July 9, 2005

My adventures with weight loss started as a 2005 New Year's resolution. No, that's not right. My most recent adventures with weight loss started as a 2005 New Year's resolution. My struggle with weight has been a constant throughout my life. I was overweight throughout my childhood. I first began losing weight my senior year of high school, but I didn't stop. I lost so much weight that some days I couldn't get out of bed. And what's worse was that I wanted to lose more. I was then rescued by my soon-to-be wife. Sadly, once I began eating again, I didn't stop. I arrived just shy of 300 pounds in December of 2004.

"This has to stop," she said. It did. Not only was I unhealthy, which bothered both of us, but I was genuinely unhappy with my appearance and my energy level. I knew I couldn't just stop eating again. I remembered having no energy and had no desire to ever go that route again.

My future mother-in-law recommended Weight Watchers. I was skeptical at first. I remember thinking "Right, I'm going to go sit in a meeting with a bunch of old fat ladies. Great." But I went; the first week was free anyway. The meeting wasn't too bad (but the attendance was primarily overweight older women), and I decided to go back again next week. I lost 3 pounds in only seven days! And I wasn't hungry all the time.

After losing 10 pounds, I hit a plateau. In case you're curious, 290 isn't the plateau I was looking for, so I had to find something else to fuel my weight loss. I'm something of a video game fanatic, so I picked up a copy of DDR MAX and a dance pad at Fry's. Man, is that game hard for fat uncoordinated people! I kept at it though. At first it didn't help because I couldn't dance for very long, but as I began to dance longer, weight started coming off again.

I'm now down to 260. It's not as low as I'd like, and I still have a belly, but I feel healthier and happier than I have ever felt before. I actively enjoy working out now, and I'm still not hungry all the time.

I guess I've rambled long enough. I'm fairly certain my moral is this: don't give up. That's it. Life's not easy, and it's certainly not fair, but we can tip the scales in our favor if we simply refuse to quit.

Hello once again,

So Chapelco was pretty lame I´d say, too much of a family-oriented resort with some so-so snow. Cerro Catedral is much better, with some truly amazing views and sweet off-piste shoots that, with a little more fresh snow, would be perfect. Also the hostel I´m staying at in Bariloche (La Bolsa) is full of really chill people with lots of cool shit to do (there´s a climbing wall built into the house, for instance) plus its only a 5 minute busride from the slopes. Coming into Bariloche was the first point at which I actually became homesick, I think because the mountains here are so similar to those of Colorado. I must have gotten in a little better shape since coming here because I´ve been easily able to go on some pretty gruelling hikes with some compadres right after skiing. Also, I´ve changed my mind concerning the whole dropping school and coming down here after next semester, instead I´m thinkin of planning a trip out to Asia. News of the bombings in London were the first real dose of world news I´ve had since coming here, and what´s worse is my new friend Kim´s cousin was one of the casualties. With less than a week left I´m both anxious to get home and sad to leave the one´s I´ve met. But who knows, maybe I´ll meet up with them somewhere in Malaysia in my continued travels. Oh and I´ve also been planning a roadtrip out west in early August with my G-town amigos, so those of you out there be warned! we might just show up and crash your house in the middle of the night like ninjas, word.

As always: peace, love and rock,

Dave