2011 New Year's Weight Loss Resolution End of Week Two: Under 202 After a Week of Monosodium Glutamate Poisoning

Well, my goal this week was to get under 200 pounds by Saturday, January 15. I missed the goal by about 1 and 1/2 pounds.

I've now lost around 15 pounds since I started shrinking a few days before the New Year.

I went into Atkins mode this week, which created a problem when I bought a big bag of beef jerky.

The package said the jerky was "All Natural."

A few hours after sampling the "All Natural" beef jerky I got a headache and felt pressure in my head.

At first I attributed this to the effects of being on the Atkins Diet.

But, by Day Three of feeling headachy and sort of kicked in the gut, I remembered how I react to Monosodium Glutamate.

I then read the ingredients on the beef jerky package. Previously I'd only looked at the ingredients til I saw Papaya Extract on the list. Papaya Extract seemed to confirm this really was "All Natural" beef jerky.

But, on Day Three of feeling miserable I looked at the beef jerky ingredients again and was appalled to see Monosodium Glutamate on the list.

It was at least 24 hours more of not feeling right til the Monosodium Glutamate symptoms completely abated and I started feeling like my good-feeling self again.

I suspect the Monosodium Glutamate poisoning had a deleterious effect on my weight loss attempt. Feeling not so good caused a cutback on my activity level, for one thing.

I think I am still on target to get to 190 pounds by the Super Bowl. That's about 23 days from now.

My goal for next Saturday is to get down to 198.

See you there!