Feeling Blue and Vinegar Chicken

I woke up feeling blue today, and it has lingered for quite some time. I am a really upbeat person, I don't get down very easily.

It's the diet.

It's Sunday and I  have 20 days to go. 20 days is not a long time, it can whiz by so fast. But when you are on a super strict diet, it can go oh so slowly.

I actually had tears well up in my eyes this morning as I was on the treadmill, and it was not the treadmill making me cry. It was the feeling of despair that hits you sometimes, and those of you who compete will know exactly what I am talking about.

I spent three hours at the gym, I worked shoulders, then bootcamp with "R" and I did my cardio for a half hour, I didn't feel like going back a second time today.

I am ready to live a normal life, ready to relax a bit.

I come home famished, all I had was my meal replacement drink at 5:15, and it was now 9:30. Egg whites, and then a bowl of steel cut oats. So hungry. Almost decided to eat turkey meatballs and rice, that may make me feel normal again.

David offers some tastes of his food, forgetting that I cannot try it. He apologizes, not intending to make things worse for me.

I start making vinegar chicken for David and Cooper's dinner. It is a fabulous dish, that if I wasn't so close to competition time I could eat, but not today. I cook and try not to pay attention to the smells, Coop walks in and says it smells great.

La Volaille Au Vinagre De Vin Bistro D'A Cote

Saute 6 chicken legs, 6 chicken thighs (or a cut up whole chicken) that has been generously salted and peppered  in 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter till golden. Remove from skillet, drain fat, add chicken back into the skillet. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar, cook about 10 minutes till reduced by half, turning chicken occasionally.

Add 1 cup chicken stock, 1 large can chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove chicken, then reduce sauce for 10 minutes. Add the chicken back into the skillet, it's best if you refrigerate it a while, even overnight, it makes the flavors better. Then reheat, and add 4 tablespoons butter.

It is served with potatoes au gratin made with creme fraiche and Gruyere cheese.

I then made them a fig crostada (rustic tart) for dessert.
 
There are always leftovers from the chicken so what do I do? I think they may even like this better: The sauce is thin, and I take all the remaining chicken from the bones, mix it with the remaining sauce and serve over pasta the next day.

Me? I will have red snapper, asparagus and rice.

I think this scenario repeated day after day would get anyone down eventually.
David and Cooper leave for a few hours to a couple lacrosse games, I have brought work home so my mind is occupied and I am not feeling so down, I am concentrating too much.

I decide to make pastry tart for some homemade fig "pop tarts"...I will freeze the dough and cook them later, just before I go to my competition, they are best room temperature says the  recipe, they look stunning and I cannot wait to try them!

The dough is flour, sugar, salt, butter and cream cheese. Filled with a homemade fig jam mixture then baked and glazed, they should be fabulous with a steaming hot cup coffee... or champagne.

I don't lick my fingers as I prepare the dough, but I really want to, no one is watching, I can easily do it and no one would know. But I would, and if I didn't look my best when I stepped on stage, I would be really angry at myself in 20 days.

I eat my next meal, a can of tuna, 4 ounces brown rice and some mushrooms. I am increasing carbs because I have started putting out ketones, I monitor my urine to see if I have been cutting back too much and I have, so it's more starches for a while.

I still have a couple pounds to lose, so it's tough, I have to increase carbs yet lose weight, it means more cardio.