April 29, 2012: Post 120, Day 120 - Fast Day

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Today's Weight:        199.6 lbs 
Yesterday's Weight:    200.6 lbs
Net Loss/Gain:         - 1.0 lbs

Daily weight from December 31, 2011 -June 30, 2012.

Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011.

Diet Comment:

This is a bit of an oddity: I ate until I was stuffed yesterday, eating more than a pound of nuts, dried fruit and chocolate, and had a big dinner of barbecue, including fries and cole slaw, and LOST a pound. 


That's just weird. And totally unexpected.


So, after today's fast (until dinner), I guess I'm going to lose more. 


Weird.

Daily Comment:

I spent quite a bit of time researching Cuenca, Ecuador yesterday, after stumbling on a few new resources about expatriating there. I came away with the feeling that it might be great in some ways, not others. 


Among the things my research showed me was that single expatriates there may be at a real disadvantage. Hmmmm.


Nothing is ruled out, but Cuenca may have just dropped a little lower on my list.

Food Log

Breakfast
Skipped.

Lunch

Skipped.

Dinner

Dal Tadka (lentil curry) with chicken breast and broccoli.

Snack
Two hard-boiled eggs.


Liquid Intake
    Coffee:   30 oz,   Water: 88+ oz

April 28, 2012: Post 119, Day 119 - Cheat Day and the end of Measurement Day

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Today's Weight:        200.6 lbs 
Last Week's Weight:    199.2 lbs
Yesterday's Weight:    200.0 lbs
Net Loss/Gain (Week):  + 1.4 lbs
Net Loss/Gain (Day):   + 0.6 lbs

This is a chart of my weekly weight since 3/31/2012. (Second quarter, 2012).

Daily weight from December 31, 2011 -June 30, 2012.

Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011.

Diet Comment:

OK. Let's review here: This week, I gained almost a pound-and-a-half, and almost 1/3  of that is from yesterday.


This week, I'll do better. 


Of course, today I will pack on still more weight, then, beginning with my fast tomorrow, we'll start bringing it back down.

Daily Comment:

I am stopping measurement day. It is boring. And one of my measurements, % body fat, is meaningless. Besides, I lost the sheet that translates my caliper readings to body fat %, and can't find a new one online, which means I'd have to buy a new set of calipers, which I'm not going to do.


The inches measurement hasn't changed in more than 3 months. I can look in the mirror and tell, at this point, if I'm going to see a change. Clothes fit is my best guide, anyway.


I will still do week-over-week measurements on Saturdays, that information seems useful.


And that's all I have to say about that.

Food Log

Breakfast
Skipped.

Lunch

Second Nature (R) Wholesome Medley (dark chocolate chunks, roasted and salted peanutss, almonds and cashews, tart red cherries and dried cranberries) and Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Golden Flax cereal with wild blueberries and stevia-inulin blend. 

Dinner

From Hammi's BBQ: Pulled pork sandwich, cole slaw (really, really good), salted sweet potato fries and a Diet Coke(!). 

Liquid Intake
    Coffee:   30 oz,   Water: 64+ oz,  Diet Coke: 16oz

April 27, 2012: Post 118, Day 118

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Today's Weight:        200.0 lbs 
Yesterday's Weight:    203.0 lbs
Net Loss/Gain:         - 3.0 lbs

Daily weight from December 31, 2011 -June 30, 2012.

Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011.

Diet Comment:

I'm not all the way back, but that is a fair start. Unfortunately, I waited just a little too long to eat, and ended up really hungry. Also, unfortunately, I had just bought a big hunk of Romano cheese. Which I ate. All of.


I have discovered that cheese is a trigger food for me. I can't have it around if I'm going to successfully keep my weight down. The combination of high-calorie and high-sodium is not good for me. 

Daily Comment:

On the issue of exercising self-control, I don't have a lot to say. Certainly when compared to the issues I had with it in the past, I am a model of self-control. Most of my life, I was, too put it in simple and understated terms, impulsive. Now, I usually have no trouble exercising a good deal of self-control. Sometimes, of course, not so much. I am okay with the balance I have now. 


But I think the idea of exercising self-control is off. I don't really think it ebbs and flows. I think you get to know what situations invoke 'uncontrollable' impulses, and, over time, learn to cope when that happens, as a matter of self-interest, if not self-preservation.

Food Log

Breakfast

Kale smoothie: kale, almond milk, an egg, vanilla whey protein powder (36g protein), vanilla, cinnamon, stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

Rajma Masala (red bean curry), spinach and eggs with Spring Mix greens and balsamic vinaigrette.

Dinner

I just left this pic here from yesterday. For dinner, I had chili (grass-fed beef, tomatoes, black beans, spices) and Romano cheese. No broccoli.

Liquid Intake
    Coffee:   30 oz,   Water: 128+ oz

April 26, 2012: Post 117, Day 117 - Fast Day

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Today's Weight:        203.0 lbs 
Yesterday's Weight:    198.2 lbs
Net Loss/Gain:         + 4.8 lbs

Daily weight from December 31, 2011 -June 30, 2012.

Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011.

Diet Comment:

This is an anomalous weight gain. Sometimes I don't gain this much in a single day when I cheat - and I didn't cheat yesterday. I did eat a lot (mmm... pepperoni), though.

Oh, well. We'll see what happens with today's fast. Fasting is not a weight-loss strategy - at least, that isn't why I do it and it hasn't worked that way for me. But I have found it to be useful at correcting these kinds of aberrations. It  has worked that way for me. 


My 24-hour fast lasted 22 hours. Then, I ate a lot. I still expect some correction. 

Daily Comment:

A week and a half ago, I was the bass player in 3 bands. Two of those bands were of secondary priority to me, and this was known when I joined. Today, I am in one band, and have been replaced in the two second-tier groups. 

In both cases, the split was amicable, but in both cases, I was not involved in the decision, which rankles a little bit - but that's ok. It didn't feel good, but it's ok, I generated the bad feelings myself - they came from irrational thoughts - when I was fired from one; the other one there were no bad feelings at all. 

But I take away positives from both experiences: 

• I made new friends with the musicians in both bands.
• I understand that bands cannot tolerate a member who is less than 100% committed, whether the lack of commitment is real (as it was when I joined and said I had another band that I was committed to) or perceived (as it was when I wanted to leave rehearsal early - even though I had jumped through hoops to make certain I would be able to do most of the rehearsal). 

Actually, I already understood that second part. I guess I forgot it for a while.

Food Log

Breakfast
Skipped.

Lunch

Skipped.

Dinner

Chili (grass-fed beef, tomatoes, black beans, spices) on broccoli.  Not shown: Spring Mix greens, red cabbage baby carrots, pepperoni and balsamic vinaigrette.

Snack
Baby carrots.

Liquid Intake
    Coffee:   30 oz,   Water: 130+ oz

April 25, 2012: Post 116, Day 116

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Today's Weight:        199.2 lbs 
Yesterday's Weight:    197.8 lbs
Net Loss/Gain:         + 1.4 lbs

Daily weight from December 31, 2011 -June 30, 2012.

Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011.

Diet Comment:

There you have it. Yesterday I said that a gain equal to my loss would be within expected norms, and today I see... a gain equal to yesterday's loss. 


I am very comfortable with equilibrium. 


No breakfast today - it's Star North Buffet for lunch.

Daily Comment:

I have nothing.

Food Log

Breakfast
Kale smoothie: kale, almond milk, an egg, vanilla whey protein powder (36g protein), vanilla, cinnamon, stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

Clockwise from 11: Tea, kimchi, ginger and wasabi, stir-fry with chicken, pork, onions , peppers, broccoli, and mushrooms, and a salad with lettuce, hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes, peas and blue cheese dressing.

Snack
Celery, pepperoni and home-made mayonnaise.

Dinner

Wild-caught salmon burgers, faux mashed potatoes (cauliflower, butter, salt and pepper), and red cabbage slaw.

Snack
Pepperoni.

Liquid Intake
    Coffee:   22 oz,   Water: 136+ oz

April 24, 2012: Post 115, Day 115

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Today's Weight:        197.8 lbs 
Yesterday's Weight:    199.2 lbs
Net Loss/Gain:         - 1.4 lbs

Daily weight from December 31, 2011 -June 30, 2012.

Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011.

Diet Comment:

A somewhat normal day of eating yesterday - except for skipping breakfast and having a candy bar between meals (canceling each other out?) - results in an after-fast weight drop that falls within the norm (an equal amount of weight gain would have, too). 

Daily Comment:

After unseasonably beautiful weather, Winter has returned with a vengeance. This is the fourth miserable-weather day in a row. Low temperatures accompanied by freezing rain/snow/sleet or the threat of same.  Raw, unpleasant, the worst of winter weather (seriously, I prefer a snowstorm to this recent weather.

Of course, it is ridiculous to think there's any intelligence behind this, yet once you've accepted the unseasonable beautiful weather we had following the mildest, warmest Winter on record, it is difficult to adjust to the more seasonable, more reasonable nastiness.

Maybe I shouldn't have written the above paragraphs. It seems lame to me to write about the weather. Basically, it means I have nothing to say, and have wasted the reader's time. I apologize for that, and hope that this paragraph redeems me, somewhat.

Food Log

Breakfast
Kale smoothie: kale, almond milk, an egg, vanilla whey protein powder (36g protein), vanilla, cinnamon, stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

Roasted turkey breast with Spring Mix greens, red cabbage, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Snack
Celery, baby carrots and home-made mayonnaise.

Dinner

Grilled organic boneless pork chops with salsa and broccoli with butter, salt and pepper.

Snack
Tuna, hard-boiled eggs, home-made mayonnaise, celery, and baby carrots.

Liquid Intake
    Coffee:   30 oz,   Water: 96+ oz

April 23, 2012: Post 114, Day 114

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Today's Weight:        199.2 lbs 
Yesterday's Weight:    201.2 lbs
Net Loss/Gain:         - 2.0 lbs

Daily weight from December 31, 2011 -June 30, 2012.

Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011.

Diet Comment:

Fast Day was great. I was never hungry, I did some chores and some fun stuff. I broke the fast after 24 hours with a 2am high-protein snack and 8 hours later weighed in 2 pounds down. All I could ask for.


Then a little "Oops!" involving a Twix, because I couldn't remember what it tasted like when it was offered... Not that good.

Daily Comment:

I was too tired this morning to go to work. I took a half day's sick time. I updated my retirement tracking spreadsheet with my new retirement date (yes, I'm absolutely geek enough to have one, and it has been helpful and comforting). 

This shows two things: 

First, I have, as of today, 1,379 days to retirement, and beginning my new adventure. 

Second, at today's prices, with tomorrow's income, I can live very comfortably outside the US (not everywhere, but in all my current target destinations), and still make visits home.


This is where my geekiness is very comforting.

Food Log

Breakfast
Skipped.

Lunch

Smoked turkey breast with Spring Mix greens, red cabbage, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Snack
Twix bar.

Dinner

Chicken sausage with basil, tomato and mozarella; spinach, Shahi Rajmia (red bean curry) with spinach and eggs. Not shown: Kale smoothie, with kale, almond milk, vanilla whey protein powder (24g protein), vanilla, cinnamon, and stevia-inulin blend.

Liquid Intake
    Coffee:   30 oz,   Water: 96+ oz