Every day, I live out a commitment I have made to myself and those close to me. I am a new person; I believe in different things than before and I look at the world in a different way. That’s a kind of magic, to look at the world in a new way and to recreate yourself in a way that the world will notice. My new values include being in control of my body’s weight and to use that control to be thin and fit. That’s now in my top three of life values. Flowing from that value is my commitment. I will (1) regulate my food intake and (2) weigh myself regularly. That does not mean that I will suffer doing that. On the contrary, I nourish myself with loving care and home cooking.
My food intake and calorie count
Breakfast – 2 pieces Spanish tortilla (166); whole wheat wrap (90); mayonnaise (60)
- 490 calories
Lunch – 2x grilled bratwurst wraps (300)
- 600 calories
Dinner – 12 ounces red beans and rice (375); 5 ounces cooked rice (160)
- 535 calories
Snacking – tea with half and half (80); pre-dinner 3oz chicken strips (100)
- 180 calories
Total for the day: 1805 calories (limit 1800)
Keeping focused
When I made dinner tonight, I thought I would end up with only a little food on my plate. To my surprise, a whole recipe of New Orleans red beans and rice (1 pound of beans, 3 ounces bacon, 9 ounces andouille sausage, 7 cups chicken stock, an onion and a bell pepper) came to about 2000 calories. When I finished cooking it, the whole weighed 4 pounds! That means 500 calories per pound. I didn’t quite have that many calories left in my budget for today, but 3/4 pound is still a lot of red beans, check out the picture. I did not starve! I am still satisfied (defined as non-hungry) hours later.
And that was definitely the best red beans and rice I ever made. Maybe that’s because I was so hungry (it was 6.30 by the time I ate, since it takes so long to make). I had to have a snack of chicken strips before dinner at 5.30 because I was getting too hungry. I was worried the snack would ruin my appetite, but that was not the case. It was so good that putting Tabasco on top didn’t improve the flavor! I didn’t even add any salt and pepper. It was perfect the way it came out of the pot. So that was a perfect cap for my appetite. Today was a total success, food wise. I got hungry, and then ate food that was worth the trouble.
Take care of your appetite! Use it wisely.
-The Doctor