What a Day!

Weight: 244.5

Yeah, that's right 244.5!!!! It's a result of dehydration. I didn't drink much water yesterday. I'll correct the hydration issue today and probably see a small gain soon. It has been a good week on the scale.

Breakfast:
1-banana, 2-fig newtons, and 1-cup skim milk (385)

Rode 8.95 miles in 50:47 (10.6 mph). My legs are sore and it was a bit windy, but otherwise it was a good ride.

I grabbed a Schlotskys medium turkey sandwich and small bag of chips before attending a 4-hour medical class at the fire station (725)

Snack:
Smart popcorn (120)

A few hours after class, two other friends and I went to a sports bar for his birthday. I didn't have supper and I drank waaaaay to much. It felt good to let loose. I haven't done that in years. Unfortunately, I'm paying for it now with a massive headache and complete lethargia. My schedule calls for lots of working out today, but I think I'll swap today's hard day with tomorrows off day. So, much for my attempt to re-hydrate!

Ahhhhh, flexibility at its best!

Total calories for the day: 1,230. The true number is much higher due to all the drinking and I have no idea what that number might be. URG!

Running Pays

Weight: 246.0

I'm at work, so this will be relatively short. I LOVE these cool nights/mornings!

Breakfast:
2-flour tortillas, 1-VERY small potato, 3-eggs (438)

Lunch:
Large bag of frozen mixed vegetables, 7-oz chicken breast, and soy sauce (456)

Snack:
Mini cliff bar (100)

Dinner:
4-oz orange roughy fish, 2-tortillas, and 2-medium zucchinis cooked in a can of Rotel tomatoes (387)

Walked 0.51 miles around the fire station in 7:58 (15:29 pace). Ran 2.01 miles in 22:23 (11:07 pace). Broke two-miles for the first time tonight. Actually... today's run was suppose to be 22-minutes, but I was so close, there was no way I would allow myself to stop.

Frequently, I see small change on the road, yet I seldom stop to pick up anything smaller than a nickel. Today I hit the jackpot and found a 5-dollar bill. Very cool!!!

Mid-body workout. Just kinda went through the motions. Blah...
3 x 15 crunches
3 x 10 side bends 20#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 35#
3 x 10 dumbbell flyes 12#
3 x 10 incline press 25#
3 x 10 dumbbell roll 20#
3 x 10 upright rowing 15#
3 x 10 dead lift 25#

Snack:
Quesadilla: 2-tortillas and cheese (310) Thankfully, I'm almost out of those damn tortillas. Why do they have to taste so fuckin' good? Who knew a pack of 25 would last this long!

Total calories for the day, 2,041
That's it. Not much else to report.

At Last...

Weight: 247.0

Finally, a drop in weight. I'm going to work hard this week and see if I can get below 245 before Saturdays weekly weigh-in.

Breakfast: Sweet & Salty Granola bar and 1-cup skim milk (240)

Beautiful weather out side. I was actually COLD during my bike ride. Rode 8.5 miles in 50:48. Average pace 10.07 mph. Lulu joined me (she ran) for the final mile.

Snack:
2-fig newtons and 1-cup skim milk (280)

Upper-body workout. Increased a few more weights:
3 x 10 wrist curl 35#
3 x 10 reverse wrist curl 10#
3 x 10 alternate bicep curl 20#
3 x 10 seated bicep curl - bar 20#
3 x 10 lying triceps curl 25#
3 x 10 standing triceps curl - bar 20#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 20#
3 x 10 prone deltoid press 8#

Lunch:
4-slices wheat bread, 2-slices turkey, 2-tbsp light mayo, and 1-small avocado (587)

Dinner:
Turkey sandwich on sour dough bread, jalapeno chip (the last of the chips in my house) 725

Me and the kids went for a walk. Erin was running near my house and Alison wanted to go "find mommy", so we went looking for her. Indeed we found her and in the process we walked 1.44 miles in 24:11 (16:50 pace).

I wanted to eat something in the evening. Wasn't truly "hungry"... I guess you could say I had the munchies. With a few calories left, I made a fish sandwich.
2-slices of wheat bread, 4-oz orange roughy, and 1-tbsp light mayo (200)

Late evening walk with Lynn. We walked 3.68 miles in 1:00:51. Average pace 16:33. Its been a good cardio day by chance happenings.

Great Run

Weight: 249.0

I can't believe my weight has been the same for EIGHT FREAKIN' DAYS!

Lots of you have been posting some great advice. It's time I tell you guys (and gals) my "game plan". Actually, it's very simple... Calories in, Calories out. Its' easy to see all the bad stuff I'm still eating, but I'm trying to transition into a healthier lifestyle. I'm focusing on calories right now, because lets be honest... at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is calories. I have to be careful, because I don't want my OCD to kick in. When that happens I look at every single gram of protein-carbs-fiber-sugar-fat that comes near my mouth and that 'life-style' becomes 'life-consuming'. Sure, I lose weight fast when I do that, but as you've seen, it NEVER last very long. I'm still eating what "taste good" AND I'm trying to keep the calories within a reasonable range. In the months to come I'll shift into another gear and change it up.

I'm consuming a fair amount of water. Probably not as much as I should be, but a hell of a lot more than I use to. I've only had one regular soda and a couple sweet teas. I'm very proud of that fact.

Flexibility is most important to me. All my failed diets have been completely rigid. It's taking a lot to get use to this idea, but I feel like I am in a 'groove'. Although, it would be a lot easier if the scale would start moving again!

Breakfast:
2-flour tortillas, 3-eggs, and 3-oz potato's (469)

Erin dropped off the kids as soon as I got off work this morning. I took the kids to Main Event in the Woodlands. We had a lot of fun playing video games and bowling. I made the mistake of not packing a lunch. To be honest, I didn't think we would stay there as long as we did. I ate breakfast at 8:30 and ended up "breaking-down" at 3:30 and eating there at Main Event. I was SHOCKED to find they had a nutritional value guide. Very cool!

Late Lunch:
Grilled Chicken sandwich on wheat bread and one order of french fries (1,000)

My run felt GREAT. Hell, it was better than great! Probably one of the best runs since I started. Todays 20-minute run was 100-times easier than yesterdays 10-minute run.
Lulu and I walked 0.63 miles in 10:02. Average walk pace 15:56. We ran 1.79 miles in 20:01. Average run race 11:11. Haven't mentioned it before, but I'm trying to run continuously. The last time I tried running again, I was addicted to walk breaks. Currently, I walk a little before starting and a little afterwards with progressively longer run times. It's working for me.

Supper:
Large Caesar salad and turkey sandwich (600)

Lower body workout. Increased a few exercises, as noted in red:
3 x 15 sitting toe lift
3 x 10 squat to bench 20#
3 x 10 forward leg raise
3 x 10 leg extension 40#
3 x 10 hamstring curl 35#
3 x 15 standing tow raise 30#
3 x 10 side leg lift
3 x 10 inner leg lift
3 x 20 sec. Knee stability balance
3 x 12 toe-in stretch
3 x 12 toe-out stretch

Total calories for the day; 2,069

First picture is of me and the cutest kiddos in the WORLD at Main Event. Second and third pictures is my running buddy.

First Month

Weight: 249.0
Percentage of Fat: 31.4%
Fat Mass Weight: 78.5 lbs

Mixed emotions about today's weight. On one hand I lost a mere 3/4 pound on the scale this week, but on the other hand, my percentage of body fat and fat mass dropped. My overall percentage dropped 1.3%, which is good for one week. Today was the completion of the first month. Here are the numbers since I started:
263.25lbs, 33.9%, 89.0lbs
256.50lbs, 33.3%, 85.5lbs
254.25lbs, 33.2%, 84.5lbs
249.75lbs, 32.7%, 81.5lbs
249.00lbs, 31.4%, 78.5lbs

I'm at work. I'm finding it a challenge to stay the course right now. Erin "picked a fight" with me this morning while getting the kids. My "usual" response is to eat, I've been telling myself all morning... "I'm stronger than these stupid emotions". So far, I'm doing okay. I just don't understand her and some of her decisions & comments. Enough said.

Thought I had lost my old readers, but here they are again. Thanks for all the great comments. Keep the comments coming, I really enjoy feedback/advice!!! Thanks; Rick, Cassie, Disco, Steeeve, Vic, Sarah, and Lou.

Breakfast:
1/2-cup oatmeal, 1-tbsp butter, 1-tbsp sugar, and walnuts (450)

Lunch:
Chili; 6-oz potato, 1-can rotel, 1-can kidney beans, 2-small cans tomato sauce , 9-oz extra lean ground beef, and 1.5-cups white rice (1509)

Made enough for 2-meals.

Ate dinner early (other half of chili).

John Karshner and I walked 1.20 miles in 20:03. We ran 0.95 miles in 10:02. Average pace 10:35. Even though it was only ten minutes, it was a tough run. Not sure why.

Mid-body workout went very easy. Go figure.
3 x 15 crunches
3 x 10 side bends 20#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 35#
3 x 10 dumbbell flyes 12#
3 x 10 incline press 25#
3 x 10 dumbbell roll 20#
3 x 10 upright rowing 15#
3 x 10 dead lift 25#

Snack:
2-slices wheat bread and 1-slice turkey (166)

Total calories for the day; 2125. Due to miscalculations I went over by 26 calories. Something is wrong with my diet. I'm always hungry. I've taken notice that I HAVE NOT been eating vegetables, so I will try to improve on that.

Heavy Load

Weight: 247.25

Breakfast:
2-fig newton cookies, and 1-cup skim milk (280)

Three mile walk at East End park with a friend. I forgot my watch, but we maintained a respectable pace.... probably in the 16:00-17:00 range.

This same friend took me to Pei Wei for an early lunch:
Spicy Chicken salad and 2-spring rolls (880)

The problem with salads is I am hungry a few hours later. Today was no different. By 3pm I had also ate left over Chinese food from last night (450) and a can of ravioli (500)

By the evening I was starving again and out of calories for the day. I decided to have my "free-meal" a day early.
Baked a chicken breast with BBQ sauce, sweet corn, and mashed potato's. While waiting for dinner to cook I ate 5-cheese sticks. After dinner I shared a cupcake with Alison. Its sounds like a lot more than it was, honestly!

Today was one of those days where I was hungry all day. Last night I had lots of stuff pinging around in my head, so I didn't get much sleep and now I feel groggy. My legs are incredible sore from yesterdays bike ride and I dreaded running today, but I made it happen.
...okay, I'm done whining.

I pushed BOTH kids in our single stroller for today's run/walk. Alison weighs about 45 pounds and Preston weighs 17 lbs. It was a lot harder to push them than I had expected. We walked 0.77 miles in 12:07 (15:44 pace). Ran 1.60 miles in 18:01 (11:16 pace).

Wind

Weight: 248.5

Last Thursday I weighed 248. Today, one-week later... I weigh 248.5. This sucks. Gotta stay the course and see the BIG PICTURE.

Breakfast:
2-flour tortillas, 2-eggs, and 2.5-oz potato (397)

Steve and I rode 22.28 miles in exactly 1:30:00. Average pace 14.9 mph. The wind was fierce! We knew it would be a challenge when we crossed the Lake Houston bridge and saw white-caps on the water.

We rode an out and back course. The wind was in our face outbound, making it a struggle to maintain 12-miles per hour. On the other hand, the wind was "our friend" on the return trip with a 22+ mph pace.

I have problems riding long distances because I have two herniated disc in my lower back. Usually I stop every hour or 15 miles in order to stretch. Today I stayed in the saddle the entire time. There was some discomfort for awhile, but I toughed it out. I tried stretching while staying on the bike. The stretching seemed to help.

This was a good, yet tough ride.

Upper-body workout:
3 x 10 wrist curl 35#
3 x 10 reverse wrist curl 10#
3 x 10 alternate bicep curl 20#
3 x 10 seated bicep curl - bar 15#
3 x 10 lying triceps curl 25#
3 x 10 standing triceps curl - bar 15#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 20#
3 x 10 prone deltoid press 8#

Great workout. I'm starting to feel stronger.

Snack:
2-slices wheat bread, 1-slice turkey, 1-tbsp light mayo, and 1-slice mozzarella cheese (254)

Alison and I had lunch together at Subway:
12"-roasted chicken breast on wheat bread and jalapeno chips (970)

I had plans to run today, but my legs are too sore from the bike ride. I'll run first thing in the morning and get caught up.

Lynn called and invited me to join her for Chinese food. I hesitated at first, but I really wanted to spend time with another adult. My life is work & kids, kids & work. Even though there is not a romantic interest, it is nice to spend time with another person.

I ordered chicken & broccoli off the "Diet Menu". This means the rice and vegetables are steamed and the chicken is cooked without any oils or sauces. The order seemed large so I pushed half of it to the side (to go) and enjoyed half of my meal. I had ~1/2 cup steamed rice, ~4-oz chicken, and ~2-cups of broccoli. After a little math, I assume I consumed about 450 calories.

Total calories for the day; 2,071

Added a couple pictures for the day. First one is of my kiddos. Preston has a new "car" and Alison likes pushing him around... it is so cute to see them interacting. When I have my kids, I don't have a trouble in the world!
The second picture is of my potato & egg breakfast tacos, which I've been enjoying for nearly a week.

Tacos!

Weight 250.0

At work today.

Breakfast:
2-flour tortillas, 2-eggs, 5.5-oz potato (479)

Lunch:
1-can rotel, 6-oz mahi-mahi, 2-flour tortillas, and 1-small avocado (597)

Lunch and breakfast tasted really good, but the recent addition of flour tortillas to my diet is starting to pile on some serious calories.

Walked 0.90 miles in 14:00 minutes (15:31 pace). Ran 1.57 miles in 16:02 (10:12 pace). For giggles I wore my heart rate monitor strap. My average heart rate while walking was 126 bpm. Average heart rate during the run was 158 bpm. Per an online search, my maximum heart rate is 174-187. Todays average heart rate was in the aerobic zone.

Lower body workout and mid-body workout, (which I skipped yesterday).
3 x 15 sitting toe lift
3 x 10 squat to bench 20#
3 x 10 forward leg raise
3 x 10 leg extension 35#
3 x 10 hamstring curl 25#
3 x 15 standing tow raise 25#
3 x 10 side leg lift
3 x 10 inner leg lift
3 x 12 toe-in stretch
3 x 12 toe-out stretch

3 x 15 crunches
3 x 10 side bends 20#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 35#
3 x 10 dumbbell flyes 12#
3 x 10 incline press 25#
3 x 10 dumbbell roll 20#
3 x 10 upright rowing 15#
3 x 10 dead lift 25#

I'll be caught up tomorrow after I add the "missed" bike ride.

Dinner:
1.5 cups white rice, 1-can cream of mushroom light, 9-oz chicken breast.

Used too much cream of mushroom, which messed up my rice and added extra calories. Lesson learned.

Snack:
Diet soda and 2-fat free fig newtons (200)

Total calories for the day: 2,076

Weakness

Weight 249.5

Worked at my part-time job today. This is likely to be my last day. This is a great PAYING job, but it is also the worst job I have ever had. It is a stressful and negative atmosphere. I'll take less money to be happy.

Ate a "breakfast on a bun" sandwich from the cafeteria (550)

Took my lunch to work. 2-slices wheat bread, 1-tbsp light mayo, 1 slice turkey, and jalapeno chips (664)

Small moment of weakness....

Dammit, I did it again. I'm tired of posting what "Erin did to me", lets just say she is inflexible and does not understand. The divorce and "aftermath"" was HER CHOICE, so it seems easy to her, but she doesn't understand that it is incredibly hard for me to live without my kids and my old life. Any ways, I don't want to get into it right now, so I'll move on...

I was weak and turned to food. Sugary cravings are back. It wasn't a full-blown binge, yet I went WAY, WAY OVER my calories.

It's also been difficult to stay motivated when there hasn't been any weight loss in ~5-days. I skipped all my workouts yesterday as well. That has a lot to do with the Part-time job. I was exhausted and had zero energy.

Time for me to learn from this moment and try again in the morning.

Go Green!

Weight: 249.0

Only a small weight loss this morning, but I'll take it. I'm still using Google 15, which is a weight loss program. Enter your daily weight and Google 15 while give you a 7-day average. As long as you stay below the moving average, the graph will indicate that you are progressing towards your goal weight. I've only had ONE day above my moving average.

Last night I went to bed at a reasonable time, but we made a couple calls during the night. Ended up with about 5-hours of sleep. I suppose that is the life of a fireman!?!?!?

Breakfast:
2-slices wheat bread, 2-slices turkey, 1-tbsp light mayo, and 1-banana (375)

Biked 7.5 miles in 45:45. My legs felt heavy today, so I must be doing something right. I have flashbacks of my weight loss & running from 2006... and it is very motivating.

Upper body workout:
3 x 10 wrist curl 35#
3 x 10 reverse wrist curl 10#
3 x 10 alternate bicep curl 20#
3 x 10 seated bicep curl - bar 15#
3 x 10 lying triceps curl 25#
3 x 10 standing triceps curl - bar 15#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 20#
3 x 10 prone deltoid press 8#

Lunch:
Smoked turkey sandwich on sourdough bread. Light mayo, lettuce, and tomato. Jalapeno chips (725)

With my handy-dandy scale and some baggies, I portioned out some of the groceries I bought today. I hope this will reduce my serving sizes to a reasonable amount.

In celebration of Earth Day, I purchased some "earth friendly" grocery totes. This will reduce my need for plastic bags when I go grocery shopping.

Dinner:
2-flour tortillas, 6-oz mahi-mahi fish, 1-tbsp hoisin sauce, and 3.5-oz jalapeno chips (860)
You might have noticed that I have been eating a lot of chips. This is unusual for me, because chips are not one of my favorite foods. For whatever reason I have been craving potato chips for the last couyple weeks. Random tidbit: I only eat one kind of chip... kettle cooked jalapeno flavor.

Snack:
Pineapple juice (110)

Total calories for the day; 2,070

Sleep

Weight: 249.75

I'm at work today. No weight loss in 3-days. Haven't been getting much sleep, so it's time to fix this problem. Hopefully I'll see a loss tomorrow.

Woo-hoo, I have 2-readers! Thanks Vic and Lou... I always appreciate comments on my blog!!!

Breakfast:
1/2-cup oatmeal, 1-tbsp sugar, 1-tbsp butter, and walnuts (450)

Lunch:
(mushroom chicken) 1.5 cups rice, 9-oz chicken breast, 10-oz mushrooms, 1-medium onion, and 3-tbsp hoisin sauce (987)

John Karshner joined me for my walk-run. We walked 0.98 miles in 16:02 and we ran 1.31 miles in 14:01 (10:44 pace). I've noticed my pace is getting a tiny bit faster. I have no big concern for faster pace at this point, but it is nice to see it improve.

Lower-body workout:
3 x 15 sitting toe lift
3 x 10 squat to bench 20#
3 x 10 forward leg raise
3 x 10 leg extension 35#
3 x 10 hamstring curl 25#
3 x 15 standing tow raise 25#
3 x 10 side leg lift
3 x 10 inner leg lift
3 x 12 toe-in stretch
3 x 12 toe-out stretch

Dinner:
Pineapple/banana smoothie and pumpkin karshi bar(464)

Total calories for the day: 1,901. The smoothie was a poor choice for dinner. I'm hungry and have no food to eat.

Time to go to bed.

Sub-250

Weight: 249.75
Percentage of Fat: 32.7%
Fat Mass Weight: 81.5 lbs

Lost 4.5 lbs this week. Just enough weight to get me under the 250 mark.

Started the day with a banana and a Sweet & Salty granola bar (265)

Steve Cantu joined me this morning for a road bike ride. We cycled along country roads, East of the Lake Houston bridge. We covered 15.81 miles in 1:02:04 (average pace 15.46 mph). With the exception of my first flat tire, it was an enjoyable ride.

I have a lot to do today and I'm really looking forward to my free-meal.

Lulu and I walked 1.36 miles in 22:01 (16:11 pace) and we ran 0.79 miles in 8:02 (10:10 pace).

Mid-body workout:
3 x 15 crunches
3 x 10 side bends 20#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 35#
3 x 10 dumbbell flyes 12#
3 x 10 incline press 25#
3 x 10 dumbbell roll 20#
3 x 10 upright rowing 15#
3 x 10 dead lift 25#

Free Meal:
Mexican Food; 3/4 basket chips and salsa. 1-chicken fajita taco with flour tortilla, 2-large flautas, and ~1.5-cups of Spanish rice. The entree wasn't horrible (calorie wise), but I OVER-DID-IT on the chips.

Spent the remainder of the day at a Wild-Game cook-off. I didn't start getting hungry until 7 pm. It was a struggle with all that good food around me. I had lots of gum and water. Okay, okay... confession, I had a "jello-shot" with my friends. I assume it was about 150 calories for a single shot of whisky.

I didn't leave the cook-off till really late. I'm embarrassed to report, but once again... I turned to Whataburger. It was the only store open and I was really hungry.
Chicken sandwich and large french fry (980)

Total calories for the day, minus the free-meal; 1,410
Overall, I think I fared well considering the temptations.

Review

Weight: 248.0

Recovery Day

Preston had another follow-up doctors appointment this morning. Since I've been with him for the last six days, we thought it would be best for me to be there. Erin was kind enough to let me ride with her. We talked and laughed like we always have... for a brief moment it seemed as if nothing had ever changed. It is times like this I am confused why we are divorced.

I confided with a friend yesterday about my battle of being, "overwhelmed". They asked me, "What makes you happy?". I said it last night and its worth repeating again, Erin makes me happy. Even with all that I have been through, I am happy when I am around her.

When we got back from the doctors appointment she came in my house for a few minutes to feed Preston. She wasn't able to stay long because she was having lunch with a friend. For the first time in a long time she gave me a hug. I know this will sound 'girlie', but that embrace made me feel better than I have felt in a long time.

First food intake was at 12:30. I took my multi-vitamin and it upset my stomach. I ate a banana and the nausea ceased (105)

Late Lunch:
Skillet meal; Mushroom chicken and mixed vegetables... zucchini, carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms (585)

Snack (with Alison):
Cupcake (320) Yikes!!!

As promised, here is a quick review for the 'Perfect Cleanse' liver detox-cleanse I did last week. The process involved taking 3 pills before dinner (liver detox), a fiber powder mixture after dinner, and a herbal laxative before bed. Most of the reviews do not shine a favorable light on "quick" cleanses. Its appears that serious cleanses' last longer than 30 days. I, on the other hand, was happy with the results. Sweet tea is a HUGE vice of mine and by the second day, it didn't bother me to not have it. No abdominal cramping, although I felt a bit bloated after the 5th day. Probably from all the fiber. I didn't notice any weight loss either, until I was done. Again, probably has something to do with the fiber. I recently started working out, so I don't know who to give credit to for my spike in energy. The process was easy to follow and adhere to. I am likely to suggest Perfect Cleanse to a friend.

Dinner:
Pineapple Smoothie (284)

I have plans for tonight, so I'm posting early.
Total calories for the day; 1,294

Calories Over

Weight: 251

First thing this morning I took Preston back to Texas Children's Hospital, per the pediatricians orders. Albeit a small amount, Preston had blood in his stool, which alarmed the doctors.

Everything turned out okay and we were discharged at noon. They found the root cause why he hasn't been eating. Thank goodness its nothing major. They found a few ruptured blood vessels under his tongue, which is painful when he takes his bottle, which in turn resulted in decreased eating and bowel irregularities.

Breakfast
2-flour tortillas, 2-eggs, and 1-potato (468)

Lunch:
Schlotzskys; 1-medium turkey sandwich, 1-medium size bag of jalapeno chips, and an un-sweet tea (725)

With Preston in the stroller I walked 1.25 miles in 19:47 (15:50 pace). Ran 1.16 miles in 12:35 (10:51 pace).

When Alison got out of school we loaded up the bike and bike trailer. I took the kids to Duessen Park. All of us had fun, but the wind kicked my butt... plus I had both kids in the trailer, so I was towing more weight than usual. At times I didn't feel like I was moving at all. We rode the loop course inside the park, yet it seemed like the wind was in our face in every direction! Either way, 5.0 miles in 40:40 (7.44mph). My hamstrings were burning, so I know it was a good workout.

Upper body and lower body workout:
3 x 10 wrist curl 35#
3 x 10 reverse wrist curl 10#
3 x 10 alternate bicep curl 20#
3 x 10 seated bicep curl - bar 15#
3 x 10 lying triceps curl 25#
3 x 10 standing triceps curl - bar 15#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 20#
3 x 10 prone deltoid press 8#

3 x 15 sitting toe lift
3 x 10 squat to bench 20#
3 x 10 forward leg raise
3 x 10 leg extension 35#
3 x 10 hamstring curl 25#
3 x 15 standing tow raise 25#
3 x 10 side leg lift
3 x 10 inner leg lift
3 x 20 sec. Knee stability balance
3 x 12 toe-in stretch
3 x 12 toe-out stretch

Erin is back from vacation. When she picked up the kids, she looked incredible, but she always does. Something about seeing her put me in a dark place. Some days are better than others. Maybe it's the lack of sleep for the last 5-days? Since she has Preston tonight, I should be able to sleep.

After talking with a buddy, I feel a little better.

While I was feeling bad I ate a BIG burger for dinner, which cost me to go over my allotted calories. Wanna know the worst of it... no fries, no drink, and I wasn't even hungry.
Whataburger; double-meat burger with cheese and jalapenos (1,050)

Total calories for the day: 2,243

Biggest Loser

Weight: 250.25

Another 0.50 pounds this week and I will be under 250!

I'm very tired. Preston is not sleeping much and I've been up with him every night for 4-days. The lack of sleep is taking its toll on me.

The Biggest Loser finale was last night. Its AMAZING how much you can transform the human body in 6-months. It was very obvious the producers were pushing for a woman winner this season and they got their wish... Congrats to Ally!

Biked 6.7 miles in 41:26 (9.75mph). No energy today. Probably has something to do with exercising before breakfast and minimal sleep.

I need to change something in my workouts. When I exercise it has always been my time to de-stress and think about the things in my life. Usually this is enjoyable, but all I do now is think about Erin. My heart is heavy with thoughts of her. No matter how un-fair I think her leaving me was, I still can't purge her from my system. I suppose that is what you call undeniable love for a woman! For the last few days I've been using my ipod, but it doesn't help. All my thoughts are of Erin.

Breakfast:
1/2-cup oatmeal, 1-tbsp sugar, 1-tbsp butter, and walnuts (450)

Lunch:
Rice Pilaf, 2-tbsp butter, and ~7-oz chicken breast (871)

Dinner:
1-avocado, 4-slices of bread, 4-slices (thin) turkey, and 2-tbsp of light mayo (744)

Total calories for the day; 2065. I'm skipping my lower-body workout and doing it tomorrow. I'm too tired to do anything else today.

First Mile

Weight: 252.0

Beautiful weather right now... cool nights and warm days. Surprising how much the weather affects the enjoyment of my workout.

Walked 1.2 miles in 19:36, while pushing Preston in his stroller (16:28 pace). Ran 1.0 miles in 11:00 (11:00 pace).

Mid-body workout. The RED numbers are INCREASES in weights:
3 x 15 crunches
3 x 10 side bends 20#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 35#
3 x 10 dumbbell flyes 12#
3 x 10 incline press 25#
3 x 10 dumbbell roll 20#
3 x 10 upright rowing 15#
3 x 10 dead lift 20#

Before Preston's doctors appointment I grabbed a Sweet & Salty granola bar (160). I was hungry for more than a granola bar, but I simply did not have time.

1-grilled chicken sandwich, 1-large french fry, 1-whataburger Jr. and a large un-sweet tea (1435)
Ouch, that was a lot of calories!!

I'm falling into bad habits again. This week alone, I have eaten fast-food everyday. Its easy to "justify", when I have a sick kid, but I need to wing myself from the "convenience" of drive-thru. I have been able to maintain my calorie goals, but fast food is what got me to this weight and I am NOT fueling my body correctly.

Dinner:
(Smoothie) Frozen pineapple, 1-banana, 1-cup skim milk, and 8-oz pineapple juice (485)

Total calories for the day: 2080

10-20-40

Weight: 251.25

Another nice weight loss. I've had minimal water intake over the last two days, so this might explain the weight loss.

Walked 1.25 miles in 20:28 (16:30 pace). Ran 0.93 miles in 10:03 (10:48 pace). Biked 5.9 miles in 41:20 (8.55 mph). On the walk-run, I pushed Preston in the stroller. During the cycling I towed Preston in the bike trailer, which is why I rode at a slower pace.

Breakfast:
1/2-cup oatmeal, 1-tbsp sugar, 1-tbsp butter, and pecans (450)

Lunch:
Subway. 12"-roasted chicken breast, light mustard, spinach, tomatoes, and banana peppers. Jalapeno chips. Small glass of UN-sweet tea (820)

The kids and I went fishing today... Alison is gettting good at catching perch!!!

Dinner:

2-slices wheat bread, 2-tbsp light mayo, and 186-gram pork tenderloin (745)

Upper body workout AND the lower body workout I skipped yesterday. The RED numbers are INCREASES in weights:
3 x 10 wrist curl 30#
3 x 10 reverse wrist curl 10#
3 x 10 alternate bicep curl 20#
3 x 10 seated bicep curl - bar 15#
3 x 10 lying triceps curl 25#
3 x 10 standing triceps curl - bar 15#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 20#
3 x 10 prone deltoid press 8#

3 x 15 sitting toe lift
3 x 10 squat to bench 20#
3 x 10 forward leg raise
3 x 10 leg extension 35#
3 x 10 hamstring curl 25#
3 x 15 standing tow raise 25#
3 x 10 side leg lift
3 x 10 inner leg lift
3 x 20 sec. Knee stability balance
3 x 12 toe-in stretch
3 x 12 toe-out stretch

Total calories for the day: 2015

Hospital Visit

Weight: 252.0

The weight loss is starting to get exciting! I've lost 11.25 pounds thus far!

Breakfast:
2-flour tortillas, 1-medium potato, and 2-eggs (468)

Breakfast:
Schlotzskys, 1-medium turkey sandwich, 1-medium size bag of jalapeno chips and large UN-sweet tea. (725)

Preston has been sick-like all weekend. He hasn't wanted to eat and now he seems lethargic. The root of the problem seems to be with his throat. He "wants" his bottle, but as soon as he makes a couple sucks he appears to be in a lot of pain. He has been crying for hours and he's not even sleeping much anymore.

By noon I could tell this was more than his current bronchitis and/or teething. He vomited 3 times this morning so I decided to take him to the minor emergency clinic. Once we were there the doctor asked a few questions and told me she couldn't do anything for him and he needed to be seen in the emergency room. I assumed Memorial Hermann Northeast, but she strongly suggested Texas Children's. So, that is where we went.

Long story short, they ran a multitude of test and they all came back normal. He was definitely dehydrated from no intake, diarrhea, and vomiting. Within 15-minutes of the nurse starting the IV he started to smile and perk up. There is still something wrong, but we were released 10-hours later.

I was STARVING on the drive home and ended up stopping by Whataburger:
1-grilled chicken sandwich, 1-medium french fry, and 1-large UN-sweet tea (870) I felt guilty for all the take-out, but it tasted great.

Needless to say I did not get my workout or run done. Almost decided to go running when we got home, but I was simply too exhausted. I plan on doubling up in the morning.

Total calories for the day: 2,063

Close

Weight: 254.25
Percentage of Fat: 33.2%
Fat Mass Weight: 84.5 lbs

Lost 2.5 pounds this week AFTER gaining 4-lbs. Almost met my weekly goal of 3-pounds even with the setback. My goal this week is -4.5lbs, which will get me below 250.

Breakfast:
1-Sweet & Salty granola bar (160)

Spent most of the morning watching a friend of mine (Josh Paramore) in his debut fight. He trains as a mixed martial arts fighter, but as a steeping stone he participated in a grappling tournament today.

Lunch (free-meal):
Taqueria Arandas: 1/2-basket of chips plus salsa, 6-oz chicken breast, 3-flour tortillas, 1.5-cups of Spanish rice, 1/3 avocado, lettuce & tomato, and a large glass of UN-sweet tea.

Felt extremely guilty about having the scheduled free-meal. Then I thought to myself... this is my PLAN, which helped settle me into the right mindset for the week. I visited the same restaurant as last week... I even ate the same food! One could say, I'm a creature of habit.

Walked 1.4 miles in 24-minutes (17:13 pace). Ran 0.55 miles in 6:02 (10:58 pace). Alison was on her scooter and I was pushing Preston in the stroller.

Mid-body workout. The RED numbers are INCREASES in weights:
3 x 15 crunches
3 x 10 side bends 20#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 30#
3 x 10 dumbbell flyes 12#
3 x 10 incline press 25#
3 x 10 dumbbell roll 20#
3 x 10 upright rowing 15#
3 x 10 dead lift 20#

Dinner:
PB&J sandwich. 2-slices white bread, 2-tbsp peanut butter, 1-tbsp strawberry jelly, and 1-skinny cow mini fudge bar (500)

I didn't drink much water today. I simply wasn't thirsty and I was so busy with the kids. Total calories for the day (minus the high caloric meal); 660!!

BTW, GREAT fight, Josh... You da Man!!!

Weight is Back to Normal

Weight: 255.75

It took a few more days than usual, but my weight loss has finally rebound back to where I think it should be. I have one more day to lose weight. It's an off-day, so its gonna be hard to get a decent number for the week. The original goal was 3-lbs a day. Unless I have a significant water shift, it will not happen. With today's loss, I'm down one-pound for the week and I'd like to see at least another half pound. Either way, I'm okay with any week that has a loss, which is associated with a 24-hr binge.

At work today. Off day, so no workouts scheduled.

Breakfast, Taco Cabana; 2-egg and potato tacos on flour tortillas. (468) I obsessed about the potato and eggs tacos, so I appeased the craving on my way to work.

Lunch:
1/2-lb ground turkey, 364-grams zucchini, and ~2-cups of rice-a-roni (968)

Supper:
Pre-packaged Caesar salad and 224-gram chicken breast (614)

Snack:
2-pieces of gum

Total calories for the day 2,060.

Exercise away the Sadness

Weight: 258.5

Congratulations Lou! She was the first person to find and comment on my "diet blog". Thanks for the kinds words Lou, you ALWAYS put a smile on my face! Since I'm running a bit more, I'd like to move all these entries to my running blog. I'll probably do it sometime this weekend, so if I do have any readers... look for it there.

I was up at 4am for my new part-time job. Some how I lost track of time and ended up running behind. Knowing that time to eat is limited at work, I decided to stop at Taco Cabana for breakfast. My intentions were to order two potato & egg tacos, but they were out, so I ordered: 2-egg and chorizo tacos on flour tortilla (496)

Before leaving the house I had just enough time to pack a single turkey sandwich, which I ate at noon.
2-slices wheat bread, 1-slice turkey, and 1-tbsp light mayo (273)

On my drive home I was starving and could NOT resist the ease and convenience of drive-thru.
Whataburger; Grilled chicken sandwich and large french fries (980)

On the drive home, I called and asked Erin if I could pick up the kids because I haven't seen them in a couple days. She said it was okay. Before I could pick them up, daycare had called Erin and reported that Preston had a 102 degree fever. When I arrived at daycare he was burning up and they had him fully clothed!?!?!? I immediately took all his clothes off. When we got home I gave him some Tylenol and within 30-minutes his fever had loosened its grip. Not too sure what that was all about.

I felt bad that I didn't spend much time exclusively with Alison. Preston was fussy and throwing up, which took most of my attention. Alison has all the best intentions in the word, but she is like a sponge. She soaks up anything around her... whether it's something she sees or something she hears. While we were defrosting strawberries and pineapple for a snack she told me: "Momma said when she re-marries I will have two dads, but I PROMISE, you will be my favorite". It took everything I had to hold my emotions in. I was very upset. You can't help but love that precious little girl, but I'm not strong enough to handle the thoughts of her calling someone else dad. I don't remember how the conversation got there, but Alison was telling me about Erin's new boyfriend coming to their house yesterday and how she "likes him". This didn't help, but I made sure my outward expressions didn't match how I felt in the inside.

I've been saying this for a long while, I think there is more to Erin leaving than she lets on. Erin is not one to lie, but she has repeatedly NOT told me SIGNIFICANT things during our marriage, which is the same as lying to most people (and ME). I think this is the case right now. She has every right in the world to date or do whatever she pleases, but she has already introduced a new man to our children, a mere 3-days after our divorce was final. C'mon, that cannot be healthy for the kids. They are already confused and scarred.

I'll stop there. I have DEEP emotions about this issue and it is really bothering me.

I badly wanted to turn to food, but ended up working out. I feel a little better. Not so much about the Erin situation, but I am happy knowing I got my workout done.

My blisters are still present. In fact, my sock had blood on it from standing all day, but I pushed through the pain for a 23-minute walk and an 8-minute run. 1.3 miles walking in 23 minutes, average pace 17:25. 0.72 miles running in 8 minutes, average pace 11:08. Shortly thereafter I biked for 36 minutes, covering 5.8 miles, average pace: 9.8 mph.

Snack:
Strawberries and Pineapples (220)
Popcorn (120)

Later in the evening I finished the scheduled upper body workout AND the lower body workout I skipped yesterday:
3 x 10 wrist curl 30#
3 x 10 reverse wrist curl 8#
3 x 10 alternate bicep curl 15#
3 x 10 seated bicep curl - bar #10
3 x 10 lying triceps curl 20#
3 x 10 standing triceps curl - bar 10#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 15#
3 x 10 prone deltoid press 5#

3 x 12 sitting toe lift
3 x 10 squat to bench 15#
3 x 10 forward leg raise
3 x 10 leg extension 25#
3 x 10 hamstring curl #20
3 x 12 standing tow raise 20#
3 x 10 side leg lift
3 x 10 inner leg lift
3 x 20 sec. Knee stability balance
3 x 12 toe-in stretch
3 x 12 toe-out stretch

Busy Day

Weight: 259.5

I expected my weight to be less this morning. To have "truly" gained 4lbs, I would have had to eat an additional 14,000 calories and I know that DID NOT happen. Dunno what to say.

Breakfast;
Kashi bar (180)

Lunch:
2-slices wheat bread, 1-slice turkey, 1-tbsp light mayo (273)

Dinner:
2-medium Schlotzskys turkey sandwiches and 1-bag of Jalapeno chips (1,225)

Started my new part-time job at Harris County Juvenile Probation today. I'll have to wait a few more days to give my full opinion, but if someone asked me right now I would say.... I don't like it.

A friend is coming over in a few minutes to watch a movie, so I'll have to ride my bike afterwards.

Update:
Biked 5.59 miles in 37 minutes. Average pace; 9.7 mph. Since I have to be up at 4:30am, I decided to skip today's workout and double-up tomorrow.

Late snack:
1-cup pineapple sherbet (240)

Total calories for the day: 1,918

Back On Track

Weight: 260.5

Late Breakfast:
2-slices of wheat bread, 1-slice turkey, and 1-tbsp light mayo (273)

Lunch:
Macaroni & cheese, 1-tbsp of butter, and 1/2 cup skin milk (840)

A friend and I walked the greenbelts with Lulu for 4.7 miles in 1-hr 15-minutes for an average pace of 17:00. Ran for 6-minutes and covered 0.54 miles for an average pace of 11:22

When I got home I did the scheduled upper body workout AND the lower body workout I skipped yesterday:
3 x 10 wrist curl 25#
3 x 10 reverse wrist curl 8#
3 x 10 alternate bicep curl 15#
3 x 10 seated bicep curl - bar #10
3 x 10 lying triceps curl 15#
3 x 10 standing triceps curl - bar 10#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 15#
3 x 10 prone deltoid press 5#

3 x 12 sitting toe lift
3 x 10 squat to bench 15#
3 x 10 forward leg raise
3 x 10 leg extension 25#
3 x 10 hamstring curl #20
3 x 12 standing tow raise 20#
3 x 10 side leg lift
3 x 10 inner leg lift
3 x 20 sec. Knee stability balance
3 x 12 toe-in stretch
3 x 12 toe-out stretch

Half-way through the walk I felt a "hot-spot" on my right foot. Near the end I felt a similar spot on my left foot as well, but not as bad. When I was done, I saw that I had blisters on the ball of both feet. Somewhat odd, because I seldom get blisters. I'll try walking in different shoes and see if that helps.



I'm still in shock from the massive weight increase. Its 4 lbs MORE than I weighed Saturday morning. I keep telling myself it wasn't a "true" 4-lbs of fat gain. Plus, a lot of the reviews for the detox/cleanse says they experience weight gains during the 10 day program. There was some bad eating, but at least I haven't missed any workouts and I'm still on the detox/cleanse. That has to be good for something, right?

Dinner:
Hamburger Helper 'Cheesy Baked Potato', 8-oz ground turkey, 1.5-cup skim milk (980)

Total calories for the day; 2,093

Today is my FAVORITE show, Biggest Loser, but the woman renting my room came out and TOLD me she wanted to watch another show. So, I guess I'll watch my show later. URG. This roommate situation is not going to work out.

Emotional Eating

Weight: 258.0

Yesterday my diet went as planned... sort of. My training was completed, I stayed under my allotted calories, and I was in bed by 8pm. Unfortunately, I laid in bed with thoughts of my divorce being finalized the next morning.

By 10pm I was out of bed and watching TV. Then a massive wave of the emotions came over me... and I started eating. I struggled with my options. I even told myself, "there is no amount of food that will make me feel happy". This went on for about 15-20 minutes. Then it was like I "zoned-out". It all started with a large piece of cake I had seen sitting on the counter all day. As is my "usual style", one food turned into another and then I find myself in a binge. The cake was followed by a a grilled chicken breast, then I upped the ante and had a grilled chicken sandwich, which I chased with a glass of 2% chocolate milk and a fair amount of baked Doritos's.

I'm not sure why, but after the binge I was sleepy. I went back to bed and fell sound asleep within minutes.

So, this morning was our court date. Everything went smoother than I expected. It was merely a formality.... all the work is in the decree. I didn't want the divorce to happen. There was a small part of me that maliciously wanted to flaw the procedure to stop it, but I knew the end result would still be a divorce. Its weird how Erin and I can sit next to each other and have great conversations, yet we were sitting there in court to get a divorce on terms of "incompatible personalities". Nothing could be further from the truth. We have always gotten along well and when we're not TRYING to be difficult, we are the best of friends.

There was a series of questions the lawyer asked us, and we were told to answer, "Yes" or "No". The last question of each of us was, "Mr/Mrs Cox, are you requesting this court to grant you a divorce?". I was forced to lie, under oath, for the sake of what was "right". I don't want to be divorced, but it seems I have very little say in the matter of what happens in my life.

Needless to say, the morning rocked me. These eyes of mine have cried more in the last year than any man should have to in his life. What's done is done. I told myself, "today is a new day", but once again, somewhere along the path I let my emotions control my destiny.

The court procedure was surprisingly fast. I was home by 10am. I called a few close friends, hoping I could recruit someone to hang out with me. I didn't have much luck, so I put out a few more calls in an attempt to get a group of guys to go out and party tonight. Most of my friends are married and or have kids, so the short notice was no good for all but one. By noon I had only ate a turkey sandwich and a large can of V-8. I decided to get my cardio in, so I biked for 40 minutes. Covered 6.68 miles with an average pace of 10mph. The last mile I picked up Lulu and she did surprisingly well on the leash, considering I was on the bike.

Then my day took a turn for the worse. I started eating. Again, I sort of zoned-out and convinced myself it was okay to eat like an idiot, which I did. I'm to embarrassed to disclose what I consumed. I will say, after the bike ride I went to Sonic. From there I picked up Alison from school and we played at the park for an hour. After that we picked up Preston from daycare and played at the house till Erin showed up.

Not sure what happened, but Erin was being totally nice. She showed up with a Sonic sweet tea, which she knows I love. Normally Erin gets the kids stuff together as soon as she get here, but today she visited with us before leaving. She even went as far as getting some cleaning supplies and tried to get a stain out of the carpet. What the fuck is that all about? It seemed like we were back to being best friends, yet less than 8-hours earlier we were both standing in front of a judge. Am I the only one that thinks this is a little weird? One of my friends made sense of it. She said that even though I do not understand, Erin had a weight lifted off her shoulders. Admittedly... I can see what she means.

There was a feeling of "failure" from the prior night and afternoon binge. Even though I wasn't hungry I had a large supper. Once again, I don't want to disclose the food, but it was take out from Berry Hill Mexican Cafe. Other than that, no other food, but I have made an assault on some soda that has been in the refrigerator since I started the diet.

You might ask, "so, where does this leave you"?

Tomorrow is a new day. While writing todays notes, I have stopped several times to reflect on my thoughts. It almost feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, similar to what my friend suggested. For the first time I can admit I am an emotional eater and I recognized it. The problem is that I have not channelled the emotion(s) which trigger me to eat into something positive. Instead, I turn to my only vice, FOOD. I consciously allow myself to say it is okay to eat because "poor lil' Bill had a bad day". This is the type of bull-shit response you would expect from a 10-year old! It's has to STOP. I'm sick and tired, of being sick and tired.

Indeed, tomorrow is a new day.

Uneventful

Weight: Unknown (no scale at work)

Breakfast:
1/2-cup oatmeal, 1-tbsp sugar, 1-tbsp butter, and walnuts (460)

Snack: Banana (105)

Lunch:
4-oz turkey cutlet, 3/4-cup wheat pasta, 1/2-can cream of chicken soup, 1-medium size bag of veggies (potato's, carrots, red bell peppers, corn, broccoli), and salt/pepper to taste (710)

Mid-body weight training preceded by walk/run.
3 x 14 crunches
3 x 10 side bends 15#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 30#
3 x 10 dumbbell flyes 10#
3 x 10 incline press 20#
3 x 10 dumbbell roll 15#
3 x 10 upright rowing 10#
3 x 10 dead lift 20#

25-minute walk with a 5-minute run thrown in. Walk pace ~17:20 min/mile. Run pace; 9:52. I recruited four other guys to walk with me, so the run was quicker than my usual pace.

Snack:
1-cup skim milk and 1-Sweet & Salty granola bar (240)

Uneventful day. Although... it's always nice to get in a workout at work. Almost feels like I am getting paid to exercise. I picked a poor time for the walk/run... at 2pm, it was hot outside. In the weight room there was a feeling that I was merely going through the motions. Next week I'll start increasing the weights.

Dinner:
4-slices wheat bread, 2-slices turkey, and 2-tbsp light mayo (546)
Total calories for the day, 2051.

I'll be glad when I'm done with the detox/cleanse. The powder-mixture drink is HORRIBLE tasting. For some reason I am still not falling asleep when I go to bed. Not sure what the trouble is, but it sure is frustrating. With any luck I will get a good nights sleep. Tomorrow is likely to be a stressful day. Today is probably the last day I can say I was married to my wife, Erin. And that makes me sad.

Week One, DONE

Weight: 256.50
Percentage of Fat: 33.3%
Fat Mass Weight: 85.5 lbs

Determination is the Price of Success

I'm at work, in fact I will be on duty till Monday morning. Sometimes we have long shifts... as is the life of a fireman.

Week one is complete. I lost 6.75 pounds (-2.56%). I'm very excited.

Breakfast:
1/2-cup oatmeal, 1-tbsp sugar, 1-tbsp butter, walnuts, and 1-cup skim milk (540)

I chose lunch as my "free-meal". We went to one of my favorite Mexican food restaurants and admittedly... I didn't hold anything back. My meal included:
LOTS of chips and salsa, 6-oz chicken breast, 3-flour tortillas, 1.5-cups of Spanish rice, 1/3 avocado, some lettuce and tomato, and a large glass of UN-sweet tea.

The meal wouldn't have been too extreme, had it not been for the excessive amount of chips. I "felt" full for several hours.... almost to the point of being uncomfortable for the first 20-minutes after eating.

Later in the evening I rode the stationary bike for 30-minutes. Level 4 of 16. The read out showed 7.3 miles and 14.5 mph. Later I walked for 31-minutes. Average pace was 17:03 min/mile. The session was completed with an upper-body workout:
3 x 10 wrist curl 25#
3 x 10 reverse wrist curl 8#
3 x 10 alternate bicep curl 15#
3 x 10 seated bicep curl - bar #10
3 x 10 lying triceps curl 15#
3 x 10 standing triceps curl - bar 10#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 15#
3 x 10 prone deltoid press 5#

Dinner was an unexpected tasty treat of food I grabbed from home:
4-oz turkey cutlet, 1.5-cups white rice, 1/2-can cream of chicken soup, 1-medium size bag of veggies (potato's, carrots, red bell peppers, corn, broccoli), and salt/pepper to taste. (690)

Total calories, excluding the free-meal was 1,485

Off Day

Weight: 257.25

Today's an "off day", which means no cardio and no weight training. The body needs time to rest, repair, and recuperate. I'll still monitor my caloric intake as normal. I'm very excited about tomorrow s "free-meal". Once a week I plan to have a scheduled high caloric meal. I'll be at work both Saturday and Sunday, so we'll have to see what the rest of the crew wants to eat. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Mexican food!

Over the last couple months I have been in a very complicated hiring process. I've been trying for the job of MEDICAL OFFICER with Harris County Juvenile Probation. Wednesday they called and said the part-time job is mine, consequently I have to be there today at 8:30 to take care of all the payroll stuff.

I'm not sleeping as well as I'd like. My sleep has been restless for 3-nights in a roll. I feel okay, but I know it could be better if I would simply get those couple extra hours.

Breakfast:
1-cup Kashi cereal, 1-cup skim milk, and 1-banana (375) vitamin

Snack (given to me my Lynn, because I didn't what it was)
Scone (240)

Lunch, Schlotzskys:
1-medium turkey sandwich and 1-small turkey sandwich. (845)

Supper:
2-turkey sandwiches, 2-tbsp light mayo, 2-slices of turkey, 4-slices wheat bread (571)

Last night I started a "light" detox and intestinal cleanse. There are so many different cleansers it was hard to know which one to choose. I decided on one that was short (10 days), didn't require fasting, and was herbal. I figured if I wanted to cleanse my body of toxins, not need to put a bunch of chemicals in it to get the job done. The reason I decided to do the cleanse is because some of the people who wrote reviews talked about a decrease in appetite, increase in energy, and a significant decrease in sugary cravings. Some people lost weight, some didn't. The brand I bought (one of the cheapest) requires me to take 3-capsules before dinner, 3-tablets after, and a horrible tasting powder/fiber mix before bed. I'll write a review in 10-days.

Total calories today, 2031

Depressed

Weight: 257.75

Thank god I survived last night! I ALMOST fell-off the wagon. At 11pm we were dispatched to an EMS call. During the entire call I had an "empty" feeling in my stomach and true hunger pangs. It was a challenge to stay clear of food, but I DID IT!!!

Breakfast:
1-banana, 16-oz spicy V-8. (175) vitamin.

Took Lulu for a 30-minute walk/4-minute run on the greenbelts. Walk pace 16:51 and run pace 11:19.

Mountain biked 32-minutes. Covered 5.5 miles with an average pace of 10.3 mph. Felt good, so I pushed the effort level.

Lunch:
2-peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. 4-slices wheat bread, 2-tbsp peanut butter, and 2-tbsp strawberry jelly. (590)

Lower body work-out:
3 x 12 sitting toe lift
3 x 10 squat to bench 15#
3 x 10 forward leg raise
3 x 10 leg extension 25#
3 x 10 hamstring curl #20
3 x 12 standing tow raise 20#
3 x 10 side leg lift
3 x 10 inner leg lift
3 x 20 sec. Knee stability balance
3 x 12 toe-in stretch
3 x 12 toe-out stretch

Supper:
Subway 12-inch sandwich. Wheat bread, spinach, tomato's, banana peppers, and salt/pepper. (620). An hour later.... Rice roni, 1-tbsp olive oil (595)

Erin and I can't seem to talk anymore without getting into an argument. I wish things were different. Its hard enough dealing with the departure of my wife, but what I find even more difficult... I miss my friend. There's so much on my mind, but I can't bring myself to writing it down.

9pm snack:
1-bag SMART popcorn (120), which makes todays grand total 2100.

Help Needed

Weight: 258.0

I'm at work today, so this will be a short entry.

Last night I tossed and turned well past mid-night before falling asleep. By the time the alarm went off at 6am, I had only slept about 5-6 hours. Now, my neck hurts as a result of "sleeping wrong".

Breakfast:
1-cup kashi cereal, 1-cup skim milk, and 1-banana. (375) Forgot my vitamin this morning

Lunch was another over-sized meal meant to be divided between lunch and dinner. Ingredients included:
4-medium size potato's, small can tomato sauce, 1-can rotel, 1-can red kidney beans, and 1-lb turkey. Seasonings to taste. (1483!)

Essentially the meal was turkey chili. I added potato's to make it a bit more hearty and as a result I added quite a few calories (338). There was a big difference in todays meal, as it was very tasty. For lunch I ate a bit more than half.

At 3pm, we all went to Sam's Club to pick up station supplies. On one end of the store, near the food, they have what we have labeled "tasters aisle". Most days, like today you will find 4-6 carts with people handing out samples of their products. Normally, we hit all them and some twice! I ate one small pizza-like snack. It was bread, cheese, and marinara sauce. I asked the associate if I could see the box. The nutritional label showed there were 120 calories for a serving of two.... so , I ate 60 calories in about, oh... 2-bites. I'm okay with the calories. The pizza bite was good and I didn't feel isolated by not indulging in the food. I was proud I only had one snack.

The worst part of eating the pizza snack was it made me hungry. Not sure if it was mental or bonafide hunger pangs. Either way, I found myself obsessing about food for the next 2-hours. When we got back to the station I ate a large red apple for a snack, which knocked the edge off the hunger (110). A short time later I occupied myself with a 30 minute ride on the recumbent bike. Level 4 (of 16) with an average speed of 14.8mph. The bike ride was followed by a mid-body workout:
3 x 14 crunches
3 x 10 side bends 15#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 30#
3 x 10 dumbbell flyes 10#
3 x 10 incline press 20#
3 x 10 dumbbell roll 15#
3 x 10 upright rowing 10#
3 x 10 dead lift 20#

Afterwards I ate the remaining turkey chili, which didn't "feel" like enough food. All was well until the crew wanted to go to Burger King. I decided to stay in the pumper. The guys felt bad for me, so they got their orders to go. The smell of the food instantly triggered me to want to eat. I am seriously struggling right now. If that isn't bad enough, one of the guys made fresh chocolate chip cookies. Now the entire station smells like cookies. I'm chewing a piece of gum like a CRAZY-MAN, hoping I to have the will power to stay clear of any food tonight. Might be a good idea to hit the sack and get some extra sleep. No extra calories, because like all the other days I went just a few over (total 2028).

From this point forward my official maximum daily calories is 2100. Wow, look at me being flexible. When I'm "dieting" I usually have a serious case of OCD and feel like a failure if a break the "rules", when if by a single calorie...

... wish me luck surving the night!

Daily Averages

Weight: 258.5

Holy-moly! This morning I woke up to some serious weight loss. My brain knows it is simply water & waste loss, but my heart says, WOW!

I'm also tracking my weight with Google 15. It gives me a seven-day average. It's nice because I don't beat myself up over small gains such as over-hydration. This morning Google 15 shows my weight at 261.9, which is the average of the weight I have logged thus far, yet the scale shows 258.5. Moving averages is a neat concept when dealing with weight loss, lets say I gain a pound tomorrow... my "7-day average" will still show me on track and LOSING weight, because the AVERAGE has decreased. It's just another tool to keep me on track.

Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1-tbsp sugar, 1-tbsp butter, walnuts, and 1-cup skim milk (530)

Pre-lunch snack: 1-slice wheat bread, light-mayo, and 1-slice of turkey (130)

Lunch was similar to yesterday, but this time I planned on splitting the food into two meals. The ingredients included: 16oz ground turkey, 1.5 cup white rice, medium bag of mixed veggies (corn, carrots, peas, green beans, lima beans), 1-onion, 1-tbsp minced garlic, and 1-tbsp of soy sauce. (1186)

I ate about 1/3 of the food and was full. The food lacked something, but I'm not sure what. Bottom line... it was blah.

Today's cardio included a 27-minute walk and a 3-minute run. Alison was on her scooter and I had Lulu on the leash for our walk. Its been raining most of the day, which made it god-awful humid outside. Alison and I were both completely soaked with sweat when we got back home. The walk pace was: 16:56 and run pace was 11:27.

The humidity filled walk zapped all my energy. Still managed to finish my weight training afterwards. Upper-body workout included the following exercises:
3 x 10 wrist curl 25#
3 x 10 reverse wrist curl 8#
3 x 10 alternate bicep curl 15#
3 x 10 seated bicep curl - bar #10
3 x 10 lying triceps curl 15#
3 x 10 standing triceps curl - bar 10#
3 x 10 dumbbell press 15#
3 x 10 prone deltoid press 5#

After the workout I was hungry and I knew the food I prepared at lunch was lacking luster, ie taste! I ended up adding a can of cream of chicken (250), which again threw me over my daily calories (2096) URGGGH. I haven't been over 2100 calories yet, so maybe that should be my goal to stay under?!?!?!

There's an outside chance I'm dehydrated. A couple years ago, when I was running a lot we always monitored our hydration level by the color of our urine. It sound barbaric, but it totally works. It is said that you should pee every 4 hours and it should be clear. I also know when you first start taking vitamins it will alter your urine color too. As for me, all the clues lead to dehydration... no energy, humid day, darker than average color pee, etc.

One particular TV show I look forward to every week is 'Biggest Loser'. I always get so motivated by the end of the show. The triumphs and the amount of weight the contestants lose PUMPS ME UP. With the motivation from the show, I decided to do one exercise between each commercial break. Below is a list of what I did during the 2-hour show (8 commercial breaks):
2 x Core planks, 30 seconds each
Using resistance bands:
2 x Bicep curls x 17, each arm
2 x Overhead arm lift 33, each arm
2 x Side arm lift 20, each arm

Not a bad workout, considering I was going to watch the show anyways. These are the type of healthy adjustments I need to make in my life. There is no need to say no to TV, rather, find a way to do a little something extra.

Tonight is the first night since my diet started that I am going to bed, NOT feeling hungry. I suspect the heavy supper will show on the scale tomorrow. Either way, it won't get me down!