Monday brings wonderful fresh air

72 days

267.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 265.0 (pounds left: 2.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 73.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 92.0)

___________________________________________________________

It's all the same today

But much more wonderful, weather-wise. Yesterday was one long party. I didn't eat nearly as much as I drank (3 or 4 beers), though I did have a sandwich and some chips and cheese, and before I went to bed (before 11pm!), I had a slice of blueberry pie and coffee.

Breakfast

Coffee, orange juice, medicine, vitamins and some aged Gouda cheese melted on baguette slices left over from yesterday.

10:45am

Orange Bliss yogurt with Cool Whip. Another cup of coffee.

12:00pm

Ate my leftover Phil's from the weekend...angel hair with eggplant parmesan. Big water.

Dinner

We made chicken fajitas with the leftover vegetables from Sunday.

Before bed...

A slice of blueberry pie with a chunk of Carvel cake on it. I'll pay for that tomorrow morning.

Last day to prepare for the party

74 days

267.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 265.0 (pounds left: 2.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 73.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 92.0)

___________________________________________________________

Humidity is good for sweat

But not much else. Yesterday went by without a chance to blog. Had to get up early to pick up my mother (our first face-to-face meeting since the end of February 2009), then my mother-in-law and then head to Lincoln Center for Lauren's graduation from Brooklyn Law School.

It was really a nice day, but it was brutally hot and there was endless traffic everywhere. Don't remember too much now (the following Monday) other than how miserably uncomfortable it was in the blazing heat and humidity.

Today (Saturday) was consumed mostly by cleaning up and preparing for Sunday.

Breakfast

No breakfast.

Lunch

Some leftover pasta.

Dinner

Lauren slept over and we basically picked at various things in the refrigerator. Not much of an actual meal was had.

The prodigal son returns

76 days

265.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 265.0 (pounds left: 0.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 72.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 90.5)

___________________________________________________________

A month off

Partially out of frustration, but mostly out of a need to rebuild my deck, I have not written a thing in a month. When I stopped blogging, it was three days into my construction project and right in the middle of an entry, which I published this morning.

During that time, I have worked hard every morning and afternoon, demolishing the old deck and building a new one in place, and I have sweated up a storm in the process and kept losing weight, although quite slowly. Now, at last, all (virtually) of the carpentry is done and I'm staining the floor a second time and this morning I stained the rails, benches and steps.

Something else started this day as well...a workout. Not a full workout, but a return to my basic stretches and calisthenics. When I dropped the laptop and destroyed the screen a few months ago, one of my prime motivations for working on the machines fell apart. But now, since that time, I have rigged up a TV with a VHS player and can watch movies again while I work out.

The other big thing, of course, is the realization that no matter what happens, I will not lose 100 pounds in the 76 days I have left. But this was never an absolute; whatever happens will happen and I can only try to keep moving in the right direction.

Breakfast

The Thursday heart attack-on-a-plate special, consumed with coffee, orange juice, medicine and vitamins.

Lunch

I ate the rest of Greg's salad from Sunday. It was great. I added some dressing and some grated cheese. Big water.

Dinner

We went to Phil's with Greg and Michelle. I had a glass of chianti and an eggplant parmesan. Phil's portions being what they are, I took half of it home.

Monday on Monday

107 days

271.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 269.0 (pounds left: 2.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 78.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 96.5)

___________________________________________________________

No workout

Very hot and muggy this morning. Got up before 6:00am to work for a client in New Jersey who was going to start by 8:15am. By the time I was done, I just wasn't into it. The rain was coming down so hard, it made me blue.

Breakfast

Coffee, a half grapefruit, medicine and vitamins.

Mid-Morning Snack

More coffee, and a yogurt with Cool Whip.

Lunch

A sardine sandwich on an Ezekiel bun with sliced shallots and a warmed artichoke heart. Baked beans (single-serving 140 calories) and a very Big water.

Sunday on Monday

108 days

272.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: -2.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 79.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 97.5)
• Average weight for the week: 273.9

___________________________________________________________

Big workout

I got up really early on Sunday to start working on the deck. It was very warm and got warmer as the day wore on. I worked straight through to about 5:30pm, then took a shower and went out. I had such an intense workout that I had severe pains in both legs (citric acid phenomenon, I later learned).

Breakfast

Coffee and both sides of an Ezekiel muffin, with almond butter on one side and Nutella on the other.

Lunch

A hot dog on the grill with ketchup and mustard/relish. Big water.

It should be noted that I was perspiring like a nut all day and drank at least seven very large glasses of water while I worked.

Dinner

Celebrity Diner. Coffee, corn muffin, bacon, eggs and home fries, all well-done (except the eggs, of course).

Saturday is going to be a scorcher

109 days

272.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: -2.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 79.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 97.5)

___________________________________________________________

Improvements continue

I totally spaced out Friday. I did some exercise, but a lot of yard work, and today (hopefully) there will be a lot more. Today is supposed to set some kind of heat record (89ºF), so it could be a scorcher.

Yesterday I ate pretty lightly, starting out with my usual oatmeal and coffee; for lunch I had the usual Italian veggie sausage on the grill and there was a key lime yogurt in there somewhere. For dinner, we went to Pollo E Paisa and had chicken, skirt steak, shrimp, salad and San't Gria. Before going out however, I had a pretty stiff dirty martini. When I got home later, I crashed hard and woke up with my clothes on at ten minutes to two a.m.

Breakfast

Waffles and coffee, medicine and vitamins with a swig of grapefruit juice.

Lunch

No lunch.

Dinner

Went to see Alex at Carnegie Hall with Bob and Ann. Had dinner at Rosa Mexicano. Guacamole and Bob and I shared a lump crabmeat enchilada. After the show, we had coffee and I had a piece of wonderful chocolate mousse cake.

Yesterday and Today

111 days

275.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 0.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 81.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.0)

___________________________________________________________

What happened?!?! (continued)

Okay. Now it's the middle of the night, actually Friday morning, but we're talking about yesterday (Thursday).

Anyway, around the 20th of April, I started having all this work, like the economy had somehow miraculously fixed itself and all my customers, including several I hadn't heard from in years, started calling, emailing and otherwise trying to book me. I have worked nearly 18 hours a day for the past two weeks and it has been a thrill ride, especially in view of the fact that I haven't had this much work concentrated into a two week period since the fall of 2006, when the economy began to hurt people in my profession.

So I naturally felt compelled to grab this bull by its horns and hang on and that is what I did to the exclusion of pretty much everything else in the past two weeks.

It's not slowing down, or at least it doesn't appear to be, but I've acclimated to the pace a bit better now and am trying to re-integrate myself into my routine.

I didn't always eat properly during this period. In fact, my post on the 19th was titled, "Three checks to see if it was right." It was right then, anyway, but the next morning it was eight pounds higher and got as high as 280 at one point, but then it began to plunge again and in the past three or four days, I started to work out again and started to drink more water and got back in the general direction of where I was headed when I got so happily sidetracked.

Today begins...

Got up nice and early, but the dog had an accident for the second consecutive morning and that kind of derailed much of my workout this morning.

Breakfast

I had some fruit, coffee and a poppy seed bagel with light vegetable cream cheese.

Lunch

I had my Thursday breakfast as lunch today.

Dinner

We grilled chicken thighs, and I also had a nice salad.

Drank lots of water today.

I'm back (again) yesterday

112 days

275.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 0.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 82.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.5)

___________________________________________________________

What happened?!?!

Well...let's start out by saying that this is Thursday, the 29th of April and I'm writing about yesterday, Wednesday, which is about as far back as I can reconstruct anything fooddiarywise. In fact, it is now Friday. Nearly 20 hours passed since I started writing this post.

I ate right, I exercised and I drank a lot of water. I'm way too tired to write much more about this now and I want to get today in here today (today, which is now yesterday).

Three checks to see if it was real

121 days

270.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 269.0 (pounds left: 1.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 77.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 95.5)

___________________________________________________________

Up not so early, but still down to work

Work is good. Up with work. And this morning's weigh-in was incredible, seemingly impossible. I checked it three times in three different parts of the bathroom and the number was the same. I'll take it, and try to run with it, down into the 260's.

Breakfast

The other half of the blueberry bagel, toasted with wild blueberry preserves and a little butter. A half grapefruit and coffee, etc.

Mid-Morning Snack

[Abrupt abandonment]

On Sunday, a small step backward, but a good day

122 days

276.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 1.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 82.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 101.0)
• Average weight for the week: 276.1

___________________________________________________________

Up early and back to work again

The early weigh-in was even worse, but it was followed by a second expulsive experience that took it down to the number shown above. No time for concern; too much work to do.

Breakfast

Two blueberry waffles, I think, with syrup. Coffee, etc.

Lunch

A half blueberry bagel with butter. Water. Big water.

During the afternoon

Lots of water.

Dinner

The Orient, with all its attendant wonders but without wine. We had Peking Duck, crystal shrimp dumplings, some wonderful lemongrass-flavored hot and sour soup, shrimp and asparagus in XO sauce, chicken with egg whites and a whole round of "let's criticize Gil's math skills" to finish things off.

Cold, wet and yet encouraging

123 days

274.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: -1.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 80.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 99.0)

___________________________________________________________

Up early, had to get right to work...

Didn't even take out the dog. Just went to the office and started programming.

Breakfast

Steel-cut oats, with honey and cinnamon and coffee, with the usual suspects.

Lunch

Blueberry bagel with cream cheese from Bagel Boss.

Dinner

Bliss Garden in Sunnyside. I had a dirty martini, a broccoli soup, steak au poivre and shared a mousse au chocolat, washed down by a cappucino. And some Big waters, of course.

Perhaps a film tonight?

124 days

276.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 1.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 101.5)

___________________________________________________________

Up early, but didn't stretch properly...

Made up for it in the garden, digging and yanking. It was nice and cool out so it wasn't sweaty work. In fact, it was runny nose work, but I love doing it.

Breakfast

I attempted to make steel cut oatmeal, but the instructions called for cooking it partly and putting it in the refrigerator overnight, so I bailed out on that idea and had blueberry waffles with coffee and the usual suspects.

10:45am

A half grapefruit and a Big water.

Lunch

A single slice of pizza. Big water.

Mid-Afternoon

Shared a pear with Oliver. Big water.

Late Afternoon

A slice of Ezekiel toast with melted aged Gouda cheese on it. No tea.

Dinner

We went to iHop after the movie..."City Island." It was great. I had crepes, eggs, bacon, sausage combo. It was all a lot smaller (and a lot less delicious) than it looked in the picture. Coffee.

Up and down

125 days

277.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 2.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.0)

___________________________________________________________

And going...

Yesterday's workout didn't include enough time on the elliptical, so I made up for it this morning. That I gained a pound is, well, unfortunate, but three consecutive days of exercise after a significant break may be jogging my body chemistry a little bit. Statistically, I'm not sure it's meaningful.

Breakfast

Heart-attack-in-a-bag from Jagermeister Deli. A wonderful breakfast, with coffee, grapefruit juice, medicine and vitamins. I almost always neglect to mention that I also have medicine and vitamins with dinner. Perhaps I'll just leave that stuff out from now on so I don't have to type so much (or obsess about it).

10:30am

Too busy. Forgot to go upstairs.

Lunch

Reheated two leftover pieces of chicken from a few weeks ago. Each was the size of a thumb joint. Two hot dogs on the grill, both with relish, one with mustard, the other with ketchup. Big water.

1:45pm

Shared a pear with Oliver. Big water.

Late afternoon

More toast, no tea. Ezekiel. Big water.

Dinner

A wonderful salad, again, this time followed by barbequed chicken wings. A subtle difference. No side dish. Big water.

Before bed

A 60-calorie fruit bar.

A very stressful, but hopefully productive day

126 days

276.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 1.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 82.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 101.0)

___________________________________________________________

It's still going

This morning's workout was hobbled by psychosomatic back pain. I did some, but some really were next to impossible.

Breakfast

Kashi cereal with almond milk and sliced banana. Coffee, grapefruit juice, medicine and vitamins.

Lunch

Subway Veggie Delite. Big waters.

Late Afternoon

Ezekiel toast, jam. No tea.

Dinner

Barbequed chicken thighs, mashed spuds, broccoli, all preceded by a salad. Big waters.

Going to Opening Day

127 days

277.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 2.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.0)

___________________________________________________________

The effort continues, but...

...with a trip to the big ballpark in the Bronx looming, it's unlikely that I will eat healthfully today. I did, however, get up early and do my routine, including the crunches I forgot yesterday and the lengthy session on the stationary bike.

Breakfast

A vanilla yogurt with Cool Whip. Coffee. Grapefruit juice, medicine and vitamins.

Lunch (or whatever it's called)

Two Premios at different times during the game; one "hot" and one "sweet." A beer. A vanilla ice cream cone and with sprinkles.

Late afternoon

A slice of Ezekiel bread toasted with jam. No tea, though.

Dinner

Two slices of pizza and some of Robin's ribs from Yim's Wok. Iced tea.

Back after a long break

128 days

276.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 1.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 101.5)

___________________________________________________________

A return to discipline?

Hello again, anyone who is reading. Clearly the title of this blog should probably be changed to "How I wanted to lose 100 pounds in a year." The past 15 days or so I went way off the reservation, ate badly, drank too much and generally didn't take good care of myself, continuing my long drift away from physical fitness and weight loss.

That was the bad news. The good news, if there was any, is that today I got up and did my entire exercise routine and after a shower, I had actually lost a half pound since my last real weigh-in. Sure, it would have been nice to see a large drop, but it would have been horrifying to see a large gain, so I should be grateful and try to pick up the pieces and get back on the right track. I certainly won't make 100 pounds by August, but if I keep at it, I'll make progress in the right direction, get more healthy and more fit and less heavy.

Breakfast

A toasted Ezekiel muffin with crunchy almond butter on one side and California Plum jelly on the other. Two fried eggs over easy. Coffee, grapefruit juice, meds and vitamins.

Lunch

Strawberry cheesecake yogurt with Cool Whip. What a great flavor! Big water.

Late Afternoon

A toasted slice of Ezekiel bread with raspberry jam washed down with a Pau D'Arco tea with Stevia.

Dinner

Two slices of pizza at my Girls Softball meeting. Water.

And today it was

144 days

277.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 2.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.0)

___________________________________________________________

A very cold morning

And a pound and a half regained to boot. Not a nice way to start a sunny (but very cold) day.

My workout was again done in the garden, where I worked up a pretty decent sweat. But I am looking forward to settling back into a routine soon.

Breakfast

A toasted Ezekiel muffin with almond butter on one side and Nutella on the other.

Afternoon snack

A slice of unleavened bread with butter and salt and a banana. Big water.

Dinner

We ate at Katz's Deli. I've never been there in my life, somehow. We met two friends there and shared sandwiches and all four of us shared a slice of New York strawberry cheesecake with our coffee.

Slight gain could have been much worse

145 days

275.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 0.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 82.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.5)

___________________________________________________________

A rainy morning

Another night of too much sleep. No time to workout. A half-pound gain after what I consumed last night is something about which I suppose I should be pleased. I'm not, of course, as it broke the steady downtrend of the week.

Breakfast

We're out of oatmeal so I had tomorrow's breakfast today—blueberry waffles with butter and syrup, with coffee, grapefruit juice, medicine and vitamins.

No snacks, but lunch was wonderful

I reheated the last of Robin's leftover sauce and meatballs and cut them up small and had them on an Ezekiel roll like a meatball hero, with some shredded parmesan. I shared them, of course, with Ahleebuh.

Late Afternoon

Two slices of Ezekiel toast with butter and preserves; peach on one, orange on the other. No tea.

Dinner

After the movie ("Greenberg") we went to the Laguna Grill where I had a grilled vegetable sandwich with black bean soup.

Dinner

Shelley's 60th birthday party at Sea Levels in Brightwaters.

A nice plunge on a sunny morning

146 days

275.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 0.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 81.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.0)

___________________________________________________________

The emergence continues

I started my day with my in-bed stretches and carried them over into the living room. A few were skipped, but most were done. There will be more outdoor work today (hopefully I'll get to mow the lawn in front) if it stays sunny, though at 10:45am, the barometer is falling and some rain is in the forecast, so that may be a better thing to try to do sooner than later.

Breakfast

The Jagermeister special, with coffee, grapefruit juice, medicine and vitamins.

Lunch

A reheated turkey wing and a spicy black bean burger on an Ezekiel roll with red onion, melted mozzerella cheese, warmed artichoke, relish and ketchup. Big water.

Late Afternoon

Ezekiel toast with the last of the Cape Cod pear jelly, with Pau D'Arco tea and Stevia.

Dinner

Shelley's 60th birthday party at Sea Levels in Brightwaters. I ate some rolls with butter, had two vodka martinis with olives, baked clams and paella. For dessert, I had some chocolate-covered strawberries, a couple of pieces of brownies and cookies with coffee.

A sunny and windy start after a nice rest

147 days

278.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 3.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 85.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 103.5)

___________________________________________________________

Starting to emerge

I started my day with my in-bed stretches and a moderate workout. Since it's so nice out, I'm going to get outside and do some more yard work today, which should get my blood pumping.

Breakfast

Lemon chiffon yogurt with Cool Whip. Coffee, grapefruit juice, medicine and vitamins.

Lunch

Veggie Delite from Subway. Big waters (2).

Late Afternoon

Two slices of Ezekiel toast. One with Nutella and one with orange marmalade, washed down with Pau D'Arco tea and Stevia.

Dinner

Veal chops on the grill with french fries and haricots verts. Big waters.

Cruel and wet after torrents of rain

148 days

280.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 5.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 87.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 105.5)

___________________________________________________________

Cold, cold, cold

It rained so hard last night the two of the big bushes I replanted this weekend were uprooted. The rain pounded on the windows until nearly 2:00am.

Breakfast

Kashi cereal with flax, strawberries and almond milk. Coffee, grapefruit juice, medicine and vitamnins.

Lunch

Eaten late. No snacks before or after due to a trip to the dentist and lots of errands. It was an agglomeration of Phil's leftovers (that stuff just doesn't quit). Big water.

Dinner

I ate the rest of Robin's leftovers from Phil's (now it's all finally gone) and she had one of my soups from Michelle.

Much later...

Went to pick up Alex at LaGuardia on her return from Colorado. Stopped at Dunkin' Donuts on the way home and had a White Hot Chocolate and blueberry cake and Boston Creme donuts (one each, a nasty splurge that could cost heavily).

Shot in the foot

149 days

281.0 pounds*

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 6.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 87.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 106.0)

___________________________________________________________

Objective adjusted

I'm just not getting close to 273.5. I need to pull back and try for something more realistic. I could lose two pounds (net) this week without killing myself. I'm going to try to lose more, but I'm leaving the bar at 275.0 for now.

*I got on the scale four times this morning and got 279.5, 280.5, 281.5 and 282.5. I then moved the scale around to different positions and go the same four results in each location. I couldn't get the same weight to appear twice in a row. So I averaged the four to arrive at 281.0. A goodly hunk of that gain is from alcohol. I think, looking back, that I may have had five double-shots of tequila, not four. But this is a gain of 4 pounds from last week's average and 5.5 pounds from yesterday, no matter how you slice it. I screwed up big time.

A tough row to hoe, to be sure, but exercise and water will put me back on track.

Breakfast

We're out of grapefruits! Two blueberry waffles with butter and syrup, coffee, grapefruit juice, meds and vites.

10:45am

Another cup of coffee after spending fifteen minutes, in the rain, digging out more of those horrible grape hyacinths we have out there.

Lunch

A reheated slice of pizza and a half bowl of leftover angel hair from Friday night, with a little butter and shredded parmesan cheese. Big water.

Dinner

We brought in some crab cakes, sautéed artichoke hearts and salmon from Syosset Seafood and then mixed and matched with leftovers from Phil's (stills!). Big water. Fruit bar before bed.

Sunday brings a black tie affair

150 days

275.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 2.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 81.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.5)
• Average weight for the week: 277.0

___________________________________________________________

Down, I pray thee!

For some inexplicable reason, three successive weighings brought me down two-and-a-half pounds, a dieter's gift from "The Big Guy" in anticipation of how much I will eat and drink tonight at the black tie event.

I did a little bit of stretching, like yesterday, but instead of a real workout, I spent two hours working in the garden, like I did yesterday. I finished my little conversion project, which was basically to change the shape of a bed and a footpath and replant whatever had to be dug up in the process. It was really physical. The first day, I had to stop at one point because I could feel my heart pounding.

The net for the week (277) means a net loss for the week of 1.8 pounds which is a good step in the right direction, though I set myself up for very bad results next week (as you'll read below).

Breakfast

Pancakes, coffee, meds and vites.

Lunch

A hot dog on the way home. I also had a NYC pretzel while driving around waiting for Robin. It was hot, but not hot enough.

Dinner

Four double shots of 1800 Anejo. The rest is a bit of a blur, but I will to try reconstruct as it will likely make tomorrow morning's number that much more logical.

The cocktail hour was only around 35 minutes for us because we arrived a bit late. The room was like an exhibit hall. Starting to the left, there was a carving station. I had grilled asparagus, peppers and some sort of steak (London broil?). The next station was "Asian." I had a chicken on a stick and some triangular-shaped thing I can't recall the name of. Next were two stations I skipped. Don't recall what was there. Then came the "Sliders" bar. I didn't have one. But I tried a "macaroni and cheese." That's in quotes because in a Kosher facility, the cheese had to be some kind of substitute. I quickly put that down and kept moving.

The next station was the bar, where I got my first and second shots. There were two stations past the bar that I skipped. Don't remember. Then came sushi. I had the one and only remaining spicy tuna. Some clown to my right kept trying to tell my brother-in-law that he was putting eel sauce on tuna. I don't recall exactly what I said, but it was surely something like "What's it to you? It's good on everything." This comes on the same day I let some crazed woman in a giant Toyota have it in the city. Lenny was on the phone and thought it was pretty funny. "That's so New York," he said,

Anyway, the next station was some sort of exotic ravioli bar. They deep fried them. I tried one and left it over.

And, as they say in Hollywood, there's more! There were people walking around with trays of things to eat. I had a few. Don't remember much. One was a cracker with a piece of salmon and caviar on top. There were various types of meat on sticks. And in the middle of the room was a round table with "all the other stuff," like fruit, vegetables, dips, fish, deviled eggs and the like that one expects at a Bat Mitzvah.

Mercifully, I got involved in a moderately deep political discourse with my wife's cousin, which lowered my food interest level sufficiently to survive the night without going completely nuts. And that discourse continued in the main dining room as we sat next to each other and checked our web browsers frequently for the result of the big vote in Congress.

I usually don't go on about food like this, but I have to admit, much as a I can't stand these types of affairs, that the food was about the best I've ever had and the service was a match for that. There was a wonderful salad to start. There was sorbet between courses. I had an apple one that was very nice. I had a wonderful "Victorian" fish, which I thought meant it had been dead for hundreds of years (that was on TQ #4 or so) it was served over two pieces of asparagus. It may have been the best fish I ever ate.

Dessert (or so i thought) was when they served coffee and put some round chocolate concoction on each plate—every other one was different, to encourage sharing perhaps—but then a strange thing happened. People began to pop up all over the place assaulting you with desserts. Most of it was candy and crap like that, but brand named. One guy had a trayful of black-and-whites, another with donuts, another with ice cream, another with candy bars... After a few minutes, I totally lost track, but the only thing I recall actually taking was a Chunky bar, and the funny thing was that I looked over at Robin, and she had the exact same thing in her hand. She extended her other hand to me and said, "Give it me; we'll eat them later."

We didn't. We came home, walked the dog, got undressed and passed out.

A beautiful Saturday.

151 days

278.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 4.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 84.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 104.0)

___________________________________________________________

Up a pound!

This is just too frustrating. But today is another day. Another chance.

No breakfast or lunch today

Big family event in the morning with a luncheon afterward including bagels, flagels, cream cheese, nova, pesto, coffee, OJ and lots of delicious dessert items including brownies, cookies, little sugary things in the shape of fruit, fruit (real) and so much (too much) more.

Dinner

Edison's in Manhasset. I had a BLT with french fries and a Diet Coke with lime.

Friday starts a bit cool

152 days

277.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 3.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 103.0)

___________________________________________________________

Up a half!

I awoke to a fourth straight day of sunshine. Too early. Worked until nearly 4:00am and slept for only a few hours because I wasn't finished.

I managed to gain a half pound. Reduced-fat cream cheese? Am I missing some almond butter shots somewhere?

Anyway...maybe I'll get out in the grass again today sometime.

Breakfast

An Ezekiel muffin toasted with reduced-fat cream cheese. A bowl of oatmeal with flax, cinnamon and honey. Coffee. Grapefruit juice. Meds and vites.

Morning Snack

Half a grapefruit and more coffee.

Lunch

Barbqued Italian veggie sausage. Big water.

Dinner

We brought in from Phil's in Syosset. I had an eggplant parmesan with angel hair. Half of it went into the refrigerator. It was good but it was too much food. Big water. Fruit bar before bed.

Maybe the weather wasn't so bad?

153 days

276.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 3.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.5)

___________________________________________________________

Down a pound!

I awoke to a third straight day of sunshine. Did a little stretching...I really want to work out but I'm having a difficult time getting into it. But I exercised enough self-control yesterday to lose a pound.

Breakfast

The Jagermeister Thursday, at the fabulous new low price of $2.75. Coffee, grapefruit juice, meds and vites.

Morning Snack

Mixed berry yogurt with Cool Whip.

Lunch

Salad. Big water.

Mid-Afternoon Snack

Banana, shared with Oliver. Big water.

Late Afternoon

No tea. A half piece of matzoh with reduced-fat cream cheese.

Dinner

Salad, then barbequed chicken thighs. Boneless. Haricots verts in the mwave. Big water.

Small steps are all we take

154 days

277.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 4.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 84.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 103.5)

___________________________________________________________

Down a half

Went to sleep a little earlier and managed to get up around 7:45am, so I am beginning to adjust to DST. No workout, but a little stretching.

Breakfast

Orange bliss yogurt with Cool Whip. Toasted piece of Italian bread with reduced-fat cream cheese. Coffee. Gjuice with meds and vites.

Lunch

Didn't find the time for a mid-morning snack today, so I went up after the cleaning girls left and made the appropriate spicy black bean burger with red onion, relish, warmed artichoke and a slice of munchee on a toasted Deli Flat with some ketchup. This is a very crunchy, very satisfying lunch. Big water.

Late Afternoon

I combined 2:00pm and 4:00pm and shared a pear with Oliver and then had Ezekiel toast and tea while making his dinner.

Dinner

We had Crispo salads from Pasta-Eria. Big water. After that, it was Shiva time again. More coffee and cookies.

Time slips away and I grow restless here

155 days

278.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 4.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 84.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 104.0)

___________________________________________________________

Up one

Having a much more difficult time than usual adjusting to Daylight Saving Time. By now, I would ordinarily be into it, but I'm still waking up to late for too early. My 7:30am is now 8:30am and I'm barely getting out of bed at that point.

Breakfast

Kashi Go Lean with flax and a sliced banana with almond milk. Toasted slice of baguette with reduced-fat cream cheese. Coffee. Gjuice with meds and vites.

Lunch

Didn't find the time for a mid-morning snack today, so I went up after the cleaning girls left and made the appropriate spicy black bean burger with red onion, relish, warmed artichoke and a slice of munchee on a toasted Deli Flat with some ketchup. This is a very crunchy, very satisfying lunch. Big water.

Late Afternoon

I combined 2:00pm and 4:00pm and shared a pear with Oliver and then had Ezekiel toast and tea while making his dinner.

Dinner

We had Crispo salads from Pasta-Eria. Big water. After that, it was Shiva time again. More coffee and cookies.

The days starts off fast and late

156 days

277.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 3.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.0)

___________________________________________________________

Another half

Diminishing desire. That's my current plague. I've got to keep in control but these past two weeks have been horrible.

Breakfast

Half grapefruit and a slice of leftover baguette. Coffee.

Late morning

Apple pie yogurt with Cool Whip. More coffee.

Lunch

Chipotle sardine sandwich on Deli Flat (toasted) with warmed artichoke heart. Big water.

Mid-Afternoon

Shared a pear with Oliver. Another Big water.

Late-Afternoon

Pau D'Arco tea with Stevia and a toasted slice of Ezekiel bread with peach preserves.

Dinner

Chicken tacos. Big water. After that, back over to my neighbor's, where I had some more decaf coffee, a strawberry and a slice of cake.

This was really Sunday

157 days

277.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 4.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 84.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.5)
• Average weight for the week: 278.8)

___________________________________________________________

Lost a half, but no cigar

Slept late this first morning of Daylight Saving Time. The day got away from me quickly. The weekly average was up another 2.7 pounds from last week, despite getting back to a downward trend.

Breakfast

A blueberry bagel with a piece of fish and some reduced fat cream cheese. Coffee.

Afternoon

Went to a friend's house whose mother had passed away. Ate a roast beef sandwich on rye, had some decaf coffee and cake.

Dinner

Spaghetti and meat balls and garlic bread. And Big water.

Saturday doesn't disappoint

158 days

278.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 4.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 84.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 103.0)

___________________________________________________________

Not so easy

Got up around 6:45am. The pounding rain and the snoring of my wife and dog drove me down to the office to see what trouble I could get into that early.

I came up around 9:00am and gave Oliver a bath.

Breakfast

Substitute waffles ("organic" means more calories in this case) with a little butter and syrup. Coffee. Before the waffles, I ate a slice I had toasted last night but never ate, with almond butter.

10:45am

Ezekiel muffin, toasted with almond butter and Nutella.

Lunch

Around 1:00pm I had a pineapple-coconut yogurt with Cool Whip. Gotta get some water into me.

3:30pm

It was a bit earlier than usual today, tea time. I had more Pau D'Arco with a slice of Ezekiel toast and peach preserves.

Dinner

Sage Bistro. Incredible pear drink. Butternut squash soup—wonderful, and scallops for dinner. Coffee. No dessert.

Prepare to be locked in

159 days

277.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 3.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.0)

___________________________________________________________

Another half pound...could've been more

Did almost all of my exercises this morning. Didn't alternate toe-touch. Back still a little stiff for that. But everything else got done, albeit a little later than I would have preferred.

With a forecast of flooding and the prospective highlight of the weekend being a funeral on Sunday at 1:30pm in Brooklyn, I'd say I'll get a few more shots at exercise, or I'll just go a little stir crazy.

Breakfast

Friday? Oatmeal, flax, cinnamon and honey. Coffee and meds. Vitamin delivery is a bit late.

Lunch

I may have grilled myself an Italian veggie sausage. I may have also eaten leftover chicken from Carmine's. I don't recall (I'm revisiting this the following Monday evening).

Dinner

We went to Phil's in Syosset and Robin and I shared a chicken mellanzone. That's chicken in a marsala sauce with eggplant. Salad. No pasta. Perhaps a little too much bread.

A slightly more precipitous drop

160 days

277.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 4.0
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 84.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.5)

___________________________________________________________

Another two and a half pounds...water me!

I did do a few stretches and exercises this morning, but it was the control and the water yesterday that precipitated the slightly more joyous drop of the day. Two weigh-ins confirmed its reality. But the harsh reality is that I have now been in the 270s since I hit 278.0 the morning of November 4th. That's 127 days. That's 4 months. That's way too long.

I could kill the Thursday breakfast, or I could learn to control the rest of the day the way I did before I got mired down here in the 270s. Naturally, I opt for the latter.

Breakfast

Drove to Jagermeister and bought the Thursday special. As I was paying, I was tempted and failed. Hereinafter, I am creating a "New Rule" that applies regardless of today's outcome: Any sign saying "Try one...it's free!" is the result of someone cooking something terrible and not being able to admit it and just throw it away. Don't eat it. The victual in focus this time was a mini-chocolate cupcake with white frosting and colored sprinkles. It will likely be my undoing tomorrow, but maybe I can rescue the day otherwise.

Had medicine, but no vitamins, with a swig of grapefruit juice.

10:45am

Orange Bliss yogurt with Cool Whip. More coffee.

12:45pm (Lunch)

I had the remainder of the fried zucchini, but this time, I used three paper towels to soak up (and off) all the oil. I also had the leftover salad with some olives, an artichoke heart, shredded asiago, dressing and a few of those garlic/parmesan chips. Big water.

2:30pm

I shared a pear with Oliver. Big water.

4:30pm

While I fed Oliver, I had a cup of Pau D'Arco with Splenda and a toasted slice of Ezekiel bread with the remainder of the Blueberry Preserves.

Later, walking around Costco, I had a few pieces of turkey burger samples and a cracker with some peach-mango salsa that was pretty good.

Dinner

Two hot dogs. Big water. Later, we cut up strawberries and ate them with Cool Whip.

Hump day continues the slow slide

161 days

280.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 6.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 86.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 105.0)

___________________________________________________________

Another half pound slips away

I'm not really doing much to make that happen other than to just reduce the intake. A little stretching, a little exercise, but mostly trying to be cognizant of what goes in.

Breakfast

Peach yogurt with Cool Whip. Coffee. Meds.

11:00am

A half grapefruit and a Big water.

12:45pm (Lunch)

Veggie Delite from Subway. Nice and spicy today. Four garlic chips with melted Aged Gouda and two Big waters.

Late Afternoon

Pau D'Arco tea with Splenda and a slice of toasted Ezekiel bread, again with the blueberries!

Dinner

Veal chops on the grill with a sweet potato and some creamed spinach. Big waters. And after that, one of those raspberry bars.

Health day...right (it's Tuesday!)

162 days

280.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 7.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 87.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 105.5)

___________________________________________________________

Increments and decrements

I'm still leaving the objective for the week right where it was. I'm going to get back to where I was somehow this week.

Breakfast

A bowl of Kashi with flax and bananas in unsweetened almond milk. Coffee. Meds, but no vites or Gjuice.

Lunch

A microwaved Spicy Black Bean Burger on a Deli Flat. No onion this time, but artichoke for sure. Mustard, relish, ketchup. And a bowl of salad with olives and creamy french dressing.

Late afternoon

A toasted slice of Ezekiel bread with blueberry preserves and some great old herbal tea I found in the house. Sweetened today with Splenda.

Dinner

We shared a meatball hero and an eggplant parmesan hero. Iced tea.

Blue Monday for sure

163 days

281.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 7.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 87.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 106.0)

___________________________________________________________

This is where I must dig deep and find strength

I'm leaving the objective for the week right where it was. I'm going to get back to where I was somehow this week. This morning, I did my stretches and my calisthenics and five minutes on the treadmill. I'll build it back up. The warmer weather may help. I woke up sweating before I even moved today.

Breakfast

A half grapefruit, a toasted slice of Ezekiel bread with the rest of the Boysenberry preserves. Coffee. No meds, vites or Gjuice.

No time for a 10:30am special today...

...but there was time to grab a big water.

Lunch

A leftover container of beans and franks from the other day, two pieces of chicken and a Big water.

Dinner

We had salad and boneless and skinless chicken thighs on the grill. I had a chocolate thing on a stick before going to sleep.

Sunday is the lowest moment of this whole thing

164 days

282.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 8.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 88.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 107.0)
• Average weight for the week: 276.1

___________________________________________________________

This is really the worst moment

And the culprit is me. Every half pound I have lost has come with a serious commitment to watch what I eat and drink lots of water and exercise. But a few days ago I was 273 pounds and here I sit at the end of such a promising week 9 pounds heavier? And with a 276.1 average for the week, I gained a net 2.6 pounds, effectively wiping out two weeks of effort.

The only thing to do is to start over. Yet this morning, I did no exercise at all. I can kid myself that it's really not the exercise that's taking off the weight, but not doing it is not helping.

Breakfast

I honestly have almost no memory of breakfast. I know there was coffee. There may also have been some kind of toast...yes: another Ezekiel muffin, with almond butter and nutella on the sides. No meds, vites or Gjuice.

Lunch

Some reheated leftovers from last night. Big water.

Dinner

More reheated leftovers from last night, including the rest of the bolognese. There's still plenty of chicken and zucchini, but I'm probably going to pass on the latter. It really didn't agree with me last night.

Later, because ABC was in a battle with Cablevision, we went to a neighbor's house to watch the Oscars. I had a slice of cheesecake, too many pretzel nuggets and M&M minis and some other weird kind of nuts, along with two glasses of red wine. Yuck. No self control at all.

Another shocker

165 days

277.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 3.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.0)

___________________________________________________________

This just doesn't make sense to me

No exercises of any kind this morning. I'm stiff and achy all over. After a very moving experience on the can I find myself 4 pounds up. I just don't get it. I suppose it all balances out on average at the end of the week, but it's really bizarre.

Breakfast

Two eggs over easy with an Ezekiel muffin, toasted, with boysenberry preserves on one side and cream cheese (the last of it) on the other. Coffee.

Just before lunch

I stopped and got some coffee and a corn muffin to bring home and use in my lunch plan.

Dinner

Larry and I picked up Robin and Shelley and took them to Carmine's uptown. We had drinks, Caesar salad, fried zucchini, linguini bolognese and chicken scarpariella with sausage. Of course there was also the wonderful breads of Carmine's. In the middle of dinner, I didn't feel all that well and was only able to eat a piece of chicken and a few slices of sausage. Robin drove home.

A day that will whiz by

166 days

273.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: -0.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 79.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 98.0)

___________________________________________________________

And even less of a workout today

I did my stretches, but only some of them.

Breakast

Ezekiel toast with cream cheese, oatmeal with flax, cinnamon and honey, coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

Lunch

Jim came by. We went to The Celebrity Diner and I had a Chef's salad and an iced tea.

Snack

Some cheese and some chips.

Dinner

Veal chops on the grill with baked potatoes. Iced tea.

A very positive Thursday—an up day

167 days

273.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 0.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 80.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 98.5)

___________________________________________________________

A little less of a workout today

I did my stretches, but that was all. I slept too long and I had too much more urgent business to attend to this morning. But the loss of a pound and a half was welcome in any event. Hardly believable, but welcome.

Breakfast

The Thursday heart-attack-on-a-plate special, with coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

11:30am

Pomegranate berry yogurt with Cool Whip. More coffee.

Lunch

Reheated a turkey leg and toasted some scrap pieces of rye bread with melted aged gouda on them. Big water.

Mid-Afternoon

Had a pear all by myself. Oliver did not wake up when I came upstairs.

Dinner

Finally, Robin got to bring home the Brazilian chicken, with chips and broccoli and carrots and iced tea.

Stasis is okay, for now

168 days

275.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 1.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 81.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.0)

___________________________________________________________

A little more of a workout today

I did my stretches, calisthenics and a brief set on the elliptical (very brief). My back is still iffy, but getting better.

Breakfast

A toasted slice of rye bread with cream cheese, a peach yogurt with Cool Whip, coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

10:30am

A half grapefruit, another cup of coffee and a half chicken salad sandwich on rye toast.

Lunch

The Veggie Delite from Subway, with the baked chips and two Big waters.

Late afternoon

Some sliced aged gouda and cheese chips, with more water.

Dinner

Two slices of pizza, one with sausage and one with pepperoni, some chips and pretzels and two Yodels at the SYAC draft.

The boat is back on course, for now anyway

169 days

275.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 273.5 (pounds left: 1.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 81.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.0)

___________________________________________________________

Okay...so it's really not that complicated

While I ate fairly well yesterday, I didn't overdo it. And two pounds slipped away. They were most likely related to all that alcohol Sunday anyway, but they're still gone and I'm glad to see them go. But now I may have to ratched down my week's goal. For now I'll put it at last week's average.

Breakfast

A slice of toasted rye with low-fat cream cheese, then Kashi cereal with flax and a sliced banana and almond milk. Coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

Lunch

A half a chicken salad sandwich on rye bread and a bowl of angel hair pasta with leftover meat sauce—yes, the same wonderful sauce Robin made during the first snowstorm a few weeks ago.

Late afternoon

A slice of leftover pizza.

Dinner

Chinese chicken salad from The Cheesecake Factory. Iced Tea.

Much later...

A slice of chocolate cake with Cool Whip and Sleepytime Tea with honey.

Back improving, but still limited

170 days

277.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 2.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.0)

___________________________________________________________

Exit getting harder to find

I'm getting more and more weary of the 270's, yet I can't seem to find my way out. I had really hoped to be much lighter by now. I've been wallowing in this range for months with no real progress.

My face-stuffing session last night resulted in exactly what I expected. I suppose the only bright spot was not going back over 280. I pushed my goal for the week back up to 275.0. Let's see how it goes...

I was able to do all my stretches and my jumping jacks by I was up too late to do anything serious in the way of working out without compromising my work day. Maybe I'll get motivated later on.

Breakfast

A half grapefuit, coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

10:30am

A handful of cheese crisps and two slices of challah bread with cream cheese.

Lunch

Went out to do some errands first. One was The Bakery. I bought a freshly baked black-and-white cookie and ate it on the way to another errand. When I got home, I heated up a can of 98% Fat-Free Hormel Turkey Chili and ate that. I added some chopped shallots and shredded Mexican cheese.

Late Afternoon

Got a surprise visit from my friend Eric, who brought me some coffee. I fed Oliver and we walked him. No food was consumed.

Dinner

Turkey mush on rye bread with mashed potatoes. Iced tea. No dessert.

Sunday ends a week of ups and downs

171 days

275.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 272.5 (pounds left: 3.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 82.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.5)
• Average weight for the week: 273.5

___________________________________________________________

Will I ever leave the 270's?

Am I doomed by my own lack of willpower to never get below that number? I refuse to believe it.

I did work out today. I stretched on the living room floor while Robin went grocery shopping. I pushed up. I got on all three machines. But it was half-hearted. My lower back was so painful it was scary.

And, of course, I ended the week too far from my objective again. But "net-net," my average for the week puts me 1.4 pounds lighter than last week, which is—in spite of the week's missed opportunities—a good step in the right direction.

Breakfast

A Fairway blueberry bagel with reduced fat cream cheese (yuck), with coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites. This meal was eaten quite late in the morning, so there was really no lunch. By lunchtime, we were looking for parking in Manhattan for Alex's performance.

Between 1st Avenue and Park Avenue...

On the walk back from where I parked to the church, I stopped and bought a genuine, hot, New York City pretzel.

Dinner

We went to Les San Culottes. We had the wonderful sausages and fruits and veggies as an appetizer and I had crispy duck in cherry sauce with mashed potates, some french fries, some rice and vegetables and several glasses of Beaujolais. And for dessert...chocolate mousse.

Before bed, after working for another hour and after a massive unloading, I ate one of those 60-calorie flying saucers.

Lazy Saturday

172 days

274.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 272.5 (pounds left: 1.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 80.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 99.0)

___________________________________________________________

Another step backwards

And nearly a whole week without working out, if you don't count all that shoveling.

Breakfast

Kashi blueberry waffles, with coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

Lunch

A tuna sandwich on challah bread with slice of red onion, a slice of Munchee cheese and some light mayo.

Mid-Afternoon

An almond butter and boysenberry preserves sandwich on challah bread.

Dinner

We ate the turkey that cooked all day. It was good.

Setback Friday

173 days

273.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 272.5 (pounds left: 1.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 80.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 98.5)

___________________________________________________________

An unpleasant surprise

When I first stepped on the scale this morning, it read 276.0. I was really bummed out. Then I went out to shovel snow and when I came back, the number was much better, but still a step back in the wrong direction after all the good progress this week.

Breakfast

Oatmeal, flax, cinnamon and honey, with coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

Late Morning

More coffee and a slice of leftover baguette with some almond butter.

Lunch

A microwaved Italian veggie sausage. Not so good, but there's too much snow outside to barbecue. I also extracted two meatballs and some sauce from last night's leftovers and heated that up to eat with a fork. Big water.

Dinner

Robin made chicken soup and we had pastrami sandwiches with a round knish.

Surprise Thursday

174 days

270.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 272.5 (pounds left: -2.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 76.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 95.0)

___________________________________________________________

A pleasant surprise

I was hoping I'd continue to drop the weight, but somewhat shocked at the number this morning. The cramp in my leg seems to have subsided, so I was able to stretch a bit. I did the push ups but I couldn't do a single jumping jack without discomfort. Yesterday, when I took Oliver out, I stepped down funny and felt my right hip and thigh "give way." It was a bit scary and so uncomfortable that I took a Valium around 4:30pm.

Breakfast

The Thursday special, with coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

Lunch

A slice of pizza and a tuna sandwich on a Deli Flat with a slice of munchee cheese and a slice of red onion.

Late Afternoon

I melted a few slices of cheese on some of those garlic/parmesan chips, three to be exact. I also had some cheese chips and at Fairway, I had a few slices of baguette with balsamic vinegar.

Dinner

Robin had sent me to Fairway for chopped sirloin when the rate of falling snow put the kibosh on her plans to get Brazilian chicken for the second straight night. So we ended up eating spaghetti and meat balls and garlic bread and later, we had tea and another slice of that nasty chocolate cake.

Great start but I really packed on the food today. Bad move. Will surely pay tomorrow.

Up early working

175 days

273.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 272.5 (pounds left: 0.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 79.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 98.0)

___________________________________________________________

Still making progress

Tried stretching early but got weird cramps in my legs near the knees. In any event, I had an early work call (6:00am) that took me till nearly 9:00am so there was no workout again this morning.

Breakfast

Key lime yogurt with Cool Whip. Coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

10:45am

Half grapefruit and a Big water.

Lunch

Veggie Delight from Subway and two Big waters. And a sliver of that "Death by Chocolate" thing from last night.

Mid-Afternoon

No fruit. Instead, I made myself a hot dog on the grill with a slice of munchee cheese, with ketchup and relish. While that was cooking, I also ate a toasted Deli Flat with a few slices of a nice cheese (can't remember what kind). This was pure aggravation eating.

Late Afternoon

While feeding Oliver I had a slice of toasted Ezekiel bread with the last of the apricot-pineapple preserves and a cup of vanilla tea.

Dinner

We met our friends at The Orient and had a wonderful dinner, served by the lovely Fiona (like that's her real name), our new "regular" waitress. We had vegetable spring rolls, Honk Kong soup, shrimp, scallop and asparagus in XO sauce, ginger-scallion chicken and pork chow fun in black bean sauce. Oranges and fortune cookies.

Still improving

176 days

274.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 272.5 (pounds left: 1.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 80.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 99.0)

___________________________________________________________

Slow and steady

I got up early, but I didn't work out today. I showered and weighed in and another half pound was gone, mercifully. Maybe I can get some momentum going...

Breakfast

Kashi and flax with almond milk. Coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

10:30am

Half an Ezekiel muffin toasted with almond butter. More coffee.

Lunch

A flood in the basement pushed me over the edge and I ate my way through it. Big water, with a slice of pizza, two veggie sausages (80 cal) and a spicy black bean burger on an Ezekiel bun with some sliced cheese, artichoke, relish and ketchup.

Late Afternoon

Ezekiel toast with red raspberry preserves and tea.

Dinner

Pizza, big water, meds and vites.

Later still

Tea and a slice of some chocolate thing a patient made for Robin.

A little better today

177 days

274.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 272.5 (pounds left: 2.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 81.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 99.5)

___________________________________________________________

A decent start, nothing to shout about

So...I ended up at my week end goal for once. And a net loss of 1.5 pounds since last week.

Breakfast

Half grapefruit. Coffee.

10:45am

Pomegranate yogurt and Cool Whip. More coffee.

Lunch

Split pea soup and a sardine sandwich on an Ezekiel roll with red onion and artichoke. Big water.

Mid Afternoon

Shared a pear and a banana with Oliver. Big water.

Late Afternoon

Tea with Ezekiel toast and peach preserves.

Dinner

Robin made chicken tacos, hard and soft. Big water. Gjuice with meds and vites.

It may say Monday, but it's Sunday... (again)

178 days

275.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 0.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 81.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.0)
• Average weight for the week: 274.9

___________________________________________________________

A good result, and finally on the number

So...I ended up at my week end goal for once. And a net loss of 1.5 pounds since last week.

Breakfast

Sunday standard: pancackes, but with a little butter this time. Coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

10:45am

Half grapefruit. More coffee.

Lunch

A slice of pizza and a Big water.

Mid-Afternoon

An almond butter and strawberry preserves sandwich on Ezekiel toast.

Late Afternoon

Tea with Ezekiel toast and peach preserves.

Dinner

Bliss Garden with Jaime, Dean and Alex. I had a steak au poivre and a martini. We shared apple and pear tarts with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Who am I kidding, really?

179 days

277.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 2.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 84.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 102.5)

___________________________________________________________

My frustration mounts, but it's all me

Before I dozed off last night, I took a pain killer for some discomfort I was experiencing in my right arm. I also just wanted to sleep and decided to hit myself with the pharmahammer.

After taking Oliver out I sat on "the throne" and proceeded to unload in dramatic fashion. As my body emptied, I envisioned breaking through the 270 barrier again. With what was accumulating under me, it seemed beyond any reasonable doubt. At the risk of out-crassing my own worst instincts, I'll just say that it took three flushes to get this pile into the sewer system.

Thus, I was totally unprepared for the possibility of gaining four pounds. Something had to be wrong, I thought. Either this morning or the last three were anomalous.

But now that I've had a chance to settle down, I have to face the fact that it's all correct, that it is absolutely possible to gain four pounds in a day. In spite of all the water and the right things I consumed yesterday, I also had the entirely wrong dinner and dessert and I ate way too many of those garlic/parmesan things with cheese on them. And that handful of nuts and chocolate drops certainly couldn't have helped matters all that much.

So it's back to business, with, hopefully, a lot more "to thine own self be true"-ness.

Breakfast

Saturday standard: two blueberry Kashi waffles with syrup and a sliver of butter on each. Coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

10:45am

Half a toasted Ezekiel muffin with Nutella. More coffee.

Lunch

Big water, half grapefruit.

Late Afternoon

Tea with Ezekiel toast and peach preserves.

Dinner

The Orient, with Alex, Keith & Pam. We had a wonderful Chinese New Year's dinner, with Pino Noir to drink. We had egg rolls, shrimp rolls. Hong Kong soup, soft shell crab, curry chicken, shrimp with asparagus and XO sauce and pan fried noodles with vegetables. We stopped at Fairway on the way home to pick up some rich and wonderful desserts.

Up sort of early, but no exercise

180 days

273.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: -1.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 80.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 98.5)

___________________________________________________________

And no change

Instead, I had my breakfast and got down to work early. There's a lot of stuff to get done today and I'll just have to be happy with stasis for now. No loss, no gain, okay.

Breakfast

Two veggie sausage links and a slice of Ezekiel bread toasted with orange marmalade and coffee while I cooked my Friday oatmeal. Gjuice, meds and vites. Around 400 calories and all good, healthful food.

11:15am

Half a grapefruit.

Lunch

Around 12:30pm, I made my weekly Italian veggie sausage sandwich, on a hot dog roll, with some hot dog relish and some shredded asiago/parmesano/romano underneath. While that cooked outside in the freezing cold, I ate seven of those garlic/parmesan rounds with sliced cheese melted on them in the m'wave. I shared some of them with Oliver, but they were really delicious. It's really cold out today and I decided to use one of my birthday soups, so that's cooking while I'm working and I'll check on it in a half hour or so.

Throughout the course of the afternoon, I had three bowls of soup. I shared one with Oliver. In one of them, the temporary crown I got on Tuesday lifted off and disappeared, most likely down my throat.

Late afternoon

I had tea and toast with pear preserves while I cooked for Oliver. I also finished that bag of cashews with a few Ghirardelli dark chocolate drops mixed in for good measure.

Later yet...

We went to the movies in Manorhaven. We all shared a humongous popcorn. After that, we went to the two-story diner on Northern Boulevard. I had a Reuben Sandwich with fries. For dessert, I had a chocolate brownie and coffee.

First day post-video

181 days

273.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: -1.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 80.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 98.5)

___________________________________________________________

Two days hardly marks a trend...

...but I really, really want to lost all this weight and I believe, in spite of what my doctor says, that the exercise will really make the difference. So, I got up at 6:00am and got into it. My push-up count is down but I'm going for quality, not quantity. So instead of pushing 26 or so where I was a few weeks ago, I'm at 10 full-strength and I'll work my way back up.

Instead of video, this morning the distraction was aural. I listened to a cassette of George Carlin on the stationary bike. The bike is loud and it was a little hard to hear at times, but the worst part is not knowing how much time you've accumulated. So I'm thinking iPod, or just bringing a clock into the room.

What I'm really thinking is how I can get that laptop fixed or replaced. Finances are very tight right now.

Anyway, a half pound came back, but at least it wasn't one of those wild swings. I can deal, as Robin would say.

Breakfast

The Thursday special, with coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

10:30am

Apple pie yogurt with Cool Whip. More coffee.

Lunch

Two slices of reheated frozen pizza from the other night. One with meatballs, one plain. Crusts shared with Oliver, of course. Big water.

Mid-Afternoon

Shared a pear and some canteloupe with Oliver. Big water.

Late Afternoon

While feeding Oliver, I had a slice of Ezekiel bread toasted with apricot-pineapple jam and a cup of Black Vanilla tea with Stevia.

Dinner

Salad, wonderful salad. Veal chop and sweet potato. Big water.

Ups and downs

182 days

273.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: -2.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 79.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 98.0)

___________________________________________________________

I was determined to get back to it

It took me nearly a half hour to convince myself I could do it again and I did. I started stretching, did my calisthenics and then headed down the basement.

Down there, I did my 100 crunches, 30 left, 40 back, 30 right. Then I got on the elliptical and resumed watching "West Side Story" where I'd left off last week the last time I worked out. It was the rumble scene. After the fight, Maria and Tony sing "There's A Place" and at this point, I'm working up a pretty good head of steam on the machine. The right leg bangs into the stand that's holding the laptop very tenuously and before I could reach out, I saw it fall to the floor. When I picked it up, the screen wasn't physically broken, but it looked more like a Kandinsky on drugs than a laptop.

The damage is done. I'll have to think of something else to do while I walk, ride and glide until I can buy another machine for out there. Or maybe I can rig one of the various DVD players in the house to a TV down there.

Breakfast

Raspberry yogurt with Cool Whip, coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

10:30am

A half grapefruit and another cup of coffee.

Lunch

A Veggie Delite from Subway. Big waters (2).

Late Afternoon

Tea with a slice of Ezekiel toast with blueberry preserves. While cooking Oliver's dinner, we also shared a pear.

Dinner

Spaghetti and meat balls. While cooking dinner, I reheated and ate four baby back ribs from several nights ago. Big water. And just before bed, one of those 60-calorie fruit bars.

The weather comes back—snow all night and day

183 days

275.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 0.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 82.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.5)

___________________________________________________________

A pound goes away, again

Will today be the last time I see this weight? Somehow, I managed to drop another pound overnight. And this morning, I shoveled instead of working out again. I need to get back on the horse, but I'm waking up so cold and achy that I just want to sleep.

Breakfast

Kashi and flax with almond milk and several slices of banana. Coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

Lunch

A bowl of angel hair with some of Robin's leftover sauce and grated parmesan. Oliver drooled, but only got a little. Big water.

Later...

After feeding and walking Oliver, I had three of those garlic parmesan bread chip things. I shared all three with Oliver. Big water.

Dinner

We brought in a pizza from Mario's, half meatball. I had two slices with meatballs and one plain. We also have a bowl of salad each. Big green iced tea. Meds and vites.

President's Day comes and goes quietly

184 days

276.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 1.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 83.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 101.5)

___________________________________________________________

A weird breakfast

When I sat down with my coffee this morning, after doing some stretches, I had three small chunks of baguette with strawberry preserves with my coffee. I didn't have vitamins or medicine because I saw that I forgot to take them last night, so I'd wait for this evening.

When I first stepped on the scale, it showed 273.5. I was stunned. I got on again and it said the same thing but then it changed to 274, then 275 and then back to 274. So I moved the scale to its normal spot in the middle of the room and this time it said 276.5, over and over again. So I'm going with the bad number but happy to glimpse "the future."

Lunch

Salad. I ate more of the leftovers from the older of the two still in the refrigerator.

Late afternoon

Tea with a toasted slice of peasant bread smeared with Apricot-Pineapple preserves.

Dinner

Omelettes, with little pieces of tooth broken off while I ate mine. Cheese and onions. Gjuice with last night's meds and vites tonight.

It's Monday but I'm looking back at Sunday

185 days

276.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 1.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 82.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 101.0)
• Average weight for the week: 276.4)

___________________________________________________________

My schedule was completely gone out of whack today

I was up working in Helix before 7:00am and only came up for some coffee a few times until nearly 3:00pm.

Net-net, last week's average was 275.8, meaning this week was a net gain of 0.6 pounds. I ended up near where I wanted to be, but I could have done better had I been a lot more conscientious. Two egg sandwiches in one week. What was I thinking?

By the time I was done and started shipping the work back to Las Vegas, it was time to get ready for dinner.

Dinner

Cashew nuts in a bowl. Chips and salsa. Tequila and lime (a solo shot while everyone else had Champagne). Two types of cheeses; a Cantal and a sheep cheese whose name I forget. Those little garlic parmesan bread things. Salad. Slices of fresh baguette. Rack of lamb with mint jelly, potatoes and asparagus. Wonderful dinner. And for dessert...fruit (yes...watermelon!) and some totally nasty chocolate cake with coffee.

213 arrives

186 days

276.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 1.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 82.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 101.0)

___________________________________________________________

Another half creeps back on

Tough night's sleep. The dog is really driving me off my own bed. I got up at 6:40am on a Saturday and came down to work rather than listen to him lick himself. I did a little bit of stretching but it seems I tore something in my right groin and it's really painful. So I'm going to ease into it as the day goes on.

Breakfast

A slice of peasant toast with some sliced Lamb Chopper cheese followed by two blueberry Kashi waffles with butter and syrup. And coffee. And Gjuice with meds and vites.

Lunch

A toasted half Ezekiel muffin with Nutella, eated while cooking. I reheated some of Robin's wonderful sauce and had it with a serving of "organic" rotini and shredded parmesan cheese. I shared a little with Oliver. And a Big water.

Late afternoon

I fed and walked Oliver and then went to work with Lenny for while after taking a shower.

Dinner

Robin and I shared a Cesar salad and a stuffed veal chop at Galleria in Westbury with Lois and Mike. I had a Long Island iced tea AND a dirty martini, but I laid off the bread. We shared tartufos for dessert.

Last vestige of my birthday stings

187 days

275.5 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 0.5)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 82.0)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.5)

___________________________________________________________

So, the moral of the story is...

If you didn't finish the cake when it was fresh, throw it away. It wasn't good for you then; it can't be too good for you later. Certainly, if I need to figure out how I gained a half pound instead of losing another two or more, it was the late night cake.

So much for vows, huh?

Breakfast

Another trip to Jagermeister. After driving Robin to work, I wanted another egg sandwich. Don't know what got into me. And coffee.

Lunch

A corn muffin with butter and orange marmalade. More coffee. And a Big water.

Mid-Afternoon

An orange, and a Big water.

Late Afternoon

A slice of peasant bread with almond butter and strawberry preserves, eaten while I walked the dog.

Dinner

A chicken from Costco and a baby back ribs. I started with a salad and I also finished the wine from the other day.

Digging out substitutes for working out

188 days

275.0 pounds

___________________________________________________________

Objectives

• Week's End: 275.0 (pounds left: 0.0)
• Year's End: 193.5 (pounds left: 81.5)
• Ultimate goal: 175.0 (pounds left: 100.0)

___________________________________________________________

Snow workout was heavier today

Yesterday, during the blizzard, I went out and shoveled the walk and the driveway to the street three times. This morning, when it was finally all over, I did it again, but this time, I also had to dig out Robin's car and get it into the street. We had been plowed overnight, at last, so the last five horizontal feet to the street was a pretty good workout.

At least, when I came in, I was drenched more than if I had worked out. I have a great shovel, meant by its shape to alleviate potential stress to the human back. When I went out, the human back on me was aching lower right a bit. But even though I could feel it, I worked through it and after a shower, I felt great.

And another two pounds off felt great too. It's nice to be in this exact moment, but I'd like to mark it as the moment I stopped going back over this weight. If I can stay at 275 until Monday morning, or somehow do even better, I will be very pleased.

Breakfast

Before I even finished shoveling this morning (I broke it into two sessions), I came in and had coffee and a slice of peasant bread toasted with butter and blackberry preserves. So my weight this morning was also after eating, which is different than usual.

After my shower and weigh-in, I went back to the kitchen and had a little sample box of Multi-Grain Cheerios with Almond Milk and a little flax. More coffee, Gjuice, meds and vites.

10:30am

Went up and had a peach yogurt with Cool Whip after doing some laundry, and parts of my two new "projects," the sheets and the upstairs. Brought down the Big water and went back to work.

Lunch

Today's lunch was a salad and a slice of baguette. Big water.

2:00pm

A banana and a little bag of trail mix I found while cleaning up upstairs. And a slice of peasant bread with almond butter and Nutella. Big water.

4:00pm

Big water with a toasted slice of Ezekiel smeared with strawberry preserves and yet another piece of peasant bread (they're only 70 calories each) with a few slices of Lamb Chopper cheese.

Dinner

We had salad (that I made earlier) and chicken, penne and vegetables from Trader Joe's. Big Diet Iced Green Tea.

Much later...

After working for two hours, I came up and found that between the now stale ends of the seven-layer cake we got for my birthday last Friday, there was still moist, delicious chocolate. So with some SleepyTime tea with honey, I ate it. Bad me.