As you may know, I am a low-fat lifer, trying to practice an Atkins-style WOE (including weening myself off caffeine and abundant artificial sweeteners) before I jump on the actual wagon in January. I thought I would share an experience that shows just how much I need the practice...

When I have "sauteed" veggies in the past, I always used broth. My goal is to reduce the liquid to a tastier concentration before the veggies got too mushy by using high heat and encouraging the liquid to boil off.

Now I am using cannola oil to sautee my veggies. The veggies taste better, but I have been plagued by a messier kitchen, needing to clean the fine spray of oil off all the nearby surfaces. Recently, I noticed my so-supportive husband, pan frying a chicken breast for me -- on low heat with the pan covered.

Doh!

So, now at the age of nearly 50, I have re-learned how to pan-fry and sautee the right way, using oil, and sparring a lot of unnecessary kitchen clean-up!


PS: I am not actually counting carbs yet, but my ketosticks arrived and I am spilling "Moderate" levels of ketones (40 -- dark rose).

this is so great. I am do jealous that you are spilling ketones. I have to be on strict induction before I spill even small amounts of ketones.

I am spending a week with the in-laws and I forgot to pack my ketosticks, so I don't know how well I am doing on that front at the moment. I am eating as induction-ish as I can under the circumstances, but I'm not really getting exercise, which I think might have helped when I was at home.

Last night, they did Chinese take out, and I got the steamed veggie & chicken diet platter to avoid added corn starch and sugar. Then I fried it in a generous portion of butter. I got some very odd looks, lol.

I have sort of explained what I am up to and while they might not be exactly supportive, they are not trying to thwart me.

FWIW, last night was takeout pizza. I got a Greek salad from the pizza place. I intended to have the toppings off one of the slices, but by the time I finished my salad, I was too full. Frankly, it's been a lot easier to eat low-carb on these trips than it has been to eat low-cal in the past!

Tonight, hubby & I ate out. I had cabbage soup then chicken breast with roasted peppers, spinach & goat cheese topping (served on uneaten basmati rice) with a side of cole slaw. Don't think it would qualify as induction, and I don't know the carb count, but certainly low by most standards.

I told my hubby over dinner that I sure hope this works for losing weight, as I am certainly enjoying the foods I am eating! I hope the scale is cooperative when I get back home. Or at least one I try Induction for real!

I think you're going to like your scales when you get home!

I am driving back today. So, unfortunately, I won't be starting Atkins induction right on the New Year, but I should be on board tomorrow.

I am very interested in seeing what the scale says when I get back! I am not really expecting to lose, but I am hoping that there isn't much gain. I am so used to packing on pounds at the end of the year (despite my annual resolution to avoid it) that I would be happy to see a reading that is only a pound or two higher than when I left.

yoyoma: you have been doing great, good for you. Glad you didn't wait for New Year to start learning and doing, even if not right on target. You won't regret it. Let us know what the scales say tomorrow morning.

So, my weight today was the same as when I left! This is a dramatic victory, since I didn't go hungry and I didn't pack on the pounds. I wasn't actually counting carbs, and I was allowing some non-induction foods (nuts, half-and-half). So, now that I am going to count carbs and be strict about allowed foods, I hope the scale will nudge downwards.

My current weight is 144, which is about 5 lbs lower than when I started "practice" Atkins in early/mid December. (I didn't want to move the ticker until now, since I didn't want to have to move it back up after a week with the inlaws). I don't want to claim that as real weight loss since I should have lost some water weight. But, any progress from here should be real weight loss.

I knew you'd like your scales; you really can't go wrong when you let up on the carbs. I'm sure you'll be really pleased when you cut your carbs to 20. You're almost there! Congratulations on eating smart during the holidays.