Upcoming challenges

Posted: July 6, 2012 in Bariatric surgery, Exercise, Supportive Partner Woman, Weight loss
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Upcoming challenges… it sounds a lot worse than it is.

Let’s look at what’s coming up.

First off, its tomorrow’s picnic and the abundance of picnic food. Especially as I have a cousin who invariably brings a tray from the Philly Pretzel Factory. Pretzels have long been a weakness for me… especially soft pretzels. In the bad old days, I’d eat an entire box of Superpretzels in one sitting. The ironic thing is that I wouldn’t use the salt packets… guess I was trying to be healthy or something. Probably something. I’m lucky in that I’m not a huge fan of potato salad and the like. Not quite enough carbs, I suppose. Not sure what’s on the menu, but I will do my level best to stay the course.

Next week I’ll be struggling to do five days a week at the gym. I know I’m going to have motivation issues… I always do. Luckily, Ryan has pointed out a little fact. If you tell yourself you’re just going to do a little, you more times than not will wind up doing the work you normally do. And besides, even if you do an abbreviated workout, you still have done more than you would have done otherwise.

Speaking of workouts, I did get to the gym today, as did Supportive Partner Woman (queen of the crossramp!). There were a few changes to the facility, but the equipment is still where it was. I started on a CrossRamp with fixed handlebars. I’m not a huge fan, but the ones with moving handlebars were occupied. I did five minutes as a warm up, then went to the arc trainer for another five. I noticed that the regular ellipticals were open and did another ten minutes before moving over to the weight room. I worked my chest and shoulders, but managed to throw in some back and leg work as well. All told, about 50-60 minutes and it felt pretty good.

Afterward, SPW (and I headed home and I watered the plants outside, then threw together a couple of veggie pizzas for lunch. These are so easy to make and they are pretty tasty. I take two of the FlatOut Italian wraps, some pizza sauce, a little mozzarella, and cut up some Roma tomato and green pepper. Put the flatbread in the oven for five minutes at 350, take it out, spread two tablespoons of sauce and around 1/4 cup of mozzarella. Sprinkle with the cut vegetables and throw it back into the oven for five more minutes. You have a tasty lunch coming in at around 200 calories. Not too shabby. Actually, between that lunch and my bowl of cereal and banana for breakfast, I was at negative calories for the morning. Oddly, I didn’t feel too hungry.

This brings me to the final challenge. As many know, I’m pretty addicted to Diet Pepsi. I managed to get from six bottles a day down to two. I’m going to try to wean myself off of it completely in the next couple of weeks. See, Dr. Ku and Dr. McPhee mentioned that studies have shown for whatever reason, both Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke seem to stimulate the appetite. Not saying that’s my only issue, but it’s worth a shot. Until I can get to total water, I’ve been drinking Propel Zero and little pouches of 4C. I love these things and have recently turned SPW (drinker of caffeinated beverages!) on to the half and half. Between that and the Propel, I’m doing better on my beverages, plus, since the 4C is sweetened with Splenda, I don’t need to worry about the aspartame melting my brain any more than it already has.

Anyways, that’s all I have for you this evening. Hope to report back over the weekend on how my face off with the picnic food went.

Have a great weekend

It must be really hot outside…

Posted: July 6, 2012 in Exercise, Physical activity, Weight loss
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because I’m actually thinking of going to the gym.

I know, you’re waiting for it to snow. I am, too. I’m thinking a half hour of cardio, maybe some light weights. Nothing much, but I’m starting to get to the point where I feel I should be going on my off days. I guess that’s a good sign.

See, I haven’t really been able to take walks at work these last few days. It’s been too dang hot. I really don’t want to come back completely drenched and smelly. This way, I can get drenched and smelly and if the opportunity presents itself, I can maybe squeeze in a short walk later in the evening.

You’re probably saying, “Uh, dude? There’s like a big mall not far from you.”

I know that, but the sad fact is that with my weight as high as it is, walking on the hard tile really wears on my ankles and knees. So, this way I can hit the elliptical, sweat, and all that good stuff.

Now, where did I put my membership card?

It’s Thursday, must be time for another butt whuppin’

Posted: July 5, 2012 in Bariatric surgery, Cooking, Exercise, family, Physical activity, Weight loss
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Greetings!

Having just returned from another session at the gym, I’m feeling pretty good about myself. In just three sessions, I’ve managed to get my cardio up to 30 minutes without totally feeling that my heart is going to say “Oh, hell no!” and jump out of my chest. That’s a good sign.

Seriously, I’m starting to feel some small changes in myself. Not only am I actually being active, I look forward to these sessions (does that make me a masochist?) and I’m finding myself able to dig deep into my psyche and pull out an extra rep or couple minutes on the elliptical.

The elliptical… quite possibly my favorite piece of cardio equipment. I get a good workout and it’s not as hard on my knees and ankles as the treadmill. They’ve also had me up on the arc trainer as well, which I don’t care for as much due to chafing. Might need to invest some money in a case of Bodyglide. Our friend Mel swears by the stuff. She’s like the Bodyglide queen… as she should be. She runs marathons and stuff and knows all about this sort of thing.

In the good news department, I was able to up the weight on my strength training and the intensity level on the cardio. It’s a good sign and both Cory and Ryan seem very pleased with my progress. I’m nowhere near where I want to be, though, but all good things take time.

Tonight was also my first visit to support group. I’ll surely go again… I found it very informative. I would like to stay longer the next time, but I had a lot of prep work to do for my next group of trainees. The program consisted of a brief talk by a success story, in this case a woman who dropped 175 pounds. There were before pictures and the after was quite astonishing. After her talk, Dr. Ku and Dr. McPhee took the floor for a Q&A with the guests. It was interesting, as both men seem very down to earth and very positive. They were following it up with a snack sample, but neither Supportive Partner Woman (sitter in uncomfortable chairs!) nor I were really into a tuna and white bean salad. I did manage to score a couple of interesting recipes that I will have to try. One is for a chicken chili that seems like it could be quite tasty. I’m always up for good chili.

So, that’s all I have for today. I hope everyone is staying cool as we have a few brutal days ahead. So much so that the Yard Sale of Doom, Part Deux, has been postponed. I’ll miss seeing everyone, but I won’t miss the yard sale all that much. We still have a picnic to go to in the afternoon with my side of the family. This time, no surprise party that I am aware of. Yay?

Until next time.

I need a holiday…

Posted: July 4, 2012 in Baseball, home improvement
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There’s a lot going on here at MOASTBFFG. Between work and getting ready for the Dreaded Yard Sale, Pt. Deux, the neverending cleanup and cooking a lot, well, it barely leaves me time to write whatever comes to mind. So, I’m going to see where the post takes me.

First of all, how about a stop in the NL East? Cliff Lee of the Phillies won  his first game of the season. Let me repeat that. CLIFF LEE won his FIRST game of the SEASON. On July 4. There’s something so wrong about that. This guy is considered to be one of the better pitchers in the game and it’s July. Goes to show you what having no offense can do for you.

On the homefront, I started a new project today. Nothing big… just making a pair of corner shelves for my office. Need to have someplace to display the Sopwith Camel, so I figured I’d make one for the other corner. Nothing too ornate, just simple and clean.Not sure what I’ll put on the other one yet, but I’ll think of something.

Proving yet again that Comcast has a lot of channels, but no real entertainment, I actually wound up watching the premiere episode of the new Dallas. Let me just say that it was 59 minutes of my life that I will never get back, but I found it to be strangely compelling. What I’ve taken away is that Charlene Tilton has NOT aged well, Steve Kanaly is NOT a good actor, and Linda Gray is so bad, she makes Susan Lucci look like Meryl Streep. A quick check on IMDb shows that Ken Kercheval will be returning. Surprised they haven’t talked Victoria Principal into a return. Like I said, I find it so bad, it’s almost good, and I’m glad they took a page from the Hawaii Five-O return and kept the theme song pretty much intact. It was a big part of my childhood.

So, tonight’s dinner was a bowl of chili with some cheese and a few oyster crackers. I did the same chili as I made a few weeks ago and I think this batch turned out even better. Still waiting for The Management to weigh in, though, as Supreme Arbiter of my cooking.

Tomorrow brings a fresh butt-kicking at the gym, followed by a bariatric support group meeting. Since the meeting time falls right in the middle of my working hours, I’m planning on going in early and taking a long lunch. As part of the program, they require you to attend at least one support group meeting, and everyone I talk to says it’s very helpful. Apparently they have a speaker or two and lots of times, Dr. McPhee will use the demo kitchen and show some new recipes or techniques. Should be fun.

Well, that’s all I have for you today. Gotta go check on the glue for my first shelf and put some tools away so we can get a car in the garage.

Happy 4th!

Vacation prep

Posted: July 3, 2012 in AllEars.net, diabetes, Disney, Disney Food Blog, Supportive Partner Woman, Travel, Weight loss
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One of the biggest challenges someone trying to embrace a healthy lifestyle can face is vacation. Now, Supportive Partner Woman (bearer of plentiful camera equipment!) and I aren’t going anywhere until the end of September, but I’ve started thinking ahead.

Primarily what kills me is the meals. I tend to embrace the “calories don’t count on vacation” philosophy. That’s obviously not true, but I did tend to go overboard on what I was eating when we’d go away. We’d sit down at a nice restaurant and while I might order a “healthy” option, it would be bathed in a cream sauce or some other preparation that would pretty much kill me.

Many of you know that SPW (owner of the original geek vest!) and I go to Disney World on a regular basis. This is good and bad, as there’s a lot of lousy options to choose from. If you’re willing to do a little research, you can make some decisions ahead of time and lessen the caloric collateral damage.

My first stop when I need to check Disney facts is All Ears. For more that 15 years, All Ears has been the authority for Disney info. It’s a fine site run by one of the best people I am privileged to call a friend, All Ears offers every fact you could conceivably want to know about Disney World. Curious as to what a typical room might look like in a given resort? Check All Ears. Reviews of restaurants, resorts and attractions? All Ears. Curious as to what a menu looks like at a particular restaurant? You guessed it… All Ears. Deb and her team have most of the facts and if it’s something they don’t know, they find out.

Healthier items in blue, not quite-so-healthy items in red.

It’s the menu section I visit most frequently. Used to be so I could drool over the latest offerings, but nowadays, it’s to see where the sensible choice might be. In addition, the menus give pricing (current as of when the menu was dated), ingredients, and other useful information.

Disney has made a lot of strides over the years of serving diners with food allergies and restricted diets.

‘Ohana Fruit Bowl (photo courtesy of Disney Food Blog)

As a diabetic, when I make a dining reservation, I let Disney know of my condition. When I arrive at the restaurant, a chef will come to the table and go over what is low in sugar and carbs with me. Often times, the chefs will go the extra mile and create something special. For example, when dining at ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, the family style meal includes a bread pudding with bananas and caramel sauce. When I asked if there were alternatives, the chef came out, said he could work with this and brought me a lovely bowl of fresh fruit served in a hollowed out pineapple. Not only was it a great presentation, the fruit was very fresh and quite tasty.

To summarize, it’s possible to eat healthy when you’re away on vacation. It might take a little more effort and research, but it can be done.

Other places you can go for information and reviews of Disney restaurants include the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, by Len Testa and Bob Sehlinger, available on Amazon in both book and Kindle format, Passporter’s Guide to Walt Disney World, available at Amazon, and Passporter’s Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line. This has not been updated in a few years, but has a lot of specific information useful to travelers with challenges.

If you are looking for other web-based resources, Disney Food Blog has a great section regarding special diets, ranging from kosher to vegan to gluten-free to diabetic to low-carb/South Beach.

Not much of a reader? In addition to having her own podcast, AJ from Disney Food Blog makes semi-regular appearances on the WDW Today podcast. Listen for her reviews and tips on dining throughout the World.

I’ve concentrated on Disney because that’s where we’ve been vacationing the most, but the same principles apply anywhere you travel. Even cruise lines have gotten into the act. Royal Caribbean has a low-cal section to their dinner menus each night and offers a sugar-free or no sugar added desserts. You can continue to make better choices as to what you put in your mouth while you’re on vacation and not lose out in the taste department.

Another Monday, another butt kicking

Posted: July 2, 2012 in Cooking, Physical activity, Weight loss
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It’s Monday… and it’ll be a hot one. I spent an hour this morning getting my butt kicked at the gym. This time, Ryan took the reins and added some new stuff into the mix. We added the elliptical and the arc trainer, as well as some free weights. It certainly was a decent sweat. They are also very mindful of any issues you may have. It really helps to know that there’s a pro in your corner.

See, besides The Beetus, sleep apnea and a host of other aches and pains, I suffered a partial tear of my right rotator cuff a few years ago. This makes working overhead a real challenge and it’s only recently that it’s healed up enough for me to do any work with it. I’m gradually regaining some range of motion, but I do not have much strength in the joint. Knowing that, both Ryan and Cory are having me do light weights and are modifying the exercise as to not aggravate the injury. I’m really thrilled with being able to work out again… it’s even better that this isn’t a public gym. I need to get some of my confidence back before I darken the doorway of Hempfield Rec again.

I also managed to make my way back to the driving range last night. I went as the sun was setting, which meant it was a little cooler, and there was a nice breeze blowing. No, not enough to improve the quality of my shots, but enough to make for a pleasant evening. The slight reduction in the general size of the Buddha has improved the experience. No longer do I feel like I have to alter my swing to avoid brushing the belly. Also, the shoulder is feeling a lot better when I swing a club. I’m not a golfer, hardly even a duffer, but I do enjoy hitting golf balls. It’s enough to really help clear my head.

Before setting off to the range yesterday, I made some dinner. I plank grilled the sockeye we got at Wegman’s, along with some Ronzoni Smart Taste noodles and broccoli. The Smart Taste was recommended to us by the nutritionists at LGH when I was in for my toe. It’s a regular white pasta with extra fiber and calcium. That means it has decent flavor and doesn’t taste like cardboard, as many whole wheat pastas do. For a topping, I added Olivio instead of butter. I find I like the flavor and you get the added benefits of Omega-3. The sockeye was wonderful. If you ever feel the need to make your own, it’s really easy and can be done inside or out.

1) Get ahold of some cedar planks. Many grocery stores sell them, as do Williams-Sonoma and other kitchen supply houses.

2) If planning on grilling, soak the plank. I usually immerse it in a salt brine bath for around four hours. This allows the wood to smoke and release the flavor without igniting the plank. If using the oven, rub the plank with olive oil.

3) Start grill, set for a medium heat or set the oven for 400 degrees.

4) Once grill has preheated, place the plank on the grill, without the salmon. After a few minutes the plank has stabilized and you can place the fish on the plank. If using the oven, just put your fish on the plank and stick it in. I usually place foil on the over bottom as the fats will drip off the plank.

5) Keep an eye on internal temperature. Once your fish reaches around 120 degrees, it’s time to remove it from the heat. Let it rest a few minutes before serving.

I didn’t give any prep instructions for the fish, but any light preparation should work. I usually spray it with some olive oil and season with a touch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper. I find you get a pleasant smokey taste that complements rather than overwhelms the flavor of the salmon. Also, when buying salmon, wild caught usually has far better color and taste than farm raised, and they don’t add color to it.

So, off to work in a couple of hours, with a nice break in the middle of the week for the Independence Day holiday. If you’re attending any parties, drink responsibly (and eat responsibly, too).

How many times?

Posted: July 1, 2012 in Lego, Supportive Partner Woman, The Management, Wegman's, Weight loss
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Greetings!

Supportive Partner Woman (builder of Lego sets!) and I decided to beat the heat yesterday and take a drive to the King of Prussia mall. See, we have many pseudo-nieces and nephews and one of them, Ian, recently had a birthday. Ian has a bit of a Lego problem, too, but whereas I’m particular about which sets I buy, he will build darn near anything. So, since we needed to get him a birthday gift (late, but that’s how we roll), we felt a visit to the closest Lego store was in order.

Sopwith Camel

The Lego store at K of P is pretty sizeable. It should be, seeing as it pretty much serves most of eastern Pennsylvania and south Jersey. There’s also one at Christiana Mall in Newark, DE that is about the same distance away, but takes about 30 minutes longer to get to. Beside the point. We wound up buying a Lego Werewolf set and a couple of minifigs for the boy, and a Sopwith Camel set for us. Yes, for us. This will actually be the first non-architecture set that The Management will be building. She acquitted herself well building the top wing assembly all by herself. It’s a big achievement when you realize that she never built a Lego set as a child.

 

Save the Clock Tower!

So, after leaving the store we decided to pay a visit to the new Wegman’s, also in King of Prussia. They were having plenty of in store tastings, they even had a guy shilling the VitaMix blender. Our last visit to the K of P Wegman’s was a bit of a letdown… but I think it was because of the time of day… see, we stopped after the Neil Diamond concert. They really did redeem themselves. We managed to score a nice piece of sockeye salmon. It’s not Copper River, but the color is still a vibrant red and it should roast up beautifully.

Every time I’m in one of these stores, I can’t help but compare it to the big national grocery chains, like Giant. The selection, the cleanliness, the friendliness really make me want to never set foot in a Giant again. So, until such a point as they put a Wegman’s in cow country, I will be forced to shop at the same old boring stores, because it really doesn’t make a lot of sense to driver 45 minutes to grab a gallon of milk. I have hopes, though, of someday soon seeing a clock tower rising above the farm fields and retail power centers of Cow Country.

Other than the lovely salmon, we departed with some cherries, strawberries and bananas, a few other items, and some poultry sausage. That was recommended to me as a healthier alternative to boring old pork sausage. I look forward to trying it.

After leaving Wegman’s, we went in search of sustenance. My sugar had started to fall off and, well, we were hungry. We headed up the Turnpike and decided to make a return visit to The Drafting Room in Exton, PA. This is a lovely taproom and grill that SPW (drinker of many beers!) and I had last been to on my birthday. Perhaps not the healthiest choice, but considering the time, we were able to get seated right away and have food in belly soon after. SPW (avowed carnivore!) went with their hot roast beef sandwich while I decided to go with a burger topped with some Vermont cheddar. We both opted for a crab and corn chowder as an appetizer. The soup came, topped with a spicy, smoky jalapeno bacon, and it was delicious. If we would’ve been there alone, I might’ve licked the bowl. It was that good.

Sorry Mom, not a clean plate

The burger came and after a few bites, I was starting to run out of gas. Then it’s decision time. Ask yourself how many times you got the starving children speech when you were growing up. Or, as my very Catholic mother would tell us, it’s a sin to waste food. According to the psychologist I saw, that actually contributes to weight gain. We’re taught to clean our plates, but the portion sizes are insane these days, as a result, we wind up consuming way more calories than we should. A good idea when confronted with a huge portion would be to ask for a box first, and pack up half of your meal for later. That’s not really an option with a burger… they usually don’t reheat well, so I did the next best thing. I ate the rest of the meat and the garnishes while leaving the vast majority of the fries (I think I had two or three) and half the roll.

So today’s lesson… just because it’s in front of you, doesn’t mean you have to eat all of it. You can save some for another day or eat the portions that are better for you (protein and veggies, for example)

Ode to the Wheel of Death

Posted: June 30, 2012 in Weight loss
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Good morning!

I never really thought I’d be able to do this, but this post marks my 30th post for the month of June. Uhm, yay me? Seriously, though… I just wanted to thank all you who read my musings on a semi-regular basis. Writing this has allowed me to really keep focused on the goal and helps alleviate boredom which would normally make me eat. As long as you keep reading, I’ll keep writing (and I’ll still keep writing even if you stop reading). So, on to the meat of today’s post.

I’ve found that perhaps my biggest challenge on the weight loss journey has been to eat well while at work. We are surrounded by any number of  food joints within an easy drive ranging from the ubiquitous McFood, Long John Silvers,  Rude Wendy’s, a Pizza Hut, two Subways, Waffle House, and a host of local joints. For those feeling a little more adventurous, there’s an Old Country Slurp n’ Munch, and if you’re feeling more creative, there’s even a supermarket in the shopping complex next door.

The Wheel of Death in all its glory

If you work on the day shift, there’s a cafeteria upstairs, referred to by us locals as “Chez Ptomaine“, or you can take your chances on the Wheel of Death. The Wheel of Death is a staple in many break rooms around the world. It usually contains an array of refrigerated “food” including sandwiches, fatty hamburgers, unhealthy fried junk and overpriced grocery items. Take, for example, a tub of Chef Boy-Ar-Dee pasta. It goes for $1.00 at the nearby grocery. In the Wheel of Death, you’ll pay $2.75. So, you get to pay a 175% markup to stuff your food hole with preservatives and other chemical swill. The other choices aren’t much better. The Wheel of Death also has a reputation for going belly up with alarming frequency, which makes me question the safety of the prepared food stored within.

My two best friends at work.

This leads me to the conclusion that the only way to eat healthy at work is to bring your own. To that end I’ve made a couple of investments. On the left side of the picture, you’ll see a red insulated bag. It’s not huge but allows me enough space to pack a well-balanced meal and adding an ice pack to the penthouse compartment also helps to keep my meal cold. On the right side of the picture is a recent find. It’s a water jug holding around 64 oz. of fluid. The bariatric team has recommended that I try to consume at least 64 oz. of fluid every day and this makes it easy to keep tabs on what I’m drinking. The container comes with its own insulated carrier, so if I load it up with ice, my water stays cold all shift. On that note, if I’m not feeling like water, there are any number of zero calorie drink mixes I can add to jazz up the water. Two of my favorites have been the 4C Totally Light Half & Half, which is half lemonade/half iced tea and the other is not actually a zero calorie mix, that being Ocean Spray’s Cranberry Lemonade. It’s still not too bad at five calories. Either one can really enhance the water or disguise the nasty chlorine taste found in some tap water.

Meal planning and portion control are not that hard if you’re willing to invest the time to work on them. It also helps if you don’t mind leftovers. The real key with leftovers is to use them or freeze them before they go bad. You don’t want that… it might be dangerous to your other condiments.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Son, be a dentist! People will pay you to be inhumane!

Posted: June 29, 2012 in Cleaning, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Supportive Partner Woman, The Management, Weight loss
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So, Supportive Partner Woman (she who is flossing-challenged!) and I went to the dentist today. It was my second first visit with this particular dentist. You might be wondering how that can be, well, it’s like this.

A few years ago, I had a toothache. As it turns out, I had a plastic container fall out of the cabinet and hit me in the lip. It must have hit the sweet spot, because it pretty much killed a tooth. So, seeing as I didn’t have a regular dentist in Cow Country at the time, I let my fingers do the walking. I came upon the dental offices of one Frank Carano, DDS. I called and they were able to fit me in. Dr. Carano, a gnomish little man, told me I would need a root canal. We scheduled it, but Carano wouldn’t be doing it. He did, however, take the time to plug the custom color match service they offered, for an additional $125.

Doogie Howser DMD?

Carano’s associate, Dr. Kingston, actually did the procedure. He seemed awfully young but very competent. He even managed to pull off the second part of the root canal without any anesthesia. At the time, we didn’t have dental coverage, so I just let the cleanings and exam go by, even though I know that dental health is very important because of The Beetus. It just wasn’t a priority.

So fast forward and we noticed that Doogie the Dentist* had opened his own office, away from the gnomish Dr. Carano. We hemmed and hawed and eventually made appointments for exams and cleanings. We set them up for today and, of course, we almost forgot about them. The appointments were at 10:30… I woke SPW (sleeper of great soundness!) up at 10:14 and we managed to make it there by 10:44.

We get checked in and I get called first. The hygienist, Shannon, comes and takes me back to the exam room, which is dominated by a big-ass monitor. She does a load of X-Rays (surprised I’m not glowing), takes pictures of fillings and the like, and does some sort of laser test on my teeth to check hardness. I was sure that the laser would slice part of my jaw off… I’ve seen the movie, but I’m just fine.

The final score is that I have my second cavity of my 41 years. I also need to have an old amalgam filling replaced. It’s served me well, seeing as I got it when I was 13 or 14, so it doesn’t owe me anything. Finally, I have six (now four) teeth that need to be sealed. I also should have a crown done, but we can wait a little on that. The important thing to take away is that being attentive to dental care is as important as taking care of everything else when you have diabetes. It can really help your long-term health. So, pick up the floss, or as Shannon suggested, the dental picks. I know I have a long way to go with flossing, but like every other change I am making, I’ll get there.

Oh, and not once did Dr. Kingston attempt to sell me anything like my former dentist, Dr. Beefyhead. Dr. Beefyhead (not his real name) was convinced that all health problems were caused by my jaw being out of alignment and for only $13,000 (financing available), he could break may jaw and fix the alignment, curing me of all maladies.

Riiiiight.

* Please note that this is not meant to sound derogatory in any sense. Dr. Kingston strikes me as a fine clinician and his staff is first-rate. I am quite pleased with his work and would gladly recommend him to anyone. If you are in the Lancaster, PA area and are seeking a dental professional, check out  his website.

I’m feeling very psychic today…

Posted: June 29, 2012 in Exercise, friends, Physical activity, The Management, Walking, Weight loss
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I’m going to predict that between 1:00 and 5:00, the air conditioning will not be running.

OK, OK… there was a call last night from PP&L saying that they would be cycling the AC off due to expected load concerns. See, in an effort to save $8.00 a month, we let them install a switch on the AC that would allow them to cycle the AC. Maybe we should go shopping or go to work early in an effort to stay cool.

The primary focus of today’s post is the recovery from yesterday’s visit to the gym. I ached in quite a few places, and while my ankles are a little tender (you try carrying 368 pounds), the only other part I’m having issues with is my quadriceps. And only when I try to sit down. I blame the squats. I felt so good yesterday that I even took a 15 minute walk last night during my second break.

I was really pleased to see that the efforts of Supportive Partner Woman (user of the elliptical!) and I have inspired one of our friends to start a major weight loss effort. She’s even started writing about her process on her blog, which you can check out here. We are so proud of you, April… keep up the good work!

I never really compiled a list of what my process is for losing the weight. So, I’ll take a stab at it.

1) Exercise. Even just a regular walking program. We’re not talking Olympic speed walking, but a nice 3 mph pace… something to get the heart pumping and blood flowing.

2) Physical Activity. Take extra steps. Make two trips instead of one with the laundry. DO SOMETHING!

3) Nutrition. Be mindful of what you put in your mouth. As a diabetic, this can be quite challenging for me. Keep the carbs to a minimum and lots of fiber. Fiber kind of counteracts carbs, so if you eat a Mission Carb Balance wheat burrito wrap, it may say there’s 32g of carbs. There’s also 26g of fiber, making a total of 6 net carbs. It’s tough for somebody like me who could (and often did) eat a dozen potato dinner rolls at one sitting. Does this mean you can’t have any carbs? No! Just exercise some restraint. Also, when you’re jonesing for a snack, consider an alternative. Instead of reaching for the chips, grab a half cup of pistachios and get the protein instead of empty carbs.

4) Fluids. Fluids are important. Water is your friend. I was guilty of swilling Diet Pepsi the same way that a wino swills Boone’s Farm. It was nothing for me to drain six 20 oz. bottles of DP in a day. I’ve gotten that down to two. I’ve reduced my consumption by two-thirds and I’m still managing. That means I’ve also reduced my daily caffeine intake by a corresponding amount. Instead, I located a 64 oz. water bottle in an insulated case and I’ve been trying to drink that much every day.

5) Support and Goals. This has been the biggest struggle. I’ve found that having SPW on board has helped a lot, as has the support I’ve received from you, the readers. Many of our friends in the Disney community have expressed support, even volunteering to do a 5K alongside us when we reach such a point. That might be many months into the future, but it’s one of my goals. My immediate goal would be to keep losing and keep learning how to keep it off.

The author in 1998, right around 400 pounds.

So, there you have it. It’s not scientific… it’s mostly common sense. This is stuff that I always knew and just chose to ignore. You can only ignore the 800-pound gorilla in the room for so long (or the 400-pound fat guy in my case). My advice is to face the gorilla early and avoid the struggle later. Your body and your self-esteem will thank you.

Enjoy the weekend!

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