Join us for the Fall 2016 Low Carb Challenge!
I mentioned in my last update that I had a higher carb day (100 carbs) on Saturday, as an attempt to get out of and back into ketosis – specifically because I’ve been on a 5 week plateau.
Since then I’ve been keeping my meals super simple, and of course dealing with keto flu symptoms again. 😛 Rah!
That was NOT worth it.
We’ve been talking about mindset, and ways to stay motivated even with the scales don’t seem to be moving – or moving fast enough to suit us, I should say.
Like my fun skirt pictures. 🙂 And I have another photo for you today. This one SHOCKED ME, and even made me a little sad.
First, here’s what I’ve been eating the last two days…
Monday’s Low Carb Meals
My favorite healthy low carb breakfast that I eat most mornings actually came about because I missed Special K cereal. I call this low carb cereal, my low carb replacement.
It’s 1/2 cup pecans (for the crunch and healthy fats), 1/4 cup Daisy brand cottage cheese and 4 small diced strawberries.
Strawberries have Vitamin C and powerful antioxidants. This meal came to 5 net carbs and 85% healthy fat… and it’s delicious. 🙂
I had a beautiful low carb lunch at Collins River BBQ & Cafe on Monday while out for a meeting. This is the “Pigs in a Garden” salad with pulled pork and bacon over organic greens:
That was soooo good! 🙂
I was exhausted that night, and had a live session to host still (I do consulting), so I just ate a Roam Stick real quick before that – then had another one and a couple of string cheese after… and called it a night. 😛
Here’s My MyFitnessPal Diary for Monday:
Tuesday’s Low Carb Meals
I had my favorite low carb breakfast again (with blueberries added this time!). I like having something EASY to fix every morning, that’s also healthy and delicious. 🙂
This time it was: 1/2 cup pecans, 1/4 cup Daisy brand cottage cheese, 4 small diced strawberries and 17.5 grams of blueberries = 6 net carbs and 85% healthy fat.
I had a quick low carb snack rollup of turkey, cheese & pickle… while I decided what to have for lunch. I didn’t have much of an appetite – just hungry.
Lunch ended up being eggs AGAIN, lol – I’ve been really boring with my food choices lately! It’s 3 eggs scrambled with colby jack cheese in real butter. (1.94 ounces of cheese, 1 tbsp of butter)
Last night I had a beautiful low carb snack: 2 ounces of cream cheese, 18 grams of hand-picked blueberries, and 42 grams of Cinnamon Nut & Flax Granola.
I suppose I could get on Pinterest and come up with a fancy recipe for some low carb dessert – but this is just so easy and delicious, lol.
Here’s My MyFitnessPal Diary for Tuesday:
Macronutrients: Simple Explanation Of Low Carb Macros
How To Get A Net Carbs Column in MyFitnessPal
Calories: 1599
Net Carbs: 22
Total Carbs: 46
Protein: 67 Grams
77% Fat, 17% Protein
Water: 72 ounces
This is the photo (left) that shocked me, and made me sad. It crossed my screen yesterday when someone “liked” it on Facebook. The photo on the left I mean, which is from May 2015 (a year ago May). The photo on the right was taken on Monday of this week:
That photo of “left me” above made me sad. I had no idea I was that big (at the time). The photo of “right me” is kind of shocking to me too. I had no idea I was getting that lean. We get so caught up in the scales, and 1 pound forward 2 pounds back yada yada yada – that we’re often missing the big picture, or forgetting this is about the long game.
I remember that picture showing up online last May when I was originally tagged in it. And I remember thinking “eek, that’s a fat pic.” It wasn’t the picture, or the angle, or just “my bad side”… 🙄 lol.
I don’t want to go back to that.
I remember how I felt back then – uncomfortable, discouraged, disgusted, miserable. It makes me want to go back in time and hug myself. 🙁
Sometimes photos really tell a much better story than the scales do. About where we are, how far we’ve come, what we really need to work on, etc. It’s good to have weight loss goals, but I think long-term health goals and lifestyle goals are SO much more important… and a lot less stressful. 😛
How are things going for you?
How are you doing with your low carb meals & macro tracking? Any questions or struggles with your own weight loss journey? Leave a comment and let’s talk!
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
p.s. The black & white skirt and tank in my picture above are both Fabletics. They have SO much more than just athletic/gym wear – and their clothes are MADE to slim & flatter. 🙂 I’m in love with their stuff, and have another order on the way!
^ That’s my invite-a-friend link. I don’t make any money if you sign up, but I do get credits in my account… and I love! credits.:)
Discount Code: LOWCARBTRAVELER
You look awesome!! Side by sides are always a great positive, sometimes mind-boggling, affirmation that we are in fact moving in the right direction! Kudos to you! π Now a quick question about the keto krate…I ordered this month’s box but I’m a little confused about the billing…mine says next renewel is Oct 15…so are we billed after getting the box or will I be billed this month for next months?! Hope that gibberish made some kind of sense. lol.
Thank you, Casey! π You said it: great, positive mind-boggling affirmation -lol. Good question on Keto Krate. I think if you got a month ahead of it, you’d have another delivery after you cancel. They simply bill at the same time every month so it depends on when you join…
Whatta difference, Lynn!!! You know, truth be told, that pic on the left isn’t all *that* bad. We are our own worst enemies. Most of us strive for an ideal that is not always attainable. To me, the key is that you weren’t happy with yourself and you DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! Didn’t just sit on the couch eating ice cream (not the low carb kind) and bon-bons. And look at you now!!! I made a side by side of almost a 100-pound difference and, when I get discouraged and my weight climbs again, I look at it. And this is from someone who used to be a size 28-30 and now I wear a 14-16. It’s all in your perspective.
And all that being said, YOU LOOK MAHVELOUS, DAHLINK!!! Thank you for being the inspiration to kick my sorry arse back into gear.
That’s what made me sad about the photo, Carla. It wasn’t my size so much, it was remembering who I was, how I was, how I felt, and just that life and even ME was so different then – compared to now.
A lot of emotion rose up. It was a hard time, much grief after just losing Molly, it was the month I got engaged, which fell apart just a few months later, it was a time in my life when I was struggling with emotional eating and bingeing issues. I could go on and on – I saw so much more than just my size in that photo. A person I no longer am, which felt odd…
Thank you for your kind words. π You made my day today!!
Still struggling with self control and it being drinking related. This is all about changing my life, not just my scales. I’m trying to figure out if I can afford to join a gym…this morning I tried so hard to get myself up to go for a brisk walk before work, but I just didn’t want to get out of bed. Battle of self every single day. Hearing ppl try to talk me out of what I’m doing is such a joke to me. Leave me alone ppl, this is about me…every day it is about me trying to make better decisions. I didn’t make great decisions last night but I will do my best to do better tonight….not go home and start drinking, since I know where it leads with my eating problems. Rar. Sorry, to whine. Frustrated with myself and just want to get stronger in all areas. It hurts, hurting myself over and over and over…wanting things to be so different and knowing nobody can do this for me but me.
You look radiant, I am so proud of your accomplishments! You keep us all going…thank you.
Thank you, Amy.:) I get that. I can relate to all of what you said. It’s exactly what I saw in my photo from last year about myself – and it made me sad. Mostly because I remember how hard it was and how that felt… and I hated to see that in myself.
The change wasn’t easy, but it was SO worth it. Losing the weight IS the easy part. It’s all the other stuff, like the things you mentioned, the battle within – the mental side of it – that’s the hard part.
I won it. I overcame emotional eating and bingeing. Those were such a huge part of my life for several years. I no longer feel like I’m treating myself when I eat bad to feel bad. I realize it for what it is. I no longer feel deprived. I feel ALIVE, and I feel like I can have and do anything I want.
I joined several gyms over the years, several times, and got stuck in contracts – and never went. I’m having more fun getting outdoors and especially with my dane Slim. He enjoys it SO much π and that makes ME smile – and motivates me to get out!
You can do this. Gosh, if I can (and did, and am) I feel like ANYONE can. I know you hear that a lot, but I was a tough case lol.
Hi Lynn, Keeping it simple works! You know I had been on a stall for about 5 weeks, and when I went to keeping it simple, the scales are moving! I am also drinking a lot more water. This seems to help to .I have lost 1 1/2 lbs since Monday! Go Me! lol
A friend and I went on a search for the Halo Top ice cream in the Nashville area. Finally found it at the Bellview Kroger for 3.99 on sale. Have not tried it yet because I want to keep my weight loss going. I have the birthday cake and mint chip flavors.
Are you in middle Tennessee too?! Let’s meet up for a meal sometime! There are quite a few of us. I’ll put together something. π
The Mint Chip and Chocolate are my favorite Halo Top flavors. π YUM!
Anyway, yes – simple is GOOD. It really helps with weight loss. Plus it makes meals SO much easier. I’m no fan of the kitchen anyway. π I also find just stocking up on things I know I like and are easy to make – and then eating the same few meals over and over doesn’t bother me at all AND makes it easier.
I’m so glad you’re seeing progress, and have those scales moving again!!
Love the Before and After pics, you look wonderful. I’m still going up and down, down a little today :), it dawned on my yesterday when I was up a little that I had forgotten my HBP meds the day before, it is a diuretic, I forget sometimes when I forget to take them that I gain water weight, and then when I take them I lose it again. So, something to think about for anyone one diuretics.
Also your tip if your losing has stalled is to give up dairy, cheese, cream cheese and nuts?! Those are staples for me. I have yogurt with walnuts every morning in my “cereal” and I usually have a few cheese sticks and almonds for lunch and maybe a fat bomb with cream cheese when I have those on hand. I know I should try giving those up but it’s part of this woe that I really like and enjoy. I don’t even know what I would eat if I had to give up dairy, cheese and nuts! :'(.
Just full disclosure :), I am having a glass of wine at night, but still keeping it in my carb count and staying at 20g, I am still losing slowly but don’t think I’m in ketosis right now? I know, I know I need to give it up again but my wine was on sale this week! LOL. I’ll get back to no wine soon, I don’t mind the keto flu, it’s not bad for me at all, just a metallic taste in my mouth, but I do mind not losing as fast as I would without the wine….sigh sigh sigh ;).
I hope I didn’t say anything to upset or offend you. My apologies if I did.
Oh gosh no – somehow I totally missed your comment! Crazy me π π lol. As far as what you would eat if you gave those things up: just meat & greens + healthy fats.
I do find I lose best eating sausage & eggs, hamburger steak or baked chicken thighs with a green veggie, etc.
ENJOY your wine! If you’re losing weight, even slowly, or even just maintaining (that’s me right now) and ENJOYING life – that’s a good thing. π
Awwww thanks so much, I feel better now :))).
I think I will try just the eggs & sausage, hamburger or chicken with greens and see what happens. I’ve almost always had dairy, nuts or cheese on my plate, especially breakfast and lunch, not so much supper.
Thanks again sweetie, YOU ARE the BEST!!
I think if you test that just for one whole week, even with your usual wine here and there, I bet you see results. π At the very least it will mix things up and confuse your body lol. It works well for me, especially when I keep my food combinations super simple.
Hi Lynn – I’m noticing that your fat percentages are usually higher than the 70% set for your macro. Is this a good thing to do? I know there has been a lot said about eating more fat helps with weight loss on a LC diet. My fat macro is also set at 70 and I always either stay at 70 or go a little higher. I always keep my net carbs at 20 or below. My weight hasn’t moved at all all week. Bummer. Should I be adding more fat?
Hi Carmen π Yes, it’s 20 net carbs max and 70% fat minimum. It’s fine to go under 20 net carbs, and totally fine (and even encouraged) to go over 70% fat. My numbers are not always exact (a few carbs over, etc) but that’s okay.
Increasing your healthy fats is a great way to get the scales moving again. But don’t stress too much about the scales not moving in one week. Mine have hardly moved in 5 weeks, but at least we’re not gaining! π
Cut out or down on cheese, cream cheese, nuts, bars/shakes, any processed meats (smoked sausage especially, as much as I love it – it tends to stall me for some crazy reason!) and just keep your meals as simple as possible: meat & greens & healthy fats.
One more question, when you say cut down on nuts, i had beeb having maybe 1/2 C. Chopped Pecans maybe 3 times a week. Cut those out too? I don’t usually use cream cheese, bars/shakes, but I do have hot italian sausage once in a while. And, do use HWC cream in my coffee. Cut that too? π
I’d say the pecans are fine, I eat those daily. The sausages – try going without those just to see. I don’t know WHY they stall me. π
Thanks! I’ll get this right yet!
It may just be a normal weight loss pattern, the hold you’re experiencing this week, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
Increasing healthy fats is the easiest thing to test to start. π
Wow, what a great comparison! Your hard work has really paid off. Way to go! π
Your post is also a great reminder for me to take progress pics. Sometimes it’s hard to tell by the naked eye if you’re working towards your goal. A photo doesn’t lie!
Thanks for the motivation and tips. Keep up the good work!!
Thank you Nikki! I agree – it really is hard to tell by the mirror. My body shape hasn’t changed, just the size. So I still see “me” in the mirror – and at just a pound a week (sometimes a pound a month, lol) you just don’t SEE the change.
Body measurements are smart too. You can log those in MyFitnessPal along with your weigh-ins.
Lynn, I know you drink a lot of coffee during the day, at least you have posted that you do. Can I ask if you use a creamer, and if so, is it non-dairy or heavy cream? I am trying to get away from putting heavy cream in my coffee as I think the dairy may be hurting me. What do you use or what would you suggest? Thanks for any info you can give me.
Hi Carmen π Yes, I drink way too much coffee lol. I switched from HWC because it was adding up on me too fast along with a sweetener (carb wise). I now use Coffee-Mate sugar free hazelnut powdered creamer. The powdered hazelnut is only 1 carb per tbsp (the other flavors are higher, and don’t taste good at all). It’s VERY creamy & delicious! Obviously it has a lot more ingredients in it, but it cut my carb count down – and I’ve been losing great so I just enjoy it. π
p.s. HWC (heavy whipping cream) is 7 carbs per cup, or 1 carb per 2 TBSP – no matter what the label says. Most say zero. And I was using a lot more of that than the powdered creamer, plus counted my Splenda packets (per the Atkins website: 1 carb per packet).
Thanks! I’m going shopping today and will pick up some of the Coffee-Mate sugar free hazelnut powdered creamer. It sounds good. I do use the liquid stevia in my coffee (7 drops), so i don’t usually count that since the liquid has no carbs. I am not using a lot of HWC, but thought maybe I would try avoiding it all together to see if it helps. Was up .5 lbs. this morning and I have no idea why – frustrating. My macros were all in line Upping my good fats today to see if that helps. π
Thanks so much for being so responsive so quickly!
It’s worth a test. But I bet increasing healthy fats will do the trick all on it’s own. π You may fall in love with that creamer though, lol. I’m totally addicted!
What I love most is that I can take it in the car, on road trips, anywhere and everywhere – because it’s powdered. π
wow..thanks for the hwc info Lynn!! I am thinking now that is my problem! I am very generous with my hwc.. as of today.. no more.. going to try your hazelnut suggestion!!!
love your posts ..you are such an inspiration to me!!
Susie
Thank you, Susie! π Yeah, HWC can really add up on you. Most people have no idea it has so many carbs. I didn’t when I first started using it!
I too have been on a 5 week plateau, going up and down variations of 1.5 pounds. I want to get off this stuck record! Maybe there is something in the air in TN/AL (I am in Decatur)? I did have a good friend tell me yesterday she can really see a difference in my appearance which is encouraging but I still want to see pounds lost.
I have been using half and half that has 1 carb per 2T. I see the powered has 1 carb per T. Would there be that much difference between the two as far as weight loss? I only drink coffee in the morning and usually end up using about 2-3T total.
Susan
You probably wouldn’t see much of a carb count difference, no. I used A LOT more HWC or half & half and I drink a lot more coffee than you, so it really added up on me, lol.
You and I are not alone – I’ve been hearing that all over the place about weight loss plateaus. Maybe it IS something in the air! π There is Mercury Retrograde and there was a total lunar eclipse last night. I’m not sure if those things have an affect or not… ?
Have you tried 3IMAX yet to break your stall? It’s basically just 3 ingredients max: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/6064/3-ingredients-rule/ all real foods, super simple foods & combinations.
It’s sooooo hard to keep your calorie count under control and your fat % high! I struggle with that. It seems like a double edged sword some days! Like tonight, I would like to go out for a ribeye steak – the calories in that alone are astronomical, but the fat content is good! It seems if I keep my calories under or around 1,300, and my fat percentage around 78, I lose weight.
It’s keeping the balance that is hard for me! Just venting. π
I totally get it. I think I would feel stressed and deprived if I had to also count calories. That steak does sound great. π I should probably test that myself (lower my calories) but I think I’ll focus on toning instead given where I’m at in the journey… How long have you been targeting those numbers, btw?
I’ve just recently begun to watch the calories because I wasn’t losing as I thought I should be, probably a week or so. When I started doing that, the scale finally moved down. And, for some reason, I can feel it in my body when I am below a certain number for calories. Crazy, I know. I have about 25 more lbs. to go, I’ve lost 17 lbs. in the last month and one half but it has been soooo slow since then, except for last week when I started to be more conscious of my calories. It really hasn’t been a long time that I’ve been watching them – so maybe that isn’t even the reason I dropped. I also am watching dairy. I really don’t feel deprived most of the time – just tonight when I want that ribeye and I am looking at it’s calories!!
I think you are doing great and probably don’t have to watch like I do. I don’t exercise much either as I have a bad back – and I’m sure that isn’t helping.
Keep doing what you’re doing – you have been at this for a while and whatever you are doing really works!
So did you have that steak?! π I woke up wondering! lol…
I think it’s a great idea to change things up now and then, and there are a variety of ways you can do that. But wow, 17 pounds in 6 weeks is GREAT progress!! π Way to go!!
Funny – we didn’t go out to eat, but grilled two ribeyes at home, and they were horrible!! They were tough for some reason. I thought I had bought two beautiful steaks and nada! So, I ended probably eating only about 4 oz. I think it was meant to be. LOL. So, I did alright and I was down .5 this morning. God is good!
Thanks for asking. Today is a family reunion – another challenge. I have made low carb deviled eggs (mayo, mustard and no sugar added relish mixed in with the yolks), and a low carb broccoli salad (mayo, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, onion, some Stevia added to chopped broccoli). Both taste really good and I’m not telling anyone both are low carb. π I don’t know what anyone else is bringing, but I’ll at least have these two things to eat. I was thinking of taking some Good Dee’s Brownies, but don’t want to share those. :):)
Have a great day!
lol, I wouldn’t share mine either. π I have two bags of brownie mix on the way now, and I fully intend to eat BOTH batches – all by myself. π haha
Have FUN today!! *cheers*
I just got my “two” bags of brownie mix in the mail the other day and fixed one bag last night. Just an observation, the first time I tried them I used 1/4 cup of coconut oil and 1/4 cup of butter, plus walnuts, I don’t remember how many, probably 1/4 or 1/2 cup. I didn’t do the peanut butter topping. They baked almost too done at the time recommended, 25 to 27 minutes.
This next time, I used 1/2 cup of coconut oil and 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/4 cup of peanut butter on top. After 25 mins the middle was like soup! I had to bake them for like 45 mins to get them done. They really good but the edges all around the middle are a little too done, but had to cook them that long to get the middle done.
I’m thinking it is either the coconut oil and/or the peanut butter topping that makes them take so long to cook.
My hubby doesn’t like them……Yay! More for me LOL. I’m not crazy about the cooling feel you get from the Erythritol, I use Erythritol all of the time in other recipes, it’s my go to sugar substitute, but this recipe does have a strong “cooling” mouth feel.
Hmm, I didn’t get a cooling effect from mine! I get that from some things – or even a tingly feel, like with the granola – but I didn’t experience that with the brownies.
Mine did take longer to make, but not THAT long I don’t think. Maybe a wider dish so they are not so thick? I only used an 8×8 glass baking dish though…
I think I used 1/2 cup of peanut butter. I’ll have to check on that. Maybe that cut the flavor more…
Hi Carmen, one thing I like about the LCHF WOE is you don’t have to count calories, I never do so I don’t know if I’d be losing more weight if I counted them.
Also, we have never had any luck with cooking steaks at home, I don’t think you can buy the same quality steak in the store as they have in the good steak restaurants. We’ve tried several times and they always turn out tough? Even buying the best cuts.
I agree about the steaks. The only ones I have had a little luck with are filets. I think the ribeyes in restaurants are special cuts or something and I also think they marinate them.
And counting calories is not the way I want to go either. I just thought since I was losing so slow I’d try it. I may go back to not looking at calories as it is also the thing I liked about HFLC eating. I just get nervous when the scale doesn’t move for a while. π
We must find the steak secret! π My son makes amazing ribeyes in his kitchen, so I’ll start there…
I find that “holds” are a very normal part of my weight loss trend. My long term streak of eating very low carb (very consistently) showed me some interesting patterns like that.
Sometimes my weight seems to hold for a week or two, no appetite really, then I have a seriously HUNGRY day, and the next day the scales drop. I’ve read the same from quite a few others too.
Our bodies are strange and complicated, lol. I don’t think it hurts to test things and try different things, mix things up at least. It may even be the “change” that worked more so than the actual thing we changed.
When I’m in a hold or my weight is fluctuating I always analyze my diaries to see if I changed anything, stopped/started anything, or what might be a potential culprit.