Entry 4/28/10

After a hiatis from the blog I decided to do a post today. During the cold months it is just harder for me to be consistent with my exercise. But turn Spring I'm right back to walking, jogging and lifting weights on a consistent basis. As a result the weight has been coming down. I got up to 238 shortly after the Christmas holidays, but when I weighed yesterday I was at 230.5 lbs.

When I don't exercise, I don't eat well. I think for me it is due to stress related eating. Without the endorphines and the other beneficail chemicals released during exercise, my brain substitutes food for my "feel good".

I would like to make this blog more interesting without having to spend a lot of time. If you have any ideas let me know and I'll consider encorporating them.

Meantime here is my usual entry

weight: 230.5 The last time I weighed it was 233.5 on Sunday 3 days ago. Since I don't remember my weight before Sunday its hard to tell from what this 3 lb drop is due. I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't jump up a pound or two the next time I weigh this coming Saturday. That is when I'll be back at the gym. I'm only weighing every 3 days for now. One reason is I don't have the more accurate balance beam scales at home.

Exercise: Short .2 mile walk in morning and at lunch. Lifted weights involing all muscle groups with heavy lifting with legs and back - the larger muscle groups. It took me about 45 minutes. I've started allowing my pulse rate to drop to 96, which is 60% of my max, between lifts. I've been feeling better after lifting both short term and long term after doing this. I walked about .5 miles to cool down. My pulse rate was 126 when I started and I allowed it to come down evenly to 100 during the walk. After the walk I stretched for about 10 minutes to maintain flexiblity and reduce soreness in the following days.

Food:

Brkfst- Bowl of Raisin Bran. Not the best cereal for a low carb diet but I like it. half grapefruit and Coffee.

Snacked on bits of apple (cut up into 1/8 pieces) throughout the day Also had about 10 peanuts and 5 walnuts.

Lunch-Bean, cheese and meat burito, small taco and diet coke from Taco Bueno.

Dinner - Cup of mixed vegatbles (beans, peppers, carrots, water chestnut - a stir fry blend), canned salmon and buttermilk. Not a gormet meal but I liked it. I'm not hard to please and it was fairly healthy but not optimum.

Entry 10/8/09

Weight: 232 lbs.

Breakfast: Two scrambled eggs, slice whole wheat toast. Coffee with creamer, and splenda. Dannon Activa yogurt. Omega 3, Acetyl L-Carnitine and Lipoic Acid, Multivitamin. A combination of alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine may be more effective than either nutrient individually in improving cellular fat burning. Acetyl L-Carnitine is a neuroprotectant and Lipoic Acid is a antioxidnat.

Snack: 1 square 86% cocoa Chocolate bar

Lunch: Grilled chicken thigh and leg, grilled vegatables, beans, 1/2 cup pico di gallo. Diet Coke

Snack: 3 walnuts I ran out :( , 1 square 86% cocoa Chocolate bar.

Dinner: 2 thighs, 1 wing KFC original chicken, 1 cup green beans. Diet Dr. Pepper.

DanActive

Exercise:Lifted weights for 1 hour (made the mistake of asking a lady how she liked a new machine got a 15 minute answer, messed up my routine) 14 minute cool down walk and 8 minute stretch. Avg. Hrt Rate 111 beats per minute Max HR 136 bpm.

Entry 10/7/09

Weight: 231.5 lbs It is tedious trying to think of all the reasons, why we have weight fluctuations like we do. On 9/29 I weighed 234. On 10/5 I weighed 230 which I didn't believe was permanent. Sure enough I weighed 1.5 lbs more today. Two days ago I lifted weights. Some of that 1.5 is from muscle gain. I would estimate about .5 lbs or less. The other is probably due to difference in glycogen storage. Simply stated glycogen is the readily available sugar stored mainly in muscle and the liver. During exercise if you are burning more sugar than the body can convert from carbohydrates the glycogen is burned. On average there is 1 - 1.5 lbs of glycogen in your body. Fluctuations in hydration also account for weight swings. This is why people who weigh daily are easily discouraged if they don't understand the factors involved. It causes a lot of people to lose motivation. What you must look at is the trend over a 4-5 day period. If you have an unexpected shoot up in weight and you have been doing all the "right" things, wait 4-5 days before deciding that you may be doing something wrong. You know when you are cheating.

Breakfast: Two scrambled eggs, slice of whole wheat toast, tomato was "mushy" so I didn't eat it. One container of DanActive. Coffee with creamer and splenda. Omega 3, Lipoic Acid and Multi-vitamin

Lunch: Grilled Chicken salad with 1/2 cup of Ranch dressing and some good company. Iced tea.

Snack: 5 walnuts, 1 square of 86% cocoa chocolate bar

Dinner: Pork Chop, 1.5 cup green beans. 1/2 new potato. Diet Dr. Pepper One small bite of cheese cake. One small bite of Blue Bell Cookies and Cream. Don't plan to eat anything else but the night is still young.

Exercise: Walked/jogged 1.1 mile with cool down. Avg Heart Rate 109 bpm Max 132 bpm
I always stretch for about 8-10 minutes, after I exercise. Reduces next day soreness and helps flexibility.

Entry 10/6/2009

Weight: Didn't weigh this morining. I always trie to weigh at the same time before I eat anything.

Breakfast: Two scrambled eggs, 6 ounces skim milk and 1 DanActive (14 grams carb, 80 calories). Omega 3 capsule, Alpha Lipoic Acid (antioxidant), Multivitamin. 1 sguare 86% cocoa chocolate bar (Flavanoids an antioxidant) Chocolate also dialates blood vessels and lowers pulse rate.

Lunch: Five ounce Turkey breast, mac and cheese, green beans, water

Snack: 5 walnuts

Dinner; 3 pork chops, green beans and 1 small potatoe, 1/4 cup of fried okra, 8 ounces of buttermilk

Exercise: Walked/jogged 2.43 miles in 39 min including cool down. Avg speed 3.7 mph Max speed 4.8 mph Total calories burned 300, Avg heartrate 121 bpm Max Heartrate 142 bpm

Firemen know about the "Fire Triangle". To have a fire there must be fuel, oxygen, and heat. Remove any of those and the fire goes out. I think the weight loss triangle is food, activity, and motivation. You have to eat right and be active. Remove the motivation and you won't do any of the other two. You must determine what motivates you. It can be appearance, long term health benefits, and feeling good. Set reasonable goals like 1 pound a week, 4 pounds a month, 48 pounds in a year.

Entry 10/5/2009

Weight: 230 lbs.

Breakfast: 1.5 oz. cheddar cheese. Half cup of Special K with quarter cup of skim milk. Danon yogurt.

Snack: Apple

Lunch: Thigh and drumstick grilled chicken, beans,grilled veggies, half cup pico de gallo, diet coke.

Snack: 1 square 86% cocoa chocolate bar.

Dinner: Canned salmon, steam broccoli,cauliflower,squash (1 cup total) 8 oz buttermilk. I like buttermilk plus it has beneficial bacteria for healthy colon flora which helps reduce free radicals and prevent colon cancer.

Exercise: 1hr 1 min weight lifting 20 minute cool down walk. Avg pulse rate 116 bpm max 141 bpm.

Walking 1 to 2 miles 2 to 3 times spread evenly through the day at a moderate pace is excellent fat burning exercise. It keeps the metabolism revved up.

Entry 9/29/2009

Weight:234

Breakfast: 2 eggs with cheese, slice of sugarless whole wheat toast and slice of tomato. 2 cups of coffe with cream. Multivitamin, Alpha Lipoic Acid (antioxidant) and Omega 3 capsule.

Lunch: 2 small tacos, bean burrito and diet coke

Snack: 8 walnuts

Dinner; Ham sandwich with cheese on whole wheat. Mayo and mustard. Diet Fresca.

Exercise: Lifted weights for 45 minutes with a 10 minute cool down walk.

Entry 5/13/09

Weight: 234.5 lbs.

Breakfast: Two fried eggs and 2 slices whole wheat toast. Cup of coffee with sweetener and creamer.