Day 8 - Not So Great

I did avoid ice cream and alcohol yesterday, but I did have pop tarts (800 cal) and buttered popcorn.  I also had quite a few chocolate-covered pomegranates.  We were at my sister-in-laws house last night and there was a whole lot of easy food and drinking so I guess I should be happy I didn't do worse.  I also didn't exercise yesterday.  I spent a lot of time on the computer and in front of the television.  I'll see if I can do better today.

Day 7 - Thank Heaven!

Today was my weigh in day and I was down over 7 lbs this week.  I did figure that my first 10 lbs would be the easiest.  Yesterday I had cereal for breakfast, peanut butter and jelly on wheat for lunch, and my wife made chili for dinner.  In the evening I had quite a few chocolate-covered pomegranates.  I had coffee, one diet pepsi at lunch, and tons of water the rest of the day.  I did turn down cake in the afternoon.  For exercise I did a couple of different walks around the warehouse.

I didn't really do much unusual the first week.  I seriously increased the amount of water I drank.  I cut out the regular pop.  I stopped eating lunches out and took my lunch to work instead.  I tried to cut down on the deserts and alcohol with varying degrees of success.  I tried to increase my exercise but I only walked.  My second week goals are to *virtually* eliminate alcohol and continue to follow the other good habits from week 1.

Some of you may think by my week 1 writing that I am an alcoholic.  Usually I can take or leave alcohol, i.e. beer, but I had gotten in the habit lately of having several drinks in the evening.  When I was taking classes last year I couldn't do this so I kind of feel entitled to a good beer.  That is going to have to go.

Jessica Is Taking A Break From School

For anybody that is interested, Jessica will be taking a break from school and hopefully working full time.  She will be staying in Los Angeles and get her general education credits from a community college.  I am hoping that she won't go into her grace period on her existing loans, I guess we'll see.

Thank you for all of your support.

Day 6 - Dinner and Whiskey

I had a good day yesterday except that I didn't do any extra exercise and I went to the bar with the guys last night.  I had dinner out and a couple of whiskeys.

The rest of the day I managed to do better.  I did have some hot chocolates in the morning but skipped breakfast.  For lunch I had vegies, a banana, and peanut butter.  I piled on the water in the afternoon.

Please make sure you check out the following post: Your Urgent Help Is Needed!

Your Urgent Help Is Needed!

Please see: http://bigfishrants.blogspot.com/2010/01/jessica-is-taking-break-from-school.html

Day 5 - No Beer, Pizza, or Pie

For day 5, I was able to abstain from beer.  I did have breakfast, lunch, an dinner but all mostly healthy.  The main thing I'm really trying to do at this point is to not eat out at Taco Bell, McDonalds, Chipotle, or really any other restaurant, and avoid empty calories.  I know that the simply action of not eating out loses weight for me.  Of course, if you are going to eat out there are healthier choices than the ones above.  My family did get ice cream in the evening but I did abstain from it.

For drinks I had coffee in the morning, one Diet Pepsi at noon, and tons of water the rest of the day.  I limit the number of diet sodas because I found that they will make me more hungry.  Water is the best to avoid hunger, and since when you diet you are usually dehydrating yourself, it will also make you feel better.  Too much water, though, can leave you waterlogged so you want a good balance.  Most people do not drink enough water.

I know to get all the way to my desired weight, I will have to lower the calories in my meals but at this point, I'm just trying to get rid of the bad stuff.

I did walk for 20 - 25 minutes yesterday around our warehouse.  I was not able to get out because I was in meetings all day but this was actually better because it takes time to leave and come back, time I could be spending walking a little further.

I did feel very hungry in the evening but I countered that with water.  It mostly helped but I still felt a little jittery, didn't sleep well last night, and am up early today.  I am also battling my psychological demons, the ones that tell me that I'm a guy and I should eat what I want.  I also hear that little voice in my head telling me to finish what's on my plate and not waste food... that there are starving children in China... you know that kind of stuff.  My ego and sense of entitlement are in there also.  Will keep battling.

I will post my weight each Saturday but I have been weighing myself daily.  I just know I'm going to fluctuate up and down during the week but the weekly interval should show my true weight loss.

Day 4 - I'm Becoming A Bore

Day 4 was somewhat like day 3.  I had to go into the office yesterday, so I ate cereal and took my lunch.  I didn't want to "starve" myself and be shaky in the office.  In the afternoon I switched from coffee to water, although I did have a Diet Pepsi.  For dinner we had leftovers, which for me was stew.  In the evening I did end up having two beers.  I guess I'm going to have to do without the drinks because it is seeming to have an impact on my weight loss.

For exercise I did a couple of rounds in the mall yesterday.  The tendons on the back of my leg were a little sore from Monday's walk.