DOZEN DAYS

One dozen days.

I have successfully ratcheted down my caloric intake for one dozen consecutive days.

A couple more weeks of this...

...and there should be some significant body slimming in my future.

I have way more clothes that don't fit than clothes that do fit.

I would like to flip that equation.

BETTER DAYS AHEAD

I weighed myself this morning, and I am still uncomfortably close to 240lbs... 239.5lbs to be exact. Apparently all those little chocolate treats that I somehow 'forget' to log in my food diary, still count. Still, it's not horrible. I've been worse. I have also been better. I am looking forward to better days ahead.

Your Food Diary For:

Friday, December 8, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Grits	400	88	6	8	1,240	4
Kirkland - Bacon	240	0	18	18	1,050	0
	640	88	24	26	2,290	4
L U N C H
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich	700	55	31	17	286	31
	700	55	31	17	286	31
D I N N E R
Panda Express Mushroom Chicken	170	11	14	12	840	4
Panda Express Mixed Vegetable	80	16	1	4	540	5
Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp	360	35	23	13	440	9
	610	62	38	29	1,820	18
S N A C K S
Ice Cream Bar	480	33	39	6	150	3
	480	33	39	6	150	3
Totals	2,430	238	132	78	4,546	56
Your Daily Goal	2,023	253	67	102	2,300	75
Remaining	-407	15	-65	24	-2,246	19
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 93 extra calories from exercise today

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DAY TWO

Well, two days are banked. Two days when I started to remember that which I never forgot but simply ignored.  Two days when I ate normally. On Monday my caloric intake was under 1000 calories.   I remember from experience, that this is too much (in fact, it is too little!) Tuesday was a bit more real as my calories were just under 1400. In order to be successful (again) I will need to make choices that do not leave me craving food all the time. The thing is, as I started to make poorer and poorer choices, eating more and more garbage, I found myself where I have been all my life - constantly hungry and never satisfied.  Sure, it has only been two days that I am making the choice to cut out the junk - I did not feel hungry. Is it possible that I already feel a bit better? My imagination? Placebo effect? Who knows? Who cares? I like a good placebo.

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Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Essential Everyday - Butter Flavored Grits	200	42	2	4	680	2
	200	42	2	4	680	2
L U N C H
Little Salad Bar - Asian Chopped Salad	385	46	21	7	1,190	25
Corned Beef & Cabbage	200	11	9	18	468	0
	585	57	30	25	1,658	25
D I N N E R
Little Salad Bar - Asian Chopped Salad	385	46	21	7	1,190	25
	385	46	21	7	1,190	25
S N A C K S
Quaker - Chewy Granola 90 Calories	90	19	2	1	80	7
Sage - Red Delicious Apple	95	25	0	1	2	19
	185	44	2	2	82	26
Totals	1,355	189	55	38	3,610	78
Your Daily Goal	1,930	241	64	97	2,300	72
Remaining	575	52	9	59	-1,310	-6
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 243 lbs in 5 weeks

HOW TO LOSE 57 POUNDS IN FIVE WEEKS

Please forgive the misleading title, I don't think a healthy person can or should lose 57 pounds in five weeks. 

On Saturday, after walking 22 miles at an average speed of 4.3 mph, working out on the elliptical machine for 97 minutes and otherwise accumulating 60,299 steps, while consuming only 2062 calories - I selected an option on MyFitnessPal after all foods and exercise have been recorded: COMPLETE DIARY.  This is what popped up:

My current weight is 229.6 lbs. This application is calculating that all I need to do is maintain a daily diet of 2000 calories, and combine that with an additional 5000 calories per day from exercise, and after five weeks I will weigh 171.9 lbs. Of course, this is ridiculous. But this might explain how some of the contestants on THE BIGGEST LOSER show the wild results that the show is famous for. As best I know, the participants on THE BIGGEST LOSER workout for hours on end, and consume very few calories. I don't mind having an insanely active day every so often. I expect to return to my average of 3000+ calories and more reasonable exercise. I always try to remind myself that this is not a race. It is a never-ending marathon, and the important thing is to be traveling in the right direction.  For the past few weeks, I have been traveling in the right direction. I plan to continue.

* * * * * * * * * * * 

I often wake up at between 6:00AM and 7:00AM. On Saturday night, I didn't get to sleep until after midnight, and I woke up very late at the astounding time of 10:00AM. It is very rare that I sleep that late. I was truly exhausted by the time midnight rolled around on Saturday, so I guess my muscles needed the additional rest. Even though I got a late start on Sunday,  I prepared a breakfast and spent 97 minutes on the elliptical machine. Then I found time in the afternoon to revisit the elliptical machine. Late Sunday night I found one more opportunity to burn some additional calories.

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Still, three sessions on the elliptical machine seemed like a day off compared the previous day when I walked 22 miles. 

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Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, July 3, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker - Grits - Instant - Original	300	66	0	6	930	0
Regular Raw - Gala Apple, 5 oz	74	20	0	0	0	3
Hormel-Kirkland Signature - Bacon	160	0	12	12	700	0
Sargento - Havarti (sliced)	80	0	7	4	125	0
	614	86	19	22	1,755	3
L U N C H
Oscar mayer - classic weiners	440	8	36	24	2,040	0
Read - 3 Bean Salad, 1.67 Cup (85g)	300	65	0	5	1,500	40
Sirloin Burger Soup	260	34	8	14	1,580	6
	1,000	107	44	43	5,120	46
D I N N E R
Orechiette Pasta Salad	388	40	20	11	825	0
Southwest Corn Salad	170	16	12	2	380	0
Salmon	400	0	25	43	1,322	0
	958	56	57	56	2,527	0
S N A C K S
Nestle - Mini Baby Ruth, 2 bars	170	24	8	2	85	20
	170	24	8	2	85	20
Totals	2,742	273	128	123	9,487	69
Your Daily Goal	5,354	669	178	268	2,300	200
Remaining	2,612	396	50	144	-7,187	131
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 3,424 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Sunday, July 3, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	97	1,066
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	99	1,211
Walking	37	350
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	97	1,174
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-377
Daily Total / Goal	331 / 30	3,424 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	2107 / 210	26,597 / 4,130

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* * * * * * * * * 

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July 4th, 2016. Independence Day. The Fourth of July, 1976. The greatest country on Earth was born with the most freedom for its citizens. These days, hardly a day passes when the leftists in the Democratic Party don't try to chip away at our freedoms and/or shatter our cherished institutions. They have won many battles. Since it is their goal to destroy this great nation - I hope they fail.

MapMyWALK ACKNOWLEDGES ANNIVERSARY

I downloaded the MapMyWALK app on December 26, 2014.  Yesterday morning, when I awoke I was greeted by an email from my app wishing me a Happy Anniversary.

I am so touched that my app remembered (although I am still waiting for my bottle of wine or bouquet of flowers - I just read that FedEx has been unable to deliver all their packages on time during this holiday season, so I will keep a sharp lookout today!)  The email had a link to review my 'stats' for the year.

What I remember so well about this app was that after I downloaded it, I made no effort to use it until the following April.  When I started exercising, back in December 2014, all my efforts were confined to an indoor treadmill. After a few months of 'treadmilling,' I graduated to an elliptical machine.  It was only after three months, during a visit to New York to see my Mom for her 80th Birthday did I find myself without easy access to an indoor fitness facility. On April 2, 2014 I used MapMyWALK for the first time.  I recall that  on that day I took a five mile roundtrip walk to my old high school. Still I did not start using this app on a regular basis until AFTER my return trip down from the peak of HALF DOME on October 1st.  Since that time, the app has been invaluable to me.  On the yearend stats it recorded a couple of bike rides - but during the course of the year I discovered that there was a specific app for bike riding (MapMyRIDE)  I think that MapMyWALK only started recording the hours and calories of my generic (indoor) workouts once I synced this app with MyFitnessPAL. Without further introduction, here are the stats as reported from MapMyWALK in the first year that I had downloaded the app.  I can imagine that next year, I will use the app for even more walking miles than I did this year.  At least that's the plan.

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When I left the home today, my plan was to go and buy some socks at the Columbia Store on Michigan Avenue.  I detoured first to Navy Pier, then Northerly Island, then Chinatown.  I never did get to the Columbia store.  When I returned home, I had walked 17 miles. Perhaps today I will make it to the store to buy some some thick white socks...

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Your Food Diary For:

Saturday, December 26, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
steel cut oatmeal - steel cut oat meal, 1 cup	600	108	10	20	0	4
Malt O Meal - Honey Nut Scooters, 90 g	360	72	5	9	630	27
	960	180	15	29	630	31
L U N C H
Pampa - Canned Asparagus, 1 cups	30	4	0	4	680	0
Deli Ham - Ham, 4 oz	120	1	3	24	920	0
Chinese Almond Cookie, 1 cookie	100	11	6	1	20	0
	250	16	9	29	1,620	0
D I N N E R
Stuffed Pork 1 cut pork chop w/ stuffing	368	23	22	19	812	0
ORGANIC BABY SPINACH, 255 g	60	0	0	6	195	0
STRAWBERRY VANILLA GRANOLA	275	44	9	6	66	17
	703	67	31	31	1,073	17
S N A C K S
WHOLE FOODS DRIED MANGO	126	32	0	2	1	23
WHOLE FOODS YOGURT ALMONDS	220	22	14	4	20	19
WHOLE FOODS - NATURAL WASABI	138	22	3	5	276	2
Chinese Almond Cookie (two big cookies)	460	52	26	4	90	17
	944	128	43	15	387	61
Totals	2,857	391	98	103	3,710	109
Your Daily Goal	8,558	1,070	285	428	2,300	321
Remaining	5,701	678	187	324	-1,410	212
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 6,628 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	90	1,596
Walking, 5.0 mph	193	3,503
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	1,529
Daily Total / Goal	284 / 30	6,628 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1497 / 210	23,772 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 2857 calories

total calories (90 minutes elliptical, walking) 5099 calories

total net calories 2242 calorie deficit

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fitbit day 115

45115 steps

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It is a real blessing that I find different types of exercising enjoyable.  For a while there, I was exclusively strapping on my backpack and walking (and walking and walking).  Months had gone by and I was afraid that I might have lost my ability to have a good workout on an elliptical machine and/or that I might have lost my ability to enjoy such an endeavor.  Both premises were proved to be untrue.  There are of course, pros and cons of both types of workouts - and it is terrific that I can find enjoyment from both.  

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THIS IS A PAIR OF BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES (Lincoln Park Zoo)
The first picture is before my daughter had her first birthday.
The second picture was taken 13 years later!

2002

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December 26, 2015

The photos were taken at the 'Farm in the Zoo' at the Lincoln Park Zoo.  The 'egg' appears to be in the need of a washing or painting or something.  I think it was new in 2002 when the first photo was taken.

TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING TWENTY

Yesterday, was the beginning of a new tradition.  I set out in the morning, long before my family was stirring about, to walk 20 miles.  The weather was much more cooperative at the beginning than at the end of this particular urban hike.  The weather was a very comfortable 53°F when I started and the forecast for rain was for much later in the afternoon.  The forecast for rain was not quite so accurate.  The last 5 miles of my walk was largely in a pouring rain.  Nevertheless, I perservered and continued on until I had logged my 20th mile.  Whether I will be able to do this next Thanksgiving (a 20 mile walk does carve out a bit of time) or not - I do not know.  It seems like a good tradition to shoot for.  Next year I will let you know how the 2nd Annual Traditional Thanksgiving Twenty goes....

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. . . . . . . . . . .

As part of my 20 mile urban hike - I explored parts of Grant Park for the first time

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For the past few days, I have continued to attempt to 'perfect' this type of 'action' photograph.  By standing very near the edge, it does become much more obvious that I am 'in the air.'  On this grey day, my bright orange shirt is the only color in the picture.  It should be fairly obvious now that the premise of the 1992 film, White Men Can't Jump, is certainly not disproved by my prowess defying gravity!

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Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, November 26, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quakers - Rice Cake Lightly Salted, 14 Cake (9g)	490	98	0	14	210	0
Michigan Apples - red delicious apple, 3 large	390	102	0	3	0	75
	880	200	0	17	210	75
L U N C H
Sweet Baby Ray's - Original Beef Jerky, 6 oz	540	36	6	66	2,880	36
Nature Valley 4 Crunchy Granola Bar Oats and Honey	380	58	14	6	360	22
	920	94	20	72	3,240	58
D I N N E R
Brisket - Brisket, 8 oz	352	0	17	48	176	0
Potatoes, red, flesh and skin, baked, 1 potato large	266	59	0	7	36	4
Roundy's - Sweet Peas - Canned, 1 cup	120	20	1	8	30	10
	738	79	18	63	242	14
S N A C K S
General Mills 2 Nature Valley - Oats 'n Honey	190	29	6	4	160	12
Kind Healthy Grains 2 Dark Chocolate Chunk	300	46	10	4	140	16
	490	75	16	8	300	28
Totals	3,028	448	54	160	3,992	175
Your Daily Goal	5,516	689	184	276	2,300	206
Remaining	2,488	241	129	116	-1,691	30
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 3,586 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	260	3,978
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-392
Daily Total / Goal	261 / 30	3,586 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	794 / 210	12,476 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 3028 calories
total calories burned (20 mile walk) 3978 calories
total net calories 950 caloric deficit

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fitbit day 85

51605 steps

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ten mile walking streak reached 18 days.

Around mile 5, the rain was still two hours away...

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and for no particular reason, here is some very bad advice from The Most Interesting Man in the World....