7:15 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal, almond milk, sprinkle of walnuts and dried blueberries. Cup of coffee.
11 AM, walk with Jake
12:30 PM lunch. I made a tuna salad with mayonnaise, relish, capers, onions, on a single slice of white toast.
4-ish PM snack. 1/2 apple.
6:30 -ish PM snack. 1/3 carrot and hummus
7 PM dinner. 1 slice leftover meatloaf with leftover kugel and a green salad. Glass of wine.
No ice cream, no dessert!
Friday, September 29, 2017
Thursday, September 28, 2017
PIG-OUT
Social gatherings... I blow it every time!
7 AM tea--nothing wrong with that!
9:30 AM late breakfast at Zinc. Shared scrambled eggs and bagel with Ellie. Cup of coffee.
10:40 AM gym. 20 minutes elliptical, 1 hour with Shanna. She works me hard!
1 PM lunch. Slice of cold meatloaf, a dollop of cottage cheese.
Out for the entire afternoon on errands. No snack.
5:30 snack--crackers and cheese and a glass of fumé blanc. Well, maybe two glasses over pleasant--and surprising!--conversation.
6:30 dinner at Roux, the new Creole restaurant down the hill. Shared a salad and shared the catfish dish with Ellie. More wine. And dessert. We ordered two for the table, sent one back, enjoyed the other.
A very rich meal, even though we shared. And altogether too much wine for one evening... Just being sociable, I tell myself.
7 AM tea--nothing wrong with that!
9:30 AM late breakfast at Zinc. Shared scrambled eggs and bagel with Ellie. Cup of coffee.
10:40 AM gym. 20 minutes elliptical, 1 hour with Shanna. She works me hard!
1 PM lunch. Slice of cold meatloaf, a dollop of cottage cheese.
Out for the entire afternoon on errands. No snack.
5:30 snack--crackers and cheese and a glass of fumé blanc. Well, maybe two glasses over pleasant--and surprising!--conversation.
6:30 dinner at Roux, the new Creole restaurant down the hill. Shared a salad and shared the catfish dish with Ellie. More wine. And dessert. We ordered two for the table, sent one back, enjoyed the other.
A very rich meal, even though we shared. And altogether too much wine for one evening... Just being sociable, I tell myself.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
MONDAY
Monday
7 AM a bracing mug of Yorkshire Gold tea!
9 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal. A cup of coffee.
1:30 AM gym. 20 mins elliptical, 1 hour workout with Shanna.
12 PM lunch. 1/3 leftover onion bagel with butter, cheese, and a little Branston pickle. I also sneaked in a sliver of chocolate for dessert...
4 PM snack. 1/2 banana with plain yogurt and a chopped up date.
6 PM a few bites of carrot with hummus.
7 PM dinner. Baked salmon with leftover kugel and a cucumber and tomato salad. A glass of white wine.
No ice cream, no dessert!
7 AM a bracing mug of Yorkshire Gold tea!
9 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal. A cup of coffee.
1:30 AM gym. 20 mins elliptical, 1 hour workout with Shanna.
12 PM lunch. 1/3 leftover onion bagel with butter, cheese, and a little Branston pickle. I also sneaked in a sliver of chocolate for dessert...
4 PM snack. 1/2 banana with plain yogurt and a chopped up date.
6 PM a few bites of carrot with hummus.
7 PM dinner. Baked salmon with leftover kugel and a cucumber and tomato salad. A glass of white wine.
No ice cream, no dessert!
Monday, September 25, 2017
SUNDAY, AGAIN!
The weeks keep rolling by. In fact, they seem to keep rolling by faster!
Yesterday:
7-ish, tea
8:30 pre-sangha breakfast. Small bowl of fruit and cereal
9 - 11 AM sangha. A good meditation sit--and wide-ranging discussion, mostly political.
12 PM a big brunch! 1/3 toasted bagel with butter and 1 egg omelette with chives; 1/3 toasted bagel with cream cheese and lox. A teaspoon go homemade kumquat marmalade. Coffee.
2 PM, cigar on the patio with a friend.
Crosswords. No snack.
7 PM dinner. Leftover steak, leftover rice and corn hash, leftover squash, and salad. A glass of red wine.
No ice cream, no dessert!
Yesterday:
7-ish, tea
8:30 pre-sangha breakfast. Small bowl of fruit and cereal
9 - 11 AM sangha. A good meditation sit--and wide-ranging discussion, mostly political.
12 PM a big brunch! 1/3 toasted bagel with butter and 1 egg omelette with chives; 1/3 toasted bagel with cream cheese and lox. A teaspoon go homemade kumquat marmalade. Coffee.
2 PM, cigar on the patio with a friend.
Crosswords. No snack.
7 PM dinner. Leftover steak, leftover rice and corn hash, leftover squash, and salad. A glass of red wine.
No ice cream, no dessert!
Saturday, September 23, 2017
FRIDAY
Yesterday... not much water. I forgot all about it until mid-afternoon, and hurried to catch up a bit. Need to be more mindful on this front. Also, I skipped gym. A busy morning on the computer and telephone, rescheduling our return flights from Toronto, left me at 11 AM with very much reduced motivation. I chose to stay home and do some of the writing I'd missed earlier. (I discovered that I had failed to save a whole bunch of work from previous days, and had to go back and redo everything. An unwelcome chore. I never manage to get it right the second time around!)
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. 1 slice toast, 1 fried egg, a little marmalade. Coffee.
12:30 PM lunch. Nicoise salad without the tuna.
4 PM snack. 1/2 apple and peanut butter
6:30 PM snack, handful of tortilla chip fragments and salsa.
7:30 PM dinner. Chicken, rice and corn hash, tomato salad. A glass of red wine.
No ice cream, no dessert.
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. 1 slice toast, 1 fried egg, a little marmalade. Coffee.
12:30 PM lunch. Nicoise salad without the tuna.
4 PM snack. 1/2 apple and peanut butter
6:30 PM snack, handful of tortilla chip fragments and salsa.
7:30 PM dinner. Chicken, rice and corn hash, tomato salad. A glass of red wine.
No ice cream, no dessert.
Friday, September 22, 2017
RELOCATION DAY
Thursday was the day to make our irregular commute between Los Angeles and our Laguna Beach cottage. The packing and preparation, the drive and the resettling take up most of the day.
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. I made us a bowl of porridge each, with raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts and, for me, brown sugar. Just a habit, but a choice made consciously. Milk. A cup of coffee.
1 PM a bite of lunch. Tiny portion of leftover chicken noodle soup--so that it wouldn't go to waste! (This a frequent motivation for me. The old childhood lesson--but this time relatively harmless.) A stick of cheddar cheese and 1/2 piece of toast.
2:30 PM Arriving in Laguna, a stop at Zinc. Ellie wisely chose a salad. I had already eaten "lunch", so I chose one of their delicious chocolate chip cookies--and ate (nearly!) the whole thing. Ellie had a nibble.
7 PM dinner. Leftover kugel, red cabbage, 4 small chunks of kielbasa. A glass of white wine.
No ice cream, no dessert! (I watched Ellie eat a small bowl of ice cream--and rested the temptation.)
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. I made us a bowl of porridge each, with raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts and, for me, brown sugar. Just a habit, but a choice made consciously. Milk. A cup of coffee.
1 PM a bite of lunch. Tiny portion of leftover chicken noodle soup--so that it wouldn't go to waste! (This a frequent motivation for me. The old childhood lesson--but this time relatively harmless.) A stick of cheddar cheese and 1/2 piece of toast.
2:30 PM Arriving in Laguna, a stop at Zinc. Ellie wisely chose a salad. I had already eaten "lunch", so I chose one of their delicious chocolate chip cookies--and ate (nearly!) the whole thing. Ellie had a nibble.
7 PM dinner. Leftover kugel, red cabbage, 4 small chunks of kielbasa. A glass of white wine.
No ice cream, no dessert! (I watched Ellie eat a small bowl of ice cream--and rested the temptation.)
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
CHUTNEY
7 AM tea
9 AM, breakfast. 1 poached egg, 1 English muffin with butter and honey. A cup of coffee with coconut creamer.
12 PM lunch. 1/2 cheese sandwich with mayonnaise and chutney (love it!). 1/2 apple.
At 4 PM I chose to eat... a chocolate chip cookie (most of it!)
6:30 PM meditation
7:30 shot of Irish whiskey. Another choice.
8 PM dinner. Blue Apron steak with over-roasted potatoes and garlic sauce, string bean salad. Ellie and I shared one of the two steaks from the package. Glass of white wine.
No ice cream, no dessert! The better choice!
9 AM, breakfast. 1 poached egg, 1 English muffin with butter and honey. A cup of coffee with coconut creamer.
12 PM lunch. 1/2 cheese sandwich with mayonnaise and chutney (love it!). 1/2 apple.
At 4 PM I chose to eat... a chocolate chip cookie (most of it!)
6:30 PM meditation
7:30 shot of Irish whiskey. Another choice.
8 PM dinner. Blue Apron steak with over-roasted potatoes and garlic sauce, string bean salad. Ellie and I shared one of the two steaks from the package. Glass of white wine.
No ice cream, no dessert! The better choice!
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
SLIPPING
Much too much food and drink last night. In my meditation sit this morning, I could feel my body heating up as it tried to cope with the excess calories. And wine... I have noticed myself slipping over the past few days, and need to return to more conscious habits and thoughtful choice.
Yesterday
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal with the usual toppings.
12 PM lunch. A mixed salad from Gelson's with blue cheese dressing.
6 PM snack. Leftover fruit from breakfast with a spoonful of yogurt.
Dinner at 7 PM at Little Pine, a vegan restaurant. Arrived very hungry with a wait ahead of us for Sarah and family. Ordered an antipasto plate with beet hummus, pickles, carrot sticks and focaccia bread. Very good. And a glass of wine. When Sarah, Tim and Luka arrived, we ordered a full bottle of chardonnay to share. I ordered a "scallopini"--with fake meat--which came with a huge portion of mashed potato. At the end, we ordered two desserts for the table. Too much!
Yesterday
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal with the usual toppings.
12 PM lunch. A mixed salad from Gelson's with blue cheese dressing.
6 PM snack. Leftover fruit from breakfast with a spoonful of yogurt.
Dinner at 7 PM at Little Pine, a vegan restaurant. Arrived very hungry with a wait ahead of us for Sarah and family. Ordered an antipasto plate with beet hummus, pickles, carrot sticks and focaccia bread. Very good. And a glass of wine. When Sarah, Tim and Luka arrived, we ordered a full bottle of chardonnay to share. I ordered a "scallopini"--with fake meat--which came with a huge portion of mashed potato. At the end, we ordered two desserts for the table. Too much!
Monday, September 18, 2017
HMMM...
Sunday.
7 AM the usual
9 AM a bowl of fruit and cereal and a second cup of tea--in bed, watching "Sunday Morning." And old habit.
12 PM we left for a walk along the L A River bank with Jake and stopped at The Spoke, a small cyclists cafe alongside the bike path. I ordered a sinful breakfast--two fried eggs with bacon, toast AND fried potatoes. The place was incredibly busy. And noisy, with a good crowd of people whose conversation was drowned out by a guitar/singer, with amplifier, singing old favorites. The order took an eon to arrive, and by the time it did (at 1PM), I was ravenous--and scoffed the lot!
No afternoon snack.
6:30 PM we started to prepare a Blue Apron dinner: breaded rockfish with kale and mashed potatoes. Washed down with a glass of rosé--and a drop of white!
No ice cream, no dessert!
7 AM the usual
9 AM a bowl of fruit and cereal and a second cup of tea--in bed, watching "Sunday Morning." And old habit.
12 PM we left for a walk along the L A River bank with Jake and stopped at The Spoke, a small cyclists cafe alongside the bike path. I ordered a sinful breakfast--two fried eggs with bacon, toast AND fried potatoes. The place was incredibly busy. And noisy, with a good crowd of people whose conversation was drowned out by a guitar/singer, with amplifier, singing old favorites. The order took an eon to arrive, and by the time it did (at 1PM), I was ravenous--and scoffed the lot!
No afternoon snack.
6:30 PM we started to prepare a Blue Apron dinner: breaded rockfish with kale and mashed potatoes. Washed down with a glass of rosé--and a drop of white!
No ice cream, no dessert!
Saturday, September 16, 2017
A NOT SO GOOD DAY
Tea at 7AM, as usual.
For breakfast, cereal and fruit... and the usual accompaniments.
For lunch, at 12:30 PM, one slice of white bread with ham and a good-sized finger of cheese.
No afternoon snack. Again, too busy with my computer expert.
A shot of vodka, late afternoon. Very hungry by 6 PM. Dinner a shared vegetable fusilli pasta with parmesan and a glass of rosé. Managed on only 1/2 of my pasta plate and saved the rest. Still, I ended up feeling full and this morning, on awakening, overstuffed.
More conscious choice and action called for...
For breakfast, cereal and fruit... and the usual accompaniments.
For lunch, at 12:30 PM, one slice of white bread with ham and a good-sized finger of cheese.
No afternoon snack. Again, too busy with my computer expert.
A shot of vodka, late afternoon. Very hungry by 6 PM. Dinner a shared vegetable fusilli pasta with parmesan and a glass of rosé. Managed on only 1/2 of my pasta plate and saved the rest. Still, I ended up feeling full and this morning, on awakening, overstuffed.
More conscious choice and action called for...
Friday, September 15, 2017
A GOOD DAY
A good day, all in all.
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. A bowl of porridge with walnuts and dried cranberries. Added some brown sugar and milk.
10:30 AM gym. A good hour and fifteen minute routine.
12:30 lunch. Finished off the 1/2 panini from yesterday.
No afternoon snack. Too busy with the computer whiz I've hired to help me with Apple problems.
No evening snack.
6:30 PM dinner. A dreadful drive along Rowena to Gingergrass, our local Vietnamese restaurant. I ordered a "blazing beef" or sizzling beef"--I forget the name. It came in small pieces, accompanied by a sesame flavored cole slaw-type salad and white rice. No wine (we ate outside, where they don't serve alcohol.)
No ice cream, no dessert!
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. A bowl of porridge with walnuts and dried cranberries. Added some brown sugar and milk.
10:30 AM gym. A good hour and fifteen minute routine.
12:30 lunch. Finished off the 1/2 panini from yesterday.
No afternoon snack. Too busy with the computer whiz I've hired to help me with Apple problems.
No evening snack.
6:30 PM dinner. A dreadful drive along Rowena to Gingergrass, our local Vietnamese restaurant. I ordered a "blazing beef" or sizzling beef"--I forget the name. It came in small pieces, accompanied by a sesame flavored cole slaw-type salad and white rice. No wine (we ate outside, where they don't serve alcohol.)
No ice cream, no dessert!
Thursday, September 14, 2017
A LITTLE LAX...
I'm getting a little too easy on myself. Perhaps it has to do with the progress mentioned yesterday. I now weigh consistently under the 190 lb. mark--an initial goal on the way to what I aim to be 180. Yesterday in indulged in a shot of vodka before dinner, a glass of red wine with, and a (very) small dollop of ice cream after. Must be more conscious...
So...
7 AM tea (the times vary a bit, but I don't note them down exactly. Perhaps I should?)
9 AM breakfast. My usual bowl of fruit and cereal with milk, walnuts and dried blueberries. I noted as I ate that my portions are getting a little larger, too...
1:30 PM lunch. A late lunch because Ellie and I prepared one of our "Blue Apron" dishes--an egg and veggie panini with summer squash, red pepper, olives and garlic on half baguettes. They were pretty good. We shared one of the two we made and put the other aside for tomorrow.
6 PM snack. Leftover fruit from breakfast and a spoonful of yogurt.
6:30 PM my meditation group came for an hour's sit.
7:45--a shot of vodka
8:00 PM dinner. 1/2 sweet potato, leftover roast chick, broccoli, a glass of red wine.
There, the full confession.
So...
7 AM tea (the times vary a bit, but I don't note them down exactly. Perhaps I should?)
9 AM breakfast. My usual bowl of fruit and cereal with milk, walnuts and dried blueberries. I noted as I ate that my portions are getting a little larger, too...
1:30 PM lunch. A late lunch because Ellie and I prepared one of our "Blue Apron" dishes--an egg and veggie panini with summer squash, red pepper, olives and garlic on half baguettes. They were pretty good. We shared one of the two we made and put the other aside for tomorrow.
6 PM snack. Leftover fruit from breakfast and a spoonful of yogurt.
6:30 PM my meditation group came for an hour's sit.
7:45--a shot of vodka
8:00 PM dinner. 1/2 sweet potato, leftover roast chick, broccoli, a glass of red wine.
There, the full confession.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
PROGRESS
Back to my Los Angeles gym yesterday, with a half hour on the elliptical walker and a good 45-minute workout, following Shanna's plan. Managed to find the right place and equipment for each exercise, so I ended up quite pleased with myself for completing the circuit. Thanks, Shanna!
Food-wise:
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. Bowl of porridge (oatmeal) with raisins and dried cranberries, and a sprinkle of brown sugar and walnuts. Milk. Coffee.
1 PM lunch. One slice of toast with ham, may, and mustard. 1/2 goat's cheese patty in olive oil.
3:30 PM snack. 1/2 apple.
6:30, pre dinner snack--a handful of chips, no dip.
7:00 dinner. Salmon, simple linguini pasta with olive oil, garlic, tomatoes. A glass of wine.
Dessert! A (very small) portion of chocolate ice cream.
According to various scales (gym, two different bathroom scales at home) I'm down below 190 lbs. for the first time in ages. Progress!
Food-wise:
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. Bowl of porridge (oatmeal) with raisins and dried cranberries, and a sprinkle of brown sugar and walnuts. Milk. Coffee.
1 PM lunch. One slice of toast with ham, may, and mustard. 1/2 goat's cheese patty in olive oil.
3:30 PM snack. 1/2 apple.
6:30, pre dinner snack--a handful of chips, no dip.
7:00 dinner. Salmon, simple linguini pasta with olive oil, garlic, tomatoes. A glass of wine.
Dessert! A (very small) portion of chocolate ice cream.
According to various scales (gym, two different bathroom scales at home) I'm down below 190 lbs. for the first time in ages. Progress!
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
SORRY, BLOG
Sorry, blog. My mind has been on other things these past few days. But I have managed to stay pretty conscious of my eating habits. And the scale continues to inch down. Well, not inch. Millimeter would be more accurate.
Yesterday:
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal--the usual.
No morning snack. Too preoccupied. Forgot my medical appointment.
1 PM lunch. Tiny ham sandwich, small stick of cheese.
4 PM, afternoon snack at Kaiser. Fruit and nut bar.
6:30 PM dinner. Roast chicken, 1/2 sweet potato, sautéed squash and onion. Glass of red wine.
No dessert, no ice cream!
Yesterday:
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal--the usual.
No morning snack. Too preoccupied. Forgot my medical appointment.
1 PM lunch. Tiny ham sandwich, small stick of cheese.
4 PM, afternoon snack at Kaiser. Fruit and nut bar.
6:30 PM dinner. Roast chicken, 1/2 sweet potato, sautéed squash and onion. Glass of red wine.
No dessert, no ice cream!
Friday, September 8, 2017
THE RETURN
So, yesterday we left our little Laguna Beach cottage and made the drive back up to Los Angeles. The traffic was... unmentionable. End of summer!
7 AM tea, in bed, LB
9 AM breakfast. Leek scramble, 1 slice toast with butter. A cup of coffee. In Laguna.
12 PM headed for the freeway.
1:15 PM arrived back in Los Angeles.
1:30 PM lunch. Left over curry chicken salad with cottage cheese and 1/2 pita.
4:00 PM 1/2 apple
6:30 PM two small peppers with edamame hummus. Tiny shot glass of vodka.
7:30 PM dinner. Leftover Thai chicken salad (not much different from lunch!) with brown rice mixed in.
No ice cream, no dessert!
7 AM tea, in bed, LB
9 AM breakfast. Leek scramble, 1 slice toast with butter. A cup of coffee. In Laguna.
12 PM headed for the freeway.
1:15 PM arrived back in Los Angeles.
1:30 PM lunch. Left over curry chicken salad with cottage cheese and 1/2 pita.
4:00 PM 1/2 apple
6:30 PM two small peppers with edamame hummus. Tiny shot glass of vodka.
7:30 PM dinner. Leftover Thai chicken salad (not much different from lunch!) with brown rice mixed in.
No ice cream, no dessert!
Thursday, September 7, 2017
BRIEFLY...
Yesterday:
7:30 AM tea
9:00 breakfast. Fruit & cereal
12:30 lunch. Curried chicken salad, slice of toast.
3:30 snack. 1/2 apple, small stick of cheddar cheese
(Somewhere in there, a bite of cookie!)
6:45 dinner at Oak. We ordered, to share: duck drums, a bowl of tomato soup (for Ellie) and a Thai chicken salad (for me). The duck drums were terrific--but rich! Ellie did not much like her soup, so I ate most of it. Also rich! Ellie nibbled at my Thai chicken salad, which could have used more rice vinegar. I ate a couple of bites and we took home the rest.
Today, the big return to Los Angeles after our summer in Laguna Beach.
7:30 AM tea
9:00 breakfast. Fruit & cereal
12:30 lunch. Curried chicken salad, slice of toast.
3:30 snack. 1/2 apple, small stick of cheddar cheese
(Somewhere in there, a bite of cookie!)
6:45 dinner at Oak. We ordered, to share: duck drums, a bowl of tomato soup (for Ellie) and a Thai chicken salad (for me). The duck drums were terrific--but rich! Ellie did not much like her soup, so I ate most of it. Also rich! Ellie nibbled at my Thai chicken salad, which could have used more rice vinegar. I ate a couple of bites and we took home the rest.
Today, the big return to Los Angeles after our summer in Laguna Beach.
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
LA SIRENA
Given that we're approaching the end of our summer stay in Laguna Beach, we are sparing our kitchen and attempting to reduce the clutter in the refrigerator. Hence the decision to eat out for the last couple of nights. Yesterday, it was La Sirena, in the shopping mall across from the Montage hotel. Otherwise...
7 AM tea
8:30 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal with granola, almond milk. A cup of coffee with coconut milk cream.
10:30 AM walk down to the gym. 15 minutes on the elliptical walker and 1 hour with Shanna. A good workout. I left with a detailed instruction sheet for working out in my LA gym.
12:30 lunch. A "Strammermax." For the uninitiated, that's a slice of ham and a fried egg on toast. Except that I had 2 small slices. Probably more than I needed. It was very dense wholewheat bread.
4:30 PM snack. Finished off the breakfast fruit salad with a couple of teaspoons of vanilla bean yogurt.
6:30 dinner at La Sirena. I ordered fajitas with pulled pork. Ate two of the four corn tortillas, but otherwise polished off the lot. Again, more than I needed. A glass of red wine (generously poured!)
No dessert, no ice cream!
7 AM tea
8:30 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal with granola, almond milk. A cup of coffee with coconut milk cream.
10:30 AM walk down to the gym. 15 minutes on the elliptical walker and 1 hour with Shanna. A good workout. I left with a detailed instruction sheet for working out in my LA gym.
12:30 lunch. A "Strammermax." For the uninitiated, that's a slice of ham and a fried egg on toast. Except that I had 2 small slices. Probably more than I needed. It was very dense wholewheat bread.
4:30 PM snack. Finished off the breakfast fruit salad with a couple of teaspoons of vanilla bean yogurt.
6:30 dinner at La Sirena. I ordered fajitas with pulled pork. Ate two of the four corn tortillas, but otherwise polished off the lot. Again, more than I needed. A glass of red wine (generously poured!)
No dessert, no ice cream!
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
LABOR DAY
Labor Day--a day for BBQ. Which we did.
7:30 AM tea, with the new sweetener. Better than the yellow stuff. No aftertaste that I can detect.
9:00 AM breakfast. Fruit with granola and cereal, almond milk. A second cup of tea.
No morning snack, that I can remember.
12:00 PM lunch. 1/3 bagel with cream cheese and ham.
4:30 PM snack. 1/2 graham cracker.
6:30 PM second snack. Pepper with eggplant hummus.
7:00 PM dinner on the balcony. BBQ filet mignon (very tasty!) Small backed potato with butter, salt and pepper. Broccoli. A glass of white wine.
No dessert, no ice cream. A hard choice... I was sorely tempted.
7:30 AM tea, with the new sweetener. Better than the yellow stuff. No aftertaste that I can detect.
9:00 AM breakfast. Fruit with granola and cereal, almond milk. A second cup of tea.
No morning snack, that I can remember.
12:00 PM lunch. 1/3 bagel with cream cheese and ham.
4:30 PM snack. 1/2 graham cracker.
6:30 PM second snack. Pepper with eggplant hummus.
7:00 PM dinner on the balcony. BBQ filet mignon (very tasty!) Small backed potato with butter, salt and pepper. Broccoli. A glass of white wine.
No dessert, no ice cream. A hard choice... I was sorely tempted.
Monday, September 4, 2017
AN ODD DAY
Yesterday, Sunday
7:30 AM tea. We woke much later than usual. Well, Jake woke much later than usual. He was not even asking to leave his crate at 7:30, but was happy enough when I took him out...
8:30 AM small bow of cereal with fruit and almond milk. No coffee before sangha
9:00 AM sangha--silent sit for an hour, followed by an hour's discussion.
11:30 AM snack. Fruit and yogurt
2:00 PM brunch (very late, because our daughter Sarah called from Iowa and we spent a good long while on FaceTime). Ellie made a leek and tomato frittata with 3 eggs, which we split in half. Also, 2/3 onion bagel with butter. And coffee.
6:30 PM snack. One small pepper with edamame hummus.
7:00 PM dinner. Leftover bolognese pasta from last night (I missed posting the previous day. We went out for dinner to the Lumberyard restaurant. I ordered the pasta and, when it came, halved the portion on the plate and brought half home); a small vegetable plate; and a glass of white wine.
Today is Labor Day. We plan a steak barbecue.
7:30 AM tea. We woke much later than usual. Well, Jake woke much later than usual. He was not even asking to leave his crate at 7:30, but was happy enough when I took him out...
8:30 AM small bow of cereal with fruit and almond milk. No coffee before sangha
9:00 AM sangha--silent sit for an hour, followed by an hour's discussion.
11:30 AM snack. Fruit and yogurt
2:00 PM brunch (very late, because our daughter Sarah called from Iowa and we spent a good long while on FaceTime). Ellie made a leek and tomato frittata with 3 eggs, which we split in half. Also, 2/3 onion bagel with butter. And coffee.
6:30 PM snack. One small pepper with edamame hummus.
7:00 PM dinner. Leftover bolognese pasta from last night (I missed posting the previous day. We went out for dinner to the Lumberyard restaurant. I ordered the pasta and, when it came, halved the portion on the plate and brought half home); a small vegetable plate; and a glass of white wine.
Today is Labor Day. We plan a steak barbecue.
Saturday, September 2, 2017
ON THE SCALE
I stepped on the scale this morning and discovered, to my gratification, that I have shed 7 pounds since a week ago Thursday, on our return from Idaho. Hard work, but worth it. I'm still 10 pounds heavier than I would like to be, so there's plenty more work to be done.
Yesterday, Friday:
7 AM tea. Yorkshire Gold, with milk (and sweetener--the yellow stuff that is not good for me. Ellie brought home something from Whole Foods a little later. It's called Xyla. Supposed to be better than the yellow stuff).
8:30 AM breakfast. Porridge (oatmeal, that it) with a sprinkle of raisins and dried cranberries, and some coconut milk creamer (new, quite sweet, worth trying for coffee, maybe).
12-ish, lunch. I forget...
5-ish, snack. 1/2 apple
7 PM dinner. Plain chicken breast in chicken broth with onions, carrots and peas. Added about 1/2 leftover potato. With salt and pepper, very tasty. Glass of white wine.
No dessert, no ice cream.
Yesterday, Friday:
7 AM tea. Yorkshire Gold, with milk (and sweetener--the yellow stuff that is not good for me. Ellie brought home something from Whole Foods a little later. It's called Xyla. Supposed to be better than the yellow stuff).
8:30 AM breakfast. Porridge (oatmeal, that it) with a sprinkle of raisins and dried cranberries, and some coconut milk creamer (new, quite sweet, worth trying for coffee, maybe).
12-ish, lunch. I forget...
5-ish, snack. 1/2 apple
7 PM dinner. Plain chicken breast in chicken broth with onions, carrots and peas. Added about 1/2 leftover potato. With salt and pepper, very tasty. Glass of white wine.
No dessert, no ice cream.
Friday, September 1, 2017
POTATO SALAD...
Yesterday:
7 AM cuppa
9 AM breakfast. 1 slice baguette, halved and toasted, with 1 scrambled egg. Coffee with milk, no sugar.
10:45 AM gym. 1/4 hour on elliptical walker, 1 hour with Shanna. A good workout, leaving me physically exhausted and ready for...
12 PM lunch. Small can of tuna, diced tomatoes, dollop of cottage cheese, topped with chopped spring onion.
Early afternoon, drove Ellie up to Kaiser/Barranca for a doctor's appointment. On return, at...
4 PM snack. 1/2 apple.
6:30 PM snack. This is my downfall. By early evening I'm really hungry. Ravenous, sometimes. I sliced up a carrot and devoured it with edame and eggplant hummus dips.
7 PM dinner. Ellie has to eat bland at the moment. For myself, I prepared a potato salad with 1 leftover spud, mayonnaise, chopped red onion, capers and red wine vinegar. Too good. Tomato and green bean salad with oil and vinegar dressing. And a generous slice of leftover meat loaf with ketchup and German Senf (mustard). All very good, but I ended up feeling I had eaten more than I should/could have.
7 AM cuppa
9 AM breakfast. 1 slice baguette, halved and toasted, with 1 scrambled egg. Coffee with milk, no sugar.
10:45 AM gym. 1/4 hour on elliptical walker, 1 hour with Shanna. A good workout, leaving me physically exhausted and ready for...
12 PM lunch. Small can of tuna, diced tomatoes, dollop of cottage cheese, topped with chopped spring onion.
Early afternoon, drove Ellie up to Kaiser/Barranca for a doctor's appointment. On return, at...
4 PM snack. 1/2 apple.
6:30 PM snack. This is my downfall. By early evening I'm really hungry. Ravenous, sometimes. I sliced up a carrot and devoured it with edame and eggplant hummus dips.
7 PM dinner. Ellie has to eat bland at the moment. For myself, I prepared a potato salad with 1 leftover spud, mayonnaise, chopped red onion, capers and red wine vinegar. Too good. Tomato and green bean salad with oil and vinegar dressing. And a generous slice of leftover meat loaf with ketchup and German Senf (mustard). All very good, but I ended up feeling I had eaten more than I should/could have.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
HARD LABOR!
Today I worked hard for most of the morning, first unstacking bricks and passing them, under the deck area outside out kitchen, to the handyman who was helping us to shore up the area behind Ellie's studio to prevent leaks. Last year this was a problem during the late rainstorms, and it was a job that needed to be done. While I was at it, I went on to clean and sweep out the entire path from the top of the garden down the side of the house to the street. I was sweating heavily by the time I finished.
7:00 AM, the usual: tea--this time with sweetener. I've decided I really like my hot tea in the morning to taste sweet, and must investigate healthier, non-sugar sweeteners other than the stuff in yellow packages I have been using.
8:30 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal with walnuts, dried blueberries and milk. 1 cup coffee, milk but no sugar.
11:00 AM snack. Slice of packaged havarti cheese.
1:00 PM lunch. End of baguette with the fresh, sharp cheddar Ellie brought home from the market. With mayonnaise and a little chutney.
4:00 PM snack. 1/2 apple.
6:30 PM dinner. Oh, before dinner I chose to tuck into a bowl of tortilla chip fragments with edame hummus. Not a good choice! Dinner included 1/2 the leftover BBQ'd chicken breast from a couple of days ago, 1/2 boiled potato and green beans with a little butter. And, too, salad. It felt like a big meal--but that may have had to do with the unskillful choice before I sat down to eat.
7:00 AM, the usual: tea--this time with sweetener. I've decided I really like my hot tea in the morning to taste sweet, and must investigate healthier, non-sugar sweeteners other than the stuff in yellow packages I have been using.
8:30 AM breakfast. Fruit and cereal with walnuts, dried blueberries and milk. 1 cup coffee, milk but no sugar.
11:00 AM snack. Slice of packaged havarti cheese.
1:00 PM lunch. End of baguette with the fresh, sharp cheddar Ellie brought home from the market. With mayonnaise and a little chutney.
4:00 PM snack. 1/2 apple.
6:30 PM dinner. Oh, before dinner I chose to tuck into a bowl of tortilla chip fragments with edame hummus. Not a good choice! Dinner included 1/2 the leftover BBQ'd chicken breast from a couple of days ago, 1/2 boiled potato and green beans with a little butter. And, too, salad. It felt like a big meal--but that may have had to do with the unskillful choice before I sat down to eat.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
OAK
Yesterday, Tuesday, another disrupted day, with Kevin here to work on various maintenance problems.
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. 1 slice of toast with 1 egg, scrambled. A cup of coffee with milk, no sugar
10:45 - 12:00 gym. Walker and 1 hour with Shanna.
12:30 PM, lunch. 1 slice of toast (too much bread stuff today!) with tin-sliced leftover hanger steak, mayonnaise and English mustard.
4 PM snack. 1/2 apple
Tried the new restaurant, Oak, for dinner. I ordered the taco dish (more bread stuff!)--3 small tacos with a beef rib paste. Shared a tiny portion of Ellie's hamburger. Shared 1 glass of red wine; then shared a second glass. (The wine was kindly comp'ed, because Ellie hamburger was not, as ordered, "medium rare." Good business, nice gesture.
7 AM tea
9 AM breakfast. 1 slice of toast with 1 egg, scrambled. A cup of coffee with milk, no sugar
10:45 - 12:00 gym. Walker and 1 hour with Shanna.
12:30 PM, lunch. 1 slice of toast (too much bread stuff today!) with tin-sliced leftover hanger steak, mayonnaise and English mustard.
4 PM snack. 1/2 apple
Tried the new restaurant, Oak, for dinner. I ordered the taco dish (more bread stuff!)--3 small tacos with a beef rib paste. Shared a tiny portion of Ellie's hamburger. Shared 1 glass of red wine; then shared a second glass. (The wine was kindly comp'ed, because Ellie hamburger was not, as ordered, "medium rare." Good business, nice gesture.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
CARPET
A big carpet day. We had to move everything out of the living room and the two bedrooms except the large furniture, which the installers took care of. They spent almost the entire day ripping out the old wall-to-wall carpet in the rooms and laying down a new one. I sat amid the chaos and despaired of getting much done except the crossword!
7 AM tea with milk, no sugar
8:30 AM breakfast. Chopped fruit with granola and cereal, walnuts and dried blueberries, milk. Coffee with milk, no sugar.
10:30 AM mid-morning snack: remaining fruit from breakfast.
12 PM out for lunch to escape the carpet installation. Ate mix of 3 salads at Zinc: beets, pasta with pesto, rice salad with sun-dried tomatoes. Shared a Sunrise orange drink with Ellie
4:30 PM snack. 1/2 apple.
7:00 PM dinner. Ravenously hungry. Ellie had marinated a large chicken breast, which I cooked on the BBQ. We shared one ear of corn. Salad. Finished off the open bottle of cab--about 1/4 glass each.
No dessert, no ice cream!
7 AM tea with milk, no sugar
8:30 AM breakfast. Chopped fruit with granola and cereal, walnuts and dried blueberries, milk. Coffee with milk, no sugar.
10:30 AM mid-morning snack: remaining fruit from breakfast.
12 PM out for lunch to escape the carpet installation. Ate mix of 3 salads at Zinc: beets, pasta with pesto, rice salad with sun-dried tomatoes. Shared a Sunrise orange drink with Ellie
4:30 PM snack. 1/2 apple.
7:00 PM dinner. Ravenously hungry. Ellie had marinated a large chicken breast, which I cooked on the BBQ. We shared one ear of corn. Salad. Finished off the open bottle of cab--about 1/4 glass each.
No dessert, no ice cream!
Monday, August 28, 2017
QUIET SUNDAY
Having been on retreat all days yesterday, I chose not to go to sangha yesterday--our regular meditation group. Enjoyed a quiet morning at home.
7AM the usual
9AM breakfast. Mixed chopped fruit, granola, cereal and milk. cup of coffee with milk, no sugar
45 minute walk along the cliff in Heisler Park--and beyond!
1PM brunch (should not have gone so long without a snack!) 1 1/2 scrambled eggs on 1/2 bagel. More coffee with milk, no sugar.
6PM snack (should not have gone so long without one!) finished off a small amount of fruit salad from breakfast.
7PM dinner. Leftover chicken soup with rice (very tasty still!) and a slice of buttered toast. 1/2 glass of cab.
Quite pleased with progress. Yesterday on the scale I discovered I had lost all the weight put on during the road trip to Idaho. Now back to 194 lbs. I'd like to lose another ten.
7AM the usual
9AM breakfast. Mixed chopped fruit, granola, cereal and milk. cup of coffee with milk, no sugar
45 minute walk along the cliff in Heisler Park--and beyond!
1PM brunch (should not have gone so long without a snack!) 1 1/2 scrambled eggs on 1/2 bagel. More coffee with milk, no sugar.
6PM snack (should not have gone so long without one!) finished off a small amount of fruit salad from breakfast.
7PM dinner. Leftover chicken soup with rice (very tasty still!) and a slice of buttered toast. 1/2 glass of cab.
Quite pleased with progress. Yesterday on the scale I discovered I had lost all the weight put on during the road trip to Idaho. Now back to 194 lbs. I'd like to lose another ten.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
RETREAT
Saturday, a day of learning and retreat. Spent the day with Thanissaro Bhikkhu, teaching about the Eightfold Path. Appropriately, almost the entire day was spent on "Right Resolve"--the way to deal with sensual pleasures (like eating and drinking!) It was a good opportunity to reflect on what I'm doing with my "Diet of Choice"--that is, trying to be conscious both of what I eat (and drink) and how I eat it. Than Geoff's personal word of advice: "chew slowly"!
7:00 morning tea with milk, no sugar. I really like having sugar in my tea!
8:00 breakfast. One slice of bread with butter, one fried egg (I normally eat two)
12:00 lunch break at the retreat. Small serving of salmon, rice, green salad with almonds, and fruit salad for dessert. Water.
4:00 snack. 1/2 apple.
6:30 Out for dinner at the new Creole restaurant down the hill. Shared one glass (1/2 for me) of cabernet sauvignon with Ellie. Had a few bites of her rice salad. Ate 2/3 of my hanger steak with small portion of ratatouille and larger portion of mashed sweet potato.
In other circumstances I'd have enjoyed two glasses of wine for myself, and would surely have polished off the entire entree plate with hanger steak. Not the best diet day, but not a bad one, either.
7:00 morning tea with milk, no sugar. I really like having sugar in my tea!
8:00 breakfast. One slice of bread with butter, one fried egg (I normally eat two)
12:00 lunch break at the retreat. Small serving of salmon, rice, green salad with almonds, and fruit salad for dessert. Water.
4:00 snack. 1/2 apple.
6:30 Out for dinner at the new Creole restaurant down the hill. Shared one glass (1/2 for me) of cabernet sauvignon with Ellie. Had a few bites of her rice salad. Ate 2/3 of my hanger steak with small portion of ratatouille and larger portion of mashed sweet potato.
In other circumstances I'd have enjoyed two glasses of wine for myself, and would surely have polished off the entire entree plate with hanger steak. Not the best diet day, but not a bad one, either.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
On Friday...
I ate/drank the following:
7:30 AM, tea with milk, no sugar
9:30 AM breakfast. Chopped apple, grapes, granola and O's, sprinkle of dried blueberries with milk
Coffee with milk, no sugar
12:00 PM lunch. Slice of toast wth mayonnaise, slice of havarti
3:30 PM snack. left-over chopped apple and grapes from breakfast, teaspoon of yogurt
6:30 PM dinner. Mixed steamed vegetables and rice, 1/2 slice leftover meatloaf with ketchup & mustard
Still haven't dared to step back on the scale after the shock returning from last week's travel.
7:30 AM, tea with milk, no sugar
9:30 AM breakfast. Chopped apple, grapes, granola and O's, sprinkle of dried blueberries with milk
Coffee with milk, no sugar
12:00 PM lunch. Slice of toast wth mayonnaise, slice of havarti
3:30 PM snack. left-over chopped apple and grapes from breakfast, teaspoon of yogurt
6:30 PM dinner. Mixed steamed vegetables and rice, 1/2 slice leftover meatloaf with ketchup & mustard
Still haven't dared to step back on the scale after the shock returning from last week's travel.
Friday, August 25, 2017
NEW VOWS
Huge shock, stepping on the scale after an indulgent trip. Aside from what the scale said, I'm feeling truly uncomfortable with my weight again.
7:30 tea, no sugar. It was... palatable
9:30 breakfast. 1 scrambled egg, 1 slice of toast with butter, no marmalade, coffee with milk, no sugar
1:00 lunch. 1 hot dog on 1 slice of bread with mayonnaise and mustard
3:00 snack. 1/2 apple
7:00 dinner. Thin pork chop, 2/3 baked sweet potato, broccoli. 1/2 glass red wine (I opened a bottle yesterday after a long day's drive from Ely, Nevada. Allowing myself to finish it. Slowly.)nNo dessert, no ice cream.
7:30 tea, no sugar. It was... palatable
9:30 breakfast. 1 scrambled egg, 1 slice of toast with butter, no marmalade, coffee with milk, no sugar
1:00 lunch. 1 hot dog on 1 slice of bread with mayonnaise and mustard
3:00 snack. 1/2 apple
7:00 dinner. Thin pork chop, 2/3 baked sweet potato, broccoli. 1/2 glass red wine (I opened a bottle yesterday after a long day's drive from Ely, Nevada. Allowing myself to finish it. Slowly.)nNo dessert, no ice cream.
Thursday, August 24, 2017
I'M BACK!
I left a week ago for a trip north to Idaho to witness the total eclipse of the sun--an awesome event that I'll be writing about on The Buddha Diaries in due course. So far as my "Diet of Choice" is concerned, the road trip was a disaster. It is my intention, now that I'm back in the serenity of our Laguna Beach cottage, to return to better eating habits, and to report on them here, in this blog. Starting... today!
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
NOT EASY
I remember a time, not long ago, when losing weight was pretty easy. I'd give up my glass of wine at dinner for a week and I'd shed 5 pounds, no problem. It's not happening any more. I've been watching my intake for ten days now--without cheating too much!--and I've managed to shed a mere 3 pounds. Ah, well, not to be discouraged, onward! (It is going to be a lot harder in the coming week, while we're on the road to and from Ketchum, Idaho, to witness the total eclipse.) I did, by the way, start that little record book I was writing about yesterday.
So... yesterday:
7:30 AM, tea
9:00 AM, breakfast. A slice of Ellie's homemade banana bread
10:30 AM, 1/2 cranberry scone at Starbucks, with a cup of coffee
1:00 PM 1/2 apple, wedge of cheddar cheese
4:00 PM small slice of toast with peanut butter and blueberry jam
7:00 PM, dinner. Homemade chicken soup--chicken pieces in chicken broth with sliced carrots and spring onions. Salt and pepper. Very tasty. A few chips.
No dessert! No ice cream!
This morning, I'm due for a session at the gym; then we'll be on the road for a full week or more.
So... yesterday:
7:30 AM, tea
9:00 AM, breakfast. A slice of Ellie's homemade banana bread
10:30 AM, 1/2 cranberry scone at Starbucks, with a cup of coffee
1:00 PM 1/2 apple, wedge of cheddar cheese
4:00 PM small slice of toast with peanut butter and blueberry jam
7:00 PM, dinner. Homemade chicken soup--chicken pieces in chicken broth with sliced carrots and spring onions. Salt and pepper. Very tasty. A few chips.
No dessert! No ice cream!
This morning, I'm due for a session at the gym; then we'll be on the road for a full week or more.
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
A BOOK
I need to have a little book where I can write down what I eat and drink contemporaneously. Otherwise, I tend to forget. So far as I recall, yesterday:
7 AM, the usual
9:00 AM, breakfast. Fruit, cereal with milk and a cup of coffee with milk
(Note to self: too much milk?)
!0:45 AM, gym. A quarter hour on the elliptical, then a full hour with Shanna. She works me hard, and I'm pretty worn down by the end of our session. In a good way.
12:30 PM, pre-lunch (I had to drive up to Kaiser to resolve a problem with my pills.) Half and apple with a chunk of cheddar.
3:00 PM, snack. A small bowl of cottage cheese with a sprinkling of cinnamon and grapes.
6:30 PM, pre-dinner snack--a small handful of TJ's salted sesame sticks. Glass of orangina and cranberry drink mix.
7:00 PM, dinner. Leftover hamburger patty with green salad and a shared baked potato with butter, salt and pepper. The baked potato was huge. I could have/should have eaten half of my half. Instead, I scoffed the lot.
I have not weighed myself for several days now--not since I noticed that the needle had stopped moving. I do feel a tad less bloated, but am still very much aware of the needless weight I'm carrying around with me.
7 AM, the usual
9:00 AM, breakfast. Fruit, cereal with milk and a cup of coffee with milk
(Note to self: too much milk?)
!0:45 AM, gym. A quarter hour on the elliptical, then a full hour with Shanna. She works me hard, and I'm pretty worn down by the end of our session. In a good way.
12:30 PM, pre-lunch (I had to drive up to Kaiser to resolve a problem with my pills.) Half and apple with a chunk of cheddar.
3:00 PM, snack. A small bowl of cottage cheese with a sprinkling of cinnamon and grapes.
6:30 PM, pre-dinner snack--a small handful of TJ's salted sesame sticks. Glass of orangina and cranberry drink mix.
7:00 PM, dinner. Leftover hamburger patty with green salad and a shared baked potato with butter, salt and pepper. The baked potato was huge. I could have/should have eaten half of my half. Instead, I scoffed the lot.
I have not weighed myself for several days now--not since I noticed that the needle had stopped moving. I do feel a tad less bloated, but am still very much aware of the needless weight I'm carrying around with me.
Monday, August 14, 2017
MISSED A DAY...
I missed a day yesterday, Sunday. It happened to be the day after my blowout, Saturday night. We went out to eat at a restaurant, Sapphire, and I indulged in not one, but two glasses of wine. My resolve faltered in the face of habit: don't I always drink a glass of wine when eating out? What harm could a single glass do? And then, after waiting a good long while for our appetizer to arrive, half the glass was gone--even with just tiny little sips. And it wasn't a very big glass, after all. I our bigger glasses at home. So pretty soon the glass was empty and much of the meal was still to come... I ordered the second glass because, well, a good dish deserves to be accompanied, no?
So go the rationalizations. Anyway, I woke Sunday morning with the realization that the regular morning sit at sangha was postponed until 5 PM because Than Geoff would be visiting, so I took the advantage to enjoy a leisurely morning in bed with the newspaper.
Intake for the day:
7:30 AM, a cup of tea with milk and sugar (2 spoons)
9 AM, early breakfast: small bowl of fruit with muesli and granola, walnuts and dried blueberries
A long morning with no snack. Better to have had a small something in the interim
1 PM, brunch: shared a 3-egg scramble with Ellie (gave her the smaller half!), started out with 2/3 of an everything bagel, butter and kumquat marmalade, then decided on the last 1/3, why not? It was a very thin slice, from the top. Coffee with milk, no sugar, no sweetener. Oh, and a few pieces of chopped melon.
Did I forget a 4PM snack? If I had one, I don't remember. I'm sure, though, that it wasn't my usual apple yesterday.
7:30 PM, dinner: salmon, roasted in the over with lemon and onion, greens, a rice salad. The corn that Ellie had planned on including proved to be no longer fresh enough to eat. No wine! (Before dinner, I suggested sharing a bottle of beer but Ellie, in her wisdom, reminded me to get back on the wagon).
A good meditation session with Than Geoff. I'll talk about it over on The Buddha Diaries...
So go the rationalizations. Anyway, I woke Sunday morning with the realization that the regular morning sit at sangha was postponed until 5 PM because Than Geoff would be visiting, so I took the advantage to enjoy a leisurely morning in bed with the newspaper.
Intake for the day:
7:30 AM, a cup of tea with milk and sugar (2 spoons)
9 AM, early breakfast: small bowl of fruit with muesli and granola, walnuts and dried blueberries
A long morning with no snack. Better to have had a small something in the interim
1 PM, brunch: shared a 3-egg scramble with Ellie (gave her the smaller half!), started out with 2/3 of an everything bagel, butter and kumquat marmalade, then decided on the last 1/3, why not? It was a very thin slice, from the top. Coffee with milk, no sugar, no sweetener. Oh, and a few pieces of chopped melon.
Did I forget a 4PM snack? If I had one, I don't remember. I'm sure, though, that it wasn't my usual apple yesterday.
7:30 PM, dinner: salmon, roasted in the over with lemon and onion, greens, a rice salad. The corn that Ellie had planned on including proved to be no longer fresh enough to eat. No wine! (Before dinner, I suggested sharing a bottle of beer but Ellie, in her wisdom, reminded me to get back on the wagon).
A good meditation session with Than Geoff. I'll talk about it over on The Buddha Diaries...
Saturday, August 12, 2017
YESTERDAY
Yesterday:
7:30 AM Cuppa
9:00 AM Fruit, cereal, milk, coffee
12:30 PM Lunch at Zinc: mixed salads--beet, white beans, avocado; shared Sunrise orang drink
3:30 PM Snack: 1/2 apple and cheddar stick
7:00 PM Dinner: BBQ hamburger, salted vegetables (potato, sprouts, peppers)
No dessert, no ice cream!
7:30 AM Cuppa
9:00 AM Fruit, cereal, milk, coffee
12:30 PM Lunch at Zinc: mixed salads--beet, white beans, avocado; shared Sunrise orang drink
3:30 PM Snack: 1/2 apple and cheddar stick
7:00 PM Dinner: BBQ hamburger, salted vegetables (potato, sprouts, peppers)
No dessert, no ice cream!
Friday, August 11, 2017
CHOICE
Choice is a powerful tool, but it's not easy. Once the consciousness is in place--I can choose to drink a glass of wine with my dinner, or choose not to--there's still a decision to be made. I found myself torn, last night. One part of my mind was using the seductive argument: come on, what difference can it make, just one glass? And another part struggling with the commitment that I made to myself--to no one else--to do what I must to restore the sense of physical well-being that I've lost. Not easy. I listened, eventually, to the wiser voice, and made the decision to pass up on the glass of wine.
So... yesterday:
7 AM, the usual cuppa
9:00 AM, breakfast. A single egg (instead of the usual two), a large slice of buttered toast, coffee with milk. Did I have fruit? I forget. Must make contemporaneous notes.
10:30 AM, gym. 20 minutes on the elliptical walker to warm up, then an hour of strenuous exercise with Shanna.
12:30 PM, lunch. One slice of chopped ham, handful of chopped tiny tomatoes, 1/8 th chopped avocado topped with spring onion and dressing.
4:00 PM, snack. One half apple with almond butter
7:00 PM, dinner. One kosher hot dog, one half roasted squash stuffed with brown rice and leftover vegetable pasta sauce (homemade) topped with melted cheese.
No dessert, no ice cream!
Not to be too delicate about these things, I took a couple of stool softeners last night at bed time, hoping to help with the constipation problem. As they say in Germany, "mal sehen"--we'll see.
So... yesterday:
7 AM, the usual cuppa
9:00 AM, breakfast. A single egg (instead of the usual two), a large slice of buttered toast, coffee with milk. Did I have fruit? I forget. Must make contemporaneous notes.
10:30 AM, gym. 20 minutes on the elliptical walker to warm up, then an hour of strenuous exercise with Shanna.
12:30 PM, lunch. One slice of chopped ham, handful of chopped tiny tomatoes, 1/8 th chopped avocado topped with spring onion and dressing.
4:00 PM, snack. One half apple with almond butter
7:00 PM, dinner. One kosher hot dog, one half roasted squash stuffed with brown rice and leftover vegetable pasta sauce (homemade) topped with melted cheese.
No dessert, no ice cream!
Not to be too delicate about these things, I took a couple of stool softeners last night at bed time, hoping to help with the constipation problem. As they say in Germany, "mal sehen"--we'll see.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
NO CHANGE
In some haste today...
Yesterday:
7:30 AM Cuppa
9:00 AM Breakfast, small bowl of fruit, sprinkle granola & muesli, milk, coffee no milk, no sweetener. I prefer my coffee sweet and have been using "yellow stuff" = Splenda. I'm told (by virtually everyone) that it's bad for me. Is sugar worse?
12: 30 PM Walked down the hill to the Stand to bring back lunch--an avacado and guacamole bowl with brown rice. Added a little TJ's salsa.
4:00 PM-ish Half apple and almond butter.
6:30 PM Dinner. Half leftover BBQ chicken breast, 5 brussels sprouts, 2 1/2 small red potatoes (with butter). No vodka, no wine.
No dessert, no ice cream!
Even so, no change on the scale this morning. Still clocking in at 195. Some of this surely attributable to severe constipation.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
ONWARD!
The scale today still says 195. A disappointment. I'd hoped to see a 4 in there somewhere. Ah, well! Onward!
Yesterday:
7:30 AM, the usual cup of English tea, still with 1/3 less sugar. Can't seem to do without the sweetness, when it comes to tea.
9:00 AM-ish, breakfast. One egg (usually two) on one piece of toast (ditto). A cup of coffee with no sugar and no sweetener. A grape salad--we seem to have ended up with five different kinds on our refrigerator.
10:45 AM, gym. 20 minutes on the elliptical walker, followed by an hour's workout with Shanna. Returned home quite tired.
12:30 PM-ish, lunch. A half can of tuna, chopped tomatoes, cottage cheese topped with green onions. No bread.
Out and about (buying new bed!) until later afternoon.
4:00 PM, one half apple with peanut butter
Before dinner: 4 tortillas chips, large glass of mineral water (Ellie tells me it has corn syrup in the mix--looks like this is something to avoid now that the bottle is finished).
7:00 PM, dinner. Half sliced BBQ chicken breast with beet greens and one small roast potato (with butter). One glass of white wine. This bottle, too, is now finished. I choose NOT to open a new one for the time being.
No dessert! No idea cream!
It's easier to make the better choices when the mind is not preoccupied with other things and the body is more restful. Would have killed for a nice, calming shot or two of vodka after a day out in the Orange County maze of malls and department stores. But did not. Either kill, or pour myself a nice cold glass of vodka!
Yesterday:
7:30 AM, the usual cup of English tea, still with 1/3 less sugar. Can't seem to do without the sweetness, when it comes to tea.
9:00 AM-ish, breakfast. One egg (usually two) on one piece of toast (ditto). A cup of coffee with no sugar and no sweetener. A grape salad--we seem to have ended up with five different kinds on our refrigerator.
10:45 AM, gym. 20 minutes on the elliptical walker, followed by an hour's workout with Shanna. Returned home quite tired.
12:30 PM-ish, lunch. A half can of tuna, chopped tomatoes, cottage cheese topped with green onions. No bread.
Out and about (buying new bed!) until later afternoon.
4:00 PM, one half apple with peanut butter
Before dinner: 4 tortillas chips, large glass of mineral water (Ellie tells me it has corn syrup in the mix--looks like this is something to avoid now that the bottle is finished).
7:00 PM, dinner. Half sliced BBQ chicken breast with beet greens and one small roast potato (with butter). One glass of white wine. This bottle, too, is now finished. I choose NOT to open a new one for the time being.
No dessert! No idea cream!
It's easier to make the better choices when the mind is not preoccupied with other things and the body is more restful. Would have killed for a nice, calming shot or two of vodka after a day out in the Orange County maze of malls and department stores. But did not. Either kill, or pour myself a nice cold glass of vodka!
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
PROGRESS
This morning, on the scale: 195 pounds. Which compares favorably with yesterday's 196.5 and Sunday's 197.5. Some progress, then...
Yesterday I took aboard:
7 AM my usual large mug of English tea, milk and 2 (not 3!) spoons of sugar
9 AM a small bowl of fruit and cereal--about 1/2 - 2/3 my regular--with milk
1 PM 1 slice of bread, 1 slice of ham with mayonnaise and mustard; 1/2 apple
4 PM took a large chocolate from the freebie bowl at the mattress store
7 PM shared half a small hanger steak with yellow beans, 1/2 ear of corn.
And a glass of white wine. Figured we need to kill the already open bottle!
No dessert! No ice cream!
Despite the weight loss, I don't feel a great difference yet--perhaps because I had never been heavier than Sunday, when I first dared step on the bathroom scale.
Spent the day, in the morning, organizing a trip north, to Idaho, for the solar eclipse. Everything I read says totality is a must. Very excited about this. Having discovered all other means of transportation to be problematic, we decided to take the 15-hour drive, with an overnight stop a little more than halfway. In the afternoon, Ellie and I went out on a search for a replacement for the mattress in our bedroom, which has seen better days.
Forgot my water for the better part of the day. Grabbed a small bottle at the mattress store. Need to be more attentive on this front.
Yesterday I took aboard:
7 AM my usual large mug of English tea, milk and 2 (not 3!) spoons of sugar
9 AM a small bowl of fruit and cereal--about 1/2 - 2/3 my regular--with milk
1 PM 1 slice of bread, 1 slice of ham with mayonnaise and mustard; 1/2 apple
4 PM took a large chocolate from the freebie bowl at the mattress store
7 PM shared half a small hanger steak with yellow beans, 1/2 ear of corn.
And a glass of white wine. Figured we need to kill the already open bottle!
No dessert! No ice cream!
Despite the weight loss, I don't feel a great difference yet--perhaps because I had never been heavier than Sunday, when I first dared step on the bathroom scale.
Spent the day, in the morning, organizing a trip north, to Idaho, for the solar eclipse. Everything I read says totality is a must. Very excited about this. Having discovered all other means of transportation to be problematic, we decided to take the 15-hour drive, with an overnight stop a little more than halfway. In the afternoon, Ellie and I went out on a search for a replacement for the mattress in our bedroom, which has seen better days.
Forgot my water for the better part of the day. Grabbed a small bottle at the mattress store. Need to be more attentive on this front.
Monday, August 7, 2017
INSIGHT
Yesterday... to complete the record:
At 3:30 PM, half and apple and a 3 inch stick of cheddar cheese
At 6:00 PM, 3 tortilla chips (I would normally eat a dozen or more)
At 6:30 PM, a bowl of pasta (perhaps 2/3 of normal) with fresh tomato/onion/garlic sauce
No vodka. No wine. A glass of unadulterated tonic water.
And no dessert. Well, I nearly forgot: 2 squares of dark chocolate at 8:30 PM
That does it.
This morning, in meditation, an insight. I started out with the question: if I eat and drink more than I need to, in full awareness of the excess, why do I do it?
I like to ask these questions at the beginning of meditation, and try to avoid "looking for" the answer. If it arises, well and good. So this morning, there was a glimpse of clarity: I eat and drink more than I need to out of the life-long habit of self-protection. I learned to protect myself at all costs as a child, a young boy in boarding school, where I needed to be good at it. I cobbled together a survival suit of armor, acquiring considerable strength and persistence in an art that I no longer need.
I also gained some clarity into how I recognize this "reactive pattern" when it arises. I get angry. Quietly. Innerly. I become grumpy, testy--any one of those words that describe my less attractive self. This inner monster demands food and drink. He particularly loves wine--and the occasional shot of vodka. He's not easily satisfied, and constantly asks for more. To calm his moods, I feed him. Offer him drinks, which he eagerly accepts.Then he nods off to sleep--and leaves me carrying the extra weight that I need even less than him.
A better way to appease him: gratitude. I spent the last minutes of my meditation thinking through the huge number of blessings for which I can be grateful.
So it goes. Today, my intention is to eat mindfully again. Mindful of what I eat, the way I eat it, and mindful of the monster appetite. At my age, I no longer have anything to protect.
Oh, by the way: I stepped on the bathroom scale first thing this morning: for the record, 197 pounds, a half pound less than yesterday.
At 3:30 PM, half and apple and a 3 inch stick of cheddar cheese
At 6:00 PM, 3 tortilla chips (I would normally eat a dozen or more)
At 6:30 PM, a bowl of pasta (perhaps 2/3 of normal) with fresh tomato/onion/garlic sauce
No vodka. No wine. A glass of unadulterated tonic water.
And no dessert. Well, I nearly forgot: 2 squares of dark chocolate at 8:30 PM
That does it.
This morning, in meditation, an insight. I started out with the question: if I eat and drink more than I need to, in full awareness of the excess, why do I do it?
I like to ask these questions at the beginning of meditation, and try to avoid "looking for" the answer. If it arises, well and good. So this morning, there was a glimpse of clarity: I eat and drink more than I need to out of the life-long habit of self-protection. I learned to protect myself at all costs as a child, a young boy in boarding school, where I needed to be good at it. I cobbled together a survival suit of armor, acquiring considerable strength and persistence in an art that I no longer need.
I also gained some clarity into how I recognize this "reactive pattern" when it arises. I get angry. Quietly. Innerly. I become grumpy, testy--any one of those words that describe my less attractive self. This inner monster demands food and drink. He particularly loves wine--and the occasional shot of vodka. He's not easily satisfied, and constantly asks for more. To calm his moods, I feed him. Offer him drinks, which he eagerly accepts.Then he nods off to sleep--and leaves me carrying the extra weight that I need even less than him.
A better way to appease him: gratitude. I spent the last minutes of my meditation thinking through the huge number of blessings for which I can be grateful.
So it goes. Today, my intention is to eat mindfully again. Mindful of what I eat, the way I eat it, and mindful of the monster appetite. At my age, I no longer have anything to protect.
Oh, by the way: I stepped on the bathroom scale first thing this morning: for the record, 197 pounds, a half pound less than yesterday.
Sunday, August 6, 2017
BY THE WAY...
... I see nothing wrong with what I wrote, above, those many years ago. It still seems to me a sound approach.
OKAY...
... we seem to be working. So, to begin: I write this for myself, not expecting any readers or responses. Let's call it a diary. Having stepped on the bathroom scale this morning and discovering that my weight is greater than ever before in my entire life, I need to do something serious about it. I believe this journal will help.
First, the facts, to hide nothing (from myself!)
Weight as of this morning, 8/6/17: 197.5 lbs.
Height: 5 feet 10 1/2 inches (though I may have lost a little height with age)
Age as of last Tuesday, August 1: 81 years
Average/normal weight over the past few months: 192
Acceptable weight: 185 lbs.
Desirable weight: 180 lbs.
Exercise program: Average, past several months--1 hour, 2 - 3 times per week at the gym (I kid myself that it's more)
I have been struggling--but obviously not hard enough, nor with sufficient clarity of intention. I have acquired the weight gradually, over the past ten years. The past year has seen the greatest gain.
I am uncomfortable with the weight. I eat and drink more than my body needs, at my age. I realize that my body does not need alcohol, but my drinking habits tend to accelerate. I gave up all alcohol for a couple of months earlier this year. In the past, this has helped me lose weight, sometimes dramatically. I used to be able to shed 5 pounds or more effortlessly when I quit drinking. This time, it seemed to make no difference, so I started up again. Recently, I have indulged not only a shot (or two!) of vodka before dinner, but also a glass (or two, or three!) at dinner time.
As noted above, I eat more than my body needs. In part I attribute this to distraction: I read the newspaper or watch TV over meals, and therefore hardly notice what I'm shoveling into my mouth. In part, it's sheer comfort. Until digestion time. Then it's discomfort. At night, I feel the weight on me. For weeks I have been exhorting great attention to what I eat and drink. For months I have been ignoring my own wisdom.
I intend to use this diary as a record of what goes into my mouth, as well as a record of my thoughts along the way. I believe that writing down what I eat, as an act of consciousness, will in itself be helpful.
This month, with a few weeks ahead of me with less stress and tension (I hope!) in daily life, presents me with an excellent opportunity to put into practice what I preach to myself.
Today, Sunday, August 6:
At 7AM, my usual cup of English tea--with my usual three spoons of sugar. (I can cut back here, even cut out the sugar.)
At 8:30 AM, before sangha, a small bowl of mixed fresh fruits and the second half of a scone I started yesterday (with butter.)
At 11:00AM, after sangha, one poached egg and one toasted English muffin, with butter (no jam, no marmalade. Coffee with milk but no sugar and no sweetener.)
I write these notes between 12:30 and 1:00PM. Will return and catch up on the rest of the day tomorrow.
First, the facts, to hide nothing (from myself!)
Weight as of this morning, 8/6/17: 197.5 lbs.
Height: 5 feet 10 1/2 inches (though I may have lost a little height with age)
Age as of last Tuesday, August 1: 81 years
Average/normal weight over the past few months: 192
Acceptable weight: 185 lbs.
Desirable weight: 180 lbs.
Exercise program: Average, past several months--1 hour, 2 - 3 times per week at the gym (I kid myself that it's more)
I have been struggling--but obviously not hard enough, nor with sufficient clarity of intention. I have acquired the weight gradually, over the past ten years. The past year has seen the greatest gain.
I am uncomfortable with the weight. I eat and drink more than my body needs, at my age. I realize that my body does not need alcohol, but my drinking habits tend to accelerate. I gave up all alcohol for a couple of months earlier this year. In the past, this has helped me lose weight, sometimes dramatically. I used to be able to shed 5 pounds or more effortlessly when I quit drinking. This time, it seemed to make no difference, so I started up again. Recently, I have indulged not only a shot (or two!) of vodka before dinner, but also a glass (or two, or three!) at dinner time.
As noted above, I eat more than my body needs. In part I attribute this to distraction: I read the newspaper or watch TV over meals, and therefore hardly notice what I'm shoveling into my mouth. In part, it's sheer comfort. Until digestion time. Then it's discomfort. At night, I feel the weight on me. For weeks I have been exhorting great attention to what I eat and drink. For months I have been ignoring my own wisdom.
I intend to use this diary as a record of what goes into my mouth, as well as a record of my thoughts along the way. I believe that writing down what I eat, as an act of consciousness, will in itself be helpful.
This month, with a few weeks ahead of me with less stress and tension (I hope!) in daily life, presents me with an excellent opportunity to put into practice what I preach to myself.
Today, Sunday, August 6:
At 7AM, my usual cup of English tea--with my usual three spoons of sugar. (I can cut back here, even cut out the sugar.)
At 8:30 AM, before sangha, a small bowl of mixed fresh fruits and the second half of a scone I started yesterday (with butter.)
At 11:00AM, after sangha, one poached egg and one toasted English muffin, with butter (no jam, no marmalade. Coffee with milk but no sugar and no sweetener.)
I write these notes between 12:30 and 1:00PM. Will return and catch up on the rest of the day tomorrow.
AFTER EIGHT YEARS
I see that it is eight years since I last posted on this blog. I'm wondering if it's still activator whether I need to do something to renew it. So this is nothing more than a test. We'll see. Assuming everything works, I'll be back to post further.
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