I Went Down To The Crossroads- Phase 3 - Weigh In

 Not that one!

 Or that one either.

 Ok, maybe that one.

Long time no see. Sorry I've been away. Things have been crazy with work, life and school. Meaning every time I've wanted to sit down and write out a post something happened. Over all the diet has been fine. I feel like we've been doing well on Phase 3 but I guess but I'm starting to get a little worried that I may have hit a road block. We are starting back on Phase 1 as the book recommends Monday so I felt like today would be a good day to weigh in. Sadly I have to report that I've lost an entire 4 tenths of a pound. Yes, down an entire 0.4 lbs. Which means my Day 15 weight towards the end of Phase 2 was 238.8 and my weight at the end of Phase 3 is 238.4. Ouch. So... final numbers of Phase 1, 2 and 3.

Starting weight: 254.4    (6 lbs off my heaviest of 260)

Lost in Phase 1: 13.8
Lost in Phase 2: 1.8
Lost in Phase 3: 0.4

Grand Total: 16lbs in 51 Days

For an average of about 2.2 lbs per week and a surprising noticeable drop off between the 3 Phases. Nearly a stalemate on the last two.

So... what does this mean. Here are a few thoughts.

1. I did not exercise in Phase 1 or Phase 2. Thus I was willing to accept the low amount of weight loss in Phase 2. Phase 1 was a cleanse with a lot of water weight lost.

2. I did exercise everyday on Phase 3 except one. Both Lucy and I have been doing the P90x videos. So such a small amount of loss is concerning. We've rarely made it though an entire hour workout, but they are pretty intense and I believe you have to work up to it.

3. P90x includes a lot of muscle training, muscle weighs more than fat, leaving the possibility that the number of the scale could be deceiving. You can lose fat over all, but either gain or not lose weight on the scale. The question is did I do enough weight training in Phase 3 to distort the numbers that dramatically?

4. I've often heard that don't worry so much about the scale, you'll know if your losing fat and getting into shape based on how your clothes fit and how you feel overall. So good news is I do feel my clothes fit a little better and I do feel better. Lucy bought some jeans the other day and dropped a few sizes, but she has not weighed. I actually convinced her to weigh next Friday because her schedule has been off this past week.

5. In the past on a diet such as Weight Watchers, I was aware of what I was eating, but this time I've been very aware of what I'm eating in regards to other items and the time in which I'm eating it. So we stick to the no fruit after 2 and have only had carbs for dinner a few times. And a very low amount of carbs at that.

6. 

7. Work has been a bear lately, leaving to skipped and delayed meals, as well as a much lower water intake throughout the day.

8. Green tea has all but disappeared from the diet. We did very good having a cup with each meal during Phase 1 but it just faded away in 2 & 3.

So, with that info I'm unwilling to say that The 17 Day Diet is a bust. There were obviously things we did not follow as well as we could have and these are not the fault of the diet. But I will say that the lack of weight loss over the last two phases with the restricted diet alone should cause concern. And the extreme lack of loss in Phase 3 with daily exercise and the restricted diet combined leave me perplexed. Especially when I've seen a better per week average weight loss on a diet such as WW with a much more open menu. Now, the book states that you do Phases 1, 2 and 3. Then if you haven't lost what you wish, do all three Phases in order again. But, my issue with this is if the majority of loss on average seems to occur in Phase 1 only, then am I not just on a low carb diet for 17 days followed by 34 days of watching my diet until I can do another 17 days of low carb? I'm unconvinced that the metabolic confusion works at all.

As of now Lucy and I plan on returning to Phase 1 Monday. With the added exercise from P90x I'm not sure if Phase 1 will provide enough carbs to keep up that level of workout, but we'll just play that by ear. The other option, try something else I guess. I will say that I am unwilling to continue on a diet that is pretty darn restrictive and not get any results. Especially when I can get the same or better results on something less restrictive.


Looking forward to everyone's feedback. Might have reached a crossroads here.

Lucy - Day 39, Phase 3

Another weigh-in today...only lost .4, but that's to be expected. The book tells you that by Phase 3, you won't lose a lot since you're adding in some carbs. I've also been doing P90X with Ted, so I could be building some muscle. In any case, I didn't GAIN anything. And I'm feeling pretty good; except for the achiness.

I was talking with some co-workers today, and we were considering doing the 3-mile Race for the Cure in May. I happen to be leaving for vacation the day of the race, but I have agreed to particiapte in the training, even if I can't be in the race. Luckily, you have the option of walking or running, in ehich case, I would SO be walking! I've never been a runner, and have some respiratory issues that might make it difficult. Nobody wants to be that person that passes out and has to have the ambulance come revive you. That's just embarrassing. But, if they'll have me, maybe I can train to walk the 3 miles.

Looks like our last day on Phase 3 is March 24. I think Ted's already got plans for a slice of pepperoni pizza that weekend...with a large salad, of course. And we'll still be exercising, so that slice will come right off in no time! I have to admit that I'm looking forward to that slice myself. But we're not going to go crazy. Forcing yourself to have veggies and/or salad with every meal is touch, but I've definitely seen the results and benefits. So knowing that it's vital to keep that mindset is important.

Exercising is taking a lot of time away from our puppies, laundry, household duties, and for Ted, studying. We're trying to make up for those things in other ways like putting a load of clothes on in the morning so they're ready to hit the dryer in the evening (thank goodness my washer has a timer!), one of us working on dinner while the other one showers after workouts, once of us cooking while the other one does dishes, etc. It's tough, but we've always found that we get things done faster and more efficiently when we work together and do different tasks. I don't know how single folks do it, but only having to cook for 1 is harder than anything I've ever done!

How are you guys doing in the getting-it-all-done department?

Lucy - Day 2, Phase 3 - Oh, My Aching Body

After my week of jury duty with no exercise, I started getting back into it last Saturday. I started with a stretching workout from Ted's P90X series, which was a great way to jump-start my muscles.

Sunday was Jillian Michaels' ab workout. I couldn't even laugh yesterday without being in pain. But it's a good pain.

Monday morning, I started with Jillian's metabolism booster workout. Only got about 15 minutes in. Boo, I know. So, I decided to work out with Ted last night doing arms and shoulders on P90X. What a great workout! It was an hour long, and we both kept each other motivated. I had a hard time lifting my arms this morning to brush my hair, but it's all good.

I had every intention of getting up this morning and doing Jillian's 30 Day Shred video, but I have to admit, I'm wiped out! Ted and I are doing her yoga video tonight, so I'm still covered.

We're trying to make sure we get enough protein while doing some weight training while also watching protein intake based on the diet. I think next week, we'll take a look at each workout per day, and plan our menu.

Speaking of food, the 2nd day on Phase 3 includes whole wheat and high fiber cereal with almond milk (better WITH food...not really very good drinking it alone), whole wheat spaghetti with butternut squash meat sauce & salad, and crock-pot chuck roat with pureed cauliflower for dinner. We're avoiding fruit today since there's cereal and pasta involved.

Planning menus has become much more of a family meeting than just me putting them together. We talk about what we have in the fridge, freezer and pantry so we don't have to buy extra. Ted actually came up with most of the dinner ideas and a couple lunch ideas for this week. We also planned on cooking several meals, or at least pieces of meals, at one time to save time and money later, and make sure we have the time for workouts.

Yes, it's taken up our lives. But we both feel better, are losing weight, and are attempting to make this a lifestyle, not just something we do for 51 days.

By the way...Ted, I'm so proud of you for sticking to this diet with me, and for deciding on your own when it was right for you to exercise. We're making changes that are giving us longevity...together.

X - Day 1

Ok, I've finally started. Finally started exercising. I've already discussed that it's not my first love. Lucy is.

Overall with exercising it's just really hard to first: get motivated, second: find the time to keep it up and third: not stop when the results don't appear as quickly as I would like. But we all have to stop somewhere and if Ruth's comment on my "I Hate Sweating" post isn't enough to get you off the couch, then nothing will. Thank you for that Ruth.

The 17 Day Diet book recommends 17 min a day of walking to start then up you level of activity from there. I've decided that if I'm going to really do this, I need to go a little further. Bring on the P90X. I mentioned awhile back that I had started P90X many months ago. I made it though 60 days of the Lean program before giving up. Why? I actually gained weight. Now X will put muscle on you, no doubt. Muscle weighs more than fat, thus the scale can be deceiving. But you should be able to definitely tell when you lose fat. What did I do wrong? Be very careful of protein shakes. Not all shakes are the same. Some contain creatine and it will pack weight on you faster than Krispy Kreme. After every workout I would drink a protein shake to help with muscle recovery and lessen soreness. In that case, it worked. But I really believe it helped sabotage my weight loss. I heard this from other people as well. I was buying the big container from Wal-Mart (and I hate Wal-Mart) mainly due to the fact that you got a five gallon bucket of the stuff for 12 bucks. Then when I was done I could use the container to mix tile grout in. So, the moral is if you wish to partake in a protein shake find something without Creatine. The Biggest Loser makes a shake powder that is low in cals and fat. Shakeology might also be a good place to look.

Now, back to my workout. P90X is a six/seven day workout. Six days on and one day off, or you can do the stretch video on day seven. It rotates between weight training and cardio. Each session is about one hour long. The first 15 min is warm up, the last 10 is cool down and the in-between is two sets of reps. I've often found the warm up too slow, so I've decided to use the treadmill to warm up until the specific muscle stretches begin. If you are working chest and back that day, you need to warm up those muscle groups. I'll also shorten the cool down. I know they are both important to help keep you from sustaining and injury, but I also have to find a way to trim some time off the workout.

Today I got through the first session of reps before having to stop. I'm a "passer-outer" and it doesn't take much for me to hit the floor. I'm like one of those fainting goats. So when I got so light headed that I had to pull the ole put your head between your knees routine I knew it was time to call it. But it was better than the last time when I passed out in the Verizon store.

How will this affect my 17 Day Diet? I don't think it will skew my numbers dramatically. The exercise is called for on 17 Day and the diets of X and 17DD Cycle 3 are not that different.

Today is Day 1 and I plan to get in 60 days before we go to the beach in May.

What type of exercising is everyone out there doing? Running, walking, gym, treadmill, weight training, kung fu, tabata, jujitsu, krav maga, yoga?

Lucy - Day 15, Phase 2

Yes, I've been on jury duty. And what an experience! Before I get started with my diet thoughts, let me say that I don't ever want to do that again. It's a great life experience, but it interrupted my entire life, planted roots in my mind every waking moment (and some sleeping ones), and was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do. On the flip side, I'm glad I did it at the age I am now, and not when I was in my 20's. I think my life experience made me more of an asset as a juror.

Moving on...

Ted's right, the environment was extremely controlled. How's that?

First, I'm used to drinking almost 60 oz. of water a day, which means I have to pee about every 20-30 minutes. That's tough to do when you get a break every 1.5 hours. I don't think the Judge would have appreciated me raising my hand constantly to ask if we could take a recess.

Second, I couldn't eat as often as I was used to. Yes we took breaks, but they were unorganized, and made it hard to snack.

Third: I usually take all my snacks and lunch to work and put them in my personal fridge. No such fridge in the Jury Deliberation Room. One day, I ate at the courthouse cafeteria...spinach salad. Not too bad. The other days, I took my lunch and packed my bag with cold packs. Worked pretty well.

There were days I didn't get to eat all my snacks, and by the time I got home, I was ready to throw a dog and on the grill! Don't worry, all 3 kids are in tact. But I was crazy hungry when I got home. I could have eaten 3 or 4 containers of yogurt, a Power Cookie, and several handfuls of almonds. I really tried not to...I tried to have something I was allowed and drink more water.

Now, for my weigh-in: I lost another 1.2 pounds! That's a total of 9.8 pounds in 32 days! I'm pretty happy with almost 10 pounds. Ted says I look thinner, and I notice it a bit. I wasn't able to exercise this week, and by the time I got home, I was so mentally exhausted, working out was the furthest thing from my mind. My plan for tomorrow is to sleep in a little, work out, clean up, and watch movies all day. Oh, come on...it's supposed to rain all weekend! Ok, I'll do some reading, too. Happy now?

Tell us how you're doing. Seeing other people's successes is so motivating!

Ted - Phase 2 - Day 15 - Weigh In

OK, I know I said I was only going to weigh every 17 days. But day 17 of Phase 2 landed on a Sunday and as I discussed in the previous post, weighing in on a Monday is a very bad idea for me. So I checked in a little early since Friday is usually a good day and we start Phase 3 Monday.

How did I do? Ok, lost about 2 lbs more and over all I'm now down about 15/16 give or take a 1/10 I think.

I will say I'm not disappointed, 2 pounds in 2 weeks is what I was expecting. Bring us back to the universal one pound/one week equilibrium. I did not expect the higher number I lost in Phase 1 to continue, so I was prepared for it.

Could I have done better? Absolutely. First off I haven't been exercising. This is something I have to get going. I simply will not be successful long term with out working in some exercise. Second, my work situation over the last two weeks has been problematic and stressful. Leading to days where I skipped lunch, skipped snacks, ate too late, didn't hardly drink water and green tea was non existent. It's just really messed with my daily schedule. So, I can't blame the diet for any lack of loss, I simply didn't do a very good job following it as I should.

More thoughts later.

To Weigh or Not To Weigh...

 
Actually, that's not really what the Prince of Denmark had in mind, but you get my point. When to weigh, and how often? The first part is easy. Always weigh first thing in the morning, before breakfast. I'm convinced that the human body on average fluctuates an average of 5 lbs a day. Everything thing from water retention to every meal you had working it's way through your system will add at least 5 lbs at the end of the day. So, don't jump on the scale at 10pm after a pasta dinner. That was the easy part... now the second part is more difficult to answer.

I believe the answer to the second question can only come from the individual. You know your body best and I bet most people can just tell you based on how they feel if they should weigh on any given day. I've been here before and tried it many different ways. What I've noticed is if I weigh too much, and the scale doesn't drop I get discouraged. Discouragement is the death nail to a diet. Of all the things that go on around us, food advertisments, co-workers offering cupcakes, the convience of the drive thru. I don't believe anything is as difficult to overcome as even the hint of discouragement. Exercise, eat right for days and weeks, then jump on the scale and you see no change. It's the recipe for knocking back an Extra Value Meal, with a chocolate milk chaser. My best defense against the evil that is discouragement is ignorance. Yes, seems dumb, I know. I know that my body for the most part loses weight slowly. I know that when I lose it's not obvious on my frame. And I know that it will take quite sometime to get to a point where I really start to see a noticeable difference. It's the way I'm biologically wired. It's possible to go a week and lose 4 lbs and the next week not lose one. If I make sure to only weigh at larger increments I lessen the risk of being caught in one of those stalemate weeks. Yes, this diet says you can lose a good bit quickly, but I believe that fast weight loss is only likely to happen in Phase 1. Instinct tells me that during Phases 2 and 3 weight loss will come at a much slower Weight Watchers like level of maybe a pound or two per week, tops. I'm prepared for it and I've decided to weigh at the end of each 17 days at the most. Not knowing on the bad weeks helps for knowing on the good weeks.

There is a sweet spot here, weigh too early and you run the risk of not losing like you had hoped, wait too long and you run a risk of not noticing that an adjustment needs to take place. Valuable time will go by with no change in your weight when you might could have made a change earlier to correct it. The balance is up to you. Trust your body, you know it better than you think. Just because some chart or formula says today is a day you must weigh, don't do it if you feel waiting a day is better. The encouragement of a well timed weigh in can work wonders for long term weight loss. Me? I'll never weigh on a Monday. I know that my schedule on the weekends doesn't offer up a good Monday morning pound estimate. Friday, Friday is a good call. You've had the week to get it right and knowing before the weekend is a good thing. Reduces the risk for multiple chip bag feasts on a Saturday afternoon watching a Jersey Shore marathon on MTV. (Shame on you, not for the chips, but for the choice in television programming)

Now I will say that once you've lost the weight you'd like and you move on the Phase 4 then it's probably a good idea to weigh often, keep track of where you are and you're less likely to gain it all back. But that's down the road, after we rid the world of the time suck that is the The Real Housewives of Wherever.

Continue on - Day 12 - Phase 2

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. Lucy is serving Jury Duty and I've just been busy with work and school. Not much to report on the diet, nothing new during the last week of Phase 2. Honestly I had to look at the calender and count to see what day I was on. I won't say it's been easier than Phase 1, although the addition of a few carbs, shellfish, beans and beef have given us a few new options. But making full use of them is problematic since you can only eat the carbs every other day, plus we are trying to make sure we don't have them for dinner. This is an issue and I'm working on a post now concerning dinner in America. This is an issue and I can see it will continue to be one. We've run into an issue several times lately where dinner time comes along and we have very very limited options on what to eat. But like I said, more on this later.

I'm unsure if I've lost a single additional pound since starting Phase 2. We know my exercise issues, and I do promise to start soon. I'm not seeing anything new in my body, I don't feel smaller, but we'll see how it goes.

I still owe you guys a post regarding my thoughts on weighing... gotta finish that one.

How is it going for everyone?

Lucy - Say 7, Phase 2: Weigh-In Day

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.