Here are my Goals for 2012. I will write a post about each segment in future.
Personal Health.
1. Goal weight 185 or less.
2. Eat as close to paleo as possible.
3. Learn to have more patience with my children.
Career.
1. As I am starting a new career path, Learn the ropes. Perform above expectations and meet all goals.
2. Pass PANRE exam next year
Financial
1. Open IRA account for wife.
2. Greater than 12% return on trading IRA account--See trading plan post.
Spiritual
1. Complete RCIA classes.
2. If Spirit move me, join Catholic Church.
3. Spend time each day/week reading/praying/quiet time meditating with my Lord Jesus.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
My trading Plan
I've started the experiment of trading in my IRA account. I've tried a mixture of Stocks and Options. I had 2 significant losses which really hurt my account value. Since then, I've reduced the frequency of my trades and settled on small incremental gains. I'm using a combination of Covered Calls and Calendar/Diagonal options strategies. This Blog will document my trades.
1. Goals.
To grow my small IRA account to a value in which I can have consistent yearly income by the time I am eligible to withdraw from my IRA. I am almost 37 yrs old so that gives me 22yrs to do this.
2. Strategy
a. Covered Calls.
Those that are familiar with covered calls know this strategy well. I will choose companies which pay a consistent dividend and strong solid companies that have weathered these volatile markets.
b. Calendar/Diagonal Options trades.
This will be similar to the Covered Calls strategy except that I will purchase Leap Calls (or Puts) for the stock surrogate. I will then sell weekly/monthly options against this long call.
3. Covered Calls
My goal is to sell Covered calls which will give me an annualized return of 15%. I will choose stock that I want to own long term as well as pay a 2-5% dividend/year.
4. Calendar/Diagonals
I will purchase a Long call more than 1 year out at a level consistent with lower part of 10 yeart chart. I will then sell weekly calss ATM or slightly OTM to gain .20 of extrinsic value per week. I will reclaim the initial cost of the long call and continue to sell weeklies until Long call is close to expiring. I then will sell the long call for what's left of intrinsic and extrinsic value.
1. Goals.
To grow my small IRA account to a value in which I can have consistent yearly income by the time I am eligible to withdraw from my IRA. I am almost 37 yrs old so that gives me 22yrs to do this.
2. Strategy
a. Covered Calls.
Those that are familiar with covered calls know this strategy well. I will choose companies which pay a consistent dividend and strong solid companies that have weathered these volatile markets.
b. Calendar/Diagonal Options trades.
This will be similar to the Covered Calls strategy except that I will purchase Leap Calls (or Puts) for the stock surrogate. I will then sell weekly/monthly options against this long call.
3. Covered Calls
My goal is to sell Covered calls which will give me an annualized return of 15%. I will choose stock that I want to own long term as well as pay a 2-5% dividend/year.
4. Calendar/Diagonals
I will purchase a Long call more than 1 year out at a level consistent with lower part of 10 yeart chart. I will then sell weekly calss ATM or slightly OTM to gain .20 of extrinsic value per week. I will reclaim the initial cost of the long call and continue to sell weeklies until Long call is close to expiring. I then will sell the long call for what's left of intrinsic and extrinsic value.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Week long sugar experiment
I started this past week with the intent of checking my blood sugars regularly. Below is the data I collected
9/17/11 Saturday
FBS 91
2hr post prandial
Bfast 97 2 egg omellette with <1/4 c cheese, small avacodo
Lunch 92 Kale soup with potatoes, 2 med carrots, 1 cup chili w kidney beans
Dinner 122 5 small slices of pizza, 2 slices garlic bread, 1 sam adams beer (hey it was college football saturday)
9/18/11 Sunday
FBS 103
2hr Post Prandial
Bfast 102 2 egg ommellette with <1/4 c cheese, small avacado
Lunch 89 Kale soup , 6 ox deli ham, 1/4 c soy beans
Dinner 113 4 cups spagetti with meat sauce 1 c winter squash 1/2 c cauliflower
1 hr PP after dinner 120
Also cheated, had sm bowl Ice cream
9/19/2011
FBS 103
2 hr PP
bfast 93 2 eggs 1/2 c cottage cheese
lunch 102 Kale and tomatoes 'stew', deli turkey plum 2 carrots
dinner 90 12 ox ny strip steak, green beans, 3 beers
Late night snack, med bowl ice cream and 2 chocolate chip cookies
9/20/2011
FBS 104
2 hr pp
bfast 92 omellette with spinach/mushrooms, hollandaise sauce and hash browns
lunch 95 some leftover past dish with sausage handful almonds
dinner (3hr post prandial...i forgot to check) 105 more of same pasta with winter squash, kale and tomatoes, cauliflower
Not going to have sweets tonight we'll see if am blood sugar is better. I will have nuts instead.
9/21/2011
FBS 108
2 hr ppd
Bfast missed, busy running kids around, PT appointment. 2eggs, 1/4 c cottage cheese
Lunch 98 Late lunch 1/2 head cabbage, 4-6 oz deli ham, almonds
dinner 135 pizza. 1 beer
3hr ppd from pizza 114
Basically, this is not shaping up very good for my FBS. I have had several in a row over 100. According to ADA website a fasting BG over 100 would classify me as prediabetic.
My plan it to eat less carbs especially at dinner. I am able to control this better at bfast and lunch because I tend to fend for myself. Dinner is more a family sit down occasion. This week the meals have been prepared by other families. They tend to be pasta dishes.
9/22/11
FBS 100
2 hr ppd
Bfast 98 2 eggs, 1/4 c cottage cheese
lunch, 106 1 can sardines, 2 tomatoes, 1/2 cups lettuce, 1 apple
dinner 123 1 hr ppd Some mexican dish brought us, looked like hamburger, tortillas, chesse, and cream of mushroom soup
2 hr ppd 92
9/23/11
FBS 96
2hr ppd
Bfast 107 2 eggs
Lunch 121 left over pizza 3 slices
Dinner 98 Butternut squash soupd 2 bowls, 4 oz ham slices
My experiment leads me to believe I may need to watch my food intake more closely. I was surprised to see that my morning blood sugars were over 100 or very close to 100. Its strange to me that I can be good most of the rest of the day, but elevated in the morning.
I know the cortisol levels increase in the AM to get you ready for the day, and I also have been lacking in structured sleep since my son was born, but this does worry me.
I will need to read more about prediabetes and how to manage this state. I fear I may be heading down the path of my father. Honestly, I have better knowledge of the disease and nutrition that I will fight hard.
If anyone actually reads my blog, any thoughts on elevated am sugars?
Finally, I know my nutrition this week has not been very good. I've been basically eating whatever was brought to us this week. Quite frankly, its been alot of pasta. Normally, we only eat pasta about once per week. I think I will try this experiment again in the future when things get back to 'normal' with an extra body in my house.
9/17/11 Saturday
FBS 91
2hr post prandial
Bfast 97 2 egg omellette with <1/4 c cheese, small avacodo
Lunch 92 Kale soup with potatoes, 2 med carrots, 1 cup chili w kidney beans
Dinner 122 5 small slices of pizza, 2 slices garlic bread, 1 sam adams beer (hey it was college football saturday)
9/18/11 Sunday
FBS 103
2hr Post Prandial
Bfast 102 2 egg ommellette with <1/4 c cheese, small avacado
Lunch 89 Kale soup , 6 ox deli ham, 1/4 c soy beans
Dinner 113 4 cups spagetti with meat sauce 1 c winter squash 1/2 c cauliflower
1 hr PP after dinner 120
Also cheated, had sm bowl Ice cream
9/19/2011
FBS 103
2 hr PP
bfast 93 2 eggs 1/2 c cottage cheese
lunch 102 Kale and tomatoes 'stew', deli turkey plum 2 carrots
dinner 90 12 ox ny strip steak, green beans, 3 beers
Late night snack, med bowl ice cream and 2 chocolate chip cookies
9/20/2011
FBS 104
2 hr pp
bfast 92 omellette with spinach/mushrooms, hollandaise sauce and hash browns
lunch 95 some leftover past dish with sausage handful almonds
dinner (3hr post prandial...i forgot to check) 105 more of same pasta with winter squash, kale and tomatoes, cauliflower
Not going to have sweets tonight we'll see if am blood sugar is better. I will have nuts instead.
9/21/2011
FBS 108
2 hr ppd
Bfast missed, busy running kids around, PT appointment. 2eggs, 1/4 c cottage cheese
Lunch 98 Late lunch 1/2 head cabbage, 4-6 oz deli ham, almonds
dinner 135 pizza. 1 beer
3hr ppd from pizza 114
Basically, this is not shaping up very good for my FBS. I have had several in a row over 100. According to ADA website a fasting BG over 100 would classify me as prediabetic.
My plan it to eat less carbs especially at dinner. I am able to control this better at bfast and lunch because I tend to fend for myself. Dinner is more a family sit down occasion. This week the meals have been prepared by other families. They tend to be pasta dishes.
9/22/11
FBS 100
2 hr ppd
Bfast 98 2 eggs, 1/4 c cottage cheese
lunch, 106 1 can sardines, 2 tomatoes, 1/2 cups lettuce, 1 apple
dinner 123 1 hr ppd Some mexican dish brought us, looked like hamburger, tortillas, chesse, and cream of mushroom soup
2 hr ppd 92
9/23/11
FBS 96
2hr ppd
Bfast 107 2 eggs
Lunch 121 left over pizza 3 slices
Dinner 98 Butternut squash soupd 2 bowls, 4 oz ham slices
My experiment leads me to believe I may need to watch my food intake more closely. I was surprised to see that my morning blood sugars were over 100 or very close to 100. Its strange to me that I can be good most of the rest of the day, but elevated in the morning.
I know the cortisol levels increase in the AM to get you ready for the day, and I also have been lacking in structured sleep since my son was born, but this does worry me.
I will need to read more about prediabetes and how to manage this state. I fear I may be heading down the path of my father. Honestly, I have better knowledge of the disease and nutrition that I will fight hard.
If anyone actually reads my blog, any thoughts on elevated am sugars?
Finally, I know my nutrition this week has not been very good. I've been basically eating whatever was brought to us this week. Quite frankly, its been alot of pasta. Normally, we only eat pasta about once per week. I think I will try this experiment again in the future when things get back to 'normal' with an extra body in my house.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Prediabetes
As per my previous post, I have finished reading Sugar Nation. It left me thinking about my own health. I have Type 2 diabetes in my family. I suspect it was wreaking havoc on my dad long before the formal diagnosis. I do not want that same fate for myself. So....
I am off from work next week as I have a new addition to my family. I decided I am going to monitor my blood sugars through out the week and post them to this blog after the fact.
My plan:
1. Check Fasting sugars in AM
2. check post prandial 2 hours after each meal.
3. check 1 hour post prandial occasional through out week to see if there is difference between 1 and 2 hr post prandial.
4. Check weight the first morning and last morning of the week 'experiment'
5. I will refocus on eating a more 'paleo' diet.
I haven't been eating very healthy over the last month. Partly because I know these next 2-3 months are very hard on my eating and exercise routine with a newborn child in my house. I guess I gave up. This plan of checking my sugars will hopefully get me 'back on the horse'.
Stay tuned for results.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Sugar addiction
I'm halfway through the book Sugar Nation by Jeff O'Connell. It's an interesting read for those with a family history of Diabetes. It's an interesting read for those without a family history of Diabetes as well.
I happen to be one of those people with a family history of Type 2 diabetes. My father is a Type 2 diabetic. Although, he hasn't suffer the extremes of having a limb amputated like Jeff O'Connell's father, he has had triple bypass surgery a few years ago. He also suffers from neuropathy of his feet. He is on his path to other complications of diabetes as he does not follow a rigid diet. He also suffers from a sugar addiction.
I have read several other books over the past year regarding nutritional advice and 'fad' diets. These include the Paleo Diet, Atkins Diet, The Zone, The Primal Blueprint, South Beach Diet, etc. I have tried several of these 'diets' some with success and some without. I am not grossly overweight (6' 195lbs) but I fret over the future of my fate with primarily diabetes.
Does anyone else find it hard to not fall off the wagon?
I tend to believe in the 'low carb' way of eating. By this I mean getting my carbohydrates from primarily vegetables and a little fruit. This means staying away from grains and sugar. I struggle with Ice Cream. Who can resist a bowl of ice cream? The problem I have is I can't just have a small bowl, I need like 3 bowls!!! This is my drug. Sugar. It takes all my will power to resist. I can do well for 2-3 weeks, then BAM! I go on a bender.
Jeff O'Connel has described his life in the fight against Type 2 diabetes. I am going to describe my fight as well as review more books and journal articles that discuss this way of life---that is---eating healthy via veggies, meats, nuts, and a little fruit.
Stay tuned
I happen to be one of those people with a family history of Type 2 diabetes. My father is a Type 2 diabetic. Although, he hasn't suffer the extremes of having a limb amputated like Jeff O'Connell's father, he has had triple bypass surgery a few years ago. He also suffers from neuropathy of his feet. He is on his path to other complications of diabetes as he does not follow a rigid diet. He also suffers from a sugar addiction.
I have read several other books over the past year regarding nutritional advice and 'fad' diets. These include the Paleo Diet, Atkins Diet, The Zone, The Primal Blueprint, South Beach Diet, etc. I have tried several of these 'diets' some with success and some without. I am not grossly overweight (6' 195lbs) but I fret over the future of my fate with primarily diabetes.
Does anyone else find it hard to not fall off the wagon?
I tend to believe in the 'low carb' way of eating. By this I mean getting my carbohydrates from primarily vegetables and a little fruit. This means staying away from grains and sugar. I struggle with Ice Cream. Who can resist a bowl of ice cream? The problem I have is I can't just have a small bowl, I need like 3 bowls!!! This is my drug. Sugar. It takes all my will power to resist. I can do well for 2-3 weeks, then BAM! I go on a bender.
Jeff O'Connel has described his life in the fight against Type 2 diabetes. I am going to describe my fight as well as review more books and journal articles that discuss this way of life---that is---eating healthy via veggies, meats, nuts, and a little fruit.
Stay tuned
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