When your weight loss is at a stand still, fluctuating, or just being plain fickle on you… the best thing to do is simplify your meals and food choices as much as you possibly can.
That’s why we’re doing the 3IMAX Mini-Challenge this week. 3IMAX means 3 Ingredients Max (per plate/meal).
We’re on Day 10 of the “Get Lean For Summer!” Low Carb Challenge, but you can join in anytime! 🙂
Challenge Details | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8
Day 9: Tuesday’s Low Carb Meals
I missed my berries on Monday, so I added them back in yesterday. 🙂 This is what I call “low carb cereal” and this time it was 1/4 cup Daisy brand cottage cheese, 1/2 cup pecans & 4 small strawberries. (5 net carbs and 85% healthy fats)
For lunch I grabbed a 1/3 Pound Low Carb Thickburger from Hardee’s. It’s on the menu. I just asked for mine “plain with cheese & mayo, please.” (zero carbs)
My easy low carb dinner was ham & eggs. The ham is actually a “Big Hot Ham & Cheese” from Hardee’s without the bun:
I warmed that up, then scrambled two eggs to eat with it. Quick & easy! 🙂
I felt a little chilled late last night and didn’t really want another coffee, so I heated up some Campbell’s chicken broth. I just made the whole can in a large measuring cup, but only drank 1 cup – and saved the rest for today.
Chicken broth is a great for sodium & electrolytes when you feel a little icky, or even if you just want a nice hot savory drink.
Before the broth, I had a quick snack late last night of 1/4 cup Daisy brand cottage cheese with 1/4 cup pecan halves. Then that steamy hot broth really hit the spot! 🙂
Here’s My MyFitnessPal Diary for Tuesday:
Here’s how & what I track, and how I get Net Carbs in MyFitnessPal.
Calories: 1649
Net Carbs: 21
Total Carbs: 31
Protein: 86 Grams
Macro Ratios: 74% Fat, 21% Protein
Water: 72 ounces
Starting Weight: 154.6
Current Weight: 151.2 pounds
Weight Loss (so far): 3.4 pounds
My weight is holding steady which is REALLY odd for me, but I’m not going to sweat it. I actually FEEL thinner today, so I expect my scales to start moving again. 🙂
My allergies are in full tilt with Spring so that may have something to do with it. I’m also not sleeping well lately, which always affects my weight loss. Who knows. I’m just going to let it play itself out, and keep sticking to my macros.
Stay tuned though, I expect to FINALLY dip below 150 this week! 😉
How did you do on Day Nine?
Leave a comment below, and let’s do this together!!
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
p.s. You can subscribe by email below to get my Daily Food Diaries throughout the Low Carb Challenge sent straight to your inbox. That way you’ll never miss great (easy!) low carb meal ideas. 😉
Hello Lynn, your meals look super simple and easy. Today I had 1.5 eggs mixed with cream and poured over 1 minced sausage to cook for breakfast. 2 coffees with cream. Lunch was lettuce, cucumber, half tomato, 2 spring onions, 2oz ham, 2oz feta a few olives and low carb Caesar dressing. Dinner will be 6oz fillet beef with vegs and maybe anchovy butter. How am I doing?
It sounds fabulous, Tracie. π When you track it all, how many net carbs – and what percentage of fat – do you come up with?
Haven’t got my head around tracking yet, tried with little success. I have lost 9lbs so far so I guess something is going okay (although I would have liked more! Started 29th March).
my meals looks pretty much like yours and I am having the same issue as far as sleeping .. Its getting old too lol I feel for you Lynn I just keep in gong tho π Have a great day !
It IS getting old. π I agree, lol. Maybe it’s the change of season, the change in weather, who knows. I look forward to a solid sleep though. This sleeping in spurts thing is no fun at all. π *cheers*
Hi Lynn, I started the 90 challenge a few days behind you and I’m in a stall I think. I know from reading your blog that this is normal. I’m just going to keep on keepin on! Anyway, I have two questions. About artificial sweetener, what kind do you use, do you track it as a carb and how much is too much? For instance, I love sweet-n-low with my coffee and in my tea. On average, I could use 6-8 packets per day. Is that too much, could that be causing a problem? I haven’t tracked it as a carb either. My second question is about coffee. I know you are a coffee lover! I am too but I have to drink decaf. What about flavored coffees, like hazelnut cinnamon or the other type of flavored coffees, do you know if they have carbs in them? Should I be careful with that? Let me know your thoughts. Thanks, Lynn. I’m loving your blog!
Thank you, Linda π
Right now I am using Coffee-Mate sugar free powdered hazelnut creamer in my coffee. It is 1 carb per TBSP and I track it – you can see it in my food diary above. Fortunately it doesn’t stall me, I’ve been using it awhile, even during phases where I was losing weight really well. (It’s my one guilty pleasure!)
Before that I used splenda. You should count 1 carb per 2 packets of sweetener I believe. Start tracking those. But if you were losing weight the first week, what you’re experiencing now is just a normal hold – your body catching up – so I wouldn’t sweat it just yet. π
I am not sure on the flavored coffees. You should Google that and see what you come up with. I think they’re fine but I’m not sure…
Linda,
As far as I know flavored coffees do not have carbs in them. They’re coated with a flavored oil so there is no added sugars. If there was a coffee that had added sugar or a carb count it would be listed on the package with the nutrition facts. Hope this helps βΊ and good luck!
Thanks Justine! As Lynn suggested, I just googled it and it seems like what you said is correct. Which is great, because I love flavored coffee!
Anytime! I love flavored coffee too and is actually how I came across this site a year or so ago. I was looking up how to order a low carb coffee at starbucks and saw this post http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/393/low-carb-restaurant-choices/
Try roasting those pecans in butter in a skillet. It will kick it up a notch. They are so good. Have to watch them close they burn easily.
So true, Sheryl – I love roasted pecans! π I am usually just happy to have quick & easy without cooking in the morning, but I love to snack on cinnamon & butter roasted pecans at night sometimes. π
Planters now have toasted pecans in a can like peanuts…I find them on the very top shelf above the nuts at super Wal-Marts.
Another successful day! I think “shark week” (I lmao every time I see this) is coming early because my sweet cravings are going crazy. I haven’t been sleeping well either and I think I’m coming down with a cold . I have a 1 year old who refuses to sleep through the night so every 1.5-2 hours I’m up with him so getting a full nights sleep is incredibly hard. Looks like I’ll be sipping on some chicken broth soon. Lol My meals yesterday were:
B: BPC, 2 Egg omelet w/1 slice colby jack cheese, 2 slices bacon
L: 2 thinly grilled pork chops, cucumber salad (1c cubed cucumber, 1 tbl mayo, 1 tbl crumbled feta)…Yummmmmy
D: same as lunch w/1 boiled egg added
S: 2 Russell Stover sugar free pecan delights (blame it on “shark week”) lol
I had 11 net carbs and drank about 64oz water
Sounds like another good day, Justine! To help you sleep better (when you can) eat a higher carb meal at night. That’s why I had the “pecans & cottage cheese” last night at bedtime. But ideally if you are going to have a higher carb food – like green vegetables – having them at the evening meal does tend to help me rest better.
I hope your cold or allergies, whatever it is, passes quickly. I’m sneezing my head off, and the allergy meds may be what has me on a “hold”. Here’s to getting through all the crazy little things! lol *cheers*
Thanks!! I actually have strawberries and daisy brand cottage cheese on my grocery list for next week. I’m gonna try this as an evening meal/snack. I’ve been wanting to try it for a while now but I’ve been hesitant because I’ve NEVER had cottage cheese and idk if I’ll like it lol. Guess we’ll see.
I hope you feel better soon as well…*cheers*
When I ate mine without berries yesterday, the flavor was totally different. Of course, Daisy is the BEST flavor cottage cheese I’ve ever eaten… but the berries *really* offset it. Especially when you only use half a serving – 1/4 cup. π Enjoy!
I so look forward to my strawberries and cottage cheese and ‘cereal’ fror breakfast
Last night i had the same for my dinner
I was not so hungry to go searching fir a late night snack. π
I will be glad when cherries are in seasin again
I read that cherries have a very low glycemic index and it is hard to over eat on cherries because of the pit so we are forced to eat them slowly
I have to have a bit of berries every day. I feel best when i eat that little bit of strawberries
And my raw green salads.
Good morning Lynn. I have a question about the pecans in your cereal!! I loved it, had this morning. Later it dawned on me I may have measured wrong and this does make a difference. Do I measure my halves then chop or chop then measure?
Great question, Billie! I buy both Pecan Halves and Pecan Pieces. They are both 1 net carb for 1/4 cup (30 grams). When in doubt about my measuring cup, I put them on the kitchen scale to double check. π
Cool, did not want to have add more numbers to my day! I’ll keep that in mind! Have a great day!
Just make sure you read your own label and make sure your carb count is the same. π I’ve noticed some labels vary a bit, though I’m not sure why. *cheers*
Lynn,
Can going too low on carbs in a day keep you from losing weight? I have been having some leg cramps in the night, would the chicken broth help with that if I was to drink some before bed? Also having issues with constipation any suggestions??
Hi Kelley,
First, make sure you are tracking super close and getting at least 70% of your calories in healthy fats. That should help with the constipation. I’ve never had that problem, but I’ve heard others discuss it.
Magnesium is the main ingredient in most laxatives. Sources for magnesium in low carb foods include: spinach, swiss chard, sunflower seeds, almonds, turnip greens, summer squash, edamame, peanut butter, avocado, salmon, halibut, chicken, beef, broccoli.
I heard someone say eating a serving of broccoli a day made a difference, so maybe that will help.
For the leg cramps, definitely drink chicken broth. That helps A LOT with those, as it replaces the sodium & electrolytes. And make sure you aren’t drinking too MUCH water, as it flushes OUT your sodium and electrolytes, causing leg cramps. The solution is still chicken broth. π
Thank you so much Lynn for the information. I don’t think I’m getting enough fat for one thing, and I do drink a lot of water, so maybe if I try your suggestions I can turn things around.
Try more magnesium rich greens, and higher fat – healthy fats. π
I noticed that you never add tomato or onion when you order your bunless Hardee’s (Carl Jr.’s here in California) burger or Ham and Cheese. Is that a personal preference or does it add to many carbs???
Hi Dianna,
I don’t like raw onions, so I skip those. π The hot ham & cheese doesn’t come with anything here – just ham & cheese. I often order my Low Carb Burger plain if I’m driving so it isn’t as messy – or on days when I want a zero carb meal.
You can get on their website and use the meal calculator to add and remove items to see how it affects the carb count. π
I did great yesterday with my eating! But I still don’t feel well. My tummy is still not quite right. The scale is back down and I’m hoping to lose 2 lbs this week now that I seem to have recovered from the weekend (even though my carbs were low). I have decided to ditch the Xylitol for a while and see if that could be causing my tummy issues. I did add 1 tsp of organic cane sugar to my coffee instead. I can afford those 4 carbs – my morning coffee is 5 carbs total w/ the heavy whipping cream (1 tbs). Also, I was reading an article this morning that explains why nuts and seeds should be avoided when trying to lose weight. I am going to ditch all forms of nuts/seeds for a bit and see how that works for me. I have 1 1/2 weeks left before I have to be at my goal weight, so I’m about to do another egg fast if the scale doesn’t start moving again. I hate to be so impatient, but this last little bit of weight has clung on so hard! I’ve had 8 weeks to lose 10 lbs and it’s going by so slowly!!!! I’m so sick of being so strict on myself, but it seems that the closer I get to my goal weight the stricter I have to be. ugh…. Once I’ve made my goal weight and the tournament is over, I plan to just take it easy – stay keto, but try to enjoy life a little more and not stress soooooooo much about my macros! Maybe go back to only weighing in once a week, and enjoy a slow and steady pace, with no deadline in mind.
Hi Jennifer,
Have you ever taken a probiotic? I tried that for the first time at the end of January when my stomach was off, and it worked like a MIRACLE. π I was impressed how quickly I felt better.
I wrote about it here: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/9566/probiotics/ (funny post, but great advice!).
Have you tried Stevia. The brand Sweetleaf has 0 carbs. I am sorry to say this but any real sugar will probably tane you out of ketosis. All carbs are not created equally. Real sugar even if organic has a high glycemic index. Try Stevia.
Here is one that a lot of others readers here buy: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ELQNRE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000ELQNRE&linkCode=as2&tag=travelinglowcarb-20&linkId=7HCLCYVDY37LYA2I It’s a flavored SweatLeaf stevia. π
I also use stevia but I don’t like it that much… That’s why I was adding xylitol. When I first started this diet a year ago I kept my sugar in my morning coffee and had no problem with staying in ketosis. Today’s I’m trying my coffee with just stevia and it’s ok. Lol
I started my low carb journey today as I promised on your blog yesterday.
I took your advise and went with the SF coffee creamer from coffee mate. Not too bad!!
I also had your “low carb cereal” this morning (cottage cheese, walnuts & strawberries) . Usually I cannot focus on work while I have food at my desk, so I eat it as quickly as possible so I can get back to work. I was so shocked when it took me an hour to eat 1 serving of it. I was very satisfied after eating it.
For lunch I had 2 large lettuce leaves with meat, cheese and mayo between them along with some almonds and snow peas.
I have drank 60oz of water today, that is a HUGE success right there!
For dinner I plan on having a sausage & cheese omelet.
Not sure what I should have as a snack though??? Any suggestions?
Thank you for all the encouragement thru this blog!!
For lunch
Kudos, Roberta!! I’m so glad you joined us. π π
It takes me awhile to finish that breakfast too, lol. Delicious isn’t it?!
I don’t know about snow peas. I’ve never looked those up. This is a good site to search any food you need nutritional value on – produce, I mean: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search (things without labels).
You may find you don’t need a snack. I usually just snack on pecans. 1/4 cup is very filling!