Ok, diet update. My official 1-week weight is 137, or -2 lbs. Big whoop. However, I have noticed that my watch -- one of those with a fixed-length band -- is looser, and keeps spinning so it is under my arm, instead of on top. I guess I lost those 2 pounds on my wrist. My pants are a little looser, but not a lot.
Day 8: 137
Day 9: 137 (no change)
My wife is having a rough day today, she's really getting tired of salad. I'm ok so far, but I can feel my body craving the sweets. I have a bag of M-and-M's in my briefcase that I haven't opened, and I'm trying not to open them. It's hard!
Actually, the hardest thing to give up is sweet drinks. I always had a Coke, Dr. Pepper, or Mr. Pibb (ok, "Pibb Xtra"), or sweet tea -- especially at a barbecue place. They have the best (pronounced "sweetest") sweet tea.
RANT
I actually asked a guy stocking Coke's what the "Xtra" in Pibb Xtra was -- caffeine, sugar, what? He said, "Nothing. I guess marketing." Here, buy new Pibb with xtra marketing!
I'm still playing Threads of Fate (Rue's story). Rod changed weapons (Gold Gale?), I got the Platinum bracer and belt, and whooped him 5 times in a row. I finished the Wylaf (dragon) part, I guess I'm 2/3 done or so. Not exactly sure, since I haven't finished the game before, but the walkthroughs I'm reading (after I finish each section I read the walkthrough -- so I don't get rid of things I need) are about 2/3 down the walkthrough part.
The monster "coin" thing is weird to get used to, and it is hard to not pick up coins, but sometimes you really want to keep one of the monsters but you don't have a way of "skipping" one.
C Ya.
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Sunday, January 11, 2004
Oh, forgot to say that I updated my fav GCN (Nintendo GameCube) game from Super Mario Sunshine to SSX Tricky. Sorry, Mario, but SSX Tricky really sucks you in. I've mastered all the characters twice (erased and started over), and even got gold on Pipedream. The first time I played through I couldn't even get close on Pipedream, but after the second time -- using Zoe *pant* *pant* -- it was a breeze, I got gold the first time I tried. I guess you learn how to do tricks quickly, and can judge better how much time you have versus how long the trick will take. I didn't even go into the halfpipe (halfway down the mountain), although I used the larger halfpipe at the end -- the one with all the glass you get to break.
I'm playing through Threads of Fate now. I had bought it a long time ago, I think I saw it on sale or something, but never started it. Through the 2nd dungeon (Corona Forest and Underground Ruins), and have defeated Rod 2-3 times.
Off.
I'm playing through Threads of Fate now. I had bought it a long time ago, I think I saw it on sale or something, but never started it. Through the 2nd dungeon (Corona Forest and Underground Ruins), and have defeated Rod 2-3 times.
Off.
Ok, another few days go by. Here's my weights:
Day 5: ??? (I guess I forgot to weigh myself)
Day 6: 136
Day 7: 136
Tomorrow is the "official" weighing, it will have been a full week of dieting. This South Beach Diet seems more and more like just good advice from your doctor. Stay away from sweets, eat more vegetables, preferrably raw, lots of fiber.
The only weird part is his "hatred" (too strong a word?) of certain vegetables / grains. His big no-nos are white flour (they take all the nutrients out while bleaching, so they have to "enrich" it again), white potatoes (does that mean Yukon Gold are ok?), and carrots and corn (too much "sugar" in them). The corn I understand -- especially baby corn, yum! -- but carrots don't seem that "sweet" when you eat them.
His explanation of the foods to stay away from concern how fast your body absorbs the sugars out of the food. For example, he makes a scale of the different forms of an apple: whole (with skin), skinless, applesauce, then apple juice. Your body absorbs the sugar slower with the skin and everything (ok, not the core, for those literal-minded readers) because it has to deal with the fiber of the skin, but on the other end of the spectrum is the juice, which is absorbed very quickly. It passes from your stomach to your small intesting quickly, and then, WHAM, into your bloodstream. I guess you might as well inject apple juice into your veins!
I haven't really cheated on the diet, but I have stretched things a little. I took raw broccoli for lunch, and put some bleu cheese dressing to dip into; the book suggests low-fat dressings only. Instead of low-fat mayonnaise, I'm just using regular mayonnaise. I like Miracle Whip, which is lower fat, but I think they replace the fat with sugar -- a bigger no-no. However, I haven't had a coke for almost a week. I'm drinking water with all my meals, except 1 or 2 that I had unsweetened tea -- yuck. Not that I don't like tea, but I'd rather have lots of sugar in my tea, like you get at Woody's or Sonny's. No candy. I have some Breath Savers, sugar-free mints, 5 calories each, that I'm allowed in moderation (75 calories total for sugar-free hard candies).
For those that wonder, I don't like sugar substitutes. I've tried all 3 (pink stuff, blue stuff, and the new "yellow stuff"), they all leave a bad aftertaste in my mouth. We made some sugar-free Jello, I have to eat it with my lunch second, so I still have food left to cover up the aftertaste.
I haven't noticed any inches off my middle, but it's hard to tell. I'm getting the middle-age weak stomach muscle bulge, where I can still "suck it in" but if I relax it hangs out some. My jeans seem to hang on me a little, I might have to buy some new jeans first -- no "butt crack" allowed here!!
Ciao.
Day 5: ??? (I guess I forgot to weigh myself)
Day 6: 136
Day 7: 136
Tomorrow is the "official" weighing, it will have been a full week of dieting. This South Beach Diet seems more and more like just good advice from your doctor. Stay away from sweets, eat more vegetables, preferrably raw, lots of fiber.
The only weird part is his "hatred" (too strong a word?) of certain vegetables / grains. His big no-nos are white flour (they take all the nutrients out while bleaching, so they have to "enrich" it again), white potatoes (does that mean Yukon Gold are ok?), and carrots and corn (too much "sugar" in them). The corn I understand -- especially baby corn, yum! -- but carrots don't seem that "sweet" when you eat them.
His explanation of the foods to stay away from concern how fast your body absorbs the sugars out of the food. For example, he makes a scale of the different forms of an apple: whole (with skin), skinless, applesauce, then apple juice. Your body absorbs the sugar slower with the skin and everything (ok, not the core, for those literal-minded readers) because it has to deal with the fiber of the skin, but on the other end of the spectrum is the juice, which is absorbed very quickly. It passes from your stomach to your small intesting quickly, and then, WHAM, into your bloodstream. I guess you might as well inject apple juice into your veins!
I haven't really cheated on the diet, but I have stretched things a little. I took raw broccoli for lunch, and put some bleu cheese dressing to dip into; the book suggests low-fat dressings only. Instead of low-fat mayonnaise, I'm just using regular mayonnaise. I like Miracle Whip, which is lower fat, but I think they replace the fat with sugar -- a bigger no-no. However, I haven't had a coke for almost a week. I'm drinking water with all my meals, except 1 or 2 that I had unsweetened tea -- yuck. Not that I don't like tea, but I'd rather have lots of sugar in my tea, like you get at Woody's or Sonny's. No candy. I have some Breath Savers, sugar-free mints, 5 calories each, that I'm allowed in moderation (75 calories total for sugar-free hard candies).
For those that wonder, I don't like sugar substitutes. I've tried all 3 (pink stuff, blue stuff, and the new "yellow stuff"), they all leave a bad aftertaste in my mouth. We made some sugar-free Jello, I have to eat it with my lunch second, so I still have food left to cover up the aftertaste.
I haven't noticed any inches off my middle, but it's hard to tell. I'm getting the middle-age weak stomach muscle bulge, where I can still "suck it in" but if I relax it hangs out some. My jeans seem to hang on me a little, I might have to buy some new jeans first -- no "butt crack" allowed here!!
Ciao.