LCAlways - the journey

[LCalways]

Well, I decided to make a blog type thing of my return to low carb life. It really hasn't been as bad this second (third?) time around with induction. I was a little worried this past weekend because I was on a business trip, but I was actually able to keep from consuming too many carbs. The most carbs I had, I think, were in a sweet tea that was accidentally brought to my table (I shouldn't have drunk it, but I did...).

I'm guessing my weight was around 185, but I'm still too uncomfortable with the scale right now. I really don't want to look at the "actuals" until sometime next week, and even then I'm still worried that I'm 10lbs or more off. I usually know my body pretty well, but my weight has redistributed itself...and I noticed that my weight gain was in a different place.

One thing that did happen, though: My back aches went away. I tried this experiment a while back - when I'm not low-carbbing I get horrible backaches when I sleep. I feel stiff and uncomfortable when I awake, and I can barely move (feels like my spine is made of pure, unbendable steel). But when I'm on a low carb diet, I can sleep better and I can actually *move.* I don't know why I have to keep testing the theory by going back to carbs. This time, I know it's important for me. I have to low carb it or I'll end up becoming a pretzel...

I've only had red meat three times this past week. For breakfast I usually have a lc Slimfast shake, or I eat eggs & turkey bacon (and, sometimes I eat both). For lunch it's usually a piece of grilled chicken with a salad and some veggies...and then dinner is meat and veggies. I try to keep the portions small, but I'm not measuring them exactly. I had cheese once or twice this week, but I don't want to make it a habit.

I do like "veggie cheese", though, because I'm not a big fan of soy. I used to be a vegetarian, but that made me tired all the time because I wasn't eating enough protein. So now I'm limiting the red meat, and incorporating more fish and chicken. Mostly chicken, I s'pose.

Funny - I'm not all that concerned about the spinach scare. I still eat it.

I'm a little concerned about this weekend, though. I'm visiting a friend for dinner and he's hosting a dinner party - a little, intimate gathering of friends I haven't seen in a long time. He said he's making "taco soup" and I have no idea what that means. So do I insult him by refusing his dish, or do I insult him by bringing my own? Decisions, decisions...maybe I'll try making a lc dessert. I bought enough almond meal at the store - I'd better use it!

I haven't been hungry at all this week, though, and it could be because my body needs the protein - I have a feeling I'm a week from my monthly cycle. I always need more protein then.

That reminds me of a book I read, a looong time ago - it was a diet book that taught women how to eat based on their cycles. Supposedly one was supposed to eat certain foods at certain times, and it would balance out the hormonal cycle. The only time for sweets was during one or two days following your period. I wonder if it was a subtle kind of lc diet, now. I can't remember the title of it now.

I've been in so many diet crazes, fads, and etc that it's ridiculous. I'm 38 years old, and my father started me on a diet when I was 6. Six years old! I didn't need it, either - he just didn't like pudgy tummies. I think that's part of the reason I've had self esteem issues of weight loss. He wasn't pleased with me unless I was "skinny" and it became an issue of control in my later years. He's been dead more than 15 years now, but the effects still haunted me.

And I'm not going to be haunted anymore. Time for that's passed, thank you very much. It's time for me to grow up and take care of myself for me, and that's just what I'm doing.

Prayer's the key, though. Turning myself over to God (i.e., Higher Power) makes a load of difference. This time I'll succeed. I might be in induction a while, but things will happen. I believe it will be so, and it feels like I've succeeded already.

Take care, all - I'll keep you posted on my progress.

[LCalways]

Too many upheavals in a short period of time make me a cranky girl. Sheesh. I'm glad the upheavals were pretty much yesterday, but there was some fall out today. I like management, I really do...when people act like they're supposed to act.

I stayed on plan, but I was suddenly very hungry today. It could be because I went to sleep at 3:45am and got up at 7:45am. We had a program that lasted until 10:30pm, and I couldn't sleep until it was nearly dawn...figures, eh?

I'm still on plan, and I've eaten well (albeit later than I've liked in some cases):

B - SlimFast lc shake
L - Had the munchies! Two servings of fish, baked yellow squash, and a medium salad with dressing. And a coffee with Splenda and CoffeeMate. I probably shouldn't have had the artificial creamer, but I wanted something sweet, and that sort of fit the bill. Still in ketosis, though. Had the ol' "apple breath" all day long.
D - Still cooking it, but it'll be chicken with stir fry cabbage. I found this wonderful dressing at the healthfood store that used apple cidar vinegar and Shiitake Mushrooms (Anne's brand). It was surprisingly good when I had it yesterday, and I think it'll be a good stir fry tonight. Once it finishes cooking!

Pants felt a little looser today then they did yesterday. I still think I'm a size-16 (American) but it's getting closer to 14. I don't want to become someone who's obsessed with diet and weight loss, either - to me, that leads to the other side of the spectrum and I've been there, done that with my Dad's criticisms. If I do it for me, the only person I have to satisfy is me.

In a way I'm glad I only see my Mom once/week (sometimes less). We live close by, but she can inadvertantly sabotage my weightloss. On the other hand, she's not the one who makes my food choices - *I* do. I have to find a better way to manage her weight loss compliments than by rebellion. See, the thing is, the only time I receive great praise from my mother is when I lose weight, and that bugs me. She doesn't criticize me for being overweight exactly, but it skirts the line. For example, we might be shopping for vitamins and I'll pick up a bottle of Hoodia. "Oh, I heard that's good," she'll say, and she'll leave it at that. There's also little things that I need to watch out for - and I need to learn to turn off my inner neural processors.

Mom doesn't need to lose weight, not at all, but she always thinks she does. She's a size 7-8, and she's 5'8" tall. She exercises every day and works out with weights, and walks the dog...what is there to lose? I don't think she was encouraged by her mother to accept herself for the way she is. In fact, I know she wasn't. When a mother calls her child a "football player" because she exercises and eats like her brothers, there's something wrong with body image.

Which brings me to me, of course. I want to learn to accept my body as is, at whatever stage it is, and I think I've hit a milestone. A sudden epiphany where I didn't get frustrated at the mirror, and I didn't pinch my "overlaps" with disgust. I've started looking into the mirror and nodding, and saying, "that's okay." And I've meant it. That's never happened to me before. It was just time, I suppose.

Mmm...the chicken is starting to smell delicious. Yes, I know you're not supposed to take frozen chicken out of the freezer, but I plopped that bad boy into a fry pan filled with chicken broth and spices, and I'm salivating with delight. The smell is calming, actually, and makes me feel like I'm in my mother's kitchen. Despite the body image thing, I really do love my mother. I just wish she would praise me for other things, other than weight loss. I wish she'd rejoice just as hard that I have a writing contract, and that I'm doing what I love (as well as hold down a full-time job). I wish she'd recognize that I like visiting science fiction and fantasy conventions, and that it's fun for me. I wish she wouldn't find fault in the things that excited me, that's all. If the only thing is weight loss, it becomes a very shallow relationship indeed. And I'm 38! That sort of thing doesn't have to happen - or it shouldn't happen.

Ergh. I forgot one thing, and I'm dreading this part. Usually when I start on a weight loss plan, Mom will compare me to her. It doesn't happen right away, but when she sees noticeable weight loss she'll feel like she needs to go on a diet as well. It feels like she's competing with me. I know she's not, but I wish she were more secure in herself to know that I need to settle on my own weight...and so does she.

Ah, well. Until next time...

--rg.


First picture - taken with my editor (taken a little over one month ago):

[luvinlowcarb]

I wish you the best of luck with your LC eating. You will probably be amazed when you decide to jump on the scale.

Great picture, you are beautiful.

[LCalways]

Originally Posted by luvinlowcarb

I wish you the best of luck with your LC eating. You will probably be amazed when you decide to jump on the scale.

Great picture, you are beautiful.

Aww! Thank you, Becky! And thank you for stopping by. I really do hope it comes together. Maybe as a "fit" gift I'll purchase a scale at the end of October. We'll see.

[LCalways]

Today? Mm, maybe not so good, carbwise. But I'm not going to beat myself up for it - I enjoyed the company of good friends, a good movie ("Bride & Prejudice") and good food. Eh, it could've been better, but it could've been worse, too.

I woke up really, really hungry today, and I think it's because I slept so long. I was tired, and forced myself to sleep in. I woke up at 5am-ish, stayed awake until 7, then I forced myself to sleep in until noon. But by noon I was absolutely hungry...I think that's what started the madness.

B - Had a SlimFast, but I was still hungry so I fixed another breakfast: eggwhite omelet with veggie shreds, one tofu SmartDog, and a bit of cabbage. With plenty of dashes of hot sauce. It wasn't too bad.

L - Lunch was about two hours later because I was hungry again (!). I met my friend and we went to Subway. I had a salad with grilled chicken, tomatoes, cheese slices, and 1 serving of chipotle sauce (one carb per serving). I only ate one tomato slice. I also had a light lemonade to drink.

D - Dinner's where I think things got crazy. I had about 15 almonds for an appetizer, my friend's taco soup (non-carb friendly, but I picked out as much of the hominy, corn, and beans as possible), one glass of white wine, 2 1/2 cans of lc soda (Strawberry & Cream Pepsi Jazz), and...a tiny slice of cheesecake, not carb friendly. I didn't eat the crust, but I still think the piece I has was about 20 carbs.

So, yeah, I went over induction today, but it's okay. Tomorrow, back on plan!

I tried on a pair of pants today that were really a bit tight earlier in the week, and they almost fit normally today. I still wouldn't mind if they were a bit looser in front, but the weight loss (or water loss) was pretty evident. Yay! Good times, good times.

Tomorrow is another weird night: A concert. If I eat enough early on I think I'll be okay. I just hope no one wants to stay late and hang around at some restaurant. The tickets will be expensive enough.

I had a mini breakdown yesterday as well, which I attribute to PMS and a bit of loneliness. At my new job it's hard to cozy up to the folks here. I had to move to get this job, and I'm feelin' kinda isolated. I hope I can connect with a group that shares my interests around town - a low carb group would be great, but if not even a book club or church group could fit the plan. Or a good singles group. I'll think about that more tomorrow, though. It's late now, and I need to sleep.

Night, all!

--rbg

[LCalways]

I was hungry again today, but I think I stuck closer to plan. It was an incredibly long day, and I'm not looking forward to the Monday work day. It will be extremely busy and I'm going to have to coordinate several things. I don't like juggling too many balls in the air...but this will be one of those juggling days.

For breakfast, I ate too late again - but my stomach was still a little upset from last night. I definitely ate too many of the wrong things, and I felt the difference.

But for today's breakfast (at 10:00am) I had a Jack-in-the-Box Supreme breakfast sandwich...without the bun (two fried eggs, two slices of Canadian bacon, and American cheese). I also had a large coffee with three half-in-half creamers. I'm not much on fast food, but I had a bit of time this morning.

Mom and I also went shopping in the afternoon, and fortunately I was wearing a long jacket/shirt so she couldn't see my weight loss. But she was showing me how loose her skirt was because she'd lost weight, and she was excited about it. But it means she went from a size 7 to maybe a size 5...I guess healthy is in the eyes of the beholder, but as far as I know she's never been truly satisfied with her sizes. She's taller than me as well - 5'7" - and another friend of mine remarked that her eating patterns remind her of anoerexia. I wouldn't go that far, but Mom uses a lot of psyllium and health food fiber cleansers after she "eats too much food." But that's another story for another day.

Fortunately Mom didn't say too much about my grocery choices, though she wondered if I were just going to buy meat. I bought vegetables too, but I could hear the wheels starting to go in her mind. Last time I went lc she kept telling me how bad the Atkins diet was and how Dr. Atkins was a fraud. I explained the diet to her, but she has her own opinions on the matter. Not sure if I've convinced her that the diet's good for me, or not.

After shopping I had lunch: Lamb shoulder chop with spinach and peppers. But I still felt hungry after eating it so I had a small (3-4oz) drink of a lc protein shake. That helped a little, but not much...then I remembered that I was PMS'ing and I was craving something sweet. And ding-ding-ding! I remembered what "cured" my cravings last time: Chocolate milk. This time I was prepared with unsweetened chocolate almond milk. A packet of lc sweetner and 4oz of that milk, and all the cravings disappeared.

I left the house at 6 to meet my friend for the concert, and I had a diet soda while waiting for him at the parking lot. When we got to the concert (7:15) I was hungry *again* and I ate a concession stand cheeseburger w/mustard, tomato, and onion (tossed the bun, thanks) with a large diet pepsi. I wasn't hungry again after that. And I got a bit of a perk - while I was dancing around at the concert my pants felt more loose, which gave me a smile or two. We'll see how it all goes next week.

I'm going to try and be more strict with my fat intake this week, since I'm not really exercising. I was eating less in the beginning but my appetite increased after a few days. I'm not sure if this is because I need the protein due to my menstrual cycle, or if I'm out of ketosis. We'll see tomorrow.

Peace, all!

--rbg

It's now 12:30am, and I'm tasting onions from my

[indogia]

sending you love and smiles on this beautiful day-a fresh new week,yey!!!!

[LCalways]

Thank you, dear heart! It was a busy day, but fortunately all went well. Now I just have to get through the rest of the week...eek!

Thanks for dropping by!

[LCalways]

Ultra quickie because I'm sleepy (okay, I saw the length of this thing...I lied!).

Breakfast - SlimFast lc
Lunch - taco salad (fast food). Ignored the shell, ignored the salsa (I usually put on too much). Ate the ground beef, lettuce, cheese, avocado, and sour cream.
Dinner - lamb shoulder and sauted shredded cabbage (with a tbsp of Anne's shiitake mushroom salad dressing).

And yep, it was a busy day. Helped students purchase $250 worth of hot dogs, hamburgers, buns, bread, soda, candy, chips, and salsa. And it took 2 hours, whoo! I'm not that big on shopping for food these days.

But I think I might try those xylitol syrups I saw online today for coffee and cooking. I'm not big on Splenda, NutraSweet, or anything that's lab-made. My mother, bless her, alternated between getting groceries from the health food store or from the dollar stores (depending on the $$ supply). I loved health food stores then and I still do now, and I don't trust many manufactured things. I'll eat 'em in a pinch (if it's the difference between no sweetner in my tea and the pink stuff I'll grab the pink stuff), but I prefer the "pure, natural and organic" route.

I like stevia and Lo Han fruit, but they can be expensive. I've investigated xylitol for a while - and I remember chewing the gum as a child - so I'm not too put off by its taste. I'm just a little unsure on how pure/natural it is. I suppose I'd say that lo han and stevia are my first choices for sweetners, followed by xylitol. I'd also use a lc inulin mix - it's made from chicory root, yes?

I experiment with sweeteners during "baking season" (aka Thanksgiving & Christmas). I want to see if I can create a sugar free dessert that my mother would actually enjoy, too. I'm getting ready for the holiday season, but I'm not too put out by it. We'll probably eat cornish game hens, lc stuffing (I'll look on the boards for it), greens with bacon, and maybe sweet potatoes, unless I can find a good lc sub for them. BTW, I just purchased a lc sweetener online made of chicory. Whoo, hoo! Hopefully it'll arrive sometime this week.

It's funny...for all my talk about these lc sweeteners, I haven't had many of them except for the Splenda in my lc Slimfast!

Oh, well - I'll cross the sweetener bridge when I come to it.

Night, all!

--rbg.

[LCalways]

Another quickie, although knowing me I'll have lots to say.

Almost had a slip-up this evening when I was helping put out snacks on the snack table - the chips and cookies smelled really good when I opened the packages, and it was at that moment that I was suddenly *really* hungry. I should've had a later dinner but I didn't - and that's one reason why the growlies nearly got me. I didn't submit, but man it was the biggest challenge I've had to date. I just need to make sure I eat on time.

Breakfast - fantastic. Omelet with cheese, mushrooms, slivers of onions, canadian bacon, and green pepper. I restrained from eating the whole thing, but it was goooood.

Lunch - I ate it extremely late, at about 4:30pm. I justified this as my dinner, too. It was a local ceasar salad, and I took the croutons off. The salad had lovely roast chicken & parmesian cheese, and I added ranch dressing to the lot of it.

Dinner - like I said, I sort of missed it. But I also nibbled on some lamb and had a cup of lc chai tea (Oregon Chai makes a low carb/sugar free version of their famous chai~!). I added regular almond milk to it and heated it, but it was a little disappointing. I'll try the vanilla almond milk in it next time.

I also had three lc/sugar-free calcium chews. I shouldn't be eating those like candy...but I sort of justified it because I need to build up my calcium. Last time I visited my family doc she didn't like the xray of my back - beginnings of degenerative bone disease, she said. Not good.

Anyway, I might drink the rest of my banana shake in the fridge (it's nasty, but I opened it so now I should drink it). It's lc, and has the vitamins I need. Plus, it's not too heavy so it shouldn't wake me up in the night.

Take care, all!

--rbg

[LCalways]

Another quickie message - but another positive one, too.

Breakfast - LC shake
Lunch - Had grilled chicken fajita without the wrap (peppers, chicken, tomatoes, and onions). It was slightly sweet, though, so I wonder if it had added sugar. Humm. I also ate a little later than I should've, but that's okay.
Dinner - Had a *really* good experiment. I found turnip greens with "smoked bacon" flavor, and I fried them up in the same pan as my lean turkey breast. I added a few things: Cider vinegar, poultry seasoning, Lowry's spicy season salt, celery seed, canola oil, and a few dashes of hot sauce and stevia. The turkey tasted like bbq turkey on the outside (like smoked turkey) and the greens were *divine!* I gobbled them up in a New York second.

I was still a little hunger later, so I cooked four slices of bacon as well (I might've been too low fat with the turkey) and I drank 8oz of unsweetened chocolate almond milk (with stevia added). *Very* nice, and the cravings disappeared.

I swear, something about chocolate and the feel of milk, and sweetener...cures the PMS cravings every time. Dunno why.

Night, all!

--rbg

[LCalways]

I can't believe how fast my days are going by...my friend was right, this new job
creates a real "whoosh" of the days.

Breakfast - Good and bad. I always try to know what I'm putting in my mouth, especially during induction. If I know it's bad, I'll eat it, but I'll know it's bad. If it's good for me, I want to know that, too.

But today someone cooked a breakfast egg casserole, and I'm not sure how many carbs were in it. Some of those things can have bread within them. I drank my lc shake, but I also had a small serving of the egg casserole (I know it had eggs, ham, and cheese in it, but I'm not sure if it had a filler). It didn't change my symptoms, though, and my hunger was well satisfied until nearly 2pm, but I still didn't trust it because I didn't make it. But I skipped the sausage balls and the muffins. I wasn't even tempted by the muffins (but I think that's because they had the egg casserole, too). I hate to miss out when others are eating, y'know? I still think food should be more of a social activity.

Lunch - I cooked at home. I had the remainder of that yummy turkey breast, and I ate turnip greens with it - but this time I put far too much cider vinegar in it and it tasted like I was eating vinegar with a touch of greens (yuck). I ended up diluting it some more on the stove, but that was only I tried eating three or four bites of it first. I tell you what, eating that much vinegar makes you lose your appetite *really* quickly. I wasn't hungry again until well after 7pm, and even then I wasn't hungry...I ate because I realized I hadn't had anything.

Dinner - Very low carb dinner, although I could've made it extremely carby. We worked on a program and served hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and soda for it. The program went really well and it was fantastic - and the only thing I really craved was a diet soda (we did a lot of thirsty work). We also power lifted a cotton candy machine and a popcorn machine (industrial sizes!) so I think I got a partial workout today, too.

I ate two hotdogs and one hamburger for dinner.

I was offered cotton candy, a snickers bar, and popcorn, but I refused them - and I didn't have a feeling of being deprived. Usually that's what I feel, and I get grouchy because I feel I "deserve" to enjoy it with them. I think my attitude has changed. I didn't miss the junk food and I didn't crave it afterwards. Every once in a while people ate it, but I looked at it like a normal person would: I didn't suddenly frown and wish I could take a bite of it. I totally felt okay with them eating it, and I totally felt ok that I wasn't eating it. And that was new for me.

As for the rest, I'll be coming out of induction after tomorrow, and I'm not sure of the direction I want to go. I think I'll switch the lc shakes and use plain, full-fat yogurt and Greek yogurt for breakfast (with a pinch of stevia or lo han) and maybe an egg, depending on how I feel. I have a book based on ayurvedic eating and it works a lot for me (it includes eggs in abundance). I might work on that, but I'll try making breadless quiches. I love a good quiche - more than I love plain ol' scrambled eggs, that's for sure.

Well, that was a short reply turned long, eh?

Oh, PS - I wore my size 14 jeans today (the straight legs!) they were still a little tighter than I'd like, but I buttoned them ok. I think I'll make my goal.

Now to start looking for that carpet. Hmm...

Night, friends! See you tomorrow.

--rbg.

[LCalways]

It's still a good day, although I did eat off plan for one snack. I wanted to be sociable, though, and I really didn't have a big, bad carby reaction, so I think it all went well. It won't be a habit, but it felt ok because I knew my attitude was different. I would've been worse off had I not had something, because I would've been all crabby. Right now the only frustration is today's the last day of induction for me, and I'm trying to figure out what I want to eat. I suppose I also need to find out my true weight, too. All in good time.

Breakfast - lc shake.

Lunch - I ate big. : One piece of blackened catfish with two slices of Swiss Cheese (delish), salad with ranch dressing, serving of broccoli, and a serving of green beans. All too good for words. I was actually less hungry and I almost didn't eat all of it, but I felt it was too good to waste - so I ate it all up. Yum!

Snack/Dinner - at around 4pm, I fixed a fried egg with two slices of bacon, because I knew I was going out at 5pm for ice cream.

Carby snack - I was taking a group of college students to our famed ice cream parlor as a treat for their association (and as a team builder). I was paying, so I knew I had to have some ice cream because I wanted them to feel good about the event. If they saw me decline, I think it would've made them feel guilty and they wouldn't have enjoyed it. But was it a justification for me eating some myself? I don't think so. My mindset wasn't the same. I patiently took my time and thought about what I wanted, and I took one 2-oz scoop of my favorite, and another 2-oz scoop of another flavor. I wasn't "scared" about it, I just treated it like the nice experience that it was: A once in a lifetime treat. And you know what? I liked it, but I didn't crave more afterwards. I didn't constantly think about it, and I didn't want to go back and get more. In fact, I almost didn't finish all of it. I really had the mind set of enjoying it, instead of constantly thinking about it (or getting more for later). I liked it, but I didn't over-like it, and the flavors didn't overwhelm me or my taste buds. I ate it like a "normal" person would. In short, I wasn't tempted! For the first time I wasn't tempted by food, and I thank God for that victory. It's a huge victory, and I think He's helping me fulfill a lifetime dream of food-neutrality. Thank you, Jesus.

Final meal - I was a little hungry later (around 8-ish) so I fried two pieces of bacon up and shared it with my dog. I also had a cup of green tea.

So, except for the ice cream, it all went pretty much to plan. Now the hard part begins: How should I eat for OWL...?

Ooh, PS - I saw a few great recipes on this site for egg waffles, or ricotta "cream of wheat." Those could be excellent ways to keep my calcium levels up, and not eat a lot of grains. I want to limit my grains as much as possible, and I want to limit my "artificial" foods/flavors. I also bought some plain, regular yogurt (Greek style and Brown Cow plain full fat) so we'll see how that goes, too.

[LCalways]

Today's menu - and yay for the time change! I definitely need it.

It was a long day, but a very fun one. I went to a local comic convention and hobnobbed with a few greats - got some pics, too, and I might post them. I don't know yet. Maybe I'll just take a picture of me, and see if I've changed much. My clothes are loosening up in my legs, so that's good. Not so much in the waist yet or the hips, which tends to be unusual. I usually lose there first (or I used to anyway). My bottom's missing, though! And it was already sorta flat...ah well.

Breakfast - lc Atkins bar and lc Starbucks light coffee. Total = 8 net carbs (more if I count the glycerine in the Atkins bar)...ate it after 11am.

Lunch - ate it late, after a break in the convention, and it was probably fairly carby: fajita salad with chicken and beef at On the border. Lots of cheese this time, and ranch dressing. I tasted the jalepeno vinagarette, and I think it had too many carbs in it. I also ate the tomatoes, the sour cream, a few of the onions (grilled), and the avocado. At it at around 4pm.

Dinner - Again, ate it late, during a movie (around 9:45 or 10pm): Swiss cheese burger with grilled mushrooms, tomato slice, and onions. I ate the tomato slice and a few of the onions, and almost all the mushrooms. Gave the burger and fries to my friend.

It felt like I pigged out today, and maybe I did comparatively...but maybe that's a good thing? We'll see. This was the first time I think I ate about 2300 calories in a while. I'm going to try and eat earlier/on time, and see if I end up eating less. I'm not really into counting calories, but I'm trying to get all my necessary nutrients without adding unnecessary foods. I don't need cheese, and I'm really not that big on milk, so I can forgo cheese. I do like avocados, though, and a few other foods. As much as possible I'm going to try sticking to meats (including fish & chicken), eggs, and vegetables. If I do that, I'll allow myself some higher fats (like for fried eggs, or stir fried veggies).

We'll see how it comes together!

Night,

--rbg.

[LCalways]

[LCalways]

[LCalways]

[LCalways]

[LCalways]

Yup, I was having a bit of a fight with the posting last night...it didn't confirm that I'd posted things, so I kept posting (whoops!). Also, I don't know how to delete a message from a thread on this board. Oops. Maybe I'll find out how, later.

Today was a busy one, and I didn't completely stay on play when we went to the movie theater. It wasn't a planned visit either, and next time I'll remember to keep something on plan in my purse. I love to munch on popcorn at the theater, so I'll have to find something else that satisfies my chomp mechanism.

Breakfast - again, ate pretty late. With the time change and my puppy staying up all night, I ended up eating breakfast at noon. I had about 3-oz plain Brown Cow yogurt, two slices of bacon, and a fried egg (one whole, one eggwhite from egg beaters eggwhites). 'Twas quite delish, and filled me up until after 3pm, when I took my college kiddos to a movie. Yup, I blew it there with popcorn...but again, I'm not beating myself up. I'll just say that that's my last treat for a while. I don't want to make any bad habits.

Lunch - popcorn

Dinner - We went bowling for an hour, and then we headed to Wendy's. I had a Jr. Bacon cheeseburger (sans bun) and a side salad with ranch...not too bad, but yah. It could've been better.

Next week I'm going to eat lighter meats.

I also went ahead and purchased four syrups from Nature's Flavors. I like them because they use xylitol instead of splenda. It might not taste the same, but I'm looking forward to trying them. I'm just not that big on splenda. I know xylitol is a sugar alcohol, but I've had no problems with it and I like the fact that nothing's been "tampered" with to create the sweet flavor. We'll see if I stall from it, or not. If not, I'll probably get their xylitol maple syrup, too.

This week I'm going to also puchase a scale, possibly that Health-o-Meter everyone's been talking about. Ugh. I don't like scales. I think I'll purchase one next Friday, and make Fridays my weigh in days.

I also want to start exercising again, but I have to find a good time for it. My dog's never seen me exercise before (she's a puppy!) so I want to help her realize that Momma's jumping and squealing doesn't mean it's playtime, either...oy. Squashed puppy would not be fun, and I would cry. Lots.

[luvinlowcarb]

I also want to start exercising again, but I have to find a good time for it. My dog's never seen me exercise before (she's a puppy!) so I want to help her realize that Momma's jumping and squealing doesn't mean it's playtime, either...oy. Squashed puppy would not be fun, and I would cry. Lots.[/quote]

Too cute!

[LCalways]

Hee! Thanks for the drive-by, luvin! I need more luvin, m'self... Bad pun, I know.

Today's menu du jour, not too bad. I'm still burping up dinner, though (bleech).

Breakfast: Nice big ol' omelet with cheese, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and Canadian bacon. And I ate it all up. Definitely hungry!

Lunch: Had lamb with broccoli

Dinner: Whaddya know? Leftover lamb, with broccoli! I also had unsweeted chocolate almond milk for "dessert".

I had to play mediator with the college folks again tonight, and I'm veeery sleepy...but hopefully things will get better. I hope they will - if nothing else, I think they'll learn to communicate a bit more. But that's all another story.

I do love my job, I really do - it's just stressful at times.

Funny enough, I'm also still sore from bowling. I forgot it's actually "exercise." I love bowling. If I had my druthers, I'd bowl and rollerskate for my exercise.

And good news - I'm closer to getting my Masters than I thought! If I can sub one class, I might be able to graduate in the Summer instead of next Fall07. And that would be *awesome.* Yay for me!

Of course that begs the question: What do I do later...Doctorate? Humm...Those Doctoral robes are mighty spiffy, yes indeedy.

[LCalways]

Wasn't a bad day overall, actually - even with the close calls!

Breakfast - Had sausage & scrambled eggs

Lunch (ate late) - had chicken breast a