Freek Six 2/24 - 3/2

So, the 10-day Bran Buds challenge is well under way. I'm finding that it's all about building blocks. First, I got a hold of my calorie intake/burnoff. Then the water, next the fiber, sodium, and for some reason, the toughest obstacle is the fat grams. Later on down the road, I'm sure cholesterol will be my challenge.

Disclaimer: For the faint of heart, skip right to the food diary. For those with a sense of humor, please read on.

I was mildly concerned about really upping the fiber intake. And the first few days weren't exactly easy. In fact, I thought I might be doing something wrong, at first. The cereal tastes fine--that's not the issue. But you had better be close to the facilities all day. This isn't something you want to do while on a camping trip. There is not pain, just urgency. After a week, though, things are running smoothly. And I never feel bloated at all. Even after eating a little too much (which I tend to do), my tummy doesn't feel uncomfortable. And it's not long before that lunch just moves on. After every two-week weigh-in last year, I would go have a decadent meal, and regret it for a couple days. It would slow me down physically and mentally. I feel like I have tapped into the secret formula for a safe and effective human Drano. That wasn't so bad, was it? For more info on the state of my poo, feel free to email or call me. I won't subject the world to it.

2/24 Breakfast: 1/2 Grapefruit, cereal, yogurt Workout: incline bench press, ab machine, slanted pull-ups, narrow grip pulldowns, push ups on bench, oblique twist, 45 min walking 3.5 mph, 5.0 incline Lunch: Spanish olives with Manchego cheese, Moroccan Tajine with root vegetables, raisins, almond couscous, and yogurt, coffee, vanilla milkshake (If you haven't yet been to Blind Faith Cafe in Evanston, get going) Workout #2: 40 min walking 3.7 mph, 20 min running 6.0 mph, 0.5 incline Snack: Fiber Plus bar Dinner: ER soybean burger with green chile, grilled onions, muenster cheese, sweet potato fries, salad, glass red wine.

2/25 Workout: 60 min walking 3.5 mph 8.0 incline Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, cereal, yogurt Snack: 8 cherry cordials. You heard me. I felt like shit for eating those. Physically and mentally. I don't know what made me do it. Lunch: leftovers of the Moroccan Tajine, salad Snack: Pear, cheese stick Dinner: Campbell's Select Harvest Mexican style Chicken Tortilla soup, salad.

2/26 Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, yogurt, cereal Workout: Barbell curl, upright row, good mornings, seated row, tricep pushdowns, deltoid lateral raises(or "shredding my delts"), 60 min walking 3.5 mph, 5.0 incline Snack: Fiber Plus bar, coffee Lunch: Chili's 1/2 turkey sandwich, fries, side salad, chips and salsa, diet Coke Dinner: ER Cheese Ravioli, salad, 1o0 calorie bar.

2/27 WEIGH-IN- 1%!! Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, yogurt, cereal with strawberries Lunch: Wow Bao 3 bao, 1/2 pad thai salad, ginger ale Snack: Chocolate Strawberry cupcake, small bag Wheat thins, 2 oz cheddar cheese Dinner: Spinach Artichoke Dip, Caterpillar Maki, 2 glassses Cabernet, 100 calorie bar.

2/28 Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, yogurt, cereal with strawberries Lunch: Progresso Light Pot Roast Soup, salad, cheese stick, macadamia white chocolate cookie Snack: Pear, cheese stick Workout: 60 min walking 3.7 mph, 5.5 incline Dinner: ER Soy protein burger with green chile, swiss cheese, pickles, sweet potato fries, salad, Fiber Plus bar, Veggie Stix.

3/1 Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, yogurt, cereal, coffee Lunch: Progresso Light Santa Fe Style Chicken soup, salad, cheese stick Snack: Pear, cheese Stick, and a package of Zingers. Have you ever considered the nutritional value of Zingers? What was I thinking? Dinner: BBQ Chicken Salad, popcorn, glass of cognac Snack: movie Popcorn and soda.

3/2 Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, yogurt, cereal, coffee Lunch: Progresso Mexican tortilla soup, salad, cheese stick Snack: tangerine, cheese stick, and some fucking Zingers. I am sabotaging myself. Workout: 10 min walking 3.5 mph, 30 min running 6.0 mph 1.0 incline, 20 min elliptical Dinner: ER Poblano Chicken, salad, zucchini, 100 calorie bar.