I was able to keep myself in check the whole week. I felt really good about this.
I easily replaced soda with water, tea and Snapple .
Even though the sugar content is rather high in Snapple it felt like a good over all substitution. Headed in the right direction.
I've also easily crested into the 40oz of fluid daily range again. I've been lacking in this recently and I've been starting to tell.
Next steps:
salads for lunch 2-3 times a week
re-join local gym
cut down drinking
Drinking:
I don't really have goals around this because I honestly don't feel like I drink too much.
I can, however, tackle what I drink in addition to portion sizing upon consumption.
Recently I've been sticking to a "just 1" rule when going out with friends; this has lasted about 3 weeks at this point.
I am also, however, drinking more beer than anything else. As I'm normally sedentary around home and the office - I feel like this might balance out once I become more active on a regular basis. (Winter's are tough man!)
Friday, February 27, 2015
Monday, February 23, 2015
Falling off the Wagon
The majority of the past 4 months have been an awful example of me trying to eat better and take care of myself. I know I'm better than this, and I can be better than this.
It's easier said than done of corse, and my biggest weakness is that I tend to get down on myself about how I "failed" or "fell off". This is of corse a choice which can further send you into negative spirals which may affect how, why, and how often I eat. Bottom line: a lot has got to change.
First Obstacle:
Holiday eating
Most people have a problem with portion control and the holidays just make it worse.
What I can do better with this:
Be conscious with my choices. Don't reach for red meat. Watch my alcohol consumption. Go easy - there's like 15+ parties from thanksgiving to new years...you'll have another one.
Second Obstacle:
free soda at work
Holy hell. I need to substitute, plain and simple.
Water! water and tea are the answer. They helped me get over this hump before, and they can do it again!!
(update on this: as of today, I've been 1 week without soda, and 2 weeks without energy drinks)
Third Obstacle:
Goals.
I flat out lack goals. I want to get back to the gym. More importantly, I need to know how I want to feel about myself both health wise and physically. I can further use this motivation to stay focused and on the path to better choices.
Fourth Obstacle:
Perfectionism
I'm and only child that grew up basically winning or excelling at everything i touched. I didn't have a realistic view or coping mechanism for failure until after college and failing many times.
With this came an adult package of a false expectation on what my body was capable of as I got older and a false understanding of what food, exercise and self-esteem can do to your mental as well as physical.
Getting too hard on yourself about failure puts fear behind the failure which intern potentially feeds your failure, or more importantly, your willingness to try again, or to keep trying.
It's easier said than done of corse, and my biggest weakness is that I tend to get down on myself about how I "failed" or "fell off". This is of corse a choice which can further send you into negative spirals which may affect how, why, and how often I eat. Bottom line: a lot has got to change.
First Obstacle:
Holiday eating
Most people have a problem with portion control and the holidays just make it worse.
What I can do better with this:
Be conscious with my choices. Don't reach for red meat. Watch my alcohol consumption. Go easy - there's like 15+ parties from thanksgiving to new years...you'll have another one.
Second Obstacle:
free soda at work
Holy hell. I need to substitute, plain and simple.
Water! water and tea are the answer. They helped me get over this hump before, and they can do it again!!
(update on this: as of today, I've been 1 week without soda, and 2 weeks without energy drinks)
Third Obstacle:
Goals.
I flat out lack goals. I want to get back to the gym. More importantly, I need to know how I want to feel about myself both health wise and physically. I can further use this motivation to stay focused and on the path to better choices.
Fourth Obstacle:
Perfectionism
I'm and only child that grew up basically winning or excelling at everything i touched. I didn't have a realistic view or coping mechanism for failure until after college and failing many times.
With this came an adult package of a false expectation on what my body was capable of as I got older and a false understanding of what food, exercise and self-esteem can do to your mental as well as physical.
Getting too hard on yourself about failure puts fear behind the failure which intern potentially feeds your failure, or more importantly, your willingness to try again, or to keep trying.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Goals: 6/30/14
I fell off the wagon for about 3 weeks.
It started with an energy drink that I bought on the drive home from visiting family. It turned into a cycle of sugar crash which ended up with me drinking soda every day.
This week:
Null week for soda - starting over!!
Everything else has really been in line minus the one or two chocolate chip cookies I've had in a week.
It started with an energy drink that I bought on the drive home from visiting family. It turned into a cycle of sugar crash which ended up with me drinking soda every day.
This week:
Null week for soda - starting over!!
Everything else has really been in line minus the one or two chocolate chip cookies I've had in a week.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
slipping and dodging
So outside of not knowing what week i'm on now, I've seemed to fall back into some bad habits as of late. I think a big part of is has been my sleeping habits. The other major factor has been stress. But the biggest culprit has been access.
There have been a great number of hires at work - this means donuts. I've partaken in quite a few over the past 2 weeks.
Last week - after a larp event, I was bushed and had a redbull to get home. That week my whole body felt awful, however, because of the lack of sleep i compensated with more energy drinks. 3 to be exact.
Soda and junk soon followed.
Last weekend I made it my task to sleep more so to ballence what my body needed. Still feeling a bit hurt from all of it this was exceedingly important.
This past week's performance was better - I did notice an odd corrilation to my current state with increased volitility around dariy. so I went through the week removing cheese from everything.
I AM however, getting back on track - this was the week of weening off soda and it's been going well. Next week I'll be back to zero soda and I'll get right back on the wagon. Easy-pees y, and no need to get down on myself!!!
There have been a great number of hires at work - this means donuts. I've partaken in quite a few over the past 2 weeks.
Last week - after a larp event, I was bushed and had a redbull to get home. That week my whole body felt awful, however, because of the lack of sleep i compensated with more energy drinks. 3 to be exact.
Soda and junk soon followed.
Last weekend I made it my task to sleep more so to ballence what my body needed. Still feeling a bit hurt from all of it this was exceedingly important.
This past week's performance was better - I did notice an odd corrilation to my current state with increased volitility around dariy. so I went through the week removing cheese from everything.
I AM however, getting back on track - this was the week of weening off soda and it's been going well. Next week I'll be back to zero soda and I'll get right back on the wagon. Easy-pees y, and no need to get down on myself!!!
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Looking ahead. Looking behind
I've lost track of what week I'm on.
I'll be working on interjecting the date of the start of the week into my posts to better keep myself accountable with goals and achievements.
That being said - I was having a hard time getting my water consumption back up after coming back to work from the cancer surgery.
I'm happy to say that this is my first day of consuming MORE than 60oz of water since then.
It's definately becoming easier and I'm starting to see the results.
My weight has dropped, since I started, from 220 to 190. I'm holding and maintaining from 188-190 at this point for over 3 weeks now. I'm trying not to let the surgery stomach hold sway and allowing myself to eat, but making much better choices.
Other updates:
Cheese and Milk are out of the picture. My body hasn't had them in such a long time that it's rejecting things with cheese and giving me cramps. SO, no more dairy for this guy.
Meet - I've been at least 3 weeks without red meet. I've allowed myself chicken upon occasion. This week (4/28) is the first full week with Zero meet of any kind.
Walking - twice a week, for the past 2 weeks. Going to ratchet this up to 3 times a week. 15-30 mins during a lunch break.
Next things on the list:
*Full plant based protien - moving all the way into "vegan-hood".
*Increase intake of leafy greens - asparigas (spelling?) and broccoli have been introduced regularly, however, unconsciously from my GF. Need to make this a conscious effort.
I'll be working on interjecting the date of the start of the week into my posts to better keep myself accountable with goals and achievements.
That being said - I was having a hard time getting my water consumption back up after coming back to work from the cancer surgery.
I'm happy to say that this is my first day of consuming MORE than 60oz of water since then.
It's definately becoming easier and I'm starting to see the results.
My weight has dropped, since I started, from 220 to 190. I'm holding and maintaining from 188-190 at this point for over 3 weeks now. I'm trying not to let the surgery stomach hold sway and allowing myself to eat, but making much better choices.
Other updates:
Cheese and Milk are out of the picture. My body hasn't had them in such a long time that it's rejecting things with cheese and giving me cramps. SO, no more dairy for this guy.
Meet - I've been at least 3 weeks without red meet. I've allowed myself chicken upon occasion. This week (4/28) is the first full week with Zero meet of any kind.
Walking - twice a week, for the past 2 weeks. Going to ratchet this up to 3 times a week. 15-30 mins during a lunch break.
Next things on the list:
*Full plant based protien - moving all the way into "vegan-hood".
*Increase intake of leafy greens - asparigas (spelling?) and broccoli have been introduced regularly, however, unconsciously from my GF. Need to make this a conscious effort.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Progress - Food - Behavior
One of my major goals was to start looking at when and why I want to eat.
I've been using food as something to provide comfort and "support". These foods, some are comfort food, others were just a sugary mess of processed chemicals we called candy.
Two major things contributed to it:
1.) Stress
2.) Lack of energy.
I've been focused on two things as of late:
1.) calm the fuck down.
2.) get 8 hours a night.
Relaxation:
It's been a difficult thing. However, the cancer came at a perfect time. It forced me to slow down, take stock, really look at everything, fully rest, and come back with a clear sense of priorities.
Now, don't go get cancer, or even get sick for that matter in order to find the time or focus to do this. Chip at it in small segments.
I found lavender tea, camomile tea (bedtime only), and changing the type of music I was listening to at work helped. Realizing that everything in my work life is temporary, changes, and I have very little control also helped. Removing myself from the need to have control over everything, and how small it was in the vast scale of everything, allowed me to step back and see it for what it was: simply something to do.
Sleep:
Chemicals in your body even out while in recovery during sleep. Keeping yourself from having this produces side effects that can allow you to crave different types of foods, which, oddly enough, for me made it worse - basically eating things that brought me down so I'd pass out.
Shutting down at the end of the day was always the hardest. I've combated that with manditory shut down times (10:30pm) a Half hour for tea and quiet, and then 11pm; in bed.
Now everybody's schedule is different, but you need to find the time that works - and you need to make it.
I've been using food as something to provide comfort and "support". These foods, some are comfort food, others were just a sugary mess of processed chemicals we called candy.
Two major things contributed to it:
1.) Stress
2.) Lack of energy.
I've been focused on two things as of late:
1.) calm the fuck down.
2.) get 8 hours a night.
Relaxation:
It's been a difficult thing. However, the cancer came at a perfect time. It forced me to slow down, take stock, really look at everything, fully rest, and come back with a clear sense of priorities.
Now, don't go get cancer, or even get sick for that matter in order to find the time or focus to do this. Chip at it in small segments.
I found lavender tea, camomile tea (bedtime only), and changing the type of music I was listening to at work helped. Realizing that everything in my work life is temporary, changes, and I have very little control also helped. Removing myself from the need to have control over everything, and how small it was in the vast scale of everything, allowed me to step back and see it for what it was: simply something to do.
Sleep:
Chemicals in your body even out while in recovery during sleep. Keeping yourself from having this produces side effects that can allow you to crave different types of foods, which, oddly enough, for me made it worse - basically eating things that brought me down so I'd pass out.
Shutting down at the end of the day was always the hardest. I've combated that with manditory shut down times (10:30pm) a Half hour for tea and quiet, and then 11pm; in bed.
Now everybody's schedule is different, but you need to find the time that works - and you need to make it.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Cancer - Follow up - It's last stand
So it all boiled down to a few days before a 9 week treatment of Chemo was scheduled to kick off. I had, had a blood test and cat scan this week, thinking that it was mearly to solidify the treatment option. I was pleasently surprised.
My doctor called on the afternoon of 4/17 to inform me that both my blood count and lymph nodes have returned to normal and that I won't need to start chemo on Monday.
I was so far above relieved that I couldn't comprehend the fact that I was just handed a miracle.
I had built this moment up to the inevitable and here it was being stripped down to a simple "no need."
I'm estatic, exhausted, and still recovering from the removal surgery. Every day gets easier. I get stronger, I have more energy, I'm able to get more done, all one day at a time.
To anyone going through this: Don't beat yourself up. Take the time. Heal. Both Mind & Body. You need to get your head straight if you're going to get through something this life changing. You're body will follow.
My doctor called on the afternoon of 4/17 to inform me that both my blood count and lymph nodes have returned to normal and that I won't need to start chemo on Monday.
I was so far above relieved that I couldn't comprehend the fact that I was just handed a miracle.
I had built this moment up to the inevitable and here it was being stripped down to a simple "no need."
I'm estatic, exhausted, and still recovering from the removal surgery. Every day gets easier. I get stronger, I have more energy, I'm able to get more done, all one day at a time.
To anyone going through this: Don't beat yourself up. Take the time. Heal. Both Mind & Body. You need to get your head straight if you're going to get through something this life changing. You're body will follow.
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