Cracking 3000

231--->229.8--->225.4


Went down by over 4 pounds this last month. Looking at the pattern of my weight since recording it month to month, this is the time of year I go down a little, but it comes back in the fall. Still, I lifted weights this morning, completing my regular 2x a week despite skipping the holiday on Monday and being too sick/tired/busy Tuesday. It's heartening that I really do feel good when I finish, in a similar way to how I feel better when I finish a long bike ride.

I'm not sure (yet) how many calories I need to take in per day to maintain my weight or to lose weight at a healthy rate, but I 'm pretty sure that going over 3000 is not ideal. Looking at what I ate today, it was mostly pretty healthy, and the unhealthy stuff was in relatively small quantities. (And if I had a sugared soda instead of diet, I could have easily piled on 300-500 more.) Huh.

THE COUNT: 3,015

AM SNACK: 6:45am, iced green tea, 45 cal


BREAKFAST: 10am, hardcore oatmeal, banana, 340 cal


LUNCH: noon, sardine & avocado on wholewheat toast, momma salad with ranch, 2 ears boiled corn with butter, water, 1070 cal
Huh, so that's what eating 1000 calories feels like. Felt good, full, comfortable, satiated. Surprisingly, the one tablespoon of dressing had the same number of calories as the cup and a half of carrot, cucumber, red pepper and onion.

PM SNACK: 2:45pm, bag of Fritos, 160 cal 


SCHOOL SNACK: 4:30pm, mouthful of brownie batter, ??? Cal
It was a substantial taste, as we were cleaning a huge pot and there was a lot to lick. 200.

DINNER: 6:30pm, Swedish meatballs & mashed potatoes, gravy, fries, a little salad, diet Pepsi, 1,200 cal
Got stuck at Ikea as the line was slow and had to stick around another 40 minutes to wait for the ferry. The cafeteria seduced me because....they listed calorie counts, he he. Hungry, ordered fries (330) to go along with the meal. Surprised how many calories. Satisfying, even if I skipped the overly sweet lingon berry mush.

Buzz Buzz on one beer

B took Milli Mil to the doc this morning, so after I got Edles to school, got laundry in and did food shopping.

Forgot to mention that I lifted weights yesterday. I was feeling a bit run down but kinda unthinkingly knew if I lifted, I'd feel better after...and I did! Thought I was only going to lift once this week, but will try to fit another 45 minute session in tomorrow, should be fine as I'm only a little sore today.

THE COUNT: +/- 2500 cal

AM SNACK: 7:30am, iced green tea, 45 cal

BREAKFAST: 10am, smoothie, 330 cal
Probably not EXACTLY 330, as my frozen fruit mix is personally done, but I got the count from a commercial brand of mixed frozen fruit.

AM SNACK: 11:45am, popcorn, 440 cal


LUNCH: 12:45pm, 2 stouffer's french bread pizza, 840 cal
Huh. Guess I could have probably done 1.

SCHOOL DINNER: 6:30pm, random bites of pizza, 12oz soda (140cal), ??? cal
Didn't eat that much, gonna say 500cal all in.

EVENING SNORT: 8:30pm, can of 21st Amendment Bitter American beer, 130 cal
Stopped by Malt & Mold on the way home from school, the proprietor invited me in for a beer and a chat.

EVENING SNACK: 9:15pm, watermelon, 220 cal

Count Norbert

Woke up at 5am feeling a bit ill, got it together by 9am. Something didn't sit right, perhaps last night's pizza?

Speaking of that pizza, it got me thinking. I'll be shaking up this blog in a bit, but there are certain things I think I should start now in the roll up. Yesterday, I ate pretty healthily, homemade reasonable breakfast, a vegetable-laden vegetarian lunch, dinner with a small piece of broiled fish, brown rice and a lot of vegetables. Despite that, I was very, very hungry come 8pm or so, craving sugar. The frozen pizza hit the spot and squelched my appetite. I needed more calories, not sugar.

How many calories do I need? Reporting estimated "bowls" to consider how much I actually eat is, among other things, ineffective in tracking quantity, a.k.a. calories. So instead of bowls, I'm going to report calories as best I can. It may take a month or two to get to the point where I can account for all calories through the day, but it's an evolving process, I guess.

Funny, when we served the final meal at my class this evening, I cut the cheesecake we made into 32 slices -- close to the recommended serving. The kids whined a little about how small the pieces were, and all served double portions for themselves. Hmmm.

THE COUNT: +/-2035

AM SNACK: 8:45am, iced green tea, pint, 45 calories
For some reason when I made new tea last night, I added 1/2 cup of sugar per gallon instead of 1/4. Too sweet. Not undrinkable canned ice tea sweet, but too sweet. Green tea is zero calories, but .5oz of sugar adds the cals.

LUNCH: 11:45am, PB&J on whole wheat toast, momma salad with ranch, water, 670 calories
Easy to forget how many calories in dressing, how little in cucumber.

SCHOOL DINNER: 6:30pm, fried shrimp, baked ziti, asparagus, cheesecake, can of coke (145cal), ?? cal
I kept my portions at a reasonable amount, but the ziti was definitely 6-8oz, not the recommended 2. Fried shrimp was nibbled on for 30 minutes, so who knows. I'd estimate, including the coke, 1000 or so calories.


EVENING SNACK: 9:15pm, peanuts & chocolate chips, 330 calories

Son, get some teeth

While out and about with Mil today, went to Maoz and got a "Falafel Salad Box" -- a container with a 5 fried balls and a meager garnish of iceberg -- but then filled up from their salad bar. Tabouli, onion relish, roasted peppers, Israeli salad and a few other little things made the bowl overflow and topped with a healthy squirt of tahini. I know it's set up so I feel like I'm getting my $9 worth, but I know if I did the math if I made this at home this plate would be about $3. Still, a healthy vegetable-heavy vegetarian meal eaten in Union Square, with Mil pushed to one side while strapped to me, which didn't stop him from trying to eat what I was eating. Son, get some teeth, then we'll talk

TODAY'S COOKING
Banana Pancakes: T came over in the morning with Lil' EO, and we cooked up some good pancakes together. Added a cup of sour cream to the standard c-school recipe, came out tender, highly-risen and tasty.

AM SNACK: 7:30am, iced green tea


BREAKFAST: 9:45am, 2 banana pancakes, water, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5


LUNCH: 12:30pm, falafel salad box, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5


PM SNACK: 5:30pm, large momma salad, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5


DINNER: 6:30pm, broiled cod, curry brown rice, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
Broiled the cod for 10 minutes on high, came out a bit tough, edible but overcooked. I have a 3 lb bag of frozen fillets, so next time will cut back to 7 minutes.


EVENING SNACK: 8:30pm, frozen pizza, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Hmmmm.

Memorial Day Eating

I intended to lift weights, but the fam went to visit friends in Brooklyn in the morning, I fell asleep in the afternoon for  nice nap, then J came over and we got the laundry done together and took Edles out for dinner at a local joint. I've decided not to beat myself up about the poor eating and lack of exercise today, it was a national holiday with quality family & friend time, and will be back on the lifting for my normal second lift later in the week.

BREAKFAST: 8am, iced green tea, brown rice crispies with organic dead milk, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5


LUNCH: noon, shrimp burrito, guac & chips, 1 beer, 1.5 bowl, hunger 4/5


PM SNACK: 2:30pm, ice cream cone, .5 bowl,  hunger 4/5


DINNER: 6:30pm, no-cheese eggplant hero, house salad, water, 1.5 bowl, hunger 4/5


EVENING SNACK: 8pm, ice cream, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5