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On April 13, 2007, when I went in for back surgery, I found out that I weighed 247 pounds (245 naked). This was a wake-up call. Four factors popped into my mind and caused me to get serious about losing weight:

• My weight: I decided that I was never going to reach 250 pounds
• My sugar: lately, I'd been feeling as if I was exhibiting signs of being Type II diabetic
• My blood pressure: with the top number at 130+ and the bottom at 85+
• Circulation problems in my toes and lower legs: I felt that this was caused, primarily, by the pounding my feet were taking from my being obese

For the next five months, whereby I lost 10 pounds, I struggled to discover something new under the sun: a plan that would enable me to rapidly, yet safely, lose the weight.

My eureka! moment came on August 23, 2007.

I had been looking for something that was simple but effective, something even a fool like me couldn't screw up. I distilled my many ideas down to just a few, and then allowed them to ferment - and the The Teaspoon Diet™ was born, only I called it "The Diet Bike" then. Back then I told myself, "You have never in your life learned to diet properly. It's got to be like riding a bicycle: if you ever learn to ride it, then you never forget."

If you've read this far, maybe you'll be willing to read a little further. At the bottom of this page, there is a link beside the word NEXT PAGE. This will get you to The Teaspoon Diet specifics. You will not be asked to "sign in" or for your credit card information: you just cruise the pages for the information you need. And -- other than a few Google text-style ads -- your eyes will not be bombarded by anything that is unsavory. Right now, all the information -- on how to make this diet your own personal success story -- is freely given. This may not always be the case ... so, please, feel free to benefit now.

If you have comments or recipes you'd like to share with me, visit my JupeSoup Forum.

Some helpful tips at CelebritySlim.com.au

"Never Go Hungry" and "Let the Teaspoon Do the Work":

• Make a high-protein salad or casserole that's gonna last for you about 5 days (I keep mine in a butter tub, and then I have portable containers that I take out on the road with me, which hold 6-, 12-, and 24-hour portions)
• Eat one teaspoon every hour for every hour that you are awake (works out to about 16 teaspoons a day for me)
• Chase down each teaspoon with 6 to 8 ounces of water (this seemingly-large quantity of water encourages the digestive process; you'll be peeing the pounds away)
• Walk 2 miles (in 30 minutes) every 3 days
• Do a 5-minute weight-lifting routine 3 times a week (optional)
• Get 8 hours of sleep every night (it's a fact: you can't eat while you sleep, and getting enough sleep every night allows you to move with vigor the next day, whereby you burn more calories than you would if you're lethargic; plus -- as my good buddy Chuck reminds me -- you burn more calories while you sleep than you do sitting on the couch watching TV)
• Realistically, you can expect to lose 1 to 3 pounds per week
• But if you do everything "exactly" as it is listed above, you can lose 7 pounds per week (the most I've lost in a week is 6 pounds)
• Something else I know to be possible ('cause I've done it on more than a dozen occasions): by keenly focusing on getting exactly 1 teaspoon of food every hour (chased down with 6 to 8 ounces of water), you can lose 0.5 LBS every 2 hours. (Warning: don't keep this up for more than 8 consecutive hours, or you'll be entering that dark area known as "deprivation"; but it's a quick and proven way of losing 2 LBS. Don't attempt to lose anymore weight that day -- hold steady -- or you'll be in danger of falling off the diet.)

And that's basically all there is to the Teaspoon Diet™.

A note on "Never Go Hungry" and "Let the Teaspoon Do the Work":

• If these quotes seem out of context, then let me explain. Once on (and committed to) the Teaspoon Diet, you eat promptly on the hour, every hour; this is always immediately followed by a 6-ounce glass of water. If you deprive yourself of food, your body will crash, and your diet will fail. When it comes to the Teaspoon Diet, you cannot do "more" without putting your health at risk; the only "more" there is, is putting more or less on your teaspoon. Like I said: Never go hungry.
• Areas where you can do more: you could walk more times per week, but that's about it. Again, like I said: Let the teaspoon do the work. Trust me: it works.

A note on your teaspoon:

• You may be wondering: "But how much should I put on my teaspoon?" Bull$h!t Answer: You can put a rock lobster or T-Bone steak on it, if you can get it to balance there. (However, I don't think you'll lose much weight with that approach.) Straight Answer: Start off with a heaping spoonful, and then lessen the amount over time (as you lose weight).
• To avoid saliva contamination, which I'm sure can lead to some serious illnesses, do not re-use the same teaspoon. Instead, each time you go for your bite, always use a fresh (clean) one. I know, the dishwasher is going to get a bit of a workout -- but something's gotta pay the price for your having so much fun losing weight.

A note on the water:

• Keeping water with you at all times is an important part of the Teaspoon Diet
• I keep four 1.75-liter water bottles in my refrigerator (formerly, these bottles held "Simply Orange" juice); two of these bottles reside in my freezer compartment
• I take one of the frozen bottles with me whenever I leave the house; with this safeguard in place, I have no excuse to stop by a store and pick up a soda; I also bring a cup to drink from (I invert it and place it on top of the bottle)
• It is recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board that men get 3.7 liters (aka 1 gallon; aka 128 ounces) of water a day, and that women get 2.7 liters (aka 3 quarts; aka 96 ounces)

A note on the containers (mine are see-through plastic with blue lids):

• The 6-hour container holds 200ccs
• The 12-hour holds 400ccs
• The 24-hour container holds 800ccs
• And the butter tub holds about 4 days worth of food

A note on binge-ing (because "binging" just didn't look right):

• This is where you find yourself falling off the diet and overeating
• Allow yourself 3 or 4 "binge meals" per week, whereby you attempt to give some balance to what you've been getting from your salad or casserole. Notice that I didn't say "binge days."
• Take this opportunity to balance your diet by eating lots of greens, carrots, tomatoes, fruit, and the like
• Don't punish yourself when you fall off the Teaspoon Diet. You're not alone in your failure: I ate like a pig at Ryan's one day, whereby I gained 5 pounds; 2 days later, I still had 3 of those pounds on me, and it took me 3 more days to get off those 3 pounds; at the end of the week, I still lost a pound (compared with what I weighed the day before I went into Ryan's).

A note on high-protein salads and casseroles:

• 50 percent of your ingredients should be high in protein (tunafish, tofu, meat)
• A high-protein diet will give you energy "out of wazoo," which will encourage the pounds to slide right off
• To see what kinds of concoctions I make, check out my recipes section

A note on walking:

• Get a walking partner (because both partners' "will power" usually doesn't fail on the same day)
• Create a 1/4-mile track (use your car's odometer to lay it out); 8 laps equal 1 mile; you should be making (just under) 4-minute laps (knowing this helps with pacing)
• Special Note: during the last 2 months, of my 6-month diet, I covered just 1.75 miles each day that I walked. I made 5 laps on a 0.35-mile track, whereby I had to complete each lap in 6 minutes, so that my end time would be 30 minutes. This pacing kept my average speed at 3.5 miles per hour, which I believe is ideal for most people ... no matter how fat or skinny you are. My point is: it'll either get the weight off, or it'll allow you to stay skinny ... whichever you are.

A new note on walking [added September 16, 2008] — I walk every other day (Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays) and skip the weekends (Saturday & Sunday) — Levels of Difficulty:

• Easiest (just to keep the good habit alive): make the time (walk for 30 minutes)
• Harder: cover the distance (1.75 miles); don't worry so much about your time
• Hardest (and greatest benefit): cover the distance & make the time (1.75 miles in 30 minutes)

A note on weight lifting:

• With the exception of one, the remainder of your routine should be lifting exercises that cause you the least amount of grief
• About that exception: find the area where you're weakest (mine's the bench press), and create an exercise that'll help you increase your strength in that area
• I do bench presses, leg extensions and curls, lat pulls, dumbbell curls, wavy curl-bar curls; on any given day, I choose 4 of these exercises, and I always include the dreadful "exception"; I do a (muscle) warm-up SET of 10 REPS for each of the 4 exercises that I'll be doing; then, on the next (and final) SET, I do my maximum number of REPS; and then you're done, because your 5 minutes are up
• Special Note: during the last 2 months, of my 6-month diet, I decided that I wanted to be a better "arm wrestler"; so I got creative and came up with a routine that would target just those muscles that get that done; I didn't read any books on how to accomplish this: I just experimented until something felt "right"; it turned out to be this: (1) I lay flat on my back on a carpeted floor, with a dumbbell beside me (I put 15 LBS on the bar); (2) with the opposite shoulderblade (from the arm that I'm working) slightly raised off the floor, I simulate an arm-wrestling move (whereby I curl the weight upward from the floor to a fully upright position, and then I repeat the move); (3) I do this for 3 sets of 10 reps (three times per week); it works really well, and you should see measurable results before the end of the first week; you can apply this same problem-solving technique to whatever it is you want to get good at
• Weight training is entirely optional; it's only for those of you who want to tone up (as you slim down)

A new note on weight lifting [added September 16, 2008] — The Five-Minute Workout (five exercises in five minutes):

• First warm-up exercise: on the lat-pull machine, do narrow-grip CHIN-DOWNS (1 set of 40 reps)
• Second warm-up exercise: on the lat-pull machine, do wide-grip PULL-DOWNS (1 set of 40 reps)
• First max-out exercise: on the bench, do PRESSES (1 set of 20 reps)
• Second max-out exercise: on the wavy bar, do two-handed CURLS (1 set of 20 reps)
• Third (and final) max-out exercise: on the twin dumbbells, do simultaneous over-head TRICEP EXTENSIONS (1 set of 15 reps)

A note on how terms are used in the previous section: warm-up = a weight you can easily handle; max-out = a weight that causes you to strain. Additional comments: I use a stopwatch to keep track of elapsed time; I stop the watch while I'm changing over to a new piece of equipment.

A note on excuses:

• I have heard 'em all; I have made 'em all myself
• Listen closely: Where there's a will; there's a way
• I had a person -- who takes a smoke break every hour -- tell me, "But I can't be taking a break every hour for a bite of food: I'd get fired from my construction job!" What a bunch of crock; I told him that all he had to do was put a 6-hour container in a "fanny pack"-style cooler (no ice) and wear it on his work belt; that way he wouldn't even have to come down off the ladder; he could keep his bigger container (the tub) on ice in his cooler, back at his truck

Disclaimer:

I do not claim to be a doctor. Always consult a licensed physician before making any changes to your diet.

Tuna Concoction

I have been perfecting this recipe for 10 years.

Prepare in a butter tub (like what Country Crock comes in):

• 1 six-ounce can of tunafish (drain completely; tip: press lid down on contents to get all of the water or oil out of it; it's nasty otherwise)
• Do not add salt (there's plenty of sodium in the hotsauce you'll be adding)
• 3 tablespoons of Miracle Whip (I don't know why the idea of MW sickens some people)
• 2 teaspoons of yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon of Texas Pete hot sauce
• 2 slices of cheese (American singles; I use Borden)
• 1/2 a sleeve of Town House crackers (while still in the sleeve, carefully crush crackers to a fine dust; don't use "reduced fat"; "but that's 18 crackers," you say; I know, but "reduced fat" taste like crap; you want to be happy on your diet, don't you?)
• 1/4 of a large-sized yellow onion (or 1/2 a cup cut-up into little slivers; the large onions are tastier to me)
• 10 seedless red grapes (cut each in half with a knife); or a dozen baby carrots (each quartered); or Romaine lettuce (remains crisper longer than Iceberg); and/or red bell pepper (cut into slivers)
• 1 two-ounce package of walnut halves

Toss the tuna concoction (like a salad) about 15 times; do not stir, or it'll look unappealing - like muck.

To infuse the flavor: chill in freezer for about 45 minutes, then transfer to your refrigerator.

TOTAL CALORIES: 1200
CALORIES PER ACTUAL TEASPOON (0.167 ounces): 11
TEASPOON DIET - CALORIES PER DAY - 16 HEAPING TEASPOONS: 345

This $h!t is DA-BOMB!

I oftentimes double this recipe, so that I'll have enough for a 5-day supply. (That's about how long it takes for me to get tired of tunafish.)

Warning: Do not "dip" your casserole with a cracker or chip. This will jeopardize the dietary-intake goal of 1600 calories per day. I know, because I've screwed-up by dipping with crackers and Sunchips; that's why the crackers are already integrated into the recipe: so that you'll eat a limited number of them. An alternative for you folks who cannot take a dozen teaspoons with them out into the field: wrap each bite in something that has no calories - like a seaweed wrap. I know that seaweed wrap sounds odd to most of you rednecks out there, but I assure you: they have no taste. And don't be lazy, saying, "But I can't find them at my grocery store"; go to a Publix or a Kroger.

Warning #2: I have found that, over the past 4 and a half months, I have averaged getting less than 500 calories per day from nutritious sources; the rest has been through coffee with creamer and sugar (about 16 cups per day). I recommend that you heap more -- than I have -- onto your teaspoon.

BBQ-flavored Tofu with Fried Noodles

I have only been eating tofu for about 4 months now, so my knowledge is a little limited here. I just know that tofu makes my body feel good, and that's good enough for me. Plus, it's the only "true" substitute for meat. And, baby, I'm a through-and-through carnivore, so it takes a lot to trick me. The only bad side effect is that it gives me high-pitched - "sounds like a sheet ripping" - gas (ha ha); but that's okay, because soybean gas is nowhere near as bad as that gas you get from eating other beans, nor do soybean farts smell bad (like all those others do). -written October 2007

[The instructions for Part One below were revised on January 15, 2008.]

PART ONE: COOKING THE "BBQ-FLAVORED TOFU"

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 fourteen-ounce (just shy of a pound) package of firm or extra-firm Azumaya tofu
• 3 tablespoons of "Country Crock"-style margarine
• 6 tablespoons of Hunt's Hickory-and-Brown-Sugar BBQ sauce
• 1/4 of a large yellow onion (chopped, or cut into little slivers; I believe single, loose large-sized onions to be tastier than the medium-sized onions that come in a netted sack)
• 3 slices of cheese (American singles; I use Borden)
• a two-ounce package of almond slices, or a dozen-and-a-half Bold Blue Diamond-brand "Wasabi and Soy Sauce" whole almonds (slice with a butcher knife, or leave whole)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• With tofu still in package, freeze until top of package is bulging and hard (1 to 2 days)
• Remove from freezer; cut top off package. With tofu still in plastic container, place in sink and run warm water over it to melt ice. With warm water still coursing over tofu, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slabs (like you would when preparing treat meat to fry). With the slices still in the package and the warm water still coursing over the tofu, allow the warm to get between slices until they are no longer cold. With slices about room temperature, remove slices from package in stacks of 3, and press these lightly betweens hands to remove "stinky" water. Repeat until you have done all slices in this manner.
• Fill a lidded plastic bowl (that is slightly larger than the package the tofu came in) with cold tap (or bottled) water and about 2 tablespoons of soysauce. Blend well. Add slices of tofu to container. Let tofu marinate in this soysauce/water mixture for 24 hours.
• Prior to frying, remove water from tofu using inverted plate trick: Place one plate face-down near the edge of the sink. Then, place 2 slices into the small ring on the bottom of the plate. Now, place the second plate (inverted, of course) on top of the tofu slices. Pick up the 2-plate sandwich and (lightly) press the water from the tofu. Repeat until you have mashed the water from all of your tofu slices.
• Frying in 10-inch non-stick frying pan: Heat up a tablespoon of vegetable-oil spread in non-stick frying pan. Once the margarine's hot, add tofu. Keep from sticking by vigorously shaking pan handle back and forth. Cook the tofu on this side for 5 to 7 minutes, during which time you'll have to add another tablespoon or 2 of spread; with a turner, flip slices and fry for 5 to 7 minutes on the other side. If you want your tofu to be crispy, I recommended at least 7 minutes per side.
• In a loosely covered microwaveable container, heat BBQ sauce, onions and cheese for 2 minute (or until hot) in your microwave. Combine with fried tofu and almonds (you could toast the almonds in your frying pan) ... and, later, combine fried noodles.

PART TWO: COOKING THE "FRIED NOODLES"

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package of Ramen noodles (with powder-form "dry" seasoning pack)
• 2 tablespoons of "Country Crock"-style margarine
• Do not add salt (you'll be getting plenty from the seasoning pack)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Bring a small pot of water to a boil (takes about 5 minutes)
• Take noodles out of package and add to boiling water; cook for 3 minutes
• Drain water from noodles
• Heat up 2 tablespoons of margarine in a frying pan. When margarine is hot, add (drained) noodles to pan. Shake pan back and forth (as explained in TOFU section above) to keep noodles from sticking. Add (dry) seasoning pack that came with noodles. (I prefer a chicken- or oriental-flavored seasoning pack.) Fry for 2 minutes on this side, or until crispy. Flip; do the same to the other side.
• Combine with BBQ-FLAVORED TOFU and sliced almonds
• Let cool; put in "butter tub"-sized container and refrigerate; should be enough to feed you for 5 days

PBJ Crunch!

This recipe reminds me of a lot of candy bars, and I knew I'd gotten the recipe right when my sister, who's fond of peanut butter, cleaned out my little container. Like everything else that has to do with the Teaspoon Diet, it's easy and simple:

• 5 heaping tablespoons of Jif creamy peanut butter
• 1 heaping tablespoon of Smucker's grape jam
• 7 Ritz crackers (crushed to a fine powder; I crush them while they're still in the sleeve)

TOTAL CALORIES: 900
CALORIES PER ACTUAL TEASPOON (0.167 ounces): 28
TEASPOON DIET - CALORIES PER DAY - 16 HEAPING TEASPOONS: 905

Whip the ingredients together to a creamy texture, using a spoon; refrigerate; excellent and -- if you use Ritz-brand crackers -- it never gets soggy (always crunchy).

Warning: due to its high calorie and high fat content, PBJ Crunch! should be eaten only once per 5 bites.

Having trouble crapping? Here's the solution. Eat one bite of oatmeal per every 4 bites, until you are straightened out.

Old-fashioned Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of Quaker Old-Fashioned Oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon of vegetable-oil spread
• 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar

Instructions:

• Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a 2-cup boiler
• Add oatmeal a little bit at the time (over a 30-second period); each time you add more oatmeal, shake handle back and forth a couple of times
• Boil for 5 minutes
• Do not stir. Every 30 seconds, foamy bubbles will reach the top of the boiler; to prevent boiling over, shake boiler handle vigorously back and forth, until bubbles are no longer noticeable; repeat this "vigorous shaking procedure" every 30 seconds until the 5 minutes are up; doing this serves a second purpose: it keeps the oatmeal from sticking to the bottom of the boiler.
• Oatmeal is done when there is no discernible water left in the boiler
• After oatmeal is done -- and while it's still hot -- add spread and sugar. To mix: scoop, lift and flip oatmeal, butter and sugar (with a teaspoon); do stir: this would turn it to mush, which is bad.

TOTAL CALORIES: 186
CALORIES PER ACTUAL TEASPOON (0.167 ounces): 18
TEASPOON DIET - CALORIES PER DAY - 16 HEAPING TEASPOONS: 562

A Cup Of Eight O'Clock 100% Colombian Coffee

I don't recommend this route; this is just to give of a record of something I do:

Ingredients Per 8-cup Pot (as measured on the side of the pot):

• 5 level teaspoons of fine-ground coffee

Instructions Per 14-ounce Mug:

• Add 12 ounces of brewed coffee to mug
• Add 3 teaspoons of Creamora non-dairy creamer
• Add 3 teaspoons of granulated sugar

TOTAL CALORIES PER 14-OUNCE MUG: 78
TOTAL CALORIES X (TIMES) 4.5 MUGS PER DAY: 351

Date: Naked Weight

First Month

• 8/23/2007: 235 LBS
• 9/7/2007: 232.5 LBS
• 9/11/2007: 227.5 LBS
• 9/16/2007: 227.5 LBS
• 9/17/2007: 227 LBS
• 9/19/2007: 225 LBS

By the end of the first month, I had lost 10.5 pounds.

Second Month

• 9/23/2007: 224.5 LBS
• 9/26/2007: 229 LBS
  Blinded by a bounty of great food
• 9/30/2007: 227.5 LBS
• 10/1/2007: 227.5 LBS
• 10/7/2007: 226 LBS
• 10/16/2007: 222 LBS

By the end of the second month, I had lost an additional 3.5 pounds.

Third Month

• 10/23/2007: 221 LBS
• 10/24/2007: 219 LBS
• 10/25/2007: 218 LBS
• 10/26/2007: 218 LBS
• 10/27/2007: 223 LBS
  Ryan's restaurant fiasco
• 10/29/2007: 221 LBS
• 11/1/2007: 220 LBS
• 11/10/2007: 213.5 LBS
  I was fanatical about sticking with the plan and lost a record amount: 6.5 pounds in just 9 days
• 11/11/2007: 215 LBS
• 11/13/2007: 213.5 LBS
• 11/14/2007: 214 LBS
  Feel like I'm stuck; I think this is where my last halfway-successful diet failed
• 11/15/2007: 213 LBS
• 11/16/2007: 212.5 LBS
• 11/17/2007: 214 LBS
• 11/18/2007: 213.5 LBS
• 11/19/2007: 212 LBS
• 11/20/2007: 210.5 LBS
• 11/21/2007: 210 LBS
• 11/22/2007: 208.5 LBS

By the end of the third month, I had lost an additional 12.5 pounds.

Fourth Month

• 11/25/2007: 209 LBS
• 11/28/2007: 208 LBS
• 11/29/2007: 207.5 LBS
• 11/30/2007: 209.5 LBS
  I'm walking more, but I think that my body has grown wise to the Teaspoon Diet; we shall see in the coming days
• 12/4/2007: 206.5 LBS
  It's taken me 5 days of doing just about everything right, but I've finally lost another pound; in case you're wondering, I'm counting back to 11/29
  
• 12/5/2007: 206 LBS
• 12/6/2007: 204 LBS
  Wow! I'm back on track, baby.
• 12/7/2007: 203.5 LBS
• 12/9/2007: 204.5 LBS
• 12/10/2007: 205 LBS
• 12/12/2007: 202 LBS
  Wowee! After midnight, I walked 2 miles (30 minutes) through Joanna and Kyle's woods; frightening; very, very frightening. A rabbit ran out behind me -- scaring the be-jeez out of me. My heart was racing, which improved my cardio routine.
• 12/13/2007: 203.5 LBS
• 12/14/2007: 201.5 LBS
  A new thing happened today: I forgot to fasten my belt and, after taking just 2 steps, my pants -- with a 38-inch waist -- fell down around my ankles. I've been working so hard on the walking and weightlifting that my entire body is hurting; I'm taking a well-earned day off.
• 12/15/2007: 199 LBS
  I've crashed through the barricade and now it's time to celebrate with a binge meal; I'm treating myself to Happy China and a bottle of Cafe Zinfandel. Even though my techniques are sound, it's still almost scary how fast you can lose the weight when you execute everything properly.
• 12/16/2007: 205 LBS
  Happy China debacle; the above weight is not a typo; at Happy China in Madison, I had my favorites: Mongolian beef, egg-drop soup (with squiggly crackers), and a Coke; I expected this kind of damage (to my weight record) from eating nearly 3,000 calories in one shot, but it's still shocking -- and it was shocking to my body's system; I literally felt like I was going to burst after eating half a plateful of the Mongolian beef, but I pressed on anyway; I didn't want to bring any leftovers home; I wanted all the damage to be done right then and there, and not have it carry over into the next day. A good crap tomorrow should take care of a lot this problem.
• 12/17/2007: 201.5 LBS
• 12/18/2007: 199.5 LBS
• 12/19/2007: 199 LBS
  Even though I didn't have a Happy China crap, as was expected, the Happy China damage is in the past!
• 12/20/2007: 198.5 LBS
  A new record. I'm implementing new recipe ideas, but none have the pound-for-pound protein value of tunafish or tofu.
• 12/21/2007: 199 LBS
• 12/22/2007: 197 LBS
  This past week, I have worked like crazy on the walking (5 out of 7 days) and the weightlifting.

By the end of the fourth month, I had lost an additional 11.5 pounds.

Fifth Month

• 12/23/2007: 198 LBS
  I was able to easily fit into my fresh-from-the-store, early-Christmas-present 34-inch-waist jeans!
• 12/24/2007: 198 LBS
• 12/25/2007: 197.5 LBS
  Christmas Day
• 12/27/2007: 201.5 LBS
  Slipped a disc in my back on Christmas Day; won't be able to walk for a day or two; I've binged 3 out of the last 4 days -- eating 1600 calories during the first binge meal, 2000 the 2nd, and 1800 the 3rd -- but got back on The Teaspoon Diet on the afternoon of the 26th; this is the most damage I've had to record on a report card since the Ryan's fiasco and the Happy China debacle, but now I'm back on track -- except for my back, of course.
• 12/28/2007: 200.5 LBS
• 12/29/2007: 198 LBS
  I'm still having a hard time sitting, and riding in a car seriously sets me back; laying flat-out on my back in bed feels best; standing feels second best. I made myself walk yesterday and the day before; instead of my normal 6-minute lap times: I recorded 10-minute (and just under) lap times on the 27th (covering just 1.2 miles in 30 minutes, instead of the usual 2 miles), and better-but-still-abysmal lap times of 8 minutes (and just under) on (yesterday) the 28th (upping my distance -- covered in 30 minutes -- to 1.6 miles); when I tried to jog yesterday, my feet never left the ground -- looked more like 90-year-old shuffling. From a cardiovascular standpoint, the last 2 days have been a complete failure; but, from a "maintaining good habits" point of view, it was excellent.
• 12/30/2007: 201 LBS
  The past few days have been a nightmare: with my back killing me (but it is finally, definitely, getting better now) and then me, very stupidly, choosing to eat at Ryan's, where I once again consumed over 2,000 calories. I'm back on The Teaspoon Diet, with -- hallelujah!!! -- no extra money to get me out of town to spend on movies or bingeing. Walking has been out of question: with Noah-worthy deluges and my body just being flat-out incapable; but I should be back to my normal walking routine by Tuesday.
• 1/2/2008: 196 LBS
  New record-low weight recorded tonight. My secret: I've just let the Teaspoon Diet work its magic. I walked yesterday. My back is much better. Lap times (for my walk) were near normal, at 6 and a half minutes (whereby 0.4 miles is covered per lap). (Normal is 6 flat.) I allowed the bitter cold -- 20 degrees at daybreak -- and winds of 30 MPH keep me from walking today.
• 1/3/2008: 195.5 LBS
  Another new record-low weigh-in recorded tonight. I walked today, at about 4pm today, when temperatures were at their highest -- 35 degrees Fahrenheit. My lap times were near normal, at just over 6 minutes each; I ran a little bit on the last lap to finish my 2 miles on-time: in 30 minutes.
• 1/4/2008: 195 LBS
  Once again, another record-low weigh-in recorded tonight. My back is no longer an issue. Resumed normal walking and weight-training routines today. (For walking: recorded 6-minute lap times, for each of the five 0.4-mile laps; that's 4 miles an hour, which is the present standard; don't see how I can improve on this, without a walking partner to boost pacing.) I still do my 5-minute weight-training routine, but with a new approach. I now do 100 reps in 5 minutes, starting with a warm-up of 64 (fatiguing) reps on the lat-pull machine. Then I do 12-rep max-outs on bench press, wavy curl-bar, and dumbbell tricep-extension and curls.
• 1/5/2008: 194.5 LBS
  Coming on down.
• 1/6/2008: 196.5 LBS
  Tried warm water (instead of ice-cold) for 24 hours with the diet; during that same period, I also tried to serve myself an 800-calorie portion from a warm Lemon Chicken Casserole (that contained chicken breast, white rice, broccoli, and cheese), and then wait 8 hours before eating again; I drank warm water every hour (during the 8 hours), until it was time to eat again; guinea-pigging this new idea cost me dearly: I'm up 2 pounds. It was a no-brainer to go back to ice-cold water; plus, warm tapwater tastes like your pipes -- in other words: like crap. After walking and weight-training for 2 consecutive days, my back started hurting again (but nowhere near like it did when I blew it out; so, I felt compelled to take an Alleve) and I chose not to walk or weight-train today, even though the weather was very nice (around 70 degrees Fahrenheit).
• 1/7/2008: 194.5 LBS
• 1/8/2008: 194 LBS
  Even though my back was hurting (more than a bit), I elected to go ahead with my walking and weight-training; no regrets, baby.
• 1/9/2008: 192.5 LBS
  Controlled my bingeing yesterday: didn't have to count what-would-have-ordinarily-been-a binge meal as one, because I carefully measured out what I believed to be 850 calories, and then (thanks to the water I was drinking every hour) the plan is to wait 7 hours before eating again ... at which time, I went back on the Teaspoon Diet. Here's what I had to eat: 1.5 pieces of fish, coleslaw, 5 french fries, a hushpuppy, two packs of tartar sauce and a pack of ketchup, and I had water to drink (the kind I carry around with me all the time); this was a meal from Captain D's, which my sister and I split. (My sister is not on the diet, nor does she need to be on one, but this is what she ate: 1.5 pieces of fish, 2 hushpuppies, most of the fries, a pack of tartar sauce, a pack of ketchup, a 1/4 of a large sweet tea, and she saved the fourth piece of fish for later.)
  **The above statement is true, but I feel the real reason that I lost the weight was because I went to bed around 5 PM that afternoon and slept until 1AM. At 4 PM that afternoon, just before going to bed, I had 2 six-ounce glasses of my Cafe Zinfandel wine, which I hadn't cracked the seal on since buying it as part of my reward for getting down to 200 LBS.
• 1/10/2008: 193 LBS
• 1/11/2008: 193 LBS
  I really slipped up today; no walking or weightlifting, and two binge meals (a big salad this morning, and then a big slice of pizza this evening) ... but it'll be alright -- after all the fuss, ended up not gaining any weight.
• 1/12/2008: 191.5 LBS
  New record LOW tonight. Walked my 2 miles in 30 minutes and weight-trained today. Present weight-training program consists of 100 reps in 5 minutes: (1) warm-up with 50 LBS x 50 reps on lat-pull machine, (2) max-out with 100 LBS x 10 reps on benchpress (no spotter) and simultaneous 10 LB x 10 reps on leg extensions (for abdominal workout), (3) max-out with 55 LBS x 10 reps on wavy curl bar, and (4) finish with a cool-down of 10 LBS x 30 reps on dumbbell curls and simultaneous tricep extensions. I plan on raising my max-out weight by 5 LBS each week. There's a trick for rapidly increasing your benchpress max that I learned from Men's Journal several years back: Lower the weight to where your ribcage starts, and then raise it to a position that is right over your collarbones; also: the lat-pull machine strengthens specific back muscles that are used in benchpressing. And, for the first time, I put on the weightlifting belt and gloves ... because I'm actually starting to strain a bit.
  **I've decided to adjust my end-weight goal (from 180) to 175 pounds by February 23. That'll make my end result exactly 60 pounds in 6 months (since August 23, 2007), and 70 pounds since April 13. One pair of 34s is already fitting loosely, so I'll probably end up a 32. The weight has come off so fast -- a blur -- that the experience is starting to feel eerily like a dream. It feels like: soon I'll wake up -- pinch myself, snap my fingers -- and be 245 LBS again. A little weird, huh? No diet has a right to be this simple and this easy. Even after all of my goof-ups -- overeating, hurting my back, not walking -- I've still lost 5.5 LBS this month ... it's just crazy. But it's great: being able lose weight at will and without struggle.
• 1/14/2008: 192.5 LBS
  I've plateaued. I put a whole cup of walnuts in a single-can tuna concoction; big mistake: walnuts are high calorie and high fat; should've been 1/2 a cup. I walked and weight-trained yesterday. Finally had a good crap, after eating some oatmeal.
• 1/15/2008: 191 LBS
  New record LOW recorded tonight.
• 1/16/2008: 190 LBS
  New record LOW recorded tonight. I walked, weight-trained and had a binge meal yesterday. Binge meal consisted of cornbread, collards, sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas, and no meat; estimated total calories: 600 (based on how full I felt). I crapped, got 5 hours of sleep, took a pee twice, and then weighed. My weight-lifting routine now consists of two exercises that weight-training guru Kyle recommended: (1) a modification to my tricep routine, where I now (from a standing position) point one elbow at the sky, then lower and raise dumbbell behind my back (while supporting the tricep region with the other hand); (2) a modification to my wavy curl bar routine, where I now lean against a wall and tuck my elbows into my gut as I do my curls (I use the outer grip region); I focus on tightening my upper chest muscles as I do my curls. Both of these exercises burn a helluva lot, which is great; but I wouldn't have been able to do this at even 210 LBS, because of the gut I had then -- plus, my muscles weren't ready for it. I think the benefits I'll reap from these modifications will be impressive. I still do the other parts of my routine the same way -- the benchpresses and lat pulls -- but it has cut into the time I have left for lat pull reps (I can only manage 30 in the time that remains of my 5-minute allotment).
  **I now have exactly 15 LBS to go before reaching my end-goal of 175.
• 1/18/2008: 193 LBS
  Gained 3 pounds. High sodium intake (water retention), coupled with just 3 hours of sleep, and controlled binge meals (approximately 600 calories each) for 3 out of the last 4 days -- these factors, I think, are to blame for my dilemma.
• 1/19/2008: 190 LBS
  I'm not any good at sleeping right now ... but I made myself lay in bed for 8 hours last night, sleeping only 5 of those hours (mostly staring at the ceiling the other 3). But my plan was successful: I lost the weight. And I've taught my-hardheaded-self to sleep again. Oh yeah, I walked and weight-trained yesterday, which was certainly helpful.
• 1/20/2008: 188.5 LBS
  While getting caught up on my sleep -- about 12 hours in a 24-hour period -- I lost a pound and a half ... a new record LOW weight. Due to a long-ago back injury I am unable to do real situps ... but I have come up with a situp-like routine: Lay flat on your back, and then reach up and touch your fingertips to within 2 inches of your kneecaps; I do them for about 2 minutes, or until I feel it would be a bad idea to continue; I plan on doing this routine at least 3 times a week ... to tone up my gut.
• 1/21/2008: 191 LBS
  Walked; weight-trained; did my crunch-like situps. Didn't get much sleep though -- 3 hours -- which hurt. Had a 600-calorie binge meal this morning: 2 small pieces of sausage, 1 fried egg, and a pancake with a couple of tablespoons of syrup on it. Gotta remember to finish well this month: tomorrow is the last day. A suspicion seems to have been confirmed: as you get close to your ideal weight, it gets very hard to get off those last few stubborn pounds; at least that's how it seems ... but maybe I getting a little too relaxed too, indulging in one-too-many, less-bingeful binge meals. One thing I know for certain: I've got to tighten up for the next 24 hours...
• 1/22/2008: 188.5 LBS
  I did a big no-no: At the end of my sleep period -- 8 PM -- I fasted for two hours until I could get to my scale for the weigh-in; see, I didn't want to take on any water weight. The bad thing was that I starved myself for two hours. Other than this, I did everything right today: walked, weight-trained and did my crunch-style situps.

By the end of the fifth month, I had lost an additional 8.5 pounds.

Sixth Month

• 1/23/2008: 189 LBS
  Gained a half a pound.
• 1/24/2008: 192 LBS
  Gained 3 pounds. I've been naughty: ate (1) an Arby's Roast Beef sandwich with curly fries and (2) all of my homemade guacamole dip with crackers and tortilla chips.
• 1/26/2008: 194 LBS
  Gained 2 more pounds. More naughtiness: ate (1) Mongolian Beef (with water; no Coke; no appetizers) at Happy China and (2) a grill cheese dipped in tomato soup. Walked yesterday; plan on "flying right" from now on.
• 1/31/2008: 190.5 LBS
  Being stuck at 190 is not a bad place to be stuck. I over-ate today (but not in a terrible way), and I'm finally learning to control my portions. I've decided that every meal that I eat at a restaurant should be split with another person. Take today for instance: I split a 4-piece fish dinner from Captain D's with my sister. The only really naughty thing I did, was I got her to stop at Dairy Queen on the ride home for an Oreo Blizzard milkshake.
  My diet is really beginning to wind down now (I'm within 15 LBS of my ideal weight), and I'm preparing myself for the permanence of this teaspoon lifestyle. As far as fat goes, the only undesirable fat I have left ... is visceral fat -- that fat which lies outside the stomach, but inside the cavity wall ... inside the body. It has nothing to do with that thin layer of fat that lies on top of my stomach muscles. I'm still perplexed as to what I'm going to do to address this dilemma ... but I'm actively working on a solution.
  **I haven't checked in lately because our internet service has been down.
• 2/23/2008: 190 LBS
  Well, it's check-out time folks. Time for THE BITE FOR LIFE to kick in, which I've been tweaking and implementing for the past 3 weeks. Details: I eat one binge meal a day, and TEASPOON IT the rest of way. I shan't be posting anymore updates here. Good luck to all as they endeavor on THE TEASPOON DIET! Signing off, Sully.

By the end of the sixth month, I had re-gained 1.5 pounds.

This brings my FINAL total -- since beginning The Teaspoon Diet on August 23, 2007 -- to 45 pounds. I have lost 55 pounds since April 13, 2007, at which time I weighed 245 LBS.

If you would like to see my progress in chart form, you can download the high-quality pdf file.

Sullivan Radley

Before	After
September 8, 2007 232.5 LBS	January 9, 2008 192.5 LBS
4 Months and 40 LBS Later

Calf-Muscle Definition on January 17, 2008

Angle 1	Angle 2
16 inches in circumference I don't think this muscle has ever been any better defined than it is now, or larger, nor do I think it is going to get any bigger -- and most of this can be directly attributed to walking while I was still overweight (walking: 3 days a week; 2 miles in 30 minutes).

I've gained 15 pounds since coming off the diet - July 1, 2008

I'm going back on The Teaspoon Diet with full vigor. I've made my concoctions ... tunafish with fried noodles, yellow onions, drained fresh tomatoes, Miracle Whip, mustard, hot sauce, powderized Town House crackers, black pepper, with a dash of Nature's Seasons on the tomatoes ... mmm, delicious ... wish I had some cheese to go in it ... nonetheless, still great. I was up to 205 LBS; now already down to 202. Please check in with me, guys, and let me know what your goals are, and how you doing.

Officially Back on the Teaspoon Diet - July 16, 2008

As of 7/13/08, my will power came back 100%, but was up to 205 again. Now, on 7/16/08, already back down to 197. :lol: Here's to hoping everything is 100% back on track with you, too, simpleman6.

Cat Shit Trubs - August 3, 2008

Sunday, 8/3/08: 197 LBS. Been eating lots of "cat shit" cookies :twisted: , but did most everything else right.

Weight Log - July 17, 2008

Weight Log Postby sullivanradley on Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:50 am Sunday, 7/13/08: 205 LBS. I had lost down to 195, then I ate all that damn peanut butter, jelly, and honey -- till it was all gone -- thank god! Wednesday, 7/16/08: 197 LBS. Thursday, 7/17/08: 196 LBS. This time, I'm gonna have so much momentum that I'm gonna blow the doors off of 190; watch me, baby, I'm gonna show ya how it's done! Saturday, 7/19/08: 201 LBS. Blew it out at the movies -- DARK KNIGHT. This was a rare family outing (sis, Jo, Kyle, Jason, Dustin) where we swung by Captain D's (2 pc. Fish Dinner, with hushpuppies, coke, coleslaw, fries, ketchup, and gobs and gobs of tartar sauce); then, at the movies, I had a medium buttered popcorn and a large coke. Tuesday, 7/22/08: 194 LBS. Wednesday, 7/23/08: 195 LBS. Thursday, 7/24/08: 192 LBS. 8-) Sweetness. This week, I've been doing everything right. I walked and lifted weights on Monday and Wednesday. For about a week now, I had been having trouble sleeping (which really hurts your ability to lose weight), but these past couple of days I've gone a long ways toward fixing that. Friday, 7/25/08: 196 LBS. Someone left me most of their Chinese food, which proved a bit disastrous -- but it's all good. Saturday, 8/2/08: 199 LBS. Been fouling up a bit. Gonna get right tomorrow. Gotta keep plenty of food prepared. Sunday, 8/3/08: 197 LBS. Been eating lots of "cat shit" cookies :twisted: , but did most everything else right. Tuesday, 8/5/08: 201 LBS. Had Happy China after fixing the floor system from underneath the house. All is still good; I've got Teaspoon material already prepared and waiting for me. :) User avatar sullivanradley Site Admin Posts: 27 Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:40 am Location: Georgia, USA * Website Top Re: Weight Log Postby sullivanradley on Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:15 am Thursday, 8/7/08: 198 LBS. Had some more Chinese today -- Sweet and Sour Chicken. And I've got Pepper Steak waiting on me in the refrigerator :mrgreen: . What a clusterf***! But it's still "all good": I got in my walk and weight training before the sun came up on Wednesday morning. User avatar sullivanradley Site Admin Posts: 27 Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:40 am Location: Georgia, USA * Website Top Re: Weight Log Postby sullivanradley on Fri Aug 08, 2008 1:49 am Friday, August 8, 2008: 200 LBS. It's that date which the Chinese love: 888 (infinity x 3, I reckon). Well, I ate their pepper steak yesterday, and it was gooo-ood. Yummy. Hope that things are going well with you, sm6, and that your sights are set firmly on the 240s. (I realize that you're just-now transitioning to the 250s.) I don't want you resting on your laurels though ... and treating yourself to a Chinese buffet as your reward meal. I want you to take full advantage of your present momentum ... but, hey, it's your gig, man. I'm just here for technical support (for all your computing needs :ugeek: ) ... and maybe a bit of moral support, too 8-) . User avatar sullivanradley Site Admin Posts: 27 Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:40 am Location: Georgia, USA * Website Top Re: Weight Log Postby sullivanradley on Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:49 am Sunday, August 10, 2008: 196 LBS. I seem to have things well in hand now. People kept dropping food at my feet every single day last week. So I had to come up with a solution: I decided to dump each thing I get into my 3-LB butter tub ... so that might mean a salad, Chinese food, and a burrito all in one container, mixed up together :mrgreen: . But it works, 'cause it makes the food less appealing. I've already tried it with a salad and fried okra. The salad had ham, onions, cheese, and Captain's wafers (crushed) in it, with ranch dressing on it ... and the okra had fried tomatoes in it ... oh yeah, and it's laced with Jeff's hot & excellent peaches & habanero pepper sauce. Sounds nuts, even to me, but I guarantee it's gonna get me back on track. As you can see, it's already working -- I've lost 4 LBS since integrating the idea into my plan. :D User avatar sullivanradley Site Admin Posts: 27 Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:40 am Location: Georgia, USA * Website Top Re: Weight Log Postby simpleman6 on Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:23 am sounds yummy :mrgreen: you lucky rascal you got some of jeffs famous"among his friends" peach and habanero sauce! :lol: been on track myself check my starting over log :D User avatar simpleman6 Posts: 28 Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 10:46 pm Location: Mcdonough,Ga USA * Website Top Re: Weight Log Postby sullivanradley on Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:34 am Tuesday, August 12, 2008: 195 LBS. User avatar sullivanradley Site Admin Posts: 27 Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:40 am Location: Georgia, USA * Website Top Re: Weight Log Postby sullivanradley on Sun Aug 17, 2008 1:52 am Sunday, August 17, 2008: 194 LBS :) User avatar sullivanradley Site Admin Posts: 27 Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:40 am Location: Georgia, USA * Website Top Re: Weight Log Postby sullivanradley on Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:55 am Tuesday, August 19, 2008: 193 LBS :D My diet seems to be firmly "on track." Hope things are going well with you. You should nearing those 240s... User avatar sullivanradley Site Admin Posts: 27 Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:40 am Location: Georgia, USA * Website Top Re: Weight Log Postby sullivanradley on Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:14 pm Sunday, August 24, 2008: 196 LBS Been blowing it out here lately. Barb fixed my favorite: fried salmon, biscuits and chocolate syrup :twisted: ; then she made another favorite: deep-fried fish with hushpuppies and coleslaw. Well, what can you do? :evil: User avatar sullivanradley Site Admin Posts: 27 Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:40 am Location: Georgia, USA * Website Top Walking and Weight Training Log Postby sullivanradley on Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:22 pm My walking routine consists of a 0.35-mile track where I do 5 laps, totaling 1.75 miles. It's that same figure-eight track I made at my Ma's back in early December of 2007. I try to walk three times per week. My weight-training is roughly the same as it was back in December 2007; it's still a 5-minute timed workout. I do about 30 reps of two different lat. pull exercises for a warm up. Next, I hit the bench and do 20 reps of presses. Then, I move on to the wavy curl bar where I crank out 20 reps. Lastly, I do 15 reps overhead tricep extensions with two dumbbells. Immediately after walking, I always do my weight training. I follow that with a refreshing bath. Dates where I walked and weight trained: 7/14, 7/17, 7/21, 7/23, 7/25, 7/28, 7/31, 8/2, 8/6, 8/8, 8/11, 8/12, 8/15, 8/17, 8/19, and 8/21.

Weight-loss Journal

• 11/21/2007: I started @183 lbs; now @173 lbs
  I do the teaspoon diet three times a week. I walk five days a week. I've just started doing the AB lounge for 10 minutes, three times a week. I find that when I do the teaspoon diet I am not as hungry as I am when I just cut back on my eating.
• 11/29/2007: Today I weighed 172 LBS!
  I'm glad I finally started losing weight. I had lost 10 LBS at first then there was a week where I stayed the same. I was 183 LBS when I started, now I am 172 LBS -- so that's 11 LBS so far. Had some setbacks from Thanksgiving. Still walking 2 miles every day. Hey, today I toted firewood, and I also split some wood with an ax. What a workout that was. I still feel very good about walking, and I also feel great physically.
• 12/5/2007: Just wanted you to know that I weighed 171 LBS this morning
  Not gonna give up yet, still slowly losing weight.
• 12/30/2007: I have struggled this Christmas
  I've been off the diet now for a couple of weeks; been so busy baking for different occasions. I'm going to restart the diet starting the new year. I've been so sleepy and tired. I know it's from not walking and not doing the diet. Man, I had so much energy before I quit everything.

First Month: Started Over On January 7, 2008

• 1/20/2008: Started over on diet on Jan. 7; starting weight was 181 LBS. My goal by Jan. 31, my birthday, is to lose 10 LBS.
  Jan. 7 and 8: was 181; walked for 30 minutes both days.
  Jan. 9: 176 LBS; walked for 30 minutes.
  Jan. 10: 176 LBS; walked for 30 minutes, with 3-LB hand weights.
  Jan. 11: 176 LBS; no workout.
  Jan. 12: 176 LBS; jogged on and off for 30 minutes; no hand weights; also did the Leg Magic machine for 20 minutes total (throughout the day).
  Jan. 13: 176 LBS; no workout.
  Jan. 14: 176 LBS; walked for 30 minutes; did 5-LB curls x 30 reps for each arm. Did the Leg Magic for a total of 20 minutes.
  Jan. 15: 176 LBS; walked for 30 minutes; Leg Magic for 20 minutes total.
  Jan. 16: 176 LBS; Leg Magic for only 20 minutes total.
  Jan. 17: 175 LBS; walked for 30 minutes.
  Jan. 18: 175 LBS; no workout.
  Jan. 19: 175 LBS; did exercise bike for 10 minutes.
  Jan. 20: 174 LBS; did exercise bike for 40 minutes. I will try to put in a report every day.
• 1/21/2008: 174 LBS
  No weight loss; still holding at 174 LBS. Did 20 minutes on the stationary bike today; plan to go back jogging/walking in the next few days, along with the 20 minutes on the stationary bike. Expect to lose a pound in the next day or two.
• 1/22/2008: 174 LBS
  Still holding. Did 40 minutes on stationary bike (4.0 miles) and 50 reps on Leg Magic. Maybe I will jog/run tomorrow. Got to be losing a pound soon.
• 1/23/2008: 174 LBS
  Hoping that's going to change tomorrow. Did a great workout today: 20 Ab crunches; 30 minutes jogging/walking; 30 leg crunches on the Leg Magic; and 4.0 miles on the stationary bike.
• 1/24/2008: 174 LBS
  Still holding. Something's gotta change soon. Only did 35 minutes on the stationary bike. Hoping a pound will drop tomorrow. Taking off a day off tomorrow from exercise. My legs are tired need a day to rest them.
• 1/25/2008: 174 LBS
  ...still. No exercise today; my muscles are burned out; need a day off to restore. [Posted later on the 25th]: I ate all day.
• 1/26/2008: 175 LBS
  Gained 1 LB from eating yesterday.
• 1/27/2008: 174 LBS
  Lost the pound I had gained; did 20 minutes on the stationary bike, 20 ab crunches, and 30 minutes of jogging/walking. I feel really great right now.
  

  Meals

  Breakfast	one cup of cereal - 120 cal. one cup of skim milk - 90 cal. one small banana - 90 cal. total: 300 cal.
  Lunch	one cup of crab meat - 140 cal one teaspoon of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter - 40 cal. total: 180 cal.
  Dinner	2 chicken tenders - 100 cal. 1/2 cup of corn - 80 cal. 1/3 cup of chicken-flavored rice - 100 cal. total: 280 cal.

• 1/28/2008: 174 LBS
  Did 20 minutes on stationary bike, 20 ab crunches, 60 reps on Leg Magic, and 30 minutes of jogging/walking. I only have three more days to lose 3 LBS. Don't know if that will happen?
• 1/29/2008: 174 LBS
  ...still. No exercise today. Think I will do the teaspoon diet tomorrow. I think my body has gotten use to my diet. So I will throw a wrench in it tomorrow.
• 1/30/2008: 173 LBS
  Finally lost that one pound. Yes, 2 more pounds to go by tomorrow ... on my BIRTHDAY; will be 36 years old. We shall see in the morning. Did 20 minutes (4.0 miles) on the stationary bike; did 30 ab crunches; also did 60 reps for outer thighs, and 60 reps for the inner thighs; ate my usual breakfast, which is 300 calories: 1 small banana, 1 cup of Special K, and 1 cup of skim milk.

January was a successful month for me -- my goal was 10 LBS; I lost 8. I had a good time with my mom at Happy China: I had an eggroll and -- my favorite -- Mongolian Beef. Can't believe I didn't gain any weight; was still 173 LBS this morning. My goal for February is lose 10 LBS. KEEP UP THE HARD WORK GUYS!!!

• 2/1/2008: 173 LBS
  Did 20 minutes (4.0 miles) on the stationary bike; 30 ab crunches and 60 reps inner/outer thighs. Also went bowling for my birthday; had a great time with my husband and children.
• 2/2/2008: 173 LBS
  No exercise today.
• 2/3/2008: 173 LBS
  No exercise.
• 2/4/2008: 173 LBS
  20 minutes on stationary bike.

Second Month: Starts February 7, 2008

Weight-loss Journal

• December 11, 2007: Well, I'm going to start the Teaspoon Diet today
  Just spent 2 hours washing my cooler and getting my food and water ready. Weighed-in at work: 279 LBS, with clothes on; subtract 5 LBS for clothes. Going to the gym tonight; will get naked weight. Well, wish me luck.
• December 13, 2007: The last two days have been rough
  I've had a constant headache, starting an hour after I get up, with some dizziness. I hope this will improve as I get used to the lower calorie intake. I did have a binge meal last night of Brooke's leftover Ramen [soup] and a cookie. Haven't had time to get my exercise in. Work has been crazy, with vacations and one guy quitting. By the time I get home it's to bed with me! Well, today's Thursday: I got up early and am going to start walking Otis [the pug]; I got him a leash. The subdivision at the end of the road has a good 1-mile loop in it, with two large hills. But first I've got leaves to deal with.
• December 18, 2007: Time for the scoop on Chuck's progress
  Saturday, I fell on and off the diet. My binge meal was curry goat, peas and rice, and a fried plantain. Jamaican food is one of my weaknesses! Sunday: on and off again. Monday: I was a champ, "on" all the way. Went to the gym after working a 12-hour shift. Did 3.11 miles on the elliptical (equals 422 calories); 50 LBS x 100 reps on the ab-crunch machine; 130 LBS x 50 reps on the lower-back machine. Weight 267 LBS with my gym clothes on. I goofed on the tofu recipe and forgot the almonds. It's still ok. Haven't found the Wasabi kind yet.
• December 20, 2007: Tuesday, we had the company Christmas dinner
  Tuesday: ate this as my binge meal; no gym. Wednesday: on strong all day; went to gym; did 3.11 miles [on the elliptical] and 50 LBS x 100 reps on the ab-crunch machine; 145 LBS x 50 reps on lower-back machine; plus 10 minutes in the sauna. Even with the binge meal the day before, I weigh 266 LBS.
• December 26, 2007: Well, Christmas shot my diet down
  But it's on again; gained 4 LBS
• January 2, 2008: I have a new low weight of 263 LBS naked!!
  Went to the gym; did 3.05 miles [on the elliptical], 50 LBS x 100 reps [on ab-crunch machine] and 130 LBS x 100 reps [on] back-extension machine. Had a binge meal of three eggs and a small salad. I take 1 One-a-day Maximum vitamin with the first bite of the day. Well, it's a new year, [and] it's time to redefine my weight-loss goals -- short-term goal #1: [to weigh] 250 LBS by February 13th; short-term goal #2: [to weigh] 230 LBS by April 13th; long-term goal: 200 LBS. Will reevaluate goals as I achieve them. I wish everyone conviction and an iron will for the new year. With this diet, there is no luck involved.
• January 5, 2008: New [naked] weight of 261 LBS
  2.25 miles [on elliptical] and 65 LBS x 50 reps [on ab-crunch machine].
• January 7, 2008: Naked weight of 260 LBS
  4.50 miles [on elliptical]; 13 minutes in sauna. [My weight] would have been lower if not for the grande "big chinese" AKA buffet meal I had over the weekend.
• January 8, 2008: New naked weight of 258 LBS
  3.50 miles [on elliptical]; 13 minutes in sauna; 20 inclined oblique curls per side; 65 LBS x 50 reps [on ab-crunch machine].

Chuck's VLOGG Entry for 1/8/2008

• January 9, 2008: Got a new TAYLOR body fat analyzer scale today
  No gym today. New weight: 263.5 LBS; body fat: 34%; water: 50%. Recommended body-fat range for my age 30 to 39 is 15 to 21%, as you can see I am way over that. I was using the scales at the gym (doctor's office slide type); this leaves a little margin for error in the balancing act. All new weight measurements will be naked on this [the new TAYLOR] scale.
• January 10, 2008: Naked weight of 261.5 LBS
  Weight is taken when I first wakeup in the mornings; this lets my body stabilize while I'm sleeping.
• January 17, 2008: Naked weight of 259 LBS
  3.05 miles on elliptical; 65 LBS x 100 reps on ab-crunch machine; 65 LBS x 50 reps + 40 reps on pec-fly machine; 20 reps per side of oblique curls; 10 minutes in sauna. Had a monster hog-a-thon this past weekend -- two separate binges: pot roast and mexican -- and it has taken me up to now to lose the 8 LBS I gained in 2 days.
• January 22, 2008: Naked weight of 261.5 LBS
  4.09 miles on elliptical; crunches: 35 per side; scissor crunch machine: 10 LBS + body weight x 40 reps.
• January 23, 2008: Naked weight of 258 LBS
  3 miles on elliptical; 40 oblique curls per side; 25 inclined sit-ups; 50 LBS x 60 reps on ab-crunch machine; 12 minutes in sauna.
• January 31, 2008: Naked weight of 257 LBS
  On diet all week; only exercised tonight: 3 miles on the elliptical; 40 reps x 20 LBS on scissor crunch machine; 40 oblique curls (per side); bow-staff twist and leg raises (lost count); 15 minutes in sauna. I've been depressed; just feeling "blah"; probably midwinter blues; nothing some warm weather and kayaking won't cure ... maybe.
• February 6, 2008: Naked weight of 257 LBS
  I'm still hanging in there. 3 miles on the elliptical; 80 oblique curls per side; 80 bo-staff leg-raise twists per side; 12 minutes in sauna. That "blah" feeling turned out to be a sinus infection on top of an ear infection on top of bronchitis! Needless to say, I had to go to the doctor; got some ear drops and some Amoxicillin; feeling better; still shooting for 250 LBS for my birthday (on February 13). 7days, 7 pounds -- can he do it?

Chuck's Progress Chart

Two versions of the high-quality pdf file are available:

• With 1-LB increments
• With 2-LB increments

Don't print the image below, unless you don't have Adobe Reader; matter of fact, I recommend that you go to the Adobe.com website and download the free Reader program first, so that you can download the high-quality pdf file.

90 percent of the time, my food is cold when I eat it

• This takes away some of its appeal, which makes it easier to stick with the plan of 1 teaspoon per hour.

I do not add salt to anything

• After I had finished my research into nutrition, I decided that foods already have plenty of salt in them and that I shouldn't even own a salt shaker.

I do not eat sandwich bread

• More carbs.

I drink ice-cold water

• As I mention on the Teaspoon Diet main page, I keep 2 bottles of water in the freezer and 2 in the refrigerator; when I leave home I take one of those from the freezer.

Sometimes, I drink a bit more than the 6 ounces of water with each bite

• 7 or 8 ounces; but never more than that.

Over average, I drink 12 cups of hot coffee a day

• Coffee is my one dietary vice.
• I drink mine with 2 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of creamer in every cup.
• I don't know that drinking hot coffee has anything to do with me losing the weight, but I thought I'd share it all with you.
• 12 cups (as measured on the side of the pot) fills my 14-ounce X-Files mug about 4.5 times (about 64 ounces); during the early days of the diet, I drank closer to 90 ounces of coffee a day

I don't eat candy bars, not even during my binge meals

• I have never had the fondness for sweets that most people do.

I don't drink sodas

• I have never been addicted to sodas; occasionally, I will have one with a binge meal though.

I don't eat potatoes

• I love potatoes, even after the traumatic experience of 1994, when I was so poor one week that that's all we had to eat; I don't think my close friend, who stayed with me that weekend, was so lucky.

Two versions of the high-quality pdf file are available:

• With 1-LB increments
• With 2-LB increments

The version pictured below is a JPG image file, which you shouldn't print because the quality will suck.

Antioxidants: It is believed that antioxidants protect you from cancer and viruses. Foods that are rich in antioxidants: mushrooms (calorieking.com nutritional info - sauteed). Mushroom recipe at livingmom.net.

Calorie Values Per Gram of Food:

• Fat/Oil = 9 calories
• Carbohydrate = 4 calories
• Protein = 4 calories
• Alcohol = 7 calories

Diuretic: A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine - Read entry at Wikipedia

Suggested Calories For Weight Loss:

		From	To
Women:	Non-active	1000	1200
	Active	1200	1500
Men:	Non-active	1200	1500
		1500	1800
Teenagers:		1200	1800

Waist Circumference greatly increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood fats, hypertension, stroke, sleep apnea, arthritis and some cancers. High health risk: MEN - Over 40 inches; WOMEN - Over 35 inches.

Source: calorieking.com

searchable words: calorie king

Selected Food Products Information

NUTRITION FACTS - PROS AND CONS - A THRU Z

Almonds - Blue Diamond - Wasabi and Soy Sauce Almonds, with Nutrition Facts - Eat Almonds, Breathe Healthier

Hot Sauce - Texas Pete Hot Sauce
Serving Size: 1 teaspoon (4 grams)

Pros: 4% of Vitamin C

Cons: 5% (120 mgs) of Sodium

Mushrooms - Baby Bella Slices - SouthMill.com - Info - Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 5 medium mushrooms (84 grams)

Pros from the Musing About Mushrooms page at SouthMill.com:

• Low Calorie (Only 20 calories per five medium-sized white mushrooms.)
• Sodium – FREE (Mushrooms solve the lack of taste problem to dishes cooked without salt.)
• Fat – FREE
• Cholesterol – FREE (Excellent eating for a healthy heart!)
• High in Fiber – Contains as much fiber as a serving of lettuce or one medium tomato. (Approximately 1/6 of a medium head.)
• High in Riboflavin (Contains as much as in an eight-ounce glass of milk!)
• Good Source of Vitamins and Minerals - Niacin, B Vitamins and Copper & Potassium, a great asset for consumers on restricted diets craving flavor
• Delicious Meatless Alternative
• B12 – Vegetarians should note that mushrooms and yeast are sole sources of vital B12
• Protein – Mushroom protein is distinctly superior to other vegetable proteins because of its essential Amino Acid content

From a Yahoo! article: Mushrooms contain amino acids, antioxidants, coumarin, polysaccharides, sterols, as well as many other vitamins and minerals that boost your immunity, lower bad cholesterol, balance blood sugar, and protect your body from cancer and virus.

Restaurant Meal Info

Waffle House. Note that the Waffle House refuses to publish nutritional data concerning the food they serve.

Best Sources of Information on Nutrients in Food

1. USDA - Agricultural Research Service - Nutrient Lists
2. USDA National Agricultural Library - Food and Nutrition Information Center - Dietary Reference Intake tables - Look Up Calories or Nutrients in Foods
3. Nutrition.gov
4. Health.gov - Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005
5. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies - Daily Reference Intakes: Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride and Sulfate
6. MyPyramid.gov
7. MayoClinic.com - Fats and Diabetes
8. Healthfinder.gov - your guide to reliable health information
9. Merck - Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats
10. RecipeZaar.com - To access the Kitchen Dictionary: click Ingredients, type a food name into the search box, and then click GO
11. Oregon State University - Linus Pauling Institute - Nutrient Index - Vitamins - Niacin
12. CalorieKing.com
13. Food Database - Lima Beans - Negative Aspect: Too Many Pop-up Ads