A Royal Pain in the Neck

For months now I have been experiencing some neck pain.  It was a minor nuisance at first.  Then it got progressively more chronic.  I finally broke down and went to a certain chiropractor which my wife swears by.  She says he has 'healing hands' and is quite talented.  I had a not-so-great experience with a chiropractor some years ago, so I was skeptical.  I do, however, like this guy.  I saw some relief and "The Shaman", as I refer to him, was convinced it was the way I sit at my laptop, especially the twelve hours a week, or so, that I sit writing this blog.  I was more of the thinking that it's sleep related.

I've since modified my typing posture to see if The Shaman was right and perhaps I was wrong about the sleeping thing.  It hasn't gotten a whole lot better.  While I was going to the chiropractor, I did see some improvement, but twice a week at fifty dollars a pop, I was hoping for more.  I know I you can't put a price on feeling better, but at what amounts to over $400 per month, it would seem like I am getting a poor return on investment. 

This week I have been in a good deal of pain.  So much so that I haven't been back to my Crossfit gym.  It may be time to bring in the conventional types and perhaps get an MRI.  I certainly don't want to get healthier, only to find myself incapacitated.  Since I can still move and I am not a total invalid from the strain, I did manage today to get some exercise in for the first time this week.

I walked around the lake by my house.  It's been months since I did that.  Despite my neck issues, walking was a breeze.  I do not recall, ever, getting around the entire lake without stopping to rest.  Today it was a constant pace, with no breaks.  That is around 2.8 miles.  My lower back often feels a twinge early on, but today I felt nothing until around the 2 mile mark.  Even then it was minor.  I feel like I definitely accomplished something today.  It's a nice feeling to start the long weekend this way.  Next week I will consider it an accomplishment to get a doctor appointment to get this pain in my neck taken care of.  I'll keep you posted.

Cya next time,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Egg MikeMuffin of 1 egg, 1 chicken sausage link and 1 multi-grain deli flat
Lunch ~ Chicken Caesar salad
Snack ~ Starbucks Grande Decaf Mocha Lite Frapaccino
Dinner ~ Pan seared tilapia over sauteed kale and while beans
Exercise ~ walked 2.8 miles  

Food Thursday: 08.30.12

As a kid there were quite a few foods I wouldn't touch, yet today I love.  There was cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potatoes and beets.  Lately we've been on a beet kick in this house.  Beets are a great source of Vitamin C, heart-healthy glycine betaine, B vitamins, niacin and folates.  If you find beets with nice tops, they are very healthy as well and can be used as salad greens.  I'd like to share with you a simple salad recipe that would be great for lunch or, like I did this evening, a terrific side dish for chicken, lean pork or fish.  Aside from making a beautiful presentation, it tastes terrific.  

Beet Salad with Feta and Pickled Red Onions
serves 2

Ingredients
3 medium sized beets, scrubbed peeled and halved
1 Tbs Olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
small red onion (thinly sliced)
3 cloves garlic

3 Tbs Mike's Italian Vinaigrette (recipe HERE)
4 cups of the salad blend of your choice.  I prefer spring mix or Boston lettuce
1/4 cup fat free feta, crumbled

Method
1.  Preheat an over or toaster oven to 450°
2. In heavy duty or a double layer of foil, place beets and garlic, coat with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Make the foil into a tightly sealed packet and cook for 40 minutes.
4. While the beets cook, mix the cider vinegar, 1 tsp salt and pepper in a small bowl and add the red onion.  Set aside.
5. When the beets are cooked, carefully remove from the oven, remove the beets and garlic from the foil and set on a plate to cool in the fridge.  BE CAREFUL.  The packet will be very hot and very messy.  I recommend doing this in the sink.
6. Once the beets have cooled, slice them into bite sized pieces.
7. In a large bowl, mix the beets, salad greens and dressing.
8  Divide in two and sprinkle with the feta and pickled onions.  You won't need all the onion, so refrigerate the rest for future use.

Cya Friday,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ generic Grape Nuts-like cereal w/toasted pecans, craisins and almond milk
Lunch ~ a kitchen sink salad w/tuna, cannelini beans, cherry tomatoes, spring mix and red wine vinaigrette
Snack ~ a handful of almonds
Dinner ~ see above
Exercise ~ none

W.I.M.H.W. 08.29.12

The middle of the week is the time where we explore what's going on with my psyche and that usually means a few separate items.  Not today.  There is one thing on my mind and I'll work through it by writing it here and shipping it off into universe.  Hopefully it will bounce around and come back with some clarity.

I've been struggling this week.  The old devil on my shoulder is in my ear again and, while he hasn't been overly persuasive, it's taxing.  Work is keeping me beyond busy.  When you are in sales that is a good thing.  When you are trying to keep balance in your life and stay on point, be prepared and keep motivated it gets to you a tad.  Once you start making minor allowances and deviations, it's a slippery slope.

We had a party last week.  The leftovers included much of the same types of snack foods I had leftover from poker.  I've been grabbing pretzels all week and, much worse, dipping into the trifle left behind.  I asked for it not to be left, but they insisted.  I thought perhaps our friend that is staying with us might like some, but she hasn't touched it.  I feel terrible for wasting it, but I literally, just now, got up in the middle of writing and threw it away.  Diane, it was delicious and I know you worked hard putting it together.  I can't have it around.  I'm apparently not strong enough right now to let it sit in the fridge for someone else.  The pretzels and anything else lying around are going once I am done writing.

Overall, I have been feeling pressure to be the shining example I set myself up to me.  As of late, it's been harder.  Ironic, since just a week or so ago I wrote a whole piece as to how it isn't that hard.  I guess as long as I am not off sneaking food in my car or saying "F it" and throwing in the towel, I am winning the war.  You won't find Big Mac containers in my back seat.  Perhaps I am being too hard on myself. 

There was no blog post yesterday.  Normally I would write something the next morning to fill the slot left open for a missed evening, but today, more work than time to do it and a certain level of apathy toward the the missing blog brought me here leaving a gaping hole my clean record of not missing a post.  I guess it is all part of this malaise.  I'l try to back fill with something before the weekend is over.

I know that in a long haul of such an endeavor there are bound to be bumps in the road.  While my resolve is being tested, it is still in place.  I will however be taking next week off from writing.  I'll make an entry for my weigh-in on Monday, and then take a much needed blog vacation until the following weigh-in.  With work being so busy and trying to stay focused, this normally grounding experience is putting a little more stress on me, which only exacerbates the problem.

That's is where my head is at this Wednesday.  A little cloudy, but still screwed on in the right place.  Rest assured I am doing fine and the sheer fact that I came here to stream this from my fingertips is proof I am still with the program.  Now off to purge the crap from the kitchen.

Cya Thursday,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Kashi Island Vanilla w/banana, fresh blueberries and almond milk
Lunch ~ The last of the rosemary Dijon chicken and pasta and bean salad
Snack ~ Some pretzels (to be thrown away) and some carrots and hummus
Dinner ~ TBD
Exercise ~ TBD

Weigh-in: Week 29

When I finally obtained my scale's reading last week, it was among a wide a range of results.  I always go with something I can duplicate.  The posted weight happened to be on the lower end of the scale (no pun intended).  This is why I am not totally shocked that I am to report a slight gain this week.  Oh well.  It's minor and it is setbacks like these (albeit, micro-setbacks) that keep me on point and from getting too complacent.

The picture here shows a 0.6 lb. gain over the last weigh-in.  This 293.2 lbs. readjusts the total loss to 70.2 lbs.  Water percentage rose to 38.5% (up 0.2%) and body fat percentage DROPPED to 46.4% from 46.6%.  This tells me I did lose fat this week and I am retaining some water, with perhaps some build in muscle mass.  No matter how you slice it, I am okay with the result.  The fat loss is a good indicator that I'm on track.

There may be a delay in Tuesday's post. I have an overly full schedule tomorrow that takes me through to the wee hours.

Cya next time,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Kashi Island Vanilla cereal w/fresh blueberries, banana and almond milk
Lunch ~ I stopped by an Indian buffet between appointments. I have some chicken tika masala,  a curried cauliflower dish, and come vegetable specked rice.
Snack ~Almonds and a Grande Vanilla Skinny Latte on ice
Dinner ~ TBD
Exercise ~ TBD

A.L.O.E. 08.26.12

What a great weekend.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect.  There was time with both friends and family and some nice relaxing time after the long hours of hard work put in around the house.  Tomorrow I go back to work and the next two days are going to be hairy.  Monday I have appointments out the ying-yang and Tuesday I go from Westchester County, NY in the morning to Atlantic City for a business dinner.  I guess I'll have to make time for the gym on Wednesday.  Now it's time for A Little Of Everything.

More Clothes Gone
I made another stop to offload some clothes at the donation box today.  It's rather cathartic to drop those shirts and pants in the chute.  If nothing else, they could make a lovely cover for someone's Volkswagen Beetle.  I'm about at 50% new wardrobe these days.  I still need to fill out the shirt selection in my closet, but I am pretty well covered in the pants area.  The Wife tells me my shirts' shoulders hang down to mid-bicep.  Maybe I should bust out some of those eighties shoulder pads the women wore?

Here's Looking At You, Kid
I caught a glimpse of myself in a store window yesterday.  If you are an avid reader of these pages, you may recall that in the past I was reviled by what I saw.  This time, though, I stopped and took a better look, instead of pretending what I saw wasn't me.  I was still a big man, sure.  But I was able to look upon myself with an objective eye and see some normalcy.  I am definitely shrinking my midsection and the side view doesn't appear to me like something that would draw someone's eye in curiosity.  I guess it won't be long before I can have a picture taken without a high level of angst.

On the Money
In the kitchen, I never measure much of anything unless I am baking.  I also take the "suggested serving" size on any package with a grain of salt, as they are more designed to make the product look less fattening than provide a reasonable portion for anyone over the age of twelve.  That being said, I decided the other day to measure out how much cereal I was eating.  Because I also add fruit and nuts, I was curious if I was downing a lot more calories than I thought for the previous 28 weeks.  It's good to have checks and balances every so often.  I was happy to see that the portions of cereal I have been shoveling in most mornings was actually what the good folks at General Mills deem a serving size.  If you care, I generally take in around 400 calories in the morning.

Cya tomorrow for Weigh-in 29,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ 2 eggs scrambled and a few slices of leftover steak
Lunch ~ Leftover Dijon rosemary chicken and wholegrain pasta and four bean salad
Snack ~ 2 or 3 pretzels
Dinner ~ Grilled salmon, couscous and grilled veggies
Dessert ~ I indulged in a spoonful of leftover trifle from the party on Friday and had a decaf w/fat free 1/2 & 1/2
Exercise ~ I was a total couch potato today, except doing the grocery shopping.  In short: no exercise.

Good Times

What a great time with my college friends last night.  I'm getting better at managing things when entertaining and being able to spend quality time with my guests and still provide a fun evening with good food.  There were old stories, new insights into our lives and tons of laughter to remind me why I drew close to these individuals so many years ago.

The food seemed to hit the mark.  Once everyone hit the buffet table, a hush came over the small crowd while people enjoyed their plates.  The hummus and the chicken seemed to be the standouts of the evening.  Not everyone tried the watermelon salad, but one review was "This is bangin!"  

I have to go out and take inventory of all the beer left behind, but I am sure I'm fully stocked until the next gathering.  Other than that, we're pretty much cleaned up and I am left with a very clean house and well manicured backyard in which to relax.

As for my food intake, I enjoyed two beers and a scotch by the fire pit.  I sampled everything there was to offer and didn't over do it too much.  I'm pretty sure that the fifteen, or so, hours I put in preparing the festivities burned considerable calories.  I'm thinking the worst case scenario is a draw in burned versus consumed.  We'll see what shakes out on Monday.

Cya,
M

What I ate Friday and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ 1 Egg McMuffin and a decaf 
Lunch ~ A chicken sandwich on a multi-grain roll w/buffalo sauce and cucumber
Dinner ~ hummus w/pretzels/carrots and multi-grain chips, watermelon salad, whole grain pasta and bean salad, Dijon rosemary chicken, steak, green salad and the above mentioned beverages.  Oh.  And I tasted Diane's delicious trifle.  About a quarter cup's worth.
Exercise ~ 7 hours of prep work for the party, both in the kitchen and outside 

Food Thursday: 08.23.12

To say that I am tired right now would be an understatement.  Tomorrow I will be hosting about a dozen college friends, some of which I haven't seen in over twenty five years.  As you know, entertaining is something I love to do, yet it is a quite a chore.  Today I got the backyard in shape.  That meant trimming bushes, lugging and throwing down over twenty 56 lb. bags of mulch, giving the grill a thorough cleaning inside and out, cleaned off the patio, swept up and mowed the lawn.  Today is supposed to be about the food though.  Let's get to it, now that the backyard looks fabulous.

This may all sound familiar.  I know and I am sorry.  The fatigue is keeping me from getting too creative here tonight.  I'll use this space as my checklist for the menu tomorrow night.  I've served all these dishes before, but my audience is new and I hope they like the healthy spin I put on the food I find delicious.  Here is the menu for the party.  I have yet to start any of this  Friday is going to be another marathon.

Appetizers
crudites and homemade red pepper hummus
watermelon and pesto salad w/fat free feta
home brewed decaf mint iced tea

Dinner
skirt steak
grilled chicken thighs w/Dijon and rosemary
four bean and whole grain pasta salad
green tossed salad w/balsamic and basil dressing

I hope everyone enjoys the meal and doesn't see it as diet food. Thanks for letting me thinly disguise my 'to do' list as a blog post.

Cya next time,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Kashi Go Lean cereal w/fresh blueberries, banana, toasted pecans and almond milk
Lunch ~ A fried egg and lean ham sandwich on a whole grain pita and some leftover spinach and cannelini beans
Afternoon snack ~ one pluot
Dinner ~ 6oz. of  steak, some pickles, brown rice and a well deserved pint of black and tan
Exercise ~ 8 hours in the yard and sun has me covered for a few days

W.I.M.H.W: 08.22.12

It's quiet and I am alone with my thoughts.  Pity to waste such a golden opportunity to dash off witticisms and insights as to the life of the Incredible Shrinking Man, but I'm sitting here looking at the puppies going "Quick.  Give me some blog material!"  Little buggers are all closed mouthed for a change.  Very well then.  Let's see what I can come up with on my own.

Another One Bites the Dust
What bit the dust?  An item from my Dream Bigger list bit the dust!  Yay me!  I rolled out to the local Walmart in search of a patio umbrella.  Here it is the middle of August and they tell me it's out of season.  But if you want a Halloween costume, it's in aisle #5.  Should I come back in two weeks for my Christmas decorations?  Being the good planet friendly bloke I am, I strolled over to the Men's section as to not waste the gas.  I managed to walk out with two very nice shirts ($18 each) and a 4-pack of underwear (dashing boxer briefs in gray and black for the curious).  Last week I also picked up a moisture wicking workout shirt.  So, there is now a check mark next to the line that says: "Buy clothes off the rack at stores like Target and Walmart."

Who Are You When I'm Not Lookin'?
The above is the title line from a decent song by Blake Shelton and it kind of applies to we closet eaters.  I used to be one and there are still pangs of it from time to time.  In the car mostly, but I would be MUCH more inclined to indulge anytime judgmental eyes weren't prying.  I saw a post on Facebook today that made me remember those days.  It said: "What you eat in private, you wear in public."  I wish I would have written that line, because it is so on the mark with my former life.  Much of the weight I've shed was put on in private moments when I thought no one could see.  Why doesn't that occur to you when you are ordering a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (hold the ketchup and add Mac Sauce) and fries which will be there for the world to stare at, long after the greasy bag of garbage is stealthily disposed of.  Keep this in mind next time you want to 'treat' yourself saying, "Who'll know?"

Your Face Was Huge!
The Wife told me last night that she sees an amazing difference in my face.  She was zipping through some old photos on the PC and noticed how different I look now.  "I can actually see cheek bones now and your face is sooo much thinner.  I never really noticed it before, but your face was HUGE!"  It's nice to have a more normal face these days I suppose.  Anyone else might be hurt by the observation, but I know that a little less than four years ago, she married that huge-faced guy.  I wonder if she will notice how gray I've gotten, too.  Shhhhh...

Cya,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Kashi Go Lean Crisp cereal w/toasted pecans, fresh blueberries, banana and almond milk
Lunch ~ Tuna salad on whole grain Italian bread
Snack ~ I polished off the last crumbs of tortilla chips from the poker night.  My best guess is they were around 120 calories worth of junk food.  Not good, but I won't lose sleep over it.
Dinner ~ Chickpea and Watercress soup with a small filet of pan seared tilapia
Exercise ~ I am going to try to get on the treadmill before bed.  I know, Yoda, there is no try, only do.

Check the Ego At the Door

When a decision was made to take the plunge and go the gym, I was determined that I would always check my ego at the door each time I worked out.  It's not an easy thing for me to do.  There are years of self-consciousness to undo, or at least push down inside of me.

The last three weeks haven't been overwhelmingly anxiety-ridden where workouts are concerned.  Although, the first day was a little stressful.  I had on some cotton gym shorts and a golf shirt.  Nothing fancy, but I was comfortable.  I was told to do some warm-ups, the first of which was to jog down about forty feet, while pumping my knees toward my chest.  Not much of a problem.  Then I had to jog down while kicking myself in the  butt with my heels.  Problem.  Oh my God!  Did you hear that?  No.  It wasn't a sonic boom from Mike running lightning fast.  It was his backfat and gut slapping against his ample frame.  There was an echoing around that open space reminiscent of a fourth of July fireworks finale.  It was then I realized this ego thing would be much harder than I expected.  Mortified, I sought out an immediate solution before my next session.  

I obtained some more appropriate undergarments to hold everything in place.  That purchase was a pride swallowing exercise, in and of itself.  But the objective was met and everything would be secured and silenced for the next session.  After all, fitness above dignity.

Fast forward twenty-one days to this week.  It's time to set my pride aside even more.  Until now, I was undergoing private workouts, albeit in the open gym, but the focus was on me.  My one-on-one fundamentals sessions are over and it's time to jump into the regular Crossfit classes.  These have a variety of people with a wide age range and levels of fitness.  I've seen women in their late fifties and guys in their twenties, all in one class.  Even with varying levels of fitness in these classes, I will clearly be the most hampered from doing the exercises in the same fashion as the others.  I will be tasked with scaled down versions for most of the maneuvers.  

The plan is to attend two classes per week from here on.  I suspect that each time I cross the threshold, there will be less baggage to leave on the outside.  I'll become more proficient and fit with every visit...or at least that is the plan.  I have to admit though, this Thursday, I'll be a little...no...a lot stressed about how I will appear to the others.  Will I slow them down?  Will I be a distraction?  The instructors assure me I won't be.  At least I know one thing.  The thumping beat will be from the music on the P.A., not the percussive noises of M.A.  Talk about trying to look on the bright side.

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ One egg with salsa on a whole grain deli flat
Lunch ~ Tom Yum soup w/chicken and two maki rolls
Dinner ~ A lean ham and low fat provolone sandwich on whole grain Italian bread and sauteed spinach w/garlic and cannelini beans
Exercise ~ 20 minutes of dog walking

Weigh-in: Week 28

It's been an interesting August.  Over the course of the first three weeks I lost a net total of only one pound.  I was starting to get down on myself a bit.  I try to tell myself that I know the right path and to stay with it.  So I soldiered on and, aside from a few allowances I made for myself this week, I did what I know to be right.  


Patience is the name of the game when you are changing your lifestyle attempting to lose a large amount of weight slowly.  This week, my patience has paid off.  As you see to the right, I now weigh 292.6 lbs.  That is a weekly reduction of a whopping 4.6 lbs.  I'd take a bow, but I am whooped from my workout earlier this evening.  The body fat percentage has dropped another .8% to 46.6% and water percentage has risen to 38.3%.

My body feels good and now my head has been given the ego injection it was much in need of.  I look forward a good week.  And it's a short work week for me.  There will be a decent amount of work around the yard so that I can host a party on my patio this Friday.  I look forward to cooking tasty, yet healthy food for my old college friends.

Have a great week, folks.  I know I will.

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Kashi Go Lean Crisp cereal w/banana and almond milk
Lunch ~ Rotisserie chicken w/asparagus and brown rice
Snack ~ Decaf Mocha Lite Frappaccino and some almonds
Dinner ~ Whole grain pasta with marinara sauce and a side salad w/homemade basil vinaigrette
Exercise ~ 50 minutes of Crossfit

A.L.O.E. 08.19.12

I was just sitting on the couch with The Wife watching TV and realized I hadn't done tonight's post.  I guess there isn't much to say today, but I have a couple of things to jot down.  So tonight, it will be just A very Little Of Everything.



I ♥ NY

I had the great pleasure of visiting the new Yankee Stadium yesterday with my brother.  He is a Red Sox fan and I, a Yankees fan.  There's no accounting for taste, I know.  Unfortunately, the Yanks didn't come through for me, but what did come through was the city itself.  In New York City, all food items carry the caloric data right on the menu.  No matter how insignificant, there it is for all to see.  It was a very pleasant surprise.  I decided before arriving at the park that I was gong to enjoy the ballpark experience I recall, with a hot dog and a beer.  I was happy to see that a sixteen ounce Miller Genuine Draft is only 148 calories and the hot dog only 350.  So for what amounted to roughly the same intake I'd have for my regular lunch, I could deviate from my healthy path and indulge with just a little guilt.  The Cracker Jacks and peanuts were tempting, but having those numbers stare you in the face along with the $5.75 price, made it easy to just enjoy the great weather and very cool day with my bro.  For the record, Cracker Jacks were 420 calories and the peanuts blew me away with 1020.  Yikes!

Taking it in Stride
While in the Bronx yesterday, I did a decent amount of walking.  I used to dread these types of outings due to the fatigue brought on by the walking.  Yesterday, we parked about 4 blocks from the gate and I was able to stride quite purposefully and steadily the whole way to both the stadium and back to the car.  No panting, no discomfort.  Just a great feeling of well being and accomplishment.  I almost felt like I could have jogged.  Almost.  I am not there yet, but soon enough.

Cya for weigh-in on Monday,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ 2 eggs, roasted peppers and vegan mozz on a whole grain tortilla wrap
Lunch ~ Tuna salad on a whole grain pita
Snack ~ A handful of smoked almonds and an iced decaf
Dinner ~ Lemon orzo chicken soup and a half smoked turkey sandwich
Exercise ~ About an hour of yard work

Chips, Chips and Missteps

The aftermath of a six hour poker marathon surrounds me as I write.  Tables and chairs that need to be broken down, an army of beer bottles to be dispatched to the recycling bin and chips that need a safe home away from my mindless old habits.  It's not the poker chips that are at issue.  I handle them purposefully and with care.  It's tortilla chips that I have little control over.  Pretzels and Smokehouse Almonds should fear for their lives as well.

I've always enjoyed entertaining, and with Brother Bill coming up for a weekend, I planned a Texas Holdem tourney at the house.  Sixteen contestants would battle it out for the prize money.  For those who don't make their way to the top and fall to the wayside, they should be taken care of by their host until more action is available.  I was sure to provide some healthy choices for snacking, such as carrots and hummus, nuts and slightly less offensive whole grain chips.  I put thought into the dip by buying a lower fat version of the french onion my brother likes.  For those that feel they need something more, a bag of Tostitos and pretzels.  Of course guests bring their own crunchy morsels to add to the minefield.  

Since I didn't finish in the money in either of the two contests played out last night, I found myself with idle hands and an we know who's playground they are.  It's the devil on my shoulder's playground.  I found myself slipping into old bad habits by grabbing a few pretzels and dipping them into creamy onion dip.  I threw back a few tortilla chips and handfuls of salted smokey almonds.  I also talked myself into two of the beers that were calling to me from the cooler.  Alcohol always seems to grease the skids when backsliding into the caloric wasteland.  I probably downed around seven hundred, or more, empty calories with my thoughtless scavenging last evening.  The leftover treats need to be hidden away or given away before more damage is done.  I am not happy, nor proud, of my missteps perpetrated here on my home turf.  This is supposed to be my safest place.  Instead, I scattered temptation about and we'll find out Monday what the price paid will be.

Cya on Sunday,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ An Egg McMuffin on the road, w/a large decaf
Lunch ~ We ordered in at my business meeting.  I ordered broiled salmon over a lightly dressed arugula salad and ate 1/3 of a slice of veggie pizza
Dinner ~ Veggie lasagna
Snacks ~ All of the crap you see above
Exercise ~ none

Food Thursday: 08.16.12

Last week we spoke of painting your plate and how the best way to do that is with a variety of vegetables.  This week is a variation on that theme.  We are at the peak of the summer fruits and vegetables, so I want to encourage you to find out what your local seasonal harvest looks like.  Right now in Jersey, it's great corn, tomatoes of course, blueberries, zucchini, and a host of other great stuff.  If you live in the south, you are lucky to get fabulous peaches.

Most towns around my home have one day a week where they host a farmer's market.  It's in a parking lot somewhere and the farms come and set up tables, much like a flea market.   They offer up things that were picked fresh that day.  (Here's a tip. Try to eat corn the very day it is picked to ensure its optimum sweetness.)  If you go late enough in the day, many will offer discounts so they don't have to cart anything back to the farm.

Another great find at many farmer's markets is local honey.  Did you know that eating local honey can build your immunity to seasonal ailments like hay fever?  So pass on the bear shaped squeeze bottle and grab a jar from the local bees.

When picking tomatoes from market, look for heirloom varieties and go with colors you don't normally find.  Purples and yellows, etc.  The uglier the better.  We've gotten used to eating perfect red tomatoes and the truth is that they may look good, but are bland at best.  Pick a gnarly one, dude.

Find out which day your town or the town closest to you holds their market.  Plan a meal around what you expect to find.  For instance, tonight we ate a vegetable lasagna that featured local zucchini and cremini mushrooms.  There are staples that you will find universally, so you will be able to have a jumping off point.  Also, peruse all the tables and see what you can add to your plate.  Maybe a great salad with local lettuces, radishes and strawberries.  When it is fresh and local, you can be sure it will taste better.  It helps fuel your local economy and lessens your carbon footprint.  Everyone wins and you get healthier.

Cya Friday (maybe Saturday?),
M

What I ate and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Amy's breakfast burrito
Lunch ~ A riceless sushi roll w/veggies and shrimp, plus a tomato and cucumber salad
Dinner ~ Vegetable Lasagna
Exercise ~ 45 minutes of Crossfit ass kicking

W.I.M.H.W. 08.15.12

Just got back from having dinner with The Wife.  Too busy today to plan anything.  We had someone come and see our fabulous foster Fay (Snappy alliteration there, huh?), I ran to the tailor to have my five new pairs of pants hemmed, had a full day of work and we have one of Tab's longtime friends coming to live with us for a while, so there is  much to do.  It's a wonder I have time to do this, but I welcome the chance to sit and jot down a few things.  Let's see what's in my head this Wednesday, halfway through August.  Then it's time to vacuum.  Busy, busy, busy...

Back Back to Normal 
After the weekend's back issues, things seem to have gotten back to normal.  I feel really good actually.  I'm ready to return to Crossfit training on Thursday.  He is going to put me through some paces with Olympic style weight maneuvers.  My trainer is often so complimentary about how quickly I pick things up and correct little details.  He always tells me, as I exit, how well I am doing.  You have to wonder if it is part of his weight-side manner or if I am just that quick a study.  Either way I like it there.  I really do look forward to going back and pushing myself.  I'll be a little extra careful tomorrow, just to be sure I am not moving too quick after the back pain.

Walking
Time for a confession.  There are many times I write the blog with good intentions of walking between writing and bed.  Too often it doesn't happen.  Last night I had those good intentions.  They never came to pass.  I always want to be on the up-and-up with all of you, so know that I never am inclined to dupe anyone.  I'm ever the optimist. There have been number of times when I've already "gone to press" and my optimism got the best of me.  Don't think less of me.

Kevin
Kevin made a confession of his own to me last night.  He's a good friend and he reads this blog, so he gains even extra points.  He told me last night that he is secretly avoiding any interim pictures I post of myself, so that ''the next time we hugged, it was as big a reveal for me as possible..."  I think that is so cool!  Things like this spur me one and give me a boost.  I love that he gives it that much thought.  Does anyone else feel that way?  Should I not chronicle those little milestones with pictures?  If so, I can hold off posting anymore until much farther down the road.  Thanks for reading, Kev!

10,000
Congratulations to whichever reader is from Fort Meyers, Florida.  You were the 10,000th page view of this blog earlier today.  I do have some code embedded in these pages that tell me where readers come from, which is how I provide some of the factoids I throw out here and there.  It's so mind boggling to me that there have been that many pageloads in the these six months.  I know some bloggers get that in a day, but they are famous to some extent.  It's just 'not-so-little ole me' and I am humbled by the traffic we get here.  You may get tired of hearing it, but thanks to all who take the time to check in on me.  You rock!

Cya Thursday (perhaps Friday morning),
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Multi Bran Chex cereal w/fresh fruit, toasted pecans and almond milk
Lunch ~ Whole grain pasta w/marinara and a bit of chicken
Dinner ~ Chicken w/artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and roasted peppers in a balsamic glaze, plus a lightly dressed side salad.  Oh...and a couple pieces of bread.
Exercise ~ Probably none.  If I am better than that, I'll crow about it tomorrow.

Is it Hard?

Alright, so I am not above a double entendre as an enticement to read my stuff.  But your head was in the gutter, too.  Actually, I hear the above quite often.  Only in a dietary context.  The conversation goes like this: "You are doing great!  I am so proud of you!  I love food like you do.  It has to be so hard!"  My reply is always the same. "The funny thing is, it hasn't been that hard at all."

I thought it might be when I was about to start.  I wondered silently to myself if this would be the time it stuck.  Could I make good decisions every day?  Could I do it long enough to change my habits?  What I found out was that a switch had gone off.  I made a binding agreement with myself that I deserved a better life and everything else was secondary.  Add to that a dash of self-respect to uphold that decision and each day became a no-brainer.

Being a lover of all things food immediately makes one wonder how you can lose such a large amount of weight and keep it off.  I haven't proven anything yet, because I still have 102 lbs. to go and then keep it off, but truth of the matter is that loving food is a tremendous asset.  

As long as I can remember, I have been thinking about my next meal the very second I put down the fork from the previous one.  Being equipped with the proper tools to prepare amazing food makes all the difference in the world.  I still look forward to every meal.  These days I look forward to them even more.  Before, too many meals meant tossing down unhealthy grub that I had little to do with creating.  Fast food and take out were the staples of my existence   Today, I take time to plan out most meals, get my creative juices flowing and add culinary flair to something that nourishes my body and lets me eat myself thin.  It satisfies me on two levels.  Sure it takes a lot more effort, but I'm worth it.

It usually takes much more time to do things right, but in my mind that is where we have gone wrong as a society.  Our hunger for immediacy has taken over our hunger for good food and we've learned to settle.  We choose convenience over our well-being.  America is growing more and more obese as a result.

There will always be temptations and challenges.  The hardest part of the process is making that initial decision for permanent change.  After that, it's not hard at all.  It's just your way of life.

Cya tomorrow,

M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Multi Bran Chex cereal w/fresh fruit and almond milk

Lunch ~ A Chipotle Garden Burger on a whole grain sandwich thin w/avocado and lite chipotle mayo

Dinner ~ Rotisserie chicken breast w/a large side salad of mixed greens, carrots, avocado, sunflower seeds and homemade chipotle lime dressing

Exercise ~ I am going to get on the treadmill for 20-30 minutes before bed

Weigh-in: Week 27

Howdydoodly, neighbors!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  The weather here on right coast was milder than previous weeks and it was quite tolerable.  Due to back issues, I didn't get to any of the yard work I had slated, but it will wait for me next until weekend.  Did anyone hear any screaming today around 8:30AM Eastern?  No you didn't!  That's because the scale moved in the right direction.

A small amount of progress posted today, but enough for my frustration levels to be kept at bay.  There was a 1 lb. loss, bringing me down to 297.2.   That's a total of 66.2 lbs. for those keeping score.  Body fat was down to 47.4% and water also fell to 37.2%.  That number is supposed to go up and I have been drinking a ton of water.  Okay.  Not a ton...maybe half a ton.  Not sure why the dip.

 I'll do my best to weather temptation this week.  I have two business lunches, a poker night that I am hosting and a trip to Yankee Stadium to see the Yanks and Sox battle it out on Saturday.  I was hoping to enjoy a dog and a beer, but I'm ambivalent about that now, having only shown a single pound reduction over three weeks.  We'll see what the week brings. 

Cya Tuesday,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Amy's Breakfast Burrito
Lunch ~ A cup of pasta fagioli and broiled tilapia and shrimp with veggies and balsamic glaze, plus a bit of Italian bread

Dinner ~ What you see here is a stir-fry of asparagus,. mushrooms and tempeh over brown rice.  I'm not a huge tempeh fan, but this wasn't half bad.  What's tempeh?  Click >HERE<.
Exercise ~ A 25 minute dog walk after dinner.

A.L.O.E. 08.12.12

It's a quiet Sunday night and the house is empty, except the three pups strewn around my feet.  It's time to jot down a few thoughts about my observations and thoughts on this whole weight loss process.  It's what we call A.L.O.E....A Little Of Everything.


Back Out
It's been a while since it's happened. It didn't happen during exercise.  It didn't happen lugging anything heavy.  My back had an explosion of pain while I was putting a dog's bowl into the sink.  Really?  I've had this happen from doing too much yard work and once even bending over clearing the paper out of a copier jam.  When I woke up this morning I felt much better.  That was until I flipped on the light in the kitchen to feed the dogs.  BAM!  Same spot, same pain.  I think the dogs are conspiring to get me down on the floor to their level.  This morning's pain drove me down on one knee.  Damn sneaky dogs.

Guest Blog Spot
I've been offered a guest writing opportunity on a blog called Balanced Peanut.  It's written by a woman who lives a balanced and healthy lifestyle and would like to share her story with others.  She puts up recipes, tells of her healthy eating regimen and posts recipes.  Sound familiar?  We're a good fit to cross-promote our  sites.  Please support Erin in her blog and look for my story on her pages some time soon.  It's a honor to be asked and I hope she will grace these pages as well.  Go to balancedpeanut.com to see what she is about.

Stalled and Frustrated
Last Monday, when I posted a slight gain, it really didn't bother me.  I'm all about honesty here, so I will be perfectly honest in telling you that if the scale doesn't move tomorrow morning, I'm going to be one unhappy camper.  I know perfectly well that the body will do what it wants when it wants.  My dietary path has been steady and true these past few weeks since I passed the 300-lb. mark.  I am hoping with all my being that the scale gods don't F with me in the morning.  I guess you will all find out tomorrow night. Unless, of course, it doesn't go well and in that case, if you live within a five mile radius of my house, you may hear my screaming around 8:30AM.

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Kashi Go Lean Crisp w/banana and almond milk
Lunch ~ Onion soup and 1/2 a veggie sandwich
Snack ~ carrots and hummus
Dinner ~ "Kitchen Sink" Spaghetti: a bunch of leftovers made into a pasta dish, like grilled eggplant, garlic cauliflower, rotisserie chicken mixed into jarred marinara over whole grain thin spaghetti.  Tasty!

Advancing Dignity or Time of Death?

I got a message from a reader the other day and it really made think about where my head was at just mere months ago.  There was a time when some of the causes of the organization written of below rang true.  While I sympathize with their plight, I'm not sure they are doing anything to dig themselves out of the hole they've eaten themselves into.  Thanks, Sheila, for your note and for thinking my efforts.

Sheila writes:
Hey Mike, I encountered something that made me think...and I'm curious what your take on it is.

As I was checking into the Westin SFO, I noticed that the pool was closed for a private event (a NAAFA party, the sign said), but didn't think much of it. Then I saw two particularly overweight women. Also didn't think much of it. Then another very overweight woman in a scooter approached the elevator as my partner and I were getting in. Then, in the hallway as I was going to my room, I walked past a very tall but very overweight man. It occurred to me that these people might all be at the hotel for the same convention, so I googled NAAFA, and it turns out that it's the National Association to Advance Fat People. Their website states, "Founded in 1969, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) is a non-profit civil rights organization dedicated to ending size discrimination in all of its forms. NAAFA's goal is to help build a society in which people of every size are accepted with dignity and equality in all aspects of life. NAAFA will pursue this goal through advocacy, public education, and support."

My instinct is to feel sad that people would fight to embrace their "fatness" rather than support each other in leading a healthy lifestyle. I know that people come in all shapes and sizes, and to some degree there is no changing the shape you're born to have, but I also think that (after seeing the size of the people at the convention) the NAAFA members are leading each other to an early grave.

Being that you're someone who's fighting every day to live a healthy and active life, I'm really curious as to what your thoughts on this subject are.

My response to Sheila was of mixed emotions.  While I empathize with the obese that they deserve their dignity and some of the issues these folks are fighting for are real, I wonder how many of these fat people are doing something to change their situation.  Do I want society to see fat people seen as capable and treated with kindness and dignity?  Of course.  But in reading their website, they are couching themselves as victims of this affliction.  Even at my heaviest, I took responsibility for everything that passed my lips.  Once you fail to understand that the overwhelming majority of obesity is brought upon by personal choice, for me, the rest of your message falls upon deaf ears.

I've been subject to misconceptions as to my value and abilities as a fat person.  Yes, there were shreds of resentment towards those who judged me, but my first thought was always in changing my situation, not their perceptions.  My impression of the NAAFA is also sad one, Sheila.  Since 1969 they have been trying to advance the rights of the obese and the only thing that has advanced is obesity.  I only wish that as part of their educational efforts, a healthier lifestyle would be covered.

The NAAFA advocates a HAES policy.  That stands for Health at Every Size.  They want healthcare organizations to adopt patient's rights policies that promote self-esteem, and "valuing body size diversity."  These all sound like great things, but calling it Health at Every Size is a misnomer.  Every size is not healthy.  Obesity is the enemy.  Prejudice is ugly, yes.  Funerals for people committing suicide by food are uglier.

Be nice to fat people.  Respect them and know that they are not failed human beings.  They can be as capable as you, as smart as you and they have feelings like everyone else on this planet.  I am guilty of these prejudices on some level myself.  If the world just treated everyone with respect, then groups like the NAAFA wouldn't have to exist.  They could spend their time trying to love themselves before insisting the world love them too.  The latter needs the former to coexist.

Cya Sunday,
M

What I ate Friday and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Kashi Go Lean Crisp cereal w/toasted pecans and almond milk
Lunch ~ A sliced rotisserie chicken sandwich w/avocado and lite chipotle mayo
Snack ~ 1.5 oz. of beef jerky
Dinner ~ 1/2 a smoked turkey sandwich and lemon chicken orzo soup.
Exercise ~ Crossfit session and a 20 minute dog walk.  I went to bed very early as a result.

To learn more about the NAAFA, visit http://www.naafaonline.com.

Food Thursday: 08.09.12

I haven't restated this in a number of weeks and it seemed I always used to include this principle in the opening paragraph:  If you want to lose weight, stay healthy and change your life, you should eat as many meals as possible at home by cooking them yourself.  I know that isn't always possible and not everyone likes to cook, but it gives you such a leg up toward success that you should make every attempt at preparing your own healthy cuisine.

The original idea for today's post was to be a recipe, but as it often does, life got in the way and I had a backup plan.  The notion was derived from a conversation with my Aunt K the other night.  She was staying with us for a few days, living the high-life at Chez Accadentardi (The Wife's last name is Dente, mine Accardi) and she and Tab were sitting down to a dinner of pasta and red sauce.  I had just gotten home from the gym and was going to tuck into my leftover steak and some arugula salad.  The greens were dotted with tomatoes and some of my pickled carrot sticks.  It was quite a pretty plate.  If I wasn't so debilitated from my workout, I would've gotten up and retrieved my phone to pictorially freeze it in time before I devoured the creation.  When I sat down at the table, she remarked how colorful my plate was and looked so much more diverse than hers.  It got me thinking, here's a concept I need to blog about.  Let's call it "Plate Painting".

We should all be getting more fruits and vegetables in our dietary regimen.  I know of few, if any, people that get enough.  One easy and fun way to be sure you are getting a nutritionally diverse meal is to use various colors when designing your plate.  The very compounds in food that give it color are also ones that give them unique nutrients to fuel you.  Beta-carotene from carrots and sweet potatoes aid in ocular health.  Tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon provide lycopene which is beneficial to for lungs, your prostate and stomach.  And green veggies like broccoli, spinach and kale are great sources of vitamins A, C and calcium* .  Speaking of C, toss some red on your plate in the form of red bell pepper.  It has more vitamin C than an orange.  Purplish or reddish veggies like eggplant and radishes have anthocyanins that fight cancer and heart disease.  You don't need to know the particulars if you simply let the colors wash over your plate.  The rest takes care of itself.

So when feeding yourself and your family, paint your plate with color and pizzazz.  It makes the experience more visually appealing, fun and nutritious, not to mention tasty.  Expand your palate.  Also expand your palette.  Your color palette, that is.  As I always say, "Go on!  Play with your food!"

Cya later,
Mike

What I ate and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Fresh fruit salad of pink grapefruit, banana and blueberries.  Very colorful!
Lunch ~ Client lunch in Mexican restaurant.  Challenging at best.  I had a seafood ceviche and chicken with a green mole, with re-fried beans.  Anything but colorful.
Dinner ~ Rotisserie chicken w/roasted portobello mushrooms and eggplant
Evening out ~ 1 SoCo rocks w/a lime
Exercise ~ none  

*Although rich in calcium, spinach's is less available due to high levels of oxolate.  Look it up for details :)

WIMHW 08.08.12

What's In My Head this Wednesday?  Ohhhh, plenty I suppose.  It's the time of week when I start thinking about the weekend and everything I have to get accomplished before close of business on Friday.  Conference calls, customer visits, a customer lunch and day-to-day stuff that keeps me pretty occupied.  Yet I still have time to think about food and my eating.  I guess that will never change.

Working Out is Working Out Fine
I had session #3 with the trainer last night.  Ryan is very encouraging and I greatly appreciate that.  I never feel inadequate, despite the fit and slim that surrounded me.  He pushes me to the point that I can't do much more, but is mindful not to press so hard that I will do damage.  I never thought that using little or no weights could get the muscles so engaged.  My right thigh was screaming when I got home last night from squats with a 10 lb. medicine ball, but in a good way.  Today I recovered pretty well.  I was expecting a lot more muscle ache.  So far, so good.  I'm digging the Crossfit.

Thanks Marcelle!
One of my readers suggested that I try Ebay for some new or gently used clothes.  I did just that.  I managed to pick up 5 pairs of pants for around $85, including shipping.  It will probably cost me another $25 for alterations, but I won't complain about that.  At around $22 a pair, who would?  Thanks for the tip, Marcelle!

Reading On Food
Since I got a Kindle Fire a month or two ago, I have been scanning various sources for articles, all regarding food, fitness and weight-loss.  I also subscribed to a trial membership of Bon Apetit Magazine.  Aside from being extremely well laid out and having stunning images, I was taken by the fact that Bon Apetit has plenty of articles and recipes that fit my lifestyle or can be easily adapted to do so.  It's comforting that the idea of good food not having to be rich, fat-laden, highbrow cuisine, but healthy, seasonal and simple fare is going more mainstream.  I encourage all of you who enjoy cooking to look to all sources for inspiration.  You will be surprised at what you find.  Right now I see much of what is in print dedicated to summer vegetables and fruit.  I will be reporting on a few of the finds which I plan to make, like watermelon gazpacho and corn soup.

Cya Tomorrow,
M

What I ate and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ 1 egg and chicken sausage on whole grain bread
Lunch ~ Sweet potato falafel on 1/2 a whole grain pita w/silken tofu tsasiki sauce.  I'll post the recipe sometime soon.
Snack ~ About 1 oz. of beef jerky
Dinner ~ TBD
Exercise ~ It's a nice night.  I think I will take foster dog Fay for a walk. 

Six Month Anniversary

Welcome to the TDT195 six-month anniversary factapalooza!  Today we celebrate 182 days of dietary sobriety on the road to wellness.  I'll bathe you in factoids and minutiae regarding both my weight loss and the blog itself.  Today, no funny or sad stories and nothing educational.  If you are like me, then you find this stuff interesting.  If not, then that's fine.  I am sure the personal nature of this writing gives it a few extra points on the fascination scale.

Weight Loss Related Tidbits

• As of yesterday, the actual 6-month mark, I have lost a total of 65.2 lbs. or an average of 2.5 lbs. per week or 5.76 oz. per day.
• At the current rate of weight-loss I will hit my goal of 195 lbs. by May 22, 2013.
• If 1 lb. of fat  = 3500 calories (this is a universally accepted figure), then I have reduced my intake and burned through exercise 228,200 calories or 1,253.4 calories per day.
• I no longer am in need of my CPAP machine to ward off sleep apnea.  In fact, I seldom even snore any more.  On the rare occasion I do, one warning from The Wife is enough to fix it.
• My pants size on February 6 was 60 or 62 depending on the cut of the slack.  Today it is size 54.
• My shirt size on the start date was 5X and is now 3X.

Blog Related Statistics

• There have been 167 posts (not including this one) in 182 days.
• It takes, on average, 1 hour and 45 minutes to research, write and edit each entry.  That is a total of 292.25 hours or the equivalent of working a full-time job for 7.3 weeks.
• There have been 9,714 pageviews as of this writing from 10 countries or an average of 53.4 per day.
• The most read entry is still "My Wife Tried to Kill Me On Oct. 10, 2008" followed by "Weigh-in: Week 4".  What makes week 4 so bloody interesting is beyond me.  It has surpassed "Size Matters" for the #2 slot.
• There have been 25 recipes offered here and to the best of my knowledge, no one has died or even gotten ill as a result.
• There have been 35 items added to my "Dream Bigger" bucket list, of which, one has been partially achieved by not needing a seat belt extension on flights to both Minneapolis and Boise.
• There have been 168 comments left on these pages and I think that, perhaps, 40% of those were responses from this writer.  Thanks to all who have commented, complimented and encouraged.  It means the world to me.
• There has only been one comment I deemed to be negative and I did not delete it, nor will I ever delete a comment unless it is lewd or downright mean.
• 74% of readers are Windows users, 11% Mac and 8% read from their phone.  I find the phone readers stat the most humbling.  Thanks, all you dedicated smart-phone folks!

In the interest of brevity and not boring the bejeezus out of you, that's all I have for now.  Once again, I am beyond thankful for everyone's support during this undertaking.  I ask for one thing of you all.  I feel I am helping a small percentage of you out there by sharing my story and my methods.  I'd like to help even more people.  If you feel you know someone that could either benefit from or, perhaps, just plain enjoy reading this blog, please share it with them or maybe share the link on your Facebook page. 

Cya next time,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Generic Grape Nuts cereal w/fresh blueberries, bananas and almond milk
Lunch ~ Leftover whole wheat linguine in a light seafood broth
Mid-afternoon ~ Grande Iced Decaf Vanilla Skinny Latte and some glazed almonds
Dinner ~ 3 oz. of porcini crusted skirt steak, an arugula salad w/chipotle lime dressing and a slice of whole grain bread to sop up the goodness
Exercise ~ Session #3 of Crossfit training KICKED MY ASS.  I am going to feel it tomorrow I am sure.

Weigh-in: Week 26

Welcome to the 26th Weigh-in Results Show.  That means that today marks the six month anniversary of TDT195.  If you come back tomorrow I will bathe you in facts, statistics and perspective on the first six months of my new lifestyle and the blog.  For today it's all about the scale though.


A somewhat infrequent occurrence this week.  I saw a slight gain.  0.2 pounds of gain in all.  I look at this as no change.  This is the third or fourth time our history that this has played out to negative progress on scale day.  Truth be told the first step on the scale read 297.2, but I always look to get a reading verified twice before I post it.  298.2 withstood that scrutiny.  Bummer.  Bottom line: I am around the same as last week.  I'm not thrilled, but not concerned in the slightest.  I know where I could have done better and it's easily correctable.  Total loss to date is 65.2 lbs.  The scale will move in the right direction next Monday.  Body fat percentage and water percentage remained unchanged.

Cya Tuesday for the 6 Month Extravaganza,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ 1 egg with diced chicken andouille and tomato on whole grain bread
Lunch ~ Sliced roasted turkey, tomato, arugula and lite mayo on whole grain bread w/a large serving of gazpacho
Dinner ~ TBD, but likely some Tom Yum soup and lite Chinese food w/brown rice
Exercise ~ I am going to get in 20 minutes or more on the treadmill if it kills me