A Note

I'll go back and post the days I'm missing as soon as I can, but I just wanted to make a note of something.

This morning I was feeling kind of lighter than usual, my pants were fitting loser and such, so I decided to weigh myself before my shower. 179.5. Crazy.

My guess is that I'm dehydrated and that as soon as I get some food and water in me, I'll be back up to my normal weight, but it's amazing to me how much these numbers fluctuate with seemingly no changes otherwise.

GI Day Fourteen

I slept really late and got almost nothing done today. I've been really irritable and light-headed, with my head throbbing whenever I move. Not fun at all.


Breakfast

• huevos rancheros made with egg whites, onion, green pepper, tomato, hot sauce, low-fat Cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro
• light rye Wasa bread with Smart Balance peanut butter
• green grapes

While delicious, the components of this meal didn't really seem to go together - it was more than a bit strange. The eggs themselves were positively sublime, and this was a nice tasty meal.

I continued feeling lousy while I did some reading for school, and I noticed some stomach weirdness too, probably from an off-kilter sleep schedule and not eating regularly scheduled meals.


Afternoon Snack

• hummus Masbacha with low-fat Cheddar cheese
• baby carrots

I got out the ingredients to make tacos when I realized the ground beef had gone bad, so I was quite annoyed and frustrated as I threw out $5 worth of meat.

I accidentally cooked the cheese and hummus mixture longer than usual, but found it was a very good mistake as it was a great improvement in texture and the flavors combined more.

I ate this snack, then dozed off for a while (probably from the sinus medication I took). I woke up still feeling crappy, by which time it was too late to go to the grocery. Ah well.

Evening
I didn't really have a structured meal, since I was not feeling well. I grazed on a few things around the house, including 2 chunks of Toblerone, 2-3 ounces of low-fat mozzarella cheese, and some big slugs of sugary cranberry-raspberry juice my boyfriend had gotten.

I figured it was okay to go light on the meals since I had almost zero physical activity - the times I was awake, I was laying down and reading, and otherwise I was dozing off.

I'm tired of feeling lousy, and I don't know what's going on with my body. Tomorrow I will have to make an effort to eat the proper amount of meals to give my body enough strength to fight off whatever kind of sickness this may be.

GI Day Thirteen

I had a lunchtime meeting and, predictably or not, I slept in until I had just enough time to shower, dress, and rush over to it. I kind of worried that my stomach would growl and embarrass me since I didn't eat, but strangely I wasn't at all hungry, even once I got home.

I didn't make my breakfast meal until around 2pm, confirming that I am indeed back on the stupid screwy sleep schedule I escaped for a mere week.

Breakfast

• oatmeal with almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla-flavored protein powder
• turkey bacon
• green tea (not on diet but allowed)
• dried apricots

This breakfast was nice and satisfying, though I halved the amount of bacon called for. I was substituting turkey bacon for Canadian bacon and I just didn't want to bother with the math, so I made what seemed like a reasonable portion and only later learned that it was not enough.

I forgot about a fruit at first, so I had these apricots just after I'd finished the rest.


Lunch

• grilled cheese and tomato on whole grain flat bread
• fresh herb salad with lite creamy Parmesan dressing
• sliced kiwi
• almonds
• 1% milk

Wow, what a perfect meal. It was a rainy, cold day outside, and I was actually craving grilled cheese and tomato soup. I found this recipe and jumped at it, swapping the flat bread for whole wheat - I think this way it resembles a pannini. I cooked it all under the broiler to make the cheese and tomato warm and gooey and the bread nice and crisp. Really hit the spot.

Combined with my beloved herb salad, I found this meal just about perfect in every way.


Afternoon Snack

• baked tortilla chips with salsa, lite creamy Parmesan dressing, and low-fat Cheddar cheese

I had this snack when I got home from class and found it so intensely satisfying that I didn't feel like eating anything else.

I only had the crumbly bits at the bottom of the chip bag, so I spread the ingredients over them instead of mixing them as a dip - wow, what a difference. So wonderful.


Dinner, Evening Snack
skipped.
I went to bed relatively early because I was still feeling light-headed and wasn't at all hungry.

GI Day Twelve

When I woke up, I was feeling really ill, probably from not eating or sleeping enough yesterday. I skipped both of my classes, the first time I've done so all semester, and I slept most of the day.

I woke up in the afternoon furious with myself, realizing I was just being a wuss and should have pulled through. I decided to take advantage of my day off to handle some financial issues, organize my paperwork, and generally try to get my life back in some semblance of order.

This included getting back on my diet after five days off, so I started by weighing in. I didn't photograph it, since I had given myself permission to skip weigh-in this week, but it was a whopping 186, up 3 pounds from last week. Not at all surprising considering the way I carried on, but not exactly thrilling.


Breakfast

• oatmeal with blueberries, soy nuts, cinnamon, and Splenda
• egg whites scrambled with onions, green pepper, and low-fat Cheddar cheese
• green tea (not on diet, but allowed)

I found a lot of the food in our fridge had gone a little dicey while we were away, so it was a little tricky coming up with something palatable for breakfast. Fortunately the blueberries are still hanging in there, and they plumped up when I added boiling water.

I didn't even try to make the egg whites into an omelet, as I've just accepted that they're not going to hold that shape (or I don't really know how to make omelets).


Afternoon Snack

• Dannon Light n' Fit white chocolate raspberry yogurt with wheat germ
• almonds

I really love this snack because it's just the perfect bit of something sweet and crunchy. Fantastic.


Lunch

• whole grain flat bread pizza made with tomato sauce, low-fat mozzarella cheese, onions, green pepper, and Canadian bacon
• baby spinach salad with carrots, cherry tomatoes, and fat free Italian dressing
• dried fruit

I was happy we had enough ingredients to make what is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Once again it took forever to eat (something to do with the spinach and the carrots I think), but it was definitely worth it and I enjoyed it immensely.

Afternoon & Evening Snack
skipped

Because I slept so late, I didn't really have enough hours to achieve real hunger. I'm not sure if it was tiredness or laziness which prevailed, but the end result was that I skipped my snacks. I'd been feeling light-headed all day, and I also found my stomach was pretty upset still, giving a queasy, unwell feeling.

Dinner

• chicken salad with lettuce and tomato on Finish flat bread
• almonds
• dried apricots
• 1% milk

I was so glad to find the rest of the can of chicken breast in the fridge, and my boyfriend defrosted some of this great dark flat bread his mother brought back recently from Finland. I substituted almonds for peanuts, since my boyfriend had snacked on them all earlier. This was a nice, mild meal, and it helped settle my stomach some before I went to bed.

GI Day Eleven

We didn't get home from vacation until about 4am, so I expected to be really cranky and tired today - instead I had the opposite and found I was downright perky, though I still slept in until just before my afternoon class.

Breakfast

• deli turkey on lite whole grain English muffin with melted low-fat mozzarella cheese (not pictured

I had barely enough time to get to class, so I threw this sandwich together and shoved it in my mouth as I walked. I was annoyed at myself for abandoning what has become my very pleasant breakfast ritual, but I was so light-headed I didn't really care.

Rest of Day
I didn't really have any more structured meals. When I got home from class, I had very little appetite and even less inclination to prepare food. I picked at leftovers, especially chips and salsa and cheese. I thought with amusement that it's a good thing we only have "diet food" around, as I could have done a lot more damage. I ended up going to bed early without eating anything more substantial, and I woke up several times in the night, probably because I was hungry.

Weekend

(This entry includes days 7-10, not really on the diet.)

I went on a short vacation to visit old friends over the weekend, and obviously I was not on the diet.

On the drive up I ate two doughnuts, candy, Sun Chips, and glazed walnuts. For dinner that evening I had a meatball parmigiana sub and plenty of whiskey drinks.

The next day we went hiking on a nearby mountain, and in addition to a lot of alcohol, I had dried cranberries, a Dunkin Donuts breakfast sandwich and a medium vanilla chai.

On the drive home from the mountain I had Burger King chicken fingers and fries, then for dinner later on I had eggplant parmigiana with spaghetti, a disgusting green apple flavored malt liquor, chocolate covered cherries and graham crackers, and piles of other intoxicants and beverages (this was a big party weekend).

On Sunday my appetite was not what it probably could have been, but it was still pretty strong. I put away a tuna melt and onion rings for brunch, then later on had a big dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green beans.

All in all it was quite the gluttonous weekend, and I can't even pretend that hiking and running around with friends even put a dent in the unhealthy ways I ate. But I had fun, and that certainly counts for a lot.

GI Day Six

I originally woke up early to move my car and was cranky when I got back because it was cold, and I was exhausted. I went back to sleep until about 1pm, breaking my awesome streak of early and productive mornings.


Breakfast

• lite whole grain English muffin with low-sodium deli turkey
• almonds
• 1% milk

By the time I woke up I was much more in a lunch mood than breakfast, so I was glad to find this sandwich among the options. Quite fantastic.


Lunch

• chicken salad made with chicken breast and low-fat mayonnaise, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and fresh cilantro on a whole grain flat bread
• dry roasted peanuts
• dried apricots
• 1% milk

What a fantastic sandwich! I had been rummaging in the cabinet recently searching for something, and I noticed a can of chicken breast left over from my Nutrisystem diet (I used to make chicken salad for my protein). I was pretty stoked to find a meal which would put it to good use.

This sandwich was incredibly tasty and admittedly, not something I would have made this way were I not on the diet. My usual inclination would be to slop the chicken with too much mayo on some kind of bread and be done with it. Adding the vegetables and taking care with the flat bread really made it a fantastic taste and texture combination.


Snacks & Dinner
kind of skipped

My boyfriend and I went out for a friend's birthday party, which lasted very late into the evening. In addition to many whiskey and diet Coke drinks, I had an appletini (I don't know why), a slice of a chicken quesadilla, half a package of Funny Bones, and my boyfriend and I split a late night order of nachos and a burrito. We danced and walked around a lot, but I know it was just drunken carelessness with my diet.

I'm going to be going on a short vacation tomorrow afternoon, so I can't really beat myself up for letting the diet slip. Also, it could have been a lot worse...

GI Day Five

Breakfast

• oatmeal with blueberries, soy nuts, cinnamon, and Splenda
• egg white "omelet" with onions, peppers, and low-fat Cheddar cheese
• green tea (not on diet, but allowed)

I really love this breakfast, and I'm happy that the really expensive pack of blueberries is lasting so long. Everything about the preparation is becoming a kind of ritual, and it gets my day started off in a nice, contemplative, and peaceful mood.


Lunch

• whole wheat flat bread pizza with tomato sauce, low-fat mozzarella, onions, green peppers, and Canadian bacon
• baby spinach salad with carrots, cherry tomatoes, and fat free Italian dressing
• dried apricots

My boyfriend asked to make the pizzas this time and insisted on doing it "his" way, which involved dicing everything up uniformly, baking it first, then broiling for crispness. He also put the spices on top, whereas I put them beneath the toppings mixed over the sauce. His version was delicious, and it was a treat to have him cooking for me (lately it's been the other way around).

The salad was also quite tasty, and I took my time enjoying the textures. Quite some time after we began cooking, my boyfriend looked over and was astonished that I was still eating, commenting on how long it was taking me. Now I've always been a slow eater (and he has always eaten much quicker), but he was right - even for me, this meal took a very long time to eat.

I think I enjoy slowing down and enjoying my meals though. I've been considering the daily tasks and how we perform them - either rushing around and shoving food in our faces or using the time to sit, think, and have a pause in the day. I think slowing down is really good for me and gives me time to feel in control of my day and life. Plus I'm sure it's better for digestion.

Afternoon Snack

• baked tortilla chips
• salsa mixed with lite creamy Parmesan dressing and low-fat Cheddar cheese
• Diet Dr Pepper (not on diet but allowed)

I had this snack when I got home from class, and it helped stave off my typically ravenous hunger that comes at that time of day. It also kept me from forsaking dinner for ordering take-out, which is a major victory for Wednesdays.


Dinner

• beef tacos with salsa, low-fat Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and fresh cilantro
• green grapes

Unfortunately we were out of avocado, which has become one of the more luxurious elements of this dinner. I allowed myself a little more cheese and some extra greens to attempt to equate it. These were delicious, but I did miss the avocado, so I made a mental note to be sure to get some at my next opportunity.


Late Night Snack

• Dannon Light n' Fit cherry vanilla yogurt with wheat germ

I completely forgot that I was supposed to have almonds with this snack. Whoops. Still, incredibly delicious and highly enjoyable.

GI Day Four

As with yesterday, I fell asleep before making dinner or my second snack and I had to wake up early again. Fortunately I left myself extra time to prepare and enjoy breakfast, as well as take my time getting ready. This significantly improves my mornings and, in turn, the rest of the day.

(Could I possibly, really, be getting my life together finally?)


Breakfast

• light whole grain English muffin with avocado, tomato, and low-fat Cheddar cheese
• sliced kiwi

I know it looks like a melty blob, but this breakfast was literally exploding with flavors. Each layer had a different texture and complexity, melding the smooth, buttery avocado with salty, sharp cheese and tangy tomato - it was fabulous.

I was glad this didn't take too long to prepare (since I just microwaved it), and it really gave the day a civilized start. I found that for the first time in a long time, I wasn't starved by the end of my morning class. I was in fact so satisfied that I contemplated holding off on lunch until after my afternoon class.


Lunch

• lite whole grain English muffin with low-sodium deli turkey, tomato slices, low-fat Cheddar cheese, and turkey bacon
• balsamic tomato salad with cilantro
• dried apricots

I am so glad that I came home for lunch, as this was one of the better meals I've ever had midday. I wasn't prepared to enjoy the tomatoes, as they weren't really at the peak of freshness, but by the time I drizzled them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper, then sprinkled the cilantro on top (the recipe called for basil but the store didn't have any), they were markedly improved.

The open-faced turkey sandwich was everything I'd hoped it would be and more. I was astonished at the amount of meat it called for (3 oz. of turkey when a usual serving is more like 1), as well as how much turkey bacon I could have (two full slices). I cooked this in the oven so that the muffin would crisp on the bottom and the bacon on the top, and it made for a nice blend of textures.

The only down-side is that I think I was only supposed to have half of an English muffin, which would have made the rest of the ingredients quite a tower on top. I rationalized that they're lower calorie and smaller than called for, so it probably won't kill me, plus I got an extra bit of walking to and from campus at a brisk pace.


Afternoon Snack

• Dannon Light n' Fit white chocolate raspberry yogurt with wheat germ and almonds

I thought ahead and brought this with me when I was on my way to my afternoon class, so that I'd be able to stay in my studio working for a while afterwards.

It was just the energy boost I needed, and it was delicious to boot. I really like the Light n' Fit yogurts because they're not too sweet and they pack a ton of flavor into a minimal amount of calories, no fat, etc.


Evening Snack

• salsa mixed with lite creamy Parmesan dressing and low-fat Cheddar cheese
• baked tortilla chips

Seeing as chips and salsa are one of my all-time favorite snacks, I was stoked to find they'd improved on it by adding in cheese and dressing. The resulting dip was creamy, tangy, and really flavorful.

I had this snack before dinner because a friend stopped by for a while - it was good to have something quick and easy to prepare that I didn't feel weird offering to other people as well (which I can't always say for diet food). Unfortunately I did have a few more chips and some more salsa after I had this snack, but I didn't go completely out of control.


Dinner

• pizza made with whole grain flat bread, tomato sauce, spices, sauteed onion and green pepper, low-fat mozzarella, and Canadian bacon
• fresh baby spinach salad with cherry tomatoes, carrots, and fat-free Italian dressing
• dried apricots

Wow. This was perhaps the most amazing dinner I've ever had on a diet. I made a second pizza for my boyfriend at the same time, and he too agreed that it was spectacular by any standards.

I actually only used half of the Canadian bacon that was called for (3 oz!!?!), and still found it intensely satisfying and delicious.

GI Day Three

As I mentioned yesterday, I didn't have my dinner meal or late night snack until very early this morning, so I wasn't terribly hungry. I almost put off making my breakfast meal, but I'm glad I didn't because I got very hungry and light-headed by the end of my afternoon class.

It occurs to me that this light-headedness probably isn't hunger so much as hormones or maybe a touch of anemia from having my period, so I shouldn't let it effect the diet or discount the otherwise great energy I've been experiencing.


Breakfast

• oatmeal with almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, and Splenda
• low-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1% milk
• Yogi herbal detox tea with Splenda (not on diet but allowed)

I really enjoy making tea with the boiling water for my oatmeal - I have an adorable little tea kettle that I love using, and I find the whole experience pleasurable. This tea is much spicier than the green tea I've been drinking, as one of its key ingredients is black pepper, as well as some kind of herbal blend. It claims to help detoxify tissue and contribute to liver and kidney health, but mostly I just enjoy the taste (of course I am mindful not to exceed the RDA of any of the herbs it contains). I've started taking One-a-Day Weight Smart multivitamins again, so I'm taking care not to exceed any kinds of RDAs.

This meal was quite a treat because I got to have a nice, satisfying chunk of cheese as well as a cool, delicious glass of milk. So wonderful.


Lunch

• beef tacos with salsa, low-fat Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and fresh cilantro
• green grapes

I went to the grocery to pick up some more ingredients and remembered how much I enjoy fresh cilantro on tacos - I'm so glad I added it. I really didn't think these tacos could get any more perfect, and there it was.

I got a fresher bag of grapes than the ones I finished this morning... and they were simply perfect. Literally everything about this meal from start to finish was sublime.


Afternoon Snack

• hummus Masbacha with low-fat Cheddar cheese
• baby carrots

Simply perfection.

Dinner & Evening Snack
skipped
I ended up falling asleep before I got around to preparing these meals and decided to let them go. It's more important to me right now to maintain my sleep schedule than stay up an extra hour or two to have another meal.