INDIANAPOLIS (DAY 71)

I woke up in Indianapolis.
I woke up early.
I woke up real early.
It was incredibly warm.
I set out in pure darkness at 4:45AM and managed a 12 mile hike before breakfast.
I had a larger than usual breakfast, in fact my calories for the day were higher than normal.
Nevertheless, I think it was a good day.

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TEN WEEKS (DAY 70)

It is hard for me to believe that just 70 days ago, precisely ten weeks ago, I was still ballooning up in weight. As I have been immersed a bit in reviewing pre-calculus with a certain young student, I guess that that was my 'maxima'. I did a quick look at the scale on Sunday morning, and I saw 235 lbs. Down nearly 50 pounds from that day just 10 weeks (70 days) ago.
(283.6 lbs - 235 lbs = 48.6 lbs that disappeared into 'thin' air)

not bad, lost nearly 50 lbs in ten weeks

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I keep a windbreaker hood in my backpack all the time to protect my head (and headphones) from rain. It only took me about two years to figure out that this was a worthwhile item of clothing to always keep in my backpack.

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JUST ANOTHER DAY ROLLING ALONG (DAY 69)

Nothing special on Saturday.
Took a six mile walk.
Ate well.

COMISKEY PARK (DAY 68)

I walked to Comiskey Park on Friday.
(Well technically I guess it is called Guaranteed Rate Field)
I am pretty sure that I am pretty much never going to call it that...
just like I still call the tallest building in Chicago The Sears Tower - which it no longer is.
just like I will always call the most ubiquitous donut shop in America DUNKIN' DONUTS.
just like I still call a well known chicken fast food establishment Kentucky Fried Chicken.

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WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA (DAY 67)

For the 3rd day in a row, I awoke pre-dawn and set out for a hike. (7miles, 10 miles, 10 miles).
For the 46th day in a row, I took a walk/hike, never less than 2 miles, often 7 miles or more.
For the 67th day in a row, I kept my calorie consumption within the neighborhood of 1000.

This is what a lunatic looks like just before he sets out for a 10 mile hike at 5:45AM (two full hours before sunrise)

FORSYTH, ILLINOIS (DAY 66)

Working with a colleague, Wednesday morning, I awoke from my Forsyth, Illinois hotel and headed out for an extremely early, pre-dawn hike. I logged 10 miles before returning for my breakfast.

It's been quite awhile since I have taken a photo of one of my meals.... but c'mon.... today for lunch I had a LOBSER BLT at 'BIZOU' in Decatur, Illinois. Up until today, I didn't know that there was such a thing as a LOBSTER BLT!

PRE-DAWN URBAN HIKE (DAY 65)

On Tuesday, I needed to pick up a colleague at the airport, and immediately travel 100 miles west to visit a customer. After that visit we traveled another 100 miles to be in place for a Wednesday morning appointment in Forsyth, Illinois. I knew there would be very little time to get a walk accomplished as the day unfolded. So, for the first time, in a very long time, I popped out of bed and set out for a pre-dawn 5:30AM walk. That's not to shabby to have logged a seven mile urban hike prior to eating breakfast.

WHAT A MORON (DAY 64)

You are wondering who is the moron?
It is I.

On December 25, 2014, I weighed 309 lbs. This morning I weighed 237 lbs.
That's good. Nothing moronic about that.  I am down 72 lbs from December 24, 2014.
But there is a moronic way that I traveled to get here.

One year ago, I weighed 255 lbs. This morning I weighed 237 lbs.
That's good.  Nothing moronic about that.  I am down 8 lbs in the last year.
But there is a moronic way that I traveled to get here.

Two months ago. I weighed 283. 6 lbs.  It is moronic that I let myself gain so much weight.
This morning I weighed 237 lbs.
That's good. Nothing moronic about that. 
I am down 47 lbs in the past two months.
There is nothing particularly moronic about that.
That is, if I can end repeating the cycle of losing and gaining weight.

This chart of my weight since December 24, 2014 through this morning, October 1, 2018 shows that I have lost 72.5 pounds in the past four years.  This would be a great chart if it was a chart of the Dow Jones after the 1929 crash.  As a chart of my weight over the past four years, it's a bit moronic.

This is a chart of my weight in the past twelve months, one year.  In the past year I have lost 8.4 lbs.  That is a very hard way to lost 8.4 lbs. In fact, it's a moronic way to lost 8.4 lbs in one year. 

This is a chart of my weight over the past two months. In the past two months, I have lost a relatively astounding 47.1 lbs. There is nothing moronic about that as long as I don't repeat the cycle of gaining much of it back. I would like to think that my days of being a moron, at least with respect to my weight are behind me. 

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I have never read this book, apparently I just about could have written it

CHINATOWN, CHICAGO (DAY 63)

I intended to take a significantly long walk on Sunday.
For no particular reason, I headed south to Chinatown, and looped back home.
When this urban hike was completed, I had logged 11 miles.

The view looking north from Chinatown towards Chicago

Hey look, it's DUNKIN' DONUTS. This past week, Dunkin' Donuts announced that they are dropping the 'DONUTS' from their name. Soon they will be known only as 'DUNKIN'  (My prediction is that it will take a couple of decades for the public to accept this.)

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