Sea Change Coming?

Monday, September 29, 2014

I actually accomplished two things this weekend.  The first was a standard step toward success -- I made a batch of soup.  It's simple but it's easy, it's good and it's ready to go.  I now have five meals worth of dump in a pan and heat goodness.

The other thing was really accomplished this morning, and it's odd to call it an accomplishment.  I realized, as I lay in bed waiting for the snooze alarm, that I need to just let go of the schedule of my dreams.  When I was having great success, I was getting up every day at 5:00, getting in my walk, and having a productive day.  But then I acquired certain social obligations (which really aren't relevant otherwise) which kept me up late.  Instead of going to bed by 9:30, I was up until 10:30, 11, 12 or later.  Needless to say I could only continue the schedule for so long.

I have been away from that schedule for a while now but have never given up on the idea, in part because it worked!  This morning, though, I could see:  As long as I have these obligations I just can't do it.  My body does not function on less than six hours of sleep.  It isn't made to do that.

So here is the deal.  I am going to start getting up at 7:00.  It doesn't allow me to seize the day as I would prefer (despite not previously being a morning person).  I won't have the luxury of getting to work before everyone.  I will have to make myself exercise in the evenings, which has never been consistently successful.  But I need to find a way to make it work.

Breakfast:  Bowl of homemade hamburger vegetable soup, coffee

The old standby.  Going to be going out for lunch so today won't be all good, but it's nice to get a healthy start.

When You Fail, You Fail

Monday, September 22, 2014

I am at least going to make myself get back into the habit of posting.  And taking pictures and stuff.  It wasn't a good day food-wise or exercise-wise, but still, posting is a start.

Breakfast:  None

Early lunch:  Cheddar cheese omelet with sausage gravy, 3 pancakes, coffee

Went out to lunch, had a good meal.

Dinner:  Firehouse subs large NY steamer sub

No picture on this one.  A quick stop between work obligations.  Stupid work.

Snack:  Limeade oreos, whole milk

Exercise:  Nope.  FAIL.

122.6

Picture Post

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Hey, how about that, a couple of pictures.  I'm not sure that this really qualifies as a meaningful start to the diet, though it is sadly noteworthy that breakfast and lunch were home cooked, and dinner will be too.  If I can manage to avoid snacking or dessert it could be a no drive-thru kind of day.  That would be a step in the right direction.

I am currently thinking that during the week I am going to start eating breakfast for dinner as often as possible.  I want to have some easy lunches like soup or chef salad available.  Breakfast can be fairly minimal.  If I do that, it's an easy game.

Breakfast:  2 jumbo CF eggs fried in a bit of butter, Alexia hash browns cooked in olive oil, 4 strips CF chipotle bacon, small avocado, coffee

Breakfast.  Yum.

This was probably 7/10, but since it was breakfast that means it was really 9/10.  Maybe another 30 seconds for the hash browns and another day of ripening for the avocado.

Lunch:  3 strips (~ 4 or 5 oz) CF smoked brisket, leftover mashed potatoes, 3 corn tortillas, coffee

Sometimes weird is good

I'm not sure the tortillas were truly necessary, but it was kinda interesting to eat these leftovers as (effectively) a sandwich.  I guess I also could have toasted some bread, but whatever, I have ample tortillas on hand.  Cutting back on starch didn't happen here.

This was the first time I have purchased the pre-cooked CF brisket.  It's pricey at ~ $11 or $12 a pound, but it is quite good.  Pre-cooked quality meat is expensive but nice to have on hand for lazy times.  I opened the 1 lb package, had a bunch for dinner last night, this and I'll get another meal out of it.

Dinner:  Chicken breast, a little rice, green beans, cheese sauce, rolls with butter, a slice of blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream.

A bit much, but good.

Snack:  McChicken, medium chocolate shake.  FAIL.

Exercise:  Nope.  Was planning on 18 holes with cart but the weather sucks and I'm not 100%.

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Return of the Mack?

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Hey.  Been a long time.  It's been months upon months of bad eating, no exercise and no accountability.  It really does need to stop.

There isn't any reason at all why it should be super difficult to get back on track.  I have let things slide in almost every aspect - the one thing I have held onto is the no soda pop - but with a little focus I can do this.

I'm not sure it will start today.  I might need to make a grocery run this evening in order to have things on hand (yes, I have been eating out that much).  I'm thin on a lot of stuff that I'd like to have on hand, farm stuff.  Maybe I should run out there too and stock up.

Anyway.  Lots of reasons to just do this.