Day 13

I weighed in this morning at 331.2 pounds. Last week's weight was 331.8. This week I lost 0.6 pounds. This is evidence of how just one or two days of overeating can affect your weight loss goals.

Today I decided to try Jillian's new Sunday brunch. They just started 3 weeks ago and aren't really advertising yet. It was a buffet, and most of the stuff was pretty good. A few things were a little bland, but overall it was a decent brunch. I personally prefer a brunch where you can order off a menu - it is typically a bit cheaper, you can make healthier choices, and it isn't as easy to overeat. As we saw last week, when confronted with a buffet or other endless source of food, I, like many people, tend to overeat.

Brunch, Jillian's Italian Grill (11:00 a.m.):
1/4 cup fresh fruit
1/4 cup quinoa salad (with cranberries, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber and onion)
1/8 c. caprese salad (tomato, mozzarella, vinegar, olive oil, basil)
1/8 c. penne w/tomato sauce, mini meatballs and cheese
1/8 c. green beans
1 slice bacon
1/8 c. scrambled eggs
3 oz. ham (carving station...nice)
1/10 c. escallopped potatoes (potatoes au gratin?)
1 oz. chicken marsala (chicken with white wine mushroom cream sauce)
1/3 biscuit with 1 tablespoon sausage gravy
3 homefries (seasoned 1/4 inch potato cubes)
1/4 egg benedict (english muffin, canadian bacon, poached egg, holandaise sauce)
1 pumpkin pie individual tartlet w/ 1 1/2 teaspoon whipped cream
1 mimosa (sparkling wine and orange juice)
3 c. coffee
2 oz heavy cream (for said coffee)

The problem with buffets, especially if it is the first time you've had the buffet at a particular restaurant, is that you want to try everything. Even eating very small amounts (about 2-3 bites worth) of most of the things on the buffet add up very quickly. This goes double for things that are cheesy or creamy - escalloped potatos, chicken marsala, holandaise sauce, gravy.

The total calorie count for this extravaganza: 1494. For many people, this would be their caloric intake for the whole day. For me, this is over half of what I need. I should have eaten about 1/2 of what I consumed, passed up items that didn't look particularly interesting, and rejected the owner's insistance that I sample the eggs benedict.

I have about 1000 calories "left" for the day - that's about how much I can consume without "busting" my diet. Considering how full I feel at the moment, that shouldn't be a problem.

Dinner (8:00 p.m.):
1 weight watchers quesadilla (black beans, cheese, vegetables, about 230 calories)
1 bacon egg and cheese sandwich
    2 slices whole wheat bread
    1 slice bacon
    1 large egg
    1/4 c. grated cheddar cheese

Calorie intake for the day: 2287.

Day 8

Today woke up at 9:00 a.m., then spent an hour and a half in bed thinking (mostly about how to respond when confronted by Fred Phelps) and reading Women's Health magazine. Then I showered. Then I checked e-mail, checked facebook, texted my friend Jon, and checked the mail. Finally I got around to cooking what I shall refer to as "brunch"...

Brunch (11:15 a.m.):
2 slices bacon
1 omlette
    1.5 tablespoons bacon grease
    1 cup raw spinach leaves
    2 large eggs
    2 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
2 c. coffee w/ 2 tablespoons f.f. hazlenut creamer

Have I mentioned that I'm not really a morning person? Oh, you're still hung up on the bacon grease? Well, bacon grease and all, this was about a 460 calorie breakfast. I didn't add bacon grease, I just used what was left after frying the bacon to sautee the spinach and eggs. Don't judge me.

Lunch (2:00 p.m.):
2.5 c. cooked white rice w/ 1/3 teaspoon olive oil
5 oz roast beef
1 c. gravy (with few mushrooms and onions)
1.5 c. raw spinach

Cut beef into bite size pieces, toss into skillet on medium heat. Add leftover gravy, and a bit of water. Stir to incorporate. Let beef heat through until tender. At last minute, add spinach, let wilt. Serve over rice. Voila, lunch.

Dinner (7:30 p.m.):
2 small potatoes cooked "crash hot" style (see post from yesterday)
4 oz roast beef
1 c. gravy
1 cup Minute Maid pomegranate-blueberry juice

Total of 2400 calories today.