All I Ate Today

Not A Good Three Months Dieting

2006-07-26T15:45:00.000+01:00

As the figures below reveal, it's obviously not been a good three months on the diet front and I'm not exactly sure as to why.

Obviously I'm eating too much and/or not getting enough exercise and I may have to go back to documenting everything I eat to try and re-establish some order before my weight gets completely out of control.

Damn!

The Date	The Body Weight	The Body Fat	Total Body Water
9^th April 2006	77·6 kgs +0·6	29·9% +1·9%	47·3% -0·5%
16^th April 2006	77·6 kgs no change	28·7% -1·2%	47·3% no change
23^rd April 2006	76·8 kgs -0·8	28·7% n/c	47·3% n/c
30^th April 2006	77·6 kgs +1·0	28·7% n/c	47·3% n/c
7^th May 2006	77·6 kgs n/c	28·1% -0·6	47·7% +0·5
14^th May	76·0 kgs -1·6 kgs	26·6% -1·5	48·7% +1·0
21^st May	77·1 kgs +1·1	28·0% +1·4	47·8% -0·9
28^th May	77·9 kgs +0·8	27·7% -0·3	47·6% -0·2
4^th June 2006	78·4 kgs +0·5	28·2% +0·5	47·7% +1·1%
11^th June	78·7 kgs +0·3	27·9% -0·3	47·7% n/c
18^th June	79·4 kgs +0·7	28·4% +0·5	47·7% n/c
25^th June	79·7 kgs +0·3	29·7% +1·3%	46·7% -1·0
2^nd July 2006	79·6 kgs -0·1	29·7% n/c	46·7% n/c
9^th July	79·4 kgs -0·2	29·7% n/c	46·7% n/c
16^th July	80·4 kgs +1·0 kgs	29·9% +0·2	46·5% -0·2
23^rd July	81·0 kgs +0·6	29·9% n/c	46·5% n/c

Dan Nied's 100 Days: Day 100

2006-04-15T17:02:00.000+01:00

I'm delighted to note that I'm not the only one using a blog as a diet support system. Dan Nied is another Blogcritics writer and, being American, his problems and achievements are on a whole different level to mine.

Dan has just finished a hundred day quest to improve his health and weight and writes about it with a lot more wit and flair than I've managed so far.

Here's just the intro to his 100th post at:
Blogcritics.org: Dan Nied's 100 Days: Day 100:

"Dan Nied's 100 Days is the chronicle of one man's quest to improve his health in 100 days. Feel free to email him at nieddan@yahoo.com with any questions or comments you might have.

You knew the weigh-in on the 100th day wasn't going to be easy, right?

If you thought I would waltz into the gym this morning and pump out a 298 reading on the scale, then walk off with a smile on my face then, you just don't know me very well.

I got up super early today because I had to go guest host on the morning radio show here in town. So at 6:30 I rose and realized that I didn't really have to be in the studio until about 7:30. I was excited, almost like a kid on Christmas. This is the day where, if everything goes well, I will A) get under 300 for the first time in years, B) go to Denver, one of America's finest cities, for lunch, C) see my old roommate in Colorado Springs, my old place of living D) Get filthy drunk and enjoy good food in moderation."

Busy Not Fat?

2006-04-08T16:25:00.000+01:00

You might well be wondering where exactly the heck I've been since Christmas and quite reasonably so.

All I can say is that I simultaneously got overloaded with a whole variety of work stuff we needn't go into now and well, I just got so bored of writing down everything I ate everyday. Even I was bored with this enterprise so it seemed only right to take a break.

I still think this blog can do some useful work, perform some useful service, hopefully to you as well as me, in the future but for now I'd just like to record a catchup on my weekly weight statistics as provided by that lying scale!

...The Date......The Weight....Body Fat..Total Body Water

1^st January	74·7 kg +1·0	27·2% -0·1	48·3% -0·4
8^th January	74·2 kg -0·5	26·1% -1·1	49·1% +0·8
15^th January	74·8 kg +0·6	26·4% +0·3	48·9% -0·2
22^nd January	75·8 kg +1·0	27·5% +1·1	48·1% -0·8
29^th January	75·9 kg +0·1	27·0% -0·5	48·5% +0·4
5^th February	75·6 kg -0·3	27·5% +0·5	48·1% -0·4
12^th February	76·2 kg +0·6	26·4% -1·1	48·9% +0·8
19^th February	75·7 kg -0·5	26·4% ---	48·9% ---
26^th February	75·7 kg ---	27·3% +0·9	48·3% -0·6
5^th March	76·1 kg +0·4	27·3% ---	48·3% ---
12^th March	75·7 kg -0·4	27·3% ---	48·3% ---
19^th March	76·5 kg +0·8	27·8% +0·5	47·9% -0·4
26^th March	76·3 kg -0·2	27·0% -0·8	48·5% +0·6
2^nd April	77·0 kg +0·7	28·0% +1·0	47·8% -0·7

I have no explanation for the gradual creep up in my weight this year. I'm not noticeably eating differently than last year but hitting 77 kg for the first time since November last year. The shame!

A New Low for Christmas

2005-12-25T22:44:00.000Z

The good news for Christmas is that my weight has absolutely plummeted. I can't quite believe it myself but the numbers come in at a weight of 73·7 kilos! That's a massive 1·9 kilos, over four pounds, weight off in a week and easily the lowest I've been for years!! I was actually able to put on a pair of trousers I bought in the mid-Eighties, although I couldn't quite get the whole fly zipper shut. But almost.

The other figures are less dramatic: BF is 27·3% (down 0·6%) and the TBW is 48·7% (up by 0·4%). The near-starvation version of the Tapas Diet regime I've been following lately has really paid off.

I've never eaten less on Christmas Day than the little i've eaten today, determined not to ruin the good work. After our traditional Sunday Egg and Bacon sandwich, I didn't eat again until after some friends and their kids came over to visit about sundown but even then all I ate was two nibbles of English sausage; a couple of crackers and an apple. On Christmas Day! Insane - as was the amount of Corona beer, Tequila slammers and Spanish Cider we got through. Happy Days!

Fancy Living

2005-12-24T22:41:00.000Z

I spent most of Christmas Eve dealing with technical problems as my computer attempted to commit suicide and all I ate all day was two slices of toast for breakfast and a Granny Smith apple for supper. Fancy living, huh?

Thin Friday

2005-12-23T22:37:00.000Z

Three slices of brown toast, one with Boquerones and two with English Oxford marmalade; and some leftover Chicken Curry is ALL I ate today.

Boquerones and Tuna Salad

2005-12-22T22:33:00.000Z

Three slices of brown toast; a chunk of Chapata bread with Turkey and Emmental; Boquerones and Tuna Salad; a Satsuma; a second Turkey and Emmental Chapata Chunk; and ten Ritz crackers are all I ate today.

Finger Rolls

2005-12-21T22:19:00.000Z

Two slices of brown toast for breakfast; a finger roll of Boquerones; a finger roll with Turkey slices and Emmental; another Boquerones finger roll; two Bourbon biscuits; one Satsuma; and three Weetabix ( those darn after midnight munchies again) are all I ate today.

Damned Post-its

2005-12-20T22:03:00.000Z

Unfortunately the Post-It on which I wrote today's consumption has vanished and as I'm writing this retrospectively a week later, I can't remember all I ate today. I sure hope that means not a lot!

The one thing I am sure of is that for the main meal of the day we had some Hake cooked with Red Peppers, Tomatoes, Onions and Garlic with Salad and Patatas Bravas and it was delicious!

Tortilla Hake Satsuma

2005-12-19T22:28:00.000Z

Still stunned by yesterday's weigh-in result, I have to try and eat even less than before. I'm rather surprised not to have had any health problems yet with the relatively small amount of food I'm eating these days. The only thing at all that I've noticed is that occasionally one or other of the three middle fingers on my left hand kind of locks in the folded position, especially when I've been using my hands for heavy lifting or other jobs that require a lot of force. A couple of friends have said that is a sign of lack of salt and one of them, who used to work out a lot, says I ought to have some isotonic drinks to keep my body's salts and minerals levels up. I'm going to try one and see what happens.

On the food front, all I ate today was a quarter of a 20cm Spanish Tortilla, some Hake & Potato Salad; one German "Knopper" brand Hazelnut wafer biscuit; one slice of toast with Boquerones (we've now discovered there are also Boquerones with garlic, parsley and olive oil added to the "vinagre" which are even better than the merely pickled anchovies we were eating before. Ultra yummy!); another slice of toast with Emmental; two Weetabix; and a Satsuma.

Major Bummer

2005-12-18T22:09:00.000Z

I am absolutely gutted to learn that after practically starving myself to death all week, my weight has gone up. Yes, it's true!

The horrible numbers reveal that my weight is 75·6 kilos, up by 700 grammes from last week. Puzzlingly, my Body Fat (BF) and Total Body Water (TBW) are unchanged at 27·3% and 48·3% respectively.

The rest of the day is all about trying to keep positive after these really disappointing numbers. After the traditional Egg and Bacon sandwich, all I ate today was a cereal bowl of Chicken Curry and Salad, no rice; fresh Pineapple with a small pot of Rice Pudding; two slices of toast and twelve Ritz crackers.

Another Day, Another Diet

2005-12-17T22:59:00.000Z

To get the day started, there's two slices of toast, one with Spanish Paté. The Spanish make lots of wonderful food but two things they can't make at all well are cakes, which are mostly focussed on sweetness not flavour, and paté, which is universally thin and spongey and not at all like those delicious thick creamy patés produced in Belgium.

Later on, I had a cereal bowl of Basmati Rice and Chicken Curry with as much salad as I could fit in on top; a slice of toast with Smoked Peppered Mackerel; a bowl of fresh Pineapple with Crema Catalan; two slices of toast; and two biscuits.

Boquerones

2005-12-16T22:39:00.000Z

I'm still trying to force the pace on my weight loss now, I'm so desperate to get down to my 70 kilos target. All I ate today was two slices of brown toast; a finger roll with pickled anchovies (henceforth Boquerones); another finger roll with Emmental; four biscuits; two Weetabix; and a clementine.

Mexican Tuna Salad

2005-12-15T22:53:00.000Z

No breakfast today cos I'm feeling bloated but later I had a Mexican Tuna Salad with Sweetcorn and Kidney Beans with some more salad and strips of Emmental and Boquerones plus a single slice of wholemeal bread, all drizzled with Olive Oil. Yummerific! I think I'm becoming addicted to the little fish, they're so delicious, which is a total surprise cos the more well known reddish brown anchovies are so fiercely salty.

Later nibbles of one chocolate, two slices of toast with wood-smoked Peppered Mackerel, three biscuits, half a dozen Ritz crackers, one Bourbon biscuit, and some fresh pineapple complete all I ate today.

Lubina

2005-12-14T21:46:00.000Z

Ursula and I share two large croissants for breakfast, one plain and one chocolate.

Later on, around 4pm we have a beautiful meal of Lubina, a kind of Perch I think, with Salad and a jacket potato. And that's it.

Rollmops

2005-12-13T22:59:00.000Z

Three small slices of toast; a cheddar cheese and potato salad sandwich; a delicious Spanish bread roll shaped like a globe artichoke, halved and covered with salad and some more of those delicious pickled white Anchovies, mmm-mm! They remind me of those Northern European style Pickled Herring or Rollmops as they're called and are taste-ariffic! Much later on, a small croisssant and a bowl of cornflakes complete the day's consumption.

Monday Monday

2005-12-12T22:59:00.000Z

Breakfast is three medium slices of buttered white toast, then nothing til late afternoon. That's when I shared a Feta Cheese and Bacon Salad with Ursula, then later still I had half a 20 cm Spanish Tortilla with a chunk of baguette and Cheddar Cheese.

One Clementine; two biscuits; a Granny Smith apple; and two Coconut chocolates completes the day's gorging...

Sunday Fun

2005-12-11T22:59:00.000Z

One of the great things about visiting is the change from the old routine, the different lifestyles mixing. Today we are get pampered by not having to cook, just tucking away a delicious breakfast of two Fried Eggs with three slices of toast.

Then we go walking for miles all round Torremolinos town. It's a beautiful day and after touring the street market and the sea front, we all grab a prime table in one of the many busy street cafes and share Tapas of Boquerones and Patatas Bravas con Alioli, which is just a fancy way of saying spicy fish and chips!

Later on, after returning to Torrox Costa, I ate only two crumpets; half a Clementine; some Profiteroles; a single dry cream cracker; a finger roll with Cheddar Cheese; and two Weetabix.

It's A Record!

2005-12-11T10:05:00.000Z

I can't believe it! Finally, after almost twenty months of of more or less continuous dieting, I have at long last managed to break the 76 kgs barrier! Not just broken it, absolutely smashed it, with my weight coming in at 74·9 kgs, down a massive 1·3 kilos in a week!! All hail the Tapas Diet!!!

My Body Fat has gone up significantly, rising to 27·3% from last week's 21·3 but my Total Body Water is down to 48·3% from an already low 56·2%, but I'm too excited about the weight loss to worry about what that means.

Seafood Surprise Saturday

2005-12-10T22:59:00.000Z

We're off along the coast today, visiting good friends in Torremolinos but I still need to keep the diet going. Breakfast is three slices of toast, two with cracked pepper cheese.

After our arrival there's lots to eat: some crackers and cheese to start; a fabulous Seafood and Mozarella Salad with whole Prawns, Gravad Lax and some fabulous pickled Anchovies. These last are nothing like the brown salty things you make of as anchovy; these are Spanish Boquerones, solid white flesh filleted clean but with the skin left on and pickled in white wine vinegar and olive oil. They are absolutely fantastic. The whole meal is drizzled with Olive Oil, which I'm starting to love more and more.

Later nibbles of Goat's Cheese and Apple Slices, a horrid Spanish cake (the Spanish can't make good cakes) and a delicious juicy Clementine complete all I ate today.

Toast - The Final Frontier

2005-12-09T22:59:00.000Z

Two small white toast; another toast with Cracked Pepper Cheese; two crumpets; a chocolate dessert; a bourbon biscuit; two slices of toast with thin BBQ Turkey and Emmental Cheese slices; a Granny Smith apple.

Pineapple Thursday

2005-12-08T22:59:00.000Z

Three Weetabix with fresh milk, a teaspo0on of sugar and clouds of Cinnamon; three small chunks of buttered Chapata bread;fresh Pineapple with Caramel Cream; a side plate of Salad and Chicken Curry.

Bland Wednesday

2005-12-07T22:59:00.000Z

Two slices of buttered white toast; one slice of toast with Cheshire Cheese; another toast with Cracked Pepper Cheese Spread; three biscuits; a Cheshire Cheese and Potato Salad on brown bread sandwich; two chocolates.

White Toast Tuesday

2005-12-06T22:59:00.000Z

Still aiming for starvation this week, in a desperate bid to break the 76 kilo barrier. So all I ate today was three slices of white toast with paté for breakfast; a side plate of Chicken Curry and Salad; two chocolates; a Granny Smith apple; two Weetabix with Cinnamon; and three biscuits.

Cereals and Finger Rolls

2005-12-05T22:59:00.000Z

Breakfast is two Weetabix, followed off and on throughout the day by: a finger roll with Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese; another finger roll with Tuna Fish; two chocolates; a finger roll with Cheddar and another with Chimichurri Turkey and Potato salad; and a coconut chocolate. And that's all I ate today.

Inching Forwards

2005-12-04T22:59:00.000Z

The Great Sunday Morning Weigh-in ritual gives the following results:

The Scales Say
Weight: 76·2 kilos down 100 gms	BF: 21·3% down 0·3%	TBW: 56·2% up 0·2%

So I've managed to lose 100 grams in a week; that's about 4 ounces, aka not a lot! Just got to keep on reducing the consumption, that's all.

So what did I eat today in the face of these figures?

An Egg and Streaky Bacon Sandwich for breakfast as usual of course, just to get the day started. Then, later on in the afternoon, I had another of my great food inventions (see Fried Egg Omelette and the even newer Truffled Turkey with Boiled Egg Eggburger for other awesome new food inventions), the tastegasm that is my Cheshire Cheese and Old English Orange Marmalade Sandwich!

It's even tastier than it sounds; the rich, crumbly texture and salty yet subtly lemony flavour of the cheese combines incredibly with the bitter sweetness of the Seville Oranges and is a hideously unhealthy but totally mouthpleasing monster munchie of the highest calibre.

After that afternoon delight there was a vast amount of nothing but later in the night I had two biscuits and a coconut chocolate; a sideplate-sized portion of ChimiChurri Turkey (Pavo) and Mixed Salad; two chocolates; and a Granny Smith apple.

Cheese Chocolate and Chili

2005-12-03T22:59:00.000Z

Keeping the pressure on my diet rather than my stomach, I'm determined to keep my consumption down. With that in mind, all I ate today was a Cheshire Cheese and Potato Salad sandwich; two chocolates; a cereal bowl of Chili con Carne; and three biscuits.

Toast Chili Cheddar

2005-12-02T22:59:00.000Z

One slice of toast with Paté and another with Garlic Cheese; a bowl of the homemade Chili I made on Wednesday with a slice of brown; two biscuits; a Cheddar Cheese (new extra mature stuff from England) and Branston Pickle sandwich on brown; two Custard Creams; and two Bourbons is all I ate today.

chocolate Chocolate CHOCOLATE

2005-12-01T22:59:00.000Z

Two brown toast with paté; a Ham and Potato Salad on brown sandwich; two chocolates; a small chocolate bun; two chocolates; a chocolate yoghurt; and a slice of brown bread dunked in the Chili I've cooked for Ursula, who gets home from snowy England tomorrow, are all I ate today.

Food Glorious Food

2005-11-30T22:59:00.000Z

Another day of thinking about not thinking about food whilst thinking about food. I think!

I am sure that two Weetabix with a huge dusting of Cinnamon; a Ham and Emmental on brown sandwich; three small biscuits; a brown, toasted Cheddar Cheese sandwich; two coconut chocolates; two chocolates; three Weetabix; and a Granny Smith apple are disgustingly shoveled down my neck.

Garlic Bourbon

2005-11-29T22:59:00.000Z

All I ate today was two Weetabix for breakfast; two slices of toast with Garlic and Herb Cheese; a chunk of Chapata bread with Cheddar; two Custard Creams; two Bourbon biscuits; two slices of toast with Emmental; two Coconut chocolates.

Seventy-Six Tuna Biscuits

2005-11-28T22:59:00.000Z

I'm determined to break this elusive 76 kgs barrier and that clearly means eating even less for a while. How little and for how long remains to be seen.

With that in mind, all I ate today was two slices of white toast with paté; a Tuna and Potato Salad sandwich on brown; an individual Apple Tart; a Tuna and Coleslaw sandwich on brown and three sandwich biscuits.

What Goes Down

2005-11-27T22:58:00.000Z

The weigh-in turned out to be something of an anti-climax; instead of sailing serenely through the 76 kgs barrier I have accidentally hit reverse and gone UP to 76.3 kilos, up by 300 grammes. My Body Fat and Total Body Water remain unchanged at 21.6 percent BF and 56% TBW.

Whilst thinking about this off and on during the day I eat an Egg and Back Bacon on White sandwich for breakfast; an Egg & Truffled Turkey on Brown sandwich around 5.30pm followed by two chocolate truffles and one mini Swiss Roll

After the world's first Truffled Turkey EggBurger (with boiled and fried egg!) my sweet tooth demanded satisfaction and was temporarily satisfied by two Custard Creams and two Bourbon biscuits. Later that night I also had a Granny Smith apple and three sandwich biscuits.

Truffled Turkey EggBurger: Another World's First!

2005-11-27T21:05:00.000Z

I've just eaten the world's first Truffled Turkey EggBurger!

Hey, doesn't that mean you're eating boiled egg and fried egg? At the same time?

Yes! There is no limit to my twisted egg genius!! Have you forgotten my world exclusive Fried Egg Omelette?

Mwuahahahahahahahahaaa!

Pizza and Chocolate

2005-11-27T01:05:00.000Z

My headcold's a bit lighter this morning so I decide to risk the potential mucus provoking fresh milk I pour liberally over the last of the Choco Krispies from just over two weeks ago to get the day started.

Then nothing until late afternoon when I graze on some Pork Loin and Cheddar on Chapata bread; followed off and on by two chocolate truffles; a 20 cm Ham, Bacon and Cheese Pizza; three more chocolates; a Granny Smith; one more chocolate; and, finally, two Bourbon biscuits. And that's all I ate today.

The Trouble With Truffles

2005-11-25T22:55:00.000Z

Still feeling clogged up, I'm only eating breakfast at all cos I need the fuel, but I still can't face more than three slices of white toast to soak up the morning coffee.

In mid-afternoon, after solo shopping adventures in the supermarket, I have a hunk of fresh floury Chapata bread with a mature chunk of Cheddar cheese dusted with freshly milled pepper, mmm!

Later, in another series of delicious nibbles that are Tapas in size though not at all Latino, there was a fabulous brown sandwich filled with slices of Turkey meat stuffed with a hard boiled egg and studded with sliced Truffle.

I read in Wikipedia that in the 18th and 19th Centuries it was thought "The greatest delicacy was a truffled turkey." Italian composer Rossini once said "I have wept three times in my life. Once when my first opera failed. Once again, the first time I heard Paganini play the violin. And once when a truffled turkey fell overboard at a boating picnic."

.................Chocolate Truffles - photo from Wikipedia

That tasty treat sets off a little orgy of excess that includes two chocolate truffles; three Custard Creams; three Bourbon biscuits; a Granny Smith apple; a Cheddar Cheese and Pork Loin with Chapata bread munchie; and, to round things off, a chocolate yoghurt dessert. That's all I ate today.

Granny Roll

2005-11-25T01:32:00.000Z

Once again, just three slices of toast for breakfast, but half an hour later I pinch a chocolate to give my flagging energy level a boost.

It must work as I don't eat again until late afternoon when I get back from dropping Ursula at the airport. She's gone to freezing cold England for a week, poor thing. but we're here to eat, er, in a controlled kind of way of course!

Between four pm and two am I have a series of little nibbles; three small crackers with a mini Baby Bel and individual Camembert portions; a Granny Smith; a small sliced Turkey and Emmental on white sandwich; five small biscuits; two slices of toast with Kiri cheese spread; two chocolates; and a chocolate Swiss Roll are all I ate today.

Pollock

2005-11-23T22:55:00.000Z

Still full of my head cold so nothing but three slices of buttered white toast for breakfast, followed as usual by lashings of coffee.

Much later, we have some store bought Pollock with a spicy breadcrumb topping, one medium baked potato and masses of salad and in the evening I managed to limit myself to two chocolates and a Granny Smith apple.

Can't stop wondering if I'll be under 76 kilos on Sunday...

Corn Turkey Tuesday

2005-11-23T00:45:00.000Z

A bowl of Corn Flakes; a quarter baguette with Turkey slices; two biscuits; a Granny Smith apple; the last bowl of Chicken Casserole with another quarter baguette; a small, sweet, Spanish not very chocolatey cake: these are all the things I ate today.

Chicken Apple

2005-11-21T22:39:00.000Z

I can't believe how little I've eaten today; 2 slices of buttered white toast for breakfast and then nothing til late night when another bowl of Chicken Casserole and an Apple Tart round off the day.

Slim Sunday

2005-11-20T22:52:00.000Z

After the good diet news, it's important to push on and try to keep the momentum going; that doesn't mean I can't eat good food though and one of the oldest Rose family traditions is to start Sundays with a deliciously tasty Egg and Bacon Sandwich, which today I have toasted.

The rest of the day goes quite well with only a bowl of Chicken Casserole; six sandwich biscuits; a chunk of Chapata bread with an individual Camembert Cheese; a Granny Smith apple and a mini chocolate coconut making up all I ate today.

Personal Best

2005-11-20T08:47:00.000Z

I don't know if it's the cold I've had for ten days straight now, the new scales or what but the weight has just fallen off this week. This morning's readings are exactly 76 kgs bodyweight, down a massive 2.4 kgs since last Sunday and a new personal best, with a body fat level of 21.6% and a total body water reading of 56%. I can't help thinking that that only leaves 22.4% of me for everything else though!

Corn Flakes Prevent Sex

2005-11-19T00:33:00.000Z

I found a box of Corn Flakes in the cupboard this morning, that wonderful cereal developed by the incredible Kellogg Brothers in the late 19th century as part of their campaign against all kinds of sex.

The company founder and mad-as-a-march-hare Will Keith Kellogg is eclipsed by the even more deranged John Harvey Kellogg, who hated all kinds of sex, favoured surgery for boys and chemical burning for girls to prevent masturbation but apparently loved giving and receiving enemas! A very odd individual indeed.

Sex Hating, Enema Loving, Corn Flakes Inventor John Harvey Kellogg

All this distastefulness doesn't stop me enjoying the cereals though!

After all this breakfast drama, the rest of the day settles down more predictably. A chunky hunk of bread with an individual portion of that awesome French cheese Camembert; a Strawberry Yoghurt; a Toasted Ham and Cheese Sandwich; a bowl of homemade Chicken Casserole with Red and Yellow Peppers and Garlic Roasted Potatoes really helps with the cold; one double Chocolate Muffin with one small chocolate nougat; and, finally, a Granny Smith apple are all I ate today. I think I'm starting to get over that cold..!

Mountain Tuna

2005-11-17T22:52:00.000Z

I still can't breathe thanks to this horrible head cold and today we go back up into the mountains and the cold; that's gonna help! To give me some energy before we go (and nothing at all to do with the fact that they're tasty, honest!) I have a bowl of Choco Krispies with fresh milk, no sugar.

Much later, we finish off the last of yesterday's Tuna Salad and before bedtime I only eat a mini BabyBel cheese with a cream cracker and a Granny Smith apple, and that's all I ate today.

Tuna Salad

2005-11-16T22:37:00.000Z

Still sick but too busy to pay attention to it so it's a quick breakfast of two Weetabix to get the day started.

All I ate for the rest of the day was some delicious Egg and Tuna Salad with a hunk of chunky bread for lunch and another bowl of that awesome Chicken Soup in the evening.

And no chocolate!

Chicken Soup

2005-11-16T01:58:00.000Z

A bowl of Choco Krispies for breakfast; it's been nice eating them after years but the novelty is wearing off now, glad when they're finished.

I've caught a head cold from Abi, the daughter of some friends of ours and my head and nose are so blocked, I can't breathe sometimes. Bleurgh!

The good news is that Ursula has made some good old fashioned salty Chicken Soup and that's what I have for lunch, with a hunk of brown Soya Bread. Delicious and nourishing, mmmm!

Between lunch and bedtime, there's a irregular parade of nibbles to keep me going; three boring plain biscuits; a Tapas dish of Chili con Carne with a slice of dry brown bread; 2 mini bags of Maltesers; and, around 1.30 in the morning, an Emmental and Potato Salad sandwich on brown. And that's all I ate today.

Weetabix Chocolate Cheese

2005-11-14T22:57:00.000Z

Another busy day of planning a couple of new businesses whilst continuing to do what we're already doing doesn't distract from the important business of food. I've always been of the conviction that a little something for breakfast helps to get through the day, even though I don't always manage to stick to it. But today I need some fuel and enjoy two Weetabix with fresh milk, a level teaspoon of sugar and a whole heaping helping of Cinnamon.

Later pitstops throughout the day see me re-fuel with a Tapas Dish of Chili Con Carne; five chocolate Trufas; half a square of 99% pure Lindt chocolate (ecstasy); one choc0olate chip cookie; six small dunking biscuits; and three water biscuits with Emmental cheese. And that's all I ate today.

Sunny Sunday Sandwiches

2005-11-13T22:58:00.000Z

Despite the mixed news on the sclales/weight front, tradition is tradition and this sunny November Sunday morning's Egg and Bacon sandwich tastes as good as ever.

All I ate for the rest of the day was a Tuna and Coleslaw sandwich, an Emmental and Potato Salad sandwich and half a dozen assorted biscuits.

Scale Tale

2005-11-13T08:54:00.000Z

When Ursula and I bought our first house it was after ten years of saving every penny we could. With a 95% mortgage, even though we were both working more than full time we still couldn't make the payments and my accountant actually lived with us for around four years so we could stay afloat financially.

About six years ago Roger the accountant bought Ursula some bathroom scales as a present and that's what we have been using to weigh ourselves with until now. Frankly, the world of bathroom scales has moved on a lot in the last six years and yesterday we bought ourselves some brand new ones. Half the size and weight, the new scales not only weigh us but, once programmed, will also monitor body fat and total body water and look cool too.

.........................Cool new scales

The bad news is that, with their extra precision, down to 100 grams from 200, the new scales reveal my weight to be 78.4 kgs, not anywhere close to last week's 76.6 kg. And yeah, I did weigh myself twice to check.

So it's a bad news good news week on the weight front, but at least we can have a bit more confidence in the new numbers. Oh yes, the other new info is that my Body Fat is 22%, right in the mid-range for my age and height but my Total Body Water is 58%, just below the normal. Must be all that coffee...

Maltesers New Scales Chili

2005-11-13T01:00:00.000Z

In a day full of little surprises that started so unassumingly with another bowl of Coco Krispies, a shopping trip for winter footwear turned into a grand mall shopping binge.

I got myself a fabulous hooded red jacket, a light grey jumper, some new trousers and, if not for a last minute change of mind, I would have had some new pajamas, after sleeping naked for so many years now. We also got some flash new German bathroom scales. No shoes though.

One of the stores was, oddly, giving out small sample bags of Maltesers which went down well and, when we got back with all the goodies, I cooked up a big old pot of Chili Con Carne, some of which we had for supper with some jacket potato and salad.

The usual late night munchie weakness was a bit of a choco-binge with six chocolate trufas, eight small chocolate biscuits and a shredded coconut chocolate seperated by only another crisp and juicy Granny Smith apple and that's all I ate today.

Tomorrow I'll tell you all about the new multi-function scales and how fat I am!

Of Cheese And Marmalade

2005-11-11T22:58:00.000Z

More Choco Krispies for breakfast, fresh milk no sugar, sees me through the day until half past six when I have a Spanish Cheese and Potato Salad sandwich on brown and four chocolate sandwich biscuits help me shush my inner sugar junkie.

In the nighttime come old friends, first of all a Granny Smith apple and then, to close the day, another of my personal contributions to gourmet cuisine, the Cheese and Marmalade Sandwich. This glorious collision of sweet and sharp is best made with English Cheshire Cheese and thick, chunky Oxford Marmalade made with bitter Seville Oranges. Alas, due to the lack of both, I have to settle for Emmental and Spanish marmalade, which is not in the same taste league by miles, no, kilometres, but still good.

Chicken Fajita

2005-11-10T22:37:00.000Z

Flashbacks to childhood for breakfast as I came across some chocolate Rice Krispies in the supermarket and a big bowl of them floating on fresh milk makes a good breakfast.

Late afternoon we go Mexican and enjoy a great Chicken Fajita followed by a Granny Smith and two chocolate chip cookies.

............ ........Chicken Fajita

Six-thirty munchies lead me to two Weetabix but that and a single coconut chocolate are all I had.

Poppy Star

2005-11-09T22:53:00.000Z

Lots to do and between it all was threaded two Weetabix for breakfast, a poppy seed roll full of Spanish Cheese,

..............................The Poppy Star

a Granny smith apple, four sandwich biscuits and a late night snack of a Tuna and Coleslaw sandwich on brown, which is all I ate today.

Fish Soup

2005-11-08T22:38:00.000Z

Determined to try and make some diet progress, I break one of my guidelines, that Breakfast is the most important meals of the day, and make myself go hungry all day.

It's not until evening time that I finally relent and have some spicy homemade Fish Soup with a chunk of Chapata. About an hour later, I treat myself with one square of that awesome 99% chocolate. Woooohohohohohhhhhoooooo!

Insane Clown Posse

2005-11-07T22:45:00.000Z

Feeling fat after yesterday's disappointment of the scales, I don't allow myself to have any breakfast and get busy with chores until lunchtime when Ursula has cooked two fantastic fresh Tuna steaks in a little Olive Oil and Creme Fraiche.

...................l................Two Tuna Steaks

There's a big American cult band called Insane Clown Posse, (more info from Wikipedia), they wear scary clown makeup and are really good psycho shouty rock rappers with very loyal fans who call themselves juggalos, juggalo for life is their proud claim, and the 2 rappers look almost exactly like the Tuna we're eating for lunch today!

..............................Insane Clown Posse

Eaten with some Patatas Bravas and a whole heaping helping of Mixed Salad it makes a great light lunch. And, apart from a chunk of Chapata bread and a hunk of Gouda cheese, That's All I Ate Today.

Chocolate Fat

2005-11-06T22:58:00.000Z

Despite eating barely enough to keep a mouse alive this week, my weight has only got down to 76.6 kgs, a lousy 200 gram improvement from a week ago. I'm really starting to get cross about my inability to crack the 76 kilo mark, 76.2 is my best yet and that was back in early September. It all makes my target of 70 kilos seem very distant.

Tradition demands respect and the bad news doesn't prevent us enjoying our regular Sunday morning treat of an Egg and Bacon sandwich, but nothing else passes my lips until late afternoon when a Three Cheese Pizza with salad is shared and later there's just three dry cream crackers and two squares of Lindt 99% pure chocolate, ohohoowowowoooowwoo!

Antequera Saturday

2005-11-05T22:52:00.000Z

Four slices of buttered brown toast for breakfast and a Gouda with potato salad sandwich, two water biscuits are All I Ate Today.

Brussels Bugout Chili

2005-11-05T00:44:00.000Z

Another busy day today as we are re-locating up to the country for the weekend so a hearty breakfast of four slices of buttered brown toast with Brussels Pate is called for.

After the bugout we had an Egg Mayonnaise Roll each then late afternoon I got some frozen Chili, the one I cooked here on our last visit, and together with a couple of microwaved medium potatoes and some fresh salad, we had a most excellent early supper washed down with Cava and Corona, which I may have mentioned before is one of the best beers in the world.

After all this sexy chili and booze, there's really only one dessert destination and, after allowing it all to settle for half an hour, we charge to the fridge in search of Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream.

Feta Cheese Bacon Salad

2005-11-03T23:15:00.000Z

An even thinner day today, so I better have lost a decent amount of weight this week or else!

All I ate today was 2 slices of buttered brown toast with Brussels Pate for breakfast, a late lunch/early supper of Feta Cheese and Bacon Salad with one buttered slice of brown bread and, way later, a Granny Smith.

Bangers and Mash, Again

2005-11-02T22:56:00.000Z

Another busy day doesn't leave much time for food but it went like this:- breakfast was a delicious bowl of Shreddies with fresh milk, a little sugar and lashings of Cinnamon.

For lunch Ursula really wanted Bangers and Mash again so that's exactly what we had. The sausages are some good quality English Sausages and I had mine with a couple of Fried Eggs in lieu of Ursula's preferred Onion Gravy. Her Onion Gravy is delicious by the way, I'm just one of those people that doesn't like gravy on fried food.

For the rest of the day, I managed to confine myself to just a Granny Smith, two chocolate biscuits and the last two squares of that awesome Lindt chocolate.

Thin Day

2005-11-02T00:33:00.000Z

All I ate today was three slices of buttered, toasted white bread with Pate followed by one with Orange marmalade for breakfast.

In late afternoon I had three cream crackers with gouda; around 9pm a chocolate muffin and, just after midnight, a wonderful midnight munchie of a tuna and potato salad on brown & two chocolate slab biscuits.

Hake Muffin

2005-11-01T01:17:00.000Z

It's a holiday weekend here in Spain and so we get to relax for a couple of days - except on the diet front where I need to keep the pressure on to keep those kilos coming off. With that in mind, a late breakfast of a simple bowl of Shreddies about 1030 gets the day off to a nice start.

Midafternoon main meal of the day today is some Breaded Hake with a huge heap of salad and a crusty bread roll then another long stretch until around 9.30 pm when I top up the tummy with a Gouda and Potato Salad on brown sandwich.

Late night nibbles include two plain chocolate biscuits, a chocolate muffin and around 0130 am three Weetabix smothered in Cinnamon.

Sunday Sins

2005-10-31T02:06:00.000Z

For my sins I have eaten one egg and bacon sandwich (it was delicious by the way, streaky bacon fried in a mixture of Olive and Sunflower oils in my new ridged frying pan) for breakfast around 10.30 am, this first day of official Wintertime. I really enjoyed the extra hour in bed.

Much later on, around five-ish, there's a feast of three slices of toasted white bread with Brussels Pate. And two chocolate sandwich biscuits with yet more coffee.

Nine pm and hunger pangs drive me to the kitchen and another Tapas dish of Chicken Curry and Rice, just like yesterday. A mug of tea follows with two thick square slabs of Lindt chocolate and a Chocolate Chip Cookie.

It's Monday morning 2 am and raging munchiemania sends me to the kitchen for an urgent three Weetabix with fresh milk, a teaspoon of sugar and clouds of cinnamon, followed by a Granny Smith apple and off to bed just after three in the small hours.

All Hail The Scale

2005-10-30T09:17:00.000Z

76.8 kgs!

This happy set of numbers, down 400 grams from last week, brings in to sight the hope of getting closer to my best-weight-so-far on this now seventeen month diet, which was 76.2 kgs just after my birthday in mid September. It's taken six weeks to take off the 1.8 kgs I gained in one single week!

Shreddies Gouda Kit Kat Curry

2005-10-30T01:25:00.000Z

Desperately hoping for good news on the diet front at tomorrow morning's ritual Sunday Morning Weigh In, I'm trying to be really disciplined so start with a late breakfast of a bowl of Shreddies at 1040.

Then nothing at all passes my lips, apart from the obligatory multiple mugs of coffee (black, half a sugar), until four o'clock when I binge on a delicious Gouda and Potato Salad on brown sandwich.

Mid evening a little munchie devil forces me to have a two bar KitKat and about an hour later this delicious tapas dish of chicken curry with boiled rice.

............................Chicken Curry and Boiled Rice Tapa

And, apart from one chocolate chip cookie around 1.30 am, that was All I Ate Today.

Chicken Curry

2005-10-29T02:43:00.000+01:00

For breakfast there is just two slices of multigrain brown bread toasted and buttered about 9.30 then nothing until after 5 pm when there's a good Chicken Curry, an ok Vegetable Curry with plain boiled rice, a mini nan and two poppadoms. Later, around nine-ish two Chocolate Chip Cookies round off the flavours.

Late breaking news:- 3.11 am two Weetabix are seen leaving the packet for destinations unknown, never to be seen again.

Garlic Chicken Chocolate

2005-10-27T22:56:00.000+01:00

I'm thankfully not feeling hungry this morning so pass on breakfast. In the afternoon, a little after three pm, I have a small Steamed Ham and Emmental sandwich on brown and, having a late meal for a change, around 9.30 pm there is half a breast of Roast Garlic Chicken with acres of salad and a Sesame Seed bun followed around eleven pm by five chocolate Trufas.

Baked Salmon Cornflakes

2005-10-27T01:05:00.000+01:00

A bowl of Corn Flakes for breakfast is followed about three in the afternoon by some fantastic Fresh Baked Salmon with some small potatoes and a huge mound of salad.

Early evening time I'm still feeling peckish so knock up a quick two egg Tuna Omelette with two slices of buttered brown toast. Some time later I ate one Chocolate ice cream Bombon folowed by a Peach Yoghurt. Worst of all, around 1.30 am I get the munchies and have another bowl of Corn Flakes...

Chili Chocolate Cornflakes

2005-10-25T22:29:00.000+01:00

A bowl of Corn Flakes for breakfast then nothing at all until late afternoon; a bowl of Chili Con Carne with Salad and one and a half medium potatoes fills a substantial gap and is rounded off with a single chocolate icecream bombon and that's all I ate today.

Honda Toast

2005-10-24T22:57:00.000+01:00

Today I had to whizz down to Torremolinos to take the Civic to Honda for a few bits of bodywork. It's been the victim of a few anonymous bashes and scrapes whilst "safely" parked in various places, including one which broke the rear bumper, so with it's 4th birthday upon us and the unknown territory of its first MOT just ahead, it seemed like the right time.

With an early start there's only time for two slices of buttered white toast and some desperately needed coffee before setting off.

I get back about 11.30 am in a bright red Jazz; manual gears take a bit of getting used to after the automatic Civic but i only stalled four times! About three hours later a generously filled steamed ham and emmental on brown sandwich fills a gap nicely.

In the evening six small chocolate star biscuits and a small ice cream bonbon satisfy my sweet tooth - except right before midnight I find myself polishing off a two bar KitKat...

Damn Lying Scales

2005-10-24T00:35:00.000+01:00

After eating so little this week I was hoping for a big weight loss but those damn lying scales came in at 77.2 kgs, only 400 gms down from last week. I'll have to try and force the pace a little more.

So all I ate today was the traditional Egg and Bacon sandwich around mid-morning, a Tuna Mayonnaise on plain brown bread sandwich in late afternoon and through the evening a 2 bar KitKat, a bowl of Corn Flakes and a Strawberry Yoghurt, in that order.

Three and a Half Weets

2005-10-22T22:55:00.000+01:00

Three and a half Weetabix and some Spicy Mexican Chicken with one medium potato and a mountain of salad with three miniature chocolate croissants for afters is all I ate today.

Pork in Orange Sauce

2005-10-22T01:37:00.000+01:00

Corn Flakes, some Solomillo Pork in Orange Sauce with homemade Potato Salad and fresh salad followed by fresh Pineapple and Chocolate ice cream, two tiny miniature chocolate croissants during the day are followed around 2 am by a slice of Chapata and cheese, a Granny Smith, and a small KitKat are all I ate today.

Cinnamon Pineapple

2005-10-21T01:33:00.000+01:00

Three weetabix, a Granny Smith, some Spicy Chicken on Salad with homemade Potato Salad followed by fresh Pineapple and Vanilla ice cream with a special Cinnamon Sauce created by Ursula and a small KitKat is all I ate today.

Bangers and Mash

2005-10-20T02:28:00.000+01:00

The power is back on so yesterday's breakfast of hot buttered brown bread smothered in paté is put in to action and 3 slices later it's on to the rest of the day, which includes another 100 km relocation, again.

After the trip, a late lunch of traditional English Bangers and Mash is much appreciated with a small slice of Mandarin flavoured Sponge Cake for afters; followed by nothing at all he wrote, feeling rather pleased with himself.

Granny Tuna

2005-10-19T01:44:00.000+01:00

Even though there's still some more of that delicious Paté, there's no toast for breakfast today as, presumably due to the persistent light rain, there's a power cut. So it's Shreddies with fresh milk, a spoonful of sugar and clouds of Cinnamon to start the day.

Lunch is some Tuna Mayonnaise with salad on half a chapata followed by three orange thins; the leftover chicken tikka and the last of the chicken soup with a hunk of crusty bread makes for a nice late supper and later on there's a Granny Smith for dessert.

Chicken Soup

2005-10-18T02:31:00.000+01:00

Three slices of toasted white bread with paté; one poppy and sesame seed covered brown roll with Emmental and potato salad; a bowl of homemade Chicken Soup; a Granny Smith; two small chocolate sandwich biscuits; and three Weetabix with Cinnamon is All I Ate Today.

Egg Bacon Chicken Tikka Ice Cream

2005-10-17T01:46:00.000+01:00

All I ate today was an Egg and Bacon sandwich; a Granny Smith; a small serving of Chicken Tikka on a bed of salad with one medium potato; Stracciatelli ice cream; two chocolate chip cookies; two squares of chocolate; and a Tuna and Potato Salad on brown bread sandwich.

Sunday Weigh-in Good News

2005-10-16T09:36:00.000+01:00

Great news on the weight front, this week's weigh-in comes in at 77.6 kgs, down 400 grams since last week, but nothing to get excited about as it's still 1.6 kgs above my best point of 76.2 kgs only four weeks ago.

Bahmi Goreng Recipe

2005-10-16T00:30:00.000+01:00

Knowing there will be a large meal this evening, I try to control my appetite all day long and, trying to set a disciplined example, only allow myself three small slices of buttered brown toast for breakfast. Then nothing until mid-afternoon when I have an Emmental on brown sandwich.

The star of the day foodwise is undoubtedly the Bahmi Goreng (link to recipe) I make with some Solomillo de Cerdo or Pork Sirloin (or Sirloin of Pig, as Babel Fish has it, lol) cut into a mixture of slices and small chunks. I got one of those Conimex kits from the supermarket and added one chopped sweet Red Onion to the meat as it fried in the wok. After boiling the pasta and adding it and the re-hydrated vegetables and spices to the wok, all that remains is to make a couple of one egg omelette and serve with Ketjap Manis and Sambal Oelek.

Pleasantly stuffed by this delicious but light meal, a little later the dish was rounded off with some black tea and three chocolate chip cookies.

Corn Flakes Prevent Masturbation

2005-10-15T01:19:00.000+01:00

A bowl of Corn Flakes start the day; if you follow the link, you'll learn how they were actually invented by John Kellogg, inspired by the mad Christian religious group he belonged to. He recommended his corn flakes be combined with male circumcision (Heads Up:- there are pictures of the penis there [and there too!]) and the application of Carbolic Acid to the clitoris (NB: pictures there) to prevent masturbation in the young! (NB: more images, including my favourite, the masturbation preventing gadget below).

"Excerpt from United States patent number 745264, filed on May 29, 1903 by Albert V. Todd. It describes a device designed to prevent masturbation by inflicting electric shocks upon the perpetrator, by ringing an alarm bell, and through spikes at the inner edge of the tube into which the penis is inserted."

Getting back to the daily diet, in mid-afternoon I enjoy a brown roll, liberally covered with poppy and sesame seeds, split and eaten as seperate halves with generous chunks of some lovely fresh Brie; later on there's the guilty pleasure of three Weetabix with milk and cinnamon; two chocolate chunk cookies; an Emmental on brown sandwich; a strawberry yoghurt; and three chocolate sandwich biscuits to complete All I Ate Today.

Chicken Fajitas

2005-10-14T00:07:00.000+01:00

A bowl of Shreddies for breakfast, one Chicken Fajita

Chicken Fajita with Guacamole and Allioli.

as a late lunch and another for supper plus three chocolate chip cookies just before midnight is All I Ate Today.

Strawberry Emmental

2005-10-13T01:24:00.000+01:00

All I ate today was three dry cream crackers plus two babybel cheeses about 7.30 pm; later came a side plate of Chili Con Carne with three small potatoes and, as usual, a mountain of salad; three chocolate chip cookies; a peach yoghurt; an Emmental and strawberry jam on brown bread sandwich (I have a long line of adventurous sandwiches which combine unusual ingredients, which you'll almost certainly hear more of, so stick around); and, to finish, about 1.30 am, a single magdalena.

And so to bed.

Emmental Apple Tuna

2005-10-11T22:50:00.000+01:00

Just warding off hunger all day today, managed to eat two weetabix, a tapas dish of chili with a dry slice of brown bread,

Chili Con Carne

one little madeleine, an Emmental on brown sandwich, followed by a tuna on brown and a Granny Smith just before bed.

Chili Con Carne

2005-10-10T13:42:00.000+01:00

After a brilliant weekend in Torremolinos, it's back to Antequera and back to work.

There's no time for breakfast today so it's not until mid-afternoon that I manage to find a moment to have an Egg Mayonnaise on brown bread sandwich followed about half an hour later by three chocolate sandwich biscuits.

As the thunderstorms thrown off by Hurricane Vince pound the region with some welcome rain, I hunker down in the kitchen and, by popular request, cook up a big pot of Chili Con Carne for supper. Eaten with some plain boiled rice and a big heap of mixed salad, it's great at any time of year but especially good on a day like today as the sheet lightning flashes across the sky and the rain pours down.

And that's All I Ate Today.

What's that? The postponed weighin? Well, that's the good news, I'm down to a flat 78 kgs, 400 grams less than a week ago!

Weighin Postponed Thai Curry Consumed

2005-10-09T23:21:00.000+01:00

Due to being away from home for the weekend, the great Sunday weighin is postponed for 24 hours, but that doesn't stop us eating our traditional Sunday breakfast.

Having been cooked by our friends, breakfast tastes even nicer as we have two Eggs, two rashers of Bacon and two slices of Toast washed down with a mixture of Tea, Orange Juice and Coffee.

In the afternoon, a lovely snack of Baguette with cheeses is a nice, simple prelude to an evening out dining in a Chinese Restaurant in Torremolinos with our friends. I have some Thai Fried Rice with Thai Chicken Curry.

When we get back from the restaurant, much fun and chocolate is had!

Chicken in Sundried Tomato and Cinnamon Sauce

2005-10-08T22:21:00.000+01:00

All I ate today, as we head off to Torremolinos to visit our good friends Mark and Asa, was four small slices of Toasted Brown Bread with Brussels Pate and lashings of coffee for breakfast.

Later consumption includes two slices of White Bread, one with Gouda and one with Manchego Cheese; another slice of bread covered in Olive Oil in the afternoon and, for Supper, some absolutely delicious Chicken in a sauce of Sundried Tomatoes and Cinnamon.

Hake in Red Pepper Sauce Recipe

2005-10-08T00:49:00.000+01:00

For breakfast it's the usual three Weetabix then nothing until about 5.30 pm when we have some really excellent Hake, known as Merluza in Spain where it is more popular than in England.

Hake is a really good fish for cooking, quite firm and solid. I think it's a bit like Cod, in fact I've just noticed in Wikipedia, my preferred online Encyclopedia, that both fish are members of the same family, the Gadidae. I guess Cod is way more expensive now it's nearly all gone.

This fish dish is cooked in a casserole dish with a sauce of Red Peppers, Tomatoes, Garlic and Mushrooms in a pre-heated oven at about 175ºC for an hour or so, maybe 90 minutes.

I eat it with 2 medium microwaved potatoes and, as usual, a mountain of salad. Light, filling and tastes wonderfully of the sea; this is what a diet should be like!

Night nibbles include the last of both the Gouda and the Potato Salad in a brown bread sandwich, two small bun-like cakes, two squares of Chocolate Fondant, two chocolate sandwich biscuits and, just before I wrote this, another three Weetabix, which kind of undoes the good work.

A Quiet Day

2005-10-06T22:35:00.000+01:00

A quiet day on the food front as all I ate today was three weetabix, a gouda and potato salad sandwich, two chocolate sandwich biscuits and one and a half chocolate chip cookies. And a Granny Smith apple.

Moorish Pork Recipe

2005-10-05T21:50:00.000+01:00

Having not eaten anything since breakfast, I don't feel guilty in eating a whole meal about 5 pm, especially when it is as delicious as this wonderful creation. We are planning to make our first visit to Morocco as soon as we can fit it in amongst a million other things there are to be done but for the time being this will have to do.

Put a good piece of pork in a casserole dish with red peppers, chopped onions, some fresh garlic, orange juice, three tablespoons of ground almonds, four teaspoons of Moroccan seasoning and a vegetable stock cube. Cook it in the centre of the oven on about 150º for about 2 hours or so. Served with a few BBQ Chips and a huge mound of salad, there is such a rich mixture of flavours in the sauce, mmmm, fabulous!

A little later, to cleanse my palate after such rich food, I have one of those small plain Magdalena cakes, as they're called here in Spain.

10 pm snack Profiteroles. Yeah, I know!

Later, a half a melon slides down my throat with no effort at all, sweet and juicy.

The Party's Over

2005-10-05T09:30:00.000+01:00

Right, all the birthday and anniversary celebrations are done and dusted and it's time to start re-focussing on business and other serious stuff, right after a quick breakfast of three toasted slices of white bread with Brussels Pate.

The Laughing Cow

2005-10-04T22:39:00.000+01:00

Following yesterday's birthday celebrations, today is our 5th Wedding Anniversary and also the birthday of our eldest dog, the beautiful Miniature Schnauzer we call Molly.

Feeling a little fragile after last night, I have three slices of toast with Brussels Pate for breakfast and then nothing at all until late. So it's probably about 1130 pm now and to hold off serious hunger I have a Gouda and Potato Salad sandwich on brown bread with sesame seeds and, whilst I'm making it, I nibble up a whole mini BabyBel (nb: this is a link to a site called cheesesupplydotcom, I couldn't find a page on it in Wikipedia) - and that's all I ate today.

A mini BabyBel cheese, mmmmmmmmmmooooooooooooo lovely!

This cheese is made by a brand called The Laughing Cow. I was going to add a link to the company site but I just had a quick look and it was so boring I decided to spare you that. But I am delighted to report that there is a wonderfully insane website run by some French lunatics devoted to the discussion of why exactly the cow is laughing.

La Vache Qui Rit

Nasi Goreng

2005-10-04T00:21:00.000+01:00

Monday the 3rd of October is my beautiful wife Ursula's birthday and I'm planning to cook for her later but to get a busy day started I have three Weetabix for breakfast, which get me right through the day.

About 10 pm, we sit in the living room and eat an absolutely delicious Chicken Nasi Goreng, which is one of my favourite meals of all time. I have my own little version of this classic meal which is more usually eaten for breakfast in Indonesia but we usually eat it at night. Here's a link to a typical recipe in case you want to make it too.

Washed down with some celebratory Cava it is truly a wonderful meal. One of Ursula's presents was a bar of chocolate with Cointreau and I help her out by eating three of the nasty little sugary things, as you do!

Bits and Pieces

2005-10-02T22:08:00.000+01:00

For the rest of the day, I'm depressed about the continuing weight increase but still have to eat so all I had was a cereal bowl sized serving of Tuna in a Tomato Marinara Sauce with Fusilli Pasta and a little salad for Lunch.

For the rest of the day, all I ate was a small Emmental Cheese sandwich on brown bread and a Granny Smith apple.

Egg and Bacon Sandwich

2005-10-02T09:35:00.000+01:00

Yes, despite the continuing bad news on the weight front today, a tradition is a tradition and it's straight from the bathroom to the kitchen to keep the great habit alive for another week and have an Egg and Bacon Sandwich on white for breakfast.

The Great Sunday Morning Weigh-in

2005-10-02T08:44:00.000+01:00

Uh-OH! Bad news on the weight front.

Two visits to the ugly piece of junk that is our bathroom scales reveals that last weekend's bad news trend has continued for another week as today's date with fate is a massive 78.4 kgs !

Appalling!

Good day, bad day

2005-10-02T01:37:00.000+01:00

October gets off to a good start with a late breakfast of Shreddies with fresh milk, a spoonful of sugar and a generous dusting of Cinnamon with lashings of black coffee on the side to fuel this beautiful and sunny Saturday morning.

Late afternoon snack attack is an Emmental on brown bread sandwich and this packet

of small and tasty chocolate biscuits called Filipinos, all of which keeps me going until, about 10.30 pm at a small cafe in Nerja I have some coffee and a Tarta Manzana or Apple Tart.

Much later, the small hours of weakness strike again and a slice of Spanish Tortilla, a Granny Smith apple, three Weetabix with milk, sugar and cinnamon and two chocolate sandwich biscuits are tucked away in next to no time at all.

Tuna Steaks In Coconut Milk

2005-10-01T00:58:00.000+01:00

Thanks to yesterday's shopping trip to Nerja we, ok, I treated myself to a box of hard-to-find-round-here Shreddies and had a great-tasting bowl of them for breakfast this morning, before taking the dogs to the vets for grooming.

That kept me going until around 6-ish when we had Tuna Steaks cooked in Coconut Milk, Butter and Garlic, served with a Mixed Salad and a few roasted Potato and Onion thingies. It was absolutely great, which can't be said for the small chocolate covered but totally bland and chewy cake inside. I'm fed up with all these lame desserts lately.

About 10.30 pm I've got the munchies again and have a slice of Spanish Tortilla, which is always good. Half an hour munchies revisits and takes the form of two small slices of brown bread with sesame seeds with some Emmental cheese.

Late night relapse: two chocolate chip cookies, a magdalena and a granny smith apple. My bad.

Bangers and Mash

2005-09-30T01:10:00.000+01:00

We're low on both milk and bread this morning so I'm cut off from both normal routes to breakfast and decide to go straight for black coffee instead. Suitably fueled it's off into the day's chores - both online and out there in the real world!

Chores done and for late lunch about 4.30 pm we have what for us is a rare-ish treat, that great English classic Bangers and Mash. Ursula likes hers with the excellent onion gravy she makes so well but I'm not fond of gravy on fried food and have a fried egg instead. Brown Sauce on the Bangers and Tomato Ketchup for the Mash. Lovely, or should I say, Luvverly!

Bangers and Mash

For afters I have a small curious cake; it looks like a croissant but is more cakey in texture and with what the bakery considered a lovely chocolate filling in the centre.

About 8.30 I tuck away a slice of Spanish tortilla and a strange little chocolate blancmange dessert that is too sweet and not chocolatey enough and then, a little before midnight, I have a Mackerel and Potato Salad sandwich on some delicious new brown bread with sesame seeds we found today in Nerja followed by some, okay six, Swedish Orange Thins which are a crisp thin round biscuit that tastes well, orangey and more-ish.

Weetabix, Chili and Cheshire Cheese

2005-09-29T00:35:00.000+01:00

Feeling peckish this morning so I pop two Weetabix into a bowl and half drown them in fresh milk before sprinkling a restrained level teaspoon of sugar over them and wolfing them down, pretty much as I have done all my life. Weetabix and Cheshire Cheese were absolutely the two most important foods in my childhood and kept me going when nothing else would do.

Later on, sometime after 4 in the afternoon, a slice of Spanish Tortilla with a couple of hunks of Chapata bread is washed down with a mug of tea and two biscuits.

About 8.30 pm a cereal bowl size of Chili and another of salad make for an early supper and are followed by a single chocolate chip cookie. Much later, a little after 1 am it's time to finish off the last of the Cheshire Cheese in a sandwich with some potato salad and then a strawberry yoghurt.
Burp!

By co-incidence I have eaten both the main staples of my childhood diet but it will be a while before that happens again because the only Cheshire available around here is vile.