The midnight deul..

OK, so it's been a week since I started my 40 pound challenge, and i'm doing ok.. but i'll get back to that later. Quick update on life..

So nothing all too excited has happened since the last time I posted, but I got a couple things that I can talk about. So a couple of weeks ago, my nephew chose me to help him with a project that he was doing in school. It's based off of the book Flat Stanley about a kid who gets flattened and then goes around the world having adventures.. So my nephew, and all of the kids in his class, made their own flat counterparts and sent them somewhere to go on an adventure for a week. So, I was very proud to find out, my nephew chose me to show "Flat Matt" an adventure. The two of us definitely went on some adventures.. We went to Mexico twice, one time just to volunteer at the orphanage, playing games, helping with homework, taking care of sick babies (mi Angelica, pobrecita) and, of course, learning some spanish.. the second time, we took the children at the orfa to go horseback riding in Rosarito! It was an awesome time! We also went to the beach, went sightseeing in downtown san diego, played basketball, and, on our last night together.. we went to an awards ceremony celebrating non profit organizations, workers, and volunteers from all over the country! We walked the red carpet, schmoozed with some amazing people, fighting for great causes, and just had an amazing time. The night was very inspiring, the message being that it's very important to give back. That there is a lot of things wrong in this world, between poverty, hunger, disease, genocide, etc.. however, there is also a lot of beauty, and love in the world. A guy from Australia who got drunk and had an idea about growing mustaches for a month with his friends is going to donate about $65million to prostate cancer research this year, a cancer survivor was able to walk 10 miles, literally in her late sisters shoes, in support of breast cancer awareness, and so on and so forth. It confirmed in me something that I already knew, that it is incredibly important, and fulfilling to help other people, and through that, they help you just as much.. not only through my work at the orphanage in Mexico, but through my nephews project. By taking Flat Matt to all these events, and trying to show him (and my nephew back in Massachusetts) how I live my life, and try to live it with purpose, it taught me that I have it pretty great. I live in a great area, have awesome family, some good friends, am learning a second language, travel to another country 2, sometimes 3 times a week, and spend a lot of my free time with about 50 amazing children who are helping to shape my life, as much, if not more, than I am helping to shape theirs..

OK, now that i'm done being all mushy and whatnot (I did this same thing at the end of the journal that I kept for the project) let's move on to the reason why I've started blogging again. So, as can be expected, my first week was filled with wins and losses in the weight loss struggle. I started the week off well, with 3 days at the gym in a row, and good dinners.. but slacked off once Thursday came and I was busy at work. I didn't go Thursday, went Friday, no Saturday, and no Sunday. The other part of my problem, has been my constant battle with midnight snacks (hence the name of the blog.) I always tell myself to eat well, and to have complete meals, etc.. however, when i'm sitting down late at night, watching tv (on the computer) and have nothing else to do.. my will power caves and I snack incessantly. Since I can't hope to break this habit over night, i'm trying to combat it by buying better snacks. Granola bars, saltine crackers, pretzels on occasion, as opposed to potato chips.. if i have to have cheez-its, i rock the 40% reduced fat which are still good.. and lots of apples and carrots.. Also, no more soda. Oh well.. on to the weigh in

Week 2- 221 lbs

The invitation..

Ok, so once again I'm going to try to revive my blog. Once again, it's going to be about things in my life, and not poker, but whatever..I'm just gonna start here with the random stuff, but will devote more time to it in the future, obviously. I've been going to Mexico 2-3 times a week, and it is still the biggest thing in my life. My spanish is getting pretty good, to the point where i'm on the verge of starting to answer something other than "not really" when people ask me if i speak spanish.. Other than that, i'm working a job that I don't like, and am essentially living in the apartment by myself, because Dan is in Mexico 5-6 nights a week (and 7 days a week.)

So the number one thing right now is that I'm rededicating myself to the gym, and to getting back in shape. At the beginning of this year, I was working hard at it and got myself pretty close to my goal.. (I think I bottomed out at like 208 pounds, down from 250 from when i moved to Cali, and over 270 from my highest point in 2009.) I weighed in at the gym yesterday at 225, and my goal is now to make it back to my senior year wrestling weight (189.) It seems like a solid goal, and i hope to make it. I usually don't care about the numbers.. i just want to feel good, but i feel like this is an easier way to keep myself at it. If I just say that I want to go until I feel good, I can cop out at any time.. this gives me a solid goal, and if I don't stop until I get there, I know I will be feeling pretty damn good. And this is where the name of the blog comes in.. other than fitting with a motif i've been working with lately, it works because I, like always, need a little help. I'm inviting everyone to bitch at me, and whatever (via facebook, text, or in person, for those reading this on the West Coast.. which is really no one..) to get me to go to the gym, and stop eating shit food. A lot less Cali burritos, french fries, and no more soda.. (except every once in a while?).. but yea.. ¡ayudenme!

So:
Week 1- 225lbs