Oh, Kansas City. You relentless temptress, you. With your seemingly endless ribs and brisket, the gas station and Arthur's place on Brooklyn, you just don't quit smoking. Ever. Please keep it that way.
Last weekend took me to one of my favorite culinary destinations and I was not disappointed. Well, not much anyway. Low carb, high protein, lots of veggies, and a bunch of it. Ribs and brisket for lunch AND dinner at two of my faves, a one-day feast made for a king, or someone who is not trying to drop weight. I kept it real, but cramming it all into 12 hours was not a good idea. I gotta learn restraint. But damn, it was delicious, and not a bit of bread or grain was consumed, other than the oatmeal I had for breakfast to do its job.
Outside of one day where I destroyed the wagon, I managed to keep the last week on track, light exercise on the knee, but no cycling since KC. My bike is fubar and I cannot coast, so I have it in the shop. I'm sticking with the band therapy daily and there has been a marked difference in how my knee feels overall. The cortisone shot did its job and has made it possible for me to move the joint without pain. I still feel a little bit while descending stairs or ramps, but I can walk for more than a mile now which is great considering the size of most American airports.
I also had minor surgery on my right middle finger after taking a nice 8mm sliver while doing some woodworking. It's hampered my ability to lift/twist/grip much more than I can with three fingers on the hand doing all the work with the strongest one out of action. Let's just say I've been careful...
My first Goal Date is tomorrow and I am close, but I will probably fall just short. I cannot fret over falling short if I have tried my best. I know I can do better but this is the first step. I expected to struggle with my commitment, but did not. Since I had eight hours to really think about my life while waiting for a plane in Chicago on August 3, I have lost 18 pounds and two inches off my waist (based on my measurements the next morning and those of today). I am one pound shy of the goal I set that day while walking around each concourse while thunderstorms raged around the airport and my aching knee wailed at me with most every step. I was punishing myself into submission to making the commitment to doing it. The impetus was a revealing conversation with a friend a few nights earlier that shook me to my very core.
Stats 9/29:
Weight: 277 (two shy of 9/30 Goal of 275, BUT minus -1 for the week---briiiisket and riiiibbs)
Waist: 42 (9/30 Goal reached)
BP: 129/81 (taken Tuesday 9/26 8am, best since December 2011, no meds, goal reached with low carb and lean protein diet and increased exercise)
Mood: Resting, frustrated with hand injury. Enjoying a lot of reading and planning. Better.
Sleep: Average 7.1 hrs on CPAP this week. Goal is 7-8 hours.
Challenge result: Success. I helped a very old lady with her bags getting off the plane in Kansas City last Friday night. YOU?
New Goals to be reached by 12/31
Weight: 255 (22 pound loss over 13 weeks)
Waist: 40 or less
BP: 126/80 ( I have physical scheduled for late Dec)
Sleep: Continue to use CPAP at least 7 hours per night when possible.
Exercise: Daily. Talk to personal trainer for program. Incorporate strength training 3 days/wk to go with daily aerobic. GO TO THE GYM.
Mood: TBD. It will be the end of a long stretch of heavy work and stress. The Food Gauntlet will be brutal. I need to use exercise to counteract it.
Knee: Continued improvement, no pain, strong.
Finger: Totally healed.
Head: Priorities for next few years as retirement approaches (WTF???)
Purchases: Indoor cycling trainer. Bikes repaired.
Challenge for the Weekend: Eat a green thing with every meal.
Cheers!
Friday, September 29, 2017
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Taking It On The Road
Summer is all but gone. Tomorrow is autumn. May it be long and gradual in its decline to winter.
This past week presented my first opportunity since starting physical therapy and weight loss to be actively disciplined while away from the chateau. Diet and exercise. Stick to it. Make good choices. Be positive about it. Tomorrow is coming. All the clichés don't mean Jacques shit unless you ACT.
I've been keeping up with the band therapy on my left knee, but working both to keep the balance. After work last Friday, I spent time on a seated (not upright) stationary bike in the hotel gym and finished soaked in sweat but not out of breath. My heart rate held at about 115 (according to the FitBit on my left wrist) for close to 45 minutes after I got warm. That hadn't happened in quite...a... ...while. Then I did it the next night. And again the next three nights that I spent far away from my comfort zone. Each time, I did my bands after the cycling when my legs were still warmed up. The only thing was the seats on the bike were not that comfortable, so my butt really hurt afterward. Pain = gain, or some crazy BS.
Eating on the road has ALWAYS been a challenge, and this trip was no exception. I'm trying to keep it low carb, high in veg fiber and lean protein, and LOTS of water. The Craft Services table at work is always filled with chips, candy, soda, cookies, breakfast bars, snacks, and sometimes fruit. So our NFL Tech Manager says we can request things if we would like them each week. My request will be veg snacks or a tray, fruit, and nuts. The rest of it is just garbage. Anyway, I had BBQ in Tampa with cole slaw and green beans, not the lowest in fat. The rest of the time was salad with chicken or fish, breakfast was yogurt and fruit, never touched a crumb of anything bread-y. In Cincy, I killed it all. Monday night with my buddy Wlad was a flat iron steak and veggies. And a cider instead of a beer. Twice. Carb city. Next morning breakfast was a ham and cheese omelette, and half a slice of whole wheat toast. Not bad, but could do without the bread even after not having some kind of potatoes with the eggs. It actually tasted really great after not having any bread for over a month, but I am glad I stopped at only one half slice. More BBQ meat for a catered lunch, but stayed away from the bread and went for more salad and beans with less meat. Had a late glass of wine and a cheeseburger no bun after the show. Despite a couple of obvious errors in judgement, I felt good -not great- about the choices I made as I got on the plane home yesterday. I can do much better, but the result I saw just now on the scale made me want more. My goal is 275 by Sept 30 and I am not far from it.
Fall hit Utah last week while I was gone, and I am happy the temps have finally fallen out of the 90s. Time to get out on my bike and see the seasons change while getting myself into better shape. I'm off to Kansas City for this weekend to work a soccer show, eat some 'que, exercise to make up for it, and be well. Joe's brisket awaits!
Stats
Weight: 278 (-2 for the week)
BP 130/84 (yesterday at my GP's office)
Waist: 42 (Meeting my 30-day goal for the moment. Pants are looser than they've been in a while)
Mood: Confident
Sleep: Ave 6.25 hrs on CPAP over last 7 days. Need to go down 45 min earlier.
Knee: Left is sore but improving. Band therapy really pushes the muscles which support the joint and cycling is helping with not only the joint, but lowering the weight I put on it. Right is feeling OK, not great, but also benefiting from the therapy.
Challenge for the weekend: Practice a Random Act of Kindness with a complete stranger. GO!
This past week presented my first opportunity since starting physical therapy and weight loss to be actively disciplined while away from the chateau. Diet and exercise. Stick to it. Make good choices. Be positive about it. Tomorrow is coming. All the clichés don't mean Jacques shit unless you ACT.
I've been keeping up with the band therapy on my left knee, but working both to keep the balance. After work last Friday, I spent time on a seated (not upright) stationary bike in the hotel gym and finished soaked in sweat but not out of breath. My heart rate held at about 115 (according to the FitBit on my left wrist) for close to 45 minutes after I got warm. That hadn't happened in quite...a... ...while. Then I did it the next night. And again the next three nights that I spent far away from my comfort zone. Each time, I did my bands after the cycling when my legs were still warmed up. The only thing was the seats on the bike were not that comfortable, so my butt really hurt afterward. Pain = gain, or some crazy BS.
Eating on the road has ALWAYS been a challenge, and this trip was no exception. I'm trying to keep it low carb, high in veg fiber and lean protein, and LOTS of water. The Craft Services table at work is always filled with chips, candy, soda, cookies, breakfast bars, snacks, and sometimes fruit. So our NFL Tech Manager says we can request things if we would like them each week. My request will be veg snacks or a tray, fruit, and nuts. The rest of it is just garbage. Anyway, I had BBQ in Tampa with cole slaw and green beans, not the lowest in fat. The rest of the time was salad with chicken or fish, breakfast was yogurt and fruit, never touched a crumb of anything bread-y. In Cincy, I killed it all. Monday night with my buddy Wlad was a flat iron steak and veggies. And a cider instead of a beer. Twice. Carb city. Next morning breakfast was a ham and cheese omelette, and half a slice of whole wheat toast. Not bad, but could do without the bread even after not having some kind of potatoes with the eggs. It actually tasted really great after not having any bread for over a month, but I am glad I stopped at only one half slice. More BBQ meat for a catered lunch, but stayed away from the bread and went for more salad and beans with less meat. Had a late glass of wine and a cheeseburger no bun after the show. Despite a couple of obvious errors in judgement, I felt good -not great- about the choices I made as I got on the plane home yesterday. I can do much better, but the result I saw just now on the scale made me want more. My goal is 275 by Sept 30 and I am not far from it.
Fall hit Utah last week while I was gone, and I am happy the temps have finally fallen out of the 90s. Time to get out on my bike and see the seasons change while getting myself into better shape. I'm off to Kansas City for this weekend to work a soccer show, eat some 'que, exercise to make up for it, and be well. Joe's brisket awaits!
Stats
Weight: 278 (-2 for the week)
BP 130/84 (yesterday at my GP's office)
Waist: 42 (Meeting my 30-day goal for the moment. Pants are looser than they've been in a while)
Mood: Confident
Sleep: Ave 6.25 hrs on CPAP over last 7 days. Need to go down 45 min earlier.
Knee: Left is sore but improving. Band therapy really pushes the muscles which support the joint and cycling is helping with not only the joint, but lowering the weight I put on it. Right is feeling OK, not great, but also benefiting from the therapy.
Challenge for the weekend: Practice a Random Act of Kindness with a complete stranger. GO!
Peace
∞
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Salsa, New Baby Boy, and Summer's Last Gasp
Winter is coming. Not today, but it might rain. Somewhere. Hopefully A LOT in Oregon and California.
Knee rehab is coming along nicely. The cortisone shot has really helped a lot. I have little to no pain unless I push it, and it is making the morning routine of rubber bands and squats much easier to get through. I am still working on the cycling part of the rehab and even bought bike pants. Maybe I will model them here. I still need to get the bike road worthy with new tires and tubes. Feeling confident that I made the right choice in doctors, I am working hard to get the knee healthy enough for a winter of snow sports.
Stats of the Week.
Weight: 280.4 (down 1.8 from last week, exactly on track)
Waist: 43 (no noticeable change)
Exercise: Steps, resistance bands, and squats. Gotta get that huge butt stronger to help my knee... and lose weight in the process. Need to start stretching more.
Diet: First bread in 11 days on Monday (I had a tortilla wrap of salad greens, roast pork loin, and a little hot sauce from my garden- A+++) tasted like heaven. Yes, a tortilla. It satiated the sandwich craving and didn't kill my diet.
Sleep: Avg. 6.4 hrs/night on CPAP. I'm up by 6:30am every day now. Feeling great, but fatigue sets in early and I like to stay up to play guitar...a real dilemma.
Mood: Motivated.
Cravings: Spaghetti Bolognese with garlic bread and salad. Sandwiches. Beer.
I am without my acoustic bass for a week or so to have it set up and restrung. It's been my mobility instrument and it travels from room to room wherever I end up leaving it. Not having it is kind of like being without a constant, and I realize I miss playing on a whim. BUT... I finished the pedal board I have been working on for a month and have it operating with every pedal I own on it. Fun to play with and satisfying to have it completed. I also made progress on the 1984 Fender Stratocaster on which I am replacing all the volume and time pots along with the 5-way selector switch. Baby wants to scream again, the little vixen.
So last weekend was a gift from the gods in my world. I was supposed to be in Miami for an NFL game which was postponed until Nov 19 due to the hurricane. I am happy to report that our friends in Florida and Houston have all been marked safe and have not been displaced or had their homes destroyed. To use the unexpected influx of extra time well, I made big progress on a big garden bed project I have been putting off because of the knee problem. I also made a batch of bread and gave it all away. Flo and I also made 31 jars of salsa from produce we grew and some we bought at the local farmer's market. I love doing this stuff because I can control things like salt and sugar that go into things we eat. I made the salsa low sodium to help with my BP but used a load of peppers, so it has a nice heat to make up for the salt. Now I just need some freaking CHIPS... Because I give a name to each batch of jam or salsa or beer, etc, I called the first salsa batch "Welcome Little Blin" to celebrate the birth of Joachim, the newest member of the family born on Sept 2 in France. The second batch was called "Seven Straight" to mark the seventh consecutive time the University of Utah has beaten down the BYU Cougars on the gridiron. This last one was an ugly 19-13 game, but it was in Provo, where it is always nice to come away with a Win and put those arrogant poopyheads down while they wallow in their tubs of green jello and ice cream. I decided to make an annual batch of salsa to commemorate the game, regardless of the outcome. Onward, men in Crimson.
Goals From Last Week:
Bike repaired. NOPE
Go to the gym at least one time. NOPE
Make a list of some sort. COMPLETED.
Goals for This Week:
Stay on Track with Diet and Rehab while traveling.
Increase resistance bands on squats.
Keep it SIMPLE.
So, we're on track with diet, exercise, and home canning. Not so good on the Goals. Gotta get the bike tires fixed today just in time to leave for a week. Gotta stay on track with the rehab on the road. Gotta play more music. Gotta work to pay for it. Summer's over and snowboarding season is about 8 weeks away. Gotta live, baby.
Peace!
Knee rehab is coming along nicely. The cortisone shot has really helped a lot. I have little to no pain unless I push it, and it is making the morning routine of rubber bands and squats much easier to get through. I am still working on the cycling part of the rehab and even bought bike pants. Maybe I will model them here. I still need to get the bike road worthy with new tires and tubes. Feeling confident that I made the right choice in doctors, I am working hard to get the knee healthy enough for a winter of snow sports.
Stats of the Week.
Weight: 280.4 (down 1.8 from last week, exactly on track)
Waist: 43 (no noticeable change)
Exercise: Steps, resistance bands, and squats. Gotta get that huge butt stronger to help my knee... and lose weight in the process. Need to start stretching more.
Diet: First bread in 11 days on Monday (I had a tortilla wrap of salad greens, roast pork loin, and a little hot sauce from my garden- A+++) tasted like heaven. Yes, a tortilla. It satiated the sandwich craving and didn't kill my diet.
Sleep: Avg. 6.4 hrs/night on CPAP. I'm up by 6:30am every day now. Feeling great, but fatigue sets in early and I like to stay up to play guitar...a real dilemma.
Mood: Motivated.
Cravings: Spaghetti Bolognese with garlic bread and salad. Sandwiches. Beer.
I am without my acoustic bass for a week or so to have it set up and restrung. It's been my mobility instrument and it travels from room to room wherever I end up leaving it. Not having it is kind of like being without a constant, and I realize I miss playing on a whim. BUT... I finished the pedal board I have been working on for a month and have it operating with every pedal I own on it. Fun to play with and satisfying to have it completed. I also made progress on the 1984 Fender Stratocaster on which I am replacing all the volume and time pots along with the 5-way selector switch. Baby wants to scream again, the little vixen.
So last weekend was a gift from the gods in my world. I was supposed to be in Miami for an NFL game which was postponed until Nov 19 due to the hurricane. I am happy to report that our friends in Florida and Houston have all been marked safe and have not been displaced or had their homes destroyed. To use the unexpected influx of extra time well, I made big progress on a big garden bed project I have been putting off because of the knee problem. I also made a batch of bread and gave it all away. Flo and I also made 31 jars of salsa from produce we grew and some we bought at the local farmer's market. I love doing this stuff because I can control things like salt and sugar that go into things we eat. I made the salsa low sodium to help with my BP but used a load of peppers, so it has a nice heat to make up for the salt. Now I just need some freaking CHIPS... Because I give a name to each batch of jam or salsa or beer, etc, I called the first salsa batch "Welcome Little Blin" to celebrate the birth of Joachim, the newest member of the family born on Sept 2 in France. The second batch was called "Seven Straight" to mark the seventh consecutive time the University of Utah has beaten down the BYU Cougars on the gridiron. This last one was an ugly 19-13 game, but it was in Provo, where it is always nice to come away with a Win and put those arrogant poopyheads down while they wallow in their tubs of green jello and ice cream. I decided to make an annual batch of salsa to commemorate the game, regardless of the outcome. Onward, men in Crimson.
Goals From Last Week:
Bike repaired. NOPE
Go to the gym at least one time. NOPE
Make a list of some sort. COMPLETED.
Goals for This Week:
Stay on Track with Diet and Rehab while traveling.
Increase resistance bands on squats.
Keep it SIMPLE.
So, we're on track with diet, exercise, and home canning. Not so good on the Goals. Gotta get the bike tires fixed today just in time to leave for a week. Gotta stay on track with the rehab on the road. Gotta play more music. Gotta work to pay for it. Summer's over and snowboarding season is about 8 weeks away. Gotta live, baby.
Peace!
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Will I Get to Ride the Golf Cart at the Airport?
Yesterday, the Reset Button fell under the weight of my finger. New doc, new diagnosis, new method, new direction. Everything about the appointment felt better and I am confident that I am on the right path again.
So for now, we're continuing to use rubber bands, a high chair, and a bike to help my body repair the left knee. Pain management from NSAIDs and Ice. I received a cortisone shot that will help keep the knee calm while I rehab it, and hopefully help me get me to the level of exercise I need to lose the weight while gaining strength around the joint. The doc advised that I should keep extensive walking to a minimum for 6 weeks, especially down steps which means I might need to find a chauffeur to haul me from one end of the airport to the other. OK... Can we stop at Starbucks?
Let the fun begin!
Stats from 9/6:
Weight 282 (no change)
BP 130/81 (measured 134/82 initially with a machine in the doc's office, nurse said those machines measure high, took it again by hand and confirmed these numbers)
Waist 43 (30 day goal met, must be maintained)
Mood: Improving (30 day goal met, must be maintained)
Sleep (new this week): Average 6.2 hrs/night on CPAP. Feeling great in the mornings. This will help motivation to exercise.
Goals for the next week:
On a side note... NFL season starts this week. I was supposed to travel to Miami for Week 1, but Irma is giving a massive blow job to the Caribbean this week and might give Florida a real good one after she's finished with the islands. As a result, the NFL rescheduled the game for Nov 19 (my only week off until after Xmas) and I am staying home this weekend. Not bad, but I will probably miss the Govt Mule show at Red Butte next Thursday so I can travel to Tampa Bay. That's four times straight I have missed those guys because I am traveling. Argh... At any rate...
So for now, we're continuing to use rubber bands, a high chair, and a bike to help my body repair the left knee. Pain management from NSAIDs and Ice. I received a cortisone shot that will help keep the knee calm while I rehab it, and hopefully help me get me to the level of exercise I need to lose the weight while gaining strength around the joint. The doc advised that I should keep extensive walking to a minimum for 6 weeks, especially down steps which means I might need to find a chauffeur to haul me from one end of the airport to the other. OK... Can we stop at Starbucks?
Let the fun begin!
Stats from 9/6:
Weight 282 (no change)
BP 130/81 (measured 134/82 initially with a machine in the doc's office, nurse said those machines measure high, took it again by hand and confirmed these numbers)
Waist 43 (30 day goal met, must be maintained)
Mood: Improving (30 day goal met, must be maintained)
Sleep (new this week): Average 6.2 hrs/night on CPAP. Feeling great in the mornings. This will help motivation to exercise.
Goals for the next week:
- Get my bike tuned up and ride 30 minutes on 5/7 days.
- Go to the gym at least once.
- Make a list of some kind.
On a side note... NFL season starts this week. I was supposed to travel to Miami for Week 1, but Irma is giving a massive blow job to the Caribbean this week and might give Florida a real good one after she's finished with the islands. As a result, the NFL rescheduled the game for Nov 19 (my only week off until after Xmas) and I am staying home this weekend. Not bad, but I will probably miss the Govt Mule show at Red Butte next Thursday so I can travel to Tampa Bay. That's four times straight I have missed those guys because I am traveling. Argh... At any rate...
GO STEELERS!!!
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