Divine Intervention / Death to Doritos (Evaluation: Week 26)

Last Weigh In: Saturday, 22 February 2014

Weight Information -

• Weight: 366.6 lbs
• Weight Change:
• This Week: -3.0 lbs
• To Date: -86.6 lbs
• Weight Gauge: Good Thing I Didn't Break My Stride (Much)
• Body Mass Index: 57.4 (down from 57.9)
• Daily PPV:
• Assigned: 69 (unchanged)
• Personal: 30 (increased by 2)
• PPV This Week: 
• Used: 184 out of 483
• Not Used: 299 (61.9%)

Goals (Description / Evaluation) -

• Chronological Goal: No longer obese in 2014 / Well on my way. Latest projections for leaving behind morbidly obese using:
• The last 16 weeks of data: Between July 15, 2014 and July 19, 2014, an increase of 6 days
• All 25 weeks of data: Between August 22, 2014 and September 4, 2014, unchanged
• Employment Goals
• Make at least 5 networking contacts each week. / Not a good networking week. Still found leads on my own.
• Apply for at least 5 positions each week / Applying for positions is time consuming but I am hitting this one and then some. Several applications were found this week in my field of chemistry.
• Prepare for my interview on Tuesday. / Interview went great. Follow-up conversations went well. Awaiting outcome.
• Weight Watchers Awards this Week: None *sigh*. Almost asked for a bravo for getting back to the gym.
• Blog Review: Given the extended duration of a deficit of motivation, I am rereading my journaling to quicken my spirit, empower my resolve, embolden my emotions, and educate my intellect. / Starting this week. Thankfully, I have a smartphone that will allow for opportunities to review when time is short or unexpected opportunities arise regardless of location. I have already place a tile on my start screen.
• Number Goals: Overall direction is exciting. Long-term quantity is thrilling. Weigh-in this week was both exciting and confusing. 
• Weight: Next three hurdles are as follows
• 20% Weight Loss at 362.4 lbs / 4.2 lbs away
• 100 Pounds Lost at 353.2 lbs / 13.4 lbs away
• Transition off of Kimkins at 350.0 lbs / 16.6 lbs away
• BMI: Reach a value below 40.0 (morbidly obese) / 17.4 away
• PPV Not Used this Week: 287 PPV / 299 PPV - Beat goal by 12
• Waist Goal: Lose another available hole in the belt until I need to switch to a new belt. / Belt is comfortable and effective back at 3 available holes. 4 is somewhat effective. 2 is uncomfortable. Replacement belt has already been secured.
• Feel Good Goal: Consistent practice of my meditation and relaxation techniques / Meditation went well. Continuing review and research of meditation. Started some simple relaxation techniques. Still haven't tried the relaxation audio files I downloaded.
• Physical Goals: 
• Walk upright up the stairs of my house every time using the railing only for precaution. / I still need to mountaineer my way up the stairs. Asian Red Fox pointed out that I am coming up the stairs quickly.
• Tie my shoes unassisted anywhere. / I cannot tie my shoes without physical aids but it is getting easier. I didn't need any personalized assistance this week.
• Take a bath in my bathtub. / My bathtub is big enough, but I cannot get into or out of it when it's dry without painful exertion. This would negate any lasting value to the bath. Don't want to try to get out when wet yet.
• The Y: Swim laps four days next week. Use the recumbent elliptical machine ahead of swimming. I am going to set my alarm for 5 am for next week. / Tough work getting back to the Y. Exercising felt good but recovery took longer. Last week at the Y. My goal is to hit all 5 weekdays.
• Alternative to the Y: I need to research further for options outside of the Nampa Rec Center and Axiom. / Still attempting to determine the best methods of cardio that are within a distance I can afford to drive to. This one will probably have to wait until I have a new job.
• Exercise without the Gym: Locate workouts options that don't involve a gym. / I didn't explore this at all this week. This will be the only option after next week. I need to get to library to check out and try a couple DVDs.
• Weight Watchers:
• Use the paper tracker to record calculated points every day this week. / I have tracked for 18 weeks. The only day I missed was Christmas. Go me!
• Increased available PPV at 30 for my daily points instead of 69 as assigned by WW. / I am hoping the combination of increasing the daily points and being refocused this week will help me have a more stable week in my food selection.
• Range of PPV in past has varied daily between 6 and 18 points from goal in one week. Keep range to 4 points except while fasting. / This week was atrocious. But I'm not going spend all that much time worrying on my numbers this week. This week has been an aberration. Cancelling this one. I have enough to track in life. I suspect that variations aren't as relevant to weight loss success, overall happiness, and achieving satiation.
• Avoid using 49 weekly points. Daily points leave 39 available every day. That's 273 leftover points available per week. / Nailed it!
• Attend two meetings this week. Scheduled for Wednesday and Saturday. / Missed Wednesday. Wednesday is frequently a problem. No more scheduling visits or activities anywhere near Wednesday's meeting. And while I didn't schedule anything over this meeting, life did. Since this is a recurring theme. I may need to switch days.
• Overeaters Anonymous: 
• Attend two meetings this week. Scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday. / Made this one. Need to keep it up this week.
• Perform moral inventory for Step 4. / Didn't work on this one. Want to read more, write more, and explore more.
• Never Ceases to Amuse Me Blog: Journal 300 out of 365 days. / Journaled 53 of 53 days so far this year.
• Reading Materials - Self-assigned reading assignments
• What Color is Your Parachute? - Continue reading this week / Read various portions while researching different aspects of job searching this week. Need to start at the beginning and read forward.
• This is How to Get Your Next Job - Read this week / Read for interview. Want to wrap it up this week.
• Start Strong. Finish Strong. - Read Chapter 4 / Read much of Chapter 4, still reading while working out.
• AA Big Book - Read Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 of the AA Big Book. / Read more of Chapter 5.
• Some books I want to read soon but don't have time but want to read right now:
• WW Find Your Fingerprint
• The Doctor is In
• Good Calories. Bad Calories.
• Hot Button Review
• Mental-Function - I was glad to be back to Y, but not excited. At this stage, exercising without the Y is only a hope. The mental hot button isn't really motivating me, especially after doing well at the job interview..
• Spiritual - Good week this week. The fast started the week well. Plenty of divine influences ahead of the direct intervention of the weight loss.
• Numbers-Game - No idea what my numbers are now except blood pressure, so focusing on this one. And didn't take my blood pressure much this week. Increasing blood pressure taking this week.
• Sticky Notes
• Be active for 5 minutes out of every sedentary hour
• Put down the fork and sip water between bites
• Eat more veggies
• No high carb nibbling. Kimkins separation in T-minus 17 pounds.
• Review calendar every morning
• Get to Bed! 5 AM Comes Early!!

Strange numbers in the results of two weeks ago. Even stranger numbers this last week. For the second time since I started, an increase in food consumption led to an increase in weight loss. I can't explain it, but its okay. I have upped the PPV I've assigned myself to 30. Hopefully, this will aid in many ways. I am going to try for one more week to keep the LCLF food selection going. Although I allowed myself carbs yesterday. I wanted to enjoy them instead of feeling guilty about them. And as mentioned in a previous entry, I haven't been going overboard in quantity. I've just been selecting items that are not a part of the LCLF options.

This is how the numbers for the 100 pounds weight loss key chain charm are shaping up for this week:

Weight Watchers Meeting	Weight Loss per Week for 100 lbs Lost
3/1/2014	16.6
3/8/2014	8.3
3/15/2014	5.5
3/22/2014	4.2

I am even less hopeful that I will pass the 100 pounds hurdle by the March 22nd deadline. But I know I will pass that mark. It's just a matter of time. Maybe I will have to come up with my own key chain charm for my keychain. I'll have to suggest this to MBWM.


Looking Forward:

• Keep the job search going strong and the networking stronger.
• Stay on program with Weight Watchers, especially keeping the daily points consumed to a daily maximum of 30 PPV.
• Avoid the temptation of high carb nibbles into my week except for Saturday.
• Keep on track with cardio machines and swimming laps at 5 am at the Y. Push for a complete week of 20 minutes on the Octane and 100 yards in the pool.
• Attend all meetings. Don't schedule things before them. Review calendar every morning.
• Hold onto the joyful feelings of this day to get me through the the times of lesser success in weight loss, the trudging through job searching, and other complications life is throwing my way.

IVCUFI:

IV - I have found the way of staying the course while making adjustments.
CU - I have seized the road by listening to my body by loosening the reigns only a little.
FI - I am enjoying the journey by being thrilled at the weight loss of this last week.

Post Number: 141

Review of Yesterday's Progress

     Daily PPV Used/Left: 38/31 of 69 (Goal: 30/39)

     Pedometer Reading: 3183

     Meetings Attended: Weight Watchers

     Exercise Completed: None Scheduled

     M-W's Word of the Day: Tangerine

     Pageviews to Date: 1893 (Increased by 97 Pageviews This Week)

While I did kill quite a few Doritos yesterday, Doritos needs to be dead to me. MBWM asked if I would pick up a few items from the grocery store on my way back from returning a DVD to the library. I asked if there was anything she wanted. She said Doritos. I picked up the common size bag. Not the smaller convenience size nor the larger party size. I should have picked up the smaller size. While I did allow myself carbohydrates yesterday, I made sure to eat small quantities. Points add up quickly with carbohydrates. The carbohydrate selections were fractions of a serving except for one piece of toast. But as the night continued onwards, the Doritos were slowly nibbled at. I never ate more than 2 or 3 at a time. I had the first nibble at about 4 pm and the next one at about 6 pm. But after that, I waited 15, 20, 30 minutes between nibbles. But I kept eating them. For several hours.

The takeaway is four-fold.

1. I need to either remove me from the temptations or the temptations from me when the evening is arriving or progressing.
2. If MBWM wants a treat, buy small.
3. If I give myself permission to ease up, I need to not go overboard.
4. Number 1 is far from new, having been a prior complaint in several posts. The rest aren't surprises. I need to have specific plans in place to help with evenings.

The good news about yesterday is that while I was returning one DVD, I picked up two exercise DVDs. They are:

1. The Biggest Loser: The Workout - 30-Day Jump Start
2. Functional Fitness starring Suzanne Andrews: Younger in 30 Days

Since there is a known correlation between exercising during weight loss and maintenance and keeping that weight off for the long-term, when the Y is over, I need to have something in place.

The understanding concerning weight loss and exercise comes from statistical analysis. If you have two pieces of numerical information and you want to see if there is a relationship between them, you can perform statistical testing. That is, does one of the pieces of information predict the other. One of the ways of making that prediction is to calculate the correlation coefficient. It is labeled r². The value of the correlation coefficient varies from 0 to 1. The better one piece of information predicts the second piece of information, the closer the value is to 1. If there is no relationship between the two, the value is 0. I wanted to see how well the amount of points eaten predicts the weight lost. The value computed by Excel is: r² = 0.22. This means that the amount of points eaten is a very poor predictor of the amount of weight loss.

What is a predictor of weight loss is keeping on with the keeping on. There are some gear changes that need to happen. One of those is showing appreciation for the divine intervention of weight loss. That is best expressed, in my opinion, by sticking to the course instead of eating Doritos in some form of self-destructive celebration. I'll be easing back onto LCLF after my fast tomorrow. This will serve to reset my thinking and actions in the direction of my past successes. I need to locate a path to at-home exercise options. The two DVDs from the library will help me determine that path.

Right now, I am on the path of heading into my day.

Yours in the excitement of the week ahead, 'cause I am gonna get it right,

Eliot

P.S.: Personally, I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught. - Winston Churchill

NOTES

Weight Watchers, 22 February 2014

Last Week: When Food Is Not the Answer

What were the results of the choices you make last week? How well do you handle emotional issues without food.

• Didn't come last week - I can't hear you *fingers*in*ears* La la la la la la 
• Downfall at the end of the day. Bounced on balance ball, took mind off of eating
• Lost weight (no eating high calorie foods like peanut butter in the middle of the night, just fruit and/or water)
• Sick, didn't exercise, started stress eating. Got back to the gym. "Stop the maddness."
• Avoidance eating - go off plan because I want to avoid something, last meeting helped me reconigze this eating

Don't ignore problem, don't treat problems with food.

This Week: Love Your Weekends

About 1/3 of the week is weekends, especially if starting Friday night. Don't spend 1/3 of your week off plan. Add in holidays, parties, etc., 1/2 you life is an excuse to go off plan.

What do you love to do on weekends?

• Drink
• Hang out with friends and neighbors
• Cooke / Bake
• Movies
• Date Night
• Rest
• Bike ride
• Read
• Cheating on plan
• Eat
• Attend Weight Watchers meetings
• Games with grandkids
• Sleep in
• Watch TV
• Travel

What do you have to do on the weekends?

• Chores
• Laundry
• Groceries
• Clean
• Plan the week
• Kids events
• Chauffeur
• Lesson Plan / Grade papers
• Mow lawn
• Yard Work / Gardening

Recap last weekends events / Circle when you went off plan

Face fun and chores of the weekend.

For the Saturday morning group, there is the danger

• I have weighed in
• It's now time to party
• I have Monday thru Friday to fix it

Went off plan. Why?

• Didn't feel good
• Valentine's candy

How do you feel Monday morning

• Sluggish
• Lethargic
• Why? 
• Emotional
• Guilty
• Heartburn
• Water retention
• Headaches
• Remorse

What do you gain when staying on plan on the weekend?

• Control
• Pride
• Self-esteem

Celebrate the good things to be able to get through the problems

How can you have fun on plan?

• Plan for it
• Cut back on alcohol
• Pick things you love to do

What needs to change about your weekend so you can feel happy and proud on Monday?

• Control by tracking
• Try not to cheat
• Better birthday party choices

Next Week: Be a Portion Pro