Days 80-86: What?! A Week Already?!

My dad always said that the older he got the faster time went by for him. And guess what? It's TRUE! This last week felt like a blink of the eye. So give me a second to think about what this week held for me in my march to 12 percent!

I know that I was determined to be good in what I ate knowing that Thanksgiving was coming, and I'd have to say that I did pretty well. There were some momentous times like the day I said NO to pie at work for our pre-Thanksgiving Pie Day. But there were also times when the guys broke out the pizza and beer and I was sitting there thinking, "and why am I not enjoying myself tonight?" And then there were the 100% perfect meals like Kale and chick peas paired with pork and onion.

But the big news of the week is that my wife and daughter have officially joined me and are following the low carb diet. Which means my food is being eaten more rapidly and we need to come up with some other plans to keep us all in the goods!

For example, this morning in the rush of getting ready for church I discovered no bean and veggie option so I opened some cans and wa-lah, produced a three bean salad that was very tasty with eggs and turkey sausage. To make just mix: 2 cups string beans, 2 cups black beans, 2 cups chick peas, 1/2 cup red and green diced peppers, 2 tablespoons each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, salt & pepper.

Yesterday for cheat day I did my best to pack in orange juice, an apple, cheese danish, trail mix, a pretzel bread sandwich with chips, soda, fries, a vanilla milk shake, a calzone, beer, chocolate flourless cake with whipped cream, ginger cookies, Butterfingers, and a yummy breakfast of peanut butter-banana-french toast!!! Long Live Cheat Day!!! (I gained four pounds in case you were wondering.)

Days 76 - 79 Perspective

On the food guilt scale I'm tipping it...my true confession on the last post did little to keep me from continuing to cheat on Thursday when I had pizza and beer with the guys in the evening. Friday I did well, and even went out to lunch with my co-workers to a new BBQ place that opened up by our office.

(...and the winner is.......!!! yeah, BBQ for a year!!!)

Getting my BBQ with no bun and a side of jalapeno beans fit the diet really well, especially the large dill pickle on the side! I liked that Dickey's puts the sauce on the side so you get the pure pork with out all the sweet sauce.

Saturday was "no biggie" as a cheat day, since I had already been grazing in the sugar meadow. I even thought I may skip the day as I hadn't really earned it...but that was a quickly dismissed thought!

I started the day with biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Then after gutting a kitchen, with the help of Ben and Luke, I figured I had earned a "manly" lunch...

so a Stallone burger from Jack Straws with those delicious fries and a root beer was the perfect thing!

In the evening we went to my sister's house to celebrate my wife's and my niece's birthday. We had a delicious smorgasbord and my big cheat was the mashed potatoes where I had a constrained helping...even the seconds... But the highlight of the night was blowing out the candles and cutting into the desserts.

I made a millionaire pie (Deanna's favorite) and my sister made a chocolate flourless (because you can never have too many desserts). Some of you have been lucky enough to have one of my millionaire pies that is "so rich" it is self named.

Today, Sunday, was no exception to my "cheating week" and this afternoon I had a small sliver of the leftover pie because, apparently, I hate to see good food go to waste more than I hate to see love handles. But I have to remember, it's all perspective...right? In the old days I would have had a sweet roll at breakfast and then a large piece of pie...probably two, after lunch. And then after dinner I'd have some other sweet.

Tomorrow is the start of a new week and I'm resolved to make this a non-cheating week! With Thanksgiving coming and heading to Florida I want to save my cheats for another time when they will be "worth it." So if you see me loosing my resolve you have my permission to ask, "so how's that 12 percent goal going?" It's the perspective I want to have!

Days 68-75: A Week!?

Has it really been a week since my last post? Not surprising when I think about all that has transpired in that time! Dealing with contractors, preparing and attending a Thur-Sun retreat (see picture below), work, family, meetings, and trying to stay on this diet!

I was concerned about being away for three days and what I’d eat. As it turns out I was able to make good choices and my only regret was not having enough Diet Gone Wild food at my disposal on Saturday to feel like I sufficiently cheated! As it turns out I made up for it last night and today! (Celebrating my boss’s 50^th b-day with half a muffin and another co-worker’s 40^th with a piece of cake.)

It is still hard to not beat myself up when I “cheat” during the week. But at some point I will need to settle into a “maintenance mode” that will consist of letting me have some extra carbs along the way. I really don’t want to save them all up for Saturday, so I guess this is a good test…as least that is what I’m telling myself today!

Day 67: Best Ever Diet Food

When you hear the word "diet," what foods come to mind? Carrot and celery sticks? All in one diet drinks? Low-fat ice cream worthy of the sink drain? If so, then you need to change your thinking with today's post!

Caraway-Spiced Chickpea Stew with Mint Yogurt
(adapted from May 2011 Food and Wine magazine)

2 large cans of chickpeas (or you can do the whole dried bean-soaking-cooking thing)

4 large carrots, cut into ½ inch pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil (keep bottle handy…it’s used throughout)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large onions, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
3 teaspoons ground cumin
3 pounds Swiss chard, stems discarded and leaves chopped into ½ inch pieces
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ cups plain low-fat yogurt
2 Tablespoons dried mint

Spread the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes, until barely tender.

In a large skillet, heat 6 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and caraway and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until the onion is golden about 15 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the chard leaves and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes.

Add the carrots, chickpeas and 1 cup of water and simmer over low heat for 6 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl mix the yogurt with the mint and 2 Tablespoons olive oil.

What you end up with is a delicious Mediterranean Stew that is smooth and savory! This is the Best Ever Diet Food!!!

Days 65-66: Back to Business

I had thought that on Sunday I'd get back on track, but honestly, I was still in celebration mode! Besides we had Edik over for breakfast and the guy loves American pancakes! You can't let a Ukrainian eat alone so I dove into a stack of pancakes iced with peanut butter. For lunch I had a big salad because I knew dinner would be a CARBFEST! And it was...stuffed pizza, beer, and an Alhambra (if you know what this is, I'm impressed)...this cake was made in honor of Justin who crossed the 400 pound thresh hold in a recent dead lift! Way to go Justin!!! And way to go Renne' for making this cake for us...every single gram of fat was worth it!!!!

...oh and a second dessert of chocolate cupcakes stuffed with salted caramel was also in the offering...and I accepted!!! (I think Sue, Katie, and Anne enjoyed theirs too.)

By the time my head hit the pillow Sunday night I was completely and utterly STUFFED. While I enjoyed the taste of each goodie, I have to say that I did not like how I felt for most of the evening. I much prefer my normal diet week and how I feel eating lean. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I'll indulge in the future, but I was glad that Monday was coming and I'd be able to get back to my routine.

So today it was eggs, sausage, and black beans for breakfast; chili for lunch; and a tasty Indian inspired spinach/sausage/bean sauté for dinner. I was back to business and the march to 12 percent!

Day 64: THIRTEEN-POINT-EIGHT

I was shocked, to put it mildly, with my results today! I knew that I had been keeping to the diet and had said “no” to lots of goodies in the last five weeks, but I also knew that I had extended cheat days and had allowed myself a few treats along the way. I KNEW that I’d be in the 15% range (I was at 16.3% five weeks ago). I HOPED to be at 15.5%. I WISHED to be at 15.3% (I had lost .9% in the first four weeks, certainly with a five weeks I could drop one whole percent!).

When you measure your body fat using the Bod Pod you first step on the scale.  Hearing I’d lost 6 lbs from the last time was expected. My pants are all falling off me without a belt so I knew that I was headed in the right direction. But it was a SHOCK when I stepped out of the Bod Pod to see the results on the computer screen – 13.8% body fat!!!  I never would have thought that I would drop that much.

	8/27/2011	9/24/2011	10/29/2011	LOSS
weight	172 lbs	166 lbs	160 lbs	12 lbs
waist	37"	35"	33.5"	3.5"
% fat	17.2%	16.3%	13.8%	3.4%

 While talking to the technician, who has been running these tests for us, he said that often it takes the body a bit to recalibrate and that once it senses the new diet you see greater results weeks into the diet. It makes me wonder if people would hang in there longer with weight loss programs if they would be encouraged to keep at it. I know I certainly am!!!

To celebrate; Don (who did not test because he has cheated WAY too much this month), Chad (who dropped an amazing 3.7%), and I promptly headed for Juicy-O (www.juicyo.com ). Yes, that heavenly breakfast establishment where they bring you donuts instead of rolls. It took a while to figure out what I wanted, but it was worth the wait…a delicious eggs, potato pancakes with sausage gravy and sausage was the start and was finished off with shared cinnamon roll and creme brulee French toast.

What a great way to start my cheat day (cheat weekend actually – there is a deep dish pizza coming Sunday night)!!!  So I’ll be moderating my cheating so I don’t undo all my hard work to get to this place. It makes me wonder how much longer it will be till I hit my 12% goal.

Days 61-63: Extra Credit

After last weekend I knew I had my work cut out for me. Gaining too much weight over the weekend didn’t put me in a good spot for tomorrows Bod Pod evaluation. So I’ve been working really hard to make good choices this week.

But I’ve felt caught in a dilemma. On the one hand I have a very clear goal and I’m seeing results. The importance to me to hit my goal is high. On the other hand I like sweets. Good sweets. And this week I’ve had two days in a row of tempting options.

Wednesday was “pie day” for our monthly pie club at work. Yes, we really do have a pie club at work! Cathy brought in a Paula Deen Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream. OK, that sentence had many words that I REALLY like! I decided I’d cut a piece and save it for my cheat day (Saturday). But I couldn’t let everyone else around me ohh and ahh over the pie so I had three small bites to taste it. I savored each bite and it was delicious. I took it back to my desk and in the late afternoon I had a few more bites…just to keep my metabolism going (it’s amazing what we tell ourselves).

Thursday Anne brought in a cake iced with the most delicious vanilla bean butter cream you’ve ever put in your mouth. Wow, that would have tasted great with my coffee. But this time I cut a piece and put it in a Tupperware container to keep it fresh for Saturday. I was glad I made that choice. Now I can look forward to enjoying it tomorrow.

Today is Friday, so Jan will be showing up with donuts or bagels, or some other high-carb treat to celebrate the end of the week. At least I don’t feel tempted. I made a pot of coffee and will enjoy some fresh ground Peruvian SHG by I Have a BEAN. I'll enjoy the goulash that Don made for lunch (as I did yesterday) and will have a big salad for dinner tonight.

So I’d say, I get some extra credit this week. I’ve stuck to my diet and have said NO to things that normally I would have gone back for seconds! My hope is that my “gold star” will come in the form of the Bod Pod operator telling me my body fat percent has dropped from the last measurement. If so, then my food choices will have been worth it.