit my in-between meal snacks to just a couple per day and keep the portions small (just enough to assuage the hungry feeling when it starts to get distracting), and I don't have late night snacks just before I go to bed.  I've also managed to walk back and forth to work (a good, brisk 25-30 minute walk each way) for 4 of the 5 weekdays of last week, and the other day I rode my bike back and forth to work.  And I managed to squeeze in a couple of visits to the gym for some additional light workouts.    It's been hard and I hope I can sustain the commitment, though I know all future weeks won't be so austere (and I don't plan for them to be so).

Anyway, what about visual accountability?  Well, I do have a new head-shot picture from about an hour ago.  I'm not sure much is noticeable, but I do think there's a little hint of some weight loss around the edges.  You can be the judge.  Here's the latest picture (notice my tribute to the Saints!):

Fitness Check-In

My New Year's Resolution was to get down to 170 lbs by the end of 2012.

I stepped on the scale this afternoon to post my baseline weight.

I weighed in at 206 lbs.

That means I need to lose exactly 36 lbs to reach my goal.  This averages 3 lbs per month.

I'll try to post a picture (just a shoulder and head shot) every week on Sunday evening so there's at least some visual accountability.  So, here's today's picture:

Sorry for the "hat head."  It ain't pretty, but it is what it is.  My daughters are mortified that I'm posting this online.  But, hey, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.  Since my face is usually the first place where any weight loss tends to reveal itself, I promise "prettier" pictures down the road.

Off we go!!!  And wish me luck.

New Year's Resolutions

Well, I have to admit that I failed pretty miserably with my 2011 Resolutions.  Of those five resolutions, I only succeeded with one.  I kept my promise to keep political commentary off Facebook.  The other four I bombed.  I didn't write any books.  I didn't write any academic articles.  Of the five books I said that I would read, I only got around to the Federalist Papers (and I didn't even read these in their entirety).  And I did not do one lick of work on the "display" room.  I know, I know ... pretty pathetic.  Even still, I'm not too down on myself for these failures.  I did accomplish a lot this year in other areas.  But I do think that I need to be less ambitious for 2012.  That said, I am only going to put forward just one New Year's resolution for 2012 -- and I'm going to incentivize it following my blogging "self-nudge" model.

Here's the resolution: I resolve to drop my weight to 170 lbs by the end of 2012.

That's going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of a 30-35 lb weight loss.  I will be weighing myself tomorrow and will use that weight figure as my starting point.  If I fail in my resolution, I commit myself to contributing $120 to one of the following three causes: (1) SarahPac; (2) The RNC; or (3) The David Vitter re-election campaign.

Here are some strategic sub-goals I will be setting for myself to help me keep my main resolution:

1. To lose at least 3 lbs per month.  If I lose more than 3 lbs in one month, I can carry over the excess into future months.
2. To post a weekly tally on my blog along with a photograph of myself so that I have a visual public record of my progress and so that there is some measure of visual accountability.  I'll try to do this on Sundays.

Again, the main goal is to drop to 170 lbs.  As long as I reach this weight by December 31, 2012, I will have fulfilled my commitment, even if I have only erratically adhered to my strategic sub-goals.

Wish me luck!  And in the meantime, I wish you luck with your New Year's resolutions for 2012 and hope you have a great year.