13 Weeks: Starting Gate
So, today, November 4th, is the first day of my 13 Weeks project.
I dunno, I’ve been on the diet all day, and did 6 super-slow squats, and nothing has happened yet.
Of course I’m being silly: actually, lots has happened since last week. I’ve had my doctor visit and I’m approved to do the whole thing. I’ve had some “before” pictures taken, and yes, I am wearing gym shorts, so calm down. So far today, I’ve eaten: 6 eggs, 3 hard boiled and 3 scrambled; 16 oz of Black Forest ham (not a great choice as it’s got some sugar in the cure, but it turns out to have been my sole source of carbs for the day); about 2 oz of sausage and 4 strips of bacon; and some cheddar cheese. That’s around 1600 kcal and 24 g. of carbs from the ham. I may eat some cottage cheese before bed — I can have a cup (200 kcal) and not violate my 30 g carbs target. But then I may not — I’m not actually feeling very hungry.
And I’ve noticed some things already. I started using Lose It! to track eating — it’s easy to use from any of my iPod Touch, my Kindle Fire, or from a browser — and I noticed on several days I was rather below the 2177 kcal Lose It! predicted I needed for a 1-2 lbs per week weight loss. (Note: “kcal” is the same as a Calorie in the US; I just think using “Calorie” for 1000 “calories” is silly and confusing. When you see “kcal” think of the calories you normally use with food.) This didn’t surprise me, but then I flashed back on a time when I was about 12 or so, and once again on a diet, put there by my pediatrician. It was an “exchange” diet — you can have one bread, two proteins, one salad, and so on — and I’d been very diligent. I was eating 1200 kcal per day or less, and I wasn’t losing weight. I was, however, depressed, cranky, and irritable. And depressed. I was in the doctor’s office, and he was berating me for cheating on the diet; I was in tears because I wasn’t, and no one would believe me….
So, next week I will have more on my high intensity training plan. For now, you can follow me at the 13 Weeks Facebook page. If you’re a Facebooker, come “Like” my page — the more people who watch me, the harder it’ll be to give up early.
Here’s the before pictures.
Fat boy: Front
Fat boy: Side.
Guess.
The traditional Facebook mirror picture. No duckface, but a cat.
Depending on your body, the first week or three of serious carb restriction can get kind of unpleasant as you shift to running on ketones. Sometimes called the “Atkins flu”. I didn’t have any issues, but some people do.
Yeah, I’m a little headachy and actually generally achy. Interestingly, it’s making me feel like I need exercise….
A 30 minute aerobic workout once a day for the next couple of days will flush out the glycogen in your muscles so you won’t get lactic acid buildup as your body shifts into starvation mode. That should reduce the aches. Don’t overexert yourself; a moderate workout will suffice. Including sweet meats or a small amount of starch ensures your muscles won’t atrophy. 30 g of carbs a day is a good target. Take a multivitamin to make sure that you don’t get vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Well, I didn’t manage to get near 30g yesterday, even after slipping in a gummi candy. I supplement quite a bit — multivitamin, calcium/magnesium, iron (I’m mildly anemic), chromium, fish oil, fiber.
fellow low carb(er), (keto).
If you feel crappy in the first few days (and you will,almost everyone does, it is after all just like an addiction. Drink a nice cup of salty broth (one bouillon cube in hot water, chicken and veggie taste ok, the beef isn’t so hot). You’ll feel better within 20 minutes. Drink the broth!
Charlie – one last thing: drink lots of water. The advice about a meat broth is a very good one but also keep in mind that you need plenty of hydration!
Yeah, I was just thinking about that — I think I was way behind on water yesterday, which is funny as I’m normally quite good.
Be prepared for bad breath!
Charlie,
Start supplementing with sodium – at least a couple of bullion cubes daily. Once you cut down on the carbs you are going to excrete a lot water and with it sodium (and potassium and magnesium). You are going to feel really awful without supplementing.
Peace,
Joe E O
Dr Mike Eades has the details here:
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/saturated-fat/tips-tricks-for-starting-or-restarting-low-carb-pt-ii/
Joe — thanks. I’ve got Protein Power on the Kindle, I’ll have a look. But I salt my food ridiculously; I think potassium might be more of the issue. I bought K-enhanced water at lunch today. That, and eating lunch, seems to have helped. I probably need to go to a 5-meal plan too.
potassium can be solved thru using Morton’s Lite Salt (half potassium, half regular salt). Trust me, initially your body gets out of balance and needs a big hit to recover. DRINK THE BROTH.
If youre willing to eat some carbs, go for sweet potatoes. I may have said this in another post so i might be repeating myself. But they are filling, healthy, low glycemic. Low glycemic is the key, to keep blood sugar from spiking. In any case, the first week is the toughest, but after that youre on your way!
I’ll probably move up to around 50g/day in a couple weeks; we’ll see. I’m certainly not having any carb cravings so far. Just Advil cravings.
Someone close to me recently had quintuple bypass (quintuple!) and had several doctors warn him of the significant cholesterol-raising effects of fruits, so be wary. Fruits have long been thought of as one of the ultimate “paleo” health foods–harmless and perfect for humans. And indeed, in certain quantities they are. But when you transition to some carbs, be careful not to go on a fruit binge. This is a mistake I and many people I know made.
For my weight loss, 1-2 lbs a week until I dropped 24, I used a Schwinn air-dyne for exercise. Only adjustment- seat height. The faster you pedal, the harder you work. I worked out by heart rate. General rule- cycle fast enough to get tired out, but not so fast you get sore. Still use it 3-4 times a week 20-30 minutes to maintain weight. Used it 5X at 1-2 hours to lose.
I cut out white bread, substituted fewer caloried sandwich thins in wheat, flax, rye, and other varieties. Considered cutting carbs completely, but let’s face it- some of us really like them.
I have an exercise bike, although not a Schwinn.
IF you’re going to do low carb, then do low carb. That means =>20 NET carbs per day. Pee on a ketostick every one in a while to make sure you are in Ketosis. Don’t trust labels. Once you have acclimated to this, you can find a “safe” level of carbs by gradually ramping up.
Good luck.
Good luck with it. I thought about trying something like this, but as with all these diets I am seriously stymied by lactose intolerance and a gag reflex that is triggered by eggs. Any suggestions?
Steak? I’m eating this many eggs because I really like eggs. Rotisserie chicken is my friend.
Read “Why We Get Fat” by Taubs, started following his tips about 2 months ago. Without really trying (morning walks with the pooch), I am down 25 pounds. Next step is starting P90X. Good luck, and after a week, the carb craving goes away. The chocolate used to be the least safe item in my fridge…there has been a bar sitting there for a long, long time now.
Watch the cottage cheese. Early on in my diet, the lactose in the cottage cheese bumped up the cravings. Especially watch it if you are eating it by itself.
I also had to supplement with sodium (usually buillion, but sometimes I just dump some sea salt in water and drink it.) It would clear up headaches and brain fog within a few minutes.
I’ve lost 60lbs so far and am doing a modified version of Starting Strength as well. I started with Protein Power and have evolved to paleo. My weight is down. My BP is down. My chlorestorol numbers are wonderful.
Good luck.
You should really consider getting some carbs from leafy greens. A couple of small salads a day with a simple vinegrette. You’ll find that salads are really delicious when you cut out other carbs. Also, I would second the recommendation on soup stock. You should even consider a potassium supplement. I had bizarre issues with muscle cramping and twitching on an atkins diet. The potassium supplement seems to have taken care of that. Best of luck with your weight loss.
Yeah, I had a Cobb salad for lunch yesterday. I’m not vegetable-averse, that was just the way Sunday worked out — I was eating during the game.
We’re all rooting for you Charlie!
Charlie,
Good luck. I’ve been on a Taubes-approach diet since July and I’m loving it. I feel great and lost 25 lbs so far. The only carbs I eat are from green vegetables, tomatoes, nuts and seeds. <30g/day.
My learnings:
Potassium depletion is a major problem. Get some Morton Lite (50:50 NaCl/KCl) for salting your food. Drink lots of water, but always put a 1/4tsp or so of the Morton Lite in it. I also use a squirt of lemon juice, both for taste and the Vit C.
Looking at your first day, you need more fat/oil and less meat. Your body cannot process more than 200g of protein a day, or so I've read. Eggs and bacon are great. Make sure you are eating eggs high in the good fats (Eggland's best for example). Watch the meats….you need to keep the fat content as high as possible. It is difficult to do that with muscle meats and if you rely on them early on before you find your balance you may find yourself feeling unwell.
Close-to-whole animals are idea. In particularly I findSardines in EVO oil are extremely useful. I like the Wild Planet as the taste is mild closer to tuna. ~240cal/serving, most of it from good fats. Sardines are also loaded in lots of minerals/vitamins. Tuna in oil is also good as a supplement. Mercury is a concern if you eat too much for too long, but most of the tuna in EVO oil is the chunk lite, not albacore so the risk is lower.
Fried Chicken!!! Particularly legs and thighs. High fat:protein ratio, and all the tasty bits, dark meat, etc have good nutrients. The breading doesn't have too many carbs.
Rib-eyes are the king of fatty steak. top with some gorgonzola butter.
Salami (not the sliced deli kind) and various higher fat content cured meats make wonderful between-meal snacks. Check the brand and make sure they are transfat free. That stuff will kill you. Slim Jims unfortunately have transfat, but there are other snack meats that don't. Early-on, before I discovered how good sardines and fried chicken made me feel, I relied heavily on cured meats, particularly salami.
Flavored (BBQ, salt/vinegar, etc) pork rinds got me through the first month as a snack, but I quickly got sick of them.
I use EVO oil for all my cooking, but I also use butter for taste. Make sure its grass-fed. Negligible cost increase (for butter), but supposedly the fats are much better. The taste is definitely better. If I'm low on fat, i'll often slice of a tablespoon of butter to eat straight. Just for a fat boost….~100cal all fat.
Vitamins are absolutely critical. Multivitamin every day, but also look to things like "emergi-C" and other flavored drink mix vitamins. I noticed quickly when I was depleted. Feeling weak, tired, drained. If I remember my multi, I don't feel that way. And don't neglect the Potassium. It is extremely important.
For my chemistry, I need tomatoes. Loaded with vitamins, but reasonably low carb for a fruit. Salsa on an omelet, a few cherry tomatoes on a salad, etc. Berries are also a nice supplement in moderation. They are fairly low sugar in the grand scheme, just don't overdo it. A dozen blueberries or a handful of raspberries at lunch are a good nutritional supplement.
Do not neglect the green vegetables. Spinach is very nice to use. A bowl of spinach with olive oil and a pinch of salt. A hot bacon-spinach salad is great. I also supplement with broccolli and cauliflower.
After 3 months of <<30 carbs, I started eating more nuts/seeds. They are very high fat content, all good, and reasonably low carb. When I started adding nuts, my weight loss went from 1-2lb/week to 1 lb/2week. Still losing, but also feeling very healthy and energetic. I'm still averaging ~30carb/day.
PS. sorry for the spelling errors….my proofreading stinks.
PSS. All of my weight loss was without any exercise. I plan to start some weight training soon as I think I’m seeing some strength loss, but it could be my imagination.
Read the serious authors on low-carb diets, learn the science, but then listen to your body. Everyone’s chemistry is different and generalities only go so far. See how you feel and experiment freely to find what works best.
MikeP,
Excellent advice. I’ll second that salads are particularly delicious once you are no longer eating carbs. Suddenly you can taste the sweet in the food. Eat lots of leafy greens. Berries in moderation with a vinegary salad aren’t going to spike your blood sugar.
I cook my vegetables in olive oil or butter. Zapping them in the microwave cooks them quickly, add a pat of butter and spices to taste. Alternately, sauté them in a pan.
The key is eating enough that you aren’t hungry, but eat the right things. Don’t just eat meat. Meat plus a few cups of vegetables & leafy greens every day is crucial. Will also second rec for a basic multivitamin. I take mine with lunch.
Now that your calories aren’t coming from carbs, you will need to be eating enough fats that you don’t get hungry. I’m not calorie restricting in any way and the weight just falls off.
(Avoid added sugars in sauces and dressings like the plague. Read labels. Sugar and HFCS get stuffed into the most surprising places.)
Work on that “belly band” fat, too with crunches and such. That’s the “bad fat” that’s sitting high on your torso there between your stomach and your pecs. Medical researchers have said that’s a clear sign of high risk of heart disease. Good luck and take it one day at a time. Don’t expect a miracle in 13 weeks…or even a noticeable difference. It took me two years to lose 97 pounds. The fat didn’t melt away, but I did it simply by changing my eating habits (portion and food types) and exercising; no supplements, diet aids or fad diets.
Make sure you eat enough non-starchy vegetables. I went low carb about six months ago and have lost 31 lbs. I’m now back to my college weight.
I have 2-3 eggs and cheese and avocado and salsa for breakfast or I have plain whole fat yogurt with a handful of nuts.
Lunch is 8+ oz of tri-tip (with fat on) and a large salad (mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, balsamic vinegar and about 1/2 salad dressing oil). Maybe a few small pieces of strawberry & blueberry & cantaloup, but only about an ounce for a large salad. Small spoonful of cottage cheese if I didn’t have yogurt for breakfast. Switch out tri-tip for smoked salmon somtimes.
Dinner is some kind of meat (steak, chicken, fish) and as much non starch veggie as I want. Squash, zucchini, california mixed veggies (mostly broccoli & cauliflower).
If I need to snack, I eat salted nuts. As much as I want.
I am not hungry because I eat as much as I want, I just don’t eat many carbs anymore. Drink lots of water.
Muscular 6’4″, started at 235, now down to roughly 202-206. Every day I walk around the block on the way to lunch. (1 mile). That’s it. No strenuous exercise but dropped 17 lbs in the first month.
Compare that to three years ago when I was at 235, began bicycling 20 miles a day to and from work (on hills, not flat). Lost only 14 lbs total. Changed my diet with little exercise and lost more than twice as much.
Good luck and stick to it!
Good luck, man, I wish you all the best. I started a diet last year because my doctor said I was borderline diabetic. In 13 months I’ve lost 135 pounds and am like six pounds away from being under 200 pounds.
My approach is…not on a diet plan per se, not from a book at any rate, but I’ve kept my diet low calorie, low carbohydrate, high protein, moderate fat and long, brisk walks in the evening (with brief stretches of running) along with various other aerobic exercises I can fit in.
@MikeP: That’s not true about your body not being able “to process more than 200g of protein per day.” Everyone’s metabolism is different. I eat more than 200g’s of protein every day simply because I do a high-protein diet. It’s been recently learned that to recover after workouts a person needs protein, not carbs as previously thought. That’s why Gatorade and other companies not produce high-proteing post-workout sports drinks. Some of the things you’re recommending are bad, bad, bad, bad. Fried chicken? Dude, that’s high in saturated fat and saturated WITH fat! Pork rinds, fatty steaks, butter, salami…?!! Are you kidding?! Low fat, high protein, high fiber meals with moderate salt and in reasonable portions will facilitate weight loss in anyone. Exercise will spur it faster. Popular “theme diets,” diet aids and supplements, and exercise gadgets might give temporary weight loss, but it’s not long-term permanent weight loss…unless you count the weight of the money you’ve thrown away learning this.
Manolo,
I think you haven’t read Gary Taubes and the low carb literature. Check him out. If you zero out your carb intake, you need to be getting calories from somewhere and that somewhere is healthy fats. The science behind fear of saturated fats is quite weak.
Manolo, I suggest you read more about the science. You seen to have some misunderstandings.
Look up ‘rabbit starvation’ or ‘protein poisoning’. my number was a little off…its closer to 300 g, not 200g. Even so, 300g at ~4cal/g only gives you 1200cal from protein even at the maximum processable by the body. The other 1k calories have to come from somewhere. If it isn’t carb, it must be fat.
Your understanding of fats is also incorrect. Saturated fat isn’t the evil we’ve been led to believe. Moderation is important, but 50%+ of my fat intake is from ‘good’ fats. Fried chicken and salami is certainly part of a balance diet and important food types if one is going low-carb.
Given my experience so far, I’m not worried about exceeding 300g protein. I agree with the Taubes book recommendations — I’ve got them linked at my 13 Weeks Facebook page, if you’re Facebookers and will be following up with more from them. (I’m re-reading Good Calories, Bad Calories in preparation.)
Good Luck!!! Stay with it. You won’t believe how much better you will feel. Not having to hold your breath tying your shoes will be one small pleasure out of many.
Cole slaw: chopped cabbage, mayo to taste, a few carrot shreds for color, and seasonings- balsamic vinegar & a bit of stevia is good – oh, and 1 lb. chopped bacon! Are you near Trader Joe’s? If so, look for the sugar-free chocolate bars. Delicious, and low carb. Also 21 Seasonong Salute and Everyday Seasoning. Don’t do without veggies: spinach, broccoli, cauliflower. Broccoli, chicken, a jar of Alfredo sauce – who needs pasta? Finally, try Campbell’s Beef Consommé, straight from the *refrigerated* can, as an alternative to broth.
My husband and I have been following Taubes’ suggestions since July. He’s lost 20 lbs, I’m down 17. We feel great and not at all deprived, and doctor approves of results. Best wishes!
Broccoli, chicken, a jar of Alfredo sauce – who needs pasta?
Oh, now THAT is a great-sounding idea. Oooh, and Velveeta cheese sauce is only about 2g carbs….
Re: hydration and bullion and sodium, the lazy man’s technical solution works for me, office-in-the-home software developer.
1) order cases of Wolfgang Puck vegetable or tomato based soups, several varieties available for free Amazon Prime delivery.
2) mix 50:50 with soup stock or broth to moderate the carbs and fill-out the urge to consume at pre-diet levels
3) there’s probably enough sodium between the two of them to suffice
4) add a pat of butter or spritz of olive oil, then microwave one bowl at a time, smaller quantities reduce insulin impact.
5) and probably the most important emergent benefit: my mom called last week worried about the storm. I assured her I would be safe and that I had six cases of soup and six cases of broth and could hold out for days, picking up protein from displaced squirrels, much easier to hunt while they’re still dazed after getting blown out of the tree.
Charlie,
After seeing the Taubes book plugged on Instapundit I read it and the biology made sense to me, so I gave it a shot. My before pictures looked very much like your own. That was two months ago.
I’ve only lost ten pounds of weight but I’ve lost 2.5 inches of waist. I’ve haven’t worn my belt this tight in 15 years. And I feel much better.
If you want to add weights to your plan I heartily endorse the “stronglifts 5×5″ program (do a google search, it’ll pop right up). It’s the same basic philosophy as Mark Rippetoe’s but the way it’s structured makes it great for a beginner.
You’re doing the right thing. I’d wish you luck but I don’t think you need it.
Thanks! I just downloaded the 5×5 program PDF. So far I’ve just noodled about with calisthenics and kettlebells, but tomorrow I’ll do a real day.
Good luck! I’ve been on low-carbs since June…lost 22 lbs.
Tip: Don’t know if you can eat this yet, but I started it after my initial two week no-carb phase. It’s a very satisfying dessert alternative. Especially if, like me, you used to like ice cream at night. This goes a long way to mitigate that craving for me.
—Mix some no fat cottage cheese with a little no fat Greek yogurt.
Slice 2 or 3 strawberries in there, throw in a handful of blueberries. Zest some fresh lemon peel. Chop up some fresh mint if you have it—mint really MAKES the dish.
I flavor mine with sugar free “drink enhancers” from Walmart. (Look in the same place as Countrytime lemonade..tiny bottles.) I use lemon as well as strawberry/watermelon. They’re very concentrated, just a couple of drops will add a LOT of flavor to your “dessert”. You can add a little splenda and/or vanilla if you like . Put in fridge and let flavors combine for a while. I make two or three 1-cup servings each time. It stores well.
Not too bad. There is a guy at work with a similar build who lost a *lot* of weight on a low carb diet. So much so, that when I saw him for the first time in a year or so — he works in a different building — I said “Wow” before thinking to keep my mouth shut
For myself, I find that I need some carbs or my mind starts to fuzz up, but it doesn’t take much to keep it normal. The main diet change I’ve made is eggs and avocado for breakfast instead of cereal and that is good for about a pound a month. Everyone is a bit different, something to keep in mind.
Charlie,
It takes a real man to put yourself out there in all your naked glory! I admire the hell out of you for making this such a public conversation.
Good luck. You’re an inspiration. Now I just need to get my back well enough so that I can get into something resembling an exercise regimen.
Thanks. I’ve got to say, this morning I was kinda regretting the before pictures.
Myfitnesspal is another good app.
Kale is a super food, raw in salads or cooked.
Good Luck!!!
I have been in Ketosis for over a year now confirmed by daily urine tests.
My triglycerides are down from 129 a year ago to 80 now.
I feel great, lost fat, and am setting personal records in the Cross Fit gym and marathon runs.
You can do it!
Hang in there!
Nothing tastes as good as being fit and healthy feel!!!
YOU CAN DO IT!!!!
Since you say your anemic ALWAYS have your ferritin level checked when you have your blood tested. It’s a fairly cheap and easy test. Low ferritin levels are the main cause of anemia and it’s usually an easy fix. Low ferritin has all kinds of side effects that affect weight and energy level – not to mention hair thickness. Despite what current recommendations are, my specialist said around 100 is the ideal. Be sure to take vitamin C for the anemia.
Good Luck!
I read the book and I am on the program. 3 months and down 15 lbs. I recommend reading the new Atkins revolution diet book. It gives “how tos”. More important, do not forget body measurements because when I plateaued for three weeks, my waste size went down two inches. Thank you Glenn. Your comment in April prompted me to read this book. I have since purchased a copy for my children and my brother.
I’d say good luck but what you are embarking on is a process whereby you are creating your own luck. You will succeed.
If I may: I’m a thin-built guy with sort of a fatty middle. I’ve been going sort of moderately Taubesian, and I have been just under 180 for a good month now. This stuff works.
By the way, thanks to everyone for your words of support. I hate to comment on *every* *one* because someone has to moderate each comment, so thanks everyone.
Good for you. Keep it up. May well save your life. Started down this road two years ago, picked up Taubes’ books, then Wolff and Sisson and Wheat Belly. Down to 155 from 215 @ 6′. High school weight @ 63.
. Broth good. Low carb wring water and minerals out, particularly when it is hot.
Best of luck!
I have been on low-carb, no added sugar for almost 15 years due to blood sugar issues. The key to staying on it is to have as big a variety of non-starchy, low-glycemic foods aas you can possibly manage: Eat every kind of
- Leafy vegetables (spinach, arugula, endive, different lettuces), every non-starchy vegetable
- Nuts: peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans
- Olives: green, black, Greek, Spanish
- Berries, in small amounts
- Non-processed meats: poultry, beef, lamb, pork, buffalo, fish
And,
eat every 4 hours.
If you want more suggestions, drop me a line.
Good luck!
OK… what about booze? Especially low carb booze. I can’t take an election like this without booze. Will it kill my carb number?
Richard, I’m teetotal. I honestly haven’t looked at it.
Best of luck, Charlie. I’ve been doing Taubes routine since mid-August myself and have dropped about 40 pounds, lost 30 points on my blood pressure, stabilized my blood sugar and generally feel good. Stick to it and you get to a point that you really don’t miss the carbs at all.
One unmentioned thing with the Taubes diet for me was constipation. Tried benefiber in quantity with little success. Now taking costoco fiber caplets with meals. Also had to start on Miralax, which solved the problem. Ask a doctor about long term use of Miralax. Cheers -
Good luck!!! I’ll be back 13 weeks later to check out the after results.
Well, I’ll be posting here every Sunday, so don’t stay away that long.
You may not be into cooking, but perhaps as winter looms and with it the lure of comfort foods and the danger of falling off the wagon, you may find these simple veggie recipes worth trying.
If you like eggplant, Baba Ghanoush is an easy to make veggie dip that’s much lower in carbs (and kcals) than hummus. You can grill the eggplant for the characteristic smoky flavor, but in winter or to save time you can get pretty close by laying peeled slices, brushed with olive oil, on a foil-lined, low-sided baking sheet and roasting them for about 45” at 375 or ‘til soft and very brown.
Not necessary to turn it, but do let it get cold on the sheet for easy removal. Blend or process with a couple of gobs of tahini paste, some pressed garlic cloves, lemon juice, more olive oil (“cold pressed” are the words to look for), and salt to taste. Can be thinned with a little water if it sits around long enough to get thicker. Hard to stop eating and a very satisfying way to get your veggies in while watching sports or movies.
As a variant, you can also just top the eggplant slices with slices of your favorite cheese during the last few minutes—provolone, brick, whatever—and eat as a side with meals.
On your Velveeta cheese sauce, try making it with ½ sour cream, a pat or two of butter, a dash of cayenne, and maybe even a small dollop of Grey Poupon. Takes it up a few notches.
Cauliflower as a substitute for mashed potatoes works pretty well too. Steam, mash with butter, a little ½ and ½, salt and pepper, a few shakes of Parmesan if you want, and a dash of nutmeg. At this point I actually like to spread it into a gratin-style or low-sided dish, top generously with shredded cheddar, and bake it in the oven for ca. 30—45” at 350. You’ll never miss the Mac ‘n’ Cheese with this in your repertoire. (Also makes a great topping for Shepherd’s Pie, If you’re into those.)
Finally, you can create a wonderful dish with a couple of those rotisserie chickens (but read labels ‘cause some of them are injected with flavoring broth that includes that seemingly ubiquitous all-American additive, sugar).
Get a nice big skillet that can go into the oven and sauté some rough-chopped onion, celery, mushrooms, green pepper, and broccoli florets in butter while you pull the meat off the chix and break into bite-sized pieces. When the veggies are crisp-tender, spread them to the sides and melt a block of cream cheese or Neufschatel in the center. Add some pressed garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and some chopped fresh or dried basil—or any other herbs of your choice. Add the chicken, blend well, top generously with paprika (and Parmesan, if you want—I find these two things are good substitutes for the buttered bread or cracker crumbs that give a nice crust to such dishes) and pop in the oven for anywhere from 30 to 60”. You get to enjoy the aroma of a tantalizing meal filling the house while you go do something else. Company worthy, too!
Just keep going, Charlie. We are all so in your corner…and admiring your bravery.
(You’ve taken me back to my younger days when the boys I had crushes on called me “Fatso” in the cloak room, and I used to cringe in shame when the clerk in our best store used to take one look at me and point imperiously and in a voice that was sadistically loud, “The ‘Chubettes’are over there!”) Before you know it, you’ll be proudly sporting a transformed physique (and more importantly, those great vitals) and “How Do You Like Me Now” just might become your secret favorite song, as it is mine.