Week 7 - the grand plateau

The plateau continues. No change whatsoever. Same weight, same measurements.

Things I changed this week:

• as of Wednesday, took out the *one* cheat I was allowing myself, which was sugar in my morning coffee
• stopped drinking wine during the week

The one thing I will do this week is increase protein in breakfast. I have a feeling I haven't been getting the 30g suggested. Let's see if that changes something.

Discouraged, but will carry on. The truth is that I do feel better, and even if the measurements aren't changing, clothes fit me better, so go figure.

Monday Tuesday

Monday morning weight: 210 lbs.

Monday Meals
Breakfast 8:00 am
2 whole eggs, 1 egg white, spinach, 1/2 tomato, 1/3 can black beans

Lunch 12:30 pm
Chicken stir-fry at a Japanese restaurant. I'm guessing the sauce wasn't 100% within diet. Oh well.

Workout 4:45 pm
Swings: 3 x 25 sets at 30 lbs. (up 5)
2 x 10 sets of arches and balance between swing sets

Second lunch 5:30 pm
Kidney bean/tuna salad with tomato, celery, and avocado

Dinner 10:30 pm
Plan foiled. After rehearsal stopped to meet friends, nothing really on the menu I could eat other than meat and cheese platter. Passed on the bread, did eat some mozzarella and cheddar. Also nuts and pickled peppers.

Tuesday morning weight: 210 lbs.

Gonna revert a bit, and also bring all my meals. The only two things happening differently last week and this week thus far as opposed to the previous weeks when I was losing weight: eating breakfast right after I woke up, and went back to sugar in my coffee instead of Agave nectar. SO I will do what I was doing before: eating when I get to work (about 1.5 hours after I wake up) and going back to Agave in my coffee. (yeah, I know, I know ... I still need sweetened coffee in the morning.)

Breakfast 9:20 am
2 whole eggs, 1 egg white, spinach, 1/2 tomato, 1/3 can black beans

Lunch 1:00 pm
Chicken in lemon/ginger sauce, mixed veggies, 1/2 can of red beans

Second lunch 5:00 pm
Kidney bean/tuna salad with tomato, celery, and avocado

Dinner 8:30 pm
Burrito salad: pork, black beans, salsa, and guacamole over lettuce

Sunday

Taking Sunday as a transition day. Had brunch with friends, was good in what I ordered (omelette with tomato, spinach, bacon) but I did keep the cheese. Again—not gonna do this if it makes me feel deprived.

Afterwards went on an almost 27-mile bicycle ride. First long ride on my new bike, shooting for a 100-mile ride by end if summer. The last 5 or 6 miles were tough, very little energy. Had A Starbucks orange/mango/banana smoothie with matcha (they also add protein). I figured a power ride like this counts as strenuous exercise to allow the carbs.

Dinner was my favorite of this diet: herb-crusted salmon over braised kale and black beans.

Also prepared several meals for the week, including the super tasty bean and tuna salad and 3-bean salad.

Photo: cheat day

Proper way to end cheat day: strawberry malt at Red Robin.

Friday

Not many updates as it turns out to be very much of the same. Experienced several challenges this week as far as sticking to the diet 100%. Wednesday had an appointment at 8:00 pm at a Starbucks. Because of late food, I wasn't hungry earlier so wound up starving while at Starbucks. Ordered a protein box for the hard boiled egg, nibbled on the cheese, a touch of bread with PB and honey ... argh! So hungry and wouldn't be home until late. Wound up tossing the rest (fruit, bread, PB) and feeling guilty for the rest of the week. Thursday was great, ate the right foods. At dinner, however, kept the feta cheese in the salad and unbeknownst to me, there were figs in it. I decided early on that I would not punish myself for little indiscretions. Today I adhered to the diet, and it was the first day I worked out, which felt great. The gym has no kettle bells, but the dumbbells they have work just fine. Did 20 practice lifts and 2-25 rep sets of the swings. In between, did 20 sets of flying dog and 20 glute activation raises. Weigh-in first thing in the morning. Let's see how this goes.

Sunday dinner

Herb-crusted salmon over greens and 3-bean salad.

Very tasty, will definitely do this again.

Thursday dinner

Salmon, veggie stir-fry and 3-bean salad.