
Friday, April 25, 2008
The Wife Weighs In...Week 25

Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 45
Turns out having been on the Junior High swim team nearly 20-years ago does not make you an expert swimmer. By the end of the hour I started getting the feel for it, but my stamina was no where near where I had hoped it would be. I managed to do a few 200 meter stretches without resting but that was it. The race requires a 400 meter swim. So the swimming will need some work.
Got to say it was weird to be back in my old Junior High again. This morning I could not have told you what the Junior High locker room looked like, or what color it was. But, as soon as I stepped in, the whole place came flooding back to me and for just a moment I was a giddy, insecure 13 year old boy again. Lucky it was just for a minute.
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
04/23: 220.2 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
12.2 lbs. 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.
4 Work Outs In Two Days
I'm doing the same today. Taking my bike out for its maiden voyage over lunch and then diving into the pool tonight after the girls go to bed.
4 work outs in 2 days...will I survive?
Find out tomorrow.
Tony
04/22: 220.2 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
12.2 lbs. to go
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Not Fat Enough For Science
At the end of the commercial they listed the qualifications for participants,. Ideally candidates should have a BMI between 35 and 45. I took me a minute to realize, these kind of things are no longer aimed at me. It was a good feeling.
Despite my best efforts I had to skip my workout yesterday. Not a good way to start the week. To make up for it I plan to get in two workouts today. Strength training over lunch, and a run tonight after the girls go to bed.
Here's the good news. I am finally a bike owner again! Woo-Hoo. I can not wait to get my first real ride in on Wed.

Here is what my Tri training schedule is going to look like...hopefully. I know it will change as I fine tune things and learn what works and what doesn't.
Mon: Lunch-Run, Night- Softball
Tues: Lunch - Strength Training
Wed: Lunch- Bike, Night- Swim
Thurs: Lunch - Strength
Fri: Lunch - Run
Sat: Morning - Bike / Run
I am hopping to squeeze in an extra run or bike during the week with Laura and the girls and an extra swim with my brother in law.
Man, when I type it out it looks pretty daunting.
Tony
04/22: 220.2 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
12.2 lbs. to go
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Wife Weighs In...Week 24
My stand-off was not successful this week. The eating was okay, but I only got to the gym twice.Between an evening board meeting, waking up in the middle of the night with a coughing toddler, and an early morning wake-up call from a very cute two-year-old who thinks it's a great idea to take her diaper off in the middle of the night but is not pleased when she wets her bed at 5:00 in the morning, I've been exhausted this week. Just like last week, life got in the way.
Now, that's all well and good, and perfectly understandable. Everybody has those weeks, right? It is very easy for me to justify not following my plan because life has been busy. Therein lies the danger. This is my relapse pattern.
Things were going very well before we went on vacation. Healthy living went out the door while we were gone, but that's what you are supposed to do while you are on vacation, right? Since then, I've had a horrible time getting back to routine. And, I have a million perfectly justifiable reasons why:
- Work is extra busy right now
- I'm really stressed out
- The girls haven't been feeling well
- I've just been so tired
- Sometimes life gets in the way
My relapse pattern goes a little something like this...something perfectly justifiable sets me off course (like a vacation), then I excuse and procrastinate my way back into weight gain.
Isn't just recognizing the problem always the first step?
Until next week,

(a.k.a., ElleTeeJay)
My update:
4/11/08: 184.0 pounds
4/18/08: 184.8 pounds (a gain of 0.8 pounds)
Total loss: 42.6 pounds
Next goal: 182.0 pounds
P.S. Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement last week...they were greatly appreciated!
The Weigh-In Week 45


220.2! That is what it said on the scale this morning. A gain of2.6.
No point in dwelling on it. So let's just move on.
Next week Tri training starts with a vengeance! Remember the new goal is 3 losses of one pound or more over the next three weeks.
Our winners would have been Cousin Angie and Nate. But as we all know here at Guess How Much I Weigh. When I gain we all lose.
Have a great weekend everybody.
Tony
04/16: 220.2 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
12.2 lbs. to go
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 45
After yesterday's post I am sure you are all dying to get a vote in. Just remember next week is going to be a whole new ball game!
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
04/16: 217.6 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
9.6 lbs. 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.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Allow Me To Whine
My back is hurting, I am gaining weight and I feeling really rundown. Either I am suffering from sympathy pregnancy or sympathy PMS. Which is odd, seeing as how my lovely wife is currently suffering from neither of those maladies.
This was supposed to be a stand off week, but by the time I remembered that, the week was all ready out of control. Honestly, I don't feel like I have been that bad this week, but stepping on the scale this morning it looks like I am in for a gain this week.
I am starting to find the yo-yoing of the last few months frustrating. And since I have only myself to blame, it is time to do something.
I will do my best to salvage this week, but I think it is most likely a lost cause. So, here is the plan. I am going to lose at least 1 pound a week for the next 3 weeks. That is the new goal.
I am hoping that this simple goal will keep me on task and help me get back to routine. I feel like if I can just get my body doing what it is supposed to be doing for a few weeks that living healthy will go back to feeling more natural.
My other goal is to figure out my new triathlon training schedule this weekend. I am thinking about moving to a six day a week schedule and including my girls in a Saturday run and /or bike ride. That of course is dependent on how they like riding in the new Burly stroller we just picked up...oh and on me finally buying a bike.
Tony
04/16: 217.6 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
9.6 lbs. to go
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Checking In
I am doing my best to get back on track, but for some reason I am struggling again this week. I think I need to get back on routine. Back to the point where I am just doing and not thinking so much about the doing. Sadly this is not going to be a good week for that. Although I will do my best.
Triathlon training starts next week. Maybe putting together a whole new routine will help get me motivated and energized.
Tony
04/10: 217.6 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
9.6 lbs. to go
Friday, April 11, 2008
The Wife Weighs In...Week 23
My experience this week has been much like my darling husband's (read below). This week was supposed to be a stand-off week, but it was not a true stand-off. I didn't log my eating and I only got to the gym once this week...for yoga on Monday night. Life just got in the way this week.
(a.k.a., Elle Tee Jay)
The Weigh-In Week 44


217.6!!! That's what it said on the scale this morning. A loss of 4.4 pounds!!
I am amazed at this loss. This weeks standoff was not very successful...well obviously it was successful but it wasn't a true standoff. Part of it was some weak willed moments on my part and some of it was life getting in the way.
I had to skip my workout and have lunch out yesterday. Then, due to an incredibly inconvenient power outage, we were forced to take the girls out for dinner last night. I thought for sure that this messed up Thursday was going to completly throw off my week. Amazingly I lost an extra .2 pounds from yesterday morning to today. I am sure the calories will catch up with me in a day or two.... but right now I feel like celebrating.
The celebration ends on Monday though. Next week will be a real standoff week...complete with an iron will and 5 days of hardcore gym time. Unless life gets in the way again.
No winner this week, but my Mom was closest, even if she was more than a pound off.
Have a great weekend everybody. If you are here in Minnesota cuddle up with someone you love and do your best to survive this one last cruel burst of winter. Next week spring starts. Fingers crossed!
Tony
04/10: 217.6 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
9.6 lbs. to go
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 44
Yesterdays run was just as brutal as Monday's, but I was only a minute slower then my St. Patty's day 5K time of 26:55 so I am getting my legs back.
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
04/10: 222 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
14 lbs. 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.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things
Getting back into the swing of things is going to take a little time and a little pain. Even though I had a few runs on vacation, getting back on the treadmill really hurt yesterday. I was going to try for a 4 mile run, but I was lucky to make 3.3 miles. I know it will get a little easier with every run from here on out, but that first time back takes a lot of will power.
Today will be my first strength training day in two weeks. As you can imagine I am not looking forward to it....the word dread comes to mind.
But it's stand off week and skipping a work out is not an option!

I am still agonizing over my bike decision. This is what I do. I obsesses and obsess over purchase decisions and then always seem to end up with the wrong thing. I am trying to find a nice used fitness / hybrid bike that will work for both the triathlon and riding around with the kids. Sadly there are not a lot of them out there.
According to the bike store guy, I should be buying two bikes. One for racing and one for recreating.

I wish I could afford to do that...and had room in my garage. The plan is to make a decision by this weekend. I have a bid on a bike on E-Bay right now, if it holds, problem solved. If it doesn't hold I'll probably be heading to the bike store on Saturday.
Tony
04/07: 222 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
14 lbs. to go
Monday, April 7, 2008
The Problem With Binges
When I sneak food I always choose really crappy food, and because of it I end I up feeling guilty and unsatisfied.. instead of just guilty. It is the dumbest thing. I know addiction by it's very nature makes us do stupid things and the irrational cravings are just that, irrational...but really you think I could have enough self respect to choose delicious deserts instead of the overly processed sudo-foods I grab from the gas station. It's always the gas station!
I have been having a tough time getting over vacation mode. The end of last week was pretty much a wash on the healthy living front. I only worked out on Thursday and I snacked endlessly. The worst was Friday night. I stopped to get propane for the grill on the way home and somehow ended up with a gas station cookie and thing of zingers in my pocket.
My lovely wife happened to glance at the receipt and called me on my indiscretion. Some wives check for lipstick on the collar, mine checks for chocolate in my mustache.
The whole ugly episode got me thinking. Instead of giving in to these cravings for crappy junk food, I need to save up and treat myself every once and a while to some real treats. Things that are worth the guilt. A slice of pie from Bakers Square, a small Butterfinger blizzard, some deep fried Oreos at our deep fried food party that we planed while at that crazy restaurant on vacation.
Sneaking junk food simply perpetuates my addiction. If I can be open and honest with my treats, I can do away with the guilt and the tummy aches once and for all.
Today starts a new Standoff Week. I have ten pounds to lose and 4 weeks to lose it. Time to buckle down. Somehow I have a feeling it's going to be a tough week. My willpower is weak. I am hoping once my body remembers how good it feels to get off that treadmill that things will start to turn around.
Tony
04/07: 222 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
14 lbs. to go
Friday, April 4, 2008
The Wife Weighs In...Week 24
Yes, I admit it...the bacon cheeseburger topped with chicken wings was mine. How could I not order something so ridiculous? It was really good, but the Buffalo Pierogies appetizer and the Fried Oreo dessert were truly out of this world. Oh, and if you ever get to Street Meet in Hilton Head, be sure to order a Cocaine Lady or two...good times.I ate and drank with wild abandon while on vacation. Lots of fried shrimp, a Bloody Mary or two (or more), some hush puppies, and a local specialty called She-Crab Soup. We had great food (especially the salsa and queso) and margaritas at a Mexican restaurant across the marina from our resort. We also had a really nice "white linen" dinner at another restaurant across the marina...I had Scallops Gratin...yum.
On the flip side, I got to the treadmill for an hour on Saturday morning...I even ran two separate half-mile stretches! Beyond the treadmill, between shopping, sight-seeing, and purposeful exercise, I must have walked and/or biked at least 15 miles while we were gone...it was 1.5 miles just to get to the beach.
So, what's the result? Other than being much more relaxed and being thankful for a fantastic getaway with some very dear friends? I had a gain. Whatever. It was a smaller gain than I thought it would be and I had one heck of a good time.
Stand-off begins on Monday!
Until next week,
_sig.jpg)
(a.k.a., Elle Tee Jay)
My update:
3/28/08: 183.2 pounds
4/04/08: 186.2 pounds (a gain of 3.0 pounds)
Total loss: 41.2 pounds
Next goal: 182.0 pounds
The Weigh-In Week 43


222 =( That's what it said on the scale this morning. A 4 pound post vacation gain.
I am not so worried about the 4 pound vacation gain... I am worried about the 9 pound gain I have accumulated over the last two weeks.
I have 4 weeks until my next 5K race and I would like to be at a new low by then. That means some serious work ahead. Hopefully I will be starting in on some serious Tri Training in the next two weeks, so that should help some.
To get things started right next week has officially been declared a standoff week.
As the weather is finally turning to spring, I am hoping to get my bike bought in the next few weeks and hit the road. I also plan to start swimming at the local Junior High in the next two weeks.
Play time is over, it's time to get serious.
You can tell I am serious, I have used the word serious 5 times in this post!
Have a great weekend everybody. Get out there and enjoy your first taste of spring.
Tony
04/04: 222 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
14 lbs. to go
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 43
We had a wonderful time. As much as I love and missed my girls, it sure was nice to sit in a restaurant for 3 hours with no fear of tantrums or broken china...well almost no fear.

We were in Hilton Head, South Carolina. A beautiful island 45 minutes from Savannah Georgia. It was the perfect place for this vacation. A low key kind of town with plenty to keep us busy but absolutely nothing that we had to do.

I got up the first morning with two of our traveling companions and ran to the ocean. It was such an amazing way to start the day, we decide to do it every morning. So I got in 3 runs and a couple of bike rides while we were gone.

My lovely wife did great too and got to the gym a few times along with some bike rides and walks to the beach. We even spent some time riding on the beach. That was a new one for me but highly enjoyable.
I could easily spend a few years living on Hilton head Island... assuming I was rich and didn't have to work or anything.
Despite the active vacation lifestyle, my goal of coming back lighter than when we left didn't work out so well. Most of the non active parts of our vacation were spent in restaurants or in the hot tub with a beer. I thought I was earning all my calories but the scale this morning says otherwise.
On the last night we ended up in a restaurant that served some of the craziest cuisine I have ever seen, including this hamburger toped with chicken wings.

I won't tell you who ordered it but it wasn't me!

I'll have to hit it hard starting next week if I want to be in shape for the 5k on May 3rd.
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
04/03: 218 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
10 lbs. 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.
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Weigh-In Week 42 And The Wife Weighs In
218. A five pound gain. Probably would have been 215 if I hadn't had a huge lunch and pizza for dinner at 8:30 last night. Yesterday morning I was around 216.
This sets me up for an awesome goal this week. Come back from vacation with a loss!
Who thinks I can do it?
My lovely wife on the other hand had a very good pre vacation week getting down to a new all time low with a loss of 1.2!!! Way to go sweetie!
The Wife Weighs In
3/14/08: 187.0 pounds
3/21/08: 184.4 pounds (a loss of 2.6 pounds)
3/28/08: 183.2 pounds (a loss of 2.6 pounds)
Total loss: 45.2 pounds
Next goal: 182.0 pounds
Have a great weekend everybody see you next Thursday!
Tony
03/28: 218 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
10 lbs. to go
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 42
On the other hand I made some big strides in the gym this week. Ran an extra 6 minutes on the treadmill on Monday. Managed to do 50 push ups on Tues. Did my first bike to treadmill cross training on Wed. The bike to treadmill went surprisingly well, although I am feeling it today. I spent 20 minutes on the bike and did 4.7 miles. Then, I did 20 minutes on the treadmill and did 2.2 miles. Not bad for my first try.
Sadly I can almost guarantee that the extra effort in the gym will not be enough to offset the extra effort in the snack drawer.
I am bringing my shoes along on vacation though and plan to get at least two runs in. Next week we'll get back on track. Can't forget the Triathlon is only 3 months away... which reminds me I still need to get a bike. That will be first on the list after vacation. And the new 5K is only 6 weeks away!
I'll do my best to post my weigh-in before we head to the airport tomorrow morning.
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
03/27: 213 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
5 lbs. 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.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Still Here
I feel like I have been going through withdrawal these past two days. After the big eating weekend I have been jonsing for sweets...and sadly I have given in more often than not. So today is rededication day. I pledge to be good today and tomorrow so I can swing into vacation on an up tick...or down tick.
Miracle of Miracles the scale has been on my side during these mini binges. I have managed to lose a pound and a half of the 5 I gained over the weekend. I still don't think I'll have a loss this week. But it would be nice to get close to 214 again.
Out of guilt I have been pushing myself extra hard in the gym these last two days, I am sure that has helped with the scale.
Yesterday I achieved a new gym milestone. I managed to do 50 push ups in one go. I was shooting for 50 push ups in 50 seconds. I didn't have a watch so I don't know how long it actually took me but it couldn't have been much longer then a minute.
The attempt was inspired by this article over at Men's Health . I am pretty impressed that I managed it on the first try.
If I can get to the gym today, I am going to try a split workout, 4 miles on the bike and 2 miles on the treadmill. Just to see how it feels.
Oh and I singed up for another 5K with my Dad. More on that later.
Contest tomorrow.
Tony
03/24: 216lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
5 lbs. to go
p.s. So much for a short check in post.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Not A Good Weekend
I was going to eat well. I was going to squeeze in an extra workout. I was going to avoid a huge weekend gain.
Instead I ate way to much. I missed my Friday workout and didn't make up for it on Saturday. I gained 5 pounds.
All in all this was a very up and down weekend. We had some great times and some horrible times.
We had a wonderful Easter celebration with family and a great trip down memory lane.... even if it was a little chaotic.
Unfortunately we also had a sick little girl and some other not so fun things going on.
So this week is about getting healthy mentally and physically and looking forward to next weekends vacation.
A loss this week is a long shot, but I am going to give myself until Friday for the weigh-in in a furtive hope that we might be able to pull things off.
So the contest will be on Thursday as normal.
Tony
03/24: 216lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
5 lbs. to go
Friday, March 21, 2008
The Weigh-In Week 41


213! That is what it said on the scale this morning. A loss of .6 pounds.
Not a bad way to follow up last weeks big accomplishments. Now I just have to behave this weekend...or squeeze in some extra workouts and hopefully I can coast into vacation next weekend as a non-obese guy.
Our big winner this week was Teresa with a last minute guess of .6. Nicely done Teresa. Only 5 votes though, so no prize this week.
As a correction from last week, our winner was Ali, not Butters. Ali I didn't have a chance to pick up a race day souvenir for you. So I'll have to think of something else.
Have a great weekend and a Happy Easter.
Tony
03/21: 216lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
5 lbs. to go
The Wife Weighs In...Week 24
Quick update for me as I only have a couple of minutes. I'm taking the day off and the girls are still sleeping, so this might be my only chance! (Even though Nana Heather is here today...there is just so much to do!)
I had a little stand-off of my own this week and I stuck to it pretty well. I went back to logging everything I ate and even planned out my days ahead of time. Yesterday was a little more difficult, as my staff threw me a surprise birthday party. Buffalo chicken salad wasn't too bad, but I had a little trouble resisting the blue cheese.
Cardio and weights on Monday, hour on the treadmill on Tuesday, overslept on Wednesday, hour on the treadmill yesterday, cardio and weights this morning.
I hope to continue the stand-off through the Easter weekend (yikes!) and next week as we get ready for vacation.
Have a happy Easter! Don't let the Reese's peanut butter eggs bite you in the backside...
Laura (a.k.a. Elle Tee Jay)
3/14/08: 187.0 pounds
3/14/08: 184.4 pounds (a loss of 2.6 pounds)
Total loss: 44.0 pounds
Next goal: 182.0 pounds
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 41
I ate kind of heavy over the weekend, what with all the race day celebrations and all., so as always it comes down to today to see if I will have a loss or not. Even if I do have a gain, it will be a tiny one. I think I can pull out the loss though.
I have decided to stop logging my food. I have hardly done it since the beginning of the year, and the few weeks that I did do it, the logging was always done at the end of the week instead of as an on going thing. So really it wasn't helping my choose what to eat. I feel like I am at a new phase in this journey. I know what I can and should be eating now. It is simply a matter of being mentally aware. I don't think I need the log for that anymore.
One last bit of house keeping. My lovely wife and I are headed off on Vacation next Friday for some much deserved R and R. I may move the official weigh in to Thursday to accommodate our traveling, which would move the contest to Wednesday. Stay tuned for further details.
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
03/20: 213.6lbs
Goal: 214 lbs. ACCOMPLISHED
NEW GOAL: 208
5.6 lbs. 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.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
So What's Next?
While I am still actively working to get under 200 pounds, it doesn't feel like a mission anymore. The weight loss is kind of a way of life now. Which is the best possible place to be.
Without a mission, I missed the excitement and passion I was feeling everyday. It took just one day for me to go from fired up to feeling a little lost.
So with a little help from a couple of friends I have come up with a new mission... and I am excited and scared!

You read that right, I am doing a triathlon!
Are you shocked? I know I am.
My dad was pretty shocked too. But it took all of a day for him to get over the shock and sign up for the race. So once again we will be doing this together. And Dad, I couldn't be happier!
And my friend Teresa will be doing the long race the same day. So I will have plenty of training buddies.
I will be doing what they call a sprint triathlon. A 1/4 Mile Swim, A 9-Mile Bike and a 2.5 Mile Run.
Never in a million years would I have thought this is something I would try. I don't even own a bike.
But now that I have officially signed up I am so excited! I am excited for the thrill of doing something new, excited to stretch beyond my comfort zone and excited to have a mission again.
First things first, I have to get a bike.

My second new goal is to get down to 208 by my birthday on May 29th. 208 would mean I have lost a total of 80 pounds.
Tony
03/18: 213.6lbs
Goal: 214 lbs. ACCOMPLISHED
NEW GOAL: 208
5.6 lbs. to go
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Race Day Wrap Up

That is the official "unofficial time". The official time will be closer to 26:55 due to the 5 seconds it took us to get to the starting line after the whistle was blown. Hopefully the official results will be posted later today.
The race went better than I could have ever imagined. The goal was to finish in under 30 minutes. Did that and then some!

26:55 is nearly 2 minutes better than my fastest 5K to date. The adrenalin help some I am sure but what helped even more was having my Dad and my brother-in-law set the pace... and having my Dad right there acting as cheerleader the whole way.
Thanks for the encouragement Dad!

As for the race itself, I felt real good until we finished the second mile. We petty quickly settled into a good pace and passed quite a few people in the first mile and a half. That alone was an awesome feeling, being the one doing the passing instead of the other way around.

At the 1 and 2.5 mile marks there was a huge hill..well it felt huge at the time. I did great coming up the hill the first time around, but that second hill just about killed me.

Luckily just over the top of the hill was all our cheering fans. Seeing everybody there gave me the last little boost I needed to get across the finish line in under 27 minutes.

Thank you guys for coming out and cheering. And thank you to my lovely wife for all her support and encouragement and the lovely sign!

The race was everything I hoped it would be. A celebration of all my accomplishments thus far. A great bonding experience with my dad. A personal achievement I never would have imagined a year ago!
So now the question is, what's next? We'll talk about that tomorrow.
Tony
03/17: 213.6lbs
Goal: 214 lbs. ACCOMPLISHED
NEW GOAL: 208
4.4 lbs. to go
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Wife Weighs In...Week 23
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


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
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 40
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
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
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
I'll let you know how I do later this afternoon.
Tony
3/11: 216lbs
NEW GOAL: 214
2 pounds to go
Monday, March 10, 2008
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
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Wife Weighs In...Week 22
Yep...I had a gain...a fairly big one. I'm not terribly surprised, however. I was unable to get to the gym even once last week. I indulged in some snacks over the weekend that were very yummy, but not very good for me. Those items plus some hormonal water weight set me up to be pretty unsuccessful this week.It's okay...I'm already over it.
I went to yoga on Monday, hour of cardio on Tuesday, cardio and weights on Wednesday, and an hour on the treadmill yesterday. I've kept the rest of the week in check pretty well, so if I keep my weekend in check and hit it hard next week I should be looking at a decent loss next week.
As a side note, this Sunday will mark one year since I started my weight loss journey. In that time:
- I have lost 42 pounds.
- I started at a size 20 (nearing size 22) and I now wear size 16's (many of which are now too big for me).
- I no longer have to shop plus-sized clothing racks.
- I joined a gym.When I first joined the gym in November, I walked on the treadmill at 3.5 mph. I now walk at 3.9 mph with a 2% incline. As someone who has never liked to run (even as a child) I am proud of the fact that I can run for five minutes at 5.2 mph at that same 2% incline.
- I have started practicing yoga.
- I feel better about myself and better about the world around me.
- I am no longer uncomfortable in my own skin.
- I am much more self-confident.
- I feel much more in control of my life.
- I have a much more optimistic attitude.
- I am, for the first time in about 10 years, taking time for (and care of) myself.
While I saw a gain this week, I am proud of my progress over the last year. I can't wait to see what the next year will bring.
'Til next week,
Laura (a.k.a. Elle Tee Jay)
3/09/07: 228.4 pounds
2/29/08: 184.2 pounds
3/07/08: 186.4 pounds (a gain of 2.2 pounds)
Total loss: 42.0 pounds
Next goal: 182.0 pounds
P.S. I had two and a half inches of hair cut off last night after having the same hairstyle for about 5 years. I would never have been comfortable with hair this short before losing weight. I feel like a new woman! I hope to be able to post some progress (and hair cut) pictures next week.
The Weigh-In Week 39


216! That's what it said on the scale this morning. A 3 pound loss!!!
I know it seems a little suspicious that I would choose 216 as my goal for the week and then hit it exactly, but that is honestly what happened. I checked the scale 3 times. Guess my body knew exactly what it needed to do.
Now if I can just hold strong next week I should be able to make 214 by race day a week from Saturday.
Next week looks like it should be a lot calmer than the last three weeks have been so I can really concentrate on eating right and working out hard core. Insert grunt here.
Our big winner this week was my lovely wife!!! Way to go sweetie. We only had 5 votes this week so no prize. Although I think I can find something for my sweet, wonderful, adorable wife.
Uncle Al your photo will get into the mail this weekend!
Have a great weekend everybody!
Tony
3/07: 216lbs
NEW GOAL: 214
2 pounds to go
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 39
My 5K is only 9 days away!!! I am feeling pretty confident. I would like to get a few outdoor runs in though. Unfortunately the weather has turned cold again. The combination of winter winds and icy trails has kept me on the treadmill this week. I am hoping I can get an outside run on Saturday or Sunday.
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
2/28: 219lbs
NEW GOAL: 214
5 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.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Another Busy Week
I am determined to stay on track this week though.
As of this morning I am 4 pounds above my goal of 214. My goal for this week is to lose two pounds to get down to 216. Then the goal for next week is to lose 1 or 2 pounds to be at or close to my goal on race day which is less than two weeks away.
Here is my funny / disturbing story of the day.
When I looked in the mirror yesterday morning I thought to myself, "my face looks chubby".
I am only three and half pounds from my lowest weigh-in and still knowing that I have gained weight had me thinking it was showing in my face. Silly me.
Here is the cool story from the weekend. We were shopping at Target on Saturday and ran into in old family friend who hadn't seen Laura or I since we started this journey. She walked right past us with out realizing who we were! It took her a second after I said her name to register who was talking to her.
That felt good!
Tony
2/29: 219lbs
NEW GOAL: 214
5 pounds to go
Friday, February 29, 2008
The Weigh-In Week 38


219!!! A gain of a whole heck of a lot.
But did you notice the asterisk. I know this is cheating and rationalizing and all that but I really don't weigh 219.
Ok, I did weigh 219 when I step on the scale this morning, but for the rest of this week I have weighed 217.
Last night I was at a board meeting surrounded by salty snacks of which I helped myself to plenty. So that is the asterisk. I blame the 219 on late night salty snacks. It should be gone tomorrow, or the next day.
But even without this mornings tainted weigh-in I still would have had a gain this week.
So let's get to the real issue. I am a pretty even keel guy. I don't get stressed out much, and when I do get stressed I do my best to keep it calm on the outside... the whole duck under the water thing.
I have been a little overwhelmed these last two weeks. To be honest, there is a lot of it I love. I love preforming under pressure, I love how it makes the work exciting... I don't love missing my family or letting the stress drive me to eat however.
Last week I was genuinely stress eating, it was an unconscious falter.
This week I have been using stress as an excuse to allow myself to pig out... and I knew I was doing it. Every one of those snacks was a conscious decision "justified" by my "oh so stressful week"!
Well next week looks like it is going to be just as crazy as the past two, but I am retiring the "stress eating" excuse. I am getting back on track next week, crazy week or not! No ifs, ends or buts about it.
The good news in all this gluttony is my exercise. In the past workouts would have been the first thing to go when I was tight on time. But not now.
My workouts have been my one constant over the last two weeks. That is a huge accomplishment for me and one I am very proud of.
Ok I got deadlines people, so until next week, have a great weekend.
Tony
2/29: 219lbs
NEW GOAL: 214
5 pounds to go
The Wife Weighs In...Week 21
This month has been ridiculous. I feel as though I am just running in circles. Work has been so busy and we've had extra commitments and I have just felt like we haven't had a moment to take a breath. Yuck.Between Tony's business trip, a co-worker being out with pneumonia, and our family working hard to avoid contracting the stomach flu, this has not been my most focused week. I did not get to the gym even one time...not even for yoga on Monday! Boo!
But, I had a very good loss this week. Hurray! I finally broke through the plateau. That gives me great motivation to stay on track next week, so that I might be able to continue the momentum.
Have a good weekend, everyone!
Until next week,
Laura (a.k.a. Elle Tee Jay)
2/22/08: 187.0 pounds
2/29/08: 184.2 pounds (a loss of 2.8 pounds)
Total loss: 44.2 pounds (only 0.8 pounds to a 45-pound total loss!)
Next goal: 182.0 pounds (2.2 pounds to go)
P.S. Laura's shortest...update...ever.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 38
One more week of blind guessing. Sorry. I am hoping to have more time for you all next week. Just because I'm ignoring you doesn't mean I don't care for you.
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
2/28: 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.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Still here...
Sorry for the prolonged abscence the last two weeks. I know when some one dissapears for any lengthg of time from thier weight loss blog, the tendency is to think they have giving up and reverted back to thier previous life. While I have had a few slips the last few weeks I am still here and still as dedicated as ever.
Life has simply gotten in the way of blogging. And honestly when I get this busy this blog has to be the first thing I cut back on.
The lastest interruption has been a last minute trip to Chicago... in the middle of the cities 30th snowstorm of the year.
I'll be back home tomorrow and hopefully we be able to resume regular up dates in a day or two.
I hope all is well with all of you.
Talk to you soon...I promise!
Tony
Friday, February 22, 2008
The Wife Weighs In...Week 20
So, I had a small gain this week.It was absolutely to be expected. I ate horribly from Friday through Sunday afternoon. I had Chipotle for lunch on Friday, worked (very) late that night and had deep-fried appetizers and a bloody mary or two with a co-worker afterwards. On Saturday, I had swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes for lunch at Ikea and pizza for dinner.
Then, there was the blow-out at a Sunday brunch family gathering...egg bakes, cheesey potatoes (one of my biggest "red flag" foods), Tony's grandmother's homemade doughnuts, and some sort of wonderfully sticky and gooey french toast in a pan.
Yum.
Come to think of it...I'm surprised I didn't have a bigger gain.
I kicked it back into gear on Monday. Yoga on Monday night and cardio on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Unfortunately, I slept through my alarm both this morning and Wednesday morning. The extra sleep was nice, but I really could have used those extra workouts.
You see, I really need to break through this plateau. For the last seven weeks, I have been trapped in a three-pound range. 189.4 at the top, and last week's 186.4 at the bottom. Given all the success I've had over the last year (almost), I find it frustrating that I'm having so much trouble sucking it up and doing what I need to do to power through this plateau. Grrr.
Maybe I'm stuck in a rut created by the winter blahs. Maybe I need to remember the words of support I got from Laura N a couple of weeks ago: "Hang in there... spring is around the corner, when all things bloom and become new, including our ability to lose more weight." I can only hope.
On a positive note...at least I'm not gaining the ten pounds I have traditionally put on each winter.
So, in the words of Scarlett O'Hara, "Tomorrow is another day." I hope to be able to keep it together throughout the weekend so that I'm not starting my week off at a disadvantage. Wish me luck!
Until next week!
Laura (a.k.a. Elle Tee Jay)
2/15/08: 186.4 pounds
2/22/08: 187.0 pounds (a gain of 0.6 pounds)
Total loss: 41.4 pounds
Next goal: 182.0 pounds (5.0 pounds to go)
The (Brief) Weigh-In Week 37
This was expected considering the week I have had and the stress eating I was doing.
I fill ya all in later or maybe tomorrow. Pictures too I promise.
Tony
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Guess How Much I Weigh Contest - Week 37
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
2/21: 214.6lbs
NEW GOAL: 214
.6 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.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Did You Miss Me?
I'll post the contest on Thurs without tracking and do my best to get the weigh-in up in a timely manner on Fri.
If the weigh in is not up on Fri. I'll get it up on Saturday.
Have good week. Try not to miss me too much.
Tony




