Day 1787: Beat My Record -- Daily Calorie Burn

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." ~ Jim Rohn

I've been excited to post this, but our internet was down for a few days......

On Friday I spent about 6 hours building a shelving unit in the garage. Between the sawing, hammering, climbing up and down the ladder (and pacing around searching for tools) I managed to burn more calories than I have in a single day since the beginning of February. I actually came really close to beating the record the previous day doing pretty much the same thing.

Just to put the below number into perspective my "Daily Calorie Burn" target is 3210.

	New Record	Previous Record
# Calories Burned in a Day:	4532	4269 – Feb.6th

I wonder how long it'll be before I'm able to break 5000?

Day 1786: Milestone Reached -- Weight

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." ~ Les Brown

On Thursday, March 24th, 2010 I weighted in at 228.9 lbs, and although it's lower than my weekly average of 229.6 lbs.... it's still a huge milestone for me.

The last time I weighted under 229 lbs was in November of 2004.

The Life of Bryan - Episode 06

"Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."
~ Abraham Lincoln

New to "The Life of Bryan" cartoon... check out the 'Readers Guide'.

The real humour of this cartoon is that it really happened!

Rise and Dine

"I went to a cafe that advertised breakfast anytime, so I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance." ~ Stephen Wright

"University of Massachusetts researchers found that men who skip breakfast are 4 1/2 times more likely to be obese than those who don't. "Eating breakfast is like putting kindling on the fire of your metabolism," says Riley, so your body will be less likely to store fat.

Make sure you eat within 90 minutes of waking—men in the study who waited longer increased their chances of obesity by nearly 50 percent."

~ Men'sHealth Magazine

Scary Pattern.

"We must expect to fail... but fail in a learning posture, determined not to repeat the mistakes, and to maximize the benefits from what is learned in the process."
~ Ted W. Engstrom

In my Week #241 review I eluded to the fact that "the real challenge for me lies in the coming 2 months"....... Why's that you ask?

Well Since the creation of this blog almost 5 years ago I've yoyo'd up and down several times..... 4 times to be exact. I may have started my blog on May 14th, 2005, but it wasn't until the beginning of January 2006 (almost 20 lbs heavier) before I hit rock bottom and made a real attempt to change (my first real attempt since the inception of this blog). Here's why I'm a tad concerned:

• Jan. 2006 @ 252 lbs. -----> Mar.2006 @ 229 lbs.
• Jan. 2008 @ 252 lbs. -----> Mar.2008 @ 230 lbs.
• Jan. 2009 @ 250 lbs. -----> Apr.2006 @ 229 lbs.

The above pattern is really scary to me. Each time my progress has lasted between 8-14 weeks, losing about 23 lbs each time, followed by an incident/event that derails my progress and eventually leads to the return of old destructive patterns.

I'm big enough to admit that the majority of the problem is mental..... but I'm not sure how to change or go about challenging those negative thoughts/patterns. I'll give you an example.... when I was in Ottawa last month I woke up one morning to brush my teeth and when I looked into the mirror for a split second I thought "who is that?", because I was surprised that the person looking back at me in the mirror was much thinner looking than the person I'm used to seeing. The unfortunate thing about this positive moment/thought is that it was almost immediately followed by "I've thought this before. It won't last. Don't get used to feeling good about yourself". I realize that my thoughts were very self defeating, but they swirled through my head. I guess the difference now is that I'm starting to develop the ability to argue against this line of negative thinking...... sometimes that is. This particular internal conversation wasn't challenged until later that day, when I tried to set things straight in my head.

230 lbs. represents a very solid emotional and mental wall for me. I have an awful lot of my past wrapped around this weight. Without going into a lot of detail (see here for more detail) I was just shy of 230 lbs. during a very abusive relationship in my early 20's, and a year or so before I met Sherri I was in another relationship with a girl that said "I don't find you attractive because of your weight".

When I think back to the dates of my previous 3 weight loss attempts, my reason for falling off the wagon was due to small things that wore away my resolve...... a sore knee, a bad week, stress, a return of an old habit...... I really don't think that I sabotaged my progress because of this emotional/mental wall.... but I don't know that for sure.

I'm not overly worried about all of this..... but it is in the back of my mind.

I'm confident that this time is different..... but I've thought that during previous attempts.

Despite all of this...... the past is the past.

This time I'm going to smash down the wall,
and I'm going to grind the broken pieces to dust.

Late Night Snacking.

"When you see the golden arches, you are probably on your way to the pearly gates." ~ William Castelli, M.D.

The advice: Shut the kitchen down after 7 p.m to prevent weight gain.

Why it's useless: After a long day at the office and a trip to the gym, you either eat dinner at 9:30 or starve.

The real deal: The no-food-right-before-bed rule was meant for the nighttime nosher who mindlessly wolfs down a bag of Oreos while watching CSI: Miami. If you get home long after dark, a late dinner is perfectly fine. A calorie is a calorie, no matter what time you eat it, according to Katie Clark, R.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of family health care nursing at the University of California, San Francisco. But do keep your evening meal light--along the lines of a chicken breast, steamed broccoli, and brown rice. Too much chow will keep you up at night: To break down all that food, your gut has to churn like a cement truck.

~ Women's Health Magazine

I quite often have a snack around 8pm..... and I've even been known to have a snack as late as 11pm. My philosophy is never go to bed hungry. That said, I usually try to avoid anything heavy, and I keep my portion size on the small side.

Music of the Moment.

"Music is my religion." ~ Jimi Hendrix

Don't worry.... I'm not feeling melancholy. I just spent the last hour or so listening to music and I figured I'd share a song that I love..... it just happens that this song speaks very clearly to me about my struggles with my weight.

Breathe Me ~ Sia

Music is sooooooooooooooooooo very important to me..... so I might share a bit more of it with you guys from time to time. I hope everyone had a great weekend.

Born Squishy - Photo's

"A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into." ~ Ansel Adams

I found this quote and it immediately resonated with me. I've never enjoyed having my picture taken.... primarily because I've never felt comfortable in my own skin, and I didn't like the idea of pictures floating around that reminded myself & others of that fact. When viewing photo's of myself I tend to look beyond the photo to the emotion that lies behind the photo...... which is seldom a positive experience for me.

Here's a few pictures I've managed to dig up & finally found the courage to share:

The amount of times you appear in a High School Year Book is directly relative to two factors; how involved you are in extra curricular activities & how popular you are. Well in 1988 I started grade 9, my first year of High School in Bradford, Ontario. Beyond the mandatory portrait photo, I appeared only one other time; which was in a music class photo. The sad part is that I wasn't even supposed to be in music, but due to my late registration I had to choose between Music and some other class..... which I can't even remember.... which means it had to be worse than music.

Grade 9, Age 14, I was around 5' even @ +150 lbs


Jan.1st, 2010 - 254.1 lbs @ 43.1% Body Fat.

In this next series of pictures, I'm wearing a T-shirt that was bought for me back when I weighed around 210 lbs..... which I never wore because I didn't like the way I looked in it. It's still way too tight (I'm 22 lbs heavier than when it was purchased for me), but I'm going to keep using this T-shirt to show my progress in later pictures.

Feb.28th, 2010 - 237.1 lbs @ 37.2% Body Fat.


Feb.28th, 2010 - 237.1 lbs @ 37.2% Body Fat.

I will be adding more pictures in the future.

Week #241: In Review

"However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results."
~ Winston Churchill

~ Nick D. Kim (strange-matter.net) used by permission

Woohoo! I've now officially lost more than 20 lbs..... 21.1 lbs to be exact. I'm so proud of my progress and determination. I've really made a huge difference in the last 2 plus months, but the real challenge for me lies in the coming 2 months.... which I'll explain in detail later today.

I did extremely well with my steps/exercise and my eating wasn't too shabby either. I even managed to get quite a bit done this week.

Here's last week results:

	Last Week	This Week	Result
Weight:	234.4 lbs.	232.9 lbs.	- 1.5 lbs.
Body Fat:	36.6 %	36.2 %	- 0.4 %
Lean Body Mass:	148.61 lbs.	148.59 lbs.	-0.02 lbs.
# of Steps:	43,310	48,824	+ 5,514 Steps

Here is a copy of BodyMedia Summary Report.
Week #241 - Summary Report (Mar.8th - Mar. 14th, 2010)
I've also updated my 2010 Progress Charts.

I'm looking forward to further success in Week# 242, and I would like to wish the same success for everyone else!

Thursday Funnies: Volume 13

"The aim of a joke is not to degrade the human being, but to remind him that he is already degraded." ~ George Orwell

~ Cartoon by Nick D. Kim (used by permission)

Quick Update

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day."
~ William Shakespeare


Dang. This is the 3rd week in a row that I've started my "Week In Review" post and never got around to finishing it.... for one reason or another. Well this week will be different... really!

... But it will have to wait until tomorrow. I'm too tired tonight.

P.S: sorry for the lack of personal posts lately.... I've been a bit on the lazy side in regards to my blog.

Q & A

"If we're not willing to settle for junk living, we certainly shouldn't settle for junk food."
~ Sally Edwards

Question - If pairing protein with carbs helps build muscle, will it help weight loss?

Answer - Yes. Although you might think that the carbs will slow weight loss, the opposite can be true. Carbs plus protein helps build muscle (especially if you eat the combo just before and after exercise), and that can indirectly enhance fat loss, because muscle is metabolically active tissue that helps burn more calories around the clock.

~ Men'sHealth

Men's Health Minute #6

“Don't take a butcher's advice on how to cook meat. If he knew, he'd be a chef."
~ Andy Rooney

I definitely need to add more eggs to my diet. Check back next week for another "Men's Health Minute" video.

To Juice Or Not Too Juice?

"Medium oranges are ideal for juicing. Three or four medium oranges will yield 8 ounces of juice." ~ www.orangejuicefacts.com

The advice: Don't drink juice -- it's a sugar bomb.

Why it's useless: Juice is a breakfast staple, and it's essential for smoothies.

The real deal: There's a big difference between 100 percent juice and a bottle of sugar water with a few cranberries squeezed into it. Yes, juice has a lot of the sweet stuff, but a six-ounce glass of 100 percent juice also counts as a full serving of fruit and delivers many of the same vitamins and antioxidants, making it worth the occasional sugar rush, says Jessica Ganzer, R.D., owner of Ganzer Wellness Consulting in Arlington, Virginia. And it can be the easiest way to get a superfood: Drinking 100 percent pomegranate juice is easy; picking apart a real pomegranate, not so much. As long as you drink 100 percent juice (from concentrate is fine) and limit yourself to one six-to-eight ounce glass a day, you're not breaking any rules of good nutrition. If you're seriously cutting back on calories or carbs, try Tropicana's Light 'n Healthy line; a serving has about half the sugar (10 grams) and calories (50) of normal juice.

~ Women's Health Magazine

I typically start my morning off with a small glass of orange juice, and most days I usually have a glass of fruit & vegetable blend juice. If you're in Canada I highly recommend the PC "Blue Menu, 100% Fruit & Vegetable Blend, Blueberry-Pomegranate Flavour..... yeah it's a mouthful to say, but it's yummy.

Product Review Update

"Here is a simple but powerful rule - always give people more than what they expect to get"
~ Nelson Boswell
After posting my review of BodyMedia's GoWear Fit, I fired off an email to them concerning my broken armband (and my friends too small armband) and they responded the next day (today) and informed me that they were sending a replacement armband for me...... & a larger replacement armband for my friend.

I don't know about you, but that's pretty good customer service.... although it probably didn't hurt that I mentioned I had posted a review & provided a link to the post ;)

So I've updated my review to reflect this. The review is located HERE if your interested.

Thursday Funnies: Volume 12

"Dogs have owners, Cats have staff" ~ Unknown

Dear Born Squishy,

I've been a regular visitor to your blog for well over a year now, and I have to say I think it's the cat's ass. I've struggled with my weight over the years. I've spent a lot of time pushing a mouse at the computer when I should of spent more time chasing a real one.

P.S: I've enclosed a photo of me during my couch potato days... thanks for the motivation.

Sincerely,
Mr. Mittens

Thank you Mr. Mittens for your heartfelt letter. It's nice to know that my blog is helping you on your journey.

Q & A

"As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it." ~ Buddy Hackett

Question - How can I tell if "low-fat" or "healthy" labels are lying?

Answer - Labels are about marketing; the nutrition chart is about content. So ignore the front, and look for high protein and fiber, and low amounts of carbs, saturated fat, and sodium. And remember, whole foods have no labels. They're the best choice of all.

~ Men'sHealth

Yay Me!!!!

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."
~ Oprah Winfrey

Yesterday I walked into the kitchen to get a mid-afternoon snack....

I saw a box of 100 calorie Sun Chips snacks..... and I didn't have any.

Next to the box was a zip lock bag filled with Sherri's awesome banana bread in it.... and I didn't have any.

I ended up eating a healthy snack as planned.

Last night I worked out on the elliptical machine for 70mins.

Also last night (post work out) I noticed a bottle of diet pepsi left over from when we had company over..... and I didn't have any, and continued to drink my water.

Today I went skating for the 6th time in 7 weeks (missed one when I was in Ottawa).

I'm proud of myself for continually making smart decisions. I proud of myself for thinking my way through cravings. I'm proud of myself for continually making an effort to remain active.

Yay Me!!!

Body Media - "GoWear Fit" Product Review

"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." ~ Albert Einstein

Product - BodyMedia "GoWear Fit" (Armband, Display & Activity Manager).

Price - $249.99 (Armband & Display) + 12 month subscription at $6.95/month

I've been using the BodyMedia "GoWear Fit" Armband, Display & Activity Manager on a daily basis now since Jan. 1st, 2010 and since over 2 months have passed, I figured it was time for a product review. Please note that I purchased my GoWear Fit back in November of 2009 during a sale so the price might be different now.

FYI: BodyMedia also manufactures a nearly identical device sold under the name BodyBugg by both 24hr Fitness & Apex Fitness ... which is the one most people might be familiar with because of it's use on The Biggest Loser.

What is it? - A device that calculates & records on a daily basis your calorie burn, physical activity, steps taken, sleep duration & efficiency. The recorded information is obtained via online through Bodymedia's "Activity Manager" (subscription based), and/or minute to minute with their optional display (like a watch).
How Does it Work? -

The BodyMedia® FIT Armband has multiple sensors. Those innovative sensors take 5 different “views” of your life:

Motion - The Armband contains an accelerometer, a device that measures motion. (Your car air bag has an accelerometer in it that lets it know when you've been in an accident.) We use it to measure HOW you move from multiple axis and perspectives, allowing us to better understand your activity.
Steps - We count your steps, using the accelerometer to measure the distinct patterns created by walking and/or running.

Galvanic Skin Response - When you sweat, your skin becomes more electrically conductive. This measurement help us see how active you are.

Skin Temperature - There's an electronic thermometer inside your armband that helps us know how hot you are.

Heat Flux - When you move, your muscles produce heat. We measure the heat that's flowing from your body into the environment.

~ BodyMedia

PRODUCT REVIEW:

Purchasing - Their site was easy enough to navigate... but a glitch on their site prevented anyone outside Canada from completing their purchase online. Unfortunately it took me multiple attempts and some swearing before I gave up and called them. I ended up placing the order over the phone with a friendly customer service rep that acknowledged the website issue & apologized for the inconvenience. Rating: 3/5

Shipping - The cost of shipping was extra (which was expected), but it should of been a bit cheaper. The product arrived on time and was packaged very well. Rating: 4.5/5

Getting Started - Setup was a snap. The instructions were clear and concise. Rating: 5/5

Armband - To me this is one of the more important components.... especially when it comes to comfort. Let's face it, even if this device could lose the weight for me, I still wouldn't wear it if it was bulky, uncomfortable and gave me a skin rash.... well, maybe I would.... but I'd complain an awful lot.

Removing & inserting the device into the armband strap is simple and it stays put. The strap itself is adjustable by Velcro and after the first day I found the sweet spot between keeping it tight enough to stay put & lose enough to be comfortable. After a few days I barely noticed the armband at all. I found that periodically throughout the day I move it slightly up/down/left/right to allow the skin area underneath the device to breathe a bit more.

It's light (1.6 oz), very slim (13mm thick) and virtually unnoticeable under my clothing. During the last 2 months only one person realized I was wearing it, and the only reason they figured it out was because they smacked my arm and felt it.

My only concern with the armband is durability.... Oddly enough my armband strap broke the day after I started writing this review. The part of the strap that you pull on is made out of some form of plastic, and glued underneath it is the rough side of the Velcro. Well I was watching T.V and my armband felt like it was sliding down my arm and I realized that the Velcro had pulled free from the plastic part, but it was still attached by sticky strings of glue like putty. I realize that my description isn't very good, but it's kinda hard to describe. I've temporarily fixed the band with a piece of two sided tape (to reattach the Velcro) & a strip of electrical tape that wraps around the strap (which doesn't feel nice on my skin). I plan to email customer service the minute I've posted this to find out what they will do to remedy the situation.

I would hazard a guess that the problem I had is probably a rare occurrence.

FYI: I personally know several other people using this device and one of them informed me that the strap doesn't accommodate large arms very well and is uncomfortable. My arms are 16" at there widest and I still have some room to loosen the strap (but not that much). I could see how this would be a problem if my arms were bigger.

In terms of using the device, you can remove it from the strap and connect it via a USB cable (supplied) or have it connect wirelessly. Unfortunately I've never had mine successfully connect wirelessly, but that's never really bothered me because it's so easy to pop it out and connect with the cable. I actually prefer connecting this way because it's also how the device recharges and I find that leaving it connect for 15 mins each day while I upload the data and enter in my meals is almost enough to keep it fully charged. I'm not sure if it's something I'm not doing correctly or if it's something to do with the device itself. In BodyMedia's defense, I haven't contacted them yet to inquire about this problem, which I once again plan to do when I post this review.

Other notes: 3hrs for full charge. Battery life 5-7 days & its memory stores up to 14 days of data before it has to be uploaded. Rating: 7/10*

* Until I've heard back from BodyMedia I've subtracted 3pts for the strap being broken & 2pts for the device not connecting properly via wirelessly. I'll update the review & rating if these issues are resolved.

* Update: Mar.11th, 2010 - I sent a message yesterday and received a reply today stating that they were sending me a replacement armband for myself & a larger one for my friend.

Activity Manager - This is the online software that the armband uploads the data to. It also allows you to view the data, set targets & goals, log your meals & snacks, and run daily/weekly/monthly reports based on the data collected. I've included 3 screenshots to give you an idea of what the activity manager looks like. The first picture is the main "Summary" screen. The second picture is the same "Summary" screen with 2 of the categories expanded, showing the data in more detail. The third picture is the "Nutrition" screen, which shows what I had for breakfast.



The various functions under the "Settings" tab such as your preferences, targets & goals are straight forward and if you can't figure something out there's quick links at the bottom of the screen.

The "Summary" section is really easy to navigate/understand and all the information you need to access is right there in front of you.

The "Nutrition" section is relatively easy to navigate/understand, but it requires a bit more patience than the "Summary" section to get used to. Their food database contains 30,000 different items, but if you can't find what your looking for you can manually enter in your own items. The first few weeks will slow going in regards to entering in the individual items that you eat, but it does become far less tedious after that. Typically I can enter in all my meals & snacks for the day in about 5 mins providing I didn't eat something new for the first time.

I used to use SparkPeople to log my food (which is a great site with an awesome meal logging tool), but when I purchased my armband I decided to switch over (back in Nov. 2010). I ended up giving up on the Activity Manager after a week because it wasn't anywhere near as user friendly as SparkPeople..... but in December BodyMedia introduced an updated Activity Manager (the one in use today) that was much more user friendly than the previous version, so I switched over again. I still believe that SparkPeople has the superior Meal Logger, but the main reason I've kept using the Activity Manager is because it's able to incorporate my logged meals into my reports. Hopefully through user support the next version will be even better.

I do however have a HUGE BEEF with the Activity Manager..... It's painfully slow. I'm not sure what the problem is: heavy user traffic, inadequate server capacity, software/hardware glitches....... who knows. The point is I should be able to log onto the system, view my data, download my reports, enter my meals for the day and log off....... without delays. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't happen 100% of the time, but it does happen frequently. Here's a list of problems I've encountered:

1. Painfully slow data retrieval or saving data
2. Errors saving a meal.
3. Errors saving a created item or recipe (which sucks b/c you have to re-enter it).
4. Stuck in limbo while their system is thinking..... which usually leads to #5.
5. Problems refreshing the screen/data, or it takes a long time.

Through my correspondence with them, it appears that they're aware of the problems and are working towards correcting them.... but it's been awhile now and I'm not holding my breath.

I will admit that as frustrating as the above problems have been, I've always managed to complete my task (through patience, or a second attempt later that day)..... and like I stated it doesn't happen 100% of the time. Rating: 5/10*

* I deducted 3pts for the speed/error issues. I deducted 1pt for not being as user friendly as SparkPeople, and another 1pt for lacking some additional features. If BodyMedia addresses these issues I'll update the rating.

Display - The display doesn't store any information. It simply allows you to view the data that your armband is collecting (calories burned, steps & minutes of activity). It also has a light for nighttime viewing. You can wear the display on a watchband (included) or clip it onto a belt or pocket...... personally I carry mine around in my pocket. The display updates the information every minute (might be longer).

As I mentioned before the display is optional, which is to say it costs extra and isn't needed.... but I actually find it useful. Before I purchased this product I did a few google searches for reviews by other people and many of them recommended not buying the display because it wasn't needed & also because it's not the nicest looking accessory you've ever seen.... both of which are true.

So why did I purchase one?

1. If I decide at some point in the future to stop paying the monthly subscription to BodyMedia's site, I can still use the display to keep track of my data. It displays both the current & previous days data, which means I would be stuck with a useless armband. I wouldn't have access to the nice looking reports or the Meal Log, but at least be able to write down the data (notebook, excel etc.).
2. If I happen to be out of the house or on vacation, I'm able to view my progress with the push of a button, and without having access to a computer or the internet. This came in real handy during my trip to Ottawa last month. It allowed me to see when I was off track and reminded me to get my butt in gear to hit my goals.
3. I find myself checking the display often, which once again keeps me on track and aware of my progress (or lack of it). There's been many times where I'm watching T.V at night and I've checked my display & thought "oh crap, I'm 2000 steps below target" and jumped on the elliptical for 15 mins.
   

Overall the display does what it's supposed to do, and other than it looking really geeky (not in a good way) I can't complain about it. Rating: 8/10

Customer Service - My only contact with customer service has been via email, so my rating/review is based solely on that. I've sent about 7 emails now and the responses been courteous and for the most part prompt. When you submit an email it creates a case number which you're able to access to see updates/responses on the issue/question. One of my emails questioned the problems I was having with the Activity Manager & the various errors/delays, but it wasn't addressed and has since been closed. I logged on now and updated my request for a response. I suspect I'll have one soon enough. Rating: 3.5/5

RATING TOTAL - 36/50 or 72%

The good: It lives up to it's promise and is a valuable piece of equipment that I would happily purchase again.

The bad: The product is in its infancy and has its fair share of problems including: inaccuracy, software glitches, slow servers. I really wish the device monitored your heart rate!!!!

The bottom line: I can honestly say that this product is one of the big contributing factors to helping me stay on track with my fitness and nutrition goals. There isn't another product on the market that can do what this product can do...... PERIOD. Its the future and its available today.

Here's a few other reviews that I managed to find:
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/04/28/review-counting-calo.html
http://www.leighpeele.com/gowear-fit-and-bodybugg-a-comparison

If you have any questions..... don't hesitate to ask.

Men's Health Minute #5

"The body is a big sagacity, a plurality with one sense, a war and a peace, a flock and a shepherd." ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Here's the link he's referring to: Belly Off... & I plan to create a post on this soon.

Check back next week for another "Men's Health Minute" video.

Water Myth

"I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man." ~ Henry David Thoreau

The advice: Chug eight glasses of water a day.

Why it's useless: Peeing every 20 minutes seriously interferes with life.

The real deal: Believe it or not, the eight-glass quota isn't etched in stone. Yes, we need to be well-hydrated, but if your urine is clear or close to it, you're probably getting enough fluids. If your No. 1 is neon yellow, lighten things up by adding one or two glasses a day. Once your body adjusts to getting more fluid (and you don't have to run to the can every 10 minutes), add another, says Karen Benzinger, R.D., a dietary consultant in Chicago who specializes in health care. And don't forget that all liquids--including tea, juice, even the tonic in your vodka drink--help keep your body sufficiently saturated.

~ Women's Health Magazine

I've never really had a problem getting enough water, but I thought this might be a relief to some of you.

About Me

"A friend is one who takes me for what I am." ~ Henry David Thoreau


My previous post inspired me to create an ongoing segment titled "About Me". Every now and then I'll share something about myself & hopefully you'll do the same by leaving a comment.

My 3 favourite scents:
- The smell of a wood burning stove on a cold winters day.
- Bacon..... mmmmm.
- Fresh baked bread.

3 scents that make me ill:
- Hair Salons
- Coffee
- Sulfur...... ahhhh Fort McMurray, where's there's no such thing as a breath of fresh air.

I know, I know.... you think I'm crazy about the coffee. Well if you think that's crazy.... coffee has never passed my lips before!

Maybe????

"Try Not. Do. Or do not. There is no try." ~ Yoda

I just finished visiting (and commenting on) Kim Ayres blog "Losing a Hundredweight", and in my comment I talked about how "MAYBE's don't count for much with me"..... which was just part of my rambling & wasn't a reflection on Kim. I can honestly say that that line of thinking (man I hate using that's back to back) and my attitude on other similar words such as try, is primarily based on Yoda's wisdom from Star Wars.

It's easy to fall into the mental trap of "maybe" or "try" or could, should, would, might....etc. I can't even begin to count the number of times during my life that Yoda has aided me along the way.

..... now living up to that wisdom is a whole other subject.

Day 1756

"Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them." ~ Dion Boucicault

Where is the week going? I've finally caught up on my food log, but there just wasn't enough time to post the two "Week(s) In Review"... or at least what little time I had available I wasted on other less important tasks.... *sigh*.

Other than catching up on my blog posts I'm doing well. It looks like I might have some decent results this week. It's late now and I should be heading to bed soon.... but I'm going to put in 20-30 mins on the elliptical first before I turn in for the night.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

The Life of Bryan - Episode 04

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." ~ Jim Davis
New to "The Life of Bryan" cartoon... check out the 'Readers Guide'.
The Life Of Bryan - Episode 04

Thursday Funnies: Volume 11

"Confucius say ~ If you are in a book store and cannot find the book you are looking for, you're obviously in the........"

Okay.... I realize that this one was out of context to my blog.... but I almost pee'd myself when Sherri sent me this.

Very Brief Update

"live mindful of how brief your life is." ~ Horace

I've been working diligently on completing my food log. I'm up to date with the exception of a few entries (gotta enter in new recipes, which takes a bit more time). I'll have the "Week In Review" for weeks 248 & 249 posted by the end of today..... hopefully ;)