Semi-Diet

My partner in crime and I have gained some weight which is no surprise as we have been eating and not exercising enough. In fact, we gained the bulk of our fat since we got back from Europe. No more going up and down numerous stairs on the Metro (even when we walked from one meal to the next), and no more walking all day. Being back in Los Angeles meant hopping into our cars and just driving from one meal to the other. Dancing 1 hour and 45 minutes a week and occasional trips to the gym is just not enough any more. Sandi suggested we go on a diet.

Diets do not work! If they do, it is only temporary and then you end up gaining more weight. We could not really eliminate carbohydrates; heavens!!!! Nor could we eliminate meat; we need protein. Fruit diet is no good as fruit has a lot of sugar. Instead, I decided to stop having pastries, croque madame, French toast, etc., in other words no trips to L'Amande Bakery (in the morning). I further decided to hit 2 birds with one stone and have oatmeal since it's good for me plus hopefully would lower my cholesterol. My whole strategy was to eat a healthy breakfast, something small for lunch and a regular dinner.

Monday was my first day. I opened a packet of the Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal, added whole milk (will try low fat in 2 weeks), and cooked it in the microwave. It was not too bad, it wasn't great either. I planned not to have lunch so I had a hard boiled egg to keep me from getting hungry. A cup of coffee and vitamins and voila....I survived my first day of a healthy breakfast. That evening, we went out for dinner.

Tuesday, I got a little more creative and added some fruit to my oatmeal. Boy was I super proud of myself. It was better than the first day. Wednesday came along and all of a sudden the fruit wasn't as sweet as the day before.  For lunch I had an oatmeal cranberry cookie.

Today my fourth day, Sandi and I were at the gym at 6:00 a.m. We both have been craving the German Potato Pancakes and the Dutch Baby at the Pancake House in Redondo Beach. By 7:30 a.m. we were ordering our breakfast. We split both so it really was not that bad. Wow! it was so delicious; we really enjoyed that.  I still had the healthy oatmeal cookie, so that was lunch.

We have been curious to see if the new hamburger at Carl's Jr. was any good. Only one way to find out. So as not to feel guilty, we attended a Rumba dance class at 6:00 p.m. and then headed over to Carl's Jr. The new All-Natural Organic Burger, a grass-fed free range char broiled beef patty with no antibiotics,no hormones or steroids is served on a fresh baked bun with cheddar cheese, tomato, onions and pickles with mayonnaise and ketchup. It was delicious. My only complaint is I did not see the hamburger at first (ordered the single) It was in there but it was all the way protruding below the bun so I had to push it up. Together with the French fries, it was a perfect meal.

So for those of you who are not sure if it is worth the trip to Carl's Jr. the answer is a definite YES!

Note: Tomorrow, I resume the oatmeal breakfast.