Weekend Away From It All

After a trying week with my diet and my work my wife and I decided to take off alone. So after my cardio at Fast Track we took off. Oh I forgot to talk about the cardio. Today ROCKED!!! 10 minute first mile, 21 minute for 2 miles, and just 25 steps from 3 miles in 30 minutes!!! Oh the burn. Burn of almost 350 calories that is!!


I was really concerned about staying on plan. I got a great suite at Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio. The hotel was on property so we just parked the car and walked. The weather was awesome. Being alone with my wife was amazing. Walking was amazing. No wheezing, no needing to sit down. Since I have lost 50 pound I have no shirts that fit. Shopping spree it is!!!! I bought shirts at Macy's and JC Penny!!! I cant remember when I could just go shopping!!! Did I spend a fortune no way. I bought 6 Izod and Van Hussen button up shirts for under 100 total.. One more size down and I can buy shirts almost anywhere!!!

At dinner we decided to go to Smith & Wollensky. Its a amazing steak house. 2 months  ago I would have got 24 oz ribeye, mashed tatters, veggies, appetizer, and all the bread and butter I could cram down. The great thing about eating in a swanky steak house is the awesome fresh seafood. I started with 6 raw oysters, and 6 clams. Yummy and under 120 calories!!! For my entree I got the Asparagus and Crab salad. So YUMMY!!! As you can see below it looked awesome. Instead of my usual cocktails or bottle of wine I selected a nice large bottle of Pelligrino and a few twist of lime. The waiter even brought a wine bucket to keep my "Bottle" cold.

Sunday brunch was just as amazing. My favorite Japanese/sushi place is Restaurant Hama. Hama is one of the oldest Sushi bars in the country in L.A. When Easton Town Center opened Hama Columbus became the second location in the U.S. Never have had a bad meal here!!! Since Sushi is my favorite food of all time, and since my diet is low carb, I cant have the rice. Oh but what I had was great!! I started with a Tofu and Wakame salad. Tofu, Wakame (black seaweed), thin sliced tomatoes, Japanese cucumber pickles, and a great light sesame dressing just drizzled on top. I thought it was great.

For my main course it had to be Sashimi!!!! Expertly cut and so fresh. Salmon, Octopus, Flounder (so delicate), Tuna, Yellowtail, Albecore tuna, and seared Yellowtail. All served with yummy crunchy Diakon radish.

  So see dieting and changing ones lifestyle does not have to mean the end of good food. It means making food choices that go along with whatever plan you are on. It means enjoying the company you are with. Funny even though this was all lower calorie the favors were immense. Taking your time eating and having great conversation means being filled up. My belly could not have been happier with these 2 meals.
I look at it this way. I have not ate fast food in a month. Used to do it almost everyday. I would rather save the money and go out to eat like this once in a blue moon any day!!!!

After lunch we walked back to get the car and we went to Polaris Mall. Its the largest mall in the state of Ohio. This place is huge. We walked and walked and walked some more. I even was able to get a great 30 minute chair accu pressure massage.

Tonight after walking the malls all day we decided to go to McCormick & Schmick's. The restaurant is about 1 mile from our hotel. We walked it. It feels so good to walk again. After a lite dinner of Grouper we walked to the theater to see "Green Lantern". After the movie we walked about 3/4 mile back to our hotel. To be honest I feel ready to go some more. All that walking today my ancles are not swollen at all...