7.430. Gains and Losses

239.6 No, it isn’t a future blog number. It is in fact how much I weigh. I’m supposed to be 20 lbs less by now. Yet I’ve gone the opposite direction. I looked in the mirror yesterday and saw the side view of a man who really needs to change. Of course, what I want to do is be dramatic about it and pull of some Rocky level stuff, but those things don’t keep. The most effective thing I’ve ever done in my life–the most consistent positive thing–is this blog. I manage to drag my butt to the screen or the page every day for ten minutes. Some days I love it. Some days I have to really tap each key slowly in order to get all the way through. You can tell by the content and by the length exactly where I am with writing (and likely emotionally) that day. Even on empty I get this done.

So why not start that with my body?

I can do ten minutes. I can do HITT for ten. Sure, it isn’t going to get it done, but it is going to help move me towards a lifestyle. I need to be more active in order to activate the ability to burn off this fat that is surely to kill me. I feel it in my body and in my brain. I feel slower and less healthy and mentally coming apart at the seams. Yet I am doing next to nothing about it.

239.6. I will get started today. 238.6 next Thursday. My goal is a pound a week again. Just one pound. That, according to the Mayo Clinic, means burning 500-1000 calories more than I consume daily. It means raising my resting metabolic rate. It means getting more and better quality sleep. All of these things are part of the process. I need to start taking the process a lot more seriously.

My life actually depends on it.

7.429. Waiver Wednesday

Basketball is fun again? So fun in fact that I’m totally blaming the success of the Knicks for Jon Stewart being out on Monday… Maybe it is true. Maybe it isn’t. What is true is that Women’s hoops got a huge boost from the Gal from West Des Moines (the hood part). Caitlin Clark grew up balling with people who could really play, and held her own. She held her own with Greg Doyel too. Now she’s gotta carry the weight of a new generation of fans and fan expectations. It’s preseason, so I’ll get back to this later.

It’s post season in the NBA. As I said, the Knicks are winning–up 2-0 on the Pacers. The Celtics are up next if both teams can handle their opponents. I haven’t seen Knicks v. Celtics in the playoffs for as long as I can remember. I refuse to get excited because I remember what happened last time. That was 25 years ago.

Meanwhile, the NFL has nothing to say so I’m focused on College Ball and Spring HS ball, where my kids are getting to their next stages. The young one is trying to earn a varsity spot while his older brother is finishing an excellent HS track career before he prepares for the next level: D1 FCS College Ball. I am excited for the future that all of these kids have to look forward to. I’m excited to get to play them in future NCAA football video games.

Should be nice.