I've lost about 9 lbs over the course of this low-carb eating I've been doing. I found that out on Friday, the only day I weigh myself. Since then there has been a decided uptick in my carb intake. This is no accident, it's what I always do.
I had hoped to lose about 8lbs and then maybe work on losing about 5 more at the most. But once I overshot my original goal--which happened quickly and unexpectedly--I started to get rebellious.
By the way, that last 3lb loss was weird. I had lost about .5lbs the week before and then was suddenly down by 3lbs. I thought the scale was wrong, but no, it turns out I really did lose it and am still hovering around there. No idea why.
My pattern with losing weight is that I feel that my clothes are a little loose and then give a mental "fuck you" to...who?...and eat whatever crap I want for several days. This usually erases any room in my waistband again and I'm back to square one.
Now, I haven't thrown the whole deal out. I'm still tracking my menu and thus calorie and carb intake on My Fitness Pal, and that seems to keep me from completely flying off the beam, but still I don't know what I'm pushing back on so hard. One day I felt like I could barely eat enough to not have the tracker yell at me for not eating enough, then next I'm downing M&Ms the same night I made spaghetti for dinner.
Still some work to do there. In any case, I am overall still paying more attention to what I eat and why I'm choosing what I choose. Sometimes sleep feels like the munchies, sometime boredom or loneliness does too. I'm reading more and I picked up what I hope will turn into a part time job (see previous New Venture post). More up and out and less sitting and munching.
And still often giving into real temptation with no regrets.
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Friday, September 2, 2016
Carb count, breakfast, workouts and sweating. Food Diary 8/16
Hey--so here's this installment I drafted about three weeks ago and never got around to posting:
I hadn't been adding up my daily carb count, but decided to get a rough idea today.
WOW-that yogurt has a lot of carbs and relative to other fruits, blueberries are toward the high end. I thought that meant I'd have to find another alternative. It can't be eggs. They make me sick if I have too many. I hate eating veg for breakfast. Lox is great but very expensive. :-P
But I started adding up the whole day and I'm still coming in way under 100g. If I'm going to spend my carbs, I'm happy to do it in the morning with I breakfast I like.
As far as the effect on my workouts (running), I'm finding I'm sweating a lot more and keeping my pace up might be harder, but can't tell because some days I'm on the treadmill and some days on the street. Reading up on the sweating I found that it's pretty common and way worse for some people. I'm only noticing it if I exert myself others are sweating all day at first. Now--I also get fun fun hot flashes, but I can tell the difference but hard to explain how.
Breakfast
Yogurt with blueberries and pecans
Lunch
Egg Salad:
and a few mini peperonis while I waited for the eggs to boil. Love those peperonis and the label says 0 carbs, go figure.
(note to self, boil eggs to have on hand!)
I hadn't been adding up my daily carb count, but decided to get a rough idea today.
WOW-that yogurt has a lot of carbs and relative to other fruits, blueberries are toward the high end. I thought that meant I'd have to find another alternative. It can't be eggs. They make me sick if I have too many. I hate eating veg for breakfast. Lox is great but very expensive. :-P
But I started adding up the whole day and I'm still coming in way under 100g. If I'm going to spend my carbs, I'm happy to do it in the morning with I breakfast I like.
As far as the effect on my workouts (running), I'm finding I'm sweating a lot more and keeping my pace up might be harder, but can't tell because some days I'm on the treadmill and some days on the street. Reading up on the sweating I found that it's pretty common and way worse for some people. I'm only noticing it if I exert myself others are sweating all day at first. Now--I also get fun fun hot flashes, but I can tell the difference but hard to explain how.
Breakfast
Yogurt with blueberries and pecans
Lunch
Egg Salad:
and a few mini peperonis while I waited for the eggs to boil. Love those peperonis and the label says 0 carbs, go figure.
(note to self, boil eggs to have on hand!)
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Bulletproof coffee, cheating and Food Diary 8/13
Been seeing a lot of references to Bulletproof Coffee in low carb menus and articles online and I wanted to find out what it is and all the fuss around it. First, it seems like there are a lot of individual butter coffee recipes out there AND there is an official (and seemingly pricey) "real" Bulletproof Coffee that has branded oil and coffee products.
I was skeptical of the brand and its claims and came across THIS article that confirmed my thinking on a "miracle coffee" offering too good to be true results. I'm also not interested in anything that would have me lose 1lb a day. That sounds way bad for a body and I could just image how my face would sag lol! This Old Liz's skin needs time to get used and adjust to body changes! And is regular caffeine intake a good idea for a diet that tends to dehydrate?
As far as the recipe, I tried a lungo coffee Americano from my Nespresso machine (Envivo lungo pod with two lungo pulls) with a Tbs each of unsalted butter (Kerrigold) and organic coconut oil. I've also seen butter with half and half, with MCT oil, and salted butter. I also used a hand blender for a quick mix up--that means a little frother I have, not my electric stick blender.
It was....fine. I didn't taste any coconut flavor which for me was a good thing. I've had problems with a lot of oil at one time and I think this might be bearing out here too, but nothing alarming. I might try the butter/half and half on a day I think I will need to ward off hunger pangs. In the past, caffeine has helped with this and on days when I really need to run around and will get a late lunch that has been helpful. I think this might have tased better with coffee rather than espresso.
Katie and I are interested in trying butter tea (mentioned in the article linked above), which sounds like it might be a better combo with butter. Will be ordering some more unsalted butter from the farmer this week so we can experiment.
With all the bulletproof coffee talk I see around the internet, I feel sure that we'll be seeing butter coffee on cafe menus any time now.
Will let you know any results from my consumption of this concoction in tomorrows posting of today's food log.
Food Diary Stuff--8/13
Just to clarify again, I post food diaries at least a day later so I can include the whole day.
I decided I'd be fine with "cheats" from the start. I knew weekends would be the toughest, since we tend to eat out or on the run. Not going crazy--especially in this first month, but also not stressing over every little thing. BUT--one cheat I didn't plan on and was not worth it.
Late breakfast around 10am
2 eggs scrambled with some cheddar cheese shredded on top
Lunch-out
Went to DRP for lunch I love their Belle Haven salad and added some grilled chicken to it, cheated a bit with the dried cranberries in the salad since they are always sweetened.
Snack
Handful of wasabi almonds
5 prunes--THESE were the big cheat I didn't plan on. Looked at the label and WOW a lot of carbs, most of them sugar. I guess I thought the fiber would balance it out. So, not crazy off the ranch cheat (not processed crap) but not worth the extra carbs imo. No more prunes for me.
Dinner--I liked this, my kids (older teens) did not
Chicken thighs with smoked paprika, onion powder and salt with a sour cream/pan drippings gravy.
Broccoli Slaw with nuts and seeds and dried cranberries-this was a mix that i didn't realize had the cranberries, which I could have skipped. I made a dressing of mayo, lemon juice and garlic powder.
I was skeptical of the brand and its claims and came across THIS article that confirmed my thinking on a "miracle coffee" offering too good to be true results. I'm also not interested in anything that would have me lose 1lb a day. That sounds way bad for a body and I could just image how my face would sag lol! This Old Liz's skin needs time to get used and adjust to body changes! And is regular caffeine intake a good idea for a diet that tends to dehydrate?
As far as the recipe, I tried a lungo coffee Americano from my Nespresso machine (Envivo lungo pod with two lungo pulls) with a Tbs each of unsalted butter (Kerrigold) and organic coconut oil. I've also seen butter with half and half, with MCT oil, and salted butter. I also used a hand blender for a quick mix up--that means a little frother I have, not my electric stick blender.
It was....fine. I didn't taste any coconut flavor which for me was a good thing. I've had problems with a lot of oil at one time and I think this might be bearing out here too, but nothing alarming. I might try the butter/half and half on a day I think I will need to ward off hunger pangs. In the past, caffeine has helped with this and on days when I really need to run around and will get a late lunch that has been helpful. I think this might have tased better with coffee rather than espresso.
Katie and I are interested in trying butter tea (mentioned in the article linked above), which sounds like it might be a better combo with butter. Will be ordering some more unsalted butter from the farmer this week so we can experiment.
With all the bulletproof coffee talk I see around the internet, I feel sure that we'll be seeing butter coffee on cafe menus any time now.
Will let you know any results from my consumption of this concoction in tomorrows posting of today's food log.
Food Diary Stuff--8/13
Just to clarify again, I post food diaries at least a day later so I can include the whole day.
I decided I'd be fine with "cheats" from the start. I knew weekends would be the toughest, since we tend to eat out or on the run. Not going crazy--especially in this first month, but also not stressing over every little thing. BUT--one cheat I didn't plan on and was not worth it.
Late breakfast around 10am
2 eggs scrambled with some cheddar cheese shredded on top
Lunch-out
Went to DRP for lunch I love their Belle Haven salad and added some grilled chicken to it, cheated a bit with the dried cranberries in the salad since they are always sweetened.
Snack
Handful of wasabi almonds
5 prunes--THESE were the big cheat I didn't plan on. Looked at the label and WOW a lot of carbs, most of them sugar. I guess I thought the fiber would balance it out. So, not crazy off the ranch cheat (not processed crap) but not worth the extra carbs imo. No more prunes for me.
Dinner--I liked this, my kids (older teens) did not
Chicken thighs with smoked paprika, onion powder and salt with a sour cream/pan drippings gravy.
Broccoli Slaw with nuts and seeds and dried cranberries-this was a mix that i didn't realize had the cranberries, which I could have skipped. I made a dressing of mayo, lemon juice and garlic powder.
Monday, August 8, 2016
Routine
I used to think I should be this spontaneous, go with the flow person. Should is such a damaging word, right? The fact is, I thrive on routine. If I don't have a foundation of routine, then I can't break it! For me, the dull, dreary day to day stuff of getting through life gets done faster, easier and more reliable with routine. I'm still not great at it, but when it sticks, I am able to keep up with keeping up and then have more time to do the fun stuff.
Here's my current routine:
Mornings--Can vary, but I usually get these basics done: See Pete off to work and handle the dog. Do all the bathroom stuff then, check email etc, have breakfast, get dressed and get the bed made. When I'm really organized I get the whole bedroom/bathroom cleaned up, but that's hit or miss.
I did that program where you kept the sink clean all the time--Fly Lady was it? Didn't stick with it, but took the advice to get everything I had to do upstairs done before coming downstairs and when I can do that it works really well.
Mondays--30 minute run
Wednesdays--over to the gym to lift, mostly do upper body because I find it incredibly boring and figure the running takes care of my legs.
Fridays--30 minute run
I usually cover just under 3 miles in my runs, but it varies depending on whether I run outdoors, the weather and how I'm feeling that day.
I sometimes skip it, but have been able to maintain this schedule for a few years. I used to run three days a week but I gained a lot of weight and heard tell I could be stressing my system. Moved to two days and leveled off nicely. Not trying to prove anything to anyone or even be especially fit, just want to keep moving so I can move to do the things I want to.
Food yesterday and today so far:
No/low carb was easier yesterday
Breakfast--plain yogurt with pecans and peaches
Lunch--canned salmon with cream cheese and mayo mixed in.
Snack--carrots with guac and some almonds
Dinner--sausage with green beans. The kids had rice with this that I skipped.
Felt peckish around 8pm and decided to ignore that. Drank a lot of water.
Today
Breakfast--3 eggs scrambled with some milk mixed in. Water.
Heading out to meet a friend for coffee. Will be tempted to get a cookie. Have to find a nice alternative.
Have a great day!
Here's my current routine:
Mornings--Can vary, but I usually get these basics done: See Pete off to work and handle the dog. Do all the bathroom stuff then, check email etc, have breakfast, get dressed and get the bed made. When I'm really organized I get the whole bedroom/bathroom cleaned up, but that's hit or miss.
I did that program where you kept the sink clean all the time--Fly Lady was it? Didn't stick with it, but took the advice to get everything I had to do upstairs done before coming downstairs and when I can do that it works really well.
Mondays--30 minute run
Wednesdays--over to the gym to lift, mostly do upper body because I find it incredibly boring and figure the running takes care of my legs.
Fridays--30 minute run
I usually cover just under 3 miles in my runs, but it varies depending on whether I run outdoors, the weather and how I'm feeling that day.
I sometimes skip it, but have been able to maintain this schedule for a few years. I used to run three days a week but I gained a lot of weight and heard tell I could be stressing my system. Moved to two days and leveled off nicely. Not trying to prove anything to anyone or even be especially fit, just want to keep moving so I can move to do the things I want to.
Food yesterday and today so far:
No/low carb was easier yesterday
Breakfast--plain yogurt with pecans and peaches
Lunch--canned salmon with cream cheese and mayo mixed in.
Snack--carrots with guac and some almonds
Dinner--sausage with green beans. The kids had rice with this that I skipped.
Felt peckish around 8pm and decided to ignore that. Drank a lot of water.
Today
Breakfast--3 eggs scrambled with some milk mixed in. Water.
Heading out to meet a friend for coffee. Will be tempted to get a cookie. Have to find a nice alternative.
Have a great day!
Sunday, August 7, 2016
No Carb/Low Carb
It's time. Been putting it off for a while, but the "right" moment hasn't come with fireworks or a big arrow announcing itself. So I just picked a random day to knock out the carbs and sugar for a while. All I've been doing is gaining weight and enough is enough.
Also have noticed my portions are out of control, but first things first. Clean up my food habits, then if needed work on portions.
This was day three and I woke up famished! But a breakfast of yogurt/pecans/peaches did the trick and I lasted right til lunchtime without feeling hungry. Very different from yesterday when all I thought about was being hungry. So what I've read seems to be bearing out. It gets easier and my idea of "full" will adjust.
To be clear, this is not a diet. It is a reset. I can get on a jag of snacking, grabbing quick convenience foods and basically not paying attention to what I'm eating. This was fine in my 20s and 30s but now that I'm a woman of a certain age, what I eat shows up in how I look and more important, how I feel. Having tight cloths affects my body image--and if I go a size up, my wallet!
Starting this blog to keep track of things, try to stay aware of what I'm doing and discuss anything that pops into my head about how I feel about the body changes and other things that are coming with my second half-century.
I welcome comments that are not abusive, judgy or shaming. If you want to troll, you won't find an audience here.
Be nice.
Also have noticed my portions are out of control, but first things first. Clean up my food habits, then if needed work on portions.
This was day three and I woke up famished! But a breakfast of yogurt/pecans/peaches did the trick and I lasted right til lunchtime without feeling hungry. Very different from yesterday when all I thought about was being hungry. So what I've read seems to be bearing out. It gets easier and my idea of "full" will adjust.
To be clear, this is not a diet. It is a reset. I can get on a jag of snacking, grabbing quick convenience foods and basically not paying attention to what I'm eating. This was fine in my 20s and 30s but now that I'm a woman of a certain age, what I eat shows up in how I look and more important, how I feel. Having tight cloths affects my body image--and if I go a size up, my wallet!
Starting this blog to keep track of things, try to stay aware of what I'm doing and discuss anything that pops into my head about how I feel about the body changes and other things that are coming with my second half-century.
I welcome comments that are not abusive, judgy or shaming. If you want to troll, you won't find an audience here.
Be nice.
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