A New Low

But, not in a bad way... I realized after writing the title to this post that it could be misleading, but never fear, the new low I've hit was on the scale. Two-eleven, to be exact. I'm getting back into this quietly. I have (once again) had to re-evaluate my eating habits that I thought I had so in control.

Just because I'm finding it hard to find time to write doesn't mean I've given up. I've got my partner-in-crime back (Sally) and I'm so excited about that. It has rejuvenated me and given me hope again...I thought I may be destined for the 215 mark forever (which goes against everything I have learned and written about). It's my typical problem areas that have creeped up on me, slowly and finally made themselves known.

You know how it is when you achieve something? That feeling of "I made that goal and achieved it, what's next?" It all snowballs from there... new goals, new feelings of accomplishment leads to even bigger stretch goals and absolute elation. My body is abuzz with the possibilities I've just reached.

Two-eleven. I'm almost there... next goal (this shouldn't be news though)...sub 200.

Audrey Royce

What a weekend!  My baby girl was born on my birthday, June 19th at 11:10pm. She weighed 8lbs 7oz and was 20.5 inches long.

As in all birth stories and recollections of all things fatherly, it is utterly impossible to put into words the feeling you get when you see your baby being born.  The rush of emotion and general haze it puts you in is just mind numbing.  Watching Sally labor through it all was really tough but I knew she could do it! And, of course...she did and Audrey Royce was born!

To celebrate and for reasons of sanity I took this week off from work.  A very wise decision indeed!  I'm excited by the smallest things this little girl does.  The first hint of a smile nearly reduced me to tears:)  

We have been helped out so much through these last few days and I am so thankful!  However, with all this good food around I've noticed the tightness I've worked so hard to attain is turning a little soft.  I'm excited that the weather will be cooperating this week and I hope to get out on the road and run a few quick jogs to get my legs back...they will probably be personal bests because of my want to be home holding or just looking at little Audrey! 

To see some more pics of Audrey and us at the hospital click here.

Congrats to Andrew!

My blog buddy from New Zealand, Andrew, just completed his first marathon! He masterfully recapped his experience on his blog "Andrew is getting fit"...I urge you to check it out!!!

In it, he quotes a poster that was put up near the end of the race...it hit a nice chord for me too. "It's not that I finished but that I had the courage to start."

Nice work Andrew!

A New Idea, Direction and Goal

Today is April 30th, the end of the month...the date I'd been looking forward to for the last 4 months as the day I saw 210. The day isn't over but it would take a minor miracle to reach 210 today. I'm sitting at 214 which I've been at for well over a month. I'm feeling great though, I'm a little upset at a missed goal but am still amazed that I am where I am. I never thought I'd get here.

Anyways, not that you haven't heard all that before, I tend to reiterate a lot of what I've already said :) I suppose it's lack of material, since, you know, I haven't been doing as much as I've been saying lately! I've been doing some searching and (yes, here we go...another regurgitated idea) I really feel naming my blog Seeing 210 has been the best thing for me and the worst. It gave me a tangible goal, something to strive for...then I realized I was scared/anxious to reach the goal.

In the next few weeks you can expect some changes. Changes in my goals and changes on this blog. I'm going to do my best to get some more progress pictures up and hopefully add some different features. I'm also starting the process of renaming it...I plan on changing the Title Bar but leaving the URL until I've finalized it all then I may migrate this blog to the new address. You'll be the first to know!

Thanks for your continued support and for following me along this crazy fat loss path!

An Off Week (courtesy of a tweaked back)

Last night I went out to my newly cleaned garage to do some dumbbells. I was going to do the routine that I posted a few posts ago. I love how quick and effective it is. What I don't like is how I thought I could just pick up where I left off. I worked up to using a 30lb dumbbell last time. This time I started with one. During the 3rd movement (the bent-over row) I was trying it a few different ways to make sure I was getting the full and intended effect. Except... I moved too suddenly and quickly in precisely the wrong direction.

Damn! Figures it has to happen on my low week! I hit 214 and 215 numerous times!

I'm doing OK but it means all activity has ceased. I can walk but it's painful (and robot-like). I can't do push-ups, no yoga, running (ha ha, yeah right) and weight lifting is out for sure. This week I'm focusing on my food intake. I have no choice. I'm also trying to find any sources on stretching and how I can help my back heal faster.

My posts for this week will probably concern more about recovering from injury. I just got done reading an article last week about roadblocks in your workouts. Injury was on there as was having a baby. Guess I should go find that one again:) Wish me luck in my recovery!

99 (Baby) Bottles of Beer on the Wall

Saturday marked 99 days till the estimated birth-date of our baby. Obviously the first thing that came to mind was the annoyingly catchy "99 bottles of beer on the wall" song…I spent the better part of the weekend thinking of how I could incorporate the amount of days left and that song. Babies and beer. I imagined the cartoon baby from looney tunes (the one with the cigar) reaching for a beer filled baby bottle…not really the image I'm going for. I then remembered hearing about a game played at co-ed baby showers (I can't think of a worse hell) where you have to race to finish one of those beer filled baby bottles. Hmmm. I then thought, "maybe I could explain how not drinking 99 bottles of beer could extend my life as a dad and further my advancement on this weight loss thing (yawn). I tried rewriting the lyrics to be "witty" and "original" but realized it's about as fruitless as coming up with an ending verse for the "song that never ends".

Alas, I've folded…I have nothing for ya. I'm just excited to know that I have that many days to get everything as lined up as possible…97 days (now) to keep working on all my goals!

*I apologize if that song is now stuck in your head…I always am stuck at 99, I take it down, pass it around then look up to see it has been replaced - I'm back at 99?!

One of those Weeks

This week has been one of those weeks. I haven't had the chance to work in any extra workouts at all. We met with our accountant, we met with a client for a wedding, we had our monthly class with our midwifery group, I worked late for two days, we worked for 9 hours straight to launch our new photography blog and today, finally, we woke up and felt like we turned a corner in our business.

So much of my blog thus far has mentioned how I build in my workouts so if I have a week like this then I don't have to feel guilty for not jogging 5 miles every other day. I've been banned from running at night in the city because I'm a father-to-be...plus, I suppose it can be a little sketchy anyways! I continued to do what I could: watching what I eat, doing the stairs at work, doing lunges and push-ups at night and basically trying out this new thing called maintenance. I was shocked that giving my body a break for a week actually made a difference.

I hit 215 on multiple days in the morning...at one point the scale said 214!? My body needed a little rest and it needed to see what it's like to be at it's new and vastly improved weight.

I don't let on to what I do much outside of this working out/losing weight gig but a huge part of my time can be divided into two distinct areas:

1.) Getting ready (mentally) for our baby's arrival. This means classes, painting rooms, reading about things, talking with my wife about observations we've made of other parenting techniques (use your imagination) and various other things that take up a lot of time.

2.) I work a second job. Sea Studio photography is a business that my wife and I started a year or so ago. We are constantly looking, talking and translating our inspirations into new blogs, blog postings, website redesigns, etc, etc. We make lists about everything, we even make lists of lists, it's crazy.

What I think has made the biggest difference this time around in my weight loss journey is I actually believe I can do it. I finally have stopped listening to that little, negative voice inside me that tells me every lie possible in order to keep me from making my dream a reality.

Anyways, I really just want you to check out our new Sea Studio Photo Blog...we put a ton of time and energy into it:) I will be back onto regular posting for this blog starting this week!! Thanks again for following along, as always!

Snoose for a Slice?

Temptations abound in the Greenwood neighborhood starting next month. We just got word (or were reminded) that we have an amazing pizza place (Snoose Junction) opening within walking distance from our house. We are very happy about this but this will be a test for me because good pizza is my kryptonite, my weakness...and like all temptations, proximity is usually the catalyst for failure.

I vow to forgive myself for a slice here and there. And, I also vow to stop after just a slice!

Other notables about Snoose Junction are their commitment to being an Eco-friendly company. The decor inside is all reclaimed woods, some of which are taken from the lanes at a now defunct Sunset Bowl and the coolest part (sort of:) is all deliveries are done by bicycle!

It should be a welcomed addition to this growing neighborhood!  They even have a cool logo;)

(Yes, I do realize that's two postings in a row that mentions pizza...I told you it was my kryptonite!)

Birth-days

I just wanted to take a moment to wish my wife, Sally, a very happy birthday (belated in real time, it was on 2/7…no, I didn’t miss it!)

By now it should be very obvious how important my support group has been. Sally has been there from the start for me. She listens to all my ideas, is excited for all my "ah-ha" moments, inspires and motivates me to do more…she even tempts me with ice cream and this amazing chocolate sauce that she "whips up". I usually cave in but a little ice cream isn't what makes you fat it's the lifestyle. Yes, an "ah-ha" moment!

I also wanted to announce (if I haven't already) that I'm going to be a Dad! (this is where you have an ah-ha moment). Yes, it's true…our own little, bundle of joy! This has been a huge motivation for me because I want to be living a healthy lifestyle and be able to teach our child(ren) without seeming like a hypocrite! I want to be around a long, long time and enjoy all of life's craziness!!

So…Happy Birthday Sally (I love you!) and happy almost birth-day to our baby. (does that mean our baby is -4 months old? Hmm)