Memorial Monday

On this holiday weekend, it wasn't as difficult to eat less. My second job is being a cashier at a Home Improvement warehouse and, since nobody wanted to work a holiday weekend, I got to work all three days. I did sweat a lot working in the garden center, but it paid off because I was down to 295 when I stepped on the scale this evening (after having dinner at an Italian restaurant). Eight pounds have slowly gone away, and it will continue.

I still park at the far end of the parking lot for work, but I may park further at my second job just because it will force me to walk a few more steps. And you will remember that a few more steps add up over the year. My wife has been inspirational in her walking (and the dog loves it too). She walks fast anyway, but she is gone for an hour or more at a time on her walks. She is pretty close to perfect as far as I can see.

One thing that I regularly have for breakfast is a bowl of oatmeal. I don't buy the individual packets and make it in the microwave: I prefer the old fashioned kind (generic) that you have to cook for a full minute on the stove. It serves a lot of purposes: 1) the cost is extremely low, just 10-12 cents a day, so that I can save money 2) it is pretty tasty, especially with brown sugar or fruit 3) it is supposed to be good for lowering your cholesterol.

Of course, things that help lower your weight will help you to live a longer, healthier life. Here's to YOUR life and your perfect weight quest.

Some Progress Has Now Been Made

I am pretty excited because when I weighed today I was down to 297! That's two pounds in a week. This weight loss is not rapid, nor do I expect it to be. My secret? Well, it was no secret, I didn't eat as much and I exercised a bit. At my day job, we have an exercise room with some treadmills, stationary bikes, stair climbing machines, weight machines, and a small variety of free weights. I started riding the bicycle again, starting out at ten minutes, and by the end of the week, I was at twelve minutes.

Big deal, so you say. It is. I do not want to strain too much or increase by chance for failure, so it gets worked into gradually. The bicycles that are there have the ability to record distance, miles, and calories burned. I was burning about 75 to 100 calories. Not much, but when you think that a pound is equal to 3500 calories, if there were only 75 calories burnt and the bike was ridden every day, 7.8 pounds would be lost in a year. The little things add up.

You don't have to make big changes to see big results over time. Drink one fewer soda per week and you have lost 1.6 pounds. Change that to one fewer soda a day and it gets jacked up to 11.5 pounds a year. All from a simple change.

Let's say that you burn 15 calories by taking the steps each day: that's 1.1 pounds a year. You see, just find little ways that don't hurt to cut back on and you will have a sure fire way to lost weight. Just be sure that you don't replace your new habit with one that ads calories and packs on the pounds.

Have a great day!

I'm Getting Closer

Down to 299 and it represents a 1 pound drop. Certainly nothing to get too excited about, but it is traveling in the right direction...down. This week wasn't the most stellar in food control, especially considering that we got together with my wife's father and sister for a "light" meal. If you call an old-fashioned hamburger and fries "light", then light is what we had.

This week will show a marked improvement in the goal toward the perfect weight. Tomorrow night, I will cook one of my favorite low-cost and low-fat meals: black-eyed peas and rice. It is very filling and has very little fat in it. A pot will be cooked that will make enough for lunches for the rest of the week, including the weekend. There was no work last weekend, and we went to the RV for the weekend. Very relaxing (but, not much activity on my part). I know that I am an embarrassment to my wife and my 16-year-old son, and I want to be alive for the rest of their lives (I want to live as long as they do). Being overweight is such a drain on your knees and joints and heart and lungs. Walking up from the parking lot, my wife commented on my heavy breathing.

If that won't motivate somebody, I don't know what will. I already do some physical activity like mowing the lawn by hand each week. I sweat up a storm, but I know that it is the best physical activity that I get. Here's to a great growing season (and mowing twice a week)!

Stay tuned!

The Perfect Weight is Stil Getting Closer

The weight was recorded today and it is down a bit more to 300. Knowing that th progress is slow, habits are being changed and the weight continue to slowly be lost. One thing that has helped immensely is that the meals that are eaten are pretty much planned out. Often lunch is prepared in the early morning after I rise or, frequently, in the evening the day before. When packing a lunch, some things have been found that really help:

Pack Only What You Need, Not What You Want - This is best done on a full stomach so that you don't end up packing a lot of things that you want that may or may not be the best for you. I know that as a child, I would have wanted the lunch packed with candy and bread, but now as an adult, I know that it is best to have a bit of variety and refrain from the sugar. One of my favorites to pack for lunch is black-eyed peas and rice, which is inexpensive and low in fat and calories.

Stay Away From the Vending Machines - One of the nicknames that the vending machines have been given is "Wheel of Death". Usually the foods are not the best for you nutritionally and they cost a lot of money (versus bringing your own soda and snacks). A real double whammy.

Take the Time You Save to Take a Brisk Walk - Sometimes this is easier said than done, but it is a good idea and doesn't take a lot of equipment, nor does it require you to get too sweaty.

Look here in the future for some low-cost, low-fat recipes.

Have a great day!