Week 207 Update

It was 05:30, and it was Friday this time round when I stepped up on Mr. Scale for my weekly weigh-in. He said, "185.5 pounds!" I didn’t want to mess around with a long drive just before weigh-in, and so I took care of it a day early this week.

It is safe to say that we have been busy. Last week was preparation for and the beginning of DWLZ-V conference. This week was the bulk of the conference, which really didn’t end for us until Wednesday, and then preparation for the trip to Spokane for Bloomsday. Next week will be the Bloomsday Race, and then attempted recovery from the previous 2 weeks.

Saturday - Saturday morning it felt appropriate weighing in at the conference. The purpose of Dotti’s web page is to support weight loss, and weight control, and it felt a bit like going to the temple to do my weekly rite. J I was happy with the 185.5 pound reading having a large breakfast on Friday, and then later at the conference, a very nice evening meal.

Due to my early rising, I had a couple of hours to work with before we had to be downstairs for the first session. So, I worked on getting some pictures up on the DWLZ-V page that had been taken during the session on the night before. It seemed like no time before it was time to head down for our morning session.

I find that when I have a song to perform, I don't have much of an appetite until I’ve finished. So, breakfast waited until I after I sang D.W.L.Z. (mp3 or Real Audio). That song is least serious of the three I did, and was fun because it moves along quickly and is a celebration of the success Dotti has made of Dotti’s Weight Loss Zone. Becca jumped up, just as she had during DWLZ-III, and she led the conga line of Zonies dancing to the song. LeRoy asked me after the song how I could focus on singing with all the people moving around behind me, in front of me, and beside me. It was fun! J

After the song I was able to grab some things to eat, as we started the morning session. It seemed to pass very quickly as we listened to moving talks by both Nick and Lissa from the 100+ forum, and then all the attendees broke up into groups and created posters that showed something about their view of the journey, by cutting up magazines and pasting pictures and text onto large sheets of colored paper. Everyone seemed to really enjoy this activity! Soon it was time for lunch.

Afterwards, the bus pulled up outside, and we loaded up about 12:30 for the drive out to Multnomah Falls. The driver was a lot more talkative than the one we had for DWLZ-III, and he kept up a steady chatter, filled with information about the local area, and its history.

Click here for pictures of our Saturday afternoon outing.

We stopped by Horsetail falls first, and even with the light rain, several of us got out to enjoy the view of the falls, which drops down right beside the highway.

The next stop was Multnomah Falls. Everyone climbed out here, and either headed to the lodge to shop or enjoy a cup of coffee in the restaurant, where a glass window in the ceiling allows patrons to view the falls with their meals, or on to the trail leading to the top of the falls.

LeRoy and I joined up with Becca and Alistair, to help with transporting Jonathan, to the top of the falls. I had promised that we would get him up there, and we did! Alistair carried him up to the first bench, and I took him the rest of the way to the highest point on the trail. LeRoy took over at that point, and he carried him the rest of the way to the top of the falls, and then all the way back down to the lodge. Jonathon was sleeping nearly the whole time I was carrying him, and I would bet that he was easily the most rested of all those who made it to the top that day. J Becca and Alistair are our "surrogate children" and Jonathon is our "surrogate grandson." It was a real joy and privilege to share the walk to the top with them, and to carry our little bundle of joy on the trail!

We took pictures at the upper viewing platform, just above where the water made its abrupt change in vertical position, including some of other Zonies who were at the top at the same time as we were: Linda, Becky, Vicki, and Terri. Soon we started back. We hadn't gotten very far when we ran into Dotti, Ellie, Joan, and Pat, on their way to the top of the falls. It was agreed that I would return to the top of the falls, and take some pictures. My pleasure! Barbara and Jan joined us at the top as well, and a lady volunteered to take our picture. She thought that she was going to take one picture, but soon she was handed 3 cameras and asked to take pictures with each. She appeared to be happy to hand back the last camera at the end and ran back to join her group. We were very appreciative of her offer to help.

I was very proud of Dotti for making it up to the top of the falls with all the of the medical issues that she has been dealing with, she showed a lot of heart making to the top!

We took a number of pictures and then started back down. Dotti’s knees hurt quite a bit going downhill, and she has found that if she moves quickly, they hurt less. So, as has become her custom, she trotted down the trail at a jog, but her knee later rebelled. (More on that later.) I walked down at a slower pace with Ellie and Pat. The rain was not falling terribly hard, but it was enough to keep everyone's hair wet.

We wandered around the gift shop for a while before climbing back on the bus and heading back to the Heathman Lodge.

The Saturday evening session included a talent show, and there were some awesome displays of talent that everyone enjoyed. For the most part I just watched and enjoyed. I did play the guitar for the group from "40’s Forum," but that was the extent of my contribution. We had a nice dinner, and by the end of the day, after 3 good meals, I had eaten only 39.0 points.

Sunday - Sunday morning, for some reason, I woke up at 04:40. I worked on getting some pictures up on the conference web page until it was time to head down for the morning session. When the session started, I sang the new song that I wrote the words to for this conference, called "You Will Win." (mp3 or Real Audio) Then came the talk by my wonderful and beautiful Dotti. As usual she did a great job with her talk, and before we knew it, the final session of DWLZ-V was over.

However, the conference wasn’t really over yet. The Portland Spirit awaited us. But in the meantime, we headed out to Shari’s for lunch with Jim and Tammy. Dotti and I split a meal, but I splurged and had a shake as well. It pushed my meal to 26.0 points.

Those going to the dinner cruise all got together and climbed into several cars and headed downtown to meet up with the Portland Spirit for an evening of fun and good food. I had what was the best seat on the boat as far as I was concerned, because I was situated between my lovely Dotti on my right, and my lovely "surrogate daughter" Becca on my left. Dinner and conversation happily took up nearly all of the time allotted us, with only a little time left over for going up on deck. I see the Willamette River nearly everyday, but Becca and most of the others on this cruise I only get to see on occasions that are far too widely spaced apart in time. Alas the evening seemed like it was over before it got started.

I originally estimated my cheesecake dessert high on points and it looked like I had eaten 95 points for the day, but after researching the points, my evening meal came to 38.0 points, and my daily total came to 87.0 points. Tammy said that my life would be in danger if I lost weight in the morning. J

When we got back to the hotel Dotti and I were very tired and happy people.

Monday - I weighed 186.5, up a half pound. My life was spared! J

This was the sad day when we disengaged ourselves from the Heathman Hotel and said goodbye to our friends and family as they headed back home. We had lunch with Jim, Tammy, and LeRoy too, before they all hit the road. We ate at Sharis again. (It is located close to the hotel, and has food that we like.) I ate 23.0 points.

When we returned home, LeRoy came by for a while but soon he had to head back home so he could make it in time to be ready for the nightshift. Dotti has some things scheduled to do with Zonies and I finally began to wind down in preparation to returning to work the next day.

I ended up eating 47.0 points for the day.

Tuesday - I weighed 186.0 pounds. It was my first day of work after the conference. I didn’t feel the least bit like walking, and so I didn’t. I was busy at work, but it wasn’t bad. Soon I was headed back home to my lovely wife. She had been busy with more conference related items, and we were tired. It was a quiet evening.

I ended up eating 36.0 points for the day.

Wednesday - I weighed 185.5 pounds. Once more I didn’t feel like walking when I went to work and I didn’t walk at all. Dotti finally said goodbye to the last Zonie from the conference, and could begin to unwind. It is unbelievable how much one of these conferences takes out of her. I am exhausted, but I have it easy compared with all the things Dotti has going on.

When we called it a day, I had eaten 41.5 points.

Thursday - I weighed 186.0 pounds. I finally did take a walk at lunch, as sort of a warm-up for Bloomsday that was fast approaching. After work I had a few things that I needed to take care of before we headed up to Spokane on Friday, including fulfilling a request for making a recording of me singing and playing a song that Tammy’s Mom likes a lot. (I had promised it to her some time ago and I thought that Bloomsday weekend might be a good time to give it to her.) I got my things together for the trip and I was all set for heading out when I got home from work next day.

I ate 41.0 points on Thursday.

Friday - I weighed 185.5 pounds and I took that as my official weigh-in for week 207. I knew that I would be on the road, and that almost always kicks the scale up. I didn’t want to have to fret over it.

I didn’t walk at work, and I hurried home as early as I could so we could get on the road. As soon as we got the car loaded up we were off. It was a fun drive, other than being tired, as I always like spending time with Dotti.

We arrived a little after 11 PM and LeRoy arrived about a half hour after us. We were in contact with him by phone on the trip, and it was fun comparing where we were along the way.

Jim was up and waiting for us, and we visited with him for a while before finally conking out for the day.

I ended up eating 55.0 points on Friday, and on Saturday my weight jumped up to 189.5. I had made the right choice to take my weigh-in the day before. J

3 years, 354 days OP; a lifetime to follow.

-Al-

6 '3" 239.5/185.5/180±2/BMI:23.19/WK-207

GRAPHS:

Weight Loss Maintenance Year 1 Maintenance Year 2 Maintenance Year 3 Maintenance Year 4 2005 Walking 2005 Walking Data

2004 Walking Data