Posts by shane_paladin

Sara:  Excellent attitude.  That is really ironic that your parents fell in love in 3 dates.  I met my wife one evening at a party.  Called her in the middle of the next week (we lived 200 miles apart).  We dated 3 weekends, and then I proposed.  We waited about a year and got married.  Sometimes that works, but I am not certain what the odds are either way.  It is really nice that your parents have found people to date, and you are happy they are happy.  That is the way divorces ought to end--making everyone happy.  Best of luck in your theatre career! 

Laura:  Where are you?  The NBA is beginning to look wide-open afterall.  The Celtics and Lakers have their work cut out for them, if they want to meet in the finals. Hope you are well.

• weight:  171.4
• calories:
• exercise:

meals:

1. 4 pieces of trail mix bread = 608 calories
2. 2 whole eggs (140) + 2 pieces of light multigrain bread (90) = 230 calories
3. Ronzoni with veggies = 1410 calories
4. nofat, nosugar Jell-O chocolate pudding (210) + 3 cups skim milk (240) = 450 calories

• 12 oz Healthy Harvest whole wheat Ronzoni = 1080
• 2 14.5 oz cans of nosodium diced tomatoes = 175
• 1 cup diced orange bell peppers = 35
• 1 cup diced purple onions = 70
• 10 tbs. medium salsa = 50
• Total = 1410 calories

drinks:

1. 4 cups black coffee
2. 1 glass of water

exercise:

1. 31 minutes heavy bag
2. walk to grocery store (11:30; 86 calories burned)
3.     from grocery store(12:20; 105 calories burned) total 24 minutes (191 calories burned)
4. 70 minute brisk walk around HS track (calories burned 714) 43° F

First, congratulations.  What you have done is extremely impressive.  You made a significant commitment to lose weight.  I highly commend you for your doing that.

At 6' 3" and 165-175, I would think you are underweight.  I am 6' 0" and 168-173; and I am quite slender with a body fat% of 8.9%. I am wondering how you came to decide that your best weight is as low as 165.  

I am wondering if you should not be doing the following:

• Increase your calorie intake to at least 2000 a day (or more), every day on average. 
• Have a good high protein breakfast to start the day and get your metabolism going.
• Make sure you have a good formula for protein-carbs-fat.
• Eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day; eat healthy foods for the most part.
• Do a sensible amount of exercise.  One way to eat more and not gain, is simply to exercise a bit more. 
• Drink plenty of water and juice in place of diet sodas and coffee, although a cup or two of coffee or an occasional diet soda is probably not going to affect you negatively.

Chrissy:  I think your ab program looks great.  But you are wrong about planks.  I've never met a fitness expert who didn't think, when done correctly, that planks are not beneficial for one's abs.  But your workout seems really good.  Go for it!  When you get your 6-pack, put a photo in your Gallery.

• weight:  170.2
• calories: 3125
• exercise: 204

meals:

1. 3 pieces of trail mix bread = 456 calories
2. 12 oz. steamed long pod green beans (80) + 2/3rds cup Weight Watchers Mexican cheese (160) = 240 calories  (These green beans are so good, it blows me away--I don't like the price, though, at $2.89 per 12 oz. package.
3. Jell-O nofat, nosugar cheesecake pudding (100) + 2 cups skim milk (160) = 260 calories
4. Veggie pizza = 1204 calories
5. 12 oz steamed long pod green beans = 80 calories
6. 3 baked sliced apples (300), 2 tbs. maple syrup (100), cinnamon (5), 1 cup french vanilla ice cream (480) = 885 calories

• homemade whole-wheat pizza crust = 568 calories
• 2 14.5 oz cans of no-sodium diced tomaotes = 175
• 8 tbs. medium salsa = 40
• 1 cup diced mushrooms = 16
• 1 cup diced purple onions = 70
• 1 cup diced orange bell pepper = 35
• 10 tbs. grated 3-cheese = 300
• Total calories = 1204

drinks:

1. 2 glasses of water
2. 6 cups black coffee
3. 2 glasses diet A&W

exercise:

1. 24 minute walk to and from grocery store.
2. 15 minutes of abs
3. 65 minute walk about the town (41° F with some moisture in the air)
4. 60 minutes stationary bike (17.82 mph; 581 calories burned)
5. 40 minutes weights--biceps, triceps, hand grips

Name.......8/17......8/24.....8/31.......9/7. .....9/ 14.....9/21....9/28....10/05....10/12...10/19

...............10/26...11/02....11/09....11/1 6.......11/23

Paladin...178.......167.4....169.2.....169.2. ...168.2 . .165.6...168.4....169......178....169.6..

................169.6...171.6....165.0....169 .6.....

Tomato...121........119......121.......120... .....120 ... ..120......120.....120.......120......118....

.................120.....120.......121......1 20........

Jazz1979..................................... ..............120......121......120... ....121.....119......118...

.................117.....115.......116....... 117........

Aj.............127.5..127.2.....127.2....129. ........127.. ...129......129........128.................12 9

............................................. .....................

Karey:  I'm not the kind of person who gets bored, actually.  Even when riding the bike or walking, if I don't have music or the TV to listen to, I have a very active, wild imagination.  No, since diet-exercise is my hobby, I have Bookmarked (made Favorites) many sites about health: calculators, healthiest foods, calories in foods, calories burned in exercising, exercising programs, etc.

Sara:  I think being involved with theater, whether it is college, community, professional, etc. is a great way to have fun, express oneself, and meet great people.  Go for it!  I am sorry to learn of your parents' divorce, but wish you and them the best in all of you staying on good terms.  The one thing I would tell all you young people is that no matter how much two people love each other, through the  years, compromises and giving-in at times are necessary if the marriage is to last all the way.  It is not easy always, but certainly it can be done.  I think in these modern times with so many economic woes, couples do not have an easy time.  I don't blame any couple for getting a divorce because life is such an uncertain journey.

I have been very lucky, but my mother was married three times, one brother was married three times, another brother was married twice, and one sister was divorced four times (yes, 4).  So I know about divorce.  I always hope in the cases of divorce that somehow the children can adjust and feel good about the parents.

Chrissy:  My cinnamon dessert/pasty/roll of choice would be one that a pizza place like Pizza Hut or Valentinos (a Midwestern pizza chain) offers.  It basically is deep dish pizza crust covered with a frosting of sorts with cinnamon.  I could eat an whole pizza or two of just those cinnamon pizzas.

Eva:  I like carrying heavy sacks of groceries home because I always tell myself I am burning more calories.  LOL

I walked to the grocery store and carried home a 20 lb. turkey.  LOL My arms were tired when I got home.  It is around a 25 minute walk round-trip.

Chrissy:  Will your ex's folks have a traditional meal with turkey and all the trimmings?  Will you eat the main meal, too?   I am going to cook a 20 lb. turkey early Thanksgiving morning, my wife will make whatever trimmings she wants (such as Stove Top dressing if she wants), I will make gravy and only have whole light whole wheat bread, turkey, and gravy--and maybe corn.  I will clean the bird, then, and dice and freeze some.  I will save some turkey so my wife can make her scrumpdillylicious turkey-noodle soup.  I will probably save some, too, for my veggie-bean soup.  I plan to watch football much of the day.

How about the rest of you?

• weight: 173.0 (Actually, not quite as heavy as I thought it would be.)
• calories: 2080
• exercise: 171 minutes

meals:

1. 1/2 cup steel-cut oats uncooked (300), 1/4th cup skim milk (20), 1 tb. maple syrup (50) = 370 calories
2. 2 thin multi-grain buns (200) + 2 Laughing Cow light cheese wedges (70) = 270 calories
3. 1 4.25 oz. Symphony toffee candy-bar = 600 calories
4. 8 egg whites (128), 1 tb. grated 3-cheese (30), 2 tbs. real bacon bits (60), powdered garlic (14) = 232 calories
5. 4 pieces of trail mix bread = 608 calories

Trail mix Bread:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (800)
• 1 and 1/2 cups skim milk (120)
• 4 tbs. honey (200)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (4)
• 4 large egg yolks (216)
• 1 cup milled flax seed (480)
• Total calories = 1820
• 9 X 13 glass baking dish 12 pieces; @ piece = 152 calories

drinks:

1. 6 cups black coffee
2. 3 glasses water

exercise:

1. 62 minute brisk walk around HS track in T-shirt and jeans (53° F)
2. 24 minute walk to grocery store and back--carried home a 20-lb. turkey; my arms were tired by the time I got home.
3. 25 minute walk to Dollar General and back
4. 60 minutes stationary bike (18.21 mph; 628 calorie burn)

Chrissy:  My wife is a little insecure about her weight, mainly because I have chosen diet/exercise as my hobby and so many people remark about my healthier appearance.  Of course, I think my wife needs to lose weight; but of course I love her very much.  If something would happen to her, I would never date anyone ever again.  I love looking at attractive women like Megan Fox, Nicole Kidman, Julienne Hough, Carrie Underwood, etc.  But I have always enjoyed that.  I "see" nothing wrong with that--I think it is very healthy, in fact.  My wife's favorite movie stars/TV stars were/are  Tom Selleck, Michael Landon, Tony Shalhoub, etc. etc.  They were/are handsome men; I have never felt uncomfortable that she likes looking at handsome men, stars or otherwise. 

When you find Mr. Right, you will also realize that "attractiveness" is much more a state of mind than physical appearance only.  My view has not changed about her, because unlike my three children (all stil very active as far as working out, running, etc) and me, my wife has never been involved with athletics and I have always accepted that.  It is difficult to explain love, but when two people live together for X number of years, the bond is so strong that it is never broken, even in death.

• weight:  170.2
• calories: 5227  (Hmmmmmm...maybe I should sleep in and forget to weigh tomorrow morning.  LOL)
• exercise: 93 minutes

meals:

1. 2 thin whole-grain buns (200) + 2 light Laughing Cow wedges (70) = 270 calories
2. 4 slices light multi-grain bread (180) + 2 light Laughing Cow wedges (70) = 250 calories
3. 4 cups of homemade veggie-bean soup (198 @ cup) = 792 calories
4. turkey (660) + gravy (150) = 810 calories
5. 1 lb. baby carrots (175) + 6 tbs. Mrs. Ott's nonfat dressing (90) = 265 calories
6. 4 tbs. Smart Balance light butter spread (180) + 2 tbs. evoo (240) + 10 tbs. popcorn (400) = 820 calories
7. crackers (280) + 4 light Laughing Cow wedges (150) = 430 calories
8. 1 cup brazil nuts, chocolate dusted almonds, raw almonds = 680 calories

drinks:

1. 3 glasses water
2. 1 10 oz. glass of apple juice = 140 calories
3. 6 cups black coffee
4. 7 cans BLB = 770 calories

exercise:

1. 38 minute walk around HS track (350 calories burned); 52° F--still T-shirt weather, but those days are coming to an end.
2. 40 minute walk around HS track (368 calories burned), 55° F--nice but a slight chill in the air, nonetheless
3. 15 minutes abs

Definitely, if you are spending that much each day, for the month you would be spending more than I do.  When I go to Wally World, I buy large numbers of things I eat a lot of such as beans, salmon, etc.  Then I look for bargains at our local grocery store and buy a lot of certain items that I can keep on shelves or in the freezer for a few weeks.  If I see 93% lean ground beef on sale or a large turkey for $.69 a pound, I will buy the meat and cook it and dice it up to freeze or just freeze it right away.

Eva:  It won't be easy for me to give up all aspartame foods, so I won't try.  But I know I will cut way back on them.  (I am partial to werewolves.  I hate Vampires, even vegetarian vampires.  When the full moon comes out, who know where I will be roaming looking for blood-suckers.  It was with horror that I watched the Underworld movies.  They rang too close to the truth.  I know my kind is doomed, but before we are eradicated, the vicious vampires of the world should take note--we will flood the earth with their noxious blood.  LOL!)

Very sorry to learn about your losing your pet.  I can see where that would way on your sleep.

Every single one of you is doing great!  It is really neat and inspiring how you all have accepted the challenge and encourage each other. I am even encouraged, and I am not even doing the challenge.  I plan to start doing push-ups one of these days, if I can convince myself they won't bother my shoulders enough to make me quit doing lifting again.

G O !  T E A M !  G O !

Your rice pudding would be more healthy than the one I made.  I used nosugar, nofat Jello Banana Cream pudding that contains aspartame.  Once I eat and drink up all my aspartame stuff (I know I could throw them away--but I won't), I am definitely going to cut way back on it.  Meanwhile, I am continuing to research aspartame, but it is so difficult to find unbiased reporting about it.  I am glad you did not put raisins in your rice pudding, since although I will eat golden raisins in trail mix and in dried fruit mixes, I hate most raisins. 

I do make a healthy, good lower-calorie pie crust out of whole-wheat flour, extra virgin olive oil, corn starch, and water.  I am surprised as to how crispy it comes out, similar to the premade graham cracker crusts one can buy.