Despite some incredibly long hours at the office, a trip to the Orange County Fair --on Food Truck Night mind you-- and far too many dinner out, I am still making progress towards my goals. Hooray for me!
So about that progress. I am down to 281 lbs. That's 41 total pounds lost since May 9, 2011. It seemed like I hovered in the high 30's forever but now that I have broken into the 40's I am inspired. I am also on the edge of going below 280 which is also a good milestone that I hope to accomplish in the next week. But the milestone I am looking forward to the most will hopefully be here by the end of August, and that's weighing 276 lbs. 276 is important because my weight loss goal will be less than 100 lbs left. Going from triple digits to double digits will be awesome.
Another exciting discovery I made in the last two weeks is that a lot of the clothes I was too fat to fit into a few months ago now fit well. Some of them are even a little too loose. I was a 46-inch waist in May and now the size 42 pants in my closet are in the wardrobe rotation. I also had a lot of great XXL size shirts that were too tight. Now I can wear them without them stretching too snug across my shoulders and my gut hanging out the bottom. I love having new, old clothes!
The BodyMedia FIT armband is still working wonders for me. I've lost 6 lbs since I began wearing it. It also keeps me honest about what I am eating because I don't want to put down that I ate garbage. Here are my stats for yesterday.
BodyMedia FIT stats for August 5, 2011
Calories Burned-3,271 | Calories Consumed-2,552 | Calories Deficit-719 | Moderate Activity 0:20 | Steps-5,091 | Sleep-7:10 | Sleep Efficiency-82%
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Food Trucks, a Celebrity Sighting, and Elvis
Just another typical Sunday in beautiful Orange County, CA. Or to be more specific, a typical day in the Orange County Great Park. Every Sunday the Great Park has a modest Farmers Market from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Now that I am eating healthier, going to a Farmers Market seems like a responsible thing to do. Of course I still went to the Farmers Markets when I was eating everything in sight. The main difference now is that I only get free samples from the fruit stands and try not to look at the cookie, cake, and ice cream vendors.
Despite the less than stellar roster of produce merchants at the Great Park Farmers Market, there are some added attractions that makes this Farmers Market special. FOOD TRUCKS! And not just a couple but 8 to 10 depending on the weekend. I love food trucks. Being the food nerd that I am, I do not think I will ever grow tired of the creative fusion on flavors that you can only get from a kitchen on wheels.
This delightful summer treat was grilled watermelon with organic heirloom tomatoes, raw almond feta (which is just finely chopped almonds seasoned to have the flavor of feta cheese) fresh basil and sea salt. It was served warm and was unbelievably refreshing.
I knew the grilled watermelon was safe, even though I shouldn't be eating almonds on this phase of my diet. However, I was willing to make a sacrifice. One of the other food trucks was a little less forgiving with their offerings. I shuddered when I saw one of my favorite food trucks, Bacon Mania. This is the type of food truck I worship. In my book, bacon is a sacred food. In fact bacon might be my favorite food on the planet.
But the good people at Bacon Mania weren't so cruel today because they had a bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwich served on a whole wheat bun and decorated with chipotle mayo. This sandwich was simply called B.L.A.T. on their menu.
I swear I only had a few bites of this sandwich but it was soooo good. If you ever want a treat, follow Bacon Mania on Twitter and go to one of their stops. Everything they make is legendary.
Besides the food trucks I did see a celebrity at the Great Park Farmers Market. Or to be correct I had a celebrity pointed out to me who I had no idea who she was. Apparently Peggy from the Real Housewives of Orange County was this thin woman with blonde hair wearing a fleur-de-lis baseball cap and giant sunglasses. Since I don't watch any of the housewives shows I cannot say for certain it was her but everyone around me at the time was all a buzz that she was there. Personally, I thought she looked old and frail.
And finally, the coolest part of the farmers market today was the Elvis impersonator who performed dressed in a full white jumpsuit in the afternoon sun. This guy was really good and there were some older women there who got up and danced with the King. OC Elvis even passed out signature scarves to some of his swooning fans.
Yep, just another typical day in Orange County.
Despite the less than stellar roster of produce merchants at the Great Park Farmers Market, there are some added attractions that makes this Farmers Market special. FOOD TRUCKS! And not just a couple but 8 to 10 depending on the weekend. I love food trucks. Being the food nerd that I am, I do not think I will ever grow tired of the creative fusion on flavors that you can only get from a kitchen on wheels.
Eating healthy is not always the easiest thing to do when ordering off a food truck. Lucky for me, the Seabirds truck was there. Seabirds has a 100% plant based menu and they source their produce from local farmers. In other words they're vegan. As much as I like to knock the vegan movement, I will save that rant for another time because the Seabirds truck knocked one out of the part this afternoon with their Grilled Watermelon Salad.
 |
| Grilled Watermelon Salad from the Seabirds Truck. |
I knew the grilled watermelon was safe, even though I shouldn't be eating almonds on this phase of my diet. However, I was willing to make a sacrifice. One of the other food trucks was a little less forgiving with their offerings. I shuddered when I saw one of my favorite food trucks, Bacon Mania. This is the type of food truck I worship. In my book, bacon is a sacred food. In fact bacon might be my favorite food on the planet.
But the good people at Bacon Mania weren't so cruel today because they had a bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwich served on a whole wheat bun and decorated with chipotle mayo. This sandwich was simply called B.L.A.T. on their menu.
 |
| The B.L.A.T. from Bacon Mania. |
Besides the food trucks I did see a celebrity at the Great Park Farmers Market. Or to be correct I had a celebrity pointed out to me who I had no idea who she was. Apparently Peggy from the Real Housewives of Orange County was this thin woman with blonde hair wearing a fleur-de-lis baseball cap and giant sunglasses. Since I don't watch any of the housewives shows I cannot say for certain it was her but everyone around me at the time was all a buzz that she was there. Personally, I thought she looked old and frail.
And finally, the coolest part of the farmers market today was the Elvis impersonator who performed dressed in a full white jumpsuit in the afternoon sun. This guy was really good and there were some older women there who got up and danced with the King. OC Elvis even passed out signature scarves to some of his swooning fans.
Yep, just another typical day in Orange County.
More Love for the Armband
I have to gush one more time about how much I am digging my BodyMedia Fit armband. I swear I am not getting paid --yet-- to say all of these wonderful things about BobyMedia Fit. I am just impressed that it can do everything it does.
Yesterday I had ever good intention of going out and getting a lot of walking in. Instead I went to see a matinee showing of Friends With Benefits. It was actually a fun movie. Kind of a chick flick, but enjoyable none the less. Having Mila Kunis as the leading lady in a movie never hurts either.
Next came dinner at a Peruvian Restaurant called Inka Mama's. If you have never tried Peruvian food you are missing out. They have this amazing green sauce called aji that you would swear has a bunch of calories from fat but it is mostly iceberg lettuce, Serrano chilies and garlic. It's a dieter's dream sauce.
Anyway, before I knew it, it was almost 9:00 p.m. and I was about 2,500 step away from reaching my modest daily goal of 5,000 steps. The BodyMedia Fit app for the iPhone has a workout feature where you can select a workout by the number of calories you want to burn, or for a certain length of time, or by the number of steps you want to take. I set a 3,000 step workout goal and headed out the door. It was a nice clear evening with temperatures in the mid 60's. As I walked, the armband would update my iPhone every 10 seconds or so. The display showed the number of steps I had taken in giant hot pink numbers. (Sorry, I didn't take a screenshot of the display.) After one loop around the neighborhood I was over 3,000 steps and went over my goal for the day.
BodyMedia Stats for July 23, 2011 (* denotes personal best)
Calories Burned-3,214* | Calories Consumed-1,921 | Calorie Deficit-1,293 | Physical Activity-0:36 minutes* | Steps Taken 5,498 | Sleep Duration-7:56 hours* | Sleep Efficiency 81%
Yesterday I had ever good intention of going out and getting a lot of walking in. Instead I went to see a matinee showing of Friends With Benefits. It was actually a fun movie. Kind of a chick flick, but enjoyable none the less. Having Mila Kunis as the leading lady in a movie never hurts either.
Next came dinner at a Peruvian Restaurant called Inka Mama's. If you have never tried Peruvian food you are missing out. They have this amazing green sauce called aji that you would swear has a bunch of calories from fat but it is mostly iceberg lettuce, Serrano chilies and garlic. It's a dieter's dream sauce.
Anyway, before I knew it, it was almost 9:00 p.m. and I was about 2,500 step away from reaching my modest daily goal of 5,000 steps. The BodyMedia Fit app for the iPhone has a workout feature where you can select a workout by the number of calories you want to burn, or for a certain length of time, or by the number of steps you want to take. I set a 3,000 step workout goal and headed out the door. It was a nice clear evening with temperatures in the mid 60's. As I walked, the armband would update my iPhone every 10 seconds or so. The display showed the number of steps I had taken in giant hot pink numbers. (Sorry, I didn't take a screenshot of the display.) After one loop around the neighborhood I was over 3,000 steps and went over my goal for the day.
BodyMedia Stats for July 23, 2011 (* denotes personal best)
Calories Burned-3,214* | Calories Consumed-1,921 | Calorie Deficit-1,293 | Physical Activity-0:36 minutes* | Steps Taken 5,498 | Sleep Duration-7:56 hours* | Sleep Efficiency 81%
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Progress, Progress, Progress
I don't know if this can all be attributed to the BodyMedia Fit armband but I have been kicking some serious booty this week. I'm down 3.6 pounds on the week and am feeling great. Logging my food, being able to see how many calories I have burned, and tracking how many steps I have taken is really making a difference in my day.
A few weeks ago I had to abandon a brown 46-inch belt because I ran out of holes. Yesterday I think I fastened a 44-inch black belt for the last time. I had been using the fifth and final hole on that belt for a few weeks and now it's too loose in the waist. Luckily I have several black and brown belts in shorter lengths that I had to abandon as I have steadily gotten bigger over the years.
But I think the biggest progress of all for me is taking my dress slacks for work to the tailor today to be brought in. I have been planning to do this for a couple of weeks but didn't think any of my other dress pants would fit yet. Yesterday I tired on my size 42 pants and they were loose! Holy Cow! It wasn't too long ago that I had to struggle to button those pants. It's almost like I have a new wardrobe.
Besides going to the tailor, one of my goals for the day is to log some serious steps to see how far I actually walk when I am not tied to a desk all day. I would really like to go to Disneyland because I know that would be the ultimate serious walking challenge. But I don't think Disneyland is in the cards today because I have stuff to do around the house. Boo! Maybe I can visit the mouse tomorrow. I really need to walk through the new entrance at Disney's California Adventure Park. You know you are a serious Disney Parks geek when you get excited about the possibility of walking through a new set of turnstiles. [I can see you rolling your eyes]
BodyMedia Stats for July 22, 2011
Calories Burned-3,126 | Calories Consumed-1,275 | Calorie Deficit-1,851 | Physical Activity-0:11 minutes | Steps Taken-4,081 | Sleep Duration-7:07 hours | Sleep Efficiency-79%
A few weeks ago I had to abandon a brown 46-inch belt because I ran out of holes. Yesterday I think I fastened a 44-inch black belt for the last time. I had been using the fifth and final hole on that belt for a few weeks and now it's too loose in the waist. Luckily I have several black and brown belts in shorter lengths that I had to abandon as I have steadily gotten bigger over the years.
But I think the biggest progress of all for me is taking my dress slacks for work to the tailor today to be brought in. I have been planning to do this for a couple of weeks but didn't think any of my other dress pants would fit yet. Yesterday I tired on my size 42 pants and they were loose! Holy Cow! It wasn't too long ago that I had to struggle to button those pants. It's almost like I have a new wardrobe.
Besides going to the tailor, one of my goals for the day is to log some serious steps to see how far I actually walk when I am not tied to a desk all day. I would really like to go to Disneyland because I know that would be the ultimate serious walking challenge. But I don't think Disneyland is in the cards today because I have stuff to do around the house. Boo! Maybe I can visit the mouse tomorrow. I really need to walk through the new entrance at Disney's California Adventure Park. You know you are a serious Disney Parks geek when you get excited about the possibility of walking through a new set of turnstiles. [I can see you rolling your eyes]
BodyMedia Stats for July 22, 2011
Calories Burned-3,126 | Calories Consumed-1,275 | Calorie Deficit-1,851 | Physical Activity-0:11 minutes | Steps Taken-4,081 | Sleep Duration-7:07 hours | Sleep Efficiency-79%
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Beginning of the Armband Era
When I arrived home from work Tuesday night I had a box delivered by UPS waiting for me. It was my the BodyMedia Fit armband that I ordered Saturday.
WOW! What a difference this thing is going to make in my life. Being a numbers geek to begin with certainly helps. But I love the fact that I can track everything I need in order to monitor my progress. I am already down 1.2 pounds!
I do find that the medium armband that comes standard is a little tight so I ordered the large one this morning. Other than that it has been a dream. Plus, logging my food after every meal makes me think twice about what I am going to eat because I don't want to write down that I ate garbage.
Here are my stats for July 20, 2011:
Calories Burned-3,341 | Calories Consumed-1,155 | Calories Deficit-2,186 | Physical Activity-28 minutes | Steps Taken 6,868 | Sleep Duration 6:50 hrs | Sleep efficiency 93%
WOW! What a difference this thing is going to make in my life. Being a numbers geek to begin with certainly helps. But I love the fact that I can track everything I need in order to monitor my progress. I am already down 1.2 pounds!
I do find that the medium armband that comes standard is a little tight so I ordered the large one this morning. Other than that it has been a dream. Plus, logging my food after every meal makes me think twice about what I am going to eat because I don't want to write down that I ate garbage.
Here are my stats for July 20, 2011:
Calories Burned-3,341 | Calories Consumed-1,155 | Calories Deficit-2,186 | Physical Activity-28 minutes | Steps Taken 6,868 | Sleep Duration 6:50 hrs | Sleep efficiency 93%
Monday, July 18, 2011
A Crazy Week
Boy am I glad to be finished with last week. Work was crazy! Logging 16-hour days can wreck healthy eating habits. Luckily, my problem was not eating dinner three nights last week so it wasn't like I was shoveling fast food into my mouth as I drove home just before midnight.
My family's week at the beach came to an end last Saturday. Like I said in a previous post, Balboa week is a real challenge to any diet. I did cave last Friday and gave in to temptation. A double scoop waffle cone of Dreyers Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream was a poor choice. It wasn't worth the calories.
The other food challenge is the snacks. After the walk into town to get ice cream the we always play games back at one of the houses. Friday night we played a domino-based game called Mexican Train. Snacks are always a fixture with the games. That night there was a bowl of regular M&Ms, a bowl of Peanut M&Ms, a bowl of peanut butter filled pretzel bites and a bowl of mixed nuts. These aren't small dainty bowls either. There are large chili bowls that hold 2 to 3 cups of sinful snacks. If the bowl is empty you just go to the 5-pound bag bought at Costco for a refill. I don't even want to think how many Peanut M&Ms and pretzels I ate that night.
But the good news is I made two huge commitments to exercising more over the weekend. Yesterday I picked up my bike at the bike shop. I took it in a couple of weeks ago for a tune up and now it is ready to go. I had a nice short liesurely 3-mile bike ride last night. One thing is certain, I am a lot more out of shape than I thought I was. I was gassed after just three short miles.
The second thing is I purchased a BodyMedia Fit armband to help track my fitness, calories and sleep patterns. I have been researching it and decided that it was time to really start monitoring my progress. It should be here tomorrow so I will be adding my progress to the bottom of my posts by the ed of the week.
I am anxious for tomorrow's weigh in. I skipped last Saturday's weigh in because of the beach. Hopefully I will still be on track and can add to the 35 pounds I have lost since Mother's Day. Wish me luck.
My family's week at the beach came to an end last Saturday. Like I said in a previous post, Balboa week is a real challenge to any diet. I did cave last Friday and gave in to temptation. A double scoop waffle cone of Dreyers Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream was a poor choice. It wasn't worth the calories.
The other food challenge is the snacks. After the walk into town to get ice cream the we always play games back at one of the houses. Friday night we played a domino-based game called Mexican Train. Snacks are always a fixture with the games. That night there was a bowl of regular M&Ms, a bowl of Peanut M&Ms, a bowl of peanut butter filled pretzel bites and a bowl of mixed nuts. These aren't small dainty bowls either. There are large chili bowls that hold 2 to 3 cups of sinful snacks. If the bowl is empty you just go to the 5-pound bag bought at Costco for a refill. I don't even want to think how many Peanut M&Ms and pretzels I ate that night.
But the good news is I made two huge commitments to exercising more over the weekend. Yesterday I picked up my bike at the bike shop. I took it in a couple of weeks ago for a tune up and now it is ready to go. I had a nice short liesurely 3-mile bike ride last night. One thing is certain, I am a lot more out of shape than I thought I was. I was gassed after just three short miles.
The second thing is I purchased a BodyMedia Fit armband to help track my fitness, calories and sleep patterns. I have been researching it and decided that it was time to really start monitoring my progress. It should be here tomorrow so I will be adding my progress to the bottom of my posts by the ed of the week.
I am anxious for tomorrow's weigh in. I skipped last Saturday's weigh in because of the beach. Hopefully I will still be on track and can add to the 35 pounds I have lost since Mother's Day. Wish me luck.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
A Sunday Surprise
Yesterday was a good day. I thought it would be because I had been watching my diet like a hawk. The three pounds I had gained last weekend had officially came off when I weighed myself Saturday morning. What a relief.
But yesterday had some serious challenges too. I started the day by going to work to meet with some contractors. We are painting our building so I had to confer with the architect and the painter to approve the colors. After that was over I knew I needed to eat breakfast.
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and also the most difficult meal for me to eat out because the temptations of pankcakes, waffles, doughnuts, bacon, hashbrowns, et al. Turning those down are close to impossible.
I ended up going to Orange Cafe in Orange, CA. This is a great little hole in the wall coffee shop that serves classic diner fare. Their pankcakes are huge and one of their specialties is a strawberry pancake that comes with a vanilla bean cream cheese filling, fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It is decadent and one of the most delicious concoctions I have ever sampled.
But I was good. I ordered two scrambled eggs, a side of fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cubbed honey dew) and ice water. The egg plate also came with whole wheat toast but I only had one half of a slice (it was really good though...).
I did some chores around the house and then treated myself to a pedicure. I know doing the pedicure is a female thing but I never mind being the only guy among all of those women as long as my feet are being pampered. (Sidenote: If I ever become a billionaire, hiring someone to pamper my feet will be one of the luxuries I will indulge in daily.) Plus I found a nail place where they only speak English. It is so nice being able to chat with the lovely woman working on my feet instead of wondering if the conversations in Mandarin among nail technicians is about how disgusting my toes are.
After the pedicure I wanted to check out this new spice store I had heard about. The name of the shop is Savory Spice Shop and it is amazing. For as much as I like to cook, I am often frustrated by the lack of selection and low quality of the spices sold in grocery stores. Savory Spice Shop has everything I could imagine. Plus they are exceptionally nice, very knowledgable and generous with the samples. I ended up buying a 2 oz. jar each of sumac, Garam masala, Mexican oregano, and a Greek spice blend for seasoning chicken and seafood. If I could find these things in a local supermarket I would have easily spent over $20. I ended up spending a little over $13 and that included a $1 deposit on each bottle I purchased. When I need refills they will just give me a two-ounce bag and I'll get a $1 discount on each spice. How cool is that?
After a luxurious afternoon of a pedicure and shopping, I was faced with a delimma. My parents rent a house for a week on Balboa Island, every summer. This has been a family tradition since I was about 8 or 9. There are also two other families that my family is close to, who rent their own houses the same week. All of the kids, and now grand kids, are within a few years of each other. So it's a lot of fun. It's also a week of gluttonous eating and drinking.
I had the option to visit the island for dinner or eat on my own and come down for dessert. I chose to eat on my own. Just across the parking lot from Savory Spice Shop is Gulfstream. Gulfstream is a Hillstone restaurant and they manange Houston's, Bandera, R+D, and several other great restaurants across the country. It's a happening, pretty person place where the patrons are as attractive as the food is good.
But I wasn't there to look at debutants and cougars, I was there to eat healthy. I was in luck because one of the specials was wild Alaskan salmon. I substituted roasted beets for mashed potatoes and had water with lemon to drink. It was a little pricey, $40 after tip, but a nice healthy treat that made me feel like I wasn't being deprived of great food.
So off to the island I went. They were just finishing up some MExican takeout (one of my biggest weaknesses) but I was content to sit on the couch knowing that I made the wiser choice for my dinner. But then the next challenge came. Every night on the island we walk into "town" for ice cream. Balboa Island is famous for its Balboa Bars. A Balboa Bar is vanilla ice cream on a stick, dipped in choclate and then rolled in the topping of your choice. A few shops sell them on the island, as well as other sinful delights such as cookies, doughnuts, hand-scooped ice cream and frozen bananas.
Again I was strong and chose to go to Starbucks for a decaf Iced Caffe Americano. It wasn't the same as a Balboa Bar but it was cold and something that I had never tried before. Plus I am supposed to drink two servings of coffee or tea a day on the 17 Day Diet so I was technically following my plan.
I got home around 11:00 p.m., which is a little late for me, but slept in a few hours later than normal too. Hey, it's Sunday and even God rested on Sunday, right?
I went to bed last night thinking that I needed a treat and that maybe today would be another free day because I had lost the weight I gained last weekend and I deserved a reward. I decided that if I weighed myself this morning and lost a pound I could go to Silverado Cafe, one of my favorite breakfast spots, for pancakes and bacon. So I pulled out the WiiFit balance board and weighed myself. I didn't just lose a pound, I had lost 3.5 pounds since yesterday.
My first thoughts were to how much food I could eat today and that I'd probably still be ahead of the game. But then I thought to myself, why should I sabotage myself instead of building on this accomplishment? So I drank my hot water with lemon, scrambled two egga and slices up a half cup of fresh strawberries. I feel great and above all, guilt free.
I do plan to go back to Balboa Island tonight for dinner. Each family takes turns cooking a dinner and tonight my family s making pulled pork. It's not the healthiest form of protein but I think I can work around it without too much trouble. We'll see how it goes. If I fall down a little I know I can rebound from it. I also know that one lap around Balboa Island is 2.6 miles. If I walk it, I'll burn approximately 400 calories.
Wish me luck!
But yesterday had some serious challenges too. I started the day by going to work to meet with some contractors. We are painting our building so I had to confer with the architect and the painter to approve the colors. After that was over I knew I needed to eat breakfast.
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and also the most difficult meal for me to eat out because the temptations of pankcakes, waffles, doughnuts, bacon, hashbrowns, et al. Turning those down are close to impossible.
I ended up going to Orange Cafe in Orange, CA. This is a great little hole in the wall coffee shop that serves classic diner fare. Their pankcakes are huge and one of their specialties is a strawberry pancake that comes with a vanilla bean cream cheese filling, fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It is decadent and one of the most delicious concoctions I have ever sampled.
But I was good. I ordered two scrambled eggs, a side of fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cubbed honey dew) and ice water. The egg plate also came with whole wheat toast but I only had one half of a slice (it was really good though...).
I did some chores around the house and then treated myself to a pedicure. I know doing the pedicure is a female thing but I never mind being the only guy among all of those women as long as my feet are being pampered. (Sidenote: If I ever become a billionaire, hiring someone to pamper my feet will be one of the luxuries I will indulge in daily.) Plus I found a nail place where they only speak English. It is so nice being able to chat with the lovely woman working on my feet instead of wondering if the conversations in Mandarin among nail technicians is about how disgusting my toes are.
After the pedicure I wanted to check out this new spice store I had heard about. The name of the shop is Savory Spice Shop and it is amazing. For as much as I like to cook, I am often frustrated by the lack of selection and low quality of the spices sold in grocery stores. Savory Spice Shop has everything I could imagine. Plus they are exceptionally nice, very knowledgable and generous with the samples. I ended up buying a 2 oz. jar each of sumac, Garam masala, Mexican oregano, and a Greek spice blend for seasoning chicken and seafood. If I could find these things in a local supermarket I would have easily spent over $20. I ended up spending a little over $13 and that included a $1 deposit on each bottle I purchased. When I need refills they will just give me a two-ounce bag and I'll get a $1 discount on each spice. How cool is that?
After a luxurious afternoon of a pedicure and shopping, I was faced with a delimma. My parents rent a house for a week on Balboa Island, every summer. This has been a family tradition since I was about 8 or 9. There are also two other families that my family is close to, who rent their own houses the same week. All of the kids, and now grand kids, are within a few years of each other. So it's a lot of fun. It's also a week of gluttonous eating and drinking.
I had the option to visit the island for dinner or eat on my own and come down for dessert. I chose to eat on my own. Just across the parking lot from Savory Spice Shop is Gulfstream. Gulfstream is a Hillstone restaurant and they manange Houston's, Bandera, R+D, and several other great restaurants across the country. It's a happening, pretty person place where the patrons are as attractive as the food is good.
But I wasn't there to look at debutants and cougars, I was there to eat healthy. I was in luck because one of the specials was wild Alaskan salmon. I substituted roasted beets for mashed potatoes and had water with lemon to drink. It was a little pricey, $40 after tip, but a nice healthy treat that made me feel like I wasn't being deprived of great food.
So off to the island I went. They were just finishing up some MExican takeout (one of my biggest weaknesses) but I was content to sit on the couch knowing that I made the wiser choice for my dinner. But then the next challenge came. Every night on the island we walk into "town" for ice cream. Balboa Island is famous for its Balboa Bars. A Balboa Bar is vanilla ice cream on a stick, dipped in choclate and then rolled in the topping of your choice. A few shops sell them on the island, as well as other sinful delights such as cookies, doughnuts, hand-scooped ice cream and frozen bananas.
Again I was strong and chose to go to Starbucks for a decaf Iced Caffe Americano. It wasn't the same as a Balboa Bar but it was cold and something that I had never tried before. Plus I am supposed to drink two servings of coffee or tea a day on the 17 Day Diet so I was technically following my plan.
I got home around 11:00 p.m., which is a little late for me, but slept in a few hours later than normal too. Hey, it's Sunday and even God rested on Sunday, right?
I went to bed last night thinking that I needed a treat and that maybe today would be another free day because I had lost the weight I gained last weekend and I deserved a reward. I decided that if I weighed myself this morning and lost a pound I could go to Silverado Cafe, one of my favorite breakfast spots, for pancakes and bacon. So I pulled out the WiiFit balance board and weighed myself. I didn't just lose a pound, I had lost 3.5 pounds since yesterday.
My first thoughts were to how much food I could eat today and that I'd probably still be ahead of the game. But then I thought to myself, why should I sabotage myself instead of building on this accomplishment? So I drank my hot water with lemon, scrambled two egga and slices up a half cup of fresh strawberries. I feel great and above all, guilt free.
I do plan to go back to Balboa Island tonight for dinner. Each family takes turns cooking a dinner and tonight my family s making pulled pork. It's not the healthiest form of protein but I think I can work around it without too much trouble. We'll see how it goes. If I fall down a little I know I can rebound from it. I also know that one lap around Balboa Island is 2.6 miles. If I walk it, I'll burn approximately 400 calories.
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
A Day Off Adds Up to Three Pounds On
Remember yesterday when I proudly proclaimed that I was taking a day off just to prove it wouldn't kill me? Technically I was right, It didn't kill me. But it did add three pounds back to my body.
Was it worth it? Not really. I guess if I really look at it there are some silver linings in my mistakes. So here is how it went down.
After my morning ritual of hot water with lemon I decided I needed a treat for breakfast. Breakfast food is by far my biggest weakness. I could eat breakfast for every meal and be perfectly content. I do have a handful of amazing little diners and cafes near me that serve top notch breakfast dishes. I was really craving pancakes but my favorite pancake place, Silverado Cafe, was closed for the 4th of July. So, not wanting to waste any more time searching for a place that would be open on America's birthday, I decided to head to Denny's.
I normally turn my nose up at Denny's but I do love their Grand Slamwich. I figured that I had made good strides for almost two months so a nice cheesy, greasy, breakfast sandwich was going to be my reward. In the past, when I was eating a lot more, I wasn't always full after eating a Grand Slamwich and the side of hash browns that come with it. So I decided I should probably order some pancake puppies too. For those of you unfamiliar with pancake puppies they are golf ball-sized deep fried pancake spheres served with maple flavored syrup.
When the food arrived it looked and smelled amazing. I took a bite of my slamwich and it didn't taste as good as I had remembered. I took a bite of a pancake puppie and it didn't really do it for me either. Something was off. I took another bite of the slamwich and I realized that I really wasn't as big of a fan of this sandwich as I remembered. Same with the pancake puppies. The euphoria I expected from eating something so deliciously bad for me never came. I started to feel a little queasy and realized plain and simple that this wasn't a mean I was going to finish.
After spending $16 with tip and feeling a food coma begin to wash over me I came to the following conclusion. I do not want to eat another Grand Slamwich. I now know that I do not need it and it doesn't make me happy. I now have one less temptation to tae me away from my goal.
The Denny's fiasco ruined my appetite for most of the afternoon, which meant I didn't eat anything else, I just drank water. In fact I did manage to drink my recommended 64 ounces of water before 5:00 p.m. Earlier in the day I had made plans to meet my parents at Disneyland to watch the 4th of July fireworks. The plan was to meet in Downtown Disney at 6:30 p.m., have dinner and then catch the fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
As a seasoned Disney Parks fanatic, I know that a trip to Disneyland means at least 3 to 5 miles of walking. That's a respectable amount of exercise, and definitely more than I normally get on a Monday. I should have decided to eat a sensible salad for dinner and let the exercise help wipe out the Denny's mistake. But instead I was still looking for that treat that I failed to achieve at breakfast and Disneyland was going to fix it for me.
God might have been sending me a message because we headed to Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue first. They debuted some new desserts on July 1st and I thought that barbecue and a fancy new ice cream sundae might do the trick. As luck would have it, Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue wasn't taking any more walk up guests last night. Since we didn't have a priority seating time --that's Disney speak for a reservation-- we decided to walk to Hungry Bear in Critter Country.
Hungry Bear reimagineered --more Disney speak-- their menu last March and it has become my favorite place to eat in the park. Yes, ever more favorite that the uber exclusive Club 33. There are two amazing sandwiches at Hungry Bear, the Fried Green Tomato sandwich and the Chili Cheeseburger. To top it off, both are served with perfectly seasoned and exceptionally crunchy sweet potato fries.
I decided to order the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich and it was heavenly. And even though I could have ordered the healthier slaw I went with the best sweet potato fries I have ever had. So there I sat, with mom and dad, on the banks of Rivers of America eating a first rate sandwich and enjoying the salty and sweet orange fleshed fries. I didn't feel sick while eating this meal and I didn't go into a food coma. I had a good boost of energy to last me through the rest of the evening.
My parents, who had the salad I should have ordered, decided that they wanted dessert. We had heard about this new cupcake they were selling on Main Street for the new Mickey's Soundsational Parade. It is a multi-colored cupcake with multi-colored frosting. My mom got that and offered to split it with me. I didn't want half but I figured a bite couldn't hurt. It ended up being just an average cupcake. The novelty of tie dyed food was interesting but didn't add much in terms of flavor. The honey lemon cupcake at Hungry Bear is better (Do you see how much I love this restaurant?). Here's what the cupcake looks like.
Anyway, we ended up standing in the middle of Main Street for 90 minutes waiting for the fireworks to begin. It was tiring but the show was worth the wait. As soon as the light came back on we headed for the exit and then mom and dad went to their house and I went to mine.
Fast forward to the Tuesday weigh in and I ended up gaining 3.1 pounds. Not good but I know I can shed it in a week. Due to this minor setback I will restart the Accelerate portion of the diet and eat nothing but lean protein, vegetables and two servings for fruit for the next 17 days. If I can jump start my metabolism and cleanse my body I'll be back on track again.
Was it worth it? Not really. I guess if I really look at it there are some silver linings in my mistakes. So here is how it went down.
After my morning ritual of hot water with lemon I decided I needed a treat for breakfast. Breakfast food is by far my biggest weakness. I could eat breakfast for every meal and be perfectly content. I do have a handful of amazing little diners and cafes near me that serve top notch breakfast dishes. I was really craving pancakes but my favorite pancake place, Silverado Cafe, was closed for the 4th of July. So, not wanting to waste any more time searching for a place that would be open on America's birthday, I decided to head to Denny's.
I normally turn my nose up at Denny's but I do love their Grand Slamwich. I figured that I had made good strides for almost two months so a nice cheesy, greasy, breakfast sandwich was going to be my reward. In the past, when I was eating a lot more, I wasn't always full after eating a Grand Slamwich and the side of hash browns that come with it. So I decided I should probably order some pancake puppies too. For those of you unfamiliar with pancake puppies they are golf ball-sized deep fried pancake spheres served with maple flavored syrup.
When the food arrived it looked and smelled amazing. I took a bite of my slamwich and it didn't taste as good as I had remembered. I took a bite of a pancake puppie and it didn't really do it for me either. Something was off. I took another bite of the slamwich and I realized that I really wasn't as big of a fan of this sandwich as I remembered. Same with the pancake puppies. The euphoria I expected from eating something so deliciously bad for me never came. I started to feel a little queasy and realized plain and simple that this wasn't a mean I was going to finish.
After spending $16 with tip and feeling a food coma begin to wash over me I came to the following conclusion. I do not want to eat another Grand Slamwich. I now know that I do not need it and it doesn't make me happy. I now have one less temptation to tae me away from my goal.
The Denny's fiasco ruined my appetite for most of the afternoon, which meant I didn't eat anything else, I just drank water. In fact I did manage to drink my recommended 64 ounces of water before 5:00 p.m. Earlier in the day I had made plans to meet my parents at Disneyland to watch the 4th of July fireworks. The plan was to meet in Downtown Disney at 6:30 p.m., have dinner and then catch the fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
As a seasoned Disney Parks fanatic, I know that a trip to Disneyland means at least 3 to 5 miles of walking. That's a respectable amount of exercise, and definitely more than I normally get on a Monday. I should have decided to eat a sensible salad for dinner and let the exercise help wipe out the Denny's mistake. But instead I was still looking for that treat that I failed to achieve at breakfast and Disneyland was going to fix it for me.
God might have been sending me a message because we headed to Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue first. They debuted some new desserts on July 1st and I thought that barbecue and a fancy new ice cream sundae might do the trick. As luck would have it, Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue wasn't taking any more walk up guests last night. Since we didn't have a priority seating time --that's Disney speak for a reservation-- we decided to walk to Hungry Bear in Critter Country.
Hungry Bear reimagineered --more Disney speak-- their menu last March and it has become my favorite place to eat in the park. Yes, ever more favorite that the uber exclusive Club 33. There are two amazing sandwiches at Hungry Bear, the Fried Green Tomato sandwich and the Chili Cheeseburger. To top it off, both are served with perfectly seasoned and exceptionally crunchy sweet potato fries.
I decided to order the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich and it was heavenly. And even though I could have ordered the healthier slaw I went with the best sweet potato fries I have ever had. So there I sat, with mom and dad, on the banks of Rivers of America eating a first rate sandwich and enjoying the salty and sweet orange fleshed fries. I didn't feel sick while eating this meal and I didn't go into a food coma. I had a good boost of energy to last me through the rest of the evening.
My parents, who had the salad I should have ordered, decided that they wanted dessert. We had heard about this new cupcake they were selling on Main Street for the new Mickey's Soundsational Parade. It is a multi-colored cupcake with multi-colored frosting. My mom got that and offered to split it with me. I didn't want half but I figured a bite couldn't hurt. It ended up being just an average cupcake. The novelty of tie dyed food was interesting but didn't add much in terms of flavor. The honey lemon cupcake at Hungry Bear is better (Do you see how much I love this restaurant?). Here's what the cupcake looks like.
 |
| Mickey's Soundsational Cupcake sold exclusively at Blue Ribbon Bakery, Main Street, USA, Disneyland. |
Fast forward to the Tuesday weigh in and I ended up gaining 3.1 pounds. Not good but I know I can shed it in a week. Due to this minor setback I will restart the Accelerate portion of the diet and eat nothing but lean protein, vegetables and two servings for fruit for the next 17 days. If I can jump start my metabolism and cleanse my body I'll be back on track again.
Monday, July 4, 2011
July 4, 2011
Happy 4th of July. Like everyday since May 10, 2011, I started off the morning with a hot cup of lemon water. But that's it for me today from a diet standpoint. I will be taking the day off and eating what I want today.
Why you ask? I don't have a good reason other than I think I need to remind myself that I can eat something I shouldn't and it isn't going to kill me. I'm not going to binge and I don't have any concrete plans for what I will eat. I don't really have a craving either so I may end up just eating something healthy after all.
I also know that I will be getting a lot of exercise because, for the third day in a row, I will be going to Disneyland. My parents called me this morning to see if I wanted to go to the Happiest Place on Earth to watch 4th of July fireworks. Who am I to say no to that?
So have a great birthday America and I'll try to check in later with a report on what I ate. I'm thinking the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich from Hungry Bear might be the call.
Why you ask? I don't have a good reason other than I think I need to remind myself that I can eat something I shouldn't and it isn't going to kill me. I'm not going to binge and I don't have any concrete plans for what I will eat. I don't really have a craving either so I may end up just eating something healthy after all.
I also know that I will be getting a lot of exercise because, for the third day in a row, I will be going to Disneyland. My parents called me this morning to see if I wanted to go to the Happiest Place on Earth to watch 4th of July fireworks. Who am I to say no to that?
So have a great birthday America and I'll try to check in later with a report on what I ate. I'm thinking the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich from Hungry Bear might be the call.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Juy 3, 2011 - Linner
I ended up eating a late lunch so I just made it an early dinner too, aka Linner. Disney's California Adventure Park was surprisingly uncrowded for a holiday weekend. Last Friday, two new restaurants opened in the Paradise Pier section of the park so I went there to eat.
The bigger of the two restaurants is called Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta. They serve pizza, pasta and salads. I wasn't really in the mood for a salad because I have so many during the week at work. So I decided to checkout the other new restaurant, Paradise Garden Grill. This restaurant has a Mediterranean menu with a lot of healthy options. I had the chicken kabob that comes with rice pilaf, a cucumber salad and pita bread. I'm not in the phase of my diet where I can have rice so I asked of they could hold the pilaf and double my cucumber salad. They did so I was happy. One of the cool things about this restaurant is they have four different sauces for your kabob. I went with the Tandoori Spiced Yogurt sauce which gave the dish a slight Indian flair. I ignored the pita and had a bottle water to drink. All in all I think I ate pretty well and was satisfied when I was done.
I also got in a few miles of walking which is an added bonus because I need to keep increasing the amount of time I spend exercising.
The bigger of the two restaurants is called Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta. They serve pizza, pasta and salads. I wasn't really in the mood for a salad because I have so many during the week at work. So I decided to checkout the other new restaurant, Paradise Garden Grill. This restaurant has a Mediterranean menu with a lot of healthy options. I had the chicken kabob that comes with rice pilaf, a cucumber salad and pita bread. I'm not in the phase of my diet where I can have rice so I asked of they could hold the pilaf and double my cucumber salad. They did so I was happy. One of the cool things about this restaurant is they have four different sauces for your kabob. I went with the Tandoori Spiced Yogurt sauce which gave the dish a slight Indian flair. I ignored the pita and had a bottle water to drink. All in all I think I ate pretty well and was satisfied when I was done.
I also got in a few miles of walking which is an added bonus because I need to keep increasing the amount of time I spend exercising.
July 3, 2011 - Breakfast
The original motivation for starting this blog was to have an online food journal. However, in a week I haven't written down one thing that I have eaten. So here it goes.
7:00 a.m. - Hot Water with Lemon
This was recommended as a great way to start the day by Dr. Moreno has been my morning ritual from the beginning. All I do is take a coffee mug full of water, put it in the microwave for 2 minutes and then squeeze half a lemon into it. Supposedly the lemon juice helps signal your stomach to begin digestion.
8:00 a.m. - Kefir Smoothie
This is another Dr. Moreno recipe that I love. I had never tried Kefor before this diet but I do love it. Kefir is a probiotic milk that you can substitute for a serving of yogurt. It's very acidic tasting, kind of like buttermilk, but it makes a great tart smoothie. Here's my recipe.
1 Cup Kefir (plain, unsweetened and low fat)
1/2 Cup frozen peaches
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar
Blend for one minute and drink immediately.
Here's are two recommendations for making a great smoothie.
7:00 a.m. - Hot Water with Lemon
This was recommended as a great way to start the day by Dr. Moreno has been my morning ritual from the beginning. All I do is take a coffee mug full of water, put it in the microwave for 2 minutes and then squeeze half a lemon into it. Supposedly the lemon juice helps signal your stomach to begin digestion.
8:00 a.m. - Kefir Smoothie
This is another Dr. Moreno recipe that I love. I had never tried Kefor before this diet but I do love it. Kefir is a probiotic milk that you can substitute for a serving of yogurt. It's very acidic tasting, kind of like buttermilk, but it makes a great tart smoothie. Here's my recipe.
1 Cup Kefir (plain, unsweetened and low fat)
1/2 Cup frozen peaches
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar
Blend for one minute and drink immediately.
Here's are two recommendations for making a great smoothie.
- Always use frozen fruit. The ice crystals that develop during the freezing process tear through the cell walls of the fruit. This helps the fruit breakdown to a more drinkable consistency during blending.
- Add all of the ingredients to the blender carafe the night before. By mixing the ingredients the night before, the frozen fruit will have time to thaw a little in the refrigerator. This will prevent you from having frozen chunks of unblended fruit in the morning. Additionally, by doing all of the prep work the night before you won't have the excuse not to eat breakfast in the morning if you wake up late. Throw the carafe on the base and blend away.
Another Goal: Below 290
I had a wonderful surprise yesterday when I weighed myself. My weight dipped below 290 to 289.8. That's 32 pound down, 113 to go. Dropping below 290 also caused me to reach the WiiFit goal I had set for myself about a month ago. These minor milestones really got me thinking about the short term goals and what I should be aiming for to keep myself motivated.
First about the WiiFit milestone. WiiFit allows you to enter weight loss goals. Every time you weigh yourself, the system will tell you how far you have to go to achieve your target. One of the downsides is the maximum you can set the weight loss for in one goal is 22 pounds. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because for most people 22 pounds is a lot of weight. I'd rather track my target weight goal of 177 pounds but these small milestones are probably a little more realistic. The other frustrating part of the WiiFit goals is that you can only set your goals for 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, or 3 months. Ideally I'd like to lose 2-pounds a week which would make my 22-pound goal an 11 week cycle. Since there isn't an 11-week option, I'm doing this over 3 months. I can knock off 22 pounds my October.
Besides the WiiFit goals here are some of the other benchmarks and rewards I have set for myself.
272 Pounds, Down 50
Treat myself to a deep tissue massage. I love massages and the deep tissue is my favorite. When I reach 272 I will take a Friday afternoon off and go the the spa at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel for some much needed pampering. I have been to the Ritz Carlton for a hot rock massage before and it was fantastic. And while you might be thinking, "Hey, you can get a deep tissue massage anywhere. Why drop the extra cash just to go to the Ritz Carlton?" I know from experience that the Ritz Carton has top notch spa facilities. They have an individual shower stall that has something like 9 shower heads. It's like taking a shower in an automated car wash. Plus they have a great steam room and dry sauna. I can easily spend a couple of hours relaxing and being pampered. To me, that's worth the extra cash.
242 Pounds, Down 80
A Segway Tour of Disney's California Adventure Park. This is the goal I am really looking forward to. First off, I have always been fascinated by Segways. Second, I am the biggest Disney Parks fanatic you will ever meet. Put these two together and I am in geek heaven. The problem with the Segway Tours are this, there is a 250-pound weight limit. So why not do this when my weight reaches 250 pounds? To be honest I don't want there to be any barrier to keep me from taking this behind the scenes tour. I have this fear that we will have to weigh in before the Segway ride begins. Oh the horror of being told you weigh too much, especially after losing 72 pounds. So at 242 I know that I should be able to hop on a scale fully clothed and fully hydrated and still weigh less than 250 pounds.
Luckily for me, at least in the short-term, the Segway Tour of Disney's California Adventure Park is on hiatus for a little while until they complete the construction projects of Carsland and Buena Vista Street. I am hoping that by spring 2012 I will be able to do this goal.
222 Pounds, Down 100
I haven't figured this one out yet, but it has to be something big. Losing 100 pounds is a huge deal and I want to make sure it is something memorable. Now I must confess, my first instincts were to make this a food reward. Maybe a chef's table at a top restaurant or a gastronomic mini-vacation, like going to a barbecue festival. But I really think making this a food reward is counterproductive. I don't want to drop 100 just to put 5 or ten back on, right? I'll need some time to figure this one out. Any suggestions you have will be appreciated.
First about the WiiFit milestone. WiiFit allows you to enter weight loss goals. Every time you weigh yourself, the system will tell you how far you have to go to achieve your target. One of the downsides is the maximum you can set the weight loss for in one goal is 22 pounds. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because for most people 22 pounds is a lot of weight. I'd rather track my target weight goal of 177 pounds but these small milestones are probably a little more realistic. The other frustrating part of the WiiFit goals is that you can only set your goals for 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, or 3 months. Ideally I'd like to lose 2-pounds a week which would make my 22-pound goal an 11 week cycle. Since there isn't an 11-week option, I'm doing this over 3 months. I can knock off 22 pounds my October.
Besides the WiiFit goals here are some of the other benchmarks and rewards I have set for myself.
272 Pounds, Down 50
Treat myself to a deep tissue massage. I love massages and the deep tissue is my favorite. When I reach 272 I will take a Friday afternoon off and go the the spa at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel for some much needed pampering. I have been to the Ritz Carlton for a hot rock massage before and it was fantastic. And while you might be thinking, "Hey, you can get a deep tissue massage anywhere. Why drop the extra cash just to go to the Ritz Carlton?" I know from experience that the Ritz Carton has top notch spa facilities. They have an individual shower stall that has something like 9 shower heads. It's like taking a shower in an automated car wash. Plus they have a great steam room and dry sauna. I can easily spend a couple of hours relaxing and being pampered. To me, that's worth the extra cash.
242 Pounds, Down 80
A Segway Tour of Disney's California Adventure Park. This is the goal I am really looking forward to. First off, I have always been fascinated by Segways. Second, I am the biggest Disney Parks fanatic you will ever meet. Put these two together and I am in geek heaven. The problem with the Segway Tours are this, there is a 250-pound weight limit. So why not do this when my weight reaches 250 pounds? To be honest I don't want there to be any barrier to keep me from taking this behind the scenes tour. I have this fear that we will have to weigh in before the Segway ride begins. Oh the horror of being told you weigh too much, especially after losing 72 pounds. So at 242 I know that I should be able to hop on a scale fully clothed and fully hydrated and still weigh less than 250 pounds.
Luckily for me, at least in the short-term, the Segway Tour of Disney's California Adventure Park is on hiatus for a little while until they complete the construction projects of Carsland and Buena Vista Street. I am hoping that by spring 2012 I will be able to do this goal.
222 Pounds, Down 100
I haven't figured this one out yet, but it has to be something big. Losing 100 pounds is a huge deal and I want to make sure it is something memorable. Now I must confess, my first instincts were to make this a food reward. Maybe a chef's table at a top restaurant or a gastronomic mini-vacation, like going to a barbecue festival. But I really think making this a food reward is counterproductive. I don't want to drop 100 just to put 5 or ten back on, right? I'll need some time to figure this one out. Any suggestions you have will be appreciated.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
What is the Road to 177?
I have been heavy for a long time. Not all of my life, but for most of my adult life. On May 9, 2011 --42 days ago-- I went on a diet. My friend Michelle, who also struggles with her weight, had been following The 17 Day Diet by Dr. Mike Moreno and she had amazing success with it. I decided to try it too.
Deciding to diet was harder for me this time than it had been in the past. I have a food addiction. I eat to celebrate. I eat when I need a pick me up. I eat for just about evey reason you can come up with. To make matters worse the only things I don't like to eat are sweet pickles and the Trix/Froot Loops/Fruity Pebbles style of cereal. I am a hardcore foodie.
My biggest obstacle is portion control. It has always been a big deal in my family to eat a lot. Buffets and restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory and The Claim Jumper that serve huge portions were my weakness. If the food is there I will eat it.
42 days ago I weighed 322 pounds. Yesterday I weighed 293. That's 29 pounds in 41 days. It's a good start but I know I have a lot more to lose. People I work with are starting to notice a difference. My clothes are looser. My size 46 belt is too big to hold my pants up. But I know I need to do more and I decided to start this blog to motivate myself.
I weigh myself every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday using a Wii Balance Board and the Wii Fit game. I have a high tech scale in my bathroom that measures body fat, skeletal muscle, body mass index (BMI), and visceral fat but it tops out at 300 pounds. Now that I am under 300 I will start using both systems to evaluate my progress.
I know with any diet you need to have goals. My initial goal was just to lose weight. I didn't have a target weight goal at first because I didn't want to be unrealistic. But as things progressed I decided I needed a good long term goal. I initially thought 199 pound would be a good target because I haven't been below 200 since college. However, every time I weigh myself the Wii Fit Body Test reminds me that I am obese because my BMI is just under 40. Hearing the electronic "fail riff" and the taunting, "That's Obese!" from your gaming system is a rough way to start the day. I looked at the BMI scale and the heaviest a 6'0" male can weigh and still be considered normal is 177 pounds. So that's my official goal and that why I named this blog "The Road to 177."
I haven't weighed 177 pounds since high school. That's when I was in the gym every day lifting weight and playing basketball for 2 to 3 hours at a time. Today I have a desk job and work long hours. I have lost 29 pounds without exercising but I know that won't work much longer. I need to exercise more.
My plans for this blog are to share my weight loss progress as well as any other statisitcs I can come up with like my BMI, change in clothing sizes, etc. I also will post what I am eating and how I prepare the food or have it prepared for me. And finally I will talk about exercise and what works and doesn't work for me. I will try to be as specific and as candid as I can be. I will mention the exact name of the products I am using because I think the things that work should be credited. Some of my posts might read like a paid commercial but I'm not going to wory about that right now. If I the highly unlikely circumstance occurs and I do get paid for writing about something I like, I will only do so if I believe in the product.
Enjoy!
Deciding to diet was harder for me this time than it had been in the past. I have a food addiction. I eat to celebrate. I eat when I need a pick me up. I eat for just about evey reason you can come up with. To make matters worse the only things I don't like to eat are sweet pickles and the Trix/Froot Loops/Fruity Pebbles style of cereal. I am a hardcore foodie.
My biggest obstacle is portion control. It has always been a big deal in my family to eat a lot. Buffets and restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory and The Claim Jumper that serve huge portions were my weakness. If the food is there I will eat it.
42 days ago I weighed 322 pounds. Yesterday I weighed 293. That's 29 pounds in 41 days. It's a good start but I know I have a lot more to lose. People I work with are starting to notice a difference. My clothes are looser. My size 46 belt is too big to hold my pants up. But I know I need to do more and I decided to start this blog to motivate myself.
I weigh myself every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday using a Wii Balance Board and the Wii Fit game. I have a high tech scale in my bathroom that measures body fat, skeletal muscle, body mass index (BMI), and visceral fat but it tops out at 300 pounds. Now that I am under 300 I will start using both systems to evaluate my progress.
I know with any diet you need to have goals. My initial goal was just to lose weight. I didn't have a target weight goal at first because I didn't want to be unrealistic. But as things progressed I decided I needed a good long term goal. I initially thought 199 pound would be a good target because I haven't been below 200 since college. However, every time I weigh myself the Wii Fit Body Test reminds me that I am obese because my BMI is just under 40. Hearing the electronic "fail riff" and the taunting, "That's Obese!" from your gaming system is a rough way to start the day. I looked at the BMI scale and the heaviest a 6'0" male can weigh and still be considered normal is 177 pounds. So that's my official goal and that why I named this blog "The Road to 177."
I haven't weighed 177 pounds since high school. That's when I was in the gym every day lifting weight and playing basketball for 2 to 3 hours at a time. Today I have a desk job and work long hours. I have lost 29 pounds without exercising but I know that won't work much longer. I need to exercise more.
My plans for this blog are to share my weight loss progress as well as any other statisitcs I can come up with like my BMI, change in clothing sizes, etc. I also will post what I am eating and how I prepare the food or have it prepared for me. And finally I will talk about exercise and what works and doesn't work for me. I will try to be as specific and as candid as I can be. I will mention the exact name of the products I am using because I think the things that work should be credited. Some of my posts might read like a paid commercial but I'm not going to wory about that right now. If I the highly unlikely circumstance occurs and I do get paid for writing about something I like, I will only do so if I believe in the product.
Enjoy!
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