I have not reported on my personal Battle of the Bulge lately.  Mostly because there has been nothing much to report.  Once I crossed the 50 pounds lost threshold (228 pounds) I’ve encountered the proverbial brick wall.  I’ve been bouncing around from a low of 225 to a high of 230 since then.  This morning I was disappointed to see a 2 1/2 pound gain from last week leaving me at a bloated 229.5.

It’s my own damn fault of course.  I’ve been extraordinarily lazy of late.  I managed a whopping two hours total treadmill time last week.  That and the fact that I’m playing darts four days a week now (Tue/Wed/Fri/Sun).  Which is not to say that darts isn’t good exercise. After all, it does require you to get off your sorry ass and actually move around some.  No, the problem with darts activity is that I normally consume several bottles of aiming fluid (aka beer) during a match.  Even at a low 2.6 carbohydrate grams per bottle that adds up.  So, I need to rededicate myself to my exercise regimen and show greater discipline in resisting temptation (damn your smoothies Jee Yeun!).

In other health related news, I’ve begun the process to becoming a non-smoker in 2014.  I’ve been taking Chantix for a week now.   I’ve taken it before with some success–over a year smoke free until my mother’s death knocked me off the wagon–and it does seem to curb my craving for nicotine.  According to the warning label the side effects include nausea, headache, vomiting, drowsiness, gas, constipation, trouble sleeping, unusual dreams, or changes in taste.  And oh yeah, suicidal thoughts and depression.  Luckily for me, all I get are the unusual dreams and gas.  Well, truth be told I can’t say that I’m more gassy than normal, but my normal tends to be a lot.  But for me, the dreams are the best part.  I find myself looking forward to going to bed wondering what I will dream tonight.  Vivid, detailed, and bizarre is how I’d describe my nocturnal excursions.  Certainly better than anything I’ve seen on TV lately!

So that’s my story.  Wish me luck!