I've had a difficult time keeping up with my Blog lately. I suppose I will just try to update when I can from now on, instead of trying to do a daily entry.
I gained a pound this past week, which doesn't surprise me with it being "that time of the month." I was still hoping for at least no gain, but I slipped a little because of strong PMS cravings. Thankfully I got right back on track, so hopefully this next week will be better. I'm making good progress with my running, too. I'm able to run 3 minutes straight at a time now.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Fruit never tasted so sweet
The PMS has begun, with cravings for something sweet and increased hunger, which start for me a few days before my period is due, and I'm being put to my first test. Tonight I surprised myself when I decided not to go down to the store to buy the ultra thin crust pizza I originally intended to buy for dinner and opted to stay home and eat something within my diet guidelines instead. After dinner, I was craving something sweet, so I had a tangerine, then a bit later, a few chunks of pineapple. The fruit tasted so sweet to me, whereas in times past, it was usually mediocre at best. I'm convinced it's because I rarely eat sugar or high-fructose corn syrup now, so fruit tastes sweeter than normal. Then I wanted something salty and still felt like I needed a little more food, so I opted for some mixed nuts. I fear I may have eaten too many, though. It was hard to stop, not sure why, as mixed nuts are not usually a food I have trouble putting down.
Thursday's Food & Exercise
Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs, cooked in 1/2 Tbsp butter, with shredded-by-me cheddar cheese melted on top; 1 slice Ezekiel bread, toasted, with peanut butter; 1 cup whole milk.
Snack - Protein shake made with 1 cup frozen berries + 1 cup whole milk + 1 scoop JM protein powder
Lunch - 3 slices from Hormel Cure 81 ham quarter, 3 slices cheddar cheese, a little Ranch dressing, and mustard (no bread this time).
Snack - Protein shake made with 1 cup ice + 1 cup whole milk + 1/2 banana + 1 scoop JM protein powder.
Dinner - Fish sandwich using leftover baked whiting filet, some cheddar cheese slices, mayo & mustard, and 2 slices Ezekiel bread, toasted.
Snack - 1 tangerine, few bites of pineapple chunks, 2-3 handfuls of mixed nuts.
Exercise: Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred workout DVD
Snack - Protein shake made with 1 cup frozen berries + 1 cup whole milk + 1 scoop JM protein powder
Lunch - 3 slices from Hormel Cure 81 ham quarter, 3 slices cheddar cheese, a little Ranch dressing, and mustard (no bread this time).
Snack - Protein shake made with 1 cup ice + 1 cup whole milk + 1/2 banana + 1 scoop JM protein powder.
Dinner - Fish sandwich using leftover baked whiting filet, some cheddar cheese slices, mayo & mustard, and 2 slices Ezekiel bread, toasted.
Snack - 1 tangerine, few bites of pineapple chunks, 2-3 handfuls of mixed nuts.
Exercise: Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred workout DVD
Increased hunger today
I think I will need to re-think what I eat for lunch tomorrow, since by afternoon today I was hungry again, then after dinner I was also hungry again (and am hungry again now). Something was off today, and it may very well have been the peanut butter and jelly sandwich (well, if you call Polaner all-fruit "jelly"). If I show a gain tomorrow, then I'll know I overdid it.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Wednesday's Food & Exercise
Breakfast - 1 slice Ezekiel 4:9 bread, toasted, with peanut butter (I don't even measure the peanut butter anymore); protein shake made with 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 cup milk, and 1 scoop JM protein powder.
Lunch - Peanut butter and jelly (Polaner all-fruit) sandwich using two slices Ezekiel bread, few slices cheddar cheese.
Snack - Protein shake, a few mixed nuts.
Dinner - Fish cooked in a little butter, lemon juice, and salt & pepper; mixed veggies with a little butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Snack - Peanut butter and banana (whole small banana) sandwich made with two slices Ezekiel bread
Exercise: Week 3, Workout 3 of the Couch to 5K program (repeating until ready to move on to week 4).
Lunch - Peanut butter and jelly (Polaner all-fruit) sandwich using two slices Ezekiel bread, few slices cheddar cheese.
Snack - Protein shake, a few mixed nuts.
Dinner - Fish cooked in a little butter, lemon juice, and salt & pepper; mixed veggies with a little butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Snack - Peanut butter and banana (whole small banana) sandwich made with two slices Ezekiel bread
Exercise: Week 3, Workout 3 of the Couch to 5K program (repeating until ready to move on to week 4).
Is this really a diet?
Last night when considering dinner, I stared at my nice clean kitchen and the thought of messing it up again was so unappealing that I decided to splurge and take my husband and daughter to dinner. How neat that I actually have my own money to do that with now, with my new work-at-home job. I feel so very blessed to have the opportunity to work for my brother using my skills and be able to do it from home, plus learn what he does so that one day I can own my own computer business and serve the area closer to where we live.
I ordered the jumbo wings, because they were not breaded, and chose the honey mustard sauce since the description said it was "mustard-based with just a touch of BBQ" which meant that it was probably lower in sugar. Instead of the regular fries that came with it, I ordered the sweet potato fries. Mmmmm it was all so good. In days past while losing weight, I would have assumed I had to order a salad, even if I wasn't in the mood for one. I admit, I did worry a little about the oil they might have used to fry the sweet potato in, and also the amount of sugar that was really in the wing sauce. I had even planned to do the Jillian 30-Day shred workout last night as a safety measure, but wound up not having time before it was too late. Much to my relief, the scale showed no gain this morning. Who says eating out while losing weight has to be boring? It didn't even feel like I was on a diet. It was a very satisfying meal.
I seem to be enjoying the Ezekiel bread more and more now. I don't know if it's because my taste buds have finally adjusted or what. Several years ago when I tired it, I didn't really like it, because it was so different from what I was used to with regular bread. But this time, I went without all bread for almost two weeks, and it must have been what made the difference in me being able to tolerate the Ezekiel bread more when I had it again. And now, I would even prefer it over regular bread. What is surprising is that my 4-year old daughter seems to really like it, too.
I ordered the jumbo wings, because they were not breaded, and chose the honey mustard sauce since the description said it was "mustard-based with just a touch of BBQ" which meant that it was probably lower in sugar. Instead of the regular fries that came with it, I ordered the sweet potato fries. Mmmmm it was all so good. In days past while losing weight, I would have assumed I had to order a salad, even if I wasn't in the mood for one. I admit, I did worry a little about the oil they might have used to fry the sweet potato in, and also the amount of sugar that was really in the wing sauce. I had even planned to do the Jillian 30-Day shred workout last night as a safety measure, but wound up not having time before it was too late. Much to my relief, the scale showed no gain this morning. Who says eating out while losing weight has to be boring? It didn't even feel like I was on a diet. It was a very satisfying meal.
I seem to be enjoying the Ezekiel bread more and more now. I don't know if it's because my taste buds have finally adjusted or what. Several years ago when I tired it, I didn't really like it, because it was so different from what I was used to with regular bread. But this time, I went without all bread for almost two weeks, and it must have been what made the difference in me being able to tolerate the Ezekiel bread more when I had it again. And now, I would even prefer it over regular bread. What is surprising is that my 4-year old daughter seems to really like it, too.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday's Food & Exercise
Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs, cooked in 1/2 Tbsp butter and with a little shredded sharp cheddar cheese melted on top (shredded it myself from block cheese); 1 slice Ekeziel 4:9 bread (7-grain), toasted, with peanut butter (still using Jiff until I can buy the natural peanut butter, which I forgot to buy last shopping trip), 1 cup whole milk.
Lunch - Ham and cheese sandwich: 2 slices Ezekiel bread, 3 slices off a Hormel Cure 81 ham quarter, few slices of sharp cheddar cheese (from block), mayonnaise (the kind made with olive oil, but it's also made with canola oil, which is not recommended, so after using this up I will then make my own), and mustard; handful of mixed nuts (wanted something salty); protein shake made with 1 scoop JM protein powder, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup ice (with a little water added to help with blending).
Snack - None
Dinner - (Hurricane Grill & Wings) Jumbo wings (9) baked with honey mustard sauce and dipped in ranch dressing; sweet potato fries, unsweet tea with 100% pure stevia (which I brought).
Exercise: Two hours of cleaning for MIL, which included scrubbing toilets and sinks in two bathrooms and shower stall, sweeping and mopping all floors, and vacuuming all carpet.
Lunch - Ham and cheese sandwich: 2 slices Ezekiel bread, 3 slices off a Hormel Cure 81 ham quarter, few slices of sharp cheddar cheese (from block), mayonnaise (the kind made with olive oil, but it's also made with canola oil, which is not recommended, so after using this up I will then make my own), and mustard; handful of mixed nuts (wanted something salty); protein shake made with 1 scoop JM protein powder, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup ice (with a little water added to help with blending).
Snack - None
Dinner - (Hurricane Grill & Wings) Jumbo wings (9) baked with honey mustard sauce and dipped in ranch dressing; sweet potato fries, unsweet tea with 100% pure stevia (which I brought).
Exercise: Two hours of cleaning for MIL, which included scrubbing toilets and sinks in two bathrooms and shower stall, sweeping and mopping all floors, and vacuuming all carpet.
Learning how to be okay with feeling hungry late at night
Slowly but surely, I'm learning how to live with late night hunger (I'm usually up late) and that it's okay to feel hungry. I don't have to eat just because I'm hungry. It's only natural to be hungry late at night, since during the day we eat every 2-6 hours. But our stomachs and intestines also need to rest at night, it's part of winding down for a good night's sleep. So I am learning how to feel hungry, and be okay with it, and drink a glass of water, which usually helps.
It really is about the right kind of bread
Monday was my "official" weigh-in day and was the 2-week mark. I showed another half pound loss, making my total loss 5 lbs. for 2 weeks! Until today that is. This morning I weighed in again (after debating whether I should continue the daily weigh-ins) and couldn't believe my eyes. 175! Another 1 lb. loss! All this after adding bread back in, which I admit I was worried about, but apparently it really is about the right kind of bread, the sprouted grain kind (i.e., Ezekiel 4:9 bread), which I refer to in a previous entry: "Fine-tuning my plan." So my gut feeling was right then, that it's not the bread that's bad, but the type of bread.
Sunday I even cheated a little, and on my rest day no less, so I thought for sure I would show a gain Monday morning instead of a half pound loss. I was amazed. We went to a matinee movie, and I had popcorn with butter, though we did share a size small (if you can call it that) among the three of us. We also shared a small Coke (again, small being relative, since movie theater vendors don't do anything "small"). I can't even begin to tell you how good that Coke tasted to me. It had been so long since I had been able to enjoy anything like that (by personal choice), and it was such a nice treat. I look forward to the next time.
Yesterday I did Workout 3 of Week 3 of the Couch to 5K program, and this time decided to go by the total time on my stopwatch (not stopping to reset it for each interval, but letting the stopwatch continue to run as I did the 90-second running/2-minute walking intervals for a total of 10 minutes before turning around and heading back, since I was supposed to be doing it for a total of 20 minutes) and realized I had not been doing enough running intervals up to that point for Week 3. It was much tougher to do it the "right" way, I was breathing so hard by the last running interval that my daughter turned all the way around in the stroller and stared at me, wondering if I was okay. But it's just as well that I built up to it more gradually. It just means I'll need to stay with Week 3 a little bit longer, until I feel ready to progress.
I have fallen behind again on keeping track of my food, which I hope to correct starting today.
Sunday I even cheated a little, and on my rest day no less, so I thought for sure I would show a gain Monday morning instead of a half pound loss. I was amazed. We went to a matinee movie, and I had popcorn with butter, though we did share a size small (if you can call it that) among the three of us. We also shared a small Coke (again, small being relative, since movie theater vendors don't do anything "small"). I can't even begin to tell you how good that Coke tasted to me. It had been so long since I had been able to enjoy anything like that (by personal choice), and it was such a nice treat. I look forward to the next time.
Yesterday I did Workout 3 of Week 3 of the Couch to 5K program, and this time decided to go by the total time on my stopwatch (not stopping to reset it for each interval, but letting the stopwatch continue to run as I did the 90-second running/2-minute walking intervals for a total of 10 minutes before turning around and heading back, since I was supposed to be doing it for a total of 20 minutes) and realized I had not been doing enough running intervals up to that point for Week 3. It was much tougher to do it the "right" way, I was breathing so hard by the last running interval that my daughter turned all the way around in the stroller and stared at me, wondering if I was okay. But it's just as well that I built up to it more gradually. It just means I'll need to stay with Week 3 a little bit longer, until I feel ready to progress.
I have fallen behind again on keeping track of my food, which I hope to correct starting today.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Small victories
This morning I weighed and had lost the half pound back that I had gained, and then some for a total of a one pound loss yesterday! I finally broke the 177 mark and am now at 176.5. Yes! Hopefully by Monday I'll lose a little more.
I can't believe that I've gone over a week now with absolutely no ice cream or frozen yogurt. Someone call Guinness. This feels monumental for me. You might laugh, but you don't know how addicted to that stuff I was. I would have it more than once a day on a regular basis, and wouldn't just have a half a cup like what is recommended. To me that was a joke. I mean c'mon, half a cup? That's like four bites. I would never feel satisfied with that. I needed to have at least a cup, sometimes two, or I felt like I wasn't even eating ice cream. It will be interesting to see how it tastes to me once I have it again. Maybe it will taste so sweet that I will be able to only eat half a cup and be satisfied. I hope so, because I would like to still enjoy it as a treat now and then.
I bought some Ezekiel bread today when I went grocery shopping. I decided to get the 9-sprouted grain kind to try. I can't wait to try it and am really hoping that I like it. I think I'll try some for breakfast in the morning. Speaking of grocery shopping, I wanted to get some dried fruit or trail mix to have on hand for snacks, but for the life of me could not find any that didn't have sugar added! Talk about frustrating. So I decided just to get some mixed nuts, and will make my own trail mix using the raisins I already have at home (which I hope are still good).
I am really starting to notice a difference now in my energy level and the way I feel overall. I could get used to this.
I can't believe that I've gone over a week now with absolutely no ice cream or frozen yogurt. Someone call Guinness. This feels monumental for me. You might laugh, but you don't know how addicted to that stuff I was. I would have it more than once a day on a regular basis, and wouldn't just have a half a cup like what is recommended. To me that was a joke. I mean c'mon, half a cup? That's like four bites. I would never feel satisfied with that. I needed to have at least a cup, sometimes two, or I felt like I wasn't even eating ice cream. It will be interesting to see how it tastes to me once I have it again. Maybe it will taste so sweet that I will be able to only eat half a cup and be satisfied. I hope so, because I would like to still enjoy it as a treat now and then.
I bought some Ezekiel bread today when I went grocery shopping. I decided to get the 9-sprouted grain kind to try. I can't wait to try it and am really hoping that I like it. I think I'll try some for breakfast in the morning. Speaking of grocery shopping, I wanted to get some dried fruit or trail mix to have on hand for snacks, but for the life of me could not find any that didn't have sugar added! Talk about frustrating. So I decided just to get some mixed nuts, and will make my own trail mix using the raisins I already have at home (which I hope are still good).
I am really starting to notice a difference now in my energy level and the way I feel overall. I could get used to this.
Saturday's Food & Exercise
Breakfast - Two scrambled eggs cooked in 1/2 Tbsp butter, ten grapes, half-caffeinated coffee with stevia.
Lunch - Salad: Romaine lettuce, leftover lemon-garlic mayo mixed with tuna and olives, and ranch dressing; protein shake made with one cup ice, one cup whole milk, and one scoop JM protein powder.
Snack (About 7pm, had not had dinner yet and still needed to go for a run) - Handful of mixed nuts.
Dinner - Pork chops cooked in 1 Tbsp butter (for entire batch for family); broccoli with 1/2 Tbsp butter added to entire pot; one cup whole milk.
Dessert - (Haven't had yet, but since I've only had one serving of fruit today, thinking I might either have some pineapple chunks or another protein shake using water and frozen strawberries.)
Exercise: Did Week 2, Workout 2 of the Couch to 5K program, which involved alternating 90 second intervals of running with 2 minute intervals of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Lunch - Salad: Romaine lettuce, leftover lemon-garlic mayo mixed with tuna and olives, and ranch dressing; protein shake made with one cup ice, one cup whole milk, and one scoop JM protein powder.
Snack (About 7pm, had not had dinner yet and still needed to go for a run) - Handful of mixed nuts.
Dinner - Pork chops cooked in 1 Tbsp butter (for entire batch for family); broccoli with 1/2 Tbsp butter added to entire pot; one cup whole milk.
Dessert - (Haven't had yet, but since I've only had one serving of fruit today, thinking I might either have some pineapple chunks or another protein shake using water and frozen strawberries.)
Exercise: Did Week 2, Workout 2 of the Couch to 5K program, which involved alternating 90 second intervals of running with 2 minute intervals of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Friday's Food
Breakfast - Protein shake made with 3/4 cup almond milk, 1/4 cup whole milk, 1 cup ice, and about 1-1/2 scoops Jillian Michael's protein powder. (Would have used frozen berries instead of the ice, but had run out of the berries).
Snack - 1/4 pkg. of trail mix (leftover from yesterday - what was left was mostly sunflower kernels).
Lunch - (Subway) Salad made with lettuce, tomato, Black Forrest ham, provolone cheese, pickles, and ranch dressing; unsweet tea (added one packet of Crystal Light Pure--Lemonade, which is made with an insignificant amount of sugar + stevia and only has 6g of carbs for one packet).
Snack - 1/2 pkg of mixed nuts
Dinner - Chicken breast, mixed vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, carrots), 1 cup whole milk.
Dessert - Protein shake made with 1 cup ice, 1 cup whole milk, and 1 scoop JM protein powder.
Snack - 1/4 pkg. of trail mix (leftover from yesterday - what was left was mostly sunflower kernels).
Lunch - (Subway) Salad made with lettuce, tomato, Black Forrest ham, provolone cheese, pickles, and ranch dressing; unsweet tea (added one packet of Crystal Light Pure--Lemonade, which is made with an insignificant amount of sugar + stevia and only has 6g of carbs for one packet).
Snack - 1/2 pkg of mixed nuts
Dinner - Chicken breast, mixed vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, carrots), 1 cup whole milk.
Dessert - Protein shake made with 1 cup ice, 1 cup whole milk, and 1 scoop JM protein powder.
The pain of change and a nice surprise
Yesterday I decided to take a little break and veer off my plan just slightly and enjoy some bread again, in the form of an English muffin with peanut butter at breakfast, an English muffin with tuna salad (tuna mixed with homemade lemon-garlic mayo with olives and mustard added) for lunch, and pizza with an ultra thin crust for dinner. I did pay for it, as I had gained a half pound back when I weighed today, but I plan to be super strict today to make up for it (plus today is running day). It's also possible that my sodium content was somewhat high yesterday so that could account for some of it. Either way, I'm hoping by being stricter today that I can lose that half pound back, maybe even plus some.
I also had an interesting experience yesterday when I wanted a snack while driving my daughter to the park. Since I haven't stocked up on healthy snacks yet (plan to do some of that today), I stopped by a convenience store, worried that I wouldn't be able to find something decent to snack on. What I really wanted was my usual protein bar, but I didn't think I'd be able to find one without sugar or even low in sugar that didn't have artificial sweetener added, not to mention some of the other chemicals added. Sure enough, after reading through the ingredients on several of them, I threw the last one back down in disgust and went to look for a package of trail mix. I couldn't imagine trail mix being as satisfying to me as a protein bar; after all, I wouldn't get the chocolate or peanut butter I liked so much. Surprise, surprise, I found the trail mix quite satisfying, and I even felt better after eating it! It gave me a lasting burst of energy that the protein bars had never given me.
In other news, I've decided to start logging my food again. My intention was to keep track of it all along, but I've dropped the ball on that and need to start back.
Yesterday's Food:
Breakfast - Whole wheat toasted English muffin with 1 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 cup whole milk
Lunch - Whole wheat toasted English muffin with tuna salad (Lemon-garlic mayo, olives, and mustard); protein shake made with 1 cup almond milk and 1 cup frozen berries.
Snack - 3/4 pkg of trail mix (mixed nuts, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, salt, and sunflower oil)
Dinner - Ultra thin crust supreme pizza, about 5 slices.
Late night snack - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in non-stick spray (was out of olive oil) and 1/2 Tbsp butter, with 1 slice low fat (2%) cheese (trying to use up the rest of the processed cheese).
Yesterday's Exercise: Running/walking up and down stairs (one flight of which involved carrying a five-year old in my arms), cleaning, and other tasks involved while babysitting four young children for about four hours.
I also had an interesting experience yesterday when I wanted a snack while driving my daughter to the park. Since I haven't stocked up on healthy snacks yet (plan to do some of that today), I stopped by a convenience store, worried that I wouldn't be able to find something decent to snack on. What I really wanted was my usual protein bar, but I didn't think I'd be able to find one without sugar or even low in sugar that didn't have artificial sweetener added, not to mention some of the other chemicals added. Sure enough, after reading through the ingredients on several of them, I threw the last one back down in disgust and went to look for a package of trail mix. I couldn't imagine trail mix being as satisfying to me as a protein bar; after all, I wouldn't get the chocolate or peanut butter I liked so much. Surprise, surprise, I found the trail mix quite satisfying, and I even felt better after eating it! It gave me a lasting burst of energy that the protein bars had never given me.
In other news, I've decided to start logging my food again. My intention was to keep track of it all along, but I've dropped the ball on that and need to start back.
Yesterday's Food:
Breakfast - Whole wheat toasted English muffin with 1 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 cup whole milk
Lunch - Whole wheat toasted English muffin with tuna salad (Lemon-garlic mayo, olives, and mustard); protein shake made with 1 cup almond milk and 1 cup frozen berries.
Snack - 3/4 pkg of trail mix (mixed nuts, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, salt, and sunflower oil)
Dinner - Ultra thin crust supreme pizza, about 5 slices.
Late night snack - 2 scrambled eggs cooked in non-stick spray (was out of olive oil) and 1/2 Tbsp butter, with 1 slice low fat (2%) cheese (trying to use up the rest of the processed cheese).
Yesterday's Exercise: Running/walking up and down stairs (one flight of which involved carrying a five-year old in my arms), cleaning, and other tasks involved while babysitting four young children for about four hours.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Fine-tuning my plan
Monday was the one-week mark, and I was hoping to see a little more loss, but my scale had other plans and told me I had gained 2.5 lbs. in one day! I didn't believe it, so I got off the scale and stepped back on. Still 179.5, a gain of 2.5 lbs. I refused to believe it, drank some water, and went back to bed. Later when I got back up, I went to the bathroom and weighed again. I had lost a pound back! Haha. That made me feel a little better at least. Then later on Monday, I came across some information online that really made sense to me. I had always had a bit of a problem in the back of my mind with the "eliminating most or all bread" part of the low-carb diet, thinking of the fact that the Lord Jesus Himself multiplied bread to feed the multitude, not to mention that it was used at the Lord's Supper, so how could it be bad, right? I even prayed about it, asking God to give me wisdom. Well the information I came across explained that it isn't the "bread" that's the problem, it's the "type" of bread. Modern day bread, at least in the United States, is made differently than it was back in the old days. So it recommended that sprouted or spelt bread be used, such as this: http://www.foodforlife.com/ It seems they offer buns, pasta, tortillas, and muffins, too, which is great news. I did try the Ezekiel 4:9 bread a couple of years ago and the taste was so different that I had a difficult time with it, but this time around I think I will give it more time to get used to the taste. My taste buds are "Americanized," after all. Maybe since I've been off all bread for awhile, I will have an easier time adjusting this time.
Other things recommended in the information were to avoid all sugar and high fructose corn syrup (except from fruit, of course) as well as all processed foods, and to stick with whole foods in their natural state, like unprocessed meat, fish and seafood, and fruits and vegetables, avoiding the starchier ones like white potatoes and using sweet potatoes instead, and that hydrogenated oils should be avoided (such as those found in margarine and "fake" butter, as well as vegetable oils and canola oil) and that olive oil, coconut oil, and real butter should be used, as they were good fats that were actually necessary for promoting fat loss. Whole eggs were also recommended, as it is a "good fat" as well ~ I read somewhere else awhile back that the cholesterol in the yolks off eggs acts differently in the bloodstream and does not clog arteries. Beans and brown rice are also okay, but not whole wheat pasta, unless it is made from sprouted wheat or spelt. As for dairy, I don't remember if that was mentioned, but I would guess that it is best in its most natural state: whole cheese (not processed), whole milk, plain whole milk yogurt, full-fat cottage cheese, etc. I don't think the processing they use for milk we normally buy in stores in the refrigerated section is the kind that's harmful, and I would guess that not processing it would be worse (risk of bacteria).
There was a time when I thought it would be nearly impossible to live without processed foods since they are so available, so cheap, and so convenient. But taking another look, I think it can be done with only a few minor changes. There are a lot of healthier options out there that don't take much time to prepare. For portable snacks, there is various dried fruit (the kind with nothing else added), which can be mixed with nuts and seeds to make homemade trail mix. For cereal, there is the kind made with sprouted grain and spelt, or oatmeal made with old-fashioned oats (whole milk can be used instead of water, then you can add regular fruit or dried fruit and maybe a little stevia). There's natural peanut butter, that can be spread on Ezekiel bread for peanut butter toast or a peanut butter sandwich. The list goes on.
Also talked about in the information I came across is that calorie-counting is not necessary when you stick with whole, unprocessed foods (limiting starchier vegetables). Of course, you do want to stick to reasonable portions, but starving yourself is certainly not necessary.
I began implementing the new plan right away, except that I haven't bought any Ezekiel bread yet. (I will get that on my next shopping trip.In the meantime, I have just been avoiding bread altogether). It must have made a difference, because yesterday morning (Tuesday) I had lost another pound, bringing me back down to 177.5. Then this morning, I lost the remaining half pound back, bringing me back to my original weight loss of 4 lbs.! The week isn't over yet, either. I can't wait to see how well I will do after implementing the new plan, which isn't a whole lot different from what I was doing before, just that I will allow the "good" bread (sprouted and/or spelt), will allow whole butter, and will allow ALL fruits now instead of avoiding the higher carb ones such as bananas and oranges and other citrus type fruits. I will also now avoid all processed foods like the plague. I have still been eating processed ham and processed cheese this week, only because I wanted to use it up, but next shopping trip I will have to find a good alternative for both.
I am thinking it might be good to also allow myself to "cheat" a little now and then and have some of my favorite foods, like frozen yogurt or a regular Pepsi (the kind made with regular sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, which is available in some convenience stores where I live). The key is to make sure it's only a once-in-awhile thing. The last thing I want to do is start the sugar addiction cycle again.
As for exercise, on Monday I did Week 1, Workout 3 of the Couch to 5K program and it went well, though my lower back didn't like it a whole lot. Today my back has felt better, though. My knee did hurt for the first part of the walk/run, but I pushed through and eventually it stopped and hasn't bothered me since. Yesterday I decided to rest instead of doing the Jillian 30-Day Shred workout, and today I'll be running again, doing Week 2, Workout 1. I'll be upping my running intervals from sixty seconds to ninety seconds, with two minutes of walking in-between, for a total of twenty minutes. We'll see how it goes.
Other things recommended in the information were to avoid all sugar and high fructose corn syrup (except from fruit, of course) as well as all processed foods, and to stick with whole foods in their natural state, like unprocessed meat, fish and seafood, and fruits and vegetables, avoiding the starchier ones like white potatoes and using sweet potatoes instead, and that hydrogenated oils should be avoided (such as those found in margarine and "fake" butter, as well as vegetable oils and canola oil) and that olive oil, coconut oil, and real butter should be used, as they were good fats that were actually necessary for promoting fat loss. Whole eggs were also recommended, as it is a "good fat" as well ~ I read somewhere else awhile back that the cholesterol in the yolks off eggs acts differently in the bloodstream and does not clog arteries. Beans and brown rice are also okay, but not whole wheat pasta, unless it is made from sprouted wheat or spelt. As for dairy, I don't remember if that was mentioned, but I would guess that it is best in its most natural state: whole cheese (not processed), whole milk, plain whole milk yogurt, full-fat cottage cheese, etc. I don't think the processing they use for milk we normally buy in stores in the refrigerated section is the kind that's harmful, and I would guess that not processing it would be worse (risk of bacteria).
There was a time when I thought it would be nearly impossible to live without processed foods since they are so available, so cheap, and so convenient. But taking another look, I think it can be done with only a few minor changes. There are a lot of healthier options out there that don't take much time to prepare. For portable snacks, there is various dried fruit (the kind with nothing else added), which can be mixed with nuts and seeds to make homemade trail mix. For cereal, there is the kind made with sprouted grain and spelt, or oatmeal made with old-fashioned oats (whole milk can be used instead of water, then you can add regular fruit or dried fruit and maybe a little stevia). There's natural peanut butter, that can be spread on Ezekiel bread for peanut butter toast or a peanut butter sandwich. The list goes on.
Also talked about in the information I came across is that calorie-counting is not necessary when you stick with whole, unprocessed foods (limiting starchier vegetables). Of course, you do want to stick to reasonable portions, but starving yourself is certainly not necessary.
I began implementing the new plan right away, except that I haven't bought any Ezekiel bread yet. (I will get that on my next shopping trip.In the meantime, I have just been avoiding bread altogether). It must have made a difference, because yesterday morning (Tuesday) I had lost another pound, bringing me back down to 177.5. Then this morning, I lost the remaining half pound back, bringing me back to my original weight loss of 4 lbs.! The week isn't over yet, either. I can't wait to see how well I will do after implementing the new plan, which isn't a whole lot different from what I was doing before, just that I will allow the "good" bread (sprouted and/or spelt), will allow whole butter, and will allow ALL fruits now instead of avoiding the higher carb ones such as bananas and oranges and other citrus type fruits. I will also now avoid all processed foods like the plague. I have still been eating processed ham and processed cheese this week, only because I wanted to use it up, but next shopping trip I will have to find a good alternative for both.
I am thinking it might be good to also allow myself to "cheat" a little now and then and have some of my favorite foods, like frozen yogurt or a regular Pepsi (the kind made with regular sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, which is available in some convenience stores where I live). The key is to make sure it's only a once-in-awhile thing. The last thing I want to do is start the sugar addiction cycle again.
As for exercise, on Monday I did Week 1, Workout 3 of the Couch to 5K program and it went well, though my lower back didn't like it a whole lot. Today my back has felt better, though. My knee did hurt for the first part of the walk/run, but I pushed through and eventually it stopped and hasn't bothered me since. Yesterday I decided to rest instead of doing the Jillian 30-Day Shred workout, and today I'll be running again, doing Week 2, Workout 1. I'll be upping my running intervals from sixty seconds to ninety seconds, with two minutes of walking in-between, for a total of twenty minutes. We'll see how it goes.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Making Progress
I lost a pound back today! I breathed a big sigh of relief to see that pound back off in only two days. Nixing all sweets must have really helped. I was very careful not to go too high on the carbs, too.Tomorrow will be one week so I'm hoping for even just a half pound more loss, but even if I have no more loss, I will be happy with the 4-lb. loss for the week.
I had planned to do the Jillian workout again yesterday, but I was just too tired. I could tell my muscles were fatigued, so I decided to rest. Same goes for today. But I did get 'some' exercise in both days, so that was good. Tomorrow I will start back with either the Jillian workout or running. I bought a digital stopwatch yesterday and can't wait to use it!
I was right about the high sugar content in the frappaccino causing more cravings, because yesterday and today I avoided all sweets and had little to no cravings. Today we went out to eat for lunch and I did well. We ordered the chips and spinach & artichoke dip for an appetizer and I ate just the dip, which was very good and had very little carbs. For my main entree, I ordered the Bourbon Street Shrimp & Chicken, and ordered broccoli to replace the potatoes it came with. Then we went to a family birthday party, and I was worried at first when I didn't see anything low carb to eat, but then they brought in the pizza! That was perfect, because I could eat just the toppings and not the crust, then give the crust to my daughter, who loves to eat it that way. I have to say, I never realized just how must crust is on the pizza you order from one of the popular pizza places, until I had to eat off all the toppings. As for the cake, I decided that I would allow myself one miniature cupcake (they had both regular size and miniature ones), but when I took a bite of it, it was so sweet to me that I couldn't even eat it! Back at home, I had some hot dogs and when I tried to put them on a low-carb tortilla wrap, the tortilla tasted like paper, so I took the hot dogs back out and ate them alone with mayonnaise and mustard only (with some olives on the side). I'm not sure why the tortilla didn't taste good to me, but I seriously could not eat it. Then I topped it off with a Mock Chocolate Milkshake (protein shake), and for a late snack I had 1/2 cup of plain yogurt (made with whole milk), and ten grapes. Yum.
I had planned to do the Jillian workout again yesterday, but I was just too tired. I could tell my muscles were fatigued, so I decided to rest. Same goes for today. But I did get 'some' exercise in both days, so that was good. Tomorrow I will start back with either the Jillian workout or running. I bought a digital stopwatch yesterday and can't wait to use it!
I was right about the high sugar content in the frappaccino causing more cravings, because yesterday and today I avoided all sweets and had little to no cravings. Today we went out to eat for lunch and I did well. We ordered the chips and spinach & artichoke dip for an appetizer and I ate just the dip, which was very good and had very little carbs. For my main entree, I ordered the Bourbon Street Shrimp & Chicken, and ordered broccoli to replace the potatoes it came with. Then we went to a family birthday party, and I was worried at first when I didn't see anything low carb to eat, but then they brought in the pizza! That was perfect, because I could eat just the toppings and not the crust, then give the crust to my daughter, who loves to eat it that way. I have to say, I never realized just how must crust is on the pizza you order from one of the popular pizza places, until I had to eat off all the toppings. As for the cake, I decided that I would allow myself one miniature cupcake (they had both regular size and miniature ones), but when I took a bite of it, it was so sweet to me that I couldn't even eat it! Back at home, I had some hot dogs and when I tried to put them on a low-carb tortilla wrap, the tortilla tasted like paper, so I took the hot dogs back out and ate them alone with mayonnaise and mustard only (with some olives on the side). I'm not sure why the tortilla didn't taste good to me, but I seriously could not eat it. Then I topped it off with a Mock Chocolate Milkshake (protein shake), and for a late snack I had 1/2 cup of plain yogurt (made with whole milk), and ten grapes. Yum.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Dealing with cravings
My weight was the same today. I wasn't too surprised, since I knew I was running a risk by having the Starbucks Frappaccino yesterday. It was only size Tall, but even that has a whopping 40 grams of carbs. I could have ordered the sugar-free syrup, but I refuse to have artificial sweetener and put potentially damaging chemicals into my body. I've done enough reading on artificial sweeteners to convince me that they just aren't for me. Too bad they don't have one made with stevia.
The reason I had the frappaccino is because I was craving one so badly. I shouldn't have let my craving get the better of me, though. It wasn't worth it, because I'm convinced that the sugar and high fructose corn syrup in it spiked my sugar levels, then I crashed and craved something sweet even more. I'm convinced it's the reason I wound up having a Lara bar as an afternoon snack, and then two protein shakes after dinner last night, because I was craving something sweet so badly. It is the curse of sugary sweets. Sweets = temporary high = crash = craving more sweets.
I can see now why on plans like the South Beach diet, for the first two weeks they have you cut out all carbs except what you get from vegetables and cream and certain dairy products like cottage or ricotta cheese. It helps you to get over the cravings. It breaks the addiction. Thankfully sugar addiction doesn't seem to run quite as deep as other types of addictions. Two weeks, minimal withdrawal symptoms, and you're done. Addiction gone. So why does two weeks with minimal carbs seem so daunting to me? *Sigh.* I know it probably needs to be done, but I'm going to try a few more days of simply cutting way back on the carbs and see how it goes. But no more sweets for at least two weeks! We have a birthday party to attend tomorrow, so I will have to figure out a way to deal with not having any cake, or maybe I'll just have one bite of my husband's piece.
Yesterday's Food:
Breakfast - Two scrambled eggs with broccoli and cheese (2 slices fat-free)
Snack - Protein shake made with 1 cup frozen berries, 1 cup water, and 1 scoop stevia.
Lunch - Chef salad, 1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese, a few olives; Starbucks Caramel Frappaccino (Tall)
Snack - Lara bar (chocolate peanut butter - fairly low in carbs and 4 g fiber)
Dinner - Two cheeseburgers, no bun; squash and broccoli.
Dessert - Two protein shakes made with 1 cup almond milk and 1 cup ice each.
I did Week One, Day Two (Workout Two) of the Couch to 5K program yesterday. It went surprisingly well, and the fact that I'm doing it in a hilly area and pushing my daughter in the Graco stroller makes it an even better workout. I was feeling it on the last running interval, though, huffing and puffing just a little. Oh, and I did some math in my head and figured out that Week One of the program, which tells you to alternate running for sixty seconds with walking ninety seconds for a total of twenty minutes, equals a total of eight one-minute running intervals, with eight one-and-a-half minute walking intervals in-between. That made it easier to figure out when to turn around and head back - four running intervals, then it's time to turn around. Trying to use the stopwatch on my phone was a bit annoying, though. I need to buy a regular stopwatch or timer of some kind. My feet did hurt last night, but today they seem to be better. I'm really hoping the shoes I have will do the job a little longer, until I can afford to buy new running shoes.
The reason I had the frappaccino is because I was craving one so badly. I shouldn't have let my craving get the better of me, though. It wasn't worth it, because I'm convinced that the sugar and high fructose corn syrup in it spiked my sugar levels, then I crashed and craved something sweet even more. I'm convinced it's the reason I wound up having a Lara bar as an afternoon snack, and then two protein shakes after dinner last night, because I was craving something sweet so badly. It is the curse of sugary sweets. Sweets = temporary high = crash = craving more sweets.
I can see now why on plans like the South Beach diet, for the first two weeks they have you cut out all carbs except what you get from vegetables and cream and certain dairy products like cottage or ricotta cheese. It helps you to get over the cravings. It breaks the addiction. Thankfully sugar addiction doesn't seem to run quite as deep as other types of addictions. Two weeks, minimal withdrawal symptoms, and you're done. Addiction gone. So why does two weeks with minimal carbs seem so daunting to me? *Sigh.* I know it probably needs to be done, but I'm going to try a few more days of simply cutting way back on the carbs and see how it goes. But no more sweets for at least two weeks! We have a birthday party to attend tomorrow, so I will have to figure out a way to deal with not having any cake, or maybe I'll just have one bite of my husband's piece.
Yesterday's Food:
Breakfast - Two scrambled eggs with broccoli and cheese (2 slices fat-free)
Snack - Protein shake made with 1 cup frozen berries, 1 cup water, and 1 scoop stevia.
Lunch - Chef salad, 1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese, a few olives; Starbucks Caramel Frappaccino (Tall)
Snack - Lara bar (chocolate peanut butter - fairly low in carbs and 4 g fiber)
Dinner - Two cheeseburgers, no bun; squash and broccoli.
Dessert - Two protein shakes made with 1 cup almond milk and 1 cup ice each.
I did Week One, Day Two (Workout Two) of the Couch to 5K program yesterday. It went surprisingly well, and the fact that I'm doing it in a hilly area and pushing my daughter in the Graco stroller makes it an even better workout. I was feeling it on the last running interval, though, huffing and puffing just a little. Oh, and I did some math in my head and figured out that Week One of the program, which tells you to alternate running for sixty seconds with walking ninety seconds for a total of twenty minutes, equals a total of eight one-minute running intervals, with eight one-and-a-half minute walking intervals in-between. That made it easier to figure out when to turn around and head back - four running intervals, then it's time to turn around. Trying to use the stopwatch on my phone was a bit annoying, though. I need to buy a regular stopwatch or timer of some kind. My feet did hurt last night, but today they seem to be better. I'm really hoping the shoes I have will do the job a little longer, until I can afford to buy new running shoes.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Beware of meatballs...
This morning the scale showed a one pound gain, so I'm thinking I may have overdone it with the meatballs at dinnertime last night. That's why I'm weighing every day after all, is to see how my body reacts to certain foods until I get used to the new low-carb lifestyle. Funny how I "feel" thinner today, though. The other possibility is that I had fluid retention in the muscles from the workout I did last night, which was the Jillian Micheal's 30-Day Shred. I read somewhere recently that when you workout, especially with weights, that the muscles retain fluid to help with the repair after the muscles "tear" and subsequent increase in muscle mass. I still feel like I should have shown "some" loss, or at the very least stayed the same weight, so I will keep that in mind next time I want meatballs. They do have breading added to them, after all (I used the frozen, pre-made kind).
I am feeling even more energetic today! Is this what it's like to have energy? I knew I was missing something, but you don't really know until you get it back. I was actually able to get out of bed with no problem after only 6.5 hours of sleep and that's a rare thing for me.
The Jillian workout last night was pretty tough, I was one whipped puppy by the time it was over and could barely finish the bicycle crunches at the end. My muscles were still sore from doing the workout two days prior to that, which was the first time I had done it in a couple of months. Add to that starting the Couch to 5K program the day before, which included some running intervals along with brisk walking, in a hilly area, pushing my 52-lb. daughter in the Graco stroller, and it's no wonder I was sore. Part way through the workout I couldn't help but think, "Ugh, do I really want to do this?" But then I reminded myself that once I break through that wall of getting back in shape, it will get easier, and I'll be so proud of myself, and all that hard work will pay off big time.
Today I plan to do Day 2 of the Couch to 5K program, adding additional walking to make it a total of 30-minutes.
I am feeling even more energetic today! Is this what it's like to have energy? I knew I was missing something, but you don't really know until you get it back. I was actually able to get out of bed with no problem after only 6.5 hours of sleep and that's a rare thing for me.
The Jillian workout last night was pretty tough, I was one whipped puppy by the time it was over and could barely finish the bicycle crunches at the end. My muscles were still sore from doing the workout two days prior to that, which was the first time I had done it in a couple of months. Add to that starting the Couch to 5K program the day before, which included some running intervals along with brisk walking, in a hilly area, pushing my 52-lb. daughter in the Graco stroller, and it's no wonder I was sore. Part way through the workout I couldn't help but think, "Ugh, do I really want to do this?" But then I reminded myself that once I break through that wall of getting back in shape, it will get easier, and I'll be so proud of myself, and all that hard work will pay off big time.
Today I plan to do Day 2 of the Couch to 5K program, adding additional walking to make it a total of 30-minutes.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
On my way to a new me...
I was pleasantly surprised that the scale this morning showed a 3-lb. loss since yesterday! Yes, you read that right. 3 lbs. in one day. And that makes 4 lbs. since I decided to "get back on the bandwagon" 4 days ago, and I actually have only been doing the low-carb thing since 3 days ago! The amazing thing? I haven't been constantly hungry, my appetite is down, I haven't felt deprived, I've have had MORE energy, and yet I've lost 4 lbs. in 4 days! Wow. I think my body is responding quite well to my new low-carb lifestyle. And it hasn't been that hard this time, I think mainly because I am not being as strict about it this time.
For example, I was up late last night and started to get really hungry, so I had 1/2 of a small banana with a little peanut butter smeared on. Normally I wouldn't have a banana on a low-carb diet, at least not while in the losing stage, because they are very high in carbs, about 35-40 g for one banana, depending on the size. The peanut butter wasn't the natural kind, either, though it was Jiff, which is lower in sugar and carbs than most of the others. I allowed it because I am thinking of it in terms of developing a new lifesytle of eating that I can live with. I figured with the amount of exercise I had yesterday, 1/2 of a small banana and a little peanut butter probably wouldn't hurt me. I do admit to being a little worried that I might be losing weight too fast, as I've read that losing weight too fast isn't good for you. Tonight at dinner I think I will indulge a little more. I'm making meatballs and sauce in the crock pot, and though I don't plan to have any sauce (my husband and daughter will take care of that), I'm going to eat as many meatballs as I want. I checked the carb content, and for 6 meatballs it isn't that bad at all, so I'm going to indulge a little :) Now to just figure out what kind of vegetable to have along with it to replace the pasta. Hmmm, summer squash might be good, since it's stringy almost like spaghetti when you bake it and then shred it with a fork. Will have to make a trip to the store to get some.
Here is today's food so far:
(You can assume that each day I drink at least 8-10 eight-oz. glasses of water)
Breakfast -
Omelet made with two eggs, 2 slices thinly-sliced ham, and 1 slice fat-free cheese
1 cup Smart Balance milk (fat-free)
Coffee with stevia
Lunch -
2 ham & cheese roll-ups (5 total slices of ham, 2 slices fat-free cheese)
Protein shake made with Whey Protein, 1 cup almond milk, and 1 cup ice
1 glass homemade, calorie-free soda: 12 oz. club soda, equal parts lemon & lime juice, 1 scoop 100% pure, all-natural stevia.
Dinner - 12 meatballs, about 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce (Preggo), 1 can green beans with about 1 Tbsp Smart Balance spread.
Dessert - Protein shake made with 1 scoop protein powder + 1 cup frozen mixed berries + 1 cup almond milk.
Snack - Handful of mixed nuts with about 1 Tbsp Jiff peanut butter
The reason I decided to try low-carb again when all the motivation I could muster didn't seem to make a hill of beans' difference when I set out to jump back on the bandwagon to losing weight again. I started out gung-ho, intending to count calories and stay at 1600 cals or less, only to wind up so hungry that I easily went over 1800 cals the first day and actually gained weight. I thought, "There has to be a better way." I knew from past experience that eating the low-carb way helped curb your appetite. Then it was just a matter of deciding how low-carb to go. I didn't want to go to extremes, so I decided I would be moderate about it and allow any fruit, though I will focus more on the lower-glycemic ones (meaning lower in carb grams and slower-burning), ad I will allow all dairy, again focusing more on the lower GI ones and using moderation, and will be sure to get plenty of vegetables, plenty of water, and plenty of exercise. I will also allow bread once in awhile, again staying with the kind that is lower in carbs. No pasta, rice, or potatoes, though (other than sweet potatoes), though I might make an exception once in a great while for certain situations, at least in the losing weight stage.
I can't tell you how much I CRAVE being thin, energetic, and feeling great about myself. Every time I see a slender girl somewhere, no matter what the age, I wonder: How do they do it? I so want to look like that. I really hope my new way of eating is going to stick this time. It was about time I decided to do something about it, as my sugar cravings, namely ice cream and frozen yogurt, were getting way out of hand. And thankfully, yesterday I discovered a great substitute for the creamy frozen stuff! I call it, "Mary's Mock Chocolate Milkshake."
Ingredients:
1 scoop Jillian Micheal's Natural Whey Protein (Triple Chocolate Shake flavor)
1 cup ice
1 cup almond milk (the kind that is 60 calories for 1 cup)
Carbs: 15 g total
Fiber: 3 g (which makes it 12 g of net carbs)
Calories: 160
Fat: 2.5 g
I put the ice in the blender first, pour in the milk, and pulse/blend until at least "fairly" well blended. Then I add the protein powder and blend until thick and smooth. It makes a nice, tall, "milkshake" ~ so thick at first that you have to start off with a spoon. It makes not having my ice cream/frozen yogurt anymore a LOT more bearable.
For example, I was up late last night and started to get really hungry, so I had 1/2 of a small banana with a little peanut butter smeared on. Normally I wouldn't have a banana on a low-carb diet, at least not while in the losing stage, because they are very high in carbs, about 35-40 g for one banana, depending on the size. The peanut butter wasn't the natural kind, either, though it was Jiff, which is lower in sugar and carbs than most of the others. I allowed it because I am thinking of it in terms of developing a new lifesytle of eating that I can live with. I figured with the amount of exercise I had yesterday, 1/2 of a small banana and a little peanut butter probably wouldn't hurt me. I do admit to being a little worried that I might be losing weight too fast, as I've read that losing weight too fast isn't good for you. Tonight at dinner I think I will indulge a little more. I'm making meatballs and sauce in the crock pot, and though I don't plan to have any sauce (my husband and daughter will take care of that), I'm going to eat as many meatballs as I want. I checked the carb content, and for 6 meatballs it isn't that bad at all, so I'm going to indulge a little :) Now to just figure out what kind of vegetable to have along with it to replace the pasta. Hmmm, summer squash might be good, since it's stringy almost like spaghetti when you bake it and then shred it with a fork. Will have to make a trip to the store to get some.
Here is today's food so far:
(You can assume that each day I drink at least 8-10 eight-oz. glasses of water)
Breakfast -
Omelet made with two eggs, 2 slices thinly-sliced ham, and 1 slice fat-free cheese
1 cup Smart Balance milk (fat-free)
Coffee with stevia
Lunch -
2 ham & cheese roll-ups (5 total slices of ham, 2 slices fat-free cheese)
Protein shake made with Whey Protein, 1 cup almond milk, and 1 cup ice
1 glass homemade, calorie-free soda: 12 oz. club soda, equal parts lemon & lime juice, 1 scoop 100% pure, all-natural stevia.
Dinner - 12 meatballs, about 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce (Preggo), 1 can green beans with about 1 Tbsp Smart Balance spread.
Dessert - Protein shake made with 1 scoop protein powder + 1 cup frozen mixed berries + 1 cup almond milk.
Snack - Handful of mixed nuts with about 1 Tbsp Jiff peanut butter
The reason I decided to try low-carb again when all the motivation I could muster didn't seem to make a hill of beans' difference when I set out to jump back on the bandwagon to losing weight again. I started out gung-ho, intending to count calories and stay at 1600 cals or less, only to wind up so hungry that I easily went over 1800 cals the first day and actually gained weight. I thought, "There has to be a better way." I knew from past experience that eating the low-carb way helped curb your appetite. Then it was just a matter of deciding how low-carb to go. I didn't want to go to extremes, so I decided I would be moderate about it and allow any fruit, though I will focus more on the lower-glycemic ones (meaning lower in carb grams and slower-burning), ad I will allow all dairy, again focusing more on the lower GI ones and using moderation, and will be sure to get plenty of vegetables, plenty of water, and plenty of exercise. I will also allow bread once in awhile, again staying with the kind that is lower in carbs. No pasta, rice, or potatoes, though (other than sweet potatoes), though I might make an exception once in a great while for certain situations, at least in the losing weight stage.
I can't tell you how much I CRAVE being thin, energetic, and feeling great about myself. Every time I see a slender girl somewhere, no matter what the age, I wonder: How do they do it? I so want to look like that. I really hope my new way of eating is going to stick this time. It was about time I decided to do something about it, as my sugar cravings, namely ice cream and frozen yogurt, were getting way out of hand. And thankfully, yesterday I discovered a great substitute for the creamy frozen stuff! I call it, "Mary's Mock Chocolate Milkshake."
Ingredients:
1 scoop Jillian Micheal's Natural Whey Protein (Triple Chocolate Shake flavor)
1 cup ice
1 cup almond milk (the kind that is 60 calories for 1 cup)
Carbs: 15 g total
Fiber: 3 g (which makes it 12 g of net carbs)
Calories: 160
Fat: 2.5 g
I put the ice in the blender first, pour in the milk, and pulse/blend until at least "fairly" well blended. Then I add the protein powder and blend until thick and smooth. It makes a nice, tall, "milkshake" ~ so thick at first that you have to start off with a spoon. It makes not having my ice cream/frozen yogurt anymore a LOT more bearable.
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