Numbers

1--One week until graduation.

3--Three weeks until we leave for our cruise.

4--The number of children 5 and under currently terrorizing our house right now. We're watching some friends' children while they attend parenting classes in the process of adopting a 3rd child.

17--As in January 17th. My official start date for my new job.

19.4--Miles to hike in and out of the Grand Canyon the week between the cruise and starting work.

27--The number of pounds left to lose before the USAF will pay for CRNA school and pay me a salary while I'm in school, in exchange for 3 years of service.

49--The number of pounds I've lost to date.

235--Current weight, after ballooning up to 241 from 237, and then back down.

MyFitnessPal & RunKeeper

I've had my HTC Aria for about 6 months now, and I absolutely love it. Yes, it's a Droid, and no, it's definitely NOT an iPhone. I'm just now starting to sift through the mounds of apps and I've found a couple worth sharing.

First, MyFitnessPal. This is an amazing app, especially considering it's FREE! This keeps track of your calories, your exercise, your weigh-ins, even how many glasses of water you've had. But more than that, it has a searchable database of almost 500,000 foods including brand name and generic items, and when you add them to your meals, it adds nutritional info too. Calories, fat, carbs, protein, vitamins & minerals, and cholesterol. You have to check this out, it's very cool. Pretty sure they have a website too if you don't have a smartphone.

Next up is RunKeeper. This app does exactly what it sounds like--keeps track of your runs. It plots your course on GoogleMaps, keeps distance, speed, pace, calories, etc. Again, very cool, and FREE. There is website support too, where you can browse routes others have run. There is also a virtual race challenge where you can challenge someone near your level to a race and RunKeeper logs the runs and declares a winner.

Check them out, they've both helped me tremendously.

And I'm down to 237.0 today after running 47 min at an 11 minute pace. Hoping to be 225 by graduation, 4 weeks away.

BMI

After reading Chris's post over at The Man Nurse Diaries regarding his efforts to get fit and lose weight, he discussed BMI. Of course how truly useful the BMI measurement is remains to be debated by people smarter than me. But regardless of how valid the number is in actually delineating health, it can be used to track progress. And it's a measurement I'd forgotten about (when you're as densely framed as I am, it really holds little or no validity, but I digress) until Chris brought it up.

I googled a BMI calculator, and then plugged in my numbers.

At 6'1" and 284 lbs (my heaviest), my calculated BMI was 37.5.

At 6'1" and 241 lbs (my current), my calculated BMI is 31.8.

At 6'1" and 208 lbs (my goal weight), my calculated BMI will be 27.4.

To put myself at the high end of normal BMI of 24.9 or lower, I would have to weigh 188. I just don't see that happening. Not without a tapeworm or some other disease...

Wedding Re-Banding

Much like my pants (as mentioned in last post), my wedding band is loose on my finger due to my weight loss. I've mentioned that it's slipped off in the shower before. Lately I feel like I have to take it off when I'm on the treadmill because my fingers get so sweaty I have visions of it coming off, getting into the innerworkings of the treadmill, and simultaneously getting destroyed while launching me halfway across the gym in a freak treadmill accident. The final straw was this morning when I realized the a simple shake of my hand allows my ring to slip off unassisted. It's time to get a new, smaller ring.

My wedding band is titanium and I love it. It is so unbelievable light, I soon forgot I had it on after I started wearing it. This is huge for me, because I'm not really a jewelry kind of guy, and having something on my fingers or hands has bothered me in the past. These days though I find myself checking to make sure it is indeed on my finger, and I take comfort in its presence and what it represents to me. The finish on my ring has worn to a nice satin finish from all the minor scratches and scuffs. One my suspect that titanium would be so hard it wouldn't scratch, but that just isn't the case. It is also slightly out of round after a run-in with an airbag during a wreck during my junior I semester. It holds tremendous sentimental value to me, and I will likely continue to wear it on a chain around my neck.

This time out, I think I am going to get a tungsten carbide ring instead. The shops that I've been surveying have lifetime warranties on scratches and damage--tungsten carbide is just that strong. Additionally, most places offer a lifetime sizing warranty--if you lose or gain weight, they'll replace your ring with one of a proper size since tungsten carbide can't be resized. Impressive, yes. But likely this just means I'm going to waaaaay over pay for my ring if they can afford to do that. But whatever.

I thought I'd post pictures of the leading contenders, and see what you guys think. Feel free to leave your opinion in comment form, but realize my wife kind of has final say on this one. :)

First up is the Guiness Celtic Knot ring. Given my Scottish background, I dig the Celtic themes as you will soon see. I like the contrast this ring has between the knot and the background. I also dig the satin like finish of the background. I like the beveled edges, and the flat profile. I should add this is my wife's favorite at the moment.

I like the subtle nature of this design. It's Celtic, but slightly modern. There isn't a lot of contrast with this one, which I also think is cool. It's the cheapest of the three by a long shot, not that that is the most important thing, but it is a bonus.

I think this is my favorite of the three. I dig the black tungsten. A lot. Again with the Celtic theme, and it doesn't get much higher contrast than this one.

Anyway, let me know which is your favorite and why, if you please.

Oh, and 241.2 after my workout this morning.

Hodge Podge

I'm continuing to lose weight despite being a little loose with my calories lately. In fact I flared back up to almost 246 after having a low of 242.8 recently. However as of today I was back down to 242.0, so a new low benchmark set. I've done decently with calories today. The good news of yesterday afternoon made it that much easier. A big part of my extra calorie excursions were of the liquid form--as in alcohol--as a result of my being passed over for the Level II hospital's critical care internship. I feel like I'm back on track though.

On a related note, today I wore a pair of jeans I had been clinging to before losing weight, even though they were really too small and too tight. In leaving the house for errands I managed to get out without a belt on, and it turns out that was a big mistake. I could barely keep them on my body. When I got home I attempted it, and the pants slid off easily without unbuttoning them. So, it appears my skinny jeans are now to big to be my fat jeans even...

On another semi-related note, part of my calorie-cheating came whilst having friends over to the house for dinner. We've known this couple for several years but haven't really done any one on one time with them. We had an awesome time--in fact my wife and I both were going to bring up to the other how much fun we had. They have three great kids that match up in age to our two youngest, and they had a blast running around the house like a squadron of fighter/bombers making all kinds of noise. It was a truly comfortable evening. I made a pizza from scratch, using my breadmaker to put the dough together, and then topping it in a mostly margherita style. I laid down some Muir Glen Organic pasta sauce and covered that with a few cups of finely chopped spinach. Then came a layer of grated mozzarella cheese overlaid with thinly sliced tomato rounds. I topped it all off with chopped fresh basil, and finished with a flourish of cubed fresh mozzarella round from the gourmet cheese counter. I wish I'd taken pictures because it was not only extremely delicious, it was also pretty!

My wife and I registered for our local Turkey Trot for our debut 5K. I'm pretty nervous because I've only run on the treadmill, I haven't run outside. Until today that is. We went to a local park with a jogging trail and did a lap. It was only 1.09 miles, but I really want to take it slowly because I don't want to risk getting hurt because of the new surface. It was then that I realized running isn't about the races anymore. It's my avenue to getting fit and losing weight, and if that means treadmill only, I'm so there. I just don't want to risk an injury that's going to set me back. We'll see how I feel in the morning.

My last final exam and a big scary OSCE are today. After that I'll only have my 96 hour Capstone left before I'm awarded my BSN. Did I study at all last night. Not a lick. I so don't care. I'll probably end up with a B in my gero class, but I simply don't care. It's only a 2 hour class and I think I wrapped up all A's in the other 12 hours I'm taking. We finally got our Capstone assignments--several weeks after others in my class. I got assigned to the Transplant ICU at Gargantuan hospital. I'm a little frustrated with that assignment because my very first choice was the CVICU where I'll be interviewing soon. And two of my clinical-mates are IN the CVICU. Grrr.

That's probably enough randomness for now.

I'm Melting, I'm Melting...

Ok, I don't have any flying monkeys as lackeys, and I do get wet on a regular basis (I shower at least once week), but I do feel a bit like I'm melting.

On the treadmill tonight I suddenly realized I was feeling the hem of my shorts brushing my calves, which was an odd sensation--one I hadn't felt before. It was then I realized I was literally running out of my shorts. My athletic shorts were falling off of me. I yanked them back up, but it was just a couple of minutes later that they were sliding again. I had to cinch the drawstring down to keep them on!

Then in the shower after my workout, my wedding ring slipped off my finger and fell to the floor of the shower. Lucky for me, it didn't roll down the drain, because that would've really sucked. Not to mention tough to explain to my wife...

Workout was a good one, 30 min on the hill climb function at a 10 min pace, then I pushed myself an extra two minutes. 706 calories.

Oh yeah, 242.8 lbs.

Interviewed

I interviewed for the critical care residency at Level II hospital today. Let me tell you, this interview was no joke--they were not messing around. There were 5 of them, and if you're keeping score there's only 1 of me. The educator in charge of the residency conducted the interview, and the other 4 in attendance were managers from various ICUs.

Honestly though, I just took a deep breath and forced myself to relax. They were all very courteous and friendly, for which I was thankful. I at least felt like I was charming them a bit.

And then the questions started. First up were the expected questions, "Why our hospital?" And "Why critical care?" Then she cut to the situational questions. Fifteen of them. Fifteen! There was only one that I stumbled a bit on--I asked that we skip it and when we came back to it, I had a ready answer.

The program sounds pretty sweet--it's two years long. The first 3 weeks are hospital and nursing orientation. Then comes 4 weeks on each of the 5 ICUs. Then it's match day, and the home unit starts the full on orientation for at least 12 weeks. Then the remainder of the 2 years is spent working and still some class time. The residency closes out with a CCRN class and the CCRN exam. In return, the hospital wants a 3 year commitment starting with the residency.

I feel pretty good about the interview, but they are interviewing through the end of next week. So we'll see.

***********

I got to run with my wife today for the first time in several months. It was a good workout. 30 min at a 10 min pace, but on the hill climb function on the treadmill. I only had it set on level 1, but it was good for 674 calories. Weighed in after my workout at 245.0.

Hello 240s

248.8

I have now lost 35 lbs from my heaviest of 284.

30@6

I finally pushed through and ran 30 minutes at a 10 minute pace/6 mph. 2 minute warm-up, 5 minute cool-down, 3.4 miles, 676 "calories" burned.

Oh, and 252.0 lbs.

Blew Up Like a Balloon

In weekly weight loss news, my new weight is 256.2. It's only 1 pound of weight loss for the week, but I had slipped back up to 261, so all in all, I'm happy.

My guess is that my Date Night meal did not live up to the advertised caloric content. It seemed like an awful lot of food, and there seemed to be an awful lot of butter for the amount of calories they were claiming. Add to that eating out at Red Lobster on the following Sunday night with family, and my guess is the lies were doubled. I'm guessing that's how I ballooned up 4 pounds from last week's weigh in.

But hard work prevails, and I'm down another pound, net. So really do I count that as 5 pounds in a week?

And I'm never eating out again. Stinkin' liars. Don't they know I'm trying to lose weight here!?

In other news, my new goal calorie expenditures for my workouts is over 600. Previously it had been 400. The treadmills we use calculate calories expended based on weight and the speed of workout. Who knows if it's even close to accurate, but all I know is I'm whipped after spending 600 "calories", so it seems appropriate.

This week I missed a workout on Wednesday because of the recruiting dinner, so I worked out Thursday instead. Then Friday was my regular day, and I was supposed to work out tonight, but I'll put that off until tomorrow. Then I start my new week on Monday. It's surprising how much missing just one workout makes things wonky. Makes me have to work out consecutive days--I keep running out of days.

My classmates keep asking how I possibly have time to be hitting the gym 4 times a week. I tell them that I've just made it a priority. Makes me laugh some of these young kids I go to school with. They don't work, they live at home with their parents, no kids, no marriage, all they have to do is go to school and study. Yet they're the ones that seem to be running behind and constantly complaining how busy they are. I don't get it.

Oh to be saddled with so little responsibility...

My Boy, Kanye

I can't believe I'm actually going to admit this in writing, but I'm a big Taylor Swift fan. I think she's the real deal, talented and genuine. I also think she's adorably socially awkward--a trait that I can identify with in a major way. So, clearly this means I think Kanye is a scumbag, particularly for the way he treated Taylor Swift when he jumped up on stage and...well you know that story.

But, this song is totally what came to mind when I finished my workout today. I ran for 32 minutes today at 5.5 mph, faster and longer than I have to date. I felt pretty good while I was on the treadmill too.

When I got home and cooled off and got on the scale. 257.2. I almost got emotional when I saw that number come up. I honestly can't remember the last time I was that weight. It's been years.

260.2

Next stop, the 250s.

I have to say, every time I step on the scale these days, I have a small period of panic before the number pops up. I keep waiting for the rebound...

Ran an extra 30 seconds above my workout today...

264.8

264.8.

That is all.