Tuesday, June 27, 2017

A Simple Twist of Fat


Caveat comedenti 

The following comments and tedious details are meant to serve as a Bullshit Detector for me. If anyone Out There derives inspiration (etc.) from My Fat Struggle, cool, but I don't have any expectation that anyone other than myself will be interested in this. Just sayin', sir. 




Week 20 kicks off with some hemp. Nature's Path Granola Hemp Plus to be precise. Which is pretty tasty, but doesn't have the grit against your teeth feel that I was looking for (remembering that lovely hemp bread that I used to get sandwiches on at Amazing Grace's before it went belly up). And it's on the high side of the caloric divide for me in terms of breakfast (with 260 calories for a pretty meager serving). And it only gets a B on Fooducate. But what can I say, they had me at hemp. I shan't be purchasing this item again, though, as Trader Joe's Raisin Bran kicks the shit out of in terms of nutritional value. For that matter, Kix kicks the shit out of it in terms of nv. (Like really, not just because of the homonym thing. Fooducate gives Kix an A-, and it only has 110 calories in a serving.)

But ANYway . . . I'm feeling pretty good about where I am in terms of the Fat Struggle. People are noticing and commenting now, and that is very nice. (I almost said "empowering," but I hate that fucking pink ass namely pamby shit word.) Even nicer, some people are asking, "How'd you do it?" And one of my friends even told me that I had inspired her. Which is funny, because she's like one hundred and ten pounds soaking wet, but you know how that goes, right? And the other day X1 (the good X) said, "Are you still losing weight?"--and you could tell it was of the "I'm starting to worry about you?" type of comment. And I'm now wearing 34 inch waist pants--the ones that my youngest son stopped wearing before the 36 inch waist pants that he stopped wearing. 

I'm also highly conscious of the fact that I have to keep perspective on this shit. I still weigh in between 205 and 210 pounds, and according to the cdc.gov website, that's still 27 to 32 pounds over normal weight for my height. (They top out normal for my 5"11" at 178 pounds . . . which I have to admit sounds pretty fucking skinny to me, but what do I know, I've been tipping the scales past 200 for a few decades now.) And it also helps to keep looking into that mirror, because even though I feel good and can see that there's a lot less fat on me, I can also see there's work to be done. As a matter of fact, I've found it very useful to video myself whilst exercising shirtless,  because it is quite a humbling sort of Reality Check. Yep. 

So I don't know if I'll ever see 178 pounds. To be honest, I don't even know if I WANT to see 178 pounds. But at this point I'm not really thinking about weight very much. I'm thinking about how I feel and what I look like. 

And I'm feeling good, man.



Week 20: Tuesday, 6/27/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 coffee 24c, granola 260c, blackberries 24 almond milk 13, 16 oz water = 321 calories

Lunch: ham 99c, Wasa 60c, cantalope 107c, banana 105c, pretzels 120c, chocolate bar 290c, 16 oz water = 781 calories = 1102


Dinner: soup 300c, bread 130c, 16 oz water, chips 195c, beans 55c, strawberries 57c, honey 30c, tomato 19c, cauliflower 54c = 840c




1942 calories
48 ounces of water

Another of those HONgry days, and it ended me 166 calories over my self-imposed limit, which is enough for me to consider significant. But you know . . . really it just comes down to eating that candy bar. 290 calories. Without that, I'd have been at 1652--well below the "limit." And the thing is . . . it wasn't even anything to writ home about. It was mostly about knowing that there was a candy bar in the house and wanting it. So there's that. Lesson learned? Maybe. 


Exercise: stretching, weights, 40+ minutes on stationary bike at the YMCA  (-475 calories . . . which probably accounts for the more than usual hunger going on today ).

1  And yeah, it is tempting to shave some of those 475 calories off of the 1942 calories I recorded today . . . so that I could come in under "my limit" . . . and maybe that's even a fair thing to do. But I don't know enough to KNOW, you know? So I'll just feel bad about going over and try to do better tomorrow.





Week 20: Wednesday, 6/28/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 coffee 24c, cereal 90c, blackberries 33c, almond milk 13c, sunflower seeds 100c, 16 oz water = 260c

Lunch: banana 105c, crisp 110c, ham sandwich 123 + 130c, crackers 200c, 16 oz water = 668c = 928c


Dinner: 16 oz water, apple pie beer 700c,  sweet potato 112, crab cakes 290c, vegetable mix 100c, hemp cereal 260c, crisps 220c = 1682c = 2610



2610 calories *  837 over
48 ounces of water

* Long-time readers might remember that I suggested that getting stoned was not conducive to good I'm On A Diet behavior. I'm going to expand upon that: Getting Drunk on a Diet is Even Worse han Getting Stoned. For one simple reason: booze has a lot of calories. Especially true for Not Your Mom's Apple Pie (brought to you by the fine folks at Small Town Brewery), which is so good that even though (1) I really don't do much drinking, (2) I've already had four and am pretty fucking drunk even as we speak, and (3) I've just totaled up my day's caloric intake, and I'm a big 614 calories over my goal . . . I think I'm going to go have another one of these fine tasties. Oh, and (4) I am mos def going to have to devote a separate blog entry to extolling the virtues of this fine, fine beverage.

Peace out.


Exercise: stretching + 40 minutes on stationary bike . . . but I guess that hardly matters in the context of today's indulgences, mmm? Oh well. You've got to give a little, right?





Week 20: Thursday, 6/29/2017 

Well . . . that happened. I have to say, it was pretty nice being drunk. It's been a long time since I did the stroll. It didn't stop me from waking up at 4 a.m., though, which seems to be my new inner alarm clock's preset. But at least I conked out pretty early last night--like 9 o'clock-ish--so I actually got close to a full night's sleep for a change. And this morning . . . a little on the sluggish side mentally, but no hangover and no regerts. (sic)


Food: 

Breakfast: 
 coffee 24c, cereal 90c, blackberries 43c, almond milk 13c, sunflower seeds 100c, 32 oz water = 270c

Lunch: ham sandwich with mayonnaise 123 + 130 + 50 = 303c, cherries 54c, granola bar 140c, sunflower seeds 100c, 16 oz water = 597c = 867c


Dinner: 16 oz water, cauliflower 44c, cereal w/ Almond milk 123c, crisp 110c, lettuce 15c, tomatoes 16c, dressing 20c, vegetable mix 55, pizza 600c, beans and crackers 250c = 1233c = 2100c


fffudge 80c, strawberries 17c, hemp granola and almond milk (?)


2197 + hemp calories *
64 ounces of water

* Well, fuck, over again. And I didn't even have any alcohol or drugs. I did have a bit of exercise overload, though. Witness:


Exercise: 1 hour low intensity stationary bike ride, cut Mary's grass, stretching and weights, 40 minute stationary bike ride.

So about three hours of exercise today. I think maybe I am going to forgive myself for the overage this time around and resolve to do better tomorrow. And to not be so active, too.








Week 20: Friday, 6/30/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 coffee 24c, Wheatabix 130c, almond milk 13c = 167c

Lunch: 16 oz water, banana 105c, ham sandwich 303c, chips 130c, granola bar 140c, sunflower seeds 100c, 16 oz water = 778c


Dinner: sweet potato 112c, veg mix 60c, rb tips 170c, cauliflower 35c, bbeans 220c, 16 oz external 123c, blackberries 30c, cherries 50c, pretzels 120c = 920c, 32 oz water



1865 calories
64 ounces of water


Exercise: 4 mile walk, stretching 40 minutestationary bike ride

I have to admit that this going over the calorie goal is starting to make me unhappy. 






Week 20: Saturday, 7/1/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 coffee 24c, bran flakes 90c, blackberries 42c, almond milk 13c, strawberries 46c, 16 oz water = 215c / 16oz

Lunch: sunflower seeds 200c, wasa crackers 120c, 8 oz water, artichoke heart 10c, pretzels 120c, 16 oz water = 450c / 24oz


665c / 40oz

Dinner: 16 oz water, sweet potato 147c, spaghetti squash 44c, green beans and almonds 120c, salsa 30c, 16 oz water = 341c / 32oz

+ 3 crab cakes (435c) and crackers 120c + popsicles 50c
cereal 110 a milk 13
1734c / 72oz


1734 calories
72 ounces of water




Exercise: cut my grass, stretching and weights, 40 minutes stationary bike, which, according to my shit-ass pedometer, means 5,139 steps, 1.95 miles (?--highly questionable, but it's clear that the pedometer can't measure bike distance . . . though it does seem to keep track of "bike steps," which makes 0 sense), 324.9 calories








Week 20: Sunday, 7/2/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 coffee 24c, bran flakes 90c, blackberries 34c, strawberries 39c, almond milk 13c = 200c / 16oz water

sunflower seeds 100c, banana 105c


Lunch: soup 200c, crackers 140c, Kashi bar 140c = 685c / 16oz water =
  885c / 32 oz water  

strawberries 37c, cherries 60c

Dinner: "meat" 70c, TJ spaghetti sauce 90c, spaghetti squash 68c, Brussel sprouts 40c [268 calories for the "spaghetti"], artichoke heart 10c, Wasa rye 60c, 16oz water = 435c / 16oz 
 = 1320c / 48oz water 

16 oz water, Wasa 60c, Wheatabix 130c, papaya 13c, pretzels 120c, beer 175c = 
498c = 1818 c


1818 calories **
64 ounces of water




Exercise:  stretching + one mile bike ride 6,410 steps--2.43 miles * -- 405.3 calories.

* Which is--once again--quite obviously not accurate. For one thing, 6,000 steps would be about 3 miles. For another thing, I think I'd have to be moving at about fifty miles an hour to burn 405 calories in an hour. So I wonder what's up with that. Yet one more reason why I need to get a FitBit, I suppose.

** So here's the thing. I'm already over for the day because I had that apple pie beer thing. And there's one left. So . . . might as well do it, right?  Fuckin' A, Bubba. Let's make that day's total 1993. Tomorrow I'll be out of beer and I promise I'll do a better job, mom.






Week 20: Monday, 7/3/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 coffee (two) 24c, bran flakes 90c, almond milk 13c, blackberries 43c, coconut 67c *,  banana 126c, sunflower seeds 100c, 16 oz water = 463c / 16oz

Lunch: 8 oz water, artichoke 10c, banana 112c, 16 oz water, ham 62c, Wasa 60c, coffee 12c, 16 oz water = 256c / 24oz



= 719 / 40oz



Dinner: lettuce 11c, tomatoes 18c, radishes 20c, dressing 20c, 16 oz water, veg mix 52c, split pea soup 200c, crackers 140c = 461c / 16oz = 
1180c / 56 oz water

blackberries 33c, strawberries 54c, fffudge 80c, 8 oz water, chia 130c, pretzels 120c = 417c / 8oz

= 1597c 




1597 calories
64 ounces of water

* Hard to say if it's worth it or not, but I do like coconut. And sometimes the little "indulgences" help you to feel that you're not denying yourself, which I think is a pretty important part of this whole "diet" thing. If you feel like you're a martyr for The Cause, you're going to get pretty fucking sick of The Cause pretty fucking fast.


Exercise: One hour slow ride on stationary bike--7703 steps, 2.92 miles, -487.1 calories. And it's abundantly obvious that there's no use in keeping track of the "mileage" on the bike via the pedometer, so there's an end to that. I think the steps are accurate, however, as I counted them off several times and compared my number to the pedometer's number and it was either the same or up in my favor. And the calories seem about right, and, besides, I like that number, so I'm going to trust that as well. Also stretching and weights.







Week 21: Tuesday, 7/4/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 coffee 24c, sunflower seeds 100c, bran flakes 180c, blackberries 44c, almond milk 13c, banana 102c, 16 oz water = 463c / 16oz

Lunch: Wasa 150c, margarine 40c, artichoke 10c, grapes 34c, ham 145c, bread 120c, mayonnaise 50c, 32 oz water, pretzels 120c, chocolate 145c, chips 130c = 944c / 32oz


Dinner: vegetable soup 140c, Brussels sprouts 97c, "meat" 70c, garlic 10c, tomatoes 19c, 16 oz water = 336c / 16oz, 
, popsicle 25c 

= 1768c / 64oz 

Could have left it there. Thought about it. Then decided I wanted some fucking pretzels, man. And a beer. And then one more beer. So there went another 366 calories, and then those potato chips for another 200 . . . for a grand total of 


2334 calories
64 ounces of water

But hey . . . it's the 4th of July, man.


Exercise: 40 minutes stationary bike and stretching








Week 21: Wednesday, 7/5/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 coffee 24c, cereal 110c, blackberries 37c, strawberries 33c = 204c

Lunch: Wasa 60c, ham 123c, Kasabi 140c, 16 oz water, coffee 12c, cookies 110c
, banana 98c = 543c / 16oz = 747c

16 oz water, sunflower seeds 110c

1061c / 32oz water

Dinner: Wasa 60c, strawberries 51c, cauliflower 50c, tomatoes 19c, radishes 13c, salsa 17c, lentil soup 360c, sweet potato 194c, NFVC Ale 123 + 123, 1 shot Jura 70c, 8 oz water = 886c


2141c = 368 over 
246 beer calories and 70 whiskey calories = 316 calories . . . any questions? Don't drink and diet, kids.



2141 calories
40 ounces of water




Exercise: 60 minute SloRide: 6,652 steps, -420.6 calories and stretching + weights. I've amended my routine again, so here's the updated version:

Every Day Stretching Routine:(1) leg stretches 30' each side x 3, (2) wing stretches 4 count x 20, (3) toe touches 4 count x 20, (4) quad stretches 30' each side x 3, (5) 15 push-ups.

Every Other Day Weights (done in addition to Every Day Weights below):
Using 10 pound dumbbells:
(1) 20 curls, (2) 20 overhead press, (3) 20 toe-raises, (4) 20 rowing motion, (5) 20 four count side twists / repeat entire series @ 15 repetitions / repeat entire series @ 10 repetitions / repeat entire series @ 5 repetitions

Every Day Weights:
Using 10 pound dumbbells: (1) 20 supine lateral lateral lifts
All other exercises use 20 pound dumbbells:
(2) 30 bench press, (3) 20 leg lifts, (4) 20 bench press, (5) 40 sit-ups, (6) 20 bench press, (7) 20 sit-ups, (8) 20 curls, (9) 15 rowing, (10) 15 shoulder shrugs.

The whole shebang is taking around 40 minutes these days, so every other day I'm exercising a good 80 minutes at least, and then probably 60 on the "off" days.








Week 22: Thursday, 7/6/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 coffee 24c, Cheerios 100c, blackberries 43c, almond milk 13c, sunflower seeds 100c = 280c + 16 oz water

Lunch: Wasa 60c, ham 123c, banana 89c, kashi 140c, chips 130c, cookies 110c = 652c + 16 oz water


932c / 32 oz water


Dinner: lettuce 15c, tomatoes 20c, radishes 14c, dressing 32c, cauliflower 41c, beans 110c, meat in sauce 140c, Was a 60c, gb and almonds 120c = 552c  + 16 oz water


1484c / 48 oz 
granola bar 160c + cauliflower 37c = 1681c (92 to go)

popsicles 50c, Wasa 30c =
1761 calories
48 ounces of water




Exercise:
I was 40 minutes into a 1 hour SloRide this morning when Pat called and asked if I wanted to go for a walk. And I figured what the heck and told her I could meet her in an hour, finished up the hour ride and went to meet her, and then we walked about four miles together. So quite a calorie burning morning. In fact, according to my pedometer, I have burned 1,273.3 calories so far today . . . and it's only 4 p.m., and I'm still going to do my stretching / etc. stuff. So there's that.

Later: Did 'em, btw.








Week 22: Friday, 7/7/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 coffee 24c, cereal 140c, blackberries 43c, almond milk 13c, banana 105c, sunflower seeds 100c = 425 + 16 oz water 

Lunch: candy 105c, bread 130c, ham 123c, cauliflower 46c, sunflower seeds 100c, potato chips 150c, coffee 12c = 666c +16 oz water


1091 + 32oz water

Dinner: lettuce 15c, tomatoes 25c, dressing 24c, meat 170c, vegetable mix 100c, sweet potato 112c, merangue cookies 90c, pretzels 110c = 646c + 16 oz water


1737c / 48 oz water 
40c remaining
calories
ounces of water




Exercise: stretching + weights + 41 minutes stationary bike (start 1452 steps, end 9957 = 8505 steps, and this morning I walked 4 miles in the park, so my day's total now sits at the aforementioned 9957. Probably won't get much higher than that, but still, that ain't bad. Only thing is I need to average 14,286 steps per day in order to make my 100,000 steps per week goal--and that is my goal because I'll get 100 bonus points if I can hit that level. Which would mean 14 points per day, x 7 = 98, + the 100 bonus = 198 points per week, which might be where it maxes out, but even so that would mean that about every 12 1/2 weeks I could get a $25 Amazon card . . . unless there's a limit on that, too . . . which would be pretty freakin' sweet, huh? When exercise succumbs to capitalism, the capitalists get healthy. Count me in, Boy Howdy!

Oh, and my trusty pedometer says that I've burned 995.7 calories so far today . . . which is almost the same amount that I've taken in. So there's that. Oh, man, I've got to go weight myself RIGHT NOW before I drink any water. Come on, 200!




Oh, SNAP! That is dem-ned close, ennit? Another week ought to do it.



Week 22: Saturday, 7/8/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 Trader Joe's High Fiber Cereal * 80c, blackberries 43c, almond milk 15c, coffee 24c = 162c

Lunch: sunflower seeds 100c, strawberries 5c, Wasa 60c, ham 82c, banana 95c, chips 130c, 
merangue copies 45c = 517c + 16 oz water


Dinner: lettuce 12c, tomatoes 23c, cauliflower 26c, dressing 20c, pizza 300c, pretzels, 120c = 501c  + 32 oz water

1180 calories / 48 oz
593 to go

cashew Chocolate milk 90c, merangue Cookies 45c,  crisp 110, granola bar 160, chips 150c, 16 oz Water
= 555
1735 calories
64 ounces of water

* I think that this is going to be my new Go To cereal. Fooducate gives it an  A-  (which seems to be as high as they go . . . even Manna and Ambrosia couldn't crack that glass ceiling), and it only has 80 calories in a 30 gram serving (which is very low, and also the serving is a little bigger than most cereals give you), but it delivers a whopping 9 grams of fiber. They had me at 80 calories.


Exercise: one hour slow ride . . . though not as slow as usual, and with 7 minutes of the hour spent up in the elliptical position, which (1) I was just trying out, (2) kind of like, especially as a change of pace, (3) gave my ass some much needed relief, and (4) really made my heart rate ramp up . . . to about 140. And it was a good 400+ calorie burn fest.

Also cut my grass. Really kind of want to do the usual day exercises, but I'm pretty pooped out, so I might no push it. I have found that pushing it is rarely such a good idea for me these days.

And on the Hey, Man! Check This Out! front, there's this:

Been a mighty long time since my scale showed an under 200 pounds number, for sure. About 20 more to go!

ADDENDUM: On the other hand, I was feeling stiff, so I decided to do my stretches. And then I just went ahead and did the rest of the routine. So there's that.




Week 22: Sunday, 7/9/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 TJHF Cereal  80c, blackberries 43c, almond milk 15c, coconut 33c, coffee 24c = 195c

Lunch: 16 oz water, banana 93c, sunflower seeds 100c, spring roll 140c, Wasa 60c, 16 oz water, merengue cookies 68c = 461c / 32oz water


Dinner: lettuce 12c, tomatos 19c, cauliflower 29c, salsa 17c, veg mix 45c, sweet potato 255c,  chicken 372c, 16 oz water = 749c / 16oz


1405c / 48oz

strawberries 49c, wheatabix 130c, fffudge bar 80c, pretzels 88c = 347c



1752 calories
48 ounces of water




Exercise: one hour on the stationary bike, stretching + weights.





Week 22: Monday, 7/10/2017 

Food: 


Breakfast: 
 TJHF Cereal  80c, blackberries 43c, almond milk 15c,  coffee 24c, sunflower seeds 100c, 16 oz water = 262c /16 oz

Lunch: 16 oz water, eggs 149c, ham 94c, bread 130c, granola bar 170c, chips 130c, strawberries 34c = 707c * / 16oz


969c / 32oz

Dinner: coffee 12c, lettuce 13c, tomato 14c, cauliflower 26c, dressing 20c, soup 200c, chicken 199c, crackers 140c, Was a 60c = 684c


1653c
pretzels 110c, 16 oz water



1763 calories
48 ounces of water

* And there's a good example of how quickly this shit can get away from you. There's nothing particularly egregious about this lunch, but it had a pretty large number of calories, didn't it? Almost 40% of my "Daily Limit." The price of Appropriate Weight is Eternal Vigilance.





Exercise: stretching + the off day routine + a hybrid of the slow ride and the regular 40 minute ride. Although not really that much on the slow side. I did my regular 40 minutes, then eased up a smile on the press and finished out the hour. A lot more taxing than the slow ride, though.

For the record: I started exercising at 10:44 and finished at 12:10, so almost 90 minutes's worth there. I weighed 200.2 when I started and (as my underwear can attest) 198 when I finished. My pedometer tells me that I took 6,369 steps and burned 402.7 calories. Not too shabby, hey?

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