42 days have gone by since I embarked on the crazy healthful ways of fitness guru David Kirsch (aka, The Guru). I've since converted a few people to the diet although I am sure, news that I am going back to eating bread and the odd carb will no doubt make them think I have gone back to joining the rest of the non-Kitsching Plebs. (you know who you are - sugar, white flour, bread and rice and corn and carrot eating people!)
It's going in mini-steps. First bread with kaya and butter (Butter, what is life without thee?). Then oatmeal and cereal. Who knows - I might even boldly venture to the territory of my favourite Kashi Blueberry Flakes cereal!
The truth is, life must go on. Bread must come back into my life and my stomach must be allowed to eat bad white flour, hideously evil sugar, and indisputably nefarious Trans Fats. (the contents of a doughnut what else). Corn, carrots, rice, ice cream, Char Kuay Teow - you can't ban it from your life forever.
And it's really boring to have a blog that says you're going to write about Food and Irreverence but most of the blog is about food that can't be eaten and irreverence that centers around trying to avoid thinking about food!
Moderation of course, is not the message of the Guru but certainly is the message of many of his successful Ultimate New York Body Plan graduates (moi included!). Doughnuts will always be evil, but once in a while, we all have to cross to the dark side.
I am sure I will still be living with the Diet Demon in the many years to come and living in paranoia of my brand new 3 sizes smaller jeans growing tight. But those darned 'you look thinner' compliments have not stopped coming and I suppose, are going to my head!
So while I perhaps will no longer be living with the Diet Demon, searching for that middle ground will definitely be a challenge. But since woman cannot live on protein shakes and steamed vegetables with turkey breasts alone, the Middle Ground I must find.
I have a sneaky feeling its name is 'Exercise'.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Day 38: Feeling the pressure
According to my trusty Microsoft Excel sheet, I have done 38 days on Mr Kirsch's NaZi diet AKA Phase 1. Okay, there were 5 days that conveniently disappeared down the Diet Wormhole (they were doughnut and other bad carb days that are best...not discussed at this point).
Today, will be Day 9, of Round 3. 5 more days to go.
And a bit like my experience in Round 1 (which seems like eons ago), I'm starting to feel the irritation creep in. My mind is playing the same numbers trick on me: why not just go for 10 days and be done with it?
Making the transition to Phase 2 (when 1 carb meal a day is permitted, out of 5 meals you're supposed to eat) has been a mixed bag. When I did transition, I did it with banned food (doughnuts yeah!) and sometimes, I over-did the transition (more than 1 carb meal!). I'm already thinking of cutting back on the length of Phase 2 (mandated 2 weeks) and Phase 3 (Mandated 4 weeks) - in short, I would just rather get back on with life, new jeans not withstanding.
Rigorous planning and religious obsession seems to be the way forward. That's how I survived the first 14 days - obsessing over my microsoft excel sheets with my diet details and shopping requirements scrupulously documented. I got lazy after a while and stopped keeping stats of my budget and planning my meals as religiously. Life, I suppose, got in the way.
Depending on how gung-ho/fired up I feel, I might stick it out to 14. But somehow, I think when 10 beckons, I'll be on Phase 2 and drinking blueberry and banana smoothies, and eating sandwiches...BREAD glorious bread!
Today, will be Day 9, of Round 3. 5 more days to go.
And a bit like my experience in Round 1 (which seems like eons ago), I'm starting to feel the irritation creep in. My mind is playing the same numbers trick on me: why not just go for 10 days and be done with it?
Making the transition to Phase 2 (when 1 carb meal a day is permitted, out of 5 meals you're supposed to eat) has been a mixed bag. When I did transition, I did it with banned food (doughnuts yeah!) and sometimes, I over-did the transition (more than 1 carb meal!). I'm already thinking of cutting back on the length of Phase 2 (mandated 2 weeks) and Phase 3 (Mandated 4 weeks) - in short, I would just rather get back on with life, new jeans not withstanding.
Rigorous planning and religious obsession seems to be the way forward. That's how I survived the first 14 days - obsessing over my microsoft excel sheets with my diet details and shopping requirements scrupulously documented. I got lazy after a while and stopped keeping stats of my budget and planning my meals as religiously. Life, I suppose, got in the way.
Depending on how gung-ho/fired up I feel, I might stick it out to 14. But somehow, I think when 10 beckons, I'll be on Phase 2 and drinking blueberry and banana smoothies, and eating sandwiches...BREAD glorious bread!
Monday, August 20, 2007
DAY...OH I DON'T KNOW WHAT - Curse the Diet Demon
This whole exercise of getting to my target weight has been a semi-misogynistic exercise methinks.
On the one hand, it is nice to be complimented - relatives have noticed that I look less plump...and it is nice to be able to wear those uni jeans all over again.
But most of the time, I have rather mixed feelings. (yeah yeah, is starting to sound like the 'Good Diet Cop, Bad Diet Cop' conversation).
So on the one hand, is positive news to know cannot wear current wardrobe items as all too lose. On the other hand, bad news - must spend money to buy NEW items.
On the one hand, happy to be getting to target weight. On the other hand, concerned about how to go back to NORMAL eating life and really starting to feel annoyed with this diet.
Oh well, it's another 7 Days more to go with the Diet Demon. And I'll just have to keep looking in the mirror and psyching myself up. I thought that putting Krispy Kreme doughnuts on my computer screensaver would just be fun but nope - it just made me hungry. So I'm going to put them on my blog instead...at least I won't be looking at them every day!
On the one hand, it is nice to be complimented - relatives have noticed that I look less plump...and it is nice to be able to wear those uni jeans all over again.
But most of the time, I have rather mixed feelings. (yeah yeah, is starting to sound like the 'Good Diet Cop, Bad Diet Cop' conversation).
So on the one hand, is positive news to know cannot wear current wardrobe items as all too lose. On the other hand, bad news - must spend money to buy NEW items.
On the one hand, happy to be getting to target weight. On the other hand, concerned about how to go back to NORMAL eating life and really starting to feel annoyed with this diet.
Oh well, it's another 7 Days more to go with the Diet Demon. And I'll just have to keep looking in the mirror and psyching myself up. I thought that putting Krispy Kreme doughnuts on my computer screensaver would just be fun but nope - it just made me hungry. So I'm going to put them on my blog instead...at least I won't be looking at them every day!
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Day 25: almost there...
Tomorrow, my Krispy Kreme order, flown in from HK, will be delivered. Which has gotten me into thinking: this means, that really, I can't be 'off' the diet per-se. Got to sort of stick to it and be good.
They say the 2nd time around is a charm. Doing round two of Phase 1 has definitely not been as hard as doing it the first time (no crazy 2 hour exercise every other day for starters). I am a bit nervous about moving to the next phase, especially with my KK order arriving courtesy of Bro...but well, I guess I have to move on at some point. I certainly don't want to be drinking protein shakes and eating egg whites all my life! (I'm sure that's the point of the Guru's wellness philosophy but sometimes, a little too much wellness is...just too much).
Anyway, we'll see how it goes. Meanwhile, I think I have taken to this blogging thing quite seriously. Have got another blog on Food Sense (I think I'll reserve this one for the good things I have to say about food). Check it out.
In the meantime, I am sure the countdown to the end of the strict phase of my diet will not be as...taxing as the last time wherein I couldn't sleep and literally dreamt of food the whole night. And I'm allowing myself to drink coffee again so...
They say the 2nd time around is a charm. Doing round two of Phase 1 has definitely not been as hard as doing it the first time (no crazy 2 hour exercise every other day for starters). I am a bit nervous about moving to the next phase, especially with my KK order arriving courtesy of Bro...but well, I guess I have to move on at some point. I certainly don't want to be drinking protein shakes and eating egg whites all my life! (I'm sure that's the point of the Guru's wellness philosophy but sometimes, a little too much wellness is...just too much).
Anyway, we'll see how it goes. Meanwhile, I think I have taken to this blogging thing quite seriously. Have got another blog on Food Sense (I think I'll reserve this one for the good things I have to say about food). Check it out.
In the meantime, I am sure the countdown to the end of the strict phase of my diet will not be as...taxing as the last time wherein I couldn't sleep and literally dreamt of food the whole night. And I'm allowing myself to drink coffee again so...
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Day 24: Sloggin on...
Day 24 means...Day 24. I've been on a modified version of the original insane 14 day diet by David Kirsch, fitness guru to the Stars (the man makes Victoria Secret's models look good - they wear nothing...he must be...good). No killer 2 hours of exercise every other day and 1 hour of exercise daily for me. But I'm trying to keep it up with the gym.
Some interesting observations since completing the diet. I pooh-poohed a lot of the motivational stuff in the book (the Ultimate New York Body Plan) in the sense that I didn't buy into the 'life transformation' aspect of it. And I certainly wasn't sure if I would feel as ecstatic as he said you would after finishing it.
I must admit, I have been proven wrong on a couple of counts. A few things surprised me including the sense of achievement at having done the diet successfully (albeit, not as perfectly as I would have liked to, but without any cheats except for 1 shot glass of 100 plus a day at the gym). It does provide amazing empowerment. It does make you feel like you can do anything. And it has turned me into an advocate of his diet/food concept for many people I know who have health issues or want to lose weight. And it has made me change my viewpoint on 'crash diet' - although I don't think this was a crash diet.
It does make me a little wistful though - I do not like living as a person who has a Good Diet Cop, Bad Diet Cop perched on opposite sides of my shoulders. Lately, I have been hearing these voices in my head:
Bad Diet Cop: DOUGHNUTS!
Good Diet Cop: Calories!
Bad Diet Cop: CHEEZELS!
Good Diet Cop: 220 calories! That's 30 minutes on the elliptical just for 5 minutes of cheezy gratification.
Bad Diet Cop: Chocolate!
Good Diet Cop: It will all go to your hips! The ones that can now fit into those university jeans!
Bad Diet Cop: I can eat like...3 oreos and that's just 160 calories.
Good Diet Cop: Yes but you know you really want to eat 3 oreos every day...for the whole week...and then what happens?
This conversation will never stop. And certainly I felt rather depressed at the sight of myself trawling supermarket aisles (I am donating a lot of parking money to Bangsar Village and Bangsar Shopping Center these days in parking fees) just looking at the junkfood aisles, reading labels, counting calories, computing how many twisties I can eat without incurring sabotage and...then just feeling very sad.
This is not the transformation I am sure I want. Now, Mr Kirsch says the longer we go without 'bad foods' (and by that he means cookies, junkfood and anything that basically is not steamed without skin and contains nothing but olive oil) the less we will crave them. That has certainly NOT been the conclusion I have arrived at. If anything, I want to eat them even more. If only it weren't for Good Diet Cop...who would probably be a lousy cop because Good Diet Cop does not do coffee and doughnuts. Protein shakes for life does not also seem to be a prescription for a good way to leave the planet. That much Splenda cannot be good for a person.
One does wonder: is life worth living without these bad but so good and yummy things in life? Personally I don't think Mr Kirsch is suggesting that (I think he's being excessively strict because he knows being less than strict means people...slack) but at the same time, it's hard to imagine living my life in Gastronomic Dictatorship, defined by the waistline and the fit of one's jeans.
Arguably, life is too short to not eat well (and well doesn't mean 'well' in the context of pure protein and more vegetables blah blah). Although I suppose more days on the planet does mean more opportunities to experience more gastronomic delight. Perhaps his moderation message would do with some...moderating!
In short...paraphrasing the Duke of Wellington: Eat..and Be Damned
Some interesting observations since completing the diet. I pooh-poohed a lot of the motivational stuff in the book (the Ultimate New York Body Plan) in the sense that I didn't buy into the 'life transformation' aspect of it. And I certainly wasn't sure if I would feel as ecstatic as he said you would after finishing it.
I must admit, I have been proven wrong on a couple of counts. A few things surprised me including the sense of achievement at having done the diet successfully (albeit, not as perfectly as I would have liked to, but without any cheats except for 1 shot glass of 100 plus a day at the gym). It does provide amazing empowerment. It does make you feel like you can do anything. And it has turned me into an advocate of his diet/food concept for many people I know who have health issues or want to lose weight. And it has made me change my viewpoint on 'crash diet' - although I don't think this was a crash diet.
It does make me a little wistful though - I do not like living as a person who has a Good Diet Cop, Bad Diet Cop perched on opposite sides of my shoulders. Lately, I have been hearing these voices in my head:
Bad Diet Cop: DOUGHNUTS!
Good Diet Cop: Calories!
Bad Diet Cop: CHEEZELS!
Good Diet Cop: 220 calories! That's 30 minutes on the elliptical just for 5 minutes of cheezy gratification.
Bad Diet Cop: Chocolate!
Good Diet Cop: It will all go to your hips! The ones that can now fit into those university jeans!
Bad Diet Cop: I can eat like...3 oreos and that's just 160 calories.
Good Diet Cop: Yes but you know you really want to eat 3 oreos every day...for the whole week...and then what happens?
This conversation will never stop. And certainly I felt rather depressed at the sight of myself trawling supermarket aisles (I am donating a lot of parking money to Bangsar Village and Bangsar Shopping Center these days in parking fees) just looking at the junkfood aisles, reading labels, counting calories, computing how many twisties I can eat without incurring sabotage and...then just feeling very sad.
This is not the transformation I am sure I want. Now, Mr Kirsch says the longer we go without 'bad foods' (and by that he means cookies, junkfood and anything that basically is not steamed without skin and contains nothing but olive oil) the less we will crave them. That has certainly NOT been the conclusion I have arrived at. If anything, I want to eat them even more. If only it weren't for Good Diet Cop...who would probably be a lousy cop because Good Diet Cop does not do coffee and doughnuts. Protein shakes for life does not also seem to be a prescription for a good way to leave the planet. That much Splenda cannot be good for a person.
One does wonder: is life worth living without these bad but so good and yummy things in life? Personally I don't think Mr Kirsch is suggesting that (I think he's being excessively strict because he knows being less than strict means people...slack) but at the same time, it's hard to imagine living my life in Gastronomic Dictatorship, defined by the waistline and the fit of one's jeans.
Arguably, life is too short to not eat well (and well doesn't mean 'well' in the context of pure protein and more vegetables blah blah). Although I suppose more days on the planet does mean more opportunities to experience more gastronomic delight. Perhaps his moderation message would do with some...moderating!
In short...paraphrasing the Duke of Wellington: Eat..and Be Damned
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Day 20: A look back at Freedom Day
Tuesday the 24th of July 2007 was Freedom Day...Pig Out Day...Pork Out Day...
It was the day when Carbs were finally allowed to be a part of my life again, albeit for all of 24 hours only.
I faithfully took photographs of all the items I ate up until lunchtime, where it then started to get boring (and to my horror, I actually stopped thinking about food). And the carbs obviously made me blank out because my photos, except for one, didn't get saved onto my phone!
The minute the clock hit 12.01 on Tuesday the 24th of July, I was ready to go crazy. Had a hard time sleeping because I was busy thinking about FOOD, FOOD, FOOD!
But in order to ensure that the measurements were not botched up, I had to not eat until I'd done all my stats. (dieting makes ya obsessive that way I think).
I did find a mood improvement - of course, I was never super cranky but people who worked with me would have found the fuse somewhat short although again, it's not possible to tell if this was just job stress or actual carb-deficiency syndrome working.
I was all ready to poo-poo a lot of Mr Kirsch's findings - that I would not be interested in the calorific, carb-laden, white-flour and sugar overload loves of my life, before I went on his plan. I was definitely ready to poo-poo any suggestion that I would not find coffee had the same effect on me. I mean come on - we're talking COFFEE!
Java, latte, mocha, americano...joe...no way hose...
So I was shocked to discover, that Green Tea had won. Coffee (which was the first thing I had on Freedom Day) did not come with the accompanyment of Hallelujah in the background, like some invisible Starbucks Siren Chorus. In fact, I felt nothing. Neither great deep pleasure at my first cup of coffee in 14 days, or that perk me up that I always felt coffee gave me.
So, could have been a lousy cup of coffee right?
Probably. Thank god I didn't feel the same way about the doughnut...or the 3/4 boiled eggs (YOLK!!!)...or the kaya on toast...or the strawberry doughnut from Starbucks...or the Chocochino doughnut from Big Apple (a surprising winner. But then again, I was a formerly condemned prisoner so...)
Friends were excited about what I had eaten for breakfast with everyone taking a guess at what was the First Freedom Meal (the strawberry snow doughnut and Americano at Starbucks!)
I was however in for more surprises.
Lunch was a fun affair but I was starting to feel this strange feeling that perhaps I only really needed to have ONE freedom meal...as in...I would have been quite happy to eat my diet food at lunch.
BANISH SUCH THOUGHTS. I reminded myself that I was going to go back on the diet again the next day (Maintainence I tell you - it's what REALLY KILLS YOU) and I should eat while I still could. I suppose a sort of 'make hay while the sun shines' sort of mentality.
So, La Manila's Char Kuay Teow and Curry Mee beckoned. I had a lunch buddy so that helped even things out. I even managed to avoid eating cake. Big achievement although perhaps rather self-serving since I knew the birthday dinner I would be attending the next night would feature cake.
Chased the Curry Mee with a latte at Dome. Again, Coffee Emptiness. I was beginning to be really worried. Had I been kidnapped by the Nazi Aliens of Health Food and replaced by some clone that even I did not recognise?
I ended my evening with junk-food extravaganza worthy of 14 days of no saturated fats, no carbs, no alchohol, no sugar...no chips, no corn and no batter...with a greasy meal at Chillis.
CHICKEN CRISPERS.
Sloshed down with a Presidante Margarita to toast my great achievement of 14 days on that insane diet with the crazy amount of exercise. I was almost sad to see the day end - I was too full to eat anything more but dreading the fact that I had promised myself I could get back into the saddle again and do Phase 1 again (without the crazy exercise) but declining all the A,B,C,D,E and F that Mr Kirsch has banned as EVIL.
This post is finally being finished, some 8 days after the fact - and I've finally gotten around to tallying up my calorie count from that faithful day.
Breakfast: 1/2 plate nasi lemak, 2 eggs with yolk, 2 slices of bread with kaya toast, 1/2 strawberry jam doughnut and 1/4 cup American
Estimated calories damage: 400 + 168 + 400 + 200 +10 = 1178 calories
Lunch: 1/2 bowl curry mee, 1/2 plate of Char Kuay Teow
Estimated calorie damage: 400 + 400 = 800 calories
Afternoon tea: Latte
Estimated Calorie Damage: 220 calories (yes, Lattes are that evil!)
Dinner: Chicken Crispers, with fries, and corn on the cob side, with honey mustard dressing, and Presidante Margarita
Precise Calorie Damage: (computed using Chilli's nutrition data) - 2780 calories
TOTAL DAMAGE for 1 Day: 4758 calories
Amount of Exercise required to get rid of all that...(yeah, I'm getting hard core with this guilt trip I can see)
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) = approximately 1300 calories.
10 minutes on the Elliptical = 80 calories OR 8 calories per minute
To get rid of 3458 calories would require 7.2 hours of exercise at a heart rate of 140-150 beats per minute.
In short, a totally unwise idea to fall off the wagon this dramatically! As a result...this 24 hour eating spree led to a instant weight gain of 1.5 kgs! How, I have no idea. But getting rid of it took me another 6 days on the diet (without the strict exercise).
Moral of the Story: Celebrate with just ONE cheat meal.
It was the day when Carbs were finally allowed to be a part of my life again, albeit for all of 24 hours only.
I faithfully took photographs of all the items I ate up until lunchtime, where it then started to get boring (and to my horror, I actually stopped thinking about food). And the carbs obviously made me blank out because my photos, except for one, didn't get saved onto my phone!
The minute the clock hit 12.01 on Tuesday the 24th of July, I was ready to go crazy. Had a hard time sleeping because I was busy thinking about FOOD, FOOD, FOOD!
But in order to ensure that the measurements were not botched up, I had to not eat until I'd done all my stats. (dieting makes ya obsessive that way I think).
I did find a mood improvement - of course, I was never super cranky but people who worked with me would have found the fuse somewhat short although again, it's not possible to tell if this was just job stress or actual carb-deficiency syndrome working.
I was all ready to poo-poo a lot of Mr Kirsch's findings - that I would not be interested in the calorific, carb-laden, white-flour and sugar overload loves of my life, before I went on his plan. I was definitely ready to poo-poo any suggestion that I would not find coffee had the same effect on me. I mean come on - we're talking COFFEE!
Java, latte, mocha, americano...joe...no way hose...
So I was shocked to discover, that Green Tea had won. Coffee (which was the first thing I had on Freedom Day) did not come with the accompanyment of Hallelujah in the background, like some invisible Starbucks Siren Chorus. In fact, I felt nothing. Neither great deep pleasure at my first cup of coffee in 14 days, or that perk me up that I always felt coffee gave me.
So, could have been a lousy cup of coffee right?
Probably. Thank god I didn't feel the same way about the doughnut...or the 3/4 boiled eggs (YOLK!!!)...or the kaya on toast...or the strawberry doughnut from Starbucks...or the Chocochino doughnut from Big Apple (a surprising winner. But then again, I was a formerly condemned prisoner so...)
Friends were excited about what I had eaten for breakfast with everyone taking a guess at what was the First Freedom Meal (the strawberry snow doughnut and Americano at Starbucks!)
I was however in for more surprises.
Lunch was a fun affair but I was starting to feel this strange feeling that perhaps I only really needed to have ONE freedom meal...as in...I would have been quite happy to eat my diet food at lunch.
BANISH SUCH THOUGHTS. I reminded myself that I was going to go back on the diet again the next day (Maintainence I tell you - it's what REALLY KILLS YOU) and I should eat while I still could. I suppose a sort of 'make hay while the sun shines' sort of mentality.
So, La Manila's Char Kuay Teow and Curry Mee beckoned. I had a lunch buddy so that helped even things out. I even managed to avoid eating cake. Big achievement although perhaps rather self-serving since I knew the birthday dinner I would be attending the next night would feature cake.
Chased the Curry Mee with a latte at Dome. Again, Coffee Emptiness. I was beginning to be really worried. Had I been kidnapped by the Nazi Aliens of Health Food and replaced by some clone that even I did not recognise?
I ended my evening with junk-food extravaganza worthy of 14 days of no saturated fats, no carbs, no alchohol, no sugar...no chips, no corn and no batter...with a greasy meal at Chillis.
CHICKEN CRISPERS.
Sloshed down with a Presidante Margarita to toast my great achievement of 14 days on that insane diet with the crazy amount of exercise. I was almost sad to see the day end - I was too full to eat anything more but dreading the fact that I had promised myself I could get back into the saddle again and do Phase 1 again (without the crazy exercise) but declining all the A,B,C,D,E and F that Mr Kirsch has banned as EVIL.
This post is finally being finished, some 8 days after the fact - and I've finally gotten around to tallying up my calorie count from that faithful day.
Breakfast: 1/2 plate nasi lemak, 2 eggs with yolk, 2 slices of bread with kaya toast, 1/2 strawberry jam doughnut and 1/4 cup American
Estimated calories damage: 400 + 168 + 400 + 200 +10 = 1178 calories
Lunch: 1/2 bowl curry mee, 1/2 plate of Char Kuay Teow
Estimated calorie damage: 400 + 400 = 800 calories
Afternoon tea: Latte
Estimated Calorie Damage: 220 calories (yes, Lattes are that evil!)
Dinner: Chicken Crispers, with fries, and corn on the cob side, with honey mustard dressing, and Presidante Margarita
Precise Calorie Damage: (computed using Chilli's nutrition data) - 2780 calories
TOTAL DAMAGE for 1 Day: 4758 calories
Amount of Exercise required to get rid of all that...(yeah, I'm getting hard core with this guilt trip I can see)
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) = approximately 1300 calories.
10 minutes on the Elliptical = 80 calories OR 8 calories per minute
To get rid of 3458 calories would require 7.2 hours of exercise at a heart rate of 140-150 beats per minute.
In short, a totally unwise idea to fall off the wagon this dramatically! As a result...this 24 hour eating spree led to a instant weight gain of 1.5 kgs! How, I have no idea. But getting rid of it took me another 6 days on the diet (without the strict exercise).
Moral of the Story: Celebrate with just ONE cheat meal.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Day 13: 24 hours to go!
I have been dreaming of...
BAGEL....
....CURRY MEE...
Chicken Crispers at Chillis...
24 hours to go - one 2 hour workout, 5 more boring meals...and then FREEDOM.
The bad news is, Freedom is only going to last all of 24 hours and I'm feeling torn between stuffing my gills stupid and wondering if my stomach is actually able to take all that food...(especially since I've got so much I want to eat).
But I figure, freedom day is essential to maintain my sanity. You know what they say: everything comes with a string these days. And so it seems Mr Kirsch's diet comes with SUCCESS tied in tandem with MAINTAINANCE.
Although strictly speaking I can do the Maintainance phase, which is only marginally less NaZi than the actual Diet Phase or Phase 1 as they call it, due to my pig out session scheduled on Tuesday and mom's b'day dinner, I shall duly return to Phase 1 (NaZi phase) for a few days. The necessity of it is firstly, Pig Out Day is accompanied by one pig out dinner on Wednesday. Secondly, I hate to admit it but I have become paranoid about the idea of putting it back on. So I figure, after one freedom day, I would have sufficient motivation to keep going for another 2 more weeks for the first Maintainance Phase and then on to the next 4 weeks which are a lot less rigid. And the goal is to create some 'buffer' around the weight loss...in short, lose more, just in case, some of it returns with a vengeance.
(Mr Kirsch reminds us that some deeply unlucky people cannot cheat without seeing the results land on their hips - since I believe myself to be one of those people who gains weight just standing next to a can of whipped cream, I shall not tempt fate.)
Today has felt a bit like the kid waiting for Christmas. I have lots of food waiting for my return to normal life (all 24 hours of it) and I fear that I might send myself into a sugar frenzy. Logically of course there is no rationale reason to think I will never be eating any 'naughty' food again (such as bread and butter pudding, and kueh kodok and Jaffa cakes - all waiting in the fridge for TUESDAY) but someone it feels like that. It feels like...I'm coming out of gastronomic solitary confinement...and I'm going to go stupid for that one day!
I have such a long list of things I want to eat:
Curry puff
Doughnut (from Big Apple in the Curve)
Bread!!! (dammit, no matter what Mr Kirsch says, I can't give up bread...or carbs...they may be bad for us...but life is too short!)
Cake! - I am one of those people cursed with a sweet tooth and a love for all things cream, cheese and butter...preferably all in one place. But then I'll probably not eat cake this time around because there will be cake at my Wednesday Dinner.
Pancakes (white flour!!! - Alexis ones are dreamy)
Nasi Lemak (that I have given up for aeons but probably have put on the list because...well...I'm thinking of food...)
Some horrible greasy fry up...
A strawberry jam doughnut
Coffee! Maybe Mocha Latte...or hell, I would be happy to just drink Americano...any caffeine!
Apple Pie
French fries...the fatter the better!
Quarter Pounder from McDonalds...
A burger from La Bodega with fried egg...onions and CHEESE!
Junk food! (cheezels!!!!)
Nasi Kandar! (okay, not a super priority but...nice too)
Indian rice at Nirwana...(probably a bad idea since I'm really just keen on the salty papadams)
Most of the time, I don't think of my life as deprived of these things. I also do not think I will NEVER be eating this food again. But I find myself now living in this horrible duality of being frightened to eat and yet, wanting to eat. In short, the Good Diet Cop and the Bad Diet Cop are perched on opposite shoulders.
In a way, losing weight is horrible because it puts you in fear state. I don't care about all those people in Mr Kirsch's glowing testimonials who declared they no longer were interested in candy, M&Ms and coffee...
LIFE IS TOO SHORT.
And plus, it really is TOO SHORT to do this crazy diet again. It is too hard, and too not fun (especially the killer exercise sessions).
I am still wondering if I am going to bust my diet at 12.01am Tuesday or wait till brekkie time. I'm leaning on being totally good till Tuesday morning. After all, I have 24 hours...
BAGEL....
....CURRY MEE...
Chicken Crispers at Chillis...
24 hours to go - one 2 hour workout, 5 more boring meals...and then FREEDOM.
The bad news is, Freedom is only going to last all of 24 hours and I'm feeling torn between stuffing my gills stupid and wondering if my stomach is actually able to take all that food...(especially since I've got so much I want to eat).
But I figure, freedom day is essential to maintain my sanity. You know what they say: everything comes with a string these days. And so it seems Mr Kirsch's diet comes with SUCCESS tied in tandem with MAINTAINANCE.
Although strictly speaking I can do the Maintainance phase, which is only marginally less NaZi than the actual Diet Phase or Phase 1 as they call it, due to my pig out session scheduled on Tuesday and mom's b'day dinner, I shall duly return to Phase 1 (NaZi phase) for a few days. The necessity of it is firstly, Pig Out Day is accompanied by one pig out dinner on Wednesday. Secondly, I hate to admit it but I have become paranoid about the idea of putting it back on. So I figure, after one freedom day, I would have sufficient motivation to keep going for another 2 more weeks for the first Maintainance Phase and then on to the next 4 weeks which are a lot less rigid. And the goal is to create some 'buffer' around the weight loss...in short, lose more, just in case, some of it returns with a vengeance.
(Mr Kirsch reminds us that some deeply unlucky people cannot cheat without seeing the results land on their hips - since I believe myself to be one of those people who gains weight just standing next to a can of whipped cream, I shall not tempt fate.)
Today has felt a bit like the kid waiting for Christmas. I have lots of food waiting for my return to normal life (all 24 hours of it) and I fear that I might send myself into a sugar frenzy. Logically of course there is no rationale reason to think I will never be eating any 'naughty' food again (such as bread and butter pudding, and kueh kodok and Jaffa cakes - all waiting in the fridge for TUESDAY) but someone it feels like that. It feels like...I'm coming out of gastronomic solitary confinement...and I'm going to go stupid for that one day!
I have such a long list of things I want to eat:
Curry puff
Doughnut (from Big Apple in the Curve)
Bread!!! (dammit, no matter what Mr Kirsch says, I can't give up bread...or carbs...they may be bad for us...but life is too short!)
Cake! - I am one of those people cursed with a sweet tooth and a love for all things cream, cheese and butter...preferably all in one place. But then I'll probably not eat cake this time around because there will be cake at my Wednesday Dinner.
Pancakes (white flour!!! - Alexis ones are dreamy)
Nasi Lemak (that I have given up for aeons but probably have put on the list because...well...I'm thinking of food...)
Some horrible greasy fry up...
A strawberry jam doughnut
Coffee! Maybe Mocha Latte...or hell, I would be happy to just drink Americano...any caffeine!
Apple Pie
French fries...the fatter the better!
Quarter Pounder from McDonalds...
A burger from La Bodega with fried egg...onions and CHEESE!
Junk food! (cheezels!!!!)
Nasi Kandar! (okay, not a super priority but...nice too)
Indian rice at Nirwana...(probably a bad idea since I'm really just keen on the salty papadams)
Most of the time, I don't think of my life as deprived of these things. I also do not think I will NEVER be eating this food again. But I find myself now living in this horrible duality of being frightened to eat and yet, wanting to eat. In short, the Good Diet Cop and the Bad Diet Cop are perched on opposite shoulders.
In a way, losing weight is horrible because it puts you in fear state. I don't care about all those people in Mr Kirsch's glowing testimonials who declared they no longer were interested in candy, M&Ms and coffee...
LIFE IS TOO SHORT.
And plus, it really is TOO SHORT to do this crazy diet again. It is too hard, and too not fun (especially the killer exercise sessions).
I am still wondering if I am going to bust my diet at 12.01am Tuesday or wait till brekkie time. I'm leaning on being totally good till Tuesday morning. After all, I have 24 hours...
Friday, July 20, 2007
Day 10: Dem Double Digits
THE LIGHT...IS COMING...
Okay, so my mother made bread and butter pudding today. Not tempted. (she's got some in the freezer for me come TUESDAY!)
So there's tons of leftover fish curry and curried brinjals from last night's little function at the house. Not quite tempted.
I see the light. And I am not budging till I get there.
At least, that's what I keep telling myself.
The exercise hill is another thing altogether. Today was supposed to be a 2 hour day but I simply could not face it. Tu Lan Syndrome was coming back to haunt me. So I decided to give myself the day off. I could hear Mr Kirsch tsk-tsking but the old body simply was not willing to trudge to the gym.
I ended up logging in my time in the evening with zero guilt.
I'm logging in the appointments for Tuesday - it's going to be a veritable day of no work, and mostly eating and no gyming...
I am feeling some trepidations at getting to the end. After buying Mr Kirsch's next book, the Ultimate New York Diet, I am convinced that putting the weight back on is going to be so easy unless I keep up the diet (which I intend to - the modified Phase 2 of it) and the exercise keeps up. And honestly, after 14 days of gastronomic solitary confinement...I just hope I don't eat it all back on Tuesday!...
Day 11...here we come...
Okay, so my mother made bread and butter pudding today. Not tempted. (she's got some in the freezer for me come TUESDAY!)
So there's tons of leftover fish curry and curried brinjals from last night's little function at the house. Not quite tempted.
I see the light. And I am not budging till I get there.
At least, that's what I keep telling myself.
The exercise hill is another thing altogether. Today was supposed to be a 2 hour day but I simply could not face it. Tu Lan Syndrome was coming back to haunt me. So I decided to give myself the day off. I could hear Mr Kirsch tsk-tsking but the old body simply was not willing to trudge to the gym.
I ended up logging in my time in the evening with zero guilt.
I'm logging in the appointments for Tuesday - it's going to be a veritable day of no work, and mostly eating and no gyming...
I am feeling some trepidations at getting to the end. After buying Mr Kirsch's next book, the Ultimate New York Diet, I am convinced that putting the weight back on is going to be so easy unless I keep up the diet (which I intend to - the modified Phase 2 of it) and the exercise keeps up. And honestly, after 14 days of gastronomic solitary confinement...I just hope I don't eat it all back on Tuesday!...
Day 11...here we come...
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Day 9: Not feeling so tough...
I see it....
THE LIGHT....THE LIGHT...
Okay, so Day 9 went by pretty uneventfully except for the niggling feeling that perhaps the exercise was becoming too much in the morning.
My usual 8am tennis session was exhausting and felt like I was trying out for the Marines. It was a really good workout but I was puzzled by why I was feeling quite so winded easily (the rallies were getting longer but...) and my legs felt like lead.
This was making me feel increasingly like perhaps taking a break from the exercise regime (Day 10 would have been another killer 2 hour session) might be the key.
To make things worse, I decided to torment myself by looking at the website of Cold Stone Creameries. I have heard of this company before but I have never tasted their stuff because it's a uniquely American franchise. I looked it up because obviously, a) I am a sadist b) food-sessing (as my friend calls it when I talk about food) has been helpful in getting through these last 2-3 'hill days' c) Mr Kirsch mentioned it in the same breath as one of the loves of my life: Krispy Kreme Doughnuts - it must be tasty in some way!
Boy, does their ice cream look so goood....
Thursday is starting to feel more and more like a sleep-in day.
THE LIGHT....THE LIGHT...
Okay, so Day 9 went by pretty uneventfully except for the niggling feeling that perhaps the exercise was becoming too much in the morning.
My usual 8am tennis session was exhausting and felt like I was trying out for the Marines. It was a really good workout but I was puzzled by why I was feeling quite so winded easily (the rallies were getting longer but...) and my legs felt like lead.
This was making me feel increasingly like perhaps taking a break from the exercise regime (Day 10 would have been another killer 2 hour session) might be the key.
To make things worse, I decided to torment myself by looking at the website of Cold Stone Creameries. I have heard of this company before but I have never tasted their stuff because it's a uniquely American franchise. I looked it up because obviously, a) I am a sadist b) food-sessing (as my friend calls it when I talk about food) has been helpful in getting through these last 2-3 'hill days' c) Mr Kirsch mentioned it in the same breath as one of the loves of my life: Krispy Kreme Doughnuts - it must be tasty in some way!
Boy, does their ice cream look so goood....
Thursday is starting to feel more and more like a sleep-in day.
Day 8: Down Temptation Creek, with no Motivational Paddle
By far, this was the most rock bottom day I had. I was THIS CLOSE to giving up. In desperate need of a motivational pick-up, I visited my fellow sufferer in crime to have lunch.
Eating out is supposedly not encouraged on Mr Kirsch's regime but honestly, I think it makes getting through this whole thing a lot easier. It makes you feel...normal. Like a person.
We had lunch at Manhattan Fish Market - yes, admittedly not the best choice but with careful scrutiny of the menu (something I used to do anyway), you can actually have a not-bad-for-health but most importantly within-the-rules lunch.
We gave detailed instructions to the poor waiter - order went something like this: grilled platter for one, no rice, no chips, salad only, with no carrots (repeat: no carrots) and grilled salmon, no chips, no rice, salad only, no carrots - got it?
Our waiter gamely nodded but when he delivered our food (sans the carrots and with the greens), to our horror, we had forgotten to tell him not to splush any of that gorgeous (okay, I lie - it's not THAT gorgeous, but remember, I haven't seen the sight of dairy for 8 days) garlicky-buttery creamy sauce on our stuff. Fortunately, it didn't actually cover that much of the fish and was the skin side only.
So all through lunch, I bitched about how bored I was with having exercise rule my life. It's not the food that bugs me - I mean, yes it bugs me in terms of limiting my choices but it doesn't REALLY bug me. I was getting to the stage of what the Singaporeans call 'TU LAN'.
TU LAN = something very rude in Hokkien but roughly equates to sick and tired and absolutely fed up to high heaven.
I was fed-up with having to exercise every day. I was bored with the whole situation. And I guess, I was having some of those 'oh, I've already lost a bit of weight...I'm not at my target but I've done pretty well' stage. I was ready to fall off the wagon.
The bitching was good. It was helpful. I felt much better and a lot more motivated. Moral of the story: never do something this crazy, alone!
Eating out is supposedly not encouraged on Mr Kirsch's regime but honestly, I think it makes getting through this whole thing a lot easier. It makes you feel...normal. Like a person.
We had lunch at Manhattan Fish Market - yes, admittedly not the best choice but with careful scrutiny of the menu (something I used to do anyway), you can actually have a not-bad-for-health but most importantly within-the-rules lunch.
We gave detailed instructions to the poor waiter - order went something like this: grilled platter for one, no rice, no chips, salad only, with no carrots (repeat: no carrots) and grilled salmon, no chips, no rice, salad only, no carrots - got it?
Our waiter gamely nodded but when he delivered our food (sans the carrots and with the greens), to our horror, we had forgotten to tell him not to splush any of that gorgeous (okay, I lie - it's not THAT gorgeous, but remember, I haven't seen the sight of dairy for 8 days) garlicky-buttery creamy sauce on our stuff. Fortunately, it didn't actually cover that much of the fish and was the skin side only.
So all through lunch, I bitched about how bored I was with having exercise rule my life. It's not the food that bugs me - I mean, yes it bugs me in terms of limiting my choices but it doesn't REALLY bug me. I was getting to the stage of what the Singaporeans call 'TU LAN'.
TU LAN = something very rude in Hokkien but roughly equates to sick and tired and absolutely fed up to high heaven.
I was fed-up with having to exercise every day. I was bored with the whole situation. And I guess, I was having some of those 'oh, I've already lost a bit of weight...I'm not at my target but I've done pretty well' stage. I was ready to fall off the wagon.
The bitching was good. It was helpful. I felt much better and a lot more motivated. Moral of the story: never do something this crazy, alone!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Day 7: These are a few of my favourite things...
I thought the hill was over and behind me. Evidently not. Woke up this morning with the intention of breaking the gym boredom syndrome by whacking some balls at the tennis backboard.
Yes, I sure picked a lousy day astrologically to do so. 5 minutes into it, I knew it was one of those days, but about 50 times worse. After 20 minutes of confused tennis, wherein my legs moved like jello and my hand-eye coordination was nothing short of pathetic, I gave up.
The night before, I was desperately thinking about all the food I would eat after the 14 days lapsed and simultaneously living in paranoid fear of gaining back whatever weight had taken me a hell of a lot of bloody effort to lose. This eat, no eat conversation is not much fun.
I haven't fallen off the wagon, but I felt quite close to it today.
And I realised, every morning, I have to run the hawker food gauntlet. This little alleyway from my house to the gym in Uptown is basically the neighbourhood hawker stall central so every morning, on my way to the gym (on an empty stomach!) I see people scoffing pan meen, wan tan mee, fried noodles, curry mee...basically lard-carb-oil laden stuff that has both a repulsive effect (calories!) and yet so tempting! (that be the carbs talking).
Things seemed to get a little better in the afternoon after I vented some rage in the office - I'm not quite sure if the venting of my rage helped, or the fact that there was something annoying taking place just gave me ammo to throw all my irritation at a target.
And for the first time, I absolutely had to take an afternoon nap. I was beginning to wonder if the reason why I felt awful was really the whole astrological situation or was it that sip of unadulterated 100 plus I had in the morning before going to the tennis court.
I was beginning to have a very very bad suspicion that...urk, 7 days of low carb, minimal sugar (okay, I allow myself one little cheat - a cup of 100 plus mixed in with a lot of water at the gym on those tough 2 hour days) - was the sudden introduction of sugar into my system what made me go psycho/wobbly in the morning?
I'm putting my money on astrological phenomenon...never-underestimate a Fu Yin...(that's the astrological term)
Passing time has to be the hardest thing on this diet. Passing time not thinking about food. I find a strange consolation in strolling the aisles of supermarkets, looking at the food I CAN'T EAT and watching cookery programs of people making food that, oops, I CAN'T EAT. And I suppose this is the time when having an outrageous imagination can be helpful: I imagine the taste of all the banned food...Imagine eating it...it sounds like torment but it seems to work for me.
I'm not really even that close to the light at the end of the tunnel (that would be like..Day 12, or Day 13...) but I'm already thinking about what I'm going to eat at 12.01AM on the 24th of July - Freedom day!
Ranking high on the list - Starbucks Signature Hot Chocolate...or maybe a Mocha Latte?? Haven't seen the bottom of a coffee cup for 7 days now...
So at 12.01AM the Starbucks at HSBC won't be open. Or maybe it might be. I don't care that I probably won't be able to sleep!
... definitely a disgustingly carb laden but so deliciously bad for health Indomie Goreng will be available, be it at the nearby roach motel mamak, or Bistari in Sri Hartamas (the best Indomie Goreng I've ever had).
Now, proper breakfast on the 24th - that's what I'm really looking forward to. No more protein shakes with flaxseed gunk!! Admittedly, they are very good for me and don't taste quite as foul as one would imagine, but I miss real food. I miss eggs with yolks.
I'm torn between the All Day Breakfast at La Bodega, and a plate of pancakes (carbs! Carbs! sweets! sweets!) at Alexis...and the ultimate...
Kaya on hot buttered toast, with 2 3/4 boiled eggs at my favourite Malaysian kopitiam place: Uncle Lims at the Curve (and the newspaper - perfect!)
Probably a tosai at my favourite Indian restaurant, Nirwana in Bangsar, would be a lot healthier compared to the above choices (but of course, nowhere near as healthy as boiled eggs with turkey...) but I have a feeling I'm going to have a hard time keeping to the health theme after 2 weeks of detox and clean eating.
Then there's LUNCH. Curry mee at La Manila in Midvalley perhaps? Char Kuay Teow at my dad's favourite vendor, Robert's in DU? Or something healthier like a sandwich at Subway? I lurve the Italian BMT. Ah the choices, the choices.
Then there's the 'E' that Mr Kirsch absolutely forbids but which I have decided, life is too short to live without - Extra Sweet. Today I dropped by my favourite bakery/cake spot, Bakerzin to order a cake for someone's birthday. Yes, I was able to stare down the Oreo Cheesecake but that didn't mean I wasn't salivating or thinking about it. Where do I start? Strawberry Jam doughnut at Starbucks for tea? Or a doughnut from the Big Apple in The Curve? (re my love affair with doughnuts, see my post on Krispy Kreme in HK! Ah...we'll always have Hong Kong...)
Anyway, what this all means is (and I suspect that list of my favourite things is going to keep getting longer) I will have to buy Mr Kirsch's new book, the Ultimate New York Diet...
In the meantime, I think that "These are a few of my favourite things" is going to be heard by my neighbours a lot until the 24th...
Yes, I sure picked a lousy day astrologically to do so. 5 minutes into it, I knew it was one of those days, but about 50 times worse. After 20 minutes of confused tennis, wherein my legs moved like jello and my hand-eye coordination was nothing short of pathetic, I gave up.
The night before, I was desperately thinking about all the food I would eat after the 14 days lapsed and simultaneously living in paranoid fear of gaining back whatever weight had taken me a hell of a lot of bloody effort to lose. This eat, no eat conversation is not much fun.
I haven't fallen off the wagon, but I felt quite close to it today.
And I realised, every morning, I have to run the hawker food gauntlet. This little alleyway from my house to the gym in Uptown is basically the neighbourhood hawker stall central so every morning, on my way to the gym (on an empty stomach!) I see people scoffing pan meen, wan tan mee, fried noodles, curry mee...basically lard-carb-oil laden stuff that has both a repulsive effect (calories!) and yet so tempting! (that be the carbs talking).
Things seemed to get a little better in the afternoon after I vented some rage in the office - I'm not quite sure if the venting of my rage helped, or the fact that there was something annoying taking place just gave me ammo to throw all my irritation at a target.
And for the first time, I absolutely had to take an afternoon nap. I was beginning to wonder if the reason why I felt awful was really the whole astrological situation or was it that sip of unadulterated 100 plus I had in the morning before going to the tennis court.
I was beginning to have a very very bad suspicion that...urk, 7 days of low carb, minimal sugar (okay, I allow myself one little cheat - a cup of 100 plus mixed in with a lot of water at the gym on those tough 2 hour days) - was the sudden introduction of sugar into my system what made me go psycho/wobbly in the morning?
I'm putting my money on astrological phenomenon...never-underestimate a Fu Yin...(that's the astrological term)
Passing time has to be the hardest thing on this diet. Passing time not thinking about food. I find a strange consolation in strolling the aisles of supermarkets, looking at the food I CAN'T EAT and watching cookery programs of people making food that, oops, I CAN'T EAT. And I suppose this is the time when having an outrageous imagination can be helpful: I imagine the taste of all the banned food...Imagine eating it...it sounds like torment but it seems to work for me.
I'm not really even that close to the light at the end of the tunnel (that would be like..Day 12, or Day 13...) but I'm already thinking about what I'm going to eat at 12.01AM on the 24th of July - Freedom day!
Ranking high on the list - Starbucks Signature Hot Chocolate...or maybe a Mocha Latte?? Haven't seen the bottom of a coffee cup for 7 days now...
So at 12.01AM the Starbucks at HSBC won't be open. Or maybe it might be. I don't care that I probably won't be able to sleep!
... definitely a disgustingly carb laden but so deliciously bad for health Indomie Goreng will be available, be it at the nearby roach motel mamak, or Bistari in Sri Hartamas (the best Indomie Goreng I've ever had).
Now, proper breakfast on the 24th - that's what I'm really looking forward to. No more protein shakes with flaxseed gunk!! Admittedly, they are very good for me and don't taste quite as foul as one would imagine, but I miss real food. I miss eggs with yolks.
I'm torn between the All Day Breakfast at La Bodega, and a plate of pancakes (carbs! Carbs! sweets! sweets!) at Alexis...and the ultimate...
Kaya on hot buttered toast, with 2 3/4 boiled eggs at my favourite Malaysian kopitiam place: Uncle Lims at the Curve (and the newspaper - perfect!)
Probably a tosai at my favourite Indian restaurant, Nirwana in Bangsar, would be a lot healthier compared to the above choices (but of course, nowhere near as healthy as boiled eggs with turkey...) but I have a feeling I'm going to have a hard time keeping to the health theme after 2 weeks of detox and clean eating.
Then there's LUNCH. Curry mee at La Manila in Midvalley perhaps? Char Kuay Teow at my dad's favourite vendor, Robert's in DU? Or something healthier like a sandwich at Subway? I lurve the Italian BMT. Ah the choices, the choices.
Then there's the 'E' that Mr Kirsch absolutely forbids but which I have decided, life is too short to live without - Extra Sweet. Today I dropped by my favourite bakery/cake spot, Bakerzin to order a cake for someone's birthday. Yes, I was able to stare down the Oreo Cheesecake but that didn't mean I wasn't salivating or thinking about it. Where do I start? Strawberry Jam doughnut at Starbucks for tea? Or a doughnut from the Big Apple in The Curve? (re my love affair with doughnuts, see my post on Krispy Kreme in HK! Ah...we'll always have Hong Kong...)
Anyway, what this all means is (and I suspect that list of my favourite things is going to keep getting longer) I will have to buy Mr Kirsch's new book, the Ultimate New York Diet...
In the meantime, I think that "These are a few of my favourite things" is going to be heard by my neighbours a lot until the 24th...
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Death by Diet: On the 7th day of Diet..my Guru Said To Me...
It is Day 6 of my crazy diet (those of you didn't get the email, it's the David Kirsch Ultimate New York Body Plan - notice the lack of the word 'diet' - Mr Kirsch thinks it's a dirty word). Anyway, for those interested...this be it...
And he looks so...nice in the picture. How can such a nice looking person, design such a diabolical diet/exercise fitness regime? On 2nd thoughts, I guess you'd have to be a total NaZi to be able to make women who make a living appearing virtually naked (that's Victoria Secret models) look fabulous.
The diet is Health NaZi to the max: no carrots, no red meat and you only get to eat whatever flies or swims only. And there's the exercise routine: a murderous 2 hours every other day, and 1 hour every day. The gym is starting to feel like home...
It's been an interesting 6 days to say the least. Coffee-deprivation isn't as bad as it would have felt (although if I don't get my daily green tea dose, crankiness starts to hit me at about 6ish) and I have not been 'HUNGRY' - but I certainly have felt deprived.
Highlights of the last 6 days (and no, there will be no STATS provided here...somehow, I'm not quite into sharing THAT much).
Day 1 - An easy day at the gym and I felt pretty okay. But then, it was only Day 1.
Day 2 - the first 'killer day' of the 2 hour workout. I was ready to keel over. But food-wise, was still hanging in there although the chicken and mushroom burgers were starting to feel rather...trying.
Day 3 - Arghhh. To make salmon cakes (Mr Kirsch is also a gourmet cook so he gives you recipes to keep you on track, food-wise), had to buy fish from Jaya Jusco. That meant running the Jaya Jusco GAUNTLET.
Jaya Jusco Gauntlet: the gaggle of food stalls that one has to walk past (and smell and see the food). As I come down the escalator, the first stall I see is the demo stall for Gion Bread...the words "Just One Piece" are flashing through my mind!!!!
I get to the bottom of the escalator, and scoot past the Gion Bread demo people and run straight into the Tako Ball stall....and the bakery with all the sausage bread and pizzas...I keep my head down and scamper on to the supermarket. Damn, the fish is all on the same side as the Jaya Jusco pre-prepared Japanese food...Tempura!...Rice with chicken teriyaki!!! - Unagi with teriyaki sauce dripping off it....honestly this stuff wouldn't get my attention on any day of the week (okay, maybe a 2nd look) but today, it's like...FOOOOOOOD!
And then, the gauntlet has to be repeated, after I have managed to buy my fish!
They don't call it the 3rd Day Hill for nothing!
And to add to the curse, Starbucks has recently introduced Strawberry Jam doughnuts. Arrrghh. What timing.
Day 4 - ugh, the 2 hour session today felt tough. But I felt strangely zippy in the evening. I put it down to the Protein Shakes (not exactly my favourite part of the diet but I've been surprised at how it seems to actually work). But the egg eating is getting to me. I love eggs but not having the yolks is seriously not fun. Mr Kirsch tells us that yolks contain all the calories in an egg so you're only allowed to eat the whites. Diet is starting to feel VERY NAZI at this point...esp when someone eats Oreos in front you!
Went into Starbucks with a friend and SNIFFED the air. This seems to be the only way to get caffeine without drinking it. I felt pretty sad at that point.
Strange dream tonight (could be a psychological thing - my mind trying to tell me something). I dreamt I was having dinner with a friend, and stuffing my face with chocolate cake, margeritas and mashed potatoes! And as my dream alter-ego ate away, my real self (watching in the 3rd person) was horrified at the sight of my dream alter-ego falling off the wagon. It was surreal to say the least.
Day 5 - mood picks up. And i'm feeling a lot better. Which is strange. I expected to feel pretty cranky, hungry, irritable on this diet and I've actually felt more energised - okay, mornings are a killer on my schedule to fit in all that exercise but so far, I haven't felt exhausted to the point of not being able to work. There are the odd moments when something annoying threatens to tip me over the edge and send me ballistic, but green tea actually has a calming effect (or just caffeine substitution).
My mother bakes bread today - the smell of the bread reminds me of my sniffing activities in Starbucks. But strangely enough as it is, just being able to smell it actually makes me feel less deprived. I guess my brain is starting to play tricks in order to get me through this diet!
Day 6 - so far, so good. I've been busy thinking mostly about what I'm going to eat after the 14th day expires (Monday next week) and at the same time, realising, that it might be possible to just totally fall off the wagon and undo all the work of the last 14 days in just one sitting. Clearly, maintaining this thing is going to take as much effort...but I'm only going to think about that...um...next Saturday...Sunday maybe.
Watch this space folks (but em, no...there won't be any before and after pictures)
And he looks so...nice in the picture. How can such a nice looking person, design such a diabolical diet/exercise fitness regime? On 2nd thoughts, I guess you'd have to be a total NaZi to be able to make women who make a living appearing virtually naked (that's Victoria Secret models) look fabulous.
The diet is Health NaZi to the max: no carrots, no red meat and you only get to eat whatever flies or swims only. And there's the exercise routine: a murderous 2 hours every other day, and 1 hour every day. The gym is starting to feel like home...
It's been an interesting 6 days to say the least. Coffee-deprivation isn't as bad as it would have felt (although if I don't get my daily green tea dose, crankiness starts to hit me at about 6ish) and I have not been 'HUNGRY' - but I certainly have felt deprived.
Highlights of the last 6 days (and no, there will be no STATS provided here...somehow, I'm not quite into sharing THAT much).
Day 1 - An easy day at the gym and I felt pretty okay. But then, it was only Day 1.
Day 2 - the first 'killer day' of the 2 hour workout. I was ready to keel over. But food-wise, was still hanging in there although the chicken and mushroom burgers were starting to feel rather...trying.
Day 3 - Arghhh. To make salmon cakes (Mr Kirsch is also a gourmet cook so he gives you recipes to keep you on track, food-wise), had to buy fish from Jaya Jusco. That meant running the Jaya Jusco GAUNTLET.
Jaya Jusco Gauntlet: the gaggle of food stalls that one has to walk past (and smell and see the food). As I come down the escalator, the first stall I see is the demo stall for Gion Bread...the words "Just One Piece" are flashing through my mind!!!!
I get to the bottom of the escalator, and scoot past the Gion Bread demo people and run straight into the Tako Ball stall....and the bakery with all the sausage bread and pizzas...I keep my head down and scamper on to the supermarket. Damn, the fish is all on the same side as the Jaya Jusco pre-prepared Japanese food...Tempura!...Rice with chicken teriyaki!!! - Unagi with teriyaki sauce dripping off it....honestly this stuff wouldn't get my attention on any day of the week (okay, maybe a 2nd look) but today, it's like...FOOOOOOOD!
And then, the gauntlet has to be repeated, after I have managed to buy my fish!
They don't call it the 3rd Day Hill for nothing!
And to add to the curse, Starbucks has recently introduced Strawberry Jam doughnuts. Arrrghh. What timing.
Day 4 - ugh, the 2 hour session today felt tough. But I felt strangely zippy in the evening. I put it down to the Protein Shakes (not exactly my favourite part of the diet but I've been surprised at how it seems to actually work). But the egg eating is getting to me. I love eggs but not having the yolks is seriously not fun. Mr Kirsch tells us that yolks contain all the calories in an egg so you're only allowed to eat the whites. Diet is starting to feel VERY NAZI at this point...esp when someone eats Oreos in front you!
Went into Starbucks with a friend and SNIFFED the air. This seems to be the only way to get caffeine without drinking it. I felt pretty sad at that point.
Strange dream tonight (could be a psychological thing - my mind trying to tell me something). I dreamt I was having dinner with a friend, and stuffing my face with chocolate cake, margeritas and mashed potatoes! And as my dream alter-ego ate away, my real self (watching in the 3rd person) was horrified at the sight of my dream alter-ego falling off the wagon. It was surreal to say the least.
Day 5 - mood picks up. And i'm feeling a lot better. Which is strange. I expected to feel pretty cranky, hungry, irritable on this diet and I've actually felt more energised - okay, mornings are a killer on my schedule to fit in all that exercise but so far, I haven't felt exhausted to the point of not being able to work. There are the odd moments when something annoying threatens to tip me over the edge and send me ballistic, but green tea actually has a calming effect (or just caffeine substitution).
My mother bakes bread today - the smell of the bread reminds me of my sniffing activities in Starbucks. But strangely enough as it is, just being able to smell it actually makes me feel less deprived. I guess my brain is starting to play tricks in order to get me through this diet!
Day 6 - so far, so good. I've been busy thinking mostly about what I'm going to eat after the 14th day expires (Monday next week) and at the same time, realising, that it might be possible to just totally fall off the wagon and undo all the work of the last 14 days in just one sitting. Clearly, maintaining this thing is going to take as much effort...but I'm only going to think about that...um...next Saturday...Sunday maybe.
Watch this space folks (but em, no...there won't be any before and after pictures)
Friday, December 08, 2006
Can you say 'DOH' Nut
One of the highlights of my trip to HK this time was a visit to that renown American brand institution, Krispy Kreme. Today was Visit #3 and I think I have just about topped out on sugared doughnuts (although quite how they are managing to absolutely make a foul mockery of their Lattes, using Illy coffee is quite beyond me, hence I just order the straight regular coffee)
At HKD10 a pop (or DOH), it's not cheap. 2 doughnuts and a cup of regular coffee sets you back RM15 (around HKD38). And I seem to be on a waistline expanding suicide mission to try all of them - pity they don't have a Krispy Kreme checklist at the website.
So far I've tried Original Glazed (me likee), Powdered Strawberry (me sucker for jelly doughnuts), Glazed Raspberry (nice!), Chocolate Iced Kreme filled (sickly sweet and all 380 calories mean I'm never eating that one again but if you're a creme-eggs person, probably might be your thing), Chocolate Iced Custard Filled (grew on me)...as you can see from the checklist, at least a few more to try out although I think I've DOH-ed out. (or maybe my pocket has). Also, eating it prompts terrible guilt and then the need to sweat it out somehow to compensate for the huge quantity of calories consumed.
Why are Americans fat? Ask uncle Krispy Kreme.
And in case you're wondering what in heaven's name is the appeal - they're soft, fluffy, just the right bite, sugary without being messy and frankly, brilliant with coffee - if only they'd get the god-damned Illy right!
Return of the Supermarket Addict
Found a new supermarket in HK to trawl although I must admit, 360 is not as fun as Olivers. They apparently belong to the same owner but I think my taste runs more in the direction of Olivers and CitySuper - 360 is the brand new as organic as it gets supermarket at Landmark in Central, HK.
Okay, I admit, it would be nice to be able to go totally organik but I'm not sure how many wallets would be able to tolerate that. There is in my most humble gastronomic opinion, a line to be drawn - fresh produce being organik is great but do I want to go as far as say, going organik right down to my car wash, washing up liquid and chocolate chip cookies? (although alledgedly they taste better - the cookies!)
Still I suppose one shouldn't poo-pooh the organic revolution - it is a worthy cause, a good cause and a healthier option food wise. And no doubt the people behind 360 did their market research before committed to the gigantic venture (rent in that place notwithstanding)...
Perhaps another trawl would be merited...
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
I am a Supermarket Addict
In 36 hours since landing in HK, I've been to my favourite supermarket, City Super in the IFC no less than 4 times. Never buying much but simply gawking at the aisles and contemplating HKD72 dollar puddings and HKD36 dollar Mueller's Yoghurt Corners (outrageous really but...)
Admittedly it is very sad for someone to be spending at least 45 minutes of their time in a supermarket not buying anything but simply gawking at the umpteen different types of butter and the availability of every kind of chocolate under the planet - for those who are wondering what I'm looking at, it's deciding if gourmet chocolate like Michael Cuizel (mentioned in this book called Temptation, a book best described as a 'scholarly look into the world of Chocolate' - you may have heard of wine grand cru - but chocolate grand cru?) is really worth buying or should one go with the now very Establishment-unhip Green and Black (organic but owned by Cadbury - some contradictions there) or perhaps the tried and very very tested Valrhona. Or maybe just save the bucks for something else.
Two items caught my attention:
The Bagels - I have a weakness for bagels. They cost the stupid earth and beyond in KL (seen the price at BSC? - perhaps it is time to learn how to make the little buggers) and are foul and frozen. Fresh ones necessitate a visit to Bagel Station in Avenue K - far too far for a bagel.
Then there was this!
My branding fascination reached new heights with this. Who said Brits are stodgy? THey certainly aren't when it comes to food and food packaging (Innocent smoothies get my vote for starting this trend). The name of course, invokes all manner of the right feelings and sensations, when it comes to deep, dark, sinful, straight of the Menu in Satan's Kitchen chocolate pudding - GU. What a name. Goo. Perfect when you think of chocolate pud, dripping with thick chocolate sauce. And of course, black packaging. Perfect to create that illusion of something exclusive, refined and totally classy. (black clearly, is still the new black, is still the new black) - it's a pity black's conventional association as a clothing colour ("slimming") has zero application when it's used to wrap the mother of all calorific sins....
HKD76 - but damn, can't well have it without some cream poured over it now can you? Memo to self - check out price of microwavable chocolate pud at Marks and Sparks...
Tomorrow - Krispy Kreme and Why Americans are Understandably Obese...
Admittedly it is very sad for someone to be spending at least 45 minutes of their time in a supermarket not buying anything but simply gawking at the umpteen different types of butter and the availability of every kind of chocolate under the planet - for those who are wondering what I'm looking at, it's deciding if gourmet chocolate like Michael Cuizel (mentioned in this book called Temptation, a book best described as a 'scholarly look into the world of Chocolate' - you may have heard of wine grand cru - but chocolate grand cru?) is really worth buying or should one go with the now very Establishment-unhip Green and Black (organic but owned by Cadbury - some contradictions there) or perhaps the tried and very very tested Valrhona. Or maybe just save the bucks for something else.
Two items caught my attention:
The Bagels - I have a weakness for bagels. They cost the stupid earth and beyond in KL (seen the price at BSC? - perhaps it is time to learn how to make the little buggers) and are foul and frozen. Fresh ones necessitate a visit to Bagel Station in Avenue K - far too far for a bagel.
Then there was this!
My branding fascination reached new heights with this. Who said Brits are stodgy? THey certainly aren't when it comes to food and food packaging (Innocent smoothies get my vote for starting this trend). The name of course, invokes all manner of the right feelings and sensations, when it comes to deep, dark, sinful, straight of the Menu in Satan's Kitchen chocolate pudding - GU. What a name. Goo. Perfect when you think of chocolate pud, dripping with thick chocolate sauce. And of course, black packaging. Perfect to create that illusion of something exclusive, refined and totally classy. (black clearly, is still the new black, is still the new black) - it's a pity black's conventional association as a clothing colour ("slimming") has zero application when it's used to wrap the mother of all calorific sins....HKD76 - but damn, can't well have it without some cream poured over it now can you? Memo to self - check out price of microwavable chocolate pud at Marks and Sparks...
Tomorrow - Krispy Kreme and Why Americans are Understandably Obese...
The Language Snob...
Poor signage never ceases to amaze me and is quite frankly inexcusable in an upmarket establishment like oh say, 2Utama.
No doubt the use of the double M is to make sure that customers REALLY KNOW it's REALLY COMING.
This next one was spotted on the MidLevels Escalator in Hong Kong where I'm presently encsconced, doing nothing much, save walking around with my virtual red pen to correct grammatical and spelling errors.
Particularly like the "Intelligence Home System", the "Maid Service Apartment" and I had to do a double take on the 'best chocie in Central' - wondering if it had been a typo that meant the best choccie (chocolate) in town.
No doubt the use of the double M is to make sure that customers REALLY KNOW it's REALLY COMING.
This next one was spotted on the MidLevels Escalator in Hong Kong where I'm presently encsconced, doing nothing much, save walking around with my virtual red pen to correct grammatical and spelling errors.
Particularly like the "Intelligence Home System", the "Maid Service Apartment" and I had to do a double take on the 'best chocie in Central' - wondering if it had been a typo that meant the best choccie (chocolate) in town.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
The POTUS we will never have...MacKenzie Allen for White House 2008
Recently I mentioned to a friend that the George Bush's secret service nickname is POTUS. He said why. Errr....it's just some piece of trivia stuck in my head.
THEN it came to me in the midst of an LA Times article about TV shows that critics loved but died a natural death.
POTUS = President Of The United States. Hiya.
I've been watching this short-lived cancelled series 'Commander in Chief' with Geena Davis as the world's first female POTUS. Dammit, it is good. This is the first time I've watched an American President on television that made me actually believe the Oval Office could be an institution of integrity, principles and bloody honesty. Does it have everything to do with the fact that she's a woman? (Michael Douglas doesn't count because he was a movie president...)
Maybe. (okaylah, very big maybe) it is the XX factor. But I think it has as much to do with political conviction and an understanding of what it means to be POTUS in today's world. The office of POTUS has been so tarnished by the current Failure in Office that it is a wonder anyone outside of the US has any respect for that dimwit.
Of course, being POTUS on tv is easy. Stuff gets wrapped at the end of 45 minutes. No one really dies. And there are no badly-coiffed nutso dictators with their finger on the trigger to really piss off or drop the ball on. And heck, Mac has great hair all the time. And looks great in those sharp suits.
Ur, waitaminute, so does Bush. (famously cited by the Presidential tailor as saying 'does this make my crotch look weird' when it came to his pants).
MacKenzie Spencer Allen for White House in 2008 I say.
THEN it came to me in the midst of an LA Times article about TV shows that critics loved but died a natural death.
POTUS = President Of The United States. Hiya.
I've been watching this short-lived cancelled series 'Commander in Chief' with Geena Davis as the world's first female POTUS. Dammit, it is good. This is the first time I've watched an American President on television that made me actually believe the Oval Office could be an institution of integrity, principles and bloody honesty. Does it have everything to do with the fact that she's a woman? (Michael Douglas doesn't count because he was a movie president...)
Maybe. (okaylah, very big maybe) it is the XX factor. But I think it has as much to do with political conviction and an understanding of what it means to be POTUS in today's world. The office of POTUS has been so tarnished by the current Failure in Office that it is a wonder anyone outside of the US has any respect for that dimwit.
Of course, being POTUS on tv is easy. Stuff gets wrapped at the end of 45 minutes. No one really dies. And there are no badly-coiffed nutso dictators with their finger on the trigger to really piss off or drop the ball on. And heck, Mac has great hair all the time. And looks great in those sharp suits.
Ur, waitaminute, so does Bush. (famously cited by the Presidential tailor as saying 'does this make my crotch look weird' when it came to his pants).
MacKenzie Spencer Allen for White House in 2008 I say.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Paging Dr House...Season 3 report to the OR STAT
2am nights are now over...despite my valiant attempts to restrict myself to 2 episodes a night (yeah right), I zipped through Season 2 of House MD in gasp, less than a week. (last all time crazy insane DVD watching record broken by in succession, Grey's Anatomy Season 2 and Nip/Tuck.
Canes, being crusty and bad stubble have never been this sexy. There's something delightfully evil about watching House - it's one of those programs that makes you feel like a higher being, especially if you happen to be a fan of House himself (vs the show - as in, fans of Grissom (yuck) vs Fan of CSI, fan of Eddie vs fan of Frasier)
Despite the temptation of downloading, I am not longer willing to put up with watching TV programs on my wee little computer. So, shall wait 9 months for the season to be over and then wait for the boxed set to come out. Ditto Grey's Anatomy.
It will be interesting to see if my obsession fatigue sets in after season 3, the usual point by which I become bored unless the writing is really really good. Grey's is in danger of becoming about the other stars of the show, and not about 'Grey' herself. But Dr MacDreamy should be cause enough to keep me tuning in for as least, the rest of the season...
Canes, being crusty and bad stubble have never been this sexy. There's something delightfully evil about watching House - it's one of those programs that makes you feel like a higher being, especially if you happen to be a fan of House himself (vs the show - as in, fans of Grissom (yuck) vs Fan of CSI, fan of Eddie vs fan of Frasier)
Despite the temptation of downloading, I am not longer willing to put up with watching TV programs on my wee little computer. So, shall wait 9 months for the season to be over and then wait for the boxed set to come out. Ditto Grey's Anatomy.
It will be interesting to see if my obsession fatigue sets in after season 3, the usual point by which I become bored unless the writing is really really good. Grey's is in danger of becoming about the other stars of the show, and not about 'Grey' herself. But Dr MacDreamy should be cause enough to keep me tuning in for as least, the rest of the season...
Saturday, August 20, 2005
If Music Be the Food of Life...
Okay, i didn't say it, Shakespeare did...
Besides the mention of Paddington House of Pancakes (who on recent visit, seem to have managed to not have a waffle maker for a while, despite it being one of the best selling item! - what gives), I haven't really talked enough about food but I guess I have to be in the mood.
Lately, I've done more music sampling than food sampling (but I will get to that review of Senses in KL Hilton SOON). On my new always-on-in-the-car music list:
Tina Turner - All The Best (I haven't been able to get her rendition of 'Proud Mary' out of my head since I heard it on Sex in the City, and again recently on Ms Congeniality 2)
Joss Stone - Mind,Body and Soul (a rare CD where I actually like the first 4 songs, not just the one single track)
Mr and Mrs Smith Soundtrack - just two tracks but the movie rocked (for those of us with an IQ to appreciate it!)
Now, if I can just get to stuffing them on my iPod...
Besides the mention of Paddington House of Pancakes (who on recent visit, seem to have managed to not have a waffle maker for a while, despite it being one of the best selling item! - what gives), I haven't really talked enough about food but I guess I have to be in the mood.
Lately, I've done more music sampling than food sampling (but I will get to that review of Senses in KL Hilton SOON). On my new always-on-in-the-car music list:
Tina Turner - All The Best (I haven't been able to get her rendition of 'Proud Mary' out of my head since I heard it on Sex in the City, and again recently on Ms Congeniality 2)
Joss Stone - Mind,Body and Soul (a rare CD where I actually like the first 4 songs, not just the one single track)
Mr and Mrs Smith Soundtrack - just two tracks but the movie rocked (for those of us with an IQ to appreciate it!)
Now, if I can just get to stuffing them on my iPod...
Friday, July 08, 2005
My 7/7
I've always been conscious of the need for blogs, IMHO, to be a spontaneous (read, unedited) experience. So it feels a bit surreal to be in a wi-fi Starbucks, on a beautiful sunny day, in Edinburgh, Scotland, looking aout the gorgeous bay windows at Edinburgh Castle in front of me, and reflecting on the events of the day before.
7/7.
The consummate writer and journalist in me feels an overwhelming need to record (for posterity? Or just for the momentousness of the occasion?) my thoughts. I feel a bit perverse about it all - because part of this blog doesn't feel like a spontaneous outpouring, but a somewhat copy edited (how does that read, ooh, nice turn of phrase) entry.
But then again, this is one of those personal events in one's life that almost merits recollecting in entirety.
(oh, and if you're wondering where the Food bits come in to this blog, I'm afraid they don't)
The aftermath of 7/7 (my personal 9/11 seems to be inappropriate - after all, I wasn't there - and that's the whole point surely of this blog?) is a remarkable calm in Britain. Damn, you have to hand it to them (and i'm proud to say at this point, this is what a British education gives you - a don't let the bastards get you down, stiff upper lip resolve) - the news coverage on the Beeb was respectful, informative but none of that over the top hysterionics American overanalysis, ask the same question 60 times, coverage. It was focused, it was calm and it was the bedrock for people who didn't know what was going on. Trust the Brits to never, never, ever, allow themselves to descend into the drama queen, analyse ever damn speckle of information, approach that CNN personifies. Even CNN's coverage was remarkably subdued, perhaps because the Brits simply didn't play into the over-the-top habits of Americans. The calm of the doctors, the police officers, the analysts that spoke on the Beeb (and Sky) shows - just another day at the office. I feel a great pride at seeing them react this way, because after 5 years of education here, I have always, almost, felt like one of them.
Yesterday was...interesting. No, that doens't quite capture it.
A part of me wonders if I am exaggerating when i say, it was a narrow escape. (Paddington was one station from Edgware Road - and as I discovered in the newspapers today, 200 yards from the tube station. Now, I was on the Main Line Paddington Station, but possibilities, indeed, what could have happened...boggle the mind).
I reached Gyle Shopping Mall from Edinburgh Airport, DESPERATE for a television. I suppose it is again, testament to the news junkie habits of Generation CNN. But also partly it was the newshound journalist in me that felt a compelling need to find out what was happening simply because I was a part of it. A momentous event in history had taken place and I had somehow, in my mind, been connected or to some degree, a part of it.
I searched desperately, with an almost wrecking sense of anxiety, for a television. Any DAMN TV would have done me. Just to find out what the hell was happening. It didn't help that I couldn't get through to anyone on my mobile phone, Maxis SIM or Virgin SIM. I felt totally cut off. And the fact that the people around me seemed to be oblivious didn't help my increasing irritation and need to KNOW what happened.
I do wonder, in hindsight, what prompted me to write an e mail to Jeff Ooi to share my account.
Now, this is the me who reckons the whole 'share my account' thing is a bit of a squidgy soft warm and fuzzy feeling thing. And I've often wondered why people who share their first person accounts with the newspapers ( I mean, it seems so weird, even if I, like many other reads, eagerly devoured the first person accounts in the papers). Now I realise, or at least, understand why.
It is a momentous event in your life. To be in the middle of a momentous event in history. You want to talk about it, you want to share it, you want people to know what was going through your head, a blow by blow account of the thoughts going through your mind, you want to capture every sensation, even feeling, even heartbeat. (here speaketh someone who considered blogs to be, too public, and who is about, to write to the Star to share my first person account - go figure).
I think it would be perverse, indeed, trivial, to say that yesterday, was my personal 9/11. (though it makes great copy). It feels over the top to think of it as a close scrape, a narrow escape. (again, make great copy but...really, how close was I?). I probably will never know and don't think I want to know...)
My hurried, uncomposed, spontaneous thoughts, I recorded for posterity in my e mail to Jeff. This I suppose is my more composed reaction.
A thought has to go out to the way the Brits are handling themselves. With absolute fantastic composure and calm. The don't let the bastards get us down stiff upper lip class that they have always displayed. I'm not a Brit but 5 years amongst them in my schooling days, has certainly made me always feel like one of them. And in times like this, you can't help but feel proud to be if not one of them, amongst them. None of this bullshit American over the top news coverage, analysing everything to bits and asking the same question 60 times over. Auntie, was fantastic. Straight coverage, no panic, facts only, constantly keeping the information flow open but steady at the same time.
Must get on with my piece for the Star...will they publish it? (ugh, ever the writer to the end)
7/7.
The consummate writer and journalist in me feels an overwhelming need to record (for posterity? Or just for the momentousness of the occasion?) my thoughts. I feel a bit perverse about it all - because part of this blog doesn't feel like a spontaneous outpouring, but a somewhat copy edited (how does that read, ooh, nice turn of phrase) entry.
But then again, this is one of those personal events in one's life that almost merits recollecting in entirety.
(oh, and if you're wondering where the Food bits come in to this blog, I'm afraid they don't)
The aftermath of 7/7 (my personal 9/11 seems to be inappropriate - after all, I wasn't there - and that's the whole point surely of this blog?) is a remarkable calm in Britain. Damn, you have to hand it to them (and i'm proud to say at this point, this is what a British education gives you - a don't let the bastards get you down, stiff upper lip resolve) - the news coverage on the Beeb was respectful, informative but none of that over the top hysterionics American overanalysis, ask the same question 60 times, coverage. It was focused, it was calm and it was the bedrock for people who didn't know what was going on. Trust the Brits to never, never, ever, allow themselves to descend into the drama queen, analyse ever damn speckle of information, approach that CNN personifies. Even CNN's coverage was remarkably subdued, perhaps because the Brits simply didn't play into the over-the-top habits of Americans. The calm of the doctors, the police officers, the analysts that spoke on the Beeb (and Sky) shows - just another day at the office. I feel a great pride at seeing them react this way, because after 5 years of education here, I have always, almost, felt like one of them.
Yesterday was...interesting. No, that doens't quite capture it.
A part of me wonders if I am exaggerating when i say, it was a narrow escape. (Paddington was one station from Edgware Road - and as I discovered in the newspapers today, 200 yards from the tube station. Now, I was on the Main Line Paddington Station, but possibilities, indeed, what could have happened...boggle the mind).
I reached Gyle Shopping Mall from Edinburgh Airport, DESPERATE for a television. I suppose it is again, testament to the news junkie habits of Generation CNN. But also partly it was the newshound journalist in me that felt a compelling need to find out what was happening simply because I was a part of it. A momentous event in history had taken place and I had somehow, in my mind, been connected or to some degree, a part of it.
I searched desperately, with an almost wrecking sense of anxiety, for a television. Any DAMN TV would have done me. Just to find out what the hell was happening. It didn't help that I couldn't get through to anyone on my mobile phone, Maxis SIM or Virgin SIM. I felt totally cut off. And the fact that the people around me seemed to be oblivious didn't help my increasing irritation and need to KNOW what happened.
I do wonder, in hindsight, what prompted me to write an e mail to Jeff Ooi to share my account.
Now, this is the me who reckons the whole 'share my account' thing is a bit of a squidgy soft warm and fuzzy feeling thing. And I've often wondered why people who share their first person accounts with the newspapers ( I mean, it seems so weird, even if I, like many other reads, eagerly devoured the first person accounts in the papers). Now I realise, or at least, understand why.
It is a momentous event in your life. To be in the middle of a momentous event in history. You want to talk about it, you want to share it, you want people to know what was going through your head, a blow by blow account of the thoughts going through your mind, you want to capture every sensation, even feeling, even heartbeat. (here speaketh someone who considered blogs to be, too public, and who is about, to write to the Star to share my first person account - go figure).
I think it would be perverse, indeed, trivial, to say that yesterday, was my personal 9/11. (though it makes great copy). It feels over the top to think of it as a close scrape, a narrow escape. (again, make great copy but...really, how close was I?). I probably will never know and don't think I want to know...)
My hurried, uncomposed, spontaneous thoughts, I recorded for posterity in my e mail to Jeff. This I suppose is my more composed reaction.
A thought has to go out to the way the Brits are handling themselves. With absolute fantastic composure and calm. The don't let the bastards get us down stiff upper lip class that they have always displayed. I'm not a Brit but 5 years amongst them in my schooling days, has certainly made me always feel like one of them. And in times like this, you can't help but feel proud to be if not one of them, amongst them. None of this bullshit American over the top news coverage, analysing everything to bits and asking the same question 60 times over. Auntie, was fantastic. Straight coverage, no panic, facts only, constantly keeping the information flow open but steady at the same time.
Must get on with my piece for the Star...will they publish it? (ugh, ever the writer to the end)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)