BITTERSWEET WALK

The dictionary defines 'bittersweet' as something that is both pleasant and painful. Yesterday I walked my daughter to school. Of course it was pleasant. Although we have not actually walked to school together very many times since she started kindergarten, I have driven her to school many times. Yesterday was the last time that I will ever walk my child to her elementary school.  She graduates from eighth grade this Friday. My schedule will preclude any more walks to school this week. So that's it. High School girls don't like to walk to school with their dads so much. I cannot fathom my Mom or Dad walking me to school when I was in high school - although I cheerfully accepted a car ride occasionally. So there is the bitter part. My girl is growing up. Of course, this is the natural order of things.  I am very proud of her achievements that she made during her elementary school years. Still yesterday's walk was bittersweet. Her high school will only be a little more than a half mile from home - maybe I will sneak in a walk with her once in a while. I know that she will still accept a ride in the car if the weather is inclement - but that's just not the same thing as a two mile walk through the neighborhood. 

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A photo to be treasured: Dad and Daughter on the 'last walk' to school

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The last walk together, to elementary school - two miles took 33 minutes! (It us usually difficult for me to walk so slowly!)

Question: What does one do to erase the melancholy of the feeling of walking one's daughter to elementary school for the last time?  Answer: Thirteen Mile walk

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Before the day was over, I found another 99 minutes to spend on the elliptical machine. I know one cannot use exercise to shed weight, and yet, I find myself with the 'need' to burn calories every chance I get. I know that there are more wasteful ways of spending time. I am content with my hobby of calorie burning. I used to believe that the reason that I could not take off a day from exercising was that I would redevelop the habit of not exercising at all. I am the same guy who spent nearly ten years exercising for approximately zero minutes in aggregate. Apparently this is a 'dragon' that I have slayed. I am less hopeful that I will ever 'slay' the 'overeating dragon' that lives within me. Perhaps the best I can hope for is to win my share fare of daily battles to insure that I win the war. Things would be so much easier if I could simply curb and control my appetite. Life is not easy. We all try to deal with our own personal demons as best we can. That is precisely what I am doing.

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Even after I was sure that I was done with my walking for the day, I was not. My daughter returned home from the beach with the yearbook of a friend of hers staying at a third friends home about a mile away. In order to return the book, I offered to walk with her and get the book back into the hands of its owner. Of course, I did - I managed to log an additional 4000 steps which assured a 40,000+ step day. 

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Your Food Diary For:

Monday, June 13, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
3 Egg Omelette - Ham and Cheese, 1 Omelette	400	1	30	40	1,225	0
Kirkland - Pre-Cooked Bacon, 4 slices	160	0	12	12	700	0
Creamy Wheat - Enriched Farina	240	50	0	8	170	2
Malt O Meal - Honey Nut Scooters	240	48	3	6	420	18
	1,040	99	45	66	2,515	20
L U N C H
Earthbound Farm - Baby Spinach, Organic	40	6	0	4	130	0
Crab - Imitation	100	18	0	8	563	4
Roundy's - Sliced Beets	40	8	0	1	250	6
Tomato - Grape, 1 cup	45	6	0	1	7	9
Hard Boiled Egg, 1 Large Egg	78	1	5	6	62	1
Lady lLiberty - Asparagus	18	2	0	2	408	0
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	511	91	6	23	1,423	57
D I N N E R
Homemade - Lasagna	800	53	25	40	1,053	21
	800	53	25	40	1,053	21
S N A C K S
Natural Dark Chocolate With Cherries	500	44	32	6	0	22
	500	44	32	6	0	22
Totals	2,851	286	108	135	4,991	120
Your Daily Goal	6,277	784	209	314	2,300	235
Remaining	3,426	497	100	178	-2,690	114
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 4,347 extra calories from exercise today

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Monday, June 13, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking	34	303
Walking	175	2,480
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	99	1,288
Walking	34	382
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-106
Daily Total / Goal	343 / 30	4,347 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	343 / 210	4,347 / 4,130

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bittersweet

[adjective bit-er-sweet, bit-er-sweet;noun bit-er-sweet

both pleasant and painful or regretful:

a bittersweet memory.