28 January 2010

So my first post of the new year!

The last month has been somewhat exciting, though some of it falls into the curse of "may you live in interesting times". Shortly after my last post I came down with a wicked case of the flu. Don't know if it was the Pig Plague or "just" the regular flu. I survived, obviously, but it was a ten day roller coaster ride of nasty that had me flat on my back for about six of them.

Over that ten days I estimate I ate about what I generally eat in any given two days. What saved me from utterly wasting away was that I really didn't get any exercise either so the damage wasn't too bad.

It's weird though - the scale says I've dropped about five pounds but I can honestly say I'm looking and feeling the fattest I've ever been. Shirts that were loose fitting in December are stretching tight across my belly and I'm currently on the search for new pants so I can breathe again.

I chalk up the weight loss to muscle mass loss. I haven't been walking or exercising nearly enough lately so I'm adding that back in. I'm contemplating starting a workout program but that has three drawbacks: I don't have the money or time and also, I think I'd rather just be the rolly-polly kind of fat than the heavy/muscle bear type.

I've started a regimen of large lunches. It requires more planning (usually I just eat whatever junk food is lying around) but the results are quickly speaking for themselves.

I've also discovered that walnuts pack a huge punch, caloriewise. I found a bag that has 393 calories per quarter cup (that's about as many walnuts that fit in the cupped palm of one hand). Keep them by the computer or in the car and it's really easy to snork back 500 calories without even thinking.

I'm working out a formula of cost per pound gained. These walnuts, if I'm doing the math right, cost about $4 for each pound gained. For fat content, they compare to heavy cream but have the bonus of not really needing to be refrigerated, they're a lot more portable, and the fat they contain (at least according to the bag they came in) is a source of omega 3 polyunsaturates.

So basically I'm getting well into obesity, but at least in this small way, getting a little healthier too.

The only drawback is that they taste like ear wax.