DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

After weeks and weeks of lethargy, I have recaptured that desire and drive to be active.  Late yesterday afternoon, my daughter and I took an urban hike which was five miles. I noticed that our path through the neighborhood was shaped like a diamond. Diamonds are Forever.

Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Egg - Poached Eggs	300	2	20	25	629	1
Quaker Oats instant grits - Instant Grits	200	44	3	4	620	0
	500	46	23	29	1,249	1
L U N C H
Turkey Sub on Wheat	700	90	16	50	2,597	7
	700	90	16	50	2,597	7
D I N N E R
Campbell's Chunky Hearty Italian-style Wedding	240	32	5	16	1,580	4
Trader Joes  Classic Water Crackers	120	24	2	4	80	0
	360	56	7	20	1,660	4
S N A C K S
Trader Joe's - Mango & Cream Bars	180	30	6	3	15	27
	180	30	6	3	15	27
Totals	1,740	222	52	102	5,521	39
Your Daily Goal	2,686	336	89	135	2,300	100
Remaining	946	114	37	33	-3,221	61
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 756 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 233.3 lbs in 5 weeks

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

OK, lefties... enough. There is not a shred of evidence that Russia tried to install Donald Trump to the Presidency. It is far more likely, that if they actually were behind the wikileaking that diminished Hillary Clinton - it was too weaken her as President. That is what adversaries do. Russia is an adversary that does not share our values. In fact, most of the countries on Earth are adversaries that do not share our values. What DEMOCRAT in America, would have heard anything shameful or horrible about Hillary Clinton that was not already known about her fragile relationship with honesty and integrity and said to himself or herself.... "Yup, I don't like what I am hearing about Hillary. I better change my focus 180° and vote REPUBLICAN and vote for Donald Trump."  This is so preposterous, that whoever invented this myth must be amazed at the level of stupidity of Americans that eat this up, hook, line and sinker. Enough. 

Russian Spies, Boris and Natasha exiting Trump Tower

Your Food Diary For:

Monday, March 27, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Apples & Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal	390	81	5	9	510	36
Met-rx - Big100 Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough	720	104	10	56	320	50
	1,110	185	15	65	830	86
L U N C H
Sushi - California Roll	900	164	16	25	1,309	16
	900	164	16	25	1,309	16
D I N N E R
Aldi - Asian Cruch Sesame Dressing Chopped Salad	600	52	44	12	1,520	24
365 - dark chocolate chip granola bar	300	0	3	5	0	0
	900	52	47	17	1,520	24
S N A C K S
Zico - Pure Coconut Water, 16 fl oz	140	26	0	0	320	24
	140	26	0	0	320	24
Totals	3,050	427	78	107	3,979	150
Your Daily Goal	2,132	266	71	107	2,300	80
Remaining	-918	-161	-7	0	-1,679	-70
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g

UV INDEX ZERO

I am a bald man. I have no issues with this. It bothered me when I was younger. A long time ago, when I realized that a fairly good looking man, Sean Connery (aka James Bond) was also bald - I started to embrace my baldness. Baldness seemed to work well for Patrick Stewart (aka Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek).  I speak of baldness this morning, because I (try to) never go outside for any length of time without a hat. Sunburn on the top of one's head is particularly unenjoyable. Yesterday morning when I set out for a brisk walk through the streets of Hannibal, Missouri, I skipped the hat as the UV INDEX was ZERO.  This might have been because I started my walk at 4:20AM!

"High" A UV Index reading of 6 to 7 means high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Protection against skin and eye damage is needed. Reduce time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If outdoors, seek shade and wear protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking sunglasses.

.

.

Conditions at the start of my 8 mile hike.  Low temperatures, low humidity and low UV INDEX (not so unusual at 4:20AM)

The sign above me is recognizing that Hannibal's record flood level was  on July 25, 1993 @ 31.8 feet.  As this photo was taken before 5AM, it was still a bit dark outside.

.

I am not sure that I can trust the veracity of this sign...I thought Tom Sawyer was a fictional character.

.

Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker - Instant Oatmeal - Original	500	95	10	20	375	0
	500	95	10	20	375	0
L U N C H
Quaker - Choc Rice Cake, 14 cake	840	168	14	14	560	56
Special K - Protein Meal Bar - Chocolatey Chip	170	25	5	10	170	15
	1,010	193	19	24	730	71
D I N N E R
Subway - Broccoli Cheddar Soup, 1 cup	180	16	11	5	990	3
Subway - Footlong Steak and Cheese, 1 footlong sandwich	760	96	20	52	2,060	16
	940	112	31	57	3,050	19
S N A C K S
Blue Bunny - Malt Cup Chocolate, 12 fl oz	340	57	9	9	210	42
Quaker - Ricecakes - White Cheddar, 14 cake	630	112	7	14	1,470	0
	970	169	16	23	1,680	42
Totals	3,420	569	76	124	5,835	132
Your Daily Goal	3,236	404	108	162	2,300	121
Remaining	-184	-165	32	38	-3,535	-11
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,306 extra calories from exercise today

.

       Your Exercise Diary for:

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking	125	1,322
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-16
Daily Total / Goal	126 / 30	1,306 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	390 / 210	4,636 / 4,130

.

.

.

SEAN CONNERY

At the International Quilt Show in Houston, I continued to see people that I have not seen in over a year.  My body certainly casts a different shadow than the one it cast one year ago.  One year ago, in this very same city at this very same show, I weighed north of 300 lbs.  Fast forward one year later and I am 'only' 219 lbs.  There were a few people that I saw over the past two days that were 'shocked' at my new look.  A few people asked if I had lost this weight by design, half afraid that I might be suffering from some horrible illness responsible for this loss of poundage.  I am used to this line of questioning.  I take great pleasure in explaining that this change in physique has been purposeful.  In years past, I almost never hung out with my colleagues much longer after 11:00PM or Midnight as I was simply too tired.  I still do not aspire to do this every night - but it is fun to have enough energy to decide to join my colleagues after dinner once in a while.  Sometimes, things get accomplished in the wee hours of the evening.  After dinner, our group walked over to another hotel closer to the convention center where many of our Quilt Market associates are staying.  Aside from having some fun, drinking a couple (or a few drinks) I did run into one of my customers that I wished to see here at the show. I spoke with her and she and did promise to visit my booth today.  This little detail can't happen if I am holed up in my hotel room instead of mixing it up every once in a while.  I also met a customer of my brother, from Oregon, who denied that she had ever met me before. It's not like we are best friends or anything - but I do know that I barely resemble that blob that I used to be.  This woman told me that I looked like Sean Connery.  

I don't really think I look like Sean Connery - but I sure ain't offended to hear it

I am sure that it is highly possible that she was drinking a bit too much. But you know what.... I have been around inebriated people before and no one in my entire life has ever told me that I looked like anyone that I would want to look like.  For example, being told that I looked like John Goodman could have potentially happened but who would have wanted to be told that in the past. 

It would have been no compliment to be told that I looked like John Goodman in the past. It would be OK to be told that now as John Goodman recently shed a lot of weight.  Nevertheless, he has a lot of hair atop his head - so it is very unlikely that I would be told that I looked like him.  Still, I have always admired him as an actor.

By the way, John Goodman, has recently lost a lot of weight and he looks good too!  I still don't look like him, as he has a full head of hair.  Me and Sean Connery do apparently have the baldness thing in common.  It is likely that that is the only thing that we do have in common.  Still, hearing that comment that I resembled Connery made me smile.  Sean Connery has been the guy that I have always considered the number one best looking guy on the planet.  If some people want to believe that I look like him - who am I to argue?

Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, October 25, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker - Instant Oatmeal- Maple, 2 packet	320	64	4	8	520	24
FORRELLI - MULTIGRAIN RICE CAKES, 18 SLICE	360	72	0	0	360	0
Apples - Apples, 3 medium apple	240	66	0	0	0	48
	920	202	4	8	880	72
L U N C H
FORRELLI - MULTIGRAIN RICE CAKES, 18 SLICE	360	72	0	0	360	0
WHOLE FOODS 7882 - GIN GINS ORIGINAL CHEWY GINGER, 96 g (2pcs)	320	80	0	0	0	80
Apples - Apples, 2 medium apple	160	44	0	0	0	32
	840	196	0	0	360	112
D I N N E R
Generic - Mahi Mahi, 3.5 oz.	108	0	1	24	112	0
Trader Joe's - Jumbo Sea Scallops - Frozen, 8 oz/113 g	200	6	2	38	360	0
Steak - 8 Oz Sirloin, 0.5 slice	228	0	14	23	0	0
Great Value - Can Corn, 0.5 cup	60	9	2	2	10	0
bread - French, 138 g	360	72	3	15	840	3
	956	87	22	102	1,322	3
S N A C K S
Dewars - Scotch 1 oz. Shot, 6 oz.	414	0	0	0	0	0
	414	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	3,130	485	26	110	2,562	187
Your Daily Goal	2,302	288	76	116	2,300	86
Remaining	-828	-197	50	6	-262	-101
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED 3130 CALORIES CALORIES BURNED ZERO CALORIES TOTAL NET CALORIES 3130 CALORIES ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  fitbit day 53 14220 steps ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

GOLDFINGER

GOLDFINGER was the villain from the James Bond, agent 007, Ian Fleming novel (and 1964 movie) who loved all things gold.   Not sure if you should call me Goldfinger or not....but clearly....

This is how James Bond first meets 'Goldfinger' in the movie - cheating at cards

Sometimes expectations are not quite met.
This is true in movies, and real life.

...Congratulations are in order.   Apparently I have graduated from Starbucks 'Green' level to Starbucks 'Gold' level.   The remarkable thing about this that amuses me is that prior to six months ago - I was not a Starbucks customer at all. I was hardly a coffee drinker.   I started visiting Starbucks for breakfast as they do offer low calorie, healthy choices that agreed with my new lifestyle.  Once I learned about the various zero calorie sweet flavorings that I could add to coffee, I did start drinking AND ENJOYING COFFEE.  Apparently lots of coffee - as I have graduated to 'GOLD' status.  'Green' level did not merit an actual card.  Yesterday in the mail I received my 'GOLD' card!

Yesterday at my local Chicago YMCA, I had a great workout.  I have recently been enjoying the PRECOR EFX elliptical machines and setting the workout to 4:3 Interval.  The 'miles' registered on by the machine after a 125 minute workout have neared or just cleared 10 miles.  Yesterday I stepped onto the machine and set the machine to MANUAL, I set the elevation to maximum level 20, and I set the resistance to maximum level 20.  I did not know what to expect from myself.  Since I had set the machine to 120 minutes, out of habit I set the machine to a 'goal' distance of 10 miles. I had assumed that I might not reach it as my strides per minute would be reduced at maximum levels for the entire workout.  I surprised myself.  I completed the workout and the machine recorded that I had 'travelled' 10.6 miles (and burned 1738 calories.)  This was by far, my best, hardest, most effective workout on this machine.  

Sometimes when I am struggling to complete a workout on one of these machines, there is one major thing that propels me to the 'finish line.' It is my desire for the workout to run to completion so that I can enjoy the 'high' I feel when I snap the photo of my 'Workout Complete Totals' that display on the screen when I am done.  This is why I so often post these photos on my daily blog - especially when I work on the specific machines that display this information.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  

 Saturday MENU

breakfast   Whole Foods Steel Cut Oatmeal, Caco Goji, Cherries     631 calories
lunch         Whole Foods Spicy Tuna Roll, various bulk items         1103 calories
dinner        HOME COOKED turkey burger, salad, asparagus
                  various bulk items                                                           1441 calories
SNACK     GIN GINS CHEWS, YOGURT ALMONDS                   195 calories

total calories consumed 3371 calories

calories burned

YMCA PRECOR EFX ELLIPTICAL 125 MINUTES, 1738 CALORIES

CALORIES BURNED 1738 CALORIES

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  

Saturday net calories 1751 calories

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

dinner: home prepared salad, Costco Turkey Burger, Asparagus
after dinner I visited a Whole Foods for some 'desserts' that added to the calorie total

from the Starbucks website....

Keep the Free Drinks & Eats Coming

Collect 30 Stars within 12 months and step up to the Gold level for one year. At Gold level you get:

• A free drink (including bottled items such as Evolution Fresh™ juices) or food item for every 12 stars

• A personalized Gold Card

• Special Offers just for you

Once you’re at Gold level it takes another 30 Stars to maintain Gold level for another 12 months. And since you get a free drink or food reward every 12 Stars, you get at least two rewards for just staying Gold!

If you don’t qualify for the Gold level again by your anniversary date (i.e. the date you qualified for the Gold level), you’ll revert to the Green level and lose all your Stars. Don’t let that happen!

If it does though, don’t worry—if you earn 30 Stars again within 12 months, you’ll move from Green level right back to Gold level.

 and finally...some random 'GOLDFINGER' photos

Here's an 'important' heads up for all you 'Bond' fans out there.... The next James Bond movie, starring Daniel Craig will be released in theaters on November 6.  The movie is titled: 

S P E C T R E

I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ME

It appears that today, I will be getting in touch with my feminine side.  Just so you know, it takes a REAL MAN to admit that he has a feminine side. Yes, I know that that it counterintuitive.

I am going to share with you part of the lyrics to a song sung by Maria (Julie Andrews) in the extraordinary 1965 film, THE SOUND OF MUSIC.   The lyrics come from the song, I Have Confidence. (Rogers and Hammerstein)

I've always longed for adventure
To do the things I've never dared
And here I'm facing adventure
Then why am I so scared?

I really do have a feminine side. I have a few favorite movies.  They are Star Trek (2010), Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Field of Dreams, The Fiddler on the Roof, most James Bond films (especially with Sean Connery or Daniel Craig), The Ten Commandments, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. 

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC
HALF-DOME (YOSEMITE PARK) IS A BIT MORE THAN A 'HILL'

Do you remember how Darth Vader in Star Wars says about Luke Skywalker, "The force is strong with this one."  Given the opportunity, one could correctly say of me, "The femininity is strong with this one."  How else to explain tearing up watching parts of The Sound of Music, particularly emotional parts of Field of Dreams, or the self-termination of the 'good' Terminator in Terminator II?

One more time, I just want to remind you that it takes a REAL MAN to admit this.

Moving on...

The reason that these lyrics were speaking to me is that although I am signed up for the expedition (now 7 of us - The Magnificent Seven?) for the hike up HALF DOME in YOSEMITE PARK in October.  I have been very concerned that I would not be able to do it.   As the song lyrics go..."to do the things I've never dared. And here I'm facing adventure. Then why am I so scared?" Me hike (climb) HALF DOME? Yes, I have been thinking about it just about every day since my brother invited me to join his expedition, and especially since the 5 minutes it took me to make the decision and say, "yes, count me in."  THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS DECISION HAVE SCARED ME.  It's not even the final ascent using the chains that has scared me so much (although it certainly did) - I have been more concerned that I would never get to that approach in the first place...

My confidence started to uptick when I did nothing more exotic than bounding up five flights of stairs on the way to my workout on Saturday.   On Sunday, my confidence SOARED when I discovered that I could walk up 13 (thirteen) flights of stairs from my 12th floor apartment to the 25th floor where the fitness room is located.  If I can do this, and I can, because I did, then maybe I really can train to ascend 4800 feet from the base in the valley of HALF DOME to its Summit.  I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ME.  It feels great. No longer scared, I am more excited than ever.  I am going to continue stair climbing. My building is 25 floors from ground floor to the top where the fitness room is located.  I will work on navigating all 25 floors prior to working out... Once I accomplish that, I may start to time myself to get better at this.  Now I also know that I don't have to be fearful of stepping onto a STAIRMASTER machine if/when I see one at a YMCA.  I should, and I will embrace the opportunity.  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

SUNDAY MENU

breakfast   cup Steel Cut Oat Meal w/prune, 3 slices turkey bacon, two eggs   355 calories
lunch         7 ounce Salmon, asparagus
                  2 ounces Glenlivet's (L'Chaims at Chabad House - It's Shavuous)    585 calories
dinner       Huge Supermarket Salad, Red Delicious Apple
                 Honey Nut & Banana Granola                                                         1272 calories

total calories consumed  2242 calories

CALORIES BURNED
I was a bit 'wired' late Saturday night, which technically was EARLY Sunday morning.  My Sunday workout took place at the ridiculous hour of 2:00AM.  This was the time that I chose to climb the 13 flights of stairs to the fitness room.   After my workout, I walked down the same 13 flights to return to my apartment on the 12th floor.  (My thinking is, at HALF DOME, we will be climbing up and ultimately climbing down)  I believe the leader of this expedition, my brother, Andy, has indicated that climbing down is no picnic either.  So I better be prepared for both.

2:00AM  climbed up 13 flights of stairs to fitness room                 
               32 minutes elliptical machine 507 calories
               walked down 13 flights of stairs back to apartment

SUNDAY NET CALORIES  1735 calories


This information was lifted from livestrong.com

How Many Calories are Burned Going Up & Down Stairs for Ten Minutes?
For a person who weighs 200 lbs., walking up and down stairs burns 127 calories in 10 minutes.

I don't think it took too long for me to traverse the 13 flights of stairs, perhaps only a minute or so (I did not time myself)... I definitely see  STAIRMASTER MACHINE WORKOUTS in my future... 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

SOUND OF MUSIC TRIVIA (from imdb.com)

When Maria is running through the courtyard to the Von Trapp house in "I Have Confidence", she trips.  This was an accident, however, director Robert Wise liked this so much that he kept it in the movie.  He felt that it added to the nervousness of the song and of the character.

The Sound of Music Box Office

Budget:

 $8,200,000 (estimated)

Gross:

 $163,214,286 (USA)

Seems to me, like this is a pretty good ROI (RETURN ON INVESTMENT)