Day 86

Travel, travel, travel.... I'm currently in the middle of two weeks of traveling across the continent. While that sounds like it should provide lots of exercise, I usually do it inside a plane rather than on foot, so there really isn't much benefit I get out of it health-wise. In fact, it creates all sorts of problems for me in trying to manage my meals. It also keeps me away from my usual exercise routine, and forces me to work additional exercise into my schedule.

Last week, my plan was to take advantage of any exercise facilities at my hotel. Luckily, I was in San Diego where the 'gods of winter snow' seem to have totally forgotten them, so I could do things outside without the threat of frostbite. My hotel was actually beside a golf course, so I asked the pro shop to loan me a few clubs, and I bought a bucket of balls for the driving range. It was great to swing the clubs again! Hitting balls isn't the optimum way to burn fat, but any exercise is good. On my way back I noticed the outdoor swimming pool. It was totally empty (possibly a little too cool for the typical Californian), but the slight breeze in the air didn't deter me a bit. I went to my room to change, and quickly dove in for a few laps.

When I'm swimming, it's usually more like flopping and playing. I'm not a lap swimmer, but I enjoy the feeling of near weightlessness, so I don't normally care how big the pool is. In this case, the pool was very long (perfect for laps), and empty, so I thought I'd give it a try. How many laps should I swim? I thought about stopping after 1, but I realized that was setting the bar a bit too low, so I chose 26. I had lost 26 pounds on this journey, and thought I would reflect about each pound as I swam the laps (pretty melodramatic eh?). I chose the breast stroke as I thought it would give me a good overall workout, and because I might drown if I tried to swim any other way (remember I said I wasn't a lap swimmer). The first 10 laps were quite nice. The next 10 started to burn my arms and chest. The last 6 were going to be the test. By the time I had reached 26 I figured I might as well push myself and go for the entire 31 (just like my 31 pound goal on this diet). Again, it was a bit melodramatic, but there was a significance to the number and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. Once I completed the 31 laps, I headed to the whirlpool for a soak. And yes, my body didn't like me very much the next day.

After my meetings, I checked out the fitness facility. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was open 24-hours. Not only that, but each machine (bike, elliptical, treadmill, etc.) had its own TV with headphones. This is my kind of place! I like to workout watching TV, so I spent the next hour or more trying various machines and watching a few shows. When I was done, I noticed a basket of apples, so I took one for my dessert, and one for my breakfast the following day.

Dinner was room service, and I stuck with the salad and chicken. Not too bad. For the most part, my meals were with business colleagues, so it made life a bit tough. I stayed away from alcohol and even got the chef to create me a plate of fruit for my dessert so I didn't have to eat a bowl of too-rich calories. It never hurts to ask.

Day 86
Current Weight: 179
Weight Lost To Date: 27

It's been a week since my last weigh-in. The travel life has taken its toll on my momentum, nearly halting it in its tracks, but it's just something I'll have to work through. Today I head back out of town, and I've already made sure my hotel has 24-hour fitness facilities, which I intend to take advantage of.

It's nice to be in the 170's, but I know that I'm finding each pound more and more of a struggle. The good news is that I'm obviously reaching a more appropriate weight, which is why it's more difficult to lose now. I also had a very positive experience today as I cut another two inches off my belt, so I could reclaim some of the holes that I'd left behind weeks ago. My wife is currently hemming my new pants, so hopefully we'll lose some of the baggy look as well.

The home stretch is going to be a challenge, and I'll need your support. I'm just about exactly on track given my goal and my time remaining, which means that I've lost the edge I had built up in the first 80 days or so. I can't afford to let it slip now. Stay with me......

Don