Showing posts with label LINCOLN. Show all posts

Thursday, January 26, 2017

CAMPAIGN PROMISES and SKEPTICISM

Does it seem to you that Trump has been in the White House for months already? It appears that he just might have been serious about most of his campaign promises. I still will never be convinced that Mexico will be paying for the wall, unless one calculates the cost savings to America that the additional security will provide. In that case, it is easy to make a case that the wall will pay for itself. When Trump promised to nominate a true conservative to the Supreme Court, there were many Republicans who simply did not believe him. I was skeptical. And hopeful. Apparently we will find out next week if this was yet another promise that will be kept. During the campaign, when Trump was spouting off about a myriad of issues and things he wanted to accomplish, I was skeptical because it largely seemed to good to be true. Each day my skepticism diminishes and I become a believer. We are still in the first week of this new administration. I wonder where we will be after the first month. These are interesting days in America.

"The thing about using quotes from the internet is how challenging it can be to confirm their validity." Abraham Lincoln

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Generic - Biscuit and Gravy	300	46	33	13	1,035	9
Kroger - Frosted Shredded Wheat	300	71	2	8	16	17
Morningstar Farms - Sausage Patty	200	7	7	25	649	2
	800	124	42	46	1,700	28
L U N C H
Sushi California Roll	500	95	8	15	900	10
	500	95	8	15	900	10
D I N N E R
Subway - Turkey Breast Foot Long	560	92	7	36	0	14
Lay's - Baked - Sour Cream and Onio	140	24	4	2	195	3
	700	116	11	38	195	17
S N A C K S
Met-Rx - Big 100 Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bar	360	52	5	28	150	25
	360	52	5	28	150	25

Totals	2,360	387	66	127	2,945	80
Your Daily Goal	1,973	246	65	99	2,300	74
Remaining	-387	-141	-1	-28	-645	-6
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g

Friday, June 17, 2016

GRADUATION DAY

It's hard to believe that my daughter who was born on a snowy day in March in the second year of this century will be graduating from elementary school today. When this summer ends, she will be a high school student. One personal statistical oddity about all this is that when my daughter started kindergarten, all those years ago, I had lost 80 pounds and briefly weighed 220. By the time Thanksgiving rolled around that same year, my weight was already steadily increasing and it wasn't too long before I gained back every pound and tacked on nine more for good luck. As my daughter receives her diploma tomorrow, my most recent weight was 232 pounds. So although it is technically true that one can say that my weight is up about 12 pounds in the nine years that my daughter has been going to school - there is a bit more to that story. I have only been 'fit' during two slivers of my daughters educational years, at the start and the beginning. Four years from now, when I proudly watch my daughter graduate from high school, I expect to weigh somewhere near where I am now (hopefully a bit less). I also expect not to have another massive weight gain and massive weight loss in between. That's the plan. And since the subject of graduation has been raised, I would like to publicly congratulate my daughter for her many academic achievements over these past nine years. I am looking forward to seeing what she will accomplish in the next four years! I could never have predicted her level of accomplishment so far. I know she will continue to amaze me.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Ham w/Mustard Cheese White Bread	500	54	5	34	2,300	10
Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	690	104	6	35	2,304	48
L U N C H
HUGE SPINACH SALAD	1,000	0	0	0	0	0
	1,000	0	0	0	0	0
D I N N E R
Crockpot Chicken Noodles	720	5	15	133	584	0
Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	910	55	15	134	588	38
S N A C K S
Chocolate Cookie With Creme Filling	280	42	14	1	180	26
	280	42	14	1	180	26

Totals	2,880	201	35	170	3,071	112
Your Daily Goal	3,021	377	100	152	2,300	113
Remaining	141	175	65	-18	-771	1
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,091 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	99	1,182
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-91


Daily Total / Goal	100 / 30	1,091 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	582 / 210	7,623 / 4,130

1182 calories burned during my one session on the elliptical machine

There is nothing 'heroic' about a day with 15000 steps, but it is very respectable. Most people strive for 10000 per day. I have every reason to be pleased with a total step count that reaches 15000. And I am.

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From the first day that my daughter walked into her kindergarten classroom I weighed about 220 pounds. Nine years later, when she graduated, I weighed 232 pounds. I gained an average of 1.33 pounds per year over the past nine years. Although technically true - that doesn't exactly tell my real story! This reminds me of one of my favorite book titles of all time.

HOW I LOST 5 POUNDS IN 6 YEARS by Tom Arnold

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Tuesday, June 14, 2016

BITTERSWEET WALK

The dictionary defines 'bittersweet' as something that is both pleasant and painful. Yesterday I walked my daughter to school. Of course it was pleasant. Although we have not actually walked to school together very many times since she started kindergarten, I have driven her to school many times. Yesterday was the last time that I will ever walk my child to her elementary school. She graduates from eighth grade this Friday. My schedule will preclude any more walks to school this week. So that's it. High School girls don't like to walk to school with their dads so much. I cannot fathom my Mom or Dad walking me to school when I was in high school - although I cheerfully accepted a car ride occasionally. So there is the bitter part. My girl is growing up. Of course, this is the natural order of things. I am very proud of her achievements that she made during her elementary school years. Still yesterday's walk was bittersweet. Her high school will only be a little more than a half mile from home - maybe I will sneak in a walk with her once in a while. I know that she will still accept a ride in the car if the weather is inclement - but that's just not the same thing as a two mile walk through the neighborhood.

A photo to be treasured: Dad and Daughter on the 'last walk' to school

The last walk together, to elementary school - two miles took 33 minutes! (It us usually difficult for me to walk so slowly!)

Question: What does one do to erase the melancholy of the feeling of walking one's daughter to elementary school for the last time? Answer: Thirteen Mile walk

Before the day was over, I found another 99 minutes to spend on the elliptical machine. I know one cannot use exercise to shed weight, and yet, I find myself with the 'need' to burn calories every chance I get. I know that there are more wasteful ways of spending time. I am content with my hobby of calorie burning. I used to believe that the reason that I could not take off a day from exercising was that I would redevelop the habit of not exercising at all. I am the same guy who spent nearly ten years exercising for approximately zero minutes in aggregate. Apparently this is a 'dragon' that I have slayed. I am less hopeful that I will ever 'slay' the 'overeating dragon' that lives within me. Perhaps the best I can hope for is to win my share fare of daily battles to insure that I win the war. Things would be so much easier if I could simply curb and control my appetite. Life is not easy. We all try to deal with our own personal demons as best we can. That is precisely what I am doing.

Even after I was sure that I was done with my walking for the day, I was not. My daughter returned home from the beach with the yearbook of a friend of hers staying at a third friends home about a mile away. In order to return the book, I offered to walk with her and get the book back into the hands of its owner. Of course, I did - I managed to log an additional 4000 steps which assured a 40,000+ step day.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
3 Egg Omelette - Ham and Cheese, 1 Omelette	400	1	30	40	1,225	0
Kirkland - Pre-Cooked Bacon, 4 slices	160	0	12	12	700	0
Creamy Wheat - Enriched Farina	240	50	0	8	170	2
Malt O Meal - Honey Nut Scooters	240	48	3	6	420	18
	1,040	99	45	66	2,515	20
L U N C H
Earthbound Farm - Baby Spinach, Organic	40	6	0	4	130	0
Crab - Imitation	100	18	0	8	563	4
Roundy's - Sliced Beets	40	8	0	1	250	6
Tomato - Grape, 1 cup	45	6	0	1	7	9
Hard Boiled Egg, 1 Large Egg	78	1	5	6	62	1
Lady lLiberty - Asparagus	18	2	0	2	408	0
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	511	91	6	23	1,423	57
D I N N E R
Homemade - Lasagna	800	53	25	40	1,053	21
	800	53	25	40	1,053	21
S N A C K S
Natural Dark Chocolate With Cherries	500	44	32	6	0	22
	500	44	32	6	0	22

Totals	2,851	286	108	135	4,991	120
Your Daily Goal	6,277	784	209	314	2,300	235
Remaining	3,426	497	100	178	-2,690	114
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 4,347 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking	34	303
Walking	175	2,480
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	99	1,288
Walking	34	382
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-106


Daily Total / Goal	343 / 30	4,347 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	343 / 210	4,347 / 4,130

bittersweet

[adjective bit-er-sweet, bit-er-sweet;noun bit-er-sweet

both pleasant and painful or regretful:

a bittersweet memory.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

10000 STEPS IS EASY, 10000 CALORIES IS HARD

As the millions of 'fitbitters' around the country know - 10000 steps is the recommended target to shoot for each day. 10000 steps is estimated to be the equivalent of walking 5 miles.

It's not that attaining 10,000 steps per day is easy. It is not. Trying to 'burn' 10,000 calories in a day is nearly, but not quite, impossible. Certainly, it is hard to argue against the fact that it is highly improbable.

Today I wanted to shine a spotlight on my dubious accomplishment on Friday when I spent 7 hours on an elliptical machine over the course of the day. My fitbit recorded 'only' 45,774 steps. Those steps were not just walking around the neighborhood, or strolling through a mall: the steps on the elliptical machine were calculated by the fitbit to have burned 10,160 calories. As I have discussed many times before, I know that these numbers are likely wildly overestimated - but it is clear that I must have burned some large number of calories having spent 7 hours on an elliptical machine.

In contrast, back on October 1, 2015, all I did was hike up to the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite Park and back down again in one day. The fitbit on that day recorded 54,101 steps - but 'only' recorded 7,212 calories burned.

And finally, on October 11, 2015, I walked nearly 40 miles over the course of the day... (26 miles Chicago Marathon route, with other miscellaneous walks that day that totaled nearly 40 miles) That day was my personal record for steps and calories burned. The fitbit recorded an astounding 75,029 steps and recorded a calorie burn of 10,891.

No matter how inflated the calorie burn recorded by the fitbit and/or elliptical machines are.... It is still some kind of accomplishment to end a day with an alleged burn of 10000+ calories.

My exercise on Saturday kept me far away from any elliptical machine. Still, I did not exactly take a day off. I took a long 10 mile walk. I took a short break to pick up a snack in downtown Chicago. Then I walked 2 miles more to get home. Walking 12 miles at 4.5 miles per hour is excellent exercise. In fact, it is my favorite exercise. I enjoy watching TV and/or Netflix movies while working on the elliptical machine - but nothing beats being outdoors in the sunshine.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
2 Egg Omelette With Ham and Cheese	383	2	21	32	810	2
Kirkland - Pre-Cooked Bacon, 6 slices	240	0	18	18	1,050	0
Apple - Braeburn, 2 medium apple	142	38	0	1	0	29
	765	40	40	51	1,860	31
L U N C H
CHERRY VANILLA GRANOLA	240	40	7	5	60	15
Campbell's Manhattan Clam Chowder	480	72	12	20	3,200	12
Organic Fair Trade Dark Chocolate Baton	190	21	11	3	5	11
	910	133	30	28	3,265	38
D I N N E R
Grilled Brussel Sprouts, 1 cup	65	13	3	6	23	0
BLACK ANGUS TOP SIRLOIN	360	0	24	33	0	0
Baked Stuff Potatoes, 2 cooked	480	54	24	16	800	8
	905	67	51	55	823	8
S N A C K S
Organic Dark Chocolate Baton Espresso	400	38	26	6	10	26
	400	38	26	6	10	26

Totals	2,980	278	146	139	5,958	103
Your Daily Goal	4,066	508	135	204	2,300	152
Remaining	1,086	230	-11	64	-3,657	49
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 2,136 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	133	1,938
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	27	379
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-181


Daily Total / Goal	161 / 30	2,136 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1081 / 210	16,759 / 4,130

total calories consumed 2980 calories

total calories burned (twelve miles walking) 2317 calories

total net 663 calories

. . . . . . . . . . .

fitbit day 192

22765 steps

. . . . . . . ....
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One thing that you can't see while working out indoors on an elliptical machine is a RHINO. Oh sure, the GOP debate stages have been chock full of RINOS (Republicans in Name Only) but I prefer the real ones at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

This lion at the Lincoln Park Zoo was enjoying the day while relaxing on a big rock.

I enjoy working out on an elliptical machine, but you'd never see a lion working out indoors.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

BON VOYAGE

Bon Voyage. My daughter, age 13, left Chicago yesterday with 23 classmates and 4 chaperones from her school. A public school in Chicago. She left early yesterday evening for Paris, France! Bon Voyage, Sara. Have a safe (and incredibly fun) trip. We will see you in a week.

I guess my daughter was had some mixed feelings at the airport. She was excited to be going to France for the week. I think she was a bit nervous too. I know that she did not enjoy my joke when she picked up her boarding pass and dropped off her luggage. The person at the check in counter asked Sara if her luggage included any electronic cigarettes. I found the question an odd one for a 13 year old girl - so I told the person behind the counter that my daughter only smoked Marlboro's. Although the gate person thought this was pretty funny, neither my wife nor daughter found this even slightly humoruous....apparently they were not in a humorous mood.

THE BENEFITS OF A LATE NIGHT WALK

It was an extremely busy day yesterday. We had an appointment at our synagogue to get some (December) Bat Mitzvah details squared away. Then there were some final preparations for the trip to Paris. We drove to O'hare airport and battled traffic and construction for the entire trip. We said 'Bon Voyage' to our daughter. Then we battled traffic and construction in the opposite direction as we headed home. A quick shopping trip followed by a quick dinner at Mariano's. We finally arrived home shortly before 10PM. It would have been very easy to simply skip a day of exercise. Addicts do not skip days. I suited up in some warm clothes and took your basic 10 mile walk through the streets of Chicago, I ended my day with 25000 steps.... Since my 10 mile walk did not complete until 1AM - I will begin today, Saturday, with 5000 steps 'in the bank.' This is surely a benefit of a late night walk.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

218.6 lbs

I weigh 218.6 lbs.

I lost 1.4 lb this week

I have lost 90.4 lbs in 318 days. Today begins Day 319.

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

I weigh 218.6 lbs (318 days ago I weighed 309 lbs)

I have lost 29.2% of my weight since Dec 24.

I have a BMI, body mass index of 29.24

I had a 42.0 BMI on Dec 24 just 318 days ago (Class III obesity)

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
John McCann Steel Cut - Oat Meal, 1 cup	600	108	0	16	0	0
FORRELLI - MULTIGRAIN RICE CAKES, 18 SLICE	360	72	0	0	360	0
Add Food Quick Tools	960	180	0	16	360	0
L U N C H
Roundy's Select - Sirloin Burger Soup, 2 cup	300	46	7	12	960	8
Quaker - Chewy Granola Bar - Low Fat S'mores, 3 bar (24g)	300	57	6	3	225	24
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
Add Food Quick Tools	790	153	14	16	1,189	70
D I N N E R
MARIANO'S - HUGE SPINACH SALAD, 1 SALAD	500	0	0	0	0	0
Forrelli - Rice Cakes Multigrain Thin, 27 SLICE	540	108	0	0	540	0
Add Food Quick Tools	1,040	108	0	0	540	0
S N A C K S
Quaker Oats - Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar, 48 g	200	34	7	2	140	14
Add Food Quick Tools	200	34	7	2	140	14

Totals	2,990	475	21	34	2,229	84
Your Daily Goal	4,152	519	138	208	2,300	155
Remaining	1,162	43	117	174	71	71
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 2,222 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 5.0 mph	125	2,092
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	130
Add Exercise Quick Tools

Daily Total / Goal	126 / 30	2,222 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	775 / 210	14,422 / 4,130

TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED 2990

TOTAL CALORIES BURNED 2092

NET CALORIES 908 CALORIES

.......................

fitbit day 65

25066 steps

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Thursday, January 26, 2017

CAMPAIGN PROMISES and SKEPTICISM

Your Food Diary For:

Friday, June 17, 2016

GRADUATION DAY

Your Food Diary For:

Your Exercise Diary for:

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

BITTERSWEET WALK

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Sunday, March 13, 2016

10000 STEPS IS EASY, 10000 CALORIES IS HARD

Your Food Diary For:

Your Exercise Diary for:

Saturday, November 7, 2015

BON VOYAGE

Your Food Diary For:

Your Exercise Diary for:

fitbit day 65 25066 steps

fitbit day 65

25066 steps