Captain’s Log – 052322 – Progress, Cheesy Breakfast Melts and Bridge Policy

I am not a medical doctor nor have I played one on TV.  The information contained herein is for entertainment purposes only.  This is what works for me but it may not work for you and it could even cause harm.  Please consult a real medical professional before undertaking any exercise or nutrition regimen. 

Challenge Update and Cheesy Breakfast Melts

This is now the end of the second week of the challenge.  As expected, the weight loss slowed but it is too soon to declare it a plateau.  Remember, weight is just one factor for calculating Body Mass Index (BMI) which itself is just a general measure of leanness based on height and weight.  The weight bounced around this week.  The fluctuations have little to do with burning actual fat or building muscle.  It’s more likely they are indicators of varying levels of hydration and inflammation. 

I like to use a weekly average of the daily weights to measure progress. The average smooths out the peaks and valleys and gives a more realistic idea of progress. Last week, the average from Monday, May 9, to Monday, May 16, was 233.75. This week, the average from Monday, May 16, to Monday, May 23, was 229.68. The difference is a loss of 4.07 pounds which is pretty good for one week. The average helps smooth out the effects of aberrations such as the one below.

On Friday, Burger King introduced the “Cheesy Breakfast Melts” sandwiches nationwide.  My son, Nicolas, was involved in the development of this product.  He works in Burger King marketing as a Senior Category Manager.  Of course, to support Nicolas, the Navigator and I had breakfast that Friday at our local Burger King restaurant to try out the new sandwiches and support Nicolas’ efforts.  I had one of each, bacon, sausage, and ham, along with hash browns and a cup of black coffee.  The sandwiches were delicious but were heavily laden with carbs which have an inflammatory effect on me.  The hash browns did not help either.  The next day, May 21, my weight increased 2.2 pounds as the inflammation had not yet subsided. (see spreadsheet above)

This would be disheartening if I only focused on the weight.  Over this past week, even though the weight did not come down significantly, I felt better and my clothes felt a little less snug.  This is really the most important sign of progress.  I also enjoyed a boost in energy and the aches and pains have begun to subside. 

Bridge Policy

Recently, the Navigator and I were watching a documentary about people who committed suicide on the Aurora bridge in Seattle.  The Navigator turned to me and said, “That’s why I have a policy of driving fast across bridges.”  I did not realize the Navigator had random policies and did not understand the correlation between driving across a bridge and someone leaping off it so I asked, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I don’t want to get stuck on a bridge in case it falls apart.”

Some background.  A few days earlier we watched the movie, Final Destination 5, about a group that escaped a bridge collapse because one of them had a premonition.  In the premonition, the group was inside a bus on the bridge when the bridge began falling apart.  The hero saw everyone die a gruesome death in the premonition but when he came to, he was subsequently able to convince the group to exit the bus and get off the bridge before it collapsed.  

I think the Navigator confused the documentary with Final Destination 5, so I explained, “You know, the bridge did not collapse.  Those people intentionally jumped off the bridge to kill themselves.” 

“I doesn’t matter.  I don’t want to get stuck on a bridge so I always drive across it fast.” 

“What happens if we get stuck on a bridge in heavy traffic?” 

“You better find a way to get me off the bridge or we’re jumping.” 

“We?”

The Navigator gave me an ominous look and now I understand, I think.  Whatever you do, never get in the Navigator’s way when she is driving on a bridge. I am still wondering what other strange policies the Navigator has hidden up her sleeve.