For a background to this post see How I Plan to Lose 20 Pounds and Win the Bet.
Week #1 Weigh-in: Down 3 pounds. From 216 to 213. I suppose this is a common weight loss in the first week. It is especially common when people drop processed carbs with high levels of salt. But I consumed almost no processed carbs before and I didn’t cut back on the salt.
I fully expect the first 10 pounds to be easy. After that it will get more challenging. I mostly credit reducing my morning calories for the first week progress.
Below is my food journal for last week. I’m not counting calories or weighing anything. The early phase of this diet is about making better choices. And as long as I’m making progress, why complicate things?
Sunday Feb 23
- coconut oil (1 T)
- kimchi
- 3 oz beef neck meat
- phad thai w/pork
- mango sorbet
- beef pho
- mango sorbet
- 2 oz cheddar
Monday Feb 24
- coconut oil (1 T)
- kimchi
- 2 oz cheddar
- apple
- kimbap roll
- Korean hotpot w/ beef, fish balls
- pork ribs
- rice
- 4 oz cheese
- apple
- 1 oz cheese
Tuesday Feb 25
- coconut oil (1 T)
- beef pho
- apple
- beef heart stew (potato, carrot)
- apple
- 3 oz cheddar
- 3 eggs
- broccoli w/ butter
Wednesday Feb 26
- coconut oil (1 T)
- fermented carrots
- 2 lengua tacos (corn tortillas)
- 2 oz cheddar
- beef pho
- apple
- grapes
Thursday Feb 27
- coconut oil (1 T)
- kimchi
- tuna (1 can)
- apple
- cucumber
- banana
- 2 oz cheddar
- beef stew (carrot, seaweed) w/ rice
- apple
- 2 oz cheddar
Friday Feb 28
- coconut oil (2 T)
- cucumber
- apple
- 4 eggs (hard boiled)
- 2 Vietnamese spring rolls with shrimp
- apple
- popcorn w/ butter
- beef stew (carrot, seaweed) w/ rice
- grapes
- 2 oz cheddar
Saturday Mar 1
- coconut oil (1 T)
- kimchi
- 2 bananas
- 2 oz cheddar
- tuna (1 can)
- 2 lengua tacos (corn tortillas)
- 1 apple
- broccoli
- roasted potatoes
- cod
- grapes
Photo by Morgan Rochele. Lengua tacos means beef tongue.
A couple of notes.
- I often eat coconut oil and kimchi (not together) in the AM. It is an appetite suppressing trick I learned a few years ago.
- I no longer mix mayo into my tuna. I find mustard works fine. I’ve also mixed fish sauce with thai peppers into tuna.
- Cheddar is my calorie dense tool for dealing with evening hunger. Nothing is as easy or as effective and as long as I am losing weight, I know I’m not overdoing it. Should weight loss stall, I’ll be looking to reduce intake a little.
Stephan R
Mar 2, 2014 — 11:49 am
Love the honesty about making the journal public.
Tina
Mar 2, 2014 — 4:11 pm
I was going to ask about the kimchi… assuming your journal was in order of consumption.
Sounds like the local Asian restaurants are liking this new menu… did you pick them on purpose, or are they your usual favorites?
MAS
Mar 2, 2014 — 6:37 pm
@Tina – I make my own kimchi. Nice way to start the day.
I also make my own pho, but I do like several places in Seattle. The Korean Hot Pot was at a friend’s house. The only restaurant this week was for the lengua tacos – which are from El Camino (Ballard).
BigTex
Mar 3, 2014 — 7:33 am
Hmmmm mustard with tuna…I will have to try that…I too have given up mayonaise…but was perplexed about what to mix in my canned fish…my answer was going to be be give up canned fish…
I think mixing yogurt with it might be fine also or even a little coconut oil or some other low-PUFA oil…
MAS
Mar 3, 2014 — 7:58 am
@BigTex – I’m not going to lie, tuna with mustard is no where as tasty as with mayo. Mixing it with kimchi is slightly better than mustard. Another reason for this snack is the fact it has low flavor. Maybe that will assist with resetting my appetite to a lower point.
I have made my own mayo using olive oil, but got out of the habit when I ran out of olive oil. I need to get some.
BigTex
Mar 3, 2014 — 8:02 am
I used to substitute peanut butter for mayonaise and add some shredded cheese but the PUFA god really frowned at me….there is not much that I won’t eat or combine….
MAS
Mar 3, 2014 — 8:14 am
@BigTex – I have become a fan of Vietnamese food recently. Here is a recipe to a sauce I use for spring rolls that I have used with canned tuna. Good mix of sweet, salt and heat.
http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/basic-vietnamese-dipping-sauce-nuoc-cham.html