One Percent Solution - 2nd Update

Objective: Lose 1% of total weight every 2-week period.

January 3 weight: 263.8 pounds
January 17 weigh-in: 260.6 pounds (-1.2%)

Target weight for January 31: 258.0 pounds
           Target weight loss: 2.6 pounds


Actual weight for January 31: 258.8 pounds
           Actual weight loss: 1.8 pounds (0.7%)



Total weight loss to date: 5.0 pounds (-1.9%)


Target weight for February 14: 256.2 pounds


The next week will be a challenge simply because we're hosting a Super Bowl party. At least I'll have a week after that to work off any food naughtiness.

"Think" is a Good Step Between "Stimulus" and "Response"

Someone I know went on a social networking site and made disparaging remarks about her boss, who had just been notified her position was being eliminated.

Guess who else lose their job?

Someone else I know received an email from her bank stating her account had been frozen and she needed to respond with her information to release it. Which she promptly did.

Guess who now needs a new account, new direct deposit info, a new debit card, and has to reorganize her online bill-paying?

I will thoroughly admit to jumping the gun on multiple occasions, but even I know enough to refrain from being anything less than complementary online to people I know, and to delete phishing emails. Things you do online can (and frequently do) come back to bite you if you're rude, crude, a smart-ass, racist, xenophobic, homophobic, liberal, conservative, libertarian, communist, or just a jackass.


Just ask ESPN contributor Paul Shirley.

Make that former ESPN contributor Paul Shirley.

One Percent Solution - First Update

Objective: Lose 1% of total weight every 2-week period.

January 3 weight: 263.8 pounds

Target weight for January 17: 261.6 pounds
          Target weight loss: 2.6 pounds

Actual weight for January 17: 260.6 pounds
           Actual weight loss: 3.2 pounds (1.2%)

Target weight for January 31: 258.0 pounds
           Target weight loss: 2.6 pounds

If I were able to maintain the rate of weight loss I did for the first two weeks I'd be at my lowest weight since high school. I'm trying not to think that far ahead. Baby steps. Baby steps.

Prove Pat Robertson is an Idiot About Haiti

You can support the American Red Cross Haiti relief efforts by texting HAITI to 90999. You will be charged $10 via your cell phone bill. The major cell carriers will waive any message charge for this specific text.

Only Advantage

When there was all the furor over the Indianapolis Colts eschewing a chance at a perfect season in order to rest starters for the playoffs, I thought it was misguided. Given a choice between an undefeated season or a Super Bowl championship, I think most players and fans would take the title. Just ask the 2007 New England Patriots and New York Giants.

The funny thing is this is the sort of debate which could happen if - as most people without brain damage want - the NCAA starts a playoff system in its top football division.

Imagine reading a story like this:

Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Following weeks of close calls, controversy and criticism, top-ranked Florida got to play on cruise control.

But it was the team from South Florida that enjoyed every minute of it.

With Tim Tebow, Jeffrey Demps, Brandon Spikes and most of the starting skill players held out to rest for the SEC Championship game, Florida International scored three 2nd-half touchdowns to end the #1 Gators' 20-game winning streak with a 21-10 victory on Saturday.

The Gators drop to 10-1 for the season and play rival Florida State next week before meeting Alabama in the SEC Championship game. The winner of that game receives the SEC's automatic bid to the playoffs, while the loser will likely have to go the at-large route.

The Golden Panthers (4-7) have struggled for much of their existence, never winning more than 5 games in a season since moving to the FBS in 2005. The win not only was their first over a ranked opponent, but gives them a chance to match their season record if they beat cross-town rival Florida Atlantic next week.

"It was real nice," guard Mike Pouncey said. "We had a long SEC run, then to go out there and have a game like this, where we can rest starters was real good for our team. Sure an undefeated season would be nice, but our eyes are on the prize. 12-0 means nothing if you don't win the whole thing. We'll be ready to go in two weeks."

Don't misunderstand me. The BCS is evil and must be destroyed. Titles are won on the field, not in the heads of sportswriters, coaches, talking heads, and computers. But it wasn't until I saw Colt McCoy go down early in the BCS title game that I really started thinking about the benefits of resting starters, even at the collegiate level.

Would you really care what your team's regular season record was if they were crowned as champion?

I didn't think so.

The One Percent Solution?

I hate the idea of making New Year's resolutions for one simple reason: They never last a whole month, let alone a whole year. So my girlfriend and I are embarking on a series of two-week resolutions to lose weight.

If successful, by the start of 2011 I'll be at my lowest weight since my sophomore year of college - 20 years ago.

The idea is simple: Over the next 14 days I must take steps to lose 1% of my body weight. For me that's just over 2.5 pounds. The challenge is not going to be in watching what we eat, but in being more active. We do okay on weekends, but during the week neither of us has been inclined to exercise. That has to change. Don't get me wrong, we still have to make some changes to our respective diets, but those won't be as hard for us to do as adding exercise.

I'll keep you updated on my progress.