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

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

WHAT'S UP?

What's up? Me. I am in the UP. Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This is the part of Michigan that is directly north of Wisconsin. Specifically, I am in Marquette, Michigan. During winter, November thru April, Marquette averages nearly 120" of snow. In March, Marquette averages 22" of snow. How about this? In April, yes, you read that correctly, Marquette averages 8" of snow. During May, Marquette averages 1" of snow.

Upper Peninsula, Michigan
Winter in the Upper Peninsula runs from November thru April

Somehow, I got lucky. I am here in the UP and when I woke up yesterday morning and went to the YMCA in total darkness at 7AM, it was 36 degrees. Remarkably, back home, nearly 400 miles south, Chicago was 28 degrees, nearly 10 degrees colder than Marquette. I apparently picked a very good week for my visit to see some customers up this way. I guess somebody 'UP' there likes me.

Marquette, Michigan YMCA after my workout

Every time I use a different elliptical machine, there is the challenge to set it so that I can maximize the benefit. This morning, at the YMCA, I set the machine and I found the entire workout very challenging. Although the calories burned figure was less than my home machine, I am sure that was the beneficiary of a solid workout as the 36 minute experience was not easy.

36 minutes on the PRECOR EFX546 elliptical machine

MONDAY MENU

breakfast STARBUCKS cup of oatmeal w/dried blueberries 260 calories
lunch JIMMY JOHNS turkey tom unwich 80 calories
dinner RED LOBSTER 3 shrimp tacos, garden salad, wild rice pilaf 840 calories

TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED 1180

CALORIES BURNED
7AM YMCA elliptical machine 36 minutes 437 calories

MONDAY NET CALORIES 743 CALORIES

Wood-Grilled Taco

Three flour shrimp tortillas, cilantro slaw, jalapeño ranch and house-made pico de gallo. Served with wild rice pilaf. $10.99

RED LOBSTER: 3 WOOD-GRILLED SHRIMP TACOS w/Wild Rice Pilaf 770 CALORIES. My calories consumed might have been more than 100 less as I withheld the jalapeño ranch dressing. The next time I order these, likely today, I will skip the wild rice pilaf and reduce dinner by another 170 calories