Category: Phase 2

I needed a lot of superheroes today. I really want Turks and Caicos Islands to be a Canadian province.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 38
If lard falls off and no one hears it are you still fat?

Surprisingly I lost 1.2 pounds between Feb 7 and Feb 14. Of course that night I ate chocolate and drank wine with my wife. I also screamed at my children and am in agony from my personal trainer workout.

Whine and wine.

So, if you don’t like either of my types of whining, try this workout and let me know.

Bulgarian Bag Routine
Lots of hip movement!

1. Pendulums – With Blue Kettle bell, support yourself on the ledge with your opposite hand and lean over the weight. Keep knees slightly bent but most of the bend is from the hips. Keep your back straight and allow your shoulder to be pulled down. Make 5 circles in each direction before switching hands.
2. Halo with Kettle Bell – hold kettle bell upside down in front of face. Keep close to your head while having the kettle bell circle it. Use pink and complete 8 circles in each direction. 2 times
3. bag Sway – the first exercise we learned together. Use the red bag and have it moving towards the straight leg. Wide leg stance. Complete 20 sways total, take a break and complete 3 more sets.
4. bag chop – the second exercise we learned together. Feet closer together, bring the bag horizontal to the ground and pivot on your back foot. Complete 10 reps in each direction, rest and then 2 more sets
5. Squat and press – create a ‘necklace’ in front holding onto the handles of the bag. Squat with the bag and as you are standing up press it overhead. Red bag, 10 reps. Rest, 3 sets.
6. Power snatch -the one where you’re almost hitting the back of your head. Careful with your back – do not bend at the top, core tight! Swing the bag through your legs and then pull it overhead and flip it at the top, straightening your arms. Green bag, 10 reps. Rest then 2 more sets.
7. Bag Clean – swing the bag through your legs then catch the bag when it is in front of your shoulders, keep your arms straight. Red bag
8. Half a swing – swing the bag up to one side and rest it on your shoulder/elbow.
9. Squat with the bag resting on your back. Red bag, 10 reps and 3 sets.
10. Lunges – With the red bag on your back lunge forward and then step back into a standing position. Alternate legs and do 12 at a time before taking a break. 3 sets.
11. Lateral Lunges – Still using the red bag on your back. Lunge to the side keeping your butt back. 10 on one side and then switch to the other side. Land with a bent knee keeping your other leg straight. 2 sets per side.
12. Shoulder Press – Red bag in front, standing tall with core engaged. 10-15 shoulder presses before taking a break. 3 Sets.

I found this group picture when looking for something else. I wonder if Trinidad and Tobago would be good for Valentine’s Day?

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 37
Happy Valentine’s Day. I had a nightmare last night that some mechanic had modified my Smart Car to have two steering wheels. I drove off with a stranger in the other seat.

Let me know when that one makes any sense.

Yesterday we saw Rogue One. Spoiler alert: Princess Leia gets the stolen data disk. Although I wonder if using the Death Star on your own data archive is such a great way of cleaning up your hard drive.

We went to White Spot afterwards only to be seated beside good friends and neighbours. The dad is a regular follower of this blog and said, “There’s nothing you can eat here.” At face value it’s true, but in the menu, White Spot said I could get a lettuce wrap bun and have a salad instead. That’s what I did and only mooched a couple of fries off my daughter’s plate.

Today I’m supposed to see the Trainer but the step count has been so low due to the weather and my cold that I figure I’m in for limited results and lecture on carbs.

I’ve done slow projects before but this one takes the cake, if you’ll pardon the expression.

It’s never a bad day for Wonder Woman but I have not yet figured out the whole DC Rebirth thing. Suriname, formerly Dutch Guiana would be cool to visit.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 36
It’s Family Day in British Columbia and we slept in. (Yes, Ontario and Alberta friends, for reasons that aren’t clear – but maybe due to Chinese New Year – BC’s Family Day is on a different week.)

I’m making mistakes with the diet and part of this is due to fatigue. Tired of the process. Tired from work. Tired of the cold. Tired of being tired. Of course, when you try to sleep in, your mind starts running around to all the problems and work you aren’t dealing with.

Plus, my meals are off because I’m way past breakfast.

I have to simply make sure the mind doesn’t go too sideways and take me off the diet/fitness track.

It’s just the kind of day where you need a picture of Black Widow. At time of writing, it’s raining but 29° in Saint Lucia. I could handle that.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 35
So, do you think going to Chocolate Arts during the Hot Chocolate Festival was a bad idea?

I actually dodged a lot of the temptation and drank leftovers from my kids and had a couple of pieces of dark chocolate nut stuff which isn’t that sugar-y.

I did finally learn my lesson at Subway. I asked for a salad with double meat, put a little mayo on it, didn’t buy pop, and stirred it up with a little mayo. It was fairly civilized and the meal held me for the next few hours.

It’s taken a disproportionately long time to break old habits and form new ones that don’t include a sense of being somehow cheated out of something.

I wonder if how long this takes is normal.

I felt like it was time for a picture with The Atom in it. Saint Kitts and Nevis awaits Canadians sick of winter with 28°

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 34
It is clear that french fries are good. I had some for the first time since before Christmas and damn they were good. There’s a reason they’re a comfort food. Collectively we were all too tired last night to even make peanut butter sandwiches. Catherine’s cold was kicking in and Indian food was called for.

But today, back to normal high protein/low carb routine.

I am in total admiration at how slow my body is to lose weight. 4 belt notches and only 15 pounds. It’s only these core facts that keeps me from giving up. I think I know why people do give up and embrace the pharmaceutical industry.

That’s me after a lunch meeting where I didn’t eat. I wonder if Puerto Rico‘s debt problem makes it a cheap place to go calm down?

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 33
I made a huge mistake. I was booked into a meeting that started at 11:30 AM and didn’t realize it went over lunch time. I was hungry and unable to go to the gym. The Bulgarian bags were waiting. Plus, when you’re hungry, there’s a natural urge to want people to come to the point. Fast.

You can imagine how well that went.

However, I still have a job and I was not arrested so I’m feeling ahead of the curve.

Only Aquaman could handle Vancouver‘s weather today. Let’s go for a swim in the Netherlands Antilles instead.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 32
Wow. Who knew bad weather could make diet/fitness so much more challenging? Today it’s raining on top of the unshovelled snow. People were so scared yesterday, they cleared out of downtown early.

The dark clouds come not only to the skies, but the mind. This of course inspires blue day eating, which I am trying to avoid. Fortunately I have lots of supply of protein and vegetables so I will endeavour to stay on the path.

Hopefully I can tackle some Bulgarian bag exercises today. I don’t know what the Bulgarians have against us.

I found this image of Cyborg Superman and Supergirl. Montserrat would be nicer than Vancouver today.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 31
I dragged myself with sinus meds to the personal trainer yesterday. I lost a pound in the previous week, but the body fat and other measurements are odd so I’m going to publish near the end of the month a chart. Last night was my last cheat in relation to my wife’s birthday.

I keep being brought into the calorie counting argument and I’m wanting so say I don’t bother because 500 calories of bread is not the same as 500 calories of a basic mixed salad. So I think I need to say nothing and say I’m watching out for (like a Terminator Model 1000) all carbs and sugar in the goal of eliminating them.

Today is yoga. I must remember to take the decongestants so I don’t annoy everyone.

In honour of the continuing cold snap in Vancouver, Burnaby, Maple Ridge and Abbotsford, I present Mr. Freeze.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 30

Diet/fitness and colds don’t mix. I barely moved yesterday and today I’m supposed to have a personal trainer session. The creaking and metal bending noises you will hear in the distance will be me.

I have to keep the body moving in order not to lose more momentum. It’s so easy to backslide even when one’s cheating is relatively small.

Wish me luck. 30 days in and 47 to do for this Phase.

I was hoping the Human Torch could melt all the snow in Vancouver.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 29

I’d heard that this cold likes to do the relapse trick. So it did. I was off kilter feeling slightly feverish before bed and realized this morning that I wasn’t going to be wanted at the office. So I am attempting to tackle things from home.

However, that did not stop me enjoying my cheat day yesterday. The cheesecake I made was OK and Raga on Broadway for the Indian Food. My wife’s birthday is technically on Tuesday so there are a couple more chances to cheat, but strangely I’m not feeling as compelled to dive back into the sugar and carbs.

This may be the cold talking but when thoughts turn to the bad stuff (e.g. chocolate almonds, M&Ms, toast-and-jam) the associated compulsion just isn’t as strong. For example just by typing this I triggered a craving, but it’s light. It would be interesting to know what the chemistry is that does all this.