Year 3, Day 50: Date Night at Jimmy's

Another Chowhound-fueled date to Jimmy's. Turns out to be an incredible place in nearby Wellesley. Never would have found it on my own, as it is hidden behind a supermarket on a road that is 'off the beaten path.' Earlier in the day, Magnolia's visit to the office inexplicably unleashes a nut frenzy.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Strawberries
Blueberries
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Lunch: Russo's ($4.65)
Romaine, red pepper, red onion, feta
chicken, broccoli, mushrooms
balsamic vinegar, pepperocini

Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
4 Sticks Beef jErky
1 Cameo Apple
60 Tamari Almonds

Dinner: Jimmy's
A tiny bit of bread
Caesar Salad
Steak

Dessert
30 Chocolate Chip Cookies

From the South Beach Newsletter: Enjoying Olives
If you love olives, you'll be happy to know that they're approved for all Phases of the South Beach Diet®! Olives are rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, making them a good choice when you're looking to add flavor to salads and whole-wheat pasta dishes or seeking a salty snack.

Olives come in many varieties from numerous regions of the world. The color spectrum of olives varies depending on how long they are left on the tree to mature, or ripen, as well as the curing method used. Green olives are picked early in the season, whereas black olives are fully ripe. All olives, no matter the color, contain the same good fats.

As with other snacks, it's easy to overindulge on olives if you're not paying attention. Though the South Beach Diet® does not require you to count calories, even healthy foods can impact weight loss if you mindlessly overeat them. Therefore, it may be helpful to count out one serving of olives — generally 10 to 15 depending on their size — before snacking.

Year 2, Day 279: Magnolia Threw Up

Throwing up is never fun, though it is sometimes good and good for you. Don't worry, I'm not bulimic, it's just that Magnolia had thrown up this morning when I went to get her. Very unsettling. I immediately got her into the tub with bubbles and eventually she ate a banana and we got on with her morning. I don't think she was sick or anything; it was probably just too much food eaten yesterday—maybe one too many bites of pork. Anyway, we took it easy on her today and I trust she'll be back to normal soon. But there's nothing like cleaning up someone else's food (even if it is your progeny) to make you lose your appetite. And I mean all day. That's not to say I didn't eat—but there were very few hunger pangs.

Breakfast
2 Soft Boiled Eggs
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
Coffee

Snack
1 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch
Peter's Kitchen
Chicken Kebab Salad

Dinner:
A little bit of chicken thigh
Salad with Tuna and Feta

We did go for a walk today. I thought that would help clear my head and stomach from the thought of vomit. And it did. Then it was a seven pound salad for lunch. Amazingly, for the second night in the row, I have had the same thing for dinner as I have had for lunch. I can have salad for lunch and dinner now, even in winter. I like salad. I depend on salad. I'm not sure what I would do without salad. It's amazing that at one time a chief rationalization for not going on a diet was that "I couldn't eat that much salad." It's true. I think I actually said that out loud. An old friend of mine and Emily's was in town recently and was reliving a conversation where she suggested I work out in the gym and I scoffed. "I'm proud of my scoffing," I said. "It was who I was." It's true. I couldn't have gone to the gym back then, because I was too ignorant and afraid. Plus I didn't care about myself. Sure glad that period of my life is over.