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.