My Arms Grew!

First - Sorry for the absence. I have not had much to say, and even less time to say it.

I will continue with another post later today after the gym.

I will say this - my arms feel longer. It is one of those sneaky byproducts of losing weight. Those side door, flabby arm rests shrink, and your arms naturally extend lower past your waist.

And with great respect for William Jennings Bryan, I must say a man's arms should more closely resemble a monkey's, not an alligator's!

Day 38 -- Still Great

OK, so I mixed up my breakfast with an orange and banana - happy?

I was told about Soy & Sake Village and had to check it out since my biggest food craving has been sushi.

I got the rolls with brown rice, and cucumber and crushed peanuts, and asparagus and avocado, and they were pretty good. I wanted to try their "soy fish" products so I go the soy rock shrimp, and soy eel.

The soy rock shrimp was breaded to look like real rock shrimp, but I have to say, the soy fish sticks that I have at home are much better tasting.

The soy eel looked like and tasted like that cheap, frozen steak sandwich brand - Steak Umms.

The rolls were good - stick to the fake fish, and other products inside rolls and you'll be very happy.

After work I caught the movie "Up in the Air," which was a good film. Because the reviewers are falling all over themselves to praise it (and it deserves praise, but it's not the second coming of "The Godfather!"), shows what a dearth of good movies are out there. The point in mentioning all this is that I can't watch a film without full handfuls of popcorn! I can sit in an old oak bar with Christmas decorations, classic Christmas music, and a fireplace near by and STILL not imbibe in a nice scotch. I can sit at a Thanksgiving meal with a golden brown turkey inches away and not shove my face into its breast plate. But put me in a sticky seat of a movie theatre and I am a hopeless crack addict with popcorn! Even though it was small, and obviously nothing on it, it still bothers me that I can't do a Nancy Reagan and just say "no."

Later on I met up with friends at the bar at Keens Steakhouse. Walking into the 1885 Keens Steakhouse is so comfortable, it is like being bundled up in your mother's homemade quilt next to the fireplace on Christmas Eve.

Keens is pure heaven for lovers of history, meat, dark wood and scotch. The assortment of friends made comments about my slimmer look which is always good to hear. I spent an hour and a half inside Keens, and not once did I allow myself to be tempted by the mutton chops, or Edwardian bar. Keens is famous for their collection of clay pipes from their Pipe Club members such as Teddy Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, Will Rogers, Albert Einstein, George M. Cohan, J.P. Morgan, Stanford White, John Barrymore, General Douglas MacArthur and “Buffalo Bill” Cody. Not one vegan among them! Prior to 1885, Keens was a part of the Lambs Club, a famous theatre and literary group founded in London. Its manager was Albert Keen.

When I got home I wanted a quick snack and munched on a handful of pistachio nuts.

'Tis the season for temptation, but it is always a great feeling to show discipline for the greater good - your health!

Five Weeks In

Today I had my check-up with Dr. Joel Fuhrman. A few weeks ago I got a call from Dr. Fuhrman with the results of my blood work after my first visit, and days before I started this quest.

The blood work had bad news. I was flagged by the lab as a serious risk. Your cholesterol level is a bit like your SAT scores. If there are good you brag about them. If not, you keep it a secret.

In January of this year I had my fourth knee surgery and the blood work results from my GP was what I brought to Dr. Fuhrman on my first visit. It showed very high cholesterol. Blood was then taken at his office and two weeks later Dr. Fuhrman called me. At first I thought it was quite nice for him to take the time to call me, but I quickly realized he was calling out of grave concern. Between January and October my cholesterol level increased even more.



Cholesterol

TOTAL Cholesterol
Desirable: Below 200
Undesirable: 240 and above
Mine: 301

LDL Cholesterol
Desirable: Below 130
Undesirable: 160 and above
Mine: 227

227 is a severely dangerous and life threatening. I am embarrassed writing this for all the world to see. But, as Dr. Fuhrman said, I am changing my diet (and saving my life) just in time. He said I could have a heart attack at any moment. That is not hyperbole, and I acknowledge the damage I've done to my body through my indulgence. But, this damage is reversible!

I eagerly await the results of the blood work I gave today!

The immediate results that were measurable today was that I have reduced the circumference of my waist (measured around my belly button) by almost 5 inches! According to his scale I weighed, with my clothes on, and not long
after a hearty meal, 23 lbs lighter (my official numbers are just at 25 lbs).

But, what really made me feel good was when Dr. Fuhrman said, "Wow." Of course when a man in a white lab coat says, "Wow," you immediately say, "Wow, good? or Wow, bad?

5 weeks ago my blood pressure was 140/90 which was borderline hypertension. Today, I am happy to report it is 110/75 - excellent range!

He asked if I had any withdrawals, but I really have not. I wish I could say that I am a martyr, but in reality I am just doing what I wanted to do. I'm not miserable. I don't love it - I love the results, but I do miss my sushi, and crab meat dumplings, and flank steak, and eggs. However, I am perfectly happy with these new food choices. As I have said repeatedly, I am very good at following the rules here -I hope I can make it innate.

I told the doctor that my weakness has been eating too many starchy carbohydrates. He said that carbs like baked potato and pasta don't have as many nutrients and do not fill you up for the long term like beans. So, a little less on the starchy carbs, and more on the carbs from beans - or legumes.

Coming home I was motivated to make something delicious, and stopped at the market. I settled on chicken stir fry. The fake chicken - soy based "meat" was added to fresh zucchini, squash, broccoli, mushrooms, snow peas, green onions, and yellow peppers. I also added a little bit of ginger stir fry sauce. It was an excellent meal!

In the car ride out the cameraman asked me to answer a question about feeling "less masculine" now that I am not eating meat. It was a peculiar question. I certainly don't feel effete not eating meat. In fact, making my own food with fresh vegetables makes me feel almost caveman-like. I am eating food grown from the earth that is not processed. It is real and natural and I feel great health-wise, as well as feeling like a real man - who does not eat quiche.

Lastly, for dessert I was stoked to find cherries! I guess Chile is still harvesting cherries, and even though they were an obnoxious $10 per pound, I happily indulged.

Oh, let me address one more thing. My close friend, and the "crazy broad" (said in jest, please no hate mail) who brought this vegan idea to me in the first place asked me how I felt about the last 50 lbs I want to lose. Well, I feel the same as the first 25 lbs. Heck I feel the same as the first 12 lbs I lost. I am on a new diet. I am self aware of what I am doing, and what I am giving up. I have not lost any friends, nor have I been unable to go on dates. I am living exactly the same as I did when I was flirting daily with a heart attack, just healthier - much healthier. I wish I could feel a sense of dread, or look upon the last 50 lbs as a daunting and unmanageable task - something to make this blog more interesting - but, I can't. It is not a miserable experience.

Although I miss my favorite foods, and I look forward to reintroducing drinking into my lifestyle at some point in the future, all told, if I can have the same enjoyment from food that I did tonight, hell, I could be vegan for the rest of my life...BUT, I WON'T! At least I am 99.9% sure that I will reintroduce limited amounts of animal products into my diet once I meet my weight goal.

Day 35

I am spending the weekend Upstate in New Hamburg, NY - ideally for a personal writing retreat - about 1.5 hours outside NYC.

This morning while waiting for my train at Grand Central Terminal I had a Pavlovian urge for a typical breakfast when getting on an early morning Metro-North train Upstate - either a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, or a bagel and cream cheese. As I ate my oatmeal and raisins (What else? But I did mix it up and add walnuts), as well as a banana, I picked up the smell of what everyone else was eating around me. Heck, I could even smell the chives in the cream cheese at the table next to me.

I was graciously hosted by a lovely friend at a huge 100 year-old, 8-room farmhouse on 7.5 acres of rustic wilderness. The house was huge with great views of the Hudson River. It was quite cold and there were snow flurries. I wanted to hunker down in the library and write, but was too excited to get out of the city and wanted to explore. So after a tour of her property (Can't remember the last time I broke a sweat walking around someone's yard), we went for lunch at The Tavern at Highland's Golf Club in Garrison.

The menu was filled with items like Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese, and Egg Omelet with Raclette cheese and Andouille sausage. Why do I do this to myself? The waitress was delightful as I explained my "predicament." We settled on the Kabocha Squash, and black pepper soup WITHOUT the Maple Cream. Incredible! And the pickled vegetables. And the salad with pear slices. The kitchen made me a special rigatoni with chopped vegetables which was quite good. Even the chef came out to check on my special order - he was quite friendly, but I strongly suspected he just wanted to see what a vegan looked like! I think if you address the restaurant as a teammate on this quest for a vegan friendly dish, they go out of their way to help. Had I demanded "No Dairy, No Meat" - I don't think restaurants would be as accommodating. So, I guess there is a certain bit of salesmanship in this quest! I really look forward to coming back to the Tavern to taste some of their menu items. And for a tiny bar, I could not help but notice an exceptional collection of Scotch and Bourbon.

After a mere 2 hours the flurries turned to a full snow fall - perhaps 3 inches or more! Up in the hills of the Hudson Valley when the snow falls it becomes a 360 degree Currier & Ives painting.

As beautiful as the farmhouse was covered in snow, I could not help but think of "The Shining." 100 year old homes creak alot, and more than once I looked over my shoulder for Jack. I wrote a little, watched Alabama beat Florida, and wrote some more. Looking out on 7.5 acres of snow covered trees and farmland sloping down to the Hudson far from Manhattan is an awesome place for a writing retreat. Drinking a hot chocolate made of vegan friendly dark chocolate and rice milk made it perfect!

Oh, and kids: I am listing to a record player. The album side is now complete. That means the 8 songs on side A is now over. I must get up off this chair, and physically turn the record, made of vinyl, over. Now I will place the needle on the B side. Sounds like a lot of work, huh? Well, the difference is this - listening to your iPod is like getting fast food via the drive-thru, while listening to a vinyl record on a record player of bands that broke-up before your father was shaving is like preparing your own cooked meal. Yes it's more work, but 10x more satisfying.

My First Dirty Look

Last night at a bar while looking for my friend I was thrust into a brief conversation with a couple of women merely by proximity in a very crowded place.

During the Christmas Season the bars in NYC are packed, and nothing sticks out more than a 6'4" 275 lb guy drinking a pint of seltzer water through a straw! It was noticed and I was queried by this woman. Not really in the mood for a full conversation as I scanned the room for my friend, I briefly noted that I was off the sauce. Incredulous, this woman pressed on. "It's part of my diet, and I am also going vegan." Wow! The look on her face was pity, shock, and scorn. A brief comment made minutes earlier led me to believe that her look of stifled disgust was coming from a political angle. Before the question about leather belt and shoes came tumbling out I explained that my veganism is for dietary purposes only.

You do not find the anti-veganism from a political bent in NYC too often, but it is there. Trust me, I was one of them. A few weeks ago I met up with a very old dear friend of mine who spent the better part of his career in politics, including an impressive stint in the West Wing. He too grilled me on the political ramifications of this new vegan lifestyle. Lastly, another great friend called me a "communist" because of my new dietary choice and threatened an intervention.

Veganism is such a new element in my life that I am taking nothing I hear from others as gospel. I have numerous books that I am scouring to become better informed on veganism as a diet (and the myriad of other books on dieting that contradict veganism, and themselves) so I am more educated on what I am doing and why. Additionally, I am also investigating the most un-biased sources of information on the social and environmental impact of veganism. Currently, the cacophony of opinions on environmental issues I hear fall somewhere between baby seal clubbers, and hemp-clothes wearing construction site arsonists. I've got some learnin' to do.

To Live, or to Live: That is the Question!

With all respect to the Prince of Denmark, I do think of similarities between, "to be, or not to be," and living, or living.

To wit:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?

In Shakespeare's Hamlet one of the options given, and some read that both of the options given, will result in death.

So, the question I ask of myself, and perhaps you should too is, do we want to LIVE as long as naturally possible, or do we want to LIVE and enjoy life until the good Lord takes us, however short lived?

The popular phrase, "Live a little," is a perfect example. Do we live a little, i.e. throw caution to the side and enjoy your impulse (which presupposes doing something generally considered unhealthy - that extra drink, or a decadent dessert, or worse - something that results in driving over a fire hydrant at 2:30 AM)?

Is it better to live a life of guilty pleasure that is sure to be shortened, or live as long as humanly possible through good clean living?

What it boils down to is this: is it more fun to enjoy life's vices, or is it more fun to enjoy life - healthy mind, spirit and soul?

I was moved to think about this while watching a documentary about the famous Hollywood eatery, Chasen's. In this documentary made months before it closed 15 years ago, famous patrons bragged about Chasen's being the last stop before Cedars-Sinai Hospital because of their fat-laden food encased in butter. Some were all too happy to die of hardened arteries before their peers because they enjoyed life, they lived.

Well, I come firmly down on the side of living - living as long as you can a good clean life, and, AND, once in a while, really LIVE.

It all comes back to that illusive little term - moderation.

Yesterday I had lunch with clients at the Capital Grill on 42nd Street. The spacious eatery for businessmen stabbing thick steaks and gurgling scotch is a slice of Heaven for me. We were there before our guests, so I said to the waiter, "Look, for the time being I am a vegan, and I don't want you making a fuss in front of my guests when we order, so what do you recommend?" I venture that most well-known restaurants in NYC will have the same answer nowadays: "No problem, we have a vegan steak and vegetables off the menu." Perfect.

Not wanting to be "that guy," I was able to lock up my vegan dish before my guests arrived in this bastion of red meat and butter. However, no good story going untold, I spilled the beans on the whole 'what, when and why' of this new diet which sparked a lively and hilarious discussion.

The vegan steak: you know what, it's tofu, bean curd, a soft white food made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. It is not mouth wateringly delectable! But, Tofu is low in calories, contains a relatively large amount of iron and little fat. And it tasted fine...it tasted just like those tiny blocks of tofu in your miso soup. Add a whole bunch of salt and pepper and I was good. OK, I was pretty hungry 10 minutes later, but all told, it was a fun experience, and I ate healthfully in a great steak joint.

Still I could not get Chasen's off my mind. The visual of cooking a meal near your table with a block of butter trumpeted old school American dining decadence. At the very least, I needed the ambiance!

There is a brand new restaurant (1 week old) near my apartment on 51st Street called the East Side Social Club. Resplendent in wood and red leather with waitresses adorned in something Bob Mackey created in 1954, the ESSC made me feel normal again - American - like at any moment Sinatra, or Martin would walk in with their entourage.

The broccoli rabe was excellent, and the spaghetti and tomato sauce was the best I've ever had.

So, here's to Living, and Living, but make sure the later is once in a long while so you truly appreciate the rarity of such pleasure. My problem for the last decade was that I was Living every waking hour of the day!

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.

The Last Days of Decadence

On Halloween night, October 31st and into the early morning hours of November 1st I was dressed, appropriately enough, as Jackie Gleason's Sheriff Buford T. Justice from "Smokey & the Bandit." I ate and drank like Gleason, and if I continued, I would end up like him. Now, on December 1st, and 23 lbs lighter I'm 1/3 of the way back to my fighting weight.

Today I had my requisite oatmeal - a bit watered down today - and raisins. For lunch I stumbled upon a little shop across from my barber that makes homemade soup and cookies - I stuck with the soup. It was mushrooms and beans - fabulous. I attended a tree lighting party tonight at some close friends' apartment with a group of people who were used to my lifestyle-impersonation of Jackie Gleason over a couple of lost weekends in Montauk. It took some convincing before they really did believe that I took the healthy road off the main street of decadence.

I'm seeing some results, and I know the last 50 odd pounds will be the toughest, but this diet void of animal products is certainly working.

The Good Luck Legume

Will it bring me good luck?

For years I heard that my grandmother strongly advocated eating lentil soup on New Year's Day as good luck for the year. I either never tasted it, or had a bad reaction to it when I was very young, and I never had it again. In fact I have no memories of ever eating lentil soup...until today. Today I had vegetable and lentil bean soup. I thought I was going to hate it since surely I have some long suppressed memory of despising the "good luck" bean. I remember the can of Progresso Lentil Soup every year with the photo of slimy brown beans on the label. But, then I remembered, I hated beer as a kid too, so just maybe...Yep, lentil soup is very good! Just like brussel sprouts, things I was conditioned to despised actually taste good once I eat them. I really enjoyed the soup today. Had some grilled vegetables from the deli too (zucchini, squash, tomatoes, asparagus), and I threw in some corn, chick peas and kidney beans for the proper amount of amino acids.

Went to the gym before lunch. Definitely feel myself in better shape - the crunches are easier, and the cardio is easier - now doing the fast walking at 4.0 speed on a 8 point incline, and move it up to 10 point. Did more squats and lunges. Knees feel alot better with the less weight, but still wobbly and painful in the full squat.

There is a marked difference between the clientele at the gym in the East Village near my work, and the gym near my apartment in Midtown, and I think it could be succinctly summed up by two virtually identical conversations I overheard in the locker room over the weekend, and today.

GYM Near Apartment

Guy #1: Hey, what's up?
Guy #2: Hey, good, how are you?
Guy #1: Good, thanks.

GYM Near Work

Guy #1: Hey, what's up?
Guy #2: Hey, good, how are you?
Guy #1: Good, did you get a haircut?
Guy #2: Yeah, I did.
Guy #1: It looks really good.
Guy #2: Thanks.

Even though the gym in the East Village is populated by lots of thin and neat guys, I actually prefer that than the gym near my house with more "average" type guys. It's like when you play better golf with good golfers. I'd rather be around guys in great shape when I am working out - I don't feel self conscious at all, and it motivates me more when most people are very fit in the gym. Although, I must admit, I do wrap myself in 47 towels when entering the stream room.

Dinner was at the Pig 'N' Whistle watching New Orleans manhandle New England with friends. Although I salivated at their potato skins, and artichoke dip, I happily gobbled up some steamed veggies, and had a Caesar salad with no feta cheese and no dressing wrapped up in a whole wheat pita.

Endured the perennial harassment from friends, but feeling good.

Weighed in today at 23 lbs lighter.

End of Week 4

I think it was fitting to end my first month on this vegan diet with the long Thanksgiving Day weekend. It gave me plenty of time to think and not act on impulses for food or drink that increase weight gain.

I heard a terrific quote from former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in talking about the U.S. Health problem. He said that the problem is like the NFL - you've got 22 players on the field that need to rest, and 70,000 fans in the stadium that need to exercise. So very true.

Over this weekend I realized that my greatest urges to eat high fat, low nutrient food was when I was very hungry. I was only hungry when I chose not to eat a breakfast, or lunch at a reasonable time. I got caught up doing other things, ignored my normal physical hunger, and then after a couple of hours I was starving at inopportune times to eat healthfully - like at the movie theatre. I've read too many people skip breakfast, and that it is the most important meal of the day. So, shame on me for skipping breakfast twice over this long weekend. If I am going to exhibit discipline over what I eat, I can surely exhibit same when I eat. I have also noticed that often my urges to drink alcohol is when I am bored. So, don't be bored. It is like when you were a child and you whined to your mother that you were bored - what was her response? Go outside and play. That is why so many generations of children were lean. Since I cannot very well go outside and play kickball while socializing with friends at 11 O'clock at night I typically combat that urge with telling one of my elongated stories - other's might be reaching for a pint out of boredom, but I happily forget my urges by the end of the story.

Over the weekend I found myself socializing with a friend at an Irish pub, and simultaneously racking my brain on where to eat in that neighborhood. I skeptically flipped open the menu of the Cornerstone Tavern and found both a delicious hummus and pita bread appetizer, and a huge, fresh salad. Yes, even in an Irish pub I can eat well!

Today, Sunday, I did not even think about going to weigh myself which I think is a positive. I am trying not to obsess myself with how much I lose each week. I will weigh myself at the gym tomorrow.

All told, I ate many salads this weekend - either oatmeal or whole wheat toast for breakfast - and a terrific vegan meat rashers for dinner.

My work-outs over this extended weekend were limited, so I am eager to get back on schedule again!

Finally, yeah, I am a month in, and I feel really good!

When "The Sweet Life" was too sweet.

It's a bit like the post-Christmas let-down. I successfully navigated Marathon Sunday, the Yankees World Series win, multiple big college football games, the day in and day out desires to eat "normally," and most recently, the indulgent feast of Thanksgiving. Now what? I have no doubt that I will be able to handle this new lifestyle until I reach my goal, and it is not totally miserable, but I am still searching. I look forward to the end results, but I am still aware of the sacrifice - hard to focus on the positive process. I want to begin to ignore the sacrifice and embrace the new eating habits as a desirous choice, and not a sacrifice.

I've lost over 20 lbs, and 3 inches off my waist. But, I still feel like I am just following the rules; I am just biding my time, like an alligator drifting along and waiting for its prey to be eaten after this experiment is over. It is the wrong attitude of course, but it is how I am feeling at the moment. Although I have been thrilled at times by how I feel, and the weight I am losing, it is not consistent. I had a great time on Thanksgiving, but the day after I was left wondering, now what? And the answer? Keep it up for the next five months. Call it the vegan post-month let down.

Something did give me some good perspective last night, however, and oddly enough it was a Fellini film almost 50 years old.

Watching the classic Italian film "La Dolce Vita" I could not help but find the parallels of the character Marcello and the last 10 years of my life - searching for true happiness in wine, women, and song, and food, to limited success. The film, I think, is partly a commentary on the emptiness of self-indulgent excesses, so it was not a huge leap for me to draw parallels with my decade of indulgence through satisfying my appetite for life with whatever I fancied at that moment, with no internal governor, and zero thought to the adverse affects on my health.

I know the vital importance to living a salubrious life, and I know the road map. But I will truly achieve this goal when I make the jump from merely following the playbook to making it an intrinsic part of my life. I'm not there yet.

Sailing through Thanksgving like RMS Carpathia

Need not have worried, yesterday's Thanksgiving turned out to be like all others -great.

First things first, no Tofurky. I had a Vegan Roast. It tasted just fine - pretty good actually! It looked like three hockey pucks stacked up and had the color of tree bark, but it tasted like condensed stuffing with a meat flavor. It was pretty good - I enjoyed it. My gracious hosts also made a vegan stuffing using mushrooms instead of pork and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Rounding out my great meal were boiled potatoes, and grilled peppers, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, string beans, and asparagus.

It was a great and filling meal that induced a food coma while watching football - in other words, a perfect Thanksgiving!

Sadly, I was unable to partake in the traditional Pumpkin Pie since I did not find time to get an alternative. However, watching a couple of foreign college students from Germany happily dig into pumpkin pie for the first time, and on their first Thanksgiving was worth any great taste to my palate. And dessert for me was excellent. I had Mini Cafe Twists from Trader Joe's - they were cookie twists with cinnamon. These treats had no dairy, and were 30 calories per cookie.

Speaking of palate, my friends take on the vegan roast ranged from "not good" to "not bad at all." So, I think my taste buds are more equipped to handle these new foods after almost four weeks of this diet. But in the end, you want a meatless substitute? This vegan roast was a very good alternative.

Thanksgiving was a joy, and that was really my last big hurdle in this new lifestyle. Any fears of curling up in the corner in a cold sweat while gnawing on a piece of cardboard were dismissed immediately.

I can now fully comprehend what these new food choices will entail, and I am not worried one bit about any elements that would be a determinant to this new lifestyle.

I hope everyone enjoyed a terrific and blessed Thanksgiving!

VEGAN ROAST
Ingredients
Water, wheat protein, vegetable fats and oils, soya flour, vegetable protein, flavouring, starch, thickeners: carrageenan, locust bean gum; malt extract

Energy: 1261.00kJ / 301.00kcal
Protein: 24.80g
Carbohydrate: 4.20g
(of which sugars) 0.40g
Fat: 20.20g
(of which saturates) 6.20g
Fibre 0.30g
Sodium 0.50g
Calcium 0.00mg

Fresh is Best

One of the best days of eating I ever had was about 10 years ago on the shore of the North Fork of Long Island. Every single thing I consumed for breakfast, lunch and dinner (including dessert) was farmed, hatched, grown, or caught -- and made with local ingredients -- within a 1 mile radius of where I was staying. It was the best day of eating, ever.

Taking the debate about animal products out of the equation, what is non-debatable is that fresh, non-processed food tastes better, is better for you, and is better for the environment. Period.

My breakfast and lunch on Tues., Day 24 was much the same as the previous 3 weeks.

Dinner was a delight. I was turned on by a friend to HanGawi on 32nd Street in Korea Town.

Compared to the previous night's food there is no comparison - whereas Angelica is a good restaurant, I was reminded with every bite that I was at a vegan restaurant. At HanGawi, I totally forgot I was eating such a healthy meal!

HanGawi is a vegan Korean restaurant and is all about the freshest food possible. It was an amazing meal! You must remove your shoes and sit at a small table - it is very Zen-like and relaxing.

I started with the Steamboat soup - an awesome soup broth with mushrooms, and broccoli. We also ordered the pancake sampler which included pancakes made of leek, spicy kimchi mushroom, and kabocha pumpkin with mung beans. That was terrific, especially the leek oddly enough! Then we had the Emperor's Rolls which looked more like a painting than a meal. The large plate comes with mini tortilla-type rolls and then arranged like the face of a clock, were neat piles of mushrooms stems, different types of peppers, cabbage, shredded carrot, etc. You made your own rolls and added a delicious sauce to each. For my meal I ordered the vegetable stone bowl rice. It was a sizzling platter of vegetables, and rice (I think it was white rice, or a combo of white and brown rice so I should not eat too much of those starchy carbs during the week); all mixed up with a very spicy sauce in a stone bowl - it was fabulous.

When we left our shoes were waiting for us. I was full, and happy that I gorged myself with such fresh, vegan food.

I cannot wait to go back!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving...sitting there, and my ocean liner is steaming right for it! I have a vegan roast that I will bring to my friend's place. But, how will I celebrate this eating day of all eating days? I aim to go to one of the vegan bakerys in town for a vegan pie.

Stay tuned.

"A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people."

So said the 18th Century English in disparaging comments about porridge (And the Scots).

Porridge. Oatmeal. Stirabout. Brose. Gruel. It is all essentially the same thing - boiled oats.

It has been known as peasant food, and it was a daily staple for prisoners in the U.K., but it is a tremendously healthy food in lowering cholesterol!

I eat it virtually ever day with raisins. I get it at the company cafe and it is inconsistent - sometimes rather mediocre in taste, but good enough to eat - so I am eager to find a great new recipe!

My addiction to oatmeal in the morning, and the vegan wrap in the afternoon is short on variety, but very satisfying.

Yesterday afternoon I was dragging - really tired, and had no energy. Have no idea why. Feel lighter, but tired. Will concentrate more on what I am eating and exercising, and sleep patterns to determine the reasons behind my recent listlessness.

Last night I had a work event in the Forbes wine cellar. It is a spectacular place with wines dating back to 1860's, and ornate, silver, Stag-decorated mugs with the biggest names in industry and politics etched into them. Tasting wine is no big deal, right? There would be an imperceptible change in my diet, and no alcoholic buzz simply by sipping a flight of delicious red wines, in this case from Spain. But, you know, I made a determination that I would introduce alcohol back into my diet on my own terms. This wine tasting, as tantalizing as it was, was not on my terms. I rewarded my my sense of smell, but that is where it ended. Again, these little situations where I choose not to imbibe only strengthen my resolve. If I make a grand gesture in saying "no" to slugging down 15 beers watching college football, why not sip less than a fluid ounce of nice wine? Why? Because it is so easy to say yes. Tempering my urges, even when it would not jeopardize my diet, weight loss, or stated policy to not booze it up, is that little extra exercise to make me stronger in the end.

Currently, I feel like I am just following the rules. I am losing weight, and I am feeling better and that is great. But, I am just following the rules, and there is no guarantee that if tomorrow I woke up at my goal weight of 225 lbs I would not immediately dive into a dinosaur-size steak and bottle of Lagavulin. Through each sacrifice, large and small, my goal is to get to a place where I am not merely following the rules (eating vegan, eating healthfully, exercising, and staying away from empty calories in alcohol), but changing my lifestyle where my desire is to lead a healthier life because I enjoy it, rather than because I 'have to.'

Went Old School hippie-dippy vegan last night for dinner. A friend and I went to Angelica Kitchen, a vegan restaurant that opened in 1976! I must say, that although my meal was fine, and filling, had I been introduced to veganism first in Angelica Kitchen I would be currently nursing a hangover, still tipping in at three bills, and heading over to my favorite Chinese for pork and crab meat soup dumplings, and General Tso's chicken.

Angelica Kitchen was packed, and obviously they do a great job, but I ordered their traditional "Dragon Bowl" which consisted of rice, beans, tofu, sea vegetables, and steamed vegetables. It was bland. It was a stereotypical vegan feast that left nothing to the imagination the way Candle 79, and Blossom prepared their meals.

I have gathered up some recipes for Thanksgiving. But as I stand here in the crows nest with my pea coat and binoculars, I am still nervous. I love the American tradition of Thanksgiving and the whole theatre of the meal. However, I must say I did break that tradition for the first time last year when I spent Thanksgiving in the Red Lion on Duke of York St. with well-dressed but rowdy Brits eating finger sandwiches that we stole from the office party we crashed.

An Extra Handful of Popcorn Shy of 20 lbs

Today, as I close out week three in my 22nd day of this weight loss/life changing experiment, I walked from the gym floor, to the steam room, to the shower, and then to my locker. After drying myself with NASA-like efficiency I stepped on the scale wearing what I was born in, and...282.5 lbs. I have lost 19 1/2 pounds in three weeks - that's 1.4 stone to Ms. Emma's radio listeners. Had I not gobbled up all that crack-seasoned popcorn last night at Pete's I'd be a cool 20 lbs lighter instead.

Although I feel the weight-loss process is not as drastic as I hoped, it is "real" weight loss and not susceptible to the yo-yo effect.

FYI - my legs are still in serious aching pain from my intensive leg work-out Friday - it's a great feeling, if you know what I mean.

Since I hit the rack at 4 AM I was not exactly an early riser today, so I had breakfast almost at lunch time. I made it myself, slicing up Summer squash, well, I assume it is Summer squash -- it's yellow, and tubular on one end and bulbous on the other, unless there's such a thing as yellow zucchini? Anyway, I sliced or chopped up squash, zucchini, mushrooms, green onions, tomatoes and regular onions. Grilled them up with crumbled, firm tofu sprinkled with Paul Prudomme seafood seasoning and black pepper. I rounded it out with my vegan sausage. Look, I'm not going to lie, it was really good, but substitute the tofu with scrambled eggs and the later blows this breakfast away to another Galaxy (However, to be fair, I've loved eggs since I was two years old - in fact I just listened to the fading U.S.A.F.-issue cassette tape from 1970 that was recorded by my mother for my father in Vietnam, and on this tape, in between her pleas for his safety and professions of love, Mom marvels at my new predilection for that spongy, yellow piece of Heaven! Did I just give the American Egg Board a new slogan?) BUT, but, this tofu scramble was a very good meal! I filled up, it was very tasty, and I felt great eating such a healthy breakfast!

Eating so late I really only snacked on nuts during the day, and water... OK, I broke down and got some Red Vines licorice after the gym. Hey, just being honest - no fats, or trans fats, but lots of sugar. BAD! For every 3-4 great healthy meals I slip up and munch on something technically vegan, but nutrient barren - and not healthy.

Analysis: Happily going in the right direction. The desires and urges are currently, and I stress currently, out-weighed by my happiness with how healthy I feel.

But, as I forge ahead into week 4 a silent iceberg looms dead ahead. How will I handle Thanksgiving?

Whip It Saturday

Saturday started with two pieces of whole wheat toast and soy nut "peanut butter" and ended with a seltzer and cranberry at 4 AM -- with small breaks for salad and asparagus, and too much bar popcorn. While others grab a slice of pizza on the run as we bounce around on a Saturday night, I am forced to improvise with a salad & asparagus dinner at P.J. Clarke's which was unsuccessful in filling me up, so I indulged in delicious popcorn at one of NYC's oldest bars.

My Uncle, my buddy and me met my cousin at Pete's Tavern to warm-up before the show. My cousin is stage manager for DEVO who was playing down the street at Filmore's Irving Plaza. We struck up a conversation with a group going to the concert as well. Noticing my seltzer waters the conversation naturally turned to my veganism. More quizzical looks!

What is Veganism? Here is time for a good lesson:

The Vegan Society was founded in 1944 by Donald Watson and Elsie Shrigley, in response to the broadening of the term "vegetarian" to include the eating of dairy products. The first vegan society in the United States was founded in California in 1948. The word vegan was coined in 1944 by Donald Watson, who combined the first three and last two letters of vegetarian to form "vegan," which he saw as "the beginning and end of vegetarian."

DEVO was a great show! We had backstage passes and it was quite a scene - clearly it would have been more fun had I been drinking. As we bounced around from the Belmont Lounge to P.J. Clarke's to the Pig 'n' Whistle I was able to witness many people in each bar get drunker and drunker as the night wore on. More than once I heard people express hunger that was satiated by pizza or burgers. Glad I am not marching down that path anymore.

In the end, I had a great time, but did not have the energy to see it through to the end of the evening as bars closed up at 4 AM, but did it anyway to be a good host.

How fitting that one of the best songs performed Saturday was "Freedom of Choice."

Day 20 - not hungry today....until 10 PM

Friday morning had the requisite oatmeal and raisins. Pretty sure I had an orange and then an apple before the gym.

My trainer did an excellent job of using my body weight against me...and I am still in pain - good pain. Lots of different squats and lunges just using my weight - the challenge is to build up my core, and my legs to compensate for my bad knees. Knees are feeling better with each pound I lose.

After the workout I only really needed an energy bar. I had bought a box of PuerFit bars and they are quite good - but you'll need plenty of water to swallow them down, however they are quite tasty. I'll add the PureFit info at the bottom of this post.

After my Lincoln post it was pointed out that he was vegetarian, as was a slew of other famous people such as Einstein. Another interesting note, and a weird coincidence that I just discovered this morning - According to Wikipedia: In 1994, the annual World Vegan Day was established on November 1st, the day of the Vegan Society's founding.

That Purefit bar set me straight for the remainder of the day - I know I should have had a salad, but was not in the mood. Later when I was home I had some wheat crackers and guacamole. And yes, shamefully, I had a sugar urge and I had a peanut chew bar. I was too tired to make anything, and not really in the mood for a salad, or vegan meat. I went out late last night and though I was not tempted by the urges to eat and drink with my friends I still feel like the kid on the outside looking in.

Very happy that this desire for "regular" food and booze is not overwhelming, but even though I feel better, I am not 100% myself in enjoying the new lifestyle - it is not miserable, mind you, by I am very aware of the sacrifice instead of ignoring it and welcoming the new habits.

I must say that there were a few double-takes as I ordered my seltzer at my regular haunts such as Bar Coastal, Doc Watson's, and P.J. Clarke's.


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