Gadgets for tracking exercise
I like to take time to read through Matt Cutts’ blog. Not for diet and exercise tips, but because Matt is the guy that heads up Google’s search algorithm team. But, Matt posted a glowing review of an Omron Pedometer, so I thought I’d give it a mention.
What tools do you use in your daily exercise?
I use the AllSportsGPS for my cell phone. I have the Sanyo Katana, which is a slim design, and carry it in my pocket or wrapped between two wristbands. The margin of error continues to improve, and has always been better than any other manner of route measuring with the exception of the measuring wheels used in road races. I love it for the freedom I get - I can walk anywhere I want and know exactly how far I’ve gone. Good stuff, and if your phone is enabled for this product, I can recommend it.
Tags: diet, exercise, tipsThe bloggers are off to a good Hundred Day Head Start
I think it’s time to make the rounds and check up on everyone - it’s that whole “accountability” thing, ya’ know?
Lady Rose lost a pound last week, and she’s opened up her shiny new domain for business over at the Diet Pulpit. Please stop by and check it out, she always posts a ton of great information.
Despite struggling, Jenn still managed to lose 4 pounds last week. She’s using The Firm program. You can follow her at Jenn Loses Weight.
Marianne at Practice Living is getting her workouts in, and she’s heading into Canadian-crunch-time withtheir Thanksgiving coming up, so getting those workouts in is going to be key in dealing with pumpkin pie.
John T. over at Fatbloggers is working hard and got down almost 3 lbs last week.
My cousin, Ellen, is really in a positive frame of mind which is the biggest hurdle to overcome, at least in my experience. Still waiting for weigh-in, but just the fact that she’s looking for ways to fit exercise into her daily life is great.
Just remember folks, every pound you lose now is one less you have to lose after New Years!
Anyone else care to… um… weigh in?
Tags: diet, exerciseVisualization & Motivation
eDiets has a ton of content, some good, some so-so, but I really liked this article by Julia Havey: Motivation Station: 6 Great Ways to Get Inspired . Number 4, “BE, DO, and then you will HAVE is something I try to do. I remember running cross-country and track in High School, and I remember how great it felt when I was in the zone - feeling light on my feet, like I could run forever. I try to bring up those memories when I go for my walks, and I visualize myself with that flat tummy and I just want to go, go, go. This kind of visualization has always been huge for me, going all the way back to playing first base in little league and visualizing great catches, then making them.
I learned as a long-distance runner that our minds can take us way beyond our physical limitations. I was able to take my body places that still amaze me, and the ability to channel this visualization into action is something I am counting on in my journey.
Tags: diet, ediets, exercise, Motivation, visualization, walk, weight lossDay 2/100
Breakfast - Eggstirs, High-quality H2O
Lunch - Mixed greens, Lite Italian dressing, roast chicken breast, no skin, apple, diet coke
Dinner - Ham & cheese sandwich (2 thin slices of ham, 1 slice american cheese, 2 slices 100% stone ground whole wheat, miracle whip), Iced Tea
Snacks - 2 cans Zoic protein drinks (1g fat, 5g carb, 21g protein)
Exercise - 1.2 mi, 23 minutes, still a lot of back pain, but better than yesterday. Stretching.
Tags: diet, exerciseAre you taking part in the Hundred Day Head Start?
My cousin promised to post a “before” picture, so I’m posting this to hold her accountable. She has her family lined up to support her with eating and exercise. That’s such a huge part of any diet, because your family are the people that will be most likely to sabotage you.
That’s right, I said it. Does this sound familiar?
“Let’s go to McDonald’s”
“Pizza! I want pizza!”
“But, it’s a special occasion!”
Don’t tell my I’m a cynic - I’ve been hearing those same things for years, and I’m betting you have also.
Don’t let the bastards get you down - make ‘em prop you up!
Tags: diet, exercise, family, supportPromise, Promises
I promised someplace that I would actually post a “Before” picture. I can’t believe I did that, and can’t find the written evidence, but never let it be said that I didn’t keep my word:
Oh god, I posted that.
Weigh-in this morning was (gulp!) a robust, post-BM 326 lbs!
Sitting on your ass with an ankle injury, eating fudge all summer does that to a man.
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Lady Rose alerted me to a problem with registrations on the forum. Please send an email to me at tim AT hundreddayheadstart DOT com if you have problems also. I’ll be heading over there to troubleshoot, and anything you can tell me would be a huge help.
UPDATE: The forum appears to be working properly now. PLEASE head over and let me know if you run into any problems.
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Lady Rose wrote this site up over at the Diet Pulpit. THANK YOU! She has a ton of great stuff over there, so pop over and take a look.
Tags: dietKimkins a fraud
As I stated previously, I stay agnostic when it comes to programs.
That said, I can’t let this one past: Kimkins a fraud.
Be sure to check out the photos of “Kim”.
Additonally, I was happy to see links from Slamboard to Jimmy Moore’s apology for his behavior over the previous months. I literally took Jimmy off my RSS feed’s just days prior to his apology because I tired of precisely this behavior, so i was unaware of the apology. I may have to go back and see if anything has changed now that 6 weeks or so has passed.
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We’re coming up on September 23. Know what that means?
100 days to New Year’s. The official start of the Hundred Day Head Start for you New Year’s resolution dieters. Activity will pick up on this blog shortly. I’m in the middle of moving it to a new host that is more stable and provides better support, then you’ll get my “Before” shot on 9/23, and an”After” shot, good or bad [whimper!], on New Year’s.
Join in. I don’t care what you do, as long as you do it.
Tags: diet, Kimkins, programsWhy I choose to stay agnostic on the subject of “programs”
When I first decided to start blogging, I didn’t feel comfortable about taking sides in the debates over low-carb vs. low-fat and countless other debates that rage amongst dieters, nutrition experts, and those that profit from either side. First, I just don’t know enough. Second, I am suspicious of nearly every “study” that comes out, because they’re all funded by someone, somewhere, that has an agenda.
My attitude has been, and will be, do what works for you. But, do it.
Oddly enough, I found a similar mindset in an unlikely place: Star Jones. Star has written a frank essay for Glamour about her weight loss, going public for the first time with the words “gastric-bypass” rather than “medical intervention”. While I’m always suspicious about the sincerity of celebrity mea culpas, I found some great advice:
Gastric bypass is a very serious procedure with its own set of risks. I’ve been afforded the luxury of consulting numerous doctors, specialists and colleagues who concluded that this surgery was the only way I could regain control of my life. It worked for me, but if you face a similar struggle, you’ll have to find what works for you. It isn’t an easy fix, and the recovery doesn’t end when you come out of anesthesia—that’s when the real work begins.
So weird to find myself in agreement with Star Jones, but there you go.
As for the idea that she wanted to “own up” to having gastric-bypass surgery… Why? First, she’s entitled to her privacy with regard to her medical decisions. But, she makes the point that it’s been therapeutic to share with people on an individual basis. Ok, it’s your business whether to share or not share. But there is an element of being embarassed about it:
But the complete truth is, I was scared of what people might think of me. I was afraid to be vulnerable, and ashamed at not being able to get myself under control without this procedure.
Hey, I’m not in the public eye so I can’t pretend to understand the fishbowl she lives in, much of which she takes responsibility for creating. But, making decisions to take the steps necessary to live a long, healthy life is never something of which to be embarrassed.
Here’s the takeaway: Find what works for you. Do it. You don’t owe anyone apologies or excuses.
Tags: diet, programsMaybe I was a little ambitious
I underestimated just how much the pain of my injuries would take out of me. In addition to the ankle, I have road-rash on both knees and elbows, both elbows are swollen, and my ribs are bruised. All that from one fall, if you can believe it.
Being forty years old sucks.
I just couldn’t do any exercise. Physically, I’m a wreck. Obviously, I need to take a few more days to recover. Last night, my ribs hurt so much I couldn’t fall asleep.
However, I did keep my diet goal in check - 1,699 calories. I can do better, but 1800 is a prime fat-burning zone for me. I lose weight at that level, without feeling hungry and cheating. When I add the exercise and walking back in the mix, I should begin to drop weight steadily. For now, though, I’m sticking with the diet challenge. When I’m capable of more, I’ll do more.
Diet Challenge: Day 1/100
Tags: diet, exerciseWhere do I go from here?
Now that the walking is out for the next 3 to 6 weeks, I need to come up with other hundred day head start challenges. Because that’s the POINT of all this, isn’t it? Not waiting until after some event or date to get started improving my health?
There are still things I can do. For one, I can pay MUCH closer attention to what goes into my mouth. I popped over to myfitnesspal.com, a website I wrote about on myother diet blog a few weeks ago. After plugging in my height, weight, goals, etc, it gave a recommendation of 1890 calories/day to reach my weight loss goal of 2 lbs/week, along with exercising every day for at least 20 minutes.
So, here are the new challenges:
1. For the next 100 days, I will not eat more than 2,000 calories/day, and will average below 1,890 by the 100th day.
2. I will exercise every day for 20 minutes, minimum, for the next 100 days.
How will I exercise? Obviously, for the first couple of weeks I will be limited to exercises that don’t require me to bear weight on my right foot. That leaves a whole bunch of upper body and core strength exercises. Here’s a starter list, to which I will be adding:
- Chick-pushups (on my knees - I know it’s a sexist name, but my gym teacher used a much more graphic term, so live with it)
- Crunches - a whole variety of standard and raised-leg crunches.
- Block-hauling - tie a rope to a cinder block, then sit down and drag it in to you. I can also spin around and pull it over my shoulders.
- Supermans
- Leg lifts - variety of 6-inch and scissors
- Leg extensions - on back and on all fours
- Bridge form knees
- Chair March
- Balanced twist - site on but with legs in the air and back at 45 degree angle, then swing arms from side to side slowly.
Alot of stuff comes from my past experience, but some of it also comes from Ron Jones bodyweight exercise site. If you are a beginner, or have physical modifications, this is a great resource. Tons of exercises, and many can be modified around limitations.
I’m going to try to keep track of what I do and how long I do it and post the results here for accountability.
Tags: ankle brace, diet, exercise, fitness, Injury