Day 40 : Merry Xmas

12/25/2015

steps

water 5

weight 198

Fans of Futurama might catch the title, for the rest, enjoy the day anyway.

It's 7 a.m., the cats are fed and sleeping in my favorite chair. I've got my morning chores out of the way, and it's time to relax and enjoy the sun coming up on another great day.

I'm sipping my 1 cup of coffee for the day and getting ready to start nibbling on my morning banana. 1 of the few fruits I like, probably because it's more “meaty” than other fruits and does not taste cold. I find it also helps with leg cramps, another fun thing that has joined me in my retirement years.

Web searches seem to point to potassium as 1 underlying cause.

Anyway, last night was fun, and like most food events since I started my Diet 1 blog, it was not bad. I still ate more than I should have, but I also kept it way below previous years. I did stick to water all evening, and stuck mostly to straight meat products, like ham slices.

I caved in on a couple of small Brownies as the night wore on, but that was the worst. All in all I'm doing OK. I've been drifting up a couple of pounds this week, but still holding on.

Today it's relax, recover, and eat simple.

And like every day, enjoying just being here...Happy Xmas

KRASH

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Day 41 : A Day of Nothing

12/26/2015

steps 5326

water 4

weight

Yesterday, I didn't make my stepping quote, but hey, it was Christmas.

Today I forgot to hit the scales, but we did walk downtown for coffee and a burrito at Mickey D's. Other than that it was just the day of nothing.

We were supposed to head south to visit friends and check on my other house, but for several reasons we just didn't want to go. We did get out once to return a Christmas gift, but for the most part, just relaxed at home.

I finished a good book, The Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson. The only book to make me laugh out loud this year. It's a witty memoir of growing up in middle America in the 1950's, with a few sobering facts tossed in for balance.

Bill is probably my favorite non-cartoonist, writer, and being from the dark side, I prefer the lighter side of life, and highly recommend any of his books.

As for Diet 1, even though I seem to be shaky a bit on the goals, I still am eating less than I used to and that is what you need to focus on. Always focus on the improvements you make, no matter how small, for it is that faint little star, in the dark world of doubt that will guide you to your goals.

1 bite, water and exercise. 1 day at a time !

KRASH

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Day 42 : Back to Work

12/27/2015

steps 6751

water 6

weight 195

Yep! It's Sunday and time to get back to work. Diet 1 work.

The holiday crush is over, along with the parties and you got a couple days to regroup before New Year's.

This is a perfect time to hit Diet 1. For at least this 1 day, we're going to follow all our Diet 1 rules.

For me, it helps that the scale dropped back to 195 this morning, a low I haven't seen in a couple days.

First off, list your daily Diet 1 goals, putting them on paper again helps to keep focused.

Mine are.

1 cup of coffee.

5000 steps, minimum.

6 - 4 ounce glasses of water minimum.

195 pounds or less.

non sugar drinks, I'm drinking broth.

1 small bite at a time.

1 small plate at meals, and put the fork down between bites.

Keep it simple and easy and you will have a much better chance of success.

As you focus on your list, it also helps to make better choices. Less bread, more veggies and fruit. Less or no dressing on your salads, no sauces or coatings on your meat.

Learn to enjoy the flavor of simple foods.

So let's get to it, our Diet 1 challenge for just this one day.

You can do it, Really !!

1 bite, water and exercise. 1 day at a time !

KRASH

Krashsplace.com

PlaceMarkBooks.com

Day 43 : Challenge Results

12/28/2015

steps 5386

water 6

weight 195

Well, how'd everyone do? How many of your Diet 1 items did you checkoff yesterday?

Me, I did pretty good, and checked off everything on the list, even walking in the rain, to push my to count over the 6000 mark.

My only trouble at all was in the evening when the TV came on. This is a problem for just about everyone I think, more so as you gain weight. The heavier you get, the more tire out and need to sit, and more you turn on the tube.

As mentioned before, even if you only watch DVDs, as Gina and I do, you'll be pelted with images of food, compounding the natural tendency to snack while you watch.

I managed to keep it down to 1 bowl of plain popcorn and a few small piece of cheese, but I can do better.

What needs to happen is to apply the Diet 1 rule to TV. That is 1 program a day max. No more popping on the couch after or even during dinner, and sitting there until it's time for bed, only to get up for more snacks.

It's not like I have nothing else to do. Keeping my blogs could use up all that TV time. Or my never-ending list of children's books, art projects, construction on the house etc. etc.

Soooo, let's do it!

1 show, 1 bite, water and exercise. 1 day at a time !

KRASH

Krashsplace.com

PlaceMarkBooks.com

Day 44 : Movies

12/29/2015

steps 9109

water 6

weight 196

Well, the 1 movie a night rule is going to be a little tougher crack. It don't help looking out the window at 5:30 and seeing dark. Of course, the big problem is just being overweight and slow, you just want to sit and do nothing in the evening.

Once you are in couch potato mode, munching on snacks is nearly automatic. Even plain popcorn adds up to a lot of calories and carbs, if you eat it all evening.

So we need a bit more willpower on this 1 folks. 1 show a night is going to become the rule, and habit, even if I have to put a coin opp timer on the TV.

Other than that I am doing okay. Drinking lots of water, mostly in the form of hot broth instead of coffee, and I haven't had soda in 2 weeks.

I nearly always make my 5000 step mark, yesterday making it with out going for a walk.

I'm putting down the fork between bites, almost without thinking now. Remember, 90 days to form most habits, and we're only at 44, and these Diet 1 habits are taking hold.

So just keep focused and keep at it.

1 show, 1 bite, water and exercise. 1 day at a time !

KRASH

Krashsplace.com

PlaceMarkBooks.com

Day 45 : Hibernation

12/30/2015

steps 8049

water 6

weight 195

Well it's that time of year again, and I'm sleeping 7 hours a night. This may sound like a short night for a lot of you, but my usual is 5 to 6 hours, less than that if I'm fired up on a project.

My all-time record is 100 hours without sleep. I crashed a full 8 hours after that one.

But I started this post on the problem of slowing down for the winter, and stuck inside, spending more time in front of some sort of screen. Whether it's a 4” smartphone or that 40“ TV, it still means less exercise and often more snacking.

So this time of year means more effort in keeping pounds off, not to mention taking off pounds you already have.

Exercise bikes, treadmills, or other machines. Even if you're stuck with that 40” big screen, just a set of pedals in front of your couch helps. I got this at a junk shop for 5 bucks and it's electric.

Of course, this is where a tablet or phone are nice, because they are easily mounted on your machine of choice. But even if you have to go to the mall to walk around a bit, it all adds up. Just keep counting bites, steps and pounds.

Less bites, and more steps, means less pounds!

1 show, 1 bite, water and exercise. 1 day at a time !

KRASH

Krashsplace.com

PlaceMarkBooks.com

Day 46 : New Years Eve

12/31/2015

steps 7580

water 6

weight 195

Hey, it's the last day of 2015. What a year! Gina and I started it in Sydney, Australia watching the fireworks from Nelson Park.

That will be a hard one top!

The first 3 months we traveled around Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. Then got home just in time for spring, and our third summer in a row.

I published 3 more kids books, finished another and started 4 more.

I bought my first ever new car, almost, a 2014 Mirage

And of course started my Diet 1 blog, 1 of 4 I started this year and my main focus since I turned 64 in November.

Since then I've started on the road to changing several lifelong habits about what and how I eat, and even where and when.

Diet 1 is the product of a decade or so of ideas and info I've been jotting down, and joining my local VA MOVE program finally got me off my ass.

Since my birthday I've permanently lost 5 pounds and by the time I hit 65 I'll be down to 170.

So, 2015 was a pretty good year for me, but 2016 will be even better.

Less bites, and more steps, means less pounds!

1 show, 1 bite, water and exercise. 1 day at a time !

KRASH

Krashsplace.com

PlaceMarkBooks.com