My face is peeling

On Monday I got a fierce sunburn on my face. I don't mind it, even though it hurts, because I know a sunburn turns into a good tan! I think tans look healthy. I like to be tanned, but at the beginning of the summer my skin is usually so white that it is like a vacuum for the hot sun. So, after getting burned the skin will peel away, in a couple of days. Under the peeling skin the brown appears, like peeling an egg. The problem is today my face looks like a peeling egg! Yuck!! I guess I am supposed to put aloe oil on it to keep it from getting dry and peeling, but I don't. Tomorrow when I shower I will scrub with one of those things to take off dry skin. I don't know how long that will help.

This week I have been working on a presentation I will give tomorrow. This has been fun for me to do, I am learning how to make Power Point slides with more pizzazz. I have never taken classes and had done the slides last week and they looked decent. One of my coworkers sent me a presentation he had done which had animation in it. It was great, where mine was adequate. So, I did the presentation again, put in some animation and showed it to other coworkers and they were amazed at how good it looked. I redid it, for a third time tonight and now I am happy with it. This presentation will be used throughout California for the next few years, it is that good. It is a great training tool and will be good to be used as a presentation. I am proud of myself when I learn new things and can use them to improve something and I am really proud of myself tonight. I won't be gloating about this in real life, which is a good reason to have this blog!

Teacher's are GOD

Today I struggled. Still got morning and night at the gym, but tonight it was really hard to go as far as I wanted to go. Nothing really happened today. I did some tutoring and felt good about helping people meet their goals in life. I met with an old friend and I think I'm finding out more about myself and how I relate to people. There is definitely a difference between the Mr. Phillips in the classroom and the Scott outside of the classroom. In the classroom people expect me to take charge, so I do. I make sure everyone is involved and part of what is going on. Outside the classroom I am a little withdrawn and don't feel I have the right to demand people do things. I teach teachers to do this in the classroom, I always joke that the teacher is GOD and needs to take charge. I tell the story of when ESL students used to argue with me about what was proper English and what wasn't. It started many years ago when a student told me a golf club couldn't cost only $25. They got confused between a golf club and a country club. They told me that what I call a golf club was really called a "golf stick" in English and that I didn't know English. I didn't know what else to say, I just told this lady, don't argue with me, I'm GOD in this class. She was annoying everyone in the class that people were happy I put my foot down. I got other stories about her, maybe I will tell them later. The important thing is that when people see me in the classroom they are totally surprised about how I act outside the classroom, which is almost the opposite!

Week 2 = 1 more pound total of 6 WHALE WATCHING!

6 pounds - 193 - is what I'm at now. This was a hard week emotionally, I just couldn't loose weight, until it showed yesterday! Yesterday morning I went to the gym, but not last night. I feel guilty if I don't go to the gym in the morning or the evening now. I am listening to music now and it is like I am not even there, now I understand the people that say they don't even feel the pain working out, just zoned out. I am wondering if I should try something else besides cereal for breakfast!

These weird people that come to the gym continue! I told you about the bad lady, and the asian guy reading the tourist guide. Today was a guy with button up shirt, walking shorts, knee socks, and sandals. Just the sock and sandals would make him weird, but he was walking on a treadmill! And then this evening was the first time I saw a woman wearing a skirt on the treadmill, thank goodness she was wearing sneakers and not heels! What is next?

Yesterday I went whale watching! About a year ago I met a girl on line that had a REAL sob story. She was 31 with 2 kids, 8 and 9, and her husband had been shot in a drive by shooting. Not only that, it happened right outside their house! Can you imagine that happening to you? She had a happy marriage and her husband was a successful businessman who had a liquor store in San Francisco. He had upset a gang that drove by his house and shot him. That happened three years ago and since then my friend has been going to the court proceedings for the guys that have been accused of killing her husband. She also has to help her children deal with the death of her kids. She also has to cope with being a single mom. I have met her and her kids 3 different times. I enjoy doing stuff with her kids. Yesterday was the daughter's birthday and she had never been to Monterey, so I escorted them. We went on the paddleboats, then walked around the warf, and then went whale watching. We saw lots of whales! Then, she wanted chinese food and we went to Chef Lee's. It was a great day, I really enjoy being with those kids and my friend!

W + 5 ... Music and exercise

I got to the gym twice today. In the morning there wasn't anything interesting on tv, I usually watch CNN while I exercise, and then listen to it on FM radio. Today, CNN was really not interesting, so I turned on the MP3 player and tried to get motivated that way. The first song was "Disturbia" and it got me motivated and I started doing the elliptical faster then I usually do. I usually have it going at 3.5, and I was keeping up with the music and doing it at 5.2. I could read the subtitles on the tv in front of me. I was really having fun, the music was up loud and I was "dancing" to the music. Next song was, "Take On ME". Then was, "Staying Alive" and "Dancing Queen".  Next was "Jump" by Van Halen and finally was Footloose, "Holding out for a Hero". In the evening when I went back my MP3 player didn't work and I went back to tv, I found I went slow and didn't enjoy the exercising. Music tomorrow!! (but, listening to CNN was helping me keep in touch with the news) Oh, I have no change in weight this week, but I will keep going!

Lunch with Mom

This morning I called my mom and asked if she would like go get lunch in the sun. My mom lives in an area that is foggy often, even when the rest of the State is in sunshine. I met her today and took her to Salinas to have lunch where it was sunny. It was nice to spend time with her and just talk, for no reason ... just to say hi. My mom lives 90 minutes drive away from me, but it was worth it. My mom was worried about me straying from my diet, that is ok, dieting is for the long run, I can cheat a little once and a while. It was a fun day, and I feel it was a good gift to my mom and to myself.

I also only went to the gym once today, I didn't go this evening. I felt like it was ok since I had 3 sessions of exercising yesterday, and I exercised this morning. I will start my pattern again tomorrow!!

Weird people on Treadmills

I told you about the bag lady I say on a treadmill, this morning I was on the elliptical with my radio tuned on CNN which I was watching on tv as I was sweating and I saw this Asian guy walk up to the treadmill. He seemed like a tourist, he had the walking shorts and walking shoes, he had the sunglasses, he had the baseball hat and looked like he was ready to stroll around the city. He got on the treadmill and started walking. I stared for a while, I looked for a camera (remember the bag lady had a shopping bag) and was wondering if he was going to use a map. I almost started laughing when he reached into his back pocket and took out a folded up book, I don't know if it was a novel or a travel guide. I was there for a while then my 25 minutes was over on the elliptical and I went to do other things. I am fascinated by the people that use the treadmill now, I like the athletic women usually, but these sideshows are getting fun!

Week 1 + 2 days

Ok, I cheated today. I went to McDonald's and had 2 McChicken Burgers. Before I ordered I checked the calories, and each one was 300 calories, which is what one of my egg sandwiches is. So I cheated, yet I stayed with the same calorie count for the day. I had a bowl of cereal before I went to the gym, had some fruit during the day, and had the McDonald's treat for a late lunch and had no dinner. I think the biggest thing I did today was NOT go to the gym in the evening! I feel really bad about that, I should have at least walked for an hour, but I didn't. My weight has been the same for the last 3 days, I hope it doesn't go up tomorrow!

I have to mention something I saw at the gym yesterday. An older lady that looked like a cleaning lady at the gym because she was very big and she had cleaning rags with her got on the treadmill. Then I realized she was exercising. She walked, hunched over, for about 15 minutes that I saw before I left. She was short and round and truthfully looked like a homeless bag lady. I started to laugh, quietly, when I saw she was carrying a big with her as she walked on the treadmill. I'm not kidding, she was really carrying a bag. I really wanted a picture, but thought that would be really bad taste if I came back in and snapped a picture of this fat lady in the gym. Today a homeless guy put his cart in the shade before coming to the front door of the gym, then I saw he was just going through the trash. That would have really gotten me thinking.

I really like this picture, doesn't almost look 3-D?

One Week = 5 pounds

I guess I shouldn't weigh myself every day. When I do I get depressed if I stay the same or gain a pound or two from the day before. So, after one week of dieting I have lost five pounds. I started a week ago at 199 and am now 194. Those are solid statistics, the daily things are sometimes little fudges. I started at the gym doing 20 minutes on the ellptical once a day, then went to twice a day (always struggling), I am now doing 25  minutes in the morning and in the evening 10 minutes, then lifting weights for about 10 minutes then 15 minutes on the elliptical. I want to give up!! I know I won't lose weight very fast next week, and it is really getting hard emotionally on me. Let's give it one more week. I want to do this for 2 months with a target of loosing 20 pounds. I guess I am on target to loose 40 pounds if I do it for 2 months, but I know that won't happen. I'm just being impatient. Today I ate a bowl of cereal, 2 egg sandwiches (one for dinner and one for lunch) which were 2 pieces of wheat toast with scrambled 2 scrambled eggs inside. I also ate an apple and a nectarine. I have given up on the diet soda and only drink water now. Let's see if that does anything.

Sixth Day

Well, the day finally came that I didn't loose any weight, in fact I added 2 pounds. I knew it would happen, it always does. I just have to fight through this and keep going. I went to the gym at 7 am and then at 8pm. I have changed some things I am doing at the gym. I am increasing the speed I am doing on the elliptical and this evening I began lifting weights. Not too much, but it is a start. When I increase the speed of the elliptical the machine tells me to slow down because my heart is beating too much. I do a little and then go back to the same speed. In the morning I was on the "e" for 25 minutes. In the evening I did 10 minutes, then lifted weights for about 10 minutes and then went on the "e" for 15 minutes. I will keep that up for a week, then lift more and increase the "e" more until I am at the gym for an hour. It still isn't invasive on my life, so I can keep it going. I ate cereal before I went in the morning, had some fruit during the day, about every hour or two, and then for lunch I had a turkey burger. I had a couple of bananas for dinner before I went to the gym at 8. One thing about doing this, I get very very tired during the day, especially after drinking so much water. I find myself taking hour naps when I have never done that before.

Fifth Day

Happy Father's Day!! I went to the gym twice today, but not far apart. At 8 and then 1:30. I met my kids at 3, so I wanted to get my second time in the gym before we met. In the morning I increased my time to 30 minutes, then the second time I went only 20 minutes, but increased my speed by 30%. I think that was more useful to do. When I weighed myself it was earlier in the day than I usually do and it was down 2 more pounds. Let's see what happens tomorrow. I ate cereal in the morning before I went to the gym, then a turkey burger for lunch. I ate a banana and apple later in the afternoon, and then at the movie tonight, Green Lantern, I ate popcorn. Before I went to the movie I checked out the calories of popcorn and it said 56 calories for a cup of popcorn. I had probably 6 cups, so it was about 300 calories, I can accept that, as long as I don't do it often. I went grocery shopping today so I could buy chicken for meals next week. I also got fruit, nectarines, apples, and bananas and carrots to munch on. As I said yesterday I will try to eat something every 2 hours so my body realizes it doesn't have to store food and can just use it. I figure if I don't feel hungry then I'm not absorbing the food I eat. I want to feel hungry and then feed my hunger with less calories than I need. Let's see if it works. I am down 2 more pounds to 192. 7 pounds now in 5 days. I expect it to level out soon, or even to increase, that is when I will feel like giving up, let's hope I don't this time!!

Fourth Day

I got to the gym twice again today. You know how they say if you exercise much you start to enjoy it? They lie!! I drive about 5 minutes to the gym I go to, and all the time I am driving there I am telling myself how much I don't know to exercise, but, I know I need it. The gym opens at 8am on Saturday and Sunday, so I don't go there until 9:30 (at least today), and I don't finish till late morning. Then if I want to do anything in the evening, I have to go late afternoon. All I know for sure, I am doing what I will do. I am down another 2 pounds today, so now I am down to 193. When I weigh myself at home, without shoes on I am under 190. I know it isn't so accurate, but it feels good. On Monday I have a Dr. appointment, for a different matter, and we will see how much I really weigh. I will be sure not to wear heavy clothes! Oh, what did I eat today? I had cereal for breakfast, then an apple, then chicken for lunch, I cheated today and had a couple of VERY small sandwiches someone had brought to the poker game, and then I had another piece of chicken when I came home. My fridge is empty now, so tomorrow I gotta buy groceries. I will pick up another 10 pack of chicken thighs, some salad, and some apples. That will last me another 4 days and I can reevaluate what I'm doing. I have changed my eating habit to ensure I eat something every 2 hours. My thinking is that if I eat before I exercise, then my "body" will begin to use up the food, then if I keep introducing new food, but very small amounts, my body will know more is coming, so use up what it "sees". I will keep you informed how it works. 

Third day ...

Today I got up at 6:30 and exercised. I went to the gym and increased my time on the elliptical for an additional 5 minutes. I spent the rest of the day at work, or at least until 4pm, then went back to the gym at 5:30. I wasn't able to stay in the gym as long as I wanted, I got really tired and left early. I felt guilty, so I decided to go ballroom dancing tonight. I spent 2 hours doing the east coast swing and waltz. I had a lot of fun and stayed active the whole 2 hours. When I weighed myself tonight I was 195. Lost 4 pounds now. I expect it to stay that for a couple of days. Today I ate cereal for breakfast, then 2 pieces of chicken for lunch, and then another 2 for dinner with a glass of milk. I think I will sleep easily tonight!

Second day of Diet ...

Today I really watched what I ate. I ate an apple, had 2 turkey burgers with catsup, and 3 pieces of skinless chicken. I drank a couple of glasses of water, and a couple of Diet Dr. Peppers. I guess the big thing about today was going to the gym twice. I will try to keep that up, going in the morning and then in the evening. I don't do much at the gym, just go on the elliptical for 20 - 25 minutes, but that is more than I have done in the past. I will work up to 30 minutes and eventually 45, and start lifting weights. I keep remembering what Nancy told me many years ago, "Do what you will do, and don't do what you won't do!" Right now I am struggling, and the most important thing is that I keep it up. I started at 199 yesterday and today at the same time and wearing the same clothes I was at 196. I CAN DO IT!!

Can I do it?

My daughter graduated from college on Sunday. I was really happy to be there with her and I realized how beautiful all three of my daughters are. Lindsey has shown that she is not just pretty, but also smart. She has graduated. It was a long road and had a lot of bumps, but she rode out the bumps and completed a degree. When I took pictures with my daughter I realized I have gained a lot of weight. I need to loose it. I decided I HAVE to loose weight. I need to do it for many reasons. I want to take a picture with my daughter again, wearing the same clothes and looking slim. I started to diet today, I got a footlong sandwich at Subway, and ate half for lunch and half for dinner. I went to the gym for the first time in 2 months this evening. I will try to eat sensibly, drink LOTS of water, and go the the gym in the morning and evening. I guess the first step is tomorrow morning, if I can do it one day, then I should be able to do it the next. I will keep you informed on how I do. I am at 199 today, I want to get to 189 in 3 weeks, and then to 185 in 6 weeks. It would be nice to get to 175, but I have to get to 185 first. Wish me luck!!