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Plan B – Day 3

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I have this one. I was looking for a monster image and thought of it. For fun check out this new Granville Island article I wrote.

Blessedly the gout has let up. Not gone but I now don’t walk any funnier than usual. It sure shows in the step counter when you take the bus both ways.

The carb battle was better last night. I had greens in sufficient quantity and some raspberries stopped me from hitting the bag of chips.

Today will be a challenge because I did not feel well enough last night to cook before bed. (The anti-inflammatory has upset the innards, which is odd because I don’t remember it doing that last time I had gout.)

So today is the mine field of buying fast food lunch in a North American city where the motto is, “Can I provide you with 900% of your daily carbohydrate intake with that miniscule piece of protein and tasteless vegetable matter for only $15?”

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July 6, 2016

Plan B – Day 2

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I like it when Spider-man and Deadpool verbally spar. Outdoor Vancouver Art is here.

This morning. Gout. The right foot’s big toe joint is always touchy since 2013 when an antibiotic triggered the first and worst bout of gout. Today it was making walking difficult. So time for the real anti-inflammatory.

Yesterday, food-wise, was not so perfect. I tried to keep the intake during the day yesterday to something sensible, but after walking home, then walking over to the bike shop to arrange for a new wheel for the bike, and then walking home led me to a very hungry state. I quickly made bacon and eggs.

Cath and Tim had not eaten as they’d been cleaning and organizing all day. So I took them to Vera’s Burger Shack. I ate again, but a few fries were consumed. I was totally strung out.

The lesson is to be better prepared before dinner time. I have recruited C & T to do some supply shopping for me today

BTW, when I weighed in yesterday I was still at my 288 that I registered on June 28 — this despite beer and treats on the long weekend.

Hopefully today will be more balanced. Especially if the anti-inflammatory works.

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July 5, 2016

Plan B – Day 1

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This comes from the New 52. I really enjoyed when Batman, upon first meeting Green Lantern, simply stole the ring from GL. Please see a new article on TravelInBC.com

Yes, Plan B. This will be followed a little later by Plan C. I estimate up to 26 plans. Because, seriously, Plan Z1 just sounds stupid.

For those of you who have followed the April/May/June lard removal voyage will recall that on June 29, 2016 I was disappointed with the weight loss. I was happy with the change to strength, loss of inches around the middle and the squaring off of the shoulders. And, the support of people who’ve followed this has been wonderful.

However, that still leaves 38 pounds of lard that need converting to muscle or matter that needs to go down the drain.

After my existential horror-yell on the 28th of June, some beer, deep yoga breathing and reviewing the files on the Mutant Diet, I realized that I did not carry out one of my intentions. I had intended to remove all overt carbs, specifically wheat, corn, rice and potato. In reality I only removed the wheat, which was great. I wondered why I did not do the original intention and I figure that the cravings for refined carbs were overpowering anything resembling common sense and the three-month time period was too daunting.

Therefore the plan now is to remove the 4 Horsemen of the Lardapocalypse (wheat, corn, rice and potato) and truly do the meat and vegetable route, but only for 12 days. I feel that is do-able. There’s also a practical reason. We travel on July 18 so the process becomes quickly impractical. 12 days, coupled with normal workout activity, should show if such a change has an impact on the scale.

Also, after the 92-day Mutant Diet, I felt like I had restored a vintage car only to drive it as far as the end of the driveway.

It’s time to see what this baby can do.

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July 4, 2016
Mutant Diet Finale

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All I want to do is this ride on a day like today. Kits Beach — Spanish Banks. Visit and click.

Without being any more unpleasant that I already am, I thought these two audio clips would encapsulate my feelings toward the outcome of this 15 week diet-fitness extravaganza.

From A Fish Called Wanda

From Black Adder

So … why the negative response?

I’ll let you decide. Brace yourself for facts and figures.

Let’s start with how much work I did over the 92 days.

But you’re wanting to know “the number”.

10.7 pounds.

I know, right?

Here’s the chart. The figures are pounds and inches. The % Body Fat is courtesy of the gym’s scale that somehow measures this through bare feet on the metal plate of the scale.

For you graph people, this is what it looks like.

How bad were people’s guesses? Bad.

Cathy of Edmonton wins the chocolate.

Honestly that was a lot of work for limited effort. I’m keen to have people’s interpretation. The % Body Fat drop explains my droopy pants but the real question is “Where do I need to be?” According to insane ideal weight charts I’m supposed to be 169 to 189 pounds. Uh huh.

I spoke with Victoria the Trainer and we set a target of 250 pounds, assuming I keep at the gym the way I am.

So 38 pounds to go. There will be work over the summer and I’m going to ponder Mutant Diet Deux for September. Maybe I’ll only eat French things.

I was going to put up before and after pictures, but when they are sized down to this screen, the difference is, sadly, not good enough for publication and, frankly, I’ve put myself out there enough. However, this one I’ll share.

Have a great summer.

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June 28, 2016

Mutant Diet Day 92

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This cover is famous (I also own it) because it does not have the Comics Code seal because the story deals with a friend of Spider-man struggling with drugs. For the final day … prepare for Wolverine. Help me pay for all this here: Niagara-on-the-Lake

The big day. Last workout and weigh in. I see the numbers in about 3 hours.

It’s obvious the de-lardification is not over. The trick is to use today’s numbers to plan a way forward for the balance of the work. I’ll actually know what that work is. I’ll know what effort it takes to achieve such a goal.

I realized I didn’t take a picture, darn it. I talked the personal trainer Victoria into joining Catherine and I for yoga. There’s a fair amount of misconception about yoga, not helped by some practitioners who are too New Age-y about it. Trainers tend to be a bit more mechanical but I think Victoria saw some techniques she can use to help some of her clients, particularly those recovering from injury. Victoria met the kids as we all went for Sushi afterwards.

I found the yoga super helpful in this regime because it’s slower and makes me notice what parts of the body had actually strengthened over the week and is a chance to take an inventory of the sore parts.

OK … back to work!

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June 27, 2016

Mutant Diet Day 91

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An image of the Suicide Squad. Looking forward to the movie. Check out Vancouver for places to stay.

Crap. Tomorrow. Final trainer session and weigh in. And I see the numbers.My final guess for my own situation is here. Last chance to put in a guess and win chocolate.

Some of my morning was spent on the phone with my brother and sister discussing my mother’s health. She managed to get a fever and then have it turn in to low body temp. Which apparently causes minor hallucinations.

Yep, another reason to become fit people is that your medical history prior to turning 80 is of huge importance to your quality of life once in your 80s.

Yoga is tonight, hopefully with a guest star, and I hope to eat sensibly today. Last night Jerry and Cory and Ava, who have helped immensely with preparing meat for this diet, had us over to dinner. I can’t thank them enough.

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June 26, 2016

Mutant Diet Day 90

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(click for larger)

A few years ago there was an awesome comic book crossover with Justice League and the Avengers. Maybe one day there’ll be a movie crossover.

Go to Victoria and click on something for me, would ya?

Wow. Day 90. Out of 92. I’m not freaking out quite so much as I thought I would. I’m mentally ready for the fact I have a long way to go to be gut free. But at Costco last night, I was still buying essentially what I need to continue the meat-and-vegetables approach to the diet. I’d rate my cravings for wheat at about 2% or my normal 100% and I’d rate my craving for sweets at about 25% of my usual 220%.

On Monday I’m asking Victoria for three killer homework sessions that I can continue in the summer. There’s disruption with travel and vacation so I want to be able to lose a little in the weight department but concentrate more on core strength. This is because I noticed that my lower back is stronger and not throwing as many warning twinges as usual.

It’s a subtle change, but one I want to cultivate.

However, Day 93 – the day after – is a beer night at the Billy Bishop Legion. Be there or be square.

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June 25, 2016

Mutant Diet Day 89

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One of the least plausible comic book characters is Matter-Eater Lad. This cover I’m sure we had as a family but I don’t think survived the many summers at the cottage. The cottage was in Prince Edward County. Go here for lots of pictures.

Friday. Monday is the big day. My dumb blood pressure last night was binging around like a ping pong ball in a windstorm. The number below was the best of 5 measurements.

The idea that I’m doing a final weigh-in prompts me to think I should do some heroic effort to be lean for Monday. Not only is this impossible, it does not represent the reality of the process.

At the end there’ll be heaps of numbers that let me predict future progress.

There is really no going back. What will continue next week? Gym Homework, cycling, karate, yoga.

Diet? No way I’m taking back wheat. Maybe the occasional treat, but not as a component of each meal like it used to be.

In preparation, remember to place your guesses. See Day 74 and put your weight guess in the comments. Chocolate for you is at stake!

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June 24, 2016

Mutant Diet Day 88

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Deadpool always annoys the other superheroes and I found this image that illustrates that. Try a spooky walk in Kingston Ontario.

The rain saves my knees. No riding today. However, yesterday, I saw myself in a mirror doing a warrior 2 pose in yoga class. Sigh. This Mutant Diet ends on Tuesday June 28 but the work will not be done. Now I know why there are typically no mirrors in yoga classes.

The trick now is to not lose focus. The reason is that I will have solid data on what I can pressure myself to accomplish, which will be an estimating factor for the remaining lard.

Today is a gym workout and karate. I am hoping I hold together to do both.

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June 23, 2016

Mutant Diet Day 87

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Deadpool and Daredevil. Just because. Parts of PEI are on the To Visit List.

I’m not sure what I did yesterday but my abs from the waist down are really pissed off this morning. I fear I am running out of gas. Last night … wait for it … cue dramatic music … I ate a hamburger bun. It had a hamburger in it, but I just could not handle the special ordering with a lettuce wrap that makes a giant mess. There we go. Diet over. Call the cops.

Why dine out? Well, while the family went to karate, I put myself on the couch and moaned quietly. By the time they got back, the thought of cooking was too much work. Plus the cold wasn’t helping.

So, whine, whine, whine and not enough wine.

6 days to go. I’d like to reach the end of this experiment not feeling like an old can of refried beans.

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June 22, 2016