Got a solid eight hours sleep last night, although I fell asleep without intending while listening to the radio, which woke me up at 4:30. I was briefly wide awake but managed to go back to sleep. Headed for the high eighties today but we've got three days in low eighties coming up.
Today's a strength training day and an up day on the 4:3 diet (pretty much eat what I want although I'm not that hungry). I'm substituting a Special K chocolate mocha protein shake for my usual chai tea because I don't like to boil water when it's this hot. I bought four cans of Planter's Heart Healthy Nuts so I'm back on the handful of nuts every day regimen.
August is when I start the third month of my whole body conditioning dumbbell program. I don't know whether I'm ready for it, but I will give it a shot.
I was worried the boardshorts would be falling off my waist at size 33, but they fit. I don't know how much longer that will last... They're OK for wearing around the apartment, but not enough pockets to go anywhere.
Got a Freecycle nibble on my generic Walgreen's scale but it won't get picked up until August 18. Next up to go on the block: about half a dozen pair of pants my neighbor gave me that are too big. I'm methodically working my way through the apartment so I should uncover some more stuff. I'm eying a reclining lawn chair I got at Family Dollar that had a support or brace pop out. I would probably have to buy a rubber mallet to fix it. Might be better to get rid of it since the support, having got loose once, might do it again. I'm not so much into reclining these days so it might be a good idea just to get rid of it.
Bought The DASH Diet for Beginners: Essentials to Get Started
by John Chatham for $1.99 on the Kindle. "Ranked #1 in 'Best Diets Overall' by U.S. News & World Report, the DASH diet cuts out sodium and harmful fats, lowers cholesterol, zaps excess weight, and prevents serious health problems. This beginner’s guide will help you pave the way to a delicious, balanced diet!"
I'm trying to dump old junk as I acquire new junk. The Hi-Tec Men's Berkeley Trail Runners arrived today. That's it for shoes for a while. I burned up several pairs using them as brakes on my old bike. I was too cheap to replace the brakes and probably spent that much on shoes I wore out prematurely. At least I now have a bike that actually has working brakes!
The Shine fitness and sleep tracker arrives tomorrow. I hope it will help get me on track recording my steps. The fitness watch did a pretty good job of doing that, but it was uncomfortable to wear while doing Pilates. I would take it off and forget to put it back on. It has a cheap plastic face which has gotten scratched. Loss of muscle mass in my legs has meant that my walking is less fluid, which leads to a negative spiral where I do less walking. I want to keep track of my walking so I reverse this. I prefer tracking by steps rather than minutes, partly because that's the way pedometers and activity trackers do it, partly because I'm moving around the apartment rather than going for extended walks. Unfortunately, Fat Secret doesn't allow you to do that. It doesn't even list rowing in exercises.
Turns out there are websites that track your steps - quite a few - the trick is choosing one. America on the Move listed an event from 2013 so I got the idea they're not updating that frequently. Came down to between the Presidential Challenge and the American Heart Association. I decided to go with the Heart Association Start Walking Now since I figured they would up on the latest research.
Update: I just discovered that the Misfit Shine requires an Android phone with 4.3 Jelly Bean. My phone runs 4.1.2, so I will just have to wait until I upgrade to a phone with 4.3. In the meantime, it's a stylish $20 watch and I'm back to
my SmartHealth pedometer slash watch. Sometimes deals are too good to be true and this was the case.
Once I get things more organized and decluttered in the bedroom, I'll have room for the folding bike. Other than the EatSmart scale, which I hope to use to help track my muscle gain, that will complete my shopping list for health-related items for the moment.
I keep making small changes in hopes of building momentum. I still want to tweak the positioning of the folding equipment mat. I may get another one to put in front of the standing desk to add a layer to the anti-fatigue mat. I also want to use it to protect the carpet from the rollers on the office chair. It's lighter, less expensive, more maneuverable, and more customizable than a chair mat.
Steps: 614. Seventeen minutes of stretching in bed. Twenty-seven minutes of mat work with 1 1/2 pound ankle weights - two sets of ten reps each: hip abductions, leg raises, prone leg curls, reverse side-lying leg raises. Three sixty-second reps of wall slides (planks for your legs). Thirty minutes of rowing.
Body fat: 30.3
I'd like to try Domino Light to see if the combination of Stevia and sugar tastes better than Stevia alone. I tried Truvia but can't remember how it tastes. Kroger doesn't carry Domino Light so I may have to order through Amazon.