Show me the Whey!

I hate breakfast.  Most of my dietary cheating involves skipping breakfast.  You think that's small potatoes don't you?  According to the Abs Diet book by David Zinczenko, skipping breakfast increases your risk of obesity by up to 80%.  I guess that's reasonable, seeing as it's the meal that breaks you out of that sleepy, low energy survival mode and kicks up the metabolic mechanism in your tummy.  If we put that book down for a minute and pick up Timothy Ferris' body-experimentation bible The Four Hour Body (4HB), we learn that if we make that meal consist of 30 grams of protein (within 20 minutes of waking) we can increase our sensitivity to insulin, a proactive measure to make sure our daily intake is being turned into energy, not fat.  Wait a minute.  30 grams.  I already told you I HATE breakfast.  I would rather wake up at 4am and run a 5 miles. 

A New Game: Aftermath

Sunday started as diet friendly cheat-day but then went to straight to sinful indulgence.  Lunch consisted of fire-roasted tomatoes and black beans over a bed of spinach followed by homemade frozen Somoa cookies (yes like the girl scout ones, only not as pretty).

A New Game

As i write, there are two eggs scrambled between black beans and spinach calling out to my empty stomach.  This is the start of cheat day #6.  Holy crap, has it been six weeks already?  Six weeks since I've eaten a bag of potato chips, or a Fried chicken sandwich.  Six weeks since I decided to stop flirting with 200lbs.  I now weigh 176.2.  That's 16.6lbs less than where i starting weighing myself.  Leave it to me to think about my diet on my day off.  Leave it to me to change up the game again.

Steak and Shrimp Soup w/ Red and Black Beans

This is by far my the best soup I've ever tasted.  It's easy to make, it lasts a few meals and is loaded with protein, fiber, and flavor.

Red Bean Veggies

Here's a quick and easy side dish that goes great with any meal, especially the Asian Inspired Chicken:

A New Vitality

February 1. Day 28.  It feels just like Day 1.  I feel that same excitement I did on day 1.  That "I'm totally going to lose 30 lbs in 30 days" feeling.  By now I should feel worn out, tired of beans and protein, and stupid-hard kettlebell swings.  I should be sneaking in the occasional Wendy's carbfest chicken sandwiches, I should at least want to.  Right?  I did last week, why not now?  Is it the Yerba Mate? Is it because I had a bad ass cheat day this past Saturday?  Or could it be my recent revelations? 

The New Red Bull

Yerba Mate.  When you say it, it's gotta be like a Karate Chop. YERRRRRBA maTAYYYY.  It's the sh*t, in a mug.  To describe what it tastes like, you would have to imagine what it would taste like to lick black tea off someone's armpit.  Not a dirty armpit, but like a clean, hairless armpit.  So, not that bad, right?  Once you get it down, WOOOOOOO! The kick lasts about 1-2 hours, and gives you solid positive vibes.  Sorry to get all existentialist on you.  I highly recommend this stuff, it goes way beyond a simple caffeine high.  It's cleaner, more robust.  If you start seeing monsters and thinking you can actually fly, you are drinking the wrong stuff. The downside is it can be hard to find.  Go to your local upscale grocer's tea aisle and look for the box on top of this post.  It hides well because because even though it's like a tea, its not a tea.  It's leaves cultivated from a South American plant known for its rejuvinating awesomeness. It has a naturally occuring Xanthine cocktail that relaxes the muscles but stimulates the heart.  If you want to read more on that, check out the wiki.  If you are going to drink it just heed my warning: don't chase it with a cup of black coffee.  You'll be bouncing off the wall and writing short, fast blogs about hot beverages.

Slow Carb Spaghetti

As you can tell by the picture, there is no actual spaghetti in this dish.  Sorry if i tricked you with the name.  I didn't find any magical loop hole to allow pasta into the slow carb diet. I looked. I failed.  Instead my goal here is to present a quick easy meal you might happily throw out your spaghetti for.

The LipSmacker

Normally I do not order Hamburgers when I go out to eat.  They are one of those things that I feel I can make cheaper and better at home.  In fact I was reluctant to stray from my normal order at one of my favorite restaurants.

Pastrami Sammich!

2:00pm. Lunch, I got my whole-wheat-carb on with a Turkey Pastrami Sandwich.  I also prepared a mug of Yerba Mate and a side of yogurt-covered pretzels.  Unexceptionably delicious.  Definitely made up for breakfast. I am stuffed.

Flax Eggs w/ Brewer Yeast

9:30.  Breakfast. Meal 1.  Do NOT try this at home.  The Goal here was to create a simple high-protein breakfast to kick off the day the right way.  I love eggs, and flax adds nothing to taste.  Brewers Yeast is a Super Food which packs 16g of protein and 116 calories in two tablespoons.  Within it's vitamin-packed properties is a heavy dose of chromium which diabetics use to lower glucose.  Perfect for keeping everything in check on a day where I'll be binging on glutens like bread and pasta.

Yes it is as disgusting as it looks.

The Structured Cheat Day

Oh cheat day, how I love you.  When you're keeping a very strict diet, you naturally hold your cheat day very holy.  This is my fourth diet-sabbath, and since I was changing up some things in my diet, i decided to change the way I approach the day with some order.  "What? Sacrilegious!" Let me explain.

More Musings: The Game Changer

This morning's weigh-in was somewhat bittersweet.  Let it be known that I weigh myself daily at 7:30 after all morning "rituals."  After blinking zeros for a few seconds, I had today's lucky number.  183.  About 10 pounds lighter than when i started this voyage.  No this is not deja-vu, you did read the same exact number I blogged, tweeted and bragged about last Saturday.  Here it is Day 25 and I'm the same place I was Day 18. Frustrating. 

A fresh coat of paint

Greetings!

I just wanted to take this time out to thank everyone who is involved with the SLOWEST CARB some way shape or form.  The drawings you see are courtesy of the EvilSpaceFish, Andrew Corey.  He is responsible for the layout/css magic, and I couldn't be more grateful.  Without him, i probably would have given up on this blog on day one, I wouldn't want anyone to look at my ugly page.

Thank you, Ashley Ireland for the never ending love and support and for coming up with some crazy-delicious food to share with you.  She is also the one who introduced me to cooking with onions.  I used to be a chicken and broccoli (BROCCOLI!!!!) guy until she introduced me to a world of flavor with onions. It all kind of snowballed from there.

Thank you Timmothy Ferriss for writing the Four Hour Body and introducing me to the slow carb diet and kettle bells.

Finally, and most importantly, I want to thank everyone who takes time to check out my blog.  Thank you for thinking it's cool enough to share with your friends.  If you don't like it, thank you for coming by anyway, if there is anything you'd like to see, anything that annoys you, let me know (constructively).  I am working on getting some meal plans out there, I promise!  Expressing my gratitude to everyone helping this thing grow was higher on my priority list.  THANK YOU!

**photo by e.hirko by m.hirko

ButterBean Shrimp Stew

Another crazy delicious meal, whipped together by Ashley.  It's pretty easy and quick to make.

I effing love broccoli

Yesterday, after work I was hungry...guess what I did... I Fired up my steam pot and steamed up and ate some broccoli and carrots.  The perfect snack, and not just because it's nutritious, but it's freaking yummy! Later,  I then threw a small tantrum when Ashley tried to feed the kids
MY broccoli!
I. Love. Broccoli.

Chicken, Mexico

I may have just eaten the most delicious chicken dish ever.  And it came from my stove!  Heres how it was made.  All the credit goes to Ashley on this one.

SIDE: Green Garbanzo Beans

This may not be the best looking dish, in fact, Ashley thought it was going to be down right disgusting.  She was wrong.  Here is a quick side dish for those who are trying to incorporate some extra protein, fiber and vitamins into they're meal.  I served this with grilled balsamic chicken breast.

Return of Will

My body is surging with will power today.  I am sorry for introducing you to that little baby, FattMatt, and I'm sorry that won't be the last time you'll probably see him.  But I'm back, I'm feeling good.  I worked out last night. 75x 45lb kettle bell swings and 10lb weighted meiotic crunches on a 55cm swiss ball.  Working out accelerated my weight loss last time, as well it should.  We'll see if my body reacts the same way (stiff neck, sore upper and lower back, no leg or butt pain).  I felt my legs more this go around, i made sure to keep my feet parallel which seemed to also help my posture through out the maneuver. I will update regularly about my pain as it progresses today. 

Just Friends Chili

This meal is friendly with pretty much every diet, ever.  It's pretty cheap, and makes a lot of food (leftovers) and tastes good no matter how many times you heat it up.