Body check #4

This page is under weekly reconstruction

1. I lost 2 pounds this week, I had under 50 gr. of carbohydrates every day, took the supplements religiously even during a dinner where I was invited (I probably did have some politically incorrect food at that dinner, but it was delicious and I did not forget about my diet while enjoying it).  After I am done answering your questions I’ll describe the food at that dinner and ask you some questions about it.  I would like to eat more of that type of thing.
2. I didn’t have more variety this week (except for that dinner) and I don’t eat enough vegetables.
3. I haven’t done any exercising, but I’ll do today and aim at exercising every other day for the time being.
4. My energy level was high; this may have something to do with Wellbutrin SR (150mg. daily) and with the excitement of starting my blog.  These last two factors also seem to affect my need for sleep (maybe even more than the food I eat, at least for now). I’ve been having about 5 hours of sleep per night on average and have no problem with that.
5. I haven’t read the info you sent me because I read too much other stuff last week and was not able to keep my priorities straight.  This week I am paying particular attention to straightening out my priorities.

Here is the dinner I mentioned earlier and my questions about the food I had:

1. Silken tofu soup
2. Almond fried rice
3. Braised broccoli with seitan and ginger threads
4. Garlicky sea palm with carrots and onions
5. Chinese cabbage pickle
6. Brown rice crispy squares
7. Jasmine green tea

Here are my questions of both linguistic and nutritional nature:

1. To me <silken> means made out silk; in this context it may mean some kind of extra smooth tofu or a specific marketing brand.  Keeping in mind that the dinner was cooked by a macrobiotic food chef, it also may mean that the tofu was grown among silk worms, if that makes any sense.  Anyway what does it mean, what is the carb count and is it right for my metabolic type?
2. I watched the quantity here so I think this was OK.  Was it?
3. According to my trustworthy dictionaries <to braise> means “to cook slowly in fat and little moisture in a closed pot”.  I don’t know what oil was used.  When I am invited to dinner what should I do about finding out what’s in the food?  In this particular case I could have asked with no problem at all, but it didn’t cross my mind to ask and, besides, I wouldn’t have known what to ask anyway.  I am already happy that I have the food list so I can ask you now.  What should I do in the future?  Should I decline all invitations where food is consumed for the rest of my life, should I accept—but not eat anything, or what?  What should I ask when there is no problem asking and the host knows a great deal about nutrition?

According to the dictionary <seitan> means “A chewy, protein-rich food made from wheat gluten and used as a meat substitute”.  Is this one right for my metabolic type?  Is it OK with the fat loss program?

<sea palm> means “A brown seaweed (Postelsia palmaeformis) found in the middle littoral zone along the Pacific coast of the United States, having a shape resembling a palm tree with numerous edible toothed blades that crown the tip of a long stipe.”  Is this politically correct food for me?

As a general question what is your advice about macrobiotic food in my case?  Should I have any special concerns?
 

© Copyright 2003 Muta Ceva. Last update: 6/12/2003; 12:26:37 AM.