Sunday, September 30, 2012

Day 10 - cleansing and detox

Yesterday was pretty much 'napless.' I may have dozed off for a few minutes in front of the T.V. while watching the game in the early afternoon, but like the day before, I didn't feel the need to collapse on top of my bed and snooze.

In a way, each day will find me wondering if I'll need to fight off that sleepy feeling. It had become such a part of my life, I'm not sure what I'd do with myself if I wasn't sleepy.

I've been going a bit off of the wagon pretty consistently as far as how much I'll eat at lunch; the food I think is pretty smart as far being healthy goes, but I haven't been hesitant to get a full stomach either. 

Since before I started this cleansing, I've had what feels like a nerve problem with a tooth, so that's a bit of a literal headache that I've had to deal with. It feels pretty distinct from the headaches I've gotten from the detoxifying, though.

I was adding up how much it would cost to continue for another month after this one with enough shakes for 2 per day. Because I'd like to order enough of the other products that I want to continue, plus try some new ones, that it finally dawned on me to order 3/4 times the shakes that I am having right now. So half of next month I'll continue with a shake for breakfast and one for dinner, and half the days I'll have a normal breakfast (and lunch) and the one shake for dinner.

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A very dominant win by the 49ers today over the Jets, particularly score-wise. Yet, I couldn't help but wonder how effective the Niners would have been against the better teams. The Jets were without their star player Darrelle Revis, and had some very scary looking injuries to a couple of other players. The 49ers continued to show some of the worrisome parts of their game - settling for field goals instead of scoring touchdowns, for instance. Winning the turnover margin by such a decisive margin, the score should have been even more lopsided. 

Oh well, it's nice to be nitpicky after a win instead of grabbing at straws looking for positives. The Niners do look awfully strong and competitive this year. 

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Day 9 - cleansing and detox

Yesterday was an eventful day: without having to fight off feeling sleepy and needing my usual afternoon nap, I didn't nap at all! This may seem small to most people but for me it's almost cataclysmic (but in a good way). 

This feeling of sleepiness in the afternoons has made my life miserable. It's adversely affected me at school and at work. Truly, when I have afforded myself the luxury of taking a nap, I've slept so soundly and deeply that it's what I've imagined is the kind of sleep that most people get at night.

I've had people suggest that all I have to do is resist my afternoon nap, save all that sleepiness for the nighttime, and viola! The simple solution to all my sleep problems. Well... no, doesn't work that way. They could be the same people that suggest that I drink non-fat milk and thus solve my problems with lactose-intolerance. Nope again. But I digress... 

As for yesterday's 'no need for a nap' afternoon, I hope that it eventually becomes my new daily routine. Time will tell, but if it's just easier for me to stay awake and alert throughout a typical day, that will be such a huge victory. Now I don't expect any of this to change my personality such as remake me into a dynamic, gregarious extrovert, but if I can just act and feel more alive and energized to do the things I like to do, what a plus that would be! 

I also learned yesterday that some people on this program go back down to 1 meal replacement shake per typical day after they reach their weight-loss goals sometime after their first 30-day 'cleansing and detoxing' whereas others prefer to stay on the 2 shakes and 1 meal regimen for a longer period of time. I may stay with 2 shakes per day for at least a month longer. I'll see how I feel and look.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Day 8 - cleansing and detox

Alright, I survived my first cleanse day from 2 days ago and even went out for lunch with family and relatives yesterday (not as a reward or anything, but it had been planned before my cleansing and detox began). And yet today I felt compelled to measure my abdominal area - it was 1/2 to 1-inch less than before, depending on how much I did or didn't hold in my stomach for my 'Before' measurement. That seems about right; I don't feel like I've lost a great deal of weight, but my stomach does seem a little less hefty nonetheless. 

I have a pair of pants that I haven't worn for years that I'm aiming to fit into: it's marked as being 32-inches around the waist, although from what I learned on my first day, my waist may well measure several inches more and still fit into what's labeled.

The important thing to me is that I have no spare tire hanging over the front, and ultimately, wouldn't it be fantastic to actually have washboard abdominals? I've never had those.

For exercise, I've been doing like I've been doing for over a year: 30 minutes on the stationary bike, which is just my road bike propped up on an exercise stand. 

As I gain energy, I may do more - not just on the bike but other forms of exercise as well. 

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Day 7 - FIRST CLEANSE DAY!

It wasn't so bad, actually. 

There were only a couple of times I had to fight off the thought that I was feeling hungry, so it wasn't an entire day spent thinking about food. Once was in the morning before I knew what to expect since it was my first 'cleanse' day, and then later in the evening after I had consumed my last nutritive drink. 

I got the expected headache like I did on my first day of this program, but it wasn't nearly as bad. Still, I would recommend doing cleanse days on weekends or when one can spend the day at home, not so much because of the headache but to more easily follow the instructions of what to consume when. 

Plus, have I mentioned using a water filter system like Brita? I hate to think that people are consuming so much purified water out of plastic bottles. Please use a system that filters tap water instead of adding to the mountains of plastic being manufactured for bottled water. Yet I do wonder if the plastic water filters themselves are recyclable. I'll have to look into what to do with the spent ones of those.

Overall, it was a day where I had frequent nutritive drinks and some supplements spread out every couple of hours or so. Which ended my first week on this 30-Day cleanse and detox regimen I am on... just over three more weeks to go! 

Keep in mind that this is just the 30-Day cleanse part of a system; I intend to continue with meal replacement shakes twice a day from now on. Which will allow me to eat regular, though smart, meals once every day. I should be able to deal with that.

********

My first week on this cleanse and detox coincidentally ended the same day, pending signatures, as the NFL referee lockout. Good thing I got my thoughts about it off my chest yesterday. Now, as anybody who has been following this knows, we all have to cut a little slack to the regular refs as they get back into the groove of officiating games. Remember, they didn't get a preseason so it will take awhile for them to get back up to speed. 

I sure hope they've been staying sharp somehow by reading the rule book and making special note of any changes for this season. They'll be operating under a microscope - but even from the very first game they officiate, I can't imagine them being as bad and incompetent as the replacement refs were. I would also like to mention that the replacement refs were individuals so shouldn't all be considered at the same level of ability; some were better than others, so let's not be derisive of all of them.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Day 6 - cleansing and detox

Yesterday's 'shake' day was fine; not much to talk about there. 

I wrote to my cleanse coach (nothing formal in that designation - he's helping to guide me through this process) and let him know that I'm still hovering around the original 4 or so pounds that I lost initially. He responded that I'm still way ahead of the curve and that I should really start 'releasing' the weight after my first cleanse day. Which is today. I'll report on how it goes tomorrow. 

******** 

Funny how I decided at some point to not comment after each 49ers game like I've been doing for a few seasons now while I'm doing this cleansing, yet a couple of posts ago I decided to write about the dreams I had the night before... how silly is that? 

I still don't plan on posting my thoughts on the 49ers (bad loss to the Vikings, ahem) after each game (woefully ineffective) for these 4 weeks while I'm doing this cleansing, but I can't ignore what's going on in football in general:

"What the h*ll's going on out here?" (to quote the great Vince Lombardi). 

These replacement refs should now be making everyone appreciate how good the regular refs are. The regular refs have the experience to know the rule book, know how to stick to their own guns rather than let the players and coaches influence their calls, maintain flow, and for the most part, MAKE THE RIGHT CALLS! Allowing for the occasional gaff, of course; at least they used to make only a few over several games instead of several of them per game, if not every quarter. 

Some sports commentators were stating before Monday Night's game that none of these bad calls had directly cost a team a game. Wasn't it enough knowing that it could and probably would happen, instead of saying "it hasn't happened yet?" Well, now it has!

Speaking of that particular play, I've seen 'simultaneous possession' types of plays before, where two players are wrestling over the ball. Usually it looks like each has about 50 percent possession. In those cases, yes, the offense is to be awarded possession, sort of like in baseball how 'tie goes to the runner.' But what about cases such as on Monday Night's where one player has something like 80 percent or more of the ball? The Green Bay defender was hugging the ball whereas the Seattle player merely managed to be touching the ball. But nowhere having possession of it. So the refs award the ball to the offense? Is that all it takes - for the offensive player just to touch the ball with his hand? Ridiculous. 

It occurred to me also that the first ref to run over and signal touchdown may have been supremely confused about which team was even on offense for that play. Perhaps he thought that Green Bay threw the ball, and when he saw that a Packer had caught it, signaled touchdown. Possible? I wouldn't doubt it. 

Also considering that the NFL owners are for the most part all billionaires, sure, giving the regular refs a lucrative salary may seem exorbitant, but the owners have been willing to pay their players hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars to put a great product on the field. Why not be willing to pay generously for the integrity of the game? 

Let me guess: these billionaire NFL owners are lousy tippers. 

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Day 5 - cleansing and detox

Another day in what is becoming pretty routine. Fortunately the shakes taste really good, like protein powders I used to drink such as MET-Rx. Very tasty - I could drink 10 times as much, just as I would enjoy eating 10 times the amount of the company's snack foods than I am allowed... but of course that would defeat the purpose. 

Tomorrow is my first 'cleanse' day, which will be NO solid food from a regular meal. According to the instructions, I'll get to eat some chewable tablets and a special sort of energy chocolate. But besides those, just liquids. It's supposed to really clean out my system, hence the name. I'll do 4 of those this month; I hope my body is ready and primed for it.

Otherwise, these shake days I've gotten pretty accustomed to. Like I mentioned above, routine. My mealtimes are simpler now, and I even feel that going out for the occasional restaurant meal will be manageable. Maybe every two or three weeks ought to be okay. 

In fact, the day after tomorrow I am going to meet some family and relatives at a Japanese restaurant. I'll just have some salmon over rice instead of a bento box that includes tempura. Maybe some sushi though - I'll try not to go crazy. 

In any case, I'll be more careful than usual. 

Monday, September 24, 2012

Day 4 - cleansing and detox

Not much to report today. Yesterday after writing my post, I did kind of cheat on my regular food meal. Although I had salmon, brown basmati rice, and vegetables, I ate maybe two servings! I have no idea how many calories that added up to; I'm hoping it didn't go too high. 

So to augment what I've just written, I'm going to describe the series of dreams I had last night. Hey, it's MY blog, "I can do what I want!" (said in a Cartman from South Park voice.)

I don't always remember my dreams. If I had to guess, I'd say on average I'll remember several per month, usually within days of each other.

I can recall three parts from last night: The first took place in the local shopping center/large strip mall, Park 'N Shop. Although I was in the building (the store spaces ran into each other), I found myself in an enclosed quasi-wilderness. There were some bleachers. 

As I was walking along, I noticed there was a grizzly bear wandering behind me. I started to run, but knew I couldn't outrun it nor hide, so I ran but without a desperate panic. I did glance over at it and even though it noticed me, it chose to leave me alone and ran past me. Over the course of this dream, whenever I saw it, it continued to leave me alone. Now, I wasn't completely at ease and calm - deep down I was absolutely heart-pounding terrified! Yet I felt somehow positive with a whatever happens, happens attitude. 

The second of last night's several dreams also took place at Park 'N Shop, but this time I was outside in the parking lot area. But it wasn't all parking lot as it is in real life - there was an outdoor plaza where people could sit and mingle. I was sitting out there with family and/or friends (I don't remember who). What I remember is I was being questioned by Nancy Grace about which stores were part of Park 'N Shop years ago. It felt like I was being interrogated for some reason.

She asked where the fountains used to be, and I couldn't say. All I could tell her was I remembered a shoe store, my favorite place to get shoes when I was a kid, Watkins Bootery.

The last dream I remember from last night took place in another part of town. I was meeting with two of my cousins and their late mother/my late aunt at a restaurant for breakfast. We were seated outside at a table under an umbrella; it was warm and the sun was worth shielding ourselves from. It took awhile for me to decide what I wanted to eat. I was about to order some hash browns and french fries when I woke up. Yes, I was dreaming about eating! Love the potatoes.

Besides that though, it was nice seeing my aunt again. I didn't even grow up seeing her all that often, but I remember her always being in a pleasant mood. It was a pleasant outing. 

Of course, this is what I am able to describe - these dreams had other details and impressions, feelings that I can't quite put into words. Hmmm... a grizzly bear and being questioned by Nancy Grace. In case you're wondering, the grizzly was more frightening.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Day 3 - cleansing and detox

This cleansing isn't easy, but it's manageable. It's simple enough to follow, but the thing is, as I mentioned before: I like to eat. I LOVE to eat! I long to attack an all-you-can-eat buffet, for breakfast, for lunch and for dinner. But that's always been the case. Maybe just two buffet meals in a day. How about once a week for one mass consumption meal? 

I don't eat the most, and I certainly don't eat the fastest, but I like to savor every bite. I like the feeling of chewing food. That's why it's so helpful that this system has great tasting shakes and snacks yet also allows for one meal of 'real' food per day. But I'm still longing to 'pig out.'

I have to wonder though... if I did let myself loose now, how much I would be able to eat anyway... maybe my appetite is slowly shrinking. Maybe not.

Out of curiosity, I weighed myself this morning though I doubt it has that much meaning - it's only been three days. It was first thing in the morning before what I'm sure are the body's fluctuations of a typical day. Still, I'm down four or five pounds from my starting day. Of course I'm consuming a lot less. The real test will come at the end of the 30 days. How will I feel? How will I look? The mirror seems to show the same big gut. I've read that these products help eliminate the fat that directly surrounds the body's organs, not just what shows.

Referring back to yesterday's post, last night I didn't sleep for six hours straight as I did the night before. Time will tell for my energy levels and sleep patterns.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Day 2 - cleansing and detox

Much better - no more headaches. If the headaches only lasted the one day, then I'll be alright! 

I plan on having my first 'cleanse' day this coming Wednesday. I learned from my cleanse coach that the very first day on this system (the 'shake' day two days ago) is actually more difficult for people than the first 'cleanse' day, which will be (very nearly) all liquids. Luckily there will be only four of those during this 30-Day cleanse and detox because I love to eat. If I ever went to Las Vegas, I wouldn't be excited about hitting the casinos - I'd anticipate hitting the buffets! ... even though I'm willing now to cut eating regular food down to only once per day (on 'shake' days). I think the benefits will be well worth it.

After this month, I may cheat a little more during my regular meals - gotta enjoy life to the fullest, right? This new nutrition lifestyle is not meant to be a test of willpower or deprivation. I just want to be smart and more careful about what I consume. The better I am, the better I'll look and feel.

I don't know how long or consistently it will last, but last night I slept 6 straight hours without waking up once (I usually wake up 2 or 3 times). I think I was sound asleep all the way from around 12:15 to 6:15. I hadn't done anything like that for as long as I can remember.

Because of my difficulty sleeping throughout my life, I've always needed naps whenever I could get them. My roommate in college said that he'd never seen anyone sleep so much. It would make such a difference if I find myself getting all the sleep I need during the night, and not so dependent on napping. Although I've always been in favor of a good siesta. 

Friday, September 21, 2012

Day 1 - starting cleansing and detox

I thought I might as well start a little journal of what I go through while on the 30-Day nutritional cleansing I started yesterday (September 20, 2012). 

The idea of doing a cleansing sounded really necessary for me since over the years I've been feeling more and more lethargic. Plus, I could really stand to lose my absolutely unfit looking pot-belly. I'd never seen myself before as being overweight or obese, but looking at my body profile in the mirror is pretty disturbing. 

Besides having several pictures taken of myself to represent my 'Before' appearance, I also went ahead and took measurements of my main concerns: the abdomen and waist (some others as well). I'd never done that before and it was a real eye-opener. 

For several years now, I've been purchasing my jeans with a 33-inch waist and figured that's what it actually measured. Not so bad I thought. Well, my tape showed 37"! And then I measured an even worse 41" around my stomach (abdomen, belly, etc.). Does the phrase 'muffin-top' apply to men too? Or is 'spare tire' more appropriate for guys?

******** 

Now this is a nutritional cleansing so I won't be starving my body of the healthful nutrients it needs. Those I'll get with shakes and supplements. I've read about other cleansings that look far too extreme, diets of little more than fruit juices for weeks at a time. Nope, wouldn't care for that at all. This one allows some actual food once a day on 'shake' days (six days a week), and then primarily liquids on 'cleanse' days (one day a week).

What was yesterday (Day 1) like? An adjustment for sure. My body was used to consuming solid food for all three meals, whereas yesterday I had two nutritional shakes and a small meal instead, plus some minimal snacking on healthful snacks in between. And plenty of water. 

One way I knew something was working was a negative side-effect I was told to expect: a pretty bad headache that got worse throughout the day. There is an explanation for that though - it's the result of my body removing toxins. This morning I felt better, and it's supposed to continue getting better as the days go by. Still, I am feeling a little trepidation about today, but if I get another headache I am confident that it's all part of the process of detoxifying my body. I should start feeling really good before long! 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Game 2 - Lions vs. 49ers

Victory!

And not as nerve-wracking this week. I was afraid after last week that my heart would be pounding and my mind filled with anxiety during every game, but I guess it was just first game-of-the-season jitters. 

It's human nature to complain and criticize, and this year's 49ers squad has been so good, I can't think of much to write about. I could go on and on about the great play of a lot of players, but really, how fun is that? I'll simply mention one name: Michael Crabtree. He certainly was dialed in last night.

One thing I've been wondering about is whether or not Coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens also alternates his players' lockers, defensive player next to offensive player next to defensive player and so on. As I understand, that is what Coach Jim Harbaugh has done in the 49ers locker room. It has done wonders in generating a sense of unity throughout the entire squad. They're all in this together and it is fantastic to see. 

Which has made me look back to when John and Jim were growing up and sharing a bedroom; did they dream together of each eventually coaching an NFL team? Did they begin formulating their plans and bounce ideas off of each other as to the best ways to get the most out of their players? Or game-planning and strategizing? The Ravens and 49ers sure seem to be constructed the same way - and very well I might add! 

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

name that band

What do Paul Revere & the Raiders, the Dave Clark Five, and the J. Geils Band all have in common? 

All were named after someone other than the lead singer. Or at least not the member most known as being the lead singer. Santana and Manfred Mann ('s Earth Band) are two others. 

I wonder for how long the band that became U2 was known as the Larry Mullen Band? 

Monday, September 10, 2012

Game 1 - 49ers vs. Packers

Wow - what a heart pounding game! And that's just wondering what crazy calls the "replacement" officials might come up with next.

I was internalizing what Coach Jim Harbaugh was expressing with his face, so if you saw what he looked like (hint: cartoonishly large mouth and spittle), then you know what I was experiencing.

Anyway, BIG, BIG WIN. To break such a barrier and come up victorious on the road against the Packers, something that the 49ers hadn't done since 1990 when Joe Montana was quarterback, is a huge achievement indeed. The superb coaching, the improving roster, there's kudos to be handed out all around. 

There are so many names to go through, I'd feel remiss if I didn't name everybody, but I'd like to call out one player in particular: David Akers, the kicker. He tied the NFL record for longest field goal ever made - 63 yards! That's only ever been achieved 3 times before, and two of those were in mile-high Denver. Yes, Akers got a very fortuitous bounce off of the crossbar, so that could be his asterisk (not that asterisks are called for). Still, it was something else and somewhat easy to overlook with the incredible victory the Niners had. 

I'm actually going into this season hoping that Akers kicks a career low number of field goals. Instead, I hope he sets a new NFL record for PATs (point after touchdowns). It would greatly behoove the team to score touchdowns this season instead of settling for field goals. But it's awfully nice knowing that the field goals will be there. 

Next game: the home opener against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

John Clayton of ESPN

Funniest thing I've seen in awhile: 

John Clayton behind the scenes.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

the genius of Steven Wright

I wonder how many of you know of the comedian Steven Wright. He is of my generation, and is known for his very dry and droll humor, delivered in a particularly deadpan manner. No, really.

Not too long ago, I looked online to see if I could find any sites that listed some of his best lines. There are many such sites, and I read through one of them trying to find my favorite observations of his. Two really stood out and became my favorites. Unfortunately, I didn't bookmark the particular site, and I haven't found these two favorite lines anywhere else. So I'm paraphrasing what I remember of them here: 

If humans evolved from monkeys and apes, then why are there still monkeys and apes? 

Bullets bounce off of Superman's chest... so why does he duck when somebody throws a gun at him?