Dinner, Day Twelve

• kebabs made with beef, onion, and red pepper marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, teriyaki sauce, oregano, cumin, and ground red pepper
• brown rice
• roasted red pepper and asparagus salad
• 2 tbsp fat-free Italian dressing
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple

I originally had a different meal planned (which was much lighter), but my boyfriend wanted to eat the beef I bought today. We both felt like this was entirely too much food, and I could not finish one of my kebabs.

I also felt like there was way too much onion for my taste. Initially we had not cooked the kebabs enough (in my opinion), so the beef was underdone and the onions were still sharp and too intense. I cooked mine a bit longer, but I still had that sting of near-raw onion taste which lasted through the rest of the meal.

The asparagus and roasted pepper were both delicious, but they were a little strange in combination. I felt like maybe I would have preferred to have put broccoli florets on the kebabs and called it a day. I keep seeing ways these recipes could be simplified, eliminating an ingredient or two, consolidating the flavors... I guess that's why it's good to try them out as written the first time and then modify as I see fit.

As I was entering this entry it occurred to me that I'm nearly done with my second week of this diet. I can't say there have been many changes, though it is a huuuuge relief to no longer have to wrack my brain to come up with what to eat for dinner - it's a matter of choosing and buying the ingredients and preparing the meals the computer tells me to. I don't wander the supermarket thinking yet again "I dunno, lasagna is good..." and I don't have to call my boyfriend and helplessly ask "So uhhh what do you want to do for dinner?"

The one really dismaying reality, though, is that here I am almost two weeks into the diet (which is supposed to completely change my life) and I've only exercised once. This is totally unacceptable. I kept telling myself that I didn't have time to plan meals, buy fresh ingredients, and eat right - I've proven myself wrong in that respect - so I'm sure I actually do have time to incorporate exercise into my schedule as well. Considering how exhausted I've been all day today, as well as how little I've gotten done, I know that exercise will boost my energy levels and help me keep my life more in balance, so there's no reason not to do it. And yet... I always seem to have an excuse.