GOOD GRIEF

Lefty liberals in America are in one of the seven 'stages of grief' over the recent presidential election of November 2016. Actually, now that I think of it, it appears that most of them are still in shock and denial. The 'stages of grief' are more commonly used to describe the emotions one feels after losing a loved one. Surely Hillary Clinton does not really qualify as a 'loved one.' Or maybe she does. Who knows?

1. Shock and Denial
2. Pain and Guilt
3. Anger and Bargaining
4. Depression, Reflection and Loneliness
5. The UPWARD TURN
6. Reconstruction and Working Through
7. Acceptance and Hope

I am going through my own stages of grief of a sort as I come to grips with how far backwards I have retrogressed with my weight management in recent weeks and months. More than two years ago, I  'discovered' the secret to weight loss. Eat Less, Exercise more, lose one pound at a time.

Apparently the secret to weight gain, which is a polar opposite, is still similar. Eat more, exercise less, gain one pound at a time.

I think I am at Stage 5 - THE UPWARD TURN. I sincerely hope that I am beyond Step 4, depression.  Depression is certainly not productive. 

I have publicly proclaimed many times over the past months, that 'this time I am serious.'   I simply cannot face a continuing charge backward up the wrong hill.

My weight was 247 lbs on Saturday three days ago. This is a major step backwards from where I have more recently been as recently as last October when I was below 220 lbs.  It is probably part of 'BARGAINING' that I constantly remind myself that I was once 309 lbs. At this point in my life, this is no longer the weight that I want to compare myself to.  I have to accept how far backwards I have traveled and I have to have the hope that I can get back on track. I am certain that more dedication is required than more hope. 

Your Food Diary For:

Monday, March 20, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Kirkland - Pre-Cooked Bacon	200	0	15	15	875	0
Egg - Poached Eggs	300	2	20	25	630	1
	500	2	35	40	1,505	1
L U N C H
Homemade - Beef and Bean Burrito	600	50	47	77	2,000	0
	600	50	47	77	2,000	0
D I N N E R
Fresh Express - Chopped Kit - Asian Salad	360	45	27	9	690	24
Blackberries	100	22	1	3	2	11
	460	67	28	12	692	35
Totals	1,560	119	110	129	4,197	36
Your Daily Goal	2,250	281	75	113	2,300	84
Remaining	690	162	-35	-16	-1,897	48
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g

       Your Exercise Diary for:

Monday, March 20, 2017

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
MATRIX TREADMILL	60	406
Daily Total / Goal	60 / 30	406 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	60 / 210	406 / 4,130

OH, GOOD GRIEF!

Today, a musing on the upcoming election. Contrary to what our chief executive claimed 8 years ago - There ARE blue states and there ARE red states. Similarly there are liberal Americans and there are conservative Americans. It is difficult for me to fathom someone being attracted to Hillary Clinton due to her honesty and integrity. But if you are a liberal - I get it - she's your choice. Likewise it is difficult for me to fathom someone being attracted to Donald Trump due to his honesty and integrity. But if you are a conservative (like me) - I get it - he's your choice. Here is what I don't get. If you are a conservative and you simply cannot vote for Donald Trump, because of his myriad imperfections - you are an unserious thinker. You are casting a vote for Hillary. I hope that your brand of silliness doesn't catch on. If you are a liberal and you simply cannot vote for Hillary Clinton, because of her myriad imperfections - you, too,  are an unserious thinker. (However, I would like to thank you, and I hope that this brand of silliness does become popular.) You will be casting a vote for Donald Trump. Americans have often thought that the presidential elections have come down to the choice between the lesser of two evils - but never have BOTH candidates combined their 'evilness' with an intense unlikeability factor.  In the immortal words of that famous philosopher, Charlie Brown: 'OH, GOOD GRIEF!'

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Many Americans woke up this morning to the news that Great Britain has voted to leave the European Union.  This was the so-called 'Brexit' vote. I think one can make a case that this vote to smash another institution may be part of a worldwide phenomenon. My bet is that Hillary Clinton is just a bit more nervous today. 

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Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, June 23, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Kelloggs - Raisin Bran Cereal, 118 g	380	92	2	10	420	36
Enriched instant grits, butter flavor	300	63	5	6	1,020	0
Thomas' - Cinnamon Raisin Bread	160	32	2	4	250	14
Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	1,030	237	9	21	1,694	88
L U N C H
Footlong Steak and Cheese	760	96	20	52	2,060	16
Banana - Banana, 1 medium banana	124	30	0	1	1	19
	884	126	20	53	2,061	35
D I N N E R
Whitefish, Lightly Blackened	750	0	7	163	7,109	0
Spinach Quiche	290	18	19	14	440	4
	1,040	18	26	177	7,549	4
S N A C K S
Soft-baked Oatmeal Bar - Cinnamon	230	35	8	4	190	13
Whole Cashews - Unsalted	200	11	15	6	0	3
	430	46	23	10	190	16
Totals	3,384	427	78	261	11,494	142
Your Daily Goal	3,125	390	104	157	2,300	117
Remaining	-259	-37	26	-104	-9,194	-25
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,195 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	97	1,269
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-74
Daily Total / Goal	98 / 30	1,195 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	460 / 210	4,688 / 4,130

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IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED...

IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED...TRY, TRY AGAIN  (I am fairly certain that some version of this nugget of wisdom is known to everyone)

On Friday I surprised myself when I lasted for a full two hours, 125 minutes on the Precor EFX576i doing a 4:3 Interval Training Session and 'burned' 1578 calories.  I was impressed.  I also wanted to find if this was a fluke or if I could actually do it again.  So I did.  On Saturday.

TWO HOURS, FIVE MINUTE PRECOR EFX 576i (YMCA) 4:3 INTERVAL WORKOUT

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

26 JUNE FRIDAY       125 MINUTES       DISTANCE 9.93 MILES      1578 CALORIES BURNED

27 JUNE SATURDAY 125 MINUTES      DISTANCE 9.87 MILES       1556 CALORIES BURNED

28 JUNE SUNDAY     125 MINUTES       DISTANCE 10.08 MILES     1609 CALORIES BURNED

On Saturday I tried to 'break' past 10 miles, and I failed, in fact, I traveled slightly less than the day before and burned less calories.   Was this the law of diminishing returns at work?  Should I have given myself a day of rest?  Of course, I should have.  However, that is not my way.

On Sunday I was more determined to surpass a distance of 10 miles and I was successful, with a few yards (meters) to spare.   And I 'burned' more calories than on the first two attempts.

I have a mountain waiting for me on October 1st.  HALF DOME in YOSEMITE PARK.  I am training.  This expedition to the summit of HALF DOME is just a little more than 90 days away.  No pun intended, I don't want my training to 'peak' too soon.  Just like I could barely imagine the speed and intensity of my initial weight loss, I wonder how much more energy and stamina I am going to have in one month? or two months?  or by the morning of October 1st, when my brother will lead an 'expedition' of 6 middle-aged men up 4800 feet to the summit at HALF DOME.  I am going to be as ready as I possibly can.   When my brother initially suggested that I join his expedition around two months ago, I was both flattered and excited that he thought I could be successful on this journey.   I was also scared out of my mind!   I am no longer scared.  This does not mean that I think that this hike will be easy - I simply believe that I will prevail.

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 SUNDAY MENU

breakfast  granola, semi-sweet chocolate chips, coconut shredded, corn snack,
                 tamari roasted almonds                                                       900 calories
lunch        dark chocolate almonds, wasabi green peas, peckham pear,
                 chewy ginger, cherry vanilla granola, sun-dried fig           930 calories
dinner       JIMMY JOHN'S #14 UNWICH, whole pickle                  250 calories
SNACK    EARTH BALANCE WHITE CHEDDAR puffs, apples   745 calories                                                                                            

total calories consumed 2825 calories

calories burned

PRECOR EFX CROSS-TRAINER 4:3 INTERVAL SESSION

125 MINUTES, 10.08 MILES          1609 CALORIES
JACOB'S LADDER 5 minutes, 450 feet,  89 calories

total calories burned Saturday 1698 burned

Sunday net calories  calories 1127 calories

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from wikipedia...

William Edward Hickson (January 7, 1803 - March 22, 1870), commonly known at W.E. Hickson was a British education writer.  He is credited with popularizing the proverb:

'Tis a lesson you should heed:
Try, try, try again.
If at first you don't succeed,
Try, try, try again.