Hi all,
For lots of reasons, I'm going to stop updating the blog. Mostly I'm feeling like there is a bit too much of me out on the internet. I'm picturing a future employer finding me whine about my job etc.
Look for me, swimming, biking and running at a triathlon near you.
Thanks
Friday, March 2, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
No new tale to tell
Nutrition update: After a very positive week last week, this week can only be called spotty. I don't have any real explanation, I just seem to have ran out of gas. After a week of daily salad, I probably only hit 3 days this week. Also ended up at McDonalds one day for no good reason. I guess the good news is a felt barfy after eating it. maybe my body is starting to reject it.
Anyway, I suspect my weight is steady at best. I've also avoided the scale which seems to be a behavior that crops up on these backslide weeks. I'll climb on tomorrow morning and see where I'm at. I might take a mulligan on weighing in at class though.
Exercise update: I seem to be in an exercise slump. If I don't make it to the gym today, this will have been a gym free week. It's not an activity free week, but no trips to the Y is unusual. I'm not sure what is going on there, except perhaps some sort of mid-winter doldrums.
I'm not real worried. I've walked the dog a lot and focused on getting less desk time at work by tracking my steps with my FitBit monitor.. I also have a pretty good ability to get back on track with exercise and I'm sure I will this week.
Random Musings: I have a complicated set of views on youth sports and athletics in general. I spent much of my childhood and early adulthood completely locked in on basketball. There was a lot of joy (and frustration, I am 5'8") that went with that but I also suspect that I missed out on developing some other interests and talents by being so myopic.
So my daughter's interest in playing has stirred mixed feelings in me too. She won't have the advantage of playing at a tiny high school where being slow and short can be overcome. I also don't want it to squelch her other budding interests. However she just wrapped up her 4th year in a developmental league at the YMCA and she enjoys it every year, regardless of her ability or limitations. In reality she gets better every year and has a positive regard for sports and competition. It's hard to find fault there (although there is a good amount of literature of competition being not so great, but I really like to compete).
All that philosophical stuff aside, we had a blast with her team this year. The kids are just old enough to be able to look like real ball and improve pretty quickly. I was able to co-coach with a dad that didn't make me crazy, in fact he was pretty cool and the girls really competed in a healthy way. It was awesome to see the change in my daughter, who still can't score in a game, but is willing to scrap and steal the ball and set screens on kids twice her size. The Y youth sports guy said she was a completely new player this year. I don't have any illusions about her future in the WNBA (or HS for that matter), but I'm still an awful proud Dad. Yesterday was our last game and we only had five players (and probably our 5 with the least ability). Hannah the asthmatic played all 40 minutes and competed all day. I counted 9 times she tied up someone for a jump ball and she played point guard when I asked her too and made sure we didn't turn the ball over. It was a revelatory day and I was proud of all 4'4" of her:)
The biggest change in me when working with young kids and sports is that 20 years ago I would have been talking to them endlessly about how to get better for HS. Now I realize that most of them won't play in HS and I just focus on having a really good year of 5th grade basketball. And we certainly did.... If I ever get back in a gym on a regular basis, I don't think I can ever put winning as the singular first goal again. I'd rather they have positive "forever memories" whether they win or lose and I think it can be done while still competing your brains out.
I wonder if that means I'm ruined.
Anyway, I suspect my weight is steady at best. I've also avoided the scale which seems to be a behavior that crops up on these backslide weeks. I'll climb on tomorrow morning and see where I'm at. I might take a mulligan on weighing in at class though.
Exercise update: I seem to be in an exercise slump. If I don't make it to the gym today, this will have been a gym free week. It's not an activity free week, but no trips to the Y is unusual. I'm not sure what is going on there, except perhaps some sort of mid-winter doldrums.
I'm not real worried. I've walked the dog a lot and focused on getting less desk time at work by tracking my steps with my FitBit monitor.. I also have a pretty good ability to get back on track with exercise and I'm sure I will this week.
Random Musings: I have a complicated set of views on youth sports and athletics in general. I spent much of my childhood and early adulthood completely locked in on basketball. There was a lot of joy (and frustration, I am 5'8") that went with that but I also suspect that I missed out on developing some other interests and talents by being so myopic.
So my daughter's interest in playing has stirred mixed feelings in me too. She won't have the advantage of playing at a tiny high school where being slow and short can be overcome. I also don't want it to squelch her other budding interests. However she just wrapped up her 4th year in a developmental league at the YMCA and she enjoys it every year, regardless of her ability or limitations. In reality she gets better every year and has a positive regard for sports and competition. It's hard to find fault there (although there is a good amount of literature of competition being not so great, but I really like to compete).
All that philosophical stuff aside, we had a blast with her team this year. The kids are just old enough to be able to look like real ball and improve pretty quickly. I was able to co-coach with a dad that didn't make me crazy, in fact he was pretty cool and the girls really competed in a healthy way. It was awesome to see the change in my daughter, who still can't score in a game, but is willing to scrap and steal the ball and set screens on kids twice her size. The Y youth sports guy said she was a completely new player this year. I don't have any illusions about her future in the WNBA (or HS for that matter), but I'm still an awful proud Dad. Yesterday was our last game and we only had five players (and probably our 5 with the least ability). Hannah the asthmatic played all 40 minutes and competed all day. I counted 9 times she tied up someone for a jump ball and she played point guard when I asked her too and made sure we didn't turn the ball over. It was a revelatory day and I was proud of all 4'4" of her:)
The biggest change in me when working with young kids and sports is that 20 years ago I would have been talking to them endlessly about how to get better for HS. Now I realize that most of them won't play in HS and I just focus on having a really good year of 5th grade basketball. And we certainly did.... If I ever get back in a gym on a regular basis, I don't think I can ever put winning as the singular first goal again. I'd rather they have positive "forever memories" whether they win or lose and I think it can be done while still competing your brains out.
I wonder if that means I'm ruined.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
200.2 and shrinking
200.2 is the number on the scale today. That is progress. I've been at 199.5 for much of the week, but yesterday's choices didn't help. Let me tell you what's been happening...
Nutrition update: If you recall last week I had failed miserably at a goal of adding 5 fruits a day to my diet. I'd realized that I just wasn't there and made the simpler pledge to have a daily salad over the next two weeks. Today is day 7 and the previous 6 have all included a salad:). I'll be enjoying today's salad later. It seems I've found an achievable goal and it's more veggies than I've had in ages.
It seems to have had a minor but positive impact on my weight as well. In fact, my diet has improved this week although with clear ups and downs. As an example I bought donuts for my office this week. Now, what could be positive about donuts? Well it's all relative because in past times I would have eaten 2-3 of the 2 dozen I'd brought in and that day I only had 1. And in fact, my weight held steady below 200 most of the week.
I held under 200 until today and I know why. My wife worked yesterday which puts me in charge of the kids and I used that as an excuse to get no exercise. It's not a good excuse, there was time and opportunity. I also bought bagels for us from Panera and wasn't as disciplined as I was with the donuts, even though bagels are carb and calorie laden. I managed to eat 2 1/2 of them over the course of the day. I also used the chaos of the weekend activity schedule to justify buzzing through a drive thru for lunch. Even though I threw away half of my french fries, my day obviously added up to a tougher day on the scale. The trick now is to make sure it was an isolated day and not a streak.
Exercise update: So if you've read this blog you know that I've always been a better fitness guy than diet guy. This week that wasn't true. I had good workouts on Tuesday and Friday and plan on one today. I can add running basketball practice on Wednesday and lots of walking at work early in the week to my list, but overall it was an average to average plus week for activity. I'm working on that, but I think it's ok for now since I know my area of emphasis has to be diet and sometimes too much exercise has hindered that. I am disappointed that I totally let yesterday go, but on to today.
I am starting to dream of summer triathlons and I think that Olympic Tri can happen this year. But I need to keep trimming up first. Hopefully I'll weigh in successfully at class tomorrow. Let's leave 200 lbs. behind forever.
Random Musings: I'm still not fully engaged in the A New Me program. They want a lot of food tracking and I seem to be reluctant to do that. I also haven't been reviewing the materials as thoroughly as I could. The act of attending the classes themselves seems to matter though. I'll try to engage a little more this week.
The big eye opener last week was our discussion of something called Metabolic syndrome. Essentially it is a combination of what seem like fairly inconsequential health risks that statistically double your odds of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It can be having poor cholesterol numbers (check), borderline glucose measurements (check), slightly high blood pressure (riding the line), and a large waist (getting there).
It shook me up a little bit because even though I know I'm overweight, I don't always feel real unhealthy because I can will myself to be active. For heaven's sake I did a sprint triathlon last summer, but the cold hard fact is that my health indicators say I am doubling my odds of the things listed above if I don't get some changes made. Very motivating. Here's a link it you want to learn more.
More on Metabolic Syndrome
On the job front, I am pondering trying to work my way back to classroom in a few years. I recently found out that the odds of retiring anytime before Medicare are pretty low. If I'm going to work that long, I wouldn't mind getting a schedule with a larger block of time off. I'm also a little disillusioned with administration as a profession. I thought part of it would be leading new and innovative practices, but the budget has turned it into just trying to protect what we have and lose as little as possible. What's fun about that?
Of course, I also see a VP position at another college I think I'd be pretty competitive for and am intrigued. So I remain as indecisive as ever. And I am enjoying coaching my daughter's basketball team more than I have in years. The coaching bug lives strong in me and I'd love to get my hands on a college team again. Here's a photo of Hannah preparing a homework lesson where she taught her class how to shoot a basketball. I did the same lesson for a class in High School, but I never mentioned it to her.
Oh well as Van Morrison said, " It doesn't matter to which god you pray; precious time is slipping away." So in the words of Red from Shawshank "Get busy Livin' or get busy dyin'..."
Apparently today was quote day:)
Nutrition update: If you recall last week I had failed miserably at a goal of adding 5 fruits a day to my diet. I'd realized that I just wasn't there and made the simpler pledge to have a daily salad over the next two weeks. Today is day 7 and the previous 6 have all included a salad:). I'll be enjoying today's salad later. It seems I've found an achievable goal and it's more veggies than I've had in ages.
It seems to have had a minor but positive impact on my weight as well. In fact, my diet has improved this week although with clear ups and downs. As an example I bought donuts for my office this week. Now, what could be positive about donuts? Well it's all relative because in past times I would have eaten 2-3 of the 2 dozen I'd brought in and that day I only had 1. And in fact, my weight held steady below 200 most of the week.
I held under 200 until today and I know why. My wife worked yesterday which puts me in charge of the kids and I used that as an excuse to get no exercise. It's not a good excuse, there was time and opportunity. I also bought bagels for us from Panera and wasn't as disciplined as I was with the donuts, even though bagels are carb and calorie laden. I managed to eat 2 1/2 of them over the course of the day. I also used the chaos of the weekend activity schedule to justify buzzing through a drive thru for lunch. Even though I threw away half of my french fries, my day obviously added up to a tougher day on the scale. The trick now is to make sure it was an isolated day and not a streak.
Exercise update: So if you've read this blog you know that I've always been a better fitness guy than diet guy. This week that wasn't true. I had good workouts on Tuesday and Friday and plan on one today. I can add running basketball practice on Wednesday and lots of walking at work early in the week to my list, but overall it was an average to average plus week for activity. I'm working on that, but I think it's ok for now since I know my area of emphasis has to be diet and sometimes too much exercise has hindered that. I am disappointed that I totally let yesterday go, but on to today.
I am starting to dream of summer triathlons and I think that Olympic Tri can happen this year. But I need to keep trimming up first. Hopefully I'll weigh in successfully at class tomorrow. Let's leave 200 lbs. behind forever.
Random Musings: I'm still not fully engaged in the A New Me program. They want a lot of food tracking and I seem to be reluctant to do that. I also haven't been reviewing the materials as thoroughly as I could. The act of attending the classes themselves seems to matter though. I'll try to engage a little more this week.
The big eye opener last week was our discussion of something called Metabolic syndrome. Essentially it is a combination of what seem like fairly inconsequential health risks that statistically double your odds of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It can be having poor cholesterol numbers (check), borderline glucose measurements (check), slightly high blood pressure (riding the line), and a large waist (getting there).
It shook me up a little bit because even though I know I'm overweight, I don't always feel real unhealthy because I can will myself to be active. For heaven's sake I did a sprint triathlon last summer, but the cold hard fact is that my health indicators say I am doubling my odds of the things listed above if I don't get some changes made. Very motivating. Here's a link it you want to learn more.
More on Metabolic Syndrome
On the job front, I am pondering trying to work my way back to classroom in a few years. I recently found out that the odds of retiring anytime before Medicare are pretty low. If I'm going to work that long, I wouldn't mind getting a schedule with a larger block of time off. I'm also a little disillusioned with administration as a profession. I thought part of it would be leading new and innovative practices, but the budget has turned it into just trying to protect what we have and lose as little as possible. What's fun about that?
Of course, I also see a VP position at another college I think I'd be pretty competitive for and am intrigued. So I remain as indecisive as ever. And I am enjoying coaching my daughter's basketball team more than I have in years. The coaching bug lives strong in me and I'd love to get my hands on a college team again. Here's a photo of Hannah preparing a homework lesson where she taught her class how to shoot a basketball. I did the same lesson for a class in High School, but I never mentioned it to her.
Oh well as Van Morrison said, " It doesn't matter to which god you pray; precious time is slipping away." So in the words of Red from Shawshank "Get busy Livin' or get busy dyin'..."
Apparently today was quote day:)
Sunday, February 5, 2012
I know I shouldn't and yet I do
Random Musings: First the good news. I am losing some weight. In fact, I think I'm down about 5 pounds from my peak. That feels pretty good and I'm close to getting my scale to regularly read below 200 lbs. I certainly hope that once I'm there, I don't stick my nose above 200 again. I need to get to 180 by Riverfest in July and I think I still can.
And now the bad news: This weight loss hasn't been from any real positive behavior change. While I can say I am eating less in general, the quality of what I'm eating has improved very little so far. I need to reduce calories in general, but I desperately need to increase fruits and vegetables. Just because you can lose lose weight on fast food doesn't mean it's a good idea. In addition, I spent 3 days pretty ill this week after a trip to Washington DC, and my lack of appetite was also a weight loss plan that can't be sustained.
In general, the last two weeks haven't been real great other than weight results. I went almost 2 weeks without working out because I let work stress win and then crashed with illness this week, so I feel like I'm only back on track as of Groundhog's Day. Hopefully that will launch me into a successful week with class and small group.
On the career front, I just found out my employer will no longer be providing any sort of health care benefit for early retirement. I didn't expect to retire at 55, but I did think part of the deal of taking a public sector salary was the opportunity to hang it up a bit early and do other things. Retirement was distant vision for me, but I am re-thinking how I'd like to spend my professional time between now and age 65. I'm fairly successful in my work, but it takes up a ton of my energy and excludes other things. I am pondering ways to improve that. Maybe it's finding a higher paying job with better benefits to try for an early retirement, or more likely find a way to balance things to make room for other interests. Easier said than done....
Nutrition update: I can't say I've done a good job changing my diet yet. As noted I'm eating less, but my real long term goal is to eat more of the good stuff. I had set a goal in class of 5 fruits daily and I can say I haven't come close to that in any of the 12 subsequent days. And I thought fruits would be easier than vegetables. The goal this week will be simpler. I'm going to eat a salad a day. That is the goal.
I am also reducing my soda intake. I had hoped to quit it in February (the beginning), but it will have to be by the end. Cold turkey means I get headaches and I'm a pain in the ass from caffeine withdrawal. This goal has sat out there for years. It is time to actually do it.
This will be my best nutrition week in years. I promise.
Exercise Update: As noted, did very poorly the week of the 23rd. Work was insane and I gave in and came home nightly to vegetate. I know I shouldn't and yet I do. That could be the title of my book:)
On Monday the 31st, I took a massive walk around Washington DC at night (highly recommend it if you get the chance) and then I didn't do a thing until Friday. Friday Saturday and Sunday have been positivies with 2 trips to the YMCA and a long walk with the dog. Hopefully I am back on track. The whippet thin health educator challenged us to make fitness and nutrition non-negotiables in our schedule. I am moving that way. It just seems the easy thing to sacrifice whenever there are issues. I struggle to say "I'm not available to meet, I have exercise class", but I am entitled to and should.
Much February exhaustion and confusion, but I'm glad to have lost a couple pounds and remain resolute.
Thanks for reading, it makes me feel oddly better.
And now the bad news: This weight loss hasn't been from any real positive behavior change. While I can say I am eating less in general, the quality of what I'm eating has improved very little so far. I need to reduce calories in general, but I desperately need to increase fruits and vegetables. Just because you can lose lose weight on fast food doesn't mean it's a good idea. In addition, I spent 3 days pretty ill this week after a trip to Washington DC, and my lack of appetite was also a weight loss plan that can't be sustained.
In general, the last two weeks haven't been real great other than weight results. I went almost 2 weeks without working out because I let work stress win and then crashed with illness this week, so I feel like I'm only back on track as of Groundhog's Day. Hopefully that will launch me into a successful week with class and small group.
On the career front, I just found out my employer will no longer be providing any sort of health care benefit for early retirement. I didn't expect to retire at 55, but I did think part of the deal of taking a public sector salary was the opportunity to hang it up a bit early and do other things. Retirement was distant vision for me, but I am re-thinking how I'd like to spend my professional time between now and age 65. I'm fairly successful in my work, but it takes up a ton of my energy and excludes other things. I am pondering ways to improve that. Maybe it's finding a higher paying job with better benefits to try for an early retirement, or more likely find a way to balance things to make room for other interests. Easier said than done....
Nutrition update: I can't say I've done a good job changing my diet yet. As noted I'm eating less, but my real long term goal is to eat more of the good stuff. I had set a goal in class of 5 fruits daily and I can say I haven't come close to that in any of the 12 subsequent days. And I thought fruits would be easier than vegetables. The goal this week will be simpler. I'm going to eat a salad a day. That is the goal.
I am also reducing my soda intake. I had hoped to quit it in February (the beginning), but it will have to be by the end. Cold turkey means I get headaches and I'm a pain in the ass from caffeine withdrawal. This goal has sat out there for years. It is time to actually do it.
This will be my best nutrition week in years. I promise.
Exercise Update: As noted, did very poorly the week of the 23rd. Work was insane and I gave in and came home nightly to vegetate. I know I shouldn't and yet I do. That could be the title of my book:)
On Monday the 31st, I took a massive walk around Washington DC at night (highly recommend it if you get the chance) and then I didn't do a thing until Friday. Friday Saturday and Sunday have been positivies with 2 trips to the YMCA and a long walk with the dog. Hopefully I am back on track. The whippet thin health educator challenged us to make fitness and nutrition non-negotiables in our schedule. I am moving that way. It just seems the easy thing to sacrifice whenever there are issues. I struggle to say "I'm not available to meet, I have exercise class", but I am entitled to and should.
Much February exhaustion and confusion, but I'm glad to have lost a couple pounds and remain resolute.
Thanks for reading, it makes me feel oddly better.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Week 1 notes
Random Stuff: My class started last Monday night. We have lots of women in there trying to get healthier and even 3 men!. Apparently that is 2-3 more than they usually get. I weighed myself that morning at home and clocked in at 203.5. My class weigh-in was higher, but that makes sense because it was at night. On Tuesday morning my home scale showed 205.0, not an auspicious moment. So I worked all week to get back to where I started the week... As of yesterday I was at 203.3 and I didn't weigh myself today. We weigh in at class tomorrow.
I wish I could say a switch had flipped and I was laser focused all week, but that wasn't the case. I didn't log food like we were directed and I backslid to McDonald's once (maybe twice I really can't remember). It felt like a bit of self sabotage.
On the plus side, I was much more aware of what I put in my body and how much activity I got, even when the choices weren't great. Week 2 should be better. Here's some details.
Nutrition update: As mentioned above, my food was a mixed bag this week. I did stick to Lindy's for lunch a couple days and even had a PBJ and an apple one day. This contrasted with fast food on the other two days. My water intake was up and my soda intake was slightly down.
We were asked to use a journal to track our food and I didn't do that. Work is currently very stressful, but that's an excuse not a reason.
Healthy, consistent eating continues to be my greatest challenge.
Exercise update: Again this was mixed. On the positive side, I hit the Y twice and my home treadmill twice. Just power incline walking on the treadmill, but it got my heart rate up. I also paid attention to my overall activity more and was pleased to see me hit 10,000 or more steps on my Fitbit most days.
Still too much time seated or laying around, but as usual my exercise is ahead of my eating. I'm still too random with weight lifting, but I did some the two days at the Y.
Overall. I'd give myself a C+ for the week and I'll look forward to learning more tomorrow. We have class on Monday and then I have small group coaching at 6:15 on Tuesday morning. That's early:)
I wish I could say a switch had flipped and I was laser focused all week, but that wasn't the case. I didn't log food like we were directed and I backslid to McDonald's once (maybe twice I really can't remember). It felt like a bit of self sabotage.
On the plus side, I was much more aware of what I put in my body and how much activity I got, even when the choices weren't great. Week 2 should be better. Here's some details.
Nutrition update: As mentioned above, my food was a mixed bag this week. I did stick to Lindy's for lunch a couple days and even had a PBJ and an apple one day. This contrasted with fast food on the other two days. My water intake was up and my soda intake was slightly down.
We were asked to use a journal to track our food and I didn't do that. Work is currently very stressful, but that's an excuse not a reason.
Healthy, consistent eating continues to be my greatest challenge.
Exercise update: Again this was mixed. On the positive side, I hit the Y twice and my home treadmill twice. Just power incline walking on the treadmill, but it got my heart rate up. I also paid attention to my overall activity more and was pleased to see me hit 10,000 or more steps on my Fitbit most days.
Still too much time seated or laying around, but as usual my exercise is ahead of my eating. I'm still too random with weight lifting, but I did some the two days at the Y.
Overall. I'd give myself a C+ for the week and I'll look forward to learning more tomorrow. We have class on Monday and then I have small group coaching at 6:15 on Tuesday morning. That's early:)
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