Back on track!

Voila! I am back! Is there anybody actually reading this? Anyway, I think I should continue documenting my ups and downs and experiment until I finally figure it out!.... After my weight went up inexplicably last week for a day, I cut down on my carbs and avoided all grains for 2 days. I was drained and felt tired although I was taking in my calories. I also craved sweets. It suddenly struck me. I have suddenly an explanation to what happened last year. I have always enjoyed working out and challenging myself. I always looked for what's new and educated myself about exercise physiology ( we doctors don't get a lot of education about nutrition and exercise physiology). But last year something happened. I still worked out but I dreaded it. I felt tired and drained all the time even when I took a week off exercise. .... I was not eating carbs. No bread, pasta, rice or anything with flour. Niente.... My calories came mainly from protein. It did not matter whether I ate before or after exercise; I was always tired. The light bulb came just after those couple of days when I cut out on carbs." I gained weight then it must be the carbs" . That's how everybody seems to think nowadays and that's how I was thinking. But my energy level also dropped dramatically. Over the weekend, I incorporated back some grains and regained back my vitality.
Earlier this year, I went on a diving trip and I was eating 3 meals and 2 snacks, all including carbs. I reflected on this because I was eating much larger amounts than my regular intake and IT CONTAINED CARBS! My weight was not much affected . Of course, we were diving 4 times a day which burns a lot but the meals were also enjoyable, varied and in small portions. I knew in my heart what I needed to do but the demons came back to hunt me and as soon as I hit home, I was back to my ways. NO CARBS. My weight kept creeping up and I kept cutting down on my caloric intake. Needless to say, I was doing something wrong.....I still did it my way.
Then recently, I was in Europe, again eating 3 meals and I actually lost 3 pounds. The difference? I was walking from the second I wake up until I went to sleep. I was also eating enjoyable meals that I can pick from the endless array of restaurants. I focused on the moment and forgot about food in between meals. Here however, food is everywhere. I can resist the abundant food once, twice ,  most of the time but not all the time. I might eat out of boredom or just because it is there. Most of the time, I am not enjoying what I am eating. Today, I remembered that and I did not pick up and taste the candies at the supermarket checkout.
In fact, despite starting the day on the wrong foot by eating a truffle first thing in the morning, the day went wonderful.
Breakfast: 1 Arnold bread, 1 egg and 3 egg whites with onions omelette
Lunch / Dinner: my version of Salade Nicoise
I hate Tuna so I ate 3.8 oz Tilapia on a bed of Romaine lettuce, 3 olives, 1 hard-boiled egg, 1/2 a tomato and capers. The dressing? (makes 5 servings)
I wanted to decrease the fat so I added 1/4 c of aged Balsamic vinegar of Modena, 1/8 c of olive oil, 7 figs, 1/4 c of almonds dry roasted. I also added water and Dijon mustard to have a semi thick texture.
I enjoyed my salad with 1.2 oz of crispy sourdough baguette. Yummee
Snack: 1 oz of the above bread and 6 white flesh anchovies
Workout: lower body weights and plyometrics + 30 min run (2.5) miles = 250 calories. I almost did not run after the workout citing all excuses but I am glad I did. I told myself that I was only going to do 10 min and that was it. Everytime I felt that my legs are tiring, I increased my speed to wash out the lactate.
It was a good day
Luv

M& M