OK, here's my WHY... by Dave Berry

Why do I want to be fit?
Why, after years of paying too little attention to my health should I change my ways, eat better, get moving and lose the extra pounds that have crept up on me?
Why should YOU care about losing weight, eating healthier and becoming more active?
That's the question we're asking the people of East Texas to answer as part of our Fit City Challenge -- a community-wide initiative to raise awareness about the current epidemic of obesity in Tyler and the nation.
We've invested a lot of effort and newspaper space on stories about obesity, the problems associated with poor health and the benefits people realize when they strive for fitness and good health. (Check out our Fit City website at fitcitytyler.com and be sure and follow us on the Fit City Challenge Facebook page )
So, WHAT'S MY WHY?
It's fairly simple. I want to be active and energetic for as many good years as possible. You can't hike the Chisos Mountains if you have to lug around an extra thirty pounds in addition to your backpack and camera gear. And, how can I lead this diverse, wonderful coalition of people committed to making Tyler a Fit City if I'm not working as hard to be fit as they are? I need to practice what I preach.
WHAT'S YOUR WHY?
To look better? Feel better? Fit into your skinny jeans? To be a role model for your children?
I told you my WHY, now tell me yours.
-- dave

Baby It's (not) Cold Outside - By Amy Brocato Pearson

It was too pretty today to exercise inside, so I hit the Rose Rudman/Southside Trails for a brisk walk. Crunching the fall leaves was GREAT. Can anyone tell me exactly how long the trail is from Grande to the Loop?

And so it begins.....

Michael-
The holiday season is here so it's time to celebrate with... celery sticks? I think not!
Look, I'm all about healthy living... well, maybe not ALL about. I do have a weakness for Oreos. But, I do believe in approaching the eating thing like this: Everything In Moderation! And, I also believe that healthy eating CAN be good! Don't believe me? Just read some of the articles in Men's Health! They have some GREAT ideas for us carnivores, as well as the rabbits out there.
My goal is to eat BETTER now, add a little more muscle, and increase my vertical for volleyball. The eating part will be the most difficult. I love fried chicken and biscuits and gravy! I CAN eat healthy (grilled chicken, tilapia, right portions of red meat) but I, like most, just want to eat what tastes good and worry about the consequences later! The problems with that is, of course, the habits you develop. And I've developed some bad ones. My worst? I eat while watching TV. My best? I eat VERY slowly. Eating slow gives your body time to let you know that it's full so you end up eating less.
My breakfasts usually consist of one slice of bacon, two scrambled eggs (sometimes with an extra egg white thrown in on workout days) and one slice of pepperidge farms Oatmeal bread. The bacon and eggs provide fat and protein and the bread is VERY fiber rich which keeps you full longer.
Whew! That's a lot of words so that should get buy me a few days from the boss before I have to write again. :)

Come On Baby Light My Fire - By Amy Brocato Pearson

I'm glad to see my fellow team members took my nagging to heart (with some notable exceptions, ahem, Connie, Michael and Eric!). If cracking the whip a bit is what it takes to get us at least thinking about our year-long healthy living commitment, then so be it. :-) I appreciate having a fire lit under me by the encouragement of the rest of the team!

As fr me, I think I keep countering my exercise with some not-so-great eating choices. Chicken Minis at Chick Fil A yesterday morning (but hey, everyone knows that when you have breakfast with a girlfriend calories don't count!!!!). But I did get a workout in Wednesday afternoon. About 30 minutes of cardio (jogging...OK..glorified fast walking on an incline treadmill) and leg weights (hamstrings? I have hamstrings?).

I did better today (I say at 7:16 a.m.). Meeting a girlfriend for lunch, so it was scrambled egg whites and spinach for breakfast.

One thing that's gotten me this week is planning. Or lackthereof. I religiously make up the week's menus and do the grocery shopping on the weekends. But this week life got in the way. Two night time meetings. Basketball practice.  Christmas parade. I only cooked at home one night this week (healthy vegetarian meal, if that counts). Next week's not looking much better. Activities four out of five nights, including several holiday parties. Any suggestions??

Time to get moving ... by Dave Berry

OK, Amy, it's time.
Time for me to get serious about getting fit, time to get moving, time to make time in my life for fitness.
And, TIME -- it seems -- will be my biggest nemesis. 
As editor of the Tyler Morning Telegraph, I find it terribly difficult to let go and leave the job behind -- even for a short time. Carving out "me time" has always been a challenge.
And the years are not working in my favor. Of the folks involved in the "Under Construction" project, I am undeniably the most chronologically challenged. As an early Baby Boomer, I should admit my project is less like new construction and better resembles a "This Old House" rehab.
I'm no fitness buff. I've never been a runner. I don't like the idea of sweating with a roomful of people. I don't like to cook. And I don't take care of myself like I should.
I think I'm pretty ordinary, pretty average.
So, WHY am I doing this?
Let's talk about that in the next post.

Two-a-days

So last night for dinner, I had Gnocci with butternut squash sauce, salad and two ground sirloin patties.  Don't think that captures the spirit of two-a-days but all-in-all it was a decent day for me for calorie intake.
Started this morning with two scrambled eggs, two peices of bacon, between two slices of bread with a peice of muenster cheese melted into the eggs.  My best estimate is it was 20 fat grams and around 550 calories. 
Bottom line: for a guy my size, 6'3.X" and 289 anything at or under 2,500 calories and 50 fat grams per day is a weight loss zone for me.  Plus, when I eat red meat I tend to lose more weight than with chicken or fish.  Go figure.  Something leafy for lunch is in my future.

Nelson Clyde

Did I hear Amy Pearson say it was "Come to Jesus" time?
Fine!
I'm turning myself in.  My epiphany of the week is that it all comes down to three essential food groups:  Pepperoni pizza, french fries, and bacon. 
These are the foods that represent the bane of my existence.
I have probably gained pounds and inches since this confounded project started but today I ate the salad bar at Jason's for lunch after a breakfast of Almonds and Craisins and a small almond snack around 11 a.m.
Last night I ate baked chicken with skin for dinner.  Probably too much dark meat but that's it.  It wasn't Elizabeth's fault.  She cooks healthy, eats healthy and exercises religiously.
So here I am folks.  Slugging it out with everybody else out there who eats religiously and exercises itinerantly.  Is it just me?  And no, I have not been to the gym enough in the event roll is being taken.  Sue me!