Day 29 Cold Rain and Hot Buffets

Day 29

Cold Rain and Hot Buffets

We just got back from our mile hike on the trail, actually it's just a brisk walk, a “hike” sounds a little more strenuous and impressive. Tonight was the second time we've walked in the rain in the last 29 days. The first time it was a fairly warm rain, like a late summer kind of rain, like a “it feels good to be alive” kind of rain. Tonight was like a cold November rain, like a “I hope we don't get sick and die” kinda rain. The rain wasn't falling very hard, but under all of the trees it was pouring! Silly me thought that the trees would provide some sort of protection from the rain, I was wrong. We did bundle up real good and it felt good to walk hard in the rain. I think I actually get a better workout in the rain because I'm trying to hurry it along. Come to think of it we didn't stop one time. And with our hair soaked and the rain running down our determined faces in slow motion like a Gatorade commercial, we walked, and we walked real good. Several cars drove by and I'm sure they were giving us crazy looks, but we didn't care. We had a job to do, and a little cold rain wasn't going to stop us! After the walk Courtney warmed herself with a hot chocolate, she had enough calories for it, and how could I say no after she so willingly walked in the freezing rain with me?

I've proven to myself that I can handle most restaurants with relative ease. But there is one challenge I haven't encountered yet. The Buffet (insert scary music here). I've always had a love/hate relationship with buffets. I always loved the idea of going but then hated the way I felt leaving. Despite what some might think, I've never really been a big threat to a buffet restaurants profit margin. I've watched in awe as guys much smaller than me put away plate after plate. I just can't do that. Now don't get me wrong, I've consumed large quantities at buffets before, but I'm a sucker for the potatoes and breads, you know the stuff they want you to fill up on before you eat all the shrimp. I always go in with a game plan to go straight for the expensive meats and seafood, but I'm always sidetracked by the best looking macaroni and cheese in the world! I love me some mac and cheese. And those hot rolls! So soft and buttery and melty in my mouthy. With all this said you might be surprised at this statement: I no longer have any use for buffet restaurants. Why would I? Oh, I'm sure we'll have some sort of family get-together at one someday, and I'll go, and it'll be a test of my newly learned skills and self control. Because there really is a way to eat responsibly at the buffet, it just takes some blinders and common sense. I just can't let myself get hypnotized by that gallon of cream gravy and the crazy thought “man, I could drink it all!” A buffet begs you to make poor choices, but I'm certain if I faced one today, I would make good choices. I'd just rather not face one, ever...unless I have to for some kind of family event. Did you know The United States is one of only a few countries in the entire world with buffet restaurants. The concept is completely ridiculous to people of some countries. “You mean for the price of a regular meal, I can have several meals in one sitting? And I can't share? Why would I want to do that?” It's really nuts if you think about it. I'm sure one of these days I'll be blogging about a buffet showdown, and I'll win that thing. But winning won't mean eating thirty-eight bucks worth of food like it used to, winning will mean eating a normal size portion and a well balanced meal.

I made myself a ham and cheese omelet for lunch today and it made me sick. Had the ham gone bad? Did I under cook the eggs? Or did I just use way to much of that buttery flavored zero calorie cooking spray? Whatever it was, it didn't agree with my stomach at all! I think I'll lay off the eggs for awhile, and that's too bad, because it probably wasn't the eggs fault. I'm getting really sharp at calculating calories. That omelet had exactly 315 calories. I enjoy cooking and I look forward to cooking later this week when my daughter and KL are in for fall break. I'm looking forward to the challenge of calculating the calories in my recipes. I did that once for our enchiladas back in 2004 and it came out to about 275 per enchilada, but I bet I can get it down to 225 easy. 275 was without making any effort to decrease the calories. My goal is to decrease the calorie content of each enchilada without sacrificing any of the cheesy-spicy-meaty goodness. I know it sounds tough, but it shouldn't be that hard. Some might suggest using plain yogurt as a substitute for sour cream and using fat free cheese instead of the real thing and using ground turkey instead of ground beef and using pureed tomatoes instead of the traditional enchilada sauce, and to those people I say: I appreciate the suggestions! BUT...You see, I haven't felt deprived one single time during the last 29 days and part of the reason is, I don't compromise flavor. I know where the line is, and pardon me while I creep up to it and lean over! When you feel deprived, you're not as enthused to continue. I've said it four or five times in these blogs so far, give me a small, satisfying portion of the real deal, instead of a big nasty portion of “yogurt topped-fat free-turkey enchiladas with tomato puree and fat-free mozzarella”. If you just thought to yourself “you know, that really doesn't sound too bad”, then you've never tasted the Anderson Enchiladas. We should invite you over sometime!

Tomorrow is Day 30 and weigh day! I can't wait to weigh. How much will I have lost? I don't know. The guesses are in: Irene thinks I'll be down to 466 for another 18 pound loss, Courtney says 465 for a 19 pound loss, I say 469 for a 15 pound loss and a 30 day total of 36 pounds. For my size that wouldn't be completely out of the norm. The first 100 pounds or so will come off quickly, the second 100 and beyond will be much slower, but steady I'm sure. I look forward to giving you the update tomorrow night! Goodnight and...

Good Choices,
Sean