P3 menus for the week of 12/13--what are you eating???

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by CurveControl

I ate an Atkins but and seed bar.

I have NEVER seen one of those "BUT and SEED" bars in my supermarket Where do you shop for them???!!!!! LOL.

[CurveControl]

Originally Posted by dawnyama

I have NEVER seen one of those "BUT and SEED" bars in my supermarket Where do you shop for them???!!!!! LOL.

I need my pot of coffee before I post

But seriously the sweet and salty almond crunch bar is my favorite. All nuts and seeds, No chocolate or nasty filling stuff.

I am hoping it doesn't cause any adverse reactions, I don't plan to make it a habit (though I suspect I will still have them on Maintenance, They are that good)

[dawnyama]

Oh, Molly. I have posted a few times before my first cup too and thought "why did I write that???!!!" I have a few of the Atkins bars myself and I just cannot bring myself to eat them quite yet. I want to get down a few more pounds before trying them. The Caramel Nut Chew bar is just about calling my name!! LOL. But I will hold off for a few days. It is loaded with chocolate. I will have to try the one you like too!! I don't think I have tried that one yet--I am a chocolate freak and anything to do with chocolate I am all over. LOL

[CurveControl]

I only seem to crave it once in a while. I am more of a starchy veggie person, belive it or not. My go to comfort foods are Lima beans or Rice with peas and mushrooms.

[CurveControl]

[CurveControl]

I forgot to post~

I did have a small (Like short rocks glass) of vanilla vodka with diet rootbeer last night. First drink since starting the plan. DH did this because before I started this I had one or two every evening.

It was good, but I will see what the scale says tomorrow. Lots of added stuff yesterday that I will be watching for repercussions tomorrow.

[cynaminbear]

OK, so not enough protein for lunch. The salad dressing is sweetened by stevia and doesn't have anything processed in it. It's the best I've got right now. Besides, blue cheese and other ranch dressings have dairy, so if I'm avoiding dairy I can't have those yet. I'm at work and can't go out to get more protein.

Since I'm not getting enough fat or protein at lunch, what can I have as a snack then? Can't have cheese, which is my usual go-to. I'm frustrated and discouraged.

Atkins induction was easy compared to this. The mental game is exhausting. I could plan all my meals when taking the drops, but there was no way I could plan ahead for the next phase.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by cynaminbear

OK, so not enough protein for lunch. The salad dressing is sweetened by stevia and doesn't have anything processed in it. It's the best I've got right now. Besides, blue cheese and other ranch dressings have dairy, so if I'm avoiding dairy I can't have those yet. I'm at work and can't go out to get more protein.

Since I'm not getting enough fat or protein at lunch, what can I have as a snack then? Can't have cheese, which is my usual go-to. I'm frustrated and discouraged.

I am sorry. Dairy in the salad dressing should be fine! My first P3 day I included sour cream. It is the sodium in the cheese that you are sensitive to, not necessarily the dairy. Anyhow, you can have snacks. You can eat whenever you want now that you are P3!! How freeing is that??? How about chicken wings? Those are nice and fatty. Or hard boiled eggs, deviled eggs, or some kind of berry? I love blueberries with cream poured over them and then a bunch of whipped cream on top!! Very nice treat!! I will also sometimes just have a TBL of coconut oil to get in some fat. I am sorry you are discouraged. I was there last week watching my weight slowly climb up every single day. And I was on plan too!!!!! No cheats anywhere. And don't worry, you will get this figured out.

[cynaminbear]

Thank you. The adjustment in thinking is so hard. I had especially looked forward to not having dairy while taking the drops because as a kid I was allergic to dairy, but was able to add back as an adult. It's possible I no longer have an allergy, but could be sensitive and figured going 6 weeks without dairy is a good time to find out.

Would another good snack be some sliced veggies with ranch dressing?

[CurveControl]

Cynaminbear, The protocol says No starches and No sugars. It says nothing about no dairy. Some people have trouble with it and some don't. You had a lot of stuff that could be causing your problems but I think just addressing those 2 items first will help you see what is happening. Remove things with starch and sugar.

I, personally don't think cheese or dairy are bad, I think you need to cut out the shredded cheese and processed meats and eat whole foods. If that doesn't work then start eliminating other things. I see nothing wrong with full fat ranch dressing or Full fat blue cheese dressing. As long as there isn't sugar. Do what you can today, and you will just know that tomorrow you will bring more protein to work with you.
This is supposed to take 3 weeks to stabilize and we will be up and down and up and down. The P&I is very clear that it CAN take the whole 3 weeks to become stable. You have time. BUT as you probably know, frustration and confusion and discouragement are the kiss of death. Don't let it go there.

I am treating this Exactly like atkins induction (plus the adittion of the occasional fruit) IF I start to gain or have problems I will FIRST look at hidden sugar and starch, not at whole foods like dairy. If I am still having trouble I will look deeper, But right now IMO You just need to get rid of those two things and go from there.
That is just my opinion.

[cynaminbear]

Wise words from those who've been there. I really appreciate them, and honestly, I'm not usually this needy; nor do I discourage this easily.

After work I have an dental appointment that involves numbing which means no food until later.

My dinner will be shrimp scampi, made with butter and garlic. Plus a green salad with sugarfree bacon ranch dressing.

[CurveControl]

We are all needy sometimes. I am a big ole baby, and have been since day 1 of P2!!

I have leaned heavily on the advice here!

[cynaminbear]

Good news! Someone at work left a big bottle of ranch dressing in the fridge, so I switched salad dressings.

[amway]

cynamin, yummy, ranch!

what brand of ranch doesn't have sugar? i have bacon ranch, ranch, blue cheese and spicy ranch, 2 diff brands (hidden valley and GV) and they all have sugar in them..

[CurveControl]

I like the Hidden Valley Ranch packets that you make with mayo or sour cream and heavy cream (Normal non LC people use milk LOL) because it lists 0 sugar and noe in the ingredients list either. And I can have it as thick or thin as I want.

[amway]

eh, but doens't that stuff have monosodium glutamate in it? or no? that stuff makes me feel terrible. darnit.

[CurveControl]

I don't know if the namebrand does or not. I don't see it in the ingredients list on my generic Kroger Brand Ranch dip/dressing packet.

[jabbok]

Dec. 15 menu

B 2 eggs/egg white cooked in butter, coffee with cream
L none
S finished eggs from breakfast
D P2 chili
S strawberries/cream

Too busy at work no access to food all day so hopefully I won't have a gain tomorrow as I didn't drink enough water

[CurveControl]

2 glasses of apricot wine. Fingers crossed on the weigh in tomorrow...but so yummy!

[cynaminbear]

Wednesday's food diary:
L: salad with steak, orange tomatoes, ranch dressing. Granny smith apple
S: yellow pepper, red tomatoes, dipped in different ranch dressing
D: shrimp scampi; red delicious apple

changes I need to make: don't have two apples or two tomato servings in the same day. Need more variety. Add more protein.

I had the apple after dinner because I needed something a little sweet/crisp and couldn't think of anything else. I was going to have a salad with the scampi, but I was close to full and decided after I have the apple, if I was still hungry, then I'd have the salad. I am perfectly satisfied, not hungry nor stuffed.

Working on getting in more water.

[HexaTheAmazon]

Originally Posted by dawnyama

Honestly, you have to double your proteins when you hit P3. So make that steak an 8oz and you have it!! The gain could be you are not eating enough OR eating too much. When we are on P2 we are on the very cusp of protein sparing so when you switch to P3 you have to double the protein to optimize the stabilization. And when you say protocol approved salad dressing--what are you referring to?? Hopefully not a fat free one. I love my blue cheese dressing and slather my salad as well as foods with that!! Boy do I love P3!!!

Wednesday Menu
B: Egg White Omelet with veggies
Cheese

L: Salad (of course)
Pine Nuts, Almonds and Seasme Seeds
Steak and Shrimps (200 grams)
EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar
NO CHEESE

D: Salad
Same Nuts
Steak (150 grams)
Ranch Dressing
NO CHEESE

I had a cafe latte for a snack with cream no sugar

I do not eat any fruits

Weight Thursday morning: 161.4 - Stable

Exercised yesterday on treadmill - jogged and walked 5 flights of stairs

[amap]

Steak day for me again today. I am really struggling with terrible sweet-carb cravings. I haven't had them the WHOLE time I was on P2...but lasts night German fiasco must have opened the door to them. Is there anything I can take or drink to flush out the cravings? I truly didn't have them before "THE MEAL". Ugh. SO sad today. Mad at myself.

[amap]

LOL...maybe I just need a "But and Seed" bar to make it all go away. heheheheeee ))

[CurveControl]

amap, how are you today? The but bar() is pretty dang good. I was having a crunchy attack when I ate it.

I got some garlic dill cheese curds last night~ I just love curds and can rarely find them. They will make good 'car food' as we drive down to SW Illinois tomorrow.

[SoccerHd4]

AMAP, I totally feel you! This is my 4th day on P3 and I'm totally struggling with sweet cravings too! P2 was awesome; no cravings at all! I tried one of the Atkins Advantage bars (safe for all phases of atkins) which kind of helped, but you know those cravings are so specific! One of my huge motivators for doing HCG was to significantly reduce those cravings so I'm getting pretty scared...

Anyone else have any tips for this?! I'm 1.7 lbs above my LIW and don't want to get any higher but darn it I can't seem to avoid those cravings! Thanks all!!

Haley

[CurveControl]

Originally Posted by SoccerHd4

AMAP, I totally feel you! This is my 4th day on P3 and I'm totally struggling with sweet cravings too! P2 was awesome; no cravings at all! I tried one of the Atkins Advantage bars (safe for all phases of atkins) which kind of helped, but you know those cravings are so specific! One of my huge motivators for doing HCG was to significantly reduce those cravings so I'm getting pretty scared...

Anyone else have any tips for this?! I'm 1.7 lbs above my LIW and don't want to get any higher but darn it I can't seem to avoid those cravings! Thanks all!!

Haley

what exactly is your craving?

I have found that often eating around your craving will net you more clories and carbs than just having a small portion of what you are actually craving, and still leave you wanting it.

Unless it is a trigger food, and with those you just have to ride it out I guess.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by amap

Steak day for me again today. I am really struggling with terrible sweet-carb cravings. I haven't had them the WHOLE time I was on P2...but lasts night German fiasco must have opened the door to them. Is there anything I can take or drink to flush out the cravings? I truly didn't have them before "THE MEAL". Ugh. SO sad today. Mad at myself.

I have a supplement that will make your treats that you do eat yucky so that you won't binge. It is called "Gymnema Sylvestre" Actually the bottle says it is an herb. But anyway, I took it at lunchtime once and had my usual 2 squares of chocolate for dessert and they tasted like nothing. It was so weird. I kept eating thinking it was bad chocolate and I had to find the good stuff Then I remembered I took the Gymnema and it had to be the herb blocking the sweet receptors on the tongue It was enough to make me not eat any more chocolate. It doesn't take the urge away, but it makes what you eat taste not good enough to eat it. I found it at Vitamin Shoppe and it is there brand. The bottle says take 1 daily. I bought it a while ago remembering this is what we sold when I worked at a local vitamin store and it worked back then too!!

When I want to flush away any bloat from eating out at restaurants, I drink Weightless cranberry tea. It is a diuretic tea that helps with flushing out the bad things! It usually works, I follow the directions on the box. I found it in the "natural foods" section at my Kroger, but they have it at Vitamin Shoppe too. The tea maker/brand is called Traditional Medicinals. OH, and it is not like the senna tea or Smooth Move. It doesn't cause your innards to rely on the product for anything. It is diuretic herbs, that is all.

[SoccerHd4]

I'm craving chocolate sweets (reese's, snickers, ice cream) my typical rich craving. My attempt at eating around the craving is definitely not working and I don't want to deprive myself, but I'm not sure if there is another way you all have found to curb those cravings. Do you find that they become easier the more P3 you have under your belt? I have always been a sweets person, but I am really trying to enjoy my "meals" more instead of just snacking then have deserts. Thank you for being a wonderful sounding board!

Haley

[CurveControl]

Haley would sugar free hot chocolate do it? Swiss miss has some. Or SF chocolate? Reeses has good SF mini PB cups OR DH loves the Atkins PB cups.

[amap]

Thanks for asking about me!!! I am doing really well today, actually. Jen suggested maybe my German meal fiasco (carbs, with your carbs, anyone?) opened the door for wanting more and more. Yesterday was a steak day...and I cheated again. This was a hide and cheat for me...NOT GOOD. I was starving...and probably should have done a different type of CD. Today I was not surprised to be down only .5 after the steak day. So...look forward only...right??!!! I am eating very lean today (no nuts, no cheese) as I am still 3 pounds over LDW. Tomorrow I have another Christmas party. So I will eat eggs all day...and they are having smoked turkey @ the party. I am getting the hang of this...slowly but surely.

Today- because I have had fat (eggs cooked in butter, leftover steak, veggies, leftover steak in salad,etc.) I am not hungry...and not wanting to eat all of the crap that is around my house.