Tag: nutrition

34 Pounds

Tony TLeave a comment

My last report was on August 1. It is now August 17. I have lost another 4 pounds. I’m still doing intermittent fasting, and it is still fairly easy to do. I am feeling better all the time. I have had no drops in energy. And the weight keeps coming off, and I suspect and hope that everything else about my health is improving as well.

I have adjusted my fast from 20 hours to only 18 hours, leaving myself a six-hour window for consuming nutrition. This seems to work better for me. I have fewer issues with hunger.

I am starting to notice that my face looks a bit slimmer. My legs are becoming pretty skinny. I think my waistline has decreased, but since it was so large in the first place, I can’t really tell. I can tell you that all of my clothes are fitting me much more loosely. Makes me wish that I had not gotten rid of my smaller clothes a few months ago.

I do still struggling to eat the right stuff. Every now and then I screw up and carb-load like a marathon runner. Or my sweet tooth overcomes me and I become a dessert monster. Other than that I am mostly in control. Perhaps one day I will learn to eat right all the time.

Oh, why no pictures? Because I don’t want to. Maybe when I reach my goal weight. But for now…

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All-Star @ Waffle House

Tony T1 Comment

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.😊

My Fitness Pal

Tony T1 Comment

One of the reasons I was so successful in 2015 with my diet was the MyFitnessPal website and mobile app. It lets you set your nutrient goals, calorie intake, and helps you to see exactly how you are doing as long as you are inputting your meals.

During that year I recorded every meal. I got instant feedback about my nutrients. I knew exactly where I stood throughout the day and could adjust accordingly. It is an extremely helpful website and app.

One of the reasons I began to falter was the holidays; Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. The other reason was that I thought I was able to do without the app. Sure, once you have been doing your diet a while you should be able to do without having to depend on an app. But if you are like me the app helps to remind you that you are trying to accomplish something. It reminds you that you have a goal. And it helps to keep on track.

Will I ever be able to go without the app? Maybe, but, why mess with success. So this week I have resumed using the app to monitor my meals, food & nutrient intake through MyFitnessPal. There are also other apps that are just as helpful, but my favorite is the one I’ve been writing about here.

There are others you can check out. All of these apps are available on both iTunes & Android:

I find that I need all the help I can get.

Finance & Eating Right

Tony T1 Comment

I have to confess that I made a financial miscalculation in 2014 when I chose to buy a new car. Truthfully, I don’t know what I was thinking, except, that I needed a car. Well, it has my finances stretched pretty thin. It has been pretty difficult to pay all of my monthly bills and eat and do other things I need to get done.

If you don’t know, being able to afford the kinds of foods you need to eat right is a big deal. Some would argue that it cost less to eat right that it does to eat fast foods or junk food. Personally, I disagree. There are a lot of “convenient” “quick foods” you can buy in the grocery store that can be stretched a long way. You know the foods. They come in containers and boxes, and the ingredients lists are filled with things you can’t even pronounce. Pop them in the microwave or add hot water and you’re good to go. These foods are found in the inner aisles of the grocery store.

Being able to shop the outer aisles in the grocery store is a big deal. As you know the outer aisles usually are filled with the whole foods which are better for your health. They are the produce and meat and dairy sections. In other words fresh or fresh-ish food sections. These foods have not been processed or have ingredients you can’t pronounce added to them. Of course, there may be some poisons depending on whether or not we’re talking about non-organic or organically grown.

I figured out years ago that simply staying out of the inner aisles and away from “instant” or “processed” foods is enough to improve your health to some degree, even if you’re not shopping organic foods. Unfortunately, the inner aisles cost a lot less, not to mention quicker at home when it comes to preparing meals for your family. So to eat healthier cost just a little more.

Of course, you should, as much as you can, shop those outer aisles. Because I bought a new car in 2014 it has been increasingly difficult to shop those outer aisles. I purchased the car while I was in school as a retired veteran so I had a little extra income. So when I stopped going that income also stopped. I don’t need that much to ease things a little, but I do need something.

Well, I guess I said all of that to get to this point. Today, I begin training to drive a school bus for Berkeley County school district. Commercial driving is another skill I picked up when I got out of the Navy. Actually, I learned to drive large vehicles while in the Navy. I didn’t get a commercial license until I got out.

I have had driving jobs before. I like driving. I have had a spotless driving record since 2001. I am pretty good at it. Driving the school bus will give me enough extra income to get by with more ease and I will be able to continue to shop those outer aisles in the grocery store.

I have been doing the best that I can to eat right this year and it has been difficult. And sometimes I have had to eat those “convenient” foods. It will be much easier to support my chosen eating habit with a job.

So, wish me luck. I will keep you informed.

 

Increasing Pain

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A few mornings ago, just before waking up, I found myself in sleep, praying for death because of the pain in my lower back. I have only prayed for death one other time, which I will not tell about.

In the last couple of weeks, I have been experiencing a lot of pain in my back. It hurts worst in the morning when I first wake up. It hurts throughout the night which is why I don’t get much sleep because I’m constantly waking up and changing positions. But then at some point, I get so tired that I do actually fall into a deeper sleep and don’t move for a long while. That’s what causes the most pain.

I have had a Tempur-pedic mattress which did not help much. I now have a Sleep number bed, and it is no more help. I’m not saying that these are not good products. I’m saying my condition has become more than a good bed can help.

I don’t know what else I can do. Pain meds don’t seem to help, so I don’t them very much. Needless to say, again, pain has slowed my efforts in the gym. However, at least this time I am eating better. I can also still walk without much difficulty.

 

Keto Pork Rind Tortillas

Tony T2 Comments

pork_rind_tortillasKeto Pork Rind Tortillas?

Now we’re getting somewhere! I love junk food, and tacos were some of my favorites. I have not actually made these as of this writing. By the time you all read it, I may have and will indicate how they were in the comments section. This probably still meets the qualification as “junk food.” I found this one @ https://theprimitivepalate.com/

Ingredients

4 oz. Hot & Spicy Pork Rinds (regular work just fine, too)
1 (eight oz.) package cream cheese, softened
8 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon ground cumin

Directions

1. Place pork rinds into a food processor and blitz for about 10 seconds, until they are dust.
2. Add all other ingredients to food processor and blitz for about 45 more seconds. Until you have a nice smooth batter.
3. Preheat an electric griddle to high. (Using a non-stick pan on the stove top would work also, I would just set the heat to medium-high)
4. Spray cooking surface with a little spray oil (I use either coconut oil or olive oil spray) and pour 1/3 cup of batter onto griddle.
5. Gently spread the batter as thin as you can with a rubber spatula and cook for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Flip tortilla and continue to cook for about 45 more seconds.
7. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

☚Back to Recipes

Loving the Gym

Tony T1 Comment

unnamedI am glad to be back in the gym and I’m doing well. The last time I was in on a regular basis was two summers ago. I was having trouble with my shoulders and a mysterious weakness in my left arm. I believe the weakness was the cause of my shoulder problem as well.

The most I could bench press during that summer was 95 lbs. I could never increase the weight because of the weakness, and pain is so draining mentally that I was literally wanting to just quit everything.

Since my neck surgery to release the pinched nerve that leads to the weakness in my left arm I have been a whole lot better. Today, only my second time doing the bench press at the gym, I am already up to 150 lbs. I am very excited. I was able to have a great chest workout. I know it was great because instead of my shoulders hurting I could feel every muscle in my chest working under the weight of the workout. When I was done with my workout every muscle involved in the workout was just about numb. I’m sure I will be quite sore tomorrow, but, I welcome pain related to working out rather than injury.

I am getting better at my diet as well. It is very hard to stay within the low carb range I want. Sometimes it is hard to consume the amount of fat required. It is definitely a learning process.

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Pasta & Marinara w/Chicken

The discovery of MiracleNoodles.com has been a blessing, making it quite a bit easier to stay low carb. They don’t taste like anything, but, take on the flavor of whatever sauce and flavors you add to them. They are a great vehicle, aiding in getting lots of fiber into the body, and remaining low carb. And they add no calories to your diet.

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Chicken & Rice

Right now my weight loss seems stalled but, I’m not worried. It feels so great getting back to the gym that I am too excited to be discouraged about it. This diet seems to be working great in conjunction with the gym. Two summers ago while in the gym, I was pretty much on a high protein diet, and hunger was always waiting, either immediately after the workout, or within an hour of the workout. On the keto-diet I have plenty of energy for my workouts, and, when I’m done I am not hungry. The diet sustains the workout and keeps me satiated until I get home to have my next meal. And when I do eat it is never because I am desperately hungry.

I am anxious to see what kind of results I can get following my current program. When March comes around it will have been a year since beginning the keto-diet. I have 8 months and I want them to be extraordinary. I don’t have to reach my goal weight, but I expect to be damned close and looking much healthier.

A Right Frame of Mind

Tony TLeave a comment

x240-9Zx10 pounds in a week? Yea, that’s a  bunch of bull!

I think to get your health back you have to be in the right frame of mind. I know a lot about nutrition, and I have for many years, but that means nothing if your head is not right.

The Navy was really good about training it’s people in every aspect of our responsibility. In other words, if they expected us to stay in shape, they provided proper taining in that area. They didn’t always get it right, but they made a really good effort.

When it came to nutritional health and exercise they had a decent handle on things. However, as we got older getting  in  shape got harder. In youth, getting in shape was really easy for me and many others in the Navy. Just change a few things that you were eating  and add some exercise and you were good to go.

Because of how easy it was my head wasn’t necessarily in the right place when it came to getting in shape. Now it is not so easy to get in shape. In  fact, it’s not easy at all.

I’ve tried all kinds of diets and programs that promissed results for just a little bit of effort. The reason plans like this attract so many of us is because they appeal to our laziness. We naturally want things to be easy. Or we want to continue our old eating  habits and sedentary life styles and expect to achieve results that make us look like super models.

Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. We have to reset our minds. We need to become willing to change. We need to accept the idea that we may have some food addictions; like sugar, carbs, processed food, and general over eating. This is what I mean when I say we have to get in the right frame of mind to succeed in changing our health.

I have come to grips with the fact that I have food addictions. I also eat when I get discouraged or depressed. Early on I learned to love beer, wine, and many other alcoholic beverages. I’m addicted to simple carbohydrates, and sugars. The sad thing is that they are cheap and sometimes the only thing that poor people (like me) can afford.

Now my head is in the game! I know what to eat. I know what not to eat. I don’t always get it right, but I KNOW. I am more determined than ever to put the right things into my body for its best health. I am willing to put in some work exercising in order to strengthen my body.

Sometimes people ask me what I’m doing when they notice the changes in my  appearance. When I tell them I’ve given up bread, rice, and other grains, and alcohol, they usually respond with, “oh, I can’t do that. I love bread.” Well, I love bread too. But I’ve changed my mind about these foods. I’ve come to the conclusion that these foods are no good for me.

I believe I will be able to succeed by these simple changes in my mind. I am in a frame of mind to succeed and get what I want, which is my health. You can do it to if you willing to change your mind and get your head right when it comes to food.

Getting Back on Track

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As I stated in my last post, I got off track celebrating my daughter’s softball team’s victory. I continue to be derailed through the weekend, but was back on track Monday. It cost me 5 pounds gained, as of Sunday.

This morning my weight was also back on schedule. I’ve lost the 5 five pounds I gained last week. I guess it helped that I did not stop exercising last week. I guess that’s why diet AND exercise is better than just one or the other. Two summers ago I was exercising without the proper diet. I tried this based on my ability to simply exercise to maintain a healthy weight while in my 20’s and early 30’s.

It didn’t work out as I’d hoped. I now believe that what you put into your body has a great deal to do with how well your body will function during workouts. Since beginning this diet, as I have mentioned before, I have noticed a difference in the I feel during exercise; plenty of energy, endurance, and better cardio health (at least thats the way if feels). My heart rate during exercise continues to improve.

I haven’t noticed any visible changes, so I have not taken anymore pictures. I seem to have reached a plateau at 21 pounds. I hope to break through soon. I don’t foresee any problems getting through this current barrier.

Exercise today

Outdoor Walk
45:00 minutes
189 CAL burned
2.18 miles
Avg Pace 20’48” MI
Avg Heart Rate 111 BPM

Choosing Healthy Options is not as Easy as it Sounds

Tony TLeave a comment

I don’t mean to sound like a conspiracy nut, but, I think the system is rigged against poor people. I was in Whole foods yesterday, and the prices were unbelievable. No poor person (me) can afford to buy what’s good for them there. I think everyone should have access to healthy organic foods. But at the current cost that is not going to happen.

I saw free range organic chickens for like $12 – $14. I saw one ham hock for nearly $10. And whole food is always in an affluent area because the people who live in affluent areas are the only ones who could possibly afford to shop there. The rest of us are stuck with Wal-mart.

Now I realize that there are options other than Whole Foods but, being fresh out of a sociology class this semester, I’m a little more sensitive to the injustices of social stratifications base on race and class. Actually, I’m a little pissed off about it. I had not realized that it is as bad as it is.

I will be in search of those other options such as the farmers markets and other sources to get what I need. And even in Wal-mart there are a few healthier options to be had.

Don’t get me wrong. Whole Foods is  a great store, which is why I go there on occasion. They have products that stores in my area simply don’t have. However, I could never shop there on a regular basis unless I was rich, which I am not.

I said all of that to say that if we want to be healthy we need to put healthier foods into our bodies. And the the economic system we have in place simply does not make that possibility for everyone. Everyone should have access and the ability to buy healthy foods. Its like there is a conspiracy against the poor.

Anyway, I am done ranting. I need to figure out a way to better my own financial situation.