I've been in a cooking mood lately. Mostly, I think I just want to spend less money on eating out. Last night, I made meatloaf stuffed bellpepper while M made a green salad. Tonight, I'll probably prepare steaks. Tomorrow night, I'll probably make Sopa de Lima, mi sopa favorita Yucatecan. Whenever I see whole roasted chickens at the grocer, I grab one because they don't usually have them and everyone knows how much I love Sopa de Lima.

So now I just have to fix it up before it goes all dry and gross. That's usually my problem with grocery shopping: I go crazy and buy too many things because I hate to grocery shop... and then the things slowly rot in my refrigerator.

I'm proud to report that I'm on Day 6 of improved eating habits. No starch or sugar with the exception of 3 bites of M's Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch ice cream and 1 Oreo last night. Other than that mishap, I've done well. I've ignored the leftover Halloween candy lurking in the office, I said "no, thank you" to a cookie offer, and I resisted the temptation to buy a cafe latte this morning.

I've been eating low carb since November 1999. Problem is I had too many back-to-back vacations this summer and, as a result, got too lackadaisical with my eating habits and ate ice cream (my weakness) virtually nonstop... and I couldn't get back on the wagon so easily between trips out of town. Then I started occasionally ordering meat-stuffed raviolis, which eventually turned into ordering rigatoni bolognese.

When I ever-so-slowly started diminishing my protein intake and increasing my carbohydrate intake, the old haunts of malaise, headaches, mood swings, and erratic blood sugar came speeding back... as well as the extra poundage.

Sometime between July and present day, I had gained 8 lbs! I know that's not a lot; I just want to get it under control before it gets to 10 or 20 or 30 extra pounds. I don't feel comfortable with this extra weight, so I'm determined to take it off.

I feel best when I eat more protein and less carbohydrates. That's my motivation. Okay, that and the fact that my muscles look more defined, to boot. ;)

So there you have it.

And, ooooh, it's lunch time right now. Time to hit Cheap Chinese for meat and veggies.

Chow! (Er, I mean "Ciao")