Recently, I was fitted for a suit. “Do you normally wear a suit?” she asked. It’s a standard question and maybe she was being polite, but I was sweating hard after a mile and a half walk. No, I would say my look is athleisure - a workout shirt and a pair of Birddogs shorts. Hell, I even had a beer along the way. However, this was just another example of me not being at my physical best. Sure, booze is fun. Until it’s done. With each hangover, I get closer to the decision I’ll need to make sooner, rather than later.
Before the pandemic, I started a little thing called Project Fatass. It was a spin-off of two It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia skits with Mac. One, of course, was Project Badass where Mac would record himself doing stunts and the other was the storyline where he was “cultivating mass.” I was not cultivating mass on purpose. It was me pounding the beers and enjoying the good life. Mind you, it was a while since I was at my “prime” fitness level. Back when I lived in Boston in 2008 where I was too poor to eat or take public transportation. That will straighten you out real good! An extenuating circumstance happened in early 2020 when there was a global pandemic that ostensibly shut down businesses and cities. Most of us were confined to our homes, which at the time for me was a one-bedroom apartment shared with my dog and fiancee. Cramped and uncertain, we took up running. It was a great way to get out of the apartment, get fresh and get some exercise! A few months later, we jumped on the Peloton craze. So, coupled with a morning run and an afternoon Peloton ride, I started seeing some real results.
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| Project Fatass, circa 2019 (excuse my photo editing skills) |
Then, the bars reopened. My local haunt was open, but only for to-go orders at first. Then ordnance was relaxed and establishments could build patios in the streets. This was great for bars and even better for the patrons who could now sit outside their establishment on a nice day and enjoy a few beverages. Sure, the street folk had an opportunity to panhandle a little more but in my neck of the woods, it wasn’t too bad. Now, instead of getting a 4-pack of something, I could sit there, have three draughts and then take a 4-pack home. That’s when I started bringing the pounds home. On top of that, football season started and so did the cases of Labatt Blue pounders (16-ounce cans). Here I am in April, above my expected and preferred weight, and five months out from a wedding that I’ll be in. Not to mention that going back to Buffalo means eating delicious but less-than nutritious foods. There’s no better time to act than now.
It’s not just the external time constraints of my vacation in Buffalo, but it’s also a mindset. How can I be at my best if I’m not performing at my best? “Look good, feel good. Feel good, play good. Play good, Pay good.” If I feel like a dump, I’m going to act like a dump. During the times of regular exercise and drinking in moderation, I felt at my peak. I was more creative and lucid when it came to my personal and professional work. I don’t hobble to my desk after skipping my morning exercise. The morning fog lifts well before a cup of coffee. I have the energy to tackle my work and then any of my side projects - such as A Drunken Production. As I eluded to in previous posts, I’m not the 26-year-old booze hound anymore. I need a new schtick.
This is where Project Fatass gets a second life. I’m pretty realistic when it comes to expectations. Going cold turkey is probably not an avenue because I do enjoy the social interactions I have at my local bar. Limiting how many times per week I go is the largest step in shrinking my waistline and preserving my wallet. Then with that additional savings, I can invest in other things, like the MasterClass series. I want to enjoy the finer things in life when it comes to food and drink. I think I’ll take those classes and make content based on that. They offer quite a bit for $15 a month. So, I think the next chapter of A Drunken Production is to provide lifestyle content from a guy who lived in the middle of the swamps in Western New York, traveled around, and landed on the West Coast.
