Thursday, December 31, 2015

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 Ic_i 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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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

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 Ic_i 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



Tuesday, December 29, 2015

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. ðŸ˜€
and even if you are too old to ask... you are never too old to be told even without asking! ðŸ˜€
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 Ic_i 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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Monday, December 28, 2015

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 Ic_i N/A -46
Add Exercise
   
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. 


Sunday, December 27, 2015

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 Ic_i 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.