Day 365: One Year—Detecto Says "188"

It seems really unbelievable that I have finally made it to one year on the South Beach Diet. From my first post (http://sobediet.blogspot.com/2005/02/first-day.html) I wondered, "will I make it?" Even more incredible than staying on the diet for a year is that I have managed to lose 38 pounds. When I started, I weighed in at 226 lbs—a pre-diabetes, pre-heart attack victim waiting to happen.

Still more incredible, is that even though I am slimmer, I have managed to keep my rather pear-like shape. Lest people think I cannot enjoy my success, let me put you at ease. I am quite proud of myself—which I confess is not a feeling I had very often prior to this project. I am proud that I set out to do something and did it. I am proud that I wrote every day for a year, something I love to do; and that in doing both, I either entertained people or inspired them, or both. Also, that for a few months I gave blog-spammers a joyful place to call home.

When I saw the scale this morning, I literally couldn't believe it. I know that I had been eating less, but when Emily asked me the other day what I thought I weighed, I guessed that I might have put on a pound. I had been sick, and really, I couldn't gauge my own weight anymore. But 188 was shocking. I still want to get to 185, though it looks like it might not be as hard as I thought it was going to be.


Breakfast
1 Cup Kashi (with a little sprinkle of Ezekiel 4.7)
3/4 unsweetened soy milk
a few strawberries
Tea

Snack
Coffee (half decaf)
1 Joy Stick
1 Cheese Stick

Lunch: The Stockyard
Sirloin Tips on Caesar Salad (this description is totally misleading)

Dinner
Trout
String Beans and Leeks a la Emily
a few pieces of dried fruit (feeding to Magnolia)
a few chick peas (emily made 'em).

Emily keeps asking what I would want to do to celebrate. Whether I want to eat some 'special food.' I realize that what I want- what my 'fantasy' is—— is to eat A LOT of food. I know it doesn't feel good, but I do miss the sensation of it. The very "Caligula of Eating" that I used to me. I don't really feel like any specific foods are off limits. Over my year I ate rolls, I ate a few bites of pizza, I ate some dessert, I ate a few french fries, a few deep-fried things and the occasional white sugary treat. I don't feel like it's necessarily a treat to have them, any more than I feel like having a cigarette now would be a 'treat.' It was poison then and it's poison now, but now I've learned to live without it. It's not that I have a uncharitable position toward the whole thing, it's just that I like feeling good, having energy, and buying new pants. Well not the last thing so much.

Lastly, as I did when I hit my first goal, I have to thank the trifecta of women who helped me to my goal— Dr. Parent (who might be giving me the swerve) who started it all; Emily, my wife who cooked up a storm and saved me, and my Mother, the constant (and sometimes lone) blog commenter who supported me throughout with love and Balthazar bread.

And of course, you, if you're reading this now, thanks. It helps so much to have an audience, you wouldn't believe it.

Day 364: Birthday Party

Today was my niece's birthday party. She was actually born on a day that passed by several weeks ago, but it couldn't the real day would have fallen on Super Bowl Sunday, so it was moved to the week after, but that was doomed by an immense, two-foot snowfall. So it was rescheduled to today. It was a bowling party, and its start time (1:00pm) made me think there wouldn't be any temptations there, but I was wrong. At the last minute, there was a decision to provide chicken fingers and french fries and don't you know that I had four chicken fingers (and one french fry). Sometimes, there isn't much you can do but go with the flow. On the plus side, I was able to avoid all Teddy Grahams, Starbursts, Birthday Cake and Chocolate and Vanilla ice creams that were both present and available.


Breakfast
3 Eggs, Over Broken
2.5 strips Louis Rich Turkey Bacon
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
2 Bites of Banana

Lunch
Robert's Tuna Salad Open faced on Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread
Pickles

Party-Snack, Etc.
4 Chicken Fingers
1 French Fry
Diet Coke
1/4 Cup Almonds, Cashews

Dinner
Emily's Kick-Ass Turkey Crumble in Lettuce Wraps
Broccoli

Of course, it's nearing the end of February and the first year of the diet, so my mind is on Detecto. Though I had a spell of a cold and went several days without snacking, I'm not sure what the scale has in store for me. Depending on the commute, I'll either get there tomorrow or Tuesday for weigh in.

Day 363: To the Gym...and Beyond

Actually, the title of this post should be call "no workouts on the Sabbath," because I find when I go to the gym on Saturday, I always have my choice of machines, and there is never anybody waiting for me. I did 4.25 miles on the elliptical, and then I finished the fifth mile out on the track. It's always amazing to me how the fourth mile is so much easier than the second one, which seems to roll by so sloooowly.

Breakfast on the Threes
3 Eggs, Over Broken
3 Strips Applegate Turkey Bacon
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch
Salad, with Feta and Cabbage
Breast of Chicken
Pickles
Coke Zero

Etc.
A bite of french toast

Dinner
Robert's Peppery Chicken
Onions, Cabbage and Peppers

Emily and I briefly discussed the milestone of one year on the diet. She asked what we should do to celebrate. Would it be dinner out? Desserts? Pizza? It was good fodder to think about; on the same level of considering what you would do if you win the lottery (I didn't, thanks eight guys in Nebraska). I will think on it some more.

Day 362: More No-Snacking

Except for the news in the title, there wasn't much to report today. I had planned to have lunch downtown with a friend, but something came up on his side at the last minute, so it got canceled. I had eaten light in preparation so when it came time for lunch it was a whopping big salad—breaking the standard ranks by about a dollar. Then, I thought I wouldn't eat it, but I did, which reminds me (and all who read this) that if you're like me, you're likely to eat everything on your plate. SO DON'T PUT IT ON YOUR PLATE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO EAT IT.

Breakfast
2 Small slices Balthazar multi-grain bread
4 slices of ham
2.5 oz. 50% jalapeno cheddar
tea

Snack
12 oz. coffee (half decaf)

Lunch: Russo's ($5.72)
Red Leaf, Red Onion, Red Peppers
Broccoli, Feta, Grilled Chicken

Dinner: Bernard's
Spare Ribs
Emily's Leeks
Broccoli
Shrimp
Chilean Sea Bass
Salad

Whenever Emily's sister and her family are over, there is always a LOT more vegetables, and often salad, on the table than at any other time. Tonight was no exception. How many other families do you know that have an entree portion of salad in addition to a Chinese take-out meal? Though I know Ribs and such are not 'proper' SoBe food, I indulged anyway, and I LOVED IT.

Day 361: Appetite Back

Fortunately for me, my sinus-cold is gone and I feel somewhat better. Unfortunately, it means that my appetite has returned. I was really looking forward to not snacking anymore; I thought it was the new me. Now I realize I was just sick. This also led me to the dentist with incredible tooth sensitivity; apparently, sinus issues are directly related to the 'upper molars'. The dentist x-rayed me, and joyfully, sent me home with now work.

Breakfast
2 Small slices Balthazar multi-grain bread
4 slices of ham
2.5 oz. 50% jalapeno cheddar
tea

Snack
12 oz. coffee (half decaf)
1 Pear
1/2 oz. Popcorn

Lunch:Anna's
Grilled Chicken Quesadilla
Guacamole, Salsa, Hot Sauce
Broccoli, Red Beans

Dinner
Emily's Trout Fish Fry (Sauteed)
Bok Choy
Sauteed Cabbage
Salad

On the way back from the dentist I had to quickly get something to eat; Anna's caught my eye. Though it is rare that I make a decision to eat some bread, sometimes it's just the right decision. Anna's, it must be said, is the greatest at what they do; the food is incredible, fresh, and cheap. The store on Harvard Ave doubled in size (they literally opened a mirror-image store next to the existing one, with an identical counter and room full of seats) and so the line moves quickly. If they don't have the best quesadillas in Boston, then I just don't know what. I know people who live closer to Mexico will balk, but it was worth eating the white-quesadilla wrapper for.

Day 360: The Whole Circle

Today a brisk, albeit slightly shorter walk. We brought the newest member of the gang on the walk, and in deference to both him, the temperature and time concerns, we cut it short (minus seven minutes). I was super hungry for the rest of the day.

Breakfast
2 Small slices Balthazar multi-grain bread
4 slices of ham
2.5 oz. 50% jalapeno cheddar
tea

Snack
12 oz. coffee (half decaf)
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
2 Tblsps Super Chunky Peanut Butter
1/2 pak Splenda

Lunch: Christos
Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken
Red Wine Vinegar & Oil

Dinner
Emily's Kick-Ass Fishamajig
Stir Fry Bok Choy

Emily is a great cook but every once in a while something that's even better than the Elephant Walk (the standard for Pan-Asian fare). Tonight, it was her first ever fish-stir-fry and it was incredible. She later asked "are we eating too much?" It's a good question. Dinner really should be the SMALLEST meal of the day, with breakfast being the LARGEST (if you must put them in those categories). Lastly, I noted that a half pak of Splenda is TOO sweet for me. I must remember to cut it down some.

Day 359: Fresca is Wood

I just want to repeat for those who missed yesterday's blog: Fresca is made of Wood, or wood by-products. If you remember the cry "Soylent Green is People" you'll recognize the siren call for this generation. Don't forget it, in case anyone asks you. Fresca is made of "Glycerol ester of wood rosin" aka WOOD, aka TREE. If you must pick a diet soda, please, please don't pick one made of things you can't identify.

Breakfast
2 Small slices Balthazar multi-grain bread
4 slices of ham
2.5 oz. 50% jalapeno cheddar
tea

Snack
12 oz. coffee (half decaf)

Lunch: Demos
Ham, Onion, Feta Omelet
Salad with Feta

Dinner
Emily's Stir-Fry Chicken with Black Sesame Seeds and Leeks
Salad with Feta

Today I amazingly had NO snacks—not one in the morning or in the afternoon. I was hungry around 5pm (as I have been usually) and I went into the kitchen for a yogurt, but at the last minute decided that if I am going to arrive at my goal weight of 185 I must feel the hunger. I settled for water for a snack, and then got home to have dinner. I have been fighting the urge to eat something after dinner lately—and I realized that chocolate was NOT the way to go, perfect as it might be. I abolished the chocolate, and we'll see how it goes.

Day 358: President's Day with Fresca

Ruby has no school, and the cold cuts are still good. Since I have some extra time in the AM, I treat myself to another omelet. A definite casualty of having such a tight morning schedule is the inability to really 'make' any kind of breakfast for myself, but I can't complain since I love the Balthazar bread and cheese, even though it's very boring to read about.

Breakfast
3 Egg, Pastrami and Corned Beef Omelet
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese
Tea

Snack
12 oz. coffee (half decaf)
1 bite of Balthazar bread
1 can Fresca
1/2 Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch: Russo's ($4.38)
Red Leaf, Red peppers, Red Onions
Feta, Chicken, Chick Peas
Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

Dinner
Ground Pork and Peppers
Lettuce Wraps

Interlude:
1 Square Tanzania Chocolate

I realize too late after I eat my third square of chocolate in as many days that I should just STOP eating chocolate. Sure, one square is only 50 calories and has a good dietary fiber to carbs ratio, but the fact is that on a diet, every 50 calories count, and I have no business squandering 50 of them at the end of the night.

I continue to fail to arouse anyone's ire regarding the contents of Fresca. Just yesterday there was an article in the NY Times about people who are fanatics for TAB. I thought I was a fanatic for Fresca, but today I had one and it was just BAD. It tasted bad and made me feel bad. Anyone want to know why? IT CONTAINS WOOD. Because you're still not moved to anger, I have provided the list of ingredients below. See if you can count how many things you shouldn't put in your body:

Water, Citric Acid, Concentrated Grapefruit Juice, Potassium Citrate,
Potassium Benzoate and EDTA (to protect taste) Aspartame, Acesulfame
potassium, acacia, natural flavors, glycerol ester of wood rosin,
brominated vegetable oil, carob bean gum

Day 357: Back to the Gym

I did get to the gym today, where I was jockeying for pole position with an overweight, pushy woman from the parking lot to the sign up board. She looked to be out of the running when she forgot her pass, but I ultimately was a two-time loser when I stopped to rent a towel (bleachy smelling things for a dollar. Note: not available on the Sabbath) and she pulled ahead. Aside from getting to the signup board first, she took the last signup spot for the elliptical machine. Due to a brain malfunction on my part, I signed up for the wrong machine. Without a machine, I spent the first 15 minutes on the treadmill. Then, I thought it was my turn, but sadly turned away by a Russian man who had to point out the folly of my ways. I did another half hour on the treadmill. I can't tell you how many miles I went because of my lack experience, I continued to pull of the emergency button, stopping the treadmill and resetting all the numbers. This happened three times. On the fourth time, just minutes before my time on the elliptical was called for, I just gave up and waited. I only had the appetite for 1 mile on the elliptical and then I did a half mile on the track. It was a disjointed triathlon, but it was a fitting return.

Breakfast
Pastrami and Eggs
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Tea

Snack
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Few pieces of honeydew melon

Lunch
Corned Beef and Turkey
Pickles, Sour Tomatoes and Peppers
Cole Slaw
Coke Zero

Dinner
Caesar Salad (undressed)
6 oz. Breast of Chicken
Spinach, Tomatoes, Onions and Feta
Chicken and Arugala

Interlude:
1 Small Square Tanzania Dark Chocolate

Though there wasn't a lot of eating today, but what there was felt rich and heavy. Dinner was at a place called Macaroni Grille, which you would think from the crowds was the last civilized operation that was offering dinner in Massachusetts. It was basically another version of Bertucci's, but the food wasn't as reliable, and there was no dough to play with. The dark chocolate was better on day two. Aileen is promising a Burdick's bar that will knock my socks off.

Day 356:Saturday

Another weekend and I'm hoping to get to the gym again. In addition to the Balthazar bread, my mother has brought cured meats (Corned Beef and Pastrami). They prove to be irresistible every day.

Breakfast
Pastrami, Eggs and Onions
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Snack(s)
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread (with butter)
1/4 cup Almonds/Cashews

Lunch:
Bacon Cheeseburger with Onions (no bun)
Salad
1 Buffalo Chicken Tender

Interlude:
1 Small Square Tanzania Dark Chocolate
Coke Zero

Dinner
Salmon a la Emily
Spinach with Garlic and Olive Oil

Very small portion of salmon for dinner. I had eaten a lot in the day and fortunately I didn't continue the trend. In the afternoon there was a trip to Whole Foods where I bought a chocolate bar called "Tanzania," based on its low carbs and low sugars listed on the label. As per my previous experiences, it wasn't really for me. I guess I'm both interested and worried that if I find a dark chocolate I love I won't be able to have a casual relationship with it.

Day 355: 10 Days to Go

Today was actually a big eating day. I didn't think it would be, since I was sick and just not feeling like I had a lot of appetite. I knew it might be a hard day when I realized we had run out of Balthazar bread. Quelle desperation! However, I knew my Mom was coming with a shopping bag full! You've got to admire that woman, she is truly supportive.

Breakfast
1 Whole Wheat English Muffin
1 slice Ham
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Tea

Snack
Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee (half Decaf)
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
2 Tblspns Peanut Butter

Lunch: Sushi 21
1 Gyoza
2 Steamed Shumai
1 Miso Soup
Salad
Sliced Sirloin Steak

Dinner
Emily's Asian Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps
2 Glasses Yellow Tail Cabernet Merlot

And once again, Emily makes an incredible dinner, which is as good if not better than most restaurants. When I was the cook of the house, she used to analyze the meal and then come out with a price, such as "I would pay 7.99 for this in a restaurant." And now the shoe's on the other foot, as it is I playing the Phantom Gourmet. But the truth is, she's a much better cook than I. I was only a master of the 'low arts' of Grilled Cheese, Hamburger, Eggs and the occasional Caesar salad from scratch. But all of those things seems so 90s right now.

Day 354: Not Sick Again!

Unbelievably, I feel as though I am coming down with another cold. This is a drag for so many reasons, but mostly because it has been a winter season where my family could simply not shake their sickness, as it continued to shape-shift from one form to another. I am on the Emergen-C and Airborne in my attempts to stave it off.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Rye Bread
4 Slices of Ham
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Tea

Snack
1 Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee (Half Decaf)
6 oz. Plain Yogurt (with Splenda)

Lunch: Chinese
Beef with Broccoli
Buddah's Delight
Chicken with Spicy Green Beans
House Special Egg Drop Soup (with Chicken, Tofu, Shrimp)

Dinner
Catfish
Junior Bok Choy a la Emily

As I was having my yogurt around 5:00 I was thinking, "why did I write 'I don't have a second snack?'" It's like a curse when you write those things down. SoI have one, only it was only my first snack, since I didn't have anything in the morning. I also tried out the yogurt without the peanut butter. It's really quite good, and you know, and I didn't consider myself a Splenda fan—I am certain that we will learn in the future that consumption is tied to increases in all kinds of terrible diseases—but for now I am enjoying the taste. Two days ago I had a diet coke with Splenda—it actually tastes better then regular diet coke with aspartame or whatever they put in it. There's still nothing like Fresca, which contains wood, which no one but me seems to care about.

Day 353: Wednesday

Went for a walk today, trying to take advantage of the 40 degree weather. Though it was just me and another Domaniac (and we are the slowest) it actually was quite a workout because the Charles River path was UNclear that it required a constant high-stepping and, well...hiking. We were both sweating by the end of it, which is always a good sign.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Rye Bread
4 Slices of Ham
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Tea

Snack
12 oz. Coffee (Half Decaf)
1 Small Granny Smith Apple

Lunch: Christos
Greek Salad with Chicken
Feta, Oil & Vinegar

Dinner
Emily's Thai Fusion Chicken
and Pea Tendrils
A Bit of Rob's Red Beans
2 Bites of a Healthy Choice Chok'lit pop

It's been really amazing to me that I have not been hungry during the second snack period of the day. This has traditionally been the time, for as long as I can remember, that I would be drinking caffeinated beverages or eating chocolate candy. During periods where I was trying to be 'good' (all dieters refer to periods where they were or are 'trying to be good') I would eat Boston Lite Popcorn or Pretzels (which we all now is a joke). But I would always, always, be eating between 2pm and 6pm.
During my heaviest periods, I would often eat so much during that period that I was not hungry for dinner when I got home, which viewed in retrospect, is kind of sad. Even sadder is that I would often eat when I got home, even if not hungry. A friend of Emily's used to say "when you smell and see the food, you get hungry," and that's the truth.

So for most of the days this week (yesterday being an exception) I have not had a second snack. It's good in general because it also means that I am nearly nut-free, which is good, because any good diet calls for variety, and when you're on a nut-a-thon, it's really hard to break the rut.

Day 352: Valentine's Day

Well, despite my desire, I did not have any chocolate today. Though no one should despair, I did get a few valentines. I am gladdened at the thought that I might get in a few walks this week as the temperature nears 50 degrees here. This is a relief because this weekend the JCC was closed on Sunday due to the snowstorm. I am hoping to keep myself light through times of reduced exercise by eating less, and certainly I have made it through many of the days with only one snack. Today, I experimented with popcorn, which in individual bags weighs half of one ounce and contain only 10 grams of carbs (which is less than any other delicious snack).

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Rye Bread
4 Slices of Ham
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Tea

Snack
1 Small Granny Smith Apple
1/2 oz Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch
Turkey Tips, Cherry Peppers on Mesclun Greens

Dinner
Chicken Breast
Emily's Bok Choy
1/2 Cheese Stick (was feeding it to Magnolia)

After dinner I did spend some time longingly caressing a bag of chocolate hearts I had procured from Whole Foods. Even though the calories were negligible, I opted out, but I was determined to have some chocolate, maybe at the one year celebration party! Just kidding.

Day 351: After Blizzard, Before Chocolate (...Valentine's) Day

Amazingly, I did not eat a second snack again today, though I had one planned, and at 3:30, my 'snack alarm' went off. Sadly, I was not hungry. 4:00pm, nope, 4:30, and today I left at 5pm, so no second snack. What is happening? I may just have found the perfect lunch for me—it's not too much, not too bad for me, not too filling, but just enough to see me through to dinner (as long as dinner as at 5:59PM on the nose). Dinner was a cacophony because I was with the kids while Emily went out with a friend.

Breakfast
1 Slice of Balthazar Multigrain Bread
4 slices of Ham
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Tea

Snack
1 mealy Apple
1 medium cup Dunkin Donuts (half decaf)

Lunch: Russo's Salad ($4.42)
Red leaf lettuce, red peppers, red onions
feta, grilled chicken, artichoke
olives, broccoli

Dinner
Ham and Cheese Omelet
Emily's Chinese Cabbage Stir-fry
4 baby carrots
A few pieces of cheeseburger, hot dog

For Chocolate Lovers!

It is that time again and don't think that I didn't get Ruby something special AND chocolate. Though it was hard to pass up the Barbie/Disney/Dora/Bratz chocolate sets at CVS, I went a little deeper and got a special chocolate hearts from Whole Foods. Coincidentally, I got an email today that implored me to share with you all the fact that we can save the rainforests, defy big corporate (M&M/Mars, Hershey's and Nestles) who employ slave labor AND feed our chocolate fix at the same time by locating and purchasing Fair Trade Chocolate (http://store.gxonlinestore.org/chocolate.html).

From their email:
"The chocolate to look for is organic and 'Fair Trade' -- and bears labels certifying both. The organic label verifies that the cacao was farmed in an environmentally sustainable way, while the Fair Trade label guarantees that farmers were paid a minimum price for their product. Without Fair Trade guarantees, small cacao growers are at the mercy of the market. When world cacao prices dip too low, as they have these past 10 years, growers can't make a living wage. Not only is that unacceptable from a human rights perspective, it also increases the likelihood that they'll shift their land to more profitable -- and destructive -- uses, such as cattle ranching."

Since being on South Beach, I've realized that dark chocolate is the way to go. The only problem is, I'm afraid if I go there I won't go back. The truth is, dark chocolate to me, while very delicious, is still a bit off-putting. Maybe I haven't found the right dark chocolate yet? Not that I couldn't eat my weight of it, just that having grown up on Slave Labor Ivory Coast chocolate, it's hard to move forward in a responsible direction where chocolate is concerned. I realize that Dark Chocolate has all the antioxidants and other health benefits while the crap we grew up on features mostly cheap ingredients like sugar and milk and not very much of the good stuff. I think tomorrow I might just have a little dark square (if my valentine gives me one)...

Day 350: Blizzard

We were ready. Went shopping, got the sterno, new construction paper and play-doh, milk, bread, we were not going to have to go out at all today. Of course the only downside to that is that you're near the food all day. This makes it quite a bit more difficult to avoid over-eating, and just from looking at the list, I can tell that it was one of my biggest eating days in quite a while, even if it's nowhere the kind of 'big eating day' I had as little as two years ago. Back then, though I am ashamed to admit it now, it was not uncommon for me to have eaten such a big meal that I would come home in equal parts discomfort and shame. Now the only time I really feel any kind of shame is when I know I could have made it through some feeling of hunger without snacking but I did, and this is not the same kind of shame as before, but a "I will not make my goal if I cheat myself" kind of thing.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain
4 Slices of Ham
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch
Tuna Salad on
Romaine, Cabbage, Onions
with Feta
3 Melba Toast (Whole Grain)
5 Doritos (Ruby fed them to me, but I ate them)

Snack
6 oz plain yogurt
Super Chunky Peanut butter
1/2 splenda

Dinner
Cheeseburger (93% Sirloin)
Emily's Celery/ Broccoli Stir Fry
Bok Choy
Pickles

For those of you who have commented on the unpleasantness of the plain yogurt-peanut butter combination, I tried something today that I think changes everything. By adding 1/2 pack of Splenda, it made it a totally fantastic dish. In fact, the Splenda might make the peanut butter unnecessary. I am not an advocate of people adding Splenda to things (because it's a chemical that has not stood the test of time on people's bodies and it's poppycock that it's made from sugar and/or natural) but I have to say, it really does a lot to completely eliminate the sour yogurt flavor. When you look at the difference between plain yogurt carbs and fruit flavored yogurt, the fruit/flavored yogurts are almost DOUBLE. So I really need to save those carbs. Now, the Doritos on the other hand....

Day 349: Day of Three Yogurts

This is actually a misleading headline, but "Day of Two Yogurts" didn't sound that good. I'm not sure why I even wanted to title this entry that, but it stuck with me all day, so I just thought I'd go with it. Today I tried to get back on the horse of my old breakfast—longtime blog readers will surely recognize it—but somehow it just didn't sit right with me. Aside form that, Magnolia 'got sick'. This is in quotes because she didn't have the stomach virus, but did use the same mechanical function to rid herself of....well you get the idea. Not sure what it was about the one two punch of less-than-ideal-sitting breakfast and having your daughter get sick on you, but I wasn't much in the mood for lunch. Then around 5:00pm we determined Ruby had to go to the emergency room with an ear infection. How bout that? I buried the lede.

Breakfast
Two Eggs Over Easy
2.5 Strips Turkey Bacon
2 oz. 50 % Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch
Plain Yogurt
2 Tblspns Super Chunky Peanut Butter
1/4 Kashi Go Lean

Snack/Dinner
Chicken Soup
2 oz Columbo Lite Blueberry Yogurt

So the rest of the story is that Ruby and I took off for the 'urgent care center' (someone in marketing came up with that, so much more attractive than 'emergency room'). Of course when we got there she was immediately hungry so we went in search of the ubiquitous hospital vending machines. She wanted pretzels and orange juice (doesn't that just say 'recovery snack' to a kid?) and I noted they had yogurt, and figured this was my one chance of getting any dinner. There were no spoons, but I managed to score one from the "urgent care' staff. Ruby liked my yogurt better than her pretzels, so there that went. When I got home and got the prescription filled, it was 10:00pm. I wasn't going to eat anything, but I had a little chicken soup and then Emily and started to prepare for the coming storm.

Day 348: Fughetaboutit

Very little to report today. I am still not myself, but unfortunately, I am still not someone else either. Certainly falling behind in my fitness regime due to sickness. Looking forward to work out this weekend, and maybe some aerobic snow-shoveling.

Break-fast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain bread
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Snack
1 Fuji Apple (it was a little plain)
1 Dunkin Donuts Medium Black Coffee (Half decaf)
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
2 Tbsps Peanut butter
1/4 cup Kashi Puffs

Lunch: Christos Salad

Dinner
Shrimp and Bok Choy a la Emily
Clams

I am noticing that since illness I have been quite low on the nuts (excepting peanut butter). This is good—for a long time I was on crash-nut-course that I couldn't swerve off of. Not sure if it's the lingering feelings of illness or what but I have not had more than a handful of nuts in quite some time, and I was reading in the SoBe book that they are 'dietbusters' if you don't watch out. But then so are Doritos.

Day 347: The Truth About Balthazar Bread

Aileen (my original SoBe partner) is on South Beach again and we were emailing about Balthazar bread and she asked me if it had white flour in it. I thought I had determined that, but with my advanced age, I couldn't remember. Well, wouldn't you know it, she called up not one but two bakers at Balthazar till she wrung the truth about the bread from them. There is NO WHITE FLOUR in the Rye or Multi-Grain bread; however the raisin bread and regular bread is made with white flour. A big sigh—if I had to give that up, it could have really set me back. For those travelling to NY (http://www.balthazarny.com/home.html) or NJ, I highly recommend a visit for some bread (the cookies are good too).

Breafkast
1 Slice Balthazar Rye
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
2 Slices of Ham

Snack
1 Gala Apple (it was a little mealy)
Coffee
1 oz. Peanuts
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
2 Tbsps Super Chunky Peanut butter
1/4 cup Kashi Puffs

Lunch
Feta Omlette
Greek Salad
A Tiny Nib of a Pita Bread

Dinner
Stir-Fry Beef
String Beans

Today was definitely a more 'old me' day. Did I say I went for a walk on Tuesday? It was bitter cold but I did it anyway, because our fastest Domania walker was up for it. We had both been sort of 'winterized'- meaning stuck inside, not exercising, getting pasty and heavier, and not liking it. I realize that any kind of movement at all is vital to making me feel better, if not keeping the weight off. I did think about chocolate a lot today. It was just that kind of day.

Day 346: One Snack

Amazingly, I ate in such a way that I was not even hungry for the second snack that I had prepared. It was sitting on my desk. I thought, "It's 4:00pm, I better eat my snack now." But I wasn't hungry. Then it was 4:30, then 5:00pm. Still, not interested. By the time I got home I was hungry and had a few nuts. But I was amazed to note that either I am changing, or still sick (hoping it's the former).

Breakfast
1 Slice of Balthazar Rye Bread
2 oz. Jalapeno Cheese
2 Slices of Ham

Snack
1 Cameo Apple
About 2 oz. Almonds/Cashews

Lunch: Russo's ($4.42)
Salad (no broccoli)

Dinner
Breast of Chicken
Emily's Stir-Fry Cabbage with Carrots

Still love to eat, but I'm definitely not at my former "voraciousness."

Day 345: 20 Days To One

Gamely shuffling my way to work, I can only hope that my illness does, in fact, help me shed a few pounds. I realize that even if it were not for the weight loss, this year was about bringing me to a healthy state. To vanquish most fear and anxiety, to have more energy, to feel that, in the words of Sammy Davis, Jr. "Yes I Can" (If Frank Sinatra says its OK)*. Though I am not yet at my goal state, I know that I can get there when I'm ready to put my foot on the petal. Today was about getting back to normal. I was a little less hungry during the morning, leading me to hope that I will always be not that hungry. I remain above all, a foolish optimist.

Breakfast
1 Large Slice of Balthazar Rye
5 Very thin slices of Virginia Ham
Tea

Snack
Tea
6 oz. Vanilla Yogurt
1 Braeburn Apple

Lunch
Three Poached Eggs
1 Slice Wheat (but probably not real Wheat) Toast
1 Ham Steak
A few potato crisps

Dinner
Tilapia a la Em
Sauteed Onions

Still not back at speed, I allow myself both a vanilla yogurt (twice the carbs of plain yogurt) and an apple. I skipped the honey in my tea and privately nurse the concern that I will become addicted to sugar. I also allowed myself the tiny crispy parts of a potato side dish (that I didn't order) but came with my poached eggs. If the eggs had been harder cooked, I could have skipped the toast, but their condition necessitated me eating the toast. Definitely not REAL wheat toast, you can just tell, when it tastes like wonder bread. For years I thought I was doing myself a solid by ordering wheat toast at diners and restaurants, but for the most part what they serve is 'shambolic.'**

* paranthetical quote from "This is Spinal Tap."
** Simon Cowell, American Idol.

Day 344: Back to Work

Not exactly 100%, I know it's time to get back to work. I have used up good will slack in work and sick time in the last two weeks of my family's illness and funeral travel. Feeling that I am not contagious, I set off for work. It takes some doing, and except for a wrong-headed moment where I volunteered to get a co-worker's lunch (I had to wait a bit and a sub shop is not exactly where you want to wait when you're queasy) the day went fairly well. I started to get light-headed around 4:00pm and I knew I had to get home.

Breakfast
1 Slice Whole Foods White Bread, Plain
Tea with Honey

Snack
2 Small Slices Challah
Unsweetened Apple Sauce

Lunch
Banana
Vanilla Yogurt

Dinner
Breast of Chicken
1 Whole Wheat English Muffin

I really wanted to eat a lot today. Nearly everyone who knew I was sick said "but you'll be glad to lose the weight." I thought this was a sort of gallows humor I am glad people feel comfortable enough with me to suggest, and in fact, it's true. I'll always remember how I had my gall bladder out in 2003 and lost about 10 lbs. Then, instead of going with that, I decided it was time to spend two years eating every fried thing I could get my hands on. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Day 343: Recovery Zone

Feeling a little better today, I was able to eat a whole piece of white toast and a cup of tea with honey. While worried that I'm skeeballing off South Beach, I realize I have to try and do what feels right.

Breakfast
1 Slice White Toast
Tea with Honey

Lunch
75% Banana
1 Unsweetened Apple Sauce
1 Slice of Balthazar Rye Toast

Dinner
1 Soft-Boiled Egg
1 Slice Balthazar Rye Toast

Not out of the woods yet, but so far I'm thinking that I'll go to work tomorrow.

Day 342: Full-Blown Virus

There seems to be some kind of stomach virus that is making its way through the region. Our pediatrician said they had seen over 200 kids throwing up since Christmas. Ruby got it, Emily got it, and I thought I missed it, but I got a somewhat mild version. Usually it causes people to need to use the toilet in two ways (A) kneeling and (B) sitting. Mine was more of the B type.

Tea
1/2 slice of White Toast

There was literally no eating today; very little time out of bed.

Day 341: Poker Game

As long time readers know, the day of a poker game is a day to be very cautious with the calories. Though I was quite irresponsible in the old days, I did get to a point where I was only having a plain chicken caesar salad for dinner with no dressing—though it was small consolation given that I was also drinking a beer, a coke, sweet and crunchy nuts, funyuns, fritos, bonbell cheeses, doritos 3-Ds, chili cheese fries and yes, the occasional choco taco. Even back then I started to have salad for lunch too, as if somewhere in that thick head of mine (made thick from obviously being layered with white sugar and flour) I knew that I was this close (holds thumb and forefinger less than half an inch away from each other) from that first heart attack. These days, I am still eating the salad on poker day. Also, I try to avoid any nuts as a concession to eating more than the alloted amount later in the evening. I'm also allowing that a fair amount of calories come after 7:30, which according to Oprah and everyone who knows anything about anything is a no-no.

Breakfast
1 Large Slice, Balthazar Bread
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
2 slices of ham
Tea

Snack:
1 Braeburn Apple
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean
2 Tbsps Peanut Butter

Lunch: Russo's Salad
Red Leaf, Red Onions, Red Peppers
Chicken, Feta
Onions, Artichokes, Squash, Olives
Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

Poker Snack:
Olives
Cashews/Almonds
1 Cup Spoiled Popcorn

Dinner: Mandarin Taste

Boneless Spareribs
Szechwan Beef
Chicken with Broccoli
Shrimp with Lobster Sauce

Lots of Chinese food tonight, though since I got to order it, I made sure this was little that was SoBe friendly. I had to give up on the appetizers, because everybody wanted fried things, even though everyone acknowledged that they didn't need them. they did go fast, so at least people were being honest. It is hard to eat Chinese food without rice, but somethings you just have to accept. I bought a bag of Boston Lite popcorn but it had 'turned'—though I ate it anyway, desperate as I was for a salty snack. I also had the tiniest crumb of piece of cheesecake I got for my brother as a special birthday dessert. Naturally, there was also pie.

Day 340: Thursdays

On Thursdays in my old life, I used to have a ritual. I would get up extra early (before kids that was 7ish) and get on a train to the South End of Boston where I would meet my brother. From there we would go to the South End's greatest breakfast hole, Charlies Sandwich Shoppe. Almost every Thursday we would have the same breakfast. For each of us, Two "dropped" eggs on their world-famous turkey hash, with melted cheese over it. In addition, we would sometimes get blueberry pancakes (with butter and syrup). Always coffee, and for me, orange juice and LOTS of water. After about 40 minutes of forking it in, I would take his car, drop him off at work at the Boston ad agency, and then I'd drive to Cambridge where I would work, eat lunch (amazingly) and then, at 6pm, retrieve him in Boston, where we'd drive to our card game. If you've just joined the blog, or can't remember, the card game was a night full of anti-South Beach foods at volumes that no normal person should consume. When i think how I did that every week for a year or two, it's no wonder I was 40 lbs overweight. Additionally, Friday mornings always found me SUPER tired from staying up late and consuming empty white carbs. Often Friday mornings would see me catching the 'hair of the dog', either at McDonald's or a Lemon Pie. It's really amazing that I'm still alive, when you think about it.

Breakfast
1 Large Slice, Balthazar Bread
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
2 slices of ham
Tea

Snack
20 Almonds
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean
2 Tblspns Peanut Butter

Lunch: Christos
Greek Salad with Chicken
Oil & Vinegar Dressing

Dinner
Steak Tips
Green Beans
Pickles

Another Domaniac and I went for a VERY brisk walk today, which was good, because I need it, and this was looking to be the only good day of the week. Though it was cold, there were a few warm spots. It was an interesting Groundhog Day, because I could never understand why they care about 'predicting' whether there will be more winter or not. There's always more winter in New England, and it rarely ends on March 22nd, when it's supposed to. All of the warm days this winter have frustrated my friends who are skiers, and greatly alarmed me, but I have been glad to take advantage of it. Today's CNN article about Groundhog day seemed to support my point, when they wrote "The National Environmental Trust said it's groundhog-suit-wearing human 'will ignore his shadow and will instead rely on global warming evidence to forecast an early spring.'"

Day 339: Detecto Says "193"

Though it's only been two weeks (or so) since my last weigh in, I wanted to keep on a regular first-of-the-month weigh-in. I must confess to you: I don't like getting on the scale any more than you do. But I feel I must do it because I have a goal (to get to 186 lbs) and it's the only way I can know whether I'm progressing or not. Sure, it helps to throw out pants. Sure it's good to have to dispose of belts. But a life-change is about the numbers: carbs, grams of fats, calories and weight in pounds. I actually went to the doctor regarding an arm-tingling I've been having. I think it's a pinched nerve. Anyway, by the time I got weighed in it was 4:00pm, I was wearing my jeans, and I had just had my yogurt. Not only that, but I had just come from a weekend of Shiva-sitting, so I was pretty happy with 193.

Breakfast
1 Slice of Multi-Grain Balthazar Bread
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Light Cheddar
Tea

Snack-um
20 Almonds
1 Cheese Stick
Coffee (half decaf)
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
Peanut Butter
1/4 Kashi Go Lean Cereal

Lunch: Russo's Salad
Red Leaf, Red Onions, Red Peppers
Chicken, Feta
Onions, Artichokes, Squash, Olives
Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

Dinner
Chicken Breast
Broccoli
Pickles
(a few bites of Ruby's cheeseburger)

The Salad Bar continues to be a place where numbers count. The bar at Russo's is $3.99/lb. So I figure that a pound and half of salad ($5.50) is about the right amount, even though you might think that sounds like an enormous amount of salad. Certainly it's possible to create a calorie rich, unhealthy salad, if you load it up with bad fats and fried things, and that heap on creamy dressings. But if you keep your ingredients on the wholesome side, you should be able to eat a lot of salad. Lately, I had been going over $6.00. Naturally I was starting to get worried—"Am I bingeing at lunch?" You don't want to pull a muscle carrying your salad. Today my salad weighed in at $4.34—a new 'low' record. It actually was quite satisfying. I made a conscious effort to take less things, as taking 'seconds' is always the hardest thing for me to resist. Incidentally, the same salad at Whole Foods would have cost $13.00, but it would have been organic.

Day 338: 1 Short Month to Go

Amazingly, I am just one short month (February) from having made my lifestyle change for a year. Though there are still struggles, mostly with volume (see: "Seconds") but mostly I have incorporated the "South Beach" diet into my daily thoughts and beings. However, I am still learning things. For instance, I was avoiding popcorn, but today, hungry and in the car broke into a bag I brought for Ruby that she wasn't interested in. I noted that one serving (a bag) is 60 Calories with 10gs of Carbs—less than a serving of toast (or Kashi, for that matter). I resolved to make it part of my diet from this point on, which is good, because I'm always looking for ways to avoid nuts.

Breakfast
1 Cup of Kashi Whole Grain Puffs
1/2 Cup of Unsweetened Soy Milk
Tea

Snack
1 small orange
15 Almonds
1 Joy Stick
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
1 Cup Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch
Roll Mops: Ham, Muenster, Mustard
1 Heart of Romaine
Pickles

Dinner
Balsamic Chicken a la Robert
Broccoli

Today I had to stay home from work for the fifth time in two weeks, which not only makes me greatly uncomfortable but puts me way behind in all the work I have to do. Emily came down with whatever Ruby had last week and it surely was not pleasant. As one of my fill-in duties, I had to bring her to her "jazz-funk dance" class at the JCC; and so of course, it made sense for me to work out, since the poor weather and impossibility of parking anywhere near the facility made pick up and drop off more complicated. So I did get a 35 minute, 3 mile work out on the ellipse in today, which was good, because I was fretting about going to weigh in without any kind of exercise. For the third time in a row I stopped by the "fitness office" to see a consultant, but no one was on duty. Naturally, I will continue to try and get someone so I can achieve 2007's goals of rock hard abs.

Day 337: Feeling Old, Sick

People are always saying "your health is the most important thing" and for good reason. When you are unhealthy, your outlook on the world is less rosy. For instance, I did not get to workout this weekend. I had an opportunity—my mom has a treadmill and I certainly could have gotten on it, but I felt too lousy to exercise. I could have leapt to the gym upon returning, but I just barely had the energy to get us ready for the weekend. So here I am, Monday, facing a rainy week (aka no walks) and I'm feeling lousy.

Breakfast
2 (small) slices of Balthazar bread
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar Lite
Tea

Snack
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz plain yogurt
Super-chunky peanut butter

Lunch: Russo's Salad
Red Leaf Lettuce, Red Onions, Red Peppers
Yellow Squash, Feta Cheese, Tuna Salad
Mushrooms (for luck on Chinese New Year), Artichokes

Dinner: Leftovers from CK Shanghai
Hollow Pea Stems
Steak from Steak Ginger

In my new life aside from eating responsibly from a calorie perspective, I am trying to eat responsibly from a consumption perspective. Though we went shopping on our return, we also had leftovers and I deemed I better eat them no matter how mediocre they were when they were dinner. By combining two dishes and adding hot sauce I made it palatable. I am excited about adding fruit to my diet. This is mainly because we had some California Oranges that were just unbelievable. Keep in mind that these oranges were actually picked by people we knew from a tree in California and then handed to us. I bought some in the store the other day; I'll see how they are.

Day 336: Return and Happy Chinese New Year (Year of the Dog)

It's official: everyone in the family is sick. We get up, bleary eyed and shove the car full of dirty laundry and ill-folded clothes and get on the road. My mother had secured loaves of bread from Balthazar so large we had to chop them in half to properly cart them around. Also, Emily's father only has a pop-up toaster so this required a lot of handling. There were a lot of torn slices around and I think I ate all of them. We didn't each much on the road.

Breakfast
Slices of Balthazar Rye Bread
Peanut Butter
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar Light
Tea

On-the-road
1 Joy Stick
1 Orange
7 Almonds, 7 Cashews

Return
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
2 Tsps Peanut Butter
1/4 Kashi Go Lean

Dinner: CK Shanghai
Hot and Sour Soup
2 Boneless Spareribs
Ginger Beef
Sliced Fish

To celebrate our return home we decided not to cook, and to celebrate Chinese New Year's we thought we try this new restaurant nearby that's supposed to be a sensation. Emily gave it low grades, and Ruby wasn't buying it either. Magnolia ate quite a bit of beef teriyaki, and I too thought it was lacking. But then I have a soft spot for Chinese food. Oh, I could tell you stories about consumption, but not now.

Day 335: Saturday's Shiva

We continue our Shiva-sitting by trying to get ready for the next onslaught of visitors. In the process, we did some shopping and house-cleaning. Everything happens so fast it's really hard to keep track of what you're eating. You're basically hosting an all-day drop by and you're constantly bringing things out and putting them away, and trying to think about what you'll need. The truth is that during a Shiva, people are supposed to bring food but in the modern world one of two things happen; either people come wanting to be fed, or you get so much food you're pleading with people to help you eat all the food that has been sent.

Breakfast
Butterball Turkey Bacon (not as good as Louis Rich or Jennie-O)
Scrambled Eggs
50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Coffee

Lunch or Things That Were Eaten During the Day
The cheese of three slices of pizza
Salad
Lots of Cashews
1 Very Small Bite of Dark Chocolate with AlmondsPickles, Olives

Dinner
Pastrami Slices
Slices of Edam Cheese
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean
2 Tbspns Peanut Butter

When I look back on the day it's amazing that I didn't eat more than I did. You can't believe how upside-down some folks got when exposed to trays of delicious desserts and chocolates. Luckily, and for no known reason, it had no effect on me. I did sample of the chocolate, but I decided I could do without it, and the sticky buns, chocolate chip cookies, and the rest.

Day 334: Funeral

Sure funerals are hard for everyone, especially those in the forefront of the loss. But it must be acknowledged that it is difficult in an entirely different way for those who have special dietary needs. For instance, the funeral was called for 11:00AM. I thought, OK, that's an hour, then the burial, that's an hour, 1:00pm we'll be going back to the house. The Jews have a big thing about the post-grieving. (http://www.benjamins.ca/Static/shiva_background.htm) Anyway, like an acorn-starved squirrel, I sat in the back of the limo, feeding myself pistachios.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
1 Tsp Peanut Butter
1 6 oz Plain Yogurt
2 Tsps Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean

Snack
1 Joy Stick
150 Pistachios

Lunch/Dinner
1 Whole Wheat Bagel
Egg Salad
Baked Salmon
Whitefish
6 Blackberries
6 Slices of Corned Beef, Mustard
Cole Slaw

The amazing thing is that after you are starved beyond comprehension, you have to eat a ton. If you do that wrong, you'll be sick. I did eat a lot but not too much. However, that 4:00pm was the last meal of the day; despite the presence of chocolate, desserts, fruit plates, and cheesecake. I even avoided having any alcohol, even though it was very tempting.

Day 333: Travel to NY

Some people love traveling, but I am not one of them. There is so much to remember, and you're child-wrangling it's easy to forget vital things, like your funeral outfit as Emily did.

Breakfast
2 Eggs
2.5 Strips Turkey Bacon
2 oz. Jalapeno cheddar 50%

On the Road/Lunch
1.5 Chicken Cutlets
2 oz. Jalapeno Cheddar
3 oz. Almonds/Cashews

Arrival/Snack
Chicken Soup with White Meat Chicken
30 Pistachios

Dinner
Still More Chicken Soup
1 Spare Rib
Chilled Shrimp
Salad

When I woke up today, I knew I had the cold or whatever that Ruby had. My head was fuzzed-out and my nose didn't stop running for most of the car trip. I was hoping it would affect my appetite, but mostly it didn't.

Day 332: Sam

Last night a close family friend died. While it's always hard to process this kind of thing, it's even harder not to reach for the food for comfort. On top of it, Ruby is still not 100%, Magnolia seems to have a bug giving her a fever, and we're all getting the car for NY. There is no doubt that I could sit myself down and finish off a package of Fig Newtons (originally to be called Fig Shrewsburys but for a last minute change of plans). The other reason I don't eat the Fig Newtons is they are literally filled with everything that everyone should avoid—corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, and sugared-up fig paste that leaves plaque on your teeth. Ruby's dentist confirmed that the best desserts (if you must have desserts) are ice cream, popsicles and crispy cookies. I say amen to all three!

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar Lite
2 Slices Black Forest Ham
Tea

Snack
12 oz. coffee (half decaf)
30 pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz. Plain Yogurt with
Lots of Peanut Butter, 1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean

Lunch: Wonton Kitchen
Beef with Broccoli
House special egg drop soup

Dinner
Salad
1 Joy Stick
1 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

It was good that I had a slightly larger than average lunch because dinner was simply not happening for anyone this evening. We tried hard to bring order to the house with a round of baths and eventually everyone got to sleep. But the ride tomorrow is going to be difficult. I almost ate a fudge pop but realized that I can't be weak now—the real weakness will come when I'm surrounded by mourners and in close proximity to the world's most delicious food (I'm talking about you, New York). Prior to this incident my mother (longtime blog readers insert cheer here) had gotten to Balthazar's NY place and stocked us up, which was good because we were down to our last two slices of Rye.

Day 331: Yikes

Ruby continued her campaign of nausea and was in between a few moments of excitability, spent most of the day laid out in bed, watching cartoons. She couldn't keep much down and had little interest in food other than life savers, which were brought over by a friend. It is sobering to think about my diet in the backdrop of someone who can't eat a thing, or is reduced to the BRAT diet by a stomach illness.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar Lite
2 Slices Black Forest Ham
Tea

Snack
12 oz. coffee (half decaf)
30 pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz. Plain Yogurt with
Lots of Peanut Butter, 1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean

Lunch: Russo's Salad
Red Things; Red Onions, Red Leaf Lettuce, Red Pepper, Balsamic Vinegar
Green Things: Olives, Olive Oil, Broccoli, Celery
Protein: Chicken and Feta Cheese

Dinner: A la Emily
Whole-Wheat Dredged Chicken
Broccoli, Celery, Sprouts and Scallions

I promised Ruby I would get her some different life savers (a friend had brought over the five-flavor classic). However, I was unable to do this. Neither CVS I went to had anything but five flavor—I was aghast. I did find some sugarless butter rum and a value pak of WintOgreen, but where was the tropical fruit? Oh how I longed for the fleshy-colored mango life savers! Oh, how I endured the awful fake-coconut ones! How I long to share that experience with my daughter, but due to the cold, cruel heartless marketing department determining that simply won't sell, they've been discontinued. In case you wanted to know, the new five flavors are: Cherry, Watermelon, Pineapple, Raspberry and Orange. I'm not sure why they named a companion product "creme savers" as they don't save creme or lives.

Day 330: Yet Another Snow Day in Needham

Amazingly, though the forecast called for snow during the 5AM-10AM hours, and possibly 6 inches (which is not by typical New England January parameters) school was not closed. I woke up for some reason at 3:30am and went downstairs to check the school closings list and look outside. No snow. I got up again at 6:30am and it was like white out conditions but still no Needham cancellation. I think that they are still trying to make it up for the time they cancelled school when it was only raining and every parent got mad. Anyway, I knew we were going to be late so I drove Ruby to school and when I passed her bus stop, everybody was waiting there freezing, so I gave them all a lift. The roads were really awful but it was only a mile and half. When I got there all the teachers were somewhat in shock that there was school and a lot of parents were dropping their kids off and buses were late everywhere. I was scheduled to go into work until 12 and then take Ruby to her first Dentist appointment (OK, we're late), but I knew then there was no point in going to work and then having to leave again in an hour because the roads were so bad. I stayed at home, and that often means going off the routine, but I did OK.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar Lite
2 Slices Black Forest Ham
Tea

Snack
1 Stick Celery
Coffee with Unsweetened Soy Milk
15 Almonds
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz. Plain Yogurt with
Lots of Peanut Butter, 1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean

Lunch
Muenster Omelet
2.5 Strips Turkey Bacon
6 oz. V-8

Dinner
Pan-Sauteed Chicken
Broccoli with Lite Soy
Pickles & Peppadews

I realized today that there are days when I am just going to be very hungry. Whether that is caused by stress, work, being tired or actual hunger I cannot always tell, but it seems that I'm going to have to turn to celery and broccoli during the day if I'm going to get anywhere. I noticed as I was prepping the broccoli today that I like to eat the stems raw quite a bit. I decided I would bring some to work tomorrow to just keep around and just chomp on if the mood (and need) strike. I know that if I am to attain my goal weight I must: 1. Add more exercise and 2. Vary my diet. These are big challenges. Thank goodness I have all of 2006 to conquer them (though really only till Ruby's birthday to achieve the next 8 lbs).

Day 329: Trip to Marblehead

Social eating is a whole other kind of thing you have to deal with on your diet. Different from just plain ol' restaurant eating with your S.O., social eating to me is a trip to someone's house with a spread, like a brunch, or some formal or semi-formal occasion where some kind of buffet is available, like a wedding. I'm not sure that I'll ever excel at my diet when a plate of appealing food is just lying around begging to be sampled or eaten. I find the biggest difference is that it's easy to manage your portion control when you know, say, that you have 15 minutes to eat; or that you have limited choices (as in at your workplace) or when someone else makes your dinner. It's harder when you're out there in the world, say on vacation, when the point is to ENJOY YOURSELF. That's hard.

Breakfast
1 Cup Kashi Go Lean Cereal
3/4 cup Unsweetened Silk Soy Milk
Tea

Early Lunch
5 oz. 50% Jalapeno Lite Cheddar
3 Slices of Ham
2 Slices of Toscano Salami
Ass't Bites of Other Cheeses
1 Cup Coffee

Snack
Fruit 2O
1 Joy Stick
15 Almonds
6 oz plain yogurt with 2 Tbs peanut butter and 1/4 cup of Kashi Go Lean
1 Celery Stalk

Dinner
Steak Tips
Emily's Spicy Bok Choy with Scallions
Cabbage, Onion and Feta Salad

I went to the gym today and IT WAS HARD. I'm not sure why, but it was one of those days where I ran at a rate of about 6.5mph so I could get it over with faster. I did 3 miles (in under 30 minutes, a record) then, jelly-legged I did another FAST half-mile around the track. I really worked up a sweat—so much that I had to wipe down my headphones (sorry if that's a disturbing image). I really didn't have much more in me, but I was wondering, why was it so hard? Why was I so tired? What about Naomi?

Day 328: Love at the Art-In

Today was the "Art-In" at Ruby's school, which Emily joked was a protest (it wasn't). It was simply a well-planned, indoor event for kids scheduled to be going crazy from staying indoors in the winter. However, it was 56 degrees today, so Ruby naturally made a beeline for the monkeybars (after decorating her cupcake with sprinkles, chocolate chips and m&ms, natch).
I knew that I would be in some kind of low-blood-sugar crisis if we stayed there the whole time so I endeavored to load up before I went, but when the clock turned to 1:00pm, I was like the carriage in Cinderella turning into a pumpkin. You never see that in the movie, but believe me, it's not pretty. I was so much hungrier today than usual, and I don't know why.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Lite Cheddar
2 Slices of Ham
Tea

Snack
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz plain yogurt with 2 Tbs peanut butter and 1/4 cup of Kashi Go Lean
1 oz 50 % Jalapeno Lite Cheddar
1 Celery Stalk

Lunch
Salami, Muenster and Scallion Omelet

Dinner
Catfish
Avocado Salad
Broccoli with Soy Sauce.

I was just thinking today about how everything in my life regarding food—from going to restaurants to shopping has changed. Emily used to say to me "you buy a lot of things you don't eat." I realize now, looking back, that a majority of that stuff was carbohydrates, and the bad kind at that. Mostly it's because that stuff is available in bulk, is cheap and doesn't go bad. Whether it was crackers, rice, pasta, there was a ton of it. I now notice that my shopping cart has little of that, instead being filled with SoBe friendly items like protein, vegetables, fruit and dairy products (a lot yogurt, f'ristance). I also notice that as a result of this new shopping trend, when our fridge and cabinets get empty, they're really empty.

Day 327: Meat Day

Another beautiful day and another day for a walk with the Domania gang. Though one member was missing, it was otherwise an all-in walk, including our pregnant member, who joined though she was worried we would find the walk too slow. We didn't but I believe that any walking is good walking (in terms of health). If you ask me if I'd rather walk to the video or drive I would shoot you a dirty look. In the book "Natural Cures..." the author Kevin Trudeau says;
"When you go for a walk, not only are you getting the benefits of the exercise of the slow rhythmic movement, you lymph system is getting toxins out of your body...the energy is flowing through the meridians and you are allowing for the earth's magnetic energy to flow through your body, energizing your cells. You are also looking out and externalizing through your eyes at far away distances, which increases the electromagnetic energy in your body...It has a profound effect on your state of mind and happiness."

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Lite Cheddar
2 Slices of Ham
Tea

Snack
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz plain yogurt
2 Tbs peanut butter

Lunch: Not Your Average Joe's
Sirloin Tips
Green Beans
House Salad

Dinner
93% Ground Sirloin Burger
Pickles
Cabbage a la Emily

Emily had been on a fish-a-ma-jig so I was surprised to have red meat for dinner, especially since I had had it for lunch, eschewing the usual salad choice. Ironically, I was the only one at the table to order a non-salad, which was typical for my old self. I once made a business mentor and colleague chuckle endlessly when I ordered "a second rasher of bacon—for the table." And that wasn't the only story of that kind of order out there. There is no doubt that I might always struggle with numbers on the scale, but barring apocalyptic terror that drives me to a box of chocodiles (http://www.freshchocodiles.com/) , I think my ways have been changed for good. Certainly for the better.

Day 326: The Waiting

I tried the Kashi for breakfast today. Though the book "Good Carbs, Good Fats" lists 1 serving as 1/2 a cup I have taken it upon myself to determine that that is a ridiculous amount of cereal for a grown man. I treat myself to a whole cup. It it good—but probably two cups is the right size. I went for a brisk walk, taking advantage of the warm weather today. Again, there's that global warming at work for me to lose weight.

Breakfast
1 cup Kashi
3/4 cup unsweetened Soy Milk

Snack
Dunkin Donuts Coffee (half decaf)
30 Pistachios
2 Cheese Sticks
6 oz plain yogurt
2 tsps peanut butter

Lunch
Pound O' Salad from Christos

Dinner
Leek-y Sole
Bok Choy

I am not hungry very often. That may be a sign that I'm eating too much? Do I have an eating disorder? What I think I have gotten pretty good at is waiting. I absolutely must wait until 3:30 in the afternoon to have my yogurt or I won't make it till dinner. 11:30am is a tough time for me—I am out of snacks and I have to wait till lunch. That's probably the hungriest I get all day.

325: Detecto Says "194"

It's my first weigh-in for quite a while and of course, it was OK, about what I expected, but just like American Idol contestants, I dream of great things, even if the reality wasn't quite there. Glad to be past the hurdle of 196 and I know now for sure that I have get serious about the second gym trip or just accept my destiny to live the 190s. I've been rereading the South Beach book and I think that the portion sizes have been reduced. Who can eat a half cup of cereal for breakfast? That's just crazy.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread (yummy)
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Lite Cheddar
2 Slices of Ham
Tea

Snack
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz plain yogurt
2 Tbs peanut butter

Lunch: Russo's
Salad: Chicken, Feta, Onions, Red Leaf Lettuce, Artichokes, Olives

Dinner
Tilapia a la Emily
Emily's Roasted Pepper Medley
Apple Fruit 2 O

I am desperately trying to come up with other alternatives to pistachios for snack. I know that a key to losing weight, staying healthy and being happy is having variety in your foods. Emily has been doing great things in the kitchen but I have to keep up my end on breakfast and lunch. Since my morning ritual is down to about 15 minutes, it's hard to find something that's both fresh and appealing. Tomorrow it's Kashi, and then back to Balthazar; maybe some eggs on the weekend. We'll see how it goes.

Day 324: Bread Consumed, Consumed by Bread

Emily said "you're probably so excited about the bread you won't be able to sleep." She was right. I was excited and it was hard to go to sleep. More exciting was the freedom from eggs-ploitation; as two weeks of eggs is hard to take. I know I went four weeks the first go around, but I'm more willing to do more exercise now. If I was a Batman villain I would have stressed "Eggs"-ercise. But I'm not. I debated having the bread plain; then with melted cheese (one day I'll get back to the peanut butter on toast). I took my first bite naked (the bread, not me) then added the fixings. Yep, it's that good. It's like potato chips, it's hard to stop at one.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread (yummy)
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Lite Cheddar
2 Slices of Ham
Tea

Snack
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz plain yogurt
2 Tbs peanut butter

Lunch
Christos Pound O' Salad
with grilled chicken

Dinner
Emily's Cabbage-a-thon
Spicy Chicken with Sauce of Mystery

Though this is the time you can slowly add back carbs to your diet, I need to take it slow. I am going to see Detecto tomorrow (if I don't get iced-out, according to the forecast) so we'll have to assess the damage there. If I was a betting man I don't know, I might say 194 or something—maybe 195? I'm really looking for anything LOWER than 196, that's my goal. If I'm at 196 I'll really know that I won't be having that second slice of bread anytime soon. I'm staying on the plain yogurt for now since really it's lower in carbs than the supposedly 'low-fat' which you're only supposed to have 4 oz of. I figure 6 of plain is a fair trade. I am seriously starting to think about Ruby's diet, for first time in my life—not just about the lunches and stuff, but about the whole shebang—should probably get her off white bread? A recent experiment where I attempted to giver her Organic Fig Newmans instead of Fig Newtons was an abject failure. So we've got a little bit of a way to go there.

Day 323: Boy Dreams of Bread

Well that's it. Phase One (Part Two) is over. Tomorrow begins Phase Two (Part Two) and everything that comes with it. My job now is to introduce carbs (or more carbs) back in slowly, and to try and keep losing weight. Because this is a short week, I probably won't be adding the workout this week, but the weigh-in is sure to spur me on. I am going to start with one slice of bread (I was eating two at last writing) and so I suppose I had gotten to Phase Three.

Breakfast
Two Hard Boiled Eggs
Lox
Tea

Snack
1 Cheese Stick
30 Pistachios
1 oz. Jalapeno Cheddar Lite
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
2 Tsps Peanut Butter
1 Celery Stick

Lunch
Cheeseburger (with Kaseri)
Pickles

Dinner
Steelhead Trout a la Emily
Cabbage (my fave)

Mostly looking forward to adding fruit back, and regular (not plain) yogurt. I will go slow, and see how it goes. Good to know that Phase One is behind me, and my clothes are sagging once again. I'm not sure I lost any real weight this time around—I suspect the last 10 pounds will be the hardest and will not go away without exercise. And then there's my goal of attaining rock hard abs by — never?

Hope this is not a yearly ritual (the need to Phase One it following Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, New Year's "Rockin Eve" with Dick Clark) but if you're still reading, I'll probably still be blogging.

322: Almost Done with Phase One

Tomorrow is my last day on Phase One. In what could only be called premature, I brought up the two loaves of Balthazar bread (one rye, one multi-grain) that I had socked away in our chest freezer and stored in them in our upstairs freezer. (There was no more left from the first loaves—Emily finished off what I didn't, and now Magnolia loves it too). I am excited for Tuesday, where I will have a slice for the first time. Before I went back to Phase One I was having TWO slices every morning. That's probably not the thing to do. Then on Wednesday, I will get weighed. My hope is to be under 196—but aside from that, I have no numbers in mind. I'd like to be reliably at 185 by Ruby's birthday in July. I hope it doesn't take that long to get there, though.

Breakfast
Three Eggs, Soft-Boiled (Five Minutes)
2 Slices of Turkey Bacon
1 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar Lite

Snack
30 Pistachios
6 oz. Yogurt (Plain)
2 Tsps Peanut Butter
12 oz. coffee with unsweetened soy milk

Lunch
Boston Lettuce Salad with Feta, Olives and Tuna Salad
Emily's Chicken Parmesan

Dinner
Emily's Sauteed Chinese Chicken and Cabbage
1 Cheese Stick

I continue to eat peanut butter and pistachios, as I am not yet ready to switch over. If my weight is unsatisfactory, I might change, but I need the nuts and the peanut butter to get through the day. I'm just not sure I can get with the celery sticks at my desk. People do write in about my eating of the eggs—Dr. Agaston says eggs will not lead to a heart attack and do not need to be limited unless advised by your doctor. Since my doctor has not advised me—I will continue to eat them, especially since tomorrow will be my last egg breakfast for a while. I did 4 miles on the elliptical today, and a few rounds on the track. I am ready to go twice a week to the gym. I went to see the fitness professionals, but they weren't there. I'll have to call tomorrow, see what I can get.

321: Journaling

From the South Beach Diet Newsletter (I ask once again, are these people spying on me?) about their new feature, "Journaling:" Use the Journal to jot down your thoughts and feelings, sort through challenges you've faced, and record your successes. Keeping track of your daily progress can help you identify potential weak spots, as well as figure out strategies to overcome them. You can decide whether to keep your entries private or share them with other South Beach Dieters to compare your experiences. You can also read the journals of other members (who have made them public) to understand their challenges, rewards, and experiences. Finally, use the Journal as a food diary by listing everything you eat in a day. Again, you'll learn a lot about your eating habits, and having a record of your food choices will be helpful if your weight loss stalls and you want to consult one of our nutritionists for advice.

Breakfast
2 strips Turkey Bacon
3 eggs, soft-boiled
1 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheese
Tea

Snack
Coffee with Unsweetened Soy Milk
15 Almonds
15 Cashews
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
2 tsps Peanut Butter

Lunch
Tuna, Salad, Feta, Olives
Coke Zero

Dinner
Emily's Spicy Chicken with Lettuce Wraps
Pickles

What I realized today was that you're not supposed to eat three servings of nuts a day. I think I may know where I'm going wrong. To quote from the "Good Fats, Good Carbs Guide:" "But while nuts are a great source of good fats, they're also very easy to overeat, which can impede weight loss, to be mindful of how many you're consuming. For this reason we limit nuts to one serving daily." So by having Peanut Butter and a serving of nuts, I think I'm double-dipping. Damn. I'm going to have to pick up on the cheese and skip the 2nd nuts course.

Day 320: Rejectionist at the Sheet Cake

On the third of three incredibly warm days, to celebrate an employee having a baby, we all went out to lunch to a Greek place nearby. The food was good, but we ordered a lot (we were hungry). There were appetizers, salad and entrees. Good thing we didn't bring the sheet cake to the restaurant as I had originally planned. After a big meal everyone needed a lot of walking in the crisp day, but instead we went back to the office and sat down and the heat was cranked up so we were all passing out. Around 4:00pm we broke out the sheet cake for the celebration and there was much rejoicing. As usual, I refused the sheetcake, but I can tell you that it was a good one—it just looked incredible. I knew its moistness; I knew its sweetness; I knew its texture. But I did not, in the biblical sense, "know" the sheetcake. Now that's Phase One talking. I would have allowed myself a sliver on Phase Two/Three. Such is my sense of timing.

Breakfast
2 Microwaved Eggs
2 Slices Ham
6 oz. V-8

Snack
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese stick
12 oz. Coffee (half decaf)
6 oz Plain Yogurt
2 Tsps Peanut Butter

Lunch
Saganaki (Cheese)
Hummus
"Double" Salad with Feta
Beef Kebab with Mushrooms, Peppers and Onions
Green Beans

Dinner
Emily's "Kicked Up" Chicken Salad
Broccoli with Soy
Pickles

It was a regular cheese-fest today, what with a cheese stick for snack, feta on the salad and a dish called "Saganaki" which claims to be "Kaseri Cheese Flambe" but is really just a bowl of boiling hot melted cheese served with a lemon wedge. It happens to be delicious, which is counter-intuitive since it's only claim to fame is resembling the top ingredient of a cheese pizza. However, all of us (except one) consumed two bowls of it (though it's sheep cheese—sorry, M) so they clearly what they're doing. Our dinner was pretty small, which turned out to be a blessing since it was probably the biggest eating day I've had on my second go-round of Phase One. Only three more breakfasts to go before my beloved toast is to return. It's too bad it's a holiday weekend, sure would love to curl up with a Cinnabon. Maybe in the next life.

Day 319: Employee's Blood Sugar Drops, Dies at Desk

I was seeing the headline in my head as the hour grew later. I realize that asking someone to get you lunch who's "going on a few errands" could be a mistake, but at 1:46, after a brisk walk that required no coat, I thought I'd just put my head down on the desk and wait. It was an unbelievable day. I say that because I can't remember a January day where I went on a two mile walk without a coat on. In fact, there's never been a January in my life that I've gone for a two mile walk, but the fact that I had no coat on was also remarkable.

Breakfast
Ham, Cabbage and Feta Omelet
Tea

Snack
30 Pistachios
2 Cheese sticks
1 Joy Stick
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
2 Tsps Peanut Butter

Lunch
Spinach Salad with Mushrooms, Chicken and Tomatoes

Dinner
Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas

Since I had to eat after my walk (it was around 1:00 and I was hungry) I resorted to a Joy Stick, chased by a Cheese Stick. Though they weren't on my snack plan I really had no choice. When my salad came (minus a fork but with pita bread) I noted that it had peppercorn dressing, not the balsamic I had ordered. So I ate it plain and dressingless. I think that two years ago I could not have done that. I'm not sure that's personal growth, but it is something.

Day 318: Global Warming Allows More Walks

Though having children makes you regret how we're ruining the planet, and commit yourself to whatever we can do to stem the tide of global warming, it's hard not to enjoy the 40, 50 and 60 degree weather during the winter when you get it. Sure it's a guilty pleasure, but except for caffeine and the Internet there aren't too many of those left for a guy who's given up white sugar, white flour and white potatoes. Today the Domania Walking Club went out but as last time it was some slow going with its icy patches and muddy valleys. But we made it anyway, and it felt good.

Breakfast
Celery Broccoli Omelet
Tea

Snack
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
2 tsps Peanut Butter

Lunch: Chinese
Beef with Snow Peas
String Beans with Tofu

Dinner
Thai Chicken Soup
Broccoli with Soy Sauce

I remember the hardest part about blogging through certain periods in this diet has been the lack of variety. I'm sorry for anyone who has to look at the same menu again and again; it's not fun. However, I do get to end Phase One on a holiday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) as I left my old life on New Year's Day. In related news, I finally realize I have to get rid of my brown belt that I owned prior to starting the diet. I now have to use it on the fifth hole and it still doesn't work. I think it was a waste size 40, so I probably need to get a smaller belt size. I am hoping that I can get weighed Tuesday morning, and I hope that I am in the low 190s—my goal this year is to get to 185, by hook or by crook. If I succeed, maybe I'll celebrate with a Hostess Lemon Pie.

Day 317: The Most Hated Man in the Supermarket

All I have to say is if supermarkets are open until 10PM, then they shouldn't get angry at you when you come in at 9PM and want you to serve them. Is it my fault they've put everything away? I feel hateful, stabbing eye-looks as I trespass through the store, picking things from shelves that supermarket employees thought were perfectly "faced" until I came along. I know they want to go home as early as they can, but THE STORE IS OPEN TILL TEN. At ten, there's plenty of time to put the things away no one would buy. Hopefully, someone will unwrap them and sell them in the morning.

Breakfast
Celery/Broccoli Omelet
Tea

Snack
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz Plain Yogurt
2 Tsp Peanut Butter

Lunch: Russo's Salad
Red Leaf Lettuce
Grilled Chicken
Onions, Olives, Artichokes
Feta Cheese

Dinner
Rainbow Trout a la Emily
Savoy Cabbage Stir Fry
Fruit 2 O

Walking through the bread aisle was really something. There was an overwhelming yeastiness and I had the sensation of bread-pliancy as one feels when you press on the bread. Bread, Macaroni and Bread all in one aisle. I started to feel like a failure from Breadaholics anonymous. I took a deep breath, took nothing in the aisle, and went to checkout.

Day 316: Out, damn Carrots

Mondays are hard as everyone knows, but Mondays with microwaved eggs and snow to shovel off your stairs are even harder. There's no point in complaining, it's just seven more days now. It does feel good to get through the very tough Phase One, but I've lingered in the freezer looking at the remainder of the Balthazar Rye bread. "Soon my sweet," I have been heard to whisper to it.

Breakfast
2 Microwaved Eggs
3 Slices of Ham
Tea
v-8

Snack
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz Plain Yogurt
2 Tsps Peanut Butter

Lunch
Grilled Chicken on Christos Salad

Dinner
90% Sirloin Burger
Emily's "Crazy" Peppers
Brocoli/Celery Stir-Fry
Pickles

It's amazing that you can be on Phase One and order a salad and still go wrong—last time it was the sugary Balsamic dressing; today it was that the salad was lousy with shredded carrots. You couldn't get them out, they were everywhere. I did pick oil and vinegar dressing, which is very plain but very good. Emily outdid herself tonight—there were three vegetable side dishes. This is good because you can't just do the meat/cheese/nut thing, though I certainly could. When I was getting my salad I noticed the sweet smell of pizza baking, and even though I don't particular care for their pizza, it was captivating nonetheless.

Day 315: Tears at the Birthday Party

Today was a part for my nephew. I have gotten used to eating the cheese of a slice of pizza and only once since I started south beach have I eaten a regular slice of pizza with the dough. It was at Martha's Vineyard and only because they were reported to have "the best pizza on the island," a claim that was either patently false or if true, just so very sad. Anyway, Cheese is not much of a lunch, and I swear that being on the South Beach diet is probably a disaster for my sodium level. Fortunately, I do not add salt to my food and I drink a lot of water. But oy! There's a lot of sodium in this boy's life.

Breakfast
Omelet, Feta and 2 Strips of Bacon
Diet Coke Zero

Snack
30 Almonds/Cashews
1 Joy Stick
Plain Yogurt, 2 Tsps of Peanut Butter

Lunch
Cheese of Six Slices of Pizza

Dinner
Steak Tips
Asparagus
4 Slices of Ham
2 Pickles

A day just begging for vegetables, and finding few. I hoped a salad, maybe, but it just didn't happen. The whole thing is just running around the avoidance of bread and such. 8 More days of eggs for breakfast. Yuch.

314: Quest For Fitness

For people without kids, it is mostly pretty easy to get to the gym. For people with structure, it's probably easy to work this in. When you have kids and no structure, the simple act of getting to the gym can be very difficult. I think this is why for a long time I talked myself out of fitness, or the need for it. I felt like it was a foregone conclusion that I would not go to the gym, so why sign up? Why waste the money? It wasn't really until Emily and I had a love affair with tennis that even sweating seemed really interesting to me. So now I go, and I go once a week, which is not very much, but for those who know me, that is quite a lot. Not just the exercise, but actually being able to get there. Today was quite difficult in that there were several timeslots available and none was working.

Breakfast
2.5 slices of Louis Rich Turkey Bacon
2 Eggs over easy
1 Cheese Stick
Tea

Snack
4 Slices of Ham
About 30 Almonds and/or Cashews
About 30 Pistachios
6 oz V-8 juice
1 Cheese Stick

Lunch
Romaine Salad
Olives
Feta
Tuna
2 Pickles

Dinner
Flounder a la Em, with Scallions
a few bites of Ruby's steak tips
a few bites of the tiny bit of leftovers from last night's dinner

Day 313: A Tale of Two Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Once again I begin my phase one breakfast hoping that eggs will not cause me to have a heart attack and die. With no hard boiled eggs left and no time to make any to order, I do the old bad-restaurant trick of putting them in the microwave. Even though it's day four of Phase One, Breakfast has basically lost its pleasurability qualities except that it provides a needed respite from hunger pangs.

Breakfast
Two Microwaved Eggs
2 slices of canadian Bacon
V-8
Tea

Snack
coffee (half decaf)
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese stick
6 oz plain yogurt
2 tsps Peanut Butter
1 pickle by Gus

Lunch
Shrimp, Chicken and Broccoli, Snow Peas

Dinner
Chicken-Lettuce Wraps a la Emily
Savoy Cabbage a la Emily
Fruit2-O

I really can't say anything nice about my lunch since it was steamed (but somehow cold) chicken over a sea of uninvitingly cold vegetables, but it must be said that there were a lot of them. This time there was a soy-ginger sauce but it tasted to me like a teriyaki sauce (read: contains sugar) than a soy-ginger sauce.

The real surprise was waiting for me when I got home. Emily had made her crowning achievement—a double Elephant Walk—style dinner that I practically ate all of including the plates. Because lunch was somewhat early today—and the yogurt course was early (2:30, not 3:30) I was quite hungry in the 4:30 time frame and had a pickle even though they are sub-standard. I was famished when I got home. Even though I had a restaurant quality meal, I still wanted something sweet (which seems common after Asian food) but instead of the ricotta dessert that South Beach allows on the Phase One, I skipped and had a fruit 2 o, which though disgusting, contains no calories, no carbs, and nothing that you should be putting in your body.

Day 312: Ho Hum

I'm afraid there just isn't a lot to report. My breakfast and snacks have been the same, and there's nothing that can make swoon for toast like being on Phase One of the South Beach diet. It just goes to prove that I can live without just about anything in my life, but bread, and especially Balthazar bread, which now Emily is addicted to and eating up all the supply before my two weeks is up.

Breakfast
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
2 Slices of Canadian Bacon
6 oz V-8 juice
Tea

Snack
Coffee (12 oz, half decaf)
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz Plain Yogurt, 2 Teaspoons Peanut Butter

Lunch
Salad: Chicken Breast, Olives, Balsamic Vinegar, Feta Cheese, Onions, Red Peppers

Dinner
Shrimp and Baby Bok Choy a la Emily

I did read the South Beach diet book again but I'm not sure if I'm cheating by having three snacks—cheese sticks, pistachios and yogurt with peanut butter. The first go around on phase one I had just a cheese stick or just the nuts, so that might explain why it's been so much easier. Conversely, I might just have figured out how to have the more substantial snack later in the day when it's harder to resist things like cookies. Also, for some unknown reason, I have been able to stave off my consumption of any sweets and fudgicles, lending to credence to the claim by South Beach creators that going on the diet will rid you of the cravings for such things. On my last day before Phase One I did have two Doritos (which I failed to note in this blog) and I realized that you could eat a whole bag of those before you realize you even ate one. That's why I suppose, America is fat. Plus, we love TV.

Farenheit 311

So far being on Phase One is not at all hard (then can I be doing it right?) but it is quite boring. I must keep my routine fairly similar every day because left to my own devices I would veer off to a Balthazar bread orgy. Phase One is really about giving up all the things that are delicious for reasons other than they savory; like fruit. Again, it's not so much of a challenge of "can I do it?" as much as "can I stand it?"

Breakfast
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
2 Slices of Canadian Bacon
6 oz V-8 juice
Tea

Snack
Coffee (12 oz, half decaf)
30 Pistachios
1 Cheese Stick
6 oz Plain Yogurt, 2 Teaspoons Peanut Butter

Lunch
Grilled Chicken/Greek Salad

Dinner
Emily Chicken-Stove Sauteed
Broccoli and Celery Stir-Fry a la Emily

Amazingly I went for a walk today at Domania. At 30 or so degrees there were not a lot of takers, but God bless the one Domaniac who asked if I brought my sneakers. Not only do I have a pair of sneakers at work for just such an occasion but I recently got a pair of high Rockports for walking in cold weather. Happened to be wearing them today, and they were perfect. Though I initially fretted about breaking my hip on the icy streets (we took to the streets because the route around the river was thought to be WAY too treacherous) I relented and was so glad to be out and walking. I don't think I broke a sweat, but I'll tell you that so far it was the highlight of my week, and it was a welcome relief in a day full of business, phone calls, and the like. When I got back I ordered the pound of salad from Christos but in my effort to be super-healthy I asked for balsamic dressing but got some kind of sugary-nonsense that I poured over my salad before realizing it was not pure balsamic. I grumbled to myself and ate it anyway, sure that a little sugar never killed anyone.

Day 310: Phase One, Again

"Any ordinary man would have given it up by now."—The Swanky Modes

This is what I was thinking this morning as I attempt to re-mount a Phase One South Beach diet on the same day that I return to work after nearly two weeks off. As if the deck weren't already stacked, it's snowing outside, I can't find Ruby's snowpants, and in the end it doesn't matter because after we're standing outside for a minute in the cold when I realize that school is cancelled. I have to knock on a neighbor's door to confirm this, and so it's back inside. It was a stressful morning, but I realized that once you set your mind to something, you can't be swayed unless you allow it, or you really didn't have your mind "set."

Breakfast
Two Hard Boiled Eggs
Two Slices of Canadian Bacon
6 oz V8
Tea

Snack
30 Pistachios
12 oz Coffee (half decaf)
1 Cheese stick
6 oz PLAIN yogurt with 2 tsp peanut butter

Lunch
Steamed Chicken with Vegetables
Soy Sauce (though not the Soy-Ginger sauce the menu had promised)

Dinner
Pan-sauteed chicken
Broccoli
Pickles

Of course, the thing I remember about being on Phase One was how much easier it was to write down what I ate. In just this one day of being back on Phase One I realized how much I had let myself 'indulge' recently, even though by my previous standards of eating a large sub at Mighty Subs ("Our small is their Large"), it wasn't quite indulgent at all. I had basically reduced my eating to three meals and two snacks a day, though at times that was challenging. On this first 'new' day of Phase One, I thought I would need to rely on the fudgicle for dessert as I did on my very first day (http://sobediet.blogspot.com/2005_02_01_sobediet_archive.html). Fortunately, that was not the case, I eased through the night with ease, which basically told me I was lucky to be at 196 with the way I'd been carrying on with my cheese-eating ways.

Day 309: Goodbye Toast

I can't remember who it was, but it was some one I read an interview with (probably Depardieu) was bemoaning the ubiquity of places like Au Bon Pain, specifically one called Bon Jour Pain, America in the late 80s. He said in response that he was going to open up a place in France that served American fare to be called "Hello Toast." That has little merit and even less comedy, but that's what I'm thinking about as I prepare to go on Phase One again. I have mostly done three things to prepare: shop; get my South Beach source material out, and read my first two weeks worth of blogs. While there will be a return to nut-counting, the saddest thing of all will be a temporary separation from my true love, Balthazar Multi-Grain toast with super chunky peanut butter.

Breakfast
Two slices Balthazar Multi-grain toast
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Light Cheddar
Peanut Butter
Tea

Snacks
A bunch o nuts
2 oz. Cracker Barrel Cheese
9 Melba Toast (Whole Wheat) Rounds
1 Jonagold Apple

Lunch
1 Cup Whole Wheat Rotini
Pesto
4 Slices of Black Forrest Ham

Dinner
Whole-Wheat Drenched Tilapia Fry
Sauteed Cabbage a la Emily

I must say that as I was afraid of entering the South Beach diet fray for the first time, I am again somewhat concerned. But I realize now that what it takes is a commitment and a willingness to suffer (if you can call it that) from hunger. Also, from reading the new book South Beach Diet: Good Fats, Good Carbs Guide (Revised) I have been able to learn more about how to eat and what to keep in heavy rotation and what to limit (hint: toast is not in 'heavy rotation'). On the plus side, they have lightened up on the bananas and carrots. I must finally say that none of this would be possible without the support of Emily, who has been my cook, my rock and my friend throughout. Additionally, I need to re-thank everyone at work for being incredibly supportive and helpful and obviously, everyone who's reading this now—I could not keep on without the writing and without readers there would be very little purpose (not none, but a lot less).

Day 308: First Night of 2006; Last Night of Chanukah

Though I know many people who are determined to start some new phase of their lives starting January 1st, I know far less of them that actually succeed. In many ways, this is a totally arbitrary date and has no more meaning to your real life than April 15th, only that people believe it does. I celebrate anyone who's reading this who has committed to changing anything as grand as their lives as or as small as a bad habit, but the only way you're going to succeed is to do it when you're good and ready. I quit smoking March 21st 1997; I quit eating badly Feb 28th, 2004. To this day I have not "fallen off" the wagon of either, but I must also admit that there were no great plans to do either—I just followed a particular path. I was going to list off things I learned this year, but I couldn't think of any. That is, I couldn't think of the ones I had thought of in my head. But I do remember I wanted to tell everyone "don't smell your water bottle—nothing good will ever come of it."

Breakfast
2 Slices of Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread (even Emily said "That's Damn Good Bread")
Peanut Butter
2.5 oz Jalapeno 50% Cheddar

Lunch
Cheese Omelet
Emily's New Wok Broccoli and Celery

Snacks & Such
A few almonds and cashews
a few bites of Turkey Deli Meat (for sampling)
10 Melba Wheat Thins (Whole Grain)
2 oz. Cheddar Cheese

Dinner
Meatloaf
Salad

On Tuesday, I am returning to Phase One. This has been brought on by both my desire to lose more weight and my inability to get past 196 where I was stuck (and probably higher than that following this long holiday season). Due to inclement weather forecast for Tuesday and the rest of this week, I'm not sure whether I'll get weighed this week or next. But make no mistake, I'll be Phase One-ing it.

Day 307: Last Night of 2005, Seventh Night of Chanukah

As weeks go, you can't really get any bigger than Christmas, Chanukah and New Year's all in one. If only Thanksgiving were celebrated on the Chinese year calendar it could have fallen in this week, too. Fortunately it didn't, since we've all had enough by this point. Enough of relatives, parties, social obligations, and the temptations (raise your hand if you want more temptations) that come with them. Tonight some will be out galavanting, and some will watch Ryan Seacrest try to take the wheel from the poor, addled post-stroke Dick Clark. I'm not sure what we'll be doing, but I sure I am glad to be at home with my family. I guess by reading this, you all got home safely, too.

Breakfast
2 Slices of Multi-Grain Balthazar Bread (have figured out perfect Toast setting is a 5)
Super Chunky and Regular Peanut Butter
2-3 oz. Jalapeno Cheddar Lite
Tea

Snack
A few bites of buttered multigrain bread Emily made for Ruby
A few handfuls of air-popped popcorn made for Molly
a few nuts (natch)
50% of a small popcorn at the Movies (Ruby and I saw "Curse of the Were-Rabbit")

Lunch
The remainder of some Tuna salad made for Ruby
The remainder of the Jalapeno Cheese block from this AM

Dinner
Steak Tips
Salad

Dessert
38% of Russian Chocolate Cheesecake Bar (Declined to finish it—do I really need those calories?)
2 bites of Magnolia's Oatmeal (For demonstration purposes)

Like most, I am looking forward to the next two days off, but then there's the issue of the WHOLE WIDE YEAR laying out in front of you. That can be somewhat and unsettling, when you think about where you've been and what you're in for. I heard a song recently that moved me beyond words. I think it's appropriate for this night, and especially for me (how did Irving Berlin know I'd have two children with curly hair?). Of course, reading the simple lyrics without the melody (he knew how to write one, you know, and if you don't, you should be ashamed) doesn't do the song justice, but what can I do? I'm just a simple text-blogger.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS by Irving Berlin

When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep
Counting my blessings

When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep
Counting my blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads
And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds

If you're worried and you can't sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you'll fall asleep
Counting your blessings