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.

Louis Braille was born in Coupvray, France on January 4, 1809, the son of a harness-maker. When Louis was three years old, he pierced his eye with an awl while playing with leather in his father’s shop. A resulting infection spread to his other eye and he was blind by age five. His ability to learn at the village school earned him a scholarship to the National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris. Louis continued to be an excellent student there. When he was 12, he heard about a method for soldiers to ‘read’ communications in the dark — a method developed by Charles Barbier that involved raised patterns of dots on paper. The army didn’t want the idea, but Louis Braille improved it and made it his own. He perfected it by age 16, and published a book called Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Songs by Means of Dots for Use by the Blind and Arranged for Them. In 1833, he became the first blind teacher at the Institute. In addition to instructing algebra, history, and geography, Braille was an accomplished organist. He was hired at churches in Paris, and toured the nation to perform. The Institute published the first ever book in the Braille Alphabet, but a subsequent director banned the use of the Braille system. Despite that, the Braille system eventually caught on and was used throughout the world. Louis taught until 1850, when tuberculosis made him too ill. He died two years later: inventor, teacher, musician. Louis Braille’s limitation did not limit him.

How successful would you be at eating if you couldn’t see what was on your plate? Our breakfast stays on the fork well, and the dinner can be eaten with the hands.

Mushroom-Bleu Cheese ScrOmelette: 137 calories 8.4 g fat  0.6 g fiber  10.4 g protein  6.6 g carbs  66.7 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  Based on ingredients loved in France, these flavors are delicious together.

Three 2-oz eggs, of which you will use 1½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up the eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.    ¼ oz bleu cheese     ½ oz mushrooms ¼ oz leeks 1 oz pear      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]

Spritz a non-stick pan with olive oil or non-stick spray. Slice the leeks and saute with the mushrooms until both are cooked. Whisk in the eggs and pour over the leeks and mushrooms. As the eggs begin to set, crumble the bleu cheese on top. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Plate with the pear, serve with the beverages of choice. 

Ham & Cheese Street Crepes: 272 calories 9 g fat 2.4 g fiber 21 g protein 25 g carbs 212 mg Calcium  NB: The photo shows a meal for 2 [TWO]. The recipe below is for one serving. This is the familiar street-vendor lunch in Paris, except that the food values will not break the bank on a Fast Day. Very quick and easy to prepare if you had made the crêpe batter before and have it thawed out. HINT: can be prepared in advance and rewarmed later. Good for traveling or planning ahead.

2 buckwheat galettes  2 oz sliced deli ham  ½ oz deli sliced Swiss cheese              1 wedge “Laughing Cow” [Vache Qui Rit] cheese at room temperature   2 oz tomatoes 

Cook crepes. Spread the Laughing Cow cheese on one half of each crêpe. Lay the ham on the cheese side of each crêpe and top with the Swiss cheese slices. Fold in half. Heat a heavy skillet, adding maybe a spritz or 2 of non-stick spray. Lay the folded crêpes on the hot skillet to heat one side, then flip to heat the other side. You want the cheese to get melty. Fold each crêpe once more into tidy triangles, and push down on with the turner to flatten them. Plate them with the tomatoes and voilà!

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

1 two-oz egg = US large + scallion	1 two-oz egg  + red bell pepper
canned artichoke hearts in water	4″-diameter thin, round slice ham
reduced-fat ricotta	Fresh polenta or cooked corn kernels
mixed fresh herbs + strawberries	Sriracha + watermelon
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

4 oz firm-fleshed fish + green beans	romaine lettuce + cooked pork tenderloin
Parmesan cheese + mozzarella cheese	clementine + asparagus + hard-boiled egg
marinara sauce: homemade or purchased	cranberry orchard nut medley + garlic powder
2%-fat cottage cheese + fresh bread crumbs	mayonnaise/yogurt + sriracha  + lemon juice
Sparkling water	Sparkling water