ADDENDA:
What hath thow raught? Ilsa has a blog!! Here!
Weighed myself this morning, almost forgot, but the scale was in the way (the weigh?) of me retrieving my cell phone. 234. Was wearing pants, and just ate breakfast, so it's probably closer to my standard 230. Not feeling very furious, but anything that is tagged with "o' Fury!!" sounds less blubbery.
Feel weird about the pint of soy icecream I snarfed last night. On one hand, I think I enjoyed and appreciated it more than I would of if it was a regular habit. On the other hand, my lust for it immediately following my substandard home meal was overpowering in a way. Ilsa's blog suggests brushing teeth to get the stomach-body-brain signals to shout "done!" to the lust impulses. May just try that.
BREAKFAST: 8am, organic chex with good milk, banana, hunger 3/5
Start the sweets off right.
AM WATERING: 9:30am, 24 oz still
BP 9:45am: 132/90
LUNCH: 12:30pm, homemade hummus, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, 2 slices normal wholewheat bread, 2 slices weird dense superGerman "bread", 3 pieces sesame tofu, hunger 4/5
Out of superhippy bread from the farmer's market, so I got this weird, dense block of bread-like material imported from Germany, full of whole grains, weirdly moist, and shelf-stable for months in the unopened wrapper.
Hummus was good, needs more cumin. Next batch is going to rock. Hard. My dad never had the secret weapon of the roasted garlic, damn I wish I could share that with him. I think he'd be impressed. After tasting it, he'd nod, and say something quietly, like, "Noah, that's pretty good. I wish I thought of that." A small grin was like a hug from him (though in later years I subjected him to more unasked-for hugs than I can count.)
PM SNACK: 4:15pm, apple & raw funki havarti, hunger 3/5
Apple was mushy, May have to run out and grab another snack, as I have a knife skills class 6:30-10 tonight.
PM SNACK: 5:15pm, lamb on pita, hunger 4/5
As I'm eating this, I'm thinking, "This is not going to help me lose weight, is it?"
PM SNACK: 7pmish, carrots sticks & inferior hummus, small handful of olives, lemony water, hunger 4/5
Snacks during class
DINNER: 9:30pm, yummy carrot soup, quinoa with orange supreme, white bean thingy, sauteed broccoli with mushrooms, roasted cubed potatoes, hunger 4/5
Dinner was made with all the veg that the students prepped in knife skills class, all vegan, the HVS would of been proud. Food was actually pretty good, but could of used some sort of protein for satiety's sake.
Tuesday, November 27
Monday, November 26
Back On It
ADDENDA:
Meant to weigh myself this morning but forgot. I tend to forget things I have no interest in/really don't want to do. Looking forward to getting back into healthier eating habits. Before it was new and a little struggling, now it's starting to be the new routine. Brought an apple & stinky cheese to work, not because I'm on a sugar fast, but because it's damn yummy...
BREAKFAST: 7:30am, good yogurt with honey & vanilla & raw nuts, hunger 2/5
AM WATERING: 9:15am, 24 oz still
BP: 9:30am, 130/93
LUNCH: 1pm, small pastrami sandwich with pea soup, slaw & pickles, water, hunger 4/5
Satisfying sit-down at Junior's around the corner on a rainy day. Reading the beginning chapter's of 'The Omivore's Delimma', oy, how corn is a vessel so we can all eat fossil fuel in many different foodstuffs, including the beef I just ate.
PM SNACK: 4:45, apple and funky-ass raw cheese, hunger 3/5
Funny how stinky cheese becomes yummy with a good apple.
DINNER: 7pm, shrimp in a wine sauce with mushrooms and onions, wild rice, almost a full pint of chocolate mint soy icecream, hunger 4/5
Made another pound of shrimp, threw in wine and veg and high-heat safflower oil into the wok. Definitely better than the last time, but still not....very good. I'm missing something or a step, may have to read a recipe. Cooked this weird black long-grain wild rice with low-sodium organic chicken broth, come out kinda crunchy and unappealing. So when I was finished with the meal, just felt unsatisfied, but I was glad there was no more gelato in the house....uh oh. I had soy icecream in the house, to feed the HVS at the last pizza-blowout. Well, I hadn't inhaled a pint of icecream in such a long time, so I did it. I ate it in front of the TV. The soy icecream itself wasn't so great, but the sitting, the leisurely eating of it, the wave of satisfaction, it was mmmmmm. Figured hey, I'm not a robot, this is an uncommon indulgence, and you better not make a habit of this or I'll have to dislocate my leg and kick my own ass....
Meant to weigh myself this morning but forgot. I tend to forget things I have no interest in/really don't want to do. Looking forward to getting back into healthier eating habits. Before it was new and a little struggling, now it's starting to be the new routine. Brought an apple & stinky cheese to work, not because I'm on a sugar fast, but because it's damn yummy...
BREAKFAST: 7:30am, good yogurt with honey & vanilla & raw nuts, hunger 2/5
AM WATERING: 9:15am, 24 oz still
BP: 9:30am, 130/93
LUNCH: 1pm, small pastrami sandwich with pea soup, slaw & pickles, water, hunger 4/5
Satisfying sit-down at Junior's around the corner on a rainy day. Reading the beginning chapter's of 'The Omivore's Delimma', oy, how corn is a vessel so we can all eat fossil fuel in many different foodstuffs, including the beef I just ate.
PM SNACK: 4:45, apple and funky-ass raw cheese, hunger 3/5
Funny how stinky cheese becomes yummy with a good apple.
DINNER: 7pm, shrimp in a wine sauce with mushrooms and onions, wild rice, almost a full pint of chocolate mint soy icecream, hunger 4/5
Made another pound of shrimp, threw in wine and veg and high-heat safflower oil into the wok. Definitely better than the last time, but still not....very good. I'm missing something or a step, may have to read a recipe. Cooked this weird black long-grain wild rice with low-sodium organic chicken broth, come out kinda crunchy and unappealing. So when I was finished with the meal, just felt unsatisfied, but I was glad there was no more gelato in the house....uh oh. I had soy icecream in the house, to feed the HVS at the last pizza-blowout. Well, I hadn't inhaled a pint of icecream in such a long time, so I did it. I ate it in front of the TV. The soy icecream itself wasn't so great, but the sitting, the leisurely eating of it, the wave of satisfaction, it was mmmmmm. Figured hey, I'm not a robot, this is an uncommon indulgence, and you better not make a habit of this or I'll have to dislocate my leg and kick my own ass....
Sunday, November 25
Travel Day Home
BREAKFAST: 6:30am, half a bottle of seltzer, hunger 1/5
AM SNACK: 8:15am, 36 ingredient granola bar, handful of pirate booty, hunger 4/5
On the train home.
AM SNACK: 9am, horrible veggie burger, ridiculous cinnamon bun, bottle of seltzer, hunger 4/5
Amtrack sells a remarkable 'vegan' veggie burger, which has over 70 ingredients...
PM SNACK: 2pm, small cup of gelato, hunger 4/5
Good that it's homemade - it's comforting that I know whats in it, but it's not very good. I think I know how to make it better, though, though I'm not too anxious to have another big bucket of gelato in my fridge!
LUNCH: 3pm, Korean vegetable dumplings, hunger 4/5
Medium bowl from the bowels of the freezer.
PM SNACK: 4pm, small amount of air-popped popcorn, hunger 3/5
Betsy made some popcorn to go with the a DVD we watched.
DINNER: 7:30pm, spinach ravioli in a mushroom wine sauce, small amount of gelato, hunger 4/5
Was going to order in, but since we went shopping and I was cooking other things for the week anyway, it made sense to cook something up. Bought fresh ravioli and made a nice sauce using wine we had in the fridge, mushrooms, parsley, olive oil, garlic, a little salt and a little butter. B went nuts on the gelato, so there were only a few tablespoons left to finish.
PM SNACK: 9pm, small handful of carrot sticks with fresh hummus, hunger 3/5
Blended hummus, replaced the two cloves of raw garlic the recipe called for with an entire head of roasted garlic. Came out pretty good, unfortunately I didn't make a lot. My dad would literally make a couple of gallons and keep it in the freezer over 6 months. If Betsy doesn't scam it all, will try to smuggle out samples to the HVS and Ilsa.
Also cooked a big batch of basic tomato sauce, gonna attempt to make fresh ravioli later this week...
AM SNACK: 8:15am, 36 ingredient granola bar, handful of pirate booty, hunger 4/5
On the train home.
AM SNACK: 9am, horrible veggie burger, ridiculous cinnamon bun, bottle of seltzer, hunger 4/5
Amtrack sells a remarkable 'vegan' veggie burger, which has over 70 ingredients...
PM SNACK: 2pm, small cup of gelato, hunger 4/5
Good that it's homemade - it's comforting that I know whats in it, but it's not very good. I think I know how to make it better, though, though I'm not too anxious to have another big bucket of gelato in my fridge!
LUNCH: 3pm, Korean vegetable dumplings, hunger 4/5
Medium bowl from the bowels of the freezer.
PM SNACK: 4pm, small amount of air-popped popcorn, hunger 3/5
Betsy made some popcorn to go with the a DVD we watched.
DINNER: 7:30pm, spinach ravioli in a mushroom wine sauce, small amount of gelato, hunger 4/5
Was going to order in, but since we went shopping and I was cooking other things for the week anyway, it made sense to cook something up. Bought fresh ravioli and made a nice sauce using wine we had in the fridge, mushrooms, parsley, olive oil, garlic, a little salt and a little butter. B went nuts on the gelato, so there were only a few tablespoons left to finish.
PM SNACK: 9pm, small handful of carrot sticks with fresh hummus, hunger 3/5
Blended hummus, replaced the two cloves of raw garlic the recipe called for with an entire head of roasted garlic. Came out pretty good, unfortunately I didn't make a lot. My dad would literally make a couple of gallons and keep it in the freezer over 6 months. If Betsy doesn't scam it all, will try to smuggle out samples to the HVS and Ilsa.
Also cooked a big batch of basic tomato sauce, gonna attempt to make fresh ravioli later this week...
Saturday, November 24
Floating On An Andover Saturday
BREAKFAST: 9:30am, slice of tofu pie, glass of seltzer, hunger 4/5
Hey, I'm on vacation, and if the choice is between a pie with exactly 10 organic ingredients (Crust (whole wheat flour, vegetable shortening, sea salt), chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, lecithin), tofu, (soy beans, binder, water), cinnamon) or a granola bar with over 35, well, I can forgive myself.
AM SNACK: 11:30am, banana, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 12:30pm, another slice of tofu pie, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: 2:30pm, bread & butter, small green salad, stuffed baked scrod with baked potato, water, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 7:30pm, baked lays potato chips, 35-ingredient granola bar, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 9pm, Caesar salad, pizza with roasted garlic and mushrooms, hunger 4/5
Got pizza from a different Andover joint, not as greezy but not up to NYC snuff. Comfortable meal indoors.
Hey, I'm on vacation, and if the choice is between a pie with exactly 10 organic ingredients (Crust (whole wheat flour, vegetable shortening, sea salt), chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, lecithin), tofu, (soy beans, binder, water), cinnamon) or a granola bar with over 35, well, I can forgive myself.
AM SNACK: 11:30am, banana, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 12:30pm, another slice of tofu pie, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: 2:30pm, bread & butter, small green salad, stuffed baked scrod with baked potato, water, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 7:30pm, baked lays potato chips, 35-ingredient granola bar, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 9pm, Caesar salad, pizza with roasted garlic and mushrooms, hunger 4/5
Got pizza from a different Andover joint, not as greezy but not up to NYC snuff. Comfortable meal indoors.
Friday, November 23
According to the newspaper, I should be shopping right now.
ADDENDA:
Sleepy day in Andover with Betsy's family. Basically wake, eat, sleep, wake, eat, movie, eat, sleep.
In the evening, me and my mother-in-law took a walk in the moon-lit darkness down her road while her children pored over old correspondences. I remember after every Thanksgiving, one great pleasure would be for everyone to get out of the house and take a walk. A slow walk, appreciating the neighborhood, the weather, each other's company. Feel our full stomachs, feel content for our lack of needs.
BREAKFAST: 9:30am, 2 bialies, smoked salmon, temptee cream cheese, banana, seltzer, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: 3pm, bread & butter, small green salad, stuffed shrimp with baked potato, small amount of brownie & icecream, hunger 4/5
Last time I ate with B's family at Grassfields, had a very salty pilaf.
PM SNACK: 8pm, chocolate chip granola bar, hunger 4/5
I counted 35 ingredients, about half out of a chemistry set or a derivative of corn.
DINNER: 9pm, 2 small slices of over-cheesed crappy pizza, hunger 4/5
EVENING SNACK: 11pm, small slice of tofu pie, hunger 3/5
Nice late evening chow with momma-in-law.
Sleepy day in Andover with Betsy's family. Basically wake, eat, sleep, wake, eat, movie, eat, sleep.
In the evening, me and my mother-in-law took a walk in the moon-lit darkness down her road while her children pored over old correspondences. I remember after every Thanksgiving, one great pleasure would be for everyone to get out of the house and take a walk. A slow walk, appreciating the neighborhood, the weather, each other's company. Feel our full stomachs, feel content for our lack of needs.
BREAKFAST: 9:30am, 2 bialies, smoked salmon, temptee cream cheese, banana, seltzer, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: 3pm, bread & butter, small green salad, stuffed shrimp with baked potato, small amount of brownie & icecream, hunger 4/5
Last time I ate with B's family at Grassfields, had a very salty pilaf.
PM SNACK: 8pm, chocolate chip granola bar, hunger 4/5
I counted 35 ingredients, about half out of a chemistry set or a derivative of corn.
DINNER: 9pm, 2 small slices of over-cheesed crappy pizza, hunger 4/5
EVENING SNACK: 11pm, small slice of tofu pie, hunger 3/5
Nice late evening chow with momma-in-law.
Gobble Gobble, Yo
ADDENDA:
Thanksgiving in Andover, a suburb of Boston, this year is the first time in my life I've spent this holiday away from my hometown, NYC. Though I guess I should of saw it coming a million miles away, I'm missing my parents horribly today.
Different wings of the extended family took different holidays, and our wing was Thanksgiving. This was the only time of year my mom would 'cook', and by cook I mean coordinate. My dad would be responsible for the turkey and the salad, my mom would put the potatoes in the oven to bake, I would be responsible for the stuffing. My mom would make a big deal about how I 'made' the stuffing, but in reality it was from a box of Stouffers. I remember one year I suggested we actually stuff the turkey with it before cooking, I think the level of complexity it entailed was beyond the pale for my mom. My Brazilian uncle would bring really good homemade chocolate mouse, a trendy thing in the 70s. Aunts would bring booze and other pies. My mom could NOT go to sleep unless ALL the dishes were washed and set up to air-dry. The house (and in later years the apartment) was always full of people on Thanksgiving, and it was always a home-cooked meal. My mom would buy the turkey at least a week in advance, the table would be set at least 48 hours in advance, the nervous tension she had the day of, hours before anyone were to come and the entire home was scrubbed clean and there was just nothing left to do other than lie down and watch TV.
I look forward to the day of regularly hosting a holiday in my home with family and friends, with homemade food and days of preparation.
BREAKFAST: 7:30am, good yogurt with honey, vanilla, raw nuts, hunger 3/5
AM SNACK: 10:30am, veggie booty, liter of seltzer, hunger 4/5
Train to Boston.
AM SNACK: 11:30am, saltless whole wheat pretzels, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 12:30pm, bag of potato chips, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 3pm, toated chiabatta bread with bruchetta stuff, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 4pm, squash maple soup, grape sorbet, turkey medallions with apple cranberry stuffing, whipped potato croquet, steamed carrots, lots of bread & butter, pumpkin creme brulee, water, hunger 4/5
Formal dinner at the very white, WASPy New England Andover Inn.
EVENING SNACK: 7:30pm, popcorn, hunger 3/5
A Thankgiving evening movie out, a first for me.
Thanksgiving in Andover, a suburb of Boston, this year is the first time in my life I've spent this holiday away from my hometown, NYC. Though I guess I should of saw it coming a million miles away, I'm missing my parents horribly today.
Different wings of the extended family took different holidays, and our wing was Thanksgiving. This was the only time of year my mom would 'cook', and by cook I mean coordinate. My dad would be responsible for the turkey and the salad, my mom would put the potatoes in the oven to bake, I would be responsible for the stuffing. My mom would make a big deal about how I 'made' the stuffing, but in reality it was from a box of Stouffers. I remember one year I suggested we actually stuff the turkey with it before cooking, I think the level of complexity it entailed was beyond the pale for my mom. My Brazilian uncle would bring really good homemade chocolate mouse, a trendy thing in the 70s. Aunts would bring booze and other pies. My mom could NOT go to sleep unless ALL the dishes were washed and set up to air-dry. The house (and in later years the apartment) was always full of people on Thanksgiving, and it was always a home-cooked meal. My mom would buy the turkey at least a week in advance, the table would be set at least 48 hours in advance, the nervous tension she had the day of, hours before anyone were to come and the entire home was scrubbed clean and there was just nothing left to do other than lie down and watch TV.
I look forward to the day of regularly hosting a holiday in my home with family and friends, with homemade food and days of preparation.
BREAKFAST: 7:30am, good yogurt with honey, vanilla, raw nuts, hunger 3/5
AM SNACK: 10:30am, veggie booty, liter of seltzer, hunger 4/5
Train to Boston.
AM SNACK: 11:30am, saltless whole wheat pretzels, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 12:30pm, bag of potato chips, hunger 4/5
PM SNACK: 3pm, toated chiabatta bread with bruchetta stuff, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 4pm, squash maple soup, grape sorbet, turkey medallions with apple cranberry stuffing, whipped potato croquet, steamed carrots, lots of bread & butter, pumpkin creme brulee, water, hunger 4/5
Formal dinner at the very white, WASPy New England Andover Inn.
EVENING SNACK: 7:30pm, popcorn, hunger 3/5
A Thankgiving evening movie out, a first for me.
Wednesday, November 21
Dessert-Fast Conclusion: My Foundation Assumptions are Questioned
ADDENDA:
Last night with Ilsa, we spoke of my dessert fast. I realized somethings as I was saying it: what I learned kinda bugged me.
I'm NOT addicted to sugar. It's NOT a physical thing. It's REALLY in my head.
My habits have been created by two things: my environment and my personal choices. As a fully developed non-impaired human, I have a degree of power over my environment and a GREAT deal of power over my choices. Abdicating my power to 'addiction' was a massive cop-out. This is something I always felt was a major character flaw of a very close friend....
On a rambling side-note, I have/had a friend who for the sake of anonymity we'll call Lillian. I've known Lill since we were 18 yrs old, and over the years she's suffered all sorts of trials and tribulations due to her ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder and a host of other things I can't fully recall. She has been on all sorts of medications over the years. She's had good years, she's had bad years.
Recently, partly due to her issues, partly due to the passing of time, partly due to the situations our lives have given us of late, she (from my perspective) had a record bad year lately. I'm actually concerned for her safety and well-being, and have come to the conclusion that our relationship actually threatens her health. Anyway, the reason I bring this up is that I was always under the impression that a lot of her issues stemmed from poor choices she made. A lot of the difficulties which she claimed were due to her illnesses seemed to be self-indulgences rather than symptoms. As she has gone from cute-crazy to crazy-crazy in recent months, I wonder if she really was crazy-crazy all these years, or did the habits that emerged from her self-indulgences (and justified by being 'crazy') actually lead her to this point? After being so certain of the later for so long, now I really don't know.
Why this talk of Lill? I guess because it comes to the point of addiction versus choice, being actually crazy verses choosing to be 'crazy' to get your way and indulge yourself. If I continue to choose to be addicted to my indulgences for sweets, I eventually (like my father before me) will get sick with diabetes and all that stuff.
Last night's chocolate consumption, a part of bar while I actively cooked with the rest, seemed positive - engaging my senses while I focused on the task at hand. But I indulged myself - I couldn't stand that there was some left over. If I didn't finish it, it would seem incomplete. Unfortunately, it was a big enough portion. eaten late enough, to keep me up past my bedtime. This defies common sense!! I didn't eat it because of addiction, I ate it because I was indulging myself, choosing not to express self-control. If I'm ever going to seriously lose a little weight and keep it off, these lines have to be exposed for what they are. Why didn't I just wrap up a left over portion and save it for a more convenient (non-sleep) time? Maybe now that I know the devil's face, I can recognize him before he fools me into committing self-harm...
BREAKFAST: 8am, good yogurt with honey, vanilla, raw nuts, small serving of fresh chocolate gelato, hunger 3/5
Put the custard into the icecream making device, and it came out incredibly thick, creamy, chocolatey. Once I scraped as much as I could into a container for the freezer, I tasted it....oof, that was a mistake. I immediately ran to B with the chocolatey spoon, who was not enthused to try something so brown n' chunky looking while preening in the bathroom. I gotta say, even though this was my first attempt and messed up on some of the ingredients, even though the total price came to maybe $15/pint, even though the prep time was more than 24 hours, it's STILL yummier than the best gelato I was eating before the dessert fast.
AM WATERING: 10:30am, 24 oz still
BP 10:45am: 135/89
Though high, I'm a little happy it is because I kind of felt that it would be - a lot on my mind, still feel the sugar of the morning in me, feeling the end of my sickness squeaking out.
LUNCH: 2pm, large bowl of veggie booty, apple, hunger 3/5
DINNER: 6pm, small salad, about one pizza's worth of random pizzas, 1 piece chocolate tofu pie, large serving chocolate gelato, 3 glasses of wine & presecco, hunger 4/5
Friends over for a parade of pizza, was fun but due to a cheap-ass pizza stone malfunction, could only do one pie at a time and spent too much time in the kitchen. Pizzas not as good as they could of been due to rushing through the rolling of the dough. Tofu pie was too dry and dense, and the gelato was not aerated enough, probably due to not enough yokes and putting it all the in the icecream making machine at once rather than doing it in batches. Next time will be much better.
Last night with Ilsa, we spoke of my dessert fast. I realized somethings as I was saying it: what I learned kinda bugged me.
I'm NOT addicted to sugar. It's NOT a physical thing. It's REALLY in my head.
My habits have been created by two things: my environment and my personal choices. As a fully developed non-impaired human, I have a degree of power over my environment and a GREAT deal of power over my choices. Abdicating my power to 'addiction' was a massive cop-out. This is something I always felt was a major character flaw of a very close friend....
On a rambling side-note, I have/had a friend who for the sake of anonymity we'll call Lillian. I've known Lill since we were 18 yrs old, and over the years she's suffered all sorts of trials and tribulations due to her ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder and a host of other things I can't fully recall. She has been on all sorts of medications over the years. She's had good years, she's had bad years.
Recently, partly due to her issues, partly due to the passing of time, partly due to the situations our lives have given us of late, she (from my perspective) had a record bad year lately. I'm actually concerned for her safety and well-being, and have come to the conclusion that our relationship actually threatens her health. Anyway, the reason I bring this up is that I was always under the impression that a lot of her issues stemmed from poor choices she made. A lot of the difficulties which she claimed were due to her illnesses seemed to be self-indulgences rather than symptoms. As she has gone from cute-crazy to crazy-crazy in recent months, I wonder if she really was crazy-crazy all these years, or did the habits that emerged from her self-indulgences (and justified by being 'crazy') actually lead her to this point? After being so certain of the later for so long, now I really don't know.
Why this talk of Lill? I guess because it comes to the point of addiction versus choice, being actually crazy verses choosing to be 'crazy' to get your way and indulge yourself. If I continue to choose to be addicted to my indulgences for sweets, I eventually (like my father before me) will get sick with diabetes and all that stuff.
Last night's chocolate consumption, a part of bar while I actively cooked with the rest, seemed positive - engaging my senses while I focused on the task at hand. But I indulged myself - I couldn't stand that there was some left over. If I didn't finish it, it would seem incomplete. Unfortunately, it was a big enough portion. eaten late enough, to keep me up past my bedtime. This defies common sense!! I didn't eat it because of addiction, I ate it because I was indulging myself, choosing not to express self-control. If I'm ever going to seriously lose a little weight and keep it off, these lines have to be exposed for what they are. Why didn't I just wrap up a left over portion and save it for a more convenient (non-sleep) time? Maybe now that I know the devil's face, I can recognize him before he fools me into committing self-harm...
BREAKFAST: 8am, good yogurt with honey, vanilla, raw nuts, small serving of fresh chocolate gelato, hunger 3/5
Put the custard into the icecream making device, and it came out incredibly thick, creamy, chocolatey. Once I scraped as much as I could into a container for the freezer, I tasted it....oof, that was a mistake. I immediately ran to B with the chocolatey spoon, who was not enthused to try something so brown n' chunky looking while preening in the bathroom. I gotta say, even though this was my first attempt and messed up on some of the ingredients, even though the total price came to maybe $15/pint, even though the prep time was more than 24 hours, it's STILL yummier than the best gelato I was eating before the dessert fast.
AM WATERING: 10:30am, 24 oz still
BP 10:45am: 135/89
Though high, I'm a little happy it is because I kind of felt that it would be - a lot on my mind, still feel the sugar of the morning in me, feeling the end of my sickness squeaking out.
LUNCH: 2pm, large bowl of veggie booty, apple, hunger 3/5
DINNER: 6pm, small salad, about one pizza's worth of random pizzas, 1 piece chocolate tofu pie, large serving chocolate gelato, 3 glasses of wine & presecco, hunger 4/5
Friends over for a parade of pizza, was fun but due to a cheap-ass pizza stone malfunction, could only do one pie at a time and spent too much time in the kitchen. Pizzas not as good as they could of been due to rushing through the rolling of the dough. Tofu pie was too dry and dense, and the gelato was not aerated enough, probably due to not enough yokes and putting it all the in the icecream making machine at once rather than doing it in batches. Next time will be much better.
Tuesday, November 20
Will today be a sugar-fast by default?
ADDENDA: Forgot my apple n' cheese this morning, and am out of bananas. I wonder how my sugar-lust will go today. Didn't pack lunch as have social obligations for lunch.
BREAKFAST: 7am, toasted wholewheat bagel with a thin shmear of organic cream cheese, hunger 3/5
Spent the morning chopping salad to open the pizza-freakout tomorrow...
AM WATERING: 10am, 24 oz still
BP 10:45am: 128/83
LUNCH: 12:30pm, chicken tonkatsu with curry sauce over rice, hunger 4/5
Asked for pork, but it was a little dry, tasted a little plain, the meat was a little whiter than usual, and rather than homogeneously thick, got thicker at one end. I was half way through when I realized it wasn't pork! Didn't ask for a new dish because I ate so much already, felt silly.
PM WATERING: 2:30pm, 24 oz still
PM SNACK: 4:30pm, 2 potato samosas, small amount of pumpkin noodles, hunger 4/5
Hungry, don't want to be starving and obsessing about chocolate when I see Ilsa!
DINNER: 8pm, green salad, sauteed shrimp in parsley sauce over long grain brown jasmine rice, hunger 4/5
Good home cooked dinner, the shrimp came out a little too boiled instead of sauteed due to not clearing the ice off them before dumping in the wok. I gotta work on that.
EVENING SNACK: 9:30pm, 3 oz dark chocolate, hunger 3/5
Wasn't craving it, but I cooked the custard that is the basis of the chocolate gelato. Of the 7 oz bar, 4oz went into the recipe and rather then sticking my fingers in and sampling as I went along, I just ate the left over chocolate. Kept me up till 1am.
Monday, November 19
PCW (Pounds of Chocolate Per Week)
ADDENDA:
This dessert fast thing was kind of a weird shock to the system, and my minor illness at the end of it a small revelation. I sure feel healthier than I did since starting to consult with Ilsa and write this blog. Where do I go from here?
Do I want this to become a blog about discovering cooking, or a blog about losing weight and keeping it off? Does that have to be incompatible? Maybe I should work up some weekly stats about how many meals I made or prepared myself, and how many were eaten out? Fruit vs. dessert intake? Pounds of chocolate per week?
BREAKFAST: 7:30am, organic chex with good milk, banana, hunger 3/5
AM WATERING: 9:45am, 24 oz still
BP 10am: 133/102
Weird because of recent illness? First time I had a really high BP measurement at the docs was after an illness.
PM WATERING: Noon, 24 oz still
LUNCH: 12:15pm, veg Indian combo plate with rice, hunger 4/5
Spicy mouth, thought about getting dessert, as I CAN if I want to, but decided against it, got cheese n' apple with me. Probably get a meaty thing towards the end of the day to get me through the class tonight.
PM SNACK: 3:15pm, apple & onion edamer raw milk cheese, hunger 3/5
LUNCH #2: 4:30pm, lamb on pita, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 8:30pm, cup of bitter greens liquid, coleslaw with plum-mustard dressing, aduki squash stew, long grain brown rice with parsley garlic sauce, sauteed kale with mushrooms, 2 jelly almond torte cookies, hunger 4/5
Cooking class was a demonstration of preparation of all these vegan dishes, flashes of interest but mostly boring and silly. I don't need a demonstration how to cook rice (especially since I now own a rice cooker!) During the class, I was thinking of going out to get hot dogs & tater tots, an old favorite meal I haven't indulged in in quite a while. The first thing I tried was the liquid from the kale she was cooking. Very bitter, at first I was 'yuuuuk!' but then, I don't know, I just kind if LIKED it's differentness and drank the whole cup. The food was a bit dorky in a 70s vegan kind of way, but other than the stew (too much ginger), it was all quite delicious and I plan to make the parsley sauce for rice tonight....to compliment some PORK, yo!
I think I will experiment with the kale/escarole/spinach thing, sauteing with mushrooms n' stuff. The only concern I had about the food is she really did not go light on the salt. It was sea-salt, but still.
EVENING SNACK: 10:30pm, veggie booty, hunger 4/5
Something tells me this is a newly emerging habit that Ilsa will not be fond of.
This dessert fast thing was kind of a weird shock to the system, and my minor illness at the end of it a small revelation. I sure feel healthier than I did since starting to consult with Ilsa and write this blog. Where do I go from here?
Do I want this to become a blog about discovering cooking, or a blog about losing weight and keeping it off? Does that have to be incompatible? Maybe I should work up some weekly stats about how many meals I made or prepared myself, and how many were eaten out? Fruit vs. dessert intake? Pounds of chocolate per week?
BREAKFAST: 7:30am, organic chex with good milk, banana, hunger 3/5
AM WATERING: 9:45am, 24 oz still
BP 10am: 133/102
Weird because of recent illness? First time I had a really high BP measurement at the docs was after an illness.
PM WATERING: Noon, 24 oz still
LUNCH: 12:15pm, veg Indian combo plate with rice, hunger 4/5
Spicy mouth, thought about getting dessert, as I CAN if I want to, but decided against it, got cheese n' apple with me. Probably get a meaty thing towards the end of the day to get me through the class tonight.
PM SNACK: 3:15pm, apple & onion edamer raw milk cheese, hunger 3/5
LUNCH #2: 4:30pm, lamb on pita, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 8:30pm, cup of bitter greens liquid, coleslaw with plum-mustard dressing, aduki squash stew, long grain brown rice with parsley garlic sauce, sauteed kale with mushrooms, 2 jelly almond torte cookies, hunger 4/5
Cooking class was a demonstration of preparation of all these vegan dishes, flashes of interest but mostly boring and silly. I don't need a demonstration how to cook rice (especially since I now own a rice cooker!) During the class, I was thinking of going out to get hot dogs & tater tots, an old favorite meal I haven't indulged in in quite a while. The first thing I tried was the liquid from the kale she was cooking. Very bitter, at first I was 'yuuuuk!' but then, I don't know, I just kind if LIKED it's differentness and drank the whole cup. The food was a bit dorky in a 70s vegan kind of way, but other than the stew (too much ginger), it was all quite delicious and I plan to make the parsley sauce for rice tonight....to compliment some PORK, yo!
I think I will experiment with the kale/escarole/spinach thing, sauteing with mushrooms n' stuff. The only concern I had about the food is she really did not go light on the salt. It was sea-salt, but still.
EVENING SNACK: 10:30pm, veggie booty, hunger 4/5
Something tells me this is a newly emerging habit that Ilsa will not be fond of.
Sunday, November 18
Googling 'Dessert Fast' gets fast dessert recipes
ADDENDA:
Got a slightly fitful 9 hours of sleep, due to stuffy nose. Woke up groggy and headachey. My nose mucus is very yellowy, sign of my body fighting the good fight. May have to refrain from social obligations today, and refrain from cooking (don't want to get my sick into a week's worth of food!)
Today at around noon will be a full 7 days without desserts. Is this illness my body reacting to the change? Things over-all are going good with work, with B, with home, looking forward to going away with B for Thanksgiving, so I don't think it's depression or stress related as it may of been years ago. In the past, when I got sick, it was fast and overwhelming and would knock me out for 4-5 days solidly. This feels different, like my body is stronger in fighting it. I believe I may be OK tomorrow (knock on wood.)
Yesterday I bought a 2nd pizza stone, a sieve, a sifter and a garlic-roasting thingy. Wednesday is going to be another full-on pizza freakout with a few friends...
BREAKFAST: 8:30am, good yogurt with honey, vanilla and raw cashews, hunger 3/5
AM DRUGGING: 9am, 2 extra strength tylenol, 1 500mg vitamin C (rosehips)
This is on top of my daily dirtpill...
AM SNACK: 10:30am, 1 slice of toasted superhuppy bread with good peanut butter, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: 12:30pm, 12 boiled mixed perogies with onion, hunger 4/5
This is the meal I usually desire after being sick for a while. This illness is different - my appetite and, uhhh, output, is not being affected, but I'm definitely stuffy headed.
PM SNACK: 4pm, small amount of chocolate tofu pie
batter, hunger 3/5
This is the definition of fun. Watched a movie for a couple of hours on the couch, felt a little better, restless. Don't want to make sick food, but baking will kill the germs, right? So I made a couple of tofu pies for this coming Wednesday, but for the first time I made crust from scratch. I really didn't know what I was doing, but I was giggling like an insane person as I did it, watching things come out kinda weird and wrong. I wish I had a mother or grandmother who could of taught me the so-called 'women's work' of old - making pie crust from scratch is a lot trickier than it looks, as shortening is very temperamental!
As I did with my mom as a kid when we made Betty Crocker brownies as a kid (ummmm, fudgy!), I licked the mixer jug after everything was in the oven. I guess this is how a dessert fast ends, eating chocolaty mess spread over my hands and face over a warm oven like I was a kid enjoying spending time with mom.
DINNER: 8:45pm, singapore rice noodles & pork, half a shrimp summer roll, hunger 4.5/5
Got out of the house and saw a movie with Danny, felt much better for it. Dinner at cheap Vietnamese place with huge portions. No desire for dessert.
EVENING SNACK: 11:30pm, bowl of veggie booty, hunger 3/5
Slight case of insomnia. Go to bed around 1.
Got a slightly fitful 9 hours of sleep, due to stuffy nose. Woke up groggy and headachey. My nose mucus is very yellowy, sign of my body fighting the good fight. May have to refrain from social obligations today, and refrain from cooking (don't want to get my sick into a week's worth of food!)
Today at around noon will be a full 7 days without desserts. Is this illness my body reacting to the change? Things over-all are going good with work, with B, with home, looking forward to going away with B for Thanksgiving, so I don't think it's depression or stress related as it may of been years ago. In the past, when I got sick, it was fast and overwhelming and would knock me out for 4-5 days solidly. This feels different, like my body is stronger in fighting it. I believe I may be OK tomorrow (knock on wood.)
Yesterday I bought a 2nd pizza stone, a sieve, a sifter and a garlic-roasting thingy. Wednesday is going to be another full-on pizza freakout with a few friends...
BREAKFAST: 8:30am, good yogurt with honey, vanilla and raw cashews, hunger 3/5
AM DRUGGING: 9am, 2 extra strength tylenol, 1 500mg vitamin C (rosehips)
This is on top of my daily dirtpill...
AM SNACK: 10:30am, 1 slice of toasted superhuppy bread with good peanut butter, hunger 4/5
LUNCH: 12:30pm, 12 boiled mixed perogies with onion, hunger 4/5
This is the meal I usually desire after being sick for a while. This illness is different - my appetite and, uhhh, output, is not being affected, but I'm definitely stuffy headed.
PM SNACK: 4pm, small amount of chocolate tofu pie
batter, hunger 3/5This is the definition of fun. Watched a movie for a couple of hours on the couch, felt a little better, restless. Don't want to make sick food, but baking will kill the germs, right? So I made a couple of tofu pies for this coming Wednesday, but for the first time I made crust from scratch. I really didn't know what I was doing, but I was giggling like an insane person as I did it, watching things come out kinda weird and wrong. I wish I had a mother or grandmother who could of taught me the so-called 'women's work' of old - making pie crust from scratch is a lot trickier than it looks, as shortening is very temperamental!
As I did with my mom as a kid when we made Betty Crocker brownies as a kid (ummmm, fudgy!), I licked the mixer jug after everything was in the oven. I guess this is how a dessert fast ends, eating chocolaty mess spread over my hands and face over a warm oven like I was a kid enjoying spending time with mom.
DINNER: 8:45pm, singapore rice noodles & pork, half a shrimp summer roll, hunger 4.5/5
Got out of the house and saw a movie with Danny, felt much better for it. Dinner at cheap Vietnamese place with huge portions. No desire for dessert.
EVENING SNACK: 11:30pm, bowl of veggie booty, hunger 3/5
Slight case of insomnia. Go to bed around 1.
Saturday, November 17
Dessert-Fast, Day 6 (Or: How does a dessert-fast die?)
ADDENDA:
After the farmer's market, set out to Coney Island on road bike, but by the time I got to Prospect Park, I was just chilled to the core so set back home for a total of 15 miles.
B has a family birthday brunch thing, we're bringing....the good donuts. Oh, how does a dessert-fast die?! Like this, my friends, like this.....
BREAKFAST: 7am, whole wheat bagel with good butter, hunger 3/5
LUNCH #1: 11am, reheated plate of fresh pasta with a little sauce, hunger 4/5
Could really go for a dessert. Will hold off.
PM SNACK: 1pm, slice of pizza, hunger 4/5
From the local.
PM SNACK: 1:45pm, banana, hunger 4/5
Headache. Could it be sugar-related?
PM SNACK: 2:30pm, 3 saltless whole wheat pretzels, hunger 4/5
Still headachey. Must just be a little just plain sick.
DINNER: 6:30pm, bread, veg bruschetta, interesting sampling of funky & nonfunky cheeses, a little salami, polenta-like dumplings with mushrooms and melted cheese, 1 glass prosecco, water, hunger 4/5
Dinner at a shmancy Italian place. Felt tired and fuzzy headed throughout with B and her friends, not my finest hour. Really enjoyed the different flavors of the cheeses, some stinky and soft, some mild and hard, but cut nicely with the sweetness of the prosecco. Some dessert was passed around and shared by most, but I was so not interested. (and it wasn't chocolate anyway!)
After the farmer's market, set out to Coney Island on road bike, but by the time I got to Prospect Park, I was just chilled to the core so set back home for a total of 15 miles.
B has a family birthday brunch thing, we're bringing....the good donuts. Oh, how does a dessert-fast die?! Like this, my friends, like this.....
BREAKFAST: 7am, whole wheat bagel with good butter, hunger 3/5
LUNCH #1: 11am, reheated plate of fresh pasta with a little sauce, hunger 4/5
Could really go for a dessert. Will hold off.
PM SNACK: 1pm, slice of pizza, hunger 4/5
From the local.
PM SNACK: 1:45pm, banana, hunger 4/5
Headache. Could it be sugar-related?
PM SNACK: 2:30pm, 3 saltless whole wheat pretzels, hunger 4/5
Still headachey. Must just be a little just plain sick.
DINNER: 6:30pm, bread, veg bruschetta, interesting sampling of funky & nonfunky cheeses, a little salami, polenta-like dumplings with mushrooms and melted cheese, 1 glass prosecco, water, hunger 4/5
Dinner at a shmancy Italian place. Felt tired and fuzzy headed throughout with B and her friends, not my finest hour. Really enjoyed the different flavors of the cheeses, some stinky and soft, some mild and hard, but cut nicely with the sweetness of the prosecco. Some dessert was passed around and shared by most, but I was so not interested. (and it wasn't chocolate anyway!)
Friday, November 16
Dessert-Fast, Day 5 (Or: It may be all in my head)
ADDENDA:So here is day 5, and I'm fine. As I pedalled to work this morning, feeling my body wake up to a brisk (but mellow) effort, I realized my physical state was fine all week. Cutting out my daily dessert was more of a challenge to my sense of entitlement than any sort of physical addiction, though I sense a bit of that too. That said, I think I will go for the Ilsa-recommended 7 days....if my sense of entitlement is anything, it's strongest on the weekends when I'm off and trying to relax.
BREAKFAST: 7:45am, good pancakes and good non-nitrate bacon from the farmers market, a banana, hunger 3.5/5
Didn't feel like waiting for the weekend. Gonna try to take it easy this weekend, as Thanksgiving will be upon us soon.
AM WATERING: 9:45am, 24 oz still
I like how carbonated water has become a treat that makes it special at home.
BP 10am: 122/85
LUNCH: 1:15pm, shrimp curry with daal and jasmine white rice, small piece of naan, a few lentil crackers, water, hunger 4/5
OK food, good company.
PM DRUGGING: 4pm, 2 extra strength tylenol, hunger 1/5
Have a headache that has been brewing slowly all day, nose is stuffy, not hungry for the apple n' cheese I brought to work at all...
PM SNACK: 5:30pm, apple & one small piece of cheese, hunger 3/5
Didn't want to feel desperate for dinner later.
DINNER: 7:30pm, steak au poive w/ fries and salad, shrimp cocktail, water, hunger 4/5
B & I went to a nice French bistro in the 'hood. Indulged in the previously forbidden fries because I felt the need to reward myself for being dessert-free for 5 days. Fries were just OK, nothing special. About 3/4 of the way through the meal, I started looking forward to dessert before I remembered, oh, I'm not having dessert. The dessert menu looked good, too!
Thursday, November 15
Dessert-Fast, Day 4 (Or: Whoever Invented Chocolate is a Friggin' Genius)
ADDENDA:Last night I swung by the market to restock on apples and bananas. I also picked up a very expensive bag of organic, raw, de-shelled cocoa beans. This morning me and B tried them. Neither of us were able to keep it in our mouths for more than 10-15 seconds before spitting them out. It definitely had a lot of layers of taste to it. A prominent note in the background was definitely the dark chocolate flavor I know and love. But the foreground was this massive, loud bitter explosion which is like two calloused hands gripping your jaw and upper lip and pulling them as far apart as possible, in hopes of making you spit it out.
Some South American dude thousands of years ago was sitting around chewing on these things, probably spitting them out but thinking, hmmm, that flavor in the back of my mouth, that's kind of nice. Maybe if I grind it up, add some sweetener to mellow the bitter, and add some milk to smooth out the mouth feel, I just might have something.....and his name....Irving P. Chocolateberg.
Ilsa asked for a full 7 day sweet fast, I've been telling myself 5 days. It's not over yet, but I remember when I kicked a caffeine addiction in my 20s, the first 3 days were the worst. Maybe I will go for 7 days. I do know I'm not going to break it with a donut from Donut Plant - I want to break it with something I made. I think I need to make chocolate gelato...
BREAKFAST: 7:30am, organic cornflakes with good milk, banana, hunger 3/5
Noticed the cornflakes are sweetened with 'concentrated grape juice'. I guess that's a step up from high-fructose corn syrup, and the total amount per serving is 3g (as opposed to 24g of straight carbs) but still - juicing a fruit then concentrating it sounds like refined sugar to me. I feel like I may of cheated? I guess I'll let Ilsa be the referee in this call.
AM WATERING: 10am, 24 oz still
Got to work late due to rain, then rushed into meetings. Will take BP later today.
LUNCH: 12:30pm, super hippy peanut butter sammich, large green salad with organic ranch dressing, hunger 4/5
The new WF-brand organic ranch dressing is a bit too vinegary for my taste. I really need to find/make a dressing I like.
BP 2:30pm: 139/85
Have a slight headache, and had to remove a lot of clothing to get a reading without an error.
PM SNACK: 3pm, funky-ass raw milk cheese and a tart, crisp apple, hunger 4/5
This snack made my headache go away. I picked up 2 random apples at WF yesterday, both conventional but locally grown. My first thought in biting into it was, "Mamajama!!" which gave me pause, as that is something I would never actually say. It was crisp and tart and thoroughly wonderful. The cheese I picked up last night, a weird Swiss I never heard of, was a bit like moldy old sneakers, but an incredible flavor when cut with the apple.
Ew, I just smelled my fingers, they smell like there were somewhere REALLY unspeakable...
PM SNACK: 5pm, 1 sesame pretzel stick, 2 potato samosa & a little cucumber dill salad, hunger 4/5
Making fresh pasta tonight, which takes time, don't want to be starving when I get home. Got an extra samosa for the Hungry Vegan Society, who recently has been commanded off her sympathy sugar fast by Ilsa. In protest, I ate one of the HVS's salty pretzel sticks. Between the writer's strike and the stagehand strike picketing outside my offices, maybe we should start a dessert strike? I keed, I keed...
DINNER: 8:30pm, large bowl of fresh homemade whole wheat pasta with homemade sauce with grated parm and cubed buffala moz, 2 pickles, water, hunger 4/5
Experimented with a 'hard white' whole wheat flour, the pasta came out good - not too wholewheaty tasting. Noticed the organic eggs I'm using are 'rich in Omega 3' - in the class I took, the lecturer took some time to explain anti-oxidants and the significance of Omega 3 vs Omega 6 fatty acids in cancer research. I still don't quite get it, but I do know Omega 3 is (supposedly) good. I'm sure at some point research will contradict it.
PM SNACK: 10:30pm, 2 slices Patsy's pizza with pepperoni, glass of wine, hunger 4/5
My house guest cousin rolled in late, then shortly after Betsy showed up bearing much pizza. I was kinda hungry/craving sugar while Iddo ate his pasta and I sipped a glass of red wine (which did seem to curb my sugar lust), then B showed up with a box o' 'za, and it was all over.
Wednesday, November 14
Dessert-Fast, Day 3 (Or: An Apple a Day Keeps the Sugar Lust at Bay)
ADDENDA:Brought an apple and the remainder of raw edamer for a snack, though it's not officially a bring-your-lunch-to-work day, it's just too yummy. The refined sugar fast is going fine, though I think of the white bread bun I ate with my burger last night - isn't refined flour very close to refined sugar? I guess I really shouldn't over think these conundrums until after this fast and see what I'm feeling.
Tonight I'm having dinner with Yana, and we traditionally very much appreciate desserts when we're together. I guess the social part of this fast will be the least comfortable...
BREAKFAST: 7:15am, good yogurt with raw cashews, vanilla and dash of local honey, hunger 3/5
Felt good this morning. Sometimes I feel icky after eating a burger the night before. I think my GI tract is just stronger and healthier.
AM SNACK: 9:15am, banana, hunger 3/5
Almost forgot. Not desiring fruit or sugar, but like with a long bike ride, preventative measures go a hell of a long way.
AM WATERING: 9:45am, 24 oz still
BP 10:30am: 125/83
Boo ya!!
LUNCH: 1:15pm, Ethiopian vegetarian combo + one small beef sambosa, hunger 4/5
Rode bike over to Meskerem on 47h, really good. Never had their version of a samosa, was really good n' small. Third day in a row I've desired chopped beef. Huh. I wonder if that means something.
PM WATERING: 2:30pm, 24 oz still
PM SNACK: 5pm, apple & edamer, hunger 3.5/5
Was I hungry? Was I craving sugar? Not sure, but this resolved it. Apple was a bit mushier than I like, but the cheese helped me through it.
DINNER: 7:30pm, plate o' sushi, shrimp tempura appetizer, water, herbal tea, hunger 4/5
Hung out at Yana's house, no desert on offer, thankfully.
EVENING SNACK: 11pm, half a bag of veggie booty, hunger 4/5
Just hungry. A small amount of chocolate or a cookie would quiet me, but thinking about it, not really craving sugar, just something to munch on and take the edge off. The veggie booty is mostly empty-ish carb calories, but no sugar. First time it really tasted salty to me, and indeed I ate around 500mg of salt. Eesh.
Tuesday, November 13
Dessert-Fast, Day 2 (Or: Cheesy Apple!!)
ADDENDA:So had the first of two "cooking" classes at the Natural Gourmet Institute last night. Unfortunately, it was a 3.5 hour lecture on the basics of how to eat healthy - pretty much everything I've been reading about in various books for the past few years. Still, there were a few things that were good to hear again - like how easy it is to over-buy at the farmers market then let it sit all week at home till it becomes inedible or much less nutritious. So when I got home last night after 10, I set up a bunch of fingerlings with mushroom, onion and dried tofu to bake on a timer while I slept.
She did mention controlling the effects of food on bloodsugar (from where all sugar-lust comes) and how she has a weakness for dark chocolate (snooort!). She mentioned how cocoa-nibs are an excellent snack - hmmmm.....I can have a refined sugar-fast AND eat chocolate?! I think I need to go and investigate ASAP.
So far so good. No sugar-lust yesterday, undoubtedly satiated by the fruit. Kinda looking at this like it's a 100-mile bike ride. Once you've started, no point in worrying if your up to it or not. The first half should be easy. And be aware of what your feeling at all times, as a little pain now will be a huge friggin' deal-breaker a few miles down the line.
BREAKFAST: 8am, toasted sesame bagel with cream cheese and gravelox, seltzer, banana, hunger 3/5
AM WATERING: 9:45, 24 oz still
BP 10am: 126/88
PM SNACK: 12:30pm, apple and a few small pieces of raw edamer cheese, hunger 4/5
Oh my. Oh oh my. -arm flap-. I think this is a breakthrough. Oh oh oh my. I refrigerated the apple, and it was much more crisp (why does B like them at room temp?) and delicious. After that, I immediately ate some small slices of raw-milk edamer cheese I picked up at the farmers market. Wow, I never quite appreciated cheese like I'm feelin' on this. And the combo with the apple....next time I will eat them together, bite for bite.
LUNCH: 1:30pm, roasted potatoes with mushroom, onion and tofu, green salad with carrot dressing, hunger 4/5
Potatoes were just eh today, too much oil and too much lemon juice. However, as an experiment I put in whole cloves of garlic and they came out all creamy and nicely garlicky.
PM SNACK: 4:45pm, 2 samosas and a little brown rice with veg curry, hunger 4/5
Felt hungry ever since lunch, but not in a sugar-lust way.
DINNER: 6:30pm, bacon cheese burger and onion rings, water, hunger 4/5
Quick dinner at an indie fast food spot before a show at BAM with sympathetic refined-sugar faster the Hungry Vegan Society. Not a huge fan of burgers or suspicious chopped meat, but if I am to live in this world, once in a blue moon is not gonna kill me.
Monday, November 12
Dessert-Fast, Day 1 (Or: Ain't Got No Chocolove for Ya, Son)
ADDENDA:Found half a "Chocolove" bar in my bag this morning, nestled with the apple I packed this morning for a sugar-fix this afternoon. Due to a sympathy sugar-fast from the Hungry Vegan Society, the chocolate as been donated to the tens of Hungry Designers in the office.
Tonight is the first of two basic cooking classes I'm taking. I hope irony doesn't bite me in the ass and have us cook up chocolate bars or something...
BREAKFAST: 7:30am, good yogurt with raw nits, honey and vanilla, 3/4 of a banana, hunger 3/5
AM WATERING: 9:15am, 24 oz still
BP 9:45am: 137/84
Took it after working for 30 minutes, it's an intense Monday morning. Maybe a little dehydrated?
PM SNACK: 12:30pm, apple, hunger 4/5
Meetings preventing me from going to get food, this is all I had with me. Not as crisp I hoped.
PM SNACK: 1pm, 8 sesame pretzels, hunger 4/5
Meeting food, too salty. My Chocolove bar was sitting on the meeting table, waiting for someone to adopt it.
LUNCH: 2:30pm, steamed pork dumplings, singapore mei fun (with the eggs picked out), water, hunger 4/5
Skipped the tea, as it's caffeine. Almost instinctively ingested the fortune cookie, but caught myself.
PM SNACK: 5:30pm, bag of crappy 'cheddar' potato chips, hunger 4/5
If I'm about to take a 3 hour cooking class, I gotta eat something. Very limited options close by.
PM SNACK: 6:30pm, carrot sticks, olives, hummus, wassa crackers, hunger 4/5
Think they'd have fancier snack at a cooking school...
DINNER: 10pm, falafel platter, beef empanada, hunger 4/5
After 3.5 hours of talking about food and cooking and health, the last thing I felt like doing was cooking. Falafel platter wasn't enough, so I went across the street and got an empanada. NYC is great!
Sunday, November 11
Bagels and Donuts and Pickles and Fish, oh my!
ADDENDA:
Spent the morning at various L.E.S. emporiums, picking up the various fresh supplies to make a good brunch. Wish my parents were around, they loved this stuff. Except maybe the donuts, they'd think that was too decadent - they were of the generation where decadence was a bad thing, he he.
BREAKFAST: 7am, organic whole-grain cheerio-like cereal with good milk, hunger 3/5
BRUNCH: 11:30am, 2 pickles, bagel with sable and sturgeon and onion and tomato, slice of gravlox and Scottish salmon, 1.5 donut planet donuts, 2 farmers market cider donuts, 1 glass champagne, bottle of seltzer
DINNER: 5:30pm, bread & butter, mushroom spatzel, scallops over a chirizo ragu, 1/2 a beer, water, hunger 3/5
PM SNACK: 8pm, 2 bacon-wrapped dates, hunger 3/5
Disappointing snacks at the Corduroy Club annual meeting. Was expecting more corduroy-like foods. Only after eating them realized that the dates may of had refined sugar in them. Fine way to start a sugar-fast...
Spent the morning at various L.E.S. emporiums, picking up the various fresh supplies to make a good brunch. Wish my parents were around, they loved this stuff. Except maybe the donuts, they'd think that was too decadent - they were of the generation where decadence was a bad thing, he he.
BREAKFAST: 7am, organic whole-grain cheerio-like cereal with good milk, hunger 3/5
BRUNCH: 11:30am, 2 pickles, bagel with sable and sturgeon and onion and tomato, slice of gravlox and Scottish salmon, 1.5 donut planet donuts, 2 farmers market cider donuts, 1 glass champagne, bottle of seltzer
DINNER: 5:30pm, bread & butter, mushroom spatzel, scallops over a chirizo ragu, 1/2 a beer, water, hunger 3/5
PM SNACK: 8pm, 2 bacon-wrapped dates, hunger 3/5
Disappointing snacks at the Corduroy Club annual meeting. Was expecting more corduroy-like foods. Only after eating them realized that the dates may of had refined sugar in them. Fine way to start a sugar-fast...
Saturday, November 10
Baby, I like it raaaaw, etc etc
ADDENDA:Went to the farmers market to collect a salad and miscellaneous. Got a half pound of interesting edamer raw-milk cheese, and I asked if they had any raw-milk for sale. They did not, but gave me a web-address for a distribution club. Raw milk is illegal to sell, but if you join a club where you cooperatively own a cow, you can legally drink it's raw milk. I read a lot from different sources about the history of milk, and how there's actually nothing wrong with raw milk if it's unadulterated by a lot of the industrial methods that gave it a bad name. In fact, it's a whole food that is supposedly better for you and more importantly....tastes better. I want to taste it for myself. The cheese is fantastic. I hope it's richness will help me avoid sweets next week.
BREAKFAST: 6am, good pancakes, hunger 4/5
To sleep early, woke up early. Made a new batch of mix, this time upping the whole wheat flower from 1/3 to 1/2. Can taste it more....and I like the taste of whole wheat....
AM SNACK: 11am, 3/4 of toasted bagel with hummus, hunger 4/5
LUNCH #1: Noon, slice of pizza, hunger 4/5
From local shop, focused on tasting the sauce. It's good, what is mine missing? Maybe dried red pepper?
LUNCH #2: 12:30pm, white rice, hunger 4/5
First run of the rice cooker, just ate the rice straight. Rice tastes good, but bland. Better than just in a pot. 1 serving is a half cup of dry rice, I made a full cup and it wasn't that much. Ate about 3/4 of the bowl.
PM SNACK: 1:30pm, 6 freshly baked cookies, hunger 4/5
In a grouchy mood, crappy weather. Rather than ride, sat around the TV and baked up the cookie dough, something I won't be able to do next week.
PM SNACK: 5:30pm, half a good dark chocolate bar, hunger 2/5
Amazing how easy it is to eat good chocolate, even without hunger or a craving for sugar.
DINNER: 8pm, vegetable dumplings, light crisp pancake with curry dipping sauce, fried spinach toasts, curry fried rice with odd mock-duck, 1 beer, water, hunger 3/5
Dinner with the Hungry Vegan Society at Pukk, a HVS-friendly Thai joint on 1st.
Friday, November 9
I'm Nervous
ADDENDA:
Will I make it 5 days without sugar? How much will it hurt? The Hungry Vegan Society just donated a bag of shredded dried coconut for my future fruit salads....
BREAKFAST: 7:15am, good yogurt with a little honey and vanilla, hunger 4/5
AM WATERING: 9:45am, 24 oz still
BP 9:45am: 130/91
LUNCH: 12:15pm, half a pastrami sandwich, small matzoh ball soup, pickle, vinegar slaw, hunger 4/5
Pastrami was dry, and such small portions!
PM WATERING: 2pm, 24 oz still
PM SNACK: 4:45pm, roberts smart puffs, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 6:45pm, 1 glass saki, 3 tiny fishcakes, small portion of chocolate babyback ribs, small portion of thai beef salad, 3 large tiger prawns with small amounts of pineapple fried rice and jasmine white rice, small portion of rich chocolate cake with burnt-honey icecream and fried banana spring rolls, hunger 4/5
Fancy dinner out with B at Kittichai, really good food, smallish portions. Felt full after but not stuffed. Enjoyed the dessert perhaps too much.
Will I make it 5 days without sugar? How much will it hurt? The Hungry Vegan Society just donated a bag of shredded dried coconut for my future fruit salads....
BREAKFAST: 7:15am, good yogurt with a little honey and vanilla, hunger 4/5
AM WATERING: 9:45am, 24 oz still
BP 9:45am: 130/91
LUNCH: 12:15pm, half a pastrami sandwich, small matzoh ball soup, pickle, vinegar slaw, hunger 4/5
Pastrami was dry, and such small portions!
PM WATERING: 2pm, 24 oz still
PM SNACK: 4:45pm, roberts smart puffs, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 6:45pm, 1 glass saki, 3 tiny fishcakes, small portion of chocolate babyback ribs, small portion of thai beef salad, 3 large tiger prawns with small amounts of pineapple fried rice and jasmine white rice, small portion of rich chocolate cake with burnt-honey icecream and fried banana spring rolls, hunger 4/5
Fancy dinner out with B at Kittichai, really good food, smallish portions. Felt full after but not stuffed. Enjoyed the dessert perhaps too much.
Thursday, November 8
Portions A-poppin'
ADDENDA:
Ilsa brought up the question of portion-size - how do I feel my portions are? There have been times I've been gluttonous (Entemann's chocolate donuts with the little chocolate rat-pellets on the top, oh my....) but as an adult I think I've more-or-less toed the societal line with the correct portion....which is to say, probably too big but not considered gluttonous.
This morning I made myself whole-wheat pasta with home made sauce for lunch, and as I was pouring it into an old Chinese food quart container, Betsy asked if some of that was for her, because that was too much for me. Looking at it, looks like a good solid lunch to me that paired with a snack 2-3 hours out will hold me over till dinner. I think more thought needs to be given to the issue.
BREAKFAST: 7:30pm, whole wheat bagel with good butter, hunger 3/5
AM WATERING: 9:15am, 24 oz still
BP: 9:20am, 129/90
Closed my eyes and breathed steadily through my nose for the minute it took to take the reading. Ilsa wants me to focus on my breathing, maybe it'll help me cheat my BP down? :)
LUNCH: 12 noon, quart o' whole wheat pasta with homemade sauce, good dark chocolate, hunger 4/5
A full large chocolate bar is too much, but it was fun sharing it with the Hungry Vegan Society (because quality dark chocolate is ALWAYS vegan) and various work-pals. Felt very conscious of the portion size. Brought it in because want to spend-down all the sweets in the house. I think the only two things left is the lemon sorbet I made this past weekend and the cookie dough in the locked freezer. I think the cookie dough can remain as a 'Break this in case of fire' kind of thing....
PM WATERING: 2:45pm, 24 oz still
PM SNACK: 4pm, vegan jerky, hunger 4/5
Experimenting, maybe protein will be able to help with sugar craving? (The small portion has 500mg of salt, so I don't think this'll work.) Thinking of a Noah-compatible fruit salad....just apples, lemon juice, a little cinnamon, coconut flakes....maybe pear? Banana? Eeeeee.....
PM SNACK: 6pm, large portion of salty popcorn, hunger 4/5
Not a good day for my salt intake. Once I learned the movie would be 2.5 hours long, I had to.
DINNER: 9:30pm, spicy squid with weird noodles, tofu stew, kimchi pancake, little portions of radish kimchee, fried seaweed, weird noodles, marinated vegetables, yummy purple rice, hunger 4/5
Went to a weird soft-tofu Korean joint on 35th with Danny and Soo, and Soo (who is Korean) selected the dishes. Other than a weird fishy fish starter, all was good. Limited my squid intake because it was late and didn't want it to interfere with sleep.
Ilsa brought up the question of portion-size - how do I feel my portions are? There have been times I've been gluttonous (Entemann's chocolate donuts with the little chocolate rat-pellets on the top, oh my....) but as an adult I think I've more-or-less toed the societal line with the correct portion....which is to say, probably too big but not considered gluttonous.
This morning I made myself whole-wheat pasta with home made sauce for lunch, and as I was pouring it into an old Chinese food quart container, Betsy asked if some of that was for her, because that was too much for me. Looking at it, looks like a good solid lunch to me that paired with a snack 2-3 hours out will hold me over till dinner. I think more thought needs to be given to the issue.
BREAKFAST: 7:30pm, whole wheat bagel with good butter, hunger 3/5
AM WATERING: 9:15am, 24 oz still
BP: 9:20am, 129/90
Closed my eyes and breathed steadily through my nose for the minute it took to take the reading. Ilsa wants me to focus on my breathing, maybe it'll help me cheat my BP down? :)
LUNCH: 12 noon, quart o' whole wheat pasta with homemade sauce, good dark chocolate, hunger 4/5
A full large chocolate bar is too much, but it was fun sharing it with the Hungry Vegan Society (because quality dark chocolate is ALWAYS vegan) and various work-pals. Felt very conscious of the portion size. Brought it in because want to spend-down all the sweets in the house. I think the only two things left is the lemon sorbet I made this past weekend and the cookie dough in the locked freezer. I think the cookie dough can remain as a 'Break this in case of fire' kind of thing....
PM WATERING: 2:45pm, 24 oz still
PM SNACK: 4pm, vegan jerky, hunger 4/5
Experimenting, maybe protein will be able to help with sugar craving? (The small portion has 500mg of salt, so I don't think this'll work.) Thinking of a Noah-compatible fruit salad....just apples, lemon juice, a little cinnamon, coconut flakes....maybe pear? Banana? Eeeeee.....
PM SNACK: 6pm, large portion of salty popcorn, hunger 4/5
Not a good day for my salt intake. Once I learned the movie would be 2.5 hours long, I had to.
DINNER: 9:30pm, spicy squid with weird noodles, tofu stew, kimchi pancake, little portions of radish kimchee, fried seaweed, weird noodles, marinated vegetables, yummy purple rice, hunger 4/5
Went to a weird soft-tofu Korean joint on 35th with Danny and Soo, and Soo (who is Korean) selected the dishes. Other than a weird fishy fish starter, all was good. Limited my squid intake because it was late and didn't want it to interfere with sleep.
Wednesday, November 7
Addiction (Or: My Mother, the Junky)
ADDENDA:
My mom was a nicotine addict. My brother and I would beg her to put he cigarette out when she would drive us around in the close confines of a car. She underwent surgery when I was in high school to remove some of her lung, and afterwards she hid her smoking, despite her being 110% forthright, successful and strong in all other aspects of her life. Neither my brother or I smoke or drink coffee because of the unattractive side we saw in our mom abusing these substances (hey! did you here that?! I think that was my mom rolling over in her grave for being called a substance-abuser!)
Back in my early 20s, when I discovered I was totally addicted to diet coke, I quit it cold turkey - I didn't want to be dependent on a drink like my mom. How middle-class bourgeoisie uncool was that? It was all headaches, nausea, fuzzy-headed unsleepiness for 2 days, a little better on the 3rd, by day 5 it was over.
My dad tried smoking, I guess to share something with my mom, but gave it up before my memory begins. He was never a huge coffee-drinker, either. But man, he loved his sweets. Some of his fondest memories of Vienna growing up pre-WWII were the bakeries full of Viennese delights. He'd always have a sweets drawer in his office I'd take great pleasure in raiding as a kid. Like my dad, I do love my sweets.
Well, I'm coming to the realization that refined sugar has a grasp on me - and how uncool is that? I went without sweets yesterday, it shouldn't be this hard. It shouldn't be hard at all. So per Ilsa's advice, starting Sunday dinner until Friday dinner I will not eat any desert that has refined sugar. Fruit is OK, chocolate is not. I'll be stocking up on the baby carrots next week. Anyone have a recommendation on how to help curb my cravings?
Feeling the craving right now, it's in my stomach and my arms. Brought the last of the apple crisp and a good piece of Icelandic dark chocolate for a snack today - better than the conventional crap they sell around here.
BREAKFAST: 7:30am, good yogurt with a small squirt of honey, vanilla, raw cashews, hunger 3.5/5
Woke up well and rested, slight craving for sugar revving up my appetite a little. Never thought much of it before, but honey is obviously a refined sugar, but in reality I'm only using about a tablespoon to cut the bitter edge of the yogurt, not turn it into a sweet confection like the conventional yogurts...
BP 10am: 126/90
AM WATERING: 10am, 24 oz still water.
Think I'm going to aim for 2 waterings a day. Hydration leads to slightly thinner blood, which results in lower blood pressure.
LUNCH: 12:30, shrimp tempura with white rice and a little dipping sauce, beef negamaki starter, tiny salad, hunger 4/5
Junior's was packed out, so went to the sushi place. I'm not sure if the portions were unusually small or my sugar-lust makes it seem that way. Felt full but the white rice revved up my sugar craving.
PM SNACK: 1:15pm, homemade apple crumble and good dark chocolate, hunger 2.5/5
The chocolate was in the freezer too long, was a little chalky in consistency. However, the second the first square hit my tongue, I instantly felt better - just like a junky when the needle hits the vein. Funny thing is, now that it's done, feel slightly sick to my stomach, headachey. This is not good all over.
PM WATERING: 2:30pm, 24 oz still water, 2 extra-strength tylenol
Headache worse, stomach feels like there is liquid plastic in it. Could it be shock from so much sugar after almost 36 hours of no sweets?!
DINNER: 7:30pm, long link of merguez lamb sausage, 4 pieces whole wheat bread with mustard, small portion of roast potatoes & onion, bowl of organic whole-grain crispex and good milk, hunger 4.5/5
As I was riding home, felt a little faint from hunger and thought I craved sugar - after thinking about it, I realized I was REALLY hungry, forgot to have a snack due to feeling weird. Was going to have sausage and potatoes, but there weren't many potatoes left, so I wrapped the sausage in whole-wheat toast like a hotdog. After the first two, I realized I wasn't really tasting the sausage as the mustard was overpowering. The actual sausage (from the farmers market) was delicious and delicate, not what you expect in a sausage and I think I kind of mistreated them by eating them like hotdogs - but I was so hungry! After eating the equivalent of 4 (healthy) hotdogs, still hungry. Usually, I'd snarf some sweets and that would shut me down, but I already had my sweets for the day. So I fast forwarded and had breakfast. That shut me down.
My mom was a nicotine addict. My brother and I would beg her to put he cigarette out when she would drive us around in the close confines of a car. She underwent surgery when I was in high school to remove some of her lung, and afterwards she hid her smoking, despite her being 110% forthright, successful and strong in all other aspects of her life. Neither my brother or I smoke or drink coffee because of the unattractive side we saw in our mom abusing these substances (hey! did you here that?! I think that was my mom rolling over in her grave for being called a substance-abuser!)
Back in my early 20s, when I discovered I was totally addicted to diet coke, I quit it cold turkey - I didn't want to be dependent on a drink like my mom. How middle-class bourgeoisie uncool was that? It was all headaches, nausea, fuzzy-headed unsleepiness for 2 days, a little better on the 3rd, by day 5 it was over.
My dad tried smoking, I guess to share something with my mom, but gave it up before my memory begins. He was never a huge coffee-drinker, either. But man, he loved his sweets. Some of his fondest memories of Vienna growing up pre-WWII were the bakeries full of Viennese delights. He'd always have a sweets drawer in his office I'd take great pleasure in raiding as a kid. Like my dad, I do love my sweets.
Well, I'm coming to the realization that refined sugar has a grasp on me - and how uncool is that? I went without sweets yesterday, it shouldn't be this hard. It shouldn't be hard at all. So per Ilsa's advice, starting Sunday dinner until Friday dinner I will not eat any desert that has refined sugar. Fruit is OK, chocolate is not. I'll be stocking up on the baby carrots next week. Anyone have a recommendation on how to help curb my cravings?
Feeling the craving right now, it's in my stomach and my arms. Brought the last of the apple crisp and a good piece of Icelandic dark chocolate for a snack today - better than the conventional crap they sell around here.
BREAKFAST: 7:30am, good yogurt with a small squirt of honey, vanilla, raw cashews, hunger 3.5/5
Woke up well and rested, slight craving for sugar revving up my appetite a little. Never thought much of it before, but honey is obviously a refined sugar, but in reality I'm only using about a tablespoon to cut the bitter edge of the yogurt, not turn it into a sweet confection like the conventional yogurts...
BP 10am: 126/90
AM WATERING: 10am, 24 oz still water.
Think I'm going to aim for 2 waterings a day. Hydration leads to slightly thinner blood, which results in lower blood pressure.
LUNCH: 12:30, shrimp tempura with white rice and a little dipping sauce, beef negamaki starter, tiny salad, hunger 4/5
Junior's was packed out, so went to the sushi place. I'm not sure if the portions were unusually small or my sugar-lust makes it seem that way. Felt full but the white rice revved up my sugar craving.
PM SNACK: 1:15pm, homemade apple crumble and good dark chocolate, hunger 2.5/5
The chocolate was in the freezer too long, was a little chalky in consistency. However, the second the first square hit my tongue, I instantly felt better - just like a junky when the needle hits the vein. Funny thing is, now that it's done, feel slightly sick to my stomach, headachey. This is not good all over.
PM WATERING: 2:30pm, 24 oz still water, 2 extra-strength tylenol
Headache worse, stomach feels like there is liquid plastic in it. Could it be shock from so much sugar after almost 36 hours of no sweets?!
DINNER: 7:30pm, long link of merguez lamb sausage, 4 pieces whole wheat bread with mustard, small portion of roast potatoes & onion, bowl of organic whole-grain crispex and good milk, hunger 4.5/5
As I was riding home, felt a little faint from hunger and thought I craved sugar - after thinking about it, I realized I was REALLY hungry, forgot to have a snack due to feeling weird. Was going to have sausage and potatoes, but there weren't many potatoes left, so I wrapped the sausage in whole-wheat toast like a hotdog. After the first two, I realized I wasn't really tasting the sausage as the mustard was overpowering. The actual sausage (from the farmers market) was delicious and delicate, not what you expect in a sausage and I think I kind of mistreated them by eating them like hotdogs - but I was so hungry! After eating the equivalent of 4 (healthy) hotdogs, still hungry. Usually, I'd snarf some sweets and that would shut me down, but I already had my sweets for the day. So I fast forwarded and had breakfast. That shut me down.
Tuesday, November 6
Lindsay Lohan, too
ADDENDA:
Tried to sleep till 7, woke at 6:30. But it's still 8 hours, so I guess that's OK. Feel fine. Hopefully today the end of the stressful project, it's been good for a while but it's key that it ends well.
BREAKFAST: 7:15am, whole wheat bagel with good butter, hunger 3/5
AM WATERING: 8:30am, 24 oz still water
BP 8:45am: 131/91
LUNCH: 12:15pm, superhippy sandwich, roasted potatoes with mushrooms and onions, hunger 4/5
Really enjoyed the potatoes. This time I added extra lemon juice and used rosemary as the predominant spice, and put the small white onions in whole - they baked and got soft and sweet and moist without taking in much oil, much better than when they're cut up.
I am concerned about the potatoes - even though they are tiny and are eaten whole with skins, the level of simple carbs are going to rev up my engine to want sugar. Will have a 2nd lunch later, but hopefully it'll be under control.
PM SNACK: 1:30pm, baby carrots with a little ranch dressing, hunger 3/5
Sugar craving bubbling, so I went to the Industrial Feedlot they have in our building (they call it the cafeteria) and poked around. A lot of stuff just smelled bad. The sesame pork they were dolling out, compared to the pork I prepared last night, looked ill. I gravitated toward the pizza and the pasta and the fried stuff, then thought, damn, this place is designed to make you eat badly. Easily found the cupcakes. Took a while to find the overpriced baby carrots. Tasted not fresh.
PM WATERING: 1:45pm, 24 oz still water
PM SNACK: 4pm, 2 potato samosas, hunger 3.5/5
Kinda craving sugar still, kinda hungry.....so....more potato!! I had a friend who turned into a raging alcoholic, he loved his potatoes, too. Alcoholic, sugarholic.... I suspect if I wasn't watching myself, I'd be on my 3rd sweet today by now....
DINNER: 8pm, shrimp parmigiana w/ spag and meat sauce, small green salad with creamy italian, bread, 1 beer, a little water, hunger 4/5
Five largish breaded shrimp in a HUGE pool of crappy cheese, a small serving of pasta with a HUGE slop of gamy-tasting meat sauce over it like a cow-plop. Ate enough to be satisfied, but there was enough cheese and sauce left on my plate to dress another meal.
Tried to sleep till 7, woke at 6:30. But it's still 8 hours, so I guess that's OK. Feel fine. Hopefully today the end of the stressful project, it's been good for a while but it's key that it ends well.
BREAKFAST: 7:15am, whole wheat bagel with good butter, hunger 3/5
AM WATERING: 8:30am, 24 oz still water
BP 8:45am: 131/91
LUNCH: 12:15pm, superhippy sandwich, roasted potatoes with mushrooms and onions, hunger 4/5
Really enjoyed the potatoes. This time I added extra lemon juice and used rosemary as the predominant spice, and put the small white onions in whole - they baked and got soft and sweet and moist without taking in much oil, much better than when they're cut up.
I am concerned about the potatoes - even though they are tiny and are eaten whole with skins, the level of simple carbs are going to rev up my engine to want sugar. Will have a 2nd lunch later, but hopefully it'll be under control.
PM SNACK: 1:30pm, baby carrots with a little ranch dressing, hunger 3/5
Sugar craving bubbling, so I went to the Industrial Feedlot they have in our building (they call it the cafeteria) and poked around. A lot of stuff just smelled bad. The sesame pork they were dolling out, compared to the pork I prepared last night, looked ill. I gravitated toward the pizza and the pasta and the fried stuff, then thought, damn, this place is designed to make you eat badly. Easily found the cupcakes. Took a while to find the overpriced baby carrots. Tasted not fresh.
PM WATERING: 1:45pm, 24 oz still water
PM SNACK: 4pm, 2 potato samosas, hunger 3.5/5
Kinda craving sugar still, kinda hungry.....so....more potato!! I had a friend who turned into a raging alcoholic, he loved his potatoes, too. Alcoholic, sugarholic.... I suspect if I wasn't watching myself, I'd be on my 3rd sweet today by now....
DINNER: 8pm, shrimp parmigiana w/ spag and meat sauce, small green salad with creamy italian, bread, 1 beer, a little water, hunger 4/5
Five largish breaded shrimp in a HUGE pool of crappy cheese, a small serving of pasta with a HUGE slop of gamy-tasting meat sauce over it like a cow-plop. Ate enough to be satisfied, but there was enough cheese and sauce left on my plate to dress another meal.
Monday, November 5
Britney Spears
ADDENDA:
Last night's parade o' pizzas went well. I think I need to figure out how to make my own dough and peel my own tomatoes (well, the tomatoes can wait till they're back in season.) Next week I start taking intro cooking classes, I wonder what they'll be like. Probably more comfortable than yoga.
I think there is a law somewhere that every single blog on the internet must give some coverage to Britney Spears. I think I just filled my quota.
BP 7:15am 119/89
BREAKFAST: 7:45am, organic cheerios & good milk, hunger 3/5
AM WATERING: 9:15am, 24 oz still water
LUNCH: 12:45pm, vegetarian Indian combo with rice and nan, onions and yogurt sauce, hunger 4/5
Delicious chickpea curry, spinach with unsalted cheese, black lentils. The spice made me crave ice cream/sweet, but I told that immature taste in me that I should just enjoy the burn.
Think starting right now, gonna aim to have 2 days a week with no sweets. Dunno if they'll be consecutive, though....maybe today be the first of the week? If I'm going to meet with Ilsa tomorrow and be serious about setting off on a plan to lose weight, I gotta bring something to the table and not be a cranky little boy! If she provokes me, maybe I'll do my donut-dance. I hear nutritionists love that stuff!
PM SNACK: 4:15pm, salty deshelled pistachios, hunger 4/5
Long meeting with a HUGE sack of pistachios in the middle of the table. Good thing I didn't snack before the meeting. Would of preferred unsalted, but whatayagonnado.
DINNER: 8:30pm, sauted organic pork medalions, roasted fingerling mix with sweet onions and mushrooms, apple crisp, seltzer, hunger 4/5
Ate a reasonable amount, still hungry after so went for the sweet - it's homemade and I know it's quality ingredients and not overwhelmingly sweet. After finishing it, my immediate thought was to get out some chocolate - I'm still in the desert zone! But the adult side of me said hey, it's 9pm, let's see how you feel in 30 minutes and if you still want chocolate, go for it. I think by 9:30 I was either in the shower or lying in bed listening to music, chocolate the furthest thing from my mind.
Last night's parade o' pizzas went well. I think I need to figure out how to make my own dough and peel my own tomatoes (well, the tomatoes can wait till they're back in season.) Next week I start taking intro cooking classes, I wonder what they'll be like. Probably more comfortable than yoga.
I think there is a law somewhere that every single blog on the internet must give some coverage to Britney Spears. I think I just filled my quota.
BP 7:15am 119/89
BREAKFAST: 7:45am, organic cheerios & good milk, hunger 3/5
AM WATERING: 9:15am, 24 oz still water
LUNCH: 12:45pm, vegetarian Indian combo with rice and nan, onions and yogurt sauce, hunger 4/5
Delicious chickpea curry, spinach with unsalted cheese, black lentils. The spice made me crave ice cream/sweet, but I told that immature taste in me that I should just enjoy the burn.
Think starting right now, gonna aim to have 2 days a week with no sweets. Dunno if they'll be consecutive, though....maybe today be the first of the week? If I'm going to meet with Ilsa tomorrow and be serious about setting off on a plan to lose weight, I gotta bring something to the table and not be a cranky little boy! If she provokes me, maybe I'll do my donut-dance. I hear nutritionists love that stuff!
PM SNACK: 4:15pm, salty deshelled pistachios, hunger 4/5
Long meeting with a HUGE sack of pistachios in the middle of the table. Good thing I didn't snack before the meeting. Would of preferred unsalted, but whatayagonnado.
DINNER: 8:30pm, sauted organic pork medalions, roasted fingerling mix with sweet onions and mushrooms, apple crisp, seltzer, hunger 4/5
Ate a reasonable amount, still hungry after so went for the sweet - it's homemade and I know it's quality ingredients and not overwhelmingly sweet. After finishing it, my immediate thought was to get out some chocolate - I'm still in the desert zone! But the adult side of me said hey, it's 9pm, let's see how you feel in 30 minutes and if you still want chocolate, go for it. I think by 9:30 I was either in the shower or lying in bed listening to music, chocolate the furthest thing from my mind.
Sunday, November 4
The Donut Dance
ADDENDA:
Had a nice, cold 50 mile ride out to Little Neck Bay in Queens, got to follow a part of the marathon route before all the stinky runners came through. When I was leaving out, I proclaimed to Betsy that I was about to go get a donut, I even did a little donut-dance, as I enjoyed provoking her disapproval. However, once on the bike and going down Grand Street, I realized I wasn't hungry at all and skipped it. The stubborn little boy in me would of gotten that donut if she were riding with me, just to provoke her dissatisfaction. Hmmmm.
BREAKFAST: 7am, good yogurt with honey and raw nuts, hunger 3/5
AM GATORADING: 9am onwards, 24 oz gatorade
AM SNACK: 11am, bag of corn chips, hunger 4/5
In a little dinky grocery by the Little Neck railroad station, indulged in this salty unhealthy snack, thinking of the lunch I was going to get in an hour would be so healthy I could brag about it here. However....
LUNCH: noon, turkey on a roll with Swiss, lightly salted potato chips, 24 oz water
....the big Korean green grocer I've been going to in Beechhurst for years was out of business! Really no options other than Chinese food and a deli, so got a standard turkey sandwich, which I took out half he excess meat. Didn't taste overly salty, but I know it's hidden in the processed bits.
PM SNACK: 3pm, 3 whole wheat saltless pretzels, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 6pm, a whole homemade pizza give or take a slice, green salad, apple crisp with lemon sorbet, vegan donut holes, 2 glasses wine, hunger 4/5
Made dinner for Tamar and my cousin Iddo (and B, of course). A selection of different pizzas, most came out pretty good. Sauce is still missing something, but thinly slicing crimini mushrooms from the farmers market really worked well, roasted in the hot oven and kept moist by the thin layer of sauce. Got the dough thinner and the over hotter, the pizza was more cracker-like and light this time. Lemon sorbet was WAY too tart for my my taste, and the texture was a bit too icy, but it's an interesting start. Gonna try to make a simple chocolate gelato next....
Funny, pizza and ice cream was something I used to think I could eat everyday. But so much pizza and ice cream out in the world is such crap. But if I were to break them down into their ingredient components, get the best freshest healthiest organic parts, then combine them and cook them into pizza and ice cream....I guess it would still be relatively unhealthy if eaten every day, but sure reduces my taste for the crappier stuff...
Had a nice, cold 50 mile ride out to Little Neck Bay in Queens, got to follow a part of the marathon route before all the stinky runners came through. When I was leaving out, I proclaimed to Betsy that I was about to go get a donut, I even did a little donut-dance, as I enjoyed provoking her disapproval. However, once on the bike and going down Grand Street, I realized I wasn't hungry at all and skipped it. The stubborn little boy in me would of gotten that donut if she were riding with me, just to provoke her dissatisfaction. Hmmmm.
BREAKFAST: 7am, good yogurt with honey and raw nuts, hunger 3/5
AM GATORADING: 9am onwards, 24 oz gatorade
AM SNACK: 11am, bag of corn chips, hunger 4/5
In a little dinky grocery by the Little Neck railroad station, indulged in this salty unhealthy snack, thinking of the lunch I was going to get in an hour would be so healthy I could brag about it here. However....
LUNCH: noon, turkey on a roll with Swiss, lightly salted potato chips, 24 oz water
....the big Korean green grocer I've been going to in Beechhurst for years was out of business! Really no options other than Chinese food and a deli, so got a standard turkey sandwich, which I took out half he excess meat. Didn't taste overly salty, but I know it's hidden in the processed bits.
PM SNACK: 3pm, 3 whole wheat saltless pretzels, hunger 4/5
DINNER: 6pm, a whole homemade pizza give or take a slice, green salad, apple crisp with lemon sorbet, vegan donut holes, 2 glasses wine, hunger 4/5
Made dinner for Tamar and my cousin Iddo (and B, of course). A selection of different pizzas, most came out pretty good. Sauce is still missing something, but thinly slicing crimini mushrooms from the farmers market really worked well, roasted in the hot oven and kept moist by the thin layer of sauce. Got the dough thinner and the over hotter, the pizza was more cracker-like and light this time. Lemon sorbet was WAY too tart for my my taste, and the texture was a bit too icy, but it's an interesting start. Gonna try to make a simple chocolate gelato next....
Funny, pizza and ice cream was something I used to think I could eat everyday. But so much pizza and ice cream out in the world is such crap. But if I were to break them down into their ingredient components, get the best freshest healthiest organic parts, then combine them and cook them into pizza and ice cream....I guess it would still be relatively unhealthy if eaten every day, but sure reduces my taste for the crappier stuff...
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