February Challenge - Day 4, Wednesday

[gitfiddle]

Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first base.
Frederick Wilcox

I had dinner last night with a friend who is very overweight and diabetic. We talked about medicines and blood sugars and neuropathy and he decided he was going to stop eating carbs. Then he amended it by saying, "As soon as I finish that perfectly good loaf of rye bread I just bought." Aren't we all like that, at least in the beginning? I used to eat leftovers with that same feeling of not wanting to waste. I try not to think like that any more.

Good morning! Have you had problems letting go of old thoughts or habits?

Breakfast will be a protein shake, lunch a salad from the cafeteria, dinner will be the roast I didn't do last night. :)

[e*nice]

Hello everyone,
I made such a delicious squash ratatouille yesterday. I will have to post the recipe.

B: scrambled eggs w 1/4 c ratatouille, bacon
L: Steak and more ratatouille
D: Chicken salad and salad greens

Still figuring out how to work posting here into my schedule.

[Puddin]

Sure would be a great stretch for the legs if you could actually accomplish the I° base to II° base split!;)

Leftovers are no longer a problem because roasts get chopped and put into cassaroles. Veggies get put into super omellets (can never remember if it 's 1l or what). Other than that we never have leftovers. Seems that since I'm cooking PP we are eating more and better.

The old habits are hard to get rid of. Am pleased to announce, however, that I no longer NEEEED that mug of hot milk before bed. It was a comfort food thing which upped my ECCs. Not that they were up really high but for now I think that I have totally eliminmated drinking milk. Strange how I was such a milk baby and now don't even miss it. It is harder for me to get rid of cheese but more because it is a simple way to get protein with veggies in a cassarole.

Proteins today should be about 110
ECC still trying to keep under 30
Water 1.5 to 2 liters
Exercise already did my 2 km walk and hauled wood
Working on the recipe folks...

What more can I add...have a good Wed afternoon

[BeccainSC]

Morning all! Well afternoon for you European folks ;)

I'm in lazy mode this morning, really not wanting to go to work, no choice though. I keep seeing too many things that need doing around the house too.

Woke up to 20 degree temps so I wanted warmth for breakfast. Had 3 boiled eggs, some bacon and 2 cups of tea. Only got a glass of water because hot tea doesn't do much to soothe the mouth from the hot food.

Lunch... don't really know yet. I hear there's some chili at work we're supposed to eat, but not sure what's in it (not only from a carb count, but I'm picky about chili). Not really wanting a wrap today, but that's probably what I'll end up with or maybe tuna (which will leave me wondering this afternoon). I'll come up with something in the next 30 minutes or so.

Dinner is SUPPOSED to be seafood night that didn't happen last night so salmon patties for me and the pumpkin things if I get them made. This week isn't following the scheduled dinner plans at all. :(

Didn't read last night either, was just too tired to keep my eyes open. I got a good night's sleep though, so that should count for something.

Puddin' I used to be addicted to milk. At the time I joked about it (not thinking of it as truely an addiction) along the lines of most people have to have their coffee first thing (don't talk to them til they do) and I was like that with my milk. Now I think it tastes weird, even when I'm not following LC as well as I should I don't drink much milk anymore. Always have to tell my kids, you need to let me know when we're getting low cuz I pay no attention to it at all. If I have a recipe that calls for milk I use cream (or half and half) instead. Cheese... well I'm never giving that up!

'becca

[Ammy]

Here's to another long day...:rolleyes:
The crab is still living in me, but it's losing power. Thank goodness...

7am cauli-sausage casserole
11am 6.5pork chop with cream of asparagas soup, 2claussen dills
2pm 2almond scones, iced coffee
5pm 5oz ground beef with cheese, mayo
7pm 1lc bread with mayo and tomato slices

Pro: 132
Ecc: 35.2
Fat: 159.7
Cal: 1845

I have an appt with the Physical Therapist today. Thank goodness. My hip hurts every time I stand up and walk. It's taking longer and longer for it to "warm up" so that I don't have to limp. And since I'm walking funny cause of the pain, I'm having knee pain.
Anyway, I'm glad to be going to PT again. Hopefully he can give me some guidance.

[Billie]

Sorry to hear about the crab situation Amy!:eek:

Still in springfield, working with the auditor today, always so fun! :crybaby:

Leaving on turkey and ham, carrots, tomato and celery slices. Had wonderful cookies here yesterday that were amazingly delicious, I had one half of one and 10 tortilla chips. I asked myself why did I do that, emotional eating yesterday for sure.

Going back home later this afternoon and we are having chicken stir fry, yum and then I will get to hug my doc and my dog! Not sure if that will be the order :D

Have a great one everyone!

[maxlharris]

I had dinner last night with a friend who is very overweight and diabetic. We talked about medicines and blood sugars and neuropathy and he decided he was going to stop eating carbs. Then he amended it by saying, "As soon as I finish that perfectly good loaf of rye bread I just bought." Aren't we all like that, at least in the beginning? I used to eat leftovers with that same feeling of not wanting to waste. I try not to think like that any more.

I believe the saying is that only a fool goes to rehab sober.

Plan for today: Finish the Chicago portion of the Citibank mess and get to work on the Kansas City portion (then the Philly portion, which will be the worst, I think... Chicago is the biggest, Philly the most complicated).

Lunch will either be the usual eggs and bacy and cottage cheese or the Chicken Holocaust. Dinner with be steak. Or dreamfields. Or pork. Or something. At home. Almost went out last night, but thankfully, it was 6:30 and it was like 5 degrees out. Talked the wife down from that. Not that eating out is a problem, just that resisting the temptation unfaced is a lot easier than resisting the one faced. Oh, and it's hard to know when you're out while it's easy to know when you're in. And all that.

[maxlharris]

I forgot to mention this on Monday. The reason I had leftover steak for dinner last night was because of what happened on Monday night. Wife decided she wanted steak. Only steaks we have are these monsterous ribeyes. I might've cut them too thick for how I'm eating right now. At any rate, wife takes hers, trims it, puts all the stuff that doesn't fit in her 6-8 ounce serving (this is probably a 14 ounce steak, raw) and dumps it on my plate. I eat her stuff and start on my steak. And about 1/4 way through my steak, I felt, well, satisfied. Not stuffed. Not full. Just sated. I put down my fork and my knife, with the plate still loaded and saucy, took it upstairs and ziplocked the SOB. I ate to my appestat. I was pleased with myself. It's one thing to talk the talk, but walking the walk is even better.

[Puddin]

Proud of you Max. It is really good when you know your tum is full and satisfied. Sometimes I'm even satisfied before I'm really full.

Th e crab situation is getting contagious. I think it's because of all the rain we're having! Everyone is sort of down in the dogs...still say that or am I showing my age.

In any case things here are moving right along. Cauli is cooked. Cheese and eggs are out on the counter awaiting a good beating. Will beat them instead of some people who, this morning, refused to say good morning, smile or even notice that I was having my coffee next to them. Tough on them Also am boiling some rabbit for broth. DH wants some hot broth with 'potatoes and a tiny bit of pasta'. Could strangle him too when he wants to eat like that:crybaby: but I really can't seem to get him to understand that those two things are poisonous for him. Oh well, he smokes a pack a day so I guess that a potato and pasta won't kill him - weird thoughts folks -sorry!

Have a lovely turkey wing to roast. Hold the cranberry sauce. Wish we could get fresh cranberries. They are so good and I saw that they are not really high Carb. They are rather tart without sweetening...but no mind, can't get them anyhow so no need to get all worked up.

Billy, don't worry about kissing the dog first. I'm sure that doc will understand. I saw a poster in a store here that said: I have lost my husband and my cat....huge reward for whoever finds Kitty .

Better go fix the cauli cassarole. I'm getting to weird today. It's all that rain folks.

[Dutchess2009]

This is my first day posting on this site...and challenge. How do all of you upload a pic and add the "tickers"?

For the month of February my additional action item is to start training for the local St. Patty's day run (2 miles). I have done some running in the past, but not too serious about it. I just started PP on 2/1/09 and currently have NO energy. I hope by V-Day that will change and I will still have 4 weeks to train. I would also like to drop 6lbs this month.

B: Grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast
L: Shrimp Salad
D: Tuna

Prot: 78.3g
Carb: 0.0g
Fat: 4.2g
Supl: Multi Vitamin
Water: 4 glasses (they are huge glasses - I have to measure how much I am actually consuming)
Exerc: Nill at the moment

[gitfiddle]

This is my first day posting on this site...and challenge. How do all of you upload a pic and add the "tickers"? Glad to see you, Dutchess! For the pic, you click on UserCP (in the bar above) and choose Avatar from the menu on the left. The directions are there. You have to size the picture if you provide your own, but there are ready-mades to choose from as well. Never had a ticker, so I'm not much help there.

For the month of February my additional action item is to start training for the local St. Patty's day run (2 miles). I have done some running in the past, but not too serious about it. I just started PP on 2/1/09 and currently have NO energy. I hope by V-Day that will change and I will still have 4 weeks to train. I would also like to drop 6lbs this month.I think it would be nice to have some traction to train, so I hope the move it back. The lack of energy is not uncommon when you start low carbing because your body has to switch over to burning protein and then you will probably have more energy than ever.

[gitfiddle]

http://bestsmileys.com/dancing/14.gif http://bestsmileys.com/dancing/14.gif http://bestsmileys.com/dancing/14.gif

This is for you crabbies. :) There! You smiled!

Max, I'm proud of you for walking the walk!

Puddin, I don't think unsweetened cranberries as just "tart", but "inedible". I like them ground up with an orange and an apple, which, of course, ups the carb count. I only see them in stores in the fall, but next time I'm going to try some. Rhubarb is something else I don't eat because it takes so much sweetener.

Billie, I'm sure Polly will get the first hug because she'll run to meet you unless Gabe shuts her in the bathroom when he sees you drive in. :rolleyes:


And since I'm walking funny cause of the pain, I'm having knee pain.

Yup! Glad you're going to PT tonight, Amy.

Becca, I'll never give up cheese, either. I have cut back, though.

Emmy, I hope you post the recipe!

I just had a delicious salad with ham, bacon, cheese and balsamic dressing for lunch. I finally switched to oil/vinegar dressing last year and I don't even want the thick, lumpy stuff any more. I use much less and I still get the flavor. Took me a long time to take that step!

I've been busy putting out fires this morning and none of my regular accounting work is any further ahead, but the fires are almost all out. Waiting for one phone call. :nod:

[Lucille]

hi everyone, well I lost 18 lbs then just gained 3 back after falling off the wagon...i just felt sick of cauliflower and then ate something i shouldnt have...this morning I regretted it and went right back on PP.
today so far, chicken for bkft, lunch is a protein shake,
dinner will be...sausage and tomato slices, maybe some broccoli with that too.

[Dutchess2009]

Thank you Carol - I think I got it!

[gitfiddle]

Heather, you got it! :)

[Jazzy]

So HERE you are! I had bookmarked the
February Basic + 1 challenge, and I thought
nobody else was posting!

:(
Jazzy

[Jazzy]

Thanks, Puddin, for rescuing me!

Jazzy

[lisanurse81]

Hey guys, just stopping in.. bfst was sausage casserole, lunch hasn't happened yet, but will probably be leftover chicken tenders and yellow wax beans, dinner TBD.

I would love to get some of this sunny sunshine.. but it is seriously cold with the wind chill factor.

[BeccainSC]

Doing a real quick check in. Ended up taking a wrap for lunch. I did have about 1/2 cup of the chili, had both kindey and pinto beans in it. I did my best to just scoop out meat with no beans, but that didn't work too well. Trusting to Fitday's generic "chili con carne with beans" for my counts. Course now it's got me wanting to make my own chili - which not strictly LC at least I know what's really in it and can account for it correctly.

Feeling thinner today too and my freshly dried jeans were even loose when I put them on! Always a good sign, though I am extremely puzzled that I've never had to move out of this size (that I got into Fall of 06) even though I've regained all the lost weight and then some.

I even got in some exercise of sorts today... boxes up the 08 tire purchase invoices (4.75 boxes worth) that involved getting them off the bottom shelves, into the box on my desk then hauling the full box out to the hallway. Feeling it in my arms and legs!

Now to get some things accomplished at this job (aka mom/housewife). Like having 2 full time jobs both with PT hours.

'becca

[blueriversam]

Yes, crabs is very contagious I hear *snicker*!

I am in a really good mood tho! I took Scooby to his new vet today (scooby is my 10 yr old Chesapeake Bay Retriever). The new vet is eye candy. He clearly is younger than me, which was sobering. Then, he noticed I had a Geneseo sweatshirt on. He went to Geneseo!!! [small liberal arts college in western NY]. Did I mention he is eye candy? I looked for a ring, none there :) Anyways, he could have told me anything, but it turns out that he is an acupuncturist, so I had him sign Scooby up. YAY! Now I get to see him every week! I mean, now Scooby can get relieved of arthritis pain without meds.

Today has gone well--I had turkey sausage for breakfast, the some cottage cheese, and then I had meatballs for lunch and a snack of almonds. I ran 60 minutes on the treadmill and now I have to go snowshoeing with a friend who convinced me to go.

OH!!! exciting news: The Eades' wrote back to me!!! I was thrilled. They can't sponsor me, but they gave me the name of a low carb cyclist, Jim Friel, who I have actually heard of because he has written a book or two about training. I have been to his website, in fact, I consulted his training logs in order to make my own schedule and figure out how to train this winter.

[TiF1974]

Today IS a new day!
Much better day today. Not feeling the "sweet-cravings" I was yesterday (partly, perhaps, because I de-sweeted the house this am when my resolve was STRONG?)
I have been very hungry today:

breakfast- 3 eggs scrambled in a little butter and coffee with some real cream
snack- a serving and a half of soy crunchies (I usually don't go in for that stuff but it was there and only 5 carbs per serving)
lunch- protein shake
***I am finishing a sucralose-sweetened whey protein mix that I bought in bulk and am not real fond of...but TODAY I had an epiphany...I can have a little peanut butter flavor without triggering a binge- put two T of natural PB in with the powder and the water and WOW it was GREAT! And no binge b/c there was no jar-to-mouth momentum going :-)***
afterschool- I had a small leftover burger with mayonnaise- I SAID I was hungry!
I will see if I am still hungry for some of the sausage and peppers I am making for DH...otherwise it will just be a big plate of steamed veggies tonight.

SO by my count I am around 17 carbs for today; LOTS more calories than I usually eat but that will even out with those days I don't eat as much

Walked the dogs this AM

That's all the news that's fit to print from here.

[maxlharris]

The crab is still living in me, but it's losing power. Thank goodness...

http://tinyurl.com/djylzs

Lindane 1% or Malathion Lotion (.5% Ovide). That should clear it all up.
The chicago portion of my project is over. Mostly. Have to do a checkup/cleanup but that has to wait until Friday or Monday. On to Kansas City, ahead of schedule.

[Karole]

I ate to my appestat. I was pleased with myself. It's one thing to talk the talk, but walking the walk is even better.

This was awesome Max. You should be pleased.

[alex57]

Reading about the sports type activity of some of you brings back many memories. While raising my kids I think I liked playing as much as they did. I would round up the neighborhood kids and off we would go to the school grounds for baseball games or swimming in our backyard. Our house had the only basketball hoop, they let me play sometimes:) Loved racquet ball.

Lived in Phoenix where the weather is good year round so made it much easier. Thirty years ago moved to the beautiful NW. Besides different weather also got invovled running a new business, the kids were grown and things changed.

Here I am today..... 80#s heavier with sore knees that limit me. Ah...how life changes. Must say however, I have always looked forward to each new decade of my life as it came along for each one has it's own special things. The 70's are not starting out that great! I don't want to be a feeble old lady so am aiming to change things. One reason I've signed up for this month's challenge. Something to get excited and work to.

Wednesday's menu
B - sausage, cottage cheese pancakes
L - pumpkin shake
D - salmon, broccoli
S - yogurt w/walnuts if needed

I'm off to get some exercise.

Jean

[Karole]

About the cranberries--I usually buy several pkgs around Thanksgiving time and pop the extras in the freezer to cook later on.

When I cook them, I just add water and whatever sweetner I have--sometimes liquid splenda , sometimes a mixture of liquid and powder and sometimes xylitol. I taste as I cook to make sure I have the taste I like. I like it a bit tart, actually.

I also have found that if I add butter, while cooking , it doesn't take as much sweetner. I sometimes mix it with cottage cheese, sometimes spread ithe jam on an Oopsie roll, or other lo carb type "bread". It is pretty low carb.

[alex57]

This is something I do also, Karole. I cook a turkey throughout the year and just have to have cranberries. One of those special meals when having some of the kids over so that the carby leftovers can be sent home with them. I've never put some butter in them...will give it a try.

[Karole]

Back again to report my totals. Protein 122 ecc 36.
Fruits and veggies: tomato,pizza toppings,celery,orange,strawberries,cabbage.

Now, off to watch tv with dh. Have a great night.

[BeccainSC]

Okay, final report... am exhausted (getting to be my normal state I think)

Protein: 135
Carbs: 42
Water: 144 :eek: (9 - 16 ounces containers, no wonder I'm always in the bathroom)
Supplements: Yes
Reading: not yet, hopefully some once I get to bed. Finding it hard to read something I feel I know by heart when I'm so tired, I fall asleep too fast. :o I've been trying to find something new in the readings, but it's not working... course I've had the book for 8 years and have read it probably once a year (or parts) or more since then.


All in all a good day. :D

'becca

[lisanurse81]

jumping in to tally up the day....gotta run

Calories 1,761
Fat 135.1
Carbohydrate 37.3 (ecc 20.8)
Dietary Fiber 16.5
Protein 99.4

[Ammy]

Glory be, the crabs seem to be gone.
Funny, they went away once the PT figured out what was wrong with my hip, taught me some things, and the PAIN I was feeling 80% of the time was being relieved?!? Funny how much pain can alter our attitude!!

Anyway, seems I have a problem with my socket, and that my ball keeps "sort of" coming out a little and therefore the movement isn't fluid. I didn't even realize how little movement I had until he had me do some weird things...then it was VERY apparant.
SOoooo, cross your fingers that this work and make me feel better BEFORE the big ski vacation!

Final counts for the day
Supps: yes
Water: 90+oz
Exercise: PT appt (this is a true workout!)
Pro: 141.3
Ecc: 39
Fat: 164
Cal: 1948

[maxlharris]

Glory be, the crabs seem to be gone.
Funny, they went away once the PT figured out what was wrong with my hip, taught me some things, and the PAIN I was feeling 80% of the time was being relieved?!? Funny how much pain can alter our attitude!!

SOoooo, cross your fingers that this work and make me feel better BEFORE the big ski vacation!

Fingers are crossed. What can they do to keep your ball in the socket long term?

I've never put some butter in them...will give it a try.

I like a little bourbon and a minced shallot in mine. Some orange zest too. I think we decided (researched) and figured zest was fine.

This was awesome Max. You should be pleased.
I was so pleased I did it again last night. result was low cals, oh well
Cals: low acceptable
pro: 140
carbs: ~10g
water: fine

[Ammy]

Fingers are crossed. What can they do to keep your ball in the socket long term?

Not such a good report on that item.
My body is SUPER mobile (way too flexible-and yes, that can be a very bad thing). So because I can bend and move much further than a person "should", I tend to over stretch joints and not realize it (cause your muscles and ligaments SHOULD stop you).

So, my theory, when I was 320lbs, I would cross my legs...because I could and at 300lbs it made me feel feminine. And I always crossed my left leg over my right. Therefore stretching my left hip in ways it shoudl be stretched...but I didn't realize I should not have been able to do that.
But now I am suffering from it.

He said it could be that, or that I have a "shallow socket" which means the ball doesn't have a tight "hole" to stay in, or there could be some form of "impingement" in my socket.

We're going to see how I feel after I do my hip stretches 4x a day before we decide if it's an impingement that I should go back to the Ortho for guidance. It happened kind of suddenly (about mid-Jan) and just got worse from there. In January it was taking about 15ft for me to be able to walk without limping. YEsterday before the PT, I limped 90% of the time. I didn't stop limping until I had been walking steadily for 10min. I walk like an old person...and at 38, I'm NOT!

[Puddin]

Amy, that's really a tought thing to deal with. I understand the problems of over stretching and being loose, too loose. It was a problem which I had as a younger woman. Now that I am 59 and suffering arthritis, I would really love to be able to get that movement. As my doctor told me, you're really doing fine though considering the amount of wear and tear you give yourself every day. Keep plugging and you'll be really happy with the results! It's so important to get to a PT before things get too out of whack.

Today was a wet, soggy miserably grey day in which I had lots of errands to do and lots of walking to get there. Seems that I'm always on foot patrol like a policeman. In any case PP is doing great and I'm really feeling good. The challenge of that recipe is driving me a bit nuts though. I'm almost ready to post it but I keep seeing bits and pieces which I would prefer changing. In any case I will probably post it now and then give you changes as I redo it over time. You'll just have to chase it down in the maincourse threads:p

Protein today: over 120
ECC : about 20 so far
Water....lots and lots over 1.5 liters
Supplements : oh yes!
Exercise: also

Off I go to read some other stuff and to post that recipe.
Have a good rest of the day. For me it's almost time to get dinner on the stove.