We just spent a week on vacation in Los Angeles. I combined a series of shows in the LA area with a short working vacation with Kim. It was about the same cost to stay out there for a week as it was to fly back and forth, so it just made sense.

I've had a challenge keeping to my "good eating" program while on vacation, as vacation is often about good meals, and good meals we had. I had great Armenian food at Phoenicia in Glendale, A great steak at the Magic Castle in Hollywood and steak at Spago in Beverly Hills. Plus Italian food, legendary hot dogs at "Pinks" in Hollywood and more.

I still stayed away from fried foods (except the frog legs which were fried and sitting in a pool of butter) and candy.  Since I started this process I've only had candy twice, and both times were in the middle of the night while driving from one event to another. I cheated, knowing that it was helping to keep me awake.

I've begun to enjoy fresh fruit more now, it's just so much more expensive, so I'm just having to tell myself that the extra money spent on a healthy snack is an investment in ME!

Though I did eat a lot on vacation, we also did a LOT of walking. Up and down Hollywood Blvd. and checking out the great shops along Melrose Ave. Since it was 70 degrees in California, it made it a lot easier to do that walking. Today I walked about 400 yards in the 100 degree heat and about sweat to death here in Texas.

Tomorrow I get on the phone and schedule my physical now that I have a bit of a gap in my calendar where I can do such a thing. I shot some video a couple of weeks ago, so it's a bit out of timeline now, but I'll probably still post it.

I've had a hard time figuring out what I missed in getting this website forwarded to the Squarespace format, but I think I've got it figured out and now that the updates are easier, I should keep them going better and more regularly. Plus... my schedule is a little more clear now and I should have more time to make these updates - especially since there's suppose to be an iPhone app coming out soon for Squarespace!

I had no idea when I started this how much work it would actually be to create the videos, blog entries etc. Not that it's not a lot of fun, it's just that it came at a very busy time of year for me. I have just switched my web hosting over to Squarespace.com to make it easier for me to update the site. It's a strong learning curve for me, but I think it'll make it much easier for me to live up to the obligation of staying on top of this website. PLUS, they've got a built in mechanism to leave comments etc., so leave comments anytime you want - unless of course you're one of those spamming jerks, in that case... rot in hell. :-)

Here's my quick update, and soon I'll get the videos done and posted that go along with this info.

By some freak of nature, the first week I was watching what I ate I lost 16 1/2 pounds.  This is not possible,  but it did happen. I think it had as much to do with the time of day that I weighed and other factors as much as anything else, but heck, I'll take it.  Of course, not to tip off what happened next, but I did "gain" 4 of those pounds back the next week.

It was a rough week with arthritis pain and an outbreak of gout, which I'm working hard at getting under control.  It makes it very difficult to start an excercise regimine when it hurts just to walk. But then again, it's getting control of stuff like this that this program and website is all about.

Pictures and video are coming soon.

5/18/09 This is the week it starts.

 The week I commit to changing my physical life and bring you along on the ride!

Start with the video, then read the extra thoughts. I'll figure out a way for you to leave comments soon!

Stats

My initial weight at the beginning of this excercise was 240 pounds. This is about right, it has fluctuated between 235 and 242 for the past several months.

My blood pressue has never been an issue, but it was 119/70.

My general health this week has been fair to poor. Mostly because of arthritis pain in my hands, knees and feet. I've had arthritis since I was 23 years old, but it's gotten worse as the years go on. I get a treatment of Remicade every 8 weeks, but it only seems to last 6 weeks now, so the last 2 weeks of the cycle, which started today, are kinda tough. My arthritis is related closely to a genetic skin disorder called Psoriasis, which is also inflamed.

Other than the above two issues, I'm in good health (as far as I know) and I don't get sick (I don't have time).

Lesson

Accountability! First and foremost, this is the point of this website, to make myself accountable to as many people as possible to accomplish this goal. How could I possibly go out and eat an huge, dripping with fat hamburger and greasy fries (unless it was a "splurge") if I thought that I'd be doing so in front of someone that I had told that I was no longer going to do that?

If you want to accomplish your goals, announce them to the world, then you'll work your butt off so you don't look like a liar!

Links

In future issues there may be links here that I've used to help me find information, or that I reference in the video. This week I don't have any so I'll just do some blatant self promotion!

My Game Show Production Company - Game Shows To Go

My Hypnosis Show Website

My Magic Show Website

My Motivational Mind Reading Website

My Marketing for Variety Entertainers Website

My inspirations for doing a web series:

Scam School

Amtrekker

DadLabs