January 2009 Basics Challenge - Day 27

[gitfiddle]

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.
Epictetus
I like this one! It doesn't take much stretching to apply it to Protein Power, does it? We know what we want, we know what we have to do to get there, however long the trip, and we do it--one day at a time. That's a serious lifestyle change! Are you up for the trip? :)

It's cold this morning! I turned up the heat and the furnace is roaring. The heat feels good. I think it's supposed to warm up to the freezing level later this week, but right now we're down around zero Fahrenheit.

Breakfast will be a protein shake. Lunch will be sausage. Dinner will be chicken if I remember to pull it out of the freezer before I leave for work!

[Puddin]

For a lot of us,if they're lkike me, it took a long time to know what we 'would' be. Once that was decided then the remodelling, refurbishing, rethinking of programs, reworking of plans became a daily thing - I call it LIVING. The PPlifeplan is not the answer to ALL but it sure helps me to look in the right places. For some strange reason, when my body is ok the rest of me sort of fits inside it better.

Today's meals:
Breakfast - eggs and artichokes
Lunch - sauteed shrimp, piece of fish + ittybitty apple + 1/2 fennel bulb
Dinner - not sure but I think that roast turkey leg will probably do fine

Also munched about 12 almonds. Love to munch almonds but until now I have been rather careful because those extra calories just don't help if I want to lose...sort of played around with my meals yesterday and if I calculated more or less correctly I'm at 1700 calories. Tried to figure out dailyplate and just gave up. Will continue with my pencil and paper;)

[BeccainSC]

Morning all... I slept like a log and am still exhausted. I hate being tired all the time.

Everything is planned for the day and shouldn't have too much trouble sticking to it as the plans were made based on my girls crazy schedule.

Breakfast will be a shake (though I've been up over an hour I haven't had it yet).
My work stash is packed - Baton Rouge chicken leftovers on romaine w/ dressing and a couple of ounces of cheese and 3 water bottles
Dinner will be meatloaf, green beans and salad.
I'm sure I'll have my usual tuna and almonds this afternoon.

'becca

[Jackie]

Good morning, running late and I have to curl late tonight so I will be brief.

Breakfast: bacon and some coffee
lunch: flat out with spinach/cheese/tomato and bacon
dinner: not sure

Have a great day all.

[maxlharris]

Then stay focused on what you would be. That's my hitch.

At work. Have to build a presentation, then a basic presentation for people to build, and then pull some data. I'm teaching Excel and powerpoint on Thursday. Other than that, usual work duties. Usual food choices, and today is day 26 in a row when it's over.

[Ammy]

Hm...I knew what I would NOT be, therefore defining what I WOULD be I suppose.
I would look at my mother, whom I seemed to imitate EXACTLY, I knew...
I didn't want to be that 40yr old woman who chose to never walk up stairs because she knew she couldn't do it-or would be so winded at the top she might pass out.
I knew I didn't want to be the person who couldn't go shopping and not "treat" yourself - and base your shopping AROUND that treat.
I knew I didn't want to be the person who always talked about what they would wear and where they would go WHEN they lost weight.

Yeah, I based what I would be by seeing who I would NOT be.
Kinda sad, cause Mom is still "in that place"...but I am not there. I am where I WOULD be cause I JUST DID WHAT I HAD TO DO!
And I still am...for today!

Okay...lots of work today, so I'll get my food down, then get to work.
7am almond scone (I sure am enjoying these)
8am sau-cauli casserole
11:30am lc lasagna, zucchini (this froze, wonder if it will be any good??)
2:30pm iced latte, 1serving turkey pepperoni
6pm 6oz ground beef on slice of lc bread with mayo/mustard, 10 grapes

Pro: 148.5
Ecc: 42.1
Fat: 155
Cal: 2022

Have a great day everyone!!!

[lisanurse81]

Amy - would you tell me where to find the scone recipe please?? Thanks.

Yes, I realized that if I stopped making excuses for me and began to take steps toward being healthy then I would be in a better place. My loss last year worked out to about 10 lbs or so. I was disappointed until I realized that if I lost 10 more lbs this year, by next year I would be exactly where I wanted to be! So the journey is more enjoyable if I am not always focused on my destination.

Bfst - Sausage calui casserole (the last piece.. gotta make some more) Coffee/cream. Lunch and dinner tbd.

[Ammy]

Amy - would you tell me where to find the scone recipe please?? Thanks.

Lisa, it's actually from the Eades Cookworx recipes...episode 3
http://www.lowcarbcookworx.com/episodes/index.php

But here is how *I* make it...slight adjustment to flours. Go to the link if you want to make it just like theirs.
Also, the amount of splenda determines whether you want something more "bready and plain" to go with your coffee..or "sweet".
It is not a hard biscotti or a dry scone...
it ends up being like a soft cookie.

I have a recipe for almond biscotti SOMEWHERE! And I am DETERMINE to find it again!!!!!

Here is MY version of their recipe...

Almond Drop Scones
Serves 6

Ingredients
3/4 cup almond flour
¼ cup flax meal
½ tsp baking powder
2-3 tablespoon granular sucralose (Splenda)
3/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small chunks
1 egg
1/3 cup half and half

Directions
Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Cut in the cold butter chunks until the dry mixture resembles coarse meal (your fingers work well for this).
In a separate small bowl, beat the egg and combine it with the milk. Pour the milk and egg mixture into the dry ingredients.
Mix with a fork until just combined.
Drop by heaping tablespoons onto greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake 12-15 minutes at 375 to 400 degress (depending on your oven) until done.
Mine always have butter running out of them when they come out, so I rub the scones in the melted butter and therefore don't need to butter them when I eat them.

Nutritional Facts 6 servings, per serving, 2.5 net carbs 5.5 protein


The original recipe calls for THickNotThin, but I don't own any-and I'm not sure netrition sells it anymore? I assume that would make them more "scone-like"??

[Ammy]

Hm...Maybe I should ahve put that in the recipe section...oh well, no time to move it now.

[Puddin]

Actually very happy you put them right here cus that way I didn't have to look around. Just got out my pen and wrote it down so that tomorrow I'll make them. Gee, guess that I'll just HAVE to buy butter.

Sounds like everyone is just so busy! Guess being retired sort of makes things calmer. Or at least somewhat so. Have a great rest of Tuesday! I'm off to get DH some dinner!

[gitfiddle]

Puddin, I'm so looking forward to being retired and calmer! :nod: I'm at the stage where my day job is cutting into my hobby time. I can't do it all, so my house suffers. :p

I gave blood this morning. Our school building is large enough that we hold three blood drives a year. I'm just a trifle light-headed, but not dizzy. I passed up the mountain of sugar snacks on the table for a bottle of water, then I walked back up to my office and had lunch, with another bottle of water. When I was getting off the table, the nurse reminded me not to do heavy exercise or lifting for the next five hours. :eek: Good thing tonight is the lower body phase at the gym and five hours will just be enough.

Lunch was the sausage I brought, then I got the idea to make some American processed cheese "bread" to add crunch. It worked pretty well! I'm probably the only person in the building who has a box of parchment paper in her file cabinet. ;)

Thanks for the scone recipe, Amy. And thanks to everybody for posting this morning!

Becca, I found out today that both low iron and high iron in the blood will make you feel tired. Have you had a blood test lately? Mine was running high and it might be because my favorite pan is cast iron. I frequently feel draggy later in the day. It's probably because I'm not as young as I used to be. :rolleyes:

[Ammy]

does anyone know if someone is still selling ThickNotThin?

[Belfrybat]

I'm late getting on -- the weather is messing up my internet connection. Tried this morning and was able to get on at 3,400 baud! Nothing would load. Am now on at 14,400 -- better, but still v-e-r-y slow. I can play a half game of Spider between pages loading. Freud be durned -- I have high-speed internet envy. :D

Puddin -- with being on dial-up I can't use the on-line nutritional programs, so I use DietPower -- it's really great. You can get a trial copy from www.dietpower.com (http://www.dietpower.com). If you decide to purchase, ask if they are running any specials -- sometimes you can get it at half-off. There are also some free-ware ones available -- BWM Diet manager has good reviews, but I haven't used it myself.
http://www.bestsoftware4download.com/software/k-freeware-t-free-bwm-2-0-diet-manager-download-nqhvsuuz.html

Brekkie was egg and cheese sandwich made with flaxseed bread
Lunch was roast turkey and a large salad and a clementine
Supper will be more turkey, LC veggie medley and left-over salad
Am not doing any snacks today since weight is still up a pound.

[lisanurse81]

does anyone know if someone is still selling ThickNotThin?


Amy, what exactly is it?

[BeccainSC]

Lunch was the sausage I brought, then I got the idea to make some American processed cheese "bread" to add crunch. It worked pretty well! I'm probably the only person in the building who has a box of parchment paper in her file cabinet. ;)

Thanks for the scone recipe, Amy. And thanks to everybody for posting this morning!

Becca, I found out today that both low iron and high iron in the blood will make you feel tired. Have you had a blood test lately? Mine was running high and it might be because my favorite pan is cast iron. I frequently feel draggy later in the day. It's probably because I'm not as young as I used to be. :rolleyes:


I need to try that cheese "bread" and Amy's scones as well (I have passed on so many Eades recipes cuz of the Thick N Thin Not... products. I'm not creative enough to adapt a recipe).

Been a while since I had iron checked. When I was going to the elementary school for their free blood screenings they included iron as well checking for that weird high iron disease that I can't spell. I think they may have stopped doing it cuz I haven't seen/heard anything the past couple of years. As of April 07 it was 56, 63 in '06 and 60 in '05. We use the cast iron here a lot as well. I wish we didn't even have the non-stick, but DH likes it. I do feel very similar to how I used to when I was full blown anemic (hemoglobin finger stick at 7 out of 14 - back in 2000).

Course I'm not getting any younger either ;)

So far so good on the food today, but mornings/lunch have never been my problem area, always LC friendly there.... it's later afternoons and dinner that are my weak points.

Off to chores..... will be back later to post the results of the day.


'becca

[blueriversam]

Then stay focused on what you would be. That's my hitch.

At work. Have to build a presentation, then a basic presentation for people to build, and then pull some data. I'm teaching Excel and powerpoint on Thursday. Other than that, usual work duties. Usual food choices, and today is day 26 in a row when it's over.

hah. I just taught Excel to my advisor this morning. YOU WOULD THINK that a scientist who has many, many published papers in top journals would know how to make a chart in Excel.
Advisor: "Panic!"
Me: "Just click on the stinkin' chart icon!"
Advisor: "What's a chart icon?"

[Ammy]

Amy, what exactly is it?

It's a product that you can add to things to make them thick.
I remember it being used in their recipes like for gravy or thick soups.
I thought I saw it being "discontinued by maker" on netrition??

I remember it was really expensive, and recipes only called for something like 1 Tbsp, so I never bought any.

But the recipe works without...the thicknotthin would probably just make it more 'scone-like'.

OH WAIT...I just found it - on this here website...silly me
here it is...
http://www.proteinpower.com/product.php?id=25
or this
http://www.proteinpower.com/product.php?id=27

I wish they sold it smaller...85 servings...I can't imagine what all I would use it for.

[gitfiddle]

Hmmm....I've been using xanthan gum for any gravy/sauce I wanted to partake of. It has an effect similar to cornstarch. You have to really watch out for lumps, though. I wonder if this product would be easier to blend? Xanthan is pretty cheap, as I recall.

[LBJ]

Good afternoon everyone thought i would drop in and say hi. Carol why change what works januarys threads were great why not more of the same. I thought the quotes and us responding to them as to how they fit in with this woe were great. Excellent job you are doing by the way. I come here to learn from people about what they eat what kind of excercise they do. Just in general how to improve myself on this woe and to gather as much information i can and apply it for me. And hopefully pass something i may have learned onto someone else.

[Karole]

Hi all, fridgid weather here, but at least we still have electricity !! They say somewhere around 4,000 are without in our co-op . We live near a sub station so hopefully we will stay hooked up.

Its been ice and sleet and now they are saying more sleet and then probably snow to cover all the ice up. That will be treacherous, won't it.

I am keeping busy by sewing on my quilt and I had dh bring my saddle in yesterday as it needed a really good clean up. I did that this afternoon and it sure looks nice again. I am ready for this icky winter weather to be over and done with so we can start riding again.

I went a dab over my 30 ecc today, --but I ate a bit of apple and a bit of orange. But it's not too bad. Protein was 104 ecc 34. I am going to up my ecc allowable to 40 next month as I am going to increase my veggie/fruit intake.

I got in my 20 min. on the elliptical for the day but I still have to take some of my sups before bedtime.

[BeccainSC]

Quick report before I head to bed. I feel a headache coming on so hopefully I can sleep it off before it gets bad.

Protein: 160
Carbs: 41
Water: 96


2 of 28 completed, 26 more to go for my current personal challenge.


'becca

[bigdawg_SLC]

I really have been on the basic challenge ... just haven't had too much time to get on the computer ... I guess that's not entirely true ... I can always make time ...

But I have been extremely busy .. And eventhough I haven't go to the gym since the middle of December ... I have maintained. So I feel OK about that ...

Just checking in and saying "hello" and I miss you all!

[Ammy]

DEAN! Great to see you!!

Final check in today. I was hungry so I added some cottage cheese and no carb crackers tonight.

Water: 75+oz
Supps: yes
Exercise: no
Pro: 163.7
Ecc: 42
Fat: 166.7
Cal: 2193

All numbers were higher than normal (except carbs :rolleyes:) but I was just plain hungry!

[gitfiddle]

I come here to learn from people about what they eat what kind of excercise they do. Just in general how to improve myself on this woe and to gather as much information i can and apply it for me. And hopefully pass something i may have learned onto someone else.And what have you learned, grasshopper? ;) Wait! Save it for tomorrow!


Its been ice and sleet and now they are saying more sleet and then probably snow to cover all the ice up. That will be treacherous, won't it.I'm glad you still have electricity, Karole. I saw some really bad ice damage on the news tonight.


2 of 28 completed, 26 more to go for my current personal challenge.
Super, Becca! I hope you catch your headache early and it goes away while you sleep.

I really have been on the basic challenge ... just haven't had too much time to get on the computer ... I guess that's not entirely true ... I can always make time ...
We miss you too, Dean. You are here in spirit! It would be nice to hear from you more often, though. :nod:

My day went just fine except I screwed up my pda software by trying to sync the old one before I put it out to pasture. Now my data is on the new one, the desktop version is messed up and nobody knows what will happen if/when I sync. I'm going to try saving the data onto a SD card first, but I don't see how.

[blueriversam]

went real well today, breakfast: 2 grillers, lunch: LC peanut butter sandwich, dinner: ground meat casserole

A little high on the calories. I feel incredibly bloated and disgusting today--endometriosis pain setting in :/ I feel good that I was able to finish a first draft of my proposal and send it off to my professor so he can send it to the budget stooges. I swear, I am so sick of the nitrogen cycle and my stupid project. I almost hope it doesn't get funded so I can work on something easier.

[lisanurse81]

So last checkin for the day.. Carol, I use xanthan gum too to thicken things.... got a funny story with that, but I'll have to tell it another day!

So ended up with leftovers for lunch, and leftovers for dinner, and a snack of three chicken tenders grilled. Some pumpkin seeds and about 10 cashews for a snack.. Oh, I forgot those 3 almonds I ate.. I guess that will add a bit, but I'm too tired to go figure it out!

Calories 2,080
Fat 145.6
Carbohydrate 36.7 (ecc 25.7)
Dietary Fiber 11.7
Protein 154.2

[Belfrybat]

does anyone know if someone is still selling ThickNotThin?

www.netrition.com (http://www.netrition.com) Or you can get it directly from Expert Foods, but it will cost more with the shipping.

[Belfrybat]

Hmmm....I've been using xanthan gum for any gravy/sauce I wanted to partake of. It has an effect similar to cornstarch. You have to really watch out for lumps, though. I wonder if this product would be easier to blend? Xanthan is pretty cheap, as I recall.

Much easier than Xantham gum. It is expensive, but you use so little. The package I have is 3 years old and still going strong. NotSugar is great for making syrups -- no need to heat. That is what I use in my homemade Kalua recipe since I can no longer use a sugar based syrup. I even have some NotCereal left from when I was a beta tester, but it has been discontinued.

Ended the day with 1520 cal, 103 pr, and 47 ECC. Nasty ice storm last night but the sun is out today so it will melt quickly. Hopefully the gutters will melt before the roof and some of the wet stuff will make its way into the cisterns -- I'm down to less than 1500 gallons. Karole --you guys really got pummelled -- keep thee warm!

[Ammy]

Hm...maybe I'll break down and get some of the NotStarch. I love thick soups and gravies. Can't think of why I would need the NotSugar since I don't usually care for sweet things and would hate to FIND sweet things I might like :o.

If after 3 years it's still good than that is encouraging to me. I was afraid it would get old.
Thanks BC!

[maxlharris]

Hmmm....I've been using xanthan gum for any gravy/sauce I wanted to partake of. It has an effect similar to cornstarch. You have to really watch out for lumps, though. I wonder if this product would be easier to blend? Xanthan is pretty cheap, as I recall.

People: How to avoid clumping:
Mix your starch (whatever it is: cornstarch, arrowroot, xantham, tartar, tapioca and even Thicken/Thin) with an equal amount of cold liquid (I like doing this in alcohol... like bourbon or sherry) until it forms a paste, then whisk it into the hot liquid you're trying to thicken. Once the thickener is added, cook it briefly to remove the starchy flavor. Don't overcook--liquids thickened with some starches, such as flour and arrowroot, will thin again if cooked too long or at too high a temperature.

You can always attack it with an immersion blender if it clumps, but this method works a billion times better.

[maxlharris]

Oops, forgot the report:
Water: good
Protein: ~130
Carbs: ~20
Cals: ~1700

Good day.

[sagebrushsara]

Sliding in with another late report. Last night was a late one. Today is my last run around town day. At least today I don't have to cook for a large group of people. Went high on my carbs yesterday. Breakfast was roasted pork with a mushroom sauce (leftovers), lunch was an atkins bar, dinner was meatloaf with gravy, carrot salad and I ate a brown 'n serve white roll, followed by a sliver of german chocolate cake. Was hungry when I got home so had some leftover meatballs. Nice to be back on target for today. I'm not into berating myself for poor food choices. I ate what I ate, I chose to do it, and learned some interesting things. Eating the white roll and sliver of cake were not as "rewarding" as I thought they would be. I was able to be satisfied with just that taste of cake and not want a boatload more of sugary crap.

Took my supps, just barely got in my water and did not do any traditional exercise but I know I got a workout with all the whoopin' and hollerin' and jumpin' around I did.

Totals: 97g protein, 67g ECC, 92g fat 1575 cal approx

[Belfrybat]

People: How to avoid clumping:
Mix your starch (whatever it is: cornstarch, arrowroot, xantham, tartar, tapioca and even Thicken/Thin) with an equal amount of cold liquid (I like doing this in alcohol... like bourbon or sherry) until it forms a paste, then whisk it into the hot liquid you're trying to thicken. Once the thickener is added, cook it briefly to remove the starchy flavor. Don't overcook--liquids thickened with some starches, such as flour and arrowroot, will thin again if cooked too long or at too high a temperature.

You can always attack it with an immersion blender if it clumps, but this method works a billion times better.

This is the method I always used with standard thickners, but gums work differently than flours. I tried it with both guar and xantham gums -- they set up too quickly and I ended up with a glob of sticky gum that did not melt in hot liquid -- perhaps if I'd put it in a the vitamixer, but then I would have liquified the other ingredients. And I don't care to drink stews. :) You can do this with ThicknThin if you use 3-4X the liquid and work quickly. The easier method with ThicknThin is to sift it over the top of whatever you are thickening (just not boilinng) and stir it in.