RUMSPRINGA

My daughter and I just spent two days in Holmes County - Amish Country.  I think I might have had a little too much too eat for dinner at the DER DUTCHMAN buffet for during two consecutive dinners.   We also walked over to the local chocolate factory, COBLENTZ CHOCOLATES,  and sampled some (too many) of their offerings and purchased some (too many) of their offerings.    I think for two days, I got away from the Rabbi Hillel philosophy.   I think I did eat some (too many) things that were probably not good for me.  In other words... It's as if I had my own personal RUMSPRINGA for the past two days.   Now you, of course, are saying to yourself...."What is a Rumspringa?'   And your humble blogger, is about to provide the service and let you know....

I found this essay on RUMSPRINGA on a website of Elibatbethtown Collge.

Rumspringa

In many communities, Rumspringa is a period when some Amish youth, boys more than girls, experience greater freedom. They are no longer under the control of their parents on weekends and, because they are not baptized, they are not yet under the authority of the church. During this time, many Amish youth adhere to traditional Amish behavior. Others, however, experiment with “worldly” activities—buying a car, going to movies, wearing non-Amish clothes, buying a television or a DVD player. In the larger Amish settlements, an adolescent’s behavior often depends on the peer group he or she chooses to join. Amish parents may worry about which group their child will join because the choice will influence the teen’s behavior.

Traditional youth activities may include volleyball, swimming, ice skating, picnics, hiking, and large outdoor “supper” parties. The most typical gatherings are “singings.” Groups meet in a home and sing German hymns and English gospel songs for several hours and then enjoy a time of conversation and food. The “faster,” more rebellious groups sometimes drive cars, rent a building for parties, or go to bars and nightclubs in nearby towns.

A fling with worldliness reminds Amish youth that they have a choice regarding church membership; however, most of the forces of Amish life funnel them toward church membership. Knowing they have a choice likely strengthens their willingness to obey church standards and, in the long run, the authority of the church itself.

The practice of Rumspringa varies greatly from community to community. Some church districts provide adult supervision, but others do not.  Rumspringa as a wild rebellious experience is virtually unknown in some smaller settlements and in certain affiliations. In fact the practice would be suppressed among some Amish subgroups, including many New Order groups.

In short, I just think I might have 'rebelled' against my good eating policy for the past two days.  And it appears as if - now I must pay the price as I step onto the scale this morning.   I believe that as long as I return to a more balanced approach to eating over the next week I will see my weight dip down again closer to 220 lbs.   

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222.3 lbs

I weigh 222.3 lbs.

I lost 2 lbs this week

I lost 86.7 lbs in 213 days. Today begins Day 214.

I have lost nearly 16 inches from my waist. 

(I am just beginning to wear (squeeze into) 34" waist blue jeans and slacks.

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

I weigh 222.3 lbs. (213 days ago I weighed 309 lbs)

I have lost 28.0% of my weight since Dec 24.

I have a BMI, body mass index of 29.73 (far away from obesity!)

I had a 42.0 BMI on Dec 24 just 206 days ago (Class III obesity)

I have two words to describe how I feel this morning: all right

...I know how to begin this week... I think it might be another good day to to burn 2000+ calories with a strenuous session on the elliptical 

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 FRIDAY MENU

breakfast  steel cut oat meal, apples                                                         840 calories
lunch        PANERA BREAD SOBA NOODLE, turkey, apples            1070 calories
dinner      CORN THINS                                                                          668 calories
SNACK   BULK FOODS - KROGER                                                     700 calories

total calories consumed 3278 calories

calories burned

HOME ELLIPTICAL 92 MINUTES, MANUAL SETTING, LEVEL '20'  2245 CALORIES
(I expected to give myself two days off from exercising... but I did return home early enough from OHIO to jump on the elliptical machine at home for a quick 92 minutes session!)

Friday net calories  1033 calories

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Even a peach has too many calories - if you eat too much.
(no worries here - this was just a wooden sign advertising fresh peaches in  Amish Country)

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.

DER DUTCHMAN

I have had a summer fabric trade show scheduled in Holmes County, Ohio since January. Holmes County is Amish country.  My schedule precluded me from leaving for the Thursday/Friday show until yesterday.  Right before I left, a light bulb lit up in my head and I decided to invite my family to join me.  There was one small responsibility that prevented both my wife and daughter from traveling with me.  My daughter had two days left of a three week, one hour per day,  cat-sitting summer job.  My wife offered to take care of the cat for the last two days which allowed my daughter to accompany me.  Less than 90 minutes after I had the idea to invite my family - my daughter and I were on our way to Amish Country in Ohio.

We had an enjoyable 400 mile drive.  We stopped for lunch at Panera Bread in the Toledo area.  We arrived in Holmes  County around 6:00PM and my daughter assisted me in setting up my booth. She was instrumental in making my booth space look better than ever.

After setting up the booth we did one 'touristy' thing - We took a buggy ride with an Amish driver and his 19 year old horse, Rocky.  The fifteen minute ride was quite fun.

The reason  you do not see a picture of our driver is that the Amish do not like their photograph to be taken and naturally I respected that.  Our driver, Ivan was very nice guy and answered many questions we had about the Amish lifestyle.

After the buggy ride we were able to go to DER DUTCHMAN,  the best restaurant in town which inexplicably closes each night at 8:00PM.  (I do not think I have ever been to a restaurant anywhere else that serves dinner and closes at 8:00PM!)

Once seated, we both chose the buffet for our meal.   In the old days, I would have made sure to visit and revisit the buffet at least three times.   I did try to sample as many different types of the hot food as possible.  Back in the 'old days' (prior to December 24, 2014) I used to be the type of guy who would return from the buffet with a plate that could have doubled as a scale model of Mount Everest.   I think my new style is much healthier for me - and much more profitable for the restaurants!

DER DUTCHMAN: salad, sweet potato casserole, creamed corn, green beans, pan fried chicken,  BBQ meatballs, swiss steak, bread pudding, roast beef, stuffing

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 Wednesday MENU

breakfast  three poached eggs, oatmeal, center cut bacon, corn thins       636 calories 
lunch        Panera Bread 1/2 sandwich Roasted Turkey, Onion Soup,
                 apple, veggie chips, dark chocolate almond granola               1080 calories

dinner       DER DUTCHMAN BUFFET w/SALAD                               1000 calories

SNACK   SNACK: cherry vanilla granola, mango, glad corn                   686 calories

total calories consumed 3403 calories

calories burned

HOME STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL 92 minutes, level 20                     2289 calories

CALORIES BURNED 2289 CALORIES

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Tuesday net calories 1114 calories

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Did this poster really say what I think I saw it say:
SHOP LATE, OPEN 'TIL 8