Week 18, Day 4

I saw a video clip today from the Biggest Loser where trainers Bob and Jillian were discussing what to do to keep Michael on the ranch. I guess it's not so good to appear to favor one contestant over the others, but I think they're worried that if he goes home now -- only 2 weeks into it -- he'll die. He's the heaviest contestant ever, beginning at 526 pounds. I can see why they're concerned. One of the things Jillian said was to cut his calories to 800 and remove all carbs. Wow. That's not a lot of calories at all! She's always the one who says that you shouldn't cut too many calories or your body will start holding on to fat, thinking it's starving. I was worried that maybe I wasn't eating enough, but I think I'm going to aim for about 800, too. For a little while anyway. I think actually that I'm already near there. And I really want to take as many pounds off as I can before we get knee-deep involved in the medical stuff with Dad. We haven't heard yet what the doctor has decided, but no matter what the verdict, it will be hard, and I know I will have a harder time sticking to this diet then. The more weight I can take off now, the better it will be. So...I'll drop my calories as much as I can without driving myself nuts, and I'll increase my exercising from one hour to two -- incrementally, but as quickly as I can tolerate.

Food today -- two yogurts for breakfast, a half a sandwich for lunch, and a bowl of peas and rice for dinner. Exercising isn't done, but it's mostly the usual stuff -- weight work on my arms, recumbent bike, leg lifts. I've had a sinus headache all day, so all I've really wanted to do was lay down and hope the pain goes away. But at least I've gotten a little bit done.

Today's Tip:
I write for a living, and I can tell you for a fact that considerable time, money, and effort is spent in advertising to make you believe. To believe that something containing "natural ingredients" is safe, never thinking that hemlock and arsenic are natural, too. To believe that "fortified" means better, not realizing that products like white bread must be fortified because the heavy processing completely strips all nutrients out of what used to be a wholesome product --and to make you actually believe that Cocoa Puffs and Lucky Charms are a wholesome, healthy way to start the day because they are "fortified". To believe that "corn-fed" beef comes from cattle romping freely through pristine cornfields instead of being force fed in crowded factory feedlots sub-standard corn that's not fit for human consumption, nevermind that cows are not biologically fit for digesting corn, and thus need antibiotics to offset the ensuing damage. And so today's tip is to never EVER believe the hype on the front of a box or can of food. (In fact, are you sure it's even really "food"? Don't believe it.)