Some friends of mine are discussing five fictional characters they would like dine with. And of course, since many of my friends are writers heaven forbid they'd choose to share a meal with someone real. If you want to see this list done the right way check out Romance Novel TV or my friend Chicki. But today I thought I'd list a few interesting lines from literature that make me think about food and eating."It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love . . . ." Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
"And now you come to me -- women with hands and feet as soft as a queen's, with more cooking pots than you need, so safe in childbed and so free with your tongues. You come hungry for the story that was lost. You crave words to fill the great silence that swallowed me, and my mothers, and my grandmothers before them." The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
"I thought they were going to skin me alive. But they gave me food. Delicious food. Once I started eating, I couldn’t stop. I thought I would never stop being hungry." Life of Pi by Yann Martel
"I took hold of his collar and said, 'Come on, boy, let's go home and get something to eat.' He seemed to understand that he had found a friend. He came willingly." Where the Red Fern Grows by By Wilson Rawls
"I asked, it is true, for greater treasures than a little food or rest: I required kindness and sympathy; but I did not believe myself utterly unworthy of it. " Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
There you have it. If you missed 10th grade (or grade 10 as some call it) then I've caught you up to speed on a few books you should have read long before now.
Weight in (weight loss July 12 to date): -11 lbs!!! Next week I'm going to check my measurements. I'm very happy today. I've lost almost two pounds a week since July12. My husband has lost 20lbs! He is a very good healthy eating and exercising partner in crime. I'm so glad H3 put things in the right perspective so we can be more successful this time.
Friday Exercise Journal
6 flights of stairs at work
20 minute walk
Friday Food Journal
170 - Egg white omelet
340 - French toast
390 - Lean Cuisine Pizza
200 - Peach cobbler
200 - Kashi, blueberries and milk
Saturday Exercise Journal
30 minutes yoga
20 walk
1.5 hours cutting the grass
Saturday Food Journal
090 - Boiled egg
180 - Biscuit
230 - Kashi, blueberries and milk
200 - Ham sandwich (light oat bread, laughing cow cheese, ham)
400 - Bruster's Key Lime ice cream
Sunday Exercise Journal
30 minutes playground with kids
1 hour yoga
Sunday Food Journal
200 - Egg white omelet with sausage and onion
180 - Biscuit
200 - St. Cruz Organic Mango Lemonade
230 - Kashi, blueberries and milk
??? - Some coconut rum drink and horseradish mashed potatoes at my sister's house
290 - Seared scallops and angel hair pasta (One day I'm, going to go all Starving Foodie and post the recipe, but for now I'm just proud that I cooked something from scratch!)
400 - Double chocolate with peanut butter ice cream from Bruster's.
Someone out there is wondering about me wasting my calories on ice cream, knowing I don't even like ice cream. Let's just say I am experimenting with food. And I'm guestimating 400 calories for 1/2 cup because I can't find calories anywhere. I'm trying to figure out what satisfies me when. What I can eat with control. Ice cream is one of those things I can control, because I don't like cold desserts, so there is no chance of me eating an entire pint. Now if you left me alone with warm bread pudding or peach cobbler I could eat 2 lbs of that stuff. So I'm working on understanding my psyche and allowing myself some treats to boot. Sue me.
Weird Weight Loss Tips
Cook. I made seared scallops and the process of cooking really squashed my appetite. Chopping onions, smelling the food cook . . . . by the time you eat you're over it already.
As mentioned above, Eat something that you don't love, but is still an indulgence. For me this is ice cream.
I've had two weeks of doing better, but I'm really going to try to do my best this week. Got more real writing to do and healthy eating and exercising! You do the same.
As for my dinner guests: Frankenstein, Sethe from Beloved (she wouldn't be troubled by Frankenstein), Pilate and Eve from the bible, and Pi (from Life of Pi). It would probably a rather philosophical meal. I would definitely make peach cobbler for dessert!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the weight loss! 11 pounds is awesome.
ReplyDeleteA recommended treat...Vitatops. They are 100 calorie muffin tops that come in lots of flavors and they are really good. You can find them in the freezer section at Whole Foods and some Kroger stores (with the natural foods at Kroger). You can order them online too, but they come in bigger boxes so it might be best to buy a small box to try first. (www.vitalicious.com)
I am totally addicted to the chocolate ones. Mark loves the bran ones, but they are a little too sweet for me.
-Mandy :)
P.S. Where the Red Fern Grows was the first book that made me cry.
Nicki, thanks for sharing this blog. Life doesn't make it easy for me to read it all the time, but on days like this I go back and skim several posts. So, a few comments:
ReplyDeletePossibly my all-time favorite quote:
~Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. -- Marianne Williamson~ Thanks for reminding me of it.
Give up Spanx?! No way. I vividly remember the first time I had a formal after I started getting fitter. I put on my Spanx-like fat-keeper-iner and was thrilled because instead of just redistributing my fat so that the rolls spilled over the top and in other places, it really did (mostly) keep the fat in.
I love the beginning of school. I won't even try to express the feelings in words - because I simply can't capture things in words the way you can and mostly because I think you get it any way. Have a great 5K year!
11 pounds! That is awesome. There's an ice cream place close to the village and one of their popular flavors is Lavendar. I should get you some. That would fit into your dinner. I am absolutely aiming for 100% this week. I've been really good on food, except for the bottle of red wine I drank by myself after George passed, but I've been lacking on exercise. You are so inspiring!
ReplyDeleteMandy, thanks for the muffin top recommendation and for using the term "muffin top" with out refering to my physique. Where the Red Fern Grows is still in my top ten favorite books. I challenge any adult to read the first chapter and not cry.
ReplyDeleteSheryl, you are my fitness inspiration. If only CrossFit had childcare, I'd try to keep up with you. For now, good walks, yoga, and weights when I can. I'm glad to hear that fit women like you love Spanx, too! I appreciate you stopping by. It means a lot. The only people who should be forced to read this blog are my sisters, and they don't love me like you do!
Michelle, a pet is a better than a friend. Maybe now is not the time for your kids to read Where the Red Fern Grows, but once George's passing is a little more distant a dog cry book is good for the soul.
ReplyDeleteI lacked in exercise last week (you know my excuses better than anyone). Order has been restored so let's both write and exercise to happiness.
Ooh, Nicki, I read Where The Red Fern Grows long ago...before I actually had dogs. I don't think I could handle it now!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the 11 lbs! And congrats to Steve too. My hubby and I were having a contest to see who could lose 20 lbs. first and of course he won. I'm still not there yet. You guys really are an inspiration.
And I read your blog because I secretly want to be the 4th Harris sister (since I have no sisters of my own.) Michelle says I'm in...
V, you are definitely a Harris sister. We crazy, so you are in.
ReplyDeleteSteve and I just did an hour long workout and now our legs feel like jelly. 200 pulse squats equal the devils work.
I know why I love all of you. Where the Red Fern Grows was my Steel Magnolias before I had Steel Magnolias. Cry-fest!