What I Ate: 10/31/2009

• 1 bag (1 oz.) Kay's Naturals Honey Almond protein cereal (100 kcals, 9g protein, 12g net carbs)
• Peanut butter cookie-pumpkin protein frozen yogurt scrumptiousness (143 kcals, 23.5g protein, 5g net carbs) - it's so creamy, it doesn't really need the Cool Whip
• 4 Monica's Fall Pumpkin and Bacon Chicken Meatballs with broth (100 kcals, 16g protein, 3.2g net carbs) and 1 "Shelly's bites"-inspired mini-crustless quiche. This new version has Jennie-O extra lean turkey bacon, mushrooms, thyme, chives, and Jarlsberg lite emmentaler cheese [Note: The website says this stuff isn't good for cooking. I beg to differ.] Bacon, mushroom, and Swiss is a classic combo. (25 kcals, 3.3g protein, 0.3g net carbs)
• About 1/4 cup chili at a dinner party (I'm guessing about 75 kcals, 3.5g protein, 4.8g net carbs) mixed with 1 scoop Inspire Pure flavorless protein - blended super-well and didn't taste it at all! (50 kcals, 12g protein, 0g carbs) and 2 more of the new batch of Shelly's bites (50 kcals, 6.6g protein, 0.6g net carbs)
• The last of this batch of "Oreo cheesecake" protein frozen yogurt scrumptiousness, with 2 tbsp. Free Cool Whip and a drizzle of SF chocolate syrup (135 kcals, 21.5g protein, 9g net carbs)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• 1 Calcet calcium citrate creamy bite (40 kcals, 6g net carbs)
• About 3 water mix-ins (30 kcals, 7.5g net carbs)

Total:
758 kcals
95.4g protein
50.4% kcals from protein
49.4g net carbs
26.1% kcals from net carbs.

I did my regular Saturday 5-mile walk today. It was great :-)

What I Ate: 10/30/2009

• Last 3 Shelly's bites (84 kcals, 7.8g protein, 4.5g net carbs) with 2 slices Hormel Natural deli turkey (34 kcals, 6.6g protein, 1g net carbs)
• 4 Monica's Fall Pumpkin and Bacon Chicken Meatballs with broth (100 kcals, 16g protein, 3.2g net carbs)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF chocolate and vanilla syrup, Truvia, and 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (121 kcals, 25g protein, 6g net carbs)
• 1 mini Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein, 0g net carbs) and 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel Natural Choice oven roasted deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein, 1g net carbs)
• Peanut butter cookie-pumpkin protein frozen yogurt (143 kcals, 23.5g protein, 5g net carbs) with 1 tbsp. Free Cool Whip (15 kcals, 0g protein, 3g net carbs) - yummm!!! This tastes like fall. :-)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• 1 Calcet calcium citrate creamy bite (40 kcals, 6g net carbs)
• About 3 water mix-ins (30 kcals, 7.5g net carbs)

Total:
677 kcals
94.9g protein
56.7% kcals from protein
38.2g net carbs
22.6% kcals from net carbs.

This morning, I did 65 minutes on the elliptical at a slightly slower pace than normal, for a total "distance" of about 4.3 miles. I was really groggy this morning and my body just didn't want to go fast.

I also did a yoga video tonight. I still haven't replaced the one I ruined on the stove. So frustrating! This is why I need more counter space!

What I Ate: 10/29/2009

• 4 leftover asparagus, mushroom, and smoked gouda "Shelly's Bites" (112 kcals, 10.4g protein, 6g net carbs)
• 4 Monica's Fall Pumpkin and Bacon Chicken Meatballs with broth (100 kcals, 16g protein, 3.2g net carbs)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF chocolate and vanilla syrup, Truvia, and 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (121 kcals, 25g protein, 6g net carbs)
• 1 Chik-fil-A piece of chargrilled chicken (100 kcals, 21g protein, 2g net carbs) - I was out shopping after work, had nothing at home anyway, so decided to eat this. It was over-priced, but delish!
• Protein ice cream sundae: Inspire ice cream sandwich/Fage/SF cheesecake pudding frozen yogurt with 2 tbsp. Free Cool Whip and sugar-free chocolate syrup (135 kcals, 21.5g protein, 9 net carbs)
• 3 Celebrate mandarin orange multivitamins (15 kcals, 1.5g net carbs)
• 1 Calcet calcium citrate creamy bite (40 kcals, 6g net carbs)
• About 3 water mix-ins (30 kcals, 7.5g net carbs)

Total:
653 kcals
93.9g protein
57.5% kcals from protein
41.2g net carbs
25.2% kcals from net carbs

I went back to the gym today! 50 minutes on the elliptical this morning and Ana Caban Pilates tonight. Gotta get in the bed so I'll be able to do it again tomorrow!

What I Ate: 10/28/2009

• 2/3 pumpkin "Muffin in a Minute" (110 kcals, 8g protein, 1g net carbs) with 1 slice Hormel Natural honey deli ham (18 kcals, 2.5g protein, 1g net carbs)
• 4 Monica's Fall Pumpkin and Bacon Chicken Meatballs (100 kcals, 16g protein, 3.2g net carbs)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF chocolate and vanilla syrup, Truvia, and 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (121 kcals, 25g protein, 4g net carbs)
• 4 "Shelly's Bites" crustless mini-quiches from The World According to Eggface. I followed her basic recipe but used my own flavor combination - asparagus, mushroom, and smoked gouda with shallots, pepper, and thyme. I also used egg substitute instead of real eggs; it still tastes great and drastically cuts the calories! I took these as an hors d'oeuvre to a dinner party, and they were extremely popular. These will definitely be added to my repertoire for both dinner/brunch parties and daily life. I should be an expert in these by the time I'm through! (112 kcals, 10.4g protein, 6g net carbs) - each of these bites is about 28 calories, 2.6g protein, and 1.5g net carbs.
• About 3.5 oz. pork roast (about 208 kcals, 28.5g protein, 0g carbs) with a few small pieces of zucchini and a bite or two of roasted onion (veggies maybe 40 kcals, 3g net carbs?) - this was the main course at the dinner party, and it was terrific!
• 2 Celebrate mandarin orange multivitamins (10 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• About 4 water mix-ins (40 kcals, 10g net carbs)
• 1 Bariatric Advantage chocolate calcium citrate chew (15 kcals, 3g net carbs)

Total:
774 kcals
90.4g protein
46.7% kcals from protein
32.2g net carbs
16.6% kcals from net carbs.

The dinner party pork loin was the source of a lot more fat than I usually have, which is what threw my protein numbers a bit off for today. But it was totally worth it - it was delicious, and the cook did a fantastic job! Shelly's Bites were amazing as well. These are totally going to become an important part of my food repertoire!

Why Fat People Hate Going to the Doctor

I know, because I also hate going to the doctor.

-----

Heavy Patients Get Little Respect From Doctors
Study finding shows doctors have to realize obesity is a disease, expert says

By Steven Reinberg
Oct. 23, 2009

Mirroring a societal stigma against the obese, Johns Hopkins researchers report that doctors appear to have less respect for their heavy patients.

"Society, in general, has negative attitudes towards patients with obesity and physicians may be mimicking what is found in society," said lead researcher Dr. Mary Margaret Huizinga, an assistant professor of general internal medicine at Hopkins.

Click here to read the full (fascinating!) article at HealthDay.com.

These conclusions are probably right, but it's worth pointing out that the sample size of this study was awfully small - just forty physicians. It seems that since the researchers were using survey data, the sample size could have been bigger. I'm not sure how generalizable these findings are. But anyway, these questions could be best answered by looking at the scientific article, which will appear in November's Journal of General Internal Medicine.

What I Ate: 10/27/2009

• 2/3 pumpkin "Muffin in a Minute" (110 kcals, 8g protein, 1g net carbs) with 1 slice Hormel Natural honey deli ham (18 kcals, 2.5g protein, 1g net carbs)
• 4 Monica's Fall Pumpkin and Bacon Chicken Meatballs (100 kcals, 16g protein, 3.2g net carbs)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF chocolate and vanilla syrup, Truvia, and 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (121 kcals, 25g protein, 4g net carbs)
• 2.5 oz. diced seasoned chicken breast (90 kcals, 16.5g protein, 2g net carbs) and 2 oz. Southern Baked Ricotta (about 80 kcals, 6g protein, maybe 3g net carbs). This was too much; it made me a little uncomfortable but not pukey or anything. I should have eaten about an ounce less of the ricotta bake and I would have been fine. I'd served myself another half-ounce of chicken but just couldn't eat it.
• Protein ice cream sundae: Inspire ice cream sandwich/Fage/SF cheesecake pudding frozen yogurt with 2 tbsp. Free Cool Whip and sugar-free chocolate syrup (135 kcals, 21.5g protein, 9 net carbs)
• 2 Celebrate mandarin orange multivitamins (10 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• 1 Calcet calcium citrate creamy bite (40 kcals, 6g net carbs)
• About 3 water mix-ins (30 kcals, 7.5g net carbs)

Total:
734 kcals
95.5g protein
52.0% kcals from protein
37.7g net carbs
20.5% kcals from net carbs

What I Ate: 10/26/2009

• 2/3 pumpkin "Muffin in a Minute" (110 kcals, 8g protein, 1g net carbs) with 1 slice Hormel Natural honey deli ham (18 kcals, 2.5g protein, 1g net carbs) - ohhh man this was, as my mom would say, like a piece of heaven. It was filling, but not overly filling like the whole muffin I had yesterday. I just made two muffins and sliced each of them into thirds, and I griddled each slice in a little nonstick spray to make a light crust. I'll be having "ham biscuits" for the next couple of days! I added some pepper to the muffin, but I left in the sweet elements because I enjoy sweet combined with meat. It's reminiscent of the McDonald's McGriddle sandwich, which has maple syrup flavor in the bread, or of the classic combination of pancakes or French toast with sausage.
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF chocolate and vanilla syrup, Truvia, and 1 tbsp. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa - NOT Special Dark, which I discovered has double the calories of the regular unsweetened cocoa (121 kcals, 25g protein, 4g net carbs)
• 3 Monica's Fall Pumpkin and Bacon Chicken Meatballs (75 kcals, 16g protein, 2.4g net carbs) with 1/4 cup sauerkraut (7 kcals, 0.6g net carbs)
• About 1.5 cups of cantaloupe wedges (75 kcals, 1.5g protein, 15g net carbs) :-(
• Rest of my chicken from Mediterranean Tea Room - 2.5 oz. (150 kcals, 20g protein, 0g net carbs)
• Protein ice cream sundae: Inspire ice cream sandwich/Fage/SF cheesecake pudding frozen yogurt with 2 tbsp. Free Cool Whip and sugar-free chocolate syrup (135 kcals, 21.5g protein, 9 net carbs)
• 2 Celebrate mandarin orange multivitamins (10 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• 1 Calcet calcium citrate creamy bite (40 kcals, 6g net carbs)
• About 3 water mix-ins (30 kcals, 7.5g net carbs)

Total:
771 kcals
94.5g protein
49.0% kcals from protein
47.5g net carbs
24.6% kcals from net carbs

I struggled today with the eating demons. I should have had some sugarless gum with me, but I didn't and I needed my mouth to be preoccupied, so I ate the Calcet and the cantaloupe. Those weren't originally part of the food plan for today.

What I Ate: 10/25/2009

• Another pumpkin flax meal "Muffin in a Minute" (165 kcals, 12g protein, about 1g net carbs)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF chocolate and cookie dough syrup, Truvia, and 2 tsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa (121 kcals, 25g protein, 4g net carbs)
• Shrimp Egg Foo Yung: 3.5 oz. shrimp (105 kcals, 19.5g protein, 0g net carbs), 1/4 cup Publix Egg Stirs (30 kcals, 6g protein, 0g net carbs), 2 tbsp. chopped scallions (7 kcals, 1g net carbs), lite soy sauce, chicken broth, garlic powder, ground ginger - got this idea from Hungry Girl 's "Egg-cellent Foo Yung" via bariatriceating.com. I didn't follow the Hungry Girl recipe. I kept the concept but made it simpler since I was in a hurry. The taste was awesome, even with lots of modifications.
• 3 Monica's Fall Pumpkin and Bacon Chicken Meatballs (75 kcals, 16g protein, 2.4g net carbs) and 1 cup oven-crisped okra (30 kcals, 2g protein, 4g net carbs)
• Inspire ice cream sandwich/Fage/SF cheesecake pudding frozen yogurt with 2 tbsp. Free Cool Whip (135 kcals, 21.5g protein, 9 net carbs) - I made a big batch and split it into 6 equal servings. This is what I usually do with the yogurt; it's just frozen this time. This. was. soooooooo. good. I added a little SF chocolate syrup as well, and that just sent this over the top of delicious. My own little protein ice cream sundae!
• 2 Celebrate mandarin orange multivitamins (10 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• About 3 water mix-ins (30 kcals, 7.5g net carbs)

Total:
713 kcals
102g protein
57.2% kcals from protein
29.9g net carbs
16.8% kcals from net carbs

I had some difficulties getting activity in today. Will have to make up for it with my workout tomorrow morning.

Recipe: Fall Pumpkin and Bacon Chicken Meatballs

Fall is in full swing, so I'm experimenting with a lot of autumn-inspired flavors right now. I decided to make meatballs primarily from ground chicken breast, turkey bacon, and pumpkin. I don't have the ability to make sausages right now (I tried!), so this is another meatball recipe. These are reminiscent of sausage, with lots of sage and sort of a warm, wintry feeling. Despite my use of sweet ingredients in the pumpkin, these are very savory. They are delicious and very pretty - sorry, if I had a camera, I'd post a photo!

Ingredients (for meatballs):

• 1 pound ground chicken breast - I used Perdue Fit & Easy
• 6 slices Jennie-O extra lean turkey bacon, finely diced
• 1/2 cup diced scallions
• 5 cloves garlic, very finely diced but not minced
• 1 tbsp. ground ginger
• 1.5 tbsp. rubbed sage
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. celery seeds
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup Publix EggStirs or other egg substitute
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. sugar-free vanilla syrup OR vanilla extract plus 3 packets Truvia

Ingredients (for broth):

• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup water
• 1.5 tbsp. Liquid Smoke
• 1.5 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1.5 tbsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger (you can used dried ground ginger if you don't have fresh ginger on hand)
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. paprika

Directions:

1. Combine the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar-free vanilla syup. Set aside.
2. Combine the ingredients for the broth. Set aside.
3. Combine the remaining ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Stir until well-mixed but not over-handled.
4. Use a spoon to drop the pumpkin mixture on top of the chicken/bacon mixture in dollops. Gently fold the pumpkin into the meatballs, but do not combine it completely.
5. Measure out 1 oz. meatballs (I used my trusty Bed, Bath & Beyond food scale) and drop them into a casserole dish, just to hold them. The mixture should be quite light and sticky. I use my hands to roll balls. Keep the mixture from sticking to your hands by wetting your hands frequently.
6. After you have measured out all of the meatballs, sear them on both sides in a hot saute pan. This will ensure that they hold together. To avoid sticking, use a fairly liberal amount of nonstick spray and use a spoon to scoop the meatballs off the pan instead of tongs or a spatula.
7. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
8. Place the seared meatballs in a clean casserole dish. Try to spread them out as much as possible and try to make sure there is only one layer of meatballs.
9. Cover the meatballs with the broth. They do not need to be completely submersed in broth.
10. Cook the meatballs in the 350-degree oven for about 20-30 minutes or until they seem done.

Nutritional Information:
This recipe makes about 30 1-oz. meatballs. Each meatball contains 25 calories and 4g protein. A 3-oz. WLS serving is 75 calories and 12g protein.

What I Ate: 10/24/2009

• 1 bag (1 oz.) Kay's Naturals Honey Almond protein cereal (100 kcals, 9g protein, 12g net carbs) - AWESOME. I will make trail mix from this at some point.
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF chocolate and cookie dough syrup, Truvia, and 2 tsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa (121 kcals, 25g protein, 4g net carbs)
• Pumpkin "Muffin in a Minute" - I got this recipe from beforeandafterhelp.com, but I think it originally came from the whole low-carb diet movement. I modified my muffin by using more baking powder for a fluffier muffin and by using Publix Eggstirs instead of a real egg to cut down on the calories. This was AMAZING! The only problem was that the mug I used was too small - I didn't expect it to rise so much. But I have a bigger mug that I'll try tomorrow. This muffin is filling, full of fiber, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, low in net carbs, and relatively high in protein. The miracle ingredient is flaxseed meal. I can eat flax bread, y'all! (165 kcals, 12g protein, about 1g net carbs)
• 3 oz. shrimp cooked with Old Bay (Maryland style!) (90 kcals, 17g protein, 0g net carbs) and 1 cup oven-crisped okra - it shrivels down to much less volume (30 kcals, 2g protein, 4g net carbs)
• 1 mini Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein, 0g carbs)
• Had my Fage - but I tried to turn it into ice cream. There are lots of recipes for protein ice cream out there. I think the original protein ice cream creator was Shelly, who writes The World According to Eggface blog, and I'm sure there are others. I made mine a little differently from these, so it was basically frozen yogurt. I just mixed up a big batch of Fage with SF cheesecake pudding, 2 cups nonfat Fage, 3 scoops of Inspire ice cream sandwich, 1 cup of SF cookie dough syrup, and vanilla extract. I added water to make it thinner, more of an ice cream base. I didn't let it freeze long enough, to really assess its ice-creaminess, but we'll see how it really works tomorrow. I topped my serving of ice cream with 2 tbsp. Free Cool Whip (135 kcals, 21.5g protein, 9g net carbs)
• 2 Celebrate mandarin orange multivitamins (10 kcals, 1g net carbs)
About 3 water mix-ins (30 kcals, 7.5g net carbs)

Total:
731 kcals
92.5g protein
50.6% kcals from protein
38.5 net carbs
21.1% kcals from net carbs

For activity today, I went on my 5-mile stroll in Riverfront Park. It was fun!

What I Ate: 10/23/2009

I'm 28 and 1/12 today, y'all!

• 3 slices Hormel Natural deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein, 1g net carbs), 1 mini Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein, 0g carbs)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF cookie dough syrup, Truvia, and 2 tsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa (121 kcals, 25g protein, 3g net carbs)
• 3 chicken and lamb meatballs (105 kcals, 16g protein, 4g net carbs? - I'm totally making up this carb count)
• 3 slices Hormel Natural deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein, 1g net carbs), 1 mini Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein, 0g carbs)
• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein, 5g net carbs) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein, 1g net carbs) and a 2 tbsp. dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top (15 kcals, 0g protein, 3g net carbs), total (135 kcals, 21.5g protein, 9g net carbs)
• 2 Celebrate mandarin orange multivitamins (10 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• 1 Celebrate grape iron + C (5 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• 1 Calcet calcium citrate lemon cream creamy bite - yummmmmo! (40 kcals, 6g net carbs)
• About 3 water mix-ins (30 kcals, 7.5g net carbs)

Total:
646 kcals
94.5g protein
58.5% kcals from protein
33.5g net carbs
20.7% kcals from net carbs

For activity today, almost as predicted, I did an hour on the elliptical (not 65 minutes, as planned, so that the cool-down could be the extra five minutes instead of incorporating it into the hour-long workout.) It was hard to drag myself out of bed this morning and it wasn't my best workout ever, but the numbers were still strong with a supposed distance of 4.13 miles and a supposed calorie burn of about 580.

I almost did my yoga workout tonight - BUT I melted my stupid dvd! I left it on the stove, for some reason, and I guess heat radiated up from the oven when I was making my okra earlier this week, and it melted not only through the case, but also warped the dvd. I'll have to purchase another, because I liked that one a lot.

What I Ate: 10/22/2009

• My last chicken drumstick with soy-ginger glaze. They were delish! (155 kcals, 23.5g protein, about 3g net carbs)
• Dutch chocolate Isopure in iced decaf with 3 packets Truvia and 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa (120 kcals, 25g protein, about 4g net carbs)
• 1 bag Revival BBQ soy chips (105 kcals, 7g protein, 13g net carbs)
• 2 oz. diced chicken breast (85 kcals, 16g protein, 1g net carbs) over 1/4 cup sauerkraut (7 kcals, 0.5g net carbs) with 2 tbsp. mixture of regular salsa and pineapple salsa (about 30 kcals, 0g protein, about 6g net carbs)
• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein, 5g net carbs) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein, 1g net carbs) and a 2 tbsp. dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top (15 kcals, 0g protein, 3g net carbs), total (135 kcals, 21.5g protein, 9g net carbs)
• 2 Celebrate mandarin orange multivitamins (10 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• 1 Celebrate grape iron + C (5 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• 1 Calcet calcium citrate creamy bite in lemon cream flavor (40 kcals, 6g net carbs)
• About 3 water mix-ins (30 kcals, 7.5g net carbs)

Total:
722 kcals
93g protein
51.5% kcals from protein
52g net carbs
28.8% kcals from net carbs

Today's activity: Pilates in the morning and Leslie Sansone for 30 minutes tonight. I like to mix it up during the week so that my body gets worked out in different ways (and, hopefully, loses weight.) Tomorrow morning, the plan is to get in another hour-long elliptical ride and then go on a long walk on Saturday. Not sure what I'll do Sunday yet.

What I Ate: 10/21/2009

• Another soy-ginger drumstick. I eat leftovers days in a row! At least this is yummy. (155 kcals, 23.5g protein, about 3g net carbs)
• Dutch chocolate Isopure in iced decaf with SF cookie dough syrup, 3 packets Truvia, and 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa (117 kcals, 25g protein, about 3g net carbs)
• 1 bag Revival BBQ soy chips - a new thing I just ordered from BE (105 kcals, 7g protein, 13g net carbs)
• Had dinner at Mediterranean Tea Room. I ordered a 5 oz. chicken breast, of which I ate half - 2.5 oz. Not completely sure of the caloric content because I'm sure they used some oil or butter to prepare it. My generous estimate, based on other restaurant nutritional information, is - (200 kcals, 20g protein, 0g net carbs)
• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein, 5g net carbs) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein, 1g net carbs) and a 2 tbsp. dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top (15 kcals, 0g protein, 3g net carbs), total (135 kcals, 21.5g protein, 9g net carbs)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals, 1g net carbs)
• About 6 water mix-ins (60 kcals, 15g net carbs - ack!)

Totals:
782 kcals
97g protein
43g net carbs
49.6% kcals from protein
22.0% kcals from net carbs

I went 50 minutes on the elliptical for an estimated burn of 480 calories and a supposed distance of 4.3 miles.

As you can see, I've decided to start tracking my net carbs. I choose to calculate them as total carb grams minus fiber, minus 1/2 sugar alcohol grams. (Some would subtract all of the sugar alcohols; others would subtract none of them. I subtract half.) As I get further out and am slightly expanding my food universe, I want to make sure I'm staying within a good range of carbs. Some people recommend no more than 35 grams of net carbs daily in the "weight loss" phase of this surgery.

Clearly I have exceeded that limit today, but the culprits are very clear: the soy chips, which I do not regret eating in the least, and the drink mixes (!) which I now realize that I need to cut back on. Starting tomorrow, I will try making my flavored water a little less strong. I'll try using only 3 packets of Crystal Light and Crystal Light-esque beverages a day, instead of six. Also, I'm not sure if 35 is really too many.

What I Ate: 10/20/2009

• 3 Monica's Global Chicken and Lamb Meatballs - yep, still eating these. I gave a bunch of them to my mom this weekend, so I only have one more serving left. They are still delish! (105 kcals, 16.5g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF vanilla syrup, SF cookie dough syrup, Truvia, and 1 tsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa (117 kcals, 25g protein)
• Spicy soy-ginger glazed chicken drumstick (about 155 kcals, 23.5g protein)
• 2 oz. diced chicken breast (85 kcals, 16g protein) over 1/4 cup sauerkraut (7 kcals) and with 1.5 tbsp. homemade plum sauce (about 30 kcals, 0g protein)- weird combo, but oddly delicious!
• About 1/3 Revival protein bar - another sample from BariatricEating.com (80 kcals, 6.5g protein)
• About 1/2 cup oven-crisped okra - YUM! (30 kcals, 1.5g protein)
• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein) and a 2 tbsp. dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top (15 kcals, 0g protein), total (135 kcals, 21.5g protein)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals)
• About 6 water mix-ins (60 kcals)

Total: 814 kcals, 110.5g protein, 54.3% kcals from protein.

For activity, I began the day by using the elliptical for 65 minutes, for a supposed burn of about 625 calories.

What I Ate: 10/19/2009

• 3 slices Hormel Natural deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein), 1 mini Babybel cheese round(50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF vanilla syrup, SF cookie dough syrup, Truvia, and 1 tsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa (117 kcals, 25g protein)
• Spicy soy-ginger glazed chicken drumstick (about 155 kcals, 23.5g protein) - these are so delicious, it's almost unfair. So, so good.
• 2 oz. chicken breast (85 kcals, 16g protein) over 1 cup spring mix (5 kcals) with 2 tbsp. pineapple salsa (20 kcals, 0g protein)
• Oh Yeah "Good Grab" protein bar in chocolate caramel peanut - OMG this is good. I got it as a free sample from BariatricEating.com. The bars are quite small but pack a lot of calories and protein in. I was satisfied after 3/4 of it, but it was too small to just stop eating there. (190 kcals, 15g protein)
• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein) and a 2 tbsp. dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top (15 kcals, 0g protein), total (135 kcals, 21.5g protein)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate iron + vitamin C (5 kcals)
• About 6 water mix-ins (60 kcals)

Total: 882 kcals, 117g protein, 53.1% kcals from protein.

This is my highest official daily calorie count since surgery.* I'm not worried about it, though. It's all good stuff, and the real culprit was that protein bar. I'll probably never have one again, even though they are insanely delicious. Since the calories are still very much in the proper range, and since I didn't eat anything out of compulsion or bad habits, I'm cool with this.

I did get back on the exercise train today, though I didn't do what I'd planned. I overslept this morning, and after work I didn't feel like going to the office gym, so I didn't get my elliptical workout in. However, I did 30 minutes of Leslie Sansone this evening after work, which was pleasant.

*My previous highest count was on June 27, 2009, when I was about 2.5 months out. I had 870 calories that day. But that was before I started tracking the calories in my vitamins, water mix-ins, and Splenda. Thus, my true calorie count for that day was probably around 965, which means I still haven't beaten my record.

What I Ate: 10/18/2009

• 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (70 kcals, 11g protein) mixed with 1 packet Truvia and stuffed into 3 slices allspice-seasoned Hormal Natural deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein)
• 3 chicken and lamb meatballs (105 kcals, 16.5g protein) and 2 oz. green beans (20 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein in iced decaf with 3 packets Truvia, SF vanilla syrup, and SF cookie dough syrup (113 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein) and a 2 tbsp. dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top (15 kcals, 0g protein), total - (135 kcals, 21.5g protein)
• 1 pumpkin and apple turkey meatball (38 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1 chicken drumstick with soy ginger glaze (144 kcals, 23.5g protein)
• 1 Bariatric Advantage chocolate calcium citrate chewy bite (15 kcals)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins in mandarin orange (15 kcals)
• 1 Calcet lemon calcium citrate creamy bite - yummmm another sample (30 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate grape iron + c (5 kcals)
• About 6 water drink mix-ins (60 kcals)

Total: 800 kcals, 113.5g protein, 56.8% kcals from protein.

What I Ate: 10/17/2009

• 1 serving (4 slices) Hormel Natural deli honey ham (70 kcals, 10g protein) with 1 mini Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• About 1/4 cantaloupe? (100 kcals, 2g protein)
  
• 1 serving (4 slices) Hormel Natural deli honey ham (70 kcals, 10g protein) with 1 Sargento Light string cheese (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 3 Monica's Global Chicken and Lamb Meatballs (105 kcals, 16.5g protein) with 1/4 cup Monica's Autumn Pumpkin and Broccoli Soup (30 kcals, 0g protein)
• 10 pecan halves (98 kcals, 1.3g protein)
  
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in iced decaf with 1 tsp. Hershey's unsweetened Special Dark cocoa and 3 packets Truvia (118 kcals, 25g protein)
  
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (15 kcals)
  
• 1 Bariatric Advantage calcium citrate chewy bite in chocolate (15 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate grape iron + C (5 kcals)
• 4 packets water mix-ins (40 kcals)

Total: 766 kcals, 76.8g protein, 40.1% kcals from protein.

Came up to Greenville/Anderson this weekend for Furman Homecoming and visiting the family. Always throws my eating off.

What I Ate: 10/16/2009

• 3 slices Hormel Natural deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein), 1 Sargento light string cheese (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate with iced decaf, SF vanilla syrup, SF hazelnut syrup, Truvia, and 1 tsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa - I cut back a bit on the cocoa so it's not overpowering (117 kcals, 25g protein)
• 3 chicken and lamb meatballs (105 kcals, 16.5g protein)
• 4 slices Hormel Natural deli honey ham (70 kcals, 10g protein)
• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein) and a 2 tbsp. dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top (15 kcals, 0g protein), total - (135 kcals, 21.5g protein)
• 2 more chicken and lamb meatballs (70 kcals, 11g protein) and 1/3 cup pumpkin/broccoli soup (about 40 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 Calcet Creamy Calcium Citrate Bite in Lemon - I will be doing a separate post about these sometime soon because they are AMAZING (30 kcals)
• 1 Bariatric Advantage Calcium Citrate Chewy Bite in Lemon (15 kcals)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate iron + c (5 kcals)
• About 6 packets water mix-ins (60 kcals)

Total: 757 kcals, 100g protein, 52.8% kcals from protein.

I had a hard time dragging myself out of bed this morning to work out--but I did. The initial workout had to be short, though - 35 minutes on the elliptical. It was a decent workout for such a brief one; I pressed a little harder and turned up the resistance a bit.

I was planning to do another little workout later tonight, but my volunteer work ran late and I didn't get to do it. I'll be heading up to Greenville/Anderson in the morning.

What I Ate: 10/15/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with SF vanilla syrup, SF hazelnut syrup, 1 tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder, and 3 packets of Truvia (123 kcals, 26g protein)
• 1 Sargento light string cheese (50 kcals, 6g protein) and 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel Natural Choice oven roasted deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein)
• 3 Monica's Global Chicken and Lamb Meatballs (105 kcals, 16.5g protein)
• About 1 cup spring mix (8 kcals, 0g protein) with 2 oz. chicken breast (85 kcals, 16g protein), 1 oz. Southern Baked Ricotta (about 50 kcals, 3g protein), and 1 tbsp. pineapple salsa (10 kcals, 0g protein) total - (153 kcals, 19g protein)
• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein) and a 2 tbsp. dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top (15 kcals, 0g protein), total - (135 kcals, 21.5g protein)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate iron + vitamin C (5 kcals)
• About 6 water mix-ins (60 kcals)

Total: 691 kcals, 99g protein, 57.3% kcals from protein.

I overslept this morning (again!) and had an event tonight after work, but I did get a short cardio workout in. I bought Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds 5-Day Fit Walk, an older DVD. I like it because it has 5 different workouts, none of which are over 30 minutes. I feel like these will be good for days when I'm in a hurry or can't find any other way to fit something in, like today.

Exciting Challenge! A Month Without the Scale

Well . . . it's exciting for a gastric bypass post-op, at least. :-)

I am not going to weigh myself for nearly a month! Until November 13, 2009 - my seven-month "surgiversary" - I will not step on the scale. Any scale.

Why this drastic step? Two closely related reasons: First, there's the same old story about scale obsession that I noticed back in May. I was driving myself crazy, weighing myself multiple times a day. By "multiple," I don't mean 2 or 3; I'm talking 20. I would weigh myself 20+ times a day and would let a minor weight fluctuation determine my mood for that day. I am not nearly that far gone again, but I have been weighing myself about 3 times a day.

Second, I haven't lost any weight in the past couple of weeks, and I've allowed this stall to affect my eating habits. I know that, with the exception of my mini-binge yesterday, I follow the RNY dietary guidelines, and that I should be losing weight. However, I've been messing around with my habits - the recent modified liquid diet; adding a sixth meal - and while these experiments can be healthy, I don't think they were a positive choice for me at this time. These modifications didn't come from a commitment to eating properly/de-carbing; they primarily came from a desire to make the scale move.

Yesterday's slip was a wake-up call. Changing my eating habits was fine as long as it was just liquid protein and adding a WLS-friendly meal. But one of the thoughts I had during my little compulsive eating episode last night was, "It's fine for me to eat this stuff. According to many people, I don't take in enough calories anyway. Maybe this binge will even help me lose weight again! Nothing else has worked!"

That's a scary path to head down. Eating compulsively is never a good idea, even when it's not technically a "binge" because you aren't eating to fullness. Once I start using the scale to rationalize compulsive eating, it's time for the scale to go. Last night, I put my bathroom scale high in the back of my closet. My challenge will be leaving it up there for the next few weeks.

November 13, 2009 makes sense as a time to weigh myself again, for two reasons. First, and most influentially, I'll be going to the YouTube WLS "Re-Meet and Re-Greet" that weekend. I'll need to know my numbers in case someone asks, or in case we introduce ourselves with that info. Second, November 13 will be my 7-month surgiversary, so it makes sense as a kind of stopping point.

That's it. Wish me luck!

What I Ate: 10/14/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with SF vanilla syrup, SF hazelnut syrup, 1 tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 packet of Truvia, and 3 packets of Splenda (132 kcals, 26g protein) - ARGH. I ran off and left my Truvia packets at home, and I only had one at the office. Had to resort to that high-calorie Splenda!!! >:-(
• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel Natural Choice oven roasted turkey breast (50 kcals, 10g protein); maybe 1/3-1/2 cup sauerkraut (about 13 kcals, 0g protein); about 2 tbsp. salad - really, with a light drizzle of dressing) (maybe 20 kcals, 0g protein); and about 1/2 serving green bean chips (65 kcals, 0.5g protein). We had a birthday celebration at the office for my boss and ate from Nice-N-Natural, a health food place that's more healthy for non-ops. There's lots of carbs there. I grabbed my lunch meat for protein, but the other things are from the party. I took a misstep with the green bean chips - pretty addictive while I was sitting there, but I won't crave them now that they're out of sight, I don't think. Total - (148 kcals, 10.5g protein)
• 2 Monica's Global Chicken and Lamb Meatballs (70 kcals, 11g protein) with 1/4 cup Monica's Autumn Pumpkin and Broccoli Soup (30 kcals, 0g protein)
• BINGE :-( :-( :-( - At about 6:45 PM, I was at work and everyone else had left. I ate some of the fruit and nuts leftover from the birthday dinner and then several more of the green bean chips. I was just craving the fruit and nuts so much, then I ate them, then I thought - well, I'll eat more of the chips too while I'm at it. ARGH. Will be doing an OA phone mtg tonight.
• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein) AND a 2 tbsp. dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top (15 kcals, 0g protein), total - (135 kcals, 21.5g protein).
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate iron + vitamin C (5 kcals)
• About 6 water mix-ins (60 kcals)

Total: Not sure, but probably over 900 calories and only about 70g protein.

See above for aforementioned binge. I don't know what came over me! I hate, hate, hate days when unplanned food is around me. But this is just one bad day, and I'm not going to let this failure ruin everything. I have to acknowledge that I made a mistake without being guilty and depressed about it.

I did at least get my workout in. It was Leslie Sansone's 5-Mile dvd, which I did this evening post-binge. I intended to do it in the morning, but I overslept. I also did a little yoga routine.

What I Ate: 10/13/2009

Happy six-month surgiversary to me. Today was a day of additives: cocoa, whipped cream, an extra vitamin . . .

I won't make additives a habit, but they felt appropriate for this occasion. The whipped cream was an especially good addition!

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein in instant iced decaf with SF vanilla syrup, 3 packets of Truvia, and 2 tsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder (123 kcals, 26g protein). The dark chocolate is awesome in the shake. It's good without it, but the cocoa adds another level of decadence for minimal calories, a little fiber, and an extra gram of protein.
• 3 oz. poached chicken breast with a mixture of tomato-based barbecue sauce and homemade Carolina Gold barbecue sauce (130 kcals, 24g protein)
• 2 Monica's Global Chicken and Lamb Meatballs (70 kcals, 11g protein) with 1/4 cup Monica's Autumn Pumpkin and Broccoli Soup (30 kcals, 0g protein)
• 2 oz. chicken breast (85 kcals, 16g protein), 1 oz. Southern Baked Ricotta (about 50 kcals, 3g protein), and 1 cup spring mix (5 kcals, 0g protein) with 1 tbsp. salsa mixed with a little red wine vinegar, liquid smoke, and Splenda (about 8 kcals, 0g protein) - oh MAN this was good. The crumbled baked ricotta took this from delicious to divine!
• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein) AND a 2 tbsp. dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top (15 kcals, 0g protein), HEAVEN - total - (135 kcals, 21.5g protein).
• 3 Celebrate multivitamins (15 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate iron + vitamin C (5 kcals)
• About 6 water mix-ins (60 kcals)

Total: 716 kcals, 101.5g protein, 56.7% kcals from protein.

Today's workout was 65 minutes on the elliptical. I allegedly burned about 625 calories in that workout. This compares favorably with my level of calorie-burning in recent workouts.

I definitely plan to do yoga again tonight as well!

Upcoming Book: The Fat Studies Reader

There's an interesting-looking new academic book on the social meanings of obesity set to come out November 4, 2009--The Fat Studies Reader, edited by Esther Rothblum, of San Diego State University; and Sondra Solovay, author of a book that looks even more interesting--Tipping the Scales of Justice: Fighting Weight Based Discrimination.

Here's the product description from Amazon.com:

We have all seen the segments on television news shows: A fat person walking on the sidewalk, her face out of frame so she can't be identified, as some disconcerting findings about the "obesity epidemic" stalking the nation are read by a disembodied voice. And we have seen the movies—their obvious lack of large leading actors silently speaking volumes. From the government, health industry, diet industry, news media, and popular culture we hear that we should all be focused on our weight. But is this national obsession with weight and thinness good for us? Or is it just another form of prejudice—one with especially dire consequences for many already disenfranchised groups?

For decades a growing cadre of scholars has been examining the role of body weight in society, critiquing the underlying assumptions, prejudices, and effects of how people perceive and relate to fatness. This burgeoning movement, known as fat studies, includes scholars from every field, as well as activists, artists, and intellectuals. The Fat Studies Reader is a milestone achievement, bringing together fifty-three diverse voices to explore a wide range of topics related to body weight. From the historical construction of fatness to public health policy, from job discrimination to social class disparities, from chick-lit to airline seats, this collection covers it all.

Edited by two leaders in the field, The Fat Studies Reader is an invaluable resource that provides a historical overview of fat studies, an in-depth examination of the movement’s fundamental concerns, and an up-to-date look at its innovative research.

http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Studies-Reader-Esther-Rothblum/dp/0814776310

I can't endorse the book, as I haven't read it and am not familiar with this field of literature. But I may pick it up at some point. I'm more likely to pick up Tipping the Scales of Justice, though!

This Is Not a Race: Six Months In

Six months ago today, I was coming out of anesthesia after my RNY gastric bypass surgery. It's hard to believe that it's been half a year.

The scale has not been my friend over the past week. I didn't lose any weight. This means that not only did I fail to reach my goal of 100 pounds lost by this time, I also failed to reach my alternate goal of 90 pounds lost since surgery. I've been doing everything I'm supposed to be doing; in fact, I was more compliant last week than I was the week before. But still, my body just didn't want to shed the weight.

Six months out is a crucial deadline for RNYers. The RNY "honeymoon period," the time when it is easiest to lose weight, supposedly ends between six and eighteen months post-op. Six months is admittedly a conservative estimate--but even still, at this time, the appetite increases, the weight becomes a little harder to lose, and you start moving on from the thrill of rapid weight loss to a more leveled-out way of life. My surgeon said that by six months out, he can tell whether a patient is going to be one of the best, just average, or poor. (During my last appointment, at approximately 2.5 months out, he said that I was about average and told me that I could be doing better. I couldn't imagine how. The appointment sent me into a tizzy - see here and here.)

I cannot decide how I feel about reaching this milestone. On one hand, I've done great so far. My life is already much different from the way it was six months ago. I feel more like a 20-something, and less like a 50-something. I've been following the rules and haven't had a major slip off the wagon. On the other hand, my surgeon's premonition that I would just be an average RNY patient is now true. I've never been content with being average, so this is a little disheartening. It makes me wonder whether I'm ever going to make it to a healthy weight.

I'm trying to remember that this is not a race. There are RNY patients who start out at around the same weight or BMI who have lost at a faster rate than I have, often eating things that we are NOT supposed to be eating. Honestly, that irritates me. But, as the WLS cliche goes, I should not compare myself with others. I can't make my body do what it won't do, so I'm happy that my eating and health are under control and I've made great progress so far.

I'm happy to have gotten where I am, but I am not satisfied. I think that's the right attitude to have about this, and perhaps about life more generally. Happy six-month surgiversary to me!

What I Ate: 10/12/2009

I went back to five meals today. Six meals is too much work, and it wasn't helping. I was off work today for Día de las Culturas.

• 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein), total - (120 kcals, 21.5g protein). This tasted good with the ice cream sandwich protein, but something tasted off about the cheesecake base. It had a good sweetness but a bitter aftertaste, perhaps because I added this. I'm still tweaking this recipe, but once I get it right it is going to be truly delicious.
• 2 Monica's Global Chicken and Lamb Meatballs (70 kcals, 11g protein) with 1/4 cup Monica's Autumn Pumpkin and Broccoli Soup (30 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf coffee with SF vanilla syrup, 3 packets of Truvia, and a new addition - 1/2 tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder. Yum. The cocoa adds 5 calories and 0.5g protein. (118 kcals, 25.5g protein)
• Barbecue chicken omelet: 2.5 oz. poached chicken breast with a mixture of tomato-based barbecue sauce and Carolina Gold barbecue sauce (110 kcals, 20g protein) wrapped in 1/4 cup Publix EggStirs (30 kcals, 6g protein). This was super-yum.
• Decided to try this again instead of my shake. 1 serving Fage nonfat cheesecake base (57 kcals, 6.5g protein) with 1/2 scoop Inspire ice cream sandwich protein powder (63 kcals, 15g protein), total - (120 kcals, 21.5g protein). It still has an aftertaste, but it's also a pretty tasty alternative to my mocha shake.
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate iron (5 kcals)
• About 5 water mix-ins (50 kcals)

Total: 663 kcals, 105.5g protein, 63.7% kcals from protein.

I'm back!!! And I'm doing yoga tonight.

Recipe: Monica's Global Chicken and Lamb Meatballs

I think I tossed in almost everything in my cupboard, and they are delicious! The remarkable thing about these meatballs is that they have no breadcrumbs, flour, cornmeal, or any other carb-y binder. They aren't at all crumbly, though - the egg combined with the searing worked well to hold them together. They of course have a more dense texture than the average meatball, but they are still juicy and delicious without those added carbs. Apparently the bread is supposed to soak up the seasonings, but these are well-seasoned without that.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground lamb (I found some really lean lamb with only 130 calories and 3g fat per 4 oz. serving at Piggly Wiggly.)
• 1 pound Perdue 99% fat-free ground chicken breast (I can only find this at Publix)
• About 1 cup diced yellow onions
• About 1.5 cups chopped parsley
• 3 tbsp. dried oregano
• 3 tbsp. pureed fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tsp. ground sage
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp. curry powder
• 2 tbsp. garlic powder
• 6 large cloves of garlic, diced but not minced
• Pinch of cayenne
• 1/2 tbsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/4 cup Egg Beaters
• About 1/2 tbsp. salt
• Lots of coarsely ground black pepper
• Liquid smoke
• Worcestershire sauce
• Soy sauce
• Other fresh herbs - mint, rosemary, basil - whatever you want or have on hand
• 3 packets of Splenda
• Water

Directions:

1. Sweat the onions with a large pinch of nutmeg and a sprinkle of salt. Allow them to cool.
2. In a large bowl, throw in the lamb and the chicken, along with all of the other ingredients including the tender onions - EXCEPT for the liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Combine carefully and gently without overworking the meat.
3. Separate them into 1-oz. servings and roll into balls. I weighed mine on my nifty food scale.
4. Heat a large saute pan very hot and spray with nonstick spray.
5. Sear each meatball on both sides. Do not crowd the pan, and be very gentle with them so they do not fall apart. This will make a lot of meatballs, so you will need to do this in batches.
6. Preheat your oven to 350.
7. Place all of the meatballs into a roasting pan.
8. Mix together a broth primarily consisting of a soy sauce base, a few dashes of liquid smoke, a more substantial portion of Worcestershire sauce, the fresh herbs, the Splenda, and about 2 cups water.
9. Pour the broth over the meatballs in the pan.
10. Cook the meatballs the rest of the way in the oven. This will take between 15 and 30 minutes.

This recipe makes between 40 and 45 meatballs. Yum! Store the extra meatballs in the broth to keep them moist, but I wouldn't use the broth as a sauce or anything. These were wonderful with the Autumn Pumpkin and Broccoli Soup. They would also taste great served simply with a little Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Each meatball has about 35 calories and about 5.5 grams of protein.

Weird. Shopping.

Because it was pouring rain on this Día de las Culturas (I don't believe in celebrating "Columbus Day" - click here to find out why), I decided to go to the mall and walk around there since I couldn't walk outside.

It was awesome, but weird.

I shopped at Express, The Limited, Gap, and New York & Company, all places I used to dream of shopping when I was in high school. I was wearing sweaters in size Large. I tried on a cute sweater dress in Large. Some of the XLs were too big. I believe I could have gotten into a Medium in some of Gap's sweaters; they seemed to run big.

How weird is this, though? I used to wear 3Xs and 4Xs. Six months ago, I was deep into 2X. Now, I'm not necessarily "extra" anything. It was a disorienting experience.

I should note that I can really only wear the Larges in forgiving fabrics and sweaters. I am not a firm size Large yet, even on top. For skirts, I'm not even close.

One of the strangest things is how I felt nervous entering each store, just like when I was fatter and accompanying a friend to those stores. I would either closely follow my friend around or make a beeline for the accessories. This, I thought, would let the salespeople know that I wasn't under the impression that they had clothes in my size. I stood outside some of the stores today for a few minutes before I walked in, smoothing any apprehensiveness. Oddly, I can shop in those places now, and I get the same spiel as the other customers--they tell me about sales, fitting rooms . . . they treat me normally, even though I do not feel entitled to that.

I worked up the nerve to walk inside Ann Taylor LOFT, but I didn't try on anything. The salespeople weren't as nice. I wanted to go to White House/Black Market because I've always loved their aesthetic, but the salesguy there looked kind of angry. I honestly thought he might tell me I was too fat to shop there. I will try those places again in 20 pounds!

Note: I didn't buy anything. By "shopping," I mean trying on clothes and then putting them back. I will primarily be purchasing at Ross and Tar-zhay until I reach goal!

Recipe: Monica's Autumn Pumpkin and Broccoli Soup

This soup is super-easy to make, very healthy, and delicious. You only need one pot to make it. If you're a WLS person and need to focus on protein, you can either add unflavored protein to this or, as I did for lunch today, drop in two meatballs (or just add ground meat, tofu, or some other protein-rich additive.)

Ingredients

• About 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into mouth-sized pieces (slightly bigger than bite-sized)
• About 32 oz. (1 box) vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 cup onion, diced - but this will be pureed, so the dice can be very rough
• About 8 leaves of basil, chiffonade
• Allspice
• Nutmeg
• Ground sage
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Paprika
• Cayenne
• Liquid smoke
• 5 packs of Splenda

Directions

1. In your soup pot, sweat the onions to soften and pull out some of the flavors. Don't use any salt. The stock will provide plenty in due time.
2. Once there is some caramelization on the bottom of the pan, add about 3/4 of the box of stock to deglaze and begin the soup broth.
3. Bring the stock to a boil.
4. Once the stock is boiling, add the broccoli.
5. Add half of the chiffonade of basil when the broccoli turns bright green.
6. Let the broccoli cook until it is soft, but not too gray/dark.
7. Use a food processor, a blender, or an immersion blender to turn the broccoli, onions, and basil into a smooth puree. If you like chunky soup, skip this step, or just mash the broccoli a little with potato masher.
8. Add the puree back into the stock, and mix in the can of pumpkin and the rest of the basil.
9. Add all of the seasoning agents to the mixture to taste. It's important to taste as you go.
10. Mix in the remaining stock and let the soup reduce until it is thick and dark orange. It should smell like broccoli, but have a strong pumpkin flavor. It's a dynamic soup.
11. Serve with some protein. Or if you're not a WLS-er, maybe some crusty bread. :-)

Nutrition Information:
I've estimated that each 1/4-cup serving has 30 calories. It has very little protein--I am just saying none--which is why WLSers should make sure to eat this alongside a protein source.

P.S. If you use the veggie stock, this is a vegan recipe. Yay.

Cool New Product: Starbucks VIA - In Decaf!

Anyone who's ever looked at my food log knows my great enthusiasm for decaf coffee, particularly of the Starbucks variety.

But Starbucks is an expensive habit, and I won't go to a coffee shop twice a day anyway. I've been using some good substitutes for Starbucks, including Folger's instant decaf and Nescafe Taster's Choice instant decaf.

Sadly, those delicious substitutes might get kicked to the proverbial curb come November 17, 2009. That's when Starbucks will begin offering the decaf version of its new "VIA" line of instant coffees. Here's the press release. It's lame that they didn't offer decaf in the first place, but I'm glad they're getting their act together now.

It could turn out to be gross, which would be okay considering that Folgers and Nescafe have been wonderful for me over the past few months. I'll keep you posted.

P.S. In case you don't know, many RNY patients are told to avoid caffeine for some period of time after surgery. I'm not entirely sure why: some say it contributes to dehydration; others say it irritates the reconfigured stomach. I don't remember how long my surgeon said to avoid it - three months, maybe? But I haven't missed it, so I don't see the need to get myself hooked to it again. I was already weaning myself off caffeine well before I decided to have surgery. The only thing I'm annoyed that I can't try is the Believe ready-to-drink protein lattes from BariatricEating.com. The chai tea is most tempting, followed closely by the mocha latte.

What I Ate: 10/11/2009

• I tried to have the awesome Greek yogurt/cheesecake pudding/protein powder combo again for breakfast this morning, and I did, but I couldn't get through a whole half-cup of it. I ate it until it started to be painful to continue. (Crazy!) I measured what was left, and it was about 1/8 cup. I'm calculating the calories and protein as though I ate 3/4 of my 1/2-cup serving. (132 kcals, 12g protein)
• Southwestern chicken chili omelet: 2.5 oz. of my Southwestern chicken chili (80 kcals, 12g protein) inside 1/4 Publix EggStirs (30 kcals, 6g protein) with 1/2 slice FF sharp cheddar cheese (15 kcals, 2g protein) - Total (125 kcals, 20g protein)
• 1/2 cup baked ricotta casserole with spinach. This was amazing! I let it get somewhat overcooked so it got that burnt cheese unctuousness that's so great in macaroni pie (about 140 kcals, 12g protein - but I really have no idea)
• 10 roasted unsalted pistachio nuts (40 kcals, 1g protein)
• 0.5 oz. chicken breast. I was tasting the chicken nuggets I cooked for the week (25 kcals, 4g protein)
• About 1/4 cup Monica's Autumn Pumpkin & Broccoli Soup (about 30 kcals, 0g protein)
• 2.5 oz. Monica's Global Chicken and Lamb Meatballs - again, tasting pursuant to cooking . Each 1 oz. meatball has about 35 calories and 5.5g protein. (88 kcals, 13.5g protein)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (15 kcals, 0g protein)
• About 6 sleeves water mix-ins (60 kcals, 0g protein)

Total: 655 kcals, 62.5g protein, 38.2% kcals from protein.

Crazy eating day, eh? I didn't have any protein shakes, and that's where these numbers come from. I think I'm more lactose-intolerant than I realized. After I had the yogurt and the ricotta, I was in pain and "carb coma" (even though few carbs) for a few hours. I felt full and didn't want to eat. I wanted to cook, though, and so I decided to taste my concoctions instead of having a shake. It's only one day with low protein out of many days with extremely high numbers, so I'm not too worried about it.

Easy Recipe: Southern Baked Ricotta

This is my version of a baked ricotta. There are other WLS-friendly recipes for baked ricotta out there, including Shelly's version. But I think mine is sufficiently different to warrant a separate posting. I like to basically burn mine so it gets that browned cheese flavor, reminiscent of a good Southern macaroni pie.* Yummm!

I plan to try this with meat and/or different veggies next time, which would make it more Southern. I think the main difference between the other baked ricotta recipes and mine is that I don't want it to be Italian-tasting. There's no tomato sauce; there's no herbs, etc. It could go with any type of cuisine, but in this form I felt like I was eating the top of a macaroni pie. Which is always a good thing.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (half of a large container) Sorrento part skim ricotta
• 1 pound (half of a large container) Sorrento fat free ricotta
• 1 12-oz. tub Philadelphia fat free cream cheese, softened
• 1 bag Sargento shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 box of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and separated
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 egg

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 325.
• Mix all of the ingredients together.
• Spread them in a casserole dish.
• Bake in the oven until the sides are very brown, it smells a little burnt, and the middle is slightly brown.
• Remove from the oven, let it sit for ten minutes, and eat up.

NOTE: Take it easy with this. It gave me quite a carb coma, even though it doesn't have that many carbs. But that's the only way I can describe the feeling I had. I would credit that to eating it too soon after another meal more than the nutritional content of the dish itself. I've packaged the rest of it up for the week, so will report back if it still makes me sleepy.

*"Macaroni pie" is the CORRECT term for what Yankees might refer to as "macaroni and cheese casserole." :-)

Terrific NYT Column Re: Corzine's Fat-Hating

From Gail Collins, one of my favorite NYT columnists:

The Eye of the Beholder
October 10, 2009
In New Jersey’s gubernatorial race, a candidate’s weight is now an issue. As Americans get fatter, who will be qualified to run for office?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/opinion/10collins.html

What I Ate: 10/10/2009

Happy Weekend! I'm so excited, especially because this is a long weekend. Yay!

• 1/4 cup Southwestern chicken chili (about 60 kcals, 9.5g protein) over 1 cup romaine/radicchio salad mix (6 kcals, 0g protein) with 1 tbsp. Oikos nonfat Greek yogurt (8 kcals, 1g protein) and a vinaigrette of apple cider vinegar (3 kcals), Splenda (4 kcals), and Liquid Smoke (0 kcals) - total (81 kcals, 10.5g protein). This was crazy yummy! The Greek yogurt combined with the vinaigrette to make a creamy, sweet, tangy, smoky dressing for the salad. I prefer Fage but Oikos was all that was available, and it's pretty good too. It's less calorie-rich as well.
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a tall iced decaf americano from Starbucks, with SF vanilla syrup and 3 packets of Truvia
• Steak omelet: 1/4 cup Publix EggStirs (think Egg Beaters) (30 kcals, 6g protein), 1 oz. eye-of-round steak (45 kcals, 8g protein), 1 tbsp. Publix medium salsa (5 kcals, 0g protein), 1/2 slice fat-free sharp cheddar cheese (15 kcals, 2g protein), and a sprinkle of cilantro (about 1 kcal) - unfortunately I oversalted this, so the last several bites were horrible. I had to chew gum right afterward to cleanse my palate! Total - (96 kcals, 16g protein)
• 1/2 cup Oikos nonfat Greek yogurt (80 kcals, 11g protein) with 1/2 scoop Inspire peanut butter cookie protein powder (66 kcals, 12.5g protein), 1 tbsp. Jello fat-free/sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix (25 kcals, 0g protein), and a splash each of SF vanilla and SF caramel syrup (0 kcals) - INSANE. This was INSANELY DELICIOUS. This is NOT just gastric bypass food, friends. This is like . . . incredible, rich dessert that it is just unimaginable that I could eat every single day, multiple times a day without guilt. I might have to hail this in a separate post. It was THAT good. Total - (171 kcals, 23.5g protein)
• Steak salad: 2 oz. eye of round steak (90 kcals, 16g protein), 1 cup romaine/radicchio salad greens (6 kcals), 1 tbsp. Publix medium salsa (5 kcals), and a vinaigrette of red wine vinegar, Liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, and Splenda (7 kcals). Total - (108 kcals, 16g protein)
• Shake (113, 25)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate iron (5 kcals)
• About 6 sleeves sugar-free water mix-ins (60 kcals, 0g protein)

Total: 757 kcals, 116g protein, 61.3% kcals from protein.

I went for my customary 5-mile walk at the Park this afternoon, which was nice. Then I did part of the Mari Windsor Pilates dvd in the afternoon, and then yoga before bed.

What I Ate: 10/9/2009

I decided to add a meal for a few days to see how it would affect my metabolism to shake things up. My weight seems to be stuck right now :-(

• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel Natural Choice oven roasted deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein) and 1 mini Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1 wedge cantaloupe (about 15 kcals, 0g protein) and 1/2 large strawberry (5 kcals, 0g protein), immediately before my 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate in instant iced decaf with SF vanilla syrup with 3 packets Truvia (113 kcals, 25g protein)
• 2.5 oz barbecue chicken over 2 tbsp. cauliflower "rice" (about 120 kcals, 20g protein)
• 5 slices Hormel Natural Choice deli turkey (84 kcals, 16g protein)
• 3 slices Hormel Natural Choice deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein) with 1 mini Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate in instant iced decaf with SF vanilla and SF chocolate syrup with 3 packets Truvia (113 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 Celebrate multivitamin (5 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate iron + vitamin C (5 kcals)
• About 6 sleeves Crystal Light (60 kcals)

Total: 725 kcals, 118g protein, 65.1% kcals from protein.

I took a day off from cardio today in anticipation of my long walk tomorrow morning. But I did do yoga this morning.

What I Ate: 10/8/2009

I tried mixing things up today by mixing up my shake/food schedule. I hoped that beginning and ending my day with solid food instead of the shakes, basically alternating food with shakes instead of using the shakes as bookends, would help stave off food cravings. I think it was successful!

• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel Natural Choice oven roasted deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein) and 1 mini Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with SF vanilla syrup and 3 packs of Truvia (112 kcals, 25g protein)
• 2.5 oz. Southwestern chicken chili (about 87 kcals, 15.5g protein) over 2 tbsp. cauliflower "rice" with parsley (10 kcals, 0g protein), topped with 1 tbsp. fat-free mozzarella cheese (12 kcals, 2g protein) - yep. still eating these frozen leftovers!
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with SF vanilla syrup and 3 packs of Truvia (112 kcals, 25g protein)
• 2.5 oz. curry-seasoned chicken breast (110 kcals, 20g protein) over 1.5 cups romaine/radicchio salad mix (9 kcals, 0g protein) and 1 tbsp. homemade plum sauce (20 kcals, 0g protein) with apple cider vinegar and cilantro - this was magically delicious.
• 2 Celebrate orange multivitamins (10 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate grape iron supplement (5 kcals)
• About 5 sleeves Crystal Light/Target drink (about 50 kcals)

Total: 637 kcals, 103.5g protein, 65.0% kcals from protein.

I had a great morning workout - a brisk hour on the elliptical. The unreliable machine said I burned 580 calories, which is a lot compared to what it usually says for the same amount of time. So for comparison purposes, this was a more vigorous workout than usual.

Why Is Jon Corzine Hating on Fat People?

Check this out in today's New York Times.

Corzine Points Spotlight at His Rival's Waistline

Because I work for the federal judiciary, I can't comment publicly about politics. I'll just say that I'm glad not to be a New Jersey voter.

What I Ate: 10/7/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with SF vanilla syrup, SF hazelnut syrup, and 4 packs of Truvia (113 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel Natural Choice oven roasted turkey breast (50 kcals, 10g protein), with 1 mini -Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel Natural Choice oven roasted turkey breast (50 kcals, 10g protein), with 1 mini -Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 2 oz. spicy chicken breast (85 kcals, 16g protein) over 1 cup romaine/radicchio salad mix (6 kcals, 0g protein) and 1 tbsp. homemade plum sauce (20 kcals, 0g protein) and 1 tbsp. salsa (5 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with SF hazlenut syrup, SF chocolate syrup, and 3 packs of Truvia (113 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (4 slices) Hormel Natural Choice honey ham (70 kcals, 10g protein) - shouldn't have eaten this! I don't know WTH is wrong with me. I had just had a protein shake, and it made me feel overfull when I ate this. I just wanted something savory.
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals)
• 1 Celebrate iron supplement (5 kcals)
• About 4 sleeves Crystal Light (40 kcals)
• 2 Celebrate calcium vitamins (13 kcals)

Total: 680 kcals, 108g protein, 63.5% kcals from protein.

Activity: 35 minutes on the elliptical this morning. Not awesome, but better than nothing.

Also: I bought a fitted size LARGE women's t-shirt today. That is insane. I can't even relate to such a small size. I actually felt embarrassed when I picked it up at Target, because I half-expected one of the other shoppers to tell me I shouldn't be shopping in that section. I was nervous because there were some loud girls shopping around me and I really thought one of them would point me in the direction of the plus sizes. But amazingly, the shirt fits well. I'm going to work out in it on Friday!

What I Ate: 10/6/2009

I decided that the LPT had been pretty effective and have gone back to more solid food today. But I'm keeping it small and extra "pouch-friendly."

I've also altered my calorie-calculation strategy upon learning this afternoon that Splenda is not a no-calorie sweetener, but is actually a four-calorie-per-packet sweetener. I am also going to start including the calories in my water mix-ins. Heck, maybe I'll even include the calories in my vitamins while I'm at it.

• About 36 oz. water with 2 sleeves of Sunrise Orange Crystal Light (20 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant decaf with SF hazelnut syrup and 5 packets of Splenda :-( (130 kcals, 25g protein)
• 2 mini Babybel Light cheese rounds (100 kcals, 12g protein)
• About 36 oz. water with 2 sleeves of Sunrise Orange Crystal Light (20 kcals, 0g protein)
• 4 slices Hormel Natural Choice (reduced nitrates/nitrites) deli turkey (67 kcals, 13g protein)
• 2 oz. spicy chicken breast (85 kcals, 16g protein) over 1 cup romaine/radicchio salad mix (6 kcals, 0g protein) and 1 tbsp. homemade plum sauce (20 kcals, 0g protein) - this was scrumptious today! I think the allspice combined with the cayenne really set everything off . . .
• About 36 oz. water with 2 sleeves of Crystal Light - only got through half of this, will continue tomorrow (10 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant decaf with SF vanilla syrup and 5 packets of Truvia :-) (113 kcals, 25g protein)
• 2 Celebrate multivitamins (10 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 Celebrate iron (5 calories, 0g protein)

Total: 586 kcals, 91g protein, 62.1% kcals from protein.

For activity, I did a little over 45 minutes on the elliptical this morning, and one of my pilates DVDs tonight.

I'm really bummed about Splenda's calorific-ness. I guess I'll invest in some of that Sweetzfree . . . ? For now, I'm giving Truvia another try. It was surprisingly terrific in my shake tonight! Truvia has 3 grams of carbs per packet, but it's all from erythritol, a sugar alcohol that the body really doesn't digest. Supposedly, it has 0.6 calories a packet. I also picked up some liquid saccharine from Publix, but I don't know when/if I'll try it.

Calorie/Carb Counters: Be Careful With Splenda!

Thanks to my friends at Bariatric Eating's Before and After Help discussion board, I learned today that Splenda has calories and carbs. To be exact, one packet has four calories and one gram of carbohydrate. More starkly, one cup has 96 calories and 24 grams of carbohydrate.

I had no idea.

This information basically makes everything I've said on this blog about my calorie intake a big, fat lie. You can add 40 calories (at least) to every day. I usually take 5 packets of Splenda in each protein shake, and I love the sweet/savory combination so a lot of my other foods have Splenda in them as well. I have a serious sweet tooth and Splenda, I thought, was a miracle drug.

How do they get away with calling this product a "no-calorie sweetener"? According to Splenda's website, it meets the FDA's guidelines for a no-calorie product because of the small amount of calories.

Apparently, it's the dextrose and maltodextrin that they add to the sucralose (the real sweetening agent) for bulk that yields the carbs and calories. See this post from Low Carb Freedom blog for more details. To avoid these additives, you can use a liquid sucralose product like Sweetzfree or EZ-Sweetz. You could also stick with other sugar substitutes, or even a natural product like stevia. I've been told that you can boil the actual stevia leaves and build a sweet syrup to sweeten liquids.

I don't know what I'm going to do yet. I'm quite upset about this.

What I Ate: 10/5/2009

Still on the modified "liquid protein train". . .

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with French vanilla Splenda (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• Ditto (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• Ditto (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 2 oz. spicy chicken breast (85 kcals, 16g protein) with 1 cup romaine/radicchio salad mix (6 kcals, 0g protein) and 1 tbsp. homemade Asian plum sauce (20 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with SF vanilla syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 551 kcals, 116g protein, 84.2% kcals from protein.

I did two rounds of yoga today, which was pretty sweet. No cardio though :-(

What I Ate: 10/4/2009

I'm on a modified liquid protein diet (aka "liquid protein train" or "LPT") for a few days. I'll be having protein shakes only when I get hungry during the day, a protein-rich dinner, and, as needed, a protein shake before bed.

Thus, the next few days' menus are likely to be even more boring than usual!

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in a grande iced decaf Americano from Starbucks, with a splash of Davinci SF hazelnut syrup and a few packs of French vanilla Splenda (115 kcals, 26g protein)
• Ditto (115 kcals, 26g protein)
• 3.5 oz. steam-sauteed chicken breast (140 kcals, 28g protein) with 1 cup romaine/radicchio salad mix (Publix Italian) (6 kcals, 0g protein) and 1 tbsp. of my homemade plum/ginger/soy sauce (about 20 kcals, 0g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with SF vanilla and SF caramel syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 506 kcals, 105g protein, 83.0% kcals from protein.

I'm hoping this modified liquid diet will help curb my recent food cravings. I'm already feeling better just after this first day.

I went for a 4-mile stroll this afternoon, attempted Mari Winsor pilates this afternoon, and tried a new yoga routine from Gaiam's 5 Day Fit Yoga tonight. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a better exercise routine!

What I Ate: 10/3/2009

Yesterday was my mom's birthday. I went to Anderson to celebrate with her.

• 3 oz. Kraft FF shredded mozzarella with tomato sauce - the "cold pizza" from last night. This is melted FF mozzarella with my homemade tomato sauce, cold from the fridge. You turn it upside down and eat it with the tomato sauce on top. It might be a bad idea to have this around, because it feels like a potential trigger food. (133 kcals, 22g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein supplement in instant iced decaf with SF hazelnut syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 package of pistachios - got these at the gas station (120 kcals, 5g protein)
• 3 oz. grilled salmon, some iceberg lettuce with shredded white and yellow cheddar, and a few steamed broccoli florets from Logan's Roadhouse. This would have been healthy but for the ridiculous amount of butter they obviously melted onto the salmon before service. What is that about??? I guess I should have asked for them to prepare it without butter. I blotted it off as best I could.
• 2 pieces Russell Stover SF chocolate candy
• 1 strip (about 1/2 oz.) grilled chicken
• About 2 oz. of the leftover grilled salmon, 5 peanuts, 3 pieces of Russell Stover SF chocolate candy

Total: ??? I have no idea what the calorie profile of the salmon was because of all the butter.

Obviously, this was an off day for me with the poor restaurant choice, the large number of pistachios, and the sugar-free candy. At least I did late-night pilates with my mom!

I am having a hard time getting motivated to exercise. It's a vicious cycle. I get on the scale and dislike what it says (seem to be stuck between 219 and 221 - still!), and then I get grouchy and don't want to go to the gym. I should probably stop weighing so often? Plus, it has been cold in the mornings and that discourages me from working out as well. I need to stop making excuses and just DO it. It would probably also help deter me from the compulsive overeating which has been creeping back in over this past week.

What I Ate: 10/2/2009

I got a late start on eating today. My first meal wasn't until after 1 PM! But I also stayed up really late, so my meals were still well-spaced. :-)

• 1 serving (4 slices) Hormel Natural deli honey ham (70 kcals, 10g protein) with 1 light mini-Babybel cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with SF-white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 and 1/3 servings (4 slices) Hormel Natural deli turkey (67 kcals, 13g protein) with 1 light mini-Babybel cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein)
• 2 oz. southwestern chicken chili (70 kcals, 12g protein) with 1/2 slice FF sharp cheddar cheese (15 kcals, 2g protein)
• About 1/2 cup melted fat-free mozzarella with tomato sauce - this tasted like pizza! (110 kcals, 18g protein). This was another compulsive eating moment. I wasn't hungry; I just ate. And then I went to an online OA meeting. I need to start finding the meetings before the binge happens.
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with SF-vanilla and SF-hazelnut syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)

Total: 652 kcals, 117g protein, 71.8% kcals from protein.

What I Ate: 10/1/2009

• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free white chocolate syrup (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• 1 serving (3 slices) Hormel Natural deli turkey (50 kcals, 10g protein)
• About 16 medium steamed shrimp (96 kcals, 19g protein) with about 6 steamed broccoli florets (20 kcals, 2g protein), 2 mushrooms (10 kcals, 0g protein) and 2 sugar snap peas (4 kcals, 0g protein) with soy sauce (10 kcals, 0g protein) - I was painfully full after this and started hiccuping. I was lunching at M Cafe with a coworker. I hate eating with people who comment on my plate! The waitress got in on it too, asking why I didn't eat all of my vegetables. I will be doing a liquid diet next week, for sure! I have to stop overeating and stretching out my tool. Argh... so full.
• 1 serving (4 slices) Hormel Natural honey ham (70 kcals, 10g protein) and 1 mini Babybel Light cheese round (50 kcals, 6g protein) - long night at the office so I had this for dinner
• 1 scoop Isopure dutch chocolate protein powder in instant iced decaf with sugar-free chocolate, vanilla, and hazelnut syrups (110 kcals, 25g protein)
• The rest of the curried cauliflower - thank God, it's such a trigger food for me! (about 75 kcals, 0g protein)

Total: 605 kcals, 97g protein, 64.1% kcals from protein.

Boo. I didn't leave work today until after 10 PM, and I didn't get up and do my cardio like I was supposed to. So . . . I guess you know what that means for daily exercise. :-(