How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

“Marco!” calls the child in the swimming pool. “Polo!” answer the other children, hoping they won’t be caught. Do they know that they are shouting the name of a real person who had nothing to do with swimming pools? He was born on 14 September 1254, into the Polo family of Venetian merchants. Prior to his birth, Marco’s father and uncle set off on a trading expedition. While they were gone, Marco’s mother died, he was taken in by an aunt and uncle who taught him the mercantile trade. The boy never met his own father until the man returned when Marco was 15 years old. Two years later, Marco’s father Niccolo and uncle Matteo started off on another trip, and they took young Marco with them. By boat, by camel, by horse, by foot they made their way along the Silk Road to Cathay/China and the court of Kublai Khan. By then, Marco was 21 years old. The Khan was charmed by the family and their news from Europe. He took Marco on as an assistant, sending him on diplomatic missions. After 20-some years in China, the family returned to Venice. Marco, now 41 years old, was captured while defending Venice against the Genoese, and put into prison. As luck would have it, a fellow-prisoner was a novelist. He wrote down the stories that Marco told and when they were released, he published  Livres des Merveilles du Monde, what we know as The Travels of Marco Polo. The book was dismissed by some as fantasy, and inspired many to travel. Marco Polo never left Venice again.

Our day begins in Italy, as did Marco Polo’s life. Our day ends with a meal from Asia, complete with noodles. Contrary to popular belief, Marco Polo did not introduce noodles or any other pasta into Italy. The Arabs had done that centuries before when couscous, made of wheat flour, was brought to Sicily.

Rustica Scromelette: 140 calories 8.6 g fat 0.5 g fiber 11.5 g protein 4.4 g carbs 97 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  One of our favorite dinners for a Slow Day is Pasta Rustica. So why not enjoy those flavors at breakfast? The cheese, the herbs, and the eggs combine with a real WOW in the morning.

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.   ½ Tbsp crushed tomatoes ½ Tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese 1/8 oz mozzarella, grated 1/3 oz onion, chopped ¼ clove garlic, minced or pressed basil + oregano + salt + hot pepper flakes, to taste 1 oz melon OR strawberries   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

 HINT: I combined the tomato, cheeses, herbs and spices the night before. You can also prepare the melon beforehand. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Add the prepared onion and garlic and stir to cook briefly . Whisk the eggs with the cheeses and seasonings and pour over the onions in the pan. Scramble to your favorite degree of doneness. Plate the fruit, prepare the beverages. You are in for a treat.

Cilantro-Lime Shrimp: 268 calories 4.6 g fat 1.6 g fiber 30.5 g protein 21 g carbs 89.5 g Calcium   PB GF This delicious recipe is from skinnytaste.com.

Serves 2
1.5 oz maifun brown rice noodles	Cook in boiling water until done. Drain
10 oz raw shrimp, peeled ¼ tsp ground cumin salt + pepper	Toss shrimp with seasonngs to coat.
2/3 tsp olive oil	Put oil in a hot saute pan and cook shrimp 1-2 mins until no longer pink.
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed	Add noodles and garlic and cook 1 min.
2 Tbsp lime juice 4 Tbsp fresh, chopped cilantro	Squeeze juice over everything and sprinkle with cilantro. Toss well.
2 large, cupped lettuce leaves	Portion into lettuce leaves to serve.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

1 two-oz egg = US large	1.5 two-oz eggs
onion + tomato + cabbage	tomato + mushrooms
olive oil + whole-wheat lavash	scallion
New Mexico green chilis + fruit	apple
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion for Monday:………………………….. single portion for Thursday:

3 oz lobster meat + Gruyere cheese	6 oz whole wheat pizza dough
shallot + garlic + broccoli + carrots	canned crushed tomatoes + black olives
1 oz cognac or brandy + 2 oz dry white wine	prosciutto + Parmesan cheese
tomatoes, fresh or canned diced	side salad with beets + cucumbers
Sparkling water	Sparkling water