Looking at my blog, I realized that all of my posts have been in March. This entire process has not only been less than a month, but contained entirely within that month. I've consumed less pizza than in any month since I was 10, less beer than any month since I started college, and I've gotten more exercise than any month since I was about 18.
I have seen some concrete results, when I weighed myself in shorts and t-shirt I was under 400, which was a big deal for me. I'm back over today in jeans, but I hope when I go in on Thursday that I'll officially be done with 400.
My belt (which admittedly stretches) was getting loose so I had to poke a new hole in it. Other than that, there hasn't been any real clothing related breakthroughs in terms of weight loss.
Along with my weight, I'm really curious to see what my blood pressure is like on Thursday. I hope it's dropped at least a little from the 155 I got a month ago. Of course, simply cutting back on caffeine and salt should help, not to mention a little more exercise.
I'm curious what the meeting with the nutritionist is going to be like. I feel like I understand the diet, but I do need more potassium, so if nothing else I'll get that prescription filled. I'm going to ask her if I should join any sort of group meeting or anything. I'm not sure I need to, but she'd know better.
I know this process is going to take a long time, but I'd really like to start seeing more tangible results. Looser clothes, less difficulty buckling into a car, etc. There have been a few, but one of my fears has been that after my weight loss levels out, and I hit the early goals (under 400lbs, 10% weight loss) I'll enter a bit of a doldrums, where I won't see progress for so long (I guess I can get fire up about getting under 350, but still.) In short, I feel that I've spent a month doing something pretty hard core, and I've gotten pretty weak results so far.
The other, even more depressing realization is that I was in far worse shape than I though I was. When I work out, I realize that It'll take weeks just to build any sort of cardiovascular endurance. My weight was so settled in that I'll need to lose 50+lbs to really go down a pants size. In short, I've spent a month getting to the place I had deluded myself into thinking I was.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Trip to Adepticon
From Thursday through Sunday, I was on the road, attending the biggest Games Workshop gaming event in the North America: Adepticon. While I didn't get to play in any of the bigger tournaments, I played some pick up games, met some internet friends, and in general had a very fun time.
The amazing thing, for me, was that I was able to strictly keep to the diet the entire time. I grilled a bunch of chicken before I went, and I ate that and carrots cold for four straight days. I guess if I keep busy, food isn't that big a deal.
The biggest dilemma wasn't getting tired of the food I brought (although I did), it was the constant presence of food around me. Until last weekend, most of my food cravings were for food that I loved, but couldn't have anymore. Pizza, chicken nuggets, tacos, etc. For the most part, I craved high end stuff or old favorites, not junk. Last weekend, after three days of looking at hot dogs, pizza slices, and macaroni and cheese at a hotel buffet I begin to really, really hate my diet. I'm not even a full month in (out of six), but I spend almost more time thinking about food I can eat again, rather than the benefits of the weight loss.
While realizing exactly how big a part of my life food was has been something I know I'll need to spend time working in, it's also still true that a huge part of my life is missing right now. There are plenty of maxims and cliches about dealing with social events while dieting (enjoy the event, not the food), but food is a central aspect to social living. Every religion and culture centers traditions and rituals around food and meals. Family events, double dates, and any day long event all involve food. This was pounded home when I meet a bunch of guys at Adepticon: they promptly ordered and ate Chicago style deep dish pizza, while I sat there and drank water.
I've lived most of my life as a bit of a social outsider. I've never particularly fit in, and I've always been weird in at least one way. Between my nerdiness, my weight, my personality, whatever, it's been a bit of a struggle to enjoy the same social experiences as everybody else. While I know that in the long run this diet should hopefully change some of that, for the time being it's bringing it into sharper focus. Now I'm not only the fat nerdy guy, I'm also the fat nerdy guy that can't have beer and pizza with the guys.
On the flip side, losing weight is such a universal experience that you'd swear it was a categorical imperative. Virtually everybody, even strangers and wait staff, become supportive and helpful when you utter the magic words "I'm on a diet." Virtually everybody has their own dieting experiences to share with you. Some will try to relate to my own program, which is nice at times, but at times is very frustrating, simply because my own program is so different from other diets. It's a white/black style diet, with no shades of gray allowed. Four weeks into most diets, you can have a bacon cheese burger and fries, and it will simply be a setback. If I were to eat that, I'd probably be horribly sick, and then most likely leave ketosis. That would cause me to lose my appetite suppressant state, and would probably take two to three days to "reboot." So, while I feel bad that you were "naughty" on your diet, it's not the same thing, ok?
All in all, the trip was a lot for me to take in. I'm not as rock solid in my program as I thought, but I persevered. I want to lose weight so I can ride in cars and fit in places better. I know, deep down, that doing this now will allow me to do far more in two years.
The amazing thing, for me, was that I was able to strictly keep to the diet the entire time. I grilled a bunch of chicken before I went, and I ate that and carrots cold for four straight days. I guess if I keep busy, food isn't that big a deal.
The biggest dilemma wasn't getting tired of the food I brought (although I did), it was the constant presence of food around me. Until last weekend, most of my food cravings were for food that I loved, but couldn't have anymore. Pizza, chicken nuggets, tacos, etc. For the most part, I craved high end stuff or old favorites, not junk. Last weekend, after three days of looking at hot dogs, pizza slices, and macaroni and cheese at a hotel buffet I begin to really, really hate my diet. I'm not even a full month in (out of six), but I spend almost more time thinking about food I can eat again, rather than the benefits of the weight loss.
While realizing exactly how big a part of my life food was has been something I know I'll need to spend time working in, it's also still true that a huge part of my life is missing right now. There are plenty of maxims and cliches about dealing with social events while dieting (enjoy the event, not the food), but food is a central aspect to social living. Every religion and culture centers traditions and rituals around food and meals. Family events, double dates, and any day long event all involve food. This was pounded home when I meet a bunch of guys at Adepticon: they promptly ordered and ate Chicago style deep dish pizza, while I sat there and drank water.
I've lived most of my life as a bit of a social outsider. I've never particularly fit in, and I've always been weird in at least one way. Between my nerdiness, my weight, my personality, whatever, it's been a bit of a struggle to enjoy the same social experiences as everybody else. While I know that in the long run this diet should hopefully change some of that, for the time being it's bringing it into sharper focus. Now I'm not only the fat nerdy guy, I'm also the fat nerdy guy that can't have beer and pizza with the guys.
On the flip side, losing weight is such a universal experience that you'd swear it was a categorical imperative. Virtually everybody, even strangers and wait staff, become supportive and helpful when you utter the magic words "I'm on a diet." Virtually everybody has their own dieting experiences to share with you. Some will try to relate to my own program, which is nice at times, but at times is very frustrating, simply because my own program is so different from other diets. It's a white/black style diet, with no shades of gray allowed. Four weeks into most diets, you can have a bacon cheese burger and fries, and it will simply be a setback. If I were to eat that, I'd probably be horribly sick, and then most likely leave ketosis. That would cause me to lose my appetite suppressant state, and would probably take two to three days to "reboot." So, while I feel bad that you were "naughty" on your diet, it's not the same thing, ok?
All in all, the trip was a lot for me to take in. I'm not as rock solid in my program as I thought, but I persevered. I want to lose weight so I can ride in cars and fit in places better. I know, deep down, that doing this now will allow me to do far more in two years.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Day 22- Finally Weighed In
The wait, no pun intended, is over. I bought a high capacity scale off amazon and it arrived today. According to it, I'm down to 402.2, or roughly 30lbs off my initial weigh in at the bariatric center. The diet claimed that 10lbs a week was doable, at least at first, and they weren't kidding. I obviously can't hope to keep that pace up for the full six months, but it's working and I feel great.
I'm leaving tomorrow for four days in Chicago on a gamer road trip to Adepticon. It's the biggest Games Workshop event in North America, and I get a free trip because I'm helping my buddy's company do set up, tear down, and working the booth. I can't play in any of the big tournaments, but just getting in pick up games and soaking in the vibe will be fun. This is relevant because I'm spending 4 days on the road with no fridge or stove.
To deal with this, today I purchased a small cooler, and I'm grilling meats and snapping them in Tupperware to eat as meals. Apparently chicken breasts are right around 6oz cooked, or a full meal for me. I cut two into thirds for breakfasts and snacks, and I'm taking a bag full of baby carrots and some low fat string cheese to survive off of. I'm not too worried about going off the diet, I just want to make sure I have foods to eat when I want to eat. I would rather not rely on food service for my chicken breasts.
The psychological effect of seeing the weight loss can't be overstated. One of the biggest problems with needing to lose multiple hundreds of pounds is that most diets brag about being able to lose 3 lbs a week. At that pace, it would take over a year and a half to reach my goal. At even 5lbs a week, that drops my over all time to under a year and a half. While I have many goals (10% of my weight, getting under 400lbs, etc), getting to or under 200lbs would be beyond belief.
I'm leaving tomorrow for four days in Chicago on a gamer road trip to Adepticon. It's the biggest Games Workshop event in North America, and I get a free trip because I'm helping my buddy's company do set up, tear down, and working the booth. I can't play in any of the big tournaments, but just getting in pick up games and soaking in the vibe will be fun. This is relevant because I'm spending 4 days on the road with no fridge or stove.
To deal with this, today I purchased a small cooler, and I'm grilling meats and snapping them in Tupperware to eat as meals. Apparently chicken breasts are right around 6oz cooked, or a full meal for me. I cut two into thirds for breakfasts and snacks, and I'm taking a bag full of baby carrots and some low fat string cheese to survive off of. I'm not too worried about going off the diet, I just want to make sure I have foods to eat when I want to eat. I would rather not rely on food service for my chicken breasts.
The psychological effect of seeing the weight loss can't be overstated. One of the biggest problems with needing to lose multiple hundreds of pounds is that most diets brag about being able to lose 3 lbs a week. At that pace, it would take over a year and a half to reach my goal. At even 5lbs a week, that drops my over all time to under a year and a half. While I have many goals (10% of my weight, getting under 400lbs, etc), getting to or under 200lbs would be beyond belief.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Day 20 - Losing nearly all appetite
One of the side effects of this diet is a loss of appetite. In the first two weeks, this helped me get from meal to meal without the need to snack. By this point, I'm able to skip meals if I'm not careful. I'm pretty sure I shouldn't skip them, as I need the protein to keep muscle mass up. In the last two days, I ate brunch yesterday (About 6oz of steak), 2oz of pork chop this morning for breakfast, and didn't eat dinner until 10pm tonight. That's a skipped breakfast and two skipped big meals in 48 hours. I was hungry, but never so ravenous that I seriously contemplated going off the diet. So in some regards, it's working.
I've been successful in getting to the gym. Once there, I've been pretty able to keep my pulse rate in the target zone, but I'm less than thrilled with how fast I'm actually able to walk. Apparently I'm even further out of shape than I previously though, which bums me out.
If anybody is curious what a "normal" meal for me is, tonight I had 7oz of pork chop (after the fat was removed), 4oz of pickles (which is more than you think), and a tablespoon of ketchup (which is dramatically less than you think. Here is a picture for you're pleasure. Try not to get jealous.
I've been successful in getting to the gym. Once there, I've been pretty able to keep my pulse rate in the target zone, but I'm less than thrilled with how fast I'm actually able to walk. Apparently I'm even further out of shape than I previously though, which bums me out.
If anybody is curious what a "normal" meal for me is, tonight I had 7oz of pork chop (after the fat was removed), 4oz of pickles (which is more than you think), and a tablespoon of ketchup (which is dramatically less than you think. Here is a picture for you're pleasure. Try not to get jealous.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Day 19 - First Signs of Progress
Today I had the first real signs of progress on my diet. First, I was finally in large ketosis according to the test strips. I think cutting nutrasweet may have pushed me over the top.
I'm also more flexible, and I have greater stamina. That might be more due to the walking (and now treadmill), but I'm also able to bend and reach places I simply couldn't before due to my bulk.
Anyways, while not a huge revelation, it's still pretty cool. I felt so good, I drove back from my girlfriend's early just so I could work out this evening.
I'm also more flexible, and I have greater stamina. That might be more due to the walking (and now treadmill), but I'm also able to bend and reach places I simply couldn't before due to my bulk.
Anyways, while not a huge revelation, it's still pretty cool. I felt so good, I drove back from my girlfriend's early just so I could work out this evening.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Day 16 - Joining a Gym
Today I slept in late, and had very bizarre dreams about having a stereotypical 50's style father that was verbally and physically abusive when I stood up to him. Of course, he turned away from me when he started hitting me, so apparently he was double jointed or something. I don't know what physical abuse from a father figure that literally won't face you signifies, but it can't possibly be good. Nobody told me that one of the side effects of this diet was disturbing dreams. If it's not some bizarro world Oedipal thing, it's overly explicit dreams involving exes I'd rather not even speak to. Am I sleeping deeper on this diet? Does diet affect the subconscious? So many questions. All I know is that I'm remembering more dreams, and they're more negative than before.
Today I took a stroll to cash a check and activate my new debit card. On the way back, I found Keto-stix at another pharmacy to replace the ones left at my parent's house. Another pharmacist looked at me like I was from neptune when I asked for salt tablets, so apparently these semi mythical items are harder to find than I thought.
Further along on my walk, I checked out the new gym on Detroit, and decided that I liked the vibe and the price. It's a Planet Fitness, and apparently their thing is to have no judgments and cater to general fitness. Since most of what I want to do is work on the treadmill, I think it's a good place for me. The idea of doing some weight training is appealing to me as well. I haven't lifted in almost a decade, but I enjoyed it when I did it. I have a first training class tomorrow, and hopefully I'll be on my way. I need to find my other tennis shoe first. I think having one shoe is almost worse than none. When you can't find either shoe, it means that they're most likely together in a fairly logical place. If you can only find one, it means it got moved, and thus could be in a truly odd place. *update* While shoe #1 was under my dresser in my room, shoe #2 was in the living room, between the TV stand and my house plant, behind some of my roommates gaming stuff.
I haven't eaten dinner yet today, and I'm not horribly hungry, but I'm pretty sure I should eat something. I have plenty of filet left over from my trip, and I know it won't last. I never thought I'd skipping meals, let alone when I'm on such a reduced calorie diet. I don't know if it's some sort of weird control mechanism, where in I reject the confines of the diet by not even eating what I'm allowed, or if the ketosis is really kicking in, but my actual physical hunger is simply very low.
Today I took a stroll to cash a check and activate my new debit card. On the way back, I found Keto-stix at another pharmacy to replace the ones left at my parent's house. Another pharmacist looked at me like I was from neptune when I asked for salt tablets, so apparently these semi mythical items are harder to find than I thought.
Further along on my walk, I checked out the new gym on Detroit, and decided that I liked the vibe and the price. It's a Planet Fitness, and apparently their thing is to have no judgments and cater to general fitness. Since most of what I want to do is work on the treadmill, I think it's a good place for me. The idea of doing some weight training is appealing to me as well. I haven't lifted in almost a decade, but I enjoyed it when I did it. I have a first training class tomorrow, and hopefully I'll be on my way. I need to find my other tennis shoe first. I think having one shoe is almost worse than none. When you can't find either shoe, it means that they're most likely together in a fairly logical place. If you can only find one, it means it got moved, and thus could be in a truly odd place. *update* While shoe #1 was under my dresser in my room, shoe #2 was in the living room, between the TV stand and my house plant, behind some of my roommates gaming stuff.
I haven't eaten dinner yet today, and I'm not horribly hungry, but I'm pretty sure I should eat something. I have plenty of filet left over from my trip, and I know it won't last. I never thought I'd skipping meals, let alone when I'm on such a reduced calorie diet. I don't know if it's some sort of weird control mechanism, where in I reject the confines of the diet by not even eating what I'm allowed, or if the ketosis is really kicking in, but my actual physical hunger is simply very low.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Two week retrospective
I tried to write a wrap up of the first week, but couldn't really think of anything good, and having a nearly week long trip ahead of me was a more pressing concern. At this point, with two weeks in, I feel it's time to really assess my status.
At this point, I feel confident and relaxed in my routine. I eat three meals a day. I weigh my food. I eat slowly. I stick with my allowed foods. I drink plenty of water. I record everything, both here and in a more formal record. I walk 30 minutes nearly every day. I am, quite simply, sticking with it.
Not that I don't have some areas to improve. I think I need to work harder at exercising. Using a treadmill seemed to be much more demanding than a simple walk, but paying to join the Y seems silly when I can walk on my own. Still, I think I'll pay a visit and get a feel for how it will fit my needs, and how accepted I'll feel.
Another problem area for me is nutrasweet consumption. I'm supposed to be under 32 ounces a day of diet beverages, and, well... I'm probably over that. I don't know why, and it's not a major tenant of the program, but if I'm not hitting targets I may have to cut way back on my beloved diet soda.
The negative side effects are noticeable, as well. The diet is wrecking havoc on my digestive system, and the results are awful. I'm sleeping more at night, and having far more dreams. On recurring nightmare is repeatedly realizing that I'm eating something bad for me. One night it was a bowl of cereal, last night it was a Dairy Queen Blizzard.
I still crave foods. I'm finding myself craving highly specific things, and not junk food in general. When I was home, I wanted Lona's pizza - a family favorite. I wanted Del Taco tacos. What's interesting is that, so far, those cravings are more attached to the habit (being at my parents, visiting my brother) than they are to location or proximity. I walked past the costco food court five times while I was in Detroit, and never had a strong craving for something. Likewise, while driving home I thought about getting chinese, but while on I-90, not while passing the place.
In the positive areas, I have more energy. I walk up rested and refreshed, and generally have no trouble staying up and alert through the day. I can drag if I eat too small a lunch and then wait too long for dinner, but I think that occurs to, well, every person. I just can't grab a KitKat or snickers.
My mental attitude is mostly improved, unless it's been too long since I ate, when I revert to my six year old level of crabbiness. I'm full after most meals, and I simply don't get hungry outside of meal times. People say that I've lost weight, and while I'm waiting for something more tangible like looser clothes, I feel thinner in a few places. Once I drop into range of a decent scale, I can weight myself every week. As of now, even after two weeks I have no evidence of weight loss. I may mail order the following:
http://www.bathroomscales4less.com/acatalog/Bathroom_Scales_Over_400_lbs.html
Which is apparently available at many webstores but not in stock anywhere. It's frustrating to spend so much, but my other option is to wait until I fit on the scales that go to 350, which frankly is going to be a while.
All in all, I consider the first two weeks to be an unqualified success. There is room for improvement, but I'm pretty proud of what I've done so far.
At this point, I feel confident and relaxed in my routine. I eat three meals a day. I weigh my food. I eat slowly. I stick with my allowed foods. I drink plenty of water. I record everything, both here and in a more formal record. I walk 30 minutes nearly every day. I am, quite simply, sticking with it.
Not that I don't have some areas to improve. I think I need to work harder at exercising. Using a treadmill seemed to be much more demanding than a simple walk, but paying to join the Y seems silly when I can walk on my own. Still, I think I'll pay a visit and get a feel for how it will fit my needs, and how accepted I'll feel.
Another problem area for me is nutrasweet consumption. I'm supposed to be under 32 ounces a day of diet beverages, and, well... I'm probably over that. I don't know why, and it's not a major tenant of the program, but if I'm not hitting targets I may have to cut way back on my beloved diet soda.
The negative side effects are noticeable, as well. The diet is wrecking havoc on my digestive system, and the results are awful. I'm sleeping more at night, and having far more dreams. On recurring nightmare is repeatedly realizing that I'm eating something bad for me. One night it was a bowl of cereal, last night it was a Dairy Queen Blizzard.
I still crave foods. I'm finding myself craving highly specific things, and not junk food in general. When I was home, I wanted Lona's pizza - a family favorite. I wanted Del Taco tacos. What's interesting is that, so far, those cravings are more attached to the habit (being at my parents, visiting my brother) than they are to location or proximity. I walked past the costco food court five times while I was in Detroit, and never had a strong craving for something. Likewise, while driving home I thought about getting chinese, but while on I-90, not while passing the place.
In the positive areas, I have more energy. I walk up rested and refreshed, and generally have no trouble staying up and alert through the day. I can drag if I eat too small a lunch and then wait too long for dinner, but I think that occurs to, well, every person. I just can't grab a KitKat or snickers.
My mental attitude is mostly improved, unless it's been too long since I ate, when I revert to my six year old level of crabbiness. I'm full after most meals, and I simply don't get hungry outside of meal times. People say that I've lost weight, and while I'm waiting for something more tangible like looser clothes, I feel thinner in a few places. Once I drop into range of a decent scale, I can weight myself every week. As of now, even after two weeks I have no evidence of weight loss. I may mail order the following:
http://www.bathroomscales4less.com/acatalog/Bathroom_Scales_Over_400_lbs.html
Which is apparently available at many webstores but not in stock anywhere. It's frustrating to spend so much, but my other option is to wait until I fit on the scales that go to 350, which frankly is going to be a while.
All in all, I consider the first two weeks to be an unqualified success. There is room for improvement, but I'm pretty proud of what I've done so far.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Today's lunch was a real treat. My mother sent me with some great frozen shrimp, which I defrosted overnight and peeled. I then sprinkled them with a chili-lime spice blend and some lemon juice to cut the heat a touch. I skewered them mostly for fun and looks, but it also made them very easy to turn. I paired the shrimp with pickles for two reasons: pickles are a high volume item and I was very hungry, and I thought the sour might be fun with the spicy heat of the shrimp.
In the end, the shrimp weren't as spicy as I feared, but were simply amazing. The foreman does a really decent job grilling shrimp. I used the flat plate instead of the grill, and I think that helped. All in all it was a very positive food experience, and one that left me satisfied both mentally and physically.
Day 14 - Back in Cleveland
Yesterday I drove back today from my parents house, eating several small meals, all leftovers. I get irritable and testy when I get hungry now, and one way to combat that is to eat more meals, all smaller, and space them out. This is where having leftovers is clutch. I like grilling on the foreman (or the real grill at my parents), but more than twice a day starts to feel annoying. Two ounces of meat is some sort of tipping point now, where my body acts and accepts that it's eaten, but is just so few calories that it barely registers.
Before I left detroit, my mom treated me to a trip to some stores to pick up some spices and other supplies. The logistical support I've recieved from my family has been huge: right now I have a freezer and fridge full of meat from my parents, a stack of spices to cook them with, and nearly $100 in supplements paid for by my uncle. You can't buy weight loss, but even a program as cheap as mine has costs that add up.
Two spice blends my parents bought me for christmas, long before my diet, were by a company called Detroit Spice Company they bought at an high end dry goods shop at the Eastern Market. The mexicantown and steak seasonings were a big part of many meals, so when I went home, my Mom suprised me with a seceond Mexicantown, and their jerk, middle eastern, and bbq rib blends. The jerk is particularly good on chicken, while the middle eastern made lamb come alive. We ended up able to get one of each of those for my parents to keep, while I picked up a few new spice blends on the chili side of things.
An all meat diet sounds great, until you realize you can't have any sauces, gravies, or condiments. Even the tablespoon of ketchup I'm allowed per day doesn't go very far, and that's where the rubs and spices really come into play. They help keep meat not only flavorful, but different. Looking at the calorie count for BBQ sauce was a shock: it's probably nearly as high as the piece of meat it goes on!
Last night's dinner was a classic "wait, I still have that in my fridge?" meals. I came home laden with fresh and frozen meat, as well as new leftovers. However, I still had roasted pork loin from before I left. Not wanting anything to go to waste (and more than a little burnt out on red meat), I hacked off about 7oz, tore it into smaller pieces, and threw it in a pan with a little water. I tossed on some of my new chili-lime blend, which added some heat and flavor. Pan steaming (or whatever this method of cooking is) helped to add a little moisture, as well as cook the meat through a bit quicker. I served the whole thing with some carrots, and enjoyed a nice hot meal.
Before I left detroit, my mom treated me to a trip to some stores to pick up some spices and other supplies. The logistical support I've recieved from my family has been huge: right now I have a freezer and fridge full of meat from my parents, a stack of spices to cook them with, and nearly $100 in supplements paid for by my uncle. You can't buy weight loss, but even a program as cheap as mine has costs that add up.
Two spice blends my parents bought me for christmas, long before my diet, were by a company called Detroit Spice Company they bought at an high end dry goods shop at the Eastern Market. The mexicantown and steak seasonings were a big part of many meals, so when I went home, my Mom suprised me with a seceond Mexicantown, and their jerk, middle eastern, and bbq rib blends. The jerk is particularly good on chicken, while the middle eastern made lamb come alive. We ended up able to get one of each of those for my parents to keep, while I picked up a few new spice blends on the chili side of things.
An all meat diet sounds great, until you realize you can't have any sauces, gravies, or condiments. Even the tablespoon of ketchup I'm allowed per day doesn't go very far, and that's where the rubs and spices really come into play. They help keep meat not only flavorful, but different. Looking at the calorie count for BBQ sauce was a shock: it's probably nearly as high as the piece of meat it goes on!
Last night's dinner was a classic "wait, I still have that in my fridge?" meals. I came home laden with fresh and frozen meat, as well as new leftovers. However, I still had roasted pork loin from before I left. Not wanting anything to go to waste (and more than a little burnt out on red meat), I hacked off about 7oz, tore it into smaller pieces, and threw it in a pan with a little water. I tossed on some of my new chili-lime blend, which added some heat and flavor. Pan steaming (or whatever this method of cooking is) helped to add a little moisture, as well as cook the meat through a bit quicker. I served the whole thing with some carrots, and enjoyed a nice hot meal.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Day 13 - getting a little tired of red meat
Due to some complications, I'm staying in Detroit with my parents until Wednesday. It's great to spend time with my family, although part of me is starting to get slightly tired of eating steak. Since I arrived on thursday, our dinners (and hence my later meals) were: Filet Mignon, Filet mignon, lamb chops, and Ny Strip steaks. I haven't had chicken since lunch on Thursday. I'm not too worried about eating that much red meat, as it's on my diet with no warnings or restrictions, but a little variety is nice. Also, while I don't claim to have the greatest range of vegetables when eating at home, my parent's zest for a broccoli/cauliflower/carrot frozen vegetable blend every dinner confuses me. I have to eat the same stuff every day, so I'm not sure why they are.
My Ketosis has bumped into moderate to large territory, and the current theory for what's holding me back is the amount of nutrasweet I drink in my diet soda. I'm trying to cut back now on the aspartame. Since I've been home, I'm generally under my allotments, so I should be burning fat pretty quickly.
Last night I went to my brother's to hang out for the evening, and that was one of the big temptations. Going to his house virtually always involved junk food. I craved Del Taco with a fury. I'm hoping this is mostly a result of habit, and once I do a few reps without the junk food I get used to that. One of the great cliches of weight loss is that it requires a lifestyle change, not just a dietary change, and I'm living that. I will say, however, that when I say I really craved tacos, I don't need to hear that cliche. Just agree that wanting tacos when you can't have them really sucks, and we can be friends.
My Ketosis has bumped into moderate to large territory, and the current theory for what's holding me back is the amount of nutrasweet I drink in my diet soda. I'm trying to cut back now on the aspartame. Since I've been home, I'm generally under my allotments, so I should be burning fat pretty quickly.
Last night I went to my brother's to hang out for the evening, and that was one of the big temptations. Going to his house virtually always involved junk food. I craved Del Taco with a fury. I'm hoping this is mostly a result of habit, and once I do a few reps without the junk food I get used to that. One of the great cliches of weight loss is that it requires a lifestyle change, not just a dietary change, and I'm living that. I will say, however, that when I say I really craved tacos, I don't need to hear that cliche. Just agree that wanting tacos when you can't have them really sucks, and we can be friends.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Day 10 - Road trip!
I'm now in the third day of a two stage trip. Wednesday night I drove down to see my girlfriend. We weren't sure where to go to get something to eat, when she suggested Applebee's. Now, I wouldn't say that I hate Applebee's, but I've never had a particularly good time at one and generally avoid eating there. To my surprise and annoyance, I not only had a good time, but they have a pretty deep menu from which I an order. I got a burger, and ordered just the patty and veggies. I used my ketchup allowance for the day, and ended up really enjoying pickles, onion, and burger patty. It's another thing that I can add to the menu of things I know I can eat.
Thursday, I drove to Detroit to visit my family. In the past, I would usually eat on the road to avoid walking through the door and demanding food. Well, now I can enjoy being gauche to the hilt. While I had some cooked food brought with me, my mom had some chicken thighs we defrosted and pan fried. As a special gift, she had bought me three new spice blends: a jerk seasoning, bbq rib, and middle eastern seasoning. The jerk chicken was simply amazing, while my mom was amazed by watching me spend twenty minutes eating six ounces of chicken.
For Dinner, my mom had found an amazing sale on entire filet mignons, which were cut into steaks for our dinner. I was pretty shocked when I felt full after eating only half of my eight ounces.
One aspect of my plan that probably isn't endorsed by the medical community is my absolute love of smoking cigars on this plan. I've always enjoyed a good cigar, but now it's a fun treat that I can enjoy any time. My family might be chipping in to buy some more for me, which is good as even my dirt cheap mail order stogies are nearly two bucks a piece now.
I wrote a few days ago about being in the middle of the end. I think I'm now in or fast approaching the end of the beginning stages here. I have a routine, I know what I'm doing, I don't feel nearly as many cravings, and I'm starting to feel better about myself. I can only imagine that I'll be writing less, as I think I may have reached a bit of stability. The emotional and lifestyle changes now are going to be less pronounced.
Thursday, I drove to Detroit to visit my family. In the past, I would usually eat on the road to avoid walking through the door and demanding food. Well, now I can enjoy being gauche to the hilt. While I had some cooked food brought with me, my mom had some chicken thighs we defrosted and pan fried. As a special gift, she had bought me three new spice blends: a jerk seasoning, bbq rib, and middle eastern seasoning. The jerk chicken was simply amazing, while my mom was amazed by watching me spend twenty minutes eating six ounces of chicken.
For Dinner, my mom had found an amazing sale on entire filet mignons, which were cut into steaks for our dinner. I was pretty shocked when I felt full after eating only half of my eight ounces.
One aspect of my plan that probably isn't endorsed by the medical community is my absolute love of smoking cigars on this plan. I've always enjoyed a good cigar, but now it's a fun treat that I can enjoy any time. My family might be chipping in to buy some more for me, which is good as even my dirt cheap mail order stogies are nearly two bucks a piece now.
I wrote a few days ago about being in the middle of the end. I think I'm now in or fast approaching the end of the beginning stages here. I have a routine, I know what I'm doing, I don't feel nearly as many cravings, and I'm starting to feel better about myself. I can only imagine that I'll be writing less, as I think I may have reached a bit of stability. The emotional and lifestyle changes now are going to be less pronounced.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Day 7- lethargy setting in
In many ways, yesterday was one of the easier days. I had a fairly major painting project that needed to be done, so I stayed in, and prepared a few meals and never really encountered much temptation. I took the day off from walking, as I'd reached my five days in seven, and I think that was a mistake. While I felt great in the morning when I woke up, I was sleepy and tired in the evening. I ended up crashing out a little early for me, around 12:30. I then had trouble getting up in the morning. It's easy to blame it on the diet, when it could be my natural sort of sedentary lifestyle. It's also possible that with no carbs, no caffeine, and no real obligations, I simply become very lethargic. I think a new goal is to walk, at least a little bit, every day.
Other than that, there's shockingly little progress to report. It's inevitable, I think, that blogs like this slow down over time. I can report that I cooked my first meal that didn't involve grilling meat last night. I baked a pork loin, rubbed with spices. It was pretty juicy, and while I kept thinking that it would be great with BBQ sauce all over it, I still enjoyed it.
I'm heading to my girlfriends for a night, and then to my parents, so I'm going to taking this show on the road. I'll be traveling, at least initially, with a food scale and some cooked meats I can eat for meals. Mine isn't the sort of diet you can expect even gracious hosts to easily accommodate. Things like pork chops and chicken breasts are great, even cold, for breakfasts and such, so packing a small bag (now in winter) or a cooler (later in the summer) will be wise. I imagine when I start working, I'll be doing something similar with a packed lunch: a precooked chicken breast to reheat, and some carrots.
Other than that, there's shockingly little progress to report. It's inevitable, I think, that blogs like this slow down over time. I can report that I cooked my first meal that didn't involve grilling meat last night. I baked a pork loin, rubbed with spices. It was pretty juicy, and while I kept thinking that it would be great with BBQ sauce all over it, I still enjoyed it.
I'm heading to my girlfriends for a night, and then to my parents, so I'm going to taking this show on the road. I'll be traveling, at least initially, with a food scale and some cooked meats I can eat for meals. Mine isn't the sort of diet you can expect even gracious hosts to easily accommodate. Things like pork chops and chicken breasts are great, even cold, for breakfasts and such, so packing a small bag (now in winter) or a cooler (later in the summer) will be wise. I imagine when I start working, I'll be doing something similar with a packed lunch: a precooked chicken breast to reheat, and some carrots.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Day 6: First trip to the bar
Again, while today is day seven, I'm working to make up for some lost time.
At this point, most of my routine is really clicking. I grill up some meat first thing in the morning, and either grill a 2oz chicken tenderloin, or something else and cut 2oz off. I'm working on building a small stash of cooked stuff to either eat for breakfasts and snacks, pack for lunches, or even just mash up into a gumbo.
Diets are all about planning ahead. Before this, when I was hungry, I'd see what I had defrosted, or made a box of something hot and easy, or just went out. Now, I need to eat meat, and often. I'm always thinking about what I have in my fridge, what's in the freezer, etc. I'm also going to the store more often, particularly when a craving hits and I don't have it, or it's still frozen. I'm working now on getting more and more stuff divided up into single meal bags, which will help, but until then I'm constantly keeping track of what's defrosting, what isn't fully thawed, what's been thawed too long, etc.
The highlight of the evening was my first trip to the bar with friends. A buddy was in town, so a bunch of us met at the Winking Lizard in Coventry. That's an old favorite place of mine, and I knew there were things I could order off the menu. I looked at both of my initial thoughts, the jerk chicken sandwich and the mesa chop salad, when I realized that they sold an 8oz house sirloin for $11. That pretty much sold me. It was cooked perfectly, I gave away the coleslaw and the garlic bread, and had steamed broccoli for the side.
In many ways, dieting today is easier than even 10 years ago. Places keep low carb, low fat, and low calorie options simply to cater to a wider audience. Getting an excellent low carb meal at a local chain with no fuss makes my life simpler. The fact that I simply don't' get tired of steak really helps.
One of the things I was displeased with when this diet was presented was the fact that I'm not allowed any alcohol. I'm not a huge drinker, I drink hearty when the opportunity strikes and I'll have a nice pint with dinner, but I'm not what you'd call a regular drinker any more. Still, alcohol is a huge part of a lot of social events, and while nobody drank more than a few last night, I was surprising comfortable with my diet coke. We'll see how I react the next time I'm at a pure drinking blowout.
If steak is the thing that keeps my most excited about my meals, Diet Soda is the thing that's keeping my sane between meals. I try to drink at least 32oz of pure water, and usually I can get to 48, but when I'm out, when I'm puttering, when I'm just bored, I reach for diet pop. It's sweet, I love it, and I'm allowed to drink it. Being able to consume something I like really helps. Buy Vernors, a very full flavored soda, also helps.
At this point, most of my routine is really clicking. I grill up some meat first thing in the morning, and either grill a 2oz chicken tenderloin, or something else and cut 2oz off. I'm working on building a small stash of cooked stuff to either eat for breakfasts and snacks, pack for lunches, or even just mash up into a gumbo.
Diets are all about planning ahead. Before this, when I was hungry, I'd see what I had defrosted, or made a box of something hot and easy, or just went out. Now, I need to eat meat, and often. I'm always thinking about what I have in my fridge, what's in the freezer, etc. I'm also going to the store more often, particularly when a craving hits and I don't have it, or it's still frozen. I'm working now on getting more and more stuff divided up into single meal bags, which will help, but until then I'm constantly keeping track of what's defrosting, what isn't fully thawed, what's been thawed too long, etc.
The highlight of the evening was my first trip to the bar with friends. A buddy was in town, so a bunch of us met at the Winking Lizard in Coventry. That's an old favorite place of mine, and I knew there were things I could order off the menu. I looked at both of my initial thoughts, the jerk chicken sandwich and the mesa chop salad, when I realized that they sold an 8oz house sirloin for $11. That pretty much sold me. It was cooked perfectly, I gave away the coleslaw and the garlic bread, and had steamed broccoli for the side.
In many ways, dieting today is easier than even 10 years ago. Places keep low carb, low fat, and low calorie options simply to cater to a wider audience. Getting an excellent low carb meal at a local chain with no fuss makes my life simpler. The fact that I simply don't' get tired of steak really helps.
One of the things I was displeased with when this diet was presented was the fact that I'm not allowed any alcohol. I'm not a huge drinker, I drink hearty when the opportunity strikes and I'll have a nice pint with dinner, but I'm not what you'd call a regular drinker any more. Still, alcohol is a huge part of a lot of social events, and while nobody drank more than a few last night, I was surprising comfortable with my diet coke. We'll see how I react the next time I'm at a pure drinking blowout.
If steak is the thing that keeps my most excited about my meals, Diet Soda is the thing that's keeping my sane between meals. I try to drink at least 32oz of pure water, and usually I can get to 48, but when I'm out, when I'm puttering, when I'm just bored, I reach for diet pop. It's sweet, I love it, and I'm allowed to drink it. Being able to consume something I like really helps. Buy Vernors, a very full flavored soda, also helps.
Day 5 - Morale dropping
So, while it's technically the morning of Day Seven, I'm writing this as a backlog of all the stuff that's happened in the last two days.
On Sunday, I came the closest yet to abandoning the diet. I was feeling demoralized, not just about the diet but about my job, and I really craved some junk food. If the appetite suppresent aspect of the diet is one of the secrets to any success I do have, the secret source of failure is the role food plays as an anti-depressant. Like most obese people, when I feel bad, I want to eat. The food makes me feel better, and thus I can sort of forget or at least wall off the sources of my negative emotions.
Under my diet, I can't do that, for at least three different reasons. First, my limited calories prevent any real mid meal snack, outside of a half cup of jello. I have been saving the jello for that purpose, and it seems to help a little. Second, a big part of comfort eating was quantity, and I simply can't eat enough of anything at any one time to qualify as a full meal, let alone a binge. Third, when you seek out comfort food, it's all about carbs. Potatoes, bread, pizza, pasta, rice: that's what you crave when you're down. Even your meats run to things like Fried Chicken, Chinese food, or hamburgers that have large starchy components. Aside from that, fat is a big part as well. Both are highly restricted on my diet.
So, I was freaking out a little bit, ironically after I took one of my walks, when I just felt run down and demoralized. My girlfriend really helped to rally my spirits, which goes to show how valuable the people around me are to this.
After that phone call, I went to the Giant Eagle and bought myself some nice cuts of meat. Man cannot live on grilled chicken breast alone, and so after talking with John the Butcher about my diet, he recommended some nice T-bone steaks and a pork loin I can bake. The T-Bones cut nicely into smaller pieces, yielding three meal sized strips, a break fast sized pile of filets, and a small meal sized filet.
Above you can see one of the strips prepared for my dinner with some green beans. I rubbed the steak with my steak seasoning, and cooked it, alas, to a medium well instead of medium rare. It's a thinner steak than I'm used to, so it got away from me a bit. Still, it was tasty and very satisfying. It's hard to be too totally depressed about what you can eat when you can have a pretty nice steak for dinner. Weighed after cooking, that guy only comes in at 7oz, meaning that while it's a little more than I'm supposed to have for a dinner, if I don't have a snack it's within my daily range.
On Sunday, I came the closest yet to abandoning the diet. I was feeling demoralized, not just about the diet but about my job, and I really craved some junk food. If the appetite suppresent aspect of the diet is one of the secrets to any success I do have, the secret source of failure is the role food plays as an anti-depressant. Like most obese people, when I feel bad, I want to eat. The food makes me feel better, and thus I can sort of forget or at least wall off the sources of my negative emotions.
Under my diet, I can't do that, for at least three different reasons. First, my limited calories prevent any real mid meal snack, outside of a half cup of jello. I have been saving the jello for that purpose, and it seems to help a little. Second, a big part of comfort eating was quantity, and I simply can't eat enough of anything at any one time to qualify as a full meal, let alone a binge. Third, when you seek out comfort food, it's all about carbs. Potatoes, bread, pizza, pasta, rice: that's what you crave when you're down. Even your meats run to things like Fried Chicken, Chinese food, or hamburgers that have large starchy components. Aside from that, fat is a big part as well. Both are highly restricted on my diet.
So, I was freaking out a little bit, ironically after I took one of my walks, when I just felt run down and demoralized. My girlfriend really helped to rally my spirits, which goes to show how valuable the people around me are to this.
After that phone call, I went to the Giant Eagle and bought myself some nice cuts of meat. Man cannot live on grilled chicken breast alone, and so after talking with John the Butcher about my diet, he recommended some nice T-bone steaks and a pork loin I can bake. The T-Bones cut nicely into smaller pieces, yielding three meal sized strips, a break fast sized pile of filets, and a small meal sized filet.
Above you can see one of the strips prepared for my dinner with some green beans. I rubbed the steak with my steak seasoning, and cooked it, alas, to a medium well instead of medium rare. It's a thinner steak than I'm used to, so it got away from me a bit. Still, it was tasty and very satisfying. It's hard to be too totally depressed about what you can eat when you can have a pretty nice steak for dinner. Weighed after cooking, that guy only comes in at 7oz, meaning that while it's a little more than I'm supposed to have for a dinner, if I don't have a snack it's within my daily range.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
First Trip Out
So, today, I left the comfort zone of cooking alone in my apartment, and had lunch at a restaurant. The bar and grill we wanted to go to was closed, so we went to our old favorite chinese place. I ordered steamed chicken and veggies, but I asked to have it spicy, and with no rice. I ended up eating what I'd guess was 6-8oz of very tasty chicken and roughly 1/2 cup of broccoli and green beans. I maybe have gone a little over, but I stayed basically on track.
I'm actually pretty hungry, which leads me to think that there may have been some carbs in my meal somewhere. I know that carbs tend to trigger cravings for more carbs (like heroin!). It's not too bad, although I was very tempted to just buy $20 in junk food on the way home and screw the diet.
It's exactly that fear that's really bothering me. I know that most diets fail, and I know that I've seldom in my life shown good impulse control about food. The sheer seeming inevitability that I'll just go off the diet is a specter over the entire operation. And this isn't a short term prospect: even for a purely "just for health" level of weight loss I need to stay on for probably 2-3 months. For any realistically significant weight loss for my life style it's going to take years. I just know that food makes me feel, if not good, at least better, and it's only going to get harder after my initial enthusiasm wears off.
I'm actually pretty hungry, which leads me to think that there may have been some carbs in my meal somewhere. I know that carbs tend to trigger cravings for more carbs (like heroin!). It's not too bad, although I was very tempted to just buy $20 in junk food on the way home and screw the diet.
It's exactly that fear that's really bothering me. I know that most diets fail, and I know that I've seldom in my life shown good impulse control about food. The sheer seeming inevitability that I'll just go off the diet is a specter over the entire operation. And this isn't a short term prospect: even for a purely "just for health" level of weight loss I need to stay on for probably 2-3 months. For any realistically significant weight loss for my life style it's going to take years. I just know that food makes me feel, if not good, at least better, and it's only going to get harder after my initial enthusiasm wears off.
Day 4, the middle of the beginning,hopefully
I'm starting Day 4, and the reality of my situation is beginning to settle in. Morale is still high, but I've gone from craving foods I like to missing foods I like. It's that feeling of, "hey, it's been a long time since I've had Chipotle" that is my current biggest obstacle. I wouldn't say I'm actively that hungry, but eating was simply something I did, regardless of physical cues. Stopping for fast food while running errands was part of my routine, now I have to plan my errands around when I eat.
Today's ketone test is less reliable because I forget to do it first thing in the morning, rather it was around noon. It shows moderate ketosis, which is good, but less good than I was hoping for. I guess everything does take time.
One thing I struggle with, in this early days, is differentiating between genuine physiological changes and psychological, placebo style, changes. People ask if I have more energy, and I do, but I'm not sure if it's because of my new diet, or if I'm simply energized by having something to do with my time (and energy, natch). I have enough of a science background to know not to trust any singular data point too highly, but when all you have are four data points, and all day to think about them, it's hard not to begin to extrapolate. If nothing else, it's fun to daydream about losing tons of weight.
I really look forward to be past the phase of starting a diet, and instead simply be on a diet. Long term, I'd like to stop thinking of it as a diet all together, and simply have it be my lifestyle, but I'm focused right now on reaching steady state (the state when a process has properties that remain unchanged with time). So, I'm declaring today the threshold of the middle of my beginning. I'm not sure when the beginning will end, at the latest it's my appt with the dietitian April 1st, at the earliest it's when I enter and stay in large ketosis. Weighing the factors, I'm guessing it will take a week or two to really reach a comfortable routine.
Today's breakfast was a slight variation on an old favorite. I grilled a 2oz chicken breast with cumin and cardamon, and wrapped it in a lettuce leaf for a no-carb wrap. I added some baby carrots because I was actively hungry. Unlike previous experiences, the chicken and lettuce meshed very well. Carrots have become my favorite treat, for two reasons. First, they crunch in a way that's very satisfying. Secondly, believe it or not, they are the highest carb aspect of my diet. Eating carrots is my equivalent of a frosted donut. It's one of the starker realizations I've made on this diet, to realize that carrots, previously a healthy snack that got in the way of better treats, is now king of the hill.
Today I'm going to see Jesus Christ Superstar with a friend, and we're meeting for lunch before hand. I'm excited to try to order food out. I'm prepared for nearly any result. Part of my goal for today is to see if it's even worth it for me to eat out, or if I should simply refuse invites. Hopefully I can enjoy a small steak or fish filet, and not feel overly tempted.
One final bummer with this diet: no alcohol at all. Not only is is a source of carbs, but apparently combining alcohol with very low blood sugar can have some harmful effects. Back in college, I'd have tried it just to see what it was like (like giving blood right before happy hour, on an empty stomach). Now, three full days in, I feel like I've got too much invested to be flippant.
Today's ketone test is less reliable because I forget to do it first thing in the morning, rather it was around noon. It shows moderate ketosis, which is good, but less good than I was hoping for. I guess everything does take time.
One thing I struggle with, in this early days, is differentiating between genuine physiological changes and psychological, placebo style, changes. People ask if I have more energy, and I do, but I'm not sure if it's because of my new diet, or if I'm simply energized by having something to do with my time (and energy, natch). I have enough of a science background to know not to trust any singular data point too highly, but when all you have are four data points, and all day to think about them, it's hard not to begin to extrapolate. If nothing else, it's fun to daydream about losing tons of weight.
I really look forward to be past the phase of starting a diet, and instead simply be on a diet. Long term, I'd like to stop thinking of it as a diet all together, and simply have it be my lifestyle, but I'm focused right now on reaching steady state (the state when a process has properties that remain unchanged with time). So, I'm declaring today the threshold of the middle of my beginning. I'm not sure when the beginning will end, at the latest it's my appt with the dietitian April 1st, at the earliest it's when I enter and stay in large ketosis. Weighing the factors, I'm guessing it will take a week or two to really reach a comfortable routine.
Today's breakfast was a slight variation on an old favorite. I grilled a 2oz chicken breast with cumin and cardamon, and wrapped it in a lettuce leaf for a no-carb wrap. I added some baby carrots because I was actively hungry. Unlike previous experiences, the chicken and lettuce meshed very well. Carrots have become my favorite treat, for two reasons. First, they crunch in a way that's very satisfying. Secondly, believe it or not, they are the highest carb aspect of my diet. Eating carrots is my equivalent of a frosted donut. It's one of the starker realizations I've made on this diet, to realize that carrots, previously a healthy snack that got in the way of better treats, is now king of the hill.
Today I'm going to see Jesus Christ Superstar with a friend, and we're meeting for lunch before hand. I'm excited to try to order food out. I'm prepared for nearly any result. Part of my goal for today is to see if it's even worth it for me to eat out, or if I should simply refuse invites. Hopefully I can enjoy a small steak or fish filet, and not feel overly tempted.
One final bummer with this diet: no alcohol at all. Not only is is a source of carbs, but apparently combining alcohol with very low blood sugar can have some harmful effects. Back in college, I'd have tried it just to see what it was like (like giving blood right before happy hour, on an empty stomach). Now, three full days in, I feel like I've got too much invested to be flippant.
Day 3 Dinner, or how to cheat
Last night's dinner was a treat, not because I went off diet, but because I had one of my favorite foods: steak. While I'm sure they wouldn't want me to subsist entirely on red meat, I am allowed beef, as long as it's loin, lean chuck, flank, filet mignon, or round cut. Well, strip steaks, a personal favorite, are from the short loin, so I can eat them at will in the diet. To make the meal more notable, I walked to the grocery, going the long way to get 30 minutes of fast walking first, bought my steak, and then walked home. I let the meat sit at room temperature for an hour after rubbing it with a seasoning blend. I cooked it at max heat on the foreman for about 6 minutes, and then let it sit for a minute while I remembered that I needed to weight it. After cooking and having the fat trimmed, a .67lb steak only weighed 8oz.
Cooked perfectly medium rare, the steak was extremely good, and I added fresh ground sea salt before eating. While I've normally ate grilled chicken, I normally added BBQ sauce or ketchup, so this was the first meal that was indistinguishable from something I would eaten before. While I don't want to eat steak every day, for both dietary and financial reasons, having it even every other day will help dramatically to keep morale up.
One aspect of the diet is that "cheating" has worse implications than on other diets, at least in some areas. If you're simply on a low cal diet, and you eat too many calories, you can exercise to make up some of the deficit. On a very low carb diet, I want to keep all carbs out of my diet. So, a cheat of a single cookie isn't just bad for the 100 calories, but also because it'll be the first sugar in any quantity my body will have consumed. Instead, if I cheat by eating, say, an extra half pound of chicken, that's bad, but it's still just protein. In other words, cheating by quantity is far worse than cheating by quality.
Cooked perfectly medium rare, the steak was extremely good, and I added fresh ground sea salt before eating. While I've normally ate grilled chicken, I normally added BBQ sauce or ketchup, so this was the first meal that was indistinguishable from something I would eaten before. While I don't want to eat steak every day, for both dietary and financial reasons, having it even every other day will help dramatically to keep morale up.
One aspect of the diet is that "cheating" has worse implications than on other diets, at least in some areas. If you're simply on a low cal diet, and you eat too many calories, you can exercise to make up some of the deficit. On a very low carb diet, I want to keep all carbs out of my diet. So, a cheat of a single cookie isn't just bad for the 100 calories, but also because it'll be the first sugar in any quantity my body will have consumed. Instead, if I cheat by eating, say, an extra half pound of chicken, that's bad, but it's still just protein. In other words, cheating by quantity is far worse than cheating by quality.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Day 3 lunch
After tragically mistiming how long it would take me to go to the DMV and get a new title and registration and license plates, I didn't get to eat lunch today until 3:30. Part of me really craved red meat, but I had scallops defrosted that couldn't wait too much longer. I cooked them with basil and garlic, and added a bit of water to get a steam going. It's hard to get a sear without oil, but they're still very tasty. I ended up eating about 8oz of them, so that's my snack as well as my lunch. About two thirds of the way through the bowl, the weirdest thing happened: I was getting really full. I finished, mostly because I knew I had to eat, but it's weird how fast the body adapts to this small amount of food.
I served them in a bowl, rather than with more attractive presentation, because scallops cool off very quickly, and keeping them in a bowl helps keep them hot.
I served them in a bowl, rather than with more attractive presentation, because scallops cool off very quickly, and keeping them in a bowl helps keep them hot.
Day 3 Breakfast, or the joys of a good spice blend
Today for breakfast I actually woke up at a decent hour, and prepared a chicken breast tenderloin. I'm allowed 2oz of protein at breakfast, so I was very pleased to discover that giant eagle boneless skinless breast tenderloins average out to just about 2oz. Considering it's a 48oz bag, the sheer cost effectivness of this diet is really starting to sink home. The chicken started out frozen, so I didn't add the spice until it had thawed on the grill. I used my Detroit Mexicantown Seasoning, which was a Christmas present from my parents. I served the chicken with a few small baby carrots.
The Mexicantown seasoning, not surprisingly, is a sort of general purpose fajita style spice blend. It's made with salt, spices, onion, garlic, and paprika; but what is most impressive is what it doesn't contain: sugar. A lot of spice blends include small amounts of sugar, which while unnoticeable to most people, and allowable in small amounts even to dieters, I can only use once per day as my "flavor enhancer." A big part of my strategy for cooking is too seek out interesting spices and blends, to keep things fresh. Chicken shouldn't get monotonous if you dress it properly, as it's essentially a neutral vector for other flavors.
The carrots represent a bit of confusion on my part. My handbook says I can have five baby carrots as a veggies, but these were so small I figure I can have 10, meaning I can have five now and five for a snack. I checked the label, and it says that an entire bar (about 25 of them) is still only 6 grams of carbs. As long as I keep the veggies under 10, I'm fine. I think I'm going to try to make sure my carbs stay low, and clearly only have one "serving" of carrots per day. a little troubling is that 1/2 cup of green beans, my other favorite veggies, is 4 grams of carbs. Again, I only get 10grams of veggie carbs per day. For comparisons, a single bagel is roughly 29 grams of carbs.
I was able to secure Keto-sticks, after many days of failure, and I tested myself this morning. I am firmly in "small" ketosis, which means that my body is burning fat now to stay alive. you're supposed to test yourself in the morning, so this is really only after 2 days of dieting. While it may not mean too much directly, it's good to see one clear impact of my efforts so far.
Finally, I find that I'm struggling with my salt intake. with such small portions, 1/4 teaspoons gets in the way, overpowering other spices. I have bouillon packets, one of which is 1000 mgs of sodium, so I can make one of those per day to reach my 1500mg. My roommate, whose been on a salt restricted diet for years, is highly unsympathetic to my quest for salt. If worse comes to worse, I can just take salt tablets.
The Mexicantown seasoning, not surprisingly, is a sort of general purpose fajita style spice blend. It's made with salt, spices, onion, garlic, and paprika; but what is most impressive is what it doesn't contain: sugar. A lot of spice blends include small amounts of sugar, which while unnoticeable to most people, and allowable in small amounts even to dieters, I can only use once per day as my "flavor enhancer." A big part of my strategy for cooking is too seek out interesting spices and blends, to keep things fresh. Chicken shouldn't get monotonous if you dress it properly, as it's essentially a neutral vector for other flavors.
The carrots represent a bit of confusion on my part. My handbook says I can have five baby carrots as a veggies, but these were so small I figure I can have 10, meaning I can have five now and five for a snack. I checked the label, and it says that an entire bar (about 25 of them) is still only 6 grams of carbs. As long as I keep the veggies under 10, I'm fine. I think I'm going to try to make sure my carbs stay low, and clearly only have one "serving" of carrots per day. a little troubling is that 1/2 cup of green beans, my other favorite veggies, is 4 grams of carbs. Again, I only get 10grams of veggie carbs per day. For comparisons, a single bagel is roughly 29 grams of carbs.
I was able to secure Keto-sticks, after many days of failure, and I tested myself this morning. I am firmly in "small" ketosis, which means that my body is burning fat now to stay alive. you're supposed to test yourself in the morning, so this is really only after 2 days of dieting. While it may not mean too much directly, it's good to see one clear impact of my efforts so far.
Finally, I find that I'm struggling with my salt intake. with such small portions, 1/4 teaspoons gets in the way, overpowering other spices. I have bouillon packets, one of which is 1000 mgs of sodium, so I can make one of those per day to reach my 1500mg. My roommate, whose been on a salt restricted diet for years, is highly unsympathetic to my quest for salt. If worse comes to worse, I can just take salt tablets.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Day two Lunch: cumin and basil chicken!
Today I introduce a stunning new technological breakthrough: photographs! On the web! It's like 1996 all over again.
Above is today's lunch. I took a 5oz chicken breast, rubbed it with a small amount of cumin, a fair amount of basil, and 1/4 tsp of salt. The salt was actually a little much, but I need to take 3/4 tsp a day on the diet, so I use it. I then grilled the chicken on the Foreman. I prepared a bed of 3.5oz of iceberg lettuce, tossed with a small amount of garlic and onion powders. The sommelier recommended a 16oz glass of water from my swanky new Brita Pitcher, and I went with that over a more full bodied wine.
Served hot, the chicken was moist and tender, and very flavorful. The cumin was just right, but the basil wasn't as strong as I'd like. Maybe I need to start using fresh herbs? I really liked the color the basil added, and it made the whole meal much more appealing than simply a slab of grilled chicken.
The lettuce was good, and after this mornings jerky snafu I'm going to stay away from carrots or anything with carbs. The lettuce isn't quite as good together with the chicken as I'd like. There was a slight bitterness to the lettuce. I might go to the market and see what kinds of spices I can find to blend with lettuce.
Overall, the meal was surprisingly satisfying. My dad pointed out that I would win points for the plating, and I guess when you can't have a large quantity, quality really helps keep meals fun and interesting. I don't know if it's just a placebo, but the Brita really makes water taste better. I guess I don't care if I enjoy the water because I just spent $20 on a pitcher, but I still really enjoyed the water.
I think the personal secret for why this diet will work for me is pretty simple: I really like all the foods I can eat. This isn't the cabbage soup diet, or some crazy cottage cheese binge. Basically, I get to eat small amounts of good protein, and a few veggies. That's right in my wheel house. I genuinely enjoy seasoned chicken on the foreman, or filet, or scallops.
I'm already looking forward to dinner, not because I'm hungry, but because I still have some scallops. I'm thinking about trying a more aggressive spicing with them this time, maybe oregano and basil, with a small amount of lemon juice.
Blogging is strange and mysterious to me.
I missed the cool time to get into blogging about eight years ago, and while I've read a few I generally have stayed away from the mysterious world of RSS feeds and followers. I'm a pretty smart guy, and I can learn how to catch up, so if anybody has any advice or suggestions feel free to share. This is obviously a complete vanity project, mostly to help keep me sane during the double whammy of unemployment and weight loss, but I do want to make it easier for readers.
I'm taking to it, because I seem to have at least two key ingredients: plenty to say, and enough ego to think that other people want to hear it. Toss in a lack of shame, and I feel like I'm destined for blogosphere success! Or at least not total failure.
I'm taking to it, because I seem to have at least two key ingredients: plenty to say, and enough ego to think that other people want to hear it. Toss in a lack of shame, and I feel like I'm destined for blogosphere success! Or at least not total failure.
The nature of the beast
A lot of my friends and family are overweight or obese, and as is pretty common in those circles when one person starts a diet, others wonder if it's right for them. I can't answer that. I know that my diet is right for me, based on advice from the medial community and my own personality. I can deal with the monotony of menus (hey, grilled chicken again!) and the cold turkey mentality required. This isn't a diet about moderation, it's about cutting out everything other than protein to keep muscle and enough fiber to keep things flowing.
The low carb aspect of this diet isn't why it causes me to lose weight, it's why I should lose my appetite. The reason this diet will lead my lose weight is that I'm consuming under 1000 calories a day on it. On a diet like that, Tori Spelling would lose weight. Toss in even minimal exercise, and the enormous amount of calories it takes to fuel a body my size, and my calorie deficit (the difference between what you're eating and what you're burning) is extremely high.
I was once told that for obese people, the rule of thumb is that it takes 10 calories a day to maintain each pound. Based on my weigh in of 431, this diet should lead to roughly 3000 calories a day under maintenance. While 5 pounds a week is pretty extreme, it's actually doable.
The important thing to remember, as far as I can tell, is that weight loss is governed less by absolute numbers, but by percentages. No matter how overweight you are, losing 10% of your mass is roughly the same difficulty. So, I should be able to lose my 45lbs easier than a person 10 pounds over weight can lose that. At least, here's to hoping.
The low carb aspect of this diet isn't why it causes me to lose weight, it's why I should lose my appetite. The reason this diet will lead my lose weight is that I'm consuming under 1000 calories a day on it. On a diet like that, Tori Spelling would lose weight. Toss in even minimal exercise, and the enormous amount of calories it takes to fuel a body my size, and my calorie deficit (the difference between what you're eating and what you're burning) is extremely high.
I was once told that for obese people, the rule of thumb is that it takes 10 calories a day to maintain each pound. Based on my weigh in of 431, this diet should lead to roughly 3000 calories a day under maintenance. While 5 pounds a week is pretty extreme, it's actually doable.
The important thing to remember, as far as I can tell, is that weight loss is governed less by absolute numbers, but by percentages. No matter how overweight you are, losing 10% of your mass is roughly the same difficulty. So, I should be able to lose my 45lbs easier than a person 10 pounds over weight can lose that. At least, here's to hoping.
Day two breakfast
After feeling completely worn down and exhausted, I slept for about 11 hours last night. I set my alarm, blew through that, and didn't wake up until I had to use the bathroom again. I feel much better, although I'm a bit cranky I slept in so late. A part of the diet is to eat at roughly the same time every day, so this knocks me off schedule a bit.
Anyway, for my gourmet breakfast I measured out 2oz of turkey jerky. I asked the dietitian if jerky was ok, and her theory was that as long as it meets the other requirements for my proteins (under 3grams of fat per oz and low in carbs.) I checked, and the fat is ok, but there are 9 grams of carbs per oz. To give a reference, I need to keep my two veggie servings under 10oz of carbs total for the day. So, Jerky is out, unless I can find a low carb version. I should be able to, but until then no more. Crap.
Reading other blogs of people attempting low carb diets, of which there are many, this is actually a pretty common phenomenon. It's shocking how much of our food has corn syrup in it. Turkey Jerky, which should be nothing but dried meat, has more carbs in it than most fruits. Check labels, check labels, check labels.
Part of the problem is that carbs halt the ketosis process, and I can't just exercise more or cut them in other areas. I have to be more vigilant.
In better, or at least, different news, I actually wasn't hungry when I woke up. I almost had to force myself to eat. I'm sure now that my metabolism is kicked up, I'll be very hungry again, but I think this diet will work.
Anyway, for my gourmet breakfast I measured out 2oz of turkey jerky. I asked the dietitian if jerky was ok, and her theory was that as long as it meets the other requirements for my proteins (under 3grams of fat per oz and low in carbs.) I checked, and the fat is ok, but there are 9 grams of carbs per oz. To give a reference, I need to keep my two veggie servings under 10oz of carbs total for the day. So, Jerky is out, unless I can find a low carb version. I should be able to, but until then no more. Crap.
Reading other blogs of people attempting low carb diets, of which there are many, this is actually a pretty common phenomenon. It's shocking how much of our food has corn syrup in it. Turkey Jerky, which should be nothing but dried meat, has more carbs in it than most fruits. Check labels, check labels, check labels.
Part of the problem is that carbs halt the ketosis process, and I can't just exercise more or cut them in other areas. I have to be more vigilant.
In better, or at least, different news, I actually wasn't hungry when I woke up. I almost had to force myself to eat. I'm sure now that my metabolism is kicked up, I'll be very hungry again, but I think this diet will work.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
End of Day one, and the nature of a goal weight
For dinner tonight I pan seared 7.5 oz of scallops. I cooked them for only a few minutes, sprinkling some garlic and salt on them. I also discovered that it's harder than you'd think to measure 1/2 cup of green beans. All in all, it was a very tasty and pleasant meal.
It's getting hard to tell when I'm hungry, and when my body is just processing. Hopefully I'll get more in tune with it and be able to handle it better as time goes on.
After eating, I waited a while and then went for a walk for a half hour. It felt good and I think it will boost my metabolism. If I can keep this up, I'll certain see results.
When I had my appointments on Monday, both the Doctor and the Dietitian asked what my goal weight was. This flummoxed me, as I have many possible goals. My first and most critical goal is to get my good cholesterol up and my blood pressure down, making sure that I'm reasonably healthy aside from my weight. That requires about a 10% lose, or roughly 45lbs. Beyond that, I have a dream weight of about 250, which I think is the extreme limit of what is feasible with diet and exercise. For a more realistic goal, I'd like to get under 300, which would change my classification from morbidly obese to just regular obese. In the end, I just want to be normal fat, not ridiculously fat.
It's getting hard to tell when I'm hungry, and when my body is just processing. Hopefully I'll get more in tune with it and be able to handle it better as time goes on.
After eating, I waited a while and then went for a walk for a half hour. It felt good and I think it will boost my metabolism. If I can keep this up, I'll certain see results.
When I had my appointments on Monday, both the Doctor and the Dietitian asked what my goal weight was. This flummoxed me, as I have many possible goals. My first and most critical goal is to get my good cholesterol up and my blood pressure down, making sure that I'm reasonably healthy aside from my weight. That requires about a 10% lose, or roughly 45lbs. Beyond that, I have a dream weight of about 250, which I think is the extreme limit of what is feasible with diet and exercise. For a more realistic goal, I'd like to get under 300, which would change my classification from morbidly obese to just regular obese. In the end, I just want to be normal fat, not ridiculously fat.
Day One
Today I started a Protein Sparing Modified Fast diet. It's under doctors recommendation, and it was set up through a dietitian. For those that don't know, basically it's an extreme version of a low carb diet. I eat 16oz of meat, fish, poultry or other proteins a day, two servings of vegetables a day, and take a bunch of supplements. I also get a sugar free treat (popsicle or jello), a single flavoring (tablespoon of ketchup or steak sauce), and up to six packets of artificial sweetener a day. The big upside to this diet is that in theory, you should stop being hungry after a few days. We'll see about that...
I don't want to speak too much about the logistics of the diet too much, but rather begin posting what I'm eating, how I'm feeling, etc.
This morning I woke up and ate six pre-cooked cocktail shrimp. I weighed them out as 2oz, and that's my target for breakfast. I was pretty hungry through the morning and early afternoon, so I cooked a chicken breast on the foreman, with Detroit Mexicantown fajita seasoning on one side, and garlic powder on the other. It weighed 4.5 oz cooked (all weights are cooked), and I matched that with 2 cups of iceberg lettuce and a tablespoon of sugar and fat free dressing.
The chicken was very good, moist and flavorful. I could have eaten about three more of them, but it was a very positive food experience. The salad dressing is going to take some getting used to. It's basically just water, two kinds of vinegar, and seasonings, so it's sour and a little wonky tasting, but I'm glad to have it. Both iceberg and the dressing are "free" items that don't count against my veggies or flavoring limit. I'm not sure how free is free, and that's something I'll probably call and ask about. If I can eat a big bowl of lettuce with even weird dressing whenever I want, that takes some of the pressure off.
The meal was satisfying, but even eating slowly and enjoying it with 16oz of water didn't fill me up. I wasn't hungry, but I wasn't exactly satisfied. I ran some errands this afternoon, and I felt hungry for most of it. Being a big eater, I rarely experienced hunger before. It's in some ways an interesting experience. In other ways, I really want to eat something.
I came home, and had one of my veggies for the day: five baby carrots. These seemed very small, but I stuck with five for the time being. I also made a cup of tea and knocked back a few more pills.
Not even being a day in, it's a combination of exciting and scary. I'm already starting to realize that my eating habits are drastically changing. I'm also very eager for the appetite suppressive aspect to kick in.
I don't want to speak too much about the logistics of the diet too much, but rather begin posting what I'm eating, how I'm feeling, etc.
This morning I woke up and ate six pre-cooked cocktail shrimp. I weighed them out as 2oz, and that's my target for breakfast. I was pretty hungry through the morning and early afternoon, so I cooked a chicken breast on the foreman, with Detroit Mexicantown fajita seasoning on one side, and garlic powder on the other. It weighed 4.5 oz cooked (all weights are cooked), and I matched that with 2 cups of iceberg lettuce and a tablespoon of sugar and fat free dressing.
The chicken was very good, moist and flavorful. I could have eaten about three more of them, but it was a very positive food experience. The salad dressing is going to take some getting used to. It's basically just water, two kinds of vinegar, and seasonings, so it's sour and a little wonky tasting, but I'm glad to have it. Both iceberg and the dressing are "free" items that don't count against my veggies or flavoring limit. I'm not sure how free is free, and that's something I'll probably call and ask about. If I can eat a big bowl of lettuce with even weird dressing whenever I want, that takes some of the pressure off.
The meal was satisfying, but even eating slowly and enjoying it with 16oz of water didn't fill me up. I wasn't hungry, but I wasn't exactly satisfied. I ran some errands this afternoon, and I felt hungry for most of it. Being a big eater, I rarely experienced hunger before. It's in some ways an interesting experience. In other ways, I really want to eat something.
I came home, and had one of my veggies for the day: five baby carrots. These seemed very small, but I stuck with five for the time being. I also made a cup of tea and knocked back a few more pills.
Not even being a day in, it's a combination of exciting and scary. I'm already starting to realize that my eating habits are drastically changing. I'm also very eager for the appetite suppressive aspect to kick in.
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