Author: Robert Ford

Rain, rain, go away. The fact I am finally forced to pull out a raincoat, which fits better than last year, and is a testimony to the intensity of the weather today.

Weather and diet. They are connected. I rode my bike yesterday and it is now trapped in the underground cage at the office. It sure isn’t being released today.

Despite the fact that I’m looking at a Purdy’s Chocolate catalog (not for me of course!), I did not have recreational chocolate yesterday, the day following Halloween. Am I on track? Not sure. Self-discipline is needed now that the retail phase of the Christmas has begun (yes Starbucks I’m talking about you), I expect the frequency of free treats around the office to increase.

Must … resist.

OK. I have a sugar headache. I’ll admit it. Peanut butter cups last night.

But, the insane urge to raid my son’s Halloween candy has gone. Just not of interest right now because I have one month and thirteen days left before the end of this Plan D.

The focus has to be on the carbs and not losing time I could be doing fitness. For example, I have a lunch meeting today that I can’t avoid, which kills my time at the gym. I did however force myself on my bicycle this morning, which felt good except for a minor interaction with a driver at Dunsmuir and Burrard.

A lot of stress management is to not let things vex you more than the issues merit. Donald Trump, for example, is vexing but you can’t do anything. This should not even be on a burner. If volunteer work becomes stressful due to the behavior of others, that’s a back burner item. Your family and current job matter more.

The conscious mind mixed with conscious breathing is how I plan not to let things bother me. Yes, I ate peanut butter cups yesterday. I don’t plan to do more. Let’s move along. There will be no self-hatred or other wasted energy.

Halloween is always a busy day.

And one to screw your diet up. Of course I have face paint make-up on and it’s very difficult to eat or drink. I put this on after doing a workout and I can assure you that no one in the change room looked at me or spoke to me. That’s locker room talk!

Also, the weekend was so busy that I have not cooked. So I am out of supplies for the diet and now move into a risky zone.

Wish me luck and have fun on Halloween!

Not perfect, but better than last Saturday. However we didn’t get to do yoga because my son was not feeling well and he needed to crash. The big sister was out having fun with friends so we had no built-in babysitter.

There’s something a little meditative putting on ambient music and piling paper from a closed fiscal year into a box. My desk always looks like a bomb hit it and I’d like to have it usable. It’s also rough not being able to find things.

This tidying up is a stress management technique, assuming you don’t bite off more than you can chew. OK, that was a pun I didn’t intend. In other words, it’s important not to stress out over stress management techniques.

Yesterday was a case of best laid plans going askew. I knew there was a work function to celebrate the end of the United Way Campaign. So I had my plan. No beer. Wine as a treat. There were two free drink tickets involved so I guess I could have given them away and drank water but … I mean, really. I knew they were serving food and it was near my dinner time so my plan was to pick the least carb-oriented things and not much of it.

Usually when you have a catered event the appys are so-so. Instead they served thin-crust pizzas with really good toppings. How do I know? Yep, I ate some. And wow, it was good. Not only just good because they did it right, but I hadn’t had any in so long the taste was amazing.

Now, the only way to avoid all of this was to not go at all. But, these events are a way to learn more about your co-workers without disrupting work. For example, a new employee told me — only because it came up naturally in conversation — the story of her and her mom emigrated to Canada. This is not needed for figuring out quarterly assets under administration for small to medium accounts holding mutual funds. However, it gives me insight into how to communicate. E.g. 1970s North American arts references might not resonate.

So, I am not giving up social events. Nor am I going to bring my own food to a social event. Nor am I going to turn down free wine tickets. I have to take the hit.

However, I feel fine today because I left the party early enough to ride home and work up a sweat. No further errors made in the evening. Huge step count too.

As a side note, I hadn’t ridden at dusk heading to dark in a long time. What is with people walking in the middle of the shared path in dark clothes with headsets firmly planted in their ears? It is so dangerous.

Hooray I rode my bike today. Only clouds said the weather forecast. We’ll see later if they are right or wrong.

It seems that in the past three days I’ve achieved a level of strictness to the plan that I have not been able to achieve in the previous half of Plan D. Now that the weekend is approaching, there are challenges including an office social event tonight and the usual weak points on the weekend.

However, without skipping these events, I have plans for how not to go off the rails. When it comes to alcohol, I have to stick with wine as that’s frankly what I’ve been drinking all along with the exception of an occasional beer night. As for food, I have to be picky and if there are carbs avoid the wheat. That one is the worst.

Besides, it’s only four days to Peanut Butter Cup night.

I have had two days now where no real dietary infractions have been made as based on the original plan. That plan is to stick to meat and vegetables, avoid the 4 carbs of the apocalypse (wheat, corn, rice, potato) and of course no overt acts of sugar.

I have to do a kettle bell workout today so that will cook the metabolism a bit.

Sadly the weather here in Vancouver has been basically periods of rain punctuated with the occasional rainstorm for almost the whole month. Cycling has been reduced as a result.

I must stay strict because it’s only 5 days until Peanut Butter Cup Night (October 31). I say this mostly to drive my Personal Trainer bonkers. << insert maniacal laugh here >>

I have a problem. (Not that problem.) The problem where I’m really, really, really pissed off with myself, but, I’m not allowed to be angry. The reasons are that key people in this diet/fitness process say that it’s not appropriate and the toxicity of the anger is unhealthy. Ironic seeing the point of this is to improve my health.

The weight loss component of the diet/fitness is not moving. Charts illustrate the problem below.

But here’s the kicker. Look at the March 29 to Oct 26 before and after photos. Even I with my clouded vision on this topic see the difference.

For other people reading this who might be reading this, carbohydrates and sugar are the enemy.

O boy. We’re past the 1/2 way mark for the 99 day long Plan D. If I want to reduce my embarrassment, I have to get a move on.

I ask you. I lost a step counter. Somewhere yesterday between writing the number down and getting to work it vanished. “Borrowers took it” my mother used to say about mysterious disappearances. Of course, I had another one in my desk at work.

Today I weigh-in. I promise not to cry, barf or fart (much) before, during or after the process. Today I will bring the outfit I wore with my first photo back in March with my first trainer.

I am entering a contest at the gym for “success stories”. In my case, it’s more of a “success eventually story” but it would be nice if I win time on my gym membership or something.

The need for rest in the face of an increase of obligations between now and Christmas has increased. I’m going to burn something out if I don’t start going to bed earlier.

Tomorrow marks the transition past the halfway mark and I am certain I’m not halfway to the goal for Plan D. As I said a long time ago it’s good that there are a lot of letters in the alphabet.

I rode in today and despite a shoelace trying to tangle in the gears, wet leaves on the bike paths and it being dark, it was refreshing to be actively commuting.

Comically, despite all the food prep I did this weekend, I forgot to prep my bacon-and-eggs for this morning.

Tomorrow I weigh in. At the end of September, I suppressed the numbers for the weigh-in. I think in order to be honest about this process, I have to see the numbers tomorrow and look backward and see where I’m really at.

This is the worst part because I need the numbers to chart progress but I can’t let the numbers incite my ancient diet traumas to judge me.