Bella's Life by the Sea Journal

[BellaHMB]

Back to the journal

Soon I will be ending my ninth month of lowcarb and what a journey! Recently this is
what I have learned:

* If I add in too many carbs into my maintenance menu then I soon experience cravings.
Ugh! Oatmeal for breakfast is NOT a good idea for me as it sets up a whole day of food focus. It feels like my world revolves around it!

* Keeping a simple life and a simple menu is the way to go for me.

* I will likely for the forseeable future need to keep track of my daily eating
to stay on course.

* I am totally enjoying my new life and new body! WOOHOOO!!

So those are my thoughts for the day.....

A few days ago I had a stomach upset which lasted 2 days and I couldnt eat my usual protein so I upped my carbs and ate more oatmeal etc. It was NOT the best choice
and I soon experienced very intense cravings and I was hungry ALL the time.

Note to self: LEGAL FOODS CAN STILL BE BOXED OUT OF MY DIET PLAN

This means that some legals like oatmeal or certain nuts etc including Peanut Butter
need to in general be "boxed out" (or disallowed) except if I choose to "box in" for a specific reason. Legal foods can really get you in trouble if they cause cravings...

Thought for the day: Awareness is the Key to Success

Have a good one!

Bella

[mjais]

I've been reading your journal and I wanted to tell you I appreciate your honesty in not sugar-coating anything. I can relate. It takes discipline and self control and I haven't seen too much mention of that so far on this board. It's not all about the low carb plan.

I will check back in to continue reading. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences.

[mstamika]

Bella,
Those are some great thoughts. I am drawn to oatmeal as well but find it makes me crave more oatmeal and ultimately more everything else.

Congratulations on enjoying your new life and new body!

[BellaHMB]

You are both very welcome!

I had 2 clean days of maintenance eating with 20 grams per day of carbs,
and feel much better. I havent gained any weight, but that's not the only
issue! On maintenance its important to keep sobriety from carbs

Bella

[mstamika]

It's interesting you use the word sobriety. That approach speaks volumes.

[BellaHMB]

Yep!

Where in the Bay area are you located? Im on the SF coast near Half Moon Bay.

Bella

[mstamika]

I work in Sunnvale, live in Los Gatos. I love driving to the Santa Cruz coastline and occasionally SF.

I haven't been to Half Moon Bay since I was a little girl. I hear it's beautiful. A co-worker lives there.

[BellaHMB]

Decided to check in...!

Its November 4th and Im in my 10th month now, maintaining since May 27th 2007.
My plan is going well, and I monitor my eating by using fitday and keeping close track
of my carbs. Im not as careful about calories now as I was when I was losing, but I am aware of a 1500 ceiling. Some day could be a little more, but then I have fond that my hunger reduces after that. Amazing! My body tells me when it wants more food!

I have found that I snack alot. And I havent been able to change that really....so I make sure I snack on legal foods every 2 hours or so and it seems to work. I am not sure if I can continue to have as many nuts as I have and sometimes I consider eliminating them
from my diet. But Im taking a weight see attitude

I havent had much trouble with sweets though as I've drawn a line in the sand and simply don't eat them. I do have a cappuchino bone dry (made with only foam) and breve (half and half, no milk) a couple times a week so I feel like I have a normal life and can enjoy some treats. But as I said, Im very careful.

Today's thought: Enjoy the simple beauties in life!

Bella

[BellaHMB]

Almost December

Today I am thinking about remaining detached yet involved in
my ongoing eating plan.

What I mean by this is that if I can be neutral with the foods I eat
rather than attached emotionally to them, then I will have continued
success. An example is "Nuts cause cravings, so I will X them out"
or "I see my weight is going up, I will eliminate X this week" rather
than "OMG! PANIC PANIC! MY WEIGHT IS GOING UP".

See the difference?

Today's Thought: Identify what you need to do and do it!

Have a good LC Day!

Bella

[mstamika]

Hello Bella,
I enjoy reading your insights. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

[sumozmom]

hello!
i'm new here..i have been LC for about 1 mth now. lost about 15lbs. i did notice on fitday that my carb intake is around 30-50. prob a little high...but cals are at about 1000. i was wondering what u used for salad dressing back in the begining? i'm trying to lower my carbs. some days at 20 some at 50
thnx for being an insperation!!!!

[BellaHMB]

I used Ken's low carb dressings. I agree, 50 is probably too high at the beginning. I kept mine at 20 until I reached goal, then increased to the 35 I eat now for maintaining.

Thanks for posting!

Bella

[sumozmom]

Originally Posted by BellaHMB

I used Ken's low carb dressings. I agree, 50 is probably too high at the beginning. I kept mine at 20 until I reached goal, then increased to the 35 I eat now for maintaining.

Thanks for posting!

Bella

thnx for info...what did you eat to keep the carbs to 20 and cal to 800ish?
if u can maybe post a few days of food....or was it always the same...?

again thankyou for your time...

[BellaHMB]

This is from an earlier post...

B: 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 2 ounces protein such as tuna with mayo (1t)
and 1/2 dill pickle.
L: Grilled chicken salad: I cook the chicken with Mrs Dash spices, then add it warm to 1 cup lettuce or raw spinach, a sprinkle of mozz cheese or feta,
3 kalamata olives, small amount Ken's caesar dressing (low carb)
Snack: 1 ounce cheese, turkey rollups (no more than 100 calories here), SF jello and LOTS of water/good earth tea. I use that to cut my hunger.
D: 3 ounces protein, 1/2 cup veggies such as cooked spinach, mushrooms (only 1/4 cup)with red peppers. Maybe another bit of cottage cheese if Im really hungry.

[sumozmom]

Originally Posted by BellaHMB

This is from an earlier post...

B: 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 2 ounces protein such as tuna with mayo (1t)
and 1/2 dill pickle.
L: Grilled chicken salad: I cook the chicken with Mrs Dash spices, then add it warm to 1 cup lettuce or raw spinach, a sprinkle of mozz cheese or feta,
3 kalamata olives, small amount Ken's caesar dressing (low carb)
Snack: 1 ounce cheese, turkey rollups (no more than 100 calories here), SF jello and LOTS of water/good earth tea. I use that to cut my hunger.
D: 3 ounces protein, 1/2 cup veggies such as cooked spinach, mushrooms (only 1/4 cup)with red peppers. Maybe another bit of cottage cheese if Im really hungry.

[BellaHMB]

So I havent posted in a while and I think it would be a good idea!

I am finishing up my 12th month of lowcarbing and on the 16th of January will mark
the end of 1 year with no cheats. I have decided that Im going to continue my fitday entries until then (daily) and when I reach one year I might change to twice weekly as a check-in. I don't want to stop entirely, but I do feel I need to make a slight change.
I can still post my menus on the maintenance forum too.

Life has changed alot since I lost weight. I feel better, no more worries about how I look
or what Im going to wear. And Im in jeans again!! Wow, and at 53

Right now I have a killer cold but it's my first illness in a year. So my health has improved.

Now the focus is keeping it off!

Bella

[Debralynn]

Thanks for stopping by my journal! You are such an inspiration, and I really enjoyed your journal.

Hope this message finds you feeling better!

[BellaHMB]

Thanks so much and yes I am feeling better!

Bella

[erickajean]

Just browsed through your journal and thought I would tell you, once again (I know I say it often) you truly inspire me Bella. Thank you for sharing your weight loss journey with everyone, and thank you for proving that with hard work, it can be done.

You are one heck of a woman Bella!

[BellaHMB]

That means alot, and I really appreciate your taking the time
to read my journal. Now I need to start typing in it again!

Bella

[BellaHMB]

Some more thoughts....

I realized that my ongoing weight loss was very strict! And now that Im in maintenance,
I don't really eat all that differently but I do eat more. Here is my eating for just today:

B: 1/2 flax muffin with ghee, 4 ounces or so Greek Yogurt with walnuts, coffee
snack: revolution roll with almond butter
L: smoked salmon on 1/2 ezekial bread with cream cheese (thin layer), 2 pieces bacon.
(this was not enough protein for me), hot tea
snack: almonds, cottage cheese.
D: chicken casear salad, 1/2 hamburger patty
S: sugar free hot chocolate (2 grams), 1/2 slice cheese

Note: I usually have a little fruit everyday but didn't today. Also today my protein
was low so I had 2 proteins at dinner. The revolution rolls do have eggs in them though.

I havent completed my fitday but I estimate this day at about 30 grams of carbs.

Bella

[BellaHMB]

Trying to find time to type in my journal here as a way to stay focused.
I thought I would list some of the ways I stay on track...

*Read LCF every morning and post often

* Use fitday

* Gym workouts 5-6 days a week

* Keeping my life untroubled when I can so as to avoid
the effects of emotional problems on my weight

* Meal planning

* Keeping my choices simple, meal plans are relatively the same
*NO CHEATS

* Weighing every Friday even if I don't want to! Keeps me on track.
And I usually also weigh on Monday or Tuesday so it's twice a week

* Wearing jeans do I know if Im gaining at all!

So these are a few of the things I do to keep myself on track.
I really really don't want to gain this weight back again! I have
done that, as many of us have, and I'd like this to be the last
time I have to lose weight. I feel so much healthier, and I promised
myself that if I ever lost my weight that I would keep it off.

Thought for the day: Keep doing the same thing and I will be successful!

Bella

[Hot Tamale]

Hi Bella, Just wanted to thank you for writing this journal. I read a lot of it, and your suggestions, I believe, are going to help me get started losing again! Thanks!

[BellaHMB]

You are welcome!

[Livywilltim-mom]

Bella!

It is so nice to see how well you are doing.

Thanks for sharing your journey and your insight!

Peace

[BellaHMB]

Thankyou Jaimie!

Time for a check in from me

Well, Im in month (let me think...) 14 of low carb and doing well still.
I think pretty much my continued focus which has kept me on track includes:

* Weekly weigh-ins (twice a week usually) on Fridays
which means I am accountable to myself AND my maintenance gal pals

* Using fitday, still. I am not as careful as I was during losing, but I still record.

* Exercise Baby! I work out 5-6 times a week.

* Keeping my eating very simple. I never go off plan! Sometimes I add something in which adds too many calories (oopsies and the accompanying toppings!) but since I
only add in one thing at a time I can see how it affects my weight. Sometimes it is a little boring.....! Thin is worth it!!!

*Clothes, clothes, clothes! I am a material girl it seems....! Actually, I work with women and spirituality, but apparently my love of clothes hasn't been affected

* Continuing to be part of low carb groups including a great group of women online
here (Hi Stevie! Mitz! Warden Pat! MARLA~~ Everyone else!!)

If I can do it, you can do it!

Bella

[banalien]

Bella!

[BellaHMB]

Mitz! How is your plan going??

Bella