Wednesday, February 24, 2016

COLD TURKEY

I can remember, back in December 2015, when I first started to lose weight from a starting point of 309 lbs, I went 'cold turkey.'
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cold tur·key informal noun

the abrupt and complete cessation of taking a drug to which one is addicted.

"cold turkey, with no medication, is not recommended for those with medical conditions"

.
I had been a man that was consuming 5000, perhaps 6000 calories per day for years at a time. I combined this excessive diet with a lifestyle that completely excluded exercise. On December 24, 2014, I made an abrupt change and consumed only 1000 calories per day for three months. Within those three months, my weight dropped by approximately 80 lbs (which is right about where my weight is right now). Somehow, back then, I was able to convince myself that I was not hungry, or at least that I was not so hungry that I couldn't hold out for my next meal. I remember so clearly how convinced I was once I reached a desired weight, it would be easy to limit myself to 2000 calories per day. Apparently I was delusional, as it has not been easy to even limit myself to 3000 calories per day. On the other hand, I have maintained a very aggressive workout regiment - and for that I remain proud of myself. I just need to find the guy that I was one year ago to get back on track. I know that he is nearby. If I continue to go backwards when I weigh myself this Saturday, it might be time to add some 'cold turkey' back to the program.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Daisy - Low-fat Cottage Cheese 2% Milk Fat	360	16	10	52	1,400	16
Wonder Bread - Classic White, 4 slices	280	58	3	8	360	10
Smuckers - Sugar Free Concord Grape Jam	40	20	0	0	0	0
Nice! - Creamy Peanut Butter, 2 Tbsp	180	8	15	7	130	3
	860	102	28	67	1,890	29
L U N C H
HUGE SPINACH SALAD, 1.5 SALAD	750	0	0	0	0	0
Teriyaki Salmon Steaks, 6 oz	270	3	8	47	365	5
	1,020	3	8	47	365	5
D I N N E R
Campbell's ChunkChicken Corn Chowder Microwave Bowl, 4 cup	760	80	40	24	3,360	20
	760	80	40	24	3,360	20
S N A C K S
Edy's Outshine Fruit Bar - Creamy Coconut, 1 bar	120	20	3	4	40	18
Nestle - Milk Chocolate Bar, 1 bar	210	27	12	2	20	25
	330	47	15	6	60	43

Totals	2,970	232	91	144	5,675	97
Your Daily Goal	3,792	474	126	190	2,300	142
Remaining	822	242	35	46	-3,375	45
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,862 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
MATRIX FITNESS 7xi	65	1,036
MATRIX FITNESS 7xi	65	1,006
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-180


Daily Total / Goal	131 / 30	1,862 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	262 / 210	3,811 / 4,130

total calories consumed 2970 calories

total calories burned (elliptical) 2042 calories

total net 928 calories

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fitbit day 174

17491 steps

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Friday, July 3, 2015

VARIETY'S THE VERY SPICE OF LIFE, THAT GIVES IT ALL ITS FLAVOR

William Cowper (26 November 1731 - 25 April 1800) was an English poet. And I obviously only just learned this as I prepared my blog entry as he is credited with the expression:

Variety's the very Spice of Life,

That gives it all its Flavor

If this is true, and we all know that it is... I had a lot of spices for my expenditure of $4.65 last evening at Whole Foods. I am 'mastering' the bulk foods section. That the bulk section is self-serve makes it absolutely no problem to bulk up on variety - without actually having to request of another human being to prepare a food item with .05 pounds of anything!

Last evening, I purchased ten (10) different items... The grand total invoice was $4.65. The grand total in calories was much more - 1002 calories

Here is how I, your loyal weight loss blogger and part time food psychopath nut job did it....

MEDJOOL DATES 120 calories .84

WASABI GREEN PEAS 91 calories .40

YOGURT ALMONDS 110 calories .30

ORIGINAL CORN SNACK 14 calories .24

SUN DRIED FIG 56 calories .27

TAMARI PUMPKIN SEEDS 90 calories .31

DATE COCONUT ROLLS 58 calories .19

Strawberry Hemp GRANOLA 238 calories .46

DRIED MANGO SLICES 100 calories 1.20

BLACK MISSION FIGS 56 calories .40

SALES TAX ZERO CALORIES .14

DIME REBATE (NOT USING PAPER BAG) -.10

GRAND TOTAL 1002 CALORIES $4.65

There are easier ways of spending $4.65 and consuming 1002 calories for dinner. But, as William Cowper said apparently sometime in the 1700's - VARIETY'S THE VERY SPICE OF LIFE, THAT GIVES IT ALL ITS FLAVOR.

OK, This was two days in a row that I reported in great detail how I spent my money at WHOLE FOODS. I plan on continuing to eat this way as I really enjoy it - but perhaps not spending so much time recording it here in quite this detail.

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 THURSDAY MENU

breakfast STEEL CUT OATS, TWO RED DELICIOUS APPLES 640 calories

lunch granola, chewy ginger, ginger harvest mix, choc cherries 858 calories

dinner WHOLE FOODS 10 DIFFERENT ITEMS (see above) 1002 calories

SNACK THREE (3) MILK CHOCOLATE CHERRIES 120 calories

TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED 2620 CALORIES

calories burned

CHICAGO YMCA 125 MINUTES PRECOR EFX ELLIPTICAL MACHINE
9.94 MILES ('ONLY') 1568 CALORIES

WEDNESDAY NET CALORIES 1052 CALORIES

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A couple of things have been happening lately... First I have been having extremely productive, high calorie burning workouts for the past couple of weeks. Secondly, I have been shying away from having these ridiculous (and wildly tasty and satisfying) 'salads' with everything (except the kitchen sink) thrown in (sans dressing) with the assumption (likely a poor one) that it was only 750 calories. I believe that I have in recent weeks been greatly under-reporting my calorie consumption... which even under-reported has been reported at near 3000 per day. In recent days, I have reported nearly 3000 calories - but I think that it is way, way more accurate. I am anticipating a good weigh-in on Saturday morning.

Question: It is clear from the above paragraph that I have forgotten how to write a coherent English sentence. Hopefully you still managed to get the gist of what I was trying to say?