Resolutions - Day 70 - Week 10

Down to 208 pounds. Another good loss for the week.

I am beginning to wonder if it is possible for me to fail at weight loss. Not to make light of the difficulty people have losing weight, but this week I cheated. A lot. Especially Saturday and Sunday. Yesterday I had part of a muffin, 3 peanut butter cups, and a bunch of cheezie-like things that the Wife got for K. Is it really this easy? 

My mother struggled with weight loss for years. Can just cutting down on carbs and exercising 3 times a week really allow you to lose 3 pounds a week? 

When I first tried this Atkins diet last year, I lost 15 pounds in 2 weeks with no exercise. However,  I very strictly followed it. Now I am not so strict, but have added 30 minutes of cardio, 3 times a week, with about 30 minutes of weight training with it. 

Were the last 40 years of diet information from the medical profession a lie? Is it true that calories are not the enemy, only certain calories? 

If that is true, a huge lie has been perpetrated on the public for years. I am skeptical about everything that comes from the government, but if the medical profession and the Canada Food Guide can be so wrong, who can be trusted?

Resolutions - Day 63 - Week 9

Another big change this week. Down to 211 pounds, four more lost since last week.

I am very happy with that. Three weeks into the middle phase and I am almost half way to this goal. Everything is on track.

I am a bit surprised, as my workout schedule is still being interrupted on a regular basis. Also, I have not modified my diet. I took the Atkins 2 week induction portion (from an old book, 1992) and did not bother to read how the diet is modified after the first 2 weeks. I have a new book coming, Good Calories, Bad Calories, which should give me a better and more up to date plan on what I should eat. 


Still on track, so things can't be too bad.

J is Home

No problems at the hospital. She was good all night and she is now home with us and resting on the couch and eating her lunch. It's good to have the family where they are supposed to be.

We are going out to eat tonight to celebrate.

Home from the Hospital?

I am about to go to the hospital to see if J is ready to go home. 

She was off her CPAP/BIPAP all day yesterday and last night. If she did well, they will discuss it at rounds and send her home right after. I am very confident she will be coming home today as they were sending signs. Yesterday, when she was off the CPAP machine, they sent it out to be cleaned. That is not something you do if you expect the patient has a chance of needing it again. (Keeping things clean is especially important in J's case, as she is positive for MRSA, which is a superbug, resistant to many drugs. Her room has to be sterilized before someone else can use it. Being positive is not a big deal, apparently half of everyone has this bug on their body, but they need to be careful at the hospital, as they are trying to control it and minimise its spread.)

Fingers crossed.

Weight Loss Exercise Plan

Here is the exercise plan I am following in conjunction with my diet. Key components of the plan are to improve my cardio and include some moderate to heavy weight training to improve my strength. I also include some yoga, because I used to enjoy it and I wanted to improve my flexibility. I use a 5 day plan because that works best with my daily routine. Due to commitments with the kids, I usually miss at least 1 workout per week.


Monday - 30 mins cardio; weight training: chest and back
Tuesday - Yoga
Wednesday - 30 mins cardio; weight training - legs
Thursday - 30 mins cardio; weight training - arms and shoulders
Friday -swim; recovery

My weight loss goals can be found here.

Another Great Column by Andrew Coyne

Where has conservatism gone? By Andrew Coyne

Hospital Update

J is doing well. She is still on Bipap, but they are trialing her off it 2-3 hours at a time, three times per day. They increased the hours today, so it looks like she might get out of there soon.

I really miss saying goodnight and putting her down to bed. I am hoping they will move her off of the PICU to the normal floor, so that I can stay overnight.

Resolutions - Day 56 - Week 8

No change this week. Still 215 pounds.


I guess I am happy with that. I thought the drop was a lot last week so I was concerned that I would not be able to maintain it. Also, J had to go into the hospital on Thursday, so that cut into my workout plan. Things are looking better and she will be out soon, I hope. 


So, not much to tell this week. Lucky not to gain, and need to ensure continued exercise continue to lose. I am not happy with my diet, I think Atkins is limited and there is more information available now. My book has not arrived yet, but I think it will address this and I hope I can set a bit of a stronger and more effective diet when it does.

Weight Loss Goals

The following is a timeline of my weight loss goals:

Stats: Age - 42, Height 6 ft, Starting Weight 228 pounds


220 pounds by Week 6 - Initial Goal (6 weeks to go from my starting weight)
200 pounds by Week 14 - Mid Goal (8 weeks to lose 20 pounds)
180 pounds by Week 22 - Ultimate Goal (8 weeks to lose 20 pounds)


This plan includes an Atkins type of diet and regular exercise (at least 30 mins of cardio 3 times a week and some weight training). 

The first goal was made to be a bit easy, to allow me to have the feeling of success and to ensure my goals were realistic. The second goal might be a bit ambitious. If I am able to meet the second goal, it will be the first time in at least 10 years (probably closer to 15 years) I will have been below 200 pounds. Anything after 200 pounds is gravy. I would be happy to be sitting at 185 at the end of this.

So far, my plan seems to be reasonable. I think I have set myself up for success.

Blog Designs

If you visit this blog on a regular basis, you will have noticed a number of changes in the colours, etc, over the last little while. I am trying to get a colour/style that I like. Unfortunately, I stink at that type of thing.


If anyone knows something about colours or blog design and wants to give advice, please leave a comment. It will be much appreciated.

Resolutions - Day 49 - Week 7

Big change this week. Down to 215, so I lost 4 pounds. Thirteen pounds lost in total since I started.

I was dreading today. I was sure I gained weight this week. I did some cheating and did not work out once. Life got in the way, including the kids school, dentist appointments, etc.

I do feel that I have reached a turning point in the diet in the last week or so. I am less interested in eating. It used to be the most enjoyable thing in my life, but with the restrictions on some of my most favourite foods, I am less interested. Even with the cheating, I am eating a lot less of the "bad" calories than before. Stealing a few crackers or candies from your kid is still a lot better than having the licence to gorge yourself on that stuff.

As I mentioned in last weeks post, my next goal is to lose 20 pounds in the next 8 weeks. I want to be down to 200 pounds by week 14. I am already 1/4 of the way there in one week. When I made this mid goal, I thought it would be difficult to achieve it. Although I don't think I can keep up the present pace (4-5 pounds per week) this goal may be reachable.

Back in the Hospital

J has been in the hospital for the past week. 

It is not as bad as last time, but he left lung is collapsed and she had a lot of mucus in that lung. She has not been intubated, so that is good and means that she may be out sooner. She has shown some improvement in the last few days, and, in my view, she seems like her old self. However, that lung needs to inflate, and the going seems to be very slow. 

Not much we can do but wait for her to get better. I had hoped that it would only be a week, but that is not going to happen. I think 1-2 weeks more.