Day 365 - One Year!!! - 70 pounds, 10 inches, a college degree, and a new life!

A guitarists transformation, summed up over the course of one year. On August 28th, 2005 I had an epiphany. I realized that my life would go on no matter if I was in good or bad shape. I couldn't fit into any clothes at stores, I found myself with a nearly insatiable hunger. I realized my weight was out of control and that if I didn't change now, I may never have such an opportunity. My senior year in school was easy - I had plenty of time to work out. I knew i was on a financial budget so I could save money by packing my own meals. Plus, I couldn't bear with the fact that I might be heading down a similar road that my father did, which eventually led to him having a massive stroke nearly ten years ago on Sept 15, 1997. The time was right, I had regained my faith in the creator, and I knew I had to get to work.

So here it is - the statistics over the course of one year.

August 28, 2005: 295-300 pounds, 52" waist
August 28, 2006: 220-222 pounds, 42" waist

difference - 70-80 pounds and 10 inches around the waist GONE!!!

Here are my current goals:

August 28, 2006: 222 pounds
December 31, 2006: 200 pounds
May 5, 2007: 185 pounds, 34-36" waist, 8-12% BF

In my entry over a year ago i talked about many things i love and how i was interacting with them at the time:

My love for swimming: I continued to swim throughout the entire school year, eventually working my way up to a 2K daily in the pool. I took swimming as a class in the spring and I continue to swim every chance I get right now

My love for food: I totally changed my diet and eating habits. I cooked at home, packed my lunches for school (and now work) and have learned to remember what I have ate over the course of the whole day. I still love to eat large portions, fried foods, foods high in fat and drinks like soda. But now, i realize that those foods aren't helping me get to my goal weight. Plus I know I can eat those foods every now and then, but not as a regular part of my diet.

My love for "the ladies". Its almost overwhealming how differently people treat you when you've lost weight. For the first time in my life, I feel people are noticing me for the shape im in, and particularly, these ladies I was talking about. While Im still very much single, and happy in the interim that way, I feel Ive definetly made huge strides in this area - more to develop!

Im still a perfectionist, and now with school out of the way, Im able to include excersize and diet as a focal point of my musical life. Ill never make an excuse that I couldn't find time to work out - its always there for me because being healthy is very important to me.

My dad and I are very close and I now realize that m making better choices to help prevent myself from having a stroke like he did. Now, Im just trying to get him inspried to discover his health.

And then most of all, I do love life and I've re-discovered how great it can be when you feel better about yourself, younger, and feel more energized!

So cheers to one year and all this weight having been dispensed from me!!!! I know ill get to my next goal, and in the mean time ill keep adding more entries to my blog. My new goals are to add more music in this blog and talk about many things - not just weight loss and health in general.

Thanks for all your support, without my friends I would not have had nearly the momentum to continue, once the weight started coming off.

Day 363

As the dawn of one year approaches, i wish i was in better spirits, but Ive got the blues. Maybe its because im listening to some Kenny Burrell Midnight Blue, or perhaps its all the unknowns which have gotten the better half of me right now. Regardless, I need to pursevere! Music has always been my bread, water, air and fire.

Today I was working on a new composition for New West called "California" - and man im struggling. Im trying not to be too hard on myself but for some reason I just haven't found the golden ticket when it comes to my arrangements - especially for that damn group - four guitars - not exactly the easiest (or sometimes inspiring) group to write for. I swear Ive trashed over 10 charts for New West just in the past year because they were all duds.

Teaching has posed its challenges - just the scheduling on a week-to-week basis is hard enough. Nevertheless, im trying to get everything in gear while getting used to the commute - its actually a lot longer drive down to irvine than I thought it would be from Long Beach. Im giving this a year, and then ill re-evaluate - which in my case usually means completely start over again.

I haven't found what it is exactly that i would like to work on when it comes to my playing - all I know is that I want improvement on the horizon. Maybe Ill get back into the hay day of the marathon practice sessions - back when I was 16 and would play for 10 hours a day. Or maybe it will be transcriptions that will get my wheels spinnig - for a while when I was 18 I was doing two or three a week - primarily Dexter Gordon and Hank Mobley with the occasional modern cat or Coltrane lick. Maybe it will be some crazy diminished lick or way around your household II-V-I (which seemed to be this summer's theme) . Whatever it may be, I hope I find it soon because practicing seems so bland to me right now.

Otherwise, im doing great - my mom is 30 miles away from me now, im single so I don't have to worry about pleasing anyone else but me, I have a beautiful Gibson L5 to look at everyday, and im gonna be 30-40 pounds lighter come next spring.

What else would anyone want?

Day 358

Today, would normally be my first day of classes - but NO! IM DONE!! hahahaha! such bliss . . .

Now on to the real world - i have reciepts to organize, scheules to make, people to phone call, and students to track down - my oh my, can I really do this?

Im sure ill get through these transition times, Im going to look forward to getting settled in now with this teaching job and finding some other gigs in and around my neigborhood. Im glad to know there's a bunch of great jazz musicians living close to me - Adam Schroeder, David Ashkenazy, Josh Nelson, and others.

As for my health - today I went swimming in the glorious Belmont Shores pool. This place is great and I hope to go there as often as I can.

Its looking like ill be around 225 on day 365 which is pretty wonderful. Now I know I can get to 200 by the end of the year and satisfy nearly my entire goal weight. Considering im on a pretty tight budget and the my food choices then become restricted, it makes sense Ill have no problem getting there. hahaha. In all seriousness, Im sure ill get there so long as I keep waking up early and working out first thing in the morning and maybe even in the evening too. I don't want to over do the excersize - especially if my calorie count is down - however, I want to make sure every day i include the excersizing as a way of my life. This past week was tough because I was sick and couldn't work out - now that its all gone i can get back into the swing of things.

Rather than writing out another goal chart, i think ill do that next monday when I can see where Im at with my weight exactly one year from when I decided to change things.

So far today, ive been listening to Sarah Vaughn - ive been really diggin the Geoff Keezer record "Falling Up" as well - since Im working on my writing skills, his compositions and arrangements really go above and beyond the call of talent! Lots to practice this week too: the David Pritchard music needs to be worked on and hopefully we'll have a gig or two in the coming months. Ill try to update my website as well once I get things rolling with my schedule.

Day 350

Starting tomorrow, I begin my teaching and thus begin my new life - guitar teacher by day - player by night. Im excited - but less excited about finding parking after work. Anyway, as for my health plan this also begins a new time - back in the habit part two. Im super stoked about these next several months - lots of progress to be made in my music and health. Right now, my computer is in the shop - as soon as its back ill be online again making all sorts of daily additions to my blog and keeping everyone posted with regards to my new health regimine. I know the tough part is ahead of me- these last few steps are probably going to take the longest - but at least im prepared to stay online for the long run and make some big changes. Ive stopped stepping on the scale- ill hop on in 15 days - i figure two weeks of eating right and excersizing will make a big difference. While i did great this summer, im excited about furthering my progress into the next level - im getting to a point in my physique which ive never seen before - and its exciting. So I look forward to keeping everyone posted about my musical and physical journeys in the next few months and in the mean time, cheers to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!

day 345

After getting moved into my new place, ive been a bit off track with the excersize and diet - still i managed to make a few good choices

-chicken
-potatoes
-broccolli
-carrots
-cauliflour
-corn
-corn bread
-1 piece of pita bread
-two bites of energy bar
-water

tonight, I plan on going for a walk as soon as I get off this darned computer. Today I listened to Paul Motion trio while unpacking my apartment along with some kenny wheeler

Day 344 - alo0o0o00ohHaA! (going back in time??)

Howdy from the big island, actually I just got back - sitting here in my mom's new place at UCLA - its really nice up here - sure glad I don't have to go back to that crud hole at USC anytime soon - - - -

The dawn of 365 is near - I can't believe in only 21 days it will be one year ago I began my health crusade - its sure exciting to note my progress. You may be wondering why I lost a few days and I realize that somewhere along the way I miscounted - so Im starting over again. After a few days in hawaii and being on vacation, I took time to stop thinking about all the health foods and what not so I could eat whatever I wanted. I can safely say that I did, and now the time has come to get back on track. After stepping of the plane this evening, I think I knew that my goal is in sight and now with my summer tour over its great to have that behind me and the new me ahead.

In terms of short term goals, I want to start eating at my place again starting tommorrow. Im gonna go get groceries and start doing it. I also don't want to weigh myself until monday the 28th. That gives me plenty of time to catch up - three weeks to get back on track and shave off a few pounds.

My long terms have still stayed the same - although its a bit unclear right now what Im going to do in the way of a gym. While I want to get a membership, I don't know if I can afford it right now - so I might be winging it for a couple of months with intense cardio and sit-ups in my apartment.

I still want to be at 200 by new years and 180-190 by my birthday in 2007 and I know I can get there. Id also like to take off 10-11 inches around my waist and something like that off my chest - I figure its gonna happen slowly.

For now, Im very jet lagged so im off to bed - soon my blog is going to get even more detailed I can imagine and deeper into the music end of things as well - we'll see how it all goes! Cheers!