training diary, week 0: so it begins

I've been trying for the last 6 months or so to take off the 10 lbs I gained the last couple of years due to stress, work, some really emotional family issues, and just getting older in general, but since January of 2004, I haven't really been committed. But this week, I got serious and signed up for a training program at the Bay Club that includes 10 personal training and 3 nutrition counseling sessions. At $750 a pop, I'd have to say that I'm committed :-)

To keep myself on track, I'm posting my progress week by week, with some brutally honest stats. So... its 10lbs or bust!

*~*~*~*

Training Diary, Week 0:

Height: 5'2"
Weight: 130 lbs
Body Fat %: Approx. 30%
Fitness Level: Fair to Poor


Week 0 pictures. Yuck.

Workout Record, Sun. 8/7 to Sat., 8/13:

• Mon, 8/8 - Elliptical Trainer, 30 mins; Weights: 20 minutes
• Tues, 8/9 - Elliptical Trainer, 20 mins
• Thurs, 8/11 - Spinning, 45 mins; Abs, 10 mins
• Fri, 8/12 - Elliptical Trainer, 30 mins
  

The Plan:

• Spinning, Mondays and Thursdays
• Cardio Kickboxing, Tuesdays
• Elliptical Trainer (30 - 45 mins) on Wednesdays and Sundays
• Weight Training, Fridays and Sundays

*~*~*~*

Even though I just technically met with my trainer on Friday, I started prepping myself for the program by forcing myself to work out, and eat a little healthier. I was particularly proud of myself on Thursday, when, after a looooong meeting that lasted until 6, I made myself go to Spinning - despite the fact that I was tired, cranky, and hungry. Good thing too - it really pumped me up again.

On Friday, I met with Mark for the first time. Apparently, Mark is something of a celebrity, having been recently written up in Men's Health magazine and featured on MSN. I'm pretty excited... he's very low key, but both understanding and motivating. Most impressive of all is that he personally lost almost 200lbs! Check out his website at www.xbigman.com.

I'm so excited!

the plight of asian men

"Self-pity is like masturbation. It's an individual experience not shared by anyone else and it keeps people content being losers."

POV One: Where is the Love?

POV Two: Quit Whining!

Who shall prevail? Vote!

bits and pieces

I don't know anyone else who gets as excited by a great toothbrush as I do. I got this crazy Oral-B Pulsar toothbrush yesterday, and its amazing (and just a little bit freaky). It vibrates!

And I can't believe Peter Jennings died this weekend! How sad! Its like the end of an era... I grew up watching him on the news. I remember my aunt used to have the biggest crush on him when I was 8 or something.

its all that...

... and a Bag of Chips @ Madrone Lounge last night was a huge success. One could even say that it was "all that".

*Cheesy joke guffaw*

... Bag was seriously the most fun party that 09:Babies has ever thrown, and probably even one of the best parties I've been to! Even though we've had some great parties with really amazing people and talent, this was the one that caused almost zero stress. Plus, there's something about 80's music that just makes everything happy and fluffy.

Besides raising another $600 for the AIDS Walk, we saw some pretty kick-ass 80's costumes. The AIDS Walk team itself was a melange of styles: Laura went for the preppy cheerleader look (Like Totally-Girl), Heather the ever-classic goth (Goth-Kitty), Isidro fashioned himself after Don Johnson (Miami Chump), and I was the Madonna concert reject (Madonna-be).

The saddest thing about this entire experience was that all of us managed to pull these outfits together out of our closets.

It was a terrific end to my tenure at 09:Babies, and a great way to kick off my hibernation. Lots and lots 'o pics below! *MWAH!*

Me, Laura and Diana are like, totally psyched about the party.


Eric reminds us that in the 80's, he was a clerk at 7-Eleven,
while Isidro waits for his Miami Vice moment


W-I-G-G-Y!!!


Hey, Isidro forgot his Lacoste shirt, so we had to make him one


Definitely the costume winner of the night! Too bad you can't see his pants.


Eric H, coming out of hibernation to rejoin the living (and single) world.


Khaotic Groovemintz in the house, post-dance show


YEAAAAAAH. Hot.


"Why didn't I date a guy like this in high school?" wonders Diana.


Nice shirt, Matty.


Karen shows off her leg-warmers


DJ Kap$hure busts it out. One of the best sets he's ever played - for sure.


Diana "touches herself". OK, technically not 80's, but we love that song anyways.


Fern and Laura and a scary blue light


Whoever you are, you rawk \m/


Clyde busts it out


Diana and Jarret get into the groove


Whatever...


"Look! I can DJ and take pictures at the same time!"


Nothing like dancing with my fairy godbrother


Hey Mickey!


Whatever we're singing along to, we loved it


Eric H, Fern and Paula


Goth-Kitty and Miami-Chump strike a pose


Pablo? Paco? Why did I keep removing your shirt?


Me and Clydo


I don't know why Clydo is now wearing my shirt...


Despite his big smile, I'm actually strangling Fern in the car.


Goddamn you, feed me!

For all 100+ pictures (Isidro and Laura went nuts with my new camera), check out the slideshow at Ofoto.

plumtree baseball

We had our company picnic yesterday at SBC Park. The entire evening can be summed up in four words: free beer and bloody cold.

There was a great pre-game BBQ, which consisted of yummy ballpark food, followed by the Giants v. Houston Astros game.


My comrade in arms: Matias, Alice, Kim, Daisy and baby.


The Process Server Team: Brent and wife, Marie, and Lars.


Ilan and wife


My manager, Daisy, with her adorable (and fast-moving) daughter.


Dax with his daughter. Can the kids get any cuter?

Everyone was pretty well-behaved until they closed out the BBQ. That's when the trouble began - when the park people told us to "take the rest of the beers - they're already paid for." Being good corporate citizens, we of course grabbed as many as we could.

Matias loads up with his arms...


... I fill my pockets...


... and Brendan grabbed 15 for his bag.

The game gets started, and it gets really, really, really cold. It was the coldest I've been since we went to Canada for New Years Eve back in 2003. (Yeah, how stupid were we?!) Only in San Francisco would you need to be bundled up in two sweatshirts, a scarf and a hat in order not to shiver to death.


The game begins


Brendan and I bundled up against the fierce wind and cold.


Yeah, Ken looks sober there, but just you wait...

I had also just bought a brand, spanking-new camera yesterday, so I was eager to play with it. But things really got out of hand when Ken got a hold of the camera...


Ken molesting my SF Giants Kitty


I had to kick his butt as punishment...


... and put Kitty somehwere where she was safe.


Topher's monkey feels threatened.

In the end, we stumbled out of the park and headed for... oh, I don't even know where. But it was great fun getting to know my co-workers, and educational to boot! Things I learned: Never go to a baseball game in SF, and never let Ken touch your camera unchaperoned.