Week 3, Day 5

Calories eaten yesterday: 1533
Fat: 36g (22%)
Carbs: 97g (26%)
Protein: 152g (41%)

Weight this morning: 143.4
Calories burned in exercise today: 252

Before I talk about today, I need to respond to the person who said I was stressing my liver with wine when I said I don't like to stress my pancreas with carbs. The answer: Yes, I am. This isn't a perfect world and you have to pick your poison. If carbs are your poison, fine. Mine is wine. Just about everything these days stresses our bodies and organs in ways they weren't meant to be stressed - pollution in the air, preservatives in food, pesticides on our produce.

If this were a perfect world I would have the money to buy grass fed beef and organic vegetables, as well as the time and inclination to prepare wonderful tasty dinners instead of eating NutriSystem meals and frozen entrees full of preservatives. In a perfect world I would have no vices and eat nothing but a healthy low-carb diet with only the highest quality, organic, locally-grown products, and drink nothing but filtered water and green tea. Additionally, I'd be thoroughly happy eating this way.

But this isn't a perfect world. A quality life is as important to me as quantity, so I pick my vices carefully and try to eat healthy. I prefer to eat less carbs and let my liver finely balance my blood sugar rather than using the blunt instrument control of the pancreas. But hey, if the blunt instrument method works for you, have at it. At least sweet fruits aren't as bad as sugar and will give you a few vitamins. Just don't criticise me for my choice to eat only vegetables and non-sweet fruits.

There are worse vices than fruits, and there are worse vices than wine. They both have some benefits that help to offset their bad side. Can we agree on that?

Ok, onward and upward.

Calories will be a bit higher today because 1) I went to the gym and had my 290 calorie protein shake after, and 2) I'll be up late doing laundry so I have a little extra wine and sometimes some extra sugar free Jello. I'll still eat less than I burn, at least going by FitDay. I have tweaked my activity level there to read "Sedentary (bed-bound)" since it said I was burning more than I was when I set my activity level for "Seated work," which is what I really do. I try to eat less every day than my "Sedentary" status plus whatever exercise I do. More correctly, I try to eat less than my "Sedentary" status period.

Yes, I did make it to the gym today for a total of three times this week. Did one hour of weights and 30 minutes of cardio on the exercise bike. I was able to put it on level 6 and sustain that. Yay! I put my pedometer in my sock so it would count "steps." :)

I also learned a new move today, the "Arnold Press." It was most likely invented by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (governor of this great state). I saw it in the woman's muscle mag I read and decided to try it.

One of the muscle bound guys I see there all the time saw me doing it not quite perfectly and showed me the correct form. I love it when the guys at the gym pay attention to me! :)

This low-fat diet seems to be having its first deleterious effect - hangnails. I used to get them occasionally, but I have had a lot over the last week or so. Now it could be due to my use of Purell, but I don't think I use it enough to dry out my hand. I use the Purell maybe a couple times a day because I can't afford to get sick again. So I really think this sudden rash of hangnails is due to going from a diet with a healthy amount of fat to one lacking in fat. Geez. When will people get over their fat phobia?

It looks like I will just have to deal with this for the duration of the diet.

I also seem to be getting more pimples - a sign of eating too much sugar. I'll have to see if it keeps getting worse, or if this is just one of those things I get sometimes.

Got my reimbursement from my employer today for their portion of my dental bills. I hope this combined with the money from Dad will be enough to cover the rent.

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