I'm a sad panda.

So, while I didn't gain any weight on my last post, I did this past week.

Sigh...

So, I gained a couple of pounds. That just means I'm going to have to work a little harder at keeping it off and getting down in weight.

So, while it is still light out, I'm going to do just that right now.

OMGWTFBBQ!!!

Would you believe it? Another week has come and gone, and I'm still as busy as all hell. Diane has noticed this, and has done her best to help me eat healthy snacks if I can't eat on a regular basis. Which, I admit, is a challenge for her.

At the moment, I don't have a fridge or a place to store a cooler where I am temporarily stationed. On top of that, I am consistently on the move between three different buildings, in three different cities. The most logical choice is to grab a bite at some burger joint or something like that and usually call it good.

Well, Diane is obviously the smarter one out of the two of us, and she knows I don't really eat fruit all that often. Except for one thing.

Craisins.

I love those things. My wife got me a big bag of those on Monday, and here it is on Wednesday, and they are nearly gone!

I know that this is going to be a short post, but I am trying to keep up on the fight. I didn't lose any weight since the last posting, but at the same time, I haven't gained any either, so that's gotta count for something, right?

Good lordy! I been busy!

So, first off the plate is the fact of how hella busy I have been at work.

HELLA BUSY.

You see, I only got this job a little over a month ago. It's been great, and the opportunities for me are tremendous (should we talk about how much I'm looking forward to working with the FBI and the NSA?). With this job, I'm am literally all over the northern half of Utah, and sometimes (against my better judgment), even in Grand Junction, Colorado.

But, that is part of my problem, you see.

Because I am so damned busy, I haven't really had much in the way of time to be able to work off this gut. I got to take the bike out 3 or 4 times last week, and then I was busy helping a friend move, and doing extensive work on my lawn (none of which is finished, by the way).

In that one week, I've only lost one pound.

Before you say it, yes, I know it is at least a loss of something. However, one pound can easily be slapped right back on without me even knowing it. As a matter of fact, I thought it had come back on Sunday when I weighed myself!

What this tells me is that I need to do a bit more work in trying to find time to get some proper exercise. And I also need to focus on building up some stamina and endurance on the bike. Going up the small hill that leads up to my house... I haven't felt that winded since I ran track in high school!

So, I have a signed letter from some ignorant government body authorizing me to declare mass annihilation on the fat cells illegally habituating on my property.

DEADLY FORCE HAS BEEN APPROVED!!!

I'm tired of sucking in my gut...

Today's the day I took my photos of me. I've confirmed what I have known all along. There is quite a bit of fat around my equator. Below are the pics that I took that were required of me.




Now, I know I ain't the biggest or the fattest, however, you have to understand this: I spent most of junior high and all of high school and well into the 21st century weighing in at around 130lbs. For me to weigh in now at close to 175lbs., is a bit depressing. So, that's why I am taking a stab at Kari's little competition. I'd like to be able to win some money, but overall, I'd much rather lose the weight. The money is there to entice me. To give me motivation, that much I know.

So, I guess it's time for me to be motivated now, isn't it?

I already got a piece of equipment that I am hoping to use during the duration of this competition. I got me a bicycle. Now, they say that when you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget. I got to put that adage to the test as I tried riding it around my block the other day. Other than a wobbly start, I didn't do too bad (considering I haven't ridden a bike since 1996).

The really stressful part about all the weight gain, was the fact that I didn't gain the weight until I stopped working in a factory. During that time in the factory, I was well toned, and well within my weight range. That was 4 years ago. Now, I work in IT and I already know that my job is not exactly conducive to a healthy lifestyle. First, I sit a lot without much of an opportunity to move. Then, there are the irregular eating habits. Some days I'll eat properly, while on others, I'll be happy if I just eat a candy bar or two. On top of that, with my current job, I travel a lot now, and that means eating out at restaurants more often now. But, I think Diane and I have actually hit on an impromptu idea for me eating out. Since I don't have a permanent office space yet for me, Diane has given me a $60 allowance every two weeks that I can use for eating out. Once it's gone, it's gone. So, that means I have to be mindful about where I eat, and how much I eat. Two of the big things that have helped me pack on the pounds.

I'm not too concerned about needing to change my eating habits too much. I'm right close to where I need to be for guys my age and height. According to some fuzzy math that I've done, my stats are as follows:

1. 44lbs. of my weight is pure fat, that makes it around 25.3% of my body weight. For guys my age, that number should be between 13% and 23%.
   
2. My body water percentage is at 54.5% and for guys my age, that should be between 50-65%. I'm right on target for that one.
3. My bone mass percentage is at 8%, which is again on target for guys my age (7.4-8.2%).
4. Now, my body mass index (BMI) is at 27.3, which is higher than it needs to be. Anything over 25 is high, so that is where I am going to be focusing on.

Alright, I've spewed enough babble for the day. I need to get a bit of cleaning going on today. I've heard before in the past that home cooked foods are healthier than restaurant or store bought food. So, next week, I'm going to be posting a recipe from my collection on here. I do a lot of cooking when I'm at home, and I think that will probably explain why I'm not as big as I could be. So, for all those who are in need of some recipe ideas, keep your eyes peeled for recipes from me.

Ciao-ders!

Huh.

So, I was told today to create a blog for a competition that I am partaking in. This competition, spurred on by an old, dear classmate from high school, is about losing weight and changing my life.

Well, starting a blog is a change in my life style. Hell, it wasn't until March of '09 that I finally got on Facebook. I won't do MySpace, but I will update on this blog like I am supposed to.

Oh, and for those that are curious about the naming of TJ Hooker. It's a rather long story, and I'll try my best to surmise the details of it here.

Back in December of '08, I started working for the U.S. Government (The United States Air Force in fact). I began working with the 508th Aerial Sustainment Wing (ASW). One of the "gems" in this group was an old bitty who can't remember which order my initials were supposed to be. As such, she was consistently calling me 'TJ' instead of 'JT'.

Must be hard to be old and stupid.

So, one of the other civilians whom I had grown up with in Roy, started making jokes that I be called TJ Hooker. Since that naming, I've joined an airsoft team, where my handle is now TJ Hooker. My teammates, many of whom I am very close to, still refer to me as that (I honestly doubt many people know my actual name).

Well, that being said, I think I'll sign off for the time being. Looking forward to starting to lose weight.