Asian for any Occasion

Give me your fried, sweet and sour,

Sauce-puddled masses dripping MSG,

The blessed trans-fats of your gleaming pork.

Send these, the boneless, teriyaki-tossed, to me,

I rest my plate beside the golden tempura!

In writing this brief, five-line soliloquy, I've managed to both defile the Statue of Liberty and illustrate how I feel about Asian food at the same time.

The Wife (<-- not degenerately obsessed with Asian food) and I have taken a fancy to a particular meal featuring Japanese-style Hibachi Chicken that I developed at home, and when it was learned that The Brother-In-Law, Jr. would be spending a day with us on his way driving from Norfolk, VA to Lincoln, NE, there was little hesitation in deciding what to cook for a meal.

So I'd like to share this little gem, along with another, much simpler, Asian-inspired way to prepare tuna that I downloaded from work, rebooted, and reformatted for my own personal use.

HIBACHI-STYLE CHICKEN W/ZUCCHINI & ONIONS

Spread 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium high. Spread another tablespoon sesame oil in another pan over medium high heat. Begin by sauteing chicken (2 pounds, 1/2 inch cubes) into one of the pans. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon butter and salt and pepper the chicken to taste. Add 1 medium onion, chopped and 2 medium zucchini, chopped to the other pan. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon butter and salt and pepper to taste. Saute the vegetables as long as the chicken is cooking, being sure to stir both pans often. Chicken should cook 6 to 8 minutes. At this point, vegetables may be removed from pan and served. Sprinkle sesame seeds over chicken and stir once more. For a Japanese grill effect, drain juices at bottom of pan, or transfer chicken to a dry pan, brown chicken lightly, and serve. Other vegetables may be added to zucchini and onions, such as cabbage, mushrooms, and bean sprouts.

FRIED RICE
3 cups rice, cooked should be made in advance, and chilled after cooking, to avoid stickiness. Add 2 tablespoons sesame oil to wok or large pan, heat to medium high. Add rice next and stir to coat with oil. Then add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and stir until color of rice is the same throughout. Add salt and pepper to taste. I use soy sauce liberally, so I don’t add additional salt, but I do like the pepper, especially when freshly ground. Clear an empty spot in the center of your rice and add 2 scrambled eggs. Cook the egg and mix it into the rice. Keep everything moving so the rice doesn’t brown or scorch. If you want to impress guests with Japanese steakhouse-style service, serve rice first.

HIBACHI SAUCE - Optional (adds calories) but highly recommended

Ideally, sauce should be made a day in advance and allowed to refrigerate overnight. However, 2 hours or so should be sufficient. Whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 heaping teaspoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika in a small bowl. After refrigeration, water should be used to bring the sauce to a desired consistency. I like the consistency of a salad dressing, possibly just a bit thinner. Set table with individual portions of sauce, or simply pass around one bowl of sauce at table.

SEARED TUNA SLICES W/MUSTARD SAUCE

Simply take a 4 ounce tuna filet, rub all sides with light soy sauce, and sprinkle with black pepper. Sear in cooking oil (Last Thursday I used leftover bacon grease 'cause I'm a slob and didn't want to wash out the pan from breakfast), about 5-10 seconds per side, leaving middle cold. For mustard sauce, mix about 1/2 teaspoon chinese-style mustard with 1-2 teaspoons light soy sauce, per filet, and drizzle over filet. Slice into 1/4 inch thick slices and serve alone or over a salad.

WEDNESDAY 10/27/10 DIET LOG

1 slice homemade sourdough bread, buttered <-- not Asian

2 eggs, scrambled <-- not Asian

2 strips bacon <-- not Asian

9 oz. teriyaki beef jerky <-- Asian

1 cup Hibachi-style chicken <--Asian

1 cup zucchini & onions <--Asian

1.5 cups fried rice <-- Asian

2 tablespoons Mayo-based Hibachi sauce <-- Asian

1/2 cup orange glazed carrots <-- Asian

1 sandwich with 2 slices whole wheat bread, 4 oz ham, 2 oz cheddar cheese, lettuce leaves, pickle slices, and 1 tablespoon honey mustard <-- not Asian

NO WORKOUT WEDNESDAY 10/27/10 <-- not Asian

An Open Letter to My #1

Today, a personal note to Star-Trac Elliptical Machine #1:

Hey, Star-Trac Elliptical Machine #1. Yeah, you. The first Star-Trac Elliptical Machine from the left side, in the second row of the cardio area in the campus rec center, cowering behind the God-Forsaken Exercise Bikes. Lookin' all fancy with your bright red LED display and your twin handlebar heart rate monitors. You know who you are.

You won't hear any apologies from me. Sure, what I did this morning might be considered cruel, but you had it coming. In fact, you wanted it that way. You just haven't admitted it to yourself yet.

It was wrong of me to treat you so badly, Star-Trac Elliptical Machine #1 - taking what I wanted, burning 600 calories in about 40 minutes, and then just getting up and walking out the door. But it was so, so right.

'Cause I own you, Star-Trac Elliptical Machine #1. Yeah, you thought you belonged to the campus rec center, with all their "serial numbers" and "purchasing records" and "receipts". But deep down you know - you're mine. And I'll keep using you as long as it suits me. And it suits me just fine right now.

This ain't my first time at the rodeo. I know you'll be out there, mixing it up while I'm gone. You'll see a few other guys, but mostly you like the girls. No matter what you end up trying, you'll never be able to quit me.

So hang in there, Star-Trac Elliptical Machine #1. I'll be back sometime. I have to, 'cause no other Star-Trac Elliptical Machine gives me the same great view of ESPN SportsCenter. Oh, I'll be back - trust me. Not that you have much choice. Ha! Haha!

TUESDAY 10/25/10 DIET LOG

6:30 a.m. 1 cup orange juice, 1 Fiber Plus Bar

9:30 a.m. 2 boiled eggs, 4 strips bacon, 1 slice homemade sourdough bread w/one tablespoon Smart Balance Light

12:30 p.m. 4 oz. grilled chicken, 1 cup stuffing

6:00 p.m. small salad with 1 tablespoon light raspberry vinaigrette, some kind of homemade pizza crescent roll (3 slices - probably around 10 oz. total)

TUESDAY 10/25/10 WORKOUT

Equipment: Star-Trac Elliptical Machine... #1 in case you forgot

Intensity (1 to 7): 6

Length: 42 minutes

Calories Burned: 600

V for Vendetta

"Of course, you know, this means war."

-Bugs Bunny (via Groucho Marx)

Overheard at the K-Love household this morning:

A HALF-POUND?! A HALF FREAKIN' POUND?! YOU KIDDIN' ME, WII? OUCH!!! Sob, sob, sob... Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

Yes - even Antoine Dodson thinks that was dramatic. However, fear not. The Wii is expected to make a full recovery.

Weighed in today at a half-pound less than last Monday. So, it's on like Donkey Kong. The beast has been unleashed. That's about all I have to say today. In fact, words are pretty meaningless at this point. I'm gonna try some shorter blog entries from now on. See how that works. This is gonna hurt me more than... well, it's really just gonna hurt me.

MONDAY 10/24/10 DIET LOG

7:00 a.m. Fiber One dark chocolate and almond bar

10:00 a.m. 2/3 of a Burger King Breakfast Bowl and 1/2 of a large order of hash browns (shared with The Wife), one 20 oz. Vitamin Water

2:00 p.m. One 20 oz. Vitamin Water, Penn Station Philadelphia cheesesteak sub (6"), small order fries.

8:30 p.m. popped two 100-calorie bags of Orville Redenbacher kettle corn, added 2 tablespoons butter, shared with The Wife

MONDAY 10/24/10 WORKOUT

Equipment: Rowing machine

Length: 50 mins (31.5 mins cardio)

Intensity: 5

Calories burned (cardio): 330

Additional exercises: 12 various weight resistance machines, 2 sets x 15 reps each, no rest

Lists

The Wife and I both like lists, but for different reasons. I like lists that explain, describe, or categorize things. The Wife's lists usually include me doing something I don't want to do, like taking out the garbage or cleaning the gutters. Or mowing the lawn.

So yesterday, for the first time since August, I mowed the lawn. Don't laugh - I just wanted it to quit growing before I got the best of it for once and for all. Because my record with lawn equipment is abysmal. I mean it - everything I touch, breaks. So the less I mow, trim, landscape, etc, the better off my ego, my temper, and my mental health.

Also, for the first time in I-don't-know-how-many months, I went for a run - at Ijams Nature Center. Thanks to my buddy Wes from Huntsville for being in town and willing to pretend to jog while I panted behind.

I was an average high school cross-country runner when I decided to take it up my senior year. Not a good runner, not a bad one - just average. Never won a race - never even made the varsity lineup - but, to my credit, it was a really good team. Ran about a six-minute mile. Seems like eons ago. A little under 100 pounds ago. Ancient history...

Well, it's been months - maybe over a year - since I did any running on a consistent basis. I'm really sort of afraid to take it back up at my current weight, because of concerns about the impact to my knees, shins, and ankles. I've tried running recently and had some strange pains, so I'm just not sure if that's appropriate right now.

Maybe that's just a lame excuse. I dunno. My plan is to eventually take up running again - maybe even competitively - but that's probably the next chapter to 30 by 30... a chapter I haven't started writing yet.

Anyway, I'm really out of shape, and I continue to judge myself against "high school me" and it's pretty awful. But thankfully, I think there's enough fitness left in me to do just about anything for 15 minutes. And that's how long it took to jog about 1.2 miles yesterday. About a 12.5 minute mile. Ouch.

But I digress. Oh, right. I was talking about lists. I have a couple of those I wanted to work into the blog entry today.

Three weeks into this, it seems more and more natural to work out four, five times a week or more now. They say (whoever they are) to exercise three times a week, and I completely agree that should be a primary goal for anyone. But in several previous attempts I've observed this simple guideline and met with failure. So this is me being aggressive. Getting mean. Taking the bull by the horns and wrestling it to the ground. The three-times-a-week plan has the basic benefits you need: burning calories, gaining metabolism, increased energy, etc. So without further ado, let's make a list of the additional benefits I've observed from working out five times or more per week:

1. Lifestyle change - The mental transition from being an inactive person who works out in his spare time, when he can fit it in, to being an active seeker of physical challenges.
2. Mental toughness - The ability to see past the emotional appeal of the pillow's relaxing comfort every morning to the way the rest of the day will "flow" after working out.
3. Feeling of "athleticism" - Not necessarily being athletic, physically speaking. But that 30-60 minute workout every day brings out the inner high schooler in me.
4. Freedom to skip - Let's say my schedule only permits working out on Mon, Wed, and Fri. If something comes up on Fri, I'm going five days without doing anything. That's hazardous to any exercise regimen. If I'm expecting five workouts, and I actually have four, that's still a great week.
5. 5>3 - Clearly, if all else is equal, you burn more calories in five workouts than you do in three.

What about that rating system you've been talking about? You said you were gonna explain that. Why do you do that intensity rating on your workouts? Who do you think you are with all your numbers and stuff?!

I mentioned my intensity rating a few days ago, and I wanted to explain that. Basically, I won't remember tomorrow how hard I worked out on Friday, so I want to try and remind myself. That way, if I'm not feeling so hot on a Tuesday, and I know I worked my butt off on Monday, I can feel confident that Tuesday isn't a loss if I just do the minimum effort and get back home. The rating is a combination of factors, based on how I feel during the workout, including sweat, heart rate, breathing, and post-workout fatigue. Here's how it works (TIME FOR ANOTHER LIST!):

1. complete relaxation; possibly a meditation or yoga session
2. no heart rate or breathing elevation, but more calories burned than when at rest; slow walking, for example
3. heart rate slightly above normal; maybe a trace of sweat, but not necessarily; no labored breathing; pedaling easily on a bike or walking purposefully on level surface; good for occasionally burning a few calories without feeling tired or dirty afterward
4. elevated heart rate, 50-65 percent of max; sweating visibly if sustained long enough; breathing is somewhat labored, but still able to talk conversationally; a typical once/week "light day"; a very fast walk, or a casual but not effortless bike ride
5. heart rate is 65-80 percent of max - good for cardio building if sustained; beading sweat; breathing uncomfortably, but still able to talk between breaths; pretty much the starting point for all my workouts
6. heart rate sustained at 80+ percent; dripping sweat; constant, strenuous breathing; slight burn in muscles; feeling of significant exhaustion afterwards; ideally, about half of my workouts are this intense
7. heart rate at max; drenching sweat; breathing is extremely uncomfortable, bordering on painful; deep muscle burn, possibly even muscle failure; feeling of absolute depletion afterwards; haven't had one of these workouts yet - need someone to make me reach this level

Time for bed. Tomorrow's a big day.

THURSDAY 10/21/10 DIET LOG

7:00 a.m. 1 Fiber Plus Bar

9:00 a.m. 7 mini-quiches, 4 strips bacon

1:00 p.m. 4 oz. seared tuna, salmon sushi roll (8 pieces)

6:00 p.m. 4 oz. baked chicken, 1/2 cup gravy (based on cream of chicken soup), 1 cup white rice

THURSDAY 10/21/10 WORKOUT

Equipment: dumbbells, free weights

Exercises: Bench press, standing shoulder press, curls, 2 sets of 15 each

FRIDAY 10/22/10 DIET LOG

7:00 a.m. 1 Fiber Plus Bar

9:00 a.m. 7 mini-quiches, 2 boiled eggs

12:00 p.m. 1 beef empanada, 1 tablespoon sour cream, about 1/2 cup extra empanada filling, 1 avocado, sliced

5:30 p.m. work meal - 8 chicken wings, plain, 1 cup Kraft Mac 'N Cheese Dinner

FRIDAY 10/22/10 WORKOUT

Equipment: Star-Trac Elliptical Machine

Length: 32 minutes (including cool-down)

Intensity (1 to 7): 6

Calories Burned: 410

SATURDAY 10/23/10 DIET LOG

9:00 a.m. 1 Fiber Plus Bar

11:30 a.m. large handful (1.5 servings) tortilla chips, 2/3 cup shredded cheese,melted, 1 tablespoon sour cream

4:00 p.m. 4 grilled pork ribs

SATURDAY 10/23/10 WORKOUT

Equipment: Sneakers

Exercise: Running, 1.2 miles

Length: 15.5 minutes

Intensity (1 to 7): 5

SUNDAY 10/24/10 DIET LOG

11:00 a.m. 12 oz. baked chicken, 1 cup white rice, 1 cup gravy

6:30 p.m. 2 slices pizza, Little Caesar's

NO WORKOUT 10/24/10

Catching Up

Everyone needs a break now and then. So, I gave the blog a few days off, just to recuperate. Regain its strength. I've learned some things in the past week:

1. It appears some things are more important than blogging. See: The Wife's birthday, passing graduate school, three-year-olds with ear infections, working out, sleeping a minimum 6 hours, football, and work. In no particular order.
2. If the shower curtain needs washed after you've changed the baby's diaper, you're probably doing something wrong. Even Tom Selleck, Steve Gutenberg, and Ted Danson think I need some practice.
3. I'm done calorie-counting. For the time being, anyway. I don't need a nutrition info chart to tell me how much I'm eating. The scale doesn't lie. Except when I don't like what it says - then I like to laugh and call it names (like Pinocchio). Besides, figuring out the exact total every day - or every few days - is starting to get tedious and is responsible for half of the time I spend writing.
4. Rugby is a pretty hardcore sport. This comes after watching the movie 'Invictus'. I want to try it for myself, some day when I get in shape. Also on the list of activities to try: Capoeira.
5. Muscles like to be fed. I get back home from pushing some weights around, and I'm downright ravenous. Note to self... before working out, eat something. Even if it's just a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop-Tart.
6. In case you ever find yourself locked out of the house... a three-year-old will fit nicely through an unlocked kitchen window. Just be sure the mission is clear.
7. It's hard to get up at 6:00 a.m. and work out. Even harder: not working out and dragging through the day with no energy.

This part of my life is called, "Hitting a Wall". 30 by 30, like all of my big, new ideas, started out with a bang. Enthusiasm, energy, and eagerness got me through the first two weeks pretty easily. But the thrill is gone. The honeymoon is over. The lipstick's been rubbed off the pig, and I've lost that lovin' feelin'. I gotta be honest - like all of those other big, new ideas, this one's coming back down to earth, as far as emotional highs go.

On the plus side - or the minus side if you prefer - I'm down another pound as of Monday. Six pounds down, 24 to go. 15 weeks left on the countdown. And I've established a pretty good routine, plus a good idea of how much I can eat and still lose weight. So the left brain has its orders. The trick now is getting the right brain to loosen its grip on that pillow...

Saved my logs for the past week. Posting them below. I already did some calorie calculations last weekend.

WEDNESDAY 10/13/10 DIET LOG

9:00 a.m. homemade breakfast burrito, small, estimated 350 cals
1 leftover serving homefries, estimated 100 cals
1 cup orange juice, 120 cals

12:30 p.m. 6 oz. lasagna, estimated 350 cals

Small salad - 2 cups greens, croutons, bacon bits, and honey french dressing, 150 cals

10:30 p.m. missed meal at work, on the way home picked up 10-piece nuggets at McDonald's w/ 2 packs Sweet and Sour Sauce, 560 cals

Total: 1630 calories

NO WORKOUT WEDNESDAY 10/13/10

THURSDAY 10/14/10 DIET LOG

9:00 a.m. homemade breakfast burrito, small, estimated 350 cals
one orange 100 cals

12:30 p.m. 6 oz. lasagna, 350 cals

1 cup sauteed spinach, 70 cals

5:30 p.m. meal at work - 1 corn dog, 250 cals

small salad with 2 tbsp ranch dressing, 165 cals

Total: 1285 calories

WORKOUT THURSDAY 10/14/10

Equipment: Rowing machine

Intensity (1 to 7): 6

Length: 20 mins

Calories burned: 275

FRIDAY 10/15/10 DIET LOG

9:00 a.m. bowl of oatmeal, 350 cals
1 cup orange juice, 120 cals

10:15 Starbucks Toffee Mocha, 270 cals

12:30 p.m. 6 oz. lasagna, 350 cals

1 cup steamed broccoli, with 1/2 tablespoon Smart Balance Light margarine 100 cals

5:30 p.m. meal at work - 2 hot dogs, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1/2 hot dog bun, 385 cals

1/2 cup mashed potatoes, 150 cals

Total: 1725 calories

WORKOUT FRIDAY 10/15/10

Equipment:

Star-Trac Elliptical Machine, several weight-resistance machines

Intensity (1 to 7): 6

Length: about an hour

Calories burned (cardio): 365
Additional exercises: 12 various weight-resistance machines, 2 sets each of 15 reps; 2 circuits, no rest

SATURDAY 10/16/10 DIET LOG

9:00 a.m. homemade breakfast burrito, small, estimated 350 cals
1 cup orange juice, 120 cals

11:00 a.m. 2 beef hot dogs (no buns), 1 tablespoon 100% natural ketchup, 320 cals

2 cups popcorn, 120 cals

4:30 p.m. meal at work - breaded chicken patty, 180 cals

1/2 cup mashed potatoes, 3 tablespoons brown gravy, 210 cals

Total: 1300 calories

NO WORKOUT SATURDAY 10/16/10

SUNDAY 10/17/10 DIET LOG

9:00 a.m. homemade breakfast burrito, small, estimated 350 cals
1 cup orange juice, 120 cals

1:00 p.m. 8 oz. lasagna, estimated 480 cals

1 cup steamed broccoli w/ 1/2 tbsp Smart Balance Light, 100 cals

4:30 p.m. Single serving bag popcorn with one tablespoon Smart Balance Light added (shared with three-year-old), 150 cals

7:30 p.m. two slices pizza (Papa John's), one tablespoon garlic sauce, one tablespoon parmesan cheese, 820 cals

Total: 2020 cals

NO WORKOUT SUNDAY 10/17/10

MONDAY 10/18/10 DIET LOG

10:00 a.m. 3 boiled eggs, 1/3 baking potato sliced, sauteed in 2 tablespoon Smart Balance Light, one orange

1:00 p.m. 2 slices pizza, garlic sauce, parmesan cheese

8:30 p.m. one beef empanada with one tablespoon sour cream, small serving of tortilla chips with melted cheese and 1/2 cup guacamole, about 1 cup of fried hash browns

WORKOUT MONDAY 10/18/10

Equipment: Rowing

Machine, several weight-resistance machines

Intensity (1 to 7): 6

Length: 45 minutes total (22 minutes cardio, including cool-down)

Calories burned (cardio): 275
Additional exercises: 12 various weight-resistance machines, 2 sets each of 15 reps; 2 circuits, no rest

TUESDAY 10/19/10 DIET LOG

9:30 a.m. Six mini-quiches

12:30 p.m. one beef empanada, tablespoon sour cream

6:00 p.m. meal at work: large sloppy joe sandwich and about 12 tater tots

WORKOUT TUESDAY 10/19/10

Equipment: God-Forsaken exercise bike

Intensity (1 to 7): 5

Length: 23.5 minutes, including cool-down

Calories burned (cardio): 200

Imaginary miles pedaled: 8.5 - same imaginary distance as on 10/8, but 8.5 minutes less

WEDNESDAY 10/20/10 DIET LOG

9:00 a.m. Six mini-quiches (the three-year-old mooched one), 1 cup orange juice

1:00 p.m. one beef empanada

7:00 p.m. Tilapia w/ jumbo lump crabmeat, seasoned broccoli, carrots, squash, 12 ounces soda, at Outback for The Wife's birthday

NO WORKOUT WEDNESDAY 10/20/10

Body Guy and The Rambler

None of us are one-dimensional people.

In a categorical sense, my main purpose for this blog may be weight loss, or health/fitness, but I consider myself - or at least, I strive to be - a well-rounded person. I want to get a little of everything out of life, so I hope to give this blog a little taste of everything I experience - a personal touch - and hopefully, along the way, something resonates. It's really about lifestyle, after all, and everything within your lifestyle is interrelated in some way.

When I'm writing this blog, I don't wanna be Body Guy. Everyone who's been in a fitness center, or has a coworker who spends hours a day in the gym, knows who I'm talking about. Body Guy is "that" guy who wants you to know exactly how much weight he can bicep curl or bench press in a single rep, and how many clients he personally trained this week. His daily conversations are peppered with references to his obliques - or abliques - or whatever muscle group is the feature of the month. Body Guy comes across as kind of one-dimensional, and that's not me.

Nor do I want to be The Rambler. I do like me some writing, OK?. I'll own that. But since I want people to hear what I have to say, I'll respect the fact that nobody wants to read about the shoddy customer service I received at the DMV, or what steps it took to re-tune my piece-of-crap lawnmower back into shape. The Rambler doesn't understand this, and never fails to thrill us with endless cat stories and tales of good times gone by ("This one time, at band camp..."). You know that Facebook friend whose status updates are dominated by phrases like, "Sooo tired today. Thinking about a nap..."? She just might be The Rambler.

Not that I'm any kind of expert, but if you're running a blog, or thinking about starting one, I think these are just a couple of examples of things to avoid. In my experience as a web user, if you want me to read what you write online, you have to be as entertaining as you are informative. Just my two cents. Take it for what it's worth.

After saying all this, I realize now that I've set myself up for failure. Now, I'm gonna have to walk on eggshells not to sound like Body Guy or The Rambler. Maybe now's a good time to cut to the chase...

TUESDAY 10/12/10 DIET LOG

9:00 a.m. homemade breakfast burrito, small, estimated 350 cals
homefries - made with 1/3 potato, 1/3 onion, and about a tablespoon each butter/olive oil, 100 calories - 1 of 3 servings, estimated 100 cals
1 cup orange juice, 120 cals

12:30 p.m. Same salad as yesterday's except added 1/4 cup cheese, 550 cals

4:30 p.m. meal at work - prosciutto, salami, 1 slice melted cheese and tomato on a jumbo toasted hamburger bun, estimated 470 cals

Total: 1590 calories

WORKOUT TUESDAY 10/12/10

Equipment: God-Forsaken Exercise Bike

Intensity (1 to 7): 3 - remind me to explain my rating system

Length: 30 mins

Calories burned: 200
Imaginary miles traveled: 5.0

By the way - thank you to all the folks who've expressed their encouragement, either in person or online. It means alot. I've been flattered to see who all is reading (and responding) outside of the people I normally come in contact with every day. If this keeps up, I should hit 300 pageviews today, Lord willing. That's not 300 readers, necessarily, but 300 times the blog's been clicked on, including readers clicking multiple times.

And keep the comments coming. I know the website wants you to sign up for an account, but I've set it so that you can comment anonymously. This doesn't mean you have to remain anonymous - you can still state your name in the comment. Just so ya know. Marie's anonymous comment yesterday prompted me to start thinking about the subject of temptation. So that's something I'm working on for the future.

Weigh Day

"The first cut is the deepest."

-Cat Stevens

Point of fact: Contrary to popular belief, Cat Stevens - yes, enemy-of-the-state Cat Stevens - wrote this song, not Sheryl Crow.

I haven't the foggiest idea what this means. Does it mean that once someone cuts you, then it's harder for them to cut you deeper 'cause you're looking all around and moving real fast? Or does it mean it's hard to cut through all that scab and puss that accumulated from your first cut?

Maybe it's a metaphor for how sore I am today. Like, you know, the "first cut" is the first big, huge, groundbreaking workout, and you won't ever again be as sore as you are after that.

Or maaaybe, it's the FIVE POUNDS you cut at your first weigh-in on your way to your goal of 30 pounds by the age of 30?!?

Five pounds? Completely not what I was expecting. I'm curbing my enthusiasm.

For one, I've had intense workouts the last couple of days and some of that has to be water weight. Admittedly, I haven't been focusing on or keeping track of water intake. Also, if you've watched "The Biggest Loser" for several seasons like I have, you know it's always lots of weight lost up front, followed by a gradual return to an equilibrium.

Another concern I have, looking at my diet logs for the past few days, is that I may not be getting enough calories. I was shooting for under 2,000/day, and I'm averaging somewhere around 1,500. Maybe I should be averaging 2,000/day instead. At least for the time being.

But still... five pounds. That's a far cry from, "if the next couple of days are as good as the last, I think I'll break even for the week."

Back when I started this, I promised some recipes. I forgot to do that. Well, I came up with a simple way to add some grilled chicken to my salad at lunch today...

Starting with some canned chicken - the larger can, 9.75 oz I think - drain and press as much liquid out of the can as possible. Brown chicken in a pan on medium high heat. Takes less than five minutes. Before it starts browning, I add a touch of olive oil (a teaspoon at most) and sprinkle with Liquid Smoke (no cupboard is complete without it). Makes four, 60 calorie servings, but this is meat we're talking about. Make it a double.

This tastes like grilled chicken, but saves time thawing out frozen chicken, prepping the grill, and dicing it after it's cooked. I always have some sort of canned meat in the cabinet, because you never know when you're gonna need some quick protein. Probably would work with canned tuna or salmon as well.

MONDAY 10/11/10 DIET LOG

9:00 a.m. homemade breakfast burrito, smaller than yesterday's... only 1/2 a tortilla and slightly less filling, 1 cu orange juice, 1/2 of a toasted hot dog bun (plain), estimated 500 cals

12:00 p.m. Large salad, same as yesterday's except added some chicken, 420 cals

8:45 p.m. a 6 oz slice of lasagna, plus one slice of garlic toast from the supermarket freezer section, estimated 500 cals

Total: 1420 calories

WORKOUT MONDAY 10/11/10

Equipment: Rowing machine, Life Fitness weight assisted dip/chin machine

Intensity (1 to 7): 5

Length: 37 mins total (32 mins cardio)

Calories burned (cardio): 325

Additional: 3 sets each of 10 assisted dips & 10 assisted chin-ups, alternating, no rest

Principles

It's Sunday. A good day for reflection. A good time to think deep. But not too deep, cause there's football on TV.

Have you ever had to compromise your principles, for a good reason? Should we be prepared to do so, in case the need arises?

Many folks think of principles along religious/moral lines - and those are important. But I think we use principles anywhere there's a consequence we want to avoid.

We learn to protect ourselves from ourselves starting at an early age. Growing up, our lack of understanding can get us into real trouble, so we're told, "don't talk to strangers," or "eat all your vegetables," or "stay away from the power lines." What? That was just me? Oh...

As we mature, so many things aren't so clear-cut. We've gotta decide on our own where to draw the line, and - to make matters worse - sometimes that line moves depending on the situation. We can start talking to a few strangers. We can avoid some vegetables. We can occasionally play near the power lines. As we become accustomed to certain situations, we can use moderation, rather than principle, as our guide.

So, let's say I'm invited to your house for dinner, and unbeknownst to me, you just happen to be a breaditarian. You only eat junk, plain and simple. Stuff that I'm clearly trying to avoid on my diet. So you serve up a menu worthy of a booth at the Texas State Fair: cheese fries, hushpuppies, and deep-fried butter.

Now, if I'm sticking to principle and not eating any of this stuff, then A) I'm depriving myself of calories that I need to continue burning fat (I haven't eaten anything since noon and I won't be leaving your house until 10 p.m.), B) I may be doing a disrespectful thing by coming into your home and refusing your hospitality, and C) Those cheese fries do look pretty good, and I might just build them up in my mind to something greater than they actually are, if I keep them entirely off-limits.

But with moderation as my rule of thumb, I already know what a sensible portion size is, because I've faced this challenge before and I can get only the calories I need for maintaining metabolism. I can pretty well figure out when enough is enough (the Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility says I wouldn't have really enjoyed eating much more, anyway).

Now, for another example of sacrificing principles in favor of moderation. Let's say you started a fitness blog. In this blog you vowed brashly, "There will be nothing professional at all about this weight loss plan." Just for argument's sake, let's say a week later, your friend, who's got some professional experience on his resume as a personal trainer, invites you over to work out with him, and is very helpful and encouraging, in addition to providing additional accountability toward meeting your goals.

So you have to ask yourself - is it really worth it to throw away this huge advantage, simply to hold onto a sense of prideful independence and avoid having to rewrite your blog's ill-advised mission statement? I'll give you a hint - the answer is no.

All that to say this: I got my butt kicked this morning. In fact, that workout was so wonderfully painful, I can only make up new words to describe it... Destructionary. Revolutionative. Brutalicious. Murderiffic. The kind of workout that makes you glad you didn't waste time eating breakfast, because you probably would have lost it.

I don't know if this guy has a personal website (He does have a name - I'm just withholding it to protect the innocent), but I'm reserving a space to link to that website, should he decide to start it. Good times were had by all. I won't bore you with excruciating detail about the exercise science involved. I'll just sum it all up in my own words below.

WORKOUT SUNDAY 10/10/10

Equipment: Kettle Bell, Sneakers, Muscles

Intensity (1 to 7): 6

Length: Just under 30 minutes total (15 mins & 45 secs, followed by 5 min rest, then another 14 mins)

Description: Basically a circuit (completed twice & timed) consisting of: snatching a 25-pound kettle bell from the ground (set of 15); squatting with no additional weight (set of 25); bear crawling about 30 feet; 10 push-ups; 15 sit-ups; 15 leg raises; & about a quarter-mile jog uphill and back down (using the term "jog" about as liberally as possible).

SUNDAY DIET LOG:

9:30 a.m. homemade breakfast burrito containing 1 egg, 1.5 slice bacon, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/2 cup hash browns, 1 oz green chile sauce with pork, 1 medium tortilla, estimated 500 cals

1:30 p.m. large salad containing 4 cups green salad mix, small handful croutons, 1 egg-boiled/sliced, 1/4 tomato, 1/6 cucumber, 1 tablespoon bacon bits, 1.5 tablespoon honey bacon & french salad dressing, estimated 300 cals

5:30 p.m. 3 oz. piece of hamburger steak, 2 KFC grilled chicken thighs, 1/4 cup green beans, 1/4 cup ramen noodle salad, 1 deviled egg (half-egg), at church picnic, estimated 650 cals

Total: 1450 cals

Saturday Night's Alright for Blogging

Quick update before bed. No workout today. Spent all morning working a golf tournament, all afternoon trying desperately to stay focused on my school project while football was on (I'm really behind on this thing), and worked all evening.

That's ok, though. Thursday and Friday were good progress, and I have something really special planned for in the morning. For all you "Biggest Loser" fans, you might call it my "last chance" workout. Stay Tuned.

8:30 a.m. Two eggs (scrambled), two strips of bacon, coffee with 1 tablespoon creamer, and 1 cup orange juice, 415 cals

12:00 p.m. Got a regular Chick-Fil-A sandwich at the golf tourney, spread about 1 tablespoon cream cheese on it (who does that?), threw away the bun and ate the chicken. Asking questions really does nobody any good. 235 cals

2:00 p.m. 1 banana, 75 cals

3:00 p.m. 1 orange, 85 cals

5:30 p.m. 4 oz. filet, leftover from last night, and about 1 new potato, chopped and roasted in olive oil, 410 cals

8:00 p.m about 1/4 cup each ground beef and black beans, cold, leftover from meal at work, 210 cals

Total: 1330 calories

Back in the Saddle Again

Bless me father, for I have sinned. It's been one week since my last blog post.

This blog should be updated at least every other day, if not daily. That's a serious undertaking when you're as long-winded as I write. It was intended to provide accountability, but it doesn't serve its purpose if I go a week without revealing what's going on.

So let me update you. I'm foregoing work on a major class project and preparation for a Monday mid-term exam in order to do this. We all have to make sacrifices.

Last Saturday was the fateful encounter with the Great Wall of Chinese (see previous post). Then, the shoulder injury kept me out of the gym for several days. But, like they used to say back in my rodeo days: "You get bucked off, you get right back on."

P.S. - I was never in a rodeo. I've scarcely even sat on a horse. I'm not even sure that quote is accurate.

I only kept track of my eating for the last couple of days (see below for details). However, I managed to string together two serious workouts for the first time in months (also see below). Overall, if the next couple of days are as good as the last, I think I'll break even for the week. By the way, the week ends Sunday, so I'll try to give a weight gain/loss update on Monday. All this to say, my expectation at this point is no change, but that would be a win, given where I've been.

It's looking like my best chance to work out is gonna be first thing in the morning. For some people I know, 10am is first thing in the morning. But for real-life people like me, that means getting up at 6. I'm not expected to be anywhere until 9am. Hopefully, I was in bed by midnight the night before. And it's just gonna make for a better overall quality of life if I start my day like this. So... let's just go with what seems to be working. Here's my proposed routine:

The alarm clock is set for 6am. First thing's first - gotta have my coffee. So I stumble into the kitchen and get that going.

Now, this is gonna sound stupid, but I have to shower before I work out. No, not because I wanna look good for the ladies while I'm sweating it out, but because when I haven't showered, my face is greasy. And when my face is greasy, I can't wear my glasses, because they slip down my nose, and that's just gross. And if I can't wear my glasses, then I can't drive to go work out. So, a shower is necessary, even if it adds 15 minutes to my departure time.

Food is another necessity. Calories. I re-learned this on Thursday, trying to go on an empty stomach. I don't recommend it. Trying desperately not to wake anyone else up, carefully I slip through the house and do my preparations. Coffee, check. Shower, check. Calories, check. On with the sneakers, and off to the campus rec center. Workout starts approximately 7 a.m.

I hate exercise bikes. That seat's always just so darn uncomfortable. Especially when you're fat. They don't really go anywhere, like a real bike. Plus, they don't give me the same sense of "working out" that I get with the rowing machine, or the elliptical, or even the treadmill. Either I get on an easy setting and spin my feet without much effort, or I get on a harder setting and my thighs burn so much I can't go long enough to get a good cardio workout.

This is not just an out-of-shape thing. Even when I was in great shape, I hated the exercise bike. The only reasons I keep getting on those things are A) I don't have a real bike, and B) the irrational, recurring nightmare/fantasy of someday being chased by something or someone terrible, and I'm losing the chase, but suddenly out of nowhere appears a bicycle, and somehow through my years of imaginary bicycling, I've gained the ability to outrun my pursuer and flee to safety. That's really the only reason I use the exercise bike.

I'm starting out with a 20-30 minute cardio workout, and every other day I'm gonna do some strength-building stuff. Until I feel comfortable in the gym again, the strength-building is mostly gonna be upper-body... crunches, dips, chin-ups - maybe some neck, back, or bicep/tricep stuff, if I feel froggy.

The cardio is gonna vary with whatever I feel like doing at the time. Rowing seems to be the best bang for my buck. Although, with the elliptical machines, I get to watch ESPN, and that's not a bad deal. Also, there's the exercise bikes.

WORKOUT THURSDAY 10/7/10

Equipment: Star-Trac Elliptical Machine

Intensity (1 to 7): 4

Length: 25 minutes

Calories Burned: 230

WORKOUT FRIDAY 10/8/10

Equipment: God-Forsaken Exercise Bike

Intensity (1 to 7): 5

Length: 32 minutes (including cool-down)

Calories Burned: 225

Imaginary miles pedaled: 8.5 miles

Additional exercises: 3 sets each of 10 assisted dips, assisted chin-ups, and crunches

Here's what I've decided about diet. I've got to take more responsibility for planning for meals. If I'm positive I can eat at work, then I'll count on it, but when in doubt eat first.

I'm just focusing on cutting down to under 2,000 calories, for now. This might take the form of three, 500-700 calorie meals, or it might be four, 300-500 calorie meals, depending on what's available at home, work, school, etc. I'm not always in the same place when it's time to eat, so this is still sort of up in the air.

As discussed in the first post, I'm going for low-calorie, but high "satiety", or appetite satisfaction. Some examples can be found here. I'm also leaning toward non-processed foods, lean meats, and high-fiber. Keep in mind, I'm not making strict rules at this point, but in the future I reserve the right to start doing so. The main thing right now is, don't eat over 2,000 calories. Period.

Here's the eating journal for the past two days. Not an exact science, but I'm being pretty conservative, rounding up with the unknowns, and doing due diligence with the internets to be as accurate as possible:

THURSDAY

9:00 a.m. 6 "mini-quiches" from the freezer, 360 cals

1:00 p.m. 1/2 serving of Pork Lo Mein, leftovers from Wok Hay, 625 cals (tried emailing Wok Hay for nutritional info, but estimated based on limited info I could find online since no response)

5:00 p.m. 1/2 cup homemade chili, with 1/4 cup shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons sour cream, and small handful Frito chips, 450 cals

Total: 1435 calories

FRIDAY

8:00 a.m. 6 "mini-quiches" from the freezer, 360 cals

12:00 p.m. 2 tortilla roll-ups, one with chicken salad, one with hummus and bean sprouts, 1/4 cup mixed fruit, 1 cup pasta salad, estimated 500 cals

3:00 p.m. 3 tortilla roll-ups, two with chicken salad, one with hummus and bean sprouts, 1/2 cup pasta salad, estimated 370 cals

7:00 p.m. salad with 1 tablespoon honey bacon & french dressing, 4 oz filet, 1 new potato roasted in olive oil, estimated 450 cals

Total: 1680 calories