Week 17

Week 0 = 205 pounds
Week 14 = 180
Week 15 = 179.5
Week 16 = 177.5
Week 17 = 176

I cut out some of the data just because it was annoying to have to scroll that far. Feeling good. Hopeful I can get to 175 next week to reach the 30 Pounds Lost mark. 

Back on Track

Week 0 = 205 pounds
Week 1 = 200.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 3 = 197
Week 4 = 196
Week 5 = 192.5
Week 6 = 190
Week 7 = 189.5
Week 8 = 186
Week 9 = 184
Week 10 = 183.5
Week 11 = 182.5
Week 12 = 183
Week 13 = 183
Week 14 = 180
Week 15 = 179.5
Week 16 = 177.5

After basically doing the same thing for weeks 15 and 16, I got some good progress this time. I started May 1st, so I'm approaching four completed months of losing weight. 

And because I love math...if I keep the pace of the last two weeks combined, I would reach 160 on week 30, the week after my birthday. Stay tuned.

Week 15

Week 0 = 205 pounds
Week 1 = 200.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 3 = 197
Week 4 = 196
Week 5 = 192.5
Week 6 = 190
Week 7 = 189.5
Week 8 = 186
Week 9 = 184
Week 10 = 183.5
Week 11 = 182.5
Week 12 = 183
Week 13 = 183
Week 14 = 180
Week 15 = 179.5

I was pretty good all week and still only lost half a pound. This might get tougher from here on out. 

I already fixed this (nhl standings points)

In today's Grantland How To Fix the NHL column there is this paragraph about the standings points:

Many fans have suggested making all games worth three points. Teams would get three points for a regulation win, two for an OT/shootout win, one for an OT/shootout loss, and nothing for a regulation loss. You'd have all games worth the same amount of points, and you'd encourage teams to go for the win in regulation.

Of course this is better than what we have, but it's still not perfect. As I wrote here over a year ago, the best solution is to have three points for a regulation or OT win, two for a shootout win and one for a shootout loss.

25 Down, 20 To Go

Week 0 = 205 pounds
Week 1 = 200.5
Week 2 = 199
Week 3 = 197
Week 4 = 196
Week 5 = 192.5
Week 6 = 190
Week 7 = 189.5
Week 8 = 186
Week 9 = 184
Week 10 = 183.5
Week 11 = 182.5
Week 12 = 183
Week 13 = 183
Week 14 = 180

After having two wasted weeks (12 and 13, thanks to anniversary + mark fever), I was able to get back on track and reach my wedding weight. 

My current average weight loss rate is 1.79 pounds a week.
(After 8 weeks my rate was 2.38 pounds a week. After 11 weeks it was 2.05 lbs/week.)
So those wasted weeks definitely slowed me down. 

Here are the future benchmarks: 

Week 27 is the San Francisco trip. 
Week 29 is my 30th birthday. 

Using my current rate of 1.79 a week, I will reach my goal weight of 160...12 weeks from now. That's week 26, the week before the trip. 

- - - 

Let's go just a bit deeper. I want to look at my recent rate, before the anniversary. From weeks 6 to 11, my average rate was 1.5 pounds a week. 

Using that rate I would get to 160.5 on Week 27. 

So as long as I can keep the rate I was at, I'll hit my goal by the trip. Even if it slows down a bit, I should be close. 

the Blade Warriors saga

In the early 90's, I watched a show that was similar to American Gladiators, but on roller blades. The event I remembered best was a hockey event where you had to get a ball past four gladiators. It was rad.

In 2006, thanks to the power of the internet, I seemed to find that the show was called Blade Warriors. But there wasn't much info. Here's where the trail ended:

I followed up but he never responded. The trail was cold.

Until I remembered this again recently. I found this email and then went to youtube. And what do you know...



If that wasn't fantastic enough, I found this comment on that youtube page:

(The incident in question occurs at 6:18 in the above video)

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who couldn't let go of Blade Warriors.

And if you want to watch the obstacle course at the end of the episode, here you go. 

Beer Advocate vs RateBeer

I thought this would be a good exercise, since I just sampled and ranked six different beers, to compare them to the two big beer rating sites. I thought it would be interesting to see how Mark and I compared to national averages, potentially seeing which site would be more useful in determining if I would like a beer that I haven't yet tried.

The beers listed below are in order of my preference. For this exercise, I'll put a ballpark number in bold as my rating. All ratings are out of 100.

Maple Nut Brown - Tommyknocker Brewery - Idaho Springs, CO (93)
Beer Advocate: 78
RateBeer:  33

Twilight Summer Ale - Deschutes Brewery - Bend, OR (90)
Beer Advocate: 84
RateBeer: 68

Major Tom's Pomegranate Wheat - Fort Collins Brewery -  Fort Collins, CO (87)
Beer Advocate: 74
RateBeer: 29

5 Barrel Pale Ale - Odell Brewing Co. - Fort Collins, CO (75)
Beer Advocate: 86
RateBeer: 79

Honey Brown Lager - Dundee Brewing Co. - Rochester, NY (65)
Beer Advocate: 72
RateBeer: 17

Agave Wheat - Breckenridge Brewery - Denver, CO (25)
Beer Advocate: 78
RateBeer: 37

As you can see, for me there was a top three, a middle two and one bad beer.

Let's breakdown how Beer Advocate sees them:

5 Barrel - 86
Twilight Summer - 84
Agave Wheat - 78
Maple Nut - 78
Major Tom - 74
Honey Brown - 72

And RateBeer:

5 Barrel - 79
Twilight Summer - 68
Agave Wheat - 37
Maple Nut - 33
Major Tom - 29
Honey Brown - 17

What is interesting, is that both sites had all six beers in the same order. Unfortunately, it didn't line up with my tastes really at all. (Mark thought 5 Barrel was his least favorite).

It seems as though neither site is a helpful guide to determining if I will like a new beer. So I guess I'll have to figure it out the old fashioned way.

New BBQ Review: Brickyard BBQ

New Addition:

Brickyard BBQ, eat-in, Littleton (7/26/13): B


For The Record:
Gates, eat-in, Overland Park (11/22/10): A+
Arthur Bryant's, eat-in, Kansas City (4/21/10): A+
Gates, eat-in, Overland Park (2/13/09): A+
Jack Stack, eat-in, Overland Park (11/21/10): A
Jack Stack, carryout, Overland Park (10/6/07): A
Gates, stadium, Arrowhead (10/7/07): A
Yazoo, eat-in, Denver (4/12/12): A-
Concessions, eat-in, Arrowhead (11/21/10): A-

Gates, eat-in, Kansas City, Kansas (6/4/11): A-

Jabo's, eat-in, Denver, (12/1/10) A-
Oklahoma Joe's, eat-in, Overland Park (10/6/07): A-
Oklahoma Joe's, eat-in, Kansas City (4/23/10): A-
Corky's, eat-in, Memphis (5/24/08): A-
Carsons, eat-in, Chicago (2/7/09): A-
Jack Stack, carryout, Overland Park (2/13/09): A-
Smokehouse BBQ, eat-in, Overland Park (2/14/09): A-
Boney's, eat-in, Denver (3/9/12): B+
Zarda: eat-in, Blue Springs (6/10/11): B+
Smoke Daddy, eat-in, Chicago (5/23/09): B+
Rum Boogie Cafe, eat-in, Memphis (5/25/08): B+
Brickyard BBQ, eat-in, Littleton (7/26/13): B
Moe's Original, eat-in, Denver (1/23/13): B
Brothers, carryout, Greenwood Village (2/18/12): B

Neely's, eat-in, Memphis (5/25/08): B
Dickey's: eat-in, Highlands Ranch (9/14/12): B-

Yazoo, eat-in, Greenwood Village (6/9/11): B-
Famous Dave's, eat-in, Peoria (11/26/10) B-
LC's, eat-in, Kansas City (4/24/10): B-
Blues City Cafe, eat-in, Memphis (5/24/08): C