I'm Brian, and what you see here is usually the product of my warped sense of geekiness. I started the blog to chronicle my struggle against being overweight but I've branched out into social commentary as well as the trials and tribulations of bariatric surgery. When I'm not being snarky on here, I like baseball, music, and travel, as well as keeping up with technology. Oh, and I also have a wee bit of a Lego problem.
Made it another day… was not an easy one, but I set a record for 2013 with over 47 minutes and 2.23 miles walked. I had to back off speed a bit, due to achy ankles, but I’m still proud of myself for getting that far. My average speed was 2.84 mph. The rest will come as the weight decreases.
I worry, though… I just feel that due to Stubby I can’t walk with the grace I used to walk. Surprised no one ever made a replacement toe bone. Maybe that could be my great contribution to science. Hmmm.
I’ve been thinking long and hard, though, and I need to set a post-surgical goal. I realize that with my toe and other issues, I’ll never be physically able to run long distances, so a marathon is out.
I’m going to set my goal to participate in the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 5K.
There, I said it. I know it won’t be easy, especially for someone who would struggle to run the mile in high school (when I was in better shape), but I think it’s a reachable goal. Plus, I’ve gotten so much encouragement from the Disney fan community as I go through this process that I feel it’s a great way to pay it back and forward. To reward myself with a feeling of accomplishment and to pay back everyone who has supported me and encouraged me. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but they are my family as much as any blood relation. Logistics will be forthcoming, but I will keep you apprised and this will be the place to post the picture after I finish it.
So, yesterday was pretty cool, though. Not only did I find an error in a CNN.com story (yeah, not like they’re a reputable news source), I actually got to have a Twitter exchange with one of my favorite sportswriters. I just tweeted out that the CNN flunkie had gotten his name wrong (guess checking that fact would be a little too much effort) and sure enough, a reply. It was actually kind of cool. I’m not a huge Twitter fan, unlike SPW (lover of the hashtag!), but this might make me like it a little more.
At any rate, gotta go for day 9 in the morning. And I’m going to do it. Does that make me a probie gym rat?
Had a great day yesterday. Got a decent workout in, went to State College, saw a cool flick (went with Skyfall), had a good dinner, and a visit to Wegman’s. I can never complain about that.
So I woke up this morning with a little bit of gastrointestinal urpiness but I know I still need to go to the gym. I know I’ll feel better if I do, but it’s very hard to summon up the energy to go when I just kind of want to sit around until it goes away. I normally would do that, but if I do, I probably won’t make it to the gym.
Helluva bind.
I guess I need to just do it (even though I prefer New Balance to Nike) and I know that when I get there and get started, I’ll wind up feeling that much better. Funny how that works out.
Ok… More in a bit.
So I made it to the gym. Decent session… Started a little slow, but had worked up to 3.5 mph by the end of my treadmill time. Wanted to do 45 minutes, but cut short after 35 minutes by an extremely chirpy young woman jawing on her cell phone. Talking (apparently) with her boyfriend. Talking about their time together last night. When I heard the phrase “you made me come alive” (I am not making this up) I figured it was time to bail. The worst part is that I had my ear pods in, volume cranked, and I could still hear her. How loudly must she have been talking?
I love being able to yammer about my gym. It’s a really place, but some of the people who go there are well, eccentric. I have not seen Gratuitously Naked Guy in a while, but I think he has a cohort… Mostly Naked Guy. This is another wrinkly old guy who actually works out, but then wanders around the locker room wearing nothing but a jockstrap. As far as I can tell he doesn’t have mostly naked conversations with complete strangers like GNG, but who knows what mischief lurks in the heart of MNG.
It has been a decent sugar day. Went to bed reading a 128 last night, woke up with a 113. I took my insulin shot, ate a banana and about half of a pretzel roll, then headed to the gym. Took another reading when I got home and stuck an 84. Figured I could do with some protein, so I beat some eggs and threw together a tasty ham and cheese omelet. That should keep things nice and stable until lunch.
Not sure what’s on the agenda for today. Do we take down the Christmas decorations or do we say “the heck with it” and do something else? Guess I’ll have to wait and hear from The Management (aka Supportive Partner Woman).
So, yesterday, SPW (love of Hugh Jackman!) and her friend went to see Les Miserables. They were, predictably, gushing about it. It dawns on me that maybe it’s a gender thing. I mean no disrespect to either gender, and I have never seen the stage production, but it seems that women love the movie and men, well, not so much. This review was located online and is well worth the read.
I’m not one to usually make New Year’s resolutions.
It’s not that I’m perfect… nothing could be further from the truth. It’s that I know it’s not going to last, so why set myself up for another failure?
I’m trying something new this year… I’m trying to go to the gym every day. Today is my third straight day. It was the usual appointment stuff. Ryan and Cory worked me over like a rented mule and at the end of it, I feel that much better (except for my achy ankles) and I also feel much more awake than I normally am.
Now, I mentioned that resolutions usually fail for me. I think this is due to my extreme case of the “Ooooh! Shiny!”s. It’s more of a case of adult ADD. I just tend to get sidetracked by what’s going on around me. Whether it be a nice car or a conversation, I can get drawn into something that I didn’t want to be drawn into.
This is what I’m trying to avoid. I’m not doing the gym thing because I want to, I’m doing it because I need to. Let’s see how many days I can do.
The events that took place yesterday in Connecticut were a terrible tragedy. The lives of so many children, cut short by the actions of a single gunman, is a terrible thing. When innocence is lost on such a grand scale, well, we all die a little on the inside. I hope this brings meaningful change to a society that is increasingly polarized and marginalized, but knowing our track record as a country, we probably won’t. Instead of doing the right thing, our “leaders” will do something, anything, because not reacting in a situation like this will just fan the flames of outrage. It is time for a frank and open discussion on gun violence, mental health issues, security, and some of our societal values.
That’s all I will say on the topic for now… other than to keep those families in your prayers.
Until the events of yesterday, I was having a pretty good day. I got my rotund posterior up at 4:45 and was at the gym at 5:15. Made it a cardio day and somehow wound up on the treadmill that was surrounded on both sides by two Jersey Shore wannabes reeking of Drakkar Noir. One of these guys, who I’ll call The Predicament, was chomping on a wad of gum so loudly it was audible over the Queensryche I had cranked up to “ear bleed”. Sigh. I figured the way things were going, maybe Snooki would show up, you know, just to add some class. I managed to get about 45 minutes in, then headed home for a shower and off to the office. You might ask why I didn’t just shower at the gym… I mean, I was there. True. But I was afraid that while I’d be shampooing, the shower curtain would be ripped open, and Gratuitously Naked Guy would be standing there, beaming.
This is the kind of stuff that goes through my head. Curse my fertile imagination!
Short entry, I know, but there’s a busy day ahead.
Today was a good day. Well, actually, it started yesterday (after work, of course). I had an appointment at the gym and had a good workout, which really brightened my mood. I came home and Supportive Partner Woman (Possessor of Much Pop Culture Knowledge) and I did some decorating of the Pop Culture Christmas tree. It’s your basic Christmas tree, with many sentimental ornaments, but also a wide variety of pop culture ornaments. There’s some Star Trek stuff, Superman, A Christmas Story, Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, Chick-fil-A, and one year, we even had the miniature embodiment of death on the tree (Don’t judge)
One of the other decorations set up was a present from SPW. It’s a miniature Chick-fil-A complete with a cow wearing the sandwich board. I know that many folks have come down hard on the restaurant due to its corporate policies seen by many as hateful, but the local franchise does quite a bit for charity. Last weekend, they had a matching program… for every sandwich they sold during a busy afternoon, the restaurant would donate an equivalent number of sandwiches to Water Street Ministries, an aid organization here in town.
Anyway, after doing some decorating, we headed off to grab some dinner. We would up at J.B. Dawson’s, a local chain, and I managed to put my usual restaurant habits to the wayside. I ordered a salad, no dressing, and only managed to eat about half of it. Took the rest for lunch today. It was still pretty yummy.
Anyway, I had an appointment with the dietitian this afternoon and I lost 10 pounds. And that included a Disney trip. Woot! I’ve said before that I felt the diet portion of the bariatric clinic was the weak link, but it was nice to see her be genuinely happy for me. She offered some suggestions for improving the nutrition value of the clam chowder that I plan to make in the next week or so, and we booked another appointment in a month. Assuming that goes according to plan, it will be time to schedule the operation.
People I’ve talked to at support group have described parts of the process as horrible, but I have yet to meet someone who regrets doing the procedure. The worst part that I’ve heard is the liquid diet for basically three weeks. That will be tough. Guess I might as well get used to protein powder.
Anyway, I’m going to wrap it up. Have to be at the gym at 7:00 and some shut-eye would probably help.
I dragged my tubby ass out of bed and went to the regular gym on Saturday and Sunday. I didn’t do any lifting… rather I just did some cardio. It felt pretty good to get some work in. There were no sightings of Gratuitously Naked Guy, either, so it was pretty much a win-win.
I had really dropped off the map in regards to training outside of my twice-weekly sessions with the boys. I could offer a whole host of excuses, but truth is that I wasn’t able to do any weight-bearing aerobic activity after the last blister, and I was afraid of getting another blister before the most recent trip. I think that the Boot of Shame on vacation would just suck most profusely.
I hit the treadmill both days. I was doing a pretty constant 2.8-3.0 mph, with variable inclines between 0% and 6% incline. I walked for around 40-45 minutes. Probably not difficult to those of you who are actually in shape. but for me, that’s a pretty good start.
I plan to keep up with it. Would be nice to do seven straight days. Let’s see how it goes.
So, I’m writing this from Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter resort. As I sit here in the half light, the gentle sounds of Supportive Partner Woman’s breathing providing a quiet counterpoint to the hustle and bustle of families getting ready to hit the parks, I realize just how lucky I am.
I spent a lot of time the past few posts basically whining about life in general. I have it pretty good. I have a job, a loving wife, a roof over my head… Ad yes, I do have a few friends. It’s funny how things work out. That united by a common interest I am closer to people I’ve known for a relatively short time than I am to people I’ve known my entire life. I’ve met people in this community who aren’t in it for the right reason, but I’ve also met people who simply ooze character and class from every pore. They give back unflinchingly and always put others first, without fail. I’m proud to call these folks my friends and their friendship is something that I treasure.
So, on to the meat of the post.
Supportive Partner Woman (World’s Most Beautiful Pack Mule!) and I come to Walt Disney World around the same time every year. Not only to meet up with the aforementioned friends, but to get ourselves into the holiday spirit. There are many special events going on with a holiday theme, each of which serve to increase our excitement. There’s the Candlelight Processional, in which an orchestra and massed choir perform while a celebrity narrator recounts the tale of Christmas. SPW and I were fortunate enough to see it on Wednesday evening, and it does not disappoint. Our celebrity narrator was Neil Patrick Harris for the second year in a row… However, this year was actually dry, as opposed to the biblical rains of last December. The orchestra and choir was wonderful, as always, and well, here’s a video clip:
I hope that works… Using the WordPress iPad app is not something I do often. I usually write it in Pages, then just copy and paste it into WordPress.
One of the other points of the Disney holiday trident is the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. This event has some five million lights dancing to well known Christmas songs and is probably the one event that really gets me in the mood. SPW (Osborne fan!) and I had the opportunity, thanks to MEI and Mouse Fan Travel, to take in a private viewing of the lights last evening that was just amazing. I took a lot of video, none of which I’ve gotten uploaded yet, but here’s an example from last year’s Osborne Lights:
The third point of the trident is EPCOT’s nightly show called IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. Every year, the holiday season adds an extra five minutes of pyrotechnics accompanied by the Boys Choir of Harlem and a narration from the late Walter Cronkite. This really finalizes the prep for me. Just hearing the soaring music of the whole show as the lasers and fire and fireworks burst over the lagoon, topped off with the extra tag just never fails to send shivers up and down my back. I know that one day, the current IllumiNations will go away in the name of change, but believe you me, that will be a sad sad day.
At any rate, I have much more to tell, but suffice it to say that as of now, the feet have shown no blistering. This makes me very happy, especially considering the amount of walking we have done. The only wound is from the first day, when removing the protective moleskin also removed a tiny chunk of Wayne. A little NuSkin and gauze padding has worked wonders.
Well, I’m going to grad a shower and wake up SPW (Sleeps like the dead!) and we’re off to EPCOT for another day of fun and camaraderie.
Climate control… schemes for controlling the environmental elements of an area or region.
This can refer to a refrigerator or freezer used to keep food fresh and beer cold, or it can refer to keeping your house warm or cool, depending on the season.
At my place of employment, it usually translates into keeping one section of the building as the polar zone while the area directly across the hallway feels like the front porch of Hell.
It brings to mind an issue that, being a fattie, I suffer with. Temperature control. At least when it deals with warmth. In cold weather, exertion is quick to make me perspire, which is also uncomfortable, but I really start to wilt as the temperature climbs. I guess I’m really screwed if this global warming stuff keeps up.
Either way, exertion makes me sweat. So does spicy food. So, maybe eating hot wings on a treadmill isn’t the best idea. Granted, that’s never a good idea. What I’m driving at is that with the upcoming winter weather, it’s best to take steps to protect yourself if exercising outdoors. The American Council on Exercise suggests the following tips:
Wear layers. Insulating yourself against the wind and other elements is key, so create a layered barrier instead of a single bulk. (The advantage is you can always remove the outer layer if you get over-heated.) The first layer that’s directly touching your skin should be a lightweight synthetic or polyester material. It will dry quickly and wick away moisture. The second layer should be wool or polyester fleece. The outermost layer — worn in the rain, snow, or wind — should be lighter weight and water-repellent to help you stay dry.
Add a hat. About 50 percent of body heat is lost from an uncovered head when the temperatures hit the freezing mark. Wearing a hat will help your body retain heat.
Don’t forget your gloves. Keeping hands and feet warm is key in the cold temperatures since your body will shunt blood away from extremities to keep your internal organs warm. Gloves will help prevent skin damage and frostbite in sub-zero temperatures. To keep your feet warm, make sure your torso is properly insulated. That will drive blood back down to your lower extremities.
Avoid heavy cotton materials that sop up sweat. These will make you wetter and colder. Stick with wool and polyester fabrics.
Check the forecast. Check the air temperature and wind chill factor before exercising in the cold. The US National Safety Council says there’s little risk when exercising in 20° Fahrenheit even with 30 miles per hour winds, but that dangers exist when the combined temperature and windchill falls below -20°F.
Consider a face mask or scarf in frigid temperatures. If those temperatures are dipping near the danger zone, protect the skin on your face by covering it up. Having a loose layer over your nose and mouth can also warm frigid air before you inhale, helping to protect your lungs.
Nowadays, I only run if chased (and that might even be doubtful), but these are smart tips to follow even if you’re just taking a walk, or shoveling snow, even hanging Christmas lights on your rain gutters. Any of these activities, no matter how slight the exertion, can cause some unsafe conditions… that’s why it’s important to keep yourself climate controlled. There have been many times that I’ve been outside shoveling snow and ice, drenched in sweat, even though it’s 15 degrees. I’ve been wearing Gore-Tex and Thinsulate heavy gloves and still can’t feel my fingers due to my extremities shutting down because I’m sweating so much I have to keep my jacket open.
The moral of the story is to be careful when out in the cold. Take care of yourself. Frostbite is no picnic, so don’t click on the link if you have a weak stomach.
So, I made it back for a regular gym session this afternoon. It was good. Very good. I also made my long-awaited return to the treadmill. I didn’t kill it… I’m way out of practice. I managed 2.8 mph for 18 minutes. Not bad, seeing as I haven’t been on it since the last time Stubby misbehaved. I hope to add to the time and speed in the coming days. I have another vacation to get ready for.
I said it was good. It was, especially after the day I had. I got handed a job that should’ve taken a few minutes to complete. On the surface. Turns out, nothing but problems. I got it done after the time I was supposed to leave and had to bust ass to get to my appointment on time. About the only thing I didn’t encounter to slow me up was an Amish buggy. I hit red lights, pretentious asshats in Beamers, the proverbial driverless Cadillac, and the slow elevator. After that, I was bound and determined to have a good workout.
Sugar was up a little. Who am I kidding? It’s been up. Today was due to stress. Four hours after lunch, it was 164. When I was done, I stuck a 103. I’m good with that. In addition to the treadmill, I did the arc trainer and elliptical. I also did strength, which really isn’t a problem. I always feel good after lifting.
Rather than go right home, I elected to stick around for support group. Apparently, Dr. McPhee is making crab cakes. I love crab cakes, and if they are prepared in a healthy manner, it’s one cake I can still enjoy. I’ll be interested to see the recipe… Always like to get hold of decent recipes. If the cakes are good,I’llqbe sure to pass it along to you.
The group session room is really nice. They have video screens, and a spacious demo kitchen. The meetings usually include a talk by a dietitian or exercise guru, followed by a cooking demo and a chance to talk to others in my predicament. The first one I attended, I had to cut short, as I was due back at work. This time, I took the time to listen and really learned a lot from listening to the various people. Some of what I picked up? Morphine can make you nauseous. The minty protein shakes are pretty tasty and can be gotten cheaper at the doctor’s office than buying online. Oh, and if you play your cards right, you might get the phone number of a hot nurse with a twin sister. Not that I’d need to know that, though. Right, honey?
Honey? (crickets chirping)
I’m sure she just stepped out for a minute. I hope.
One of the highlights of the session is toward the beginning of the meeting. They ring up a success story. Someone shares what their journey has been like, showing before and after pictures and sharing why they started down the road. It’s actually pretty inspiring. They also unveiled the Wall of Fame, where folks who are 1 year post op have their before and after photos posted. Amazing stuff.
So, anyway… it’s Friday now and I’ve got a full day of work ahead of me and very little time to sleep. I’m also scheduled to work Saturday. My wallet likes those Saturdays, but my mind usually doesn’t. I did manage to get the sump pump cover resealed, the dehumidifier running and some stuff put away. I’ll do more tonight. After all, it’s like weight loss… doesn’t happen overnight. I also think that I’ll try to get to the rec after work… Gratuitously Naked Guy be damned.
I know, its been quite awhile. I started writing this from the laundry room of Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort. I know… I go to such interesting places on vacation. What can I say? It’s a gift.
So, it’s been about a month since I scribbled anything down. Just been crazy busy at Chez T and, well, just nothing really interesting to report. Done some stumbling recently, food-wise, not a serious backslide, but enough that my last doctor visit resulted in just a one-pound loss. In a month. Granted, I wasn’t working out like crazy… trying to keep the tempo down to prepare for our trip. Fat lot of good that did me.
See, after one day of serious walking, with preventative measures in places (Stubby cocooned in moleskin, his counterpart wearing a gel pad), I get a freakin’ blister NEXT TO THE GEL PAD!!!! This, as you can imagine, did not make me happy. Especially not with five days to go.
Supportive Partner Woman (de facto nurse of unparalleled skill!) then decreed an easier pace and began a regimen of rubbing my feet with ammonium lactate cream, which, according to the surgeon, is good stuff. This, coupled with Betadyne and gauze and a lot of moleskin, really enabled me to stay upright. It’s the one blessing of neuropathy… I can’t feel the pain of a blister. Looking back, I thing the problem was due to the crazy high humidity. It made the air chewy and we usually wound up with two showers a day.
So, for us a vacation to Disney World is more about the friends and the food than anything else. We paid two visits to Ohana for meeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaat on a stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick! There’s an art to eating somewhat healthier at Ohana… that is to view it as a high protein meal. Just keep in mind that when the nice server brings a sizzling skewer of dripping meat, he or she will automatically adjust your request by a factor of three. So, if you would, in fact, like one more piece of steak, make sure you have friends to share it with, because you’re getting three giant pieces.
The food at Ohana is not bad… you start with the Ohana welcome bread, which is a sweet Hawaiian style bread that has a touch of pineapple flavor. Then you get a salad, which would be better with less dressing. It’s positively drowning. I’m pretty sure I saw a lettuce shred clinging desperately to a life ring as its mates all drowned in the Vinaigrette Sea.
The staff follows this with the chicken wings and dumplings. I’m not a huge fan of wings to start with and these are just meh, so I usually pass on them. The dumplings are awesome, though, and it takes a great deal of self-restraint to not totally strap on the feed bag. This is followed with the greens, which consist of snow peas and broccoli that are well prepared. The share a plate with some tasty lo mien.
After the BS is dispensed with, it’s on to the main event. The meat. See, Disney wants you to believe that Ohana means family, but in reality, Ohana means meat. Lots of meat. Lots and lots of meat. We’re talking meat with a capital MEAT. The room is dominated but an open wood fire cooking giant skewers of steak, chicken, pork and shrimp. I love the shrimp. It has a nice level of spiciness without being too much to numb the palate. The steak has a wonderful marinade… not sure what all is in it, other than garlic, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Makes it very bold.
The chicken is pedestrian… not a ton of flavor, probably kept mild for people who don’t care for spice. The pork, though, is not that great. It’s usually a little overcooked and the BBQ sauce is way too sweet for my palate. I think the open fire is simply too hot and dries out the meat. Pork, IMHO, should be done low and slow with just enough sear on the outside to keep the juices in. Here’s a view of the cooking fire in action:
After the gorging is over, they hit you with dessert. They bring a banana bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream. If that’s not enough, they will dump an Exxon Valdez sized load of caramel sauce on top. I’m lucky, though… since I have dietary restrictions, they usually bring me a nice plate of fresh fruit.
I will provide more food details over the next few days, but suffice it to say that even with all the food, I still managed to lose 2.5 pounds while away. So, not a total loss.
Talk to you again tomorrow.
Song of the Day: Gangnam Style – PSY Currently Reading: The Tombs – Clive Cussler
So, yesterday was pretty cool, though. Not only did I find an error in a CNN.com story (yeah, not like they’re a reputable news source), I actually got to have a Twitter exchange with one of my favorite sportswriters. I just tweeted out that the CNN flunkie had gotten his name wrong (guess checking that fact would be a little too much effort) and sure enough, a reply. It was actually kind of cool. I’m not a huge Twitter fan, unlike SPW (lover of the hashtag!), but this might make me like it a little more.
Memoirs of a Soon-to-Be Former Fat Guy 