Year 2, Day 211: Last Night of the Year

Here it is, the last night of the year when we are supposed to, as Jews, be squaring off all accounts with our loved ones and the supreme being, or what have you. And yet I am harboring all kinds of ill-will for those who have created both real and imagined slights to my loved ones and occasionally, my property, especially Ruby's little truck that Magnolia has commandeered of late, which too often is stolen by neighborhood ruffians. I remain covetous of advertised things and somewhat vain. I have allowed zealotry to replace modesty and on top of that, I'm impatient and grumpy from my arm injury. If you think of Yom Kippur as one long day of confession with no Hail Marys, you'll get the idea of what we as a people are going to experience, but it doesn't help to go in a with a full plate of sin. No, it surely doesn't.

Breakfast
2 Not-so-soft boiled eggs
1 slice Balthazar Bread
Green Tea

Snack
Coffee
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
1 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch:
93% Sirloin
Romaine & Goat Cheese with Balsamic
Leeks

Dinner
Emily's Fantastical Hungarian-Chinese Fusion Chicken
Cabbage Salad with 1 tsp too much of sesame oil (Her complaint, not mine)

I noted today a television commercial for Domino's, purveyor of mediocre, but often steaming hot, pizza. It featured a small brown square called a "Fudgem." So now Domino's if offering FREE warm ("oven baked") brownies with a purchase of any large pizza. You get an order of 10 with "Fudge Brownie Dipping Sauce." You've got to hand it to Domino's— they keep trying to give you stuff that's not pizza for ordering pizza. And they have to, since they replaced their 30 minute guarantee that made them famous with the "Made Fresh, Arrive Fresh" guarantee (that stink, in the words of KoKo the Gorilla). Unfortunately for those minding what they eat, the brownies and dipping sauce are loaded with the trifecta of trash ingredients— partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors. The brownies contain both sugar AND sucralose (Splenda), which is a neat trick. Their nutritional values are not that great, but they're no Taco Bell Fiesta salad, which is good because it's supposed to be your dessert after your carbohydrate-rich dinner of pizza. In this day and age, it's not enough to create a nutritionally void product. In my day, you had to create the dancing fudgem with hands and disco music, so I can accept that. But it's hard for me to accept the Web site of Fudgems— featuring Dancing Fudgems, Fudgems Downloads and "Fudgems Gaming Zone." I mean this is a faceless square of high-fructose corn syrup and it's got it's own Web site? Is that what Domino's corporate is spending it's money on? It's driving me to the Fudgems dunking booth.

Year 2, Day 210: Conquering Chan Shin Yuan

Today was sad not only for its cold, rainy weather but also for the Senate's approval of the detainee bill. Certainly this woe led me to drown my sorrows in hot chili sauce when I was invited to join a vendor for lunch today. However, even in my somewhat gloomy state of being tired AND melancholy, I wizened up enough to order wonton soup instead of hot sour (which is often loaded with corn syrup, corn starch and sugar) and skipped the wontons entirely. I realize that I cannot order just the broth because it engenders furrowed brows and confusion, so I just leave them over. This prompted the waitress to ask if I wanted to take it home. Several moments passed until I repeated AND physically demonstrated that I was done with it. I also skipped the flour-wrap of the spicy wontons and just ate the insides.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean
Heritage Flakes
Blueberries
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Green Tea

Snack
1/2 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
2 Sticks Beef Jerky
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch: Chan Shin Yuan
Wonton Soup Broth
Shrimp with Vegetables
Chun King Pork (Spicy with Cabbage)
Beef with Celery

Dinner
Flounder with Leeks
1/2 Apple

From "The South Beach Newsletter"— Top 5 Guilt-free Treats. I kinda think this particular newsletter was written for the ladies. Read it and tell me what you think. I have added my comments in parens.

No one knows better than you how great it feels to make a commitment to your health by starting (or staying with) The South Beach Diet®. While you're probably experiencing many benefits from healthy eating and weight loss — for example, increased energy, improved moods, better sleep quality — you should also reward yourself with a non-food treat for each milestone you hit (entering Phase 2 or dropping a dress size, for example) — you deserve it!

Here are five fantastic food-free ways to give yourself a pat on the back:

Give yourself a bouquet. Don't wait around for a loved one to send flowers — celebrate your accomplishment with a seasonal arrangement. (Done that-Ed.)
Take a bubble bath. Enjoy some quality time alone to honor your achievements. A scented soak may be just what you need to stay dedicated to the healthy changes you've made. (With the kids, I've done that-Ed.)
Enjoy a salon or spa treatment. A pedicure, facial, or massage can lift your spirits — and give you a more refreshed appearance. (Not sure how that's either 'guilt-free' or a 'treat.'—Ed.)
Plan a "night out" that doesn't revolve around dinner. Enjoy a movie (minus buttery, artery-clogging popcorn), or check your newspaper for a fun cultural event, such as a concert, play, or art exhibition. (But the only reason to do those things is for the popcorn-Ed.)
Splurge on a great outfit in your new, smaller size. If you really feel like celebrating — and if your budget allows — buy a whole new wardrobe once you've reached your final goal! (I've done that, and after having to buy LOTS of new clothes, the fun sort of wears off—Ed.)

Year 2, Day 209: Tired

A bad of night of sleep last night. Up for about two hours in the middle of the night. When you become hyper-aware of noises, it's never god. Woke up at 5:21 and 6:21. Very bad focus, very tired, even with lots of caffeine and advil. On the plus side: very little appetite.

Breakfast
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
3 Tablespoons Super Chunky Peanut Butter
Green Tea

Snack
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
1 Stick Beef Jerky

Lunch: Russo's ($5.01)
Red leaf, red pepper, red onion
broccoli, mushrooms, chicken, feta
balsamic vinegar, pepperocini

Dinner:
Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken
Balsamic Vinegar

Emily had her "back to school" night tonight, so I left early both because I was feeling poorly and also so that I could be home before she left. In a more energetic state, I might have made something for dinner, but with no energy to spare I picked up some take out at the local pizza shoppe. This included a greek salad because I wasn't sure Emily would eat the falafel wrap I ordered for her. She did eat it though, so I had basically the same dinner as I had lunch. And some people might wonder, "how can he eat so many of the same salads?" My answer is twofold. One, by de-romancing my food choices it makes it easier to stay on the program. Two, I like salad. All in all, salad is like a school uniform. It's so much easier than having to pick what to wear everyday. As it is, I was chastised today for wearing the wrong shoes with my outfit. So, I'm a work in progress...

Year 2, Day 208: Another Fast Walk with Sin-Tossing

Today it was one of those perfect fall days that almost makes you forget it's fall because it's so much like summer. We took a fast walk around the water and I took a little intermezzo so I could throw my sins, in the form of old bread, into the Charles River. This is something that's supposed to happen prior to the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, but it just didn't happen that way. There were a lot of sins, real and imagined, and a lot of bread, and mostly, a lot of happy ducks.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Blueberries
1 Small Banana
1 Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk
Green Tea

Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
4 Sticks Beef jerky (resisted the fifth at 4:51)

Lunch: Peter's Kitchen
Chicken, Feta, Salad
Balsamic Vinegar

Dinner
Hamburgers
Fried Onions
Cabbage Salad with Balsamic Vinegar
Peppadews

Very often I will come home hungry and eat and want to still eat more. Very often this can be dodged by drinking lots of water, but that desire to continue eating is still very strong, after all this time. The benefit to having been on the diet is now I know I can beat it, so that's good, but the idea of a diet chocolate pop, or Magnolia's left-over oatmeal still plays in my head like a haunting melody. If I can get to the 8-8:30 hour without anything else, I'm OK.

Year 2, Day 207: Don't Tell Me What to Feed My Kids

During my research in writing this tonight though, I came across a disturbing article that revealed its painful conclusion:

"Children and teens in the United States follow eating patterns that do not meet national recommendations. Nutrition education and intervention are needed among US children." (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/100/3/323)

Sadly, if we don't take care of our children now, we're going to have take care of them later. I have found that even as a parent, other parents really don't want to hear what you have to say when it comes to their kid's nutrition.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean
Heritage Flakes
1 Banana
Blueberries
1 Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk
Green Tea

Lunch: Russo's ($4.74)
Red pepper, red onion, red leaf lettuce
tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, feta
chicken, balsamic vinegar

Snack
2.5 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
4 Beef Jerky Sticks
20 Unsalted Almonds

Dinner:
Flounder
Cauliflower
Avocado

Back at work means back at Russo's. I know many people skip over the menu part of this blog, and I apologize to both my readers and myself for being in an unimaginative breakfast rut. Sure, I might have to eat salad every day, but surely I can do some change up in the morning? I did have about three or four breakfasts going for a while, but with kids it's so easy to get into a routine because the alternative, which tends to be anarchy, is soooo draining.

Year 2, Day 206: I Need a Vacation From My Weekend

It is hard to come back from a weekend of non-stop moving. I'm sorry for folks who were with me who are just now reading this blog; between being away and my ever-changing arm-wrist-shoulder-back injury, it's been tough to keep up with the blogging. However, all the blog posts have a date, so if you're confused, please use that as a guide.

Breakfast
2 Soft Boiled Eggs
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
Green Tea

Snack
3 Sticks Beef Jerky
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch: Russo's ($6.01)
Red leaf, red onion, red peppers
mushrooms, broccoli, chicken, feta
balsamic vinegar

Dinner:
Rotisserie Chicken (Poul-T-ry Mart)
Pickles
Peppadews
Cabbage Salad

Taco Bell (which was my favorite pre-diet fast food restaurant) has introduced a new line of "Value Meals" called the "1/2 Pound" Burritos. They come in three varieties: Bean and Cheese, Beef, and Beef and Potatoes. Given, a half pound is only 8 oz. so calling it a "half pound" is great marketing because it makes it sound to the kids like it will fill you up and much more impressive than it really is. When you think it about it, how impressive is a quarter pounder? That's only 4 oz. of beef (prior to cooking). Anyway, Taco Bell should be chided for its (corporate and restaurant-specific) attempt to lure new and repeat customers with the old 'super-sizing' method. They do get points for putting nutritional information on their Web site, even if, unlike every other part of their state-of-the-art Flash-enabled site, the report is a PDF in 4 point type. The report, at http://www.yum.com/nutrition/documents/tb_nutrition.pdf reveals that the new 1/2 pound Beef & Potato burrito has 540 grams of fat, 1660 mg of sodium, and 66 grams of carbs. Again, in all fairness, it should be pointed out that the new offering is not the worst culprit on the menu. No, that distinction goes to-wait for it—the "Fiesta Taco Salad." Weighing in at 860 calories with 1800g of sodium and 75 grams of carbs, it beat out such notable contenders at the Nachos Bellgrande (790 calories) and Grilled Stuft Burrito- Beef (720). It's sad that the most expensive caloric item at any fast food restaurant should be something with 'salad' in the title. It just goes to show how America got fat— poor, unsuspecting folk buying 'salads' hoping to lose weight, and doing just the opposite.

Year 2, Day 206: Trip Home Redux

Though I was up early and getting ready for action, by the time we were set to leave, around 11:30, I practically collapsed in my car seat, and Emily was left to fend for herself by driving home. She got us home in record time, for which I could not have been more grateful. Though it is not uncommon for us to have a Friday-to-Sunday visit, the fact that we hit four destinations (five if you count Balthazar); ate mostly take out, and had multiple set-ups and breakdowns was quite taxing and not very relaxing. It was sunny when we got home, and so naturally, Ruby took off for the park and Emily and I set out to get ready for the next week.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain (Pan-Loaf)
2 Soft Boiled Eggs
Coffee

Lunch/Car/On the Road:
2 Chicken Nuggets
Health Salad (Cole Slaw-Minus Mayonnaise)
A few pretzel chips

6 oz. Plain Yogurt
3 Tblspns Peanut Butter

Dinner: Blue Ribbon BBQ
1 Rib
Burnt Ends, Pulled Chicken
Emily's Bok Choy
Pickles

Sunday night leads to a lot of soul-searching questions, one of mine is "why are there so many blogs about the South Beach diet?" If you do a blog search you'll note, that there are a lot of them, and nearly all that I have read are not very funny or interesting. I have made a mental note to do more optimizing of my site so it will show up along with these no-accounts.

Year 2, Day 205: Rosh Hashana Dinner V.2

A very odd morning. Due to what was unbelievably termed a "computer glitch," a strange woman entered our kids' room at 7:30AM, waking up Ruby and disturbing Emily and I so that we could not get back to sleep. I immediately called the front desk, and refused their preposterous answer and demanded to be called back. Since I knew Ruby wasn't going back to sleep, I volunteered to take her out exploring: to the game room (Foosball and Table-shuffleboard as well as Pool), out for some much needed Advil and to return with coffee. As luck would have it, the front desk only had Advil Cold & Sinus, which wasn't what I went looking for, but for my actual condition was much better. It was an overcast morning, and it felt very much like staying at a rich relative's house where no one was awake yet. Ruby and I played in the dark game room for a while, earning suspicious glances from the janitorial staff until we got hungry and went to seek out food. As is her want at hotels, she picked fruit loops for cereal and accepted a glass of orange juice. Surveying the lot, I picked eggs and bacon with tabasco sauce and lots of coffee. Since everything was free, I filled two large to-go containers for Emily and Magnolia with bagel, cream cheese, french toast, oatmeal, fruit, bacon and of course, coffee and milk.

Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs & Bacon
Coffee

Snack-n-Room
Honeycrisp Apple with SC Peanut Butter
6 oz. Day old Strawberry Stonyfield Yogurt

Lunch:
Greek Salad with Chicken & Feta
Oil & Vinegar

Appetizers
Two slices Balthazar Bread
Assorted Goat cheeses
Spicy Crackers

Dinner
Brisket
Meatballs
Chicken Breast
Asparagus

Dessert
1 Fork of Carrot Cake
1 Bite of a chocolate graham cracker cookie.

Because we had to both leave from Rockland County instead of Englewood, we left earlier, but still took a detour through Englewood so I could stock up on Balthazar bread. Eschewing the rye, I picked up eight Multi-grain loaves, reasoning that I wouldn't be back either often or soon. We pressed on to New York to my Aunt Doreen's house, where Magnolia did not want to nap, and we set about chatting and eating for the remainder of my time there with my Aunt, my father, mother, stepmother, brother, sister-in-law, niece, nephew, cousin & wife and his two kids. Dinner was meat-tastic and there was a lot to pick from, but many of us were chasing our kids with forks trying to get them to eat, or with wagging fingers, trying to get them to calm down. Though I'm not sure what they ate, I know Ruby sat down for a helping of dessert, where I carelessly helped her (and myself to a few crumbs). A happy new year was had by all. My cousin's son even blew the Shofar.

Year 2, Day 204: The IBM Inn

Today we headed to points South for the first major holiday post the sale of Emily's father's house. This presented some logistical problems as to where we were going to lodge. Fortunately, Emily found us the IBM Palisades, a technical state-of-the-art hotel and conference center set on acres of woods only minutes from her sister's house. While it's somewhat of a come down to have pay to stay somewhere, when that place has all-over wi-fi, the latest greatest gym equipment, a lap pool, game room, tennis, a few breathtaking vistas and free breakfast, it's hard to find something to pine for.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
4 Slices of Virginia Ham
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Snack/On the Road
1 oz. Cracker Barrel Cheese
1 Handful Almonds/Cashews

Lunch:
3 Roll Mops: Brisket/Turkey/Swiss Cheese Mustard
Pickles
Romaine Salad
Bean/Eggplant Dip

Pre-Gym
1 Granny Smith Apple

Dinner:
Breast of Chicken
A Bean Mixture
Salad

IBM
Glass of Wine

It was a bit of a strange day. My cold, though a day old, felt like it was flowering. The original plan was that we'd nap Ruby at my sister-in-laws, and go to the gym in check in and I would work out. Feeling poorly, I thought I might nap, but seeing the gym, and being away from the kids, I felt compelled to do what I could. Though it was a slightly different elliptical, on level four I managed to do just under four miles in about sixty-five minutes. Now this is way under what I usually can do, but remember, I had a cold, and my arm is still not recovered, so sometimes, three or four miles an hour was all that I could muster. On top of that, I was having iPod failures which required me to keep restarting it, very unusual. At the end of the workout, I burned 650 calories, and then I went with my sister-in-law Amy to observe Emily play tennis with my brother-in-law. After their set, he and I walked back to the hotel for a little extra calorie-burn. I skipped dessert, and celebrated with a glass of wine from the bar, which I took back to the room. I was liking it there.

Year 2, Day 203— Town Meeting

Tonight I was very focused on a town meeting to discuss a project that deeply affects my neighborhood. I knew I was going to speak, so I was up late the night before thinking about my speech, and up early, and spent most of my free moments writing and rewriting things to say. I'm not sure I've found the perfect solution to public speaking—whether it's writing down EXACTLY what you're going to say, or just bullet-pointing the big topics and jumping from point to point. I vacillate between the two methods but more often than not I find myself writing out phraseology because it's very challenging to be clever improvisationally. I find if I can write a few jokes, or laugh lines, or chuckle lines, I can sort of surf on the tempo a little better, because I know where I have to speed up and where I have to slow down. I like speaking publicly, and people haven't told me to stop (as they do when I sing publicly) so I know I can do it, but I still get very nervous. I suppose there are those rare folk who aren't nervous at all, but I think mostly it's a myth that people don't get nervous.

Breakfast
Kashi, etc.
Heritage Flakes
1 Small Banana
Blueberries
1 Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk
Green Tea

Snack:
20 Almonds
3 sticks beef jerky
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Coffee

Lunch: V Majestic
Shrimp & Broccoli
1.5 Fresh Rolls

Dinner:
Hamburger
Cabbage Salad with Almonds/Cashews
Asparagus

1 Nip

Emily always says that if our family had a crest, it would be the hamburger, and I think she's right. More often than not, it's a fallback dinner for us, and one that we always shop for when we're in a foreign land (like New Hampshire) and we need to make dinner. Seems to be a pretty reliable dinner for kids, too. Like barbecue, I'm glad it's on the South Beach diet because otherwise I might have trouble staying on the wagon. It's been hard to give up ketchup, but since I've fallen in love with jalapeno tabasco sauce, I haven't missed it as much.

Year 2, Day 202: Let's Dishy

I purchased a a cheap food scale from Sur la Table. It was literally six dollars. I have found it amazingly helpful in two ways. One, it has been helping me understand the relationship between food in ounces and grams. This is important because often, the nutritional labels on packages of bread, cereal and other stuff is listed in weird amounts (like 3/4 of a cup) or in grams. So when you want to know how two keep from having a 750 calorie-breakfast, the scale is very handy. Two, it's helping me understand my portions. For instance, I can now eye out 2 oz of jalapeno cheddar and 2 oz of almonds & cashews within just a few grams. This is very helpful because it keeps me from having to guess, which can be dangerous when you're hungry and your guess-mechanism tends to be a little less than trustworthy.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
2 Soft Boiled eggs
Green Tea

Snack
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno CHeddar
3 Sticks Beef Jerky
20 Almonds

Lunch: Russo's ($5.57)
Red leaf, red pepper, red onion
broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, feta
chicken, balsamic vinegar

Dinner:
Mustardy Chicken
Green Beans

Emily got a meal tonight from "Let's Dish," which is a new concept place that opened around the corner from me in Needham. Though I did not go with her, I understand the concept (http://www.letsdish.com/) is that they help you prepare meals for your family. While the dish she got was good, and certainly as good as many restaurants, it also had the restaurant problem of relying on things that I now routinely try to avoid, such as breadcrumbs on the chicken and sugar in the beans. It's true, being on the diet makes you a suspicious ass, which is to say not beloved by those who often serve you dinner. I'm working on that, but I think after the tsk, tsking is over she forgives me because I'm trying to be healthy. I mean if I want sugar, I want to consume it in ice cream or chocolate, not in my green beans!

Year 2, Day 201: 181 Heads Out

Achieving a weight milestone is much like winning a big jackpot. The temptation to go out and spend your surprising winnings is tempting beyond reason. At this point, both in my diet, and at this time in the year, I must be extra careful. With the Jewish holidays followed in quick succession by the onset of cold weather and then by the big-boffo American holidays, resplendent in their chocolate, overflowing with their lavish cornucopia of endless sweet offerings— well, it's a tough time for anyone trying to watch it, as everyone reading this well knows. So it's on strict rations for me, for now.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Banana
Blueberries
1 Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk

Snack
1 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn
4 Pieces of Beef Jerky

Lunch:
Mediterranean Salad with Chicken Kebab

Dinner: Blue Ribbon BBQ
Pulled Chicken
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Pickles

One of the most amazing things I learned when first on Weight Watchers back in the 90s was that if you are eating well, you probably are eating the right amount of fruits, vegetables and grains in your diet. If you simply take whatever the RDA of fruits and vegetables and whole grains, and make sure you eat them, you hardly have time to eat all the junk they are constantly advertising for you to buy and eat. While the nutritional pyramid has come under fire recently, it does represent some kind of 'standard' by which all those accustomed to living your life by a color-code can adhere to. I have to admit, they've come a long way, and it's worth checking out the site (http://www.mypyramid.gov/) even though you can get the creeps when you think the American government is basing anything on an ancient Egyptian method for storing dead Pharaohs.

Year 2, Day 200: Detecto Says "181", Eyes Pop Out of Head

I'd been putting it off for a while, because I was both concerned that I was out of control (since vacation) and because I was unsure of the value that weighing myself. There's also another factor, which is to be on time for work enough so that I can stop by, get weighed and get out without throwing off my day. This just happened to be a day that things were going my way. It was warm, so I was dressed in shorts. I got in, and the office was empty. I got on the scale and I could not believe my eyes. When you get weighed as often as I do, you know where the big scale marker is going to go, but it's where that little scale marker goes that makes all the difference. I could tell it was going to be good, but I wasn't sure how good. It felt very good to say that as of my 200th day in the second year, (which is day 565) I had succeeded in losing forty-five pounds. Now if you're a reader of this blog you know it's not all about the weight, it's about the life you get back. But the number is still an accomplishment.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
1 Small Banana
Blueberries
1 Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk
Green Tea

Snack
1.5 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn
3 "Short Shots"

Lunch: Russos's ($6.01)
Red leaf, red peppers, red onions
chicken, feta, mushrooms, broccoli

Dinner: Blue Ribbon BBQ
Pulled Chicken
Burnt Ends
Grilled Asparagus
Pickles
2 Bites of Baked Beans

Naturally, I was very excited all day by the news, as it's the kind of big jump that you don't ordinarily see this late in the game. Literally, I think it's a loss of about five pounds since last I was weighed. Recently, when discussing my journey with my neighbor, I gave my weight as "About 186," which is where I thought I would always be stuck. I am amazed to find myself at a weight associated with my youngest days. The temptation to celebrate (with food, natch) was great, and even Emily suggested that after "Back to School Night", which was tonight—which I won't discuss because it's as depressing a thing as my weight was thrilling—we go out for ice cream. Of course, part of losing weight is bringing to a halt that kind of connection— success and reward with food. There is very little that feels rewarding about sitting with a cup of tea, but nothing is more counter productive than to eat something that would make you gain weight when what you're celebrating is the liberation of that burden. But I feel good. I knew that I would right now.

Year 2, Day 199: Dance, Little Hampster

Much to my alarm and dismay, they installed individual television units today on all the pieces of exercise equipment. While I was initially kind of excited about this, I noted quickly that it was nothing to be happy about. Aside from the title of this posting, wherein I note that with each technological advantage I feel more like a furry rodent in a cage full of shavings, I also noted that the individual units were not close-captioned. This means I could not simply watch/read a program and continue to listen to my iPod (with safe earphones, not damaging ear-pods). You may not know it unless you try to watch television without the sound AND without closed captioning, but there are not very many programs that are worth simply watching without the soundtrack. Another problem: everyone can see what you are watching. That's not like your iPod, on which you can listen to the complete Barry Manilow ballads collection without anyone else being the wiser. On the television, your choice of "The Next Super Runway Model" or "Fox News" tells the gymnik next to you possibly more than they wanted to know.

Breakfast
2 Soft Boiled Eggs
Green Tea

Snack
2 oz. Almonds/Cashews
3 Slices Rye Vita
3 Tablespoons Super Chunky Peanut Butter
Coffee

Lunch:
Hamburger
Cabbage Salad
Pickles

Dinner
Steak Tips
Broccoli
1 Ear of Corn

Since I am intrepid when it comes to gym-technology, I tried watching the TV, resting the channel on Game Show Network's reruns of "Match Game" with Gene Rayburn. To tell you the truth, the show has dated badly, and it brought me the tepid smile of an old but forgotten children's record. After one segment in which I confirmed my long held-belief that the entire cast was on quaaludes, I plugged my iPod in and searched until I found the Spanish language station that featured dancing and some PBS version of "Pennies from Heaven" on Broadway. Just to add insult to injury, the movie on the big TV (that was closed-captioned) was a creepy B-movie called "The Neighbor" with Rod Steiger and the girl from "Crocodile Dundee." I wanted to shut it off so bad that I even paused the machine to look for the remote, but it was nowhere in site. As it was it was quite a workout. I did my six miles on level four, but today it was really a struggle.

Year 2, Day 198: Bingo Night

Ruby woke up at 6:45 and would not go back to sleep, though we practically begged her to from a sleepy state. After 45 minutes of not sleeping, I got her up but told her that we were going to run errands. I dragged her around town and to get coffee and to the drugstore and to the bank, and everything I could think of to do that I needed to do that was open so early in the AM. She was actually in quite good spirits, and I love to have her tag along, even if there isn't much to do at the bank. I offered her a bagel at one point, but she wasn't interested in food. We walked all around Needham and eventually I let her play in the center of the park for a while before I got up the energy to go home.

Breakfast
5 oz. Ham
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
Tea

Snack
2 oz. of Almonds & Cashews
Coffee
1/2 a bag of 1/2 of Popcorn (Ruby split it with me even though she had just polished off a several bags of smart food)
2 Olives

Lunch:
Breast of Chicken
Cabbage, Romaine, Feta, Red Peppers Balsamic Vinegar

Dinner
A few bites of Ruby's Hot Dog
Steak Tips
Broccoli

After a really full day of playing in our park with various kids, Emily brought Ruby's best friend over and then they played together for hours before the onset of the first big school event of the year, "Bingo Night." Ruby was VERY excited about Bingo Night—until she got there and realized it wasn't much fun and then practically needed to be carried to the car. Though we had fed her (quite a bit) before she went, she complained of being hungry so we fed her and sent her to bed. When everyone was asleep, I went to a neighbor's house who is doing a research study on weight loss and programs. Asking the question "Why does this work?" and "For Who?" It was good reflection for me. I have come a long way.

Year 2, Day 197: I Walk Alone

Today, minus nearly all my Domania walking gang, I was determined to go walking. Though I had no partners, I went alone. Though the morning was rainy, I was determined, and I did work up a sweat. I stopped at the farmer's market along the way, breaking my stride to buy some corn (my kids love corn, and who am I to deny them the highly glycemic treat?) I can't say that I enjoyed the solitary walk, but I felt very proud that I got myself out there. I know that I must remain determined and I cannot forget to keep up a minimum of one two mile walk per week. Lastly, I must remember to stay hungry, in both the literal and figurative meanings.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!/Heritage Flakes
1 small banana
blueberries (half-cup)
unsweetened soy milk
green tea

Snack
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
1 Short Shot
1/2 Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch: Peter's Kitchen
Chicken kebab salad with feta,
balsamic vinegar

Dinner
Chicken Breast
Cauliflower
Pickles
haricot verts

Much to the dismay of my office workers (who don't yet know) I reordered more beef jerky. With its low calories (35) and very low carbs (1g) it's easy to keep around, easy to limit, and very satisfying to chew. I had run out yesterday, and I had to make due with "Short Shots" which are the Choo Choo Roo company's 'slim jims.' Now if you're like me, you find the Slim Jim extremely disturbing. Not just its flavor and texture, but its combination of mysterious and what you wish was mysterious ingredients. What is 'mechanically separated chicken,' anyway? But the 'Short Shots' are a little better because they don't have all that junk and they are like their jerky counterparts, 35 calories each. However, because they're processed, they don't make for good chewing, and as my father used to say, "They only fill up my one cavity," meaning they aren't very satisfying.

Year 2, Day 196: Must Go Walking

Today it was kind of a non-stop day, I had a meeting in the morning with an ad agency that went from 9:30 till 12:00pm. (I had to duck out to eat my cheese). Just barely got my salad and off to more meetings. Really, really need to take advantage of the weather for as long as its good. I must get out there and go walking.

Breakfast
Kashi/Heritage
Banana
Blueberry
Tea

Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar.
12 oz. coffee (half decaf)
30 Unsalted Almonds
1 Short Shot

Lunch: Russo's ($5.61)
Red leaf, red peppers, red onions
mushrooms, broccoli, chicken, feta
balsamic vinegar

Dinner:
Rotisserie Chicken from Costco
Haricot verts

Emily and I have discovered with great humility that the rotisserie chicken from Costco is better than all the other roast chickens we can get our hands on. That includes Sudbury Farms, Whole Foods, and La Rotisserie. Russo's, a favorite, douses their chicken with rosemary, which for me, ruins it. A spit-roasted chicken is such a great thing to have but I've never made one myself. This is partially because I am intimidated by the idea, but also because I failed many times in the 80s experimenting with those vertical roasters. I also had a bad gastrointestinal issue at a Boston Chicken in Connecticut that kept me off rotisserie chicken for about seven years, but that's all behind me now. Of course, Emily and I were ruminating—why is it so much better? How much butter/fat/mysterious bad things could they add to it? We don't know, but I guess we're sold on Costco.

Year 2, Day 195: To Weigh or Not to Weigh?

It sounds like a bad pun, but I have been feeling sort of neglectful about not getting weighed in. Dr. Parent is leaving her practice and I must decide whether to stay with her (in Norwood, about 20 minutes south) or stay with the office, with its 'on-the-way-to-work' convenience. I sort of have been living in fear of Detecto, which is exactly the opposite of what I got on this diet and program to do. I must toughen up and get there.

Breakfast
1 slice multigrain balthazar bread
2 tblspns super chunky peanut butte
green tea
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch: Russo's ($4.90)
Red leaf, red peppers, red onions
mushrooms, feta, chicken, broccoli
balsamic vinegar

Snack
1.5 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
30 Almonds
2 sticks Beef Jerky

Dinner:
93% Sirloin Burger
Pickles
Salad, Romaine, Cabbage, Feta.

My arm continues to be a problem. I am sleeping with a wrist-brace and using it at work. I am also wearing an air-cast, which is a puffy thing attached to a strap that puts pressure on all your tendons and is helpful for a reason that I can't explain, but understand physically when I'm wearing it. Wearing both of these things has the effect of announcing that I am old, hurt man at work, and even though I don't think about it, I do laugh when people say "what's THAT?" It looks like I sustained some kind of sexy skiing injury or something, but in reality, it's just a torn-something or other. I have another tear-inducing physical therapy appointment next week.

Year 2, Day 194: The KitchenAid I'll Never Have

Occasionally, I'll find myself at a department store and I'll find myself wandering through the kitchen appliance aisle. I love kitchen appliances, and for about twenty years I dreamed of owning my own KitchenAid stand mixer. I dreamed about owning the large one, with its great capacity and its flour-hook attachment. When they came out in classic colors (cobalt blue, red, and stainless steel) I almost plotzed. I was constantly thinking about what I could sell in order to get the necessary $300 to get one. Whenever they were on sale on Lechmere (does that tell you how long it's been? Lechmere has been out of business for 10 years.) I would longly caress the Sunday fliers as if it was a piece of soft cloth. I dreamed of making cakes, pizza, muffins and bread. I dreamed of becoming a baker and making mouth-watering zucchini breads and corn muffins with bacon.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!/Heritage Flakes
1 small banana
blueberries (half-cup)
unsweetened soy milk
green tea

snack
five beef jerky

lunch: peter's kitchen
chicken kebab salad with feta

dinner: blue ribbon bbq
beef chicken
kicked up leeks
broccoli

Now $300 is still a lot of money (the price has not changed, it's $299 without tax and shipping) and I realize now that if I really wanted one, I probably could convince Emily that it was worth getting. But I realized with a great sadness that I wouldn't get one now. That there is little I would make with a KitchenAid that I would actually eat. I mean, you really get a KitchenAid to bake. I don't want to become that person that bakes things for other people. And I certainly learned my lesson from work that I should not be a cake-celibate yet still push it on other people. Aside from the great joy I would get from making and eating muffins, I'm certain a KitchenAid should no more be in my house than a set of two three pound tubs of David's Cookies Cookie Dough (the best cookie dough in the whole world). If you want to know more about David's Cookies Cookie Dough, please visit
(http://catalog.hsn.com/prod-15678/qc/170/hp!sf!170/1370101/1370101.htm). Otherwise, you could go to the KitchenAid site and check out the stand mixers on sale (I note that the Lemon Grass-colored mixer, is on sale for $209).

Year 2, Day 193: A 9-11 Lunch Date

Today Emily surprised me by coming by work and we had a lunch date. This was a very bright spot in a day that is marked by so much grief. We went to new Ginza, which I'm not sure is as good as old Ginza, but is still in many ways superior to Sushi 21, with its dark, and rarely cleaned interior. I had the Sashimi platter, which is yummy, but leaves want wanting more. It took three more pieces of jerky and a bag of popcorn before I could stop thinking about food upon my return. I might have been better off with a piece of chocolate, had not a coworker freed me of the burden of the lavender/blueberry dark chocolate that was languishing on my desk, and taunting me most days. He ate it in a rather hostile, but clearly-stress induced moment last Friday, which was his last day before a long vacation.

Breakfast
1 slice Balthazar multi-grain
2 soft-boiled eggs
green tea

Snack
50% Jalapeno Cheddar (2 oz.)
5 pieces of Beef Jerky (a record)
1/2 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
6 Cashews

Lunch: New Ginza
Miso Soup
Salad
Sashimi Platter (Octopus, Tuna, Salmon, Whitefish)

Dinner: Blue Ribbon
Pulled Chicken
Burnt Ends
1 Red Leaf Salad
1 Bite of Corn Bread

It's great to have sashimi for lunch, because it tastes good, and it's very low in fat and very low in calories. However, you need some fat to make you satisfied, so I do find that I'm hungrier immediately after that kind of meal. I was very hungry by the time I got home, and I was able to eat some very high-fat protein in the Blue Ribbon BBQ offering. I love barbecue. I never really ate it as a kid, and except for a fascination with spare ribs as a youth, I never really ate ribs. It wasn't really until I met Emily that we ventured out to BBQ places all over Boston. We didn't agree on the merits of all the places, but we both loved Jake and Earls in East Cambridge. They weren't falling-off the bone saucy ribs (like Redbone's, which I also love) but they were dry-rubbed. Like chinese spareribs but without the sugar and more meaty. Blue Ribbon I would say is just as good if not better than Jake N Earls, which subsequently moved to Waltham and became overpriced and noisy. One great feature of the South Beach diet is I suppose my continued ability to eat BBQ, though I do have to skip most other parts of it, like the corn bread, and pecan pie and ice cream dessert.