Alligatorob's Diary
- Thread starter alligatorob
- Start date
Six stone gone! Brilliant achievement! 
And isn't it amazing to think you were lugging that amount of extra weight around with you all the time, this time last year - exhausting just to think of doing everything carrying all that around with you everywhere. (Nobody I've ever known has gone bushwalking carrying an 84-pound pack!)
And isn't it amazing to think you were lugging that amount of extra weight around with you all the time, this time last year - exhausting just to think of doing everything carrying all that around with you everywhere. (Nobody I've ever known has gone bushwalking carrying an 84-pound pack!)
Petal001
New member
Rob I am delighted to see your loss that's fantastic news. Well done. I relate a bit to you feeling a bit down as I battle a bit with it too.
I have heard of the turducken. Never appealed to me much mind you.
Your weight loss has been fantastic in 2019. Really incredible. Your discipline is amazing . You deserve a huge round of applause
I have heard of the turducken. Never appealed to me much mind you.
Your weight loss has been fantastic in 2019. Really incredible. Your discipline is amazing . You deserve a huge round of applause
alligatorob
Respected Member
Yesterday, Christmas, was a good day. I ate less, but drank more than usual, the calories worked out fine but it wasn't the healthiest of days. Hey Christmas only only comes once a year. There was very little food I could feel good about eating, so I didn't eat much. The whiskey was consumed whilst setting out Santa Claus presents in the middle of the night, and the wine was drunk with visitors, some unexpected all Christmas afternoon and evening. Not a lot, but sipping on and off adds up.
LaMa and Petal, turducken is not common here, you can't get it in Utah, I had to order a frozen one shipped from Louisiana (https://www.cajungrocer.com/turducken ). Even in Louisiana where it comes from its not eaten a whole lot. I suspect in Ireland or Austria you would have to make your own. This is only the second one I have ever cooked, more a novelty than a staple, next year I am sure we'll be back to regular turkey. The taste is dominated by the duck, ok with me but not for those who don't like duck.
Liza, Amy, Cate and all, thanks for your nice words, always good to hear from you.
Wednesday, Christmas
middle of the night whiskey 140
breakfast orange 64
small piece, breakfast casserole 120
lunch
broccoli 60
banana 100
snack
crackers 40
dinner left over turducken 250
a little left over broccoli 20
big lettuce only salad 50
sips of wine off and on all afternoon and evening, a WAG 300
snack
crackers 60
total calories 1,064
It was in 1064 that the Aztecs moved south to occupy, for the first time, the area around modern Mexico City. In the next few hundred years they would transform from just one of Mesoamerica's many tribes to dominators of the region. Only to be rapidly displaced by Cortez in about 1520. One familiar thing they left us was their impact on Mexican cuisine. Starting with the older Mayan foods Aztecs added more avocado, tomatoes, chili peppers, honey and squash. This combined with the European influence the Spanish brought became the Mexican food we know today. We have the Aztecs to thank for our basic Mexican salsa recipe. Folks here may thank, or curse, them for bringing chocolate to us.
LaMa and Petal, turducken is not common here, you can't get it in Utah, I had to order a frozen one shipped from Louisiana (https://www.cajungrocer.com/turducken ). Even in Louisiana where it comes from its not eaten a whole lot. I suspect in Ireland or Austria you would have to make your own. This is only the second one I have ever cooked, more a novelty than a staple, next year I am sure we'll be back to regular turkey. The taste is dominated by the duck, ok with me but not for those who don't like duck.
Liza, Amy, Cate and all, thanks for your nice words, always good to hear from you.
I agree, let's do it!
Yeah, I guess it just comes with the season. I always watch a version or two of Dicken's Christmas Carol, not that I have much in common (or hope I don't anyway) with Scrooge, but I find the story of redemption uplifting. I watched the new FX version, was not impressed, they ventured too far from the story, I didn't need to know that Scrooge had been abused as a boy, and Bob Cratchit's wife being a kind of voodoo queen didn't seem right. None the less I am fine today, hope you are too.
Wednesday, Christmas
middle of the night whiskey 140
breakfast orange 64
small piece, breakfast casserole 120
lunch
broccoli 60
banana 100
snack
crackers 40
dinner left over turducken 250
a little left over broccoli 20
big lettuce only salad 50
sips of wine off and on all afternoon and evening, a WAG 300
snack
crackers 60
total calories 1,064
It was in 1064 that the Aztecs moved south to occupy, for the first time, the area around modern Mexico City. In the next few hundred years they would transform from just one of Mesoamerica's many tribes to dominators of the region. Only to be rapidly displaced by Cortez in about 1520. One familiar thing they left us was their impact on Mexican cuisine. Starting with the older Mayan foods Aztecs added more avocado, tomatoes, chili peppers, honey and squash. This combined with the European influence the Spanish brought became the Mexican food we know today. We have the Aztecs to thank for our basic Mexican salsa recipe. Folks here may thank, or curse, them for bringing chocolate to us.
Cate
Long term member
I find Christmas is an emotional time. I'm glad ours is in Summer & not Winter. I'm glad you had a nice Christmas with the GK's, Rob. Here's to 2020 being a good year. I'll try to follow your example & cut my calories right down (maybe not quite so much) & try to get used to hunger again.
It's not so much the chocolate (strictly speaking) as the sugar! ie the bean alone is okay, the cocoa powder alone won't hurt, but add in all the things that make it into confectionery, and then there's trouble!
I didn't read, and I didn't watch, but I listened to an audiobook of A Christmas Carol - an extraordinary and fascinating work. It's especially telling that Scrooge, bad as he is, is more generous than some employers today - he grumbles about it, but he gives Cratchit a paid day off for Christmas.
I didn't read, and I didn't watch, but I listened to an audiobook of A Christmas Carol - an extraordinary and fascinating work. It's especially telling that Scrooge, bad as he is, is more generous than some employers today - he grumbles about it, but he gives Cratchit a paid day off for Christmas.
alligatorob
Respected Member
It was a good day after Christmas day, I ate well and feel good. Had a tamale for dinner, its been a while, first since I've been on the diet. My wife knows a Mexican lady who makes tamales in her home, she is in great demand you have to order well ahead. The tamales are really good, exceptional! But they come without a nutrition or calorie label, so I had to guess based on a Google search. It is the first time I have ever eaten just one for a meal, but I feel plenty full.
Cate, yes it can be. It would be strange to have Christmas in summer, just as Christmas in winter would feel strange to you. I grew up in Florida where winters were quite mild, but still colder than summers.
Amy you are right about chocolate, and the Aztecs ate most of it without sweetening. Mole negro is one of my favorite Mexican dishes, and old Aztec recipe I believe, the mole sauce is made with chocolate and it is not sweet or desert. A Christmas Carol played an important role in making our Christmas in the US the holiday we celebrate today. When the US broke away from the UK Christmas was seen as a British holiday and was not recognized in the US. It was not a federal holiday, our Congress used to meet on Christmas. When the book came out in the mid 1800s it was very popular here and really shaped what people thought of Christmas and lead to it becoming a US holiday. I am not sure if the same is true in other British and former British places.
Thursday
breakfast
yogurt 80
cereal - grapenuts 110
snack
pretzels 80
lunch
sardines 220
snack
orange 64
dinner
tamale 265
very small portion refried beans 50
lettuce 35
green peppers 35
snack
30 frozen cherries 129
total calories 1,068
In 1068 Zaynab an-Nafzawiyyah married Abu Bakr ibn Umar, leader of the Almoravids, and becoming his queen an co-regent. She was the only one of his wives given the title of malika or queen. At the time it was rare for a Berber king's wife to gain such a title, suggesting she may have ruled for or through him. Apparently she was quite a wealthy women and many wanted to marry her. According to legend she blindfolded Abu Bakr, and led him to a secret cavern. When she removed the blindfold, he saw around him a huge treasure of gold and silver, pearls and rubies. "All this is yours" she is supposed to have said before leading him out - again blindfolded.
Cate, yes it can be. It would be strange to have Christmas in summer, just as Christmas in winter would feel strange to you. I grew up in Florida where winters were quite mild, but still colder than summers.
Amy you are right about chocolate, and the Aztecs ate most of it without sweetening. Mole negro is one of my favorite Mexican dishes, and old Aztec recipe I believe, the mole sauce is made with chocolate and it is not sweet or desert. A Christmas Carol played an important role in making our Christmas in the US the holiday we celebrate today. When the US broke away from the UK Christmas was seen as a British holiday and was not recognized in the US. It was not a federal holiday, our Congress used to meet on Christmas. When the book came out in the mid 1800s it was very popular here and really shaped what people thought of Christmas and lead to it becoming a US holiday. I am not sure if the same is true in other British and former British places.
Thursday
breakfast
yogurt 80
cereal - grapenuts 110
snack
pretzels 80
lunch
sardines 220
snack
orange 64
dinner
tamale 265
very small portion refried beans 50
lettuce 35
green peppers 35
snack
30 frozen cherries 129
total calories 1,068
In 1068 Zaynab an-Nafzawiyyah married Abu Bakr ibn Umar, leader of the Almoravids, and becoming his queen an co-regent. She was the only one of his wives given the title of malika or queen. At the time it was rare for a Berber king's wife to gain such a title, suggesting she may have ruled for or through him. Apparently she was quite a wealthy women and many wanted to marry her. According to legend she blindfolded Abu Bakr, and led him to a secret cavern. When she removed the blindfold, he saw around him a huge treasure of gold and silver, pearls and rubies. "All this is yours" she is supposed to have said before leading him out - again blindfolded.
Petal001
New member
I was watching a program for a while last night and Christmas trees were introduced into uk by the Victorians. Christmas in Ireland has become very Commercislised with all the lights and things like elf on the shelf and Christmas Eve boxes. I don't like it. I like simple . We have simple at home.
Rob you doing a great job staying on plan . I think writing here helps . It's a great support especially this time of year. I'm off to look up a tamale.
Rob you doing a great job staying on plan . I think writing here helps . It's a great support especially this time of year. I'm off to look up a tamale.
alligatorob
Respected Member
It was a good day, I ate right and feel pretty good.
Got my blood work back from the lab today, to be honest I don't really understand it, lots of numbers but not much guidance. This is the first lab report of the kind I can remember ever seeing. I think I am ok, there is a column called "Flag" and one called "Range", the only flag I have is an L for total cholesterol and that is also the only one out of the range. I got a 99 mg/dL and the bottom of the range is 100, so I guess that's not far off. And I don't think a low total cholesterol is bad. The doc said they would call me if they saw a problem, no call so far anyway.
Tomorrow is the big day for LSU, the semi final game against Oklahoma. Most folks are favoring LSU, but anything can happen. College football is a big deal in the US, in most states college football coaches are the most highly paid government employees, more than governors or college presidents, even more that the US president, DT. I don't think that makes much sense, but it is true. I may have to drink a bit more tomorrow, in support of my alma mater.
Friday
breakfast yogurt 80
cereal - grapenuts 150
orange 64
lunch
yogurt 80
cereal - grapenuts 110
grapefruit 96
snack
seaweed 30
dinner - turducken salad
turducken 250
carrots 50
lettuce 35
green peppers 25
snack
grapefruit 96
total calories 1,066
I am pretty sure I've done 1066 before, but anyway it was an important year in England. At the start of 1066, England was ruled by an Englishman, Edward the Confessor. By the end of the year, a Norman – William the Conqueror – was king after the Battle of Hastings. 1066. Many historians view 1066 as the start of Medieval England.
Got my blood work back from the lab today, to be honest I don't really understand it, lots of numbers but not much guidance. This is the first lab report of the kind I can remember ever seeing. I think I am ok, there is a column called "Flag" and one called "Range", the only flag I have is an L for total cholesterol and that is also the only one out of the range. I got a 99 mg/dL and the bottom of the range is 100, so I guess that's not far off. And I don't think a low total cholesterol is bad. The doc said they would call me if they saw a problem, no call so far anyway.
Tomorrow is the big day for LSU, the semi final game against Oklahoma. Most folks are favoring LSU, but anything can happen. College football is a big deal in the US, in most states college football coaches are the most highly paid government employees, more than governors or college presidents, even more that the US president, DT. I don't think that makes much sense, but it is true. I may have to drink a bit more tomorrow, in support of my alma mater.
I eat them frozen, these are cherries from the neighboring orchards we bought last summer and froze. They are good.
It sure does, without it I am quite sure this diet would have been as short lived as most of my previous diets.
Yes, our dislike of all things British didn't last long after the wars. I am always amazed how closely people here follow the Monarchy, I am not sure why its so important. Not since they lost their political power.
I guess the problem I had with it was it seemed to want to follow the original story, but then just went awry. I also watched a version set in modern times with Eddy Scrooge a loan shark as the main character. It was so much different that I was fine with it. But I am glad you liked the BBC/FX version. Its a great story in any version.
Friday
breakfast yogurt 80
cereal - grapenuts 150
orange 64
lunch
yogurt 80
cereal - grapenuts 110
grapefruit 96
snack
seaweed 30
dinner - turducken salad
turducken 250
carrots 50
lettuce 35
green peppers 25
snack
grapefruit 96
total calories 1,066
I am pretty sure I've done 1066 before, but anyway it was an important year in England. At the start of 1066, England was ruled by an Englishman, Edward the Confessor. By the end of the year, a Norman – William the Conqueror – was king after the Battle of Hastings. 1066. Many historians view 1066 as the start of Medieval England.
alligatorob
Respected Member
Posted too early, just got hungry and ate 60 calories of crackers, so my total was really 1,126 still in my 1,000 to 1,200 target range.
Truffle Monster
Active member, Cyclist
Hey Rob,
I’m slowly catching up on your diary. Looks like you’ve been doing well.
I read that you’ve ordered a bike trainer. I have some advice on that if you don’t mind?
1/ indoor training is MUCH harder because you don’t get the cooking effects of the wind and you can’t coast.
2/ if it’s an A frame type that locks the read wheel in and has a roller on it they wreak havoc on your tyre so a top tip is to get a crappy wheel and tyre and thrash it rather than destroying your good tyres. (You could get a narrow road tyre which would solve your problem re wide wheels)
3/ be prepared to sweat ... a lot.
4/ sweat is very salty which corrodes your bike soooo put a towel over the top tube and handle bars so you don’t prematurely destroy your bike (a mate of mine does bike repairs and showed me some handlebars on a road bike that were nearly corroded completely through from sweat - one pot hole and game over. This of course was not visible until he removed the bar tape to replace the brake cables.
anyway that’s my 2 cents. Ill get on with reading more of your diary now.
I’m slowly catching up on your diary. Looks like you’ve been doing well.
I read that you’ve ordered a bike trainer. I have some advice on that if you don’t mind?
1/ indoor training is MUCH harder because you don’t get the cooking effects of the wind and you can’t coast.
2/ if it’s an A frame type that locks the read wheel in and has a roller on it they wreak havoc on your tyre so a top tip is to get a crappy wheel and tyre and thrash it rather than destroying your good tyres. (You could get a narrow road tyre which would solve your problem re wide wheels)
3/ be prepared to sweat ... a lot.
4/ sweat is very salty which corrodes your bike soooo put a towel over the top tube and handle bars so you don’t prematurely destroy your bike (a mate of mine does bike repairs and showed me some handlebars on a road bike that were nearly corroded completely through from sweat - one pot hole and game over. This of course was not visible until he removed the bar tape to replace the brake cables.
anyway that’s my 2 cents. Ill get on with reading more of your diary now.
Now that's a South Australian talking!
(Sorry, Monster - couldn't resist!)
Truffle Monster
Active member, Cyclist
Haha. Autocorrect actually. COOLING effectNow that's a South Australian talking!
alligatorob
Respected Member
It was a good day, LSU, my alma mater won the college football (US) semifinals, beating Oklahoma 28 to 63, it wasn't close. I had too much to eat and drink whilst watching it, the most calories I have had in a day in a long time, but I think I am ok, still at about 1,500. I did eat and drink a lot less than the folks I was with. Next Saturday LSU plays Clemson for the national championship. That may take a bit of beer as well.
I'll catch up with folks tomorrow, off to be now.
Saturday
breakfast
yogurt 80
cereal - grapenuts 110
lunch
turducken 125
apple 95
grapefruit 96
Football drinking and eating from about 2 pm until 10 pm. Watched both semifinal games.
beer 300
whisky 200
bbq ribs 298
apple 94
pretzels 95
total calories 1,493
Christopher Columbus, one of many discoverers of America, returned to Spain in 1493 after his first voyage. The world was never the same again. In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue, in 1493 Columbus climbed a tree... possibly the first poem I ever learned.
I'll catch up with folks tomorrow, off to be now.
Saturday
breakfast
yogurt 80
cereal - grapenuts 110
lunch
turducken 125
apple 95
grapefruit 96
Football drinking and eating from about 2 pm until 10 pm. Watched both semifinal games.
beer 300
whisky 200
bbq ribs 298
apple 94
pretzels 95
total calories 1,493
Christopher Columbus, one of many discoverers of America, returned to Spain in 1493 after his first voyage. The world was never the same again. In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue, in 1493 Columbus climbed a tree... possibly the first poem I ever learned.