Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

I have made some slight additions to my diet and exercise regimens in this New Year. 

First and foremost, I started supplementing with MCT oil this week - one tablespoon twice daily.  I will be posting on the purported benefits of MCT oil supplementation as well as the results of my n=1 MCT oil experiment in the near future.

Secondly, I have upped my gym attendance, and tonight, I am attending an orientation at a nearby martial arts facility, which is doing a "Biggest Winner" contest. 

For $50, you sign up for the "Biggest Winner" 8 week program, which begins on January 16th.  They weigh you before the start of the program and at its completion; the person who has lost the most weight in the interim wins some cash.  I'm not doing it for the cash - I am doing it for the highly discounted "cage fitness", "brazilian jujitsu" and "applied self defense" classes that you can take for no additional charge during that 8 week period.  Assuming that I go twice each week, that is 16 fitness classes for $50.  I am trying something new and interesting, and I am excited.  I fell asleep last night, with the "Kung Fu Fighting" song in my head...

I weighed myself this morning, to get an official 2012 starting weight. 

Here are my stats:

198 pounds; 14.5" neck circumference; 6" wrist circumference; 43" bust; 37.5" waist; 46" hips. 

I lost 33.5 pounds last year, and several dress sizes.  I feel better and look better.  I am three pounds away from being at my high school graduation weight.  2011 was a really trying year.  I wasn't able to focus on my own health goals the way I aspired to at the beginning of the year, when I started LCHF.  Given all of the crazy stuff that we dealt with, I am happy to have lost this weight, and I look forward to becoming healthier and trimmer in 2012.

This year, my goal is to lose 40 pounds , and to get myself toned up.  My weight has not changed much since I squeaked in under 200 pounds in October 2011.  It is time to shake things up a bit. 

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THIS NEW YEAR?

FitDay Recap (Grown Ups Only, Please) and SNOW



Surveying storm damage in a nearby Town. Photo: Bristol Press.



Thanks to the freak[ing] October Nor'easter that blew through Connecticut and other New England states this weekend, I and 800,000 other Connecticut residents are without power.  I also have no heat or hot water. 

This morning, the ambient temperature in my home was a balmy 45 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Needless to say, I got dressed under the blankets today. 

Thankfully, my office has power and a hot shower available to employees.  The cafeteria has hot food.  My wonderful, generous, fantastic, amazing and delightful father-in-law is carting a generator and space heater to our house this afternoon.  With any luck, our house will be toasty warm tonight.  Thank you, Jesus.

Notably, I did weigh myself this morning.  However, because the house was so chillled, I did it with all of my winter clothes on.  My weight was 205.5.  Considering that I had on my heavy snow boots and all of my other wintry gear, I am thinking that I have probably lost weight this week.  However, don't anticipate a weight and measurements update until I can comfortably manage to get on the scale au naturel. 

I am keeping up with FitDay.  It is my new thing, and I just love it.  Do you know that you can input just about any activity that you do, and FitDay will give you an extra caloric deduct?  (Now, that's not to say that I agree with the thermodynamic calories in - calories out principle.  I'm just saying that it's cool.)  Activities that you can choose from vary from working out on an elliptical machine, to going grocery shopping, to nookie.  Yep.  You heard me right (*snort*, *chortle*, *giggle*, *act like a preteen*).  And get this - you can choose whether your nookie is "vigorous", merely "moderate activity", or limited to kissing and necking.  LOfreakingL.  I needed something like this to brighten my day.

I note this about FitDay because it is a true and amusing fact about FitDay, and because if you use FitDay you may not be aware that FitDay has this interesting function.  Also, I just wanted to let you know because, if you look at my public profile, you will note what I've, uh, been up to over the weekend.  *Snort*

Fit Day

I just started a Fit Day account.  Check out my public profile.  I've gone back and inputted my weights since starting LCHF in January 2011.  So far, Fit Day seems pretty cool.  

There are definitely some positives, i.e., I like seeing my weight loss charted on a graph.  What can I say, I'm a visual type of girl ;)

I do have some reservations about their nutrition tracker.  I had chicken soup today for lunch. Fit Day's "chicken soup" recipe that they analyzed for nutrition contains about 10 grams of carbs per cup.  Considering that my soup was mostly broth, chicken, and some veggies (no rice, noodles or potatoes), I'm pretty positive that my carb intake from the soup was quite minimal. 

So, the nutrition tracking of homemade foods is probably going to be iffy.  Unless you are eating completely whole foods (1 cup of raw broccoli) or major brand food items (1 cup of Cheerios), the carb counts in your food are going to be off, maybe even way off. 

 

I will investigate how to get around this and report back... 

Numbers Don't Lie

Check out my updated weight and measurements.

I am pleased to report that, somehow, I have lost weight during this crazy, stressed-to-the-max week. 

Historically, I started measuring myself on February 13, 2011, after I had already lost 8 pounds on LCFH.  Compared to those original measurements, after being on LCFH for 38 weeks, I have lost just over 15 inches of girth, total, from my bust, weight and hips. 

As of today, I have lost 33 pounds since I started this WOE on January 23, 2011.  There have been a lot of stalls, and some ups and downs, but my average weight loss is just under 1 pound per week.  It adds up, even though it feels like it is taking forever.

Not only do I feel better, I look better.  I've gone from a size 20W to a size 14 (on a skinny day), and I am still chugging along.  I have accomplished something that I never thought I was capable of doing, and in the process, I have learned a lot about myself. 

Now, if I could just get rid of my stress related zits and back pain and get a good 12 hours of restful, uninterrupted sleep...

Under 200 Pounds!

Yay!  I hit a milestone that I have been dogging for a while. 


199.5 never felt so good! 

This weight represents me hitting 40% of my 80 pound weight loss goal!

Weekly Measurements Are Important

Numbers don't lie.  It is sooo true!

However, it has to be said that I have some say in what those numbers look like, depending on when I take my measurements. 

I've stopped taking official weight and measurements on Sunday mornings, because that is just too depressing. 

Oftentimes, I weigh more on a Sunday than I will on the following Tuesday, because the effects of the debauchery I've engaged in on Friday and Saturday take a day or two to disappear.  This weekend - for example - I went out for dinner on both Friday and Saturday nights, alcohol included.  I totally overdid it on Friday, including my first REAL cheat since January, in the form of the full-sized Reese's Nightmare sundae at my local ice cream parlor.  Talk about a carb nightmare for yours truly!

Also, it has to be pointed out that my weight fluctuates daily (and if you are a woman, there's a good chance that yours does as well), and throughout a given day, as well.  Most of this has to do with water weight gain and loss, which can be significant. 

I am a little addicted to daily weighing, which is not advisable (too easy to be discouraged).  Don't follow my bad example in this regard.  ((Note: for some people, especially those prone to regular swelling and those with cardiac issues, daily weighing can be critical to knowing when you've packed on too much water.  We learned this the hard way with my dad and his several bouts with congestive heart failure.  I'm not a doctor, and in no way qualified to give medical advice, so talk to your doctor about this issue!!))

The best thing to do is pick the same day, each week, to do your weigh in and measurements.  Weigh and measure yourself in the morning, naked, after you've used the loo and before you've had anything to eat or drink (including meds, vitamins and the water you guzzle them with), preferably when your hair is dry!  If you have your period, feel free to skip weigh in that week, as that can be horrifying.

Just - whatever you do - don't forget to measure yourself regularly.  It can be the only thing that keeps you sane when your weight has plateaued.  Frankly, I think that measurements are more important than weighing, as a general rule.  Back in the Spring of this year, I was stuck at the same weight - up one pound, then down one pound - for weeks!!  At the time, I was hitting the gym a lot.  Measurements showed me that even though my weight wasn't changing, I was still getting slimmer and healthier as my size decreased. 

Numbers Don't Lie!

I updated my weight and measurements today. 

Forgive me for skipping that lovely task last week, as measuring oneself when it is that time of the month is an exercise that no self-loving woman should do more than once in her life.  (There is a reason your clothes feel tight during that time: you can put on 5 pounds of water in your midsection alone - increasing your girth, temporarily, by inches). 

I am back down to 201.5.  I am driven to get under 200 pounds this week.  Come on, 199.5!!  (That's my new lucky number).

Weighing In... and Thinking Myself Thin? (The Gabriel Method)

Today was weigh in.  After a serious meat fest last night at our favorite BBQ joint, I was dreading said weigh in.  However, it turns out that I had nothing to fear, for I somehow managed to accomplish a 2 pound weight loss this week, for a total of 23.5 pounds lost to date, or approximately 29% of my weight loss goal.  Yesitty, yes, yes, yes!


I started something new this week.  I'm still doing low-carb... so never fear.  However, I happened to be in Borders two weeks ago with my sister, and I picked up a bargain book, "The Gabriel Method", by Jon Gabriel.  It was a $1 book.  Essentially, it is about thinking yourself thin.  The premise is that, for fat people, our brains/bodies want us to be fat.  There are various reasons why this might be, and it all goes back to our prehistoric ancestors, who stored fat during times of famine/scarcity and cold temperatures.  Today's human no longer has to worry about famine and cold so much.  However, the same fat-storing reaction may be provoked by modern-day woes, like financial worries, working for a terrible boss, living through some trauma, etc.  So, if you are a modern day fat human, your body is storing fat because you have unresolved issues.  Jon Gabriel wants to help you get to the bottom of your unresolved issues, so that your brain stops telling your body to store fat.  Included with this book is a free, downloadable MP3 that you can obtain from Jon Gabriel's website (if you have the password, which I do).  This MP3 is a 10-minute visualization exercise that involves relaxation, soothing sounds, some hypnosis-type stuff, and positive reinforcement, designed to teach your brain that "it is okay to be thin... it is safe to be thin."  Is it a little nutty?  Sure.  But for $1, it was worth the try.  Check out his website, and let me know what you think.  I am going to stick with it, and maybe the fat really will melt off my body like never before.  In any event, it really helps me settle down to sleep :)

End of Week 10 - weigh in (a day late)

I weighed in yesterday, on April 3rd, at 215.5, which is one more pound lost from last week.  I also lost about 3/4 of an inch from around my waist.  Last week was a tough one.  I had not been feeling well - the week was plagued with headaches, moodiness... you name it.  I seem to have a headache all of the time, and ibuprofen and tylenol do little to help.  I'm not sure if this is the result of my new meds, or if it is the start of allergy season, and I have some kind of sinus thing going on.  I am going to call the MD who prescribed the new meds, and see what she says.  Hormones are serious stuff. 

I was hoping to pen a new post this week, entitled, "high energy... I love Mondays!"  That is not going to happen.  I'm still tired, moody, and headachey.  I hope I can get some resolution from the MD.

Cheers, and here's to feeling better in every way!!  :)

3/25/11: Daily Weighing is Dangerous and I Need Fiber

So, I weighed myself yesterday, and again today. I can feel myself slip-sliding back into a daily weighing pattern. I have learned the hard way that daily weighing is dangerous and can crush your spirits! Plus, most of us yo-yo back and forth most days 1-2 pounds, and daily weighing isn't necessarily representative of your actual weight loss, your metabolic activity, or how hard you are working on your diet and exercise. But... when you start to feel that things are going well, it is soooo tempting to toe up to that scale. "I wonder if I lost even more today," is my thought. I know that I shouldn't, because I will be disappointed if I have put that 2.5 pounds back on, but I don't care. I've got a feeling I've had a "woosh" weight loss moment, and I want to know right NOW...I don't want to wait until weigh-in on Sunday!!!

Today, same as yesterday, just as I was having those thoughts, something fell out of my cabinet, landed on the electronic scale and turned it on. Yesterday it was my hairbrush. Today, my makeup bag. Am I just sloppy and my cabinet messy and overfull? Or is it divine intervention telling me, "do it Kate, weigh yourself now!" (Funny, that divine voice sounds just like my own, pound-obsessed voice). Is it a friendly, weight-conscious spirit? Are we having earthquakes or tremors in Connecticut? Is my butt so generously proportioned that I make the room shake when I walk?

Anyway, I decided to go with divine intervention, and stepped up to the scale. "Get out of town," I said aloud. Down another 1.5 pounds from the same time yesterday morning. That's four pounds since last Sunday. All this from a girl stuck in a plateau for-freaking-ever, who hasn't been to the gym since Sunday??!! Is my body listening? Is God listening? Are you there God? Its me, Kate.

216.5 - lightest I've been since I went to law school in 2002, nine years ago!!

Proof that God exists and loves us? I'm going to have to start my new branch of philosophy, y'all.

On another note, I need more fiber. I'm out of psyllium husk supplements, and I'm getting uncomfortable. I get so much dietary fiber that I can't believe that 2 caplets a day of this stuff makes a difference... but it undeniably does.

Mid-week weighing produces surprising results.

So, today I did a little mid-week weighing, and I am down to 218!  Finally, downward movement on the scale!  Yahoo!  I am so happy to be out of the 220's - let's keep it that way....forever.  Hot damn. 

Maybe it really is appropriate to blame it on the alcohol. (And by "it", I mean my weight plateau).

They say its your birthday...happy birthday to ya! Weigh in...

I did not design this schedule, such that I would end up weighing in on this, my thirty-first birthday.  That was just happenstance.  I am up .5 pounds, which I believe to be a product of having my birthday party last night.  My food was all strictly low carb (love that BBQ joint), but I did indulge in some wine with dinner, and champagne later at night with just me and hubby.  It was so good.  I am a little mealy mouthed today.  Gonna weigh in again tomorrow and see if there is a correlation between bad weigh ins and "the day after".  (Note: I already know the correlation between “the day after” and gastro discomfort...a little binding…)

This was a good weekend for me…despite the fact that Friday evening started out stressful, with an angry call from a loony relative, which I met with my own brand of ferocious, righteous anger (little did he know, I was still nurturing a little "evil Kate" in my bones, to which I gave full force and effect).  That incident aside, Saturday was a good birthday weekend kickoff for me.  Family and I painted our own pottery at a local studio, home for lunch (and a failed attempt at “skillet” cauliflower pizza), then mommy went to the spa for a facial and massage.  Ah, sweet, sweet bliss!  I left that place  with legs like wet noodles.  It was just what the b-day called for, a little self-indulgence. 

Now, dehydrated and somewhat disgusting, I am going to suck down some H20 and get my booty to the gym for some “back to reality” (as if daylight savings time wasn’t enough of that).  Luckily, I have really been excited to get back to the gym after my freak, "club kid" knee injury.

Oh happy happy day (of my birth)!!

Weigh In, 3/6/11, end of week 6

The end of week 6 is nigh! 

Weigh In: well, I finally hit my 220 milestone.  It is good news :)  My measurements didn't change so dramatically this week, which is kind of a bummer. Maybe it is one of those things.... lose weight or lose inches, but not both at the same time?  Who knows?  Anyway, I'm glad for the weight reduction.

This weekend: was fun, and a little wild.  Saturday started off soooo healthy.  First thing in the morning, I hit the gym, did week 1 day 1 of the race training program and the full weight training circuit.  To the grocery store for some healthy food items, home to prepare a bunch of low carb stuff for the week.  Later, however, I went out with the girls for my aunt's birthday.  We did dinner and went to a club for dancing and a show.  The food was good....shrimp cocktail, strip steak, asparagus, oh my.  Delicious.  However, I did drink alcohol: 2 glasses of cabernet sauvignon and 2 vodka martinis with extra lime.  Sinfully good.  I danced all night.  I'm definitely feeling it today, with my tired, old lady knees (holy crap they hurt), my scratchy man voice, and a good dose of cottonmouth.

I will post more later, after the hangover dissipates.  Ugh.

Weigh In - Week 4 - 1 Month in 2/20/11

Well, it has been a crazy week.  Look at the stats page, and you'll see that I lost only 1 pound from last Sunday.  What the heck happened, you ask?  What about being in ketosis from Tuesday to present day, you demand!!??  Here's the break down.  This has been a MANIC week for weight loss:

• On 2/13/11, I weighed in at 223.5 pounds, reflecting a weight gain of 2 pounds.
• Then, 2/14/11 was Valentine's Day and I carelessly imbibed a ton of champagne.
• The next day, on 2/15/11, I weighed myself in the morning and found out that I had gained 5 pounds since Sunday, arriving at a weight of 228.5 pounds.  Needless to say, I nearly fainted with shock.
• On 2/16/10, I noticed, for the first time, a persistent and slight metallic taste in my mouth, which I believed to be a sign of ketosis (fat metabolism). 
• On 2/17/11, I began testing the level of ketones in my urine with ketostix to determine whether I was actually in ketosis.  I was.
• From 2/17/11 through the present day, 2/20/11, I have checked my ketone level twice daily, and have been in ketosis the entire period.

So, I was up 2 pounds up on weigh in day, up 5 more pounds on day 2 of the week (gain of 7 pounds), and then, down 8 pounds by day 7 of the week.  Totally bizarre.  +7 -8 = -1.  Nuts!!

Lesson learned: ketosis appears to work, being careless with carbs is dangerous; you can't succeed on this diet if you do not perform due diligence on the food that you are putting into your mouth because even little things add up. 

Can I also say that I am so so so SO glad that I measured myself on the past two weigh in days.  I couldn't believe the loss in size in one week, even though my net weight loss from the prior week was only 1 pound. 
I lost:

• 1/4" around my neck;
• 2" around my bust;
• 2" around my waist; and
• 1.5" around my hips.

Freaking fantastic!

My energy is way way WAY up.  Yesterday, we had my daughter's birthday at an activity center, and I ran around having fun with the kids for more than an hour without any discomfort at all.  I worked up a light sweat and increased my heartrate as well.  Plus, my daughter had a ball playing with mommy.  It was awesome, and I learned something very important about getting involved in your children's exercise time.  I felt like a healthy mom, and feel that I am achieving my goals and improving my child's life in addition to my own.  Yay!  Success!

I would also like to mention that the low carb cheese cake recipe that is contained in the recipe section of this blog is very, very good, and totally hit the spot.  I enjoyed it yesterday while everyone else was munching down on high carb chocolate cake.  The recipe makes 12 x 3.5 oz. servings, and I've only eaten 3 this week.  But, I think that the addition of chocolate and either orange zest or 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (in place of lemon zest) will be my next attempt to tweak this recipe, once I've eaten my way through the cheesecake chilling out in my freezer. 

In related news, I would also like to say that I am very proud of myself for not eating the pizza or cupcakes at Anna's kids party, and for not eating any bread, cake, or cupcakes at Anna's family party yesterday.  I did eat the cheese off of three pieces of pizza yesterday (leaving the crust behind).  It was good.  I only missed the crust a little.

Not quite super, but pretty good, poop this morning.  Despite the fact that I had a large salad with dinner last night, I think that I need to get more veggies in when I'm on the go.  Veggie intake is not a problem during a regular week, but when I'm in a rush, it is really a challenge to eat as much as I should.  I am going to have to pre-prep some veggie items so that I have them at hand when I'm in a rush.  Wonder what I can prepare then freeze for later usage?  Sounds like an experiment to me :)

On that note, signing off.  Time to do some work. 

Week 3 weigh in 2/13/11

Well, this has been a hell of a week. I've been in the hospital with my dad every day, and city stuff went a little haywire on Tuesday, leading to a very public showdown with other members of the administration. It played well, but still produced much anxiety (as if I didn't have enough to start with). Happily, dad's surgery went as expected, and he is recovering well. In the meanwhile, I haven't put the intention and drive into this diet that I have in the past weeks. I didn't cheat this week. However, I didn't do everything i was supposed to, i didn't drink enough water,, i didn't eat leafy greens everyday, and i overindulged on the protein. I actually forgot that the diet required one to eat 2cups of leafy greens everyday. I went back and looked at the book and there it was. One thing that I have noticed is that when my regular schedule is thrown off, such as my being at the hospital all the time, it is hard to get all that water in - i usually just forget to drink until i realize that i am parched, and by then I'm already pretty dehydrated. I should have noticed that I haven't been urinating every 45 minutes to an hour the way that i was when i was guzzling the water in week 1. Also, notably, we did a lot of eating out this week, and its hard to guarantee that what you are eating is as low carb as it seems.

Weigh In
I weighed in this morning at 233.5 lbs. This reflects a weight gain of 2 lbs, for a net weight loss of 8 lbs. Needless to say that i am disappointed a bit, but I have determined what i think i did incorrectly, and i am going to give myself a break because it has been a crazy week. I am also going to give myself a lot of credit for sticking to the diet even when faced with extremely limited food choices and high stress situations, where in the past i would have "treated myself" to a full out pig out. Also, I have not been exercising and i need to do that.

Physical changes i have noticed
I realized this week that i have not had either gas or heartburn since i began this diet. Also, i have never felt sickly over full, as i used to after nearly every meal. My gastro system seems to be working more effectively and healthily without all of the carbs. even though I gained wight this week, i have to say that i feel slimmer than i did last week. I have this persistent impression that my belly fat is melting away. There is some evidence of that in the way that my pants fit. It was so striking this week, that i finally went out and bought a tape measure to record my measurements. I will do those later and update the stats page.

Number 2
Today i had a super poop. I have never seen anything like it. It was fluffy textured, healthy looking, chestnut brown, and unbelievably, approximately 18 inches long. It was like a soft textured snake in the toilet. And my belly wasn't even uncomfortable before i went. Even after i was done, i had absolutely no idea what i had produced. I have literally never seen anything like this in my entire life history of pooping. And I think i pooped last night before bed too. It was bizarre. Where did it come from? I mean i don't think I even ate enough yesterday to supply my body with enough stuff to make it. Wow. I wish i took a picture. It was that crazy.

Day 15 - Weigh In

I weighed in on Sunday morning.  My current weight is 221.5, which reflects a total weight loss to date of 10 pounds.  Very happy about this, although it seems clear that my weight loss has slowed from the first week. That's okay with me.   I haven't cheated on the diet, which is good.  Its been a long two weeks.  Everyone is sick!  My dad is in the hospital.  Posting is hard at the moment, but I'm going to stick with it, even if the posts are very brief. 

Days 10-12 // 2/1/11 - 2/3/11

It has been another long week, once again, dominated by poor winter weather conditions and a sick toddler.  So, here’s my update for the week.  Days 10-12 passed in a blur.  So far so good.  I have stuck to this diet pretty well. 

I have made a minor (but permitted) deviation – I was absolutely craving some chocolate, so I went to the store to buy some unsweeted baking chocolate and some Truvia (erithrytol).  You’re not supposed to have chocolate yet, but I&N allow a small bit if you can’t help yourself, so long as you keep it as low carb as possible.  They recommend melting a small amount of chocolate, sweetening it with artificial stuff, then adding in heavy cream and whipping it to make a sort of chocolate mousse.  This is basically what I did, although I didn’t whip mine, and I added some more spices, and kept it the consistency of a chocolate sauce.  It was very satisfying, and only a few tablespoons were enough to take care of my craving.  I’ll post the recipe.  It was really enjoyable, and only 2 net carbs.

Water Retention

I want to explain my weight gain and quick loss between Days 10-12 this week.  The weight gain was due to water retention.  I ran out of my BP meds, and couldn’t get to the pharmacy to refill (our roads were treacherous).  So, I racked up some serious water weight over about 3 days.  I was finally able to get the meds on the afternoon of Day 11, and then I peed away about 2 pounds of water or so by the morning of Day 12.  I know this wasn’t a good thing, so don’t chide me.  I won’t do it again.  Just goes to show that I really need to be healthier and lose weight  so I can get my BP under control.

State of Mind

I am treating low-carb like it is just the way that I eat.  I’m not sure when I stopped thinking about “being on a diet”.  But, somehow, amazingly (and for now), I’m just going with it and it is not a struggle.  I think it is going to be key to keep myself out of the “starvation” and “suffering” mindset by being positive minded, keeping myself full and indulging in the stuff we’re allowed to eat on this diet plan. 

Day 8 - End of Week 1 - Weigh In

So, today was Day 8, the end of Week 1 of Phase 1, and boy, was it a crazy week! Being sick occupied 2 full days, at least. I'm thinking that being sick probably made it so that I didn't want to eat - maybe it boosted my ability to avoid problematic, carby foods... Who knows? Looking back at my posts in the earlier part of the week, it seems that I definitely had a zest for food.

I weighed in this morning, after going to the bathroom 3 times (ugh, the remnants of the stomach bug). This morning's total weight was 225.5. That is 6 pounds lost this week, and 6 pounds lost total. That is without doing a lick of exercise. I am going to incorporate exercise in Week 2 and see if it amplifies the weight loss. Hopefully it will :)

I haven't noticed any change in how my clothes fit yet, and I feel a bit bloated about the middle. I wish that I had gotten my act together and measured myself, as India and Neris advise.
I'm going to get that measuring tape today, and start doing measurements on weigh in day, so that I can keep track.

How do I feel:

Full all of the time with no desire to eat. Almost uncomfortably full. No cravings at the moment. Yesterday we went to Stew Leonards to grocery shop, and I managed to avoid all of the carby samples without any trouble, even as my child munched them right in front of my face.

Number 2
Well, today, I'm definitely, uh, looser, than most people seem to be at this part of the diet. I attribute that to the stomach bug screwing with my intestines. This morning was gross, like someone waved a magic wand and proclaimed: "you shall expel everything you ate on Day 7, NOW!" It was gross, but I have to tell you, felt good since yesterday I was sickly full and waiting, somewhat desperately, to go (although not constipated). Bizarro.

The "flu-ish" day
India and Neris identify a period in the first week of Phase 1 (that would be my last week), where you feel like you have the flu, and you're listless and gross. They attribute it to carb detox. I may have hit that point last night into today. I felt gross-ish yesterday (as described), and very tired and achy in the afternoon. When we came back from Stew's at about 4, I just wanted to go right to bed and sleep, which is not normal for me. I ended up taking a benadryl last night, because I was having some kind of skin reaction to something. Today, I couldn't get up at all. I slept to 10 a.m., which I haven't done since my college days. I still feel a little dopey. Maybe its the benadryl, althought, I've taken a lot of benadryl in my time and never had a reaction. I think I'm just going through the "flu-ish" stage. Hopefully its done soon. I&N said that you just have to push through it, and you'll feel fab.

Bothered:
I am glad that I lost 7 pounds, I'm just bothered that I don't feel any lighter. I think I'm still waiting to, uh, vacate some stuff (see, number 2, above)

I'm going to go back and skim through I&N's book tonight and refocus for the coming week.

Getting Started - Sunday 1/23 (Day 1)

Introduction

My name is Kate.  I am a 30 year old woman in Connecticut, with a family, a profession, and a generally busy life. 

I am starting this weight loss journey at 231.5 pounds.  I have high blood pressure and am pre-diabetic.  I want to change these things around, be healthy and fit, be more attractive, and be a good, healthy role model for my daughter.

On Saturday evening at about 11 p.m., I purchased the Kindle version of Neris & India’s Idiot-Proof Diet, and read it in bed while my husband slept.  I like Neris and (particularly) India, and their candor and humor.  The diet is basically low-carb, high-protein.  Its broken down into 3 phases.  The first is the introductory 2 week phase, which is strictly no carbs.  Then, apparently, you get to phase 2 and you start adding indulgences a little bit at a time.

I weigh about what they did when they started, and I like that the book chronicles how they each lost 70 pounds during the following year.  I could stand to lose 70 pounds, although I haven’t weighed that much since…

So, I decided to start first thing the next morning.

I got up, weighed myself (after going to the bathroom):  231.5 pounds

They recommend doing measurements, but I haven’t found a measuring tape yet.

My goal: is to weigh 150 pounds, and to get off of my high blood pressure medicine.

That means that I am working toward a healthy and safe 80 pound weight loss.

Day 1

Sunday went like this:

Meals

Bacon and eggs for breakfast;

Cheese for snack;

Salade nicoise (no eggs) for lunch with baby spinach, 1 can tuna in olive oil, olives, cherry tomatoes, squeezed lemon, salt and pepper;

Chicken parm (breaded with parmesan cheese only, used Rai’s vodka cream sauce which only has 4 carbs per ½ cup serving, covered with organic mozzarella and drizzled olive oil).

Snacked on celery sticks with blue cheese dressing later at night.

Exercise

I didn’t exercise.  We did a lot of walking when we were out shopping, but I didn’t do anything purely for “exercise” sake, which I think is what you’re supposed to do.

Water

Drank water like a crazy woman.  I definitely got 12 glasses in, plus the Rooibos tea they recommended, which has a sweet flavor.

Vitamins/Supplements

I took my multivitamin and fish oil.  I hadn’t yet purchased the coenzyme Q10 or psyllium husks that were recommended.

Generally, I felt good.  I got a little heady at dinner time, and really felt starved, even though I had munched on a ton of allowed snacks during the day, and had sucked down water like a fiend.  I really craved sweets.