CHICAGO EMERGENCY ALERT @ 3:23PM Thursday

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SHORT DAY IN CHICAGO (DAY 118)

My weekend at home was cut short.
Cut short by the need to leave Chicago to avoid a predicted snow storm.
But not before I found the time to take a hike.

OVERNIGHT TRIP TO UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (DAY 104)

Sunday itinerary was for my daughter and I to take an overnight trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan for a Monday morning college tour of University of Michigan.  Before we left for our trip in the morning, I woke up and before sunrise, embarked on a 10 mile hike to start my day.

"Hey Doc, Can you help me... I have this urge to get up at 6:30AM before sunrise and walk 10 miles even though it is 29° outside.  Is that normal?"

Bob Newhart statue as Dr. Hartley (Psychiatrist from the Newhart TV Show) at Navy Pier, Chicago

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22° (DAY 103)

It is clear to me that I will not be walking every day with cold temperatures and early darkness descending upon me.  I woke up Saturday to clear skies and 22° F.  So I suited up and headed outside for a 7 mile Chicago urban hike.  It felt great... and somehow, since I was dressed properly it just did not seem so cold....

FRIDAY MORNING, ON MY WAY TO HOUSTON (DAY 95)

Thursday I spent the day preparing for my trip to Houston for International Quilt Market. I made time for an eight mile hike.

IT'S TRUE - WEAR BLACK - APPEAR THINNER! (DAY 93)

You have probably heard that wearing dark black clothing can make someone appear thinner. That may or may not be true - but in this photo below, I don't think it's only the color of my outfit that is making me appear thinner. I am guessing that is has something to do with the fact that these two photos, taken about 12 weeks apart show me about fifty pounds lighter.  Me in the yellow shirt, August 6 at a White Sox game, was before my first week of concentrated fat-losing effort had just ended and I probably weighed about 280 lbs. and me in black was taken just a couple of days ago when I most recently checked in at about 230 lbs. I believe I look thinner now. I also believe it ain't just the color of my outfit.

The difference between Mr. Yellow Shirt (me at 280 lbs on August 6th) and Mr. All-Black Sports Outfit (me just two days ago about 230 lbs) is about a foot, that is, twelve inches. My waist has shrunk from a giant bloated 50" to a much more reasonable 38".  This means that once again, I can shop for clothes at a regular store where normal people go to shop. Now the thing is, even at 230 lbs, I am NOT thin, but I am thinNER!

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After a two day abbreviated trip to the middle of the Illinois I returned home to Chicago and did what I often do. I changed clothes and took a walk.  Tuesday's walk was ten miles.

THESE GUYS ALL LOOK THIN.

NEARLY 18 MILES (DAY 90)

I needed to pick up my daughter from her ACT testing location on Saturday. I took a rather long circuitous route to get there. 13 miles. I met my daughter after her test, and we walked home nearly 5 miles. When the day was over I had hiked nearly 18 miles.

Montrose Avenue under Lake Michigan

The walk home from the ACT testing site was a bit more direct than my walk to get there.

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL WEEK (DAY 89)

I returned home to Chicago late Friday afternoon.

I immediately changed clothes and took a ten mile hike.

It's been a long time since I have not walked/hiked on any given day.

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and here is one more fun fact, that I am likely the only guy in the world who cares about. When I initially made the decision to lose weight (even though I gained so much of it back before I recently lost it again) I was 309 lbs on December 24, 2014. So here is something that I can 'hang my hat on.' I am down 80 pounds from my all-time fattest. The thing is...even at 229.4 lbs I am ain't slim, in fact, if I check the charts, I am still officially obese. Damn those charts!  I feel good!

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This chart 'only' shows a loss of 53.6 lbs in the past 3 months.... That is because, I 'dipped' UP another .6 lbs from the initial weight shown here.... At my most recent fattest, I was 283.6 lbs on July 31, 2018.  On Saturday morning, today, October 27, 2018 I checked in at 229.4 lbs. I am in  a very good mood right now. I think I am going to celebrate...

...and I know just how to do that...

I am going to take a hike!

35° (DAY 84)

The weather is changing... if I am going to maintain my walking schedule, I am going to get used to walking in the cold. Sunday I headed out in the 35° temperature.  I walked 13 miles.