Harihead Dazzles the Doc

[Harihead]

In reviewing my past challenges, I'm pleasantly surprised by my progress. I've continued to make slow but steady improvements in health and fitness. My doctor's office has requested a cholesterol follow-up, and that got my ambition working. I now want to wow my doctor. 

 

This has been a very up and down year for my weight, due to the massive fail to handle work stress. But, I managed to overcome it and break my previous low point by 5 pounds. This puts me at over 50% of my total quest. Yes, it's taking a good, long time. And yes, the changes are sticking. Massive yay!

 

Life Goal: 

Return to the weight and fitness I had when I worked from home, instead of someone else's office. 

 

4 Week Challenge Goal:

Wow my doctor. I have my cholesterol retest the 3rd week of September. I want to wow my doctor by:

* Improving on my already improved numbers

* Blowing her mind over my weight reduction

 

Exercise: 

Cardio = elevate heart rate at least 45 minutes 6x weekly. Meet my MFP walking goal 4x/week.

A = >6/week, STA +3, STR +2

B = >5/week, STA +2, STR +1

C = >4/week, STA +1

 

Diet: 

Track all my cholesterol reducers, plus track sugar and coffee:

- Reduce red meat and poultry in favor of fish, <2 red meat and >=3-4 fish or seafood/week

- Reduce meat overall and substitute legumes for protein >=2-3/week

- Dairy <=6 servings/week

- Alcohol <= 5 glasses/week, target=0 

- Processed meat or grains <=1/week, target=0

- Sugar grams <= 90 grams/day, target<=45

- Coffee <= 3 cups/day

By processed, I mean anything that isn't a fruit, vegetable, natural protein, or healthy whole grain (oatmeal, rice okay).

A = 0 fails/week, CON +3, DEX +1

B = 1-2 fails/week, CON +2, DEX +1

C = 3-5 fails/week, CON +1, DEX +1

 

Refresh:

Time to pay more attention to sustaining practices. My choices are 1 per day:

- yoga of => 5 minutes per day 

- Tai Chi or meditation every day 

A = 1 fails/week, CHA +3

B = 2-3 fails/week, CHA +2

C = 4-5 fails/week, CHA +1

 

Something with Fiction:

This challenge starts right after I return from WorldCon. I'll pick something appropriate as I'll likely have homework. 

A = 5/week WIS +3

B = 4/week WIS +2

C = 3/week WIS +1

 

I'll start this challenge ASAP upon WorldCon return, which will probably be Mon or Tues after the challenge begins. But I'll be tracking.

Best wishes to all my fellow Rebels. 

[NeverThatBored]

Hi! I recently had to battle my doctor about cholesterol too! It sounds like you're doing great. The feeling of wowing your doctor is really the best. 

[Harihead]

23 hours ago, NeverThatBored said:

Hi! I recently had to battle my doctor about cholesterol too! It sounds like you're doing great. The feeling of wowing your doctor is really the best. 

Thank you, Never Bored!

 

Yeah, I actually punted on my old doctor. I'd lost 22 pounds and brought my levels down, and he said, "I'm going to put you on meds. Too bad the diet and exercise program isn't working." !!!!

 

So I punted that pinbrain and got a new doc. I like her loads better. She can actually look at patterns and assist me on my way-- a real asset.

[NeverThatBored]

2 hours ago, Harihead said:

Thank you, Never Bored!

 

Yeah, I actually punted on my old doctor. I'd lost 22 pounds and brought my levels down, and he said, "I'm going to put you on meds. Too bad the diet and exercise program isn't working." !!!!

 

So I punted that pinbrain and got a new doc. I like her loads better. She can actually look at patterns and assist me on my way-- a real asset.

 

Sheesh, sounds like you dodged a bullet there. 

[DarK_RaideR]

Kudos on the doc change. Sounds like the right thing to do

[NeverThatBored]

How's your challenge start going?

[Harihead]

20 hours ago, NeverThatBored said:

How's your challenge start going?

Terrible!

 

I got back from the conference terribly sleep deprived and 3 pounds heavier from the type of food I was able to access, primarily sandwiches. I thought I ordered a healthy supper and it came back fried (apparently "fried" is implied in Kansas). I had heaps of veggies with me, but it wasn't enough all by itself. Oh, well!

 

I came back home to two parties (one at work, one off), but the main problem is the weather turned cold and rainy, so I couldn't get my walking in. I exceeded my daily step count every day at the conference. 

 

So, tomorrow is another day. Despite the challenges, I lost one of my regained pounds already, and expect to be back on track soon. So, it's a rocky start, but I've got 5 weeks to pull off a poundage miracle, which I will do. I want to see the doctor gape. It's my pat on the back for living clean.

 

Thanks for asking! How's your challenge going? 

[NeverThatBored]

2 minutes ago, Harihead said:

Terrible!

 

I got back from the conference terribly sleep deprived and 3 pounds heavier from the type of food I was able to access, primarily sandwiches. I thought I ordered a healthy supper and it came back fried (apparently "fried" is implied in Kansas). I had heaps of veggies with me, but it wasn't enough all by itself. Oh, well!

 

I came back home to two parties (one at work, one off), but the main problem is the weather turned cold and rainy, so I couldn't get my walking in. I exceeded my daily step count every day at the conference. 

 

So, tomorrow is another day. Despite the challenges, I lost one of my regained pounds already, and expect to be back on track soon. So, it's a rocky start, but I've got 5 weeks to pull off a poundage miracle, which I will do. I want to see the doctor gape. It's my pat on the back for living clean.

 

Thanks for asking! How's your challenge going? 

 

Ughhh I have definitely had weeks like that! You'll get it back on track though. 

 

My challenge is going pretty well.  I haven't been the best about food, but I'm still doing better than I have been. 

[Harihead]

Yeah, Week 1 was a dead loss. The only metric I hit was fish.

I did lose 2 of my 3 pounds, however. Starting Sunday, I got back on a healthy diet. Here's to acing the next 3.5 weeks!

 

Congrats on your progress, NeverThatBored! I appreciate you checking in.

[Swampling]

On 30.8.2016 at 5:24 PM, Harihead said:

The only metric I hit was fish.

 

Out of context, this sentence is awesome.

 

Within context, congrats on hitting that poor fish!  

AND also on those lost 2 pounds! 

 

Onwards and upwards! 

[Harihead]

6 hours ago, Swampling said:

Within context, congrats on hitting that poor fish!  

AND also on those lost 2 pounds! 

 

Onwards and upwards! 

Thanks so much!

 

I just lost my 3rd pound of "bread bloat" this morning. It's clear sailing into uncharted territory. 

 

Just took my annual stats from MFP, and I lost 15 pounds over the last year. Very encouraging!

The weather cleared up so I'm hitting my steps. Life is good!

 

How are you faring these days? All healed up?

[Swampling]

Sounds like you are doing all the right things to move you in the direction you want to go. That is huge!

 

Thank you for asking! I'm still rehabbing my left wrist and elbow, and I am still taking it very slow. But I have started going to KB classes again in August. Still scaling things down, in regards to training, and it's sometimes frustrating to see all the things I can't do (yet), but my trainer is very good about recommending regressions or more paw-friendly variations, so that is very helpful. 

TL;DR: I'm plodding again, though at an even slower pace than before.  

Though it feels like I have nothing much to report, so I'm not logging here, for the time being. 

 

 

[Harihead]

> my trainer is very good about recommending regressions

 

That's one of the best things I learned at Camp Nerd Fitness-- alternate ways to proceed around an injury (in my case, my knee). Hooray for trainers!

 

I'm going at this challenge a bit differently, putting "mindfulness" front and center. So I'm not logging (except exercise minutes and diet macros). I'm working on, "Put the big rocks in, every day." Priorities over busy-ness. It also helps that I'm in for the really really long haul. There's no "get there and then live", it's, "Live as best I can, and eventually I'll get there-- even enjoying the ride!"

 

It seems to be working. It's good to shake up my approach now and then, or I'm tempted to game the system.

Hang in there!

[Swampling]

3 hours ago, Harihead said:

It also helps that I'm in for the really really long haul. There's no "get there and then live", it's, "Live as best I can, and eventually I'll get there-- even enjoying the ride!"

 

Hell to the yes!

[Harihead]

Week 1 Challenge:  Since I'm actually running a week late on this....

 

Exercise: 

Cardio = elevate heart rate at least 45 minutes 6x weekly. Meet my MFP walking goal 4x/week.

A-, barely missed the 45 mins one day, but extra mins the other days + walking goal

 

Diet: 

Track all my cholesterol reducers, plus sugar and coffee:

C-. Not very consistent. I'm biting the bullet and tracking calories. 

 

Refresh:

Time to pay more attention to daily sustaining practices. My choices are yoga, Tai Chi or meditation 

B. Still not a habit, missed 2 days. 

 

Something with Fiction:

This challenge starts right after I return from WorldCon. 

B+ After a late start, going great guns on this. Writing + writing business activities galore. 

 

Next week will be better. I'm getting my momentum up.

How's everyone else doing? 

 

[DarK_RaideR]

Not that great, but hanging on myself. Here's to wishing we build on that momentum!

[Harihead]

7 hours ago, DarK_RaideR said:

Not that great, but hanging on myself. Here's to wishing we build on that momentum!

I'll second that!

 

One of the things NF has done for me is make me more aware of my limits. When I find myself failing, I check the Will account. Often I've piled too much on a full plate. I take away some of the restrictions (in my case, limiting coffee this challenge) until I can successfully achieve the base metric. There's always another challenge to work on what I failed at. But I'm after consistent progress. If I can keep moving forward, even if it takes longer, I'm much more likely to achieve my goal. 

 

I lost 40 pounds since I started NF. I know others have lost more faster, but after 3 years those pounds are gone, and I have reasonable confidence they'll stay gone. I'm much happier and healthier overall. Like everyone, I have setbacks, but NF has given me the tools to work through those relatively quickly and get back on track. I'm so grateful for that. I think I look younger than I did 5 years ago (good news for a late middle-ager like me). 

 

The doc will be dazzled. I'm just pushing for degree!

 

Run swiftly, my Rebels! Let us all be victorious in time!

[Harihead]

Week 2 Challenge Report:  Yup! Momentum is my friend.

 

Exercise: 

Cardio = elevate heart rate at least 45 minutes 6x weekly. Meet my MFP walking goal 4x/week.

A+, exceeded every goal every day, 2 full hikes, 1 bike, go me! 

 

Diet: 

Track all my cholesterol reducers, plus sugar and coffee:

B. Improving! Tracking calories is helping. This week missed metrics on red meat, wine, and processed food (2 deviations) 

 

Refresh:

Daily sustaining practices of yoga, Tai Chi or meditation 

B. Missed 2 days again, but doubled up some other days. Getting better! 

 

Something with Fiction:

Post-WorldCon writing and business. 

A. Daily writing, 2 stories in mail to target editors, working the writing business action plan. 

 

I'm actually distressed this challenge will end too soon! Not forgetting my big goal, to impress the doc, but I really like how this challenge has focused me on those daily goals. Blood draw in 10 days.

 

I hope everyone else is squeezing their last bit of fun out of summer. The weather has been spectacular.

Cheers. 

[NeverThatBored]

You are doing AWESOME with that exercise! 

[Harihead]

4 hours ago, NeverThatBored said:

You are doing AWESOME with that exercise! 

Exercise is my preferred method of attack, provided I can find the time and am healthy! I'm being smarter about injuries, and it's finally starting to pay off.

How are you doing?

[Harihead]

Noting for posterity: 
I'm on day three of my super rigorous diet. I'm giving myself a week to be super clean before my cholesterol blood draw. In broad strokes, this means: no red meat, limited poultry, no dairy, push the veggies, favor fish, oatmeal vs eggs for breakfast.

A more detailed breakdown of favored/non-favored foods is listed below for quick reference, courtesy of WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/tc/high-cholesterol-effect-of-food-on-cholesterol-topic-overview 

Although alcohol may increase HDL, I'm not doing alcohol this week because I don't want the empty calories. Instead, I'm continuing to push exercise, a healthier way to raise HDL. So far, exceeding every daily goal like last week. 

 

My weight has stayed rock solid; I'm pretending it's because I'm building muscle from all this hiking (2x/week, + daily walks). I should check my measurements tomorrow; I haven't checked for 3 mos. 

Tomorrow: Well! I finally lost a pound, but what is more interesting is that I lost 5 inches when I wasn't looking. Here I thought I was holding steady; it turns out I was building muscle after all!

 

Here's the WebMD cholesterol summary: 

-LDL soluble fiber = Oats, Dried beans (legumes), Peas, Barley, Citrus, Apples
 n/a insoluble = roots, cauliflower

-LDL Monounsaturated fat = olive or Canola oil, Avocados, Walnuts
 Flaxseed oil in moderation 40 to 60 grams, maybe soy? 

-triglycerides Omega-3 fats = fish esp salmon and mackerel, Plant sources above

+all Dietary cholesterol - Egg yolks, Poultry w skin, Red meat, organ meats, Dairy products, Shellfish

+LDL sat fats = meat, skin, butterfat, tropical oils
+LDL trans fats = Hydrogenated fats, snacks, unnatural Peanut butter 

+HDL Alc = 1/day, 2 drinks a day may raise triglycerides 

[NeverThatBored]

Keep up the good work!

[Harihead]

Thank you! 2 days until the cholesterol test, 9 days to the doc.

 

Week 3 Challenge Report:  I'm in the groove. 

 

Exercise: 

Cardio = elevate heart rate at least 45 minutes 6x weekly. Meet my MFP walking goal 4x/week.

A+ again, exceeded every goal every day, 2 full hikes, 1 bike, daily swim, lots of walking

 

Diet: 

Track all my cholesterol reducers, plus sugar and coffee:

A-. Just some tiny deviations, 1 alc, 3 squinks of diary, and processed food (4 crackers -- to eat the dairy! homemade goat cheese, cool) 

 

Refresh:

Daily sustaining practices of yoga, Tai Chi or meditation 

A. Finally! My daily practice became daily.

 

Something with Fiction:

Post-WorldCon writing and business. 

B. Very tough week for writing, missed 2 days. Got 2 more stories in mail, still working the writing business action plan. 

 

[Harihead]

THEY TOOK MY BLOOD!

 

Now, I wait on tenterhooks, wondering What, oh What, will the result be? *drumroll*

 

In other news, I'm a walking fool. According to my UP (a cheap Fitbit), my 7-day walking streak put me in the top 14% of female UPsters. I'm not sure if it's the 7 days in a row, or the 7,700/day step average. Anyway, they hung a flag out there, saying, Can you make it to 10? 

As I am gold-star obsessed, I kept walking around my neighborhood last night until I met my 6500-step goal. Day 8! The next 2 days should be in the bag, because I will bike tonight and hike tomorrow. The hike will really push up the average, as I go about 3 miles (all I can fit in after work). This weekend I'm looking at a 7-mile hike. The aspens are turning; I can't wait!

 

In other, other news, I'm reassessing my nighttime ritual. For the last 2 weeks, I've been drinking berry tea, which really hits the spot. Last night, to be super clean, I took none of my usual herbal relaxers. I have a variety-- Deep Sleep, Sleep Thru, Sleepy Time tea, etc. I deliberately mix them up. According to UP, I slept my regular amount last night-- just under 5 hours of "solid" sleep-- with no "enhancers". So I'm going to quit taking them this week, as I see the doc Tues morning, and do a sleep re-evaluation. I feel all perky and clean, so it's a good time for a test. 

 

But this morning, I'm eating eggs.

Have a great week, my Rebels!

[NeverThatBored]

On 9/21/2016 at 10:23 AM, Harihead said:

THEY TOOK MY BLOOD!

 

Now, I wait on tenterhooks, wondering What, oh What, will the result be? *drumroll*

 

 

AHHHHH THE SUSPENSE!! 

 

On 9/21/2016 at 10:23 AM, Harihead said:

But this morning, I'm eating eggs.

 

I REMEMBER THAT FEEL. I hope they were delicious.