NothingToDread.com

I'd love to go to one of those places, but my ass is scary...

Oh my god! You're a naked monster...

Those are just three examples of the comments made by people to whom I mentioned this weeks visit to The Terra Cotta Inn. While not all negative, all three were reminders of the prevailing perception about social nudism and why open dialog is needed to erase those misconceptions. Well, except for the part about being a naked monster. I am a bit of a beast.

I really needed this trip. We haven't been getting out much, and I was beginning to forget why I enjoy social nudism. It was great to see people of all ages, shapes, and sizes, relax and feel comfortable in their own skins despite the ravages of time and gravity. I was surrounded by smiling and happy people who were unconcerned about that unattainable image of perfection that drives men and women to a state of self-loathing and insecurity. Scary ass my hairy ass... All you have to do is it look at the brightly lit faces around the pool to know that those days of worry ended within hours of even the heaviest nudist's first visit to a nudist venue.

I've visited other "clothing optional" clubs and resorts, but The Terra Cotta Inn was the first place where I saw several people exercise the option. A couple of the ladies were merely topless while a third chose a two-piece bikini. My wife suspects that Bikini Girl just wanted tan lines. It doesn't matter. I like the fact that Terra Cotta Inn provides a safe atmosphere for women who may need a little more time to ease into a comfortable state of social nudity. I especially prefer it to the other extreme that results in trips to "nudist" facilities being planned around menstrual cycles, or the silliness of scarlet wristbands announcing Aunt Flow's arrival. I did think that the dude who showed up for breakfast in his boxer shorts was a bit questionable, but what the hell; to each his own.

Another first occurred this week at Terra Cotta Inn. Up until now, I've been reluctant to show my face here at nothingtodread.com. This week, I allowed myself to be photographed from my hair to my toenails with everything between the two fully exposed.

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.

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 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.

Last night I figured out how to use Automator and iCal to turn my MacBook Pro into an iTunes alarm clock. I set a 6:00 am wakeup call in iCal, and was awakened by one of my personal iTunes playlists instead of one chosen by the computer at my local classic rock station. The music began at six; I rolled out of bed around six thirty'ish, and rode my new Trek 7.3 FX hybrid bicycle approximately 5 miles to my local Lindora weight loss clinic.

The Lindora girls were full of surprises today. First, this is the third week of my program. Wow, I could have sworn that it has been much longer. I was weighed, measured, and injected. In my riding clothes (Riding shorts, tshirt, sneakers, and socks, I tipped the scales at a very respectable 247.4 pounds. I say 247.4 pounds are very respectable, because I began this program at 264.4 pounds fully clothed (Including titanium toed work boots). I quote these numbers with such accuracy because the nurse was kind enough to give me a printout of my stats to date. I've also managed to lose three inches off my waist, two inches off my chest, and 3.5 inches off my abdomen. I'm pretty happy about dropping 17 pounds in less than three weeks. I'm even happier about my blood pressure reading (116/68). My blood pressure was never "high", but it's been a long time since I've seen numbers like 116/68. Maybe eating like a hamster isn't a bad idea after all.

I wasn't planning on posting more pictures for a couple of weeks, but I didn't realize that this checkpoint was coming so soon. Apparently, the next checkpoint is in a couple of weeks so I'll post pictures at the beginning of week 5 also. I wasn't as happy about tonight's photos as I was by today's news. To be honest with you, I don't see much of a difference between these pictures and the ones from week one. The most dramatic changes to my appearance appear to be in my face, but I'm not ready to share that yet; if ever. Another disappointing feature of tonight's photos is manifest in the appearance of an apparent bald spot on the back of my head. I was happier when I didn't know it was there. Note to self: wear a clean shirt and comb your hair before the next photo session.

Like last time around, every photo in this article has a nude equivelent that more acurately depicts my current condition. Clicking on any of these clothes photos will result in the coresponding nude image appearing on your display. This may not be for the feint of heart. If you choose to click on any of these images, be warned; I cannot be held responsible for the resulting loss of employment, reputation, or partially digested lunch. I may be losing inches and pounds (And a bit more hair than I thought, but I honestly don't see it in any of these pictures. Hopefully the week five photos (comming in two weeks) will show a more dramatic change in my appearance.

In my last post, I mentioned that I would be including photographs chronicling the progress of my expected weight loss participating in the Lindora comprehensive weight loss program and riding my new bike. I also mentioned that I would have more to write about that subject in an upcoming (This) post. The decision to post photos of myself, especially unflattering photos, wasn't an easy one. I also gave a lot of thought to what kind of photos I should post and the frequency of those postings. There really isn't any reason to post daily updates, and not much of a point to weekly ones either. I figure that every two or three weeks should be enough. Maybe I'll recycle some in the interim. I'm actually beating around the bush. The hardest decision involved clothing.

Despite the fact that I write a lot about nudism and nudity, I've kept the nude content on this site to a minimum. Other than the partial nudity on my banner image, and a humorous cigar rolling video, there really hasn't been any nudity posted on these pages. That's about to change. I've decided that the nude photos will best depict the effects of my past weight gain and anticipated weight loss.

I've always been reluctant to post nude photos of myself. Nobody should have to stumble upon nude photos of overweight middle-aged men. In keeping with that philosophy, I will be fully clothed in the photos that initially load with each post. Click on a photo if you wish to see its nude equivalent.

My goal here isn't to show off photos of my penis. I'll be the first to say that it isn't anything to brag about. Of course that wasn't an issue when photographing myself from the rear, and I was able to conceal it by positioning my leg just so in the profile shots, but the front shots were a little tricky. I experimented with covering my genitals with my hand (Yea, yea, it's that small), but I just looked like I was fondling myself in those photos. It's funny how trying to conceal my nudity just made it more provocative. I thought about a blur, etc., but ultimately decided not to obscure my genitals in those shots. The purpose of sharing these nude shots is to display the effects of those extra pounds and folds. My ultimate decision not to hide was strongly influenced by the fact that nobody will view those photos unintentionally.

Anyway, expect to see updated photos every two or three weeks. If you're the sort of masochist who wants to see it all, just click on a clothed photo to see its nude equivalent. I have to warn you that it isn't pretty. You have nobody to blame but yourself if you experience nausea or loss of appetite. This week's photos were actually taken when I was about a week and a half into the program. Future installments may include side by side comparison shots. We'll see how that goes. I've lost a little weight since they were taken, but I probably will not post another photo update until next week.