I'm off to NY, leaving right after I post this. I got myself a couple of good audio books, one is called "What are you hungry for?" It's supposed to explore the real reasons behind what you eat. I promise when I get back from my trip (Wednesday) I'll write a review.
Stay Strong!
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Day #146 - Say it Isn't So!
When my eyes popped open first thing this morning I knew... I forgot to post yesterday! For 144 days I posted at least something, it wasn't much sometimes, but always something. What's strange is that I really simply forgot. It wasn't like I had an incredibly busy day, I just forgot. I got home late from work and then we watched a show with the kids and I ended up going to bed early because I was tired.
It's kind of a pointer at where I've been lately with my mindset. I'm not doing bad with eating, but at the same time, healthy eating isn't really on my mind like it was just a month or two ago. I've been doing a lot of deep thinking, but it's not about health, it's more about me and my life.
I'm not going to get too worked up over this, it was bound to happen. I'll be traveling next week and my schedule will be very hectic. There might be future days when I simply can't post.
On the bright side, I got on the scale this morning and saw that I lost 1.5 pounds for the week. As I said, I'm not doing bad, I'm just not dieting like I usually do. Come to think of it, maybe this is how it should be. Maybe I just need to be better than I was and make slow changes over time to get where I want.
As I said, I'll be traveling to NY tomorrow and won't be back home until Wednesday. It's a 6 hour drive each way so I was thinking about downloading an e-book or two for the ride. Maybe something about health and happiness.
One last note, I got a phone interview next week with the facility in Wilmington NC. It's a big promotion opportunity and an absolutely great place to move to. I don't think I have a great chance; it's a pretty big step to a different division, but even if it doesn't go well I'm still happy where I am. We'll see how it goes.
146 Days in the books, on to 147.
Stay Strong!
It's kind of a pointer at where I've been lately with my mindset. I'm not doing bad with eating, but at the same time, healthy eating isn't really on my mind like it was just a month or two ago. I've been doing a lot of deep thinking, but it's not about health, it's more about me and my life.
I'm not going to get too worked up over this, it was bound to happen. I'll be traveling next week and my schedule will be very hectic. There might be future days when I simply can't post.
On the bright side, I got on the scale this morning and saw that I lost 1.5 pounds for the week. As I said, I'm not doing bad, I'm just not dieting like I usually do. Come to think of it, maybe this is how it should be. Maybe I just need to be better than I was and make slow changes over time to get where I want.
As I said, I'll be traveling to NY tomorrow and won't be back home until Wednesday. It's a 6 hour drive each way so I was thinking about downloading an e-book or two for the ride. Maybe something about health and happiness.
One last note, I got a phone interview next week with the facility in Wilmington NC. It's a big promotion opportunity and an absolutely great place to move to. I don't think I have a great chance; it's a pretty big step to a different division, but even if it doesn't go well I'm still happy where I am. We'll see how it goes.
146 Days in the books, on to 147.
Stay Strong!
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Day #144 - Taking a Page From My Daughter's Book
My daughter has been playing recreational soccer since she was in pre-school. This year she decided to try out for the competitive travel team. This was her first time doing something that was not guaranteed success; only 12 players get selected. They had three sessions and she attended all of them. After her first session she was confident as they spent a lot of time demonstrating their footwork and shooting skills, two things that she does quite well.
The second practice was a different story. Most of the session was a scrimmage on an extremely small space. Most of the time was spent watching kids try to out-maneuver each other in very little space or defenders just kicking the ball as hard as possible because the opposite goal was only about 20 yards away. My daughter prefers to play position in open space and she tends to shy away from hard kicks so she struggled. After practice she had a meltdown because she thought that she wasn't going to make the team. I told her that she basically had two choices, she could shake off the bad practice and do her best in the last session, or she could just give up.
Session #3 went much better, and she even did well in some of her weaker areas. Tonight we got the call that she made the team!
I took her out to celebrate and made sure to point out that part of the reason why she made it is because she didn't give up. Funny how I can coach her to keep on fighting but it's a struggle to remind myself sometimes. I've been going at it for 144 days. I've struggled some; especially in the last 40 or so day, but I still haven't given up. I hope I can get to the end of this year and see the same success my daughter saw today.
Congrats Liz, I'm very proud of you!
Stay Strong!
The second practice was a different story. Most of the session was a scrimmage on an extremely small space. Most of the time was spent watching kids try to out-maneuver each other in very little space or defenders just kicking the ball as hard as possible because the opposite goal was only about 20 yards away. My daughter prefers to play position in open space and she tends to shy away from hard kicks so she struggled. After practice she had a meltdown because she thought that she wasn't going to make the team. I told her that she basically had two choices, she could shake off the bad practice and do her best in the last session, or she could just give up.
Session #3 went much better, and she even did well in some of her weaker areas. Tonight we got the call that she made the team!
I took her out to celebrate and made sure to point out that part of the reason why she made it is because she didn't give up. Funny how I can coach her to keep on fighting but it's a struggle to remind myself sometimes. I've been going at it for 144 days. I've struggled some; especially in the last 40 or so day, but I still haven't given up. I hope I can get to the end of this year and see the same success my daughter saw today.
Congrats Liz, I'm very proud of you!
Stay Strong!
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Day #143 - Crazy Schedule
Short post tonight, as it's already after 10PM. From work to soccer to a music concert, I wasn't home until 9PM and did not get dinner. I did eat a bagel when I got home; not the best choice, but not the worst either. I got my gallon of water in and stuck to my eating plan (except for the bagel). More tomorrow.
Stay Strong!
Stay Strong!
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Day #142 - Back to it After a Holiday
I was right back at it today after the Memorial holiday. I got my gallon of water in and stuck to my eating plan. At lunchtime I went for a 2 mile walk with a friend. It was super hot and humid today and so I was dripping with sweat by the time we got done. After that I managed to do something I rarely do... I turned down going out for lunch with my friend.
He didn't bring his lunch so he suggested we stop somewhere quick on the way back from our walk. I told him I would stop wherever he wanted but I was fine (I had a packed lunch waiting for me back at work). While he went in and got some food, I used the time to run my car AC and get some of the sweat off me; my shirt was soaked.
I did have a little extra at dinner, but given the rest of the day I think it was a pretty good one. #142 is in the books, on to #143.
Stay Strong!
He didn't bring his lunch so he suggested we stop somewhere quick on the way back from our walk. I told him I would stop wherever he wanted but I was fine (I had a packed lunch waiting for me back at work). While he went in and got some food, I used the time to run my car AC and get some of the sweat off me; my shirt was soaked.
I did have a little extra at dinner, but given the rest of the day I think it was a pretty good one. #142 is in the books, on to #143.
Stay Strong!
Monday, May 25, 2015
Day #141 - Character Flaw
I've read countless books, articles, and blogs about losing weight. I have been on a ton of different eating plans. through trial and error I have discovered how to take off my excess pounds, and I have lost weight on many occasions. In my adult life my weight has been as low as 260 and as high as 350 and everywhere in between.
I am motivated to lose weight...
I'm 42 years old and most days I feel exhausted from carrying all this bulk around. My knees are showing early stages of arthritis; I already suffer from knee pain at night. My kids are entering their teen years; there's still a lot I need/want to be able to do with my family. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.
So I am motivated and I know how to do it, so how come I don't lose weight???
This year has been all about shifting my mindset and smashing perceptions that are not real. Today I might need to smash another one of my perceptions... that I have tons of character.
Character is something that you have no matter what anyone else thinks. Character drives you to do great things, it helps you to deal with the tough situations, and it defines who you are. Naturally we all think we are full of character, but the reality is that most of us don't have nearly as much as we like to think.
For years I always assumed that it must be some missing piece of the weight loss puzzle that kept me from dropping the pounds. I explored the mental and the physical looking for that one thing I was missing. The truth is, it's not the weight loss puzzle I need to solve; I need to improve my character.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I have no character. What I'm saying is that one part of my character, the part about keeping commitments, is very weak. I have a hard time staying committed to anything for too long. I may have been with the same company for 10 years now, but in that time I've worked at 3 different facilities. I don't stay committed to any one location for too long. The same goes true for personal development, I make a commitment, but can rarely stick to it for any meaningful period of time.
I say my ability to keep commitments is weak but I know it's not non-existent. For starters, I've been married for 17 years so I know it's possible for me to make long term commitments. It's just something I need to work on.
I don't like admitting that I lack character, but it's something I need to do if I'm ever going to improve. 141 Days down; on to Day 142.
Stay Strong!
[Photo: Flickr / Purplechalk]
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Day #140 - Seeing the Impact
Though my mood is much improved and I generally feel better, for some reason I'm still struggling with weight loss. Today I was thinking a lot of my struggles has to do with not being able to see the impact from my eating...
If I decided to quit my job today, it wouldn't take long before I would run out of money. If I didn't find a new way to make money very quickly I would likely lose my house and my family would suffer. In this case it's very easy to see the impact of my decision to quit my job.
However, when it comes to not eating healthy, the impact isn't so easy to see. Does that candy bar after lunch cause me to have a heart attack 3 years from now? Does the extra helping of mashed potatoes keep me from living a quality life?
I think that's a big part of the problem; each individual choice on it's own doesn't have a significant impact, but all the bad choices together can be significant and possibly life threatening. It's hard for me to frame it this way, I tend to look at each action as it's own individual choice with it's own consequence. The truth is it's not the individual actions that hurt, it's a sum of the whole.
Stay Strong!
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Day #139 - Bathroom Remodel Phase II
To start, I got on the scale today and weighed the same as last week??? I was a bit surprised, I thought I lost a few pounds, but I did have some salty food on Friday so I might just be retaining some water. I'm not too concerned, I know that I did a pretty good job all week.
It's Memorial weekend here in the US. Since we went to the beach last weekend, I'm using this weekend to start the next phase of my bathroom remodel. Our master bathroom has the shower and toilet in one room and then the vanity is in a "hallway" in our bedroom between the shower room and closet (see the pic). That doorway on the left is the bathroom area I finished two weeks ago and the right doorway is the closet.
Today I started working on this area. I'm ripping out the carpet and vanity and putting in new tile, new vanity and then I'm going to build a wall that separates the vanity area from the master bedroom. That will close off the master bathroom completely from the bedroom.
Today I got the vanity and rug ripped out and put cement board down. Tomorrow I'll lay the tile; it's the same tile I used for the shower walls so it will connect the rooms.
Anyway today was a good day for me, I did well eating and I got a lot of exercise. The weight might not be coming off as fast as I would like, but I like where my head is right now.
Stay Strong!
It's Memorial weekend here in the US. Since we went to the beach last weekend, I'm using this weekend to start the next phase of my bathroom remodel. Our master bathroom has the shower and toilet in one room and then the vanity is in a "hallway" in our bedroom between the shower room and closet (see the pic). That doorway on the left is the bathroom area I finished two weeks ago and the right doorway is the closet.
Today I started working on this area. I'm ripping out the carpet and vanity and putting in new tile, new vanity and then I'm going to build a wall that separates the vanity area from the master bedroom. That will close off the master bathroom completely from the bedroom.
Today I got the vanity and rug ripped out and put cement board down. Tomorrow I'll lay the tile; it's the same tile I used for the shower walls so it will connect the rooms.
Anyway today was a good day for me, I did well eating and I got a lot of exercise. The weight might not be coming off as fast as I would like, but I like where my head is right now.
Stay Strong!
Friday, May 22, 2015
Day #138 - Keeping My Promise
It's late and I'm tired, but I promised that I would put something out here every night. Sorry but this all I got tonight. Tomorrow is weigh-in day. Stay Strong!
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Day #137 - Keeping Committments
My daughter is trying out for travel league soccer. This is a big deal to her; it's the first time she's had to take a risk of being rejected. It's a big deal for us too, it costs $1500 and is a 10 month commitment including weekly practices (two), strength training, and Parisi (Speed training). Youth sports has changed a lot since I played! Anyway, my daughter has been very nervous about it even though we've told her all that matters is that she does her best. Because of her jitters, I made a commitment to her that I would be there for all the tryout sessions even though it means I have to leave work early.
Today was session #2 and wouldn't you know it, we had a major issue at work that required my attention and was going to run well into the evening. After seeing my daughter in session #1 I wasn't all that concerned as she picked up some confidence, so I considered calling home to see if it would be OK that I didn't make it. Then as I though about it, I decided "No, I made a commitment and I'm going to keep it".
I told my boss that I was going to have to leave for a little while but that I would be willing to come back. He wasn't thrilled, but he agreed to cover for me and in the end I didn't have to go back because the issue got resolved without me.
On my way to soccer I started to think about just how easy it was to keep this commitment to my daughter, and I wondered why it's so hard for me to keep commitments to myself. What's the difference? A commitment is a commitment right?
I guess part of the answer has to do with it being OK to disappoint yourself but not OK to disappoint others. No, that doesn't seem right. Maybe it's because you're the only one who knows about the commitment so it's OK. No that doesn't seem right either.
I think the problem is this... Maybe when we make a commitment to ourselves, we really don't consider it a real commitment. Might sound crazy, but for me, at least, I think that's my problem. To me personal commitments don't feel like real commitments that I make to others.
So I guess I need to start thinking about those commitments as real; maybe then I can do a better job keeping my commitments to myself and not ending up disappointed.
Stay Strong!
Today was session #2 and wouldn't you know it, we had a major issue at work that required my attention and was going to run well into the evening. After seeing my daughter in session #1 I wasn't all that concerned as she picked up some confidence, so I considered calling home to see if it would be OK that I didn't make it. Then as I though about it, I decided "No, I made a commitment and I'm going to keep it".
I told my boss that I was going to have to leave for a little while but that I would be willing to come back. He wasn't thrilled, but he agreed to cover for me and in the end I didn't have to go back because the issue got resolved without me.
On my way to soccer I started to think about just how easy it was to keep this commitment to my daughter, and I wondered why it's so hard for me to keep commitments to myself. What's the difference? A commitment is a commitment right?
I guess part of the answer has to do with it being OK to disappoint yourself but not OK to disappoint others. No, that doesn't seem right. Maybe it's because you're the only one who knows about the commitment so it's OK. No that doesn't seem right either.
I think the problem is this... Maybe when we make a commitment to ourselves, we really don't consider it a real commitment. Might sound crazy, but for me, at least, I think that's my problem. To me personal commitments don't feel like real commitments that I make to others.
So I guess I need to start thinking about those commitments as real; maybe then I can do a better job keeping my commitments to myself and not ending up disappointed.
Stay Strong!
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Day #136 - Do We Really Help Each Other?
There are times when I read other blogs and get inspired about things. I love to see different points of view as it helps me to expand my own knowledge and sometimes helps break through my perceptions. However, there are also times when I read other blogs and I just shake my head. Some are full of excuses, others have rationales as to why things aren't going well.
So what do I do when I read someone making excuses or I think they are being full of it? Usually, I roll my eyes and then move on. Sometimes I offer some encouragement, but very rarely do I call that person out. I used to, but then I started to see just how defensive people get.
Now I'm not claiming to be perfect and I can make excuses like the best of them. However, if you go through all my blog post comments, you will rarely find one that calls me out. You'll see a lot of platitudes and you'll see lots of encouragement, but when did we all stop calling a spade a spade? Are we really helping each other by sugar coating the truth?
If you are reading my blog, then please feel free to call me out when you think I'm full of it. Don't be afraid to hurt my feelings, I'd rather be offended and learn something then have people try to make me feel better. I'm also going to try to be more honest with my feedback; I apologize in advance if that bothers you, but you know what they say, feedback is a gift. You can choose to accept that gift or you can choose to send it back.
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Another strong day; 2 mile walk, stuck to food plan, but only half my water. I'm actually looking forward to getting on the scale on Saturday. Stay Strong!
So what do I do when I read someone making excuses or I think they are being full of it? Usually, I roll my eyes and then move on. Sometimes I offer some encouragement, but very rarely do I call that person out. I used to, but then I started to see just how defensive people get.
Now I'm not claiming to be perfect and I can make excuses like the best of them. However, if you go through all my blog post comments, you will rarely find one that calls me out. You'll see a lot of platitudes and you'll see lots of encouragement, but when did we all stop calling a spade a spade? Are we really helping each other by sugar coating the truth?
If you are reading my blog, then please feel free to call me out when you think I'm full of it. Don't be afraid to hurt my feelings, I'd rather be offended and learn something then have people try to make me feel better. I'm also going to try to be more honest with my feedback; I apologize in advance if that bothers you, but you know what they say, feedback is a gift. You can choose to accept that gift or you can choose to send it back.
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Another strong day; 2 mile walk, stuck to food plan, but only half my water. I'm actually looking forward to getting on the scale on Saturday. Stay Strong!
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Day #135 - When You Pause To Think About It...
Another strong day; I'm thrilled to be walking at lunch time again. Despite being very hot and humid today I got 2 miles in. I also followed my eating plan and got my gallon of water in.
Today I was thinking about all those times in my life when I stop to think about something...just for a brief moment. You know what I'm talking about? When someone asks you to go out for lunch and you pause and convince yourself that it would be OK. Or someone tells you about the doughnuts in the break room and you pause for a moment and ask yourself if it would be OK to have just one.
I can't speak for anyone else, but my days are filled with these moments. On good days I don't allow any excuses. On not so good days, well, you know. The problem with these moments is that over time my resolve weakens so if I have too many of these moments, I end up caving in.
Today I made a decision that might just help me out a little. Whenever I have to pause and think about something, the answer should automatically be "NO". If the answer was yes, I wouldn't have to stop and think about it, I would just know that it was OK. I got to try it out today when the plant manager offered to buy me a soda. I thought about it for a moment, after all it's the plant manager offering to buy me a soda. Then it dawned on me that I was trying to justify. I thanked him and then said I was trying to cut back and drink more water.
Think about it, then next time you have to stop and think, maybe you already have the answer.
Stay Strong!
Today I was thinking about all those times in my life when I stop to think about something...just for a brief moment. You know what I'm talking about? When someone asks you to go out for lunch and you pause and convince yourself that it would be OK. Or someone tells you about the doughnuts in the break room and you pause for a moment and ask yourself if it would be OK to have just one.
I can't speak for anyone else, but my days are filled with these moments. On good days I don't allow any excuses. On not so good days, well, you know. The problem with these moments is that over time my resolve weakens so if I have too many of these moments, I end up caving in.
Today I made a decision that might just help me out a little. Whenever I have to pause and think about something, the answer should automatically be "NO". If the answer was yes, I wouldn't have to stop and think about it, I would just know that it was OK. I got to try it out today when the plant manager offered to buy me a soda. I thought about it for a moment, after all it's the plant manager offering to buy me a soda. Then it dawned on me that I was trying to justify. I thanked him and then said I was trying to cut back and drink more water.
Think about it, then next time you have to stop and think, maybe you already have the answer.
Stay Strong!
Monday, May 18, 2015
Day #134 - Technique or Resolve
Today I got back to my healthy eating ways. I stuck to my eating plan, got my gallon of water in, and went a for a nice walk at lunchtime. More importantly, today I felt like eating healthy, an important component that I've been lacking.
Yesterday I wrote about my trip to Virginia Beach. I love riding in the car, it gives me time to think. Mrs. FogDog and I talked about getting back at it and how we should approach it. Should we go back to counting calories? Measure everything out again? Abandon carb cycling and go to something more balanced each day? As we were having that conversation it just suddenly hit me and I said to Mrs. FogDog "It really doesn't matter!" Of course she looked at me a bit puzzled so I went on to explain...
I had a friend in college that weighed over 300 pounds in high school. Before he got to college, he managed to lose 100 pounds in 10 months. When I asked him how he did it he told me that he decided that he didn't want to go away to college as the same fat person he had been. So he decided to lose weight, but his technique was a bit peculiar. Every day he drank almost 6 liters of diet soda and he ran or walked at least 3 miles a day. Obviously he tried to eat healthier, but the diet soda and the running/walking were his primary plan.
He told me that because he drank so much soda, he was never really all that hungry anymore. I remember telling him that it was the worst diet I had ever heard of and his response was "It worked didn't it?" It's nearly 20 years later and he's still thin.
I thought about my friend yesterday when we were driving in the car. It wasn't his technique that got the weight off, it was his resolve to lose the weight before going away to college. It was then that I had that realization that if you have resolve to lose weight, the technique doesn't really matter. Conversely, even if you had the miracle weight loss cure, it would do you absolutely no good if you didn't first have the resolve to lose weight.
I'm convinced that if you have the resolve to lose weight, any technique will work for you. Some might not be the most healthy, and some might cause you to take a little longer, but with resolve you will eventually lose weight.
On the other side of the coin, there are plenty of people out there who have had gastric bypass surgery to reduce the size of their stomach so they can't physically eat too much food. This surgery is highly effective, but yet somehow some people manage to gain back their weight. When I first read stories about people who regained after surgery I was astounded. How was it even possible? The truth is, without resolve any plan is doomed to fail no matter how good it is.
I explained my thoughts to Mrs. FogDog and she understood. Instead of focusing on our technique, we need to keep focusing on our mental state; we need to maintain our resolve or it just wouldn't matter.
Of course this doesn't mean that we have no plan, we still continue to focus on eating healthy, unprocessed foods as much as possible. We still have an unrestricted day at the end of the week and we still try to drink plenty of water and get some exercise. However, what's more important is that we keep supporting each and try to maintain our resolve to be healthier because without that it doesn't matter what we put in our mouths.
Stay Strong!
Yesterday I wrote about my trip to Virginia Beach. I love riding in the car, it gives me time to think. Mrs. FogDog and I talked about getting back at it and how we should approach it. Should we go back to counting calories? Measure everything out again? Abandon carb cycling and go to something more balanced each day? As we were having that conversation it just suddenly hit me and I said to Mrs. FogDog "It really doesn't matter!" Of course she looked at me a bit puzzled so I went on to explain...
I had a friend in college that weighed over 300 pounds in high school. Before he got to college, he managed to lose 100 pounds in 10 months. When I asked him how he did it he told me that he decided that he didn't want to go away to college as the same fat person he had been. So he decided to lose weight, but his technique was a bit peculiar. Every day he drank almost 6 liters of diet soda and he ran or walked at least 3 miles a day. Obviously he tried to eat healthier, but the diet soda and the running/walking were his primary plan.
He told me that because he drank so much soda, he was never really all that hungry anymore. I remember telling him that it was the worst diet I had ever heard of and his response was "It worked didn't it?" It's nearly 20 years later and he's still thin.
I thought about my friend yesterday when we were driving in the car. It wasn't his technique that got the weight off, it was his resolve to lose the weight before going away to college. It was then that I had that realization that if you have resolve to lose weight, the technique doesn't really matter. Conversely, even if you had the miracle weight loss cure, it would do you absolutely no good if you didn't first have the resolve to lose weight.
I'm convinced that if you have the resolve to lose weight, any technique will work for you. Some might not be the most healthy, and some might cause you to take a little longer, but with resolve you will eventually lose weight.
On the other side of the coin, there are plenty of people out there who have had gastric bypass surgery to reduce the size of their stomach so they can't physically eat too much food. This surgery is highly effective, but yet somehow some people manage to gain back their weight. When I first read stories about people who regained after surgery I was astounded. How was it even possible? The truth is, without resolve any plan is doomed to fail no matter how good it is.
I explained my thoughts to Mrs. FogDog and she understood. Instead of focusing on our technique, we need to keep focusing on our mental state; we need to maintain our resolve or it just wouldn't matter.
Of course this doesn't mean that we have no plan, we still continue to focus on eating healthy, unprocessed foods as much as possible. We still have an unrestricted day at the end of the week and we still try to drink plenty of water and get some exercise. However, what's more important is that we keep supporting each and try to maintain our resolve to be healthier because without that it doesn't matter what we put in our mouths.
Stay Strong!
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Day #133 - Perception
This morning we woke up and decided to take a day off an do something fun. At 7AM we packed the kids into the car and drove 3 hours to Virginia Beach. The water was too cold for normal people, but my kids are far from normal and so they spent the day swimming in the ocean.
On the way back we went through a little town called Mineral. The only significance about this town is that I have an aunt that lives somewhere in Mineral. I don't really know her well but she and her husband are archeologists and I remember her sending me coins from all over the world when I was a kid.
The only reason why I bring this up is to prove a point about perception. As I said I don't my aunt and her family very well, but I know they are fairly well-off financially. Having lived here in the DC area for a while I know there are a lot of small towns in the area that are very affluent. Houses cost in the millions of dollars and when you drive through these little towns you know instantly that you could never afford to live there.
I had never been to Mineral even though it's only about 1.5 hours from my house. As we drove through the town, I was surprised to find it nothing like I thought it would be. My perception was that since my aunt had money that she would live in one of those affluent towns. Instead, this town was quite rundown reminding me of some of the towns I lived near way out in the back woods of Maine.
I started to think about just how wrong my perception was, but also I started to think about why I even had this perception? Where someone lives doesn't make them who they are, neither does having money.
This whole thing got me thinking about what other false perceptions I might have when it comes to myself. How often do I think I should eat just because it's a certain time on the clock? Why do I assume that food will make my stress go away even when I know it will only make it worse?
I'm sure you've heard it before, "Perception is Reality". If that's so, then maybe it's more important to fix our perceptions. Hope you all had a great weekend.
Stay Strong!
On the way back we went through a little town called Mineral. The only significance about this town is that I have an aunt that lives somewhere in Mineral. I don't really know her well but she and her husband are archeologists and I remember her sending me coins from all over the world when I was a kid.
The only reason why I bring this up is to prove a point about perception. As I said I don't my aunt and her family very well, but I know they are fairly well-off financially. Having lived here in the DC area for a while I know there are a lot of small towns in the area that are very affluent. Houses cost in the millions of dollars and when you drive through these little towns you know instantly that you could never afford to live there.
I had never been to Mineral even though it's only about 1.5 hours from my house. As we drove through the town, I was surprised to find it nothing like I thought it would be. My perception was that since my aunt had money that she would live in one of those affluent towns. Instead, this town was quite rundown reminding me of some of the towns I lived near way out in the back woods of Maine.
I started to think about just how wrong my perception was, but also I started to think about why I even had this perception? Where someone lives doesn't make them who they are, neither does having money.
This whole thing got me thinking about what other false perceptions I might have when it comes to myself. How often do I think I should eat just because it's a certain time on the clock? Why do I assume that food will make my stress go away even when I know it will only make it worse?
I'm sure you've heard it before, "Perception is Reality". If that's so, then maybe it's more important to fix our perceptions. Hope you all had a great weekend.
Stay Strong!
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Day #132 - Getting Back Into The Game
I'm sleeping better and my mood has improved. My knee pain is greatly reduced and I've rested it as much as possible. I think it's time to get back into the game.
The key ingredient is my mental focus. If my head isn't in it, I won't succeed. I'm going back to the basics; focus on getting through each day. I have to keep reminding myself that food doesn't make me feel better, that food isn't the answer to my stress.
132 days ago I started a journey. When I started I knew it would very hard and that I would be tested. I didn't expect some of the things that have happened to me, but hey that's life right? When I started I told myself that the most important thing, the one thing that mattered more than anything else, was that I did not give up.
And I haven't given up! There were a couple times when I felt like it. When I look back there were more than a few posts where you can almost see me starting to give up. I still have another 228 days and I want to make each one of them count. More to come as I get back at it...
Stay Strong!
[Photo: Flickr / Levente Fulop]
Friday, May 15, 2015
Day #131 - A little Off
It's been a few days since I got my cortisone shot in my knee and was able to actually get some sleep. I still feel a little off, I keep waking up very early in the morning and then after lunchtime I feel like I can barely keep my eyes open.
I suspect part of the problem is that I haven't been eating well. When I don't get enough healthy food I can really feel the difference. I also haven't been drinking enough water.
I did decide to try taking SAM-e for the next month. For those who don't know about it, it's supposed to improve mood, help with joint pain, and improve liver function. It's not cheap, it costs about $1/day to take the dosage they recommend. In Europe it's a prescription drung, but here in the USA it's considered a natural supplement and not regulated by the FDA.
Mrs. FogDog and I talked yesterday about getting back on the weight loss focus. It's not that we've been eating like pigs, but we just haven't been eating healthy choices. For example, tonight we had grilled hot dogs for dinner.
The weekend is upon me and without the bathroom remodel I need a new project. I guess I can start working on the adjacent powder room. 131 days down, plenty more to go, but for now I'll just look toward tomorrow.
Stay Strong!
I suspect part of the problem is that I haven't been eating well. When I don't get enough healthy food I can really feel the difference. I also haven't been drinking enough water.
I did decide to try taking SAM-e for the next month. For those who don't know about it, it's supposed to improve mood, help with joint pain, and improve liver function. It's not cheap, it costs about $1/day to take the dosage they recommend. In Europe it's a prescription drung, but here in the USA it's considered a natural supplement and not regulated by the FDA.
Mrs. FogDog and I talked yesterday about getting back on the weight loss focus. It's not that we've been eating like pigs, but we just haven't been eating healthy choices. For example, tonight we had grilled hot dogs for dinner.
The weekend is upon me and without the bathroom remodel I need a new project. I guess I can start working on the adjacent powder room. 131 days down, plenty more to go, but for now I'll just look toward tomorrow.
Stay Strong!
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Day #130 - Interesting Development
Today I learned that the company I work for has a great opportunity in a great location in NC. This presents an interesting dilemma as I've only been at this location for 18 months. Typically you don't ask to apply for a different job until at least 2 years.
However, this is a great opportunity in a great location on the coast. My best friend said I would be a fool not to at least ask so I think I will.
Sorry for the short post, but I still need the extra rest.
Stay Strong!
However, this is a great opportunity in a great location on the coast. My best friend said I would be a fool not to at least ask so I think I will.
Sorry for the short post, but I still need the extra rest.
Stay Strong!
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Day #129 - Recovery
Another good night's sleep and another step towards recovery. I wish I could say things are completely back to normal, but I still feel annoyed at the world. I'm not sure if it's my job, the weeks of sleep problems, or what, but lately I've just had a very short fuse.
At work I've written some great emails. You know those kind, the ones that people talk about for weeks. Fortunately I've pulled myself back each time and refrained from actually sending them out. I'm so tired of people putting up roadblocks and creating more work for others. What's interesting is that no one is really pushing my buttons, I'm just tired of watching certain people take advantage of the good nature of others. I think I might be at the wrong facility.
Anyway, It's getting late and I want to get caught up on some more sleep. 129 days down; on to day #130.
Stay Strong!
At work I've written some great emails. You know those kind, the ones that people talk about for weeks. Fortunately I've pulled myself back each time and refrained from actually sending them out. I'm so tired of people putting up roadblocks and creating more work for others. What's interesting is that no one is really pushing my buttons, I'm just tired of watching certain people take advantage of the good nature of others. I think I might be at the wrong facility.
Anyway, It's getting late and I want to get caught up on some more sleep. 129 days down; on to day #130.
Stay Strong!
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Day #128 - 5AM Feels Like a Record
Last night was my first after having a cortisone injection. In the past 4 weeks I have not been able to get more than 3 consecutive hours of sleep without waking up with knee pain. I was told by a few people (both in person and on this blog) that I shouldn't get my hopes too high because it can take a couple days to kick in.
Well, I went to bed last night at 10PM and slept straight through until 5AM; A full 7 hours of sleep! After 4+ weeks of sheer misery, this felt like a sleep record. I woke up thrilled that I made it through the night, actually it was more like a deep sigh of relief. My hope is that my life will now start to get back to normal.
Now it wasn't actually a perfect night. Somewhere at around 4.5 hours I pulled my CPAP off in my sleep and I must have been restless because I was still very tired today, actually more tired than yesterday. After lunch I closed my office door and hid out for the afternoon because I was in an awful mood and didn't want to have to deal with anyone out of fear that I would just go off on them.
I've also been reading up on SAM-e and trying to decide if I want to try taking it. It's fairly expensive; it would cost me almost $1 each day, but if it helped with my arthritis and my mood then it would be worth it. It's funny, we used to give it to our dog a few years back (recommended by a vet because my dog was having liver problems) and I never had a problem spending it on her, but now that I consider it for myself it feels too expensive. Why do I feel that way? Anyway if anyone has experience with SAM-e, I'd love to hear about it.
On to Day #129 and hopefully some normal.
Stay Strong!
Well, I went to bed last night at 10PM and slept straight through until 5AM; A full 7 hours of sleep! After 4+ weeks of sheer misery, this felt like a sleep record. I woke up thrilled that I made it through the night, actually it was more like a deep sigh of relief. My hope is that my life will now start to get back to normal.
Now it wasn't actually a perfect night. Somewhere at around 4.5 hours I pulled my CPAP off in my sleep and I must have been restless because I was still very tired today, actually more tired than yesterday. After lunch I closed my office door and hid out for the afternoon because I was in an awful mood and didn't want to have to deal with anyone out of fear that I would just go off on them.
I've also been reading up on SAM-e and trying to decide if I want to try taking it. It's fairly expensive; it would cost me almost $1 each day, but if it helped with my arthritis and my mood then it would be worth it. It's funny, we used to give it to our dog a few years back (recommended by a vet because my dog was having liver problems) and I never had a problem spending it on her, but now that I consider it for myself it feels too expensive. Why do I feel that way? Anyway if anyone has experience with SAM-e, I'd love to hear about it.
On to Day #129 and hopefully some normal.
Stay Strong!
Monday, May 11, 2015
Day #127 - Taking 800 Pounds Off
For a little while now I've been struggling with severe knee pain at night. The pain has caused me to lose a great many hours of sleep over the last 4 weeks and my weight loss has come to grinding halt as a result. I've done my best to not let my knee be an excuse, but that hasn't stopped me from losing my momentum.
Since then I've been looking for something, anything to use as a catalyst to get me back on track. Today I might have found it...
This morning I had an appointment with an orthopedic specialist. The guy was great and we had a conversation about my knee pain and my x-rays. The good news is that there is no signs of major damage and he suspects it's just an arthritis flare-up. He gave me a cortisone injection that he says should allow me to start getting some decent rest again.
The bad news... I'm 42 years old and have arthritis in my knee. I'm too young for regular cortisone injections so he told me I could only have one. I didn't realize the injections actually accelerate arthritis so you can't just go on forever getting injections.
The doctor firmly believes that my lack of sleep is preventing me from healing properly from this flare-up; this one injection should make me better and then I have to just take care of my knees.
After he gave me the injection we talked about what I need to do moving forward. In a nutshell my only option is to lose weight. There are no pills, no treatment, no special exercises; nothing, but to lose weight. He told me that when I go up and down the stairs I'm putting 8X my weight onto my knees. If I can lose the 100 pounds I'm shooting for, then that would mean 800 pounds less stress on my knees!
So step #1 is to get a good night's sleep tonight. Then I get up in the morning and start fresh toward taking 800 pounds off my knees. 127 Days are in the books, on to Day 128.
-Stay Strong!
Since then I've been looking for something, anything to use as a catalyst to get me back on track. Today I might have found it...
This morning I had an appointment with an orthopedic specialist. The guy was great and we had a conversation about my knee pain and my x-rays. The good news is that there is no signs of major damage and he suspects it's just an arthritis flare-up. He gave me a cortisone injection that he says should allow me to start getting some decent rest again.
The bad news... I'm 42 years old and have arthritis in my knee. I'm too young for regular cortisone injections so he told me I could only have one. I didn't realize the injections actually accelerate arthritis so you can't just go on forever getting injections.
The doctor firmly believes that my lack of sleep is preventing me from healing properly from this flare-up; this one injection should make me better and then I have to just take care of my knees.
After he gave me the injection we talked about what I need to do moving forward. In a nutshell my only option is to lose weight. There are no pills, no treatment, no special exercises; nothing, but to lose weight. He told me that when I go up and down the stairs I'm putting 8X my weight onto my knees. If I can lose the 100 pounds I'm shooting for, then that would mean 800 pounds less stress on my knees!
So step #1 is to get a good night's sleep tonight. Then I get up in the morning and start fresh toward taking 800 pounds off my knees. 127 Days are in the books, on to Day 128.
-Stay Strong!
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Day #126 - Before and After Photos
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Day #125 - Hope
Yesterday I had my follow-up visit to the doctor regarding my knee. I found out my x-ray showed some significant degeneration and I've been referred to an orthopedic specialist. To my surprise, I was able to get an appointment very quickly; Monday morning to be exact.
I was also given a strong pain reliever so I have hope that tonight I'll get some good sleep with less pain. It might not happen but I can hope.
Stay Strong!
I was also given a strong pain reliever so I have hope that tonight I'll get some good sleep with less pain. It might not happen but I can hope.
Stay Strong!
Friday, May 8, 2015
Day #124 - Anniversary
Sorry folks, I won't be posting much tonight. Today is my 17th anniversary with Mrs. FogDog. 17 wonderful years with the person I love. I might not be everything I want to be but days like these remind me that I have plenty to be happy about. I wish you all well and I'll be back tomorrow night.
Stay Strong!
Stay Strong!
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Day #123 - Getting The Magic Back
I don't feel guilty about it either. I just simply don't feel like being healthy.
The good news is that I don't feel like smoking or drinking either, so for now I can still be proud about those things, but I can't be proud of my eating performance, especially today.
So what to do? Nothing. There's nothing to do. I'm going to keep trying to do the best I can whether I feel like it or not. If I only do well 1 day each week it's better than none. If I can manage 2 days each week then that's better than 1 if I can manage... well you get the picture.
I knew there would be ups and downs, but to be honest I didn't expect any downs that lasted weeks. Of course why not? I had several weeks of great behavior and performance, it only stands to reason that I should have some extended down periods.
On a side note, thanks to those who suggested a food diary and the weather for my night time knee pain. I hadn't though of either of those things. Here's to better days, on to day #124.
Stay Strong!
[Photo: Flickr / Eva Peris]
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Day #122 - Rough Night, Strong Day
I wish I could figure out the cause of my knee pain, or, at least what makes it better or worse. Last night the pain was much worse than it has been. Most of the time now I wake up once or twice with knee pain, I get up, walk around, and then go back to bed. Last night the pain kept coming back over and over again. There's no rhyme nor reason to why some nights are bad and some are not. Strike that, I'm sure it's something, but there's no pattern that I can figure out.
Anyway I was tired today, but decided right from the start that it would not be an excuse. I had a business lunch that I had to go to and we had Chinese food. I got shrimp and veggies. I also had some fried rice and a spring roll (today was my high carb day so I was ok with that). My usual Chinese fare is much more unhealthy so I felt like today's lunch was good compromise.
3 solid days in a row, I feel a trend forming. It's great to be back at it, consistently eating well and now starting to feel well as well. 122 are now in the books, On to Day #123.
Stay Strong!
Anyway I was tired today, but decided right from the start that it would not be an excuse. I had a business lunch that I had to go to and we had Chinese food. I got shrimp and veggies. I also had some fried rice and a spring roll (today was my high carb day so I was ok with that). My usual Chinese fare is much more unhealthy so I felt like today's lunch was good compromise.
3 solid days in a row, I feel a trend forming. It's great to be back at it, consistently eating well and now starting to feel well as well. 122 are now in the books, On to Day #123.
Stay Strong!
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Day #121 - Toilet
No today wasn't about getting the girls to giggle, today I actually installed a toilet in my bathroom. Those of you who understand a bathroom remodel would know that installing the toilet is just about the last thing that needs to happen before you are done.
I'm excited to almost be finished; I promise when it's completely done I will post some before and after pics. I still need to buy/install a shower door and then it's just the accessories (toilet paper holder, towel rack, etc. The project is definitely nearing a close and I should be done sometime in the next couple weeks.
Another good day on the eating front. I got my gallon of water in and stuck to my plan all day. I did eat a second helping of ham at dinner time, but other than that it was quite the perfect day. On to Day #122.
-Stay Strong
[Photo: Flickr / Andy Arthur]
Monday, May 4, 2015
Day #120 - Or is it Day #1?
I hadn't really noticed the days creeping up, but today marks 4 months since I started this journey. I've had high points and low point but the thing I'm most proud about... I'm still here and I'm still fighting.
Today was my first day back at trying to eat healthy and lose weight. It's been a little while; I actually treated it a little like it was back to Day #1. Of course wouldn't you know it, the facility I work at had a catered barbecue for lunch! Yes, another company function that I had to fight through. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.
Around 1PM someone asked me why I didn't get any food and I told her I was trying to eat healthy and there was nothing healthy on the menu (except for fruit cup as a dessert). This person (who is also overweight) said "Yeah I'm trying to eat healthy too, but what are you going to do?" Then she walked outside; I saw her later at her desk with a plate of unhealthy food that surpassed anything I've ever been able to accomplish at a buffet. I smiled and I though to myself "What am I going do? I'm going stay strong. I'm going lose weight, and I'm going to win this battle with obesity".
I ate well all day, sticking to my plan and drinking my gallon of water. My mother-in-law is in town and my daughter baked her a cake. I did extremely well having only a sliver. A very strong Day #120, on to Day #121
-Stay Strong!
Today was my first day back at trying to eat healthy and lose weight. It's been a little while; I actually treated it a little like it was back to Day #1. Of course wouldn't you know it, the facility I work at had a catered barbecue for lunch! Yes, another company function that I had to fight through. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.
Around 1PM someone asked me why I didn't get any food and I told her I was trying to eat healthy and there was nothing healthy on the menu (except for fruit cup as a dessert). This person (who is also overweight) said "Yeah I'm trying to eat healthy too, but what are you going to do?" Then she walked outside; I saw her later at her desk with a plate of unhealthy food that surpassed anything I've ever been able to accomplish at a buffet. I smiled and I though to myself "What am I going do? I'm going stay strong. I'm going lose weight, and I'm going to win this battle with obesity".
I ate well all day, sticking to my plan and drinking my gallon of water. My mother-in-law is in town and my daughter baked her a cake. I did extremely well having only a sliver. A very strong Day #120, on to Day #121
-Stay Strong!
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Day #119 - Back to Basics
So now I'm ready to get back on track with my healthy eating. I did some damage over the last two weeks; I won't be able to get those weeks back, but I can get back on track right now. To get back on track I'm going right back to what was working for me. I'm going back to carb cycling, two low carb days for every high carb day plus my one unrestricted day. No calorie counting, and no measuring portions; I know what healthy eating is.
For now I won't worry about the exercise, I want to get back on track slowly and I don't want to risk re-aggravating my knee again, but occasionally I will walk again at lunchtime as it helps clear my head and keeps me in the game.
Better days are ahead for me, I can feel it. The re-start begins tomorrow morning.
Stay Strong!
[Photo: Flickr / Timothy Krause]
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Day #118 - Turning a Corner
That's good because the last 2 weeks of April have been horrendous in terms of eating well. I'm not making excuses, but when you feel exhausted all the time it becomes very easy to convince yourself that "it's okay" to eat unhealthy food.
This morning I went back into the dungeon to see just how bad these last two weeks have been. If you remember, last week I refused to weigh because the Wii scale wouldn't take my weight. I had similar thought today, but decided that I was just avoiding seeing how bad the results were.
Ultimately things aren't quite as bad as I thought... Over the last 2 weeks I've gained about 5 pounds. I can live with that; I have to live with it because the weight is there.
So now here I am, finally on the mend and taking a hard look at my options. Assuming my knee continues to heal and I can get some sleep. More to come tomorrow, until then...
Stay Strong!
[Photo: Flickr / Jlhopgood]
Friday, May 1, 2015
Day #117 - Two in a Row...The Big Test
For two consecutive nights I've managed to sleep most of the night. Last night I only woke twice with knee pain; the second time was 4:30AM so I just got up and went to work. I'm still probably only getting 4-5 hours and it's not the best quality sleep, but it's better than some of the other nights.
Tonight is the big test; yesterday was my last day on the pain medication. Tonight I will find out if my knee is actually getting better or if it was just being masked by pain medication.
I haven't said much about my eating because I have nothing good to say. In fact, if I hadn't committed to posting everyday, then by now I would have gone 2 weeks without a post.
I will write more tomorrow when I have some time, wish me luck tonight.
Stay Strong!
Tonight is the big test; yesterday was my last day on the pain medication. Tonight I will find out if my knee is actually getting better or if it was just being masked by pain medication.
I haven't said much about my eating because I have nothing good to say. In fact, if I hadn't committed to posting everyday, then by now I would have gone 2 weeks without a post.
I will write more tomorrow when I have some time, wish me luck tonight.
Stay Strong!
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