TAKING IT EASY

Yesterday, I started my day with the incorrect conclusion that my groin pull had more or less cleared up. I was with a customer in the morning, and all of a sudden the pain returned, a pain which I had previously only felt during workouts. My customer, was kind enough to offer me ibuprofen which I had forgotten to take with me. Whether the ibuprofen helped chemically or as a placebo - the pain dissipated during the drive to my second appointment. I went to sleep very early last night just to get complete rest. I have been applying a cold ice pack to my inner thigh with the thought that this might speed up recovery time. I am sure I will take it easy today and likely on Friday too. Then I will gingerly see if I am ready to consider increasing my activity over the weekend.

I think this 'emoji' captures perfectly how I felt when the pain cranked up during my first appointment yesterday.

.

Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker - Cinnamon & Spice Instant Oatmeal	640	128	8	16	840	44
Hotel - Scrambled Eggs w/two Sausages	450	0	0	0	0	0
	1,090	128	8	16	840	44
L U N C H
Subway - Turkey Breast & Black Forest              Ham	560	92	8	36	1,460	16
Subway - Chicken Soup, 1 small bowl	100	12	1	10	720	1
Nature Valley - Crunchy Oats & Honey, 2 bars	190	29	6	4	160	12
	850	133	15	50	2,340	29
D I N N E R
HYVEE - HUGE SPINACH SALAD	750	0	0	0	0	0
WHOLE FOODS - YOGURT PRETZELS	380	56	0	4	360	38
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	1,320	106	1	5	364	76
Totals	3,260	367	24	71	3,544	149
Your Daily Goal	2,070	259	69	104	2,300	77
Remaining	-1,190	-108	45	33	-1,243	-71
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 140 extra calories from exercise today

.
DAY OFF FROM EXERCISE
RECOVERING FROM GROIN PULL

.

total calories consumed 3260 calories

total calories burned from additional exercise - 0 calories

total net 3260 calories

. . . . . . . . . . .   

fitbit day 210

5491 steps


.


.

GROIN PULL?

I think I may have a groin pull. I started to feel some discomfort while on the elliptical machine on Saturday night.  I put a cold pack on the area, and took some ibuprofen to reduce any swelling of the muscles. I thought I could work through this problem and I exercised on the elliptical machine again on Sunday and Monday. Each time, during my workout, the pain returned. Each time I followed my session with a cold pack and ibuprofen. Finally, yesterday, I decided to take a brisk walk. After about two miles, again the pain returned and although I finished a six mile walk out and about in Bloomington, Illinois, I definitely struggled for the last mile or so. My speed was greatly reduced and when I returned to my hotel room I used ice and ibuprofen to reduce the discomfort.

It appears that I will not be able to 'will' myself to health. I am going to need to consider staying away from the elliptical machine and fast walking for at least a day or so. I copied the 'home treatment' instructions from WebMd. My area of discomfort has not been nearly as big as the area of redness in the illustration below.  Again, this morning, Wednesday, I am not experiencing any pain anywhere...but still I think I must force myself to skip the workout today (at least).

What Does a Groin Pull Feel Like?

Here are some symptoms of a groin pull:

• Pain and tenderness in the groin and the inside of the thigh
• Pain when you bring your legs together
• Pain when you raise your knee
• A popping or snapping feeling during the injury, followed by severe pain.

.

Groin pulls are often divided into three degrees of severity:

• 1st degree: Mild pain, but little loss of strength or movement
• 2nd degree: Moderate pain, mild to moderate strength loss and some tissue damage
• 3rd degree: Severe pain, severe loss of strength and function due to a complete tear of the muscle

.

What's the Treatment for a Groin Pull?

Happily, a groin pull will usually heal on its own. You just need to give it some time and rest. To speed the healing, you can:

• Ice the inside of your thigh to reduce pain and swelling. Experts recommend doing it for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours for 2 to 3 days, or until the pain is gone.
• Compress your thigh using an elastic bandage or tape.
• Take anti-inflammatory painkillers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and naproxen, will help with pain and swelling. But studies show their effects are controversial especially if taken long-term. Additionally, these drugs can have side effects; they should be used only occasionally unless your doctor specifically says otherwise.
• To assist tissue healing, your medical provider will guide you in active stretching and strengthening exercises. Depending on grade of injury, this can start immediately or may require several days of rest. Pain is used as a guide. Too aggressive and further damage may occur.

.

Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Hotel - Scrambled Eggs w/two Sausages	600	0	0	0	0	0
Quaker - Cinnamon & Spice Instant Oatmeal	480	96	6	12	630	33
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 1 medium apple	95	25	0	1	2	19
	1,175	121	6	13	632	52
L U N C H
HYVEE - HUGE SPINACH SALAD	1,000	0	0	0	0	0
Chewy Oat & Honey Granola Bar, 2 Bar	200	36	5	2	110	14
	1,200	36	5	2	110	14
D I N N E R
Jason's Deli - ASIAGO POT ROAST SANDWICH	620	50	20	56	1,200	4
Jason's Deli - SPICY SEAFOOD GUMBO	230	26	8	12	1,710	3
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 3 medium apple	285	75	1	2	5	57
	1,135	151	29	70	2,915	64
S N A C K S
coconut beach - coconut chips	440	40	32	4	440	32
	440	40	32	4	440	32
Totals	3,950	348	72	88	4,097	162
Your Daily Goal	2,837	354	94	142	2,300	106
Remaining	-1,113	5	21	54	-1,797	-55
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 907 extra calories from exercise today

.

       Your Exercise Diary for:

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking	89	1,039
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-132
Daily Total / Goal	90 / 30	907 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	181 / 210	2,408 / 4,130

.

.

total calories consumed 3950 calories

total calories burned 1039 calories

total net 2011 calories

. . . . . . . . . . .   

fitbit day 209
12866 steps

.

NOBODY EVER SUSPECTS THE BUTTERFLY!

When talking about his afterlife beliefs, Bart says he wants to come back as a butterfly, because "nobody ever suspects the butterfly". Bart then imagines the school burnt down, with Skinner being arrested for it, while a Bart butterfly is seen with a gas can.

.

 .

Of course you are now wondering...what is the point of this? This is my obtuse way of celebrating an email that I received from fitbit yesterday. I have been 'awarded' a new imaginary fitbit badge! This  badge honors my 'lifetime achievement' (that is since September 3, 2015) of taking enough steps to have walked 2500 miles which apparently is equal to the migratory distance of the Monarch Butterfly.

 .

Your Food Diary For:

Monday, March 28, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
3 Egg Omelette - Ham and Cheese, 1 Omelette	400	1	30	40	1,225	0
	400	1	30	40	1,225	0
L U N C H
EARTHBOUND FARM - ORGANIC BABY SPINACH, 85 g (approx 3 oz, two cups)	20	0	0	2	65	0
Louis Kemp - Crab Delights Leg Style, 3 legs (85g)	70	11	0	6	430	1
Roundy's - Sliced Beets, 1/2 cup	40	8	0	1	250	6
Jb - Hard Boiled Egg, 1 Large Egg (50 g)	78	1	5	6	62	1
Fiorucci - Prosciutto Panino, 2 pieces	125	1	10	9	170	0
Roundy's - Medium Peas, 1.75 cup	245	42	2	14	1,120	21
Lady lLiberty - Asparagus, 3/5 cup	18	2	0	2	408	0
Corn Sweet Whole Kernel No Salt Added, 1.75 cup	280	32	5	7	35	25
CHERRY VANILLA GRANOLA, 1.5 CUP	480	80	14	10	120	30
	1,356	177	36	57	2,660	83
D I N N E R
HYVEE - HUGE SPINACH SALAD	750	0	0	0	0	0
Red Delicious Apple, 3 medium apple	285	75	1	2	5	57
YOGURT PRETZELS	380	56	0	4	360	38
	1,415	131	1	6	365	95
S N A C K S
high fiber cereal - cereal	480	138	6	18	420	36
	480	138	6	18	420	36
Totals	3,651	447	72	121	4,670	214
Your Daily Goal	3,431	429	114	172	2,300	128
Remaining	-220	-17	41	51	-2,370	-85
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,501 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

      Monday, March 28, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Elliptical Trainer	90	1,467
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	34
Daily Total / Goal	91 / 30	1,501 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	91 / 210	1,501 / 4,130

.

total calories consumed 3651 calories

total calories burned 1467 calories

total net 2184 calories

. . . . . . . . . . .   

fitbit day 208

17189 steps  .

.

.

more bang for your buck

[more/a bigger etc.] bang for your buck

  (American informal)

if something that you buy gives you more bang for your buck, you get more value for your money by buying thisproduct than from buying any other

Usage notes: 'Buck', in American English, is an informal way of saying 'dollar' (= a unit of money in America).

.
One can get 'more bang for your buck' by getting an extra value from something.  For example, I have recently been using my home elliptical machine, for 90 minutes at a setting of '15.'  This level has been burning calories in the neighborhood of 1500 for the 90 minute session.

Last evening, I had only 30 minutes to spend exercising. I set the 'resistance' to '20' which was much more difficult than what I have been recently been doing.  After a 32 minute workout, the machine had recorded that I had burned 737 calories.

In other words, although I had REDUCED my workout time by 67% (90 minutes compared to 30 minutes) - I had only REDUCED the effectiveness of the workout (calories burned) by approximately 50%.  In still more words...I got more bang for my buck.

In the future, I will consider shorter workouts at the higher level, and I might continue longer workouts at the lower level. My goal would be to consistently complete a 90 minute workout at the higher level. It's good to have goals.

.

Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, March 27, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker - Cinnamon & Spice Instant Oatmeal	480	96	6	12	630	33
Food Lion - Essentially You Vanilla Almond Cereal	440	100	6	8	600	36
	920	196	12	20	1,230	69
L U N C H
2 Egg Omelette With Ham and Cheese	460	2	25	39	972	2
Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	650	52	26	40	975	40
D I N N E R
ORGANIC BABY SPINACH	20	0	0	2	65	0
365 - Hearts of Palm: Salad Cut, 1 cup	50	10	0	4	580	0
libby's - Sweet Corn, 0.88 cup	105	16	3	4	350	12
Roundy's - Asparagus Spears, 1.75 Cup	70	11	0	7	1,225	11
Eggs - Hard Boiled - Large, 1 egg	78	1	5	6	62	1
Ham slices - Ham pieces, 3 oz	160	4	10	14	1,000	2
Bacon - Real Bits, 3 tbsp	75	0	5	9	660	0
Polish Kielbasa Sausage, 7 oz (56g)	595	7	53	25	1,995	4
	1,153	48	75	70	5,937	29
S N A C K S
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich	260	35	15	9	350	13
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
Nature Valley - Oats 'n Honey Crunchy Granola Bar	190	29	6	4	160	12
	640	114	22	14	514	63
Totals	3,363	410	135	144	8,656	201
Your Daily Goal	3,859	482	128	193	2,300	144
Remaining	496	71	-6	49	-6,355	-56
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,929 extra calories from exercise today

.

       Your Exercise Diary for:

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	90	1,423
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	32	737
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-231
Daily Total / Goal	123 / 30	1,929 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1483 / 210	17,565 / 4,130

.

total calories consumed 3363 calories

total calories burned (two hours total exercise) 2160 calories

total net 1203 calories

. . . . . . . . . . .   

fitbit day 207

15681 steps  .

.



.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

I have been exercising lately on the elliptical machine, either at home or on the road. And I have been watching the entire run of Star Trek The Next Generation starting with season 1.  Currently I am already watching season 4. I was 'concerned' when I first started watching season 1 as, I had remembered this being a great TV show.  That first season just didn't have it.  As I continued through to season 3, my memory of this being a good TV show was rewarded. I am really enjoying watching these episodes again, many for only the second time.  I usually have forgotten how they ended or what the particular mystery of the show was and I am finding them very engaging. Did I mention that I am predisposed to like Star Trek? My easiest exercise session was when my 90 minutes included the final show of season 3 (Best of Both Worlds)  When part 1 of this episode first aired originally, it had  an amazing cliffhanger.  I remember so well the 'torture' the viewers were put through as we had to wait, three months,  all summer for the conclusion nearly 20 years ago.  This was the episoode when Captain Picard had been taken over by the Borg and the Borg Cube was headed to Earth to destroy it.  It looked bad for the Federation. But we survived.

Right now things are starting to look bad for civilization here in the real world.  Terrorists around the world are striking more and more often. They, too, must think that our resistance is futile. I remain the kind of person that thinks that good will eventually triumph over evil.

This quote is from the Star Trek movie, First Contact.  It almost seems that it could have been written by ISIS. Certainly, the sentiment is similar.

"We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.".

One thing is sadly certain, this is going to be a long fight.  
.

Your Food Diary For:

Saturday, March 26, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker Oats Oatmeal Apples & Cinnamon	480	99	6	12	600	36
2 Egg Omelette With Ham and Cheese	383	2	21	32	810	2
	863	101	27	44	1,410	38
L U N C H
YOGURT PRETZELS	380	56	16	4	360	38
HUGE SPINACH SALAD	750	0	0	0	0	0
	1,130	56	16	4	360	38
D I N N E R
Generic - Teriyaki Salmon Steaks, 6 oz	270	3	8	47	365	5
Roasted Beet Carrot Salad, 1 cup	192	25	10	3	164	17
Asparagus Fresh	44	5	0	3	14	2
	506	33	18	53	543	24
S N A C K S
Natural Dark Chocolate With Cherries, 1 Bar	500	44	32	6	0	22
	500	44	32	6	0	22
Totals	2,999	234	94	107	2,312	122
Your Daily Goal	7,462	933	248	374	2,300	279
Remaining	4,463	698	154	266	-12	156
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 5,532 extra calories from exercise today

.

       Your Exercise Diary for:

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	1,567
Walking	104	1,604
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	1,381
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	1,463
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-483
Add Exercise Quick Tools
Daily Total / Goal	381 / 30	5,532 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1360 / 210	15,636 / 4,130

.
.

total calories consumed 2999 calories

total calories burned (six hours total exercise) 6015 calories

total net 3016 calorie defecit

. . . . . . . . . . .   

fitbit day 206

50084 steps  .
.

.