Friday, August 17, 2012

I'm back baby and Stout Burgers Studio City is open for business

So,  where have I been and what have I been up to?  Well first things first I've not only kept my weight down but dropped to 196 pounds.  I opened up my new Stout Burgers and Beers in Studio City, so far so good our first week has been a huge success!  The diet has been extremelyy consistent with my cheat days being varied and adventurous and covering restaurants and eateries all over the country.  We are getting ready to open two moe Stout Burgers and Beers one in Santa Monica and one in Pasadena, as well as two gastropub concepts one focused on Scottish fare?
Restaurant Expansion News
I've been spending a good deal of time in Santa Monica now as we ramp up efforts for the new location.  I'll be sure to start posting my culinary adventures around the city as they unfold. I've also scoped out my New Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and Found an Equinox gym less than a block from our  new spot.
The crazy schedule has definitely made eating a challenge but thanks to the flexibility of The Cheat Day Diet and the many options available the diet continues to be a success and allow me to maintain my diet and grow the various businesses I'm involved in.  Stay tuned for upcoming entries and happy dieting!

Friday, May 18, 2012

Grabbing Starbucks at LAX and jumping on a plane

Just about to jump on a plane to Las Vegas. We missed our first flight thanks to LA rush hour traffic. So that little turn of events gave me 5 wonderful hours to sit around LAX and sample some different foods. I went to Ruby's Dinette obviously a spawning of Rubys Diner, I had an avocado and Swiss burger sans the bun I have to say it was really really good with an ample serving of avocado. Just about two hours later and 45 minutes until my flight I grabbed a Kobe beef sausage from Jody Marony's. I thought it was amazing....I mean maybe my standard for airport food aren't that high but even my girlfriend who has been known to be picky on occasion thought it was great (she had the bun though). Finally I grabbed my decaf latte from Starbucks and here I am sitting here waiting to board. Well I'm sure I will have lots of yummyness to report from sin city. Happy dieting everyone!!!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Do You Need To Distinguish Between Good And Bad Fats

Just as there are good and bad carbs there are also good and bad fats.  For some of you this may be old news but there may be a reader or two out there who is not familiar with this very important distinction.  I read that the Atkins Diet until recently did not distinguish between good and bad fats which led droves of low carbers to consume huge portions of saturated animals fats (yes thats the type that the doctors warn you against).  In fact if you look at the daily recommendations for the Atkins Diet you will see an average day consisting of everything from slabs of bacon, to fried eggs and rump steak.  Conversely, unsaturated fats are those found in certain, types of fish, vegetables such as avocados, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and nuts such as wall nuts.  Unsaturated fats are the cornerstone of other low carb diets such as The Cheat Day Diet, and The South Beach Diet, and are almost universally endorsed by Dieticians and nutritionists alike.
Okay now this is where things get really confusing!  There is a plethora of articles out there showing that Low Carb Diets even those high in saturated fats such as the Atkins Diet actually help in lowering L.D.L's or bad cholesterol.  Consumption of Saturated Fats To Lower Cholesterol? 
So whats the answer here?  Should you be gorging yourself on bacon, eggs and butter at every meal?  I think the answer to that is an unequivocal no. With that being said it does appear that if you keep your consumption of carbohydrates extremely low the potential increase in your L.D.L's is little if any and it may even lower your L.D.L's.
Take a look at the article and spend some time jumping around the net, I'm sure in no time you will have a great understanding of the distinction amongst fats and be able to tailor your consumption to your specific needs.  Have a great day, happy dieting!

The Importance of Sleep, Leptin Raises Its Head Yet Again

Im chronically short on sleep often sleeping 4-5 hours a night.  I was at the gym the other day speaking with a friend of mine who is a physique athlete and I asked him if he had any specific advice for weight loss and retention of muscle.  He stated that a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep a night is absolutely mandatory for weight loss and optimal health.  I had often heard how important sleep was but the emphasis that my friend put on adequate rest made me rush home and start researching the subject.  It didn't take me long to find articles addressing this subject and before long I was immersed in my study with six windows open between my Ipad and my Powerbook.
Why does sleep help with dieting and weight loss, what is the mechanism by which this works?  I found a great article on Livestrong.com which broke down why you need a minimum of eight hours sleep a night and also the chemicals that were associated with adequate rest.  What surprised me here was Leptin once again popping into the picture.  You may remember a post of mine titled Leptin and the Science Behind The Cheat Day Diet.  This was the first time that I mentioned Leptin and it was one of my most popular posts thus far.  Importance of Sleep
Also, during this research another common theme that I came across was that sleep deprivation caused an increase in the hormone Ghrelin which has been shown to not only reduce energy expenditure but also promote the retention of fat.  Ghrelin and Its Negative Effect On Weight Loss.     
There seemed to be no shortage of information stating how important sleep is to optimum health and effective dieting.  There also seems to be a direct correlation between proper sleep and sleep patterns and testosterone levels.  Sleep and Testosterone Levels  
Take a look at these articles and do a little research of your own.  The Cheat Day Diet is all about maximizing your efforts and your results.  Make sure to get enough shut eye we don't want all that dieting and exercise to be for nought.  Happy dieting everyone, talk soon.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Jimmy Moore's Livin la Vida Low-Carb

While doing my daily research I came across this blog. Apparently I must have been living under a rock to not have seen this blog as everyone else in the world has. Well check it out if you haven't already it truly is a wealth of low carb information and will definitely become a source of information for The Cheat Day Diet.

Just How Low Carb Should a Low Carb Diet Be??

So I have received a couple of questions lately regarding the amount of carbs that can be consumed and will still constitute a low carb diet.  I started doing some research on this question and suffice to say the opinions are varied.  Lets start with the obvious 0 net carbs is probably not only impossible but sounds like it could be dangerous.  Now that we have ruled 0 out; is the magic number 20, 50, or even 100.
I have personally tried daily variations ranging from 20-100 grams and I have found that even with the small amount of net carbs in my favorite vegetables 40-50 grams has allowed me to eat what I consider to be a healthy balanced diet and also maintain my weight loss and maintenance goals.
I have read a number of different diet programs and articles that are also quite varied in their recommendations.
While the Atkins diet may recommend a daily intake of as little as 20 grams a day, the zone diet may suggest that 30% of your daily consumption be in the form of complex carbohydrates.  I also came across a number of articles stating that on account of every ones unique hormonal and chemical makeup there is no real number that be applied across the general public.   I wanted to supply  a number of links so that you can better educate yourself as I believe there is a lot of merit in the notion that every ones body reacts differently. Wiki Article
I also think that we have to remain focused on not only the weight loss and management goals but also the primary purpose of any diet regiment which is to attain and maintain overall health.  With that being said the consumption of adequate nutrients and phytonutrients are of paramount importance.  Adequate Nutrients on Low Carb Diet.  
I think that the key is to get started and monitor closely not only your weight loss but also your overall well being.  After a short time you will be able to tailor your carb consumption to your specific body requirements.  I hope this helps to answer the question and thanks again to everyone for following The Cheat Day Diet.  Happy dieting everyone.

 

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Do Low Carb Diets Impair Brain Function

Today I spent the majority of the day running around Orange County looking at new locations for Stout Burgers and Beers and also locations for another potential project.  I was sitting at Starbucks enjoying my Decaf Americano (second of the day) when I got a text from my friend who is following a version of The Cheat Day Diet.  He asked me how I can function on such low carb consumption and was curious if I "spaced out all the time".  I told him that I had heard of people getting a little discombobulated especially in the beginning of the diet but that I had never really had that effect.
This question made me curious as to the exact effects of low carbs on the brain specifically can a low carb diet restrict glucose from your brain essentially starving your brain.  I found myself searching the Internet and as usual there was multiple articles with varied opinions on the subject matter.
I found an interesting article in Readers Digest which stated that low carb diets would have a negative impact on not only health as a whole but specifically brain function and that a minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates were required daily to keep the brain functioning at optimal levels.  While the article agreed that we do indeed eat too many carbohydrates it also stated emphatically that carbohydrate restricted diets may not be healthy for you for a variety of reason.  Readers Digest Article
I continued to research the subject and came across a number of articles that again emphasized the health benefits of a low carb diet.
Both of the articles I included address specifically the effects of the low carb diet on cognitive function and attempt to disprove the notion that low carb diets may be bad for the brain.  Low Carb Diets Health Benefits and Low Carb Diets Not Bad For The Brain I would welcome you to read both of these article and also the Readers Digest Article mentioned above.  I  feel more confident after my research that The Cheat Day Diet is not only extremely effective but also safe for that lump of grey matter housed between your ears.  Let me know your thoughts after you have checked out the aforementioned articles.  Talk to you guys tomorrow, happy dieting.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Bariatric Medicine Type 2 Diabetes and Low Carb Diets


Bariatric Medicine: The treatment of obesity, and methods of weight loss. Bariatric physicians can be certified by the American Board of Bariatric Medicine.
Some bariatric physicians are surgeons specializing in surgery to promote weight loss, while others use diet and other lifestyle changes to treat obesity.

I came across the term Bariatric Medicine while researching the effects of a low carb diet on Type 2 Diabetes.  This led me to a wealth of articles focused on insulin and fat storage. One of the articles that I found of particular interest was on the site About.com and concerning a Bariatric Physician by the name of Mary Vernon, M.D. Mary Vernon MD Link
This article addresses the myths of low carb dieting and also the scientific effect of low carb diets on the metabolism and weight loss.  There was a Q&A session with Dr. Vernon that addressed a number of very common questions a would provide an excellent roadmap for anyone interested in starting a diet of this type.  
There was also an interesting article on livestrong.com.  If you have not visited this site you need to it really is a wealth of information very well organized and structured to allow for easy browsing.  This particular article states that the American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes get between 45 and 60 grams of carbohydrates at each meal but then goes on to explain why some people with diabetes who follow a low carb or restricted carb diet are finding that their blood sugar levels improve significantly. Live Stong Article
While I cant speak from personal experience on diabetes I have always had a problem with low blood sugar and I can say without a doubt switching to a low carb diet has allowed me to control any of the blood sugar fluctuations that used to plague me.  I can also say that contrary to other widely held beliefs I have never experienced low energy levels or felt lethargic while on this regiment (well other than when I get two hours sleep multiple nights in a row.)
I think the key here is to research this subject as much as possible.  With websites such as livestrong.com at your disposal there is no reason that you cant be extremely well informed on all subjects pertaining to your health.  As for me, I'm sticking to The Cheat Day Diet...I'm going to finish my American at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and walk over to our new Stout Burgers and Beers under construction (finally) in Santa Monica.  Ill fill you guys in on my daily eats as the day progresses, happy dieting.  

Monday, May 7, 2012

Just came across this article on About.com Nutrition

Just came across this nice little article on About.com Nutrition regarding low carb diets.  Its probably not going to tell you too much that you have not already read but its got some informative hyperlinks and is worth the read.

http://nutrition.about.com/od/diets/a/lowcarbdianafaq.htm

The Question is...Can you build muscle on a low carb diet?

Its a question I hear on a daily basis and for good reason.  Can I build muscle on a low carb diet? Its a long held belief that you need to consume big carbs to get big muscle.  Most weight gainers are filled with simple and complex carbs.  So whats the skinny on this question.....Click on the link below and let me know your thoughts. /

Muscle on a low carb diet

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Great Low Carb Article From The University Of Connecticut

Its always good to find scientifically grounded articles supporting low carb diets which is the foundation of The Cheat Day Diet. This article covers not only the history of the low carb movement but also The effects of carbohydrates on insulin response. Take a few moments and check it out, I would love to hear your thoughts.

uconn.edu/blog/2011/08/new-book-explores-science-behind-a-low-carbohydrate-diet/

Enjoying Northern Cal the birthplace of Peet's Coffee and Tea and looking for our San Francisco Stout

Im just concluding my Northern California trip and I have to say that I'm truly starting to love this area. There is such a diversity of people, cultures and foods in a relatively small area. Our weekend took us through San Francisco! Oakland and Berkeley the birth place of Peet's Coffee and Tea. We tried a few different restaurants but the one that was truly memorable was Chez Pannise in Berkeley. I have to say that this was one of the best meals I can ever remember having. I often hear people say they can taste the freshness of food but this was probably the first time I felt I truly could say that. Everything about this meal was spectacular, service perfect and the halibut entree and goat cheese salad appetizer worked perfectly for my low carb diet. I can't recommend this place strongly enough. We found a couple of very interesting locations for our Northern Stout Burgers and Beers location but I think we have narrowed it down to two potential San Francisco locations. Berkeley was indeed a lovely city also and enjoying a decaf coffee at the birthplace of Peet's was wonderful. Well it's almost time to jump back on a plane to LaLa land. I'll throw up a more detailed report on my cheat day later but thus far it has included hamburgers, a wide variety of fruit, cookies, mango lassi, and some ice cream. Hope everyone is wonderful and happy dieting.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Sunday Funday on The Cheat Day Diet

So I'm just finishing up the day and damn was this one heck of a cheat day.  The day started with a Jamba Juice and a bagel and cream cheese.  Next treat was a glazed donut and a coffee.  I had a baptism today for my nephew, it was a great experience for me, Godfather part II.
We celebrated my nephews birthday and baptism at the Lazy Dog Cafe in Irvine.  The food is really good, service was excellent and everybody in our party thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
I came back up to LA and ran to Santa Monica to check on the new Stout Burgers location.  On the way home my lady and I stopped at Rose Sweet Creamery in Brentwood, if you have never been here and your a fan of ice cream, do yourself a favor and run don't walk over there as soon as possible.  I had the salted caramel and it was absolutely amazing.
So as a final splurge on my Cheat Day I ordered a large pizza and ate half of it, and even squeezed in a couple bites of carrot cake.  I'm officially stuffed and ready for bed unfortunately I still have to subject myself to about two hours of the agony that is contract drafting.
On another note check out the video on The Dr. OZ Show.  Its a great little piece all about the merits of The Cheat Day Diet.
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, and happy dieting.


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Thanks to my low carb diet people in Japan

I just jumped on line to post for the day and noticed that there is quite a few readers checking in from Japan on a daily basis. This was definitely a nice surprise so I hope you continue to check out the blog and feel free to message me with any questions. Today was a wonderful day with the diet, my energy levels continue to be very high. I made my normal pit stop at Earth Bar West Hollywood and squeezed in a couple of coffees throughout the day. I switched up from the normal latte's to drip coffee just to cut down a little on the dairy, I'll let you guys know how that works out. Okay so here is my "Surviving on a low carb diet tip of the day" Yummy Grocery Store..... Another establishment that I couldn't live without. They are a full service grocery store that delivers FAST!!!! When I say fast I mean they are literally at your door in under 30 minutes. They make amazing food at the deli my staple there is the Chinese chicken salad hold the Mandarin oranges and the crispy wontons. The salad is huge and really fills you up not to mention its a great value. These days I'm not getting home till about 9pm so the ability to have a fresh salad delivered until midnight is amazing. Okay everyone thanks for following and happy dieting!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Earth Bar..Starbucks....Stout Burgers....and now Daichan

I have not posted in a while because I have been so busy but my diet has been more on point than ever.  My daily is: Stout Burger chicken and quinoa patty with avocado and arugula, house udon soup from Daichan no noodles extra vegetables and chicken, my decaf coffee from Starbucks and my spinach kale ginger lemon from Earth Bar.  My daily snacks are pretty much almonds, Muscle Milk and Power Crunch bars.  I have really stepped it up in the gym both the frequency and the intensity of my workouts and its really starting to show.
I picked up a couple of low-carb books on Itunes, one of them was free its called My Low Carb Story Diet Book Cookbook and Shopping List.  Its a really easy and quick read and the price was right ;)
Its got a lot of good information including carb analysis on popular foods and comparisons of low-carb choices, check it out.
At some point in the near future Im going to get some pictures online.  This diet has really started quite a transformation and my energy levels have really been at an all time high.  Ill check back in tomorrow have a wonderful night and happy dieting

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf...Health Benefits of Coffee

I just pulled into a Coffee Bean to take a 30 minute break until my next meeting and thought Damn!!!!! I drink a lot of coffee. Granted I drink decaf so that's good and non fat milk maybe a third of a cup so no fat and minimal carbs (Cheat Day Diet friendly) but is there anything else that I should know about this oh so common bean.

I started doing my research and here is some of the information I found. Coffee drinkers are less likely to have type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease and dementia, sounds wonderful. Also, coffee may help prevent not only certain cancers but also heart rhythm problems and strokes, this is getting better and better. I found another particularly well written article stating that coffee may lower your risk of not only Alzheimer's but also skin cancer. I read in total 9 articles (2 of which I included the links) all of which listed numerous health benefits of coffee without any real negatives other than the potential negative effects of caffeine.

I'm going to do a little research into decaf coffee and see if it contains the same health benefits. As of now I'm pretty excited to guzzle down my next coffee, in the interests of preserving my health of course ;)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/31/coffee-health-benefits_n_1064577.html#s440657&title=Coffee_Could_Save

harvard.edu/press_releases/coffee_health_benefits

Monday, February 27, 2012

How Does your Diet Effect Your Largest Organ..... Your Skin?

I was given a very nice compliment today when someone told me that my skin was "beautiful." And what did I do to take care of it? Okay so its not the biggest compliment a guy can get but what the hell ill take it. I looked online to see what tips people had for clear skin and it seemd that the following advice was fairly universal. Follow a "clean" diet as in limit your fried food choices, and limit over processed foods. I also read that consumption of water is very important with most sites recommending at least eight glasses of water a day. There was also multiple references to vitamins and the consumption of vitamin rich foods, with a particular focus on vtamin C and the B vitamins. And, of course almost every article that I read suggested that you get enough sleep (this Im not doign a good job at).
So with the exception of the sleep I realized that The Cheat Day Diet is almost perfectly suited to following the advice provided in the articles. Check out this link which I thought did a good job of summarizing the information.

www.essortment.com/diet-affects-skin-49171.html

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Great Artice On Dieting and Why Diets Fail Found on the Vitamix Site

Im constantly talking to people who have 101 excuses for why their diets fail. The excuses are varied and include everything from "I dont have the time," to "I dont have the money." I started to browse the internet to find articles on why diets fail and I found what I thought was a really good article on the Vitamix web site. Im not sure if your familiar with the Vitamix but its an incredible appliance that acts almost like a juicer/blender allowing you to make incredible smoothys and vegetable juices in the comfort of your own home. I just bought one of these for someone as a present and I think it has literally changed their lives. Everytime I speak with this individual he is blending meals, smoothies, juice even ice cream. Ive personally used it a number of times to blend fresh vegetables and make not only incredible vegetable juices but even fresh soups. So take a look at this article and read up on The Vitamix I think it is an invaluable component to any diet plan.


http://vitamix.com/household/health/fail6.asp

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Leptin and The Science Behind The Cheat Day Diet

I've received some questions over the last couple days regarding The Cheat Day Diet and the science behind it. There are numerous articles online in support of this diet I've included a link to one that I thought was particularly well written.


Top Fat Loss Trainer Link

It would seem that Leptin is the key to this process so I've also included a link to the wikipedia article describing this hormone and it's actions and interactions within the body.

Leptin Wikipedia

So tomorrow its my cheat day and I'll be sure to squeeze in 12 hours of gluttony as that seems to be the optimal duration of increased calorie eating to increase Leptin. See you guys tomorrow I'll be sure to include pictures, happy dieting everyone.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

All the celebs are cheating!!!

Take a look at the tabloids or just google cheat day diet and you will see that every celeb and their moms (literally) are following a cheat day diet. Whether it's getting in shape for a tv/movie role or to strut their stuff on stage stars are looking for a way to get into the best shape of their life and then maintain it. Katy Perry and Sandra Bullock amongst others have stated the value in cheat days and how they have when combined with a healthy diet helped them reach their weight loss goals. Get on board and get in the best shape of your life with The Cheat Day Diet! Happy dieting.

Monday, February 20, 2012

The Cheat Day Diet Snacks on the Go!

Whether you find yourself at an AM PM mini-market, a Starbucks or a Subway here is some safe and easy ideas to keep your diet on track.
For the past year my business has required quite a good deal of travel forcing me to find reasonable food options while on the road and in the airport. As I've mentioned multiple times before Starbucks always works for me to grab a quick bite, a decaf drip or a decaf non fat latte and a package of almonds is a great snack that keeps me going and doesn't compromise my diet. If I find myself at an AM-PM or 7-Eleven I'll usually go for a Muscle Milk Light or similar low carb protein and again look for almonds or even peanuts just be careful with the nuts to check the sodium as it can be a big bad surprise. There are also some fairly good protein bars around now I'm partial to the Power Crunch or if I'm in a bind the Pure Protein bars. Recently I've found myself at Subway on a regular basis, they make great made to order salads which you can specify spinach instead of lettuce for a nutritionally packed salad. I usually order the grilled chicken breast and add avocado for taste. The other life savor for me has been Whole Foods. Their rapid expansion incredible salad bars and customizable vegetable juice bars have made them one of my daily staples. Oh and of course I can't leave out Stout Burgers and Beers, go skinny style and double up the quinoa patty for a high protein, high fiber power packed meal....


Hope this gives you guys some ideas for your next road trip or flight to unfamiliar territory. Happy dieting :)

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Cypress In Walnut Creek followed by Ginger and Anisette Tea

We decided to take a trip up to San Francisco for the weekend. I have to say first of all it was the worst traffic I have ever seen in Los Angeles. It took us about 9 hours and three Decaf Non Fat Latte's from Starbucks to get there. When we finally arrived it was the middle of the night so I ate a Power Crunch low carb protein bar and called it a night. Today I managed to make it to the gym and and followed my diet perfectly eating fresh vegetables, and chicken more of less the entire day.

For dinner we decided to try out Cypress in Walnut Creek. I have to say that it was very simplistic in design. Clean lines and intelligently placed lighting and fixtures provided a visually pleasing aesthetic. The waiter was very friendly, not overbearing but always seemed to be there when we needed him. Another note was that the support staff bussers etc were very on point, our glasses were never less than half full.

I noticed almost immediately that there appeared to be a reasonable amount of options for my low carb diet, and there also seemed to be some relatively healthy options especially on the waves (fish) side of the menu.

I started with the Bibb Salad, it was fresh, well plated generous size and the champagne vinaigrette was delicious. For my entree I opted for the filet mignon and asked the waiter if I could replace my mashed potato's with extra green beans. He graciously agreed stating that it would be no problem (always a good sign).

The fillet made it to the table with our other entrees in a reasonable time and I have to say that the plating was absolutely beautiful. There was a substantial amount of vegetables on the plate including green beans and onion bulbs. Im not sure what it was about the steak but it was a little underwhelming. It definitely was not bad, just not a steak that I would ever crave or talk about the following day. Everyone else in my party chose some type of fish or scallops and the general consensus was that their meals really quite good. On another note there was a piano player and the ambiance of the venue was lively without being overbearing.

I got home and had hot tea made from ginger and anisette....try it...all I can say is AMAZING!
Okay well tomorrow will be gluttonous Ill make sure to take pictures to prove it. Have a wonderful night, see you guys tomorrow

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Back and Better than Before on The Cheat Day Diet

So I hope everyone has been doing wonderful and sticking to their diets during my absence. Ive been crazy trying to wrap up one of my reality tv projects, start two more and open the other Stout Burgers and Beers locations. Im happy to report that in spite of the current madness I have been ever so diligent in my diet and I have managed to drop about a pound since my last entry. I know that doesnt sound like a huge deal but the wonderful thing about this diet is there realy is no yo-yo ing at all. Im either losing weight or Im maintaining but its definitely continuing to bring positive results.

I have also found some other low carb friendly options which Im going to share with you now. So first I took a trip to Peet's Coffee. Im happy to say that they had multiple options including a great low card mixed nut selection and for those of you not as concerned with carbs but instead searching for quality carb options a great steel cut oatmeal product. I also want to add Coral Tree Cafe in Brentwood to my list of restaurants with great low carb and diet options. Ive eaten at Coral Tree almost every day for the past week, their salads are amazing, their product is very fresh and they always have a number of delicious soups on the menu. I've also found myself eating more sushi lately the edamame, ssashimi salads and variety of cooked vegetables makes for multiple options.

I also happy to report I'm back in San Francisco for the weekend so expect some yummy entries in my future. Goodnight and happy dieting everyone.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Mendocino Farms..Starbucks....Trader Joes....and Yummy Grocery Delivery

So today I was actually back on the diet because I had my my cheat day yesterday.  I spent the day running around dealing with the Stout Burgers and Beers location in Studio City and sampling low carb meals and meal replacements from various restaurants and grocery stores.

I walked over to Trader Joes this morning and bought some protein bars and drinks.  I really don't know how this place does it but the prices are really amazing.  I bought Power Crunch Bars as well as pre-made Pure Protein Drinks.  The prices at Trader Joes are actually as good as the online prices!

I stopped in at Stout Hollywood and enjoyed my usual quinoa and chicken patty on a bed of arugula with avocado.  Its such a great meal I promise I would eat it even if I didn't own the place lol.  My next meal was at Mendocino Farms where I had the Sophisticated Chicken Salad.  It was really really delicious and I would recommend it to anyone wanting a low carb delicious quick meal. A very balanced salad consisting of parma prosciutto and roasted chicken breast, seasonal market roasted vegetables, local Gioia fresh mozzarella, crushed honey roasted almonds, marinated red peppers, red onions, grape tomatoes, Scarborough Farm’s greens, butter lettuce & romaine with a basil pesto-balsamic vinaigrette. 

You know I managed to get my decaf latte in....not once but twice, and took an hour to sit at the different
Starbucks locations and get some serious people watching in.  For my last meal I ordered the Chinese Chicken Salad from Yummy grocery store.  I ordered the full one and it was definitely large enough to share.  I asked them to hold the crispy won tons and the mandarin oranges but it was still very very tasty.  They deliver until 12 midnight so its perfect for that late night low carb snack.

So guess what everyone? Ill be making a trip back to Scotland at the end of the month.  I'm really really excited to go back its been a very long time.  Well happy dieting everyone, have a wonderful night.