paulrone's Daily Check In

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 6:59 pm

Whoa. This site is exactly what I've been looking for. It takes all of the BS out of losing weight and getting healthy.
I've tried several types of diets - here's the short list:
Body For Life - Low Carb
Protein Power - Low Carb
Weight Watchers - Calorie accountants
Melaleuca Vitality for Life - Calorie Accountants

The other issue I've had with formal diets is that they're always full of women who view men as enemies or they take joy in discussing rather private "womanly" issues in front of the men present. Very uncomfortable. vfl.com is my latest undertaking to lose the last 20 pounds. They just ignore guys completely. Yeah, that's a great support group.

I can't tell you how many times I've asked myself "how do they do it in the countries where they stay thin?" or " How did they stay thin back in the '40s or '50s etc. ?" Now I know.

I'll be logging this in every day, now. We'll see how I do. I'm really optimistic about the No S diet.

I'm not sure about the Rangering, yet. I'm a jogger, so going back to walking would be a "step" in the wrong direction, I would think.

Anyway, see you tomorrow.

Jammin' Jan · Post by **Jammin' Jan** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 1:02 am

Welcome to No-S! Hope you enjoy the board and have great success with the program.

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:08 am

I wouldn't be too sure that walking would be a step backwards from jogging for weight loss. I'm not suggesting you not jog, but *personally* I have found walking better for weight loss than jogging. I'm thinking it might be that the slower pace of walking tends to metabolize a little more fat and a little less glucose.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Women on other sites ignoring you? Maybe they just have no idea how to react to a man "sharing". =0)

paulrone wrote:Whoa. This site is exactly what I've been looking for. It takes all of the BS out of losing weight and getting healthy.
I've tried several types of diets - here's the short list:
Body For Life - Low Carb
Protein Power - Low Carb
Weight Watchers - Calorie accountants
Melaleuca Vitality for Life - Calorie Accountants

The other issue I've had with formal diets is that they're always full of women who view men as enemies or they take joy in discussing rather private "womanly" issues in front of the men present. Very uncomfortable. vfl.com is my latest undertaking to lose the last 20 pounds. They just ignore guys completely. Yeah, that's a great support group.

I can't tell you how many times I've asked myself "how do they do it in the countries where they stay thin?" or " How did they stay thin back in the '40s or '50s etc. ?" Now I know.

I'll be logging this in every day, now. We'll see how I do. I'm really optimistic about the No S diet.

I'm not sure about the Rangering, yet. I'm a jogger, so going back to walking would be a "step" in the wrong direction, I would think.

Anyway, see you tomorrow.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 1:38 pm

4/26 SUCCESS
Thanks for the welcome and words of support.

I walked this morning instead of running. It felt good. I didn't roll out of bed with the usual dread of facing another grueling morning run. Hmmm... maybe I'm on to something.

It was a bit difficult going without that evening snack last night. What the heck am I supposed to do while I watch TV? I might have to take up knitting.

Or not.

I actually ate a good breakfast today. Knowing I wouldn't have that midmorning snack to look forward to forced me to sit down and actually focus on eating. I had an egg and a slice of cheese on an english muffin. Chased it down with a banana and some yogurt. That ought to hold me until lunch.

Abby (my 9 year-old daughter) has an activity tomorrow with her Step Club (a walking club that meets before school). They're meeting on the local Greenway Trail to walk from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Now that's Rangering! I told her I'd go and we'd walk together. I think it'll be fun.

Jaxhil · Post by **Jaxhil** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:20 pm

Welcome!

I think you'll like it here-and I'm sure the girls won't ignore you, lol.

Walking with your daughter sounds like fun-I'm sure she'll love having your support!

I had to learn to eat a big breakfast too. It does help hold you till lunch, I've found.

Btw, I find knitting perfect for distracting me from snacking

Hmmm..how about woodworking?

Very manly

Anyway, good luck, and again, welcome!

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:18 pm

4/27 FAILURE

I ate a handful of peanuts while I was watching TV Friday night. 15 minutes later, I realized what I had done.

So, counting the weekend, I'm on day 3 today.

I walked with my wife and daughter for 2 1/2 hours on Saturday, I mowed the lawn and chopped some wood in the back yard. The only soreness I have is my forehead. I managed to get a sunburn along my receding hairline. OUCH![/b]

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:07 pm

Welcome paulrone! I am fairly new to No-S also (2 weeks), but I can tell you that I have found everyone - men, women, and even founder Reinhard to be extremely kind, encouraging, and welcoming. I hope you do as well!
mimi

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:48 pm

Thanks, mimi.
I've already found this to be a liberating experience. I went out the door this morning to exercise and I felt good. I haven't been dpriving myself of anything. I actually look forward to eating again. Before, I would be fairly ambivalent toward another Lean Cuisine lunch from the freezer. Now I can enjoy eating foods I like, in proper portions, with no concerns for what others may say.
Removing the psychological barrier of dieting has given me more energy to focus on other areas of my life. It's really nice, for a change.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Tue May 01, 2007 2:09 pm

4/30 Success 3/21 (3 down, 18 to go)

I did fine yesterday. I didn't snack, I ate normal food, and things were good. I exercised in the morning like I usually do, but here's the great part: I had energy after dinner! I went out and raked the front lawn and put down grass seed. It felt good to be able to do this and not feel completely worn out the whole time.

At first I thought this was because I ate more than usual, but I didn't, really. I truly believe it's because I don't have the "diet" millstone around my neck. My mind is free to focus on other things. I have psychologically freed myself.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Wed May 02, 2007 2:04 pm

5/1 SUCCESS (4/21)

I managed to resist the donuts my wife bought. I really don't even look at them. I have a 12 year-old son, so if I leave them alone long enough, he'll eat all of them up and I won't be tempted.

I ate well yesterday. Nothing unusual about breakfast and lunch, but dinner was different. Ann (wife) made crab wraps. Homemade tortillas, crab mixed with a little mayo, diced cucumber, sprinkled with Tabasco sauce and rolled up. It was pretty good. She didn't care for it, though, so I'm sure it's the last we'll see of that recipe.

I didn't eat after dinner last night, but I sure wanted to. I got a big glass of water instead. I felt fine and didn't seem to miss it once I made the firm decision not to break my own rules. And that's a key thing I've just discovered. These are my rules. Not Ann's, not Reinhard's, not Bill Phillips' or Billy Blanks' or Zig Ziglar's or anyone else's. They're my rules. If I can't keep my own rules, I really lack in self respect.

The other discovery I've made is the exhilaration of physical and emotional freedom from food. I no longer budget calories or points, I don't have to worry about getting in those extra snacks and meals so I get the eating plan right, and I don't worry about whether something is low fat.
I actually enjoy my food again. I don't think about food most of the day, either. When I'm eating, I enjoy the meal. When I'm done, I move on to other things. It's very liberating. I now have mental and emotional "room" for other, more important things.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Thu May 03, 2007 5:51 pm

5/2 SUCCESS (5/21)

Yesterday was a long day. I ate lunch at 11:30 am and the plan was dinner at a bonfire with friends. Well, It's been raining for several days, so the bonfire never lit. Here's the problem, though: we were supposed to roast hot dogs and eat them for dinner. Instead, I just stood around and silently fumed as everyone kept trying to get me to eat marshmallows and chocolate. Doesn't anyone respect a simple "No, thank you" anymore?

They were really pouring it on. One person even went so far as to put a chocolate bar in my shirt pocket. I was feeling really rotten about the whole situation until I realized that they probably considered my refusal as abnormal. After all, don't most people eat chocolate and marshmallows at a bonfire?

At any rate, with no fire going, we all left at about 8:30 pm. I went home and ate a normal sized dinner. In the past, I would have eaten everything in sight, but this time, it was a bagel with cheddar cheese melted over it and some sugar free vanilla yogurt. I was really proud of myself for not over-indulging.

I'm looking forward to dinner tonight. Shane, my 12 year-old son, is receiving an award from the Writer's Hall of Fame, and the whole family is going to the banquet. He wrote a poem that was published locally, and he'll be sharing the stage with actress Tess Harper and several other students and writers. I'm sure it will be a wonderful evening.

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Fri May 04, 2007 11:40 am

Whoa! Way to go paulrone! You are sticking to your own rules! Sometimes people just don't think about what they're doing - they're just trying to be nice. And congratulate your son for his achievement! (I'm a 7th grade English teacher!)
mimi

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:46 pm

5/3 SUCCESS (6/21)

The banquet last night was wonderful. they served buffet style, so I was able to fill my own plate. There were lots of veggies and fruit, rolls, those really great herb-roasted red potatoes, and bake parmesan chicken. I had one plate and I made it last by enjoying conversation with my family and some new acquaintances we made at the table. The dessert looked wonderful. It was a really dark chocolate cake or some sort of mixed berry pie. I happened to sit where there was a piece of chocolate cake. When one of the ladies at the table commented on how the chocolate looked better than the pie, I promptly handed her my dessert plate, happy to have the temptation gone.

Shane is a talented writer. His winning work is an acrostic poem about Autumn. It was really impressive. He was really excited about being selected for this. He received a $25 gift certificate to Well Fed Head, a local Bookstore and coffee shop, and they invited him to come there next week to recite his piece at a poetry reading. I'm really proud of him.

He and I are going camping tonight, it's our annual Father and Son Camping trip with several other dads and boys. I know it will be a lot of fun, but it will be challenging to resist the dutch oven dump cakes and s'mores and sodas.

Tomorrow I'll need to spend some time with Abby, my 9 year-old daughter. With everything I'm doing with Shane this week, she's bound to get jealous. Maybe we'll cook together and watch a movie. Nights at the Museum is out on DVD and it looks funny.

My sister called me last weekend and told me she was pregnant. I was teasing my brother-in-law, telling him that "real men can put a stem on that apple." They got an ultrasound yesterday, so they called to tell us the results. When my brother-in-law called to tell us the news, he told my wife to tell me that he had successfully placed the 'stem' on the 'apple'. (That means it's a boy). I'm very happy for them.

Mimi, thanks for your encouragement! As for your teaching, good for you! In an age of text messages and internet abbreviating, teaching English must be challenging. You have my respect. Most of the teachers my children have are great people and we enjoy talking to them regularly. I don't think I could ever handle a room full of pubescent individuals with their heightened emotions and social difficulties (Is that PC enough?).

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Fri May 04, 2007 11:46 pm

Congratulations on such a smart move at the banquet! You're really good!
And as far as "handling a room full of pubescent individuals with their heightened emotions and social difficulties" (great description by the way!) it's really not as hard as you might think it is! I enjoy working with them -and really, it's not as bad as living with them

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Mon May 07, 2007 1:56 pm

5/4 SUCCESS (5/5, 5/6 S-Days, 9/21)

I took Shane camping Friday. Had to do the virtual plating thing. Shane and I are experienced enough with camping to know how to avoid some of the pitfalls that can spoil a camping trip. We knew the recent rains would mean wet firewood, so cooking over a campfire that night would be hard, if not impossible. That's why we packed sandwiches and chips and such. I had a large cold cut sandwich and a handful of Pringles. The whole meal fit on a large, flattened Ziplock Bag, so I judge it to be within my no-s rules. I really had a hard time turning down the cheddar brats and s'mores, though.
Several of my friends were there cooking on a gas grill (other experienced campers) and they had all of the guy food you can think of. Brats, thick hot dogs, Italian sausages, chicken, corn on the cob, etc. One of the group gave me a boost in fortitude without knowing it. He arrived at about the same time I did, so we pitched tents on the same site. We joined the rest of the group after we ate (he had a sandwich, as well) and he turned down food offers immediately. When they offered him a bratwurst, he said, "Boy those look good, but I just ate my dinner. Thanks, though." I was able to mirror his response without any guilt. It helped to reinforce the idea that it's OK to turn down food. I live in a part of the country where you simply don't do that. It is assumed that folks will offer to share their meal with you and you will accept. Luckily, these guys are a bit more understanding and stopped pressing the issue after a few "keeping your girlish figure" comments.

The weekend was pretty typical. Had seconds at dinner Saturday and dessert Sunday afternoon. I went for my morning run and it felt great, although a bit warm and humid because of the storm that just moved through.

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:37 am

You're the man! Way to go paulrone - pat yourself on the back for me, will ya?! Keep up the great work!!
mimi

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:47 pm

5/7 SUCCESS (10/21)

Thanks, Mimi! I really feel good about the recent changes I've made.

Eating this way has turned out to be much easier than I imagined. In the beginning, I wasn't sure if I could make this work, but it's going great.

Monday was a really normal day.

I believe I've overcome the urge to eat when things get stressful. At work, the corporate honchos are putting some real pressure on the sales team. They want to see better performance from us, and they are using veiled threats to "motivate" us. I've been downsized for just this type of thing in the past, so I'm stressed out and really nervous. On top of that, my wife is taking final exams to finish the first year of Radiology school, so I'm getting a lot of emotional overflow from her.

Through all of this, though, I've managed to find other things to help ease the tension. I don't turn to food for comfort. I've replaced it with a visit to a friend's house, a bike ride, tying flies (I'm a fly fisherman) and playing piano. These things are helping to calm my nerves and clear my head, plus there's no guilt afterword.

This is a big step for me. I grew up in a house with two overwieght parents where food was a source of comfort and happiness. I learned to use food improperly, so I've had to re-educate myself and establish new boundaries and habits. No-S is really for me.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Wed May 09, 2007 1:49 pm

5/8 SUCCESS (11/21)

This new way of not obsessing over food is working for me. I got on the scales this morning out of curiousity. I've dropped 1.8 lbs. That's great news!
I'm over halfway to my 21 day goal and that makes me happy. Once I get this new set of habits ingrained, I'm going to work on my exercise. I do try to exercise, but it seems to be pretty random lately. That will probably be my next goal. I want to get back into the habit of running 3 days per week and calesthenics on alternating days.

Jane · Post by **Jane** » Wed May 09, 2007 5:37 pm

Way to go!

I have the same problem with that darn exercise!

Jane

Jammin' Jan · Post by **Jammin' Jan** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:03 pm

Glad to hear you're a Weird Al fan! I've been exercising to his music for years.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Thu May 10, 2007 2:56 pm

5/9 SUCCESS (12/21)

I didn't eat enough for lunch. I really wanted something to eat about 2:30 pm, but I emptied my office of all snacks for this very reason, so I made it to dinner. Note to self: cole slaw and half a cup of leftover beef stew won't cut it.

Went fishing last night with Shane's Boy Scout Troop. That was a lot of fun. I really felt sad/angry with one boy. He is overweight and out of shape and prefers trying to reach level 32 on Mech Warriors than to get outside and do something. He was afraid to walk down a set of wooden stairs to get to the water's edge. I'm still waffling between sympathy for the boy and anger against his parents for depriving him of a full and active life.

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Thu May 10, 2007 3:53 pm

Round out your lunch with some fruit paulrone! I see the sad states of some children's lives every day - and it 's not just their health. That's why I strive to make my classroom a loving, nonjudgemental, and fun place to be while they're learning.
mimi

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Thu May 10, 2007 6:13 pm

Yeah. My wife bought bananas yesterday, so I'm set for fruit for the next few days.

As for Keith's family situation, it's hard on me. They always have an excuse for everything. They simply don't want to be involved with him. I just try to be available when he wants to talk.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Fri May 11, 2007 1:21 pm

5/10 SUCCESS (13/21)

Yesterday was really uneventful, thankfully. I needed the rest. Work has been a little hectic, but nothing I can't take in stride - I'll just have to lengthen my stride (time to visit the ministry of silly walks?).

Looking forward to the weekend. Making beef kabobs on the grill for Mother's Day. Maybe a strawberry cheesecake, too.

p.s.
Sorry for the Monty Python reference. Feeling a little goofy this Friday.

Jammin' Jan · Post by **Jammin' Jan** » Sat May 12, 2007 8:35 pm

I've never made strawberry cheesecake on the grill. Sounds interesting!

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Mon May 14, 2007 2:19 pm

It's a little drippy.
Make sure the grate is clean. Otherwise it will taste like chicken.
English lends itself so readily to ambiguity and abuse

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Mon May 14, 2007 2:59 pm

5/11 SUCCESS
5/12 S Day
5/13 S Day

(16/21)

Friday was very uneventful. It was a pretty normal day.

Saturday, I really didn't go all out on the whole s-day thing. I took Shane to the mall to shop for jeans and a Mother's Day gift for my wife. We ate at Chick-Fil-A for lunch, cuz I love those waffle fries, and I had a Powerade to drink. Boy, was it sweet. I had a handful of peanuts and a glass of lemonade while I watched the Formula One race in the afternoon. That's the extent of my Saturday S-day indulgences.

Mother's day was lots of fun. I made kabobs and cooked them on the grill, I made a big salad and shortcake for dessert.

I discovered something unexpected this weekend. Saturday, I stood in front of the pantry trying to decide what I wanted to snack on. In the past, it would probably have been pretzels, wheat thins, raisins and a sliced banana combined together for a snack mix, washed down with a can of soda. Not now. I opted for a handful of peanuts instead of the granola bars, graham crackers, or cookies available.

Sunday evening, I went to the kitchen to get an evening snack, just as I've always done. It's a habit, I suppose, Masterpiece Theatre and an evening snack. Usually a glass of lemonade and a small plate of cheese and crackers. Last night, I stood in the kitchen and thought to myself, "This is your last snack until next weekend, so you'd better make it a good one." As I scanned the pantry, I realized I really wasn't hungry and that I was eating just because I could. I don't know if I felt more like an idiot or a glutton. Anyway, I left the kitchen with only a glass of milk. My wife seemed a little surprised. I suppose my habits during the week are bleeding into the weekends, as well. That's a good thing, I think.

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:12 pm

I noticed the exact same thing paulrone. I think this is another hidden benefit of living a No S lifestyle. Whatever the explanation is, it works for me! Keep up your excellent work - can't wait to hear your results after your first 21 days!!!

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Tue May 15, 2007 2:11 pm

5/14 SUCCESS (17/21)

Thanks, mimi, I really appreciate knowing I'm not the only one who is experiencing this awesome side effect.

One of my coworkers brought in cupcakes left over from his son-in-laws college graduation party over the weekend. I wasn't even tempted, to be honest. I'm sure they were good, but no thanks, just the same.

I did about an hour of gardening last night. I needed to plant several things that have been growing in cardboard egg cartons and plastic cups. I think they're finally big enough to survive the rabbits and birds.

We planted lots of cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini (of course) and watermelon. It's not a big garden, but I enjoy what I do manage to produce from my meager plot.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:58 pm

5/15 SUCCESS (18/21)

Nothing to report today. Eating was normal, no temptations. It rained yesterday, so I didn't work in the garden, there wasn't anything good on TV last night, and work is cruising along like normal. The highlight of my day was probably giving Abby her piano lesson. I started teaching her when her piano teacher moved away. I didn't think it was a good idea, but so far, it's working out fine.

Going bowling tonight with the church kids. I don't like to bowl (I call it white trash polo), but it will be fun anyway, I'm sure.

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Wed May 16, 2007 2:57 pm

Hey, what do you know! I play piano too! That's my favorite way to pass some time away. That's wonderful that you are able to teach your daughter.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Wed May 16, 2007 5:51 pm

Until recently, I've had a love-hate relationship with that instrument. I started playing when I was 7 or 8. I played competitively all the way through high school, going to state finals several times. I can play just about any well-known classical piece by memory, but I hate it. I never learned anything I liked to play. Everything revolved around the next competition, so there was no time for Star Wars themes or pop music.

After I got married, my wife, who also plays, encouraged me to get back at it. She bought me a couple of books with music I might enjoy playing and I never looked back. I play every day and I play whatever I want.

My daughter is learning some of the classics and some of her personal favorites. Last night, we started two new songs: "Never My Love" by the Association and "Nocturne in C Minor" by Chopin.

It's good to know another Ivory Tickler!

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Thu May 17, 2007 1:39 pm

5/16 SUCCESS (19/21)

Almost there!

I am truly amazed at how something so simple can be so effective. Before No S, I would obsess over every little calorie. i would convince myself I was hungry just because I had 250 more calories I could eat, according to my diet plan.

Yesterday, I'm sure I didn't eat much at all. I had a bowl of cereal, milk and a banana for breakfast; rice, cauliflower and asparagus for lunch and a piece of quiche and a slice of cantaloupe for dinner. That's it! I can remember a time when eating like this would have psychologically beaten me down.

I can honestly say I feel good. I'm not as tired as I used to be and I have room in my life for something besides food. I used to be so preoccupied with it that it had an influence over just about every aspect of my life. Now I can think about other things, like gardening, landscaping, music, etc.

Today will be tough. Somebody brought in bagels to work from Panera Bread company. I love those bagels. I brought a slice of quiche and an apple for lunch, so I'm tempted to add a bagel to the plate. I'm not sure, though.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Fri May 18, 2007 1:58 pm

5/17 SUCCESS (20/21)

ALMOST THERE!

One more day to hit 21!

Thursday was tough. The bagels kept calling my name. My solution was to get a paper plate from the cabinet and put the apple and the quiche on it first, then the bagel to see if it would fit. It all fit just fine, so I didn't break any of my rules. Other than that, everything was fine.

We went to see Abby's class play, last night. They did a reader's theater sampling of Mark Twain stories. Abby was "Aunt Polly" from Tom Sawyer. It was fun to see and there were a lot of laughs.

I've decided to make exercise and activity my next 21 day goal. I plan to get a total of at least 1 hour of exercise and/or activity every weekday, and weekend work will be bonus. That may mean 30 minutes running in the morning and 30 minutes in the garden at night, 1 hour of walking, or 4 hours of fly fishing tomorrow

. (I can count fly fishing because standing in the current really wears on the legs after a while, and casting requires a good amount of stamina after about an hour.)

I'm calling it my 4th S - no slacking.

Today is day 21, wish me luck!

Post by **reinhard** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:04 pm

Hang in there!

You're so close... I hope having the goal so near in site will defend against those bagels.

From the mob of no-essers here on the board cheering you on in this final stretch,

Reinhard

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:43 pm

5/18 SUCCESS (21/21)

I did it! I feel really good about this. I think this is a successful change in my life. Saturday, I sat down with some peanuts and pretzels, but I didn't finish the snack. My body was telling my brain "no thanks, we're full." I consider that a victory. I've always had a problem hearing my body's full signal.

I'm also well on the way with my new 21 day challenge. I added no slacking to my No-S rules. I have a sedentary job, so I need to be active on my own time. I've been a runner for years, so I will keep with it as a primary source of exercise. I also have a vegetable garden and plenty of home improvement projects to keep me active.

Saturday and Sunday are still S-days, but I will most likely get plenty of exercise on those days, as well. I went fishing on Saturday, so there's three hours of moderate activity. My hips are a little sore from bracing my legs against a really strong current, and my back is slightly sore from fly casting because it was windy.

Total activity: 3.5 hours.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Tue May 22, 2007 2:18 pm

5/21 SUCCESS (3/21)

I ran 30 minutes in the a.m. and did 65 minutes of weeding in the garden and turning the compost (pee-yew!).
Total no-slacking time: 95 minutes.

Eating was fine, had to turn down the chocolate bar cookies with white chocolate chips at dinner. My wife said she would make something special for me this weekend.

Jammin' Jan · Post by **Jammin' Jan** » Wed May 23, 2007 12:16 am

Congrats on your success!!

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Wed May 23, 2007 1:53 pm

5/22 SUCCESS (4/21)

Thanks, Jan!

Eating was easy. Nothing unusual.

no slacking was a little tougher. I did about 20 minutes of calesthenics in the morning.

Didn't have much time in the evening, thanks to a very uncooperative 9 year old daughter whom I am attempting to teach piano. She just wasn't in the mood to listen. I wound up spending 40 minutes on the stationary bike while I watched TV. It was too dark outside to do much else. Still, I got my 60 minutes in.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Thu May 24, 2007 1:56 pm

5/23 SUCCESS (5/21)

Eating was normal, exercise was unusual. I ran for 40 minutes in the morning, then I moved all of my office furniture around to be more functional. This included sliding my desk and credenza around, crawling under the desk to remove/hook up my computer, etc.

Total no slacking (or slothfulness, as reinhard calls it in his podcast):
80 minutes.

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:53 am

I'm moving classrooms next week for the third time this year (our school is under construction and renovation!) Wish I had somebody to hook all my computers up - I have six of them! Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the S days! See you next week!!

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Fri May 25, 2007 1:40 pm

5/24 SUCCESS (6/21)

I woke up exhausted, so I didn't do any type of exercise in the morning. I did, however, walk to Bass Pro Shops to buy some more fly fishing gear. It's about 2 miles there and back plus the walking I did in the store. On the way home, I stopped to help a couple of guys push start their car. That was some hard work!

Total no slacking: 118 minutes.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Tue May 29, 2007 5:37 pm

5/25 SUCCESS
5/26-2/28 - S-days

So far, so good. Activity has been easy the last week, but today I woke up completely fatigued. I don't know what's going on, but I'm getting concerned. There's no reason to be feeling this way, but I do. I didn't exercise this morning, so I've got to do it tonight. I'm just so tired!

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 2:03 pm

Well, I'm not sure what hit me, but I have felt lousy all week. I can barely drag myself out of bed in the morning, I'm sleeping terribly, and I can't seem to energize myself during the day.

We're going to my in-laws' for their 50th anniversary party this weekend. I'm sure things will be fine, but I'm concerned about my self control. I know they are s-days, but I'm really trying to keep a lid on the amount of food I eat on the weekends as well as the weekdays.

I've decided to amend my new goal. I said before that I would try for an hour of activity every day, but life has a way of changing my plans for me. I'm going to follow a more predictable pattern of exercise to accomplish my weight loss goals.

Monday - Saturday: 40 minute am run
Tuesday, Thursday: 20-30 minutes pm calesthenics
Saturday: gardening (until done)

In addition to that, I'm going to rate my portion control each day as a success or failure based on whether I overload my plate.

See you Monday.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:33 pm

Sorry for the long delay in posting. It's been a really crazy time.

I have helped 3 out of 4 of my closest friends move away, one to Arkansas, one to Utah and one to California. I'm beginning to develop a complex about this.

I went to my in-laws' 50th anniversary party. It went really well, but it was a lot of work. I wound up sleeping in a tent down by the lake, since the house was full of senior relatives. It was nice at first, but the frogs and the whiporwhills kept me awake until the songbirds woke up.

I finally found a solution to the fatigue issue. I started taking St. John's Wort to get my Seratonin level in sync. I'm beginning to feel much better.

I've started jumping rope in addition to running. I really enjoy it. It isn't easy, though. Running is going well, but I'm not dropping any weight.

More tomorrow.

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:14 pm

Glad you're back Paulrone! We've missed you!

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:02 pm

I had a great experience last night. I picked up pizza for on the way home from work. I had my two pieces of pizza and a huge salad to fill the plate. When I finished that off and everyone else had eaten, there were four pieces of pizza left. I thought about how good that would be to have another slice, but then I realized I was full. Why would I eat more food if I was comfortably full? It was a small victory for me.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:27 pm

Had a good day yesterday. I have conquered my diet, but exercise is still hit and miss. I went on a bike ride with my son last night. We stayed out for about an hour. It was nice to ride and talk.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 1:45 pm

So, it's been two weeks since I posted last. I've had a couple of failures, but they weren't the all out binge-styled ones I used to have. I had some popcorn one night with my son while we watched TV, that sort of thing.

I've been so busy. Trying to run a scout troop, taking kids to summer programs early in the morning, etc. My wife got hired as a part-time assistant in the radiology department at one of the local hospitals. This will last until she finishes school in a year. Then she gets a full-time position in the same department. As a result, she has passed on several household duties to me.

I must admit, I'm a bit resentful. I worked full time and went to graduate school while doing my regular house work, but she thinks she doesn't have time. Being married to a liberated woman has its challenges, sometimes.

Enough venting. I need to work on my exercise routine. It just isn't happening any more. I wake up tired and I don't feel like doing my morning runs anymore. I haven't developed a plan to get things going again, so I guess that's my first step.

It feels good to be back. I noticed some new names, too. That's great!

Post by **reinhard** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 2:20 pm

Paul, belated congratulations on making it to 21!

Glad diet is still going well. As for exercise, I think the single most helpful thing is to commit to a regular (ideally week-daily) block of TIME, rather than any routine in particular. This gives you a routine for habit to work with even if as you experiment with different stuff over the years you change the actual exercises.

I hear you about domestic life... just had our second kid this month. It's great, but grueling

.

Reinhard

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 1:11 pm

That's a great idea, Reinhard. Currently, I have about half an hour in the morning. When the kids are finished with summer school later this month, I'll have about 45 minutes to an hour. I'll have to try to find some things to fit into this time slot.

For years, I've been in the mindset that if the exercise wasn't strenuous and intense, it was a waste of time. I've tried to convince myself otherwise, but it's a hard switch to make. I've considered walking for exercise, but it just doesn't seem like it will be effective. On the other hand, it's more likely to be consistent. Running is the type of thing I will do for a while, get bored and start finding excuses not to do it.

I just don't know yet.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:26 pm

GOOD NEWS! I dropped weight this week! I weighed last week and I had managed to shoot up to 199 from 196.8. Now I'm 196.0.

I've really been challenged to find my exercise. I tried to run, but the motivation just isn't there any more. I've started walking in the mornings and I like it, but it just doesn't seem that strenuous.

I've started shovelglove and I think it has potential for me. I do it while I watch TV and that seems to be working. My hammer is only 9 pounds, so I'm going to turn one of my barbells into a shovelglove. It's a three piece bar, so I just unscrew one end off of it, leaving the handle section and the other end where the weights go on. I put one star collar on, then the weight plate(s) and the other collar, which allows me to keep the weight near the end of the bar. I'll post some pics in the shovelglove threads some time, if you're interested.

I guess living a life of extremes is coming to an end for me. I'm resisting, but I know it will be good for me. No more extreme diets or extreme exercise. Just the moderate, healthy lifestyle I know I should be living. Heck, I'm even considering a Tai Chi class!

Jammin' Jan · Post by **Jammin' Jan** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:14 pm

Tai chi is a lot of fun. I highly recommend it.

paulrone · Post by **paulrone** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 4:00 pm

Hey, everybody!

I haven't been here in months, I know, but I've been so busy that it isn't funny. Since last year when I was active on this site, I've dropped 10 lbs, gained 15 (stoopid holidays

) and dropped seven, so I'm floating fairly close to where I was before I left.

I got promoted at work, so I've been working like a mad man. I'm in software sales, so slacking off shows up on the paycheck, and the current economic situation won't allow for that.

I quit running for good. Chondromalacia (chronic patello-femural knee pain) will do that, you know. So I'm a full time urban ranger and shugger now.

I was down with the flu over the weekend, and it gave me time to think. I realized that my life was WAY out of balance. My social support network (fancy way of saying friends) has dwindled to almost nothing. All of my lifelong friends have moved far away and I haven't been very diligent in making new ones. I also feel as though civility and quality of life has been subdued by this pervading attitude of trying to do/get it all. This is my first effort to change my life into what I want it to be.

I look forward to getting reacquainted with you all.

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:15 am

Welcome back paulrone! Sometimes it takes something like the flu to make us take the time to stop and reassess what we're doing (or not doing) with our lives. Whenever I get all caught up in the drama of my life and job, it's my weight that suffers! I guess I reach for food too often to ease some of the stress. And then I become consumed with the excess poundage...and then eventually panic sets in. The great thing about NoS is that it removes the thinking about food - what, and how much of the what, to eat. And when I can feel good about getting that under control, I have much more physical and mental energy for the rest. In the last year since I first joined, I have started and restared NoS at least 4 or 5 times because I keep letting other things pull me off track.
Here's a funny story for you since you brought up running...I recently ran my first 5k (the proceeds were going to Mid-Atlantic Wheelchair Athletic Assoc.) I allowed my daughter to talk me into it...anyway I ended up coming in 2nd in my age group and earning a plaque - but the hilarious part is, there were only two people in my age group! So, so much for my running career!!!
It will be good to see you on the boards again! Good luck!
mimi
P.S. I'm still taking piano lessons!

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