Well, that's it. I'm officially unemployed. I suppose I should feel free and alive, but instead I'm overwhelmed with mixed emotions about leaving New York City forever. And there's so much to do in the next 5 days!

Breakfast was a delicious Lemon Ricotta Omelette with Baby Spinach.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: LEMON RICOTTA OMELETTE: whisk 1 organic egg with 3 egg whites, 1 tsp preserved lemon chopped and 1/4 cup full-fat ricotta cheese. Melt 1/2 Tbs butter in a frypan over low heat and pour in egg mixture. Toss on a hand full of organic baby spinach and sprinkle with cayenne pepper and salt. Add 1/2 Tbs more butter in pieces as it cooks. Fold in half and serve.

I probably overdid it on the butter, but it was delicious.

I threw 1 Tbs of Psyllium Husks into a cup of water.

Then I had a cup of Wild Sweet Orange Tea.

Grilled Sole with Avocado and Coconut ....

.... and a bowl of Organic Green Soup.

We're cleaning the apartment today. It's a nightmare. I just spent 3 hours scrubbing the oven and cooktop. Uugggghh.

It's funny, but when I'm physically active on the weekends I don't get hungry. It's 3pm and I only just ate lunch.

I've nearly hit 20g of carbs already, (minus fiber) and Dave and I have our farewell dinner tonight at a Venezuelan place. I'm gonna have to be really careful with my eating.

It was time to leave for our dinnerparty by the time i was hungry for afternoon tea. I figured I'd best fill up on some protein to stop me ravishing the menu at the restaurant. Besides, I'm far more social when my blood sugar is stable.

3 slices of Applegate Farms Organic Roasted Turkey Breast ....

.... and about 1oz of Sheep Peppercorn Cheese. Yummo. 

They say cheese contains bucketloads more PEA than chocolate (the feel-good falling-in-love endorphin). It hits you harder in chocolate though, because PEA needs carbs to increase it's intensity. Chocolate comes pre-packaged with sugar alongside the PEA. Cheese does not. (But a toasted cheese sandwich will send you into love-vibe land quicker than you can imagine. It's just not as romantic a notion as chocolate).

I reckon I can detect a little PEA in plain cheese. It makes me feel all homely and good.

I topped off my snack with a delicious 3 Tbs of Unsweetened Shredded Coconut. 

We had our farewell dinner tonight at El Cocotero. It was fantastic homestyle Venezuelan. 

7 of us shared a mix of appetizers. I ate a few forkfuls of the Chicken with Avocado, the Slow-Cooked Beef in Tomato and the Tomato Chicken. I also had literally 3 Black Beans.

My main was such a man's meal. I scoured the menu for protein and I found a Grilled 12oz Loin Strip Steak. It was HUGE and came with mashed Yucca and a Salad. I ate half the steak, skipped the yucca and tasted a few leaves of the salad. It was dressed in something sweet so I skipped that too. I did make sure I ate a fair whack of the Venezuelan-style guacamole though. 

The meat was sooooo tasty. It's amazing how palatable fat is. 

Ok. I am back on track. 

I've woken with the world's sorest and most bloated stomach, (thanks, agave) and I'm feeling horrible. Today is my last day of work in New York but I'm not ready to say goodbye.

There are no excuses now. I regret those 2 days of naughty eating, but it won't happen again. It can't afford to happen again if I want to reach my Fiji goal.

I have about 5 weeks to lose 10lbs. It's time to get serious. That's 2lbs a week. Bring it on!

No more carbs: no sugar, definitely no agave, no fruit, no dairy, (except cheese, cream and butter), minimal nuts and only green vegetables for the next 2 weeks.

Breakfast was an Applegate Farms Organic Turkey Burger with 1 tsp Olive Tapenade and 2 cups of Homemade Almond Milk.

A bowl of Organic Green Soup with about 5oz Chicken, 2 Tbs Avocado and 3/4 Tbs Organic Butter.

I stopped in at Union Square Farmer's Market at lunchtime and bought a few bits of low-carb goodies to get me through the afternoon.


I started with a cup of Organic Wasabi Microgreens. Mmmm, spicy ....

.... I tasted 4 Raw Grass-Fed Cheeses and ended up buying 1oz of something amazingly mouldy and nutty called Drumm ....

.... and 1 Lebanese Cucumber.

I'd forgotten how much I love these things. It's been years since I've tasted one. Those horrid telegraph snozzcumbers with giant seeds and skin like dried paint have been taking over the grocery store shelves for too long. But I found some petite Lebanese cukes and it took me back to my teens where I had a huge fetish for these. They are so crunchy and so low in carbs and calories. They're perfect for filling out a salad.

In fact, I believe cucumbers are totally underrated. They make the most refreshing cocktails, they soothe puffy eyes and you can bulk up a fruit salad with this low-calorie filler that takes on board all the flavors of the surrounding fruits.

I got back the to office and combined all of the above in a bowl with a chopped Hard Boiled Egg. 

I then had a Decaf Black Tea with Half-and-Half.

A couple of hours later I had another Hard Boiled Egg ....

.... and 14 Raw Organic Almonds to tie me over until dinner.

We went to Tenzan for Japanese tonight. It was Dave's work farewell. Tenzan's sashimi is so incredibly fresh.

We have a rule that we never return to the same NYC restaurant twice as there are so many great new places to discover. We're on an ever-expanding horizon quest. But Tenzan breaks al the rules. I think this was our 6th visit. 

And for good reason. I am truly obsessed with Salmon Sashimi. I once travelled Japan for 3 weeks straight and ate nothing but Salmon Sashimi, Edamame and Fresh Peaches every day. (I lost 14 lbs that trip! .... Then put it all back on plus more when I hit India. Oh, those tandoors killed me. Slow-cooked lamb, marinated paneer, wine and sweet peshwari naan. So tasty but my body rebelled in a big way).

Tonight I ordered a Sashimi Deluxe and had them add 2 more giant slices of Salmon. 

Usually Dave brings a cheeky mini-jar of wheat-free tamari sauce when we go Japanese, but  he was so busy with his last day on the job that he forgot. Rather than dealing with the gluten monster, I dipped my sashimi in salt and wasabi. Not nearly as good as soy sauce, but the fish itself was tasty enough to near perfection.

I also ate a leafy Green Salad without dressing.

When I got home I had a Coconut Icypop.

I also had 1 Tbs Psyllium Husk mixed into a cup of water.

I feel good about my nutrition today. I stayed under 20g of carbs and made a pretty decent deficit. I didn't feel any desperate hunger pangs at all, although I can still feel stomach pains from that damn agave last night. (It is now 11pm .... more than 24 hours later).

Biggest new lesson on weight-loss: If you have any type of food allergy and you are exposed to the allergen, you will stall your weight loss whilst your body tries to battle the toxin in your system.

Trust me, I am feeling every dagger and gunshot wound in my current internal battle. It's not worth any cupcake in the world.

I had a chocolate overload last night. This wouldn't have been a problem to the average person as I chose all low-low-sugar chocolate. My issue was my extreme sensitivity to the caffeine in chocolate. I couldn't sleep and had to resort to half a sleeping pill. Not good.

Today I'm going low carb and trying (really trying) to avoid caffeine. This may not work cold turkey. I'll have to see how I go.

Breakfast was a Grass-Fed Organic Beef Burger ....

.... and 2 cups of Homemade Almond and Sesame Milk.

Woah, that stuff is filling!

1 stick of String Cheese.

Leafy Greens Soup with 4oz Chicken Breast, 1 Tbs Ground Flax Seeds (for fiber) and 1/2 Tbs Organic Butter.

Oh dear .... I was going superbly well on my low-carb mission this morning. It felt amazing. I wasn't hungry at all and despite missing my usual caffeine fix in the morning, I had loads of energy. I expected headaches, but there were none. My mind was noticeably slower and less focused, but the benefit was an overriding feeling of calm that I miss when I jack my body full of caffeine.

Anyway, my lovely boss and the wonderful new guy who's taking over my position organized a surprise farewell party for me this afternoon. They went all the way to Babycakes: my favorite Vegan Gluten-Free Bakery in the Lower East Side and crammed the office kitchen full of gluten-free cupcakes, cookie sandwiches and brownies. I believe the quote was, "It's all gluten-free Penny. You have no excuses today."

This is one of those situations where a diet has to be broken. I didn't exactly want to eat this stuff, but considering the enormous effort to which everyone went to cater to my crazy food intolerances, the least I could do was chow down.


I grabbed a Vegan Cinnamon Raisin Cookie Sandwich. It was insanely delicious, but super sweet ....

.... I then had a One-Bite Vegan Mini Chocolate Brownie sweetened with agave ....

(I forgot that agave gives me stomach aches and bloating. My body didn't take long to remind me)

.... 2 Vegan Cupcakes ....

.... then I felt over-sugared and needed protein, so I ate 3 Boiled Eggs.

I decided to walk home from work, (taking full advantage of the sugar high), but had a naughty idea on the way.

I'm over chocolate today. The mini chocolate brownie wasn't appealing at all. But I am in luuurve with Michel Cluizel 99% Chocolate and I just so happened to pass a Michel Cluizel flagship store on Fifth Avenue. I'm leaving the city in 1 week, and I want to get back onto my low-carb plan properly tomorrow, so I figured I'd better get the mini-taster pack of single origin chocolates I've been reading about while I'm here .... I ate half of each one and saved the rest for Dave. They were ok. I couldn't distinguish many subtleties of flavor in the beans except for the Madagascan and the Venezuelan bars.

I also grabbed a 99% Ganache Truffle. It was amazingly good. The cream inside dulls the bitterness of the usual 99% bar. Heavenly. At over $2 a pop you'd want it to be.

I bought an 85% Ganache Truffle to compare. Perhaps the cream was a little off, or maybe the chocolate was bad. Didn't rate it at all. 

I also grabbed a White Chocolate Raspberry Brandy Ganache. it was a flavor sensation, but white chocolate is a little too sweet for me at the best of times.

I'm over chocolate for a while. Too much of a good thing this past week.

I ate 1 cold Organic Southwest Green Chili Chicken Sausage ....

.... half an Organic Pear ....

.... a slice of Eggplant Bean Moussaka ....

.... and a pack of Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn.

A Sheep's Milk Yoghurt and Organic Blueberry Parfait.

In an attempt to use up all the quality dairy products in the house before we move, (and before I go low-carb tomorrow), I ate the last tub of Sheep's Milk Yoghurt with 1/2 cup blueberries and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

I'm now realizing how wrong I feel on carbs. Even as low-carb a snack as this gets my cravings going and makes me feel unsatisfied.

I've had 2 bad eating days in a row and although I feel a bit guilty, I am totally committed to getting back on track tomorrow. I am also using these as a learning curve. To have gone low-carb then back onto carbs has really highlighted the difference in the way I feel on both. I am now 100% sure that my body type fares best of all on high-fat, high-protein meals. They get my engine running smoothly and cleanly with no more food obsession.

It really sucks that this out-of-control eating afternoon was forced upon me by the unspoken rules of polite society. But it's done now. On the positive side, I was taken aback by the generosity and thoughtfulness of my co-workers and I got my last taste of good old Babycakes in before I leave New York City for good. Woo-hoo!

But can someone please remind me next time that agave gives me stomach pains?? Uugghhh.

I had a stick of String Cheese before bed. Needed more protein. Can't wait to sleep off this sore belly and start fresh tomorrow.

I'm losing weight again. Yehaaar! I know I'm not supposed to weigh-in until Sunday, but I'm keeping tabs on myself during this controlled-carb eating plan. I'm down to 129.5lbs again. Phew. Getting into the 120's always makes me smile.

Maybe it's the Meat 'n Nut breakfasts that are doing it? Or the daily dose of chocolate in place of a weekly treat binge? Who cares, I feel fantastic!

Today's breakie was 2 Bilinski Southwest Green Chili Chicken Sausages with Cheddar and 4 Raw Organic Brazil Nuts. (The photo shows more, but the calories soared so I ditched a few).

.... and the obligatory Organic Green Tea.

Even tho Dr. A says no to caffeine, (apparently it spikes your blood sugar and insulin levels), I'm going with Dr. Jonny Bowden's assessment instead. Green Tea is bursting with antioxidants and it boosts your metabolism. 

In the world of diets you can always find someone to advocate your personal choice. 

Fiber is lacking in this low-carb approach, so I stirred 1 Tbs Psyllium Husks into a cup of water.

An Organic Black Tea with 3 Tbs Cream.

Poached Salmon Salad.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: POACHED SALMON SALAD: Fry a 5oz salmon fillet in chicken stock and 1/2 Tbs fish sauce + 1 tsp wheat free tamari sauce. Add 1 clove garlic, and 1 tsp chopped ginger. Break salmon into pieces and add to 2 cups of organic green leafy vegetables, 1/4 of an avocado and 1/4 of a red bell pepper chopped. Pour pan juices over salad and squeeze on half a lime.

An Organic Black Tea with 3 Tbs Cream.

I went to the gym at lunch and did a half-assed workout. I was absolutely beat. Midway through I planned a trip to Garden of Eden for a chocolate fix.

But before the gym I ate 1/2 Tbsp Raw Organic Cacao Nibs.

Instead of just buying the usual 99% Noir Infini, I was distracted by the mini size 82% Scharffen Berger Chocolate bar. 

Since it was a novelty, I opened it first. This stuff is so good. Bit too much sugar though ingredients-wise, (whilst being not too sweet to taste).

This was my downfall today. Bad idea. It set me on a slippery slope .... wait till you see what came next ....

Michel Cluizel Noir Infini 99%.

Yeah!

My excuse was that I was feeling really really really exhausted. Training the new guy is killing me. There's no down-time.

The chocolate barely helped, but it was a start.

.... 2 Organic Hard Boiled Eggs for protein ....

I began kind of healthy. I made a 4-Egg White Omelette with 1/4 cup of Ricotta Cheese, Organic Mushrooms cooked in Organic Butter and a handful of Organic Baby Spinach.

Then everything went insane. I was on a chocolate high thanks to my 2 dark bars late afternoon. 

I got home and grabbed 2 homemade Chocolate Chili Fudge Squares from the freezer. They didn't even touch the sides. 

I felt manic. It was like i was disconnected from my body. After feeling totally lethargic all day, I was suddenly buzzing with urgency. I cleaned the house, I cooked, I watched tv, I speed-read, I did a million things at once, all the while hunting around for more food without a single thought for this blog. (I am now writing this 2 days later. Did someone say 'denial'?)

.... I ate a pack of Smartfoods Popcorn ....

(This is embarrassing. And confronting. It's really difficult to publicly admit to this massive fall off the wagon).

.... I pulled out the blender and made some crazy pudding concoction with Coconut Berry Jelly, Greek Gods Greek Yoghurt, 1/2 an Avocado, Flax Seeds and Blueberries.

This was being trying to be healthy, trying to get some fiber in my diet and also trying to use up all the yummy food in the house before our move.

Ok, so clearly I need to get acquainted with the idea of throwing stuff out rather than using my own gullet as a garbage can. 

.... I then ate 2 more Chocolate Chili Fudge squares and threw the rest in the trash. Who am I kidding? I can't be trusted with all this chocolate in the house and it won't be eaten before we leave NYC for good next week. Gone. I should've tossed them 2 weeks ago ....

.... half a Grapefruit ....

I was missing fruit.

I grabbed a huge handful of Raw Organic Cashew nuts ....

Then I manically cooked up a batch of toasted muesli for Dave, using up every last granola-like ingredient in the cupboard.

.... I was also craving heavier carbs. Oats were calling my name, so I ate 2 Coconut Lime Chia Squares ....

Here's 1....

.... and here's another ....

After these I felt good and full, but heavy. I didn't need anymore food. For the first time tonight I was satiated. 

But my mind took over. I started worrying about missing out on all this stuff on a low-carb diet and thought I'd better get it in now before it was too late. Stupid stupid mentality, I know.

A little later I had a slice of Food For Life Gluten-Free China Black Rice Toast with Ricotta, Peanut Butter and Peach Compote .... I then threw the peanut butter jar in the trash. Don't need it. Don't want it. 

Ironically, as I was chowing down non-stop. I was speed-reading The Atkins Revolution. Ha! Internally I was planning my resurrection from this downward spiral.

I finished the night with a Sheep's Milk Yoghurt Peach and Passionfruit Parfait with Blueberries. I told myself I had to get rid of all the yoghurt and fruit in the fridge so I could start my low-carb plan properly tomorrow.

Looking back on this day, I feel disgusting. I wonder why I did it. Actually, I know why. It was the sugar in the chocolate waaaaay back around 3 or 4pm. I am supremely sugar sensitive and I need to acknowledge this and avoid sugar for good. One little bit and look what happens! It happens the same way every time. I have never been able to just eat a little of something sweet and stop there. This is exactly how I gained weight to begin with.

This blog is a bit of a revelation to me. I've never seen my diet blunders laid out in a confronting full color spread like this before. The fact that I avoided updating my blog until days later is a telling sign. It's like I was trying to block out the truth.

I see now why a planned Treat Meal should be done in one sitting. You decide what you want, put in on a place, sit at the table with no distractions and really enjoy the process. Once you get up, you're done.

Here is a prime example of what not to do.

Guess what?!?! Kat Eden from BodyIncredible.com very kindly asked me to write a guest post for her oh-so-popular health and fitness blog. It was published yesterday. It's call "Love and Chocolate" and you can read it here.

I'd love you to come and dip your toes in a world of chocolate-swilling, the healthy way!

The old Meat 'n' Nut breakfast is awesome. I'm a convert. I have never felt more satisfied and energetic as I do after these breakies.

Today I had a Grass-Fed Organic Beef Burger with 1 slice of Applegate Farms Organic Turkey Bacon and 10 Raw Organic Pecans.

A Decaf Black Tea with 1.5 Tbs Cream.

Buffalo Mozzarella and Turkey Bacon Salad.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: BUFFALO MOZZARELLA AND TURKEY BACON SALAD: Fry 5 strips of Applegate Farms organic turkey bacon in organic butter. Chop into bite-size pieces. Chop 2oz buffalo mozzarella and add to 2 cups chopped leafy greens, zucchini and green beans. Dress with 1/2 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and 1/2 Tbs raw sesame seeds.

Half a cheeky Green Tea before the gym.

Yay, I'm back on track! I did a huge cardio workout at lunchtime and really worked up a sweat. My throat still hurts but I am back to my old energy levels (almost). It feels so good to be back.

After the gym I ate a boiled Organic Egg ....

.... and another one with Yellow Mustard ....

Mmmmm, tumeric, the superfood.

.... and 1/2 Tbs Raw Organic Cacao Nibs ....

.... with a Decaf Black Tea and Cream.

14 Raw Organic Almonds.

Dinner tonight was a bowl of my delicious Green Soup. Ooooh, I can just feel the nutrients buzzing through my cells.

I followed it with an Applegate Farms Organic Turkey Burger topped with melted String Cheese and a few slices of Organic Portabello Mushrooms cooked in Organic Butter. Yum. I threw a handful of Organic Baby Spinach on the side for a bit of color.

I have a dirty little secret. It's hidden deep in my closet and even though I want to share it here, I'm hesitant. I'm worried about people's pre-conceptions, which I understand first hand as I harbored the very same preconceptions myself only a week ago.

it all started with Kat Eden waxing lyrical about a guy named Dr. Jonny Bowden. I googled him, joined his mailing list, bought his book and now I'm a convert. This guy is the epitome of super healthy nutritious fit living. I am sold on everything he says. I also highly respect Kat's opinions as she's clearly transformed her own body following Dr. Jonny's advice, (among others). The proof is in the pudding when you see how fit and trim she looks.

Both of them, Dr. Jonny and Kat, advocate a controlled-carb nutrition plan. And what surprised me most of all was Dr. Jonny's glowing report on .... oh, I don't know how to say this word without conjuring boos and hisses .... but here goes .... Dr. Jonny's glowing report on Atkins. ("Boooooo, hissssss!")

Yes, I know.

I totally understand.

That diet died in the 90s right? It was unhealthy, ill-advised and bound with a host of negative side-effects?

Right? ..... Wrong.

According to Dr. Jonny the bad press for Atkins came from millions of naysayers who have never even read the Atkins book. Or even attempted the diet themselves. They're judging the entire eating plan on the merits of the first 2-week initiation period, which is quite strict against fruit. But as the diet progresses beyond initiation, it actually introduces more and more healthy carbs in a very sensible manner and tailors the diet to the individual. 

The fact is, it's sound research, and it has helped billions of people, really obese people, lose gazillions of pounds. Now that time has marched on and science has discovered the benefits of controlled-carb eating, the Atkins-style of nutrition is getting another look in. Unfortunately for Dr. Atkins himself, (well, he's dead now, so I'm sure he's not worried), his name was so sullied by the bad press of the 80s and 90s that most people would turn their noses up at anything with his name on it. 

But thanks to Dr. Jonny, I'm giving Atkins a go. It makes sense. It falls in line with Paleo Eating, which definitely rings true from an evolutionary point of view. And since I've been upping my fat and protein intake this week, I've been feeling F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C. I can't even begin to tell you how good I feel. Instead of being controlled by food, I'm discovering a wealth of delicious full-cream taste sensations that I'd previously banned in my low-fat diet for the last 20 years. I'm never hungry and I don't crave carbs or sugar.

Now here's the thing. I bought the Atkins book (for $2 from a Thrift Store - sweet!), but I am embarrassed. I won't read the book in public and when friends come to visit, I hide it deep at the back of the bookshelf. Atkins is not cool. As a dirty little secret, I'm only about 1/10 of the way through, but I'm excited. Dr. Atkins revised his book in 2002, (I bought the New Revised Edition) and it's much more palatable. It addresses the issues of the first book that caused public outcry. 

Today was my first day of really tracking my carb intake, and it is stringent! Atkins recommends, I think it's 20g of carbs daily for the first 2 weeks, and as much fat and protein as you want. Check out what I've eaten so far today .... I've already consumed 34g of carbs. I'm over the limit and I I've eaten nothing but a few cups of green veggies and 1/2 Tbs of cacao nibs. Aaaarrgghhh. I'm not following the diet 100% strictly yet. (In fact, I'm not sure if I ever will). I have never been a fad diet girl. I prefer to mix and match what works for me personally in a logical, healthy, sustainable manner.

.... Hang on, I juste read in Atkins that you subtract the fiber count from your carb count. Perhaps I am close to the 20g then ....

It dictates no nuts, fruit or dairy in the first 2 weeks, (except full-fat cheese, butter and cream), but I'm easing my way in. Anyway, it's a start. It's an interesting experiment, and although I'm not sure whether it will work, I'm interested to have my own real life opinion on Atkins before I write him off like the rest of the world. I feel incredible right now, and that's all that matters. Either way, I'm simultaneously getting back on track with the lower-calorie eating and exercise, so I should start losing weight again soon. (This burn-out week-and-a-half has stalled the Skinny Bride Mission like you wouldn't believe. But my body, mind and soul lapped it up with appreciation).

After dinner I had 6 Raw Walnut Halves ....

.... and a stick of Frigo String Cheese.

I also had 1 Tbs of Greek Gods Plain Yoghurt. I'm umming and ahhing as to whether to allow more carbs today or not. Might need a pre-bedtime snack.

.... oh, and a Coconut Water Icypop.

I still had a tiny void in my belly, so I drank some Psyllium Husks and I was golden.

1/2 cup Greek Gods Full-Fat Yoghurt and 1 Tbs 100% Peach Compote.

Fruit is totally anti-Atkins but life enjoyment is far more important to me that rigid adherence to a hard-core diet plan. Besides, I've only got about a week left in this city and a fridge full of delicious, organic, expensive dairy and fruit. I don't believe in waste .... :)

Poached Salmon with Ginger, Garlic and Dill, Poached Chicken Breast and 12 Raw Organic Cashews.

My carb count was well under 300 calories for the plate above, so I added 4 Raw Organic Brazil Nuts ....

.... and an Organic Green Tea.

Today was a mess. After no sleep thanks to elephant-like upstairs neighbors clomping around all night, I needed a caffeine drip to get me through the day. 

I had an Organic Darjeeling Tea with Cream ....

.... and then another one ....

.... an Organic Boiled Egg for protein and fat ....

.... with 3 more squares of that phenomenal Tanzanian 75% Dark Chocolate leftover from yesterday's trip to Eataly.

With my focus on protein, I am amazed to find how easily I can enjoy a tiny bit of chocolate and stop at that. Gone are my uncontrollable urges to eat the whole pack. Woo-hoo!

My boss shouted me and the new guy (who I'm training to take over my position this week) to lunch. They wanted sandwiches, so I suggested the only place to go in NYC. 'Wichcraft. 

I had a Pole-Caught Tuna Salad with Green Olives, Lemon, Fennel and Organic Greens. It came with a delicious Olive Oil Lemon Vinigarette on the side.

This isn't my exact salad as I didn't have a camera at work today, but mine was similar, (well, much better .... this is NYC's top sandwich and salad bar).

I cheated pre-gym with an Organic Green Tea.

I made it to the gym today for the first time in a week. man it was good to be back. I'm easing into it as I still have a bit of a tingly sore throat and can't afford to push myself when I've got a huge active vacation on the horizon.

Afterwards I had a Buffalo Mozzarealla and Shredded Chicken Salad.
Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: BUFFALO MOZZARELLA AND SHREDDED CHICKEN SALAD: poach and shred 1.5 oz of chicken breast. Tear 4oz buffalo mozzarella into small pieces. Toss through 1 cup chopped organic kale, collard greens, basil, baby spinach and 1/2 a roma tomato. Dress with 1/4 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp red wine vinegar.

1/2 Tbs Raw Organic Cacao Nibs ....

.... and 7 Raw Organic Almonds.

This is the perfect late-afternoon pick-me-up. The almonds add a little protein and cut through the bitterness of the cacao nibs. So much goodness packed into such a small space.

Dinner began with a nutrient-dense bowl of Green Soup.

Coconut Berry Jelly with 1/2 cup of Organic Full-fat Ricotta and 1/2 tub Fage Full-fat Greek Yoghurt.

I also added a cheeky dollop of my Italian 100% Peach Compote after the photo was taken. Yum. I love peaches. Especially peaches imported from Italy. The fruit grown in the nutrient dense soil in that country tastes a million times better than fruit grown anywhere else in the world.

I was so incredibly full after dinner. But I was stress-eating, (bad, I know) and grabbed 2 sugar-free Organic Coconut Chocolate Chili Fudge Squares without thinking. 

They are only 50 calories a pop, but I have certainly eaten my fair share of chocolate today and there's only so far you can go using 'I'm feeling run-down and stressed' as an excuse before you're facing serious diet blow-out. 

My stress had me craving carbs, or so I thought. I cut up a Pink Lady Apple, ate 1/4 of it and decided it was too sweet and didn't make me feel as good as protein and fat. So I gave the rest to Garbage-Guts Dave, (who I'm slowly converting to healthier ways).

I've really gotta get back on the wagon and commit to lowering my calorie intake again. I've been around 1800 the past week just about every day. The Golden Rules have gone out the window, (which is good once in a while), but I have noticeably shifted my thinking towards maintaining my current weight rather than reaching for the 15lb weight-loss stars.

How do you get back on track when your life is so overwhelming and your neighbors interfere with your sleep patterns and you have a sore throat and less energy than usual and rain or snow prevents you walking to and from work to reach your daily exercise quota and you're trying a new higher-protein/higher-fat/low-carb eating approach that leaves you unsure of your results?

it's time to refocus.

3 slices of Applegate Farms Organic Turkey Bacon with 2 Tbs Unsweetened Shredded Coconut.

Organic Grass-fed Beef Burger with half an Avocado and an Organic Green Tea.

We met some mates fro brunch at Friend of a Farmer in Gramercy. 

I had a full-on protein and fat brunch: 3 slices of Canadian Bacon ....

.... and a Mozzarella and Red Pepper Omelette ....

By the way, all my mates ate heavy bread sandwiches, which they drooled over whilst eating and woofed down so fast, then spent the next 2 hours complaining of a dense, stuffed, yucky feeling in their stomachs. 

I, on the other hand, ate pure protein and fat and I felt amaaaaazing. I'm becoming more and more anti-carb as I get into this protein diet.

.... And I had a pot of Organic Earl Grey Tea with Cream.

Fresh leaf Earl Grey is an absolute treat. It smells like marshmallow and tickles my soul to the core. The addition of cream was so decadent and luxurious. Who needs desserty carb-addict treats when Earl Grey is in town?

We stopped in at Eataly after brunch and I couldn't help but buy some Tanzanian 75% Chocolate on sale. I had about 15g and was deeply satisfied. This brand is awesome! It didn't have the distinctive tasting-note characteristics. It was just perfect, creamy, buttery dark chocolate.

I also grabbed an amazing jar of 100% fruit peach compote. No sugar, not even any concentrated fruit. Just peaches. I can't wait to add these to my new full-cream Greek Gods plain yoghurt.

Oh, and I was thinking about what I'll miss when i leave NYC. It's all about the food. WholeFoods salad bar, organic everything, Grass-Fed meat and imported Italian goods. Buffalo Mozzarella in particular. It's one of my all-time favorite foods. SO I grabbed a ball from Eataly at a whopping $14. Can't wait for a Caprese Salad tonight. Buffalo Mozzarella, fresh torn basil, sliced tomato and a drizzle of organic extra virgin olive oil. Beautiful!

1/2 cup of Full Cream Greek Gods Plain Yoghurt with 1/4 cup 100% Peach Compote.

One word.

Heavenly.

Caprese Salad made with 2oz Buffalo Mozzarella, 1/2 an Organic Roma Tomato, 4 Basil Leaves, 1/4 tsp Olive Oil and a sprinkle of Salt.

These two plates combined equal my dream meal.

I am seriously in heaven right now.

Organic Green Soup with Poached Salmon and Dill.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: ORGANIC GREEN SOUP: Boil 6 cups chicken stock with 6 cups of chopped green organic vegetables. (I used kale, collard greens, green bell pepper, jalapeno, broccoli, cauliflower, leek, dill, zucchini). Add a clove of garlic, a knob of fresh ginger, 6 cardamom pods and loads of chili powder. Blend and serve hot.

The salmon fillet was too big. I ate 3/4 of it, (about 4 oz) and saved the rest fro tomorrow.

1/3 cup Full-Fat Ricotta Cheese.

This stuff is devine. How have I ever put up with low-fat versions of ricotta? It honestly tasted like icecream straight from the tub.

NOT HAPPY! I went to bed at a reasonable hour, slept for 2 sound hours then I was woken by our noisy clomping neighbors upstairs. They woke my fully and kept me awake until 2am. I was stressed, furious, indignant when Dave knocked on their door to ask them to please keep it down, and then hungry.

I had to eat a Berry Jelly Parfait with 1/2 a small tub of Full-Fat Fage and 1 Tbs Italian 100% Peach Compote.

I also had a handful of pumpkin seeds.

Then I was so worked up I had to have a sleeping pill. This sucks. I am ruled by my neighbors habits. It's not the first time either. 3 nights ago they were doing elephantine aerobics at 3am! Are you kidding me?

My calories were great today, until the neighbors decided to vacuum at 1am.

The damage isn't as bad as I expected, given all my treats and hugely reduced exercise this week.

I still feel a bit run down and not yet capable of ramping up my exercise program, but I am hanging to do so.