MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Here we go…Thanksgiving week. Some people have asked me why in the world would I consider doing a diet and exercise program in the midst of the holidays. I really can’t answer that except to say I turn 45 in a few days and it just seemed to be the right time to take action. I will tell you that Thanksgiving is throwing me off. There’s much to do and more time off…which means more room for error. I will be honest with you and tell you this week was pretty much a blur so if the lack of details are obvious, that’s why. At Total Fitness, trainer Travis puts me on the treadmill for 30 minutes followed by reps in the weight room and ab machine. Today’s diet starts with the Apex fit mix drink followed by a Lean Cuisine Chicken Club Panini for lunch and three slices of Domino’s Crispy Melt Pizza. (Yeah, I know…I just ratted on myself, but I was craving pizza so bad!)

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20

I know it’s a short week but I am just not into working out today. It’s warm outside and I just want to go home and prepare for Thanksgiving (excuses, excuses, etc.) I drag myself in and I believe trainer Travis can tell when I’m not having a good day. But I’ve come to learn the faster I face the fact I’m not having a good day and “get over myself”, the better off I will be. Travis puts me back on the treadmill…this time a little longer and a little faster. Today’s diet starts with the Apex fit mix drink followed by a Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich with Coke Zero and leftover Domino’s Pizza for supper. I did eat a salad with it so I wouldn’t feel so guilty.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21

Wednesday weigh-in: 270 lbs. (no loss, no gain over last week)
As you can see, things have slowed down. My occasional “cheating” and not keeping a tight diary of my daily eating habits are showing up on the scales. I feel bad because Travis is on the AM show today and we have nothing to show for it. I suppose “no gain” is a plus, but we all want to see more weight loss. Later on for the workout, Travis explains that we got to do some catching up to stay on pace…so it’s more treadmill and weight room reps. Both Travis and Sarah the dietician spend a few minutes discussing with me the pitfalls of my recent diet detours. It wasn’t a scolding (although I felt I deserved one). It was more of an assessment of what I have eaten over the past week and where I need to be now. I really blow today’s diet (feeling bad about the weigh-in…and a little rebellious, too). I want a cheeseburger and fries so bad, so I give in and hit McDonalds. It didn’t taste right. Maybe I’ve become accustomed to not eating foods higher in fat. That evening, I eat the last two pieces of the Domino’s pizza and call an end to my “rebellion”.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22

It’s Thanksgiving and I am determined to eat better. So I fell off the wagon a few days and I coped an attitude. Who hasn’t? I guess there was a part of me that actually believed I could still lose weight eating “my” way. As you can see, I was wrong. I only have to work the AM shift today and then it’s home to help Shelia prepare our Thanksgiving meal which we will pack up and take to her mother’s house in Nashville. After my morning Apex drink, I come home to the smell of celery, bell pepper and other spices wafting through the house. I love the smell of Thanksgiving! I help Shelia prepare the turkey, dressing, vegetables and all the other “fixin’s” that go with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I recall what Sarah the dietician said on AM Kentucky a week ago when she suggested the correct portions of food I should be eating today. I actually surprised myself by not overdoing it. I had a plate filled with smaller portions of just about everything and I was full! I usually go back for seconds and thirds…but I didn’t do that today.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23

Black Friday is here but I’m not brave enough to get up early with many of the other shoppers and fight the crowds. Shelia and I both have the day off so we sleep in…until 7am (which is late for me) and head out to shop a little. We both start the day with a bowl of Bran Flakes and skim milk with a banana for breakfast. Shelia decides to go with me to Total Fitness for my “after Thanksgiving” workout before we have lunch. Trainer Travis puts me back on the treadmill along with some interval weights and stomach crunches to hopefully offset any additional Thanksgiving calories. But much to our surprise, the treadmill scale said that I may have lost a pound or two! While I continue my workout, Shelia gets on the treadmill and elliptical machine. After our workout, we decide we need something other than turkey leftovers so we head to Longhorn Steakhouse for lunch. I had a 7oz. steak, salad with Thousand Island dressing and a baked potato with Promise butter spread. For supper that night, we did eat Thanksgiving leftovers (and for several nights to come!)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24

The weekend is here and not much is going on. I will be going out today with Shane to program weather radios at the Crossroads IGA on Scottsville Road. On most Saturday’s, Shelia and I head off early to eat breakfast and hit the grocery store. Today, we eat a light breakfast with Egg Beaters scrambled eggs, wheat toast and some turkey sausage. For lunch I have a Pizza style Lean Pocket with a small side salad. And you guessed it, more Thanksgiving leftovers with some fresh(er) vegetables for supper.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25

I’m mixing audio again this Sunday at church so I start the day with my Apex fit mix drink. At church, a breakfast is prepared for all the tech team and praise team members. There was a lot to choose from along with a lot of verbal jabs about “anything here on The Allen Challenge?” There were breakfast burritos, biscuits and gravy, a breakfast casserole made of eggs, cheese and sausage, sausage links, homemade sweet rolls and fruit salad. I chose to eat one burrito, fruit salad, a small portion of the casserole and a sausage link with some grapefruit juice. I avoided the sweet rolls along with the biscuits and gravy. I thought I did pretty well. For lunch I had a baked piece of chicken chopped into a salad. For supper that night we had shredded leftover turkey made into barbeque with baked Lay’s potato chips.