Being a nutritionist, I’ve never been one to condone dieting. Or diets with names… either for the person who defined the diet nor the place from which it came. It’s so simple it’s mind blowing. When one consumes more calories than the body needs, one will indeed gain weight. Now of course there are variables involved. Primarily, physical activity and from where the calories are derived, a slice of pumpernickel or an oreo. These things certainly have an effect. But it is still so basic. What stands in the way of these simple calculations are our minds and emotions. One doesn’t require a degree in nutrition to know these things and for the most part within the structure of a decent education, we learn what we need to eat to maintain a healthy weight and physical well being. So why in God’s name is it so easy to stuff our gobs till we are sick. Eat because we are sad. Eat because we are bored. Eat because it is raining. Eat because we are celebrating. Eat. Eat. Eat.

I’ve discovered my own personal trend. I tend to work hard for 4-6 months, exercising and using some form of  magic emotion portion control. I get “in shape”. Then I sort of coast off that for about 3 years until I notice the circulation starts waning around my bra straps leaving red indented tire tracks in my back and shoulders. The same starts happening around my waist and I look down a) to make sure I can see my belt and b) to see just what notch on this belt I’m actually penetrating.

You can probably guess, and you’d be right, that I’m writing about this because I’m about at that 3 year mark. And I use ‘about’ loosely. I actually took before pictures of myself in the mirror (never posting them). I’m there. I’m so there, I’ve actually started jogging on an indoor treadmill. I don’t think Nordic walking on a treadmill would be a good idea. I suppose the elliptical serves the same muscles. I’m not mad on jogging, as I mentioned in my Nordic Walking post. But it’s so damn effective. So I will suffer. And I can’t lie. I don’t hate it. What I hate is starting to jog again. And normally, I don’t like the first 10 minutes each time I do it. Ever. After a couple weeks though, when I can catch my breath WHILE jogging, I get in the zone and I’m like hell yeah. We made it. Who is we? I don’t know, but that’s what I think.

And so here’s the next thing. For almost two entire weeks, I’ve done (the) South Beach Diet. I’m not even going to link to it because, as you already read, I do not condone diets. And I don’t condone using the rat poison in the little pink packets, though I have slipped a few in my pocket from our coffee shop. Because I cannot will not actually purchase them. I also adapted this South Beach d…t a wee bit with yogurt and pumpernickel but other than that I have mostly stuck to it. It’s a mental game really. I know not eating sugar and white bread will help one cut back on calories, thus one will lose weight. Duh. But I think it’s like your mind asking for help to regain some willpower and control. So that’s my confession.

Above and below are snippets of what I’ve been eating and actually really enjoying. I LOVE protein. Although, personally, I am very against an all protein diet and believe we do need complex carbs. I think for 10 days or so, cutting way back does give you a little motivation when you see the kilos coming off. What can I say.

We’ve got scrambled eggs with smoked trout or salmon. I use arugula for filler underneath. And I love green tobasco sauce.  We’ve got salads with roasted chicken, pork or tuna. Then steak, tuna, sliced pork with veggies. There is loads of kale this time of year.  These lovely endive cups with ground beef, diced peppers, onions, cilantro and chili sauce (ok a little sweet). I also stock pickles, mild green chili peppers and canned artichokes.  I have been eating quite well.

I even only ate the meat off my buttered bread and had no desire to eat the chocolate ends (my fav part) off the Mandelhörnchen (little crescent almond paste cookies) when we went after the gym for our ritual ‘after gym nibble’ at the Städtbackerie. Yes, this is raw beef, pork and onions on buttered bread. I could live on this stuff. Please don’t judge.

I made it a couple more days after the passing of our wonderful Henry. Partly due to lack of appetite. But then I decided I really needed to bake. Though I missed my helper in the kitchen……

I decided this was not a case of giving in, giving up or breaking down. I just needed to bake. It makes me happy. And I was very sad. And hey, I went to the gym today (Sunday for God’s sake). I won’t lose my motivation. But I had a need.  I hunted down a really good cupcake recipe and baked 24 cupcakes that were lovingly consumed by 3 people in 2 days. They were small and spongy. You can look forward to these in the next post…..

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