Weight Update and Food Forum

Today was my first official weigh-in for the Summer Challenge.....DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....I lost 1 pound!  I could look at the idea of losing 1 pound as a failure for week one, but I choose instead to be happy with the fact that I am one pound lighter this week than I was last week.  It is not the most exciting news to report and I know that I most definitely can do a much better and more consistent job during the week, yet if I truly want to focus on the long term aspects of this life choice, then I choose to be happy with one pound...not satisfied....happy!  Next week starts today!

Now for something new....I would like to create a forum for people to share their healthy culinary ideas about specific food topics each week.  I will begin by sharing a story and a meal idea I prepared and then open the floor for questions/comments/discussion/idea sharing etc...  Please feel free to jump in and post/share your thoughts about the weekly topic. 

This Week's Topic:  SALMON

Last week, I had the opportunity to work with one of my closest friends in the kitchen at the conference center she runs and it was a blast.  Getting back in the kitchen grind, even on a small scale, really got my culinary juices flowing.  I love cooking!  It is one of my greatest passions and I relish the opportunities I have to reclaim some of the old feelings I use to get when I worked in numerous seafood restaurants in high school and college.  After cooking for others all week, I had the opportunity to cook for my favorite customers...my family.  I put together a Salmon dish that I was very excited about and really enjoyed.  

The dish included:

Serrano Lime Baked Salmon

Cajun Sauteed Shrimp

Homemade Panko Crusted Okra

Curry Ginger Mushrooms

Corn on the Cob

Sauteed Broccoli

Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

The Salmon was the focal point of the dish.  I seasoned it with salt, pepper, mango lime seafood seasoning and baked it with sliced Serrano peppers (seeds included) and lime twists.  The flavor of the lime and chili pepper infused nicely with the fish and was not overpowering to the palate.  I really like the combination of citrus and chili when cooking seafood of any kind, but especially on a meaty fish like Salmon.  The texture of the fish holds up nicely with the boldness of the flavor combinations.

What are some of your SALMON ideas?

"BodyMedia" Week One Wrap-Up: (June 21 - 27, 2011)

I completed my first official week with the BodyMedia FIT Armband system and I must say that I thoroughly enjoy it.  I have been intrigued by the functionality of the system and find myself very interested to see what comes up when I download my daily totals.  I particularly like the sleep duration assessment.  It is interesting to see how long and at what percentage I get real sleep each night.  There are a few things I have found during the week that I will need to keep an eye on to see how truly accurate the data that is being processed turns out to be.  First, I have been imputing my caloric intake each day, or as close an approximation as I have been able to figure it during the week and have kept an eye on the system's calculations for caloric deficit numbers.  According to the numbers for this week, I should be at around an 11,440 calorie deficit mark.  This deficit would indicate a 3 pound weight loss for the week...I shall see tomorrow when I make my official weigh-in.  If the numbers do not add up, I will keep a track of the discrepancies over the first few weeks and see where the differences are falling.  As far as the other categories, I feel like I am getting a pretty good indicator of my total steps, activity rate and sleep percentage.  I realize that the numbers may not be completely perfect, but the data is at least a step in the right direction to see when I am most active and how that activity translates to my overall daily routines.  One thing that keeps the data from being entirely correct is the fact that the armband is not waterproof, so I do not get credited for any steps or activity minutes when I am playing at the pool with the kids.  Again, I am not that concerned with the missing data, because any information is helpful.

So, for my first post I will give my totals and averages for Total Steps, Activity Rate (moderate to vigorous activity) and Sleep Duration/Percentage.  I am also including a product endorsement, completely personal, with no reimbursement being thrown my way.  I just want to include some things that I am finding to be helpful in my continuous journey to a healthful life.  Please feel free to include products that you enjoy and find beneficial.  Thanks again for the support and I will be back tomorrow with a weight update and a dinner discussion....topic: SALMON!

BodyMedia Week One Stats: (6/21/11 - 6/27/11)

Total Steps: 50,167
Average Daily Steps: 7,167

Total Activity Rate: 307 mins.
Average Daily Activity Rate: 44 mins.

Total Sleep Duration: 42 hrs. 44 mins
Nightly Sleep Duration Average: 6 hrs. 6 mins
Weekly Sleep Percentage Average: 86%
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Product Endorsement:

UNCLE SAM: Toasted Whole Wheat Berry Flakes & Flaxseed

I have only tried the "Original" version of the cereal, but it is a great find.  First, it has 4 ingredients: Whole Wheat Kernels, Whole Flaxseed, Salt, Barley Malt.  Second, it is loaded with nutrients: 190 calories, 5g fat, 0.5g sat. fat, 10g fiber, 7g protein and less than 1g sugar per 3/4 cup serving. Third, it is affordable: $2.15 a box (@ Wal-Mart). Finally, it is full of Omega-3 Fatty Acids.  I eat a bowl drizzled with honey in the morning and find it tasty and fulfilling.  For more info visit http://www.attunefoods.com/

The "BodyMedia" Summer Challenge

Hello everyone.....I am finally back.  I am sorry that my hiatus was longer than it should have been, but life does sometimes take over and the last few weeks have been filled with lots of closures and transitions.  Another school year ended, my 12th to be exact and I said goodbye to yet another great group of seniors who blessed me considerably over their 4 years at school.  I have also been swamped with driver's ed, spending some days from 7:30 am - 9:30 pm at school working in both classroom and driving settings.  We also had a very busy start to June...my wife, mother and middle daughter celebrated birthdays, my wife and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary and my oldest daughter is just two weeks away from finishing kindergarten.  BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, but such is my life.

Now, to the business at hand!  Since my last challenge, "21 Days of Full Disclosure", I have done quite a good job of maintaining my weight without gaining an excessive amount in the past 2 1/2 months.  On the other hand, I have not done a great job at losing anymore weight either.  About a month ago, I established new goals for myself and I have been trying to meet those goals as much as possible, but the initial excitement surrounding those goals faded rather quickly and I have not been trying as wholeheartedly as I should be to meet the goals I established for myself.  In a recent session with Dr. Wynns, we decided that I do the best when I am faced with a singular challenge that combines a specific goal, exciting ideas and some accountability.  Following that session, Dr. Wynns gave me the assignment of establishing a new challenge for myself designed around the official SUMMER season.  I have researched it and summer technically begins tomorrow, 6/21/11 and ends on 9/23/11.  This time frame gives me approximately a three month challenge window to excel and achieve some of the goals I have had established for some time now.  The assignment was to design a challenge that would focus on exercise, meal planning and accountability.  I had to plan something that I could sustain for three months and that would utilize the blog as a way to keep others informed of my progress.  I was racking my brain trying to come up with an idea when my amazing wife presented me with a great gift on our anniversary. I have wanted for some time now to get a weight/calorie management system that would keep track of my metabolic functions, such as calories burned, steps taken, sleep patterns, rates of activity and allow me to plug in my calories eaten during the day.  The system helps you manage the various aspects of life that are essential for sustained weight loss.  It also acts as a reminder that you can't be slack and hope to make a difference in your life.  My wonderful wife made this desire a reality when she gave me a "BodyMedia FIT Armband" system. 



www.bodymedia.com



This system is great and it gave me the vehicle to design my summer challenge.  I have decided to do The "BodyMedia" Summer Challenge.  The system comes with 3 months free website use of the support system. (You then sign up for a certain amount of subscription time.  I chose the 12 month plan, because you save money with the longer plan activation.)  So, during the 3 month summer season, I am going to track my food intake, exercise program, caloric deficit and sleep patterns in hopes of meeting the goal of reaching 250 pounds by 9/23/11.  Each Monday, I will post a week in review, which will chronicle my total caloric deficit, exercise totals, sleep percentages, total step counts, activity levels, as well as, a general review of my week including interesting health ideas I come across.  I would also like to create a discussion forum on the posts for anyone who would like to talk about a specific topic I post, or just share victories or concerns in your own lives.  I am beginning to get a clearer picture for this blog and I want it to be more interactive.  I really would like to get your opinions, suggestions and ideas on various topics that concern/excite me.  By opening a dialogue, I feel we can all benefit from this challenge and assist each other along this journey.  Thanks again for your patience with my lengthy absence and remember to look for the first "Week in Review" next Monday.