Hello? **Taps the Microphone**

Is this thing working? **Looks out into the audience**

Oh, there you are! Well, hi there! Can I just say it is good to be back? I tell you, three months is a very long time to be away, and not a lot happened. Really! Not much at all!

So, I haven't been on for a bit. Distracted with a new job, new hours, new everything! Top that with my love being laid off and it was just a happy hog of a time (lots of sarcasm). Just like everyone else in the world, THINGS JUST HAPPEN. And friends quit talking. Until that one day I decide to slow down and dial you up. Can you hear your phone ringing? It's me!

Have I lost more weight? Have I stayed on track with my food and exercise plans? Have I gained it all back? Did I get a weird case of rocking pneumonia and the boogie woogie blues? Sadly, I did not contract the latter, and I did not gain it all back, and I did not stay on track with exercise plans, though I did stick with my healthier eating...for the most part. With all the distraction thrown my way, I put back on five pounds. I weigh in at 194 right now, and with my old man having left town earlier this week, I opted to start clearing out my system again.

My sciatica has been whomping my ass though. ( Exercise has not been attempted too much. My hikes are too painful too. BUT!!!! Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, this girl has treatment options now!!! Man, I am so happy about that. Words cannot express the absolute relief I have knowing I can be seen by an orthopedic spine specialist in just another week!!!!!! Not some pain management clinic that I opt to avoid since they only treat my symptoms. Nope, I have the real deal to coordinate my care with now. THRILLED is an understatement for me in this matter.

Sooooo, anyway. How bad have I been? Well, my soda intake was creeping back up to 32 oz a day. I would keep myself intentionally strapped for cash to help me keep a handle on my consumption. To resolve the issue, as soon as my partner left town, I immediately started drinking Crystal Lite, coffee, or water. I did this all week and had my first soda this morning. It was my treat to myself, but man, it was sweet. Took me all day to drink a 20 oz bottle... and I am not complaining. I think I will just stick with coffee from here out.

We had a company family day at my job this past weekend, and they had a bunch of representatives there for the insurance company, including local doctors and nurse aides. It was pretty nice. Got to look in the mirror and be shown how much sun damage I have to my face (virtually NONE). They did a check on my blood pressure. Then they did a weight, BMI and body fat measurements. I was nervous!

Realistically, my body should not have reverted to total shit within a few months of dropping the main health routine. And it didn't! My BMI was at the beginning of the Obese range (had 33.2), but considering that 3 months ago I was at 34.9? I felt good about that. My body fat was 26, which is in the ideal range, though I could bring that bad boy down a lot more. That is borderline to the next level of LARD BUTT in my age bracket. What did I take away from all this? I did make progress 3 months ago, and this assessment I had was an affirmation of what I accomplished.

It's one hell of a motivator!

With the cold season upon me, I am going to get back to my bands exercises. Having been on hiatus for 3 months, maybe I will reap quick benefits the first few weeks? Maybe I sat back long enough that my body would respond well to another reset. Well, will have to find out by doing the work, huh?

Will catch up next week with pictures, and hopefully after this soda ban in my life in full force again, I can focus on my meals next week.