While I may mention pain relatively often I am convinced that physical fitness (and more water, and a hard core sleep schedule) is the only thing which will cure it. Getting fit may induce pain situations more often than I would if I didn't try, but I have tried a *lot* of methods of reducing pain and losing weight and getting fit seem to be the only long term things which reduce it. Just gotta push through it.
Right now - I do seem to be going through an upper back spasm phase. I use my microwaveable neck warmer often. I try to not use pain killers too much, but probably will 3 or so times a week.
Now if only this cold would clear up and the weather would be warmer. :)
Monday, March 31, 2008
March 31 notes.
It is easier for me to do this in a disciplined fashion when I use elements of my work schedule to do it. I suspect weekends will be much harder to do well than the week.
9:35pm last night - went to bed.
5:00 alarm went off. Took meds went back to sleep.
upper spine is in a good deal of pain.
6:00 got up.
6:30 did pushup pyramids to 4 and crunches.
7:00 ate grape nuts (with soy milk) and a hand full of pecans
8:00 left for work. Hot shower appears to have alleviated most of the neck pain. still have a mild cold.
9:30 Two packets of instant oatmeal - one of them plain to try to reduce sugar. 13 mg sugar total.
10:21 Drank 8oz of water... have another 8oz sitting by if I'm able to down it over the next 40 minutes before my meeting.
10:30 Losing focus
11:00 Finished the second 8oz by 11. Had morning mud (8oz coffee, 8oz hot chocolate, 1 packet saccarin).
12:15 Ought to be eating lunch but just do not have the stomach for it.
1:40
I have the chills - microwaved my neckwarmer.
Drinking 8oz of water.
2:40
The water stabilized me. Now I'm hungry. Going to gulp 8oz more water and go home early, will eat soon.
9:35pm last night - went to bed.
5:00 alarm went off. Took meds went back to sleep.
upper spine is in a good deal of pain.
6:00 got up.
6:30 did pushup pyramids to 4 and crunches.
7:00 ate grape nuts (with soy milk) and a hand full of pecans
8:00 left for work. Hot shower appears to have alleviated most of the neck pain. still have a mild cold.
9:30 Two packets of instant oatmeal - one of them plain to try to reduce sugar. 13 mg sugar total.
10:21 Drank 8oz of water... have another 8oz sitting by if I'm able to down it over the next 40 minutes before my meeting.
10:30 Losing focus
11:00 Finished the second 8oz by 11. Had morning mud (8oz coffee, 8oz hot chocolate, 1 packet saccarin).
12:15 Ought to be eating lunch but just do not have the stomach for it.
1:40
I have the chills - microwaved my neckwarmer.
Drinking 8oz of water.
2:40
The water stabilized me. Now I'm hungry. Going to gulp 8oz more water and go home early, will eat soon.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
March 30 notes.
Up at 9. I appear to have a mild cold.
Eating grape nuts at 9:45
12:00 Ate leftover whole wheat spaghetti
12:30-2:30
took a nap.
2:45
inch of salami and an apple
6:00
Eaten a quarter pound of carrots, a cucumber, and a large glass of water recently.
FEEL LIKE CRAP. Not coughing more than once or so an hour, but boy, do I hurt. Now that I think about it, been very bloated since mid day yesterday.
Eating grape nuts at 9:45
12:00 Ate leftover whole wheat spaghetti
12:30-2:30
took a nap.
2:45
inch of salami and an apple
6:00
Eaten a quarter pound of carrots, a cucumber, and a large glass of water recently.
FEEL LIKE CRAP. Not coughing more than once or so an hour, but boy, do I hurt. Now that I think about it, been very bloated since mid day yesterday.
March 29 notes.
Writing this a day later so just a summary:
Got up noonish - neck hurt like hell most of the day - maybe 5 on the pain scale (which is pretty high for me - anything at 3 or higher means I'll try painkillers). painkillers wouldn't help, in the late afternoon I even tried muscle relaxers - looks like it may have been dehydration. Oops.
12:00 had scrambled eggs, bacon, french toast, salt, pepper, honey, caff tea.
Tea several more times.
Had several V8's and waters once I realized dehydration was a factor.
8:00 Had spaghetti with red sauce with ground beef for dinner. Time to go order a bunch of new organic meat.
2 guiness
Went to bed 11:30ish
Got up noonish - neck hurt like hell most of the day - maybe 5 on the pain scale (which is pretty high for me - anything at 3 or higher means I'll try painkillers). painkillers wouldn't help, in the late afternoon I even tried muscle relaxers - looks like it may have been dehydration. Oops.
12:00 had scrambled eggs, bacon, french toast, salt, pepper, honey, caff tea.
Tea several more times.
Had several V8's and waters once I realized dehydration was a factor.
8:00 Had spaghetti with red sauce with ground beef for dinner. Time to go order a bunch of new organic meat.
2 guiness
Went to bed 11:30ish
Friday, March 28, 2008
March 28 notes.
Went to bed at 11:30 last night. Slept fitfully. Kept waking up thinking it was already morning.
6:00
Alarm went off. took meds, went back to sleep.
7:00
got up
7:30
Ate an avocado and smallish bowl of grape nuts.
8:30 - working from home today, expect to be eating a little differently than usual.
1+ cup of grapes.
9:05
Couple handfulls of salted pistacio's and some tea with honey.
12:00
In the last few hours I have had some salami, some cheese, and an apple.
2:00
Totally been up and down passing out and sleeping all afternoon since 11ish. W.T.F.
Everything I eat tastes bitter too.
Ate 3-4 servings of lasagne for dinner, went out and proceeded to eat several handfulls of m&m's
Went to bed at 12:30ish
6:00
Alarm went off. took meds, went back to sleep.
7:00
got up
7:30
Ate an avocado and smallish bowl of grape nuts.
8:30 - working from home today, expect to be eating a little differently than usual.
1+ cup of grapes.
9:05
Couple handfulls of salted pistacio's and some tea with honey.
12:00
In the last few hours I have had some salami, some cheese, and an apple.
2:00
Totally been up and down passing out and sleeping all afternoon since 11ish. W.T.F.
Everything I eat tastes bitter too.
Ate 3-4 servings of lasagne for dinner, went out and proceeded to eat several handfulls of m&m's
Went to bed at 12:30ish
Thursday, March 27, 2008
What is this breakfast thing anyway?
Hoe - Lee - Sheet.
In response to my goofing about not knowing what breakfast was, Devon sent me this link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/health/nutrition/25brea.html?em&ex=1206763200&en=130a33531a176613&ei=5087%0A
I think breakfast just became one of the most important components of my quest for better health.
In response to my goofing about not knowing what breakfast was, Devon sent me this link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/health/nutrition/25brea.html?em&ex=1206763200&en=130a33531a176613&ei=5087%0A
I think breakfast just became one of the most important components of my quest for better health.
So what is a "Pushups Pyramid" anyway?
It is a pure evil I learned from my friend Dan(imal).
Each set uses three different types of pushups. Hands together, hands at shoulderwidth with elbows pointing feetward, and hands far apart. HARD, Hard, easyish...
- You start at 2 reps using the three different kinds of pushups.
- Then you do a set of 3 reps... etc until you get to the number you are aiming at. Today it was 4.
- Then you decrease the number of reps 1 by 1 until you are back at 3 reps.
Why start at 2 and end at 3? I don't know, therefore I shall answer "because".
So today when I said I did "Pushups Pyramids to 4" it means I did:
2 narrow, 2 shoulder, 2 wide
3 narrow, 3 shoulder, 3 wide
4 narrow, 4 shoulder, 4 wide
3 narrow, 3 shoulder, 3 wide
"Pushups pyramids to 5" would have 27 more pushups than 4 by adding the following sets:
5 narrow, 5 shoulder, 5 wide
4 narrow, 4 shoulder, 4 wide
... Dan(imal) goes to 10...
Each set uses three different types of pushups. Hands together, hands at shoulderwidth with elbows pointing feetward, and hands far apart. HARD, Hard, easyish...
- You start at 2 reps using the three different kinds of pushups.
- Then you do a set of 3 reps... etc until you get to the number you are aiming at. Today it was 4.
- Then you decrease the number of reps 1 by 1 until you are back at 3 reps.
Why start at 2 and end at 3? I don't know, therefore I shall answer "because".
So today when I said I did "Pushups Pyramids to 4" it means I did:
2 narrow, 2 shoulder, 2 wide
3 narrow, 3 shoulder, 3 wide
4 narrow, 4 shoulder, 4 wide
3 narrow, 3 shoulder, 3 wide
"Pushups pyramids to 5" would have 27 more pushups than 4 by adding the following sets:
5 narrow, 5 shoulder, 5 wide
4 narrow, 4 shoulder, 4 wide
... Dan(imal) goes to 10...
Eating directives from Devon
My own comments are in italics...
Ok, while you are compiling your food journal for me and I am moving, here are the things I want you to do in the meantime (before more in depth recommendations and plans can be made):
1) Read labels. If you are eating something packaged, read the label. If you don't know what it is, don't eat it. Aim to eat mostly whole foods.
easy, ok.
2) Eat breakfast. The fog you are experiencing could be because of what you are eating early in the day. Try something with a fat and a carb.... almond butter on whole grain toast and a banana, an egg white and veggie omelet, etc.
looking in my fridge and cupboard... eggs, bacon, several kinds of nuts, grape nuts + soy
3) Eliminate refined sugar and refined flour. Just say no to white (sugar and flour).
Potatoes too. I have been consciously doing this for a while - but am interpreting this as "take it to the next level". When I see there is corn syrup and sugar in my salami that means I need to find a new salami without the sugars next time I buy any.
4) Eat something every 2-3 hours. You should be having a good breakfast, a mid morning snack (such as trail mix, 1/2 health protein bar-read label!, veggies and hummus), a healthy lunch such as a salad with chicken or tuna or a wrap, an afternoon snack and a light healthy dinner. I would aim to get about 2,000kcals a day, though I have to do more specific needs analysis.
translating this as... Bring a bag full of nuts or fruits/veggies to work every day.
5) Do some sort of exercise everyday and drink lots of water.
Exercise every day?! *feigned whining*. I have been telling people for years that exercise and water are the only two miracle cures in the world.
6) Don't eat the majority of your calories at the end of the day! You should be taking in 500 cals at Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and 250 at each snack. That will definitely help keep your energy and focus stable.
This is hitting the nail on the head for sure.
For now, that will do.... more will be forthcoming.
This is about as much tweaking as I can handle at least till I get used to it. I think I am going to have the most trouble with 5. I wonder if simply doing a pushups pyramid + abs counts as I think I can pretty much make myself do those every day.
Ok, while you are compiling your food journal for me and I am moving, here are the things I want you to do in the meantime (before more in depth recommendations and plans can be made):
1) Read labels. If you are eating something packaged, read the label. If you don't know what it is, don't eat it. Aim to eat mostly whole foods.
easy, ok.
2) Eat breakfast. The fog you are experiencing could be because of what you are eating early in the day. Try something with a fat and a carb.... almond butter on whole grain toast and a banana, an egg white and veggie omelet, etc.
looking in my fridge and cupboard... eggs, bacon, several kinds of nuts, grape nuts + soy
3) Eliminate refined sugar and refined flour. Just say no to white (sugar and flour).
Potatoes too. I have been consciously doing this for a while - but am interpreting this as "take it to the next level". When I see there is corn syrup and sugar in my salami that means I need to find a new salami without the sugars next time I buy any.
4) Eat something every 2-3 hours. You should be having a good breakfast, a mid morning snack (such as trail mix, 1/2 health protein bar-read label!, veggies and hummus), a healthy lunch such as a salad with chicken or tuna or a wrap, an afternoon snack and a light healthy dinner. I would aim to get about 2,000kcals a day, though I have to do more specific needs analysis.
translating this as... Bring a bag full of nuts or fruits/veggies to work every day.
5) Do some sort of exercise everyday and drink lots of water.
Exercise every day?! *feigned whining*. I have been telling people for years that exercise and water are the only two miracle cures in the world.
6) Don't eat the majority of your calories at the end of the day! You should be taking in 500 cals at Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and 250 at each snack. That will definitely help keep your energy and focus stable.
This is hitting the nail on the head for sure.
For now, that will do.... more will be forthcoming.
This is about as much tweaking as I can handle at least till I get used to it. I think I am going to have the most trouble with 5. I wonder if simply doing a pushups pyramid + abs counts as I think I can pretty much make myself do those every day.
March 27 Notes
Last night
- ate a quarter apple
- the moment I lay down I realized I was achy and twitchy so I took painkillers.
- Slept very well
6:00 woke up, took meds, went back to sleep
7:00 got up, a little tired but feel way better than yesterday.
9:00 Morning MUD - 8oz coffee, 8oz hot chocolate, 1 packet saccarin.
took meds.
10:30 Mind is clearing for the day. Energy level isn't high, but I do have a steady energy level. I can tell I'm hungry through the suppression my meds give me, going to eat 2 instant oatmeal packets. 290 calories, 25 grams of sugar.
11:30 Losing focus. Hungry. Drinking 8 oz ice water.
12:00 Water lifted me out of the slip in to mental fog - for the time being. Neat trick I learned somewhere, but forget to use more often than not.
12:30 SAMMICH! Consisting of:
dark rye bread
red pesto and hummus for the spreads
avocado
sliced ham
cheddar cheese
ample roasted vegetables - bell peppers, onions, zucc's
1:00 spent 5 minutes stretching shoulders and chest. Heated up my neck warmy thing and am basking in it. :)
2:30 Feeling too hot and flushed. was too warm where I was.
3:30 Serious head fog. Glass of ice water remedied some by 4.
5:00
2.5 inches Salami - damnit, there is corn syrup in these?
1 whole avocado
1 whole yellow bell pepper
1 cup grapes
A bunch of radishes + salt
5:45
Did a pushups pyramid to 4. will explain what this is soon.
20 leg lifts with back on the floor
10x2 crunches with back on blue ball.
(I intended to do 2x crunches and lifts... tummy says no)
7:15
Another cup of grapes
8:00
Went out and had a giant delicious burger and a guiness at Bicks - good joint.
;)
- ate a quarter apple
- the moment I lay down I realized I was achy and twitchy so I took painkillers.
- Slept very well
6:00 woke up, took meds, went back to sleep
7:00 got up, a little tired but feel way better than yesterday.
9:00 Morning MUD - 8oz coffee, 8oz hot chocolate, 1 packet saccarin.
took meds.
10:30 Mind is clearing for the day. Energy level isn't high, but I do have a steady energy level. I can tell I'm hungry through the suppression my meds give me, going to eat 2 instant oatmeal packets. 290 calories, 25 grams of sugar.
11:30 Losing focus. Hungry. Drinking 8 oz ice water.
12:00 Water lifted me out of the slip in to mental fog - for the time being. Neat trick I learned somewhere, but forget to use more often than not.
12:30 SAMMICH! Consisting of:
dark rye bread
red pesto and hummus for the spreads
avocado
sliced ham
cheddar cheese
ample roasted vegetables - bell peppers, onions, zucc's
1:00 spent 5 minutes stretching shoulders and chest. Heated up my neck warmy thing and am basking in it. :)
2:30 Feeling too hot and flushed. was too warm where I was.
3:30 Serious head fog. Glass of ice water remedied some by 4.
5:00
2.5 inches Salami - damnit, there is corn syrup in these?
1 whole avocado
1 whole yellow bell pepper
1 cup grapes
A bunch of radishes + salt
5:45
Did a pushups pyramid to 4. will explain what this is soon.
20 leg lifts with back on the floor
10x2 crunches with back on blue ball.
(I intended to do 2x crunches and lifts... tummy says no)
7:15
Another cup of grapes
8:00
Went out and had a giant delicious burger and a guiness at Bicks - good joint.
;)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
March 26 notes.
Very stiff from my initial bike ride to work yesterday, but not particularly sore from it.
6:20
home from work.
Feel pretty tired and stiff. Shoulders aren't their usual painful, but I am definitely hunched over.
6:30-50
Ate 2 inches of salami.
found out I lost 3-4 pounds since last time I checked. Very unexpected.
7:00
Good earth original tea, decaf + raw honey.
7:45
Dan showed up - We're drinking a guiness.
Much more relaxed and feel better - able to pop my neck (rare than I am relaxed enough to do so).
I plan to shanghai him in to painting with me.
8:45
more tea
10pm
V8
11pm
went to bed.
6:20
home from work.
Feel pretty tired and stiff. Shoulders aren't their usual painful, but I am definitely hunched over.
6:30-50
Ate 2 inches of salami.
found out I lost 3-4 pounds since last time I checked. Very unexpected.
7:00
Good earth original tea, decaf + raw honey.
7:45
Dan showed up - We're drinking a guiness.
Much more relaxed and feel better - able to pop my neck (rare than I am relaxed enough to do so).
I plan to shanghai him in to painting with me.
8:45
more tea
10pm
V8
11pm
went to bed.
Goals
Anything written like it is addressed to someone is written to my new kick ass friend Devon who is helping me put all of this together. You can read about her here or here:
http://dpstraining.blogspot.com/
http://dch262.blogspot.com/
I aimed at setting measurable goals. Rainier is the stretch goal (this year anyway). See anything that needs tweaking?
I don't feel the need to set a goal like "work out until I feel strong" because that will happen on its own if I work on the more measurable ones.
I am 5 foot, 10 1/2 inches.
General weight goals:
Short term - get to 25 bmi, from 207 to 175lbs (35 pounds may sound like a lot - but it will be trivial by doing the stuff below - I was 180 or 185 a year ago)
Long term - get it to 22 bmi. My research shows that skinnier than that doesn't give enough health benefit to be worth working for. I have not been at 22 BMI since mid college.
End of April:
Fitness
- Be able to ride back and forth from work 2x in a week with no more than a single day of rest in between.
- Pushups Pyramids to 5 (currently 3ish)
Sleep - get it within 30 minutes of 10pm to 5am, 6 nights a week. (hardest goal - takes 3 weeks of HARD before easy)
Food - TBD (to be determined)
Weight: Lose 2lbs a week minimum after muscle increase spike goes away
by Seafair Half Triathlon: (date?)
Fitness
- Biking - two round trips to work on two consecutive days.
- Capable of running all the way around green lake even when I feel super shitty.
- Pushups Pyramids to 7
- Abs - TBD
- Swimming - swimming schmimming - this is the part I'm naturally strong and skilled at, focus on running and biking goals instead.
Sleep - within 15 minutes of 10-5, 6 night a week.
Food - unknown
Weight: Keep losing 2lbs a week until 175lbs, then 1lb a week.
by time I Climb Rainier:
Figure out if it is too late to sign up this year.
Up and down Si in benchmark time (I forget how long, I think 2 hours?)
Training needed - TBD
Gear needed - TBD (crampons, axe, anything else???)
Food - TBD
Writing this out would have been impossible for me 5 years ago.
http://dpstraining.blogspot.com/
http://dch262.blogspot.com/
I aimed at setting measurable goals. Rainier is the stretch goal (this year anyway). See anything that needs tweaking?
I don't feel the need to set a goal like "work out until I feel strong" because that will happen on its own if I work on the more measurable ones.
I am 5 foot, 10 1/2 inches.
General weight goals:
Short term - get to 25 bmi, from 207 to 175lbs (35 pounds may sound like a lot - but it will be trivial by doing the stuff below - I was 180 or 185 a year ago)
Long term - get it to 22 bmi. My research shows that skinnier than that doesn't give enough health benefit to be worth working for. I have not been at 22 BMI since mid college.
End of April:
Fitness
- Be able to ride back and forth from work 2x in a week with no more than a single day of rest in between.
- Pushups Pyramids to 5 (currently 3ish)
Sleep - get it within 30 minutes of 10pm to 5am, 6 nights a week. (hardest goal - takes 3 weeks of HARD before easy)
Food - TBD (to be determined)
Weight: Lose 2lbs a week minimum after muscle increase spike goes away
by Seafair Half Triathlon: (date?)
Fitness
- Biking - two round trips to work on two consecutive days.
- Capable of running all the way around green lake even when I feel super shitty.
- Pushups Pyramids to 7
- Abs - TBD
- Swimming - swimming schmimming - this is the part I'm naturally strong and skilled at, focus on running and biking goals instead.
Sleep - within 15 minutes of 10-5, 6 night a week.
Food - unknown
Weight: Keep losing 2lbs a week until 175lbs, then 1lb a week.
by time I Climb Rainier:
Figure out if it is too late to sign up this year.
Up and down Si in benchmark time (I forget how long, I think 2 hours?)
Training needed - TBD
Gear needed - TBD (crampons, axe, anything else???)
Food - TBD
Writing this out would have been impossible for me 5 years ago.
Things to write down.
Eating:
Record what I ate, and how I feel before and after.
Painkillers:
Make a note about the severity and type of pain any time I take my usual 1 ibuprofen + 1 acetametaphin.
Exercise:
Sleep:
Quality of the sleep and hours.
Record what I ate, and how I feel before and after.
Painkillers:
Make a note about the severity and type of pain any time I take my usual 1 ibuprofen + 1 acetametaphin.
Exercise:
Sleep:
Quality of the sleep and hours.
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