Showing posts with label SUMMER. Show all posts

Saturday, September 23, 2017

THIS IS IT

Well, this may not be IT.
But it is me, standing in front of a wall mural advertising the new Stephen King flick, IT.
I just downloaded iOS 11 last night, and Apple has upgraded the efficiency of the iphone camera.
Perhaps it is my imagination, but I do think that colors captured by this photograph are more vivid.
Whatever. It is what it is. Obviously.

As I set out for my urban hike right around 3:00PM, it can be said that yesterday's twelve mile jaunt was the first of the new fall season. Ironically, it felt more like one of the hottest days of the summer.

Since the universe tends to run like 'clockwork' it is easy to make certain predictions. It is easy to predict when the seasons change, and it is easy to predict phases of the moon, and for that matter, it is easy to predict solar eclipses...years, decades or even centuries into the future. As predicted, Summer gave way to Autumn yesterday afternoon in Chicago at 3:02PM. Apparently someone forgot to tell the weather forecasters, because they correctly predicted that the temperatures would approach 90°F in the late afternoon. Still seemed like summer to me.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Scrambled Eggs	325	3	22	28	317	2
Nova Lox Haven - Smoked Salmon	100	0	6	12	650	0
Kraft Ham and American Cheese	340	37	16	11	620	17
	765	40	44	51	1,587	19
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
Bagel With Cream Cheese	400	58	12	13	780	4
	400	58	12	13	780	4
S N A C K S
Chewy Oat & Honey Cranola Bar	400	76	8	8	220	28
	400	76	8	8	220	28

Totals	1,885	177	86	100	3,707	51
Your Daily Goal	3,649	456	121	183	2,300	136
Remaining	1,764	279	35	83	-1,407	85
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,719 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today... You'd weigh 222.8 lbs in 5 weeks

SATURDAY...TIME TO WEIGH IN

This morning I weighed 250.2 lbs.
I lost an additional 3.1 lbs this past week.

On August 26, just one month ago my weight has crested at 263.3 lbs.
I WAS depressed.
I was NOT walking.
I was NOT eating well.
I was NOT blogging.

Fast forward one month.
I am NOT depressed.
I AM walking.
I AM eating well (OK, technically not well, but certainly better)
I AM blogging.

THIS IS IT.
It appears to me that I have recaptured the will to succeed that had evaded me for way too long.

Monday, March 20, 2017

SPRING

Today, March 20, 2017 is the first day of spring. (for us earthlings in the northern hemisphere) Although it is true that every day is a good day to make changes in one's life, some days are seemingly just perfect. The first day of spring appears to be one such day. I have a bunch of changes to make in my culinary habits. Today, like everyday, is a good day to start.

Your Food Diary For:

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
	500	105	5	10	1,700	5
L U N C H
Omelette - 3-egg Omelette With Cheese	425	0	21	28	650	2
Johnsonville 170 - Polish Kielbasa Sausage	170	2	15	7	570	1
Trader Joes - Hash Brown Patty, 1 patty	130	14	8	1	250	0
	725	16	44	36	1,470	3
D I N N E R
Kirkland Signature Pizza	760	83	31	35	1,956	6
	760	83	31	35	1,956	6


Totals	1,985	204	80	81	5,126	14
Your Daily Goal	2,796	349	93	140	2,300	104
Remaining	811	145	13	59	-2,826	90
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking	71	798


Daily Total / Goal	71 / 30	798 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	313 / 210	4,052 / 4,130

Thursday, December 22, 2016

REASON TO BE CHEERFUL

Here is a reason to be cheerful. Yesterday, all of us in the northern hemisphere experienced the shortest day of the year. This means that ever so slowly the amount of sunlight we experience each day will be increasing. In Chicago, for example, sunrise was at 7:15AM and sunset was 4:23PM. Six months from now, on the summer solstice, officially the first day of summer, Chicago will have a sunrise at 5:16AM and a sunset at 8:30PM. Over the next six months we will be marching towards that day. As I said, that is a reason to be cheerful.

from usatoday.com

Here comes the cold and dark: The winter solstice, the day of the year with the least amount of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere, occurs early Wednesday morning. The solstice happens at the same instant everywhere on Earth. In the U.S., it happens at 5:44 a.m. EST Wednesday (or 4:44 a.m. CT, 3:44 a.m. MT and 2:44 a.m. PT). After the solstice, the amount of daylight slowly starts to get longer again each day. The winter solstice is the exact moment that the Northern Hemisphere is tilted the farthest it ever gets from the sun. During the Northern Hemisphere's winter, the land north of the equator is tilted away from the sun. This lowers the amount of the sun's warming energy that reaches Earth, hence, winter! It's the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, where Dec. 21 marks the beginning of astronomical summer. On the winter solstice, all places south of the equator have more than 12 hours of daylight, while all locations north of the equator have less than 12 hours of daylight, AccuWeather said.

Of course, I have had a reason to be cheerful every day since November 8th. That was the day that socialism, liberalism, and leftism were shown the door and Americans elected a new president. I have been pretty cheerful for the last six weeks. In fact, I am pretty sure that outside of both coasts, there have been a lot of cheerful Americans greeting each day with a great anticipation of the future.

With the exception of the 'Clinton Archipelago' most Americans have been very cheerful lately.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Omelette - 3-egg Omelette With Cheese	425	0	21	28	650	2
Kirkland - Pre-Cooked Bacon	160	0	12	12	700	0
Essential Everyday - Butter Grits	500	105	5	10	1,700	5
	1,085	105	38	50	3,050	7
L U N C H
Nature Valley Crunchy Oats 'n Honey	190	29	7	3	180	11
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, 2	760	60	34	18	310	34
	950	89	41	21	490	45
D I N N E R
Subway - Sweet Onion Chicken Teryaki	840	94	26	52	1,980	14
	840	94	26	52	1,980	14
S N A C K S
Fresh Thyme Dark Cocoa Wafers	500	55	30	7	102	48
	500	55	30	7	102	48

Totals	3,375	343	135	130	5,622	114
Your Daily Goal	2,818	352	94	141	2,300	105
Remaining	-557	9	-41	11	-3,322	-9
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 888 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Elliptical Trainer	99	983


Daily Total / Goal	99 / 30	983 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	439 / 210	4,540 / 4,130

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

CHANGING SEASONS

One thing interesting about living in North America is experiencing the changing seasons. Definitionally there are four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. One of the most amusing articles of clothing that I once saw for sale in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was a shirt that said: The 4 Seasons of the UP: Early Winter, Winter, Late Winter, and Next Winter. Here in Chicago where I live, we are said to have only two seasons: Winter and Construction. Personally, I have concluded that my life revolves around these four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Netflix. As the colder weather sweeps in, I have noticed that I have and will continue to spend much more time indoors with my workouts on an elliptical machine rather than walking or hiking inside.

Yesterday, I did actually squeeze in a four mile urban hike before my late morning appointment. However, I have come to recognize that I will be indoors more and more as the mercury drops. The 10-Days Forecast in Chicago shows no day forecasted to have high temperatures that will rise above freezing, 32°F. I think that there is going to be a lot of Netflix in my immediate future. If you know of something that I should be watching, please let me know.

The 10-Day forecast for Chicago shows that we will never actually get above freezing for the foreseeable (forecastable) future.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Creamy Wheat - Enriched Farina	600	125	0	20	425	5
Kellogg's - Raisin Bran Crunch	400	95	2	8	421	40
	1,000	220	2	28	846	45
L U N C H
Ponzu Chicken	400	1	16	60	832	1
Mashed Yams	200	37	4	3	229	2
Sweet Butternut Squash	200	32	7	0	12	10
	800	70	27	63	1,073	13
D I N N E R
Hard Shell Taco	850	60	50	40	1,550	5
	850	60	50	40	1,550	5
S N A C K S
DARK CHOCOLATE GINGER	600	124	15	0	150	109
	600	124	15	0	150	109

Totals	3,250	474	94	131	3,619	172
Your Daily Goal	4,042	505	134	203	2,300	151
Remaining	792	31	40	72	-1,319	-21
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 2,112 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
4 mile urban hike	51	775
Elliptical Trainer	99	1,010
Elliptical Trainer	99	825


Daily Total / Goal	249 / 30	2,610 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	348 / 210	3,519 / 4,130

Monday, August 29, 2016

LAKE MICHIGAN

During this entire summer, many times I have hiked on the beach of Lake Michigan. I have done this on the Chicago shoreline near my home countless times. I hiked on the Lake Michigan beach at Illinois Beach State Park nearly 50 miles north of my home on the Wisconsin border. I have hiked on the beach at Indiana Dunes State Park in Indiana. All summer long, no matter how hot it was, it never occurred to me to strip down and actually refresh myself in the lake. Well, of course, that is not completely true - it did occur to me - I just didn't do it. Yesterday my wife and child insisted on joining me on my hike. I was hesitant to allow them to hike with me as I did not want to forgo a true hike at my normal workout speed - y'know, the blistering 4.2 mph speed that I can achieve on a flat surface. I relented, they joined me, they kept up, and upon arrival at the beach at Northerly Island, we stopped, as planned, and enjoyed the beach. For the first time this summer, I refreshed myself in Lake Michigan. I am pretty sure that this was the first time all summer that I was out in the sun with my shirt off. I have developed a first rate 'golfer's' tan. I am so used to being out and about on my hikes alone, it was very different to have two people tag along with me. Our hike to the beach was 6 miles. We did not take a direct route, as we circumnavigated Navy Pier as I often do. Our much more direct and leisurely walk home was 4 miles. For me, a ten mile walk is just 'another day in the office.' For my two 'guests' on the hike - it was something that they were not accustomed to accomplishing. I am fairly certain that when I was my daughters age I never took a 10 mile roundtrip walk to anywhere for any reason at any time. In 1970 I was driven to Hebrew School class at Temple Emanuel in Lynbrook, Long Island - and that was only one half mile from my home. Back in those days, us suburban kids were really pampered, and somewhat clueless.

My very first dip in Lake Michigan this summer at Northerly Island Beach. Over the years, my daughter and I used to go to the beach many times during spring and summer. That was when my hobby was lying down on the sand. Turns out lying down on a sandy beach does not burn too many calories.

The BLUE sky and BLUE water are not 'photoshopped'. As we circled around the Shedd Aquarium the weather was simply spectacular.

There might have been a sign here that said 'no climbing' but I didn't see it - and that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Six mile hike to Northerly Island Beach, with a detour at Navy Pier. 4 mph pace.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Read - Three Bean Salad	300	65	0	5	1,500	55
Quaker - Chewy Granola 90 Calories, 4 bar	360	76	8	4	320	28
	660	141	8	9	1,820	83
L U N C H
Cheese Pizza Slice	400	40	16	25	784	4
	400	40	16	25	784	4
D I N N E R
Buttered Cabbage	123	5	12	1	98	3
Grilled Brussel Sprouts	130	26	5	11	46	0
Chicken Inasal	300	0	14	42	620	0
Read - 3 Bean Salad	300	65	0	5	1,500	40
	853	96	31	59	2,264	43
S N A C K S
DRIED MANGO SLICES	110	28	0	2	1	20
DARK CHOCOLATE COCONUT CHEW	135	14	9	1	17	9
GIN GINS ORIGINAL CHEWY GINGER	80	20	0	0	0	20
VANILLA MACAROON GRANOLA	125	19	5	3	30	7
	450	81	14	6	48	56

Totals	2,363	358	69	99	4,916	186
Your Daily Goal	3,655	457	122	183	2,300	137
Remaining	1,292	99	53	84	-2,616	-49
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,725 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today... You'd weigh 187.3 lbs in 5 weeks

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
6 mile hike (4mph)	91	1,024
2 mile walk	44	312
2 mile walk	25	428


Daily Total / Goal	160 / 30	1,764 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1191 / 210	14,776 / 4,130

* * * * * * * * * *

clue·less

ˈklo͞oləs'

adjective

informal

having no knowledge, understanding, or ability.

"you're clueless about how to deal with the world"

synonyms: oblivious, unaware, unmindful, insensible, ignorant, unobservant;

pam·per

ˈpampər/

verb

indulge with every attention, comfort, and kindness; spoil.

"famous people just love being pampered"

synonyms: spoil, indulge, overindulge, cosset, mollycoddle, coddle, baby, wait on someone hand and foot

"Trevor's big sister pampered him"

cir·cum·nav·i·gate

ˌsərkəmˈnavəɡāt/
verb

sail all the way around (something, especially the world).
- humorous
  
  go around or across (something).
  
  "he helped her to circumnavigate a frozen puddle"
- avoid dealing with (something difficult or unpleasant).
  
  "they circumnavigated the issue"