Wednesday Weigh-In 20260811

I'm still eating ice cream. I don't seem to care about losing weight. I'd prefer to keep it under 200lbs, though.

Waist = 45.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260721

I'm eating a great deal of ice cream. To be specific, I finish a 48oz container in two days, which averages to one and a half pints per day.

Waist = 45.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260713

Batteries have been replaced, so I've included the percent fat. But I didn't measure my waist.

Waist = 44.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Message From the Universe

I told my wife that I keep seeing our daughter's former classmates at the store, but now they're all grown up!

"What do you think it means?" I asked my wife.  "Is the Universe trying to tell me something?"

"Yes, you're old."

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260628

The scale needs new batteries. All I get from it is weight.

Waist = 44.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Chicken in Black Bean Sauce

Introduction

This dish gets nearly all its flavor from the sauce. When cooking bland ingredients such as boneless and skinless white meat chicken as we do here, I prefer to use a pungent sauce such as black bean sauce. Same goes for tofu.

The organic chicken tenders are simply cuts of chicken breast, which I used to concoct this recipe. Feel free to use any finger-sized pieces of chicken.

Salt is not required for this dish. The black bean sauce provides enough.

The poblano provides a bit of spicy "zing." If you use an ordinary green pepper, add a pinch of cayenne pepper. Feel free to add more spice.

Broccoli is a great addition to this dish. The florets soak up the liquid and act like "flavor sponges." If using broccoli, add it with the onions and peppers. Feel free to add liquid if the pan seems dry. Bok choy is another addition to consider, but it cooks quickly so add it with the mushrooms.

Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound. It also will stain your cutting board, knife, fingers, etc. I use Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to clean my knife.

Black pepper enhances the absorption of curcumin. Pre-ground black pepper can harbor mold; using fresh cracked pepper avoids this toxin.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup EVOO Light
• 1.6 lb organic chicken tenders
• 1 onion
• 1 turmeric piece, finger-sized
• 1 poblano (or green bell pepper and pinch of cayenne pepper)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 cup mushrooms (such as Woodstock frozen)
• 1/4 tsp ground black peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp black bean sauce

Steps

• Pre-heat large cast iron skillet to medium high
• Peel onion, turmeric, garlic
• Dice onion, red pepper (and poblano) to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in size
• Finely chop turmeric and garlic
• Set garlic aside
• Coat skillet with EVOO then add the diced / chopped ingredients, except for the garlic
• Saute for about five minutes or until onions start to be translucent
• Push vegetables to edge of pan
• Add more oil and then add chicken to the center of the pan; separate into "fingers"
• Brown chicken on both sides for about two minutes each side
• Add garlic on top of chicken
• Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about ten minutes
• Add mushrooms
• Mix pan ingredients gently, ensuring any raw portion of chicken gets contact with the pan
• Add black pepper and black bean sauce
• Mix pan ingredients again, cutting "fingers" into bite-size pieces, checking for doneness
• Turn off stove, allow juices to soak into chicken as it cools

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260610

Occasionally the Body Composition feature of my bath scale fails to work. When that happens I report a value for the Fat percentage anyway, using a previous value or one that's interpolated. Today is one of those "interpolated" days.

Waist = 44.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Sitting on a Gold Mine

CNN reported that villagers ventured into a nearby mine hoping to find gold. But they became trapped when the mine flooded. After being stuck for days, some intrepid rescuers got them out. And best of all, they did find gold!¹

"I hope they learned a lesson," my wife said.

"Yes, it's that someone will rescue you if you do something stupid." I went on to wonder aloud, "Are there any mines in our town that I can look for gold in?"

"You bet there is. I'm sitting on one."

---

¹https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/30/asia/laos-cave-rescue-intl

Chile con Carne

Introduction

This chili recipe is meant to make a hearty (heavy) dish. Hence we do not drain the fat. And like most chilies, stews and soups, it tastes better the next day -- the zing from the tomato mellows.

Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory,¹ so I use it in every savory recipe that involves frying. Turmeric also will stain your cutting board, knife, fingers, etc. I use Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to clean my knife.

Black pepper enhances the absorption of curcumin.² But pre-ground black pepper can harbor mold; use fresh cracked pepper to avoid this toxin. Likewise, I use fresh chili powders, or I omit chili powder altogether and rely on the chiles themselves for flavor.

I prefer low salt (or no salt ingredients). But if you don't have no salt diced tomatoes, just use what you have and cut back on the added salt.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, yellow or sweet
• 1 Pinky-size piece of turmeric root (optional)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 Poblano chile or 1 can green chiles
• 4 - 5 cloves garlic
• 1 lb. ground beef, 80% or 85% lean
• 1 can (14 to 16 oz.) diced tomatoes (no salt, if possible)
• 1 can (14 to 16 oz.) beans (black or pinto) and liquid
• 2 to 4 oz. EVOO (for frying in large pan)
• 1 tsp or more of chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black peppercorns

Steps

• pre-heat large cast iron skillet to medium high
• Peel onion, turmeric, garlic
• Dice onion, red pepper (and pablano) to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in size
• Finely chop turmeric and garlic
• Set garlic aside
• Coat skillet with EVOO then add the diced / chopped ingredients, except for the garlic
• Saute for about five minutes or until onions start to be translucent
• Push vegetables to edge of pan
• Add meat to the center of the pan and break into marble-sized clumps
• Brown the meat, then incorporate garlic for about a minute
• Add diced tomatoes and beans
• Saute in order to thicken sauce, about 10 minutes
• Add salt, black pepper, chili powder. Adjust to taste
• Serve hot, topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc

---

¹ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/expert-qa/turmeric-benefits
² https://www.globalsavors.com/blog/spices/black-pepper/how-much-black-pepper-to-take-with-curcumin

2026-06-24 Updated to add "Set garlic aside"

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260510

Just another weigh-in

Waist = 44.75"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260430

For after-dinner snacking, I'm crunching on baby carrots instead of chips, and grapes instead of candy. The grapes provide sweetness as well as a delightful "pop" sensation. Sometimes I'll add in a high quality aged cheese such as Gouda. Midnight Moon, an aged goat milk cheese made in Holland, has been my favorite so far.

Waist = 44.75"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260426

Just another weigh-in...

Waist = 45.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260414

Just another weigh-in...

Waist = 45.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260408

I resumed the 300mg dose of bupropion, which I had reduced to 150mg on February 19 to see if doing so would reduce my sugar cravings and overeating. It didn't.

As well, I stopped the 10mg dose of rosuvastatin earlier this week in order to allow for relief of muscle problems. I did this because I have muscle pain, exercise fatigue and weakness. I had these symptoms many years ago, but they went away when I stopped whatever statin I was on at the time on the advice of an ND (Naturopathic Doctor). Meanwhile, I plan to try Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) because one known side effect of statins is that they deplete this fat-soluble vitamin-like cofactor.¹

---

¹ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12554813/

Waist = 45.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Dream: Leftover Pizza Toss

WL¹ shows up at my home unannounced, a surprise visit.  He walks toward the backyard.  I ask out of politeness if he'd like a tour of the house, dreading a yes answer.  He declines and says that he's just here to get rid of the pizza they had at work.

He flings the pizza toward the far end of the backyard.  It's a small, whole pizza, and it flies like a Frisbee.  But wind from the West gets under it, so it tilts and then circles around.  It's acting almost like a boomerang, but it loses momentum, falls to the ground and breaks into a couple of pieces.

I suddenly realize it would've been neat to get a video.  I wish I'd known he would do that so I could video record it and maybe have him toss it into the pond.

I pick up the pieces and walk toward the pond.  I have the cellphone in my left hand and the pizza pieces in my right.  It's hard for me to start the video, so I throw it first and then start the recording.  However, te pieces fall to the ground before the recording starts.

---

WL is the recruiter my employer retained several years ago and who died a couple of years ago.  He once commented on a photo of my wife (admiring my wife's legs) while visiting my office one day, prompting me to reposition the photo and angle it away from the entrance. He'd bring in birthday cake every month and pizza occasionally.  I was always polite to him and thanked him several times for his effort, yet I preferred to avoid him.

In this dream, I'm no longer employed at the company.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260404

I've been trying three things in order to increase fitness and reduce weight.

1. Earlier bedtime. During my period of decline, I'd been reading and working on the computer late at night, which is when I'm motivated to consume sweets or crunchy snacks. Since I can't eat while I'm asleep, I can easily reduce my intake by going to bed at 9:30pm instead of 12:30am, for example. This is easier to do during Daylight Saving Time than during Standard Time because the day ends one hour earlier compared to sunset.
2. More activity. I'm more committed to exercising. I do push-ups and crunches indoors, and I force myself to walk more because I park far away from the stores I shop at.
3. Mindset / Intensified effort. This is similar to increased activity, but it takes place while carrying out ordinary tasks. My method is based on a study I read about in a book by Ellen Langer in which two cohorts of hotel maids were monitored for fitness. Only one cohort was told that the job was exercise and would improve their fitness. Compared to the control group "...the informed group ... showed a decrease in weight, blood pressure, body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, and body mass index."¹ But in my case, I know "the trick," I know what's going on, so I actually do treat my activity as exercise by moving faster and adding intensity to my muscle contractions.

---

¹https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17425538/

Waist = 45.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Ordering Out

My wife is so weird in some ways.

For example, she ordered Chinese food, and I’ve just picked it up.  Normally, when food arrives, the bag is ripped open, and people descend upon it.  Then they start to scarf their meals like a pack of hungry wild dogs.

Not my wife.  She continues doing whatever she was doing before the food arrived.  It’s a lot like how a cat will feign disinterest in dinner and then sneak in later to gulp down the food.

I can’t abide this behavior.  So I’ve decided to leave her alone and write this blog post about it.  Let’s see how long it takes for her to start her meal. 

Is this difference in behavior a male/female thing?  Is it because she’s from New England and I’m from New York, where we open a box of pizza, take a piece, fold it in half, and rip out a huge bite while walking away, causing painful burns on the roof of our mouths in the process?

I came home with the food at least 15 minutes ago.  She asked just now, “Do you want to eat with me in the living room?”  “Okay, sure.”   Then she walked in the opposite direction of the kitchen.

Now she’s back in my office with a fistful of papers that need to be filed.  She’s talking about hiring a new helper.

[tick, tick, tick…] Now, finally, I hear her in the kitchen, more than twenty minutes after I’ve set the Chinese food onto the table.  But still there’s no indication that food is on her mind.

It’s as if the food is a visit to the dentist, or a tax return to be filed.  Why is she avoiding it?

I’m shaking my head in total confusion.

[much time passes]

She finally sits down.  Then she abruptly gets up, “I forgot a plate for the cat.”

She sits down again.  Then, once again, she abruptly gets up, “I forgot my drink.”

She sits.  She fidgets a bit, then uses the remote to switch channels.  Commercial.  Switch.  Commercial.  Switch.  Commercial.  All this time she’s still not eating.

Finally she started to eat more than 30 minutes after I came home with the food.

Dream: School Worksheet

I’m standing in a classroom with my math teacher/professor.  He asks me, “Shouldn’t you be studying for the mid term?”  I say, “No, I’m done.  I’m ready.”  He leaves the room.

A student volunteer errand boy enters.  I’m still standing in the same location. I’m deeply engrossed in reading something.  The boy starts saying that he has a paper to give to the professor.  I shush the boy.  I hold out my hand, still looking at my reading.  Then I look at the paper, and the boy says that it’s an old graded [quiz / homework / worksheet] that needs to be returned to the student.  I read SK’s son’s name written at the top in child-like penmanship. “Indeed it’s old,” I think to myself.  SK’s son graduated 10 years ago, and this isn’t even high school-level work!  Then I realize that name isn’t SK’s son’s name, it’s S himself.  SK is about my age, a sexagenarian(1)!  “I’ll take care of it,” I say, and the boy leaves.

I leave the classroom and walk toward the main office.  There are a few students in the hallways.  As I approach a staircase, one student is in front of me.  He’s walking a bit slowly, and he’s got a buddy nearby.  That buddy is on another staircase, and he’s showing off how he can slide down a few steps at a time.  Now I’m on the stairs stuck behind this slow student.  My impatience is building.  “I can do better than that,” I say, referring to the buddy, and I slide down the entire set of stairs, which is about twelve steps.  And I feel relieved to be moving at a decent pace again.

(1) A sexagenarian is a person between the ages of 60 to 69 years old. https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/eb/qa/Age-by-Decade

Dream: Urinal Cakes

I'm visiting my former workplace.  I've entered the building via an entrance other than the main entrance, and I encounter a few former coworkers.  As I hang out with them, I realize that I should check in at the front desk, and I tell the guys that.  One of them, JJ, looks me straight in the eye and says, "I'll go with you.  HR wants me to replace the urinal cake in the men's room."

JJ and the gang walk in the general direction that I go in, but their path is meandering.  In going up flights of stairs they switch between stairwells, for example.  So I dawdle a bit as I watch and wait for them to catch up.

---

Commentary:

JJ is a talented process engineer.  The main idea with this is that the woman in Human Resources (HR) has given him a "lowly" task befitting a janitor.  JJ is not happy with it.  This representation of HR calling the shots mirrors my opinion that HR in large companies, acting as the company "bouncer," is getting out-of-control.  Or, they don't really know what engineers do or are capable of.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20260317

Just back-filling old weigh-in data.

Waist = 37.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.