Day 11 Let Me Catch You Up! (24 July)

So ... I took a day off from the scribing of my revolutionary journey ... or ceaseless complaining, depending on how you look at it.  Well that day turned into two (sorry).  I don't regret taking Sunday off .. but I did miss our therapy session ... and no, I will not pay you a dime.  But I will catch you up.  So off we go.



Saturday's party was supposed to be my first major test of will power ... and I was in deep despair considering the smells of  the fine foods being prepared for my son, who couldn't actually eat any of it because he is just starting simple baby foods.  I had nothing to fear, my wife surprised me with an amazing display of edible insectoids ... check out the pics.  Now I must say that our good friend Emily was the actual person who gave us the ideas ... and did much of the work ... but I reaped the benefits!

 

I ate a whole seedless watermelon ... just kidding, more like half.  But seriously, I ate my full of fruits and veggies and didn't feel at all like a rabbit doing it.  I love watermelon ... it's like a veggie steak!

Sunday, Day 9 - Jaryn's Dedication
I made some whole grain blueberry muffins and eggs for everyone, then I made my white stuff ... it is not the same.  I never really paid attention to the white part or the egg, even when fried, because it was usually soaked in bacon grease or some other awesomely smoked product of pig.  Now I am beginning to wonder if I can smoke celery.  Anyways, I don't like it.  I have to figure something out before I swallow my tongue.

After church we came home and ate the rest of my sauce, which was delicious.  I had more watermelon for dinner along with a yogurt.

I have to say this now ... it is already working.  I failed to keep my promise on weighing myself, need to buy a scale, but I have already dropped three belt holes.  I fit into a pair of slacks for Jaryn's dedication that haven't felt my legs in them in over a year.  I tried them around Christmas and squeezed water out of the button!  After losing all feeling in my feet and watching my toes turn black, I had to take them off.  Then I made a New Year's Resolution to begin my traditional starvation regimen, which I then put off until Easter (see a previous post about this madness).  Yep!  They fit, and nicely.  Check me out!

Now, someone is going to say, as I have already heard said, "You have no need to lose weight."  Really?

Are you sure?  Also consider this, I am waking around at 240, or was, and I have awful knees, hips, and back injuries.  I need to get the weight off of those joints to help ease the pain.  So, if you are blind and still think I didn't need to work on it, oh well.  The fact is, we all need to pay attention to ourselves, not as what society says we should be, but what our bodies are screaming at us.  And no, I don't need to tan ... I need to put pants on for sure though ... got to love a yard chair wedgie!

Day 10 - Yesterday
Yesterday morning I took a trip to Lafayette to meet up with an old friend, Robert Kratzer.  He is the senior pastor over at New Life Worship Center in Moss Bluff, LA.  I was on staff there before moving to New Orleans.  We had a good talk, and I ate well.

Breakfast was some more whole wheat pancakes at IHOP with some white jello (I hate them) and some bacon that I surrendered to Robert, though I thought of possibly consuming his arm.  I did, however, remember that I had removed human flesh from my approved food list in day 1.  He lived.  We went to visit a coffee shop that was closed (how nice) and stayed there until the sun turned the patio into a sauna.  I hate heat.

Lunch was sushi.  I love that stuff.  And I behaved.  A little tuna, salmon, avocado, cucumber, and some seaweed.  I did eat a little rice of course, but I only consumed three small roles.

Dinner, was a salad.  I am purposefully keeping this short for your sake.  I upgraded from spinach in a bag to spinach in a container along with spring mix in a container, seems to stay fresh longer.  But eating healthy is so time consuming.  I also have to say, after conferring with some friends that go back to my childhood (avoiding the term "old friend"), that I am reneging my suggestion of Brummel and Brown yogurt.  After carefully reading the ingredients, I think it would be well suited for patching up holes in tires, aside from the 10% yogurt content.  I have been and always will be a lover of real butter .. that's what I'm sticking with. I have no issue using it either.

Day 11-Honey Grilled Chicken! (24 July)
After I ate my slime this morning, I was off to the office for job applications ... which is a daunting process.  I have applied to well over 100 jobs in different careers with only a few bites.  And since I refuse to work in poorly administered schools full of lead based paint falling to the floor in front of air intakes that feed their ventilation system nor seem to be seen as a good sales candidate considering I spent too much time building the houses, it looks like I am still on the hunt.  I missed a job in North Dakota (oil field inspector) that would have paid me 18,000/mo by three weeks!  It would have been harsh weather but ... after overtime and such ... over a 1/4 million a year!  If I had tear ducts I would cry.

I am taking with different opportunities all over the US.  I would love to be by my family back home.  We will see.  I also love being here so...

While on the phone with what I hope to be a possible career opportunity (in CT), I was informed of a lunch being prepared downstairs: gumbo.  That is a delightful meal when made correctly ... and completely off of my list.  So I ate a couple boiled red potatoes.  On the way home I stopped at the store and did some grocery shopping ... while starving ... bad idea.  The manager said if I ever try to bite the shelves in the chips section again, he will have me permanently barred from entry.  Punk.

I did, however, manage to buy a back of some different types of seeds and stuff ... sunflower, pumpkin, pecan, almonds and some raisins.  It was all natural with no additives ... no salt or nothing.  It brought back my sanity, but it also cost $7 for a bag that can fit into the pocket in my pocket.  Perfect.  Then my youngest daughter ate them all.  Perfect.  Then I chased her around the house until she threw them up.  They don't taste the same partially digested.

Dinner was amazing.  I love the grill. I marinated some chicken in some canola oil, honey, maple syrup, and worcestershire sauce along with some salt and pepper for about three days.  I threw them on the grill and ...

Remember, when grilling chicken, it is important to not let it dry ... or it is a huge disappointment.   One of the keys to not letting it dry is flipping it a little as possible.  When cooked, it should still feel very soft in the tongues, but not rubbery.

I also experimented with some new salmon filets .... butter and lemon pepper ... and they were amazing.  It is important to note that Salmon is awful when overcooked, do NOT let it dry.  I like it just almost underdone.  If your concerned, let the filets sit in lemon juice for about 10 minutes, the acid will cook them (hence sushi) but it is important to keep them moist.

I served the chicken (and filet) with some fresh corn on the cob and the usual monster salad.  Outstanding.  Yuci asked my if I have given any thought to meat portion sizes.  I have decided that I will eat no meat portion larger than the palm of my hand.  I only ate half of the chicken.  This is hard for me because I want to eat it all.  But I believe in time I will master this and it will hopefully have positive effects on the rest of my life as well.

Guys, I am a meat and potatoes man ... but we eat way too much of it here.  I hope and pray that I do not leave this ... I'm just starting out but the results are happening so fast.  It is normal for guys to lose faster than girls too.  I sit every week with a group of vets ... issues.  All of us there are wounded.  Many of us are severely overweight and complain about joint pain.  I hear it from church members seeking healing for joint pain ... but they are upwards of 250lbs even over 300 and more.  We were not designed to carry that kind of weight.  I believe much of the pain can be alleviated by losing weight.  I hope I am right. If not, I'll look good in pain.

Till next time!