AMERICANA

Today....a public service

Former Kinks frontman Ray Davies releases his first solo album in nearly a decade today. The 15-song collection, titled Americana, is Davies’ first full-length since 2008’s Working Man’s Café. A day that sees the release of new music from Ray Davies is a good day indeed. Have a great day. I am sure that I will.

....
and if new music from Ray Davies wasn't enough.... today is also the release date of a new album from country music artist, Brad Paisley... Me?  I never heard of him before today. Apparently, there is one song on the new LOVE and WAR album, Drive of Shame, where he sings a duet with Mick Jagger. That's gotta be good! It is the year 2017 - apparently the BRITISH INVASION of music from England which began in the 1960's continues to this day.

Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, April 20, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Casey's - Grilled Chicken Wrap	500	45	17	40	1,666	0
	500	45	17	40	1,666	0
L U N C H
Hy-Vee - Chef Salad	900	24	66	52	1,661	14
	900	24	66	52	1,661	14
D I N N E R
Peanut Butter - Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich	600	47	27	14	245	27
	600	47	27	14	245	27
Totals	2,000	116	110	106	3,572	41
Your Daily Goal	1,930	241	64	97	2,300	72
Remaining	-70	125	-46	-9	-1,272	31
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g

BASEBALL

Woke up this morning, what did I see?
A big black cloud hanging over me
I switched on the radio and nearly dropped dead
The news was so bad that I fell out of bed

just a bit of the lyrics from the Kinks song, Superman.

My point today, is that once again, I can't take the news. Real News. Fake News. It is usually bad news. I am still ticked off that the Republicans apparently punted on health insurance repeal and replace law which they have been promising for years and years.  It might be time for me to get back into an old passion of mine from a long time ago. Baseball. I probably won't. But I should. Opening day is about one week away. Although I live in Chicago, I remain a Yankee fan. The thing is, I am so far from following baseball that I cannot name one player on the team. Apparently I am not much of a fan. 

Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, March 26, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Essential Everyday - Butter Flavored Grits	500	105	5	10	1,700	5
Safeway - Honey Nut Toasted Oats	300	60	3	5	475	28
	800	165	8	15	2,175	33
L U N C H
Egg - Poached Egg, 4	300	2	20	25	629	1
Kirkland - Pre-Cooked Bacon	200	0	15	15	875	0
	500	2	35	40	1,504	1
D I N N E R
White Meat Turkey	600	3	8	133	2,810	3
Mashed Potatoes	200	29	8	3	304	2
	800	32	16	136	3,114	5
Totals	2,100	199	59	191	6,793	39
Your Daily Goal	3,134	392	104	157	2,300	117
Remaining	1,034	193	45	-34	-4,493	78
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
7.75 Mile Urban Hike	122	1,273
Daily Total / Goal	122 / 30	1,273 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	361 / 210	3,711 / 4,130

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THE HARD WEIGH

'THE HARD WAY' is a song written by Ray Davies of The Kinks and first released on their 1976 album, Schoolboys in Disgrace.

For the past seven months, I have tried to limit myself to one trip to the scale per week.   Every once in a while I take preview to see where I am headed. Sometimes the scales makes me very happy and seemingly just as often the result is a hard weigh - which is always annoying.   I lost most of my weight in the first four months.  In the last three months I have been bouncing between 215 lbs and 224 lbs.  I take some satisfaction in that I have been successful in maintaining my weight.   I am aware that it has only been three months since I dropped 90 lbs - but up until now - I have NEVER been successful in keeping weight off after it was lost. In the two previous times that I have lost weight, the moment I stopped losing - I started gaining.  Not this time.   My weight has recently leveled off as I have nearly TRIPLED my calorie consumption.   For the first four months I was consuming 1000 calories per day maximum.   In recent weeks, I have been consuming nearly 3000 calories per day.   It is true that I have also increased the time spent working out each day.  More importantly, my workouts have become much more efficient as I am working out harder than ever and burning more calories per session.  I can do this as I am in much better shape and far stronger now than when I began in January.

Still, each Saturday morning I wake up and step onto the scale and I am usually unsure if I will have a good weigh or a hard weigh.   This morning, I had a good weigh!

The Kinks Schoolboys in Disgrace, 1976

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218.9 lbs

I weigh 218.9 lbs.

I lost 2 lbs this week

I lost 90.1 lbs in 206 days. Today begins Day 207.

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 218.9 lbs. (206 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 29.28 (far away from obesity!)

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

I have one word to describe how I feel this morning: PLEASED

...I know how to begin this week... I think it might be another good day to visit my 'hometown' YMCA.  

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 FRIDAY MENU

breakfast  steel cut oat meal, medjool dates, dried mango             791 calories
lunch        Whole Foods Salad Bar, Turkish Figs                           440 calories
dinner      White Fish, Southern Collared Greens, Trail Mix          999 calories
SNACK   granola, dried mango, medjool dates, pistachios            703 calories

total calories consumed 2934 calories

calories burned

HOME ELLIPTICAL 65 MINUTES, MANUAL SETTING, LEVEL '20'  1528 CALORIES

Friday net calories  1406 calories

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Kinks Album Covers

Wisdom from THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN THE WORLD

CARRY THAT WEIGHT

The tradition that I started is that on Saturday mornings, I often use the name of a song or album and twist the words a bit to give it some connection to my weight loss.  Today, I have reached into the Beatles catalog and titled my blog post, CARRY THAT WEIGHT.   I have not twisted the name of the song in any way.  CARRY THAT WEIGHT was one of the suite of songs that closes the Beatles album, Abbey Road.

ICONIC ALBUM COVER FROM THE BEATLES:  ABBEY ROAD

All my life I have steadfastly refused to be a Beatles fan.   All the while knowing that they were an extremely talented collection of musicians.   A few years ago I came across about 5 Beatles cd's at a thrift store, and for $2 each I was compelled to buy them.   I listen to them fairly infrequently - but I admit now - as I have always admitted - these guys had talent.

Still I prefer (in no particular order) ROLLING STONES, BLUE OYSTER CULT, QUEEN, MOTT THE HOOPLE, AEROSMITH, PINK FLOYD, DEEP PURPLE, IAN HUNTER, BLACK SABBATH, LOU REED, JETHRO TULL, HEART, RUSH, ALICE COOPER, BOSTON, THE CARS, TALKING HEADS, CHEAP TRICK, CLASH, DAVID BOWIE, FRANK ZAPPA, GUN 'N ROSES, RAY DAVIES, MICK JAGGER, ROBERT PLANT, LED ZEPPELIN, PETE TOWNSHEND, THE WHO, U2, and even SPINAL TAP (OK, maybe not Spinal Tap)

It has been great fun to continue to see customers that I have not seen since before I started shedding my pounds.  When I tell them how much I have lost they are mostly amazed, as I continue to be as well!  One comment I often get is that you never looked so heavy.  Or you never seemed incredibly fat.  Yes, I was 309 pounds and I guess I knew how to CARRY THAT WEIGHT.   Life is much better now that I don't CARRY THAT WEIGHT!

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220.9 lbs

I weigh 220.9 lbs.

I gained 5.8 lbs this week?

Water, water, water... either my weight was under-reported last week or it is over-stated this week.  No way could I have gained 6 lbs in one week.

My waist size is still shrinking...  I am annoyed... but will simply continue on my way...  Is it possible that I really am gaining muscle?  I do know that muscle is much denser that fat.  

I lost 88.1 lbs in 199 days.Today begins Day 200.

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 220.9 lbs. (199 days ago I weighed 309 lbs)

I have lost 28.5% of my weight since Dec 24.

I have a BMI, body mass index of 29.55 (far away from obesity!)

I had a 42.0 BMI on Dec 24 just 192 days ago (Class III obesity)

I have two words to describe how I feel this morning: disappointed and determined!

...I know how to begin this week... I think it might be another good day to visit my 'hometown' YMCA.  

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 FRIDAY MENU

breakfast  Two Apples, smoked Oysters in oil (one can)       300 calories

lunch        cucumber salad, two apples                                   251 calories

dinner      Whole Foods Cioppino Soup 12 ounces, 

                Whole Foods spinach salad, wasabi peas, 

                dried mango slices, original corn snack                 1225 calories

SNACK  GRANOLA, TRAIL MIX                                        951 calories

total calories consumed 2728 calories

calories burned

HOME ELLIPTICAL 65 MINUTES, MANUAL SETTING, LEVEL '20'  1606 CALORIES

Friday net calories  1122 calories

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THE HARD WEIGH

The Hard Way is one of the more obscure songs from The Kinks.  The Kinks were part of the original British Invasion in the 1960's.  Led by Ray Davies, The Kinks disbanded in 1986.  Rumors have been swirling for many months that The Kinks would reform and tour in honor of their 50th Anniversary - and that still may or may not happen - although the 50th Anniversary is already passed.  The Hard Way was released on their 1975 album, Schoolboys in Disgrace.  I have recently rediscovered this gem and I now love this album.  Of course, it helps that I already kinda love The Kinks and have for many years.  I have been listening to so much music lately that I have been discovering and rediscovering lots of music from many bands that I have forgotten how much I enjoyed.

The Hard Way - The Kinks

There are two ways of approaching 200 lbs.  One can slowly gain enough weight to reach that point.  That's the easy way.  The Hard Way is to first get to 309 pounds and then try to lose 109 pounds to reach 200 lbs.  That's The Hard Way.  I am in the middle of attempting to reach 200 pounds - The Hard Way.   

The Kinks - Schoolboys in Disgrace (terrific album!)

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I weigh 222.2 lbs.
I gained 8.3 lbs this week?
I admit I am confused.
late dinner last night, not yet fully digested?
retaining water?
I don't know.
Either my reading was very wrong last week.
Or my scale is malfunctioning... I don't know which it is. But if this new reading is correct...
I lost 86.8 lbs in 129 days. Today begins Day 130.


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

I NEED TO GET TO A RELIABLE SCALE AND FIND OUT HOW MUCH I WEIGH.

I have one word to describe how I feel right now - confused
...I know how to begin this week... 
32 minutes ELLIPTICAL

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FRIDAY MENU

breakfast  cup Quaker Oats Oatmeal, two apples, one pear                            391 calories
lunch       THAI STYLE PEANUT SALAD, 2 APPLES                               580 calories
dinner      CHABAD SHABBAT DINNER: tomato salad, zucchini salad,
                 one small piece of Challah, one slice Gefilte Fish
                chicken soup w/Matzo Ball, three pieces chicken (estimated calories)  600 calories
                four 'L'Chaims' (one ounce Whiskey)                                                     276 calories


TOTAL CALORIC CONSUMPTION 1847 CALORIES

calories burned
St Paul YMCA 8:00AM elliptical 40 minutes 360 calories

FRIDAY NET CALORIES 1487 CALORIES
 

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