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.

Throughout the Age of Exploration, milestones were achieved one by one: crossing the Atlantic; rounding Cape Horn; circumnavigating the world. By the early 1900s, there were only two goals remaining: reaching the North Pole and reaching the South Pole. Either one would bring fame to the explorer, and glory to his country. Around 1908, two parties claimed a visit to the North Pole, leaving the South Pole up for grabs. The Englishman Robert Falcon Scott mounted an expedition in 1910, and at the same time Roald Amundsen of Norway launched his trip to the Pole. The world knew of Scott’s plans, but Amundsen was more secretive — not even telling his team until they were halfway to Antarctica. He worried that if Scott knew of the Norwegian party, that the Englishman would hurry his departure. Their planning could not have been more different. Amundsen had explored the Arctic from 1903-1906. He befriended the indigenous Inuit people, who taught him survival skills and the art of dog sledding. The clothing Amundsen chose was layered for insulation, and had an outer layer of reindeer leather. Scott relied on ponies, some dogs, and motorized transport, while the Norwegians traveled with 52 sled dogs, four sleds, and cross-country skis. After each group cached many tons of food along the route, the race was on. Amundsen had organized excellently. His group made good time until bad weather struck, but they persevered. Scott’s team, although they had a 10 day head-start, slowed considerably after the ending of their motor sledges froze, and their ponies died. Despite the elements, Amundsen pushed on, reaching the South Pole on December 14, 1911. Scott and his men died of starvation and scurvy after arriving at the Pole, only to find a letter of greeting and the flag of Norway. On the way back from the Pole, as heavy food stores were consumed, Amundsun’s men killed and ate many of their dogs, since the sleds were no longer needed. All part of the plan. Amundsen had many other polar firsts, becoming one of the premier explorers as the Age of Exploration came to an end.

Our menu today consists of foods that are eaten cold. Not the -70F cold of Antarctica, I’m happy to say. No dogs or ponies are on offer. Amundsen’s men were consuming many thousands of calories each day, and burning up as many in their efforts to stay warm. We are Fasting, not freezing, and we will stick to 600 calories.

Gravlax & Grannies:  126 calories 3.6 g fat 2.5 g fiber 11 g protein 13 g carbs 25.6 mg Calcium   NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF  At the Inn at Saint Peters, we enjoyed their Smoked Trout with Apples appetizer. It occurred to me that this could be a fine breakfast for those who enjoy a savory-seafood taste in the a.m. I substituted mackerel gravlax for the smoked trout, just because that was on hand, but it was a grey-brown instead of the lighter hue of the trout or the pink of a salmon.

1 oz mackerel gravlax OR 1 oz smoked trout [DuckTrap brand] ¼ c blueberries + 2 raspberries for color  2 oz Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced: each slice cut into ½-moons   Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Slice the fish with the grain to create thin slices. Arrange the fish and apples in overlapping slices around the plate. HINT: I did this the night before, covered it with clingwrap and put it in the ‘fridge. So quick the next morning!! Brew your hot beverage, blend or shake your smoothie, dish out those healthy blueberries, and breakfast elegantly.

Chicken Summer Salad Plate: 227 calories 3.4 g fat 5 g fiber 22 g protein 23 g carbs 107 mg Calcium PB GF – if using gf crackers Chicken salad is an old favorite – for a sandwich or stuffed in tomatoes or on a salad plate. Without mayonnaise, it is much healthier and just as good.

½ cup chicken salad, chez moi** ½ cup Swedish Cucumber salad  5-7 sugar snap peas 2-4 cherry tomatoes 3 Finn Crisp crackers

**Chicken Salad, chez moi  makes 1 cup ½ cup= 121 calories 3 g fat 0 g fiber 10 g protein 1.4 g carbs 88 mg Calcium   5 oz cooked chicken breast 4 Tbsp part-skim ricotta 2 tsp yellow Sriracha 2 Tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped salt & pepper to taste   optional: 2 Tbsp minced onion 2 Tbsp minced celery Chop, shred or grind the chicken. Combine with the other ingredients. Taste for seasoning, adding more Sriracha if too dry.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs = US large	1.5 two-oz eggs
gizzards from chicken or turkey	Rogan Josh sauce in a jar
garlic + sage	cooked chicken
applesauce	strawberries
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

Mediterranean Vegetables:	purchased pork dumplings @ 31 calories each
eggplant or peppers, zucchini, tomato,	carrot + bell pepper
chicken breast	cabbage + sesame oil + soy sauce
Polenta	hoisin sauce + fresh ginger + garlic powder
Sparkling water	Sparkling water