Monday, September 30, 2013

Week 5 Results

Hi There.  

It didn't feel like a great week (thanks to that time of month), but I had great results - Over 3 pound loss!  I have lost a total of 19.4 pounds and 7% body fat loss.  Wow!  

Watch my video summarizing this week and let me know what you think!  


Sunday, September 29, 2013

Nearing the end of Week 5..... Week 5 Day 35

Still on track, with some ups and downs throughout the week.  It seems almost every other day I have a weight gain.  Normal?  Not sure about anybody else, but it seems to be for me.  

The weight gain days experienced this week have been a little more emotional due to "that time of month".  

One thing that has blown my mind is that even on my "lowest" days, I don't want to give up.  Never has crossed my mind to make that jump into the ice cream, chips, etc.  I am so convinced that this is going to work for me, that that type of thinking is not allowed.  

So tomorrow, on my week 5 anniversary, I will have "dieted" longer than any diet I have tried in over 8 years.  I have never made it past the 30 day mark.  I feel this is going to be an adventure I will concur.  


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Good news... Just in time

So this morning I woke up to a 2 pound loss!  I am not going to lie, this is exactly what I needed after yesterday's .6 lb gain and the odds and ends gains the last 2 weeks.  Although my overall trend is losing, its still mentally hard to get past the mornings when there is a gain.

I have not been keeping track of my nutrition in MyFitnessPal, but I have been using the site often to ensure I am staying on track with my carbs.  

Aunt Flo is visiting right now, so I am extremely tired and need extra sleep (normal monthly routine for me).  


Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Frustrated but will keep on keepin on

As I may have mentioned, I weigh myself every single morning.  I am not one for surprises, at least not the type to send me into a crying fit, call out of work and stay in bed.  Not that its ever happened, but you know what I mean.  So I am not going to wait an entire week to find out if I have gained or lost.  

So... I weigh myself every morning.  This helps me look at the day before and see if there is something I did really good, really bad, etc.  The past couple of weeks, I have been having a couple days here and there where I wake up with a .2 pound gain.  But today, I woke up with a .6 pound gain.  Seriously?  How depressing is that.  

I have also been dealing with (yesterday and today) a sugar drop feeling.  After eating breakfast (low carb gumbo soup), I feel a shaky sugar feeling about 3 hours later.  It doesn't feel as bad as when I used to drink/eat a ton of sugar, but it feels similar.  And I DO NOT LIKE IT.  I thought my gumbo soup was low carb, but apparently not.  So I told my husband it is all his and I am back to eggs, bacon, etc for breakfast.  But I will admit, I would much rather have soup, leftover dinner, etc. than eggs and bacon.  I've never been a big fan of either of them, so eating them for breakfast is really hard.  Oh well.

I will put on my big girl pants and do this right!  I got weight to lose ya'll.  No horse playing!

p.s.  I am not supposed to start my girly time for another 5 days, but signs have shown it may come early.  I know this may have a lot to do with everything as well.  


Monday, September 23, 2013

4 Weeks down and the Results are in....



The results are in and although I am happy that I have lost a significant amount of weight, I am also a little discouraged. 

You see, when I first attempted this way of eating (LCHF) a few months ago, I lost 14 pounds in 14 days.  I know that is not a normal weightloss, but for someone like me whom has to lose over 100 pounds, I know that the first few weeks to a month are going to be my greatest weightloss, and then the weeks/months following will be extremely lower.  

So you can imagine my frustration when my entire month's weightloss is hardly more than my 2 week weightloss the first go around. 

The obvious question is "What am I doing differently"?  Well honestly, I feel like the only differences are actually more positive and would have resulted in a greater weightloss.

Here are the differences:

First Attempt:
- Ate out a lot more often
+ Ate only Fat and Protein for Breakfast



This Attempt (Final):
+ Eat out a LOT less often
+ Keep track of meals
+ I feel much more motivated this time around
-  Drinking a lot of Herbal (mostly decaf) Iced Tea (mabye messing up        digestion?)
-  I have switched to eating soups for Breakfast, which contain vegetables (carbs), although they are minimum

I can't think of anything else right now that is different.  If anybody has any ideas on what I could be doing wrong, PLEASE let me know.



Sunday, September 22, 2013

I've been busy... Guilty as charged

I have not only been lack on my blog posts, but I have also been "forgetting" to not post my nutrition in MyFitnessPal.  Quite honestly, it gets tedious.  If I have that one meal from a place that I was not able to calculate the nutrition data, then I feel that there is no point at all in posting the rest of the day.  I know what is right to eat and what is not right to eat.  On the flip side, those days that I cannot post the nutrition, I always wake up to a stall or slight weight gain.  But what do I do?  I told my Husband that I was going to start packing my meals and eating them in the car while they (Hubby and Son) eat in the restaurant.  ha ha ha

Tomorrow is my big weekly weigh in and video post.  I hope that I have good news.  

See you tomorrow.   

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Day turned sour :( or did it?

Although my day started out happier than you can imagine, I have ended on a sour note.   After dinner (which I wasn't even hungry), I had to rush out to my son's football practice.  I grabbed the last 2 servings of my chocolate bar and headed out.  

During the football practice, I continued to take bites until it was all gone.  Why did this happen?  What propelled me to eat those unneeded carbs?  

Well, here I am 9:00 at night, feeling like crap.  I feel shaky, due to my sugar being out of whack and I probably knocked myself out of ketosis.  

But you know what, I am not reaching into the freezer for some more sugar.  I don't crave anymore.

Honestly, I feel very good about tomorrow.  I will lift my head up and continue with what I know works for me.  

Now that I think about it, maybe I didn't end my day sour. Maybe, just maybe I have actually accomplished something great.  My old habits have not returned.  I did not chalk the day up to a wash, eat whatever I want with the hopes of starting over again tomorrow.  

I have accomplished something great, and I feel very positive.

This is why writing your thoughts down, whether public or not, is worth every second of your effort!  


B:  Southwestern Taco Soup
L:  Romaine lettuce, shredded cheese & blue cheese dressing. Guy Fieri's Pork recipe.
D:  8 chicken wings with buffalo sauce and blue cheese dressing;  a couple cauliflowers and 1/2 cup green beans.  
S:  2/3 bar of organic 80% chocolate bar (2 servings)

ALERT ALERT: First time Weightloss Noticed Day 24

I am actually at work, but I could not wait until this evening to write this post.  I am ecstatic.  I have experienced what every person trying to lose weight wants to experience. 

Walking down the hallway a moment ago, a co-worker stopped me and told me that I am looking thinner and asked me how much weight I have lost.  After telling her about 15 pounds, she said "you can definitely tell and keep up the good work".  

W.O.W!  I seriously cannot believe this has happened so early.  I'm very happy.

So can you see how happy I am?






Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Happiness and energy has found me....

Something rather wonderful happened for me today.... I felt happy.  My happiness was so noticeable that a co-worker kept asking me why I was so happy during a meeting.  At one point, she even looked at me suspiciously and said "something is going on, I know it".  ha ha   That was such a reassuring feeling for me.  

Do I really look that much happier?  Other than the tight ass heels I was wearing today, I even felt bouncier walking the halls.  I felt my head lifted higher than usual.  I greeted strangers with a smile and "Good Morning" or "Good Afternoon". 

Speaking of a good afternoon, I did not want to sleep after lunch.  I repeat  I DID NOT WANT TO SLEEP AFTER LUNCH.  Say what?  You heard it, I have been going full fledged energy since I woke up, and I feel awesome.  Honestly, its 7:43 at night, and I'm afraid I won't be tired enough to sleep.

Oh well, I suppose I deserve a warm bath and good read to help get me in the sleeping mood.  

I was not able to keep track of my dinner meal on myfitnesspal because we ate out, but I know overall, I did very well.  

B:  Leftover Taco Soup 

L:  Leftover Dinner, which was Guy Fieri Pork Onlet.  My hubby made it with green beans instead of cannellini beans (cuz he loves me)

D:  We went out to a Mexican Restaurant where I had a salad with chicken and chunky (freshly made) guacamole.  I may have overate a tiny bit, but by the time I am writing this, I do not feel that way anymore.  

I feel satiated, happy and energetic.  I pray that this continues.  

Monday, September 16, 2013

Week 3 Results!

Well good news, I lost weight this week!    For a minute there, I didn't think I was going to have a weight loss this week.  

Watch my video and let me know what you think:



Sunday, September 15, 2013

Been a couple of days.... Myfitnesspal to the Rescue!

So, as the headline says, its been a couple of days since I've posted.  I'd say I've been real busy, but then I'd be lying.  I'd say I didn't have access to a computer, but again, I'd be lying.  The honest truth - I've been mad.  Mad as Hell.  I have been eating really good, staying in ketosis, and not losing weight.  I even gained a pound, but luckily lost it 2 days later.  

What could I be doing wrong?  Could I be getting too many calories, fat grams, sodium?  Who knows.  

All I know is that this has pushed me to start tracking my food using www.myfitnesspal.com and track everything I eat.  Luckily I already have a really good food scale.  

So this morning I did wake up with a 1 pound loss!  Go me!  But that hasn't stopped me from using myfitnesspal.  Today I measured and posted everything and here are the results:

Total Calories = 1483

Total Fat = 116g / 72%

Cholesterol = 600

Sodium = 3,043

Potassium = 758

Total Carbs = 28 / 8%

Fiber = 8

Net Carbs = 20

Protein = 75 / 20%

To note.  I did overeat at lunchtime, so I was not hungry for dinner.  Just a bit ago, stomach started rumbling so I ate a serving of macadamia nuts.  So my numbers are actually a little low, since I was not able to calculate a normal dinner (which would have been collard greens and pork chop).  

All in all, I can see how this app is very useful.  It did take some time for me to calculate everything, which isn't a problem on a Sunday, but starting tomorrow is going to be a bit tricky.  I will have to plan even more time on top of the cooking time to make sure I capture all the ingredients/foods eaten for the day.

On another note, I have been experiencing headaches, stuffy sinus' and even a sore throat last night in the past few days/week.  Hopefully these feelings pass very soon as it is very hard to wake up in the mornings.

Tomorrow is weigh in and video day.  

Peace out!

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Breakfast Lunch and Diner 9-12-2013

Today was an "ok" day.  I've been feeling a little out of the weather.  I have a lot of sinus pressure as well as bad headache (the type that gets worst with movement).  I'm not sure if I am getting sick, or the fact that there is a storm's black clouds out my window right now.  Either way, its not normal for me to feel this way.  Hopefully it passes, because I have a lot of things to do tomorrow.  

B:  2 Eggs cooked in bacon grease, 3 x bacon, 6 x lil smokies (Nathan's brand).

L:  Boar's Head Buffalo Chicken lunchmeat wrapped with red pepper cream cheese x 3; mozzarella cheese wrapped in salami;  large cup of homemade chicken broth

D:  Low Carb Meatloaf;  broccollini with butter

After gaining 1.2 pounds in the past 2 days, I'm hoping tomorrow brings me a better outcome.  

Hard time and gaining weight

I've been having a really hard time these past 2 days.  Not with the diet, or so I thought.  I weigh myself every day so that I may determine whether I am on the right track or not.  I don't keep track of my nutritional elements, so this is my weigh of making sure I am doing the right thing.  Once I feel confident that I am, I will probably reduce to once a week.

Yesterday I woke up with a .2 weight gain, and today I woke up with a 1 lb weight gain.  Very frustrating.  I have been feeling very tired and unmotivated in life, but not with the diet.  I have been eating very well with no slip-ups.  

The day before, I have no idea why I gained .2 pounds.  But yesterday, I ate out twice.  I thought I was doing good, but the scale doesn't lie, although I wouldn't mind if it told a little white lie every now and then.  Especially one this morning.  

Back to yesterday.  I ate lunch at a local restaurant that makes a great asian salad with pork and homemade oil/vinegar/ginger dressing.  

For dinner, we ate at a mexican restaurant that has this creamy sauce over chicken with chipotles.  YUM!  I also ate some chunky guacamole that is very fresh and tasty.  Unfortunately, this is the first time I have overate since I started on this adventure.  I did feel like crap.  I know this meal is the source of my weight gain, but I am naturally just beating myself up over it.  

I hope I can restrain myself in eating.  I'm not sure how I overate, but I am going to slow down and pay much more attention.  

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 9-10-13

Today has been a good day.  Although I am still having trouble with motivation at work, I am doing great energy wise.  This is the 2nd day in a row that I did not want to go to sleep in the p.m.  Actually, as soon as I got home from work, I started on laundry and helped with cooking.  

I've really been enjoying my new way of drinking water.  I brew a cup of flavored herbal tea (loose herbal) and let it sit until cooled down.  Then I pour over a big 32oz cup of ice.  Then I slurp with a straw ;)     Yesterday I had peach and today I had raspberry.  Very good!

The peach flavor I highly recommend (well both of them really).  But the peach is from a company called Eastern Shore Tea Company.  Check it out!

The tea goes down like water but leaves a very pleasant after taste.  My 7 year old loves it!  I have this as my afternoon treat.  

Today's meal plan:


B:  Homemade breakfast sausage wrapped in slice of bacon, 2 eggs, and 1/2 avacado.

L:  Homemade collard greens, leftover Parmesan herb crusted pork loin, homemade low carb gravy

D:  Broccolini & green beans with butter, steak with horseradish sage butter. 


P.S.  I am still in ketosis!  My breath can peel paint off the ceiling ;)  I've been using gum to get me through those meetings and close up conversations.  

Week 2 Results!

Today was the Big Weigh In for Week 2's Results!  YAY!

I lost 3.4 pounds this past week, for a total of 11.4.  

I am 11.4% closer to my goal weight loss of 100 pounds.  

Below is my video discussing this past week:




This week's summary:

NEGATIVE = 

- Very tired by 1/2 PM Everyday

- Cottage Cheese is a No No for breakfast (for me anyway)

- Heartburn from Breakfast casserole which also resulted in temporary lump in throat (due to Heavy Whipping Cream)

POSITVE = 

- I'M IN KETOSIS!

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 9-08-2013

Today's energy level seems to be much better, although I still had an afternoons slump.  


10:30 am = Breakfast

     - 2 Eggs cooked in butter
     - 4 slices of bacon
     - 1 t coconut oil

1:00 pm = Snack

** I was feeling very energy drained, until I ate this snack, in which I felt better **

     - (2) Boars Head Buffalo Chicken breast deli meat rolled up with cheese, mayo and yellow mustard 
     - A couple Macadamia Nuts


6:30 pm = Dinner

     - Smoked chicken (Hubby is a King with the Charcoal smoker)
          - Chicken was wrapped in bacon too!
     - Gravy made with heavy whipping cream and the drippings from the chicken
     - Homemade Collard greens with Ham Hock.  The onions were sauteed in 2 T bacon grease before adding the veggie broth, ham hock, etc.  This recipe came out awesome!  I can't wait to have some for lunch tomorrow. 

I made some homemade breakfast sausage, which I cannot wait to try in the morning. 




Saturday, September 7, 2013

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 9-07-2013

7:15am = Breakfast

     - 4 Slices of Bacon
     - 1 Egg (from my own chickens)
     - Chunk of Kerrygold White cheddar Cheese

     Very satisfying.

11:30am = Lunch

     Unfortunately again, due to timing in our schedule, we had to chose a place to eat out. This is the most we have eaten out in a long time.  We settled on the closest place to my son's football game, which was a Chinese Restaurant (albeit a better quality one). 

     - Kung Pao 3 in 1 - Chicken, Beef & shrimp.
     - A few bites of the veggies (celery, water chestnut, carrots, bell peppers)

     I feel this will definitely effect my weight loss.  I regretted it before I ate it.  Only time will tell.  

6:00 pm = Dinner

     - Steak, grilled
     - 2 cups green beans, boiled
     - About 3 TB Kerrygold Butter

If you don't know anything about this butter, it is awesome.  It is well known in the LCHF world, but it wasn't until I tried it myself that I became a believer.  


Friday, September 6, 2013

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Friday 9-6-2013

Below are my meails for the day...


7:45am Breakfast =

     - 2 chicken thighs (grilled, no seasoning or oil)
     - 2 T of Kerry Gold Butter (YUM)
     - 1 T of Cajun Seasoning (homemade recipe with no salt or sugar)

     I felt very satisfied. 

9:30am = STARVING.  I should have ate more for breakfast.  I really didn't eat many calories, although I didn't realize this until now.  

11:30am Lunch = 

     Met a friend for lunch at a local BBQ joint.  After asking MANY questions    about the menu (I had not visited before), I finally settled on the safest        choice.

     - 1.5c Pulled Pork (no rub)
     - 3/4c Green Beans with Bacon and bacon grease





     I felt very satisifed.

6:30pm Dinner = 

     Unfortunately, due to a rush on our dinner situation, we had to settle on eating out.  We chose Red Robin, a burger restaurant chain. 

     - Burger with blue cheese crumbles, their signature steak sauce, cheese, tomato slice and wrapped in lettuce instead of a hamburger roll. 
     - Instead of fries, I had a ceaser side salad. 

     I felt very satisfied, although I fear this may effect my weightloss

9:30 pm Snack =

     I typically don't eat this late, but I was starving by the time I got home.  I ate some macadamia nuts. 

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Heartburn... Really?

Okay.... I'm not sure what is going on, but I have had a touch of heartburn here and there since yesterday.  I even had a lump in my throat (that feeling you get when crying)  Heartburn is one of those things that just gets under my skin.  It is very aggravating to me, and I would just like for it to disappear from earth altogether.  

Heartburn?  What is that?    Oh how I wish.

Yesterday, I actually broke down and borrowed (I don't think I'm going to give it back) a TUMS.  I couldn't take it anymore.  

I posted on LowCarbFriends Forum to get some advice.  Some of the advice included that I was possibly having too much dairy.  I'm thinking this is definitely a possibility.  I also ate one too many pieces of dark chocolate yesterday and the day before.   Hmmmm, interesting.   Additionally, I've had a Protein Shake (by Rainbow Light) made with almond milk, which is also chocolate.  So I am taking steps in the next few days to minimize or cut out those items in my diet.  

Wish me luck! 

Monday, September 2, 2013

Week 1 Results!

So today was the BIG Week 1 weigh in!  

I lost a total of 8 pounds.... Watch a quick summary of my week below: