Halloween Day Oct 31

Daily note; No sweet treats for me today. I really don't eat candy anyway. Expecting only a few kids to knock tonight. Goals today, stay under 1,400 calories, put in a full workout in the gym, buy veggies and salad fixings, watch sodium levels.

5:00 am Muscle Milk Light protein shake, 8.25 fl oz 150 cals (250 mg sodium)
8:30 am 5 oz ground turkey 240 calories. 1/4 medium avocado 80 calories. One piece of Lavash (flat bread) 200 cals (300 mg sodium) and some humus, maybe a tablespoon. 30 calories.

Jeez, that turkey and avocado roll was 550 calories. This looked like a very healthy snack but the result was not as satisfying as you'd expect for such a calorie hit. Not smart.

1:00 pm 1 tbsp Chunky Peanut Butter 100 calories.
4:00 pm McDonald's Chipotle Chicken Snack Wrap Grilled 250 calories (650 mg sodium)
6:00 pm Small green salad with Romaine lettuce, cucumber and avocado 50 calories w/ 2 tbsp vinaigrette, 200 calories. One medium bowl turkey chorizo soup. 4 oz ground turkey, vegetable broth w/onion and mushrooms 300 calories.
8:00 Tablespoon chunky peanut butter. 100 calories.

1,650 total calories, today was a fail. My analysis of this fail centers on the fast food "snack", the chicken wrap from McDonald's. While it comes in at the best low calorie bang for the buck from their menu at 250 calories, it was an unnecessary addition to my diet today. I only ate it because I wanted to treat my super skinny son Mathew to a cheap meal out. So I ordered the "snack" because I was hungry and it kind of blew up the days plan.
 I'll say this, staying below 1,500 calories a day is difficult for me. The only positive to all of this is I think I am dropping weight. For those reading this far I refuse to get on a scale. My beginning weight is in the first post on the blog. I will not restate that number again. It is a shameful and embarrassing figure.

Today's workout was a mixed bag, I investigated a new gym and worked there on a couple of machines before leaving. Went back to my current gym and worked on a couple of muscle groups but overall it was a mediocre effort. Maybe 150 calories burned today. I was a bit burned out I think.

Sunday Oct. 30

Daily note; Watch sodium intake, concentrate on protein and keeping calorie intake to under 1,400. I went to the gym early today and put in a pretty solid workout. The option remains to return later today. I did return to the gym for a 3/4 power workout. I hit all the muscle groups and left with plenty of energy!

5:30 am Muscle Milk Light 150 cals (425 mg sodium).
8:30 am Breakfast Burrito 300 calories (820 mg sodium)
12:30 pm Two 4 oz Turkey meatballs, 300 calories 1/4 avocado. 90 calories. (negligible sodium)
5:00 pm Trader Joe's Garlic Rice Noodle Soup 150 calories, 6 oz Pacific rock fish (broiled) 200 calories, two ounces sauteed mushrooms added to soup 40 calories.
8:00 pm 1 tbsp Jif Crunchy Peanut Butter  100 calories.

The Trader Joe's soup is a sodium trap. The little chemical pack that holds all the flavoring holds 1,340 mg of sodium. They say the little soup bowl is a serving for two but that is unrealistic. Not even an anorexic would consider the entire bowl a sufficient serving of soup. So I used about 25% of the packet and knocked the sodium down to around 350 mg. The bowl of soup w/fish and mushroom come out at 390 calories and I feel stuffed. Today was a victory overall.

1,240 calories ingested - 300 calories burned at the gym = 940 calories for the day net!

My brother Frank's Dinner tonight. This is a model meal!!

Saturday Oct 29

Daily note; Goals for today. Two gym visits, calorie intake below 1,500, adequate fluid intake, watch sodium...

6 am at the gym. No one there which is great but I did not have all the energy I usually have after noon. Still it was nice to get a workout in so early. (never got the second workout in)

5:30 am Protein drink 8.25 oz Muscle Milk Light 150 calories (280 mg sodium)
9:00 am 7 oz Pacific Rock Fish  280 calories (25 mg sodium), One large corn tortilla 50 cals (5 mg sodium)
1:00 pm One Taco Al Carbon at El Pollo Loco (280 mg sodium), 160 calories.
4:30 pm One can of Chicken and Rice Soup 220 calories, (760 mg sodium) 5 oz Baked fish fillets 140 cals
8:00 pm Tablespoon peanut butter 150 calories.

1,150 calories in today - 200 calories working out = 950 total calories for the day.

It's really strange pulling into fast food and ordering a soft shell street taco (no cheese) for a buck and leaving. The best feeling is eating such a small portion and feeling satisfied.

Friday Oct 28

Daily note; Watch sodium intake, drink more water, emphasize protein. I'll be preparing ground turkey chorizo and meatballs from the 6 pound pack I bought at Costco yesterday. I made my own (whole wheat) crouton filler for the meatballs. Cecelia and I have come up with a great recipe for turkey meatballs.

* Looks like I will be sidetracked today, heading up to Berkeley to see our youngest for lunch. Full food report at 6:00 pm.

Update; Today could have been a disaster for the eating plan. Instead I did pretty well for eating out all three meals.
Log below-->

5:30 Muscle Milk Light 150 calories, Home
9:00am McDonald's small breakfast burrito 270 calories. Merced
12:30 pm Tortilla soup w, chicken breast some tortilla chips. 450 calories. Berkeley
5:30 pm 8 ounce grilled chicken breast (280) 4 oz mashed potatoes (150), garden salad w/ vinaigrette dressing (180) broccoli (50)  total for dinner 660 calories. Fresno, Tahoe Joe's Steakhouse
7:00 pm 8 ounces IPA beer 150 calories....... Home on couch!

1,680 total calories today. A victory all considered.

Oct. 27

Daily note - Target 1,300 calories today, exercise, shop for fresh salad and soup ingredients. My cousin made a great point about the sodium levels in prepared soups and prepared foods in general. I acknowledge this. The only way I can avoid high sodium intake is to prepare more foods myself. This is the challenge going forward... I am going to watch sodium levels more closely.

5:30 am Muscle Milk Light, 8.25 fl oz. 150 cals.
9:00 am 320 calorie spaghetti and meatball frozen dinner [oops] (725 mg sodium)
12:00 pm Healthy Choice Chicken w/ Rice Soup whole can. 220 Calories (780 mg sodium)
3:00 pm A couple of samples at Costco 50 calories.
5:30 pm Six ounces Pacific Rock Fish filet, 200 calories, Green salad, mushroom and spinach cooked, 2 tbsp salad dressing. Total for dinner 400 calories. Image and description below. (low sodium )
8:00 Tbsp Peanut butter 150 calories. (projected)

The calorie count came in at just about 1,300 and that was my goal. I was interrupted at the gym today so the session was abbreviated. I maybe burned 100 calories. Net calorie intake today approx 1,200.
I am pretty certain I came in under 2,200 mg's of sodium.... One more thing to measure and worry about!


Sodium  Wikipedia
Health Canada recommends an AI of 1200–1500 mg and an UL of 2200–2300 mg per day for persons aged 9 years or more.

Dinner for Two 

Seasoned and marinated Pacific Rock Fish, butter lettuce salad w/ cucumber, carrots, avocado, olive oil based vinaigrette. Fresh mushrooms and spinach sauteed and presented as a side.  350 to 400 calories plated.

Below is my brother Frank's breakfast, an egg white and talapia fish omelet with jalapeno, cheese and salsa. Looks like it comes in at 400 calories. Without the cheese probably nearer 350 calories. Thanks for the image Frank. Great idea!

Wednesday

6:00 am Muscle Milk Light 8.25 oz 150 calories
9:00 am 6 oz of broiled salmon, 225 calories.
1:00 pm 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 300 calories
3:00 pm 1/2 peach, 30 calories.
5:30 pm Salad pictured below. I am pinning 480 calories on the ingredients that included 3 ounces of chicken and 200 calories on the dressing.

8:30 pm One banana 50 calories.

1,420 calories ingested - 250 exercising =  1,170 total calories (net) today.

Daily note; I was not hungry all day but I ate anyway. I had plenty of energy during my workout. It was a light workout and afterwards I visited a nearby gym to compare the facilities. The other gym is superior. It has four times the amount of machines and a huge pool, spa pool and sauna. They will even match the price I pay at my current gym, $29 for single, $39 for Cecelia and me. Adding the kids (Mathew anyway) would be another $10 a month.

Salad for dinner tonight. Since I'm eating salad nearly every night I'm shopping up to 4 times a week. Today I was in the produce dept. and never ventured beyond the produce section.

Cheese and bread are pretty much out and I buy my canned soups at Costco. I buy my salmon and chicken at Costco as well. The local grocery store is becoming more of a produce mart than anything.

This morning Cecelia and I compared and critiqued each other on where the weight is coming off. Mine is (slowly) dissipating equally from all fronts. I was hoping it would leave the stomach first. My wife Cecelia is dropping inches from the stomach and hips. I have yet to get a "wow" comment from anyone which validates how out of control I was/am.

There is no question vanity is a high percentage of the reason for the all the effort expressed above.

*My brother Frank made this incredible dinner for his family tonight. This is a true food role model meal. Thanks for the contribution Frank!

Oct 25

5:00 am Muscle Milk Light 8.25 oz 150 calories.
10:00 am small tortilla, one egg, 1 oz sausage 300 cals
11:30 am 3 oz Broiled Salmon 175 cals.
5:30 pm Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle Soup 180 cals. Chicken Roll. 2 oz chicken breast, 1/8 avocado, 1/2 lavash bread 70 + 40 + 110 = 220 calories. Total for dinner 400 calories.
8:00 pm (projected snack) 1 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter 150 calories.

1,175 calories taken in today, approximately 250 expended = 925 net calories for today.

Worked out between 10:30 and 11:00 this morning. This gives me the option to go back for another workout later. I don't know if I will do it but the option is there.
I did return to the gym for second workout. Two half workouts equal a whole.

Monday Oct 24

I'm looking forward to the gym today, full workout planned......

6:00 am Muscle Milk Light 8.25 fl oz. 150 cals.
9:00 am  Small burrito, one egg, 1/2 oz cheese, 1/2 oz sausage 300 cals.
1:00 pm Trader Joe's Garlic/Noodle Soup 240 calories Added 4 oz chicken breast to soup 180 cals.

*I am up to 800 calories on the day and I honestly feel like I have not eaten a thing. Just goes to show how hard is is to eat fewer calories day to day.
3:00 pm I had some humus and a few whole wheat crackers 150 cals.
5:30 pm Broiled salmon 8 oz. 300 cals. Green salad w/dressing 250 cals.
8:00 pm 1 tsp peanut butter 150 cals.

1,650 calories today. I worked hard at the gym and likely burned off 300 calories = Net 1,350 calories for the day

I am tempted to check the scale but I don't want to until I am sure the scale gives me the results I believe I earned. A negative result would cripple my resolve. It's better not to have the scale kill off my effort.

*I saw many relatives over the weekend. Many of my relatives, my peers have let themselves go while some have lost weight and are losing weight. Very few have an ideal weight. The elderly relatives are the true weight control role models. The overwhelming majority of relatives I saw over the weekend over the age of 70 were within their goal weight.
If I plan to make it to 70 I need to follow their lead.

Oct 23 Sunday

7:00 am Muscle Milk Light 8.25 fl oz. 150 calories
9:00 am protein bar 200 calories.
11:30 am Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle Soup 250 calories garnish 50 cals.
5:30 pm Roasted chicken, approximately 300 calories.

1,000 calories consumed today.

I would not consider this a model eating day. I did not eat enough food. I nibbled on a couple of whole wheat crackers at home and a couple of samples at Costco. The snacks came to about 200 calories. I did drink enough fluids. No exercise today so I was just not hungry.
Tomorrow I will eat 5 times during the day and target 1,500 calories with a full (for me) gym workout.
I saw images of myself in my suit at my uncle's funeral yesterday. I have a LONG way to go.

Sat Oct 22

I attended the funeral and services for my Uncle Tom in Los Angeles. There was plenty of opportunities to "break" the eating plan but I only wavered slightly.

Morning was OK, I had a breakfast burrito from McDonalds at under 300 calories and a small pancake an hour later 140 calories.
Lunch was at the reception where I had a sausage 400 calories, meatball, 150 calories, 4 oz lean ham, 200 calories, salad and part of a small chicken breast 70 calories. Eggplant Parmesan portion maybe 100 calories.
Total 875 calories.

Dinner at 7:00 pm back at home was a turkey wrap that weighed in at under 300 calories.

Total for the day = 1,700 calories. Had I eliminated the sausage I would have been right on schedule...

Friday Oct 21

Travelling to SoCal for two days. I know what to do and will not let the road separate me from my journey to a lower weight.

* Started the day with 2 corn tortillas, 3 egg whites mixed with spinach and onion. 1 tbsp sour cream. Less than 300 calories total and I could not finish it. My stomach has become accustomed to less food, Yeah!!

I am seeing results in the mirror too. This is beginning to pay off.

Game plan for the rest of the day. Plain hamburger at a fast food outlet on the road, 300 calorie target. Dinner is out with family and I will stick with some kind of chicken and salad. The only one of our group at the restaurant not on some kind of "diet" is our son Matt, lol!

Almonds for snack on the road and later in the hotel.

Saturday, minimal restrictions but I plan to stay close to the course.

Thurs. Oct 20

I am travelling tomorrow and there will be many land mines and unavoidable traps to step around.

Goals for the day. 

 Increase fluid intake / Adequate roughage /  Measure sodium intake

5:00 am Muscle Milk Light 8.25 oz. 150 cals. (sodium 250 mg)
9:00 am Two peaches and a piece of  whole wheat toast and tbsp of crunchy peanut butter. 350 calories
Noon Chicken and Rice Soup from Healthy Choice 240 calories
3:00 pm Tablespoon chunky peanut butter 150 cals
5:30 pm Whole wheat wrap w/sliced chicken, avocado and lettuce 110 + 60 + 40 = 210 Cals and a medium sized butter leaf lettuce salad w/ carrots, onion, avocado and Italian dressing 250 cals total.
8:30 pm tablespoon peanut butter and one slice of bread. 240 cals.

1,440 calories ingested today less 200 calories burned exercising equals a net 1,220 calories for the day.

Wed. Oct. 19

5:30 am Muscle Milk Light 8.25 oz. 150 cals (20 grams protein)
8:00 am One small tortilla, two egg burrito. 240 cals.
2:00 pm Take out burger, small, no cheese or mayo 310 cals
5:30 pm Taking my wife out to dinner with our son Mathew.
I intend to split a 9 oz flank steak with my wife. I'll have a salad and am debating whether to take my half of a baked potato. Hopefully I can get out under 900 calories...
Let's see how dinner out broke down. 5 oz Skirt Steak (grilled). This measures out at just under 300 calories, One Dinner Roll 80 cals,  1/2 Baked Potato 80 calories w/ 2 tbsp sour cream 120 cals, small green salad w/ vinegar and oil dressing 150 cals. Adds up to 730 calories TOTAL!
9:00pm Tablespoon peanut butter 150 cals.

About 1,550 calories taken in and 300 worked off = net 1,250 calories today.

Exercise today. I visited the gym twice today. The first workout at noon was abbreviated because I was weak from hunger so I did not push it. After lunch and some household chores I returned to the gym and completed the workout started earlier and added a couple of sets on additional machines.
I estimate I burned a full 300 calories today between both visits.

Deconstructing the fast food hamburger. 

If you took the ingredients of an In-N-Out hamburger and laid it out on a plate and presented it to someone as a meal it would be termed by most as austere, scimpy, and they would be right. The calorie count for the bun, meat, vegetables and condiments (without the standard mayonnaise spread) totals 310 calories. In-N-Out makes this claim in there calorie chart.
Every time I tell someone I'm on a diet AND that I grabbed a hamburger for lunch I get gasps or looks of disbelief. Break it down. If you are limiting yourself to 1,500 calories per day and one of your meals is totals just north of 300 calories I would judge that a winner.
Granted the pie chart is tilted fats and carbs but for my purposes I cannot knit pick, every ingredient in every bite of food.

Tuesday Oct. 18

5:30 am  Muscle Milk Light 8.25 oz 150 calories
9:30 am  small flour tortilla, one egg, 2 oz soy sausage. 300 calories
Noon chicken and rice soup 250 cals
3:00 pm One stick of string cheese 100 cals
5:00 pm Amy's Vegetable and Barley Soup 140 cals. Added chicken and rice 100 Cals Won ton noodles garnish 50 cals
8:00 pm 1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter 150 cals.

I came in under 1,300 calories for the day, not enough. After deducting what I lost exercising I can count 1000 calories for the day.


*Today I emphasised high reps, med weights at the gym again.
300 calories expended.
I need more cardio burn.

.

Monday Oct 17

I am starting to see food as a necessary evil instead of something to look forward to. For me this is a good sign, for now.  When I see what I know is a "bad" food I demonize it and set it aside in my mind. If I can only put 1,500 calories per day in my my body they are going to be beneficial calories. The end goal is weight loss, to look good and to live longer. Food cannot be allowed to interfere with either goal.

7:00 am Muscle Milk Light 8.25 oz 150 cals
10:00 am small egg/cheese/sausage burrito from MacDonalds 270 Calories
1:30 pm In-N-Out plain hamburger w/onion 310 calories
5:00 pm Healthy Choice Chicken and Rice Soup  w/ 3 oz chicken breast added. 320 calories, Small garden salad, 300 calories.
9:00 pm 1 tblsp crunchy peanut butter 150 calories.

1,500 calories eaten today, burned 200 calories.

Workout--
25 minutes circuit. 5 machines x three sets of 30 light weight. I probably burned 200 calories.  Honestly I got bored and I was hungry.
After the burger I am at around 740 calories for the day. I can go for my salad tonight with 4 oz. chicken breast for dinner.

To be cont....

Oct 16, Sunday

6:00 am Muscle Milk Light 150 cals
7:30 am pastry, 4 bites 40 cals
10:30 Garden Salad w Chicken (2 oz), avacado, spinach, lettuce, cucumber, red onion, vinegar based dressing    500 Cals
2:00 pm Handful of roasted unsalted almonds 150 cals
5:00 pm Annie Chun Miso Soup 240 cals w/ One Chicken Burger 120 cals
8:00 pm 1 tblsp Crunchy Peanut Butter 150 cals.

I drank unsweetened iced tea throughout the day.

1,350 Calories ingested today, no exercise.

Today could serve as a model day for the rest of my life. Plenty of roughage, protein, fluid intake was satisfactory and there was plenty of flavor with the meals. Aside from the sodium, something I have to accept unless I want to cook everything from scratch, I must get used to it. I don;t cook with it and I do not add salt to anything on my plate, ever.

* The pastry was offered at an early morning family meeting at my parent's home. I ate around four bites and left over half of the offering on my plate. It tasted okay but just a taste was sufficient. At this point in my life I regard such treats as a poison.

* I cannot do a lot about the higher sodium in the prepared foods like Annie Chun's soups. Like I said from the beginning this is not scientific. I'm reducing calories and as such am substituting foods I desired in the past with healthier choices. Salads and Chicken over hamburgers and potatoes.

Oct. 15

This will be a tough day emotionally. I'm travelling to Los Angeles to visit an ailing uncle and the prognosis is not good. No exercising but I will eat smart and try to stay in the 1,300 to 1,500 range.

Smarter road choices.
MacDonalds Breakfast Burrito
Parfait
Hamburger

The burrito and hamburger come in at around 300 calories. 300 calories five to six times a day is my goal and though the protein/carb/fat ratios and sodium levels are unfavorable in the selections above but it is only for a day.

* ended up eating a chicken breast sandwich on artisan bread w/ a garden salad w/ ice tea for lunch.
*300 Calorie breakfast sandwich at a fast food outlet on top of my Muscle Milk am drink.
* One chicken soft taco for dinner at El Pollo Loco on the road home.
* Later night snack, of hummus w/ a few crackers before bed

No exercise. Estimated calorie intake 1800. Could have been worse...

Oct 14

5:00 am Muscle Milk (light) 150 cals
6:30 am One corn tortilla, 2 oz Ground Turkey, one egg white 120 cals
10:00 am 8.5 oz coconut water 75 cals
Noon Hamburger, small, no cheese 350 Cals
4:00 pm Large Green Salad, Images below. 600 to 700 calories
8:00 pm 3 oz roasted, unsalted almonds, banana, 200 cals.


This morning I tried on a pair of 40 x 32 jeans that I bought at Costco last week. I anticipated it would take a couple of more weeks to get into them comfortably. They fit nicely, somewhat snug but comfortable. This is a positive breakthrough on this weight loss journey. Good bye size 42.....forever!

I even got a compliment from my wife this am. She grabbed my side just above the waist line and said this is where I'm seeing it. Feedback is key in this endeavor.

Gym workout,
30 minutes circuit, lats, abs, biceps, triceps Approximate calorie expenditure 250 -300 calories


Caloric intake today 1,600 Expended 300

Oct. 13

6:00 am  Muscle Milk (light) 150 cals 20 grams protein
8:30 am  2 corn tortillas, 4 oz broiled salmon, 2 oz avocado. (300 cals)
Noon  Iced Tea (no sweetener) One small hamburger (270 calories)
5:30 pm Garden salad with onion, avocado, 3.5 oz salmon (leftover), almond slivers Honey Mustard dressing Approx 600 cals.
9:00 pm 1 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter 100 calories

Hamburger facts;
Calorie Breakdown:

Carbohydrate (41%)

Fat (37%)

Protein (22%)

 Gym workout;
40 minutes cycle between lat pull, tricep push, ab machine, pec pull, worked deltoids. Approx. burn 300 calories.

Daily caloric intake 1,450. Calories expended working out. 300 

SCIP? Today's Intake and Activity

What is SCIP? I made it up. It's an acronym for Smart Calorie Intake Program. It's not scientific, it's not really a program but maybe someday it will be formalized.

Here is what I ate today and what my activity level looked like. Today was a typical day.

6:00 am.  One 8.25 oz carton of Muscle Milk Light. 150 calories, 20 grams of protein.
9:00 am   One leftover chicken/mushroom/pepper enchilada, no cheese, 200 calories
Noon      Chicken breast sandwich, no mayo. Unsweetened Ice Tea 300 calories
4:30 pm  Salmon 5 oz. broiled, garden salad with avocado, cucumber and sesame ginger dressing. 650 calories         est. dinner
8:30    One tablespoon crunchy peanut butter, 100 calories

Under 1,500 calories for the day.

Activities. One half hour at the gym. Worked lats. pecs. abs and triceps. Maintained 120 heart rate for the entire workout. Calories expended estimated 350.

Why The Blog?

Hi, I'm Mike. I am 55 years old and carry too much weight. Like many overweight people I really don't overeat. If you are thin you won't believe that statement. If you are overweight you probably understand. The last 25 pounds I put on were added without potato chips, fried foods, trans fats, alcohol or binging.
 

The image above was taken at Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park on November 6, 2010. I had hip joint replacement surgery two weeks after this picture was taken. My right hip had been repIaced three months earlier. I weighed 274 pounds going into the second surgery.

 It was at that point I decided I would not look at a scale and I still have not 11 months later.

In June of this year my wife peaked as O was being weighed in my doctor's office, I refused to look but she was shocked. Weeks later I asked what it said and she told me it was 280. For my purposes this is the starting weight.

 At some point in the future I will step on a scale but not before I fit comfortably in a size 38 waist pair of jeans. This should see me at under 220 pounds and at that point I'll reassess my goals. So why the blog? If I commit to this project in a public way I am more likely to follow through. The second reason is I might inspire another person or more than one person to join me. If I get a committed weight loss partner I know I will do better than fighting this alone. If no one wants to join in or share that's OK, I am doing this.