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So, a while ago, I blogged about trying to lose weight. Since then, I haven’t really written a word about it… which (as a reader) I would interpret as a complete abandonment of said eating plan. On the contrary, however, I have not completely abandoned my new eating lifestyle… which is surprising (even to me). In fact, since I started losing weight on tour, I have dropped from 207 lbs to just under 194.

I lost all this weight with the basic concept of portion control. After calculating how many calories my body can naturally burn using a Calorie Intake Calculator, I started to track the number of calories that I intake during the day. This journaling showed me how excessively I was eating, and showed me where I could easily fix my problem.

I’m not done, though… I still feel like I can keep losing pounds this summer. I’m taking my diet to the next step using the Abs Diet. Written by the editor of Men’s Health and the best-selling book “Eat This, Not That!”, the Abs Diet seems (upon first glance) like a fad diet that promises ridiculous results in little-to-no time. While it does seem ot promise rapid weight loss in six weeks, it’s a sensible eating plan and exercise combo that would only logically contribute to weight loss. I urge you, pick up a copy of the book — even if you don’t start the diet itself, the valuable knowledge you gain about what you are eating is indispensable.

I’ll keep you all posted on my progress throughout the summer… and I’m thinking I’m going to get to a place where I’m comfortable with my weight very soon!

So, occasionally I like to use this space to promote products that I think are exceptional. The last one that I profiled like this was the book “Eat This, Not That!” by Steve Zinczenko, which I started using to help me lose weight while stuck eating fast food on the road. Around this same time, I also started experimenting with Special K2O Protein Water.

From what I know about protein, having more of it couldn’t possibly be a bad thing. Additionally, there are 5 grams of fiber per serving… and as we, as a nation, are starting to get on a fiber kick (as evidenced by an influx of new products and television ads) I figured that couldn’t be a bad thing.

I really enjoy these little powder packets. The combination of the fiber and the protein help satisfy hunger when you’re in the mood to snack. Additionally, I think it tastes pretty good too. Unfortunately, some of the flavors smell weird. The Iced Tea flavor, in particular, smells pretty horrible… and that imposes upon how enjoyable the drink is (despite the fact that, if you ignore the smell, tastes like Iced Tea).

I really like the Pink Lemonade or the Strawberry Kiwi flavors, especially in this hot, disgusting weather. Pick some up at a grocery store near you… you’ll be glad you did!

- Why do hotels close their fitness centers at night? It’s not like keeping the doors unlocked adds extra stressed on an overworked staff.

- Eating healthier is not only easier than I thought it would be, it makes me feel energized.

- Panera Bread is quickly becoming my favorite restaurant chain. Joy is a Cinnamon Crunch Bagel with Hazelnut Cream Cheese, which contradicts my last statement, in a way.

- Matthew Broderick is a terrible actor. Just thought I haven’t said that in a while.

- Did you know that Binghamton, NY shuts down on Sundays? Neither did we.

- I am loving the new season of Lost. While I certainly miss some of the characters that have already passed (which I won’t mention here to avoid any potential spoilers) I really love the pace of the new season and knowing the eventual fates of the castaways. In a way, it’s more fun having both flashbacks and flash-forwards, as it adds more pieces to the puzzle. I can’t wait for it to return next week.

- Black box theatre can be just as bad in other parts of the country as it is in New York City.

- Is anyone else enjoying this season of SNL? I really like it post-strike, and I hope to get the opportunity to audition for them one day. Andy Samberg is my hero.

- Why do people take pictures of theatrical shows with their flash on? The only thing it does is draw attention to you and endanger the actors. When there are already hundreds of lights pointed on the stage, your flash bulb isn’t doing anything. Just leave the cameras at home and buy a souvenir program.

- Come see Superstar! We’re still having a great time on the road, and we’re doing so well the tour’s allegedly booked through 2009.

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged… and, thankfully, I left Canada almost immediately after writing that. I haven’t mentioned it on here before, but I’m currently on the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, and we started our tour up in Canada. We worked the show through in Banff, Alberta for a week and made our way through Alberta shortly after that.

It drove me insane. The money’s not money, the food made me gassy… it just wasn’t altogether a good experience.

Although I do love a Tim Horton’s.

Anyway, that’s all water under the bridge at this point. We’ve been back in America for quite a while, and I’m getting to explore parts of the country that I never thought I would. As a result, I figured I’d check back in with this blog to talk about experiences I’m having on tour.

To kick things off, I figured I’d write about my new favorite book. It’s pretty hard to maintain a normal weight on tour — a week long sit-down engagement in any city is a rarity, and we’re more accustomed to one or two-night engagements… which means supermarkets are a rarity and fast food is a must. Apart from being a shock to your digestive system, fast food is generally known to be lacking in nutritional value. For quite a while, I had switched to sit-down restaurants like Chili’s and T.G.I.Friday’s, but I soon discovered that the appetizers and entrees at these places could be worse for you than their fast food counterparts. With all these factors working against you, visiting the hotel fitness center really isn’t even worth it. What good is slaving over a treadmill for hours on end if you’re just going to put all that crap back into your body?

Luckily, the editors of Men’s Health have put together the book “Eat This, Not That!” Unlike other diet plans, this book doesn’t force you to sacrifice eating certain types of foods. Instead, this book focuses on what foods you should eat at your favorite fast food restaurants and sit-down chains and which ones you should avoid. I was shocked to learn certain things about my favorite restaurants that I would never have thought about otherwise. For example:

- A Chili’s Bloomin’ Onion contains over 2,000 calories
- You can eat almost 500 fewer calories at Chipotle by ordering a burrito bowl without rice instead of a burrito
- A McDonald’s Quarter Pounder can be nutritionally better for you than the Grilled Chicken Club.

This book is loaded with all sorts of good info. I’m hoping it helps with my new health goals. I’ll let everyone know how it works as I continue using it on the road… but for now, I’d recommend skimming through it at your local Barnes & Noble. You’ll be glad you did!