Day 403 - Leadership 199 / Trait 7 of 14: Initiative

I sincerely hope all are brimming with enthusiasm after yesterdays post. My engine was stoked red hot from the moment I hit the 'publish-post' button until I hit the bed last night. In between I knocked out a great day at work and got in 4.1 miles of walking cardio.

Lets get another great day off the ground with another leadership trait. Links to those we've covered thus far...
Leadership 199 / Trait 6 of 14: Enthusiasm
Leadership 199 / Trait 5 of 14: Endurance
Leadership 199 / Trait 4 of 14: Decisiveness
Leadership 199 / Trait 3 of 14: Courage
Leadership 199 / Trait 2 of 14: Bearing
Leadership 199 / Trait 1 of 14: Dependability

Our seventh trait…

Leadership 199 / Trait 7 of 14: Initiative

Defined: Taking action in the absence of orders.

Discovered: The word that sticks out like a sore thumb in that definition is "orders". Seems a bit strong in reference to getting healthy, losing weight, as nobody is ever there truly ordering us to do what needs doing. Yet, we receive help, encouragement, validation from others for our intentions and efforts. Some of that input we seek, some comes uninvited.

The context we need to apply to the word "orders" here is this; orders are nothing more than our plan to get healthy. However we've decided to do it, e.g. weight watchers, px90, canned physician/nutritionist program, surgery, sacrificing the neighbors pet to the goddess of six-pack abs; whatever it is our plan is the orders we've chosen to follow.

While "orders" sticks out like a sore thumb, it is the word "absence" that we need to notice.

We have our plan, we have all of that input from others, we have opportunity and the means to seize it all around us. The only thing that is absent now, is our taking action. We will only seize that which we want if WE take action...
if WE take those inputs from others we depend on and take action to filter them for what will help/work for us...
if WE believe in our plan so much that we enthusiastically put it into action...
if WE respect fear, embrace courage, and dare to take action to achieve victory...
if WE take "action"; while "orders" sticks out like a sore thumb, and "absence" needs to be noticed, "action" needs to be our result.

At the start, middle, and beginning of each day, it is up to US to take action, or choose inaction. No matter how loud our plan, our inputs, our opportunities, NO MATTER how loud they scream at us to get up and take action; it is YOU/I that must take the initiative to take action to make this day a better day than yesterday. This week better than last week, month, year, etc. until we have achieved our goals. Then we can take a celebratory breath before we seek new goals to act upon.

Da-Point: Achieving what you want starts and ends with you taking action to get it.

I said this on twitter yesterday, I am sure someone else authored it but I do not know who to give credit to; "We get old too fast and get smart too late in life; use each day to feel young & grow wise"

Initiative, what are we waiting for?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 310-311 I Will Not Fall Prey To The Ice

This mornings drive into work was an experience. We received a nice sheet of ice over night making the roads, well; icy. In total I saw a half-dozen cars in ditches, facing the wrong way on the side of the road, etc. It never ceases to amaze me how drivers refuse to adjust their driving to the conditions. Truth is, some people just suck at driving and are time bombs on clear-dry days and they just implode when wet.

Such drives are not without a dose of humor amongst the head-scratching horror. Case in point is in the picture there; that is who I was so lucky to follow in to work. I gave this character lots of room coming close enough to snap this photo pulling away from a stop light. Good thing I took it when I did as it would be just a 1/4 mile up the road when he became one of the half-dozen to fall prey to the ice.

While some out there, not just drivers, are off to a slippery start to their week we need not accept thoughts that our weeks are going to result in fender-bender frustration. Nope, now; right now is time for us to get our footing secure and set off for a week of victory.

For me that means that this week my eating plan will consist of no more than 2000 calories a day and protein will make up 50% of what I eat.

This week my exercise plan will consist of 3x Cardio, 3x Weights & Stretching with each of those six. I will also make another go at a new personal best on the Plank.

This week I will challenge myself to add some weight to my lifting routine and lose that smidge more needed before I can justify taking hammer & punch to my old belt again.

How about you?

Are your feet on steady path??

What is your plan for the week???

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 298 - Breathe, Breathe I Say

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Excellent excellent excellent responses to yesterdays fill in the blank post.
Some serious, e.g. M/W/F 40 MINUTE ELLIPTICAL WORKOUTS...
Some hilarious, e.g. challenge myself to try trapping cupids until leprechauns become available...
Some odd, e.g. when I stumble from plan I will immediately poke myself with one of those toothpicks...
Some creative, e.g. take the odd sock & make show booties for my dog out of it...
All just excellent!

Myself, I never did fill in the blanks myself. Let me do that now...
This week my eating plan contains a F/C/P nutrient mix of 25% / 25% / 50% with no more than 2000 calories a day.
This week I will take a box of toothpicks and dump them in the desk drawer of my cubical neighbor; he has been getting on my nerves.
This week my exercise will consist of 3x Cardio, 3x Weights & Stretching with each of those six.
This week when I stumble from plan I will go to Lose It and figure out why, and if I can't  I will borrow one of Julie's toothpicks and poke myself.
This week I will take that odd-sock from the laundry and send it to MandaPanda so she can make a whole family of sock puppets (all of you should send her your odd socks too).
This week I will challenge myself to balance my ME time with my FAMILY time & BLOG time; not always so easy.
This week I imagine myself punching the snot out of that dude that farted in front of me while climbing the stairs. Seriously man, back off the broccoli bean casserole and tighten that sphincter! 

If you didn't get in on the fun that was yesterdays fill in the blanks post by all means do so now, good fun and also meant to be a nudge to plan your weeks success out.

So, the title of this post is breathe something or other, why, because I thought you might want to hear me breathe heavy. Focus, don't let your minds stray towards unsavory thoughts, just listen...



So why did I share this? An acceptable answer is 'because I have a screw loose'. But as well I have been told I breathe too heavy when I work out. Really, can you breathe too heavy? Those wight lifting veterans out there please do let me know if I need to dial down the force of the hurricane that is my breathing.

Have fun today & remember to Breathe!  

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 297 - Fill In The Blanks

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Fill In The Blanks...

This week my eating plan contains _________ .

This week I will take a box of toothpicks and _________ .

This week my exercise will consist of _________ .

This week when I stumble from plan I will immediately _________ .

This week I will take that odd-sock from the laundry and _________ .

This week I will challenge myself to try _________ .

This week I imagine myself punching the snot out of _________ .

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 290 - Anatomy Lessons Hurt

Strong, and Sore; Alert, and Anxious; this is how I am feeling coming into this new week. Nacho the cat you see there is not any of these things; he works out with me often and here you see him catching his breath between sets of leg-lifts.

Back to me; Strong in mind and body today, the exercise of late has had allot to do with this. I find success in exercise does more to boost confidence than success in eating. Do both successfully and we see both confidence and pride carry us to even greater success. 

Some soreness is with me from yesterday's workout. I focused allot on my back yesterday and I achieved that goal apparently as either my latissimus dorsi, infraspinatus, or both on both my sides are letting me know they had a 'great' time. Yes I had to look up the name of the infraspinatus muscle; getting an anatomy education as I get healthy here.

My alertness refers to my being very conscious at present that my expectations of myself are increasing. The last two months of 2010 I coasted to a very-very-very slow weight loss, almost could call it maintenance over some specific weeks. January 2011 ends today and it has been a good month. One where I picked up the pace a tick or tock but as I noted in yesterday's weigh in post while my pace of loss is slow and steady by design I am aware that it is slower than I'd like.

That is where the anxiousness comes in, I intend to kick it up a notch or skosh. To succeed I need to focus on more consistent eating, maintain my steam in exercise, and be certain to enjoy the ride. I know I can do just that, and I am anxious to see it through. A little anxiety is not a bad thing, it shows that the topic at hand has my attention.

Last week was a decent week and I believe in part due to my pre-planning last Monday. That helped me to set up myself for success. Now, in the end it was decent success, not great, because my execution was not as crisp as needed for greatness.

Building off that for this week we will again start with some pre-planning on this Monday. Here are my plans for the three balls I feel I must juggle weekly to have a great week...

Eat with passion! We have set up the menu for this weeks dinners. As well my breakfasts are ready to be had and lunches at the office cafeteria can & will be healthy. We've approached this weeks dinner menu with a passion for healthy foods that are also foods we love; a winning combo!

Are your meals for the week planned?

Exercise with purpose! This week will see me do as follows; WEIGHTS on Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday. CARDIO on Monday, Friday & Sunday. Each weight session will be full body in general but have a specific area of focus as well. My purpose here is to learn more about what I get out of what I put into the exercise; I don't just want to do the exercise, I want to get to know it!

What is your exercise plan for the week?

Have fun with all I do! I am not fretting what the weather will be this week, or what deadlines loom at work, or what teenage drama will crop us at home; whatever comes my way I know I can not only handle it but have fun getting through it all. I am so done with dreading the realities of life. In nearly every pitch thrown at us fun can be had, that is if we have the proper definition of what fun really is. A topic worthy of more thought another day. 

Got fun in mind for this week?

 ENJOY!

 
Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 283 - RIP Jack, and Here I Come!

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Let's take a moment to say goodbye to a health & fitness pioneer, Jack LaLane.

Jack passed away yesterday at the age of 96.

NINETY-SIX, we should all be so lucky, and maybe we will if we make our own luck as Jack did.

Another week is here for us to take by the horns and break as we see fit... are you ready? If yes, cool - so am I! If not, Huh; why not?!

This picture below sucks because it shows my thinning head of hair (those of you who have come to know me understand that is jest as I could careless what my hair does; remember this photo).

But it was a cool action shot of me on the elliptical yesterday a split nano-second after I stumbled, my left iTouch ear bud fell out of my ear and I snared it with my teeth... yeah, I got skills!

Feeling good today, the cold that kept me tame for a few days has abated and I am amped for this week. This coming week is no different than any other before it, except that it is here. So, with that bit of obvious nonsense out of the way, what is the plan for this week?

Eat like a champion! Our menu is planned for this weeks dinners, I have what I need for breakfast and snacks, and I know what I need to do at the office cafeteria for lunches. Are your meals for the week planned?

Exercise like an veteran! Yep, I have been exercising now for what, 8'ish months?... I used my fingers so I think I counted that correctly. So I know what I need to do, but I also acknowledge I need to step it up and plan out when I will exercise, and I have; WEIGHTS on Monday, Thursday, Saturday. CARDIO on Tuesday, Friday, Sunday. What is your exercise plan for the week?

Have fun like a kindergartner! No, that does not mean I am going to make any macaroni-noodle art. But it does mean I am going to make meals fun by enjoying the company I keep, making meals together with my gorgeous wife, and I also already know the cool n'healthy meals I have planned. As well I am going to have fun exercising. My iTouch is ready to rock me through them, I am going to challenge myself on form and consistency start to finish, and I am going to try to exercise with my hot n'sexy wife too (read into that what you will). Perhaps a kindergartner wouldn't consider all of that fun, just think of me as a mature-kindergartner. Please tell me you have plans to have some fun this week; PLEASE!

Ready or Not, Here I Come!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 262 - Thinking A Bit Deeper

Do you Tweet? If so, connect with me there; I am Rspnsblty199 and love it for quick in & out health chat from my blackberry, itouch, etc. through out the day whenever hitting the blogs is not in the cards.

Monday! So happy it is Monday, the holiday break is over and days that include work are here again. Uh Huh I am, probably not a notion shared by many, but I am at my best when it comes to ME when not in holiday mode.

This is day-three of the new year, not that I am really counting. But I'll use the neatness of the new calendar for a mini-reflection of my most recent healthy living performance...

Saturday Jan 1, Consuming 1,900+ calories is more than I should consume when leading my life in a healthy manner. Even on days where I bust out some meaningful exercise 1,900+ is not likely to result in a day of weight loss. I performed no exercise this day however. I'd like to keep it closer to a range between 1,500 & 1,800 daily. Looking at the nutrient breakdown my days intake was 50% carbs and 25% each fat & protein. Ideally I will cut the carbs in half and replace those calories primarily with lean proteins.

Sunday Jan 2, I did exercise today giving the elliptical a furious thrashing after finally fixing the thing. Ok, it thrashed me; I just didn't feel like walking out in the cold today. A better eating day than yesterday... At 1,800 calories and carbs closer to 40%, just a bit better not allot. We'll take it though and onward we go to the next day where the opportunity exists to be even better.

Monday Jan 3, TBD...

Yesterday I received many great comments on my weigh-in post; Thank You all who chimed in with encouraging words and thoughts. I would like to give a shout out to contributor who set my mind to thinking a bit deeper about all of this than I was.

Christine played this role of mentor for me this day and if you did not read her comments then today is your lucky day as I am copy/pasting them here for you to ponder too...

Okay Patrick. Remember the weight loss fundamentals that I think maybe you lost track of:
1.) Exercise does not equal weight loss. You can't exercise your way down the scale. Exercise is good and you should keep doing it, but it won't make you skinny.
2.) Watch your "empty carbs." If you are going to eat carbs, make sure they are from a real plant, such as a baked potato. Bread is not a plant.
3.) Watch your sugar intake.
4.) Eat lots of protein. If you get hungry, EAT! But eat protein.
5.) Don't shy away from "healthy fats" like nuts, avocado, fish, cheese. Just eat them in small portions (after all, they are high in calories). Just supplement these items with high-protein foods.
6.) EAT! Don't starve yourself because the scale is being mean to you. Eat regularly, just eat small meals.
I know that sounds like a lot, but it's all basic, fundamental stuff that you already know. Just re-evaluate what you're doing and get back on track! You can do this!!

All good stuff there, all I've heard before and agree with; Thanks Christine! I admit to not always keeping the basics in the forefront of my mind and adhering to them, obviously I have not over the holidays.

Hmm, what would happen if I did? I KNOW, I would get to create a post like THIS ONE and share it with all of you!

If you didn't 'watch' that post I linked in the last paragraph you are doing yourself an injustice; please watch it. And when you have and come back here and tell me...

Where are the basics at in your mind today?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 212 - Judging My SEE

Today is day-1 of today's mission to be healthier, tomorrow will be day-1 of tomorrow's mission. That is what I posted to twitter this morning. It is true as cheese tastes better than chalk. Success yesterday doesn't bring with it a guarantee of success today. Yesterday's success does provide reason to believe you can succeed today, but not a guarantee.

In kicking off today's mission I am looking to the word judgement. This morning I sit here reflecting and judging myself, specifically my success over the past few weeks. Yes, I have made progress; but not at the pace I desire. In my reflection I believe that I can and should expect to achieve at my desired pace. The reasons I have not come from honest judgement of my actions.

In weighing the facts of my actions I honestly cannot find issue with exercise, I am getting that done. The bottom line is that my eating remain inconsistent. I write this at the risk of sounding like a broken KC and the Sunshine Band record; awful broken or not but terribly annoying to listen to broken as it skips the same line over and over.

It does no good to judge through the facts, and then not decide on a solution. And I have that, I stated it two weeks ago when the month started and I scripted how I will SEE November. In judging myself here I struck-through the lines on my plan where I have not executed consistently. I need to look no further than them for reason and solution. Here is that plan...

Set for November if a goal to Weigh-In on Nov. 30th (a special Tuesday w/i for me) at 249.5 or less. My scale reads in tenths, but I record in 1/2 pound increments and I round the tenths up to the next 1/2, so 249.6 will not cut it, 249.5 it must be.

Establish a plan could be as easy as just doing what I have been, here is my plan...

1. No Fast Food, Candy, or similar food as poor in quality
2. Exercise 5x week; 2x Cardio & 2x Strength & 1 Flexibility Workout (that will be new for me)
3. Drink 2 liters, or more, of water a day
4. Participate in #NovGTD, log my miles and tweet it up each day
5. Calorie intake will be no more that 2000 calories and carb controlled
6. Avoid inducing fasting response, eat 6x a day; 3meals and 3 snacks
7. Eat breakfast at home to avoid skipping it
8. Take fruit to work for snacks to avoid grabbing poor quality snacks at the office coffee shop
9. Every other lunch at work will be a visit to the salad bar which is a treat since it is a good one
10. Plan out evening meals to avoid creating last minute high-calorie dinners of convenience

Execute the plan.


I do not need a new plan.
I do not need to reinvent how to get healthy.
I do need to execute the plan I have.
I do need to remember that I know how to do this and I believe that I can achieve my goals at I desire pace.

Today is day-1 of today's mission to be healthier...

 

What is your plan for today?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 198 - Let's SEE November

Hope that all enjoyed their Halloween. Two of our four kids still trick-o-treat; the oldest and the third oldest. The other two don't want to be bothered by it, or feel they are too cool, etc. Too bad, the other two do it mainly to hang out and have fun with their friends and that they do.

November is here and it is not going to wait around for anyone to enjoy the ride it has in store for us. Nov. 1 will soon be Nov. 2, then 3, 17, 23, 30 and done. So now, this minute, is the time to open your mind to the success possibilities for this month. Is your mind open? If so, then I bet one or more possibilities is dancing before your eyes.

Pick one, you may have more, but just focus on one at a time here. Got one? Great, what do you want to do with this possibility? Your attitude is correct if you think that is a silly question whose only answer is to turn that possibility into reality. Fine, bit harder question then; how are you going to do that?

If you believe it is important that this possibility becomes reality, then it does not deserve to be left to chance. It deserves a plan, a plan you can S E E... If you can see it, then you greatly increase the probability your possibility will become reality. Seeing is not hard, not at all. Simply take that possibility and...

Set a goal for it for this month; remember this is important so be specific with what reality will look like...

Establish a plan for how you will achieve; keep it simple but be sure to consider the actions you will take, the support/facilities you will need, the guidelines/rules you will follow, etc...

Execute your plan an action at a time and continuously review & improve your plan as November unfolds.

Here is the health/fitness Possibility dancing before me now: Weighing less than 250 pounds. If I stay true to what I have been doing, then I will end the month weighing 250 even. But if I amp my act up just a bit more, I can get into a new decade and also into the lower 1/2 of this 200's century. Here is how I shall SEE it...

Set for November if a goal to Weigh-In on Nov. 30th (a special Tuesday w/i for me) at 249.5 or less. My scale reads in tenths, but I record in 1/2 pound increments and I round the tenths up to the next 1/2, so 249.6 will not cut it, 249.5 it must be.

Establish a plan could be as easy as just doing what I have been, BUT... I just told you yesterday that I have been inconsistent with both eating & exercise recently. So leaving it at that shouldn't leave me brimming with confidence, and it doesn't. So here is my plan...

• No Fast Food, Candy, or similar food as poor in quality
• Exercise 5x week; 2x Cardio & 2x Strength & 1 Flexibility Workout (that will be new for me)
• Drink 2 liters, or more, of water a day
• Participate in #NovGTD, log my miles and tweet it up each day
• Calorie intake will be no more that 2000 calories and carb controlled
• Avoid inducing fasting response, eat 6x a day; 3meals and 3 snacks
• Eat breakfast at home to avoid skipping it
• Take fruit to work for snacks to avoid grabbing poor quality snacks at the office coffee shop
• Every other lunch at work will be a visit to the salad bar which is a treat since it is a good one
• Plan out evening meals to avoid creating last minute high-calorie dinners of convenience

Execute the plan. And I shall. I'll also continuously review & improve in my head and as well put up a review for the week prior in my normal Sunday weigh-in posts.

What November possibilities are dancing before your eyes?

 
Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 180 - Aged Banana Bump'n

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Thursday it is, in case you did not know. You probably knew that did you know that bananas are the world’s most popular fruit after tomatoes? While grocer’s like that they make up 3% of their total sales they are less than happy that bananas account for the most complaints from grocery shoppers. Some just go off at the sight of an overripe or even spotted banana. Fact is that a spotted banana is 6x sweeter than a green banana. So people, don't be shy of the more 'experienced' bananas amongst the bunch.

Yesterday my son & I visited Lake Andrea for some exercise. We followed last weeks walk / jog layout exactly the same. Decided to do this versus increase the total percentage of jogging. Oh I will do that soon, but yesterday I just wanted the challenge to try and be a better time, or, amp up the pace of both the walking & jogging. And that we did, we completed the 2.25 mile loop in 29:32 minutes, beating our best by 1:23 minutes. Oh Yeah!

Bumper Stickers, was doing some bumper sticker window shopping (what you don't do that?) and came across a few worthy of sharing...

Ah, many times in the past I could have displayed this one and related. Start a diet, flounder through it, lose steam, slip and slide and quit before even giving it a chance. In the end, all I did was lose time. Well, hopefully I also gained some knowledge on how to 'not' diet. Or even more optimistically I gained some knowledge on why 'I' quit the diet because the diet did not quit me.

Another I can relate to. In part the bad choices of my 20's & 30's left me really feeling life in my 40's. And when I'd look in a mirror, the show was not a good one. Fine, that may be so. But now I am going to try & reverse this bumper sticker and prove that a better life can begin in your 40's and you can improve how it shows too.

This one is pretty simple to relate to I believe. What do we say, eat less & move more to get healthy. I prefer eat smarter & move more, but let us not split bananas here. Get off the rump roast, eat less of it too, get on your feet, and move. Simple enough?

Well, this one is just silly I suppose. Why did I show it? Because it reminded me of the 1,273 excuses I have used in the past for why I was (still am) obese. Most were attempts to use humor to ease the pain of being obese and change the topic either in my head or with someone else. Have fun, laugh out loud, but be serious about our health - we can have fun and be healthy. But making fun of ourselves and leaving it at that, well that just is not funny!
 

This one you can fold in half lengthwise and just show the top portion in my opinion. Get healthy for yourself. Do it whatever way you inspires you to get it done. Lace on the Nike's and just do it and worry not one ounce what anyone else thinks about how you look, what you are doing, your progress or plateaus or set backs... all that matters is what do you think about yourself?

Source for all of the above bumper stickers.

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 165 - Got Handbook?

Tuesday was an 'A' effort by myself. Exercise was had and my eating was akin to that straight out of a diet handbook. If only there were such a handbook that was perfectly tailored to me. And there were one perfectly tailored to you. If only...

Well, lets noodle that for a second or three. Mmm, noodles; um focus!  Over the years and my dozens of weight loss attempts I have probably purchased, borrowed or stolen (borrowed & never returned) a book on this diet plan or that diet fad for each attempt. Oh the money I've donated to this gaba-bazillion dollar industry.

In no way am I saying it was all good money thrown at bad information. Applying honesty to my thoughts, and I must, I did benefit from those past attempts. My brain has knowledge packed in its corners from what I've read, listened to, seen, etc. during each of those previous attempts.

Today, on this mission; my final mission that will take the rest of my life to enjoy. Today, I have come to believe that I finally have the ONLY handbook to follow. It doesn't come from a book store, or online store, or from a neighbors collection.

My handbook follows no one diet & exercise plan. Simply, I do not believe there is a handbook out there that is perfectly tailored to ALL of us. Although that said, most all in the end break down to a common thought; eat better and eat less than you burn and burn more by moving more than you move now. Huh, so what is the difference in all those books, plans, and the like for sale out there?

That is up to you to decide. For me, I've decided that the best approach for me is a slow and steady track towards a better me. Where did I come up with that. Just from experience, from my collective learnings, failures, and shaping how they can help me achieve what I current want to achieve. I do not want to fail & quit a mission ever again.

And fail I will not. Because I have found my handbook. It has been so close at hand for so long. It is in my head. I believe I know what will work for me because I have taken the time to give it thought, come up with an approach I believe in, and am doing it.

Trust yourself. Believe in yourself. You know you better than any book, anyone else. Take the knowledge you have assembled, seek more if you feel necessary, and then you determine how to do this. Follow a commercial plan, or not, your choice. Follow what you so fully believe in that you can put your complete trust behind it. Find that, come up with that, and I am betting you (and I) will never fail & quit a mission ever again.


What does all of that have to do with that photo up there? Not a thing. That is my daughter who worked the concession stand during my son's varsity soccer game yesterday. My exercise was to walk around the high school campus for an hour before the start of his game.

When done, I stopped by to razz her (my job) and get a drink to chug-a-lug during the game. Yeah, I know, it is a diet soda versus a bottle of water. My taste buds were wanting more than no taste. Look at all those wonderful treats beside her; amazing how there is not a healthy item to be found there. maybe the popcorn can be considered a healthy item. Simply, they know they'd sell far less, thus raise far less for the school, if the options were not those you see there. Sad, but true lesson in what is considered (right or wrong) to be really important I suppose.

What are you snacking on today while you ponder the handbook inside of your head?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 160 - Breaking Any Rules?

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Most who are looking to lose weight follow some sort of  diet & exercise plan. Some follow their plan tighter than grandma's girdle after holiday dinner. Others choose to be as disciplined as a rope made of sand is loose.

Either extreme or in between, most if not all have at least some simple rules they follow. These rules are based on what others who have been there before us have shared. Whether from commercially published authors with actual programs for sale or from the opposite, folks like you & me who have an opinion and the gumption to share it.

What would some of the common or popular diet or exercise rules be which you yourself do not follow?

E.g. Only drink calorie free beverages, no red meat, do not eat after 7 p.m., never skip a meal, log everything, exercise only in the morning, etc. Dozens upon dozens of rules have been shared with us.

Rules, yeah... rules & I have a respect for each other but best friends we are not. With respect to diet & exercise and more specifically this mission I have had myself to play by the rules more that usual. Yet, some popular rules I just have to break...

• Bacon, the concept of giving up bacon is akin to practicing evil in my mind. I love bacon, it has so many uses. And I will always have it in my diet. Today, I choose to eat less of it and enjoy it less often, but enjoy it still I do.
• Exercise at a certain time, seems morning is suggested as best most often. My schedule allows for exercise but the time is not consistent day to day. Even if it were, I'd get bored if I had such a frigid routine that I exercised at the same time daily. I exercise whenever I can,whenever that time is.
• Leave some food on your plate. Never! Even when I was eating to be obese I didn't put any food on my plate that I was intentionally planning to waste. I know this rule is tailored to restaurant eating. But even there, garnish aside, if I don't eat everything I am served the rest comes home. Wasting food is disrespectful in my book. Drawing strength from pushing away food staring you in the face; there has to be a better way.
• Eat slowly. Why I have no idea, but I eat fairly quickly most of the time. No, I don't inhale my food like a jet engine sucks in unlucky birds. Bite, chew, swallow, repeat. Chat between bites, sure. Upon reading rules that suggest putting down the fork between bites, or chewing each bite at least 30 times; I've just had to stand firm to who I am and rebel against this one.   

                                                        FRIDAY... have fun today folks!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 136 - Tagged I Am

Excellent day yesterday at the eating and at the exercise. Balance, portion and yum all accounted for well. The dumbbell routine thrashed my upper body quite well as did the push ups. Sit ups too, it was just over a week ago I re-discovered my ability to even do sit ups once again. Now five sets of them are part of my exercise routine. So good day yesterday on the getting healthy front. How about you, was yesterday a good health day for you?

Before I forget, the answer to yesterday's picture riddle; a Strawberry Smoothie!

Jo was the first to guess a smoothie, Lori followed her up with the exact flavor of strawberry. I was afraid that was going to be too easy yet when guesses like cheese, meats, tile and a baseball bat started rolling in I backed off of that fear. And LEGS, a bunch of guesses it was a leg, this I didn't expect and got a great chuckle from, fun! Ok, whose ready for a smoothie?

Let's keep the fun a rollin here; Rapunzel has tagged me which requires me to answer 8 questions about myself then make up 8 new questions to tag 8 of you with! Without further delay here are the 8 she gave to me...

1. What is the biggest change you've made that's helped you succeed in your weight loss efforts?
A: On my blog I have listed 8 changes which I have committed myself to, it is hard to say which is the biggest impacting change. If pressed to choose one, #4 Reward Myself For Success. For me I've come to embrace that being healthy has to be fun, you have to enjoy it if you expect to be healthy for a life time. Rewarding myself when I attain goals I've set, now that is FUN!

2. What's your toughest temptation?
A: BACON!!! I love it, I would wrap myself in it if I didn't think I'd be tossed in a straight-jacket. I still enjoy bacon, but a slice or two a week is all. Not 1/2 pound in a single sitting.

3. What program are you following? (WW, South Beach, etc)
A: None. Eating healthy & exercising, it is just that simple. I do try and keep bad carbs in check, but it would be wrong to say I am on a low carb diet. I've come to learn when you have a food addiction living healthy in spite of it is all about being mentally strong. The program, or non-program, you choose is irrelevant until you have set your mind straight that you are going to get healthy. Not just try & do it, nope, that you ARE going to DO IT. Once your mind is set, then figure how how you want to do it and it will happen.

4. Who has been your biggest fan and supporter?
A: My wife. She knows how important this is to me, to us. Even though she knows that my getting healthy means I will be around allot longer, she still wants me to do it :-)

5. Any naysayers who've attempted to sabotage your efforts?
A: Not really. I read that some bloggers get emails from other bloggers criticizing them for this or that. I have had none of that. I may be my biggest naysayer. Even though I am more confident & positive than I ever have been about being healthy, I still have a daily episode where I tempt myself to have just one trip through the drive thru or order the 20 ounce rib eye just this once. While one of anything may really be ok, luckily I have not listened to the argument because I fear one will turn to two, then three, and then I may as well forget it. Me, only I can sabotage this mission.

6. Do you have a favorite "legal" food that helps keep you on track?
A: Fruit. I have never eaten so much fruit. Fruit has replaced most of my snacks. And I believe you have to have between meal snacks; at least I do. So apples now replace potato chips. Peaches replace candy bars. Grapes & Cherries replace donuts & fritters (OMG I miss fritters). You get the picture - eat your fruit people!

7. How do you see your life changing once you reach goal?
A: See my bucket list on my blog under the page titled: "MYSELF". I will actually be able to do all of that. ALL of it. At 320 pounds (where I started this mission) it was a pipe-dream list. When I get to 199 or below it will be a list of stuff that will be done; whether that stuff wants me doing it or not - I am doing it!

8. What's your dream outfit once you get to goal? You know we all have one! :)
A: Come on Rapunzel, you can't gather this on your own, you have to ask? The swim suit worn in the movie Borat of course! Seriously, I have never ever ever, no way have I ever, never have I felt comfortable in a suit. My hope is that by being fit, I can get a new tailored suit and feel good in it. Not that I'd wear it often, but when I need to, knowing I can feel good in it would be oh so nice.

Ok, here are the 8 Bloggers I would like to TAG next...

1. Dee
2. toosexy4thisfat
3. Blue
4. Keelie
5. River
6. Kyle
7. Michael
8. Luke

Here are your 8 questions, enjoy & be sure to tag other...

1. You can have one super power, what would it be?
2. Which do you see as more important, diet or exercise?
3. If we're forced to become vegetarians by law could you do so or would you frequent the black market for meat?
4. Do you consider the word 'Obese' to be a proper word to define those extremely over-weight, or do you consider it to be improper if not a hateful word?
5. Do you believe that Elvis died on August 16, 1977 or was his death a conspiracy cover up?
6. How much water do you drink a day and do you agree that water intake of 8 glasses a day or more is critical to a healthy body?
7. Aliens have invaded earth and landed a mile from your house, do you run for the hills, do you grab a weapon & charge, or do you try and communicate with them?
8. Is your current approach to getting healthy an approach you consider to be fun and can you do it for the rest of your life? 

Have Fun!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 126 - Food Log Opened

Hello one and all. Thank you for all of the questions yesterday from my "Day 125 - Ask Me Anything" post, last night I posted a comment there (CLICK HERE) in reply with answers to them. Some challenging questions, a fun experience, hope you enjoyed.

Friday I was on fire. Got up at 445 a.m., was out for a 2 mile walk by 5 a.m., and returned 33:28 minutes later. That my friends, is a new PR for my neighborhood loop. While I have met my weekly goal for exercise this week, I intend to get in another round of cardio today, not sure what but we'll get something in.

Food was good. Surprisingly, I ended up at Applebee's again today, that is twice in three days. I took the afternoon off work to hang out with my wife. Our afternoon included her doctors appointment so we went out to lunch, Applebee's is close to the docs, so that's how I ended up back at a place I am not a huge fan of. Had something off of their WW menu this time, a salad, which was Ok. Why do chicken breasts in these 'casual dining' places come out so bland and blah?

As promised yesterday's log looked like this....
5a - Exercise: 2 Mile Walk (Neighborhood Loop, 33:28)
6a - Tomato Juice, Pumpkin Flax Granola, Milk, Grapes (I put the grapes in my cereal, see below, what - they are just big raisins :-)
10a - Apple
1230p - Applebees: Paradise Chicken Salad
330p - Cherries
715p - Two Scrambled Eggs w/ Ham & Cheese (we had breakfast for dinner), Coleslaw
745p - One Small Square of Dark Chocolate

grapes in my granola, so good!

Food Log, this week I have focused allot on my food log as intended when I committed to doing so this past Monday. Up top there you see a picture of what my actual hand written food log looks like. That shot is from earlier this week, Monday & Tuesday. That is as much detail as I keep daily. My purpose for this log, make it look green... want all of the food entries to be GREEN.

Why green, well I have a bit of old school in me, so I write with one of those BIC 4-Color ballpoint pens; and I use all 4 colors. For my log I use then as follows:
Black ink is for exercise entries  
Green ink is for meals/snacks that are well balanced and portioned
Blue ink is for meals/snacks that are just OK, pushing the envelope on balance and portion
Red ink is for meals/snacks where I have missed the mark entirely in terms of healthy balance & portion 

Here is an example of a day that is not all green...

These are the entries for Wednesday & Thursday this week. Thursday's dinner was blue because I pushed the envelope of good portion & balance buy having grilled wings and a burger patty. I didn't need that patty, I almost made this entry red. There was no confusion on what color to make my choice at 830 p.m. to eat an ice cream bar. Forget that it was a 100 calorie WW choice, even though it was better than a trip to Dairy Queen, I didn't really need it; I just caved into my gut saying feed me! So red for that entry.

Ok, I can't go on much more about my food log, I'd hate to bore you into an adhoc slumber on a Saturday.
Do you keep a food log?
Do you keep it on paper or online?
Do you keep it in greater detail e.g. nutrient grams?
Do you believe it helps you in your own mission?

Hmm, suddenly feeling like some doo-wop music.

Have an most totally bodacious and supreme Saturday!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 118 - We Win When

Yesterday Christine asked me this; "So, um....what are you doing this week to ensure that when you step on the scale on Sunday that you'll see a loss? Because you came out even last week, right?"

Now that is what I call great; friends holding friends accountable. Thanks Christine. And to answer your question, here is what I have been doing…

Exercised on Tuesday & Thursday. Tuesday was the mosquito walk I blogged about and yesterday was a lunch time walk. Both about 2 miles. Accountability consideration; not enough. Argh, it is true, just that plain too; not enough. More cardio will be had today & tomorrow and a stint with the dumbbells will be had too - promise!

Food has been good this week, not great and not bad. I have found that I am being tempted more and pondering giving into to temptation more as of late. Not sure why, perhaps all of the change influences I blogged about yesterday. Really I don't want to ponder that too much as it feels like I am searching for excuses.

Certainly I have no excuse for any giving in to temptation of which I can cite two instances this week. Our team at work went out earlier this week to welcome a new hire to the team, and beer & pizza was everywhere which I did dabble in. I didn't dive into it as I would have in the days of old, but, if honest I dabbled more than one who is looking to drop pounds ought to have. The other was whipping up some homemade Mac N Cheese for the wife & kids for dinner, I think it was Monday, and then having that as my dinner too. Lately when doing something like that for them I've usually whipped up a salad for myself. That night we had no salad fixings in the house, so I had a small bowl of that sinful nonsense. Weak, that was just weak of me!!

Yesterday, thanks to Christine's poking me accountability nerve early in the day, I decided to make it a two'fer. I had two salads yesterday, one for lunch and dinner each. Would have been bad if I had two for lunch or two for dinner, no? The picture up above there, that is lunch. The one below here, that was dinner. I love mozzarella & tomatoes, a near perfect pairing if I ever tasted one.

Today will be just as good as yesterday I am certain. Um, no, it will be better; why not?

It is reflection like this that makes the difference in the success of a mission. It is people like Christine asking one simple & direct question that make the difference. It is that which will make the difference this time around which we all seek, I know I seek it.

This reflection has inspired me to title today's post, "We Win When"

We Win When - We blog, when we share our successes & struggles. We all need help, knowledge, accountability & an avenue to vent. Blogging gives us that and we get more of what we need when we give & take with those we follow.

We Win When - We say immediately say No to temptation & then say Yes to a better choice. Saying No should not be negative, it should not leave you feeling left out or punished. It should in fact feel good & empower you further. Following each No with a Yes enables that.

We Win When - We have fun with the changes we are making to our eating and exercise habits. Forcing ourselves to eat food we despise or perform exercises we dread or are not yet capable of doing, there is no fun there. Find the healthy choices that you can call fun, and have at them.

We Win When - _____________________________

You fill in the blank, We Win When ?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 115 - Happy Meal Hornets

Is feeding kids fast food child abuse? Is over feeding kids abuse?

Good morning everyone, some heavy questions huh. I suppose you could say my day started out heavy, at least mentally. On the drive into work I heard a radio commentary where consideration ought to be given to legislating that smoking around kids is a form of child abuse. Now, let's hit the brakes for a moment. It is not my intent to debate smoking as a topic. Certainly if you'd like we can dabble in that direction, go for it. However hearing this commentary gave me cause to wonder similarly about how we feed our kids.

Let me spit ball some thoughts at this blog page, I used to be the champion spit-baller in the 3rd grade, you've been warned.

Parents/Guardians are responsible for feeding their kids...

Not everyone is in an economic situation which allows them to feed their kids perfectly balanced/portioned meals daily...

So is it ok for those with less economic means to feed their kids lesser food while holding those with greater economic means to a different standard of care for feeding their kids?...

Not everyone accepts the notion that fast food is as absolutely unhealthy as many would have us think...

Fast food is unhealthy, my opinion, there just is no way to consider the core menus of the most popular fast food joints as healthy; but some do try...

Leave Ronald McDonald's clown alone, he is not a pusher akin to the dope dealer, is he?...

Abuse is to treat in a harmful, injurious, or offensive way according to the dictionary...

But legally, what constitutes abuse?...

How can feeding your kids be considered abuse?...

Feeding your kids is smart, feeding them well balanced/portioned meals is preferred...

Feeding your kids fast food is certainly choosing to feed them lesser quality of food, but isn't it just that, a lesser choice made?...

Over feeding kids into obesity, say 6,781 calories a day diet; is that abuse?...

If not that amount, what amount of over-feeding is where it becomes abuse?...

Addicting, by feeding our kids fast food are we providing them with an addiction that they will have to live with or break someday?...

If exposing kids to over feeding, or fast food, is equal to pushing them into addictions; then what about video games, violence on screens, and sunshine?...

And I can go on...

So, there is a big hairy dose of fried fury for thought.

Myself, I don't think there are easily definable boundaries for abuse when it comes to feeding our kids. Beating our kids, surely that is more easily definable as to what is abuse.

Feed your kids, start with that; get them fed any way you can. Then if you can feed them healthier choices you should. But mandating via legislation that you have to feed them as healthy as you can or else you are abusive; I am not ready to go there.

It is a blurry set of lines that separates what we as parents/guardians of kids have to do and what we should do. In general where it is blurry, I tend to want to leave it up to the parent to make the decision, not a legislative body whose purpose is too often blurred by interests that are far from the point of the matter being legislated.

Ok, enough from me. If I go any further this will become all too political and I try to not get into political debates here. Why I deviated on that guideline today I do not know.

Feed your kids, love your kids, laugh with your kids, and buy them Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Championship t-shirts for crying out loud!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 110 - Holy Sleeping Stapler

Whoa, It is Thursday already. Keeping a sense of time this week has not been easy. Thanks again for all of the warm wishes & prayers for my wife & family. She is doing good, a bit better than expected in terms of recovery pace. There is a chance she will be home today, just a chance, say 30% or so. And if she doesn't that is fine, better to stay another day so the first day back home is not any harder than it need be. We'll know by Noon today where she will sleep tonight.

Now that I am dropping some weight and it is becoming noticeable I get into a few conversations with folks asking me what I am doing, telling me what they have done, etc... they are welcome chats. Yesterday one such chat occurred and we got a tad off on a slant about weirdest diets tried.

Myself I have not tried anything too odd. The oddest may have just been being very calorie restrictive, say 800 or so a good decade or so back. But the guy I was talking too had a few doozies he had put to the test over the years.

The Sleeping Diet - He bought into the notion that when you are asleep you don't eat. So, to help increase his sleep he would sedate himself as often as he could and in a sense went on a starvation diet. He lost weight, but he also gained new problems like severe headaches and bad bowel issues. YUCK!

Ear Stapling - yep, just what it says. He pierced the cartilage of his ears. Doing so is said to reduce your appetite. He couldn't say why it worked and in fact he said it didn't. He was warned that it only works for a few weeks before the body gets used to the staple and no longer recognizes it for its appetite suppression. For him it wore off in 2 days and on the 3rd he was back at McDonalds to makeup for 2 days lost time. Huh?

The Holy Diet - from the bible apparently there is a verse that lists natural vegan foods which you restrict yourself too.He forgot the verse. No food listed can be cooked. He actually liked this for a time as he learned a new respect for eating vegan and lost a chunk of weight. But he fell off the wagon at a party and realized he couldn't commit himself to the diet any more than he had committed himself to God,which he hadn't. Geez...

What is the craziest diet you have ever attempted?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 58 - Change #8

As I noted yesterday I did order my new laptop computer back as my reward for attaining & holding 20% progress, it should arrive in a week or two tops. It slipped my mind last week to mention that I had posted my progress pictures for hitting 20% progress. So far so good, I see a bit more progress in these latest pictures. Next set will come when I get to 30% progress.

Want to see a real cool before and after set. Just Look HERE at John's before and after! I read a few articles about his loss, none go into any detail on how he did it other than stating it was diet and exercise that helped him lose more than 100 pounds.

The word diet can mean many things; was John on a certain diet program or regimen? Perhaps a FAD diet of pre-boxed foods, pills or anything other commercial product we'll soon see him as a spokesperson for? Or was good ole eating balanced, portion controlled meals John's method of success? How about John's exercise, did he just get out there and move his body? Or did he Tae-Bo his loss away?

Celebs who have rapid body transformations and do it without surgery usually have allot of help getting it done. Generally they can afford to hire the best trainers, nutritionists, personal chefs, etc. to get the job done. Good for them for being able to do so. Certainly I wish I could dump a bunch of dollars, and added time, into getting this done smarter and faster. But we know that is not necessary. A slow, steady, disciplined approach to exercise with balanced & portion controlled eating will get the job done. I'm just curious what John did. Oh, and King Ralph is still one of his better movies in my silly opinion.

Changing subjects to the subject of change. It is time for another change to be added to the list of those I intend to commit to. This latest change...

Change 8...

• Drink 2 liters of water a day

Really, is this really necessary? Honestly I have no idea how much water one should drink or whether or not increase water intake really helps shed weight. Recently I read that you should take in 1/2 ounces of water per pound of body weight each day. Yeah, sorry but I doubt I have ever drank over a gallon of water a day which is what the math here would come out to for me.

This change makes sense to me because I have found on days I drink a liter during the day at work and then another in the late afternoon through the evening I have better days. With the water in the gut those voices that would have me believe I am hungry are not as loud. Yes, I am in the USA, so why liters? My water bottle is a 1 liter bottle. Fill from the Brita UltraMax dispenser I purchased just for this & placed in our refrigerator each morning before I leave and then again when I get home, that's the plan.

Do you drink a predetermined amount of water daily?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 3 - Portion & Balance

Yesterday was good day. I ate at good intervals and ate well portioned & balanced meals. For good portions sizes I am shooting for simply trying to follow serving sizes as recommended on packaging. For good balance I am shooting for meals that aren't too high in anyone of either fat, protein or carbs. Having dieted many times before I have a decent sense of when a food item or a meal is unbalanced; at least I think I do.

At present I am not following any specific diet plan or any of the zillion commercially sold programs. In the past I have tried and followed a few. Some worked well for a while, others didn't. But I failed them all in the end; yes I chose to abandon those efforts and cannot say that any of them would not have worked through to my goal had I chose to stick with them. Therefore we (my wife & I are as we are trying to lose weight together) have decided to take it day by day by just eating better. She is being a bit more strict than I am as she has established a daily target of no more than 1,200 calories. For me that number seems low and I want to believe if I stay away from the food that is obviously too fatty, carby, or both; and maintain portion discipline then I should be Ok. Should be that is; perhaps wishful thinking on my part.

To help hedge my thinking I am keeping a food log in a small notebook. If I don't see the progress that I need I can go back to that and calculate the nutrition information and see where my thought here may be flawed. As a hedge to giving into temptation to eat poorly when we are hungry and don't know what to eat we have decided to add some menu planning discipline. Basically coming up with a list of menu choices for breakfast & dinner daily, we both eat lunch in our respective work cafeterias, and sticking to what we have planned. This should help the madness of grocery shopping too; I hate grocery shopping so anything that gets it accomplished quicker is all good in my eyes.

Portion & balance is what is on my mind today. I hope my thinking on them is right and will contribute to my success. Should know in a week or so.

Responsibility 199... Gotta do it!!