Yesterday marked the half-way point in my weight loss journey with the Scale Down Challenge. How am I doing? Will I achieve my goal? Will I win?
Honestly I don’t know. Winning was never 100% in my control due to the fact other participants are involved. At the four week mark I was exactly in the 25% percentile. I was generally an A student in school, so this was a bit disconcerting.
Moreover, when I went into the contest I had a more achievable and measurable goal. Winning the contest wasn’t a good goal because if the participant pool was too few or unmotivated, I’d win without losing weight. Rather, I set a goal of losing a certain number of pounds.
The good news is while I’m at the halfway point in the contest, I’m also at the halfway to meeting my goal number. On the surface, that sounds great and right on track. Unfortunately, that’s based on average. The first week of the contest I lost a significant amount of weight and my loss continues to slow. If I view the pace of weight loss since the first week, I will NOT meet my goal. That’s disconcerting.
Of course, I can make lots of excuses such as a family vacation, problems with stress, and simply adjusting to this new approach to food and eating. With the nature of my job and the unpredictability, I often have an eating plan for the day, but my client needs take priority. I full expected to have a protein shake, but I found myself at a 3 hour intense service call where a family’s entire picture collection of small business hangs in the balance. Walking out to take a lunch break isn’t appropriate.
In reality though, it is. Everyone I’ve told about my weight loss has been excited and enthusiastic. Clients have noticed the loss and it’s nice to tell them I’m in a contest and I’m doing it to earn money for a charity. One client (jokingly) attempted to take my lunch plate away from me when I said why I was losing weight.
Now that I’m at the halfway point, I’ve revising some of my plans and making new ones.
First, I’ve been slacking on writing things down, tweeting what I eat and taking pictures. I realize I only have to do one and the others will fall into place. If I can record what I ate in my phone, great. If I can’t, taking a picture or tweeting it is fine, because at least I have an idea of where and when I ate and can record the calories later. Not only is the recording important to track calories, but I realize that by taking that extra minute or so before eating forces me to slow down, savor, and enjoy the meal.
Additionally, I realize I can only reduce the calories so much and keep with my fitness goals. I decided when I started I would continue my weightlifting and exercise regiment. I could starve myself completely and lose muscle along with fat. That’s unacceptable. However, if working out is getting easy and too enjoyable, I’m not doing it right. I would bring in some magazines, set the elliptical for 11 and zone out for half an hour. While that made the workout easier and productive (reading trade mags), I realize that as I loose weight and increase my cardiovascular health, that means the same settings from a month ago no longer burn as many calories. Therefore, I gotta mix it up a bit. I’ve read about interval training and my trainer suggested that. While those magazines and zoning out make my workouts easier…the problem is they make my workout easier. When I achieve my goal I can see workouts as maintenance and “phone it in”. Right now, I want to lose weight and win. That means less reading PC Magazine, Macworld and Entrepreneur…and more pushing myself. I’ll also try some of the tricks we tried in high school football: two-a-days [and if you did football, I heard your groan from here]
Two-a-days was a simple concept: you do two workouts a day. Since I’ve now achieved my goal of doing cardio 4-5 days a week and lifting 1-2 days a week, it’s now time to do cardio twice a day. Maybe not two 30 minute sessions, but a 30 in the morning and 15 before dinner or before bed. I’m excited to try the light cardio before bed. Maybe 100 or so calories to get me in fat burning mode before I head to bed. Research on workouts before bed are mixed. Some compare it to a hot bath, forcing a reduction in overall body temp as you get out of the bath, which I know helps me fall asleep. A short 15 minute elliptical session in the basement before I go to sleep and a light shower, might help. These tricks might also jump start my mid-contest frustrations.
I also know what I’m doing wrong at this point. Psychology Today recently reported on the fact that addicts can learn from their relapses and prevent them. Successful recovering addicts sometimes relapse three or four times before finally staying off the wagon (or is it on?).
One of my failures (besides not excusing myself to eat), is keeping healthy food within reach at all times. This means carrying almonds with me in the car and making sure I have a protein shake power and mixer in the car at all times. Of course, I’ll forget to put it in the car sometimes. I shouldn’t be embarrassed to run into the grocery store and buy something. I get frustrated I forgot to pack a lunch and feel like I don’t want to waste the money (and the environment) by buying a single serving of yogurt or a some rice cakes. I need to get over that. Since I’m generally going the healthy route with this weight loss and avoiding any paid diet or supplements, I’ve got a bit of money to work with. So many diets require their exclusive food, I’m way ahead of the game even if I pay a premium in getting a single serving packet of something. And while I know that increases my carbon footprint, this isn’t long term. I must remember this is part of the weight loss, and when I achieve my goals,I will have more options available.
Another failure has been eating out. It’s really hard on a weight loss plan. You want to keep track and judge the calories and ingredients in what you got. For example: did that soup have cream in it? Milk? What percent of milkfat? I don’t want to give the servers the third degree of how much oil was used. Even when they know, they don’t know because items are often made in large quantities and in advance. Moreover, when I take the typical menu item, I often have to tell them to leave a large number of the ingredients off. A few weeks back, I went to a business meeting and the healthiest thing on the menu was a burger. Ok, give me the veggie burger. I want no cheese, no sauce. The sides were all rather unhealthy. I could pay an extra $2.50 for the side salad (hold the bacon, croutons, and dressing on the side). I paid $10 for a veggie patty, a slice of tomato, and a small side salad. I don’t blame the restaurant. The $7.50 for a generous beef burger, tasty fries, and sourdough bun was a good value. But I just was so frustrated paying $10 for nothing, I realized eating out at most places just wasn’t worth it.
Unfortunately, eating out is the glue that often holds together my social life. “I haven’t seen you in forever, let’s get lunch.” I simply need to be confident enough to say “I’m trying to lose weight and would prefer coffee? Do you like Java Break, Z’s or Starbucks.” I’m just embarrassed to do so and I just gotta get over it. This weight loss is for me, and I rarely do things for myself. If a friend can’t understand, are they really a friend?
Finally, I realize I need to stay away from food triggers. Yes, that’s obvious, but it’s really not. I found myself often snacking on healthy almonds while passing through the kitchen on the way to the basement or my home office. Often this was subconscious and it was triggered by having the cupboard open and the almonds facing me. I’d go into the fridge for a cup of yogurt, and last nights leftovers I was going to freeze are looking awfully tasty. My goal for the next five weeks is to avoid food triggers. If at all possible, route myself around them. Either move the food or myself. I’ll try to take the long way…around the kitchen. I’ll inconveniently place tempting food and snacks behind things I don’t like in the fridge. I’m not a soda fan, so I’m putting all the cheese (one of my weaknesses) and any leftovers behind the wall of soda in the fridge. That should be enough to be out of sight and out of mind.
Overall it’s been frustrating. I started the contest with the idea this was like going on a trip and I’ll return someday to a more normal and less structured life. I’m at the point of being homesick on the journey. I feel GREAT that I’ve lost so much weight! However, I’m just exhausted from thinking so much about way I eat, where I eat and how I eat. Keeping in mind the fact that I’m helping myself and others is hopefully going to sustain me through the next five weeks.
That, and the fact that I’m also putting the Humane Society calendar on the fridge.
Posted in Scale Down Challenge by .
In case you haven’t heard, an industry publication is reporting that Sunflower Broadband is close to sealing a deal to be purchased by Knology, a cable company from West Point, Georgia. Many of my customers, friends, and followers have been asking my opinion on this issue since I’ve been vocal about both my support and complaints about the company in the past. So here it goes…these opinions are only my own and not based on any “inside information” I may have.
First question I hear circulating around our community is “Why sell the most profitable division of the World Company?”
I give this analogy. A farmer has two cows. One is producing a lot of milk and making the farmer a lot of money. The other cow, the first one he bought, has been neglected and is in desperate need of care, lest it kick the bucket. The farmer realizes some key problems with his current business model. Paying for the care of two cows is costly. He could get rid of the older, sicker cow and focus on the healthy cow that is producing the milk. Unfortunately, who wants to buy an older, sick cow?
The healthier cow, while it produces a big profit to feed his family, takes all of the farmer’s attention. The older cow gets sicker and all the other crops have been neglected while he focuses on (pun intended) his cash cow. A problem, of course, is that a cow doesn’t produce milk forever. If you wait too long to sell the cow, the cow’s value diminishes. Moreover, it’s just one cow. It can only produce so much milk. The farmer needs to buy more cows to make more money. But since he’s maxed out his cash cow, he simply doesn’t have the money to buy another cow. He’s stuck, a victim of his cash cow’s success, along with his older cow and his crops. When his cash cow dies, he’ll have nothing because he neglected everything else
The farmer gets smart and realises the key is to sell the cash cow, now, while its value is highest. He can then take that money and use it in other areas in his farm so they can start producing money too. That, or move to the city. A smart buyer realizes that the farmer’s cow is great stock (pun intended), and if integrated into a bigger farm, the offspring this cow produces helps improve the entire herd. Take this phenomenal cow and with a bit of selective breeding, you’ve got a super cow! The buyer now has the needed genes to enhance his own herd. Everyone benefits: buyers, sellers, and consumers of milk.
That’s what we have here. Sunflower Broadband is truly a leader in broadband services in every respect. Lawrence was one of the first markets to have cable modems. We were one of the first to move to high speed DOCSIS 3.0. Our customer service is local and 24 hours a day: having round-the-clock customer service that isn’t outsourced is absolutely unheard of today. I have nothing but respect and admiration for Sunflower and its employees. As DoctorDave, I work with all providers in our region such as Cox Cable, Time Warner and AT&T. Sunflower spoils us like we were its grandchildren. It’s a great product sold at a great price, and many people don’t always realize this until they move outside of the community. I recommend Sunflower to most of my customers, with only one major caveat that is a sticking point for me.
Limits to information access
Yes, bandwidth limits (or allotments as Sunflower refers to them). The internet is the most important mechanism for sharing information in our society today. Freedom to access information is the cornerstone of a free society. The Internet is the modern public library. Any artificial limit to accessing information creates a chilling effect and is a limit to democracy. My nationally recognized and vehement opposition to Internet bandwidth limits has put me with odds with Sunflower in the past and is the key reason why they are no longer my home Internet Service Provider. To me this is a moral and ethical issue. It’s my white whale. This is one reason I am a vocal supporter of Lawrence Freenet, because I believe that everyone regardless of financial means should have access to the internet.
However, it is but one aspect of the company. Some users don’t care, and if you don’t mind the limits, then Sunflower is an obvious choice for most. Ironically, newspapers as our trusted “Fourth Estate” have always worked to keep the flow of information going. They keep our government honest and us as informed as citizens. By capping bandwidth and making many users afraid to use the Internet freely lest they get an unexpected overage, the World Company has violated that trust in my opinion.
The fact that the World Company owns both the major cable and Internet provider (including the only local televised news) and the daily newspaper is a unfortunate quirk of living in Lawrence, Kansas. Having one company own so many avenues to information access is dangerous. In any other city, the news of a major buyout such as this would be front page news and our local media would be fighting to give its readers the full story. The fact the Journal World hasn’t run a story on this issue (only a terse no comment statement) is a fatal flaw in this newspaper that this buyout will hopefully correct.
A sale of Sunflower Broadband to another entity such as Knology will have profoundly positive impact in our community
Sunflower stands apart from most Internet Service providers with its bandwidth caps. Knology and other suitors of Sunflower do not have these artificial limits. We’ll be free to use the internet at whatever speed we choose to pay for without fear of limits and overages. Online backups, security updates, and videos will be accessible without the worry of nasty additional fees.
Additionally, because our newspaper and television providers will be separated, the Journal World will be able to more accurately and fairly report news in Lawrence. No longer will they be limited by their vested interest in the cable company. Media consolidation is generally against FCC rules, but the loophole is that Sunflower is not seen as a “media” company. The loophole will be closed and growth of both companies will be natural and organic and both companies will be made stronger. We as citizens will trust the newspaper to accurately report the news and the Journal World will be restored to its role as watchdog for the citizens it serves. If the cable company isn’t acting in our best interest, I would trust the Journal World to report on it. Knology won’t be able to slack off and reduce the quality we’ve come to expect from Sunflower–the newspaper will see to that.
Our local economy will benefit
The number one concern I hear from others about the buyout is the fact that some larger national company is going to take over and destroy our local economy. Massive layoffs combined with money being sent outside the community will hurt Lawrence.
I think the opposite will happen. As stated earlier, Sunflower is an outstanding company with good employees. Its people are what make Sunflower what it is. Knology wouldn’t be interested in the company if it weren’t for that strength. You can’t buy the milk without buying the cow, and the employees that produce Sunflower’s product. Warren Buffett generally buys a company because of the strength of how it’s run, and thus does not involve himself with daily operations or change things. Knology would be smart to leave Sunflower alone, and retain its employees and learn their best practices for running a technologically advanced broadband company.
In fact, I strongly suspect the potential purchase might be made more for Sunflower’s knowledge rather than just its subscriber base. Instead of a national company dictating top-down policies to our community, Sunflower employees will most likely help improve Knology’s own services in other communities in how to deliver “World Class Broadband! Home Town Care.” The quality of our community will raise the level of technology and service in other communities. Again, why buy the cow unless it has a unique value? Let it lead the herd instead of follow.
With the removal of the conflict of interest at the Journal World, Knology, and competing companies such as Lawrence Freenet and AT&T will have better access to advertising options, without concerns about lining the pockets of their competition. More jobs can be created. Sales reps for cable and the newspaper no longer can cross sell. When positions are consolidated, it creates redundant positions and layoffs. When roles are separated, jobs can be created. Ad sales will increase with a new business in town.
Finally, the World Company and Sunflower are privately owned businesses. They are simply not accountable to our community beyond their own goodwill. While the owners live and work in our community and thus want to make it better, we have no direct way of controlling the company’s destiny and decisionmaking. Knology is a publicly traded company accountable to its shareholders. We as a community will be able to buy and invest in our cable company if we choose. If we don’t like a policy, we have a voice and a power to change it. Its success will be our success if we choose it to be.
This is a critical move to protect our local newspaper
We are extremely lucky in a town of this size to have a locally owned and operated newspaper. Everyone lives and works in the community. The paper is printed right here in Lawrence. Detractors say “newspapers are dying.” To an extent that’s true. The newspaper of 20 years ago is hearing its own death rattle and will not exist 10 years from now. That’s ok and we’ve seen this before. How many families crowd around the Zenith Radio at 7:00pm to hear Amos and Andy or The Avenger? Nobody. They crowd around the TV. Radio serves a new purpose now in our entertainment portfolio. The camera didn’t kill off art. Artists still paint, though it’s unlikely the family will sit each day for weeks while an artists makes an oil color of them.
What is the newspaper of tomorrow? I have no idea. I’m confident though we have brilliant minds here in Lawrence. Look at what savvy World Company employees did with their portfolio of web sites, like ljworld.com, lawrence.com, and KUsports.com, not to mention things like django and Ellington Marketplace! Tomorrow I predict will begin today right here in Lawrence. Allowing the World Company to focus on its core business will position it to be the leader in whatever becomes of the newspaper industry. I hope the proceeds of the Sunflower sale are used to make the new 609 New Hampshire into a think tank for ideas to revitalize the newspaper industry. As the radio moved from a centerpiece in our homes, to something we listen to in the car, to something we stream at work…I believe the quality reporting of the World Company employees will morph into some new form. I’m excited to see what they have in store and hope they are given the latitude to express and explore their ideas.
For the record, I should say I do have a vested interest in one aspect to this buyout. My business obviously competes with Geeks on Wheels. Most likely Knology won’t be interested in this aspect of Sunflower, as my research indicates they don’t have on-site repair divisions in any of their other markets. I’m excited to potentially hire some of their quality techs for my own business and of course I, and other local computer repair companies, would like to partner with Knology to provide onsite computer repair. As you can tell, though, that’s not the reason I’m excited about this sale.
The potential Knology acquisition is a win-win-win solution for the World Company, Knology, their employees and our community as well as for the newspaper and cable industries as a whole, and I look forward to seeing what exciting things are going to happen.
Posted in Business Commentary by .
Jul 10
27
We’re Hiring!
Yes, it’s true.
Actually, I’m always looking for the right computer repair person in Lawrence, Topeka, Greater Kansas City and beyond. If they come along, we’ll find a place for them. That’s been my policy ever since I started Geeks on Wheels. Good people, as they say, are so hard to find.
In a few short weeks I’ll celebrate my 7th anniversary of being out on my own with DoctorDave™. I never really imagined finding someone to work with me. Then, literally out of the blue, a technician I worked with at Geeks called me interested in part time work. Wow. What a find. Someone I knew and worked with in the past. No risk. Hired!
That forced me to take the way I’ve done business in the past 20 or so years and actually write it down. Ok, so I didn’t actually “write” it. We use a wiki for our policy and procedure guide. Wikis are a great way of creating a living and dynamic document.
A few recent things occurred to really make business boom.
Not doing the things I enjoy as much such as writing for TheAppleBlog or playing with Tova.
So what type of person are we looking for?
Really, the type of person you’d want in your small office, home office or in your home. Being friendly and personable is a must. Being tolerant of pets is a must, given the number of clients that have pets.
Unfortunately, we don’t have the resources to train people. They need to be ready to go and hit the ground running. The breath of technical skills are more important than depth. Skills like servers and programming aren’t important–our focus is on site computer repair at peoples homes and businesses with generally five computers or less. The typical service calls related to setup of new hardware and software, troubleshooting viruses and other malware, setting up small wired and wireless networks, as well as training and tutoring of users.
Like an MD, each case is just a little bit different and as a technician you have to learn and adapt. The person has to love solving puzzles and solving mysteries. Thinking outside the box with limited resources while on location is helpful. They should make MacGyver blush with envy.
Hours are extremely flexible and can be evenings and weekends. Because we want quality people to take ownership of client issues, pay is extremely high for the industry. I know if I want the right people, they need to be compensated appropriately. At this time, I only have part time positions open, but that can always change.
If you know someone with great skills on the Mac or PC, outstanding customer service ethic, and adores solving puzzles, please send them my way. Or, if that someone is you, please introduce yourself.
PS: As a bit of an incentive, if we hire someone you mention, you’ll get yourself a free hour of service for yourself and a free hour of service donated to the local non-profit of your choice in town. I’m that serious about finding the right person.
Posted in Business by .
Summer is the time of long nights, vacations, and blockbuster movies. It’s also the time of reruns after reruns. Very few new and exciting shows on TV.
So the question becomes? Why pay for TV you aren’t watching?
Seems kinda obvious doesn’t it?
Some people have completely ditched cable TV with arrangements such as this. No need to go complete replace subscriber TV (until a future blog post).
Last summer, we went from the high end package to the basic TV package our provider offered. There was a slight $10 to make the change, but still we saved about $200 over the summer. Between being out of town and the reruns, we took that money and used it for a Netflix subscription, which we cancelled once the new shows started. Netflix can now be watched on your TV via a Wii or TiVo.
If there is just one or two shows you need to watch, consider websites like Hulu or purchase them via iTunes or Amazon to watch on the TV.
Happy Independence Day!
I’m at Lake of the Ozarks with the family. Having originally lived in New York and having seeing the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in New York harbor, I’m kinda jaded about any other celebration. However this isn’t about my move from New York to Kansas, it’s about clients freedom to move from Internet Service Providers and unable to move their email addresses.
Email addresses are like the cell phone numbers of the early 21st century. Remember when you couldn’t switch providers without changing your cell phone number. What a pain! You had to let everyone know about your change. Then came Number Portability at the end of 2003 and ended locking your number with a particular provider. You are free to move to any mobile provider.
Unfortunately, no freedoms exist with email addresses. When you leave your job, or current Internet Service Provider, there is no requirement that they forward your email to your new provider. Some will do it, for a cost while others will only do it for a few months if at all. Considering the average family moves every 5 to 7 years, that can mean an inordinate number of email address changes that are complete unnecessary. People who have ISP independent email addresses like hotmail or gmail don’t have this problem, but you don’t always have complete control of these accounts and they are at a higher risk of hacking. Also these email addresses look less professional.
There is a simple workaround: buying your own “.com” (or .org, .net) name. Such things are called Domain Names. Instead of being Joeqpublic@aol.com, you can easily become joe@qpublic.com. Domain names aren’t just for businesses but are becoming increasingly popular for families. In fact, giving a domain name is a great gift for a wedding or a birth.
Domain names cost less than $5.00 a year and often include email. Because you own the email address and the domain name, you can take it to any where you go. If you switch from cable to DSL or vice versa, no problem.
Moreover, when you own your own domain name, you can have multiple email addresses at that same domain. For example, you could have one that says shopping@qpublic.com for online purchases while lists@qpublic could be those email lists you occasionally check. Families that buy a domain name such as qpublicfamily.com allows each family member to have their own email address.
If your email address is one of the common ones in Lawrence (ku.edu, sunflower.com, sbcglobal.net), it’s really time to free yourself. Declare your independence!
A dog that is wise beyond her years
I woke up this morning at my normal time which is around 6:30 ish. Went into the kitchen and made coffee and then let the dog out and decided what to eat for breakfast. A normal day.
But it’s not.
Today I go for my weigh in for the Scale Down Challenge and I’m nervous and anxious. Dogs often sense our feelings more than we do. Tova, our adorable Jack Russell Terrier/Beagle mix started getting very clingly….just like she gets when we go out of town. I couldn’t quite get her to understand I’ll be back in an hour. All I’m doing is going to a weigh in.
Then I realized that’s how I felt: I am going on a trip. For 10 weeks, I’ll be visiting a different place. I’ll be eating less and tracking what I eat more. My familiar habits and routine will change. I’ll be missing things that I enjoy. There will be hassles, setbacks, and frustrations. I’ve been thinking about this trip for weeks and have everything set to begin. I’m nervous, just like I am before a trip.
I hate almost everything about travel. I hate the process of going to the airport. I hate trying to remember what to pack, and then forgetting a good portion of it. I hate flying-the noise, the ear popping, the food, the dry air, etc.. I hate sleeping in a bed that’s no mine. I hate being away from the dog. I hate not being able to cook my own food. I hate not knowing my way around. I hate often not having a car. I hate not having my usual choices of what to wear. I hate not having my desktop computer. In a nutshell, I like having those things I’m used to and I don’t like having to think about life in a different way.
That being said, I do love our vacations. At the end of the vacation I always feel better for having done it. In spite of all the hassles, I enjoy the end result and return with strength restored and zeal renewed. I’ll have a few souvenirs to remember the journey forever.
Tova’s in her 70s in people years and apparently she’s quite wise because, really, this is like going on a trip. This isn’t starting a diet, but the start of a journey that will end with me having been better for the experience.
For 10 weeks I’ll have a change in routine and I’ll have lots of frustrations on the way. My typical routine and habits will be changed. However, just like that vacation, I’ll have that same great feeling in the end. I’ll be leaner and healthier. I’ll fit into clothes I haven’t worn since high school. I’ll hit my 40s with the body of a 20 year old. I’ll keep one pair of my old jeans to remind of of my journey. I’ll keep the weight off too, because I’m going to remember the frustrations of this trip and decide I don’t want to go back to those times I was overweight.
So my bags are packed, I’ve got my seat in the full upright position and my carry ons are safely stowed underneath my seat. To my traveling companions on this journey, let’s mingle after the captain has turned off the seatbelt sign and determined it’s safe to move about the cabin.
For those not in their seats with their seatbelt safely secured around their waist, the plane is still boarding and the cabin doors are still open. The Scale Down Challenge is accepting passengers until 8pm tonight at Lawrence Nutrition Center . No advance purchase required! Just show up with your checkbook as that will be your boarding pass. The more passengers we get, the more fun the plane ride will be! Unlike most trips, at the end of this one, you’ll have more money in your pocket! The top winners can earn some serious dough. I’ll be giving any winnings I earn to the Lawrence Humane Society.
Why to the Lawrence Humane Society and not my own pocket? Because Tova’s a wise rescue dog, and knows I’m going on a trip.
Posted in Scale Down Challenge by .
Jun 10
21
Next week, big changes?!
By this time next week, I’ll have weighed in for the Scale Down Challenge and undertaken the biggest challenge in my life since I started my own business back in 2003.
I know it’s going to be a challenge and a major change in my life. I hope by the end of the 10 weeks most clients won’t even recognize me. They’ll figure I must have hired a new tech or something.
I’ve set a few rules for myself on the way I’m going to do this. Here’s what I’m avoiding
1. ”Fake”, processed and artifical stuff
I don’t want to be eating chemicals made to taste like food, I want real food. I’m avoiding fake sugars and fats and focusing on eating natural foods and less of it. Whenever possible I’ll be eating local, organic and sustainable food
2. White stuff
I’ve heard that advice from many people. Don’t eat white rice, white bread, white potatoes, white pasta, white sugar…..you get the idea. I’ve never had a sugar craving, but now I’m keeping it off limits along with all the other white stuff.
3. Corn and corn by-products
Going along with 1) and 2), I’ll be avoiding things with corn syrup or corn based. Staying natural and real with my food should help with that.
4. Meat products in generally and absolutely no pork, shellfish and beef
Combining personal beliefs along with health issues, I’ll be avoiding pork shellfish and beef products. I haven’t eaten those in years and don’t intend to do so. Don’t like the taste nor the health risks involved. Pretty much, I’m a vegetarian for all practical purposes.
Fish and poultry I’ll eat in small quantities: I’m just not that into those foods that much. I’d much rather eat tofu than ground turkey.
5. Anything after 8pm
I’ve heard this tip from countless people. Eating too close to when you go to sleep is a world of trouble.
And here are five things I’m going to embrace:
1) Consistent meals
I don’t mind at all eating the same thing for breakfast or lunch day after day. It creates a routing and lets me focus on other things. Oatmeal every morning sounds great.
2) Smaller meals throughout the day
Last time I approached weight loss I did just this, five smaller meals instead of three larger ones. Took less time and kept my hunger at bay.
3) Working out
It’s finally a habit! I try to do cardio at least once a day and lift twice a week. I gotta keep my mayorship of Lawrence Athletic Club going!
4) Tracking everything
I’ll be using quite a bit of technology to achieve this goal. I’ll be taking pictures and posting them to my twitter account as well as use the Lose it! iPhone app. You’ll be able to follow where I eat and go on Foursquare as well.
5) The Lawrence Farmer’s Market
The Lawrence Farmer’s Market is an amazing place. I do intend to go each and every Saturday that I’m in town in order to get fresh fruits and vegetables to eat throughout the week. I love vegetables and buying fresh in season items means I’ll get the maximum flavor for both my dollars and calories. It’s win win.
So there’s the starting plan as I stare down my June 26th weigh in. Any other tips or tricks? Put them in the comments and keep me on my toes.
REMEMBER: There’s still time for you to join the Scale Down Challenge. The more people that join, the more money that is out there to win. Whether you choose to keep it for yourself or donate it somewhere, the more people that join, the more money that is available and the healthier Lawrence is!
In a little over 5 months I turn 40! For some that seems ancient, while for others it makes themselves feel ancient. It’s a big deal to me.
As we approach Father’s Day weekend I remembered he was close to 40 when his heart disease and diabetes began developing. He passed away in 2003. While there are many things about my father I wish to emulate, his health problems are not one of them.
I have a choice and I choose to turn back the clock and be as healthy at 40 as I was at 20. In fact I want to be in better shape than I was back then. This is the closest picture I have of myself at that age: first day of college when I was 17
Over the years I’ve tried and tried and, while losing some weight , it wasn’t a significant change. Motivation is the key. Feeling better and looking better are nice, but they are goals that are difficult to measure and even harder to visualize. On a daily basis you feel no different.
Last week I found out about the Scale Down Challenge via friend from Twitter and specifically the Social Media Club. I thought this would be a great motivator for me. I’d not just be doing it for myself, but in this modern age with social media, my Twitter followers and Facebook friends would make this a very public experience. I’ll “tweet what I eat” and let you all comment on it, good and bad. All suggestions will be welcome.
Although the public aspect of this contest would be great, a friend reminded me that money has never really been a motivator for me. Helping people is my number one motivator. It’s what I do for a living and I love it. It’s why I am a proud member of the Lawrence Give Back program
Then the idea hit. I won’t win the money for myself, but for the Lawrence Humane Society! If I don’t win, I wouldn’t just be letting myself down and possibly my friends, but all the animals and people that the Humane Society supports. Puppies and kittens are great motivators!
There you have it: what I’m doing and why. Follow my progress at this blog and the twitter username @scaledowndave
Posted in Scale Down Challenge by .
Originally uploaded by Dano
It’s easy, it’s simple, and can save you a ton of money. I can’t even tell you 100% why it works…but it does.
Next time your computer, or monitor, or Wii, or whatever won’t turn on, especially after a storm, try this trick.
Unplug the device’s power cord from the outlet. If it’s on a power strip, unplug the power strip AND unplug the power cord from the power strip. If it’s a laptop, remove the battery and the power adapter.
Now, and this sounds crazy, try turning it on! Hold down the power button for a good five count. 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi, 4 Mississippi, 5 Mississippi
Of course it won’t turn on, but you’ll discharge any residual electricity.
Finally, plug the device’s power cord back in and try turning it on again.
Many times, that’s all it needed. Crazy, eh? Yeah, but it works and can save you a service call. Usually we’ll have our clients try that first over the phone before we schedule them, but it works just as well for printers, gaming consoles and even my microwave after the storms last week.
Welcome to my blog!
Aug 10
29
To the couple at Z’s: An open letter
Monday was a horrible day for me. Just horrible. I spent the entire day fighting with my credit card company over something infinitely stupid and was just really done with the world. Where are all the nice people in the world and why can’t I run into them more often?
My question was quickly answered by the universe.
I went over to Z’s Divine Espresso East to get some writing done on my iPad. I find it easier to write on the iPad, away from home, because there are fewer distractions. I put my headphones on and start jamming to whatever Last.FM tells me I’d like.
All of a sudden my concentration is broken by a note slipped in front of me that says “Do you still do consulting work?” I wasn’t in a DoctorDave shirt, so they may not have even been sure of whom I was. I confirmed yes I do indeed to consulting and I am indeed DoctorDave.
After about 20 minutes of banter about email, iPhones and laptops my mood lifted. When I’m in a really foul mood, I think I should avoid clients. However, I also know that helping people makes me feel better. It’s a professional dilemma. Ideally, I’ll run into a client and they’ll make me feel better.
They actually offered to pay me! It was a nice gesture, but really, I was just being friendly and helpful and I didn’t really “do” anything but give them a few suggestions. Lifting my mood was payment enough.
Then another distraction. Sigh. It’s fine, I’m a people person. This time it was the barista. She slipped a gift card in front of me. I had to think for a second “This isn’t mine.” I took off the headphones and informed her of that fact. She told me that indeed it was my gift card. The couple that I was helping bought it for me as a gesture of thanks.
Wow.
How a few simple kind acts can change a day.
To the couple that I helped and whom bought me the gift card–thanks for the gift card and reminding me that my work is appreciated.
Posted in Business Commentary Personal by dgreenbaum. 4 Comments