Monday, December 01, 2008

Calorie Counting Begins

Well, I'm no spring chicken anymore, and I can't just eat whatever I want to. Like so many Americans, I have a little extra around the waist, and am determined to lose it.

So, I am beginning to count calories today, and to exercise regularly.

I've been playing hockey weekly, and lifting weights occasionally, so I'm in some kind of shape to begin a regular schedule. I'll do an hour of cardio daily, and lift three days a week. That's probably more than enough to get me where I want to go, but I realized that I have never tracked what I eat. I generally avoid fried foods, but I indulge greatly in sugary foods, knowing that it just isn't good for me.

Laying off the sugar will probably be the tough part. I love, I mean LOVE root beer and sodas. I had sworn them off once in 2003, in the interest of watching my weight, switching to diet sodas. I was drinking six cans of Coke or root beer every day, which is good for nearly 1,000 calories by itself. I lost eight pounds in just four weeks, doing nothing other than switching to diet. Problem is, I had a kidney stone in 2006, and was advised not to have diet drinks, so I swore those off and went back to sugary drinks, just having far fewer than I used to have.

My plan now is to drink water with lemon. I'll get the double benefit of drinking calorie-free water that is so good to do, and with the lemon, I'll be fighting off potential kidney stones. After that, I'm pretty clueless. This is why I need to track my calories. I have no idea what I consume right now. I suspect that some days I take in 1500 or so, and other days up to 4000. That's pretty ridiculous, when I think about it.

Side Note: Running for office was great for my waistline. I went from 195 lbs at the start of the campaign, and finished on election day at 168 lbs. Now I'm back to 195. Why not just do that again? Well, it didn't seem as healthy as constructing a way of living that works and is healthy by design.

My ceremonial last sugary drink last night was a Berghoff' Root Beer. It was delicious.

6 comments:

Doug said...

Good luck. I used to drink a lot of sodas, but then ended up drinking coffee for the extra caffeine. Then, I started getting to where I couldn't sleep if I drank a soda after 4 or 5 in the evening. Then, I got cheap and started ordering water at lunch. So, it wasn't conscious design, but now my soda consumption is fairly negligible. My coffee consumption is way up though; so I don't know how that balances out.

You'll be a lean, mean fighting machine in no time. The extra exercise also seems to make the water taste better.

varangianguard said...

Soda Pop and Fried Chips are two of the most pernacious "food" items to ever to foisted upon an unsuspecting populace.

Curse the originators of Charles Chips and Mountain Dew!

"Diet" Sodas are even worse, in my opinion. They trick your body into believing that it has been given sugar, and when your body figures out it has been "tricked", the body goes into "save all calories" mode, and begins storing up energy for the next time it is "tricked". But, next time - the cycle just begins again (because that part of your mind doesn't have the greatest memory).

Anonymous said...

Take a run over to 136th and Brooks School Road and see the latest waste of taxpayer $$. Recently Noblesville took out the landscaping in the middle of it and filled it all in with brick pavers with black pavers inserted in the form of the capital letter "N". The "N" is at least 20 feet by 20 feet or larger. What is the purpose? Is Noblesville staking its territory? Only someone flying over can really see the moniker.

Why is tax-payer money being used for such a ridiculous purpose?

Wainstead said...

Yes, run for office again!

Governor Mike Kole. It sounds great. And Chief of Staff Steve Wainstead ;)

Meanwhile, do take a peek at the book "Eat To Live." I've never seen a book on eating that was so well documented in its claims.

Mike Kole said...

Governor. I need to run for that like I need a hole in the head. I'd much rather count calories! If I lived in a smaller community, I'd happily run for a local office.

Anonymous said...

I hope that when the time comes you will run for Town Council.
Bob