Trops Diary

Day 73

Evening Shift

Pretty good day so far. I lazed about this morning. Didn't weigh in, but yesterday wasn't too bad considering the lazy factor. The kids made us breakfast of eggo waffles with peanut butter jelly or syrup. I had mine with jelly. My daughter even went into the woods behind our house and picked a sweetpea flower for each of the plates. What a wonderful way to wake up. :D

I lazed around the house reading and the kids were playing and reading. Nice morning. I though about going for a bike ride, but what would the end result be. To miss this great time with the family for a health goal that I'm going to get to anyway. Skip the biking and hang out with the family.

This afternoon I had a meeting with our Celtic Group so I dropped off my daughter to go to a museum with my mother in law, and my son to go to the beach with my brother. I hadn't seen these people about a month, but I was wearing baggy clothes then. They hadn't really seen that I had lost a bunch of weight. I wanted to show off a bit, so I wore a t-shirt and a kilt that used to be way too small, but now fits perfectly. I got some approving complements and some good natured ribbing as to what's under the kilt. I had to leave the meeting early to go to work, so on the way out I gave a flip of the kilt to show that I was "regimental" in style. It felt good to be at a healthy weight.

Showing up to work in a kilt is nothing new, but I still get some odd looks from the other guys. I'm sure that they talk about it when I'm not there, but who cares. I like to keep them on their toes. Not easy to get a handle on Trops.

I did weigh in on the scale at work. 209. I'll take it. I was hungry when I got in, so I made a can of tuna and LF mayo. Ate that and a bowl of cereal. That was good enough. Hung out doing work stuff and then took a break. I decided that I need to get some exercise, so on my lunch break I went for a run. 5k in 27 min 57 sec. That's a just about a 9 minute mile average. My first mile was 8:11 so I know that the other two were much slower, but it means that I'm capable of that. I can do an 8 min mile, I just have to keep up the speed. I'm going to do that. Maybe not this month, but I'm going to get there. My HR was 183, which is high. I was really pushing it at the end, but the calculator says that someone that is fit and my age has a max of 185. If I don't go over that I should be good. 5 min of walking and it dropped to 138. I want that to be lower, but it will.

Funny thing is I hate running, but I like doing well. If I could I'd go out right now and try to beet that, but I know that I'd only get a mile in and be shot. I might try tomorrow, or I might decide to get up early and go biking. I'll see.
 
yarmiah said:
Don't let that defeat ya. Not having exercised and not making the best food choices obviously were not the plan, but it is what it is. Just get right back on track TODAY!

You Can Do It!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the pep talk. I'm not about to give up. I'm back on today, so no need for you to come up hear with your "Trops be good stick" to beat me.

It does help to know that when I do make unwise choices my frined will be there to wag a finger at me. It's kind of like having that angle on your shoulder whispering, "Now Trops, if you eat that donut Yarmiah is going to be disappointed in you. Make the right choice." :svengo:
 
Day 75

Evening Shift

The weekend was pretty good. I had a barbecue Sunday morning so I ate a bowl of cereal right before we left. I was pretty good at the barbecue, but there was a lot of temptation there. I did eat two small slices of the Italian hero that they had, and two brownies. I passed up on so much more, but still thought I should have passed on the brownies.

Then I went from there to another barbecue. A real good friend was in town and invited me over. He moved to Florida, so I haven't seen him or his family in two years. Before that I hadn't seen him in ten years. He's a really great guy and I think that we are really good together. It's just so hard that he loves so far away. Anyway I went over there and they were forcing food and drink on us. I couldn't be rude, but I only had a piece of barbecued chicken and a couple of diet cokes. It was nice to see everyone that I had known so many years ago, and I got some nice complements, too.

Today I went to go mountain biking and just as I got there it started to rain. I was bummed because I was looking forward to doing a double run and getting a good time on it. It didn't happen, maybe Wednesday. I stopped off at a department store to see if they had some smaller work out shorts. The XL that I've been wearing are so loose and baggy that I thought I'd try something a bit trimmer. When I got there I thought just for shits and giggles I'd try on some smaller pants, too. Well the 32 waist jeans were a little bit snug in the waist, but very tight in the thighs. Even a relaxed fit. That will have to wait for a while. I tried on a pair of cargo pants and was shocked that they fit. They are cut with lots of room in the legs, and the 32 waist was fine. I didn't buy them, because I really don't have a need for cargo pants, but it was really nice to have them fit. I did buy a pair of casual shorts, though. 32's They are just slightly snug, but I figure that by this time next week they'll fit fine. They fit well enough that I could wear them to work. Very cool

Since I didn't get to go biking, I did go to the gym and do a back and bi workout followed by a short abs. I'm hoping to do a jump rope workout tonight. It'll be good to do a ST and cardio split. I'm sure my body will like it, too.
 
Good job at restraining yourself at the BBQ... I really need to start eating something before i go to one of those because they don't usually have the healthiest foods to serve...

I'm planning on getting some new running shorts i saw at Target... They look decent enough, a little shorter than I'm used to, lol... I guess the main reason I want them is because they match my running shoes, hehe...

Keep up those good workouts and you'll be in those 32's in no time. I decided that's my goal this summer. Get into my 32's and stay there. I just gotta keep running and get these "biscuits" off my ass...

-Sam
 
Nice restraint, man. Last time there was a BBQ going on around me I had a cheeseburger and a sausage. Both on white buns, of course. God. I thought I was going to die after I ate all that.

Your dedication to hitting the gym and being active is awesome, especially on shift work. You deserve all these victories. I worked shift work awhile back and I was a mess from it. Maybe you get used to it, but every time my shift changed I was two weeks trying to get my sleep back on track. Then it was time for a shift change. I couldn't imagine doing what you're doing on top of all of that. Props to Trops.
 
Thanks, Fish. I've been doing shift work for about 20 years now with only a three year thing where I worked M-F. I did get used to it, but there are a lot of guys that I work with that just don't. I think you have to be a good sleeper. I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat. That does help you get the sleep you need when you have the time.

There have been many studies that show that a shift work sleep cycle is very unhealthy and that midnight shifts will cause you to gain weight. So, I'm fighting that because I'm not about to change jobs for quite a while.
 
Day 76

Evening Shift

Today was not that good. I met up with an old friend and spent the morning and afternoon with him. Such a great time catching up. We did go out for lunch and I didn't eat all that much but it wasn't healthy by any stretch of the imagination.

I got to work and figured that I'd go for a run on my break and all would even out. Well, my back had been bothering me all day and it just got worse and worse. At work I'm stiff while walking and running is just out of the question. I'm thinking that it's my legs are just stiff and it is putting pressure on my back. Hopefully a hot shower and a good night sleep and I'll be right in the morning. I really hope so because I'm supposed to go biking in the morning.

Because I ate like shit this afternoon I just skipped dinner. I know it is not the smartest thing to do but being so sedentary I can't put more food in me just to go to waste.

I'll make up for it tomorrow, but I hate the thought that there is always tomorrow to make up for today. I want to do the work today so I can enjoy tomorrow.
 
Day 78

Day off

Ow! pain pain pain! This sucks. If I did something wrong or stupid I could beat myself up and learn from it. I can't think of anything I did. My back is killing me. If I don't move or put any strain on it, it's fine. As soon as I turn or sit up from a lying position or if I stand for too long, pain. It's the kind of pain that I get when my hamstrings are too tight. Usually I'll stretch them out and do some sit ups, and that takes the strain off my back. This time it doesn't help.

Everything is suffering now. My diet yesterday just sucked. I ate what I shouldn't have, and too much of it. I can't stand for too long to cook really. I can't move around the house and do the chores that I really should be doing. Exercise is out of the question. I did do a light bike ride yesterday and stretched really good part way through and at the end. Not much help. I've tried aspirin and Tylenol, but neither really helped. Hot showers help, but only so much and for so long.

The scale is not being very nice. Up to 210 this morning. Not surprising with the way I've been eating lately. I've also thought that I might be a little too dehydrated, so I upped my water intake considerably. Not that this increase is water weight. I know it's real. Just trying to flush out whatever is going on back there.

I'm hoping that tomorrow is better because I have to work and there is all kinds of things going on there. Can't really sit down all day.
 
welcome to my world - unexplained pain... :D

Ben Gay and HEAT make these wonderful little pads that have no odor that ou can put on your achey spot that really helps out a long - it's a sustained heat on the achey spot
 
maleficent said:
welcome to my world - unexplained pain... :D

Ben Gay and HEAT make these wonderful little pads that have no odor that ou can put on your achey spot that really helps out a long - it's a sustained heat on the achey spot
Click to expand...

Thanks, Mal. I think I might pick up some now. I was hoping to take the kids to the aquarium this afternoon. They have a half day at school and it's looking like rain, so I thought that would be a fun thing to do. The idea of walking around the park for three hours is not going to be fun, though. I think the heat will help, though.
 
when my lower back acts up - sometimes -though not lately -just walking around does help... (watch the heat though, if you're using the pads, and your back starts to sweat - open pores means more heat going in and it can get a little... warm :D
 
1000

I have nothing to say, but wanted this to be my 1000'th post.

Thanks to everyone here that has helped me with my commitment to better health. Although I'm not at my weight goal, I am living healthy now.

:party:
 
Way to go Trops! You are living a healthier lifestyle. That is one of the things I think about too. At the beginning of 2007 things were much much different for me, so I'm glad to have these healthier habits now, and I'm a lot more accountable with myself.

Sorry to hear about the unexplained pain. My lower back gets pretty stiff sometimes, I usually just have to give it a day or two and it's back to normal.

Take Care,
Sam
 
Day 79

Day Shift

Today was really good in the way that my back feels so much better. I think I probably could have gone jogging today, but unfortunately I didn't have any time.

So last night I went to the place where I work but for a barbecue with some friends. Got some nice complements but the best was from the front gate guard. They see thousands of people each day and I don't think that I really stick out, except perhaps for my name. Anyway, the guard asks me if I'm losing weight. I tell him nearly 40 pounds. He's impressed and we chat for about ten seconds about my weight loss goals and then I'm off. Cars behind me looking to get in. I felt really good about that. Good enough that I ate right and only had one beer at the barbecue, plus skipped the birthday cake and cookies.

I was rewarded this morning with a new low weight. 206.4 I have a feeling that tomorrow will be higher, but that's ok. It's a new low to break. I did pretty well this morning food wise. NF yogurt with honey for breakfast. Hard boiled egg whites and LF mayo for lunch. Cereal and FF milk for a snack. Then dinner came around and I ate a bunch, but I was really under for the day. I had the kids do make your own pizza. I cooked up some green peppers and chicken Italian sausage and had them decorate the pizza dough with that, sauce, and cheese. I took the rest of the sausage and peppers and mad two wraps for myself. Each sausage was 7g of fat (2g sat), and I probably ate 2 and a half. 25g of fat just at dinner. Oh, well, I really didn't eat hardly any fat all day, so I guess this is ok.

I still feel like I could eat more, but I've had plenty so it's water for the rest of the night. I have to get up extra early in the morning. My wife is away for the weekend and I'm working day shift, so I have to drive the kids to my mothers which is just over a half hour away in the opposite direction from work. I'll have to leave here at 6. I'm just hoping that the kids will stay asleep when they get to Grandma's. Then for Sunday my sister is taking them to CT for a cousin's birthday party. That will be easier because they will be staying overnight on Saturday. When I'll get to work out I don't know. Hopefully I can get something done at break tomorrow.
 
Day 80

Day Shift (Saturday)

Wow, I've been sticking with it has gotten easier, but I realize now that I'm not being as strict as I was at the beginning. I think it's a good thing because I do feel like I'm getting more in the groove of how things should be long term. Zeroing in on the plan for life thing. I'm not so afraid of falling off the wagon and going back to my old ways, so I guess that's a real improvement.

This morning wasn't bad, but it wasn't all that great, either. I got very little sleep last night. My wife is away this weekend and I always find it difficult to sleep when she's not here. It's not an empty bed thing, because I'll sleep alone when I'm working midnights, but it's more like an empty feeling that I just don't want to sleep. It's not bad this time because she's only gone for the weekend. Anyway, very little sleep and the coffee this morning didn't do too much to jolt me awake. I ate a big bowl of cereal for breakfast and a big thing of yogurt for lunch. I'm going to my mom's for dinner, so I'm sure I'll eat ok there, but she's always putting out snacks so I'll have to be careful.

I went running on my lunch break and did 5k again. 28 min 40 sec. About 45 sec slower then last week, but it was 90 out today, and with my back acting up this week I really didn't do much in the way of exercise. This will help jolt me back into this next week. That will be good. The last mile was what killed me. I was doing as good if not better then last week up till then, and then I just lost all energy. I could have really pushed it, but my heart rate monitor was reading 184 which is higher then I've ever seen it, so I slowed down. Not that that would have made such a big difference. I'm not concerned, though. I know that next time I'll do better and my heart will do better. That's the big picture.
 
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