Laurie's journal - Atkins plan (comments welcome)

[Castillo Mom]

Barbeque in January, that sounds good! I was saying before that some of these other companies are giving Atkins a run for their money since they're able to offer low carb products at a better price. Hope you don't end up working the next couple of days, I'm sure it would be nice for you to get some more rest. Take care Laurie!

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 34 (Sunday): "snowed in" - well not technically, but since we had nowhere else to go, we stayed in and didn't chance it out on the roads (which are still compact snow and ice and temps down to 6 F last night!).

menu - breakfast: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, "real" diet coke; lunch - new 4 g wrap with turkey, ham, little shredded cheese, olives and little bleu cheese dressing microwaved & lots of water (the wrap tastes much better if warm - sorta like thin cardboard cold); dinner (over multihours) steamed broccoli, scallops, duck & creme brulee made with splenda for dessert (only used 1/4 tsp of raw sugar on top to make the shell), diet rite and lots more water. Also had about 10 sugar-free jelly bellies - not sure they like my belly though...

Monday weigh in: lost 3 lbs to 174 (for a total of 6 lbs since Atkins induction) so I finally get a "clippie".

Lisa (Castillo Mom) - we BBQ a lot, we were fortunate to pick up a really nice natural gas with ceramic burners a few years back used. The model sold for over $1,000 new and we picked it up one year old for $350! because the family wanted a larger one. It heats up instantly and is very adjustable from very low to very hot. It's the first time DH has had to brush a couple of inches of snow off it to use - but stranger than that - was after he turned it off just how fast snow started accumulating on top of it still warm!

 

[ZerasPride]

Hi Laurie,

Just wanted to check on you and see how you are progressing. Your 5 pound clippie looks so good on you! Keep up the great work.

 

[Strings]

Congrats on the clippie. It looks great on you. Thanks for the tip on the wraps. I'll heat ours up, when we have them.
Beth

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 35 menu: brunch - 1/2 cup cottage cheese, "real" diet coke; snack - 2 oz brie & 1 oz salami; dinner - grilled sirloin burger w/bleu cheese open-face on portabello "bun" and romaine salad w/greek cucumber dressing. Lots of water - splenda creme brulee for desert late.

Picked up the SBD book at Costco and have gotten half way through it. While I think that I going to stick with Atkins for now - as I get closer to my goal I will probably start incorporating more SBD into my diet. The programs are very similar, despite the author's attempt to say otherwise. The main exeption being that Atkins does not advocate any low-fat dairy products and SBC does not like the fatty cuts of beef or using butter. SBD does address many of the Summersizing principles also - combinations of foods to inhibit insulin levels and slow food absorbtion. Its a very good thorough book and is easy to understand.

Terrible snow all the way into work - hoping that it really warms up and starts to rain soon.

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 36 menu: brunch - Atkins vanilla shake (first time I've tried one of these...found it to be very sweet but edible - would prefer to eat a real breakfast or lunch, but with the storm today it was more important to get on the road early and drink it at work); snacks - grilled sirloin burger w/bleu cheese on portabello mushroom (heated up nicely in the microwave) and 2 oz. brie & 1 oz salami, lots of water & 1 diet rite soda.

Taking my salad and flank steak home with me...we are pretaping our late NW show to get out of here early because of the roads. I'm hoping that most of the evening commuters will be off the roads and that the freezing rain won't be too bad near home.

Once home: put the salad and flank steak away for Wednesday and had a splenda creme brulee and cup of green beans. More water.

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 37 menu: brunch - EAS vanila shake (like the Atkins brand better - but would rather use either as a snack instead of a meal, I found that I was hungry less than 3 hours later); snack - 1 oz macadamia nuts; snack - leftover sirloin burger w/bleu cheese on portabello mushroom; dinner - leftover flank steak, romaine salad w/Greek cucumber dressing, feta cheese; lots and lots of water. (Snack if I need it 2 oz. brie & 1 oz salami). "real" diet coke while getting ready for work - diet rite at work.

My wedding ring is looser today! Also I'm finding that the pair of slacks I'm wearing today are starting to look baggy. (OK, so they are stretch slacks - but I'm going to have to start drying them in the dryer or drown in them.) I also have the "hunted animal look" as my husband says. My face is thinner, I have distint cheek bones - but also seem to have dark circles under my eyes without coverup. I'd much rather lose inches on my gutt and butt than my face!

Now that the snow and ice and slush have started to abate - I'm going to find time to visit the Curves near me and find out their hours. I'm hoping that they are open on weekends.

 

[Strings]

Great job on the diet. My Curves is open M-F 7-1, 2-8. Satursay 8=12. You might want to see if there is also a Shapes or Contours in your area. They are supposed to have longer hours. I do like Curves though.
Beth

 

[DoeWDW]

Laurie, I've finally made it over here to check out your journal!! I'm all caught up and I must say you are doing fantastic!!

Congrats on that beautiful clippie!! Doesn't it feel great?? Amazing how motivated we can be over a piece of clipart but when I get a new one, I feel like jumping up and down like a kid at Christmas!!

Keep it up, Laurie! You are starting to see those clothes get loose - just wait til you go shopping for smaller sizes!! It won't be long!!

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 38 menu: breakfast - Atkins chocolat shake; snack - 1 oz macadamia nuts; lunch - tuna salad, avocado, tomato; dinner - duck & romaine salad w/bleu cheese dressing, mushrooms & tomato and a little parmasan cheese. Lots of water - 1/2 can "real" diet coke, can diet rite. (Snack if I need it 2 oz brie & 1 oz salami)

Thanks again everyone for all your support. I couldn't stay on track without you.

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 39 menu: brunch - Atkins chocolat shake & smoked salmon w/creme cheese, "real" diet coke; snack - cup green beans w/butter, 1 oz macadamia nuts; dinner - duck leg & thigh, romaine salad w/bleu cheese dressing, tomato, mushroom, parmasan cheese, diet rite; snack - 2 oz brie & 1 oz salami. Lots of water.

First day I've wanted my late snack. I have not been hungry but today I'm dying for something sweet. May have a couple of sugar-free jelly bellies when I get home.

Ready for a weekend.

 

[Castillo Mom]

A new clippie, woohoo! You're doing great Laurie, keep it up. I tried an Atkins strawberry shake once and didn't like it. I'll have to try chocolate. I agree with you though, a meal is better than a shake, but a shake is better than nothing. Enjoy your weekend!

 

[DoeWDW]

I've never tried the Atkins shakes. I do think chocolate sounds like the flavor I'd like best - is there life without chocolate??

Laurie, I hope you are having a wonderful weekend! You are always eating these foods that I NEVER eat - duck, lots of salmon and other seafood, havarti, brie, salami. It's always interesting to read your menus!

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 40 Saturday: Company "holiday" party tonight at FOX Sports Grill (of course) downtown Seattle.

menu: breakfast - 1/2 cup cottage cheese, "real" diet coke; lunch - low-carb wrap with ham, turkey, cheese & greek cucumber dressing, tomato; light dinner - ham w/onions, garlic stir-fried w/green beans. Off to the party (started at 8pm). Lots of water. They provided appetisers - the low-carb ones I tried were steamed mussels, marinated veggies and grilled veggies and a hot spinach parmasan dip. Had 4 glasses of merlot - thought so probably blew my carb intake for the day. DH won one of the raffle drawings - a duffle bag with FOX Sports net T-shirt, polo & thermos. Had 1/2 cup of cottage cheese when I got home before bed and some water to settle my stomach.

Exercise (Yes something NEW!): 35 minute walk around our neighborhood including the hills! w/DH

Day 41 Sunday: Brunch - DH made scrambled egg w/tomato & peppers "breakfast burritos" with the low-carb wrap. Very good! "real" diet coke (got get back to every-other-day somehow with the caffeine); Dinner - corned beef w/turnips & cabbage. Not enough water.

Exercise: 45 minute walk around the neighborhood w/DH.

Things I notice about weekends - I don't eat as much because I only head towards the kitchen when I'm hungry. I also have to force myself to go to the kitchen to fill up the glass of ice water more. I worry because I eat every 3 hours or so on my work days that I'll get back into "starvation" mode over my weekends and stall out any weight loss.

My father called me today with questions about the Atkins program. He really needs to lose weight - even tried a nutritionist through their HMO a couple of years ago. She put him on a very calorie restricted, low-fat diet. Guess what! He's heavier! He had picked up Dr. Phil's book and was comparing that program to the 1999 Atkins book I left with him. Dr. Phil's program sounds a lot like South Beach. I told him that I'd bring the SBD book over to him tomorrow.

The main thing I think my dad's worried about is starving (not possible - but he had some trama when he was a young child and I think the fear of it is still very real to him, even if he won't admit it.) I told him that using Atkins that I'm never ever hungry. Even so he and my mother both wanted to know what DH and I are eating so they can plan dinner tomorrow within our plan.

Castillo Mom: I haven't found the shakes to be unappetizing (but strawberry wasn't a flavor I picked up...) I do find them to be pretty sweet. I think they will be good when traveling but don't want to rely on them as meal subsitute if there is real food available.

Doreen: I'm lucky my DH likes to cook and loves to try different things. If we ate the same safe things over and over, I think we couldn't stay low-carb for very long. We are also lucky that we have fresh, not so pricey seafood available here. Winter is the best months for it too!

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 42 - Monday weigh-in:

I'm back up to 177 - how did I gain back 3 lbs! So my clippie is going away.

I guess I have to blame it on the 4 glasses of wine Saturday night and some popcorn I had late last night. Other than that I've been at or below 20 carbs per day!

I'm so frustrated! This darn flu bug keeps coming back on me too. Last night, about an hour after dinner, I started getting the chills again and then had to run for the bathroom. (DH is fine - not anything we ate.) I had hoped to have a pice of low-carb bread to help with the stomach acid, but DH had thrown it out - gone moldy. So we made up some popcorn and shared it to help settle my tummy and get some fiber in me. I had the hot and cold running chills through most of the night. But feel much better this morning.

My hands are a bit swollen, so I know I'm retaining fluids - but I don't think that accounts for 3 lbs.

I've added more chromium and ester-C this week to my multivitamins (no starches in them).

I guess I head out and try to walk off my frustrations.

 

[ZerasPride]

Hi Laurie!

Just wanted to check in with you. I'm so sorry your weight is up. That must be frustrating to do your best and not see the scale going down. The exercise you are doing is wonderful - just keep up your routine, I'm sure it's just water retention or something. I'm sorry about your clippie {{{{{hugs}}}}}} to you!

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 42 menu: lunch - corned beef, cabbage, turnips, diet rite; snack - 1 oz macadamia nuts; dinner - BBQ salmon, romaine salad w/sour cream dressing, shrimp, peas, cerery & bacon bits, not enough water; snack - 1/2 cup breyers low-carb vanilla ice cream.

Exercise: 45 minute walk w/DH

 

[Strings]

Laurie, I'm sorry about the clippie. How frustrating. I'm sure it's just water weight. You might want to try to watch your sodium intake for the next 24 hours. I know a TOM if I eat any sodium, I can gain 5 pounds. Hugs to you. Have a great day.
Beth

 

[LAinSEA]

Day 43 menu: brunch - Atkins chocolat shake; snack - smoked salmon & cream cheese rollups; snack - 1 oz brie, 2 oz salami; dinner - romaine salad, tomato, parmasan cheese w/ranch dressing; snack - 1 oz almonds; 2 diet rites, lots of water.

Exercise: 45 minute walk w/DH

Day 44 menu: brunch - EAS vanilla shake, 1/2 cup cottage cheese; snack - ham & cheese wraps (in low-carb torilla), diet rite; dinner - corned beef, cabbage, turnips, romaine salad w/bleu cheese, diet rite. lots of water. (snacks - if I need them - brie & salami, 1 oz almonds)

Exercise: rest day - sore hips, shins and feet (broke in new shoes at work yesterday); steady, cold rain also discouraging.

 

[DoeWDW]

Laurie, so sorry about your clippie. I'd bet it's water weight - not uncommon for me to retain 3-4 pounds of water under the right circumstances! The nice thing about water weight is that when it leaves, it usually ALL leaves at once with a nice WHOOSH!! I'll send that Whoosh Fairy your way!!

Hang in there! Good for you for taking a rest day. Your body needs time to recover from all that walking!

Hope things are looking brighter!