So there were some negatives and some positives today.  I didnt go to the gym.  I also ate dinner too late.  I also had way too much salt and fat.  I had no breakfast.   but the most important thing that happened today… I said no.   I woke up about 930, had coffee and started my day.  Ran a few errands with Ms Chocolate and then met my brother at noon.  Whenever we hang out and watch boxing we wind up getting sopressata, italian bread, etc.  So we went to the deli, got the sopressata, the italian bread, some fresh mozzarella,  i also got a few meatballs and some broccoli rabe (i had to get something green!)  We drove to the Galleria and on the way we had some sopressata (no bread for me).  Then when we got back the eating started.  I had a few meatballs, some sopressata, and 1 very small piece of italian bread (that was tough).  Then Tic and KK666 showed up and they brought about 14 doughnuts (MY KRYPTONITE) and a bunch of these pastries from the bakery.  I made coffee for everyone and sat down to drink it and grabbed one of those pastries.  I held it in my hand, i even tried to talk myself into it by saying “this thing feels so light and fluffy” OUTLOUD! i actually said that outloud….lol… and then i got up and put it back.  I’ve never done that before.  It felt damn good.  My brother said “wow thats a real exercise of willpower”.  Those words have never been uttered in my direction before.  It made me feel good.  Then for dinner i had some green giant veggies and 2 burgers.  They were 90 % lean and i made em pretty small, i put fat free cheese on em.  So  we can either focus on the negative or the positive.  I really appreciate all the comments people have left, they are all very telling of the kind of relationships i have had with people throughout my life.  There was a comment left by someone Ive known for 11 years and one left by someone i met this summer for about 45 minutes.  The person i met for 45 minutes managed to say the same thing as the 11 year person but in a kind and considerate way.  Now i know there is fine line between being nice and enabling.  I dont expect to hear “hey way to go on the burgers and sopressata Dante!” lol, but lets just keep in mind what one of the wisest men ive ever known told me “Honesty, without compassion, is cruelty”.   Until next time…

pretty cool huh?

So let’s start with the good stuff.  I had my usual oatmeal for breakfast (which i am not even close to getting tired of, i think i could have it every morning for the rest of my life!) then for lunch i had my usual veggies and i ordered a chef salad from a deli, yuck!  It was nasty.  I ate about 1/3 of it.  Then after work i went to the gym, did 20 mins of cardio and some back and legs and then had a protein shake.  Then tonight i went to the outback for dinner.  I had a couple of pieces of the bread.  i think its wheat, im not making excuses though, i probably shouldnt have.  Then i shared an order of wings for appetizer, not so terrible cuz i really wanted the cheese fries but that was totally out of the question.  Then i had the rib eye for dinner.   The waiter brought out a baked potato loaded with butter instead of the veggies i ordered.  He apologized and went to get the veggies.  before he left i made him take the potato away.  so i wasnt so terrible.  Lets see what happens tommorow, i am hanging with my brother so i may let it out a notch or two but i am going to the gym in the morning.  BTW, i am feeling back to normal today.  Its funny how one day the world can look like such a shitty place, depressing, tired, etc and then i wake up and im back to looking at the world with gratitude.  God has been good to me.  Until next time…

I will be walking on the beach with him next year too, he will be taller, will i be narrower??

I barely ate today.  I know that isnt a good idea, i think it made me feel a little wackier than normal.  I didnt go to work so my eating was really thrown off.  I didnt have breakfast, strike 1.  I had a piece of leftover steak for lunch with no salad and no veggies, strike 2.  I had some chili at school for dinner, with nothing else, strike 3.  I also had too much caffeine, 3 coffees and a diet pepsi.  Barely any water, blah, bad day, right back on the horse tommorow.  At least i didnt stuff my face.  Sorry to be a Dante Downer, hopefully i will be back to my usual jovial self tommorow.  I also felt a little anxious today, i have suffered from anxiety in the past and it is so  much better than it used to be.  It has been practically non existant the last few months/years.   I think i need to go make a list of all the things I’m grateful for.  Until next time…

So the yankees are the World Champs again! Matsui, my favorite player, was the MVP.  How sweet it is.  I ate pretty well today.  I had my usual oatmeal for breakfast, salad and veggies for lunch.  For dinner i did go a little crazy.  I had some chicken Fajitas.  I also has some asparagus and some salad.  The Fajitas had rice with them, i didnt eat the rice.  I had the chicken and veggies and some guacamole and 2 of the wraps.  It wasnt that bad but definitely not something i will be doing every day.  Although, the chicken was delicious.  I may have some exciting career news soon so please stay tuned!!  Until next time…

I Like this pic...

I had a convo via text message with a friend today who is also on a quest to get healthy and lose weight.  We were talking about the prospect of losing weight too fast.  We were both under the impression that losing weight too fast can lead to you putting it back on and even more.  I said let me lose it too fast, that’s a problem i would like to have.  It did get me to thinking about whether or not this was true.  If losing weight fast puts you at a greater risk of putting it back on just as quickly.  I think it varies for different people.  For someone like me, with so much to lose, i think the faster it comes off the better.  Anyway, no gym today.  I went 3 days in a row and it was a planned day off.  I ate well.  I had my usual oatmeal breakfast.  5 16 oz waters throughout the day.  A really delicious salad for lunch, prepared by the fabulous Samantha.  And then dinner….mmmm….mmmm….mmmm.  I had some steak, shrimp and veggies.  It was delicious!!  I had a pretty busy day, thing are rolling along.  The answer to yesterdays riddle is 1, because after that your stomach isnt empty anymore.  Until next time…

Check out those sideburns!!

So i went to the gym this morning before work for the firs time in my life.  It was pretty good.  It did wake me up, i once again did 20 mins on the elliptical.  Then i did some chest exercises.  I had a protein shake right after.  Then i went to work and had my usual oatmeal.  For lunch i had salad with the usual veggies, 2 hard boilded eggs and some cheese.  I also had some almonds for a snack later in the day.  I drank a lot of water today.  For dinner i had 3 small pork chops with zucchini, onions and peppers (leftovers..heehee) and a green giant frozen mixed veggies.  Things are going well, my clothes feel looser.  I did start to feel fatigued about 3 in the afternoon, not like the usual fatigue, it was a good tired but i really did want to just lay down.  Unfortunately there are no beds at my job so i just had an extra coffee.  Here is a riddle for you all that my nephew asked me.  How many cookies can you eat on an empty stomach?  I’ll give the answer here tommorow night or if you cant wait just email me or txt me.  Until Next time…

From the Judas Priest concert in the summer

So i won’t leave you in suspense, i weighed in today and i am 338.4!  I lost exactly 9 lbs since monday night.  I started out last year at 381 and i started this new push on 10/26 at 347.4.  I feel good.  I woke up early (8am) and went to breakfast and then to the gym.  I had scrambled eggs with cheese for breakfast with turkey bacon and sausage.  I didnt have lunch, i had a protein shake.  It is 6 o clock and i am about to have dinner.  3 small pork chops with zucchini, peppers and onion and a green giant healthy frozen mixed veggies package.  I wanted to take a day off from salad.  I WILL GO TO THE GYM TOMMOROW BEFORE WORK!!  I feel good and i am on a roll.  Today i was struck with this thought that i had asked God to help me with so many things in my life and i never thought once to ask Him to help me with this.  Well today i asked.  God helps those that help themselves.  Until next time…

My Bro and I on the pirate ship @ Seaside

I finally made it to the gym today!  I went to the gym right after I woke up this morning.  I did 20 minutes on the elliptical machine.  Then i did some shoulder exercises.  When i first starting going to the gym last thanksgiving, when i was weighing in at 381, I did 3 minutes on the elliptical the first day and then my legs felt like rubber and i could barely walk down the stairs.  After going to the gym regularly i started doing 10 minutes, then 15, then 20, and then 30.  So to do 20 today on my first day back doing cardio in a while was definitely a victory as far as i am concerned.  I ate pretty well today, especially considering what i usually do on saturday.  I didnt drink a lot of water, I didnt have breakfast, i know thats not a good idea.  Then for lunch i had a salad and a black bean soup at Panera.  Then for dinner i went to the clairmont diner and had the “Clairmont Combo”.  It is a Skirt Steak and 2 stuffed shrimp and 2 stuffed clams.  It also comes with a salad, which i ate, and i got 2 veggies (peas and carrots, and corn)  instead of a potato.  I know the stuffed clams and shrimp arent a good idea but i decided to treat myself a bit.  I also had some microwave popcorn (94% fat free) and 2 ice pops just now.  I started to think about my gut today as an evil giant.  This evil giant can only stay alive if i feed it all the crap that made it grow in the first place.  I cant starve it to death but everytime i give it something green, it dies a little.  Healthy food is like kryptonite to this giant.  I will slay him….lol…  Tommorow will be a bit of a test.  I will be watching football with friends, I am probably going to let it out a notch but i will eat a good breakfast so im not starving and i will not go too crazy.  Until next time…

Dante

Its got nothing to do with weight but i couldnt help it...lol

I went to see the new Michael jackson movie, it was pretty good, it made me realize how much i loved that music as a kid (and still do).  I was good today with my eating BUT i didnt get to the gym!  I had oatmeal for breakfast, salad for lunch, veggie w light ranch dip, some low fat cheese.  Then  i had a chicken shiskabob at about 5 in the city.  Then I had a chef salad for dinner.  I thought i would crave a pastrami sandwich but i didnt.  I went there with a plan and i stuck to it, i did have a cup of NE clam chowder and then at the movie i split a small popcorn with my friend Robert.  I went to the movie with him and my big brother.  I had a jam packed day, i went to work, i got out and had to go to the city to pick up headshots and bring them to my managers office.  Then by the time i got back i had no time for the gym and had to head out to meet the guys for dinner.  I will have the time to go tommorow and i will.  I have to make a new plan during the week.  I would like to say i will go in the moring but i have enough trouble getting out of bed to go to work.  I dont know how im gonna get around this one but i’ll figure it out.  I am going to go tommorow, one day at a time, right?  I think i am going to have to weigh in soon, the suspense is killing me!! Here is another old pic, i remember seeing the pic 13 years ago and thinking i looked fat… I Wish!! until next time…

The Good Old Bad Days

Dante