ksylvan's Journal

Okay, I'm starting to feel really sore now. :-) Especially in my left biceps and triceps areas.

I ate like a pig at the party yesterday, but I also got in 90 minutes on the elliptical in the afternoon, so I think it evens out.

We'll see in the next few days when I flush the extra salt out of my system.



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Very early this morning, I did my second 14 minute workout using the shovelglove.

Once again, it was hard and very satisfying. The hardest exercise for me is the Flip Lever on my left hand, but I can feel my left hand and arm/forearm muscles starting to get stronger already.

When I was at the hardware store looking at sledgehammers, I entertained the idea of grabbing the sixteen pounder instead of the ten pounder. Boy, am I glad I got the ten pound one! :-) Just the ten pound sledgehammer (about 13 pounds with the handle) is kicking my ass.

The thing about this exercise that appeals to me is that it involves whole-body involvement and engages my imagination. I can play out scenarios in my mind while I play with the sledgehammer. I am a pirate digging out a long-buried treasure. I am a pioneer (like from Little House on the Prairie) who is cutting down a tree to build a log cabin. Here I am, stuffing a cannon. etc. etc.

Today is the office Christmas Party.

I went to lunch with my wife at Erik's Deli and wanted to have a very low calorie option so I could eat a bit more this afternoon. I picked the Caesar's Salad. Then I looked it up: 630 calories?!? Oh well. I was hoping that it would be more like 200 or 300. I didn't even use any of the dressing or eat the croutons, so it's probably not that high, but I'll go with the higher calorie number.

So, now I am at 1100 and can use up about 500 more calories to keep to my daily target.

Anyways. Life is good.




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I've been pretty bored with free weights. Another set of bicep curls. Another set of tricep exercises. Yawn.

So, I'm adding a different set of exercises for my arms/back/abdominals, using the shovelglove.

I picked up a 10 pound sledgehammer and made it into a shovelglove; I have it at work and I'm about to go spend 15 minutes on a quick break to play with it. I intend to do as many reps of Shovel, Churn Butter, Chop Wood, Flip Lever and Hoist Sack in the 15 minutes as I can do.

I'll post more about this afterwards. :-)

Update: A lot harder than I thought. It was a nice workout. I broke a sweat and my muscles are definitely happy and warm and humming. I'm going to make this a daily 15 minute thing (before work, on most days, today was an anamoly).


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Wow.

I will be able to get myself that reward in the next week or two when I reach 155.

P.S. On Saturday, when I went to that party, I was able to wear jeans that I have not been able to get into for a few years.


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As a young adult, I read somewhere in a book by Vincent Norman Peale (I don't remember the title) the phrase that is atttributed to Dr. Emile Coue:


This sentence and the thoughts and philosophies attached to it affected me very deeply and it has been in the background of my thoughts since.

There are times when I am self-obsessed, self-critical, and nothing is ever good enough.

When that happens, if I remember, I can breathe a deep comforting breath then, and trust and believe in myself that I am doing the best I can... and repeat that phrase and its variations like my own private mantra.

It's very soothing and calming, to know that "Every day, in every way, I am betting better and better."

You too, every day, in every way, you are getting better and better.





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I weighed in at 157.8 this morning. Slow and steady progress, yay!

I'm delivering Boy Scouts popcorn all over the neighborhood today with my son. Then, later tonight, we all go to Mass.

I just made Tuna and Cheese Melts and Ham and Cheese Melts for everyone for lunch --- I'm the short order cook around here :-) --- but I didn't want to eat them myself. They looked good but would have felt too heavy and greasy to me (even though I minimized the grease factor as much as possible).

I'm going to eat a bowl of one of those hippie crunchy organic woo-woo cereals instead :-)

---Kayvan


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I had a blast! It was a Romance Writers group and we did a "White Elephant" gift exchange at the end; everyone had fun.

The food was all fried, battered, breaded treats (like jalapeno stuffed cheese, breaded and fried). I managed to eat lightly (found a pile of steamed vegetables) and mostly drink water. Eating a big breakfast really helped!

So, after the party, I am sitting at 970 calories out of my alottment of 1600. I'm very happy about that!


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I'll be attending a holiday party today from 10-2PM.

I plan on eating a big breakfast before I go so I can avoid empty high-calorie snacking.

Wish me luck!

---Kayvan


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I'm at work already. I plan to blow through my To Do list at work, then go and spend an hour or so in the exercise room. I'll probably do about 45 minutes on the elliptical and 30 or so minutes with weights.

I'll probably walk to the grocery store in the middle of the day since my cereal stash at work has been depleted.

Off to run through my work tasks!

Have a great Friday, everyone.

---Kayvan


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Two days ago, I was at 157.4. Yesterday I was at 158.4.

Today I was at 159.0 this morning, but I'm not worried.

I've been eating good food, my calories are well below maintenance and I'm exercising (at least 90 minutes of cardio every other day, with weights in between).

I feel healthier and slimmer, the scale numbers will eventually follow.

When I get to 155 I'm going to get my hair trimmed at this place. I've gone there before and I liked the atmosphere and the people.

---Kayvan



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