196.6

So the score this morning was 196.6 on the Tanita scale. The Bod Pod would place me at 195.75. This constitutes a loss of 7.99 pounds thus far in this cycle. This is shaping up to be a very, very good Bod Pod test indeed.

Not much time to gab about it. I have a very full night of training ahead of me. I need to belt out 60 full minutes and then do my hydro therapy. I am also going to break tradition and hit a second full-cycle ROM workout in just one day. That will begin in just a few moments. This will get my blood pumping.

Just one quick story to relay. I went to Fry's Electronics today after work for the first time in a couple of months. I haven't been visiting there very often lately. I have had a lot on my plate, and very little time for recreational electronics browsing.

I purchased just one item, a copy of Code Magazine, and headed for the door. The guy working the security angle at the door is a dude I've talked football with a hundred times (both college and pro). I haven't seen this guy in quite some time. I think the last time I saw him, we were talking about the demolition job the Ravens did on the Chiefs in the playoffs. This was immediately after the game. That was before the surgery. It's been more than 7 months.

As I approached, I expected him to be shocked by my weight loss and make some comments. Nope, no reaction at all. He didn't recognize me. I wasn't wearing one of my trademark football jerseys to help him out either. I had an Under Armor shirt on. As I handed him my receipt for examination, I expected him to tweak at any moment. I thought he would figure it out.

Nope, there was nothing there but a completely blank, vacuous stare. He wasn't giving me the shine or anything like that. He just didn't recognize me. I was just one of a thousand nameless and faceless customers who go out the door with an item.

I decided it would be awkward to tip him off, so I just walked out the door. As I walked to the car, I was flipping out. I've had a hundred conversations with that dude, and he flat-cold didn't recognize me. There was no trace of recognition in his face at all. That was a completely natural miss. It wasn't forced at all.

I can't say I blame him. You don't ever expect to see a 330+ pound dude drop to 195 in just 7 months. I have changed dramatically in a relatively short people of time, and that just doesn't fit the cognitive model we humans have. We don't ever expect to see that.

Well, my own cousin Justin told me the following "If I didn't know it was you, I would never know it was you."

197.6

This morning the core was 197.6 pounds on the Tanita scale. The Bod Pod would have me at 196.75. This means I have lost some 6.99 pounds this cycle with an evening of workouts and a full day ahead of me. The battle goes well.

If all of that was fat loss, I should currently have 48.93 pounds of fat on my frame. 48.93 / 196.75 = 24.869%. Of course, the implication is that I have already gone inside the 25% BFP marker. Accordingly, this would mean that I have already (unofficially) moved into the moderate risk category.

Let's hope I have put on some lean to re-enforce these numbers.

Is there any perceptible change in the way my body feels as I make this transition in medical categories, or is this just an arbitrary boundary marker the doctors have invented? I must say that I am starting to feel awfully different that I have through most of my life. As I mentioned in a previous blog-post, I feel like I am transforming into Superman. No amount of exercise seems to be too much. No exercise challenge seems to be too great. The only thing that kills me is missing workouts.

There is this amazing and boundless energy that seems to be welling up in me. I get these surges during the workout where I feel I can intensify and go forever. I'm even beginning to experience greater energy first thing in the morning, something I have never had at any point in my entire life. I move rapidly everywhere. I walk fast without intending too. I jog down the stairs with ease. I feel far more agile than I have since I was in my early 20s.

There are other factors. My entire back, arms, neck and calf muscles have become ripped and cut, with muscularity, vascularity and tendons beginning to show. This is not typical of my entire body, as I still have plenty of flab around the middle and on my butt. Still, several regions of my body have reached near-depletion of their local fat supplies. As I reach lower and lower levels of body fat, but abdomen and butt will empty their fat cells also.

There is another point of interest: I am learning that most of our SoCal population is carrying more than 25% body fat. I am shocked that I am now much leaner, smaller, and harder than many men my size at the gym. Remember, I am still around 25% BFP, yet I am beating these guys across the board in a clean sweep. They are chubbier and softer and less able to do exercise than I am.

There are two kinds of guys at the gym: Those who really need to be there, and those who are just showing off. The show-offs are around 10-15% BFP. Those are the muscular and ripped dudes who where the spandex costumes. They are the minority. Most of these dudes show up to maintain their fitness levels, and allow the ladies to hit on them.

Hit on them they do. I have been impressed by how many ladies I have seen approaching these guys lately. They are much more forward than in my day. I am not a member of this club yet, but it won't be long...

The remainder, and by far the larger population, are the guys struggling to improve their fitness levels and get healthy. These dudes constitute about 70-75% of the inhabitants of any given gym. Regardless of age, I am beating most of those guys.

Perhaps there is some empirical fact and logic behind these medical categories after all?

198.0 Exactly

This morning the score was 198.0 according to the Tanita scale in my bathroom. You know this means the Bod Pod would have me at 197.15. This means that I have hit or surpassed the 40% mass reduction point. This should also mean that I very, very close to going below the 25% body fat level.

This also indicates a loss of 6.59 pounds during this cycle with two full days to go. I had 55.912 pounds of fat on my frame as of the last test. If all 6.59 pounds of that loss come from my fat weight, I will now have 49.32 pounds of fat on my frame. 49.32/197.15 = 25.017%. I am so, so, so close! The moment I go below 25% BFP, they will officially move me from the high risk category to the moderate risk category.

The weight mark, the BFP, and the risk category are all major milestones in this process. Bod Pod X is shaping up to be a major landmark in this process.

I need to re-double my efforts in these last three evenings. A major, major milestone is in sight, and I can't miss it this time. Especially not when I had 15 day in this cycle to bring home the trophy.

2011 NFL Season Week 2 Predictions

Here they are folks, my week 2 predictions.

There are only a couple of tough choices on the board this week. The Cardinals vs. Redskins is the first of these. These are two pretty good and evenly matched football teams. I am taking the Redskins based on home field advantage, but this could easily go the other way,

One of the most dangerous matches on the board is the Bears vs. Saints in the Super Dome. The Saints should power-slam the Bears. All the Bears do is upset the shit out of erstwhile superior opponents. Saints beware! This is one of the two most interesting matches on the board.

The most difficult game to assess is the Chargers vs. Patriots. The Patriot defense got lit by none other than hot-seat QB Chad Henning. What are they going to do when the face Phillip Rivers and the Chargers? Rivers didn't exactly light it up against a weak Viking secondary though. As we all know Tom Brady threw for 517 yards against the Dolphins (1 Int), but what will he do when he faces a secondary that canned Donovan McNabb, holding him to 39 yards?

Ultimately, I am going to take the Patriots based on home field advantage, but this game could easily go the other way.

The Falcons vs. Eagles is somewhat intriguing, but I expect the Falcons to be wildly pissed off after their humiliation at the hands of the Bears. The Eagles defeated my Rams based on a limited number of big plays, but their lines are absolutely vulnerable. My Rams gashed their defensive line on run after run. If the Falcons will just run a little with Turner the Burner, everything aught to be all right.

This brings me to the most regrettable choice on the board. As you know, my Rams got banged up against the Eagles. We now have to go on the road to New York to face the Giants without Steven Jackson and Danny Amendola. I don't like 'dem odds. Also, I don't want to use the term sophomore jinx, but... If the Redskins can beat the Giants, so can we, but it isn't super likely. I am forced to take the Giants.

199.2 and so close

Today the score was 199.2 pounds on the Tanita scale. This means the Bod Pod would have me at 198.35. I am so close to the 40% mass reduction point it's not even funny. I am also very close to the 25% body fat percentage I have been seeking in this two-week cycle.

For the record, I weighed in around 330 pounds on January 15th, 2011. My orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Evan Bachner, had ordered me to lose 30% of my gross body mass (permanently) or face the wheel chair. 30% of 330 is approximately 99 pounds. I passed his directive when I crossed under 231 pound mark.

Since then, I have been pursuing the goals my general practitioner and my gastric bypass surgeon set for me. It's one thing to avoid crippling arthritis pain by loosing weight. It's quite another to reach a healthy body fat percentage.

40% of 330 pounds is 132 pounds. 330 -132 = 198. As you can see, when I hit 198 pounds, I will have reduced my gross body mass by 40%. I am so damn close it ain't even funny. I am just 0.35 of pound away from that target. That's just 5.6 ounces folks.

There is a double bonus. I have reason to believe my lean mass has been increasing. Why? I can see my muscles growing. Furthermore, it ain't just me. Others are noticing too. I just had the car battery replace in my Sonata, and the mechanic asked me the following question:

"Have you been doing some body building lately?"

"Yes I have."

"I can tell! You're getting more muscular. You were a little chubby a few months ago. You're getting knobby now."

Incidentally, for those British members of the audience, knobby doesn't mean sharp elbowed bastard who makes stupid comments. It's a local euphemism for a dude whose muscle definition is showing. Of course, I am very flattered by this comment.

But I digress.

If my lean weight should finally reach 150 pounds, and if my total weight should be 198 or less on Bod Pod day, I will have officially made it under the 25% BFP mark. That's easy math folks.

Bod Pod X is promising to be a significant landmark and milestone in this process. The landmark is the 40% mass reduction, and officially crossing under the 200 pound mark. The milestone is the fact that I will officially cross over from the High Risk health category to the Moderate Risk category. That's big news folks. Team Quilici just might declare victory at this point, although I doubt it. They still want me to hit 17-18% BFP.

One thing is for sure, when I walk through the door at Dr. Quilici's office, I'm not going to look like one of his typical patients. They will notice that fact, I assure you.

Speaking of Bod Pod X, I just called a little while ago to make my appointment for this Friday. I was greatly dismayed by what I heard. The Life Measurement trainers will be visiting the California Health and Longevity Institute on Friday, to conduct certification training for the Bod Pod. The Bod Pod will not be available at all on Friday.

The alternative to was to move it to 10:00am on Saturday. I was not pleased with this move because it breaks the perfect rythm I have established. Still, we have to recognize that life happens, and this not my fault. I would have done it on schedule if I could.

Recognize what this means: I get 15 days in this cycle instead of 14. This is an opportunity to lose an extra half-pound of fat if I play my cards right. An extra half pound of fat should just about do it this time. If I don't go under 198 with 48 pounds of fat, I have no one to blame but myself.

I'm going on the record and predicting all of the following for Saturday Sept 17th, 2011:

1. The Tanita will weigh me at 197.7 pounds
2. The Bod Pod will have me at 196.85
3. I will have 48 pounds of fat on my frame
4. I will have 148.85 pounds of lean on my frame
5. My body fat percentage will be 24.384%

I am being a bit pessimistic and conservative on the lean weight. I would greatly prefer a 150/46.85 ratio, but let's be cautious.

Green Day

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that today was Green Day, the kick off to green week. This the week when my company is supposed to save the world through a higher consciousness of the environment.

Does this really do anything to save the world? Nope.

Still, part of the activities involve wearing green clothing. That will save the world, now won't it? Yes, yes, of course!

So what do I wear? Do I wear one of my Eagles jerseys? Hell no! After the damage they did to my Rams, I will not wear an Eagle jersey. Do I wear my Brett Favre Packer jersey? Hell no! I am so sick and tired of Favre, I just can't wear that jersey. I should have bought the Clay Matthews Jersey in green by now... Do I wear the Sanchez Jets jersey in my closet? Problem is that this is the white rather than green jersey. It's not particularly green.

Nope, I just didn't have a jersey I could wear today. Instead, I put on the Under Armour Green compression shirt. This really shows off what I got. It's a little too hot for the office, but... they made me do it.

Well, the reactions were rather priceless. There were three in particular.

• One of our business analysts spotted me coming in the front door. The look of unmitigated shock on her face was priceless. She didn't really try and didn't succeed in masking the stunned look on her face.
• One of the secretaries pinched my left deltoid on my way out of a meeting this morning and said "You are really looking terrific!" Of course, this did wonders for my ego. Incidentally, she happens to be a Leo.
• Returning from lunch, we entered through the company kitchen. A group of females from the Fee research section were eating their lunches there. I kid you not, there was a hush silence as I walked over to the refrigerator to store the un-eaten half of my burrito in the refrigerator. I was wondering what hushed them, so I looked over. Seated there was another nice Leo girl I have had conversations with at various birthday events. She happens to be a UCLA grad like me. She was grinning like the Cheshire cat, staring at me. There was no mistaking that look. I kinda though she liked me. Now I know. I like her too.

I don't know, about this Leo thing, folks. Sirus 1,1 claims I have some blistering Leo scores. They climax on August 3, 1987. This is my second highest total-combined score to the theoretical Pisces female born on March 12, 1986.

The Leo chicks seem to love me. I have gotten more reaction from this group than any other. I get no reaction from the Taurus and Capricorn chicks, but the Leo women seem to love me. This is highly counter-intuitive. As a Virgo dude, I should be irresistible to the Capricorn and Taurus women, but this is certainly not the case. As a Virgo dude, I should be a very average Joe to the Leo women, but this does not seem to be the case. Of course, there are the 2 Leo and 3 Aries signs sitting on my chart...

I am bordering on the conclusion that I am just too fiery for the earth mothers, but just fine for the fire chicks. Perhaps, I should test this hypothesis versus an untested group, such as the Sagittarian women. I should take caution, though. This experiment could be extremely dangerous...

2011 NFL Season Week 1 Outcomes

Well, I went 9-7 in my week one predictions. This is barely a winning record. Of course, I had hopes that I would win all my predictions, but we all know that it never goes that way in reality. Given the fact that we are just starting a season in which there was no off-season, I was thinking it would be difficult to avoid 8-8.

That's why they play the games.

The most shocking upset was the Bears over the Falcons 30-12. With no upgrade to that offensive line, with no upgrade to receiver corp, and with no upgrade to the running backs to help him, Jay Cutler looked fantastic. Mike Martz is working another miracle. I said that 2010 was his greatest achievement as coach, but he may just out-do that one this season. The Bears just keep on upsetting erstwhile superior opponents.

The second most shocking upset was the Redskins over the Giants 28-14. I just can't believe it. Mike Shanahan is going to be the coach of the year at this rate. I'm not kidding you folks. He's going to be the NFL coach of the year if this keeps up.

The most devastating blowout of the weekend came from the Bills. How in the world did the Bills smack down the Chiefs 41-7 on their home-turf? The Chiefs looked so disciplined and so professional last year!?!? How in the world can they be the worst team in professional football in 2011? We now know the Bills are better than we suspected. We also know the Chiefs are worse than we suspected. Just how much better and how much worse remains to be seen. You can't tell much based on 1 point of data, but this is alarming for Kansas City.

The most devastating loss belongs to the Rams. We had high hopes of defeating the Eagles. All looked well in the first 5 minutes of game time. Our D frustrated their O and made them punt. Steven Jackson carried the ball on our first offensive play from scrimmage, ripped through a gaping hole for 47 yards and a touchdown. It was pretty much down-hill from there. We lost Steven Jackson to a pulled quad, and Danny Amendola to dislocated elbow. We feared him lost for the season, but he will return in 4-6 weeks, according to some sources. To make matters worse, Sam Bradford bruised his pinky and was pulled from the game. There were rumors of a broken bone and nerve damage, but these turned out to be false. All three of our weapons were done for the game.

The most impressive win belongs to Lions. They faced a very game and very spry Buc team determined to beat them. The Bucs punched them right in the mouth to start the game, but the Lions overcame everything to win 27-20 on the road, and in a hostile environment. That was no easy victory. That was a fight and a half, but the Lions fought to victory. That taught me a lot about the Lions.

The most shocking performances belong to Cam Newton and Donovan McNabb. After one week of play, the score is Cam Newton 422 and Donovan McNabb 39. If you had told me 24 hours in advance that Cam would throw for 422 yards and Donovan would throw for 39, I would have laughed in your face. Folks, that's what happened. I am speechless. Maybe McNabb is done dealing, and maybe Cam is going to be a superstar.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that the Ravens busted the Steelers in the mouth 35-7. That was a steady beat-down throughout the entire course of the game. There was no moment in that game where the Ravens weren't dominant. They looked every inch the superior team. I was not surprised they won, but I was surprised at how lopsided that game was. I astounded that all but one analyst on the NFL Network picked the Steelers to win this game. Now you guys know what I know: The Ravens are damn good. I say they are the best team in the AFC by far, but we are going to have to suffer the Patriot cult and their remonstrations I am sure.