Day 16 - May 19, 2013

Weight: 246 lbs


After yesterday's diversions, there was not much damage at the scale. Since I started a lifestyle change, I haven't had cravings for sweets.  I've always had craving for sweets, as long as I can remember.  Now when I get a craving, it's for bread really (pizza, pancakes, hamburger bun with a hamburger in it).  Come to think of it, I've always loved white bread, since I was kid.  My aunts told me that my father used to love white bread too.  Perhaps, it's a genetic hand me down.  Anyway, I did some internet reading on artificial sweeteners (just simple Google).  There is anecdotal evidence that suggests that artificial sweetener may cause an increased desire for sweet food items.   I have passed on the artificially sweetened drinks (water, please!)  I haven't craved sweet desserts at all.

For breakfast I made everyone a chorizo and spinach omelet.  For lunch I got lazy, and decided to eat out instead of prepare a meal.  I though falafel sounded good, it's just chick peas.  So, I went to a nearby Mediterranean restaurant I had never tried (Parsley).  They didn't seem to have falafel by itself, so I order the falafel bowl, which include 6 falafels, a layer of Mediterranean rice and a layer of salad.  I wasn't too sure about the rice.  I asked the woman behind the counter about the rice, but she wasn't too knowledgeable about what type of rice it was.  It was yellow and she just described it as Mediterranean rice.  I think she squirted some tzatziki on everything at the end.

My theory is that you can get away with eating half of any meal that's served to you in a restaurant and still be full.  So I ate half the falafel, but finished off the rice and salad because they wouldn't age well in the fridge.  For dinner I ate my leftover falafel and remaining chicken thigh (leftover from earlier in the week) with half a bag of microwaveable mixed veggies. Dessert was the remaining strawberries that my son didn't eat that day, plus a few baby carrots.    Not a bad day.

No gym today.



Breakfast:
Chorizo, spinach and onion omelet
16 oz water

Lunch:
Falafel Bowl: 4 falafel on top of "Mediterranean rice" and Mediterranean salad
16 oz water

Dinner:
Leftover falafels (2)
Leftover chicken thigh
1/2 bag of microwaved frozen green beans
16 oz of water

Dessert:
 4 unripe strawberries
2 handfuls of baby carrots
16 oz of water

we'll see what the scale says tomorrow ...

Day 15 - May 18, 2013

Weight:            246 lbs.
Body Fat %:     33.5%
Composition:    82 lbs fat  / 164 lbs. lean body mass
H20 %:            47.5%  (117 lbs )


The scale was good to daddy today. The comprehensive weigh-in looked good. My son was even a good boy at the restaurant this morning.  What a good start to the day. 

So as planned, I went to Timbers this morning for breakfast/brunch.  First, I went to the gym and did an interval cardio workout (for the first time since I started).  I did a 25 minutes pyramid with 3 min warm up and cool down. After getting home, showering and gathering up the family, I headed out for brunchfast.  I upgraded from the Baby Bear (2 eggs, 2 sausages or bacon, hash brown and 2 pancakes) to the Big Bear (3 eggs, 2 bacon, 1 sausage, hash browns and 2 pancakes.)  I made the change for the additional protein.  The plan was to fill up on the proteins and if their was any room left, to have some of the pancakes and potatoes.  Well, I ate all the protein and still had room left for the hash browns and 1.5 pancakes (w/butter and syrup).  I also had 2 glasses of water.  It was a lot food, I chewed slowly, but there was still plenty of room.

I took my son to a toddler birthday party today.  Would  I eat the cake or a veggie option?  Well, there was a veggie (fruit) option, but I was distracted and just threw a cupcake down my throat before I realized what I had done.  We stopped at Fat Burger on the way home (what was I thinking, right?).  I'd been dying for a burger all day.  I left out the fries and figured I would eat my burger with some veggies at home. 

I ordered a large just out of habit.  I'm starting to think more about portion control.  Once I took it out of the bag, I knew I probably would have been content with a small or a medium burger.  I didn't need the 1/2 lb burger, even though there was plenty of protein (and fat and processed carbs). Yes, I ate the bun.  I'm learning! I'm learning.  Trying to change my ways.  I washed it down with my half multivitamin, Omega-3 capsule, and a Coke Zero.  That was my first sweet bubbly brown water drink (cola) since I started.  I was done after a few sips, but finished drinking it anyway (hard to explain why - guess I didn't want to waste it?)  Back to usual tomorrow.  I don't miss my old habits much.



Pre-Workout Meal:
12 oz chocolate milk



Post-Workout Brunch:
Big Bear Breakfast - 2 fluffy pancakes, 3 scrambled eggs, 2 slices of thick applewood smoked bacon, 1 breakfast sausage, hash browns and a thin orange slice (might be garnish, but still tasty.)
24 oz water


Party food:
1 cupcake


Dinner:
Large Fat Burger w/ cheese, no pickles
Handful of baby carrots
20 oz. Coke Zero

we'll see what the scale says tomorrow ...