8:45AM
Hardee's low-carb breakfast bowl
Coke Zero
9:00AM
3-hour Upward youth basketball refereeing
12:45PM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
8:30PM
Toppings off Pizza Inn buffet (pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, peppers, onions, lettuce, tomato, taco meat, cheese, sauce) and 1 slice chocolate chip pizza
NOTE: After getting in obscenely late last night, when the alarm clock went off this morning I wanted to crawl back underneath those sheets and snooze. But I committed to being a referee for the Upward youth basketball league at my church and this was the last week of the season. I wasn't about to let my fatigue keep me from fulfilling that promise I made to those kids. After the three games were finished, I ate some food and then CRASHED! Out like a light for a few hours before a ding dong at the door from a home security salesman woke me up. Oh well, I needed to get up anyway so I could sleep tonight. Christine wanted pizza for supper, so we went to the Pizza Inn buffet around the corner from our house and I did my toppings thing. Yes, I had a slice of chocolate chip pizza when they brought it out hot from the oven and limited myself to one slice. It was delicious and I got plenty full on the high-fat, protein-packed ingredients of the other pizza slices. Today was tiring, but I hope to be a little more productive tomorrow with my work. I've got my second book to finish!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
February 27, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
8:30AM
90-minute unloading/moving chairs for our new church
11:30PM
2 eggs
6 ounces prime rib steak
2 sausage links
1 slice of bacon
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
2:30PM
2 ounces Sweet Nut'ns (macadamias, pecans, almonds with erythritol coating)
4:45PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
NOTE: Our church will be moving into a brand new building across the street from our existing sanctuary and classroom area next Sunday, March 8, 2009. So, we're finishing up the last minute stuff to get the building ready for moving in. Today, that meant a trailer truck load of chairs to unload, unpack, and move into the building. And these weren't some nice light folding chairs either. They're the big comfortable chairs you see in a lot of churches these days rather than pews. Each chair had to weigh about 25 pounds and taking all the packing off the legs while removing cardboard and plastic--it was a chore! I definitely got in a workout that I'm gonna feel for several days I'm sure.
I ate supper early because the men at my church got together for a men's retreat this weekend down the road about 45 minutes. It was nice getting away for a bit to hear a great message from our pastor's father who recently retired from the ministry and then to stay up late playing games in fellowship. By the time we got finished with the games at my table, it was nearly 1:00 in the morning! I got home and crashed knowing I had to be up early on Saturday morning for the final youth basketball refereeing for Upward of the season. Hoo boy, it's gonna be a tiring day tomorrow!
90-minute unloading/moving chairs for our new church
11:30PM
2 eggs
6 ounces prime rib steak
2 sausage links
1 slice of bacon
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
2:30PM
2 ounces Sweet Nut'ns (macadamias, pecans, almonds with erythritol coating)
4:45PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
NOTE: Our church will be moving into a brand new building across the street from our existing sanctuary and classroom area next Sunday, March 8, 2009. So, we're finishing up the last minute stuff to get the building ready for moving in. Today, that meant a trailer truck load of chairs to unload, unpack, and move into the building. And these weren't some nice light folding chairs either. They're the big comfortable chairs you see in a lot of churches these days rather than pews. Each chair had to weigh about 25 pounds and taking all the packing off the legs while removing cardboard and plastic--it was a chore! I definitely got in a workout that I'm gonna feel for several days I'm sure.
I ate supper early because the men at my church got together for a men's retreat this weekend down the road about 45 minutes. It was nice getting away for a bit to hear a great message from our pastor's father who recently retired from the ministry and then to stay up late playing games in fellowship. By the time we got finished with the games at my table, it was nearly 1:00 in the morning! I got home and crashed knowing I had to be up early on Saturday morning for the final youth basketball refereeing for Upward of the season. Hoo boy, it's gonna be a tiring day tomorrow!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
February 26, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
12:15PM
2 eggs
6 ounces prime rib steak
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
7:15PM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Mixed nuts with cinnamon and whipped cream
NOTE: Part 2 of my television interview from last Sunday didn't get posted by WYFF-TV like Part 1 was earlier this week, so I put it on YouTube:
One of the points I made in this segment when the interviewer asked me what tips I would recommend for people desiring weight loss was that people should find what works for them, follow it exactly, and then keep doing it for the rest of their lives. This is one message I have always remained consistent on, including people who make the choice to eat a low-fat diet. I don't personally think a diet like that is sustainable for weight and health over the long-term like low-carb is, but people should go on this journey to find out for themselves what is best for them.
We've all experienced the failure of low-fat diets over and over again throughout our lives which is why livin' la vida low-carb is the answer we've found that works for us. It gives us the ability to eat such taboo "diet" foods like the eggs, bacon, sausage, steak, butter, full-fat sour cream, and nuts I consumed in my menus today. And we ENJOY eating this way while seeing dramatic improvements in our weight and health.
That's why this way of eating is far superior to those failed low-fat diets. I was happy to get this message out there in my brief appearance on television locally last Sunday. Hopefully I'll have more chances in the future to continue sharing the positive message of low-carb living with an even wider television audience. In the meantime, I'll just keep eating the way that helped me get my life back!
2 eggs
6 ounces prime rib steak
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
7:15PM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Mixed nuts with cinnamon and whipped cream
NOTE: Part 2 of my television interview from last Sunday didn't get posted by WYFF-TV like Part 1 was earlier this week, so I put it on YouTube:
One of the points I made in this segment when the interviewer asked me what tips I would recommend for people desiring weight loss was that people should find what works for them, follow it exactly, and then keep doing it for the rest of their lives. This is one message I have always remained consistent on, including people who make the choice to eat a low-fat diet. I don't personally think a diet like that is sustainable for weight and health over the long-term like low-carb is, but people should go on this journey to find out for themselves what is best for them.
We've all experienced the failure of low-fat diets over and over again throughout our lives which is why livin' la vida low-carb is the answer we've found that works for us. It gives us the ability to eat such taboo "diet" foods like the eggs, bacon, sausage, steak, butter, full-fat sour cream, and nuts I consumed in my menus today. And we ENJOY eating this way while seeing dramatic improvements in our weight and health.
That's why this way of eating is far superior to those failed low-fat diets. I was happy to get this message out there in my brief appearance on television locally last Sunday. Hopefully I'll have more chances in the future to continue sharing the positive message of low-carb living with an even wider television audience. In the meantime, I'll just keep eating the way that helped me get my life back!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
February 25, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
8:45AM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
1:45PM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
8:15PM
2 eggs
6 ounces prime rib steak
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Sugar-free pecan syrup and whipped cream
NOTE: I've never been one who believes you have to eat three times a day if you're just not hungry enough to do so. Livin' la vida low-carb lets you eating some truly satisfying meals that you enjoy while minimizing hunger and not on any particular timetable for when those meals happen. That's what I've seen in my own low-carb experience. Our culture has hammered this breakfast-lunch-dinner routine into our heads, but you're not always hungry when those allotted times come.
But today I got in three meals and was satisfied with all my food choices. I've noticed if I eat earlier in the day (which I'm usually not very hungry for many hours after I get up), then I'll likely have three meals. Otherwise, if I wait until late morning/midday to eat, then it's probably gonna be a two-meal day. I don't think it's a big deal as long as you don't go into starvation-level calories. And all the fat/protein I consume keeps me plenty satisfied to fuel my energy needs daily.
In about two more weeks, I will run out of my last Metformin prescription refill and attempt to go without it. Some say I have had a diminished appetite because of the Metformin and no doubt that's true. But how much more hungry will I be without it? I dunno, but we'll soon find out. I'm certainly not opposed to eating more high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb foods as part of my healthy lifestyle, so we shall see.
By the way, Part 1 of that television appearance on my local NBC-TV affiliate is now on YouTube where I was interviewed about my weight loss and blogging success:
I'm hoping they'll post Part 2 today since it was about a 4-minute segment where I could sneak in some positive information about low-carb living. I felt AWFUL that morning waking up with a really bad cold, but everyone seems to think I did well. :)
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
1:45PM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
8:15PM
2 eggs
6 ounces prime rib steak
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Sugar-free pecan syrup and whipped cream
NOTE: I've never been one who believes you have to eat three times a day if you're just not hungry enough to do so. Livin' la vida low-carb lets you eating some truly satisfying meals that you enjoy while minimizing hunger and not on any particular timetable for when those meals happen. That's what I've seen in my own low-carb experience. Our culture has hammered this breakfast-lunch-dinner routine into our heads, but you're not always hungry when those allotted times come.
But today I got in three meals and was satisfied with all my food choices. I've noticed if I eat earlier in the day (which I'm usually not very hungry for many hours after I get up), then I'll likely have three meals. Otherwise, if I wait until late morning/midday to eat, then it's probably gonna be a two-meal day. I don't think it's a big deal as long as you don't go into starvation-level calories. And all the fat/protein I consume keeps me plenty satisfied to fuel my energy needs daily.
In about two more weeks, I will run out of my last Metformin prescription refill and attempt to go without it. Some say I have had a diminished appetite because of the Metformin and no doubt that's true. But how much more hungry will I be without it? I dunno, but we'll soon find out. I'm certainly not opposed to eating more high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb foods as part of my healthy lifestyle, so we shall see.
By the way, Part 1 of that television appearance on my local NBC-TV affiliate is now on YouTube where I was interviewed about my weight loss and blogging success:
I'm hoping they'll post Part 2 today since it was about a 4-minute segment where I could sneak in some positive information about low-carb living. I felt AWFUL that morning waking up with a really bad cold, but everyone seems to think I did well. :)
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
February 24, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
11:45AM
2 eggs w/ham, bacon, sausage and cheddar cheese
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
4 blocks of Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened cacao, four packets of Truvia, and whipped cream
4:45PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
7:00PM
120-minute recreational volleyball
9:30PM
Mixed nuts, cinnamon, and whipped cream
NOTE: Thanks for all the well wishes with my cold this week. I'm feeling MUCH better now and am well on the way back to "normal" again. It's hard to concentrate on writing and working when you feel like you've been run over by a Mack truck!
After scorching my chocolate in the microwave, I remedied that problem today by submerging it in some filtered water today. With the Truvia sweetener and whipped cream, it turned out fantastic and had the consistency of a delicious pudding treat. YUMMY!
When I returned from my Tuesday night volleyball game tonight, I was a little hungry. After all, I play HARD for two hours and spend a lot of energy running after the ball, jumping, reaching, and most of all--HAVING A GOOD TIME! So I pulled out a bowl, poured some mixed nuts (macadamias, almonds, and pecans) in it, sprinkled some cinnamon on top and stirred in some whipped cream. It was PLENTY sweet with the whipped cream, so I didn't need to add any Truvia to this mixture. Took care of my hunger.
What I love most about this way of eating is you can get creative like I did today with the chocolate and the nuts. Making it fun and interesting is up to YOU!
2 eggs w/ham, bacon, sausage and cheddar cheese
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
8 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
4 blocks of Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened cacao, four packets of Truvia, and whipped cream
4:45PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
7:00PM
120-minute recreational volleyball
9:30PM
Mixed nuts, cinnamon, and whipped cream
NOTE: Thanks for all the well wishes with my cold this week. I'm feeling MUCH better now and am well on the way back to "normal" again. It's hard to concentrate on writing and working when you feel like you've been run over by a Mack truck!
After scorching my chocolate in the microwave, I remedied that problem today by submerging it in some filtered water today. With the Truvia sweetener and whipped cream, it turned out fantastic and had the consistency of a delicious pudding treat. YUMMY!
When I returned from my Tuesday night volleyball game tonight, I was a little hungry. After all, I play HARD for two hours and spend a lot of energy running after the ball, jumping, reaching, and most of all--HAVING A GOOD TIME! So I pulled out a bowl, poured some mixed nuts (macadamias, almonds, and pecans) in it, sprinkled some cinnamon on top and stirred in some whipped cream. It was PLENTY sweet with the whipped cream, so I didn't need to add any Truvia to this mixture. Took care of my hunger.
What I love most about this way of eating is you can get creative like I did today with the chocolate and the nuts. Making it fun and interesting is up to YOU!
Monday, February 23, 2009
February 23, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
1:30PM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
2 scoops vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with 3 blocks of Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened cacao, 1 Tbs coconut oil, three packets of Truvia, and whipped cream
7:00PM
60-minute youth basketball refereeing
8:30PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
5 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
2 scoops vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with sugar-free pecan syrup and whipped cream
NOTE: I woke up this morning feeling a million times better from that nasty cold that hit me, although I'm still not at 100% yet. Hopefully this thing won't hang on for days on end dragging me down with it. I've been taking some allergy medicine as well as some cold medicine like Zicam to keep this thing at bay. I also changed the air filters in my house (which were extremely dirty) to see if that helps improve my breathing and coughing. Here's hoping...thanks for all your kind thoughts and prayers.
I saw the Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened cacao in my grocery store the other day and decided to try it. Since it was totally sugar-free and not sweet at all, I added a little bit of that new stevia-based sweetener to it called Truvia. Unfortunately, when I melted it in the microwave the chocolate was burnt slightly. Have you ever eaten chocolate that has even slightly been burnt? The whole batch tastes that way. Kinda ruined the whole experience for me and I didn't get to finish enjoying it. I'll try it again next time probably in a double boiler to prevent the burning.
There was a make-up youth basketball game with the Upward league at my church tonight that they asked me to referee for them. Usually we have two refs to watch from both sides of the court, but tonight it was just me. So I was doing quite a bit of running in that hour-long game. And one of the players was super fast for a 5th grader. Every time she'd get a rebound, she was off to the races putting the "fast" in fast break. It was a tight game that ended 32-28. I got in some great cardio exercise.
Again, I was feeling the effects of this cold tonight as it got closer to bedtime and I took my nighttime cold medicine to try to lick this thing one last time. I'm getting better by the day, so I look forward to beating this thing once and for all soon.
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
2 scoops vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with 3 blocks of Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened cacao, 1 Tbs coconut oil, three packets of Truvia, and whipped cream
7:00PM
60-minute youth basketball refereeing
8:30PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
5 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
2 scoops vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with sugar-free pecan syrup and whipped cream
NOTE: I woke up this morning feeling a million times better from that nasty cold that hit me, although I'm still not at 100% yet. Hopefully this thing won't hang on for days on end dragging me down with it. I've been taking some allergy medicine as well as some cold medicine like Zicam to keep this thing at bay. I also changed the air filters in my house (which were extremely dirty) to see if that helps improve my breathing and coughing. Here's hoping...thanks for all your kind thoughts and prayers.
I saw the Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened cacao in my grocery store the other day and decided to try it. Since it was totally sugar-free and not sweet at all, I added a little bit of that new stevia-based sweetener to it called Truvia. Unfortunately, when I melted it in the microwave the chocolate was burnt slightly. Have you ever eaten chocolate that has even slightly been burnt? The whole batch tastes that way. Kinda ruined the whole experience for me and I didn't get to finish enjoying it. I'll try it again next time probably in a double boiler to prevent the burning.
There was a make-up youth basketball game with the Upward league at my church tonight that they asked me to referee for them. Usually we have two refs to watch from both sides of the court, but tonight it was just me. So I was doing quite a bit of running in that hour-long game. And one of the players was super fast for a 5th grader. Every time she'd get a rebound, she was off to the races putting the "fast" in fast break. It was a tight game that ended 32-28. I got in some great cardio exercise.
Again, I was feeling the effects of this cold tonight as it got closer to bedtime and I took my nighttime cold medicine to try to lick this thing one last time. I'm getting better by the day, so I look forward to beating this thing once and for all soon.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
February 22, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
8:45AM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
12:45PM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with sugar-free blueberry syrup, sugar-free chocolate wafers, and whipped cream
8:15PM
13-ounce T-bone steak
12 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
2 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
NOTE: I woke up at 5:30am today...PURPOSELY! The local NBC-TV affiliate in the Greenville/Spartanburg, SC area invited me to come on their Sunday morning program to talk about my low-carb weight loss and blogging success as part of their South Off South! segment. It was quite an opportunity since I haven't been on any of my local stations before for an interview like this. I woke up with one nostril completely clogged up and still aching from this nagging cold that hit me and sent me to bed early last night.
I sniffed some Zicam gel up my nostrils (love that stuff!), took a hot shower, and got dressed up in my best suit to be on the show. I'll share more about the appearance later in the week when they post it on YouTube, but it went pretty well considering I felt like crap. It's hard to keep your passion down even when you're sick as a dog.
You'll notice I did something today that I haven't done in a LONG time--I ate THREE times. Yep, I had a full low-carb meal for breakfast, lunch and supper. It could be that I was awake earlier than normal and thus my body felt hunger sooner. Or this cold might have required more fuel to fight it off (the old adage "feed a cold" may be true!). Regardless of what it was, I felt good eating all three meals like this because my body obviously needed it.
Of course, after supper I felt like I'd been hit with a ton of bricks again with this cold and got two more small cups of Tylenol Cold & Sinus Nighttime to sleep tonight. Dang, I hope I feel better by tomorrow. I'm stating the obvious, but being sick sucks!
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
12:45PM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with sugar-free blueberry syrup, sugar-free chocolate wafers, and whipped cream
8:15PM
13-ounce T-bone steak
12 ounces mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
2 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
NOTE: I woke up at 5:30am today...PURPOSELY! The local NBC-TV affiliate in the Greenville/Spartanburg, SC area invited me to come on their Sunday morning program to talk about my low-carb weight loss and blogging success as part of their South Off South! segment. It was quite an opportunity since I haven't been on any of my local stations before for an interview like this. I woke up with one nostril completely clogged up and still aching from this nagging cold that hit me and sent me to bed early last night.
I sniffed some Zicam gel up my nostrils (love that stuff!), took a hot shower, and got dressed up in my best suit to be on the show. I'll share more about the appearance later in the week when they post it on YouTube, but it went pretty well considering I felt like crap. It's hard to keep your passion down even when you're sick as a dog.
You'll notice I did something today that I haven't done in a LONG time--I ate THREE times. Yep, I had a full low-carb meal for breakfast, lunch and supper. It could be that I was awake earlier than normal and thus my body felt hunger sooner. Or this cold might have required more fuel to fight it off (the old adage "feed a cold" may be true!). Regardless of what it was, I felt good eating all three meals like this because my body obviously needed it.
Of course, after supper I felt like I'd been hit with a ton of bricks again with this cold and got two more small cups of Tylenol Cold & Sinus Nighttime to sleep tonight. Dang, I hope I feel better by tomorrow. I'm stating the obvious, but being sick sucks!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
February 21, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
9:00AM
3-hour youth basketball refereeing
1:15PM
13-ounce T-bone steak
3 eggs
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with sugar-free blackberry syrup and whipped cream
7:15PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with sugar-free blueberry syrup, sugar-free chocolate wafers, and whipped cream
NOTE: Today I woke up and felt fine, but I noticed a significant drop in my energy level after lunch. My plans were to work on my new book a little more, but that was quickly derailed when I could barely concentrate sitting at the computer. I noticed my eyes were burning and asked Christine to check my head for a fever. Sure enough, the thermometer confirmed a low-grade fever of 99.6 degrees, so I took some Tylenol. I was achy all over and went to bed earlier than I have in a VERY long time--8:30pm! My body was loaded up on some Tylenol Cold & Sinus Nighttime so I could rest through the night. Tomorrow morning I have to be up early for a LIVE television appearance on the local NBC-TV affiliate in the Greenville/Spartanburg, SC area to discuss my weight loss and blog success. Hopefully I'll be up to it!
3-hour youth basketball refereeing
1:15PM
13-ounce T-bone steak
3 eggs
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with sugar-free blackberry syrup and whipped cream
7:15PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with sugar-free blueberry syrup, sugar-free chocolate wafers, and whipped cream
NOTE: Today I woke up and felt fine, but I noticed a significant drop in my energy level after lunch. My plans were to work on my new book a little more, but that was quickly derailed when I could barely concentrate sitting at the computer. I noticed my eyes were burning and asked Christine to check my head for a fever. Sure enough, the thermometer confirmed a low-grade fever of 99.6 degrees, so I took some Tylenol. I was achy all over and went to bed earlier than I have in a VERY long time--8:30pm! My body was loaded up on some Tylenol Cold & Sinus Nighttime so I could rest through the night. Tomorrow morning I have to be up early for a LIVE television appearance on the local NBC-TV affiliate in the Greenville/Spartanburg, SC area to discuss my weight loss and blog success. Hopefully I'll be up to it!
Friday, February 20, 2009
February 20, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
11:15AM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
6:30PM
Toppings off pizza buffet (pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, bacon, cheese, sauce, onions, green peppers)
9:30PM
Coke Zero float with Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream
NOTE: One of my regular readers and fellow low-carb menu blogger Harry (I will be sharing a podcast interview with him coming up on April 6, 2009) asked an excellent question yesterday: How would you assess the differences, in how you're feeling now (on the diet that includes some treats) as compared to several months ago when you were "sweet free"? By "feeling", I mean physically and psychologically. I'm pleased to discuss this further.
What are the differences now that I'm eating low-carb compared to when I was eating "sweet"-free at the end of 2008? Physically I feel stronger and have more freedom to do with my diet what I enjoy doing without thinking about whether it is allowable or not. That's exactly what I did in 2004 and the basic rules of livin' la vida low-carb are what guided me through my 180-pound weight loss. No sugar, no white flour, no starchy carbs, no trans fats--and stay within 30g carbs daily. That's it. LOVE IT!
Of course, this helps ease the tension of a "diet" plan that can squeeze you to the point it makes you so miserable you feel like you can't live that way forever. This is where the psychological part of my diet is better now than with the "sweet"-free. I'm eating low-carb, so I don't feel like I'm on a diet. It's a process that people go through and I'm at the level where low-carb is so natural and normal for me that I wouldn't think of eating any other way. But adding the additional restrictions made it much WORSE for me which is why that didn't last for me.
But we're all on a journey to making better choices and some are able to find satisfaction eating one way while others need to be a little less stringent in their diet to find that same level of contentment. It's why I continue to share at my blogs so openly to let others know they are not alone if they don't measure up to the standards that others have for them to live their lives. In the end, it's THEIR life to live and decide what to do.
Finding that balance between commitment and contentment is a tricky balance.
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
6:30PM
Toppings off pizza buffet (pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, bacon, cheese, sauce, onions, green peppers)
9:30PM
Coke Zero float with Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream
NOTE: One of my regular readers and fellow low-carb menu blogger Harry (I will be sharing a podcast interview with him coming up on April 6, 2009) asked an excellent question yesterday: How would you assess the differences, in how you're feeling now (on the diet that includes some treats) as compared to several months ago when you were "sweet free"? By "feeling", I mean physically and psychologically. I'm pleased to discuss this further.
What are the differences now that I'm eating low-carb compared to when I was eating "sweet"-free at the end of 2008? Physically I feel stronger and have more freedom to do with my diet what I enjoy doing without thinking about whether it is allowable or not. That's exactly what I did in 2004 and the basic rules of livin' la vida low-carb are what guided me through my 180-pound weight loss. No sugar, no white flour, no starchy carbs, no trans fats--and stay within 30g carbs daily. That's it. LOVE IT!
Of course, this helps ease the tension of a "diet" plan that can squeeze you to the point it makes you so miserable you feel like you can't live that way forever. This is where the psychological part of my diet is better now than with the "sweet"-free. I'm eating low-carb, so I don't feel like I'm on a diet. It's a process that people go through and I'm at the level where low-carb is so natural and normal for me that I wouldn't think of eating any other way. But adding the additional restrictions made it much WORSE for me which is why that didn't last for me.
But we're all on a journey to making better choices and some are able to find satisfaction eating one way while others need to be a little less stringent in their diet to find that same level of contentment. It's why I continue to share at my blogs so openly to let others know they are not alone if they don't measure up to the standards that others have for them to live their lives. In the end, it's THEIR life to live and decide what to do.
Finding that balance between commitment and contentment is a tricky balance.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
February 19, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
1:30PM
2 eggs
6 ounces prime rib steak
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with coconut oil, melted dark chocolate low-carb ChocoPerfection bar, walnuts, and whipped cream
8:45PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero float with Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream
NOTE: After I posted a commentary yesterday about how I eat now compared to how I used to eat prior to my low-carb lifestyle beginning in 2004, one reader left a one-line comment that simply questioned "So what if it's not worse?" I'm so glad you asked.
Whenever someone makes such a radical change in their lifestyle, it doesn't just happen overnight. It's a process of learning, doing, succeeding, learning some more, doing a little more, failing...and the process continues throughout your life. Old habits become such a faded memory as you begin to implement new ones that are much better for you in the long run. And that is precisely what I've done with my diet.
To that question about "so what if it's not worse," I have but one answer--PERSPECTIVE! When you put my menu under the microscope of perspective and see how much better it is now compared with what it was just five years ago, we're talking light years ahead of the curve. There are people reading this right now who would love to be able to get to the point that they could eat how I do now and enjoy it.
Sadly, though, the reality is many people are still severely addicted to carbohydrates and sugar and don't know how they will live without eating those things. I hear from them every single day in the e-mails where they pour out their hearts to me and I have compassion for those people since I've been there before myself. But I also have overcome that battle and give them hope that they can too.
Sometimes people like to compartmentalize what a healthy low-carb diet should look like and disallow anything that would go outside the boundaries of these fixed pre-conceived points. But in the real world, people want to have choices that are better for them than the ones they are making now. If that means eating low-carb ice cream instead of Ben & Jerry's, then so be it. If that means consuming low-carb wraps instead of 2 slices of Wonder bread, then that's what they need to do.
PERSPECTIVE, PERSPECTIVE, PERSPECTIVE! I encourage you to always keep in mind that while things could certainly be better than they are, the fact of the matter is they could be a whole heckuva lot worse, too. As always, your comments are welcomed.
2 eggs
6 ounces prime rib steak
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with coconut oil, melted dark chocolate low-carb ChocoPerfection bar, walnuts, and whipped cream
8:45PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero float with Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream
NOTE: After I posted a commentary yesterday about how I eat now compared to how I used to eat prior to my low-carb lifestyle beginning in 2004, one reader left a one-line comment that simply questioned "So what if it's not worse?" I'm so glad you asked.
Whenever someone makes such a radical change in their lifestyle, it doesn't just happen overnight. It's a process of learning, doing, succeeding, learning some more, doing a little more, failing...and the process continues throughout your life. Old habits become such a faded memory as you begin to implement new ones that are much better for you in the long run. And that is precisely what I've done with my diet.
To that question about "so what if it's not worse," I have but one answer--PERSPECTIVE! When you put my menu under the microscope of perspective and see how much better it is now compared with what it was just five years ago, we're talking light years ahead of the curve. There are people reading this right now who would love to be able to get to the point that they could eat how I do now and enjoy it.
Sadly, though, the reality is many people are still severely addicted to carbohydrates and sugar and don't know how they will live without eating those things. I hear from them every single day in the e-mails where they pour out their hearts to me and I have compassion for those people since I've been there before myself. But I also have overcome that battle and give them hope that they can too.
Sometimes people like to compartmentalize what a healthy low-carb diet should look like and disallow anything that would go outside the boundaries of these fixed pre-conceived points. But in the real world, people want to have choices that are better for them than the ones they are making now. If that means eating low-carb ice cream instead of Ben & Jerry's, then so be it. If that means consuming low-carb wraps instead of 2 slices of Wonder bread, then that's what they need to do.
PERSPECTIVE, PERSPECTIVE, PERSPECTIVE! I encourage you to always keep in mind that while things could certainly be better than they are, the fact of the matter is they could be a whole heckuva lot worse, too. As always, your comments are welcomed.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
February 18, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
10:15AM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
5 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
7:45PM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with coconut oil, melted dark chocolate low-carb ChocoPerfection bar, walnuts, and whipped cream
NOTE: The other day I talked about what my diet was like before 2004 prior to noon. It was quite a hunk of food! After noon would consist of more junk snack cakes, another Double Big Gulp from 7-11, a Supersized fast food meal (the Quarter Pounder with cheeese) or 5 bean burritos without onions and add sour cream from Taco Bell for lunch followed by big plates of spaghetti or two boxes of macaroni and cheese for supper. And I'd munch on Little Debbie snack cakes like Swiss Miss Rolls whole boxes at a time while watching television and constantly horking down Coca-Cola.
Does anyone want to honestly tell me the way I'm eating NOW is worse than it was THEN?
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
5 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
7:45PM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with coconut oil, melted dark chocolate low-carb ChocoPerfection bar, walnuts, and whipped cream
NOTE: The other day I talked about what my diet was like before 2004 prior to noon. It was quite a hunk of food! After noon would consist of more junk snack cakes, another Double Big Gulp from 7-11, a Supersized fast food meal (the Quarter Pounder with cheeese) or 5 bean burritos without onions and add sour cream from Taco Bell for lunch followed by big plates of spaghetti or two boxes of macaroni and cheese for supper. And I'd munch on Little Debbie snack cakes like Swiss Miss Rolls whole boxes at a time while watching television and constantly horking down Coca-Cola.
Does anyone want to honestly tell me the way I'm eating NOW is worse than it was THEN?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
February 17, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
11:15AM
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Melted dark chocolate low-carb ChocoPerfection bar with whipped cream
4:30PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
7:00PM
120-minute recreational volleyball
9:30PM<
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with melted dark chocolate low-carb ChocoPerfection bar, walnuts, and whipped cream
NOTE: I re-injured my right ring finger during volleyball tonight and played through the pain. It originally got hurt a couple of weeks ago when I played basketball and one of my teammates put a hard spin on a pass to me. That totally jammed my finger and it hurts like the dickens. Add to that my left thumb got jammed too and I'm a pretty sad case right now. Just when I was hoping to get back into a regular routine with my lifting and exercise again after nursing a sore left knee since I hurt it in November pushing my car out of the middle of the rush hour traffic in Hilton Head, SC, this happens. Oh well, whaddyado? I'll probably invest in some sports tape and wrap my whole body in it before playing organized sports again! Sheesh!
2 eggs
2 bacon slices
2 sausage links
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Melted dark chocolate low-carb ChocoPerfection bar with whipped cream
4:30PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
7:00PM
120-minute recreational volleyball
9:30PM<
Vanilla CarbSmart ice cream with melted dark chocolate low-carb ChocoPerfection bar, walnuts, and whipped cream
NOTE: I re-injured my right ring finger during volleyball tonight and played through the pain. It originally got hurt a couple of weeks ago when I played basketball and one of my teammates put a hard spin on a pass to me. That totally jammed my finger and it hurts like the dickens. Add to that my left thumb got jammed too and I'm a pretty sad case right now. Just when I was hoping to get back into a regular routine with my lifting and exercise again after nursing a sore left knee since I hurt it in November pushing my car out of the middle of the rush hour traffic in Hilton Head, SC, this happens. Oh well, whaddyado? I'll probably invest in some sports tape and wrap my whole body in it before playing organized sports again! Sheesh!
Monday, February 16, 2009
February 16, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
11:15AM
2 eggs
6 ounces of prime rib steak
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
4:30PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
NOTE: Some of you have been asking about why I'm only eating two times a day. Was this the way I ate in 2004 when I lost 180 pounds? Am I trying to cut my calories? What's the deal on this abnormal timing of your meals? I'm happy to address all of these questions for you today.
When I started on Atkins on January 1, 2004, I was a VERY big boy with a humongous appetite. So it stands to reason I ate early and often to satisfy my nutritional needs. If I had to estimate my calorie consumption (although I never counted calories), then I'm sure my intake was 3,500-4,500 calories a day. Again, we're talking about a 400+ pound man who LOVED to eat.
Flash forward to 2009. I'm not the same man I was back then. My body mass is much smaller than it was, I've been eating low-carb for a long time, and my nutritional needs have changed. One thing I've noticed since losing the weight and it's been this way especially in recent months is I just don't feel hunger very often. I'm certainly not complaining about this because it's a fabulous feeling to have.
But this is why I am only eating twice a day. If I ate much more food than I do now, then I'd be so sick to my stomach from forcing food in that doesn't want to be there. Instead, I'm enjoy high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb foods that energize my body and give me plenty of nutrition to boot. For me, that's exactly the way I need to be eating for now and I'll keep doing it as long as my body is nourished and satisfied.
2 eggs
6 ounces of prime rib steak
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
4:30PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
NOTE: Some of you have been asking about why I'm only eating two times a day. Was this the way I ate in 2004 when I lost 180 pounds? Am I trying to cut my calories? What's the deal on this abnormal timing of your meals? I'm happy to address all of these questions for you today.
When I started on Atkins on January 1, 2004, I was a VERY big boy with a humongous appetite. So it stands to reason I ate early and often to satisfy my nutritional needs. If I had to estimate my calorie consumption (although I never counted calories), then I'm sure my intake was 3,500-4,500 calories a day. Again, we're talking about a 400+ pound man who LOVED to eat.
Flash forward to 2009. I'm not the same man I was back then. My body mass is much smaller than it was, I've been eating low-carb for a long time, and my nutritional needs have changed. One thing I've noticed since losing the weight and it's been this way especially in recent months is I just don't feel hunger very often. I'm certainly not complaining about this because it's a fabulous feeling to have.
But this is why I am only eating twice a day. If I ate much more food than I do now, then I'd be so sick to my stomach from forcing food in that doesn't want to be there. Instead, I'm enjoy high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb foods that energize my body and give me plenty of nutrition to boot. For me, that's exactly the way I need to be eating for now and I'll keep doing it as long as my body is nourished and satisfied.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
February 15, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
9:00AM
1 ounce of cashews
1:00PM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
3 pancake hushpuppies with sugar-free syrup
Diet Coke with lime
5:45PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
CarbSmart Rocky Road ice cream with melted ChocoPerfection and whipped cream
NOTE: I've gone off the deep end now on my low-carb lifestyle--I had something that was not on plan today. GASP! Yep, I sure did. They're called pancake hushpuppies and I wanted to try them at lunch with a little sugar-free syrup. Each hushpuppy probably had about 10g carbs in them, but I wanted them. Some will read this in horror that I'd dare allow such food to enter my mouth, but it is just food and I am not eating that way 24/7. If this were to become a habitual thing, then it could be a dangerous slippery slope which I'm well aware of. But it was just something I decided to do today and I enjoyed it.
1 ounce of cashews
1:00PM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
3 pancake hushpuppies with sugar-free syrup
Diet Coke with lime
5:45PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Coke Zero
CarbSmart Rocky Road ice cream with melted ChocoPerfection and whipped cream
NOTE: I've gone off the deep end now on my low-carb lifestyle--I had something that was not on plan today. GASP! Yep, I sure did. They're called pancake hushpuppies and I wanted to try them at lunch with a little sugar-free syrup. Each hushpuppy probably had about 10g carbs in them, but I wanted them. Some will read this in horror that I'd dare allow such food to enter my mouth, but it is just food and I am not eating that way 24/7. If this were to become a habitual thing, then it could be a dangerous slippery slope which I'm well aware of. But it was just something I decided to do today and I enjoyed it.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
February 14, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
8:45AM
1 ounce of cashews
9:00AM
3-hour refereeing youth basketball
Coke Zero
12:30PM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
7:15PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps with cheddar cheese
CarbSmart Rocky Road ice cream with ChocoPerfection "magic shell" recipe and whipped cream
NOTE: I noticed a trend happening on the weekends lately and it's really strange. It could be that I'm so busy on Saturday and Sunday mornings away from the house, but I tend to get hungry in the morning over the weekend. Saturday mornings I am at my church volunteering as a referee of basketball games for a youth league called Upward and I'm there for three hours running up and down the court. That will definitely work up an appetite, but I was so hungry after last week's games that I attempted to preempt that with a small "meal" of some nuts prior to the games. It helped somewhat, so I'll probably start adding it before church on Sunday mornings, too. There's nothing worse than being somewhere with your stomach gurgling and growling at you for food and you just have to ignore it. I'm not usually hungry in the mornings...except for the weekends. Does anyone else have this happen to them?
1 ounce of cashews
9:00AM
3-hour refereeing youth basketball
Coke Zero
12:30PM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
7:15PM
2 La Tortilla Factory low-carb wraps with cheddar cheese
CarbSmart Rocky Road ice cream with ChocoPerfection "magic shell" recipe and whipped cream
NOTE: I noticed a trend happening on the weekends lately and it's really strange. It could be that I'm so busy on Saturday and Sunday mornings away from the house, but I tend to get hungry in the morning over the weekend. Saturday mornings I am at my church volunteering as a referee of basketball games for a youth league called Upward and I'm there for three hours running up and down the court. That will definitely work up an appetite, but I was so hungry after last week's games that I attempted to preempt that with a small "meal" of some nuts prior to the games. It helped somewhat, so I'll probably start adding it before church on Sunday mornings, too. There's nothing worse than being somewhere with your stomach gurgling and growling at you for food and you just have to ignore it. I'm not usually hungry in the mornings...except for the weekends. Does anyone else have this happen to them?
Friday, February 13, 2009
February 13, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
10:15AM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
6:00PM
Toppings off pizza (pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, onions, cheese, sauce)
Diet Coke with lemon juice
9:30PM
CarbSmart Rocky Road ice cream with ChocoPerfection "magic shell" recipe
NOTE: After several weeks of trying to get started on my second book, I FINALLY got it going this afternoon quickly writing the first three chapters in a rough draft form. This book will be a follow-up to my 2005 release detailing many of the lessons I've learned from five years of low-carb dieting and blogging. I'm excited to write all of my thoughts down because I've been itching to write this book for a while. The time has come for it and it may just surprise some people. More on that in the coming months.
This afternoon as I was winding down from writing today, Christine asked if we could go out to the pizza buffet for supper. I certainly don't mind going to a place like this since I can scrape the toppings off the pizzas I enjoy and keep it pretty darn low-carb in the process. And that's exactly what I did and enjoyed. The only bad thing about doing this is the high salt content of those ingredients making you thirsty. While the health implications of consuming salt have been exaggerated, it is annoying waking up bone dry in the middle of the night because you ate so much salt. Also, it shows up on the scale as a weight gain from water retention before getting flushed out completely a few days later. But I don't care--I enjoyed spending time with and going exactly where my wife wanted to eat. And that's exactly what life is about.
In fact, we even stopped by Wal-mart and picked up a carton of CarbSmart low-carb ice cream to have for dessert during our date night tonight. Christine wanted some with my "magic shell" recipe, so I gladly made us each a bowl of it. This is the one time each week we are able to spend undivided time with each other and it's nice to do that on a weekly basis. Christine has had a very rough few months with her health, so anything that can bring a smile to her face is worth doing. I'm hoping she'll start to get some relief from the pain in her shoulder, neck and arm so she can get back to a "normal" routine again.
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
6:00PM
Toppings off pizza (pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, onions, cheese, sauce)
Diet Coke with lemon juice
9:30PM
CarbSmart Rocky Road ice cream with ChocoPerfection "magic shell" recipe
NOTE: After several weeks of trying to get started on my second book, I FINALLY got it going this afternoon quickly writing the first three chapters in a rough draft form. This book will be a follow-up to my 2005 release detailing many of the lessons I've learned from five years of low-carb dieting and blogging. I'm excited to write all of my thoughts down because I've been itching to write this book for a while. The time has come for it and it may just surprise some people. More on that in the coming months.
This afternoon as I was winding down from writing today, Christine asked if we could go out to the pizza buffet for supper. I certainly don't mind going to a place like this since I can scrape the toppings off the pizzas I enjoy and keep it pretty darn low-carb in the process. And that's exactly what I did and enjoyed. The only bad thing about doing this is the high salt content of those ingredients making you thirsty. While the health implications of consuming salt have been exaggerated, it is annoying waking up bone dry in the middle of the night because you ate so much salt. Also, it shows up on the scale as a weight gain from water retention before getting flushed out completely a few days later. But I don't care--I enjoyed spending time with and going exactly where my wife wanted to eat. And that's exactly what life is about.
In fact, we even stopped by Wal-mart and picked up a carton of CarbSmart low-carb ice cream to have for dessert during our date night tonight. Christine wanted some with my "magic shell" recipe, so I gladly made us each a bowl of it. This is the one time each week we are able to spend undivided time with each other and it's nice to do that on a weekly basis. Christine has had a very rough few months with her health, so anything that can bring a smile to her face is worth doing. I'm hoping she'll start to get some relief from the pain in her shoulder, neck and arm so she can get back to a "normal" routine again.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
February 12, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
12:15PM
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
1:30PM
Melted sugar-free/low-carb ChocoPerfection dark chocolate bar
Whipped cream
7:30PM
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
NOTE: Yes, I am DEFINITELY a creature of habit and that holds especially true with my menus having the same meal twice today. I love those eggs from my church friend because the yolks are so much brighter and tastier than a typical eggs. I'm so glad I found a good economical way to get quality eggs into my diet...even if I do eat them ALL THE TIME!
I think back on the days when I weighed 400 pounds and shudder at all the things I used to eat on a daily basis just because I liked the routine of it. For breakfast on the way to work, I'd stop by a 7-11 convenience store and get a Double Gulp of Coca-Cola, some soft cookies, and maybe a breakfast sausage on a bun. Then I'd go to McDonald's and get their 2 for $2 special of a sausage and egg biscuit. Before I'd even get to work just 15 minutes away, all that food would be gone. And that honkin' jug of Coke would only last until noon. And I drank it whether it tasted good or not. The Jimmy Moore of 2009 would be HORRIFIED to start his day this way. (and we won't even talk about lunch, supper, and all the snacks--EEEEEK! Maybe some other time!).
To say my habits have changed dramatically since those pre-2004 days is the understatement of the century. I am not even close to being that same man anymore and thank the good Lord I have slayed that dragon in my life and avoided all the health complications that surely would have befallen me in my life five years later. Although my low-carb lifestyle is admittedly not "perfect" by the standards of measurement some believe it has to be. But, in my eyes, it is 100% perfect for because I'm protected against falling prey to becoming the Jimmy Moore of old again as long as I keep on livin' la vida low-carb. And as long as I do that, that atrocious diet I used to eat ain't ever gonna happen again!
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
1:30PM
Melted sugar-free/low-carb ChocoPerfection dark chocolate bar
Whipped cream
7:30PM
4 free-range, locally farmed eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
NOTE: Yes, I am DEFINITELY a creature of habit and that holds especially true with my menus having the same meal twice today. I love those eggs from my church friend because the yolks are so much brighter and tastier than a typical eggs. I'm so glad I found a good economical way to get quality eggs into my diet...even if I do eat them ALL THE TIME!
I think back on the days when I weighed 400 pounds and shudder at all the things I used to eat on a daily basis just because I liked the routine of it. For breakfast on the way to work, I'd stop by a 7-11 convenience store and get a Double Gulp of Coca-Cola, some soft cookies, and maybe a breakfast sausage on a bun. Then I'd go to McDonald's and get their 2 for $2 special of a sausage and egg biscuit. Before I'd even get to work just 15 minutes away, all that food would be gone. And that honkin' jug of Coke would only last until noon. And I drank it whether it tasted good or not. The Jimmy Moore of 2009 would be HORRIFIED to start his day this way. (and we won't even talk about lunch, supper, and all the snacks--EEEEEK! Maybe some other time!).
To say my habits have changed dramatically since those pre-2004 days is the understatement of the century. I am not even close to being that same man anymore and thank the good Lord I have slayed that dragon in my life and avoided all the health complications that surely would have befallen me in my life five years later. Although my low-carb lifestyle is admittedly not "perfect" by the standards of measurement some believe it has to be. But, in my eyes, it is 100% perfect for because I'm protected against falling prey to becoming the Jimmy Moore of old again as long as I keep on livin' la vida low-carb. And as long as I do that, that atrocious diet I used to eat ain't ever gonna happen again!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
February 11, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
11:15AM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
3:00PM
Melted sugar-free/low-carb ChocoPerfection dark chocolate bar
Whipped cream
8:00PM
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
NOTE: Some people have been writing to me about my "farm-raised hen eggs" I've been eating in my menus the past few weeks. You might be wondering what the big deal is about eating these kind of eggs, but they are power-packed with some solid nutrition--omega-3 fatty acids and healthy vitamin D levels from being allowed to roam on a local farm soaking in the sunshine. A guy from my church has a nice flock of hens on his farm and delivers me two dozen eggs each week at a pretty affordable price of $2/dozen, too. I LOVE the way these eggs taste, too, and enjoy them DAILY!
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
3:00PM
Melted sugar-free/low-carb ChocoPerfection dark chocolate bar
Whipped cream
8:00PM
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
NOTE: Some people have been writing to me about my "farm-raised hen eggs" I've been eating in my menus the past few weeks. You might be wondering what the big deal is about eating these kind of eggs, but they are power-packed with some solid nutrition--omega-3 fatty acids and healthy vitamin D levels from being allowed to roam on a local farm soaking in the sunshine. A guy from my church has a nice flock of hens on his farm and delivers me two dozen eggs each week at a pretty affordable price of $2/dozen, too. I LOVE the way these eggs taste, too, and enjoy them DAILY!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
February 10, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
11:15AM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
2:30PM
Melted sugar-free/low-carb ChocoPerfection dark chocolate bar
1 Tbs coconut oil
Whipped cream
6:00PM
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
7:00PM
90-minute recreational volleyball
NOTE: I decided to have a little bit of my favorite low-carb chocolate bar today melted with some coconut oil and whipped cream for a delightful sweet afternoon snack. Melted chocolate is one of the truly decadent foods you can enjoy and consuming one devoid of sugar and carbohydrates makes it that much more delicious and satisfying. Certainly healthier for you than a sugary Hershey bar!
I'm almost ready to get back into my regular exercise routine again now that my left knee is starting to feel a lot better. I've been playing a little basketball and volleyball each week, but not much else in the form of exercise. I miss my spin, yoga, and Pilates classes, so I'll be doing those again starting soon. And I'm gonna pick up the weight training again as well to continue the progress I made last year. Wish me luck! :)
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
2:30PM
Melted sugar-free/low-carb ChocoPerfection dark chocolate bar
1 Tbs coconut oil
Whipped cream
6:00PM
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
7:00PM
90-minute recreational volleyball
NOTE: I decided to have a little bit of my favorite low-carb chocolate bar today melted with some coconut oil and whipped cream for a delightful sweet afternoon snack. Melted chocolate is one of the truly decadent foods you can enjoy and consuming one devoid of sugar and carbohydrates makes it that much more delicious and satisfying. Certainly healthier for you than a sugary Hershey bar!
I'm almost ready to get back into my regular exercise routine again now that my left knee is starting to feel a lot better. I've been playing a little basketball and volleyball each week, but not much else in the form of exercise. I miss my spin, yoga, and Pilates classes, so I'll be doing those again starting soon. And I'm gonna pick up the weight training again as well to continue the progress I made last year. Wish me luck! :)
Monday, February 9, 2009
February 9, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
12:45PM
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
Coconut milk-based sugar-free chocolate pudding with whipped cream
7:30PM
12-ounce T-bone steak with A-1
2 eggs
Mixed veggies (squash, broccoli, red peppers, green beans) with butter
Roll with LOTS of butter
Diet Coke with lime
NOTE: You'll notice I had a roll with my dinner tonight. No, it wasn't a low-carb one, but it was hot and fresh so I had one. No big deal. I think we can sometimes get so obsessed over everything that we put inside of our mouths that we forget it's just food. Sure, there are certainly better food choices than others, but you're not going to have an effective weight and health program by obsessing over every little morsel of food that you eat. That's a diet in my book and I've stopped that ruthless cycle of torturing yourself long ago. As long as you're not feeding the beast with these kinds of foods all day everyday then it's not a problem. These days I'm just living my life as healthy and low-carb as I can. And it's not just livin', though...I'm livin' la vida low-carb! :D
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
Coconut milk-based sugar-free chocolate pudding with whipped cream
7:30PM
12-ounce T-bone steak with A-1
2 eggs
Mixed veggies (squash, broccoli, red peppers, green beans) with butter
Roll with LOTS of butter
Diet Coke with lime
NOTE: You'll notice I had a roll with my dinner tonight. No, it wasn't a low-carb one, but it was hot and fresh so I had one. No big deal. I think we can sometimes get so obsessed over everything that we put inside of our mouths that we forget it's just food. Sure, there are certainly better food choices than others, but you're not going to have an effective weight and health program by obsessing over every little morsel of food that you eat. That's a diet in my book and I've stopped that ruthless cycle of torturing yourself long ago. As long as you're not feeding the beast with these kinds of foods all day everyday then it's not a problem. These days I'm just living my life as healthy and low-carb as I can. And it's not just livin', though...I'm livin' la vida low-carb! :D
Sunday, February 8, 2009
February 8, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
12:30PM
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
2:30PM
60-minute full-court basketball
5:15PM
12-ounce T-bone steak with A-1
2 eggs
Mixed veggies (squash, broccoli, red peppers, green beans) with butter
Diet Coke with lime
NOTE: I've been battling a nagging cough for about a month now and it's starting to get on my nerves. We had singing auditions for the praise team at my church this afternoon and I was hacking my head off trying to clear my throat. This has been happening longer than a traditional "cold" would impact me, so I beginning to wonder if it's allergies or something. All I know is it stinks.
My audition went well and the music director said he noticed I had a big booming bass voice. The only problem with that is I'm a tenor. I explained I've been battling phlegm and that usually makes me sing lower than normal, but he said it sounded good. So good, in fact, that he'd like for me to switch from the tenor section to the bass section to give them support and leadership. Technically, I'm a baritone, but singing bass is not something I'm unfamiliar with--I was the bass section leader at my last church. We'll give it a go, although it will be interesting to see what happens when the cough clears up.
I've been going to play a pick-up game of basketball at my church on Sunday afternoons and these guys are very good and competitive. I'm a little out of my league, but I get in a good workout and meet new people. There's a bunch tall, physical guys, so I'm not stuck guarding the biggest guy on the other team (I'm 6'3" and that's usually the case). We play hard, muscle up under the basket, and run up and down the court...there's no better rush or physical activity than that! I've been resting that sore left knee I've told you about before and hope to get back to the gym soon.
My diet today was fantastic. Eggs, cheese, butter, T-bone steak, non-starchy veggies...what's NOT to love about livin' la vida low-carb? :)
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
2:30PM
60-minute full-court basketball
5:15PM
12-ounce T-bone steak with A-1
2 eggs
Mixed veggies (squash, broccoli, red peppers, green beans) with butter
Diet Coke with lime
NOTE: I've been battling a nagging cough for about a month now and it's starting to get on my nerves. We had singing auditions for the praise team at my church this afternoon and I was hacking my head off trying to clear my throat. This has been happening longer than a traditional "cold" would impact me, so I beginning to wonder if it's allergies or something. All I know is it stinks.
My audition went well and the music director said he noticed I had a big booming bass voice. The only problem with that is I'm a tenor. I explained I've been battling phlegm and that usually makes me sing lower than normal, but he said it sounded good. So good, in fact, that he'd like for me to switch from the tenor section to the bass section to give them support and leadership. Technically, I'm a baritone, but singing bass is not something I'm unfamiliar with--I was the bass section leader at my last church. We'll give it a go, although it will be interesting to see what happens when the cough clears up.
I've been going to play a pick-up game of basketball at my church on Sunday afternoons and these guys are very good and competitive. I'm a little out of my league, but I get in a good workout and meet new people. There's a bunch tall, physical guys, so I'm not stuck guarding the biggest guy on the other team (I'm 6'3" and that's usually the case). We play hard, muscle up under the basket, and run up and down the court...there's no better rush or physical activity than that! I've been resting that sore left knee I've told you about before and hope to get back to the gym soon.
My diet today was fantastic. Eggs, cheese, butter, T-bone steak, non-starchy veggies...what's NOT to love about livin' la vida low-carb? :)
Saturday, February 7, 2009
February 7, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
9:00AM
3-hour youth basketball refereeing
12:30PM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
2:15PM
Coconut milk-based chocolate pudding with whipped cream
6:30PM
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
NOTE: I was walking down the foreign foods aisle of my grocery store the other day just to see if I could find something I could use in my low-carb menus. In the Mexican section, I saw this ingredient that quite frankly I'd never tried before. I've had coconut oil because, but I had NEVER tried coconut milk. On our recent cruise down to Mexico, they were selling fresh coconut milk in the coconut shell in Progreso for about $2 and I meant to try it then. But when I saw it on the shelf, I just had to get some.
Once I got it home, I stuck it in the refrigerator (it hardened up a bit when I did that, so I had to microwave it!) and thought about what I could use it in. Then I came across a recipe for some low-carb chocolate pudding that called for milk. Since I don't drink milk anymore, I decided to substitute the coconut milk for the cow milk.
The carbohydrate content of that entire can of coconut milk was less than 10g, so that was a cool switcheroo of ingredients. But how would it taste? Too coconutty? Actually, it was DIVINE! There is a slight hint of coconut flavor in it, but not so overwhelming that it is disgusting. I'm no fan of the texture of coconut, but the flavor is pretty amazing.
Anything to keep things interesting in my low-carb lifestyle, ya know?
3-hour youth basketball refereeing
12:30PM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
2:15PM
Coconut milk-based chocolate pudding with whipped cream
6:30PM
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
2 low-carb wraps
Coke Zero
NOTE: I was walking down the foreign foods aisle of my grocery store the other day just to see if I could find something I could use in my low-carb menus. In the Mexican section, I saw this ingredient that quite frankly I'd never tried before. I've had coconut oil because, but I had NEVER tried coconut milk. On our recent cruise down to Mexico, they were selling fresh coconut milk in the coconut shell in Progreso for about $2 and I meant to try it then. But when I saw it on the shelf, I just had to get some.
Once I got it home, I stuck it in the refrigerator (it hardened up a bit when I did that, so I had to microwave it!) and thought about what I could use it in. Then I came across a recipe for some low-carb chocolate pudding that called for milk. Since I don't drink milk anymore, I decided to substitute the coconut milk for the cow milk.
The carbohydrate content of that entire can of coconut milk was less than 10g, so that was a cool switcheroo of ingredients. But how would it taste? Too coconutty? Actually, it was DIVINE! There is a slight hint of coconut flavor in it, but not so overwhelming that it is disgusting. I'm no fan of the texture of coconut, but the flavor is pretty amazing.
Anything to keep things interesting in my low-carb lifestyle, ya know?
Friday, February 6, 2009
February 6, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
12:00PM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Low-carb raspberry cheesecake (cream cheese and Raspberry DaVinci syrup)
7:15PM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
NOTE: Not much to say about my menu...I ate my favorite meal today--TWICE! :)
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
Low-carb raspberry cheesecake (cream cheese and Raspberry DaVinci syrup)
7:15PM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
NOTE: Not much to say about my menu...I ate my favorite meal today--TWICE! :)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
February 5, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
12:45PM
12-ounce T-bone steak with A-1
2 eggs
Mixed veggies (squash, broccoli, red peppers, green beans) with butter
Diet Coke with lime
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
3:30PM
60-minute moving music at church
5:45PM
2 low-carb wraps
6 slices turkey
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
1 Tbs mayo
Coke Zero
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
NOTE: Christine is starting to feel a LITTLE relief from her pain after several straight days of physical therapy, but it's still gonna be a long road ahead for her. After seriously discussing my concerns about the kind of foods she has been eating as of late today, she said she wanted to actively try to reduce her carb intake. Now it won't be "low-carb" as many of us would describe it, but it will be lower-carb in the less then 100g/day range. That's a good start for her and we'll see how it works for her.
Has a FANTASTIC steak for lunch today...first one in a while and it was perfectly cooked and tender. Gotta love a good steak. Even Christine had a small sirloin steak with veggies and a salad (she's trying!) with unsweet tea. This afternoon I went up to our church where the minister of music had volunteers load up the choir music boxes to move to our new building. It was quite laborious and the boxes were heavy with music books galore. What a workout! With about ten of us moving the music, it was completely moved in about an hour. Not bad timing.
I've noticed something pretty remarkable lately--I'm sleeping INCREDIBLY well. Late last year I was having so much trouble getting quality sleep at night that I invested in some blackout curtains and began taking melatonin supplements before bedtime starting in December. But a couple of weeks ago I noticed my sleepiness at night was coming on naturally without the melatonin and I haven't taken it since. Perhaps my body is making its own automatically now and I'm sleeping like a baby. Just thought I'd pass that nugget of health truth along to anyone dealing with sleep issues.
12-ounce T-bone steak with A-1
2 eggs
Mixed veggies (squash, broccoli, red peppers, green beans) with butter
Diet Coke with lime
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
3:30PM
60-minute moving music at church
5:45PM
2 low-carb wraps
6 slices turkey
4 slices Colby Jack cheese
1 Tbs mayo
Coke Zero
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
NOTE: Christine is starting to feel a LITTLE relief from her pain after several straight days of physical therapy, but it's still gonna be a long road ahead for her. After seriously discussing my concerns about the kind of foods she has been eating as of late today, she said she wanted to actively try to reduce her carb intake. Now it won't be "low-carb" as many of us would describe it, but it will be lower-carb in the less then 100g/day range. That's a good start for her and we'll see how it works for her.
Has a FANTASTIC steak for lunch today...first one in a while and it was perfectly cooked and tender. Gotta love a good steak. Even Christine had a small sirloin steak with veggies and a salad (she's trying!) with unsweet tea. This afternoon I went up to our church where the minister of music had volunteers load up the choir music boxes to move to our new building. It was quite laborious and the boxes were heavy with music books galore. What a workout! With about ten of us moving the music, it was completely moved in about an hour. Not bad timing.
I've noticed something pretty remarkable lately--I'm sleeping INCREDIBLY well. Late last year I was having so much trouble getting quality sleep at night that I invested in some blackout curtains and began taking melatonin supplements before bedtime starting in December. But a couple of weeks ago I noticed my sleepiness at night was coming on naturally without the melatonin and I haven't taken it since. Perhaps my body is making its own automatically now and I'm sleeping like a baby. Just thought I'd pass that nugget of health truth along to anyone dealing with sleep issues.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
February 4, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
10:30AM
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
3 slices Colby Jack cheese
Coke Zero
3:15PM
4 eggs
4 sausage links
4 bacon slices
Mixed veggies (squash, broccoli, green beans, red peppers) with 1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
7:45PM
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
Coke Zero
NOTE: Christine is continuing with her physical therapy for a bulging disc in her neck. So far, it hasn't helped get her out of pain, but we are going to the physical therapist everyday this week and next week. They've ordered her one of those at-home traction do-hickeys so she can continue the therapy on her neck on her own after the two weeks. THANK YOU to everyone who has asked about her and she and I sincerely appreciate your loving care and concern.
I posted a YouTube video today about our visit to Denny's to get a FREE Grand Slam on Tuesday. It was quite an experience and we were glad to capture it on video for posterity sake. Some have been critical of Christine taking my pancakes from my Grand Slam and eating them. Keep in mind that she is a grown woman and can make decisions about what is best for her. She knows from watching me what eating carbohydrates like that can do to her body, but she chooses to eat them anyway despite our concern she may have an allergy to wheat.
We don't know for sure, so it's not an urgent problem for Christine to address. She can get away with eating more carbs than I can, so that may be part of the issue. In some ways, I wish EVERYONE was so sensitive to consuming carbohydrates that they'd gain weight if they ate too many. But it doesn't work that way. Some people pack on the pounds while others see their triglycerides and cholesterol get out of whack. That's why livin' la vida low-carb is so much more than mere weight loss--it's a HEALTHY way to live. Hopefully someday soon Christine will commit to it as fully as she needs to.
Being in pain like she is makes the process that much more difficult and I think she's doing what she feels will help her manage that pain best right now. You and I both know that there are better ways to comfort ourselves, but I'm not experiencing Christine's pain personally--so I'm not about to tell her how to deal with it. She's the love of my life and I just want her to get better ASAP! Here's hoping the treatments she is going through now kick into high gear sooner rather than later.
4 farm-raised hen eggs
1 Tbs butter
3 slices Colby Jack cheese
Coke Zero
3:15PM
4 eggs
4 sausage links
4 bacon slices
Mixed veggies (squash, broccoli, green beans, red peppers) with 1 Tbs butter
Diet Coke with lime
7:45PM
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
Coke Zero
NOTE: Christine is continuing with her physical therapy for a bulging disc in her neck. So far, it hasn't helped get her out of pain, but we are going to the physical therapist everyday this week and next week. They've ordered her one of those at-home traction do-hickeys so she can continue the therapy on her neck on her own after the two weeks. THANK YOU to everyone who has asked about her and she and I sincerely appreciate your loving care and concern.
I posted a YouTube video today about our visit to Denny's to get a FREE Grand Slam on Tuesday. It was quite an experience and we were glad to capture it on video for posterity sake. Some have been critical of Christine taking my pancakes from my Grand Slam and eating them. Keep in mind that she is a grown woman and can make decisions about what is best for her. She knows from watching me what eating carbohydrates like that can do to her body, but she chooses to eat them anyway despite our concern she may have an allergy to wheat.
We don't know for sure, so it's not an urgent problem for Christine to address. She can get away with eating more carbs than I can, so that may be part of the issue. In some ways, I wish EVERYONE was so sensitive to consuming carbohydrates that they'd gain weight if they ate too many. But it doesn't work that way. Some people pack on the pounds while others see their triglycerides and cholesterol get out of whack. That's why livin' la vida low-carb is so much more than mere weight loss--it's a HEALTHY way to live. Hopefully someday soon Christine will commit to it as fully as she needs to.
Being in pain like she is makes the process that much more difficult and I think she's doing what she feels will help her manage that pain best right now. You and I both know that there are better ways to comfort ourselves, but I'm not experiencing Christine's pain personally--so I'm not about to tell her how to deal with it. She's the love of my life and I just want her to get better ASAP! Here's hoping the treatments she is going through now kick into high gear sooner rather than later.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
February 3, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
9:15AM
1 egg
1 sausage patty
10:45AM
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
2:00PM
2 eggs
4 sausage links
4 bacon slices
Cheddar cheese
Diet Coke with lime
4:45PM
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
7:00PM
100-minute recreational volleyball
9:45PM
2 low-carb wraps
8 turkey slices
4 slices cheddar cheese
1 Tbs mayo
Coke Zero
NOTE: Christine and I set out this morning to go to our local Denny's to take advantage of their special Super Bowl FREE Grand Slam offer, but it was absolute mayhem with a long line running out the door. I'm sure it was that way at Denny's restaurants all across America and it just goes to show people love a free meal.
Because of the busy-ness at Denny's, Christine asked if we could go to the brand new Cracker Barrel that just opened up near our house. Knowing that they have an excellent low-carb menu, I excitedly agreed to check it out. But unfortunately new Cracker Barrel restaurants serve a "limited menu" according to the manager and the low-carb menu offerings won't be available for another eight months. SHOOT! So I got the one egg, one sausage and biscuit meal (I gave the biscuit to Christine to eat). That's the best they had to offer without loading me up with pancakes, grits, hashbrowns, or any other high-carb crap.
Since the Denny's promotion lasted until 2:00pm, we decided to give it one more go thinking it would slow down by then. No such luck! We stood in line for 45 minutes to get seated, but got our FREE Grand Slams. Christine gave me her meat and I gave her my pancakes. It was nice getting a free low-carb meal and I happily enjoyed it...even tipped the very nice waiter $5!
I was quite busy again all day today up until it was time for my Tuesday night volleyball. That's life and you just keep pushing forward with the work. It'll always be there tomorrow.
1 egg
1 sausage patty
10:45AM
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
2:00PM
2 eggs
4 sausage links
4 bacon slices
Cheddar cheese
Diet Coke with lime
4:45PM
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
7:00PM
100-minute recreational volleyball
9:45PM
2 low-carb wraps
8 turkey slices
4 slices cheddar cheese
1 Tbs mayo
Coke Zero
NOTE: Christine and I set out this morning to go to our local Denny's to take advantage of their special Super Bowl FREE Grand Slam offer, but it was absolute mayhem with a long line running out the door. I'm sure it was that way at Denny's restaurants all across America and it just goes to show people love a free meal.
Because of the busy-ness at Denny's, Christine asked if we could go to the brand new Cracker Barrel that just opened up near our house. Knowing that they have an excellent low-carb menu, I excitedly agreed to check it out. But unfortunately new Cracker Barrel restaurants serve a "limited menu" according to the manager and the low-carb menu offerings won't be available for another eight months. SHOOT! So I got the one egg, one sausage and biscuit meal (I gave the biscuit to Christine to eat). That's the best they had to offer without loading me up with pancakes, grits, hashbrowns, or any other high-carb crap.
Since the Denny's promotion lasted until 2:00pm, we decided to give it one more go thinking it would slow down by then. No such luck! We stood in line for 45 minutes to get seated, but got our FREE Grand Slams. Christine gave me her meat and I gave her my pancakes. It was nice getting a free low-carb meal and I happily enjoyed it...even tipped the very nice waiter $5!
I was quite busy again all day today up until it was time for my Tuesday night volleyball. That's life and you just keep pushing forward with the work. It'll always be there tomorrow.
Monday, February 2, 2009
February 2, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
12:45PM
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Coke Zero
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
4:45PM
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
6:00PM
2 low-carb wraps
8 turkey slices
3 slices cheddar cheese
1 Tbs mayo
Coke Zero
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
NOTE: Mondays are always crazy for me! I had so much planned to do today, but the phone would not stop ringing off the hook. Add to that the fact that Christine started her daily physical therapy treatments on her neck/shoulder today and the time in the day flew by so fast. I'm a pretty good budgeter of my time, but some days just go against any structure you try to put on it. I managed to eat when I could today, although I like it when things are slower because I can enjoy the food and nourishment a little more. Tomorrow, Christine and I will head over to our local Denny's restaurant to get our FREE Grand Slam breakfast they advertised during the Super Bowl. Two eggs, two sausage, two bacon and a low-carb substitute for the pancakes will make for a nice meal.
2 eggs
2 sausage links
2 bacon slices
Green peppers and onions in butter
Pico de gallo
2 Tbs sour cream
1 order mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, squash, red peppers)
1 Tbs butter
Coke Zero
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
4:45PM
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
6:00PM
2 low-carb wraps
8 turkey slices
3 slices cheddar cheese
1 Tbs mayo
Coke Zero
Sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
NOTE: Mondays are always crazy for me! I had so much planned to do today, but the phone would not stop ringing off the hook. Add to that the fact that Christine started her daily physical therapy treatments on her neck/shoulder today and the time in the day flew by so fast. I'm a pretty good budgeter of my time, but some days just go against any structure you try to put on it. I managed to eat when I could today, although I like it when things are slower because I can enjoy the food and nourishment a little more. Tomorrow, Christine and I will head over to our local Denny's restaurant to get our FREE Grand Slam breakfast they advertised during the Super Bowl. Two eggs, two sausage, two bacon and a low-carb substitute for the pancakes will make for a nice meal.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
February 1, 2009 Low-Carb Menu
1:00PM
2 turkey and cheddar cheese low-carb wraps with mustard, green beans, Coke Zero, sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
5:45PM
2 slices low-carb bread with butter and cheddar cheese, Coke Zero, sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
8:30PM
Sugar-free chocolate pudding with mixed nuts (almonds, macadamia nuts, and pecans)
NOTE: This weekend our church had a big missions conference with various missionaries from around the world visiting our church to talk about the work they are doing on behalf of spreading the gospel to the farthest corners of the world. After the morning worship service was over, the pastor invited us over to the Christian Life Center for a complimentary meal provided by the church. I'm always skeptical of these kind of meals.
Predictably, it was quite carb-loaded--breaded chicken fingers, macaroni & cheese, dinner rolls, and peach cobbler. The only thing that was low-carb friendly was green beans...so that's all I could eat. It's such a shame that the chicken couldn't have been baked with some mashed cauliflower, but that's the world we live in. Carbs, carbs, and more carbs are prevalent everywhere at these kind of church events. You want to scream out to these people--STOP IT, DON'T EAT THIS STUFF, MAKE BETTER CHOICES! But we just keep doing the same thing and wonder why obesity and diabetes is out of control.
There was one bright spot about the lunch--I sat right next to a woman who remembered me when I weighed 410 pounds in 2004 and she asked about my weight loss. I shared my Atkins success and was able to explain to her about blood sugar, insulin, and the connection to fat storage. She was inquisitive enough that I think she may check out my blog and get better educated about livin' la vida low-carb. One person at a time, I suppose, is better than none at all. That's why we should never stop sharing the truth even when we think nobody is listening. They are.
I enjoyed some low-carb treats while watching the Pittsburgh Steelers win Super Bowl 43 tonight and it was an exciting game. I thank God I skipped the potato chips, pretzels, and other high-carb junk food that most people eat during the "big game." It's what you do when you commit your life to livin' la vida low-carb.
2 turkey and cheddar cheese low-carb wraps with mustard, green beans, Coke Zero, sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
5:45PM
2 slices low-carb bread with butter and cheddar cheese, Coke Zero, sugar-free, low-carb blueberry granola with cream
8:30PM
Sugar-free chocolate pudding with mixed nuts (almonds, macadamia nuts, and pecans)
NOTE: This weekend our church had a big missions conference with various missionaries from around the world visiting our church to talk about the work they are doing on behalf of spreading the gospel to the farthest corners of the world. After the morning worship service was over, the pastor invited us over to the Christian Life Center for a complimentary meal provided by the church. I'm always skeptical of these kind of meals.
Predictably, it was quite carb-loaded--breaded chicken fingers, macaroni & cheese, dinner rolls, and peach cobbler. The only thing that was low-carb friendly was green beans...so that's all I could eat. It's such a shame that the chicken couldn't have been baked with some mashed cauliflower, but that's the world we live in. Carbs, carbs, and more carbs are prevalent everywhere at these kind of church events. You want to scream out to these people--STOP IT, DON'T EAT THIS STUFF, MAKE BETTER CHOICES! But we just keep doing the same thing and wonder why obesity and diabetes is out of control.
There was one bright spot about the lunch--I sat right next to a woman who remembered me when I weighed 410 pounds in 2004 and she asked about my weight loss. I shared my Atkins success and was able to explain to her about blood sugar, insulin, and the connection to fat storage. She was inquisitive enough that I think she may check out my blog and get better educated about livin' la vida low-carb. One person at a time, I suppose, is better than none at all. That's why we should never stop sharing the truth even when we think nobody is listening. They are.
I enjoyed some low-carb treats while watching the Pittsburgh Steelers win Super Bowl 43 tonight and it was an exciting game. I thank God I skipped the potato chips, pretzels, and other high-carb junk food that most people eat during the "big game." It's what you do when you commit your life to livin' la vida low-carb.
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