I believe my set point is set.
It has been well over a month since my lips have touched walnut oil. During that time, I've hardly held back at all on my eating.
A typical day of eating now goes like this:
I still don't eat breakfast. Since the weather has been so cold, I usually start my day off with a cup of water and then a cup of hot chocolate. That keeps me content until lunchtime. For lunch, I usually have been eating a cup of yogurt, some fruit, some crackers and then either pudding or ginger snap cookies. Then in the afternoon between 3 and 3:30pm, I get hungry again. Sometimes I raid the vending machine. Sometimes I just drink lots of water. When I get home from work, I will head straight for the pantry and eat whatever is in there ... chips, ginger snaps, crackers ... whatever. Then my dear wife will cook dinner and I'll have at least a helping. After the kids are in bed, if there is ice cream in the freezer, I'll have a bowl.
Just this Friday night, we went to On the Border. We ordered an appetizer and then shared a full plate of fajitas. Then we shared a cream cheese desert. I was so full afterwards. That dinner didn't slow me down though. I still pigged out on Saturday and Sunday. I'd eat my own breakfast and lunch and then I'd eat whatever the kids didn't eat (I hate wasting food!)
Last night I decided that I need to stop this binge. Now that we're settled in our new home, life should be returning to normal and this week looks like the first full week of normality.
This morning I got up at 4:50am to go to the gym. I only managed to get in 20 minutes on the treadmill and 500 jumps on the jump-rope before I had to get ready to go to work. After showering, I faced the impartial judge ... the gym scale.
I fully expected to see my weight up in the 190s or even at 200. I stepped on ...
WEIGHT: 188.1
Difference: 1.9 lbs. since January 1, 2007
In my opinion, even though I seemed to be pigging out, I think I (unconciously) stopped when I was satisfied.
My wife and I had this conversation earlier this weekend. She's been diligent about the SLD and weighing in regularly. She keeps shedding pounds. She keeps expecting to see her weight bounce back up too, but as I told her, her set point is being lowered and she is eating less even though she doesn't think so.
Anyway ... I think the diet still works. I've been at 188 for the last month despite my non-chalant attitude about eating. To my credit, I am still working out. Last week I managed to play basketball 3 times. This week I'm determined to get in at least 4 workouts.
Today I'm going to start getting back in the habit of taking the WO in the afternoon during that stretch when I feel hungry again.
One last comment ... I don't think the cold weather helps with cutting back on food. Whenever it is cold, I tend to eat/snack a lot more. I'm sure that once the warm weather arrives, shedding pounds for both my wife and me will be a lot easier. We'll eat less and be more active.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Monday, January 8, 2007
Another Fascinating Article on Smells and Tastes
I found this article combing over the Web today. The link is here.
Sniff before you eat
Many of us work longer and harder hours this time of year. We have more things to do because of the holidays and family gatherings. The stress builds and many of us begin to eat ... more.
What is it that makes us eat so much during the holidays? I believe it is two things:
The wrong foods are more readily available.
The smells and aromas are familiar and comfortable and remind us of fond memories.
It’s no secret that baked goods are abundant in offices during the holidays - from patients, sales reps, specialists, and co-workers. Everyone has a favorite holiday treat. What’s yours? Do you confiscate the chewiest caramel/chocolate/nut candies for your own operatory?
Of course, the doctors who send the fruit baskets or fruitcake might as well keep it for themselves because we don’t eat it in our office. If my choice is a homemade cookie or a piece of fruit, which one do you think I’ll go for? Honey, look out! I’m a woman in menopause on a mission. It’s turn down the thermostat and heat up the chocolate desserts!
Now that I have increased my blood pressure and my appetite by writing about two significant things in my life, let’s get to that four-letter word - DIET.
There is no diet program right for everyone. Why? We are all different. Some of us need more fat, more carbohydrates, or more protein. What you need and in what proportion is important for your health. How much activity or what kind of exercise you need is also important. When you have determined this information, you will be ready to look at essential oils and how they can support you in weight loss and maintenance. The only universal statement we can make about weight loss and maintenance is to eat a variety of foods, watch portion size, and exercise.
Abuse, especially sexual abuse, and poor self-esteem can affect how a person uses food. Essential oils can increase feelings of well-being and counter issues of abuse and low self-esteem. Essential oils can also help control and eliminate cellulite. Brain chemistry (see below), Ayurvedic medicine, poor self-esteem (which often leads to poor nutrition), and cellulite are four things that when teamed with essential oils can improve weight loss and maintenance.
Brain chemistry and how essential oils affect amount, desire for food
There is chemistry involved in smelling and wanting food. First, it is a learned response. See the food, smell the food = want the food, eat the food. There is also this formula: See the food, smell the food = don’t want the food, don’t eat the food.
What happens in the second formula? Many people think that being hungry has to do with blood sugar levels or a full stomach. Dr. Alan Hirsch is founder and neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. He specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of many smell- and taste-related disorders.
Dr. Hirsch says we feel full “because of a special mechanism in our brain. Specifically, the satiety response is regulated in what is technically known as the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, a portion of the brain that regulates many basic drives. We call this portion of the hypothalamus the satiety center. One reason we stop eating is that this center signals a fullness or a sense of being satisfied.” Scientists have damaged this part of the brain in rats and the rats have eaten themselves to death.
How can we affect the hypothalamus to signal full? The nose is directly connected to the hypothalamus. So now we have another formula: I smell it = I eat it.
Dr. Hirsch points out that when the nose is stuffy, it actually smells more deeply. The more deeply you smell, the more the hypothalamus is affected. Your nose has two nostrils, and only one is open at a time. Smelling through the nostril that is not as open can cause greater stimulation to the hypothalamus. Take your finger and close one side of your nose. Now smell. Close the other side and smell. Notice the difference in scent and ease of smell. One side is harder to smell through and the scent is stronger.
Dr. Hirsch explains: “An odor molecule in the air makes its way to the top of the nose to a pin-sized area of the olfactory membrane where millions of olfactory receptors are found. The odor molecule moves through a thin area of mucous and binds to receptor sites on the olfactory nerve. These receptor sites may be very specific, in that they are designed to detect particular odor molecules.
“We also know that some odor molecules respond better at some receptor sites than at others, which is part of the mechanism that allows us to discriminate between odors and identify odors that are present in our environment. Each of these receptors - and we have millions - will link with odor molecules that match them.
“Once an odor molecule reaches a receptor site, the body’s electrical signaling system begins operation. The odor molecule stimulates a long, thin neuron nerve cell known as the bipolar receptor cell to fire. Now a representation of the odor molecule is transmitted up to the olfactory bulb at the top of the nose. The important point here is that the representation - or neural image or picture - of the odor changes. Through a complex mechanism, the original odor stimulus is intensified by a factor of 1,000.
“The intensified odor signal is projected through the olfactory bulb and reaches the main components of the brain. In other words, the system operates to take individual odor molecules and then intensifies them in such a way that the brain can respond to them.”
The part of the brain where this is taking place is called the limbic lobe, which is the seat of our emotions. The limbic lobe activates the hypothalamus, which controls our drives and instincts and ability to feel full. Smelling food can trigger instinctive or mindless behavior, so we put food in our mouth. An emotional state can also trigger a desire for food.
Sometimes we can control what we feel by smelling certain scents. A vanilla scent in a house on the market seems to increase its chances for a sale. It is thought that vanilla gives people a sense of security and hominess. Scents can affect one’s appetite, as well. You can see and smell donuts in your office and want to eat one. If you smell a vanilla essential oil, you can feel secure and homey. This could replace the need to eat a donut.
Without having to intellectually respond to scent, we can react very quickly or unconsciously. The sense of smell can help us control our appetite and any irrational responses we have to food. Perhaps used consciously it can give us control where our willpower fails, such as in controlling cravings.
The Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Institute of Chicago found that inhaling a culinary scent such as basil, oregano, or lemon regularly throughout the day, especially when hungry, could suppress the desire to taste and therefore eat. By inhaling an aroma three to six times in each nostril, the desire to eat is inhibited. If the scent is not adequately smelled, it can increase the desire to eat, so it is important to smell the oil deeply and as many times as suggested.
It was also found that oils should be changed each day to have the best effect. We are naturally attracted to different smells and tastes each day, and eating the same foods over and over again leads to feelings of deprivation, which is the most common cause of failure for most diets.
Cheating on a diet could be just another way to increase variety. Dr. Hirsch also found that people cannot smell too much. In fact, the more people used scent to control their appetite, the more weight they lost in his study. So hygienists, follow your nose!
Which scents to use
Most people prefer sweet smells. Chocolate fragrance creates serotonin in the brain, which is linked to cravings for sweets. Smelling chocolate can reduce the desire for sweets. Banana, green apples, and peppermint were also found to be successful, while the flower and medicinal smelling oils were least effective. The oils associated with cooking or culinary herbs were best. When the chocolate goodies come into the office, don’t eat them, just smell them.
Fragrances are not essential oils and some people are allergic to them. I know this is my mantra, but safely using these oils with allergies is very important. Essential oils are natural products steam-distilled from plants.
Caution
People with asthma or migraine headaches may find that sniffing many smells can aggravate their conditions, so they should be very careful.
Toxicity of the liver has been reported when people use too much oil. Essential oils are not water-soluble. The liver must break down the oil into a more soluble form with the use of enzymes. If the oil is introduced into the body faster than the liver can convert it, toxicity can result. This has been primarily noted in skin application, but is worth noting here.
Aromatherapy tip
Scent of the season: cinnamon - Cinnamon has a sweet, spicy-hot fragrance that is so potent, only small amounts are needed to perk up an aromatherapy blend. The scent is well known for its use in cinnamon rolls, candles, and many comfort foods.
Uses: The essential oil of cinnamon is best described as a mover and a shaker. It is a physical and emotional stimulant that gets the blood and mind moving. It also affects the libido and is known as an aphrodisiac, as well as an antidepressant.
Now, this could be really good or really bad! Researchers found that just having the aroma in a room reduces drowsiness, irritability, and the pain and frequency of headaches. It also increases the action of enzymes that break down food in the body, aiding the metabolic process. The essential oil fights viral, fungal, and bacterial illnesses and boosts the immune system.
Last caution: Both the leaf and bark essential oils can irritate, redden, and even burn sensitive skin, so use them carefully - no more than half a drop in a bath.
Avoid their use altogether in cosmetics.
Debra Grant, RDH,CA, manages her own company, Oraspa, Inc. Her continuing education in integrative dentistry and dental hygiene ensures state-of-the-art information for the contemporary dental office. She is the creator of Perioromatherapy, a therapeutic technique used in her dental office. Debra offers educational programs as a speaker and consultant. She can be reached at www.Oraspa.com or debra@Oraspa.com.
Sniff before you eat
Many of us work longer and harder hours this time of year. We have more things to do because of the holidays and family gatherings. The stress builds and many of us begin to eat ... more.
What is it that makes us eat so much during the holidays? I believe it is two things:
The wrong foods are more readily available.
The smells and aromas are familiar and comfortable and remind us of fond memories.
It’s no secret that baked goods are abundant in offices during the holidays - from patients, sales reps, specialists, and co-workers. Everyone has a favorite holiday treat. What’s yours? Do you confiscate the chewiest caramel/chocolate/nut candies for your own operatory?
Of course, the doctors who send the fruit baskets or fruitcake might as well keep it for themselves because we don’t eat it in our office. If my choice is a homemade cookie or a piece of fruit, which one do you think I’ll go for? Honey, look out! I’m a woman in menopause on a mission. It’s turn down the thermostat and heat up the chocolate desserts!
Now that I have increased my blood pressure and my appetite by writing about two significant things in my life, let’s get to that four-letter word - DIET.
There is no diet program right for everyone. Why? We are all different. Some of us need more fat, more carbohydrates, or more protein. What you need and in what proportion is important for your health. How much activity or what kind of exercise you need is also important. When you have determined this information, you will be ready to look at essential oils and how they can support you in weight loss and maintenance. The only universal statement we can make about weight loss and maintenance is to eat a variety of foods, watch portion size, and exercise.
Abuse, especially sexual abuse, and poor self-esteem can affect how a person uses food. Essential oils can increase feelings of well-being and counter issues of abuse and low self-esteem. Essential oils can also help control and eliminate cellulite. Brain chemistry (see below), Ayurvedic medicine, poor self-esteem (which often leads to poor nutrition), and cellulite are four things that when teamed with essential oils can improve weight loss and maintenance.
Brain chemistry and how essential oils affect amount, desire for food
There is chemistry involved in smelling and wanting food. First, it is a learned response. See the food, smell the food = want the food, eat the food. There is also this formula: See the food, smell the food = don’t want the food, don’t eat the food.
What happens in the second formula? Many people think that being hungry has to do with blood sugar levels or a full stomach. Dr. Alan Hirsch is founder and neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. He specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of many smell- and taste-related disorders.
Dr. Hirsch says we feel full “because of a special mechanism in our brain. Specifically, the satiety response is regulated in what is technically known as the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, a portion of the brain that regulates many basic drives. We call this portion of the hypothalamus the satiety center. One reason we stop eating is that this center signals a fullness or a sense of being satisfied.” Scientists have damaged this part of the brain in rats and the rats have eaten themselves to death.
How can we affect the hypothalamus to signal full? The nose is directly connected to the hypothalamus. So now we have another formula: I smell it = I eat it.
Dr. Hirsch points out that when the nose is stuffy, it actually smells more deeply. The more deeply you smell, the more the hypothalamus is affected. Your nose has two nostrils, and only one is open at a time. Smelling through the nostril that is not as open can cause greater stimulation to the hypothalamus. Take your finger and close one side of your nose. Now smell. Close the other side and smell. Notice the difference in scent and ease of smell. One side is harder to smell through and the scent is stronger.
Dr. Hirsch explains: “An odor molecule in the air makes its way to the top of the nose to a pin-sized area of the olfactory membrane where millions of olfactory receptors are found. The odor molecule moves through a thin area of mucous and binds to receptor sites on the olfactory nerve. These receptor sites may be very specific, in that they are designed to detect particular odor molecules.
“We also know that some odor molecules respond better at some receptor sites than at others, which is part of the mechanism that allows us to discriminate between odors and identify odors that are present in our environment. Each of these receptors - and we have millions - will link with odor molecules that match them.
“Once an odor molecule reaches a receptor site, the body’s electrical signaling system begins operation. The odor molecule stimulates a long, thin neuron nerve cell known as the bipolar receptor cell to fire. Now a representation of the odor molecule is transmitted up to the olfactory bulb at the top of the nose. The important point here is that the representation - or neural image or picture - of the odor changes. Through a complex mechanism, the original odor stimulus is intensified by a factor of 1,000.
“The intensified odor signal is projected through the olfactory bulb and reaches the main components of the brain. In other words, the system operates to take individual odor molecules and then intensifies them in such a way that the brain can respond to them.”
The part of the brain where this is taking place is called the limbic lobe, which is the seat of our emotions. The limbic lobe activates the hypothalamus, which controls our drives and instincts and ability to feel full. Smelling food can trigger instinctive or mindless behavior, so we put food in our mouth. An emotional state can also trigger a desire for food.
Sometimes we can control what we feel by smelling certain scents. A vanilla scent in a house on the market seems to increase its chances for a sale. It is thought that vanilla gives people a sense of security and hominess. Scents can affect one’s appetite, as well. You can see and smell donuts in your office and want to eat one. If you smell a vanilla essential oil, you can feel secure and homey. This could replace the need to eat a donut.
Without having to intellectually respond to scent, we can react very quickly or unconsciously. The sense of smell can help us control our appetite and any irrational responses we have to food. Perhaps used consciously it can give us control where our willpower fails, such as in controlling cravings.
The Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Institute of Chicago found that inhaling a culinary scent such as basil, oregano, or lemon regularly throughout the day, especially when hungry, could suppress the desire to taste and therefore eat. By inhaling an aroma three to six times in each nostril, the desire to eat is inhibited. If the scent is not adequately smelled, it can increase the desire to eat, so it is important to smell the oil deeply and as many times as suggested.
It was also found that oils should be changed each day to have the best effect. We are naturally attracted to different smells and tastes each day, and eating the same foods over and over again leads to feelings of deprivation, which is the most common cause of failure for most diets.
Cheating on a diet could be just another way to increase variety. Dr. Hirsch also found that people cannot smell too much. In fact, the more people used scent to control their appetite, the more weight they lost in his study. So hygienists, follow your nose!
Which scents to use
Most people prefer sweet smells. Chocolate fragrance creates serotonin in the brain, which is linked to cravings for sweets. Smelling chocolate can reduce the desire for sweets. Banana, green apples, and peppermint were also found to be successful, while the flower and medicinal smelling oils were least effective. The oils associated with cooking or culinary herbs were best. When the chocolate goodies come into the office, don’t eat them, just smell them.
Fragrances are not essential oils and some people are allergic to them. I know this is my mantra, but safely using these oils with allergies is very important. Essential oils are natural products steam-distilled from plants.
Caution
People with asthma or migraine headaches may find that sniffing many smells can aggravate their conditions, so they should be very careful.
Toxicity of the liver has been reported when people use too much oil. Essential oils are not water-soluble. The liver must break down the oil into a more soluble form with the use of enzymes. If the oil is introduced into the body faster than the liver can convert it, toxicity can result. This has been primarily noted in skin application, but is worth noting here.
Aromatherapy tip
Scent of the season: cinnamon - Cinnamon has a sweet, spicy-hot fragrance that is so potent, only small amounts are needed to perk up an aromatherapy blend. The scent is well known for its use in cinnamon rolls, candles, and many comfort foods.
Uses: The essential oil of cinnamon is best described as a mover and a shaker. It is a physical and emotional stimulant that gets the blood and mind moving. It also affects the libido and is known as an aphrodisiac, as well as an antidepressant.
Now, this could be really good or really bad! Researchers found that just having the aroma in a room reduces drowsiness, irritability, and the pain and frequency of headaches. It also increases the action of enzymes that break down food in the body, aiding the metabolic process. The essential oil fights viral, fungal, and bacterial illnesses and boosts the immune system.
Last caution: Both the leaf and bark essential oils can irritate, redden, and even burn sensitive skin, so use them carefully - no more than half a drop in a bath.
Avoid their use altogether in cosmetics.
Debra Grant, RDH,CA, manages her own company, Oraspa, Inc. Her continuing education in integrative dentistry and dental hygiene ensures state-of-the-art information for the contemporary dental office. She is the creator of Perioromatherapy, a therapeutic technique used in her dental office. Debra offers educational programs as a speaker and consultant. She can be reached at www.Oraspa.com or debra@Oraspa.com.
The Monthly Fast
As you may know, I'm a <a href="http://mormon.org/welcome/0,6929,403-1,00.html">Mormon</a> (member of <a href="http://beta.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a>). In the Church, the members fast together on the first Saturday/Sunday of the month. Most members start their fast on Saturday and end it sometime in the afternoon or evening on Sunday. For more information about religious fasting, read <a href="http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/2001.htm/ensign%20may%202001.htm/the%20law%20of%20the%20fast.htm?fn=document-frame.htm$f=templates$3.0">this article</a>.<br /><br />Yesterday was the first time my wife and I were able to fast together in a very long time. She doesn't fast when she's pregnant or actively nursing. So now that our youngest is doing well with a bottle and is starting to eat solids, she felt that she could fast. She was talking to our neighbor about this and our neighbor mentioned that they were doing a clense this weekend. They eat nothing but vegetables and drink nothing but water. I've heard people do that before. Maybe I'll try it one of these weekends when the BCS championship and Super Bowl football games are over. But our neighbor says they've done it before and have lost a few pounds. The biggest temptation for them is beer.<br /><br />I've also read a bit on Seth's blog about fasting or semi-fasting. You can read all about that <a href="http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2006/06/22/meal-skipping-good-or-bad/">here</a>.<br /><br />So I started my fast Saturday night. I just wasn't hungry during the day and didn't eat dinner until around 7:30pm. Fasting isn't so tough. I've found it much easier to do since I've been doing the SLD. The thing I miss most when I'm fasting is the water. I get so thirsty. As a missionary serving in Central America, during fasts I would get cotton mouth and I craved water so much. We'd hike around visiting members on fast Sunday and I remember not really sweating because I didn't have much water in me. But as soon as I broke the fast and took those first sips of water, the pores in my skin seemed to release a floodgate and I would immediately begin sweating.<br /><br />Yesterday I ended my fast at dinner time. When I end my fast, I find that despite being so hungry, I fill up quite quickly. So all I had the other day was a small dish of enchildas, two pieces of wheat bread and a bowl of ice cream.<br /><br />This morning I weighed in after my 30 minutes of running and 30 minutes of biking and was happy to see that I finally broke the 190 plane I've been on for the last two months.<br /><br />As always, same time of day, same scale with just the gym towel.<br /><br /><strong>WEIGHT: 188.8</strong><br /><em>Difference: 1.2 lbs. since January 1, 2007</em>
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Ring In the New Year, Burn Out the Old Pounds
Christmas 2005 vs. Christmas 2006
We flew home to Idaho for Christmas in 2005. Along with all the warmth and memories that go along with being home for Christmas are all the chocolates, candies, cakes, pies, cookies, Doritos, popcorn, soda, egg nog and delicious food laying around the house just waiting to be eaten. Then there is that wonderful big screen TV with all the comfortable sofas to sit on while we watched movies and football games. It was a very memorable Christmas. I indulged and ate like a porker. I did not hold back at all. In fact, I kept telling myself that I'd be joining the gym in January and that all those pounds would just fall off once I started working out. Unfortunately I was missing half the idea ... not only did I need to work out, but I needed to control my appetite to eat.
Thankfully I stumbled accross the Shangri-la Diet and the rest is history.
So Christmas 2006 was a little bit different. This year we went to Florida. All those wonderful treats were there just like last year, but this year I was able to hold back a lot more. I did eat my fair share of cookies and chocolates, but it was nothing compared to the amount I ate last year.
Another Great Post By Seth
I was over at Seth Robert's blog this afternoon and read another great post about drinking olive oil. He cited come evidence about how ancient cultures followed some principals of the SLD. Go have a read ... you won't be disappointed.
A New Year, A New Goal
Yes it's a new year, but the goal really isn't new. The main goal is the same ... lose excess pounds. What is really important is that target weight ... 175 lbs. Yesterday I started the New Year on the right foot. I got up at 6am and played basketball for 150 minutes. Despite getting in a good work out, I didn't restrict myself at all as far as eating went. I ate some cold cereal, a couple of Taco Bell burritos and a bowl of popcorn while I watched the best college bowl game in my life (Boise St. vs Oklahoma).
Today we'll be going to the gym after work. So I'm getting off to a really good start.
My wife went to the gym yesterday and had a chance to weigh in. She was pleasantly suprised to see that she weighed the same as when we left for Florida two weeks ago. She was sure that she gained weight. I suggested to her that she didn't put on any pounds because the food we ate during the trip was "foreign" to our bodies. Either that or she burned a lot of calories trying to manage the kids in the car on our 15 hour car trip.
Best of Luck To You This Year
If you have put "lose weight" on your New Year's Resolution list, then I suggest you give the Shangri-la Diet a try. Start by reading through this blog and the Seth Robert's links to the side. The link entitled "Video About the SLD" is also a good start. Of course you can always buy the book and get all the info right from the horse's mouth. But I also encourage you to go visit his forum. There have been some significant developments in the diet since it first came out.
Another great resource is Stephen M's blog. I first found out about the diet from reading his blog. He has some pretty good advice as well as a consolidated list of advice on the subject.
So best of luck to you in 2007 and may this be the year you finally reach that goal of losing weight!
We flew home to Idaho for Christmas in 2005. Along with all the warmth and memories that go along with being home for Christmas are all the chocolates, candies, cakes, pies, cookies, Doritos, popcorn, soda, egg nog and delicious food laying around the house just waiting to be eaten. Then there is that wonderful big screen TV with all the comfortable sofas to sit on while we watched movies and football games. It was a very memorable Christmas. I indulged and ate like a porker. I did not hold back at all. In fact, I kept telling myself that I'd be joining the gym in January and that all those pounds would just fall off once I started working out. Unfortunately I was missing half the idea ... not only did I need to work out, but I needed to control my appetite to eat.
Thankfully I stumbled accross the Shangri-la Diet and the rest is history.
So Christmas 2006 was a little bit different. This year we went to Florida. All those wonderful treats were there just like last year, but this year I was able to hold back a lot more. I did eat my fair share of cookies and chocolates, but it was nothing compared to the amount I ate last year.
Another Great Post By Seth
I was over at Seth Robert's blog this afternoon and read another great post about drinking olive oil. He cited come evidence about how ancient cultures followed some principals of the SLD. Go have a read ... you won't be disappointed.
A New Year, A New Goal
Yes it's a new year, but the goal really isn't new. The main goal is the same ... lose excess pounds. What is really important is that target weight ... 175 lbs. Yesterday I started the New Year on the right foot. I got up at 6am and played basketball for 150 minutes. Despite getting in a good work out, I didn't restrict myself at all as far as eating went. I ate some cold cereal, a couple of Taco Bell burritos and a bowl of popcorn while I watched the best college bowl game in my life (Boise St. vs Oklahoma).
Today we'll be going to the gym after work. So I'm getting off to a really good start.
My wife went to the gym yesterday and had a chance to weigh in. She was pleasantly suprised to see that she weighed the same as when we left for Florida two weeks ago. She was sure that she gained weight. I suggested to her that she didn't put on any pounds because the food we ate during the trip was "foreign" to our bodies. Either that or she burned a lot of calories trying to manage the kids in the car on our 15 hour car trip.
Best of Luck To You This Year
If you have put "lose weight" on your New Year's Resolution list, then I suggest you give the Shangri-la Diet a try. Start by reading through this blog and the Seth Robert's links to the side. The link entitled "Video About the SLD" is also a good start. Of course you can always buy the book and get all the info right from the horse's mouth. But I also encourage you to go visit his forum. There have been some significant developments in the diet since it first came out.
Another great resource is Stephen M's blog. I first found out about the diet from reading his blog. He has some pretty good advice as well as a consolidated list of advice on the subject.
So best of luck to you in 2007 and may this be the year you finally reach that goal of losing weight!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Shangri-La Diet in a Spray?
Not exactly, but the principal is there ... taste and smell are associated with weight-gain.
Read all about it here (or here for the link):
Firm designs nasal spray to fight obesity
Tue Dec 19, 2006 12:29 PM ET
By Jason Szep
BOSTON (Reuters) - Dieters may find some welcome assistance from a new nasal spray that could help resist the appetizing aromas of cinnamon bun stands, pizza parlors or tempting bakeries.
Compellis Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Massachusetts said it will begin human trials next year of a nasal spray designed to fight obesity by blocking the senses of smell and taste. It won a patent for the product this month.
"The pleasurable effect of eating is all stimulated by smell and taste," Christopher Adams, the company's founder and chief executive, told Reuters on Tuesday.
"The premise is that olfactory activity that controls both smell and taste is a trigger and a feedback mechanism to eat. If you have some kind of reduced sense of smell or taste, you tend to eat less," he said.
The product, known as CP404, is among the latest devices and treatments under development in the multibillion-dollar fight against obesity.
An estimated 65 percent of adult Americans are overweight or obese, putting them at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and other conditions that account for more than $100 billion of the country's $1.9 trillion annual healthcare bill.
French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis began marketing its obesity pill Acomplia in Britain in June and expects to receive U.S. government approval by April to sell the drug in the United States. The pill switches off the same brain circuits that make people hungry when they smoke cannabis.
Medtronic Inc., the world's biggest maker of medical devices, is developing a battery-powered gastric pacemaker that causes the stomach to contract, sending signals of satiety to the appetite center in the brain.
Enteromedics Inc. of Minneapolis is working with the Mayo Clinic on a device known as "Maestro" that uses electricity to paralyze the stomach, reducing or stopping contractions that churn food as part of the digestion process.
Those last two devices, like CP404, are still years away from reaching consumers.
TO SEEK FDA APPROVAL
Adams said he would seek Food and Drug Administration approval in about three years after human trials begin in 2007. He also expects to tap the stock market to raise $25 million to $50 million in an initial public offering if human trials are successful, with the spray expected to hit the market in 2010.
The nasal spray treatment would retail at $500 to $1,000 a year.
The Obesity Action Coalition, a Tampa, Florida-based nonprofit organization, cautioned that any such spray should be accompanied by other treatments and a change in lifestyle to be effective.
"There are a lot of reasons why obesity exists, and it's not always a case of food addiction," said James Zervios, a spokesman for the coalition.
"People still need to eat. Every time they get hungry I don't think they could just use the spray," he said. "People need to be taught what are the better foods to eat -- what's high on protein, what's low on fat."
Bariatric surgery, including gastric bands like the Lapband, is the only effective permanent solution, doctors say. Gastric bypass surgery makes the stomach smaller so patients can eat less and cuts out a long stretch of small intestine so fewer nutrients are absorbed.
But the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a unit of the federal government's Public Health Service, has warned that four of every 10 patients who undergo weight-loss surgery develop complications within six months.
Read all about it here (or here for the link):
Firm designs nasal spray to fight obesity
Tue Dec 19, 2006 12:29 PM ET
By Jason Szep
BOSTON (Reuters) - Dieters may find some welcome assistance from a new nasal spray that could help resist the appetizing aromas of cinnamon bun stands, pizza parlors or tempting bakeries.
Compellis Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Massachusetts said it will begin human trials next year of a nasal spray designed to fight obesity by blocking the senses of smell and taste. It won a patent for the product this month.
"The pleasurable effect of eating is all stimulated by smell and taste," Christopher Adams, the company's founder and chief executive, told Reuters on Tuesday.
"The premise is that olfactory activity that controls both smell and taste is a trigger and a feedback mechanism to eat. If you have some kind of reduced sense of smell or taste, you tend to eat less," he said.
The product, known as CP404, is among the latest devices and treatments under development in the multibillion-dollar fight against obesity.
An estimated 65 percent of adult Americans are overweight or obese, putting them at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and other conditions that account for more than $100 billion of the country's $1.9 trillion annual healthcare bill.
French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis began marketing its obesity pill Acomplia in Britain in June and expects to receive U.S. government approval by April to sell the drug in the United States. The pill switches off the same brain circuits that make people hungry when they smoke cannabis.
Medtronic Inc., the world's biggest maker of medical devices, is developing a battery-powered gastric pacemaker that causes the stomach to contract, sending signals of satiety to the appetite center in the brain.
Enteromedics Inc. of Minneapolis is working with the Mayo Clinic on a device known as "Maestro" that uses electricity to paralyze the stomach, reducing or stopping contractions that churn food as part of the digestion process.
Those last two devices, like CP404, are still years away from reaching consumers.
TO SEEK FDA APPROVAL
Adams said he would seek Food and Drug Administration approval in about three years after human trials begin in 2007. He also expects to tap the stock market to raise $25 million to $50 million in an initial public offering if human trials are successful, with the spray expected to hit the market in 2010.
The nasal spray treatment would retail at $500 to $1,000 a year.
The Obesity Action Coalition, a Tampa, Florida-based nonprofit organization, cautioned that any such spray should be accompanied by other treatments and a change in lifestyle to be effective.
"There are a lot of reasons why obesity exists, and it's not always a case of food addiction," said James Zervios, a spokesman for the coalition.
"People still need to eat. Every time they get hungry I don't think they could just use the spray," he said. "People need to be taught what are the better foods to eat -- what's high on protein, what's low on fat."
Bariatric surgery, including gastric bands like the Lapband, is the only effective permanent solution, doctors say. Gastric bypass surgery makes the stomach smaller so patients can eat less and cuts out a long stretch of small intestine so fewer nutrients are absorbed.
But the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a unit of the federal government's Public Health Service, has warned that four of every 10 patients who undergo weight-loss surgery develop complications within six months.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Down With the Weight!
I'm embarrassed. I've been steadily gaining since Halloween. My weight has crept back up to 190 as of this morning ... yikes!
It really shouldn't come as a suprise. I've drifted from the basics. I've not been diligent with the WO or my workouts. Stress has taken its toll on me too. I finished school, but work has been tough as I've been placed in a new position. It's much busier than my old position. Plus ... we're moving. We need to get into something a little roomier than what we have.
But I've been able to manage all of that and now I've got it all under control for the time being. I'm now ready to re-focus on my weight.
So what am I going to do for an encore? I'm going to go beyond 185. I'm going to shoot for 175. I really don't know if I'll hit it, but after looking in the mirror, I think there's plenty to take off.
I think the timing is perfect for my encore. Last year we went home for Christmas and I pigged out every day. I was up over 220 when we came back. This year will be different ... starting this week. My mind is focused on hitting 175 and this year I have the tool to do it ... the Shangri-la Diet.
The Plan
There really is nothing new. I'll just be diligent. Diligence and consistency is the key.
Sun - Rest day, no WO.
Mon - 30 mins on treadmill, 30 mins on bike, WO @ 8am & 2pm.
Tue - Basketball, WO @ 8am & 2pm.
Wed - 30 mins on treadmill, 30 mins on bike, WO @ 8am & 2pm.
Thu - Basketball, WO @ 8am & 2pm, WEEKLY OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN
Fri - Optional ... either rest day or go to the gym, WO @8am & 2pm.
Sat - Basketball or gym, WO optional.
I'll continue to not eat breakfast (except on Sundays). For lunch ... something light ... crackers, yogurt and some fruit. For dinner ... salad or healthy food.
That's about it. I don't know if or when I'll hit 175. I would assume that the rate would be about .2 lbs. a day. If this is correct, then I should hit 175 around the 2nd week of March. And since I'm really conservative, I'll add a couple of weeks to that target. So my goal is hit 175 lbs. by April 1, 2007.
I seem to recall this situation happening to either Seth or one of his friends ... they lost a bunch of weight, put some back on and then lost it all a 2nd time. We'll see if that happens to me.
I still feel really good. I feel so much healthier than last year. My wife has been doing the diet and she's lost about 10 lbs. so far.
Well, let the pounds fall!
It really shouldn't come as a suprise. I've drifted from the basics. I've not been diligent with the WO or my workouts. Stress has taken its toll on me too. I finished school, but work has been tough as I've been placed in a new position. It's much busier than my old position. Plus ... we're moving. We need to get into something a little roomier than what we have.
But I've been able to manage all of that and now I've got it all under control for the time being. I'm now ready to re-focus on my weight.
So what am I going to do for an encore? I'm going to go beyond 185. I'm going to shoot for 175. I really don't know if I'll hit it, but after looking in the mirror, I think there's plenty to take off.
I think the timing is perfect for my encore. Last year we went home for Christmas and I pigged out every day. I was up over 220 when we came back. This year will be different ... starting this week. My mind is focused on hitting 175 and this year I have the tool to do it ... the Shangri-la Diet.
The Plan
There really is nothing new. I'll just be diligent. Diligence and consistency is the key.
Sun - Rest day, no WO.
Mon - 30 mins on treadmill, 30 mins on bike, WO @ 8am & 2pm.
Tue - Basketball, WO @ 8am & 2pm.
Wed - 30 mins on treadmill, 30 mins on bike, WO @ 8am & 2pm.
Thu - Basketball, WO @ 8am & 2pm, WEEKLY OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN
Fri - Optional ... either rest day or go to the gym, WO @8am & 2pm.
Sat - Basketball or gym, WO optional.
I'll continue to not eat breakfast (except on Sundays). For lunch ... something light ... crackers, yogurt and some fruit. For dinner ... salad or healthy food.
That's about it. I don't know if or when I'll hit 175. I would assume that the rate would be about .2 lbs. a day. If this is correct, then I should hit 175 around the 2nd week of March. And since I'm really conservative, I'll add a couple of weeks to that target. So my goal is hit 175 lbs. by April 1, 2007.
I seem to recall this situation happening to either Seth or one of his friends ... they lost a bunch of weight, put some back on and then lost it all a 2nd time. We'll see if that happens to me.
I still feel really good. I feel so much healthier than last year. My wife has been doing the diet and she's lost about 10 lbs. so far.
Well, let the pounds fall!
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
TARGET ACQUIRED!
I lost my chess match last night, so I was glad to wake up this morning to some good news. I stepped on the home scale and it read 188.4! This was good news because the home scale is always about 3 to 4 pounds above the gym (official) scale.
After a good workout playing basketball, I showered and weighed in.
As always, same time of day, same scale with just the towel.
WEIGHT: 184.5
Difference: 33.0 lbs. since May 1, 2006
I am officially under 185!
Now the interesting thing to note here is that I am just getting over a cold. I had it most of the weekend. When I get a cold, I get stuffed up and my sense of taste is gone. So when I was eating all weekend, it was like I was eating tasteless calories.
So chalk up another method for losing weight ... get a cold and lose your sense of taste. But with that said, I must admit it was extremely frustrating not to taste food. I lost my appetite. But when I finally cleared up a bit and got my taste buds back, I ate like a pig and savored every bite.
Now What?
The target weight has been acquired ... phase one is accomplished. Phase two is to keep off the pounds for 6 months. I may continue to lose pounds because my ideal weight is 175. Plus, I still have some fat around the gut that I could lose. I will try to check back in every month or so to report my weight.
The important thing to note is that I will continue to ingest sugar water with walnut oil every morning. I'm not going to really change anything. In my mind, this is not a diet in the sense that one diets for a few months and then returns to the status quo. Instead, I view this as a lifestyle change. I don't think the Shangri-La Diet should be called a diet at all. But that is all symantics. But I just want all my thousands of readers to know that I plan on continue to ingest SW/WO every day. I also continue to take 3 capsules of flax seed oil every morning after waking up.
If all goes well, then April 30, 2007 (six months from today and one year from starting the diet) will be my last post on this blog.
And lastly ...
After a good workout playing basketball, I showered and weighed in.
As always, same time of day, same scale with just the towel.
WEIGHT: 184.5
Difference: 33.0 lbs. since May 1, 2006
I am officially under 185!
Now the interesting thing to note here is that I am just getting over a cold. I had it most of the weekend. When I get a cold, I get stuffed up and my sense of taste is gone. So when I was eating all weekend, it was like I was eating tasteless calories.
So chalk up another method for losing weight ... get a cold and lose your sense of taste. But with that said, I must admit it was extremely frustrating not to taste food. I lost my appetite. But when I finally cleared up a bit and got my taste buds back, I ate like a pig and savored every bite.
Now What?
The target weight has been acquired ... phase one is accomplished. Phase two is to keep off the pounds for 6 months. I may continue to lose pounds because my ideal weight is 175. Plus, I still have some fat around the gut that I could lose. I will try to check back in every month or so to report my weight.
The important thing to note is that I will continue to ingest sugar water with walnut oil every morning. I'm not going to really change anything. In my mind, this is not a diet in the sense that one diets for a few months and then returns to the status quo. Instead, I view this as a lifestyle change. I don't think the Shangri-La Diet should be called a diet at all. But that is all symantics. But I just want all my thousands of readers to know that I plan on continue to ingest SW/WO every day. I also continue to take 3 capsules of flax seed oil every morning after waking up.
If all goes well, then April 30, 2007 (six months from today and one year from starting the diet) will be my last post on this blog.
And lastly ...
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Monday, October 16, 2006
Another Milestone: 30 Pounds Later
An unbelievable turn of events occured this weekend. I headed into the weekend at 188.7 knowing that I wouldn't play basketball Saturday morning. I wasn't too concerned. I just figured I could get to the gym later in the day and work out.
My wife ran her errands in the morning. When she got home, I decided to head to the gym. Not really knowing what I'd do, I just hopped on the treadmill and started walking and listening to my music. I finally decided that I was going to do 30/30 on the treadmill and stationary bike instead of my normal 20/20. So I give it my all.
30 minutes later, I was feeling pretty good. I jumped on the bike and peddled. I was energized and feeling great. It was like the longer I worked out, the more energy I had which fueled me even more.
60 minutes later, I'm done with my whole workout. I head to the locker room and take a nice, long, cold shower. It felt great. It was around 11:30am.
I step onto the scale with just the towel 185.8 !?! I couldn't believe my eyes. So I put my clothes in my bag and then went back to the scale ... it was the same. I was shocked.
So then came the rationalizations ... I just sweat a lot ... lost lots of water ... it was the extra workout and so on and so on.
I went home determined to eat healthy this weekend ... but that lasted about 20 minutes. I pigged out. When I say pigged out, I mean compared to what I do during the week. But by no stretch of the imagination did I gorge myself all weekend. It was more like constant snacking. At night, I ate ice cream. Sunday was much the same.
So this morning I go back to the gym and did the same 30/30 workout. One thing that I've noticed ... after I finish playing basketball on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I'm really thirsty and tired. But when I do the 20/20 workout, I'm not so thirsty. But on Saturday and again this morning when I did the 30/30, I was just as thirsty and tired as when I play basketball ... so that 30/30 workout is more like playing basketball in that regard.
After showering, I step on the scale.
Same time of day, same scale with just the towel.
WEIGHT: 187.5
Difference: 30.0 lbs. since May 1, 2006
I am now 2.5 lbs. away from my goal (of course I was a mere .8 lbs. away on Saturday). But anyway, I'm zeroing in on the target ... it could be this week that it happens.
My wife ran her errands in the morning. When she got home, I decided to head to the gym. Not really knowing what I'd do, I just hopped on the treadmill and started walking and listening to my music. I finally decided that I was going to do 30/30 on the treadmill and stationary bike instead of my normal 20/20. So I give it my all.
30 minutes later, I was feeling pretty good. I jumped on the bike and peddled. I was energized and feeling great. It was like the longer I worked out, the more energy I had which fueled me even more.
60 minutes later, I'm done with my whole workout. I head to the locker room and take a nice, long, cold shower. It felt great. It was around 11:30am.
I step onto the scale with just the towel 185.8 !?! I couldn't believe my eyes. So I put my clothes in my bag and then went back to the scale ... it was the same. I was shocked.
So then came the rationalizations ... I just sweat a lot ... lost lots of water ... it was the extra workout and so on and so on.
I went home determined to eat healthy this weekend ... but that lasted about 20 minutes. I pigged out. When I say pigged out, I mean compared to what I do during the week. But by no stretch of the imagination did I gorge myself all weekend. It was more like constant snacking. At night, I ate ice cream. Sunday was much the same.
So this morning I go back to the gym and did the same 30/30 workout. One thing that I've noticed ... after I finish playing basketball on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I'm really thirsty and tired. But when I do the 20/20 workout, I'm not so thirsty. But on Saturday and again this morning when I did the 30/30, I was just as thirsty and tired as when I play basketball ... so that 30/30 workout is more like playing basketball in that regard.
After showering, I step on the scale.
Same time of day, same scale with just the towel.
WEIGHT: 187.5
Difference: 30.0 lbs. since May 1, 2006
I am now 2.5 lbs. away from my goal (of course I was a mere .8 lbs. away on Saturday). But anyway, I'm zeroing in on the target ... it could be this week that it happens.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
I've Reached a New Low
Over the last couple of weeks, I've rededicated myself to strictly following the "diet" and I'm seeing results.
I've added a new step in my routine ... every morning before going to the gym, I pop in three flax seed oil capsules. Then I go do my workout. After showering and driving into work, I serve myself a healthy dose of sugar water with a tablespoon of walnut oil. Then I drink lots of water and chew gum (I wait an hour after the SW and WO before I chew gum) until it's lunch time. For lunch ... the usual ... apple, granola bar and yogurt. Three o'clock rolls around and I take another 1 to 2 tbsp of WO. After the drive home, I eat dinner ... usually something light. This week and last week I'd usually eat a salad ... lettuce, cherry tomatos, cucumbers, a little cheese and some crackers and then I mix in some sun-dried tomato dressing. If I'm still hungry, I'll eat some more crackers or even have some fruit. And that's it ... I might drink some more water, but I'll be done eating for the night.
The beauty of the diet lies in the fact that I feel full after eating these seemingly small amounts of food. Pre-shangri-la diet, I could eat a salad and then go on to eat a full course meal and then I'd feel full. Now, when I eat a salad, I feel full ... similar to how I'd feel after eating a full course meal. My body just says "no" to more food. I mean, I could eat more, but the urge isn't there like it was before going on the Shangri-la diet.
This morning I took an official weigh-in.
As always, same time of day, same scale with the towel.
WEIGHT: 188.4
Difference: 29.1 lbs. since May 1, 2006
The previous low was 188.9 and that came about unexpectedly. This 188.4 weight came gradually. I didn't drop an entire pound from one day to the next. Each day was a little less as opposed to a lot less. So my point is this ... I think I finally broke the 190 barrier that I've been hovering at for the past few weeks now.
Tomorrow will be a workout day ... run 20 minutes, bike 20 minutes. I need to keep up with the good eating habits ... which by the way are much easier to keep now that my wife is on board. She is turning into a health nut and I love it! She's back in the gym, eating great and shedding pounds now. Just like me, she's averaging about 2 pounds a week in the early going.
Until next week ...
I've added a new step in my routine ... every morning before going to the gym, I pop in three flax seed oil capsules. Then I go do my workout. After showering and driving into work, I serve myself a healthy dose of sugar water with a tablespoon of walnut oil. Then I drink lots of water and chew gum (I wait an hour after the SW and WO before I chew gum) until it's lunch time. For lunch ... the usual ... apple, granola bar and yogurt. Three o'clock rolls around and I take another 1 to 2 tbsp of WO. After the drive home, I eat dinner ... usually something light. This week and last week I'd usually eat a salad ... lettuce, cherry tomatos, cucumbers, a little cheese and some crackers and then I mix in some sun-dried tomato dressing. If I'm still hungry, I'll eat some more crackers or even have some fruit. And that's it ... I might drink some more water, but I'll be done eating for the night.
The beauty of the diet lies in the fact that I feel full after eating these seemingly small amounts of food. Pre-shangri-la diet, I could eat a salad and then go on to eat a full course meal and then I'd feel full. Now, when I eat a salad, I feel full ... similar to how I'd feel after eating a full course meal. My body just says "no" to more food. I mean, I could eat more, but the urge isn't there like it was before going on the Shangri-la diet.
This morning I took an official weigh-in.
As always, same time of day, same scale with the towel.
WEIGHT: 188.4
Difference: 29.1 lbs. since May 1, 2006
The previous low was 188.9 and that came about unexpectedly. This 188.4 weight came gradually. I didn't drop an entire pound from one day to the next. Each day was a little less as opposed to a lot less. So my point is this ... I think I finally broke the 190 barrier that I've been hovering at for the past few weeks now.
Tomorrow will be a workout day ... run 20 minutes, bike 20 minutes. I need to keep up with the good eating habits ... which by the way are much easier to keep now that my wife is on board. She is turning into a health nut and I love it! She's back in the gym, eating great and shedding pounds now. Just like me, she's averaging about 2 pounds a week in the early going.
Until next week ...
Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Five Pounds Harder to Lose
I'm finding that 5 pounds are harder to lose than 25 pounds.
I'm still on the "diet" and probably will always be for the rest of my life. There was a week when I didn't take any oil or sugar water. By the time I entered the 2nd week of no oil, I noticed a notable increase in hunger. I didn't eat too healthily during that period.
So now I'm back on the saddle. I'm determined to lose these remaining five pounds.
In the morning (for breakfast), I'm drinking sugar water with a tbsp of walnut oil. I'm still eating a light lunch. I've replaced GoldFish crackers with a granola bar ... so I eat an apple, a cup of yogurt and a granola bar for lunch. For dinner, I'm trying to eat healthy. Since my wife is trying the diet, she's going to serve me and her salad for dinner every night.
Not that it is part of the official diet, but I'm also taking flaxseed oil capsules every day. I'm convinced of the benefits of Omega 3's. Obviously I'm getting O3's with the walnut oil too. I have noticed that I think much more clearly since taking more O3's. I don't know how to measure it, other than I just feel like I can think more clearly. The only shred of evidence I can offer has to do with chess. I'm going through dozens of chess problems every day in an effort to improve my chess game. Whether out of sheer practice or because of the O3's, I seem to be solving the problems with greater ease and speed these days. But like I said, there really is no hard data that shows a correlation between quickly solving these tactical chess problems and (only) taking O3's.
I'm continuing to exercise. I play basketball Tuesdays and Thursdays and sometimes on Saturday. Then I'll try to get to the gym two other days during the week to bike and run or swim.
I continue to get unsolicited comments about my appearance. Just yesterday I was walking into work when one of the security guards, who rarely speaks to me, called me over and asked me if I had been losing weight. He said I looked a lot younger. It's such a great feeling when someone compliments me on my weight loss.
This morning I pulled myself out of bed to go to the gym since I missed Monday. I ran for 20 minutes and biked for 20 minutes. I was as wet as a soaked sponge when I was done with my workout. Now that the temperatures have cooled off here in Texas, the water can actually get cold at night ... so my showers are very refreshing these days.
I weighed in this morning.
As always, I weighed in at the same time of day on the same scale with just the standard issue white gym towel around my waist.
WEIGHT: 189.9
Difference: 27.6 lbs. since May 1, 2006 ... averaging .17 lbs a day
That is all for this week's update. I hope to report back next week that I'm closer to my goal of 185 lbs.
I'm still on the "diet" and probably will always be for the rest of my life. There was a week when I didn't take any oil or sugar water. By the time I entered the 2nd week of no oil, I noticed a notable increase in hunger. I didn't eat too healthily during that period.
So now I'm back on the saddle. I'm determined to lose these remaining five pounds.
In the morning (for breakfast), I'm drinking sugar water with a tbsp of walnut oil. I'm still eating a light lunch. I've replaced GoldFish crackers with a granola bar ... so I eat an apple, a cup of yogurt and a granola bar for lunch. For dinner, I'm trying to eat healthy. Since my wife is trying the diet, she's going to serve me and her salad for dinner every night.
Not that it is part of the official diet, but I'm also taking flaxseed oil capsules every day. I'm convinced of the benefits of Omega 3's. Obviously I'm getting O3's with the walnut oil too. I have noticed that I think much more clearly since taking more O3's. I don't know how to measure it, other than I just feel like I can think more clearly. The only shred of evidence I can offer has to do with chess. I'm going through dozens of chess problems every day in an effort to improve my chess game. Whether out of sheer practice or because of the O3's, I seem to be solving the problems with greater ease and speed these days. But like I said, there really is no hard data that shows a correlation between quickly solving these tactical chess problems and (only) taking O3's.
I'm continuing to exercise. I play basketball Tuesdays and Thursdays and sometimes on Saturday. Then I'll try to get to the gym two other days during the week to bike and run or swim.
I continue to get unsolicited comments about my appearance. Just yesterday I was walking into work when one of the security guards, who rarely speaks to me, called me over and asked me if I had been losing weight. He said I looked a lot younger. It's such a great feeling when someone compliments me on my weight loss.
This morning I pulled myself out of bed to go to the gym since I missed Monday. I ran for 20 minutes and biked for 20 minutes. I was as wet as a soaked sponge when I was done with my workout. Now that the temperatures have cooled off here in Texas, the water can actually get cold at night ... so my showers are very refreshing these days.
I weighed in this morning.
As always, I weighed in at the same time of day on the same scale with just the standard issue white gym towel around my waist.
WEIGHT: 189.9
Difference: 27.6 lbs. since May 1, 2006 ... averaging .17 lbs a day
That is all for this week's update. I hope to report back next week that I'm closer to my goal of 185 lbs.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Explosion of Interest
I posted a video the other and day and now there seems to be an explosion of interest. I do not know whether or not the posting of the video and the increased interest are correlated or not. There are a lot of searches for shangriladiet.com and this blog seems to consistently pop up in the top 10 hits.
But anyway, here's a graphic on the stats for this blog ... lots and lots of hits between yesterday and today. Compared to last week, today was a deluge of hits.
This week, I'm committed to really sticking to the diet. I'm going to go back to the SW in the morning and WO in the afternoon. Since I've not been taking any WO in over a week now, my hunger urges have been strong and long. It's time to nip this thing in the butt and lost those last 4 pounds (or maybe more now!)
But anyway, here's a graphic on the stats for this blog ... lots and lots of hits between yesterday and today. Compared to last week, today was a deluge of hits.
This week, I'm committed to really sticking to the diet. I'm going to go back to the SW in the morning and WO in the afternoon. Since I've not been taking any WO in over a week now, my hunger urges have been strong and long. It's time to nip this thing in the butt and lost those last 4 pounds (or maybe more now!)
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Slow Down
The pounds seem to be coming off more slowly ... but they are coming off.
Above is my chart in my Excel tracking sheet. I figure this serves as a good visual of my progress.
Interestingly enough, though, is I haven't been ingesting any walnut oil this week. In fact, I've only played basketball on Tuesday and Thursday (today), but have not worked out on the other days. Residual effects? Who knows.
The bottom line is that I'm less than 4 pounds from reaching my goal.
I weighed in this morning ... same time of day, same scale with just the towel.
WEIGHT: 188.9
Difference: 28.6 lbs. since May 1, 2006
Another noteworthy item besides the fact that I've not taken any walnut oil this week, but on two days this week, I ate a bagel and two donuts. One morning someone had Einstein bagels in his office. I love those bagels. So I ate one. Yesterday morning, our company kicked off its United Way campaign. As part of the kick off, they had Krispy Kreme donuts in the lobby. I ate two.
My dirtly little secret about losing my weight (or so I thought) is the fact that I've dropped breakfast from my lineup of daily meals. Before the diet, I would eat a packet of oatmeal every morning. But now that I've eaten a light breakfast in place of the WO has me a little suprised.
Anyway ... I'm just happy that I'm in good physical condition, that I can play basketball, bike for 30 minutes, run for 30 minutes, swim 15 laps and that I'm losing weight and seem to be keeping it off.
Above is my chart in my Excel tracking sheet. I figure this serves as a good visual of my progress.
Interestingly enough, though, is I haven't been ingesting any walnut oil this week. In fact, I've only played basketball on Tuesday and Thursday (today), but have not worked out on the other days. Residual effects? Who knows.
The bottom line is that I'm less than 4 pounds from reaching my goal.
I weighed in this morning ... same time of day, same scale with just the towel.
WEIGHT: 188.9
Difference: 28.6 lbs. since May 1, 2006
Another noteworthy item besides the fact that I've not taken any walnut oil this week, but on two days this week, I ate a bagel and two donuts. One morning someone had Einstein bagels in his office. I love those bagels. So I ate one. Yesterday morning, our company kicked off its United Way campaign. As part of the kick off, they had Krispy Kreme donuts in the lobby. I ate two.
My dirtly little secret about losing my weight (or so I thought) is the fact that I've dropped breakfast from my lineup of daily meals. Before the diet, I would eat a packet of oatmeal every morning. But now that I've eaten a light breakfast in place of the WO has me a little suprised.
Anyway ... I'm just happy that I'm in good physical condition, that I can play basketball, bike for 30 minutes, run for 30 minutes, swim 15 laps and that I'm losing weight and seem to be keeping it off.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Another Milestone in my Quest
If you've been following me, you may know that breaking 190 has been tough. Breaking 200 took a while too. 200 took a little over a week to break. 190 took almost two weeks. I've been hovering around 191 since August 31st.
This weekend was a meat-eating weekend for our family. My wife seasoned some pork chops and I grilled them on the barby. Then on Sunday it was steak. We also had a gallon of 1/2-the-fat ice cream sitting in the freezer ... not good for me ... that's like putting a gallon of blood next to Dracula's bed.
Yesterday morning I went to the gym. I did 20 laps in the pool (each lap is about 25 yards). Then I headed upstairs and biked for 30 minutes. I didn't just peddle mindlessly. I worked hard ... upped the stress on the bike and made it into a real workout. I weighed in as usual. I was 191.5 ... basically the same as when I had weighed just a few days prior. So I was primed to break the 190 mark this morning. I had a good day of healthy eating yesterday too. I took the WO in the morning, ate about 3 cups of fried rice with vegetables and leftover steak bits. I ate one cup of lemon yogurt. Later that afternoon, a co-worker who is a big peanut M&M fan like me, offered me some new super-sized-pastel-looking peanut M&Ms. I took a handful and enjoyed. The reason they're bigger is not because of bigger peanuts, but more chocolate. They were really good. For dinner that night, my wife made a delicious French toast casserole. It was French bread broken up in big chunks mixed in with apples, dried cranberries and eggs. Then she cooked it in the oven and served it by pouring home-made butter-sugar syrup on it ... oh WOW! It was good. Then we had some chocolate cookies for dessert.
After dinner, I went shopping. I've lost about 6 inches off my waist. None of my pants fit. In fact, I can take my old pants off without unzipping or unbuckling them. So I bought two new pairs of pants and a few shirts. I had to get new belts too because I had to keep putting new holes in the old one ... so I had about 6 inches of slack and it didn't look too good.
This morning ... I played a solid hour of basketball. I had some really good games. I was really tired though. After a cold shower, I weighed in.
Same time of day, same scale, same towel.
WEIGHT: 189.5
Difference: 28.0 lbs. since May 1, 2006 ... still averaging .2 lbs. a day
4.5 lbs. to go! My projection puts my target goal at around the first week of October.
Also, today I figured out that in order to drink the recommended 1 gallon of water per day, I need to drink about 8 glasses of water ... the styrofoam cups at work hold just under 20 oz. There are 128 oz. in a gallon ... so that equals about 7 to 8 cups ... 4 in the morning, 4 in the the afternoon. Right now I'm doing about 5 a day.
This weekend was a meat-eating weekend for our family. My wife seasoned some pork chops and I grilled them on the barby. Then on Sunday it was steak. We also had a gallon of 1/2-the-fat ice cream sitting in the freezer ... not good for me ... that's like putting a gallon of blood next to Dracula's bed.
Yesterday morning I went to the gym. I did 20 laps in the pool (each lap is about 25 yards). Then I headed upstairs and biked for 30 minutes. I didn't just peddle mindlessly. I worked hard ... upped the stress on the bike and made it into a real workout. I weighed in as usual. I was 191.5 ... basically the same as when I had weighed just a few days prior. So I was primed to break the 190 mark this morning. I had a good day of healthy eating yesterday too. I took the WO in the morning, ate about 3 cups of fried rice with vegetables and leftover steak bits. I ate one cup of lemon yogurt. Later that afternoon, a co-worker who is a big peanut M&M fan like me, offered me some new super-sized-pastel-looking peanut M&Ms. I took a handful and enjoyed. The reason they're bigger is not because of bigger peanuts, but more chocolate. They were really good. For dinner that night, my wife made a delicious French toast casserole. It was French bread broken up in big chunks mixed in with apples, dried cranberries and eggs. Then she cooked it in the oven and served it by pouring home-made butter-sugar syrup on it ... oh WOW! It was good. Then we had some chocolate cookies for dessert.
After dinner, I went shopping. I've lost about 6 inches off my waist. None of my pants fit. In fact, I can take my old pants off without unzipping or unbuckling them. So I bought two new pairs of pants and a few shirts. I had to get new belts too because I had to keep putting new holes in the old one ... so I had about 6 inches of slack and it didn't look too good.
This morning ... I played a solid hour of basketball. I had some really good games. I was really tired though. After a cold shower, I weighed in.
Same time of day, same scale, same towel.
WEIGHT: 189.5
Difference: 28.0 lbs. since May 1, 2006 ... still averaging .2 lbs. a day
4.5 lbs. to go! My projection puts my target goal at around the first week of October.
Also, today I figured out that in order to drink the recommended 1 gallon of water per day, I need to drink about 8 glasses of water ... the styrofoam cups at work hold just under 20 oz. There are 128 oz. in a gallon ... so that equals about 7 to 8 cups ... 4 in the morning, 4 in the the afternoon. Right now I'm doing about 5 a day.
Thursday, September 7, 2006
Recent Conclusions
I've arrived at a number of conclusions recently.
First, the Taylor scale I bought ... I'm not pleased with it. I've been comparing it to the gym scale and the only thing that is consistent about the Taylor is its inconsistency. The gym scale on the other hand seems to be reliable. So I'm bummed about that. But on the up side, I think I'll be going to the gym a few more days a week rather than to just play basketball. So I'll be using the gym scale more often.
Second, stated in mathematical terms, (opening weekend for college football ) + (1 bag of Doritos) + (1 gallon of ice cream) + (rainy weather) + (Labor Day holiday) = (pounds gained).
Third, another mathematical conclusion ... (healthy eating) + (minimal eating) + (exercise) + (drinking lots of water) = (pounds lost).
Fourth, the Shangri-la diet helps me control my eating urges. When I control my eating urges, I eat less and (usually) healthy.
This morning I played basketball. I did my official weigh-in too.
WEIGHT: 191.6
Difference: 25.9 lbs. since May 1, 2006 ... still averaging .2 lbs. a day.
This weekend I'm going to try to pig out less. I'm not buying Doritos or anything else. I'm going to try extra hard to avoid Tom Thumb and its ice cream selection.
I almost feel like I need Gandalf to do the same thing to my favorite ice cream and snacks that he did to the Balrog ... "You cannot pass. The dark calories will not avail you, fat of Cows. Go back to the supermarket shelf! You cannot pass."
Tomorrow I'll be going to the gym again. I've been considering taking up swimming and biking to supplement my running for my off-basketball days. So tomorrow morning I plan on swimming a few laps and then hopping on the bike. Eventually I would want to turn those workouts into a triathlon.
Anyway ... that is all for now.
First, the Taylor scale I bought ... I'm not pleased with it. I've been comparing it to the gym scale and the only thing that is consistent about the Taylor is its inconsistency. The gym scale on the other hand seems to be reliable. So I'm bummed about that. But on the up side, I think I'll be going to the gym a few more days a week rather than to just play basketball. So I'll be using the gym scale more often.
Second, stated in mathematical terms, (opening weekend for college football ) + (1 bag of Doritos) + (1 gallon of ice cream) + (rainy weather) + (Labor Day holiday) = (pounds gained).
Third, another mathematical conclusion ... (healthy eating) + (minimal eating) + (exercise) + (drinking lots of water) = (pounds lost).
Fourth, the Shangri-la diet helps me control my eating urges. When I control my eating urges, I eat less and (usually) healthy.
This morning I played basketball. I did my official weigh-in too.
WEIGHT: 191.6
Difference: 25.9 lbs. since May 1, 2006 ... still averaging .2 lbs. a day.
This weekend I'm going to try to pig out less. I'm not buying Doritos or anything else. I'm going to try extra hard to avoid Tom Thumb and its ice cream selection.
I almost feel like I need Gandalf to do the same thing to my favorite ice cream and snacks that he did to the Balrog ... "You cannot pass. The dark calories will not avail you, fat of Cows. Go back to the supermarket shelf! You cannot pass."
Tomorrow I'll be going to the gym again. I've been considering taking up swimming and biking to supplement my running for my off-basketball days. So tomorrow morning I plan on swimming a few laps and then hopping on the bike. Eventually I would want to turn those workouts into a triathlon.
Anyway ... that is all for now.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
One of the Scales is Off (maybe)
So I compared scales again this morning. I weighed in on the Taylor with my basketball outfit on. Then I weighed myself on the gym scale. The difference was .4 lbs. today. Now one thing to note is that sometimes I will weigh myself on the Taylor, step off, wait 30 seconds and step back on it again and the reading is different. I'll then wait another minute before weighing in again. Usually the 2nd and 3rd and 4th readings are the same. With that in mind, I think I may have just weighed myself once on the Taylor Tuesday morning. So I'll do the same test over the next few weeks until I get a good idea what the difference is between the two scales.
My eating habits have been pretty solid. I've been partaking of the WO in the morning, eating Goldfish crackers, yogurt and an apple for lunch and then just having one helping at dinner and not snacking after dinner. I've had a good week of exercise ... played ball on Tuesday, ran on Wednesday and played ball again this morning. I'll run 3 miles tomorrow morning and then either play ball or run on Saturday.
This morning I had my official weigh-in.
Same scale, same time of day with just a towel.
WEIGHT: 191.7
Difference: 25.8 lbs. since May 1, 2006 (avg. .2 lbs/day)
I'm going to start reporting what the average loss per day is since I started Shangri-La. At .2 lbs. a day, I'll hit my goal on October 4th, 2006.
My eating habits have been pretty solid. I've been partaking of the WO in the morning, eating Goldfish crackers, yogurt and an apple for lunch and then just having one helping at dinner and not snacking after dinner. I've had a good week of exercise ... played ball on Tuesday, ran on Wednesday and played ball again this morning. I'll run 3 miles tomorrow morning and then either play ball or run on Saturday.
This morning I had my official weigh-in.
Same scale, same time of day with just a towel.
WEIGHT: 191.7
Difference: 25.8 lbs. since May 1, 2006 (avg. .2 lbs/day)
I'm going to start reporting what the average loss per day is since I started Shangri-La. At .2 lbs. a day, I'll hit my goal on October 4th, 2006.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Moving Towards the Home Scale
I bought a scale at Wal*Mart a couple of weeks ago. The scale is made by Taylor. I chose the low-end Taylor scale because all I needed was a scale that measured weight ... not body fat or body water ... just weight. Taylor seems to pride itself on being accurate. So far, I'm pleased with the scale.
Of course I became curious about how far apart measurements are between my gym's scale and our Taylor scale. Tuesday morning I put on my basketball clothing, socks and shoes, then I weighed myself on the Taylor. I made sure I didn't drink or consume anything before weighing myself on the gym scale. I weighed myself on the gym scale and found that there is a 1.1 lbs. difference between the gym scale and the Taylor. Whenever I weigh myself on the Taylor, I need to subtract 1.1 pounds to arrive at my gym scale number.
Now I've only tested this once. Tomorrow I will test the scales again. I'll continue to test the scales over the next few times I go to the gym. After getting a few samples, then I'll feel confident about weighing myself on the Taylor scale.
Why am I doing this? First, because I may eventually quit the gym and will end up using the Taylor scale. So I want the transition in weights to be accurate. I'm a nutcase ... I like correct data. As long as the two scales are about a pound apart, then I'm fine with using the Taylor for my official weight.
Secondly, I'm running on non-basketball days and I want to use the Taylor to weigh myself after the run.
I went running this morning ... it was beautiful outside ... the heat has broken here in Texas. It was 64 degrees at 6am. After a good 3 mile run I weighed in on the Taylor.
Unofficial Weight: 193.0 (Taylor) 191.9 (adjusted to gym scale)
Unofficial Difference: 25.6 lbs. since May 1, 2006 (adjusted)
Tomorrow I'll have more data as well as an official weigh-in. Eventually my official weigh-ins will be on the Taylor.
Of course I became curious about how far apart measurements are between my gym's scale and our Taylor scale. Tuesday morning I put on my basketball clothing, socks and shoes, then I weighed myself on the Taylor. I made sure I didn't drink or consume anything before weighing myself on the gym scale. I weighed myself on the gym scale and found that there is a 1.1 lbs. difference between the gym scale and the Taylor. Whenever I weigh myself on the Taylor, I need to subtract 1.1 pounds to arrive at my gym scale number.
Now I've only tested this once. Tomorrow I will test the scales again. I'll continue to test the scales over the next few times I go to the gym. After getting a few samples, then I'll feel confident about weighing myself on the Taylor scale.
Why am I doing this? First, because I may eventually quit the gym and will end up using the Taylor scale. So I want the transition in weights to be accurate. I'm a nutcase ... I like correct data. As long as the two scales are about a pound apart, then I'm fine with using the Taylor for my official weight.
Secondly, I'm running on non-basketball days and I want to use the Taylor to weigh myself after the run.
I went running this morning ... it was beautiful outside ... the heat has broken here in Texas. It was 64 degrees at 6am. After a good 3 mile run I weighed in on the Taylor.
Unofficial Weight: 193.0 (Taylor) 191.9 (adjusted to gym scale)
Unofficial Difference: 25.6 lbs. since May 1, 2006 (adjusted)
Tomorrow I'll have more data as well as an official weigh-in. Eventually my official weigh-ins will be on the Taylor.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Another Side Effect?
So my grades from my Summer Semester came out finally. It turns out that Summer 2006 was my best term ever! I'm a B+ MBA student. But this term I earned 3 A-'s and 1 A.
What is significant about this is that I started the Shangri-La diet right end the end of April and the beginning of May. The Summer term started towards the beginning of May. So could the Shangri-La diet make one smarter too?
I'm half-joking when I ask that question, but that also means I'm half-serious. Maybe I'm not necessarily smarter by ingesting extra-light olive oil or walnut oil, but perhaps by losing weight I've gained confidence and thus am able to perform better in my classes.
Or maybe my better performance is due to the fact that I took two organizational behavior classes (generally considered easy) and one database class (I'm an IT nut, so it was easy). But I did take a tough finance course and I've only earned one other A- in all my other finance classes ... so maybe it was the diet.
Well, I have two more classes before I graduate in December ... one is International Financial Markets and the other is Advanced Master Negotiations. So if I perform well in these classes (A or A-), then maybe being on the diet and getting good grades has a correlation. Maybe Seth can use some students to test this theory! :-)
As for an update on the diet ...
TUESDAY: I played basketball of course, drank 12 fl. oz. of Mt. Dew, 1 dose WO, normal lunch (normal = cup of Goldfish crackers, Yoplait yogurt and 1 apple), 2nd dose of WO in afternoon, 1 SuperSonic cheeseburger and cream-slush before class and then two cookies before going to bed.
WEDNESDAY: 1 dose WO, normal lunch, 2nd dose WO, 4 homemade tacos and 1 cup of Dreyer's Double Vanilla ice cream.
THURSDAY: Basketball in the morning (had to cut it short 15 minutes as one of the guys tore a knee), 1 dose WO, normal lunch ... and since I'm writing this at lunch, I'll take my 2nd dose of WO at 3:30pm or so and then for dinner I'll probably eat leftover tacos.
After basketball this morning, I weighed in.
Same time of day, same scale, same outfit (dry towel):
WEIGHT: 193.3
Difference: 24.2 lbs. since May 1, 2006
So I gained .3 lbs. since Tuesday morning ... I still have to work that Sonic burger and those tacos out of my system. I'm not discouraged at all ... this has happened many times before along my journey.
My wife started the diet a few weeks ago. She told me that she has lost 2 pounds already! I'm excited for her!
What is significant about this is that I started the Shangri-La diet right end the end of April and the beginning of May. The Summer term started towards the beginning of May. So could the Shangri-La diet make one smarter too?
I'm half-joking when I ask that question, but that also means I'm half-serious. Maybe I'm not necessarily smarter by ingesting extra-light olive oil or walnut oil, but perhaps by losing weight I've gained confidence and thus am able to perform better in my classes.
Or maybe my better performance is due to the fact that I took two organizational behavior classes (generally considered easy) and one database class (I'm an IT nut, so it was easy). But I did take a tough finance course and I've only earned one other A- in all my other finance classes ... so maybe it was the diet.
Well, I have two more classes before I graduate in December ... one is International Financial Markets and the other is Advanced Master Negotiations. So if I perform well in these classes (A or A-), then maybe being on the diet and getting good grades has a correlation. Maybe Seth can use some students to test this theory! :-)
As for an update on the diet ...
TUESDAY: I played basketball of course, drank 12 fl. oz. of Mt. Dew, 1 dose WO, normal lunch (normal = cup of Goldfish crackers, Yoplait yogurt and 1 apple), 2nd dose of WO in afternoon, 1 SuperSonic cheeseburger and cream-slush before class and then two cookies before going to bed.
WEDNESDAY: 1 dose WO, normal lunch, 2nd dose WO, 4 homemade tacos and 1 cup of Dreyer's Double Vanilla ice cream.
THURSDAY: Basketball in the morning (had to cut it short 15 minutes as one of the guys tore a knee), 1 dose WO, normal lunch ... and since I'm writing this at lunch, I'll take my 2nd dose of WO at 3:30pm or so and then for dinner I'll probably eat leftover tacos.
After basketball this morning, I weighed in.
Same time of day, same scale, same outfit (dry towel):
WEIGHT: 193.3
Difference: 24.2 lbs. since May 1, 2006
So I gained .3 lbs. since Tuesday morning ... I still have to work that Sonic burger and those tacos out of my system. I'm not discouraged at all ... this has happened many times before along my journey.
My wife started the diet a few weeks ago. She told me that she has lost 2 pounds already! I'm excited for her!
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
The Pounds Are Coming Off More Slowly
When I first started the Shangri-La lifestyle (I don't view it as a diet in the sense that you go on a diet for a period of time and then you go back to whatever you did before) I would lose about 2 pounds a week. Now I'm losing about less than a pound a week.
This leveling is due to the fact that I've not been as rigorous in my routine as I was before we had our baby at the end of July. But now that life is beginning to settle down a bit and now that school has tapered off somewhat, I'm getting back into my habits.
This is my routine now:
This leveling is due to the fact that I've not been as rigorous in my routine as I was before we had our baby at the end of July. But now that life is beginning to settle down a bit and now that school has tapered off somewhat, I'm getting back into my habits.
This is my routine now:
- Running outside (about 3 miles each day now) on Mondays, Wednesdays and hopefully Fridays and Saturdays)
- Playing basketball on Tuesdays and Thursdays (an hour each day)
- Ingesting a tablespoon of Spectrum walnut oil (WO) in the morning and in the afternoon
- Skipping breakfast (or worded differently ... eating a tablespoon of WO for breakfast)
- Eating a light lunch (normally a cup of Goldfish crackers, an apple and a cup of Yoplait yogurt)
- Eating a nutritious dinner ... but not stuffing myself ... I stop when I feel satisfied
- Not eating after dinner ... just drinking water.
I'm hoping by sticking to my routine (as I did before) I'll be able to shed those last 8 pounds and keep 'em off for six months.
In order to make this blog more useful for those who are following it and who are curious about what I eat, I'll provide an update of how well I keep to my plan and any deviations from it.
Since I've gone below 200, I've not bounced above that mark ... this is encouraging to me because it tells me that the pounds are staying off.
Today I weighed in ... same time of day, same scale with just the towel.
WEIGHT: 193.0
Difference: 24.5 lbs. since May 1, 2006
Let the last 8 pounds fall.
Thursday, August 3, 2006
And the Pounds Roll
Last week I strained my calf muscle. After a good sleep that night, I was feeling much better the next day. I played basketball on Saturday and did well.
Monday morning I ran 3 miles. Tuesday I played ball. Wednesday I ran 3 miles on the treadmill. This morning I played basketball.
Since I've been at home helping out, I've not been in my normal routine lately which means I haven't been diligent about taking my dose of WO. This morning will be the first time in a few days that I will have taken it. But the pounds are still rolling off. I'm less than 10 pounds away from my target weight.
This morning I weighed in.
Same time of day, same scale with just the towel.
WEIGHT: 194.5
Difference: 23 lbs. since May 1, 2006
The other day an old friend and co-worker came in my office to congradulate me on the new baby. He also asked me if I had been losing weight. He said that my face looks much thinner than he had remembered. I told him (proudly) that I had lost 20 lbs. since May 1st. He was impressed. Besides the benefit of feeling good about myself, comments like that really make it all worth it.
Monday morning I ran 3 miles. Tuesday I played ball. Wednesday I ran 3 miles on the treadmill. This morning I played basketball.
Since I've been at home helping out, I've not been in my normal routine lately which means I haven't been diligent about taking my dose of WO. This morning will be the first time in a few days that I will have taken it. But the pounds are still rolling off. I'm less than 10 pounds away from my target weight.
This morning I weighed in.
Same time of day, same scale with just the towel.
WEIGHT: 194.5
Difference: 23 lbs. since May 1, 2006
The other day an old friend and co-worker came in my office to congradulate me on the new baby. He also asked me if I had been losing weight. He said that my face looks much thinner than he had remembered. I told him (proudly) that I had lost 20 lbs. since May 1st. He was impressed. Besides the benefit of feeling good about myself, comments like that really make it all worth it.
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