Does this hurricane make me look fat?

August 216.6----> September 214.4----> October 213.4

I started recording my eating on Monday, but once the lights went out, so did my recording, and I'm probably not the only one. Tuesday morning, the news implied that the power would not be going on in the next 24 hours, and maybe as long as 3-5 days, so we split to where there was power. B's momma lives in a well-appointed one bedroom on the Upper East Side, with wonderful, wonderful lights, heat, Internet and cable, a flushing toilet, hot showers, and a working elevator (not to mention a lovely, loving Grandma!).

Still, as nice as it was to be there, it was stressful with NYC seemingly collapsing on itself, sleeping on a sofa, and, lo and behold, hunting for Egg McMuffins for Edie among the horror of several closed McDonald's. On the first day, three different locations were straight-up closed for breakfast, and on the second they were open, but serving lunch in the morning. On Friday, when we finally hit up a Mickey D's with breakfast, we knew the city was getting back on it's feet.

As petty and ridiculous as this might sound, when you have a toddler, you try your best to make everything seem normal and safe and predictable and secure, and a goddamn Egg McMuffin makes it seem that way -- no matter where you go, McDonald's is pretty much identical in taste & experience; and no matter how you feel about McD's nutrition, politics, or environmental practices, for a toddler there is great value in that predictability.  Damn, I can't believe I'm defending McDonald's.

My eating was quite horrible, as Hotel Grandma kitchen doesn't see much scratch cooking, and a big deal was made of clearing out the oven so we could reheat some fancy prepared food Friday night when we had some fellow LES refugees over for Sabbath dinner. Ordered in pizza and Mexican, ate McDonald's or diner food for a few breakfasts. When we arrived uptown, I did a food shop at the local Gourmet Garage for some incredibly overpriced yogurts, bananas, and diet coke, as well as some oddly flavored potato knishes.

Now that we're back on the LES almost a week later, my local major supermarket, which is located next to the East River, remains closed with flood and electrical damage. The smaller, closer market was only half stocked on dairy and meat, about 25% stocked on produce, and totally empty on all frozen goods. Refugee living is not quite behind us.

As the first of the month rolled past while encamped on the UES, I weighed in today. I was expecting to see my weight increase, as this past month I've been slipping more and more. The week of making and selling knishes I went off the reservation a bit, and this past week I've reverted to eating a LOT of sweets. So it was a very unexpected surprise that I lost a pound this past month. My belt is starting to be worn on the 2nd to last loop on occasion, so I guess I shouldn't of been too surprised.

My theory why I'm continuing in the right direction:

1. Even though I ate more in the past month, I'm still eating less than I did unrestricted by 200-500 cal a day.
2. Even though I ate more in the past month, I'm still eating much more veg and protein than carbs and starches when I was unrestricted.
3. My weight routine is seeing results in increased strength. Though I still can't do a damn pull up, I'm getting closer -- I can do a pull up by jumping into position, which doesn't quite count, but it's 100% more fake pull up than when I started trying!

Where I can improve:

1. Stop slippin'. At some point sooner or later, I'll be working a full-time gig and won't have the time or energy to record every bite. Gotta get down to instinct and habit g .
2. Find new fast food. Fast food in NYC is great because it tells you the calorie count, but there has got to be healthier options to McDs.
3. Maybe start cooking more for the whole family, including my wife, whose eating habits have been worrying me more and more since I've gotten my own eating under control.

I usually try to do a jokey fun-quizz on these belly-button gazing entries, but this whole hurricane thing has me off my game.

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MONDAY COUNT:

Storm coming in, just holding down the fort with everyone in doors. Cupcake making was the big activity of the day.

AM SNACK: 9am, iced green tea, 25 cal

BREAKFAST: 10:30am, smoothie, 375 cal

LUNCH: 1:30pm, almond butter and grape jelly on whole wheat toast, momma salad, 2 pickles, 12oz diet coke., 960 cal