Weigh-in Week 12

Hello, peoples!  It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.  Spring in springing and the temps are returning to the moderate springtime 60s we expect.  Well, we crept into the 60s, at least.  Fine weather for walking, yard work or any other activity I didn't partake in today.  I did walk however.  For some strange reason, I did so at the mall.

My walk was going fine today.  I planned to do a quick mile, before heading home for the night.  About half way through, I noticed a now distantly familiar sensation.  My hands started to feel slightly swollen, I started sweating profusely and I had a tingly feeling all over.  No.  It wasn't a heart attack.  It's been months since I've experiences this, but my old friend, dumping syndrome, seemed to revisit me.  In case you missed the post where I spoke of it, it is a side effect of my surgery.  A drop in blood sugar, due to the dumping of insulin into your system.  This is usually brought on by too many carbs.  My lunch was a brown fried rice dish, which wasn't likely the culprit.  My guess is that the highly skilled folk at Starbucks, missed the 'skinny' part of my skinny latte order this afternoon.  Thanks a million, you pierced, greasy haired, slack jawed P.O.S.!  You couldn't done far worse damage if you had served that to a full blown diabetic.  To remedy my situation, I got myself some apple juice at the mall's coffee kiosk (No.  Not another Starbucks.  They are on my S-list.).  I drank half, because I didn't want the extra calories from a whole bottle's worth.  By the time I got to my car and some napkins to swap my now sweat soaked head, all was okay.

On to the business at hand.  You came here to see how much I lost this week, right?  Well, the picture here shows that I am now down to 321.6 lbs.  That's a weekly loss of 2.4 lbs. and a total 12 week drop of 41.8 lbs.  Doesn't suck, huh? 

Last week I quipped that my body fat was down a 'staggering' 0.1%.  That was indeed said tongue-in-cheek, but today I was astounded when I saw 0.5% gone.  Body fat % is now at 61.7%.  I must say, I am impressed with that kind of progress in a week.  As this is only my third time checking body fat %, I have no basis for this wonderment, but let me bask in my ignorance for a while.

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Multi Grain Cheerios w/fresh strawberries, banana and unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Lunch ~ A moo shu basil roll and vegan 'pork' fried brown rice

Mid -afternoon ~ Grande supposedly skinny latte

Dinner ~ Broiled chicken breast over braised kale and cannellini beans.  Tasty!

Exercise ~ .75 miles at the mall

A.L.O.E. 04.29.12

Greetings, travel mate!  This is A.L.O.E. Sunday.  A Little Of Everything regarding my, no our, journey on my road to 195 lbs.  Just a few of my thoughts, observations and nutritional facts brought to you in an effort to make us all healthier and give you insight into my recovery from food addiction.

Walking It Off?

I should start with a disclaimer.  I do understand that exercise is good and there are many, many benefits.  Strengthening your heart, lowering blood pressure, raising energy levels and making for a leaner body are just a few.  It's the latter that I will address tonight. 

I have noticed something over the last 84 days of this wonderful trip towards 195.  Thus far, I have seen little correlation between my exercise efforts and my weekly weight loss.  The weeks where I walked the most, I lost the least.  Weeks where I walked the least...you guess it, I lost the most.  There were some weeks where both were flat: moderate exercise and moderate change in my weight.  I have a twelve week sample that bears this out.

Despite my small sample, I totally comprehend that I need to exercise.  Aside from the above benefits, the Mayo Clinic also lists improving one's mood, having positive impact on sex life and promoting better sleep.  I do plan on increasing my exercise levels.  I have explained before that I don't enjoy it much at all and the evidence before me isn't helping.  I may never be a gym rat, but I'll get on the band wagon sometime... in spite of my warped correlations.

Week in Review

This past week I have eaten out a lot!  In fact, I have eaten 6 of my 20 meals (no dinner Friday) either out or with food brought in.  That flies in the face of my eat more meals at home edict.  The reality is, sometimes that just isn't possible.  I'm in outside sales and have a social life.  What's amazing to me is that it's doable these days because I am armed with my new resolve, my understanding of what wise choices are and you, my virtual sponsors to keep me on the straight and narrow.  Thanks, one and all, for the new found strength!  You are there beside me and I feel it everyday...especially at meal time.

Accepting Compliments

I have had many more people noticing the smaller me lately.  And with that, a lot more inquiries as to how I am doing it.  I'm trying hard to accept these kind-hearted words without the old aversion to them.  When coupled with genuine interest in my methods, it becomes so much easier.  Explaining my theories of healthy eating and my journey to others, really plays to my ego, I guess.   Apparently, even more than the kudos about my trimmer body.  It gives you a lesson in human nature when you step back and think about it.  Dale Carnegie teaches us in "How to Win Friends and Influence People."(Great book if you haven't read it.)  People LOVE to talk about themselves.  Obviously, I am no different.  So when offering someone a kind word, give them an opportunity to talk about their accomplishment.  It will the cherry on top of making them feel special and your interest will lift their spirits even more.

Cya for tomorrow for weigh-in #12,
M


What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Kashi Island Vanilla cereal w/banana and unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Lunch ~ An un-turkey pita sandwich and a cocao beverage I found at the health food store

Snack ~ One Chobani fat free peach yogurt and later some nut and soy snack mix I picked up at Whole Foods Market

Dinner ~ A big-ass salad with mixed greens, tuna, cannellini beans, piquillo peppers, carrots and a homemade sherry wine vinaigrette

Exercise ~ 2.7 miles with my friend Alex.  Thanks Alex!

How Did I Get Here?: Part 11

There is some debate in my household as to whether my gastric bypass failed me or whether I failed it.  Either way, it is a moot point.  The good was that I did shed almost 200 lbs., half of which I kept off.  In my mind, it saved my life.  At almost 500 lbs., I couldn't have gone much longer without developing serious, lasting health issues.  Did I get to my ideal weight, the way I had planned?  No.  Am I immeasurably better than I was before?  Absolutely.

I have always considered myself a foodie, gourmand, gourmet, whatever.  I love cooking, eating and creating in the kitchen.  That love extends to fine wine, even craft beer.  One of the things I love most about food is that it lets me explore my creative side.  While I love singing and it is an artistic endeavour, it's not a creative process.  It's an interpretive one.  Cooking lets me use ingredients as my pallet and turn them into something of my own vision.

The Food Network came on the air in 1993.  It gave birth to an entirely new category of media star: the celebrity chef.  Yes, there was Julia Child and Graham Kerr, but people didn't have access to them 24/7, like the Bobby Flays and Mario Batalis of today.  These culinary rock stars and their peers fueled my passion and furthered my education in the art of cookery.  Once I gave in to the devil on my shoulder and turned myself over to my hedonistic, masochistic tendencies, I dove in head first and sought out the best food and wine I could afford.  The Food Network became about 50%-60% of my television screen time and when I wasn't watching, I was dining out or cooking something fattening and unhealthy. 

Did the Food Network make me fat?  Hell no.  I was an addict looking for an outlet... and don't get me started on people not taking responsibility for their own actions.  But the genre got me exploring my food passion and furthered my gustatory misadventures.  Now I can turn that passion, which was once detrimental, into a positive force in my recovery and perhaps in bettering other lives.  My pallet has not been diminished by the removal of unhealthy foods, it has been expanded by the inclusion of more nourishing options.  My creativity is further challenged and enhanced by making delicious, satisfying fare that will aid in my weight loss and ongoing lifestyle.

Next week I will discuss further trials and tribulations of my increasing waistline in the new millennium.

Cya Sunday,
M

What I ate Friday and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ I found myself without milk or breakfast burritos.  What to do?  Make steak and egg of course!  In around 10 minutes, I whipped up a 100 calorie steak, sauteed mushrooms and a perfectly fried egg.  All for fewer calories than my normal cereal or burrito.  As nutritionally sound?  No.  Delicious and filling?  Yup.

Snack ~ One banana

Lunch ~ A cup of Manhattan clam chowder and spinach salad with broiled salmon, roasted peppers and sun dried tomatoes with a balsamic vinaigrette on the side

Dinner ~ None.  I often do not eat when I have an early gig.  I snacked on some pistachios on the bar and ate a banana when I got home.

Exercise ~ None, unless you count 3 hours on my feet singing and hauling equipment.  Okay.  Some exercise.  There will be a walking club in Madison, on Sunday at 12 for those who would like to join us.

Note: My dietary choice have much too protein oriented this past week.  I promise you will see more fruit and vegetables in my post in these upcoming weeks.

Food Thursday 04.26.12

Food Thursday is dedicated to the premise that if you want to be serious about losing weight and being healthy, you need to cook the vast majority of your meals at home.  Today I will bring you a recipe I concocted last Sunday evening and enjoyed immensely...for days.  I will often cook 4-6 portions of something and have quick meals on hand to grab during the week.  This is a great strategy in setting yourself up for success.  I guess the Boy Scouts were on to one thing at least:  be prepared.

Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
Serves 6

I love Mexican food, so I have been thinking about retooling enchiladas and combining the flavors I enjoy so much with low fat, high fiber delicousness.  By using whole grain wraps in place of the white flour or corn tortillas and brown rice in place of white rice, these bundles of comfort pack a whopping 7 grams each of dietary fiber.  Using a fat free refried bean product and low fat shredded cheese, keeps the fat content around  9.5 grams.  Total calories, about 395. 

I would pair these with a side salad or some sort of green vegetable.  You can make these as spicy or as mild as you like.  I went for 'medium' enchilada sauce (which the wife found too spicy) and added some chipotle peppers, which I always have on hand in the fridge.  Unfortunately, I didn't think to take a picture, so the enchiladas above aren't mine.  So much for being prepared.  Come to think of it, I was a lousy Boy Scout.

For a vegetarian/vegan option, use no chicken and replace the cheese with a vegan variety, like I did.  Spinach would be a great addition, as well.  If you have left over filling, use it for an omelet or mixed with the extra rice as a side dish in another meal.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 bag of Success Boil-in-bag Brown Rice (using 1 cup)
• 8 oz boneless chicken breast
• Salt to taste (optional)
• 1/2 cup white or Spanish onion, diced 1/4"
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced 1/4"
• 1 small can of mild green chiles, drained and diced 1/4" (4 oz.)
• 1-2 Tbs chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely diced (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup diced canned tomatoes
• 6 eight inch 100% whole grain tortillas
• 1 cup fat free refried beans
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack
• 1 can enchilada sauce (14 oz.)
• 2 Tbs cilantro chopped

Method

• Boil the rice (8 minutes and set 1 cup aside).  Retain the water.
• Salt the rice water and bring to a simmer. Poach the chicken breast in the rice water for 6 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
• Preheat oven to 350
• In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, over medium heat, cook the onions and red peppers until almost tender.
• Add chiles, chipolte and garlic.  Cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly as to not burn the garlic.
• Add tomatoes, stir and cook for 4 minutes.
• Shred the chicken breast into bite size pieces.  Do not dice the chicken.   The shredding helps soak up the flavors in the sauce.  Add to the skillet, stir and reduce to low.  Cover and simmer for 8 minutes.
• In a 9"x13" lasagna dish, spread about 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom
• Divide the refried beans among the tortillas, spreading down the center in about 5" x 1" strips.
• Divide the the rice in the same fashion
• Add about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture from the skillet to each
• Divide the cheese among the enchiladas
• Roll the tortillas in the same fashion as you would an egg roll (unlike the picture above), not overstuffing, keeping them tight and place seam side down in the lasagna pan.  I get 4 side-by-side in the dish and 2 end-to-end next to them.
• Cover with remaining enchilada sauce, getting even coverage to keep the enchiladas moist.
• Place in in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
• Garnish with the cilantro and serve.

I hope you enjoy these.  If you want to be authentic, serve one for breakfast with an over easy fried egg.  YUM!

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ One leftover vegan enchilada with an over easy egg

Lunch ~ A nice salad with roasted peppers, grilled chicken and olives, lightly dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner ~ Tom Yum Soup with chicken

Dessert ~ 1 banana

Exercise ~ I list this each day to remind myself how lame I am.  None today

What's In My Head Wednesday 04.25.12

Hi there and thanks for coming by on this WIMHW.  Things that are on my mind are jotted down here for all to see and/or comment on. (Yes. I just ended a sentence with a preposition.  Ask me if I care.)

Facebook Dieters

I see so many people on Facebook talk about how they are trying to lose weight and eat healthier.  All too often, I also see them discussing their obsession for sweets, alcohol intake or huge fattening meals they have either cooked or eaten out.  This paradoxical behavior makes me wonder why they would publicly declare their desire for a healthier lifestyle, yet contradict that declaration in the same pubic forum.  I have to remind myself that I have been there.  Most of my life, in fact.  I totally empathize with this dichotomy.  I also have to hold back making comments that will remind them of their goals, but might also embarrass them.  It's a hard thing for me to hold my tongue, or fingers as it were, but somehow I do.  We all have to come to our own turning point, in our own time.  I wish that mine hadn't taken 48 years.  I know first hand that it is seldom, if ever, that someone can help you get to that pivotal breakthrough moment.  It has to come from within.

Breathing Easy

I have written before about my sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea is a very dangerous condition and should never be taken lightly.  This means that a person who suffers from sleep apnea must use a machine that helps them continue to breathe throughout the night.  If they stop breathing, they wake up.  In my case, that was literally hundreds of time per night.  Now, that am about 40 lbs. lighter, I haven't been needing my machine.  I haven't been snoring and I have been waking up refreshed and energized.  If you, or someone you know, has been a victim of this condition, you might be able to imagine how liberating this is.  I now am free of any chronic medical conditions, other than my diminishing obesity or course.  I am setting myself up to lead a much longer life. 

Cya tomorrow for Food Thursday,
M


What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Kashi Cinnamon Harvest cereal w/unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Lunch ~ Turkey chili with whole grain pasta

Snack ~ Beef Jerky

Dinner ~ 2 chicken apple sausages over braised fennel w/apples, onions and craisins, was only around 325 calories (Pictured here)

Exercise ~ None today

Eying 50

No.  Not 50 years old.  Minus 50 lbs., that is.  After this week's weigh-in, I got really jazzed about being at the 40 lb. mark.  Okay, it's like that putt you missed by one inch and your brother says "Take it.  It's a gimme."  So I am celebrating my 39.6 lb. loss, thus far, as 40.  My gimme.  Close enough, right?

 

40 made me think of how I just can't wait to be able to pat myself on the back and proclaim that my new lifestyle yielded a 50 lb. loss.  How cool is that?  I am hoping by Memorial Day weekend, I can say just that.  It will be then that I unveil some 'before' and 'after' photos.  I have been checking and I don't seem have much in the way of  'before'.  I'll dig something up.  Hell, Facebook is so replete with people tagging you in pictures, I may just find one of myself scratching my ass at the Quick Chek, for all I know.  As for the Memorial Day timeline, understand something, it is just an arbitrary 'soft' target.  I do not put time constraints on my weight loss (Aside, from my ultimate target of 195.)... and neither should you.  That is how we set ourselves up for failure.  Don't constrain your lifestyle with what you think your body will or should do.  You are bound to be disappointed at some point in time and disappointment leads to relapse.  Just do the right thing, be honest with yourself about your efforts and everything should take care of itself.


My short term goal is now hitting that 50 target.  I think at that point I might buy myself some interim clothes.  I was walking downstairs on Sunday to bring down the recycling and my wife heard me cackling up a storm.  Tab asked what it was that was so funny.  I told her to come take a look.  There I stood at the bottom of the steps with a bucket of empty cans and bottles and my pants around my ankles.  They had just fallen right off.  Most of my casual slacks aren't in good enough shape to even take in, so I'll be investing in some inexpensive garments to get me through to the next phase.  Hopefully, that next phase is buying off the rack at Walmart, Target or any store that doesn't have the words "Big & Tall" on the sign.  It may not be high style, but it will be a huge symbol of success and one in the win column for me.


Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:


Breakfast ~ I know this may not be your idea of breakfast, but I wanted a hot meal.  That meant the last leftover chicken enchilada.  Look for the recipe on Thursday.

Mid-morning ~ Decaf w/fat-free 1/2 & 1/2


Lunch ~ Tiny clams in marinara sauce and a chicken Caesar salad.  I did have 2 small slices of bread to get some of that garlicky sauce.

Mid-afternoon ~ Grande Vanilla Skinny Latte

Dinner ~ Boca Burger with avocado and low fat chipotle mayo on a sprouted grain English Muffin

Exercise ~ Yard work, mowing, raking and seeding the backyard

Week 11 Weigh-in

This week I was just sure I had lost something.  Unlike recent trips to the scale, I was definitely feeling lighter.  Of course, such a small percentage of my overall being is imperceptible, but I knew nonetheless.  I don't often like to go to the bodily functions category, but I was peeing a lot last week.  Not that that is a sign of weight loss, but I visualize it as expelling my fatness.  TMI?  Sorry, folks.  It's not all sunshine and rainbows here.

I went through my Monday morning ritual today, minus a close shave and Q-tipping.  Who knows?  I might have knocked off another 0.1 lbs., had I.  I am happy to report that I have lost more weight this week.  As you can see by the picture here, I am now down to 324 lbs. even, a weekly loss of 2.6 lbs.  Total weight loss thus far, 39.6 lbs.  For you digitheads out there, that's 23.5% of my ultimate goal, in 11 weeks.  Not too shabby. Today's body fat percentage is down a staggering 0.1% to 62.2%.  Still worthy of one hell of a grease fire, but shrinking a little bit.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning.  I am also happy to report that my blood pressure, although always good, was 96/60... an all-time low.   I knew I shoulda sold at 120/80!  I am also scheduling a blood work-up.  It will be good to know that I don't need  to have my oil changed.  I get this blood series done about once a year and a physical every two years.  If you are a male over 45, then you can understand my joy that the physical is in 2013.

That's all for today folks.

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Kashi Island Vanilla cereal w/unsweetened almond milk

Lunch ~ One leftover chicken enchilada

Dinner ~ TBD

Exercise ~ TBD

A.L.O.E. 04.22.12

With such a busy schedule, the Wife with school and work, myself with work, this blog and both of us with singing gigs, the housework has been slipping a tad.  So, last night it was a clean-a-thon.  Hence, the late posting of A.L.O.E., A Little Of Everything.  Tapas, to feed the mind and body.

To Brie or Not to Brie

Okay.  Maybe not brie, per se, but other cheeses.  I just liked the heading.  I often look for new recipes or food ideas to keep things interesting and tasty.  If the food sucks, I am destined for failure.  But healthy is essential for me these days.  Gone are the days where I ate something just because it tasted good.  And, with that, went cheese.  Well, for the most part at least.  I still scrape some parmigiano reggiano on my pasta, now and again.  Words like, cheddar, bleu and provolone have been absent from my vocabulary.  In reading these recipes from sources like, Cooking Light and Good Housekeeping (The latter is doctor's office time passing stuff.  I haven't turned into a domestic goddess.), I find recipes where the numbers look good, yet they include my old friend, cheese.  I am wrestling with notion of reintroducing cheese to my repertoire.  If I discover a concoction that has relatively low fat and calories and cheese can be enjoyed, why not?  Well, perhaps, because a good Gorgonzola might be my gateway drug.  Will it push me over the edge to harder options.  Or should I say, softer, more fat-laden options like, yellow American.  I don't want to be the guy they find all strung out, with Land-o-lakes packaging strewn around my chalk outline.  The question is, can I handle just a little?  I will think on this and report back.

Other Bloggers

I was compelled to see what other options were out there for weight-loss blogs, so I googled weight - loss - blogs and found a number of ones that might be worthy of your time and many that were not.  If you enjoy or find formats such as mine, informative or entertaining, then perhaps you might want to check some out.  One thing I found is that there are very few dudes doing what I do.  There are some, like Steve v5.0 at http://4point6.com.  Another well done option is from www.weightoflife.com.  Many of my readers are women and you might like a feminine perspective, as well.  Purple_moonflower123 of weightoflife has a similar approach to mine and is trying to incorporate more veggies and vegan options into her new lifestyle.  From my standpoint, we are all approaching things slightly differently.  I am not saying there is right or wrong.  I just know what works for me.  I am happy with my progress to date.  The dozen or so blogs I went through had varying levels of success.  I just hope that their victories are lasting ones.  It sort of pains me to see people on products like Medifast or extreme fad diets, because I know it will only get them back to there they were and worse.  So, feel free to 'cheat' on me and explore what is out there in the blogosphere.

*Interesting note: The word 'blogosphere' does not show up in Blogspot's own spell check.  Hmmmm.... neither does the word, 'Blogspot'!  lol

5000

Thanks to very one that helped TDT195 get over 5000 page views, as of last Wednesday.  While I am not hung up on the numbers, it does my soul a world of good knowing that a growing number of people are supporting my efforts and using their precious time to listen to my rantings.  I am humbled and appreciative.  Grazie!

Cya Monday night for a successful weigh-in report,

M

What I ate today today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Kashi Cinnamon Harvest cereal w/unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Lunch ~ Deli sliced organic chicken breast on whole grain bread and low fat chipotle mayo

Snack ~ One banana

Dinner ~ Homemade chicken enchiladas.  Using whole grain tortillas and lean chicken breast, this is pretty easy and only 390 calories with very little fat.  I may post the recipe this Thursday.

Exercise ~ I could not believe how sore I was after Saturday's walk.  I walked around the house with a vacuum and steam mop instead.

Dream Bigger

I came to realize something today.  When we are children we dream HUGE.  "I want to be the President!"  "I want to be an astronaut!"  "I want to be a rock star!"  Then, as we get into our teens, many of us get slightly more "realistic".  I put "realistic" in quotes because, so-called sensibilities and adult influences creep in and dampen our spirit.  We downscale our dreams.  So we choose a future vocation and many of us are off to college or jobs that are far from what most of us would consider dreamlike.  We dream even smaller.

I, too, have been caught in the "growing up" process.  I have tended to dream smaller over the years.  As my weight has affected my self-esteem (Or was it the other way around?), I've settled for what I thought was attainable from the present situation, instead of trying to change the status quo and get the most out of life.  I have said before that I feel I am an exceptional individual with special talents.  Why shouldn't I expect more for myself.  For that matter, why shouldn't you?

I have spent quite a bit of time over the last 11 weeks visualizing what the future would hold for me.  Seeing it in my mind's eye and striving for it.  But today something crystallized for me during my walk.  I may have been seeing how Mike.2 will look and some of the things I might do with my new body, but sights have been set with the old Mike's sensibilities.  I'm changing and so are the ground rules.  So from now on, I have a new philosophy.  Dream bigger.

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Kashi Cinnamon Harvest cereal w/unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Pre-walk snack ~ 1 banana

Lunch ~ An organic sliced chicken sandwich on sprouted grain bread w/low fat chipotle mayo.  So good!

Dinner ~ Tom Yum soup w/chicken and tons of fresh veggies

Exercise ~ TDT195 Walking Club walk of 2.75 miles

*This will likely be the last regular Saturday edition of The Drive To 195 for a while. You can still expect Sunday through Friday posts. Thanks to all who read, either regularly, or occasionally. You know it fuels me.

How Did I Get Here?: Part 10

When you have gastric bypass surgery you experience weight loss in such an extreme acceleration that it is intoxicating.  Dropping, on average, ten pounds a week for ten weeks, sort of sets your expectations beyond the limits of reality.  So when it slows, it's not only disappointing, but a little depressing.  By March of 2002, I had gotten down below 300 pounds for the first time since forever and had bought my first home.  Well, half of my first home. 

When my Dad checked out early, at 63, Mom had a house that was too big for her, taxes skyrocketing and a housing market that favored the seller.  She wanted to sell her home and had asked me several times if I would partner with her in buying a new one.  I always gave her a knee-jerk "No.  I am not going to be the 40 year old dude living with his mother."  After a while, I saw how the house was too much for her and realized that it was a good deal for both of us.  She could get the max for her home in Cranford, lighten the burden on her finances and I could buy a home using her half as the down payment, since I had no money to put down myself.  This could work, IF we found the right situation.  Separate living spaces, for the most part, were crucial.  We found such a place in Parsippany, where I still live with my wife.

Having my first home and being slimmer daily was a good combo.  I had a pool in the back, in which I could exercise.  There was plenty to be done around the place, fixing it up and making it our own.  I was very into doing things I could never do before.  I took to walking around our lake (What I thought then was 2.7 miles, I now know is 2.2.), I built a paver walkway from the street to the front porch, which was quite a big job.  Much digging and hauling of materials was back-breaking at best (Thanks Kip!).  At the insistence of our insurance company, I built a railing from scratch, which still is standing strong ten years later.  I also used the displaced dirt from the walkway to build a raised garden bed, complete with retaining wall block and 1500 pounds of new top soil.  All of this I hauled myself, up to our raised front yard.  I did my own pool maintenance and yard work.  These things, while not all that enjoyable for me, were tremendous icons of pride.  I was quite taken with myself for not only completing such physical tasks, but in turning out excellent results.  Yes, of course, the garden you grow will always look better to you and the fish you catch yourself will always taste better.  Doing things for yourself gives you rose colored glasses when you gaze upon them.  But that was just a small part of the satisfaction.  I could take on these projects when just 18 months before I couldn't climb the short stairway which had my railing and cross the walkway I built from scratch, without heavy breathing and much, much labor, let alone create such things with my own hands. 

I recall the day when I dipped under 300 pounds for the first time, I walked out of the bathroom and into the hall.  I proclaimed to my mother, practically with tears in my eyes, "I did it.  I will never be a 300 pound man again!"  It was like the gods were looking down upon me and shook their heads.  "Wait a minute big boy.  Not so fast!"  My weight loss slowed then.  Crept, in fact.  It became increasingly hard to drop even a pound.  The really hard work had begun.  I got myself down to 287 or so, when I hit a wall.

I recall being able to eat more and more at each sitting.  The discomfort I had experienced previously, which prevented me from over-indulging, was waning.  It was what I called "The Pizza Test."  My job would always do training meetings on Mondays, lunch and learn day.  One of the manufacturers whose products we sold would come in and bring lunch.  We'd sit and get schoolin' while we dined.  Usually it was pizza, since it was easiest.  Once I could go back to eating pizza, one slice would fill me.  I passed the test. My surgery worked.  Anything more would make me ill, sometimes to the point of throwing up.  Then, over time, I could eat more.  Perhaps two, then even three slices at a sitting.  What was happening?  The surgery would prevent this, no? 

I knew someone from my post-op support group whose surgery had failed.  She could eat more than she was supposed to be able to.  The two sections of her stomach that were created by the bypass had grown back together.  She had to have them separated.  Was this happening to me?  Had my stomach repaired itself?  I always wondered ,but never had it checked out.  The most likely reason was that I had simply stretched my stomach by eating too much.  As I have said before, they fixed my insides, but not my head.  There is no surgery for addiction.  My surgery didn't fail me. I failed my surgery.

My weight slowly crept back, approaching the 300 mark.  My resolution was diminished.  The devil on my shoulder was rooting me on to regain my former self.  Once I got back over 300 pounds, I think I gave up.  Gave into the devil.  After all my effort and all the reinforcements, both negative and positive, that leaner was MUCH better than fatter, I gave myself over to the dark side.  I was no longer a recovering fat guy.  I was just a fat guy, getting fatter...yet again.

To be continued, as always, next week.

Cya later,
M

*The picture above is not the walkway I built, but another.  Mine is in need of some weeding and I would be appalled to show a picture right now. DOH!

What I ate and how I exercised this Friday:

Breakfast ~ Amy's Breakfast Burrito with salsa (Joanie, I found more.  They are still out there!)

Lunch ~ A huge salad with all sorts of veggies and a can of white tuna, homemade lemon basil vinaigrette

Dinner ~ Boca burger deluxe, w/sauteed onions, pickles and tomato on a sprouted grain English Muffin

Exercise ~ So not motivated to walk.  I need a kick in the ass.  Tomorrow is TDT195 Walking Club.  I'll be there to do the 2.7 miles around Giralda Farms.  Will you?

Food Thursday 04.19.12

Greetings, seekers of knowledge.  You're in the wrong place!  LOL.  Well, if you want to hear what's on the menu today in Food Thursday, then feel free to stick around.  Thursday is all about food on TDT195 and I would like to talk about about some staples that I have been using in my weight loss program, that I enjoy, are healthy and widely available in any store.

Almond Milk

In an effort to cut back on dairy and fat intake, in particular, I have taken to using almond milk in my cereal and very occasionally in my coffee.  I still prefer a more creamy texture in my decaf, so I have opted for fat free half and half.  I don't recommend fat free half and half because of the high fructose corn syrup in it, but I am still looking for a viable alternative.  In cereal, however, I could literally serve this to you and you would never know the difference.  I don't say things like this lightly.  I have heard claims before about other "as good as" products, which I ultimately wanted to spit out.  Trust old Mike on this one.  Almond milk is a great way to go.  The brand I buy most often is Blue Diamond's Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla.  It has less than half the calories of skim milk (40 vs 91, for 8 oz.), slightly more calcium and is higher in potassium, which regulates your blood pressure, as well as affecting other vital functions.  It is available in your dairy section or in boxes in the aisle that sells other milks, like soy or hemp.  Silk has also just come out with their own unsweetened vanilla almond milk with only 35 calories.  Give either a try.  You won't be disappointed.

Earth Balance Spread

Paula Dean may not be the poster child for health, but we agree on one thing.  Butter tastes good!  I love butter and I almost miss it.  I say almost because a few years back, my vegan wife and I discovered Earth Balance.  Not the same as Smart Balance, which is an okay sub for butter, but Earth Balance not only tastes great, it can be easily substituted in recipes of all sorts, including sauces and baking.  I have used it enough over the years to know that if I didn't tell you there was a butter substitute in whatever you were eating, you'd never know the difference.  If you are spreading it on bread (If you are inclined to do so, you may not be reading the right blog anyway ;)  ), it is good, but not as creamy.  Earth Balance has the same calories and overall fat as butter, but the key differences are, A: it's not dairy, B: the saturated fat is 3g per Tbs, vs. 7gm for butter and C: it has 0mg of cholesterol vs. 10 for butter.  This one should be the one called "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter".  The other one that uses that phrase should be sued for false advertising.

Zero Water

You may have seen the magic-like commercial for Zero Water's filter that takes wine tainted red water and filters it out to a clear liquid with zero dissolved solids.  My fridge's water and ice has been tasting funky for a while, so I decided to try Zero Water (available at Walmart).  Rather than change out all the lines in the fridge, I opted for this solution.  I do have filtered water in the fridge itself, but a new $45 filter from Sears did nothing to fix the issue.  Zero Water come with a pitcher, like Brita, and a water tester that tells you how many parts per million (ppm) of dissolved solids are in the water. I was floored by the results.  My tap water had somewhere in the vicinity of 660 ppm dissolved solids.  The fridge's filtered water, 350.  Zero Water had, imagine this...zero.  My house's water is VERY high in calcium.  I get crusty white deposits everywhere.  It ruined 2 Keurig brewers (which they replaced, thank you very much, Keurig).  I now have no scaling in scaling in the brewer's tank and my water tastes like water should.  If you are going to eat, drink and be healthy, hydration is a must.  You might as well get the best water you can, without the plastic waste from bottled water.

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Kashi Walnut & Black Currant cereal w/unsweetened almond milk (I won't be buying this cereal again.  Oddly sweet.)

Lunch ~ 2 egg omelet with turkey chili and 40 calories worth of vegan pepper jack cheese. Small side salad.

Dinner ~ TBD (update from yesterday: Broiled Sole, veggies and rice)

Exercise ~ None today. (Update from yesterday...I'm a sloth. An honest sloth, but a sloth, none the less. I didn't get my walk in.)

What's In My Head Wednesday 04.18.12

Hi there and welcome back for another WIMHW.  I have a few things on my mind this fine spring day and I'll lay it out for you in little snippets. 

Taxing Times
I was doing my taxes this year and I was reminded of how freaking stressful and time consuming it is.  I don't think next year I will be taking this on again.  Aside from the forensic dissection of last year's money activity, writing large checks to those that spend it so freely is mind numbing to me.  Oddly enough, I wasn't taken to thoughts of comforting myself through food this year, as a means of relieving the anxiety.  I would have normally used this as an opportunity to justify some junk food or some kind of fatty morsels.  It wasn't even a conscious effort to not turn to food.  The thoughts just weren't present.  It feels good realizing that my firmware is being rewritten.

One Man's Trash...
It amazes me how sometimes I will sit down to write a post and totally not know what to do, yet I manage to pound out something on my laptop.  Yesterday was one of those times.  My thoughts rolled through my week and my experiences and I came up with a premise.  As I was writing, I was disappointed that I was just not keeping up with a standard that people would connect to and want to read.  With nothing else to offer, I shipped the 'Compliments' post off into cyberspace.  The amazing part is, the feedback I got from the blog was that it struck more of a chord to readers than I would have expected.  I got a good amount of feedback within a short time.  Lesson learned.  Write what I am feeling or experiencing and let things fall where they may.  My brother put it well.  "Things may not be profound on my end to be profound to someone else." 

New Deli
I love traditional Jewish deli food.  Especially, corned beef and pastrami.  In fact, one of the last things I made sure to have before I kicked off this undertaking, was a sloppy Joe consisting of pastrami, turkey and brisket, with Russian dressing and slaw.  My boss decided that today we would have a company meeting/lunch at Harold's Deli in Edison.  If you aren't familiar with Harold's, one thing you should know is that there are few, if any, things on the menu that aren't bigger than your head.  I do not exaggerate on this point, which is why I don't call it Harold's, but the Bigger Than Your Head Deli.  I was wondering how I would fare at today's lunch meeting.  I am happy to report, I navigated the challenge almost flawlessly.  First off, a trip to the pickle bar where I enjoyed their delicious health salad made with pickled cabbage, carrots, cukes and more.  I had a big plate of that to start, plus a half sour.  I ordered a cup of cold borscht (beet soup) and was disappointed it had sour cream mixed in.  I had just a few sips then passed it on.  Lastly, I split a turkey sandwich on pumpernickel with two other guys (Yeah, they are that big, because there was still some left for the boss to take home.).  My only falter was that I took ONE thin slice of pastrami and placed it over the turkey to give it that taste I love, added a schmear of mustard and I was in heaven.  I washed it all down with a diet cream soda.   A successful new experience for me at the deli.

Daily Grind
I am considering killing the Tuesday and Saturday editions of TDT195. They are by far the least read and the daily task of writing is quite a grind. While I almost always enjoy it, I sometimes want a day off. My initial intents for the blog never seriously considered what it might become long term. Several people put the thought in my head that this could someday be a book. I then started to think about what that book would be like, should it come to pass. What I am wrestling with now is, how will cutting the two days per week impact that vision? I'll mull it over and give everyone notice, should I cut back.  If you see days like last Thursday, where I publish the next morning, know I probably needed some time off.  Thanks to everyone for reading, participating and caring.  It makes all the difference to me.

Cya Tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Kashi Island Vanilla cereal w/1 banana and unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Lunch ~ See above

Dinner ~ No clue.  TBD

Exercise ~ I plan to walk after an appointment I have later.  Will report back tomorrow

Compliments

I am not sure if it is just me or if anyone else feels this way, but I'd love to hear from you on this one...especially if you have your own body issues.  Come to think of it, who doesn't?  Well, few anyway.

  I am kind of uncomfortable with compliments regarding my body.  They usually come in the form of the following: "Oh.  Look at you skinny!", "You look great.  I can see your weight loss in here" (then they point to the apparently slimmer spots) or "Are you dieting?  I can tell."  The funny thing is that I have gotten these comments for years, whether I have lost weight or not. 

I am not at ease with people calling attention to my body.  I have never liked it and the unsaid part of the exchange is...you are less fat than you were the last time we met.  I'm obese.  It's a fact.  I know it.  You know it.  I just don't like to talk about it, not face to face at least.  I am always gracious, thank the person and offer some information like, "Yes I have. Thanks for noticing.", "No.  I haven't, but thanks anyway." or "Dude.  You need glasses."  

I walked into a colleague's office yesterday and I was greeted with "Hey Skinny!  Look at you! You are melting away!"  I know I should be thrilled that my progress is being acknowledged, yet overstating the observation and morphing me into skinny seems to to tell me that the complimentor is as uncomfortable with the situation as the complimentee.  If that be the case, my advise is, say nothing.

I am sure I am overly sensitive about my body image and attention to it.  That feeds into this aversion to compliments, but if you are only an acquaintance of someone, do them a favor, leave their body off the list of topics for conversation.  Perhaps in another 50-75lbs., I'll feel differently.  We'll see, but I am guessing my head will take a long time to catch up with the concept.

Am I off base on this?  Making a big deal over nothing?  Let me know.  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Cya tomorrow,
M 

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ 2 egg omelet with shiitake mushrooms, tomato and avocado.  Decaf w/fat free 1/2 & 1/2

Lunch ~ Arugula salad with roasted pepper and grilled chicken

Dinner ~ Cantaloupe appetizer and a bowl of Mom's turkey chili made with 99% lean ground turkey

Exercise ~ After the taxing day I had, I need some relaxin'.  I WILL WALK TOMORROW!
 

Weigh-in #10

Wow!  10 weigh-ins already.  I am going to cut to the chase this week because I have taxes to do.  Yeah.  I am one of those people.  But when you are an independent contractor, like Tab is, you always owe.  No sense in doing too early.  Anyway, enough about my finances...on with the show!




This short 6-day week (If you haven't been following, I recently changed over to the Miguelian calendar), I recaptured the loss that disappeared last week and a wee bit more.  As you can see from the picture here, I am now 326.6 lbs.  That is a loss of 1.6 lbs. since last Tuesday and an overall loss of 36.8 lbs., in the 10 weeks since kickoff.  The stress and uncertainty of weigh-in #9's posted gain has caused me to up my Monday analysis and from now on I will also be checking my body fat percentage.  Mr. Escali is one smart dude and he can give me various stats like body fat and water percentages.  Today I checked in at 62.3% body fat.  On the off chance I die and go to hell, that is gonna be one heck of a grease fire.  It will be interesting watching that number change as I become less flammable.

As always, thanks so much for the unwavering support and encouragement.  It means the difference between success and every other time I tried to do this.

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Amy's Southwest Burrito w/1 Tbs. fat free Greek yogurt and 2 Tbs. salsa.  Decaf coffee w/fat free 1/2 & 1/2

Lunch ~ McDonald's Grilled Chicken Caesar salad with less than 1/2 of the dressing (under 300 calories but you can really taste the high salt factor) and  Zero water XXX

Snack ~ Beef jerky ( I know...more salt)

Dinner ~ Vegetarian 'chicken' with spinach, Thai basil, scallions and brown rice.

Exercise ~ Hey!  I am doing my taxes.  Blame Uncle Sam!

A.L.O.E. 04.15.12

Greetings, travelmates.  Welcome to another A.L.O.E., where we discuss a mixed bag of topics.  Tiny morsels of info that have to do with all that is healthy.  What do I know about healthy?  Any person that has attempted (and failed) to lose weight as many times as I have, knows a thing or three about what 'healthy' is.  I just made bad choices along the way and gave in to the devil on my shoulder.  Those days are gone.  It's time to listen to the smart guy on the other shoulder and put what I've learned to good use.

Such a Tool!

I found a nifty tool today when looking for the health benefits of my breakfast.  The site is http://caloriecount.about.com .  There, you can not only find the nutritional value of just about any food, but also build meals and track your nutritional progress.  There are plenty of sites, like livestrong.com, that give you the nutrient lowdown, but knowing what you should be eating based on your sex, age and body makeup, is very cool.  Below is an analysis of what I ate today.  The overall pie chart is listed above.  Neat, huh?

Everybody is Kale Crazy

I've been writing a lot about kale lately. It would appear the Food Network is paying attention to me (yeah, right), because as I write this, Iron Chef is having 'Battle Kale'.

Weigh-in Looming Heavy

As I approach tomorrow's trip to the scale, the anxiety that was prevalent early on is creeping back in.  After last week's gain of 1.2 lbs., I am not looking forward to it.  Last week I weighed in on a Tuesday.  So this is a 6 day week.  Even less time to show some progress.  Well, at least I know from the charts above, with exceptions of two categories being sodium and calcium in the negative column, what I had today was a decent entry in the books.  Tune in tomorrow evening to find out what happens next.

Happy returns,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Fresh fruit salad w/ cantaloupe, mango, blueberries and banana

Lunch ~ I pigged out at lunch today.  I had 2 Boca burgers on a whole grain pita, with sauteed shiitakes, tomato, avocado and chipotle low fat mayo.

Dinner ~ Whole grain penne pasta w/Amy's Family Marinara sauce and 1/2 oz. of parmigiana cheese.

Exercise ~ I worked in the yard for about 2 hours today raking up dirt, seeding and mowing.  My arms hurt! :(

Walk It Off

Today was the first meeting of TDT195 Walking Club.  An immense group of two, myself included, strode around Giralda Farms, in Madison, NJ.  Thanks to my dear friend Alex, for making the walk seem effortless.  I was actually not expecting many, if any, participants.  It's a gorgeous day out and people generally have plans on weekends.  I still plan on doing it each week, though.  Probably, both Saturday and Sunday.  We will be back next Saturday at 11:00 to do the same. 

I was surprised that the loop around the complex was as long as it is, being 2.7 miles in all (pictured above).  There are some hills and it is mostly off road, with a nice paved path.  You even get to see a lot of adorable pups along the way, as St. Hubert's Giralda Animal Rescue is in the complex and people are walking the furry orphans, with signs that say "Adopt Me" on them.  I encourage all of you to get out and exercise to the extent you feel comfortable.  No excuses!  With me, or without, it's the perfect time of year to start.

As a side plug, somewhat relating to this post, I am sure many of you are aware that Tab and I are active in dog rescue, through a local shelter.  We've fostered and re-homed about a dozen dogs to their new 'furever' homes in the past twelve months.  If you, or someone you know, are looking for a new dog, please go through a shelter in your area. DO NOT purchase dogs from pet stores.  These dogs are too often from unscrupulous puppy mills and have a host of issues that may not show for some time.  The same holds true for cats.  If you aren't looking for a new addition to the family, kindly consider donating to a shelter in your area.  These folks work tirelessly for the good of the defenseless animals.  Thanks for letting me stand on a soapbox for an unrelated topic.

Shameless plug #2...The Misses and I are performing tonight in Roselle Park, NJ.  Come on out to Vinhus and join us from 8:30 to 11:30, won't you?

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Grape-nuts cereal/fresh blueberries and unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Lunch ~ Multi-grain tuna/avocado roll from Whole Foods Market.  I also tried one of new-fangled coconut water beverages.  Let's just say, I'd rather have water.

Dinner ~ Early supper tonight consisting of a big bowl of Tom Yum soup with chicken.  If you don't know Tom Yum, introduce yourself to this spicy, sweet and sour broth loaded with fresh veggies.  So good, its last name is, Yum.

Exercise ~ 2.7 miles with my bud, Alexandra

How Did I Get Here?: Part 9

Part 8 left us spying on me in post-op, from my gastric bypass surgery, hating my so-called caregivers.  This was my first overnight stay at a hospital and these lackeys were ruining my maiden voyage into inpatient recovery.  Buzzkillers!  I feel like I slept for two days once I got to my room.  When I wasn't sleeping, I was hitting the pain relief button more times than Ken Jennings on Jeopardy.  They get you up walking immediately.  They send you down the hall, wheeling your IV rig along side of you.  Now, if a fat guy in a hospital gown at least one size too small, coming at you in the corridor isn't enough make you move out of the way, add the wheelie IV sidecar of death to the equation.  That will make you duck for cover.  But I walked.  In agony every step.

I remember my work mates, both male and female, coming to visit me, 'Get Well Soon' balloons in tow.  I was so loopy from the morphine Jeopardy button,  I didn't realize I was less than covered up.  I'm someone that doesn't like being in front of a camera, let alone laying all splayed and half naked for the world to see.  It's amazing how the humiliating moments can pile up, year after year, and I still returned to my old ways.  If that isn't proof of the insidious nature of addiction, then I don't know what is.

After leaving Morristown Memorial, I convalesced at Mom's house.  We purchased a La-Z-Boy for me to sleep in, because getting out of bed was so painful.  I slept in that chair for many years, it was so comfortable.  I miss you big brown ugly recliner. 

When having a bypass, there's no solid food for a week or so and they start you on pureed food thereafter.  About one tablespoon's worth.  Mom would either throw something in the blender or mash up tuna really fine.  I ate about 3-5 tablespoons of food a day.  Ensure shakes were another way to get some nutrition in you.  I just didn't want to eat.  It didn't feel good to do so.  They were making this easy on me.  The thought of eating anything was totally unappealing.  I got just what I wanted.  They took away my appetite. 

The doctors stress protein intake to help you heal as quickly as possible, so eating nothing isn't an option. Protein shakes and, later, protein bars were a solution for me.  I drank many meals in those days.  The procedure also makes certain nutrients less available.  Your system becomes malabsorbtive to calcium, vitamin B, among others.  Eating those candylike, Viactive supplements and a multi-vitamin became way of life.  Sugar was out of bounds now.  Too much sugar in the form of things like juice, ice cream or candy can give you something called 'dumping syndrome', the effects of which include, cramping, nausea, diarrhea and diabetic-like symptoms.  All stuff you'd want to avoid like the plague.  I didn't have these issues until much later...but I got it.  I got it good.  Bananas were something that set me off.  Now that I am on the straight and narrow, I certainly do not miss the ole dumping syndrome.  Funny how bananas are not an issue anymore.  I am sure all the fat I was eating, back then, helped the trigger the dumping.  Soda was also something I didn't drink for years.  With a stomach the size of a thumb, drinking a Diet Coke would be like you did it with a Mentos as a chaser.  Talk about discomfort!

The weight was pouring off of me in staggering amounts.  My surgery was in July and by the following May I was down from 483.5 lbs. to around 295 lbs.  It got to the point where people I hadn't seen in a while did not recognize me.  I was on my way to sveltness...or so I thought.  Then everything stalled.  It came time for the really hard work to start.  The surgery fixed my stomach, but not my head. 

The battle of the bulge resumes next week in, "How Did I Get Her?"

For those interested, the weekend walking club starts tomorrow.  Check Wednesday's blog for details.

Cya tomorrow,
M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ 2 eggs scrambled with red pepper and scallion w/1 multi-grain English muffin.

Lunch ~ Roasted Red Pepper Soup...not very good.  also, a salad with mesclun greens, smoked turkey and homemade chipotle lime dressing

Dinner ~ Whole wheat penne w/Amy's Family Marinara.  As jarred sauce goes, this is very good!

Exercise ~ None today

Food Thursday 04.12.12

Today on Food Thursday we will be covering the oft touted 'Super Foods'.  These ingredients pack the most nutritious punch of any other foods.  I don't know how a food applies for such a distinction, but I would guess the judging is pretty strict.  I wonder if they get nifty capes and tights, like the Super Heroes do.  We are covering three of these beneficial behemoths in today's blog.  My sister-in-law has requested that I post the recipe for a dish I served last Saturday, in which I did a variation.  Sorry, brother Bill.  I will post it today with kale, not the spinach I used, per your aversion to new foods.  Spinach can be uber healthy, but kale is king.

Blueberries

High in antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, which can lower cholesterol, these tasty gems have plenty of potassium and vitamin C.  They can reduce your chance of heart disease and cancer.  Who doesn't like blueberries?  They are great in your cereal, your low fat yogurt or in a fruit salad.  No.  I don't recommend getting your blueberries in pancakes with butter and syrup.  That would be like taking your vitamins stuffed in a Snickers bar.


All Hail Kale!

I love kale.  It's inexpensive, versatile and tastes good.  I know most of you have only seen this as the curly, green stuff that garnishes your deli platter, but you can find at least one or two varieties in every supermarket.  While I prefer the flat variety, aka Tuscan, dinosaur, lacinato or black kale, the curly stuff is fine as well.  I do not buy the pre-chopped bags in the store as they have the stems included, which take longer to cook and are kind of tough and bitter.  Buy the whole leaf kale, wash it well and remove the center rib.  Put it in your soups, stews or simply sauteed or braised.  Kale has an abundance of vitamins K, A and C, plus iron and calcium.  Calcium from a vegetable, you ask?  Yeah.  Your cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts are high in the stuff.  See my post, 'Kale Chips...They're the New Pringles!', for a tasty kale chip recipe.  You can even help a little guy by buying an Eat More Kale t-shirt.  A dude in Vermont got sued by Chick-fil-A last year for producing these shirts.  Really, Chick-fil-A?  You own anything that resembles 'Eat Mor Chikin'?  Gimme a break.  Here is the story... http://www.npr.org/2011/12/06/143195033/chicken-vs-kale-vt-artist-fights-chick-fil-a-suit

Also, thanks to reader, Joan, for pointing me toward this great article on the health benefits of kale.
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4408/Top-10-Health-Benefits-of-Eating-Kale.html

Peppers (Chiles)

Did you know that a bell pepper has more vitamin C than an orange?  Two times the amount, actually.  Chiles have wonderful antioxidant properties, plus anti-inflammatory, analgesic, heart-healthy and anti-cancer benefits derived from their capsaicinoids.  Spicy foods are also said to boost your metabolism, aiding in weight loss.  Albeit, the effects are temporary, but if you eat them often, it can add up to burning a few extra calories.  Add them to your eggs (occasionally), soups, salads and stir-fries for a delicious, nutritious boost.

Pan Seared Tilapia over Kale and Cannellini Beans
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2, 2oz tilapia fillets
garlic salt to taste
3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sweet onion, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup vegetable or chicken stock (or broth/boullion)
4 cups of kale, washed and sliced into 1/4" ribbons
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/2 of 15oz. can of cannellini beans, rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
2 lemon wedges

1. Rinse the tilapia fillets and fully pat dry with a paper towel.  Season each side liberally with garlic salt and pepper.  Set aside.
2. In a large pan that has a lid, heat 1 tsp. of oil over medium heat until shimmering. 
3. Add onions and peppers.  Cook until the onions are softened slightly.
4. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring all the while.
5. Turn heat to high and add the white wine.  Scrape the pan to loosen bits and cook until almost all the liquid reduces.
6. Add stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add kale and lemon juice. Cover and simmer until the kale is tender, about 10 minutes.
7. Stir in beans, season with salt and pepper and set aside. covered, to allow beans to heat through.
8. In a non-stick skillet, on high, heat the remaining 2 tsp. of oil until shimmering.
9. Gently lay the tilapia fillets in the pan, watching to avoid splattering.  Cook until slightly opaque around sides.
10. Gently flip the fillets with a spatula, taking care not to break them.  Cook until they have slightly browned, slightly crisp exterior.  If your fillets are very thin, take caution not to overcook.
11. Spoon half the kale/bean mixture onto each plate and place the tilapia over it.  The fillets are delicate, do so gently. 
12. Spoon some braising liquid over the dish.  Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!

Cya Friday,
M

What I ate and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Amy's breakfast burrito w/1 Tbs fat-free yogurt and salsa

Lunch ~ Boca burger on a multi-grain English muffin, w/pickle and low fat special sauce (reduced fat mayo and ketchup)

Dinner ~ Kashi Island vanilla cereal w/blueberries and unsweetened almond milk

Exercise ~ None today