Phil Harwell’s Diet Blog

This has certainly been a challenging six weeks.  The question now is:  where to go from here?  Certainly I can’t go back to my old diet;  that will just lead back to more weight gain.  However, this diet, while effective, is very tough to maintain, and has a lot of what I feel are arbitrary restrictions.  Mr. Rubin nitpicks quite a bit in my opinion.

So, I’ve decided to keep this diet partially, while being reasonable and sensible about the rest.  I will have to watch myself carefully, and of course continue working out (though I haven’t been able to for a while due to sickness).

I’ve debated a little over whether or not to post any progress reports here, but I think I’ll just leave this be for now, as a record of this six-week “boot camp” of sorts.  I might check in from time to time, but I’m most likely not going to do that.  Honestly, keeping up the blog was one of the hardest parts of this diet, and it wasn’t even required!  But I committed myself to it because a) it keeps me accountable and b) it offers my friends and family an opportunity to check on my progress and encourage me.

I’ve got a long way to go before I get to my final weight goal, but I’ve got a great head start.  And with God’s help, I hope to reach it someday!

Thanks for reading!

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The verdict is in: my end-of-diet weight is 244.8, which is a weight loss of roughly 28 pounds! This is the fastest weight loss I’ve ever had, and of course I’ll have to work to keep it off. But it will be worth it.

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Well, today is the last day of the six-week program. I am so thankful that God has helped me through a tough diet. Tomorrow I will have my final weigh-in, and I will post that along with some closing thoughts.

Today’s meals:

Breakfast: one toasted sourdough english muffin (plain).

Lunch: hamburger patties (with onions), corn, green beans.

Supper: an english muffin with hamburger patty (and one additional half-patty).

Drinks: water.

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Today’s meals:

Breakfast: did not have today (slept in).

Lunch: another BYB double burger (like usual).

Snack: did not have today.

Supper: had a little egg drop soup, and some pieces of chicken breast later in the evening.

Drinks: water, unsweetened tea.

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Oops. I was going to get this one on time but it slipped my mind! Anyways, this is the last day according to the book, but I wanted to go ahead and go for six full weeks, so I still need to go until Sunday.

Today’s meals:

Breakfast: english muffin with egg (see yesterday).

Lunch: ate out at the Cockeyed Camel again. Grilled chicken with hot sauce, creamed corn, and blackeyed peas (which had a bit of bacon in them but I tried to avoid eating that).

Snack: did not have one today.

Supper: hamburger steak in tomato sauce, corn.

Drinks: water, tea (both unsweetened and sweetened with Stevia), coffee (started to drink it black but wound up putting Stevia in it).

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Sorry I missed my deadline again!

Today’s meals:

Breakfast: one toasted sourdough english muffin with egg.

Lunch: chicken breast with buffalo sauce and corn.

Snack: did not have one.

Supper: ate out at Garibaldi’s. I had the grilled chicken salad with buffalo sauce (see previous entries).

Drinks: tea (sweetened with Stevia and unsweetened) and a little water I think.

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Another late post. At least, I don’t have very many more of these to do.

Today’s meals:

Breakfast: two plain toasted sourdough English muffins.

Lunch: ate out at Cheeburger Cheeburger restaurant. Had a grilled chicken salad (grilled chicken, lettuce, baby greens) with Tabasco sauce.

Supper: ate out at Rafferty’s. Had a steak au jus with steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower).

Drinks: water, tea (sweetened with Stevia, unsweetened - with and without lemon).

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Today’s meals:

Breakfast: smoothie.

Lunch: leftover chili and a carrot.

Snack: another carrot.

Supper: beef barley and vegetable soup (with some extra spices added)

Drinks: water, tea sweetened with Stevia.

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Today’s meals:

Breakfast: grapes.

Lunch: did not have today. I didn’t feel like making lunch due to being sick. Wasn’t that hungry anyways.

Snack: did not have today.

Supper: chili.

Drinks: water.

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A few more pounds lost: I’m down to 249!* I’ve crossed the 250 threshold! And only one more week to go.

* well, 249.4 to be exact, but I like to deal in round numbers. So let’s round!

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Today’s meals:

Breakfast: grapes.

Lunch: Back Yard Burger (the usual).

Snack: almonds, grapes.

Supper: potluck at the church building tonight. I had roast beef, carrots, and a little bit of sourdough bread.

Drinks: water.

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Almost halfway through Phase III!

Today’s meals:

Breakfast: did not have today (slept in).

Lunch: grilled chicken with hot sauce, corn, half of a sprouted-wheat bagel (toasted).

Snack: did not have today.

Supper: steak, sourdough roll with butter.

Drinks: water.

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Another late post. Sorry!

Today’s meals:

Breakfast: grapes, I think (oops, can’t quite remember!)

Lunch: ate out at Piccadilly Cafeteria with co-workers. Had chopped steak with onions, steamed broccoli, corn, and fruit (strawberries and grapes).

Snack: did not have one.

Supper: fish, onions, Ezekiel pasta.

Drinks: water, tea sweetened with Stevia, and unsweetened tea.

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Today’s meals:

Breakfast: smoothie.

Lunch: leftover steak and pasta from Tuesday.

Snack: did not have one.

Supper: grapes (appetizer), stew meat cooked in salsa and garlic, half of a sourdough roll. (BREAD!!!!!!!!!!)

Drinks: water, tea sweetened with honey.

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Today’s meals:

Breakfast: grapes.

Lunch: did not have today. I called in sick to work today and slept until mid-afternoon.

Snack: did not have today.

Supper: grapes (appetizer), fried chicken breasts with hot sauce, corn.

Drinks:  water.

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A month already! (Sorry this one is late).

Today’s meals:

Breakfast: pineapples.

Lunch: leftover chili.

Snack: did not have one.

Supper: pepper steak, corn, Ezekiel pasta.

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I’m now down to 253! That’s about 20 pounds in only 4 weeks! I’m very excited. Also, I signed up today at the YMCA. Hopefully exercise will help this weight loss thing go even better!

Again, thanks for all the encouragement so far. I really praise God that I’ve been so successful thus far!

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Day 1 of Phase III! More beans, nuts, some grains, etc. are now added in. This is, of course, the final phase!

Today’s meals:

Breakfast: smoothie (the usual).

Lunch: steak chunks and corn.

Snack: did not have one.

Supper: the main course was chili, but the big deal was this: my first grain-type food in nearly a month! Of course, “normal” breads and pastas are not allowed in this diet. But the book does mention “Ezekiel-type” bread (see Ezekiel 4:9). While I couldn’t find a loaf of the bread, I found some pasta (which Mr. Rubin suggests to eat in small amounts) made by Food for Life that is made with the same ingredients (but not with the same cooking methods). So I had some “sprouted, whole grain” Penne noodles. They were actually pretty good to eat.

Drinks: tea sweetened with Stevia, water.

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Today’s meals:

Breakfast: pineapples and grapes.

Lunch: baked chicken (with Tabasco sauce), steamed broccoli and carrots, corn, green beans with olive oil.

Snack: a few grapes and some leftover chicken from lunch yesterday (with Tabasco sauce),.

Supper: another BYB double burger (we were on the road back to Memphis).

Drinks: water, unsweetened tea, coffee.

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This actually, now that I think about it, is going pretty fast.  I’m almost at the end of Phase II!

Today’s meals:

Breakfast:  did not have today (slept really late).

Lunch:  hamburger steak (home cooked by Mom!), chicken salad (chicken, lettuce mix, green onions, onions)
Snack:  did not have one today.

Supper:  2 hamburger patties with mustard, steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)

Drinks:  water, unsweetened tea.