Hands Haven't Bought in

Past couple weeks my shoulder blade started aching for whatever reason. Just felt tense and knotted and kept getting worse. I had tried every kind of fiery cream stuff you can put on your back sold when my wife finally happened to run across a nurse at the grocery store who recommended taking 4 ibuprofen at a time to kill off the inflammation. Sounded like a ton of pills to me but I took them and and between that and ice packs it sure has helped. Hopefully I am on the tail end of this now, I haven't been in a mood much for blogging since this started.

Pretty much have kept an even keel on the weight loss front. Not much progress. Eating has been a mixed bag. Honestly I'm still having trouble fully recommitting to my #1 principle that led to so much success in 2010 and that is simply ONLY EAT WHEN ACTUALLY HUNGRY. My head and heart are committed to the principle but my hands that grab up the food for no other reason than its there have apparently not bought in 100% yet.

I have not been binging or anything like that, just haven't been doing my best. I will get there though.

Lotta Lotta Pizza

Wife and I went to New York for a wedding for four days and I ate like a moron pretty much from the time I got there until the time I left. See, I have lived in the South for almost 20 years and one thing that is really hard to get here is great New York Pizza. Within an hour after getting off the plane, I was eating wonderful slices of cheese pizza and Silician pizza, followed by some amazing chocolately dessert. This pretty much set the trend for the rest of the trip, which ended with one last desperate stab at authentic pizza at MacArthur Airport on Long Island. Even that airport pizza kicked the butt of most of the pizza I can get in Tennessee.

That's about all I got for now, I gained a couple pounds, which I guess isn't bad for a long weekend/wedding. Gotta get serious now though, as my new pedometer cycle for 2011 begins next week. Gotta gotta earn that $$$$!

Good night y'all!

Snow in Tennessee

We've actually had snow accumulation here in the past couple days, which is rare in these parts. Have had some fun playing in the snow, but weight loss and exercise have taken a back seat for the past couple days as a result of being snowed in, etc. Yesterday, I worked from home and noticed myself grabbing at food a lot more than usual just because it was there. I don't do that during the normal day at the office. I guess it's a good thing I don't telecommute every day!

However, I did finally stumble my way to Level 4 on my pedometer program tonight, so $175 is coming my way. When I reached Level 4, the website told me that if by Jan 26, I can earn only 11,900 more Health Miles (which is equivalent to about my past six months total of walking etc.), I will reach Level 5. Anyone got any ideas how I can do that?

Black Coffee

I have to work this afternoon/tonight, so I'm posting early today while I sip a cup of black coffee and I got to thinking about coffee. One thing I started up in early 2010 and have actually stuck to consistently is not loading up my coffee with sugar and creamers and flavoring. It seems like a silly way to me to add lots of fats and cals to the mix when I'd rather eat something like pizza or ribs or fried chicken or ice cream if I'm gonna have something bad to eat,

And I think it has made a difference. I've gained back some of the weight I lost in ealry 2010, but I think part of why didn't pile it all back on has to do with the coffee. See I drink 3-4 cups a day easily, so it really can add up. So if anyone is looking for an area to make easy cuts in fat intake, I highly recommend the black coffee route, if you can stomach it.

Good day y'all!

The Situation

So my goal is now to walk 12,000 pedometer steps 4x/week and 7000 steps 3x/week, so as to spread out the walking and make it more achievable than trying to commit to 10,000 every day. Heres the siutation:

I started this on Sunday and used my 3 alloted 7000 step days within the first 4 days. I got 12,000 today and will have to do so again to next 2 days in order to stick to the concept.  So the "spread out" idea really hasn't  panned out. The "I got all week to get in my 12,000s, why mess with it today" thought process has won out.

I'll get my 12,000s for the next two days, then actually try to spread it out better next week. Good night y'all!

Walking = Money

Early last year, my company started a Health Miles program where you wear a pedometer and eventually earn some cash when you walk enough steps. It's pretty easy to get to Level 2 and 3, and you get some cash for it, but  most of the money is attained by reaching Levels 4 & 5. Those levels takes a long time and a lot of walking. A few days from now, I will actually reach Level 4 and earn $175!

The cycle starts over again on Jan 26, and I'll be back at Level 1. One of my goals for 2011 is to get to Level 5, which I think I can actually do with enough consistency. The extra money will definitely be nice, but I'm hoping the real rewards show up on the scale and in my energy level.

Good night y'all!

Everyday Goals?

I have been at this weight loss blog thing for a year now, and looking back at 2010 I think my general approach worked when I stuck to it. But I do think there were times when I set the bar a little too high, for example "I will walk at least 10,000 pedometer steps everyday, no excuse" was a goal of mine for a while last year and it just wasn't always possible to stick to that 7 days a week because ..well..life happens and you can't always do it. And when I wasn't able to meet the 10,000 step goals everyday, I eventually stopped worrying about how many steps I had anymore and that was another goal down the tubes. But I think an important part of sticking with this long term, reaching our goal weight, and staying there is being able to succeed at the smaller intermediate goals. And I think part of that means being resonable when we set these goals. In my case it was pedometer steps, but I think if we try to commit to doing anything every single day, the chances are good we will eventually fail and get discouraged.

So this year my goal is at least 12,000 steps 4 days a week and 7000 steps for the other 3 days. It will be much easier to achieve and will result in the same amount of exercise as if I'd hit 10,000 daily. Just something to think about as we set these goals within the goals.

I apprecaite the new followers that have been coming my way, and will be catching up with you tomorrow. Gotta get some sleep for my first full work week in a while. Good night y'all!

Happy New Years

Just a quick entry tonight before New Years Day is over.

The wife prepared all the classic good luck New Years Day foods (fatback bacon, greens, and of course blackeyed peas) ate we had them for lunch and dinner for double luck in 2011. I wish the same good luck to all my blogger friends past, present, and future, as well as all those people out there who are just starting their weight loss blog today.

Good night all and hope you had a wonderful time ringing in 2011!