WORKOUTS ARE CHALLENGING AND FUN AGAIN

It snowed all day on Sunday.  When the snow in Chicago finally stopped on Sunday night, it was reported that we had accumulations of 19 inches.   It was said to be the fifth biggest storm in Chicago history.  My daughter was happy as her school was closed due to weather for the third time this winter.  The cartoon below indicates that the obesity epidemic is widespread. A couple of sunny days when the temperature rises above freezing will solve the snowman's problems.  Most of us will have to work a little bit harder get into shape.

A few warm days, and this snowman will no longer be obese.  Most of us are not so lucky.

For a few weeks I had been simply 'walking' on a treadmill. In order to amuse myself while I was 'walking' I was watching a myriad of TV shows in the fitness room.  I hardly watch any TV at all in the home - so this was not very compelling entertainment.   It was even worse when I got up to the fitness room and someone was already watching something even more boring that what I would have selected.

Just two days ago I started using the elliptical and this is now my exercise machine of choice.  On Sunday my exercise routine got a jolt when I made a terrific purchase at the Micro Center computer store. BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES. (no wires)  I am a guy who owns more than 10,000 songs.  I have about half of them loaded right on my iPhone. I have had some past experience with wired headphones while working out and I always managed to swing my hand into the wire and crash my iPod onto the floor. This can no longer happen. I have been having great fun creating playlists and listening to artists that I have not heard in ages. With 10,000 songs in my arsenal it will take me a very long time to re-discover all of my own music.

This is the single most important device for me to enjoy my workouts: BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES

The reason that I am enjoying my workouts so much now is that I am finding the elliptical machine very challenging.   I still have not gained enough stamina to spend more than 30 minutes on the machine.  When I can, I am working out for 30 minutes at the crack of dawn, and 30 minutes more before or right after dinner.   In just three days, I have noticed a slight improvement which shows up as calories 'burned.'   When that last 5 or 10 minutes arrives and I feel like I am floundering, a great rock song can perk me up to get to the finish line.  Eventually, I will hope to increase my time, my speed, the levels of resistance and ultimately the number of calories burned.   The elliptical machine is low (or no) impact.  I am really enjoying this new exercise.   The workouts are very challenging and the music makes it fun.

MONDAY MENU

breakfast 3 poached eggs, two slices turkey 'bacon'                                                 280 CALORIES

lunch       3 oz Salmon filet, iceberg lettuce, balsamic vinaigrette, pumpkin soup     302 CALORIES

dinner      8 oz seafood blend, baby spinach w/balsamic vinaigrette, Potato bisque  337 CALORIES

total calories 919 CALORIES

calories burned

6AM   elliptical 30 minutes       350 calories

6PM    elliptical 30 minutes       360 calories

total calories burned 710 calories

NET CALORIES 209 CALORIES

Seafood Blend on a bed of baby spinach with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, Potato Bisque Soup  337 CALORIES

ELLIPTICAL

Yesterday morning, after my 5AM weigh-in I hopped on the treadmill and spent one hour 'walking' at 4 mph for 60 minutes. I decided then that it was time to try something new.  I decided to start using the elliptical machine as much as possible.   Before lunch, I returned to the fitness room and set the elliptical machine to a 'calorie burn' program for 60 minutes.   I didn't have 60 minutes in me.   After 30 minutes I felt that I had had enough.   I have the rest of my life to improve my endurance - so there is no reason to try to do more than I am capable of doing.   After thirty minutes, the machine reported that I had 'burned' 322 calories.   I have a baseline from which I can improve.  I will continue to use the treadmill if the elliptical is not available during my workout times.

ELLIPTICAL MACHINE

The chart below only shows the last 30 days.  From January 1 (297 lbs) to January 31 (272.2) progress has been very steady.  If I keep doing what I have been doing - I should find myself in the 260's next week.   From the 'starting gate' of December 24, I have lost 36.3 lbs (11.7% of my body weight)

I have been giving more thought to my moderate weight loss this past week.   Although I was disappointed, I really had no reason to be.   When I analyze the graph produced by MyFitnessPal, I see that my weight has been dropping very regularly in practically a straight line for the past 30 days.   I have re-assessed and I realize that everything is going according to schedule.  I do think that the human body is programmed to try (try hard) to hold onto its warehouse of energy (energy stored in fat cells) as long as possible in the event of real famine.   I have learned that I should not try to predict weight loss in a specific week. Nevertheless, I am very hopeful that next Saturday I will break the '270' barrier and get into the '260's'    My overall weight loss from the 309 lb  'starting gate' is 36.3 lbs.

SATURDAY MENU

BREAKFAST   three poached eggs, 2 strips turkey 'bacon'                                           280 CALORIES

LUNCH             Panera Soba Noodle Bowl with Chicken (new menu item)                   390 CALORIES
DINNER           Salmon Burger, Creamy Corn Pepper Soup, Spinach w/Vinaigrette      257 CALORIES

TOTAL CALORIC CONSUMPTION         927 CALORIES

CALORIES BURNED

5AM  TREADMILL: 60 minutes @ 4 mph (4 miles) 600 CALORIES
11AM ELLIPTICAL MACHINE 30 minutes              322 CALORIES
7PM   ELLIPTICAL MACHINE  30 minutes              330 CALORIES

TOTAL CALORIES BURNED                                    1252  CALORIES

NET CALORIC DEFICIT      325 CALORIES

PANERA BREAD SOBA NOODLE WITH CHICKEN: Chicken raised without antibiotics, soba buckwheat noodles, fresh spinach, napa cabbage blend, roasted mushroom and onion blend, sesame seeds and cilantro in an umami soy-miso broth.  390 CALORIES