Eat Big!

New Daily Meal Journal

2008-04-23T10:47:25-07:00

I've decided to try an experiment and take photos of every meal I eat and post them to this blog. You can check out the latest photos here.

From a technical perspective, this is how I'm doing it. I take the photo with my iPhone and email it to my Flickr account and within a few seconds, it's available on this website! Pretty cool, eh?

Theoretically this is so painless I'll be able to do it easily and it'll make an interesting log of my eating. But if it takes too much time or isn't interesting to people, I may not do it consistently. We'll just see how it goes. Be sure and let me know what you think!

The Book is Shipping!

2008-03-27T11:10:35-07:00

Yesterday UPS stopped by with seven boxes of books! It was exciting and the UPS guy was even impressed.

So the books are here and I'll be mailing out the pre-orders Thursday and Friday, so they should be arriving for most folks early next week. If you ordered a copy, keep an eye out for it.

First Book Sighting

2008-03-12T19:54:32-07:00

Today the first samples of my book arrived!

This is the first step before I order a whole batch of them, and I was a bit worried that the books might not come out okay. After all, I sent the digital files off to the printer via a website and have no proof or anything to confirm that the artwork was correct. This is the first time I've used a print-on-demand printer so the process is new and there's a lot to learn. (The service definitely seems geared at the amateur or non-professional, which actually makes it more difficult for the pro graphic designer like me.)

But... wow. Having the real, printed book in my hand is amazing. The project finally feels real. The print quality is amazing. The cover is gorgeous, thick and glossy and colorful. It's really outstanding. The inside is also excellent, with the text being extremely readable and high quality. I am impressed! The grayscale photos aren't as nice as the original color ones, but convey the idea (and the printing would have been outrageously expensive in full-color). That's part of the reason I'm giving everyone who orders a printed copy a complimentary copy of the PDF edition. That way everyone can enjoy the full-color experience and have a digital archive copy (great for searching), but have a convenient printed copy for more comfortable reading.

After one last round of proof-reading, I've placed my order for the bulk quantity. It'll take a couple weeks to get them printed and shipped to me, and then I can start fulfilling orders. Until that time, the pre-order special is still in effect: all pre-orders will receive a free license to my upcoming nuTracker nutritional management software (a $25 value)!

I'm also working on getting the PDF edition of the book ready for downloading... that should happen in the next couple of days, so if you pre-ordered the book, watch for an email from me with a download link.

GTD Author David Allen talks nutrition

2008-02-27T12:16:06-08:00

I came across an interview with David Allen, the author of the terrific Getting Things Done book, where he talks about managing stress and eating in today's lifestyle. Here's an excerpt:

"One of my biggest 'A ha's!' that was a big surprise to me, was nutrition. I didn't think it was that big a deal. I lived a disposal life, just "open mouth insert food." In the travel I was doing in my life, I thought if I exercised enough that would handle it. ...I discovered a nutritional program that made a lot of difference. Since then, I've reduced to almost zero cold and flu. It allows me a lot more stable energy, I think, than the highs, ups and lows and downs that I've been expecting before."

Excellent interview. One of the main points in my book is how I never used to pay attention to what I ate and a stressful life just encourages that.

Pre-Order Special

2008-02-15T11:04:22-08:00

I am pleased to announce that you can now pre-order my new book! Eat Big While Eating Lean is being finalized right now and will begin shipping in March 2008.

The book is being self-published via a print-on-demand printer, so there will be two ways you can order the book. You can order it directly from the printer's website (I'll link to that when the book is ready to order) or you can order directly from me. I plan to buy some of the books in advance and sell them directly.

One advantage of this latter approach is that I can begin selling the book early, before they are printed. This will help me raise funds to purchase the books in advance and save money via volume purchasing and shipping. Now I know not everyone wants to pre-order things -- you want the book today. But to reward those of you who will pay in advance, I'm offering a very special limited time promotion:

Pre-order Eat Big While Eating Lean and I'll give you a free license to my nuTracker software when it is released!

That's right: a $25 software license for free!

Keep in mind that this offer is for a very limited time. Once the book has been printed and is ready for sale (early March), the pre-order special will be over. So if you're interested in a great deal, place your pre-order today.

Nearly Finished

2008-02-13T13:20:26-08:00

I've been working like mad on the book and my nuTracker software and I am pleased to report that I've made tremendous progress. In the past few weeks I've added several significant appendixes to the book and they really help fill in a few holes. The information is more technical and not everyone will be interested in it, which is why I put the info into appendixes, but I was feeling like something was missing, that the book felt too "light" and these additions help provide more technical details for those interested.

We're nearly there! I've actually finalized a lot of the details and the book right now is in the proof-reader's hands.

Next up is getting the pre-order system in place, which I hope to do shortly. My plan is to have the Pre-Order Special for several weeks and be able to ship the first books in March. I have a conference to attend in Texas in mid-March so I've got to get them shipped before that!

Meal Photos

2008-02-08T12:22:37-08:00

Seeing is believing, right? Most people cannot fathom how good I'm eating when I tell them my meals are 500-600 calories. So I've put together a little collection of photos of some of my real meals -- this is how I eat every day, I swear!

(The recipes for most of these meals will be in my upcoming book.)

Free Diet Software!

2008-01-22T00:12:04-08:00

I am pleased to announce that I've been working on some nutritional software that will compliment my diet book. The software is called nuTracker and is a simple nutritional database that helps you track calories and nutritional information. There's some software out there that already does similar things, but nuTracker is much simpler and easier to use, offering considerable power in a refined interface. I hope to have a beta version out soon so you can try it out!

While I plan to sell the software separately, I will also offer it bundled with the book for substantial savings. Even better, I've decided to reward anyone who pre-orders the book with a free nuTracker license!

The Book Is Coming

2008-01-15T11:42:54-08:00

The book is coming! The book is coming!

Yes, I've been making progress. It's a little slower than I planned, but it's coming. Next week I meet with my dietician to get her feedback and then I'll finalize the material and send it off to the printer. I'm not sure exactly how long that will take, but hopefully not too long. I'd like to have books in my hand in March.

My next goal is to get the pre-ordering system set up so that those of you who are interested in the book can get your orders in right away. This will also help me gauge the interest in the book. I'd like to get at least 100 pre-orders so I can order them in bulk. The print-on-demand service I'm using is convenient as I don't have to stock books and fulfill them myself if don't want to, but I think it'd be easier to order a bunch of books pre-printed in advance if I know I've got a number of orders. I'll obviously offer some kind of a special reward for those who pre-order!

It's all about Balance

2007-12-13T11:43:34-08:00

During the holidays it's easy to be tempted to indulge. Don't sweat it. Just remember it's all about balance. If you have a high-fat meal one time, balance it with low-fat meals. I have a number of extremely healthy meals -- such as stir-frys and omelettes -- I can prepare when I need a big belly-filling meal that's extremely low in calories.

For example, I can do a huge omelette stuffed with onions, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes for under 200 calories. Even adding a couple pieces of low-calorie whole wheat toast to that -- with sugar-free jam -- I'm still under 300 calories and it's a wonderful meal. And extremely healthy with lots of vegetables and fiber.

Know Thyself

2007-11-18T11:35:31-08:00

What kind of person are you? Are you easily swayed by temptation? If so, be careful: know your weaknesses and plan ahead so you don't get caught in a bad situation.

For instance, if you have a weakness for desserts, don't go out to eat at the Cheesecake Factory where you'll be tempted to have a high calorie dessert.

Another good tip is to come prepared with your own solution. Say you've been invited to someone's home for a party. You know there are going to be fattening foods offered, especially those delicious -- but ridiculously unhealthy -- appetizers. You don't want to go off your diet, yet you don't want to be rude either. So bring your own healthy appetizer!

A variation of this is to bring your own healthy snacks when you and your friends go out. They can indulge and you can feel like you're participating, but when they dive into that huge container of popcorn or those loaded nachos, you can pull out your celery sticks or apple slices or low-fat crackers.

Book Update

2007-11-02T12:04:58-07:00

Things have been hectic around here lately and I haven't been working on the book. I gave a copy to my dietician, hoping she could read it and give me any suggestions, but I haven't heard back from her, so I'm not sure what's going on. I suspect she's just busy, but when I was waiting for her feedback I put the book on the back burner and now a lot of time has passed and of course I've been super-busy.

Anyway, my goal now is to get it finished and shipping early next year (2008). It'll have to wait until after I get the next issue of my magazine out in mid-December, but once that's done and I survive the holidays, the book's going to be my number one priority.

Make meals seem bigger

2007-10-13T11:27:16-07:00

Want bigger meals without extra calories? Yes you can eat extra helpings of low calorie foods like salad (as long as you don't add high-calorie toppings), but here are some other tips:

Use smaller plates. Use smaller plates and bowls when serving food -- this will make a smaller meal seem much larger. Putting a single sandwich in the middle of a dinner plate will make it seem wimpy and even if it's enough food, you'll feel like you're being cheated. Put that same sandwich on a lunch plate or even a saucer and it will seem more substantial!

Multiple items. When you prepare a meal, make a whole meal out of it with multiple items: an appetizer, a salad, an entree, a side dish, a bit of fruit, dessert, etc. Even if each of these items is small and the total is within your calorie budget, the net effect of all the different items will be the perception of a much larger meal. I used to just do a couple sandwiches for lunch -- and I'd find myself snacking later, or eating more dessert or nuts or something high calorie because I felt like I hadn't eaten enough. But now I make a lunch that's overall lower in calories but has multiple elements: a sandwich or two, some yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit, a salad, some chocolate chips for dessert, etc. This feels like I'm getting a lot of food and it takes longer to eat, though the reality is it's less calories than my old style lunch!

A Year Out

2007-09-26T14:02:50-07:00

It's been a year since I "escaped" from the hospital. I can't believe it -- in some ways the time has flown and it seems like yesterday, and in other ways it seems like many years ago.

Just one year ago I was lying in a hospital bed wondering what my future would bring. A year later and I'm 75 pounds lighter, much stronger and healthier, and my diabetes and cholesterol are under control. But that's just the beginning. I've used my health issues to make improvements throughout my life.

One small example is that since I work from home, I used to have an unpredictable and erratic schedule. I'd stay up until 3-4 in the morning some nights and sleep until noon. I'd work when I felt like it. Often I wouldn't even shower and "get dressed" since I wasn't going anywhere. I liked the freedom, but it obviously created problems with things other than just my health.

But diabetes is a disease that need consistency and routine. Your body's metabolism is out of whack and you need to regulate it manually, meaning you need to be on a schedule. So now I get up every day, exercise, shower, and get dressed. I work more consistently. I'm getting more organized. I feel much better. I've got more energy and I'm more comfortable going out and doing things.

The moral of the story is don't be afraid of your health problems: use them to help you and motivate you. That's what I did and now I think diabetes was the best thing that happened to me!

Soft Numbers

2007-09-15T13:57:28-07:00

I'm a precision guy: I like hard numbers. But I've learned with dieting that everything is an approximation anyway and soft numbers are healthier.

For instance, when giving yourself a weight goal, give yourself a range. My weight goal is to stay under 150 pounds. Sometimes I'm several pounds under that, sometimes I creep up right to that. But I don't sweat it: your weight will vary a little no matter what you do and it's not healthy to stress over such details. By giving yourself a range you can still be "on target" and yet there's flexibility.

I do the same with my calorie targets. Lunch, for instance, is around 500 calories. Sometimes it's only 475 if I'm not too hungry or happen to have a high-volume meal that's low-calorie, while other times I might be closer to 600. I find this a lot less stressful than trying to hit a specific number with each meal.

How to Eat Pizza

2007-08-10T13:48:45-07:00

I used to think high-calorie foods like pizza were completely off-limits. (They definitely are the way I used to eat them: I could polish off a whole pizza in one sitting!)

Then I created my own low-calorie versions which are pretty tasty, but occasionally I just get a craving for really bad-for-you pizza (like pepperoni). Traditionally I buy take-and-bake pizza, so I tried lightening that (I get Papa Murphy's Delight pizza and tell them to use half the cheese they normally do).

This works, though it's still pretty high in calories and saturated fat. The key problem is that while for one meal it's not a problem, I always have leftovers, which means several high-fat meals within a few days. Not only does that leave me hungry (the pizza meals are low in volume but high in calories), but it's a lot of saturated fat within a few days.

My solution? Buy pizza by the slice instead of a whole pie! It's still outrageously high-calorie and unhealthy, but once in a while (say once or twice a month) it's a nice treat and as long as you're good the rest of your meals, it works. Bundle a slice or two with a salad and some fruit so you feel full and it's a nice lunch.

Grocery Shopping Tips

2007-07-15T12:25:54-07:00

Here are some tips for healthier grocery shopping:

Don't shop when you're hungry. This is very important because you definitely don't make the best choices when you're hungry.

Take your time. Don't be in a rush to shop as you won't make good decisions and you're actually more likely to overbuy.

Walk the entire store. Not only is walking through the entire store good exercise, but you'll be more inclined to discover new foods that you wouldn't have noticed before.

Read nutrition labels. I've been amazed to find that the specifications of even ordinary foods -- like canned tomatoes -- can vary dramatically by brand.

Try new foods (especially vegetables). Be brave and adventurous. If you see a vegetable you've never heard of or tried, either make a note to research it later, ask someone at the store about it, or just buy it and try it! You may not like it, but you never know -- you could discover a delicious, low-calorie food.

Stay away from prepared foods. Be wary of the in-store deli, bakery, or restaurant: you have no idea how those foods are prepared (most likely with tons of oil and extra fat). You're much better of making similar foods at home yourself, where you can control the ingredients.

Do you have some tips of your own? Let me know and I'll post them to the site!

Being good while eating out

2007-06-25T12:24:45-07:00

Most chain restaurants have nutritional information available on their website. Download this info in advance and figure out one or more healthy meals and write these down (including any modifications such as omitting mayonnaise on a sandwich) and carry this list with you.

That way when you decide to go to that restaurant, instead of being tempted by what's on the menu, you'll already know what is safe to order. This is much easier than trying to do calorie calculations after you're there or trying to guess what meals are actually healthy (you might be wrong).

I usually figure out a few different meals in advance to fit different moods, such as a healthy salad if I'm not especially hungry, a lean sandwich with fruit for a lunch, or perhaps a grilled chicken or fish with steamed vegetables for an evening meal. You can make these kinds of decisions on the spot, but it's a lot smarter to do in advance when you've got all the nutrition info in front of you and you aren't starving.

I usually stay away from desserts at restaurants -- most are not healthy and have hideous amounts of calories. Instead, I wait until I'm back home where I can fix my own healthy low calorie dessert. If you're really needing a dessert and can't go home, a bite or two of a friend's dessert usually is okay (or package the leftover and take it home if you're by yourself). But be sure you actually do limit it to a bite or two. That's hard to do, so I keep a few 100 calorie chocolate chip granola bars in my car just in case I need some carbs or have a serious sweet craving.

Book Update

2007-06-20T12:08:32-07:00

I'm making good progress on the book, with most of the writing finished. I'm now just finalizing the recipes, taking food photographs, and calculating the nutritional specifications of those meals. I hope to get the book finished in a few weeks (Fall 2007).

In the meantime, I have uploaded some excerpts from the book and an outline. These are pre-release so the final may be different, but it should give you an idea of where I'm going with the project.

As soon as I know a more definitive schedule, I'll offer the book for sale at a pre-release discount!

The Blog Begins

2007-06-19T10:06:44-07:00

To support my upcoming recipe and weight management book, Eating Big While Eating Lean, I've decided it would be a good idea to start a blog. Here I will be able to post updates, food talk, diet tips, ideas, recipes, and more. This will also keep diet- and nutritional-related stuff off my personal blog so only those truly interested will have to endure it. :-)