morning

Today is my birthday. I covered a three mile loop yesterday afternoon. Walked 1, Ran 1, walked 1/2, ran 1/2. My legs and lungs are feeling pretty strong. I think pushing it to a straight two mile run without any rest is the next step.

p lunch

Ran 3 miles after lunch.

Feeling good.

Weight...who knows?

I made it home

the ride home on the bus tonight .... interesting. I planned to catch the bus right outside of work like the snow route said I would be able to, but instead I got to walk 6 blocks and catch a bus I never take. I waited for the bus 15 minutes past its scheduled arrival time. when it showed up I was so happy. then after I got on, the disaster struck. apparently seattle has no idea how to drive in the snow. it took 2 hours fifteen minutes to ride the bus 5 miles. in hindsight I should have just walked home. luckily the verizon droid x was loaded with movies to keep me entertained. the evening was an interesting experience.

Monday morning

It is snowing today, which is just fine with me. I love the stuff. The rest of the city seems to shut down though. It seems like everyone complains that "no one can handle the snow", but I've never actually met anyone who complains that they personally can't deal with snow. This leads me to believe that everybody thinks everyone else is a snow weakling, when in fact everybody is doing just fine.

I went running two days ago which felt great, of course. Then I didn't run yesterday, but I did go see the new Harry Potter movie, the deathly hallows. That was an okay movie. I didn't read the book and it seemed like the story line took some big leaps. This was verified by a friend of mine who thought anyone who hadn't read the book would be lost watching the movie. On a positive note, Hermione is looking good.

Weight today is 248.6 lbs. I think the week prior I was just eating too much and not staying hydratd. The weight loss feels like I've just gotten myself cleaned out and the glycogen stores in my liver have been adequately depleted. I had a bowl of Special K, original recipe, for breakfast and I have a banana and some almonds for a snack/lunch supplement. Our department has Monday meetings with pizza for free; hopefully I can stay strong. Maybe just one piece.

My bus to work was about 15 minutes late...I guess because of the snow. But even though snow was falling, there was no accumulation on the ground this morning, so I don't know what is wrong with the bus driver. I got to work on time, but I ended up getting off downtown and walking up Capitol Hill because the bus was on a snow route which has them avoid the steeper hills. I used to walk that hill last year and it was a nice look back. It's quite a workout. I just plotted it on toporoute (which is a poor man's mapmyride or mapmyrun) and it indicated the elevation gain is 220 feet...very nice.

AM

Awoke today after a strong 9 hours of sleep. I am feeling rested. I hopped on the scale right after getting up and saw 254 lbs staring back at me. I ate a lot yesterday, and the day before, etc etc.

I'm have not really dug into this weight loss/lifestyle change that well. But now it's serious.

dazy afternoon at work

Man, I feel tired. It's 3:45 PM and I'm sitting at work just finishing up some projects and I am ready to go to sleep. Yesterday morning I woke up at 2:30 AM and couldn't go back to sleep for some reason. So I figured I might as well make use of the time and decided to go for a a run. I ran 2 miles at 4AM. This was a very lonely run. I saw about 6 cars and zero people. I figured that 4AM woudln't be that early because lots of people have jobs and they would be getting in morning workouts...but there was no one else. Good run though. Then I went to work and felt like crap all day. Too much exertion too early? I'm not sure. Then around 2:30 I was super tired, but I was able to rally and finish out strong. I went to bed at 7:30 last night and still felt tired this morning. My plan is to go running tonight after work. I feel like I'm getting more toned with the running, though I have not lost any weight yet; though I haven't weighed myself in awhile so I'm actually have no idea where I'm at with my weight.

I've been taking the bus for a couple weeks now, and it is nice. It gives me some time to sit and recollect on my life and plan out my day. I can also read or just listen to music. The Motorola Droid X on my verizon account is absolutely money. The Pandora music app is indispensable and I highly recommend it for people who have minimal music collections and broad muiscal taste.

sunday evening

today I woke up early after getting much less sleep due to working the nightshift last night. I had a bowl of honey nut cheerios for breakfast. went on an date with my GF at todo mexico in edmonds which was tasty, but I ate too much. got home after running errands in the afternoon and went on a 2 mile run with the GF. we're planning on running the jingle bell run in december. it's a 5k run in the middle of winter...should be fun.

I'm feeling in better shape with my runs, and I think it's time to step up the distance, maybe 3 miles. work tomorrow so I'm going to bed early tonight.

late

It's way past my bedtime. Briefly:

Woke up
Ate breakfast, too much.
Mountain Bike ride...sweetness.
Came home, had lunch.
Snacked.
Avoided dinner because my snack basically took care of dinner.
Ate more.
Ran 2 miles in the rain.
Stayed up too late.
Made this blog post.
Going to bed.

PS. The ads on my blog are frequently for restaurant coupons or cupcake shops. What gives?

G'night.

AM

I just got to work. Took the bus today which was an easy 30 minute ride. I find that taking the earlier bus makes for a lot of free time in the morning that I spend wasting on the internet, but the bus I ride is much less crowded.

I didn't run last night. I got home and the GF had a lot of homework left to do which left me with other responsibilities. Also it was raining, and the weather in Seattle is turning cold. Plus daylight savings time ended a few days ago so now the early evenings are pitch black. I live in a world of frustrating circumstances.

We are thinking about going to a drop in Aikido class tonight. Maybe we'll just go to the gym. I definitely need to get a workout in.

For breakfast I had a bowl of honey nut cheerios. Last night we had spinach spahgetti which was pretty good. Then I had a big evening snack. It's strange, I don't remember myself being a big snacker after dinner. I've just started noticing in since writing this blog. So either this blog is making me eat at night, or I've always done this and just never realized it. Scary thought.

Lazy afternoon

Last night, the GF, Mike, and I went on a 3 mile walk which is just what I needed. Then we had some mac and cheese with tofu dogs for dinner. For an evening snack I had some hummus, straight from the container. Damn, that stuff is good. This AM, I was feeling very full from the hummus I ate the night before, so I decided to only have an apple from breakfast.

Then I got on the bus for my commute into work. On Tuesdays I work at a site further from my home that any other day of the week. This means I get to take two different buses with a transfer in between. Total time in commute (walking+ bus+transfer+bus+walking): approximately 1 hour. Not too bad. When I got to work there was a pervasive smell of diesel exhaust floating through the building. It gave me a big headache. Then the apple only breakfast started feeling very uncomfortable in my gut and I was on the verge of throwing up. Sick I know. So I went to the nearby convenience store and bought some orange juice and a 3 musketeers bar. That settled my stomach right down, and the headache drifted away too. For lunch I had some non-fat cheese, mayo, mustard in 2 low carb tortilla shells. I also had an apple and a bunch of grapes. I then went back to the convenience store and bought a medium sized container of whoppers candy and at those, too (yet again breaking my no candy rule...it's becoming more of a guideline isn't it?).

Plan for tonight is to finish up work and see if I can bum a ride home from one of my coworkds. If not I'll be back on the bus. I think I'm going to run 1 or 2 miles tonight. I feel the need to get my heart rate back up. And since I only walked last night I didn't get the chance to test out my new shoes. Oh, I'm excited about the new shoes.

Just after lunch

Weigh in this AM: 253.6 lbs.

I had egg whites and potatoes for dinner last night. It felt like a healthy dinner. Then I had about 4 beers; to celebrate the end of the weekend, I guess. I then got a craving for chili and ate two cans of low fat chili. I don't even want to think about the extra calories this added on top of the beer. Today, it seems like a pretty big mistake. Of course while dieting I should not be drinking, both because of the extra calories and because it makes me hungry.

This morning I had a bowl of Life cereal and a low carb yogurt. Then I took the bus to work; it has been awhile. I took the 7:35 bus, which is packed. I think I'm going to start taking the earlier bus because it usually has fewer riders. The ride took about 45 minutes, and I do not have to pay for parking, woohoo!

For lunch today I had grapes, an apple, a thinwich with cheddar cheese and hummus. I also got an energy drink and chocolate covered pretzels from the store. The energy drink has 30 calories, and the pretzels have 650 calories. That seems like a poor choice and probably falls under my 'don't buy candy' rule.

It looks like it's going to be a slow afternoon, then I'll ride the bus home. My plan is to get in a 1 or 2 mile run this evening; I want to try out my new (but same old model) running shoes. I'm excited to feel the difference between my old and busted and my new and beautiful shoes.

PM

Today was a fairly good day. Mike decided to lounge around this AM, but I decided to do a stair workout anyways. I ended up walking a 3 mile loop and then getting my heart rate up with the stairs. For lunch I had a bunch of grapes and a thinwich with hummus and a slice of cheddar cheese. While out running errands, I picked up a 25 cent mounds bar which was tasty. Then I went to the Brooks Outlet and picked up some new shoes.

I have always had difficulty buying "fancy" running shoes. In fact, the best shoes have always been New Balance trail running shoes. I do much better with very firm shoes. Regular running shoes are just not built for guys my size. When I run with a typical shoe, it is much to squishy which is hell on my feet, ankle, calves, and knees. I remember once looking up shoes designed specifically for big runners and I found that these shoes are rated for runner 150lbs+. At first I thought this was a joke, because 150lbs is not heavy (not to any normal person anyways). I soon realized that using trail running shoes gave me the support I needed. Then about 2 years ago, I was at a store called The Runner's Soul in Spokane, WA. They pointed me towards a pair of beefy running shoes (that actually look more like beefy cross trainers) made by a company called Brooks. The model was called the Beast. And they have been..THE..BEST...SHOE...EVER. As a big runner, I love this shoe. The problem is the cost, about $130, which I think they are well worth. But as a broke student/professional, that is a lot of money. So I was happy when I went to the Brooks Outlet today and picked up a new pair for $100.

Plan to continue running happily in my comfortable shoes. Dinner tonight is two egg whites, potato hash browns with ketchup. And a couple beers. Getting my mind right for work tomorrow.

AM

Last night was a relaxing night in with the GF. We had some vegetable stir fry with bits of boca burger for some more flavor. It was good. For an evening snack I had a low carb tortilla with hummus and a piece of cheese.

This AM my plan is to go run a couple of miles vs running some stairs. Not sure which yet. I'll have to see if my buddy Mike is up for some exercise; if so we'll hit the stairs because he does not like to run.

I had a bowl of honey nut cheerios for breakfast + one cup of coffee (so far).

Weigh in today: 251.8 lbs (I'm feeling more hydrated).

Also: on my trip to costco yesterday I picked up a Droid X, which was completely an impulse buy. But I'm finding that I love it just as I had planned. I finally feel complete, ahhhhhh.

early evening

I had a cheese sandwich for lunch with mayo. Then I went to costco to get some groceries. Came home had some grapes and hummus on a thinwich for a snack. I just got back from a two mile run in the rain and I'm feeling pretty good.

AM

Weigh in this morning: 251.2 lbs

I don't think I lost 3 lbs of fat/muscle over 24 hours. I am dehydrated and have less food in my gut. Last night before bed I had a piece of bread + about 8 pretzels + a slice of cheddar cheese. For breakfast this morning I had a bowl of honey nut cheerios.

The plan was to go for a mountain bike ride today, but my friends are either wussing out (having breakfast with GF's parents) or they have to pull a night shift and a ride doesn't mesh with their schedule. I may go on my own. If not, the plan is to go for a run despite the rain.

PM

The rest of the day went pretty well. My afternoon at work was very busy and I had to bring some stuff home with me, but that's becoming more typical on Friday nights. I made the walk home through a light drizzle. My umbrella in Seattle is money, but it makes me look like a tourist. For dinner I had some potato/bean/mushroom stew with a little mayo mixed in (for fat and salt...I'm such a glutton). I also had a banana bread muffin my GF made which were quite tasty. No workout tonight; I can justify this by saying it is a good rest day after two days of running.

I've been thinking again about getting a smart phone. On top of my list are the Samsung fascinate and the Motorola droid X. I'm having a hard time justifying the $30 data plan with Verizon. I think I could use the email/web features; and the mapmyrun/ride app looks promising. We'll see what happens for Christmas.

Not the healthiest lunch:
1. Medium serving size of pasta with cheese sauce. I estimate this is 500 calories, but who knows.
2. Candy, 525 calories, all sugar, per the packaging. (this was probably a bad idea).
3. Two energy drinks, 20 calories each.

Good learning moment; don't buy candy. I should probably start making my own lunches.

Also, I know the title of this blog is "PNWC", and my initial intent was to document my commutes, what happened, challenges etc, and I have not really done that at all. This is partly due to the fact that I started this blog right after a broken pelvis and was off work x 6 weeks. Then when I went back to work, I was on crutches and taking it very easy so I was driving everyday (and who wants to read about some guy driving his car to work). Then I fell into this very comfortable routine of driving everyday, despite my enjoyment of commuting by bus, cycling, or walking to work. Anyhow...that's about to change. It will change for two reasons:
1. I was reading that people who use mass transit are more physically active than drivers because of walking and standing while getting to bus stops, train stations, etc. And that in the first year from switching to driving from being a mass transit commuter, the average person puts on 8 pounds. So, switching to mass transit from driving seems like a reasonable, and possibly effective, intervention to take for my weight loss. Plus I like mass transit for the free time to read and catch up on studying it provides.
2. I was in a car accident a week ago and my car has been totalled. The other driver was at fault, and he has been very cooperative. The insurance company has been reasonable to deal with so far...but getting my check for the totaled car and converting that into another functioning vehicle may take some time. And I'm not in a rush to do this.

So we'll see about packing lunches and taking the bus, and I will hopefully produce some posts that are more aligned with the blog title.

For breakfast today I had a small bowl of Special K Protein Plus. I like it more than regular Special K; it tastes more like Total. I then walked to work, and I am now diligently earning my paycheck!

I got woken up around 4:30 this morning by a little munchkin wanting to watch cartoons. I have to say this was an unpleasant change from my typical schedule of not waking up at 4:30. I ended up getting another hour, or so, of sleep before finally convincing myself to get out of bed.

I hopped on the scale today, figuratively.
Starting Weight: 254.2 lbs

The results were not pleasing, but also not surprising. My expectation was somewhere around 250 to 251. I knew my weight was slowly creeping up. And my clothes have been feeling tighter over the last month and a half. So that explains it.

My goal weight is currently 220 lbs; 34.2 lbs away. Per BMI, I should actually be around 205 to be normal and not overweight, but I have a pretty big frame so I think 220 would be a good weight. I may have to change this goal once I get 220 and take an honest look at my body.

Plans for today: walking to work, which is 1.5 miles away, and walking home from work. Tentatively plans to either run a mile or two this evening, or go to the gym for some cardio + weights.

My friend Mike and I walked another 3 miles tonight. Nice work. But I've also been eating a bunch of junk that is laying around the house. Tomorrow the plan is to keep what I eat under control. Maybe I need to look into a more specific eating plan.

I am going to make my first weigh in tomorrow morning.

I'm feeling pretty confident and inspired so far with the lifestyle change. I hope to keep it going.

Last night I ran two miles and felt pretty good. This morning I ran/walked a total of 3.5 miles, running about 1.5 of that distance. My legs feel rubbery, but good.

Losing fat

Well, weight loss is a goal of mine. Like everyone else, I enjoy being in good shape and having my clothes fit me appropriately. My recent weight gain/loss has seen me put on about 18 pounds in the last year. Prior to this I had lost 20 pounds over the course of 6 months with a combination of walking, hitting the gym, and stress from starting a new job. I have fallen into a comfortable pattern of minimal workouts and long days at work. I've started eating unhealthy types and quantities of food, and my weight has responded expectedly. I was reading another blog today and found insight in the following quote (which is very obvious, but not so simple for me apparently): "Weight loss is a goal. You get there one pound at a time. Maintaining your weight is a lifestyle. You stay there with determination, one day at a time."

I'm going to work this theme into my meditation hoping to keep it at the forefront of consciousness for awhile.