Date:

03 May 2003

Time:

22:08:34

Todays Journal

I felt guilty having beer after work yesterday so I did an extra cardio today. I did enjoy last night but have to keep it in perspective where moderation is what counts from now on in life. John has given me many insights and I have some ideas I will try when the challenge is over. While I may not be as restricted I will be looking at the big picture whenever I cook from now on. This new way of submitting journals is great and I am sure everyone appreciates the amount of work John has put into maintaining the site for us. Now it is our turn to take over. Has anyone else noticed that when you channel surf you invariably stop at any cooking show that is on? I do and I gather different taste ideas which I will experiment with later. I finally got my Bodies n Motion sweats and shirt on Friday and my wife already wears the pants (as usual). I get the rest but she says she likes them so there is another sacrifice to the challenge. Tomorrow is cooking day so I think I will go out and get a nice piece of fish. Keep up the great work everyone.
 

Date:

05 May 2003

Time:

00:19:45

Todays Journal

I am having a hard time maintaining my focus today. Seem to be in a real depressed frame of mind. While I did not cheat on the diet I have not been as tempted since the beginning to just have something really decadent and sweet. Hopefully it is a passing phase. I will do better tomorrow although it will be back to the books for my last exam. I can't wait to get these over with. When I am studying I don't get my real work done and unfortunately there is nobody else who can do what I do where I work. Looking at it that is probably why I am so depressed right now as I am falling further and further behind.

Date:

05 May 2003

Time:

18:33:26

Todays Journal

Still feeling a bit low and out of focus. I have to do a workout and I have some grass to cut and some chores to do before the hockey game. Still have a lot of studying to do for my last exam. Trying real hard to keep smiling.

Date:

06 May 2003

Time:

16:44:33

Todays Journal

Well when it rains it sure pours. I have been trying to get back on track mentally but am having a real hard time. I am definately suffering from brain overload from all the studying and feel exhausted before I even do anything during the day. As soon as I get up I just want to go back to bed and rest. My exercise routine has fallen a little behind and to top that off I broke the chain on my poor old exercise bike. I took a tumble onto my free weights when the wheel jammed up but did not do any damage. I have a new master link and will be attempting to repair the bike after I post this entry. The studying is also playing havoc with timely eating as when I get going I tend to keep going until I finish what I am doing. While I have not broken down and eaten the wrong things I feel way out of whack because of timing. All this studying is also starting to take a toll on my family life as I am not available to assist as much as I would want. My boys are my life and I feel like s@#t right now because I am not there for them. I am hoping to get this over with this week and get back to my schedule next week but am feeling overwhelmed with the amount of work I still have to do. I have made my assesmment appointment but am not looking forward to it as I feel I have let myself slide too much. Everything is hitting me at once and I am trying my best to cope but I have not been able to use my old crutches. They were bad habits that I am trying to stay away from but it is getting harder by the day. The one positive I have in mind right now is I have not broken down and keep telling myself I will not break down. Stumbling is one thing but falling off track totally is something I desperately want to avoid. I need a break but don't see one on the horizon any time soon. I am quitting my studies for the day and am going to do some exercises and fix the bike now.

Date:

07 May 2003

Time:

23:43:06

Todays Journal

Still feel the same today. All day studying. Not much else going on now.

Date:

08 May 2003

Time:

19:47:17

Todays Journal

Same old same old. Study, study,study. My bike is fixed but I have no time. Gotta get this over with. Feel really low.

Date:

09 May 2003

Time:

22:20:39

Todays Journal

More studying today. My exam is on Tuesday. I decided to take the afternoon away from studying and did three hours of yardwork to try and get my mental gears going. Now I am going to soak in a tub. I won't be at the Sea Wall hike but I will be at Gators tomorrow night.

Date:

11 May 2003

Time:

00:15:19

Todays Journal

John was a great inspiration tonight. He managed to hit the nail on the head with his comments. I just wish more people could have been there to see and hear it all. I was thinking of some of the things he mentioned and have a lot of thinking to do tonight. I will talk more tomorrow when I have had a chance to digest it all.

Date:

11 May 2003

Time:

14:39:07

Todays Journal

John was right on the money last night. He aired some thoughts I am sure we have all been harbouring deep down within ourselves. We are the ones in charge and we are who is going to make a difference. While we all have rough times and schedules this program will teach us how to live the rest of our lives. Even when we cheat or fall back think of how few times we have done it compared to three months ago instead of how many times we slipped. We all have to change our focus. As John indicated we are at the crossroads and we must get through it. It may take a while but lets all do it. The meeting was another good one even though there were not that many in attendance. Those that were there I believe left feeling stronger and with our commitment levels back to the very first day. I try to look at it one day at a time (we have all heard that before) but that is what works for me. I know in advance when I will have a treat so I can look forward to it and not let the spur of the moment take me. When I look back over my journals and other written facts for the past two months I see someone well on the way to a far healthier life style and even though I have been questioning internally a little John reminded us of why we are here. Those who have the trainers are lucky and should make full use of these peoples time as it is irreplaceable. Those of us struggling on our own will have to keep committed. Now it is cooking day so off to the kitchen I go.

Date:

13 May 2003

Time:

01:42:55

Todays Journal

Well test day is tomorrow. I have done what I can (days of reading facts) and will just have to see what happens. I will be glad it is over and can then get back to a degree of normalcy.

Date:

13 May 2003

Time:

15:08:02

Todays Journal

YAHOO!! I have passed my exams with flying colours. Now I can get back on the ball with everything else that has been happening in my life. I am going to celebrate now by doing upper body and cardio workouts. This will be the first time I can say I am on track for the past three weeks. Now I feel like I can take on the world. A real heavy weight shifted from my shoulders when I got the results from the third final.

Date:

14 May 2003

Time:

17:24:48

Todays Journal

Well I just had my second assessment with Neaghn and while there was no dramatic weight loss my fat content continues to plummet. I was honest in that I have not been working out as diligently due to excessive stress but when I used to reach for the cookie box I found that I would reach for an apple, orange or some other type of fruit. Even when I was maxed out I made a better choice. While not 100% on the diet the healthier choices are definately happening and I feel better for that. Now I need to get my workout done for the day and get back on the straight and narrow that John has shown us all.

Date:

15 May 2003

Time:

20:55:24

Todays Journal

I broke my bike again. I guess it has been worn out by me over the last two months. I will have to check on a new one. I prefer the bike to the treadmill. I have started working out again and it feels good to get back into the rhythm of it. I will be looking forward to the next meal thing with Sergio as I could not make it to this one. He has a lot of great ideas. After getting my exams over and done with I have been feeling a lot better and a lot happier. Stress is the great killer of commitment. I am anxiously awaiting the changes for stage three that are the result of my last assessment. I noticed looking back over my logs that I gained some weight back after reaching a low. I hope to get a little more weight off but my body will do as it pleases when it comes to setting up its thresholds. I am just happy to be wearing jeans I have not been able to wear for two years and they fit. Things are really starting to look up now.

Date:

16 May 2003

Time:

22:50:16

Todays Journal

I had a good day today. It is amazing how much better you feel when the stress drops off. (a long weekend helps too) Unfortunately I had my first bad meal splurge for dinner tonight. We have one of my sons friends overnight so we got pizza and I did have some. I did enjoy it but felt a little guilty after it. All my other so called bad decisions pale in comparison to this one though. Guess what is for dinner tomorrow now....chicken. I felt really heavy after eating so for all the taste sensations it was afterward when I felt the effects. While I do like pizza it will be a while before I have another. I will be seeing Neaghn on Monday to get the exercises straightened out as far as how to do them them with good form. From what I hear she is a hard teacher but well worth it. I will need the next two days off to get ready.

Date:

18 May 2003

Time:

00:16:13

Todays Journal

Today was another good day. While I did not get much work around the house done I enjoyed my day off. The weather wasn't the greatest for getting out in the garden anyway. Tomorrow I hope it is a little better. I have been eating a lot of the stir-frys lately and am actually getting used to the heat and the wok. There are less complaints than in the past. I guess it is just practice. My schedule is off this weekend as Sunday is my normal cooking day but I don't need work meals for Monday so I will cook then. I have come to the realization that I should probably get a new bike to replace the old one I have been using. I will have to visit Chris and see what he has. Mine is definately showing the signs of more use than ever in the last two months and is wearing out.

Date:

19 May 2003

Time:

04:14:20

Todays Journal

Well it is actually very early Monday morning but I just got in from the Drive-in with my sons. That topped off a pretty good day where I managed to get a lot done around home. Now it is off to bed as I have to meet Neaghn in a few hours.

Date:

19 May 2003

Time:

21:12:04

Todays Journal

Felt really good today. Something about a long weekend brings out the best in us. I met with Neaghn and three other challemgers today and while I am not doing drastically wrong form she did find quite a few areas to correct. She said they were minor but I will have to focus on what she said more. She then gave us a short, intense leg workout that left a bit of a burn in the legs. After that I did a cardio upstairs. When I got home I still had work to do so I continued on out in the yard. It felt good to get out in the sun and get things done as I have been ignoring the outside chores for a while. Now I need to cook for the rest of the week.

Date:

21 May 2003

Time:

00:01:46

Todays Journal

Another good day today (apart from the weather). I went to see Chris at Rocky Mountain Fitness as my old exercise bike started to fall apart on me. He lent me a bike while he gets some parts in to fix the one I am buying. He gave me a great deal and to let me use a bike as a loaner is a real bonus, he is a really great guy. Because of that I got in a good cardio workout today. I am making arrangements so I can get in to the gym after work again as I have to keep my son on track with homework etc. and if I am not there when he gets home it is sometimes forgotton in school. That is the biggest issue that keeps me away from the gym for periods of time. I am sure you all realize that family must be first. I am doing this for them but I must also balance what I do with the effects on them. It is a lot of give and take. I managed to bet all my meals for the week prepared so it is real easy at night to get organized now. I remember the first few days and the panic in the morning and now I am fairly relaxed getting ready and out the door. I plan my mornings the night before so I know I have the time. It makes all the difference when you start the day of proper.

Date:

21 May 2003

Time:

23:42:14

Todays Journal

I just got home from another Cub Group Committee meeting. I am no longer a Leader but still do secretary duty for the Group. People can see a real difference in my facial features over when I started this challenge., especially those who have not seen me for a while. I look skinnier even if I have not lost as much weight as I want. I have hit my weight plateau and this has always been my problem area. This time I will stick it out and hope to lose a few more pounds. I am trying not to fixate on weight but that is hard to do when we have been ingrained from birth with that as the milestone. I just have to re-shape some areas and would be happy at this weight if I could do that. I am sticking to the diet no matter what. On Monday I had a real craving for some McDonalds fries and a cheeseburger but I said no. I instead went to a flower shop and spent the little money I had on flowers for my wife. It surprised her as I am not really a flowers type of guy. I just wished her Happy Monday and left it at that. It was the better decision overall. I don't get many cravings but once in a while one will sneak up behind me and smack me in the back of the head. So far I have been able to roll with them and will continue to do so. I am going to get an early night tonight as I have been a bit tired the last couple of days.

Date:

22 May 2003

Time:

18:48:46

Todays Journal

It is almost Friday. I get to send my youngest son off to camp this weekend with Cubs but I will need the break as I have to pressure wash all day Saturday and Sunday. I took a break from chicken and bought some salmon the other day. It was nice for a change. I also checked out the recipes from Sergio and they look really good and I would like to give some of them a try. I believe I have learned enough over the last few months to get it right but what does John think. They say we can substitue and I find I am reading the labels on things which I never used to care about at all. Now I notice fats, protein, minerals etc. although I do not have them memorized. I got a message from Neaghn telling me my assesment results will be done soon. It seem there was a computer problem. Now its off to check homework, pack for camp and cook dinner.

Date:

23 May 2003

Time:

23:16:30

Todays Journal

I had a stressful day today. Everything was on track until I got a call that my son had a fainting spell at school. You know what those calls are like so I dropped everything and went to pick him up. He is fine now but you always hate to get a call like that. I was supposed to meet Phyllis today to get my plan but I had to call and leave a a message that I would not be there. I feel bad but family first is always my motto and I will not compromise that in any way. I am sure everyone understands where I come from in that regard. Needless to say my workout schedule got shot today. I think I will more than make it up on the weekend as I am going to be pressure washing all weekend. If you have ever done it you know how demanding it can be on your body. The joys of owning a house. The labour never ends. I am going to relax now for the rest of the night.

Date:

24 May 2003

Time:

19:33:32

Todays Journal

I have just finished pressure washing all day and I am beat. It is more awkward this time because I used to wedge the wand under my belly and it was the perfect height. Now my belly doesn't hold it in place as well. What a thing to complain about. It is just one of the ways that I notice the changes still going on. The new changes are not as dramatic but are still there. I really have to invest in a hot tub as I could use one now.

Date:

25 May 2003

Time:

21:52:59

Todays Journal

Another day of pressure washing. What joy. I have noticed that even though I cannot wedge the wand in the way I used to and have to use my arms more I am not as tired as I would expect. While I am fairly stiff it is not what I remember from previous years. It turned into a really nice day so it was better than yesterday in the rain. I have arranged to get my new plan tomorrow and am looking forward to see what is in it. I will have to drop by Gators and pick up some more supplies. It seems that I am going through them faster even though I don't think I am consuming more. Only one more week and then we are into June. This year is flying past and seems to be disappearing quickly. We are half way through this challenge already and it hardly seems like it as the time seems to flow by. Now it is R & R time for the rest of the night.

Date:

26 May 2003

Time:

23:54:31

Todays Journal

I have finished my pressure washing and I am nowhere near as stiff as I have been previously. Now it is time to get the other 101 things done that need doing. I met with Neaghn today and got my new plan. There is a God as I am allowed more food. That is the upside but the flip side to that it is far more work. It looks kind of fun though and I am looking forward to seeing how far I can push this. So far things have been going along just fine but the changes are far more subtle now. I will have to see pictures to run a comparison for myself. I see me every day so it is harder to notice dramatic differences. I have to place my order at Gators for Monday as I have just about run out of everything. It is amazing how fast we go through the supplements. I will be shopping for some new shirts soon in order to fit the new me. I am looking forward to that.

Date:

27 May 2003

Time:

22:36:24

Todays Journal

It seems like the chores never end. You just get finished one and then there is another. I am also going to have to get my truck fixed as insurance comes up next month and they will not AirCare a vehicle which does not idle. Another scam by Government. I am finding things a little easier right now as the days are getting longer and while I am working outside I am seeing a difference around the house. My summer job is to finish painting the outside. I started last year but the weather changed before I could really get going. Now it is time to get it done. I can be the world's greatest procrastinator at times but even I can tell when it has been too long. Work is also going smoother since I passed my exams and don't have to juggle evrything at once. We are probably going to go away next weekend for the start of our camping season. We spend most of our free time aout of town. This year they upgraded the training room where we go so there is enough equipment to do a complete workout. This means I can keep things going even when I am not at home.

Date:

29 May 2003

Time:

00:27:37

Todays Journal

Happy Birthday to me. I had a cheat this afternoon in that I had two cheese scones. While they are bad I was thinking it was better to have them during the day than at night. They were instead of dessert after dinner. I had a nice piece of salmon for dinner instead of the traditional steak. I did a late evening workout with some extra time on cardio (for the scones). I hope to see you all tomorrow.

Date:

29 May 2003

Time:

23:16:53

Todays Journal

Well that was some meeting. John was very forthcoming and while he says he deserves no thanks because we are doing the challenge he is still the one pointing the way out to us. It is unfortunate that the sponsorship fell through the way it did but John has done a remarkable job treading water after the boat sank. I for one have no regrets about what has happened as I stated previously I have already won. Just look at the pictures and you will know it. It is harder to do things by yourself but it can be done. I wish John and his staff the best during these times and I know they will all rebound and be the stronger for it. "That which does not kill you makes you stronger" I hope everyone feels the same way that I do in that I will not quit. We have all come too far for that now. Lets all finish with flourish!

Date:

30 May 2003

Time:

18:26:30

Todays Journal

Its Friday. Now the second job begins if you are a homeowner. Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. It was a great day today. The sun was shining and everything went very well. When everything goes good there is not much to talk about. I just kind of floated through today and tried not to let the world get me down. It worked today so we will see what happens tomorrow.

Date:

01 Jun 2003

Time:

00:50:36

Todays Journal

I just finished a late night extra cardio. I felt guilty about dinner so I did some work. We had a big piece of salmom so I made Salmon Wellington at my wifes request, hence the workout. I tried to keep some of the worst ingredients out (cream etc.) but that is hard. Today was another day of chores. The honey-do list just gets longer and longer. In a way I am looking forward to next weekend as we are going away camping so I won't have to work around home. We all need our breaks. We will we spending a lot of weekends out of town this summer as we like to get away from it all.

Date:

01 Jun 2003

Time:

23:51:50

Todays Journal

Thw weekend is over already. It sure didn't feel long enough. Lots of stuff still to be done. Had a lay-a-bout kind of day today. I did some stuff inside but not a lot. I will have to remember to go to Gator's after work as I have already placed my order. I also have other stops to make right after work. Looks like another evening workout.

Date:

02 Jun 2003

Time:

21:31:38

Todays Journal

Another day is almost done. I stopped at Gators to get supplies and even though it was Muscle Monday...OUCH. The good thing is that I should have enough to get me through the next two months. Because of all my running around I will be doing my workout in about half an hour. I have to let dinner get settled properly so I am not just burning up what I have eaten. I have out trailer set up so we can clean and get ready for the weekend. It will be our first weekend away this year. I am really looking forward to not having to do anything around the house for a couple of days. It just seems to go on and on with no end in sight. I will be picking up my bike at Rocky Mountain on Wednesday and also bought myself a nice dumbell set. If I am going to do this I may as well get set up now and have the equipment to continue on. I will get the boys organized and then start my workout for tonight. My wife is working late so I have to get through bedtimes, showers, etc.

Date:

04 Jun 2003

Time:

00:11:17

Todays Journal

I had my first game of golf this year at our annual IT tournament. I actually won a nice lighter for the closest to the pin. I figured that walking aroung a golf course qualified as my cario for the day (swinging clubs did not make up for a workout though). I even chose chicken over steak at the dinner afterwards. I did have a couple of beer but that is just being social. I will work harder tomorrow. People noticed that I have lost some weight. The weather looks good for the rest of the week and the weekend which is great for camping. I am keeping my fingers crossed for it to hold.

Date:

05 Jun 2003

Time:

00:24:16

Todays Journal

What a day it has been. Some things went right and some things went wrong. Just one of those mixed up kind of days. I have had to stop the exercises for a couple of days due to a minor health problem. It should be cleared up by the weekend. I hope to start making it up when we are away on the weekend. Only two more days to go befor a break. Boy do I feel like I need it now.

Date:

05 Jun 2003

Time:

21:36:19

Todays Journal

One more day to go. Had to do a lot of running around today even though I was not feeling to good. I had to insure our trailer and make sure everything was ship shape. I have had to change the location of an outside tap which involved crawlspace work (yuck) and am still trying to find some time to get the pool done. I managed to at least get a cardio done today but the weights are still a couple of days off. It was tougher as the weather has become extremely warm the last few days and I am not really a warm weather person. I am hoping it continues through the weekend though as my family likes it warm.

Date:

06 Jun 2003

Time:

16:48:22

Todays Journal

Short and sweet. We are going away for the weekend so I will not be able to put in a journal tomorrow. I want to get on the road early. I hope to get some kind of exercise/workout done this evening. I will keep you posted on Sunday.

Date:

08 Jun 2003

Time:

22:40:53

Todays Journal

We went camping for the weekend and boy was it hot. I spent between half an hour and forty five minutes in the sun and am now a bright lobster red. This is my summer colour change as I do not tan very easily. I hide a lot from the sun and stay in the shadows. It was a little hard to stay focused on the food issue when I was away but I kept pretty much on target with a few little treats. I did use the exercise room up there and it seemed I was the only one who used it. The only other people I saw in the vicinity of the room was my family coming back from the pool and seeing if I was actually doing what I said I would. Now I am just relaxing and getting ready for the Monday reality tomorrow.

Date:

10 Jun 2003

Time:

01:10:24

Todays Journal

Reality has returned. After a totally relaxing weekend there is work. I picked up my dumbells from Chris today and noticed how much better they feel than my old ones. They just seem to balance better and make it easier to concentrate on the exercise instead of compensating all the time. Since the new diet has kicked in I have noticed I am not as hungry later in the day. The few extra calories seem to do the trick. I even forgot to watch the hockey game tonight as I was busy around the house. I would never have missed the Canucks though.

Date:

11 Jun 2003

Time:

00:42:40

Todays Journal

Another day gone which did not have enough hours in it. I really pushed the intervals tonight and my legs are still burning (especialy on the stairs.) It hurt when I came off the bike but as all of you know that is a good kind of hurt. I am still valiantly trying to get the abs down but all those years of beer seem to be taking a while to counteract. It is slowly happening and there has been quite a difference but I want to get rid of more around the middle. Hard work is the only thing that will do that. Time just seems to be flying by right now. School will be out for the summer and we will have our little darlings around all day. I will be waiting for the end of August for my holidays this year but it will be worth the wait. By then I will be ready to relax no matter what happens. It just seems like they are so far away right now.

Date:

11 Jun 2003

Time:

22:04:32

Todays Journal

Well I blew it for tonight. I was down in my crawlspace moving an outside tap and during my rolling around I put my hand down on the hot end of my torch. I won't be doing a workout tonight as it hurts. I am still going to go down for my hour of cardio though. Hopefully this injury will pass within a couple of days but I will have to see what the blister is going to do. I am still bouncing around that threshold weight my body seems to like without going up or down more than a few pounds. This is the plateau that I have always hit and this is the one I would like to pass. There is still room for a little more weight to go but I will just have to see what happens. I do not want to start burning muscle tissue. As Neaghn sent in an email "let’s continue to inspire and be inspired and finish off strong." We are all almost there and I hope everyone feels as I do in that John has really turned me around in how I look at things and what I do about them.

Date:

13 Jun 2003

Time:

00:19:00

Todays Journal

The weekend is almost here although I am not going anywhere this time. The swelling on my hand has gone right down so I will be able to workout tomorrow. I have my next assesment on Wednesday which is where the truth all comes out. While I am hoping for some further weight loss I don't really think so. I think my body is saying this is where we are comfortable. I will still be trying though. I saw someone I hadn't seen since the beginning and they said that there is a real difference in me so I had to explain what I have been doing. It felt good to let someone know of a positive program. They said it sure is working for me and that felt good. As with all of us we look at ourselves daily and don't see the dramatic changes going on. When we look at the progress pictures is when we realize fully what is happening. I for one am looking forward to the new me after John has finished with me. It has changed the way I think.

Date:

14 Jun 2003

Time:

11:19:24

Todays Journal

Ooops. With all my running around last night I forgot to put in an entry. I had one kid going one way and another kid going the other way so things just got a little hectic. It was a good day yeaterday not only becuase it was Friday. It felt like things were atarting to come together in everything I had been doing all week. I got in a cardio workout at night but did not have enough time for more. I will attempt to make up this weekend but my chores list is rather long.

Date:

14 Jun 2003

Time:

23:54:22

Todays Journal

I did absolutely nothing today. I took advantage of one of my sons being at camp to get the other one a game for the Playstation so I did nothing (except cook). I found a great way to do cardio. I moved the bike to the tv room and now I plug in a video and ride while watching that. I use the VCR timer to set up intervals and as long as the volume is up it is easier to keep going. I find a movie with a fast soundtrack works best for me followed by any kind of action movie. It just seems that time goes by quicker that way and you don't notice the burn as much, until you get off that is.

Date:

15 Jun 2003

Time:

16:05:44

Todays Journal

Well it is Fathers Day and here I am busier than other weekends. The Sunday regimen will be kicking in soon as I start to cook my meals for the week. Happy Fathers day to all the dads.

Date:

16 Jun 2003

Time:

23:43:03

Todays Journal

Well my crawlspace adventures are over. I have been moving plumbing and wiring under the house for what seems like forever. I am just too cheap to pay someone to do the dirty work. I used to insulate those things when I was a lot younger and now I have remembered why I did not like that job. I just finished my hour of cardio and am feeling mighty tired right now. We are away for the weekend again so I have to get everything organized by Thursday so we can leave before the rush on Friday. That is one benefit to working the early bird hours in that I am off at two and then can hook up the trailer and we are gone before rush hour. This weekend is something I cannot get out of and I will be missing the rock climbing. That is something I really wanted to do as I have done some about fifteen years ago and really enjoyed it. The problem I would have now is I cannot hug the face quite like I used to. I got a compliment yesterday from another Cub parent as he saw me coming down the path in the sun and mentioned that I am definately a lot slimmer. It just goes to show that we get jaded looking at ourselves but other people can really notice the difference. A few more weeks of help from John, Neaghn and the rest of the team and I will be on my own. I know now that I have turned my life around and that while I may not be as rigid in the following years I will at the very least be making a lot healthier choices from now on. Thanks everyone for the support.

Date:

17 Jun 2003

Time:

20:06:04

Todays Journal

One word describes my afternoon. MIGRAINE!!! Good night.

Date:

18 Jun 2003

Time:

18:06:35

Todays Journal

WAHOO!! I just had my assessment from Neaghn and it went better than I could have wished for. I am now down to 187.5 lbs. I have not weighed in that low for about 10 years. My fat content has gone down further still to 6.5% and I still managed to gain 3 lbs. of muscle. While I have not been able to find time to do the exercises all the time I have been making time for cardio and working out whenever I could fit some time in. Neaghn is going to adjust my program so it will not take quite so long to complete as with summer I have far to much to do outside in the yard. I seem to have passed the plateau that I always got stuck at previously and am only 2.5 lbs away from what I wanted to get out of this. I am still shrinking in an overall sense but boy is this program working. I will be out of town on the weekend so unfortunately will miss the planned events. You can bet that with results like this I will keep it up no matter what happens. I found Portobello mushrooms on sale lately and I have been using them for cooking quite a bit. They are good and have a surprising amount of protein in them. Variety within reason is what I am learning and how to adapt to it. I am far more conscious of what and how much I eat now than I have ever been before. The abs are even starting to look better although they are still a long way from a six pack. That will come in time and we all have plenty of time after the program to continue on. I cannot thank the Bodies 'N Motion team enough for what I have accomplished with their help. While they are the first to say it is all us it is truly them who have set us on the right path. I can honestly say that I am no longer in the highest risk group and I will be keeping it that way. I stil have a major headache but I feel so good right now I do not care about it. I will not push and do my cardio yet as when the blood pressure goes up the back of my eyes wants to come out the front. I will continue tomorrow. Let's go everyone as we only have another 4 weeks to go.

Date:

19 Jun 2003

Time:

21:17:30

Todays Journal

Well my headache finally left me at about 11:00 this morning. The results of my assessment are still sinking in. It has put me in a really good mood. Everyone at work was really impressed and very supportive (especially Karen Ring as she knows what is happening) Last night was another early night for me as I could not handle any workout. My next stage is ready and I am trying to link up with Neaghn before I go away. If not I will get it on Monday. I am curious as to what adjustments have been made. Whatever it is I will be keeping to it as so far it has worked extremely well.

Date:

20 Jun 2003

Time:

16:59:28

Todays Journal

Heading out for the weekend. Will continue updates on Sunday evening.

Date:

24 Jun 2003

Time:

00:03:54

Todays Journal

Now where was this weather on the weekend. All I saw was rain. I stopped by quickly and saw Neaghn on Friday for my new program. As promised she has modified it somewhat to gain me some time without losing any of the effort. I am now only doing 45 minutes of cardio but I have pumped up the intensity to make up for it. When I was finished I was just about ready to fall off the bike. The legs are still burning now. The weight program is now being done with an absolute minimum of breaks and I work to the failure point. The ache is a good ache though as we only have 4 weeks to go and I want to really go at it to end it all. I have promised myself a steak to celebrate but I will not be abandoning the program totally when this is over. I am very happy with the results and I definately want to maintain them.

Date:

24 Jun 2003

Time:

16:52:43

Todays Journal

Today is another busy day. My oldest son is graduating from grade 7 and the activities start in a short while. I will get cardio done at least and hope for the rest. Like I said yesterday...Where was this weather on the weekend? Oh well we are going away on Friday again but I will be back on Sunday evening to work Monday then off again Monday night until we come back on Wednesday. It is lucky we have such good neighbours to look out for things when we are away. I will have to keep motivated during the camping season. So far so good.

Date:

25 Jun 2003

Time:

21:49:19

Todays Journal

Every muscle aches today. I had a heavy yard day and after doing weights and cardio I am now thrashed. All I want to do now is soak my weary bones. I had a few comments last night from parents as it was my sons graduation from grade seven. They say there is a noticeable difference in my looks. When you get these type of comments it makes it all the more worth while. I definately hope this weather holds as we are going away again this weekend. We do spend a fair bit of time away and I didn't really think about it until I have to do something like a daily journal. It is my way of stress relief though as when you are around the house you always see the work to be done instead of the work that has been done (kind of like this challenge). I guess I am never happy because if I didn't have anything to do I would go squirrely from boredom. Oh well off to the tub for a nice long soak.

Date:

27 Jun 2003

Time:

01:27:53

Todays Journal

What a day. Up at 4:30 and here it is 11:30 and I have just finished packing down the tent trailer for this weekend. I feel like I moved the earth although a few hundred pounds of gear is more like it. I will not be able to do much journaling this weekend as I leave tomorrow. My wife has the week off so she will be away for five days but I am coming back on Sunday to feed the animals and work on Monday. Then I am taking Wednesday to get away for most of a long weekend. I will update everyone as I can.

Date:

27 Jun 2003

Time:

13:15:14

Todays Journal

This is just a quick entry from work. I am leaving in about 45 minutes so I will update things on Sunday night. maybe someone else will actually use the exercise room apart from me.

Date:

30 Jun 2003

Time:

08:47:40

Todays Journal

I had to come back from camping in order to work today. I was bad on Saturday in that I ate totally wrong and did no exercise at all. I guess we all have a binge day but I still feel guilty about it. I told myself and my family that as of Monday I am back on track and will be using the equipment at the campground. I have to work Monday but will be leaving afterwards to get back up to the campground. I left my wife and kids there to have lots of fun without me and they are having pancakes and hot dogs today as I cannot eat that type of food. I will have to do some extra cardio to make up for Saturday but as long as I can maintain focus that problem will go away. I have also discovered I no longer like smores. I used to think they were great camp treats but when I tried one on Saturday night I could only go yuck. It just felt too cloyingly sweet to enjoy. I guess that is one source of summer fat I will not have to deal with any longer. Sorry for the infrequency of the journal entries at the moment but I will be away from internet access again until at least Wednesday night if not Thursday morning. I need to get away once in a while. More updates will follow.

Date:

03 Jul 2003

Time:

08:15:43

Todays Journal

Boy can camping be good and bad. Seeing as it was our first time away for the summer break I took a break from exercising and splurged on food for the last week. The good is that we all had a great time away even when the rain came for a couple of days. The bad news is that I gained about a pound a day. This morning was the first day of getting back on track. It was really easy to fall off but as it was my wife's first week of holidays I decided not to worry about it too much. Now I have to get back to where I was two weeks ago. This just proves to me that it has to be a long term commitment to this change as my old habits are really detrimental to a healthy body (as if I needed any more proof than when I started) Today will be a little extra cardio and exercise to start the catch up. I won't be going away for any extended times now until the end of August so it will be a lot easier to maintain things in the coming months. Apart from the guilt of not following through I must admit that it was good to get away from the stress of work and not worry about everthing that goes on daily and if it is any consolation I did read three books during my down time.

Date:

04 Jul 2003

Time:

00:33:06

Todays Journal

Well I only did a minimal cardio today as my son's and I had dentist appointments after work. I totally forgot about them until my wife reminded me. I still feel the effects of the last week of not doing the program when I was away. I don't think I will let it go so long again as it is hard to get motivated again. The food is back on track and we had a nice piece of salmon for dinner. We have two meals out this weekend so I am going to eat a meal before going out so I do not go hog wild over food. That is a strategy that worked before and it is now time to get those ideas back. I wanted to finish strong but a short vacation was needed for maintaining my sanity. After a week of not getting up for work it was hard to get started today. I will be chanting "one day at a time" all day tomorrow to get back on track.

Date:

04 Jul 2003

Time:

23:53:43

Todays Journal

Today was the day for getting back at it. Boy can you feel the difference when you miss some time. I will probably do a little extra on the weekend to try and atone for my camping excursion. I have a lot of chores to get done this weekend but I am going to make time for exercising. The weather looks like it will cooperate with me for getting outside stuff done. I had something different today for dinner.....turkey. Not much of a change but you need to do something.

Date:

06 Jul 2003

Time:

00:37:22

Todays Journal

Today was a good day. I managed to do my cardio and most of a workout just after I got up. I found my energy levels a bit lower but they recovered when I had breakfast. I can see the benefits of an early workout but I don't know if I could handle getting up even earlier to accomplish it. I will stick to my afternoons as that seems to fit in to my schedlule better. We went to a BBQ tonight and while I stayed on track with the food and didn't eat too much I did have a couple of beers and a couple of glasses of wine. My wife was the driver going home. I will be doing some kind of light program tomorrow as I am trying to make up for my weeks lapse. I do not want to overdo it even though I am catching up again.

Date:

06 Jul 2003

Time:

22:09:27

Todays Journal

Today was another day where I did cardio just after getting up. I must admit it works good for the rest of the day as then I don't have to block out time for it when I am busier. We also had another dinner to go to tonight. This one I stayed fairly good with food but had no alcohol. We had salmon the past two nights and now I about to go and BBQ a weeks worth of chicken for lunch. We made a bunch of brown rice the other day so it is already in the fridge. Timing is everything and cooking for the week is definately the best way to go. I decided to BBQ this time for a different flavour sensation. I won't be going camping for another couple of weeks but I will have to be a little stronger next time. The last trip was my blowout. Time to go as the BBQ and assorted chores are calling.

Date:

08 Jul 2003

Time:

01:02:14

Todays Journal

Another day where you just feel like enjoying life but the reality of work hits back. The afternoon was spent doing more yard work so the time to relax is just not there. I did a workout and cardio after dinner and while it was harder to get motivated than when you just get up it is still manadatory. I have to lose the weight I gained on my camping blowout. It has not been that difficult to get back to a stable diet as I have grown used to it by now. I completely forgot about Muscle Monday at Gators as I was just aiming to get home to let the kids do what they wanted. I will just have to stop by another day.

Date:

08 Jul 2003

Time:

22:30:51

Todays Journal

The legs are a bit wobbly now. I did quite a few squats and leg exercises and finished with my interval cardio. They are not sore just exhausted. A word of caution to all of you. If you are going to cheat only do it for one day. When I went camping I splurged for a few days and now while I am able to go back to chicken and rice I have more cravings than I had previously. I am getting over them but it is almost like going back to the beginning to get back on track. If I decide to splurge again it will be back to the planned splurge meal and right back to healthy foods afterwards. My old habits are still under the skin and I can feel that if I am not vigilant I could find myself slipping back in to them. It is important to me to re establish my schedule for working out and that is what I am currently doing. When I had my schedule before everything fell into place without too much trouble. Once that is established again I will be OK. Right now I am going to soak in the tub and try to get an early night in.

Date:

09 Jul 2003

Time:

23:10:08

Todays Journal

OK. I seem to be on track with my schedule again. I have also gone back to setting up meals in advance so there is always something in the freezer. Had a relatively good day today with no major hiccups. I am drinking more water now because of the heat but I am sweating it all out on the bike. I have some tuna steaks in the freezer now for the BBQ season. If I am not eating steak I can still have a great piece of fish. I can see the end of the challenge right now but can see nothing but good things in the future. It has become part of my daily activities and I will have to keep up most of them afterwards.

Date:

10 Jul 2003

Time:

21:22:30

Todays Journal

Today was just a cardio day but what a day to do it. I did my interval session with the most resistance I have tried yet and it was hot. I drank more water during that session than during any previous one. It does feel good though to know I can do this now. We had a BBQ for dinner and it was great. Tomorrow is a goodbye lunch for one of the girls at work so I will be sticking to the rice stir fry. There is some variation even when sticking to the plan.

Date:

11 Jul 2003

Time:

21:24:48

Todays Journal

Well TGIF. While the week has been good it is still Friday and that means I can sleep in tomorrow. The best thing about it is it is a Pay Day Friday. I stuck with a chicken rice bowl when we went out to say goodbye to a coworker who is leaving us at lunch time. I figured I was going to be bad after work so the least I could do would be to stick with things during lunch. Now for the bad news. Today was an official 'Beer Day" for myself and three others. We get together every few months on a Friday and have a couple after work. While I did not succumb and eat the nachos I did have four beer to drink. I broke up the monotony with two glasses of water but the end result was a trip to the bathroom every ten to fifteen minutes. I will not be doing a cardio or any other work tonight as it would just work the poison (alcohol) into all the muscle fibers and would probably do more harm than good. I will just have to do a workout on the weekend to make up some time. I know I can do it so it is not so bad. I do remember all the guilty feelings I would have at the beginning when I would eat a cracker extra or such but I now know that I can recover from those instances by being honest to myself. I do extra when I cheat so I will come out on the same bell curve.

Date:

12 Jul 2003

Time:

11:09:32

Todays Journal

Well I got up early today as I have to make up for last night. I actually feel pretty good with no hangover or aches. I guess the healthier choices overall and the fact I drink more water now helped with the normal dehydration hangover. I am going to do the full workout first thing and then get on with the weekend chores. I looks like another beautiful day to be out and about so I am getting an early start on things. I think I will BBQ chicken tonight for dinner as that was good last week. It looks like I will have to write a 1000 words now but after all the journaling I have been doing that will not be a problem. The problem will be putting down what I now feel with a limitation of only 1000 words. When I get going about what I have been doing and what happens I can ramble on for quite a while. Everyone around me knows that I believe in this and will talk to them whenever they like and probably sometimes when they don't want to hear about it. I just made up my mind that I will BBQ chicken for the upcoming weeks lunches again. It is relatively quick and easy doing it that way and if you use a little lite Teriyaki sauce or Fat Free Honey-Garlic sauce it tastes great. I still wish brown rice would cook faster.

Date:

13 Jul 2003

Time:

14:00:29

Todays Journal

I have a theory that when I am feeling a little guilty about doing something wrong (Friday night) I push myself harder. That is the only explanation for having every muscle I worked yesterday aching today. I am taking today off. I have to cook my chicken for the week and get our camping stuff sorted and prepared again. This time I will not be suffering the blowout I did when I went last time. I still have a full set of chores to do also so a day off is an oxymoron. Both my sons ended up on sleepovers last night and with my wife working today it is really peaceful today. I will lose that tranquility about 3:00. I may just relax now and work later when the kids get home. I'll get them to do some stuff also.

Date:

14 Jul 2003

Time:

17:06:17

Todays Journal

What happened to the sun. At least if it is like this it is not too hot to do a workout. I am still stiff from Saturday so I must have really pushed it. I will do a workout today anyway as a little stiffness can always be worked out. I don't think I am able to go camping this weekend but I always remain hopeful. Getting away in the summer is what keeps me sane all year. As I type this I am knocking on wood but my back has been behaving itself really good for the past little while. No more little nags and pains so maybe it is becoming a little stronger and won't bother me as much on a daily basis. That would be a real bonus. All in all I have been feeling pretty good lately but that could just be summer.

Date:

15 Jul 2003

Time:

18:02:47

Todays Journal

Well I did do a small workout (mainly legs) and my cardio yesterday. Now I am going to do the full upper body and cardio today. The aches and pains have diminished so I should be OK. I have started my essay and find I just ramble like I do here. I have to get things in order and then write it out. While I can't wait for the challenge to be over in order to celebrate something I have accomplished I will miss the challenge also. I have to prove to myself and everyone else that this has been a good and beneficial thing and as such I will maintain it on my own. At least now if I stumble I know some others who are doing the same thing and it will be a source of inner strength.

Date:

16 Jul 2003

Time:

17:36:54

Todays Journal

I am still keeping to dieting and exercising and am waiting for the call to get my last assesment. I hope to get that done so when I do the essay I can give before and after comparisons that are accurate. Nothing major has come along to upset the apple cart yet so I am hopeful to get through with just the minor aches and pains I suffered during the challenge. My back has always been my flaky point but being patient seems to have helped strengthen it. I will continue along this path as I like being able to not worry if something is too much or not. I am probably going to celebrate getting over the challenge by having a big T-bone steak with all the trimmings. I know if I do that I will have to make it up with work but that is what I am used to now. Our freezer is stuffed to the brim with chicken, tuna and bags of frozen fruit (for the protein shakes.) We have never had it so full. I can see the ice cream at the top but I have not gone there. After yesterdays workout I went out back to dig some post holes for posts and pour some cement to keep them vertical. I have to build a new solar heater for the pool as two years ago I put my foot through the rotton wood of the old one. All the parts are there it is just a question of time. There is also a deck to build and a house to paint etc.etc.etc. Work doesn't end when I get home but the weather is helping out.

Date:

17 Jul 2003

Time:

19:14:50

Todays Journal

After tempting fate about my back I pulled a muscle last night doing my workout. I am going to give it a rest tonight. I was checking out the website today and noticed a lot of missing faces. That is too bad. I really hoped everyone would be able to stick it out but I guess not. I hope they do not lose everything they learned form this experience and get back to the right things when they feel up to it.

Date:

19 Jul 2003

Time:

01:51:07

Todays Journal

I just got finished a BBQ we were hosting tonight. I ran late getting home so I missed my workout. I feel I got just about enough work running around cleaning and organizing beforehand. I will do a cardio tomorrow morning before anything else. A friend of mine noticed I had lost weight today as I had not seen him for a while. I forget now that it is a dramatic change as I am living it. It still feels good to be noticed. I have my essay ready I just want to get some spelling etc. done. Right now I am just going to climb into bed as I am exhausted.

Date:

19 Jul 2003

Time:

22:55:23

Todays Journal

I just returned from a BBQ where we were the guests this time. It was nice for a change. Is the challenge over? I have been waiting for the contact about the final assesment to let me know the final results of the past 16 weeks. I know I have succeeded beyond my dreams but how much is the kicker. I submitted my essay today to get that out of the way. I will submit a few more journals but don't know how long to continue. What really matters is that even when I stop the reporting I will be continuing on with the challenge in my own way. It has been a wonderful experience and I am glad I have had the opportunity to let others know about the daily problems and successes. I hope to see everyone at the closing ceremonies.

Date:

20 Jul 2003

Time:

13:48:34

Todays Journal

Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. Bah! Everyone knows that Sunday has worked its way into being the busiest day of the week. You tend to put off some of Saturdays stuff and say you can do it Sunday then realize on Sunday that you have no time to do evrything you procrastinated on as well as the other regular chores. I did a cardio this morning when I got up and now it is chore time as well as cook for the week time. Even though it feels like things are over it is good to just keep going. My freezer full of chicken is calling me so I know I will be busy tonight. Until then it is outside to do what I can. At least it is not blazingly hot at this time so I get a bit of a respite. My major chore is to begin to prep the house for painting. I did the front last year and now it is the back and sides that need finishing. That should take me up to September doing it a few hours a day after work (I still have to have time to workout).

Date:

21 Jul 2003

Time:

18:08:50

Todays Journal

Today was an eventful day. I was out of the office most of the day which is nice for a change. I then had the pleasure of a dentist appointment for a filling. Oh Joy. While I am there I get a call that my son has just popped my exercise ball. Now I am home with a sore mouth looking at the carcass. That thing literally exploded. I guess I will have to get another one. I will be attempting a workout later when my mouth settles down a bit but I am playing it by ear. I have been getting a workout every day sheveling gravel in the yard. I am going to have to fit some camping in soon but I cannot complain as I am going to Oliver for golf on Sunday. That will probably be my second (and last) game of the year. I find I do not have the time to play as much as I used to. It won't matter what happens it will be a good time.

Date:

22 Jul 2003

Time:

16:37:34

Todays Journal

I left work early today because my mouth was so sore. I have been lying down since then and am starting to feel a little bit better. I don't know if I am ready for a full workout but I will try a couple of exercises. I stopped at Gators to replenish my egg whites as I had run out of them. I stocked up on everything two months ago so now that is all I will need for a while. I should be back to normal tomorrow.

Date:

24 Jul 2003

Time:

00:24:23

Todays Journal

My mouth feels a lot better today. While I have a great dentist I still don't enjoy the visits. My last assessment is tomorrow. It won't matter what the results are I have already accomplished more than I thought I would. I am happier than I was at life in general and a large part of that is probably due to changing my lifestyle. That is the real challenge. If I keep it up I win but if I don't and let it slide I lose. I am going to be the one who stays with it.

Date:

24 Jul 2003

Time:

17:15:37

Todays Journal

Well it is my last journal entry. I had my last assesment today and while I went up 2.5 pounds I am still happy. Summer is the worst time of year to try and stick with something like this as you entertain so much and holidays are involved. I will probably take most of August off (holidays) and then get back to the regimen in September. The changes I have seen and felt are remarkable and I am glad I did it. This has been the longest stretch of dieting and working out I have done in my life. I usually give up long before now. Because of sticking to this plan I have broken all my previous records and hope to go on from here. Thanks to everyone for their words of support and I look forward to seeing the other challengers at the wind up.

May 2

I had a great day today. It was a Pro-D day and I got to attend some motivational seminars instead of actually doing work. It was a nice break and the speakers were actually quite good. It is the first time I have attended any of these sessions and was surprised at how good it felt. I tried to eat well but the food offered was not quite what I needed. I did well considering but then after work went out with a couple of people from work. I cheated and had a couple of beer but this was the first real day I have not been on track. They did taste good though but I was limiting myself. I was there longer than the others but drank less than them if that is any consolation. Hockey just started again so I am going to the couch.

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April 12

Just going back to bed for more sleep. I will need all the rest I can get for tonight. This will be a great leg workout. Good luck at the show to everyone. I wish I could be there but family must prevail.

April 11

Today went pretty good over all. I felt fairly good all day. Got in my cardio and workout but it was after dinner. I am going to wing it for time tomorrow as I have the Night Hike at UBC all Saturday and into Sunday. This is with Cubs and Scouts and it really is amazing what you will do for your kids. I'll be trying to keep to a three hour schedule but I will have to see what happens. My pack is going to be heavy with all the food items I will need to pack. Lots of water too. After doing the bike and treadmill for the last month my legs feel really good and I am up to it. I am starting to get a little nervous as the next set of pictures is coming up on Monday. While I know there has been a difference, even if not overly noticeable, it is just the first step and was probably the hardest. There have been a lot of changes in everything I do now but I have worked out a routine that fits the schedule. It has definitely been a challenge so far but now I know what I am getting so hopefully it gets a little easier. The major shifts in patterns are becoming a little more ingrained as I can really notice it when I get out of sync. I am going to relax now for the rest of the night to start preparing for tomorrow.

April 10

I was so demoralized about that canucks game that I forgot all about putting in a journal entry. Better late than never. I managed to squeak in a cardio and some weights before the game and felt better until I watched the game. I have been maintaining the diet religiously and I am hoping to clear my plateau soon. It seems like I was doing fine at first but now I am not really making any headway. I know that is just mental thoughts but it is hard to maintain focus when you are not seeing any more tangible results. It is up to me to keep it going. Whenever I get a little negative I say to myself "Jim, do you really want to throw all this time and effort away?". The answer I give myself is invariably NO!!! I am back to my thinking on day 1 when I said I would take it one day at a time. That seems to be my best strategy.

April 9

Managed to get in most of a workout today. Still did not really feel up to snuff but had to try and get back into the regimen. I did what I could and then put the brakes on. I will try to make up for the rest tonight if possible. I can just imagine the weight going back on when not exercising. I have been sticking to the diet but this lack of activity hit right when I am at my stumble threshold. Every time I have attempted to lose weight in the past this is the time I stumble as I cannot seem to get below this threshold. I am hopeful that it will pass soon as I want to get back to the great feelings of the original losses. It is hard to remain positive when you can see no differences appearing. The good thing is that I have not cheated and will continue to give my all for this challenge. Unfortunately this weekend is my busiest time so I will not make any of the events planned. I will however make the next 2 meetings that are on the go. My next assessment is on Monday so I am getting the butterflies thinking about how that is going to go. Believe me I will be running comparisons of the pictures to see what I already feel.

April 8

Still not feeling up to things. Only managed about 15 minutes on the bike last night and about 20 today. I am forcing myself to eat my prepared meals and snacks and thus am able to keep to the diet. If things are ok tomorrow I will have t

April 7

I have been having one of my dizzy days. I occasionally get these where no matter what if I move too fast the room starts to spin a little. I have been told by doctors what they think is the cause but things are theoretical at best. Suffice it to say it makes things a little difficult. I left work a little early because of this and will have to see if I can get a workout in tonight as this is my day for it. Nothing I can't handle as these things pop up now and again. Part of my daily challenge. I have stayed true to the diet after Saturday and don't feel any pangs about food that I didn't feel already. It just make me want to appreciate what I have had so far all the more. Will talk more as looking at a screen makes me dizzy right now too.

April 6

Well today was the day of getting back on track. It wasn't that hard but there were some random thoughts about how good it was last night. I stuck to it though and kept on track today. I have cooked my meals for the week as well as some extra for everyone else in the house. I feel as though the muscles I have been exercising are becoming as John calls them "fat burning machines". I am just more aware that they are there and it is a feeling I have noticed but never really thought of for the last week or so. It is not stiff and sore but just a feeling that they are there. It is hard to describe. I was a bit tired this morning but that was probably due to the time change. I like it when it goes the other way but not when I lose sleep. I will be trying to get in a week at work just like last week where I was really trying not to let things get to me. We will see how it goes. Tomorrow is a full workout so I will be spending a fair amount of time in the gym after work. I have to make up for Saturday night. Well off to bed as the alarm goes off really early.

April 5

Today was a day off. I had a Cub bottle drive until 1:00 then had business to do before coming home. It was also the day I has set aside for my treat for reaching my first short term goal. It was going to be a family occasion but my wife went out with the boys and they bought a playstation game. That meant we could go out alone. We don't get to do this often so it was a real treat. The good news is I wore a pair of dress pants I have not been able to get into comfortably for more than a year. They were not even strained. While I ate more in quantity I ate mainly sashimi (various raw fish). My real treat was 3/4 cup of coffee ice cream and a couple of sake's. John was right on in his statements that you taste food better after you are on this diet. That was an incredible taste sensation. I have never tasted each individual flavor like that before. Now I have satisfied the craving I am back to chicken and brown rice. Tomorrow is cooking day so I will be getting things ready for the week. I am going to try the tuna pockets I have as a lunch option and see how they are. Tomorrow is also the day I want to get some more work done in the garage. I have managed to relocate some of my equipment from the TV room to the garage but need a little more room to complete it. Now no more complaining about the noise when they are watching TV. I will probably do a light workout tomorrow to make up for tonight's splurge. While I don't feel guilty I realize I have to make up. This was a treat after all and will not be a regular occurrence for some time to come.

April 4

Have you ever had a day when you forgot about commitments you had made. I didn't mark my calendar so I got caught way off base today. I was not anywhere near food of any kind and missed my morning snack. Then I had to rush around after work to get everything done that was committed to so I missed the gym. I didn't let it stress me out though. I then did a full workout at home but by the time it was over my mid afternoon snack was at 6:00. I feel absolutely drained right now. John's advice again springs to mind about not missing a meal. I did get by to see Patrick at Gators and he was as friendly as usual. The berry greens are definitely more palatable now that I have had a chance to try them. Tomorrow is a day of rest which I am looking forward to. The only things on my agenda are a bottle drive for Cubs in the morning and my treat dinner in the evening. I have been waiting for this meal all week and feel like Pavlov's dog right now. I have beaten my stress devil (at least for this

week) as I did not let work get me down. There were times I was not happy but definitely felt better while there. This is the hardest part of my challenge and the battle is being won. I keep telling myself to have patience.

April 3

Just had a cardio day today as my schedule got bumped by a day. Will be doing a full workout tomorrow. It's pay day tomorrow so I will be heading in to Gators after my workout for more supplies. I hope to see John or Neaghn as I would like to arrange to get the sweats and T-shirt that were made for us. My arms are still a little sore so slowing down does seem to require a lot more energy. There is no chance of momentum building up and being able to use it for the next rep. I am surprised at the amount of people at the gym who use momentum to get things done. I was not as aware of how this worked until dealing with John. Apart from being stiff I am feeling a little better each day. I have noticed that I seem to hit a half hour dead spot somewhere between 8:30 and 9:30 in the morning. By then I have eaten my mid morning snack but still have a bit of energy loss for that brief period. After 9:30 my energy levels seem to perk up again and I start to feel a little better. It doesn't seem to matter what time I go to bed or how much sleep I get this happens every day. Don't know the reason yet. My meal timing is about 3 hours or a tad more by then as I finish breakfast about 5:15. Will keep an eye on this to see if it will improve.

April 2

Just when I thought I was free of banks for a while there was something else came up. I had to drive past the gym instead of going in in order to to make sure that banking things got done. When I got home I did my cardio on the bike instead of the treadmill. It seems like my experiment with slowing things right down gave me a real workout as I am still stiff today. While I have not been getting leg cramps they sure feel well used right now. I have my second assessment a week on Monday and I hope it goes even half as well as Jen's. I think things are going OK but John will be the judge of that when I get measured. That will be when you can tell if I am progressing properly or not. My worry is that this has always been the weight I have managed to get to but then it doesn't seem to go any further. I am becoming stronger mentally as I seem to be able to shut off most of the stress at work now although it is still not easy. The good news today was I seem to have made it through the second round of layoffs. I hope this is right but time will tell. I will have run out of timed cardio at the end of this week and still have a week to go before seeing John again. Question: Should I just keep adding another minute next week and alternate back to the bike? I feel that would be OK but once again I will await the expert opinion. I look forward to talking to John in a one on one as I have some questions about form and tempo I would like to discuss. While I have experimented a little bit I don't want to deviate much in case I am doing something wrong. I am really enjoying the salmon for dinner but that will be off the menu in a couple of days and I will be back to chicken. My shirts are definitely looser and the pants are baggier but as I normally wear a belt under the belly I am unsure how much is gone. I definitely feel better about myself though. Two more days until my first treat day for reaching one of my goals. I can't believe it but I am attaining all three short term goals faster than I thought I would. Now I will have to come up with more to motivate me and keep me going.

April 1

Had another pretty good day at work. Two in a row just never happens. Maybe I am getting more focused on the challenge than work and don't worry so much. I was going to adjust my weight on training but decided to try for slower and better form. I think I have got the form not bad on most but slowing it down a little more really strained the muscles. I am still aching now from this afternoon and that hasn't been too much of a problem since I started. Everything seemed to be harder and a couple near the end I could not finish the complete set. I was trying to maintain posture and control more and I can attest that the results of this made me feel like I really did a workout. I am finding it a little easier to feel when my target heart rate is in the range when I am working. I never knew a protein bar could taste so good as I am way behind on meals after my workout. This means my cardio is probably better at this time. I am going to try the crystals I got from Karen at Gators and soak in a hot bath for a while as even my legs are feeling this one today.

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