Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Update on the Last Half of August 2010

As you can tell, the blog went on hiatus for a couple weeks. I've learned a great deal during that time. If anyone's been concerned that I've "fallen off the wagon" in any way - don't. In fact, I weigh a little less today than I did 2 weeks ago.

Weight and Food Tracking
On the morning of August 15, my weight was 178.0. That was up a little more than 8 pounds from my lowest weight of 169.8. You see my food logs from that time - no, I wasn't doing anything that should have caused weight gain. I attribute it to hormones.

This morning, I was 176.7. This whole time, I've been between 176.0 and 178.0. So, the weight is holding steady, which is all I'm aiming for at this point (I need to write a separate post about the purgatory between loss phase and maintenance phase.) But anyway, no cause for alarm w/r/t the scale.

Apparently (at least right now when my routine and habits are relatively stable), I don't need to count every macronutrient every day in order to maintain my weight. As long as I keep track of what I'm eating and make sure the protein is high, the carbs are low, and the fat is reasonable, I can maintain my weight loss.

I'm going to try tracking every bite, but without all the nutritional analysis. This is basically what I did at the beginning of this blog; then I slowly started tracking other things. A few weeks after surgery, I realized my proteins were too low, so I started tracking calories and protein. It wasn't until October 21, 2009, over six months after surgery, that I started tracking carbs. On December 1, 2009, shortly after a particularly horrible gall bladder attack (I'm assuming that's what it was, since I never bothered to get the scan), I started tracking fat. I said I was only going to do it for the "next few weeks," but I wound up tracking fat for the next 9+ months.

I guess it all comes full circle. At least for right now, I'm not going to track macronutrients. I'm not worried about getting enough protein, as I continue to have 2-4 protein supplements a day in addition to eating high-protein, and relatively low-carb meals. BUT - if I notice repercussions on the scale, or if I start allowing more bad habits to creep in because of this change, I'll go back to a more detailed form of tracking.

Yoga
I hurt my wrist trying to do crane pose at Greenville Yoga (formerly known as North Main Yoga) on Saturday:


Yeah, mine didn't look like that so much.
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I'm slowly preparing myself to say goodbye to my beloved City Yoga. I took my last Sunday morning class with the founder of the studio this past Sunday. The yogis and yoginis of City Yoga have apparently taught me well: When I was visiting Greenville Yoga this weekend, the teacher could tell from my practice that I normally study an alignment-focused style of yoga (Iyengar and Anusara are generally very alignment-focused.) It was awesome to feel like my asana practice is reflecting what I've learned from my teachers. I am thankful to the teachers at City Yoga, particularly Annie, Stacey, and Dara, for helping me build the foundations of my yoga practice.

Food
I broke my blender after just a few months of protein frosties. I went out immediately that day and bought a new one, the same make and model as the old one. Perhaps I should have gotten something sturdier and more expensive, but I've grown attached to this specific type of blender.

My biggest struggle over the past couple of weeks of not tracking has been - you guessed it - avoiding compulsive eating. This challenge has been exacerbated by the fact that I've been going to bed later than usual, sometimes even 2 AM on a weeknight (which has impacted my cardio exercise schedule.) I have eaten some things that people consider "bad" - I did a cupcake sampling with full sugar cupcakes from a local bakery, never eating all of any cupcake, but tasting 13 of them. I ate some sugar-free chocolates, chocolate Goldfish crackers, plantain chips, even a few pretzel M&Ms. With the exception of the Goldfish crackers, I was successfully able to eat a few bites and toss the rest. I'm less worried about my forays with sugar/carbs than I am about my ongoing propensity to overeat. For example, yesterday, I gorged myself with raw cashews. I also had a few plantain chips, less than 1/3 of a bag. I am not worried about the plantain chips, but my inability to stop eating past the point of fullness is frightening. I will continue to work on this, as I surely will be for the rest of my life.

Anyway, I've made some pretty awesome WLS-friendly dinners over the past couple of weeks. Here are some of the goodies I've been enjoying:



Support Group
Last Tuesday, August 24 was my last WLS support group meeting in this town. The group gave me an angel pin as a going away gift/good luck token. They typically give them to people at their last meeting before surgery, but because I didn't have surgery here, I didn't have one. It was so sweet of the group leader to make sure I got an angel emblem as I head off on my new journey; it really made me feel a full part of the group. I will miss these folks.

There is a group at GW Hospital in DC that meets with about the same regularity, so I hope to build a nice community there.

Friday, August 13, 2010

What I Ate: August 12, 2010

  • Mint chocolate protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Nectar chocolate truffle protein powder (50 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup Great Value fat-free cottage cheese (90 kcals, 14g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened dark cocoa (15 kcals, 1g net carbs), Splenda, SF chocolate syrup. Total - (155 kcals, 25.5g protein, 9g carbs, 0g fat).
  • 2 T half and half in Sbux venti decaf (39 kcals, 0.9g protein, 1.3g net carbs, 3.5g fat).
  • 1 vanilla creme Oh Yeah! in 4 decaf coffees (220 kcals, 32g protein, 3g carbs, 9g fat)
  • Cookies & cream protein frosty: 1/2 cup cottage cheese (90 kcals, 14g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat) and 1 tsp. SF/FF cheesecake Jello pudding mix (15 kcals, 3g carbs), 1/2 scoop Matrix Cookies & Cream protein powder (65 kcals, 11.5g protein, 2g carbs, 1g fat), 1 T Hershey's Special Dark cocoa (15 kcals, 2g carbs), ice, water, SF vanilla syrup. Total - (185 kcals, 25.5g protein, 14g carbs, 1g fat).
  • Mexico-inspired spinach salad with chicken breast, butternut squash, tomato-pasilla chutney, cilantro, and black bean "croutons" (174 kcals, 15.1g protein, 19.3g net carbs (oops!), 2.8g fat).

  • 20 muscadines - was thrilled to find these at Rosewood Market today! I'd been looking for some. Hadn't had them in 15+ years. They sort of taste like port. (approximately 50 kcals, 10g carbs).
  • Chocolate churro protein frosty: 1/2 cup cottage cheese (90 kcals, 14g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 scoop Matrix perfect chocolate protein powder (60 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1.5g net carbs, 1g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark cocoa (15 kcals, 1g net carbs), and 1 tbsp. SF/FF chocolate Jello pudding mix (15 kcals, 3g carbs), a pinch of cinnamon, SF praline syrup, water, Splenda, ice. Total - (180 kcals, 25.5g protein, 12.5g carbs, 1g fat).
  • Cinnamon protein pancakes: 1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese (40 kcals, 7.5g protein, 2.5g carbs, 0g fat), 2 tbsp. Egg Beaters (15 kcals, 3g protein, 0.5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 scoop Nectar vanilla bean torte protein powder (90 kcals, 23g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat), baking powder, 2 tbsp. SF praline syrup, cinnamon, Splenda, 1 tbsp. FF ICBINB (5 kcals) and 2 tbsp. SF Mrs. Butterworth's syrup (10 kcals, 2g net carbs). Total - (160 kcals, 33.5g protein, 5g net carbs, 0g fat).
Total:
1,163 calories
158g protein
54.3% kcals from protein
74.1g net carbs (muscadines and salad were a mistake)
25.5% kcals from net carbs
17.3g fat
13.4% kcals from fat.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Recipe: Deconstructed Chicken Egg Foo Yung

This was Wednesday's dinner. Note that it is not in progress; this is a reasonably complete recipe. It turned out better than I'd imagined.

What I'm calling "deconstructed egg foo yung" consists of three components: Asian blackened chicken breast, mung bean sprout-scallion frittata, and a sweet and sour five spice foam. In terms of organization, I thought it was efficient to prepare the frittata and get it in the oven first, then make the chicken (the oven will already be pre-heated for the roasting phase of the chicken process), and then to make the foam while the chicken is roasting and resting.

ASIAN BLACKENED CHICKEN BREAST

What you need:
  • 3 oz. chicken breast
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. five spice powder
  • 1/2 tsp. dried ground fenugreek (double the five spice if you don't have fenugreek)
  • 1/2 tsp. Splenda
  • 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds (optional)
  • Nonstick spray
  • Saute pan
  • Oven-safe pan (if your saute pan isn't oven-safe)
What you do:
  1. Begin warming a saute pan over medium heat. While the pan is heating, salt the chicken breast.
  2. In a small bowl or on a plate, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, fenugreek, five spice powder, and Splenda. Coat the chicken breast in this mixture (same action as if you were dredging it in flour before frying).
  3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Once your saute pan is hot, lightly spray it with nonstick spray. Immediately begin to sear the seasoned chicken breast. Depending on how hot your pan is, it will take 2-3 minutes for the spices to form a crust and blacken. Flip the breast and blacken the other side, which should take just a minute or so. [An aside: It's a common misconception that whether a dish is "blackened" depends on the spice blend that is used. It's actually the technique that set the term. In other words, you can use Cajun blackening season to blacken, but if you don't actually blacken the spices to form a crust, you haven't made blackened food. Or at least that's what Claire Robinson says. :-)]
  5. If your saute pan is oven-safe, just transfer it to the oven for 7-10 minutes to finish cooking the chicken breast. If you, like me, have more "humble" cookwear, transfer the breast to a cake pan, cookie sheet, or other oven-save vessel and then roast it for 7-10 minutes in the oven.
  6. Once the chicken breast is done through (but not overcooked!), remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes, perhaps while you're preparing the foam. I like to slice the breast on a bias. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Note: I like the method of searing then oven-roasting for this dish, but you don't have to do it this way. If you don't mind losing a bit of the blackened crust on one side of the breast, you can try searing it on both sides, then turning down the heat and adding a few tablespoons of broth, water, or another cooking liquid. This method allows you to cook with moist heat on the top of the stove, which keeps the breast tender and juicy. It's almost like a braise, but not as intense. Some refer to this method as "steam-frying," but unlike others, I don't cover my pan with a lid to let it steam (mostly because, after numerous relocations, I've misplaced all of the lids for my pans.) I also like the fond that my steam-fry method leaves, so I can scrape it off the pan for mega-flavor.

BEAN SPROUT-SCALLION FRITTATA

What you need:
  • 1/2 cup bean sprouts
  • 10 grams chopped scallions
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup egg substitute (or one real egg, if you'd prefer a richer frittata)
  • Nonstick spray
  • Saute pan or wok
    Ramekin (optional. I used a 4 oz. ramekin.)

What you do:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Heat your saute pan or wok, lightly coat it with nonstick spray, and toss in the sprouts, scallions, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Stir-fry for just a minute or two, max. Remove the pan from the heat.
  3. Coat the ramekin, if applicable, with nonstick spray. Place sprout-scallion mixture in the bottom of your ramekin. Do not pack the mixture so tightly that the egg won't be able to get to the bottom.
  4. Pour the egg substitute into the ramekin atop the sprouts and scallions. Stir or shake lightly to make sure the egg gets all the way to the bottom of the ramekin. Place on an oven-safe pan/dish and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the frittata has pulled slightly away from the sides of the ramekin and is firm in the center. Do not overcook. You want the frittata to be done, but not rubbery and almost cake-like in the center.
  5. Once the frittata has cooled, go around the edges with a knife and release from the ramekin. Voila.
  6. [For people not using a ramekin] Combine the sprout-scallion mixture with the egg substitute. Spray your saute pan or wok again, and pour in the frittata mixture. After it is browned on one side and can hold solidly, flip it and cook through. Cooking the frittata atop the stove, basically omelet-style, should only take about 5 minutes. Voila.
SWEET AND SOUR FIVE SPICE FOAM

What you need:

  • 2 T pasteurized egg whites (for example, All Whites)
  • 2 tsp. natural rice vinegar (I use Nakano. Make sure to get the calorie-free "natural," not the "seasoned," which is full of sugar.)
  • 1 T Splenda
  • 1/4 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. five spice powder
  • Clean bowl, copper if you have it, but anything will work
  • Hand mixer

What you do:

  1. Pour egg whites and vinegar into the clean bowl. With hand mixer, whip the whites and vinegar until the mixture is almost at soft-peak stage.
  2. Add Splenda, soy sauce, salt, and five spice to the whipped whites. Continue whipping them until the spices are well-incorporated and until you are firmly at soft-peak stage. Do not overwhip. Serve immediately.

I was most excited to make the foam. Even though people in the food world seem to think foam is "played out" (as we say in the 'hood), I'd never made one. I thought whipped pasteurized egg whites would be a better choice than trying to use pricy bourgeois-chef ingredients like lecithin, agar, or nitrous oxide. Any home cook can do this!

The rice vinegar fulfills the dual roles of flavor enhancement and stabilization (acid stabilizes beaten egg whites, much like using cream of tartar or lemon juice in a meringue.) Also, I read on The French Culinary Institute's Cooking Issues blog that, with a foam, it's crucial that the flavor used actually needs to be diluted. In other words, the flavor must be strong enough to survive being aerated, or you wind up with a bland foam. This Sweet and Sour Five Spice Foam delivers a powerful punch that balances and amplifies the other components of this dish.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

This entire entree contains 197 calories, 31.6 grams of protein, 8.2 NET grams of carbohydrate (excluding fiber grams, which are not absorbed by the body), and only 2.1 grams of fat.

Asian Blackened Chicken Breast contains 116 calories, 20 grams of protein, 1.5 NET grams of carbohydrate, and 2 grams of fat.

Bean Sprout-Scallion Frittata contains 59 calories, 8.6 grams of protein, 4.7 NET grams of carbohydrate, and 0.1 grams of fat.

Sweet and Sour Five Spice Foam contains 22 calories, 3 grams of protein, 2 NET grams of carbohydrate, and 0 grams of fat.

A final note: For some post-ops, this recipe might produce a little too much food volume. Specifically, even though 3 oz. of chicken breast raw reduces to fewer ounces cooked, it might still be too much in combination with the frittata. Even I had to eat it slowly. Probably the best way to cut back on volume and calories is by reducing the amount of chicken to 1 or 2 ounces.

Review: Virginia's on King, Charleston

I had the good fortune of visiting Charleston on Friday, August 6 on business. Because Charleston is an amazing food city, I wanted to check out a new restaurant while I was in town. My options were limited, however, as I was only there for the day and could only squeeze in a restaurant lunch. (Some of the most celebrated Charleston restaurants, like FIG, Charleston Grill, Peninsula Grill, and Tristan, aren't open for lunch.)

I'd originally planned to go to Slightly North of Broad (aka "S.N.O.B.") for lunch because I've heard it's the best in Charleston for lunch. But en route to SNOB, I passed Virginia's on King. The lunch menu looked terrific, and the prices were amazing given the ambiance and the inventiveness of the menu. They have a cute Southern affectation of referring to lunch as "dinner" and dinner as "supper." There were a lot of people there, so I assumed it's a place the locals enjoy. SNOB's menu, in contrast, wasn't as exciting to me. Plus, I'd been to SNOB before. For these reasons, Virginia's became the site for my post-exam smorgasbord.

As you'll understand from the recap below, I suspended my adherence to WLS dietary guidelines for the day. It was planned, so I don't feel guilty about it.
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Before I get into specific reviews of each dish, note that Virginia's will be having a new head chef very soon. The manager told me that right now, they are operating with two sous chefs and no executive chef or chef de cuisine. So, take all the negatives with a grain of salt, as the menu and the execution of that menu may change.

Also, please excuse the fuzziness of the food porn. My only camera is a Blackberry, and Virginia's was rocking the mood lighting which further compromised the photo quality.
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Okra Soup
Nostalgia. This soup reminded me of my grandfather, who made killer vegetable soup using lots of pork as a flavoring agent. I think they may have used bacon instead of salt pork, which would explain the hint of smokiness in the soup.

The soup was perfectly salted, but too greasy and -- interesting for an "okra soup" -- didn't contain much okra. I got exactly two slices of okra in the entire cup of soup. If this had been called "tomato soup with okra" or even "traditional southern vegetable soup," I would have been more on board with it. (What have we learned this season from Top Chef's Amanda with the minestrone, Stephen with the chimichurri, and Ed with something I can't recall right now? Don't mislabel your food!)

Also, where was the corn? It's a little odd for a southern vegetable soup to have okra and tomatoes but no corn (but that is not a fatal flaw.)

Broccoli Cornbread
This dish is a stroke of pure genius. Who would ever think, "Y'know, what this cornbread needs is a few broccoli spears"? I want to know who came up with this idea. It was awesome. The moistness of the broccoli really worked well with the cornbread, which was sweet enough but not overly so. It was great alone and dipped in the soup. I didn't eat all of the broccoli cornbread, but I wanted to.
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Pimento Cheese

This pimento cheese was nothing special. It was "aight." It was a touch too mayonnaise-heavy and runny for my liking. I like a stronger focus on the cheddar cheese. They make a big deal on the menu about how it's made in-house, but it didn't taste much better than Ruth's. (To be fair, my reference point for excellent pimento cheese is DiPrato's Delicatessen in Columbia, which sets an almost unattainable bar. DiPrato's pimento cheese is truly the gold standard, the undisputable champion.)

Furthermore, excellent pimento cheese -- especially if it's made in-house -- should be served with a flavorful and special accompaniment (for example, the buttery, garlicky pita triangles at DiPrato's.) Instead, Virginia's pimento cheese comes with cardboard-flavored, obviously store-bought sesame crackers. The spread was better on the grilled bread from my shrimp and scallop salad.

Yet, even with these criticisms, I can't be too upset about this dish. I ate a good deal of it, even spreading it on the bread, shrimp, scallops, and chicken livers to add flavor. So, it couldn't have been that bad.

Tomato Pie
Of the dishes I tried, this one was most obviously plagued with execution errors. Conceptually, you can't go wrong with a deep-dish pie stuffed with fresh tomatoes, onions, mayo, and cheese. Yet, if the tomatoes are uncooked, the onions tough, the pastry too dense, and the whole pie undersalted, there's a problem.

Uncooked tomatoes -- self-explanatory, but mystifying considering that it doesn't take a lot of time for tomatoes to cook down. It makes me wonder what their technique is with the pie; do they bake both the top and bottom crusts separately and put the filling in last or something? Is that even possible?

The pastry at the back of the slice of pie was so dense it was inedible. The top pastry was quite good, but the bottom was a little too soggy which is a challenge particularly with tomato pies. You can avoid this by pre-salting the tomatoes and allowing a lot of the liquid to drain off, but apparently they did not do this. Well, apparently, they didn't salt anything at all. This had no salt. It was like a low-sodium tomato pie -- completely bland.

The most offensive aspect of the dish, however, was the chopping of the onions. Specifically, they didn't peel the onion deeply enough, so I had the tough green part of the onions in my pie. ALL of the onions were tough and crunchy. I hadn't had tomato pie before, but I'm positive that was not the way it was supposed to be. It didn't have that sumptuous, comfort-food appeal you imagine when you hear "tomato pie."

Chicken Livers

This was the worst dish I tried on Friday. The livers themselves were nicely fried with flavorful, well-executed coating. I don't have many complaints about the livers.

The fatal flaws were (1) the caramelized onions, which were in fact burnt -- you could actually see the black flecks scraped off the bottom of the pan, and they imparted an intense bitterness that ruined the entire dish; and (2) the greasy, gloppy sauce, which was ostensibly bacon and tomato gravy, but lacked tomato or bacon color or flavor. I asked the server, but I'm still clueless about what I was ingesting.

Fortunately (?), I only ate 1 of the livers. So, no significant caloric waste.

Shrimp & Scallop Salad

This is the dish I ordered to make sure the meal met my nutritional needs. Scallops and shrimp poached in broth over salad greens is super-high protein, low-carb, and low-fat. I got the potential diet busters, chive creme fraiche and lemon vinaigrette, on the side. If I were stopping here for lunch and hadn't planned a splurge, this is unquestionably what I'd order.

More specifics: The scallops and shrimp are poached in a mixture of broth (not sure what kind), white wine, and capers. It's served with grilled bread, mesclun greens, and tomatoes. Usually, the shrimp and scallops come dressed with the chive creme fraiche, reminiscent of a traditional seafood salad.

This was great! The shrimp and scallops had a delicate-but-present flavor that was heartening after the bad flavor of the chicken liver accompaniments and the non-flavor of the tomato pie. The creme fraiche was also delicately flavored, but it wouldn't have added much to the shrimp and scallops and may have even detracted from them if it were all mixed together.

Interestingly, the star of this plate was the lemon vinaigrette. It was so delicious that I was dipping all kinds of stuff into it -- the bread, the bland crackers from the pimento cheese, even the cornbread.

Pecan Pie a la Mode


I only had 2 bites of this, but it definitely gets my strong seal of approval. Generally, I'm not a pecan pie fan. I find most versions too chewy and/or cloyingly sweet. I only ordered it this time because the server said it was one of their most popular desserts.

This pecan pie was neither too sweet nor too firm. It was just gooey enough, and had a strong butteriness. I wanted to eat all of it, but thank God I didn't or I might have died right there in the restaurant.

S'more Cheesecake

The final dish. What a way to end a meal.

S'more cheesecake is chocolate cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, topped with a toasted marshmallow and drizzled with chocolate sauce. It was their dessert special, but I would strongly recommend adding this to the regular dessert menu stat. (Not that my opinion is especially informed, but this was amazing.)

Because chocolate, cheesecake, graham cracker crust, and toasted marshmallows are individually some of my favorite foods, I knew I was going to order this. I was slightly concerned, however, that all of these components added together would be way too sweet. I'm so glad I was wrong. They used the chocolate cheesecake as a sort of tart element, which balanced well with the sweet marshmallow. My absolute favorite component was the graham cracker crust. They could have just served me a bowl of that crust and I would have been very happy.

What really brought this dessert home, though, was the ice cream from the pecan pie a la mode. :-) Of course I didn't eat even half of the cheesecake, but most of what I ate was the graham cracker crust with the ice cream. Simple and heavenly.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

As explained above, the savory dishes were inconsistent. The desserts, however, were excellent, especially for an affordable restaurant.

The service was good. I sat at the bar as I typically do when eating alone. My server was busy, but attentive. He forgot to give me silverware at first, so I was forced to sit and take in the nostalgia-inducing aroma of the okra soup for about 5 minutes before I could eat it. But I wasn't starving, and the soup was still hot when I could eat it, so it was fine. Also, after I ate the soup, the server told me to keep the dirty spoon instead of giving me a fresh spoon. That was not ideal. But this is not a four-star restaurant; it's nice but affordable and convenient, and is thus apparently not the kind of place that gives fresh silverware after every course.

The server and manager seemed to become more interested in me when it was obvious that I was going to write about the restaurant. (I ordered lots of food that I didn't eat and was taking photos.) The manager was an interesting guy. He was refreshingly honest about the direction of the restaurant and the limitations of their current menu. He made me want to come back to experience the food again after their personnel changes.

I loved meeting the manager in part because he's originally from Dublin, Ireland. He even went to the same university as me. He's lived in the US for about 20 years, so I didn't notice the Irish accent at first. But as we were chatting, I heard the distinctive sound of Dublin emanate from his lips. Connecting with a fellow Irishman was almost as enjoyable as the S'more Cheesecake.

What I Ate: August 11, 2010

  • Mint chocolate protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Nectar chocolate truffle protein powder (50 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup Great Value fat-free cottage cheese (90 kcals, 14g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened dark cocoa (15 kcals, 1g net carbs), Splenda, SF chocolate syrup. Total - (155 kcals, 25.5g protein, 9g carbs, 0g fat).
  • 2 T half and half in Sbux venti decaf (39 kcals, 0.9g protein, 1.3g net carbs, 3.5g fat).
  • 1 vanilla creme Oh Yeah! in 4 decaf coffees (220 kcals, 32g protein, 3g carbs, 9g fat)
  • 10 muscadines - was thrilled to find these at Rosewood Market today! I'd been looking for some. Hadn't had them in 15+ years. They sort of taste like port. (approximately 25 kcals, 5g carbs).
  • Strawberry protein frosty with dark chocolate hint: 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (90 kcals, 14g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 scoop Matrix strawberry cream protein powder (55 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0.8g fat), 1 tbsp. SF/FF white chocolate pudding mix (15 kcals, 3g carbs), 1 tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark cocoa (15 kcals, 1g net carbs), water, Splenda, lotsa ice. Total - (175 kcals, 25.5g protein, 12g carbs, 0.8g fat).
  • Dinner fun! Deconstructed egg foo yung. See my recipe and photo here. Total - (197 kcals, 31.6g protein, 8.2g net carbs, 2.1g fat).
  • Mint chocolate protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Matrix perfect chocolate protein powder (60 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1.5g net carbs, 1g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (90 kcals, 14g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened Special Dark cocoa (15 kcals, 1g net carbs), DaVinci SF peppermint syrup. Total - (155 kcals, 25.5g protein, 9.5g carbs, 1g fat).
  • About 40 grams mashed roasted butternut squash - cooked for the week (16 kcals, 0.4g protein, 4g carbs, 0g fat).
Total (excluding compulsively eaten sesame seeds, fat-free cheese, and reduced-fat coconut in the middle of the night):
982 calories
141.4g protein
57.4% kcals from protein
52g net carbs
21.2% kcals from net carbs
16.4g fat
15.0% kcals from fat.

Because of my late-night compulsive eating episode, my calories, fat, and protein were much higher than this in reality. Blasted sesame seeds. I've had them in my pantry for 6 months - why are they tempting me now?

Exercise: 40 minutes on the elliptical. I'm trying to work my way into enjoying gym cardio again.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Recipe in Progress: Sardine Mousse with Indian-Spiced Eggplant Pancakes

I've been wanting to play with sardines. I discovered via Obesity Help that they are actually a great post-RNY food. For some reason - I guess because I associate them with my grease-lovin' late granddad - I assumed the canned version was terribly unhealthy.

I couldn't have been more off-base: 1 2-oz. serving of Wild Planet sardines canned in spring water is just 73 calories, 13 grams of protein, no carbs, and just 2 grams of super-healthy Omega-3 fat. In a word, stellar.

Plus, I recently read on Susan Maria Leach's blog that women often reap more benefits from food sources of calcium than from supplements. Sardines are a terrific source of calcium and Vitamin D, among other nutrients. But, to receive all of the benefit from eating sardines, you gotta eat the skin and the bones. [Cue the "ews"]. Susan Maria linked to her blog post on her Before and After Help message board, and both her and one of the moderators were hatin' on sardines.

Because I'd been wanting to try them again anyway, I took their disdain as a challenge. Last night, I made this:

My plating left much to be desired, but the flavors were amazing. The mousse itself is ridiculously easy to make. No heated cooking required!

However, this recipe isn't perfect. It's in progress. I think next time I will add some avocado, tofu, and/or fat-free cream cheese to stabilize the mousse a bit more and to raise the creamy factor. Fresh basil would probably be really good instead of the dried. I could also add some unflavored gelatin and mold it to make something really fancy. But I want to put the idea and flavors out there now, and I'll tweak it when I decide I want sardine mousse again.

SARDINE MOUSSE

What you need:
  • 2 oz. canned sardines in spring water, with skin and bones (I used Wild Planet wild sardines from The Fresh Market)
  • About 20 grams onion, lightly sauteed in nonstick spray to dull the raw flavor
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Juice of 1/2 small lemon
  • 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika (if you don't have smoked paprika, try adding 2 tsp. Liquid Smoke and 1/2 tsp. regular paprika)
  • 1/4 tsp. table salt
  • 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tbsp. Splenda
  • 1/4 cup pasteurized egg whites, like All Whites [Note: even though they don't whip as well, you definitely need to use pasteurized whites because this is a no-cook dish].
  • 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
  • Food processor
  • Hand mixer
What to do:
  1. Place all ingredients except the egg whites and cream of tartar in your food processor. Puree until smooth.
  2. In a clean bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar and whip to soft peaks using the hand mixer.
  3. Very, very carefully fold the sardine puree into the egg whites until well-combined. Voila! Keep chilled until ready to serve.
EGGPLANT PANCAKES

What you need:
  • About 20 grams yellow onion, diced (any kind of onion would work, but would add a slightly different flavor)
  • About 100 grams eggplant, diced small, skin-on
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. curry powder
  • 1T apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp. Splenda (or 3 packets)
  • 1/4 cup pasteurized egg whites (like All Whites)
  • Nonstick spray
  • Parchment paper (optional)
  • Food processor (or you can finely dice the eggplant by hand)
What to do:
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Saute the diced eggplant in nonstick spray over medium heat just until they are translucent. While the onions are sauteing, salt the eggplant and let the salt pull out some of the bitterness.
  3. Once the onions are soft and slightly browned, add in the eggplant. Stir in the garam masala, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, and curry powder. Let it cook down until the flesh is softened and there's some "stuff" sticking to the bottom of the saute pan.
  4. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar (add water too if needed), and stir in the Splenda.
  5. Chop the eggplant mixture in the food processor. Don't puree; just chop finely. Put in a bowl. Stir in pasteurized egg whites to make pancake batter.
  6. Portion out the pancake mixture on a cookie sheet coated with nonstick spray or lined with parchment paper. (I made 4 pancakes). Bake in oven at 350 until cooked through and brown around the edges (about 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven). Enjoy!
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
This entire dish, which I designed to make one serving, contains approximately 223 calories, 26.7 grams of protein, 17.1 NET grams of carbohydrate (not including any fiber grams), and 2.2 grams of fat. Note that these are very generous estimates, including calorie and macronutrient counts for all of the spices, the vinegar, and the Splenda.

The sardine mousse contains 138 calories, 19.4 grams of protein, 8.7 NET grams of carbohydrate, and 2.2 grams of fat.

The eggplant pancakes contain 85 calories, 7.3 grams of protein, 8.4 NET grams of carbohydrate, and 0 grams of fat.

You should be eating more sardines. In addition to the calcium, Omega-3 fats, and deliciousness, they are also one of the most "green" seafood choices. Read the labels for sodium content, but other than that, you can't go wrong with 'em.

What I Ate: August 10, 2010

  • Mint chocolate protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Nectar chocolate truffle protein powder (50 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened dark cocoa (15 kcals, 1g net carbs), Splenda, SF chocolate syrup. Total - (145 kcals, 26.5g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat).
  • 1/4 cup half and half split between 2 Starbucks decaf coffees (78 kcals, 1.8g protein, 2.6g net carbs, 7g fat). Sbux messed up my coffee this morning, giving me a cup of coffee with about 1/4 cup of coffee grounds in the bottom. Shameful! So I went back, got a free refill, got one of those free drink cards for disgruntled people, AND got a Sbux gift card sent to me because I contacted the regional manager. It was pretty awesome. Gotta love that Starbucks customer service. Because I'm neurotic, I took a photo of the extreme coffee grounds:

  • 1 frosty chocolate Pure Protein shake in 4 decaf coffees (170 kcals, 35g protein, 3g net carbs, 1g fat).
  • 1/2 cup whole milk in Sbux iced sugar-free vanilla quad espresso (76 kcals, 4g protein, 6g carbs, 4g fat).
  • Vanilla bean cheesecake protein frosty: 1/2 scoop About Time birthday cake protein powder (52 kcals, 12.5g protein, 0g net carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 T. SF/FF cheesecake pudding mix (15 kcals, 3g carbs), Splenda, vanilla extract. Total - (147 kcals, 27.5g protein, 8g carbs, 0g fat). This didn't turn out as yummy as I expected it to be. Oh well.
  • Indian-spiced eggplant pancakes with sardine mousse: 2 oz. canned sardines packed in spring water (73 kcals, 13g protein, 0g carbs, 2g fat), 97 grams eggplant (24 kcals, 1g protein, 3g net carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup pasteurized egg whites -- 1/4 cup whipped to soft peaks, the other 1/4 cup used to make eggplant patties (60 kcals, 12g protein, 2g carbs, 0g fat), 38 grams onion, some for mousse, some for pancakes (15 kcals, 0.4g protein, 2.9g net carbs, 0g fat), plus various seasonings - lemon juice, smoked paprika, garlic powder, thyme, garam masala, onion powder, curry powder (about 15 kcals, 2g net carbs). Total - (187 kcals, 26.4g protein, 9.9g net carbs, 2g fat). This was crazy! I want to find a way to make the mousse fluffier, but other than that, it was shockingly yummy.
  • Another mint chocolate protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Matrix perfect chocolate protein powder (60 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1.5g net carbs, 1g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened Special Dark cocoa (15 kcals, 1g net carbs), DaVinci SF peppermint syrup. Total - (155 kcals, 26.5g protein, 7.5g carbs, 1g fat).
Total:
958 calories
147.7g protein
61.7% kcals from protein
44g net carbs
18.4% kcals from net carbs
15g fat (don't seem to get much fat in without nuts.)
14.1% kcals from fat.

Exercise was lame again today. I got a lot done around the house this morning, but I was later than usual getting to the office gym. However, I still went, which is good. I was tempted not to go at all. 30 minutes on the elliptical -- but at least I had the resistance higher than usual.

Edited to add: Also attended my penultimate Columbia WLS support group tonight. I will be sad to leave them - it is a great group. This was a particularly good meeting because it was very free-flowing, and we discussed a wide range of topics, from getting back on track after vacation, to plastic surgery, to how the LapBand works, etc. There were also some new (to me) faces and some old regular who hadn't been back for a few months. Two of the new faces were particularly exciting to see, one an RNYer about 6 years out who is maintaining great (with her hubby), and a Band patient who is in maintenance and teensy-tiny.

The Band maintainer was awesome; she had great energy and I loved meeting her. Yet, honestly, I was a tiny bit jealous of her. She is 5'5" and 125 pounds, and is trying to stay above that. In contrast, I am 5'7" and 170 or so pounds, and it's a battle for me to stay there, let alone get below that. I soothe myself with the realization that she started at around 240, while my highest weight was almost 100 pounds heavier than that. But I'm still a teensy bit envious. I want so badly to see what it's like to be truly "skinny."

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

What I Ate: August 9, 2010

  • Chocolate cheesecake protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Nectar chocolate truffle protein powder (50 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tsp. Hershey's unsweetened dark cocoa (5 kcals, 1g net carbs), 1 tbsp. cheesecake SF/FF pudding mix (15 kcals, 3g carbs), Splenda, SF chocolate syrup. Total - (150 kcals, 26.5g protein, 10g carbs, 0g fat).
  • 2 T half and half in Sbux venti decaf (39 kcals, 0.9g protein, 1.3g net carbs, 3.5g fat).
  • 1 Extreme Smoothie chocolate in several decaf coffees (170 kcals, 35g protein, 5g net carbs, 0.5g fat)
  • About 1.5 oz. raw cashews from The Fresh Market (234 kcals, 7.8g protein, 11.3g net carbs, 18.6g fat).
  • Delicious dinner! 4 colossal sea scallops (128 grams raw), seasoned with garlic, fenugreek, smoked paprika, and Chinese five spice (about 123 kcals, 21.6g protein, 4g net carbs, 1g fat) and 2 small caramelized Belgian endives, seasoned with paprika, celery seeds, preserved lemon, and thyme (about 30 kcals, 4g net carbs). Total - (153 kcals, 21.6g protein, 8g net carbs, 1g fat). OMG scrumptious! I'm working toward rebuilding the magic of my earlier post-op days, when I took the time to plan great dinners just for myself to enjoy.
  • Cookies & cream dream protein frosty: 1/2 cup cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat) and 1 tsp. SF/FF cheesecake Jello pudding mix (15 kcals, 3g carbs), 1/2 scoop Matrix Cookies & Cream protein powder (65 kcals, 11.5g protein, 2g carbs, 1g fat), 1 tsp. Hershey's Special Dark cocoa (5 kcals, 1g carbs), ice, water, SF vanilla syrup. Total - (165 kcals, 26.5g protein, 11g carbs, 1g fat).
Total:
911 calories
118.3g protein
51.9% kcals from protein
46.6g net carbs
20.5% kcals from net carbs
24.6g fat
24.3% kcals from fat.
Exercise was 33 minutes on the elliptical in the AM. I have apparently lost the fire in my belly for cardio, but I'm going to keep doing at least a little until I love it again :-)

Thursday, August 5, 2010

What I Ate: August 5, 2010

Originally recorded on August 5, 2010, but calculated and posted on August 10, 2010. Backdated for future convenience.
  • Mochaccino protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Nectar cappuccino protein powder (45 kcals, 11.5g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (10 kcals, 1g net carbs), SF vanilla, chocolate, and toasted marshmallow syrups. Total - (135 kcals, 26.5g protein, 6g carbs, 0g fat).
  • 2 T half and half in Sbux venti decaf (39 kcals, 0.9g protein, 1.3g net carbs, 3.5g fat). I think 2 T half and half has a more robust milky flavor than 1/4 cup whole milk.
  • Salad-esque lunch deliciousness: 2 oz. Jennie-O extra lean turkey ham, thinly sliced and sauteed (60 kcals, 8g protein, 2g carbs, 3g fat), 50 grams mashed delicata squash that I got at the all-local farmers' market weeks ago (39 kcals, 0.4g protein, 5.7g net carbs, 1g fat), about 86 grams sauteed mushrooms (36 kcals, 3.8g protein, 2.6g net carbs, 0.2g fat), and 1 handful of arugula (10 kcals, 1g protein, 0.6g net carbs, 0.2g fat). Total - (145 kcals, 13.2g protein, 12.9g net carbs, 4.4g fat).
  • 1 oz. raw almonds (164 kcals, 6g protein, 2.3g net carbs, 14.4g fat).
  • 2.5 oz. of a vanilla creme Oh Yeah! (40 kcals, 4g protein, 0.5g carbs, 1.6g fat) in decaf coffee with SF chocolate syrup.
  • Chocolate cookie s'more protein frosty: 1/2 cup cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat) and 1 tsp. SF/FF white chocolate Jello pudding mix (5 kcals, 1g carbs), 1/2 scoop Matrix Cookies & Cream protein powder (65 kcals, 11.5g protein, 2g carbs, 1g fat), ice, water, Splenda, SF chocolate syrup. Total - (150 kcals, 26.5g protein, 7g carbs, 1g fat).
  • Peanut butter protein frosty: 1/2 cup cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 scoop Inspire peanut butter cookie protein powder (66 kcals, 12.5g protein, 0.5g carbs, 0.5g fat), 1 tsp. SF/FF butterscotch Jello pudding mix (5 kcals, 1g net carbs), pinch salt, Splenda, water, ice, SF peanut butter and chocolate syrups. Total - (171 kcals, 27.5g protein, 9.5g net carbs, 0.5g fat). This actually turned out great! I was surprised; usually
  • 1/2 block lite firm tofu that I marinated and baked with various spices (110 kcals, 17.5g protein, 5g carbs, 3.8g fat) and 50 grams mashed delicata squash (39 kcals, 0.4g protein, 5.7g net carbs, 1g fat) made even silkier and creamier with 1 slice Kraft fat-free Swiss (25 kcals, 4g protein, 2g carbs, 0g fat). Total - (174 kcals, 21.9g protein, 12.7g net carbs, 4.8g fat). Scrumptiliumptious. I gotta find some more of that great squash. Seriously, I'm not sure why I'd ever eat mashed potatoes again if winter squash were around.
Total:
1,018 calories
126.5g protein
49.7% kcals from protein
52.2g net carbs
20.5% kcals from net carbs
30.2g fat
26.7% kcals from fat.
Exercise was minimal today; I got out of the house too late. Leslie Sansone 30-minute walk DVD, which is great in a pinch. At least I did something!

What I Ate: August 4, 2010

  • Mexican chocolate protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Nectar chocolate truffle protein powder (50 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (10 kcals, 1g net carbs), pinch of cinnamon, Splenda, SF chocolate, vanilla, and praline syrups. Total - (140 kcals, 26.5g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat).
  • 1/4 cup whole milk in venti decaf coffee from Sbux (38 kcals, 2g protein, 3g carbs, 2g fat).
  • Gourmet lunch deliciousness: 2 oz. Jennie-O extra lean turkey ham, thinly sliced and sauteed (60 kcals, 8g protein, 2g carbs, 3g fat), 50 grams mashed delicata squash that I got at the all-local farmers' market weeks ago (39 kcals, 0.4g protein, 5.7g net carbs, 1g fat), 43 grams sauteed mushrooms (18 kcals, 1.9g protein, 1.3g net carbs, 0g fat), and 1 handful of arugula (10 kcals, 1g protein, 0.6g net carbs, 0.2g fat). Total - (127 kcals, 11.3g protein, 9.6g net carbs, 4.2g fat).
  • 30 grams roasted and salted soy nuts (150 kcals, 11g protein, 6g net carbs, 8g fat).
  • 5 oz. Oh Yeah! in grande iced decaf americano from Sbux (78 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 3.2g fat).
  • 1 package (2 servings) Sahale Snacks barbecue/ranch almonds (280 kcals, 10g protein, 10g net carbs, 22g fat).
  • Strawberry protein shake: 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 scoop Matrix strawberry cream protein powder (55 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0.8g fat), SF vanilla syrup, water, Splenda, lotsa ice. Total - (135 kcals, 26.5g protein, 6g carbs, 0.8g fat).
  • Another strawberry shake, this time with random flavors added: 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 scoop Matrix strawberry cream protein powder (55 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0.8g fat), 1 tsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder (3 kcals, 0.3g net carbs), SF vanilla and toasted marshmallow syrups, cinnamon, water, Splenda, lotsa ice. Total - (138 kcals, 26.5g protein, 6.3g carbs, 0.8g fat).
  • 1/4 block lite firm tofu that I marinated and baked - so delish (55 kcals, 8.7g protein, 2.5g carbs, 2g fat).
Total:
1,141 calories
134g protein
47.0% kcals from protein
51.4g net carbs
18.0% kcals from net carbs
43g fat
33.9% kcals from fat.

Wednesday's exercise was "Sunrise Flow," a gently heated relatively slow-paced vinyasa class. The instructor contacted some of us regulars and irregulars the day before class to encourage us to attend. She lured us in with promises of backbends, and I LOVE backbends. It was well-worth rolling out of bed at 5:30. We did various versions of eka pada rajakapotasana (one-legged king pigeon pose), lots of cobras, a couple bridges, half frog (one of my favorites), dolphin, some variations on down dog, anuvittasana, and some other stuff.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

What I Ate: August 3, 2010

  • Mint chocolate protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Nectar chocolate truffle protein powder (50 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (10 kcals, 1g net carbs), SF chocolate, vanilla, and mint syrups. Total - (140 kcals, 26.5g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat).
  • 1/4 cup whole milk in venti decaf coffee from Sbux (38 kcals, 2g protein, 3g carbs, 2g fat).
  • 4 Eggface bites with turkey ham, fat-free cheese, and onions (84 kcals, 14.4g protein, 2.1g net carbs, 4.8g fat) and 1 serving of my June 30th batch of roasted veggies (50 kcals, 2.8g protein, 7.5g net carbs, 0.3g fat) served over about 1 cup of arugula (6 kcals, 0.6g protein, 0.4g net carbs, 0.2g fat). Total - (140 kcals, 17.8g protein, 10g net carbs, 5.3g fat).
  • 9 oz. vanilla creme Oh Yeah! (142 kcals, 20.5g protein, 2g carbs, 5.8g fat) in 3 decaf coffees with 3 LaNouba sugar-free marshmallows (40 kcals, 8g net carbs). Total - (182 kcals, 20.5g protein, 10g net carbs, 5.8g fat).
  • 30 grams roasted and salted soy nuts (150 kcals, 11g protein, 6g net carbs, 8g fat) and 1 oz. raw almonds (164 kcals, 6g protein, 2.3g net carbs, 14.4g fat). Total - (314 kcals, 17g protein, 8.3g net carbs, 22.4g fat).
  • Cinnamon protein pancakes: 1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese (40 kcals, 7.5g protein, 2.5g carbs, 0g fat), 2 tbsp. Egg Beaters (15 kcals, 3g protein, 0.5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 scoop Nectar vanilla bean torte protein powder (90 kcals, 23g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat), baking powder, 2 tbsp. SF praline syrup, cinnamon, Splenda, 2 tbsp. FF ICBINB (10 kcals) and 2 tbsp. SF Mrs. Butterworth's syrup (10 kcals, 2g net carbs). Total - (165 kcals, 33.5g protein, 5g net carbs, 0g fat).
  • Chocolate protein frosty with peanutty hint: 1/2 scoop Nectar chocolate truffle protein powder (50 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (10 kcals, 1g net carbs), SF chocolate, vanilla, and peanut butter syrups. Total - (140 kcals, 26.5g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat).
Total:
1,119 calories
143.8g protein
51.4% kcals from protein
50.3g net carbs
18.0% kcals from net carbs
35.5g fat
28.6% kcals from fat.

I'm cultivating an at-home yoga practice, with emphasis on vinyasa. I like a more active practice with a few complex (for me) poses thrown in. For example, I like to do lots of sun salutations, but then build toward a "party pose" like camatkarasana ("Wild Thing") or natarajasana ("Lord of the Dance") - haven't tried the latter yet, but it's on tap soon.

But even with vinyasa yoga, I still gotta get my cardio in. So I did 35 minutes of yoga at home, then went to the office gym for 32 minutes on the elliptical.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Checking in on 2010 Goals

In January, I pulled together a list of fifty goals for 2010. I hoped this method would be more successful than the standard New Year's Resolution because they are concrete, achievable goals. Now that the year is over half done, I thought it would be good to review my progress.

So, here they are:

WEIGHT, BODY SIZE & HEALTH
-Reach 188 pounds - an "overweight" BMI. MET.
-Reach 154 pounds - a "normal" BMI. Not met, and seems unlikely to be met in 2010. I was 173 this morning and have gotten as low as 169.8 (last week).
-Maintain or get below 154 pounds at the end of the year. See above.
-Wear a size Small shirt. MET.
-Buy at least one bra from Victoria's Secret. MET, although hilariously, I have to wear specialty size bras now because of my excess skin issues. VS doesn't make my size.
-Unsubscribe from Lane Bryant's mailing list. MET as to email, though they keep sending me catalogs in the mail. Argh.
-Get labs of my vitamin levels drawn at least once. MET, though I'd like to get it done again because my ferritin and Vitamin D were a little lower than I'd prefer.
-Revisit my surgeon for at least one check up. MET in early March. Recap here.
-Go to the dentist for a teeth cleaning and go to the gyno. Not met.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & ADVENTURE
-Complete the Couch to 5K program. Not met, and unlikely to be met. I'm scared to run because I don't want to jack up my knees.
-Register for and complete at least 3 "races" of any length. Walking them is fine. In process. I've completed one race so far and am planning to do the Outer Banks Half-Marathon in November. I will do at least one 5K or something before the year is over.
-Go hiking at least 3 times. Also in process. I've been hiking once, but now it's too hot. Hopefully I will be able to go hiking again during fall.
-Go fishing at least once. Not met, but my sister and I have been talking about going in September when my job is over.
-Go to a yoga studio, preferably for bikram or "hot" yoga, at least once. Sooo MET. This commitment started me on a lovely path toward being a real yogini!

TRAVEL
-At least once, travel to a country I've never visited. Not met, and between finances and work schedules, seeming unlikely to be met.
-Visit Los Angeles. Not met. Maybe I can find a way to reach this goal that's related to the bar?
-Visit at least one state I've never been to, preferably Texas. Not met, but not completely out of the cards. I know I have a potential way of going to Houston in June 2011, but that's not 2010, is it?

READING (Haven't done great with this, but am hoping to knock out a bunch of these during my 3 weeks off in September)
-Read Pierre Bourdieu, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Not met.
-Read Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth (nope, I've never read it all the way through.) Not met.
-Read Mitchell Duneier's Sidewalk. Not met.
-Read Mitchell Duneier's Slim's Table: Race, Respectability, and Masculinity. Not met.
-Read Katherine S. Newman & Victor Tan Chen, The Missing Class: Portraits of the Near Poor in America. Purchased, but only partially read.
-Read Katherine S. Newman, No Shame in My Game: The Working Poor in the Inner City. Not met.
-Read Mary Patillo's Black on the Block: The Politics of Race and Class in the City. Not met.
-Read William Julius Wilson, More Than Just Race: Being Black and Poor in the Inner City. MET.
-Read William Julius Wilson, The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass, and Public Policy. Checked out from the library and partially read, but not completed.
-Read William Julius Wilson & Richard P. Taub, There Goes the Neighborhood: Racial, Ethnic, and Class Tensions in Four Chicago Neighborhoods and Their Meaning for America. Not met.

PROFESSIONAL
-Finish revising my SAW for publication. Not met! Not even close!
-Build my personal website. Bought the domain name; on tap for September.
-Take the GRE and score above 700 on verbal and at least 650 on quantitative. MET!
-Pass the MPRE. Not met, but I take it again on Friday! Lord, please let me reach this goal . . .
-Gain admission to graduate school and/or get an appellate clerkship. Definitely NOT trying to get an appellate clerkship. The problem re: grad school is that I won't know if I was admitted until 2011, but apps are due at the end of 2010. So, I'm slightly modifying this goal to "Apply to graduate school." I've made a lot of progress in that direction, but have not actually applied.
-During any gap of time between my clerkship and my next job, write and publish at least one op-ed or an LTE in a major newspaper. Not met; we'll see if we can squeeze that into September as well.
-Develop a sharper research focus. Met.
-Finish article review for Professor Schuck and email it to him. Not met, and I may not meet it. Turning work in late is one thing, but turning work in over a year late and over a year after you graduated is a little ridiculous. But I did tell him I'd send it to him, and I never did. I will see if I have time.

COOKING & EATING
-Cook with or eat 20 ingredients that I've never tried. MET.
-Write at least 15 new recipes. Sort of annoying because I've definitely come up with 15 new recipes, but I haven't written most of them down. I consider this one to be in progress. It only counts if I write it down and post it on this blog.
-Go to McClellanville or similar coastal area to purchase fresh seafood. Not met, but I plan to go to McClellanville this weekend! I'll be traveling from Charleston to Myrtle Beach, and McClellanville is right on the way.
-Dine in at least one of the following New York restaurants: Brad Farmerie's Public, Seamus Mullen's Boqueria, Eric Ripert's Le Bernardin, Dan Barber's Blue Hill in Greenwich Village or at Stone Barns, Wylie Dufresne's WD-50, Daniel Humm's Eleven Madison Park, Anita Lo's Annisa (when repaired), Geoffrey Zakarian's Town, Alex Guernaschelli's Butter, Aaron Sanchez's Centrico, Floyd Cardoz's Tabla, or Gramercy Tavern. MET! Ate at Butter in March.
-Dine at Sean Brock's McCrady's in Charleston. MET. Wasn't as great as I'd hoped, but I was comparing it to my experience at John Besh's August and perhaps that wasn't fair.

CULTURE & COMMUNITY
-Continue volunteering at the shelter through September 2010. This was a bust! I kept volunteering with them through March, then randomly I stopped hearing from them. I emailed the program director to see when she needed me again, and she never wrote back. It's been months since I've seen my ladies or been to AA. Sucks, but . . . ::sigh::.
-Volunteer somewhere other than the shelter at least once. Not yet, but there's no question I'll get there.
-Watch all five seasons of The Wire. I'm so in the process of this! Just finished Disc 3 of Season 4, so I'm almost there.
-Watch the Roots miniseries (nope, I've never seen it - no one revoke my "black card" please.) Umm, I actually forgot this was on the list! Not met, but I'll get it done before the year is over.
-See at least two live theater shows. Not met.

OTHER
-Write at least ten relatively lengthy emails to catch up with friends/colleagues with whom I haven't spoken recently. Nope. Just one. And I'm not sure if I still want to do this or not. At least the one I sent was highly successful, and rekindled a friendship that was dormant for six years.
-Have at least 5 meaningful conversations about religion/faith/spirituality. Notta one, unless you count a heated one about religion when I was in DC for brunch last weekend. It was an awkward, lawyer-like conversation though; I didn't get anything out of it. So I'm not going to count it. That wasn't what I had in mind when setting this goal.
-Go to karaoke at least once. Not yet.
-Pay off my credit cards completely at least once (they may still have a balance at the end of 2010.) MET!
-Own my own car/get my current car off my mother's insurance. Not met, and probably won't be met.

So, where does this leave me?

Overall, I'm not doing super-great. I've only met fourteen of the fifty goals (green), and only eight more are in process (blue). Twelve more of the goals I haven't met (red) are likely to be met before the end of the year, and most of those involve reading books. That leaves sixteen goals - nearly 1/3 - that I haven't met and seem unlikely to meet.

It's interesting to look at the categories where I've had the most and least success. For obvious reasons, weight/size/health got a lot of love from me this year, as did cooking & eating. Progress on travel, culture & community, and "other" are downright pathetic, with reading only slightly better because I was deliberately putting some of the books off for my break time in September.

In any event, I love this method. I think I've accomplished a lot more than I would have without the list. Plus, there are legitimate reasons that some of the goals won't be met. Some of the goals are unlikely to be met because I no longer think they are a priority. For example, I no longer desire to complete Couch to 5K, and for logistical reasons, I don't think it makes sense to take on a new car insurance payment. Others won't be met for financial reasons (that would be all of my travel goals). Still others are not possible to meet due to forces mostly beyond my control (see, e.g., reaching a "normal" BMI; volunteering at the shelter).

All in all, it's been a great and productive year. Can't wait to make more progress on this list and write a new one for 2011.

What I Ate: August 2, 2010

  • 1 oz. raw almonds (164 kcals, 6g protein, 2.3g net carbs, 14.4g fat).
  • Basic chocolate protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Nectar chocolate truffle protein powder (50 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (10 kcals, 1g net carbs), DaVinci SF vanilla and chocolate syrups. Total - (140 kcals, 26.5g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat).
  • 4 Eggface bites with turkey ham, fat-free cheese, and onions (84 kcals, 14.4g protein, 2.1g net carbs, 4.8g fat) and 1 serving of my June 30th batch of roasted veggies (50 kcals, 2.8g protein, 7.5g net carbs, 0.3g fat). Total - (134 kcals, 17.2g protein, 9.6g net carbs, 5.1g fat).
  • 1 serving roasted lite firm tofu (45 kcals, 7g protein, 2g carbs, 1.5g fat).
  • 1 Pure Protein vanilla cream shake in 3 decaf coffees (160 kcals, 35g protein, 2g net carbs, 1g fat) with 3 sugar-free LaNouba marshmallows (40 kcals, 8g net carbs) and Torani SF chocolate syrup. Total - (200 kcals, 35g protein, 10g net carbs, 1g fat)
  • 1 square Sweetriot unBar 70 (70% dark chocolate with cocoa nibs and raisins) (45 kcals, 0.7g protein, 3.8g net carbs, 3.5g fat). I thought I was getting something else, but oh well. I don't like my chocolate quite this dark but it was OK.
  • 1/2 vanilla creme Oh Yeah! (110 kcals, 16g protein, 1.5g carbs, 4.5g fat) in an Sbux quad espresso with SF vanilla syrup.
  • Cappuccino protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Nectar cappuccino protein powder (45 kcals, 11.5g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (10 kcals, 1g net carbs), SF vanilla, chocolate and praline syrups. Total - (135 kcals, 26.5g protein, 6g carbs, 0g fat).
  • Chocolate protein pancakes with chocolatey pancake syrup: 1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese (40 kcals, 7.5g protein, 2.5g carbs, 0g fat), 2 tbsp. Egg Beaters (15 kcals, 3g protein, 0.5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 scoop Nectar vanilla bean torte protein powder (90 kcals, 23g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (10 kcals, 1g net carbs), baking powder, 2 tbsp. SF chocolate and vanilla syrups, cinnamon, Splenda, 2 tbsp. FF ICBINB (10 kcals) and 2 tbsp. SF Mrs. Butterworth's syrup (10 kcals, 2g net carbs). Total - (165 kcals, 33.5g protein, 5g net carbs, 0g fat). These were so good! The trick to good protein pancakes is to avoid overcooking them. There is a delicate balance between making sure they are done enough on one side so they don't crinkle up when you try to flip them, but that they aren't even close to being overdone. My Saturday batch was way overcooked and tough, but tonight's were phenomenal. Yay.
Total:
1,138 calories
168.4g protein
59.2% kcals from protein
47.2g net carbs
16.6% kcals from net carbs
30g fat
23.7% kcals from fat.

I'm working on expanding my at-home practice of yoga, for a few reasons. First, serious yoginis don't just practice at the studio (unless they have unlimited funds, I suppose.) Yoga is meant to be practiced daily. Second, I'm about to take a $13,000 cut in my annual salary while moving from a state with one of the nation's lowest costs of living to a place with one of the highest costs of living. I gotta be a little more frugal. That might mean, for example, finding a studio where I can get free classes by volunteering and/or practicing at a studio only once a week or so.

All of that to say, I got some at-home vinyasa in today! Just 20 minutes in the morning before leaving Anderson because I was afraid I'd be late to work; but I did 37 minutes in the evening before bed.

Monday, August 2, 2010

What I Ate: July 31 - August 1, 2010

I was visiting the fam this weekend. Considering how horrible my diet usually becomes when I'm up there, I didn't do so badly this time. However, I engaged in a lot of compulsive eating at night, which I excused by eating mostly things I knew wouldn't screw up my weight (lots of nuts and cheese). I ate some of my step-niece's birthday cake, but that's the one thing I'm not concerned about. It was okay. I'm mostly concerned about my out-of-control compulsive eating. Nuts are a fierce trigger!

Saturday, July 31:
  • Cinnamon protein pancakes with too much SF maple syrup
  • 1 Pure Protein Cookies-N-Cream protein shake (120 kcals, 23g protein, 2g net carbs, 1g fat) in an Sbux iced sugar-free vanilla decaf quad espresso
  • 1 oz. roasted and salted soy nuts
  • MASSIVE amount of dill pickle cashews, on the road. I craved these so compulsively that I pulled over on the side of the road in the rain to fish them out of my back seat. You know you have a problem when . . .
  • Nibbles at my step-niece's first birthday shindig: Several bites of Publix marble cake with icing, a small bite of a hot dog on a bun with chili and mustard, and 3 nacho cheese Doritos
  • 1 serving roasted lite firm tofu (45 kcals, 7g protein, 2g carbs, 1.5g fat).
  • More dill pickle cashews (I was starving!) followed shortly thereafter by 2 Ellie Krieger Crisp Crab Cakes (112 kcals, 13.8g protein, 11g net carbs, 0.4g fat) and a tiny bit of roma tomato with Tony Chachere's
  • About 1/4 of a cameo apple, maybe 2 T peanut butter, a few raisins, and 1 white grape
  • 1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 slice lean deli turkey, and various cheeses, including Cabot Black Wax cheddar, Robusto, and Kraft 2% cheddar
  • More cheeses listed above and lots of Target garlic almonds
Note that the last 3 items were all consumed after midnight, which technically means I ate them on Sunday, but they felt more part of Saturday.

Sunday, August 1:
  • Even more cheese and Target garlic almonds (some of the eating spilled over through 5 AM, and that bout felt more part of Sunday), and 1 oz. roasted/salted soy nuts
  • Strawberry cheesecake protein frosty
  • Chocolate cheesecake protein frosty
  • Another chocolate cheesecake protein frosty
  • Cookies & cream protein frosty
  • More garlic almonds and 2% sharp cheddar
  • A handful of Fiber One twig cereal
At least I worked out a tiny smidge. On Sunday, I went for a brisk 3-mile walk at the hospital track, sandwiched between church and visiting my grandmother. Sundays with the family are never relaxed because we spend practically all day in church.

What I Ate: July 30, 2010

::Sigh:: The nuts don't seem to be working for me anymore. I was at 171.2 this morning, a full pound gain from yesterday.
  • Eggnog protein frosty: 1/2 scoop About Time birthday cake protein powder (52 kcals, 12.5g protein, 0g net carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tsp. SF/FF white chocolate pudding mix (5 kcals, 1g carbs), pinch of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, DaVinci SF egg nog syrup. Total - (137 kcals, 27.5g protein, 6g carbs, 0g fat).
  • 1/4 cup whole milk in venti decaf coffee from Sbux (38 kcals, 2g protein, 3g carbs, 2g fat).
  • 4 Eggface bites with turkey ham, fat-free cheese, and onions (84 kcals, 14.4g protein, 2.1g net carbs, 4.8g fat) and 60 grams peaches (24 kcals, 1.3g protein, 4.8g net carbs, 0.1g fat). Total - (108 kcals, 15.7g protein, 6.9g net carbs, 4.9g fat).
  • 1 Pure Protein frosty chocolate shake in 3 decaf coffees (170 kcals, 35g protein, 3g net carbs, 1g fat) with 3 LaNouba sugar-free marshmallows (40 kcals, 8g net carbs). Total - (210 kcals, 35g protein, 11g net carbs, 9g fat).
  • 1 oz. soaked raw almonds (164 kcals, 6g protein, 2.3g net carbs, 14.4g fat).
  • Chocolate-praline protein frosty: 1/2 scoop Nectar chocolate truffle protein powder (50 kcals, 11.5g protein, 1g carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (10 kcals, 1g net carbs), 1 tsp. FF/SF chocolate pudding mix (5 kcals, 1g carbs), SF praline syrup. Total - (145 kcals, 26.5g protein, 8g carbs, 0g fat).
  • Chocolate protein pancakes with chocolatey pancake syrup: 1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese (40 kcals, 7.5g protein, 2.5g carbs, 0g fat), 2 tbsp. Egg Beaters (15 kcals, 3g protein, 0.5g carbs, 0g fat), 1 scoop Nectar vanilla bean torte protein powder (90 kcals, 23g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat), 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (10 kcals, 1g net carbs), baking powder, 2 tbsp. SF praline syrup, cinnamon, Splenda, 1 tbsp. FF ICBINB (5 kcals) and 2 tbsp. SF Mrs. Butterworth's syrup (10 kcals, 2g net carbs). Total - (160 kcals, 33.5g protein, 5g net carbs, 0g fat).
  • Butterscotch protein frosty: 1/2 scoop About Time birthday cake protein powder (52 kcals, 12.5g protein, 0g net carbs, 0g fat), 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (80 kcals, 15g protein, 5g carbs, 0g fat), 1T. SF/FF butterscotch pudding mix (15 kcals, 3g carbs), pinch of cinnamon, DaVinci SF praline syrup. Total - (147 kcals, 27.5g protein, 8g carbs, 0g fat).
  • 1 serving roasted lite firm tofu (45 kcals, 7g protein, 2g carbs, 1.5g fat).
Total:
1,154 calories
180.7g protein
62.6% kcals from protein
52.2g net carbs
18.1% kcals from net carbs
31.8g fat
24.8% kcals from fat.
Friday's activity was 75 minutes of hot yoga. The class was killer because I hadn't practiced in about a week and a half (terrible!)