News from the (sweaty) front

Okay. It's been a while since I started the working out thing and it was really tough at first. Now I'm really enjoying it and it's going well. I've started adding some more exercises and changing up the cardio a bit, and I'm really happy with the results.
I got on the scale the other morning (yes, ladies, NAKED. put that in your pipe and smoke it...) and weighed in at 246.5 - down about 20 lbs from when I started. I'm also down a pants size (and they're starting to get a little baggy) and wearing shorts I haven't worn in a while. So, I'm thinking, I've probably lost somewhere around 35-40 pounds of actual fat because I've added a lot of muscle (I'm not being vain - I'm really serious on this). I'm noticing it in all sorts of ways. I don't notice my backpack when walking anymore, I rip right up the stairs, I walk faster than anyone around me (going to and from work/ferry), and I'm regularly bumping up my weights.
The really wild thing is how it's changed my golf game. All of a sudden, I hit the ball high. Not just high, mind you, Rick James high. Really fucking high. Twice the height of the trees high. I've never been able to do that. The drawback of all this is that now I need to figure out how far I hit the ball with all the new strength. I went out to Mare Island the other day to play/practice and I was easily two clubs longer than normal. I kept blasting the ball over the green! I'm not complaining, it's just weird. So, I went out again the other night (after work) and managed to get in a couple of holes. I hit two or three shots into the green with different clubs and marked the distance with my SkyCaddie (if you golf, you need one). To my amazement, I was consistently much, much longer with each club. 5 iron: 195, 2 iron: 245, lob wedge: 115, 3 wood: chunk (I hate the three wood - maybe I'll be like Mike and get a 15 degree rescue).
Anyway, I'm not complaining - it's all good. Everything else is good too. Some minor issues with people losing their little minds, but I don't really give a fuck. Seriously, life's too short - everyone needs to just get on over their shit. Seriously. Work's great. Lots to do and I feel like I'm making a little progress here and there. Got to bring in a guy I really like working with, so that's a good time. He's enjoying the job and I like having him on the team because I know stuff will get done right.
What else.... Booked our fall vacation. We're going to San Jose del Cabo for a week, staying in a brand new resort (thanks to the fabulous Ms. Elena Garcia). Still need to book a car and all that, but that can wait. So, just have to hold out until July, then the next one is in October. I'd still really like to fit in a Bandon Dunes trip on a 3 day weekend or something. Maybe that'll have to wait until next year (been saying that for ten years now).
Michelle's been great. She took some amazing photos during her trip to Paris. I think we'll have to go back in 2008 and do it right. I think we'll spend a week in Scotland, then maybe hop down to the continent for a few. I'd really like to go back to Germany - especially Berlin. I've heard the mix of old and new architecture is amazing - can't wait to see it!!
Well, the chicken's ready and I've done enough purging for one evening. Time to chow down.

Workout Update

The workouts have been going very well and I'm starting to see benefits at the scale. I'm down five pounds since I started and at least one belt notch. It's not time for new pants yet, but they're fitting more loosely week by week. My cardiovascular fitness is improving a lot faster than I had anticipated - I'm able to blow through 30 minutes on the bike averaging 90+ rpms on a higher setting each week without blowing out my heart rate. As a matter of fact, I'm having to work a lot harder to get to my target heart rate, so much so that I'm tiring out my legs before I get there! So, I think I'm ready to step up the cardio training and start intervallic training this week.

We're playing golf at Mare Island with Will today - should be a lot of fun. The last couple times I went out, I was dramatically longer off the tee, but I'm not always sure when the additional length is going to kick in. This ought to be interesting. I've been reading a book on course design and strategy by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and I'm looking forward to putting into practice some of the concepts of the book. Hopefully I can keep on track and score well today.

Gotta scoot, shower's calling...

Loose Pants = Progress

The simplest possible math. Less than two weeks of working out and I'm already noticing improvements. My pants are considerably looser and I have taken one belt notch off my waist. In addition, the cool leather jacked I bought in January that was SNUG around my chest and belly now has a little room. I feel like part of me is melting away (what a world, what a world) - but in a good way (what a world! what a world!).
Did a quick stint on the bike this morning (just over 20 minutes) and I wish I would have gotten by shit together enough to get there earlier (on time) so I could have done more. I noticed a slight improvement in my cardiovascular performance over last week. I had to jack up the resistance to get my heart rate up and it took a little longer to get there this time. Similarly, I have noticed in my weight lifting that my stamina is increasing rapidly. The first night, I was panting and sweating wildly after the first set. Yesterday morning, I was winded, but not panting, sweating, but not dripping, until the last set of the second triplet (end of the workout).
So, overall, I'm happy thus far with the progress, I must say.

Summering at the coast

Start Thurston Howell III accent now... Looks like we'll be summering at the coast this year, at least for one week of it. We're moving up our annual Sea Ranch trip to the first week of July and I just booked our rental house. We'll be on the bluff, overlooking the water, just a short walk from some of the numerous hiking trails and Shell Beach. Yaaay.


Here's the view from the Deck:
Doesn't it just look divine? We sure like Sea Ranch! We have spent a week up there for Labor Day each of the last two years and it is the most wonderful place in California, as far as I'm concerned. If you want to check it out, get a rental house here. Once you're there, you have to check out some of the local flavors:
TwoFish Bakery (get there EARLY), St Orres (bring lotsa money), the Sandpiper, and so many more. Don't forget your golf clubs, Sea Ranch has a great 18 hole links style layout. It's some of the best coastal golf in California and it's reasonably priced at around $60 per round. If you feel like exploring, head over the hill to Boonville or drive up the coast to Mendocino or nearby Fort Bragg and have some lunch at North Coast Brewing's tap room. They have some kickin' beers and good grub. Put down a few Old Stock Ales (13+% alcohol), then drag ass down the street and get some coastal ink.
Well, the couch is calling, and I'd better heed.
Thurston Out!

Mmmmm, that's good workout!

Good workout today - bumped up the weight on a couple things, tweaked my form just a little, and did some endurance training on a bike. I've posted my workout tracker on Google Docs and Spreadsheets (bitchin tool, I must say).
I'll try to update the tracker each time I work out and post updates on weight and general fattiness progress. I didn't really lose any weight this week (1 lb - could just be water), but I definitely feel a difference in muscle tone, cardiovascular fitness, and especially energy level.
All for now,
C

Arj and Poopy

Arj and Poopy are BACK. For those who don't know, soon you'll understand. This episode prominently features Bouncy the Dog.

Enjoy!!

Valentine's Meal

Wednesday was, of course, Valentines Day. Going out to dinner on VD-Day has proven to be a disappointing event over the years, so we decided to just eat at home this year. I picked up some organic filets at Golden Gate Meat Market as well as some buttercream potatoes and red leaf lettuce at the Ferry Building produce market (the same folks who deliver our produce - see earlier post).

I made a red wine demiglace sauce for the filets (fa-bu-lous) and creamed the potatoes with milk, butter, grey salt, fresh rosemary from our herb garden, and Parmesan cheese. I dusted off a 1999 Folie A Deux Eschen Vineyard old vine zinfandel that had aged perfectly. All the tannens had softened and what was left was full of rich, dark fruit, a great mouth feel, and a brown sugary, oak-laden finish that could only be described as heavenly. It paired perfectly with the steaks and played very well with the demiglace. Then, of course, there was the salad, too.

C