Responsibility 199, what is it?

Responsibility 199 is a belief; I believe that to be healthy and to increase my longevity I need to weigh 199 pounds or less...
Responsibility 199 is a need; I need to reduce my weight, reduce my percentage of body fat, and the elevated threat of disease my present condition presents...
Responsibility 199 is a mission; I recognize that achieving 199 will be a challenge, perhaps the hardest I have ever undertaken...
Responsibility 199 is a commitment; I acknowledge that I must commit to action, commit to change, commit to myself and those I love to achieve this mission, to increase my longevity...
Responsibility 199 is ME.
Showing posts with label elliptical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elliptical. Show all posts

Monday, May 23, 2011

Day 400-401: Hock-A-Post


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 Time is so short this morning that I am going to have to hock up a quick post and put it out there. Hope it sticks and is worth your time today...

Great workout on Saturday. Hit the YMCA, mangled the weight room, tortured the elliptical. And I hit the assisted-chin/dip machine. Man that machine wore me out. Which is just why I am going back for more tonight.

School, this the final week of high school for 3 of our 4 high school'ers. This coming Saturday the Senior graduates; just less than three months and she is off to college. A year'ish from now our Junior graduates..., two from now the Sophomore..., three from now the Freshman. Five from now were are flat broke and selling plasma so we can eat off of the dollar menu.

Nachos, I can safely report that I ate no nachos this weekend. Although we do have a cat named Nacho, and I did pet him, so call me guilty!

Saw a snipet of a tv show this weekend where the menu included chocolate covered bacon, If ever I was to get married again it would be to a piece of chocolate covered bacon.

If I could read your mind, what would I be reading right now?

My wife got herself a heck of a sunburn yesterday while we were watching our son play soccer. And he lost 6-1, doesn't seem right mom goes out there, gets burned while watching his team get burned. Should be a sunburn back guarantee with the price of admission.

My stomach just growled, I am ignoring it. Probably just my heart moving stuff around for the additional fortitude I'll be moving in. Ah, growled again; better hurry up and get that fortitude!

I followed many tweets about FitBloggin'11 which took place this past weekend. Sounds like a great time, need to give that consideration for next year. That link there goes to the sites page of links to posts from those who attended and reviewed their experience. Some great reading there.


Ok, that is what I have to share today.
What about you, what can you hock-up and share with me from your weekend?

I'll resume the leadership traits tomorrow...

Have a Great Monday!





Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Day 353 - Bring On The Needles!

Some good news on the cancer battlefield... The MRI on my knee showed NO metastatic cancer there; whew! Above is one of the 180+ images of my knee, I have no idea of know what I'm looking at there is good or not, and don't care as long as I'm told it is sans cancer.

We engage the enemy next on Thursday for a blood test to determine if there are any indicators that the melanoma has spread beyond skin or lymph nodes. Bring on the needles!

Exercise, lets talk exercise... I took two of the boys to the YMCA Sunday to get some sweat'n on...
Needed a warm up since I pulled them out of bed to join me, so we started with a mile on the elliptical:
I think they were hoping this was all we were going to do.

I dig the rowing station so it was our next stop:
Andrew working as fast as he can, like he has somewhere else to be.

Then it trying to get the boys more involved in the workout I let them pick what we did next...

Andrew picked incline sit ups:
Yep, there I am gett'n my 2d set in. I am enjoying myself; can't you tell?

Cameron then picked cross over flys:
Here he demonstrates, "Form" is his middle name.

Next I chose this 'thing' since it was available & I had never done it, need to try new stuff:
Andrew is seen here doing what I called Tri-Shoul-Back Press Downs, as it ravaged those three areas so.

Andrew took us next to the Overhead ISO Pull Down station:
and then he snapped this pic of me; this is a cool exercise.

Cameron got last choose and chose Squats, yes, Squats:
I was taught to squat early in a routine - Rebel!

That was enough, I was wiped, they were anything but wanting more. Not a routine you'd find a trainer advise perhaps, but on this day it was our routine.

Have you pulled the family out of bed lately to join you get some sweat'n on?
 

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Day 332 - Soccer, Spring & Surprise

Yesterday I got in 2 miles on the elliptical and kept the calories to around 1700; fairly even split as far as nutrients go. So a decent effort getting this mission re-saddled and on the path again. Could be better, and that is what today's goal is.

How was your Monday eating & exercise?

After my wife & I exercised yesterday (she did treadmill while I did elliptical) we caught our breath and headed out to attend my daughters first soccer game of the spring season. Bbrrrr, spring my @$$... at 34F there was no spring to be found. She is a senior, so this is the last year we have to endure soccer starting before spring officially gets here and before Momma Nature gives us a break. Everyone was dressed for ice fishing, as pictured above (my wife in red coat center-right), even the players. Sadly, we lost 1-3, which made the game colder.
 
Speaking of my wife she has a birthday coming up in May. Plenty of time yet to get the birthday party planned and gift figured out, but I've known for a while what she was going to get got her fortieth. She's been drooling over these ever since they came out a few of years ago and were pumped up in the Transformers movies. This weekend I figured it'd be a neater surprise to give it to her a couple of months early...
 


Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Day 315-319: Here Is March

Good Morning Folks, Welcome to March!

Thank You to those of you whom have sent me emails or Twitter DM's the past day or so inquiring about my absence. I am alive and staying healthy; all is well. Over the past couple of weeks my morning schedule has become increasingly compressed and the bit of time I usually write up a post & hit the blogs has been narrowing. It bothers me more that I have not been able to get to your blogs more so than I've not had time to write a post.

So I will need to get more creative with wringing out some blogging time it seems. That in itself may be my main goal for March. Yes, it is March. Spring is oh-so near, or so says the calendar. Hopefully the weather will equal the calendar's expectations. I am hungry to get out there for some outdoor cardio. Last December I was toughing out the frigid temps for some outdoor cardio and I was rewarded by catching a cold twice. So since then I have limited my cardio to the elliptical.

March, what do I have planned for March...
  • A weigh-in, been about a month since I did that, thinking next week I'll give the scale a visit.
  • I'll be attending the National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show this coming weekend. That'll pose some dietary challenge which I will handle just fine. As well I'll be golfing a couple of rounds for exercise.
  • My son has advanced to state regionals in Wrestling, not something we expected. I will miss regionals as they are this weekend but fingers crossed he advances on to the state finals the following weekend in Champaign; or are they in Springfield? We'll figure that out when he advances.
  • I am going back to the plastic surgeon to get more of my face sliced off. Recall my recent brush with melanoma, I have another spot on my forehead I've been advised to kick to the curb as a precaution so kick it I shall. Damn!, I just this minute remembered last September I was told to park the weight lifting for a week or two while the incision healed; $#&T!!!!!.
  • Spring Break is the last week of March, I'll take a day or two off that week for yet to be determined fun.

So what do you have planned for March?


Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Day 303 - Mixed Bag Day

Mixed Bag Day Today...

Got up early, headed off to the YMCA and got the exercise in. About an hour on the weights, and then 2 miles on the elliptical.

Some chill time now back at home. Currently watching The Day: Remembering Dale Earnhardt, while scratching out this post. NASCAR is a favorite of mine and so happy to see the new season about to kick off with the Daytona 500 next weekend. 

Going to get some lunch in a few minutes, then head out for some boring errands. I hate errands. Waste of quality life time. But they gotta get done. Or do I?

This evening my wife & I will go out for dinner for Valentines day. We've been meaning to try out Tramonto Steak and Seafood for years and tonight will be the night. We'll wait until tomorrow to exchange Valentine's Day gifts. Wife is going to love what I got her, will try and remember to blog a note about it later this week.


So there you have it, my Sunday laid out. Simple, Productive, Fun, Sunday!

What does Sunday hold for you?

 

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Day 291 - January GTD Challenge Fades to FebGTD

Snow, all around the Chicagoland area are bracing for the storm being called Snowmaggedon. I am calling it Snowmagator, because I like alligators. What, do I need a better reason than that? As I said on Twitter this morning, "Hello snow, I've been working out so I'm ready for u."

January Go The Distance is now complete and February Go The Distance has begun. For January I only got in 30 of my 40 goal miles. So 75% is not immediately anything to be proud about. Consideration could be given to the fact that my elliptical does not display miles. Early in the month I tried to calculate it but there were too many variables for me to do so accurately. So I defaulted to simple math, 20 minutes equals a mile; although I'd bet money I am moving more than a mile in 20 minutes. But I chose to error on a conservative calculation.

So in January I did 600 minutes on the elliptical which I am scoring as 30 miles, 75% of my goal for 40 miles. In the spirit of building upon past performance I am keeping my goal at 40 miles in February. I'll calculate the miles the same way which means I am aiming for 800 minutes on that creaky old elliptical in my bedroom.

JanGTD also had goals for strength training. I set a goal of 12 sessions, I did 7... hhhmmm, I have to wonder if I failed to record a session or two early in the month. I started the month targeting twice a week with a  stretch goal of three times a week; hence the 12 mark was set. Looking back I thought I at least had the twice a week nailed and I know last couple weeks I have hit three... you know what. I am claiming victory as I know January saw my best strength training month in 15 years. February will be better than January, I promise!

JanGTD also had goals for water, fruit & veg consumption, I knocked all of those out of the park!

FebGTD has dropped the fruit & veg tracking and added a stretching goal to go alongside the cardio & strength goals. CHECK IT OUR HERE!

I am stoked for February, the last full month of winter. No more hibernating going to be had by this healthy-fitness-wanna-be-blogger-dude. NONE! I am awake, and I am moving!...

You awake?

You need help getting up & getting moving?? 

HEY, are you involved in February Go The Distance? If not & in need of a challenge, join us!



Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Monday, January 24, 2011

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.
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!!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Day 282 - FINALLY, IT IS GAME DAY!!!

FINALLY, IT IS GAME DAY!!!
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Feeling a bit better today. Going to give a bit of exercise a go this morning. Nothing too intense, but I feel the need to move and get the blood flowing before today's main event...
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What is the main event you ask? Well the NFC Championship game this afternoon between the Chicago Bears and that team from Wisconsin, they dress in puke-green and a mule-urine yellow colors. I forget their name but whatever, they will be in Chicago today to challenge the Bears for the right to go to Super Bowl 45. My Prediction: BEARS 23, Packers 21

Game starts at 2pm this afternoon, so plenty of time this morning to get in some exercise; thinking elliptical. We'll see what moves me after breakfast.

There is another football game on this evening, the Jets at the Steelers. My voice may be shot by the time they kick off. My blood pressure may be at an all time high. But I'll do my best to settle back down to follow that game. My Prediction: Jets 29, Steelers 20

What about you, have any predictions?
Or, if not following the NFL just what are you doing today?


Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Friday, June 4, 2010

Day 48 - My W.I.D.T.H

I recently found a very popular blogger who is doing a series which I know many of you have likely seen if not have participated in. He asked bloggers to send him a note card in a picture which stated why they want to get healthy. He calls this the W.I.D.T.H - Why I Do This Here. I think it is an awesome idea and look forward to when he posts new cards which he does a few times a week. Naturally I sent him one of my own which he posted yesterday; here is my note card on Jack Sh*t, Gettin Fit. It is worth a scroll through his posts to read these cards and see some of the faces behind them. In many you can see the sincerity in their faces, their desire to get healthy. I found it motivating to say the least... Hey Jack, well done, Thanks!

Yesterday I rocked out my best work out in my 48 days of working at getting healthy. Came home from work a tad early to get in my P.T. clothes, then had to do a conference call; ugh. But when that was done I hit the weights and busted out a great session on the dumbbells. Increased the weight on a couple of the exercises and pumped up my attitude as much if not more than my body. The routine done, I wanted more. So recalling some valuable advice from some of you where one of the best times to do cardio is right after strength training I marched upstairs and jumped on the elliptical. An hour later I was good, I didn't want any more.

Did you get in your exercise yesterday? Or Today??

Food, I ate great yesterday too. Here is the turkey breast I roasted while I worked out, I love multi-tasking...
Not sure why I chose an over-the-top/aerial view for this picture; seems like an odd way to look at food. It didn't look like this for long as the kids had me carving up as soon I as put the camera down.

Alright, I have training all day today so I need to get some real work done before heading off to class. I'll catch up on your blogs later today. And then tonight is is Game 4 of the Stanley Cup. The Blackhawks lost an overtime tilt Wednesday night in Philadelphia. They still lead the series 2-1, but we gotta take this one game at a time. Sound familiar?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Day 45 - Busy To Lose

Hope all enjoyed the holiday weekend. A good weekend for me and my clan. And generally a healthy one too. Sunday we had our family gathering and while a majority of the food was fried, it was largely a catered event, I didn't over eat and kept the belly filled with water and veggies & fruit.  Got in a couple of exercise sessions too. Saturday my son & I thrashed the home gym and I also hit the elliptical for 30 minutes. Yesterday my wife & I went for a walk around the Nippersink forest preserve. It was just a 1.3 mile walk around the place. We were planning to do a 2nd loop but the rains were so near and we just didn't care to get caught in the rain. And rain it did. So in the end the holiday weekend did no damage to me in my efforts to get healthy.

Back to work today, I am sure that is the same story for many of you. While I would certainly like to spend less time working than I do, or not have to work at all; I do find that it is easier to maintain attention to healthy behaviors on work days. Simply there is less time for the mind to wander to temptation. Oh sure, before I started this mission over 40 days ago my mind did wander to temptation, and it still does. But the difference now is that I have adopted an attitude that doesn't allow me to give into temptation so easily. Being at work helps shore up that attitude. When tempted I can dive into my work and more easily push temptation aside.

Do you find keeping the mind and hands busy helps with living healthy? What do you look to busy yourself with to push temptation aside?

Hockey update: Blackhawks beat Philly in game 2 last night and lead the series 2-0. Sweet, but not getting over confident or complacent. Last year the Red Wings took a 2-0 lead on the Penguins to then lose the series 3-4. So nothing has been won yet. GO HAWKS!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Day 41 - What a Week

Been an odd week in that stuff that is not usually part of our routines have had to be handled.

Monday was actually a normal day in most respects. Although coming home late to nearly nobody home was odd. That was the day I did a short 30-minute burn on the elliptical vs. wasting my time watching television. Never did that before.
Exercise, check; got in 4 trips up the stairs at work too.
Healthy Eating, check; actually since I got home late my dinner was very light so maybe I under ate.

Tuesday my wife was out with friends taking in a Cubs game (they won), so I got the kids all to myself to feed dinner. That really wasn't abnormal. What was however was that my son Ryan was eating his final meal before having his wisdom teeth extracted the next day. So I gave him the choice of what to have for dinner. He chose the Bento Cafe for some sushi (pictured to left).
Exercise, check; got in a great session with the dumbbells, and three trips up the stairs at work too.
Healthy Eating, check; the sushi rolls you see in that picture I did not eat. Those sauces are usually high in fat & sugar. Instead I had some tuna sashimi and a bento-box with salmon(3, maybe 4 oz. tops), a green salad and rice. Oh that sounds so good, when we going for sushi again?

Wednesday morning was spent at the oral surgeon with Ryan. He's a bleeder so it took a while before they would clear him to go. Here you see him after we got back home. Knocked out from the earlier anesthesia and later on some vicodin before sitting on the couch. With gauze still in mouth we had to wake him up after we saw he had nodded off; didn't want him swallowing and choking on it. But not before we took this picture to share with friends & family :-)
Exercise, un-check; took the day off.
Healthy Eating, check; I ate excellent all day before my son Andrew & I went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. Look there, below, that's my basket of wings. What is that you say, how can I say that was healthy? Well let me tell you. Before disturbing that beautiful basket of heaven I put the six smallest wing pieces over by that celery and the six largest pieces into a take home box for my other boy Cameron (he ate them for breakfast Thursday - like me he is a wing addict). The sauce on these is Spicy Garlic which is their lowest carb sauce so not much unwanted sugar.

Thursday morning Ryan was up at 4:15 a.m. and needed a little help with his medicines but overall he is working hard at being a man and dealing with the pain and nuisance of having four less teeth in his head. In the afternoon I went with my wife to her doctor's appointment. Thankfully we received good news on her and the fear of possible surgery for her this summer has been erased.
Exercise, check; got in a 60-minute session on the elliptical in the morning. I worked from home both Wednesday & Thursday this week so no trips up any stairs to speak of. After dinner my wife & I went out for a 30-minute walk to end the day positive.
Healthy Eating, check; excellent meals and snacks capped off by firing up the grill for some sliders. Lean ground beef seasoned by a pro (me) and grilled to a perfect medium-rare (some to medium for my wife). A simple fruit salad to go with those delicious mini-burgers. I had my sliders (appx. 3 oz. each) without the buns and half the cheese the old me would have draped over them. Topped off with a couple pickles and a bit of my home-made salsa (oh it is good!)... why am I describing them so, here they are; see for yourself...


Why am I writing this food crazy post, it has me starving now :-o

Friday, well lets see what it brings. Back in the office for the days work. This being the Friday before a holiday weekend I'll likely cut out of here early assuming nothing needs attention. If I do, I am getting in some more cardio; perhaps a walk around a forest preserve.

So, How has your week been?
 
Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Day 38 - Podcasting

Recently I dusted off my iPod which I hadn't used in a year or more. It had to be well more than a year as most of the podcasts on it were from the 2008 elections. Now that I am walking, using the elliptical, etc. I wanted music to go with the exercise. In syncing up the iPod I dumped all of the old podcasts and went looking for news one related to health & fitness.

Over the past week or so I have listened to a dozen or more of the hundreds out there. So far none have blown me away as having new ideas, sound advice and just enjoyable to listen to. A lot seem to just spew the obvious. I'll keep searching for better.

The one I've liked the most so far is "The Fitness Boost". The author does a short podcast weekly which in part promotes his web site / blog and drives traffic there. Most podcasts do this so you have to accept that & listen around the sales pitches. He has been where we started, unhealthy & hoping for better. On his podcast his focus is motivation and mind set for living healthy vs. strict diet / exercise techniques. The latter you can get from him to at his site, although I admit I haven't really checked out his sit in depth. I suppose since I've come to believe this mission is more mental than practical is why this podcast appeals to me. As I said I will keep looking for other podcasts with fresh takes on inspiring, educating, etc. about being healthy.

Does anyone have a favorite podcast(s) they listen regularly to assist them with being healthy?

Yesterday exercise was 30 minutes on the elliptical. It was just 30 to fill some time. I intended to take the day off but when I got home I said why not jump on that vs. riding my recliner through some bad television. It was late, 8:30 p.m., and only our youngest was home watching stuff only teenagers can understand on the tube. What better way to wait for your wife to get home than to work up a sweat ;-)

Need to send a shout out to some blogger friends who have received well deserved rewards...
Both have engaging blogs and my hats off to them on their awards. If you don't already follow them check them out!

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Day 35 - What Today

Saturday is here. Saturday, what oh what shall I do this Saturday? What, I really have no idea. Saturday's are when we usually run a variety of errands, but maybe today we won't. All I know for certain is I need to find something fun to work into the day. I'm sure we'll figure it out.

So yesterday I was not in the mood to chat about exercise, food intake and that lot of usual subjects; it was Friday. Today, we'll give that serious stuff some time...

EXERCISE > I've been getting in daily exercise most of this week.Yesterday I set the treadmill for a 500 calorie burn and completed that in 57:24 minutes covering a distance of 2.75 miles. That was the first time I set the treadmill to go until I hit 500 calories, so I have no idea if that is a good time or not. Having covered 2.75 miles caught my attention more so than the time. I didn't plan to use the treadmill but my elliptical had a bolt break so I need to get to the hardware store and fix that. Put that on the list for today! Hope I can fix it, hate to think it can't keep up with me :-) Today I'm going to go for a walk around the Rollin's Savannah Forest Preserve which has a 3.5 mile loop walk/run/bike trail around it. That will be a challenge for me but I feel up to it. My wife is off on a challenge of her own doing a 5k walk with some friends from work. So there is our exercise planned for today.

FOOD > I've been eating good lately; a good sense of balanced nutrition and portioned right. What is that you say; what about the lasagna? That was Thursday night's indulgence but I had just a single serving, and not a huge hunk for a serving at that. Heck, it may have been the smallest hunk I've ever put on my plate. It was awesome and I could have had 2, 3, 4 more hunks for sure. But I held back, I didn't have any of the cheezy-garlic bread, just that single serving of heavenly lasagna. We had watermelon too for a light side dish to the lasagna and I did eat some of that up. Other than that meal, I've done well all week I believe. Tonight, I feel some fish coming on tonight. That is if the grocery store has anything fresh and inviting on hand. Tomorrow is weigh-in day, we'll see how the week's exercise and eating translates onto the scale.

I'm not the only one who weighs-in. Here is another one of our cats, this is Nacho.
A few weeks back he settled into this bucket at the vet for his own weigh-in, he weighs 11.2 lbs which the Vet said is perfect. Hmmm, if 11.2 is perfect I have a heck of a lot more weight to lose than I thought.

Saturday is happening, go gett'em people!

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Day 27 - Oh Yeah! NSV

Friday - It is Friday everyone!

But you knew that. I am liking this Friday quite a bit so far because I've had a Non-Scale Victory today!

For a long time now I have used either the inner-most belt hole or the one a hole outward when I've had to add some breathing room after a bad meal, bad day, bad whatever. Each day would be different and it wouldn't be unusual for me to adjust one or more times during the day. But now, and for that past week or more, that's no longer the case. It dawned on me this morning that I haven't used that one a hole outward in a while. Lately I have been comfortable leaving my belt constantly secure to that inner-most belt hole. SWEET!

So, to celebrate I'm going to have me a double-cheeseburger and fries for lunch- whoohoo! Yeah, NOT… Seriously, I'm celebrating this by simply recognizing it and recording it on my blog under 'My Non-Scale Victories' (see sidebar on left). Today's entry there shall read: >Regularly using the inner-most belt-hole; no longer adjusting outward after bad meals or days

Look forward to having to go another hole inward. Except that there is not another hole inward to go to on this belt. So either I get to punch a new hole or buy a new belt. Something I'll have to figure out when I get there.

Exercise and my recent discipline to getting it done has certainly helped this NSV occur. Yesterday I planned to get exercise in, what was it I said; "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"... well I am not sure if the machine had any regrets when I got off, it did it's job and wore me out. I put in a full one-hour on that thing yesterday. When I hit my previous best of 45 minutes I still had gas in the tank so I kept going. At the 50 minute mark though my tank was quickly drying up; just my mind growing tired I figured. Determined to push it a minute or two more I stayed on. When I saw that one-hour tick by I said enough, you win elliptical. Until next time.

What was your latest Non-Scale Victory?

Have an amazing Friday!

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

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!!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Day 21 - Hello Weekend

So who has plans for an awesome weekend? Certainly Mother's Day will see most have plans of some sort with family. Myself, Sunday is just a day at home as there are kids sports activities planned. Beyond lavishing my wife with some gifts Sunday will be fairly routine. Recall we celebrated our Mother's Day with a brunch last weekend for all the moms and grandmas; so glad no buffets this weekend.

Today I get my wife all to myself so we're going on a date. Dinner will be included, Cooper's Hawk, so there will be a bit of temptation to survive. But I am trying a technique I read somewhere he on blogger; go online and preview the menu before you go and decide on a healthy option to order. The idea is doing so lessens chances you will give into temptation's best shot at beating you, when you are at the table looking over the menu on a hungry gut surveying all of the many non-healthy options seducing you. Having look at the menu this morning I am going to order the Pistachio Crusted Grouper. Now I must admit, these technique does seem a bit rigid and may take a hint of fun out of dining out. While I have decided to try this I will listen to the specials the wait staff has to offer and compare them against my choice and then make the final decision. We'll see how it goes tonight.

What about exercise, who has exercise planned this weekend? Myself, I'll be working through a home-gym weight-workout today; actually soon after posting this. The past couple of days I have got in my cardio so not planning any today. Thursday I did a 2.2 mile / 41.5 minute walk and Friday I did 45 minutes on the elliptical. Sunday I might get some cardio in; I only say might as it is supposed to be a windy, cold, wet weekend here and I'd like to get outside for that cardio if I can. Where I'd really like to go for a walk is back to the forest preserve I walked in this past Thursday evening. This is a place nearby which I had never been to before. It was far larger than I expected and excellent for walks and runs of distances of a mile or two to five plus if you wish to make it one lap around this place. Weather permitting we will do so. Hmmm, I think you can call that a Non-Scale Victory; perhaps it's more of a discovery. However had I not decided to go on this mission I would likely have never gone to that preserve and discovered how cool it is. Yeah, I think I chalk it up as a NSV. No?

Sunday is weigh in day for me. Not expecting to have a let down today so I am hopeful to report a nice loss tomorrow. I'll be happy with anything at least 1.5 pounds less than last Sunday. That's my goal, 1.5 pounds a week minimum.

Have fun with your plans, your exercise, your day today!

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Day 6 - Oh Yeah!


Did well on yesterday's challenge to get through the evening without falling prey to temptation. We didn't go for that bag-o-salad once the running around was done but sensibility prevailed and over-indulgence was not allowed in the house. As I awoke and reflected on that I got a surge of "Oh Yeah!" that has my day off to a good start. Hope you too awoke to an "Oh Yeah!"

It is Friday, what to do today? Work of course, sitting at my desk now getting my days post up in effort to help set the tone for a good day of health behavior. Perhaps I need to temper myself with a bit of caution as I only had a can of tomato juice (I love tomato juice) for breakfast. Probably not sufficient fuel to start the day but I'm feeling OK at the moment and should continue to do so as long as I don't allow myself to make up for it when time comes for a mid-morning snack.

Otherwise for today gotta do the work thing and then this afternoon or evening when I get home how about I stare down that elliptical in the bedroom and actually win the stare down this day? OK, should I follow through on that goal for today it me very well feel like it bested me by the time I get off of it, but even so I will still have won; right? Get in some exercise - that’s the goal for this day!
Oh Yeah!
Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!