Are these secret recipes or can you share? My daughter was over today and mentioned "probably no stuffing these year right?" I will make a almond flour crust pumpkin pie (have yet to find a recipe) and maybe an apple one as well.
I thought the chocolate cake sounded intriguing.

2 Week Carb Challenge
Total Carbs - Net Carbs - Average
11/01 21 ...........14---------14
11/02 20 ...........14---------14
11/03 76 ...........59---------29
11/04 88 ...........71---------40
11/05 15 .............9---------29
11/06 15 ...........13---------30
11/07 24............19---------28
11/08 26............18---------27
11/09 32............19---------26
11/10 17............10---------24
11/11 25............15---------23
11/12 29............20---------23
11/13 38............19---------23
11/14 30............18---------22

This 20 net carb challenge did not produce results like the last time which was twice as much weight loss (4+ as opposed to 2+ in a two week period).

What was different? We have had a cold spell and I am a whimp and do not like cold, rain and wet dogs. So I have not been walking daily.

I am writing this at 4:45 am this morning and am getting mentally ready to pick my daughter up at 5:45 to go to the gym. Yes, I am going to the gym: to bike, to row, and to walk. For some reason, my knees hate the elliptical although that machine is supposed to be for people with bad knees, who can't tolerate the treadmill.

We are going so early 'cause my daughter has to be back to get kiddies off to school and then she is home with the youngest.

I don't know how long this is going to last. I hate getting up and going out in the cold, and dark. I will probably not get a whole lot of sympathy from you Canadians. LOL

Hi Sandy -- you're right about the elliptical. It is the only machine that bothers my knees (and I don't have bad knees to my knowledge). I refuse to do it even though everyone says it's easier on the knees. At my age, I KNOW what I feel!

One machine that no one ever mentions is my favorite for cardio -- the rowing machine. I also feel like it works my legs, back, arms and shoulders all together. Also, I don't have to worry about falling as I was in a car accident a few years back that injured my back and one leg and sometimes the leg gives out with no notice (which is NOT good when you're on a treadmill!)

I think you did well on your challenge. I did okay on mine (new higher carb diet to try and get cholesterol down) but have just stayed steady with the weight. I did have my doctor appt. with the "new" doctor about the "new" diet and will report later in the week as I'm headed off to Florida tomorrow and have tons to get ready today.

Happiness to all!

Sandy, you did very well on your challenge 2lbs is better than nothing, like me.... @ Sandy, you're right sympathies here, eh?... But you can and will get used to getting up early, you also need to go to bed early but once you get used to it you'll love it... It could take a few months though, so hang in there...

Sandy the elliptical, and CJ the rowing machine, believe it or not, bother my knees too, but running doesn't, go figure... It has something to do with how your patella/knee cap glides and how strong or not, your quadricep muscles are... My daughter had Patella Femoral Syndrome and after reading up on it I found out that I had it a bit too... Sandy, WEIGHT TRAINING the quads with leg extensions and curls, squats, lunges etc., help with this problem...

I had to suck it up yesterday and go running alone... One client is sick with GERD and coughs all the time the other hurt her back ... It was nice though, I was able to go at my pace rather than theirs and my 5k was pretty good time for me, 40:00... In the afternoon I took DD to the gym she has started going to her school gym and getting in shape and wanting to lose weight, we had a really good time, great bonding...

Oh, but I ate awful this weekend along with wayyyyyy too much wine!! I'm really angry with myself this morning I guess when you play you pay

Have a good day ladies and lets be careful out there

Ok Now to drive Ilene crazy, I have discovered a Slow Burn workout (Fred Hahn) that I am putting together for when I hit 145. You do a series of machines once a week (or divide the machines in half/thirds and do twice or more times a week). You do every exercise to failure, and go veryyyyyyy slowwwwly. Three seconds to move the first inch etc.

I thought this would be a good way to ease into the weights. In the past, I have overdone it and quit when things got too heavy. I have no patience. So I thought if I used a program that's main rule was to lift to failure just enough sets to about 1 1/2 minutes going very slowly, that maybe this method would calm me down. Obviously the first few times I will just be figuring out what the proper weight is for each machine. We shall see....

I will be measuring the old bod this week. Will update when I do.

There is a fascinating discussion going on at Heartwire.org about low-carb diets. The article itself is slanted against low-carb (see Dr. Eades blogpost on this), but the comments are mostly from physicians and Ph.D's (even Gary Taubes), with a sprinkling of people who have diabetes thrown in.

I like this discussion because it pits knowledgeable, educated low-carbers against those who are not and provides both some enlightenment and continuing mystery into the whole thing.

http://www.theheart.org/article/1137677.do

Dunbar stresses: "We do not recommend an Atkins type low-carb diet because of the concerns about the impact of that fat load on heart health."

It looks like Ms. Dunbar could use a little low-carb herself.....

Interesting article.

I eat, I test, I eliminate or incorporate a food based on MY BG reaction.

I found this blog, from the MDA site, she has some great recipes.
For the Flourless choc cake, it does have sugar, but in all honesty, for me flour is worse for my body then some occational sugar. I will dig up that recipe if anyone wants it, it is a heavy, rich choc cake made in a spring form pan, great for chocolate lovers, kinda like a truffle filling!

Veal stew last night was great
Browned beef pieces, added onion garlic, chopped carrots and parsnips. Pushed that to the sides and browned 1 sm can tomato paste in the middle of the pan, cooked it aout 2-3 minutes. Added 2 cups beef broth. And 1 can diced tomates, 1 TBL basil (wanted tarragon) and 2 bay leaves, simmered for 3 hours. Then added 2 cans green beans and one bag petite peas. Pulled out 2 ladels of the broth (it was more like a gravy) and added 1 pint sour cream to that, once it was blended with the hot broth I added it all to the pan. WOW it was great! Very filling, rich, YUM

Found it, MikkiJoe. Thanks for another great link. I think I will be trying many of her recipes.

I would love the chocolate cake recipe. I have been using coconut sugar (supposedly low glycemic) and my dh is liking it. His blood sugar has not risen after eating it on his oat bran cereal, which is kinda blood raising on it's own. It looks and tastes like brown sugar.

Mikkijoe, that veal stew sounds delish!!!!!

My shrimp recipe turned out really good, but if you ever find a version of the Red Lobster scampi, I'd love to have it. I love shrimp scampi but have never made it.

Mikki - I would love the "stuffing" recipe -- Thanksgiving is going to be tough for me, as it's my favorite meal... I LOVE the mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, and of course, the durned pies.

I need to get a holiday strategy in place and making some mock/low carb versions of my faves would probably help a lot.

I just ate a ton of macademia nuts... yum, but I overdid it.

Here is that specific recipe, but her whole site has some great stuff

PLUS, here is another fantastic site with a PDF primal Thanksgiving booklet you can print out for free!