Poke, Poke

I keep poking myself. See, I've lost fat that was on top of my ribs. And I keep poking myself!

Maybe I have to keep poking to convince myself its really gone?

Maybe I think if I don't poke, it will come back and I won't know about it?

Maybe I'm in awe and keep poking because its just so cool?

I'm not really sure, except when I realized I had been poking my own ribs all day I had to laugh at myself. I wonder if other people noticed too and are laughing at me??

I also made new forum signatures in GIMP for K and me.

When I Grow Up...

I don't know what I want to be! Right now I'm working as an electrical engineer, and its a great position for me to be in, because I'm able to help Mr. Mira go through graduate school to get the degree he's always wanted. But I think engineering isn't what I want to do long term.

I want to stay home with my kids when I have them. I also think I would be more fulfilled doing something more creative. My mom is a photographer, and she's GREAT at it (linky! Shameless plug). She always was home with me when I was growing up, even though she was a single mom. Kudos to you mom, I know it was hard, and you did a great job. I appreciate the sacrifices you made for us.

Anyway, I've helped her with photography when I was growing up, and even as recently as when I was in college for my engineering degree. I really enjoyed working with her photographing weddings, so that might be something I would be interested in. I know I would have a great mentor for it.

The other thing that I'm interested in is graphic design. I really love to sit down and play with GIMP. So, I'm also thinking about taking some classes in graphic design/simulation. The community college is offering courses in it, and maybe getting a certificate in it would be good for me. Its only about 5 classes, and I would know if it was something I would be interested in pursuing at that point. Even if I'm not, it would be fun to take the classes. Here is something I made last night playing around with some new GIMP brushes I downloaded. Actually I made it 1280x1024 and its on my desktop right now.

On another note, its really chilly here today! I mean, 25 degrees this morning, come on people! Its Florida. I only own like 3 sweaters. Sheesh.

Meal Plan

I decided to start posting a meal plan so that you could get an idea of what I eat on a typical BFL-friendly week. This is the plan I make at the beginning of the week, then I buy all the stuff for the meals I have listed. I generally cook all the "dinner" meals in a given week, but the "snack" type meals tend to change up day-to-day based on what I feel like eating. What I mean is, if I feel like eating apples and cheese on Monday instead of Tuesday, I swap the meals so I'm eating Monday's meal 2 on Tuesday since I ate Tuesday's meal 2 on Monday. Got it?

Anyway, here it is. Saturday is sort of cut off in the image, but Saturday just says "free day". If you want any of the recipes leave a comment and I'll post it.

Goals and Results

First off: Goofy Gym Picture. Well, we were on our way to the gym.



I was examining my stats in my fittogether account and for my goal, which is 20% bodyfat, I'm only about 8% away. That's really fantastic, I thought I was much further away than that. And, in order to get there, I need to loose only about 18 more pounds (if all the lbs come from fat and I don't gain any more muscle mass).

Based on my progress to date, that will take about 8 more week, if the progress continues as it has been. That's pretty encouraging. I've just finished the 4th week, and its funny, because sometimes I feel so great about the progress I've made and how I'm looking, and sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one who sees it. My clothes are looser on me, but the stuff I used to wear when I had lost weight before still doesn't fit. But that probably is just going to take some more time. Maybe when I've finished week 12, I'll be able to get back into those jeans.

Today was weigh and measure day again, and I've lost another 1.5 inches total since last week's weigh and measure (but gained a pound) which means my grand total since starting is about 12.5 inches and 3 lbs lost. And this is only week 4, so that's not too shabby.

I think the key is that I've still been pushing myself hard. I know in the past, I've tended to stagnate with my cardio sessions especially. Not so much with the weight training, because its pretty easy to push yourself to failure with the weights which ensures you're reaching the right intensity.

In the past, I would become acclimated to the speed I was doing my intervals, and wouldn't ramp up the intensity. I've been very careful not to do that this time around. I was making notes in my workout log while I was doing my sprints (20 second all out sprints with 40 seconds of walking) yesterday, and I got that Oh-man-I'm-going-to-either-puke-or-pass-out feeling after interval #6, but I kept going for the full 12. It was a really good feeling. Of course, all the people in the gym on the ellipticals doing SS "fat-burning" (yeah-right-fat burning heh heh) cardio probably think I'm psycho and ADD for turning the treadmill to 9.5 mph every 40 seconds. But after four weeks, I think I'm pretty much over caring what the people in the gym think of me. I've even taken to doing single leg split squats which look completely ridiculous, but are super hard.

On another note, I ended up not even playing City of Heroes last night because K's mom invited us over for dinner. I told her I was back on the fitness thing, and she had made ribeyes, broccoli, and sweet potatoes, so I had a pretty healthy dinner over there last night. I also got a cool picture of the steaks right when they came off of the grill. Anyone hungry??

Wah Wah Wah

I don't FEEL like working out today. I don't FEEL like running. I don't FEEL like pushing myself to and past my limits today.

I FEEL like coming home straight after work today. Its double XP weekend in City Of Heroes. What I FEEL like doing is coming home, ordering a pizza and playing video games tonight.

But what I FEEL like doing isn't important. My goals are important. I'm going to sprint, and I'm going to sweat, and turn red, and get out of breath, and push myself to my highest because that will help me meet my goals.

People say you can't base your relationship with God on feelings. That's true about so many things. You can't give up on your goals because at the moment you don't feel like doing what it takes. You just have to do it, knowing you'll feel proud and accomplished that you did what was right, even if you didn't feel like it.

So, I'm going to strap on my running shoes, pack my t-shirt and polar heart rate monitor, and go back to work. And when I get that cable made that I'm working on, I'm going to change, and go do some sprints. I'm going to sprint hard, motivated by the fact that my feelings don't control me. Because I'm stronger and wiser than my emotions.

And only then will I come home and save Paragon City.

OhSnap!

My iPod came in!! YaYYY!!!

Sooo excited!

It came in a 'leee-tle' box, which for some reason cracked me up. Okay, okay, so its just a little box, but in my head I hear "Its a leeee-tle box!"

2 New Things I Love

First is a new breakfast. I'm kind of take-it-or-leave-it about oatmeal, but I went and bought some steel cut oats because there supposed to be less processed, better for you, yada yada. Short of it is, I LOVE STEEL CUT OATS. They are so yummy. If you can boil water, mash things, and stir, you can make this recipe. Here it is:

Banana-Walnut Oatmeal (1 serving)

-1/3 c. steel cut oats
-1 c. water
-1/2 ripe banana
-1/4 c. chopped walnuts
-1 scoop vanilla protein powder
-1.5-2 tbsp. sugar free maple syrup

Combine the oats and water in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes. While the oats are cooking mash up the banana in a bowl. Add the protein powder to the banana and stir it up. When the oats are done add them and the walnuts to the banana and stir until completely combined. Top with a drizzle of sugar free maple syrup. Delicious! I should add, as with any time you cook oatmeal on the stove, the only thing to watch out for is that it doesn't boil over. When it starts to boil if it looks like it will overflow, blow on it.

The other new thing I LOVE is a supplement. I was reading about ZMA, and its supposed to help with endurance, recovery, etc., but what I was really interested in was the 'help you sleep better' thing. I constantly feel like I don't get enough sleep on weekdays. So, I didn't really want to order the stuff from t-nation, because I'm impatient and didn't want to wait. I went to Vitamin Shoppe last night and got 15mg Zing Asporotate caplets, 30 mg OptiZinc caplets (which are a combination of Vitamin B-6 and Zing Monomethionine), and 400 mg Magnesium Asporotate caplets. I took one of each of these about 45 minutes before bed last night (K did too), and I'm telling you what, I got one of the best nights of sleep I've had in a long, long time. I woke up this morning not the least bit tired and feeling fantastic. Legs were a little sore last night when I went to bed, not at all sore this morning. So, just over one night I can completely tell a difference and will be continuing to take this stuff.

Ragout

This is one of my favorites, and probably K's favorite meal right now. Its from cooking light magazine, and very BFL friendly. The stats on a serving are 250 Cals, 9 g Fat, 21 g Protein, and 21 g Carbs. I substitute mustard greens for the escarole and I don't add the parmesan.

Sausage, Escarole, and White Bean Ragout

12 ounces sweet turkey Italian sausage
Cooking spray
1 cup prechopped onion
1 cup cubed peeled red potatoes (about 6 ounces)
1/3 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine
tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
4 cups sliced escarole (about 4 ounces)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Remove casings from sausage.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add Italian sausage and onion to pan, and cook for 4 minutes or until sausage browns, stirring to crumble. Drain sausage mixture well; return to pan. Stir in potatoes, wine, garlic, beans, and chicken broth; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 7 minutes. Stir in escarole and rosemary, and cook for 4 minutes or until the escarole wilts, stirring occasionally. Ladle 1 1/4 cups soup into each of 4 shallow bowls, and sprinkle each serving evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese.

3 week results

For anyone in suspense, the dog managed to live through the caterpillar episode with no long term symptoms. By Monday night she was totally fine. She even did sprints with me yesterday.

I did a weigh in and measure this morning, the end of week 3. I'm quite pleased with the results. I'm down 4 pounds, 5.75% body fat, and 10.75 inches combined from my hips, waist, abdomen, arm, and thigh.

I was able to get ALL of my workouts and meals in this week also, despite having to work overtime at the beginning of the week.

On Wednesday I drove by the gym at lunchtime and there were a ton of emergency vehicles gathered outside, and all the people working out were gathered around the gym outside. I went in later and found out that a man had passed away while he was in the gym that afternoon. Its so terribly sad, one minute he was talking to someone on an elliptical trainer, and the next minute he was in convulsions on the floor. I was talking to someone else at work yesterday, this particular person was at the gym working out with the man when it happened. He said the final diagnosis was a brain aneurysm that killed him. He was only 51, and in relatively good health.

I think it made a lot of people around the base realize that life is short and you really don't know when something could happen to you. There have been a lot more people around work walking and working out at the gym since then. I hope that for some of them, the memory sticks and helps them to lead healthier lives, physically and spiritually. I also pray comfort and peace over his family in their grief.

Breakfast and Caterpillars

We got up this morning and the dog was playing with a caterpillar that was all curled up. She was licking it, and tossing it around. I have no idea how it got in the house, but I made Kevin get it from her and get rid of it.

We went out to breakfast, being as its free day, and with all the eating going on during the week we have no food left in the house from last Sunday's grocery excursion. We went to this little place in town called Bayou Joe's. Its one of my favorite places around here, its such a cool little restaurant. Its actually built out on an old dock, the kitchen and everything. Some people drive up on their boats to eat breakfast. And its a gorgeous day for eating outside today, 75 with a slight breeze and just a few clouds in the sky. They have fantastic food, some of which you aren't allowed to specify what you want in it, because its completely up to the chef's discretion. One such dish is the Garbage Potatoes which is what K got. I had an omelet loaded with ham and veggies. They've got all these assorted coffee cups that don't match. You know, the kind you get for free from banks and such. They use the Christmas cups year round. Its all quite charming.

We go home, K calls out to me in the other room "Hey, baby, whats wrong with the dog? Her face looks like Will Smith's in Hitch when he eats that fish or whatever." Her face is all swollen up, her muzzle and her right eye, and I'm thinking it must be from the caterpillar she played with this morning. At least she's acting normal and playing with toys. She didn't seem to be in any pain, but I was worried her face would continue to balloon up and she wouldn't be able to breath. We called the doctor and he said to give her some Benadryl and I stayed home from church to watch her. She's all dopey and knocked out now. She's laying on the floor looking at me with one eye and not moving her head around.

NYC Starvationists

My back is so much better than it was last week. I was even able to go do my upper body workout with pretty much full intensity last night, I just couldn't do anything lying down. I'm just glad I was able to get through it without pain in my lower back. I also walked/jogged the dog yesterday, so far, so good. I'm going to try sprints outside today, as the massage therapist forbade me from using the elliptical machine until my back is completely better.

The dog and I went to PetSmart night before last and got her some of her old Nutro Ultra food, and that stopped the sickness. She feels better, but she's a little annoyed I think because it doesn't taste as good as the Bil-Jac. Monday night I had to sit in the floor with her and throw her food on the ground so she would eat. She wasn't interested in it when it was in her bowl. She's such a silly dog...when it was on the floor, I could see her thinking "Oh my! Its on the floor! Mom dropped something, I better scarf it up!!!" and then she would walk to her bowl and go "Mehhh, nahhhh, I don't really like that stuff."

I found this story talking about how fainting passengers are the top reason for subway delays. And the people are fainting because they're "loosing weight" for their New Year's resolution so they aren't eating. I don't know, do people really think not eating is a healthy way to loose weight? Common sense should tell them otherwise.

Also, Apple announced its iPhone yesterday. Shiney! Its $499 for the 4GB model, and $599 for the 8GB model, and cingular has a multiple-year exclusive contract on it. I'm already at cingular...and I've been wanting an iPod....hmmmm. I probably won't get it though, I like my Razor, and I think it makes more economical sense for me to keep the phone I have and get an iPod. It sure is purdy though.

Sick Dog

I bought the dog a different brand of dog food because when we had her in her training class a while back, the guy said this stuff was better for them than the kind we had her on (which is Nutro Ultra). Well, I feel terrible, because I should have weaned her over slowly. I knew some dogs can have tummy problems if you switch them to a new food cold turkey, and I just didn't think about it. Sure enough, she's been puking a bunch for the past couple of days.

That got me to wondering also if this new food really was better. She loves the taste of it and gobbles it down, but hey, kids gobble down candy, that doesn't mean its good for them. So I did some research into doggie nutrition today, and the Nutro Ultra isn't the best thing I could buy for her, but its a very good food. Healthier than the Bil-Jac which is what we switched her to. So, I'm going to go buy the poor little thing a bag of Nutro Ultra today and stop feeding her the Bil-Jac. Then I'll decide if I want to switch her from the Nutro, which is considered a "Premium" food, to one of the "Ultra-Premium" foods. I looked up some prices today, and the "Ultra-Premium" isn't any more than we were paying for the Nutro, so if I can get it in town somewhere, I'll probably switch her. But I'm going to do it gradually this time.

Fitness wise, we have some new goodies coming! I ordered Ian King's Get Buffed!, and I'm ordering Precision Nutrition tonight. I can't wait to read them, its like getting new toys!

First Week

So far, its been a good week. I'm back to eating healthfully, and working out, and I feel great about that.

I did hurt my back last week, on Thursday, standing up from a chair of all things. Apparently I have a tendon that sometimes catches on my SI joint and pulls. At least, thats what the massage therapist said. She worked on it, and then I couldn't walk for the rest of the day. So, its been ice packs on the couch and movies for me. But I did continue to do well with my eating, and managed to do a very light lower body work out yesterday. They probably wondered why I was doing squats with just the bar, lol. But in all fairness, my form was perfect!

We've got lunch with some friends after church today, and its free day, and still I'm having visions of grilled salmon and sweet potatoes, and making my own dressing for my salad at the table. What a nerd.