Finally, I have reached 290 lbs.

This took longer than I thought it would given the progress I was making, but I know it was having to do with the bad foods I was eating.

Hopefully, I'll reach 280 sooner rather than later.

Books

I just finished reading some books.

Click the links below to see them on Amazon.com.
Start Small, Finish Big: 15 Key Lessons to Start--and Run--Your Own Successful Business

Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies

New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer

Scientology

"I do what I can and I do it like I do everything." -- Tom Cruise

He's so freakin' awesome! (heavy sarcasm)

Silly Clip Art
...as seen on CompUSA Business and enhanced by me. :-)

Failing Dogs
To err is human, but a failing dog is divine.

Fail Dogs

McCain on the Attack!
I realize this is coincidence, but I just saw this on Nightline. When they cut to commercial, they ran a tease about John McCain's lobbyist problem. As you can see, the graphic started pouring out of his mouth like he's expelling hot plasma. Odd, eh?

Snacks



Now that I'm dieting, I know it is important to not go hungry. Yet, I have to be careful what I eat in between meals.

Right now, I've been eating Dole's Mixed Fruit in Peach Gel. It tastes good and it has 90 calories per serving. A case of 16 at Sam's costs less than $7. I eat two per day during my work days, so that's about a week and a half of snacks.

Here's the ingredients:
Water - Good

Fruit (Peaches, Pears, Pineapple) - Good

Sugar - Okay, at least it is natural

Carrageenan - What the? -- *** UPDATE: According to Wikipedia, this is the gel. The article says that it could be used as a sexual lubricant and may help prevent herpes! Also says that it may cause intestinal inflammation that leads to inflammatory bowel disease. Yowsers!

Natural Flavors - Good

Malic Acid - Don't know? -- *** UPDATE: Source of "extreme tartness", although in this food, I don't taste much tartness.

Locust Bean Gum (LBG) - Huh? -- *** UPDATE: Derived from the seeds of the Carob tree. Used as a thickening agent. Also used in ice cream to prevent melting.

Fumaric Acid - Don't Know? -- *** UPDATE: In medicine, used to treat psoriasis. In large doses, may cause kidney or gastrointestinal disorders. In food, used to add sourness, similar to malic acid.

Sodium Citrate - Don't Know? -- *** UPDATE: Sometimes referred to as sour salt, this is a common ingredient in lemon-lime drinks. Successfully used as an anticoagulant for blood transfusions, but in this case, it is used to control acidity.

Potassium Citrate - Don't Know? -- *** UPDATE: Can be used as a non-irritating diuretic and to treat gout by reducing uric acid. My guess is that it is used in this food to offset the acids.

Cochineal Extract (color) - Don't Know? -- *** UPDATE: This scarlet or orange dye comes from boiling Cochineal insects.

Asorbic Acid (Vitamin C) - Good

Beta Carotene (Vitamin A) - Good

I guess I need to do some research. Too many "don't knows" with these ingredients.

*** UPDATE: Well, now that I know all this, it does make this fruit cup much more interesting and less appealing, but is it bad? Hmm.... it tastes good. I don't think they could market something that would kill you, so it is probably, relatively harmless. Maybe I shouldn't eat too much of it.