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Not bad this week. I’m REALLY looking forward to getting down under 190 lbs. My metabolism is starting to push back a little so watching what I eat calorie wise continues to be very important. Losing a pound a week over the next month will be a achievable. My appetite has become more accustom to smaller portions so I fill up faster. That makes resisting larger portions that much easier. I’ve found it’s best to just not put too much on your plate to start with.

Today is cheat day and Caroline and I both hit our first milestone so we will be celebrating with a cheese and chocolate fondue meal – Yummy!

End Weight: 192.2
Previous Weight: 194
Week 5 Loss: -1.8 lbs
Net Loss: -15.8 lbs
BMI: 24.67
Percent of Goal (175 lbs.): 47.88% Complete

I knew it was going to get harder sooner or later. It appears this is the week the pounds get stubborn. I’m really looking forward to getting under 190 again. At 190 the majority of pants should start to fit again! Think of the alteration fees I can avoid!

End Weight: 194
Previous Weight: 195.4
Week 5 Loss: -1.4 lbs
Net Loss: -14.0 lbs
BMI: 24.91
Percent of Goal (175 lbs.): 42.42% Complete

P.F. Chang’s frozen meals are fantastic. I’ve had several of them previously with no regard to calorie content. Anyway, now dieting, I thought to check them out for their appropriateness for my diet. The problem with most of the meals is that you want to serve them with rice and that really drives the calories through the roof. But with the noodles, the calories stay relatively low at 350 per serving.

Bottom line, you can’t beat the taste for calorie ratio of this dish. I did add small handful of peanuts right at the end and allowed it simmer the final minute.  Yummy!!

I’ve continued to make steady progress this week. Yogurt for breakfast and salads for lunch most days. I’ve discovered a pretty good lunch at Panera consisting of 1/2 a Smoked Turkey sandwich on wheat and a cup of Chicken Noodle soup. You can have them give you an apple instead of the baguette. Total of 280 calories. We have also been enjoying some tasty Talapia dinners. I’ll post that recipe sometime this week.

End Weight: 195.4
Previous Weight: 198.8
Loss: -3.4 lbs
Net Loss: -12.6 lbs
BMI: 25.09
Percent of Goal (175 lbs.): 38.18% Complete

Leah and her friend Sailor enjoy a pop-up book together during a sleepover tonight. The book is Dragons & Mosters by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda.

It doesn’t get much better than this down home song on my Victrola. In case you have never heard this song, here is a very nice version by Allison Krauss and Lyle Lovett: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UxOcZgDOpc.Enjoy.

If you guys see Sarah flying by please tell her it is past her bedtime and time to come home for the evening before her broomstick runs out of gas. This first picture is her friend Katie. This one had better color so ran with it. The one of Sarah was under exposed and had some issues so I converted it to B&W to salvage it.

Yes, under 200 lbs. again and I already feel lighter. I’m about 6 weeks away from my skinny clothes, the fat bin is waiting for me to load it up and pack it away again. Unfortunately, all the easy lbs. are all almost gone and soon it will be time to settle in for the ground war with the remaining 20 lbs.

End Weight: 198.8
Previous Weight: 202.4
Loss: -3.6 lbs
Net Loss: -9.2 lbs
BMI: 25.52
Percent of Goal (175 lbs.): 27.88% Complete

This is a reproduction set of the Isle of Lewis Chessmen (or Uig Chessmen). It is the earliest know chess set. Discovered in 1831 in Scotland, a total of 78 pieces were recovered including 8 kings, 8 queens, 16 bishops, 15 knights, 12 rooks and 19 pawns. The heights of the pawns range from 3.5 to 5.8 cm while the major pieces are between 7 and 10.2 cm. It is believed they were probably made in Norway, by craftsmen in the 12th century. They are owned and exhibited by the British Museum in London, which has 67 of the original pieces, and the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, which has the remaining 11 pieces. Sarah, in 4th grade now, joined the chess club this year and I can’t wait to play a game with her using this set. The board arrives next week!

This afternoon Leah, Sarah and I went to share some treats with the horses down the street. We were hoping to see King and Tinkerbell but instead we found only Pepe. He was whinnying at the fence when we arrived and kept it up until he realized what we had at which point he trotted over to investigate. We shared some apples and carrots with him and I think he must have appreciated it because it struck a very nice pose fore me afterward. Thanks Pepe!

That’s right! Take that. I say “game on” to my fatness. Your ass is mine!!

End Weight: 202.4
Previous Weight: 208.0
Loss: -5.6 lbs
Net Loss: -5.6 lbs
BMI: 25.98
Percent of Goal (175 lbs.): 16.97% Complete

I cut the Venison loin into strips and lightly breaded with flour. I fried the strips for about 5-7 minutes for both sides and then added the vegetables. After about another 5 minutes I added the sauce. That I let run on medium heat for a final 5-7 minutes and served on a bed of rice.

The sauce was made from the following all mixed together before hand:

2 tablespoons Corn Starch
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 cup Light Corn Syrup
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Added peanuts as an after thought. It was great with or without the nuts.

I love the hour glass with black sand that has been sitting on my desk since I started working here. I can’t believe it took me this long to take a picture of it. The trees outside my window and the gray sky made the perfect monochromatic backdrop for the picture. I used my iPhone 4 to take the shot. If I had my 5D I would have been able to capture the sand frozen in space.

With the dawn of a new year comes a renewed focus on my physical well being. As you can see I have plumped up over the last year quite a bit. It’s time to remedy that. My Goal is to lose 30 lbs. over the next 6 months. Wish me luck!

I welcomed in 2012 with the usual eats. Black eyed peas? Check! Cabbage? Check. Collards? YUCK, thank goodness for the peach juice. Check! And last but not least, the pork product of your choice. Check! Ummmm good and here’s to the new year.

Leah had the pleasure of entertaining Corduroy the class bear for the weekend. Every year Mrs. McCrary’s kindergarten class at Cumberland Trace Elementary school is graced with a class bear. The students take turns hosting the class bear for the weekend. Sarah had Buddy the Bear and this year Leah has Corduroy.

Anna Scifres and Lexi Stewart attempt to train Tinkerbell, a miniature horse, to jump barrels. They are joined by Sarah and Leah Scifres as well as Sarah’s friend Katie Levesque.

Maia Madison from David Scifres on Vimeo.

I got my 5D this Friday YEAH!!! I had been taken aback by my oldest daughters friend Maia Madison’s artistic ability on her Nintendo DS. The new camera, coupled with my desire to learn Adobe Premiere, led to this video. When Maia came over to visit, I could not resist the opportunity to try and capture the creative work she had done. Not bad for my first real video attempt.

As promised I took Anna and Sarah to Chicago for the weekend. We had a blast. We purchased a CityPass which got us in the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Art Institute, the SkyWalk at the top of Sears tower and the Science and Technology building (which we didn’t make it to). The hit of the trip as it turns out was Navy Pier as well as tea at the American Girl Doll store.