Posted in Diet

Salads Rock

Posted on by Tony

Well, its seems that having a job and keeping a schedule is a big help toward eating better. Most times in the past when I was pressed for time because of work or whatever, fast food was my choice; McDonalds, Burger King, or Wendy’s. I’m not saying these are totally out of the picture. I AM human.

Lately, about the last month I have chosen to  eat salads with some sort of grilled meat; chicken or steak. There are actually a lot of choices. And no, I don’t get salads from the three placed mentioned above. If I go to those place I’m eating a burger and french fries.

Walmart is a place that has a great variety of different salads. They are made fresh daily, though I don’t think they make them in house. They are quite tasty though. I usually buy 3 or 4 at a time. And like before I don’t get really hungry because of the low glycemic load.

The salads are pretty big, probably 4 cups of green leafy stuff. The dressings are pretty nice as well. Each salad comes with a specific dressing. Some of my favorite salads are the Southwestern with steak, Grilled chicken with apples, dried cranberry, blue cheese, and walnuts is another good one. I don’t remember what that one is called. Of course they have the Chef Salad, not on of my favorites. It will do in a pinch though. And there are many more to choose from.

I’m not saying I’m back on course, but it is a start in the right direction. I seem to do better when I don’t try so hard. So I just try to make one smart decision at a time where eating is concerned.

Well, that’s about all I have to say for today.😊

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Posted in sickness

Sinus Infection

Posted on by Tony

450In March I had an ear infection. I underwent a round of antibiotics.Then I got sick for the week of Spring break. And I then I got a sinus infection. So I have been sick for a few weeks, which has never happened in my life.

So I’m on another round of antibiotics to clear the sinus infection. My doctor also instructed me to use a product called NeilMed Sinus Rinse. I was very hesitant to use it. It involves a saline mixture being squirted into one nostril and flowing out of the other. It didn’t sound pleasant.

However, after using the rinse I felt so much better. I also saw stuff come out that I couldn’t blow out into a tissue. And I didn’t get a headache after doing it. In fact, it felt so good when I finished I immediately did it again.

So I will be glad when all of this has cleared up. I have been feeling awful for several weeks and I’m really tired. My doctor also told me I need to wear a mask to block dust on certain part of my school bus route where there are dirt roads. They are pretty dusty and may have contributed to my infection.

I’m feeling better already.

Posted in Diet

All-American @ Waffle House

Posted on by Tony

Yea, still not worried about any diet. I’m at Waffle House having breakfast. Waffle House is one of my favorite places to eat. I can see them prepare my meal, which makes me more willing to eat the food.

At this point, I have mostly given up on the diet thing, but still watching out for my health. I know I can’t eat like this every day. And for the most part, I eat at home and things are pretty plain jane.

The All-American is a big breakfast. It comes with your choice of bacon, sausage, or ham, eggs to order, grits or hash browns, toast and a big ole waffle!

The coffee is always good, and the price is right. I’m only here because I missed breakfast this morning. I could have gone home but I didn’t want to. I’m enjoying myself.😊

Posted in Diet

My Spring Break

Posted on by Tony

I have made no progress in this venture. I think the problem is that I don’t seem to care anymore. And I don’t care about not caring either.

I have been really busy with this new job (school bus driver). I’m pretty sure that I like the job enough to keep it for a while. It wears me out though because I have to be up before the kids who ride the bus. So I’m up around 4 a.m.

I don’t know what bearing this has on me eating right. It would be just another excuse I suppose.

This morning I am emerging from a week with the worst cold I have ever experienced. And as luck would have it, it was Spring Break for the schools I serve. I wanted to enjoy the break just like the kids. Instead, I lay on the couch or in bed struggling to stay alive. At least, that’s what it felt like.

It began with a cough on Friday evening. Saturday, I was down for the count. I was in pain all over, sneezing, chilled to the bone and wishing I could be someone else until this thing was over.

And for the cherry on top of it all, yesterday I discovered I somehow got Thrush, a fungal infection which babies usually get. At least that’s what I hope it is. I’m not accepting anything else! It is very painful. It’s no wonder that babies scream when they have it.

So, tomorrow is the end of my break. I didn’t have any fun.  I’m back to work Monday morning. I’m not even gonna pretend that I intend to try to get back on track with diet or exercise because I just don’t care at the moment. Just glad I didn’t die this week.

Posted in Change

The Wheels On the Bus

Posted on by Tony

It has been a while since my last post. Since then, I have been hired as a school bus driver. The wheels on the bus go round and round… and all that.😂

So I have to be up at 4:00 A.M. The routes I’m driving begin at around 5:50 and I finish up around 8:30. Then the afternoon route begins at between 2:45 – 3:00 P.M. It finishes up around 5:00. At least it does when the bus driver really knows the route.

I drove the afternoon route, my very first route for the first time on this past Friday. I don’t know the routes all that well yet. So, I finished up around 5:45. Only a little bit late.

There is this one little kid, about 5 years old, and his name is Walker. When I was just riding the bus as a monitor or helper (a person who rides the bus to keep the kids in line so the driver can concentrate), Walker had to sit with me because he is pretty fidgety. During the days he sat with me we got to know each other a little.

So as I was driving the route, with the actual bus driver acting as the monitor, and Walker seated beside her, I missed a house where I was supposed to stop. Walker blurts out, “Awe, You don’t know how to drive the bus!” Every one laughed. Then I responded, “man, I thought Walker was my friend, and now he’s making fun of me.” To my surprise, he was embarrassed by the fact that he might have hurt my feelings. I assured him that I was okay.

The little kids are great. However, the middle school kids who are also on the bus are a little more sneaky and much less well behaved. They are mouthy and sometimes disrespectful. No doubt they will be a challenge.

They are way worse the little kids. They don’t stay in their seats. They throw things back and forth, and the scream back and forth at each other as if they are outside. They are so loud.

Last, I pick up and deliver the high school kids. They are a breeze? They are extremely well behaved, quiet, and helpful. They will let the driver know if a stop is unnecessary if the kid who lives at a certain address is not on the bus. This was a surprise to me. It was the high school kids whom I expected to be wild and out of control. They turned out to be the easy group. I can’t imagine the middle school kids growing into what I see in the high school kids. That would be a miracle.

So, I’ve been busy. I haven’t worked in 7 years and find it a little difficult to get used to it again. Up before dawn, and then that long break during the day and then back at it in the afternoon. I don’t dare take a nap during that time in the middle. I don’t trust myself to wake up and go back to work. So I find things to keep me busy during that time.

When the day is finished, so am I. When I go to bed all I can think about are the wheels on the bus going round and round. So, that’s where I’ve been. And it involves getting plenty of exercise; a good bit of walking during the day. Just being out of the house is helping me toward staying on track with my desire eating habit. Since I’m not at home all day I’m not snacking all day. And that is a good thing.

Well, that’s it. Until next time.

Posted in Health

My Makeover

Posted on by Tony

What exactly is a makeover anyway? What exactly should I be trying to achieve? Am I trying become a skinny person? I don’t think that is actually going to happen. I think I love food too much, and that includes all the ones that are supposed to be terrible for you.

I think maybe I am, or maybe should be, trying to simply develop a healthier attitude about foods in general. I still like the Ketogenic diet. It is easy to follow and a fairly healthy way of eating. However, I find that I am prone to taking advantage of the higher fat intake with the wrong kinds of fat. I have been doing better with that part. This year so far I am mostly overdoing it with the carbs. As you may know, the ketogenic diet is low carb by design.

I don’t ever remember being especially concerned about my appearance when it came to weight. However, before I turned 40 I had never been heavier than 185 – 195 pounds. When I turned 40 things just seemed to slow down; my metabolism, my running speed, and my energy level went way down. I got out of the Navy when I was 44. I feigned injury to get out of my final Physical readiness test (PRT). I would have probably hurt myself doing it anyway.

So when I began writing this blog I had just had my 50th birthday in March. The month I started writing (Sept), is the month my Mom died. She was my best friend. Nothing could have prepared me for such a loss. I was, and am, affected deeply by this event. I think sadness sometimes has a lot to do with the way we eat. Some of the times I ended up eating when I’m not hungry are times I thought to pick up the phone and call my Mom, having forgotten for a fraction of a second that she is gone. There are, of course, other triggers. I think this is what is meant by emotional eating. Everyone probably does it.

As far as controlling weight gain I believe exercise is half of the equation, but sometimes injuries can keep that from happening. I have had a lower lumbar fusion, two levels. I have had the same type of surgery on my neck, level C6. The one thing I am never without is physical pain. My doctors always ask me what my pain level has been between visits (1-10). Mine is always between 5 & 10. Most days it is around 8.

So, I don’t know what kind of a makeover am trying to achieve or could expect. I once thought that if I lost weight maybe my pain level wouldn’t be so high. I’m not sure I believe that anymore, mainly because I don’t think I will ever lose enough weight, but also because degenerative disc disease is, well, degenerative. So, a makeover I may need or want, but, I don’t know what that actually means.

Maybe, in the beginning, I wanted to prove I could lose a lot of weight, and be able to post before and after photos. Now I don’t care about that part of it. Some days I just want to feel sane or normal and feel good physically. Maybe I suffer depression. I don’t know. Perhaps a makeover of the mind is in order.

So, I don’t know what a makeover means for me. I will always try to watch my weight. At my age its a sensible thing to do. I want a healthy mind and emotions. Maybe when that happens (and I believe it will) I will have a better relationship with food, or a healthier one anyway.

Posted in food

Macronutrients of the day

Posted on by Tony

I went over on my carbs today, or tonight rather. I went to a big band jazz concert. There was an intermission they had cookies. I had three. I was actually surprised that I didn’t go over my sugar limit.

It will be better tomorrow. The goal is to reach ketosis so the body which is a sign that the body is burning fat for fuel. Ketones are a byproduct of that process and can also be a source of energy for the body and brain. The amount of carb intake has to be low for this to happen.

So, I lost out to my addiction again.

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Posted in Diet

True Confession

Posted on by Tony

I began this blog as a way to try and keep myself honest about what I am doing. A way to keep up with what I’m putting into my body. A way to encourage my self to keep going and maybe encourage others. Yet, I have found lately ( last year and 2 months) that I have not been able to stay on course and be honest about it.

Cheating has been my real issue. As I have stated in other posts, I have real addiction issues with certain types of foods; high carb and sugary in nature. I can’t seem to stop myself. I started out strong this year. Well, the first couple of weeks anyway. Then my desire for the sugary goodness(?) badness(?) kicked in. I can’t seem to resist.

Crack Cakes

I thought I had a good strategy by not having the stuff I don’t want to eat in the house. That isn’t good enough though. I have found myself jumping in the car late at night headed to the 24-hour Walmart to get what I needed. I think that if there was a guy on the corner selling Hostess Snack Cakes, and was able to do credit card transactions he would have had my business.

So, in retrospect, I have not done well at all the last 18 months or so. I can actually feel my health declining. I have gained all but 10 pounds of the weight I lost 2 years ago. My skeletal issues (degenerative disc disease) have gotten worse. This morning and the last couple of days, maybe a week or so, I have barely been able to stand or walk because of pain.

This is not the vanity of wanting to look good for the ladies. I’m in my 50’s. In fact, I will be 55 on March 1. Only 5 days away. It is a matter of life and death for me. If I get any heavier with my condition I could end up in a wheelchair or be using one of those metal walkers with the wheels and tennis balls. I do have one here in the house. I had to have it after I had back surgery in 2010.

Even as I sit here typing I am in some serious pain. I have lacked the discipline needed to stay on track. I need to lose weight. I have mild heart disease and have suffered from high cholesterol for years. I take a shit load of medications in the morning and evening.

I have been a failure this year so far, and last year for sure. I am really struggling. I  need to do better. My plan is to write more honestly about what I am going through. I typically have been writing only when I thought I was doing okay and lying a little the rest of the time. Probably because when I’m failing miserably I really don’t want anyone to know.

Maybe I was vain in the beginning. I was hoping this would be one of those blogs that showed how I went from fat to fit in so many months or years. But there are enough of those sites on the web already. And for people like me, they are not so encouraging. They only make me feel more like a failure.

So from now on, you get the whole story. I will do my best to write honestly about what I’m going through, my struggles, my failures, and of course my successes. I don’t want anyone feeling like a failure as a result of my writing bullshit.

As always I am determined to succeed. I need to lose weight. Not because I want to look good, though that is a part of it. But it is more because as I get older I find that it is easier to catch a cold, I have more pain just because, and I need to be strong. I promised my daughter I would live until I was 120 years old. 🙂

That is all for now. I have to get to work. Still training to be a school bus driver.

Posted in Diet

Fried Chicken Accident!

Posted on by Tony

I didn’t mean to fry that chicken. It was an accident. My alter ego was heating oil, and I stumbled into the stove and lost my grip on the chicken and it fell into the oil. I would never do this on purpose. I’m on a diet.😂

Well, I couldn’t waste it, so, I had it for dinner. I had one helping. It was only a Cornish Game Hen so the pieces were very small. REally! It was tasty though. There is only so much baked anything you can eat without craving its fried relative.

I’m not sure about those heirloom green beans on the plate though. They were kind of sweet. I’m not used to that. I expected the normal flavor of green beans and got a surprise. Don’t mess with green beans. It’s wrong.

Posted in Diet

Back on Track

Posted on by Tony

See? Right back at it. Well, except for the cinnamon roll I had this morning. And the one I had didn’t come close to the one pictured to the right. It was one of those cheap store-bought ones. I was late for work (excuse). Missed breakfast, rushing to work (actually training as a school bus driver).  Got really hungry during the few hours I was driving. As soon as I got home I busted out my smoker and put on a Cornish Hen.

Took me about 20 minutes to get the grill going. In the meantime, I seasoned my little bird with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin. All of these ingredients would be in my rub if I’d made one. I cooked the bird for about an hour and a half. Once it got close I steamed my Asparagus, then, added some salt, pepper, and a little butter.

The meal was quite tasty if I do say so myself. My stomach is now full, and back to its usual calm. It was not feeling so hot after the ice cream last night and the cinnamon roll this morning.

I like my diet. I like the foods I’m able to eat. But addiction, and that’s the only way I can explain it, is a very hard thing beat. I’m addicted to high-carb sugary foods. But one day this will not be the case. I have beaten other addictions.