resolutions?

Everyone thinks about what they want to change at the end of every year. They make a list of New Year's resolutions. #1 is always lose weight for almost everyone. I'm losing weight, no need for resolve there, but I do have a few areas I need to improve upon.

Here are Mr Wilson's goals for 2008:

1. Finish my degree.
2. Get a (much) higher paying job.
3. Quit my part-time gas station job.
4. Live cleaner, lose all the clutter.
5. Two words : flat belly
6. Start paying off debt.
7. Have a "for real" bank account.
8. Buy a real mattress to sleep on.

Those are not resolutions, they are my goals for the upcoming year.

one track mind

I'm not too great of a multi-tasking person. I have limited abilities to focus on a few goals at a time. Last night, I almost cleaned my entire house and I'll be done with that very soon. I've been focusing recently on school and weight loss, both of which I'm doing quite well on. My problem is I become over-obsessed sometimes. I did weight loss before with the Atkins diet and lost 30+ pounds in a few months. I liked the results, although I didn't have the ability to sustain the loss at the time. It eventually became too cumbersome to balance my lifestyle with a carnivorous diet and it failed.

I joined Weight Watchers in early October of this year and I've lost 21 pounds to date. I know I'm doing good, but I like dramatic results. I canceled my gym membership because I don't have time to get there when I'm in school, and if I'm not using it regularly, I'm wasting my money. I almost considered using a diet pill to speed up the process, but that would just be dumb. I like my kidney function right where it is, and if I keep up my current progress, I'll be in pretty good shape this Summer and by next Summer, I'll have a "beach body".

I think our concept of instant gratification dooms us. Gotta have the new car, new house, new furniture, new body right now and worry about the bill when we are in a state of utopia. Why not prioritize and have what you need now and work on what you like along the way?

5 to go?

School is good, I'm done with another semester and it looks like all B's again. The next semester will be my most challenging yet. So I must be prepared. 1 400-level course, and the two hardest classes my major offers. When I'm done, I'll just breeze into Summer classes, graduate, and breeze into a higher paying job. July '08, here I come.

Success...now what?

I realized that I'm ok as long as I keep myself busy. With everything coming to a slow stop, as the holiday season comes around and I get a break from everything, my mood gets horrible. It's like I don't have a purpose, like something is missing. I think "normal" people fill that void with religion. Speaking of which, the other day, someone criticized my competency dealing with middle school aged kids on the basis of me being an atheist. I asked them if they believed in Santa Clause and they told me no. I then asked how are they competent to teach elementary school? Not too happy with me now, but they weren't before either, so what? One of these days, when I run out of things to accomplish, I might need therapy. I should be happy, I should be proud, but I'm not. It feels like everyone is mad at me or they want nothing to do with me. If I have nothing to keep myself busy, I feel useless. I mean, I'm doing everything I'm supposed to, I'm getting an education, I work, I keep myself up, I'm losing weight because I'm fat, I know people respect me, I do a great job at my school, I get good grades. Every aspect of my life is getting better, so what's wrong with me? I even feel bad about writing this because the few people that might actually read this will just think I'm being stupid. I really don't need or want anyone's pity, I just want to feel better.

Winter break

Working at a school and going to school, Winter breaks really rock! I got a ton of down time coming up. I need it badly! A few weeks to cool the jets and recharge the batteries. I get to refocus on my goals and plan for the future.

Weight loss is looking good, school is looking good. The future is almost upon me, and I must prepare.

fighting the losing battle...and winning!

I lost 2 more pounds this week, putting me at 239, a total of 21 pounds to date. I am well on track to breaking the 200 pound barrier in May. Go me! Weight Watchers really works! I have a pile of "before" pictures on my computer and I plan on doing a before and after post in the months ahead.

Like everything else worth achieving, it take time, effort, and hard work. I'm enjoying that people are starting to notice that I'm trimming down that helps the cause. It makes those salads taste wonderful!

I like Weight Watchers because I can choose what I want to eat, but I have a structure that helps me make smart choices. So if I want a big breakfast, I eat light the rest of the day, and so on. Snacks like crackers and candy have been replaced with fruit and sugar free puddings. Sodas and my beloved sweet tea are replaced with diet soda and water.

My only real concern now is with my fitness. I must get into shape. I must exercise more.

Starting - 260
Current - 239
Goal (for now) - 200

On cleanliness

Not dirty, uncluttered, crisp, clear, and pure. These are some of the words we associate with clean. Offensive odors are also considered unclean. Apply these to a house. A cluttered house is impossible to make clean (not dirty) to any reasonable satisfaction. What to do? I have suffered from TMS for the majority of my life. I had Too Much Shit in my house and it became a maze of items that were useless due to the absolute over-abundance of semi-useful things. A thing should only have value to you if you can make use of it. On this principle, I have purged my home of so many things it is ridiculous. My floors are no longer danger zones for bare feet and I have no fear of unexpected guests. I'm still a work in progress, my bedroom and a few of my closets are horrible, but Christmas vacation is soon, and I'll be able to enjoy a 100% clean home, the type where every door is open for prying eyes. It is hard, and it is a learned, not inborn skill, but the benefits are well worth it.

tired

I know I don't exactly physically exert myself too much, but the strain of trying to accomplish what I am doing is mentally exhausting. All this classwork and school and work. I am burning out and I'm glad I'm so close to the end. I'll need some time at a much slower pace before I do this again. I keep telling myself it will all be worth it soon, but not soon enough.

I try to make the most of my situation, but right now it just seems like an endless struggle for nothing and I'm getting tired of fighting.

wild week

Fall Semester ends next week. I'm in a good spot to make all B's. I need a few week to cool off the brain before the Hellish Spring term begins. It has kicked my ass, but I'm better for it.

I've lost 19 pounds as of this week. I'll be at ~30 lost by the start of Spring Semester. If all goes well, by Summer, I'll be under 200 for the first time in 15 years. I could reasonably be 180 by next school year. Cool.

I need to rebuild my home gym. I can no longer justify spending money on a gym membership I can not use regularly. I want to rejoin at a later date, just not now.

I'm so close to finishing my five-year plan. Upon completion, I'll do a little soul searching, see where I'm at, and start the next five year plan. I already have a few ideas....

so much stuff....

I have done so much this past week.

I had Thanksgiving in Allentown PA with Robyn's relatives. We walked around neighborhoods with mansions to burn off pumpkin pie. There were houses so big, it took several minutes to walk past them. I'd never seen such houses in my life in person. Her family up North are good people.

We went to Syracuse to visit more of her relatives. I had the best steak I've ever eaten. I want another one right now!!! Her Uncle was the cook/ owner in the restaurant. I can't stomach the prices up there. But wow the hospitality! Everything seems to work together better up North.

Maybe I'm just crazy, but the everything seemed better. The food was tasty, the people didn't drive like idiots, and the landscape and homes were beautiful. Too bad the job market is harsh.

I came home to sleepy NC and it was just ugly. The people were ugly, the food tasted bland, people drove like they had a death wish, and everything looked trashy.

Despite eating like a pig all weekend, I still lost weight! I think exercise is the key for me. I get good results when I'm moving, so I'll have to set up better exercise times for myself.

I'm settling into a solid "B" in all my classes, I wanted A's, but it's still nothing to be ashamed of considering my responsibilities.

updated....

The Dig for Forensic Anthropology is tomorrow, looking forward to that....not really. I'm really starting to wear down from this schedule I've put myself on and next semester will be the hardest yet. Summer will be a breeze, and I'll be done.

I'm making great progress on my weight loss. If I can't get time to "gym up", I'll have to try to "home gym up". For the price of membership, I could re-make my home gym. Pity, I really like going to the gym and I feel bad when I can't make it. It just seems like it refuses to fit into my current schedule.

I'm actively trying to trade the Cadillac for a Jeep. I've always liked Jeeps, perhaps I'll just Craigslist it and get something I could and would use.

I've discovered that despite myself, I am at best a "B" student. This is nothing to sneeze at, but I'm still only good for a "B" average. I hope I am above average in the remainder of my endeavors. That is still quite good. In fact, I think I've never been excellent at anything, just above average.

Everything is going as planned, and I'm well on course for July '08. Eight months and counting.....

The to do list.

I have a list of things I want to do in my life. Not really goals, just things I'd like to do.

1. I want to write a book.
2. I want to build a custom motorcycle.
3. I want to build a hotrod pickup.
4. I want to become athletic again.
5. I want to do some aspect of my career so well that I become renown for it.
6. I want to travel.

steady progress

I'm down to 245 today. I've lost 15 pounds so far.
I still can't get to the gym like I should and that's a shame since I really enjoy it.
I hate to sound like a testimonial, but weight watchers really works, because it's not a diet, you eat what you should have been eating all along and lose it very gradually, so your body doesn't feel like its starving and you don't go mad with cravings.

While you don't have to deprive yourself, you do have to make choices as to what's best for your health. Do you want a pile of cheese fries or do you want to have a body you can show off at the pool? You want a flat belly or a whole box of candy? Personally, I know what I want.

I've been averaging 2.5, but my first two weeks were dramatic, as most new eating patterns are. I pretty sure I'll start averaging 1 or 2 a week before long....still good.





Starting: 260
Current: 245
Goal: 200 (maybe less, first things first)

tired

I'm just plain old running out of steam. I need a break from classes to recharge my batteries.

results not typical.....

I love the heart felt testimonials of people who went on a diet and lost a metric ton of weight. They have the horrid, miserable before pictures followed by the incredible after shots. The same is true of weight lifting supplements. I lost 45 lbs!!!*


*results not typical


Ever wonder why "results not typical" if this new way is the greatest thing since god invented the Earth? Makes me wonder too. I have a theory and it goes like this: The typical person is too lazy to commit to what is necessary to achieve exactly what they want, so they settle for less than they want.

Everything in life worth achieving demands some sacrifice.

sad week for losers

I only lost one stinkin' pound! I have to control my weekend eating much better. A night of Chili's and of fried seafood is bad for the belly. 13 pounds is still nothing too shabby, I just want more. The way I'm doing it, however, is the healthiest and most sustainable way.

I know right now that when I get to a skinny weight, I'll have stretchy belly flab, and I don't know how I feel about that. Oh well, I guess I'll wear layers.

feeling better all the time

I've been dieting for 3 weeks and so far, so good. Next weigh-in is tomorrow morning. I'm hoping my exercise offsets two nights of being bad. I should still be ok, especially if I keep it tight today.(I have)

I've given up redbulls as a morning drink. Yes, they give you wings, and then you crash like Icarus. I've started with a B-12 supplement in the morning. As of right now, wow what a difference!

BTW the Texas Cheesefries at Chili's has more fat and calories that a person my size should eat in two days! beware.

a gym? what's that?

I've not been working out regularly since I got sick last March. I've pretty much flushed all the progress I made away. Now that I'm losing weight, I'll be losing muscle too. If I want that trend to stop, I need to act yesterday. I've been naturally strong for most of my adult life, I don't want to be a skinny weakling. So, I must make it a poit to get back into a gym routine.

How to tell when things are going great.

I have time to write in my blog that nobody reads.

good times....

Life isn't too perfect at the moment, but I realized:
1. I'm gainfully employed.
2. I'm in college bettering myself.
3. I'm losing weight on a diet.
4. I'm in a very strong relationship.
5. There is a point very soon where I'll be pulling out of some of this hardship.

I'm doing great these days.