Clearly, I have trouble maintaining a blog, but I think I need to make some updates to get myself back on track with some stuff.  So let's just do a catch-up post from the August update so that I can start moving forward again.  These updates will be in no particular order either (just so you know.)

1. St. Baldrick's 2011 - This has become something that I have started looking forward to every year.  It is a great cause (raising money for pediatric cancer research) and generally a pretty fun day.  I was a little nervous this year that it wouldn't be as enjoyable because I was going to be emceeing at a different location than normal.  Instead of being at the Hibernian like year's past, I was at Napper Tandy's.  I have to say, all of my worrying for was for naught.  I, personally, raised over $500 and got a spiffy haircut in the process.  I was going to just post a straight picture of bald me, but I thought I would post it along with a picture from last years event.  I think it shows some of the weight I have lost.  Anyway, you can check it out below. (We'll talk more about weight loss in a bit.)

2. Work - Things seem to be going well.  I actually changed jobs back in August and have really loved the move that I made.  It is doing more web based work and I have been happy to get back to that.  The main thing going on in this area right now is that I have an interview next week for a manager position. I am definitely interested in the role, but I must admit that I am starting to question if I am truly qualified for it.  Actually, scratch that, I know I am qualified for it, what I am concerned about is whether I am "corporate" enough for the role. I think I would be a great people manager, however, I have never been one to spend a lot of energy worrying about learning a lot of the business jargon that seems to be used a lot these days.  "Veritcals", "routes", and other tearms that I understand, but worry about my ability to competently discuss with someone that DOES use these terms a lot. Maybe I am just to normal or something.  Either way, I will find out more next week when I have the interview. I will update then.

3. Weight Loss -  And here it is. My weightloss journey was pretty much the impetus for starting this blog and updating it (or at least THINKING about updating it) was something that helped me process the things that I was dealing with on a daily basis. In the last six months there have been ups and downs with the dieting and I feel like I need to start talking things out again to get myself back on track.

As of today, I am down 110 lbs. from my highest weight, however, I am up about 20 lbs. from my lowest.  So as you can guess, things have been sort of "not good" on with the diet as of late.  Actually, things were good up until about Thanksgiving.  I feel like that is where things took a turn.  Not to make excuses (but that is what I am going to do) but there were so many things that conspired against me from then to now.  Christmas, Thanksgiving, a trip to Las Vegas, my dad being in the hospital and any number of other things that affected my desire to stay on my eating plan.  At one point, I was down to 289.8 lbs.  Needless to say, that was crazy awesome and to start putting weight back on is bad times.  I know what the problem is, too: fast food.  For some reason, I have started eating out again for almost every meal and that has become my downfall.  Why exactly I have done this is beyond me outside of convenience and laziness.  Who am I kidding, it is totally laziness.  And I need to stop it now.  I guess I am hoping that this blog will help me get back into the swing of things because it is forcing me to "say things out loud" and that usually works for me.  I feel like I have taken some positive steps.  I started working with a really great trainer a couple of weeks ago and that is going really well.  I can actually tell that I am getting a little stronger.  I feel like that is going to be a good working relationship for me and will be something that continues to move me in a good direction.

So here is my plan:

• Continue working with my trainer once a week to learn how to properly use the gym.
• Actually GO to the gym other times during the week. I plan to start this on Thursday of this week.
• Start cooking all of my meals again (or at the very least the vast majority of my meals.) Really, to be even more specific, NO MORE FAST FOOD!!
• Start running again. The time changes next weekend which means it will be lighter longer and it is warming up a little so it won't be so miserable to be out later in the evening, which is when I am able to go to the track.

The cool thing about all of this is that I know I can do this because I have totally done it already for the last year.  I will lose the weight that I have put back on and will continue on towards my ultimate goal. I am going to make a concerted effort to update this blog at least once a week.  In fact, I just set myself a calendar reminder for myself. Let's hope I stick to it.