sounds like a great trip, nice to get a few perks!
What kind of author is your husband? Just being nosey!

Well girls, I fell into a vat of nachos! YUP, they consumed me, tried to smuther me, and I had to eat my way out! it was ugly, but I survived, dont worry!

He is a financial writer - very conservative bent. One of his websites is http:www.eurekonomics.com which I created along with a number of others. That is my working from home.

mikkijoe

2 Week Carb Challenge
Total Carbs - Net Carbs - Average
11/1 21 ...........14---------14
11/2 20 ...........14---------14
11/3 76 ...........59---------29
11/4 88 ...........71---------40
11/5 15 .............9---------29
11/6
11/7
11/8
11/9
11/10
11/11
11/12
11/13
11/14

Since I have already gone above 20 net carbs, I am now changing the rules to a running average of at or below 20 Net Carbs

I wound up being gone only a couple days. We were so busy that I didn't have time to log on and update things, so I just wrote down what I ate. I was not able to weigh myself everyday either. So I was feeling kinda lost and it scared me. Here I am in the mid 150s again and here is where I fall off the wagon, 'cause I am able to fit into some of my business clothes and don't feel so lumpy. (I even had one old fart following me out of the elevator and around the casino area asking questions. He left when I mentioned my husband. My wedding band is too big. I wear it on my index finger so I won't lose it.)

Anywho, I was thinking here I go again. Just can't seem to get beyond the 150s. Well, I woke up yesterday and had to first do all the bookkeeping associated with the conference. Some folks signed up for webpages on our site, so I needed to organize that stuff while I could remember their faces, etc.

But later on, I took out my record keeping and started entering the foods eaten. Some things I had to guess at like I had some Shrimp Scampi and it was a little breaded. The number of carbs was a little high but not as bad as I thought they might be. I also just used the same weight each day as I did not know the correct number.

I weighed 2 pounds more yesterday than when I left on Tuesday and I am hoping it is just a temporary water gain with the questionable foods I ate.

Some folks say stop keeping track. Stop weighing yourself everyday. But, for me, I think I would have assumed with the weight gain that I had fallen again and I would have gotten down on myself (again). But this time as I am able to measure the damage, and see that it was just a glitch that I did my best to control and now I can move on down the scale.

Tracking for me works......as well as reporting in to you all. Thank you all for being here!

Sandy, I think you are doing fab! Just keep doing what you are doing....it's working!

Thanks wildviolets.... I will continue on, I am just kind of embarrassed that I started a challenge and then exceeded it almost immediately. Didn't know about the Vegas trip till the last minute but then again maybe without the challenge, I would have stuffed my face.

Sandy, how long are you going to let yourself be embarassed? You don't have to, you know. If you insist, would you set a timer and really really get into it? Then when it goes off, let the embarassment go! Look at what you did achieve -- only 2 days in the PB "weight loss" sweet spot on the carbohydrate curve and the rest in the Keto/IF zone!

Last night I started to post something to you and then cancelled because I thought it was none of my business. I'll try again: I hope I'm not being too presumptuous by suggesting that you average your carb grams over 4 or 5 days rather than the whole 14-day challenge. It's probably more reflective of how our bodies deal with these fluctuations, and allows the off-target days to fall out of the calculation.

I'm feeling great after 2 full days of no processed foods. This morning I was on the run and had a whey-based shake that was a staple for me and all I could taste was chemicals. Just did a grocery run to an organic butcher shop and picked up some grass-fed beef and bison, some organically-fed traditionally-raised pork bacon and chicken legs. It's going to be a yummy week! I also found a EV coconut oil-ghee blend which I'm interested to try.

Thanks svelting...

I am a very black and white person. I also tend to need perfection. It has something to do with control, I am sure. I get panicky when I think I might go backwards as I have done many times before. It is OK for everyone else, but for me, it is scary to allow a slip. I feel like an addict or alcoholic.

I just cannot express how helpful it is to be able to post here. Sorry if I seem to be a drama queen. I need to finish this and get my inflammation under control. I am not even sure losing weight will fix everything. I am so impatient to learn the results of this experiment. And to learn what I may have to individually change to be healthy.

It is amazing about your whey-based shake chemical taste. It is good when our taste buds change for the better...

Svelting, what does the dental freezing consist of? It doesn't sound like fun!

That sounds really good! I've been craving carb comfort foods, so I just copied and pasted this to my primal recipe folder. I have another spinach "bread" recipe from thisprimalife.com -- will try yours first though.

Hi all,

Glad to see everyone is doing well, yes, Sandy, you are doing great! You will be in the 140s in no times. I have to agree with what has already been said and what you have acknowledged -- you are a bit tough on yourself. I think your numbers look outstanding for your challenge - just one high day. I've read that most people can stay in ketosis and don't even drop out of it with those numbers. So, kudos to you.

Now, I'm going to be a little hard on myself and tell y'all how I've fallen off the wagon. I haven't been awful by any means, but I have just not been consistent with primal every since my husband's accident 5 weeks ago. I'm not blaming the accident, but I didn't realize, I guess, how much stress it put me under, and combined with my already stressful job, well, the last month hasn't been pretty. I've struggled with sleep and exercise mostly, and the eating has been up and down with some serious over carbaging in the last week or so.

Almost every night I've craved some kind of sweet snack, and while it's not the worst thing I could have, a bowl of ricotta cheese with macademia nuts and chocolate chips and vanilla stirred in, topped with whipped cream, is probably not going to help me lose the last 10 lbs. No, sir, it's not. I also put in just a bit of stevia, as if it's not decadent enough, which I'm sure has further fueled my craving for carby stuff.

Besides evenings, my other problem area has been work (I teach). I swear, schools have more dang JUNK food than a 7-11, and it's always right in your face. One day one of my students ran to tell me to make sure I checked my mailbox, so I hustled down during planning to find a ginormous, soft, chewy BROWNIE in my box. Um, ok, I thought, I should just put that in another teacher's box and not even try it... hmm, I'll just take a bite first and then give it away. Well, half a brownie later (and it was huge) I finally rewrapped it and gave it away. Ugh.

Then we had a work day on election day, and the PTA delivered something like 54 DOZEN donuts (I'm not joking - I've never seen so many boxes of donuts in one place) from a new donut shop in town to THANK the teachers for all we do. It was sad to see the teachers SWARM the tables, getting just the kind of filling they wanted. I stood back, smugly watching, and munched my mid morning almond snack. I was strong, though the smells of lemon and cream filling, rich glaze, and powdered sugar wafted around me throughout the meeting. I almost survived the day, sans evil donuts, until I walked into the teacher center at the end of the day -- tired, hungry, and weak -- and there sat several boxes of leftover donuts. Argh. I tell myself it could have been worse... I only had one donut. But, it's amazing how bloated and icky one carb BOMB made me feel. Worse, I think, is the cravings these CARB BOMBS make me feel -- SO NOT WORTH IT!

To top everything off, I started to feel sick Wednesday, husband forced me to go to the doctor on Thursday, and I have SHINGLES!!!! What the heck -- I'm 42, and I associate shingles with something old people get (my very unhealthy, heavy smoking, grandmother had recurring cases of shingles).

I am viewing the shingles as a serious wake up call for me, and I need to heed it. I MUST take care of myself, I must exercise, I must eat well, and perhaps most importantly, I minimize the stress and anxiety I put on myself (mainly with my job). My body is trying to tell me that's it's all too much -- and I must heed the call.

So, back on the wagon - health really is the most important thing. Back to 3FC (there's a lot to be said for accountability and SUPPORT we get here). It's inspiring to come back and hear how well everyone's been doing (minus a little Halloween candy), and I feel ready to go forward.

I truly, sincerely believe that primal eating and lifestyle is the way to go for good health - so, ladies, I'm back on the wagon, and it's very, very good to be back!

Have a PRIMAL weekend all!

Welcome back Claire.....

Wow, you have been through the mill. I don't know much about shingles. Can they be caused by stress? I remember thinking that I should get a chicken pox vaccine, to prevent them. Are you in a lot of pain? I assume shingles is some kind of immune system breakdown.

I do not know how teachers do it, day in and day out, anyway. And then with all the goodies, it must be like you don't dare take a break. You must be a very good teacher...to get a brownie from a student.

It is sure easier to stay on plan when you don't leave the house!

IF'd till about three today and then my husband made himself a pork chop. Well that ended the fast. Tasted so good with some fresh pepper salad.

Sandy - I read your “observation” post and your comments on how, even though you couldn’t weigh, you wrote down your food. I personally think that tracking (for me) is the single most important thing I can do, it keeps me honest. And sometimes, like you, I feel rather lost. Sometimes -- even though I have been doing this for 18 months -- I am almost clueless as to what my calorie/carb consumption is for the day until I plug it into my CalorieKing software. (Well, I know it’s not 5000 calories, but when you’re in a lower range, everything counts!) So kudos to you on your trip, I think you did the perfect thing, tracking like you did.

Holly, that sounds wonderful! Let us know about the coconut oil-ghee blend.

Also - I saw your progress pictures thread ... you look hot! Wow!! You must be so pleased with yourself.

Oh! This is perfect, thank you! It reminds me of some kind of industrial vaccuum cleaner in a dump just sucking up the carbs.

Claire - I know a woman in her 40's that had the shingles also. Anyone who has had chicken pox can get the shingles (it's the same virus that comes "back to life" sometimes). If you haven't had chicken pox, I don't think you can get the shingles. I asked my doctor about the shingles vaccine, and he told me they recommend it for anyone 60 or older. I will probably get it next time I go in, I know it can be a painful disease. I don't know if you can get the vaccine AFTER it has flared up, though. Please let us know how you are doing, and hugs to you. CJ

2 Week Carb Challenge
Total Carbs - Net Carbs - Average
11/1 21 ...........14---------14
11/2 20 ...........14---------14
11/3 76 ...........59---------29
11/4 88 ...........71---------40
11/5 15 .............9---------29
11/6 15 ...........13---------30
11/7
11/8
11/9
11/10
11/11
11/12
11/13
11/14

Now I know I am getting that vaccine!! Anyone had it and had any side affects like gaining ten lbs.