190

My Amazing Wife's LC Pizza Alternative (Yum!)

Busy day ahead. I'm not sure if I'll be online much. Photo ops seem iffy as well. Time will tell ...

Part one of the our busy Sunday involved going to a beach bar to celebrate a good friend's birthday. We had a good time and I managed to choose LC options right off of the limited menu.

Part two is TBD. But I did decide to have a "meal replacement" shake before going. The word is that they're ordering pizza for dinner. If there's something else available as well, I'll nosh a bit. If not, I'm all good. I can always have a snack when I get back, if need be.

Update: Pizza it was. Pizza I did not have. That is until I got home. See what I mean below.

11:00 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

12:30 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 1 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1/2 bar of unsweetened, organic 100% chocolate bar

+ 1 tbsp of organic coconut oil

3:00 pm

+ 3 skewers of grilled shrimp and scallops with aioli (mayo and hot sauce)

+ a glass of unsweetened iced tea

6:30 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 2 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds, 1 tsp of organic instant coffee and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1 heaping tbsp of organic coconut oil

10:00 pm (pictured above)

+ 6 Pizza Canoes - filled with organic cream cheese, soft goat cheese, organic basil, organic provolone cheese, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

+ several slices of natural coppa (naturally cured pork)

More to come ... I hope.

189

Organic Avocado, Raw Bleu Cheese & Natural Salami

Dill & Pesto Salmon on Cauliflower Mash w/Avocado

11:00 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

12:00 pm (pictured above)

+ a small, organic avocado

+ a few ounces of raw, buttermilk bleu cheese

+ several slices of natural Genoa salami

3:15 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 1 scoop of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds , 1 tsp of organic instant coffee and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

5:30 pm

+ LC Hot Cocoa - 3 tbs of organic cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp of organic stevia and 1 heaping tbs of organic, sprouted flax meal

7:00 pm (pictured above)

+ a leftover dill, pesto salmon fillet on a bed of mashed cauliflower

+ 3/4 of an avocado, sliced


More to come ... I hope

188

Pork al Pastor w/Organic Guacamole

I just posted a column about the superiority of a low carb diet in the management of prostate cancer. Healthy Fellow (my other site) isn't specifically a low carb project, but I try to share about the benefits of LC living whenever possible and scientifically validated. By doing so, I hope to do my part to balance out the rather negative portrayal of LC diets as covered by most mainstream sources.

10:00 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

12:00 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 1 scoop of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1/2 bar of unsweetened, organic 100% chocolate bar

+ 1 tbsp of organic coconut oil

3:00 pm

+ 4 cantaloupe slices wrapped with prosciutto

+ a few ounces of raw, aged goat cheese

5:30 pm

+ LC Hot Cocoa - 3 tbs of organic cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp of organic stevia and 1 heaping tbs of organic, sprouted flax meal

7:15 pm (pictured above)

+ Pork al Pastor (from Whole Foods Market) and homemade, organic guacamole

12:00 am

+ a shot of organic wheat grass


More to come ... I hope!

187

Salmon w/Dill and Pesto on a Bed of Mashed Cauliflower

8:45 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

11:15 am

+ several samples of natural salami (at Whole Foods Market)

1:00 pm

+ 4 small free-range turkey sausages

+ a small sliced tomato topped with sour cream and raw goat's milk

3:15 pm

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

7:30 pm (pictured above)

+ a salmon fillet with dill and pesto

+ mashed cauliflower


More to come ... I hope.

186 Nächte und Tage

Organic Green Chili Burger and Sides

Not giving in. Not giving up.

9:45 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

12:00 pm

+ 4 small free-range turkey sausages

+ 3/4 of an organic avocado

2:30 pm

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

5:00 pm

+ LC Hot Cocoa with added (sprouted) organic flax meal - hot water, 3 tbs of organic cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp of organic stevia powder and 1 heaping tbs of organic, sprouted flax meal

7:30 pm (pictured above)

+ a leftover Organic Green Chili Cheeseburger

+ 3/4 of an organic avocado

+ 1 small, organic tomato stuffed with organic cream cheese, soft goat cheese and organic provolone cheese

More to come ... I hope.

185 夜および幾日

The primary thought going through my mind right now is to try and do the right thing even though I have a sense of impending doom. There's always a choice, isn't there? No matter how bad you feel.

I'm not sharing this to illicit sympathy or to complain about anything. We all have our own set of problems. I just know that many of you have gone through (or are going through) rough times as well. In many of those instances, you've shown great resolve in sticking to the right path even though it wasn't easy to do.

I don't know if I'll hang on to the straight and narrow that I hope to. But I thank you for the good examples you've set. I hope I can return the favor.

9:15 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

11:00 am

+ several slices of natural salami

+ a few ounces of raw, buttermilk bleu cheese

+ a small organic Roma tomato

1:30 pm

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with one packet of organic stevia/inulin

3:30 pm

+ LC Hot Cocoa with sprouted flax meal - 3 tbs of organic cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp of organic stevia and 1 heaping tbs of organic, sprouted flax meal

7:15 pm (no pic, sorry)

+ 4 small free-range turkey sausages

+ an organic avocado


More to come ... I hope.

184 Dias e Noites

Green Chili Cheeseburgers & Avocado Slices

Italian Stuffed Tomatoes and Coppa

Prosciutto Wrapped Cantaloupe and Buttermilk Bleu Cheese

I tried something different for breakfast today. Hopefully you'll see more variety in my menu in the coming days, weeks and months. I'll attempt to make things more interesting.

If there are any service men or women reading this, I send you all my sincerest thanks and my utmost appreciation for all your efforts and sacrifices in the defense of our great country. I hope that on this Memorial Day you'll feel some measure of pride or at least a sense that you're valued by your fellow countrymen and beyond.

Update: We went on a walk this evening. We need to get moving more often. Hopefully we can do this again on Wednesday.

Update #2: My lovely lady came up with a great dinner idea - roasted, spicy pepper burgers. They turned out really well. We'll definitely be making these again.

10:30 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

12:00 pm (pictured above)

+ 4 thin slices of cantaloupe wrapped in natural prosciutto

+ a few ounces of raw, buttermilk bleu cheese

2:15 pm

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic luo han guo/inulin

3:30 pm (pictured above)

+ Stuffed Italian Tomatoes - organic Roma tomatoes shells (w/insides scooped out) stuffed with spicy chicken sausage, organic sour cream, organic cream cheese, organic sauteed shallots, sea salt, fresh cracked organic pepper and topped with organic provolone cheese

+ several slices of naturally cured coppa (pork and spices)

5:30 pm

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic luo han guo/inulin

8:00 pm (pictured above)

+ 2 Jalapeno and Poblano Pepper Burgers - made with organic beef patties, organic cheddar cheese, roasted jalapeno and poblano peppers, sea salt and fresh cracked organic pepper

+ 3/4 of an organic avocado

More to come ... I hope!

183 Jours et Nuits

Sunday Brunch!

Jalapeno Poppers and Tomato Goat Cheese Salad

Back home. Happy to here and looking forward to catching up with y'all!

PS - Since I neglected to snap photos on our trip, I'll double-up on pics the next few days. Let's just call it my "photographic penance". :-)

PPS - My wife made the most deeeelicious dinner ever! I could have this 8 nights a week!

11:30 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

2:00 pm (pictured above)

+ Organic Omega-3 Cheesy Eggs topped with sauteed shallots

+ several slices of natural bacon

+ 3/4 of an organic avocado

4:30 pm

+ a cup of organic, black coffee (unsweetened)

8:00 pm (pictured above)

+ Jalapeno Poppers (yum!)

+ Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad (yum!)

More to come ... I hope!

182 일 및 밤

Saturday's Belated Entry

We made the most of our "play time". We stepped away from the poker table at about 10:30 pm. At that time, the only place open for a late dinner was the casino diner. Most of the options weren't really options for me. But, I was pleasantly surprised to find a "steak and eggs" dish on their menu. I asked them to "hold the toast" and bingo-bango. What more could an LC gambler ask for? Veggies? :-)

10:30 am

+ a few ounces of raw, organic cashews

2:00 pm

+ an "American Kobe" burger topped with grilled onions, a slice of tomato, bacon, cheddar cheese and a few slices of avocado

+ some steamed mussels

4:30 pm

+ a cup of black, iced coffee

10:30 pm

+ steak and 2 eggs

181夜和天

Friday's Belated Entry

Backtracking ... We took a mini-road trip down to the desert. It's really not that far, about 2 hours door-to-door. Our quest: rest, relaxation and maybe a little poker. We didn't get a lot of rest but we did manage some relaxation (spa treatments) and lots of poker. :-)

Food-wise, I was able to stay on track. One of our meals (Friday's dinner) was excellent. The others dietary pit-stops were nothing to write home about - but LC nonetheless. And now for the details ...

9:15 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

10:30 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 1 scoop of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1/2 bar of unsweetened, organic 100% chocolate bar

+ 1 tbsp of organic coconut oil

2:00 pm (on the road)

+ a few ounces of raw, organic cashews

Note: This probably wasn't the best choice. Almonds would have been better - higher in protein, nutrients and fiber.

7:00 pm (no pic, sorry)

+ 3 grilled tiger shrimp on a bed of mixed greens

+ New York steak with asparagus and green beans

10:00 pm

+ a cup of black, iced coffee

180 Dagen en Nachten

Ladies and Gents: I may not be able to post much for the next couple of days. But I'll make sure to keep track of my menus and snap a few photos as well. I'll post them as soon as I'm able.

Until we meet again ... I wish you well!

8:15 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin

9:45 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 1 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1/2 bar of unsweetened, organic 100% chocolate bar

+ 1 tbsp of organic coconut oil

1:30 pm

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of luo han guo/inulin

2:30 pm

+ wild Alaskan smoked salmon

+ 2 small organic Roma tomatoes, topped with organic sour cream and Emmi Appenzeller raw cheese

5:00 pm

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with 1 packet of luo han guo/inulin

8:30 pm

+ Leftover Clean Up Dinner - organic beef burger topped with organic grilled onions, truffle butter and organic cheddar cheese; a small organic Roma tomato, 3/4 of an organic Portuguese sausage

More to come ... I hope!

179 Giorni e Notti

A Little o' This, A Little o' That

We're about to head out on a late-morning walk. :-)

I posted an article about some of the latest LC-friendly weight loss news yesterday night. If you're interested in reading it, please click on this link: Low Carb Weight Loss News

Update: The walk was beautiful. Sunny skies and a brisk breeze. I don't get out in the sun much. So, it was cool to do the walking earlier on while el Sol was still wide awake and strong enough to kiss our skin. The added vitamin D could only help.

Update 2: I tried to creatively combine as many leftovers as possible for lunch. The resulting "LC Breafast/Lunch Burrito" was very satisfying. I'll happily make it again.

9:45 am

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with a packet of stevia/inulin

11:30 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 1 scoop of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 2 scoops of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1/2 bar of unsweetened, organic 100% chocolate bar

+ 2 tbsps of organic coconut oil

1:30 pm (part of the Luo Han Guo experiment)

+ a cup of organic, black coffee (no sweetener)

2:30 pm

+ LC Breakfast/Lunch Burritos -

Tortilla Substitute: 4 pieces of natural, thinly sliced ham

The Filling: organic omega-3 cheesy eggs (3 organic omega-3eggs, organic heavy cream, organic Monterey Jack cheese, organic grilled onions, organic spicy chipotle salsa, sea salt and fresh ground organic pepper mix)

4:45 pm (part of the Luo Han Guo experiment)

+ a cup of organic, black coffee (no sweetener)

8:45 pm (pictured above)

+ 2 organic Portuguese sausages

+ 1 organic avocado

+ 1 small organic Roma tomato, sliced and topped with Emmi Appenzeller raw cheese

More to come ... I hope!

178密造酒および日光

Salmon, Mashed Cauliflower and Avocado

I've been playing some online poker again these days. My game of choice is low stakes, no-limit Texas Hold 'em. It helps me unwind at the end of the day. So far, I've been doing pretty well. I enjoy the challenge of trying to "read" people - to guess what cards they have and how they might play them. I suppose it's all part of my experimental frame of mind lately. I just want to test all sorts of things out.

I hope you're all doing well. Things seem a little quieter than usual out here in the blogosphere. I hope that's just a sign of your offline lives being busy and not an indication of rough times.

9:45 am

+ a cup of organic, black (unsweetened) coffee

11:00 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1/2 bar of unsweetened, organic 100% chocolate bar

+ 1 tbsp of organic coconut oil

2:00 pm

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with one packet of luo han guo/inulin

3:00 pm

+ several slices of natural Genoa salami

+ 2 small organic Roma tomatoes, topped with organic sour cream

5:45 pm

+ a cup of organic, black coffee with one packet of luo han guo/inulin

8:00 pm (pictured above)

+ a leftover salmon fillet

+ mashed cauliflower

+ 3/4 of an organic avocado


The journey shall continue ... I hope!

177 Nächte und Tage

Stock Photo of Salmon and Mash!

I'm going to post an article later tonight about the utility of chromium supplements in managing "atypical" depression and carbohydrate craving/emotional eating. I'll link to it once it's up.

Update: Here's a link to Chromium, Depression and Food Cravings

Update 2: We went on a walk this evening. Felt good. :-)

9:45 am

+ a cup of organic, black (unsweetened) coffee

11:00 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1/2 bar of unsweetened, organic 100% chocolate bar

+ 1 tbsp of organic coconut oil

3:15 pm

+ a large beef burger (from The Counter) topped with grilled onions, jalapeno slices and cheddar cheese

+ 2 small organic Roma tomatoes

5:30 pm (part of the Luo Han Guo experiment)

+ a cup of organic black coffee with a packet of stevia/inulin

7:30 pm (pictured above)

+ a large salmon fillet on a bed of mashed cauliflower

11:00 pm

+ a large mug of organic white tea (3 bags worth)


More to come ... I hope!

176 24 периодов часа

Breakfast for Dinner

One of the reasons why I'm including more cocoa in my diet: The Brain Drink

10:30 am

+ a cup of organic, black (unsweetened) coffee

12:30 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1/2 bar of unsweetened, organic 100% chocolate bar

+ 1 tbsp of organic coconut oil

+ 3:15 pm

+ 3 (small) free range turkey sausage

+ 3/4 of an organic avocado

+ 4 oz of goat's milk kefir

5:30 pm

+ a cup of organic black coffee

7:45 pm (pictured above)

+ 3 sunny side up organic, omega-3 eggs on top of mashed cauliflower with truffle butter

+ organic asparagus spears

+ natural bacon slices

More to come ...

175 Ελληνικά Πολύγλωσσες ημέρες και νύχτες

Pork Belly Appetizer

Spiced Fluke and Jalapeno Appetizer

Asparagus, Fresh Farm Egg and Pancetta


Flat Iron Steak with Truffle Parmesan Fondue

We're going out to dinner tonight with a friend and ex-colleague of ours. The restaurant is run by a few guys that used to have a show on the Food Network. It should be memorable. We'll bring the camera to document the yumminess. :-)

A brief update on the Luo Han Guo experiment. It seems as though one of my test drinks (coffee) *may* be lowering my blood sugar - independent of the effects of either sweetener. More experimentation will clarify this issue. The drop in blood sugar isn't drastic or troublesome, just interesting. The experimentation will continue on!

I hope you're all having a great weekend!

Update: Dinner was excellent. The company was wonderful as well. The place we went to is called Animal. Not surprisingly, I was able to find some LC-friendly options. :-)


10:30 am

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

11:30 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of ORAC Greens Energy Drink, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds, 1/4 tsp of organic cinnamon and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1/2 bar of unsweetened, organic 100% chocolate bar

+ 1 tbsp of organic coconut oil

2:15 pm

+ 4 (small) free range turkey sausage

+ an organic avocado

4:30 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee (black, no sweetener)

6:30 (pictured above)

+ shared appetizers - a) sliced fluke, citrus, mint, sea salt, jalapeno; b) asparagus, poached farm egg, pancetta, pecorino; and c) pork belly, kimchi, peanuts, chili soy, scallion *

+ main course - flat iron, potato, morels, truffle parmesan fondue *

* I just ate the pork belly part of the appetizer. I donated the potatoes to our dining buddy.


More to come ...

174

Rectangular Truffle Onion Burgers w/Avocado Slices

I'm trying to vary up my menu. Last night, we made some organic oven roasted asparagus. It was so simple to make and turned out really well.

Today I'm starting to add half a bar of 100% pure dark chocolate into my routine as well. It's strong tasting and not sweet at all. But I'll mostly be using it for the health effects and to keep things interesting - not for the taste. Since I often do shakes in the morning, this will also give me something to chew on. The fact that it's high in fat and fiber (as well as antioxidants and vital nutrients) is an added bonus.

10:00 am

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

11:00 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1/2 bar of unsweetened, organic 100% chocolate bar

+ 1 tbsp of organic coconut oil

2:00 pm

+ several slices of natural Genoa salami

+ a small farmer's market tomato, topped with soft goat cheese

4:30 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee (no sweetener - as part of the Luo Han Guo experiment)

6:45 pm (pictured above)

+ 2 organic beef burgers topped with grilled onions, truffle butter and organic cheddar cheese

+ 3/4 of an organic avocado

10:30 pm

+ a strong cup of white tea (3 tea bags)


More to come ... I hope!

173

The Serenading Sea Lions

Boats in the Marina

Old Glory Flying High

The Local Lighthouse

Lots going on. Good things though. For one thing, I finally received the blood glucose strips (that I had to special order). That will allow me to resume the Luo Han Guo experiment! I'm looking forward to it!

Update: My wife and I went on a walk this evening - check out the pics! The Luo Han Guo experiment is back in effect. I took one blood sugar reading this afternoon and will do another tonight.

7:30 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seeds and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 2 tbsps of organic coconut oil

2:00 am

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

3:00 pm

+ several slices of natural Genoa salami

+ 2 small farmer's market tomatoes (one orange and one red), topped with organic sour cream and raw sheep's milk cheese

5:15 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of luo han guo/inulin

7:30 pm

+ a salmon fillet with crispy skin

+ homemade grilled, organic asparagus

+ homemade organic, Italian creamed spinach

11:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags) and a packet of luo han guo w/inulin


More to come ... I hope!

172

Salmon Fillet and Mashed Cauliflower

I couldn't wait any longer. This morning I decided to stand on the scale to see if I was indeed making progress, staying put, or gaining weight. Here's what I found:

______________________________

Weigh In Stats:
_______________________________

May 13th Weight: 189.2 lbs.

May 13th Body Fat %: 24.6 %
_______________________________

April 20th Weight: 195.2 lbs.

April 20th Body Fat %: 24.1 %
_______________________________

I'm satisfied with that. My goal weight should be around 180. So I'm inching towards that at a decent pace. I do need to work on my body composition as well however. I think it would be wise to carry more lean body mass and less giggle. That will be another goal to strive for.

As a side-note, I'll be posting a column about natural remedies for female and male hair loss tonight. I know this is a pretty common issue so I thought it might be of interest for some of you or someone you know.

Update: I'm adding back the flax into my morning shake. I'm using a sprouted, organic, milled flax seed product.

9:30 am

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

12:15 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin, 1 tbsp of organic sprouted flax seed and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1 heaping tbsp of organic coconut oil

3:15 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

3:45 pm

+ 3 small free-range turkey sausages

+ 2 small farmer's market tomatoes (one orange and one red), topped with raw sheep's milk cheese

6:00 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

7:15 pm (pictured above)

+ 1 1/2 home cooked salmon fillets (with skin)

+ homemade mashed cauliflower

10:30 pm

+ a strong cup o' white tea (3 tea bags of organic white tea)


More to come ... I hope!

171

Italian Spinach Burger

I'm feeling a bit better mentally. It's not a dramatic shift but enough so that I can sense a difference. It's almost a sensation of being more balanced. It could have something to do with the St. John's Wort supplement I've started taking. I also think the walking is helping. My wife and I went on a stroll this evening. The weather was purrfect. We even saw a cat along the way! Always a good sign. :-)

The diet's on course and my pants are getting looser. I think things are going pretty well. Fingers crossed.

10:15 am

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

12:15 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1 heaping tbsp of organic coconut oil

2:30 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

3:15 pm

+ 4 small free-range turkey sausages

+ 2 small farmer's market orange tomatoes, topped with raw sheep's milk cheese

6:15 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

7:30 pm (pictured above)

+ a beef burger topped with organic grilled onions, organic provolone cheese and organic, homemade Italian creamed spinach

10:45 pm

+ a strong cup o' white tea (3 tea bags of organic white tea)

More to come ... I hope!

170

Jalapeno Poppers and Avocado Slices

We're hoping to go on a walk tonight. My goal this week will be to get my exercise program back on track. I can feel the difference in my body composition when I slack off. It'll be interesting to see what the scale says when I get back on it - in a few weeks.


10:00 am

+ a cup of organic coffee with a stevia tab

12:00 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1 heaping tbsp of organic coconut oil

2:00 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

3:00 pm

+ a beef burger, topped with grilled onions and homemade Italian creamed spinach

7:00 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

7:30 pm (pictured above)

+ Jalapeno Poppers - used farmer's market organic jalapeno peppers ... SUPER HOT! Wowza!

+ 3/4 of a farmer's market avocado

11:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)


More to come ... I hope!

169

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers and grandmothers out there! :-)

Our Italian Mother's Day Feast!

Bresaola (air dried beef), Endive and Aged Sheep's Milk Cheese

Prosciutto and Burrata
Calamari E Rucola - Fresh Grilled Calamari with Baby Rucola

Filetto Rucola - Filet Mignon w/ Rucola and Shaved Parmesan

BTW, I saw a fantastic film the other day. It's called The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. I highly recommend it.

9:30 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 1 tsp. of organic instant coffee, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1 heaping tbsp of organic coconut oil (finishing up a big container)

12:30 pm (Mother's Day lunch - pictured above)

+ shared appetizers: Carpaccio Di Finocchio thinly sliced fennel with aged pecorino and lemon dressing (not pictured), Proscuitto E Burrata parma ham with creamy mozzarella, Calamari E Rucola fresh grilled calamari with baby rucola and Bresaola (air dried beef), endives and aged sheep's milk cheese

+ main course: Filetto Rucola - filet mignon sliced with rucola and shaved parmesan

4:30 pm

+ organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

6:30 pm

+ organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

7:30 pm

+ Southwestern Cheesy Eggs - organic, omega-3 eggs, organic grilled onions, organic heavy cream, sea salt, organic pepper, organic Monterey Jack cheese, organic sour cream and organic chipotle salsa

+ 3/4 of a farmer's market avocado, sliced

11:00 pm

+ a strong cup of organic white tea (3 tea bags worth)


More to come ... I hope!

168

It's Saturday! A quick note about the luo han guo experiment. Recently I bought a blood glucose monitor that came with 10 testing strips. When I tried to buy more of them ... all the pharmacies in the area didn't have any (of this particular brand, CVS). So, I had to special order it. The strips should arrive by Tuesday and I'll commence the experiment then. For those of you who were following that trial ... I apologize for the delay.

I'm thinking about including more white tea in my diet. It's very healthy and may aid in the "fat burning" department too. It could be one of those win-win propositions.

I used to drink a big cup of tea in between meals when I felt hunger pangs. It seemed to help them pass and provided a sort of soothing effect. Drinking water just doesn't provide the same sensation for me.

Oh! I forgot to mention that I went to the farmer's market yesterday. I bought some beautiful tomatoes (orange and red), avocados, jalapenos, blueberries, strawberries and flowers. I hope to make this a part of my weekly routine.

10:15 am

+ a cup of organic coffee with a stevia tab

12:00 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water, 1 packet of organic stevia/inulin and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 3 tbsps of organic coconut oil (finishing up a big container)

3:00 pm

+ 2 farmer's market tomatoes, sliced and topped with organic sour cream and raw goat's milk cheese

+ natural, thick-sliced salami

5:15 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia/inulin

8:00 pm (no photo - camera problem)

+ 2 beef burgers topped with grilled onions and organic provolone cheese

+ 1 small orange tomato from the farmer's market

11:00 pm

+ a 3 bag cup of organic white tea


More to come ... I hope!

167

Grilled Halibut Steaks and Italian Creamed Spinach

My state of mind is up again today. I'm willing it to be so. The day is still young but I don't expect that to change.

Do any of you suffer from sleep apnea? I used to. It's improved a great deal since losing much of my over-weight. I'm relieved because I wasn't looking forward to using that CPAP contraption.

Anyhow, if you (and your bed mate) are dealing with sleep apnea ... you might want to look into some specific exercises that can help reduce the severity of the OSAS symptoms. I mentioned that in my column from yesterday.

8:15 am

+ a cup of organic coffee with a stevia tab

9:45 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1 heaping tbsp of organic coconut oil

2:15 pm

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of ORAC Energy Greens, 4 oz of purified water and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt, 1 packet of stevia and organic cinnamon

+ 1 heaping tbsp. of organic coconut oil

+ goat's milk kefir

5:30 pm

+ a cup of organic coffee with a packet of organic stevia

7:15 pm

+ Whole Foods Market grilled halibut steaks (cooked in butter and garlic)

+ homemade organic Italian creamed spinach

More to come ... I hope!

166

Breakfast for Dinner version 2.0

Day 2 of OKK. My outlook is brighter. I'm a man with a plan.

Yesterday, I wrote about a tea that's quickly garnering attention for it's beneficial effects on blood sugar abnormalities and the ill-effects associated with them. Since that's related to many of our struggles (and since some people like the taste of this LC-friendly tea), I thought I'd mention it here too: Rooibos and Blood Sugar

I mostly drink water with my meals (and coffee) but I know that having menu-variety can really help avoid the dietary doldrums. It seems to me that teas are a great way to address that issue on the beverage-front.

Apart from that, I saw a really cool video for U2's Magnificent yesterday night. Beautiful imagery.

Update: I went on a walk with the best walking partner in the world. Any guesses who? :-) One day I'll bring the camera and share just how beautiful a walk it is. 

8:30 am

+ a cup of organic coffee with a stevia tab

10:30 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1 heaping tbsp of organic coconut oil

2:00 pm

+ a rectangular organic beef burger topped with grilled onions

+ organic garlic broccoli

4:30 pm

+ a cup of organic black coffee with a stevia tab

8:00 pm (pictured above)

+ 2 organic omega-3 eggs, sunny-side up and placed over mashed cauliflower with truffle butter

+ several pieces of natural bacon

More to come ... I hope!

165

Lunch - LC Sushi 

Dinner - Organic Truffle Onion Burger w/Organic Tomatoes

***Operation "Kick Keester"*** is now in effect. No more playing around. It's time to get my life in order one step at a time. 

The exercise will start back up. The menus will become more inventive. My weight will reach it's goal level in 2-3 months tops. I'll succeed in getting out more often and not being such a hermit. In short, I will do my best to make the most out of the wonderful life that I'm so fortunate to have. I shall focus on the positive because there's a heck of a lot of it to be thankful for. No more wasted time. There's been too much of that. 

9:00 am 

+ organic coffee with stevia tab

10:30 am

+ Wowee Zowee Protein Shake version 3.0 - 3 scoops of True Whey (natural vanilla whey protein), 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Chocolate Greens, 4 oz of purified water and 1/4 tsp of Also Salt

+ 1 heaping tbsp of organic coconut oil

2:00 pm (pictured above)

+ LC sushi

note: I had a lovely lunch date with my precious angel. She introduced me to a local sushi joint that offers rice-free rolls. They're wrapped in thinly sliced cucumber strips. Really tasty! :-)

3:30 pm

+ organic coffee with stevia tab

5:30 pm

+ organic coffee with stevia tab

7:00 pm (pictured above)

+ organic (rectangular) beef burgers - topped with organic grilled onions and truffle butter 

+ organic sliced beefsteak burgers

More to come ... I hope!