On birthdays and a new beginning

My birthday was fairly low key yesterday but fun nevertheless. Didn't have a big birthday dinner since my lady wife and I were running in different directions all day. But we'd had a great time over the weekend so it was all good. My surprise present was EXACTLY what I'd been hoping for - a GPS unit! She got me the one shown here the Garmin Nuvi 205. I can hardly wait to try it out. I have a couple trips to Buffalo (yes, I can make that drive in my sleep. Just be quiet and let a boy enjoy his toy) It's very cool.

A new toy! Yay!

I mentioned in an earlier post the idea of starting a new at the new year. Well personally my new year just got started! So we're embarking on a new dietary adventure. The South Beach Diet.

This began when my doctor became concerned that my blood sugar levels were slowly but steadily climbing. The diagnosis: Pre-Diabetes. Which means I'm not there but it's a real possibility. I've told you the fear that the D word strikes in my heart. When my last tests came back they continued the wrong trend, even with my weight loss over the last year. (Since February 5 2008 I have lost 27 pounds and basically kept them off). Her prescription was the South Beach Diet.

Let me note that I have no use for fad diets. My mom fought with her weight for most of her life and tried lots of them. They worked for a while then she gained it back. I've seen many friends do the same thing. The equation for most of us is simple - we eat too damn much and do too damn little. As I've read South Beach I've been impressed. It's not about weighing portions, or points or calories or forbidding foods. It's a 3 phase dietary plan. By the time you hit Phase 3 you can eat anything you want. But as St. Paul notes while everything is lawful not everything is helpful. SB helps you learn what is helpful.

So today is Day 1 of Phase 1. Phase 1 is the phase everyone hates. It is the most restrictive. No bread, no pasta, no fruit, no booze. Lotsa veggies and lean proteins. And really a lot of food. But good food. This is a kind of re-boot for my body, a chance for it to restore the default settings for how we deal with carbs. It lasts 14 days. So 42 meals. My lady wife has agreed to go on this journey with me. She'd like to drop a few pounds, she wants to support me in my health plan and she's just wonderfully supportive like that. We're told that we could lose as much as 10-15 pounds during this two week stretch, then drop down to just a pound or two a week after that. Breakfast struck as a bit small but tasty. Basically little mini quiches and some veggie juice. 41 meals to go.

My starting weight this morning is 188.8. My goal weight is 165. So 23 pounds.
Let's see how it goes.

Peace

I am the Victim of a Conspiracy!

It involved my wife, my daughter, my oldest friends in the world, trusted members of my church, EVEN MY PRIESTS!!!!!


And I've never been so happy in my life.

My daughter, wife and several friends conspired to throw me a surprise birthday party over the weekend. To be honest I'm only lukewarm on birthdays anyway and as this one was a milestone (millstone) one I was perfectly fine with ignoring it.

The ladies in my life would not hear of it.

As usual, they were right.

I was utterly oblivious. My daughter's insistence on coming home for my birthday even though she was coming home on break from college just three days later. Their insistence on going to church on a day when the weather was wretched. (Blowing snow, whiteouts, wind chills in the minus 10 range). The line of cars parked along our friends street. Nothing tipped me. Till I walked in the door and they all yelled surprise.

I hate surprise parties. But I loved this one. Good friends, good food, PRESENTS! Also my friend of longest standing (since third grade), two of my best friends from high school, and my best friend from college all sent e-mails that alternately made me laugh and cry.

IT WAS WONDERFUL!

Now can I share a little something here? I'm amazed, astounded and perplexed that anyone would bother going to such lengths (this thing has been in the planning for months apparently) for me.

I find myself utterly unexceptional. A bit boring really. Can't imagine why anyone takes second notice of me. I count each day as lucky that my lady wife hasn't come to her senses and gently (because that is her nature) kicked me to the curb. I'm astounded that such an amazing young woman shares any DNA with me (obviously the superiority of her mother's genetics over balance mine). I can't fathom why people would willingly come out on such a wretched day just to wish me well,and give me some very nice presents to boot!

That's not false modesty. I can't explain it. Haven't got a clue.

They like me. They really like me.

Astonishing.

Peace