Zig-Zagging

Thought I would have a little food talk today.  But before I do, I have to take a serious turn.  Sorry ’bout that.  But I can’t really justify obsessing talking about food without mentioning this.

Last night I watched the documentary “God Grew Tired of Us.”  It was about the Lost Boys of Sudan.  I had heard their story on news shows.  But last night, I watched this whole documentary, which was extremely interesting and well- done.  And I was embarrassed.  Here were young boys, naturally thin because they had lived in starvation mode for many years (many of their friends did die of starvation,) and the first time in an American supermarket, they are being shown donuts with sprinkles on them.  The opulence of an American supermarket in contrast to young boys going without food was embarrassing.  There is no reason for people to be starving to death in today’s world.  Do something for world hunger today.

I will say that by the end of the movie, I was also struck by the beauty and joy of the simplicity of  life that they experienced in the desert, as compared to the frantic pace and complexity of living the ‘American dream.’  It reaffirmed my goal of simplifying my life.  And, as little as these boys had, they were determined to give to and help as many people as they could.  One of them even established a non-profit humanitarian organization.  I hope you will watch this movie.  Overall, it was very inspirational.

Okay, on to the (relatively) insignificant drivel of my daily relationship with food!  Last week Vicky recommended I try ‘zig-zagging.’  Taking my calories down to 1100 for one or two days, and then right back up to 1300.  The idea is to jolt your metabolic system without slowing it down.  I have to say it was relatively easy to do, as long as I was careful with my food choices.  I think it really helps to eat a big breakfast, and then to follow that with a dinner-type lunch.  Dinner becomes more of a nutritious snack, because you are not that hungry by then.  And I still have an evening snack that I think of as dessert, but now it is really a nutritious snack.  Here is how I ate one of those days:

6am:  Cantaloupe and cottage cheese, and walnuts:  200 calories

10am:  Apricot oatmeal protein bar:  150 calories,   coffee/half&half:  40 calories

1pm:  Beef and green beans (an oriental-style dish–delicious!):  215 calories

2pm (pre-workout):  lo-bars (More on these later):  130 calories

3pm (after workout):  healthy peanut butter cookies:  150 calories (this was unplanned, but I couldn’t resist–Vicky gave them to me to try out and I ate them on the way home–yumm!)

6pm:  fresh mozzarella/tomato/basil/olive oil:  110 calories

8pm:  Cottage cheese and strawberries:  150 calories

Just a word about those ‘Lo-bars.’  This is Vicky’s creation that she needs to take nation-wide as far as I am concerned!  They have spoiled me to all other bars, which is a good thing, because ‘nutrition bars’ were a little obsession I had that was not really all that healthy.  These lo-bars have a base of apple and carrot pulp.  Mixed in is walnuts, dried cherries, raisins, and chocolate and carob chips.  Then somehow they are baked, and they are only 65 calories each.  Soft and chewy and absolutely delicious.  If any of you have juicers and have access to the ‘pulp’ you might want to experiment.

The end result of this week is that I lost a true 1.8 pounds.  I am going on a little vacation trip in a few days to see my best friend, and so I am hopeful that I will stay on the straight and narrow, and keep this weight off.  And in case you think my friend is the problem, it is not.  It is me in ‘vacation mindset.’  The next frontier to conquer!!