Blog

Fantastic Four image in honour of my new arms. Someone go to Anguilla and let me know what it’s like.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 16

Today is a personal trainer and workout session and I’ll be publishing results tomorrow. I’m still in the midst of this bet with my trainer that I won’t lose as much as she thinks I’ll lose. I’m on a good ground to argue my case because I’ve been the strictest on carbs ever. For example I’ve been 100% alcohol free for two weeks.

One thing I did notice is that my coffee (without sugar) desires increased during this time.

Yesterday I bought three shirts at the big-and-tall shop at Hastings near Richards. Apparently my arms have grown. The sales guy measured my arms from the shoulder and said I needed 37/38 sleeves. “My arms have not grown,” I said and then I realized by damn shoulders have. So in the end it’s as hard to fit a shirt around my shoulders as it is to fit around my middle.

So I now have four new shirts but even at the big-and-tall, the selection is not great. If I could stand cotton/poly blends I would have spent less and had more. However, my skin can’t handle polyester.

In good news, the blood pressure last night on the first reading fell into what I call the no-need-for-drugs zone, which is good since I haven’t taken any for at least 4 days.

Cross your fingers for me at lunch time when I see the trainer.

This image represents how I feel about clothes shopping. Vancouver decided to turn cold again. Barbados sounds good. Please go there for me.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 15

As I mentioned yesterday I was going to see what Park Royal had to offer in the way of shirts. So we went to 7, count ’em, seven stores and I tried on no shirts. Even if the styles were what I wanted, I say nothing over an XL.

Nothing tells a person they are a fat ____ more than that. I will never shop again at The Gap, Old Navy, Simons, Winners, The Bay, Banana Republic and Eddie Bauer. Eddie Bauer at least had a pleasant staff member.

And people wonder why diet/fitness programs fail. Honestly.

I am hoping to sneak down to the big and tall men’s shop on Hastings where I know I won’t see one “slim fit” shirt anywhere.

I was searching for best dressed superhero and found Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman. For another kind of hot … Antigua

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 14

Nothing makes you feel worse in a diet/fitness context than clothes shopping. It’s not only the frustration with sizing (that doesn’t make sense) but it’s also, if you are on a diet, you are never near the size you want to be.

Anyone who knows me knows I don’t shop. I don’t browse. I don’t comparison shop. Yesterday at Mark’s I was shocked at lack of product in the shop when it was evident they should have the product. “We can order it in” does not cut it for me because I ripped one of my shirts on Friday and need a replacement for Monday.

Because of my impatience with shopping, I am more cost tolerant if the product meets the demands, which are few. For a shirt, the criteria are the feel of the fabric, a simple colour, and the ability to house my shoulders and stomach.

Hopefully, if I can find more clothes today at Park Royal in West Vancouver, I avoid shopping until I’m nearer the end of the process.

This is a panel from an early Thor/Hulk fight. Next Thor movie will feature another battle. Every few years they talk about Turks and Caicos becoming a Canadian province. Probably that feeling comes to Ottawa every February.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 13

My eyebrows lost weight. I told my wife this and she laughed. It’s true. When I grab my eyebrows, they aren’t as fat.

Sadly, the quick summary of my what I think of my body image is “You are a horse-sized git who is lucky not be harpooned every time you walk on Kits Beach. In winter.”

This negative self image persists despite evidence (other than eyebrows) that I’m moving in the right direction – such as the entire set of blog entries for the past 8 months. In my kettle bell workout yesterday, there’s this swing-and-punch exercise that was very difficult with the pink kettle bell. It was straightforward yesterday with the right arm and only slightly wobbly with the left. My clothes fit differently too.

So, is my brain the laggard in this process? Or is it simply the fact when you are in process of changing every cell in your body it just feels icky?

I found this JLA/Avengers crossover image. So fun. I still want a warm escape. What about Martinique?

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 12

They mysteries of measuring biological changes continues. My blood pressure last night was officially in the OK zone. During the day yesterday at the gym I had that lightheaded feeling that I associate with my BP dropping. There’s the other light headed feeling that is due to exertion. I know the difference. So, I’m off BP meds again. Monitoring has to continue.

Now onto the keto stick thing. I finally did the test correctly and I was neutral. Which is supposed to mean that I’m not using ketones for fuel which I infer I should not be losing weight. However, I am. I can feel changes in my face, neck and other spots and the same belt is not doing as good a job holding up my jeans as it did two weeks ago. The question is, if I’m neutral state of ketosis, why am I losing weight? My activity level, especially as measured in steps, is way down due to weather and conflicting commitments.

This leads me to think that we have an incomplete picture of the bio-chemistry of weight loss.

My bet with my trainer will make even less sense when I can’t prove I was in ketosis and I lose significant weight.

I found this cool Avengers team picture. I’m still fantasizing about a warm destination. Let’s try Belize. I visited there once.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 11

It’s day 11. A palindrome day.

OK, so it’s official I’m taking BP meds until I’m more consistently able to mediate my way to a lower BP. I am blaming situational stress … oooh maybe like frigging dieting, an ailing parent, a mess at a volunteer job, 8 projects at work and children bringing home fun diseases.

Boy, did I ever pick the wrong month to go dry.

And man the weather is so crap I think zombies do more steps than me.

I was looking for an X-Men picture and I found this cool Guardians of the Galaxy image instead. I checked and it’s not raining in Aruba right now.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 10

Let’s see if we can find some clarity. … . Nope. Too busy.

It switched from Canadian Winter to Pacific Northwest Power Rain in a 48-hour period. The weather applies to a diet/fitness routine in that I’m walking less. Of course the sick child at home is not allowing full on fitness and other (some truly bizarre) incidents are slowing down progress.

If you consider an ultra low carb approach, you have to watch out for the “hangry” stage where you slip past a time where you’d want to eat and you become a bit nutso. These need to be prepared for and I’m trying to figure out what power bar or bag of nuts need to be handy in order to avoid trouble.

I tried using the keto stick last night and, er, I had a little trouble. I’ll try again later.

Blood pressure is down a bit but the numbers were all over. I took another pill last night. If it’s down to normal tonight I’ll try to pull back. However with all the situational stress, I’m better off not taking risks.

While looking for something else, I found this cool retro X-Men image. Although warmer today, I’d rather be rained on in the Cayman Islands.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 9

This is one of these days where the word gloomy would apply. I had that moment during a diet/fitness regime where you feel hopeless. The sheer size of the problem becomes clear and feeling daunted occurs. It may not help that relatives and friends of mine all over the country are having health problems that make my lard problem look like the difference between a wood sliver and a gaping cut.

The blood pressure numbers were up but the pulse was low. During one reading it was as low as 58. Given my steps and no biking I find that odd. I took a BP pill for the first time in months. I’ll try to check the readings tonight.

This is Medusa, an Inhuman. My son and I started a new series. I always wanted to visit Dominica, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 8

I have the dumbest bet ever with my personal trainer that involves peeing on a stick and not losing weight. She thinks that if I stay in a state of ketosis by way of reducing carbs as much as possible, I will lose 8 pounds by the next weigh in. My belief is that my body really, really likes its lard stores and is not going to give them up quickly. Or without a fight.

In order to determine if I’m in this magic ketosis state, there are things called keto sticks that you pee on and it turns a colour. I have to ask her what colour I am trying to reach. These are intended for diabetics to make sure they aren’t in a state of Ketoacidosis.

So the bet says that I won’t lose weight but I have to prove that I was strict with the carbs.

Who bets their trainer that they won’t lose weight?

Supergirl and Flash from a comic book. I re-watched the crossover on TV last night. Sorry to mention it, but it’s 28° in the British Virgin Islands.

Mutant Diet Phase 2 Day 7

Ow. Ow. Ow. Legs. Ow. I don’t think I mentioned yesterday that on Friday I did this exercise with my personal trainer that involved a Bulgarian bag. Normally you see people with it on their shoulders doing lunges, but in my case she had me swinging this thing while in a wide leg posture.

Bowling and yoga really finished it off. One of my normal pain relievers (wine) is off the table so damn. Ibuprofen before bed.

I suspect I’m starting to feel the effects of knocking more of the carbohydrates from my system. Despite the carbs from yesterday, this weekend has been better than normal.

70 days to go. February 7 is my official cheat day.