Did our taxes...I'm pooped.

Break - buffalo meatballs
Snack - 1 mandarin
Lunch - chicken fajita
Snack - 2 mandarins
Dinner - grilled wings, 2 light beers
Snack - cran water

Jacqui the stress etc is a killer. when our kids are involved all our smarts go out the window and the worry kicks in :)
eating the protein bars aren't real food either that make you satisfied so sure you are going a bit wonky on your menu. out of whack.
I get that way...but you will correct it all soon. still keeping your family in my prayers!!!

HI ALL
busy fast day here.
have this and that to handle.
usual things

2 ribeyes on the menu. ah, so simple. I absolutely don't have to worry about 'choosing' a meal anymore :)
spaghetti for family which is so super simple!!

just doing my thing and rolling along. working on making some life changes and putting that all into place etc.
just into our 50s now and we want to flip up the life a bit so we are working toward early retirement and all that.
scary tho but thrilling at the same time to buck the normal system and drop the rat race attitude and all :)

off to get the day moving!!

Jacqui, I'm so happy to see you back here. You did so well losing all that weight and I hate to see you fall off the wagon like this. Please hop back on, next time it rolls around. I hope your daughter gets this all straightened out. Did they say why she has the arm/shoulder pain? I have had tendonitis off and on and it flares up occasionally. I wish I knew what I was doing that causes that. Is thyroid med known to cause weight gain? I've never heard that.

Rennie will wander back in when she's ready. She loves us too much to stay away for long! Right Rennie?

ZCA DH retired at 55. He had that opportunity through his union. I continued to work into my mid 60s because I really enjoyed my easy job and loved the contact with the people. But now that I'm retired, I'm lovin' it. I'm usually still up at 6AM but love the days that I just roll over and go back to sleep until 8 if I want to. We have had to tighten up a bit on the budget, but everything is paid for, so it's not so hard. Wish you well with that.

Hello Everyone,

I'm having a good day. I lost 2 pounds since starting the Keto diet, 2 days ago. I suffer from unrelated debilitating fatigue and so cooking is often impossible. So, what I ate for breakfast will sound weird. I had 1 oz pecans, 1 oz pork rinds and 2 eggs, deviled, with 1 Tbs mayo with some garlic powder, onion powder and salt. The only carbs, not counting the spice powder, was in the pecans.

I don't want to have to eat that again for my next meal so hopefully I'll summon the energy to cook today. I am also out of hard cooked eggs. I'm not suffering from any cravings or being hungry. I would like to make some peanut butter cookies but I have to wait until the erythritol arrives in the mail. I live in a rural area. I am nervous that I might not be able to control myself around them so I want to find out. If I can't, I just will avoid sweets altogether.

I see a cardinal out where I throw bird seed. He's young so it's not fully red and I get to see him become more red every day. I enjoy that.

Tabby

Hi Jacqui! You take care of your daughter and don't worry about us. Your babes are always just that, your babies. I'm sure you'll make a comeback when things calm down.

Bro requested cheeseburgers for dinner, so after yoga I grilled burgers......giant burgers.

Break - sausage mcmuffin
Snack - mandarin
Lunch - chicken fajita
Snack - 2 mandarins
Dinner - cheeseburger, hash browns, green beans
Snack - cran water

PrairieQueen, What diet are you on that hash browns are okay?

Thanks everyone! :grouphug: Today I forgot to weigh before I ate, so I weighed later just to see what the damage was and I was still at 176.5, so I have my fingers crossed that maybe it had been a tad bit less, like a half lb (since my scale measures in half lbs) less than what it was showing right then. :crossed: I had a restaurant salad with pepperoni on it tonight though so I imagine it won't be down tomorrow. I didn't drink enough water to offset the sodium today. Other than that, though, I stayed away from the protein bars, so I've been on plan pretty much today. I had my normal breakfast, bbq pork ribs for lunch, yogurt for a snack, and the salad for dinner. I want to get away from snacking altogether, and I have to find a way to get back to drinking more water and less Diet Dr. Pepper! I just know the Diet Dr. Pepper is triggering my appetite for sweets! :nono:

Carol Sue, thank you for your words of wisdom and encouragement. You are so right. I can't let this knock me down. I've worked too hard and for too long to let this get away from me. I have to find the strength to pull through this without the crutch of food to comfort me. Heck, I'm not even overindulging on good food, lol! I'm trying to stick to foods I've allowed myself so its nuts and protein bars and just too much at meals, etc. I keep forgetting the aspect of my diet plan that says I will stop eating when I'm full. (It does not say I will keep eating if I'm nervous! :lol: )

ZCA72, thank you. Yes, the protein bars have got to go! I didn't start out allowing them on my diet. I added them because of situations when I might not have time to eat. With my hypoglycemia, they would be better than nothing, but I'm not eating them for that purpose now. I'm eating them because they are sweet and I'm craving sweets, so I really can't keep them in the house anymore. :(

PrairieQueen, thanks, and yes, our babies never stop being our babies! :yes: Woohoo on having your taxes done! :yay:

TabbyOne, yay on the 2-lb loss! :cp: I have suffered from severe fatique in the past and found out I was outrageously deficient in vitamin D. It's better now. Have you had you vitamin D levels checked?

About my daughter, she has started her meds, and Carol Sue, I didn't know the meds caused weight gain either but everything we're reading online or hearing from friends who are on these meds or who know someone on them is coming back that they do cause significant weight gain. I would think it'd be just the opposite. I'm hoping it will be just the opposite! :shrug: My DD's left shoulder and arm are still bothering her. Somehow it seems to be related to the attack she had, but since it's not her heart, I don't know how. I'm just so thankful it's not her heart!

I will be back on tomorrow! :)

Tabby---smart to make those pb cookies and 'see' your reaction to them. I can't do LC sugar free stuff....it only makes me want the other sugar and I crave and binge if I get the sweet taste. for me they had to go. and I tell you not having anything sweet in my life is the most freeing part of my journey!! no fooling, I sure would not have said that before when I started my LC journey :) but now, I have changed into such a different person regarding my food plan and health it is astounding. but it is important to know how food effects you and once you know, you can keep or eliminate etc. as needed. keep up the great work and you will see wonderful benefits from eating a good lc plan!

Jacqui...yes I hear you on the cravings and sweet and those 'bars seem legal' :) they went from a 'when needed during whatever time in life to be easy food' etc......to becoming a dependency for sweet etc. I know, I been there :) I fooled myself many times in changing my lifestyle.....boy I sure did that like crazy LOL til I really faced every situation with my food and why and how etc it fit into my life and drew the line in the sand, then I got into a better place. It is hard to make these big changes with life all around us, I sure know! I was the 'excuse queen' and in total denial of what it takes for success. rough journey but if we learn thru it and act on what we learn, then we can find great results.

Wanna----great to hear about a happy retirement!! I am with your hubby....get out of work earlier LOL but I hear you on wanting to stay social and out there. everyone needs something to fulfill and that worked great for you to keep your job for a while longer. I love that freedom, get up or sleep a bit, do this or that on no time limit.....ahh, it sounds wonderful!!

---HI ALL
2 ribeyes today as usual. again, my simple plan makes me so happy! I used to be such a foodie, making LC recipes, using LC fake products and all.....but they just made me crave, confused, want more and more variety in my food plan...til it took me down. I cracked all the time on doing that type of plan. going ZC is my savior point blank. It controls me and now it is becoming a lifestyle, not a eating plan to lose lbs. Now that it is a lifestyle I control it and I am happy as a clam on my plan :) :)

well just spouting away here...off to get things moving for the day. rainy, wet, nasty, and cold. come on ya know...I live in the Southeast, where is the hot weather!!! it best get here soon! :)

I am not on a "diet," but I have changed my lifestyle. I've cut out ultra-processed foods, diet foods, GMOs, etc. Everything "real" is okay in moderation for me. I've dropped 40 lbs since June, 2015 :) I actually eat a lot of good carbs, esp. in summer.

I'm cooking bacon. It's a large package and it's taking a long time at 4 pieces at a time. I don't have a baking sheet or I'd have done it in the oven.

I almost went off diet last night. I was too fatigued to cook and only snacked. I then got hit with the hungeries but I had make hard cooked eggs earlier in the day and had 2 of those and that was enough to avoid disaster.

I'm down another pound.

I hope to make some chocolate fat bombs today. I'm not getting enough fat, per my diet.

High fat, moderate protein, low carb
Tabby

Evening all! Mom and bro headed back to FLA this morning. They'll be back next month for my nephews high school graduation. Weighed in to see a new low today and I'm feeling good about tomorrow's. Fingers crossed.

Break - fried egg, ham slice
Snack - 3 mandarins
Lunch - chicken fajita
Dinner - two slices homemade pizza
Snack - cran water

Another flyby just to check in. A lot going on right now. Waiting to learn more about the house we want to have built in TX, DH is sick and my sister called last night and they were at the hospital (in TX). Our step-mom is dying. Doctors say her body is shutting down. I want so much to be there for my Daddy, but can't be. She would be 84 in May. I haven't talked to Daddy because he went home to sleep for a while and go back. I text him earlier to tell him I love him and praying for him. He wrote back "waiting". This is really difficult for him, besides loving her, he didn't want to bury another wife. I've buried 2 husbands so I really understand exactly how he feels.

I haven't been doing really well on plan, so I went to store today and bought a lot of meat... pork chops (LCA's menu finally got me LOL), turkey leg etc. I don't intend to allow all this to become an excuse to get off and stay off plan.

Today plan was

B - eggs, bacon and cheese
L - rotisserie chicken and gala apple
D - turkey leg and nuts
S - American cheese

I'll do individuals tomorrow.

Good night

Patty, I'm so sorry for your step-mother and father. My best wishes to them and you. Looks like you did really good on your plan today.

Tabby

I am too tired to stay on tonight, but Trish, I am just so sorry to hear about your step-mother. Your family is in my prayers. :hug: ZCA72, thank you for your understanding. I'm still trying to get it together. :yes: PrairieQueen, woohoo on the new low! :bravo: TabbyOne, great job on being another lb down! :cp: I'm sorry your are feeling so tired. Hi Carol Sue and Rennie! :wave:

Tabby very good relying on those hb eggs :)
it is imperative to eat meals. I also would kinda snack thru a day cause not hungry then boom...hungry as a hippo LOL
and same as you it was decision time. but in the end I will stick to my LC ways....cause....heck that is what this whole thing for me is about...I want to change so I have to eat LC to make that happen :)
good choice, now I have my food available at all times for just in case.

Patty so sorry to hear about your step-mom. I sure now that feeling. It is just one of unbelief and such that a life is ending. My Dad passed and it was the hardest thing to handle. But life moves forward and death is a natural state of life, just that we miss the loved ones so much is hard to accept!!

HI ALL
doing well. today is 2 ribeyes as usual. going to defrost a big pack of pork chops and eat those for a bit. usual chores and this and that. my day is filled but it is an ok filled. nothing dramatic happening around here for which I am always very thankful :)

everyone enjoy this fine day!

Patty so sorry to hear about step-mom and your poor dad. Do take care of your self. Jacqui get some rest and take care of your self, as well! Sleep, sleep, sleep.

A morning post of excitement. . . I had the biggest whoosh ever today of two pounds to make another all-time low. I'm in a new decade and less than ten pounds away from goal....I have lost over 40 pounds in the past ten months :) I plan on posting before and after pics at the one year mark in June.

Have a great day / start of weekend everyone!

Thanks everyone for the kind words, prayers, thoughts and wishes for my family at this time. Mom has been a part of our family for almost 15 yrs and she was friends with my Mama when she was living. In fact, Mom and her deceased hubby went to church with all of us and served in church together when no one ever thought that Mama and Boots would pass away and Daddy and Mom would marry. I am thankful that we are Christians and believe we will all be together again in the future. However, ZCA is right. Those of us left behind really miss them when they are gone and just have to adjust knowing they are gone and life moves forward. We all have to fulfill our own purpose in life. I appreciate y'alls support.

ZCA First I apologize for saying LCA instead of ZCA last night when I posted about your menu getting to me. I was so mentally and emotionally tired when I wrote last night. I am not going zero carb, but I am eating very low carb right now. One of my sisters and I both are diabetics (she is newly diagnosed) and she eats protein and nuts and has her bs normal. She is on a medication that I cannot take because it causes yeast infections and a yeast infection is how I learned I was diabetic.

I too have had problems with diet/lc foods setting me off into cravings. Even diet drinks that used to satisfy my sweet cravings seems to work against me now. I do know that VLC does help you stop the cravings especially sweet cravings. You have inspired me to take advantage of the help I can get from VLC.. Thanks for sharing your journey.

p.q. :cheer2:YAHOO:cheer2: CONGRATULATION on the new loss and being so close to your goal. You go girl!!!

Jacqui Sorry to hear about your daughter but so thankful it wasn't a heart attack. I pray she will respond to treatment and feel better. I don't know much about that disease but I have been seeing it more and more. In fact, I just read the other day that some of things we ate over the years that we were told was healthy for us is what causes Heshemoto as well as many other problems. You rest and check in when you can. :hug: While using protein bars etc isn't the best way to go, sometimes we have to choose what will get us through a tough situation. It is just choosing not to get way off plan. You will get back to your regular plan. The main thing to remember is that it is not selfish to take care of yourself. It actually is very important to take care of yourself so you can be what you need to be for your daughter. I've had a difficult time learning this myself.

Tabby I love bacon and love the fact that I can have it on VLC way of eating. Congratulations on your weight loss.

Carol Sue I hope you are feeling better today.

[B][/RennieB] I know you are a very busy lady. I hope you are taking care of yourself.

Hope I got everyone. Y'all have a great day.

Talked to my Daddy this morning and my dear Step-mom passed away this morning at 2:35. Daddy knows she is better off. I think they are going to probably have her services Sunday so that my step-sister won't have to go home and come back so we won't be able to go for the funeral, but Daddy understood and I told him that we would be coming as soon as we can. She will be missed, but I'm glad she didn't suffer and is at piece now.

AAAh, so sorry Patty. It is so hard, I know. when Dad passed this last July it left the most giant void in me. we would chat, and he was a big influence in my life every day! You know things are happening and the end is coming and try so hard to accept, but when it happens it is still so hard cause you lost contact with that person forever. But being a believer, I also know that we will meet up later down the line and that is comforting. take care of your family and yourself!! Prayers for your family during this tough time.

Also....vlc is a very good way to continue your eating. the benefits from vlc are massive and do help us continue our journey into a healthier place

PQ---WOW, congrats. the big whoosh, boy I sure loved those!! 10 from goal...and here you go. completing your journey sooner than later now and taking on the realm of maintenance!! happy for you!!

I can't wait til the June pics of your success!!

HI ALL
---Hi ALL
saturday and since I have been putting off cleaning a bit in the house---I am opting to do it today. bleck
vacuum when kiddo gets up in a bit....stupid bathrooms and all....just a good old clean thru it all. luckily being a minimalist type I don't have alot of crappola in the house to dust etc should go fast if I get moving good.

walk doggie later to get out in the sun, maybe hang out later on back porch, drag out the lounge and relax if the weather gets nicer. that wind has a cold bbbrrrr in it....I hope it gets so much warmer to enjoy. I mean 28 this morning, in the South in April??? what the??

forgot to defrost my big pack of pork chops :( Will get them out of freezer today! but I have 2 ribeyes for today so I am covered.

everyone have a great day!!

Good morning ladies....we woke up to two inches of snow! Last year on this weekend I was tilling my early garden. Not so this year :( tomorrow's high is 58 and next weekend 70s. Crazy town :) today I will be working on starting my tomatoes, peppers, broc, etc. in plants. I'm late this year but it's turned out to be a good thing as the mini greenhouse I set up is put in an upstairs bedroom that tends to get a bit chilly without supplemental heat. Anyway, I plan on being indoors all weekend except for a trip to the butchers to pick up my lard and spice that he owes me.

Yesterday...
Break - sausage mcmuffin
Snack - cutie
Lunch - one slice pizza
Snack - three cuties
Dinner - two chicken tenders and 1/2 order loaded fries at 9 pm! I was starving. Oh, and a mini bottle of moscato at the pub :)

PQ I guess we are always a little behind you with the weather. We had a coating of snow this AM and it has continued snowing all morning. Not expecting much of an accumulation, I hope. Thanks for sending it my way. LOL

Glad to hear you got that whoosh! I am so looking forward to the before/after pics.

ZCA, I bought some bacon again. I missed it. I'm just not eating as much, just a taste with my morning egg. I found out that when DH makes too much I can put it away for later. I always felt that it all had to be eaten when cooked.

Tabby, good for you staying on track with the HB egg. That one pound drop was well deserved.

Jacqui, I hear you on just eating too much. I think that's my weight loss problem along with the diabetes meds. I always have an excuse ready, don't I? LOL Judging from your past success, you will get back on track and start losing again.

Trish, sorry to hear of your step-mother's passing. May she rest in peace, and may your Dad find comfort knowing she is no longer suffering but is in God's arms.

Come on back, Rennie. Enough is enough now!!! I see you posting on other threads. You know I'm a stalker and I'll hunt you down! Get back here GF!! Don't be afraid of Jacqui! LOL

Something is wrong and I'm gaining again. Separately, when I got up today, I was a bit down and then it got worse. I went off program. I fully intend, and hope, that i get back on track tomorrow but I'm too knocked down and drained of energy to cook today. I'm also sick of the few foods I have handy. Send me some good vibes so I can hard cook some eggs to make tomorrow easier. Oh, I've also decided that 20 grams of net carbs is too high. I"m presuming that's why I gained. I'll lower it to 15 grams and see what happens.

Tabby

Sending you some positive vibes Tabby. Tomorrow is s new day.

Evening all! To 7:45pm and I'm ready to sleep. I didn't work all that hard today on my to-do list either. Ah, but there's always tomorrow to finish it :)

Break - leftover pub fries and chicken strip
Lunch - ham/cheese on sourdough
Dinner - spinach salad, juicy ribeye, sweet corn, roasted garlic mushrooms

Wanna, the bacon is addictive for sure...and the taste is just yum to the max :) :)
I also cook alot of bacon and put in fridge. I 'undercook' just a little (well I love my bacon burned crispy and no one else likes it that way tho) but I do take it off just a tad earlier than my burned up crispy, and I reheat later in the micro. It gets hot and sizzly and is delish for 'that taste' I need. My micro reheat bacon is basically my 'candy' now LOL I love it!

I switched to a package of 'ends and pieces'. never have I bought that before. it was 2 lbs. for $4. So only $2. per lb. which beats the price of the packaged at like $6 per lb now. of course I buy only on sale prices but when I saw the 2 lb. package for $4 I thought, hmmm, why not try it. It was great! the ends and pieces was full strips shoved into the package...a few breaking a bit etc. but in the end it was basically a complete strip in there so I was very happy on my new found cheaper bacon score. Hey anywhere I can save a buck ya know :) :)

Tabby, so sorry. We know here what it is like. the beginning of a big eating change is very very hard to handle. This is when you stick to your plan LIKE glue, because your plan is what will make you have results....in that as much as we want to eat off plan, as much as we are tired and no energy to cook and more---staying on plan is the whole key to the whole thing.

Count total carbs Tabby. You don't need to put any time into 'netting' out your foods. Just count total carbs for ease. That way you don't even have to drop down to 15-----just eat 20 TOTAL CARBS for the day and pick that as your carb limit and move forward easily into your plan.

On food, pick you most favorite meats....be sure to have at least 3 in the fridge. buy a rotisserie chicken and eat 1/2 of it. just have a few lc veggies on hand at all times to heat up and throw on the butter!! be sure to have a few delish cheeses you love in the fridge. keep some things like tuna in a can around. I love sardines and eat those as my go to snack.

All you must deal with Tabby is your next meal. forget about most of the 'dieting crazy' and just concentrate on that next meal. nothing more.
then get thru that meal and concentrate on the next one :) that is what helped me....just one meal at a time. You make that one meal a filling, happy meal and you perk up and all of the sudden, you are proud of your commitment, and then you want that next meal to be as good as the last one you ate and so on and so on.

You will be ok. everything we do is to change our health for the better. while it 'sounds' easy, it isn't cause we are fighting addictions, body changes that effect mood and energy, and a ton more situations that all must be worked on bit by bit to peel away the bad ways and get a good grip into our new LC life!!! Hold strong girl!!!
Hope some of this helps the change to become a bit easier for you :) :)


HI ALL
easy sunday here. lazy and relaxing type day.
I got alot of cleaning done yesterday...hooray, just a few easy tasks and I am in good shape.
cleaning, bleck...what a waste of time but I guess it has to be done :)

1/2 roast chicken today
1 big yummy ribeye later

not hungry at all. my body is under my control which I love and I am doing great. One thing I need is HOT weather. it is SO cold outside. I wanted to do some hiking, but to go into the mountains in this cold (like 28 out there now) just is not me...I freeze! Boy do I need temps to come up for me to be active outside more...like a bear waiting for hibernation to be over LOL

everyone have a fine sunday!!!

ZCA I would love to see those "ends and pieces" in my store. We cut our bacon up anyway to make it fit in the pan and cook it in bite size pieces instead of strips. DH says he's not going to eat it because it raises his BP but he loves it and can't stay away from it. I know he would prefer that I don't buy it, but if I have to live with all his sweets and snacks in the house, he can live with my bacon. LOL I paid $4.49 a lb yesterday, but can get it for $3.79 in Aldi's.

Although I will not give up my veggies, so won't be doing zero carb, your advice can be applied to any WOE and is much appreciated.

Tabby, here's hoping you get back on track today!

PrairieQueen, thank you! I ended up hard boiling some eggs about 15 minutes after that post. I'm amazed at what you can eat. That would make me gain weight. Isn't it interesting how we are all different?

ZCA72 Thank you for the support. It's so sad but I'll try that total carb method.

I feel so much better today. It turns out even though I ate ice cream yesterday, I lost 1.4 pounds. I'm in shock. I had gained the previous 2 days. But I"m still at my lowest point since starting on Monday. I hope to make Keto biscuits today. IMO the things people call biscuits aren't biscuits but muffins. They have the texture of muffins but I'm hoping I'll like them with LC gravy anyway. Sounds yucky but I have to try it. I have some ground pork so I'm hoping to make sausage gravy and biscuits.

I'm 1 of 5 people on the planet that isn't a fan of bacon. I liked it as a child but it doesn't taste the same now. Anyway, I bought a huge package, influenced by some blogs I'm reading, and cooked it all at once but on the stove top as I didn't have a baking sheet. It took hours. If I ever buy bacon again, I'll cut it into bits like Wannabehealthy does. Good tip.

Rotisserie chicken bloats my face. I don't know what ingredients they put on them but those labels are scary. I also am 1 of 5 people on the planet that doesn't like rotisserie chicken. There are no meats I like, plained down like rotisserie chicken is. One of my major obstacles that normal people don't understand is I'm very picky. The opposite of a foodie. Most things I like take work to make.

Tabby

Evening ladies! Hope everyone got a little rest this weekend. Back to reality tomorrow and healthy eating. Seven weeks until vacation....were starting to look at plane tickets :)

Break - ham/cheese on sourdough
Lunch - chicken gnocchi soup
Dinner - lemon linguine w/basil- walnut pesto and chicken

We are getting ready to drive to TX to meet the agent we've been talking to about building us a house so I can move close to my family back there. Traveling and meetings and return will be about a week. Don't want to leave DGS here by himself to long, plus we have to come back and work at getting this house on the market to sell.

Tabby My DH is a picky eater so I know how that works. LOL I like things pretty simple. Glad you got past your moment and stayed on track.

ZCA I enjoyed your advice to Tabby. I was in a diet group years ago that I started in my home. We used to say "One day at a time" and sometimes we would say that instead of One day at a time that we often had to take it "One meal at a time". I like the way you did that and will be using that method as well.

Yesterday I was going to make beef patties with gravy, but DH decided he wanted a home made burger instead. I decided "OK I'll make me one too". However when I started cutting up the veggies for it, I kept thinking about the "Burger in a bowl" I usually get at 5 Guys. The more I thought about it, I suddenly found myself making what I called a Cheeseburger salad. I did good. I did have fries with it, but I still feel I did very well.

Carol Sue, P.Q., Jacqui and everyone:wave:

This is going to be a very busy next couple of weeks, but I will try to check in when I can.

Have a great week.

oh yea Wanna I have chopped bacon in 1/2 to fit the pan :) little bit sized snack pieces and I can eat a ton of them LOL
my bacon use goes in cycles now. when I started ZC I leaned heavily on bacon to survive and switch out of carb junk eating, but lately I am eating it less and less...but when I do, wow, I am a fan for life on that taste!

oh there are tons of ways to change our lifestyle....but when it comes down to the food that goes in our mouth, it is fine to follow our own eating patterns and way we want to eat thru life and include our own food choices.......but there are alot of thoughts behind how to change etc. that sure apply to all of us!

Tabby---ok girl I am gonna have to smack you around a bit you know. bacon, not a bacon fan?? oh well LOL it is ok. you wouldn't believe how picky I am on every single thing I eat. I won't even let my hubby cook my steak on the grill for me cause I want it absolutely done in a certain way. I control my food at every single turn. That is why eating out is becoming a nightmare for me LOL. only thing I am fine about 'them' cooking for me out is crab legs. I figure they can't 'really' screw them up. but I order a steak etc it is not exactly how I like it and I get ticked off at the restaurant kitchen people! yes I am weird.

whole key is find your LC foods you love and have them stocked and ready at all times. it is important when you 'get to grazing or wanting something' that when you open that fridge in your face is your 'legal' foods and your mind kicks in with 'hmmm, I was going for junky stuff but I really should eat this LC stuff'. helped me alot when I went off looking for food. I would rather apply some strength before the meal. Put my thinking into before eating, then after, cause for me the after was always shame, guilt, feeling like a failure off plan and all and believe me I despised getting down on me for eating junk. got annoying in a way, couldn't live with the negativity all the time so I basically said to myself, eat on plan and choose healthy food and those stupid miserable feelings won't exist. duh it was that easy for me to change my ways. I wanted better for me. tired of sabotaging myself and stopping myself from wanting better health.

PQ--vacation. AHhh, I sure love my vacations. 7 weeks will fly by, the older I get the more I see time flying by LOL

Patty, I like your cheeseburger salad. I used to love my taco salad I made. BUT ARE you allowing yourself fries? I mean in 'most dieting situations and switching to healthy food' fries go by the wayside :) :) just wondering in that when we are beginning a plan to eat healthy for life, sometimes it is best to truly throw out some foods from our menu. even if we are not 'cutting' out tons of foods for elimination, there are some choices that just are icky and not good for us. see I think of a french fry as a useless thing....right there with soda....and potatoe chips. In that there is nothing, nada, good about them for our body.

thing is I am not sure of what menu plan you are doing at this time so I kinda find it hard to say don't eat that, choose better :) :)

but every single time we opt to make a better meal for us then the one we are planning to eat---that is a total victory to the max!!!!!


HI ALL
icky cloudy storm coming. and chilly!
bleck
will wash the pollen off everything and my car at least!

2 ribeyes on the menu
not very hungry. hubby did pork tenderloin and sirloin tip on the grill last night. he did the pork great and I didn't monitor it but that came out ok to me ...I had a bit of the sirloin but it was overcooked for me. but he will end up eating it all LOL

off to run some errands and all....gotta get moving even though I am in the mood to lie down and watch tv thru this icky day.

Tabby, I am and always have been a foodie. There are very few things I don't like and will always try new foods. Lately I have eliminated the things that are just OK but not great, and eliminated foods that have no nutritional value. Rotisserie chicken is one of my favorites. Also, many times when I cook chicken, I will simmer it in water like I was making chicken soup. I like my meat very plain, no sauces or gravies. I want the taste of the meat. I always think of picky eaters as being thin, like my DH. He eats tons of carbs, but he is otherwise a picky eater and eats very small meals. Never had a weight problem.

ZCA, I think when we plan to lose weight by making a lifestyle change, it needs to be something we can do for the rest of our lives, otherwise, it's just a diet. Now, if we try that plan and it's not working, some changes have to be made. I do not believe in adding things back in for maintenance. I believe that's where people make their mistake and start to regain. This is why I won't stop my veggies. I like meat and fish and I like veggies. I am willing to let go of all the other stuff, even though I have not completely reached that point yet. I believe that protein and veggies will keep my diabetes under control and will also bring my weight down. I know you don't agree with me on the veggies, and that's OK. I respect what you're doing for you.

Trish, I'm glad you told us you are getting ready to leave. This is a big step for you and I'm glad it's finally going to happen. I have never lived anywhere but PA.

ZCA I am following my own plan. I'm not restricting any particular food from my plan. I've learned that does not work for me as it only makes me want it more. I just don't eat a lot of high carb and I do not like a lot of fatty foods. I love my bacon and pork chops cooked with the fat very crispy. If it is undercooked I can't stand it. Just me. My plan is more of WW way of eating although I don't count pts. I love veggies especially salads and it is so easy to through meat in a salad or on the side. I also love fresh fruits although I have to keep them to a minimum. Once in a while usually when we go out DH and I will share a small order of fries or onion rings. Onion rings are my favorite, but not everyone makes good ones.

I love the fact that you can do ZC and I actually think that is great. I respect the fact that you have learned how to eat in a way that works for you. I actually commend you for knowing what works for you and you don't let anyone talk you out of it.

I have learned through trial and error through the years that ZCA, LCHF, as well as a lot of other plans is not and never will be for me. I can only do that for a few days. If I do it for too long, I get to the place to where even the smell of raw meat while getting it ready to cook will make me so sick that I can't even think of eating it. Example, I did Atkins 20 carbs a day for almost a year and then I told my doc "I just cannot look at another piece of meat or fish". I don't want to ever get to that point ever again. I know the ONLY way for me to enjoy the meat I love to eat is in moderation with other foods. LCHF doesn't work for me because fat makes me deathly sick if I eat very much of it.

I also know that the day I CANNOT allow some of my favorites as an occasional treat is the day it will become a "diet" for me instead of a lifestyle and I will lose control and never find long term success.

Like Carol Sue this is not a "diet" for me. My doctor told me that any diet would work if I could find something that I could live with for the rest of my life. So that is what I'm working at finding. I personally don't believe "diets" work because the word diet is thought of as something you do to lose weight and then go back to the way you ate before. I've gone that route more times than I care to remember. I believe that if I make "my own" plan by creating good habits with the foods I really enjoy eating that can become a lifestyle I can live with and then I will eventually be rewarded with a lifetime success.

Carol Sue's Mentioned her thoughts on adding food into a maintenance plan when goal is made. My theory is (I heard a doctor say this would work) that if I learn to eat the way I am going to eat when I am thin and eat that way now to lose weight, then I shouldn't have to worry about maintenance when I reach my goal because I'm not going to be adding anything that I'm not eating already. I don't know if that will work like he said or not, but nothing else I've done has worked long term so I might as well try it and see. :)

Have a great day everyone.

Thank you Pattygirl I really enjoyed reading this and in a way I follow very similar plan, everything in moderation;)

Evening ladies!

JacquiI hope all is well with DD......been thinking about her and sending healing vibes. Rennie I hope life is treating you well. Carol Sue old never give up my veggies either. I go "off the wagon" every couple weeks and have some onion rings or fried mushrooms or fried green tomatoes....yum!

I stayed home from work today. My male scoundrel cat was apparently bitten on his leg and backside by something. I didn't know what was wrong with him, but I was up half the night checking on him, offering water, etc. The vet saw me first thing this morn and found the punctures under all that fur, gave him two shots and sent me off with antibiotics. No limping tonight but he's still laying low and quieter than usual.

Break - chicken gnocchi soup
Snack - two mandarins
Lunch - leftover chicken pesto pasta
Dinner - bacon cheeseburger, sweet potato oven fries

I hear you guys but thing is 'we are on a diet' :) :) :) you know what I mean LOL

to lose weight you must 'diet' which can be called eat healthy foods, watch portions, moderate all that goes in the mouth, etc.

but I do know what you guys mean also!!!!


moderate never worked for me. I can;t moderate. every carb made me want more, abstain is what works. carb less wonder here and it suits me wonderful but I absolutely know what you mean that 'it must be' workable in our lives. if it isn't sustainable for that person, then we can't make it long term, that is for sure.

also personality of how you treat your food comes into play in that while I was a foodie type in general and loved to eat and taste a ton of stuff, I never liked cooking or doing food related stuff in any way. Trying out a 'complicated recipe' I would consider a nightmare! My easiest was fast food and alot of it. someone else cook it etc LOL

so when I switched my plan to ZC I never felt like I was 'giving up a love for cooking' or anything like that which helped me.
I don't even like making a salad LOL, too much work to me.

but for those who enjoy cooking and 'doing recipes' and having variety in their life and enjoy that, sure it would be normal to keep a food plan in the works that fits them personally. that is the way to go!!

good post Patty, you have a clear vision on what will work for you and that is very important. it fits you and you will make the magic happen in your plan.

Wanna on the veggies, I agree with you, if you want them you eat them :) I am never saying a veggie is bad for anyone who wants them. While I think veggies are useless in life, haha, and I require none, I absolutely think it is a healthy go to in one's menu plan for sure. if you want them :) not a thing wrong with a mushroom in my eyes.

Maintenance to me is 'after the weight loss' and most people can have some things back if they desire -- in that-- people eliminate some foods to make weight loss faster/easier on us....but when maintaining you can have some back. Someone might opt for scoops of sugar free ice cream. One might include 1/2 baked tater with a meal when in ''weight loss'' mode the ditched it to make their weight loss faster.

WOE (way of eating) or lifestyle change of menu is what we are doing for sure but we have to lose weight. (well if weight loss is your goal in this adventure) and at some point we have to pony up and make the weight loss happen. I remember when heavier, I cruised off lb after lb so fast it was wild...then you get lower and boom, you have to work harder at it in a way, if losing lbs. is your main goal. Lifestyle changes are fab as we know but the adventure for most is all about the weight loss involved also. (again if this is a point with you in your journey)

you know lately I noticed alot of people who are bigger and are just changing how they eat to be healthier, in that the weight loss is NOT the priority. of course some lbs. are going to come off when eating cleaner and that is a bonus for them, not their main goal. I kinda now see myself in that line of thinking. I fought like heck to lose my lbs. that are gone now :) but lately it is more about healthy eating and staying on my desired plan and let the weight loss follow me, not put it first as I always did before.

just chatting out some thoughts on it all. It is great to chat back and forth cause it makes the journey easier when we understand more about ourselves and our approaches.

PQ, wow on your cat. a tussle with something with big teeth for sure. hope he improves and does ok.

I also know those 'clash of wills' with my hubby :) you had me nodding, yes yes yes I know what she means!! while reading it.

all I can say to myself over and over is Men are from Mars and I don't live on that planet LOL

Yes, ZCA, what we eat is our "diet" as that is the true definition of the word, even though many use the word "diet" to mean "weight loss diet." Right now my main concern is my diabetes. I do not want to lose my eyesight, toes, feet or kidney function. Avoiding starchy carbs keep my blood sugar low and that's really what got me to give them up. It's about so much more than my fat body. LOL But I'd be lying if I said I don't care about my weight. I think the most noticeable thing for me is how I have lost interest in baked goods. I do a lot of baking, for my family, but it actually makes we squeamish to even look at it. They can't get enough, however.

For me, I would consider throwing in an all-vegetable day here and there to help with my weight loss. I always say, I didn't get fat from eating too much broccoli! LOL

PQ, I'm so sorry to hear that something tangled with your kitty! I hope he is Ok. I worry about letting my dog out when it's dark because we get a few critters with big claws in our yard from time to time, but when he has to go, he has to go!!

Morning all!

"News" to report - kitty is doing well, but has only been going out with me in the morning and after work. He doesn't wander too far from my side. He's streetwise, but he's normally a little too brave. The crazy thing is his episode happened in the bright sunshine with hubs outside working. If there's trouble to be found, Mr. Darcy will find it.

Hubs and I went to out last night for dinner, and he was very sensible with his ordering (a chicken harvest salad and one craft beer, no chocolate or sweets when we got home either). He was rewarded with his new personal best this morning. He's been losing an average of a pound a week, but the last few weeks has been more like 1.5/week. His goal is 200 lbs (he's 217 now at 6'1"). We go to England to visit his family in less than seven weeks and he's really pushing to get slimmer before then. He was about 230 lbs when they saw him last (2 years ago).

Yesterday's menu...
Break - chicken gnocchi soup
Lunch - pasta w/chicken & pesto
Snack - two mandarins
Dinner - grilled wings, sweet potato fries, one lite beer

Oh the carbs I have had this week!

Wanna I hear you loud and clear. But in the end 'a fatter body' on a person is a worse health situation. the slimmer and 'less fat' we carry on our person is a true complete help to our body. science of course supports that. We who are heavier must lose some lbs. to support the 'whole healthy body system' at work.

vanity lbs....LOL...I sure know those and want to lose them but in the end the more I think about it, a slimmer person is more apt to have a healthier system inside their body working for them, not against them..........in that I am saying a very very very basic generalization here.....we all know we are so unique in our bodies and situations that it is never 'one size fits all' but in real science, one size that does fit all is losing weight is a benefit to our bodies. the whole system. the whole workings.

are skinny people unhealthy...of course
are heavier people unhealthy...of course but with 'extra stress on their systems' that doesn't need to be there vs. a thinner person.

are skinny people healthy, sure
are heavier people healthy, sure....but with 'extra stress on their systems' that doesn't need to be there and could give alot more added benefits to the whole being if the person lost some extra fat.


in general, yes we can eat healthy and do better for ourselves, but ''''weight''' plays an important part in all of the general workings of our physical system.

but if we know that, at some point WE ALL MAKE compromises that fit our lives as we see fit :) :)


PQ--Mr Darcy---omgosh you had me cracking up on that!!
happy hubs is coming around!

HI ALL
off to shop in a bit with my friend. wedding of her neice on May 4 and we want something nice to wear. I might 'shop my closet' since I lost lbs and can get into nicer things I own.....she wants a nice top to go with her outfit so we are off to look and have fun. food, hmm,,,,cause she will want to eat somewhere, will be super duper crazy selective in that I hate eating out anymore. might just nibble and 'pretend' to be eating it--LOL
I don't care cause she doesn't give a fig on what and how or if I eat LOL which is why I love her so much as a great friend!! She lets me be me!