Year 2, Day 280: Poker and Ikea

Worked out today, going six and one quarter miles in sixty minutes flat. I came home and had a snack, but despite my protestations, Emily and I join an old friend of ours in a trip to Ikea. Now, I like Ikea and all, but I think that should be used for team-building exercises. That store is so out of control I'm not sure where to start. First of all, the layout is an ADD nightmare. I said to Emily that if that the Internet was organized like Ikea there wouldn't be any Internet millionaires. People are falling over with sensory overload and distraction when they enter the store. They don't know what to think. Is this all the chairs? What am I looking at? What will I see? Will I have a chance to come back before I am sucked into the vortex of meatballs and lingonberry sauce? There is no doubt that Ikea are geniuses at selling meatballs and lingonberry sauce—and I know they make lots of money—but I bet they could make more if they arranged the things more according to the way Americans like to see things. Like all the frozen food in the frozen food aisles. All the bread in the bread aisle. No, using the grocery model, Ikea has a different MEAL on display in every nook, corner and cranny of their store. So you're basically trying to find pasta not in the pasta AISLE but being used in a pasta MEAL. That's just CRAZY. After they've sucked you into lunch (or dinner), you go to 'housewares'. I was surprised that the meatballs were surprisingly not bad for you—I thought they would be loaded with bread and sugar but they have 9G of fat, made of beef and pork and very low in carbs. After housewares there's the 'do it yourself warehouse' and then MORE FOOD. I tell you that Ikea was more like a workout than my workout. I was exhausted, $200 poorer and carrying a frozen batch of meatballs.

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

Postworkoutsnack
1 Small SLice Balthazar Bread
1 Hard Boiled Egg
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch: Ikea
Poached Salmon Salad
Mesclun Greens
Lemon Slices
1 Swedish Meatball (No gravy, no lingonberry sauce)

Mid Day-Preconference
1 Small Pear
2 Handfuls Heritage Flakes

Poker/Dinner
Almonds & Cashews
Pistachios
Boston LIte Popcorn

Chinese Food:
Kung Pao Chicken
Moo Shi Pork (+2 Pancakes)
Szechwan Pork
Beef with String Beans
Shrimp & Lobster Sauce
Boneless Spare Ribs

For the last two poker games I have gorged on nuts AND lost a lot of my money at the table. That is not good. But on the other hand there is no doubt that we have made the card game healthier over all. On top of that, we did get the order down by over $20 from last month. One of the players was worried that wouldn't be ENOUGH—but they were wrong. Everyone had seconds (including me) and there was still some left (that I ate while others were eating ice cream). At least I avoided the ice cream. And I know that no matter how bad I did, it's still just a bad night at dinner. I know I'm not doing myself any harm, and more importantly, I don't have heartburn when I go to bed like I used to. And that was constant—I mean every single Thursday night it was with the Tums. For more on that go here http://sobediet.blogspot.com/2006/02/day-341-poker-game.html

Year 2, Day 279: Magnolia Threw Up

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

Breakfast
2 Soft Boiled Eggs
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
Coffee

Snack
1 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch
Peter's Kitchen
Chicken Kebab Salad

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

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

Year 2, Day 278: Unsatisfying Excursion to Allston

As readers of this blog know, I have been taking excursions with the Domania gang to Allston to try out new restaurants. A few weeks ago, we were seeking Korean BBQ and so I looked it up on Chowhound and Yelp (two good sites to look at if you're looking for real opinions about restaurants). I didn't find what I was looking for but I found a lot of nice comments about a restaurant called "Colors." Now I regard "Colors" as a rather poor choice for a name for a restaurant, but I didn't let that deter me. I suggested we go there, and the gang, eager for good new eats and new untried ethnic cuisines, was quick to agree. Sadly, it did not go well. It was not a disaster, meaning the food was inedible; slimy; horrific; or gristle-laden; but everything was deep fried. The menu was strange. Everything on it was either deep-fried or covered in gloopy sauces that were actually russian dressing. The "sides" came in bowls that one usually associates with keeping one's earring posts in. The sausage appetizer was made from ingredients that no one at the table could identify. And believe me, the people at the table had been to a lot of different countries, and tasted a lot of different foods. After one or two bites, no one wanted to try to identify the sausage ingredients anymore. I was almost certain that rice was one of the ingredients, which would have been enough for me to stop eating it if the absolutely toungue-depressing flavor hadn't already.


Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean
heritage flakes
banana
blueberries
unsweetened soy milk
coffee

Lunch: Colors / Korean Restaurant:
sausage of unknown ingredients
Deep fried pork cutlet
cabbage with russian dressing
1 deep fried won-ton
kim chee
bean curd
egg
sprouts
tea

Dinner:
Pork Cutlet
Cabbage
Asparagus

Then I got home and it was more pork. I thought "I am eating a lot of pork tonight." After the kids ate dinner, they found that they liked the pork, but unfortunately I deemed that what was left was not cooked properly. So Emily, who lives with my neurosis, cooked it up some more and the kids ate it up. I remember thinking "I wonder if eating this much pork is a good thing?" It turned out that it was not.

Year 2, Day 277—Restraint Finally Shown at Chinese Rest.

Yesterday a co-worker insisted I try eggs from Marino's Lookout Farm in Natick, MA. Of course those who are long-time readers of this blog know that eggs play a large part in my oeuvre. So I tried them. To his credit, they were just as advertised, creamy and delicious, and by far better softer and tastier than other eggs I have eaten recently. So now I am going to have to go to Owen's (a nearby poultry farm) to see if their eggs are any better. I will not back down from a challenge.

Breakfast
2 Soft-Boiled Eggs from Marino Farms
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
Coffee

Snack
Medium Dunkin Donuts Coffee
4 Pieces of Beef Jerky
1 Extra Smokey

Lunch: Chan Shin Wan
Hot and Sour Soup
Moo Shi Pork
Chun King Chicken

Dinner
Cabbage & Avacado Salad
Chicken a la Emily
A few bites of hamburger
Broccoli
Asparagus

For the first time in...well, ever I left a Chinese Restaurant without cleaning my plate. It took all the will power I had but I managed to leave without that last mooshi pancake and without the last few bites of Chun King pork that were rightfully and deliciously mine. I didn't want to leave them, but I knew that I was full and that eating any more was just silly and a waste.

Year 2, Day 276: The 40th Almond...

...is the almond that accompanies shame, disappointment and failure down your throat. It's also the hobgoblin of anxiety. There is no good reason to keep almonds on your desk if you occasionally will have to stay late because a very important project takes much longer than you thought it would. It's that kind of project that drives you into the arms of the almonds. Even the unsalted ones are so good. And here it is, poker week, and I'm trying to resist. I'm trying to be good and stay inside of the confines, but it was a five-beef jerky day. Wow, I mean does that say it all or what?

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

Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
5 Sticks Beef Jerky
40 Almonds

Lunch: Russo's ($5.37)
Romaine, red leaf, red pepper, red onion
pepperocini, feta, broccoli, mushrooms,
TUNA, balsamic vinegar

Dinner:
Chicken Paprikash (a la Maria)
Bok Choy (a la Emily)

Today there was no CHICKEN at Russo's. I think that there should be a sign up at the parking lot saying "no chicken" so we don't even have to come into the parking lot. It is very disheartening to find not an empty chicken bin—or even a slightly picked over chicken bin, possibly meaning that there will be more chicken soon—but the place where chicken usually is replaced by Tuna. Now I like Tuna (as does Ruby, who eats it three times a week, in violation of many experts' safety opinion vis-a-vis mercury poisoning) but just like coke tastes bad when you think you're going to drink orange soda, Tuna is no replacement for chicken. Whatever. I made do. That's what I do.

Year 2, Day 275: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

We have a lot of bananas at my house. Someone is eating a banana nearly every day or even multiple people in a single day. We used to buy just one bunch but it wasn't enough. In the summer, the fruit flies made it challenging to keep bananas in the house (I'm open to suggestions). We had to alternate between keeping them in the fridge (which speeds up their browning); in the cabinet (which focuses all fruit-fly attention in the cabinet, causing a disturbance whenever opened) or keeping them in zip-loc bags. None of these are fool-proof, but we're a high banana-use house as I mentioned. Fortunately for us, bananas pretty much taste the same year around and so there isn't that Strawberry-Apple-Corn problem. Because of my exposure to so many bananas, I am always eager to make something with bananas. Making something with bananas almost always means baking and making anything for kids almost always means chocolate. So there you go. My quest to find the best banana chocolate chip muffin recipe was long-standing. Book after book, web site after web site, parent after parent was queried but yesterday I found a eyebrow-raising suggestion that I tried and it's great. (I warn you, this is unsettling) The substitution of mayonnaise for eggs, butter and/or oil. In the recipe at iChef, there was a very simple recipe. (http://www.ichef.com/include/recipe_fullpage.cfm?itemid=85590&recipeid=85246) I thought— mayonnaise? In baked goods? Then it hit me—of course, mayonnaise! Just because we think of it as savory doesn't mean anything—it's made of oil, eggs, lemon juice and/or vinegar. I'd put those things in a baked good without question. And so I did. I sat Ruby on the counter with the task of mashing the bananas and pouring everything. She did a great job. Baking time was 15 minutes (they need to sit a little because they are so moist they are nearly—but not—unstable). For the first time in about six baking sessions, she actually liked what we made and didn't want me to take them to to work. Emily and I each had one, and didn't need to eat from lunch time until dinner. I thought that was in part because they were made with whole wheat and a lot of bananas. I did the math— they were about 284 calories each, with 34g of Carbs. I did not calculate the sugars or other stuff, because some of the math was honestly vexing me. But at that ratio, it's about the same as a bowl of Kashi Go Lean Crunch or 1 cup of Grape Nuts with milk. They were YUMMY. Mayonnaise. Bananas. Go figure.

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

Lunch
Robert's Turkey Crumble
Lettuce Wraps

Snack
1 (more or less) Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffin
A few bites of Magnolia's Popcorn

Dinner: Skipjacks
Lobster (minus one claw, which Emily ate)
Skimpy salad
Cole Slaw
Some of Ruby's hamburger pieces

Today I went to the gym and arrive late, around 10:42. I usually try to get there and sign up for two spots (you are supposed to limit yourself to 30 minutes max) but a lot of people were watching, so I just signed up for one— at eleven to eleven thirty. Because of this, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to finish my workout since it takes about 60 minutes to complete. For this reason, I need two segments but starting at that off hour, I would have to be in three different ones. To compensate, I tried to go a lot faster and as a result I went seven miles (a new record) in sixty-one minutes. As another plus, I didn't have a between breakfast and lunch snack today, so I thought the muffins would be OK, though I realize that eating them makes me feel bad, even though creating them makes me feel good. Ah the torment of the artist!

Year 2, Day 274: Saturday After the End

Up early this AM, trying to get back on the so-called horse. Not that easy since I ended the day with more chocolate squares, a sign of two things for certain—one: I am not in control of myself and two: I need to remove the chocolate from my house in alternate manner beside eating it. Whenever I sense I'm teetering, I go back to the turkey bacon. It has a grounding effect on me. It reminds me of who I am, and what I'm doing. It's sometimes easy to lose track of that over a few mistakes, that turn into a few meals, that turn into a few days, that turn into the wreck of your diet plan.

Breakfast
3 Strips Turkey Bacon
2 Soft-Boiled Eggs
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
Coffee

Lunch:
Turkey
Salad (Celery, Peppers, Romaine, Feta, Balsamic)

Snack
Popcorn

Dinner
Turkey Crumble
Lettuce Leaves

Dessert
4 Squares of Green & Black Espresso Dark Chocolate Bar

I know a lot of people have a relationship with the Food Network TV channel, and I am no different. I started watching it back in the 90s before Emeril had gone live. I am not a big fan of celebrity chefs, but I do LOVE a show called "Unwrapped," even though it could be a lot better than it is. The holiday episode I was watching recently detailed the Swiss Colony's offering of a Yule Log " They describe it as "Moist chocolate cake...layered with both smooth butter creme and velvety-rich chocolate fudge filling...rolled up and iced by hand with chocolate icing." What they should really say is that it's a very expensive YODEL. They sell thousands and thousands of them every year, and they have to actually start during the summer to make sure they have enough in stock. I was really shaking my head over that one. I went on the site to look around and found that the successful sales the Yule Log has driven them to expand their 'log' product line, starting with the horrifying "Seafood Cheese Log" and possibly even worse "Sugar Free Pumpkin Log."

Year 2, Day 273: This is the End

Well it's not really the end but I did eat three handfuls of cashews and almonds, followed by six squares of Green and Black chocolate after dinner today. That's not entirely good, and it doesn't make me feel that good afterwards, even though I liked it a lot as I was eating it. Today, my Russo's salad came to nearly seven dollars. A co-worker said it was a "desperate cry for help." He might be onto something there.

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

Lunch: Russo's ($6.73)
Romaine, Red Leaf, Red Pepper, Red Onion
Feta, Chicken, Broccoli, Mushrooms
Balsamic Vinegar

Dinner:
Scallion-Swordfish
Asparagus

Dessert
3 Handfuls of Nuts
6 Squares of Green Black Espresso Dark Chocolate (110 Calories)


From The South Beach Diet Newsletter:
Starting the South Beach Diet® at Holiday Time

If you're thinking of starting the South Beach Diet® during the holidays, here's some advice you won't want to miss. According to Dr. Arthur Agatston, preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet®, the holiday season — with its endless parties and goodies — is a challenging time to try to change the way you eat ... but it's not impossible.

If you're determined to start your journey toward a healthy lifestyle now, Dr. Agatston recommends starting in Phase 2 and going back to Phase 1 after New Year's.

For the next couple of weeks, you will be surrounded by temptations in the form of highly processed carbs, such as sugary cookies, buttercream cakes, and other holiday treats, explains Dr. Agatston. "By starting the South Beach Diet® in Phase 2, you can allow yourself occasional indulgences, as well as a glass or two of wine (or another South Beach Diet®-approved cocktail) along with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins that are the staples of the South Beach Diet®. Then, once the New Year comes, you can start following Phase 1, which is particularly good for people who have a lot of weight to lose or who are experiencing cravings. Or, you can remain in Phase 2, where you can expect to lose weight at the rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week."

Year 2, Day 272—2006: A Skin Oddity/Detecto Says 176

Last night Ruby developed some kind of skin oddity that sent Emily and I to call the pediatrician. Now we are pretty slow to call the pediatrician but we were both a bit worried/flumoxed by this development. We decided she needed to see the today (Thursday) so I had to go to work late, which was a bummer because this was going to be the only walkable day of the week (besides Monday, which was the first day back after a long holiday). As it turned out, one of our co-workers was celebrating a birthday so everyone went for Sushi but I made lunch for me and Ruby at home. Since she wasn't contagious (said the Doctor), after lunch I dropped her back at school and went to work.
Breakfast
2 Not Quite Soft-boiled Eggs
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-Grain
Coffee *yum*

Snack
1 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn
2 oz 50% Reduced Fat Jalapeno Cheddar
4 Beef Jerky Sticks

Lunch:
Hamburger
Cabbage/Lettuce Salad with Feta
Balsamic Vinegar

Dinner:
Almonds & Cashews
Chicken Fingerlings
Cabbage
String Beans

Dessert
4 Squares Green & Black Chocolate

At the Doctor's office, I weighed myself again. Sure enough, their Detecto says 176 lbs. Pretty amazing. Because of this revelation, I treat myself to some cashews and almonds when I get home, as well 4 squares of Green & Black chocolate after dinner. Now I don't like to get into the whole dessert thing because it's hard to stop once you're in the mode, but
I have been very hungry upon arrival home lately. Part of this is psychological because if you can just stop eating long enough so that your body realizes it's full, you can stop eating, but if you just keep going, you can really cram a lot in there that you don't need.

Year 2, Day 271: Indian Dhabra

A bunch of coworkers have been setting out to remote locales in search of cheap, fast and good food. Today we were planning on Korean BBQ but were fouled up when the restaurant's hours were discovered to be 3pm-10pm. As a backup, we went to Indian Dhrba, a "Road Side" Indian restaurant. One of team who is Indian, led us in the ordering and determined that the Indo-Chinese food was for us. The food (excepting the soups, which were watery and tasteless, even after the addition of salt and pepper) was excellent, but sadly, most of it was deep fried and featured peas. So even though I avoided the rice (for which I endured countless stares of resigned disbelief) it still was in the South Beach 'loss' column.

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

Snack
1 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
3 Sticks Beef Jerky
1 Extra Smokey
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar


Lunch: Indian Drba
Dal (Chicken Soup with Lentils)
Chili Chicken (with and without gravy, which is tomato sauce)
Chicken Manchurian
Murgh Mutter Masalewala (Boneless chicken with multer in a special spicy curry sauce)
Baingan Bharata
(Fresh eggplant baked in an open flame, cooked with onions and spices)

Dinner
Chicken a la Emily
Emily Leeks
Peppadews
2 Bites of a Hot Dog that Ruby Didn't Eat

NEW YORK, Dec 5 (Reuters) - New York City's board of health on Tuesday voted to phase out most artificial trans fats from restaurants, forcing doughnut shops and fast-food stands to remove artery-clogging oils from their cooking.

The law will require McDonald's and other fast-food chains that have not already eliminated trans fats to do so by July 2007. They will be given a three-month grace period before facing fines.

Makers of doughnuts and other baked goods will be given until July 2008 to phase out trans fats.

"We know that trans fats increase the chance of heart attack, stroke and death, and they don't have to be there," New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden told a news conference after the vote.

Trans fats increase those health risks by increasing bad cholesterol and reducing good cholesterol.

Frieden said that New York City expects to withstand any lawsuits challenging the ban, and said the action was well within the jurisdiction of the board of health.

"People are no longer dying of typhoid fever. They are dying of heart disease," Frieden said.

In a separate vote, the board of health also ordered restaurants to standardize how they display the number of calories in dishes on their menus in an effort to combat obesity.

That law, to take effect July 1, applies to restaurants that already report the calorie counts and requires them to display the numbers on menus and menu boards. It is expected to affect about 10 percent of New York City restaurants, including many fast-food establishments.

Year 2, Day 270: Twinkies and Meat and Fisticuffs at Russo's

Came across this book in my travels. I thought. "No, not really. You're kidding, right? Twinkies and Meat? Just how desperate do you have to be to push high carb, high fat, all-sugar foods with no nutritional value?" Answer: that desperate.

Breakfast
1 Cup Heritage Flakes
1/2 cup Kashi Go Lean
Banana
Blueberries
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
4 Slices Beef Jerky
12 oz. Decaf Coffee

Lunch: Russo's ($5.29)
Romaine, Red Leaf, Red Pepper, Red Onion
Feta, Chicken, Broccoli, Mushrooms
Balsamic Vinegar

Dinner:
Lime Shrimp a la Emily
Green Beans
Avocado Salad

Dessert
1/3(4 Squares) of 1 Serving of Green & Black Chocolate (Espresso)

So it's hard for anyone to understand this if you haven't been to Russo's, but I'll try to explain (sorry my powers of charting and graphing are not up to par). One short-side end of the rectangular salad bar at Russo's is dedicated to three kinds of salad: iceberg, romaine and green leaf. The red leaf is at the very corner of the long side. At the other short-side end there is prepared foods like pasta salad and roasted vegetables which I never take because whether they are good for me or not they are VERY HEAVY and so must be avoided. The tin trays and plastic covers are stored at the same short-side end where the three lettuces are. That makes it an ideal place to START your salad at the salad bar. Now, I may have grown a little possessive. It does feel like MY salad bar. But if someone is filling up their tin tray with iceberg lettuce and I am taking some romaine, they shouldn't feel that I'm "busy" when I have clearly angled my body to read that I am "on line." (Since I am from New York I will have to translate that that means I was "in line.") This woman, had to make a slidy kind of bendy motion that to most onlookers, would have telegraphed that she was sliding PAST me to get to the beginning of the salad bar. In horror I said, "Hey you are cutting." Without looking at me (more proof she knew she WAS CUTTING, she said "I'm just getting salad." Note: she did not say "you weren't in line." I said "You still cut!" to the back of her head. She wasn't responding. I was out of luck. Luckily, there was plenty of chicken for both of us, or I am certain we would have come to blows.

Year 2, Day 269: After Four Days Off

No one finds it easy to go back to work after four and half days off, but the teachers at Ruby's school were awarded with yet ANOTHER day off. Unbelievably, they get the Monday after the four and half day holiday off for professional development. As I married to a teacher I respect the need for professional development, but come on! We parents have to work—we need our kids in school. On the plus side, I got to stay at home with both kids in the morning; then Ruby took Magnolia to school with me and got to see her old teachers! They could not believe how big she'd gotten. Then I dropped her off for a play date, and it was nearly 60 degrees out. I myself was glad to delay the inevitable return to work for a few hours.

Breakfast
Kashi/Heritage Flakes
Banana
Blueberries
Coffee (new coffee maker)

Snack
1 Extra Smokey
5 Pieces of Beef Jerky

Lunch: Peter's Kitchen
Chicken Kebab Salad

Dinner:
Bacon Cheeseburger
Broccoli
Pickles

This was the morning we piloted a new coffeemaker. Now usually, one would be considered foolish for undertaking this important a test on so important a morning. But the fact is, it was on our to-do list and we just couldn't get to it until yesterday (Sunday). So, we really didn't have the time (or coffee) to waste by trying it out. It had to be a cold run. And it had to be Monday after Thanksgiving. It was risky, but it paid off in diamonds. It was a Cuisinart and I got it for a song at Linens 'n' Things since the one I went to buy was sold out and the hapless and tired clerk who answered the phone fessed up that she said they had them. So the manager, also hapless and tired (they had opened at 8AM that morning, which necessitated him getting there at 6, but it wasn't advertised so most normal people were sleeping) agreed to sell me the larger (and more extravagant 14-cup coffee maker for the price of the DISCOUNTED 10-cup one. I can count the times on no hands how often I have needed to brew 14 cups of coffee. Of course the cup size is a marketing ploy, but that's another story. It makes great coffee, and for the life of me I can't understand how it could make better coffee than a $28 Mr. Coffee machine since the only ingredients are the same: coffee and water.

Year 2, Day 268- Hardest Workout Ever

After spending all of Saturday feeling achy, I decided not to give in to both the old-ness and the Thanksigiving-to-Christmas inertia. I soldiered on to the gym, which was pretty empty (a telling sign). I did my 60 minutes and just barely completed six miles. It was quite hard, and several times I thought I was going to quit early. It wasn't so much that it was hard as I felt like different parts of me weren't going to make it. I spent most of mile three at 5.4 mph and did a lot of clock watching. Also, I went at an odd time, around 1:30 and hadn't really had a proper lunch so there was that. If you're doing a lot of clock and MPH watching at the gym, you probably aren't getting a good workout. That's not science, it's just something I think about when I'm at the gym. If I can be bored, I'm not working hard enough. But sometimes it's all you can do.

Breakfast
3.5 slices of Turkey Bacon
Two Hard Boiled Eggs
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
Coffee

Pre-Workout/Lunch-Snack
17 Crispy Wheat Thins
12 Cheese Crackers
A few bites of chicken soup
a few slices of chicken breast from a rotisserie chicken

Post-workout/Lunch-snack
6 oz plain yogurt
3 Tablespoons Super Chunky Peanut Butter
1 serving Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs
1 Handful almonds/Cashews
1 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn
2 slices toscano picante

Dinner
Steak Tips
Broccoli
Peppadews

Of course the worst Sunday night is the Sunday night after a week-long vacation, but the very next worst one after that is having to go back to work after five days off for Thanksgiving. One of the great things about kids is that they don't let you stay inside that anxiety-filled adult space for two long, with their calming shrieks and their distracting and charming breaking of your cherished personal belongings. But it's very helpful because sometimes it's the only thing that can get you off of focusing on the problem: you have to go to work tomorrow. Again. And then again after that.

Year 2, Day 267: Third Day Off

We got up this morning (Saturday) and knew we had to get everyone 1) fed and 2) on the road. This takes a lot of doing because we have a small house and there were seven additional people there, all of different skills and sizes. There was a lot of coming and going and going and coming and laughing and yelling and we were happy to be together but most of all grateful that it was warm enough to leave the door open because everyone is always getting so hot from the yelling and the cooking and the togetherness. Don't forget about the coffee, that's a factor too. Sitting around a communal table is a special feeling and one that nearly begs you to keep putting your hand in the middle for whatever it is—say another piece of a fritata or a Kashi cookie, for instance, even if you're not hungry or trying to be on a diet. It's almost like you're breaking the unspoken social contract, so heavy is the burden of expectation set upon your shoulders. So you give in, and you realize, it's good to be a part of the group, even if you have give up your ideals and eat a fibery, grain-laden, wood-pulpy, kashi cookie to do it.

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

Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch:
Amy's Fritata (Egg, Chinese Greens, Red, Yellow Peppers)
Dessert Lunch:
2 bites of a Kashi Cookie
1 square of awful 100% dark chocolate.

Movie Treat:
Popcorn

Dinner
Flounder
Asparagus
Salad

On a whim, my brother-in-law and I went to see Casino Royale. Now no one ever mentions the 1967 version with David Niven, Peter Sellers and Woody Allen but it's out there, and I seem to remember, quite good and funny, though I haven't seen it since college days. I must say that aside from the popcorn, cold and bad for you, I enjoyed the hell out of that movie. I have not seen such an entertaining film in quite some time. I must say that it really stayed with me. It was smart, funny, scare and engaging. Plus did I mention the popcorn? I was really in the mood for a vat of popcorn, but sadly, this theatre only had the bags. I actually asked "is this the largest bag you have?" Needless to say, it was finished within 20 minutes of sitting down. I wondered, 'dare I get up for another one?' The thought of Ignatius Reilly and Detecto, and most importantly, the MI-6 agent, kept me in my seat.

Year 2, Day 266: Day After Thanksgiving

Even for a restrained-at-eating guy, I felt like I ate a lot, and even that was after three sets of tennis. Of course, whenever I work out or exercise I'm nearly always eating right afterwards so there's very often little in the way of saved calories there. But Dr. Oz (Oprah's Doctor, and author of "You on a Diet" says that once you create new muscle, it consumes a lot of calories, so you might just change your metabolism permanently if you can do that. Today, I again played three sets of tennis. I didn't keep track of the scores, but you can assume I lost any singles I played, but I played with Emily's sister Amy and we won in doubles. My brother-in-law helped me conclude that the new tennis racket I am playing with might in fact be the cause of my tennis elbow, so today I played with my old one, which has not been restrung since before Ruby was born (so at least six years, but maybe eight or nine). Last night I was icing and heating my arm so I could get one more day on the courts. Now that's dedication, isn't it? Or something stupider?

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean
Heritage Flakes
Blueberries
1 Small Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Pretennis-Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch: Russo's ($6.05)
Red leaf, romaine, red pepper, mushrooms, olives
broccoli, feta cheese, balsamic vinegar.

Post Tennis Snack:
6 oz plain yogurt
3 Tablespoons Chunky Peanut Butter

Dinner
Chicken Breast
Chinese Greens
Cabbage Salad
1 Glass Red Wine

Dessert
Several squares of dark and milk chocolate.

Because our guests wanted to go to the New Balance outlet, I suggested we all go to Russo's which is nearby. We all had a great time and for the first time in history I got a Russo's salad on Saturday. Interestingly (only to me) the salad bar had a slightly different arrangement on Saturdays, with the chicken on the left hand side (if you're getting your tin & plastic over) instead of the right hand side. It was also in a smaller container (not a double wide, but a single). Though I spent six dollars on the salad, I had a feeling I would be splitting it with someone—and that was true, multiple people ended up eating it with me. At Russo's I also bought some chocolate bars—one 100% dark chocolate, that was nearly inedible at first, but after a while, kind of like the most pleasant tasting burnt-brown crayon. I shan't be buying that again.

Year 2, Day 265: Happy Thanksgiving

Though Emily and I did not venture South this year, like nearly all 20 years we have been together in Boston, instead, her sister and brother in law drove up and they made an organic turkey. Amazingly, we got to play nearly 3 hours of tennis this morning, which is great, because it raises your metabolism so that you might have the space for apple pie (baked for dessert). If only I hadn't been eating all day, that is. The first two sets I played I lost, despite having the advantage 3-0 in the opening set against my brother in-law. Sad to say that my tennis elbow was acting up again and soon I was in some real agony. You might think I'm telling tales, but the final score, 6-3, 6-0 really underlines the injury. Relaxing somewhat, we played a game of doubles against Emily and her sister, which we won handily, 6-2.

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

Tennis Snackz
1 Kind Bar/Fruit & Nut
A few cashews/almonds

Lunch: Blue Ribbon
Burnt Ends
Pickles
Green Salad

Other Snack:
1 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn
Assorted tastes of Thanksgiving Dinner

Dinner
Turkey
Brussel Sprouts
Leeks
Pearl Onions in Balsamic Vinegar
Bites of: Candied Yam, Stuffing
1 Glass Red Wine

The whole thing about Thanksgiving (or any big holiday meal) is pretty much the same problem with the "All-You-Can-Eat" buffets. First, there is an EXPECTATION that you will eat too much. It's out there—it's an unspoken part of the holiday, right down to being included in advertising copy. I think it says something like "eating too much and falling asleep on the couch shouldn't just be on Thanksgiving." It's about their turkey-stuffing-cranberry sub, which I've never had, but know from experience that it can be delicious. Emily and I used to go to a place in Brookline (sigh) that's long gone called Pugsley's. At Pugsley's they made the best ever turkey-stuffing-cranberry sandwich on a soft bulkie roll. They made their own turkey, their own stuffing, it was heavenly. And something I suppose I'll never eat again, since I'm on the program and Pugsley's is no more. But overall it was a happy Thanksgiving. A splendid time was had by all.

Year 2, Day 264: Pre Thanksgiving

Amazingly, I got up early and got to work out today. This was vital because I missed my workout on Sunday due to a previously-described raking injury. I did six miles on the elliptical, which the woman at the gym insisted was called a cross-trainer. The woman at the gym pointed to the label on the wipe board (yeah, like that proves ANYTHING) and it did in fact say X-TRA. But a brief search on the Internet (like that proves ANYTHING) reveals that all machines with arm and leg movements are generally called ellipticals, not cross-trainers, even if their purpose is cross-training. We really recognize the elliptical for its cardio value, not necessarily any cross-training, but nevertheless she was insistent and I felt silly, as I have never referred it to here in these hundreds of days as a cross-trainer.

Breakfast
Kashi
Heritage
Banana
Blueberries
Coffee

PostworkoutSnack
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
3 Tablespoons SC Peanut Butter

Lunch: Peter's Kitchen
Chicken Kebab with Feta

Dinner:
Salad
Pickles
Peppadews
Amy's Onion-Hamburger
A wee bit of blue ribbon BBQ
2 glasses red wine

Emily's sister and brother-in-law arrived and Emily immediately went out to play tennis. I stayed home with her sister Amy and the kids. It was kind of a nice night, so we all just hung around, trying to cram all of the food they brought, plus the organic turkey and the ice cream into our little refrigerator. It's at times like these that I wish I had a second refrigerator, but that would necessitate having a second house, because we don't have any room as it is. Luckily, the fridge shelves are nearly almost always padded with science projects-in-the-making that are really begging to be thrown away. Sometimes the tupperware has to be sacrificed since Emily and I have become too frail to wash old-chicken containers. With hard work, determination and clothespins-on-noses (a few of my favorite things) we made enough room for everything, and then we went to make dinner and had to do all kinds of acrobatics to reach things that had been unfortunately tucked away.

Year 2, Day 263: Nuts Are Satan's Candy

Feeling like a bit of slippage. It's wrong to demonize a food, but nuts are Satan's Candy. They just can't be resisted, and additionally, as I'm fond of saying (a quote from the South Beach doctor), "They're diet-busters." I was very fortunate that a coworker insisted on a brisk walk, though I once again found myself in the wrong shoes. I had my sneakers but neglected to change into them because I was in such a hurry to get outside. As usual, I followed this walk with an enormous salad from Peter's. My coworkers and I have determined that the salad is about 35% too big—yet I finish it every time. It's one of the few 'throw caution to the wind' moments I allow myself. So what, I'm eating too much salad.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Blueberries
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Green Tea

Snack
4 Beef Jerky
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
1 Extra Smokey
25 Almonds

Lunch: Peter's Kitchen
Lettuce, carrots, cucumbers
chicken, feta, balsamic vinegar

Dinner
More Salad (with Tuna)
Emily's Cauliflower
Peppadews
2 Chicken Nuggets

Since we know that Thanksgiving and lots of relatives are coming tomorrow, we tried not to shop and then were forced to resort to the dreaded "Eat What's in the House" rule, leading to the eating of a sub-optimal dinner that we regarded lowly and enjoyed even less. One of the major changes I have noticed in my life is how I no longer get fussed about a bad dinner. It's still disappointing, but I now no longer seek solace in either a second dinner, or a large dessert.

Year 2, Day 262: Monday's Back

Not 100% recovered from my raking injury, but rather than stay at home and rest, I decide to get back to work since it is a merciful short week though there is much to do. I have been making hard-boiled eggs for the kids for breakfast, which is very easy because it requires no cooking, only timing. But Ruby has become to flummox me because she now only wants scrambled eggs, which I explain to her is a special order and costs more. Also, uneaten hard-boiled eggs can be recycled, into egg salad, but uneaten scrambled eggs just become compost.

Breakfast
2 Eggs (+1 Yolk)
1 Slice Balthazar Bread
Green Tea

Snack
1 Extra Smokey
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
4 Slices Beef Jerky
25 Almonds

Lunch: Russo's ($5.27)
Red pepper, red leaf, red onion
mushrooms, broccoli, feta, chicken
balsamic vinegar

Dinner: Legal Seafoods
Oysters (6)
Shrimp Cocktail (3)
Salad with Feta
Grilled Mahi-Mahi
Broccoli with Cheese

It was a very big eating day. Though it wasn't a BAD eating day, there was a lot of volume. This mostly comes from returning to the office after a long absence (five days total) and nursing an injury, which makes you feel sorry for yourself, and therefore, reach for the almonds. Later that night I went out to dinner with my brother and a friend and we ordered appetizers in advance of my friend showing up. When he came, he told us he couldn't eat shellfish, so we had to eat all of his. I kept the order simple and clean, but it was 9:00 or so by the time we were finished. The desserts, while proffered, were refused, though I did have a cup of decaf and prayed it wouldn't keep me up all night. It didn't.

Year 2, Day 261: Raking Injury Strikes

Magnolia and I got up early this morning so I decided to take her to the supermarket. This turned out to be a good idea for two reasons. One, the pre-Thanksgiving crowd was gearing up and by the time I left the store, it started to feel the ground shaking from the number of ants crawling all over the crumb. There was a palpable nervous energy to the organic over-achievers that are shopping for ingredients so many days before Thanksgiving. We got out with our lives. Two, shortly after we got home, I was holding Magnolia so she could see out the door when I nearly collapsed from a muscle spasm, that I later realized was probably the result of improper raking techniques. Ruby, God bless her, agreed to peel all the carrots for the brisket and chicken soup while I laid on the ground, pondering my next step. Though I was upset to be laying in the foyer of my house unable to move, I was really bumming out about not going to the gym.

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

Lunch (Need to eat)
2 Joy Sticks
1 Cheese Stick
1 oz. Popcorn

Post-Lunch Snack
Robert's Turkey Crumble
Lettuce
Diet Coke

Dinner
Brisket
Onions, Celery, Carrots

Felled by injury, I took to bed and therefore grabbed what I could and got into bed with an ice pack and some medication. After resting, I got up and ate some more. This was my first at home, non-Sunday work out in nearly a year, and I was very unhappy about it. The saving grace was that I knew my brother and sister-in-law were coming and there would be a lot of tennis this week—if I could get healthy by then. In my weakened condition I tried to 'punt' on the brisket, by using a crock-pot, and I have to say that in the most charitable sense, it needs work.