No loss, but it's okay

I didn't lose any weight last week. But that's okay because I didn't gain any either.

I am re-thinking and reviewing what I am eating. I have reviewed some keto diet educational articles to see what I might be doing wrong. I also know that it could just be one of those plateaus that happens for no good reason. No big deal.

I know that I need to work on portions sizes. I should probably get some more vegetables in. I had some breakfasts this week that were not as filling, so maybe I snacked more than usual (still eating the right foods though). Maybe some exercise? Nooo, I'll think about that one later.

I did decide to eat a treat last night. Banana Bread Crumb Cake. I made it yesterday for Eddie to take to work. I ate one piece last night and now it's out of the house.

Note: That was a DECISION, so it's not cheating. And.... I weighed less this morning than I did yesterday morning!

Some lunch and dinner meals I've been eating:

 

 

Salad with Tuna and Avocado

 

 

 

Something Asian in a lettuce wrap (I cannot remember)

 

Cheeseburger Salad

 

 

Willpower (not willpower)

Total pound lost = 11

Yay me!!

I am really impressed with myself. I can't believe how much willpower I have had for the last few weeks.

The thing is, I don't think it's all willpower. This diet has actually reduced the cravings for carbs and sugar. I have easily resisted all the snacks they provide for us at work. I have easily resisted all the stuff I want to avoid in the grocery store. I have easily resisted the snacks and candy that Eddie eats at home (right in front of me!). I have also resisted the potatoes, pasta and rice that I have cooked for Eddie. (I do that on a volunteer basis, he has not complained even once about anything new I have tried on him.)

I am having a little trouble coming up with carb 'replacements' for dinner at home. I am getting tired of zucchini noodles already. I have made cauliflower 'mashed potatoes' once, not thrilled with those. I had dinner from a restaurant last night, a sort of stir-fry over spaghetti squash. I do plan on trying some new recipes with spaghetti squash. I know I don't need carb 'replacements', I could just serve multiple regular vegetables. But, I'm trying to keep some normalcy. For instance, I had frozen homemade spaghetti sauce, how else do I use that except for putting over some kind of 'noodles'? I can also continue to cook some of our regular meals for Eddie, if I have a carb replacement type food for me.

Any ideas for me??

                                       Italian Sausage and Mushroom Alfredo over Zoodles



 

 

Pork Loin Medallion and Mushroom Marsala over Zoodles

Breakfast

First...

Total pounds lost = 9


What do I eat for breakfast?

Pretty much eggs and bacon.

Hard-cooked eggs, fried eggs, omelets and sometimes even egg salad along with the bacon. I have purchased some frozen pre-cooked sausage that I will try soon. Breakfast has to be quick and convenient, especially on work days.

I pre-cook hard-cooked eggs and bacon, both in the oven.

Egg salad with bacon

 

 

Omelet with zucchini, bacon and cheese

 

 

Eggs and bacon ready to take to work

Keto Flu

Let me tell you about the Keto Flu. It's miserable. It is hard for a body to adjust to a life without carbs!

I was super tired, had headaches, I was really grumpy. So grumpy that it became funny! Grumpy becomes funny when you are so aware of it yourself. I hardly ever get annoyed, mean or even crabby. When I noticed myself saying something 'not so nice', I would then laugh at myself. It was so weird! Some of my co-workers seemed to sort of like this version of me... feisty and sarcastic.

It would have been so easy to feel better by eating some carbs. But I just sucked it up, toughed it out. Now, here I am feeling better and very happy to have made it through such a dark time (you hear my sarcasm, right?). I knew there would be a light at the end of the tunnel.

I did figure out one thing that seemed to help. I had read that reducing carbs depletes your electrolytes. I saw suggestions of different foods you should eat, vitamins to try. I thought to myself "Isn't that what Powerade/Gatorade is for?". I started drinking Powerade Zero, usually just one 20 ounce bottle spread out over the day mixed with water. I am pretty sure that it helped.

Right on the bottle.... it names those electrolytes that you start missing when eating low carb (not just from sweating).

What do I eat?

I have eliminated all bread, pasta, rice, beans, desserts, added sugar, and potatoes! That doesn't seem to leave much does it. Well, it leaves all meat/seafood, green vegetables, a few other vegetables, most nuts. And most importantly, I can eat bacon, avocadoes, cheese and steak!

I said before that I don't like to follow all the rules. Even though this diet generally calls for eliminating all fruit except berries, I am eating some fruit each day. Most days I eat a banana and some days I eat an apple as well. I would eat more berries if they weren't so expensive. Fruit is just good for you! I refuse to eliminate it entirely.

I like this plan so far because I don't have to count calories or calculate points. I just eat the allowed foods. At this point, I can tell that I feel more satisfied after a meal and don't go for snacks nearly as often.

I think it's true of most healthy eating plans, you have to do some planning ahead, you have to do some cooking. Very true of this one as well.

Here are a couple of simple pictures that helped me get started.  In addition, I did lots of reading (see link in previous post).

 

 

 

 

How about I make this a diet blog for a while?

I am currently attempting my version of the Ketogenic diet. I say 'my version' because I never follow the rules that well.

 

Low carb, high fat, low sugar....

 

What could go wrong with a diet on which I can eat bacon, avocado and cheese??

 

Well, first off, there's this thing called the Keto Flu .....Flu like symptoms you get as your body adjusts to living without carbs. It is miserable! After 2 weeks of reducing carbs and now one week of pretty much eliminating carbs and added sugar, I feel almost normal. I have also lost 7 pounds.

 

Clearly, my body was addicted to sugar and carbs.

 

 

This is where I started: 

 

https://www.tasteaholics.com/the-complete-keto-diet-guide-for-beginners/

 

 

This is also where I started:

 

 

 

I really don't like this picture of me.

 

It's time to do something about it.

P.S. Be sure to check out all the awesome recipes previously posted on this blog.... you know, the ones that made me fat!