I started a slow carb diet on Friday and I've decided I have a better chance of staying on it if I write it up. I also thought it would be interesting to explore how you can stay on a fairly aggressive weight loss diet while eating out 5 or more times a week. It can be done. Or at least I hope so.
I've done serious diets twice before. I discovered the low-carb diet before anyone had written a book on it; in fact I went as far as organizing 6 people to participate in a trial to demonstrate what I'd figured out. All 6 people dropped out before the end of the 2nd week. So much for that idea. I was losing weight so rapidly that I had to go off the diet. My goal was to lose 12lbs and I lost 22. Too much for someone my size.
There are a million diets and some of them work; I chose the slow carb for a number of reasons. First, it works. Second, I can drink wine. Third, there's a cheat day, so I can still eat a pizza or a bowl of pasta (or both on the same day). And last, is that there's no calorie counting. As long as you eat the right foods, there's no limit on how much you can eat.
Slow Carb Rules
The basic rules are simple:
1) No White Food, except Cauliflower
No sugar, flour, bread, pasta, rice or potatoes. No whole grains, multi-grains, oatmeal, tortillas or food with breading.
2) Eat the Same Meals Over and Over
The theory is that your body gets "used" to certain foods, and can metabolize them better.
3) Don't Drink Calories
No fruit juices, sodas or beer. No milk. There are no protein shakes on this diet. A small amount of cream in coffee is OK.
Drink LOTS of water. If there's one thing that all diets agree on, it's that you have to drink a lot of water.
4) Don't Eat Fruit
Fruit has a lot of sugar. Just don't eat it.
5) Do a Cheat Day once a week.
Eat whatever you want 1 day a week. Pizza, Pasta, Beer, Candy. Anything goes.
There are some other weird things suggested.
1) Drink a big glass of ice cold water when you wake up
2) Take Cold Showers
3) Eat Fermented Foods, like Sauerkraut and Kimchi
4) No Splenda
There's no working out required. I'll probably do 3-4 hours a week of p90x.
If you're familiar with low-carb dieting, the big difference is the inclusion of beans and lentils. Beans and fiber slow digestion, and also provide carbohydrates without causing spikes in your blood sugar.
Breaking the Rules
My slow carb diet breaks some of the rules before I even start
1) I eat cheese. Cheese is not on the allowed food list. I like cheese. I can't eat big salads without cheese. I definitely cut down on the amount of cheese I eat when I'm on the diet, but some of my favorite low carb meals include cheese.
2) Protein Shakes. I like to have a protein shake now and then, particularly when I don't have time to whip something up. Never mix a protein shake with food.
3) I drink Mich Ultra Light. I can't drink wine when I go to a sports bar. If I go out someplace where I'm not drinking wine, like Duffy's, I'll have a Mich Ultra with no food.
Changing Some Habits
There are a couple of things I learned that are absolutely essential. First, no eating after drinking. Drinking is inevitable when you live in Fort Lauderdale, but one thing I do differently is that I either eat before I go out or with my first glass of wine. You simply can't eat anything with fat or significant calories after drinking.
Another thing is that I eat more. You have to eat more to lose weight. Your body gets used to metabolizing a certain about of food. In order to burn more fat, you have to turn your body into a fat burning machine. And you do that by eating.
I eat all day long. Whenever I'm hungry. A handful of nuts, some cottage cheese. A piece of chicken.
Third is that I force myself to eat breakfast, unless I'm fasting. Once in a while I'll do an intermittent fast and not eat until dinner. But when I'm eating, I eat a high protein, high fiber breakfast.
Fourth is no Splenda. I'll be drinking iced tea without Splenda.
Last is that I MUST do the cheat day. When I haven't lost as much weight as I'd hoped, I tend to say to myself that eating a lot of fattening stuff for a day might not be helpful. But I've found that without the cheat day, I'll plateau. It also gives me a chance to get fats and nutrients that I've deprived myself of on the other 6 days. A cheat day is required.
Understanding What You're Doing
When you blindly follow a diet, like Nutrasystem, you may lose a lot of weight without ever understanding why. The problem is that you can't live that way forever. Do people really keep buying that food from them?
As I mentioned, the goal is to turn your body into a fat-burning machine. You do that by replacing stuff you usually eat that interrupts the process with stuff that makes the process work better. The idea is to chain together meals that work towards a purpose; I kind of make a game out of it. I can have eggs with black beans and some meat and kick up my metabolism; or have some toast and home fries and kill my fat burning for a whole day. When you think about it that way, it's much easier. And much more effective.
Getting Started
The first thing to do is to go shopping. I usually keep a lot of stuff in the refrigerator that I can make quickly, as I'll be eating more often. I buy some chicken cutlets and grill them so I can make chicken salad, naked chicken parmesan or even eat it cold. I buy cottage cheese and some lean beef.
This time I bought some flank steak; it doesnt get much leaner than flank steak. I decided to make ropa vieja; it stores well and it goes well with black beans; another of my staples on this diet.
It's hard to imagine that throwing a bunch of stuff into a pot like this can turn out the way it does, but this is how I do it.
After 5 hours it's starting to come together. A small adjustment in seasoning and one more hour will be needed.
When it's done, it goes into the fridge and I can just portion out as much as I want for a snack, meal or just a little extra protein. Making a bowl of Ropa and Black beans takes 3 minutes. In the morning. I can throw together an egg-beaters omelet in a flash.
You can see how it looks finished in the pictures below.
Starting Line
On Friday morning I was 153lbs. with 21.3% body fat. Let's see how it goes. I'll be doing reviews as usual, posting my daily meals log with some pictures here. I'll also be including some of my favorite Low-Carb recipes that I adapted during my research for my first successful diet. I'll be doing "official" weighings weekly on Fridays, with checks during the week. Weight fluctuates too much to get worry about it day to day.
Friday January 10, 2014
Breakfast:Coffee, 2 eggs over-easy, 1 yolk
Lunch: Italio Salad
Dinner: Ropa Vieja with Black Beans
Snacks: Almonds, Peanuts, Dark Chocolate
Saturday, January 11
Breakfast: Coffee, 2 eggs over-easy, 1 yolk, rope vieja, black beans
Lunch: Fresh Market Salad
Dinner: Big Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Red Onion, Maytag Blue Cheese and Olive Oil and Red Vinegar Dressing
Snacks: Almonds, Peanuts
Sunday January 12
Breakfast: Ropa Vieja and Black Bean Egg Beaters Omelet
Lunch: Hot Sausage, Sauerkraut, Red Pepper, Onions, Italian Long Pepper, splash chicken broth.
The red pepper takes the bite out of the sauerkraut and the long pepper adds some heat. I puncture the sausage
and grill it until it's half cooked to get the excess fat out. This is a fantastic dish that will make you cry.
Dinner: No Dinner.
Snacks: Medium Salsa, Cottage Cheese, Almonds, Dark Chocolate
I'm not eating enough. Weekends are hard. I have to get my habits into gear. Monday will be the real start. The fridge is stocked.
Monday Jan 13
151.6 on the scale this morning. Do I believe it? Not really. But better than 154.
Breakfast: Coffee, 2 eggs (1 yolk), Black Beans, "Cajun" Chicken Cutlet
I didn't feel like having my fingers smell like garlic this morning, so I just sprinkled some granulated garlic on the beans.
Lunch: Mediterranean Salad (Greek Spice Grill) with Tuna Salad
Lunch #2: Lentil Soup with Sauerkraut, Kielbasa, and Chorizo
This was my way of putting a bunch of specific foods together; I sauteed some garlic, kielbasa and chorizo in a few drips of olive oil, added some sauerkraut and then added a 1/2 can of Progresso Lentil/Vegetable Soup. The soup is pretty bland on it's own, but it's easier than cooking up the lentils separately. I usually add some sort of sausage to lentil soup; this had some pretty interesting flavors, but it wasn't nearly as good as the sausage and kraut concoction I made yesterday. A purpose meal for certain. When I finished I was still a bit hungry, which is also good.
Something that's happening is that I'm starting to get hungry faster. Being hungry all of the time is good; it means that you're burning what you're eating and your body wants more.
Dinner: Naked Chicken Paramesan
Snacks: Almonds, Cottage Cheese, Dark Chocolate
Tuesday Jan 14
Breakfast: Coffee, 2 eggs (1 yolk) Black Beans, Ropa Vieja
Late Morning Snack: Steamed Broccoli and Cauliflower w/cheese, 2 oz Cajun Chicken
A purpose meal for certain.
Weight at 11:30am: 150.8lbs I'm remaining skeptical.
Lunch: Whole Foods Salad Bar.
Dinner: Sausage and Peppers
Snacks: Almonds, Cottage Cheese, Dark Chocolate
Wed January 15
Breakfast: Coffee, 2 eggs (1 yolk), black beans/lentils, Sauteed Flounder
Weight at 11:30am: 150.4 lbs. Remaining Skeptical, but growing optimistic.
Lunch: Isle Buffet Meat, Fish, Salad, Beans and Veggies
Dinner: Leftover Salad from Greek Spice Grill, Tuna Fish, Tomatoes, Cheddar Cheese, Medium Salsa
Snacks: Cottage Cheese, Dark Chocolate, Almonds
Thu January 16
Breakfast: Coffee, Egg Beaters Omelet: Cajun Chicken, Black Beans, Jack Cheese
150.2 on the scale before lunch.
Lunch: Lobster Bar Sea Grill: Salmon w/Spinach
Late Lunch / Dinner: Kielbasa, Hot Sausage, Onions, Red Peppers, Sauerkraut
Snacks: Cheese, Kielbasa, Cottage Cheese
Fri January 17
Breakfast: 2 eggs (1 Yolk), well-done Bacon
Lunch: Ropa Vieja, Black Beans, Lentils
Dinner: Salad: Lettuce, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Maytag Blue Cheese, EVOO and Vinegar Dressing (home made)
Snacks: Cheese, Kielbasa, Almonds, Cottage Cheese
Sat Jan 18
Breakfast: Coffee, 2 eggs (1 yolk), Sausage
Weigh In
My first weigh-in. I'll be weighing in on Saturday before lunch; either Saturday night or Sunday or Monday will be my cheat day, and I'll gain 2 lbs temporarily that will take 2 days to burn off.
3.3 lbs in 7.5 days. Can't complain about that. I'm weighing myself on my Wii Balance Board, which is a lot more accurate than the scale I have, which gives me 2 different readings 5 seconds apart.
For body fat measurement, I'm using an Omron HBF-306C:
Is it accurate? Who knows. Hopefully it will at least provide a relative measure so I can tell if its improving.
Atkins shakes are on BOGO at Publix, so I decided to add some shakes to my routine. I'm really not getting enough calories. To make the shakes, I take an Atkins Shake, add ice, 4oz of Skim Milk and unsweetened Hershey's Dark Chocolate powder. After a workout I'll add a scoop of coffee ice cream, and then blend it up.
Lunch/Snack: Chocolate Protein Shake
Dinner: Guacamole (1 Haas Avocado, Medium Salsa)
Snacks: Cheese, Almonds, Cottage Cheese, Kielbasa
Sun Jan 19
Today is my cheat day, but I'm only doing a 1/2 day. So my first 2 meals will be on track; this afternoon it's game on. I'm looking forward to having something other than the 8 foods I've been eating for a week.
Breakfast: Chicken and Peppers Omelet with Lentils
Snack: 1/2 Atkins Breakfast Shake
Lunch: Brunch at DBA Cafe
Last Lunch: Salisbury Steak, Mac and Cheese, Broccoli and Cauliflower with cheese.
Dinner: Salad
Snacks: Ice Cream, Chips
My cheat day was largely a failure. A big issue is that I didn't have any food that isn't low carb. I could have made a bowl of pasta, but I wasn't hungry in the evening. I did drink a lot and have a Klondike Bar. Certainly a high calorie day.
Mon Jan 20
Breakfast: Coffee, Scrambled Eggs (1 Egg + Egg Beaters), 1 Sausage Patty
Late Morning Snack: Atkins Breakfast Shake
Lunch: Fort Lauderdale Ale House Cobb Salad
Dinner: Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
Snacks: Cottage Cheese, Almonds, Blue Cheese
Tue Jan 21
Breakfast: Coffee, Egg Beaters Omelet: Cajun Chicken, Black Beans, Poblano Peppers, Jack Cheese
Lunch: Atkins Shake with Skim Milk, Dark Chocolate powder
Late Lunch: Lean Cuisine Turkey w/Green Beans, Black Beans and Lentils
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Red Onion, Maytag Blue Cheese, Oil/Vinegar Dressing (home made)
Wed Jan 22
Breakfast: Coffee, 2 eggs (1 Yolk), Sausage Patty
Lunch: Hot Sausage, Peppers, Onions, Sauerkraut
Late Lunch: Brussels Sprouts, Chorizo, garlic, onions
Dinner: LoCarb Eggplant Parmesan
Fantastic Stuff.
Snacks: Cottage Cheese, Almonds, Atkins Shake
Thu Jan 23
Breakfast: Coffee, Cheese Omelet, Bacon
Finally, today, I'm under my low weight from Saturday; I weighed in at 149.4 today. It's one of the frustrating things about the cheat day; although I think that the massive salad that I had at the Ale House was a bad move. Too much food for 1 sitting. So instead of Monday being a day to get myself back on track, it pushed me further off the track. So now I only have 2 days before my next weigh-in.
Lunch: Chicken Salad, Guacamole
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, Tomatoes, Red Onion, Cucumbers, Maytag Blue Cheese, Oil/Vinegar Italian Dressing (home made)
Snacks: Almonds, Cottage Cheese, Dark Chocolate, Grilled Chicken
Fri Jan 24
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs: 1 egg plus Egg Beaters, Black Beans, Lentils, Grilled Chicken
Lunch: Grilled Chicken, Lentils with Black Beans, Chorizo and Garlic
Dinner: LoCarb Eggplant Parmesan
Snacks: Almonds, Pastrami, Cottage cheese, Peanuts
Sat Jan 25
Breakfast: EggBeaters Omelet: Pastrami, Sauerkraut, Swiss cheese
Lunch: Fresh Market Cucumber Dill Salad
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, Maytag Blue cheese
Snacks: Atkins Shake, Cottage Cheese, Almonds, Pastrami, Dark Chocolate
Sun Jan 26
Breakfast: Coffee, 1 Egg, Spinach, 1/2 Porterhouse Steak
Lunch: Atkins Shake plus skim milk, dark chocolate powder (~200 cals)
I'm doing my cheat day on Monday; I decided that Sunday wasn't a good day to do it. I have more of a routine during the week. I learned some things this week; I have to have a low calorie day after my cheat day. Only lost 1 lb this week, but body fat is down; I suspect I was a bit higher last week. I think next week will be better.
Dinner: Brussels Sprouts, Andouille Sausage, Shrimp
Snacks: Pastrami, Almonds, Atkins Shake
Mon Jan 27
Today is my cheat day. I'll start the day out normally, and let loose at lunch.
Breakfast: Coffee, Sausage and Peppers Omelet
Lunch: Mr M's Philly CheeseSteak
Dinner: Jambalaya
Snacks: Pastrami, Peanuts, Potato Chips
Tue Jan 28
I gained 3 lbs from my cheat day. Ugh. It's the hardest part of this diet. The idea that I could lose half of my gains in a day. But you have to understand that it's not real; it will come off fast. From last week, I learned that I have to have a very controlled day today to put my body back on the losing track. No big salads today.
Breakfast: Sauteed Flounder, Spinach, 1 Egg
Lunch: Tuna Fish Salad, Black Beans and Lentils
Late Lunch: Chicken, broccoli and cauliflower with cheese
Dinner: Salad: Lettuce, cucumbers, Red Onion, Maytag Blue Cheese, Tomatoes, Oil/ Vinegar Italian Dressing (home made).
Wed Jan 29
Breakfast: Coffee, Scrambled Egg Beaters, Sausage Patty
Late Breakfast: Panera Bread Egg White Turkey Bowl
Snack: Coffee Shake: 2/3 Atkins Shake, Ice, Skim Milk, Coffee
I made chili today; Chili is like the ultimate slow carb food. I use 2 cans of beans, 1 lb of ground round, a can of tomatoes, green, poblano and red chili peppers and onions. You'll see how versatile it is in the next few days.
Late Lunch: Homemade Chili
Dinner: Strip Steak, Steamed Vegetables in Butter
Snacks: Pastrami, Almonds, Dark Chocolate
Thu Jan 30
Breakfast: Coffee, Egg Beaters Omelet: Grilled Chicken, Cherry Peppers, Andouille Sausage, Spinach, Jack Cheese
Lunch: Tuna, Herring, Cucumber Salad, Cheddar Cheese
Late Lunch: Chili, lentils, sausage
Dinner: Pastrami, Guacamole
Snacks: Cheese, Almonds, Dark Chocolate
Fri Jan 31
Breakfast: Coffee, Egg Beaters Omelet w/Chile
Lunch: Wedge Salad at Bistro Mezzaluna
Dinner: Atkin's Turkey with Green Beans
Sat Feb 1
Breakfast: Coffee, 1 Egg plus Egg Beaters Egg Whites, grilled Cajun Chicken
Lunch: Cheeseburger
Snack: Whey Protein Shake
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Red Onion, Maytag Blue Cheese, Olive Oil / Red vinegar dressing
Snacks: Pastrami, Cottage Cheese, Tuna Fish
Sun Feb 2
Breakfast: Coffee, Chili Omelet, Refried Black Beans.
Lunch: Hot Dog with Sauerkraut
Dinner: Chicken with Black Bean Sauce, Peppers, Onions
Snacks: Pastrami, Cottage Cheese, Almonds
Mon Jan 3
Breakfast: Coffee, 1 Egg plus whites, refried black beans, grilled cajun chicken
Lunch: Zona Fresca plus Salsa
Dinner: Chili
Snacks: Almonds, Cottage Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Pastrami
Tue Feb 4
Breakfast: Cheese Omelet, Sausage Patty
Lunch: Brussel Sprouts, Andouille Sausage, Shrimp
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Red Onion, Maytag Blue Cheese, Olive Oil / Vinegar Dressing
Snacks: Pastrami, Almonds, Atkins Shake w/Skim Milk Dark Chocolate Powder
Wed Feb 5
Breakfast: Chili, Fried Egg
Lunch: Joe's Crab Shack Cajun Pot
Time for a weigh-in. I didn't do it over the weekend because, well, lets just say I wasn't "regular" and I knew it was skewing my numbers. I also was supposed to travel up north this week, but the weather caused me to change my plans. So there were a bunch of things messed up. It also took me 5 days after my cheat day to get back to where I was, which ticked me off. I'm skipping a cheat day this week; I'll do it over the weekend. I don't want to disrupt the weight loss, which seems to be in full swing right now.
So I lost another pound with a reduction in body fat (maybe). I really wanted to lose 2 per week, but i'm halfway there.
Dinner: Grilled Chicken Parmesan
Snacks: Pastrami, Almonds, Atkins Shake
Thu Feb 6
Breakfast: Coffee, 2 eggs (1 yolk), Bacon, Refried Black Beans
Lunch: Eggplant Parmesan @ Serafina (breading)
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, Maytag Blue Cheese, Red Onions, English Cucumber, Tomatoes, OO/V Dressing
Snacks: Almonds, Cottege Cheese, Pastrami
Fri Feb 7
Breakfast: Coffee, 1 egg plus whites, Chili
Lunch: 1/2 Chipotle Bowl
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, cucumber, red onion, maytag blue cheese, tomatoes EVOO/Red Vinegar Dressing
Snacks: Almonds, Pastrami, Cheddar Cheese
Sat Feb 8
Breakfast: Coffee, Egg Beaters Cheese Omelet, Sausage Patty
Lunch: Chicken Salad, Guacamole
This is a fantastic pairing, BTW.
Dinner: Crab Cake, Cabbage Salad with homemade red wine dijon vinaigrette and fresh parsley, Tartar Sauce.
The crabcake of course has breading; a smallish cheat. I took a carb-blocker.
Snacks: Almonds, Sauerkraut, Pastrami
Sun Feb 9
Breakfast: Coffee, Flounder, Spinach, 1 egg plus whites.
Lunch: Cottage Cheese, Lentils, Grilled Chicken, Guacamole
Dinner: Cabbage Salad with homemade red wine dijon vinaigrette
Snacks: Almonds, Pastrami, Dark Chocolate
Mon Feb 10
Breakfast: Coffee, Chili, Jack Cheese, 1 egg (twin yolks!) plus whites
Lunch: Onion Soup, Steak and Broccoli @Shula's
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, Maytag Blue Cheese, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Red Onion, EVOO/Red Wine Vinegar Dressing
Snacks: Almonds, Cabbage Salad, Cottage Cheese, Dark Chocolate, Cheddar Cheese
Tue Feb 11
Breakfast: Coffee, Omelet 1/2 Egg Yolk plus whites, Grilled Chicken, Refried Black Beans, Pepper Jack Cheese
Lunch: Brussels Sprouts, Andouille Sausage, Black-eyed peas, Tomatos, Jalapenos
Dinner: Crab Cake, cole slaw
Snacks: Cabbage Salad, Almonds, Sauerkraut
Wed, Feb 12
Today is my cheat day. A light breakfast and then I'm off the diet for the rest of the day.
Breakfast: Coffee, Egg Beaters Scrambled Eggs, Refried Black Beans
Weigh-in Time.
I was under 146 on Monday, but I've been hovering a bit over since. Not sure what to make of the body fat, except maybe that the device doesn't work very well. Or maybe I'm losing in proportion? 6.8lbs in 5 weeks. I wanted to be down 10 by the 24th. Seems unlikely at this point.
Lunch: Dairy Queen Double Cheeseburger, Orange Julius
Dinner: Hot Dog with Sauerkraut and Peppers
Snacks: Potato Chips, Almonds, Dark Chocolate
Thu Feb 13
Not such a crazy cheat day. An issue is that I simply don't have carbs in the house, so I couldn't make myself a sandwich. I didn't feel like making a bowl of pasta just for the heck of it. I did eat half a bag of potato chips and an extra glass of wine. As a result, I didn't gain an ounce; my "just woke up" weight is the same as it was on Tuesday. I'm thinking of experimenting with "cheat meals" instead of whole days. I just don't feel like stuffing my face for the heck of it for a whole day. Eating smaller meals becomes a habit after a while. After eating a fat and carb-laden meal I'm just not hungry at the next meal.
Breakfast: Coffee, Well-done Bacon, 1 egg plus whites
I tried to flip this egg before it was ready to be flipped.
Lunch: Sirloin Steak @ Timpano
Late Lunch: Hamburger, onions, Cheddar Cheese, Ketchup
Dinner: Leftover Chipotle, Cottage Cheese, Cole Slaw
Snacks: Cole Slaw, Dark Chocolate
Fri Feb 14
Breakfast: Coffee, EggBeaters Omelet w/Black Beans, Onions, Garlic, Pablano Peppers, Grilled Chicken, Pepper Jack Cheese and Salsa
Lunch: Salmon, Broccoli @ il Mulino
I had a couple of the potatoes.
Dinner: Grilled Chicken Parmesan
Snacks: Cottage Cheese, Almonds, Herring in Sour Cream.
Sat Feb 15
I decided to do something different this morning. I made a coffee protein shake.
Breakfast: Protein Shake: Atkins Breakfast Shake, ice, black coffee, EggBeater's egg whites, unsweetened Dark Chocolate Powder (160cal, 12g Protein)
Lunch: Sashimi and Bok Choy @ Tsukuro
Late Lunch: Andouille Sausage, Sauerkraut, Peppers
Dinner: Salad: Blue Cheese, iceberg, cucumbers, tomatoes, EVOO/Red Vinegar dressing
Sun Feb 16
Breakfast: Coffee, Strip Steak, 1 egg plus whites, black beans
Dinner: hamburger, cheddar cheese, ketchup, onions
Snacks: Sardines, Almonds, Dark Chocolate, Cottage Cheese
Mon Feb 17
Breakfast: Coffee, Lean Cuisine Roasted Chicken and creamed spinach, 1 egg
Lunch: Chicken, black beans
Late Lunch: Sardines, Herring in cream sauce
Tue Feb 18
I was traveling on Tues and Wed, with little chance for regular eating.
Breakfast: Coffee, 1/2 Strip Steak, 1 egg plus whites
Lunch: None
Dinner: Sausage and Lentil Soup, Braised Short Rib, 4 bites of Chocolate Dream
Snacks: Peanuts, Several coffees with sugar
Wed Feb 19
Breakfast: Coffee w/Sugar
Back Home.
Lunch: Hot Dog with Sauerkraut, Peppers, Mustard
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg cucumber, Red Onion, Tomato, Blue Cheese EVOO/Red Wine Vinegar Dressing
Snacks: Peanuts, Turkey Slices
Thu Feb 20
Breakfast: Coffee, EggBeaters Scrambled Eggs, Ham
Lunch: Turkey Slices, Cole Slaw
Snack: Chobani Blueberry Simply 100, Almonds, Turkey Slices
Dinner: Ground Chuck Burger, Cheddar Cheese, Ketchup
Fri Feb 21
Breakfast: Coffee
Lunch: VooDoo BBQ gumbo, Brisket (3 slices), Chicken (a taste)
Dinner: Cheeseburger
Snacks: Brisket, Chicken, Almond, cottage cheese, Dark Chocolate
Sat Feb 22
Breakfast: Coffee, Ham and Cheese Omelet
Lunch: Giraffas: 5oz Steak, Salad, Grilled Vegetables, Black Beans
Late Lunch: Chicken Salad and Guacamole
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, Cucumbers, Red Onions, Blue Cheese, Tomatoes, EVOO/Red Vinegar Dressing
Snacks: Almonds, Cottage Cheese, Dark Chocolate
Sun Feb 23
Breakfast: Cheeseburger Omelet: EggBeaters Omelet, Ground Beef, Onions, Cheddar Cheese
Lunch: Protein Shake: 1/2 Atkins Shake, Skim Milk, EggBeaters Whites, Ice, Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Powder
Weigh In:
I thought I had a good week, particularly with all of the exercise I got on my "trip", and I was frustrated on Friday with no loss. Then, over the weekend, bang. I also started eating more on Friday. It's counterintuitive, but you have to eat more to lose weight.
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, Cucumbers, Red Onions, Blue Cheese, Tomatoes, EVOO/Red Vinegar Dressing
Snacks: Almonds, Chicken, Brisket, Cottage Cheese, Dark Chocolate
Mon Feb 24
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs (1 egg, eggbeaters), Ham, Pinto Beans
UPDATE:
If you think you're bored with this "article", imagine how I feel about it? But I've almost given up on this diet several times; but I keep slogging along. Success rarely comes without obstacles and setbacks. I didn't have a specific "goal", although 140 seems like a nice round number. It may be another month before I get there. So I think that 2 months is enough for this, so March 10 will be the last day. I'm still learning what works and what doesn't; it takes a while to figure things out. And I've still got a pantry full of low carb stuff. So onward we go.
Lunch: "Cajun" Chicken (from VooDoo BBQ), Guacamole
Dinner: Ground Chuck Burger, Cheddar Cheese, Ketchup, Onions
Snacks: Protein Shake, Cottage Cheese, Almonds, Dark Chocolate
Tue Feb 25
Breakfast: 1 Egg, Flounder
Lunch: Fish Soup and 1/2 Dozen Clams at Shooters Waterfront Cafe
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, Cucumbers, Danish Blue Cheese, Tomatoes, Red Onions, EVOO/Red Wine Vinegar Dressing
Snacks: Almonds, Dark Chocolate, Cottage Cheese, Raw Sauerkraut
Wed Feb 26
Breakfast: Coffee, 1 egg plus whites, Flank Steak
Lunch: Brisket, Andouille Sausage, Vegetables, Sauerkraut
Dinner: Flank Steak, Sauteed Mushrooms, Brussels Sprouts, Chorizo
Snacks: Sauerkraut, Cottage Cheese, Almonds, Dark Chocolate
Thu Feb 27
Breakfast: Coffee, eggbeaters cheese omelet
Lunch: burger (1/2 Bun), 6 sweet potato fries, 3 spoonfuls Turkey Chili
Dinner: None
Snacks: Herring in Sour Cream, Almonds, Sauerkraut, Cole Slaw, Cheddar Cheese
Fri Feb 28
Breakfast: Coffee, "Cajun" Flounder, Spicy Pinto Beans, 1 Egg
Lunch: Pollo Tropical Trio
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, Danish blue cheese, EVOO/Red Wine Dressing
Snacks: Cole Slaw, Cottage Cheese, Dark Chocolate
Sat Mar 1
Breakfast: Coffee, EggBeaters Scramble, Flank Steak, Spicy Pinto Beans
Lunch: Sardine, Cole Slaw
Dinner: Mini Hamburger, Ketchup, Guacamole
Snacks: Herring in Sour Cream, Cole Slaw, Cottage Cheese, Blue Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Dark Chocolate
Sun Mar 2
Breakfast: EggBeaters Omelet: "Mojo" Pork, Garlic, Black and Pinto Beans, Pepper Jack Cheese.
Lunch: Protein Shake
Dinner: None
Snacks: Sardines, Cottage Cheese, Almonds, Cole Slaw, Sauerkraut
Mon Mar 3
Breakfast: Coffee, 1 egg, Flank Steak, Black Beans (garlic, green pepper)
Early Lunch: Cole Slaw, Sauerkraut, Mustard
Late Lunch: Tuna Fish, Guacamole
Dinner: Lean Cuisine Turkey/Green Beans, Cauliflower w/Cheese
Snacks: Almonds, Cottage Cheese
Tue Mar 4
Breakfast: Coffee, 1 egg, Mojo Pork, Black Beans
Lunch: Tuna Salad, Lenils
Dinner: Carrabba's Tasting
Snacks: Cottage Cheese, Cole Slaw, Dill Cucumbers, Potato Chips
Wed Mar 5
Breakfast: Coffee, sausage and peppers omelet
Lunch: Lentil Soup @ Fresh First
Late Lunch: Chili (Modified Burger 21 Turkey Chili)
Dinner: Salad: Icebert, Danish Blue Cheese, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Red Onion
Snacks: Almonds, Herring and Dill Cucumbers in Sour Cream, Dark Chocolate
Thu Mar 6
Breakfast: Coffee, EggBeaters Scramble with Ham
Lunch: Veal Piccata at Canale
Late Lunch: guacamole, Cottage Cheese, Dill Cucumbers
Dinner: Salad: Iceberg, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Red Onion, Blue Cheese, EVOO/Red Vinegar Dressing
Fri Mar 7
Breakfast: Coffee, EggBeaters Omelet, Guacamole, Refried Beans, Cheddar
Lunch: Lentil Soup, Ham
Dinner: Protein Shake, 1 cup brewed coffee, Skim Milk, 1/2 Atkins Shake, Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Powder
Snacks: Cottage Cheese, Dark Chocolate, Cheddar Cheese, Blue Cheese, Almonds, Sauerkraut
Sat Mar 8
Breakfast: Coffee, 1 Egg, Sausage Patty
Lunch: St Patrick's Day Parade: Guinness
Dinner: Sausage and Peppers, Mozzarella
Snacks: Almonds, Cheddar Cheese, Cottage Cheese
Sun Mar 9
Breakfast: Coffee, 1/2 Porterhouse Steak, Refried Beans
Lunch: Sardine, Cole Slaw
Snacks: Cottage Cheese, Cole Slaw, Cheddar Cheese, Almonds, Dark Chocolate
Mon Mar 10
Breakfast: Blackened Chicken, Refried Beans, Egg
Lunch: Lentils, Ham, Cauliflower
I said that Mar 10 will be the end of my daily log of food. I've lost 9 lbs in 2 months, which can't be considered a failure. I feel that I could have lost 5 more with better discipline. Too many nights I had 1 drink too many, and I ate late at night more than I should have. The result is that it takes longer than it should; so I didn't reach my "goal", even though I didn't state a goal.
After 2 months you get the idea, so I'm not going to post my daily meals any further. I have a refrigerator full of stuff to eat including a fresh batch of chili, so I'll be slogging on for at least another week, but I'm getting tired of no sandwiches or pizza.
Dinner: Bare Chicken Parm, Linguine
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