I had already warned a few friends that if I did not lose any weight this week, they were going to meet the most bitter person in the world. Thankfully for all involved, I weighed in at 161, which is definitely down from 165.5 last week, which means I get to bury that bitter person back down deep inside. This week I really stuck to my Weight Watchers points--and the key difference was actually writing them down this week. The other thing that helped I think was checking off water and vegetables--that felt pretty healthy.
I was considering switching to the Core plan (where you don't keep track of points but are limited to certain foods) but the key to that is knowing when you're full and I definitely am guilty of eating mindlessly. Has anybody tried the Core plan? I'd totally appreciate opinions. My goal is to get back down to my weight I was 3 years ago--140.
I maintained exercising this week, though I still haven't finished out the other 80 minutes of cardio though...
Overall, I'd consider this a good start to the weekend!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
UFC 83
I know, I'm so late with this review of UFC 83 in Montreal because UFC 84 just happened last weekend but it had a great card featuring one of my favorite fighters, George St. Pierre. Joe Rogan was out but Kenny Florian was quite the competent substitute.
It was kicked off with a great fight between two lightweights Mac Danzig and Mark Bocek. The first round had great energy: these wiry scrappers had fast transitions, some sweet reverses, topped with some moments of "this is it". It was the third round where Danzig gave a sharp knee causing a nasty cut above Bocek's eye, which was just streaming during the rest of the fight. Danzig eventually got the submission with a rear naked choke--though I'm sure we'll be seeing more of tenancious Bocek.
Next was the middleweights, Michael Bisping vs. Charley McCarthy. The highlight for me was their entrance music--Bisping went with The Clash's "London Calling" and McCarthy chose the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black". I would have given McCarthy mad, mad props if he used Marie Laforet's French version of "Paint It Black" (from Talledega Nights) considering this event was in Montreal. The lowlight of the fight would be McCarthy's constant tongue-wagging and gorilla chittering after a barrage of hits.
Yes, yes we get it, after being pummeled you can make funny faces which sends the message that you're one tough fighter. You know what really sends that message home? Winning. Or not totally turtling on the ground waiting for the bell to ring, which in this case, did not deter the ref from calling a stoppage. Yes, McCarthy did have that solid takedown but he couldn't capitalize on it even with an arm bar attempt. I suggest McCarthy focus on his game not making faces.
Yeesh, and the now-infamous Kalib Starnes vs. Nate Quarry match. Perhaps their entrance music was a hint of the match to come: Quarry's choice of Public Enemy's "Shut 'em Down" vs. Starnes' selection of The Verve's emo-pop hit "Bittersweet Symphony". Quarry, who looked amazingly fit and shredded for someone who recently recovered from back surgery, was the aggressor the entire fight while Starnes was literally running backward for most of the fight. Florian's comment pretty much summed it up, "Not sure what Kalib's strategy is..." Quarry ended up mocking him by chasing Starnes in an exaggerated running man. Now in real life, flight is realistically a great strategy, but when you're paid to fight, you're not supposed to pick that option. Starnes obviously lost the fight, earning the first 30-24 scores I ever heard.
Quarry kept it light in the post-fight interview in the ring by quoting Rocky IV "I guess what I'm trying to say is that, if I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!" Though I don't think US-Canadian relations are as chilly as the Cold War relationship in Rocky IV. I look forward to Quarry's next movie quote--I remember he gave this Napoleon Dynamite gem in another fight, "You think anybody wants a roundhouse kick to the face while I'm wearing these bad boys?"
The Travis Lutter vs. Rich Franklin light heavyweight bout started out promising with my favorite entrance music of the night--AC/DC's "For Those About to Rock" for Franklin. Lutter came in with the recognizable but mellow "Rock Star" by Nickelback--not a good sign. The first round featured Lutter bring Franklin to the ground, fully mounting him and getting him in a text book arm bar, which Franklin impressively escaped. Unfortunately, Lutter pretty much pooped out after that and even entered the 2nd round gassed out--frankly, embarrassingly so. Lutter is probably going to be pretty depressed when he reviews this footage. Ultimately, the ref stops the fight. Franklin in his post-fight ring interview though initially giving a tip of the cap to him, remarks that Lutter is "known for his lack of conditioning". Oh no, he dih-int!
Finally, the George St. Pierre and Matt Serra welterweight fight. What can I say? It went how I expected it, given that GSP is a phenomenal fighter--physically and mentally he is tight. Serra gave some good ground defense and landed a few punches, but he looked gassed out compared to GSP. Finally the fight was stopped as Serra turtled under a barrage of knees to the midsection. GSP just dominated. I heard he's fighting undefeated Fitch next--that should be a great fight.
Overall UFC 83 was one of my favorites. I have to confess that corporate shilling reached its regrettable "high" when Goulet (fought in the prelims) spraypainted his head with the web address of a sponsor. On the plus side, discovering Kenny Florian was a pretty good commentator was a pleasant surprise. And my question for the evening--where was Herb Dean? Maybe he wasn't able to get his passport in time...
It was kicked off with a great fight between two lightweights Mac Danzig and Mark Bocek. The first round had great energy: these wiry scrappers had fast transitions, some sweet reverses, topped with some moments of "this is it". It was the third round where Danzig gave a sharp knee causing a nasty cut above Bocek's eye, which was just streaming during the rest of the fight. Danzig eventually got the submission with a rear naked choke--though I'm sure we'll be seeing more of tenancious Bocek.
Next was the middleweights, Michael Bisping vs. Charley McCarthy. The highlight for me was their entrance music--Bisping went with The Clash's "London Calling" and McCarthy chose the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black". I would have given McCarthy mad, mad props if he used Marie Laforet's French version of "Paint It Black" (from Talledega Nights) considering this event was in Montreal. The lowlight of the fight would be McCarthy's constant tongue-wagging and gorilla chittering after a barrage of hits.
Yes, yes we get it, after being pummeled you can make funny faces which sends the message that you're one tough fighter. You know what really sends that message home? Winning. Or not totally turtling on the ground waiting for the bell to ring, which in this case, did not deter the ref from calling a stoppage. Yes, McCarthy did have that solid takedown but he couldn't capitalize on it even with an arm bar attempt. I suggest McCarthy focus on his game not making faces.
Yeesh, and the now-infamous Kalib Starnes vs. Nate Quarry match. Perhaps their entrance music was a hint of the match to come: Quarry's choice of Public Enemy's "Shut 'em Down" vs. Starnes' selection of The Verve's emo-pop hit "Bittersweet Symphony". Quarry, who looked amazingly fit and shredded for someone who recently recovered from back surgery, was the aggressor the entire fight while Starnes was literally running backward for most of the fight. Florian's comment pretty much summed it up, "Not sure what Kalib's strategy is..." Quarry ended up mocking him by chasing Starnes in an exaggerated running man. Now in real life, flight is realistically a great strategy, but when you're paid to fight, you're not supposed to pick that option. Starnes obviously lost the fight, earning the first 30-24 scores I ever heard.
Quarry kept it light in the post-fight interview in the ring by quoting Rocky IV "I guess what I'm trying to say is that, if I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!" Though I don't think US-Canadian relations are as chilly as the Cold War relationship in Rocky IV. I look forward to Quarry's next movie quote--I remember he gave this Napoleon Dynamite gem in another fight, "You think anybody wants a roundhouse kick to the face while I'm wearing these bad boys?"
The Travis Lutter vs. Rich Franklin light heavyweight bout started out promising with my favorite entrance music of the night--AC/DC's "For Those About to Rock" for Franklin. Lutter came in with the recognizable but mellow "Rock Star" by Nickelback--not a good sign. The first round featured Lutter bring Franklin to the ground, fully mounting him and getting him in a text book arm bar, which Franklin impressively escaped. Unfortunately, Lutter pretty much pooped out after that and even entered the 2nd round gassed out--frankly, embarrassingly so. Lutter is probably going to be pretty depressed when he reviews this footage. Ultimately, the ref stops the fight. Franklin in his post-fight ring interview though initially giving a tip of the cap to him, remarks that Lutter is "known for his lack of conditioning". Oh no, he dih-int!
Finally, the George St. Pierre and Matt Serra welterweight fight. What can I say? It went how I expected it, given that GSP is a phenomenal fighter--physically and mentally he is tight. Serra gave some good ground defense and landed a few punches, but he looked gassed out compared to GSP. Finally the fight was stopped as Serra turtled under a barrage of knees to the midsection. GSP just dominated. I heard he's fighting undefeated Fitch next--that should be a great fight.
Overall UFC 83 was one of my favorites. I have to confess that corporate shilling reached its regrettable "high" when Goulet (fought in the prelims) spraypainted his head with the web address of a sponsor. On the plus side, discovering Kenny Florian was a pretty good commentator was a pleasant surprise. And my question for the evening--where was Herb Dean? Maybe he wasn't able to get his passport in time...
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
one more time
With the encouragement of some friends, I decided not to screw it all and eat my heart out. I decided to stick with it, where I'm writing down everything I eat and made a goal of doing 120 minutes of cardio this week as well as some weights. I've got 80 to go.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Holy Shinto
165.5. My highest non-pregnant weight ever.
How did this happen? Let's see...I exercised every day upping to 30 minutes of cardio...I skipped all the naughty stuff like sweets (except for one cupcake) and fries...I've been eating a painful amount of vegetables...GAAAAAAHHHH!
Seriously, I could have gained this weight by kind of doing some things a lot more fun, i.e., the opposite of this week. But I suppose there is a rational part of me that thinks how much worse it could have been if I had. And there's an irrational part of me that thinks someone is putting extra stuffing in their Franny voodoo doll.
I guess I should stick with the exercise and healthy eating. Or screw it and eat whatever I want.
Decisions, decisions...
How did this happen? Let's see...I exercised every day upping to 30 minutes of cardio...I skipped all the naughty stuff like sweets (except for one cupcake) and fries...I've been eating a painful amount of vegetables...GAAAAAAHHHH!
Seriously, I could have gained this weight by kind of doing some things a lot more fun, i.e., the opposite of this week. But I suppose there is a rational part of me that thinks how much worse it could have been if I had. And there's an irrational part of me that thinks someone is putting extra stuffing in their Franny voodoo doll.
I guess I should stick with the exercise and healthy eating. Or screw it and eat whatever I want.
Decisions, decisions...
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Sweet Sushi
I volunteered to contribute to the Teachers' Appreciation Breakfast so I signed up for cream cheese (for bagels, ostensibly) and to make a little dessert. I found this Sweet Sushi project in this month's FamilyFun magazine and Velina wanted to make them. With a poundcake, frosting, coconut, some fruit roll-ups, and a lot of Swedish fish, we made these:
And after 3 hours we had a nice platter to go:
Pretty sweet, huh?
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Finally, he gets the girl
When this came out, I had absolutely no interest in seeing it:
But, then I saw that James Marsden was playing the love interest, so in the end, I had to see it. Because I had to witness James Marsden FINALLY get the girl.
In some of the biggest hit movies, like The Notebook, Superman Returns, Enchanted, and all three X-Men movies, Marsden has played the sweet and devoted beau who is passed over for someone else. It's not like his characters are jerks or a**holes that you're rooting for the female lead to leave--he's like the good looking sweetheart that your parents would be thrilled if you got knocked up by him. So it was sweet relief to see him end up with the girl in this one. Oooo, did I give something away? Sorry.
Regarding the movie, it's pretty formulaic, though highlights include the lead characters trying to sing the Elton John's "Benny & the Jets", because does anyone really know the lyrics? Also, right before the big kiss, Marsden's expression of sweet relief during his "I cried like a baby at the Teller wedding" line was the perfect. If I didn't know any better, the relief behind that was, at long last, I'm finally getting the girl. Also Judy Greer is a scene-stealer as Heigl's buddy.
Besides the formulaic ending where everyone is happy (ouch, sorry, did I give something away again?), I also got distracted in the "Benny & the Jets" scene by the background actors. I'm pretty sure the director said, ok, when these two start singing to the Elton John song, you guys are going get into it, have fun and start to sing along.
Well, I think think the direction they heard was, ok, when these two start singing to the Elton John song, react like they're spinning straw into gold and burping diamonds. Then get into it like you're rocking out at a Who concert. Oh, and then start singing along.
Perhaps that's just me. Anyhoo, bottom line, see this if you want to behold Marsden finally winning the girl. Actually I have no idea if there are older Marsden movies where he wins the girl--feel free to enlighten me if there are.
On another note, to a super sweet guy in real life who happens to be my buddy's nephew:
Happy Birthday Travis!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Happy Birthday Annabelle!
To the best sister anyone could wish for--Happy Birthday Annabelle!Hard to believe you were ever this little--you've accomplished so much, you're beautiful inside and out, and I lean on you...often.
I love you Annabelle--I hope you have a super birthday and many more.
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