Motivation for Monday
Per Pippa’s very flattering comment, I decided to make my Toastmaster’s speech this week’s Motivation for Monday. Be sure to adjust your sound. Enjoy.
Log My Loss
This isn't a diet, it is your life!
Just One More Day
How come vacations never seem to last long enough. I sure could have used one more day at home. Unfortunately, deadlines are looming at work, and they don’t get met when I am not there.
Before I get into today’s post, remember that tomorrow is another Hot 100 update. Can you believe we are down to the last month? Whatever you do folks, don’t lose sight of your goals. Keep working at them, and make it happen!
As I mentioned yesterday, I decided to fast today. I ate my last bite yesterday just before 5:00 PM and then ate again today at 5:30 PM, so I fasted just over 24 hours. What I had forgotten about was that today was the day I was to give blood. To be honest, I was a little nervous about doing this while fasting, but fortunately there were no negative ramifications. Once I got home I was happy to dig into a small pork chop, black-eyed peas, green peas, and turnip greens. I finished this off with an apple and natural PB. Mmmm!
Despite sleeping in a bit this morning, I did get up and walk. I wanted to get at least three miles in, but I slept too late. I really only had half an hour to walk, but I decided to forgo some of my leisure time this morning though and walked 2.5 miles, which took 40 minutes. Boy was it COLD. I was layered up good and warm though, but the wind was cutting right through my mask that I use to help keep me from breathing the cold air. I may have to re-evaluate how I am doing this as the weather gets colder. Unfortunately, there is rain in the forecast for much of the week. I sure hope it holds off during the morning hours.
Week Seventy-Six Weigh-In, Measurements, and Goals
The damage from Thanksgiving was not nearly as bad as expected; for that, I am thankful! The only two numbers that went down were body fat percentage, which decreased 0.3% to 19.7%, and my chest, which decreased an eighth of an inch to 43.5″.
My neck, calves, and forearms stayed the same.
My weight increased by half a pound to 192. My BMI increased by 0.1 to 27.6. My chest increased by an eighth of an inch to 43.5″. My thighs increased 0.375″, taking my thigh measurement back to 22.5, indicating that last week was a mis-measurement. My biceps increased by an eighth of an inch to 13.375″.
The two big disappointments for the week are my stomach, which increased a whopping 1.5″ to 40.25″, and my waist, which increased 1″ to 37.625″. That proves out the saying, “A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!” or in my case stomach and waist. While the lifetime part is a bit much, it does seem to go right to my stomach.
As much as I hate to report this, my blood pressure has risen higher than I had hoped for since I changed my medicine. It is now running in the high 120s over the high 70s. I am going to finish out the month though and see what happens.
This week I am going back to a series of goals, which outside of the fasting are pretty much the basics for me:
- Walk a minimum of 15 miles.
- Do two days of fasting.
- No Grape Nuts.
- Exercise six days.
Today was a very successful Sunday. I had leftover cauliflower salad (I’ll have to post a recipe sometime) for breakfast. Lunch was a little deli ham with cheese, more cauliflower salad, and some peppers. Supper was a hamburger patty with cheese, three slices of bacon, more cauliflower salad, and an apple with natural PB. I finished that at about 5:00 PM with the intent that my first fast of the week started upon the completion of that meal. I plan on not eating again until supper tomorrow night.
When you check back tomorrow for Motivation for Monday, remember that it will not show up here in the left pane on the homepage of the blog. Instead, it will take the place of the video in the right pane. If you click to the post from an RSS reader, you should see it like always. Please let me know if something doesn’t look right.
End of the Festivities
I gather I am the exception, not the rule. I say that because every year I have multiple Thanksgiving meals to go to – usually three. This year was a little different in that we only had two meals, today being the second one. It was at my mom’s house, which I knew would bring more temptations, and it did. Mom did her best to fix foods I could eat, which meant there was more temptation that was acceptable on my diet program. I have to admit, I fell to the temptation. In saying that, realize it was unlike years past, when I might have eaten three full plates of food. This year it was one plate, which was full, but not piled high. Still, one full plate was too much. Since I knew I overate, I decided to skip dinner tonight – a good decision in my mind.
I did exercise today, although I sure didn’t want to. I don’t know why I have struggled with this so much the last half of this week. I have really dreaded it. I needed 7.4 miles to hit my goal of 35 miles this week, and 7.4 miles is what I did. To hit my goal of 750 miles for the year I need to walk roughly another 70 miles, which is less than 15 miles a week average. I can do this!
Tomorrow is weigh-in and measurements. I am sure I will gain this week, but maybe it will be just a small amount.
Black Friday
Every year my wife talks me into going shopping the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) with her, and every year I wonder why I ever agree to this. 
We didn’t really come away with many Christmas gifts, but she and I both bought some much needed clothes. I was able to get a new suit, a new dress top, and some jeans. It feels nice to have clothes that fit well. My wife made my day when she insisted I get some new jeans by saying, “You are looking pretty darn good, you need some clothes that actually fit you!” It is hard to beat a statement like that.
I did not get as much walking in today as I needed to. I am doubtful I will hit the 35 miles now. I did walk 3.5 miles today while shopping. That is right, 3.5 miles while shopping! That is crazy! That puts me at a total of 27.5 for the week, which is 7.5 short of the 35 I need. I may walk eight miles tomorrow, and then again, I may not.
Eating was better today, of course, the Grape Nuts box was emptied last night, so the vice is out of the house. Breakfast was an apple and natural PB. Lunch was a grilled chicken salad with Ranch Dressing. Mid-afternoon snack was an apple with natural PB. Supper was a bowl of cole slaw, and a bowl of homemade vegetable beef soup from the freezor. I also had ten triscuits with the soup. My mid-evening snack was a sf pudding cup with some pecans mixed in.
I forgot to tell a story the other day that some of you may appreciate. For years now, in fact, ten years or more, I have not worn a wedding ring. The reason was simple, I had gotten a new ring when I lost weight the first time, and when I gained I could no longer wear it. I refused to re-size it. Well, I had actually forgotten about it, but I finally realize this and tried it on. The good news is that it fits – sort of. It is actually a little too big, but at this point I don’t think there is a danger of it falling off. I am very, very happy about this.
Tomorrow is my second Thanksgiving meal challenge. We are eating lunch with my Mom and my side of the family. I am not sensing any challenges coming my way, but it is still good to be mindful and deliberate.
One last thing for the night, one last BIG thing. Today I received a letter from my doctor. The text of the letter is as follows, including the underlines:
After you left, I flipped through your chart and realized that you weighed 283.6 pounds in August of 2007 and now you are down to 196.2. That is an amazing accomplishment. Many people try to eat healthy and exercise but are unsuccessful
I hope that along with the decrease in pounds you have noticed an increase in stamina and just “feeling good”. You have set a great example for others and for your sons.
I hope that you will continue to lead a healthy lifestyle. Please monitor your blood pressure closely as we try to get you off these last few medications.
If I can help in any way, please do not hesitate to call. I am very proud of you.
First of all, it is not every day one gets a letter from their doctor like this. I must say, this really pleased me. Second, it brought to my attention something I had obviously chosen to ignore. Just twenty-seven months ago I was 87.4 pounds heavier than I am now. Of course, since I made “the decision”, I have lost between 65 and 70 pounds, but I had not realized that prior to that I had already lost quite a few more pounds. Honestly, I think that is a result of slipping into diabetes (which although was never verified, I am certain this was the case) which inspired me to change my life. I think that the weight loss, which was not intentional at that time, is just another indicator of what was going on in my body.
I hope every single one of you gets a letter from your doctor like this in the coming months and years. It is almost like icing on the cake (pardon the phrase).
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