Year 2, Day 107: Move Over Corn-Fed Beef, Here Comes Teflon

How much do you love your teflon/silverstone pans? Really, how much?

Whoops, Dupont (owner of the state of Delaware) has been asked to phase out perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. Apparently, this is the chemical that is released when you heat a teflon pan to 600 degrees— is that even possible in the home?
In animals PFOA can cause cancer, immune-system damage and death. Whoops again—it lingers in carpets, drapes and towels long after it's gone from the air. And, guess what, according to Time Magazine: 95% of all Americans have traces of PFOA in their blood. In 2004, the company admitted no liability but paid $107.6 million to settle a lawpoint with 50,000 people who lived near DuPont's West Virginia plant. In January, an EPA advisory board labeled PFOA a likely human carcinogen."

"The EPA has since asked DuPont and seven other companies that use PFOA to phase out the chemical. Although DuPont disputes the classification as a carcinogen and won't stop making Teflon, the company has pledged that by 2015, it will reduce the amount of PFOA used to make the coating and will guarantee that the chemical won't be released into the environment from DuPont manufacturing plants."

2015. Wow, they got right on that.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean
Heritage Flakes
1 Cup 8th Continent Light Soy Milk
1 Cup Blueberries

Lunch:
Russo's Salad ($5.51)
Red Leaf, Red Pepper, Red Onion
Broccoli, Chick Peas, Feta, Chicken

Snack
Coffee
Peanut Butter
Celery
15 Almonds
1/2 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn

Dinner
Chicken
Cauliflower

Not sure why, but I was INCREDIBLY hungry today. I should have just kept my jaw shut and enjoyed the burn, but by 3:30 I had to have a 1/2 of popcorn. Even though it's a whole 'snack size' bag, it's really about three bites, for me. Still later, I was compelled to eat some almonds that are lingering around the office. Not very happy with this new hunger, maybe I have not been managing snack time properly. It's very hard to wait until 3:30 and the truth is I have been having the celery snack earlier and earlier. I've got to watch that.

Year 2, Day 106: Beware What You Don't Beware

I was at Ruby's "Field Day" celebration today, and at 4:00 there was an hour long 'talent show' that showcased the various (and some might say debatable) talents among the three Kindergarten classes at the school. The acts were all mostly very short, though they varied in length and quality. One boy however, got up to do a lip-synch to "We are the Dinosaurs" (a song which will cause all current parents of toddlers to slap their heads but leave everyone just imagining). It must have gone swell in rehearsals, but he was struck dumb with stage fright and even though the teacher was pantomiming the moves, he could not perform them. Even when she came out on stage next to him, he couldn't do it. Someone wisely started some applause, and he held his ears as if in pain, and walked off the stage, searching out a parental or friendly face, which he found shortly and deposited hisself on said lap. Later that day back at our park, Ruby hurt herself on the picnic table. What do these things have in common? I suppose it's that as parents and people we spend a lot of time worrying about 'the big thing' we're worried about. And yet the thing that happens to us is something we weren't expecting. To try and make it clearer: I might hang around, over-protective, while Ruby works her magic on the monkey bars, as I fret that she might fall off and break an arm. Yet what she hurts herself is a picnic table that she spends every day at. So was I worrying about the wrong thing? That talent-show boy's parents probably had every reason to think their son would put on a great show. Now for all we know, it's a life long trauma and fear of public speaking. Do you think for one minute they worried about that? There's a lesson in there, somewhere.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain
5 Slices Ham
Tea

Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter (Super Chunky)
5 Stalks Celery

Lunch: Sushi 21
Seafood Teriyaki
Salad
About six shumai
Pickled Ginger
Miso Soup

Dinner
Chicken a la Emily
Broccoli 'n' onions
Peppadews

Dessert
The ice cream left on the spoon used to transfer the ice cream from one container to another.

Emily and I decided to take Ruby out for ice cream, a tradition that began in our salad days. Many of those trips contained the same exact conversations, such as: "What are you going to get?" , "Get a small, not a large!" and "I don't like that flavor." JP Licks, Ben and Jerry's, Emack and Bolios, Herrels, White Mountain Creamery, you name it, if they sold ice cream, Emily and I went there, and fought about flavors and sizes. From the perspective of having gained and lost 40lbs, I guess I can say she was right— I probably didn't need to get mediums, but I was going on the principle that the ice cream was the least of my problems, so I guess we were both right. We got to Friendly's and sauntered up to the take-out window. WOW, there are about a dozen choices, each one more mind-blowing for a five year old than the one before. Ruby chose the Peanut Butter Cup Sundae, which had peanut butter topping, chocolate fudge, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and one whole Reeses cup. I convinced her that she SHOULD only eat a portion of it (it was $4.99) and that she could have the rest of it tomorrow. Even though we went there for Ruby-reward, there was a moment, after we got the kids ice cream (yes, Magnolia had some vanilla) and parked it by the window, where we were just being a family eating ice cream on a summer evening, and that was its own reward.

Year 2, Day 105: Back in Boston

Even if it's restful, going away can sometimes feel like depriving yourself of a weekend. You come back and you're tired, and you just have to get back in the saddle. It's June in New England and usually that's a pretty good time because it's not too hot but the days have that powerful sun that usually makes you glad to be outside. Unfortunately, it looks like rain this week, so I knew we needed to get walking right away. Today we went for a brisk walk around the Charles and it was good.

Breakfast
1 Cup Kashi Go Lean!
3/4 cup Heritage Flakes
1 Cup Blueberries
1 Cup 8th Continent

Snack
12 oz Coffee (half decaf)
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
6 Stalks Celery
2 Tablespoons Super Chunky Peanut Butter

Lunch: Peter's Kitchen
Greek Salad with Chicken

Dinner:
93% Sirloin Burger
Emily's Stir-Fried Cabbage
Peppadews
Bubbie's Pickles

As I continued down my trail of fretting about the corn-fed beef, I felt it necessary to inquire both on the Web, where www.eatwild.com has good links to information and national farms to get grass-fed beef, and in my local Whole Foods, who told me that the Alewife store had a selection of grass-fed beef. The meat-man I spoke to said that he had tasted and wasn't convinced it tasted better. I asked what the meat they served was. He said that Whole Foods served a combination of 'grass and grain.' Then I thought "what if Grass-fed beef doesn't taste good to me because I've been trained to like this other corn-fed taste?" I have decided to pursue it (since Alewife isn't that far). If it's good, I could see going to a farm and stocking up. If not...there will probably be less beef eating.

Year 2, Day 104: The Unveiling

This Post Dedicated to My Grandmother Sylvia.

Day to get up, get dressed in a suit, get packed, into the car, don't forget anything, clean your room, etc. While my brother and I were in our home in Great Neck, we made a valiant attempt to clean up his old room, which had lately become the repository of everything from mail to discarded toys and various failed electronica (a copying machine, for instance). We worked hard, and I came hope with some toys for the girls and box of stuff for me. Everything was a bit of a crazy rush but I did discover (thanks to my brother) a new light Soy Milk called 8th Continent. In a side by side comparison with Silk Unsweetened Soy Milk, the 8th Continent had less grams of fat and less sugars. Upon inspection of the ingredients, I noted that 8th Continent contains sucrolose, which is also known as Splenda. THAT explains why they don't sell it at Whole Foods; and why I probably shouldn't be drinking it. When farmers are feeding your cows corn, you really don't need to look for additional ways to put the wrong kind of thing into your body. I will finish the bottle, though.

Breakfast
1 Cup Kashi Go Lean!
1/2 cup Oat Flakes/Oatios
1 cup 8th Continent Light Soy Milk
1 cup Strawberries/blueberries

Snack
2 oz. Jalapeno Jack Cheese

Lunch: Unveiling Spread (Dairy)
Greek Salad with Tuna Salad, Egg Salad and Whitefish Salad
American Cheese
Strawberries
Decaf Coffee

Dinner
Three Eggs
1/2 Chicken Chorizo Sausage
Tablespoon Salsa
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain
2 oz. Jalapeno Jack cheese

It was a big cheese day. It started when we got back from the unveiling and the food had not arrived yet. I knew I was going to have a Low-Blood-Sugar moment, so I nipped into the car and cut myself a wedge of cheese. Then, as is so often the case with these gatherings, you eat your lunch, and then you're just hanging around, talking, chatting, and the plates of food are just beckoning you to eat them, and you oblige them. At one point, the cinnamon bobke was calling so loud to me that I couldn't hear the civilized conversation being addressed to me; I had to leave the room so I could concentrate. After that, we headed home, where I got to enjoy some of the new Balthazar bread I scored from MOM. Overall it was a good weekend, though I really thought I was going to get a chance to get on my Mom's treadmill, but it never happened. From a SoBe perspective, it wasn't great: I ate twice the calories and didn't get to the gym. Hopefully, I get a lot of walks in this week at work.

Year 2, Day 103: A Day in Great Neck

Torrential rain made it slow going on the way home and we didn't get home till Midnight. If you take frequent three-plus hour car trips, you'll know that often it's hard to unwind and get right into bed, no matter what time it is. I had a hard time getting to bed, and that mean not a great night of sleep. My mother had the fridge full of all my favorite SoBe foods (a big plus of her blog fandom, she knows exactly what to get), but I figured we better finish the steak.

Breakfast
Leftover Corn-Fed Steak
Eggs
Coffee

Lunch
Mesclun Greens
Feta Cheese
Grilled Chicken
Grape Tomatoes

Snack
3 Celery Sticks with Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter

Dinner: Sashimi
Edamame
Seaweed Salad
House Salad
Lobster Moto
Sashimi: Tuna, Yellow Tail, Salmon, Spicy Tuna, Unagi
Sake

The big meals continue as we ate out for both lunch and dinner. Lunch was very respectful salad, and one of the best non-russo's salads I've had. We went to a place called Bruce's, a bakery that puts the best, freshest donut at Dunkin Donuts to shame, and then some. As a token of appreciation, a nod to the terrible American diet, they sit you down with a bowl of baked goods, ranging from muffins and brownies to onion rolls. Like many diner-type establishments in New York, they have a 10 page menu, and the list of salads was so long that trying to find the one I wanted took me quite a while. That night we went to a new sushi restaurant. I didn't have rice, but I did have Sake (which is like rice-beer). I did throw caution to the wind a bit, but when in Rome...

Year 2, Day 102: Trip to the Unveiling

For some reason, fate had it that I would travel to New York this weekend for my Grandmother's unveiling, which if you don't know is when you get to see the tombstone in its place for the first time. While I do not hold that this means a great deal, I still felt honor bound to attend, so my brother and I left after work and got on the road. As a present to ourselves, we stopped off at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse which was about 95 minutes into the trip, which seemed to be a good place to stop both from the trip perspective, and the time we got there (8:00pm). It was a smallish place about 5 minutes from the Highway. I must say that everything there was very very good tasting, and the wait staff was very interested in snapping to attention.

Breakfast
3 Eggs, Scrambled
1/2 chicken chorizo sausage link

Snack
12 oz coffee (half decaf)
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
5 Sticks Celery
2 Tablespoons SC Peanut Butter

Lunch: Russo's ($5.11)
Red leaf, red onion, red pepper
broccoli, chick peas, chicken, feta

Car Snack:
1/2 of 1 sleeve (2.5 oz) peanuts

Dinner
2 Shrimp in a shrimp cocktail
spinach salad with bacon, eggs, mushrooms
sirloin steak (50%)
asparagus spears
mushrooms.

I must say that the longer I am on the diet the more aware I am becoming of the problems in the American Food system. In this instance I specifically talking about Ruth Chris' claim that they sell "Corn-Fed Beef." To me, this is idiotic, since any good Whole Foods customer knows that corn-fed beef is a disaster for multiple reasons:

1. Cows weren't born to eat corn (they don't have hands or cornholders); they were born to eat grass. Their bodies don't know how to digest corn, so they have to be given antibiotics so they don't die from eating the wrong diet.

2. Corn-fed cows have more bad fat (Omega 6) and less good fat (Omega 3s).

3. Humans eating corn-fed beef is a disaster (as evidence by the prevalence of disease increases) since we don't process unnaturally fed cows.

So all in all, this would be like having a seafood restaurant and claiming boldly that your fish live on a diet of cotton candy. Fish are supposed to eat other fish or sea vegetation, unless they live in the bowl (in which case they need to be overfed by a six year old until they die). So I sadly make another note in my diet book: NO CORN-FED BEEF. Does that mean I'll always ask or always avoid it? No, but it means that when I have a choice, between grass-fed and corn-fed I'll choose grass. Sorry Ruth's Chris. And PS: Your restaurant name is a grammatical nightmare.

Year 2, Day 101: Seattle

We were all just pondering on the incredibly frigid temperatures in Boston today. It was about 58 degrees and raining hard for the second day in a row. I don't mind the nice warm summer rain, but this definitely felt more like the cold February rain and none of us liked it. It really can put you in a sour mood, so much so that you can't possibly eat salad, even if you crave it. So it was off to the Chinese restaurant.

Breakfast
3 Eggs, Over Easy
1/2 Chicken Chorizo Sausage
Tea

Snack
12 oz. Coffee (half decaf)
2.5 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
6 Stalks Celery
2 Tablespoons SCPB

Lunch: Shin Yuan Chan
Pork, Cabbage and Peppers
Beef with Chinese Celery
Hot and Sour Soup

Dinner
Salad with Feta, Broccoli and Cabbage
Beef Stew

I am a big Hot and Sour soup fan, but lately I've been suspicious because I know how it's made—that is with cornstarch (for thickening). Dieters are supposed to stick with wonton (broth only) or egg-drop soup (high in protein, low in carbs). But the waitress today thought we were having the 'special' so she brought us the soup in advance, which we accepted gladly, because as I mentioned, it was a cold cold day. We ordered everything extra spicy, and it was good.

Year 2, Day 100: Be Careful What You Renounce, Volume 2

I knew we were going to have a meeting with a vendor today at their office, and I knew it would last all the morning. While I was planning to horde cheese sticks up my sleeve, and eat them covertly while pretending to cough, I realized I could probably request a whole wheat bagel, since our host had offered to get bagels for the crew. Now ordinarily whole wheat bagels are a sad affair, with their too-dense texture and far too wheat-y taste. For years, they were often small, almost mishapen when compared to the other bagels, and they frequently were missing the lovely sheen one comes to expect from a boiled, then baked bagel. However, these were good. I have determined that they were the 'fortified multigrain bagel.' One bite and I immediately suspected what I later confirmed—that they were loaded with SUGAR (10g—honey, malt syrup, rye malt, etc.). Not only that, but they had the highest level of carbohydrates—68g—of anything I had put in my mouth for over a year! Amazingly, the only bagel with a higher carb count was the whole wheat bagel at 73gs. From a carb perspective, I would have been better off with any other bagel from the basket, since all of them, from Asiago to plain, have a lower carb and sugar count. This tells me that Bruegger's has a nefarious plan to punish those who want to eat healthy by actually serving them the diet-wrecking bagels in disguise of a healthy alternative. Shame on you, Brueggers. I had to include the nutritional facts sheet and eyebrow-raising ingredients list because I had never HEARD of some of the things on it. Am I wrong? Has anyone heard of "Buckwheat Groats" or "Triticale?"


Breakfast
3 Eggs, Scrambled in the pan, with
1/2 Chorizo Chicken Sausage Link
Tea

Snack
Coffee
1 Multi-Grain/Wheat Bagel Bruegger's
Very Light Coating of Cream Cheese
5 Sticks celery
2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

Lunch: Denilla's ($8.77)
Mesclun Mix, Romaine, Red peppers, red onions, red beans
assorted olives, shredded bacon, sunflower seeds, feta
oil & vinegar, TURKEY

Dinner
Korean Marinated Pork Loin with Honey-Soy-Ginger
Cabbage a la Emily
Peppadews

Of course, no sooner did I fess up to my pretty consistent loathing of turkey when I found myself face to face with more Turkey. Being in an unfamiliar environment (Lexington) we had to stop somewhere on the way home to get lunch. Emily, who knows Lexington quite well, advised me to seek out Denillo's, a kind of Russo's-like 'farm stand.' When we got there, it did smell good, and there was an impressive salad bar. After giving it the once over, and finding it satisfactory, I checked out the protein—TURKEY. Since they roast their own, and I could see they did a brisk turkey business—in fact a very successful offering was the "Turkey Terrific" ordered by a few people as I stood there—I thought I would give it a shot. Besides, even though I'm as healthy as I've ever been, I just didn't think I needed any more eggs. At $6.50 a pound, it was not quite Whole Foods expensive, but expensive enough. They served non-pitted olives, which I think is a salad-bar no-no, but over all it sufficed. I must say though, Russo's is just looking better and better all the time. And with my incredible carbohydrate overload, I'll definitely be going there tomorrow.

Year 2, Day 99: Spring Thoughts

Today probably was going to be the best walking day of the week. Instead of a walk, I went to Russo's, which is necessary, because I was out of celery, and I am nearly at the point where I must travel with celery all the time. Emily had a tennis date this evening, so I came home early to be with the kids. Fortunately, everyone ate a good dinner and then braving the mosquitos, we went out for about 90 minutes. It was warm enough, and the sun was out, and there was a light breeze. After 10 minutes out there alone, for some reason, all the kids in the neighborhood just materialized, one by one. The park was crawling with kids. Big and small, boy and girl. Everyone was screaming and running and swinging and having a great time. Though it wasn't quite the dog days of August, it did seem like one of those moments that you remember from being a kid—just the spontaneous burst of great playtime, when everything in the world was in a game that had its rules being made up as you went along, nothing in the world is wrong, and there were enough swing seats for everyone.

Breakfast
2 Eggs Over Easy
1/2 Chicken Sausage Link
Tea

Snack
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
8 Sticks Celery, 2 Tblspns Peanut Butter
12 oz Coffee (Half Decaf)

Lunch: Russo's ($5.77)
Red Leaf, Red Onion, Red Pepper
Chick Peas, Chicken, Feta, Broccoli
Olives, Oil & Vinegar

Dinner:
Chicken Breast
Broccoli & Peppadews
Two Cheese Sticks

They say that eating while standing up is not a very good thing to do. "They" further say that taking the time to eat your food, to really savor it, is the key to making it satisfying enough that you don't overeat. I have a hard time savoring my food. Ever since the seventh grade, when I had, and I kid you not, 20 minutes for lunch. Since then, I have been a food gulper. You can time me—I will finish my meals in less than 20 minutes all the time. I am a broken product of an uncaring school system! I realize that one of the problems I have is that if I took longer to eat, I would probably be full before I was done. As is, I always finish before I'm full, which leads me to feel hungriest right after I'm done, and then being forced to eat cheesesticks that my daughters both abandoned for dessert.

Year 2, Day 98: Detecto Says 184

Mondays can be tough when there's a weigh-in. I don't think about it, but when you get on that scale and the number is bad, it can really set your day off wrong. Fortunately, today was good and the number was 184 (though I'm sure Donna would have said 183). So that's good news out there, the needle still moving the right way.

Breakfast
4 Slices of Ham
1 Slice Balthazar Bread MultiGrain
Tea

Snack
6 Sticks Celery, 2 Tblspns SC Peanut Butter
1 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
10 (1 oz) Tostitos Multi-Grain Chips

Lunch: Sushi 21 Bento Box
Chicken Teriyaki
Seaweed Salad
Pickled Ginger
Two Shumai
Green Tea

Dinner
Emily's Turkey-Cabbage Wraps
Green Beans

Having improperly packed my snacks today, I had to improvise with the celery-snack in the AM, and then popcorn in the PM. However, the half-ounce bags of popcorn just don't do it, so I went to the store 24 to get another bag, but they didn't have it (they are extremely unreliable, even if they are open 24 hours in a row). I noted the new Multi-Grain Tostitos and I had to, literally, bite. I figured it was my celebratory act of the day. In fact, they aren't much better or worse than the Whole Foods brand of chip, except naturally they contain more sugar.

There is sad news, though. Dr. Parent is moving to Norwood, presenting me with a conflict—do I keep the office that's so close to me, or do I move with Dr. who is responsible for my new healthy life? Decisions, Decisions...

Year 2, Day 97: What Kid Doesn't Eat ONE French Fry?

Today we had plans, but they got all messed up because Ruby needed to go the doctor. I took her, and by the time we got done with waiting and being seen, it was time for lunch. Since the Doctor's Office is in Chestnut Hill, Emily suggested we go to the Rotisserie and get some chicken for Ruby. Ruby and I actually went there, but when I realized they didn't have ketchup (THAT'S RIGHT, I SAID, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY KETCHUP) we had to skedaddle, and fast, which is kind of good because I was having a hard time thinking about what I was going to have. I used to go there (and rotisserie places like Boston Chicken, when it was good) all the time and get the Chicken Sandwich [author floats off on a dream cloud] with corn and mashed potatoes, mixed up. Talk about high carb! But now in my SoBe state, I see that everything they have is lousy with butter, or a pasta salad, or something that's somehow not as healthy as it could be because they added something that was unnecessary to make people who don't like healthy food buy more of it.

We went next door, to the Aquitane Bis for a $40 lunch. I ordered the Ham & Cheese omelet (it was called jambon and gruyere) and Ruby had the burger, naturally. It was actually a fru-fru Boursin Bacon Burger, but I ordered it without the cheese, and she didn't want the bacon that came with it (so I had it). She did want the bun (which I covered liberally in butter). Amazingly, she did not want even ONE french fry. Not one. Not interested in tasting one. She didn't even push over the stack for fun. I felt it was my duty, then, to sample one. As you would imagine, they were fantastic. Vive la France! Then of course, came the chocolate mousse, that met the same fate. She ate only the whipped cream on top and determined that the rest was, well... turkey.

Breakfast
1 Cup Kashi Go Lean!
1/2 Cup Ancient Heritage Flakes
1 cup blueberries
1 cup USM
Green Tea

Snack
Coffee
2 Dark Rye Vita Crackers
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
6 Sticks Celery
2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
2 Slices Ham

Lunch:
Ham & Cheese Omelet
2 Strips Applewood Smoked Bacon
One French Fry
1/2 slice of 7 Grain Bread
Ass't Fruit
Coffee
2 small Bites of Chocolate Mousse

Dinner
Tilapia a la Robert
Leeks a la Robert
Some of Ruby's Hot Dog

A little bit pressed for time today, so I ran fast on the ol' life fitness elliptical machine. I was back up to my old pre-exercise embargo speed of about 6.5 mph. I did 4.5 Miles in about 47.5 minutes. Fortunately for me, the new machines were all busy, forcing me to take one in the back row, which gave me a view of the television that was showing the baseball game instead of CNN. That was really was so much better, because I didn't once fret about the state of the deteriorating world at all during my workout. Instead, I just saw a lot of Aflac commercials.

Year 2, Day 96: Turkey Wraps and the new Lettuce

I'll tell you that while Emily has become a great cook, I love the turkey-crumble wraps the most. I'm not sure why, but I theorize that it has something to do with my nearly mystical love of Tacos. It also is very much like eating a sandwich, which is a sensation I miss mostly for the convenience but something I think about a lot. I realize that I could eat them nearly every day and Emily could tell you that I like leftovers about as much as like a broken septic tank, but I couldn't wait to get at them today.

Breakfast
2 Eggs Over Easy
2 Strips Turkey Bacon
Green Tea

Snack
1 Light Rye Rye Vita Cracker
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Coffee
1 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
1 Stick Celery, 1 Tablespoons SCPB

Lunch
Emily's Kickedup Cabbage Wraps

Dinner
Steak Tips
Peppadews
Broccoli

From strangenewproducts.com:

Crispy Lettuce Wraps

President's Choice, a Canadian brand of food products, introduced new "Crispy Lettuce Wraps", leaves of hybrid lettuce for the purpose of making low-carb bread-free burgers.

Because so many carb-conscious people are using lettuce leaves in lieu of hamburger buns, Loblaws Inc., which owns the President's Choice brand, decided to sell lettuce leaves designed expressly for this purpose.

They claim it's a versatile cross between Romaine and Iceberg lettuce flexible enough for folding, but still crispy.

Year 2, Day 95: 2nd Rate Salad Bars

This morning I was with a friend who was showing me his office and took me on a tour of a little cafe that's connected to his wing of the building. He proudly showed me his salad bar, but in fact, what a sad, sad salad bar it was. I pitied him, really, because he does not know the glory of the Russo's salad bar. He told me "I eat a salad here every day." Yes, you probably do, I thought, and I'll bet you think it's just grand.

Breakfast
1 cup Kashi Go Lean
1/2 Cup Heritage Flakes
1/2 cup USM
1/2 cup Regular Soy Milk
1 Cup Blueberries

Snack
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
5 Strawberries

Lunch: Whole Foods Salad Bar
Mesclun Greens
Feta
Tomatoes, Olives, Snap Peas
Tuna
Chick Peas
Oil & Vinegar

Dinner
Emily's Turkey & Cabbage Wraps
3 Bites of an Edy's Coconut Pop

Then, I met Emily for lunch at the Whole Foods on Washington Street where I took in their $7.99/lb salad bar, that I once regarded with hearts in eyes. Sadly, I realize now what a sham it is, with its impossible to close plastic salad container, and no grilled chicken anywhere in site. I had to do two laps just find the feta and they were clearly pushing the grape tomatoes, because they were in everything. My salad was over eight dollars, and Emily's was in the seven-nineties. All I can say is I felt a surge of pride for the work I've done at Russo's. It can beat the piss-cakes out of just about any salad bar I've seen.

Year 2, Day 94: Watch What You Renounce

As some people who know me well know, I was at one time very interested in becoming the authority on the available lunch items anywhere in a ten mile radius of the company I worked for. In fact, I always prided myself on knowing (or at least being able to suggest) the best place to eat, for a particular group of people or for some particular occasion. For this reason I dubbed myself the manager of "Food Services" (with Jill) at the first incarnation of Domania. I feel that it's important for someone to care, and pay close attention where folks should and shouldn't go. After all, where we are now, a local sub shop caused many a case of gastric distress and was put on the 'watch list.' A very suspicious Chinese restaurant called the "Tiki House" was ordered from only once; it's food was determined to be non-edible. I feel it's my job to keep people from repeating my mistakes. This often means 'taking one for the team' at my own gastric risk. But it's worth it, because the exciting few times when you trail-blaze something new is so very rewarding. Of course, now it's become so much harder, since I rarely eat pizza, never eat subs, and avoid so many things that are standard fare at lunch places. So I have all but given that up.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
2 Soft-Boiled Eggs
Tea

Snack
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
6 Sticks Celery, 2 Tablespoons SCPB

Lunch: Asiana Fusion
Broccoli
Chicken with Celery, Bok Choy
String Beans
Scallion Omelet
Unidentified Chinese Greens

Dinner
Chicken
Cauliflower

Now it's gotten to a point where people actively seek me out to tell me about new places, and one co-worker told me about a barbecue restaurant that he saw was opening within walking distance of our office. Being a fan of BBQ and loving to walk, I thought it was perfect. In fact, today we did just that—we all walked and then met the rest of the staff at the restaurant. I won't go on about the fact that it was not BBQ at ALL but simply a Chinese restaurant, because it is clearly misleadingly labeled as "Asian Fusion Barbecue." Surveying the menu I found only two items that could be called "Barbecue" (ribs and a pork dish) and even less that could have been called "fusion". For this reason we all mercilessly teased the employee who told us about it. He didn't find it especially funny that we kept referring to everything as the product of 'fusion' for the rest of the meal. So, I went for 'fusion' but instead met a standard Chinese lunch buffet. And here, just days earlier I had renounced all lunch buffets. It was $6.95 for the buffet, and I thought that preposterous, since everything looked like carbs. When I checked out the menu I realized everything even remotely SoBe friendly was 12 dollars. I went with the buffet. I kept it one lunch plate and a second plate of broccoli and beans. I completely avoided the fountain of fondue chocolate with side plates of melon, bananas, marshmallows and strawberries. Though stuck at a buffet, I was not conFUSED.

Year 2, Day 93: Turkey

I am not a big turkey fan anymore. I'm just not. I don't mind Thanksgiving and even other big holiday meals where it might be served. I used to enjoy the "Thanksgiving Sandwich"—turkey, stuffing, cranberry on a bulkie with mayonnaise all year long. Actually, I LOVED that sandwich, and no one made it better than a lil' sandwich shop called Pugsley's in Brookline (RIP). On reflection, I used to eat turkey sandwiches everywhere I went, but due to the wild disparity in sliced turkey quality, I was known to inquire whether the turkey was "off a bird." I realize now that that was idiotic way to determine whether or not the turkey was carved from a breast attached to a carcass with bones or came wrapped in cellophane from Boar's Head. But except for Emily rolling her eyes, no one came up with a better way to ask. Why was I so concerned? Because I was on a constant mission to avoid eating Turkey Loaf— the absolute WORST kind of deli-turkey there is. It's often foisted upon airplane travelers and other captive lunch audiences. Anyway, for about six years now, I just have not had the appetite for turkey like I once had, I'm not sure why. In fact, I had taken to calling things that were repellent "turkey." As in that's so "Turkey." But I think it has something to do with the fact that ham just doesn't last as long in your fridge like ham does. I like ham better because it's cured, so it doesn't taste old or get slimy quite like turkey does. Ooof, I have stop to writing about turkey now.

Breakfast
1 cup Kashi go Lean
1/2 cup Heritage Ancient Flakes
1 cup USM
Tea
1/2 cup blueberries

Snack
2 oz. cheese 50%
Celery with Peanut Butter

Lunch: Russo's ($4.64)
Red Leaf, Red Pepper, Red Onion
Broccoli, Chick Peas, Feta, Chicken

Dinner:
Red, Yellow and Orange Peppers
Soy-Snap Peas
1 Piece Dry, Awful Turkey Tip
1 oz. Cracker Barrel Cheese

So it is no surprise that when I came home and Emily tried to serve me turkey tips, I was literally not able to do it. This is first and foremost because these were specifically bad AND old turkey tips. I have eaten freshly cooked turkey tips, and when they are grilled, they can be very good. The funny part is that the reason Emily was serving me the turkey tips in the first place was because she had tried to give them to BOTH kids and they refused. Really made me proud of the kids.

In all fairness to Emily, who is a wonderful cook and obviously my partner in this whole thing, the turkey tips were purchased from Sudbury Farms (which is neither a farm nor in Sudbury, discuss).

Year 2, Day 92: "I Got a Rock"

Today I planned to meet some old cronies of mine for breakfast. We had worked together at The Coolidge Corner Theatre, which was a high point in a somewhat pointless career. We met at Zaftigs in Coolidge Corner, and while I tried to keep on the program, my two buddies had mimosas and french toast with bananas. I must say I was pretty envious. Sometimes in those situations I'm reminded of the Charlie Brown Halloween special where every kid is comparing what they got from each house and one kid says "I got a lollipop" and the other kid says "I got a chocolate bar" and Charlie Brown says "I got a rock." Of course, this is the same result every time for poor Charlie Brown. So that's what I hear in my head when other folks are ordering the high fat, very delicious breakfasts. Like all breakfast meetings, it went too quickly and then there we were waving Brenda and Eddy goodbye.

Pre-breakfast
4 Banana and Peanut Butter Sandwiches (comprised of two thin slices of banana and smooth peanut butter)
Green Tea

Breakfast
Lenox Omelet (Goat Cheese, Fire Tomatoes and Scallions)
2 Slices Canadian Bacon
1 Strawberry
1 Slice Cantaloupe
2 small slices of cooked potato

Lunch: Russo's ($5.21)
Red Leaf, Red Pepper, Red Onion
Broccoli, Chick Peas, Feta, Chicken

Dinner
Pork Cutlets
Cabbage Miss Emily
Peppadews

Now that the warm weather is here I'm hoping there will be more walks during the week, though today it was threatening to be so hot as to be unbearable to walk in the heat, especially in work clothes. I remember from last season it became necessary to have a second set of clothes specifically for walking. This was mainly because you would need long pants, etc.for the frigid air-conditioned temperature of the office. We have not yet found the magic way to adjust the temperature, easy as this sound like it should be on paper.

Year 2, Day 91: Working it Out

When you're a parent, and on a diet, you've really removed nearly all of the vices you could have once engaged in. Mostly because they all have side effects, such as keeping you up late or making you sleep late, neither of which you can do regularly when little ones bang on your teakettle before the sun comes up. So what do you do when you have the urge to splurge? Go on an iTunes shopping spree, naturally. I had a gift certificate from a special person in my life (for whom I wrote a recommendation for graduate school), so it wasn't even like spending real money. I blew nearly all of it on bunch of junk-food pop, including THREE songs from American Idol. Then, iPod loaded up, I went to the gym for a record second time this weekend and had more elliptical time. I have to say, it was great. I see why people to go to the gym multiple times in the week— but I'm still not sure I know how to break to the code to make this happen. I realize I complain about this a lot, but it takes me a long time.

Breakfast
1 Cup Kashi Go Lean!
1/2 Cup Heritage Ancient Flakes
1 Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk
1 Small Banana

Snack
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Coffee
6 Sticks Celery
3 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

Lunch
Salad: Tuna, Celery, Peppers
Feta, Broccoli, Romaine

Dinner
Turkey Cutlets a la Emily
Broccoli
Peppadews

Late in the day (2ish) we decide to all go the pool. Naturally, this takes hours because you have douse everybody with suntan lotion and double-diapers and bring water and snacks. It doesn't make for a spontaneous thing. It wasn't too bad from a crowd perspective, and I must say that it's been a long time since I wasn't afraid to take off my shirt and get in the pool. I'm not quite at the point where I'm proud to do it, but at least I was able to do what several heavy-set men were not. I did notice a lot of them wading fully into the pool with their shirts on. Is this giving up for them, or just another sign of our slipping standards? Perhaps excited by my new found un-shame, I decided to try and swim a lap. The first half very easy, a cake walk. The second half, not so much. I tried a second lap but after half of that I knew it was time to throw in (or out) the towel. Still, a good day for the exercise brigade.

Year 2, Day 90: The Beatles and the Next Generation

Most people spent their holiday weekend mowing the lawn or doing other manly things. I decided to take Ruby to go see her cousin play softball up north. Really, it was a perfect day for it. It wasn't too hot and there was a nice breeze blowing. My nephew, by the way, hit a double and caught an inning-ending fly ball from the other team while I watched, so it was very worth it. In my short, but miserable time as a Little Leaguer, I don't think I did either of those for the entire season. But this was mostly because I was so busy pouting on the bench. I got up, had my usual breakfast and then Ruby and I vamoosed in the new Mini-Van (she only wants to go everywhere in the mini-van. It is an insult to be carried around in anything else). We had breakfast with my mom, brother, sister-in-law and niece and nephew.

Breakfast
2.5 slices Turkey Bacon
Two Eggs, Over Easy
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Tea

Snack
Coffee
1 slice balthazar multi-grain bread
romaine/cabbage/feta salad

Brunch/Lunch
Black and Blue Tuna
1 bite of scallion pancake
bok choy
small caesar salad
some fruit (2 blackberries, 2 very thin slices of honeydew)

Dinner
Hamburger
Peppadews
Pickles

My nephew is in the middle of a Beatles fascination and grilled me extensively on my knowledge.
"How many Beatles albums do you have?"
"Why did they break up?"
"Did John Die?"
Though I was able to answer all of these questions by chapter and with verse, I decided our morning would be better spent if we asked the local talent (aka bassist and guitarist singing at our brunch) if they knew any Beatles songs. They did, and they played: "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," "Ticket to Ride" and "I Need You." My nephew, obsessed with "Sgt. Pepper" was enthralled but not quite sure that these were Beatles songs. Ruby, having just listened to two out of three on the car ride, was probably comparing the versions in her head (you can guess who won). The guitarist told us that he played in them in order, as they were on the "Help" album. This drew blank, but appreciative stares from the kids. We rejoined the brunch table.

Year 2, Day 89: I Renounce Minado

Let me start by saying that many of my most favorite brunch memories are from being seated at an "All You Can Eat" buffet. Why just thinking about the phrase practically brings a tear to my eye. The Blue Room, the Hong Kong, The Spinnaker, Aku-Aku, all of these places in Boston and their surrounds were regular on my non-stop tour of SEW— Simply Eating Whatever I wanted to. I even dragged a bunch friends to "The Olde Country Buffet," which is populated by octogenarians and basically serves the menu of a hospital cafeteria.

In those heady-buffet days there were many discussions about how many times to go back to the bar, or whether you would mix with appetizer fare with entree fare; whether to mix sweet with savory; whether to let foods mix or to keep them separate. Many great weddings too, have featured at least one segment that features an 'all you can eat' component. Lastly, my ole' buddy Courtney and I used to frequent a place called Redbones in Somerville, MA where lunch was an all you can eat affair. Imagine if you will, having that "Thanksgiving Feeling" once a week, and then having to go back to work— real work, not just desk-jockey stuff. That's what I did. When you are on the SEW program, and your wallet is the lightest thing about you, "All You Can Eat" is music to your ears. It helps to be young, and to be active. When you're an older, slightly more affluent, suburban-drive-everywhere kind of guy who absolutely MUST watch what he eats, there really is no room for this kind of establishment on your dance card. There is just too much temptation, and even at my best I realize that I may be committed to the diet, but I remember Dale Carnegie's advice: "The best way to win an argument is to avoid having it." That's how I feel about that situation. I'm better off to avoid it in all reasonable ways. Obviously, I'm not going to avoid weddings, but I don't have to 'borrow trouble' by seeking out the endless buffet.

This dinner at Minado (which by the way is a fine place and apparently, a regional chain) reminded me that my next trip to Vegas will also be sadly disappointing; there are "All You Can Eat" buffets behind nearly every slot machine and degenerate out there. I suppose I'll just have to stick to losing at the poker table, if I'm committed to losing at the scale.

[long audible sigh]

I renounce you Minado, and all the "All You Can Eat Buffets" in America.

Breakfast
1 Egg
1/2 Chicken Sausage
Cheese
Green Tea

Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
10 Grapes
1/2 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch:
Pastrami, Corned Beef
Cole Slaw
Sour Tomatoes
Pickles
Peppadews

Dinner: Minado (again)
Salmon/Yellow Tail Sashimi
Chicken/Shrimp Yakitori
Seaweed Salad
Spinach Salad
Assorted Other Proteins and Vegetables
Shrimp Cocktail

Of course the only reason I could even GO to Minado is that I did 55 minutes on the elliptical, starting slow, around 4.5mph and getting it up to the 7's by the end. According to the LifeFitness machine, which for all I know is as unreliable as all Diebold voting machines, I burned off 550 calories. However, I probably consumed an extra 550 calories today with the deli meats and "All You Can Eat" buffet, so the day, at best, was a wash.

Today at the gym I thought I would only make it for four miles, but an amazing thing happens when you're working out. Aside from my aforementioned predisposition to get choked up when I hear the queerest pop songs, I'm often calculating the time and exercise in my head, like so:

First Five Minutes: I'm only going to do a half hour today.

First 20 Minutes I think I'll be able to do the whole thing today.

35 Minutes: What the hell, I can push it.

45 Minutes: Limits, what limits!

Year 2, Day 88: The Brotherhood of Traveling Pants

Today I put on a pair of jeans, size 38 that Emily helped me buy last year when Iost 30 pounds. To my amazement and horror, they were like circus pants. I didn't have anything else to wear so I cinched the belt to notch #4 and gamely went about my day, but like a hanging thread in your mouth after a reckless hot-pizza-eating accident, I was aware of it all day, and it bothered me. When I got home I tossed them into the giveaway pile. It was only a few months ago that I parted with my size 40 jeans (that I loved). I hear a lot of stories about people who keep their 'fat pants.' I do not want to keep my 'fat pants'. I have a hard enough time both keeping my closet organized and choosing what to wear every day. I also NEED to get rid of the 'fat pants' because I need all the pressure I can get to keep on keeping on.


Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
4 Slices Ham
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Green Tea

Snack
1 Bag Popcorn
5 Stalks Celery
2 Tablespoons Super Chunky Peanut Butter

Lunch: Tantawan (A Thai Restaurant)
Tomato-Shrimp-Mushroom Soup
Beef Salad
Chicken with Peanuts and Lettuce

Mid-Afternoon Snack
2 Slices Pastrami
2 Slices Corned Beef
1 Pickle, 1 Sour Tomato

Dinner
Pork Cutlet
Green Beans
Guacamole
Bok Choy
1 Glass Yellow Tail Red Wine

My Mom arrived this afternoon, through the unbelievably drenchy downpour. She brought with her (at my request) meats from far away lands: mutton and lamb (er...) pastrami and corned beef, and a poultry mart chicken. Now if any of you know anything about New York Deli, you'll know that it's nearly impossible to resist it when you've been without for so long. Guilty as charged—both for bringing it in the house and for consuming it. I must admit that as of this writing, I don't feel all that swell, so maybe tomorrow it'll be off to the gym.

Year 2, Day 87: Open Letters to People at Russo's

Dear Parking Lot People:
First of all, don't park there. It's the place where people go into the market, the entrance. That's what you are blocking. It's not just a place to idle so we can inhale your exhaust. Someone, and I'm not saying who— is going to wheel a shaky-cart at your precious car and then you'll be sorry.

You Breakfast
Joseph's Oat Bran, Low-Carb Tortilla
1 Egg
1/2 Chicken Chorizo Sausage
Sprinkling of Cheese
1 Tablespoon Salsa
Green tea

Snack
2 oz. 50% Cheddar Jalapeno
12 oz. Coffee (half decaf)
6 Stalks of Celery, 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter

Lunch: Russo's ($6.21)
Red leaf, red onion, red pepper
chick peas, chicken, feta
broccoli, olives, pepperocini
oil/vinegar

Dinner:
Emily's Salmon
Balsamic Leeks

Dear Salad Bar People:
First, don't crowd the salad foil bottoms and plastic tops. It's pretty obvious which goes with which. Take one and move on. Then, don't come wrong way down the aisle. And don't, whatever your purpose in life is bring YOUR CART DOWN THE AISLE. It can barely contain me and the two people vying to get ahead of me to get the last pieces of undercooked chicken. They're MINE because I WAS HERE FIRST. That's the law of the salad-bar jungle, do YOU GET IT? Don't pretend like you're "just trying to get some carrots" by entering from THE WRONG SIDE and then try to KEEP GOING. I WILL BLOCK YOU. I WILL ALLOW OTHERS TO GET TO THE CHICKEN. YOU WILL NOT GET YOUR CHICKEN. And so what if I take a long time with the broccoli? I like little pieces. I have to pick them out. You can suck your teeth and tap your foot all day. You think I don't know what you're doing when you reach out to grab the tongs on the cucumbers? I know you're "SENDING ME A MESSAGE." I REJECT YOUR MESSAGE. I am here to get salad. Once we get to the pasta station, you'll be free, because I am not loading up on $3.99/pound carb-laden pasta! I am here for my health. Good day to you!

Year 2, Day 86: Multi-Grain Tostitos

Another trip to the doctor, another visit to detecto, though again, the timing, after lunch, late in the day, I won't tell you for sure but I see that 185 is going to be a tough plateau for me to break through. She gave me the go ahead to get back on the exercise track, which is good, since I've already been on it. The D.G. went for a walk today, but it was not very brisk, it was more just a walk, which sometimes, like today, is OK. I'm hoping to get in two workouts over this holiday weekend. Maybe it will be the start of something big.

Breakfast
1 Cup Kashi Go Lean!
1 Cup USM
1 Small Banana

Snack
1 Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
7 Stalks Celery, 2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

Lunch: Peter's Kitchen
Greek Salad with Feta and Chicken

Dinner
Black Sesame Trout
Emily's Cauliflower

On the junk food front, Tostitos has introduced a new Multi-Grain chip, which promises to be tough, pulpy, and feature a taste like cardboard. Naturally, I am excited like a little puppy as the world catches back on to the proper way to make food—with real grains, and whole foods. They still won't be good for you, but they just might lose their 'avoid' status for South Beachers.

Year 2, Day 85: You Had a Bad Day

It's true, I'll admit it— I am an American Idol fan, though many people out there might have reason to believe it's just more pabulum aimed at dumbing down the masses. For whatever reason, it is guilty pleasure that I indulge in. Sorry. But for some reason, I made the mistake of agreeing to switch cable providers (from Comcast to RCN) on the Tuesday of the big finale show! Naturally, Fox was the ONLY channel that didn't work. This sent me into an apoplectic fit of rage as I feverishly paced back and forth, pushing buttons to try and make the channel come on. Ruby was laying next to me on the couch, our legs intertwined, and she said "I wish I could fix your show." (Very sad commentary on my fathering there). Finally, between the support person I got 10 minutes after I called and my thought of switching to the Hi-Def version of Fox, I managed to TIVO half the show, but it was too late— the best part was already over. It had been already been quite a day, as Emily and I achieved her dream of getting a mini-van, completing our transformation from cool young hipsters, to square suburban adults. Spent, I collapsed myself into the recliner, with Magnolia in my lap eating her very soggy "Mighty Bites" cereal. And in the corniest of all ways, I realized that she means everything, and everything else really means so little.

Breakfast
Joseph's Protein Tortilla
2 Eggs
1/2 Chicken Chorizo Sausage
Sprinkling of Cheese
Salsa
Green tea

Snack
2 oz. 50% Cheddar Jalapeno
1 Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee
6 Stalks of Celery, 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter

Lunch: Russo's ($6.21)
Red leaf, red onion, red pepper
chick peas, chicken, feta
broccoli, olives, pepperocini
oil/vinegar

Dinner: Minado Sushi
Salmon, Yellowtail Sashimi
Spinach Salad
Seaweed Salad
1 Piece Unagi Nigiri
1 Bite of Whitefish Wrapped Shrimp
2 Sticks Yakitori
1 Gyoza
Edamame Salad
Cucumber Salad
Shrimp & Cocktail Sauce

Now there is a lot of exciting talk about food today. For starters, I realized with these low-carb tortillas my brother brought me, I can realize my dream of recreating the McDonald's Breakfast Burrito nearly every morning. IT WAS FANTASTIC. I must use only one egg, though, because the wrap is small and the sandwich got a bit unwieldy. Be-Bop burrito also had something with eggs and chorizo, if I remember correctly, that I always got whenever I went there.

Tonight, Emily noted that she would not try and liberate a car from the dealership on an empty stomach. There were other places, but we sashayed into Minado, a place where the fiscally responsible dieter is punished because the only way to get value out of an 'all you can eat buffet' is eat two to three times what you normally eat. Since that was neither advisable nor possible for me, I just had to pay a lot for a little, but it was still a great time and I advise anyone who's just come from a desert island and craves Japanese food to head right there.

Year 2, Day 84: Stuffed French Toast

Headslapping news from California.

Stuffed French Toast Debuts at IHOP Restaurants Nationwide
GLENDALE, Calif., March 4-- IHOP (NYSE: IHP) is cooking up some new "stuff" this spring, as the family favorite has its grills hot for Stuffed French Toast, a delectable treat that combines the tradition of comfort food with an element of surprise. A limited time special, IHOP's new Stuffed French Toast is available at locations nationwide now through April 27, 2003.
Developed by IHOP's executive chef Monte Loiacono, Stuffed French Toast
features an abundance of whipped cream cheese inside a fluffy slice of
cinnamon raisin bread dipped in IHOP's special French toast batter and grilled to a golden brown. Guests may choose from a variety fruit toppings, including strawberries, blueberries and cinnamon apples along with whipped topping to crown their Stuffed French Toast. Available as part of a combo meal with breakfast favorites such as eggs, hash browns and bacon or sausage, Stuffed French Toast can be ordered for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
"Stuffed French Toast is part of our continuing effort to bring new and unique products to IHOP guests," said Gregg Nettleton, chief marketing officer, IHOP Corp. "Stuffed French Toast gives our loyal guests a new reason to visit IHOP this spring, and it also encourages those who may not have come to IHOP lately, to rediscover us again."
Stuffed French Toast is available for a limited time only at participating
locations.

No word about whether the untouched boysenberry syrup will continue to be available at tables. Also, I noted that nutritional values were not included with the press release.

Breakfast
1 Cup Ancient Heritage Flakes
1/4 of a banana
1 cup Unsweetened Soy Milk
1 Cup Green Tea

Snack
1 Large Dunkin Donuts Coffee (Mostly Decaf)
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
3 Stalks Celery, 2 tablespoons Super Chunky Peanut Butter

Lunch: Russo's ($5.47)
Red leaf, red onion, red pepper
chick peas, chicken, feta
broccoli, olives, pepperocini
oil/vinegar

Dinner
Chicken Breast
Emily's Krazy Kabbage

Even though it was a Monday following a weekend of eating like crazy, I got back on the horse and moseyed up to the salad bar. This morning I realized how much more cereal and banana I wanted; I am experimenting with eating my portion, then just living with it. It's hard, and something I repeatedly most come to grips with. I sure miss the days of just eating the cereal out of the box with a wild abandon.

Year 2, Day 83: Jill's New House

Went to the gym today, in the hope that I could dispel the past few days of eating. I did five miles on the elliptical, but I did it in 65 minutes. According to the Life Fitness machine, I I burned off almost 600 calories. I'm not sure whether it's been the rain or what, but the gym has been fairly empty these past few weeks, and it has been great not to feel rushed. I have been taking it slower on the elliptical because of both the accident and just not being 100%, so I've been at about 4.5 miles an hour instead of in the 6-7 mph zone. If I am to believe the machine, this keeps me in the 'fat burning zone' instead of the 'cardio' zone which is good, because I need a lot more 'fat burning' than 'cardio.'

Breakfast
3 Eggs over easy
1/2 Chicken Chorizo Sausage Link
Coffee

Snack
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
11 Snapea Peas
3 Celery Stalks, 2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

Lunch:
93% Sirloin Hamburger
Peppadews
Pickles
Salad with Feta

Dinner @ Jill's
Standing Rib Roast
Mushrooms
Sauteed, Carmelized Onions
Cauliflower a la Jill
Fiddleheads

We arrived ATt Jill and Sis' new house but couldn't leave the car due to a sudden, freak, seven minute hail storm. Huge, and what I could only imagine were hurtful frozen pieces of ice were falling from the sky in a biblical manner that scared both of my children, and kept us prisoners in the car until it subsided. The winds were so hard that even Sis and Jill knew they had to stay inside until the storm abated.

Then we went to see Jill's new house, which is by every standard, breathtaking and wonderful. They really did something amazing there, but it's no surprise since Jill is not only hard working but has great taste, so I would expect nothing else. On top of it, one of the reasons I love her is that she is the embodiment of this particular New York style that I relish, so naturally everything she does is something I'm going to love. This goes for the dinner, which was SoBe friendly, if only it had been eaten in moderate portions. So much for those 'extra' 600 calories. Glad I had them to spare. On the way home, Emily revealed that she is determined to make the same rib roast...one day.

Year 2, Day 82: Dim Sum

The day after poker is usually a slow-paced day, both from a physical movement as well as an eating perspective. Dim Sum, in theory is perfect for me because it allows you to eat a lot of different kinds of things, but there is not too much of any one thing. Of course, the wildly obvious downside is that everything is a carb. If it's not a carb, like Crab claws, it is deep fried. If it's not a carb like red beans, they add carbs to it. It's really an exercise in caution, but mostly, in suspending nine of out of ten tenets of the South Beach diet. On the plus side, we didn't really have any dinner.

Breakfast
3 Eggs over easy
1/2 Chicken Chorizo Sausage Link
Coffee

Snack
Strawberries
1 6 oz V-8.

Lunch/Dim Sum
Crab Claw
Eggplant with Shrimp
Pork Bun
Teriyaki Beef Stick

Dinner
Salad
Spinach
1 Bite of Hamburger
1 Bite of Ham
2 Bites Beef Stew

I can't remember the last time since I've been on the diet that I ate so much that I still wasn't hungry at the next meal. I'm not sure that's a very good thing, but I know that I desperately need to go the gym tomorrow. I noticed, with some concern that there are not a lot of vegetarian options on the Dim Sum menu. I'm glad we only do Dim Sum about once a year!

Year 2, Day 81: Poker

As always on the day of Poker, even going back to my amazingly irresponsible pre-SoBe poker days, I am always thinking about my day's diet. Knowing that I'll eat my weight in nuts, I try to strategize about my second snack, which every day this week has been celery and super chunky peanut butter. Studying my carbs-bible, I determine that Strawberries are a great fruit from a low carb, low-sugar perspective and I have those. I also had a very SoBe friendly lunch with an old friend. She was also sort of watching it, so we went to Legal Seafoods. She told me she was going to have the 'bread (the Legal Seafood Rolls) for dessert." True to her word, she did.

Breakfast
Two Eggs
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
Green Tea

Snack
1 Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
~1 cup strawberries

Lunch: Legal Seafoods
Mixed Greens Salad
Tuna/Shrimp Combo
Broccoli with Cheese
Coffee

Poker/Dinner
2 slices Pepperoni w/ Cheese
Cashews, Almonds & Pistachios
Three Roll Mops: Corned Beef, Turkey, Swiss cheese, romaine Lettuce
Peppadews, Pickles
Cole Slaw

Nuts, Nuts and Nuts. There were a lot of nuts. Maybe not as many as there have been in the past, but there was a lot. And corned beef is not a 'fat-free lunch meat.' So it was a big eating night, any way you slice it. After all that, there was still blueberry pie, ice cream and whipped cream. For me, the guilty pleasure of a cigar and staying up late is enough. But some people just need a little more (they had seconds). As it was, I was the big winner, which I often attribute to my being able to go on a brisk walk the day of the game. But this time it was just simply 'getting the cards.'

Year 2, Day 80: Cauliflower

I didn't mention that me and another Domaniac went for a VERY brisk walk yesterday. She wanted to run, but didn't quite feel up to it. I must admit, I struggled a bit to keep up with her. But it was good.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
4 slices Ham
Tea

Snack
16 oz coffee (12 oz. decaf)
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
3 Stalks Celery, 2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

Lunch: Won Ton Kitchen
Chicken with Eggplant
House Special Egg Drop Soup

Dinner
Magnolia's Cauliflower
Pork Cutlets

I may have to reevaluate my relationship with Chinese Food, and especially at Won Ton Kitchen. It has been especially gloopy lately, which I interpret as being loaded with corn starch, sugar and flour and other things that it shouldn't have and doesn't need. I do love chinese eggplant, but at what cost? By contrast, Emily debuted a cauliflower treatment that was out of this world. Even Ruby gave it the nod, which brings her total number of vegetables she can eat to three.

Year 2, Day 79: Tow Yard Roughs

It's funny how things work out sometimes. Through a series of events, mostly my crashing of my car, I am now driving a rented car that has a MP3 player. I have never seen this feature in a car before, but I was determined to give it a spin. So at work, I decide to just randomly throw some MP3s on a data-disc and try it out. Literally as I am burning a disc I get a call from Emily telling me I have to go take the license plates off my totaled car so they can junk it. If we leave the plates on, they'll charge us for storage. So I'm driving over to the tow yard, where tattooed men act manly and tough and lift up cars with a single hand, with grease embedded under their fingernails. As it would happen, as I'm driving up to the tow yard, the song playing was "Old Fashioned Wedding" from "Annie Get Your Gun." Though the event of consigning my car to the scrapheap of history was sad, I had to laugh at how badly I would have been pummeled within an inch of my life if any of those guys had heard me singing along with Gershwin as I got out of my car. Luckily they were all watching some nonsense on television. I borrowed a screwdriver and went about my business.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
4 slices Ham
Tea

Snack
16 oz coffee (12 oz. decaf)
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
3 Stalks Celery, 2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

Lunch: Peter's Kitch
Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken

Dinner:
Emily's Sesame Tilapia
Leeks
Broccoli

Now into the so-called Phase Two of South Beach again I remember a lot of time spent waiting to eat. Though Emily says I could be eating free foods (read: celery, daikon radish perhaps) all the time, the truth is most of the time I want to eat it's not always about hunger. I keep it to a snack at 10:30 and one at 3:30. I realize that during these last few weeks that I gained weight I had skipped the snack. Obviously, that doesn't help, but then neither does eating Teddie Peanut Butter out of the promotional gallon.

Year 2, Day 78: Whoa Boy

Fresh off my 'success' I have a big breakfast and realize I better watch it or I'll be right back where I was. Since I'm used to having eggs and meat, if I'm going to have bread, I'm going to have it be a substitute for one of them, not an addition. I could probably eat the bread plain, it's just that good. I still struggle with how to vary my diet. If I was a five-star chef, I'd be having great breakfasts that include squash. But personally, I hate squash, so it's back to eggs. I used to eat peanut butter and bread, but then I'd have no snack to look forward to. I'm very wary about introducing too many carbs like popcorn or fruits like apples or sugars like yogurt back into the mix. Let's see if I can break the 180s. I think it's basically two weeks more on Phase One plus bread from here on in.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread
2 Soft-Boiled Eggs
2 Slices Ham

Snack
1 Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee (half decaf)
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
3 Celery Stalks, 2 Tablespoons S.C. Peanut Butter

Lunch:
Greek Salad
The Inside of 1/2 a chicken sandwich
the inside of 1/2 a ham & cheese sandwich

Dinner:
Emily's Sesame Salmon
Leeks

Then there's the whole meat controversy. Well, it's misleading to call it call it a controversy. It's really my desire to disbelieve the facts that red meat and pork are higher in calories than chicken and seafood. Sure I know it's true, but I don't want to believe it. That's the controversy. This Friday is poker, the ever-looming diet-buster, followed our neighborhood's traditional dim sum luncheon, where I will be tested by having delicious, carby things foisted upon me. I only hope, in the slightly hung-over AM, I am able to resist.

Year 2, Day 77: Detecto Says "185"— Again

Though Donna, the friendly nurse insisted it was "183-ish" and reminded me that I should subtract a pound for clothes. I can honestly say my clothes probably weigh a pound, but I've never really subtracted for them, so unless I'm desperate, or about to start lying to you readers, I can say that it was 185. That's a relief. I can live with that. I need to live with that. It's good to be back.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread (YUMMMY)
2 slices Whole Foods Virginia Ham
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Snack
1 LARGE Dunkin Donuts Coffee (Half Decaf)
1 Joy Stick
3 Stalks Celery, 2 with 2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

Lunch: Chinese
Spicy Green Beans with Chicken
House Special Egg Drop Soup with Chicken, Shrimp and Tofu

Dinner
Emily's Lightly Fried Chicken Breast
Krazy Kabbage
Guaca-Em-Mole

Now that I'm back to my Year 2 success weight, I suppose I can see how I went astray. I started adding just way too much stuff back too often and in volumes that were too big. I was having about four or five bananas a week on top of all that cereal, and bread. I was having soy milk in my coffee and nearly every day I was having a plain yogurt with peanut butter. And every day I was having more peanut butter. Longtime readers know that my goal is to both get into the 170s and to add more regular exercise to my regimen. It took me nearly 14 years to get so far out of shape that I feared for my life, and just a year to get into the best shape of my life. My sign is Cancer, which means I move sideways, slowly. I need to do things deliberately if they are to last, so in terms of this whole healthy lifestyle thing, I'm just getting warmed up. Unless we go to war with another country (I won't name any). If that happens, I'm buying up the cookie dough. Until then, it's vive la celery!

Year 2, Day 76; Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

Though I have mentioned it several times throughout my blogscape, it bears repeating. The three mothers in my life that have been responsible for being and staying on the program— Dr. Parent (a new Mom), my wife Emily, and my MOM. I realize that one of the things you desperately need when you're attempting a life change is the support of those around you, and I certainly have it. For that, I am most grateful. To show my support to my wife, Ruby and I baked Banana-Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Muffins this morning. Neither of my kids liked them, and I had only had a tiny bit of one. Don't ask why I'm obsessed with muffins, I can't tell you.


Breakfast
Two Eggs Over Easy
75% of 1 Chicken Chorizo Sausage Link
Tea

Snack
Coffee
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
2 Sticks Celery, with Super Chunky Peanut Butter

Lunch:
90% Hamburger
Peppadews
Bubbies' Pickles
Tomatoes
Greek Salad with Cabbage, Feta

Dinner
Pork Tenderloin
Broccoli

Today I returned to the gym after a two week absence. I was little worried about my stamina—I wasn't sure how long I would be able to make it, and at what speed. I started slow—about 4.0mph, down from my usual 6.8ish. After a while, I got into the groove and got back into the fives, but I consciously decided to keep it low and slow. I ended up doing four miles in about 55 minutes, which is much slower for me, but I figured what with the accident and all I'd best take it easy. I'm happy to report that the gym has been fixed up very nicely and that there was no wait today for machines and that adding three machines has meant that no one is standing there, looking at their watch, impatiently holding a gym-machine wipe while you try to wrap up your work on the cardio. Lastly, today is the end of the two weeks of Phase One and if the torrential floods don't prevent me, I will try and get weighed tomorrow before I begin my slow, and cautious descent back into phase two.

Year 2, Day 75: Post-Trauma

Can't say all was well when I got up this morning. I was quite tired feeling and not very hungry. Unlike most mornings, I puttered around for about an hour before breakfast time. I did eat, and then sensing a 'shut-in' weekend, Ruby and I set out for the toy store where I picked up a checkers set, connect four and at Ruby's request—some unbelievably generic "Frog Game." I had "Mouse Trap" in my hand and a joystick that lets you play "Frogger", "Ms Pac-Man" and others for $20.00. I put them back and decided that three games would be enough for the weekend. Another sign of my slow, but obviously arriving, maturity.

Breakfast
3 Egg Omelet:
4 Slices of Ham, Broccoli and Jarlsberg Cheese
Tea

Snack
Coffee
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch:
Romaine, Cabbage, Feta & Tuna Salad

Dinner:
Chicken Breast
Emmy's Bok Choy
A Few Peppadews

Perhaps due to the accident, or a life-hangover due to the fact that the world is a dreadful, weary and unprofitable place, I was forced to take to my bed for a two hour nap more befitting a man twice my age. To use more worn-out cliches I slept like the dead. I resolve to go to the gym tomorrow.

Year 2, Day 74: Car Accident!

This morning, following an especially disturbing NPR report regarding the fact that "there were no longer any checks and balances on the executive wing of our government," I apparently did not see a car coming through one of the world's most dangerous intersections and I crashed into another car. Luckily, nobody was hurt. I told the cop that I could drive away, but when I put the key in the ignition, it just made a 'dying noise.' Feeling stupider and unlucky then bad or broken, I just hung out in the misting rain, as people in buses craned their necks and people walking looked over their shoulders just a little too long to see what was happening. In my head I was calculating all the things from a time and money perspective that were about to go wrong, or become more complicated, but as everyone from the cop to the tow truck driver reminded me "be grateful. you can fix a broken car." This advice was later adjusted by self-same tow truck drive to not specifically apply to my car, but it was good advice all the same.

Breakfast
3 Eggs OVer Easy, One Broken
75% of 1 Sausage Link
Tea

Snack
1 half decaf coffee from Keltic Krust (painfully mediocre bakery across from tow year)
Celery with Super Chunky Peanut Butter (4 Tablespoons)
2 oz. 50% Cheddar

Lunch: Russo's $6.10
Red leaf, red lettuce, red onion
chicken, broccoli, chick peas, celery
feta, pepperoncini, escarole, oil & vinegar

Car Dealership
1 half-decaf coffee

Dinner
Three Eggs Over Easy
4 Slice Ham
2 oz. 50% Cheddar
Cheese of 1 Slice Pizza

Etc.
2 bites of a healthy choice bar

Of course, self-pity is a key ingredient to indulgence of the food variety, and in this regard I am no different in spirit than your typical pint of ice cream off the diet-diver. Though less extreme, I did two days worth of peanut butter that I had in my office (about 4 tablespoons) and I did eat the cheese off a slice of Pappa Gino's pizza and I did finish off the healthy choice bar that I started about 7 days ago. Though to be fair, I did split it with Magnolia. No doubt in the old days I would have been awash in cookie dough. It's just that something bad happened, it's both the haunting specter of how bad it could it have been, and the reality of taking all your stuff, valuable and trash alike, out of your wrecked vehicle.

Tomorrow if everything still feels OK, I am headed to the gym.

Year 2, Day 73: This Way Madness Lies

Often I am asked, "when are you going to be done with this diet?" Or "when will you start eating normally?" People regard my sometimes strict-as-a-monk SoBe diet pledge as some kind of TEMPORARY thing. It's not temporary. Not only that, I'm starting to make good headway into Ruby's food as well. She never eats hot dogs or hamburgers with buns, and with few exceptions, we have mostly banned high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils from the house. Sure, we have to pay a little more for the Whole Foods Brand Organic Fluff instead of the 99¢-for-a-gallon of Fluff at the regular supermarket, but it's worth it because I can sleep at night. Anyway, I never stop dreaming of a time when I am so fit that eating pizza is no big deal. But until then, I'm content to live the South Beach way.

Breakfast
Eggs Over Easy (What Else)
4 Slices Virginia Ham
2 oz. 50% Cheddar
Tea

Snack
Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee
1 Joy Stick
2 stalks celery
1 stalk celery, with super chunky peanut butter

Lunch: russo's ($5.81)
Red leaf, red lettuce, red onion
chicken, broccoli, chick peas, celery
feta, pepperoncini, escarole, oil & vinegar

Dinner
Steak tips
Broccoli
Asparagus

I am starting to have a thing for celery. Long time readers know that I am a creature of routine, and I like to eat the same things a lot because it's easier than thinking too hard about a limited repertoire of foods. So it's been great to have celery at work—I just grab a few stalks whenever I want and eat them and they are guilt free and crunchy, which is good because sometimes you just want to eat something for no reason and celery is PERFECT for that.

Year 2, Day 72- I Miss Cookie Dough

Continued days without walking or exercise is making me a little bit nuts. Add to that stress at work, and rainy, cold days and you've got yourself a full-blown snit. As I write this I am very glad tomorrow is Thursday, and I'm not usually one of those TGIF guys. I want to exercise. I want to walk. I don't want to feel blah, which I feel now. I must get back to the gym on Saturday/Sunday.

Breakfast
2 Eggs (Broke Yolk)
75% of 1 Chicken Chorizo Sausage link
Tea

Snack
1 Celery with Peanut Butter
1 Plain Celery Stalk
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Whole Foods Coffee (Half Decaf)
10 Roasted, but Unsalted Almonds

Lunch: Russo's ($5.47)
Red leaf, red lettuce, red onion
chicken, broccoli, chick peas, celery
feta, oil & vinegar

Dinner
Chicken Breast
Asparagus
Salad

Tonight I thought about how I miss cookie dough. Raw cookie dough, plain, from the supermarket. Sure, you can make it, but then you're eating raw eggs. I like it when it comes from the supermarket all chemical-y and safe. For a long time I always ordered cookie dough ice cream, but after years I stopped because I realized the only reason I was ordering it was because I loved cookie dough. But I would end up eating all this vanilla ice cream, which is always used as a base. Also, they were always so cheap on the cookie dough AND the cookie dough was usually not very good. So I quit because it didn't make sense to order that kind of ice cream for the cookie dough. So then I was back to chocolate peanut butter until I discovered Crescent Ridge Moose Tracks, and then Soy Delicious, which we give to the kids (but in fairness, we also give them Haagen-Dazs—don't call DSS).

Year 2, Day 71: Tuesdays with Teddie

I am now in the second week of both Phase One and the exercise embargo. Once you resolve to eat eggs for breakfast every day, the rest is easy, though today I did eat a second celery stick with peanut butter, which as you all know, is a diet buster. I must say, that on the topic of Peanut Butter, I have had a revolution in my life called Teddie. It is an all natural peanut butter, which I consider to be the best peanut butter on the market today. I think there are some people who like their peanut butter fresh-ground, but I don't mind a little processing, especially if it doesn't add any ingredients. I am so surprised in my role as parent to see so many other parents that give their kids peanut butter like Skippy or JIF that contain both unnecessary sugar AND high fructose corn syrup, as well as partially hydrogenated oils. I used to love the Whole Foods Whole Kids Peanut Butter because it was all natural AND contained sugar. But in my new life, I'm all Teddie all the time. Though I must admit, I find it nearly impossible to limit myself to two tablespoons a day. Hell, I just can't do it.


Breakfast
2 Eggs O'er Easy
75% of 1 Chicken Chorizo Sausage link
Tea

Snack
Celery with Peanut Butter
Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee
15 Roasted, but Unsalted Almonds

Lunch: Chinese
Moo Shoo Pork
Spicy Celery with Beef
Wonton Soup (no Wontons)

Dinner
Roast Pork Loin
Broccoli
Peppadews

Emily continues to experiment with new stuff and today was a pork loin, which was fantastic. We both are amazed at how often we eat at home— which is nearly always. If you compare that to any time prior to five or six years ago, you would have found that we ate out nearly every single meal— breakfast at Beans (a coffee shop); lunch out, dinner out. Sure, that's the lifestyle of young folk with no kids, but we continued to get takeout well into our first few years of parenthood. In fact, Ruby and I started to go to Bickfords for Pancake breakfasts as a regular thing. But obviously, now we both skip the pancakes in favor of more healthy things, like eggs.

Year 2, Day 70: Mumsday

I am not, by trade, an allergy sufferer. Sure, I'm allergic to cats and penicillin, and I can never eat marzipan again after the 'incident', but I don't have your typical red-eyed, sneezy, droopy, itchy allergies. Until this weekend, where I inexplicably have developed all of those afflictions, which caused me to run out to the local CVS to buy a box of Claritin. Deeply suspicious of all drug companies, and filled with paranoid ravings of Kevin Trudeau (www.naturalcures.com) I'm nearly convinced to leave the store without a box of anything. At the last minute I wisen up and take the box, but I insist on the 12 hour version instead of the 24 hour version, or the mysterious 'redi-tabs.' I note that almost all the Claritin varieties are sold out.

Breakfast
2 Eggs over EZ
75% of 1 Chicken Chorizo Sausage link
Tea

Snack
Celery with Peanut Butter
Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee

Lunch: Peter's Kitchen
Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken
Feta, Pepperocini

Dinner
Flounder a la Em
Kicked up Sauteed Cabbage

I must take another moment to discuss the Chicken Chorizo Sausage from Bell & Evans. I'm not sure why I got it in my heads that Bell & Evans are the "Chicken Makers of Distinction" but it's in my head. It might have something to do with the fact that my Mother-in-Law used to say "Bell and Evans" as a synonym FOR chicken. In fact, I'm not sure she ever sent me to the supermarket for chicken, it was always for "Bell and Evans." For a long time we served Ruby exclusively Bell & Evans Chicken Nuggets (which I must say, having finished nearly 50% of them, are very good). Now Emily discovered a new product, which claims to have 84% less fat than its pork equivalent. I've only found at it DeWars in Newton, and it's not listed on their web site (Bellandevans.com, natch). I noted they had about four varieties of fresh (not cooked) sausage, including Rosemary and I think a Feta/Garlic. I had the Chorizo and I was hooked. Emily fried some in oil, and we made the other one on the grill, and a third on the broiler. All very yummy. You'll be reading about it here for a long time.

Year 2, Day 69: Another Pleasant Valley Sunday

If anything makes you feel like a suburban dork, it's waiting to get your propane tank refilled. Just standing around in elevator-style silence, trying not to look at each other is quite nerve-wracking. But it also forced me to recognize the horrifying fact: I'M LIKE THEM. Okay, maybe I'm not wearing docksiders, and maybe I don't have my cell phone attached to my Dockers shorts with a leather belt-clip, but I'm here ain't I? I'm admitting to the world that I HAVE AN EMPTY PROPANE TANK. Most people don't know that I have to drive right home after I get it filled, because I live in fear that I'll go over a bump and the car will explode.

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

Snack
Coffee
about 2 oz. Cashews/Almonds
1 Joy Stick

Lunch
Salad with Feta, Cabbage, Romaine and Yesterday's Tuna Salad

Dinner
93% Sirloin Burger
with 50% Jaleno Cheddar
Peppadews (1 Serving=1/3 Cup)
3 Bubbie's Pickles

The reason I'm filling up my propane tank is not for my grill, but for my Mosquito Magnet, the device I cling as Van Helsing clings to his cross while racing away from Dracula. I am eager to get to get to my grill, and I think its gas tank is still full, as it has not seen the light of day since one ill-fated attempt to use it three years ago. In an effort to eat healthy while also consuming carcinogens, I have resolved to grill this summer. I have vowed I will take another shot at it. It can't be that hard. Everyone does it, so why, oh why can't I? I am planning to ask my most grill-friendly friends to give me some advice. If all else fails, I guess I'll just buy grilled food at the supermarket.

Year 2, Day 68: Saturday's Alright for Fighting

Though there are many amazing things about having lost 35+ lb, one thing I am constantly marveling at is how I'm eating things that I just never ever thought I would eat. I remember specifically thinking "I cannot eat Celery and Peanut Butter." No kidding, really, I thought that, several times, as it has long been presented as viable snack alternative for dieters. I never thought that I could drink black coffee. Yet, here I am, doing both of those things every single day.

Breakfast
2 Eggs
2 Strips Turkey Bacon
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Coffee

Lunch
Salad: Romaine, Cabbage, Feta, Tuna

Snack
Celery Stick with Super Chunky Peanut Butter
Coke Zero

Dinner
Breast of Chicken
Broccoli
Peppadews

Rereading the South Beach Diet book today (as church-goers might consult their book) I came across the passage entitled "I've cleaned out my medicine closet." Indeed. I realize that with maybe three or four exceptions, I have nearly eliminated the need for most of the medicines I used to take regularly, and some close to daily, like Advil. I also don't have to take bayer aspirin any more, because my fear of heart attack has completely subsided. For those of you who weren't in my deepest, most neurotic circle, I did pick up quite a fear of that. Stoked by both my added weight, terrible diet and sedentary lifestyle, I used to joke from about age 31 on that I was going to have a heart attack, but within a few years and maybe twenty pounds it started not to seem like such a stretch. I'm not necessarily at my goal weight yet but it sure feels good to be out of them 'heart attack' woods.

Year 2, Day 67: "Cinco De Mayo"

At work, we had recently completed several large-scale initiatives, and so it was decided that the staff would go out for a celebratory lunch. It just so happened that day— today— fell on May 5th, or 'Cinco De Mayo' as it's known by those who want to peddle weak Mexican beer to college students. We think of it as "Mexican Independence Day", when a small, poorly equipped Mexican army defeated the French, but my experience is that most people don't even know why anyone would celebrate such a holiday. Considering the current Administration's stance on immigration and the French, you'd think it would be a much bigger deal.

Breakfast
3 Egg Omelet with
3 Slices Ham
Shredded Jarlsberg
Tea

Snack
Large Coffee (Half Decaf)
Celery Stick with about 2 Tablespoons SCPB

Lunch: Margarita's
1 Shrimp
1 Beef 'n' cheese thingy
Chicken "Picante"
Squash
House Salad

Dinner
Chicken Breast
Peppadews
Asparagus
Pickles

Of course whenever I go to a Mexican Restaurant hoping for the best (and always disappointed). Even with my low standards for Mexican food (I spent my youth devouring Taco Bell) I am disappointed. Why they can't make good Mexican food anywhere FAR from Mexico is a total mystery to me, though I understand it because anytime you get more than 90 miles from New York, the bagels and deli are nearly inedible. I should say something about churros, though, which are basically deep-fried dough rolled in cinnamon sugar—sometime Emily and I first had in Puerto Rico and subsequently sought out everywhere we went. One time we were so desperate for Churros that on the way to the airport, we literally took every side street in California to make that plane in the hope that some road side orange vendor would know where to get some churros. Alas, we went back to Boston churro-less. Fortunately, at our honeymoon we found ourselves at the Mexican Pavilion at Epcot center, where I naturally ordered four, both of out of lusty desire for the fresh-baked treat, and some kind of psychosis brought on by waiting in a line for hours. When we got our order, we realized there FOUR in each ONE order, so we had sixteen churros. I tried to give them away, but even in a pre-9/11 mindset, no one was taking them.

Year 2, Day 66: Fluffernutter Ice Cream

After many rainy days, finally there was sunshine. This is generally a welcome relief, but because of my exercise embargo, it makes me realize that I would ordinarily be haranguing the gang to go out walking. Instead, we go for Chinese food. I do best to keep it healthy, but who knows what the food is made with aside from pork fat and MSG? In an uncharacteristic series of events, Emily and I also take Ruby out to dinner, where we realize that Ruby LOVES spaghetti and meatballs, despite the fact that we never served it to her even once. Kids, go figure.

Breakfast
3 Eggs, 2 of which were over easy (one broke in the bowl)
1 spicy thai chicken sausage (Whole Foods)
Tea

Snack
20 oz. Decaf & Caf coffee
1 Long Celery Stalk with 1.5 Tablespoons Super Chunky Peanut Butter

Lunch: Chinese
Wonton Soup (no wontons)
Shredded Pork with Cabbage
Shrimp & Vegetables
Sliced Chicken with Spinach
the inside of two dumplings

Dinner: Paparazzi
1/2 of a side salad
Breast of Chicken
Spinach
Two cherry tomatoes

Fluffernutter Ice Cream— from "Junkfoodblog."

Brighams Inc., a top selling brand of ice cream in New England, claims to have made the world's first Fluffernutter ice cream, based on the sandwich, a combination of peanut butter and marshmallow cream.

It's roots apparently go back a long way. The name itself is actually a registered trademark of Durkee-Mower Co., the company that makes the marshmallow fluff. It's said that fluffernutter sandwiches have been consumed for at least a century, thus spawning the creation of Durkee-Mower for the production of fine marshmallow fluff. Durkee-Mower promotes every October 8th as National Fluffernutter Day.

Brigham's Fluffernutter ice cream is made with Durkee-Mower's very own marshmallow cream, otherwise it just wouldn't be "fluffernutter" would it?

The new Fluffernutter ice cream is currently being scooped at all Brigham's locations and are available at grocery stores throughout New England.

Year 2, Day 65: Magnolia Got Hurt

For those still following, this is day three of Phase One in Year and Day 65. I don't find Phase One too terrifying anymore, though of course the hardest part is eating eggs for breakfast for 14 days. I try always to vary it, but in the end, you're pretty sick of eggs. For the time being, I am trying to mix it up with omelets, but by next week I'll be on hard-boiled, because as much as you get tired of eating them, you get even more tired of preparing them.

Breakfast
3 Egg Omelet with
4 Slices Ham
Shredded Jarlsberg
Tea

Snack
1 Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee
1 Stick Celery with 1 Tablespoon Super-Chunky Peanut Butter

Lunch: Demo's
Chicken Kebab Salad with Feta

Dinner
Steak Tips
Broccoli
Peppadews

Dessert as Anxiety Reducer
50% Healthy Choice Fudgicle

I was doing pretty well today, but tonight, Ruby accidentally closed the bathroom door onto Magnolia's head and left her with a very scary, but not very serious bleeding bruise. It's enough to make your heart flutter (in the bad way) and certainly made me turn to the ice cream bar (you are allowed up to 75 calories of reduced calorie dessert on Phase One). We were very shaken up, so we all tried to settle down. For the kids that meant going to sleep, for the adults, that meant watching the American Idol results show. But that reverie was broken when some family news came across the transom. (No one got hurt or died). Rather than go back to the chocolate bar, I brushed my teeth and set out for blog writing to calm me down.

Year 2, Day 64: Donuts for Breakfast?

It was absolutely raining cats and dogs this morning and because 1) I couldn't find Ruby's rain-slicker and 2) I have no umbrella, I decide to drive Ruby to school. I figure I can do it and get to work before a 9AM meeting. The problem is, I can't leave Ruby at school until the 8:20AM bell, and it's 7:55AM so I figure I'll go get some coffee before I drop her off. Naturally, she comes with me and I allow her to get anything she wants from Dunkin Donuts (even at her age, she knows to eschew the subpar bakery offerings at Starbucks). She chooses three powdered munchkins. An eyebrow raising choice for a kid who reliably picks chocolate. So, there we were, in the warm car, listening to the Beatles' Rubber Soul and she was chomping away, with more powder on her face than a French aristocrat. We were having a great time, and I couldn't help but wonder, who proposed Donuts as a breakfast item? I realize that at one time I was a perpetrator of this fraud, but it seems to me so crazy now. When you bring donuts to your workplace, you're basically saying "I've brought dessert instead of a meal. Enjoy." While South Beach Diet fans know that the Donut has been singled out as the worst of all possible foods for its high sugar, high carb, empty calories and amazing amount of bad fats, it still remains something that smells great when it has just been baked and is often very delicious. If just reading about donuts makes your knees go weak, you can inure yourself to them by viewing their nutritional value here: http://www.nutritiondata.com/foods-030000000000000000000.html

Breakfast
3 Egg Omelet with
3 Slices of Ham
Shredded Jarlsberg
V-8

Snack
1 Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee (half decaf)
1 Joy Stick

Lunch: Russo's ($4.74)
Red Leaf, Red Onion, Red Pepper
Chicken, Broccoli, Feta

Dinner
Catfish a la Em
Leeks

In 2002, prior to the arrival of Krispy Kreme donuts in Massachusetts, but after they had become the "it" donut of the time, I noticed that they had installed one in Penn Station. During that year, Emily's mother was sick and Emily stayed in New Jersey with Ruby for about 10 weeks until the funeral. I spent those weeks alone, eating the worst of everything every night— big Chinese Food Combo dinners, Steak with friends, and my favorite, raw cookie dough (Emily disdained this choice mightily). It was a very difficult time made more difficult by loneliness. Every Friday night I got on a train and headed to New York, and just about every Monday morning, my father-in-law would drop me off somewhere in Manhattan, and I would make my way to Penn Station, and get back to work. Jill would nearly always pick me up from the station, and almost always, I would bring back two dozen Krispy Kreme donuts for the Domania gang. Of course, you're crazy if you think I could be a on train for four hours every week with two dozen Krispy Kreme donuts and not eat them all. Knowing this temptation, I would buy two separately for myself, and try to space them out on the train with coffee, so I wouldn't dig into the supply. If I ever have to wonder how I put on 40lbs, I just have to think of that time. I don't think it got any worse than that, but it didn't get a whole lot better until I knew I was going to turn 40. I knew choosing to lose weight would mean giving up donuts, probably for good. And you know what? I go to Dunkin Donuts several times a week now, and not only do I NOT miss them, I don't even miss buying them for the office. And I know that the office is glad about that, too.

Year 2, Day 63: Detecto Says 189!

1. The Scale Doesn't Lie. It's 189.
2. It's 189.
3. That's 3 or 4lbs up (depending on whether you believe Donna or the scale).
4. Exercise is verboten for another week.
5. Back to Phase One Today.

Breakfast
2 Eggs Over Easy
1 Link Chorizo Chicken Sausage

Snack
12 oz coffee
1 Joy Stick

Lunch: Peter's Kitchen
Greek Salad with Chicken
Vinaigrette

Dinner
Breast of Chicken
Pickles
Cabbage with Dressing
3 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Let's face it, if I can't exercise, and I'm 3lbs up, it's gotta be phase one. No one likes it except for egg farmers. But there's no way out, just no way. When I look back, I guess I could see, it's just one too many blueberry muffins, one too many slices of pita bread, and one too many peppadews. You know, it's strange—I was able to stay at 196 for about six months. I see I'll have to work harder to stay at 186. Hmmmm. Wish me luck.