Hmmmm...

Yesterday 157.2 (this is stupid!)

B: nothing as I wasn't hungry

L: tuna salad and pumpkin seeds

S: macs and tomatoes

D: turkey tetrazzini and cauliflower

S: pumpkin cheesecake with whipped cream

And today

157.2 (yeah, laugh all you want)

B: ham and eggs

S: pumpkin cheesecake with whipped cream

L: turkey salad and macs

S: ummm... yeah, more pumpkin cheese cake with more whipped cream

D: turkey soup

S: 5 pieces of sugar free chocolate

If I wake up tomorrow to 157.2 I'm going to fall off the scale, laughing.

Still on

and still up.  Dammit!  But not discouraged because despite the scale, my pants are falling off, which is a good thing except that I don't fit into my prepregnancy jeans, either.  So I will just keep wearing my fat jeans which make my ass look like Michael Moore's.  So appealing.  If I have anything, it's appeal... to those with the hots for Michael Moore.

Anyway.

I woke up on Turkey Day to 157.2 which is two pounds over my goal weight for Thanksgiving.  But with the weight lifting and running, it could be water retention in the muscle.  Anyway, I feel really good and that's what matters most.

Thanksgiving Day

B:  a jumbo hot dog (it was easy to make)

L:  some macs and a big ass piece of sugar free chocolate (hey, it was a holiday!)

D: turkey, low carb gravy, baby patty pan squash in bacon, sweet potatoes baked with olive oil and rosemary, George Stella's low carb stuffing (which was a huge hit with my very non-low carbing inlaws), and low carb pumpkin cheesecake with sugar free whipped cream. 

I use a lot of stevia instead of splenda, but I do use splenda.  I didn't use enough in my cheesecake, though.  It wasn't sweet enough.  I'll adjust the recipe for Christmas.

Yesterday I didn't weigh because I left the house at 3:45 am to go shopping.  I'm fargin' nuts.  There is something inherently wrong with leaving the house in the middle of the night to shop.  But anyway...

B: nothing

S: an enormous Diet Coke at Target

L: turkey leftovers

S: macs

D: more turkey leftovers

I'm so sore today in my arms from all the carrying I did, particularly at Kohl's which seems to have a very serious shortage of carts and shopping bags.  I would have definitely spent a lot more had I been able to carrying more or had a cart.  But, better for me and my pocketbook.  Plus, I am sure I made some muscle.

Now, we're heading out to see Bolt in 3D.  I'll have an enormous Diet Coke and smell the popcorn.  That's one thing I really miss with low carbing: movies with popcorn.  There's just no substitute.   

Dead batteries

I couldn't weigh in today as my scale batteries have died.  I bought new ones today so we'll have a weigh in tomorrow.

B: nothing as I was still full from my enormous dinner

L:  Cottage cheese, pecans, and stevia

S: macs

D: steak, mayo, green beans, and macs

S: macs

I ran 3 miles, too.  I did the random hills mode on the treadmill and it was pretty intense.  But fun.  I think I'll do that again.

But, as usual, I'm exhausted.

And down

157.5

Up and down and up and down... 

And to think I was doing so well there for a few days...

B: skipped as I wasn't hungry and I made baked oatmeal for everyone and didn't partake

S: macs

L: small bowl of chili with slice of cheddar

D: huge NY strip steak with garlic butter, onions and mushrooms, and brussell sprouts with bacon

I'm feeling very water retentiony today.  My rings are little snug, too.  I need to drink more water, I guess, to flush out the system.  

Up again

158.7

Ignoring it.  Not gonna get my knickers in a twist over it.  

B: a hard boiled egg

S: 5 cubes of cheese and a couple of ham (preschool party)

L:  burger and greens from Red Robin (and I ate the whole damn thing)

S: macs

D: left over roast with gravy, shrimp salad, broccoli

S: macs and pork rinds

I also worked out today for the first time since the strep throat (which was before I decided to shed these pesky 20 lbs).  I did my upper body weights, biked 7 miles, and ran 3.  Then, to celebrate, I sat in the sauna for 20 minutes.  I love that thing.

Of course, though, now I'm exhausted.  We'll see what surprises the scale holds for me tomorrow.

Another week down

157.2

I did just fine at dinner this evening.  Other than eating too much today, I did fine.  I don't expect to see anything good on the scale tomorrow, but I'm still shooting for 155 on Thanksgiving.

B: cottage cheese with cocoa and stevia

L: shrimp salad with lots of tomatoes, big bowl of chili with cheese

S: pork rinds

D: turkey, salad, green beans, and a bite of sweet potato

S: macs and finished the bag of pork rinds

And up

158.6

I choose to ignore the scale on days like today.  If any of you out there are daily weighers, you know what I mean.  There is no real reason for the scale to have gone up, but it did.  Ignore.  Mute.  Fast forward.

B: 3 eggs, my weight in bacon, tea

L: steak caesar salad

D: cottage cheese, a bar of sugar free dark chocolate, some shrimp

I'm going to a friend's house for dinner.  Actually, it is her parents' home.  And we are guests.  It is a preThanksgiving dinner.  I eat carefully, but out of necessity and good manners I may eat more carbs than I normally do.  My plan is to eat very lightly for all the other meals.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Birthday Day

157.2

It was a crazy, crazy day, to say the least.  I plan on blogging a birthday post to Roman in the next few days so I'll spare you the details right now.  Lucky.  

B:  nothing, didn't even have time to drink my tea

L: hot dogs, chili, and cheese

S: hot dogs, chili, and cheese

D:  What do you think?  hot dogs, chili, and cheese!

S: cottage cheese with pepitas and stevia

S: pork rinds

I got my period today so expect to see the weight go up for a few days.  I hate that.

So tired... can hardly move

I had such a terribly busy day today.  I have to sleep.  Plus, it is Roman's birthday tomorrow so I'll be having another busy day.

156.8

B: tea and macs

L: Diet Coke and half a hot dog and macs

S: macs

D: salmon, shrimp salad with romaine and tomatoes, and broccoli 

S: macs (what else?)

Plugging away.  Making progress.  Going to bed. 

Why I'm still up at midnight

I'm stupid.  

There.  That's it.  No other reason.  There.

157.4

B: hard boiled egg, slice of smoked cheddar, and pepperoni

L: macs (no time for a real lunch) 

D: huge plate of roast beef with generous amounts of low carb gravy, homemade!, and a shit ton of broccoli

I was so hungry at dinner I contemplated eating one of the children.  But Iryna's too small.  She wouldn't have filled me up.  Reilly Kate, no doubt, would taste bitter.  And Roman... well, his birthday is Friday.  And I've got a party planned and all that.  Plus, I already bought his gift.  

I had no snacks today.  This wasn't intentional.  I was just running around from here to there and sprucing up the house for my inlaws arrival this afternoon.  On the upside, I didn't eat much today!  

I'll make up for it tomorrow, though.  Exhausted and hungry is no way to go through life.

Pushed for time and in dire need of sleep

I'm never going to get well on 2-3 hours of sleep a night.  And yet, I was up, not feeling well, dicking around with that damned Snapfish.  Evil.  Pure evil.  

Anyway, here's the daily entry for yesterday.

159.8

B:  big bowl of cottage cheese with stevia and pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)

S:  macs and more macs

L: egg drop soup, mini sweet peppers, celery, and ranch for dipping

D:  burger patty and a salad

S: more and more macs (almost done with the tin, thank God!)

No exercise.  But a doctor's appt.  Yay!  More antibiotics.  I need to get my life back!

Mondays Suck

159.2

Mondays are terrible days for us.  The kids and I are on the go all damn day long.  We actually opted out of one of our planned activities today because I'm still not feeling all that well and I don't want spread the sick.  But still, we busted our butts today.  We even raked a bag of leaves from which Roman got a tick bite for the trouble.  Yes, please, someone nominate me for Mom of the Year!

B:  tea and handful of macs

L: a tomato and egg drop soup, then a salad with Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar

S: more macs, what else?

D: 3 eggs, and a sinful amount of bacon (maybe 7 or 8 slices), two tomatoes

S: macs and tea

I know I drank a couple of glasses of kombucha, too, in the morning before lunch.  

Not too hungry today.  Probably because I was so busy.   I worked out a little.  Just some weights and 20 minutes on the stationary bike.  I really was careful, though, not to get too close and I used a lot of Purell.  Hopefully, I wasn't Patient Zero.

My day of rest

159.9

Given the weight of the food I ate yesterday, I'm not surprised.  Remember now, if you eat a quarter pounder, you are going to be a quarter pound UP until you rid yourself of it.  If you catchy my drifty.  

Another snacky, munchy day.  Not as bad as yesterday, but again, I'm not feeling all that great.  It was a pajama day, so deemed by my bedresting friend, Nicole, and I enjoyed it.  

B: nibbled a couple of pepperonis, a little cottage cheese, and some macs

L: nibbled some more macs and a small bowl of chili (the last of it)

S: nibbled some more macs (thank God I don't live in Hawaii anymore -- the cost of those suckers will keep them out of my house!), two tomatoes, and some mini sweet peppers

D: bowl of chicken adobo

S: cinnamon pork rinds and peppermint tea (I had bought a case of the pork rinds and then didn't eat them so I'm downing them until they're gone)

I've been getting emails and messages from some of you.  I'm so glad to have the company and hope that I can convert those of you trying low carb for the first time.  Seriously, if I could go on a mission and knock door to door, I would.  It is that life changing.  

I have to tell you, too, that this is a GREAT time of year to start low carbing!  Trust me on this.  While others are gaining weight at a wicked pace, us low carbers will be maintaining or losing through the holidays.  All the while we'll be eating all the holiday favorites, with a few tweaks here and there.  Egg nog... the real deal, homemade with either stevia or splenda to sweeten.  Pounds and mounds of turkey and ham.  Green bean casseroles and sweet potato fries (yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!!  And he is here to tell you that SWEET POTATOES ARE LOW CARB!!!  Although, me being the Grinch will tell you only for special occasions or for after you've lost the weight and wish to maintain).  Smashed cauliflower so delish that my Irish mother in law has no clue they're not potatoes! Cheese and nuts and gin and tonics.  Olives! Those little bitty sausages without their blankets. Veggies with dip.  Sugar free cheesecakes (Cheesecake Factory, my friends!) and pumpkin pies with nut crusts.  Real, rich, deep and dark chocolate (Lindt's 85% is my favorite).  Coffee with heavy cream or top it with sugar free whipped cream.  

Shall I keep going or have I convinced you?  

Go anywhere, any restaurant, any party, and stay on plan.  It's awesome.  

Okay.  I'll stop.  I'm starting to sound preachy.  And maybe I bit too fired up than one should be about eating.  But... okay... I'm done.

There's been some recipe requests so here ya go. 

This is the recipe I use for pumpkin sausage soup.  It is so good that Mike says it has taken its rightful place next to pizza and steak as foods he could eat every day and not get tired of.  Yes, that good.  Plus, it's really easy to whip up and to keep the ingredients on hand.  I keep dried and/or canned mushrooms in store for those times when I decide at the last minute to make it.  But fresh mushrooms are definitely preferred.

Also, someone asked about shiritaki noodles.  They are not my favorite food, honestly.  Not even an adequate substitute for the real deal, in my opinion.  Yet I do eat them.  And I do so because they are super low calorie and they fill me up like a carby pasta meal does.  They are better with cream sauces than with vegetable or broth based sauces.  Here's how to deal with them.  Open the bag, dump in a strainer and rinse them well.  Then you want to parboil them for just a few minutes.  Drain well and I dry mine in a towel by just dumping them on the towel and rolling the towel up loosely.  Some people then fry them a little to get the liquid out.  But that's just too much work for me.  

Give them a try, though.  So many people really, really love them.  I could just be a weirdo.  

Stuffed

Yes, I am and still eating.

157.8

I woke up hungry today and, with the all day swim meet we had, wound up eating out of stress and boredom.  Alas, it was on plan so I indulged.  That's why I love low carbing.  I can do that and still be totally within legal limits.  Nothing is blown here.  Of course, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the scale jumped a little upward tomorrow just from the shear weight of all that I ate.

B: huge bowl of chili, a bowl of cottage cheese with pecans and stevia, a handful of pepperoni, and a handful (or more) of macadamia nuts

Whew!  And that was just breakfast!

L: half a double cheeseburger from McD's, some mini sweet peppers with dip, more cottage cheese, macadamia nuts (I think I might have eaten my weight in them today), and two Diet Cokes

 

We'll skip the idea of snacks as I was eating pretty much all day.

D: another huge bowl of chili, some more macs (did I mention I ate my weight in them?), and now I'm having cinnamon pork rinds with peppermint tea.  And I'm so full I should stop.  

In addition to be hungry and stressed, I am not feeling all that well.  This is the worst I've felt since my third day on antibiotics and I took my last of that this morning.  If I don't feel significantly better by Tuesday I'm going to have a follow up strep test done just to make sure.  

Then I'm going to figure out how much my insurance pays for a naturopath and seek one out.  My immune system, once an iron gate of defense, is now shot.  Something's gotta give on this.

Going to bed now to watch something on the computer.  I don't watch tv so I don't even know what's on, but I feel kind of watchy right now and I cannot possibly stay up to watch SNL.  Somebody post me the youtube clips.

Misguided Nutrition

Honestly, it's not their fault.   The whole world sets them up for failure.  Flawed studies based on previous flawed studies and really bad, lazy, and dare I say incompetent science has pervaded nutrition science for generations.

But, come on!  The information is out there now.  All they have to do is read a little.  Read and prepare for a major paradigm shift.  

Gary Taubes' book, Good Calories, Bad Calories is a good start.  Hell, it could even be a start and end because I guarantee by the time they finish it, they'll have seen the light.  

What set me off this morning?  An email to Reilly Kate's entire swim team from a well intentioned... I guess he's a parent, I'm not sure.

Here it is:

Hi Team,

Please prepare yourself for the meet by drinking and eating nutritious meals. Parents, please help your swimmers by offering them high carbohydrate foods with low refined sugar content. Two days before the meet, swimmers should start drinking more milk or protein drinks, and water. High carbohydrate food such as pasta and rice are good for the day before the meet. Bananas, apples and nuts will be great as snacks. Boiled potatoes, bread, eggs, fruits, oatmeal, raisins are good for breakfast on the meet day. Please stay away from food with high fat or sugar content such as bacon, donuts, sausages, hamburgers…etc. They will slow you down and will prevent your body from digesting other food efficiently. You also need to hydrate during your meet, so please bring your water or sport drink. Also, please do not eat a big meal within an hour before your event.

Go Team!

I think we'll skip his advice.  RK just had an enormous bowl of chili with brown rice.  We'll be packing nuts and pepperoni, cheese sticks and cottage cheese.  I might bring a thermos of meaty, bacon filled, high fat chili, too.  We'll also bring some Kashi bars, clementines, and apples because, yes, it's not a bad idea for kids to have some carbs on a race day.  But the above advice is a prime example of the bad science I'm talking about. 

Ever closer

158

B:  a Diet Coke from a machine and a handful of Cocoa Roast almonds

L: half a hot dog and half a piece of pizza (minus the crust, of course) and about a gallon of Diet Coke (trip to Costco -- what can I say?)

S: a handful of macadamia nuts, mini sweet peppers, and rotisserie chicken

D: plenny good local kine chili (left ovah from yesterday)

S: pork rinds and tea

I was kind of weak on the veggies today, but I really wasn't all that hungry, either.  I'm tired, though.  It's late and I have a really long day ahead of me.  Reilly Kate has a big swim meet.  So.

Signing off... and feeling good!

I think I can I think I can

159.7

I didn't eat breakfast really as I wasn't that hungry and just wanted to keep my focus on the laundry.  Being a champion laundry folder takes a certain amount of concentration as well as agility, flexibility, and coordination.  

I did manage a few handfuls of turkey pepperoni, though.

L:  3 eggs, 2 turkey sausages, and 4 strips of bacon 

Hell yes I can eat bacon and eggs every day and lose weight.  To the naysayers I say, "Shut up and eat your rice cakes and plain baked potatoes and don't bother me while I'm dining."

S: a diet coke and some raw almonds

Another S: broccoli and celery and ranch

D: Hawaiian style chili (made low carb by substituting the kidney beans for black soy beans), lots of it, too

S: pork rinds (and if you haven't tried them, then don't turn your nose up at them!)

I did some light weights and casual stationary bike.  Nothing strenuous.  I really want to be off the antibiotics and feel totally well before pushing it.  Still, it was good to get back to the gym and move a little.

Taking my a bit less fat ass to bed now.

Whittling away at it

160.0

B:  cottage cheese, pecans, stevia and a cup of tea

S:  raw almonds and kombucha

L: an enormous salad with Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar and a bowl of egg drop soup

S:  celery and dip

D: repeat of last night with addition of a bowl of broccoli and topped off with a square of Lindt's 85%

No exercise again today.  Didn't have time at the gym as we got there late.  I wasn't too hungry today.  But I ate more it seems.

The thing I love the most about Atkins is the food tastes so good as compared to low fat, low cal crap.  Plus, I eat huge portions.  Can't go wrong with a diet that lets you eat as much as you want and the food tastes good.  

I just might get addicted to that egg drop soup.  It takes about 5 minutes to make and is the best fill me up and keep me warm meal around!

Lost a bit of it, anyway

160.8

Gee, only 58 lbs to go to high school weight!  Oh, so close I can taste it!  

Speaking of tasting.  Here's what went down the gullet today:

B:  cottage cheese with stevia and pecans with two glasses of kombucha and a cup of tea

S:  a cup of tea with a splash of heavy cream

L: salmon salad with pepitas on a bed of iceberg

S:  handful of turkey pepperoni

D: chicken adobo on shirataki noodles 

S: two squares of Lindt 85% dark chocolate with a cup of tea

I wasn't really hungry at all today.  We ate dinner late because of Reilly Kate's damn swim practice.  I hate swimming.  That's all I have to say about that.  Hate!  But anyway, I wasn't even really hungry, but irritable so I figured I had better eat a good dinner.  I didn't work out today, either.  In fact, we all took an afternoon nap.  Still mending from my near death experience.  We'll see about tomorrow.  I might lift some weights and then sweat it out in the sauna.  I'm convinced those saunas are good at getting what ails you out of you through your pores.

Remember, if you see anything you want the recipe for or if you have questions about something I'm eating, let me know.

I'm losing it

That's right.  I said it.  I'm losing it.  

Twenty freakin' pounds of it!  

I'm played games with this fat for long enough.  Your fat housewife needs to drop 20 lbs so that I'm just the Fat Housewife again and not the Obese Housewife.

As you all know, I'm a low carber.  And not just any low carber.  I'm ardent.  It's akin to religious fanaticism, really.  Except, for whatever reason, I've had one hell of a time sticking to my plan.  I don't know why, but I go off and have the wickedest time getting back on.  When Mike left I had a chocolatefest that sent me straight into high blood sugars and glucose rages. You ever seen a rotund mama red faced and screaming at the top of her lungs, lunging at her children with a Milky Way Dark in hand while kicking the dog for coming near her candy?  Bad, bad stuff.

Anyway, today I have kicked off the Losin' It campaign.  I will not just lose these 20 lbs, but I will do so here, on the blog, in a very public manner.  Why?  Why would I do something as zany and yet entirely humiliating here?  I mean, yes, I do this kind of thing all the time in real life.  But here?  On the blog?  Well, because most of you that read this blog are people I love.  And most of you need to lose at least 10 lbs.  I want you all to see how easy, tasty, and filling losing weight can be if you use Dr. Atkin's principles.  Plus, it'll keep me honest.  I will lose all credibility (and so will my hero Dr. A) if I flub this up.  Basically, it is totally all about me.  

Every day I will post my weight (yes, I will post my weight in public, you sissies!) and what I've eaten for that day.  Most of the food I eat is easy to make and find.  Nothing special.  If you see something that you'd like to have or make and want the recipe or need to know where to find it, post a comment and I will do a follow up.  I will also post how hungry I was and what kind of working out I did.  Just so you can see for yourself.  I'm not going to tell you there won't be days where I'm hungry.  There will be.  But for the most part, eating low carb is painless.  Enjoyable, even.

So here, goes.  Come peer into my world.

Weight: 161.4

Breakfast: a cup of tea (I normally eat breakfast, but we had to fly out early this morning)

Lunch:  3 eggs fried in bacon grease, a handful of bacon bits, 6 turkey sausages, and a bowl of buttered broccoli (and this is what happens when you are too hungry at lunch time!)

Snack:  handful of Cocoa Roast Almonds and a big glass of kombucha

Dinner:  pepperoni pizza in a bowl (pizza toppings all dumped in a bowl and baked till gooey) and a salad

No exercise as I'm must getting my energy back from having strep throat.  I did sit in the sauna, though, while Reilly Kate was at swim practice.  

And I was hungry.  Not terribly or painfully.  But more like my brain was telling me it was time to eat.  Mondays are really busy for us so we're all hungry on Mondays anyway.

The way I see it: The choice is clear

They say one shouldn't talk about politics or religion in polite company.  You know, politics and religion are my two favorite topics, and I am far from polite company.  So far, in fact, I'm gonna throw in abortion.  Right here.  On my blog.  The night before perhaps the most important election of my life.

I have to.

The kids and I have walked all over our little Virginia town, knocking on doors, talking to people about the election.  I love field work.  I love rolling up my sleeves and earning votes, walking the neighborhoods and meeting voters.  Plus, I get to dip my fingers in the pot of democracy and sneak a little taste of the election.  The brew this time around tastes pretty damn sweet, I gotta tell ya.

But one thing that keeps popping up, whether it's on a front porch or in my inbox or across my driveway, is abortion.

Such a volatile, divisive topic -- pitting good people against each other with fear and hatred, forcing voters to support candidates they dislike, and tearing apart our electoral process.   Over the years, I've grown to loathe the topic, despite my militantly pro-choice stance.  There is no safe ground on which to stand in the abortion arena.  As a result, nothing really changes.  Abortion rates stay the same.  Laws shift ever so slightly.  Everyone keeps their eyes on the Supreme Court.

For many reasons, this election is different than others in recent memory.  I've met many people who want to vote for Barack Obama, but feel conflicted over the abortion issue.  They, pro-life Christians, don't want to betray what they believe is a moral imperative to make abortion illegal.  Despite the fact that pro-life Republican Presidents have occupied the White House more often than not since Roe v. Wade, abortion remains legal.  Obviously, then, the solution to the abortion problem isn't just electing someone who is pro-life.  

Maybe, just maybe the solution is electing someone who wants to reduce the need for abortion.  To that end, Obama has pledged to get both sides to sit down together, to work together, and see that women and children are respected and prioritized.  We are facing tough, really tough economic times ahead.  The most vulnerable  are poor women and their children.   Women living under the poverty level make up the majority of abortion patients.  Without economic protections and changes in our system of safety nets, we will see a marked increase.  

I started writing this earlier today.  This evening a good friend sent me a link to this website.  Prolife ProObama.  How's that for God working in strange ways?  If you are feeling conflicted, please go and take a look.  Doug Kmiec has some really good articles on why he, a leader in the pro-life movement, is supporting Barack Obama -- even at the risk of being turned out of his own Church.

Okay, people.  I need to go to bed.  Election day is always an early day and I'm getting so tired, I'm falling asleep as I type.

Remember, get out and vote.  Whatever you do, vote.  And, if you're in Chicago, vote often.