The Devil Wears Red Velvet

Why does traveling for business or pleasure always seem to derail the great progress you make eating healthy at home? Just when you get a good streak going it gets broken!  Below is the picture of the red velvet cupcake (before I devoured it) that derailed me today while visiting my company's headquarters.  Those friendly co- workers, who bake and fill candy jars can really increase your calorie count and sabotage your diet.

The website RealAge states that
"What kills any regimen of healthy eating isn't the occasional slice of fudge cake or pizza; it's what happens after the initial indulgence...the harm isn't in the mistake; it's in not figuring out how to deal with it."

I think this statement couldn't be truer, if you fall off the wagon - don't give up and continue eating poorly, just make the next meal a good one.

Here are some tips that help me get through business travel without putting on too many pounds:

• Drastically reduce your calorie intake, cut them by 25-50% if you can.  Your body just doesn't seem to process your food as easily when you travel - I find a reduction in calories can help me feel better and my body doesn't seem to miss them
• Work out every morning no matter how crappy the gym - at least get on a treadmill for 30 minutes
• Drink a liquid protein shake for breakfast.  You can find them everywhere now and the calories are usually under 250 with lots of protein to keep you filled up.  If you can't do that, order an egg white omelette with vegetables, skip the toast there are plenty of calories to come 
• Eat the lightest lunch you can with protein- chicken, fish, meat and vegetables - save the inevitable wheel barrel full of calories coming when you take your client out for dinner and drinks
• At dinner, order fish, order fish, order fish!  You can usually order it prepared lightly and it's easier to digest then red meat and will make you feel better than pasta. It's probably late and you don't want to go to bed with a big full belly 
• Drink wine if you can, I find it doesn't make me as hungry as consuming hard liquor
• Don't beat yourself up if you fail and eat crappy, tomorrow offers another chance to get it right

Do I follow these rules every time I travel? Heck no! Last week I had tiramisu at lunch, chicken marsala for dinner, more tiramisu for desert and a terrific straight up manhattan.  But hey, I was going home the next day!

A Protein Shake A Day, Will Keep The Dr. Away

1/21/12 
I'm not sure if a protein shake a day will keep the doctor away but a protein shake is a great way to kick off the morning.  Here's the thing.. you wake up and no matter how poorly you might have eaten the day or night before, you always get a fresh start.  Let's face it - if you mess up with breakfast it's doubtful you'll get back on track the rest of the day.  Every other day I jump on the scale, record the number...hmmm, I'm either happy with the weight I'm at or I'm committed to losing a few more. Unfortunately, since the holidays it's been a tough haul! Today I was 174.6 pounds and want to get to 160. However, my short term goal over the next few weeks will be to at least drop below 170. Set little goals for yourself so you can have some successes.  I have been making this tasty chocolate Protein Shake for almost two years now. It has 310 calories, 34 grams of protein, 40 carbs and 9 Weight Watchers Points.  Enjoy! Off to make an Apple Tart for a dinner party tonight, I will try to control myself!  I'll post the Apple Tart tomorrow.  


Video Link  Protein Shake 


Recipe:
1 Scoop Whey Tech Protein
3oz FAGE 0% Yogurt
1/2 Banana (3 inches or so)
1/4 Cup Blueberries
1 Tbsp. Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder
1 Tbs. Raw Honey
Handful of Ice Cubes

A cold arctic morning in Chicago today - check out this picture taken from my living room.  The ice has pushed itself against the Chicago waterfront.  We had about 6 inches of snow yesterday.

In The Beginning There Was Flour, Butter And Sugar

Well here goes, it's time to start my blog - a companion to my cooking channel My Unexpected Guest. My name is John, I love to cook and entertain but also struggle to keep my weight in some kind of proportion to my height. I refuse to eat boring food and I'm not giving up cooking, so I'm constantly trying new recipes that are delicious but also keep the calories in check.


Two years ago I lost 50 pounds, going from 210 to 160. 

Me at 210 Pounds

I did it by counting calories and taking in enough protein to keep my hunger away. This past year I went back up to 178 (yikes) after hosting too many holiday events! I really think it was the buche de noel I made that put me over the edge. Chocolate cake, mocha butter cream center and chocolate ganache - yum!  But I'm working my way back down. (I have documented my buche experience in another post)

My blog and companion cooking show will document the recipes and tricks I've created to lose the pounds and for the most part keep them off - the buche de noel is not one of those tricks!

 

Me at 160 Pounds

Obviously not everything you see on my blog will be the healthiest or lowest in calorie (see pic of the buche) but I believe in cheat days and fattening things in moderation are not going to hurt you. I will always try and give you the calorie and protein count and even the weight watchers points for those of you in that very successful program.

 Obviously not everything you see on my blog will be the healthiest or lowest in calorie (see pic of the buche) but I believe in cheat days and fattening things in moderation are not going to hurt you. I will always try and give you the calorie and protein count and even the weight watchers points for those of you in that very successful program.

 


The 2011 Christmas Buche De Noel 

I started photographing my foods and writing samples for this blog just after Thanksgiving 2011, so forgive the chronological order and theme of some of my postings but I wanted to share them with you - they will catch up to real time shortly. 

So this blog is for all you weight watching, enthusiastic cooks, hosts and hostesses out there that just don't understand the concept of buying prepared foods in a grocery store. I hope you'll enjoy following the antics of a slightly neurotic and funny guy just trying to make his way in the world. 

Don't forget to visit My Unexpected Guest if you want to watch (and hopefully repeat) my food performances... Bon Appetite!