Monday, October 14, 2013

What Did We Learn?

So I have a propensity for doing stupid shit. Most of it gets a laugh and is forgotten an hour later, some of it is talked about for a few years, but I think what's really important here is that there is something (useful or not) we can all learn from each moronic adventure. That being said, my first topic in a continuing series:

Glass is Harder Than Enamel
On the Mohs scale (in which a higher number is harder) tooth enamel is impressively ranked at 5. Slightly higher than steel (4.5) and right up there with zirconium. Glass however, has a Mohs ranking of 6! Meaning that despite being very brittle, glass is extremely hard. In conclusion, DON'T try to bite through glass.

Fresh Cut Trees May Contain Bugs
Yup, 200 baby spiders hatched from my Christmas tree last night. Kind of creepy, but overall not a bad ordeal. After much internet research I have learned that they are not harmful or invasive and because they cannot endure the climate inside (and have no food) they typically die within days. Rather than dousing my dining room with tons of chemicals from Home Depot, I pulled out the old shop vac. Was kind of fun sucking them up. Seems to have done the trick.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Quittin' time!

OK, this is what should be the beginning of Day 18. Yesterday I made the conscious and calculated decision to veer from the program. I still have a shit-ton of Whole Foods crap so I will be polishing off what's left for the next 3 days. Basically what it comes down to is, the restrictions began making me angry. I feel as though those negative emotions go against the whole principle of the program, so I have decided to step away slightly.

What do I mean by that? Well, I normally eat fairly healthy, so the fruits and veggies thing is not a big deal for me. I still plan on taking the rest of the supplements as well. The way I see it, they are purposeful no matter what your diet. The big change for me is allowing myself a meat or (in the Reset eyes) an "unhealthy" meal once in a while. I've also began drinking again, in moderation.

I never planned for the Reset to be a lifelong lifestyle change so you can't say "It didn't work" or "He couldn't stick to it." I could have stayed on for the extra 4 days, but I was miserable, so I ask myself "Why?" Now then, the end results: Do I feel more energetic? Yes. Am I generally in a better mood (other than my anger issues with not being able to eat meat)? Yes. Do I feel overall healthier? Yes. Mentally healthier? Yes.

I've also lost a lot of weight. So it is difficult to say whether my answers above are due to the program or the weight loss. Final numbers:

163lbs.
18.7% body fat
37.5" waist (around the bellybutton)

Blood test for cholesterol is scheduled in 2 days

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

This is horseshit

I want a fucking cheeseburger!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Week 2 Day 4

Halfway there. Time for an update.

I've dropped 10lbs. so far. A little disappointed though because visually, I only see a loss in muscle mass. According to my body fat monitor however, I'm down to 20%. Energy and clarity of thought is improved, but I've also been getting slightly more sleep (thanks to an improved schedule). So not sure if the detox is working on my brain or if I'm just sleeping better.

Anyway, this really is the vegetarian starter guide. If you are looking to ease into become vegan or becoming vegetarian, this is a fantastic start! Recipes are pretty good. I on the other hand, greatly miss my meats and cannot wait to get back to them.

For me, this is beginning to seem like a bit of waste. I'm not saying the program is not good, but it's not for everybody. I tend to make fairly good eating decisions regularly, and when I don't, it's because I'm enjoying what I'm doing and eating. Sticking to this plan is like eating normally for me, but without any of the enjoyment. Glad it's only 3 weeks.

On the plus side, nothing tastes bad. Not even the Detox or Alkalanize powders. I should warn you though that the Detox does not completely dissolve. It's kind of gritty. Check your teeth after drinking.

SUGGESTION: Since the Detox and Alkalanize kind of stick to things and makes cleaning a water bottle a pain, I've started using a store bought bottle of water (like Aquafina) each day. This way I can pour the stuff in there, recap, shake it up. For the following doses in the day I re-use the bottle and just add the distilled water. End of the day, recycle and you have no mess to deal with.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Day 5

One other stat I forgot to post earlier, before the Reset my cholesterol was 259

Now, end of day 5. I'm beginning to think these guys are in kahootz with Whole Foods. Seems like a lot of the ingredients I can only find there. But ya know what? It really is a superior store. Sure it's a little pricier, but the quality (and taste) of the food is unmatched and the service is amazing. It's like everyone working there is knowledgeable and actually enjoys it and wants to help you. I will probably start shopping there regularly even after the Reset.

I've seen online that some other people doing the Reset suffered from headaches. This was true for me days 2 and 3. Not anymore though. I will admit I have taken some liberties the last few days. I haven't really strayed from the meal plan, but rather I skipped some meals I didn't have ingredients for and repeated some other meals (ex. I ate day 1 breakfast days 2 & 3 as well).

ADVICE: Give yourself a good day or two before you begin to gather ingredients and really get prepared. It is so much more helpful to have all of your meals prepared ahead of time, especially considering you will be very hungry leading up to your next meal and won't have the time or patience to prepare it.

I have noticed that I am not nearly as hungry anymore. The first 3 days I was starving and really needed more food. However, now, I just don't find myself too hungry throughout the day.

Anyway, hard part is over. I suffered (but maintained) through a work pizza party, a wedding with amazing amounts of what seemed to be incredible food (which I suppose is what happens when two Italians marry each other), and a big father's day BBQ. Hopefully, with a little pre-planning now, I can stay right on top of this thing for the next 2 weeks. :-)

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Beachbody Ultimate Reset - Day 1

Starting the Beachbody Ultimate Reset today. I wouldn't say I'm skeptical, but more curious to see what happens. I doubt anyone out there is ever going to read any of this, but just in case, here is my situation:
30 year old regular schmoe (male) who is completely exhausted from working 60 hour weeks the past 2 years. I'm usually very conscious of what I eat, even though often I know that what I'm eating isn't good for me. I go gung-ho with exercise/workouts for about 2-3 weeks and then fade quickly for about 2 months. I am in no way affiliated with Beachbody and the intent of this blog is not an advertisement. I'm using it as a tool to keep track of my own progress (or lack there of, still remains to be seen) and who knows, maybe someone else who is considering doing this may find my blog informative.

Initial weigh-in:
177 lbs.
24% body fat
54.6% hydration
40" around the waist (belly button high)

Things I've learned so far:
-Jicama is a Mexican turnip that I surprisingly found at my local supermarket
-They sell Bragg Liquid Aminos at The Vitamin Shoppe

Sunday, January 4, 2009