Thursday, July 18, 2013

I'm Back!!

July 18, 2013

Okay, it has been 10 days since I have been back on track.  Things have been so crazy and the eating plan has been so to speak out the window.  I am trying once again today to get back on track.  I am planning to go to the grocery either tonight or tomorrow. I am going to get back on the wagon AGAIN.  I am not going to make to my original goal of 25 pounds by August 5.  I did not weigh in this morning but the times I did weigh in I have not gained but 3 or 4 pounds of the 17 I had originally lost. 
I subscribe to the Daily Meditation site for Weight Loss by Jane Powell. I am going to start using this a stepping stone to express

Today's Affirmation:  I have the time and energy to lose weight. 
That is exactly what I need to follow.  So often, I am caught up either with work, the grand-baby or just life activities and I do not take the time to focus on myself so that I don’t derail by myself from my eating plan.  I promise myself that I will take the time and focus on what my goals are so that I can be successful (that is losing the weight that I need to so that I feel and look healthy).
Eight Part Article on mindful eating

When you begin eating mindfully, a whole new world will open up to you.

If you are finding mindful eating challenging, you are not alone. To make it easier, I thought I would provide you with several mindful eating tips:

1. Gratitude. Whether you are swinging by Taco Bell or preparing a decadent dinner, appreciate the food you are about to eat. When you appreciate, you focus attention on yourself and the food, and it makes what you are about to eat all the more special. Taking a moment to look at your food and give thanks, will also focus your attention in a positive way, helping you to stay mindful all the way through. By Jane Powell

Most of the time I am so distracted and not in tune with what I am eating.  I often find myself eating while working thus not savoring what I have to eat to the point of enjoyment. Sometimes, based on the choices I have not connected to the food at all because I am eating just so that I am on plan not because I enjoy what I have to eat.  I need to take more time and plan better so that the food is enjoyable to me and more time to enjoy what I do have to eat.


Monday, July 8, 2013

Still sailing through!!!



I have been soo busy the last couple of days.  I was doing so well then Sunday night I could not push through the cravings for fruit.  I had some blue berries and applesauce in the house.  I ate both of them so I can truly assume that it knocked me out of ketosis and I have to start once again.   I am back on track today.  Weigh on was 234.2 lbs., down from 238.4 lbs. from the week before.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Day 3 Down - Onward to Day 4

Weigh in was 234.6 lbs.  I am very surprised because I had the munchies yesterday and ate quite a bit of pork skins (way too much sodium) and WAY TOO MANY CALORIES!!! I ate almost 4000 mg of sodium and over 1900 calories for the day.  I did not eat any vegetables yesterday and I think it affects whether I have the munchies feeling after a meal.  I did eat low carb all day just lots of low carb things. 70% fat and 30% protein – too much protein I think.  I did show a lower weight on the scale probably because of all the water and tea that I drank yesterday

Thursday, July 4, 2013

July 4, 2013 - Still going strong Day 3

The above words were a wish that I had for getting back on track.  To my surprise, I weighed in at 234.8 lbs. this morning.  I did not think that even though I was back on Induction that I would lose a great deal of water weight since I did not gain but two pounds over my two week excursion off plan.  I have been trying to eat more in the fashion of the Ketogenic Mediterranean diet and eating much more fish (daily) and I have stopped drinking soft drinks per say.  I am drinking lemon water and tea with lemon.  

I hope that today I can stay the course since we are going to two places that are offering food and I won’t be able to control too much what I eat unless I just don’t eat at all until I come home.


July 3, 2013 - Day 2


7:37 am

Daily weigh in for this morning was 237.0 lbs. Hopefully by tomorrow I will be as low as I was when I stopped eating on plan two weeks ago.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The Send Off - Day 1

9:26 am

Today I started to follow the plan exactly.  This morning’s weigh in was 239.0.  This is not too bad since I ate red beans and rice, and bread for dinner last night.  I am presuming that it is water weight and I will lose it now that I am eating on plan. Breakfast this morning was 3 slices of sugar free bacon, and 2 eggs fried in 1 T. olive oil.  I am going to the grocery again today so I can get a few more things to help us eat better.
 
An article that I read from LowCarbFriends.com

Lose Weight and Control Type 2 Diabetes...

A study, cited by Reader's Digest, followed 215 overweight individuals with diabetes. Half followed the classic, low-fat American Heart Association diet. The other half followed a higher fat, Mediterranean-style Diet.

After 4 years both groups had lost similar amounts of weight, however only 44% of Mediterranean dieters required diabetes meds, compared to 70% of the low-fat group.

Their conclusions:

Eat MORE:
Fish, Poultry, Beans (I won’t eat the beans and will have to try and eat more fish)
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or other oils such as soybean and canola
Walnuts or other nuts, sunflower and 
pumpkin seeds, olives
Fresh Fruit (can’t eat this too much – causes cravings)
Whole Eggs; whole yogurt; feta, Parmesan, or goat cheese (not much into yogurt, feta or goat cheese)
Roasted or sauteed veggies tossed with herbs and drizzled with 
EVOO (YES!!!)

Eat LESS:
Beef, Lamb, Pork (Will eat beef and pork – will try to limit it however)
Butter, margarine, butter substitutes (will use EVOO first then some butter)
low-fat crackers and chips (NEVER!!)
Reduced-fat cookies (NEVER!!)
Egg substitute; fat-free yogurt; reduced fat American, Cheddar, Swiss cheese (Will eat only full fat cheese)
Baked Potatoes, bread, rice (Will not eat!!)

Today’s totals and my ability to follow the guidelines:


Week of: July 1 - July 7
Monday
Tuesday
Weight:
238.4
239
Fish (4 oz or 115g):

9 oz
Olive Oil (2-3 T daily):

1T.
Nuts and Seeds (1 oz):


Vegetables (2 -85g servings):

4 - 85g
Cheese ( no more than 3 oz):

3 oz
Daily supplements:


Water (64 oz daily):

50.7 oz
Calories:

1506
Fat:

120.95;72%
Protein:

16.67;5%
Carbohydrates:

88.48;23%
Sodium:

2429 mg

Monday, July 1, 2013

Starting On a New Adventure!

Today is the first day that I am going to start a new look at my low carb diet.  I have been researching and found a low carb form of the Mediterranean diet.  It incorporates many of the good aspects of a Mediterranean diet but also limits the bad aspects of carbohydrate eating that causes spikes in a person's blood sugar. Dr. Steve Parker developed this method to help those who are pre-diabetic and diabetic in controlling those factors, i.e. carbohydrates, that elevate or cause spikes in their blood sugar levels which promotes damage to cells. 

The first eight weeks deals with what he calls a "Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet".  The carbohydrate count is very low - 20 to 40 digestible carbs daily.  He does take into account the fiber that a person may eat and subtracts it from the total as in Atkins.  In reading through the materials, it looks as though Dr. Parker has taken the best of both worlds.  He follows many of the concepts of low carb eating as stated by Dr. Atkins while eating many of the foods that are beneficial in the Mediterranean diet.

GUIDELINES for KETOGENIC MEDITERRANEAN DIET
1) Unlimited meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and shellfish. (I, however, will limit consumption to no more than 12 oz. of protein daily.)

2) Fish should be consumed daily – at least 4 oz. (I will only eat it - Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays for lunch)

3) Olive oil – at least 2-3 tablespoons daily in salad dressings or in cooking.

4) Nuts and seeds – 1 oz. daily (I hope to be able to control my consumption after a two week induction as in the Atkins Diet.)

5) Vegetables – up to 14 oz (400g) daily.  (In the two week beginning, vegetable consumption will be 2 – 85g servings daily.  After two weeks, it will be raised to 3 – 85g servings.)

6) Cheese – up to 3 oz daily. (Real, regular cheese – not low fat) This is optional as he recognizes that cheese and other dairy can stall some people.  I will try to limit it to 1-2 oz only for the day.

7) Wine - I do not drink alcoholic beverages so I need to try and follow some of the guidelines it states if you do not drink.  The one that I would try to follow is the 20g piece of dark chocolate (65-85%).

8) Daily supplements –
      (1) Centrum multivitamin
      Magnesium Oxide – 250mg
      Calcium Carbonate – 500 mg
      Vitamin D – 1200 IU
      Potassium gluconate – 2750mg

9) At least 64 oz. of water

Other condiments, oils, and spices
Butter – only after the requirement of olive oil has been used.
Plant oils, vinegar (cider, red wine, and distilled), mayonnaise (preferably, homemade), yellow mustard (1 tbsp daily), salad dressing with less than 3g carbohydrates per 2 tbsp daily (use olive oil based preferably unlimited), Worcestershire sauce (1 tbsp), A1 steak sauce (1 tbsp daily), lemon juice and lime juice (2 tbsp daily).

Tea and coffee in moderation only
Use cream or high fat half and half in moderation.

My starting weight is 238.4 lbs. I am going to the store tonight and I have time to devote to myself to start correctly and stay the course. My goal for the first week is 235.0 lbs.