Day 30 – Happy Anniversary

Day 30 marked the 30th day of tracking all of the normal day to day soda/alcohol/food/exercise intake – just to make some of my buddies, who are actually working hard to improve their diet and fitness, a little jealous about the life they used to lead.  However, it is more awakening when they point out how much what I could be doing – so the thought has transpired that I run another thirty days with some of their concepts in place.  However, it is just a thought at this point – not something I can commit to – yet.

Today proved to be an interesting day – it started at 2am – we had to do a “key audit” at the hotel.  Some miserable idea someone came up with to determine if the key system is working properly.  Unfortunately, the only way to control the environment is to do it in the middle of the night.  Can you say “suck”?  In any event, the audit went well and I got a few things done at work – went home and took a nap – and then ventured for some errands since my wallet was stolen on Sunday.  Errand 1 – DMV.  In normal situations – the DMV is a nightmare – I happened to slip in right before closing time – and was in and out in 15 minutes to get a duplicate license.  15 MINUTES!  That has to be a world record at the DMV – now – they weren’t overly friendly – but I wasn’t complaining.  Errand 2 – go to the bank and cancel my old debit card and order a new one.  Also – amazingly – this went incredibly smooth – so smooth that I had time to go back to work before hitting the town for dinner with Julie.  We celebrated our anniversary a couple of days early (schedule conflicts with the actual day) – so officially – March 13th marks our 16th year together.  Amazing how time flies – I looked at an old wedding picture and saw Wick and Cory – and I assume that they are getting closer to “game day” weight – I know I’m not – I think I was all of 135 then … which brings me to the weigh in:

Date       Weight      Diff         BMI       Diff

2/11          159.0        —-          24.9      —-

2/18          154.2       -4.8         24.1       -.8

2/25          153.2       -1.0         24.0       -.1

3/4            155.6       +2.4        24.4       +.4

3/11          153.4       -2.2          24.0      -.4 

Total -    29 days     -5.6 lbs    —–    -0.9 BMI

As for the daily results here is the tally:

1) Soda consumption – 2 DP’s and a Squirt

2) Alcohol consumption – 2 Glasses of Wine with dinner

3) Food consumption – crazy schedule today – had a yogurt for breakfast/lunch and didn’t eat again until dinner -where I went all out.  Had a wedge salad, split a shrimp dish, split veal shortbreads and had Steak Tournedos with thyme mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.  I’m sure I’m a couple of punds heavier now.

4) Exercise – Zip – no practices today.

5) Blogging – Check

The debate now becomes whether or not I continue the blog … stay tuned – I don’t think it will be a daily thing – but I might start a new trend here soon.  Stay tuned! 

Day 29 – … and one to go …

Well – almost complete – this post is extra early since I had to pull a semi graveyard shift today.  Tuesday was a pretty standard day – woke up with severe allergies – and to a lost wallet.  I think it was stolen at the ballpark yesterday – so I’m not real thrilled with the thought of a) losing $90 in gift cards, b) losing $40 in cash, and most importantly c) having to go to the DMV to get a license.  That will be during Day 30 I suppose – so you’ll get the experience then … until tomorrow, though – here are the results:

1) Soda consumption – 3 DP’s

2) Alcohol consumption – none – attempted to go to bed early since I had to get ready for work at 2am - 

3) Food consumption – one meal today – 1 breakfast burrito, 1 order of fried calamari, chips, and a piece of cheesecake.

4) Exercise – None.  No practices today – so hopefully my allergies will get in check

5) Blogging – the earliest post yet!  One to go!

Day 28 – The revolution continues …

Another crazy day at the Hall household.  Baseball, work – where does the time go!  Again – kudos to all those who get in multiple exercises (that includes walking the dog) – last night – I let the dog walk himself.  Let him loose in the neighborhood – he eventually came back.    

1) Soda Consumption – 2 Cokes and 1 DP

2) Alcohol Consumption – 2 beers

3) Food Consumption – ate at the buffet for lunch – consisted of fried rice, beef and brocolli, a small chicken parmesan, a couple of italian sausages and some fried okra, dinner was a homemade rice and stir fry chicken and vegetable dish that Julie drummed up.  Yum.

4) Exercise – another 3 hour practice for Holden, another couple hundred balls hit, and hundred balls pitched … my arm and back are killing me – I’m happy there are no practices today!

5) Blogging – short and sweet today.  Gotta run to some meetings!

Day 27 – Where does the time go …

I do appreciate daylight savings and it staying light later and later in the day – I just don’t appreciate the day I lose one hour of sleep … After a very long Saturday – sleep was necessary – but, having the day off means working harder than working – so here are the results:

1) Soda Consumption – 1 Root Beer – everything else was somewhat healthy – gatorade, water, apple juice

2) Alcohol Consumption – 1 Bud Light Lime

3) Food Consumption – Slept through breakfast – but Julie fed me some peanut butter and jelly so I could be ready to do yard work … lunch was homemade pasta salad – perfect to prep me for baseball practice, and dinner – was the Ultimate Cheeseburger – Julie made cheeseburger’s to die for!  Holden and I scarfed them down after a long practice.

4) Exercise – well, all kinds of yard work should qualify, as well as a 3+ hour baseball practice.  I know I’m sore as I am typing!

5) Blogging – check.  Only three days left!  As ball season starts, I’m undoubtedly going to get in better shape, so I won’t have to go to the extreme 100 days of change routine, or the 117 days of true insanity.  Until tomorrow …

Day 26 – Live from Shreveport – it’s Saturday!

Crazy day in Shreveport / Bossier City for the Hall family – It all started at 7am.  Went to pick up my daughter’s friend and took them to a speed and agility clinic.  Stopped home – for some food, went to watch Holden play in the championship game of the Bossier Parks game – and they won! Headed home – dropped the girls off, and took Holden to his first Little League practice – threw a few hundred balls and hit a couple hundred ones, too.  Got home in time for a shower and headed to work!  This is the life when ball season starts!

1) Soda Consumption – 1 DP, 1 Coke, 1 “5 hour energy drink” – which tasted horrible.

2) Alcohol consumption – bought it today – just didn’t have time to drink it

3) Food consumption – Sushi for lunch, had a half a bag of corn nuts, about 20 bottle caps, and around 5 chicken wings.

4) Exercise – as listed above – just a practice.  Sore today from throwing the ball so many times.

5) Blogging – late, but here we are … only 4 days from the finish line!

Day 25 – Play Ball!

Friday not only marks the end of the week – but for me, it is the start of the crazed coaching season for the kids.  Friday marked the first full practice with one of Holden’s teams.  Crazy day at work – AND had to get out in time for practice.  I can tell you – all this becomes exhausting – and it’s only just begun.  I think I know how Wick and Cory are – knowing that I’m at the start of a very, very, very long road.  In any event – here are the Day 25 results:

1) Soda Consumption – 2 DP’s, 1 Mountain Dew, 1 Root Beer – a little heavier soda consumption today – only because there was no beer in the house – and if I had another rum and coke or some other foo-foo drink – Mr. and Mrs. Myler would take away my man privileges.  

2) Alcohol consumption – None – Fridge – empty!

3) Food consumption – Busy day at the office – only had time for the breakfast burrito right before practice.  Dinner consisted of a slice of pizza, a salad, and a bunch of popcorn.

4) Exercise – One baseball practice – consisted of throwing about 100 pitches, hitting a couple of hundred balls to the infield and outfield.  Right around a mile on my counter.

5) Blogging – due to the crazy social calendar for the kids on Day 26 – this post is a little late.  I think I might have to go back and edit the previous dates – since the alcohol induced blogs created some errors … gotta watch the drinking and posting thing!

Day 24 – Merry Christmas!

OK – so it’s really not Christmas – but it was our holiday gathering for our executive team last night.  It’s amazing how difficult it is to get the calendars of 8 pretty busy people all on the same page.  It’s usually to difficult to get everyone together during the actual holiday season – as it is typically slow here in casino land – so we tend to get a chance to use some of our vacation time, and since New Years – well, I’ve been out for a month helping another property, as well as the F&B guy – and the rest of the crew – well – it just didn’t always seem to work out.  Thus – another high food consumption day with all kinds of illegal items on Phat’s list …. but here are the results:

1) Soda Consumption – 1 DP – that’s it for the day.  Actually had a water, too!

2) Booze – did I mention it was the holiday party?  2 Grey Goose and Soda’s, 2 Vodka freezes, and 1 Blue Moon to go with the Cigar I was smoking – also finished off a Coors Lite – and actually made it through the full Jimmy Fallon show!

3) Food Consumption – Lunch was on the run – it was a slice of Pizza, dinner – something called Steak Frites (it was two tenderloin tails), with vegetables and fries, had a caesar salad and a slice of key lime pie.

4) Exercise – First day of baseball practice for the boy – but I only could make it for an hour of the practice – due to the Holiday dinner.  This category, is going to get used a little more frequently, now that ball season is in play.  Did not wear the pedometer on Day 24 – might try to go for the rest of day 25 to see what effect a practice will have on me.

5) Blogging – wow – only 6 more days!  I GOT THIS!

Day 23 – forgot the weigh in!

In my haste to post – and also trying to post while slightly inebriated – I failed to post the weigh in results – so here they are!

Date       Weight      Diff         BMI       Diff

2/11          159.0        —-          24.9      —-

2/18          154.2       -4.8         24.1       -.8

2/25          153.2       -1.0         24.0       -.1

3/4            155.6       +2.4        24.4       +.4

Total -    22 days     -3.4 lbs    —–    -0.5 BMI

Day 23 – Someone help Jimmy Fallon!

Almost didn’t make this post in time.  Today was the third night of me watching Jimmy Fallon – and the third night I couldn’t stay awake for the whole show.  Granted – it is a late night show, but seriously, I can stay awake watching Shawshank Redemption for the 82nd time in the middle of the night – and I can’t make it through a non-rerun episode!  I think he needs to lose the suit and tie – he looks uncomfortable in his own skin during his monologues – and were it not for an all-star guest list – it would be brutal.  I’ll be curious to see how week 2 goes – today was, however, the best monologue so far – so who knows, he might just make it.  I’ve always been a fan – so – when he doesn’t read this blog - he’ll know subconsiously that I’m still rooting for him.  As for Day 23 – here is the quick and dirty.

1) Soda Consumption – bad day – 2 DP’s, a squirt, and a Mountain Dew.  Needed to be hopped up on caffeine!

2) Alcohol Consumption – just 1 Coors Light.  Well behaved tonight

3) Food Consumption – Chicken Salad sandwich for lunch, dinner was a salad and a “hamburger/macaroni” dish the wife concocted.  It was great, and I practically licked the plate.

4) Exercise – I put on a mileage tracker for the day and logged 1.5 miles while at work.  That’s the extent of it.

5) Blogging – very late. If I stay up a little longer – I can be uber early for tomorrow!

One week left!  Who knew how difficult this would be!

Day 22 – Employee of the Year … not me

Day 22 marked the annual employee of the year banquet where all the corporate team comes in to reward the best employees on the property.  In my previous lives, this would be a dreaded event where the corporate pukes come in, give everyone the fake “We love you” speech, crush the people who aren’t performing well, and move on.  I’m a lot luckier now – it’s not a dreaded event, it’s something I look forward to.  Our corporate crew is laid back and genuine – don’t get me wrong – if you suck at your job – they’ll be on you, so the moral is – do your job right and have fun – and you’ll be ok.  So – that being said, I did run around throughout the day making sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to – and the crew did not let me down!  I even had time to eat a little – so here are the results!

1) Soda Consumption – 2 Cokes, 1/2 Hansen’s Lemon Lime (needed something to swallow the Tylenol with to prevent a hangover … details below), 1 DP, and 1 5 hour energy drink.

2) Alcohol Consumption – 4 Grey Goose and Soda’s, 2 Captain and Cokes.  Corporate guys can drink, too!

3) Food Consumption – when the big boys come in – we always eat well.  Lunch consisted of a Caesar Salad, had a ham and turkey sandwich on foccacia(sp?) bread, two chocolate covered strawberries, and some roasted duck.  Dinner – Seared Tuna salad, crab tamales, Steak and Shrimp, and a double chocolate cake for desert (only could finish 1/2).  This should make for an interesting weigh in tomorrow!  

4) Exercise – None to speak of – just walking around the property.  I think I found something that can determine how much I walk around here – so we might have some additional info tomorrow.

5) Blogging – Early today!  Amazing what you can do when you get to work early in the morning!