Work
Personal
Bills
House
As for the diet, I lost 3.5 pounds in week 6 for a total of 22.5 overall. That's an average of 3.75 a week even with no weight loss at all in week 5. I am going to have more blood work done tomorrow with a follow up at the doctor's on Friday. My blood pressure is perfect and I am hoping my numbers show I can stop taking one or both prescription medicines. It is still possible for me to have made my weight loss goal before coming home to Maine if I average 3.56 lb/week from now until then.
]]>
I am probably going to resume freelancing for the next 3 to 4 months. I would like to make Xmas extra special for the girls this year.
I really didn't exercise much to speak of last week and yet I still lost 6 pounds for a total of 19 so far. I will need to switch to another set of clothes and belt soon. See you again next week.
]]>
I only lost 3 pounds in the third week of my diet. Total weight loss over the 3 weeks - 13 pounds. I am feeling good so I will probably start adding push/sit ups to the mix. I continue to have dreams about eating things that I am not supposed to - it is amazing how real those dreams can be. I don't go to have my blood work done until the end of the month so I have a few more weeks to improve. If I maintain an average of 3.45 lb / week from now until we go up to Maine, I will have met my weight loss goal and can actually have a treat or two.
About the only thing to note is the dramatic switch in Alyssa from being very clingy to Jean and I to being miss independent. "Big kid now" has become her new catch phrase and she is doing more and more on her own. She sleeps most of the night in her own bed and refused to let Jean ride one of the rides with her. She is getting better with her speech but we still may need to send her to speech therapy in 6 months or so if her ability to pronounce doesn't get better (my completely lay assessment).
]]>
The weekend was mostly about catching up on sleep. This worked out well with Jean's new found freedom of a driver's license. She took the girls out several times while I stayed home and rested. On Saturday, we went over to my coworker Sal's house warming party. There were other kids there and both Jasmine and Alyssa had a great time playing and interacting. I was supposed to play poker Saturday night but the online purchase I made for Sal's housewarming resulted in my ATM card being compromised. I ended up going back to Sal's instead but only stayed until 9PM - no fun watching other people drink and have a good time.
Sunday we spent some time at the mall. I picked up a new book and some running sneakers. I am not sure what Jean and the girls did - I was too wiped.
Finally there are some good shows coming back on TV.
I will post weekly updates as to my current weight and how the project is going (what exercise I am doing and if I have changed my diet). Since it has come up a number of times, I will explain the secret to my ability to lose weight any time I want. I decrease my caloric intake and increase my caloric expenditure until I have lost the desired weight. I have a very strong mind. It is possible for me to eat the exact same meal every single day without variation for 6 months or longer to reach my objective. I am completely uncomprimising. That means no drinking beer with the guys or allowing myself even one "dining out with the family after church". It is simpler to me that way than it is to figure out how many carbs are in something or how many points a hamburger is or how much extra exercise I need to do in order to be able to eat that apple pie. I break it down to the most simple math possible - 3500 calories = 1 pound. You burn 3500 more calories than your body takes in - you lose a pound. You take in 3500 more calories than you burn - you gain a pound.
The only variation comes after weight has been lost and exercise becomes easier. I start out with a significant drop in the number of calories I take but only increase my exercise by a neglible amount. You might think it would be smarter to dramatically increase your exercise and start out by only cutting out sweets and snacks since my approach sounds very similar to crash dieting. I would agree with you except that it takes a while to get into shape AND exercise increases your appetite. As the amount of exercise is able to increase - so does the caloric intake so that the overall average weight loss remains relatively the same.
Any how - It has been more than 5 years since I have used this process so it will be interesting to see how age affects it :-)
]]>
There were no citations given and again I am fine - I just can't help but thinking of the other driver.
]]>My triglycerides were now at the normal range as was my bad cholesterol. My good cholesterol is still 1 point under the low threshold but that was not as concerning because previously all 3 of those numbers were in the wrong direction. My vitamin D is still 5 points below what is considered the bare minimum to be considered healthy and yet this was good news - because it had actually doubled in the last 6 weeks. That's right folks, my previous levels was 13 and now it is 26. I have increased my dosage of OTC supplements and will hopefull join the land of the living some time soon.
On the way back, I stopped and got my vehicle emission testing done. In Maryland, we don't have normal inspections - just emission testing every 2 years. I got the notice two months ago but I was still late and was supposed to pay a $14 late fee. It turns out that their computers were down so no late fee and I passed - woot.
I then stopped at home to get a CD for my sister and headed out to mail it along with Xmas gifts for my niece. Yes, it is August and Xmas was over 8 months ago. No one can tell me that I don't eventually get things done. This was also a huge relief because while it is not uncommon for things to sit on my todo list for long periods of time, this was my family.
Prior to mailing it though I dropped off my prescription for Crestor (the cholesterol medication I had been using on a trial basis) and to get my oil changed. I blogged about needing to get my oil changed a few months ago - it was long overdue then. Well, I finally did it - after 10 months. It was due this past January. Amazingly, I only drove 6K miles in that 10 months.
Short afternoon at work and I was home for the weekend. Jean and I watched the movie Push on Friday night and I started reading Speaker For The Dead (a sci-fi book which was a follow up to Ender's Game). On Saturday I finished the book and we went to Allen Pond park which was great fun for the girls. Saturday night Jean and I watched Knowing and I started the 3rd book Xenocide. On Sunday we went out to eat at Olive Garden - the girls both had Mac-N-Cheese and then home to lounge and play. Our intention was to get up and go to Church since it has been a long time since we have gone but just as Jean was finishing up getting herself and the girls ready - it started pouring and thundering. I got about 3/4s of the way through the 3rd book and stopped so we could watch Big Brother and Merlin.
Then I went to bed and that was the end of the weekend.
Until next time.....
]]>
On Saturday, we went over to our neighbor's for a post-poned 4th of July party (it was also a bday party for Terpie - one of the neighborhood Corgies). A good time was had by all and it was a bit after 8 when we packed up and headed home. Jasmine and Alyssa started watching Bolt before going to bed. Jean and I began watching War, Inc. but she was sleepy so I ended up watching it alone. It was ok but not really good.
I wanted to relax and not do anything on Sunday in preparation for the work week. Jean wanted to go to the mall so we drove over to the Columbia mall - they went shopping and to the play area and I went to see Harry Potter 6. It wasn't a great movie. It didn't seem to me that there was nearly enough impending doom. It starts out great that way and there is the attack at the Weasley's at Xmas in the middle but that's about it. Anyway - whatever, I didn't really care for the last 2 books either. I personally thought Rowling's editors weren't doing their job. After the movie we headed home. Jasmine and I curled up on the couch to watch Bolt and after she went to bed Jean and I watched Merlin and Big Brother. Alyssa, who is normally up late because she takes a nap during the day was out by 8 because she didn't take one today.
I read a little while before bed and was asleep before midnight. And now begins another week.