BE MY GUEST

I would like to impart my most sincere, heartfelt apologies for not posting last week. As I mentioned in this week’s data science journal entry, I have experienced an incredibly busy two weeks and I’m adjusting to guests in my apartment. Maintaining my diet while preparing food for people who are not adhering to any caloric restrictions has been trying, to say the least. There are so many more temptations with regard to food in the pantry as well, which has tested my willpower in ways I never imagined possible.

I exaggerate [slightly] but I haven’t been able to stick as closely to my caloric budget as I’d like. I haven’t returned to my old ways, by any means, but I am eating foods I haven’t let myself consume in quite some time. Hence why my calories at the bottom of the page are often higher than usual.

Tragically, and I don’t believe it’s necessarily related to my elevated calorie consumption, my weight loss is floating dangerously close to full blown plateau mode. In other words, I’ve barely lost any weight since my previous health journal.

Since my last journal, three weeks ago, I have lost 4.8 pounds (2.18 kg). It could be worse and it’s not technically at plateau level, but it still makes me a little sad after the large jumps I experienced on prior weeks. Also, I have a feeling it’s going to jump back up tomorrow because today was much lower than yesterday (see chart at bottom of this page).

My current weight is 180.4 pounds (81.83 kg). I have lost a total of 49.6 pounds (22.50 kg) and I have 10.4 pounds (4.72 kg) to go! Yay!

Random Thoughts

Because I have been so preoccupied lately, I don’t have any topics of interest prepared this week. I’m not sure what my excuse for that is for my other journals, but that’s my reason this time! Below are some random thoughts that are health related, but not necessarily weight loss related.

Donating Blood

I donated blood this week, which always concerns me because I tend to get sick with the worst, most persistent, cough imaginable for months after donating multiple times. So far I’m alright, other than the hematoma around the extraction site because they kept messing with the needle and I started bleeding like crazy halfway through the donation. That’s never happened before and it wasn’t the greatest experience in the world, if I’m going to be perfectly honest.

I do enjoy donating because it helps people, but jeepers that time wasn’t enjoyable!

Food Intolerance

I don’t have food allergies. I consider myself fortunate in that respect. I do have several minor intolerances, however. Those are the foods that I just can’t tolerate any of their crap.

I’ve had issues with lactose most of my life. If I eat too much dairy, I experience severe abdominal pains. It’s especially problematic because I absolutely love ice cream and cheese.

Ice cream has always been one of my biggest weaknesses. If I see a picture of ice cream, I want some. If someone talks about ice cream, I want some. If I read anything with the slightest mention of ice cream, I want some. I don’t have an addictive personality, but if I did, I would be addicted to ice cream. As such, I eat it pretty infrequently, but I do love it so.

My lactose intolerance isn’t an issue if I eat dairy in moderation. Since counting calories, it hasn’t been a problem at all because I don’t binge on cheese and ice cream. Gosh, I’m making myself sound like a glutton with mountains of dairy products stacked in front of me as I shovel them in my mouth as quickly as possible. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. The fact is I wouldn’t portion out any food, so when I ate ice cream, or cereal, I would have a giant ass bowl of it and feel sick afterward because my body couldn’t process it fast enough.

Interestingly, I believe I developed another intolerance to peanut butter (or peanuts in general?) and most packaged sliced breads a couple years ago. I ate peanut butter sandwiches a lot during a time in my life. Like every single day, sometimes multiple times a day, for at least 6 months. Perhaps longer.

There were a lot of reasons for that extremely healthy (sarcasm sarcasm) dietary decision that I won’t get into here. Nothing embarrassing or bad, but it’s a long story and I’d like to reserve my long stories for my ramblings about food intolerances.

Anyway, because I ate it so frequently, I think I became intolerant to peanut butter. I wasn’t sure if that was even possible, but I have read that it can occur. I don’t have a peanut allergy, thank goodness, but anytime I eat peanut butter nowadays, I get abdominal pain and grumblies (my word for stomach rumbling). I don’t enjoy plain peanuts, so I haven’t tried them to see if they also cause the same symptoms.

It also occurs when I eat most packaged sliced breads. Fresh baked and artisanal breads have no negative effect on me, and I can safely consume two types of sliced bread that I mentioned in a previous journal. However, all other sliced breads upset my stomach. My theory is that my body can’t handle the bleached flour that many bread companies use. That theory doesn’t hold too much water because even breads that claim to use unbleached flour still upset my stomach. So I’m not entirely sure what causes it.

Thank goodness I don’t have celiac disease, because I wouldn’t know how to survive. I love bread too much. I’m happy to have found the two types of sliced breads that I enjoy and don’t cause me any pain. I wish I knew how they differed from the other brands. Perhaps I should begin comparing the ingredients to identify a potential culprit to my pain and grumblies.

The reason I prefer to buy sliced bread is that it’s easier to separate and count the calories. I also freeze my bread because it goes bad before I can eat it all. It’s a lot simpler to remove a slice of frozen bread and toast it than it would be to attempt to carve a slice from a frozen French loaf.

Glasses

I wear glasses now. Glasses are cool.

*Doctor Who reference*

For the past several years, I’ve noticed that signs and objects in the distance were blurry. I was dismayed by this, because I have had great eyesight my entire life.

Before I even realized I had an issue with my sight, I went to the DMV many years ago to have my driver’s license renewed. I was waiting approximately 3 hours before I was called to the window, and I had been staring at my phone while I waited. They immediately told me to read the chart and it was damn blurry, but because my eyes hadn’t adjusted from the small phone screen yet. I know I missed one letter and corrected it when I realized, but the lady put on my license that I wear corrective lenses without notifying me.

I thought that was rude, to say the least. My eyes are fantastic, I thought to myself as I scanned my new license. I always meant to go back to have that corrected because I was worried that I’d be ticketed for not wearing my non-existent corrective lenses if I got pulled over. I never returned. And now I wear corrective lenses.

This was the first time in my life going to an eye doctor. My sister has been going since the 5th grade, but I never needed to. I actually dreaded it. For one, I was scared they’d find something wrong with my eyes. But more importantly, I was terrified at the prospect of having my eyes dilated.

I have never once used eye drops. Ever. I don’t use eye drops. I don’t put anything in my eyes. My concern was so great, that I began searching for eye doctors who don’t dilate. There are new machines used by some doctors that eliminate the need for dilation.

It turns out the concern was unwarranted because my eye doctor didn’t even mention dilating my eyes and said I didn’t have any diseases. Cool!

What I do have is myopia (near-sightedness (can’t see far away)). It’s not severe, but I do need glasses.

I picked up my glasses this week and fell down the stairs less than a minute after putting them on for the first time. My depth perception with respect to the ground is completely out of whack. I feel like I’m 3-feet tall! I can’t judge steps or inclines at all.

But the great part is how clear everything else is. I assumed words and signs in the distance were blurry because they were too far away or small, but everything is so focused now. It’s amazing. I still haven’t adjusted to the ground so I’m trying to wear them all day to get used to them. Computers are also wonky, but it’s getting better.

Recipe for Guacamole

I can’t think of any good meals at the moment, so I’m going to give you the recipe I use for guacamole. I was going to make it today, but avocados are $1.00 a piece right now and I can’t in good conscience pay that much for a small avocado.

I’ve avoided this one because people are so set in their ways with guacamole and get quite upset if someone makes it differently. There’s a whole controversy between white, yellow, or red onions, lemon or lime juice, etc.

I find myself in the same position as those people. I think my choices are the best. For example, who the heck puts lemon juice in guacamole? That’s insane. It doesn’t even go with the flavor profile. I also feel strongly about using red onions. I believe that’s the best one for this recipe.

But that’s my opinion. The correct opinion.

I jest, but I’m serious. I couldn’t believe it when I read about lemon juice. Lemon juice is great; it just has no place in guacamole.

Without further ado, I bring you my favorite recipe for guacamole. If you prefer a different type of onion or lemon juice *shudders* then you’re welcome to substitute. The great thing about this recipe is how customizable it is.

I should also note that there are a lot of veggies in this, so it’s a bit on the chunky side. Some people may prefer the avocado to dominate, so you can reduce the tomatoes and onion or increase the avocado. I really enjoy the flavor sensation with this recipe, so I started making it this way recently.

This may sound strange, but I like guacamole on a piece of toast for one of my snack meals. I don’t eat chips anymore and rarely eat tortillas because they’re so high in calories, so toast is my substitute and it’s pretty darn good.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading. I’m sorry for the lateness of this entry and for my random thoughts this week. I hope you are happy and healthy. Take care of yourselves and I’ll see you in two weeks!

Daily Breakdown of Weight and Caloric Intake

Date	Pounds	Kilograms	Caloric Intake
16 October 2016	185.2 lb	84.01 kg	1285 calories
17 October 2016	184.9 lb	83.87 kg	1227 calories
18 October 2016	184.3 lb	83.60 kg	1204 calories
19 October 2016	183.0 lb	83.01 kg	1341 calories
20 October 2016	183.6 lb	82.28 kg	1411 calories
21 October 2016	183.3 lb	83.14 kg	1295 calories
22 October 2016	183.6 lb	83.28 kg	1189 calories
23 October 2016	183.3 lb	83.14 kg	1120 calories
24 October 2016	183.3 lb	83.14 kg	1331 calories
25 October 2016	182.8 lb	82.92 kg	1334 calories
26 October 2016	182.9 lb	82.96 kg	1532 calories
27 October 2016	182.9 lb	82.96 kg	1335 calories
28 October 2016	183.0 lb	83.01 kg	1297 calories
29 October 2016	182.3 lb	82.69 kg	1261 calories
30 October 2016	182.8 lb	82.92 kg	1297 calories
31 October 2016	182.8 lb	82.92 kg	1276 calories
1 November 2016	182.2 lb	82.64 kg	1426 calories
2 November 2016	182.4 lb	82.74 kg	1414 calories
3 November 2016	182.8 lb	82.92 kg	1317 calories
4 November 2016	181.9 lb	82.51 kg	1563 calories
5 November 2016	181.8 lb	82.46 kg	1277 calories
6 November 2016	180.4 lb	81.83 kg	---