New way of eating - one day at a time

[kkrichar]

Hi John,

I love your journal. I was interested in setting a similar fitness goal as you (meeting the minimum requirements for the U.S. Army Physical Fitness Test). I can't do a single sit-up. When I was a kid and in great shape I struggled with sit-ups. I could do enough to meet the minimum criteria for the Presidential Fitness Tests at school but it was always close. I'd be squeezing out one last sit-up at the end all red-faced and barely able to complete the final one. Anyhoo, I was curious what you are doing to improve your sit-ups? What exercises can I be doing (since I can't even do a single sit-up) that are good pre-sit-up muscle strengtheners. Do you know why some people (even fit kids) have a harder time with sit-ups than others? I'm just curious. This has always bothered me.

Keep up the good work. You're an inspiration!

[JohnLarson]

kkrichar Thanks for stopping by. I think a fitness goal is a great idea. I am still doing sit-ups with a pillow behind me. I am hoping that like the push-ups doing half will turn into whole ones later. When I started with the push-ups, I could not do one. I think just getting on the ground and doing what I can, no matter what level, is a good idea. Maybe some sort of rowing machine would help.

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1/12/13

B: 1/2c oatmeal w/ blueberries and two banana (very brown)
L: salad, steamed mushrooms w/onions over white sweet potato
D: salad, one white potato cooked as potato chips with TopChip maker.
S: big bowl of air-popped popcorn

E: sit-ups - 12 morning; push-ups: 20 morning, 12 afternoon, 8 bedtime

I did not do the treadmill. We had a clogged drain pipe, I am guessing putting rice that sticks to the rice cooker down the drain caused the clog. I took a while, but I was able to snake it out. We also had our septic system pumped the day before. We also went to a hockey game. Over all a fairly busy and productive day.

The day before was my birthday, I ate a good breakfast, but SAD (a small pizza) for lunch and went out to a Japanese Steakhouse for dinner. This was my last hooray for eating SAD, it was very disappointing. No knife throwing, no fire, no showman ship. The food lacked any imagination also. Even my wife wondered what was going on, the salad had more dressing than lettuce, the vegetables were just onions and zucchini, no carrots, green peppers or mushrooms, and the fried rice was just rice and seasonings, no vegetables or even eggs. Of course everything was soaked in oil and even some butter. I had shrimp and scallops plus a few bites of my wife's chicken. Of course around 2 am my stomach felt like it was going to explode. I spent the next four hours in pain. I fell back asleep just as the sun was coming up. I felt better when I woke up. I am done with SAD food for now. Maybe next winter, I will "feast" again, I doubt I will, but that is a while from now. I am good until next winter.

Yesterday we went grocery shopping, the produce stand I go to is closed until the 16th, so I was getting getting my produce at the grocery store. The week before I bought two salad dressings that were very bad, I threw them out. I made some homemade, but really prefer store bought. For what ever reason, my wife was upset that I was getting more salad dressing and getting a weeks worth of produce from the grocery store when the other place opens on Wednesday. It was almost she was mad there was so much produce in our cart. She had on the grocery list steak and pork chops, when we were in the meat section she was not going to get anything because she was the only one that eats it. I think the fact that I have changed how I eat is getting to her. My weight loss is an issue also. I picked out a steak for her. I had already bought a couple of large portabella mushrooms to grill when I grill her steak. I have stopped talking about this WOE to her months ago. I think she sees that this is not a fad or a phase and is having trouble accepting it. I am a different person than I was when we met. I look different, eat different and even act different. I feel better than I have in over 20 years.

[JohnLarson]

1/13/13

B: 3/4c oatmeal w/blueberries, strawberries and banana.
S: potato chips
L: grilled portabella mushrooms w/grilled onion, baked potato and steamed veggies.
S: popcorn.
S: strawberry smoothie.

E: sit-ups - 12 morning; push-ups - 16 morning, 12 afternoon, 8 bedtime; treadmill - 30min

Slept in today, so I had a late breakfast and late lunch. This the first day I have not had a salad in ages.

I was talking to my friend today who is a type 2 diabetic who is having trouble managing his blood sugar levels. I have told him lots about this WOE, he can't think of it as anything but a diet. He has done Atkins in the past, so he thinks he is an expert. He does not need to lose weight. He is not in good shape. He has stopped drinking milk in his cereal, he has switched to almond milk. He eats ice cream and eats mostly SAD. His blood sugar was over 400 yesterday. I have printed out articles from here and we have watched "Forks over Knives". He does not think changing what he eats will help him. He asked me how my weight loss is going. I told him I put the scale away and am not doing "this" to lose weight. In the past 6 months, I look younger and he looks much older. It is sad to watch him be in such bad health. Others have remarked on his poor appearance. I am hoping my new outlook on this WOE helps him.

My sit-ups were with a pillow behind me. I tried without. I was stuck. My push-ups were in good form. I think I am getting fairly low. I might try going down to chest on the ground in the morning. I am going to do dumb bells on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I also have a stepper in storage, brand new in the box. I had went to a gym several years ago and I did step exercises there. I saw the same stepper on sale and bought it. I bought the dumb bells then also. I had stopped going to the gym. Maybe I will start doing something with the stepper.

[JohnLarson]

1/14/13

B: 1/2c oatmeal w/ blueberries and banana
D: Salad, steamed mushrooms & onions, potato with spaghetti sauce
S: banana, strawberries, & apples

E: 16 pillow it-ups, 16, 12, 8 push-ups

Busy day at work. I did not do the treadmill, but still might.

[JohnLarson]

1/15/13

L: (out to eat) Meditrean Resturant, I ate Vegan, but there was plenty of oil. Mostly rice, vegetables, pita bread, and salad
D: Tacos

E: pillow sit-ups - 20; push-ups - 16, 12, 12

No treadmill, I have skipped two days in a row.

The resturant food was good, but plenty of oil. There was raisens in one of the rice dishes, it was good. it was a buffet, next time we go i will try order something with no oil. i had skipped breakfast because I knew I might be going out.

I over ate the tacos, but I like them so much. I should have just made it as a salad and skipped the corn tortillas. I had 9 of them. It had been a while since I had them.

[JohnLarson]

1/16/13

B: 1/2c oatmeal w/ blueberries and banana
D: salad, lettuce wraps (romain lettuce filled with brown "sushi" rice, steamed onions, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, and squash)
S: popcorn
S: apple and tangerine

E: pillow sit-ups - 20, push-ups - 16, 12, 12

No treadmill.

Three days in a row without doing the treadmill. Spending too much time on iPad playing an app game with wife. It has been good quality time.

I have been tucking my shirts in lately. I still have a gut, but it does not look as bad as before. I look less sloppy tucked in.

My push-ups have gotten better in form. I also am squeezing other Radom sets in, some times just 4. I am posting my scheduled ones.

[JohnLarson]

1/17/13

B: 1/2c oatmeal w/banana & blueberries
L: (out to eat) Indian Resturant. Ate Vegan dishes w/oil.
D: Salad, 1/2 of a potato and a little bit of pinto beans (pork flavored)

E: pillow sit-ups - 20; sit-ups - 8; push-ups - 16, 12, 6; treadmill - 30min, 30min; dumb bells - 3 x 12 20lbs hammer curls

I finally got back on the treadmill. I did one set in the morning and one set in the evening (my normal time). I also was able to do 8 "real" sit-ups. I am getting better on the push-ups also. I am not sure how many would count as "real", but I am getting better. I have also done a few other small sets where I go all the way down. Sometimes that is just one or two.

The Indian place was a buffet only. I am not sure if I will go back. I think even the plain white rice had oil in it. I do not think Indian food is my thing.

Besides my salad for dinner, my daughter had rice and beans for dinner. She ate most of the can, I finished the rest off on top of a small potato. I tried to convert the house to fat free pinto beans, no one liked them. I thought they were good. I do not eat a lot of pinto beans, but have plenty of fat free beans in the cupboards. The family is converted to fat free refried beans and the fat free spaghetti sauce. So that is a start.

My friend that has been having high blood sugar levels is who I normally go out to eat with. We are trying out new places. The steak place we were going to closed. He has been following doctors orders and he is feeling better. He noted today that he doubted people that knew me a few years ago would even recognize me. He now has to inject insulin before meals, inject lantus at night, plus take metformin and a host of other pills. I know that he is still running high by watching how much water he drinks and frequent trips to the bathroom. He knows what I am doing works, but it is not for him. He is hoping that "inhalable insulin" comes out soon. We hang out on Sundays, he brought some velvetta for me to make cheese dip. I had not made it since I ate some and felt like I was going to die. He knows I will not eat cheese again.

I want to write in my journal before bed, it is hard doing it the next day. Plus trying to post while working makes it hard to concentrate on either. This is a nice way to wind down.

[carollynne]

Jon, what a real shame about that friend of yours on all that med and injections. Is he for real or what? some people are that stubborn and he is testimony to that old cliche, you can lead a horse to water, but cannot make him drink! So nice that you are at least sticking by him and setting an example for him. Most of my friends, want to convert me back to the SAD stuff and think I am too stubborn, one even told me that I was over informed, and I should let my doctor tell me what I need to know... well I am since my family MD is a plant based doctor! I am so lucky in that regard I know.
Just wanted to to stop by and let you know that there is so much encouragement out here on the McDougall boards.
You are doing great!
love your exercising! My son and I love the Indian place here too. Just found a Korean place in our small town, and got a veggie, no oils meal there too. wow!

[JohnLarson]

carollynne I think my friend will get worse before he gets better. He has been very encouraging of me at times, plus he at least listens when I talk about this WOE, even though he thinks it is sort of like Atkins.

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1/18/13

B: 1/2c oatmeal w/blueberries and banana
S: roasted chickpeas
D: large salad, potato w/mushrooms & onions, steamed Normandy mix.
S: cracker-jack
S: air popped popcorn

E: sit-ups - 10; push-ups - 16, 12, 12; leg planks - 6; treadmill - 30 min

We went to a hockey game and I had a few bites of cracker-jack. I ordered the sample pack of the roasted chickpeas. It is at work for snacks there.

My push-ups seem to be getting better. I also started doing leg planks, I also rolled around on the floor doing random leg exercises, I am not sure what they are even called.

It seems like I have not been on a scale forever. It is Saturday morning and this had been weigh-in day. It is nice not stressing about the numbers. I think the weight is coming off based on how my clothes are fitting. I will know on the first. I feel really great. I want to keep losing. I really like how far I have come so far. I am still very much over-weight, but not obese. I can see how easy it would be easy to stop here. I do not want to be over-weight.

[JohnLarson]

1/19/13

B: 1/2c oatmeal w/banana
S: potato chips (TopChip!)
D: large salad, baked beans, rice, potato w/onions & mushrooms

E: sit-ups - 16; push-ups - 16, 16, 12; treadmill - 30 mins; leg planks - 10

The produce place I have been going to closes for a few weeks around Christmas, today was the first time I have been there since before Christmas. I have trimmed my hair, they did not recongnize me. I am dressing less baggy also. Today I was wearing an XL t-shirt. I only have a few XL t-shirts. All my other shirts are now XL. I am rarely wearing t-shirts any way. It was a big deal to wear a XXL t-shirt. I feel great about fighting in a XL.

I think in the morning I will try 20 sit-ups and 20 push-ups. I would like to start every day at that amount and work on technique from there. I still have not dug out my step thing. I have not been consistent with the dumb bells either. I am doing good on the push-ups.

We went to a hockey game, no junk food. Most of the time I do not eat anything anyway and we split a water. My wife has been getting cracker-jack. The bag lasts her two games. I did good by not eating any. I also thought about getting a big pretzel, but it was just a thought. They are not that good at the arena anyway.

I am a little bothered by comments left on a thread in the MWL section that I had started. I think coming from a Star McDougaller makes it even harder to get past it. Most of the active people on the forums seem to be really good and helpful people. I am not sure how to process the situation or to move past it. I am grateful for these forums as I do not think I would be where I am at without them. I still have more questions than answers, but I know this WOE works. Knowing and doing is not the same. I do not ever wish to be obese again, I feel I have a choice. This web site makes the choice to stay on track much easier. I hope it remains that way.

All in all, today has been a great day.

[carollynne]

Jon, I think you are doing so great and should not worry a fig about any neg comments anywhere. Going from a sz XXL to a XL and now hardly even wearing a t shirt is so cool. Keep at the exercising it is the key for me to stay motivated and feel so energized. Hubbs and I are going to great long hikes in the woods lately daily !! It is a mild winter so far. He has joined me in this WOE, so cool!

A troll?? what a weird thing to say, don't let her neg. spirit get you down, it is her problem not yours!! Ta dah!

[~Beth~]

Sounds like you are doing good John
How nice that they didn't recognize you at the produce store. Shows how many changes you've been going through
Good job going to the hockey game and not giving in to snacking temptations.

[JohnLarson]

Thanks everyone for your responses and personal messages. I think I have certain members on a pedastal and that is something I need to evaluate.

1/20/13

S: corn chips, salsa, bean dip
L: homemade vegetable sushi rolls
S: carrots cucumber
S: corn chips, salsa

E: sit-ups - 20; push-ups - 20,12, ?; treadmill - 30 min; leg planks - 10; dumb bells - hammer curls, chest press, curls, (not sure of the other names)

I ate some corn chips today, my home made ones really suck bad. Either burnt or under done. Next football season I will try to order some online. Coming into this WOE, corn chips were a concern. It could be worse. My sushi rolls came out good. I will post about them in the thread that inspired me. I should have taken pictures.

I exercised this morning and have spent most of the day watching TV. The second game is on right now, my company left, so I wanted to post. I most likely will do the treadmill again tonight to make up for corn chips.

Thanks again for the comments and messages. I feel better about the situation, not necessarily good about it, but better.

[kkrichar]

My corn chips turn out perfect nearly every time. I fold a corn tortilla into quarters and pull apart. I set the 4 quarters onto a paper towel and microwave for 1 minute to 1:15 depending on which microwave I'm using. I do 1 tortilla at a time. I've tried 2 at a time and it messed up. They're crunchy and taste great!

[JohnLarson]

My corn chips turn out perfect nearly every time. I fold a corn tortilla into quarters and pull apart. I set the 4 quarters onto a paper towel and microwave for 1 minute to 1:15 depending on which microwave I'm using. I do 1 tortilla at a time. I've tried 2 at a time and it messed up. They're crunchy and taste great!

The ones I tried in the microwave burned, but it was more than one. I am going to try my TopChip tray.