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 ....
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 ....
MORNING SNACK
1 stick of String Cheese.
LUNCH
Leafy Greens Soup with 4oz Chicken Breast, 1 Tbs Ground Flax Seeds (for fiber) and 1/2 Tbs Organic Butter.
AFTERNOON SNACK
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 ....
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)
(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'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'm over chocolate for a while. Too much of a good thing this past week.
DINNER
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.
PRE-BEDTIME SNACK
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.
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.
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.