Weighty issues. Part Five: The Future.

So, how am I doing now?

Am I keeping the weight off? What's next for Robot? All good questions. It's now been almost two years since I hit 164, and I am currently weighing in around 175 or 176, depending on the week. I am not quite as strict as I was during those weight loss months. No sweets and hardly any carbs? That was rough, to say the least. But what I liked about my plan was that it wasn't a complete life-altering plan, and it hasn't been too hard to continue it. I knew that I wouldn't be able to stop eating carbs or sweets forever, so I didn't plan on doing that. I am still eating a lot less than I was before the weight loss. The reality was that I was going to slip a little, and that was okay, but it was important not to go completely hog wild, and end up where I was before.

The most important aspect for me was to stay active. I still run at least three times a week. For a long time I ran between 2 1/2 to 3 miles each time, but just recently I have pushed that to 4 miles, three days a week. Plus, I've started lifting weights once or twice a week as well.

In all honesty, I'd love to go back down to 165, but being 175 isn't that bad. While I'm not as skinny as I was at the end of my program, I am way skinnier than I was at my peak. After I got to 164, I had a rough patch as far as exercise goes. First, we went on a vacation. So for two weeks I didn't work out. When I got back, I started running again, but then got sick. So I had a few stops and starts and bumps in the road. Shortly thereafter, I moved from Salt Lake to San Diego, and I got a little lazy. For the first two months, I was down here alone, since Melissa was still in Salt Lake selling the house. Being on my own, I didn't exactly eat properly most of the time. I was staying with an uncle, so I did eat a few good meals. But I ate out a lot too. Plus, I didn't run for the first 3 months or so of living down here, hence, the extra 10 pounds, pushing me up to 175.

I keep saying I'd like to drop those 10 lbs, but I am not as strict as I used to be, so while I am running and eating healthy for the most part, I am basically treading water. I'll lose a couple, then gain a couple, all the while fluctuating between 171 and 177. I am still extremely wary of becoming big again. I know I don't need to, but I still weigh myself every Friday morning, just to know where I stand. Call it paranoia if you want, but I just don't ever want to be big again. It's my way of keeping tabs on how I'm doing.

As for the future, I hope to never gain that much, if any weight again. I know that may be just a dream. But it is my goal. Sure, I'd like to lose a few more pounds, like I said, but if I stayed where I am at right now for a long time, I would have no more complaints. I think to lose those extra pounds, I'd have to give up sweets again, as well as limit my soda intake. If I have to, I know that I can do it, because I have before, but right now, I just plain don't want to. I'll keep running, eating pretty healthy and trying my best to stay away from too much junk food. And if that fails, well, then, I'll just have to make some more sacrifices. As I said, at least I know I've done it once and can do it again.

So there you have it. Rob's "weighty issues". I hope it wasn't too boring. It's nothing special, just the pains, frustrations, growing, shrinking, highs and lows of the past few years of my life. I am just glad I had a supportive wifey along with me through the whole thing. She made it a lot easier to deal with. She made me feel okay about myself when I was big, but she also was very encouraging and helped a lot once I started losing weight as well.

Now you've seen me skinny, fat, and somewhere in between. Here I am now (well, a couple months ago at least): IMG_1447.JPG

So, help me keep an eye on myself, will you?

Weighty issues. Part four: The Theory.

To wrap up, I went from 125 to 145 to 175 in about 12 years. Then, in a matter of 12 months, I went from 175 to 215+. What gives? How does that even happen? I know my wedding ring doesn't weigh 40 pounds. At least I'm pretty sure it doesn't, so why did I gain all that weight only after I got married?

People say that you start eating bigger, more steady meals when your spouse cooks for you. Okay, I guess I did get more consistent meals every night, but in all honesty, I would think that would be better for you. When I was single, I ate fast food for lunch and fast food for dinner. Every day. You can't possibly get any more unhealthy than that, unless you go to 7-11 in the morning for a 32 ounce Coke and delicious double chocolate donut (oh, wait, I did that once or twice a week). So why didn't I get fat as a single guy, yet the second I get married I start putting on the pounds like I was in some sort of a pie eating contest?

A good question that I may have figured out. Are you ready for my theory? At long last, here it is:

God wanted me to get married. Think about it. I really don't have that much going for me. Every day I assume that my wifey, the lovely Miss Melissa will wake up and realize that she is with a total loser. She already does this, but I think out of sheer laziness, she decides to give it one more day. So, many moons ago, the Big Man upstairs looked at me and said to himself, "If I don't keep this idiot skinny, he'll never get married. He needs at least that much."

That's right, it was divine intervention. He was fighting off those Spicy Chicken Sandwiches from Wendy's, the Whoppers from BK, the Sourdough Bacon Classics from Carl's Jr; not to mention the gallons of Coca-Cola I poured down my throat every week. It turns out I had a lot of help.

Then, only after I suckered Melissa into marrying me did all that help disappear. It's almost like He said, "All right, I got you this far, you're on your own." And the floodgates opened up, causing my waistline to advance faster than the Nazis as they tore through Europe. I couldn't help it, especially sleeping in, going to work, then coming home and sitting on the couch. All of a sudden that sedentary life caught up, since I had no more help from above.

Let me interject something here, before I offend some readers out there. (are there any readers out there?) I am in no way judging people who are overweight. I used to be overweight, so I know it is not a fun thing to go through. So I don't want to come across as someone who just thinks that skinny is the only way to be, or that only skinny people will get married. Not the case at all. It's just a humorous theory that my brain concocted one day, when trying to explain my Oprah-like weight fluctuations.

Now, back to the story. Some of you may have a few questions, such as why do other people gain weight before marriage? Or, why are there lucky bastards out there who never gain weight their entire life (I'm thinking of you McHenry family)? Maybe those people just have more going for them than me, or maybe they paid someone off at the right time, I don't know.Solid questions, all of them. But I don't have the answers to those, I just have the answer to the question of why I all of sudden gained a lot of weight all at once. Although those questions might be answered in the same place—up above. Maybe somehow it's all part of a big plan. I don't get it. Don't get mad at me, I didn't make these rules.

If you disagree, I'd love to hear about it. Tell me your theories. If you agree, I'd love to hear that too. All I know is that I went from looking like this: RobandCourt007.jpg, to looking like this, RobandCourt008.jpg in a matter of months, and this seems to be the only answer out there.

Tune in next week for the exciting conclusion of Weighty Issues…

Miami's in the house

Our friends Landon and Melanie John are moving to Miami. Boooooooo!

We here in San Diego are extremely bummed about this fact. But, before jettisoning off to the land of Sonny Crockett, early-bird specials and sensible shoes, they decided to throw a little Miami-themed party. And we are all the better for it.

Here are a few shots that illustrate just how sweet of an evening it truly was. Unfortunately, we didn't get pictures of everything, including, but not limited to, a piñata being destroyed by a dog, the party's first guest breaking his ankle on the skate ramp or the classy gifts that were given away in a truly compelling raffle. If nothing else, the night supplied me with a great opportunity to show off a few of my dance moves. When was the last time you saw jump kicks on a dance floor? Sorry, kids, we don't have any pictures of those either.

The stars of the party, Lenny and Mel: LennyMel.jpg

Rob & Mel & Mel & Lenny: Miami4.jpg

Lenny, the dirty old man, smelling my wifey's hair: Perv.jpg

The wife, showing off her sexy new dress: SexyLady.jpg

Ready to hit South Beach (in 1978): RobMelMiami.jpg

Showing off some dance moves:
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RobDance5.jpg

Three old friends reunited: RobCourtTravis.jpg

Looks like Lenny has been working on his tan, preparing for South Beach: TanLenny.jpg

Pretty lights, prettier wife: MellyLights.jpg

From the looks of this picture, it appears our party was haunted: Ghosts.jpg

All in all, it was a great party. Lenny and Mel, you'll be sorely missed around these parts. Good luck in Miami.

Weighty issues. Part three: The Plan.

When Lance and I started this little competition, I weighed in at 207 lbs. As seen in the following shots.

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Again, the goal was to lose 30, so I was aiming for 177 lbs. And I just had to beat Lance. Not because I'm competitive, but I just really wanted to lose the weight, and why not win in the process, right? So Melissa and I came up with a plan. I wouldn't call it a diet; it was more like a "weight-loss program". I don't feel like I was too limiting in the things I ate, with the exception of a couple things. I just reduced what I ate, and became smarter about the types and amount of food I was taking in.

It may not work for everybody, but I found it to be successful. The important thing was to stick with it, no matter what.

1. Diet Coke (ugh).
As many of you know, I am addicted to Coke. Coca-Cola, not cocaine. I think if I was addicted to cocaine I wouldn't have had the weight problem in the first place! So the first thing I had to do, which practically killed me emotionally, if not physically, was switch from Coke to Diet Coke. It was a travesty. And the 145 pound version of me would definitely make fun of the fact that I had gone to the dark side, and started drinking Diet Coke. But it had to be done. It just had to. So that was the first thing I did. I went cold turkey, but it took some time to work my way into it too. The first couple months, I could hardly stand drinking the stuff. Now? It's not so bad. I like it, but it still can't hold a candle to the Real Thing. I swore to myself that, until I reached my ultimate goal, I couldn't have one sip of Coke. Only Diet. Then, if I were to reach my goal, I would be allowed an occasional Coke, but I would still have to drink predominantly Diet Coke from here on out. Ouch.

2. Eat breakfast every morning.
I used to be so good at eating every morning. But I slipped into the bad habit of snoozing too long, then not having enough time to eat. Sometimes I'd take a yogurt to work or something like that, but it wasn't good enough. So I started taking time to eat a couple bowls of cereal, and maybe some fruit to go along with it. Everything that I read about losing weight said that eating breakfast is crucial. In my head I was thinking that if you don't eat breakfast, you are eating less, therefore you should lose weight. Not so. We all know it's the most important meal of the day. So there must be a reason. I think it helped me a lot, by getting the metabolism going in the morning, especially after a run.

3. Make lunch.
Not only is eating lunch out everyday extremely expensive, but it's really not good for you. Even when you eat at a sandwich place, chances are you are eating a big sandwich plus chips or fries. But once I started making a lunch, I'd just make a small sandwich, either tuna fish, deli meat, or PB&J (or PB&H—peanut butter and honey) on wheat bread and a few pieces of fruit..

I wasn't too militant about it though, I would always eat out at least once a week under this program. I felt like I had to reward myself from time to time. However, I wouldn't go for Burger King or Carl's Jr, I'd go to a deli and eat a good sandwich, or perhaps get some mexican food. My favorite lunch spots (this was in Salt Lake) were Toaster's, Caputo's, Barbacoa, Boston Deli, Sugarhouse BBQ or, if I wanted to be a little naughty, a couple of slices at The Pie Pizzeria, perhaps the cheesiest pizza ever. So good, but so bad for you. For a good hamburger that wasn't particularly healthy, The Royal Eatery was great. (I'd eat there a lot before I started this program).

4. Eat better (cut carbs).
I don't believe in the Atkin's diet. Completely cutting out carbs is not a good idea, in my opinion. I think you need some carbs, plus they taste so damn good. I can't cut them out completely. I am the same kid who would come home from school or work or whereever and eat 4 or 5 slices of bread at a time without blinking an eye. I am a bread lover, to put it mildly. So this step was also tough, but at least I didn't totally give them up, I just limited my carb intake. For example before I started my weight loss program, I would eat sandwiches on white bread. Plus for dinner we would eat a lot of chicken and rice dishes, or pasta with garlic bread. So I started eating wheat bread for lunch, and for dinner, we went with chicken or salmon with a salad. No garlic bread. No more snacking on bread, and I would eat hardly any rice. If we did have a dinner with rice, I'd just have a small spoonful.

I believe in moderation. You don't have to stop eating everything, just don't over do it.

5. Run. Run. Run.
I can still remember my first run like it was yesterday. It was the first week of February, 2006. I lept off my porch on 500 East in Salt Lake City on a chilly morning, ready to run off 30 lbs all at once. I started at a pretty decent clip. Unfortunately, the mind was willing, but the body wasn't able. After about two blocks, I started huffing, puffing and wheezing. It was then that I remembered that I hadn't exercised in a long time. After slowing to a walk, I realized that I was going to have to work my way into it slowly. So, three days a week I would exercise. It didn't matter if it had snowed a foot or if it was raining buckets, I got my ass out there. The only days I missed were when I was sick, but then I would make up for it once I recovered. The first few days/weeks, I alternated between jogging and walking, till I was able to jog without slowing down. I didn't overdo it (besides that first day!), and started off with a manageable distance. Every couple weeks I would increase the distance by a block, until I was going about three miles each day. I was extremely vigilant with the running. If I gave myself leeway with a bit of food, I definitely didn't with running. It was mandatory! And I'm glad that it was, because to this day I still run three days a week, without fail (unless I'm really sick or out of town).

6. No sweets.
This was incredibly hard working at McCann, with the copious bowls filled with Twix, Snickers, Starburst and other delectable candy treats, as well as at home, where my wife, Melissa, ate Rolos like they were going out of style. I told myself I couldn't have any—not one—until I reached my goal. No exceptions. And I didn't. I think I remember chewing A LOT of gum during that time. Once I reached my goal, I would allow myself one or two every so often, but again, don't over do it. Let me tell you, that first Twix tasted like the best thing in the world.

Melissa is an excellent baker. Her specialty, as some of you may be aware, is chocolate chip cookies. This is where things got incredibly difficult. I LOVE her cookies. I crave them. And she craves them too. So, how is a guy supposed to lose weight when his favorite lady, the lovely Melissa, makes incredible cookies that I can't say no to? I mean, my will power is gone when it comes to these cookies, and I feel bad telling her not to bake them. What's a guy to do? Would it be possible to have her make cookies occasionally? Would my head explode? Would my belly? Well, we came up with a compromise. When she made fresh cookies, I was allowed to eat one or two that night—when they were fresh. But instead of having cookies every night for a week till they ran out, I'd only eat them that one day. Plus, sometimes when she was in the mood for cookies, I'd encourage her to make "No bakes". I like them, but don't crave them like chocolate chip cookies, so it was easier to say no.

7. Don't be a Nazi about everything.
Melissa and I still got pizza (from The Pie) every Friday night. I wouldn't give that up. I love pizza too much. And we would get burritos from Barbacoa or Cafe Rio on the weekends as well. It is my opinion that you can't give up everything, or you will fail. And when I say you, I mean me. I couldn't do it. I had to have rewards sometimes. To me that was pizza. I figured that I used to eat a lot of pizza and burgers, not to mention fries and other carbs. So, by stripping all that down to just pizza once a week (or occasionally twice), I'd be okay. And guess what, I was right!

8. Don't obsess over the scale.
This was a hard one. I weighed myself every Friday morning, after my run, after a shower. The same time every week, no more, no less. I think doing it every day is damaging, because you get freaked out. But once a week is good. Obviously your weight would fluctuate from week to week, sometimes up, sometimes down. So I had to repeatedly tell myself not to get hung up on the week to week results, but look at it a month at a time.

So, after all that, what happened, you ask?

Well, this happened. I started my "diet" on January 15ish, 2006. At that time I weighed 207 lbs. (again, looking like this: IMGP1636.JPG). On August 10, I weighed in at 164 lbs! Here was the new me:

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That's 43 pounds in about seven months! I was ecstatic with the results, to say the least. I'd say it was a successful plan. I mean, I actually was confident enough with the results to post a picture of me with my shirt off. I definitely wouldn't have done that six months before.

I had a purpose. I had a plan. And with some patience, will power and encouragement from the lil' wifey, I executed it.

So, what next then? Tune in later to find out.

Coming soon—Weighty issues. Part four…