Wednesday Weigh-In 20231213

My wife and I mailed out our Christmas / Holiday cards already. There were about fifty this year. I usually start right after Thanksgiving.

In previous years, I've ordered photo cards, which lately featured our cats. But this year, my wife and I bought printed cards.

Waist = 39"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20231130

We have only one more serving of Thanksgiving food left over. I'm dissappointed by how my weight, percent body fat and waist size are increasing. But it's understadable given how many sweets I eat after supper. For example, I'll eat several handfuls of milk chocolate baking chips after supper. I wonder, is this the effect of the Effexor?

Waist = 38.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Thanksgiving 2023

Today’s Thanksgiving went better than I expected. I’m glad I headed out to the grocery stores last night at 6pm. I hesitated to travel at first because I assumed that nearly everyone would be out getting food. But no, the roads and stores were not at all crowded; they were much worse at 3:30pm.

I did shop the prior weekend to stock up on vegetables. But I deferred buying the turkey thighs because I figured they’d not last until today.

The regular supermarket had no turkey thighs; the butcher said they didn't get many turkey parts this year.  Fortunately Whole Foods was well stocked with a variety of turkey parts in vacuum-sealed bags.  And when I got home, I went to work on peeling and cubing turnips, then cooking and mashing them.

My idea was to arrange a bunch of vegetables in a well-oiled cast iron pan and place the turkey thighs on top. And then I'd roast everything all at once. Indeed, there’s even a recipe online that describes it.¹

I included fresh beets (red and golden), parsnips, carrots, Brussel sprouts, garlic, pearl onions (which were a bitch to peel), fennel bulb, plum tomatoes and apples. I placed sprigs of fresh rosemary, sage and thyme on top.

To season the turkey, I poured Kosher salt into a dish and then added fresh cracked black pepper, which is the base seasoning recommended by another recipe.² I blotted each thigh dry with paper towels and then dredged it in the salt pepper mix. Then I placed them on top of the vegetables, skin side up.

I used a pre-heated oven temperature of 375 F and a time of 60 minutes, which worked perfectly. The thighs tested out at 171 F, but they weren’t yet shrunken down and dried out. I turned off the oven and used tongs to remove the turkey so they could rest in a plate at room temperature.  Meanwhile I stirred the vegetables and kept them in the oven – the parsnips seemed just a bit hard.

The aroma during roasting and the eventual taste were wonderful – the meal surpassed my wildest expectations! I hate Brussel sprouts but I included them because every meal should have something bitter to interrupt the tendency to be glutenous. But even they turned out scrumptious because, by design, they soaked up the fat from the turkey.

Aside from the store-bought pecan and pumpkin pies and the butter in the turnips, the meal was totally low carb and paleo.

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¹https://www.myforkinglife.com/baked-turkey-thighs-vegetables/

²https://dinnerthendessert.com/roasted-turkey-thighs

Wednesday Weigh-In 20231116

My appetite for sweets overtakes me in the evening after supper. My favorite is the Jumbo Milk Chocolate Baking Chips from Whole Foods. It's great chocolate, but reasonably priced.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20231018

The report from the neuropsychological evaluation said there was no indication of dementia or cognitive decline. However, I have depression and anxiety, and so my PCP started me on a low dose of venlafaxine to see how I tolerate it.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20231004

I had a neuropsychological exam recently. The psychologist said I did well, but it will take a couple of weeks to get the report.

Waist = 37.75"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20231001

I borrowed money four and a half years ago to help my daughter attend college. I'll be making my first payment to this Parent Plus Loan in a few days.

The loan amount exceeds my first mortgage, and the monthly payment is about 30% more than the mortgage and real estate tax combined. The loan schedule estimates that it will be paid off in ten years. I'll be 70 years old!

Waist = 38.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230911

If someone told me that we're experiencing 110% humidity, I wouldn't doubt him or her, despite how mathematically impossible it would be.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230828

I've not been weighing myself too frequently -- I seem to be staying at the same weight. But recently I did more fasting, so I figured I'd get another measurement. And I'm lower in weight and body fat than I've been in many years. Note that I've not been measuring waist size due to time constraints.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230731

Just another weigh-in...

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Is it NOAA, or Noah?

My area has been experiencing severe and heavy rainfall lately.  So it occurred to me to wonder about the name of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  Was the intent to have its acronym be a homophone of “Noah,” whom G-d entrusted to build the ark that saved him and his family and Earth’s animals from the Flood?

WIFE: "When is it ever gonna stop raining?"

SPG: "NOAA says it's supposed to rain all weekend."

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230711

I started taking Nuvigil again back in May. But this time it's a very small dose -- 50mg. This is just one-third of the standard dose for folks with daytime sleepiness who are being treated for sleep apnea. It has the effect of slowing down time, and I actually don't feel like vegetating in a nursing home any more. I am drinking some coffee and tea (with caffiene) but not having bouts of severe anxiety.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230621

Today is the Summer Solstice. The shadows at around noontime are the shortest of the year. Unfortunately there were too many clouds, so no shadows were cast at noon. After this, the shadows only get longer, and I start feeling gloomy again.

Waist = 37.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230525

Have you noticed that I usually don't weigh myself on Wednesdays anymore.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230521

Just another weigh-in...

Waist = 38.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230502

My cellphone service expired late yesterday afternoon. I often drive with the phone's GPS on and giving directions, but yesterday and today it seemed like it was offline. It was.

Waist = 37.75"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230419

Just another weigh-in; I'm just within the upper limit of where I want to be.

Waist = 38.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230413

Summer-like weather arrived here suddenly, and most of my shorts are two inches too large! I found two really old, dismal, ratty-looking shorts at the bottom of a drawer today, so I'll wear those and make a trip to Goodwill to look for more.

Waist = 38.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230406

Some how I ran out of salsa last week. I was just in the store wondering if I should buy more. But then I told myself, "No, we have a few jars to go through." So scary and strange.

Waist = 38.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230329

Work is stressful and I've been overeating out of frustration. I feel I deserve to devour crunchy chips and crackers. What happened to eating mindfully?

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230323

My employer has declared an end to the pandemic. This means that folks like me who've been working from home need to transition back to the office. I don't mind working, but getting myself ready for working and then driving to and from the office is exhausting. Then there's the audaciousness of them saying that the pandemic is over that puts a crimp in my neck.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230313

I'm practicing Lenten sacrifice by not eating desserts. It's a good way to maintain my lower weight. As well, we finally had some snow accumulate that necessitated shoveling. The extra activity seemed to boost my metabolism.

Waist = 37.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230301

I'm at the same weight that my father and mother weighed when they were my age. I recall one day that my mom and dad were chiding each other about who weighed more. So my father stepped on the scale and came up at about 156; my mother, a whopping 174! But, my father had been pressing his foot on the scale when my mom was weighing herself. She really was about the same weight as my father, though.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230216

Well I seem to be regressing. I've been devouring chocolate. And I've been eating until I feel full rather than stopping when I'm no longer hungry. There's a huge distinction. Perhaps this is due to some combination of cold weather and the fact that I've been drinking more coffee.

Waist = 38.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230209

Just say "no" to sugar!

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230131

The size 35" pants that I've been wearing are way to large for me now. I used safety pins to add darts to the waist.

So recently I bought / ordered pants with a 34" waist. But even those are too loose for me. So I tried on a pair of 33" Walmart (George) jeans a few weeks ago. They fit me just fine, so I bought them. I recall that I wore size 29 or size 30 when I was about twenty years old. And the largest pants I've ever had were size 37, but I gave all those away when I bought the size 34 pants.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230126

Just another weigh-in

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20230118

The Valentine's M&Ms are very special.  They come packaged with Red, two shades of Pink, plus White.  It's difficult to convert a bag of ordinary M&Ms into a set of colors appropriate for this holiday.  Maybe if you separate all the Reds, then leave some in water for varying amounts of time, the red will fade to different shades of pink and maybe even to white.

Yet even if you can get the right colors, you'll be missing the design that serves as a border to the M&M logo.  On some candies the border looks like luscious lips.

I guess it's funny to be talking about M&Ms in a post devoted to weight-consciousness.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Easy Indoor Edible Garden

Imagine if you could grow vegetables indoors without dirt or an expensive lighting system or cats nibbling on them.

You can!  You can grow bean sprouts!  And that’s just what I’ve starting doing.

I soak mung beans in water for a half day or overnight, then I rinse them twice a day.  Otherwise they stay in a dark place, such as my oven or a covered tub.  After about a week, I harvest them.

I got the idea when I went shopping on iHerb¹ for Broccoli Seeds, which were mentioned in David Perlmutter’s “Drop Acid” book² as something to sprinkle on salads.  When I added the broccoli seed bottle to my cart, the website displayed a Sprouting Jar in its list of suggestions.  And so I added that to my cart along with a bag of organic Mung Beans suitable for sprouting as a Christmas present for myself.

I’d been buying mung bean sprouts for a while.  They’re inexpensive, but they are far too perishable, lasting only a few days.  I was attracted to the idea of eliminating both the waste due to rotting sprouts and the hassle of going to the store more than twice a week.

It’s working out well.  I sprout and use about 1.5 ounces of mung beans per week.  I consume about a handful of sprouts raw every day.

I could sprout the broccoli seeds as well, but I prefer to eat them as they are.  The texture of broccoli seeds reminds me vaguely of nonpareils or fish roe.  However they have a green taste with a slightly bitter undertone.

Anyway, don’t wait until 2024 to resolve to start sprouting.  Do it now!

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¹ https://www.iherb.com?rcode=DOJ209 The author may receive a 5% or 10% reward from purchases made after a buyer clicks this link.

² https://books.google.com/books/about/Drop_Acid.html?id=JU0yEAAAQBAJ