FatBloggers.net A little push to lose the tush.

WordPress 2.5.1 is out and I will be updating the site this afternoon. Be patient if it isn’t looking quite right when you stop by.

Admin

1. I have upgraded to Wordpress 2.5 … so far I like it A LOT! The admin interface is AMAZING!
2. I cleaned out some dead links in the blogroll
3. Spruced up the template. I hope you like?

Here’s me, taken about a year ago or so, at about 300 pounds. I hated having my picture taken back then because I was, well, fat. My oldest son just happened to have a camera with him when he snuck this shot. I’m glad he did, too; I need a reminder somewhere about how I looked back then. I have no idea how many calories I took in each day, but it was a boat load. And I had the stomach and ass to show for it. No way I’m going back to that look again within my lifetime. Sadly, the Oregon State retro shirt headed for Goodwill after I lost all that weight last year, but that seems to have been the only casualty. I’m much happier where I’m at right now.

As you may or may not know, I’m back on WW after packing on a few pounds over the holidays. I’m on my third week now. Last Friday, I went to a great Mexican restaurant, and another evening my fiance and I enjoyed a really good bottle of red wine together. I’m not a bit regretful about either of those eating incidents. Moderation is the name of the game here, and I’m learning to balance enjoying food without constant overindulgence. So this week, I may not have lost much, and I may even have gone up and ounce or two. We’ll see how it goes. I’m just not worried about it. Weigh-in tonight, then off to a nice dinner with Susan sans kids.

What’s your fat story?

We’re halfway through January, but this is really the first weekend I’ve had a chance to sit down and do any reflecting about the previous year and give some thought to this new one.  Weight loss highlighted 2007 for me, and although I’m returning to a dieting mode right now, I’d like to focus more on health and well-being this year.  Losing weight was just the start.  Some health dragons I would like to keep at bay include:

• Enjoying eating without overindulging.  Just finding that balance seems to be so difficult for me.
• Regular exercise.  I hate going to a gym, and would rather do something outside.  Makes it really difficult for me this time of the year.  I’m definitely looking forward to better weather when I can get on my bike again.
• Maintaining positive outlook.  The events of the last two years or so have taken it’s toll on my own emotional well-being, but I believe I’ve been able to get a handle on that.  Being happier has done wonders for my motivation to get and stay healthy. In fact, it’s proving to be the key factor in my own physical health. 

For so many reasons, I’m looking forward to a great 2008. 

What kind of health goals do you have for this upcoming year?

Hey everybody, Happy New Year, and I hope your holidays have been good to you.  It’s hard to believe I started out this blog just about a year ago.  At the time, I thought I was just going to have a couple of contributors and maybe a few readers.  Little did I know what it would turn into just a year later!  Big kudos to John T. for taking this thing over and doing such good work with it the last few months.  Even though I haven’t been writing much lately, I read everything that comes across here and comment as I can.   Everybody has a great story on here.

I’m going to be starting Weight Watchers again soon, like in the next week or two, so I’ll be checking in on a regular basis.  I’m nowhere near my top weight of a year ago, but I have put on some extra pounds.  I just don’t want to let it get out of hand again.  Plus I have a little added motivation:  I managed to get myself engaged over Christmas, so I’d kinda like to look/feel good for that important event coming up.  I’ll let you know when it happens.

Oh, and if you haven’t already, be sure and upgrade your WordPress install to 2.3.2. Apparently, there was a fairly significant bug that needed to be fixed in 2.3.1.  WordPress proves time and time again how good they are as an open source community:  These things get taken care of before they become problems. 

Have a great 2008 everybody.

Post for Technorati Claim
Technorati Profile

Since I took on this blog I have been trying to teach myself some of the intracacies of operating a ‘hosted’ blog. I must confess, it is frustrating at times. But one thing I know how to do is clean up dead links and other simple items.

• I dropped the truncated image that linked to a gum promotion, since the promotion has ended.
• Deleted some dead links in the Blogroll and added some new friends (see **).
• Rick added Los from Ragamuffin Soul as a FatBlogger, and even though Los has been extremely busy moving across the continent and hasn’t posted here, I added him to the FatBloggers roll.
• Keep you eyes open for a new template… once I figure out how the heck to do that. One would think that there would be a ‘how to’ list somewhere. But alas, I haven’t found it yet.

Of course if you have suggestions… drop me a line.

…Thanksgiving will be here five weeks from this Thursday. I haven’t paid much attention to my weight, but I do notice I’m feeling a little bulkier than I’d like around the middle. Maybe it’s time to get on the stick and set some goals for myself until then.

Gobble gobble.

Technorati Tags: weight loss, dieting, Thanksgiving, maintenance

Hi gang, long time no post.  I’m still out here, and definitely follow the blog quite a bit, but it’s been tough to find time to post anything these days.  Here are some random thoughts about my current maintenance state:

• I have no idea how much I weigh.  It’s probably only up a little since I went on maintenance, but my pants mostly fit the same.  That’s how I’m going to gauge things for the time being.
• I haven’t been to Weight Watchers since July. 
• I wish I could need to find more time to ride my bike.   Winter’s a comin’.
• My standard breakfast:  Grape-nuts with honey and 1% milk. 
• I haven’t been to fast food in months.  Since like last March, before I started all of this.
• I occasionally have a Snickers.  Or a small vanilla cone.  I don’t obsess over it, nor do I overdo it.
• In the past, I’ve had some bouts of anxiety that would trigger over-eating.  I’ve got the source of those taken care of, for the most part.  The rest of them just kind of took care of themselves.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:  Guys, don’t be afraid to confront some mental health issues that you might be facing.  Address them, take care of them however you need to, and losing weight will be that much easier for you.  Which will, in turn, help you with the mental health issues. 
• I feel better now than I have in the last 8-9 years.  I believe I’m getting a handle on this as a lifestyle.  Moderation is a good word to use here. 

Hope this post finds all of you well. 

Well, my excuse for not posting and not keeping a close eye on my Weight Watchers is just about up.  I’ve moved to a different town, I’m just about settled in, and I now have the Internet in my home again. 

It’s not that I have abandoned my weight loss; it’s quite the opposite, in fact.  For the past week and a half or so I’ve been working without a net, just choosing what foods I should have and what I shouldn’t, but not really keeping track of it officially on the Weight Watchers site.  I also made a couple of trips to Seattle in the time, a distance of about 300 miles one way for me.  Eating on the road is tough–John, I don’t know how you managed your trip to Montana. 

So, starting today, I’m getting my food recorded again.  I’m under my points so far for today.  And at some point in the next week or so, I’m going to be paying a visit to a local WW meeting and posting my results on here.  I may be up a little, I may be down.  The main thing is that I’m staying accountable for all of it, and that’s the reason I started this blog in the first place.  Technically, I’m on maintenance, and I have six weeks from my last weigh-in (July 3) to be at 247 or less.  Hmmm…that was a month ago, so I’ve just got a couple of weeks to go.  Looks like I need to get on the stick. 

One thing about my new hometown:  It’s relatively flat, and there are bike paths all over the place.  I’ve been utilizing them quite a bit the last few days.  Plus, there is a biking club that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays for road trips. 

Glad to be back, folks.  It doesn’t get much better than this.