Back off doughnuts. I’m biking.

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January 12, 2012

Nothing that shiny should be put in your mouth.

Today, I sat next to a pile of doughnuts. 4 hours next to my nemesis. And I didn’t eat a single one. I was weak for a few minutes  - I googled the nutrition facts to see if I could fit it into my carb budget. For the record, I don’t believe a doughnut is only 18g. Nothing with that much sugar could be that reasonable. But I realized something before temptation got to me – that’s not food. It would’ve felt like a defeat. So, I didn’t eat it. I felt like a king, and I hadn’t even eaten anything yet.

Then, when I got back home, I exercised. And I took it up a notch by pedaling the hell out of the last five minutes of the cycle. It was a very healthy day, and I can feel every once of it. I’ve heard that exercise is about long-term gratification. I don’t think that’s entirely true. Exercise hurts like hell. On the whole, I don’t like it. It’s literally a pain in the ass. But the after-effects are worth it. You sleep deeper. You feel happier. And that happens right after you’ve finished. It’s enough to keep me motivated into the next session. Let’s hope it lasts.

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Weigh In: -6.0 Pounds from 280!

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January 11, 2012
274 -6 Pounds!

All is well. After one and a half weeks of a low carb diet, moderate exercise, I’m already down 6 pounds. Honestly, I’m surprised how quickly the weight is coming off, but I doubt this pace will last. Either way, I’m healthier. I was looking for some comparison to illustrate how much weight I’ve lost, but the only resource I’ve found for those kinds of comparisons are ridiculous.  According to the site, I’ve already lost the weight of human skin! That sounds healthy. Or, I could have lost half of the weight of a Bald Eagle! Thanks, sparkpeople. Now I’m even more confused.

But the best way I know how is to express it with Apple products. As of today, January 11th, 2012, I have lost…

1 1/2 Macbook pros!

Sounds insanely great to me.

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Recipe: Mashed Cauliflower

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January 11, 2012

Mashed Cauliflower

My low carb diet was pretty easy to transition into. But after two weeks, there’s one thing that I miss above everything. Mashed Potatoes. No longer! Here comes everyone’s favorite albino veggie - cauliflower. Broccoli’s strange, pale, cousin actually serves as a great replacement for mashed ‘taters. If your dorm has a kitchen, and you’ve got 5 minutes, you can make this side dish that can keep your carbs low and your stomach full. While the recipe below implies the texture isn’t the same, I was able to emulate it by blending by hand, whipping air into the mix.

From about.com

Ingredients:
  • raw Cauliflower - a medium head makes about a pound of florettes
  • any combination
    of butter, milk, cream, or whatever you use when you make mashed potatoes – about 1/4 cup
  • salt and pepper
  • If you have low carb “instant mashed potatoes”, add up to 1/4 cup for texture*
  • Options: minced garlic (a clove or two); garlic powder (1/2 to 1 teaspoon); cheese
Preparation:
*I like to use instant “potatoes” made for low carb diets, such as Dixie Carb Counters Instant Mashers. Other people use a small amount of real potato or instant potatoes to improve the texture. But you don’t need any of these things.Break the cauliflower up into florets, or just chop. I like to cook it in the microwave in a container that I prepare and serve it in, but you can steam it. Cook it until it’s tender — a fork should easily pierce it.The easiest thing to do is to add the rest of the ingredients to the container the cauliflower is cooked in, and then use a stick (hand) blender to put it all together. Or you can put it all in a regular blender or food processor.Assuming 4 servings from a pound of cauliflower, each will have about 3 grams of usable carbohydrate plus three grams of fiber. The calories will depend on what else you add.
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Welcome to Healthy Dorm Eating. Let’s get to work.

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January 11, 2012

Hey. My name is Theo Syslack – 18 years old, Political Science student at Marquette University. I’ve been overweight since childhood. I haven’t gained any weight over the past few years – I’ve been hovering around 280 since 2009. I need to lower that number. For my sake, and the sake of my family, I need to change.

I’ve finally decided to cut the fat. I’m missing the best years of my life, and for no good reason. Within the year, I hope to face the daily struggles I’ve been avoiding – stairs, long walks, sports – undaunted. I’m here to regain myself. And I hope I can offer insight into what it really takes to lose weight.

Until I convinced myself to start, weight loss always seemed like an impossible task. Trying to do something about it seemed futile from the beginning. It didn’t even feel like a choice – it was so abstract to me that I had never tried to plan living that way. That attitude is gone now.  Just because I’ve lived life sedentary since elementary school, doesn’t mean that I can’t change. We all can opt to make our lives better – I’m finally going to take it.

But, there’s one problem. Dorm food. Chicken Nuggets. Eating on the go. College is essentially the worst place imaginable to lose weight. Health experts all recommend that dieters cook their own food. That makes it easier to judge portions, calories, and it gives you the chance to replace the fattier ingredients in recipes. The simple fact is, even if you’re lucky enough to have a kitchen in your dorm, you’ll probably be too busy to use it most of the time. So, dorm food is what you’re stuck with. But don’t let that stop you. Bumps in the road are going to come along, and if you want to lose the weight and keep it off, you’re going to have to truck on over them. That’s why this blog exists. I’m here to offer tips, and support to anyone who wants to lose weight, and I hope that you’ll be there to do the same. Once I get back in the dorms – probably on Monday – I’ll start posting up tips and updates regularly. In the meantime, you can find me on Twitter. Drop me a line if you’re interested in what I’m doing – I’m here to serve the reader, so if there’s anything you’re looking for out of the blog I’d be more than happy to hear it out. Best of luck to you all – we’ve got a long road ahead.

 

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