2026 CALORIES TWO DAYS BEFORE 2016

One might think that after experiencing various improvements in my strength and endurance over the past year that I would cease to be amazed by how quickly both improve when you work on them.  It was just two weeks ago, that I hopped on an elliptical machine for the first time in two months and logged under 1500 calories for a 92 minute workout at level 20. Two days ago, I narrowly missed 'breaking' the 2000 calorie barrier. Yesterday I hopped over that barrier and added 26 more calories for good luck. 

I think that this is a massive improvement over a course of just two weeks. 500+ calories. So what if the machine is incorrect and the additional calorie burn was somewhat less. So what if I really didn't burn the 2026 calories during this 92 minute workout.  As I have discussed on this blog many time, I use these numbers for comparison. In essence, I use them for entertainment. The only real numbers that count are the numbers that the imaginary needle on my electronic digital scale point to week after week. There is no denying that those numbers have been real this past year. And if the elliptical machine records a workout burning 1500 calories and a workout burning 2000+ calories...one thing is certain.... That second workout was more vigorous. Case closed. Carpe Diem. Hasta La Vista. See you tomorrow...New Year's Day....Time for some New Year's Resolutions.

Later in the evening, I walked from downtown back to a Starbucks in our home neighborhood to meet my family.  As I often do, I did not seek the shortest route to get from Point A to Point B.

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Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Roundy's - Center Cut Bacon, 3 Slices	70	0	4	7	220	0
Kellog's Corn Flakes - Cereal, 140 g	500	120	0	10	1,000	15
	570	120	4	17	1,220	15
L U N C H
New England Clan Chowder, 4 cup	560	92	16	16	3,560	0
	560	92	16	16	3,560	0
D I N N E R
Generic - Chicken Vesuvio, 6 oz	518	6	70	47	608	0
Turkey - White Meat, 3 oz.	105	4	0	15	863	3
Bobak's - Polish Sausage, 0.5 link	115	1	11	5	0	0
Whole Foods - Traditional Herb Stuffing	210	0	5	8	630	3
	948	10	85	74	2,101	6
S N A C K S
CHERRY VANILLA GRANOLA	312	52	9	6	78	19
NATURAL WASABI GREEN PEAS	138	22	3	5	276	2
ORGANIC DATE PIECES w/OAT FLOWER,	246	61	0	2	20	45
	696	135	13	13	374	67
Totals	2,774	357	118	120	7,256	88
Your Daily Goal	4,931	616	164	247	2,300	185
Remaining	2,157	258	46	126	-4,955	97
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 3,001 extra calories from exercise today

       Your Exercise Diary for:

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	2,026
Walking, 5.0 mph	23	473
Walking, 5.0 mph	41	682
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-180
Daily Total / Goal	157 / 30	3,001 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	356 / 210	6,898 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 2774 calories

total calories (92 minutes elliptical, walking) 3181 calories

total net calories 407 calorie defecit

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fitbit day 118
20885 steps
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GREAT BARRIER REEF

Today's post will be a bit frivolous.  Aren't many of them?  (That's a rhetorical question, please do not feel you need to answer!) I have said on occasion that I enjoy getting emails from my apps. Twenty years ago one received actual physical letters and cards (mail) from real people.  That joy transformed into getting electronic mail (email) from real people.  Nowadays, we get email from our 'apps.'  An 'app' never forgets a birthday, or anniversary or anything now that I think of it. This is called progress. Today, my fitbit app sent me an email and the email announced the fact that I earned another honor. This honor was a badge for walking 1600 miles since my fitbit was activated on September 3rd of this year. This badge is the GREAT BARRIER REEF badge.

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Each time that I receive one of these so-called lifetime achievement badges it is always a surprise. I just don't know what the next level is. For example, I currently don't know what the next badge to be earned will be. A friend of mine who has had his fitbit for three years recently earned the 'Africa' badge (that was for walking 5000 miles - the length of Africa)  I am assuming that there will be a number of badges to be earned before I complete my imaginary trek from the northernmost part of Africa to Capetown.

List of 'lifetime' mileage badges that I have received so far... with the dates that they were earned:

MARATHON BADGE               26 MILES earned September 6, 2015
PENGUIN MARCH BADGE    70 MILES  earned September 9, 2015
LONDON UNDERGROUND 250 MILES  earned September 24, 2015
SERENGETI                            500 MILES  earned October 11, 2015
ITALY                                       736 MILES  earned October 28, 2015
NEW ZEALAND                     990 MILES  earned November 14, 2015
GREAT BARRIER REEF      1600 MILES  earned December 29, 2015

The Girl Scouts have perfected this 'badge' idea. When a Girl Scout earns a badge - she actually get a badge (patch) which she can sew onto her Girl Scout vest.  Where's my patch?  No, seriously... I want my patch! I would proudly sew it onto my backpack. There might an idea for a product launch for the fitbit company.  Hey, FITBIT, are you listening?
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Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Calbee - Baked Shrimp Chips	390	57	18	6	690	3
Generic - Yamasa Narutomaki, 6 oz	180	27	0	15	2,160	9
	570	84	18	21	2,850	12
L U N C H
Generic - Whitefish, Lightly Blackened, 8 z filet	244	0	2	53	2,312	0
Generic  - Buttered Cabbage, 6.2 oz.	246	10	23	3	196	6
WHOLE FOODS 8890 - STRAWBERRY VANILLA HEMP GRANOLA, 88.0 g (3/4 cup)	400	64	13	8	96	24
WHOLE FOODS 5536 - YOGURT ALMONDS	220	22	14	4	20	19
	1,110	96	52	68	2,624	49
D I N N E R
Generic - Bulgogi (Korean Bbq), 2 Serving	186	9	7	22	634	0
White Rice - White Rice, 1.5 cup	308	66	0	2	0	0
	494	75	7	24	634	0
S N A C K S
Kelloggs-Corn Flakes - Cereal, 2 cup (28g)	200	48	0	4	400	6
	200	48	0	4	400	6
Totals	2,374	303	77	117	6,508	67
Your Daily Goal	4,095	512	136	205	2,300	153
Remaining	1,721	209	59	88	-4,208	85
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 2,165 extra calories from exercise today

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	Your Exercise Diary for:

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	1,984
MATRIX TREADMILL	13	100
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	81
Daily Total / Goal	106 / 30	2,165 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	199 / 210	3,881 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 2374 calories

total calories (92 minutes elliptical, walking) 2084 calories

total net calories 290 calories

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fitbit day 117
21046 steps
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MARATHON BADGE - 26 MILES

PENGUIN MARCH BADGE - 70 MILES

LONDON UNDERGROUND BADGE - 250 MILES

SERENGETI BADGE - 500 MILES

ITALY BADGE - 736 MILES 

NEW ZEALAND BADGE - 990 MILES 

GREAT BARRIER REEF BADGE - 1600 MILES

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THE NEXT BADGE? - ? MILES (I do not know what the next badge is... I will find out when I earn it)

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I had not realized how rusty I was when I started using the elliptical machine again after a few months hiatus. I almost always set my home elliptical machine to 90 minutes (plus a two minute 'cooldown') and set the 'resistance' to level 20. I simply peddle as hard as I can at a rate that seems comfortable and that I can maintain for the full 90 minutes. I had forgotten how effective a calorie burn was to be had on this machine as I have just begun to regain the levels of my previous workouts.  

As recently as two weeks ago,  Monday December 14, I worked out on this machine for 92 minutes, level 20 and logged only 1435 calories burned. At the time, I did not realize how poorly this compared to the calorie burn output level of my workouts on this machine a few months back.

Yesterday, December 29, I worked out on this machines for the same 92 minutes, at the same level 20 and logged nearly 2000 calories burned.  (That is a huge difference, and the assumption is that I will continue to improve as I continue to use this machine more and more often)

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map of the actual Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia

IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION...

Aaaaaargh!  First there was the time a few months back when my Mom read my blog and questioned why I had so much liquor the previous night. I had to explain to her that they were 'L'chaims' enjoyed at the Chabad House which are not part of some ordinary drinking binge in a van down by the river.

Last night Mom 'struck' again. But this time I know she is right. My Mom wrote to me and told me that she brought her Kindle with her when she saw her chiropractor just to show off my somewhat dramatic before/after pictures. Since, my daily blog also records what I have been eating, the chiropractor could immediately see that I was not eating enough protein on a daily basis. Not to be stupid about it, but could this be the cause of my very slight anemia? Sure seems possible. So the recommendation is that I seek the a nutritionist for advice. Ok, Mom, I am talking to you: I will do it. And I won't wait six months. But I may not get to it this week. And that's all I want to say on this matter right now. 😀

and even if you are too old to ask... you are never too old to be told even without asking! 😀

I have lost my enthusiasm to post my food diary from yesterday. Although it was somewhat low in calories. It is another example of a protein deficient diet. I have work to do. In fact, I see a New Year's Resolution in the making...  For months now, I have been aware that I have developed some new unhealthy eating habits despite my progress on the scale. I am going to address this next year.

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Your Food Diary For:

Monday, December 28, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Essential Everyday - Raisins (20 Oz), 1 cup (40g)	520	124	0	4	40	116
Fruit - Medium Apple, 2 Apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	710	174	1	5	44	154
L U N C H
libby's - Sweet Corn, 1.75 cup	210	32	5	7	700	25
Earthbound Farm - Baby Spinach, Organic, 3 oz	20	3	0	2	65	0
Roundy's - Canned Mixed Garden Vegetables, 1 3/4 cup	123	25	0	4	1,470	11
	353	59	5	13	2,235	35
D I N N E R
Dynasty - Cut Baby Corn, 7.5 oz drained	50	8	0	3	475	0
Campbells Home Style Soup - Italian Wedding Soup, 2.5 cup	250	33	6	15	1,025	10
	300	40	6	18	1,500	10
S N A C K S
Quaker - Instant Oatmeal-original, 112 g	400	76	8	16	300	0
rice krispies treats - Rice Krispies, 2 bar	180	34	4	2	210	16
	580	110	12	18	510	16
Totals	1,943	383	24	53	4,289	215
Your Daily Goal	3,643	455	121	183	2,300	136
Remaining	1,700	72	96	130	-1,989	-79
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,713 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Monday, December 28, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	1,699
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	14
Daily Total / Goal	93 / 30	1,713 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	93 / 210	1,713 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 1943 calories

total calories (92 minutes elliptical) 1699 calories

total net calories 244 calories

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fitbit day 116
12592 steps

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CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE MEDICAL KIND

The oddest thing about me using Close Encounters of the Third Kind as the inspiration for today's blog is that I have never seen this 1977 movie directed by Steven Spielberg.

I have however, seen the actual 'Devil's Tower' in Wyoming where the finale of this movie takes place.

Summer 2011.  A rare photo of myself on vacation.  Vacations were not rare.  That I would want to be in a photo was rare. In 2011, I might easily have still been 30 pounds or more away from my final 'destination' of 309 lbs, three years later in December of 2014. I did not look as horrible back then as I would three years later, but the direction of my weight gain was already wildly out-of-control.  And things only got worse from that point.

After my 'wellness exam' on Thursday,  I received an automated email from my doctor's office detailing my office visit, The email included the specific blood work tests that were ordered as well as parts of my medical history.  The part of this email that I enjoyed the most is reproduced below:

Within 366 days, according to this chart, I had five 'CLOSE' ENCOUNTERS with my doctor.  The most recent encounter is at the top of the chart and the most distant encounter is at the bottom.  As you can see, my beginning weight was listed at 313.8 lbs.  You have seen my write all year that I stated my journey at 309 lbs.  At the doctor's office, the weigh-ins take place while clothed, so I subtracted the weight of the clothes that I was wearing to calculate my original starting weight.  For some reason, my home scale has been consistently wrong.  My scale always shows me about two pounds HEAVIER than the doctor's $2000+ scale.  The funny thing is, the doctor has told me more than once that I am the ONLY patient who 'complains' about this.  He claims that most of his patients complain about his scale showing them to be a bit heavier than their home scales.  I have always been a bit different. This chart is enjoyable to me, as it 'proves' without a doubt that my weight loss journey was real. (I realize that my photographs offered some very solid proof as well)  But here it is in black and white (actually gold and black).  On December 24, 2014 from the perspective of my doctor, I did weigh 313.8 lbs with a morbidly obese BMI of 42.0 and an elevated blood pressure. And there it is too, my readings from the same doctor's office, on the same $2000+ scale, 365 days later: 213 lbs, BMI 28.5 and a solid, healthy blood pressure.  It was while discussing the change in my BMI (body mass index) that my doctor had remarked on Wednesday morning, that I was his hero.  Perhaps 'hero' was a bit much - but I did get the idea that he thought I was some kind of inspiration. I intend to continue to inspire myself. I think there is still some room for a downward direction in my weight. I would like to see what 200 lbs feels like. And perhaps even a smidge lower than that.  There is no rush to get there. My biggest challenge will be to drop some weight or stay where I am. I just cannot allow myself to go backwards!

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Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, December 27, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Fruit - Medium Apple, 2 Apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
Generic - Chinese Almond Cookie (One Big, 90g Cookie), 2 large cookie	920	104	52	8	180	34
	1,110	154	53	9	184	72
L U N C H
Earthbound Farm - Baby Spinach, Organic, 3 oz	20	3	0	2	65	0
libby's - Sweet Corn, 1.75 cup	210	32	5	7	700	25
Generic - Chinese Almond Cookie (One Big, 90g Cookie), 1 large cookie	460	52	26	4	90	17
	690	87	31	13	855	42
D I N N E R
EARTHBOUND FARM - ORGANIC BABY SPINACH, 85 g (approx 3 oz, two cups)	20	0	0	2	65	0
libby's - Sweet Corn, 0.88 cup	105	16	3	4	350	12
Dyna Sea - Imitation Crab Stick, 2 pieces (85)	90	15	0	7	350	2
	215	31	3	13	765	14
Totals	2,015	271	86	35	1,804	128
Your Daily Goal	3,504	438	116	176	2,300	131
Remaining	1,489	166	29	141	496	3
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,574 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	1,620
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-46
Add Exercise Quick Tools
Daily Total / Goal	93 / 30	1,574 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1590 / 210	25,357 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 2015 calories

total calories (92 minutes elliptical) 1620 calories

total net calories 395 calories

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fitbit day 115

14884 steps

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Although, I did manage a 92 minute session on the elliptical yesterday... Considering how little else I did, it felt like a day off from working out. I am aware that this statement is ludicrous. 

MapMyWALK ACKNOWLEDGES ANNIVERSARY

I downloaded the MapMyWALK app on December 26, 2014.  Yesterday morning, when I awoke I was greeted by an email from my app wishing me a Happy Anniversary.

I am so touched that my app remembered (although I am still waiting for my bottle of wine or bouquet of flowers - I just read that FedEx has been unable to deliver all their packages on time during this holiday season, so I will keep a sharp lookout today!)  The email had a link to review my 'stats' for the year.

What I remember so well about this app was that after I downloaded it, I made no effort to use it until the following April.  When I started exercising, back in December 2014, all my efforts were confined to an indoor treadmill. After a few months of 'treadmilling,' I graduated to an elliptical machine.  It was only after three months, during a visit to New York to see my Mom for her 80th Birthday did I find myself without easy access to an indoor fitness facility. On April 2, 2014 I used MapMyWALK for the first time.  I recall that  on that day I took a five mile roundtrip walk to my old high school. Still I did not start using this app on a regular basis until AFTER my return trip down from the peak of HALF DOME on October 1st.  Since that time, the app has been invaluable to me.  On the yearend stats it recorded a couple of bike rides - but during the course of the year I discovered that there was a specific app for bike riding (MapMyRIDE)  I think that MapMyWALK only started recording the hours and calories of my generic (indoor) workouts once I synced this app with MyFitnessPAL. Without further introduction, here are the stats as reported from MapMyWALK in the first year that I had downloaded the app.  I can imagine that next year, I will use the app for even more walking miles than I did this year.  At least that's the plan.

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When I left the home today, my plan was to go and buy some socks at the Columbia Store on Michigan Avenue.  I detoured first to Navy Pier, then Northerly Island, then Chinatown.  I never did get to the Columbia store.  When I returned home, I had walked 17 miles. Perhaps today I will make it to the store to buy some some thick white socks...

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Your Food Diary For:

Saturday, December 26, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
steel cut oatmeal - steel cut oat meal, 1 cup	600	108	10	20	0	4
Malt O Meal - Honey Nut Scooters, 90 g	360	72	5	9	630	27
	960	180	15	29	630	31
L U N C H
Pampa - Canned Asparagus, 1 cups	30	4	0	4	680	0
Deli Ham - Ham, 4 oz	120	1	3	24	920	0
Chinese Almond Cookie, 1 cookie	100	11	6	1	20	0
	250	16	9	29	1,620	0
D I N N E R
Stuffed Pork 1 cut pork chop w/ stuffing	368	23	22	19	812	0
ORGANIC BABY SPINACH, 255 g	60	0	0	6	195	0
STRAWBERRY VANILLA GRANOLA	275	44	9	6	66	17
	703	67	31	31	1,073	17
S N A C K S
WHOLE FOODS DRIED MANGO	126	32	0	2	1	23
WHOLE FOODS YOGURT ALMONDS	220	22	14	4	20	19
WHOLE FOODS - NATURAL WASABI	138	22	3	5	276	2
Chinese Almond Cookie (two big cookies)	460	52	26	4	90	17
	944	128	43	15	387	61
Totals	2,857	391	98	103	3,710	109
Your Daily Goal	8,558	1,070	285	428	2,300	321
Remaining	5,701	678	187	324	-1,410	212
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 6,628 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	90	1,596
Walking, 5.0 mph	193	3,503
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	1,529
Daily Total / Goal	284 / 30	6,628 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1497 / 210	23,772 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 2857 calories

total calories (90 minutes elliptical, walking) 5099 calories

total net calories 2242 calorie deficit

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fitbit day 115

45115 steps

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It is a real blessing that I find different types of exercising enjoyable.  For a while there, I was exclusively strapping on my backpack and walking (and walking and walking).  Months had gone by and I was afraid that I might have lost my ability to have a good workout on an elliptical machine and/or that I might have lost my ability to enjoy such an endeavor.  Both premises were proved to be untrue.  There are of course, pros and cons of both types of workouts - and it is terrific that I can find enjoyment from both.  

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THIS IS A PAIR OF BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES (Lincoln Park Zoo)
The first picture is before my daughter had her first birthday.
The second picture was taken 13 years later!

2002

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December 26, 2015

The photos were taken at the 'Farm in the Zoo' at the Lincoln Park Zoo.  The 'egg' appears to be in the need of a washing or painting or something.  I think it was new in 2002 when the first photo was taken.