Continuing the weight loss adventure...

As of today, I'm up to 34 pounds lost. As I had foreseen, I am finding it much more difficult to lose weight than I had before. Part of it is just the hustle and bustle during this time of year. Another part is the fact that nutrition is more or less thrown out the window on a large scale during this time of the year.

Needless to say, and as any of us can attest to, these are dangerous times for us poor souls who intend to lose weight. Take thanksgiving for example: I was relieved to find out that we were feasting on roast turkey, as opposed to the usual fried turkey, and (drum roll please)... we even had SALAD! However, as far as other vegetables are concerned: "fuggetaboutit". Oh sure there were vegetables, but you had to pick them out of a casserole, drowning in sour cream and/or butter. However, I will say that the squash casserole was especially tasty.

I'm afraid even as I move away from thanksgiving, that Christmas is right around the corner. Aside from the terror of spending my own hard-earned money to buy gifts for others that they may or may not like, I always have to keep my diet in mind and, most importantly, do NOT stray from it.

Oftentimes during this season, as aforementioned, we're constantly out and about. When I think upon a past blog post of mine, discussing how people should take a temporary reprieve from electronic devices and enjoy their more natural environment, I think it is also an applicable approach towards HOW we hustle and bustle about during the holiday season. Instead of nabbing fast food from the food court in the mall in between shopping adventures, maybe pack a small salad or healthy sandwich. Bring a bottle of water with you as opposed to buying a bottle of soda at the strategically-placed vending machines. You don't HAVE to eat popcorn while watching a movie in the theater. Those are just some subtle but effective strategies that I've picked up or plan to adopt for both the near future and even beyond.

I don't know if I've mentioned it (maybe in my original weight loss post), but it is my plan to lose a noticeable amount of weight (and show up as a new person) for my sister's wedding, which as of right now is scheduled for April 24th (but tomorrow is a new day, which is why I say "as of right now").

I hope all 3-4 readers of this blog have a wonderful holiday season, and always remember to appreciate what you gain, but cherish what you have.

The bill for the damages...

Well, I suppose we should've seen this loss coming. From the Dolphins dismal 4th quarter track record this year, the loss of Ronnie Brown and even the Bills' somewhat new-found confidence and injection of energy since beating the Jets on the road and interim Head Coach Perry Fewell taking over the team.

Regardless of all those factors, the Dolphins SHOULD have won the game. To go from up 14-7 after the third quarter to the Bills scoring TWENTY FOUR unanswered points is nothing short of an inexcusable and disgraceful embarrassment.

I will start off first by saying that this team misses Ronnie Brown more than any coach or player will openly admit. Case in point: Ricky's interception in the end zone. With Ronnie, Ricky doesn't throw the ball and that poor decision from lack of experience just doesn't get made. Secondly, Chad Henne is, for all intents and purposes, a rookie. He'll make a great throw during one series and make you pull your hair out the next. Third, we're still far too inconsistent in the secondary, but that comes with sacrificing experience for talent. Fourth, we don't have a receiver who can legitimately threaten the opposing defense vertically. Ted Ginn is a decent kickoff returner, but nothing more.

At 5-6 with our schedule, I hate to say that we're out of the playoff hunt, but I don't see any way that the Dolphins can even lose one more game and make the playoffs. It's either 6-0 or bust from here on out, and even we are far from a playoff lock. A situation similar to last season may arise: it's either win the division or miss the playoffs, so this week's game against the Patriots may either essentially end our playoff hopes or keep us alive in the division.

Unfortunately, I have the Dolphins finishing the remainder of their season at 3-2 with an 8-8 overall record (which is the record I predicted before the start of the season). The schedule is just a murderer's row this year.

Moving forward: we're going to need to start finding replacements on defense, specifically Joey Porter and Jason Taylor. I know, they're still performing at high levels right now, but winners plan for the inevitable future and losers react to the obvious present. Secondly, we must - MUST - find a legitimate vertical threat at wide receiver. Have I mentioned that I have a man-crush on Dez Bryant? Well, I do. The field trip to Prime Time's house is merely a blip on the radar recorded in pencil.

The good news is that I believe the Dolphins (finally) have a young quarterback that they can legitimately build around (knock on wood). Granted, I don't think he's the next Marino, but he's clearly not the next Ryan Leaf. Have you watched Henne throw the ball. I knew he had a strong arm, but GOOD NIGHT. Also good news is that, assuming Ronnie Brown makes a full recovery (which I expect him to), we have a solid stable of RBs (even if Ricky decides to hang it up, which, if he decided to do say after next year, wouldn't surprise me in the least). Lex Hilliard reminds me a lot of the vastly underrated Kevin Faulk, and RBs are a dime a dozen in the draft, but here's to hoping that Ronnie can stay healthy for a full season and make a full season's claim to being one of the 5 best running backs in the league as I fully believe he is.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is still running.

P.L.A.N.

Pain
Learning
Anguish
Nerve-wracking

It's times like these when being the eldest sibling sucks. My parents' 25th wedding anniversary is coming up and my two siblings and I (okay, just me) have been planning and organizing the party for them on Saturday.

And, boy, has it been a pain. When you plan a party, apparently you have to plan EVERYTHING (who knew!?). Food, drinks, booze, decorations, invitations, plates/napkins/silverware, who to invite, how many people, and then there's picking a date/place/time. Keep in mind: this is all before actually going out and getting anything, much less setting everything up.

I suppose planning a party is like one of those projects you get at the beginning of the semester that your professor tells you to start working on no later than a week from now. Hint: you should listen. The earlier you start, the more time and thus, less stress, you'll have until the day of the party. Then there's also the change of plans factor.

From my recent experience, the first suggestion I would make is to get your invitations out as soon as possible and set an appropriate RSVP deadline, because the earlier you get them out and replied to, the better idea you have of how many people will be attending.

Another suggestion I would make is to take advantage of those around you who are willing and able to help, especially with actually going out and getting materials. I've been blessed with an extraordinary family who, while stepping on my toes at times, have been incredible with not only gathering necessary materials and supplies for the party, but have also drawn from their experiences and given input as to what I should serve or have at the party.

Oh, and about planning early. I kid you not, I just got a call and it looks like the cake I ordered for the party may not happen. It was as timely a phone call as it was creepy.

You can never plan early or well enough.

Bittersweet.

After the way the Bucs played the week prior against Green Bay, I was very worried about this game. Yes, I still knew that, all things being equal, we SHOULD beat the Bucs. However, a team that has new-found confidence plus nothing to lose is as dangerous an opponent as there is.

As I'm sure many of you did, when Chad Henne threw that especially bad interception with about 1:45 left in the 4th, I erupted in enough profanities to make a sailor blush. It was a throw that you just don't make. You HAVE to see that defender there. There was NO excuse for it and it was 100% Henne's fault. But goodness gracious, did he make up for it or what?

Needless to say, I think we have our long-time future at QB. Henne responded like a great quarterback and leader would, leading his team down the field with the help of Davone Bess (one of the most underrated WRs in the league) and a clutch run by Ricky Williams, who was filling in for Ronnie Brown (more on him/that in a bit).

It was a big win for a number of reasons. One, it was a comeback. Two, Henne was able to bounce back from a late crucial mistake. Three, it keeps us alive in the playoff hunt and lastly, both the Patriots and Jets lost and to make it sweeter, both lost in a way that rips their fans hearts out (and in the case of the Jets, makes their head coach cry). Mmmmmm let me taste those tears, Rex.

Moving forward, it appears that the answer to "What can Brown do for you?" will apparently be nothing at all, at least on Thursday night against the Panthers. Despite the fact that we still have Ricky, this is a huge blow as Ronnie is the Dolphins best player and BY FAR their biggest play-maker on offense.

My solution: give Ricky as much magical mary jane as is necessary, because he'll need to smoke the Panthers defense for us to win. Errick "Ricky" Lynne Williams, Jr is going to have to channel the Ricky of old for us on Thursday night, and the Marley magic will help towards that goal.

Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

My, how a week changes things...

You know, when it comes right down to it, sometimes football really isn't that difficult. I mean, yeah there's schemes, reads, audibles, check downs and other subtle aspects about the game that may go unnoticed by the average fan, but one thing that every fan can agree on: if you're the quarterback: you throw it to your receivers or running backs. If you're a running back, you gain positive yardage and don't fumble the ball. If you're a receiver... YOU CATCH THE BALL. NO EXCUSES.

I don't care if you make the occasional game-breaking special teams play. If you're out on the field on 4th down with the game on the line and your quarterback hits you right in the hands, YOU CATCH THE FOOTBALL or you don't deserve to be on the field. The rest of your teammates are working too hard helping that very play get developed to see it ruined because you're a professional pass catcher and you fail miserably at doing your job. Your teammates deserve better, and maybe most importantly, your essentially rookie starting QB needs every opportunity for his teammates to help him out.

Furthermore, yes players make mistakes. They're not perfect. In fact, they're very flawed human beings (save for Tim Tebow, of course). What separates players is their reputation. Ted Ginn's reputation as a receiver is... well, I can't even say he's mediocre. Terrell Owens is notorious for dropping passes, but he's also one of the best receivers in the league (despite the fact that he's in the wasteland that is Buffalo. Braylon Edwards drops passes, but he put on display right in front of our very eyes during his first game with the Jets why he was worth the risk for Gang Green.

Ted Ginn doesn't have the luxuries of an elite WR. He doesn't yet have lee-way with the fans (or hopefully the coaching staff). I hate say this, but if I was Henning (or Sparano), he would not be a regular WR. He would be the occasional deep ball threat or even decoy and would be strictly a KR (which I think is the only position where he has a shot to hold down a roster spot.

What does that leave us with at WR? We essentially have Devon Bess, who I think is a great option in the slot and is great on short to intermediate routes and can do some things after the catch. Greg Camarillo (who is a poor man's Wes Welker, and I mean that in a complimentary fashion). Both of these guys consistently catch ball, but both are far from stretching the field. So, where do we go from here? No way in hell we go after T.O. after he inevitably leaves Buffalo after this year, and I can't really see any other big-time WR being available through free agency.

I'm willing to drive from Stillwater to Miami to bring Dez Bryant here. Anyone want to chip in for gas money?

Weight Loss Update...

Well, as of today, I'm down 33 pounds. It has been a struggle over the past couple weeks, both in the process of the program I'm participating in (and thus, the results which have been few and far between). It's literally 2 pounds forward and one pound back, but it is at least progress.

The hardest part has been fulfilling the requirements of the diet (I'm usually not eating quite enough vegetables and surprisingly, not enough protein), and I have gotten somewhat lax on my water intake as well.

Ever since starting this diet, I've just not been that hungry (save for the normal hunger after going too long without a meal). The great thing about the diet is that I can have the special drink mixes whenever I have a craving, and also the water helps me to feel full as well.

Even before the diet, I've never been much of a breakfast person, and my consistent lack of daily breakfast has been detrimental to my weight loss, as it is the one meal that helps my metabolism more than any other. I don't think it's coincidence that my largest losses of weight were in the beginning of my diet, when I was consistently eating breakfast according to my nutritional requirements.

Another factor that I need to improve on is exercise. Sure, I do work both around and outside the house, but I don't feel it's quite strenuous enough to consistently burn fat. I enjoy a session on the treadmill and even have played soccer on and off. I think once the weather cools down (hopefully, crossing fingers) it will be much more enjoyable to exercise.


After dealing with all of that, there comes that time of the year that destroys any and all nutritional plans. The combination of Halloween (which, I'm happy to report, I've only come away with a pumpkin muffin and 3 cookies), Thanksgiving and Christmas is a nutritionist's nightmare and a wasteland for healthy food.

The next couple months will definitely be a challenge, the biggest challenge I'll have faced since starting the diet, but my goal is to get to 50 pounds lost. If I work on addressing all the aforementioned points (and not just giving them lip service), I think I will be well on my way to achieving my goal.

Here's to being healthy and happy!

Teddy Ginn is still running...

I must admit that I wasn't able to catch about 75% of the Dolphins second victory over the Jets this season, as I was helping a relative at their new place.

I had no idea the Dolphins didn't even muster 150 yards on offense. What I did see was a team that made a final stand ON THE ROAD in a MUST-WIN game. A team that would probably tell you that it wasn't pretty (more like Marshawn Lynch-esque ugly), but they left the Meadowlands (which I have just decided to call the Ghettolands) with a win and Rex Ryan with a big frown (preferably crying, but I'll take a frown, especially when his 5 chins add to the effect).

Of course, you can't expect the Jets organization to handle much of anything with class, as has been put on prime display week after week by Ryan and his team. It makes victories over such a horrible organization that much sweeter. If I haven't admitted this already in an earlier blog post: I laugh at the Bills, but I hate the Jets. The best part about it is that Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan make it so easy, too (as does Bart Scott and his post-game comments about how "awesome" our offense was).

That's why I love the NFL. No rankings, style points, voters, computers, BCS, or bowl selection committees. No beauty contests. Just wins and losses.

At the end of the day: a "W" for the fish and a "L" for the paper airplanes.

I must be honest again when I say that I thought the Dolphins would lose. If you had told me that we'd only muster about 150 yards of offense, I would've told you big-time revenge blowout. Surely Ted Ginn wasn't going to score two touchdowns. I mean, that's crazy.

Yes, it was crazy but wholly appropriate for the day after Halloween. Teddy entered the "Twilight (End) Zone" twice, the second of which reminded me of ex-Kansas City Chief Dante Hall. Just a ridiculous effort by Ginn.

I heard (name redacted) radio personality Mike Greenberg practically break down Monday morning upon mentioning his beloved Jets. It brought a smile to my face.

I hope all Jets fans like him did cry. I want to taste their tears (it's water, so it will also be good for my diet).

Oh, and by the way...

Teddy Ginn is still running.