Welcome to my weekly life and lifestyle diary Sunday Morning Selfie. My name is Joe Bryant and I am a Seattle area Broadcaster and Media teacher who has spent most of my adult life “obese”. My hope is that by taking a moment every Sunday to take a pic of myself, get on the scale and give an honest assessment of what is working in my life and possibly what isn’t that I will be more likely to stay on a path to better health in 2017.
While this is mostly an accountability blog to myself if there is ever a nugget of wisdom that can help others or brighten your day in some way that is great too!
Sugar is a Demon
If you are a regular reader you will recall that last week I had a small weight loss and a big trip to New York. I was patting myself on the back for saying no to 90% of the world of bad choices I could have made while traveling.
This week the story is a bit different. When I went to Kenya a couple of years ago my biggest fear was being bit by a snake while on Safari. While I saw Lions, Elephants, Zebra, Hippos, Rhinos and many other creatures I did not encounter a snake for the entire trip.
When I went to NYC my biggest fear was biting into a cannoli because, after all, that’s where you are going to find some of the worlds best. I managed to avoid the pastries, Dunkin’ Donuts and all those other temptations but sometimes it the snakes and sweets closer to home that will get you!
My week was going great and I was totally on track until a couple of midweek events occurred. I was scheduled to go into 30/10 Weight Loss For Life in Renton on Wednesday morning but an unexpected meeting forced me to miss my weigh-in. I figured no big deal as I have done great, stayed on track and lost weight EVERY SINGLE WEEK since I started the program.
But as things turn out this little burp in my schedule started a chain of events that have put me in a compromised position. For the first time ever since starting this blog I am going to be reporting a weight gain and I will do my best to explain the circumstances.
When I missed my weigh-in I also missed the coaching and the motivational tape that has you leaving Dr. Linda’s office fired up to have another great week. So, when I am coaching girls Badminton Thursday on the road at Eastlake High and we are getting beat and I am tired and hungry, I saw a chocolate chip cookie and decided “I am getting some activity, I am hungry, these Eastlake girls are whipping us, so if they want to feed me cookies I think I will let them”.
But the problem with this, aside from the obvious, is that after eating three cookies my body craved MORE. After the match I bought Emily a Pepperoni Pizza that I could not stay out of. For breakfast Friday I had a Chocolate Chip Eggo Waffle with peanut butter instead of a bowl of protein oatmeal and, I won’t bore you with every single bite along the way, but the finale was last night when I had a small glass of brandy and an ENTIRE BOX of Frangos I stole out of my daughters room. They had been there since Christmas and I reasoned that she must not like them if they are still setting unopened. They are opened and gone now. 😦
So in a nutshell, and actually nuts would have been a better choice, I am here to confess that I am a SUGAR ADDICT. This is not a substance I seem to be able to moderate and having it prominent in my life for a three day bing has cost me two pounds. Last Sunday the scale said 225. Right now it says 227. I am certain this is a little bit “Frango Weight” and even by tomorrow I will be two or three less. But my mission with this blog is to be brutally honest so I can identify my weaknesses and make changes. The events of the last three days prove to me that I still need the support 30/10 offers and, that even one bite of pure sugar like cookies, can send me over the edge for days still. While your story may vary that’s mine.
Chuck Berry
My next trip to New York will be for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony next month and yesterday we lost the first man ever to be inducted, Chuck Berry. Seeing ELO perform Roll Over Beethoven just took on a whole new meaning. Here are a few quotes that put Chuck’s contributions to modern music into perspective.
If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry.’”
— John Lennon
Chuck Berry was the first person inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. His inscription reads: “While no individual can be said to have invented rock and roll, Chuck Berry comes the closest…”
Rolling Stone Keith Richards said, “… I lifted every lick he (Berry) ever played!”
From a May 2009 story in Rolling Stone: “In the pecking order of rock & roll survivors, Bob Dylan sees himself as number two, behind only Chuck Berry.”
I never met Mr. Berry but have heard stories from many who have and, at least for concert promoters, he had a reputation as being a tad bit difficult. Chuck got ripped off repeatedly early in his career and vowed to never be taken advantage of again. One way he notoriously did that was keeping all his concert money for himself. While legends like Bob Dylan tour with the best back up bands they can hire, Chuck would go city to city solo and line up great players in each town. His theory was EVERYONE knew how to play his songs and your pay for the evening was to be able to say you played with the great Chuck Berry.
While he may have been a bit cantankerous there is NO QUESTION that he was the biggest reason bands like the Beatles, Stones and many others were inspired to play Rock and Roll.
I will tell my students tomorrow that they can take pride in working for 889 thebridge.org , where we play artists like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Ray Charles and James Brown every day. We also play current stars such as Gary Clark Jr., Fitz and the Tantrums and The Lumineers every day and if you have not done so yet I encourage you to download the KMIH app and check out “Music and Conversation that Spans Generations”. Hail Hail Rock and Roll and RIP Chuck Berry.
My Friend Lois
The reason I am trying to lose weight is strictly for better health and longer life as opposed to vanity. Yesterday brought a reminder that health challenges come in many ways and even to people that lead very healthy lifestyles. My friend Lois is in a battle with Stage 4 Colon Cancer and she and her husband Jerry are reaching out for prayers and financial assistance.
If you are familiar with Jerry and Lois Photography I don’t have to tell you how special these folks are. They have captured SO MUCH music and media history in Seattle thru their lenses and are always the first to volunteer their services for a good cause. Now they are the cause and my hope is that we can say thanks and show support to Jerry and Lois by visiting this Go Fund Me page and offering prayers for healing to this wonderful woman.
Jerry and Lois have been HUGE boosters of my teaching and I will share a few images they have captured for us at Mercer Island High below.
In Closing
So, this has been a tough week. I sort of blew it and lots of stuff went down. BUT, nobody wins all the time, including my Badminton girls who are now 2-1, and the goal here is to learn from the shortcomings. The sun is shining so I can finally ride my Electric bike and I am committed to reset my mindset and push thru this. If my friend Lois and people like her have the strength to fight cancer I should certainly have the strength to resist a cookie of Frango. BTW- Does anyone know if you can buy Frangos in March? I owe Emily a box.
Until next Sunday, Joe
Sunday Morning Selfie 
I understand the weight thing all too well. anything you can do to better yourself is wonderful. i have lost 15 pounds since jan. 4th after my last dr.’s visit. the thing that only has ever worked for me is a food diary. I picked the amount of calories a day i will be eating, figure what my dinner will be and then the rest of my day i divide between breakfast and lunch, i count everything. It works quite well. use the appMy Fitness Pal. it has everything you can think of in your daily diary as far as calories, nutrients,etc. i hope you will give it a try. Good luck and God bless
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Don’t be to hard on yourself Joe, everybody slips now and then. Get back on track and everything will work out.
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Stay with it. You’re human and that’s a good thing! Chocolate is my downfall- absolutely no will power once I start eating it. I gave it up for Lent, but have had a few slip-ups. Consistency will get you to your goal.
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There is a reason that losing weight is called a battle. Yesterday I stood in front of the cookie aisle for awhile trying to justify. Chose grapes instead. Don’t be discouraged. As long as you are alive there is a tomorrow. Make it a good one. I appreciate you and your honesty.
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