Health Expert GregB shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/394239/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/394239/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/394239/index http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/110417/thought Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:28:00 -0400 GregB Okay, I admit it. I'm overwhelmed.   My weight is the same as it has been for weeks, but that's not what's overwhelmed me. It is the thought of trying to lose weight right now.   The foster dog is still living with us, and our dog is still hurt. Another vet visit yesterday produced the same advice: for him to get over his limp and get off the pain medication, he needs to not wrestle any other dog for a week. Well, every day we've... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/110417/thought http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/109099/chronicles Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:31:00 -0400 GregB Well, I lost about half a pound this past week, but I'm not exactly sure how. As you may remember, we took in a foster dog from the local humane society. She and my dog play...enthusiastically. In fact, they play with such energy that it was a problem and a huge distraction. They play and play and play and so hard that we were afraid someone would get hurt. And one dog did - my dog. We took him to the vet's office today, and he has to be kept... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/109099/chronicles http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/108463/chronicles Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:43:00 -0400 GregB This past week I tried a different approach to making a lifestyle change, and my wife helped me do so as well.   As you may recall, I decided to try a new gym. I decided this because the new gym lacked most or all of the negatives of the local YMCA I'd been using. The Y had no parking; this gym has it. The Y was so crowded I always had to wait for machines or change my work out; this gym has far more equipment, etc.   Thus far, I'm... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/108463/chronicles http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/107696/routines Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:45:00 -0400 GregB I'm still working on changing my diet, and, more particularly, changing my relationship to food, how much I eat, and when I overeat.   However, this week I decided to approach things from the other end. To be specific, I focused on making my exercise routine more appealing.   I've been going to the YMCA for some time. When I started, it was fine. The workout room was basic, but there wasn't much demand for the equipment, and so it... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/107696/routines http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/106883/important Thu, 25 Mar 2010 10:28:00 -0400 GregB I don't know when I'm hungry.   That's this week's realization.   I am reading Martha Beck's book The Four Day Win. Beck works on weight loss through changing mindsets, attitudes, emotions, etc., then allows the changes in bodily habits to follow.   One of the exercises she suggests is to estimate how hungry you are several times throughout the day, rather than just at meals. This exercise has several purposes. Increased... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/106883/important http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/106430/chronicles Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:48:00 -0400 GregB Okay, this is getting ridiculous. Throughout this past week, the least exercise I got was one day of 30 sets of weights and 90 minutes of aerobics (walking and bike). And... I still weight 243.   I'm disappointed, and somewhat baffled, because I'm continuing to make changes in my diet. I drank extra water each day this week. My wife and I are eating some tasty and healthy meals that are lower in fat-a nice lemon chicken baked with peppers... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/106430/chronicles http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/105758/choices Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:57:00 -0500 GregB For those of you following the numbers, I'm still stalled: I'm at 243 pounds this week, the same as last week. In the larger scale of things, that's a seven pound loss, which is good. On the emotional scale, it is pretty hard, because this seems early in the weight loss process to have hit a plateau.   It also seems wrong, somehow. I've worked out each of the past seven days. The lightest workout was today, and right now I'm at 90 minutes... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/105758/choices http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/105228/confusion Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:44:00 -0500 GregB Okay, I was confused this week. I know why, sort of, but as far as weight loss and implementing a healthier diet, it was pretty much a week of frustration. Let me take a step back for a moment and admit that I took a step back: I weighed 243 this week, and I'm not sure why.   It must be my diet, and in particular, stress and unconscious eating, because I exercised every day. The least exercise I got on any day this week was 2 full hours... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/105228/confusion http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/104485/victory Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:10:00 -0500 GregB Okay, the good news: I lost one pound this week-I'm down to 242. I call that a victory, not just because I lost a pound (that's eight pounds thus far), but because of how I lost it and what else might have gotten in the way.   I lost that pound in large part because of my wife. She and I both cook, but she's more experienced in evaluating recipes for their health and diet impact. This week we decided to cook all of our dinners out of a... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/104485/victory http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/103684/felt-lying Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:10:00 -0500 GregB All week long, I planned what I'd say in this week's blog post. When I did, I felt like lying. Why? Because it was a hard week and it felt like things just fell apart. Like I just fell apart.   I'd mentioned the new miracle diet of getting nasty sick with phlegm. That's finally gone, but it left me exhausted. We also had an ongoing low level family crisis (I won't be going into details), so that I felt tired and stressed all... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/394239/103684/felt-lying