Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 95: Weighing In The Day After Thankgiving
Am I brave or just stupid?
At the Serious Eats staff meeting this week, I announced that I was going to post about my diet on Thanksgiving Day instead of today, Friday, the day after, for obvious reasons. My pronouncement was met by derisive snorts and laughter. Everyone here at HQ knew I didn't want to face Thinner and all of you the day after Turkey Day, also known as Serious Dieter Armageddon.
But I am going to show all the HQ dwellers that when it comes to facing down what can only be described as public humiliation of the worst sort, I am not afraid. Serious eaters, I come before you and Thinner and my maker the day after Thanksgiving hoping upon hope that all will not be lost when I get on Thinner.
I was in decent shape leading up to Turkey Day. On Thursday morning I was at 219.
My plan: have a light breakfast and no pre-Thanksgiving-meal-snacking-while-standing-up. It's the pre-meal snacks, as well as the cook's tastes, that kill me in the aggregate. Spoonful of buttery, creamy, mashed potatoes, anyone?
I successfully executed my plan but with five pies staring me in the face (I would have gotten more, but my wife put the kibosh on further pie profligacy), my diet was set to be in a world of hurt come this morning.
But miracle of miracles, I managed to limit my pie intake to a total of one slice that consisted of mini-slices of the following: Yura's fine, fine apple pie, Citarella's sour cream apple walnut pie, and a truly seriously delicious fall medley pie from Two Little Red Hens, along with a mini-scoop of Grom vanilla ice cream. And somehow, some way, I didn't go back for seconds on turkey, gravy, stuffing, or sweet potatoes.
So you know what, serious eaters? Even if Thinner doesn't cooperate in a few moments, it was still worth it to weigh myself today and post about it. Why?
Because I didn't overeat on Thanksgiving as a result. Eating a little bit of everything worked wonders. No stomach discomfort, no food coma, and no food hangover at this very moment, the morning after Turkey Day. Now that's a concept I can get behind.
The Weigh-In
Still, it would be nice if Thinner would co-operate right now. Here goes: 218.
I beat Turkey Day. FIREWORKS! CONFETTI! KAZOO SOUNDS! No diet armageddon going down here. Erin just e-mailed me that I have defied nature with this weigh-in. Maybe so, maybe so. I am ready to declare the day after Thanksgiving Serious Eats Diet Day. Happy SEDD, everyone.
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15 Comments:
congrats, ed. glad you figured out a way to enjoy the holiday. i'm a grazing nibbler myself & it keeps me trim. but, honestly, get rid of thinner-just eat and work out so you feel good-you'll be able to tell. oh, & those pies look amazing. :)
gastronomeg at 10:14AM on 11/27/09
woooooo! well done, you! although i can't say the rest of us experienced the same fate... hope you're very proud of your accomplishment!
rebeccadiamond at 10:15AM on 11/27/09
Will you celebrate SEDD with a slice of pie?
Erin Zimmer at 10:22AM on 11/27/09
Happy T-giving and congrats on Serious Eating in a scaled down(no pun intended) but serious way!
Jbout at 10:32AM on 11/27/09
i'm really impressed! i wish i could say the same for myself!!!
cybercita at 11:33AM on 11/27/09
Congratulations!
fatitalianbroad at 11:41AM on 11/27/09
You know, I lost a pound over Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada last month - and I don't feel like I missed out on anything - it really can be done!
Maureen at 11:44AM on 11/27/09
Congrats! I lost a pound over Thanksgiving. I've found that I just can't eat as much as I used to.
wendypchef at 11:50AM on 11/27/09
I'd like to support you on this one, but I think a couple more slices of the pie in the lower right corner of your collage are well worth an extra pound or two.
Daniel Zemans at 5:48PM on 11/27/09
Yay Ed... I admit that avoided the scale today
foodieteen at 6:20PM on 11/27/09
Wow! Well done!
yankeesgal at 7:22PM on 11/27/09
Ed, as someone who has lost a lot of weight the nartual way and kept it that way for 6 years, I dread big eating holidays except to cook for others, and go light myself. This one, the menu was all veggie, but that doesn't mean light in calories. Put myself to the same scale test today. Dead on my same weight too. So I can join in on the SEDD celebrations.
tempusfugitive at 9:02PM on 11/27/09
Way to go, Ed!
KarinCooks at 9:32PM on 11/27/09
Love that you took the pictures while the pies were still in the boxes. makes them all the more appetizing for some reason.
No seconds?? That's really an accomplishment on Thanksgiving.
lemonfair at 9:15AM on 11/28/09
I'm a big fan of "further pie profligacy" in all its forms, so at first I was sad to hear about the kibosh. But truly enjoying Thanksgiving and still succeeding at your goals is FABULOUS. :)
scornell at 2:25PM on 11/28/09