3 Wise Whiskies -- 186 lbs (-43) [17X]

My last new expression explorations for the year:

● Monarch of the Glen 15yr
-- Top of the MG line, this blended scotch is complex, smooth, and affordable. The 8 yr is still the better value, IMO.
● Bowmore Legend
-- This affordable Islay single malt is just the right level of smoky peat for me. I expect we shall be seeing each other again.
● Glenlivet 12 Yr
-- I have been reading about the history of Glenlivet for quite some time, and I was not disappointed in the smooth, firm, Speyside taste, but I regret not being able to travel back to the early 1800's to do a barley-to-barley comparison.

It's been a tough year, though I am happy to have successfully taken control in a weird and unhealthy way and shared that with you. I wish you all the best in 2013!

What I consumed Sunday -- 186 lbs (-43) [17X]:
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● .875 oz Glenmorangie The Original
● 6 oz Monarch of the Glen 15yr
● 6 oz Bowmore Legend
● 6 oz Glenlivet 12 Yr
● .5 Nissin Cup Noodles w/ grated cheddar cheese + broth
● 4 Hershey's Kisses
● 10 bites apple
● Big bite Vegan Original Superfood Crisp (tastes like wheat grass)
● Slice Honeybake ham & 2 slices turkey
● Big bowl of air-popped popcorn w/ Flavacol
● 10 Snyder's peanut butter pretzel sandwiches
● 12+ Rold Gold tiny twist pretzels
● 6 oz Old El Paso no fat refried beans w/ salsa
● 3 Nutter Butter cookies
● Potato skin w/ grated cheddar cheese
● 5 oz Liberte blackberry yogurt
● 1.5 oz Ballantine's

What I consumed Saturday -- 187 lbs (-42) [10X]:
● Coffee w/ 20 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● 6 oz Monarch of the Glen 15yr
● 6 oz Bowmore Legend
● 6 oz Glenlivet 12 Yr
● .5 Nissin Cup Noodles w/ grated cheddar cheese
● 2 slices Round Table cheese pizza
● 2 peanut butter filled pretzels
● .25 peanut butter & grape/fig jelly sandwich
● 12 cheddar cheese cubes w/ 4 Pepperidge Farm Golden Butter crackers
● 4 mini pretzels w/ white rice
● Jade Dragon garlic chicken wings w/ grilled onions
● Slice Honeybake turkey
● 2 slices swiss cheese
● 2 Hershey's Kisses
● 3 oz Glenmorangie The Original

What I consumed Friday -- 186 lbs (-43) [16X]:
(voided system)
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● 1.5 oz Hamilton's Islay Regional Malt
● 4 oz Glenmorangie The Original
● Burger King Wisconsin White Cheddar WHOPPER® (.8 bun)
● New York Cupcakes pralines & cream cupcake
● 3 oz Monarch of the Glen 15yr
● 3 oz Bowmore Legend
● 3 oz Glenlivet 12 Yr
● 3 plates Olive Garden salad
● 1 piece Olive Garden Lasagna Fritta
● 1 Olive Garden Lobster Cannelloni with Shrimp
● Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo (no pasta)

Glenmorangie The Original -- 187 lbs (-42) [9X]

My family is pretty amazing at putting up with my drinking hobby (especially after The Incident), so I scored a bunch of cool stuff this Xmas. Pictured here are a bottle of 10 yr Glenmorangie, a nosing glass*, and one of many precision measuring devices designed save time and mess.

The Glenmorangie is mighty tasty--honey-sweet but very firm, like scotch married mead. Makes the Hamilton's Regional Malts seem watered-down in comparison.

* Whisky is more fun in a nosing glass, whether you nose it or not

What I consumed Thursday -- 187 lbs (-42) [9X]:
● .75 oz Hamilton's Lowlands Regional Malt
● 5 oz Hamilton's Speyside Regional Malt
● McDonald's pancake (.8) w/ sausage & .5 hash brown
● Thin slice Cold Stone Creamery peppermint ice cream cake
● 2 thin slices Cold Stone Creamery cookie dough ice cream cake
● 3 oz Hamilton's Islay Regional Malt
● 2 peanut butter filled pretzels
● Several handfuls of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● 4 slices Round Table cheese pizza w/ 1 slice Honeybake ham & 2 slices turkey
● 7.5 oz Glenmorangie The Original

What I consumed Wednesday -- 186 lbs (-43) [15X]:
● 12 oz Hamilton's Islay Regional Malt
● 5 slices Honeybake ham & 6 slices turkey
● 3 slices Wickles pickles
● Green beans
● Small piece Marie Callender's apple pie
● 10+ peanut butter filled pretzels
● 6 oz Glenmorangie The Original

What I consumed Tuesday -- 187 lbs (-42) [8X]:
● 12 oz Hamilton's Speyside Regional Malt
● 3 Banquet chicken tenders
● 2 slices deli chicken w/ 2 slices reduced-fat cheddar cheese
● 6 oz Glenmorangie The Original
● 1.5 dinner rolls w/ butter
● 1.5 sugar cookie w/ frosting
● 6 slices Honeybake ham
● Way too much cheesy garlic mashed potatoes
● Sweet potato marshmallow casserole

What I consumed Monday -- 185 lbs (-44) [7X]:
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● Coffee w/ 18 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● 16.5 oz Hamilton's Highland Regional Malt
● Bite of apple
● 7 Banquet chicken tenders
● 3 slices deli chicken w/ 2 slices reduced-fat cheddar cheese
● McDonalds Caesar salad w/ grilled chicken & .25 pack dressing (no croutons or tomatoes)
● Kentucky Fried Chicken biscuit w/ butter & honey
● 4 sugar cookies w/ frosting

What I consumed Sunday -- 186 lbs (-43) [14X]:
● 16.5 oz Hamilton's Lowland Regional Malt
● 2.5 oz Orville Redenbacher's Movie Theater Butter popcorn
● Few pieces of chicken from Campbell's chicken noodle soup
● Small portion of Rotisserie chicken
● Rice 'o Roni chicken flavor
● Large portion of asparagus

Hamilton's Regional Malts -- 187 lbs (-42) [7X]

I get the impression that serious whisky drinkers don't take this whisky line, well, seriously. And because they're so fun, well, neither do I! After a couple months of exploring blended scotches* that tend to be subtly different from one to the next (a key reason I pair taste), these 4 whiskies are refreshingly distinct from each other**. I also think the idea of an affordable, one-brand introduction to the 4 major Scottish whisky regions is pretty darn clever (granted I don't have much experience with single malts, and I can't afford to acquire it either):

● Hamilton's Lowland Regional Malt
-- Tasted a bit like ass to me, but in a fun way. "Ass" probably isn't the right adjective, but was the only label I could find for a taste I could not otherwise identify.
● Hamilton's Highland Regional Malt
-- Subtly creamy, sweet, and citrusy.
● Hamilton's Speyside Regional Malt
-- Creamy and slightly smoky, this was the most well-balanced and my favorite of the 4 "expressions". I could see, and afford, drinking this semi-regularly.
● Hamilton's Islay Regional Malt
-- Very peaty and smoky. I thought this is what I like most in a scotch, but this perhaps a tad much. Still very enjoyable, though.

* The blended scotches I've tried up to now were composed of grain and single malt whiskies from multiple distilleries. The store where I bought the Hamilton's line categorized them as "vatted scotch", i.e. composed of single malt whiskies from multiple distilleries. Such whiskies, as one might interpret from the latest regulations, are supposed to be labeled "blended malt whisky" on the bottle, but these just say "single malt". So it is not clear to this consumer which to believe.

** To emphasize how different these are from each other, I tried blending them together in every possible equal-part combination, and each was less distinct than any single whisky on its own.

What I consumed Saturday -- 187 lbs (-42) [7X]:
● 4 oz Hamilton's Highland Regional Malt
● 4 oz Hamilton's Speyside Regional Malt
● 4 oz Hamilton's Lowland Regional Malt
● 4 oz Hamilton's Islay Regional Malt
● Orange
● Half toasted bagel w/ butter & hummus
● Criss-cut fry
● Slice Papa Murphy's cheese pizza
● Half bag of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● 3 peanut butter & Hershey's Kiss cookies
● Bowl of chilaquiles

What I consumed Friday -- 187 lbs (-42) [6X]:
● 4.5 oz Hamilton's Highland Regional Malt
● 4.5 oz Hamilton's Speyside Regional Malt
● 4.5 oz Hamilton's Lowland Regional Malt
● 4.5 oz Hamilton's Islay Regional Malt
● .4 Nissin Cup Noodles w/ grated cheddar cheese
● Hollowed-out toasted bagel w/ hummus
● Half toasted bagel w/ slice reduced-fat cheddar cheese
● 5 Rold Gold tiny twist pretzels dipped in Jif chocolate silk peanut butter
● Bowl of Campbell's chicken noodle soup
● Several handfuls of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● Bowl of lettuce w/ grated cheddar cheese & Newman's Own lite Italian dressing
● 3 slices Papa Murphy's pepperoni pizza & 1 small slice cheese pizza
● 4 pretzel M&M's

Vacation Diet Challenge -- 187 lbs (-42) [5X]

First day of vacation and my daughter practiced her artistic make-up skills on me while I cried over a 5-pound weight fluctuation. I should lay off the tortilla chips.

What I consumed Thursday -- 187 lbs (-42) [5X]:
● 12 oz Johnnie Walker Black
● .33 Nissin Cup Noodles w/ grated cheddar cheese
● 9 Pepperidge Farm water crackers w/ hummus
● 3 Banquet chicken tenders
● 3 slices deli chicken w/ slice swiss cheese
● 2 oz White Horse
● 2 oz J & B Scotch
● 12 oz frozen broccoli w/ parmesan cheese & 2 turkey meatballs
● Small portion spaghetti w/ sauce, 2 turkey meatballs, grated parmesan, & slice of garlic bread

What I consumed Wednesday -- 188 lbs (-41) [6X]:
(refilled system, and then some)
● Coffee w/ 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● Scrambled eggs, sausage link, & slice bacon
● 8 oz J & B Scotch
● 16 oz Harbinger pumpkin/squash stout
● 16 oz Mr. Kitty blueberry cask ale
● 2 soft diablo chicken tacos w/ tortilla chips
● McDonald's Angus burger
● Juanita's tortilla chips w/ grated cheddar
● Rold Gold tiny twist pretzels dipped in Jif chocolate silk peanut butter
● Hot chocolate w/ 2 oz J & B Scotch
● 3 slices deli chicken w/ 2 slices swiss cheese

What I consumed Tuesday -- 183 lbs (-46) [2X]:
(voided system, again)
● 12 oz White Horse
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● 3.75 oz Port Clyde Sardines in soybean oil
● 2 12 oz Obsidian Stout
● 1 oz Crunchy Cheetos
● Small bowl of lettuce w/ grated mozzarella & parmesan cheese & Newman's Own lite Italian dressing
● Juanita's tortilla chips
● Juanita's tortilla chips w/ grated cheddar & diced chicken
● Piece of almond sugar cookie and gingerbread head

Taking It Slow -- 186 lbs (-43) [13X]

For the record, I'm being less aggressive about hitting my original goal of 180 lbs after returning to this diet after a 2 week hiatus. There are a number of reasons for this:

● To try and repair a shoulder area injury I've had since this summer, and rebuild muscle mass I have loss*, I am taking a protein powder supplement at least every other morning and eating a protein lunch, which 1) adds more calories to my diet and 2) subtracts any gains from intermittent fasting
● I am planning to make a new video which I want to shoot part of when I am honestly 181 lbs, and I'm waiting until the holiday vacation to start that project, so I am attempting to time reaching 181 lbs 1-2 weeks from now
● I’m excusing myself from avoiding some temptations during the holiday season, with all of the extra cookies and other treats

Given this, I wouldn't be surprised if I don't hit 180 lbs until next year. Even so, I will still have over 6 months until my 50th birthday, and that is a lot of time left for more drama and other fun, and I don't plan to disappoint. Let's call that my New Year's resolution.

*This appears to be working. Despite hovering at 186 lbs, my Ironman weight scale claims I am at 20% fat (down from 22% at the same weight a month ago). Metabolic age ... 39!

What I consumed Monday -- 186 lbs (-43) [13X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● 4.5 oz pouch StarKist Tuna Creations (Sweet & Spicy)
● 10 oz Famous Grouse
● 1.5 oz Planters Smoked Almonds
● 3 bowls taco-seasoned ground beef w/ lettuce, grated cheddar, salsa, & cup 'o noodles
● Hot chocolate w/ 2 oz Famous Grouse
● Coffee w/ 1.5 oz Famous Grouse

What I consumed Sunday -- 186 lbs (-43) [12X]:
(pigged out again)
● .5 oz Famous Grouse
● .5 oz White Horse
● .5 oz J & B Scotch
● .5 oz Johnnie Walker Black
● .5 Nissin Cup Noodles w/ 12 cheddar cheese cubes
● 5 oz Liberte blackberry yogurt
● 6 mini pretzels w/ 2 cheddar cheese cubes
● 6 mini pretzels w/ Jif chocolate silk peanut butter
● ~10 Sponge Bob Squarepants Cheese Nips w/ Jif chocolate silk peanut butter
● Half chocolate graham cracker
● 20-30 Sponge Bob Squarepants Cheese Nips
● 8 oz Ballantine's
● .75 large movie theater popcorn
● Bbq chicken breast w/ rice pilaf
● Almond sugar cookie

Last of the Big Blended Brands -- 186 lbs (-43) [11X]

This collection of whiskies is probably the last of the affordable, popular blended scotch whiskies I'll be exploring (there are a couple I've missed, Bell's and Black Bottle, which are not sold at my liquor supermart). These 4 scotches are at the pricy end of the lower tier, what I would call bottom-middle-shelf, but I've found none of them to be worth the slightly higher price tag, so I guess that would make me a bottom-shelf person at heart (no surprise here).

● Famous Grouse
-- Supposedly the top-selling whisky in Scotland, this is the work of famous blender William Gloag (would it be top-selling if it had been called "Famous Gloag"?). This is the smoothest of the 4 and tasted strongly of vanilla.
● White Horse
-- I was debating whether to buy this until I read this post (http://www.whisky.com/brands/white_horse_brand.html), which paints an interesting history and calls out the key single malts used in this blend. Of the 4, this was the only peaty one, but not as peaty/smoky as I prefer.
● J & B Scotch
-- Supposedly the top-selling whisky in Europe, I believe J & B Rare was another whisky to be found stocked in my grandfather Poppy's liquor cabinet. I found this similar to Dewar's in being well-rounded and somewhat lacking in distinction, yet somehow a tad classier (as if I know anything about class).
● Johnnie Walker Black
-- The next shelf up from Johnnie Walker Red, I found Johnnie Walker Black label to be similar to J & B Rare, but slightly smoother and complex.

Pair tasting (1 tbsp of one followed by the other) results for these 4 whiskies:

● Famous Grouse -> White Horse: White Horse a tad bitter
● Famous Grouse -> J & B Scotch: J & B Scotch a tad creamy & spicy
● Famous Grouse -> Johnnie Walker Black: Johnnie Walker Black a tad creamy & bitter
● White Horse -> Famous Grouse: Famous Grouse
● White Horse -> J & B Scotch: J & B Scotch a tad creamy, spicy, & bitter
● White Horse -> Johnnie Walker Black: Johnnie Walker Black smooth & clean
● J & B Scotch -> Famous Grouse: Famous Grouse a tad spicy
● J & B Scotch -> White Horse: a tad bolder
● J & B Scotch -> Johnnie Walker Black: no change detected
● Johnnie Walker Black -> Famous Grouse: Famous Grouse semi-sweet vanilla
● Johnnie Walker Black -> White Horse: White Horse a tad smoky
● Johnnie Walker Black -> J & B Scotch: J & B Scotch a tad creamy & semi-sweet

Please note that there are many variables here and I am not being consistent about when I do the pair test, whether I rinse my mouth with water in-between, or what I drink and/or eat between tests. It would require multiple of the same tests to factor these variables out, and just for my palate, so please take with a grain of salt.

What I consumed Saturday -- 186 lbs (-43) [11X]:
(pigged out this weekend)
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● Half big chocolate chip cookie
● 5 slices bacon
● Cow Pals cheddar/mozzarella cheese twist
● 3 oz Famous Grouse
● 3 oz White Horse
● 3 oz J & B Scotch
● 3 oz Johnnie Walker Black
● Order Jade Dragon ginger pork
● 30-40 Sponge Bob Squarepants Cheese Nips
● 2 fortune cookies

What I consumed Friday -- 184 lbs (-45) [6X]:
● 3 oz Famous Grouse
● 4.25 oz Underwood Roast Beef spread w/ 3 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 4 oz White Horse
● 3.66 oz Napoleon Tiny Smoked Oysters w/ 3 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 2 oz Johnnie Walker Black
● 2 oz J & B Scotch
● Big bowl of potato chowder w/ Tabasco
● Half slice Top Pot Doughnuts squash/pumpkin loaf
● 4 oz Ballantine's
● 10 Pepperidge Farm water crackers w/ 3 slices of cheddar cheese
● Small chocolate chip cookie
● 2 sugar cookies

What I consumed Thursday -- 182 lbs (-47) [2X]:
(voided system)
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● 3.75 oz Bumblebee Sardines in mustard sauce
● 1.76 oz Chocolate peanut butter Balance bar
● 4 oz J & B Scotch
● 7 oz Johnnie Walker Black
● Spaghetti w/ sauce, 3 turkey meatballs, grated parmesan, & slice of garlic bread
● Bite of Top Pot Doughnuts cinnamon sugar blueberry
● Third of Top Pot Doughnuts apple fritter

What I consumed Wednesday -- 183 lbs (-46):
● 7.5 oz Dewar's
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● 12 oz Bud Light Lime
● 5 oz J & B Scotch
● Big bowl of potato chowder w/ Tabasco
● Half slice Top Pot Doughnuts squash/pumpkin loaf
● Bites of Top Pot Doughnuts cinnamon sugar blueberry & raspberry chocolate donuts
● Third of Top Pot Doughnuts apple fritter

What I consumed Tuesday -- 184 lbs (-45) [5X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● 4.5 oz pouch StarKist Tuna Creations (Hickory Smoked)
● 4 oz Dewar's
● 6 oz White Horse
● 10 Pepperidge Farm water crackers w/ 2 slices of swiss, 2 slices of cheddar cheese, & .33 cheddar/mozzarella string cheese
● Big bowl of potato chowder w/ Tabasco
● About a dozen handfuls of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● Half piece of carrot bread

What I consumed Monday -- 185 lbs (-44) [6X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● 4 oz Dewar's
● Small Steamer's blackened salmon Caesar salad
● Small plate of Qdoba cubed beef & chicken w/ beans & salsa
● 6 oz Famous Grouse
● Bowl of potato chowder
● About a dozen handfuls of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● Half piece of carrot bread

What I consumed Sunday -- 186 lbs (-43) [10X]:
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● 10.5 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● 4 slices Papa John's cheese pizza w/ bbq pulled pork
● 4 pretzel M&M's
● .33 Kraft cheddar/mozzarella string cheese
● About a dozen handfuls of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● 3 pieces bacon & slice of french toast
● Coffee w/ 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder

The 12 Whiskies of Christmas -- 186 lbs (-43) [9X]

AFAIK, these whiskies have nothing to do with Christmas, other than there are 12 of them--well, were 12, as I've already opened 4 of those, rather than waiting until December 25th when the 1st of the 12 days of Christmas begins. I am not completely off the mark, though, as Christmas pervades the month of December, as evidenced by most commercial Advent calendars, which begin on December 1 regardless of when Advent actually begins. And while a whisky advent calendar with 24 little bottles would have been more appropriate than 12 750 ml ones, the latter was a better value for this year's budget. The first 4 whiskies I dove into quickly confirmed this, as they have provided much holiday cheer despite their bottom-shelf status:

● Monarch of the Glen 3yr
-- This is the least aged of the Monarch of the Glen offerings. I think the 8yr has been my favorite Monarch thus far, but this is only a tad less smooth.
● Old Crofter Scotch
-- I read a review that claimed this was comparable to Dewar's White Label, so I thought I'd see for myself. Indeed, in back-to-back tastings of these 4 whiskies (see below), I had the hardest time telling the difference between Old Crofter and Dewar's.
● Ballantine's
-- This is supposedly the second largest selling scotch world-wide, after Johnnie Walker, and far more affordable. This is my favorite of the 4. It has a creamy taste like Teacher's, but not Teacher's earthy flavor. Like a number of the scotch blends I've tried, Ballantine's started from a wine and spirits merchant experimenting with blending during the mid- to late-1800's.
● Dewar's
-- Another well-known, affordable brand sprung from nineteenth century blending alchemy. I found Dewar's (and Old Crofter) to be very solid and drinkable, but indistinctive.

For the 12 Whiskies of Christmas, I am doing a full combination of tasting pairings in groups of 4. Here are my results for this round:

● Monarch -> Dewar's: Dewar's slightly stronger & bitter
● Monarch -> Old Crofter: Old Crofter slightly less smooth, but close to same
● Monarch -> Ballantine's: Ballantine's creamier
● Old Crofter -> Monarch: Monarch slightly bitterer
● Old Crofter -> Ballantine's: Ballantine's more creamy & sweet
● Old Crofter -> Dewar's: about the same
● Ballantine's -> Monarch: Monarch slightly more bitter; took on a fraction of Ballantine's creaminess
● Ballantine's -> Old Crofter: Old Crofter took on a fraction of Ballantine's creaminess & sweetness
● Ballantine's -> Dewar's: Dewar's took on a fraction of Ballantine's creaminess & sweetness
● Dewar's -> Monarch: Monarch slightly stronger
● Dewar's -> Old Crofter: Old Crofter faintly bitterer, but pretty much the same
● Dewar's -> Ballantine's: Ballantine's slightly spicier

Most interesting above is the influence Ballantine's had over all the other whiskies.

What I consumed Saturday -- 186 lbs (-43) [9X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● 10.5 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● .35 order Jade Dragon ginger beef w/ white rice
● 3 slices reduced-fat cheddar cheese w/ 6 Pepperidge Farm sesame seed crackers
● 2 coffee w/ 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● 4 slices Papa John's cheese pizza w/ Jade Dragon ginger beef
● 10 cheddar cheese cubes w/ 5 Pepperidge Farm sesame seed crackers
● ~2 oz dark chocolate & sea salt kettle corn

What I consumed Friday -- 186 lbs (-43) [8X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● 3.66 oz Napoleon Smoked Mussels w/ 3 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 5 oz Dewar's
● Slice Garlic Jim's cheese pizza
● 2.5 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 2.5 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● .4 order Jade Dragon ginger beef w/ white rice
● Several big forkfuls bbq pulled-pork
● 20-40 Sponge Bob Squarepants Cheese Nips
● 3 slices swiss cheese w/ 1 turkey meatball & 5 Pepperidge Farm sesame seed crackers

What I consumed Thursday -- 184 lbs (-45) [4X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● 2 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● 2 oz Ballantine's
● 4 oz Dewar's
● Mystery brownie
● Mediterranean chicken w/ rice, hummus, and some weird mashed garlic stuff
● 12 oz Bud Light Lime
● 1.5 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● Bowl of lettuce w/ Newman's Own lite Italian dressing

What I consumed Wednesday -- 185 lbs (-44) [5X]:
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber & 1.5 oz Ballantine's
● 3.66 oz Napoleon Smoked Baby Clams w/ 3 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 50 oz Bud Light
● Tortilla chips, bean dip, and salsa
● 1 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 1 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● .5 oz Ballantine's
● .5 oz Dewar's
● Bbq pulled-pork sandwich on hamburger bun
● Bbq pulled-pork sandwich on 2 slices reduced-fat cheddar cheese

What I consumed Tuesday -- 184 lbs (-45) [3X]:
● 1 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 3 oz Ballantine's
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● 1.76 oz Chocolate peanut butter Balance bar
● 4 oz Dewar's
● 1 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● KFC Doublicious sandwich
● 20 Sponge Bob Squarepants Cheese Nips

What I consumed Monday -- 185 lbs (-44) [4X]:
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● McDonald's pancake (.8) w/ sausage
● 2 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 4 oz Dewar's
● 12 oz Budweiser Select
● 1 oz Ballantine's
● 4 plates taco-seasoned ground beef w/ lettuce, grated cheddar, pico de gallo, and tortilla strips
● 1.5 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 1.5 oz Old Crofter Scotch

What I consumed Sunday -- 186 lbs (-43) [7X]:
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● 2.5 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 2.5 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● 2.5 oz Ballantine's
● 1.5 oz Dewar's
● 6 Safeway beef, cheese, and jalapeno appetizers
● 11 Snyder's peanut butter pretzel sandwiches
● Bag frozen broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots w/ sliced cajun turkey & 2 slices reduced fat cheddar cheese
● .6 Fosters Farm corn dog w/ some corn bread removed

Scientific Support for Alcohol-Induced Weight Loss -- 187 lbs (-42) [5X]

Every diet I've ever looked into discouraged alcohol or forbade it outright. I figured it should be possible to lose weight with normal drinking, but was surprised how effective it was and how drinking small amounts throughout the day seemed to increase weight loss. I started poking around and found low-carb + alcohol diets dating back centuries, but none bothered to explain why that worked. Then I read an article on an intermittent fasting website that included references to several scientific studies over the past few decades which shed some light on the subject. One study in 1991 found substantial evidence for alcohol-induced weight loss at heavy consumption levels when normal carbohydrate calories were replaced with alcohol calories:

Interestingly, the same study found adding large amounts of alcohol calories to a normal day's intake had relatively little effect on weight gain (esp. compared to chocolate):

Although a confirmed, comprehensive model for these and subsequent observations still does not exist, even after 20 years, there is evidence for several probable contributing mechanisms:
● Increased metabolism by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system and decreasing blood glucose
● Energy wastage associated with the induction of the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS) that occurs with higher, sustained alcohol consumption
● Impaired energy utilization of other fuels, particularly fat, due to displacement and/or changes in mitochondrial function

It is a bit disappointing that more research hasn't gone into fully understanding this phenomenon, but not surprising given the stigma attached to heavy alcohol use (as defined by the NIAAA). I am curious to know, for instance, if keeping BAC levels low (say, < .03%) with chronic consumption is reasonably safe--it's certainly better than high levels. And do the health benefits of maintaining low body and fat mass outweigh the use of alcohol to do so (for people that are not successful with healthier lifestyles)? I feel like there is a happy medium here, and while I'm having fun experimenting to find it, the result will not be statistically significant for anyone interested in trying something similar, at least without further support from the scientific community.

What I consumed Saturday -- 187 lbs (-42) [5X]:
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● Very thin slice of chocolate gingerbread
● Grape gummi, mango liquorice, and apricot fruit leather
● .75 oz Hot Mate assorted rice crackers
● Starbucks old-fashion chocolate donut
● Plate of Jade Dragon sesame chicken
● 2 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 2 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● 2 oz Ballantine's
● Cheese-only lasagna w/ turkey meatball
● 16 cheddar cheese cubes w/ mini pretzels & apple slices

What I consumed Friday -- 189 lbs (-40) [9X]:
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● Half thin slice of chocolate gingerbread
● Quincy's triple garlic burger & fries
● 1.76 oz Cookie Dough Balance bar
● Large portion Jade Dragon pork roll, sesame chicken & rice (last hurrah)
● Grape gummi
● 2 fortune cookies
● Cup hot water w/ 3 tsp instant buttered rum drink & 2% milk

What I consumed Thursday -- 191 lbs (-38) [6X]:
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● Small slice of chocolate gingerbread
● Steamers fried clam strips w/ french fries smothered in vinegar, tabasco, tartar sauce, and ketchup
● Costco giant chocolate muffin top
● 2 big plates taco-seasoned ground beef w/ lettuce, grated cheddar, salsa, and tortilla strips
● Half slice Cheesecake Factory pumpkin/pecan cheesecake w/ whipped cream

What I consumed Wednesday -- 188 lbs (-41) [5X]:
● Slice of chocolate gingerbread
● 2 slices Flying Pizzeria chef's special
● Chocolate chip cookie
● Rotisserie chicken leg & thigh w/ reduced sodium Stovetop stuffing
● Cup of warm 2% milk w/ 3 tsp instant buttered rum drink

What I consumed Tuesday -- 189 lbs (-40) [8X]:
● Apple fritter (last donut?)
● 3.66 oz Napoleon Tiny Smoked Oysters w/ 3 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 1.76 oz Cookie Dough Balance bar
● Big slice of chocolate gingerbread
● Spaghetti w/ sauce, 3 turkey meatballs, grated parmesan, & 2 slices of garlic bread
● Small slice each of Papa John's & Papa Murphy's cheese pizzas
● Cup of Sponge Bob Squarepants Cheese Nips

What I consumed Monday -- 189 lbs (-40) [7X]:
● Trader Joe's pumpkin bar
● 2 loaded plates Indian buffet
● Half Papa John's large, thin pepperoni, sausage, and spicy sausage pizza w/ Tabasco Buffalo Wing sauce
● 5 Earth's Best organic mini waffles w/ syrup
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber & 2 tsp instant buttered rum drink (no real rum :-()

What I consumed last Sunday -- 187 lbs (-42) [4X]:
● Frost Doughnuts Pecan Caramel Creme & Pumpkin Old Fashioned
● 4 gummi bears
● Plate of Yea's Wok Sautéed String Beans with Tofu
● Hero sandwich
● 10+ pieces honeydew melon
● Rotisserie chicken leg, thigh, & wings w/ reduced sodium Stovetop stuffing & asparagus