Thursday, December 31, 2009

Rear view mirror

Howdy from the land of a spent new year and hopes in high gear!!

The year is gone, the next one coming.Man time flies when you are having fun.

I have taken some time to look behind me this year . While I did not get as far down the fat loss highway as I would have liked, I did get closer to my destination.While looking in the rear view mirror I found:

I walked 465.5 miles on the track at lunch
I started the year with 20 lbs. in my pack , today I will be carrying 34lbs.
I walked around 55 hours on the treadmill at the house
I did BWE 103 times
I started the year being able to do 3 sets of 7 pushups and can now do 3 sets of 25
I started the year worried I could never break 250 lbs , my lowest weigh in has been 214
I dropped 35+ pounds of fat

You will notice each of the items above started with "I". Now I should tell ya right now I did not do this all on my own. I did have help, in the form of encouragement, support,love,ridicule and insults. All of these things helped to keep me driving on. Because of all of these things I endeavor to persevere.

I want to thanks some of the folks that have helped me down the road.I will most likely forget someone ( I am old) so don't get your panties in a knot.

Thanks to: Janet for looking out the window and biting her lip and for giving me someone to love,Muata for the connection and encouragement,Tessa for the compliments,Mac for the man to man,Lelia for one of my first thoughts of "maybe I can" ,Andy for the kind words on the track,Lori for the inspiration in the hall,to all that have read my little blog,to the feller who told me I was a liar--I ain't, to the man that told me I was a dumbass---I could be but don't think so , and finally to all those people that have said "WOW good job" it made me feel like moving more.

So there you have a look in the rear view mirror for 2009. I guess after while we will put this year to bed.Grandpa would say it is just about time to piss on the fire and call in the dogs.

I have decided to make one (1) New Years Resolution------that being----2010 I WILL LOOK FORWARD.

Be safe , eat less , move more , laugh a lot , do the right thing.

Pearl of Wisdom form the mind of WEL
Don't put the key to happiness in someone else's pocket, best to keep it in your own.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

The trouble with weight loss

Howdy from the land of camp fires and hunting desires!

I read an article written by Barbara Berkeley on REFUSETOGAIN.TYPEPAD.COM and it really hit home with me. She was talking about tennis and weight loss. She said she has the habit , playing tennis, to make a really good shot and then just stand there and watch her opponent return the ball.She calls it "admiring the ball". Instead of getting ready for the return she just admires her shot and then falls prey to the return volley.

She said her weight loss has been that way also. She will lose a pant size and then glow in that accomplishment until she gains a few pounds back.

Now I can relate to that problem. It is easy to say, man I have done good, I am down 5 pounds and now I can relax a little.The problem with that mind set is I feel like as long as I am cutting calories and then "admiring the ball" I have not had enough personal growth to truly have changed my eating habits.

I know it took a long time to get to 305 pounds .It took years, decades really , of bad eating habits. And ,yes , my habits are a whole lot better than they were.But I can not help but wonder if the habit of admiring the ball will forever be laying right under the surface ready to return the volley.

For now , I will have to be content with planning, positive thinking, patience,and perseverance.

The journey continues, the road is long and narrow,it is full of pot holes, there are many detours but the destination is well worth the drive..

Oh yea, today only four of us were on the track at lunch----drizzling rain, 40 degrees----at was a blast, but my old man fingers did get cold.

Pearl of Wisdom from the mind of WEL
You are getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair as you used to get from a roller coaster.

Monday, December 28, 2009

To All Again

Howdy from the land of empty plates and bulging bellies!

Just a short note to say, I trust everyone had an exceptional Christmas. I know I did.
Along with family and friends I had enemies too.Yep, enemies---in the form of SUGAR! Damn stuff tried to get a strangle hold on yours truly. But today , I HAVE OVER COME, today I have shifted gears!

It will be a good week this week, getting back to my routine. I'll let you know how it goes.

Pearl of Wisdom form the mind of WEL.
Don't say you ain't gonna---say you don't wantta----that is easier to take back.

Monday, December 21, 2009

To ALL

Howdy from the land of Howdy Doody and Yogi Bear !!

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Safe New Year! Have fun,give thanks, eat well and move a little (or a lot).

Pearl of Wisdom from the Mind of WEL
Man ain't meant to be alone, better to have someone you can love.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

An average guy does the math

Howdy from the land of straight talkers and frustrated voters!!

I just don't know how the American people can hire as many card carrying social parasites as we do and send them to Washington to run OUR business.There ain't three of the whole damn bunch that has sense enough to pour piss out of a boot!

WOW, I feel better now.

I was thinking about my fat loss trip and how far I have come and how far I want to go. Back eighteen months ago , I really did not think I could get below 250 pounds, but I did.With each pound lost there was a pound of knowledge and a pound of confidence gained.While some of the effort to lose fat has not been easy , some has been simple to do.

Now that last sentence might sound a little contradicting but I have already told ya, I am kinda strange some times.

If I set about rating the effort to lose fat vs. the satisfaction of staying where I was and getting to where I want to be , it would look like this:

On a scale of 1-10----10 being hardest

How hard was it staying at 305 pounds? 10
How hard was it to start my journey? 8
That is +2 for beginning my trip.

How hard is it to be satisfied at where I am now? 8
How hard is it to continue with my trip? 4
That is +4 for moving on down the road AND it is getting easier!

When I say it was hard to stay at 305 pounds, I mean it was hard physically and emotionally. It was a drain looking and feeling like a slob.I knew it was at the time but had just damn near given up on any meaningful change.I know more than ever now, how hard it was. And, I'll bet a dime to a doughnut hole that if you are in the same situation YOU know how hard it is on you too.

Do the math-be honest with yourself-if I can do this anyone can.I have the same amount of control today as I did on 12-17-07----only now I choose to use some of the control I have.

Do yourself a favor and do the math.

If on the other hand you do the math and you decide that it is easier to stay the way you are and not take control over your life, I would suggest you send a Christmas card to your doctor. You will get to be close friends with him in time.

Pearl of Wisdom from the mind of WEL
Getting the truth situated in your mind sometimes is like nailing jelly to a tree.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Food ---a BIG THING ?

Howdy from the land of Christmas lights and the smell of wood smoke!

In an article posted on MLBF the other day Coach Maxwell is answering the most often asked question he gets----"What do you eat?"

Well, he has that what ya eat thing down to a science or should I say solid life style? Anyway, he made a statement towards the end of the article that goes---"I enjoy my food but it is no big thing."

Man now that is a mouthful!!I have planned 24 hour long drives by where we would eat breakfast or supper. Every family get together is planned around the FOOD, always has been.What is the big deal, you ask? I have been managing fairly well for 18 months, why wonder about it now?

I wonder about it now,concerned is more accurate, because FOOD is still a big deal. I still plan every damn meal. The last year I have planned most meals very well. But I still plan, it is still a BIG THING.I am concerned that I will never get to the point that "I enjoy my food but it is not a big thing".I worry that the FOOD is no different to me that the booze is to the alcoholic-----even if they never have another drink the alcohol is still a BIG THING.

BUT, if I ever get to the point that FOOD is not a BIG THING, then BAM!!!just like that I got the world by the ass on a down hill drag!!

I guess, I will just have to keep working on the issues I got and keep reading the road signs along the fat loss highway.Maybe one day the BIG THING will not be so BIG.

If you think of a way to get over that hurdle let me know.

Pearl of Wisdom from the mind of WEL
What don't kill ya, will make you stronger.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Control

Howdy from the land of freeze burnt plants and falling black jack leaves!

If the last week is an indication, we may be in for a real winter. Where the hell does Al Gore get his information?

During my fat loss journey, so far, I have read several good books. Some on nutrition some on exercise and some just for good reading and food for thought.One of these is a book named ISHMAEL.It is a book about a Teacher,a Student,a Man and a Gorilla. You should read it to find out which is which.

In the book Ishmael teaches his student an opinion of why man chose to stray from the order of the Gods and eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.Thus man gave up eternal life in the garden.The lesson was presented that man wanted to control his life, thus having his fate in his own hands.Now this is a story I have heard growing up but the "WHY" was never explained this way.

In reality we do have control of most aspects of our lives. We do make choices that lead us down this path or that path.No matter what you believe in I think we have more control than we accept in our lives.

I have come to realize the more control we accept that we have the more we can accomplish. I had control of everything I stuffed in my pie hole , my whole life. I was just too busy making excuses and living like the government (buy now,pay latter) to pay attention to where my choices were taking me.

I will now , whole heartily recommend, You pay attention to where your headed. It is easy to say "OH WELL".Take control, accept responsibility, you can do it---I am.

Pearl of Wisdom from the mind of WEL
Life is kinda like a bronc ride,if he goes right-go with him, if he goes left-go with him----just hang on and don't let go!

Friday, December 4, 2009

Holy Crap Batman it's SNOW!

Howdy from the land of blowing snow and empty walking tracks!

Yes sir, ain't every day it snows in Point Comfort ,Texas but it is today.Wet blowing snow and 36 degrees.

It was just me and Andy on the track at lunch, but hey, we got er done. I ain't scared and I'm a welder and I'm tuff!

Hell there was a time when I would long for weather like this so I could go to the cafe at lunch and eat a lot something warm.What a change of pace.

Pearl of Wisdom from the Mind of WEL
Everyone to their own tastes, said the Lady when she kissed the Pig

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Drive

Howdy from the land of planning and scheming , and looking back and day dreaming!

My mind works in funny ways, I am kinda strange.This morning I was listening to the radio on the way to work and Alan Jackson' DRIVE song came on. I like that song and will sing right along with it(sounds like a cat caught in a dryer).

The song made me go right back in time 45-50 years to sitting on the knee of my Grandpa and steering his old Avery tractor in a watermelon patch.Man you would have thought I was grown up, I am sure Grandpa was really steering but I felt I was in control.Anyhow, that memory got me to thinking on some of the many memories I have filed away me my mind.What a full library of memories I have!

While thinking about my memories I was struck by a thought, so I asked Janet for some paper so I could write it down because if I don't I will forget my thoughts and get really pissed at myself.

Anyway, my thought was , there is only two phases in my life---2 ---two.
ANTICIPATION
MEMORIES

I don't know which is more important to me.On one hand Anticipation is what drives me on but sometimes things do not pan out like I envisioned.And Memories are the bank account receipts of my life, but I tend to adjust them to remember it like I want.

What does this have to do with fat loss?Hell I don't know , but without Anticipating where I want to get, I don't think I could find the resolve to get there.And without the Memory of where I was , I don't think I would be able to stay where I will be.

If you have strange thoughts and you can tie them into losing some fat---I say go for it.I say the only thing worse than being weird and losing fat is being weird and staying fat!

Pearl of Wisdom form the mind of WEL
Live a good honorable life, when you get old you can look back and smile while you relive it.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The Internet Link

Howdy from the land of talcum powder and stinky socks!!

I have seen alot of changes in my 56 years, yea I know, not as much as my mother has seen and a lead pipe cinch not as much as Grandpa and Grandma saw. But I have seen some big changes.From how mobile we are , to how we throw things away, to our attitudes towards every value humans have.One of the biggest changes I have seen is the Internet.

I have always thought the Internet was the damnation of mankind.For a long time I hated everything about it. Mostly that came from being scared of it and what it could do to people.From I guy that can still type with just two fingers and an occasional thumb , I can tell ya there is a lot of good and bad that comes from the world wide web.One of the best things about it I think is it has linked us all together.

Yep, from the hick Cowboy in Texas to the college student in a war torn country reporting to the world what is happening to the man paddling the dug out in the Amazon River to the College Professor in California and back to the cowboy in Texas.Just that damn fast , the news, the information,the idea and the support flies. WHAT A DEAL!! We now have the whole world's information stores at our finger tips ( and my thumb too).We are linked together. We can find the difference between FACT,FICTION and PERCEPTION.We are all links in the chain.We are now , more than ever, linked together.

The best thing I have discovered about the Internet is the link I have with people who are willing to pull me in the right direction.I have noticed that some folks want to push you into everything. A few will pull you along with support and encouragement.My Dad was a PUSHER my MOM a Puller. Now there is a lot of Pushers on the WEB, way more than Pullers. But if ya read enough and research enough it soon become evident which is which.Most of the Pushers have something to sell--- a book, a vitamin or a plan.

The Puller is the leader---he says come with me , together we can learn this,this is why I say this.
The Pusher is the autocrat(bet ya didn't think I knew words like that)---he says, be reasonable, do it my way(sounds like some politicians and TV evangelists don't it).

I have had Pushers try and make me lose weight. I know they meant well, but I resisted.It took a Puller (several in fact)to convince me I could do this trip.One of the strong Pullers is Muata---what a leader!! "come with me he said,together we will learn how ,you have to find your path, this is how I did mine but there are many ways".

It is a good damn thing Al Gore invented the Internet or I would have missed out on some really important Pullers-----I wonder if I owe a thank you note to Al?

Stay with me, stay linked together, we are a strong chain, we can succeed.

Pearl of Wisdom from the mind of WEL
It is far easier to pull a chain than it is to push one.