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Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 91: Diet Armageddon or Hell Week

Posted by Ed Levine, October 30, 2009 at 8:45 AM

Is what I'm about to tell you a form of diet armageddon or Hell Week? Either way, it has been bad, and I mean seriously bad. It's been so bad, I thought long and hard about not posting about my diet—then I decided that would make it even worse.

You all have stayed with me through fat and almost thin, and almost every shape in between, so I figure you'll stay with me even this week, when I might hit 220 pounds, a number that I'm terrified of seeing on Thinner.

I don't know how that scary number could have been avoided, given what in many cases I had to to eat this week. Maybe had to isn't an apt description. I'm just going to report here. You decide.

Saturday I took the train to Philly to try four pizzerias for a major pizza piece Adam and I are writing together. Two of the pizzerias, Stella and Osteria, were very fine, indeed. I stayed focused on pizza, never touching a cheesesteak or a pretzel.

Sunday I ate in Chinatown with Robyn and two of her friends for our upcoming review. The specialties of the house: crispy chicken skin stuffed with either shrimp paste or sticky rice with sausage.

Monday I went around on my bike to Shake Shack and Bill's to pick up all the food we needed to do a direct comparison between the two: burgers, fries, and malts.

Tuesday I met our Burger Lab columnist Kenji at Bill's Bar & Burgers. Our burgers, when ordered extra juicy, were perfect. I know other people have had less than exemplary burgers at Bill's. I'm really sorry about that.

Wednesday I participated in Erin's artisanal candy bar tasting in the morning. In the afternoon I judged Iron Chef. Yup, I tried ten dishes.

Thursday I flew to Atlanta to eat at two more pizzerias for the pizza piece I alluded to above.

I just got full typing everything I ate. So whether I decide to call it Armageddon or Hell Week, it doesn't really matter. We can all agree it was bad. James Brown would have called it Super Bad.

The Weigh-In

Unfortunately I didn't leave Thinner in New York. Here goes. 220. The dreaded 220. God, I hate seeing those three numbers. Well, it only increases my resolve for the coming weeks. I look forward to writing all of you that I've been to Hell Week and back.

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