When Kyle Wellwood reported to Canucks training camp earlier this month he tipped the scales near 200lbs and wasn’t in NHL shape, according to coach Alain Vigneault.
The Canucks had signed him to a nearly $1M deal in the off-season and were hoping to have the ex-Leaf regain his 30 goal scoring touch on a line with Pavol Demitra and Mason Raymond. Unsatisfied with Wellwood’s weight, the Canucks put him on a strict diet.
In 10 days he’s dropped 8 pounds and some of the way he’s doing it are exactly the reason I’ve been dropping weight with LA Weight Loss. When you give your diet over to someone who knows what they’re doing, you just follow the rules and things will be okay.
“They’ve taken all the thinking out of it,” he says “They’re making sure I get the meals I need. I’ve eliminated everything but lean meat and vegetables. If you want to lose weight pretty quickly, just do that.”[Vancouver Sun]
That’s what LA Weight Loss has done for Jennifer and I - it’s taken all the thinking out of things. We know each day how many proteins, fruit, vegetable, dairy, fat and starches we need to eat. We plan our meals out the night before or morning of, and we’re not scrambling at a fast food drive through or ordering a pizza at 7p because we have no dinner planned.
When you’re on a program, you’re bound by the programs rules and it adds a convenient and easy structure to how and what you eat. Follow it, and you’ll drop the lbs - just like Kyle Wellwood did.
Hmmm .. I’m around 197 now .. I wonder if I get down to 189 by next weekend if Coach will sign me to a $1M deal?
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It’s not about the wedding, it’s about the marriage. I proved that the first time. Now, as I get ready to walk down the aisle a second time, I’m steadfast against making the same mistake. I would rather invest in the marriage than the wedding.
Jen and I have fun on the weekends watching Rich Bride, Poor Bride on Slice. Bridezillas pouting because they want $200 tiaras, grooms needing flashy Ferraris, surrounded 250 people they don’t even know guzzling signature cocktails and grazing the midnight buffet.
One couple last night had 2 budgets. He wanted $25k, she wanted $45k. They settled on $38 000 and spent in excess of $52 000. On one night, perhaps 8 hours, of fun. It’s insane.
So as Jen and I plan our wedding, we’re trying to do things reasonably. To that end Jen has been scouring Craigslist for wedding dresses. There are some bargains to be had, but most dresses run about $600 and then need about $300 in alterations and even more for your accessories. Plus you get someone else’s ju-ju. Jen is big on the ju-ju. She wants everything fresh and new with clean karma. I was surprised she was willing to look through Craigslist.
What do you think? Guys rent tuxes, would you wear a rented gown, or buy a used one?
In the end, after trying on dresses at just 2 stores, but scouring the web and magazines for weeks, Jen has picked her dress - and it’s a steal. She gave herself a budget of $1000, but has managed to get it all for less than $500.
Angeline Bridal Boutique on Hastings near Boundary makes their own dresses. They sell them to other stores who mark them up. Buying here means buying direct, means no middle person, means Jen got a perfectly stunning simple dress for a great price and no ju-ju.
We’re trying to do the entire wedding for less than $7 000. We’re paying for it, and I’d like to have a honeymoon in Tahiti (which could cost $7 000 itself), so let’s see how we’re doing.
BUDGET: $7 000
garments: $500
Next up is the invitations. I wouldnt mind doing them myself, I’ve got a fab picture of the Eiffel Tower from the day we got engaged. Just looking for ideas to get the wedding script down the right side.
Where did you get your invites done? Who has good ideas on how to do them inexpensively?
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I’m loving getting out and getting active again. Building up the mileage has been a lot easier since I’ve been on the LA Weight Loss program. I’ve lost nearly 25 lbs since January 1, and let me tell you .. a lighter body makes running a lot easier.
Here’s a video I made of one of my favourite places to run, Lynn Creek. My route starts at Seylynn Park and I do a loop up the creek which is also an off leash dog park.
I started my mileage build up this week with a training plan I printed off from Runners World Magazine. I like to train on my own, I’ve used the Smart Coach before and so I’m familiar with the plan and methods.
For those new to Marathon and Half Marathon training with Team Diabetes, a free running program with the Running Room is available. You can join a clinic through a local store, or follow along an online plan. I’ll be getting an online schedule early next week and it will be interesting to compare with the SmartCoach.
The registration for the two runs I have next year, Team Diabetes Disney World and Team Diabetes Easter Island, is closed, but there are always other international runs you could sign up for. Here’s a list of runs and the registration deadlines:
Team Diabetes Prague
Registration deadline: October 30, 2008
Marathon Date: May 10, 2009
Distances Available: Full Marathon, & 10K In-line Skate
Team Diabetes Gold Coast Australia
Registration deadline: October 30, 2008
Marathon Date: July 5, 2009
Distances Available: Full and Half Marathon, 10K
Team Diabetes Athens
Marathon Date: November, 2009
No registration deadline has been set yet - get in on this legendary run now!
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Bob Dylan is coming to Vancouver Friday, October 24. Tickets to the general public go on sale this weekend.
HOWEVER, readers of this blog are not the general public.
Here’s the presale prebuy password code for Bob Dylan’s Vancouver show:
INTERNET ORDER PERIOD:
Start: Thu, 09/25/08 10:00 AM PST
End: Thu, 09/25/08 10:00 PM PST
PASSWORD: zimmerman
**Specific seats have been assigned to this exclusive sale during the INTERNET ORDER PERIOD.
**This pre-sale is available Thu, 09/25/08 from 10:00 AM until Thu, 09/25/08 10:00 PM PST
**LIMIT OF 8 TICKETS PER HOUSEHOLD.
**Availability of seats is based on a first-come, first-served basis, and is restricted to areas defined by the promoter.
**Ticket prices, service charges, and availability of seats may be subject to change.
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Jen and I had a little bet as we hustle through our LA Weight Loss Program: the first one to have their bedtime weight flip over to a new set of numbers would get to have gooey chocolate cake for dessert.
“Gooey chocolate cake” is a phrase Jen uses a lot. It’s something she craved during pregnancy, and something that in our pre-LAWL days I would be ushered out to get late at night. Now, it’s no longer part of our diet, but we made the bet as a bit of a reward to each other.
The goal is to have our weight “flip over” at night, you know, like moving from 200 - 199.
Every 10 pounds you get a treat. Sure, I’ve had my morning weight hit 196 before, but up until last night, I couldnt get my bedtime weight to roll over.
Well last night’s weigh in was pretty awesome. We both rocked it about a pound under our goals.
Guess who’s having dessert with dinner tonight? BOTH OF US!
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The Vancouver Sun grabbed dignitaries from across the city this morning to flog papers on street corners in the downtown core to raise money for literacy programs in the province. Raise a Reader is a great morning, and the 95Crave team showed up in full force on the corner of Hornby and Georgia to sell our stack.
In addition to media outlets, members of the Vancouver Canucks are also out on the street and the big draw for the day. It becomes a scavenger hunt as fans run around the blocks looking for their favorite player. Mason Raymond, Ryan Kesler, Kirk McClean, Nolan Baumgartner, and Orland Kurtenbach were some of the heroes scattered across the core.
I got to spend the morning with another Canuck legend, the only man with a jersey in the rafters (for now) - Stan Smyl.
The Steamer and I shared some great stories over our 2hrs selling papers, here’s some of what he had to say:
On having jerseys retired:
Stan thinks all these high numbers that players have to wear now is getting a litte ridiculous. He thinks its a great honour to have a jersey hanging in the rafters, but that number shouldnt be “retired” from play. Think about the problem the Montreal Canadiens will have as they continue retiring jerseys, soon there will be none available below 36.
On the new captain:
I offered up Kesler as a candidate. “Oh, he really wants it,” responded Steamer. Stan coached him in the minors and says Kes has always had the qualities and drive to make him a great captain. Stan commented on thoughts that maybe Kesler is too young for the C by responding that Trevor had it when he was in his early 20s.
On making the team:
Steamer says its tough for players to get a fair shake. After the game last night all the coaches sat around and dissected each player’s performance. One missed pass, one missed check, one wide shot could sink a player’s chances at making the team. It’s a very fine line between Manitoba and the NHL.
I asked if he thought 18yr old draftees should be allowed to play in the AHL, instead of being sent back to junior. Stan would like to see that, but realizes to protect the junior game you have to give the players back.
Smyl said it’s tough to be a coach and pull players out of college, or Europe. He was the one that got Mason Raymond out of his college program (something the coaches and schools don’t appreciate) and in November he will be heading to the KHL to look at 2 young Russian prospects with top 6 potential to pull out of that league. Stan says the coaches see you in the stands and do everything to hide the player so you can’t talk to him.
Stan also helped me pick a winner of Canucks exhibition tickets from the list of donors to Team Diabetes this week. Congratulations Laura!
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Easily the most fun I ever had doing an interview was with Robbie Williams in the spring of 99. The ego landed and we loved it!
This was at the height of pop music. We had Britney Spears, NSYNC, 98 Degrees, Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys all storming the chart. Along with the music, came a fan base that was rabid about the artists. As Robbie and I chatted inside, about a dozen fans pressed their eyes to the one way glass to watch the interview.
After it was all done Robbie ran up and down the window kissing each girl through the pane. The lip smudges stayed on the window for months after.
Robbie is a true showman, he understands that a radio interview is about promotion for him. It’s his infomercial to sell himself, and Robbie works this 20 minute chat like nobody I had ever spoken to before or have spoken with since.
The best part? He acoustically performs Millennium and Angels. Both of ‘em. (the first few seconds are a little choppy, then it settles in)
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The Vancouver Canucks opened the pre-season in Edmonton last night with a hard fought 3-2 shootout win over the Oilers. Sure, it’s just exhibition, but that was Vancouver’s C+ team vs Edmonton’s B+ team and our boys came out on top. Not a bad start. Plan the parade!!
If (very) early bandwagon indications are right, the Canucks are in store for a huge year and you have a chance to scoop a couple tickets to the Canucks preseason game vs San Jose on October 2 just for donating a minimum $5 to the Team Diabetes effort.
October 31 isnt for another 6 weeks, but Old Navy already has their stock of kids Halloween costumes in store. Actually, they’ve had them for more than 2 weeks already. If you have a young un who will be doing the trick-or-treating, you’d better head down and pick your costume quick - they’re going fast.
My mom used to make Halloween costumes for us when we were kids. She spend hours at the sewing machine using patterns to make princess, spaceman and vampire costumes for my brother, sister and I. Now, in this disposable generation, it’s much easier to buy the costume for $30 at Old Navy, wear it for the 30 minute trip around the block, and then flip it on Craigslist for $25 the next year.
Here are some of the costumes we’ve trucked Le Grand Monsieur through, tomorrow we hit Old Navy down south to make our final purchase.
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The Canucks had signed him to a nearly $1M deal in the off-season and were hoping to have the ex-Leaf regain his 30 goal scoring touch on a line with Pavol Demitra and Mason Raymond. Unsatisfied with Wellwood’s weight, the Canucks put him on a strict diet.
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