일 9

I've been advised, by a few highly influential people, to not get down on myself. So, I shall endeavor to emphasize the positive today.

So, what's going right these days? Well, I haven't binged lately. I haven't been to a fast food drive-thru or ordered (for delivery) any off-plan foods. I've even survived a traditional feasting holiday (Thanksgiving) while preserving my LC objective and being considerate of the food choices of others.

I know that I'm about 20 lbs, or so, lighter than my previous high-weight. My clothes are fitting better. I'm setting a better example for my wife and family. And, I'm making some new friends with similar goals and a common challenge.

Maybe I'll extend my Thanksgiving sentiments a little longer than I usually do.


Sunday - November 30, 2008

10:30 am

+ a cup of instant coffee, with a dash of half-and-half and a packet of stevia with FOS *

http://www.nowfoods.com/index.php?action=itemdetail&item_id=103566

+ the last piece of leftover "pumpkin bake" (recipe linked in yesterday's blog - but, I used pure stevia extract instead of Splenda)

1:30 pm

+ 2 scrambled "cheesy eggs" - (with added cheddar cheese)

+ 5 slices of natural bacon

+ 3/4 of a small avocado

4:15 pm

+ one cup of "choco-coffee" - (two tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, one packet of stevia with FOS and a splash of half-and-half)

6:30 pm

+ market-bought prime rib (approx. 4-6 oz?)

+ half-cup or so of homemade mashed cauliflower

10:00 pm

+ leftover clean-up time:

- one deviled egg
- two slices of natural bacon
- 3 slices of tomatoes with 3 slices of mozarella, topped with mini-basil leaves and a touch of olive oil

+ approx. 2 oz of salami (a gift from my wife, from her recent business trip)

+ a glass of red wine



More to come ... I hope!

Dag 8

It's the weekend and another late start to the day. The night owl in me is hanging on for dear life. The past few nights, I've attempted to sleep without the aid of an OTC (over-the-counter) sleep-remedy. My sleep hasn't been very sound at all. But, I think I still need to do my best to purge myself of this unnecessary crutch.

I'm at weird place mentally. I feel psychologically wounded on a pretty regular basis. I get down on myself quite a lot and often, for legitimate reasons. Still, thus far, I've been able to pretty much stay on course - with regard to my low-carb menu. I hope that lasts. Sticking to it has, in some small measure, helped me to feel a bit better about myself.

There are many fish swimming in my head at the moment. But, I think I'll just leave it here for right now.

Off to the menu ...


Saturday - November 29th, 2008

11:00 am

+ a cup of instant coffee with an ounce or so of half-and-half and sweetened with one packet of stevia (with FOS in the base)

+ one piece of leftover low-carb "pumpkin bake"

http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/pumpkin_bake.html

1:15 pm

+ a vanilla whey protein shake - (two scoops of natural LC vanilla whey protein powder, 4 oz of half-and-half and one packet of stevia with FOS)

3:30 pm

+ 5 ham and tomato "tacos" - (5 thin slices of ham, a dollop of sour cream in the center and 2 small, sliced Roma tomatoes placed on the sour cream beds)

+ half-glass of red wine

5:30 pm

+ one cup of "choco-coffee" - (two-tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, one teaspoon of instant coffee, a packet of stevia with FOS and a splash of half-and-half)

7:30 pm

+ two homemade herbed chicken thighs, with skin

+ half-cup of homemade creamed spinach

11:15 pm

+ 3/4 of an avocado (medium-size)

+ 4 slices of prosciutto

+ half glass of red wine


More to come ... I hope!

Ημέρα 7

The day after Thanksgiving ...

Some good and bad things to report. I didn't sleep soundly. But, I think this is partly because I didn't take a sleeping pill last night. I've gotten into the bad habit of habitually using an over-the-counter sleep aid. One of my long-term health goals will be to rid myself of that crutch.

On the up-side, I woke-up pretty early and started working on my chores right-away ... instead of doing other things first. Also, I tinkered with my morning beverage of choice. See my menu for details.

Apart from that, I feel like I'm heading in a relatively solid direction. The foundation, under my low-carb feet, feels more stable than ever (if memory serves me). This can only be a good thing - provided that I take nothing for granted.


Friday - November 29, 2008

9:30 am

+ one cup of "coco-choco-coffee" - (two tablespoons of pure cocoa, one teaspoon of instant coffee, hot water, one tablespoon of coconut oil and stevia to taste)

11:30 am

+ a vanilla whey protein shake - (two scoops of natural vanilla whey protein and 4 oz of half-and-half)

2:30 pm

+ 4 turkey-broccoli "tacos" - (4 thin slices of turkey, a dollop of sour cream in the center and sauteed broccoli and onions on top of the sour cream)

5:30 pm

+ some market-bought prime-rib - my guesstimate: 4-6 oz worth

9:00 pm

+ approx. 4-6 oz of prime-rib

+ half-cup mashed cauliflower

11:30 pm

+ 3 slices of prosciutto

+ 3 oz of blue cheese

+ one glass of red wine

This is perhaps my new favorite snack. The flavors are truly something to behold - at least, according to my palate.

The odd thing is, in the past when I was a "carboholic", I would never have even considered this as a (voluntary) snack. Never! Now, I often prefer savory food selections over sweets. Go figure.


More to come ... I hope!

Day 6 - Thanksgiving

Today, if all goes as planned, I will be blessed with the opportunity to share this evening with much of my family. This is something that day-in and day-out I take for granted.

Like many households, we typically have a bountiful feast to celebrate on this holiday. But, this year, I'm attempting to do something different.

I'm going to bring over a low-carb appetizer, a side-dish and a dessert. Things that are "on-program" for me but that others can share in, if desired.

My mother and sister (and perhaps my niece) will make the turkey, the usual sides (mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, vegetable dishes, etc.). But, of those, I'll likely only have some turkey and perhaps some veggies - along with what I'm bringing.

The three items I'm bringing are: prosciutto-wrapped avocado slices (as an appetizer), mashed cauliflower and a stevia-sweetened "pumpkin bake".

http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/pumpkin_bake.html

I'm also bringing along a bottle of wine to share.

I doubt my dishes will make any converts. But, they'll be healthier options for me and I'll be sharing a part of my life with those that I love.

I did weigh myself this morning, using a scale that measures both weight and fat percentage.

Here are the grim figures:

body weight: 235.6
body fat %: 38.9
height: 5'11

As you see, I have a long way to go. But, I'm working at it. And, that makes me feel slightly better about who I currently am and life in general.

I wish all who read this a happy, healthy and truly thankful Thanksgiving Day. And, to those that don't celebrate this holiday ... I still wish you the same, minus the 'Thanksgiving' part. ;-)


Thursday - November 27, 2008

10:45 am

+ one cup of "choco-coffee" - (two tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, one teaspoon of instant coffee, hot water, stevia to taste and a splash of half-and-half)

12:15 pm

+ a vanilla whey protein shake - (two scoops of natural vanilla whey protein powder and 4 oz of half-and-half)

3:00 pm

+ one cup of "choco-coffee" - (two tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, one teaspoon of instant coffee, hot water and stevia to taste) No half-and-half this time.

+ psyllium fiber

5:30 pm

+ 3 slices of tomato, mozarella and basil (appetizer)

+ 2 deviled egg halves (appetizer)

+ 1 small slice of avocado (appetizer)

+ several ounces of dark-meat turkey, with some skin

+ half-cup of mashed cauliflower

+ several baby asparagus spears

+ a glass of red wine

8:00 pm

+ a piece of low-carb "pumpkin bake" with a small amount of regular whipped cream on top

12:30 am

+ three small breakfast sausages (left-overs that couldn't be left-over much longer)

+ a glass of red wine


More to come ... I hope!

日5

The day before Thanksgiving. And, I've got a lot to be thankful for. More than I deserve, that's for sure.

I'm working from home again today. But, I did manage to get up earlier than usual. I think this is a change for the better. Though I go kicking and screaming from the land of the Night Owl.

I didn't remember to weigh myself this morning. I was planning on starting a weekly weigh-in today. But, that ship has sailed. Tomorrow morning it shall be.

I often still feel hungry. I've obviously not yet found the correct hunger-balance. I think it's worse when I'm working at home. Don't get me wrong, I love to work at home. But, it probably allows for more time for my mind to wander. And, where else would a recovering fat-man's mind wander? Just like an alcoholic might crave a drink when he's not thirsty.

I think I'll add a new feature to my daily blog. At the end of the day, I'll conclude with a short entry that is confessional in nature. Something brief that gives a glimpse into my mindset and into how I'm feeling about this weight-loss journey and life in general.

Perhaps really throwing myself into this challenge will help me to not abandon it so easily? Time will tell. It almost always does.

Wednesday - November 26, 2008

10:00 am

+ one cup of "choco-coffee" (two tablespoons of pure cocoa, one teaspoon of instant coffee, hot water, a splash of half-and-half and stevia to taste)

12:00 pm

+ 4 natural breakfast sausage (total of around 20 grams of protein and 16 grams of fat - only trace amounts of carbs)

2:30 pm

+ two barbequed ribs

+ approx. half-cup of mashed cauliflower

+ a glass of red wine

5:15 pm

+ one cup of "choco-coffee" (two tablespoons of pure cocoa, one teaspoon of instant coffee, hot water and stevia to taste) No half-and-half this time.

+ psyllium fiber (as part of my periodic "intestinal fiber-workout")

7:00 pm

+ a vanilla whey protein shake (4oz of half-and-half & two scoops of natural vanilla whey protein powder)

9:15 pm

+ two herbed chicken thighs w/skin

+ half a cup of mashed cauliflower

+ chicken "drippings" (the liquid/broth that's left after I roasted the chicken - comprised of chicken fat, olive oil, garlic and herbs and spices ... from the homemade marinade)



More to come ... I hope!

День 4

Today is a work-at-the-office-day. Earlier to start ... possibly earlier to retire.

I didn't sleep nearly enough last night. That's something else I really need to work on. Sleep is vital for good health and weight-loss/diet management.

The thing this experiment is reminding me of is this: The toughest part of sticking to a diet/lifestyle is simply living consciously. In other words, I have to really think about, plan and analyze my daily nutrition. I find this to be quite arduous. Day in and day out. But, I know it's necessary and probably character-building.


Tuesday - November 25, 2008

7:30 am

+ one cup of "choco-coffee" (a few tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, a teaspoon of instant coffee, an once or two of half-and-half and stevia to taste)

9:00 am

+ a vanilla whey protein shake (two scoops of natural vanilla whey protein powder, 4 oz of half-and-half)

1:00 pm

+ homemade tuna salad (one tin of tuna packed in olive oil, sour cream, mustard, red pepper flakes and Also Salt)

+ homemade pancetta chips (about 5)

3:45 pm

+ one large glass of iced Americano coffee (black)

7:30 pm

+ 5 ham and broccoli "tacos" (thin slices of ham, sour cream in the center and sauteed broccoli and onions - as the filling)

11:30 pm

+ 3 thin slices of prosciutto

+ 2 oz of blue cheese

+ a glass of red wine


More to come tomorrow ... I hope!

Día Tres

Another late start to my day. I'm working from home today and that tends to push my wake-up and go-to-sleep times upward. Tomorrow, I'll be back at the office and will therefore start and end my day earlier.

I think I'll begin adding a record of my weight later this week. My plan will be to weigh-in once a week.

Monday - November 24, 2008

11:00 am

+ one cup "choco-coffee" (a few tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, a teaspoon of instant coffee, a dash of half-and-half and stevia to taste)

12:15 pm

+ a vanilla-whey protein shake (natural vanilla whey protein powder, 4 oz of half-and-half and stevia to taste)

2:15 pm

+ a fillet of catfish
+ homemade mashed cauliflower (steamed cauliflower, butter-sauteed garlic, Also-Salt, pepper, half-and-half and cream cheese)

4:15 pm

+ one cup of "choco-coffee" without the usual half-and-half

8:45 pm

+ a cinnamon-vanilla whey protein shake (natural vanilla whey protein powder, 4 oz of half-and-half, a dash of cinnamon and stevia)

12:00 am

+ approx. 2 oz. of pancetta

+ approx. 2 oz. of blue cheese

+ 1 glass of red wine


More to come tomorrow?

And On the Second Day, He Tried to Keep on Keeping On

Every once in awhile, I like to incorporate a lighter diet. Typically, on such days, I utilize the aid of a fiber supplement as well. It's sort of a time to give my digestive system a bit of a rest and to help cleanse.

Please note that I do not suffer from constipation. Some people, on low carb diets, appear to have this problem. I do not. I simply use the fiber as a way of "working out" my system of elimination.

Having said all that, this is what I've eaten so far:

Sunday, November 23, 2008

10:30 am

+ one cup choco-coffee *

* a few heaping tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, a heaping teaspoon of instant coffee, a dash of half-and-half and stevia to taste

11:30 am

+ scrambled "cheesy" eggs (about 2 1/2 eggs, a slice of cheddar cheese, a dash of half-and-half)
+ 1 small sausage link
+ 3/4 of an avocado

4:30 pm

+ one cup choco-coffee and a fiber supplement (psyllium)

7:15 pm

+ a vanilla-whey protein shake (low-carb vanilla whey powder, about 4oz of half and half, stevia to taste)

9:00 pm

+ 6 turkey broccoli "tacos" (thinly sliced turkey, a spoonful of sour cream in the center of the turkey and topped with sauteed broccoli and onions)

1:00 am

+ 2 oz prosciutto
+ 1 oz. cream cheese
+ 1 glass red wine


More to come tomorrow?

And On The First Day, He Created a Menu Blog

Welcome ladies and gents. This is my response to Jimmy Moore's Menu Challenge. For the time being, I'm keeping this clean and simple. Let's see if I can keep up with that much before I try to add too much creativity to this joint.

And so it begins ...

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

10:30 am

+ 1 cup of choco-coffee *

* a few tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, a heaping teaspoon of instant coffee, a splash of half-and-half and stevia to taste

12:00 pm

+ vanilla whey protein shake - 4 oz of half-and-half, unsweetened vanilla whey protein and stevia to taste

3:00 pm

+ turkey-veggie "tacos" - six thin slices of turkey, a tablespoon of sour cream in the center of each slice, and sauteed broccoli and onions piled on top of the sour cream*

* I refer to these as "tacos" because I fold them over like a taco shell. They obviously taste nothing like a taco however.

6:30 pm

+ 1 cup of choco-coffee

8:30 pm

+ 1 fillet of naturally-seasoned catfish
+ half-a-cup of homemade mashed cauliflower

11:00 pm

+ 6 small slices of salami
+ 2 tbs. of cream cheese
+ half a glass of red wine


I'm not going to get into the calorie counting business quite yet. At the moment, I'm losing weight. How much? I can't say. Why? Because I'm not weighing myself. But, I can see the changes. And, that's good enough for me, for now.

More to come ...