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Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

Wouldn’t it be great if Ryan Reynolds had a short role in a Ben Afflect Batman film? Sigh.Sponsorship: Moose Jaw is a funny name. Check it out.

It’s Day 7. Week 2 begins tomorrow. I guess I should be happy I made it through a week. Today the plan is to get my bike going, do yoga and complete about 100 tasks I put off while studying for the CSC. I may be being optimistic. I have a couple of friends with significant health issues and I think I’ll dedicate today’s efforts to them. I figure if any of the ailments that afflict them hit me, and I’m in better shape, I’ll fare better than I would otherwise.

Of course, every day it crosses my mind to embrace my inner couch potato and really, really commit to beer, chips and a Netflix account. Even though Jerry prepared about 2 kg of pork chops for me to freeze and mix with veggies, the overhead of this diet from a time-in-the-kitchen perspective is pretty darn big.

Yesterday I ended up at a Tim Horton’s at lunch time (Tim was at ballet) and I managed to eat a wrap that wasn’t too bad. No donuts. But the reason for this mistake was the fact I did not defrost a meal in time to heat it. Stupid mistake.

Tomorrow is a fresh week and I hope to crush it.

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

It’s Day 6 and Day 5 did not go according to plan and now Day 6 is not going according to plan. When you get into a process like this if you do not have the right food ready to eat at the right time, stuff is going to go off. People who say — to those of us who’ve got food issues — to just “get a grip” and not eat the bad stuff simply don’t understand.

I want to be Superman in level of self control, but the reality is when you’re doing what I’m doing you can’t think clearly when you are hungry. And the more hungry you get, the less self-control over choices.

This is why pre-planning is mission critical.

We saw Batman vs Superman last night and there’s a real disconnect from the critics and the audience. Apart from the fact I am totally sick of the government jumping to use nuclear missiles as a plot device, the film was fine. I read the Globe & Mail’s review and there’s a paragraph where the reviewer listed things that didn’t make sense, but all of which were actually part of the plot and had a point. There should have been a bit more humour but I feel the shadow of Christopher Nolan was hanging over this film.

Anyway, the point of this is that I did not have a dinner plan. We went to a 5:50 PM show. I got hungry. I ate weak nachos. I went home and tried to balance it out with bacon and eggs.

Frustrating but not fatal. Today I might be able to get my bike fixed.

Today’s sponsorship is an article I wrote last year. www.travelinalberta.com/blog/southern-alberta/drumheller/the-royal-tyrrell-museum-of-palaeontology-in-drumheller/

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

I forgot my lunch at home today so this Hulk image is a bit more appropriate. Why is it with dieting you always feel changes in your body in places you really don’t care about? Like my damn neck. Who cares? The workouts in the scruffy log entry below were pretty intense. I wasn’t even trying to fully do Mary’s workout homework and I was feeling whipped at the end. For sponsorship, another really funny Newfoundland-Labrador place name.

Then of course karate class (2 hours’ worth) involved a lot of kicking. Kicking and my right hip are not friends. However, I did find I could muster more stability. It’s all about activating abdominal muscles and keeping them tight during kicks.

So because I forgot my damn lunch I have to venture out and try to find meat and veggies and NOT be tempted by other stuff.

For those of you keen on detail, the step counter should be viewed as how much walking I’m doing. I broke 13,000 which means I at least walked home and had to have done extra walking or, in Day 4’s case, cardio in the gym and karate class.

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

It’s a nutty day. I did pass the Canadian Securities Exam by the skin of my teeth. I am very relieved. At least I’ve knocked one pressure off my list. As to dieting, the classic situation occurred. My body used lard that I added on the Easter Weekend to make the first three days feel simple. Then the cravings started at 2:30 yesterday. I now have a bag of raisins in my desk at the ready. I can’t risk having to go to Urban Fare. Just too many easily edible things. I’m also finding the carb cravings at dinner time quite intense. However, not eating before bed is easier. Go figure.

The image of my log entries is below. For today’s sponsorship, I’ve decided to put a classic funny name from Newfoundland-Labroador on the site. Check out Woody Point.

Now to go to the gym and test out Mary’s homework.

Click the image for a bigger picture. I clearly have to work on my cursive writing.

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

It’s now Day 3 and I’m still mentally recovering from writing the Canadian Securities Course yesterday. It was good in one way to plan the first Mary Killer Workout. But mentally I was off kilter for the session. The first full weight and tape measure measurements were done and put in the secret envelope that Mary will keep until the end. I received my homework from her that will be two 30 minute sessions at the gym on my own to try to move this along as fast as I can. Here’s what she sent. Enjoy the retro Daredevil image and visit Tofino to plan your next getaway.

Here are my notes from Day 2.

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

In honour of last night’s Supergirl/Flash crossover, in which it looked like Benoit and Gustin had a blast, I found this set photo which seemed to confirm it. I have now finished Day 1. I have the Canadian Securities Exam today so I have to rush. Today will be my first official session with Mary the trainer. Wish me luck on both.

The official picture of my journal for Day is below. Click to enlarge.

Sponsor: Check out where Trump is trying to send people. Cape Breton

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

After all this prep the time has come. Am I able to battle the cravings that are coming or will I simply fold? Given the amount of preparation, I’m not feeling like quitting before I start. I have a lot of frozen meat-and-vegetable meals in the freezer and I’m planning on pulling off this first week. That should develop some momentum. (Batman vs Superman came out this weekend; I want to see it. Also, visit someplace like Wellington, Ontario to boost the love from the sponsor.) The “normal” week goes like this.

Food: eat either eggs and bacon or oatmeal in the morning. The rest of the day is mean-and-vegetable pre-prepared meals. Simple. Snacks? F__k them. Grapes or raisins in an emergency.

Fitness: Walking and biking to/from work will progress. The weather has just changed but I need some minor bike repairs. Pushups morning and night.

Monday – Mary Homework. Mary’s the trainer and I have some homework. However this first week I don’t have my Mutant Workout until Tuesday afternoon. I am writing my Canadian Securities Course exam on Tuesday.

Tuesday – A normal week would see the Mary Killer Workout at noon and karate at 6 PM.

Wednesday – Noon yoga

Thursday – either a Mary Homework session or a light workout. Typically I have double karate on Thursday nights.

Friday – if no Mary Homework on Thursday, then a light workout to keep limber. Early testing last week showed I tighten up very fast.

Saturday – rest day

Sunday – evening yoga.

This makes is all sound so … straightforward.

But it’s not. I had Catherine take photos of my in a gym shirt, a 2X, and I could not face posting those images today. They will be part of the before and after data for the end of June. One benefit I’m hoping is that I’ll be able to cross reference my self-perceptions with a new standard of how I physically feel and have a set of numbers and images that represent this basic truth. Perhaps acceptance will follow.

Tomorrow, I will post my notes on how Day 1 went. Basically I’ll be progress reporting each day as a means to keep myself on track and honest.

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

I had my Personal Trainer Assessment today. Basically Mary needed to know how far she could push me on this program. Mary works at Steve Nash Fitness World at W. Georgia and Bute, which is one block from my office. The proximity to work of this gym is crucial for the overall success as time is the killer. Mary put me through a cardio test, push up, pull up, chest press, lat pull down, lunges both on and off a bosu ball and tried to stretch out my leg. She has now seen what a Ford hamstring and quad combination is unwilling to do.

Basically I’m stronger than I look (thank you Karate). However, as I suspected, my back area is weak. When doing a non weighted reverse fly, the connections at the hip bone are very, very resistant.

The plan is to have a Tuesday workout each week. Twice during the week I will do what I call “Mary Homework”. She is currently preparing my self-inflicted follow up work.

Mary Casey and a Large Orange Moose

click to enlarge, if you dare

The official start date is Monday March 28. I am trying to make sure I have everything organized by then. The food process will be interesting because if I don’t have the meat-and-vegetables pre-planned and prepared, mistakes will happen.

And now a word from our sponsor: I heard that Whistler was extending their ski season this year. Check it out.

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

So I’m trying not to panic. I’ve booked the trainer. I’ve been to Costco and bought a boat load of protein. (See image below.) It was funny; I was really looking at this in a price-per-pound mentality. When I looked a chicken there were de-boned, skinless chicken breasts that were triple the price of chicken thighs. I could not image the chicken breasts for a minute having any taste whatsoever. I’m a believer in two things.

1. Fat does not make you fat.
2. Fat delivered via sliced potatoes will make you fat.

A grumpy article here explains some of the details.
paleoleap.com/demolishing-fat-makes-fat-myth/

I also didn’t want to do the packaged meat because of the salt, sugar and other preservatives. My friend Jerry is saving my life by cooking the meat for me so I don’t smoke the vegetarians out of the apartment.

The plan is to prep all this stuff, break it into meal sizes, freeze and have it ready for all meals starting March 28th.

More details coming soon. Looks like I can’t back down now. At least I know I won’t starve.

Please see my sponsoring articles on Salt Spring Island. Every penny counts.

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post

I am off to Toronto to visit my mother who is in hospital. These kinds of things really throw a wrench in planning as this trip was unplanned.

I am adding a superhero image to all postings for no real reason except I like them and they are part of the fitness theme for this 90-day journey.

I have worked out a deal with the trainer whose secret identity I will reveal in an upcoming post.

Please visit my sponsorship site. Check out Toronto.

As a result of planning I’ve been trying to observe what I eat and what influences the mistakes I make. (A mistake is defined as unneeded wheat products or sweet treats.)

The conclusion I’ve reached is that I have to have all my food for this 90-day sprint pre-planned with back up plans. It is very difficult to say no to the bread-like foods when you eat anywhere, particularly if you are at a take-out or restaurant situation. If in a restaurant, I’ll have to say I’m on a strict diet for health reasons and ask for custom meals. I’ll also need a batch of pre-cooked frozen meals to my spec located at work and at home.

I can say I’m getting nervous. My commitment is high and my curiosity on how this will turn out is high. But I feel the edges of feeling daunted.

Stay tuned.

Announcement Post – Day 1 – Previous Post – Next Post