Determined To Succeed

Hello, my friends. Yes, there was a purposeful reason for me being so late today with today’s entry – I was waiting until after seeing the dentist.

Yeah, I waited until after my appointment to write because I was all in a tizzy. You guys know what I’ve been through already with my teeth and I had to go back today because my mouth was feeling particularly sensitive to things like heat and cold and chewing…things it should not be sensitive to. Anywho, I went and it turns out everything is fine, and they put some desensitizing goo on my tooth and gums which tastes like a cross between a strawberry gum and Elmer’s Glue. Ick, but O.K. I’d rather have gone in for them to tell me nothing’s wrong rather than put it off only to have the Grand Canyon of problems happen.  The only drawback to the Elmer’s Goo (as I now call it) was that I had to wait half-an-hour to eat or drink anything and I sooooooo needed coffee this morning. And while I was at it I was a bit peckish so I did something different today…I went to Subway.

I haven’t been to a Subway in at least a few of years. I have nothing at all against them, it’s just that I think I overdosed on sandwiches from there when I was beginning to try to lose weight and eat better. The Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich was my best friend for a while and at only 380 calories (only 40 calories of which from fat with 4.5 grams total fat) it was (and is still probably) a tasty lunch or dinner.

Anyway, in the half-hour I needed to kill before my Elmer’s Goo set I went into uncharted territory and tried one of Subway’s breakfast Muffin Melts. I know I could have gone to McDonald’s (their sausage is made from addictive crack, after all) but I wanted to take it easy on the calories (and the fat) and I had heard that their breakfast sandwiches were at or around only 200 calories.  With that in mind I bellied up (all puns intended) to the ordering station and ordered myself a Western Egg & Cheese Muffin Melt (using egg whites) on English muffin.

You know what? That was a pretty tasty sandwich. It was fairly comparable to McDonald’s Egg McMuffin in terms of ingredients but I was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted (and how light it was) and how few calories it had.

Let’s compare:

One McDonald’s Egg McMuffin has 300 calories (110 of which are from fat, with 12 total grams of fat).

One Subway Western Egg & Cheese Muffin Melt had only – get this – 160 calories (35 of which are from fat, with 4 total grams of fat)!

That’s awesome! And the best part was that it tasted like a small, light western omelete. It wasn’t as greasy or as heavy as a McDonald’s breakfast sandwich can be (sorry, Clown but it’s true) and it was pretty cheap (excuse me – inexpensive) at only $2 plus tax.

I know places like McDonald’s or Burger King offer better monetary deals on their food (which is a shame because people eat what’s cheap and it’s the bad foods that are cheap) but for the money that new Subway breakfast Muffin Melt is pretty darn good and a beatter, healthier way to enjoy a fast-food breakfast on a weight loss journey. It may not be the drive-thru at McDonald’s (hell, I don’t know any Subway that even HAS a drive-thru) but it’s worth the few extra minutes it will take you to get out of your car…

…and you’ll even burn a calorie or two walking to get it. How cool is that?!

Good Sunday morning, my friends (yaaaaaaawwwwwwnnnnnn). And how are we today?

Life has a funny way of doing things sometimes. Remember how I had to go to the dentist, not once but twice, to get my tooth “fixed?” Well…I am headed back a third time tomorrow morning because it just feels – how should I put it – wrong. It feels achy, in a strained, empty sort of way, not in a direct pain sort of way. So, just as a precaution I am going in first thing in the morning.

The last time I was there and getting things “fixed” they didn’t say to me “well, Bill. For the next 48-hours you shouldn’t have this or that,” which is what I guy like me needs. I need some simple, clear instructions about what to eat and not. It is driving me nuts, this tooth-o-mine. As I was out and about yesterday I pondered this and, almost instinctively, reached for a plain Hershey bar in the Wawa. As I did that I caught myself, gave me the tisk-tisk and walked away. But I started thinking about chocolate. Does it really cause cavities? Is it really all that bad for you?

The answer is yes…and no.

Like with all things in the scientific, health-related worlds there are conflicting data. Ugh. I like my chocolate (he says whining).

On the “go-ahead-and-eat-chocolate” side, Dr. Rutai Hui of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College in Beijing and his colleagues did analysis of eight different studies and showed that eating chocolate might bring down cholesterol levels in some people, lower blood pressure and that chocolate eaters were less likely to suffer a stroke or heart attack over the next 10 years.

That’s because they were freaking happy, that’s why (just kidding).

Dr. Hui looked at how cocoa affected blood fats, or lipids, and found eight trials including 215 people. When the studies were analyzed together, the team found eating cocoa cut levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol, by about 6 mg/dL and reduced total cholesterol by the same amount. Analysis also showed that only those who ate small amounts of cocoa — containing 260 milligrams or less of polyphenols — experienced cholesterol lowering effects. People who consumed more showed no effect (polyphenols are antioxidants found typically in fruits, vegetables, chocolate and red wine. A 1.25 ounce bar of milk chocolate contains about 300 milligrams of polyphenols). The team also found that healthy people didn’t get any cholesterol benefits from cocoa, but people with risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, saw their LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol drop by about 8 mg/dL each.

There’s even research that shows chocolate can protect against tooth decay.

Huh?

A study carried out by researchers at Osaka University in Japan found that parts of the cocoa bean, the main ingredient of chocolate, thwart mouth bacteria and tooth decay. They discovered that the cocoa bean husk – the outer part of the bean which usually goes to waste in chocolate production – has an anti-bacterial effect on the mouth and can fight effectively against dental plaque and other damaging agents.

See, now there’s a medical reason to have my plain Hershey bar (just kidding again).

Foods that contain fermentable carbohydrates (FCs) are the nasty cavity-causing culprit. Although FCs are found in chocolate, the cocoa butter in chocolate coats the teeth, making it less likely to cause tooth decay. Chocolate may be high in sugar, but it melts quickly in your mouth, leaving little time for bacteria to attack your teeth and cause cavities. Plus, if you brush regularly, you won’t have a problem!

On the “O.k.-step-away-from-the-chocolate” side…

Pure cocoa has positive effects on blood pressure and cholesterol and also prevents heart disease. However, processed chocolate is what the majority of people are eating, and it contains added sugar, milk fats, saturated fats and corn syrup. These ingredients actually promote heart disease, weight gain, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Also, even dark chocolate is packed with calories. Its fat content may not cause cardiovascular disease, but eating it in large quantities can result in weight gain. (WHY ARE THERE ALWAYS CALORIES? IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER I AM ABOLISHING ALL CALORIES).

The refined sugar in processed chocolate can be detrimental to your teeth when eaten often without regular and proper teeth brushing. Sugar plays a harmful role in tooth decay by providing the bacteria in your mouth with energy. The bacteria begin to multiply faster, and plaque begins to grow in size and thickness on your teeth. Bacteria can also use sugar as a type of glue to cling to your teeth, making it difficult to get rid of with just a toothbrush.

Sugar can also cause and aggravate gum disease. Milk chocolate, along with other sweets, should be consumed only in moderate amounts. It is especially important to monitor the amount of sweets eaten by children to prevent bad habits (including childhood obesity), and tooth and gum problems later on.

So there it is. The good and bad of having a chocolate sweet tooth. I know it’s a bit long-winded, especially for a Sunday morning, but it does make for some interesting reading. I know there is no substitute for good chocolate but fruits provide the same health advantages of dark chocolate without the calories and saturated fats. They also contain natural sugar for those who crave sweets. If you must have chocolate (like yours truly), buy it in the smallest serving sizes possible (like those bite-size Halloween portions). This prevents you from eating up all of your calories for the day but satisfies your cravings.

And what have we learned? Eating some chocolate is O.K. Check. Especially if it’s dark chocolate. Check. Even better if it’s straight cocoa (although I have no idea how that would taste). Check, check. Brush teeth regularly. Double Dog Dare Check. Visit dentist regularly…

Yeah. No kidding…

There are certain songs that will live forever. FOREVER, I tell you. Songs that make you tap your toes, chair dance in your car (c’mon, you know you do that from time to time) and sing along to when they come on the radio (or “shuffle” play on your iPod).

One of those songs for me is from what is arguably the greatest soundtrack ever, “Saturday Night Fever.” On that record (CD, MP3 download…whatever you kids call your new-fangled listening device of choice these days) is “Night Fever” by the Bee Gees. It has been well-over thirty years since that soundtrack was released and I still don’t quite know what Barry Gibb (the bearded one) is saying/singing in his high falsetto disco anthem. Hell, when I try to “sing” the damn thing all I end up doing is trying to imitate the high-pitched notes not sing the lyrics. I don’t even think dogs can hear singing that high. But tt’s fun, goofy and cheesy, like me. It’s got a great beat and I can dance to it. I give it an 87.

But something struck me last night as I ate a pretty late dinner – I have an eating problem. I’m a night eater. So sing it with me. “Night eater, night eat-tah. He’s got a way to chew it…”

Seriously, though, night eating is a problem for me. Even when I eat dinner at a reasonable hour there is something in my head that makes me want to eat late at night. I’m not even really that hungry. I just want to eat something. Anything. It could be chips, granola bars, ice-cream (which is deadly), leftovers, a Lean Cuisine, cookie, fries, bagel, cinnamon roll…anything. If it’s within reach, it better watch out ’cause I’m gonna boogie my way over to it, do the Tony Manero finger-pointy dance thingie, grab it and consume it.

But that can be bad, very, very bad, for two reasons.

One, according to Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., some research has shown that way that that food calories are distributed may affect hunger—and that, in turn, could affect weight gain. A 1999 study in the journal Appetite found that when lean, healthy men spread their meals evenly throughout the day—as opposed to eating larger meals more infrequently—they were less hungry. Other studies have shown that people who skip breakfast, or who delay eating earlier in the day, are more likely to binge later.

Going for long periods without eating creates a state where the body is low on fuel. Metabolism may slow to preserve energy, and the body may be more sensitive to the calories that come later—it may be more likely to store those calories as fat and not use them. Irregular eating usually leads to eating larger meals to make up for the energy deficit. A big meal may overload the body’s capacity to use those calories, and the extra may be more likely to be stored as fat.

Irregular eating is probably more of a problem than night eating. People who skip breakfast often shift their caloric intake to later in the day, eating the majority of their daily calories at night. Many obese people (like moi) display eating behaviors that often involve skipping breakfast (something I have been truly guilty of in the past). Further, since the body slows down in the evening, calories consumed at night may be more likely to be stored rather than used. Not only is a person less active, but all cells operate according to fluctuations in their patterns of activity throughout a 24-hour period. Body processes—such as gut motility in digestion or the absorption of nutrients from food—also seem to operate on a kind of body clock showing decreased activity at night.

Very interestink (said using a very bad German accent).

Two, eating late gives me weird dreams, man. I mean weird (but that’s a whole other blog for a whole other day)

So how can I (and you) curb being a “night eater, night eat-tah…?” Let’s all try these simple steps:

• Most people try to eat too few calories during the day only to binge late at night. Eat 3 good meals during the day with 1 or 2 between meal snacks. Eating more frequent, smaller meals will prevent you from feeling hungry throughout the day. And if you’re eating fiber and proteins and drinking enough water, you’ll actually feel fuller for longer periods of time and will not have the urge to snack so often. Here’s a sample eating schedule you (and I) can adopt:

1. 7:00 a.m. – Eat breakfast
2. 10:00 a.m. – Eat a light snack
3. 12:00 p.m. – Eat lunch
4. 4:00 p.m. – Eat a another snack
5. 7:00 p.m. – Eat a small dinner with a treat

• A good insurance policy is to eat most of your calories before 6 PM. Generally, the rule of the thumb is to not eat anything within 3 hours of your bedtime. And, if you must eat, then eat something healthy like a piece of fruit or a very small handful of nuts.
• When you feel the urge to eat late at night, try drinking 2 or more cups of water. You can also make a cup of herbal tea sweeten with honey or artificial sugar. Hot liquids have a soothing effect on emotions and appetite.
• Remind yourself that it’s normal to feel hungry late and that night eating, night eat-ting comes from habitually eating late. Breaking this habit is like learning to quit smoking. Remind yourself of your weight loss goal and one of the keys to losing this weight is to STOP late night eating. The temptation to snack late at night will not be as great if you don’t give into the urge for several weeks.
• Much late night eating after dinner can be avoided by hiding the junk food. Put foods that you’re prone to eat late at night out of sight. Better yet, don’t buy junk food at all and keep healthier snacks in da houze.
• Tell yourself to “suck it!” Suck on hard candy. Most hard candy have only a few calories and they give you the satisfaction of snacking.
• Keep a written copy of your eating diary (if you keep one) in view, which will keep your goal of losing weight firmly fixed in your mind.
• Some people have great success by simply brushing their teeth late at night. This method has been known to curb late night eating for many people.
• The most vulnerable time for eating late is 1 hour after dinner right up to bedtime. Keep your life interesting by working on a favorite hobby (like Disco dancing, or finding out what the hell Barry Gibb is actually singing when he sings “Night Fever“) and NOT watching TV. The ads on TV can subconsciously trigger the impulse to eat. Boredom is your biggest danger to late night eating.

That’s it. I start my Tuesday a half-pound up from yesterday (grrrrrr). But, as I am always fond of saying “I will work it off,” and I will. And later on,  when it gets to be about the time I lay my head down to sleep I’ll I will keep these tips in mind…

…especially the one about occupying one’s mind with other things, for I would rather have a Bee Gees song stuck in my head all night rather than stuff my face and gain weight back.

Well, this is it. No, it’s neither the biopic released last year showing and detailing (at least in part) the planned series of fifty concerts by Michael Jackson to be held at The O2 arena in London, nor is it the 80s song by Kenny Loggins. It is, in fact, the day before the auditions for Oprah’s “win your OWN show” contest here in the good ol’ Garden State.

I am not really nervous at all about standing in front of a series of strangers telling them about my ideas for my own OWN show. I am, however, nervous and anxious about the actual process which begins for yours truly at around midnight tonight. That’s when I will be getting up and prepping to drive to the Kohl’s Store in Linden to try to secure my place in line since only the first 500 or so people are guaranteed to be seen by the casting directors for the show.

How does all this relate to weight loss you ask? Simple. Today and tomorrow are taking me out of my normal weight loss and maintenance routines just at the  time I have re-engaged my better exercise and eating routines to shed this last two or so pounds before June 9, the anniversary of my mom’s death. Also, not knowing exactly how this process will work I am not sure about food choices tomorrow.  I think I will be OK, though. I am going to pack drinks, healthy snacks and a sandwich in a cooler to bring with me (this way I am not tempted by the Dark Side of the food Force).

Since I have to be up at the crack of, well, er…since I have to get up in the dead of night (insert cheesy, spooky muah ah ah ah-kind of laugh here) I will not be writing a blog post for tomorrow, Saturday, morning. But you can bet your healthy fruit, egg and coffee breakfast on Sunday I will be telling you all about Bill’s Excellent Adventure including what I ate.

Speaking of which, I did really well yesterday, or at least I thought I did. I had a chicken salad sandwich from Chick-Fil-A yesterday. I usually go for their less than 300-calorie Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich (which only has approximately 3.5 grams of fat) but I wanted something different and, since it was hot outside, the coolness of chicken salad peaked my interest.

Sheesh! What a mistake I made! O.K. I know I’m not new and that chicken salad has mayo in it but I didn’t expect a healthy “looking” sandwich to have 500 CALORIES and 20 GRAMS OF FAT!!! Again, as Stewie Griffin from “Family Guy” would say, “What The Deuce?!” Here I thought I’d be having a light sandwich made with the chicken I think is actually seasoned with crack it’s so good and I ended up eating a sandwich that is worse (WORSE) than their own new (AND FRIED) Spicy Chicken Sandwich!

Let’s compare more apples to apples.

In addition to the 500 calories (180 of which are calories from fat) and 20 grams of fat (3.5 of which saturated), my chicken salad sandwich contained 4 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar (!), 52 grams of carbs, 80 grams of cholesterol and 29 grams of protein.

Compare that to their new (and again FRIED) Spicy Chicken Sandwich which has 490 calories (180 of which are calories from fat – same as the chicken salad) and 20 grams of fat (4.0 of which saturated, only 0.5 more), contains 4 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar (4 grams less)), 46 grams of carbs (6 grams less), 60 grams of cholesterol (a whole 20 grams less) and 31 grams of protein (2 grams more than the chicken salad).

The only significant way I found my “healthier” chicken salad to win was in the sodium department. The chicken salad has 1240 mg of sodium while the new Spicy Chicken Sandwich has 1730 mg.

Now that I think about it, maybe I am new. Damn! What a difference. Here I thought I healthy-looking sandwich on toasted wheat bread would be better for me than a fried chicken sandwich. HA, I tell you! HA! And even though I only bought the sandwich can you imagine if I had their (delicious) Waffle Fries with that? Without a drink that’s close to 1,000 calories!

(Also, did I mention the chicken sald laid a little heavy in my tummy afterward?)

Damn! Maybe I am new after all. See what extra ingredients, processing and mayo do to ya? Well, consider me “edumacated” (and yes, I did purposely misspell that) and know I will be going back to my grilled chicken sandwich if and when I do eat there again.

In the meantime I will continue getting ready for what will hopefully be a “first step into a larger world,” as Obi-Wan Kenobi says in “Star Wars.” And while I am doing that and prepping for the Oprah thing I will be packin’ a 310-calorie cold Italian Hoagie from Wawa. Not only is it a helluva lot healthier (no mayo, build your own with fresh veggies, etc.) but I know it’s 310 calories before I even order it! Wawa has this cool “Meal Builder” way to calculate calories in your food before you get there! It’s awesome! I love Wawa!

Have a great start to your weekend, my friends and check back in on Sunday morning for all the juicy details of how one man (O.K. probably thousands) is trying to live his dream waiting in a long-ass line dragging his cooler along for the ride. If anything it also makes a great stool on which to sit.

T.G.I.F. my friends! I hope you guys had a great week. Well, it’s finally here – the three-day Memorial Day Weekend.

I know I don’t need to remind you guys that Memorial Day (formerly known as Decoration Day) is traditionally a holiday observed on the last Monday of May and commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. It is because of this ultimate sacrifice I want to begin my blog honoring the brave men and women who fight (and die) in service to our country. I may not believe in some of the reasons our military personnel are pressed into service but I will always support the people who defend my right and the right of every American to be able to say that. So to all of you, thank you for your service to our country and good luck to you all.

Memorial Day Weekend is also the unofficial start of summer and most of us look forward to this weekend for two reasons – the aforementioned  three day weekend and cooking out. For as long as I can remember have always enjoyed the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the many foods we grill and barbecue all weekend long.

Going to my mom’s friend, Rosalyn’s, house we cooked out a lot. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, chips, chicken, cole slaw, beans, greens, you name it. And it was all good. When I grew up I enjoyed going to my friend’s houses to have the same wonderful foods as we sat in their back yards talking about any and everything, solving the problems of the world (we were always right, of course) and enjoying the (hopefully) warm temperatures (sometimes in Chicago you never know what you’re gonna get temperature wise).

But my perspective has changed slightly since those good ol’ days of not worrying about what and how much I was eating. I’ve lost the weight of a grown man since then so of course I go into this weekend slightly cautious. Not because I’m going to deny myself the flavors of the weekend (I am damn well going to have a hot dog or piece of barbecue chicken) but cautious of the amount I eat.

You see, if we aren’t careful, we could easily eat a day’s worth (or more) of fat and calories in just one Memorial Day meal. And there are some of you out there who might be lucky enough to have two or three cookouts to go to. So, just remember the following tips to get you through and keep you on-track:

First, a grilled hot dog on a bun, an eight-ounce hamburger on a bun and/or two chicken drumsticks with skin on all have over 300 calories. If you want to cut calories take away the buns  and go with skinless chicken. There are also low-fat hot dogs, veggie dogs, veggie burgers and turkey burgers that make delicious meals, too, and a turkey burger with all the trimmings is a darn tasty way to grill and cut back on calories.

Second, choose a side dish that isn’t creamy, like cole slaw (which can also have a lot of sugar) or potato salad (with mayo).  I know those are awesome and delicious but remember this is about the amount you eat. So if you’re going to have multiple meats (hot dogs and hamburgers) be willing to cut back on the sides. You might want to try a slightly spicy black bean salsa as an alternative.  I have made this myself and it is not only delicious, but it’s full of protein, fiber (to lower cholesterol and improve gastrointestinal health) and lycopene (tomato containing phytonutrient). It is perfect for cook-outs, and you can even spoon some onto a salad to boost taste and nutritional value.

Third, condiments can kill in terms of calories (and boy do I love alliteration).  Ketchup has the most calories, with an ounce being almost 30 calories, and sweet pickle relish having roughly 20 calories per tablespoon ( and c’mon. I know you and I both tend to put more on than just a tablespoon per hot dog or burger). In the condiment world mustard is your friend. French’s yellow mustard, for example, has zero calories for a teaspoon serving.

Fourth, who can resist their sweet tooth? Show of hands? I know I can’t. My sweet tooth is notorious (and wanted in 29 states). Odds are your cookout or  picnic will have a sweet dessert or two. Remember the golden rule – if you’re gonna cheat, cheat with a liquid. Have a popsicle. Heck, if there’s not one in the house maybe the Good Humor or Mr. Frosty truck will drive by and you can grab one. Although they are empty of nutrition, each popsicle contains only about 40 calories and takes a long time to eat, helping to satisfy your cravings.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to bring your own healthier foods especially if you think there won’t be many (or any) healthier alternatives.Carrot sticks and hummus, baked tortilla chips and that slightly spicy black bean salsa salsa, a three bean salad (remember the darker the bean the better it is for you), cold sliced watermelon, cold Clementine oranges, and corn on the cob (with no butter!) are all great choices. It’s not as rude as you think, especially when you bring enough for everyone to share and can tell everyone of your weight loss goals and what you are doing to achieve them.

Yes, forewarned is forearmed and in the case of a weekend built around enjoying the foods of summer knowing how to control your intake will not only help you lose that weight but also allow you to have and enjoy many, many more Memorial Days to come.

Hey there, my friends. First I have to say I am so sorry about yesterday. I do not know who that drunk guy was who hijacked my computer and started telling stories about me drinking and carrying on and such at – what do you young people call it – a party.

Alright, alright. You caught me. That was me, and I have to say that after taking my medicine, literally and figuratively, I am back from the undead and back to form (at least I have most of my mental faculties back with no pounding headache). As for the rest of yesterdayI think I ate OK. I had a chicken sandwich for lunch and a turket burger for dinner (they both sounded good to my rehabbing brain). I just have to keep this good eating momentum going as I get ready to tackle me day in New York. Yep, once again I find myself in New York City, The Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, for Book Expo America, the nation’s largest – you guessed it – book fair, where hundreds of agents, publishers and authors gather to tout and find the next “big thing.”

However, between walking the walk and talking the talk I am worried about what they will have to eat at this thing. Sure, there is a food court but I know I will want to eat healthier than that. Hmmmmm. I guess I will find out when I get there.

I think of it as the little angel on one shoulder and the little devil on the other.  I know my workout today is going to be walking the floor of the Jacob Javtz trying to schmooze people, something that could potentially burn me lots of calories. That is the angel. Making the most out of the situation. Knowing I will get in a workout through walking and trying to eat as best I can.

But I know lately I have been distracted, nervous, worried, anxious and concerned about life. And when that happens I stress eat and it’s those calories that offset the calories I burn. That is the little devil. The little one who will tempt me to eat badly today at the convention because I am in need of comfort being a stranger in a strange land…and that I’ll be ”walking it all off.”

And there you have it. It is the eternal struggle. Good vs. Evil. Bad against Good. Healthy foods vs. crap. But despite the constant back and forth I think I find a decent half-way ground between the two. I have tried so hard to be Zen about things lately and I know I will win this ongoing “Battle of the Final Ten.” I just need to eat better and exercise. It’s what’s gotten me to this point and I ain’t stopping now.

Of course I will fill you guys in on what I eat and do (and work off). Just keep your fingers crossed for me. That the little angel wins tomorrow and I don’t get too tempted to visit the food court or my fave Halal cart.

If I haven’t said this before, I am so glad you are all out there. Knowing you are helps me so, so much to stay good. It also helps my angel’s wings take flight and puts my little devil right where he belongs – hanging off to the side by his horns deflated and defeated…that is until the next time the two meet on the field of battle. Me.

We’ve all heard of the BBD (bigger better deal). It comes in many forms. In electronics stores like Best Buy it’s the 47-inch flat screen TV instead of the 37-inch TV. In cars it’s getting the Honda Accord over the Civic. And in food it’s getting the value meal over just the sandwich.

There are times these days when I run to grab a bit to eat at my FFBF (fast food best friend), Chick-Fil-A who has the best grilled chicken sandwich ever. Anyway, I get to the “on-deck circle” (the position before you get to order) and I look at the entire menu. Not that I am not tempted to get their delicious fried chicken sandwich (which at Chick-Fil-A is heaven) but what I notice is how much cheaper it would be to get the value meal with my grilled chicken sandwich.

Why in the hell is it cheaper to get their yummy fried potato disc thingies and a soda? Just the economics of fast food. You so want to save money and get the most “bang for your buck,” so it’s tempting to get the BBD. I did the math. It’s actually the same amount of money roughly to get the value meal rather than components of the meal as separates. Don’t believe me? Check it out at your FFBF sometime.

OK, so I get up to the speak-into-the-box thingie and I decide to order “one grilled chicken sandwich please, no lettuce, and a small side cole slaw.”

Now I have to say one of the reasons I love going to Chick-Fil-A is because they do have a much higher level of customer service, including how they greet and take care of you in the drive-thru. “Thank you for your order. Would you like the better value meal or just the sandwich and cole slaw?” See, I do get why they do this. It’s the up-sell. It’s their job and sometimes people do, in fact, order the meal without saying the designated number of the meal which inadvertently makes it more expensive. So the friendly person is doing a service. But it also is a temptation we, and I, don’t need. “No, thank you. Just the sandwich and the cole slaw,” I say as I receive my total and drive around to the pick-up window.

This happens in my CSBF (convenience store best friend), too – Wawa. Now that I have weaned successfully off of having a daily Coca-Cola or two I do get one as a treat, like last night (sometimes after dinner I really do need one). But that’s when I notice how much “cheaper” it would be to get a whole six-pack of 24-ounce bottles instead of two individual 20-ounce bottles (my new total Coke allotment for the week).

See, the BBD is everywhere.

Some of those constant choice we make along this weight loss journey don’t just involve food (like at a work birthday party where you know you should stuff yourself on chips or cake). They involve money, and in today’s economy it is understandably hard to know you are ultimately spending away more money than you could if you’d purchased the BBD (the value meal; the six-pack of Coke that has bottles offering even more of the good stuff). But I like to think of it in the same way Samuel L. Jackson thought about giving up his money at the end of one of the greatest films of the 1990s, “Pulp Fiction.” In that movie he justified giving up his $1,500 because he was “buying something” for his money. For him, it was so he could turn a new leaf, not shoot Ringo (Tim Roth), take the briefcase to Marsellus Wallace and get out of “the life.”

In my world, when I spend the extra money I know I buy satisfaction. Satisfaction in knowing that, while I spent more money on just the grilled chicken sandwich and cole slaw, I didn’t get the soda, too, saving me the calories (or icky after taste and results of diet soda). Satisfaction that instead of drinking 144 total ounces of Coca-Cola in a week (which I know I would if I kept that Coke in the house) I limit my intake to just 40-ounces in seven days. Satisfaction that I beat a system that seems designed to thwart a weight loss journey at every turn every where.

That is why the BBD doesn’t appeal to me. You may end up spending slightly more money but it’s you that comes out on top in the end.

You guys know me and my fave beverage of choice – an ice-cold Coca-Cola. However I am not sure if I’ve ever told you guys about my extreme dislike for Diet Coke. Yes, as much as I love “regular” I can’t stand the taste of “unleaded.” I am also one of those people who will only drink certain diet sodas because of the crappy after taste. On my list of decent diet drinks: Diet Dr. Pepper, Diet Canada Dry Ginger Ale, TAB and Diet A&W Root Beer. Other than those few I’d rather drink motor oil (well, OK, I wouldn’t but you get the picture).

As we start having warmer days and want to get our bodies in shape for summer (mine included), my thoughts turn to diet soft drinks. So many people I know love – LOVE – diet drinks, especially Diet Coke. But as today’s temperatures climb to almost 90-degrees here in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area I am wondering exactly how (and if) diet drinks will actually help someone lose weight? Well, more and more studies show they aren’t helping. They also show they even hurt.

Some food (or drink) for thought today before you “hit the road:”

Diet soda isn’t the silver bullet to weight loss it’s often made out to be. Nor does it prevent weight gain. In fact, drinking diet soda is strongly correlated with obesity. When people drink sweet diet sodas our bodies get the message that sweet, high-calorie foods are coming to nourish it. However, when no sweets and/or calories follow the body gets confused: where are the promised calories we need? This may then stimulate your hunger for other high-calorie, sweet foods and drinks (sweeter cereals, snacks, breads and desserts) which may, in turn, lead to weight gain. Also, by getting ourselves used to so much artificial, higher-concentrated sweet, normal sweet flavors such as fruit become bland and so do other healthful foods such as grains and vegetables, thus reducing our willingness to consume them and ultimately the quality of our diet is affected

Further, some health experts speculate that, while diet soda doesn’t cause obesity, people who are starting to put on weight think choosing diet soda alone will stop the process. Meaning, you can’t go into a fast-food restaurant, eat a high-calorie, fatty meal and say, ‘Oh, it’s OK, because I had diet soda.’ If you don’t do anything else but switch to a diet soft drink, you are not going to lose weight. Also, drinking multiple cans of diet soda every day squeezes out from our diets the healthful beverages – juices, water and teas – that can best benefit and truly hydrate our bodies.

Finally, there is still some suspicion – not confirmed – that aspartame, the low-calorie chemical used to sweeten diet sodas, may have some bad health effects. Some animal studies have linked consumption of high quantities of the chemical to brain tumors and lymphoma in rodents. The Food and Drug Administration has certified the sweetener’s safety, but reported side effects include dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, memory loss and mood changes.

Eeeeeewwwwww! He said diarrhea….

A diet soda study, conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center, studied data on 1,550 Americans ages 25 to 64. The participants were studied for 7 to 8 years. Results showed that total soft drink consumption was tied to increased rates of obesity, but – perhaps surprisingly – participants drinking only diet soda faced the highest obesity rate of all, even greater than that of participants drinking both regular and diet drinks. What exactly is the obesity risk for diet pop (as we say in Chicago and the Midwest) drinkers? The study found an obesity risk of 37.5% for those drinking 1/2 to 1 can of diet soda daily, 54.5% risk of obesity for those drinking 1 to 2 cans daily, and a whopping 57.1% risk for those drinking more than 2 diet pops per day.

Wow!

With so much to do today remember healthier choices abound. Start your day with a small glass of 100 percent fruit juice. Drink skim milk with meals. Sip water throughout the day. For variety, try sparkling water or add a squirt of lemon or cranberry juice to your water. Save diet soda for an occasional treat if you want to have it because, like anything and everything else, taken in moderation it’s OK.

Just not as OK as you might think (or drink).

Today’s blog is gonna be a fun two-parter – a “cliffhanger” of sorts, and I’m gonna have such fun writing it. Here we go…

Let’s take a trip in the way back machine to 1991. The biggest movie of the year was “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” The song “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” by Bryan Adams, from the film “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” was the biggest song of the year (and coincidentally from the second-biggest film of the year) and Kentucky Fried Chicken announced it was officially changing its name to “KFC” because health-conscious consumers associated the word “fried” with “unhealthy” and “high cholesterol,” causing some of them to completely shun the “healthier” menu items available. The new title was designed to lure back customers with foods branded “better for you.”

Jump back to 2010. This same, seemingly more health-conscious restaurant chain, just a couple of weeks ago, introduced a “sandwich” that can only be described as ridiculous, at least, and reprehensible, at most. It’s called the “Double Down,” featuring (per the chain’s website) two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel’s Sauce. Again, using their words, it’s a product so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!

Ick!!!! You’ve gotta be kidding. This beast of a “sandwich” seems so disgusting, even in theory, I find it hard to believe any one would try it. But because I’m a curious sort I went to the KFC website and gathered the following nutritional information on this “thick and juicy” piece of crap-tastic “food:”

KFC Original Recipe® Double Down

• Serving Size (grams): 241
• Calories: 540
• Calories from fat: 290
• Total Fat (grams): 32
• Saturated Fat (grams): 10
• Trans Fat (grams): 0.5
• Cholesterol (mgs): 145
• Sodium (mgs): 1,380

KFC Grilled Double Down

• Serving Size (grams): 253
• Calories: 460
• Calories from fat: 210
• Total Fat (grams): 23
• Saturated Fat (grams): 9
• Trans Fat (grams): 0
• Cholesterol (mgs): 185
• Sodium (mgs): 1,430

As you can see, my friends, the supposedly “healthier” grilled version of this “sandwich” has more sodium and more cholesterol than its Original Recipe® counterpart. Now I grant you that’s probably because it is a slightly heavier sandwich overall (253 grams for the grilled versus 241 for Original Recipe®), but still!!!

Ah, but while KFC is undergoing it’s PR nightmare over its newest “creation,” let’s hop across the street to Wendy’s and check out some even more frightening “nutritional” information on its own monstrosity – the Triple “Baconator.” You remember that “burger,” right? Or has the thunder been stolen by the Colonel, whose probably rolling over in his grave at the thought his restaurants are serving this crap. Here is the list of ingredients for the Triple “Baconator:”

Baconator® Triple

3 – Ground Beef Hamburger Patties (seasoned with salt), 3 slices processed American Cheese, 9 (count ‘em, 9!) strips Applewood Smoked Bacon, Mayonnaise, “Ketchup” (actually Tomato Concentrate made in part with High Fructose Corn Syrup), Mustard, Dill Pickles (4), Onion (4 rings), Tomatoes, 1-2 slices, Lettuce and all served on a “Premium” Bun (I guess the regular bun just wasn’t up to the task they had to import premium buns). And if you though the sound of the ingredients was bad, get a load of the numbers – the actual amounts of calories, fat, sodium and more you’d put into your body having one of these things:

Wendy’s Triple “Baconator” (Get ready for this)

• Serving Size (grams): 424
• Calories: 1,350
• Calories from fat: 810
• Total Fat (grams): 90
• Saturated Fat (grams): 40
• Trans Fat (grams): 3.5
• Cholesterol (mgs): 320
• Sodium (mgs): 2,780

What does this mean? IT MEANS YOU COULD HAVE TWO KFC ORIGINAL RECIPE ® “DOUBLE DOWN” SANDWICHES FOR THE UNHEALTHY PRICE OF ONE WENDY’S TRIPLE “BACONATOR.”

Shocking, isn’t it? And people still wonder why our country’s population is growing by leaps and bounds (and not in a good way).

I went to my friends on Facebook and here’s what some of them had to say about the KFC “Double Down:”

Stacy W. “Even my teenage son, who will eat anything, thinks that thing looks nasty!”

Angelique B. “I thought it was an April Fool’s joke when it first came out. I can’t believe this is real.”

Michael L. “No need to waste the calories. One look and you can tell it’s poison. Yuk!”

Julia Lewis: “That is just plain gross. I will try just about any food once, but I don’t think I could even manage a bite of this abomination. Scratch that. I wouldn’t even let my dogs eat that.”

But with all that said, I’m gonna get one today. I’m gonna go to my local KFC, find out how many of them they sell in a day, buy one and photograph me trying it (and you wondered where the cliffhanger part was gonna come in). I am with you guys. This thing sound horrible, and you will find out tomorrow just how horrible as I “take one for the team.” But always remember a quote from “Star Wars,” this one from, appropriately enough, one of the crappy prequels – Episode 1.

Qui-Gon “There’s always a bigger fish.”

And with the Wendy’s Triple “Baconator” lurking out there under the PR radar, there is, indeed a bigger – and more deadly – fish.

Oh, to have the metabolism of my younger self again.

If I did it would mean two things. One, that I would have again the cast iron stomach I used to have which would take everything from apples to zucchini and not blink an eye (or flap, or valve or whatever a stomach blinks). Two, it would mean the calories I consumed would be burned very quickly and weight loss would be that/much easier.

I’ve always said that if a scientist wanted to make a gagillion dollars (that’s lots and lots of billions) they would find a way to harness that energy, that metabolism, in kids and inject it into us overweight adults with the results being we become thinner and far more energetic in the process. Sigh. If only wishes were fishes…

The fact of the matter is I ate like crap last night. I ate like crap for two reasons. One, I had done some lifting and running around yesterday, was hungry and thought I might have burned off lots of calories doing what I was doing. Two, because I had been good, for the most part, all weekend I thought dinner last night (don’t even ask me about the delicious brownies) would be OK. When will I ever learn?

Sigh again. If only I had my youthful metabolism.

It’s not that I ate until I puked or anything. It’s just that since losing weight my stomach acts and reacts differently these days to certain foods, meaning it may or may not like them, churn for a bit and remind me ever so Pepto Bismol gently that I should not have a food or combination of foods. One of these days I will finally wise up, act my age and remember these instances when again faced with eating choices that aren’t so, shall we say, adult friendly.

Can you imagine what a world would be like if adults had youthful metabolisms, though? We would be running around constantly like water molecules  suddenly heated up to a boil. We would finally have flying cars because our minds would be running at that speed and ground cars like a Ferrari just aren’t fast enough. We’d invent something faster than the internet, 4G phone networks and Fios. E-mail would seem like snail mail and Twitter would be like rolled-paper faxes (sheesh, remember those). The slowest plane on earth would be the now-retired Concord. All this and more. That’s what adults would be like. We would get so much done and we wouldn’t gain weight in the process, like Michael Phelps training for the Olympics – burning calories faster than the speed of light.

Well, an overweight adult can dream, right?

Truth is as we age our bodies slow down, whether we like it or not. And while this is a fact we can still choose to stay as active as we want while eating foods that will go along with this ever-changing state of affairs in our bodies. And the truth is I can’t eat like my youthful self anymore. As much as I’d like to and as much as I sometimes can, I simply cannot.

So there is one good thing about slowing down and getting older…we do get wiser. And it’s that wisdom that helps bring about true change, in the world and with our own bodies.