Vacation

I went on a cruise vacation a week ago. I also went on a diet vacation. I ate like the fat girl I used to be. I ate desserts at lunch and dinner, breakfast pastries, drank some sugary cocktails.... The day after I got home, I weighed myself. The scale screamed at me, it said mean things!

I have been back for exactly one week, eating appropriately again. I lost all the vacation pounds and a little more. I was surprised that I did not experience the keto flu again, I was expecting to feel miserable for a week, but did not. It was very easy to get back on the plan.

Total weight loss = 17 pounds

 

 

The day I got on the ship.

 

Having fun in Cozumel.

 

 

Sheldon

Total weight loss = Sheldon

Sheldon is 14 pounds.

I'm doing good eating the right foods, probably still eating a little too much of them, though. Most days it's pretty easy to eat the right food. I've made decisions here and there to eat a few bites of bread, I ate a couple of my peach crumb bars....

We had a potluck at work last week. I was very distracted all morning knowing about all of the food in our breakroom. In the past, I would have been in there snacking before lunchtime, so I did good resisting it until the right time.

Eddie and I love Mexican food. I have avoided going to a Mexican restaurant because it's hard to avoid carbs....chips, tortillas, beans, rice.  But, we went, and I did okay. I ordered grilled chicken soft tacos, it came with refried beans, rice and a plate of toppings (cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole). I ate one taco with the tortilla. Then I dumped the grilled chicken out of the tortillas, added the toppings and ate with a fork. I did not eat the rice and beans.

My current weight is also the same weight I started at in 2009 when I lost weight doing Weight Watchers. I lost about 30 pounds then, so I guess that's how far I have to go! If I'm good, I'll keep it off this time.

BTW, Dexter is almost 24 pounds. I'll let you know and post that photo when I get there.

Slow

Total weight loss= 13 pounds

I am slowly losing some more weight.

I can't tell that I have lost any weight by looking at myself in the mirror. Today, I decided to try on a pair of shorts that I haven't worn in a while. They were very tight and uncomfortable (mostly at the waist). But now they fit just perfectly around the waist. No longer are they squishing out the fat over the top of the waistband!

Fitting back into some of the clothes currently in my closet will be really nice. It's a good goal for now. I also have a couple of pairs of jeans from about 8 years ago when I did Weight Watchers. That's the real goal.


Here are some things I've been eating:

 

Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

 

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu and green beans cooked with onions in butter

 

Lasagna Stuffed Bell Peppers

(meat sauce and ricotta cheese in the pepper, topped with mozzarella)

 

 

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!
 

 

Cuban Shrimp and Black Beans

                                  CUBAN SHRIMP IN SAVORY SAUCE                

3          pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4          tablespoon olive oil
1          large onion, chopped
1          green bell pepper, chopped
6          garlic cloves, minced
1/2       teaspoon sugar
8          ounces tomato sauce
1/4       teaspoon Tabasco
3/4       cup dry white wine
2          tablespoons white wine vinegar
1          bay leaf
1/2       cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

If using frozen shrimp, defrost under cold running water. Fresh shrimp may need to be peeled and deveined.

In a large pan on top of the stove, heat the oil over medium-high heat, and sauté the onions and green pepper for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the shrimp, cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Add the shrimp, cover, and cook over low heat for 6-8 minutes until shrimp are just cooked through. Turn off heat and set aside until ready to serve with hot rice,

 

 

 

                                                  SLOW COOKER BLACK BEANS                                              

1          pound dry black beans

6          cups water

1          onion, chopped

3          garlic cloves, minced

1          bay leaf

1          tablespoon salt

Place the beans in a big bowl, cover with water, agitate the beans a few times to remove any dirt, drain in a colander and rinse again.

 Place black beans, onion, garlic, and bay leaf in a slow cooker. Add water.

Cook on high for about 3-4 hours, testing after 3 hours. Taste to make sure. If all the water has been absorbed, add more. Beans must stay completely covered to prevent them from burning. Add the salt and let cook, or sit with heat off for another 20-30 minutes, to absorb the salt. Remove the bay leaf.

 

 

 

Sausage, Red Beans & Rice

                                        

SAUSAGE, RED BEANS AND RICE

1 pound dry red beans

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

7 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons Creole seasoning

1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced

    hot cooked rice

 
 

Combine all ingredients except sausage and rice, and cook in crockpot on high for 7 hours. About halfway through cooking time, add the sliced sausage. About half hour before it’s done, mash up some of the beans with a potato masher. Serve with rice.