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 124 - Fielders Over Jackhammers

Good Morning!

Solid day of eating yesterday. Opportunities for temptation were snubbed by my insane focus on a crazy busy day at work. The picture you see to the left is my lunch from the office cafeteria; Grilled Salmon w/ Avocado Salsa, Stir-fried Veggies and Steamed Brown Rice. Overall our cafeteria is very friendly to those looking to live healthy. Of course there is also a line for burgers, pizza and other unfriendly choices.

In the evening my son & I were headed to a local minor league baseball game. Dining on ball park food for dinner did not appeal to me. Ok, it did appeal to me, but I thought better of such appealings. Instead we chose to go to Applebee's which was on the way. I am not a big fan of places like Applebee's, Chili's, Denny's, etc... to me these establishments rely on excessive salt & poorly administered seasoning to mask their inability to bring ingredients together to create flavor. But, Applebee's for convenience it was us last night. there I chose a dish off of the Under 550 Calorie menu, Spicy Shrimp Diavolo. It filled the void in my stomach, and I doubt it was just 550 calories, I'll leave it at that.

No exercise yesterday so I still need to get in another cardio and another strength workout before Sunday's weigh in. I plan to get in one or the other this evening.

As promised yesterday's log looked like this....

• 6a - Tomato Juice, Coleslaw (yes, I made too much the night before and wasn't letting it go to waste)
• 830a - More Tomato Juice,Banana
• 10a - Milk
• 1215p - Grilled Salmon w/ Avocado Salsa, Stir-fried Veggies and Steamed Brown Rice
• 6p - Spicy Shrimp Diavolo (seen below)

Baseball - Andrew & I went to see the Lake County Fielders host the Joliet Jackhammers last night; minor league teams have the best nick-names. Here are a few pictures of the game which Lake County won 6-4...

That is 'Lucky', the Fielders mascot. He was one busy dog between innings.

The Fielders fell behind 4-0 early and scrapped their way back with bunts like this.

Yes, bunt are seldom exciting, but this one was.

Between innings minor-league style. The John Deere Tractor-Tricycle race, the winner was neither of these dudes; they crashed into each other and wiped out.

Andrew cheking the stats in the program and recalling the days when he little & pony league ball played nearby.

Have an Amazingly Healthy Day! 

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 26 - Tick Tock

Super busy day today so I need to speed blog here. Ah, speed blog, that made me recall dinner with my son last night at Applebee's. Not a favorite place of mine, not even close, but I tried a dish off of their new 550 calories or less menu and was quite pleased. Good idea and glad it was on the menu. But that’s not what speed blog reminded me of re: dinner there. There were signs up all over the place advertising speed dating. At Applebee's? Never done speed dating, I am married and have not been on the market for many years and when I was the concept would not have appealed to me I'm sure. But at Applebee's? Well, whatever generates business for them I suppose.


So, short on time, but regardless this day shall be mine. Can't find motivation outside as it is monsoon season here in Chicagoland. Therefore I have to look inside myself for motivation today. And I shall gain it through a series of victories I intend to chalk up. They are as follows…

1-I have a storage-area-network for our enterprise system (SAP) that needs to be replaced. Today I must align the project plan our vendor so that we can meet the fresh request to replace it months earlier than originally planned; this will be done.

2-I have a salad bar in the cafeteria at work that see's me make the same salad most days; today I will change it up and snap that rut.

3-I have a file & print replacement project that has hit a wall with regards to which back up technology to use; that won't be the case at day's end.

4-I have an elliptical machine that hasn't been used in about a week; I am going to make it wish it had never been assembled.

5-I have a wife, an amazingly gorgeous and lovely woman of a wife; I am going to… well let's stop right there.

What victories shall you chalk up today?

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!