Christmas: The Day After

It's the day after Christmas. I went to my Grandmother's yesterday and had a great time. It's been a nice week and I've been trying not to eat too much. Overall, I've managed to stay away from the table and not overdo it.
I'm excited about 2008 and I have set some really nice goals for myself.
I'm targeting to lose 5 pounds a month this year incorporating a lot of walking, jogging, and running. I'm going to log in my miles on this blog.

Weekend Getaway

Mrs. Surf and I had a great weekend together. We went to Biloxi for a couple of days then over to Destin before returning to Atlanta for my company Christmas party.
We topped that off Monday night with front row seats at Monday Night Football.

Update

Wow! I haven't updated this blog for a little while. I'll try to post a little more often. Things continue to go well with my diet and I've got a lot to talk about. I'm pretty busy tonight so I can't post much right now, but I will update a few things in the next couple of days.

The Next Step

I have to get on a regular exercise schedule. I work a lot of hours and it's going to take discipline through the Winter when it's not as warm out and dark when I leave and dark when I get home.
I'm either going to go to the gym in the mornings before work or create a workout room in the house; I'm still undecided at the moment. The gym is easier up front but if I create a home gym/workout room then that will be easier long term.
Thanks to all the people that have remarked on the weight loss so far. I still have a lot to lose but it's nice to receive a few comments and it helps keep me motivated.
The biggest things I can notice is that I can tie my shoes without any trouble breathing and I am sleeping better most of the time. I feel much more energetic all the time as well.

New Look Coming

I'm getting ready to change the look of this blog. Stay tuned!!!

Happy Wednesday!!!

Hello everyone! Happy Wednesday!!! What's the signifigance of Wednesday, you ask? Well, I read something today that put me in a very great mood. It was a simple little saying but it hit me the right way and I've been in a great mood ever since.
It was about miracles. It said, "There is no in between with miracles. You either believe there are no miracles, or you believe that everything is a miracle."
I know for certain that I don't believe that there are no miracles, so therefore I fall to the everything is a miracle side. When I read that I thought it sounded silly but the more I thought about it the more I realized that to different degrees everything is a miracle.
So......Happy Wednesday!!!
Have a blessed week everyone!!!

Giving Up A Vice

I'm giving up a huge vice that is holding me back in my weight loss......milk. I love milk. But I love losing weight more so I'm cutting my favorite drink way, way back. It will be hard because I love to drink milk, but I can do it. :)

New Pants

Mrs. Surf has made it official. Some of my pants are getting baggy and I'll have to buy smaller ones soon; terrible problem, hehe.
I swerved from my diet for one night this week and went with my friend Kuro to get some late-night pizza. While it was way off the beaten path of my diet, I think it was an important part of it. That one night of pizza was very fun for me and will keep me on track more than anything else for at least a month.
I've finally increased my water intake and I've found a new drink that has 0 calories that I love. It's diet green tea. I love it!!
I'm going to buy some new clothes tomorrow evening. My goal for the rest of this year is to get down to 260. That will be 60 pounds from where I started. My longer-term goal is to be at 225 by next summer when I return to Oklahoma.
Last but not least; It's great to be a Grandpa!!!

I Can Breathe

I can bend down and tie my shoes without feeling like I am suffocating........ hooray!

Update

I would give myself a B on the romantic front. I have my moments where I do and say the right things to cultivate a healthy relationship, but I also backslide and make the intentionally crude stabs that folks can make when they have known each other so well for so long. I'm working on eliminating them from my actions but it is a habit-changing proccess. At least I'm aware I'm doing it.
I'm planning a romantic getaway weekend with just the Mrs. and I which she knows absolutely nothing about. (I'm pretty sure she's not reading this blog at least.) On the slim chance that she may read this before the trip that's all the details I'm going to mention.
I got to see my Grandson today and man is he growing fast. He's seven weeks old and it's amazing how much he has grown already.
My daughter is working with me and she's doing great. She catches on to everything very fast and completes every assignment thrown her way with no sign of being negative. I'm very proud of her progress in the few short weeks she's been there. The coolest thing is that she rides to work with me about three days a week.
My youngest son started college this week. I hope he puts his best effort in to his studies.
My diet is going well. I'm currently down 42 pounds from where I started at the first of the year. My current focuses are quality of dailyfood intake and quantity of daily water intake.

The Ring

I've talked to a friend who deals diamonds and I've got to get back with him on the specifics of the ring, but I'm making progress. I've come up with my plan to totally surprise her with it. I'm pretty sure she's not reading this here blog but I'm not positive so I won't say right now. If the suspense is killing anyone, just e-mail or I M me and I'll let you in on it.
I went to orientation for my son's college last Friday. It was funny watching some of the other parents just totally freaking out about their kids leaving the nest. My son is still staying at the house for now while he begins college, so it's not like he's leaving home.
The diet is going well. I took a week off from dieting for my Oklahoma trip, and now that I'm back home I'm right back on it. I have lost 40 pounds since the beginning of the year. I'm going to drop about another 70 or so and then decide if I want to lose more. I'm not pushing it as hard as I could each week. I think for the long term loss it's more important to just have a consistent plan of small losses and not try to over-do it. I certainly didn't put all the weight on in one month, so there's no reason to expect to lose it all in one.
There are a lot of pics of me on the internet on my friend's that I was in Oklahoma with's websites, and I look huge. I'll be seeing them again in December and I plan on being a lot smaller by then. I've got about 5 months until then, so I should be able to drop another 30 or 35 pounds by then.

Home From Oklahoma

I'm home from a trip to Oklahoma. I took a break from dieting and enjoyed myself during the trip, but I'm back home now and back on track. Next target weight goal is 270. My goal is to be there by August 15th.

Quick Update

I'm making it a priority to join a gym this week. I'm open for suggestions on workout programs. I'm looking for weight loss more than anything else right now but overall fitness is a goal also.

I went to see my Grandson today. He's just over a week old now. I'm a proud Grandpa.

My youngest son is gone on a 7-day cruise to the Bahamas. It's just another ten days until my trip to Oklahoma. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm going to get to meet a lot of online frineds in person that I have known online for a few years. It should be a lot of fun.

It looks like my daughter is probably going to start working with me in a few weeks. She has worked some projects for me already and will make an excellent addition to the store so I'm really excited about getting to work with her.

That's about it for now. Have a great week everyone!

Grandpapa Surf

I am brand new to the category of Grandfather.
It's a boy!!!He is absolutely adorable. I promise to post a pic soon.
I thought I would feel older when he got here but it seems I am experiencing the opposite.
I'm glad to be a 42 year old grandfather.
All three of my kids are out of high school now and I'm young enough to really enjoy watching the grandkids grow up.

Work Work Work

I was off a few days last week and the family and I went on a mini-vacation to Destin. It was a nice break and it's always great to get to spend time with Mrs. Surf and the little Surflings. Of course the little Surflings aren't so little any more so I especially cherish the vacations we get to take with them now. They are all growing up and sprouting roots of their own.

I have another vacation coming up in about three weeks. I'm going to Oklahoma with a friend to meet up with several friends from all over the globe.

My sister just had surgery a day or two ago and is recovering and doing well. My prayers and best wishes go out to her and her family. Her daughter recently had surgery as well. They are moving down to my neck of the woods very soon. It will be nice to have some more family here in town again.

My gang at work is finishing up a major project and it's coming together nicely. Some of the guys and gals have really stepped up and pitched in above and beyond what is required. It's great to help manage a group of folks that take pride in what they do.

My diet is still going well. I need to exercise more than I am, but I am determined to continue to get in great shape so it will come with time and effort. I am feeling much more energetic than I did six months ago and the weight I have lost so far is gone for good.

My friend Alex Baba who is one of Shea's (bthecloser69) fighters was just listed by the WBC rankings commisssion at #18 bantamweight in the world. Way to go!!!!

Here Comes The Judge

I have been asked to be a judge for a karaoke contest. There are some extraordinarily talented contestants and we have had a few guest celebrities of sorts show up to hear and do some singing afterwards. This week it was a member of KC and the Sunshine band. He sang "Boogie Shoes" which he also wrote. His sister is Joyce "Baby Jean" Kennedy, the lead singer for Mother's Finest. It is rumoured that she will be with us next week. I am a HUGE fan of hers and I really hope I get the chance to meet her.
Sometimes I feel a little bit like Forrest Gump with all the different celebrities I have met or known over the years. :)

Baby Shower

Mrs. Surf is hosting a baby shower today for our soon-to-be-here grandson. I've been helping her clean house all morning. It was nice to be working together around the house. It seems lately our schedules have taken us in different directions too often. We don't have any plans tomorrow so I think I'm going to take her to lunch and a movie.

Graduation Day

I just got home from my youngest son's high school graduation. I can't believe all of our kids are out of high school. He's searching for an apartment and plans to move out in two weeks. He is going to college here in town so all three of our kids will still be nearby.

Big Congrats Son. We are very proud of you!!

9 1/2 Weeks

It's about nine and a half weeks until the Oklahoma trip. I'm going to set a goal of reaching 265 by then. That will be a total of just under fifty pounds lost for the year. I think it's a possible goal but it will take some real efforts to get there. I'm not going to change what I'm eating. I think that part is great. I'm going to increase the walking and exercise and I think I need to be drinking a little more water. So 265 it is.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

The momentum I have had all year continues as there is less and less of me. I have lost almost 30 pounds. It's more of a mental shift to make better decisions than anything else. When I go out to eat, I just simply make better decisions to order healthier items than I would have ordered last year. I think if I do that each time I order, all those small decisions will add up to a huge difference over the course of a year.
Mother's Day is this weekend. Happy Mother's Day!!!
My youngest son is graduating high school in a few weeks. It doesn't seem like 18 years since he was born. Time really seems to fly by sometimes. My daughter will be 21 on her next birthday, and my oldest son is about to make me a Grandfather. I'm really happy to be getting in good shape so I can enjoy helping my kids when they need me.
I hired a landscaper a few years ago and he takes really good care of the yard. Now that I am feeling more energetic, I was considering doing it myself. I don't know if I have the time though, so I think I'll ease in to taking on some of the work myself and keep him a while longer. We'll see how it goes.
My first cousin is going to be a senior in high school next year in Alabama. He is the second largest lineman in the state at 6 feet 5 inches and 320 pounds. I'm looking forward to going to a few of his games this year.

Month 4

We're well in to the fourth month of the year. My anniversary is coming up this week as well as my youngest son's eighteenth birthday. Mrs. Surf and I are going to Tunica next weekend and we will be playing in three poker tournaments. You can read all the details on my Poker Blog.
I am going to be talking to a friend of mine this week who is a runner about hopefully helping me with a walking/running training schedule.
I am getting Mrs. Surf a special gift for our anniversary. I will tell you about it after she gets it. There's a slim chance she may read this so I don't want to say what it is yet. I'll tell you all about it soon.
I hope everyone is having a great year so far!!

Happy Wednesday!!!

I hope everyone is having a great week. Everything has been great here. I am going to the Thrashers playoff game one tomorrow night with Jamie, a fellow manager where I work. Nathan is taking us in the company limo. He is dropping us off then taking six of our employees and dropping them at the Braves game. He will pick us up and then we will go to the Braves stadium and pick up the rest of the guys. It should be a lot of fun.
The diet continues to go well. I'm down 26 pounds since the first of the year. I got my hair cut very short this week; a little shorter than I meant to. That's OK..it will grow back soon.
My youngest son just got accepted to a local college. I'm happy that he is not going far away. All three of my kids currently live within a few miles of us. I doubt it will always be that way but it's nice right now.
I hurt my back about a week ago and it's still not 100% but it's definitely a lot better. I'm considering joining a local gym when it feels a little better.
Mrs. Surf and I are going to Tunica for our anniversary in a few weeks. It will be nice to go somewhere for a few days together and be off from work.
Have a great week everyone!!

Ouch!!!

I've injured my lower back so I can't exercise right now. I'm hoping it will feel better in the next few days; otherwise I will go get it checked out. I have never been to a chiropracter before, but I will be going soon if I keep hurting.
The diet is going very well. I'm shooting for 280 by the end of April. That will be over 30 pounds lost since the first of the year. I won't be losing as quickly if I can't exercise, but I can still keep losing.

How Could I?

How could I feel like I have anything to feel bad about when someone so close to me doesn't have food at home.
How could I feel self-pity when someone so close to me is so brave and got out of their comfort zone to try and make something of themselves, only to have the hands of fate throw an unbelievable string of unfortunate events in their face......yet they smile and remain positive...and hungry.
How?
All I can say is I have big-time respect for you sir. I know you don't have Internet....or a bed....or furniture.......or food. You will.
"It's OK" he said. "We get paid tomorrow. I'll be OK until then."
"Tomorrow is Thursday."
"Oh........"

My small struggles in life seem so small now and I feel so great to be losing weight and making new friends this year. I have a Grandson on the way and I'm so blessed. My focus this year is becoming crystal clear. I had fallen in to such a comfort zone in life, and it feels so good to be busting out of a rut.
I won a trip for two to Maui a few years ago. It was an unbelievable experience. They gave us a list of activities to choose from. It was all paid for so money was no factor in your decisions. I started picking things like a free Corvette convertible for a day and shopping sprees and riding horses.....then I thought.....I could do any of that stuff in my home town. This is a chance to do things I have never done and not only that, things I would never ordinarily do. I started over and selected a catamaran trip, a helicopter tour, and snorkeling. Were these things a little scary? Of course they were, but I'm so glad I did every one of them. All three experiences contain memories that I will never forget....swimming with sea turtles, flying over volcanoes, sailing in the clear ocean with dolphins all around. Sometimes you have to face your fear head on. So many times when I was younger I ran from the things that I feared only to have them reappear in my new environment. I showed my wife the list of activities and had her try to guess which ones we were doing. She guessed all the ones I would normally select. I laughed and showed her the ones I picked.
She said "You're kidding, why?"
I didn't expect her to "get it" but she did and it was so awesome!!!
If you want to see some cool pictures of a current trip to Hawaii check out Brian's blog.

Home From Trip

We just arrived home from Atlantic City this morning. We managed to get four hours sleep before heading to my Grandmother's to celebrate three birthdays. It was good to see family after the long road trip. Unfortunately my sister was ill and unable to attend. Get well soon Sis!!

Heading North

Mrs. Surf and I are heading North this week. I have meetings in Virginia for three days, then we are going to Atlantic City for a few days before returning home. While heading North, my weight is heading South. I've dropped over 20 pounds since the first of the year. It feels good to be losing weight. It has an effect on all aspects of my life. I have more energy all the time and I can see myself getting in shape and beginning to run again soon. I have a friend that runs almost every day, and I look forward to doing that before long. When I was in the Army, I ran about 50-70 miles a week. While I don't think I want to put that many miles in now, I would like to do maybe half that. One of my new goals is to run over 30 days in a row for maybe 150 miles or so. It will still be a while before I can do this, but I will do it.
I should be down to about 270 by summer. That will be over 40 pounds gone!! It is nice to be able to look back in this journal and see the progress. Day by day it doesn't ever seem like the weight is coming off, but when I can look back just a few months and see a 20 pound difference, I gain confidence in the upcoming months and I keep focused because I know I am going to keep losing the extra weight and reach my goals.
As an example of the attitude difference, there is no way I would have set a running goal three months ago. I am going to start logging my running in a journal. I won't be posting it here every day; I'll probably just post an update every now and then on here.
I'm looking forward to our trip this week. I'll tell you all about it when we return.

Month 3

It's the 1st of March and I weighed in at the end of February at 293. My March goal is 285. I've moved in two notches on my belt and my pants are getting very loose. I can see and feel many differences as I lose the weight. I still have a long, long way to go but it feels great to be well below 300. I was up to 311 late last year so I'm down 18 pounds so far. That's about 8 to 9 pounds a month. I'm drinking plenty of water and eating well but I still need to exercise more.
Mrs. Surf and I have a trip in two weeks to D.C. and then up to Atlantic City for a few days. It would be easy to splurge and eat too much but I will stay strong for myself and my family. I love my wife and kids and my motivation is to get in shape this year for my health and for them.
I'm planning a special surprise for Mrs. Surf in a few months...shhhhhh...she could possibly see this so I have to be a little careful. I'll tell you about it after the fact, I promise.
My youngest son is graduating from high school in a few months and my oldest son has made me a Grandpa. My oldest is 26 today; Happy Birthday Brent!!
I talked to my daughter today. She is going to be 21 on her next birthday. I am so proud of her. She has her own house already and a steady job and she is in college; you go girl!!!

I've reached a New Low (and I'm happy about it!)

I just returned from a trip last night and weighed in this morning. I'm a shade under 295 so that means I've now lost 16 pounds since the first of the year. My goal for February was 295 so I'm now shooting for my March goal of 289.

Day 44

I've lost over 15 pounds now and I have momentum on my side. The diet is going great and the exercise is going...heh. It's nice to have the energy to feel like exercising more than I have in a long time.
I am helping put together a big karaoke contest. We have landed some very big sponsors and the grand prize is going to be several thousand dollars along with a session in a recording studio and possibly more. We are trying to line up a couple of celebrity judges for the finals so if anyone has anyone in mind let me know.
I have two friends on the west coast who are planning their wedding. I wish you both the best and I'm so happy for both of you. You both inspire me!!!
I hope everyone had a great Valentine's day. I am taking the attitude that every day is like a Valentine's day and it is wonderful. Mrs. Surf and I are approaching our 21st anniversary and I am so happy that we are as in love today as we were in 1986!!
Have a great week everyone. Talk to you soon!!!

Day 33

298.2 when I weighed in today. No more 300's for me and no looking back.
Mrs. Surf and I are on the way to a Super Bowl party. I ate a big healthy late lunch so I won't be tempted by all the tasty treats at the party.

Day 27

I'm still doing good on my diet. I need to lose two tenths of a pound to crack the 300 mark. I'm focusing on 295 now. I've decided just to chip away 5 to 10 pound goals at a time. 295 by the end of February is my current focus.
I've picked out a ring style. I'm going to search around and talk to a friend that sells them but the hard part is over.
I've decided to buy tickets to a local Valentine's dance. We haven't been to a dance in a long time and Mrs. Surf loves to dance; should be a great time.
I've got tickets to War of the Worlds boxing matches Friday. I'm taking both my sons and my daughter's boyfriend. We have front row seats. Some of you may remember Shea (bthecloser69) from the Mookie. He is the promoter and got me the seats.
Hopefully next time you hear from me I will be able to say I weigh less than 300. Yaaaaaa!!!

Day 21

I've lost 7 pounds so only 2 more and I'm under 300 for the first time in a long while. I have momentum now and the diet is easy. It's so easy to resist the things you shouldn't have when you have goals to keep you focused. When I have tried to diet before, I never truly had the focus to do it.
I'm off work today, so I plan to surprise my sweety and have the house all cleaned up when she gets home so she can relax and enjoy her evening. I'm taking her on a surprise trip in a few weeks. I won't mention where on the slim chance that she may read this. I don't think she does but I won't risk it. I'll tell you all about it when we get back.

Day 17

It's been a few days since I last posted so I'll try to catch you up a little. Mrs. Surf and I went to dinner last night with my oldest son, his girlfriend, and her daughter. Her daughter is 18 months old and just beginning to talk. She is learning quickly and it's a lot of fun to help her learn new words.
The diet is still going great. I've lost four pounds so far so I still have a long way to go but progress is progress. I'm working tomorrow until 4 pm so I should be home by 5 or so. I'm starting my walking tomorrow. I intended to start sooner but I haven't and I won't lose weight quickly if I'm not exercising so tomorrow is the day. I don't want to overdo it right off the bat so I won't push it too much. I'm going to walk a comfortable amount and focus on improving my workout weekly for a while.
Sunday is going to be the first day I have had off in a couple of weeks. I'm going to work on some projects in the house and get the grocery shopping done early so I can relax and enjoy the playoff games with Mrs. Surf that evening. Mrs. Surf and I share a lot of the same interests which is nice. We both love sports, casinos, and traveling.
Work is going well. I work with some really great folks and we have a lot of fun. I am very fortunate to have a job doing something I am good at and really enjoy doing. If you aren't in that situation I highly encourage you to do something about it. If you are trapped in a high paying job that you hate and can't leave for financial reasons, try working on a way to supplement your income. Even if you only have a small amount of spare time to dedicate to this, over time you can do it. Persistence and determination can get you there. If you aren't sure what to do, try setting some goals of things you want to achieve. Once you establish some goals, you will have a reason to be motivated to figure it out. A job can be made more fun if you can put tangible things in front of you that you can get from the pay you earn. I know a lot of you have a lot of debt and it is hard to see over the pile of bills to the dreams on the other side of that stack, but remember to pay yourself first a little each week. Enjoying the journey is very important. Practicing delayed gratification is OK as long as it doesn't become anti-gratification.
I'm so excited about the goals I have set this year. I have never had such a crystal vision of the things I want to accomplish as I have right now. I hope you take the time to establish some concrete goals for yourself if you haven't already. Put them in writing and don't forget to put a target date to reach them. Keep them in front of you all the time and don't let life get in your way too much.
I hope everyone is having a great 2007 so far!

Day 14

I had a meeting at work tonight and ordered a grilled chicken caesar salad. I got the salad, but no chicken. I told Mrs. Surf I ate even better than I meant to today...lol.
I'm going in late in the morning so I am going to go get my hair cut before I go in.

Day 13

I took my daughter out for her 20th birthday tonight. It was wonderful. Everything went just right and she said it was the best birthday she has ever had; mission accomplished.
We went to an Italian restaurant. I love Italian food but I avoided all the pasta and bread and stuck to the salad and the leanest meat I could find on the menu. I was very careful not to eat too much beforehand because I knew I would eat well tonight. I can already feel a difference in my pants not being as tight as they were but I have a long ways to go. It helps that the guys I eat lunch with are all on a salad kick right now so I don't feel uncomfortable at all ordering one with them.
I'm going in to work very early in the morning and I'm working very late. The cool thing is I'm taking a three hour lunch. I'm going to go get my hair cut at lunch and maybe go by the bookstore and pick up a book or two.
My mind has been just bursting with ideas for the novel and I have to find some time to hammer out a lot of it and get it on paper. I'm going to try to spend a lot of time this week working on it.

Day 12

I'm back from working out of town. I'm a little exhausted from working all weekend but I'm glad to have the extra cash.
I kept focused on not eating the wrong foods when we went out to eat and I'm very proud of myself for that. I made the comment before we ordered today that it was no big deal if I cheated a little, but I didn't. I couldn't. I have a road map and it doesn't involve cheating on my diet.
I've cut almost all caffeine intake and I can tell. I keep getting a twitchy feeling above my eyes; I guess that's my body wanting caffeine. I'm also getting sleepy at weird times of the day. I don't get enough sleep and I guess without the caffeine my body is telling me to rest more. I'll try to address that this week with a little more sleep hopefully.

Day 11

My daughter's birthday is Monday. I'm planning on taking her out for dinner.
I'm basically working all weekend so not much else going on. All clothing has been removed from the handrails of the treadmill and I'm ready to start using it on the rainy days or days that are just miserably cold; otherwise it's a walk outside every day. I made it through the week without messing up the diet.
I'm working on a novel in my spare time. I'm taking a unique approach to writing it enlisting the help of several bloggers for help on different aspects of it. It's about two characters that don't interact with each other; rather they have similar experiences and almost meet several times. So far Kat has helped me a little in some character development ideas as has this guy with a great questionaire to fill out about each character, giving you insight as to how they would react in different situations and bringing them to life. Thanks to you two. Hoyazo and Joanne have also offered their help. It's a slow go because I just don't have a lot of spare time to work on it but progress is being made.

Day 10

I'm working all this weekend so I won't be posting much until probably Monday. I hope everone has a great weekend.

Day 9

I got scheduled to attend a 3 day training seminar near DC in March today; looks like I'll get a chance to meet some online friends in person. Mrs. Surf is taking the week off and going with me. I think we're going to drive up and do some sightseeing on the way. If anyone has any ideas of a good place to stop between Atlanta and DC let me know.

Day 8

I have a cool idea. May 1st will be my 21st wedding anniversary and I thought...hmm...21st anniversary....21....21...21....BLACKJACK!!! If that's not the perfect time to go to Vegas I don't know what is!!! It's on! I'm looking for some ideas for a romantic place to stay and things to do while we're there. It's not a poker trip for the most part so keep it ideas for dates and such.
The diet is still going well. I'm adding the exercise program now.
Back on Day 5 I mentioned that I had a strange dream about joining up with a famous band that a friend from high school plays in. Well guess what?? He e-mailed me today!!! We'll see what happens but I think it has a lot to do with a convenience store and some change I am due....hehe.

Day 7

I had a great day today! It's early on in my diet but my energy seems to be increasing already. It's probably just the excitement of doing something so positive about my weight. I can't imagine how great I'm going to feel in a few weeks.
I'm not struggling at all so far and have no temptation to cheat or stray from the diet at all. I love it!!
My daughter's birthday is coming up in a week and I want to do something really special for her. I'm thinking of taking the family somewhere really nice for dinner and giving her something she won't expect. I just have to figure out what that is. I won't say on here until after the fact in case she may read this before then.
I hope you are all having a great day!!!

Day 6

I'm off to a great start with the diet. I love the morning fruit drink. It really kept me feeling full all day. Mrs. Surf thought I was all talk about losing weight, but I followed through yesterday and came home with a few hundred dollars worth of healthy foods including whey. Whey!! I'm eating whey. I must be serious.
I played a little joke on Tripjax today. He is the one that turned me on to the diet I am starting so I couldn't resist. I called him (while he was in a meeting) and in my most serious voice I said "Hey man, it's me. I'm at the hospital. They said the whey was a really bad idea. I should have never eaten it without curds." It took him a second to realize I was joking around with him (probably the meeting and all slowing his reaction) and then we had a quick laugh. Thanx bud...good times.

Day 5 Continued

I just got home from the grocery store and have everything I need to start my diet in the morning. I weighed in today and here is the result: 308. Sigh.... I topped 300. I am 6 feet 3 inches tall but that's still a lot of weight. My initial goal weight is 225. I'll get there before I decide if I want to lose more. I'm thinking I can drop at least 6-8 pounds a month at the least so my goal for reaching 225 is December 31st. If I get there sooner than that I won't complain.
I'm going to get the diet going for one week before I start a serious workout plan, but I plan on some walking and basic exercise this week.
I'm so happy to be doing something about my weight. I feel more energetic already!! Thanks so much to everyone that has helped me get going with your words of encouragement.

Day 5

A day off from work. Yaaaaaaaa!!!!!!! It's been a long week even with the holiday and it's nice to have a day not to have to travel. I put in a lot of drive time going to and from work. I basically live north of Atlanta and work south of Atlanta so a day off is a nice break.
I had a very strange dream last night. I have a friend that plays in a very famous country artist's band and I dreamed that he called and invited me to a private show at the artist's house in California. When I got there, they were playing and insisted I get on stage with them. After we finished playing, they tried to talk me in to going on the road with them. I told them I needed to at least talk to my wife first but they wanted an answer right then. I woke up so I don't know what I was going to do, but I know if that really happened I would tell them thanks but no thanks. While playing on stage with them would be a dream come true, travelling and being gone on the road from my family would not be. I am at a point in my life where being close to home is important and time spent with family carries a lot of value. My teens are fast approaching adulthood and my oldest son is about to make me a grandpa so I definitely want to be around for all this excitement.

Day 4

The job in Warner Robbins, Georgia went well this morning. Mrs. Surf and I work together on the weekends with a friend of mine. It's fun to work together. We could easily enjoy working together on a full time basis but I'm afraid it would drive others around us nuts with all the inside jokes and banter.
I talked with Tripjax a little more via e-mail and he gave me a little more info on the diet I am starting. I really appreciate the help he has offered and I'm looking forward to some great success with his support and advice.
I'm going tomorrow to buy these. It's not the best time of the year weather-wise to try to start walking every day but hopefully the weather will cooperate and I do have a treadmill for the rainy days.

Day 2 Continued

I just finished reading Trip's diet plan and it sounds great! I'm going to the store this weekend to buy everything I need to start it. I mentioned to Mrs. Surf that I was starting a new meal plan to cut out some of the bad foods and replace it with things that are good for me. I thought she would be happy but I don't think she believes I will really follow through with it. I can't blame her for feeling that way. I have "announced" grand plans to lose weight before only to not do them so I guess I should have expected it.

Day 3

The more I read the diet plan that Trip shared with me, the more excited I am getting about it. I live in Georgia and I admit sticking to it will be tough with all the fried food and fast food readily available and it will take a real effort to stick to it but I am determined to do it.
I'm going to start a planned exercise program as well. I will probably just start out with some basic walking and exercising.
I may have sounded a little negative about how Mrs. Surf reacted to my undertaking of a "new Me" but I must stress I really can't blame her for not being overly excited. I've made several lackluster efforts to get in shape before only to slide back in to my old bad habits of bad eating and little exercise.
I'm going to buy some new tennis shoes this weekend and will start a regular exercise program on Monday. I'll post the plan and the results on here for everyone to experience with me.
I'm going to get some good before pictures so I can post some before, during, and after pics of my progress.
Mrs. Surf and I are working out of town Saturday so I won't get a chance to do much around the house tomorrow.

Day 2

Thanks to Love_Elf for the great idea left in comments in the last post. I'm going to pick up some catalogs today to leave around the house.
I am only working a half-day today so this is a good day to get some work done at the house. My plan is to get all the washing completed before Mrs. Surf gets home; that should really make her wonder what has gotten in to me.
I'm open to some suggestions on where to take her for the weekend get-away. We have been to Maui and loved it so that's a definite possibility. Vegas is a good option as well; we both love Vegas.
I'm going to start a workout program within the next week or so along with some changes in my eating habits. I'm not planning to go on what you would call a diet. I think it's more important just to cut out some of the junk food and replace it with healthier options. I'm still waiting to hear back from Trip before I do anything because I want to hear his plan.
I'm thinking of running some sort of contest for Valentine's Day for my readers. I'm open for suggestions if anyone has a good idea. There will definitely be a nice prize for the winner, so help me think of a great contest!!!

Day 1

I have started this journey with determination and posting my progress as often as possible will help keep me focused so look forward to plenty of updates.
Tripjax has offered some help on the weight loss and I plan to talk to him today.
I am open to suggestions on selecting a ring. How do I find out what she wants without giving away the surprise?
I plan to increase the amount of time I spend working on cleaning the house in the evenings starting tonight. We'll see how it goes.
Thank you very much for the encouraging comments I have received so far. I really appreciate it.

The Challenge

The purpose of this blog is to keep a record of my personal quest to overcome my weaknesses of laziness and procrastination and be the romantic knight my wife deserves. I will be chronicling my efforts of self improvement and plans to treat my wife to a more romantic lifestyle.
Here is a list of new habits and short term goals:

1) Plan a weekend getaway for just the two of us.
2) Pick out a new ring for her.
3) Give it to her in a romantic unexpected way.
4) Devote more time to helping with household chores.
5) Lose weight and get in better shape.

That should be plenty of good goals to get started working on. I don't want to make a list that is overwhelming so I will start with these five. I'll spend the next few days laying out the plans to achieve these goals. I'll be back to let you know how it's going soon.