The Wife Weighs In...Week 23

Happy Friday, GHMIW fans!

First of all, I’d like to congratulate my amazing husband Tony on his big accomplishment this week. I am so happy for you! I would also like to wish him an official "good luck" on his big 5K race this weekend. I know how much this means to you and I am so proud of you! I can’t wait to be there, cheering you on, saying, “That’s my man!”

I promised some progress photos last week in honor of the one-year anniversary of commencing my weight loss journey. Well, and to show off my new haircut, too. In the pictures, I am wearing what used to be my favorite pair of trousers. They are the last piece of clothing I own from “back in the day.”


Now, to my update…

I kind of hate to sully the good name of “Guess How Much I Weigh” with this week’s report, but that’s not going to stop me. Yes, I had a small gain again this week…0.6 pounds. This is the first time since I began this journey over a year ago that I have gained two weeks in a row. Boo.

Just a quick note about reporting…I report whatever weight I happen to see on the scale on Friday morning. I don’t average my weights over the week. If I had weighed in on Wednesday, I would have seen a two-pound loss…184.4. My average would have been 185.6.

I ate very well in the first part of the week, but an early morning meeting, a couple late work-nights, and a trip out with my staff on Wednesday night kind of did me in. Not only did it affect my eating, but it also made it difficult for me to get to the gym.

Yoga on Monday, early morning meeting on Tuesday, two hours (!) at the gym on Wednesday morning, late work-night Wednesday night that included cocktails with co-workers afterwards, sleeping in on Thursday morning, late night meeting last night, and back to the gym this morning. No wonder I’m tired today.

Tony and I are going on vacation with friends in a couple weeks, and I would really like to be at a low when I leave. With Easter next week, that might be a challenge! Tony and I have already planned to discuss a plan this weekend. As someone said in last night’s meeting, “To plan is human, to implement is divine.”

'Til next week,
Laura (a.k.a. Elle Tee Jay)


3/07/08: 186.4 pounds
3/14/08: 187.0 pounds (a gain of 0.6 pounds)
Total loss: 41.4 pounds
Next goal: 182.0 pounds

P.S. In last week’s comments, laura n said: “I can't wait to see your hair! I can completely relate to the thinner face/shorter hair thing.” The comment was in response to the fact that I would not have been comfortable with hair this short a year ago.

For me it was a thinner body/shorter hair thing. I was always afraid of looking like a pin-head…you know, wide body and a small head…sort of like an old-school weeble. Or, more accurately like the shrunken head guy in the movie “Beetlejuice.”

The Weigh-In: Week 40

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL
213.6!!!!!!! That's what it said on the scale this morning. A loss of 2.4!!

It's a whole new me. A new hair cut, a clean shave and a new weight class!!!!

So now we can celebrate. I am officially no longer obese!!!

A quick recap. According to the charts a Body Mass Index of 30 or greater is considered obese. Now that I am under 214 my BMI has dropped to 29.8. Which means, I am now moderately overweight and no longer obese!

So why shave the beard?

I have not been clean shaven in 5 years. And I only did it then for a roll I was playing. I have had a beard pretty stead since I graduated college 12 years ago. I have not seen what my face looks like naked and thin in more than a decade. I wanted to see it again.

When I was heavy and clean shaven I always looked like a fat 12-year old. It was not a good look. Now it's not so bad.

Beyond that the shave is a symbolic gesture. A clean start with this new life.

With so many things coming together, the race, the BMI, the 214 goal, this weekend is starting to feel like the culmination of this journey. Maybe not the end of the journey, but the end of the first chapter. Or maybe the end of the first book in a trilogy. I'll talk more about it on Monday along with my plans for my new goals.

This weeks winner is Butters via Uncle Al! Nice job Butters. I'll send you a Maple Lake Irish Days souvenir next week.

Next time you see me I will be an official 5K finisher! You'll get the full race rundown on Monday...unless I can find Internet access somewhere this weekend.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Tony
03/14: 213.6lbs
Goal: 214 lbs. ACCOMPLISHED
NEW GOAL: 208
4.4 lbs. to go

Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 40

Wow!!! Week 40. That is 3/4 of a year already. I can't believe we have been doing this that long!

This is shaping up to be a big week. First there is the race on Saturday, and now it is looking like there is a good chance I could make my goal tomorrow.

I have been really good this week. I almost said "disciplined this week" but the truth is it hasn't taken discipline. It has come very naturally this week. I have been stuck in a lot of meetings with a lot of food the last three days and I have not been the slightest bit tempted.

Something in my brain just clicked over this week. I don't know if it is race week excitement or being so close to my goal, but this week has been the first natural week I have had in a long time and it felt really good.

This is what I want the rest of my life to be like. A healthy relationship with food instead of a constant struggle.

Step right up, step right up.
Guess how much I weigh and win a fabulous prize.

To Recap:
Every Thursday I give you my stats for the week and you guess what you think the scale will say on Friday morning. The winner is the first person who guesses my weight / weight loss for the week without going over or the person who is closest without going over. Go ahead and click on comments at the bottom of this post and leave your guess.


I will post the winner when I post my weight on Fri. morning. If we get ten or more guesses I will have a prize for the winner.


Let the guessing begin. Good Luck!


Tony
3/13: 216lbs
NEW GOAL: 214
2 pounds to go

p.s. Don't forget you can subscribe to the e-mail edition of Guess How Much I Weigh . Simply enter your e-mail address in the space to the right.

The Great Clothing Giveaway

Over the past month or so, both my wife and I have had to almost completely restock our closets. It has turned out to be one of the few downsides of this whole weight loss journey.

A nice problem to have, I know, but an expensive one as well.

So I want to make the transition a little less painful for other guys out there who are on their way to needing to restock their closets.

I have 39 items of my old clothes to give away ranging from dress pants and shirts to casual wear. Most all of it is in good to excellent condition.

I'll ask is that you pay the shipping cost for me to send the clothes to you.

I wish I could ship the clothes out on my dime, but as a poor father of two who has recently shelled out more than expected to restock all the closests in the house I just can't justify the cost.

To see all the details and the clothes head here

The giveaway will last for the next two weeks. It's first come first serve and you are welcome to claim as many items as you wish.

Happy Shopping.

Tony
3/12: 216lbs
NEW GOAL: 214
2 pounds to go

Sunny Days Part 2

The run went great. The weather was as advertised, sunny and 42 with a slight wind that felt pretty darn good after the 1st mile.

I made my 5k in exactly 29 minutes. A little slower than my runs on the treadmill last week, but only by 45 seconds or so. I blame the huge set of stairs I have to run up halfway through the run.

For some reason my legs are hurting a lot more after running outside than they do when I run on the treadmill.

I'll get one more run in on Thursday and take Friday off to rest up for the big day.

Tony

Sunny Days

It is a beautiful, sunny day in downtown Minneapolis today. Finally the weather is taking a turn towards the warmer. So I am going to run outside today!!! I am so excited to get off the treadmill... and it will be good to simulate race day conditions.

I'll let you know how I do later this afternoon.

Tony
3/11: 216lbs
NEW GOAL: 214
2 pounds to go

Race Week

Cue Rocky Music!!!!

I have to admit I am very excited for the Maple Lake Irish Scamper on Saturday. When I think about it, it seems pretty silly to get all revved up about 30 minutes of my life...but I can't help it. I am excited.

It's not just the race, although I am excited to experience the race and the race day atmosphere, it's what the race represents. This race is the culmination of all my accomplishments so far rolled into one perfect half hour.

It's also a moment to bond with my dad. Don't get me wrong, my Dad and I have had many, many, many bonding moments in our lives...but something about this one feels different.

I know that I don't have anything to prove with this race. I have already proving that I am a changed person...and yet I feel like I have something to prove with this race.

And now I am rambling. Stay tuned for more Race Week developments as they arrive.

Tony
3/10: 216lbs
NEW GOAL: 214
2 pounds to go