I have to apologize in advance for such a long letter...am in a talkative mood.
I have been checking out another forum that is all about low carbing and I came across the following and wanted to share it with you:
There's not much mystery about why these bars cause stalls - they contain a lot more carbs than the labels indicate. The statements about why the carbs from glycerine, polydextrose, maltitol, litese, etc...are not included in the carb count are very questionable. If it counts as a calorie, and you digest it, and it is a carbohydrate, you should be counting it.
By doing the basic calorie calculations (total calories, minus fat calories, minus protein calories = carb calories at 4 calories per gram) I recently took a closer look at the real carb counts of Atkins Bars
Almond Brownie: 15grams of carbs - 2grams fibre = 13g carbs
Banana Colada : 8.75 g - 1g = 7.75 g carbs
Chocolate Coconut: 15.25g - 1g = 14.25g carbs
Chocolate Macadamia: 7g - 1g = 6 g carbs
Chocolate Peanut Butter: 6.25g - 1.2g = 5.05g carbs
Chocolate Raspberry: 6.5g - 1g = 5.25g
Chunky Peanut Butter: 4g - 1g = 3g
Chocolate Macadamia: 10.25g - 2g = 8.25g
Praline Crunch: 5g - .1g = 4.9g
As you can see, some of the bars are really not that bad, but some are carbohydrate whoppers. If you can eat them and still lose, go for it. But if you are stalled out and wondering why - don't forget the real carb count of these "snacks". (I'm not picking on Atkins, here, other brands are just as bad or worse!)
I am done eating the Atkins bars. I only had them for emergencies...like getting too hungry while out running errands...but now I buy iced tea (sugarless) if I start getting too hungry.
Not smoking is bad for your health!!! It makes you crabby, emotional, weak, fuzzy headed and more, but I'm not giving up!!!
If I can be so committed to losing this weight and staying on program for 8 weeks (tomorrow) I can be strong enough to quit smoking as well. I'm glad that I have a non-smoking buddy like Christy...You're a great motivator...WE CAN DO THIS, buddy!!!
My back is better now. I did make myself get out of the house on Friday. I had my hair and nails done, and had lunch with my hairdresser. After being here in Florida for almost 4 years, it's nice to finally have a female friend.
We've had more company for our little "happy hour" in the evenings lately. It's been nice seeing people who haven't been around in quite a while. Today, one of our friends is going to bring over chuck steak and make us dinner. I will make a salad and some garlic broccoli and cauliflower (my favorite). Someone asked for the recipe, and it's really very simple:
Cut up a few cloves of fresh garlic and put them in a lidded container that will be large enough to handle the amount of vegetables that you have cooked (we usually cook a 16 ounce bag of each). In that same container, add olive oil (we use about a third of a cup). Cook the broccoli and cauliflower in the same pot together the way you normally would. Pour them into a strainer and then right into the container and shake it well so that the veggies are coated with the oil and garlic. The longer they sit, the better they taste. They're even good cold. If you are a salt person like I am, you will find that the more salt you add, the hotter they get.
Last night we (meaning hubby did while I was napping) made chicken wings. They're easy and very tasty. As you all know, we rarely cook in the house...I love our grill!!! We cook the wings after seasoning them with salt. Then we put them in a container with butter, garlic (lots of garlic), Louisiana pepper sauce and some cayenne pepper. They're very tasty and go quickly. Also, wings are really inexpensive...especially when we buy them in the family packs.
Joanne: Good idea about the duct tape. Today's a new day and a fresh beginning. How about making "little" meatballs with just a bit of cheese inside them for snacking. You can bake them, drain them (if they need it) and put them in a covered container. When you get the urge to eat, just grab one and keep going. Boil a dozen eggs and have them on hand. You can also cook a pound of bacon and grab a slice every now and then to help you. One more...How about some mushrooms stuffed with cheese and bacon? We all need something that we can grab that will be almost carbless to help us keep on track (and away from the snack cabinet and the vending machines). If you have your food prepared, you won't be tempted as easily to go off program.
25: With the boys gone, you will be entering a new and exciting phase in your life. I've been an empty nester for quite a while now. Obviously, you will find that you have more time for yourself, and have the time to rediscover your hubby. You will find that your house stays neater and is less dusty. You'll be spending less time in the kitchen (I hate kitchens!!!!).
One of hubby's friends chastized me last night for being in ketosis too long. He thought that since I have lost so much weight that it was time for me to get out of ketosis and start adding fruit and more vegetables to my program. I just bit my lip and let him run off at the mouth.
Good job on losing 27 pounds!!! I'm willing to bet that you will show a larger loss on your next weigh in.
Sue: I know what you mean about the prejudices of overweight women. I went to several doctors with abdominal pains. Most told me that it was all in my mind...that nothing was wrong with me. I finally got one to do an MRI and he said that my ovary was slightly enlarged, but he wasn't concerned about it. I went to another doctor and first told him that I am not a hypochondriac and that I needed his help. I told him how long I had been in pain and that it was getting worse. I asked him to just schedule me for exploratory surgery (I was desperate!). I told him that if he wouldn't do it, that I would just find another doctor who would, so he agreed, but with one stipulation...If he did this and found that I had nothing wrong, that I would go into counseling!
Between the visit and the day of surgery, I had the most excruciating pain, and felt something pop in my right side. The morning of my surgery, he came in to talk with me. He told me that he expected me to be able to go home that afternoon. After surgery, I think that he had a hard time facing me. When he finally walked into my room, I told him that I was ready to go home (lying, of course...I thought I was dying from the pain). I had a growth inside my ovary that had grown until it actually burst the ovary. I had developed an infection and was in the hospital for almost 2 weeks. It was in my head, huh????
Christy: I'm with you, hang in there. Prepare meals ahead of time to stay on your program instead of making tempting snacks that might trigger your cravings even more. It's tough, but you can do it. I'm sending up a special prayer for you!
Jennifer: I hope all is well with you and that you are taking time for yourself.
Hello to the rest of you. I hope you're staying strong and on program. You're all in my prayers.
I told you this would be long, but I have one more thing to add. I wrote something in my journey (as opposed to journal) that I would like to share with you. It has been what has kept me on track for so long:
I have really thought about this program that I am on and about reaching my goals. I cheated in the first week of the program, and was really disgusted with myself. I started out my program by sabotaging it!!! Since the second week, I have been faithful to myself, and haven’t repeated my mistake. My thinking today is that overeating and using food for rewards while on my program just doesn’t make sense. Doing without the things that I enjoy while I am on this program is not a matter of depriving myself. It makes perfect sense. Those things that I am doing without are always going to be there, but right now, they don’t fit in with my program. They will cause me to either gain weight, or not to lose. They might make me feel good momentarily, but really make me feel unwell in the long run. I will be disappointed with myself for not keeping to my strong commitment of losing this heavy burden that is extra weight. How can I justify eating something that isn’t on the program? Why reward yourself with something that will sabotage your weight loss when the actual reward is the loss itself. How ridiculous can one be?
Lee
Quote:
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Remember...you are the daughter of the Heavenly King...that makes you a Princess!!! Feel like one...look like one...carry yourself like one!!!
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) & I feel all out of sorts.
Please share the secrets of your success and also post menus. I'm glad you & DH are planning to stay OP while on your trip. You'll feel so much better. It's always the guilt that kills me. However, I will tell you from personal experience don't let yourself feel deprived. I did that on vacation & once I got home I went on a week long binge which resulted in a 8 lb gain. And don't forget your patch!! Oh, I love your quote.
) I know I'm PMSing (which was NEVER a problem prior to age 35 
). Tomorrow is my younger son's 6th birthday party at a local pizza place. I'm ordering their Ceasar salad with roast chicken (delicious) but I know I'm going to have a tough time saying "NO!!!" to the Carvel ice cream cake. 
Mantra: "I DON't want it; I DON'T need it; It's not that special that I can't have it another time (just not right now)."
-Clap-Clap-Clap (I'm applauding your success & will/won't power).
spirit that keeps tempting me to go to the vending machines). That should help (I hope).
.
