BIG RED BUTTON

My day started in Evanston, Illinois with an appointment to sell trims. Afterwards, I headed for Wyoming (which is a suburb of Grand Rapids, Michigan).  Once I arrived at my hotel in Wyoming, I quickly set out for an urban hike. Downtown Grand Rapids was a bit more than six miles north and that was where I headed. I wanted to visit my favorite outdoor sculpture in Ah-Nab-Awen Park.

Lorrie's Button, the big red sculpture in Ah-Nab-Awen Park, has been around for nearly 40 years, providing kids [and apparently some older folks] with something to climb on and adults a whimsical perspective on the ordinary. This sculpture was created by industrial design professor Hy Zelkowtiz, the sculpture was installed for the nation's bicentennial at the city's 1976 Festival of the Arts. 

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Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Omelette - 3-egg Omelette With Cheese, 3 eggs	425	0	21	28	650	2
Bacon	480	0	30	9	630	0
Quaker - Chewy Granola	360	76	8	4	320	28
	1,265	76	59	41	1,600	30
L U N C H
Hissho Sushi - Sushicado Tuna Roll	400	71	5	14	669	0
Fresh Thyme - Dark Cocoa Melting Wafers	400	44	24	5	82	38
	800	115	29	19	751	38
D I N N E R
Jack Links - Teriyaki Jerky, 3 oz	240	18	3	36	1,440	15
Subway - Footlong Turkey Breast on Wheat	560	92	17	36	1,890	11
One Coconut Water - Coconut Water	90	20	0	0	90	16
	890	130	20	72	3,420	42
S N A C K S
Clif Mojo - Mountain Mix	500	55	24	21	526	32
Cliff - Protein Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter	280	29	10	20	270	21
	780	84	34	41	796	53
Totals	3,735	405	142	173	6,567	163
Your Daily Goal	4,415	552	147	221	2,300	165
Remaining	680	147	5	48	-4,267	2
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 2,485 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 196 lbs in 5 weeks .


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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
14 MILE URBAN HIKE	203	2,485
Daily Total / Goal	203 / 30	2,485 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	361 / 210	4,454 / 4,130

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This pedestrian bridge led to Ah-Nab-Awen Park, home of the Big Red Button

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SNOW

Early yesterday morning before my first appointment, I walked 10 miles as I have now done 12 days in a row.  Late yesterday afternoon I walked 2 miles to Whole Foods.  Then I walked 1.5 miles to another store.  And when I walked home, I took a long circuitous route so that I could log a 6.5 mile distance.  Yesterday, I walked 20 miles.  The final 6.5 mile walk was during the first snowfall this season.  This morning, Saturday, much of Chicago is awakening to a thin blanket of snow.  My daily walk is going to be delayed until the afternoon as there are too many errands to run this morning.

Dill Button: 'Snowflake' Button
281061/20mm white        371138/34mm white
281062/20mm powder blue        371139/34mm powder blue

My pre-dawn 10 mile walk started with the temperature just hovering above freezing

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My ten mile walk in the morning established another personal record.  I completed my 10 miles in just under 2 hours.  In fact, I had about 2.5 minutes to spare.  It is not surprising that if one practices something, walking 10 miles in my case, that one gets a bit better at it.  It is extremely enjoyable to have empirical evidence of the improvement.  

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217.0 lbs

I weigh 217.0 lbs.

I lost 3.4 lb this week

I have lost 92 lbs in 332 days. Today begins Day 333.

I will always be at the beginning of a journey that never ends.

I weigh 217.0 lbs (332 days ago I weighed 309 lbs)

I have lost 29.8% of my weight since Dec 24.

I have a BMI, body mass index of 29.03

I had a 42.0 BMI on Dec 24 just 332 days ago (Class III obesity)

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Your Food Diary For:

Friday, November 20, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Chex - Rice Cereal, 3 Cup	300	69	2	6	720	6
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 1 medium apple (170g)	95	25	0	1	2	19
Whole Foods - Oatmeal, 1 cup	300	54	5	10	180	2
	695	148	7	17	902	27
L U N C H
Jason's Deli - SPICY SEAFOOD GUMBO, 1 Bowl	230	26	8	12	1,710	3
Jason's Deli - Amy's Turkey-o, 0.5 sandwich	240	28	9	15	690	6
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 1 medium apple	95	25	0	1	2	19
	565	79	17	27	2,402	27
D I N N E R
WHOLE FOODS - SALAD BAR, 1.5 SALAD (1 pound or less)	375	0	0	0	0	0
Glad Corn - A-Maizing Corn Snack, 0.7326000158786774 cup or 28g or 1 oz	308	42	13	4	352	1
WHOLE FOODS 5938 - UNSWEETENED BANANA CHIPS, 28.5 g (1/4 cup)	161	15	9	2	5	1
WHOLE FOODS 8497 - CHERRY VANILLA GRANOLA, 63.25 g (3/4 cup)	276	46	8	6	69	17
Chex - Rice Cereal, 3 Cup	300	69	2	6	720	6
	1,420	172	32	18	1,146	25
S N A C K S
WHOLE FOODS - NATURAL WASABI GREEN PEAS, 5/6 cup (30 grams)	300	48	8	10	600	5
WHOLE FOODS 8890 - STRAWBERRY VANILLA HEMP GRANOLA, 77.0 g (3/4 cup)	350	56	11	7	84	21
WHOLE FOODS 7700 - ORGANIC DATE PIECES w/OAT FLOWER, 70.4 g (2 TBSP)	211	53	0	2	18	39
WHOLE FOODS 7089 - 42% CACAO SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS, 60 g (approx 2 TBSP)	280	40	16	4	0	32
Sabor Zan - Garlic Cheese Bread Gluten Free, 1 rolls	95	12	5	2	135	1
	1,236	208	40	24	837	97
Totals	3,916	607	96	86	5,286	177
Your Daily Goal	6,244	780	208	313	2,300	234
Remaining	2,328	172	112	227	-2,985	57
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 4,314 extra calories from exercise today

When you're finished logging all foods and exercise for this day, click here: 

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Friday, November 20, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 5.0 mph	118	2,289
Walking, 5.0 mph	24	476
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	20	293
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	88	1,231
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	25
Daily Total / Goal	251 / 30	4,314 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	784 / 210	12,905 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 3917 calories
total calories burned (20 miles, four walks) 4289 calories
total net calories 372 calories deficit
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fitbit day 79

51011 steps

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ten mile walking streak reached 12 days

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DILL BUTTON COMPANY - BEST SELLING 2-HOLE SEW-THRU 'SNOWFLAKE' BUTTONS

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Right after completing this blog entry for today, and before setting out for my Saturday walk... I received a 'heartfelt' congratulatory email from fitbit.  My fitbit congratulated me for losing ten pounds.  When I purchased by fitbit on September 3, I did weigh 226.9 lbs.  I have lost 9.9 lbs since that day.  I guess the fitbit felt comfortable rounding up to the nearest whole pound.  

WHO IS THIS GUY?

Yesterday, November 12, was my birthday.  I am now 58 years old. Two days ago, a friend of mine emailed me this photo of myself taken at the Dill Button Factory Showroom in Bavaria, Germany during the summer of 2002.  Back then, in 2002, my daughter was enjoying her first year of life.  She is currently in the middle of spending one week in France as an exchange student.  Back in the summer of 2002 I was 45 years old.  This is what I looked like back then.

Marc Jacobs visits the showroom at the Dill Button Factory in Bavaria, Germany during the summer of 2002. 

Fast forward, 13 years.  Perhaps I don't actually look younger.   I do know that I look a whole lot better.  I know that I feel better.  I know that I am better.  Last night, I celebrated the Grand Opening of The Quilter's Trunk Quilt Shop in Chicago.  I thought it might be nice for me to pose for a picture in front of their buttons so that I could compare my look 13 years later.  Yesterday was my birthday.  I look at photos of myself these days.  I look at myself in the mirror.  It was a Happy Birthday.  The trick is to insure that my next birthday is just as happy.  And all the birthdays that follow.

This is me on my 58th birthday, November 12, 2015

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Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, November 12, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker - Instant Original Flavor Oatmeal, 6 pack	600	114	12	24	450	0
KELLOGGS - RAISIN BRAN (dry cereal, no milk), 1 cup	190	46	1	5	210	18
Tropicana - Orange Juice - 100% Juice, 7.15 fl oz	100	24	0	1	14	20
Apple - Small-2 1/4", 4 oz	55	15	0	0	1	11
	945	198	13	31	675	49
L U N C H
HYVEE - HUGE SPINACH SALAD, 1 salad	500	0	0	0	0	0
WHOLE FOODS 7700 - ORGANIC DATE PIECES w/OAT FLOWER, 76.0 g (2 TBSP)	228	57	0	2	19	42
WHOLE FOODS 9392 - YOGURT RAISINS, 54.4 g (approx 34 pieces)	231	38	10	1	20	34
Honest T - Mango White Tea, 1 Bottle	70	19	0	0	35	18
Cliff Bar - Cool Mint Chocolate, 68 g	250	43	5	10	170	22
	1,279	157	15	13	244	116
D I N N E R
Generic - Assorted Hors D'oeuvres, 15 pieces	1,000	85	65	20	1,250	5
Miller Light - Miller Light Beer, 3 bottle (12oz)	288	10	0	2	15	10
	1,288	95	65	22	1,265	15
S N A C K S
Whole Foods - Banana Chips, 0.25 cup	150	17	10	1	0	10
	150	17	10	1	0	10
Totals	3,662	467	103	66	2,185	189
Your Daily Goal	3,844	480	128	193	2,300	144
Remaining	182	13	25	126	115	-45
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,914 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	133	1,927
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	10	151
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-164
Daily Total / Goal	144 / 30	1,914 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	562 / 210	7,033 / 4,130

Strength Training	Sets	Reps/Set	Weight/Set

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TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED 3662 CALORIES
TOTAL CALORIES BURNED (10 MILE & .75 MILE WALKS) 2078 CALORIES
TOTAL NET CALORIES 1584 CALORIES
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10 MILE HIKE @ 5:00AM in LITCHFIELD, ILLINOIS

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fitbit day 71

26010 steps

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TWO DAY BREAK

Since the first week after I decided to change my lifestyle I have been working out once per day. Circumstances in the Amish town that I have been the past two days have precluded me from working out as I normally like.  The hotel that I am registered does not have a fitness room.  Furthermore, the nearest YMCA is nearly one half hour away.  My trade show starts very early in the morning, 8:00AM and I am traveling with my young daughter.

I was aware that the fact that I had not given myself a break for working out was actually counter-productive - I have now decided not to fret too much about this two day break.  I will likely be home in time tonight in order to exercise - but I think I will allow myself to have this two day break without getting crazy about it.  I might have compounded my weekly weight fluctuations by eating at an Amish buffet two nights in a row.  Last night I did return to the buffet for 'seconds' although I mostly piled on some cabbage and green beans

Since my weight has been bouncing up and down the past few weeks - I am mentally prepared for an annoying weigh-in on Saturday.  Whatever the scale says on Saturday, I will get 'back on program' and back on track immediately.  This will mean more strictly regulating my calories and daily trips to the fitness room.

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I invited my daughter to accompany me on this trip as I expected that we would have an enjoyable 400 mile drive to our destination - and we did.

I invited my daughter to accompany me on this trip as I expected that we would have an enjoyble 400 mile drive back home - and we will.

Daddy and daughter take a selfie with the beautiful Amish countryside in the background

I did not invite my daughter to accompany me on this trip to assist me during the trade show - BUT SHE DID.   My daughter did not write just one order with customers yesterday - she wrote two orders!   It was so much fun for me to see her interacting with real customers and taking their button order.  When I submitted the order to Dill Button Company - the president of the company and the customer service department both responded extremely enthusiastically to my daughters contribution.

My daughter writing her first button order with real customers at a fabric show!

I invited my daughter to accompany me on this trip as I thought it would be fun - We have had a treat time together and the trip was wildly memorable.

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 Thursday MENU

breakfast  INN AT WALNUT CREEK OATMEAL, 3 APPLES               540 calories
lunch        COLDCUTS, POTATO SALAD, TOMATO                            828 calories

dinner       DER DUTCHMAN BUFFET w/SALAD                               1000 calories

SNACK   SNACK:  COBLENTZ CHOCOLATES                                   300 calories

total calories consumed 2668 calories

calories burned

NO WORKOUT

CALORIES BURNED - not applicable

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Wednesday net calories 2668 calories

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DER DUTCHMAN BUFFET SALAD - LOW CALORIE, VERY HEALTHY

DER DUTCHMAN BUFFET MEAL - PAN ROASTED CHICKEN, GREEN BEANS, CREAMED CORN, CABBAGE, SMALL PORTION BREAD PUDDING, STUFFING (This was a combination of some high calorie choices and some very healthy low calorie choices)  THE DINNER WAS DELICIOUS.  I HAVE JUST RANDOMLY ASSIGNED 1000 CALORIES TO THIS MEAL - although I do assume (and hope) that the reality would have been significantly less.