Week1 is complete on LCHF.

I lost 2.6 pounds!

It's has certainly been a learning experience. During the first 3-4 days I had a headache, mainly due to the sugar withdrawals. It took some getting used to drinking my coffee black with no sweeteners, never mind coming up with ideas for what to eat with what I already had in the fridge. Somewhere around day 4 Gregg noticed a monumental shift in my moods, and the next day so did my coworkers. For the first time in a long time I am happy. I feel better than I have in about a year. I truly believe that the change in diet had everything to do with it.

Grain Brain by Dr Perlmutter

I started reading this book and it explains a lot of how the changes in my moods and certain other issues I have physically could be attributed to the foods I was eating on a daily basis. It is an incredible insightful read and I am not done with it. I only wish I could convince some of those close to me to read it as well. I am astounded at the problems that gluten/wheat/grains can cause to a human. Read it my friends.

Fat Bomb! Noms!

So I am part of a Lchf group on Facebook. It's actually where I learned about this diet/way of eating. I am scrolling through the posts and I'm seeing "fat bomb" and "Bulletproof coffee" and I'm thinking to myself what the hell is that?! So yeah I googled bulletproof coffee and found that it is a coffee that has things added to it to boost your fat intake among other things. The Fat bomb is a high fat treat that also is used to boost your fat intake. I'm wondering why do you need to boost your fat. Well I didn't realize that my low fat brain isn't used to thinking fat is ok, never mind necessary, now that it is the primary source of energy my body is using now that I don't feed it carbs/sugar. I wasn't eating enough fat. Suddenly I get to eat Heavy Whipping Cream, Full fat Cream cheese, butter, Coconut oil in my daily diet. Do you know how yummy that can be without sugar?  I'm loving it! Cream Cheese Fluff was a delicious treat I enjoyed my first week on this lifestyle. 

Cream Cheese Fluff

2 pks of cream cheese

1 cup sour cream 

1tbs vanilla

Splenda 6 yellow packs (optional)

Cream together

In a seperate bowl:

1 1/2 to 2 cups Heavy whipping cream

whipped firm

Fold together and enjoy!

So damn easy to make and so yummy. I found that after tracking my food for a few days I wasn't getting in very much fat and from what I have learned I am needing in the neighborhood of 120-149g Fat daily. So I set my goals to be:

Fat 120-149g daily 70%

Protein 60-94g daily 20%

Carbs 1-40g daily 10%

The chart below will give you an idea what I did this week. keep in mind I don't necessarily count calories anymore. Today is a work in progress. Thursday you can see I was struggling to eat fat and find ways to get it in. I incorporated the Cream cheese fluff and bought Coconut oil to help and I've been doing better since. 

I am happier, I don't have blurry vision anymore, I'm eating yummy foods and I feel more satisfied with a meal then I ever have before when eating carbs/sugar. So off into the next week I go! :)

NUTRIENTS:	GOAL	12/2	12/3	12/4	12/5	12/6	12/7	TODAY
Calories:	1,330 - 1,680	1,231	1,610	1,805	979	1,566	1,742	544
Fat:	120 - 149	85	136	161	74	134	122	45
Carbohydrates:	1 - 40	61	16	32	22	36	34	4
Protein:	60 - 94	64	83	63	58	62	64	31
Add More Nutrients

Low Carb High Fat and DRINKING!! YAY!

 ( I stole this info I admit it. I put it here for myself to reference mostly)

For years, I’ve read countless dieting books that prohibited me from drinking alcohol.  Actually, it’s probably the first thing that many “diet gurus” say to cut out of your diet and for (somewhat) good reason. Alcohol gets a bad reputation because it’s basically empty calories.

In an ideal world, sure. I’ll give up alcohol to lose weight. But let’s get serious. I’m 23 years old and I very much enjoy a tasty alcoholic beverage (or 5) and a wild night out on the town with my friends.

The beauty of a ketogenic, low carb diet is that you can still enjoy yourself from time-to-time with alcohol and still lose weight! However, there are some guidelines as to what alcohols you can enjoy and those you should avoid.

Liquor

On average, one shot is the equivalent to about 1.5oz and for these spirits have a nutritional value of 0 carbs and roughly 64 calories.  Of course, this will vary depending on how much is actually in your beverage (order a double? Double the nutritional stats).

Approved spirits on a keto, low carb diet include:

• Vodka (Three Olives, Absolut, Grey Goose, etc.)
• Rum (Captain Morgan, etc)
• Gin (Tanqueray, Beefeater, etc)
• Tequila
• Whiskey (Jack Daniel’s, etc.)
• Scotch
• Brandy
• Cognac (Hennessy, etc.)

Please not that these are for the original, unflavored versions. For flavored spirits (including flavored vodkas and some dark/coconut rums), always check up on nutritional information before consuming as they often contain carbohydrates.

My spirit of choice is generally a nice gin (with soda water& lime) or cognac (with diet cola). I’ve been known to drink a fair share of Hennessy.

Chasers & Mixers

For mixing or chasing, you have many no sugar, no calorie options

• Diet sodas (Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Diet Ginger Ale)
• Soda water
• Diet tonic water
• Seltzer water
• Sugar-free energy drinks (Red Bull, Monster, etc.)
• Sparkling water (Perrier)
• Crystal Light

I tend to use sugar-free Red Bull or Coke Zero. I find that Crystal Light gives me headaches, but some people can drink it just fine!

Beer

I’m going to be up front. It’s really hard to drink really great beers on a keto, low carb diet.  No more craft beers or IPAs. You’re doomed to mostly light beers which generally just leave me longing for something more. Basically, you want to avoid anything red, amber or dark.

Some low carb beer picks include (per 12 oz/bottle):

• Bud Select 55: 55 calories, 1.9 carbs
• MGD 64: 64 calories, 2.4 carbs
• Rolling Rock Green Light: 92 calories, 2.4 carbs
• Michelob Ultra: 95 calories, 2.6 carbs
• Bud Select: 99 calories, 3.1 carbs
• Miller Lite: 96 calories, 3.2 carbs
• Natural Light: 95 calories, 3.2 carbs
• Michelob Ultra Amber: 114 calories, 3.7 carbs
• Coors Light: 102 calories, 5 carbs
• Amstel Light: 95 calories, 5 carbs
• Bud Light: 110 calories, 6.6 carbs

While beer doesn’t tend to mess with my digestive system (must be that fermentation!), I generally avoid beer unless I really want it.  It is, after all, made from wheat and I try my best to avoid gluten altogether.

Wine

I was extremely excited to find out that wine can fit into a low carb, keto diet! I had always figured that since it was made from grapes it would be crawling in sugar, but luckily this isn’t the case!  These numbers are based on 5 oz servings.

Red wines to enjoy:

• Merlot: 120 calories, 3.7 carbs
• Pinot Noir: 121 calories, 3.4 carbs
• Cabernet: 120 calories, 3.8 carbs

White wines to enjoy:

• Chardonnay: 118 calories, 3.7 carbs
• Pinot Gris/Grigio: 122 calories, 3.2 carbs
• Riesling: 118 calories, 5.5 carbs
• Champagne/Sparking whites: 96 calories, 1.5 carbs

Tips, tricks and what to avoid

• No matter how much I love it, avoid Jagermeister. For one shot, it’s roughly 10 carbs.
• Be wary of food choices while under the influence. You can still get the fatty cheeseburger, but avoid the bun and French fries.
• Avoid fruit juice, shots with fruity tastes (peach schnapps, blue curacao, etc.) as they’re just generally concentrated sources of sugar and carbohydrates.
• Be aware that when consuming alcohol, it is burned first before fat in the body. For some people, this causes a stall. In others, it jumpstarts weight loss. Test it for yourself and see how your body handles it!
•  #1 Rule – After a few weeks of a low carb diet, you will notice your alcohol tolerance is dramatically lower. I get super buzzed off of two glasses of wine now and if there is any more, I’m acting up!

How? Damnit, How?!

Ok so I had a pity party last night. 

What about today?

Deep down I know most of my self-pity is rooted in my weight. How do I go about losing it? I have asked myself that question numerous times. How? Damnit, How?!

So two weeks ago I had that wake up call with my blood work. I started entering my food into Sparkpeople and then Thanksgiving happened and the rush to get there. I laxed on my food intake and my faithfulness in entering the food. Never mind taking my diabetes meds too. Skipped a couple of days there too. Probably shouldn't have skipped on the days I skipped as it was the worst eating/drinking days that I skipped. Mind you I still ate less than in previous years and less drink as well but it still was not good. So I find myself here in the same place I was 2 weeks ago. Fat Unhappy and Miserable to live with. Poor Gregg I  have no Idea how long he can continue to put up with me, I am impossible to live with most of the time.  So here we are..........

Have you heard about LCHF?
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf#comments

I've been considering this type of lifestyle for some time. Years actually. Did Southbeach for a time back in 2004. Did really well on it but I ended up just reverting back to old eating habits shortly thereafter and gained the 40lbs back that I had lost by the end of the same year. Gregg and I have been discussing it for a few months now and we both have decided to make the commitment on January 1st. I am thinking I will start cutting out the sugar and carbs sooner than that. Like today actually. Why wait, right? 

I mean I am miserable now why wait to change and stay miserable another month. It just seems silly to me. Will it be hard? yes. Will I commit? THAT'S  the hard Question.

I am the Queen of Commitment Issues!

I mean seriously look at this blog. I have yet to succeed. Everyone that has ever asked me to marry them I said NO to. Mostly because they were drug addicts and miserable fucks, but still. I think I would have said no to just about anyone. <-----Wow did I really just admit that? I am too afraid of failure. That in itself is the REAL reason I sabotage all my relationships, whether it be with others or myself. I will fail anyway so may as well not do it in the first place. Then lonliness/depression sets in and I try again anyway, deep down I'm a fighter, waaay deep down.  The same is true when it comes to my health/diet. I get so far and I cant seem to accept the happiness that it's only going to last so long and I revert back. I KNOW all this as you can see. I learned it all years ago in Teen Challenge when I quit using drugs. The habits are hard to quit, harder than the drugs. Here I am 13 almost 14 years later struggling with that same bullshit only difference is it's not drugs I'm dealing with. I am a scared little girl that has put on her lion suit and given the world the impression that "I'm tough, I'm strong, I don't need you" attitude that not many see the real me.  Oh there are a few out there who get to see me and God only knows why they continue to love me. I need to learn to love me again. I fight against love, I have no Idea why, I just do. Time to quit. Time to learn to Love Judy again. I can't accept the love of another if I don't Love myself. If I don't think I'm beautiful, all your compliments and kindness will never be believed or accepted. I will view you as a liar because I don't believe that what you see is true. Is that fair to you? Hell NO! Especially not to Gregg. No man has fought against me so hard as Gregg has. He deserves to see Judy as she should be. So do I. 

So Nobody has to like who I am, but Me. 

I am the most Important. For without me liking myself nobody can like me. My attitude is shitty I look at the worst in myself and therefore in others as well. What can I do about it? 

"Change the voices in your head, make them like you instead" P!NK

So here I go off into another week.

Dear God, I Pray I make a commitment to this lifestyle change I've chosen, I Pray I show more kindness to Gregg, I Pray I get off my ass and do some kind of exercise, I pray I show love to myself. Amen. 

Did you notice? I said prayers instead of reciting goals. Less chance of failure and more chance for Hope.  

"And these three remain: Faith Hope and Love, the Greatest of these is Love"

This has been my chosen verse to live by since I left TC. For when I have no faith i see no hope that there ever is any love in this world, in others, or in me. I have faith therefore I hope to succeed and fall in Love with me again. 

Hang in there with me my friends and family I'll get there.......

I can't find my Happy................. :(

Dealing with life in general can suck sometimes.
I can't seem to focus on my diet. I am not happy with myself. I hate the way I look. I feel down quite often these days. Wondering if I made the right choices. Wondering how do I move on. I Can't go back and have do overs. I can only move forward, but how? I have no motivation. I can't see the light at the end of this tunnel I'm in. I am literally on the verge of tears all the time. Just putting on a happy face because nobody can really help me but myself so no point in dragging them into my misery. Can't say squat on facebook cuz if you do your all Drama. Well FUCK! Sometimes i just wanna give up and give in. Can't though so here I am stuck in a pitiful rut with no light at the end of the tunnel yet.

May as well go read and go to sleep......

And the Journey begins AGAIN! Take 3 or is it 4? jeez

Ain't THAT the truth!

So yeah, it's been awhile since I wrote a blog, bothered to care about my health, and/or try to lose weight.  So, here I am, my last weight at the Dr's office was 230. My Fasting blood sugar was 201 and my Hemoglobin A1c was 9.7 YIKES! To top that all off I measured my waist and it is a blazing 49" inches. Total Cholesterol was 218, Triglycerides 276, LDL's 174. REALLY!?! I have no one to blame but myself. Dr. B has added on a new medication to help bring my blood sugars down too.
JUDY, DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH REASONS YET?

I should say so. I got off my ass and went to the gym today. We have a pretty nice one on property and it's free. So no excuses. I am making the commitment to do better starting today.

Goals for this week: 

1. I will workout 30 minutes on the elliptical on sunday, wednesday, and saturday.
2. I will input my food intake into Sparkpeople and try to stay within my alloted Calories everyday.
3. I will take a fasting blood sugar every morning and keep a record of it.
4. I will come back every Sunday from here forward and blog on my progress good or bad. 

Ok there I did it, I made some goals. Attainable ones me thinks. I'll be back in a week and let you all know how it goes!

Cha cha changes!

(Isn't this pic just great maybe doesn't apply to my life totally right now but it did once and I think everyone should know that if you really want to change you should just do it! It's hard sometimes and sometimes it's fun but Change is inevitable and you may as well be the one in control of how it changes)

Life is changing for the better me thinks! 

Over the last 7 weeks I have been focused on being in Love. We have spent every waking minute together that we possibly could and it is Wonderful. Then life happens and you have to get real and make the changes necessary to make a go of the long haul together. That is if that is what you want to do, and for me and Gregg, well we do.  Adjusting our schedules, figuring out likes dislikes and needs, all that, well it's been fun. I have wanted this for a long time. I wanted it to be with someone I really loved and now I really get to do it! I'm so happy. I know mush mush but hey deal with it! Ha ha! I have never truly been in a relationship where two people worked together toward a common goal. I know right? how can that be? I just always fell into being with guys and never truly tried to make it something more. Usually we were both so messed up one way or another we never really cared and were with each other for the mere convenience of it. Sad I know. So slowly but surely we are figuring it out and it's been great. 

Eating out and drinking

has been the norm, and my weigh ins have shown that. I know I could've planned better and drank less but I didn't. so I was in a Rut and had to work out of it. I still haven't gotten back to exercizing, but I did refocus my food tracking, beer drinking and eating right efforts and it payed off. I lost 4.2lbs this week. I earned another 5lbs star from WW. This brings me to a total of -15lbs since I first started. My total could have been so much better but I'm glad to finally be at this point and not back to the bitter beginning. I shared my desires with Gregg and he too would like to see me succeed, if not join me in my efforts. So I have his support and he is trying to encourage me to go hiking with him too. I keep turning down his invitations because of the pain I suffer in my feet when I  hike. So for the immediate future I will try to find other ways to get in some exercize. It's encouraging to me though that I have his support and that of my family and friends. This I knew would be a long hard road for me, but I will make it. One way or another I will make it to my goal.

I forget!

OMG! Really Judy? I have lost, misplaced or forgotten my phone so many times in the last two months it is freakin ridiculous! So much so that my friends on Facebook are still cracking jokes about it. Then yesterday what do i do? I lost the keys to my Gas cap. sheesh! I had to have it broken off and bought a new one just to put gas in my truck for the week. I swear if my head were not attached I'd forget where it was too!

On the bright side

We have managed to work out a budget to save money for both of us. I went through the boxes I have had stored in the Garage for  about 12 years and decided to get rid of most of the books that are there. I did save some of them, but 7 boxes are going to the book exchange and I'm going to get some music or new books, or if the price is right I'll just take the cash. 

I am looking forward to doing some fun things too. I am going tubing down the Salt River this Saturday with friends. Then our SCA camping event Too Darn Hot is happening the following weekend and sometime in there I am going to go see Magic Mike with my BFF and Sister! Woo hoo for Hot Men Stripping! Then at the end of the month of July for Gregg's Birthday we are going to California to see his friend band play, The American Wake. I am really looking forward to this, and my Bff and her husband are joining us! 

I have much to be Greatful for lately and I couldn't be happier. So until next blog.......Muah! 

Don't Be Anastasia!

Dear Judy,

 

There are a few things in WW life that I've come to accept.

The reality is that not everyone is ready. Not everyone is truly committed. For many, while the stated goal is to lose weight, the implied goal is really not to gain weight.

That's how you get the cluster of older ladies in your meeting who've been doing WW since the days of making your own ketchup and never show any meaningful progress.

In their minds, the alternative of gaining weight is enough to put their butts in the seats, but the reward of actually losing weight and being healthier isn't strong enough to incite them to action or to change their habits.

Like Anastasia, they "track" intuitively. They've done the program so long that they just kinda "know" what they're eating. In reality, they don't. And if they're honest with themselves, they probably don't care all that much either.

Working with these folks at the scale is a real challenge. Your first instinct is to try to help. But, they don't really want the help because they don't really want to change. It's remarkably frustrating.

 

They are long on excuses why they can't do this or that because they are busy with bridge club or church or whatever. Those excuses are what they use to justify the lack of progress on their WLJ, when it's really a commitment issue at the heart of it.

Anastasia is one of those ladies. We are her blue-haired friends (in the computer) that she will show the pictures of the grandkids to. We are the ones that go on that weekly 20 minute walk with her while she talks about her nephew's wedding in Peru. Or her 9th cruise to St. Croix. Or how she felt like Shamu on the last cruise and *this* time she's serious about dropping the weight.

And we'll knowingly pat her hand and tell that she can certainly do it. We'll offer to join in that effort and do an extra lap with her that day because that's what good friends do.

We'll commit to an extra walk a week - to Starbucks, of course. Where we get scones because we earned them with our heavy-duty exercise walking to the corner and back.

And then the first rain conflicting with the walk comes and we just decide to drive to Starbucks instead, don't we?

And we go to that meeting every week and nothing changes.

We can only try kicking people in the butt so much, before you come to accept the futility of that effort. They have to want change and act upon that desire.

MANY of us in here aren't there yet. MANY of us are likely destined to drive Buick Regals, 20 miles under the speed limit, in the left lane. Because we're in a hurry to get to our WW meeting...................