Week 4 begins

This picture is from last September when I was around 350lbs. Health Steward Sarah visted from San Diego and I took her to Hoover Dam. NOTE : Here is a link of Sarah 105 lbs lighter than that day at Hoover Dam. click for updated Sarah photo
Sarah isn't on NS, she's on a liquid fast. Excellent work Sarah!!!

Well, this is the end of week 3 on Nutrisystem. I must say I'm very satisfied so far. The foods are very good, with the exception of a few items. I don't like the muffins, won't order those next time. I'm not much for shakes and drinks so the cocoa and milk shakes are out too. The pudding is pretty good so I will get a few of those. So far my favorite breakfast item has been the pancakes. I add blueberrys or corn and make one big pancake - add some fat free syrup and your good to go. Lunches are all decent, no complaints. Same with the dinners. My favorite dessert are the biscottis. They are a bit hard, but I top them with a tspn of peanut butter and it makes a nice dessert.

I think what is most amazing so far on NS is that I am not hungry. I have to remind myself to eat. I don't know if it's the low glycymic diet that keeps the hunger away or what, but since day one I haven't wanted to chew the legs off the sofa or anything like that. But I do get to eat quite a bit too.

Here is my typical day's meal when I am at work:

Breakfast : 1/2 cup (uncooked) oatmeal, one fruit (60 cals), one protein (usually a hard boiled egg or string cheese) and the NS breakfast. ~400-450 calories total

Lunch : two slices of light wheat bread, a protein filler for the bread (usually a boca burger or slices of chicken or turkey), one slice Fat Free cheese, veggie of some kind (usually carrots, green onions), fruit, NS lunch entree. ~450 calories

Dinner : NS entree, polenta (one of my low gly carbs), veggie (usually spinach or broccoli), another low gly carb (usually corn or peas), a big salad of sliced cabbage (cole slaw) with fat free dressing topped with sauteed onions and tomatoes. I like to make a hot salad, I enjoy the onions and tomatoes after they release their sugars, makes for a very good salad. I also top the polenta (70 calories) with the NS entree. Makes a very nice main entree. Then with my veggies I may add some hot sauce or soy sauce to liven them up a bit. All in all, it's a very large dinner with lots of vegtables. ~500-600 calories

Late Snack (I usually combine my snack and dessert here for a fourth meal) : NS Dessert, 2 fats (usually either peanut butter and/or almonds), protein (usually FF cottage cheese), fruit (usually mandarin oranges or fruit cup) and if I have a left over low gly carb I will add a slice of light wheat bread. I like to save my two fats from dinner for my late fourth meal. This way I can have a peanut butter sandwhich if I desire or top a biscotti with peanut butter and still have some almonds. I enjoy takine a 1/4 cup of FF cottage cheese and topping it with some Mandarin oranges. Very nice. ~400 calories.

As you can see, I usually top out between 1700 and 1800 calories, give or take depending on entrees. But I also get a lot of food and have not been hungry. I just hope this continues this way.

Today is Sunday, just got back from mass, must feed the soul too. It's going to be another hot day in Vegas, likely around 100. Though we may get some storms in late tonight and into Monday. I like a good thunderstorm, but I hate the flash floods we can get so easily. Though I will say it's much better than 1999 when we got hit hard by floods. This city has made a lot of major flood improvements but they still have a long way to go.