일 48

Slow-Cooked Pork with Homemade Mashed Cauliflower

As you can see, I did some cooking tonight. :) Pretty simple and pretty darn tasty.

I just wanted you all to know that I've been enjoying visiting your blogs. You truly are an interesting bunch and I'm happy to be a part of this community.

And now that Vadim's back ... all the better.

I have a question: Is there something you can think of that would make this blogging experience even better/more supportive?

I'm willing to modify my blogging habits if it would help somehow. Maybe others would too. Just curious if anyone's got any ideas about that.

Sweet dreams y'all.

Thursday - January 8, 2009

8:30 am

+ a cup of instant coffee, a packet of stevia + FOS and a splash of low-fat milk

9:45 am

+ a vanilla whey protein shake - (2 scoops of natural vanilla whey protein powder, 4 oz of half-and-half, 2 packets of Also Salt, 1 packet of stevia + FOS)

2:00 pm

+ a big "chicken burrito bowl" - chopped chicken breast w/skin, grilled onions, spicy salsa, sour cream and Also Salt )

+ 6 slices of natural bacon

+ a glass of red wine

4:00 pm

+ a cup of instant coffee, a packet of stevia + FOS and a splash of half-and-half

8:00 pm (pictured above)

+ slow-cooked pork butt - cooked with a can of roasted tomatoes, a diced onion, several cloves of garlic, fresh cracked pepper, Also Salt and sea salt, water and a splash of red wine

+ 1/2 cup of mashed cauliflower

11:00 pm

+ a cup of mixed tea - (two bags of organic white tea and one bag of an organic spicy ginger blend)


More to come ... I hope!

Dia Quarenta e Sete

Bacon, Grilled Onion and Provolone Burgers w/Avocado and Sliced Tomato

It's mid-week now and I'm feeling more settled in my new reality. Today, I have a few LC related goals to accomplish.

1. exercise
2. meditate (twice-daily, for ten minutes a pop)
3. go shopping at Whole Foods

The exercise and shopping parts are pretty self-explanatory. The meditation I'll cover more in Jimmy's interview on Monday. Hopefully by then I'll have some personal observations to share.

I'm inspired by the experimentation that so many of you regularly embark on. Erika and Lynn are trying out different fasting approaches. Sybil has been trying out a bunch of mind-body techniques. Pooti is given the "zero-carb" diet a shot. Sadekat's been regularly sticking to the coconut oil. Vadim gave the "shake and nuts" challenge a good run for it's money.

Now it's my turn. And I think the things I need most can be a addressed through more exercise and a consistent practice for my (nutty) mind. I'll keep you all posted on what I learn in the process.

I hope you all have a strong day, in every possible way.


Wednesday - January 7, 2008

10:30 am

+ a cup of instant coffee, a packet of stevia + FOS and a splash of low-fat milk

11:45 am

+ a vanilla whey protein shake - (2 scoops of natural vanilla whey protein powder, 4 oz of half-and-half, 2 packets of Also Salt, 1 packet of stevia + FOS)

3:00 pm

+ 2 small Roma tomatoes (sliced), topped with sour cream and aged goat cheese

+ 3 thin slices of prosciutto

+ a glass of red wine

5:00 pm

+ a cup of instant coffee, a packet of stevia + FOS and a splash of low-fat milk

7:00 pm (pictured above)

+ two hamburger patties, topped with: grilled onions, 2 slices of natural bacon and 2 slices of provolone cheese (1 slice of each, per burger)

+ 1/2 of a small Roma tomato

+ 3/4 of an avocado

9:45 pm

+ a cup of mixed tea - (two bags of organic white tea and one bag of an organic spicy ginger blend)


More to come ... I hope!

Ημέρα σαράντα έξι

Top Sirloin w/Grilled Onions, Creamed Spinach and Mashed Cauliflower

This is my first official week at my new job. It's a writing gig and I'm mostly working out of our home.

It feels good working from home, but strange also. I feel almost as if I'm playing hookey from school. It's the same feeling I had when I elected to do some homeschooling during my high school years.

Overall, I hope this job switch will be a really positive move. If anything, it should make the LC part of my life more manageable.


Tuesday - January 6, 2009

10:00 am

+ a cup of "choco-coffee" - (2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, 1 packet of Also Salt and stevia + FOS and hot water)

11:30 am

+ a roasted chicken thigh and leg (skin-on)

+ 1/2 cup of homemade mashed cauliflower

2:30 pm

+ 2 small Roma tomatoes (sliced), topped with sour cream and aged goat cheese

+ 2 thin slices of prosciutto

+ a glass of red wine

4:30 pm

+ a cup of instant coffee, a packet of stevia + FOS and a splash of low-fat milk

7:00 pm (pictured above)

+ a large piece of top sirloin, topped with grilled onions

+ approx. 1/4 cup of homemade creamed spinach

+ approx. 1/2 cup of homemade mashed cauliflower

10:15 pm

+ a cup of mixed tea - (two bags of organic white tea and one bag of an organic spicy ginger blend)


More to come ... I hope!

Jour Quarante-Cinq

Spicy Catfish with Homemade Mashed Cauliflower

It's one week and counting until my interview with the Mr. Jimmy Moore! I've been listening to LLVLC podcasts and thinking about what I might have to say when I get the big call!

Tomorrow night, my wife will take a digital photo of me that will be uploaded whenever Jimmy decides to post our interview. That will be a first for me. I've always been one to prefer the cover of anonymity. Perhaps after seeing the picture, you'll understand why! ;-)

I have a question for anyone who may be reading my menu blog:

Is there anything about me, this blog or my journey that you'd like to know more about? I plan on discussing some of my past (relating to my diet and weight issues), my present career (in the entertainment industry and as a natural health writer) and I have a few surprises that I don't want to spoil just yet.

Any comments, insults, thoughts or thrown shoes are most welcome. :-)


Monday - January 5, 2009

10:00 am

+ a cup of "choco-coffee" - (two tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, one teaspoon of instant coffee, one packet of stevia + FOS, one packet of Also Salt and hot water)

12:30 pm

+ a vanilla whey protein shake - (2 scoops of natural vanilla whey protein powder, 4 oz of half-and-half, 2 packets of Also Salt, 1 packet of stevia + FOS)

3:00 pm

+ one avocado sliced

+ a few ounces of Manchego (sheep's milk) cheese

+ thick-sliced, natural salami

+ a glass of red wine

4:30 pm

+ a cup of "choco-coffee" - (two tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, one teaspoon of instant coffee, one packet of stevia + FOS, one packet of Also Salt and hot water)

7:15 pm (pictured above)

+ a fillet of spicy catfish

+ approx. 1/2 cup of homemade mashed cauliflower

10:10 pm

+ a cup of mixed tea - (two bags of organic white tea and one bag of an organic spicy ginger blend)


More to come ... I hope!

天四十四

Spicy Catfish and Creamed Spinach

Afternoon Snack: Sliced Avocado, Manchego Cheese and Salami

We had a pretty swell day. Caught up on what we missed while we were gone - a few chores, sorting through mail, making phone calls, etc.

Tomorrow ... back to work. I hope my menu will tell the rest of the story. I'm bushed.


Sunday - January 4, 2008

10:00 am

+ a cup of coffee with a splash of milk and a packet of stevia + FOS

11:30 am

+ "cheesy eggs" - (approx. 3 eggs, grilled onions, feta cheese, cream cheese, a splash of heavy cream, sea salt and pepper)

+ 5 slices of natural bacon

1:45 pm

+ a cup of "choco-coffee" - (two tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, one teaspoon of instant coffee, one packet of stevia + FOS, one packet of Also Salt and hot water)

note: I was feeling especially tired this afternoon. I didn't get enough sleep last night. I'm trying to re-adjust my body to a more normal work-night sleep schedule.

4:45 pm (pictured above)

+ sliced avocado, salami and Manchego (sheeps milk) cheese

+ a glass of red wine

7:30 pm (pictured above)

+ spicy catfish fillet

+ homemade creamed spinach

11:00 pm

+ a cup of mixed tea - (two bags of organic white tea and one bag of an organic spicy ginger blend)


More to come ... I hope!

Day 43 - The Return of the Choco-Coffee!

Top Sirloin and Creamed Spinach

Our Organic Breakfast Bonanza

The vacation is over. The scale has been anxiously awaiting my arrival. Allow me a moment to take my walk down the plank. I'll be back, in a few, to report my digits.

Drumroll please ...

_____________________________

This Week's Body Weight: 224.4 lbs.

This Week's Body Fat %: 36 %
_____________________________

Last Week's Body Weight: 227.4 lbs.

Last Week's Body Fat %: 35.7%

_____________________________

Last, Last Week's Body Weight: 228.2 lbs

Last, Last Week's Body Fat %: 38.2%
_____________________________

Three Week's Ago Body Weight: 230.6 lbs

Three Week's Ago Body Fat %: 36.9%
_____________________________

Four Week's Ago Body Weight: 231.8 lbs.

Four Week's Ago Body Fat %: 37%

_____________________________

Five Week's Ago Body Weight: 235.6 lbs.

Five Week's Ago Body Fat %: 38.9%

__________________________

Down three-pounds?! That's a shocker! I really didn't expect that. I didn't know what to expect but certainly not this.

Apart from sticking to LC choices, I didn't restrict my intake of food at all. And, as you may have noticed, many of my food choices were really quite decadent (in a LC kind of way).

If anything, I was a little concerned that my weight might suffer because I was drinking more wine than usual. Apparently not.

I'm guessing that my weight-loss pattern (knock wood) will probably revert back to a more slow-and-steady pace - now that I'm back home. But, who knows?

This week, the exercise will begin. I'm embarking on a consistent work-out routine. Hopefully, this will further aid in the weight loss. But, more importantly, I hope it will help improve my overall health both physically and mentally.


Saturday - January 3, 2008

12:00 pm

+ a cup of "choco-coffee" - (two tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, one teaspoon of instant coffee, two packets of stevia + FOS, one packet of Also Salt and hot water)

1:30 pm

+ organic "cheesy eggs" - (approx. 3 organic omega-3 eggs, organic grilled onions, organic cream cheese, organic provolone cheese, sea salt, pepper and a dash of organic milk)

+ 5 slices of organic bacon

note: I often neglect to mention it but we often eat organic foods. I thought I'd mention it, just in case it's of interest.

4:30 pm

+ a cup of "choco-coffee" - (two tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, one teaspoon of instant coffee, one packet of stevia + FOS, one packet of Also Salt and hot water)

+ psyllium fiber capsules (as part of a periodic cleansing ritual)

7:15 pm

+ top sirloin steak slices (rather lean)

+ homemade creamed spinach (very rich)

+ a glass of red wine


More to come ... I hope!

日42

Breakfast and Lunch (above)

This is where we stayed in British Columbia. It's a beautiful spot called the Wickaninnish Inn.

It's just after midnight and we're just back home. Our time in British Columbia felt too short. There simply was too much beauty to fit in the days we had there.

I guess that's the way you should expect to feel about any good vacation as it's ending. Right?

* I'll post pics of today's food tomorrow. The camera is still packed!

Friday – January 2, 2009

9:45 am

+ a cup of coffee with a splash of half-and-half

10:45 am (pictured above)

+ 2 poached eggs and 1 sunny-side up egg

+ a hefty serving of bacon

+ a chicken sausage

+ ½ a roasted tomato

3:30 pm (pictured above)

+ dark meat chicken and steamed broccoli (without sauce) - from an Asian fast food restaurant at the Vancouver Airport

+ several pieces of sashimi (salmon and tuna) - from the same fast food joint

5:00 pm

+ an Americano coffee (black)

11:45 pm

+ a "Triple/Triple" from In-n-Out (three hamburger patties, three slices of cheese, grilled onions, sliced tomato and lettuce as a bun)

+ a glass of red wine

More to come ... I hope!