Weight (246 no change)
I apologize for the rather infrequent posts lately. I kind of got off schedule with a combination of doctors appointments, and really not having too much to say. I'll try to get back to the Sunday/Wednesday posts, though I may only do once a week if I don't have anything too interesting to talk about.
Yesterday I ran the Phillies 5K. I wasn't sure how I'd do. Lately my running has been a struggle. My shins, ankles, and knees have been really sore and I've been mentally checking out at about 2 miles and allowing myself to walk. I'm happy to say that I ran the full 5K yesterday without walking, and surprisingly did it 3 minutes faster than I did the race I ran in November. I think I'm definitely getting in better shape. Kathy was great to run with me too. I know she slowed down her pace to run with me, but having her there really helped keep me motivated and kept me focused on running. I wasn't looking for an excuse to walk. We ran the race in just over 33 minutes. I think I could have gone a little faster - there were some real slow points on the course due to congestion/traffic (5,000 runners) but we kept a steady pace and I even felt like I had a little energy left when the race was done. I think I'm going to look for a 5K to run sometime in the next 3 weeks or so, and do another 2 or 3 before the Warrior Dash. That will be a good way for me to stay committed to getting this exercise.
My diet hasn't been great again. I'm really struggling with making good food choices. I haven't been gaining the weight, but I certainly haven't been losing at a very fast rate. I always say it on here, but I need to find a way to stay focused on what I'm eating. I need to get back to eating smaller meals and avoiding some of the other things I've been eating. This week I am going to really focus on eating my number of calories (1900 daily) and not going over. And I am going to get back to drinking a ton of water. I also need to avoid eating out.
All in all I feel good though. I'm running better, I'm playing basketball on Tuesdays, and it looks like I'll be playing softball on Sundays. I need to find a way to get to the gym and do some weights. Hopefully I can find a way to go twice a week. The Warrior Dash is in 2 1/2 months. I have time to get in better shape and lose some weight, now I have to start increasing my effort.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Good News, Bad News
Weight (246 lbs. -1, -6 total)
I've been having a good week. I've been eating moderately, nothing too horrendous, and I've run Sun, Tues, and Thurs so far this week. Sunday I ran 3 miles and felt really good. Tuesday I ran 2.5, but could not get going. I started out too fast (for me) and couldn't get into a groove. Today I felt a little better and did another 2.5 miles. I have to get back to writing my calories down though. I've been neglecting that for about 2 weeks now. I also need to get back to the gym and do some weights. It's just been SOOO nice out, that I'd rather get my exercise outside.
So, the good news... As I mentioned previously, I went for my latest cholesterol check last Thursday. My numbers came back better than they've been at any point over the last 7 years:
Triglycerides are 159 (goal is <150). 7 years ago they measured at nearly 300.
Total cholesterol is 142 (optimal is 125-200)
HDL is 30 (goal is >40). This was less than 20 7 years ago. I've been consistently at this number for the past year or so, and not sure what else I can do to gain some points here.
LDL is 80 (goal is <130)
Cholesterol ratio is 4.7 (goal is <5). I don't remember what my original ratio was when I started this, but I believe it was closer to 6.
This is a huge accomplishment. I'd like to say that it's solely due to lifestyle changes, but I know its because of the meds I'm on. I've been better - a lot better - for the last few months. I can confidently say that this improvement is a little more drastic because I have been watching my diet a little more closely and getting more exercise. I'm pretty proud of these numbers. Kathy was there 7 years ago when I got a Saturday AM call from my doctor saying that I needed to make some changes immediately. It hasn't been easy, but I have gotten my cholesterol under control now.
Now the bad news... I also mentioned a few months back that my doctor wanted to monitor my blood pressure. I was EXTREMELY disappointed that I was borderline high again today. Today it was 146/82. This marked 9 times out of my last 14 visits that one of my blood pressure numbers was borderline high. My doctor finally convinced me to go on to a low dose blood pressure medication. I did not/do not want to do this. After peppering him with every question I could think of for a half hour I finally agreed to it. He prescribed 50 mg of Losartan potassium. I know that once people start taking blood pressure medication they rarely get off of it. I don't want to take another med, but I am also getting to the age where I want to decrease my risk of heart attack or stroke and based on my personal and family history, this is probably the best way to get it under control a little more quickly. He did say that if I lose 20 lbs, keep eating better and exercising and we see great improvement in my blood pressure readings I can always try to go off it. The only risk with that is seeing it elevate again. If it does, then its back on the meds, likely for good.
So that's where I stand now. I'm down 6 pounds, but was hoping to be down about 10 by now. My cholesterol levels have improved greatly. My blood pressure is elevated, but will be treated. I'm back to being almost able to run 3 miles (the Phillies 5K is in 9 days and my shins are f%@*ing KILLING me. All in all I'm doing and feeling okay. I think I'm on track for the Warrior Dash, but I have to start ramping up my efforts a little bit. I'll be ready. Spring is here. I always eat less and exercise more when I can be outside.
And I can't believe I get to say it again, but I will... Go NC State!!!
I've been having a good week. I've been eating moderately, nothing too horrendous, and I've run Sun, Tues, and Thurs so far this week. Sunday I ran 3 miles and felt really good. Tuesday I ran 2.5, but could not get going. I started out too fast (for me) and couldn't get into a groove. Today I felt a little better and did another 2.5 miles. I have to get back to writing my calories down though. I've been neglecting that for about 2 weeks now. I also need to get back to the gym and do some weights. It's just been SOOO nice out, that I'd rather get my exercise outside.
So, the good news... As I mentioned previously, I went for my latest cholesterol check last Thursday. My numbers came back better than they've been at any point over the last 7 years:
Triglycerides are 159 (goal is <150). 7 years ago they measured at nearly 300.
Total cholesterol is 142 (optimal is 125-200)
HDL is 30 (goal is >40). This was less than 20 7 years ago. I've been consistently at this number for the past year or so, and not sure what else I can do to gain some points here.
LDL is 80 (goal is <130)
Cholesterol ratio is 4.7 (goal is <5). I don't remember what my original ratio was when I started this, but I believe it was closer to 6.
This is a huge accomplishment. I'd like to say that it's solely due to lifestyle changes, but I know its because of the meds I'm on. I've been better - a lot better - for the last few months. I can confidently say that this improvement is a little more drastic because I have been watching my diet a little more closely and getting more exercise. I'm pretty proud of these numbers. Kathy was there 7 years ago when I got a Saturday AM call from my doctor saying that I needed to make some changes immediately. It hasn't been easy, but I have gotten my cholesterol under control now.
Now the bad news... I also mentioned a few months back that my doctor wanted to monitor my blood pressure. I was EXTREMELY disappointed that I was borderline high again today. Today it was 146/82. This marked 9 times out of my last 14 visits that one of my blood pressure numbers was borderline high. My doctor finally convinced me to go on to a low dose blood pressure medication. I did not/do not want to do this. After peppering him with every question I could think of for a half hour I finally agreed to it. He prescribed 50 mg of Losartan potassium. I know that once people start taking blood pressure medication they rarely get off of it. I don't want to take another med, but I am also getting to the age where I want to decrease my risk of heart attack or stroke and based on my personal and family history, this is probably the best way to get it under control a little more quickly. He did say that if I lose 20 lbs, keep eating better and exercising and we see great improvement in my blood pressure readings I can always try to go off it. The only risk with that is seeing it elevate again. If it does, then its back on the meds, likely for good.
So that's where I stand now. I'm down 6 pounds, but was hoping to be down about 10 by now. My cholesterol levels have improved greatly. My blood pressure is elevated, but will be treated. I'm back to being almost able to run 3 miles (the Phillies 5K is in 9 days and my shins are f%@*ing KILLING me. All in all I'm doing and feeling okay. I think I'm on track for the Warrior Dash, but I have to start ramping up my efforts a little bit. I'll be ready. Spring is here. I always eat less and exercise more when I can be outside.
And I can't believe I get to say it again, but I will... Go NC State!!!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
March Madness
Weight: 247 (+1, -5 total)
March Madness is here and I handled it better this year than in years past. I did partake of a few beers on Thursday afternoon, but didn't completely stuff my face with food, and Friday I just spent the day at home eating some leftovers. I did not count the calories I had, though I know I should have, but overall I feel like I came through things okay.
My exercise wasn't great this week. I ran on Tuesday but really struggled. My knee and my shins were just killing me. I took an extra day which really helped. I ran on Friday morning and felt better than I've felt in a long time. I also ran farther than I have since the 5K last November. I ran just under 3 miles and didn't feel like I needed to walk at all. I'm mildly encouraged now and looking forward to the Phillies 5K in two weeks.
This week I plan on really sticking to things. I want to lose a few more pounds over the next two weeks. Once I get through the Phillies race I will begin to focus more seriously on the Warrior Dash. I will continue to eat smaller protein-rich breakfasts, and really pound the water. I want to run Sunday/Wed/Fri/Sun/Tues/Thurs over the next two weeks before the 5K. That seems like a reasonable goal.
On Thursday I also went for a blood/cholesterol test. I will get my results at a doc. appt. on the 22nd and will post them then. As mentioned, one of my meds was adjusted about 2 months ago and I'm curious as to the results.
As always, thanks for reading and thanks for the encouragement.
March Madness is here and I handled it better this year than in years past. I did partake of a few beers on Thursday afternoon, but didn't completely stuff my face with food, and Friday I just spent the day at home eating some leftovers. I did not count the calories I had, though I know I should have, but overall I feel like I came through things okay.
My exercise wasn't great this week. I ran on Tuesday but really struggled. My knee and my shins were just killing me. I took an extra day which really helped. I ran on Friday morning and felt better than I've felt in a long time. I also ran farther than I have since the 5K last November. I ran just under 3 miles and didn't feel like I needed to walk at all. I'm mildly encouraged now and looking forward to the Phillies 5K in two weeks.
This week I plan on really sticking to things. I want to lose a few more pounds over the next two weeks. Once I get through the Phillies race I will begin to focus more seriously on the Warrior Dash. I will continue to eat smaller protein-rich breakfasts, and really pound the water. I want to run Sunday/Wed/Fri/Sun/Tues/Thurs over the next two weeks before the 5K. That seems like a reasonable goal.
On Thursday I also went for a blood/cholesterol test. I will get my results at a doc. appt. on the 22nd and will post them then. As mentioned, one of my meds was adjusted about 2 months ago and I'm curious as to the results.
As always, thanks for reading and thanks for the encouragement.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Weekly Goal Met
Weight: 246 (-2 lbs, -6 total)
Somehow I met my goal this week. I did not have a great week eating as we ended up running a bunch of errands in the evenings and scrambled for dinner a few nights. I think my saving grace was that I don't think I drank a single calorie last week. I also had some good exercise, though I'm paying for it a bit right now. I got in two runs last week, and took advantage of the nice weather on Thursday to play basketball after work. Unfortunately, the nice court where we play was packed so we had to play on a macadam court. Its amazing how different it is playing on the blacktop. My shins and calves are still killing me. I tried to run yesterday and it was a real struggle. I don't think I'm going to play basketball any more if its going to be on the macadam. As much as I love it, it's just not worth it. It's now Sunday morning, and this is the first morning since then that my shins didn't hurt when I got out of bed.
My food choices were okay this week. Not great, but not bad. We ate out twice and both times fries were to come with my dinner. I did not get them either time, rather I got a side salad in it's place. I know I saved some calories there. I've been eating smaller breakfasts that have had more protein in them, and though I'm definitely ready for lunch by 11:45, I'm not so hungry that I feel like I need to eat everything in sight. My lunches have been much smaller than they used to be. I'm eating tons of salads and fruit. I know deli meat is high in sodium and not too good for you, but I need some kind of meat on my salad if I'm not having a sandwich. The bread is the other thing I've been trying to cut back on. It just wasn't realistic for me to completely cut bread out of my diet, but I have certainly cut back.
We're in good shape for eating at home this week. We have plenty of chicken and ground turkey. We also got some fish and are having salmon tonight. I feel good about the direction I'm going. This week will be a good test for me though. As most of you know, I traditionally treat myself to an annual mini-vacation this week, each year, to watch the opening round of the NCAA's. That also includes heading out to a bar for lunch and a beer or two (or four) during the Thursday games, and usually getting some food that is a little out of the ordinary for at home. I'm still planning on going on Thursday (Champs at lunchtime in Collegeville, if anyone wants to come hang out) but will perhaps look for a more "healthy" alternative for the games on Friday.
Goals for the week: get more exercise and get outside. Daylight savings is here! No excuses for not running now. Mondays will be out as we start our t-ball practices tomorrow evening, but all other nights I should be able to find the time. I also need to get back to the gym and do some weight training. I did not lift at all this past week. I really despise going to the gym and as long as I'm getting outside and running I'm perfectly fine with not going. But I do need to get back on the weight training, at least 2X per week. I think I can manage that. I also need to keep drinking a lot of water (never a real problem) and make sure I'm documenting what I'm eating. I've been a little lax in that department. My weight loss goal for this week is one pound. If I can do that with all of the March Madness events, I'll be pretty happy.
Go NC State!
Somehow I met my goal this week. I did not have a great week eating as we ended up running a bunch of errands in the evenings and scrambled for dinner a few nights. I think my saving grace was that I don't think I drank a single calorie last week. I also had some good exercise, though I'm paying for it a bit right now. I got in two runs last week, and took advantage of the nice weather on Thursday to play basketball after work. Unfortunately, the nice court where we play was packed so we had to play on a macadam court. Its amazing how different it is playing on the blacktop. My shins and calves are still killing me. I tried to run yesterday and it was a real struggle. I don't think I'm going to play basketball any more if its going to be on the macadam. As much as I love it, it's just not worth it. It's now Sunday morning, and this is the first morning since then that my shins didn't hurt when I got out of bed.
My food choices were okay this week. Not great, but not bad. We ate out twice and both times fries were to come with my dinner. I did not get them either time, rather I got a side salad in it's place. I know I saved some calories there. I've been eating smaller breakfasts that have had more protein in them, and though I'm definitely ready for lunch by 11:45, I'm not so hungry that I feel like I need to eat everything in sight. My lunches have been much smaller than they used to be. I'm eating tons of salads and fruit. I know deli meat is high in sodium and not too good for you, but I need some kind of meat on my salad if I'm not having a sandwich. The bread is the other thing I've been trying to cut back on. It just wasn't realistic for me to completely cut bread out of my diet, but I have certainly cut back.
We're in good shape for eating at home this week. We have plenty of chicken and ground turkey. We also got some fish and are having salmon tonight. I feel good about the direction I'm going. This week will be a good test for me though. As most of you know, I traditionally treat myself to an annual mini-vacation this week, each year, to watch the opening round of the NCAA's. That also includes heading out to a bar for lunch and a beer or two (or four) during the Thursday games, and usually getting some food that is a little out of the ordinary for at home. I'm still planning on going on Thursday (Champs at lunchtime in Collegeville, if anyone wants to come hang out) but will perhaps look for a more "healthy" alternative for the games on Friday.
Goals for the week: get more exercise and get outside. Daylight savings is here! No excuses for not running now. Mondays will be out as we start our t-ball practices tomorrow evening, but all other nights I should be able to find the time. I also need to get back to the gym and do some weight training. I did not lift at all this past week. I really despise going to the gym and as long as I'm getting outside and running I'm perfectly fine with not going. But I do need to get back on the weight training, at least 2X per week. I think I can manage that. I also need to keep drinking a lot of water (never a real problem) and make sure I'm documenting what I'm eating. I've been a little lax in that department. My weight loss goal for this week is one pound. If I can do that with all of the March Madness events, I'll be pretty happy.
Go NC State!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
No surprises
Weight 248 (+1, -4 total)
It's no surprise I'm up a pound. We ate out both Friday and Saturday nights to celebrate Kathy's birthday. Our dinner on Friday that Ryan selected was at the Movie Tavern, to see The Lorax. Dinner was nothing special (cheeseburger sliders), but after the movie he wanted to take Kathy out for dessert. We went to Zwahlen's Ice Cream. For those of you that don't know, Zwahlen's is the ice cream mecca for this area. There is a lot of good ice cream around here, but none as good as Zwahlen's. That, and the fact that they had Take Five ice cream sent me over the top.
Saturday I woke up and went for a run. I tried to eat light during the day in anticipation of our dinner at Gracie's 21st Century on Saturday night. That dinner did not disappoint at all. I had the filet, russet potatoes, and two drinks (a martini, and then a glass of beer). Kathy and I also split a crab appetizer and shared a dessert. I did not feel completely stuffed afterwards and felt like I managed the evening pretty well. Yes, I'm up a pound, but I expected worse. The good news is that I don't really have any events on my calendar where I should find myself in too much trouble. I do have my annual March Madness vacation coming up, but I'm not too worried about that. Most of it is spent at home. I'll go out for lunch on the Thursday, that's it.
My exercise has been good. On Thursday I went for my longest run since the 5K back in November. Saturday I did intervals and did several short, but fast (for me) runs. My legs are still burning a little bit today. I'm 4 weeks from the Phillies 5K. I'm not to worried about being ready for the run, but I definitely need to step up my running and cardio over the next few weeks. The weight lifting has been going well too. I'm feeling good.
This week I hope to get back on track with the light breakfasts, healthier lunches, and balanced dinners. I will cut back on the carbs this week, push the water, and try to lose 2 lbs by next Sunday. That's my goal for the week.
It's no surprise I'm up a pound. We ate out both Friday and Saturday nights to celebrate Kathy's birthday. Our dinner on Friday that Ryan selected was at the Movie Tavern, to see The Lorax. Dinner was nothing special (cheeseburger sliders), but after the movie he wanted to take Kathy out for dessert. We went to Zwahlen's Ice Cream. For those of you that don't know, Zwahlen's is the ice cream mecca for this area. There is a lot of good ice cream around here, but none as good as Zwahlen's. That, and the fact that they had Take Five ice cream sent me over the top.
Saturday I woke up and went for a run. I tried to eat light during the day in anticipation of our dinner at Gracie's 21st Century on Saturday night. That dinner did not disappoint at all. I had the filet, russet potatoes, and two drinks (a martini, and then a glass of beer). Kathy and I also split a crab appetizer and shared a dessert. I did not feel completely stuffed afterwards and felt like I managed the evening pretty well. Yes, I'm up a pound, but I expected worse. The good news is that I don't really have any events on my calendar where I should find myself in too much trouble. I do have my annual March Madness vacation coming up, but I'm not too worried about that. Most of it is spent at home. I'll go out for lunch on the Thursday, that's it.
My exercise has been good. On Thursday I went for my longest run since the 5K back in November. Saturday I did intervals and did several short, but fast (for me) runs. My legs are still burning a little bit today. I'm 4 weeks from the Phillies 5K. I'm not to worried about being ready for the run, but I definitely need to step up my running and cardio over the next few weeks. The weight lifting has been going well too. I'm feeling good.
This week I hope to get back on track with the light breakfasts, healthier lunches, and balanced dinners. I will cut back on the carbs this week, push the water, and try to lose 2 lbs by next Sunday. That's my goal for the week.
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