My Menu

Yesterday's foods:
Coffee with heavy whipping cream
I scrambled egg
Salad
Vegetable Soup
Spaghetti Squash and Meat Sauce.

I cooked four spaghetti squashes to spread between Rod and I over the next several days.  With a bunch of it I made a lasagna.  Then the rest went to be served with Spaghetti sauce.

Today's foods:
Coffee with heavy whipping cream
3 fried eggs in olive oil
1 Tb of real bacon bits
1 cup spaghetti squash with 1/2 cup meat sauce
1 serving lasagna
salad with dressing

I put on several pounds over the last two weeks because of stress eating and not really watching my diet that carefully.  I became super strict again on Saturday and am already down 3 pounds.

Once I can get to walking, I'll be able to really start shedding the weight and continue towards my goal of 50 pounds by December 31.

Saturday's Menu

Coffee with heavy whipping cream
Three egg ham and cheese omelette
Three slices of bacon

8 ounce steak
Salad with ranch
Green beans
Sautéed mushrooms

Lovely Low Carb Lunch

This is the kind of meal you can enjoy at a catered business lunch when you're the one arranging the food.

Focusing on Every Bite

Someone recently asked me how I lost weight and commented that it must be a daily resolve. As a food addict, it is far more defined than that, I focus on 'One bite at a time.'

I'm surrounded with forbidden foods and it would be so easy to take one little bite. But much like an alcoholic who must avoid a drink or a crack head who has to avoid the pipe - I can't allow myself just one bite because I can't stop.

Yesterday at work someone brought in cake. It was hard to not take a bite of icing but I'm detoxing my system, it would be like tossing water on a flame.

I'm hosting meetings at work and I made certain there were allowable foods.

When I'm faced with food that tempts me, I always say, 'I need you Jesus! Come to my rescue...' I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It totally helps!

Morning Cup of Coffee

Just because I'm doing low-carb, doesn't mean that I have to give up coffee. Coffee alone is carb-free; but, unless you're careful about your choice of additives, the carb count can add up quickly.  I love coffee WAY too much to do without it.  In fact, Saturday morning is my day to sleep in, and I do; but, it's the thought of enjoying that first cup of coffee that is what really pulls me out of bed. I'll lay there and read or catnap for a little while but my mind always drifts to that first cup of coffee. 

There are times when my husband will be up first and will get the coffee going.  There's something about waking to the smell of freshly brewed coffee that takes me back in time to a tiny little house on McLaughlin Avenue in Fairborn. My Grandpa Quigley built the house for Grandma when she was pregnant with my Dad. I loved staying the night with them, I'd sleep in the bed that was my Dad's and enjoyed the coziness of the house. Grandpa was in charge of the rail yard for Conrail and woke at 5am. I loved waking to the smell of percolating coffee, the aroma filled the air and mingled with the sounds of Grandma cooking breakfast. I loved helping pack Grandpa's lunch and pouring the coffee into his huge thermos. It's among my favorite childhood memories.

To this day there isn't anything I love more than the aroma of coffee floating through the house... being transported back in time to that tiny little house and the love, respect and care that my Grandparents had for one another brings joy, comfort, coziness and an overall feeling of "home."

There are a lot of conflicting reports out there about coffee and it's benefits or detriments on health. I've learned to limit myself to about 20 ounces in the morning of regular coffee. There are times in the evening when I'll enjoy a decaffeinated cup. But when I started on this low carb journey, I wasn't sure how I could still enjoy it without killing my low-carb goals.

I found balance, and like everything in life, moderation is the key. Anything in excess isn't good for you. So, I enjoy my coffee with a couple tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and sometimes a packet of Truvia or Splenda. It's controlled carbs, two to three.

But what about when you go to Starbucks? Can you control that carb count?  The answer is YES! They have a wide variety of sugar free syrups and sweeteners. They will also make ANY drink with heavy whipping cream instead of milk or half and half. I know, heavy whipping cream sounds super fattening, right? That's because it is. But when you're doing a low-carb diet, fat is your friend. (The science and research behind that will have to come in a separate post on another day.)

So, go ahead, have your favorite coffee, enjoy that Latte, just be aware of your carbs counts:

• 1 Tablespoon of Heavy Whipping cream = 1 carb
• 1 packet of Truvia, Stevia, Splenda, Equal, or Sweet-n-Lo = 1 carb
• 1 pump of Sugar Free Syrup = 1 carb

Be true to yourself when measuring and building your favorite drink. These are what most of us call "hidden" carbs -- the 1 carb here, the 1/2 carb there -- when consumed in quantities, quickly add up and can kick your body out of ketosis and sabotage your goals for weight loss or controlled blood sugar.

Who wants to walk a 5k with me?

On Friday, September 9, 2011 - I set a fitness goal to walk in a 5k.
I will register tomorrow for the Air Force 5k that is taking place on Friday, September 14, 2012.  The 5 k follows a route through Wright State University and they allow 90 minutes to complete it.
Why a 5k?  Why walk?  Hey, ya gotta start somewhere and at 240(sh) pounds, I don't need to run. I plan on working hard May, June, July, August and September... who knows... maybe I will surprise myself and be able to jog.  What I do know is that walking in the 5k and finishing under the allotted time will be a celebration!!
Who wants to walk with me?
Who has an Appetite for Victory?

Crustless Tomato Bacon Quiche

Grab your cast iron skillet and get ready to enjoy a crustless quiche like no other. You'll be delighted to feed this beauty to your family for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  It is so easy and could be modified to your own tastes rather easily.  I hope you enjoy!!

Step 1:

• 1 cup crispy bacon bits -- you can use bits and crispy them them in your cast iron skillet or chop and make your own -- remove the bits and set them aside but keep the fat in the skillet (this is important) If you made your own bits from raw bacon, you may need to drain SOME of the fat - leave enough to coat the bottom of the skillet.

Step 2:

• Take your cast iron skillet with the bacon fat and put it in your oven - THEN set your oven to 350 degrees. You want your skillet to stay warm and heat up with the oven... trust me... you'll thank me later!

 Step 3:

• Whip together (I use the blender attachment to the Magic Bullet):
• 8 to 10 large whole eggs
• 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and Pepper to your taste
• Carefully remove cast iron skillet from oven and pour Step 3 egg mixture into the skillet.
• The egg starts cooking on the outside layer -- and forms a nice crispy outer layer... trust me, it's good and it fries a little in the bacon fat -- which also prevents it from sticking.

Step 4:

• Add the remaining ingredients (make sure each one is distributed evenly throughout your skillet - you don't want everything clumped in the middle)
• 1 cup Crispy bacon bits that you cooked earlier
• 1 can of Diced Tomatoes drained as much as possible (I use Red Gold 14.5 oz because there is no added sugar)
• 1 cup Shredded Cheese of your choice - I waiver between Colby/Cheddar and mozzarella/Romano blends

Bake for 30 minutes or until the middle is firm.  Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Makes 6 to 8 servings depending on how you slice it.  I serve it topped with Salsa, Black Olives and Sour Cream.  Approximately 2 to 3 carbs per serving.

Yes, I can eat Italian again!

I figured out how to make low carb sauce but still had the challenge of how to enjoy this Italian delight without pasta noodles. Enter the Spaghetti Squash. This member of the melon family received its name because the Flesh strings apart after its cooked. You're not eating wheat in the form of pasta, instead, you're eating another vegetable!

Cut it half, clean out the seeds, rub it down with olive oil, place cut side down on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until it is tender.

Scrape out the insides and toss it with a little salt and butter or olive oil... Enjoy this gold string melon topped with your favorite low carb sauce!!  Who knew veggies could be so good!!

Eggies... Not worth it

So, being low carb we eat a ton of eggs and while we love deviled eggs... I really hate peeling them. I thought I'd give these things a try.

I coated each one with cooking oil as per the instructions and assembled them. Three if them came apart while boiling, creating a terrible mess. Three of them were okay... But they didn't pop out and they weren't pretty. They were good enough to eat though.

I'll be seeing if I can get a refund... It was a fail!!

Friday the 13th

I took the day off work today. Slept in, had coffee while watching the birds from the kitchen window, visited with my momma, lunched with my hubby, had the car washed, stopped at Best Buy for Brandon to buy a gadget. Then we mowed the in-laws yard. It felt good to be active all day and the weather totally cooperated!  This Friday the 13th was really worth repeating!!

Beat the Boss

In 2011 I won the weight loss challenge at work with a cash prize of $500.  We received notice that the Beat the Boss weight loss challenge is returning on May 1. This is the motivation I've needed to get back on track and start losing weight again. I've struggled to maintain the weight I lost last year; but, I've maintained, which is a Victory. 

I'm very ready to get back to serious weight loss.  I know it won't be as easy this time as it was last time.  My body apparently enjoys being 241.5 pounds.  It was suggested that I go off the plan between now and May 1 to see if I can shock my body into losing again. I might.

What will work is getting more physically active to break this seemingly endless plateau!! I'll walk my butt off, literally! :D

Remembering where I was a year ago...

First, I'm not a doctor, don't claim to be one and don't have plans to become one. I'm sharing my OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE and what I've learned along the way on what works best for ME to lose weight. You should always check with your doctor before starting a diet or exercise program.
I don't have many blog entries and you will notice this is the first one in a LONG time. Over the winter I wasn't as focused as I was in the summer and fall.  But as I near the one year anniversary of beginning this journey to being healthier, it is important for me to visit the "where I was" and where I am now.
May 16, 2011:

• Weighed in at 298 pounds.
• A1C: 8.5 (should be 6.0 or less) - a measurement of diabetes control - mine at 8.5 was NOT controlled)
• Insulin: 200 units per day via an insulin pump
• Symelin Pen before meal
• Additional insulin shots inbetween meals
• Metformin: 3 pills per day for to treat insulin resistance (something being over weight caused)
• Prilosec - for stomach issues
• Blood pressure: 120/70 (with occasional spikes with stress but not bad)
• Cholesterol: 165 - with perfect ratios

May 23, 2011 began eating low-carb, 1500 calories per day with a ratio of 60% fat; 30% lean protein; and 10% vegetable carbs (limited NET veggie carbs to 12 to 15 per day and nonvegetable carbs to 5 to 8 per day for a daily average of 20 total NET carbs per day)
September 5, 2011 (3 months and 2 weeks later)

• Weighed in at 253 pounds -- 45 pounds lost
• A1C: 5.8 -- total success!!
• Insulin and pump and extra shots -- GONE no longer needed. I still check my levels every day to make certain the levels are good. My average is 90 - perfect!!
• Metformin: Cut down to 2 pills per day
• Prilosec: no longer needed!!
• Blood pressure: 100/70 -- now having issues with it dipping too low - but working on keeping up my salt intake and water intake - which helps dramatically.
• Cholesterol: 115 - with perfect ratios

Low Carb Way of Eating works!! This is a lifestyle change!
When I'm below 200 I will slowly add more LOW glycemic carbs to my diet while still losing weight.
When I reach my goal (which is around 150) I will add more LOW glycemic carbs until I'm maintaining my weight without gaining or losing.

I'm going to share some medical history just to prove the point that "anyone" can do this!

In 1997 I was diagnosed with Graves Disease of the thyroid (an autonomic malfunction). It was causing thyroid storms which were potentially deadly. It was treated by killing off part of the thyroid with radioactive iodine and am now on thyroid replacement.

In 2008, I contracted a virus that attacked my heart and I had to have emergency heart surgery to drain the very rapidly building fluid from around my heart. (My family doctor nearly killed me as he thought I had congestive heart failure - he was fired - I took myself to the ER at MVH and those doctors saved my life as the fluid was building so fast my heart didn't have room to beat.)

In 2009, I was diagnosed with yet another autonomic malfunction, P. O. T. S. brought on by the trauma of the heart virus. POTS is easiest described as my body forgets what to do with gravity - so when I stand up, my veins forget to contract, blood pools quickly, and my blood pressure drops dramatically for several seconds until it "rights itself" and responds. I will say this has improved with weight loss; but, it is still an issue.

NOW -- because of all these issues I have several specialists I see on a regular basis. 1. Family Doc 2. Cardiologist 3. Endocrinologist 4. Gastroenterologist and a team of specialists at the Cleveland Clinic because there are NO doctors in the Dayton, Cincy or Columbus area that treat people with POTS (my cardiologist tries but he follows what the CC tells him).

OKAY -- so all these specialists were pushing me to have gastric bypass surgery saying it was the only way to lose weight and get my health under control. I went to all the weight loss meetings, went to all the clinics, and started going through the nutrition training.  They were going to reroute my insides and put me in a place of malnutrition so that I could lose weight.  Let me tell you what... when I learned that once you have surgery you can NEVER eat sugar or breads again -- something clicked in my head.

It was like God thwacked me hard. It wasn't the surgery that was working - it was the diet!  (I'm sure the surgery helps; but, they kept cautioning that if you ate sugar and bread that you would gain the weight back. It wasn't a life-long instant cure.

So I made the decision right then and there to stop eating sugar and carbs. I researched low carb diets and saw that Atkins had been redesigned.  It was lean meat, LOTS of green veggies and high good fats.

On May 23 I began the journey.

After six weeks on the diet, I was getting really LOW blood sugar readings... so I had to start cutting back on the shots, then I had to back off the insulin pump.  Then I began to question the pump all together.  I went to the doctor.  At that point I had lost 25 pounds and he took me off the pump because:

NOW My average blood sugar reading was 80.
My A1C was 6.5
In just six weeks the diabetes was under control and I no longer needed the insulin.  He said, keep doing what you're doing and come back in 4 months.

So I did... I continued eating the same diet:  eggs and bacon for breakfast; salads for lunch; lean meats & veggies for dinner. TONS of water.  I soon realized that the 3 metformins per day were too much. So I stopped taking the one in the middle of the day.

I went back to the doctor September.
My average blood sugar reading was 90 - perfect.
My A1C was 5.8 - perfect
Blood pressure was 100/70 -- a little low for me as all my life it's been 120/80 -- more about that another day.
Triglycerides were 75
Total cholesterol was 115
AND I weighed in at 247 -- 53 pounds gone in five months!

My doctor was shocked.  He said, please don't tell me you're eating bacon and eggs every morning... I said.. Yes I have and they're covered in olive oil and real butter. He said, "Amanda, I don't like what you're proving but do not change a thing... I'll see you back in a year."  A YEAR!!  WooHoo

NOW -- I still take Metformin morning and evening because until I can lose enough weight I will still be insulin resistant. But once I can lose enough weight I may not need the metformin anymore.
I do NOT take any insulin, wear a pump or have shots anymore and I no longer take the prilosec for my stomach. AND the doctor reduced the amount of thyroid replacement due to my weight loss.
I try to eat under 20 carbs per day -- 15 of those come from low glycemic veggies and the rest come from cheese and heavy whipping cream.  I do not use SWEETENERS of ANY kind as anything sweet tasting tricks my body into thinking it had sugar and I get high blood sugar readings... this happens in some people... I'm one of them.

Again, I'm not a doctor - I'm sharing what I've learned worked for me, and what I know has worked for others. My doctors have supported me all the way.

Here's what I did and continue to do:
1. Stop eating sugar:
   a. do not eat fruit NONE period end of story for at least two months -- NO juices either!! You can work them back in later... but not now.
   b. do not use fake/natural sweeteners at all for at least two months - no diet drinks, no sweet treats... you can work them back in later... but not now.
2. Stop eating ALL wheat and grains. *includes rice and soy* Period, end of story, HUMANS are not to eat these things EVER!
3. Stop eating starchy high glycemic vegetables - these can be worked back in later -- but not for a long time and you may realize this is true forever.

Watch:
1. Fat Head (it's a 2.5 hour documentary and well worth every minute) here's the link: http://www.hulu.com/watch/196879/fat-head

READ:
1. Wheat Belly
2. Atkins website/book: www.atkins.com

LEARN:
1. Learn the glycemic index of foods and only eat foods that are LOW on the list (remembering to exclude those items listed above)

QUICK HELP:
1. Fat is your friend... our brains are made up of fat, our body converts fat into energy.
2. Calories are not the enemy.
3. Carbs ARE the enemy... stay low (start at 20 per day for at least six weeks - then increase by 5 additional carbs week by week until you: 1: stop losing or 2: start gaining or 3: have higher blood sugar readings) For example: when I eat 30 carbs per day, I stop losing weight.  To keep losing weight I have to have less than 20.
4. Exercise -- even a short walk is better than none.
5. Drink water... lots of it. Did you know Americans are chronically dehydrated? Our bodies think they're hungry when really we're thirsty. When you don't get enough water, your body doesn't know what to do with all the junk floating in it and it holds onto everything because it's thirsty.  Drinking water tells your body it can flush your system, and you'll start losing weight and the blood sugar readings will reduce.  Did you know when your sugar is high that your blood turns into syrup? Water that syrup down!!!

SCIENCE:
Our body needs carbs to have energy.
Our body converts fat stores into carbs for us.
When we eat too many carbs, our body never has a chance to use it's fat stores.
When we eat too many carbs, any carbs not burned become stored as fat.
SO -- you eat too many carbs, it's stored... then you keep on eating carbs that are stored... then you eat more carbs and those are stored... before long... you have excess fat and your body keeps storing it because you keep eating carbs.
SOOOOOOOOO when you eat very low carbs your body says, "Oh hey! We need something for energy, Hey! look, we have lots of stored energy (fat) and we need that, lets grab some" and BOOM you start losing weight.
THEN our bodies crave fat because it needs fat -- that's why butter is so stinking good!!! hahaha
When we eat lots of GOOD fats (olive oil, avocados, olives, butter, etc.) our body says, "Oh! Look, we're being fed the fats we're craving, let's start using more of the fats we stored!" Then you start losing more weight, your brain function improves, and your body starts working like a finely tuned machine.
I know this is a lot to take in... but it's well worth it. If you really want to know... I'm laying it all out there!
You've no doubt seen all the gluten free foods... HUMANS were not meant to eat wheat!!!! Period. In the 1970s wheat consumption increased dramatically because of the FALSE food pyramid the GOVERNMENT CREATED to support the farmers. Now here we are a generation later with an epidemic of people are are allergic to wheat products!! (watch Fat Head referenced above)
ANYWAY -- something that happened also for us - we only eat whole foods. We do not consume anything from a box anymore. I cook everything fresh or frozen. The only thing "pre made" would be spices and dairy. We now do what is called a Paleo Low Carb diet... if a caveman couldn't eat it, then we shouldn't either.

You might think it is silly to stay away from fruits because they are "so good for you" and they are in SMALL quantities but they have sugar... when you're diabetic sugar in ALL forms is toxic and like poison. Did you know that VEGGIES have all the same properties of fruit and most of them have MORE antioxidants than fruit?!?! There is no reason to eat fruit in any form until you have lost all your weight AND/OR your sugar numbers are back to normal.

Once you've lost enough weight and/or your sugar numbers are back to normal THEN and ONLY then can you begin to eat SERVING size of LOW glycemic fruit.  Not before then! And not huge amounts. Test, test, test after eating fruit. If you're sugar jumps too much or is still high after 90 minutes... the next time you eat it, eat less. If the numbers still jump, then don't eat it again... or move it to the very rare "treat" category.

I'm sure you'll have a dozen questions -- so ask away and I'll respond as quickly as I can -- but I suggest starting with ATKINS and I suggest you do NOT tell people you are doing ATKINS -- tell them you're stopping eating wheat and sugar. When you say Atkins people flip out because they don't realize how infused it is with veggies... it's a very balanced diet.

I do PHASE 1 and 2 of Atkins all the time.  I won't switch to Phase 3 until I'm near my goal weight.
I haven't lost anymore past the 60 pounds because I stopped exercising and eating things I shouldn't over the winter... However, I have NOT gained but a couple pounds then it comes back off. I'm certain once I start exercising again, I'll break the 240 mark.

There is no doubt I feel the best I have felt in my entire life.  It really is amazing!!!

So do the reading, do the research... go to www.atkins.com and find the "what to eat" for Phase 1.  It says to do it for two weeks; but, with all the research I did, I learned for a diabetic, you really need to do Phase 1 for at LEAST six weeks.  My endocrine specialist said that it takes six weeks for the body's clock and functions to reset themselves.

I'm not a doctor - you should always check with your own doctor before starting any diet or exercise routine.

Ask away... good luck!!!! You can do this!!!
Amanda