Cord's Quest

We have the same issue with Girl Scout cookies here. My kids are no longer at that age, bu tdammit those evil children even sell the cookies outside of local stores in season... The peanut butter ones kill me, the mint I can walk away from.

Freshly baked bread...:drool5: gets me every time...

My wife suggested once getting one of those bread makers, because she loves the smell...

What are you trying to kill me?
 
The bread gets me every time, Karl.

And we make almost all our own bread - except when we want some specific kind of buns or something. It is healthier than most and much cheaper than all storebought bread.

Quite often my wife will put the bread machine on, and go to bed, leaving me to take the bread out and put it away when it is done.

What kind of a chance does that give me? :)

Even worse is when she does that while I am working the evening shift, like tonight. I'll get home at midnight, tired and easily swayed, and open the door to the aroma of fresh bread, which I then have to put away. Is it any wonder I cut myself a slice first?

Luckily, I don't think bread is evil or anything, especially the bread we make ourselves, but that extra slice (and you know you gotta put something on the bread, right?) tends to put me over budget, calorically.
 
hey cord, it'll be exciting to see the new pics! keep it up. I'm sure there will be a change, you're just too hard on yourself!
 
Cord's second attempt at a 6-month Quest-iversary post.

$&^&*Y^(*(%$#&^^(!!!!!!!!!

I just spent over an hour (I'm at work) doing my big update for my 6-month quest-iversary, and the #@$@$%$#%$#%!!! computer ate it because it logged me off and had some sort of fit when I tried to log in and post the message.

Frack!

And it was a long one, and I'm never going to remember everything I said.

Well, I'm going to do the short version now, instead.

Six months ago, on April 2nd, I started my new, healthier lifestyle. While the road has not been perfectly smooth all the way, even I am forced to admit that it has gone rather well.

Now, six months later, I feel a lot better. People tell me I look a lot better. My wife tells me I'm a lot happier.
Six months ago I sat on my ass all day. I could walk a long way, but couldn't run for more than 30 seconds.
Now I have done a 10k. I've hiked up a couple of mountains. I can lift much heavier lumps of iron than I could before. I have more energy, I feel healthier, I have a lot fewer aches and pains.
I've gone down a shirt size or two. My "thin pants" are now too big.
Eating healthier (and less) is now pretty much second nature.

As of today, my weight is 251 pounds. That is exactly 60 pounds less than when I started. There's no way that even I can find a way to make that anything less than a good result. :)

Edit: it also puts me well past the halfway mark to my goal!

Well...it is true that I set myself the goal of reaching 250 by today, but I am not going to complain about one measly pound. It was an arbitrary goal anyway.

Measurements: today is also measurement day, but I am not going to put up the usual clunky table, becasue it took me so long to edit last time that I'm sure that's why the post was eaten.

Suffice to say that the only change in my measurements from last month is that I have lost one inch off my waist. Everything else has stayed the same. Go look back to Sept 3rd for my previous measurements, with table.

The next step is to set my next interim goal. Here it is: by the end of the year (which is also my birthday, as it happens), I would like to make it down to 225. I know this is going to be hard, but I think it can be done. And if I pull it off, it will be the best birthday present I ever had!

I also want to thank everyone who has followed along with my quest so far. You support and advice has meant more to me, and been more helpful, than I can adequately express in words. Thank you.

Hope everyone has a great day. Peace out, fellow babies!

Edit: I'll try to take new photos today, and post them on the before and after page.
 
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Hmmm....no responses.

Well, back to the grind, then.

2 October

Today I had a "free" meal, one where I was just going to enjoy myself and not worry about it. Not a treat, not a reward, but more of marking my recommencement, the start of the next three months of my quest. I thought it would make a nice breakpoint, or whatever.

Breakfast: scrambled eggs (1 whole egg and 4 egg whites), 1/2 slice ww bread with almond butter, 1/2 cup milk

Lunch: steelcut oats w/hemp seeds and agave nectar, 1 banana, 1 apple, 1 nectarine

Supper: went to Boston Pizza, had a starter caesar, half an order of mama meata penne (as evil as it sounds - penne in bolognese sauce with meatballs, italian sausage and pepperoni), and half a piece of chocolate explosion cheesecake
Oh my god it was good. :)

I'd say back to normal today, except I still have the other half of the penne to eat.

Couldn't find the nutritional content of the penne on the company website (it's a special menu item, only occasionally offered), but I sent them an email requesting the nutrition info.
Still, I'm going to estimate the whole dish at around 2000 kcal or so, so lets say 1000 + for what I ate last night.

That puts my total kcal for the day at around 3000.
A lot more than I normally eat, but that's why they call them 'free' meals, right?
Also, it still probably only puts me at a calorie-neutral balance day, so it shouldn't slow me down too much.

Exercise: 45 minutes on the heavy bag. I went harder and faster than I ever have before. Plugged it into FitDay - I think they underestimate how many calories you can burn hitting the heavy bag. I tried some new music and it made me go so fast that I was dripping with sweat in 15 minutes. Awesome.

I'm back at work again this morning, and shift to midnights tomorrow. Those are always fun. Still, after the night shifts it is off to Vancouver for Thanksgiving with my wife's family. Really looking forward to that, although I will have to curb my tendency to go back for seconds....and thirds....
 
Hi Ya Cord. ;)

WoW. You've come such a Long Way! I think I am def learning a thing or two off of ya.

Did you take any pictures of that Salmon Run? My dad and I would really like to see that some day. I bet there are some great shots.

Sorry to hear about your sprain. :( Hope it heals soon for you. Awesome that you were able to get that 10 K in b4 it happened.

THAT'S SO TOTALLY COOL THAT YOU KNEW TERRY FOX!! :iagree:

See Ya Laterz:seeya:​
 
Hi, RG, always nice to have you drop in.

We did take a few photos at the salmon run, but it was actually pretty depressing.

You see, the sockeye run in a four-year cycle, and this year was the peak year - the highest run in the four year cycle.

However, the number of sockeye returning from the ocean was less than 10% of what was expected. They were hatched, they went out to sea, but they didn't come back.

Something - no one knows exactly what - killed 90% of the sockeye out in the ocean.

This bodes ill.
 
Okay, I fell behind again - catching up.

03 October

This was supposed to be day 1 of my next 3-month segment, and it went...not so great.

Breakfast - steelcut oats with hemp seeds and agaive nectar, 1/2 cup milk

Lunch and snacks - 4oz ground beef, the other half of the mama meata penne, 1 apple, 1 orange, 1/2 cup dry cereal

Supper - I had planned to just make a salad, but my wife had other ideas - 1 cup mashed potatoes, steamed carrots and broccoli, 1/2 cup chickpeas

Dessert/weakness - 6 girl guide cookies

Total kcal - no idea until I get some data from Boston Pizza, but clearly more than I had planned on taking in. Edit: 1924 plus whatever the penne is, so let's round it off to 3000 for now. Yikes.

Exercise - During the day I did some pushups and bodyweight squats.

Pushups - 21/25/21/21/32 = 120 (1 minute rest between sets)
Squats - 29/34/29/29/55 = 176 (1 minute rest between sets)
Crunches - 26 (too wiped after the above)

I had plans to get a good workout in in the evening, but by the time dinner was over and my daughter was in bed, I was so tired I went to bed early and slept for like 9 hours.

So - more calories and less exercise than I intended.

04 October

Going a bit better, although I switched to midnight shifts this evening and you know what that does to me.

Breakfast - 1 slice ww bread with almond butter

Lunch - 6oz steak, 1 banana, 1/2 cup milk

Supper - big salad with chicken strips and light caesar dressing, 1 cup cocoa

Midnight shift - 8oz fat-free ham, 2 corn muffins with margarine, 1 banana, 2 cups chocolate milk

Total kcal - 2277, great considering this is my extra-long day

Exercise - started the day (after breakfast) with 45 minutes on the nordictrack. Haven't used it in months, and never for this long or at this intensity. My legs are sore tonight.
In the afternoon we went door to door with our daughter selling girl guide cookies, then went to the nature preserve and had a family walk for about 45 minutes. Nice to enjoy a sunny Sunday, even if it was fairly cold and very windy.

4 more hours and I get to go home and sleep.
 
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OMG Cord--LOOK what you've done in six months! 60 POUNDS! That's amazing and inspirational. And your food sounds so wonderful and healthy (well, except for that penne :p ) I love that you get in tons of fruits and veggies. It reminds me that I can do it, too. I'll be following your posts closely as I try to get myself back into the swing, too.
 
Everybody stumbles from time to time.

What matters is getting back on track.

Good luck with your efforts friend.
 
You have been doing amazing! And you look great! I read some above posts, you lift some pretty heavy weights, lol I don't think I could go over my little 10lb handweights. Hmmm!! Keep up the great work! I would also love to see more of your (future) progress pics.
 
GetFitNik said:
You have been doing amazing! And you look great! I read some above posts, you lift some pretty heavy weights, lol I don't think I could go over my little 10lb handweights. Hmmm!! Keep up the great work! I would also love to see more of your (future) progress pics.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Nik! Always nice to hear.

You would actually be surprised at how fast you can increase the amount of weight you lift. All you have to do is do it regularly, and keep trying to lift heavier weights. You will get stronger doing high weights at low reps.

There will be more photos at the end of the year - which will also be my 43rd birthday.
 
Three days of updates:

This is what happens when I work midnights. I forget to log stuff properly, forget to post, don't feel like going to the gym, and now here I am trying to recontruct the past few days.

05 October:

I ate way too much today, but I'll live.

Breakfast - banana, 1 slice ww bread with almond butter, milk

Lunch - 12oz steak, oven fries

Snacks - 4 graham wafers, 1 McDonalds cone, 1/2 cup hard ice cream

Supper - pasta primavera

Midnight shift - banana, orange, some nuts, dry cereal, 1 cup chocolate milk

Exercise - been in stay-at-home mode, or at least didn't feel like going to the gym, so went downstairs for 45 minutes on the heavy bag - always enjoyable.

06 October:

Breakfast - 12 inch Sub - oven-roasted chicken breast

Snacks - 1 banana, 1 doughnut, and I think I ate 4 graham crackers, milk

Supper - big bowl of lentil stew, 1 slice ww bread with butter

Midnight shift - 6 oz fat-free ham, 2oz chocolate chips, some dried apricots, some nuts, dry cereal, 1 cup chocolate milk

Exercise - I went to see the physiotherapist about my ankle, and she put me through a very thorough examination which raised some interesting issues. Turns out I have some serious stability issues in my ankles (both). I have too much of a range of motion in some directions and not nearly enough in others. For instance, my calf muscles are so strong and so tight that I can hardly flex my foot upwards at all - and this is also what had been limiting the depth to which I can squat.
Anyway, she has given me some exercises to do fir my sprain and for general stability and flexibility work. I see her again next week.
She advised me against trying to do the Grouse grind climb I was planning on this weekend. I really wanted to go, but it is not worth risking my long-term joint health just for one hike. Better to wait until I am properly healed, then wait through the winter and early spring, and do it then (sigh).

She did suggest I test it out on some local terrain, so I did a local bike trail that is a pretty steep climb. 25 minutes of climbing made my ankle hurt a fair bit, but after I went back down it didn't hurt. Still, I don't think I am quite up to something three to four times as long, and a lot steeper and trickier.
Overall - 1 hour hike today.

07 October:

If I ate too much over the last 2 days, I didn't eat enough today - but it all evens out, particularly when you realise that I didn't wake up until 3PM today.

Meal - (It was breakfast, lunch and supper rolled into one) - 1 doughnut, 1 buffalo burger

Evening snack - 2 small apples, 4 graham wafers, some sharp cheddar.

Exercise: midnight shifts over, I hauled my lazy ass down to the gym.
Warmup - stretching and 10min elliptical
Squats - 40lb 1x5, 110lb 1x5, 130lb 5x5 (getting back into them, so going lighter for my ankle's sake)
Bench Press - 40lb 1x5, 90lb 1x5, 130lb 4x5, 120lb 1x5
Inverted rows - 10/6/4/4/3
DB shoulder press - 35lb (ea) 3x5, 30lb (ea) 2x5
Pullovers - 60lb 5x5
Tricep pressdown - 110lb 5x5
DB bent-over rows - 50lb (ea) 5x5
Wrist rollers - 10lb 1x5
Good mornings - 40lb 5x5
Cooldown - 10 min elliptical and stretching.

My physiotherapist is recommending elliptical work for my ankle, so I'm going to do more of it for a while.

Despite the chaos of midnight shifts , my weight has been holding steady, so that's not too bad.

Tomorrow it is off to Vancouver for Thanksgiving. Looking forward to that, even if I can't do the hike I wanted.
 
Just thought I would check out your diary as I had entered the MPH challenge and you seemed to be a nice chap.

enjoy thanksgiving.
 
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