Happy New Year, fatties!

So many things wrong....

213.4--->212.8--->218.2
Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised -- the last few weeks I've been hungrier, and my calorie intake has regularly been over 3000. I am surprised because my clothes have only fit better over the past month, and my slowly enlarging muscles are starting to become a little visible (to my eye...and to the wifey's, as she insists I mention!). Perhaps muscle growth can account for a little weight gain? Hmm.

I think the #1 thing I can do to continue to lose weight is not to be discouraged, as this is a long-term project, as in life-long. Just because every month doesn't bring in a new number I can brag about doesn't mean I should just go get a bag of cookies and sulk in the corner -- too much is at stake. So for January I resolve to:

1. Be stricter in keeping calorie counts to below 2350.
2. Continue to not count on weekends, but to up the vegetable and fruit consumption throughout.
3. End daily desserts once and for all.

I can't beat myself up too hard because:

1. My body wants to gain weight in winter.
2. Biking will come back in the spring to help.
3. I'm still wearing sizes I haven't been comfortable in since high school.
4. I feel good, aside from weighing myself this morning.

Happy New Year, here is to a lighter, healthier 2013!

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This simple tea bag has enough power to: inspire a bunch of totally unfounded claims that are unchecked by the FDA due to the supplements loophole.

As it turns out, any hype around green tea being some sort of fat-burning miracle drink is pretty much utter silliness. While there might be some sort of fat-burning property to some aspect of the stuff, it would have to be ingested in such large quantities that even supplements equivalent to 8 cups of green tea a day are ineffective. I admit the fat-burning rumor was in the back of my mind when I started my habit, but I'll continue it because of four proven qualities:

1. it tastes good
2. it's low calorie
3. it wakes me up gently
4. it hydrates

So there.

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No one told them that Hipster Yoga and Clown Yoga shared the same studio....and time slot....and teacher...and students.

I had the privilege of spending some time with my dear friend T on Friday evening -- she's a bit of a yoga master, so of course we kicked off the evening with a yoga class (basics because that's how I roll). I haven't practiced yoga in a while but the last time I did I did notice some changes in my body. This time, said changes were more pronounced, with my increased strength making challenging positions....still challenging, but less so. In particular, chaturanga was different. It's basically a push-up position with your arms by your side and your elbows bend so your hands are towards the bottom of your chest. I've found this near impossible to stay in for more than a hot moment, but now I found it possible to linger.

But the next day, my left shoulder is painful and feels pulled. Last week, the NY Times had a piece about how men get more injured from yoga than women due to physiological differences. I brought this up with T over a healthy yogastic dinner, and she scoffed a bit at it. Not because it's not true, but because a) this has been well known for quite a while and b) the author has little science to back his claims but does have a new book to pimp. Still, I take some comfort from the piece as it's not strictly my own lameness that prevents me from moving forward in my yoga practice but my dang wang and huevos!

Regardless, I really enjoyed feeling my body respond in a way markedly different in the past and am tempted to take a more difficult yoga class next month. And if it means more hang time with T, all the better!  

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WEEKLY AVERAGE: 2885

Again, eating more calories on the one hand, feeling more hungry on the other. Still lower than the 3500+ calories I was eating daily, and certainly more veg.

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MONDAY COUNT:3200

Christmas Eve: We ordered in traditional Chinese food and kept it relatively reasonable, but holiday sweets lying around the house made the calorie count explode. Today and tomorrow, I gotta give myself a little slack in the calorie department as long as I'm eating in a way that doesn't make me feel sick and miserable.

AM SNACK: 8am, iced green tea, 50 cal

BREAKFAST: 8:45am, kolon bloe with whole milk, banana, 390 cal

PM SNACK: noon, momma salad, 100 cal

LUNCH: 1:45pm, chicken teriyaki meatballs, whole wheat cous cous, steamed string beans, 7oz diet coke, 860 cal

DINNER: 5:45pm, singapore mei fun, shrimp toast, wonton soup, 7oz diet coke, +/- 800 cal

EVENING SNACK: 7pm, 2 donuts, +/- 500 cal

EVENING SNACK: 9pm, dark chocolate bar, +/- 500 cal

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TUESDAY COUNT: 2785

Lots of off-the-hook eating opportunities today. Sweets got me good, but was able to keep the day relatively on track.

AM SNACK: 7:30am, iced green tea, 50 cal

BREAKFAST: 9:15am, fruit smoothie, 375 cal

AM SNACK: 11am, momma salad, pickle, 110 cal

LUNCH: 1:30pm, spiral ham, various stinky cheese with bread and crackers, chocolate covered graham cracker cookies, apple pie, chocolate cake, +/-1400
Xmas family gathering, I was doing well sticking reasonable amounts of ham and stinky cheeses with reasonable amount of carbs (hello large bricks of mac n' cheee!), until dessert came and I found some chocolate graham crackers hard to resist, and ate enough to feel the ol' tired run-down feeling I'd get from a sugar fest.

DINNER: 9:30pm, shrimp, roasted broccoli, mac n' cheese, +/-850
Didn't get hungry after the afternoon cookie explosion, resisted just settling my hunger with chocolate chips -- didn't eat enough veg today. Didn't really eat the mac n' cheese I made for the family gathering, but made some extra for here, as the kids love it. Did a back of the envelope estimation of the calories....oy, a small side serving, about half what I'd usually consume as a side, is around 600 calories. Had only 4oz of unadorned shrimp and low-cal broc, but damn that little brick of mac is filling.

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WEDNESDAY COUNT: 3105

Glad I had a proper dinner last night, felt good and properly hungry this morning. It was this time exactly last year I started a 2-week period of illness due to my failing digestive system and diet. Unfortunately, got too tempted by some pasta left overs Betsy brought home -- it was a small portion, but after baked potatoes, I was raging. Something tells me baked potatoes might be some sort of trigger food for me.

AM SNACK: 8am, iced green tea, 50 cal

BREAKFAST: 9:15am, kolon bloe with whole milk, 300 cal

AM SNACK: 11:15am, momma salad, 100 cal

LUNCH: 12:45pm, double quarter pounder, 750 cal
They served me a normal coke by accident, one sip and I said, "Eww!" A second sip to confirm what it was, then rather than trade it in, just tossed it -- do I really need diet coke that desperately? Harder was the fries I tossed out, as Edie loved her nuggets and apples and milk, but was not interested in the fries and I had to resist being the human garbage can repository of an extra 230 calories....

PM SNACK: 5:30pm, apple/carrot/beet/kale/ginger juice, 175 cal

DINNER: 6:15pm, broiled flounder, roasted brussels, baked potato, pickle, 7oz diet coke, 930 cal

EVENING SNACK: 8:15pm, gnocchi, rigatoni with sausage, +/-300 cal
Betsy brought home leftovers. I was too hungry to stop.

EVENING SNACK: 9:30pm, dark chocolate chips and peanuts, +/-500 cal

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THURSDAY COUNT: 2590

Good work out in the morning.

AM SNACK: 8:30am, iced green tea, 50 cal

BREAKFAST: 10:30am,steel cut oatmeal, 375 cal

AM SNACK: 12:45pm, momma salad, 100 cal

LUNCH: 3:15pm, chicken sausage, quinoa, string beans, 690 cal

PM SNACK: 4:30pm, popcorn, a few sips of diet coke, +/-175 cal

DINNER: 7pm, chicken jalfrezi with rice, onion bahji, chocolate hazelnut ice cream, water, +/- 900 cal

Didn't finish my dinner, it just wasn't very good. Went light on the rice, skipped naan bread all together. Needed the ice cream just to feel like I had a yummy meal.

EVENING SNACK: 9:30pm, cheesy poofs, +/-300 cal

Tried to avoid an evening snack, but just got hungry. Hopefully my estimations were accurate. At least they feel honest.

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FRIDAY COUNT: 2745

Woke up a little hungry and nicely sore in my upper arms from yesterday's work out, which is great - progress is being made towards that one golden day in the future where I actually do one damn pull up. C & Lil' A came over for breakfast, made a meal I've never counted because it's usual a weekend treat, kind of an eye opener.

AM SNACK: 8:45am, iced green tea, 50 cal

BREAKFAST: 10:30am, 2 waffles, 2 slices bacon, 7oz diet coke,  720 cal

I've only made waffles on the weekends, so I was surprised to find that each single waffle had 280 cal. They taste great, using only real whole unadulterated ingredients, but a stick of butter (800 cal), a cup and half of flour (832 cal), five eggs (450 cal) all add up, even when divided by 9. The recipe only calls for 2oz of sugar (215 cal), so it's not a total horror, but still. I think last time I made waffles, I was hungry and I ate 5. 1,400 cal at one meal, standing by the oven!!

LUNCH: 2:30pm, almond butter and jelly on whole wheat bread, momma salad, 7oz diet coke, 550 cal

Nice that I don't feel too hungry, even this late. Usually I eat two sandwiches, was easy to do one. Also makes me think of the surprising high glycemic index of bread, whole wheat or not.

PM SNACK: 5pm, apple/carrot/kale/beet/ginger juice, 150 cal

Fuel for some yoga-ing.

SNICKLE DINNER: 7:45pm, vegan Cesar salad, lentil soup, water, +/- 500 cal

SNICKLE SNACK: 8:45pm, popcorn, diet coke, +/- 175 cal

EVENING SNACK: 12:30am, slice of streetza, +/- 250 cal

EVENING SNACK: 1:15am, chocolate chips and peanuts, +/- 500 cal