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At some point during my twenty-four mile morning ride yesterday, I overlooked an important milestone on my road to better health and fitness. While I watched the trail for road hazards, potholes, broken glass, and other tire and spoke busting obstacles, the odometer on my bike quietly counted past the one thousand mile mark. One thousand miles since November 26, 2007, has meant shedding the equivalent weight of a case of chuck roll from my long tortured frame.

Those one thousand miles led to my minor participation in Sunday's Acura LA Bike Tour in conjunction with the Los Angeles Marathon, and they've allowed me to participate in several other activities that previously kicked my formerly fat ass. Just think, if I only had some direction in my life instead of just meandering around town, I could have reached Pecos, Texas by now.

I'm hoping that the next thousand miles brings even more exiting changes to my life. I doubt that I'll ever be willing to actually run in a Marathon, but I have already registered to ride in the bike tour portion of the upcoming Long Beach Marathon. I've also given some thought to perhaps running a 5K, 10K, or even a biathlon. I'm not sure what's in store for me along the next thousand miles, but the last thousand taught me that anything is possible.

2:30 am! What the hell was I thinking when I made that decision?

I never sleep very well when I know that I have to wake up especially early in the morning. I really didn't sleep well knowing that my MacBook Pro/iTunes/Automator alarm clock was set to go off at 02:30 in the am. I tossed, I turned, and I suppose I slept a bit before being awakened by the sounds of the bouzouki introduction to the Falirotissa by Yiannis Papaioanou). I managed to roll my still cursing formerly fat ass out of bed and pointed my still shrinking belly towards the kitchen for a cup of automatically activated freshly brewed coffee. Thank god for timers. I poured a cup, scalded my throat, and poured another before sitting down for a simple breakfast of yogurt and fresh fruit (Strawberries and bananas).

I got dressed, loaded the truck, and pointed it towards Expedition Park in Los Angeles. Since I only took one wrong turn, I found myself standing on the starting line for the Acura L.A. Bike Tour along with a handful of other early risers. The horde formed and the powers that be turned us loose on that deserted stretch of Los Angeles streets that made up our little slice of the Los Angeles Marathon route.

This morning's event was my first organized cycling event. I have to admit that I got a little emotional. I admit that I was slightly intimidated by the initial the crush, but the majority of the twenty-one odd miles of the Bike Tour were rather pleasant. It wasn't a race, but more than a few Racer X motherfuckers made the first mile or so resemble an attack of killer locusts, but once things thinned out a bit, one could safely pass slower riders without resembling a torpedo bomber dodging ack ack flack.

The route had its ups and downs. There were plenty of downhill grades that provided a pleasant rest, but there were also a couple of hills that definitely got my heart rate going. There aren't a lot of hills on my typical morning route, but I did ok. I'm glad I participated in this year's Acura LA Bike Tour, and I'm already looking forward to next year's event.

Three month's ago, I found myself closing in on 270 pounds. I spent most of my free time with a couch growing out of my ass. There wasn't anything wrong with me that required medication or hospitalization, but I probably wasn't very healthy. Random aches, pains, and digestive complaints led to my doctor ordering a colonoscopy. I didn't like the way I felt, and I sure as hell wasn't too pleased with my appearance. I started making changes in my life, and today I feel like a new man.

The above photo was taken about a week after I joined a weight loss program. The first week or two were a little rocky, so I bought a bicycle. Up until then, I hadn't ridden a bicycle since I was a teenager. Hell, I wasn't even sure the old line about learning and never forgetting was true. In the beginning, I was pretty happy riding five miles. Now, I've increased my daily ride to twenty plus miles with a forty-mile ride on Sundays.

Next Sunday, I'll be participating in the Acura L.A. Bike Tour. The bike tour is part of the City of Los Angeles Marathon Celebration. It's not a race or competitive event in any way shape or form, but it does mark a significant milestone in the life of this former couch potato.

The photo to the right was taken this morning. Nude update photos are in the not safe for work gallery. If you're really lazy, you can follow these links to specific photos - Nude Front View - Nude Side View (My Favorite) - Nude Rear View.

Today was the first day of my second round of weight loss. Since today marked the first day of a new program, new measurements were taken at my local Lindora Weight Loss clinic. Here they are:

No new pictures today. You've suffered enough.

The trousers I'm wearing in the photo to the left fit a little snug ten weeks ago. I'm pretty happy about that. I'm not as happy about the fact that the trousers I bought a couple of weeks ago may also be destined for the donation bin sooner than I anticipated. I've lost around fifty pounds in ten weeks, and on Monday I'll start another round of weight loss with the intent of losing another fifteen or twenty pounds. Despite what most height and weight charts would indicate, past experience has taught me that 195 to 200 pounds is about as low as I should go. I'm at 215 now, so the last few pounds shouldn't take long to lose.

I haven't had new measurements taken since week seven of the first round of weight loss, but I expect I'll have new numbers to post Monday. The masochists among you can find today's nude shots in the NothingToDread.com Nude Weight Loss Photo Gallery.

I hit the road this morning planning to take my normal weekday ten-mile ride. That was my plan, but the weather was great and I began to meander one way and then the next. I cut down the riverbed until I hit the ocean.  Θάλατα, Θάλατα! I must be genetically preprogrammed to experience a sense of joy and exhilaration when I encounter the sea. It never fails to put a smile on my face.

Arriving at the Pacific Ocean left me with several choices. I could ride south to Mexico, or north to Alaska along the Pacific Coast Highway. Neither choice seemed particularly appealing, so I opted to head back in the direction from whence I came.

I took a fork in the river and rode over to the cemetery that holds my father's remains. I always feel guilty for not going there more often, but the truth is that I never truly experience a sense of him there. I mostly feel him with me when I'm at home, or on the road. I'm sure he got as far away from that cemetary as he could right after we planted his casket. Wouldn't you?. Anyway, I paid his grave a visit and then doubled back on my trail towards the aforementioned fork. I'm sure that any Texas Rangers or renegade Comanche on my trail were thorougly confused by that maneuver.

I rode back to the fork and took the previously untaken path back towards the Lindora Weight Loss Clinic. I weighed in at a prime 217.8 pounds. There was no weight loss because I'm in a metabolic adjustment stage that allows me to consume more calories than the weight loss stage. From there I rode home and put my bike away. My total mileage for the day was 32.2 miles. If you've been paying attention, you already know that that's 22.2 miles more than I intended to ride when I hit the trail.

Today marks the beginning of the Metabolic Adjustment stage of my participation in the Lindora Comprehensive Weight Control program. I've been calling it a Weight Loss program, but I stand corrected. Apparently yesterday was the last day of the weight loss phase. I weighed in this morning at 219.5 pounds. No measurements were taken, but they did have me stand on a machine that supposedly runs a rather accurate body comp analysis. I was rather pleased with the results.

Starting today, I'll begin increasing my caloric intake. Ideally, Metabolic Adjustment will ease my body into consuming more calories without gaining more weight. Following Metabolic Adjustment patients either chose to continue weight loss or they enter the maintenance phase of the program. As I've previously stated, I plan to shoot for another fifteen to twenty pounds before I'm done.

Week Seven was the last week that official measurements are taken at Lindora. I'm too lazy to take my own measurements right now, and I don't feel like setting up the camera. If I might post measurements and photos if I get around to it this weekend, or I might just wait until I begin the next phase of weight loss. Think of it as your eyes getting a stay of execution.

Today was just another quiet December day in sunny Southern California. I wasted a bit of time playing World of Warcraft this morning, but I eventually got off my steadily shrinking ass and hopped on my bike. I stopped by Brutus and Roxanne's for a cup of coffee and conversation before continuing my way along a meandering ten mile route that took me through several residential tracks and a park.

Hey... Did I mention that the inevitable finally happened today? I finally went flying off my bike. I was ten miles into a fifteen mile ride when it happened. There's a stretch of road near a large shopping mall and directly adjacent to a major auto center. By auto center, I mean that section of town where all the new car dealers gather to compete with one another. Acre upon acre of shiny new cars all gathered in the same place for your consumer consideration. The whole area is a Mecca for distracted drivers, and it's directly on my route to and from my local Lindora weight loss clinic. It's also the part of my ride where I'm least likely to want to be on the street. As a result, I tend to ride on the sidewalk until I'm clear of the area. It's not too bad. I seldom run into a pedestrian. If I do run into a pedestrian, I always grant them right of way and a wide berth. My civic-minded good nature could have been the end of me today.

Ok, so there I was minding my own business riding away on the public sidewalk when I see an approaching pedestrian. What the hell... They feel all warm and safe walking on my bike path; I can stray onto their sidewalk when I need to feel safe on my bike. Anyway, there I am riding on the old sidewalk when I spot a prime example of the North American pedestrian) Civic minded cyclist that I am, I detoured onto a strip of grass allowing the bipod sufficient room to continue on her path undisturbed. It wasn't until I was well clear of the lovely lady that life took its catastrophic turn. I passed the pedestrian and turned my bicycle's handlebars towards the sidewalk. I turned towards the sidewalk, and my front wheel sunk into a rut that ran between the well-manicured lawn and city sidewalk. I tried to slow down. I tried to right myself. I tried to avoid the fall, but gravity is a bitch.

I abandoned all hope of staying on the bike, and let the laws of physics do that thing they do so well. The bike went one way; I went the other way. I fell properly. I slid on my shoulder and side. I landed on grass, and managed to maintain contact between fabric and ground. Slow motion kicked in, and I looked in the direction of my slide to discover that my helmet protected cranium was on a direct collision course with a concrete pillar. Thank got for slow motion. I had time to roll and averted the cranial impact. Helmet or not, I'm not a crash test dummy. My knee suffered a minor grass burn. I jumped to my feet, righted the bike, and reinstalled the chain that had slipped of the front derailleur at some point following the moment the bike and I parted ways. I rode home without further incident.

I haven't had much to write about lately. Christmas was pleasant despite a Christmas Eve cold that had the good manners to depart by Christmas morning. I'm not completely convinced it was a cold. It may have been a case of pollen flirting with my histamine following a 20 mile bike ride I took Monday. Man, you just have to love Southern California weather.

Anyway, Christmas went well. We had a small family get together, and I went just slightly weight loss plan reservation, but I didn't go nuts. What are a few extra carbohydrates between friends on Christmas?

Speaking of weight loss...

Somehow or another, today works out to be the first day of the seventh week of my participation in the aforementioned weight loss plan. The clinic was closed Monday and Thursday, so things have been pushed out a bit. My weight loss this week isn't as dramatic as it has been in the past, but it is nothing to sneeze at either. As usual, nude photos are lurking behind all not so nude photos. Also, I decided to punish those of you who have lacked the intestinal fortitude to go beyond the clothed versions of my progress photos by going shirtless in this week's installment. What's the worse that can happen? I'm sure the blindness will only be temporary.

I'm not sure how this all works out, but today, Tuesday, is the first day of the fifth week of my participation in Lindora's comprehensive weight loss program. I've lost ten percent of my starting body weight, a few inches off my waist, and I'm having trouble keeping my pants up. Note: clicking on the photos in this article will display their nude counterparts. I will not be held responsible for hives, nightmares, or hysterical blindness.

Forty-five degrees Fahrenheit is how cold it was when I started my fifteen-mile ride this morning. Is it supposed to get that cold in Sunny Southern California? Someone please tell Albert Gore to whip me up a mess of that global warming with a side of tail wind first thing in the morning. Thank you very much.

For the benefit of all mankind, I took a shower shortly after arriving home from my ride. It may have been cold out there, but that didn't stop me from generating a whole lot of perspiration. I stepped out of the shower and onto my trusty bathroom scale; 239 pounds buck-naked. Considering what that scale would have read a couple of months ago, I'm pretty pleased.

Things will get a little racy beyond the break. Stop reading now if you'd rather keep things PG13.

Yesterday was just plain miserable. I was on the road all day in the rain. My current profession of choice is an indoor occupation with minimal exposure to the elements, but one of my best friends recently required an emergency appendectomy and I'm helping him out in his restaurant supply business delivering product to his customers until he gets back on his feet. That means a lot of time outdoors and on Southern California highways. You might say I got a little wet.

Fortunately the weather broke last night. I woke up this morning and got my blood pumping by taking an eleven mile bike ride chiefly along an off road riverbed cum bike trail near my home. Urban Los Angeles area rivers are typically shallow streams flowing through the bottom of a concrete ditches. The ditches form a "V" and are wide enough to accommodate the heavier runoff that follow sever storms and snow melts. The bike trail I ride is at the top of the ditch. Ditch makes the trail sound rather decrepit, but it's actually a well-maintained two-lane trail with a marked center. Other than the occasional dog walker who thinks he and his dog own the trail, or the walking fat lady who interprets the sound of an oncoming bike as a signal to step onto its predicted path of travel, it's nice to have a virtually hazard free environment to ride.

The mercury was dangerously close to the 50-degree mark when I got started this morning, but it didn't take long for me to warm up. I should get more appropriate riding clothes, but I currently ride in a black (low visibility) fleece pullover, black riding shorts (Lycra inside, loose on the outside), and a black helmet on a black bike. I should probably get something along the lines of a look-at-me yellow windbreaker to replace the pullover. I don't own anything to keep my legs warm yet, but that may not be much of an issue where I ride. Global warming isn't all bad.

Rain never got us out of PT (Physical Training) in boot camp, but despite my old drill instructor's insistence that rain would not melt our candy asses because they weren't really made of sugar, this morning's ride was canceled on the count of rain. I'll be working in the rain for a good part of today, but I'm not geared up for wet weather riding. I'll make up for it this weekend. Rain isn't in the forecast, and I plan to up my daily mileage a couple of miles. I just hate having my routine disturbed.

I can clearly see the results of my weight loss and exercise regime in my face and some of the other areas of my body that previously supported small fat deposits. I'm also beginning to see some results in the fit of my trousers. Most important of all, I feel better. My energy levels and stamina are higher throughout the day. I attribute that increase in stamina and energy to the effects of my morning bike ride more than anything else. I'm really going to miss that feeling today. I'm beginning to think that it is time to gear of for inclement weather.

Just a quick entry to start out the day...

This morning my MacBook Pro/iTunes alarm clock awakened me to the sound of the Bangles rendition of Hazy Shade of Winter. I never thought I'd admit to owning anything recorded by the bangles (Other than that sexy Walk Like and Egyptian Video), but I like their rendition of this tune so I bought it. I rolled over and let the playlist work through a few Pat Benatar cuts, then Kinky's Mas, and I eventually rolled out of bed during Black Eyed Peas' Pump It. I slid into my riding gear, brushed my teath, and began my new ritual ten mile circuit that includes a stop at my local Lindora weight loss clinic. Don't worry, there won't be any nude photos today; however, I did drop a few more pounds. Today I weighed 244.4 pounds in my bare feet and riding clothes. Things are coming along nicely.

I've selected Wednesdays as my "protein day". Protein days are required once a week. Most people choose Monday, but Wednesday just works out easier for me. As the name implies, protein will be king. I will consume almost zero sixty carbohydrates and very little fat today. It's possible to get through a protein day consuming "real" food, but I'll just eat Lindora boxed food. I'll probably have a nice vegetable chili, spaghetti Bolognese, cream of chicken soup and a couple of snack bars. It's not too bad if you don't mind reconstituting most of your meals. I'll admit, MREs would be an improvement.