Friday

In the end, yesterday was almost a fast, too.  Lee had to be out of the house very early, so we just skipped breakfast for convenience; I grabbed a couple of pieces of cheese to tide me over, and out we went.  So the cheese was my breakfast, and I guess beef jerky was my lunch.  147.0 this morning and a mildly upset stomach.  Here's yesterday:

• tea with cream
• the usual supplements
• cheese
• jerky
• chocolate cherries (I confess that I finished the box when I got home - about 1/3 of it, I'd say)
• chips and salsa - only a few
• wedge salad with bacon, tomatoes and blue cheese dressing - this was half a head of lettuce from the planet of the giants - I did not finish it

I guess that was it.  When it turns out that you eat hardly anything, it seems it's rather hard to lose weight.

Thursday

I think it's Thursday, anyway.  My brain is foggy this morning, and I'm achy.  But we walked last night, near-fasted for me, and it may just be aches and pains.  147.4 this morning, no idea why.  Here's yesterday:

• tea with cream
• the usual supplements
• cheese
• 6 chocolate cherries
• Chicken Piccata from Mimi's, with buttered broccoli and carrots
• Walnuts

That was it.  I was pretty ketotic yesterday afternoon, judging by the taste in my mouth (one of my clues), and I don't really think the carbs from 6 chocolate cherries and about 15 walnuts would have busted me out.  But I could be wrong.  I've been wrong before.

The walk was a mile and a half, per Elizabeth's Nike thingie, and we did it in 21 minutes.  I figure her tracking thing is more accurate than my occasional (usually too late) glance at the clock on the wall, so 14 minute miles.  Not too bad, considering.

Wednesday

A quick note: Yesterday's migraine prompted a carb binge after dinner - potato chips (possibly for the salt) and chocolate.  147.2 this morning, no surprises.  I don't have time to go into detail, but am fasting today, seriously, for reasons other than nutrition.  More tomorrow.

Tuesday

Well, that was interesting.  I was heading onto the freeway to start my commute when I noticed the first stirrings of a migraine aura.  Mine are visual - arcs of sparkly triangles in the left field of vision - so I'm stuck in a restricted access road going 65 miles/hour, with some distortion to my left.  I am happy to say I made it to work without incident, managed to get 3 advil down while driving, and the aura disappeared about halfway to work.  Ugh, though.  I never used to get these, and can only blame hormone swings, since they pre-date Paleo.  Right now, I can feel some pressure in my forehead that I am hoping will not blossom into the real deal.

146.0 this morning, so those same hormones seem to be willing to play along with weight loss.  I appreciate that, at least.  Here's yesterday:

• scrambled eggs
• tea with cream
• bacon
• the usual supplements
• cheese
• chocolate cherries (5 total all night, I think)
• a chicken breast
• about 10 green olives
• salad with vinaigrette dressing
• a chocolate caramel Ghirardelli square

That was it.  I wasn't hungry enough during the day to snack, for which I am grateful.  Elizabeth and I went walking before dinner, to boot; she said that she'd been fasting all day and was a bit cranky, although she didn't seem to be.  I did my first mile (of 1.5, approx.) in about 13 minutes, which isn't bad.  Cut my stride way down to reduce arm swings, and my shoulder is quiescent today, so that appears to be the ticket.  I'm still taking turmeric for it, prophylactically.

Monday

Well, let's see.  What's been going on?  A good weekend, I think - for eating, anyway.  I'm down to 146.8 this morning, and mean to keep it that way.  Our weekend involved lots of being out and about, mostly meals in restaurants (all but yesterday's breakfast, I think), but few opportunities to snack.  Elizabeth reports a loss of at least 15 pounds on her Whole 30, which she is considering limiting to a Whole 21 because life without cheese is just not worth it.  But she's doing really well - ignoring chips and salsa at Mexican restaurants, and having only a tiny bit of rice at the hibachi place.  And then buying Junior Mints at the movies as a least-worst option and not bothering even to open the box.  It's now residing in our pantry to keep from bugging her.  She's pretty chuffed at the progress, for sure.

I had some fun on Saturday morning - a friend is starting a venture representing a clothing line, and was having a trunk show, so I went to check things out.  And found that, regardless of size label, I fit every garment I tried on, at least to be able to fasten it without strain.  I also found that clothing that's not "me", and which I would not wear voluntarily, actually looked fairly good on me.  I guess I could start a new career in modeling if I felt inclined - or not.  In the end, I bought 2 skirts that I believe I will wear.  The weird thing is that I bought one of them in a size 6 (yes, that is NOT a typo) and the other in a size 10.  Same line, same company, one would think they'd standardize sizes.  But I tried on multiple size 6s and 8s and had no problem zipping any of them, other than getting my arms into a position that would allow me to pull up back zippers on dresses.  Crazy.

At the movies on Saturday, we split half of a dark chocolate bar, and I had a fizzy water - quite a change from the days when a large popcorn vanished before the previews ended.

Anyway, here's yesterday:

• tea with cream
• the usual supplements
• part of a bowl of primal hot cereal (recipe from a Mark Sisson book) - unfortunately rather nasty as I used almonds that had gone bad
• 4 pieces of bacon
• cheese - 2 or 3 pieces
• turkey - 2 slices
• chocolate cherries - maybe 4 or 5 throughout the day
• fewer than 10 chips with salsa and a little refried beans
• cheese enchiladas with nasty green chile (I was hungry, so I ate them)

That was pretty much it.  I was at 146.6 yesterday, so I would tend to imagine that the Mexican had its usual effect.  Whatever.

On the hormonal front, I am, unfortunately, suffering from hot flashes again.  What is this, round 3 or 4?  I'm really really done with it.  Wish it were done with me.

Friday

Walked again last night - 17 laps in about 15-20 minutes.  11.6 laps is a mile, so nearly a mile and a half.  My legs are not suffering from this, but my shoulder is feeling hateful again this morning.  More turmeric, more Icy-hot, probably some Advil in my future.  I don't want to stop the walking; I need it.  But I also need to let my shoulder recover from the bad pillows.  Maybe I do a couple of walks slower, without the racewalk arm-swing.  Something like that.

149.4 this morning - I think that's what I was yesterday as well.  Here's what I ate yesterday:

• scrambled eggs
• bacon
• tea with cream
• the usual supplements
• beef jerky
• cheese - 1 piece cheddar and 1 piece Kerrygold Dubliner
• brats (2) with dijon mustard
• sauerkraut - the last of my homemade stuff
• a little cole slaw
• 1 chocolate cherry
• the rest of the coconut milk ice cream

That was it.  I will definitely be making more of the sauerkraut this fall, especially as I now have a mandoline.  But this weekend, I think I'll be working on dehydrating the rest of the carrot crop for flour - maybe it will make only one supreme failure of a cake, but I think it's worth a try.

Thursday

I don't know if yesterday could be called a fast day or not; between bedtime the night before and dinnertime yesterday, I only ate about 12 olives and a thing of beef jerky.  Now that's obviously eating something, but not much, really.  I was good and hungry by dinner time, for certain.  And we had Mexican.  149.4 this morning.  Here's the breakdown:

• tea with cream
• the usual supplements
• olives (12ish)
• beef jerky
• 2 pieces of cheese
• chips and salsa (half the basket of chips - don't know how many, but fewer than 20)
• naked chicken fajitas (including guacamole, sour cream, and cheese)
• part of the serving of refried beans

And then I stopped for the night.  I know snacking is not a good thing, so I did my best not even to start, and that worked.

Back to the gym tonight for more walking.  What I put in on Tuesday didn't really hurt yesterday, but at least I was moving a bit.