Changing Habits

I am in dire need of some habit changes to improve my life. Sure, I’ve started returning to they gym (sometimes more successfully than others) but that’s simply not enough.

Today’s Personal Project
Sneak out this afternoon and go to the bank.

Today’s Daily Challenge
Eat one food with prebiotics, such as whole-grain bread, bananas, berries, onions, or garlic.

Prebiotics are a kind of non-digestible nutrient that encourages the growth of good bacteria in the intestine. Some studies have shown that eating foods high in prebiotics can help prevent and treat tummy troubles such as gastroenteritis and problems with irritable bowel. They may also offer benefits to the immune system.

Gastroenteritis? Geez, maybe I should look into these…

File Under: Something Is Better Than Nothing
The best thing I can say about my efforts to lift weights last night was that I got an awesomely close parking space in front of LA Fitness.

Perhaps the cold weather chased people indoors, or perhaps the club is just more crowded at night, but my local LA Fitness was packed last night.

There was not a treadmill to be found initially, but by the time I changed clothes I was able to secure one for my warmup jog. My good luck ended there.

I waited for machines.
I had to search high and low for dumbbells.
I looked unsuccessfully for attachments for machines.

And then I gave up.

My boss and I headed to Applebees, yeah you read that right, his choice I might add, where I had a single beer and tried to eat a sensible meal. When I looked over the menu I perused the 550 Calorie meals and selected something which sounded appetizing. I thought with that few number of calories the meal would be tiny so I ordered a side salad; that was my failing. The salad, rather large I might add, had both cheese and bacon (and croutons), and my copious use of the honey mustard salad dressing didn’t help either. I also have doubts that my entree only contained 550 Calories as well. File Under: Fail!

ITP Flickr Pic
Nope, nothing to show.

The Power Of Habit
During my treadmill runs I have been listening to The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg. While I am finding this book interesting and entertaining, I am also finding it very “Malcom Gladwell”-like in that it seeming makes broad connections and leaps to conclusions which may or may not be true.

However, there may be some truth in all of the rhetoric about how creating new habits to replace the old habits is the best way to improve one’s life, so I’ll keep trying.

Decatur, Maybe?
I heard that Lone Rider Beer is supposed to be in Decatur Square tonight. Lone Rider is a brewery from that far-off land known as “Raleigh, NC” that is making inroads into the Georgia market.

If my intel is correct Lone Rider will be in Decatur around 7:30-8:00pm so I may make my way to Decatur after work. Heck, if all else fails I can get a quality meal somewhere around there.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – trying to feel better
Current Music – listening to last week’s “This American Life”
Website Of The Day – If you are a nerd like me you might enjoy A Curious Mind: Musings About Science, Art, And The Links Between Them.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – a feeble attempt at lifting weights
Morning Weigh-In – sadly, 212.3 pounds

Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~3.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – ~42.0 miles
Gym Visits – 5.5 (5 cardio)

Days Of Bed-Making – 0

Vegetarian Meals – 36
Carnivorous Meals – 32

Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0

March Goals
– not get sick
– lose two pounds
– walk/run no fewer that 50 miles
– lift weights at the gym no fewer than eight times
– finish at least two of the books I am reading
– take at least one box of things to Goodwill
– post at least ten photos in the blog
– drink a lot less alcohol
– prepare a house repair plan and budget
– return ITP-Reader Martha’s coffee percolator to her
– return ITP-Terri’s crutches to her

2013 Goals: Measurable
– Get my weight down to 190 pounds so that I can wear a 36″ waist pants comfortably
– Completely read ten books, audio books permissible
– Dissolve Sharpened Stone
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Completely run at least one 10k
– Fix all (or at least most) of the things which are wrong with the ITP Estate

2013 Goals: Unmeasurable
– Simplify, simplify, simplify
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
– Eat smaller portions
– Start, and continue, to make my own bread using my bread machine as well as using the technique outlined in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking
– Read and discard magazines during the month in which they arrive (even digitally)
– Take two real vacations, perhaps one abroad
– Take a more proactive approach to meeting women (read “stop being such a pussy”)

Books I’ve Read/Heard In 2013

  1. Pages 1.7 for iPad (Timestompers Guide) – by Sean Wells
  2. 60 Mountain Lion Tips – by David Sparks and Brett Terpstra

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

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5 Responses to Changing Habits

  1. Barb says:

    Bacon is never bad.
    So, you ordered something plus the salad? or just the salad? There is an Applebee’s right here by my office, I haven’t been there in years. I drive past it everyday & occasionally think we should go there, but since we try to eat at home for dinner, and I hate spending more than $10 at lunch, it just isn’t really an option.

    I was in reality TV hell (or heaven) last night, I watched both Celebrity Apprentice & The Voice. The Voice is so opposite of American Idol, they don’t have people that suck just to have them on TV. But – I dont’ care that much about the singing, I really watch it just for the banter & fighting between the judges. New judges Shakira & Usher are good. Once they get past these opening rounds, the show actually gets boring.

  2. Steve says:

    When we went to feed Phinney last night, there were 7 deer in his pasture and just for laughs, we tried to “sneak” up on them. Never mind that the setting sun was in our eyes, meaning the deer had a much better view of us, than we of them. One by one, their heads popped up and they finally decided to head for the hills. Still it amazes me they will be completely calm while we’re out feeding the horses- as long as nobody starts barking.

    Since you haven’t provided any photos, I’ll at least talk about my exploits Sunday at the horse event. Debbie’s dad has a fully digital Leica with a built in 25-600 lens. We were playing around with it on the multiple shot per second setting and it did some really good work. If I read the book, I might actually get some worthwhile shots.

    A new foster dog may be at home when I get there. The mizzus has signed up for a boxer rescue group and we have gotten one. A white girl named Bunny- hopefully, she’ll fit in with everyone.

    -FP

  3. Paulie [eatl/ga] says:

    I ordered the “500 Calorie” chicken with portobello mushroom and onion with a side of potato entree, and added a “side salad.”

  4. Paulie [eatl/ga] says:

    Oops, that should have been “550 Calorie” not “500 Calorie”

  5. Barb says:

    Another airport run done to get Felicia today, she’s in town this time for I think 2 weeks. It’s funny, she has a pretty new Jeep Liberty & I liked it okay when I was driving my CRV all the time, but now that I have the Crosstrek it seems so rough of a ride. I dont’ like it much anymore.

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