Weight loss

Portion control

Posted by Gary

So this is a cross post about portion control. I’m doing something a little personal but it’s still got a medical connection and I’ve done a Medical Fun Facts podcast about it too.

Weight gain and weight loss

2016 has been a year of steady weight gain for me. At the end of 2003 I tipped the scales at 100 kilograms. It was around Christmas of 2003 that my younger brothers started making whale noises when I was at the beach. On New Year’s Day 2004 I started modifying my way of eating, thinking and living. By the end of 2004 I had stabilised to about 77 kilograms. I did hit a trough of 75 kilograms but I could not sustain that weight.

Maintaining a ‘good’ weight

Since then my body weight has gone up and down but never above 85 kilograms. This year I stopped weighing myself and felt it was good enough to judge my progress based on how my clothes fit and what hole I was using on my belt.

The big day arrived

A couple of weeks ago I reached a psychological and physical tipping point. A pair of trousers demonstrated a dehiscence (not where you are assuming) and I was at the second last hole of my belt. It was clearly time for a change.

My ‘dramatic’ weight loss in 2004 was a result of eliminating carbohydrates (CHO) from my food and focusing on protein (mainly meat and cheese plus low GI vegetables) and what some people call healthy fats. Since the end of 2004, from time to time I restricted my CHO intake to modify my weight. I didn’t always like it though.

It’s a confining way to exist rather than live. I enjoy rice, quinoa and noodles. I like toast as a carrier for things like Vegemite and avocado. I like rolled oats and cereal for breakfast. Going without those things drives cravings for chocolate and ice cream even more (at least in my mind). It has other drawbacks too. It makes going out to dinner a little more difficult. You need to plan. I also experienced two bouts of gout.

My disclaimer

I’m also conscious, that despite, the medical disclaimer I put on YummyLummy.com there are readers who know I am a medical practitioner and who may incorrectly link the way I behave in terms of eating as some form of professional endorsement. Let me make it clear, what you see me eat in YummyLummy.com is not medical, health or nutritional advice. I do not offer nutritional advice as a professional service. I am aware that recently the Medical Board of Australia placed conditions on the registration of a medical practitioner after a complaint by a nutritionist saw the Board send a message that in this particular situation this medical practitioner did not have sufficient qualifications to provide a specific type of nutritional advice. In addition, there were concerns raised about endorsement of a related service offered by a family member.

My solution

So to resolve my problem I am embarking on a journey of portion control. If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram you may have seen the phrase “portion control” used on posts. Dear readers and listeners, I need encouragement. Please keep me honest. I need to fit into my pre-Hong Kong holiday trousers.

Portion control. Spicy baked salmon with kale coleslaw. #dinner #yummylummy #foodporn #yummy #delicious #instafood #nikon
Portion control. Spicy baked salmon with kale coleslaw #dinner #yummylummy #foodporn #yummy #delicious #instafood #nikon

Thank you

 

 

 

Australian London Broil

Posted by Gary

This morning I was reading Doug’s blog Carnivore Confidential and he shared an explanation of a London broil. At the time I just thought it was interesting and commented that I prefer the Canadian version because of the pork sausage stuffing in the tenderised beef.

While I was at work I was thinking for dinner I would be cooking a chicken thigh atop Brussels sprouts and a slice of pumpkin. Something quick and easy after what I knew was going to be a slightly longer day than normal.

When I got home I went to remove the chicken thigh from my refrigerator and started to panic when I couldn’t find it. I thought I may have left it in the boot (trunk) of my car and in the cold weather there had been no smell (of putrefying animal flesh by lovely anaerobic bacteria). I then thought back to what I’ve eaten since grocery shopping on Saturday. I couldn’t remember so I went to my Instagram feed to take a look. Sure enough on Saturday night I had eaten the chicken thigh.

So what to cook for dinner? I had some chicken wings but the wings are for Wednesday night. I spied some beef mince and lup cheong. Then it came to me! Pork stuffed beef just like Doug’s London broil. Well not at all anything like Doug’s broil but still inspired by Doug.

On Instagram tonight I challenged readers to guess what is in my mystery box dinner!

Can you work out what is in this Australian London broil?

Australian London Broil

Australian London Broil
Recipe Type: Dinner
Cuisine: Australian
Author: Gary Lum
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • Beef mince
  • Lup cheong
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Butter
  • Grape seed oil
  • Tasty Coon cheese
  • Pumpkin
Instructions
  1. Wrap two lup cheong with beef mince (ground beef)
  2. Rub in some oil
  3. Place five Brussels sprouts into a non-stick bowl and lay the beef mince lup cheong on top
  4. Lay a slice of Tasty Coon cheese on top
  5. Pop this into an oven at 180 °C for 1 hour along with a slice of pumpkin
  6. After 1 hour allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes
  7. Plate up
  8. Shoot a photograph
  9. Eat the dish
  10. Wash the dishes
  11. Write the recipe
  12. Blog (verb)

 

Beef wrapped lup cheong with Brussels sprouts Beef wrapped lup cheong with Brussels sprouts Beef wrapped lup cheong with Brussels sprouts Beef wrapped lup cheong with Brussels sprouts

How would you go about making an Australian London broil?

Rare steak salad from Yummy Lummy

Posted by Gary
A photograph of my rare steak salad for dinner

After a busy and long day at work I wanted something simple and yummy for dinner.

I had some steak in the refrigerator and some salad vegetables.

Rare steak salad from Yummy Lummy
 
Recipe Type: Easy Yummy Lummy dinner
Cuisine: Australian
Author: Gary Lum
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
A simple meal to cook after a long busy day at work
Ingredients
  • Scotch fillet steak
  • Cos lettuce
  • Spring onion
  • Radish
  • Chilli
  • Fried shallots
  • Avocado
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Olive oil
  • Pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat a frying pan to smoking hot
  2. Rub cooking oil on the steak
  3. Put the steak in the hot fry pan and turn every 20 seconds and repeat for five minutes
  4. Rest the steak for 10 minutes
  5. Slice the lettuce, chilli, spring onion, and radish for the salad
  6. Dice the avocado
  7. Add all the salad bits to a bowl with the fried shallots, pepper and mix with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar
  8. Plate the salad
  9. Thinly slice the steak and add to the salad
  10. Shoot the photograph, for me I used a Nikon D5300 and a Tamron 90 mm MACRO lens at 1/80 seconds, f/5 and ISO 100
  11. Eat the steak and salad
  12. Wash the dishes
  13. Write a blog post
 
Notes
I love these simple types of steak dishes. I really like scotch fillet and especially the deckle.
A photograph of my rare steak salad for dinner
For non-pay day Thursday #dinner I prepared a steak salad