Tuesday Oct 9--How are you simplifying today?

[Gaelen]

Last night I took new measurements...don't know why, it just seemed like the right idea. I don't have a fancy BF% scale--in fact, my scale, even though it's digital, only weighs in whole numbers. No tenths of a pound to keep coming and going and making me crazy (or crazier!)

So I take my measurements and except for once a year when I have my BF% computed at a gym and the times when I use the pinch calipers I own (not very often), I compute my BF% using actual measurements and the equations in the original PP. I am down three percentage points since my last calculation in September--still lots of room for improvement, but a gain, and hey, I'll take it.

The thing is, doing the measuring and the math isn't the easy way to figure out or quickly check your daily recommended minimum protein intake, or compute your BF%. One way to simplify and get these measurements is to use an online calculator. People have different favorites, but I put my numbers through a couple of them as a balance and to remind me that no system is the one perfect, authoritative method.

So I 'simplified' this morning, and ran my numbers through my personal favorite calculator to double check my minimum daily recommended protein. It's not my favorite because it always gives me the answer I want to see, but because it's simple to use and the numbers it generates, over a variety of the population, seem to be VERY close to the numbers in the measure + math calculations in the original PP. PP says I need 66g of protein; this one says I need 64g. Close enough for gov'ment work, as they say... ;)

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At Wake Forest Univeristy Baptist Medical Center, this page has various diet and nutrition calculators. The calculator "Are you getting enough protein" will give you a daily minim protein requirement calculation very close to what you would get from the calculation in the first Protein Power book:
http://www1.wfubmc.edu/heart/Being+Heart+Healthy/Health+Calculators
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You can find this caculator and several others in the Calculator Links thread in Getting Starting | Important Resources and Information (the first forum at the top of the webpage.)
http://www.proteinpower.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15

Today a little computer math helped me simplify and confirm my own math.
How are YOU going to simplify today? Have a good one!

[maxlharris]

For the month, I have stopped worrying about calculation. Only about protein, carbs, water, mind, body, and consistency. The math was great when I was doing it (to simplify, I built a spread sheet that ran everything for me), but it's not motivating anymore. It's looking more like a chore than a reward, so it's out. That's simplifying.

To measure, I'm using the scale. Just the scale. I'm trusting that my exercise and macronutrient intake is protecting the lean. And that's simpler too.

I am at work. Have worked out. Have had a shake. Have done a Sudoku. Off to the rest of the day.

[Feelix]

Thank you Gaelen. Your advice is wonderful.

As for my off weekend - it was all emotional. I completely sabotaged myself because I joined the gym. It's silly but real for me. I am scared to death of making another commitment and not following through or seeing results. So what do I do? I make sure that my fears come true. Insanity.

I have a running history of 20days OP. My goal is to surpass this record.

Yesterday was a yes day. Today i am presently having a yes day. Protein shake down the hatch.

Here's to a great day!

[hawk]

Good morning, Re reading the 30 day diet by the Eades, is motivating. I have not stepped on a scale for two weeks. Or measured. I am doing the right things and expecting the right results. Inside and out.Right now disapointing myself with the scale or calipers would not help.I'm looking for small things to make life happier even during the pain. Yesterday after I worked in the yard, I took a hot whirlpool soak and made it a point not to take it for granted. Then I sat and hugged Gus who loves the attention & I read a great book. Last night I sat under my new porch roof as the rain poored down and imagined the finished screened in room. The temperature dropped from 85* to 75*as I sat out there with lanterns .It was worth all the hard work to build.

I've started today out with a bike ride. I took a bike ride at midnight last night and slept all night for the first time in a week. I am going to try walking today at the park on the walking trail.

I ate meat I grilled out yesterday for breakfast...and coffee of course.

[Rhyme'n Reason]

Simplify, simplify, simplify--

Simplifying for me right now means sticking with the tried and true during these very busy days. It only takes making one bad decision about food to throw the day off. Variety is a wonderful thing--but I'm trying to save it for when I have the time to do it right.

I'll have a better idea of my progress next week when I see my doctor and weigh in on a reliable scale. I anticipate a good visit.

On track today so far--breakfast done (sausage and protein shake) and 24 oz. of water down. Lunch is packed and sitting by my desk and I will have another 24 oz. of water at lunch and another shake after school (before going to my evening job at the college).

Thanks for the reminder, Gaelen.

Ruth

[Shadow]

Morning, all :).

I am simplifying today by making it a definite 'yes' day :nod:. Exercise done, meals planned, mental challenges are abounding :lol: and water down the hatch. It's a great day :D!

[oceanblueLA]

Hi everyone--

I am simplifying today by just surrendering to what I need to do and just doing it. No avoidance or rescheduling. Just look at the list and get it all done. Amazing how that makes the day easy. I have a habit of putting off the things I don't want to do... like making phone calls (I have such a hard time picking the phone up... but i really like people so it's an odd thing)... and then the day gets heavier and more complicated because I have avoided doing things that needed to be done.

So far today, I have had coffee, written several emails that needed to be done but which I didn't want to do, had a can of protein drink and will soon head up to my treadmill. Then I need to choose new hardware for the doors that are going to be installed (why is that so hard?), have lunch with a friend, then work until dinner.

Shadow has it right and I am following her lead... "I am simplifying today by making it a definite 'yes' day."

Have a good day all... whatever it takes to get there!

[maxlharris]

I don't know if this is simplifying (doesn't feel simpler), but reading Good Calories, Bad Calories is helping me reframe what I'm up to and that's making it easier. Yesterday, cut loose from routine (Federal Holiday) and any usual weekend monitoring (DW had to work), I was left to my own devices. I have, in recent times, gone to a purveyor of fried chicken, and gone to town, old school style. I had thought about doing it, rather than making the long drive to the unbreaded hot wing place. But, ultimately, I phoned the hot wing place and skipped the fried chicken. There came to me, a thought about cognitive dissonance, as I tried to hold two opposing views in my head:
1- the fried chicken would be good
2- carbs are non-essential and likely toxic, especially with a lot of fat around.

Hot wings, on the other hand, cause no cognitive dissonance. That made them the choice of simplification.

Today is a yes in progress.

[gitfiddle]

Good morning, y'all! Thanks for such a great start, Gaelen!

Hawk, I love the thought of you out on your porch during that storm! I was driving home when the front came through and it about blew everyone off the road. Can't have been good for the autumn leaves. The air this morning was delicious!

My way to simplify is to NOT procrastinate with the food prep. Make it, measure it, package it and store it. Measuring food is important to me because my eye is greedy. More is not better. I have to keep learning that over and over and over. :rolleyes:

When I'm in denial mode I don't check my blood sugar (because it doesn't lie). I am checking daily now. Simple. Truthful.

I found that breakfast meatloaf nuked with a slice of feta cheese is really a good taste combination. I skip the cheese in the recipe anyway and try different kinds of sausage and seasoning. Feta rocks. That was my lunch, along with a salad. Breakfast was a chocolate raspberry shake.

Wishing YESSES on all of you today! ;)

[hawk]

Good for you Carol with taking charge and takeing care! Testing your blood sugar is the best way to keep yourself accountable. We can get into a state of denial easily. You are right. That test does not lie.

[Anniesnan]

Shadow - I love your idea of simplifying:D

Woke up feeling miserable from all the carbage. Did something I've only done maybe 20 times in my life - I skipped breakfast. Still had my coffee, or I'd be suffering with a caffeine withdrawal headache, but just couldn't face the thought of putting more food into my stomach.

Feel much better now, thanks to the M & S I did - mof it trekking back and forth to the bathroom - eliminating most of the water I was retaining:rolleyes:

Since I had no breakfast, I just had breakfast for lunch and feel well grounded.

Got a ton accomplished at work, too, despite all the trips:razz:

[Missy]

lol...Max..." a purveyor of fried chicken "..lol ..I will NOW never think of KFC as anything other then a "purveyor of fried chicken"....and think of you! LOL Honestly, you crack me up. "gone to town, old school style" LOL ...oh Max. LOL

I'm proud of ya!

I'm proud of ALL of you! :D

I just bought that GCBC book and two on Radiate Recovery author too.

[Gaelen]

a thought about cognitive dissonance, as I tried to hold two opposing views in my head:
1- the fried chicken would be good
2- carbs are non-essential and likely toxic, especially with a lot of fat around.
Hot wings, on the other hand, cause no cognitive dissonance. That made them the choice of simplification.
Today is a yes in progress.

Max, what you just described is the essence of 'being in harmony with your expectations.' Allowing ourselves that cognitive dissonance is the underlying thing that derails our best efforts. But first we have to hear the dissonance to recognize that it's taking us off course.

Every day is a 'yes' in progress.

One more simplification--the lunch kit.
Normally, I pack my lunch. And I am a bit fussy about packing some foods the night before to eat more than 18 hours later--I know, I know, they're in the fridge, but...I have a hard time with that. But with the addition of back exercises to my morning routine, something had to give and so for the last couple months, my a.m. lunchtime packing routine has suffered. If it wasn't the kind of food that could be packed up the night before or grabbed in a frozen portion, it didn't get packed.

Today, I took a look at my shabby four year old lunch box. And I took a look at the cool lunch box a friend at work was using, with its matching little containers that all neatly fit inside. And I felt lunchbox envy worthy of a 3rd grader.

Little kids get excited about getting a new lunch box when the new school year comes...I think I'll play on that excitement. Instead of trying to shoehorn makeshift containers into my shabby standby, I think tonight I will go shopping for a new lunch bag, something that accommodates standard sized containers, and IN THE STORE, pick out a supply of containers that will fit into it neatly. I want containers where I already know the quantity, so there's no 'measuring' other than the simple does-it-fit-in-the-container kind of measuring. Then, the hard part of the packing is done (what will fit into the bag). Maybe if I simplify that part, it'll be a bit easier to get lunch packed every night. ;)

[maxlharris]

lol...Max..." a purveyor of fried chicken "..lol ..I will NOW never think of KFC as anything other then a "purveyor of fried chicken"....and think of you! LOL Honestly, you crack me up. "gone to town, old school style" LOL ...oh Max. LOL

For what it's worth, KFC doesn't make my cut when I want to take some steps back. It's gotta be Popeye's. How's that for a commercial endorsement... You get Dean Ornish. He starts talking about his beliefs, then says, "Sometimes, I just can't stand my own diet, so I gotta go and splurge on some heart disease. And when I'm like that, it's Popeye's or back to lettuce." :D:D:D

[Dharmalisa]

I simplified my meal prep this morning too. Mixed together a can of tuna with 1/3 cup green peas and 2 TB mayo. Pretty simple. Then I threw some cheese and celery and almond butter in the bag and that's lunch.

Eating twice a day simplifies things for me too. I've tried to eat the same meals over and over to simplify in the past, but I can't stand to do that. I wake up in a new frame of mind every day, so the same old meals just don't cut it for me. So only planning 2 meals keeps the hassle down to a minimum.

My life is simple. I have a low stress job. My drive to work is 8 minutes. My work attire is anything....literally. I have a cat instead of a dog. :) The only things I do besides work are social things. Except I do have one client on the side, one day a week. The extra money helps. I live in a townhouse - so no yard work. I only have 5 plants to water (a couple are needing replacing though, cause I forget...). My two older kids live in Japan. One son aged 15 left at home. He is a geek. So no sports events to attend. You may think my life sounds boring, but to me it is perfect. I am grateful that I have time to spend with my DH and DS, and time to read, and time to watch the Tigers whup up on everyone. And time at work to surf the net, and I'm not 'supposed' to be working....I do it in my down time with everyone's knowledge.

Mostly I'm grateful for having this attitude about my life right now, cause it hasn't always been this way!! :D I'm a complainer by upbringing, so this is a paradigm shift for me. Peace of mind is a decision I make daily now. That keeps things pretty simple, even when life is scary.

[Benay]

Simplify? Well my water meter read that I was low and needed a load of water (I have a cistern and have water trucked in) Sunday morning. No water deliveries over the weekend so I knew I had to restrict water consumption until this morning. With puppies, and usually doing two loads of puppy laundry a day, I felt a bet stetched.

This morning the water truck came and delivered water. Life is much simpler. I can turn on the tap and flush without worrying about running out.

Have managed to gain 3 pounds while keeping my carbs below 30 ECC, my calories below 1500, my protein around 100, and doing my daily exercises and walks. Go figure. Yes I rely on the scale, the tape measure has done nothing at all for 2 months.

So far another "yes" day in spite of the scale report.

[Ottawa]

Hang in Benay ... somethings got to give.

Today is the leftover duck which I overcooked last night. It was smoked and I thought would require only a little cooking. Instead it needed a few hours so I went with somethign else, watched/worked out to a long movie and while doing crunches realized that I smelled something overcooked. I had totally forgotten (I caught what Ammy has maybe) and there was this dried out bird that had shriveled down to half of it's size. Luckily it was mainly fat and I cut it up for tonight. The wings reminded me of "The Three Amigoes" sitting around the campfire eating brittle bat wings.:D

My wife was happy since she said she was not going to eat any of it anyway.

Today is on track and I'll just add some veggies and have leftover duck and some curried pumpkin soup.

[Gaelen]

Have managed to gain 3 pounds while keeping my carbs below 30 ECC, my calories below 1500, my protein around 100, and doing my daily exercises and walks. Go figure. Yes I rely on the scale, the tape measure has done nothing at all for 2 months.

Benay, have you been checked out at all by a doctor?
Is there any possibility that there could be anything unusual going on physically or metabolically at this point?

Weight loss and gain at different phases of our lives is different--not a constant where if you do X you get Y. Just like unexpected gain or loss in any other creature, the first thing to rule out when you appear to be doing what should work and it isn't working is any other physical issue which could be causing or interfering with the gain/loss.

[hawk]

HAH hAa Randy.! I bet your wife was happy. My uncles used to bring home wild duck around thanksgiving. My aunts would bake it. It reminded me of roast beef. It had a similar texture. It was really good.

I went shoe shopping and walked around an out let mall near my town. I found some Easy Spirit shoes that don't feel too bad when I walk. Just wearing them sends pain shooting in all directions up my legs , but I can walk. I took myself to a trail at the park and did 1 mile in 20 minutes.
I met up with someone I had not seen in awhile and walked about a 1/4 mile with him. He is on Chemo for bone cancer. I used to see him running the trail. What a shock..you know , I came away with a different feeling about having RSD. This man needs one more chemo and then a stem cell thing from his own stem cells. He'll be in the hospital 3 to 4 weeks. He can only walk slow now so we walked fine together. He and I encouraged each other and now I will check on his family more. His son played music with my husband.
Anyway. I made the mile and could have kept going but decided to not over do it till I see how my legs react to it. Muscles are jumping all over my lower legs and they are pinging.

[hawk]

Benay..any puppy pics?? I wish I could own a german shepherd. I'm lucky to have a dachshund.My husband would freak if I brought home a big dog.

[Anniesnan]

got in my major M & S - walking with dh.

not only is it good exercise, but it's good mentally and relationship(ly), too:D

when you're walking, you can't really "look" at each other, so you can communicate more freely without any of that Mars/Venus stuff happening.
And there's no tv or radio or phone to distract - although there is people watching going on;)

dinner was left cooking while we walked
ribs, left over from the other night and eggplant parmagiana with 2 different cheeses, no bread crumbs, light on sauce

I'm back on target:D

[Feelix]

Gaelen- Did you get a new lunch box? What color?

[Gaelen]

Felix...it's purple. ;) It's shaped like a brown bag, but about four inches wide on the bottom so that store-brand soup/salad disposable containers (like Gladware) fit in it without tearing the lining. The sandwich size containers fit inside the long way. And 1 cup Rubbermaid round containers, two of them, fit side by side in the bottom. It was $5.99 on clearance. It's the silliest little things that can put me in the mood to stay on track!

Lamb stew is in the crockpot, and the last of my Dutch Oven turkey thighs I made up into turkey with mushroom and onion gravy and packed into two containers...one for tomorrow, one for the freezer. I have an oncology checkup tomorrow at noon, so I wanted something to eat after the doc that would fit in before my 2pm meeting. So fingers crossed that the doc isn't running late and I get to warm it up before the meeting!

[Claudette]

Hi, ya'll,

Great thoughts for today. Thanks, Gaalen, for the websites. I am going to bookmark the Wakefied University one.

I recalculculated, my minimum pro is 63-68. Alas, I calculated my ideal weight, I have a way to go to meet my final goal. Well, I am going to make the first one, then attempt to go the rest of the way. Their goal was not too far off the mark from where I used to weigh.


Today, to simplify, I have decided to start the morning off with a shake before I leave for work. Whey protein in lc milk w/ smart fiber or plain flax seed. Take a protein bar for mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack (1/2 for each). I have tried the shake the last two days and it stays with me for 5.5 hours through all my running around before lunch. I don't know why, but the homemade one last so much longer than the plain canned one.

Today, was a yes for me. Off to bed to read my technical journal.

Great to see you, Lynn! I have missed you.


Hugs,
Claudette

[hawk]

Missy girl..I been seeing you all over the place. You just keep coming back and working it. I love it that you are here.

[maxlharris]

Today was a yes. 4th in a row. The road to big streaks starts with small ones.

Read a bunch of Good Calories, Bad Calories. Up to where carbs may explain vitamin deficiency diseases (scurvy and beriberi, etc). Interesting. Granted, our meat isn't what it was in the old days, but maybe high doses of vitamins are less necessary if you are carb free, ala eskimoes. Had always wondered how eskimoes got their C when there's no citrus about. Now I know. From their meat.

[Feelix]

Isn't the Good Calories Bad Calories a good book? I just started....

the information is overwhelming.

As for simplifying - today I have been thinking. I am going to plan each days meals for the next week. I have set up the outline and review with my hubby to make sure that he will eat it with me :-)

Thanks for the great challenge!

Oh and here's to a yes day!

[Rhyme'n Reason]

Today's a yes for me.

The day was just "one of those days." Picture day at school, kids kind of touchy and whiny, me--well, it just didn't flow today. Had to modify a bunch of lesson plans and ended the day with a pile of grading to do.

I was thinking tonight about this emotional eating thing, starting with a candy bar sitting in my mailbox at the college when I arrived. It really didn't tempt me at all, even though it is my favorite type. When I got home, I ate some of my BBQ chicken, and then the cravings started. I ate a little bit of cottage cheese--still, I just wanted to go get more to eat. Then I started to realize that this was not real hunger, but a very familiar feeling of just wanting more, more, and more. I ended my day with two squares of Lindt 85%. I didn't go off plan, but it occurs to me that having had kind of a yucky day, this might have been one of those emotional eating events.

Thoughts, anyone? I feel like I handled it, but I am an expert at rationalization and self-deceit.

BTW, Gaelen, I'm one of those people who can really get off on something like a cool new lunch bag. I guess it doesn't take much! :)

Ruth

[Anniesnan]

well, after a string of bad days, yesterday I had my first of many YESES in a row:D

and feel much better this morning to prove it:D

[Benay]

Gaelen, yes I have been checked out by my physician and had all the usual lab tests. He could find nothing to explain what is going on. Just says everyone is different. How many times have I heard that one? Anyway, I just "hang in there" and wait it out. It will go away. Probably just fluid retention for some unknown reason. Sodium levels are at the usual level. Our bodies are pretty miraculous. They do what they want to do in spite of us. Thanks for the support.

[Ottawa]

On track for Tuesday, no workout but I will still get 5/7.

Had a game of Upwords with my wife that took over an hour and a short game of Chess with an electronic, touch screen Chess game I saw on the weekend for $9.99.

[gitfiddle]

YES for Tuesday!