Tenacious DM and the Log of Destiny

[realcdn]

Growing tomatoes is fun. If the leaves are simply yellow, without brown or black spots, then it could simply be lack of nutrients. I usually throw a tomato/pepper fertilizer on mine every couple of weeks. I forgot this summer and got a few yellow leaves which reminded me to start. I think it's mainly magnesium that causes it. I remember reading somewhere that epsom salts will help if you don't want to get a more general purpose fertilizer.

If black/brown spots then try cutting the leaves off. And here's the tricky part. Cut the leave off without touching the good leaves. Remove the leaves (do not compost them) and wash your hands before going back to the tomato patch.

Now... if someone wants to tell me why my zucchini are shriveling up instead of growing... I'm listening!

[beesknees]

Hey thanks - yup its me. Thought I would put a face with a name finally.

I have also considered NROL Fat Loss next. Might keep an eye on your progress and see how it goes. I want to focus on fat loss after NROLW is done, too.

[Bytsi]

Originally Posted by DirtyMartini

5. AN ENTIRE BAG OF BEEF JERKY.



I also may have gone to Banana Republic and I may also have tried on size 8 pants & a dress and they might have been too big for me, so I might have fit into a size 6 & passed out in the dressing room from shock.

Re: beef jerky. I LOVE it, had to stop buying it because one bag is 3.5 servings - calorie-wise not bad, great for protein, but SODIUM!!! Urgh. I can't stop, so I can't have it.

KYUUUUUUUTE shoes!!!!!!!!!!!! Love 'em!!!
And WHOOOOT on the size 6's!!!!!

[DirtyMartini]

Originally Posted by realcdn

Growing tomatoes is fun. If the leaves are simply yellow, without brown or black spots, then it could simply be lack of nutrients. I usually throw a tomato/pepper fertilizer on mine every couple of weeks. I forgot this summer and got a few yellow leaves which reminded me to start. I think it's mainly magnesium that causes it. I remember reading somewhere that epsom salts will help if you don't want to get a more general purpose fertilizer.

If black/brown spots then try cutting the leaves off. And here's the tricky part. Cut the leave off without touching the good leaves. Remove the leaves (do not compost them) and wash your hands before going back to the tomato patch.

Fantastic! Thanks for your help; everything I found on the 'net suggested it was a fungus but I like your idea better. I was eyeing some fertilizer this weekend but there was only 1 kind and I wasn't sure if it was right. I use fishmeal fertilizer once a month but will look into it more. Thank you!!

Now... if someone wants to tell me why my zucchini are shriveling up instead of growing... I'm listening!

Because the plants are trying to spare you from an overabundance of their less-than-delicious fruits? I kid, I kid.

[DirtyMartini]

My eating was much better today. I focused on getting my veggies in. I still have another snack left; I might do some cottage cheese & PB or something... we'll see.

	Cals	Fat	Carb	Prot
Brussels sprouts, frozen, unprepared ( 0.4 package (10 oz) )	47	0	9	4
Egg white omelet Kirkland Ham ( 1 serving )	186	4	12	27
Snowpeas (pea pod), raw ( 1 cup, whole )	26	0	5	2
Pure Protein Chocolate 78g bar ( 1 serving )	280	7	26	32
Mixed salad greens, raw ( 3 cup, shredded or chopped )	27	0	5	3
Strawberries, raw ( 3 extra large (1-5/8" dia) )	24	0	6	0
Blueberries, raw ( 0.33 cup )	27	0	7	0
Chicken, breast ( 4 oz, boneless, cooked)	170	4	0	32
Beets, pickled ( 4 slices )	16	0	4	0
Salad dressing, KRAFT FREE Fat Free Ranch Dressing ( 2 tablespoons )	48	0	11	0
Celery, raw ( 4 oz, raw, yields )	16	0	4	1
Cucumber, raw ( 10 slice )	8	0	2	0
Laura's Lean Beef Patty ( 1 serving )	160	9	0	21
Carrots, baby, raw ( 10 large )	57	1	12	1
Total	1093	27	101	125

[DirtyMartini]

Hey that copy/pasted from my fitday journal worked out rather well. Cool!

[realcdn]

Originally Posted by DirtyMartini

(on the zucchini)

Because the plants are trying to spare you from an overabundance of their less-than-delicious fruits? I kid, I kid.

Yes, but I want to work on a chocolate zucchini protein cake recipe, so I do want some. I looked around a little and found out that they're not pollinating. They have male and female flowers and if they don't pollinate then I can try doing it by hand. However with the tomatoes and peppers you sometimes see the first few blossoms drop off, so I'm going to be patient.

Although I don't do patient very well.

[DirtyMartini]

I remember my mom saying something about the pollination when I was a kid, about the blossoms falling off. I still get disappointed when I see dead blossoms though.

I'll be curious to see how your cake recipe turns out once you do make it.

Addition to my above foods - protein smoothie & a string cheese
Totals for today -
cals: 1242
% f/c/p: 22/28/50

No workout today, but I spent about an hour cleaning house - vacuuming, sweeping, cleaning the entire kitchen, cleaning the bathrooms, etc. Counts for something.

[T-Put]

Originally Posted by DirtyMartini

No workout today, but I spent about an hour cleaning house - vacuuming, sweeping, cleaning the entire kitchen, cleaning the bathrooms, etc. Counts for something.

I don't clean the house anymore, I have a cleaner come... Do I still get to deduct those calories?

[T-Put]

Originally Posted by DirtyMartini

But yeah - here we are, at/around our goals and it is honestly surprising/enlightening at how different it is from my initial expectation. I'm always afraid to talk about this, that people will think I have some sort of body dysmorphia or something, or tell me "you're perfect the way you are!! You're getting too thin!" Give me a break - being able to grab two full handfuls of fat/skin off my stomach isn't too thin.

So... whereas last night I was kind of pissed that the guide was saying I was small-framed...

Which guide is this that tells you what kind of frame you have? Maybe I'm BIG boned... OOOhhh.

I've told you before, but when I was 16, weighed 116lbs and went to the gynocologist, he told me I shouldn't be much over 115lbs, that I didn't want to be "fat." I was 16, going thru puberty, finding my balance, and he tells me this. Instead of thinking that I should really keep an eye on my weight, I thought he was a jerk.

The point is, for me, the goal is to feel comfortable in my body. At 120, this is where I feel the most comfortable, look best in my clothes, have the slimmest hips I can have (those "conway" thighs). I can't maintain a weight under 120 and that's just not important for me.

What's most important is being healthy, looking hot, eating well. The body I have is the body I have and there ain't much I can do to change it, without spending a lot of time and/or money on it. At this point in my life, I'd rather spend time with friends, drink a glass of wine (or three) than spend another hour in the gym or worrying about food.

I think the importance of a plump bum is underrated in North American culture. JLo is hot, I must say, she's got a nice ass and it's not small. Beyonce is known for her booty - it looks great - although she seems to have lost some weight lately. I can grab more than two handfuls on my thighs, but I still think I'm thin. If you put me in Argentina, then I'm SKINNY; if you put me in China or Thailand, then I'm a HUGE woman. (My size even varies by Skytrain station: Joyce, thin people, Surrey, bigger people, Burrard, very trendy workaholics)

So, just because you have 11% body fat doesn't automatically mean you're going to feel good about yourself and just because you have a big booty doesn't mean you're going to feel bad about yourself. There are so many "marketing" pressures on women, especially with North American culture being so "obese" and the cultural attitude being so negative towards overweight people.

In sum, the most important thing is to work through advertising, cultural attitudes and stereotypes, other influences, and find your balance.

[DirtyMartini]

Your post comes in good timing. This week I've been going up & down emotionally, from feeling so great about being in the best shape of my life, to feeling mad at myself for not being under 140 pounds by now. (stupid, yes?)

I was reading the PN forum today at lunch and found this - it was just what I needed to read.
From Critical Precision Nutrition Tips - Precision Nutrition

1) IT'S NOT A NUMBERS GAME.
People often judge their happiness based on their numbers. They're happy if they lose a pound or a percent in a given week. They're sad if they don't. Well, remember, this isn't JUST a numbers game. You're also doing this to improve your health, longevity, how you feel, etc. The body comp stuff is just a great side effect. Keep this in perspective.


2) DON'T EXPECT WEEKLY, NEVERENDING PROGRESS.
The body doesn't functional linearly. Things can happen in jumps. So you may lose 3 lbs the first 3 weeks. Then nothing. Then, 3 weeks later lose another pound. Remember, you're in this for the long haul.


3) UNDERSTAND WHAT REASONABLE PROGRESS IS.
If you're a woman at 30% fat and you're losing 1% fat a month, by the end of a year you'll be 18%. That's defined as "athletic". You'll have gone from obese to athletic in one year.

If you're losing 1lb every 2 weeks, you can expect around a 26lb weight loss over 1 year. What seemed like crappy progress to you doesn't seem so crappy now, does it?

Seriously, perspective people!


4) DECREASE YOUR CALORIES
If you're a chronic undereater, you need to increase your calories. When you jump on PN that's the first thing you should do. This helps increase your metabolism. But the new, higher intake off sets that increase. So you shouldn't expect to see any decrease in weight! The decrease in body weight and fat happens when you re-set that metabolism and then decrease your calories according to the individualization guide (about 250kcal per 2 weeks).


5) MAINTAIN YOUR PROGRESS
As your body gets leaner, it'll fight more to keep the fat. So you'll have to outwit it.

I edited a bunch out to highlight the stuff that made me think "YEAH THAT'S RIGHT!" I just need to remember these things. Sometimes I lose sight of the forest. I should be happy with what I've accomplished so far, not beating myself up for not having done better.

I also bought a book on photography to help me with my other hobby. I'd really like to become skilled at it - I think I have a talent for it, I just haven't worked on developing it. I found a website for a photo club around here and emailed the guy about it, but it doesn't look like the website's been updated since 2007 so I'm not holding my breath...

[SpacecityPaula]

DM, I didn't know you were into photography as well

[DirtyMartini]

I've looked at your site several times, SP

Yeah. My dad was an amateur photographer so I grew up spending time going through his dozens of photography books and helping out in the darkroom (aka laundry room). I've always loved photography but have never really dedicated myself to it. I have a nice camera (not SLR but decent - panasonic lumix dmc-fz10) and a great tripod that I never use but should.

The stuff I read as a kid must have rubbed off on me because the rule of thirds came natural to me - I didn't know it was even a concept until I read about it and thought, "hey, I do that already." Composure is a cinch. It's fiddling with exposure and shutter speed that I don't yet understand or know how to use to my benefit, and the book I got spends a large portion discussing that. So it should be helpful.

A few of my favorites...

Dubai:


Sydney (duh)


Sydney - sunset from my apartment balcony


Dock in the Maldives (taken with my old cell phone, ha!)


India (bay of bengal)


I used to travel a lot for work.

I don't yet do portraits as they're WAY too difficult for me at this point. I never quite get them right. So, landscape it is. For now.

[missjane]

DM, you certainly do have an eye! Wonderful!