GOOD LUCK, JACK

Last night, I met my young friend Jack at my Chabad House for a final evening of L'Chaims prior to him packing his car and moving back to Brooklyn, New York after 3 years in Chicago.

Jack is a special friend, as we had many shared experiences at the Chabad House.  For some reason, a lot of those experiences seemed to revolve around 'L'Chaims.'  It is true that my renewed enthusiasm for Judaism seemed to be in direct proportion to my discovery that Orthodox Jews like to 'weaken' their bodies with alcohol just a bit, to more easily allow greater inspirational spiritual thoughts enter the mind. Anyway, that's the theory.

from the Chabad.org website:

This "weakening of the body" allows the soul to shine through. After taking a l'chaim one is more easily inspired, because the body offers less resistance. This obviously applies only when one drinks in moderation, and on special, holy occasions in an attempt to make them a bit more festive and to introduce an inspirational ambiance

I am going to miss my friend Jack.  Jack and his bride are about to start the best journey that anyone can ever start. The journey of parenthood. Their doctor has given them a date in February, so I will be keeping an eye out for confirmation of this wonderful blessing to come.  Among the things that I liked about Jack is that we had plenty of things in common despite the fact that I was old enough to be his father's older brother. I don't know if he considered me his unusual 'old' friend or just a friend. It matters not. He is a good guy. Jack I wish you the best.

My friend Jack and I had one last memorable evening at the Chabad House last night. I expected to have plenty of L'Chaims. I actually do try to count them as I intend to log them into my food diary.  (Although, when I do, I usually get a disapproving email from my Mom, who is among my most regular blog readers)  Nevertheless, I think we didn't quite get into double digits last night - but I do know that our bodies were weakened plenty to discuss some big issues.  All kidding aside, the discussions last night included discussing quantum physics and God.  This is precisely what the 'L'Chaims' are purported to do - open pathways to new inspirational ideas.

I will simply look forward to my next L'Chaim with my friend...whether it is in one year or ten years.

I was well aware that last evening was going to be an evening of eating and drinking... although it is more or less useless to try to pre-burn calories prior to overindulging... It is something that one can't be blamed for trying.... Yesterday, my first workout on the elliptical machine was from 5:00AM until 6:30AM and my second workout was from 3:00PM until 4:30PM which was prior to my 7 hour visit to the Chabad House.

5:00AM elliptical workout

3:00PM elliptical workout

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Your Food Diary For:

Friday, January 15, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Walgreens - Nutritional Shake, 2 Bottle	500	80	12	18	380	44
Nice - Quick Oats	600	112	10	20	0	0
	1,100	192	22	38	380	44
L U N C H
Cafeteria - Sweet Butternut Squash, 4.5 oz	120	20	5	0	8	6
Tender Greens - Kale Salad With Albacore Tuna	195	4	15	12	224	0
Generic - Teriyaki Salmon Steaks, 6 oz	270	3	8	47	365	5
	585	27	27	58	596	11
D I N N E R
Homemade - Challah Bread, 3 slice	351	57	8	12	312	0
Home Made - Matzah Ball Soup, 1 cup	118	10	6	0	450	0
Home - Boiled Chicken Breast	262	0	6	49	0	0
Homemade - Chocolate Birthday Cake, 1 Slice	294	35	10	0	0	35
	1,025	102	29	61	762	35
S N A C K S
Cliff Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt - Trail Mix Bar, 1 bar	200	19	13	5	160	9
Roundy's - Oats & More With Honey & Almonds	520	104	8	12	600	24
Crown Royal - Crown Royal, 9 ounce	576	0	0	0	0	0
	1,296	123	21	17	760	33
Totals	4,006	444	100	175	2,498	123
Your Daily Goal	5,901	737	196	296	2,300	221
Remaining	1,895	293	96	121	-198	98
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 3,971 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Friday, January 15, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	2,166
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	2,128
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-323
Daily Total / Goal	185 / 30	3,971 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	656 / 210	13,013 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 4006 calories

total calories burned (184 min elliptical) 4294 calories

total net 288 calorie deficit

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fitbit day 134

19382 steps
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SATURDAY WEIGH/IN   219 LBS.

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I just now noticed the date...January 16.  I do not have the strongest faith that my Dad will receive this message in heaven...but just in case... Happy Birthday, Dad.

BARUCH HASHEM - THANK GOD!

BARUCH HASHEM! 

I don't normally trot out Hebrew expressions.  The reason for this is although I am Jewish - I don't know that many Hebrew expressions.  Today, I will proudly proclaim: BARUCH HASHEM!  (This can be translated at Blessed be God, or Thank God!)

My four month relationship with my gastroenterologist is coming to an end.  I was referred to a gastroenterologist in May when my doctor discovered anemia in an otherwise unremarkable blood test.  Although I was asymptomatic - protocol apparently 'demanded' that the source be found. The source was in fact not found.

I was subjected to a colonoscopy.   No source of blood loss located.

I was subjected to an endoscopy.    No source of blood loss located.

I was subjected to a capsule endoscopy.  No source of blood loss located.

I was subjected to a full body cat scan.  No source of blood loss located.

My stool sample was subjected to a full investigation.  No source of blood loss located.

During the four months that this was going on my iron levels have returned to normal - although even now - by blood count - hemoglobin is a little low.  My current official diagnosis normocytic anemia. And it seems possible that my hemoglobin count will also return to normal as that seems to be the current trend.

The real verdict from the gastroenterologist after all of this.  I am fine.

Now listen, I don't want to complain.   Four months ago, when I got the phone call from my doctor urging me to quickly see a gastroenterologist - I was convinced that my death was imminent from some horrible disease or body malfunction.

I am fine.

Baruch Hashem (Hebrew)

BARUCH HASHEM!  THANK GOD!

(...in a side note to the Almighty: Might there have been another way of me finding out that my health was good without spending thousands of dollars before my insurance deductible was activated, or am I being an ungrateful malcontent by asking the question?)

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226.3 lbs

I weigh 226.3 lbs.

I gained 0.5 lbs this week

I have lost 82.7 lbs in 234 days. Today begins Day 235.

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

I weigh 226.3 lbs. (234 days ago I weighed 309 lbs)

I have lost 26.8% of my weight since Dec 24.

I have a BMI, body mass index of 30.27 

I had a 42.0 BMI on Dec 24 just 234 days ago (Class III obesity)

I have two words of advice for myself today: REVERSE COURSE

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 FRIDAY MENU

breakfast    oatmeal, center cut bacon, corn thins                                   669 calories
lunch          spinach salad, crisp bread, dried papaya, pink lady apple 1034 calories 
dinner         pink lady apples, wasabi peas, corn, kahuna crunch           765 calories
SNACK     ginger chews                                                                         160 calories

total calories consumed 2628 calories

calories burned

6AM HOME ELLIPTICAL 92 MINUTES, MANUAL SETTING, LEVEL '20'  2071 CALORIES
since I was not sure I would have time for a workout on Saturday - I worked out twice on Friday
9PM  HOME ELLIPTICAL 92 MINUTES, MANUAL SETTING, LEVEL '20' 2125 CALORIES

TOTAL CALORIES BURNED 4196 CALORIES

Friday net calories NEGATIVE 1568 calories

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