weight loss, baseball and football

The weigh-in for the "biggest loser" at work was last Tuesday, August 7.  I lost a total of 28 pounds.  My goal was 27 or 10% and I was able to meet that.  Despite the big loss, I did not win the contest.  A co-worker of mine lost 27 pounds but started at 181.  He lost 15% in about 9 weeks!! That is a crazy amount.  I told him he looked sick and to use the winnings to buy a lot of food.  I took that week off from my strict diet and working out to rest.  I started back this week doing Crossfit.  I do really like the workouts but I don't think I can afford the $150/month fee.  I have payed for this month so I'm going to finish it out, but not sure yet for the following months. 

Football is just around the corner.  Fall practice has started and it is only about 2 weeks til kickoff.  Already the media is going crazy printing stories that are half true and full of misquotes and falsities.  It amazes me that "journalists" can write this stuff just to make headlines and get hits on their blogs.  It is sickening and has the potential to ruin lives and careers.  It really puts a damper on the season and college football in general. 

In baseball, the Braves are currently 4.5 games back in the East and are 3 games up in the wild card.  They have the 2nd best record in the NL since the All-Star break and have the best ERA.  They are playing their best ball right now and hopefully can keep it up through the rest of the season.

I have a 5k fun run coming up on August 25 at Veteran's Park supporting Kenya relief.  It is a great charity to support and you can learn more and donate at www.kenyarelief.org.  Please come out and join me and Erika in raising money for this village.  Also, you can make fun of me and how slow I can jog/walk a 5k. 

The Biggest Loser

I believe it was in an earlier post that I had mentioned I was about to partake in my own version of The Biggest Loser at work.  It has been six weeks and I have lost around 18-20 pounds (depending on when I weigh).  I have been exercising about 5-6 times a week including running and lifting and have been trying to eat a really good high protein, low carb diet.  I have started to see results already and it gives me additional motivation moving forward.  We have about 3 weeks left until the final weigh-in and even if I don't win, I really like the way I look and feel.  I'm going to continue to do this after the contest and train to run a triathlon sprint ( a mini-triathlon) for next summer.  Yes, it will take me that long to train, what, with 3 kids and a full-time job.  They are opening a CrossFit in Gardendale in August and I would really like to join.  I like the way the workouts are formatted in a circuit-type regimen and I feel it will best suit meeting my goals.

The Braves are continuing on their quest of making the playoffs and are chasing the Nationals, of all teams, in the NL East.  They play 4 games against them this weekend and played a heck of a game last night.  Down 9-0, the Braves scored 4 in the 6th, 4 in the 8th and 2 in the ninth to take a 10-9 lead.  Kimbrell came on to pitch the bot of the 9th and gave up a homerun that tied the game.  It was only his 2nd blown save all year and first time he's given up a run in a long time.  The Braves then scored on a bloop single in the top of the 11th and won.  It was a great season changer and momentum builder.  They are only 2.5 games out of first and if they can sweep, the Braves will be in first.  It's a tall order because the Nats are good, but it can be done.

Auburn starts fall practice August 1 and the first game is Sept 1.  A couple of recruiting notes:  big time LB recruit Reuben Foster switched his verbal from bama to AU last week.  This could be a huge get for auburn if Fosters ends up signing in Feb.  On some sites, he is the #1 LB recruit in the nation and #2 overall.  A big-time RB from Memphis also verbally committed this past week.  He is a tall back and can catch really well out of the backfield.  Auburn is hosting a number of big recruits this weekend and hopefully can grab some more commitments.  I believe the numbers say AU can sign 21 this year and they have 17 so if all commits sign, AU needs 4 more.  It is really shaping up to be a great class.

After the weigh-in I will post and tell you who won and what percentage he/she lost.  Hopefully, it will be me :)

Update

Been a while since I last posted and alot has gone on:

Addi has been competing in pageants and having a great time along with doing rather well.  She has done one dance recital and is going to do another one next Saturday.  She also just finished up her first year of softball.  I don't think that I will have to worry about her wanting to that again.  We are now going to probably concentrate on dance and might try another sport if she wants. 

Colt is going to take swimming lessons in a couple weeks and is already doing well without them.  This will help out tremendously in trying to keep an eye on Weston at the pool and beach.  He is completely potty-trained and is doing really well with that - even at night!

Weston is as rowdy as ever and so much fun!  He loves to play and fight and wrestle and hit and bite and kick.  He plays really well with his older siblings and wants to be a part of everything they are doing.

Erika's store is doing really well.  The summer months are typically the slowest and are a source of anxiety.  Just the unknown of how much dance wear people are going to need is stressful.  Many dance studios now offer summer classes so hopefully this will keep the customers coming. 

At work, a group of us are doing a version of the "Biggest Loser" where, over two months, we try and lose as much weight as possible and measure % body weight lost.  We are putting in a few dollars to make it a little more motivating.  It starts June 5 and goes to around August 7.  Dieting stinks, but doing it for a possible cash prize will make it worth it.

The Braves have had an up and down season so far.  They started off losing 4 in a row and then winning most of their games over the next month.  Here lately they have been terrible in all aspects, but especially pitching.  Before last night, they had lost 8 in a row and had gone from being 2 up in the division to being 4 down.  A bunch of the young pitchers have really struggled and Chipper, McCann and Freeman being hurt does not help at all.  Hopefully they can right the ship and not miss out on the postseason again.

We are going to the beach as a family at the end of June and it can't get here fast enough.  I'm trying to talk Erika into getting a lake place but she is balking at the idea.  I mean, other than not being able to afford it and me having to keep up the place, what's the problem?  Anyway, til next time

Finally, a post

I finally have a minute to sit and type out a post.  It seems to have been forever since I last posted and since Erika uses the computer for her business, I don't ever have time to post. 

First thing, Addi was in a pageant a few weeks ago.  This pageant was actually four in one (which means anyone has the chance to win 4 different crowns) and was held in Cullman.  Addi won supreme in two of them (which means she was the overall winner of multiple age groups) and won princess in the other two (which means she won just her age group).  She had a great time and came home with alot of prizes and some money too!  As long as she has fun doing it, we will continue to let her, but as soon as she doesn't want to, we will stop.  I desperately don't want this to become an episode on Toddlers and Tiaras.

Erika's business is really taking off.  She has gotten into renting and selling pageant dresses and little did I know, but it is very popular!  The dance-wear is doing really well, too, and I think the more the word gets out about her store, the more business she will do. 

College football season has officially ended with signing day this past Wednesday.  Auburn had a really good class this year, although not as good as the last two.  Auburn fans have been spoiled the last two years with top 5 recruiting classes so the thinking is that it would continue.  It really is amazing the ability bama has at getting a top 1-3 class year in and year out, especially with Saban's reputation for greyshirting players.  Even though a highly ranked class does not necessarily translate to a championship team, it does not hurt.  Bama has kindof bucked that trend winning two of the last three MNC's.  Auburn filled their needs with another great class of OL's and big additions at WR and defense.  Auburn is slowly filling their numbers and I believe will be competitive sooner rather than later. 

One note on greyshirting:  Saban is a master at manipulating the recruiting numbers to make sure he gets the best players on scholarship.  Take the sad stories of Justin Taylor and Darius Philon.  Both had been bama commits early in the process and then, with about two weeks to go until signing day, were told that they were going to have to walk on to the team, pay their way the first year and then they could sign/get a scholarship the next year (greyshirting).  First off, that sucks.  You promised him a spot and wanted him but then a better player comes along so you have to find room so you drop the other player.  Secondly, you expect players to remain committed to you (yet you continue to recruit players that have verbally committed elsewhere), but if you decide to "greyshirt" a player, that's ok.  Sorry bud, no it's not.  It's hypocritical and scummy.  But, I guess if college football is a business, then that's what you have to do.  If you are more concerned with winning football games and making your team the best no matter who you run over in the process, then congratulations sir, you have done a great job.  Yes, you are the best coach in America, but it's hard for me to respect you when you do kids that way.  Don't blame it on the 25 restriction because everyone has to follow this rule.  I know every team probably does this in some form, but bama is the one I see and read about the most because I live in Birmingham. 

Anyway, off my soapbox.  Baseball is starting soon and the Braves will have a new look and as soon as I get an idea about how the team is shaping up, I'll post a baseball preview. 

Hope y'all have a great weekend.