Day 3, 2019 Revival, ELKHART

On Monday, I drove to Elkhart to be in place for a Tuesday morning appointment. I ate pretty well, and I managed a 6 mile urban hike. Good Day.

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ALL BAD THINGS MUST END

My blog has (mostly) documented a successful weight loss journey and (mostly) documented the change of a complete couch potato to a person who values exercise.  There have been a few periods within the past two years when I have strayed very far from the eating habits that I was aspiring to and veered back into the eating habits that I was trying to leave behind. Today, right now, Wednesday, January 4th, will mark the turning point when I remember to (re)learn all the good things that I originally did to guide my success and discontinue my reckless eating.  It is true, I have been eating badly recently. Fortunately, just like we all know that: all good things must end, it is also true that all bad things must end. 

Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Arrowhead Mills - Gluten Free Puffed Corn Cereal	720	144	12	24	60	0
	720	144	12	24	60	0
L U N C H
Landshire Sandwiches - Ham & Cheese Wedge	520	64	16	36	2,480	14
Fit Crunch - Cookies and Cream	380	27	16	30	490	6
	900	91	32	66	2,970	20
D I N N E R
Panda Express - Panda Express Orange Chicken	380	45	18	14	620	19
Panda Express - Mushroom Chicken	180	10	9	14	0	4
Panda Express - Chow Mein	510	65	22	13	980	9
	1,070	120	49	41	1,600	32
S N A C K S
Energy Granola Bar Cherry Dark Chocolate	400	60	10	20	300	30
	400	60	10	20	300	30
Totals	3,090	415	103	151	4,930	82
Your Daily Goal	1,930	241	64	97	2,300	72
Remaining	-1,160	-174	-39	-54	-2,630	-10
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g

EAT THIS, NOT THAT!

I recently purchased this 2009 edition of EAT THIS, NOT THAT! by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding.  The premise of the book is that it lists different foods from the supermarket and restaurants.   It highlights the worst choice one can make, and offers a much better alternative.  In many cases, it's not that the alternative is particularly healthy, it's just that it is a lightyears better choice than option one.

EAT THIS, NOT THAT!  THE BEST [& WORST] FOODS IN AMERICA!

For example, I was leafing through the book and stumbled on a listing for SUBWAY.   Under the heading, THE WORST SANDWICHES IN AMERICA, I found SUBWAY FOOTLONG MEATBALL WITH CHEESE.  This sandwich has 1260 calories, 54 grams of fat, 3570 mg sodium, and 142 grams of carbohydrates.  Here's my question:  Is there a regular reader of this blog that doesn't think that this was one of my favorite sandwiches prior to December 24, 2014?  Of course, it was!  (although I found it necessary to always add chips, and sometimes three chocolate chip cookies)  The book offers an alternative at Subway: SUBWAY 6" DOUBLE ROAST BEEF.  This sandwich has 400 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1410 mg of sodium, and 47 carbohydrates. It's not that the alternative is to be considered 'Health Food' - but it is clearly a better alternative.

Another Subway sensation was found under the chapter, THE WORST FOODS FOR YOUR BLOOD SUGAR.  Here is the winner for MOST SUGAR PACKED SANDWICH.  SUBWAY FOOTLONG SWEET ONION TERIYAKI ON HONEY OAT BREAD.  This sandwich has 44 grams of sugar, 840 calories, 11 grams of fat, 2340 mg of sodium. Here's a real shocker, this too, was one of my favorites at Subway. (I always ordered this with chips, and often three chocolate chip cookies) The book again recommends an alternative: 6" OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST on 9-GRAIN.  9 grams sugar, 310 calories, 5 grams fat, 830 grams sodium.   And just to really point out how clueless I have been for a long time...8 years ago when I did lose 80 lbs, I started going to Subway as a 'healthy alternative' to the other fast food places.   Once again, Subway is indeed on my radar as a good place to catch a meal - nowadays, I am very careful about what I am ordering. I am not eating any 1000+ calorie surprises anymore.


One more example.   Under the heading, THE WORST MALL FOODS IN AMERICA, I found Panda Express.  Specifically listed as THE WORST CHINESE MEAL is the PANDA EXPRESS ORANGE CHICKEN WITH FRIED RICE.  This meal has 1025 calories, 44 grams of fat, 1640 mg sodium.  The book offers an alternative.  BROCCOLI BEEF and MIXED VEGGIES. 260 calories, 15 grams fat, 680 mg sodium.   Of course, Orange Chicken was one of my absolute favorites at Panda Express. You have to admit - I seem to have had a certain natural ability to zero in on the worst imaginable food choice at any establishment that I visited.  With some careful pre-planning, and reviewing of nutritional information on published websites, I have reversed this particular ability.



Sunday was a day of driving.  I left Chicago and drove nearly 400 miles to Marquette in the 'UP' (Upper Peninsula of Michigan)   The 'UP' is north of Wisconsin.  An oddity about the 'UP', especially the part north of Wisconsin is that it is in the EASTERN TIME ZONE.   Last night, we set the clocks forward one hour for Daylight Savings Time, and by driving up (north) to the 'UP', I had to set my clock forward another hour.  It is odd, that today, although I did not drive in an easterly direction from Chicago... my internal body clock is apparently off by two hours.

SUNDAY MENU
breakfast     STARBUCKS  spinach & feta breakfast wrap                               290 calories
lunch           JIMMY JOHN'S bootlegger club unwich w/provolone                 280 calories
dinner         APPLEBEE'S 9oz Sirloin Steak, cup of Chicken Tortilla Soup     560 calories

total consumption   1130 calories  (I am going to be a little less crazy about keeping my caloric
consumption under 1000 calories per day, every day, going forward.  Although my doctor gave his blessing for me to continue staying under 1000 calories per day, he did also say that I should increase it when I am ready.   I have no intention of increasing my caloric consumption much above 1200 for the foreseeable future.)

CALORIES BURNED
7AM  home elliptical machine before driving to Marquette, Michigan  35 minutes   555 calories

SUNDAY NET CALORIES   575 CALORIES

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Today, Thursday January 15, is DAY 23.   For twenty-three days I have broken my habit of eating at  McDonalds, Burger King, Panda Express, and White Castle.  For twenty-three days I have broken my habit of eating an unending river of snacks including Hershey Bars, M&M's, Hostess Ho-Ho's, Klondike Bars, Dunkin' Doughnuts, Nestles Chocolate Chip Cookies, Lays Potato Chips, and quite a few other unhealthy things.   (You understand, that it took some real 'effort' to balloon up to 309 lbs.  You just don't wake up one day 100 lbs overweight - you really have to 'work' at it!)

I have some GREAT EXPECTATIONS of GREAT SUCCESS in my quest to look healthy and more importantly to be healthier.   As much as I would like to snap my fingers and lose all my weight by tomorrow - it does not work that way.    My 'BIG' Ralph Lauren slacks which are waist size 48 and were too small, when I first fished them out of my closet two weeks ago,  have become loose.   It is ironic that these slacks which have been patiently awaiting the day when their owner could wear them again, may soon be packed off and donated as they will soon be too big for me.   It appears that their window of opportunity to be worn will last only three weeks. Good. Time to go shopping!

I must remember to manage my expectations with regard to the speed of my weight shedding.   I cannot expect to lose weight going forward as fast I have in the initial stages of my new lifestyle.

A friend posted this amusing New Yorker Magazine cartoon on her facebook page a couple of days ago.   I told her that I was going to use it for my blog.   This cartoon basically sums up the importance of having great expectations, but also emphasizes that the expectations should be reasonable.   I would like to lose one hundred pounds before next New Year's Eve.   I have two things going for me.  I only have to lose one hundred pounds not thirty-eight thousand pounds. New Year's Eve is nearly twelve months away.  I believe that I can manage my great expectations!

This morning started off well.  The treadmill at my hotel was out-of-order.  I hopped onto an elliptical machine for the first time in seven years.  This machine didn't power on.  I had no measurement of distance or calories burned or resistance level.   I know this.  I spent twenty minutes on it and it was a struggle.   Therefore it was a good workout.   My next goal is to start using an elliptical more often and increase the amount of time I can spend on it.   My all-inclusive Days Inn breakfast was two hard-boiled egg and one orange.  (Approximately 240 calories)

My next weigh-in will be early Saturday morning.   
I can't weight!  (<----- not a typo - just a minor attempt at humor)

New Yorker Cartoon by Kaamran Hafeez

CONFESSIONS

It is said that confession is good for the soul.  I will use this post to confess the sins of eating like a moron.   On the road, my lunches and dinners were really not too varied.  Favorite spots were McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Panda Express or White Castle.   The purpose of this blog is ultimately to share secrets of successful weight loss.   But before I get to that subject I am going to share the 'secrets' of successful weight gain.   Here were some of my favorite meals with the calories as provided on various websites that I checked today.

Panda Express Two-Entree Dinner HONEY WALNUT SHRIMP, ORANGE CHICKEN, CHOW MEIN and an EGG ROLL   1480 calories

Subway Footlong Sweet Onion Teriyaki and Harvest Sun Chips 950 calories
              or
              Footlong Seafood Sensation and Harvest Sun Chips 1050 calories
              or
              Footlong Meatball Marinara and Harvest Sun Chips 1170 calories
             (Jared famously lost weight at Subway, surely he made better choices!)

McDonalds Four (4) Hamburgers (almost never ordered fries) 960 Calories
                     or
                    Three (3) McChicken Sandwiches 1110 Calories
                    (I had thought that chicken was a somewhat 'healthy choice'  WRONG!)

Burger King Four (4) Hamburgers (almost never ordered fries) 960 Calories

White Castle Ten (10) Hamburgers (140 calories per burger)    1400 Calories

Ok, that's it... I have officially bared my 'diet' of the past many years.   In between these breakfasts, lunches and dinners would be an array of chocolate cakes, candy bars and ice-cream.   Now that I have finished divulging my secrets of weight gain, the secrets of my upcoming weight loss are fairly obvious.   STOP EATING THIS CRAP!   My brother, has asked me many times if I enjoyed eating at these places.   My answer was always the same: Yes.   It is time for me to find some new alternatives.

In order to end this post on an upbeat note:  I made friends with a nearby treadmill and walked 1.9 miles in 30 minutes.   The machine indicates that I burned approximately 190 calories.   That is not the amount of calories in one chocolate bar!   It will serve to make me think long and hard before I stick another chocolate bar in my mouth.