Tale of the Scale: week of 9/24

Weight (at gym): down almost 2#. Weight (at home): down 1#.

My first week of eating less protein, and getting more carbs/veggies in my diet really wasn't very difficult. I've had grilled, roasted and stewed veggies.. sometimes with a little fish/chicken sometimes not. I've had the veggies with brown rice, polenta and whole wheat bread. It hasn't killed me.

I spend a lot of more of my day cleaning and chopping veggies than I usually do. But I'm wondering if I can stick this out when wintertime rolls around the veggies change? Guess it's only a matter of time to see.

I think I'll be visiting some of the food blogs during the next few weeks searching for more inspiration.

I also blog at A Stitch in Time and BlogHer on Saturdays and Mondays.

It Was Fun While It Lasted

Well, bragging on my success so far was great fun while it lasted. Unfortunately, reality set in Thursday morning when Guido and I did a body composition analysis again.

First, my weight at the gym is always about 8# higher than when I weigh myself in the morning. Of course, I've eaten breakfast, maybe a snack, and poured down at least a pint or so of water. So I just mentally adjust to these changes. My weight at the gym: 133#.

With the caliper pinch test and a computer program that does all the calculations, it turns out that while I am losing weight, I still have close to a 30% body fat composition.

SO. WAY. NOT. GOOD.

I was bragging that I am starting to see muscle definition in my abs and arms; Guido pointed out that the muscles are there. They are just hidden under this protective and stubborn layer of fat. You'll have to take my word that I'm getting strong, as it isn't visible.

So we're kicking the diet up a notch.

Of course I overreacted to his suggestion: eat protein only on the days I work out. I understood this to mean some "animal protein".. like chicken or fish. Logical. I can't not have ANY protein in a day. But only on the days that I push weights? Since I can't do cow's milk and eggs would fall in that "animal protein" range... I interpreted this line as: go vegan when you are not lifting weights. Get my protein from grains and beans.

Yes, I spent the next 3 hours emailing "veggie" friends and researching online to try and understand what he was asking of me. As I was trying to figure out how to find time in the next couple days to drive down to Whole Foods for nutritious supplemental yeast, I had a "light bulb" moment.

I always over-react to statements. I normally take things to an extreme that was not intended. OK. I call Guido to make sure that I haven't misunderstood.

I have.

On days when I'm pushing weights (because we're ripping up muscle tissue like mad) I need to eat a little more protein than the days when I'm just doing cardio and stability work or days when I'm resting.

I still need to add more veggies and complex carbs to my diet and keep the fat below 18% of total calories. (hmm... more protein, more carbs and not more fat? But how do I make them taste good? And not dry? All suggestions welcome).

Ya know, I was adjusting to the idea of going "near vegan" before that phone call. I think I may still take the challenge on.

I also blog at A Stitch in Time and BlogHer on Saturdays and Mondays.

Tale of the Scale, 9/18

Weight is basically unchanged. However, I was playing with the calculator a couple days ago; when I started working out I weighed 158#. Today I weigh about 125#. That means in the past year I have lost 20% of my total body mass.

I'm going to celebrate that.

Judging by the way I look, I may have about 5# more to go to lean up to where I'd like to be. That would put me squarely in the middle of the BMI chart. Last bloodtest showed that my total cholesterol was down in the 160s (with medication). Although I will never be able to stop taking the statins, recent studies show that if you have risks of heart disease but keep your total cholestrol below 160 you likely never will develop heart disease. If you've already had a small heart attack or other trouble, the goal is under 150. So I've also been successful at making my heart a lot healthier, too.

Double celebration time!!

Last week I mentioned a trip to my podiatrist (again) because my surgically corrected toe was sore again. A different kind of sore, this time, more of a tendon sore but not quite. Went back to so see him today and during his examining the joint I could tell him pinpoint where the pain originated and how it moved.

It's synovial tissue that's inflammed. The synovial stuff covers the joint capsule and lubricates the joints. When the doctor removed the bone spur material last January, he also removed a lot of excess synovial tissue, too. It's not uncommon for it to flare up occasionally after the surgery. It might be that I overworked it (I became a bit compulsive about doing lunges lately; about the only regular exercise that bends and stretches and toe joint), or it might simply be the way the toe will be for the rest of my life.

At the moment, I can do anything I want in the gym as long as I don't bend my left toe. Fortunately, that means just about everything except those lunges.

Got a shot of "dex" cortisone above the joint today. We'll see if that settles the tissue down.

In the meantime no ballet for me.

I also blog at A Stitch in Time and BlogHer on Saturdays and Mondays.

Distracted

Today is one of those days we all have: major distractions imposing themselves and I simply must accomodate. My horoscope for today said:

Discord makes you crave security. Things are OK as long as you're not alone. The world still needs your music. Find other ways to harmonize.

When I first read it, I loved the line about harmonizing; but, when I thought about today, I realized it meant something completely different.

Let me explain the plan so far:

A young man, let's nickname him "flip boy" for now, is showing up to work on my deck. I had hoped that he could simply unscrew the screws holding the decking on, flip the boards over and screw them down. Nope. The idjets who originally build the deck HID toe-nailed nails along the lengths of the boards. When he tries to lift up the decking, it catches, tears and breaks. This is redwood folks. 10'x40' of redwood.

Nobody wants to tear up a still fairly good redwood deck.

So today, flip boy is going to repair the part of the deck that is open to the ground below. Twelve feet below. He is also going to try and work on popping the boards up off the supports from below. That means he will be standing on a ladder under my deck pounding on boards over his head with a sledge.

Understand. Under no circumstances will he be doing that work alone. I'll be right there with him, cell phone ready to call 911. Cause I don't need flip boy flipping off the ladder, falling and hurting himself. He has a brand new baby girl who needs him. And my home owners insurance is high enough, TYVM.

While that adventure is taking place outside, another man will be cleaning all the floors plus one chair in our house. No place to run, no place to hide.

So the dogs and I will temporarily run away. I'll walk them, then take to the pet store, where they clean up any dropped food in the dog food aisles. Hopefully by the time we return indoor guy will be almost done and all I'll have to do is pay him. (the dogs will be staying in the car for the duration), and flip boy will just be about ready to start playing on the ladder after some lunch.

Somewhere this afternoon, I have to come up with an idea for my BlogHer posts this weekend. (if you know a knitting blogger who's talking about a health thing, please let me know. Except Cara's pregnancy, or the labor day post at Big Yellow House. I've already got those.)

One other idea (more than likely essay-like in form) will develop while walking, I hope. Though lately I usually mull over the ideas of "chosen family".. how to describe and embrace it. How to react to those to scoff or reject it. How to make it more (something real... ). But an article inspiration.. I'll work on that today.

So it looks like my harmony today will be blending with other schedules, and escaping the discord of too many "cooks in the kitchen." sigh.

I also blog at A Stitch in Time and BlogHer on Saturdays and Mondays.

Tale of the Scale: 9/11

weight: 124#

I need to do a measure and pinch analysis to get my lean/fat proportions figured out.

I'm finally getting this working with a trainer thing straight and I'm about to stop working with him for 3 months. Darn.

Yesterday while working out, the toe I'd had surgery on hurt when I bent it doing lunges. And it kept hurting when I got home. So I called my podiatrist and will see him today. He's probably going to say that something is weak or stressed and needs some stretching or specific exercises. Plus some ice/heat and NSAID of my choice.

No biggie I thought.

Went to my workout, told my trainer like a good little do- bee, and then argued with him for 10 minutes about whether we could do a workout at all today. We ended up not. (and I was looking forward to getting stretched!) sigh.

And he won't work me out again until I get a note from my podiatrist saying it's OK.

It was kind of funny. Guido and I are very much alike, so our back and forth this morning resembled nothing more than two sides of the same personality arguing with itself. The observer part of me thought the whole interplay was hysterical, and I kept noticing that both of us were figuring out how to mentally maneuver the other over to our side.

Let me say right now, that he did not win. I just decided that I'd lost too much precious time arguing to get a complete workout and it wasn't worth expending more energy just to win. Besides, it's always helpful to have your trainer on your side.

Not only did I not get a workout, but the gym scale says I've gained 1#. I wonder if I'll be able to forge a believable note from the podiatrist??

I also blog at A Stitch in Time and BlogHer on Saturdays and Mondays.

I'd Say This Nails It!

Don't remember how I found the quiz. (oh, yeah.. through someone doing the "which kind of yarn are you quiz... I'm Mohair. Which makes me itch.)

The questions are definitely set up for a college student, or that age range, but the result is fairly accurate.

I also blog at A Stitch in Time and BlogHer on Saturdays and Mondays.

Flip This Deck.

We have a largish cedar deck off the back of our house. The builders originally didn't want to put it in, simply leave us the option of designing whatever deck we wanted. (and no, they wouldn't have lowered the asking price for the house because of this). However, the city pointed out that having 2 doors that opened to a 10 foot drop was a bit of a concern; they insisted on a way to use those doors that didn't involve bungee jumping.

Every year I clean and seal the deck before the hard winter storms roll in. The last couple years it's been more work. The decking has swollen and shrunk and cracked along boards and developed a rough surface. It's interesting as a texture to look at, but not a good thing for a deck you want to keep healthy and attractive.

Don't even think about the damage that 2 60# dogs running full tilt on it can do. Those dog nails are tough!!

Anyway, today a guy is stopping by check out the whole process and likely give me an initial shopping list. He's going to unscrew the deck boards, flip them over and screw them back down. It should give us about 5-6 more years on the deck (at which time sanding might gain us another 3 years if we're still here). Some of the boards will need to be replaced, but most of them look like they'll be fine with the flip.

After that, I'm back to cleaning the boards and sealing things up for the winter.

If we were going to be staying here a long time, I'd simply replace the decking with Ipa wood (a brazilian hardwood that never needs anything more than cleaning). But we're not going to be staying here long enough to make that investment worthwhile.

So here's to the flip.

I also blog at A Stitch in Time and BlogHer on Saturdays and Mondays.

Defined

Found at And She Knits, Too:

Debra Roby -- [adjective]: Benevolent to a fault 'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

I also blog at A Stitch in Time and BlogHer on Saturdays and Mondays.