July 31, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

8:45AM
1/3 pound 75/25 beef hamburger with American cheese and homemade salsa

11:00AM
30-minute resistance training workout with personal trainer

1:15PM
Two 1/3 pound 75/25 beef hamburgers with 1 tablespoon of mayo and homemade salsa



7:30PM
Beef tips with rosemary sauce, onions, green peppers, and red peppers, a couple of small bites of chicken, broccoli with butter, grilled squash and zucchini, cheese on top, side salad with Italian dressing



CURRENT WEIGHT: 260.8

NOTE: Today I didn't eat as many veggies and ate closer to zero-carb than I ever have. I'm not going completely the "no-carb" route, but I just felt like it today. I gotta tell ya, I love the salsa taste with the beef. Delicious! And this salsa has next to NOTHING calories at all! WOO HOO! My personal trainer beat me up good today after beating up on my legs on Tuesday. My whole body is quivering now. :D

For supper, Christine has been bugging me to take her back to the Olive Garden again, so I relented and we went. I can always find something good to eat there and still stay on my low-carb lifestyle as long as you can resist the bread sticks which I did dutifully. The rosemary glaze sauce may have had a little sugar in it, but my Ketostix were purple after eating it...so probably not.

My weight was only slightly up .4 pounds today, but I am hopeful we can keep the momentum going with the weight loss that began last Saturday. I've had a cumulative 7-pound weight loss since last Saturday, so I'm not complaining. Here's to getting into the 250s and keeping it going for the next week. :)

July 30, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

10:45AM
3 pork sausage patties, mozzarella cheese, spinach salad with Ranch dressing and homemade salsa

2:30PM
1/3 pound 75/25 beef hamburger with American cheese and 1 tablespoon of mayo, spinach salad with Ranch dressing and homemade salsa, mozzarella cheese



9:15PM
6-ounce sirloin steak, broccoli with butter, and green beans



CURRENT WEIGHT: 260.4

NOTE: I noticed something interesting happening to me today--I'm not hungry after eating. This is HUGE for me since one of the reasons I was eating so often previously was to ward off the reactive hypoglycemia that I was experiencing. But the past week since I cut out the low-carb products and reduced my portions/calories, I haven't been hungry at all between meals. This is AMAZING to me! Getting enough fat, moderate amounts of protein, and very few carbs limited to non-starchy and green leafy vegetables is my goal and I'd say mission accomplished thus far. WOO HOO! However, as I expected after such a torrid pace of weight loss over the past few days, I was back up a couple of pounds. I'm not discouraged...I'm DETERMINED to keep this going by continuing to eat the way I am right now. Nothing will deter me at this point!

July 29, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

10:30AM
3 eggs cooked in extra virgin olive oil, tomato slices



11:00AM
30-minute resistance training workout with personal trainer

2:15PM
1/3 pound 75/25 beef hamburger with American cheese and homemade salsa, spinach salad with Ranch dressing and homemade salsa, mozzarella cheese



10:00PM
3 pork sausage patties, spinach salad with Ranch dressing and homemade salsa



CURRENT WEIGHT: 258

NOTE: This was exactly one week since my commitment to ditch the low-carb products. I was extremely busy today with several inteviews for my podcast show and we had a special choir rehearsal this evening that came up on me so quickly I didn't have time to eat until we got home...at 10PM! Today was a workout day with my trainer and I was a little concerned about how that could impact my weight. But I lost ANOTHER pound for a total of nearly 10 pounds gone in four days.

July 28, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:45AM
1/3 pound 75/25 beef hamburger with 2 bacon strips and fresh mozzarella cheese



2:15PM
Spinach salad with boiled shrimp, mozzarella cheese, tomato slices, homemade salsa, sour cream and rosemary



6:00PM
1/3 pound 75/25 beef hamburger with American cheese and homemade salsa, spinach salad with Ranch dressing, tomato slices



7:00PM
45-minute basketball playing

CURRENT WEIGHT: 259.0

NOTE: Today was Day 6 of my commitment to ditch the low-carb products. Today was the first time I felt REALLY comfortable with what I'm eating with this new method (that shrimp meal for lunch was SO refreshing on a hot day, too!). And I liked the fact that I didn't get hungry between meals despite only eating three times. Of course, all the fat and protein I'm eating are doing their job and I'm loving it. I consciously added in some non-starchy veggies today as my neighbor brought me some fresh tomatoes out of his garden to complement the spinach I bought at the grocery store. The beef I ate today has a good fat content which will keep my ratios up in the 70-80% range, protein moderate around 15-20% and carbs minimized to non-starchy and green leafy veggies. The weight loss--another 3 pounds off of me to go along with the nearly six pounds I've lost since Saturday--has been a GREAT bonus! I'm gonna keep it going! :D

July 27, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:15AM
3 eggs cooked in extra virgin olive oil

12:15PM
4 mozzarella cheese slices with homemade salsa and sour cream



1:15PM
45-minute yard cleaning

5:15PM
3 tomato slices, 3 mozzarella slices, 3 bacon slices, homemade salsa, and sour cream



CURRENT WEIGHT: 262.0

NOTE: Today was Day 5 of my commitment to ditch the low-carb products. I'm gonna be honest--this is REALLY hard going without chocolate and my other "products" that I enjoy. But I'm doing this and I feel good that I'm doing something proactive for my weight and health. One thing I've noticed in my effort to reduce calories and portions is I'm eating LESS often than I was. This goes against what I've been doing the past couple of months eating often as a means of controlling the blood sugar and insulin. But obviously that wasn't working as well as we had hoped since the weight has not been coming off (which is indicative that insulin is doing it's "fat storing" thing). I hear what everyone is saying about the cheese and I'm willing to cut back on that somewhat beginning tomorrow. I won't be going zero-carb as I was considering, but I will be continuing the trend to keep my fat increased by eating fattier cuts of meat, my protein moderate, and carbs limited to non-starchy veggies. I lost another 1.6 pounds since yesterday following my 4-pound loss yesterday, so maybe I'm on the right track again. Cross your fingers for me. :)

July 26, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:15AM
1/3 pound beef hamburger patty with mustard

1:00PM
Creamy cheesy salsa (brie, heavy cream, homemade salsa, and cream cheese mixed together and cooked in a skillet, topped with sour cream)

5:15PM
Cream cheese whipped with heavy cream, erythritol, and nutmeg

8:00PM
1/3 pound beef hamburger patty with American cheese and mayo

CURRENT WEIGHT: 263.6

NOTE: Today was Day 3 of my commitment to ditch the low-carb products. I've gotten some criticism from a few people because of my use of erythritol, Ranch dressing, etc. because they are "products." Sigh. People please, I'm trying. My definition of "low-carb products" was all of those ready-made bars, chips, cookies, chocolate and the like. I've given all of those things up completely and without question. Perhaps I could give up everything for a time just to see what happens. Let me think about it. Basically that would make me go ZERO carb and that's a big decision. I'm game for doing something like that at this point since I have been doing all the right things with little to no results. Although I did drop four pounds since yesterday. Maybe I'm on to something now.

July 25, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

12:15PM
Spinach salad with cheese, eggs, bacon, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and Ranch dressing, beef patty with cheese, pickle and mayo, mashed cauliflower with butter

6:00PM
Mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, and basil roll with homemade salsa, tomato slices

7:45PM
Cream cheese whipped with heavy cream, erythritol, and nutmeg

9:45PM
Cream cheese whipped with heavy cream, erythritol, and nutmeg

CURRENT WEIGHT: 266.4

NOTE: Today was Day 2 of my commitment to ditch the low-carb products and I was UP two pounds to 266. That wasn't exactly the kind of start I wanted cutting out all of the low-carb products. But I'm committed to doing this for at least a period of time to see what happens. I didn't eat until midday because I slept late and then got busy after waking up with no hunger. I focused on eating high-fat, low-carb foods to keep me satisfied and fulfilled. I already miss my chocolate. :)

July 24, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:00AM
3 eggs cooked in extra virgin olive oil with American cheese

11:00AM
30-minute resistance training workout with personal trainer

12:15PM
Mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, and basil roll with homemade salsa



3:15PM
Mixed premium raw and unsalted nuts (walnuts, pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts, and almonds)

5:15PM
2-ounce block of brie cheese

8:15PM
Spinach salad with cheese, eggs, bacon, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and Ranch dressing, beef patty with cheese, pickle and mayo, mashed cauliflower with butter

CURRENT WEIGHT: 264.2

NOTE: Today was Day 1 of my commitment to ditch the low-carb products to see if it impacts my weight. I weighed in at 264 pounds today and I'll be sharing my daily weight to measure the impact of cutting out the products. I tried this a couple of months back for a couple of weeks with NO success, but my low-carb doctor thinks I need to cut 'em out again, stick with the real whole low-carb foods exclusively, eat only enough protein for my bodily needs, and keep an eye on my calories and portions. That's what I'm doing starting today and I really want it to work. Today I ate some things I've NEVER had before--homemade salsa, brie, and prosciutto (which I only had for the first time last week). DELICIOUS! I'll keep it interesting adding in more high-fat, low-carb foods in the coming days. Here's hoping.

July 23, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

11:00AM
No-bake low-carb "cinnamon and spice" cheesecake (cream cheese, heavy cream, nutmeg, cinnamon, erythritol) with whipped topping

1:00PM
Atkins Chocolate Peanut Nougat Caramel bar

5:45PM
Spinach salad with cheese, eggs, bacon, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and Ranch dressing, beef patty with cheese, pickle and mayo, mashed cauliflower with butter

9:30PM
No-bake low-carb "cinnamon and spice" cheesecake (cream cheese, heavy cream, nutmeg, cinnamon, erythritol) with whipped topping

CURRENT WEIGHT: 260.6

NOTE: What day is it? Coming back from a week away gets your timing all off. Today was especially strange because my car broke down at the post office just before noon and we went car shopping this afternoon which prevented me from eating most of the day. I hated that and was so hungry by the time supper came around. I don't like getting that ravenous, but I didn't have much of a choice today. You just deal with days like this that get you out of your routine. In case you missed it, here's a recap of all that's happened this past week with my travels, including a picture of our new vehicle we purchased.

July 22, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:30AM
Atkins Chocolate Peanut Nougat Caramel bar

11:00AM
3 string cheese

11:30AM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

12:30PM
Premium mixed nuts (pecans, walnuts, cashews, and macadamia nuts)

1:30PM
McDonald's Double Cheeseburger without the bun

3:45PM
Atkins Chocolate Peanut Nougat Caramel bar

7:00PM
75-minute recreational volleyball

9:15PM
No-bake low-carb "cinnamon and spice" cheesecake (cream cheese, heavy cream, nutmeg, cinnamon, erythritol) with whipped topping

CURRENT WEIGHT: 259.8

NOTE: After getting up at 3:00am today to be at the hospital with my dad for his heart surgery today, Christine and I traveled home to South Carolina. Eating often keeps the hunger bug away and I did that as expected. :) After getting in a quick one-hour nap when I got home, I still made it out to play my Tuesday night volleyball. I was so hot and tired at the end of the day I needed something comforting to eat--that's when I came up with that recipe for the cheesecake. It turned out AWESOME! :)

July 21, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:15AM
3 NexGen blueberry muffins with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter

9:45AM
30-minute self-guided resistance training workout

1:15PM
Turkey, pepperoni, cheese, and Ranch dressing on a bed of lettuce

4:45PM
Hamburger steak with grilled green peppers and onions, butter, sour cream, and salad with Ranch dressing

CURRENT WEIGHT: 262.0

NOTE: We were staying with my dad today and they didn't have any butter in their refrigerator at all. There was a BUNCH of margarine and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. Reluctantly, I used that stuff, but I really missed my butter. I was able to find a gym in the Bolivar, TN area that let me workout for $10, so I got in some weight lifting while I was there. My Aunt Mary Jane kept trying to feed me and Christine and I finally said I'd eat something--so I made that little salad for lunch. Then we took my dad out for his "last meal" before his heart surgery tomorrow and he got a cheeseburger with tater tots. And he was complaining about how "big" my meal was. At least I didn't flood my body with carbs! ;)

July 20, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:30AM
2 string cheese

11:00AM
Chocolate fudge protein cookie

11:45AM
Hardee's Low-Carb Thickburger

1:45PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

3:15PM
Ginger & spice protein cookie

4:30PM
2 string cheese

7:15PM
La Tortilla Factory wrap with American cheese and pepperoni slices

CURRENT WEIGHT: 262.2

NOTE: Today was another travel day as we hit the road from Pensacola, FL to Bolivar, TN to be with my dad for his emergency quintuple heart bypass surgery on Tuesday. I ate the typical traveling fare for me with a new protein cookie product a company sent me to sample. Not too shabby, so you might be hearing more about them soon. And, of course, you can never go wrong with a Thickburger--low-carb styled--from Hardee's. Delicious!

July 19, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:30AM
Smoked sausage, 2 eggs with cheese

12:30PM
Spaghetti squash with homemade meatballs and alfredo sauce, green beans with butter



6:00PM
Crab meat with cheese, Italian chicken, chicken on a stick, ham, snow crab with butter at a Chinese buffet restaurant



CURRENT WEIGHT: 258.0

NOTE: I hated only eating three times today, but that's just the way it worked out. I made the most of every opportunity, though, on our final day in Florida. Beverly once again made a killer lunch for us low-carb styled and then I took the family out to a truly amazing Chinese buffet restaurant for supper. Who says you can't eat low-carb at a place like that?! :)

July 18, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

8:30AM
Atkins Chocolate Peanut Nougat Caramel bar

9:30AM
3 eggs mixed with sausage, cheese and butter

12:30PM
Grilled chicken breast with Ranch dressing, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, mashed cauliflower with butter



5:15PM
Beef roast, asparagus with butter, deviled eggs (made only with mayo)



7:30PM
True Lime baked cheesecake with whipped topping

CURRENT WEIGHT: 259.8

NOTE: My sister Beverly went all out again making a delicious low-carb breakfast and lunch for us. I ate prosciutto for the first time in my life today and it was so good. Tasted like bacon to me! Ooo la la! Then my mom had us over for dinner at her house where she had another excellent low-carb meal prepared. Can you tell they're livin' la vida low-carb now? WOO HOO! We finished that meal with my own homemade low-carb cheesecake recipe and they LOVED it. Mom wanted the recipe and I said it's on YouTube if she wanted to see how to make it. She smiled.

July 17, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:00AM
Atkins Chocolate Peanut Nougat Caramel bar

10:00AM
2 eggs cooked in butter

1:00PM
Spinach salad with eggs, bacon, cheese, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and Ranch dressing, beef patty with cheese, pickle and mayo, and mashed cauliflower with butter

5:15PM
Side salad with Ranch, green beans with butter, and 6-ounce steak with butter from Outback Steakhouse



9:45PM
1 Russell Stover Chocolate Mousse Medallion

NOTE: Today was pretty cool...I got to meet one of my readers named Dee who was on vacation in the area where we were:



CURRENT WEIGHT: 263.6

It was funny because we met up with Dee around 1:00pm and my mom wanted to take us out to eat at Outback around 5:00pm. That's a lotta eating, but we managed. That steak at Outback, which I split with my wife Christine, was AWESOME!!!

July 16, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

8:30AM
2 Banana Nut NexGen muffins with butter

10:00AM
3 eggs with cheese and butter, 2 sausage patties



1:15PM
2 orange Ciao Carb protein cookies

4:00PM
2 string cheese

6:15PM
Sugar-free BBQ pork roast, 2 blocks of Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

CURRENT WEIGHT: 265.4

NOTE: Being away from home makes it hard to stay on schedule with your diet. But if you keep your mind focused on why you eat the way you do, then it's really not that difficult to stay on course. My sister Beverly made the most amazing BBQ roast I've ever eaten with a Splenda-sweetened BBQ sauce for supper. YUMMY!

July 15, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

8:00AM
3 eggs cooked in butter with cheese

10:15AM
Atkins Double Chocolate Crunch Caramel bar

11:30AM
2 orange Ciao Carb protein cookies

12:15PM
Wendy's Stacker without the bun with lettuce, tomato, and pickle

2:00PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

3:30PM
Low-carb cheese wrap (La Tortilla Factory wrap with American cheese)

4:45PM
Emerald Cocoa-Roasted almonds

6:00PM
Steak with butter and a little A-1, sausage, spinach salad with cheese, sunflower seeds, pepperoni, and Ranch dressing, sugar-free pudding and cookies with whipped cream



CURRENT WEIGHT: 266.8

NOTE: Today was our travel day down to Florida from South Carolina. I HATE being hungry on the road, so I eat quite often on these trips and even stop at a fast food restaurant along the way to get some hot food. When we got to Florida, we took my sister Beverly out to eat at Ryan's and LOVED it! :D

July 14, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

10:00AM
Atkins Chocolate Peanut Caramel bar

12:15PM
3 eggs cooked in butter with cheese

2:15PM
True Lemon cheesecake in a bowl (cream cheese, True Lemon, Truvia, egg, a touch of sugar-free syrup) with whipped cream

5:15PM
2 blueberry NexGen muffins with butter

6:45PM
Dreamfield's pasta macaroni & cheese

8:15PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

CURRENT WEIGHT: 267.6

NOTE: So far, eating less protein and more fat hasn't made much of a difference on the scale for me. But I'm gonna keep trying to eat this way while I am away in Florida this next week visiting with my family and then assess whether I need to try something else to deal with the added weight from 2008 (a little poetic rhythm to make light of it!). Future options I have left to try include counting calories with my low-carb plan (UGH!), the infamous Atkins "fat fast," and even the use of the diabetes drug Metformin as a possibility despite the fact I'm not diabetic. Something has got to work to help me deal with this craziness happening with my blood sugars/insulin. Still searching for answers...

I'LL BE GONE FOR THE NEXT WEEK visiting my brother Kevin since hospice has been called in and he's on morphine for pain as well as oxygen for breathing at night. It's a sad situation for a 40-year old man to go through the experience of such a young death. But I'm not giving up on him yet and will do whatever I can to help him while I'm there. Above all, I'll just love him, spend quality time with my "big bro," and hopefully make beautiful memories that I'll cherish forever regardless of how much longer Kevin is with us. I won't be anywhere near a computer this next week, but I will still be keeping track of my menus while away. You'll get those when I get back. :) THANKS so much for reading my menus blog!

July 13, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:00AM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

12:00PM
Side salad with Ranch dressing, mixed veggies with butter, 3 grilled shrimp with a little cocktail sauce, 5-ounce T-bone steak with a little A-1

3:30PM
Low-carb chocolate cheesecake (cream cheese, heavy cream, DaVinci caramel syrup, Singing Dog vanilla, whipped cream)

5:15PM
2 blueberry NexGen muffins with butter

6:30PM
Mixed premium nuts (macadamias, almonds, pecans, cashews)

8:00PM
Cheese low-carb wrap with Ranch dressing

10:15PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

CURRENT WEIGHT: 265.0

NOTE: You'd think it would be easy to implement a strategy of eating higher-fat foods and in all honesty I've already been eating many of these foods that are rich in fat. The problem is I usually also eat foods that have a moderate amount of protein, so reducing my consumption of protein is a bit of a challenge. One way to get more fat and less protein for the sake of toning down the impact of gluconeogenesis is to focus in on those foods with at least a 3-1 ratio of fat to protein, such as nuts, cheese, cream, and even my own chocolate bar which has a 6-1 ratio of fat to protein. I'm upping the fat without any fear of that fat whatsoever. It's what I need to do for now and we'll see what happens. So far, there's been no noticeable benefit, but we shall see.

July 12, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

10:15AM
2 string cheese

12:30PM
Spinach salad with eggs, bacon, cheese, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and Ranch dressing, small beef hamburger patty with cheese, pickle and mayo, and mashed cauliflower with butter

3:00PM
Chocolate chip rotein cookie slathered in butter

6:45PM
Side salad with Ranch dressing, mixed veggies with butter, 1 1/2 meatloaf slices with cheese and mayo

10:00PM
Low-carb chocolate cheesecake (cream cheese, heavy cream, DaVinci caramel syrup, Singing Dog vanilla, whipped cream)

CURRENT WEIGHT: 262.8

NOTE: Part of my new strategy for handling my erratic blood sugar/insulin reaction is to consciously reduce the total amount of protein in my diet while simultaneously eating MORE fat. I thought I already ate more fat, but now I'm zeroing in on it. Yes, I had a "protein cookie" from a manufacturer who sent me some samples, but I put a couple of tablespoons of butter on top to offset the protein. Trust me, I got MUCH more fat than protein in that meal. :) Speaking of meals, you'll notice I only had 5 today. That's something else I'm focusing in on, too--eating LESS while still eating every few hours. We'll see how this goes, although my weight was up over 2 pounds after today's meals. Interestingly, my body fat and water remained the same, so maybe I'm building more muscle weight--and my body feels it after that crazy workout with my personal trainer on Friday. OUCH! Calgon, take me away!

July 11, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

8:30AM
2 string cheese

9:00AM
30-minute resistance training workout with personal trainer

10:00AM
3 eggs cooked in butter with cheese

12:00PM
2 blueberry NexGen muffins slathered in butter with whipped creamo

2:00PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

6:15PM
2 eggs, 2 sausage links, mixed veggies with butter, side salad with Ranch dressing

8:15PM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

CURRENT WEIGHT: 261.8

NOTE: You may notice something different about my menus starting the last day or so...can you see it? Is there ANYTHING that different from what I was eating? Yes and no. While many of the foods are the same as I have been eating, one of the things I've been working with my low-carb doctor about is cutting back a little on my protein intake because a portion of my consumption of that macronutrient is turning into sugar/carbs in my body through gluconeogenesis. The other thing I'm doing is consciously adding more fat and attempting to cut back on the amount of total protein I'm eating. So, the ratio of fat to protein I am shooting for is at least 2-1, but I'm even shooting for 3-1 or more. I'm working on adding butter, olive oil, heavy cream, cheese, nuts, and other sources of high fat without many grams of protein or carbs. We'll see how this plan of action goes. :)

July 10, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:45AM
Beef fajitas with mixed peppers and sour cream on a low-carb wrap, Dreamfields macaroni and cheese

2:15PM
Bunless Whopper from Burger King with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and mayo

6:00PM
5-ounce T-bone steak with a little A-1, 3 grilled shrimp, mixed veggies with butter, side salad with Ranch dressing

8:30PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

CURRENT WEIGHT: 262.6

NOTE: Travel day back home to South Carolina today after a great week in Durham, NC and a quickie one-day trip to New York City. I had some leftover fajita stuff from late last night and ate that before checking out of the hotel. Then on the way home, we were trying to find a Hardees to get a low-carb Thickburger, but couldn't find one. So we settled on getting a bunless Whopper. I was pleasantly surprised when they had a button that made the meal "low-carb." COOL! When we got home, I ate a portion of a T-bone, some shrimp, and veggies and then had one of my chocolate bars as a nice ending to a great day's worth of meals. I have so much to share about what I will be changing ever-so-subtly about my diet that could very well help you too. COMING SOON! :)

July 9, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

7:15AM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

9:30AM
Premium mixed nuts

12:15PM
2 almond Ciao Carb protein cookies

4:00PM
1 NexGen low-carb banana nut muffin

5:00PM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

11:00PM
Beef fajitas with mixed peppers and sour cream on a low-carb wrap, Dreamfields macaroni and cheese

CURRENT WEIGHT: 261.2

NOTE: Today I traveled to New York City for only the second time in my life. I was there as part of the introduction of a new stevia-based sweetener called Truvia which I'll be sharing more about very soon. Since I flew in, was there for a few hours and then flew out, it was a difficult day with my menu. It didn't help that my flight was delayed an hour, then we sat on the tarmac for another hour waiting on the catch-up of planes to takeoff from LaGuardia. Oh, I'm glad I don't do this everyday. Needless to say, I was STARVING by the time I got back to Durham and all the restaurants were closed since it was past 10:00pm. So I went by the grocery store and made the fixins for steak fajitas and they were GOOD! :D Who cares I ate so late...I was freakin' hungry and this took care of it. Off to bed now! It's been a long day. We'll be driving back home to Spartanburg, SC on Thursday for a few days before leaving next week to see my brother Kevin in Florida. WHEW! SEE YA!

July 8, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:30AM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

11:30AM
Naked double cheeseburger with pickle and mustard (Burger King)

1:00PM
GoLower Raspberry Nut Bar

2:30PM
Slim Jim

4:00PM
Premium mixed nuts (macadamias, cashews, pecans, and almonds)

7:15PM
Shrimp and scallops, 12-ounce sirloin steak with garlic butter topping, green beans with horseradish sauce, strawberry and Belgian chocolate



CURRENT WEIGHT: 264.0

NOTE: Since we are still out of town, it's so hard to eat on a schedule and make it all perfect low-carb foods. I don't usually eat a bunless burger, but it worked for us today. The same with the nuts and low-carb products this afternoon. We ate well at a nice restaurant for dinner. I got the results back of my tests today--I'll give a full report this weekend when I get back home, but my suspicions about the insulin were confirmed and something baffling happened. Although my blood sugar remained steady within 13 points throughout the test (between 78-90 including the fasting and rise after the meal--which there wasn't much of), my insulin SHARPLY ROSE from the lower 4s to 13 in just 30 minutes after eating...and it remained elevated for nearly 3 hours! EEEEK! I'll have more to share in my blog this weekend.

July 7, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

11:00AM
5 eggs with cheese, grilled chicken breast

4:00PM
6 grilled shrimp with a little cocktail sauce, 1/2 Wild Alaskan Salmon patty with a little tartar sauce, green beans, side salad with Ranch

6:15PM
2 lemon Ciao Carb protein cookies

7:15PM
45-minute self-guided resistance training workout

8:30PM
8-ounce sirloin steak with a little A-1, BBQ pulled pork, meatballs, sugar-free chocolate pudding, sugar-free chocolate chocolate chip cookie with no sugar added blueberry filling and sugar-free whipped cream

CURRENT WEIGHT: 265.8

NOTE: Today was my glucose tolerance test where they measured blood sugar and insulin over a period of 5 hours--readings at fasting and then after a low-carb meal (from Chick-Fil-A by the way) at 30 minutes, one hour, two hours, three hours, four hours, and five hours. My poor arm was brutalized today by a painful needle, but hopefully it showed us something good--I'll know the results by tomorrow. I can tell you that after I hate that low-carb breakfast, I was hungry 50 minutes later...a sign of insulin if I ever heard one! I was so weak and tired the entire time of the testing and the nurses made me lie down at one point I was so weak. I'm glad this happened because I am sure the reason for this will show up on the test. I'll let you know what's happening soon. :D

July 6, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

7:30AM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

9:45AM
2 eggs, 2 sausage links

11:45AM
2 chicken breasts with American cheese and mayo

1:15PM
2 lemon Ciao Carb protein cookies

3:00PM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

5:30PM
8-ounce sirloin steak with a little A-1, small mixed greens salad with cheese, chicken, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, pepperoni, and Ranch dressing, sugar-free chocolate pudding, sugar-free chocolate chocolate chip cookie with no sugar added blueberry filling and sugar-free whipped cream

7:15PM
8-ounce sirloin steak with a little A-1

CURRENT WEIGHT: 267.4

NOTE: Today was a travel day as Christine and I visited Durham, North Carolina to meet up with some low-carbers today and then visiting with Dr. Eric Westman tomorrow. We went to Golden Corral to eat right before a big storm came up and scared several of the people who were supposed to come away. We still had about 8 people come out and it was a fun time for all of us. I ate some very good food, although it was much more than I have typically been eating as part of my frequent eating plan. Tomorrow's the big day--tests, tests, and more tests, especially the glucose tolerance test after a low-carb meal and then checking blood sugar and insulin for 5 hours. This should be fund...NOT! :)

July 5, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

10:00AM
2 chicken breasts with American cheese and mayo

12:00PM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

1:45PM
2 orange Ciao Carb protein cookies

4:00PM
Side salad with Ranch dressing, mixed veggies with butter, beef hamburger patty with cheese, bacon, pickle, tomato, and mayo

6:00PM
String cheese

7:00PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

8:30PM
Small handful of Emerald Cocoa-Roasted Almonds

CURRENT WEIGHT: 264.4

NOTE: Getting closer to finding out what's happening with me when I eat low-carb meals...tests coming up on Monday! Could eating too much protein while low-carbing really make you gain weight? It's possible, but I'm gonna talk with my doctor about it. Wish me luck on finding the answers.

July 4, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:45AM
3 eggs cooked in extra virgin olive oil with raw and unsalted mixed nuts

11:15AM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

1:15PM
Side salad with Ranch dressing, mixed veggies with butter, 2 eggs, 2 sausage links

3:00PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

4:30PM
2 string cheese

6:30PM
Spinach salad with eggs, bacon, cheese, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and Ranch dressing, small beef hamburger patty with cheese, pickle and mayo, and mashed cauliflower with butter

CURRENT WEIGHT: 263.6

NOTE: One suggestion I received this week from a nutritionist who used to work with the Atkins Center in New York was to try to eat my carbs spread throughout the day, especially in the morning and midday meals. She suggested I consume more fiber carbs whenever I eat a typical breakfast like eggs and sausage to slow down the insulin response that comes from the production of glucose (sugar/carbs) resulting from gluconeogenesis. That's why I included the raw nuts with my eggs today. I did have a little bit larger meals at lunch and supper today to see what impact it would have and I gained a pound. So I need to MAKE myself eat smaller meals more consciously consistently. It's hard, I'm not gonna lie. But it looks like what I must do right now until we can figure out what's going on.

July 3, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:30AM
3 eggs cooked in extra virgin olive oil

10:30AM
Flax Z Snax Elite Brownie

11:00AM
30-minute resistance training workout with personal trainer

12:00PM
2 sticks of string cheese

2:00PM
Side salad with Ranch dressing, mixed veggies with butter, 2 slices of meatloaf with cheese and mayo

5:30PM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

6:30PM
60-minute shooting basketball

7:30PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

9:30PM
Small handful of Emerald Cocoa-Roasted Almonds, La Tortilla Factory low-carb wrap with no sugar added apple butter, Naturally More peanut butter, a touch of sugar-free syrup, and whipped cream

CURRENT WEIGHT: 262.0

NOTE: Somebody made a great point in the comments section of one of my menus yesterday that I hadn't thought about before. You'll notice I consume some low-carb products like chocolate, wraps, Atkins bars, etc. as part of my healthy low-carb lifestyle. I certainly don't have a problem using these to supplement the mostly whole foods that I do consume like eggs, cheese, meats, salad greens, and non-starchy veggies. This is a much healthier way to eat than what I was doing before and what most typical Americans eat today. For that reason, I strongly defend the use of these products for those who choose to use them in their own healthy low-carb lifestyle. If you don't wanna use 'em, then that's fine too. The point is they can indeed be helpful in your low-carb efforts.

But in light of me dealing with this possible hypoglycemia right now, the commenter suggested that I combine two strategies for dealing with it simultaneously to see if it works to bring about the weight loss I desire. One strategy is to quit all the low-carb products for a week or two...this is something I've already done previously. The other strategy is to eat lots of smaller meals throughout the day...something I've been doing for nearly six weeks now. However, I've never done BOTH at the same time and this reader theorizes that could result in success.

I dunno. I'm certainly not opposed to trying this although I'm going out of town to Durham, NC this weekend, then to New York City on Wednesday, and then down to Pensacola, FL to see my brother and the rest of my family soon thereafter. With all of this traveling, just eating often enough will be a challenge--much less WITHOUT the use of any low-carb products. So I wouldn't be able to try this until the beginning of August at the earliest. We'll see what my low-carb doctor thinks about it and I'm game for giving it a go.

July 2, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

9:45AM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

11:15AM
2 sticks of string cheese

12:45PM
R.W. Garcia Lo's low-carb tortilla chips with American cheese

2:15PM
Flax Z Snax Elite Brownie

3:45PM
4 egg whites mixed with raw and unsalted mixed nuts and butter

5:45PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

7:45PM
Beef hamburger with mushrooms, swiss cheese and mayo, mixed veggies with butter

CURRENT WEIGHT: 261.6

NOTE: THANKS for everyone's input on my glucose tolerance test coming up next week. I have decided to eat my regular low-carb meals and have a low-carb meal prior to the test rather than the traditional GTT methodology. We want to know what is happening to my blood sugar AND insulin levels after a typical low-carb meal, so this will show that. The conventional GTT would be nice to know as well, but that's not the focus right now. Again, THANK YOU to everyone who provided feedback. :)

You might be wondering why I had an egg white meal at 3:45pm. GREAT QUESTION! A company sent me some of their "egg" product and they were promoting this healthy egg in a convenient microwavable container. It turns out the egg product is "healthy" by their definition because it didn't have the yolk in it. UGH! When will these people ever learn that the yolk is the most nutritious part of an egg. Oh well, I didn't want it to go to waste, so I cooked 'em up with some nuts for added protein and healthy fats as well as slathered it good old-fashioned butter, baby! YUMMERS!

My weight is still hovering in the low 260s, so I'm anxious to see if any of these tests next week will hold the key to why I am having a tough time shedding these extra pounds. Whether it is cortisol, vitamin D, insulin, or whatever, I'm ready to find the answer to this already. :D You'll hear all about it if and when that answer comes.

July 1, 2008 Low-Carb Menu

8:30AM
Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch bar

9:45AM
String cheese

11:15AM
Flax Z Snax Elite Brownie

12:45PM
2 chicken breasts with mayo

2:45PM
Livin' La Vida Low-Carb bar

4:30PM
Small beef hamburger with cheese, pickle, and mayo, mashed cauliflower with butter

5:45PM
Flax Z Snax Elite Brownie

7:00PM
145-minute recreational volleyball

9:45PM
2 sausage patties

11:15PM
Flax Z Snax Elite Brownie

CURRENT WEIGHT: 261.0

NOTE: Last night I received a telephone call from a nutritionist who used to work with the Atkins Center back when Dr. Atkins was still around. She wanted to know how she could help me with this hypoglycemia issue I seem to be dealing with. I told her what was happening even after a low-carb meal and she brought up something I hadn't really thought much about before, but it makes sense. She said that perhaps my body is converting most of the protein I am eating (and I do eat a rather moderate amount of protein) into sugar/carbs through gluconeogenesis which is producing an insulin response. So, despite the fact I am eating low-carb meals, the protein makeup of those meals could, in essence, be tantamount to eating carbohydrates. That sounds so messed up on surface value, but apparently my body must be extra sensitive to the protein I am consuming if it is doing this. I don't know for sure if that's what is happening, but it's the best theory I've heard yet.

So next week I am getting a glucose tolerance test (GTT) run and several people have said I need to eat upwards of 150g carbs daily in the few days leading up to test. I'd never heard of this, but apparently it was pretty well-known so you don't skew with results that you are looking for. I asked my low-carb doctor about this and here was his response:

Maybe...maybe not. It depends upon the question that we want to answer.

If you want to compare your results to what is thought to be the "normal response," then yes, carb eating would be good.

However, if you want to figure out what is happening to you after eating a low-carb meal (to look into this low blood glucose issue when eating low-carb), then no extra carb eating is needed.

We can start the test after you eat a low-carb breakfast. I also want to check the insulin at each time point to assess the pancreas response.

Don't I want to know what's happening after a low-carb meal or is it more beneficial to do a standard GTT? I'm open to your input about this. If I'm gonna do the standard, then I need to start eating a few more carbs beginning on Friday leading up to the Monday morning test.