journals

The C H A L L E N G E	Ron Wolfe

	Read Biography

	Read Daily Journals

	View Progress Pictures

MAY JOURNALS

Date:: 03 May 2003
Time:: 20:03:01

Todays Journal

WISH me LUCK! Tomorrow morning I'm off to Las Vegas for two weeks. Not to gamble!-my luck will be in keeping to my eating plan and fitting my exercises into my hectic days there. I'll submit my journal entries when I return. See you in acouple of weeks.

Date:: 20 May 2003
Time:: 20:05:02

Todays Journal

May 4\05

Saturday night, I worked until 3 a.m., and I was home in bed by 3:30. I had a very difficult time falling asleep, so when the alarm rang at 8, I was still quite tired! I managed to have a protein shake for breakfast, packed my blender, and headed off to the airport. Because my flight was in two stages,-Vancouver to Portland, and Portland to Las vegas, I spent most of Sunday sitting in departure lounges in airports. I did manage to drink some water and eat a protein bar, but nothing like the copious amount of water that I am used to ingesting. I finally arrived in Las Vegas at 6:15 p.m. By the time I reached my motel, it was 7:30.By then, I had my "second wind". It was still difficult to sleep, but I finally drifted off about 10:30.

May 5\03

Woke up about 8, and managed to do my morning exercises in my motel room, and then set out to find cheaper lodgings for the rest of my time in town. I located one on East Fremont, (not the nicest part of town) the cab driver tried, unsuccessfully, to talk me out of moving to that part of town. However, it's $119\week, and at that rate, I will be able to afford to eat occasionally. I had the cab driver wait while I checked in, so that I would arrive at the school on time. The little extra that I had to pay him was worth it just to start off on the right foot at school. The school looks great! I'm really going to learn a lot here! I learned a lot the first day, but the jet-lag caught up to me around 3, and I headed home by 4:30. Much of this course is memorization, and I can do that in my room as well as anywhere. Besides, I need to get some rest. It is seriously HOT!!!! here.

May 6\03

The alarm was set for 8, but I had a difficult time waking up. After a shower, and a Protein shake, I was on my way. The bus costs $1.25 each way, but if you purchase tokens, the price drops to $1. So, I stayed with my bus all the way downtown to the Transit Centre, and purchased two weeks worth of tokens. The beauty of the tokens, is that I don't have to worry about having exact change every time I want to get on the bus. On the way to school today, I spotted a grocery store at my transfer point, and on my way home, I stocked up my larder. Food is definitely cheaper here. Tomorrow's shake will have milk and banana in it ( a vast improvement over just water). I've been drinking tap water so far, but today I also discovered a purified water kiosk for $.25\gallon. As soon as I find a container, I'll have my water supply under control. Had a major breakthrough in school today-all of the math suddenly made sense, everything adds up! Now I have to work on my hand skills and procedures. Oh!, after my shopping expedition, I was a little disoriented, and got on the wrong bus (heading west instead of east). The bus driver was very patient, just issued me a new transfer, and pointed me in the right direction. So, getting home took a little longer than normal. I won't be watching the Canucks tonight, I'm going to keep practising my hand skills until I'm feeling comfortable with them.

May 7\03

Did I say breakthrough, try Breakdown! Today, I was dealing-spinning the ball, mucking the chips, and trying to add and pay the bets in a mannerly and orderly fashion. What a disaster! My mind was a total blank! I couldn't picture anything! On the up side, it can only get better. I can't say enough about the teachers here, they are awesome! Besides the owner, the other teachers are dealers from other casinos who come to the school before or after their shifts to impart their knowledge on the inquiring minds assembled before them. They really know their stuff. In particular, my roulette teachers are exemplary.

May8\03

Saw the final period of the canucks season. I think that the better team won. Today was downright cold!-But still short sleeve weather. 71F, but at 8:30 in the evening with a west wind, standing at a bus stop for 2o minutes can get cool. Everyday, I go to school thinking that it's starting to make sense, and they throw something new at me. But, it's sinking in. Now, I need to practice. This school is great. Fell off the wagon last night, and had a Spicy chicken sandwich from one of the fast food joints near my motel. Only $.99 ($1.35CDN) It tasted great!

May 9\03

I ahve finally found the answer to protein shakes on the road. The frist 2 days, I used water-not good! The next two days, I used milk and banana, a little better. This morning, I was inspired, and added a spoonful of low fat cottage to the milk and banana mixture, Voila! A protein shake just as thick and rich as a milkshake, and a great way to eat cottage cheese-if you are not fond of it in the first place. Today, we learned about high stakes betting and a better way to spin the ball. At 9a.m., it was cold enough for long sleeves, but warmed up as the day progressed.

Date:: 22 May 2003
Time:: 14:19:32

Todays Journal

May 10\03 The weekend! Great cottage cheese-Protein shake to start my day! Lazy morning-refreshing the 17 and 35 times tables in my mind. Today I'm going downtown to some of the older casinos in town and watch some roulette dealers in action. As i came out of my motel room, I saw the bus pull away across the street. I knew that the next one would be at least 30 minutes wait (if it was on time), so I decided to walk the 12 blocks to town. I made it before I saw another bus go by, so it was a good decision. I went to the "Fremont Experience" The whole downtown core has been blocked off from traffic, and you can wander from casino to casino, sampling various foodstuffs or beverages (if you are NOT undergoing a Transformation). On that day, there was a "vintage car" show, and two live bands playing 50's music. In the casinos, it was like all of the downtown roulette dealers had collaborated to show me everything to NOT do when dealing roulette! I guarantee you, not one of them could deal on the "Riverboat". They were awful! I returned to my motel room about 8:30p.m., and I was exhausted.

Sunday May 11\03

Another fabulous banana-cottage cheese-protein shake for breakfast, and I decided to try the same type of excursion at the "strip" casinos. All in all, the most professional dealers that I saw, were those that worked at the MGM Grand. There was also one good dealer at the Flamingo Hotel, but for the most part, there are a lot of unprofessional dealers in Las Vegas. Man!, it was HOT today. About 87F! I did a lot of walking and when my day was over, I was bagged! I can't wait to return to class tomorrow. I purchased more salad, and I picked up a towel at the thrift shop to wrap my veggies in so that they don't freeze solid in my little frig that is way too cold!

Wed May 14\03

I haven't written anything for a couple of days, but on Monday, I discovered a really great grocery store, and I've been enjoying fresh fruit and produce ever since. The prices are great and the food is plentiful, does life get better than this? I wrote my final exam today and aced it! All of the math shortcuts are in my head, now I just have to practice my ball spinning and my pushes so that I am equally adept with both hands. It takes practice, and I'm really looking forward to returning home on Saturday. I have made a lot of friends during my short stay here, but no-one uses the internet, so to stay in touch, I will have to go back to writing letters. It has been stifling HOT here for the last three days aaaand probably for the rest of my stay here. Since the weekend, I have slept every night on top of the blankets. The forecast for the next three days is 93F, 95F, and 94F. HOT!!!

May 16\03

Today is my last day at class, and this will be my final Las Vegas entry. It has been impossible to eat every three hours, as required. I have had my protein shake every morning, supplemented a few meals with protein bars, lots of fresh fruit and veggies, cottage cheese and tuna. And I have managed to ingest my 3 litres of purified water every day. But I have ventured out of the norm with spicy chicken burgers and last weekend, I had the best pizza that I've eaten since I lived in Trail, many, many years ago. I have learned as much as I can on a practice table, all that remains is to put my knowledge to use in a real game. I know that I still need to practice all of my hand skills, but I am confident that I know my math and I am capable of dealing a good game. My glimpse into the culture of Las Vegas has been interesting. My cab driver was incorrect, I wasn't mugged a single time in my "neck of the woods", in fact, I was always treated with respect by all of the people that I came in contact with. All that being said, I'm going to be pleased to step off that plane in Vancouver tomorrow.

May 21\03

I've been back at work since Sunday, and it's starting to feel like I haven't even been away. It is certainly a lot colder here than in Las Vegas. I will be dealing my first roulette game on Saturday at the Hotel Vancouver. I know it's going to be fun! I have managed to climb back onto the eat every three hours bandwagon, and I'm starting to get back into my exercise regime. I know I'm behind schedule, but my Vegas experience was necessary to improve my gaming skills to make me elegible to deal on Cruise ships. I'll try to be better at entering my journal on time from now on.

Date:: 22 May 2003
Time:: 14:19:57

Todays Journal

Sunday May 11\03

Wed May 14\03

May 16\03

May 21\03

Date:: 30 May 2003
Time:: 18:45:14

Todays Journal

Journal May 30\03 Thanks for all the info last night, John. I have been one of the ones who have questioned the necessity of writing my journal veery day when there is nothing new to report. But as of today, I will keep you up to date on all the boring details of my life. Last night, after the meeting, because it was my day off, I worked a "fun" casino for a Dry Grad at the Fleetwood Centre. I had a really good time, but I "cheated" with a couple of pieces of pizza. They were nowhere near being as good as the one that i had in Las Vegas. Tonight, I'm back to real work on another 6-4am shift. I forgot my 3 litre water bottle at work on Wednesday night, I hope it's still there tonight.

Date:: 31 May 2003
Time:: 15:23:22

Todays Journal

Journal May 31\03 Another uneventful day in the life of Ron! Went to the cancer Clinic to visit Mom, she is looking great! I feel much better after just a short visit. Then it was home through the wonderful rush hour traffic, and off to work.

Date:: 01 Jun 2003
Time:: 14:43:02

Todays Journal

Journal June 1\03 Exercise, eat, go to work, exercise, eat, go to work. Another day, another dollar. Hah! Today when I awoke and opened my e-mails, I received the most amazing surprise! An e-mail from Gail that calls me an inspiration! Can you believe that? I don't think I can honestly say that I've ever been an inspiration before. THANKS Gail!-You made my day! Ron

Date:: 02 Jun 2003
Time:: 18:55:17

Todays Journal

Journal june 2\03 Let me tell you about my new shoes. You can check them out at "zcoil.com". It seems that all of the dealers and pit bosses have noticed my shoes and can't stop talking about them. Instead of a heeel, they have a large spring. It makes for a much easier walking pace and helps with my spine and my back as well as my knees and feet. My water jug was still in the break room when I arrived at work on Saturday. What a relief! Unfortunately, the door of the frig in the break room has broken and doesn't close properly, so, subsequently, the water never gets very cold. Had another great day at work yesterday, and I'm relaxing today on my day off. Ron

Date:: 03 Jun 2003
Time:: 14:47:17

Todays Journal

June 3\03 Nothing new today. I'll be back to work at 8 again, then two days of 7-3 and then Friday off.

Date:: 04 Jun 2003
Time:: 18:02:15

Todays Journal

June 4\03 After spending mosr of yesterday on my back, I was well rested today, to the point where i hauled myself out of bed at 8:30 am to let the guy in from "Canadian Spring" to refill the water cooler. Once up, there was no point in returning to bed, so I plowed through my exercises and really enjoyed the sunshine. I am a little tired now as I approach my next shift, but if it gets unbearable, I'll just have to have some coffee on my breaks. Yesterday, I was really craving a Dairy Queen ice cream cone, but stopped myself. Not because of great willpower, but because all I had in my pocket was a $100 bill, and I wasn't going to break that for a $2 cone/

Date:: 05 Jun 2003
Time:: 19:07:17

Todays Journal

Not much to say today, but in looking at some of the other entries, I'm not alone. How often can you write about what a great meal chicken (in various forms) was? Or how different do I feel today... that's probably why so many have stopped trying. It's not the transformation that's so difficult, it's constantly writing something fresh in the "old" journal that's the killer!

Date:: 06 Jun 2003
Time:: 19:32:06

Todays Journal

Well, Damn! All through May, in the miserable weather, I kept telling myself that it's too cold to do much exercise. Now, what's my excuse?---TOO HOT! At the library today, I saw a sign which said; "Reading does for the brain what exercise does for the body". At least my brain is getting exercise.

Date:: 07 Jun 2003
Time:: 15:00:56

Todays Journal

I visited Mom in the cancer clinic yesterday, she is looking pretty good, but the radiation is sapping a lot of her energy. Later, from midnight - 5a.m., I ran a "fun Casino" for a dry grad. I'm lokking forward to a relaxing day today before returning to work tonight. I'm going to stop by Gator's later and pick up some much needed supplies. It's nice to have money back in my bank account. ( I didn't get paid for my vacation, so the last couple of weeks have been tight)

Date:: 08 Jun 2003
Time:: 19:57:44

Todays Journal

Picked up my new supply of protein powder at gator's yesterday, but I forgot to put a cooler in the car, so I couldn't buy my egg whites. I didn't want to chance them in the car for too long in this HOT weather. I'll try to get them later in the week. It seems a lot easier to down the 3 litres of water in this heat, though.

Date:: 10 Jun 2003
Time:: 14:08:42

Todays Journal

I told myself, "come hell or high water", I was going to continue these journal entries, but, I missed again yesterday. It was just another "blah" day, in a long line of "blah" days. Yesterday, I also discovered to my chagrin, that my favourite protein bar, has had it's recipe changed! The company has changed the packaging to make it look more "nineties", but that wasn't enough for them, they had to change the recipe too! I think I'm going to start a petition! It worked for "Coke"!

Date:: 11 Jun 2003
Time:: 12:30:50

Todays Journal

As we continue along this path toward our transformation, I can't help but think that I only have to do daily journals for one more month. I can do it! The protein powder that I drink for breakfast every morning has been improved! By now, you know that means it doesn't taste quite as good as it used to. Maybe these "protein" additive guys are buying into the philosophy of "Buckley's Couch Syrup"---if it tastes horrible, it must be good? However, I'll have to suffer through a 908g bottle before I can try something better.

Date:: 13 Jun 2003
Time:: 13:43:04

Todays Journal

Took advantage of the cooler weather to pick up my egg whites from Gator's. I've been able to visit my Mom at the Cancer Clinic twice this week so far, and I'm going to be going on a regular basis until she's out of there. Tentatively July 2nd is the date when she can return home. The radiation treatment is really sapping her strenght. We went to my sister's place for dinner last night. She asked first what I was allowed to eat, and when I told her chicken or fish, NO PROBLEM! We had skewers of chicken and prawn barbequed. It was great. A nice change from my normal fare.

Date:: 15 Jun 2003
Time:: 16:37:55

Todays Journal

My exercise program is on hold for the time being, until I figure out what I want to do with this body. I'm still eating the chicken and fish, and drinking all of that water. My next assessment is next week, and I'm counting down the number of times that I have to make journal entries.

Date:: 21 Jun 2003
Time:: 13:51:09

Todays Journal

I lost my internet access for a few days, until I figured out that the telephone connection came detached from its wall socket. I'm back now, I have resumed part of my exercise program, I am starting slowly because i pretty much took most of May off. I received a call from the hiring office of "Princess" on Thursday, but I'm not getting my hopes up until they actually give me a "table test", and profer a job offer. I don't want to get all excited and have it not materialize, as has happened in the past. I am still eating mainly chicken and lots of fresh veggies and some fresh fruit. My favorite time of the year is fast approaching. That is the time when fresh peas are available at the vegetable markets. I'm too old to be raiding gardens, but there's something about fresh peas that makes this time of year special.

Date:: 24 Jun 2003
Time:: 11:36:56

Todays Journal

JOURNALING!!!! The bane of my existance. You will not be hearing from me for at least three more days, as I am heading to the Island for a brief three-day vacation. I have been good for the most part, although yesterday, when I was downtown, I had a piece of $1 pizza. I shouldn't have bothered, it was nowhere near as good as the one I had in Vegas! I have increased my water intake above the three litre daily, and am still managing to stoke the (food) fire every three hours. (Give and take a few minutes during shifts at work!)

Date:: 27 Jun 2003
Time:: 14:03:56

Todays Journal

I'm back. I had a great couple of days on the Island. I visited my sister on Tuesday, where I had my frist drink of wine since Halloween. I was in the mood to cheat, but she fed me healthy food, (except for the chocolate-dipped strawberries, so I except fpr dessert, I ate healthy. The next day, was spent visiting friends in Mill Bay, before heading down to my brother's place in Victoria. Once again, healthy food, he had baked a salmon, with garden-fresh vegetables. Spent the night there, and had granola (homemade) for breakfast. After visiting for the morning, we spent a few hours doing the tourist bit in Victoria, and headed for the ferry home. I had to do another "Dry Grad" last night from midnight - 4:00a.m. It was great! I was dealing Roulette all night, a good tune-up for my table test with Princess, if they call back. Only one more week of journals, I can hardly wait.

Date:: 07 Jul 2003
Time:: 12:02:22

Todays Journal

What is luck? Who's lucky? My Mom's cancer has progressed to her liver, and the end is in sight in a terrifying way. We're trying to see if she can spend her final days in the peaceful surroundings of her own home, but we won't know that for a while. I'm still eating properly, but not because I have a fantastic will power! The other night, I thought I wanted "something good", so I bought a chocolate bar that I used to love. It was so sweet, I took one bite, and threw the rest in the trash. I don't even feel a desire to eat beef anymore. What have I done to my system? I'm still exercising sporadically, about the same as I'm doing journal entries. I'll be glad when this ends.

Date:: 10 Jul 2003
Time:: 09:29:07

Todays Journal

My Mom died yesterday! About noon, on a beautiful clear day in the North Vancouver Hospital, all of my brothers and sisters, and all of their children were in attendance, and afterward, we retreated to her apartment and had a family moment, before returning home to various parts of Western Canada. I fell off my self-imposed rule of no alcohol, and had a couple of glasses of Scotch with my younger brother. I took a day off from work, but I think that losing myself in work is my best antidote, so I'm going back to work tonight. I'm going to miss her a lot, because besides being my Mother, she was my friend! I often shared things with her that don't reach anyone else's ears. Now, I really have to stick to my transformation, because there will be no one but myself to answer to. Thank you, Neaghan, for all of the inspirational messages that pop into my computer every day> Ron

Date:: 13 Jul 2003
Time:: 19:07:48

Todays Journal

Today, I got together with my girlfriend, two of my sisters, and two of my nieces and we baked 6 dozen cookies from my Mom's recipe book. We are going to deliver them to the nurses at the Cancer Clinic, the nurses at the Lions Gate Palliative Care unit, the ambulance unit, the ambulance dispatcher, and all of the participants of Mom's Tuesday afternoon cribbage group at the West Vancouver Senior's Centre. My brother is doing the same for the Victoria Police "Search and Rescue" department and the Coast Guard, for their help in trying to find him last Monday when he was sailing, as we were gathering at Mom's bedside. We are all leaning on each other a bit as we try to adjust to this unthinkable scenario. I had to sample a couple of the cookies, but they are non-fat, since they were made with love!

APRIL JOURNALS

April 30

I have been running around trying to tie up loose ends in preparation for leaving town this weekend, and haven't been near the computer for the last couple of days. I haven't even seen any of this round of hockey. I have managed to keep to the eating schedule by packing carrot sticks and protein bars and water. I am going to Las Vegas on Sunday for two weeks, and I don't know if I'll have access to the internet. So, I'll write my journal entries in a book, and post them when I return. I'll let you know how easy\hard it is to live out of a suitcase, and still maintain the eating and exercise practices that we have come to know and love?

April 26

Okay, I'm back to my exercise regimen for the last two days, I don't think that's going to happen again for a while. I fell off the wagon a little yesterday, when I had some Chinese food for lunch, I made sure to not eat any beef, but I'm sure they use more grease than I'm used to. I enjoyed the food, though. My new menu is slightly more calories than last month, but primarily the same food. Still heavy on the chicken and fish, but at least we're entering the months when there are a lot more fresh veggies available. And we've had two straight days of sunshine.

April 23

I've "gone to hell in a handcart"! I haven't exercised in two days! No excuses! I am just heading off to work, now, and tomorrow when I wake up I have to get back to the grindstone. Anyway, I'm off for the next two days, I'll use that time to get back into my routine. HOORAY for the Canucks! Like most of the town, I wondered if they would be capable of pulling it off, but they just kept getting better

April 21

Yesterday was as hectic as I thought it would be. After finally getting to sleep about 4:30a.m., I stumbled out of bed at 10:45 to prepare for the Wedding. Due to an Easter Parade on the route between the bride's place and the church, I managed to just make it to the church on time. The wedding went off without a hitch, and the rain held off enough to take photos in the park. By the time the reception was drawing to a close, I was starting to feel really tired. Just in time to go to work! The first couple of hours at work, I could barely keep my eyes open, and then I got my "second wind", the rest of the night, I was fine. In fact, by the time I returned home from work, I was too wired to go to sleep. I finally fell asleep by about 5a.m. I slept very well, waking up about 1:15. However, with all of the turmoil involved yesterday, it was on of the few times that I have been unable to meet my eating every three hours schedule. I hope one screwed-up day doesn't destroy all that I have worked so hard to achieve so far.

April 19

Thank you, Phyllis!

I received a e-card from Phyllis for my birthday today. The day started with my girlfriend making me an egg-white omellette served in bed. Does life get any better than this? I am just starting my day, I don't start work until 8 tonight, but I am feeling great despite the flu bug that i have managed to catch for the third time this winter. Even though we are officially in Spring, it is still sufficiently cold enough that I'm still calling it winter. It's hard to believe that last April a friend and I sailed on his 26' sailboat over to Vancouver Island for a week, and although it was a bit chilly at night, the days were beautiful. Just try that this year! Most of today will be spent doing last minute preparations for the wedding tomorrow. I know that I have enough film, batteries, etc., but right now I am helping to print some table decorations on my computer, and i know that when I have those under control, something else will pop up.

From everyone at Bodies 'N Motion, we wish you a great day!

April 18

Last night was brutal! The casino was busy, just like a Friday or Saturday night, but I was too sick to enjoy it. It was the first time in over two years working there that I had to resort to using kleenex on the table. My supervisors were very good about it, constantly replenishing my supply of tissues. I hated to slow down the tempo of my game, but there was no other choice. My dinner meal yesterday was a ground turkey hash, and I used some of the leftovers in my breakfast omellette. Verrrrrrrrry interesting! A turkey omellette! Whoda thunk it?

April 17

Well! So much for healthier eating meaning a healthier lifestyle. I've been eating "healthier" for over a month now, and I have still managed to catch whatever the latest bug is that is going around. It's a bitch! I can't remember having as nasty a runny nose as I'm having right now. Maybe dreaming of pizza the other night triggered it. I don't even feel like getting out of bed, let alone going to work. But, I will have to suck it up. Tomorrow is my day off, then I am going to be having an extremely busy weekend. I work the 8pm-4am shift Saturday, then church at 10am, then I promised to shoot a wedding at 12:30 with a reception following at 2:30, then back to work at 8pm-should be interesting.

I hope this bug has run its course by then.

April 16

I just had a look at my journal entries for April, and I don't know who wrote the one for April 12th, but it wasn't me! I didn't submit one on that date. Yesterday, after my marvelous assessment, I went to work and was assigned a $5 dollar blackjack table. These tables are usually the most fun to wrok, and last night was no different. I almost hated to leave at the end of my shift. The only sad part of the evening, was about 10:30pm, there were two large pizzas in the break room. I would rather have pizza any day over ice cream, chocolate bars, doughnuts, but I just drank my water and read my book, and watched the others dig in.

April 15

When I was in the Army, we used to tell each other that if you want to lose 13 pounds of "ugly" fat, all you have to do is cut off your head!

I just had my assessment, and I lost 13 pounds of fat, and I didn't even have to cut off my head. It turns out that I have lost 14 pounds so far, and although I haven't exercised as much as I should have, I am on the right track. Leaving Max, I swung over to Gator's and picked up some more egg whites and a book detailing a whole bunch of ways to use the exercise ball. Now that I know what to do with it, it can stop being a conversation piece in the front room.

April 14

Probably the hardest part of this whole process for me is writing a journal entry every day. Obviously, I haven't been able to meet my obligation. On Saturday, I went to a wedding and a wedding reception, and then to my sister's place for dinner, and all in all, it was a really hectic day. I was looking forward to going back to work on Sunday, to give me a sense of normalcy in my life. Today was my day off, and after my exercise, I basically just vegged out and did very little for the whole day, and then watched the Canucks lose. Tomorrow is my assessment, and then I will know for sure what i already suspect. That this program WORKS! even though I don't exercise as much as the rest of you, I'm still losing fat, and feeling much better.

I'll report the results to you after the official assessment.

April 12

I spent the day with my friend's family. This day has assisted me to reinforce a saying 'crisis is opportunity to change'. It was remarkable to see a family support each other and identify their strengths so that they may assist each other. Strange, though somebody has to die for a family to come together and be supportive. Death brings salvation to the dead and the living. Life is for the living so lets all remember to take a moment out of our day and let the people we love around us know we love them. Peace!

April 11

go Canucks go

Sorry! You can't blame me this time. Normally, the Canucks seem to lose every time I get to watch a game, but last night, I couldn't watch. I had to work. And what a great night I had at work. I had players at my table, who were having fun, some were losing, some were winning, but they were all having fun. It was infectious, so was I. I wasn't tempted to go for a candy bar at all last night. I couldn't wait to get back to the table after a break. I did miss my exercise yesterday, I just had one of those run-around kind of days where nothing seems to go right. Today, I'm off to a better start. I've got to find my way back to Gator's and re-supply. I'm almost out of everything!

April 10

go CANUCKS go

It's been so long since I've had a good pizza, or something besides chicken\fish. Even the chicken I ate previously was hardly ever the breast, I prefer the thigh! Or a nice, juicy, medium rare Alberta steak would really taste good right now. Or ribs, or even a hot dog! How low have I sunk, to fantasize about a hot dog? Standing on a dead table all night, a lot of things can scroll through your mind. And this miserable April weather, raining all the time. I know, it's good for our water reservoir, but I just don't feel like doing anything outside.

O.K., I've got that out of my system, now I'll have to start living within the parameters of an open mind. THINK POSITIVE!!!!!!!

Eat chicken, forget about good food and concentrate on being healthy, I can do it. I know I can, just every once in a while, I remember the good things about the past. But, memory is selective, I can choose to forget how lethargic some of that junk food made me feel. Tomorrow is another day.

April 9

Did I just say that an 8-hour shift breezed by so much faster than a 10-hour shift? Not when you're assigned to a dead table! Last night, I was on Let-it-Ride, a very BORING poker-type game, and the time just dragged!!!!!!!! 4:00 a.m. couldn't come soon enough. I've found that the best way to combat the late night-junk food machine urge, is to not take money to work with me. Still plodding along with a minimum amount of weights, maybe I'll try to increase the reps again today, and see if my arms can handle it.

April 8

Wow! An 8-hour shift after two weeks of 10 hour shifts, the time just flew by. My table was busy for most of the night, and I just had my vegetarian leftovers with a bit of cottage cheese, and my 3 litres of water, and I was on my way home. I have company this week, and he's got the spare mattress spread out across the sitting room floor, so I have to wait until he leaves the house for me to have room to exercise. It just means I have to stay in bed a little longer. Not that hard to do when you work until 4:00 a.m.

April 1

Well, here it is April, and I've been doing these journal entries forever, (or so it seems), three weeks! Yesterday, I cut back on the weights, instead of increasing like everybody else, and my dealing was better for it. So, I'm just going to do this at a slower rate than everyone else, and if it takes me longer than sixteen weeks, so be it! I think that's better than dropping out! I don't want to jeopardize my livelihood at the expense of being fit. I'll still exercise, but I'll be increasing at a slower rate than the rest of you. I seem to have adapted to the food intake, although I still fantasize about a big, juicy Alberta steak. On Sunday, I went with some friends to the food fair at the mall for lunch, one of them had Chinese food on rice, the other had a Big Mac and fries, while I munched on a protein bar.

I finished before they did, but their meals didn't spur my brain to want to equal what they were putting into their stomachs. So, I've overcome that hurdle, I am committed to finishing this sixteen weeks, and hopefully integrating it into forever.

April 2

Wow! what kind of weather is this? I wake up on April 1st to flurries and rain, where's spring? I was really tired at work last night, I guess I'm going to have to get more than six or seven hours sleep when I'm working these ten hour shifts. I sure like having three days off though. I haven't felt like cooking before work the last couple of days, so I've just been having salads and raw veggies for my snacks. I supplement these with the odd protein bar, just to keep a balance. Tonight, however, I'm going back to the tried and true stir-fry. A great meal to have on a 15 minute break. Still no ball, I'll try Rocky Mountain again on Saturday, and then I'll buy one somewhere. The weight-lifting issue aside, I'm feeling really great about this program so far. I wore a suit the other day, that hasn't fit me for over three years. Lots of fellow dealers comment that I am fading away, (always good to hear!)

April 3

THANKS, Jim!

I received a pep talk e-mail from Jim yesterday, and I did the prescribed weight-lifting routines from my book, as well as my cardio, and then I was assigned a table which didn't require much arm movement (no players!). So, although my shift was really long, my arms and shoulders didn't hurt. One more of these ten hour shifts, then a three day weekend, on an actual weekend! In the casino, that almost never happens. Last night, I had a craving for something that was bad for me, so I went to the junk food machine in the lobby, plugged in $2, and somehow managed to push the button for the only empty line in the whole machine. So! For $2, I ended up with nothing, I accepted that as "karma" and drank my water instead.

April 5

My first day of my three day weekend, was spent running around doing errands. More to do today. I'm hoping to detour through Langley, to see if there is a ball at Rocky Mountain. But for now, I'm doing my laundry. Yesterday for my late night snack, I tried the protein shake with just water. What a difference from the morning one with milk and fruit. I'm never going to do that again! I'm sure that just sticking with water would taste much better. I've been researching "greens" on the internet, and from what I've read so far, they are supposed to be very good for me, no wonder they taste so disgusting! I'm going to capsule the rest of mine to make them more palatable. I did weights again today, because I'm off for two more days and I don't have to deal again until Monday night. I just had a great omelet with the egg whites, a couple of green onions, a couple of cloves of garlic, some celery and a tomato, sprinkled liberally with cayenne and a dash of "spike". I'll try to stop at Gator's today and get some more protein bars.

April 7

I finally received my ball from Rocky Mountain Fitness, I was able to stop by there on Saturday, and the place was very busy. I didn't make it to Gator's, maybe today. Since this is "bare-your-soul" time, I'll share an almost embarrassing moment with you. I've had false teeth for years, and I've learned.

[ Return to Top ]

MARCH JOURNALS

March 2

Wow! Writer's block on the first day. I haven't begun to exercise yet, but I had to take my car in for repair today, so I walked to work from the shop. Only about ten blocks, but I guess it's a start. Work was great today, I was on 45's (45 minute shifts, then a 15 minute break). I probably shouldn't have, but I supplemented my lunch with a bag of grapes. They were great! The shop was closed when I finished work, so I walked the four blocks to the Skytrain, took it to my exit, then walked the four blocks home.

March 4

Hopefully, my journal writing will improve over the next few months, and someone may even enjoy reading it.

I think that if I'm going to be doing this on a regular basis for the next four months, I'm going to tell you a little about myself. After almost twenty-five years in the photo business, I have found a new career as a Blackjack dealer in a Casino. It is a great job, and I love doing it. I'm almost fifty-five years old, and it has been many years since I've done any kind of exercise program. So, that's one part of this challenge that I'm not anticipating with a great deal of "gusto". Today started off poorly, my car is going to cost a lot more than I anticipated, and it is still in the shop. My sister is in Calgary this week, so I borrowed her car to go to work. Work, however, was great today. I was on a ten dollar table, and I had players all day long. Also, I was on 45's again today, so the day just zoomed by. I took green salad and cottage for lunch, and whenever I was tempted to visit the chocolate bar machine, I retreated to my water bottle and my book. In this manner, I made it through the day without cheating. One day at a time! That's it for now, see you tomorrow, same time, same place.

March 5

Well, today started off fairly well, I was able to retrieve my car from the mechanic's place, but because of the extra running around, I didn't allow time to make a proper lunch. However, today was my Friday, so I just picked up a bag of grapes from the fruit market, and a muffin from the Quay. I was on Let-it-Ride. Normally a very slow game during the week, today was unusually busy. I was on hours, and the day just flew by. Tomorrow will be a real test, my first day off since the journals started. That's my entry for today

March 6

Hello everybody! today was my day off, but I spent most of my free time running errands. Laundry, ironing my work clothes, shopping and a few moments in the library picking up reading material for the coming week. I've been reading a few of the other journal entries, and like almost everyone else, I have the bug that's been making its way around town. Went out to a pub by Guildford tonight, and although all that I had to drink was ice water ( and a drink of my girlfriend's coke), the ribs were slathered in barbeque sauce, which I'm sure had a lot more sugar than is good for me. Still no exercise program yet, and I'm really not anticipating it with "baited breath". I'm off tomorrow, too, maybe I'll think of something creative in the way of exercise. I'll let you know tomorrow.

March 7

Well, today was a total waste as far as exercise was concerned. This damn flu or cold or whatever it is keeps hanging on, and frankly, I'm getting tired of it. I did a few odd jobs around the apartment, and played some scrabble on the computer, but other than that my day off was a dud. Tomorrow I'm back to work, but at least on the weekends the casino is always busy, so time will zip by. My interview with john is set for Tuesday, then I'll be able to experience what all the rest of you are going through.

March 8

Today I had my usual breakfast of yoghurt and granola, then headed off to work. For most of the day I was on 45's on a $15 table. Action was fast and furious, but when I started winning back most of the money, everyone left my table, heading for greener pastures. After standing at an empty table for almost an hour, the Games Manager closed my table, and moved me to Caribbean Stud Poker and hour long shifts. I finished the day at that table. When I came off shift, it was snowing quite heavily. The evening meal was borscht, a great winter meal!

March 15

Continued walking a little farther each day as per my instructions. When i came back, I mixed my porridge into boiling water that had cinnamon added to try and give it some flavour. Didn't work that well, but as long as I keep adding the shake to it I was able to get it down. Cottage cheese again for a mid-morning snack. I went to the internet for the information that I should have asked Gator's about when I purchased the egg whites ( what quantity do I use? ) and found out that half a cup is equal to the 4-5 egg whites that are mentioned in my book. I chopped up some celery, green onion, and green pepper and made a delicious ( is that a word that I ever thought that I would use to describe this food?) omelette for my lunch. Then for my evening meal, I reverted to chicken and salad.

The casino was real busy today, and the time just flew by. Tami, the first couple of days when it was an hour between breaks, I was almost dancing waiting for my break, so that I could run to the washroom, but now, my body seems to have made the adjustment. So hang in there, I'm sure that your body will adjust, too. Tomorrow, I start working night shift, so I'm going to have a lot more free time in the day to get my exercises done.

March 16

Started my day with a brisk walk through the hills of New Westminster, and then came home and made a fantastic omellette. Using lots of garlic ( I love garlic ), green onions, celery, and some yellow pepper and my 1 yellow and 4-5 whites and a bit of "SPIKE" and some ground chili peppers. Didn't quite make the three hour time curtain for a mid-morning snack, because I went shopping after church. But I didn't have cottage cheese at home anyway. When I returned home, my mid-morning snack was a kiwi chopped into a half cup of cottage cheese. Not Bad! Tried to sleep in the afternoon, but to no avail. I think I'll have to work a few nights before daytime sleeping becomes natural again. For lunch, I took a recipe right out of the book, and had 3oz of tuna, 2tsp of light mayo, in a whole wheat pita, with a cup of sliced carrots. Has anyone noticed that ARMY & NAVY, in their current flyer, is selling tuna at 3 tins for $1.98. Since tuna is one of our main lunches, we should stock up when we have the opportunity. I haven't bought my chicken yet, and I couldn't imagine another evening fish meal, so I took a protein bar with me to work for my evening meal. My late snack consisted of strawberries and tofu, something I never thought would pass my lips without threat of bodily harm. (Mar 17a.m.) I just had the most marvelous shake for breakfast! I like my drinks cold, so yesterday, I peeled all of my bananas and cut them in half, and put them in the freezer. This morning, I used a quarter cup of skim milk, a quarter cup of homemade yoghurt (it's a lot more liquid than the store-bought), 30 g of protein powder, 2 tsp of udo's oil, 1 kiwi, and a half piece of frozen banana------WOW! just like a real milkshake! Today and tomorrow are my days off, so I'll try to get out to Langley for my ball, and to Surrey for my chicken.

March 17

Wow!, buoyed by my successful shake this morning, (and in keeping with St. Patrick's Day), I was inspired to add my serving of greens to my salmon sandwich for lunch. I mixed 3oz of tinned salmon with 2 tsp of low-fat mayo, some cayenne, a dash of SPIKE, 2 tsp of greens, and some salsa into a whole wheat pita pre-stuffed with bean sprouts. To quote a friend, the result looked like "something you would find in a diaper", but it tasted great. And, then, for my evening meal I tried spaghetti squash for the first time in my life, and it was very good, also. Amazing!, some of this stuff actually tastes okay! It was my day off today, so I did absolutely nothing in the way of exercise.

March 18

After a second day off, I am ready to get back on schedule. I had another day of enjoyable eating. A shake first thing in the morning, then for mid-morning snack, a bowl of cottage cheese with a pinch of cinnamon and some sunflower seeds. For lunch, another diaper sandwich, (mixing greens into a tuna sandwich works for me!).

Then for dinner, another fantastic omelette with garlic, onions and green pepper and some green peas. I feel quite full today, and although I am a little tired, I attribute that to switching to night shift.

March 19

I'm actually doing this and all subsequent entries on the following day, because it would be quite inconsiderate of me to turn the computer on at 4:30a.m. and start pecking away at the keyboard.

Yesterday was a very hectic day for me. I had to go to Abbotsford in the morning on an errand, then I swung by Rocky Mountain Fitness for the ball (which isn't in stock yet), and then to the arena in Surrey, where my nephew from Victoria is playing in a Spring Break Hockey tournament. I got to see the last period, then I drove my Mom home to West Vancouver. While I was at her place, I used the fitness room in the basement of her complex, and finally got the first segment of my weight training in. After driving home, I was too wired to sleep before work, and by the time 2:00a.m. rolled around, I was feeling quite tired. I didn't make it to Garcha Bros., but I found some chicken breasts on sale at Safeway, and picked up enough to last me for a week. I really noticed the workout in my legs, when climbing the stairs to the parkade after work and when climbing to my third floor apartment. Today, they're not too bad. Tomorrow, I'll try it again.

P.S. I won't be able to attend the food session at Gator's, I start work at 8:00p.m. that night, and I would have to leave Gator's by 7:10 to make it on time.

march 23

My journal keeping has slid a little, I'm in the throes of planning a milestone birthday party for my sister, and I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Since my day of weight training, I've been really stiff on the blackjack tables, but I'm sure that will improve as I get into a routine. I'm going back tomorrow, the party will be over then, and my life can get back to normal. Tonight, I start my two weeks of ten hour shifts ( 3 days off!), so I'll have to pack two meals and a snack with me. Good thing I'm not working 12 hour shifts, I'd need a suitcase. My body has adjusted to the enormous amounts of water going into it, but I'll never need an alarm clock again. I'm up every two hours to pee, whether I like it or not!

So far, I have not been having a problem with the meals every three hours. The food at the party today might be a problem, but I'm taking a tray of raw veggies, so there will be food that I can eat too.

March 24

Well, I survived the party, though I did succumb to temptation, and try the spinach dip. I used whole wheat crackers instead of bread. Fortunately, I had to leave for work before the carrot cake was cut, or I don't know how well my willpower would have handled that test.

For the first time in years, I was stiff and tired at the Blackjack table. I'm hoping it was just because I've never done anything in the past to overwork the muscle groups that were affected. Once I settle into a regular routine, I hope the stiffness and ache will go away. Now, I have three days off, although, today was mostly spent trying to catch up on the sleep that I have missed over the past week. Tomorrow, I have to return to Abbotsford, so I hope that the exercise ball is in at Rocky Mountain, and I'll detour to there and pick one up.

March 27

Wow! How time flies when you're having fun! I stopped at Rocky Mountain Fitness on my way back from Abbotsford on Tuesday, only to find a sign on the door that he would return at 5:30. So, still no ball. I'm beginning to think that the only way I'll get a ball before this challenge finishes, is to go somewhere and buy one. Today is a work day, and having three days off is something of a minor miracle for me. I can't remember the last time I had three days off in a row. I still didn't get everything done that I planned to do. the meals seem to be working well enough, exercising is coming along at a satisfactory pace. Tonight I go back to work for 3 ten hour days in a row, then 1 day off, then 4 days in a row, and then another three day weekend and those during an actual weekend. Just like the rest of the world! That should be interesting!

March 28

I finally got to the weights yesterday, and last night on the table, I wondered if this is worth it? I was aching for most of the night, and my arms felt like they had a ton of bricks attached to them. My dealing was soooooooooo slow! I was worse than a new dealer!

I couldn't wait to go on break, to get some respite from dealing. Then, to top it off, there was free doughnuts in the break room. I stuck to my raw carrot sticks, and my water, but I longed to grab one of those balls of grease. Those negative thoughts are out of my head, now, though. I actually feel pretty good today. I'll see what tonight brings.

March 31

Yesterday I had a day off, I was busier than a "one-armed paper hanger", I have to go back to work to get some rest. Started the day with a camera swap meet, got to touch base with a lot of my old friends in the photo business. Got back home just in time to change and go to church. After church, I stopped at Safeway on the way home and picked up some chicken and veggies and made an excellent chicken stir-fry for dinner. Then out to Cloverdale, where my nephew from Northern Alberta was competing in a Western Canada under 17 Bonspiel. Arrived home in time for bed. I'll be trying the weights again today, but if my dealing continues to deteriorate, I'm going to have to find a different way to exercise. I am only too happy to transform, but I have to pay my bills and make a living while I'm able to.

[ Return to Top ]