Spring is here and if the weather would cooperate a little more, we could actually enjoy 2 days in a row of decent, non-rainy, weather.  The lawn needs to be mowed and the garden needs to be planted!  With the weather changes, I’ve decided to possibly change up my “look”.  I just don’t know what that “look” might be.  I shaved the patch of facial hair off a few months ago (see video on the left) and since losing some pounds, I’ve been able to wear some different clothes with a little more confidence.  My wife and I argue all of the time on what my look should be.  I think she wants me to stay with the collared shirt/button up look.  I’m looking to go a little more “rocker”.  Basically, I’m having a clothing identity crisis!  When we go shopping we get into arguments about clothes.  I think she might be trying to control me!  Back when I was heavier, I’d wear whatever she told me to wear.  Now that I can pull off a few more looks, she’s losing control of her dress up Ken doll!  I usually end up giving in and buying the shirt she’d rather see me in.  If you run into me anytime soon and hate what I’m wearing….blame my wife.  I wanted to buy the t-shirt with skulls on it. Haha!

America’s best/worst fast food restaurants.  I was a little surprised by some of these.  Feel free to comment.

The best:

http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100235019&GT1=31036

The worst:

http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100235017&GT1=31036

Went to Charleston this past weekend for our 9 year wedding anniversary!  Got us a room at the Charleston Place hotel (the same place we stayed on our wedding night).  Nice place-Just not $500 a night nice!  It was symbolic, so the price didn’t matter.  We left Erin with our friends for the night.  This was the first time Christal and I spent the night without Erin.  Christal managed not to cry at all during dinner, but when we called around 9pm to do our goodnight call-she managed to get thru the phone conversation without crying.  As she hung up the phone-tears came down her cheeks.  Anyone who is a parent can certainly relate!  It was good to have a night where we could wake up whenever we wanted to.  Without the yelling of “mommy” or “daddy” coming from the room at the end of the hallway.  For the record-I’m pretty sure Erin had the time of her life and probably didn’t miss us at all! lol  Our friends have a 3 year old, lots of toys and a big screen TV with lots of Dora videos!  It was good to have an adult conversation with my wife.  Even though 90% of the conversation was about Erin.  Funny how that works huh?

Should have gotten that one on tape.  Lots of cardio and lots of sweat.  I realized today that the countdown to the “Summer of me being shirtless” is approaching very soon.  I figure I got about 2 months to get into peak shirtless form.  My weight is stable these days.  We are looking for ways to take it up another level and perhaps drop a few more before summer.  I’m very close to being a 34” in pants.  I was a 32” in high school, so this would be a pretty major accomplishment.  I started this process at a 38”.  Look for another BMI video coming soon.  I’d be fine staying at this weight, but I’m  still looking for a little more “cut” in my appearance!

Just when you think you are doing right with your diet- you discover a few surprises!  Check out this link.

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/26542/americas-unhealthiest-restaurants

Last night, while the wife went to the NKOTB show at the BiLo center, my daughter and I had a daddy-daughter date night.  It’s a lot of fun!  Erin is now almost 27 months old, so she’s at a really fun age and communicates very well.  It’s amazing to be able to have conversations with your kid!  Like she’s a real little person (not in a “Follow the yellow brick road”, Wizard of Oz kind of way).

While coloring (yes one of the activities we did together) she handed me a green crayon and told me to use it.  She said “use the green one dada”.  I’m color blind.  That crayon isn’t green to me….it was red-ish.  Just though it was funny that I have this small toddler who is better at something than I am.  Coloring.  lol

Its ok, cuz I could still kick her butt playing basketball.  She’s pretty easy to dunk on.

Get ready peeps!  A 6 minute sped up version of my workout from last tuesday will be posted on Monday.  Should give you an Idea on what I’m doing at ASI in Simpsonville.  Maybe you would work in some of my stuff into your workouts?

Check back monday

I’m tired today.  Had a gig last night and drank unsweetened tea all night.  I got home around 11:30 and sat in bed till 2am before I fell asleep.  After tossing and turning for a bit, I tried counting to 100.  I then told myself that I would open my eyes after 100 and see what time it was.  The last time I saw the time was 1:45am.  I’m assuming that I got about 3 1/2 hours sleep last night.  I woke up at 5:30am and went to ASI to work out.  Dj (my trainer at ASI) took it easy on me this morning.  I guess on days like this, you gotta not over-do it. 

I slept a total of 4 hours a day in college.  Always scheduled myself for early morning classes, so that I could be done with my school stuff before I went to work at the radio station.  Yep, I did radio in college at a station in town (not a college radio station).  I was actually pretty terrible to my self and my health in college.  Wake up at 6am-went to school-went to work-went to the club till 2am-did it again the next day.  I would sleep on Sundays.  I’d eat the most terrible thing imaginable right before going to bed, follow it up with a super-sized soda and then fell asleep.  Now, I cant do that.  Last night I drank tea after 10pm and it left me WIRED till I fell asleep.  Guess I cant handle the “hard stuff” anymore. lol

Another thing I noticed was my uncontrollable urge to stop and get a milkshake or somethin before coming home.  Something about being out late makes me want to eat bad things.  I wasn’t drinking alcohol, but my body craved the foods that It usually does after I’ve been drinking (Taco Bell-Burger and fries-milkshake).  It’s all in your head!  I spent the drive home trying to rationalize stopping to get something.  I didn’t need it.  I wasn’t hungry.  It’s this kind of behavior that haunts anyone who is trying to be healthy or lose weight.  It’s like a smoker who quits, but has to have something to smoke after a great meal or only smokes when drinking.  Its behavioral!  All in your head! 

In college my routine was to do laundry and homework on Sundays after I woke up from my “make up sleep” session.  Now, after being out of college for more than 10 years, I still feel the need to do laundry and homework on Sundays. How funny is that? lol

It looks like droppin some pounds is the thing to do these days! lol  Dino (he does afternoons) picked up the book “Eat This Not That” at the store the other day.  He’s keeping a food journal and looks to be writing down all the stuff he is eating and the amount of calories that comes with each.  It can get pretty addictive over time.  I went after it hard core for a while.  Writing down everything I ate and the amount of calories that comes with each and made sure that I didn’t pop up over 1800 calories too often.  It’s hard at first, but then it becomes pretty turn key and routine.  It’s easy to train your body for change.  Even if it took you 30+ years to screw it up! (me!)

Here’s a few things that I spotted in his book that could be useful to those who want to drop some pounds or just eat healthier. 

When going to Red Lobster (LOVE THAT PLACE) you SHOULD order the Live Main Lobster with cocktail sauce and steamed broccoli.  You SHOULD NOT order the North Pacific King Crab Legs with melted butter and wild rice pilaf.  Why? 

Lobster stats:  288 calories/3 g of fat/29 g carbs

Crab stats:  883 calories/35 g fat/36 g carbs

Ruby Tuesday!  Eat the 7oz Top Sirloin with baby greens and mushrooms,  DONT ORDER the Turkey Burger with fries! 

Sirloin stats:  484 calories/24 g fat

Turkey stats:  1,171 calories/58 g fat

Let me guess…you were thinking that the turkey burger was your friend?  lol

Pizza Hut!  Eat 2 slices of thin and crispy pizza with ham and pineapple.  DO NOT eat 2 slices of Supreme pan pizza.

Pineapple stats:  360 calories/12 g fat/ 1,140 mg sodium

Supreme stats:  620 calories/32 g fat/1,440 mg sodium.

So you can see, that you can still have a great meal, with almost half the calories and you don’t have to sacrifice taste or portions. 

There’s also a listing of 8 foods you should eat everyday for various health reasons.  They are-Spinach, Yogurt, Tomatoes, Carrots, Blueberries, Black beans, walnuts and oats.  Interesting…

Don’t forget to join my chaseschallenge team on activateupstate.org!