Showing posts with label salad. Show all posts

Sunday, January 26, 2020

VEGETARIAN SALAD - YEAH, I WON'T BE DOING THAT AGAIN

I was a bit experimental on Saturday at Whole Foods - I hand-selected some low calorie vegetarian treats from the self-serve salad bar. Yeah, I won't be doing that again. Just not that satisfying.
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Sunday, August 5, 2018

6

I woke up on Saturday, which will be Day 6 of my re-energized willpower campaign to reverse the course of my recent fat-building lifestyle into a fat-burning lifestyle. So, it has only been FIVE DAYS as of Saturday morning, that I made this change.

Weight loss can happen fast. Never quite as fast as weight gain. But fast, nevertheless.

I stepped on the scale and whereas the last time I saw 277.6 I was disgusted.

This time I saw 277.6 and I was very pleased.

In just five days, I have dropped SIX POUNDS.
It was not my imagination that the trousers I had been wearing lately fit better.
They are still a stupefying 46 inch waist.
AT LEAST THEY ARE NO LONGER UNCOMFORTABLY TIGHT!

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Sadly my fitbit is long gone, lost but not forgotten... Still my iphone somehow claims to monitor my motion and steps... and I did walk back and forth to Wrigley Field yesterday... so the 5 miles makes sense

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

NEWEST CHICAGO WHOLE FOODS STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE

I have a few favorite supermarkets: Hy-Vee, Mariano's, Kroger, Fresh Thyme, and Whole Foods. So many people who I speak to always tell me how difficult it must be for me to eat on the road. It can be difficult. However, during the past 15 months I have discovered that there are plenty of places to make a great salad - and it is these types of markets that offer that option. The newest Whole Foods that will open some time in 2017 is finally starting to take shape at the triple corners of Ashland/Lincoln/Belmont Avenues in Chicago. This two story structure will be the second largest Whole Foods in Chicago. Basically, it is moving across the street from a much smaller store which has been in the neighborhood since 1996. A few months back this blog posted a photo of the empty lot. Things are finally starting to take shape (literally).

This is what Chicago's newest Whole Foods looks like now

This is what Chicago's newest Whole Foods will look like in one year

The first time I spoke of this new location was Tuesday, July 7, 2015. The title of that blog post was:
TWO THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2017. Aside from looking forward to a new Whole Foods in 2017, I was speaking about how I was looking forward to a new President in 2017 as well. If Donald Trump gets the nomination for the Republican Party - I will no longer be looking forward to the Presidential Election at all. A November general election between two progressive Democrats will not make me very enthusiastic.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
2 Egg Omelette With Ham and Cheese, 1 Omelette	383	2	21	32	810	2
Kirkland - Pre-Cooked Bacon, 6 slices	240	0	18	18	1,050	0
Homemade - Egg and Cheese Sandwich, 1 sandwich	260	28	11	14	550	2
	883	30	50	64	2,410	4
L U N C H
EARTHBOUND FARM - ORGANIC BABY SPINACH, 85 g (approx 3 oz, two cups)	20	0	0	2	65	0
Louis Kemp - Crab Delights Leg Style, 3 legs (85g)	70	11	0	6	430	1
Roundy's - Sliced Beets, 1/2 cup	40	8	0	1	250	6
Hard Boiled Egg, 1 Large Egg (50 g)	78	1	5	6	62	1
DRIED MANGO SLICES	220	56	0	4	2	40
	428	76	5	19	809	48
D I N N E R
Spaghetti With Meat Sauce	320	84	2	14	0	0
	320	84	2	14	0	0
S N A C K S
Malt O Meal - Honey Nut Scooters	240	48	3	6	420	18
YOGURT PRETZELS	190	28	0	2	180	19
ORGANIC SOY NUTS ROASTED & SALTED	300	21	17	23	105	3
	730	97	20	31	705	40

Totals	2,361	286	76	128	3,924	92
Your Daily Goal	5,753	719	191	288	2,300	215
Remaining	3,392	432	114	160	-1,623	123
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 3,823 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	40	636
PRECOR AMT (ADAPTIVE MOTION TRAINER)	125	2,241
Walking, 5.0 mph	17	638
Walking, 4.0 mph, very brisk pace	17	176
Walking, 5.0 mph	9	137
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-5


Daily Total / Goal	209 / 30	3,823 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	209 / 210	3,823 / 4,130

total calories consumed 2361 calories

total calories burned (elliptical) 3828 calories

total net 1467 calorie defecit

. . . . . . . . . . .

fitbit day 187

30134 steps
. . . . . . . ...

I have been talking about it for weeks now... While I have continued to congratulate myself for maintaining a rigorous adherence to a workout schedule - I have definitely 'dropped the ball' when it comes to curbing my appetite. One problem is that it true that one who works out, increases one's one appetite which can negate the whole point of working out in the first place. But here's the thing. At one point, I will get it together.... and....

It might be a few days before I get this 'bitmoji' thing out of my system....!

Friday, December 11, 2015

WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN...SOMETIMES

I begin today by revisiting a blog post of my from January, earlier this year:

Monday, January 5, 2015

ISAAC NEWTON - LAW OF GRAVITY

Isaac Newton (1642-1726) is credited with this quote: "What goes up, must come down." Who knows if he really did say this or not. We know that it is not inevitable that when one's weight goes up, that it will likely go down. In fact, it is highly unlikely without a massive intervention on oneself. In recent years, gasoline prices have gone up. It was only a few summers ago when it appeared that the gas price was destined to cross the $5.00/gallon barrier. In the past, every time I gassed up, there was an additional expense of at least $3.00 for junk food. Sometimes things do change. I filled my tank yesterday on the way to Cincinnati. I paid the stunning price of $1.659/gallon. My total transaction at the gas station was only $18.00. In recent days, and I expect in the weeks to come, both gas prices and my weight will continue to fall. It is inevitable that gas prices will rise again. It is not inevitable that my weight will rise again. I have already seen that movie and I don't like the ending. This time, I am determined to lose the weight, and learn how to keep it off. Yesterday, I consumed less than 800 calories, and after my dinner I felt full. My stomach is no longer stretched to the limit 24 hours per day. After seven years of eating like a moron, it now seems so easy to have a healthy diet.

As I re-read this post from nearly one year ago, which was written when my new lifestyle had started only one dozen days earlier, I found it amusing that some of my prognostications proved true. For example, at the time of this January 4 blog post, I was a still a whopping 294.5 lbs. (I had lost a grand total of 14.5 lbs - AND I WAS ECSTATIC ABOUT THAT PROGRESS!) I correctly predicted that I would continue to lose weight. My current weight loss as of last Saturday was 94.5 lbs. On the other hand, my prediction that gas prices would continue to fall was a bit optimistic. I do not think that I ever paid as little for gasoline as I did on January 4, 2014. The thing that made me want to revisit this blog post of nearly one year ago is that yesterday, December 10, 2014, I filled my tank at a price of $1.699 per gallon (just a fraction higher than the lowest low that I enjoyed last January) It made me think that it might be time for new predictions. It appears that gas prices again are preparing to find new lows and it appears that my weight is preparing to find new lows. In the course of the year, there was one weigh-in where my scale reported 213.9 lbs on April 25. However, I never approached that low number again all year until right about now. Last Saturday, my weight was 214.5lbs and there remains the possibility that I might record a new low tomorrow. However, weight is a funny thing - it is impossible to gauge where one's weight will be as it can fluctuate 2 or 3 lbs just overnight.

True about many things...but not true about he price of gasoline and certainly not true of one's weight.

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Welcome to Chillicothe, Ohio. I visited a favorite shop in this town today, and I made time afterwards to enjoy a trail. It was the first time in nearly one week that I walked. It was also the first time in a while that I stopped at a Subway and ordered my healthy lunch of choice, as I had for so many weeks earlier this year - Double Chicken Chopped Salad (220 calories)

The entire walk was along a paved bicycle/foot path. I more or less parked in the middle and walked about 2. 5 miles south and then returned to the starting point and then more or less walked another 2.5 miles north and back. When it was all over - I had logged 10 miles. (I am trying to wean myself away from the 'need' to walk 10 miles every day. I expect to mix it up a bit in the coming weeks, with visits to the elliptical machine, and perhaps walks of 'only' five miles as well. I enjoyed another day when I consumed reduced calories, and managed to eat fairly well.
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Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
FARM FRESH EGG-LAND'S. BEST - GRADE A EGG LARGE, 1 egg	60	0	4	6	65	0
Quaker - Instant Original Flavor Oatmeal, 4 pack	400	76	8	16	300	0
Tropicana - Orange Juice - 100% Juice, 8 fl oz	110	27	0	2	15	22
Morningstar Farms - Sausage Patty, 1 patty	80	3	3	10	260	1
	650	106	15	34	640	23
L U N C H
Subway - Double Chicken Chop Salad, 425 g	220	10	5	36	490	4
	220	10	5	36	490	4
D I N N E R
Panera - TURKEY CHILI BOWL, 1 bowl	280	34	12	20	1,070	9
PANERA BREAD - SMOKED TURKEY SANDWICH, 1/2 SANDWICH	220	34	2	16	890	2
Panera - Apple, 1 apple	80	21	0	0	0	15
	580	89	14	36	1,960	26
S N A C K S
Lunchables - Turkey and Cheddar Fixed, 1 package	260	22	13	12	670	5
	260	22	13	12	670	5

Totals	1,710	227	47	118	3,760	58
Your Daily Goal	3,708	463	123	186	2,300	139
Remaining	1,998	236	76	68	-1,460	81
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,778 extra calories from exercise today

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	132	1,950
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-172


Daily Total / Goal	133 / 30	1,778 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	266 / 210	3,264 / 4,130

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

total calories consumed 1710 calories

total calories burned (10 mile walk) 1950 calories

total net calories 240 calorie deficit

.....................

fitbit day 99

26304 steps
.....................
It took me all week to put together one day with a high step total. I stepped more yesterday, than I had on the three previous days combined!
steps Monday 5060
steps Tuesday 5043
steps Wednesday 15469
total steps Monday thru Wednesday 25572
Today, Friday, will be a travel day from Columbus, Ohio back home to Chicago - I am likely looking at another step-challenged day...

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

BACK HOME

After a attending a successful tradeshow and eating out each night at extremely nice restaurants, it becomes an extra joy to just be home and eat a home cooked meal. My wife, makes a great salad and piles on different healthy, low calorie items - hearts of palm, tomato, mushrooms, beets and artichoke hearts on spinach topped off with delicious zero calorie dressing. It is a fabulous treat and it never fails to satisfy.

BIG SALAD, Trader Joe's turkey burger, potato pancake, zucchini, miso soup 440 calories

The nice thing about my meals prepared at home is that I almost always add a soup. My needs are so uncomplicated. I don't require fancy recipes. I can be made happy with a turkey burger (like I had last night) or a salmon burger or a piece of fish or a piece of meat. I do think that I am lucky that satisfaction from the dinner plate comes easily to me.

MONDAY MENU

breakfast pear, two apples, 28 almonds 382 calories

lunch PANERA BREAD smoked turkey breast 1/2 sandwich, soba noodle soup 610 calories

dinner BIG SALAD, MISO SOUP, TRADER JOE's TURKEY BURGER

potato pancake, zucchini 440 calories

SNACK one DEWAR'S on the rocks (at birthday farhbrengen of a dear friend) 70 calories

total calories consumed 1502 calories

calories burned

1AM elliptical 45 minutes 450 calories

MONDAY NET CALORIES 1052 calories

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Thursday, May 7, 2015

CHICAGO HISTORY FAIR

CHICAGO HISTORY FAIR continues today in Springfield, Illinois

Springfield, lllinois

Illinois History Fair Expo Information

The Illinois History Fair Expo will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield. Students whose paper and/or project was sent to regionals will get to attend the Expo.

Students whose paper and/or project received a superior at regionals will advance to state (Expo). Paper awards will be given that day at 10:30. Projects will be judged again and there will be a public viewing from 1:00-2:30. Awards for projects will be presented at 2:45.

This is why we are here today in Springfield. My daughter, Sara, representing Lincoln Elementary School, wrote a paper for 'history fair' which has advanced to the state level. The paper is titled: SWEET HOME CHICAGO: How Chicago Became the Candy Capital of the World. Today is a big day. No matter what happens next, my daughter has had a terrific accomplishment.

WEDNESDAY MENU

breakfast two apples, two cups instant oatmeal 420 calories

lunch HUGE SPINACH SALAD HYVEE GROCERY STORE, w/tomato, cucumber, beets

mushroom, onions, turkey, ham, chicken, imitatation crab leg & zero calorie dressing

28 ALMONDS 670 calories

dinner HUGE SPINACH SALAD HYVEE GROCERY STORE, w/tomato, cucumber, beets

mushroom, onions, turkey, ham, chicken, imitation crab leg & zero calorie dressin 500 calories

TOTAL CALORIC CONSUMPTION 1590 CALORIES

calories burned

YMCA elliptical 40 minutes 415 calories

WEDNESDAY NET CALORIES 1175 CALORIES

HYVEE SPINACH SALAD

My spinach salad at the HYVEE 'Make your own salad' bar is full of low calorie additions. There is no real way to know the calories - but since it is a huge salad and I gave myself ample portions - I am going to assign 500 calories to this meal every time I have it. Each item that was added is in itself low calorie. However, my portions of chicken, ham, turkey and roast beef, imitation crab were 'healthy.' Even so, it is hard to imagine that this salad could have exceeded 500 calories. (It is topped off with zero calorie dressing that I travel with.)

A couple of weeks ago, I was feeling very sluggish and I even had some minor pains in my joints. I had become convinced that I was not eating enough. Now, I am fearful that my appetite has returned. So this is a very difficult balancing act that I am trying to keep. I still enjoy eating, but I need to continue to eat good healthy foods. Last week my weight popped up an inexplicable 8 pounds. I do not know what my scale will show this week. Monday I visit my doctor again and it will be a good time to assess where I am - and where I should be going.

For now...I am going to enjoy HISTORY FAIR!

See you tomorrow...

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

AISLE BE CAREFUL SHOPPING HERE

A few days ago, I mentioned that I ordered a salad in a restaurant which arrived to me dripping in high calorie dressing. It doubled the amount of calories that I had anticipated consuming, and I ate it before I realized that this was not the low calorie salad that I had intended. I want to give some more examples from the Applebee's Nutritional Information Website regarding the difference of salads with and without dressing. I am not picking on Applebee's. I like Applebee's. I like that there are so many Applebee's restaurants around the country that I can and will be visiting. I like their food. I like the ambience of the place. And I even like their salads. I just have to remember NOT to get their salads with dressing.

CALORIE INFORMATION WAS LIFTED DIRECTLY FROM APPLEBEE'S WEBSITE

SALADS WITH & WITHOUT DRESSING CALORIES

FRIED CHICKEN SALAD - NO DRESSING 680
FRIED CHICKEN SALAD WITH DRESSING 1110 430 calories of dressing!

GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD - NO DRESSING 370
GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD WITH DRESSING 800 430 calories of dressing!

GRILLED ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD - NO DRESSING 590
GRILLED ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD WITH DRESSING 1290 700 calories of dressing!

GRILLED SHRIMP'N SPINACH SALAD - NO DRESSING 630
GRILLED SHRIMP'N SPINACH SALAD WITH DRESSING 990 360 calories of dressing!

PECAN CRUSTED CHICKEN SALAD - NO DRESSING 900
PECAN CRUSTED CHICKEN SALAD WITH DRESSING 1340 440 calories of dressing!

I think I have made my point. So, us folks who are trying to lose weight and think it's smart to eat a salad - we should be careful. If you are going to have a salad dripping in dressing served at a restaurant... fugedaboudit (forget about it), you might as well have an Ice Cream Sundae. It will not be healthier, but you might find it more satisfying - and it might be lower in calories!

AISLE BE CAREFUL I'll be careful in the SALAD AISLE, high calorie zone

I have been writing and editing this page for a few days. I had the idea of checking a salad dressing that we have in our own refrigerator with Hershey Chocolate Syrup that we buy for our daughter who enjoys chocolate milk. Our daughter is a skinny rail, she eats healthy foods, and she enjoys treats too. Very normal stuff.

Both of these products, Hershey's Syrup and Marie's Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing each have the same serving size: two tablespoons. Hershey's 2 tablespoons is 100 CALORIES and MARIE'S CREAMY CAESAR 2 tablespoons is 120 CALORIES. I found this culinary discovery fascinating.

MARIE'S DRESSING: 2 TBSP - 120 CALORIES

SERVING SIZE: 2 TABLESPOONS - 100 CALORIES

CONCLUSION: If one finds both of these products in their refrigerator when searching for a salad dressing. The LOW CALORIE OPTION is the Hershey's Chocololate Syrup!

I am not sure that it will taste so good on a salad, but one has to admit that that is a surprising fact.

MONDAY'S MENU (DAY 34)
BREAKFAST hotel scrambled eggs, two small sausages 256 CALORIES
LUNCH 4 oz. Salmon, Chicken with Rice Soup 323 CALORIES
DINNER 85g Broccoli Rabe Rapini
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Premio Italian Chicken Sausage, Cup Chicken Noodle Soup 263 CALORIES

TOTAL CALORIC CONSUMPTION 842 CALORIES

CALORIES BURNED

6AM TREADMILL: 60 minutes @ 4 mph (4 miles) 600 CALORIES
6PM TREADMILL: 60 minutes @ 4 mph (4 miles) 600 CALORIES
9PM TREADMILL: 60 minutes @ 4 mph (4 miles) 600 CALORIES

NET CALORIC DEFICIT 958 CALORIES

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

LOST TURKEY

Regular readers of this blog know that I reported this past Saturday that I had lost 24 lbs in 24 days. I am currently only weighing myself once per week so although I assume that I have continued to make progress - I can offer no evidence of additional progress at this time.

There is a reason why I am resisting the urge to weigh myself daily. Seven years ago when I did lose 80 lbs (before I added them all back on and tacked on nine more for good luck) I did weigh myself daily. One's weight can fluctuate a pound or two within a 24 hour period. It would sour my mood to hop onto the scale and discover that my weight had bounced back up a pound or even two pounds over 24 hours. I have removed this annoyance by weighing myself only weekly.

Over the three day holiday weekend I was focusing on just how much weight 24 lbs really is. I found my answer at Mariano's Supermarket in Chicago when I was shopping with my family on Sunday. I am posting a picture of me holding a 23 lb turkey. As you can see, it requires two hands to hold it. This turkey represents the amount of weight that I have lost. It does appear that the additional spring in my step is not my imagination. You try carting around a 23 lb turkey all day and all night and see how debilitating it is. Conversely, if one is freed from the burden of carrying an extra 24 lbs, the increased energy and zest for life skyrockets.

The thing is....
I am planning on LOSING THREE MORE TURKEYS (and maybe a couple of hens!)

Holding a 23 lb turkey. I can't imagine carting this around all day. No wonder I am lighter on my feet these days.

Tuesday started off well. I woke up early and spent one hour on the treadmill before breakfast.

I made a mistake during the day when I ordered lunch at Applebee's.

Previously I had found something on the Applebee's nutrition website that I wanted to try.

A Grilled Shrimp 'n Spinach Salad should have been only 260 CALORIES.

(I failed to note that this is the calorie count without the dressing.)

When the salad came with dressing, it was absolutely fantastic - and I ate it....

The calories for this with the dressing is a whopping 500 calories.
I will not make that mistake again.
Lunch was more calories than I had planned.
I cut down on dinner to keep under 1000 calories for the day.

From now on, every time I order a salad - I will always ask the for the dressing on the side.

When I arrived home, I jumped back on the treadmill for another hour.

TUESDAY MENU

BREAKFAST three poached eggs with two slices of turkey 'bacon' 280 CALORIES
LUNCH APPLEBEE'S GRILLED SHRIMP 'n SALAD w/dressing 500 CALORIES
DINNER 3 Cups Baby Spinach w/two tablespoons of Marie's Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Trader Joe's 1 cup Chicken Noodle Soup with veggies 175 CALORIES

TOTAL CALORIC CONSUMPTION TUESDAY    955 CALORIES

Total calories burned during 2 hours of exercise 1200 CALORIES

NET CALORIC INTAKE WAS NEGATIVE 245 CALORIES

I am looking forward to stepping onto my scale on Saturday.

Monday, January 5, 2015

TAKING THE SUBWAY

In an earlier blog entry titled, 'Confessions' I might have appeared to denigrate 'Subway.' This was unintentional as I meant only to denigrate the choices I made at that restaurant. There are more than 43,000 Subway locations around the world - this can be a good option on the road if smart choices are made. For lunch today, I 'got back on track.' I have been frequenting Subway restaurants for many years and prior to today the number of salads I purchased was exactly zero. I made my selection for lunch today long before I entered the restaurant by visiting the nutritional information page on the Subway website. Today I ordered an oven-roasted chicken salad with the 2oz. packet of fat free Italian dressing. This may not be fine dining, the salad is served in a plastic container, but it sure tasted fine. True hunger makes food taste better.

OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN SALAD 140 CALORIES
1.5OZ. KEN'S FAT FREE ITALIAN DRESSING 15 CALORIES
TOTAL LUNCH 155 CALORIES

Subway oven-roasted chicken salad w/dressing 155 CALORIES

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

FIRST MEAL 'ON THE ROAD'

Today, December 30th, I am away from home on a two day, one night trip. My wife who has been incredibly supportive made an omelette before I headed out the door at 7:00AM. For lunch, I ate the two navel oranges that I had cut up before I left. (Refrigeration was not a problem, the temperature in Wisconsin was 15°F (-9.4°C).

My dinner was planned 24 hours in advance. I selected the specific dinner that I wanted to order at an Applebee's Restaurant' near my hotel. Once I got to the restaurant, I knew exactly what I wanted. GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD (NO DRESSING). At my wife's suggestion I added two lemon wedges to give the salad some extra flavor. It is amazing how a food that I had no interest in whatsoever a mere six days ago could taste so delicious. Wait, I retract that statement. What is amazing is the laziness and stupidity with regards to eating that I have maintained for many years. I am re-learning all the things I learned 7 years ago when my weight fell from 300lbs to 220lbs. Nothing I can do about the past. According to the Applebee's nutritional information posted on their website, my dinner was a scant 370 calories. (In fact, it was a bit less as I asked that the croutons NOT be included in my dinner.) Eating well on the road, requires some thought and planning - it sure is worth it! TOTAL CALORIC INTAKE TODAY=955. In the 'old days' (you know, December 23, 2014) I could have easily knocked down 955 calories BEFORE lunch! My first official home weigh-in will be January 1. I am looking forward to announcing my initial results in two more days. My belt has already told me that I am making progress.

APPLEBEE'S GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD w/o DRESSING 370 CALORIES