231!!!!

Update - I now have diabetes, just controlling it with diet so far - that's taken me down as far as 229. And my diabetes #'s are better. Hope I can continue the downward trend...

Last weigh-in, 235. Woohoo!

As you probably can tell...

Daily posting turned out to be too much time devoted to this. And as you might have predicted, my weight stopped going down, then went up, as I stopped detailed tracking of my intake.

Weigh-ins:

7/21 - 242

7/28 - 242

8/4 - 242

8/13 - 242

8/18 - 245 (!)

Not giving up, though. But don't have time to post the way I did. What to do, what to do?

Stay tuned.

7/11/07 record (leave for Indy)

Breakfast :
5 oz buttermilk
17 oz Gold Peak unsweetened iced tea
Large bowl instant oatmeal, half plain, half low sugar apple/ cinnamon

Morning Snacks:
16 oz hot tea, unsweetened

Lunch (road) :
Wendy's crispy chicken sandwich (breaded chicken, mayo, lettuce, tomato, bun)
Small chili
32 oz iced tea, unsweetened

Afternoon Snacks:

Dinner :
Mini loaf Amish friendship bread
2 snickerdoodles

Late snacks:
2 16 oz draft Guinesses

Exercise:
Lots of walking

7/10/07 record

Breakfast :
5 oz cold black coffee
Plain donut, Donut Girls
16 oz hot black coffee, Donut Girls

Morning Snacks:
16 oz hot tea, unsweetened

Lunch (CPWR) :
Egg salad sandwich, Donut Girls
Chocolate chip cookie
20 oz Diet Coke w/ lime

Afternoon Snacks:
York patty

Dinner :
2 helpings chicken pasta salad w/ (just a little) Greek dressing
16 oz buttermilk

Late snacks:
5 oz cold coffee

Exercise:
Walked - a mile, maybe

7/09/07 record

Breakfast :
Riley breakfast burrito
17 oz unsweetened Gold Peak iced tea

Morning Snacks:
16 oz hot tea, unsweetened
Trail Mix bar

Lunch (CPWR) :
Side zucchini w/ olive oil & garlic
Side mac & cheese
Buttery biscuit
16 oz iced pure leaf tea, unsweetened

Afternoon Snacks:
20 oz Diet Coke w/lime

Dinner :
Hot dog, bun, brown mustard
Hot dog, brown mustard (no bun)
Fried chicken thigh, cold
Med helping cottage cheese
Med helping cole slaw
12 oz buttermilk

Late snacks:
1 scoop Oreo ice cream
1 slice apple pie w/ 2 oz cojack cheese
6 oz strawberry banana yogurt
8 oz Beck's lager

Exercise:
None

7/08/07 record

Breakfast (Dunkin Donuts):
5 oz cold black coffee
12 oz black Dunkin coffee
I coffee roll
17 oz PowerAde Option (10 cps, 20ish total)

Snacks:
20 oz Diet Coke w/ Lime

Lunch :
5 oz cojack cheese
16 oz Propel

Snacks:
6 oz Dannon boysenberry yogurt

Dinner (Chicken Shack):
1 fried breast chicken
1 fried thigh chicken
2 ears sweet (!) corn, no butter
12 oz buttermilk

Late snacks:
5 oz buttermilk

Exercise:
Moved some mulch bags

7/07/07 record

Weigh-in 7/7/07
244 lbs. (-1)

Breakfast:
Alinosi's medium milk chocolate cross
24 oz black coffee
Banana
Peach
Oatmeal

Snacks:

Lunch (McDonald's):
Double cheeseburger
16 oz Propel
2 8 oz. frozen fruit cups w/ cool whip

Snacks:
12 oz Molson Canadian

Dinner :
1 coney dog
2 coney burgers
12 oz buttermilk

Late snacks:
12 oz Molson Camdian
3 oz cojack cheese
14 oz cottage cheese

Exercise:
None

7/06/07 record

Breakfast (Donut Girls):
Cinnamon sugar donut
12 oz black coffee
5 oz. cold black coffee

Snacks:
16 oz. hot Lipton tea

Lunch (CPWR café):
Grilled tuna salad sandwich
17 oz Gold Peak iced tea

Snacks:
16 oz. hot Lipton tea

Dinner (Big Boy) :
Potato pancakes w/ applesauce
Canadian bacon
32 oz. iced tea, unsweetened
1/2 Belgian waffle w/ strawberries in syrup, whipped cream

Late snacks:
5 oz. cold black coffee
2 cookies

Exercise:
None

7/05/07 record

Breakfast:
4 Nature Valley granola bars, maple brown sugar flavor (2 pkgs)
Banana
5 oz. cold black coffee
17 oz Gold Peak iced tea, unsweetened

Snacks:
16 oz. hot Lipton tea

Lunch (CPWR café):
20 oz. Sanders raspberry malt
Mini turkey sandwich w/ tomato & lettuce

Snacks:
17 oz. Gold Peak iced tea, unsweetened

Dinner (Bunchie's) :
Fried chicken, 3 pc. dark
Fries
Small cole slaw
Dinner roll with honey butter
12 oz. root beer

Late snacks:
5 oz. cold black coffee
20 oz. Tropicana twister ban/straw/orange

Exercise:
Organing

7/04/07 record

Breakfast:
Large bowl oatmeal
Banana
12 oz. hot black coffee

Lunch (car):
Danish
12 oz. hot black coffee

Snacks:
Banana

Dinner (home):
Burger, ketchup, tomato, lettuce, onion, bun
Hot dog, hormel chili, mustard, bun
Hot dog, no bun or topping
Watergate salad
Seashell pasta w/ alfredo sauce
Green beans
2 12 oz Molson Canadians

Late snacks:
5 oz cold black coffee

Exercise:
Lots of equipment moving. Ouch.

7/03/07 record

7/3 Health Update
Lots not documented here, so I'll try to give a nutshell:
1/2004 - lost hearing in my left ear permanently, developed Meniere's Disease, extreme vertigo/nausea for about a month, chronic tinnitus

12/2005 - brain hemorrhage, in ICU over Christmas, had to go on blood pressure and cholesterol meds - still on them
3/2007 - vertigo relapse, mostly recovered now, but almost no drinking legs
6/2007 - change in BP meds, now experiencing frequent mild headaches - Doc ordered diet change: small portions, no diet pop (I cut back to one a day), avoid fat, get exercise

Breakfast:
Large bowl Apple Jacks, 1% milk
Banana
16 oz. black coffee

Snacks:
16 oz. hot lipton tea
1 raspberry Tim Tam slam (w/ tea)

Lunch (CPWR café):
Tuna melt
20 oz. Diet coke w/ lime

Snacks:
20 oz iced tea, earl grey

Dinner (Buca di Beppo):
20 oz. iced tea
2 small helpings salad with prosicutto and gorgonzola
1 1/2 pieces bruschetta
2 helpings Penne Campofiore (eh)

Late snacks:
8 oz mild cheddar
5 oz coffee
Banana

Exercise:
Lots of walking

7/02/07 record

7/2 Weigh-in
245 lbs! Down 5 already! But I suspect the scale's off...

Breakfast:
Riley breakfast burrito
20 oz unsweetened iced tea

Snacks:
16 oz. hot Lipton tea

Lunch (CPWR café):
Side rice pilaf
Side green beans florentine
20 oz. Diet Coke w/ lime
Small bag Kellogg fruity snacks, strawberry

Snacks:
20 oz unsweetened white tea
banana

Dinner (home):
12 oz steak
1 med serving seashell pasta alfredo
1 small serving watergate salad
1 small serving orange jello/ cottage cheese salad
16 oz. buttermilk
2 cookies - 1 oatmeal raisin, one m&m chip

Late snacks:
5 oz. 1% milk

Exercise:
Not much.

7/01/07 record (St. P church, St. E church)

Breakfast:
Leftover half swiss / mushroom omelette
Banana
12 oz. black coffee

Snacks:
20 oz. Diet Coke w/lime
20 oz. unsweetened iced tea

Lunch:
2 leftover 1/2 burgers
1/2 leftover peach cobbler

Snacks:
none

Dinner:
Double helping leftover mac/cheese

Late snacks:
5 oz half / half.

Exercise:
Walked dog.

6/30/07 record (St. P funeral, St. B mass)

Breakfast:
16 oz black coffee
Large bowl Honey Nut Cheerios w/ 1% milk
banana

Snacks:
20 oz. Diet Coke w/ lime

Lunch:
Pantry - 1/2 swiss/mushroom omelette
24 oz black coffee
Very buttery grits
2 pancakes (left 3rd)
2 large slices buttery raisin toast

Snacks:
Trail mix bar

Dinner:
About 12 oz. steak
2 helpings mac/cheese
20 oz green tea / vitamin water

Late snacks:
Banana
6 oz. Propel

Exercise:
Little to none.

6/29/07 record (lunch w/Lovette, dinner & movie w/ Kim)

Breakfast:
2 pkgs (4 bars) Nature's Goodness granola bars, maple brown sugar
17 oz lemon propel

Snacks:
16 oz. hot Lipton tea, no sugar

Lunch:
Jimmy John's Italian sub
Salt & vinegar chips
20 oz. Diet Nestea w/ citrus

Snacks:
Trail mix bar
20 oz. iced green tea, no sugar

Dinner:
Rack ribs, RHB
Small bowl collard greens
2nd side (can't remember)
32 oz. iced tea
Kentucky Pie a la mode

Late snacks:
30 oz Bolthouse strawberry / banana juice.
20 oz cherry Coke zero

Exercise:
None really. Except bladder control exercise after getting stuck in Mt. Clemens traffic for 2 hours. Somehow I made it. Oh thank heaven for 7-Eleven.

6/28/07 record (St. E rehearsal)

Breakfast:
22 oz. lemon Propel
Riley breakfast burrito
10 oz. Diet Coke w/lime

Snacks:
20 oz. iced English Breakfast tea, no sugar

Lunch:
2 egg rolls, mustard sauce
20 oz. iced Earl Grey tea, no sugar

Snacks:
Trail mix bar

Dinner:
Small chicken gumbo
2 very buttery corn muffins

Late snacks:
32 oz bolthouse C-boost
20 oz Diet Coke w/ lime

Exercise:
Just organing.

6/27/07 record (CPWR picnic, downtown fireworks)

Breakfast:
6 oz. lemonade
Bowl honey-nut cheerios w/ 1% milk

Snacks:
16 oz. hot tea, no sugar

Lunch:
2 Lafayette coney dogs, light onion
6 oz. whole milk
Ice water
Raspberry sno-cone

Snacks:
16 oz. unsweetened iced tea
small bag of fruit snacks

Dinner (Parthenon, Greektown):
4 slices bread + 2 crusts
1/2 order saganaki
Small village salad (Greek salad w/o lettuce, light vinaigrette)
Lamb Rosarina, large (!) serving - left most of the orzo and sauce uneaten, a little bit of lamb left too
Large rice pudding w/ cinnamon sugar topping
32 oz (4 small glasses) unsweetened iced tea
Ice water

Late snacks:
6 oz. Pepsi
18 oz. pink lemonade
10 oz. Diet Coke w/ lime
4 oz lemon Propel
1 plum

Exercise:
LOTS of walking! My feet hurt.

6/26 Weigh-in

250 lbs. I've been as high as 253, perhaps a bit more. Changes to my BP medicine seem to have boosted my metabolism a bit. So, dropping 70 lbs would be great.

Instructions from my internist: no more diet pop (boosts carb cravings), limit fat, limit portions, no eating 3 hours before bedtime.

6/26:

Breakfast:
16 oz. black coffee
Bowl honey-nut cheerios w/ 1% milk
A few pieces of fruit

Lunch:
2 beef & swiss hot pockets
12 oz. Propel
More fruit

Snacks:
2 oz. colby cheese
6 oz. Dannon cherry yogurt
2/3 bag Skittles
20 oz. Diet Coke w/lime (I'm allowing myself one a day of these - down from 3-4)

Dinner:
2 1/2 slices bacon/onion pizza (Pizza Hut)
1 breadstick, no sauce
20 oz. lemonade


Midnight Snack (BAD BAD Big Belly Skinny Man!)
4 oz. colby cheese
Handful grapes
6 oz. crappy apple wine

I'm back!

Did you miss me? Ha ha.

I'm now fatter than I've ever been. 250ish. Went through 2 health crises: Menier's Disease including total hearing loss in one ear in Jan 2004, then a brain hemorrhage in Dec 2005 - near deat experience. Survived though. Weight was down to 220ish after the hemorrhage, but shot up again.

Joined health club at work, but never use it. My bad.

And am eating inconsistently, always thinking about weight control, but always writing myself excuses. Sheesh.

So back to logging the eats and exercise. Worked pretty well before...

Oh yeah, here's the key:

d - dairy
f - fruit
g - grain
m - meat
v - vegetable
/p - protein

drinks are freebies, though I'll use them to fill dairy or veggie or fruit slots.

1/17
breakfast: Rice Chex (g), milk (d/p), apple (f)
lunch: bratwurst (m/p), bun (g), sauerkraut (v), diet pop
snack: peanut butter (m/p), crackers (g), Spicy V-8 (v)
dinner: cheese pizza (m/p, g), yogurt (d/p), buttermilk (d/p), banana (f)

1/18
breakfast: 4 french pancakes (g), yogurt (d/p), banana (f), coffee
lunch: zucchini bread (g), chai tea (d/p), cole slaw (v)
dinner: focc bread / cream cheese (g, d/p), salad (v), turkey melt sand (m/p, d/p, g), beer

That didn't last long.

I'm still floating around 235 - but with a new sense of purpose - latest issue of Prevention offers up a 3-food diet. Odd premise - every time you eat, you must eat from at least 3 major food groups (dairy, meat, fruit, vegetable, grain), and one of the 3 must have protein (dairy or "meat", which includes fish and legumes).

It was originally set up as a nutrition regimen, but the nutritionist noticed a lot of people losing weight. Her further investigation showed that it seems to work on a few levels - (1) it controlled cravings - a lot of overeating involves mixed body signals about your intake - by always balancing, you wind up closer to what your body needs, (2) related - the 3 things you eat will undoubtedly be more balanced than that Snickers bar you were gonna grab, and (3) by always having to have 3 things, the extra work in assembling a snack may lead you to decide you're really not all that hungry.

So, per Prevention, I could lose "20, 40, even 50" lbs. 50 would be good, I'd settle for 40. We'll see how it goes.

Wednesday

breakfast & snacks: 20 oz. Diet Dr. Pepper, 12 oz. black coffee.
lunch etc.: 20 oz. diet Cherry Coke, Speedway 1/4 lb. hot dog w/ bun & mustard.

Tuesday

breakfast & snacks: 16 oz. Snapple Diet Raspberry Iced Tea, 1 50 cent pack vanilla creme cookies, 20 oz. Diet Vanilla Coke, 2 12 oz. black coffees, slice cinnamon swirl bread.
lunch etc.: 20 oz. diet Cherry Coke, Speedway breakfast sausage w/ bun, 2 handfuls M&M's, 1/2 Wonka Sweet Tart roll, 12 oz. black coffee, 20 oz. Diet Coke w/ Lemon, 2-pk. orange Hostess Cupcakes.
dinner etc.: Italian Sausage, 3 canape-size squares pizza, 2-3 oz. assorted cheese, 3 strawberries w/ yogurt, sugar cookie.

Back to it:

breakfast & snacks: 16 oz. Snapple Diet Raspberry Iced Tea, 1 2-pk. Nature Valley maple/brown sugar granola bars, 20 oz. Diet Dr. Pepper, 2 12 oz. black coffees, slice cinnamon swirl bread.
lunch etc.: 20 oz. diet Cherry Coke, Speedway jalapeno/cheddar dog w/ bun, piece Brach's hard candy, 20 oz. Diet Coke w/ Lemon, .2-pk. orange Hostess Cupcakes.
dinner etc.: Jimmy John's "Pepe" sub w/ ham and provolone (8 in?), pint buttermilk.

Off for Thanksgiving...

Monday (cont):
dinner: Chicken Cordon Bleu, 1 /12 c. buttermilk, med. helping veggies in cream sauce, 1 c. eggnog (diluted w/ 1/4 c. whole milk).

Tuesday:
breakfast: 2 20 oz. diet cokes (1 vanilla, 1 cherry), 1 2-pk. Nature Valley maple/brown sugar granola bars, 1 29 cent pack (6? 8?) vanilla creme cookies, 1 c. coffee.

238 on 11/24 - time to document!

Sunday:
breakfast: 2 eggs over medium, 2 pieces white toast with butter, 1 1/2 c. coffee.
lunch + snack: 1 Kowalski hunter's sausage, 20 oz. Diet Coke / Lemon, bowl Campbell's cream of mushroom soup over rice.
dinner: 1 1/2 small (6 oz? 8?) boneless steaks well done, small helping veggies in cream sauce, 2 c. buttermilk.

Monday:
breakfast: 1 pkg. Nature Valley cinnamon granola bars (2), 20 oz. Diet coke / Lemon.
lunch + snack: Speedway breakfast sausage w/ bun, 20 oz. Diet cherry coke, 20 oz. Diet vanilla coke, 2 tbsp. peanut butter.

237 again on 11/10. This is going nowhere. One more week of no progress, and I'm posting menus again!

237 today, I think - scale was all over the map. I feel fatter, though.

Oh oh. 238. Slow down, fat boy!!!

weigh-in today, 234. Got down to 228 before the stomach flu thing ended, but I KNEW that wouldn't last.

weigh-in today, 233 again, but with this caveat - I was probably up past 240, but got a very bad strain of stomach flu yesterday. Mostly gone today (though I still hurt, I'm done ralphing), but when I stabilize, it will probably be at some higher number.