227

Tuesdays are always one of my favorite days of the workout/diet week. I like them because I usually put up a good weight on Tuesdays after my day of rest on Sunday and a subsequent strong cardio day Monday, and as such it is very exciting for me to get to the gym on Tuesdays to face the scale. Exciting to face the scale is an odd thing to think, but I always know my Tuesdays are going to be solid.

Today was no exception. I got on the scale and hit 227.0. Like the regrettable television show of the same name, that number hasn't been seen on a scale near me since the 90s. And unlike the television show, I was quite glad to see it again.

I like to swim on Tuesdays, but only had 45 minutes today. So instead of the usual 3-10 minute freestyle sessions and 3-10 minute breaststroke sessions, I went with 2 and 2, and in the last 5 minutes I did sprints (just because I apparently hate myself). That left me more than tired enough to feel I got a good workout in.

I like to think I'm a good swimmer, but apparently I'm really not. There was a guy in the next lane who effortlessly was putting half a length on me every lap, and it even seemed like he switched his strokes when I did just to mock me. I felt like Shaq swimming against Michael Phelps. Clearly my strength and stamina still isn't great, and I think my technique is pretty awful too. But I can't feel too bad - this dude was wearing a Speedo and swim cap, and obviously takes his swimming quite seriously, but it is still humbling to be crushed like that on every length.

Tonight's dinner was fairly simple. I made dinner for my wife and myself, and the boys, and made taco meat out of ground 93/7 turkey breast. Browned in a pan, I added spices (cumin mostly with some chili powder - too much for the boys, and onion and garlic powder), stock, and tomato paste (added way too much, only need a tablespoon). Since tortilla shells are high in calories, I decided to put it over a salad of mixed greens, cucumbers, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and cilantro tossed with a vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine vinegar, cumin, chili powder, Frank's Red Hot, and salt), with a side of basmati rice with cumin in it. We actually put the taco meat on the rice instead of salad though, and it turned out okay. The taco meat was probably 250-300 calories for 1/2 pound of seasoned turkey meat, the rice was 200 calories, and the salad was maybe 100 calories for a 600 calorie meal. Easy to do and easy to make with kids (the kids have it in a taco with cheese).