Day 131

Today was an okay day.  One thing I've noticed is that in the past week I've cut down on my caffeine intake a little bit (more due to having some bottles of soda rather than cans, so I drink a little less as the cans are "easier" to drink multiples of).  Unfortunately I noticed today that I'm crashing a little faster in the mornings, feeling more tired, etc.  I think I might be going through withdrawal a bit, which worries me as it must mean I have been drinking way too much caffeine lately.  Not sure if it'll play much of a role on the diet, other than tempting me to snack a bit more.

Food today:  egg and cheese sandwich again (300 calories), PB&J (600 calories), snacks included some chips with a couple Rolo's (200 calories), dinner was penne, sauce and garlic toast again (1000 calories), exercise was a lunch time walk (100 calories) and 50 minutes on the treadmill (718 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 2100
Exercise: 818
Points Earned: 1718
Total Points Earned:  153396
Points to go:  46604

Day 130

Tuesday was a pretty good day, but I ate a bit too much as the day wore on.  It was another stair-climbing day and I did 187 flights of stairs (split between up and down).  The best part is that meant I was number 1 in the office for the second day in a row.  My standing still has more to do with one of the top people not participating, but still...number 1!  That evening I hit the gym, and then went out to a Team Challenge info meeting.  Afterwards we got dinner out, and that's when I had a bit too much to eat.

All in all a pretty positive day.  Food:  egg and cheese for breakfast (300 calories), PB&J for lunch (600 calories), some chips and candy as snacks (250 calories), fish & chips for dinner (1200 calories).  Exercise was stair climbing (160 calories), a lunchtime walk (100 calories) and running for 45 minutes (640 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 2350
Exercise: 900
Points Earned: 1550
Total Points Earned:  151678
Points to go:  48322

Day 127 to 129

This past weekend ended up being a little bit bad for me.  Not so much on the food eaten, but because I didn't exercise for three days.  Obviously not a recipe for success, and it may get worse over the next two days as well.  One thing I did do successfully however is make sure to mostly keep the food I ate balanced.  So while I had big lunches on Saturday and Sunday, I also had correspondingly small dinners.  That kept things on track, even without the exercise I should have made time for.

Food on Saturday was an egg and cheese for breakfast (300 calories), fried chicken at lunch (1200 calories), and another egg and cheese for dinner (300 calories), snacks added up to another 200 calories.  On Sunday I slept late, then went out to 5 Guys for lunch (2000 calories), later in the evening I had a granola bar as a snack (100 calories).  Monday wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.  I had egg and cheese for breakfast (300 calories) and PB&J for lunch (600 calories), snacks were bad though with 300 calories of candy, and pasta and garlic toast for dinner (1000 calories).

Results:

Total Points Earned:  150128
Points to go:  49872

Day 126

Friday was a little less intense, but I was a little proud of myself at dinner time.  Every other Friday we get a 45 minute lunch instead of the usual half-hour.  Largely unofficial of course, but it gives us time to go out and have a sit-down lunch rather than running out, grabbing a sandwich and bringing it back.  Today we picked a decent place we've eaten at before called ROI ( http://theroiprov.com/ ).  The food's decent, the atmosphere at lunch is nice, and it's in a different direction than most of the restaurants near work which means we don't often have to see co-workers.  All in all I had a bigger lunch than normal.  However at dinner time, I was able to choose to eat a small meal instead.  Two years ago I would have simply eaten something big and not worried about it.  Now I actually thought to balance out the big meal.  A small accomplishment, but an accomplishment nonetheless.


Food today:  egg and cheese sandwich (300 calories), burger and fries for lunch (1200 calories), snacks were some M&M's (150 calories), dinner was another egg and cheese (300 calories).  Exercise was 50 minutes on the treadmill (701 calories).
Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 1950
Exercise: 701
Points Earned: 1751
Total Points Earned:  147428
Points to go:  52572

Day 125

Thursday went pretty well for the day all things considered.  In the morning I did my Thursday stair-climbing for the contest at work.  My department won the day as a whole, but even cooler, I was the day's #1 participant.  Admittedly that was partially because the other folks who had scored the highest for the last three days all ended up missing their stair climbs for the day.  Still I'm willing to take the win.  In 15 minutes I went up and down 184 flights of stairs!  That's a total of 2024 stairs, split evenly between going up and down.

Food for the day:  egg and cheese for breakfast (300 calories), PB&J for lunch (600 calories), dinner was penne, sauce and garlic toast (1000 calories), snacks included some chips and M&M's (250 calories).  Exercise was the stair climbing (160 calories), a lunch time walk (100 calories), and a kickboxing class (500 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 2150
Exercise: 760
Points Earned: 1610
Total Points Earned:  145677
Points to go:  54323

Day 124

Well, on the one hand today wasn't a great exercise day.  On the other hand that was largely because I had our first informational meeting for Team Challenge after work.  We've started a Rhode Island chapter for the fall season and we're going to be running a half-marathon on the Strip in Vegas!  So while I didn't get exercise myself, I'm getting set up for a lot more down the line.

Getting back into the swing of weekly long runs is going to be nice.  Even nicer is going to be the fact that I won't need to drive an hour to and from practice every week.  Team Challenge remains one of the best experiences I've ever done, and I'm really excited to be a mentor this season.  Of course I'd also like to cut some more time off my half-marathon pace.  We'll have to see how we do with that.

Food today:  egg and cheese for breakfast (300 calories), PB&J for lunch (600 calories), snacks were some chips and a few cheese-its (250 calories), dinner was a steak and cheese with the leftovers from yesterday (1000 calories).  Exercise was a lunch time walk (100 calories).


Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 2150
Exercise: 100
Points Earned: 950
Total Points Earned:  144067
Points to go:  55933

Day 123

Tuesday was a great day for exercise, though that came with a few more calories than needed.  I've mostly settled into a groove, and that's showing in my weight measurements.  I didn't lose weight since the last weigh-in, but I also didn't really gain weight either.  I seem to mostly be settling into this weight.  So since my goal is to keep losing it, I may need to make some more significant changes for the first time on the diet.

Weigh-in result:  199.8 pounds

Food today:  peanut butter and toast for breakfast (400 calories), a PB&J for lunch (500 calories), snacks were a few pieces of candy and a Capri Sun juicebox after stair climbing (300 calories), dinner was a homemade steak and cheese sandwich (1000 calories).  Exercise was stair climbing at work, a walk at lunch and 45 minutes on the treadmill (873 calories total).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 2200
Exercise: 873
Points Earned: 1673
Total Points Earned:  143117
Points to go:  56883

Day 122

Monday got me back on track again, though it's pretty obvious I still have a lot of work to do if I want to hit my stretch goal of 180 pounds.  I seem to have settled into a weight range and I will need to figure out ways to get ahead.  There's obvious changes that could be made (in other words, not going to 5 Guys or other restaurants), and I could cut portion sizes a bit.  Unfortunately at some level that requires as much a change as the entire diet has done up until now.  The one thing I do know is that exercise by itself is probably not going to be enough, as I already have stretched out my workouts and while I will continue to do so there's only so much free time to spend on it.

Food today:  skipped breakfast as I didn't have a complete meal in the house, at work I had a 6-inch meatball sub for lunch with chips (750 calories), snacks through the day involved a few M&M's and a granola bar (200 calories), dinner was penne, sauce and garlic toast (1000 calories).  Exercise on the day was an hour at kickboxing, plus some push-ups and weight work at various points during the day (500 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 1950
Exercise: 500
Points Earned: 1550
Total Points Earned:  141444
Points to go:  58556

Day 121

Today really wasn't a good day.  I let myself get careless this week, and thanks to a busy schedule, didn't even exercise on the day.  Starting on Monday we're going to have to get back on track.  Food today:  peanut butter and english muffin for breakfast (300 calories), burger and fries for lunch (2000 calories), pizza at dinner (700 calories).  No exercise.

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 3000
Exercise: 0
Points Earned: 0
Total Points Earned:  139894
Points to go:  60106

Day 120

Saturday was slated for hanging out with friends all day, and as such resulted in a little higher calories than I would have wanted.  Pizza and chips were the main meal of the day, but I did get to the gym and keep the rest of my food for the day on the light side.  So no major challenges, but also no major successes on the day.  The important point though was that I was able to keep up the focus on the diet.  Even if I didn't gain much ground, I also didn't really lose any either.

Food:  english muffin with peanut butter and milk for both breakfast and dinner (600 calories total), lunch was some cheese pizza (1000 calories), snacks were several handfuls of chips during the day (700 calories).  Exercise was 50 minutes on the treadmill (682 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 2300
Exercise: 682
Points Earned: 1382
Total Points Earned:  139894
Points to go:  60106

Day 119

It's always funny how little things can throw off your diet and exercise plans.  In my case yesterday we got hit with a major rainstorm right as I was leaving work.  My plan for the day had been to go to the gym, then head home and try and make a dinner with a slightly smaller calorie count than normal.  Instead having to bike home through a monsoon wrecked that.  I was soaked to the skin within a few moments, and I simply skipped the gym as a result (my gym clothes were also soaked, though slightly less so, in my backpack).  After getting home I needed comfort food so I made pasta rather than the smaller alternatives I'd been considering.

The day wasn't really a total loss.  After all, a year ago comfort food meant burgers and fries, a 2000+ calorie portion of spaghetti and meat sauce, or some other equally unhealthy food.  The fact that comfort food now means, "carbs, but not a ton of them" is almost certainly a good thing.

Food on Friday:  english muffin with peanut butter and milk (trying to make some alternatives to the egg and cheese sandwich, this one I kind of like, 300 calories).  Turkey sandwich (500 calories), snack was a homemade cupcake that someone brought to work (250 calories), and dinner was penne, sauce and garlic toast (1000 calories).  I did manage to get two walks in at work (200 calories total) for exercise.

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 2050
Exercise: 200
Points Earned: 1150
Total Points Earned:  138512
Points to go:  61488

Day 118

So we've started a new wellness challenge at work.  It's a competition between the two main divisions at work to see who can climb the most flights of stairs during a 15 minute break.  It's a fun event, and a significant portion of the office is participating but climbing stairs is exhausting.  By the time I was done with my 15 minutes I was soaked in sweat.  The disappointing part though is that 15 minutes only tracks out to around 160 calories.  During that time though I did 159 flights of stairs (a flight is about 11 stairs at work).

Food today:  toasted roll for breakfast (200 calories), turkey sandwich for lunch (500 calories), snacks were a few mini-peanut butter cups and a slice of cheese at points in the day (250 calories), dinner was penne, sauce and garlic toast (1000 calories).  Exercise was the stair climbing, a lunch time walk and kickboxing (760 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 1950
Exercise: 760
Points Earned: 1810
Total Points Earned:  137362
Points to go:  62638

Day 117

After Tuesday turned out to be pretty bad, Wednesday's focus was on being good.  It mostly worked, though I did end up getting an unnecessary snack at one point in order to break a $20 bill.  No major challenges on the day, but still am going to need to make some changes if I want to start doing more with my diet.

Food today:  toasted roll for breakfast (200 calories), turkey sandwich for lunch (500 calories), and a smaller portion than normal of salmon, rice and green beans (700 calories).  Snacks included a bag of chips and M&M's (300 calories).  Exercise was a lunch time walk and 50 minutes on the treadmill (762 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total: 1700
Exercise: 762
Points Earned: 2062
Total Points Earned:  135552
Points to go:  64448

Day 116

Tuesday was just a bad day.  Felt like crap most of the day, then had errands and stuff later in the day.  I also ended up eating too much as I chose to go to 5 Guys both to feel a bit better, and to celebrate the success of the 21 day challenge.  Unfortunately that ended up with the worst day since October.

Food on Tuesday:  egg and cheese for breakfast (300 calories), lunch was a roll and some chips (700 calories), dinner was 5 guys (2000 calories).  There was no exercise unfortunately on the day.

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total:  3000
Exercise: 0
Points Earned: 0
Total Points Earned:  133490
Points to go:  66510

Day 115

So as planned, I got the reward for the second challenge a little early since the mini-challenge (oddly appropriate name, since the prize was a Mini Cooper) worked out so well.  All in all it's been a pretty awesome run, and I still have two months or so to go before I finish this challenge.  I'm really curious where I'm going to be at on October 19.  That's going to be the one year mark and is going to really be an interesting chance to see how much has changed.  That's probably when I'll end up doing the always fun "look at the clothes I used to wear" photo.

Food today:  egg and cheese for breakfast (300 calories), turkey sandwich for lunch (500 calories), pasta and garlic toast for dinner (1000 calories).  Snacks were a little high again with some M&M's and a granola bar (call it 250 calories).  Exercise was a lunch time walk and kickboxing (600 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total:  2050
Exercise: 600
Points Earned: 1550
Total Points Earned:  133490
Points to go:  66510

Day 114

So with the 21 day challenge done, I wouldn't be surprised to have a bit of a cheat day come along.  Technically today involved a bit more food than I should have eaten, but as is often the case on Sundays that had to do with baking bread.  I've had a few cravings this summer, and it's actually kind of impressive to me that I haven't gotten caught up in them yet.  Other than an ice cream bar at work one day I've had no ice cream.  Some of the other summer foods have had little or no play in my eating habits this summer (frozen lemonade, clam cakes, grilled foods, etc).  Part of it is lack of opportunity, but in a real sense a lot of it has come from a change both in my habits but also my cravings.  So in that regard I should probably thank 5 Guys.  If I wasn't so busy craving their food, I might be having a harder time resisting other stuff.

Food today:  egg and cheese for breakfast (300 calories), a cheeseburger on a homemade roll for lunch (700 calories), steak, noodles and green beans for dinner (1000 calories), snacks included a couple other rolls (400 calories).  Exercise was 45 minutes on the treadmill, with the speed starting to edge up (611 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total:  2400
Exercise: 611
Points Earned: 1211
Total Points Earned:  131940
Points to go:  68060

Three Week Challenge (Day 21) Final Results:
Average Points: 1501
Missed Posts:  1

Day 113

So for all intents and purposes I locked up the 21 day challenge yesterday.  As a result today was the day I went out to get the new car.  It's pretty awesome.  The craziest part, five years ago I probably wouldn't have fit comfortably, now I totally do.  This weight loss really has brought a lot of changes to my life and this new car is one more positive.

Food today:  egg and cheese sandwich (300 calories), no lunch as I was busy all day, dinner was at Gilette and I got chicken tenders and fries with a soda (1200 calories), also had some cheese as a snack at home (100 calories).  Exercise was a 2-3 mile round trip walk into and out of the stadium (200 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total:  1600
Exercise: 200
Points Earned: 1600
Total Points Earned:  130729
Points to go:  69271

Three Week Challenge (Day 20):
Average Points: 1515
Missed Posts:  1

Day 112

Was watching the Olympics today, and it's always fascinating to see how different Olympic caliber athletes perform compared to the rest of us.  I can run at a reasonable clip, for a reasonable distance, but watching Olympic sprinters is something completely different.  Fortunately, since they're so good I don't compare myself to their performance at all.  But it's fascinating to imagine myself even at 10 percent of their ability.

Food today:  egg and cheese sandwich (300 calories), a 6 inch turkey wrap (500 calories), half a Caserta's cheese pizza (around 1200 calories), with some M&M's as snacks during the day (200 calories).  Exercise was a lunch time walk and 45 minutes on the treadmill (697 calories total).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total:  2200
Exercise: 697
Points Earned: 1497
Total Points Earned:  129129
Points to go:  70871

Three Week Challenge (Day 19):
Average Points: 1510
Missed Posts:  1

Day 111

Today was pretty typical, but I ended up a little proud of myself again.  After staying up too late the night before I was exhausted.  That combined with the heat today wiped me out by the time I left work.  The excuses on why I wanted to skip kickboxing started a couple hours before then.  Even so, once I got home and had dinner I got my second wind and pretty much headed straight out to class.  I've mentioned it a few times before, but that's a complete change in my life.  Two years ago there's no way I would've made it back out for exercise.  Now there has to be a good reason for me to skip.

Food today:  egg and cheese sandwich (300 calories), meatball sub from Subway (470 calories), chips and some M&M's as snacks on the day (300 calories), penne, sauce and garlic toast for dinner (1000 calories).  Exercise was a walk and kickboxing (600 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total:  2100
Exercise: 600
Points Earned: 1500
Total Points Earned:  127632
Points to go:  72368

Three Week Challenge (Day 18):
Average Points: 1511
Missed Posts:  1

Day 110

It's really easy to forget how much I've accomplished since October.  In a real sense a lot of the changes in my life have sort of blended together.  In addition, I still have a ways to go to hit my new goals.  So I've sometimes been a little hard on myself.  On the other hand, every so often I run into someone who reminds me that "oh my god, I've lost almost 70 pounds."  Those are the days when I end up feeling incredibly proud of myself.

Food today:  egg and cheese sandwich for breakfast (300 calories), no actual lunch today as I was too busy to go out and get food, snacks filled in the middle of the day a little too heavily, a variety of candy was had instead throughout the day (400 calories probably), dinner was salmon, rice and green beans (900 calories).  I did 45 minutes on the treadmill, and have started stepping up the speed a little bit (601 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total:  1600
Exercise: 601
Points Earned: 2001
Total Points Earned:  126132
Points to go:  73868

Three Week Challenge (Day 17):
Average Points: 1512
Missed Posts:  1

Day 109

Another day, another almost missed post.  It's not like I don't spend way too much time on the computer, but I always remember to do the post after shutting everything down.  Another mixed bag of a day yesterday.  Ate too many chips as snacks yesterday, but also worked out a little harder than before as well.  All in all it balanced out to pretty much the minimum needed.  Planning to get back on track now.

Food today:  egg and cheese (300 calories), turkey sandwich (500 calories), chips as snacks (400 calories), penne, sauce and garlic toast for dinner (1000 calories).  Exercise was a lunch time walk (100 calories) and a faster 45 minutes on the treadmill (597 calories).

Today's Results:
Daily Food Total:  2200
Exercise: 697
Points Earned: 1497
Total Points Earned:  124131
Points to go:  75869

Three Week Challenge (Day 16):
Average Points: 1481
Missed Posts:  1