Please pardon my rust as I go through some changes here.

I've been mulling over revamping my blog, mainly because I was feeling a little "stuck in a rut" on so many levels. Those of you keeping score may notice that my weight hasn't really been changing for the better over the past few weeks. I've gained weight and have just been kinda "blah". I can't quite put my finger on the specific source of my doldrums but I feel an incredible sense of urgency to kick myself in the ass and facilitate some positive change.

The thing is, my blog has held me accountable. It's been both stick and carrot on my journey from fat to, well, less fat. My goal from here on out is to augment that accountability and and drop that last pile of weight.

Rock on.

All my posts are at http://4point6.com

That's where I'm at from now on...

I'm still maintaining a respectable routine- I'm still riding my bike and alternating my workout at the gym. That's all good but eating has been an issue.

We had some friends over last Sunday. It was one of those times when we couldn't decide what to make for dinner and so we made two dinners. Yeah, I know, making two dinners for the same meal is rarely a good idea- except at the time it seems like a very good idea because you no longer have to decide- and there you go. So two dinners it was. Venison stew and chicken-chocolate-cashew chili, each served in a sourdough bread bowl.

We made so much of both that I've been eating it for lunch all week. That's one delicious carb-load of goodness every day. Mmm, venison, potatoes, carrots, and beans. Deliciously windy around Steve all week long, I'll tell you what.

But wait, that's not all. I was reading a JohnIsFit.com entry (you know, the one about hiding Oreos around the house) and thought I'd try and have some of the same kind of fun. So I went to Costco and picked up a box of Oreos and started stashing sleeves of what I now call "demon sweets" around the house. Harmless fun, right? WRONG! It seems that they're too easily found so in an effort to preserve some for myself, I stashed a couple of sleeves in my desk. Nobody looks in there, right? WRONG! I look in there. No longer do I have to worry about anyone else getting to them- as they are now in my belly. No food games for me.

Net result? Two additional pounds on the scale this morning. Not good. But you know what? I'm not bummed out about it at all. In fact, what I'm feeling is determination. This week I dipped my toe in the pool of wretched excess and waded out up to my knees in what could certainly have become my undoing. Now I'm back out again- a little damp from the experience but ready to move on and continue my trek towards good health and healthy living. Rock on...

Here's what I had in my smoothie this morning:

1/2 Banana
1S EAS Protein
1/2C Frozen Berry Mix
1/4C Kashi GoLean cereal
1C Raw Spinach
1oz Pomegranate Juice
Water

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I've been working on a plan to re-energize my weight loss efforts by focusing on the things that have worked so well for me in the past. My primary focus was food- what kinds, how much, and how often. Because I usually start out each day at the gym and follow it with a protein smoothie, I decided to look at options for making smoothie preparation easy and consistent.

I’ve been using my Magic Bullet for smoothies. It’s easy and convenient- mixes my smoothies right in mug and takes up very little space. It was cheap to buy. It’s also built that way. Pieces have been breaking off and it’s been leaking. In short, it was time to start looking for other options.

I recently had the opportunity to demo one of Blendtec’s Total Blenders and used it while preparing foods that make up regular diet. I put it through it’s paces and I have to tell you, I was impressed on several levels.

I should probably mention that I’m a guy- and I mean that in the most Neanderthal way possible. This caveman likes tools, tools with power, and this thing has lots of it. Spinning the blades is 13amp/1500 Watt motor putting out about 3 peak HP of mixing power. This thing can grind up just about anything- just check out the videos at willitblend.com.

I didn’t run a rake handle or my iPod through it but I ran plenty of ice, frozen fruit and berries through it when I was making smoothies. It had no trouble ripping through it at all- even when stuff was obviously pretty well frozen together before I pushed the smoothie button. That’s a lot more than I can say my Magic Bullet or my Waring. This thing is a beast.

It’s also a noisy beast. There is no mistaking this thing for any other appliance in the kitchen (sound-wise). Crank it up to level 10 and it roars. It's not wake-the-neighbors-loud, it's more a honey-would-you-mind-holding-that-thought-and-while-you're-at-it-hit-pause-on-the-Tivo kind of loud. The thing is, it doesn’t have to run very long to get the job done- so loud isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. My morning smoothie runs about 25 seconds and comes out perfectly. I don’t have to plunge, scrape, or put ingredients in the container in any particular order. The thing just works fast, it works well, and it does it every time.


It’s a versatile beast as well. I made some butternut squash soup with it that totally rocked. I just dropped in the ingredients, seasoning and some warm water, pushed the soup/sauce button and had hot soup in less than two minutes. The energy expended by the spinning blades is enough to heat the soup. It really was impressive. I also used the blender to make salsa and some other things I would have used a food processor for and found that it did a great job each and every time.

With all that power comes a warning; make sure you have the lid on securely before you hit the button. Slack on that and you’ll redecorate your kitchen. I made it a point to hold a kitchen towel on the lid for the first few seconds each time. No muss, no fuss.

All in all, I recommend it. The Blendtec blender is powerful and versatile- and was the most-used appliance in my kitchen.

Other good stuff:

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