While we were away ...

I'm back. When I took the break, I had no idea it would take four years to get back on here. Reminds me of a sound bite from Don Sutton when he was first starting out in the radio: "My partner has gone out for coffee. I had no idea he had to go to Orlando to get it." Or something like that.

So here's what you missed: I binged. My job brings me in contact with copious amounts of free food, much of it loaded with carbs. As a consequence, I turned into the Michelin Man. Turns out, that gig doesn't pay. He's a cartoon. Cartoons can't have bank accounts. Or bills.

But I digress. Last March, my wife and I were watching The Biggest Loser and found inspiration. If those folks could lose weight, then we could too. So first thing's first. I stepped on a scale. It screamed obscenities before spitting out a very disturbing number. 267. Twohunnertnsixtyseven pounds. If TBL wasn't motivation enough, that was.

Tammy designed the diet along the lines of Atkins/sugarbusters. Basically, cut the carb intake to less than 20 grams per day. Meats and greens good. Virtually everything else bad. No bread. No pasta. No sweets. No cereal. No non-diet soft drinks. Eggs and turkey bacon in spades.

We have totally changed our eating habits. I missed the bread and pasta something fierce. Spaghetti was a staple at our house. No more.

By October, I'd lost 40 pounds. Stepped on the scale one morning and it said 227. I'd like to get under 210.

Then the holidays hit. I've hovered around 230 since then, and this morning weighed in at 232.

Hit the exercise trail last May, resuming the walking. I've mixed in the running to where I'm doing three miles per outing, running increments that total 1.5 miles. That's what I did yesterday (Soundtrack: Do You Feel Like We Do by Peter Frampton, Everything About You by Ugly Kid Joe, Drop Dead Legs by Van Halen, It's Tricky by Run DMC, Short Skirt/Long Jacket by Cake, Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue, Radioactive by Pentatonix,Turn Up the Radio by Autograph)

I do not miss the weight. More than that, I feel better. Not chugging the antacids all the time because the indigestion just doesn't happen with the foods we're eating.

A note of encouragement: You can do this. It is simply a matter of deciding to do so and sticking to that commitment.

My thought now is to use this as a mileage log in addition to my brain droppings. One stop shopping, as it were.

Weight: 232. Year to date mileage on foot: 14