So, you'll see I've lost another pound. I was hoping for more than that since I've exercised every day since last Saturday, but I'm hoping that I'm toning up and putting on muscle. And we all know muscle weighs more than fat.
I've been thinking about if there's anything I can change or if I'm doing anything wrong. I'm following the diet, and even being very careful not to have carbs on Carb Days after 2pm, like the fruit. Here are some thoughts:
1. I can always drink more water
2. I've been doing cardio/weight work in the morning, so maybe adding in some cardio in the evening will help: like walking on the treadmill when we get home. I feel like I do too much sitting after work.
3. Eat more veggies. I get sick of salads for lunch, so dinner leftovers are an easy solution. But I probably need to throw in some green beans or cauliflower with my leftovers is I'm not having a salad. It's become increasingly difficult to eat very much, but I need to make sure I'm getting my roughage.
Anyone else stalling out earlier than expected? I really don't think it's the diet; I think it's me, and the fact that I just WANT to lose more faster. I know I should be happy with 1 pound-ish a week, but I was hoping for bigger results. Maybe I'm just asking too much of myself.
On the flip side, I'm noticing that I feel better, clothes fit better, and I'm seeing a difference in my body. So, it can't be all bad, right?
Friday, February 25, 2011
I hate sweating
Ah exercise. How I loathe thee. Now I'm going to be honest, for awhile I've been telling you I was going to sit down and knock out a post spelling out my thoughts on exercise. And as Lucy will testify, I can't spell. Exercise apparently doesn't contain a "z" as my spell check keeps telling me, but it might as well contain many of them considering how sleepy I get afterwards. Oh, and mousse, the kind you style your hair with or the type used to give your cocker spaniel a mohawk is not spelled "moose." Who knew.
Back to my lack of exercise. I don't like exercise. You know that wonderful refreshed feeling you see people get after taking their early morning run, yeah, not happening. I'm not a morning person and the times I have gotten up and taken a run, walk or anything else that would be considered aerobic it just seemed to use up all that energy I worked so hard to store up while sleeping. Thus making me more tired than I was to begin with.
I'm not new to the concept, there was a time I could stand getting my heart rate above 70 in the name of health, or even more amazing, fun. I played tennis and football in high school. For years after graduating from college I took a nightly run of a mile or two. Even recently I made it through about 60 days of P90x.
OK, so what's the hold up. I just don't want to. Simple as that. I'd much rather do other things, like study for class. All those years I spent exercising like I was told and I never hardly lost a pound. So it's hard to convince myself that it's worth the time. Now, deep down I know I need to, and I plan on it eventually. There were times I enjoyed P90x, but after awhile my knees an ankles couldn't take the beating and I really didn't think I could continue without losing some upper body weight to take off the pressure. Which was even more disheartening after not losing any weight after 60 days. I've discussed this in the past and will openly say that my lack of weight loss was not the fault of P90x. It was the supplement I was drinking while following the program, a supplement that is not part of the program.
Will I exercise? Yes, I will. Soon, maybe, we'll see. The book doesn't ask for much, brisk walking for 17 min a day, we should all be able to do that. I just don't want to. Lucy seems to feel that I won't lose another pound on any diet without exercise, I don't completely feel that way, but I do know that I will have better results with exercise. So don't let my lack of motivation drag you down. Be better than me, force through it. Break a sweat, do your body good.
So, will I exercise? Yes, I will. Soon, maybe, we'll see. I just wanted to give you an explanation, I wish my reasoning was more deep than, "I'd rather do other things" but it is what it is.
Side note: I've very very proud of Lucy for continuing to exercise without me. I know it's hard.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Ted - Phase 2 - Day Something Another
Yea, I've lost count. As I mentioned in my last post several days ago I've run into a situation with my job that has thrown me a curve ball and has really messed with things, more mentally than physically. So, it's been hard to keep up with the posting. I'll try and do better.
For the most part the diet is still going well. I've been pleasantly surprised with not only my lack of cravings over all but how quickly I feel full while eating. I'm not willing to give full credit to the diet for that, not yet anyway. Some of it may also relate to the situation I'm going though. Some people eat during times like this, some lose their appetite. I've actually been known to do both over the years. But that's life, things happen and we can't just stop everything because something might not be working out as well as we had hoped in other areas of our life. Struggling with job issues is nothing new for many of us. There are many people out there that are unemployed, under-employed or just feel like they have a calling greater or more suited to them than what they are doing now. They are fighting to make it happen. All the while still trying to drop a few pounds.
I haven't posted may daily intake of food much since starting Phase 2. I get to the office and I stay very busy for the rest of the day. Lucky to squeeze in an apple or a cup of yogurt. I usually made a point to blog quickly while eating lunch, but for the last week I've barely eaten lunch. With that said the addition of a few carbs has been a nice change of pace. Brown rice, oatmeal, potatoes. In fact I'm looking forward to a steak and potato(e) lunch. We'll, actually a baked new potato(e) and left over grilled hamburger patty, but sometimes perception is reality. Why New Potatoes? A few reasons. One, they are smaller, finding a reasonable sized Idaho style potato(e) in the store is difficult. They are all the size of an large guinea pig, sans fur. Well, I guess that depends on where you shop. We'll just say that a furless potato(e) is ideal. Second reason? Low in starch. When in doubt, buy waxy.
We also whipped up some crab cakes the other night that were pretty darn easy.
• Jumbo lump crab meat
• Several egg whites
• Old Bay Seasoning
Form into patties. Table spoon of oil in a non-stick pan, sprinkle the outside of the patties with a bit of wheat germ (go easy on the germ, keep the Purell near by). Cook up and eat said cake. Sorry for the lack of measurements but I rarely measure.
Aside from that we haven't gone crazy with the carbs as I was expecting. But alternating carb days along with not eating them for dinner has allowed us a few items while not going overboard. (more on this later)
Here's a quick rundown of food you might have missed due to my ode to slack.
• Grits and eggs
• Crab Cake with spinach salad and sauteed mushrooms
• Grilled cheese burger
• Baked Sweet Potato
• Pork fried brown rice
• Oatmeal with blueberries and a spoonfull of Almond butter.
We had Dr. Mike's Power Cookie for breakfast this morning along with a smoothie. I'll let Lucy discuss the details since she made them, but I will throw out a "yum" to close out this post.
For the most part the diet is still going well. I've been pleasantly surprised with not only my lack of cravings over all but how quickly I feel full while eating. I'm not willing to give full credit to the diet for that, not yet anyway. Some of it may also relate to the situation I'm going though. Some people eat during times like this, some lose their appetite. I've actually been known to do both over the years. But that's life, things happen and we can't just stop everything because something might not be working out as well as we had hoped in other areas of our life. Struggling with job issues is nothing new for many of us. There are many people out there that are unemployed, under-employed or just feel like they have a calling greater or more suited to them than what they are doing now. They are fighting to make it happen. All the while still trying to drop a few pounds.
I haven't posted may daily intake of food much since starting Phase 2. I get to the office and I stay very busy for the rest of the day. Lucky to squeeze in an apple or a cup of yogurt. I usually made a point to blog quickly while eating lunch, but for the last week I've barely eaten lunch. With that said the addition of a few carbs has been a nice change of pace. Brown rice, oatmeal, potatoes. In fact I'm looking forward to a steak and potato(e) lunch. We'll, actually a baked new potato(e) and left over grilled hamburger patty, but sometimes perception is reality. Why New Potatoes? A few reasons. One, they are smaller, finding a reasonable sized Idaho style potato(e) in the store is difficult. They are all the size of an large guinea pig, sans fur. Well, I guess that depends on where you shop. We'll just say that a furless potato(e) is ideal. Second reason? Low in starch. When in doubt, buy waxy.
We also whipped up some crab cakes the other night that were pretty darn easy.
• Jumbo lump crab meat
• Several egg whites
• Old Bay Seasoning
Form into patties. Table spoon of oil in a non-stick pan, sprinkle the outside of the patties with a bit of wheat germ (go easy on the germ, keep the Purell near by). Cook up and eat said cake. Sorry for the lack of measurements but I rarely measure.
Aside from that we haven't gone crazy with the carbs as I was expecting. But alternating carb days along with not eating them for dinner has allowed us a few items while not going overboard. (more on this later)
Here's a quick rundown of food you might have missed due to my ode to slack.
• Grits and eggs
• Crab Cake with spinach salad and sauteed mushrooms
• Grilled cheese burger
• Baked Sweet Potato
• Pork fried brown rice
• Oatmeal with blueberries and a spoonfull of Almond butter.
We had Dr. Mike's Power Cookie for breakfast this morning along with a smoothie. I'll let Lucy discuss the details since she made them, but I will throw out a "yum" to close out this post.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Lucy - Day 6 - Phase 2
I'm continuing with the Jillian Michaels DVD's, and she's kicking my butt! It hurts to reach across my body today after doing the "6 Week 6 Pack" yesterday. It's all good, though. I have lots of energy, and I'm sleeping like a baby.
I was just telling Ted this morning that I feel like this Phase is moving faster than the 1st one. I'm sure it's mostly because I've been able to eat things I couldn't in Phase 1. But I also think that, since I've started exercising, I'm really starting see results in my body. That little belly we ladies get that we all love is smaller; my clothes are fitting better; I have a little more stamina everytime I do a workout.
I'm very excited about trying the Power Cookie tomorrow. It's not very big, but it's packed full of protein and good carbs. I'm considering sticking with the Phase 1 diet tomorrow, and adding the Cookie in as breakfast with a smoothie and a potato for lunch, since each cookie counts as 1 starch. I'll let you know how it goes.
I was hoping Ted would write something, since I feel like I've been bogarting the blog. I'm really looking forward to his post about exercising. I just suggested that we do a 5K the end of April, and his response was that "5 meters sounds better." Hmmm...that's not the motivation I was going for.
Oh, by the way, since we can have crab in Phase 2, Ted made some amazing crab cakes last night! I'll get him to post the recipe. Very filling and satisfying with a big spinach salad.
I was just telling Ted this morning that I feel like this Phase is moving faster than the 1st one. I'm sure it's mostly because I've been able to eat things I couldn't in Phase 1. But I also think that, since I've started exercising, I'm really starting see results in my body. That little belly we ladies get that we all love is smaller; my clothes are fitting better; I have a little more stamina everytime I do a workout.
I'm very excited about trying the Power Cookie tomorrow. It's not very big, but it's packed full of protein and good carbs. I'm considering sticking with the Phase 1 diet tomorrow, and adding the Cookie in as breakfast with a smoothie and a potato for lunch, since each cookie counts as 1 starch. I'll let you know how it goes.
I was hoping Ted would write something, since I feel like I've been bogarting the blog. I'm really looking forward to his post about exercising. I just suggested that we do a 5K the end of April, and his response was that "5 meters sounds better." Hmmm...that's not the motivation I was going for.
Oh, by the way, since we can have crab in Phase 2, Ted made some amazing crab cakes last night! I'll get him to post the recipe. Very filling and satisfying with a big spinach salad.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Lucy - Day 5 - Phase 2
Much better weekend than last...actually found time to cook lunch yesterday (and make extra for lunch on Tuesday), worked out TWICE, and made dinner last night that yielded extra for lunch on Thursday. Whew!
I'm having trouble convincing Ted to exercise...ok, fine, I won't tell his story. But after some nagging on Saturday (as he called it), he broke down and ran on the treadmill. You guys really need to nag him, too!
Adding in some carbs has been a lifesaver! Friday, we had oatmeal with apples for breakfast, then salmon salald with a sweet potato for lunch, and grilled shrimp stir fry for dinner (with leftovers, of course!).
Saturday was a non-carb day, so we had grilled fish and mashed cauliflower for dinner.
Sunday, as a carb day, consisted of grits and eggs for breakfast, pork fried rice for lunch and hamburger patties and salad for dinner (recipe for the pork fried rice is below).
Back to a non-carb day today, and leftover grilled fish for dinner. Man, leftovers are such a lifesaver! You can freeze them for a later date, or have them on the days you're allowed. It really makes preparation so much easier when you just have to add a side.
Pork Fried Brown Rice
1 cup dry brown rice
2 cups water
Make brown rice according to package. I made 1 cup dry.
1 lb center cut pork chops, trimmed
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tsp chopped garlic
low-sodium soy sauce
ground ginger
dry ground mustard
Egg Beaters
(Feel free to add more veggies; I just went with what we had)
Cook the pork chops int he crock pot on high for hours. Saute celery in butter-like spray. Add garlic and saute. Cut up pork and add to celery; "stir-fry" to add a little brown to the pork. Add soy sauce, ginger and mustard to your liking. After rice is finished cooking, add to saute mixture 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well. Each 1/2 cup of rice is 1 serving for reference. (Mine made 6 servings)
After adding all the rice and mixing well, add more soy sauce to turn the rice a little darker and mix well. Pour about 3 Tablespoons of Egg beaters into the mixture. Mix VERY well. Add more if desired.
This won't be your Chinese take-out since you can't add sesame oil or really "fry" the rice, but it's pretty darn good.
I'm having trouble convincing Ted to exercise...ok, fine, I won't tell his story. But after some nagging on Saturday (as he called it), he broke down and ran on the treadmill. You guys really need to nag him, too!
Adding in some carbs has been a lifesaver! Friday, we had oatmeal with apples for breakfast, then salmon salald with a sweet potato for lunch, and grilled shrimp stir fry for dinner (with leftovers, of course!).
Saturday was a non-carb day, so we had grilled fish and mashed cauliflower for dinner.
Sunday, as a carb day, consisted of grits and eggs for breakfast, pork fried rice for lunch and hamburger patties and salad for dinner (recipe for the pork fried rice is below).
Back to a non-carb day today, and leftover grilled fish for dinner. Man, leftovers are such a lifesaver! You can freeze them for a later date, or have them on the days you're allowed. It really makes preparation so much easier when you just have to add a side.
Pork Fried Brown Rice
1 cup dry brown rice
2 cups water
Make brown rice according to package. I made 1 cup dry.
1 lb center cut pork chops, trimmed
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tsp chopped garlic
low-sodium soy sauce
ground ginger
dry ground mustard
Egg Beaters
(Feel free to add more veggies; I just went with what we had)
Cook the pork chops int he crock pot on high for hours. Saute celery in butter-like spray. Add garlic and saute. Cut up pork and add to celery; "stir-fry" to add a little brown to the pork. Add soy sauce, ginger and mustard to your liking. After rice is finished cooking, add to saute mixture 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well. Each 1/2 cup of rice is 1 serving for reference. (Mine made 6 servings)
After adding all the rice and mixing well, add more soy sauce to turn the rice a little darker and mix well. Pour about 3 Tablespoons of Egg beaters into the mixture. Mix VERY well. Add more if desired.
This won't be your Chinese take-out since you can't add sesame oil or really "fry" the rice, but it's pretty darn good.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Lucy - Day 2 - Phase 2
So, I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed in my weight loss in Phase 1. Mostly because I usually do so much better. Maybe it's what I'm eating, and my body got used to the routine quickly and thought, "Ok, I'm not getting more than this, so I have to stop losing too fast." I'm hoping that adding some carbs back in will confuse it a bit, since we will switch back and forth between the Phase 1 and Phase 2 menus every other day, per the diet plan.
I also didn't exercise as much as I should have. No excuses, but getting up in the morning is so hard!! Does anyone else have that problem? What's your motivation?? Also, by the time we get home, it's usually between 630pm-7pm. I've typically started part of the meal the night before, so that's helpful, but our dogs have a firm dinner time of 8pm, and I can't exercise after I eat. Makes me feel ick. Plus, I really hate taking 2 showers a day. So, the solution is really to exercise in the morning. And there we have it...back to square 1 where I can't get my lazy fanny up!
All that being said, I think I'm going to break out the Jillian Michaels DVD's: she's evil, but in a good way. I know I can't exercise too hard since I'm still not getting a lot of carbs, but I think I need to step up the pace. JM one day, walking the next, etc. Not only do I have to confuse my body with the food, but I need to make sure my muscles don't get used to the same exercises.
(By the way, thanks to Ted for making me that tuna lettuce boat with dill pickles...I needed that!)
All in all, I think the first 17 days I succeeded in:
1. Cutting out carbs & refined sugar
2. Cutting back my portion sizes
3. Recognizing when I'm full, and stopping!
4. Drinking more water (not as much as I need to, but still significantly more than normal)
5. Avoiding temptation
6. NOT CHEATING!!
7. Eating slower
8. Preparing meals early and really using leftovers
9. Shopping smarter
10. Appreciating the days in between the weigh-ins
I think that's a pretty good start for 17 days worth of work. It's ONLY 17 days...really. If you can't do this for just that short amount of time, this isn't the diet for you.
I also didn't exercise as much as I should have. No excuses, but getting up in the morning is so hard!! Does anyone else have that problem? What's your motivation?? Also, by the time we get home, it's usually between 630pm-7pm. I've typically started part of the meal the night before, so that's helpful, but our dogs have a firm dinner time of 8pm, and I can't exercise after I eat. Makes me feel ick. Plus, I really hate taking 2 showers a day. So, the solution is really to exercise in the morning. And there we have it...back to square 1 where I can't get my lazy fanny up!
All that being said, I think I'm going to break out the Jillian Michaels DVD's: she's evil, but in a good way. I know I can't exercise too hard since I'm still not getting a lot of carbs, but I think I need to step up the pace. JM one day, walking the next, etc. Not only do I have to confuse my body with the food, but I need to make sure my muscles don't get used to the same exercises.
(By the way, thanks to Ted for making me that tuna lettuce boat with dill pickles...I needed that!)
All in all, I think the first 17 days I succeeded in:
1. Cutting out carbs & refined sugar
2. Cutting back my portion sizes
3. Recognizing when I'm full, and stopping!
4. Drinking more water (not as much as I need to, but still significantly more than normal)
5. Avoiding temptation
6. NOT CHEATING!!
7. Eating slower
8. Preparing meals early and really using leftovers
9. Shopping smarter
10. Appreciating the days in between the weigh-ins
I think that's a pretty good start for 17 days worth of work. It's ONLY 17 days...really. If you can't do this for just that short amount of time, this isn't the diet for you.
Ted - Day 2 - Phase 2
Sorry I haven't been posting lately. A few days ago I got thrown a curve ball that is work related and it's kinda made me sad. But on a happy note I've been pushing through it and did not cheat. Which in the past I would have definitely done. But honestly it just sucked the wind out of my sails and stole my appetite. So the last four days I've been not drinking the amount of water I need, and really not eating enough food. In fact for two days straight I just didn't eat lunch at work. Hopefully it will get better soon. On the days I missed posting the diet was largely the same. We didn't do anything dramatically different. As Lucy said we did get oatmeal and sweet potatoes on Day 1 of Phase 2.
Now on the the good news. My weigh in for the end of Phase 1. Drum roll please... 240.6 lbs. That's down 13.8 lbs in 17 days. For some perspective the most I ever lost on Weight Watchers was 16 lbs in 3 months. Now I've stated in the past that I do feel I was doing WW incorrectly, so don't hold that as a bad reflection on WW. A little more perspective, I didn't exercise the first 17 days. Yes, I know I should have. And I have a post coming discussing my feelings on exercise. Also, I only weighted once on Day 1 and once on Day 17. Not in-between. I also have a post coming regarding that subject as well. Both excellent topics to get more discussing flowing.
So, aside from my personal drama, I'm happy with the results. Now Phase 2 may be a little different as I've never lost more than 16 lbs, ever. It's always been my point of stale mate. Charging on.
Now on the the good news. My weigh in for the end of Phase 1. Drum roll please... 240.6 lbs. That's down 13.8 lbs in 17 days. For some perspective the most I ever lost on Weight Watchers was 16 lbs in 3 months. Now I've stated in the past that I do feel I was doing WW incorrectly, so don't hold that as a bad reflection on WW. A little more perspective, I didn't exercise the first 17 days. Yes, I know I should have. And I have a post coming discussing my feelings on exercise. Also, I only weighted once on Day 1 and once on Day 17. Not in-between. I also have a post coming regarding that subject as well. Both excellent topics to get more discussing flowing.
So, aside from my personal drama, I'm happy with the results. Now Phase 2 may be a little different as I've never lost more than 16 lbs, ever. It's always been my point of stale mate. Charging on.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Lucy - Day 1 - Phase 2
I lost 8 pounds in 17 days. I slowed down the last week, probably due to lack of exercise and not enough water. Easy fix, since there was NO CHEATING! I'm so proud of myself. I'm really proud of Ted, too, but I won't spoil his numbers.
In starting Phase 2, we had oatmeal with apples this morning. I need to try to get it a little thinner, but when you're heating it up a couple times, you need to keep adding water so it doesn't get clumpy. Pretty satisfying, though, since I haven't had carbs like that in 17 days. For lunch, I had a salad with leftover roasted turkey. I have a sweet potato that I REALLY want to eat, but I'm full already after the salad and a 16.9 oz. bottle of water! Maybe I can have it as a snack.
We've noticed that the sample menus in the book don't recommend very many carbs for dinner, so we're trying to keep them in breakfast and lunch. We may occasioanlly have to slip in some sweet potato fries (baked, of course) to go with a hamburger patty, but I think the overall goal is to keep those carbs early in the day. Who would have thought that what time you eat is just as important as what you eat?
Grilled shrimp and steamed broccoli are on the menu for tonight. Then back to Phase 1 menus tomorrow. I think Phase 2 may move along quicker, since we'll be looking forward to the days we can get a little variety in.
In starting Phase 2, we had oatmeal with apples this morning. I need to try to get it a little thinner, but when you're heating it up a couple times, you need to keep adding water so it doesn't get clumpy. Pretty satisfying, though, since I haven't had carbs like that in 17 days. For lunch, I had a salad with leftover roasted turkey. I have a sweet potato that I REALLY want to eat, but I'm full already after the salad and a 16.9 oz. bottle of water! Maybe I can have it as a snack.
We've noticed that the sample menus in the book don't recommend very many carbs for dinner, so we're trying to keep them in breakfast and lunch. We may occasioanlly have to slip in some sweet potato fries (baked, of course) to go with a hamburger patty, but I think the overall goal is to keep those carbs early in the day. Who would have thought that what time you eat is just as important as what you eat?
Grilled shrimp and steamed broccoli are on the menu for tonight. Then back to Phase 1 menus tomorrow. I think Phase 2 may move along quicker, since we'll be looking forward to the days we can get a little variety in.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Lucy - Day 17 Final Day of Phase 1!
I'm excited about "The Weigh In" tomorrow! Well, you know how I love to see the numbers. But I've also noticed that my body's looking smaller. We won't talk about specifics, because it's none of your bee's wax, but I'm beginning to see less of me! Ted agrees (or he's just being nice so I don't thwack him)!
We'd planned on grilled fish and veggies last night, but yesterday was a grueling one, and neither Ted nor I had it in us to cook. So, we took the leftover chili out of the freezer, defrosted, and Ta Da! See, remember when I talked about "what if you don't want what you planned"? It was one of those days we wanted to blow it on Zaxby's chicken fingers, a Krystal milkquake and a Snickers bar, but we didn't. After dinner, we had some hot tea and watched American Idol, and were satisfied. I can't believe we beat the "crappy day syndrome!" Yay for us!
So, tonight, we're having roasted turkey loin and veggies, then on to Day 1 of Phase 2. Oatmeal, here I come!
We'd planned on grilled fish and veggies last night, but yesterday was a grueling one, and neither Ted nor I had it in us to cook. So, we took the leftover chili out of the freezer, defrosted, and Ta Da! See, remember when I talked about "what if you don't want what you planned"? It was one of those days we wanted to blow it on Zaxby's chicken fingers, a Krystal milkquake and a Snickers bar, but we didn't. After dinner, we had some hot tea and watched American Idol, and were satisfied. I can't believe we beat the "crappy day syndrome!" Yay for us!
So, tonight, we're having roasted turkey loin and veggies, then on to Day 1 of Phase 2. Oatmeal, here I come!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day 16 - Ted
Breakfast:
• Scrambled eggs with taco seasoning
• Green Tea
Snack:
• CarbMaster Yogurt
Lunch:
• Grilled salmon salad
Snack:
• Stole a few carrots out of Lucy's bag during the drive home (we carpool)
Dinner:
• Leftover turkey soup (frozen from the batch we made during week one)
• One leftover stuffed pepper
Snack:
•Few pieces of sugar free candy
Water:
• About 30 oz - Still not too good
Observations:
It doesn't take as much food to fill me up anymore, this I've noticed. Tomorrow is a big day, number 17! I'll sum up the experience of the first 17 days in a coming post.
• Scrambled eggs with taco seasoning
• Green Tea
Snack:
• CarbMaster Yogurt
Lunch:
• Grilled salmon salad
Snack:
• Stole a few carrots out of Lucy's bag during the drive home (we carpool)
Dinner:
• Leftover turkey soup (frozen from the batch we made during week one)
• One leftover stuffed pepper
Snack:
•Few pieces of sugar free candy
Water:
• About 30 oz - Still not too good
Observations:
It doesn't take as much food to fill me up anymore, this I've noticed. Tomorrow is a big day, number 17! I'll sum up the experience of the first 17 days in a coming post.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Lucy - Day 15
I'm feeling a little skinnier...I hope that feeling bodes well for the Friday Weigh-In.
I, too, was a slacker on the water yesterday. Mondays aren't ususally as busy for me, but yesterday was one of those days where I couldn't squeeze anything else in, including water. But I'm back on track today. Luckily, the liquid area seems to be my only downfall, not what I'm eating. I avoided all the yummies and candies for Valentine's Day, and only had 1 piece of sugar-free caramel. Yay for me!
And the stuffed peppers DID turn out excellently, if I must say so myself. Here's the recipe:
10 green, red, yellow, orange bell peppers
2 pounds lean ground turkey
1 onion, chopped,
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 can fire-roasted tomotoes with juice
1 small can tomato sauce
garlic
Italian seasoning
Fat-free grated Parmesan cheese
Hollow out the peppers and place them upside down on a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Cook on 350 degrees for 20 minutes. While the peppers are baking, brown the ground turkey and cook out all the moisture. Add the onions, and cook out all the moisture. Add the celery, and cook out all the moisture. The turkey should start to get brown and "crunchy."
Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic and Italian seasoning. Mix well. Turn down to low and cover until peppers have cooked 20 minutes.
Remove the peppers and turn oven to 450. Scoop turkey mixture into each pepper, filling to the top. Put stuffed peppers back in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove the peppers and sprinkle fat-free parmesan cheese on top of each pepper. Cook another 10 minutes.
We'd planned to eat 3 peppers for dinner each, and 2 for lunch the next day, but 2 peppers were plenty for dinner! So the leftover peppers are going with vegetable soup that was in the freezer tonight. Making extra is a great way to save time, and also look forward to a recipe that turned out great!
Day 14 - Ted
Happy Valentines Day!
OK, I'm a day late, but I usually update the previous day the next day so I can be sure to give you accurate info.
Monday's are kinda hard for me. Not because of the diet, but because I'm so busy at work on Mondays it's hard to eat what I need when I need to.
Breakfast:
• Kefir Smoothie - Used blue berries and pears
• Green Tea
Lunch:
• Left over turkey stuff peppers
• CarbMaster Yogurt
Snack:
• Carrots
Dinner:
• Taco Salad (Once again, excellent!)
Water:
• About 20 oz - Did really bad
Observations:
Valentines Day had it's challenges, we all know why. More on this later as I have a few write ups coming soon. But over all, doing well.
OK, I'm a day late, but I usually update the previous day the next day so I can be sure to give you accurate info.
Monday's are kinda hard for me. Not because of the diet, but because I'm so busy at work on Mondays it's hard to eat what I need when I need to.
Breakfast:
• Kefir Smoothie - Used blue berries and pears
• Green Tea
Lunch:
• Left over turkey stuff peppers
• CarbMaster Yogurt
Snack:
• Carrots
Dinner:
• Taco Salad (Once again, excellent!)
Water:
• About 20 oz - Did really bad
Observations:
Valentines Day had it's challenges, we all know why. More on this later as I have a few write ups coming soon. But over all, doing well.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Day 13 - Ted (Sunday)
Brunch:
• Egg frittata
• Kefir Smoothie
• Coffee
Snack:
• 2 boiled eggs, smashed up, spritz of butter flavored spray, warmed.
Dinner:
• Ground turkey stuffed pepper (Excellent!)
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Hot tea
Water:
• About 40 oz
Observations: Lucy made stuffed peppers that were excellent. I'll see if she can post the recipe. I'm looking very forward to having the leftovers for lunch Monday. Overall Sunday wasn't too bad, no major cravings and I was satisfied with the amount of food we had.
• Egg frittata
• Kefir Smoothie
• Coffee
Snack:
• 2 boiled eggs, smashed up, spritz of butter flavored spray, warmed.
Dinner:
• Ground turkey stuffed pepper (Excellent!)
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Hot tea
Water:
• About 40 oz
Observations: Lucy made stuffed peppers that were excellent. I'll see if she can post the recipe. I'm looking very forward to having the leftovers for lunch Monday. Overall Sunday wasn't too bad, no major cravings and I was satisfied with the amount of food we had.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Lucy - Day 13
Yep, Ted's right...that little venture to the Italian restaurant was HELL! Smelling the pizza and garlic rolls was pure horror, but we got through it.
We slept in a little later than normal today since we saw a very late movie and didn't get to bed until after 1am. I had every intention of exercising today, but am having a bit of a hip problem. It's not a new thing, just one that creeps up every now and then. Comes from having a bit of a crooked spine, apparently. It could be from having the incline on the treadmill set too high or sitting on the hearth in front of the fire too long last night. Whatever it is, it's gotten better since very early this morning, when standing up was hard. So, I decided to skip the walk. I'll try again tomorrow morning.
Drinking enough water on the weekends is tough. During the week, I'm sitting at a desk where my water bottle is right in front of me all day; a constant reminder to "drink me." Also, when I have co-workers come by my office, it's a easy way to shut up and listen. Weekends are so off-schedule, though, I literally have to stand in the kitchen and just drink 20 oz. uninterrupted. And trust me, with all the protein and salad, water is essential.
Ted and I planned our menus for next week last night, and I completed them today for the week after that. We try to make enough for dinner so we can have leftovers for lunch, making preparation easier. Next Friday, we start the 1st day of Phase 2, which, allows us to add in shellfish, beans & peas, some starchy veggies, lean beef and pork, and some yummy breakfast foods like oatmeal, grits and cream of wheat.
However, Phase 2 is tricky since the idea is to confuse your body: starches 1 day, no starches the next day. So Friday, we can have oatmeal for breakfast, protein and starch for lunch, and shellfish for dinner, then Saturday, we go back to the Phase 1 meal plans with no starches or beef/pork/shellfish. Just like "muscle confusion" when you exercise so your body doesn't get used to the same exercises, the 17-Day Diet is confusing your body by doing something different after the 1st 17-days, which is more like a cleanse. In order to make sure we're on track, writing down our menus is imperative to us with the busy life we lead. Otherwise, throwing a potato in on the day we're suppose to be eating off the Phase 1 menus would be too easy.
I like to plan my menus and grocery lists, and post the menus on the fridge, kinda like you're back in middle school and you're checking out the lunch menu each day. Not only does it give us something to look forward to, but it actually helps avoid buying things we don't need, and not having meals prepared. How often have you planned to have something for dinner, gotten home and though, "Man, I really don't want that. I think I'll order a pizza instead"? Yep, used to happen here all the time. And if we DO get that feeling, there's another menu on the list that's not going to blow it just waiting.
I'm looking forward to next Friday when I'm allowed to weigh again. And I promise, I really will wait. Fridays seem to be good days for me.
We slept in a little later than normal today since we saw a very late movie and didn't get to bed until after 1am. I had every intention of exercising today, but am having a bit of a hip problem. It's not a new thing, just one that creeps up every now and then. Comes from having a bit of a crooked spine, apparently. It could be from having the incline on the treadmill set too high or sitting on the hearth in front of the fire too long last night. Whatever it is, it's gotten better since very early this morning, when standing up was hard. So, I decided to skip the walk. I'll try again tomorrow morning.
Drinking enough water on the weekends is tough. During the week, I'm sitting at a desk where my water bottle is right in front of me all day; a constant reminder to "drink me." Also, when I have co-workers come by my office, it's a easy way to shut up and listen. Weekends are so off-schedule, though, I literally have to stand in the kitchen and just drink 20 oz. uninterrupted. And trust me, with all the protein and salad, water is essential.
Ted and I planned our menus for next week last night, and I completed them today for the week after that. We try to make enough for dinner so we can have leftovers for lunch, making preparation easier. Next Friday, we start the 1st day of Phase 2, which, allows us to add in shellfish, beans & peas, some starchy veggies, lean beef and pork, and some yummy breakfast foods like oatmeal, grits and cream of wheat.
However, Phase 2 is tricky since the idea is to confuse your body: starches 1 day, no starches the next day. So Friday, we can have oatmeal for breakfast, protein and starch for lunch, and shellfish for dinner, then Saturday, we go back to the Phase 1 meal plans with no starches or beef/pork/shellfish. Just like "muscle confusion" when you exercise so your body doesn't get used to the same exercises, the 17-Day Diet is confusing your body by doing something different after the 1st 17-days, which is more like a cleanse. In order to make sure we're on track, writing down our menus is imperative to us with the busy life we lead. Otherwise, throwing a potato in on the day we're suppose to be eating off the Phase 1 menus would be too easy.
I like to plan my menus and grocery lists, and post the menus on the fridge, kinda like you're back in middle school and you're checking out the lunch menu each day. Not only does it give us something to look forward to, but it actually helps avoid buying things we don't need, and not having meals prepared. How often have you planned to have something for dinner, gotten home and though, "Man, I really don't want that. I think I'll order a pizza instead"? Yep, used to happen here all the time. And if we DO get that feeling, there's another menu on the list that's not going to blow it just waiting.
I'm looking forward to next Friday when I'm allowed to weigh again. And I promise, I really will wait. Fridays seem to be good days for me.
Day 12 - Ted (Saturday)
Brunch:
• 4 Eggs over medium - 2 whole, plus 2 egg whites
• Fruit Salad
• Coffee
Snack:
• Greek yogart
Dinner:
• Grilled Chicken Garden Salad
Snack:
• One grilled chicken tenderloin (boneless skinless chicken finger) with salsa
• Hot tea
Water:
• About 30 oz
Observations: Wow, Day 12 was the hardest so far. Most of it was our fault however. I can only blame a portion of it on the diet. Weekends are tough for us. One of my favorite things to do on the planet is sleep a little later on the weekends, which throws off your body's schedule. That schedule is imperative to sticking to this diet. So try your best to keep the same schedule every day. I probably jinxed myself yesterday by saying that my cravings had been better than I expected, Day 12 was tough. I will say it was a hard day not because I was craving things I can't have as much as being hungry after dinner. Eating post dinner has always been an issue for me. We got up a little later and had brunch, then a late afternoon snack before meeting friends for an early dinner. So my food intake wasn't enough before dinner and wasn't spaced out very well. This I blame on myself. Lucy and I have eaten out three times since starting the diet. Met friends at an Irish Pub where we had grilled chicken salad. Not too difficult since we were separated from the rest of the crowd and wasn't subjected to seeing a lot of yummy food in the dining area. We went with a friend to Red Lobster one night and got grilled fish with steamed broccoli with salad, also not too difficult. But last night was a total kick in the head. We went to a family style Italian restaurant. Huge bowls full of pasta, slices of New York style pepperoni pizza and warm Italian sandwiches. Part of the issue wasn't just the food, it was that I was so hungry going in and no amount of water, green tea and grilled chicken salad was going to fill me up. After dinner back at the house I needed something that didn't taste like lettuce and was disturbed at the lack of options. This part I blame on the diet. Eggs, sorry, no thank you. Veggies, nope, can't do it. Can't have fruit and probably shouldn't have yogurt. But I wanted something warm. I finally broke out that grilled chicken tender along with a few cups of hot tea. We then grabbed a late night movie with a few pieces of sugar free candy (go easy, sugar free doesn't mean calorie free.) Tough day, but we'll keep pushing though.
Also, Lucy is correct. I have not weighed yet. More on this later.
Anyone out there had a day so far that was significantly challenging?
• 4 Eggs over medium - 2 whole, plus 2 egg whites
• Fruit Salad
• Coffee
Snack:
• Greek yogart
Dinner:
• Grilled Chicken Garden Salad
Snack:
• One grilled chicken tenderloin (boneless skinless chicken finger) with salsa
• Hot tea
Water:
• About 30 oz
Observations: Wow, Day 12 was the hardest so far. Most of it was our fault however. I can only blame a portion of it on the diet. Weekends are tough for us. One of my favorite things to do on the planet is sleep a little later on the weekends, which throws off your body's schedule. That schedule is imperative to sticking to this diet. So try your best to keep the same schedule every day. I probably jinxed myself yesterday by saying that my cravings had been better than I expected, Day 12 was tough. I will say it was a hard day not because I was craving things I can't have as much as being hungry after dinner. Eating post dinner has always been an issue for me. We got up a little later and had brunch, then a late afternoon snack before meeting friends for an early dinner. So my food intake wasn't enough before dinner and wasn't spaced out very well. This I blame on myself. Lucy and I have eaten out three times since starting the diet. Met friends at an Irish Pub where we had grilled chicken salad. Not too difficult since we were separated from the rest of the crowd and wasn't subjected to seeing a lot of yummy food in the dining area. We went with a friend to Red Lobster one night and got grilled fish with steamed broccoli with salad, also not too difficult. But last night was a total kick in the head. We went to a family style Italian restaurant. Huge bowls full of pasta, slices of New York style pepperoni pizza and warm Italian sandwiches. Part of the issue wasn't just the food, it was that I was so hungry going in and no amount of water, green tea and grilled chicken salad was going to fill me up. After dinner back at the house I needed something that didn't taste like lettuce and was disturbed at the lack of options. This part I blame on the diet. Eggs, sorry, no thank you. Veggies, nope, can't do it. Can't have fruit and probably shouldn't have yogurt. But I wanted something warm. I finally broke out that grilled chicken tender along with a few cups of hot tea. We then grabbed a late night movie with a few pieces of sugar free candy (go easy, sugar free doesn't mean calorie free.) Tough day, but we'll keep pushing though.
Also, Lucy is correct. I have not weighed yet. More on this later.
Anyone out there had a day so far that was significantly challenging?
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Lucy - Day 12 - Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
Ok, I know I said I wasn't going to weigh until the end of the 1st Phase, but I can't help myself (kinda like Ted and his "doctoring" recipes)! Weighing actually motivates me. I didn't exercise the last couple of days, and when I weighed yesterday morning and saw I'd lost 2 more pounds, it made me want to get up earlier today, even though it's the weekend, and get some exercise in. Ted hasn't weighed at all since Day 1.
Does anyone else feel like weighing is a motivating tool?
As you can see by Ted's posts, we've gotten creative in the kitchen. In Phase 1, I think you have to. You're very limited in what you can eat and how you can eat it, so creativity is a MUST. The chili was excellent, the taco salad didn't even need chips, the Kefir smoothies are satisfying, and cooking scrambled egg whites in a pan you've just had taco seasoning and lean ground turkey in makes for a surprising breakfast.
I'm noticing I can't eat as much at one sitting. I was able to make it through 1 salmon fillet and the salad last night, but the 2nd fillet had to go into leftovers. I also had a cup of hot tea just before dinner, so I'm sure that helped. Today, I ate all my eggs and about half my fruit salad. Again, I had a 16.9 oz. bottle of water before we ate. But even when I don't have a large amount of liquid ahead of time, it's hard to finish everything I fix myself to eat.
I had a tough time in the beginning trying to figure out when I was full. The book actually gives you a scale to measure this, but when you're used to overeating, it's not so easy. About 3 days ago, I started noticing that I felt full long before I'd finished my meal. So, I stopped eating. About an hour and a half later, I was feeling hungry again, so I had a snack. Again, full. I think these are good signs.
Ok...there are some things your body will go through from eating less and better: I'm noticing a decrease in my bowel movement size. I know, it's gross, but you have to pay attention to these things to make sure what you're doing is working. I also noticed that, as a girl, I was spotting like I was about to start my period. Yikes! I'm on the pill that you take for 3 months straight! It's not unusual to have spotting in between your 3 months like the ads say, but I've never had that problem. It scared me a little, then I remembered that I'm not eating as much, I'm drinking water like a fountain, and I'm eating a lot more fresh foods and less processed ones. As girls, we know that stress and changes to our environment can cause this to happen. Luckily, it was a one-time thing, and I haven't seen it since. But 6 pounds off will send signals to your body that something's up.
We're planning a vacation to the beach in a few months, and are getting really excited. We were actually talking about how to continue incorporating our eating habits into vacation. Once we can add oatmeal and grits in Phase 2, we could easily make very satisfying breakfasts. And fresh seafood at the beach? Who needs hamburgers and fries?
I'm so proud of us. I love that we've started this early in the year so we can make it a part of our lives all year round. We didn't start January 1 since we were still researching what was the best for us, but I think it will make for good habits when holidays come around at the end of the year.
So, yes, I lied when I said I wasn't going to weigh, but I think it's turned out to be a good thing. Whew. I feel better posting the truth.
Day 11 - Ted
Breakfast:
• Kefir Blueberry/Strawberry smoothie
• Green Tea
Snack:
•Apple
Lunch:
• Left over Chili
Snack:
• Boiled egg whites
• Carrots
Dinner:
• Grilled salmon
• Homemade Caesar Salad
Water:
• About 60 oz
Observations: Doing good. I've been pleasantly surprised at my lack of cravings for the bad stuff and aside from the constant food imagery we are inundated with daily I've had plenty of yummy goodness placed in front of me at the office (more on this later.)
We were planning on having company this weekend which fell through at the last min. Thus most of our menu plans were now null and void. On the way home last night I was feeling some grilled salmon. One of the only actual cravings I've had and I'm not sure I'd call it that. Stopped off at the store and grabbed some fresh salmon steaks. Wasn't concerned about the 36 degree weather outside, I was grilling some salmon. Fired up the grill, got it real hot and sprayed the steaks with a little canola oil. Sprinkled then with Old Bay.
Now I was going to steam some broccoli, but instead I thought I'd give a shot to making a Caesar Salad. Obviously a Caesar Salad is largely defined by the dressing, which I haven't been able to find in Fat Free form in the store. So I made my own, which turned out pretty darn well. Here you go is you'd like to give it a try.
Caesar Salad:
- Chopped Romain Lettuce
- Fat Free Ranch Dressing mixed with Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette and grated parm.
Mix in a bowl the Ranch and Vinaigrette and parm. Beat really well. Then pour over the chopped greens. Toss.
I rarely measure when I cook, so you'll just have to add these ingredients to taste. I know it sounds like you'd definitely go over your allowed dressing amount, but just add a little at the time to the greens and toss really well. Then taste. A little goes a long way. Maybe on stage 2 or three I can figure out some croutons.
• Kefir Blueberry/Strawberry smoothie
• Green Tea
Snack:
•Apple
Lunch:
• Left over Chili
Snack:
• Boiled egg whites
• Carrots
Dinner:
• Grilled salmon
• Homemade Caesar Salad
Water:
• About 60 oz
Observations: Doing good. I've been pleasantly surprised at my lack of cravings for the bad stuff and aside from the constant food imagery we are inundated with daily I've had plenty of yummy goodness placed in front of me at the office (more on this later.)
We were planning on having company this weekend which fell through at the last min. Thus most of our menu plans were now null and void. On the way home last night I was feeling some grilled salmon. One of the only actual cravings I've had and I'm not sure I'd call it that. Stopped off at the store and grabbed some fresh salmon steaks. Wasn't concerned about the 36 degree weather outside, I was grilling some salmon. Fired up the grill, got it real hot and sprayed the steaks with a little canola oil. Sprinkled then with Old Bay.
Now I was going to steam some broccoli, but instead I thought I'd give a shot to making a Caesar Salad. Obviously a Caesar Salad is largely defined by the dressing, which I haven't been able to find in Fat Free form in the store. So I made my own, which turned out pretty darn well. Here you go is you'd like to give it a try.
Caesar Salad:
- Chopped Romain Lettuce
- Fat Free Ranch Dressing mixed with Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette and grated parm.
Mix in a bowl the Ranch and Vinaigrette and parm. Beat really well. Then pour over the chopped greens. Toss.
I rarely measure when I cook, so you'll just have to add these ingredients to taste. I know it sounds like you'd definitely go over your allowed dressing amount, but just add a little at the time to the greens and toss really well. Then taste. A little goes a long way. Maybe on stage 2 or three I can figure out some croutons.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thoughts on cooking
We got a good bit of 97% lean ground turkey at Aldi with the intention of making several of the recipes from the book and a few other of our own. (Lucy makes a mean stuffed pepper)
The taco salad we had a few days ago was excellent. (A few words on that in a bit)
But last night we made the turkey chili. Before I proceed a bit of history is needed. I was raised in my mothers kitchen and my mother couldn't follow any recipe without doing what we call "doctoring up." Maybe it's genetic, but I can't help myself. Everything needs just a little something extra. A dash of this, a pinch of that. Maybe an additional main ingredient or a change in the cooking process. It's almost required for me to sleep well at night. Lucy gets irritated with me since I can never just stick to the recipe and I never time anything when cooking. The same thing happened with the chili. Lucy followed the recipe and I felt like it needed a little "doctoring" up. Chili by definition contains chili peppers. So we added some. Here's the thing. The recipes in the book are good, but I have to doctor them. I can't help it.
With the Taco Salad, here's my change.
Saute the turkey in a non-stick pan with a tsp of oil. We used the Smart Balance oil. But make sure to cook all the moisture out and start to get some "crust" on the meat. Then stir in chopped onions, and once again cook out the moisture. Then add in the pack of taco seasoning. It's seems counter intuitive to cook such a lean mean to such a dry point. We all know how dry lean ground turkey can get. But following this process will yield very flavorful meat as it forms the crust. The onions will then add that moisture back in. Cooking out most of the onion moisture is you call. It just depends on how much of that moisture you want transferred to your salad. I for one hate a soggy salad.
The Chili.
Peppers, that's the key. Fresh or dried, hot or mild. This is what I'd do. Get a bag of dried or fresh mild chilies, something like an Ancho. Just look for large red ones. Usually the smaller the chili, the hotter the taste. Remove the seeds. If they are dried soak them several hours. Then blend them into a soup in the processor. Just add water to get them flowing. Dried ones you'll need to strain through a fine mesh to get out the peeling. Then add to your cockpot in place of water or stock. We then let it cook about 8 hours. The turkey that was used we followed the same process as with the taco salad. The only difference is after the onions cooked down we added mushrooms. Add a spoon full of fat free sour cream and a sprinkle of fat free cheese and you're in business. The chili was excellent.
Little tweaks like this can really punch up the flavor with no additional calories, fats, carbs or sugars.
So experiment.
Day 10 - Ted
Breakfast:
• Eggs
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Kefir
• Strawberries
Lunch:
• Left over BBQ Chicken and Carrots
Snack:
• Boiled egg whites
• CarbMaster Yogart
Dinner:
• Turkey Chili (recipe per the book)
Water:
• About 70 oz
Observations: Feeling good.
• Eggs
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Kefir
• Strawberries
Lunch:
• Left over BBQ Chicken and Carrots
Snack:
• Boiled egg whites
• CarbMaster Yogart
Dinner:
• Turkey Chili (recipe per the book)
Water:
• About 70 oz
Observations: Feeling good.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Lucy - Day 10
Yep, I've been a slacker with my posting. Apologies. Work has been crazy, and the extra time spent cooking and preparing lunches and breakfast for the next day takes every spare minute. If you're gonna do this, you have to make time to do the things that are necessary.
I've been getting up early to walk on the treadmill. For me, it's a great way to start off the day. For Ted, not so much. He says it makes him want to go right back to bed. I feel like it jump-starts my day. It does throw off having the lemon water as the very first thing in the morning since I usually down a bottle of water during and after my work-out. I don't think that would mess up the process.
If you've been reading Ted's food lists, I'm eating all the same thing. We might have different yogurt or fruit during the day, but everything else is pretty much the same. You'll find that just fixing a LOT of 1 thing makes preparation easier.
I haven't weighed again...Ted won't let me. I'm one of those that would weigh everyday, but Ted's a good reality-checker for me...he knows I'll get down if I don't go anywhere. I think we've decided to weigh again on our last day of the 1st Phase, which will be February 17.
There's turkey chili waiting at home for us in the crockpot (oh, how I love my crockpot!). Very excited to see how that turns out. Here's the recipe for the curry chicken salad Ted wanted me to post:
1 large can white chicken
1 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt (not vanilla)
salt and pepper to taste
curry powder to taste
Mix REALLY well. We used Romaine lettuce leaves as "boats" to put the salad in and topped with red grapes. Good way to get your fruit in before 2pm.
I've been getting up early to walk on the treadmill. For me, it's a great way to start off the day. For Ted, not so much. He says it makes him want to go right back to bed. I feel like it jump-starts my day. It does throw off having the lemon water as the very first thing in the morning since I usually down a bottle of water during and after my work-out. I don't think that would mess up the process.
If you've been reading Ted's food lists, I'm eating all the same thing. We might have different yogurt or fruit during the day, but everything else is pretty much the same. You'll find that just fixing a LOT of 1 thing makes preparation easier.
I haven't weighed again...Ted won't let me. I'm one of those that would weigh everyday, but Ted's a good reality-checker for me...he knows I'll get down if I don't go anywhere. I think we've decided to weigh again on our last day of the 1st Phase, which will be February 17.
There's turkey chili waiting at home for us in the crockpot (oh, how I love my crockpot!). Very excited to see how that turns out. Here's the recipe for the curry chicken salad Ted wanted me to post:
1 large can white chicken
1 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt (not vanilla)
salt and pepper to taste
curry powder to taste
Mix REALLY well. We used Romaine lettuce leaves as "boats" to put the salad in and topped with red grapes. Good way to get your fruit in before 2pm.
Day 9 - Ted
Breakfast:
• Eggs
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Kefir
Lunch:
• Left over turkey and veggie soup
Snack:
• Boiled egg whites
• Carrots
Dinner:
• Grilled BBQ Chicken (recipe per the book)
• Carrots
• Creamed spinich
Water:
• About 70 oz
Observations:
The BBQ chicken turned out well. We had to work on the sauce a little, it started out just tasting like tomato sauce.
• Eggs
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Kefir
Lunch:
• Left over turkey and veggie soup
Snack:
• Boiled egg whites
• Carrots
Dinner:
• Grilled BBQ Chicken (recipe per the book)
• Carrots
• Creamed spinich
Water:
• About 70 oz
Observations:
The BBQ chicken turned out well. We had to work on the sauce a little, it started out just tasting like tomato sauce.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Day 8 - Ted
Breakfast:
• Homemade Kefir strawberry smoothie
Snack:
• Apple and a few grapes
• Green Tea
Lunch:
• Greek Yogart Curry Chicken Salad lettuce wraps, a few grapes added to the top
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Boiled egg whites
• Carrots
Dinner:
• Taco Salad - per the books recipe (Which was awesome by the way!)
• Carb Master Yogart
Water:
• About 50 oz
Observations:
Feeling good so far. There were a few days last week where I felt a little lighter in the morning but since the weekend I've felt a little puffy and its probably a cause of too little water, too much food later in the evening and maybe salt. Just shows how getting off schedule will throw things off.
Over all I haven't noticed any increase in my energy level although digestion seems to be going well.
One thing I have noticed is heart burn seems to be a thing of the past, for now anyway.
• Homemade Kefir strawberry smoothie
Snack:
• Apple and a few grapes
• Green Tea
Lunch:
• Greek Yogart Curry Chicken Salad lettuce wraps, a few grapes added to the top
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Boiled egg whites
• Carrots
Dinner:
• Taco Salad - per the books recipe (Which was awesome by the way!)
• Carb Master Yogart
Water:
• About 50 oz
Observations:
Feeling good so far. There were a few days last week where I felt a little lighter in the morning but since the weekend I've felt a little puffy and its probably a cause of too little water, too much food later in the evening and maybe salt. Just shows how getting off schedule will throw things off.
Over all I haven't noticed any increase in my energy level although digestion seems to be going well.
One thing I have noticed is heart burn seems to be a thing of the past, for now anyway.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Day 7 - Ted (Back to a work week)
Breakfast:
• Eggs with fat free cheese
• Green tea
Snack:
• CarbMaster Yogurt - Carrot Cake
Lunch:
• Turkey lettuce wraps with fat free cheese and mustard
Dinner:
• Grilled chicken garden salad - Balsamic Vinaigrette
After Dinner:
• Cup of Miso Soup
• CarbMaster Yogurt - Spiced Pear
• Two lettuce leaves with a spoon full of Greek Yogart Curried Chicken Salad
Water:
• About 30 oz
Observations:
Here's the thing about Monday. We met some friends from out of town for dinner at an Irish pub. They picked the place so we sorted through the menu to see what would work. Sadly almost nothing. I finally went with the standard garden salad. They added grilled chicken for me and I had them hold the cheese and croutons. They didn't have a low fat or fat free dressing on the menu so I went with the balsamic vinaigrette and used the fork dip method as I normally do now with salads. Lucy had the spinach salad that I'm sure normally comes drizzled with hot bacon grease, but she asked that the bacon and blue cheese be held in place of grilled chicken, she also had them add cucumbers. Most places are happy to help if you're just nice about it. The larger issue was the size of my salad. After having gotten use to eating larger than average salads as complete meals and not a starter or side I found the salad to be small and not satisfying in the long run. By the time we got home I was hungry again. So I had some yogurt and miso. Yes, I know. Two probiotics at the same time when I had already had yogurt earlier in the day. Mess up on my part. The two lettuce leaves were a test snack of a chicken salad Lucy made off the recommendation from a friend using Greek yogurt and curry. I'll see if she can post the recipe.
Over all another day not too unlike the weekend, just trying to do the best I can.
• Eggs with fat free cheese
• Green tea
Snack:
• CarbMaster Yogurt - Carrot Cake
Lunch:
• Turkey lettuce wraps with fat free cheese and mustard
Dinner:
• Grilled chicken garden salad - Balsamic Vinaigrette
After Dinner:
• Cup of Miso Soup
• CarbMaster Yogurt - Spiced Pear
• Two lettuce leaves with a spoon full of Greek Yogart Curried Chicken Salad
Water:
• About 30 oz
Observations:
Here's the thing about Monday. We met some friends from out of town for dinner at an Irish pub. They picked the place so we sorted through the menu to see what would work. Sadly almost nothing. I finally went with the standard garden salad. They added grilled chicken for me and I had them hold the cheese and croutons. They didn't have a low fat or fat free dressing on the menu so I went with the balsamic vinaigrette and used the fork dip method as I normally do now with salads. Lucy had the spinach salad that I'm sure normally comes drizzled with hot bacon grease, but she asked that the bacon and blue cheese be held in place of grilled chicken, she also had them add cucumbers. Most places are happy to help if you're just nice about it. The larger issue was the size of my salad. After having gotten use to eating larger than average salads as complete meals and not a starter or side I found the salad to be small and not satisfying in the long run. By the time we got home I was hungry again. So I had some yogurt and miso. Yes, I know. Two probiotics at the same time when I had already had yogurt earlier in the day. Mess up on my part. The two lettuce leaves were a test snack of a chicken salad Lucy made off the recommendation from a friend using Greek yogurt and curry. I'll see if she can post the recipe.
Over all another day not too unlike the weekend, just trying to do the best I can.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Day 6 - Ted (Sunday)
Breakfast / Lunch:
• Homemade Kefir strawberry smoothie
• Pear
• Eggs with salsa
• Green Tea
Dinner:
• Turkey Veggie Soup
Water:
• About 40 oz ?
Observations:
The issue with Sunday was sleeping late. Thus Breakfast got combined with lunch. You're probably not supposed to do that, but I was hungry. I also think maybe the salt from the soup might have caused some water retention in both Me and Lucy, gotta get back on that water.
• Homemade Kefir strawberry smoothie
• Pear
• Eggs with salsa
• Green Tea
Dinner:
• Turkey Veggie Soup
Water:
• About 40 oz ?
Observations:
The issue with Sunday was sleeping late. Thus Breakfast got combined with lunch. You're probably not supposed to do that, but I was hungry. I also think maybe the salt from the soup might have caused some water retention in both Me and Lucy, gotta get back on that water.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Day 5 - Ted (Saturday)
Breakfast:
• Homemade Kefir strawberry smoothie
• Green tea
Lunch:
• Eggs with salsa
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Carrots and water
Dinner:
• Grilled Trout, steamed Broccoli and a side garden salad
Water:
• About 30 oz
Observations:
Saturdays are tough. I don't have as much trouble when I have a set schedule like I do during the work week but through a weekend at me and things get out of synch. A buddy of mine and I took in a basketball game Sat afternoon and then when out to eat Sat night. So I did the best I could.
• Homemade Kefir strawberry smoothie
• Green tea
Lunch:
• Eggs with salsa
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Carrots and water
Dinner:
• Grilled Trout, steamed Broccoli and a side garden salad
Water:
• About 30 oz
Observations:
Saturdays are tough. I don't have as much trouble when I have a set schedule like I do during the work week but through a weekend at me and things get out of synch. A buddy of mine and I took in a basketball game Sat afternoon and then when out to eat Sat night. So I did the best I could.
And the weekend begins...
Weekends are always the hardest for me on a diet. My weekday s are so regimented, and my weekends are so NOT! We were able to get started with the lemon water and some snuggling (shut up). While Ted took a shower, I fixed Kefir strawberry smoothies and salsa verde, fat-free mozzerella egg whites.
After Ted left to hang with a buddy, I cleaned the kitchen, started a load of clothes, and took some time to walk on the treadmill while watching some syndicated "Glee" on Oxygen. By the way, a great show to walk to...always a different song to keep in step with.
Afterwards, I tried some cucumber water a friend recommended, and had a pear, then a shower. I chopped some cucumber (not too small if you're drinking from a regular bottle) and put it in the freezer for a few minutes. It's super cold and very refreshing!
The rest of the day holds shoe shopping...what? Boots are on clearance, and there's no point in buying clothes when I'm just going to lose weight! Ted and I were thinking about possibly trying to go out for dinner. Maybe someplace we can get grilled chicken or fish and veggies. It's so easy to get burned out on cooking.
If we can plan our meals on the weekends, too, I think that will make the fact that we keep no schedule on these days. Just remember to eat your carbs before 2pm. That's tough even during the week!
Day 4 - Ted
Breakfast:
• Homemade Kefir berry smoothie
• Green tea
Snack:
• Apple
Lunch:
• Leftover Baked Asian Style Tilapia, Salad
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Yogart
• 2 Hard Boiled Egg Whites
Dinner:
• Turkey lettuce wraps with mustard, cucumber and tomatoes
• Green Tea
Water:
• Around 60 oz
Observations:
Feeling pretty good, the Carb withdrawal seems to be past. The biggest issue was walking into the office to see a bag full of fresh baked bagels that a co-worker had brought in, but I resisted.
• Homemade Kefir berry smoothie
• Green tea
Snack:
• Apple
Lunch:
• Leftover Baked Asian Style Tilapia, Salad
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Yogart
• 2 Hard Boiled Egg Whites
Dinner:
• Turkey lettuce wraps with mustard, cucumber and tomatoes
• Green Tea
Water:
• Around 60 oz
Observations:
Feeling pretty good, the Carb withdrawal seems to be past. The biggest issue was walking into the office to see a bag full of fresh baked bagels that a co-worker had brought in, but I resisted.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Day 4 - Lucy: 4 Pounds in 3 Days
That's right, I've lost 4 pounds in the 3 days I've been on the 17-Day Diet! Whoo Hoo!
The kicker is that I won a platter of sub sandwiches from Jimmy John's yesterday. Are you kidding me? I dropped my biz card in months ago, and they call me 2 days AFTER I start a new diet? When I told the manager, who was as nice as nice can be, that I couldn't eat the sandwiches, but I'd take them and share them with my co-workers, she was extremely sympathetic. So, she offered to make me an UnWich. A what?
http://www.jimmyjohns.com/menu/nutrition.aspx?section=lowfat&id=13033
This is basically a lettuce wrap that's the size of a Moe's burrito...yes, it's huge! it was very filling, and I actually felt like I ate a sandwich. Who can best that? Check out the site above and you can see the nutitional value before you even order it. It's going to be a great saver for days we have to run out someplace, and need to grab a bite.
Still craving a little something sweet after dinner, but I'm getting used to ignoring it. We tried the Kefir smoothie this morning, and it was really good. Here's the recipe:
1 cup unsweetened Kefir
1 cup frozen berries
1 Tbsp flaxseed oil (we used olive oil since it's allowed and it's what we have)
1 Tbsp sugar-free fruit jam
Ice cubes
Mix all the ingredients and blend. This is a serving of probiotics, fruit and good oils. It's a great way to start the day, and the fruit helps stave off the carb withdrawals the rest of the day.
It's just after 1pm, so I have to go eart my other serving of fruit. No carbs after 2pm! Thank goodness for email reminders!
The kicker is that I won a platter of sub sandwiches from Jimmy John's yesterday. Are you kidding me? I dropped my biz card in months ago, and they call me 2 days AFTER I start a new diet? When I told the manager, who was as nice as nice can be, that I couldn't eat the sandwiches, but I'd take them and share them with my co-workers, she was extremely sympathetic. So, she offered to make me an UnWich. A what?
http://www.jimmyjohns.com/menu/nutrition.aspx?section=lowfat&id=13033
This is basically a lettuce wrap that's the size of a Moe's burrito...yes, it's huge! it was very filling, and I actually felt like I ate a sandwich. Who can best that? Check out the site above and you can see the nutitional value before you even order it. It's going to be a great saver for days we have to run out someplace, and need to grab a bite.
Still craving a little something sweet after dinner, but I'm getting used to ignoring it. We tried the Kefir smoothie this morning, and it was really good. Here's the recipe:
1 cup unsweetened Kefir
1 cup frozen berries
1 Tbsp flaxseed oil (we used olive oil since it's allowed and it's what we have)
1 Tbsp sugar-free fruit jam
Ice cubes
Mix all the ingredients and blend. This is a serving of probiotics, fruit and good oils. It's a great way to start the day, and the fruit helps stave off the carb withdrawals the rest of the day.
It's just after 1pm, so I have to go eart my other serving of fruit. No carbs after 2pm! Thank goodness for email reminders!
Thoughts on Green Tea
I love tea. I grew up on tea. Southern style iced tea. Now unlike most southerners I actually wasn't raised on "Sweet" tea. AKA Sugar Tea. My mother used saccharin. Yes, good old "warning this product has shown to cause cancer in mice" saccharin. And we drank it by the gallon. Remember the little tablets of saccharin you bought in the bottle at the store. I remember we put anywhere to 20-24 per pitcher of tea. So, although I didn't drink sugar tea, I did drink a lot of artificially sweetened tea.
After I moved away to college I actually was able to slowly switch to completely unsweetened tea. But over time I went back to saccharin, although at less than half of Mom's amount per gallon. Now I still make unsweetened tea by the gallon, and I drink it a lot. But I now sweeten individual glasses at the time with Sweet-N-Low. Yes, I know it's still saccharin based but we do what we can. I've tried Equal and Splenda but they both don't taste good to me. Plus Splenda doesn't melt in cold. Truvia is a new purchase for us and although I'm ok with the taste, it still doesn't dissolve in cold very well.
Now, that brings us to Green Tea.
The diet calls for a lot of it, pretty much a cup with every meal. I like green tea but I do have trouble drinking something hot with every meal even in this cold weather we've been having. We've been trying to brew it using 10-12 green tea bags and pour it up by the pitcher. Using the coffee maker we make a full pot, pour it into a gallon container and fill the rest with water. I'm not sure if scientifically it has the same effect as a single cup of brewed hot tea but I was hoping maybe we could make it up in volume. A sweeter and a splash of black tea help to cut the bitterness.
Anyone know is the beneficial effects of green tea are the same hot to cold?
Day 3 - Ted
Breakfast:
• Egg whites with mushrooms & asparagus
• Apple
• Green tea
Snack:
• Yogart
Lunch:
• Leftover Baked Chicken Salsa Verde, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Creamed Spinach
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Yogart
• 2 Hard Boiled Egg Whites
Dinner:
• Baked Asian Style Tilapia, Garlic Parm Mushrooms, Leftover Cabbage from Day 1
• Green Tea
Water:
• Around 60 oz - Did much better on Day 3
Observations:
The carb withdrawal started to ease off yesterday and by the end of Day 3 I felt fine. Woke up this morning (Day 4) with a slight headache but was better after breakfast. No major cravings on Day 3, felt pretty good and was pretty satisfied with the amount of food I was getting.
• Egg whites with mushrooms & asparagus
• Apple
• Green tea
Snack:
• Yogart
Lunch:
• Leftover Baked Chicken Salsa Verde, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Creamed Spinach
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Yogart
• 2 Hard Boiled Egg Whites
Dinner:
• Baked Asian Style Tilapia, Garlic Parm Mushrooms, Leftover Cabbage from Day 1
• Green Tea
Water:
• Around 60 oz - Did much better on Day 3
Observations:
The carb withdrawal started to ease off yesterday and by the end of Day 3 I felt fine. Woke up this morning (Day 4) with a slight headache but was better after breakfast. No major cravings on Day 3, felt pretty good and was pretty satisfied with the amount of food I was getting.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Lucy - Day 3: I Think I Can!
I actually feel lighter! Maybe that's because I'm peeing all the time from the water and the green tea with each meal. I realized that I have at least 16 oz. of liquids before I even get to work: the lemon water and the green tea with breakfast. So, after my cup of coffee (which IS allowed...just no fatty creamer or sugar; go with non-fat powdered creamer and sweetener), I could barely walk down the hall! And all of that liquid doesn't go toward my "water intake." Whew!
I'm with Ted: the carb withdrawal hit me about 9pm last night, and I'm a little woozy. I did the same thing by having an apple with my breakfast of scrambled egg whites with mushrooms and asparagus. I think we're going to try the Kefir milkshake tomorrow. We got some individual-sized fruit Kefir, and they were quite tasty. Lots of live active cultures to work in the digestive system.
I will say that my tummy grumbles all the time. I think it's a by-product of all the probiotics and veggies. I confuse it with being hungry sometimes. Trying to remember that I can always have protein or veggies if I'm at my 2 servings of probiotics or fruit.
Here's a yummy recipe I discovered last night for dinner: Creamed Spinach
1 package frozen spinach, thawed
1 Tbsp fat-free sour cream
Dried minced onion (to taste)
Garlic salt (to taste)
Squeeze the liquid out f the spinach, and put in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the spinach for 3 minutes. Add the sour cream, minced onion and garlic salt. Microwave for 3 more minutes. Stir thoroughly. Ta-da!
I think I can...I think I can!
Carb Withdrawal
Well, I knew it would happen. It hit me about 10am yesterday. The dreaded carb withdrawal. Headache, loss of focus/concentration, etc. After trying Atkins that time I remember this. I would complain but I guess I understand it. The human body runs on carbs. Mine runs on more carbs and sugars than most so I knew attempting to reboot the system was going to have some side effects. The good news is that after your body accepts it's new reality, all is well. But you have to force through it.
Today is Day 3 and it does feel a little better so far. Made a point to eat my apple with breakfast to get in that sugar early. Still feel a little "not right." It's an odd feeling to explain. Almost as if you don't want to turn your head very fast.
I did make a mistake during Days 1 & 2 of not having quite enough fruit, so maybe it hit me early.
Let me point out, this is NOT a NO CARB diet. It is just carb restrictive for the first phase of 17 days. After this, many important carbs are added back in slowly.
Today is Day 3 and it does feel a little better so far. Made a point to eat my apple with breakfast to get in that sugar early. Still feel a little "not right." It's an odd feeling to explain. Almost as if you don't want to turn your head very fast.
I did make a mistake during Days 1 & 2 of not having quite enough fruit, so maybe it hit me early.
Let me point out, this is NOT a NO CARB diet. It is just carb restrictive for the first phase of 17 days. After this, many important carbs are added back in slowly.
Day 2 - Ted
Breakfast:
• Egg whites with mushrooms & asparagus
• Green tea
Snack:
• Yogart
Lunch:
• Leftover Baked Tilapia, Steamed Asparagus, Green Beans
• Apple
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Kefir Smoothie
Dinner:
• Baked Salsa Verde Chicken, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower
• Green Tea
Water
• Still probably around 40 oz
Over all did pretty well for Day 2. Aside from the Carb Withdrawl that I discuss in a separate post I guess I feel ok. No major cravings so far and over all feel like I'm getting plenty of food. I don't feel deprived or hungry.
Lucy made an excellent creamed spinach that I'll have to post. Very simple and surprisingly good. I'll have to add a page for recipes we discover along the way.
• Egg whites with mushrooms & asparagus
• Green tea
Snack:
• Yogart
Lunch:
• Leftover Baked Tilapia, Steamed Asparagus, Green Beans
• Apple
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Kefir Smoothie
Dinner:
• Baked Salsa Verde Chicken, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower
• Green Tea
Water
• Still probably around 40 oz
Over all did pretty well for Day 2. Aside from the Carb Withdrawl that I discuss in a separate post I guess I feel ok. No major cravings so far and over all feel like I'm getting plenty of food. I don't feel deprived or hungry.
Lucy made an excellent creamed spinach that I'll have to post. Very simple and surprisingly good. I'll have to add a page for recipes we discover along the way.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Day 2 - Lucy
After reading Ted's blog earlier, I agree that a little something sweet after dinner was the only thing I was missing. I'm currently noshing on some red grapes after my lunch of leftover tilapia and baked cabbage, accompanied by some carrots. The grapes would have been perfect after dinner, but alas, the rule is that you can't have carbs after 2pm: fruit's a carb. Poo.
It was interesting that Ted and I talked about how on Weight Watchers, he realized he was eating carb after carb after carb. No wonder we plateaued! Even if we were eating the points we were allowed, we weren't watching WHAT or WHEN we ate. Hindsight is a bear.
I ate all the same things Ted did yesterday, and I got in about 48 oz. of water. Actually, better than I expected since I'm not a thirsty girl. Ted could drink 24/7, but I can barely get through a beverage during a meal. He's always saying that if we ever get pregnant, he'd have to force-feed me liquids. If nothing else, I force myself to drink during this diet because all the veggies, green tea and probiotics will come back to haunt you if you don't.
I have to work in some exercise, too. The book suggests 17 minutes of walking or light exercise per day for the 1st Cycle. More than that, and I think you'd be picking yourself up off the floor due to lack of carbs and calories. We have a treadmill, and I really need to make use of it in the morning. It's just so hard to get up!! I need some motivation...any ideas?
I'm going to look like the girl in the photo...I am. We're hoping to go to the beach for a few days in May, and I want a new swimsuit!
Day 1 - Ted
Breakfast:
• Egg whites with mushrooms
• Green tea
Snack:
• Kefir Smoothie
Lunch:
• Salad with mushrooms, cucumber, carrots, fat free dressing
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Apple
Dinner:
• Baked Tilapia, Steamed Asparagus, Baked Cabbage
• Green Tea
Water:
• Approx 40 oz
Thoughts on Day one
Enjoyed a surprising start to the day with the lemon water. I can see why it helps with digestion. Didn't do as well on the water as I had hoped, will try and do better Day2. I also missed a probiotic and a fruit, side effect of getting busy at the office. Ate dinner late since it took us so long to get home but it was yummy and slamming a large glass of water before eating helped fill me up.
My biggest challenge is going to be not eating between post dinner and bedtime. I've always been a late night eater and trying to overcome that urge has never been easy. I will say that I did want a little taste of something sweet after dinner. Might have to find something that will fill that void. I'm not at the point of pouring Trivia on a lettuce leaf, yet. Not that it didn't briefly cross my mind.
Day 2 now. Will post more later.
• Egg whites with mushrooms
• Green tea
Snack:
• Kefir Smoothie
Lunch:
• Salad with mushrooms, cucumber, carrots, fat free dressing
• Green Tea
Snack:
• Apple
Dinner:
• Baked Tilapia, Steamed Asparagus, Baked Cabbage
• Green Tea
Water:
• Approx 40 oz
Thoughts on Day one
Enjoyed a surprising start to the day with the lemon water. I can see why it helps with digestion. Didn't do as well on the water as I had hoped, will try and do better Day2. I also missed a probiotic and a fruit, side effect of getting busy at the office. Ate dinner late since it took us so long to get home but it was yummy and slamming a large glass of water before eating helped fill me up.
My biggest challenge is going to be not eating between post dinner and bedtime. I've always been a late night eater and trying to overcome that urge has never been easy. I will say that I did want a little taste of something sweet after dinner. Might have to find something that will fill that void. I'm not at the point of pouring Trivia on a lettuce leaf, yet. Not that it didn't briefly cross my mind.
Day 2 now. Will post more later.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Day 1 - Lucy
Not a bad start to the first day. Started off with the hot water and lemon; added a little sweetener to make it tastier. Glad I didn't take the multi-vitamin with it, though. Ugh.
So far, I've had:
So far, I've had:
- Scrambled egg whites with mushrooms
- Green tea
- 3.5 oz kefir smoothie (yum!)
- 16 oz. water
- apple
I have a HUGE salad for lunch, another apple, and some CarbMaster yogurt. We're doing fish and veggies for dinner. Feeling good!
Welcome to my wife - Lucy
Lucy is going to begin posting as well. I think it will be nice to get a male and female perspective of the same diet at the same time.
So all together class... "Welcome Lucy"
Very good class.
Now Lucy, you can have the empty desk over there.
So all together class... "Welcome Lucy"
Very good class.
Now Lucy, you can have the empty desk over there.
Grocery Shopping
After spending the weekend cleaning out the kitchen we finally made our first trip to the store last night to stock up on what we would need for the first few days. Lucky we have two refrigerators, which come in handy when purchasing so many fresh veggies. The nice one in the kitchen and the rusty box, the elder statesmen which now calls the garage home. The weekend was a good time to clean out the fridge and freezer, get rid of the bad stuff and keep the good stuff. Obviously we were cautious to just not throw everything out that could be used in phase 2-4. But did make a point to section the cabinets and pantry by phase. Hopefully this will makes things easier. Knowing that everything on this shelf is allowed for the next 17 days and there is no need to even look at the others yet. As you may recall from my earlier post I have a few concerns about staying on the diet, and organization is one of the tactics that I believe might make for smoother sailing. We'll see.
So, on to the shopping. My wife was nice enough over the weekend to plan out our meals for the coming week. Thus making the most of what we already had stocked and hopefully only buying what we need for short periods of time. In the past buying too many fresh fruits and veggies became an issue as they would spoil before we could get complete use of them. This we are obviously trying to avoid.
We hope to do most of our shopping at 4 places. Kroger, CostCo, Aldi and maybe the local fruit & veggie stand. Aldi is an excellent choice if you are trying to watch prices but they are limited on more specialty items. CostCo or any warehouse club is good for meats. We get fish and chicken at great quality and prices. The diet recommends some specialty items that you can find at Kroger or maybe you local Asian market. Over all we spent about $150 at Kroger last night. Word of warning, groceries are high. The condition of the economy? A week dollar? A worry of inflation? High gas prices? It all factors in. With this in mind you might want to keep an eye on the cost of certain items. Low carb/low sugar items. Probiotic items from the health section. Costs on these seems to be pretty high and several of them we put back.
Kroger did have some good deals on discounted produce, we got mushrooms and okra really cheap. Also the CarbMaster yogart was 2 for $.88 I believe. Another deal.
We plan on making it to CostCo, Aldi, the Asian market and the local veggie stand in the next few days. I'll post more as we shop more.
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