INDIANA DUNES STATE PARK (DAY 61)

Saturday Morning.
The day I step on the scale.

I have lost 45.4 lbs since my disgust overwhelmed my fat lackadaisical slothful condition and made the decision, that enough was enough! 

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I only had one appointment in Northern Indiana on Friday morning.
So before heading home, I made a stop at Indiana Dunes.
It has been quite a long time since I have been to the Dunes.
When my hike was completed, I had trekked 14 miles.
When the day was over, I had completed my 61st consecutive day of low calorie consumption.
My definition of low calorie consumption has been what I describe as the 'neighborhood of 1000 calories'  During these past 61 days I think I have consumed as low as 800 calories in a day but nothing higher than 1400. That's the neighborhood that I have remained in for these past seven weeks.

I spotted a PRAYING MANTIS along the trail

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During my hike I 'discovered' something that I was not aware of... There are five 'Homes of the Future' along the lake that were moved from the Chicago CENTURY OF PROGRESS World's Fair that took place 1933-1934.   I love discovering new things by accident.

BEACH DAY

For most people, temperatures just a few degrees above freezing does not signal that it is time to go to the beach. I am not most people. After an extremely productive sales call in Ann Arbor, I headed back to Chicago. Before the night replaced day, I stopped at Indiana Dunes and hiked to the beach. My hikes at Indiana Dunes usually include a significant time in the woods, but I was unwilling to chance getting lost in the woods in the cold as I knew darkness would descend fairly soon. It's one thing to be mildly lost on a warm day during the summer, but I did not relish the idea of getting disoriented during this time of year. My hike took me to the Porter Beach and I returned to my car on very quiet roads as this community which is hopping during the summer, looks largely abandoned in the winter. As you can see, the beach was devoid of human activity.

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Your Food Diary For:

      Thursday, November 16, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Dannon Toasted Coconut Vanilla Greek Yogurt	480	54	0	72	270	42
	480	54	0	72	270	42
L U N C H
Market Sandwich Smoked Ham and Cheese	260	28	7	21	1,350	6
Arby's  Roast Beef Classic	360	35	14	23	970	6
	620	63	21	44	2,320	12
D I N N E R
Cranberry Bread Stuffing	400	91	3	6	346	37
	400	91	3	6	346	37
S N A C K S
Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich	220	39	5	3	190	23
Frozen Fudge Bars	300	63	3	9	165	60
	520	102	8	12	355	83
Totals	2,020	310	32	134	3,291	174
Your Daily Goal	3,042	380	101	153	2,300	114
Remaining	1,022	70	69	19	-991	-60
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,112 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 213.7 lbs in 5 weeks     

AND LOVING IT!

Thursday was an extremely productive day. My first appointment was at 8:00AM Eastern Time in Bremen, Indiana.  By the time that I that I finished my third appointment, it was still only early afternoon. As I had crossed back into the extreme northwestern part of the Indiana where the time changes and I was back in Central Time. I had 'gained' an hour. I had time to visit Indiana Dunes (for the first time in a long time) and log a ten mile hike.  Before I got to the Indiana Dunes Visitors Center, I stopped at Jimmy Johns for an 'Unwich' (low-calorie lettuce wrap)  It has been ages since I have had one of these. I am being reminded how good food tastes when one is legitimately hungry. All the things that I learned during my initial journey from 309 lbs all the way down to 220 lbs, I didn't forget... I had simply ignored them. I am feeling so good lately, that I can scarcely believe it. I am once again making a serious effort to exercise, controlling my portions and to making good culinary choices - and loving it!

"...and loving it" was a catchphrase of Agent 86, Maxwell Smart from the 1960's TV Show, Get Smart

Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, September 7, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Quaker Oats instant grits - Instant Grits	200	44	3	4	620	0
	200	44	3	4	620	0
L U N C H
Jimmy John's - Bootlegger Unwich	320	3	22	28	1,120	0
	320	3	22	28	1,120	0
D I N N E R
Asian Chopped Salad	385	46	21	7	1,190	25
Two Cups of Chili	400	14	28	22	1,060	4
Jacobs - Cream Cracker (2 crackers)	70	11	2	2	80	0
	855	71	51	31	2,330	29
S N A C K S
Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	190	50	1	1	4	38
Totals	1,565	168	77	64	4,074	67
Your Daily Goal	3,270	409	109	164	2,300	122
Remaining	1,705	241	32	100	-1,774	55
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,340 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 226.6 lbs in 5 weeks.

Two days in a row, my steps exceeded 30,000

I have really enjoyed photos of myself with my brand new walking stick.

ENVY

On Saturday I weighed 232 lbs. Aside from the fact that that represents a weight gain in recent weeks, I do not mind reminding myself that even at 232 lbs, I am down 77 lbs from where I started just about two years ago. I used to ENVY thin people. I have learned in the past two years that there is no reason to ENVY them. Thin people work hard to be thin. Still, that is not really what I want to talk about today.

I sometimes ENVY people who wake up each day and go to their workplace at the same time, arriving at work by the same mode of transportation and take the same route home. My life is the exact opposite. Each day I am somewhere new, sometimes in a different city and state, staying at different hotels and visiting customers at different times. Sometimes it is difficult to know where I am going and when... For example, yesterday...

I drove out of Chicago by 7:45AM which gave me more than enough time to arrive at a store called COTTON COTTAGE QUILTS at 10:00AM in Valparaiso, Indiana. In fact, I got to the town early enough to stop at the welcome center for Indiana Dunes to pick up some trail maps for future hikes and make a deposit in the local Chase Bank.  I rolled my nearly 100lb sample bag to the front door and was met by my customer who suggested that I follow her upstairs. Once I arrived upstairs with my nearly 100 lbs sample bag, it occurred to my customer that I did not have an appointment with her this day. Turns out my appointment was at a store called CAROLINE'S COTTAGE COTTONS. That store was more than 90 miles to the east. The store was literally (no kidding) in a different (Eastern) time zone, in a town called Rome City, Indiana. I called my customer with whom I did actually have the appointment, and after sheepishly apologizing, I was encouraged to visit. I was driving on Route 80, and I guess I was daydreaming at precisely the wrong moment. I missed my exit and could hardly believe that the next exit was nearly 20 miles ahead. This was an act of stupidity on top of an act of stupidity. I did finally arrive at the place that I was supposed to be at 10:00AM - four hours later at 2:00PM Eastern Time. This was a customer that I was meeting for the first time. This woman was very gracious and understanding. (But of course she was, once we finished with business, we started discussing the recent election and it turns out we both supported the candidate who wants to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN) I am sure that I made a new friend today, one unlikely to forget me. We did some fabric and button business, and I returned home in time for dinner.

As I said, earlier...sometimes I ENVY people who go to work at the same place every day. But only sometimes...

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Your Food Diary For:

Monday, December 5, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Powerbar - 30g Protein Plus Chocolate	330	40	9	30	180	27
Essential Everyday - Butter Flavored Grits	600	126	6	12	2,040	6
	930	166	15	42	2,220	33
L U N C H
Turkey & Cheddar on Multigrain Sandwich	440	44	18	45	835	10
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
Nature Valley - Crunchy - Oats 'n Honey	190	29	7	3	180	11
	820	123	26	49	1,019	59
D I N N E R
Keebler - Elfudge	600	88	25	7	353	42
Hamburger Soup	900	45	37	94	1,092	16
	1,500	133	62	101	1,445	58
S N A C K S
Clif Bar - Builder's Protein Bar - Chocolate Mint	270	29	9	20	200	22
	270	29	9	20	200	22
Totals	3,520	451	112	212	4,884	172
Your Daily Goal	2,834	354	94	142	2,300	106
Remaining	-686	-97	-18	-70	-2,584	-66
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 904 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Monday, December 5, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Elliptical Trainer	97	1,084
Daily Total / Goal	97 / 30	1,084 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	97 / 210	1,084 / 4,130

TOLLESTON DUNES TRAIL

Finally, after one week of exclusively using the elliptical machine, I returned outdoors to an actual trail. I found the Tolleston Dunes Trail which is a short loop trail. This trail is part of the larger Indiana Dunes area.  I retraced my steps three times so that my hike was six miles.  It was really great to be back outside and walking a new trail.

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Your Food Diary For:

Friday, December 2, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Kellogg's - Raisin Bran Crunch	400	95	2	8	421	40
Wonder - Cinamon Toast	100	0	0	0	0	0
Quaker - Instant Oatmeal - Original	400	76	8	16	300	0
	900	171	10	24	721	40
L U N C H
FRESH THYME - SALAD w/chicken,bacon,ham,croutons,etc	750	0	0	0	0	0
DARK COCOA MELTING WAFERS	400	44	24	5	82	38
	1,150	44	24	5	82	38
D I N N E R
Fried Shrimp	100	4	0	42	0	0
Fire Roasted Corn	100	22	1	3	0	2
	200	26	1	45	0	2
S N A C K S
Fit Crunch - Birthday Cake Flavor	380	27	16	30	320	6
Rice Rolls, 7 roll	266	56	0	7	35	28
	646	83	16	37	355	34
Totals	2,896	324	51	111	1,158	114
Your Daily Goal	2,739	342	91	137	2,300	102
Remaining	-157	18	40	26	1,142	-12
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 809 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Friday, December 2, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
TOLLESTON DUNES SIX MILE HIKE	101	924
Daily Total / Goal	101 / 30	924 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	875 / 210	9,513 / 4,130

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A very disappointing weigh in today as the scale stopped at 232 lbs.  Obviously I cannot exercise enough to counter-act the amount of chocolates and sweets that I have been enjoying. Of course, I know this already.  Might be time for a change in attitude.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

No, it's not my wedding anniversary...That's still about three weeks away.  No, it's not the anniversary of my decision to change my life and quit the couch potato lifestyle...that's still nearly four months away. No, it's not the anniversary of my climb up to the peak of Half Dome in Yosemite Park...that's still about one month away. It is the anniversary of the day that I turbo-charged the change in my life and purchased my fitbit. During this first year... Sept 2015 through August 2016, I have been counting steps... I am aware that there is about one person on earth who might care about this. That person being me.

In the first year that I had this fitbit, I accumulated 9,012,198 steps. 
I had two months when my step count was over one million.
I had one month when my step count was under 200,000.
My average steps for this first year was 24,690 steps per day.
I earned my 'sneakers badge' (10,000 steps) 342 times.
I earned my 'cowboy badge' (50,000 steps) 22 times.
I earned my 'classics badge' (25,000 steps) 171 times.
I failed to earn my 'boat shoe badge' (5000 steps) 23 times.
I earned my 'volcano badge' (500 floors climbed in one day) once, on Half Dome.
I earned my 'genie shoe' badge (75,000 steps) once, the day I walked the Chicago Marathon before taking an additional hike in the evening that same day.

SEPT 2 - SEPTEMBER 30

OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 31

NOVEMBER 1 - NOVEMBER 30

DECEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 31

JANUARY 1 - JANUARY 31

FEBRUARY 1 - FEBRUARY 29

MARCH 1 - MARCH 31

APRIL 1 - APRIL 30
(HERNIA INJURY, SURGERY)

MAY 1 - MAY 31
(HERNIA RECOVERY)

JUNE 1 - JUNE 30

JULY 1 - JULY 31

AUGUST 1 - AUGUST 31

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And now...back to our regular programming....



After an appointment in Mishawaka, Indiana, I headed towards Chicago and stopped at Indiana Dunes. As always, I parked my car at the visitors center. This time I was searching for the Little Calumet River Trail which I had not yet hiked on any of my previous visits. At one point, I lost the trail and it was a while before I 'recovered.'  I never worry too much as my MapMyWalk application always tells me where I am and which direction I need to go to get back on track. 

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Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, September 1, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Mccain - Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal	600	108	10	16	0	4
Fiber One - Chewy Bars - Chocolate	90	17	2	1	80	5
	690	125	12	17	80	9
L U N C H
Power Bar - Protein Plus 20g - Chocolate	210	25	6	20	200	12
Subway - Footlong Turkey Breast on Wheat	560	92	17	36	1,890	11
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	960	167	24	57	2,094	61
D I N N E R
Aladdin Food - Garlic Shrimp	250	14	7	31	664	0
Spaghetti - Spaghetti Noodles	221	43	1	8	1	1
Baby Spinach - Baby Spinaches	20	3	0	2	65	0
Campbell's - Condensed Tomato Soup	180	40	0	4	960	24
Quaker - Chewy Choc Chip, 1 bar	100	17	4	1	0	7
	771	117	12	46	1,690	32
S N A C K S
Generic - Twix Ice Cream Bar, 1 bar (3 oz)	250	28	14	2	75	23
	250	28	14	2	75	23
Totals	2,671	437	62	122	3,939	125
Your Daily Goal	3,569	446	119	179	2,300	133
Remaining	898	9	57	57	-1,639	8
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,639 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 191.3 lbs in 5 weeks     

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
10 MILE HIKE	146	1,750
Daily Total / Goal	146 / 30	1,750 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	595 / 210	7,784 / 4,130

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Little Calumet River Trail is located in the town of Porter in Porter County within the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and is connected to the Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm Trails. To access the trails from US 20, turn north on Mineral Springs Rd. go ½ mile then turn left on Oak Hill Rd. another ½ mile, and then another left on Howe Rd. Parking is available near Bailly Homestead on the left and further down is additional parking to the right where the trailhead is also located.

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