GUILTY PLEASURE

guilty pleasure

Something that you shouldn't like, but like anyway.

'JACK IN THE BOX' tacos every now and then is a guilty pleasure for me.

Although I have been slipping backwards for the past few weeks in my battles with my weight, I still take pride in the fact that I have stayed away from Burger King and McDonald's since December 24, 2014.  For many people, this would hardly be an accomplishment. For me, it was life-changing. Back in the 'bad-old-days' of being 309 lbs, I used to eat at either of these two establishments approximately one dozen times per week. Breakfasts. Lunches. Dinners. Bacon Egg Cheese Bagels. Double Cheeseburgers, Quarter Pounders with cheese. Big Macs. McChickens. Whoppers. High on calories. Low on nutrition. I have not eaten any of this for more than two years. To be clear, I did enjoy this food. I even expect that if I had a Big Mac or Whopper again, I would enjoy it. That is precisely why I don't tempt myself. I no longer think about this food. And I don't want to think about it.

This week while I was in Missouri, I did eat something that I used to enjoy 45 years ago when I was a teenager living in Long Island. Jack in the Box tacos. I know that Jack in the Box tacos are not particularly healthy. However, since Jack in the Box restaurants are not nearly as ubiquitous in my normal travels, I was not concerned about developing a new bad habit. It was just a guilty pleasure this week.

Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Quaker - Instant Oatmeal- Maple	800	160	10	20	1,300	60
	800	160	10	20	1,300	60
L U N C H
Jack In the Box - Taco, 4 taco	760	68	44	24	1,280	12
	760	68	44	24	1,280	12
D I N N E R
Caseys - Turkey Club Wrap	400	43	15	22	1,343	0
	400	43	15	22	1,343	0
S N A C K S
Starbucks - Reduced Fat Turkey Bacon	230	28	6	13	560	3
Powerbar - Protein Plus Bar Vanilla	210	27	5	20	130	14
	440	55	11	33	690	17
Totals	2,400	326	80	99	4,613	89
Your Daily Goal	2,044	255	68	103	2,300	76
Remaining	-356	-71	-12	4	-2,313	-13
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 114 extra calories from exercise today

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THANKSGIVING

Good Morning, Today is Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Perhaps many of you will be eating a traditional Turkey today.  Whether or not you do, you might consider starting your day will a bowl of ice cream.  I know that I am 'smart enough' to believe the veracity of this news story which I have duplicated below.

This story is from 'The Telegraph' in the UK.
www.telegraph.co.uk

Ice cream for breakfast makes you smarter, Japanese scientist claims

Smart choice: Could ice cream have been the key to Boris Johnson's success while campaigning for Vote Leave?

By Julian Ryalll, Tokyo and James Rothwell

23 NOVEMBER 2016 • 2:52PM

In a discovery that will give nutritionists the shivers, a Japanese scientist has discovered that consuming ice cream for breakfast improves a person's alertness and mental performance.

Yoshihiko Koga, a professor at Tokyo's Kyorin University, has carried out a series of clinical trials in which test subjects were required to eat ice cream immediately after waking up. 

They were then put through a series of mental exercises on a computer.

Compared to a group that had not eaten ice cream, Prof Koga's subjects exhibited faster reaction times and better information-processing capabilities, the Excite News web site reported.

Monitoring of the subjects' brain activity revealed an increase in high-frequency alpha waves, which are linked to elevated levels of alertness and reduced mental irritation.

To examine the possibility that the test subjects' reactions were simply the result of the brain being shocked into higher levels of alertness by the low temperature of the ice cream, Prof Koga repeated the experiment with cold water instead of ice cream.

Test subjects who drank cold water did display a degree of increased alertness and mental capacity, although the levels were markedly lower than among subjects who started the day with ice cream. 

Prof Koga is a specialist in psychophysiology, with his studies including looking into links between certain types of food and reduced stress. 

Another area of study is the connection between different foods and their impact on the ageing process.

Prof Koga is continuing his research and has yet to determine a firm connection between the mental boost delivered by ice cream and a specific ingredient, while another explanation may lie in the sense that ice cream is a treat that triggers positive emotions and added energy.

British nutritionists have reacted with some skepticism to Dr Koga's findings.

"A possible explanation [for increased alertness[... is the simple presence of consuming breakfast vs. not consuming breakfast," said Katie Barfoot, a Nutritional Psychology Doctoral Researcher at Reading University. 

Dimitri Panciera, the world record holder for most ice cream scoops balanced on a cone CREDIT:  RICHARD BRADBURY

"Our brain needs glucose to function, and a high glucose meal will aid mental capacity considerably compared to a fasted brain.

"This, however, does not condone eating dessert for breakfast. A study which explores the interaction between consumption of low and high GI foods, whilst including a fasted group, would establish a better understanding of this increased mental capacity."

There has already been some scientific research into why ice cream may have a positive mental effect on those who eat it.

In 2005, neuroscientists at the Institute of Psychiatry in London scanned the brains of test subjects as they ate vanilla ice cream and saw immediate results. 

The study found that eating ice cream activated the same "pleasure spots" of the brain that are lit up by winning money, or listening to a favourite piece of music.

"This is the first time that we've been able to show that ice cream makes you happy," Unilever spokesman Don Darling said at the time.

"Just one spoonful lights up the happy zones of the brain in clinical trials."

It's not the first time a study has suggested a high-calorie "dessert" could be better eaten in the morning, either - a 2012 study found that eating chocolate cake for breakfast could help you lose weight. 

This news story ends with an even more preposterous assumption - that eating chocolate cake for breakfast could help you lose weight?  Here's what I want to know.  Where is this universe where this is true?  I think I might like to live there.

* * * * * * * * * *

Yesterday was a day where I needed to finish up my root canal on one of my teeth. I walked to the dentists office, and afterwards continued walking so that when my urban hike was concluded, I had logged 16 miles. 

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Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Essential Everyday - Butter Flavored Grits	600	126	6	12	2,040	6
Dunkin Donuts Bavarian Creme 1 donut	270	31	15	4	350	9
	870	157	21	16	2,390	15
L U N C H
Kikka - Salmon and Avocado Roll, 8 pieces	350	66	5	11	1,270	24
	350	66	5	11	1,270	24
D I N N E R
Homemade - Bean and Cheese Burrito	700	95	28	36	0	0
	700	95	28	36	0	0
S N A C K S
ENERGY CHOCOLATE ALMOND CHIP	330	48	18	9	30	36
SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS	200	29	11	3	0	23
Little Debbie - Banana Twins, 5 cakes	650	103	25	5	350	63
	1,180	180	54	17	380	122
Totals	3,100	498	108	80	4,040	161
Your Daily Goal	5,889	736	196	295	2,300	220
Remaining	2,789	238	88	215	-1,740	59
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 3,959 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 186.2 lbs in 5 weeks.

       Your Exercise Diary for:

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
16 MILE DAYTIME URBAN HIKE	222	2,971
6 MILE NIGHTTIME URBAN HIKE	84	1,119
Add Exercise Quick Tools
Daily Total / Goal	306 / 30	4,090 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	747 / 210	9,324 / 4,130

IT'S A WRAP

I get into habit of doing the same thing over and over again. Likewise I get in the habit of eating the same thing over and over again. (I was the guy who could eat at McDonald's and/or Burger King three times per day every day when I was on the road - in my previous life.) Lately, I have gotten into the habit of ordering a Subway footlong Steak sandwich. This is convenient as there are lot of Subway shops around America. Yesterday, I tried something for the first time at CASEY'S.  Turns out, there are a lot of CASEY'S around America too. I tried the CHICKEN WRAP. It was extremely tasty.

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I don't worry about the Sodium, which may be to high for some... sometimes I am lacking in Protein, so this meal will be a good option for me.

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My wrap was filling and delicious. I think I might be eating a lot more wraps in the days and weeks to come... You probably will not find one of these stores in Manhattan, or Chicago or Los Angeles....but Casey's are everywhere in the midwest where I travel.

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This information comes directly from the Casey's website...

In 1959, Founder Don Lamberti leased a store from his father on East 14th and Broadway in Des Moines, Iowa. After nine years of operating this old country store, which he remodeled into a convenience store, Don's gas supplier and friend Kurvin C. Fish, suggested that Don buy the Square Deal Oil Company.

Don followed his advice and purchased the service station with a three-bay garage in Boone, Iowa. Using the knowledge from his store in Des Moines, Don converted the gas station into a convenience store. The Boone store was named "Casey's" by using Kurvin C. Fish's initials.

The third store was built in another small community with a population of only 1,500 - Waukee, Iowa. This was the first Casey's built totally from scratch and proved to be the best store yet. At this point, Don realized he was on to something and decided to establish the stores in communities with a population of 5,000 or less.

Through the years, Casey's success has been attributed to our clean stores, restrooms, and the friendly employees who pride themselves in customer service. Casey's customers have come to know that inside each store they will find dedicated, helpful, and well-trained employees, exceptional prepared food items, and a clean environment in which to shop.

Corporate Stores: 1931 as of 05/2016

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After a rather active weekend, I was happy just to log 99 minutes on the treadmill, at 4.36mph, and walking an 'imaginary' 7.19 miles.

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Your Food Diary For:

Monday, July 18, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Johnsonville - Polish Kielbasa Link, 1 link	200	3	17	7	640	1
Omelette - 3-egg Omelette With Cheese	400	0	20	26	611	1
Nugo - Mint Chocolate Chip, 1 bar	200	29	5	10	160	14
	800	32	42	43	1,411	16
L U N C H
Salt & Pepper Pistachios, 1 package	100	5	9	4	180	1
Take 5 - Candy Bar, 1 package (2 bars)	200	25	11	4	180	18
Casey's - Grilled Chicken Wrap, 1 Wrap	474	43	16	38	1,579	0
	774	73	36	46	1,939	19
D I N N E R
Homemade - Lasagna	600	40	19	30	790	16
Homemade - Ham Wrapped Asparagus	150	3	3	25	0	0
	750	43	22	55	790	16
S N A C K S
Fiber One - Calorie Brownie, 3 brownie	270	54	9	3	270	21
	270	54	9	3	270	21
Totals	2,594	202	109	147	4,410	72
Your Daily Goal	2,831	354	94	142	2,300	106
Remaining	237	152	-15	-5	-2,110	34
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 901 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 214.6 lbs in 5 weeks.


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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Monday, July 18, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
MATRIX TREADMILL	99	966
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-65
Daily Total / Goal	100 / 30	901 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	100 / 210	901 / 4,130

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IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION...

Aaaaaargh!  First there was the time a few months back when my Mom read my blog and questioned why I had so much liquor the previous night. I had to explain to her that they were 'L'chaims' enjoyed at the Chabad House which are not part of some ordinary drinking binge in a van down by the river.

Last night Mom 'struck' again. But this time I know she is right. My Mom wrote to me and told me that she brought her Kindle with her when she saw her chiropractor just to show off my somewhat dramatic before/after pictures. Since, my daily blog also records what I have been eating, the chiropractor could immediately see that I was not eating enough protein on a daily basis. Not to be stupid about it, but could this be the cause of my very slight anemia? Sure seems possible. So the recommendation is that I seek the a nutritionist for advice. Ok, Mom, I am talking to you: I will do it. And I won't wait six months. But I may not get to it this week. And that's all I want to say on this matter right now. 😀

and even if you are too old to ask... you are never too old to be told even without asking! 😀

I have lost my enthusiasm to post my food diary from yesterday. Although it was somewhat low in calories. It is another example of a protein deficient diet. I have work to do. In fact, I see a New Year's Resolution in the making...  For months now, I have been aware that I have developed some new unhealthy eating habits despite my progress on the scale. I am going to address this next year.

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Your Food Diary For:

Monday, December 28, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Essential Everyday - Raisins (20 Oz), 1 cup (40g)	520	124	0	4	40	116
Fruit - Medium Apple, 2 Apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	710	174	1	5	44	154
L U N C H
libby's - Sweet Corn, 1.75 cup	210	32	5	7	700	25
Earthbound Farm - Baby Spinach, Organic, 3 oz	20	3	0	2	65	0
Roundy's - Canned Mixed Garden Vegetables, 1 3/4 cup	123	25	0	4	1,470	11
	353	59	5	13	2,235	35
D I N N E R
Dynasty - Cut Baby Corn, 7.5 oz drained	50	8	0	3	475	0
Campbells Home Style Soup - Italian Wedding Soup, 2.5 cup	250	33	6	15	1,025	10
	300	40	6	18	1,500	10
S N A C K S
Quaker - Instant Oatmeal-original, 112 g	400	76	8	16	300	0
rice krispies treats - Rice Krispies, 2 bar	180	34	4	2	210	16
	580	110	12	18	510	16
Totals	1,943	383	24	53	4,289	215
Your Daily Goal	3,643	455	121	183	2,300	136
Remaining	1,700	72	96	130	-1,989	-79
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,713 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Monday, December 28, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL	92	1,699
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	14
Daily Total / Goal	93 / 30	1,713 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	93 / 210	1,713 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 1943 calories

total calories (92 minutes elliptical) 1699 calories

total net calories 244 calories

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fitbit day 116
12592 steps

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AN AMAZINGLY STUPID WAY TO SPEND $1.50

Yesterday, March 18, was the 85th day since I made a snap decision to reverse the direction of my life with regards to my overall health.  Eighty-five days have passed and I have managed to avoid any sweet treats.  I have committed to eating breakfast, lunch and dinner...and that's it.  I have not had a snack in nearly 3 months. A couple of things continue to amaze me about this - and that is, that I am not craving anything in this arena.  I do not plan to go through the rest of my life completely avoiding chocolate.  I do not plan to go through the rest of my life never having a snack. Nevertheless, for the past 85 days, I have not even snacked on a healthy fruit, vegetable or nut.  I was a guy, who is embarrassed to admit that I might have had 5 or 6 different high calories snacks in any given day prior to December 24.  And I don't know, maybe I had more - I am sure that I did not have too many less.

A quick snack that costs just $1.50 - the cost to your health is exorbitant.

'nutritional' information for the 'Little Debbie' CRUNCH DONUTS

'nutritional' information for the 'Little Debbie'  NUTTY BARS

Although I have not had any cravings for all the cakes, cookies, and chocolate bars that I was eating seemingly 24 hours per day, I do occasionally pick up one of these snacks to examine their 'nutritional information.'  (Nutritional information for a chocolate bar is an oxymoron if there ever was one.)

Yesterday, while shopping I passed a display of 'Little Debbie' brand snacks.  Each of the two 'treats' was priced at just 75 cents each.   The two snacks together would set you back just $1.50. That would be a very expensive $1.50 with regard to all those empty calories.

NUTTY BARS                  460 CALORIES      CARBS 49 GRAMS      SUGARS 30 GRAMS 

CRUNCH DONUTS         380 CALORIES      CARBS 55 GRAMS      SUGARS 30 GRAMS

TOTAL BOTH ITEMS   840 CALORIES     CARBS 104 GRAMS   SUGARS 60 GRAMS

840 CALORIES!   THIS IS VERY CLOSE TO THE TOTAL THAT I HAVE BEEN CONSUMING EACH DAY FOR THE PAST 85 DAYS!  In fact, yesterday, I had breakfast lunch and dinner and consumed only 860 calories.

As you can see, this is an amazingly stupid way to spend $1.50,  and yet I used to do it all the time.  I can not change history, but I can chart the course of my future.

The mystery is NOT how I became 309 lbs - the mystery is how I didn't become 400 lbs.

I am a lucky man.  I am lucky that I stopped eating like this before it was too late.

I will take the advice of both of my brothers.  They are both fit, thin, and healthy.  They both will have a chocolate or sweet treat from time to time.  But they make it count. They eat the finest chocolates and gourmet desserts.  I do not think either one of my brothers has eaten a snack like a 'Little Debbie' in at least a decade, most likely even longer.

WEDNESDAY MENU

breakfast  SUBWAY SUNRISE MELT (turkey, ham, bacon & egg wrap)    240 calories

lunch        PANERA  cup turkey chili, 1/2 smoked turkey breast sandwich   410 calories

dinner       SUBWAY double chicken spinach salad w/tomato & onion         220 calories

total calories consumed   860 calories

CALORIES BURNED

630AM  SUPER 8 ELLIPTICAL MACHINE  40 minutes     553 calories

Wednesday Net Calories    307 calories

PANERA BREAD 1/2 SANDWICH & SALAD

 CUP TURKEY CHILI & 1/2 SMOKED TURKEY BREAST SANDWICH

410 CALORIES