FOCUS ON THE TARGET

For months and months, I have been deluding myself into thinking that I could eat with reckless abandon as long as I matched my oversized appetite with hours and hours of exercise. Intellectually, I know it really doesn't work that way. Turns out, I am not an intellectual. Presently, I have no choice but to cut down my calories with all exercise removed from my daily routine. It is hard to abstain from eating when one feels the pangs of hunger. However, all those failures to resist add up. I am in the beginning of a recovery from an annoying groin pull. My attempt to walk (slowly) on a treadmill a few days ago was ill-advised. I am taking very seriously my shutdown from strenuous activity. In concert with this, I am taking very seriously my return to a low calorie existence. It is definitely not as much fun to withhold the joy of eating - but I feel as if I have no choice. I have no desire to continue going backwards while I am sidelined. My lunch saw my return to Jimmy John's for a delicious, healthy, low calorie Roast Beef & Turkey Unwich (#14 BOOTLEGGER).  It has probably been nearly one year since I have had one of these. I had forgotten how tasty they can be. My inability to exercise has helped me focus on hitting the target - weight loss. 

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Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker Oats Oatmeal Apples & Cinnamon, 2 Bowl (43g)	320	66	4	8	400	24
Breakfast Choice - High Fiber Twigs Cereal	160	46	2	6	140	12
	480	112	6	14	540	36
L U N C H
Jimmy John's - Bootlegger Unwich Roast Beef Turkey	210	11	4	28	0	0
	210	11	4	28	0	0
D I N N E R
Kroger/Taylor Farms - Spinach salad with bacon, 4.75	290	22	16	15	900	15
Asparagus Lady Liberty	23	3	0	3	510	0
Campbell's Chunky - Manhattan Clam Chowder, 2 cup	240	36	6	10	1,600	6
	553	61	22	28	3,010	21
S N A C K S
Kroger Fresh Selections - Snack tray Baby Carrots, Apples, Almonds, Cheddar, 1 package	260	19	18	10	190	10
Quaker Oats - Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal	320	66	4	8	400	24
	580	85	22	18	590	34
Totals	1,823	269	54	88	4,140	91
Your Daily Goal	2,001	250	66	101	2,300	75
Remaining	178	-19	12	13	-1,840	-16
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 71 extra calories from exercise today

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

NOT APPLICABLE - NO EXERCISE

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calories consumed 1823 calories

total calories burned (from additional exercise) 0 calories

net 1823 calories

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 fitbit day 217

3665 steps

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#14 Jimmy John's BOOTLEGGER UNWICH (no mayo, no cheese)  
210 CALORIES

MALL OF AMERICA

Last night was my last night in Minneapolis for this trip.  After visiting my last customer yesterday, I returned to the New Hope YMCA for a 40 minute workout on their elliptical machine.  After a vigorous workout I showered up, grabbed a Jimmy John's Unwich and headed to the Mall of America.

The Mall of America is the biggest mall in the United States with over 500 stores.  My shopping list was still not complete as I was still looking for some brand-new white dress shirts.  The Mall of America is a four level mall and in order to walk once around a particular level one would traverse .6 mile.  I stayed at the Mall for around three hours and although I did a little shopping at Nordstrom Rack, most of the time I was just zipping around through all the levels and I figure that I probably walked nearly 5 miles during my visit.

Visiting the Mall of America might seem like an obvious thing to do while visiting Minneapolis.  In fact, I had been there twice in the past 20 years of visiting Minneapolis.  The 'old' Marc would have been far less interested in visiting a place that required so much walking, so much effort.  The 'new' Marc found this same requirement the exact reason for visiting.  I think that it is a great way to spend an evening in Minneapolis - it's a guaranteed multiple mile walk and therefore a calorie burning event It's a lot more challenging than spending three hours shopping on amazon.com and a far healthier way of spending an evening.

THURSDAY MENU

breakfast  Quaker Oats Instant Oatmeal, one peach, one pear, one orange                     376 calories
lunch       28 raw whole almonds, apple, JIMMY JOHN'S UNWICH, pickle                500 calories
dinner      JIMMY JOHN'S UNWICH, pickle, two apples                                               410 calories

total caloric consumption  1286 calories

CALORIES BURNED
New Hope YMCA elliptical 40 minutes 481 calories

THURSDAY NET CALORIES 805 CALORIES

MALL OF AMERICA

RED LOBSTER

Sometimes it takes me a second time to order a food item at a restaurant in order to get precisely what I want.  For example, the first time I ordered a Jimmy John's Unwich, it automatically came with mayonnaise which practically doubled the calories of the lunch.  After that mistake, I switched to mustard and have cut out hundreds of calories considering how often I now go to Jimmy John's.  Another example was the first time I ordered a salad at Applebee's, it came drenched in sugar enriched high calorie dressing, and this meal too, practically doubled my calories that I had planned.  These days, I ask for the salad on the side, sometimes I dip my fork in the salad to get a small taste, other times I skip the dressing altogether.

Red Lobster offers a limited number of choices for a low calorie meal.

One must be careful about the various side dishes, sauces, and dressings

that might be added to anything that one orders.

Two nights ago I decided to see what I could select for a dinner at a Red Lobster.  I ordered a Wood-Grilled Shrimp Taco meal which came with Wild Rice Pilaf.  I did not realize that the side dish of wild rice pilaf added an additional 170 calories that I wasn't counting on.  The nutritional guide published by Red Lobster listed the Wood-Grilled Shrimp Taco as 600 calories - but once ordered, it automatically came with the rice which I hadn't realized was not part of the listing showing 600 calories.  No harm was done, my total calories on Monday were still only 1180.

On Tuesday, I had a plan.  Did I mention that the Wood-Grilled Shrimp Tacos were absolutely delicious?  On Tuesday, I started with breakfast at Starbucks and skipped the blueberry topping with my oatmeal.  I made a point of having an 80 calorie Turkey Tom Unwich at Jimmy John's.   As dinner approached my calories consumed were a mere 240.   This left plenty of calories to 'spend' at Red Lobster.  My Tuesday night Red Lobster Meal started with 70 calorie Garden Salad as appetizer.  My main course did include one side dish of 50 calories of broccoli and the high point of my meal was the 600 calorie Wood-Grilled Shrimp Tacos!  By days end on Tuesday, I was still under 1000 calories.

RED LOBSTER GARDEN SALAD, NO DRESSING 70 CALORIES

RED LOBSTER WOOD GRILLED SHRIMP TACOS w/BROCCOLI   $11.65    650 CALORIES

Yesterday, my day began again at 7AM in the Eastern Time Zone darkness at the Marquette YMCA.  I had a little better luck setting the machine for the kind of workout that I wanted.   I successfully set the machine for the resistance, my age, my weight but failed to properly set the time.  So after 21 minutes, I made note of my progress, took a five minute break, and got right back on the machine for another session lasting 24 minutes.  My total workout was 45 minutes and the total calories burned was 627.  Perhaps this morning, when I return to the YMCA,  I will get all the settings correct.

An early morning elliptical selfie...I take an twisted joy wearing my WHITE CASTLE cap when I workout.  I expect it is going to be a very long time before I experience the legendary WHITE CASTLE CRAVE again - now that I am a health conscious fat burning machine. 

MENU

breakfast    STARBUCKS classic oatmeal (no toppings)                                 160 calories

lunch          JIMMY JOHNS turkey tom unwich                                                80 calories

dinner        RED LOBSTER   Three Wood-Grilled Shrimp Tacos w/broccoli                   

                                                Garden Salad w/smidge of Caesar Dressing     720 calories

  

total calories consumed     960 CALORIES

CALORIES BURNED

7:00AM YMCA elliptical machine 21 minutes     292 calories

five minute break

7:26AM YMCA ellpitcal machine 24 minutes      335 calories

total calories burned    627 CALORIES

TOTAL NET CALORIES     333 CALORIES

JIMMY JOHN'S

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches  

I travel a lot for my job.  It is common for me to be away from home Monday thru Friday.   I am always on the lookout for places to eat that will offer some nutritious and tasty food that will not bust my calorie budget.  On Wednesday evening, my friend, Jack told me about another good option, Jimmy Johns Gourmet Sandwich shops.   This is another chain that is all over the United States.   All of their sandwiches can be ordered as an UNWICH (which is their name for a sandwich wrapped in lettuce - no bread)   Once I learned about this option I was eager to try one.   Yesterday for lunch, between two appointments, I found a Jimmy Johns and ordered my first UNWICH.   It was delicious. I have now learned that if I had ordered it with 'light' mayonnaise I could have saved even more calories.   Even so, the TURKEY TOM UNWICH that I did order had only had 230 CALORIES.   It is great to know that there is another nutritious and tasty lunch/dinner option available to me.   Thank you, Jack.

I often write my blog posts either a couple of days before or the night before.  I tweak them right before I 'publish' them to the internet in the early morning.   I am publishing this post early on Friday morning.   In about 3 hours I have my first follow-up appointment with my Doctor.   The last time I visited my doctor, on December 24, for my 'wellness' checkup I was not well.  I had not exercised in a number of years and my weight was 309 lbs.  I did not look well, I did not feel well and I was not well.    Fast forward,  58 days later and I have shed at least 50 lbs.   I exercise every day.  My stamina continues to increase.   I look in the mirror and I see someone who looks well and feels well.  My BMI still indicates that I am obese.  That may be true.  In fact, it is true.  Nevertheless, I am 'weller' than I was 58 days ago! (I am aware that 'weller' is not an actual word.)

I have a few questions for my doctor this morning:
How long can I continue to consume 1000 calories per day, without causing any harm to myself?
If I cannot medically limit myself to 1000 calories, what should be my calorie per day goal?
I have a question regarding the vitamin D supplement I am taking.  Is 1000 IU enough?
I would like his opinion on what my ultimate target weight should be.
I know that it is important to hydrate oneself with water.  I drink zero calorie sparkling flavored water during the day.  Is this an acceptable substitute for water?  (It is my biggest remaining dietary vice)
I would like to know how necessary it is to have my blood work done again to check my glycogen.
Whatever my blood pressure is today, will it continue to dramatically improve as I shed weight?

My next post will be Saturday morning.   That is the day that I weigh myself.   I will also be reporting on my visit with the doctor.   See you tomorrow!

THURSDAY MENU
breakfast      three poached eggs, two strips of turkey 'bacon'                                  280 CALORIES
lunch            Jimmy Johns Turkey Tom Unwich                                                      230 CALORIES
dinner           10 oz Lamb Stew, Spring Mix Salad, Ginger dressing, Ginger soup  470 CALORIES

TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED 980 CALORIES

CALORIES BURNED
6AM   elliptical 31 minutes     415 calories
7PM    elliptical 31 minutes     430 calories

total calories burned 845 calories

NET CALORIC INTAKE      135 CALORIES

Jimmy Johns 'Turkey Tom' Unwich    230 CALORIES (As you eat this, you peel away the wrapper)

DINNER: 10 oz. Irish Lamb Stew, 50/50 Spring Mix & Spinach Salad w/ one Tbsp Ginger dressing, Cup of Organic Cashew Carrot Ginger Bisque Soup   470 CALORIES