8:30AM
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Peanut Butter Supreme QuestBar
1:00PM
Salmon patties cooked in butter, mashed cauliflower with butter, snow peas with butter
7:15PM
100-minute competitive volleyball
9:15PM
Grilled chicken breast cooked in butter, American cheese, and Ranch dressing
CALORIES: ~1850
TOTAL CARBS: 45g
NET CARBS: 23g
NOTE: I had a food today that I don't think I've ever eaten in my life--EVER! It's snow peas and they were simply fabulous. I don't know why I've never consumed them before but I'm sure glad I did. These veggies are pretty darn low in carbs (according to CalorieKing.com, 1 cup of snow peas contains 11.5g carbs with 4.5g fiber for a net carbohydrate count of 7g). My serving was around 1/2 cup, so it only cost me 3.5g net carbs. WOO HOO! And oh-so-yummy. Fans of my menus blog will know I'm a creature of habit in my menus, but I do like to add in new foods like this from time to time. The salmon that appeared in the same meal with the snap peas is another example. I don't really eat fish a whole lot in my diet, but every now and again I'll get a hankering for it. All in all, it was a great day of livin' la vida low-carb!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
September 29, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
9:30AM
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Peanut Butter Supreme QuestBar
1:30PM
1/2 pound burger patty with creamed spinach and BBQ sauce, grilled asparagus cooked in butter and garlic
8:45PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef, American cheese, and Ranch dressing
CALORIES: ~2100
TOTAL CARBS: 35g
NET CARBS: 15g
NOTE: I went out to lunch with a chiropractor friend of mine today since he works downtown. We both got the same meal and I was intrigued to watch this 30-something year old man who has never had a weight or health problem in his life consume his meal. He got his burger with the bun and proceeded to take one bite of it before tossing the bread aside. He also had one bite of the famous cornbread of the restaurant we went to and then he was done with that. His side was sweet potato fries which looked really good...again, he had maybe 3-4 of the fries and was finished with them. The main source of nutrition he got came from the fat and protein in the burger and it's a good lesson for all of us who seek to eat healthy. People know that they need to cut down on your carbohydrate intake and the savvy ones like my chiropractor friend are doing that naturally without being told whether it's good for them or not. I asked my friend if he'd like to come on my podcast sometime to talk about his philosophy on nutrition and good health. When my schedule opens back up in 2011, we'll make that happen!
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Peanut Butter Supreme QuestBar
1:30PM
1/2 pound burger patty with creamed spinach and BBQ sauce, grilled asparagus cooked in butter and garlic
8:45PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef, American cheese, and Ranch dressing
CALORIES: ~2100
TOTAL CARBS: 35g
NET CARBS: 15g
NOTE: I went out to lunch with a chiropractor friend of mine today since he works downtown. We both got the same meal and I was intrigued to watch this 30-something year old man who has never had a weight or health problem in his life consume his meal. He got his burger with the bun and proceeded to take one bite of it before tossing the bread aside. He also had one bite of the famous cornbread of the restaurant we went to and then he was done with that. His side was sweet potato fries which looked really good...again, he had maybe 3-4 of the fries and was finished with them. The main source of nutrition he got came from the fat and protein in the burger and it's a good lesson for all of us who seek to eat healthy. People know that they need to cut down on your carbohydrate intake and the savvy ones like my chiropractor friend are doing that naturally without being told whether it's good for them or not. I asked my friend if he'd like to come on my podcast sometime to talk about his philosophy on nutrition and good health. When my schedule opens back up in 2011, we'll make that happen!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
September 28, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
9:30AM
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Peanut Butter Supreme QuestBar
1:30PM
1/3 pound hamburger patty with 1 ounce American cheese, pickle, mustard, and 1 ounce mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:30PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef, American cheese, and Ranch dressing
CALORIES: ~2400
TOTAL CARBS: 45g
NET CARBS: 27g
NOTE: I don't know if it's because I've been writing more about some of my weight struggles as of late or what, but I'm getting a whole lot more e-mails from people who are experiencing similar frustrations in their weight loss efforts too. If this were an issue that could be answered with a simple response like "eat low-carb and everything will be okay," then nobody who committed themselves to livin' la vida low-carb would ever struggle. But you and I both know there are some of us who ARE eating low-carb, doing all the right things, and yet that weight just keeps on being stubborn.
And everybody and their momma has their own personal theory about what's happening--you're eating too many calories, not eating enough calories, exercising too little, not getting the right kind of exercise, blah blah blah. I know people who offer up these unsolicited tips are well-meaning when they do it. But when you've tried those things and they really haven't done much for you, hearing them can actually make you become numb to it all. This can be dangerous for people who believe low-carb should ONLY be about weight loss. How many health benefits of this way of eating are being overlooked in this obsession over weight?
A great example of this is an e-mail that I received just today from a Facebook friend who is a Type 1 diabetic experiencing some truly remarkable changes in his health:
This is what I'm talking about. Here's a Type 1 who cut down on his insulin by 75% since 2005 and 66% since he started reducing his carbohydrate intake and he's still worried about his weight. While I'm sure we'd all love to be at a certain weight for vanity and psychological reasons, the fact is this guy is a walking, talking testament to the amazing health impact of low-carb living! If there were a drug that would reduce your need for insulin by a factor of even 10%, it would be heralded as a major medical breakthrough. But here is a natural dietary means for doing so much more than that and the focus is on the weight loss.
I suppose we can blame this warped mentality about diet on our culture which has told us the scale is the only measurement that counts in determining your success or failure following a plan. If you don't lose weight, then there is no redeeming value in following a diet--at least that's what they say. But look at what low-carb does for you--improved blood sugar and insulin levels, an increase in HDL good cholesterol, a significant drop in triglycerides, a decrease in small, dense LDL particles, lower blood pressure, and so much more! This was one of the reasons I wrote my second book 21 Life Lessons From Livin' La Vida Low-Carb was because I got so tired of people thinking low-carb is ONLY about losing weight. It is not and I'd even argue it's not even the primary reason for low-carbing. The healthy low-carb lifestyle is about improving your health without the use of pharmaceutical medications by eating delicious and nutritious foods like eggs, full-fat meats and cheeses, and non-starchy veggies. If I never lost another pound of weight on the scale, I'd keep eating low-carb to maintain my health.
If you are struggling with your weight and feel discouraged about what to do, take heart my friend. You are not alone and it's not your fault if you are doing everything right. I'm more and more convinced that those of us who have experienced morbid obesity have so damaged our metabolisms that it makes it that much more difficult for us to have our bodies get to the place we want them to be. I shudder to think where I'd be physically today had low-carb never entered my life. Perhaps I would be joining my brother Kevin in a grave at an early age. All I know is I'm a lot better off now than I was just a few years ago and nobody will ever be able to take that away from me. THANK YOU Dr. Atkins for championing the low-carb cause so that people like me could be changed forever the for better!
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Peanut Butter Supreme QuestBar
1:30PM
1/3 pound hamburger patty with 1 ounce American cheese, pickle, mustard, and 1 ounce mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:30PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef, American cheese, and Ranch dressing
CALORIES: ~2400
TOTAL CARBS: 45g
NET CARBS: 27g
NOTE: I don't know if it's because I've been writing more about some of my weight struggles as of late or what, but I'm getting a whole lot more e-mails from people who are experiencing similar frustrations in their weight loss efforts too. If this were an issue that could be answered with a simple response like "eat low-carb and everything will be okay," then nobody who committed themselves to livin' la vida low-carb would ever struggle. But you and I both know there are some of us who ARE eating low-carb, doing all the right things, and yet that weight just keeps on being stubborn.
And everybody and their momma has their own personal theory about what's happening--you're eating too many calories, not eating enough calories, exercising too little, not getting the right kind of exercise, blah blah blah. I know people who offer up these unsolicited tips are well-meaning when they do it. But when you've tried those things and they really haven't done much for you, hearing them can actually make you become numb to it all. This can be dangerous for people who believe low-carb should ONLY be about weight loss. How many health benefits of this way of eating are being overlooked in this obsession over weight?
A great example of this is an e-mail that I received just today from a Facebook friend who is a Type 1 diabetic experiencing some truly remarkable changes in his health:
Quick background: 35 year old type 1, insulin pump 4.5 years, low carbing for almost three years.
One thing us type 1's can do is measure our insulin usage. "If you can measure it, you can manage it"
From before I started pumping, my averages have gone like this:
2005 120u/day
2006 after pumping = 90u
2008 initial carb reduction under 150g/day = 75u
2009-2010 carbs 50-100g = 55u
2010 May gluten free
2010 removing all milk, carbs 50g = 45u
2010 removing most fruit and targeting 30g/day = 30u
I'm now down to 30u per day of insulin compared to 120u per day five years ago. Wow. I feel good, I'm much more active, and I'm down about 20lbs.
The issue I have is my weight hasn't fallen like I see others lose it. I dropped 8-10lbs in July 2008 when I initially lowered my carbs, but it stayed pretty level for about a year and a half floating between 238 and 242. This june when I dropped carbs to 50g I started losing slowly again. I was 238 and I hit 228 in early sept, not bad. Since then I've been even more strict with carbs, I've had two apples and three choc bars since, and my daily average is in the low 30's. I've had to drop my basal rates by 25%! I've walked 2 to 5 miles a day in septermber. I don't think there's hidden carbs; my insulin doesn't lie...[unless I'm now making some of my own ... I don't suppose going gluten free could trigger a re-growth of cells ... naaaw]
I've lost no weight in September despite my increased efforts. My belly is still big!
My doctors are totally useless. They think this stuff is witchcraft.
I'm not looking for personal advice, but I am wondering if you can point me to some ideas, maybe some blog posts, some of your interviews, anything. I have the feeling there's something else going on, maybe something special about us type 1's. I know about amylin, and I try for low-bulk meals per bernstein. My insulin use indicates success here. Maybe I just need to be patient.
I'm also very curious why when I drop my carbs low I have to reduce my basal insulins. I've done it twice now. I previously had to increase back up when I didn't hold my carbs low enough. It seems there's a switch, maybe when I hit ketosis? My body just doesn't put out the same sugar levels when I'm in this state. I've been 80 mg/dl ketones just about all this month. A 25% drop in basals is not insignifiicant.
This is what I'm talking about. Here's a Type 1 who cut down on his insulin by 75% since 2005 and 66% since he started reducing his carbohydrate intake and he's still worried about his weight. While I'm sure we'd all love to be at a certain weight for vanity and psychological reasons, the fact is this guy is a walking, talking testament to the amazing health impact of low-carb living! If there were a drug that would reduce your need for insulin by a factor of even 10%, it would be heralded as a major medical breakthrough. But here is a natural dietary means for doing so much more than that and the focus is on the weight loss.
I suppose we can blame this warped mentality about diet on our culture which has told us the scale is the only measurement that counts in determining your success or failure following a plan. If you don't lose weight, then there is no redeeming value in following a diet--at least that's what they say. But look at what low-carb does for you--improved blood sugar and insulin levels, an increase in HDL good cholesterol, a significant drop in triglycerides, a decrease in small, dense LDL particles, lower blood pressure, and so much more! This was one of the reasons I wrote my second book 21 Life Lessons From Livin' La Vida Low-Carb was because I got so tired of people thinking low-carb is ONLY about losing weight. It is not and I'd even argue it's not even the primary reason for low-carbing. The healthy low-carb lifestyle is about improving your health without the use of pharmaceutical medications by eating delicious and nutritious foods like eggs, full-fat meats and cheeses, and non-starchy veggies. If I never lost another pound of weight on the scale, I'd keep eating low-carb to maintain my health.
If you are struggling with your weight and feel discouraged about what to do, take heart my friend. You are not alone and it's not your fault if you are doing everything right. I'm more and more convinced that those of us who have experienced morbid obesity have so damaged our metabolisms that it makes it that much more difficult for us to have our bodies get to the place we want them to be. I shudder to think where I'd be physically today had low-carb never entered my life. Perhaps I would be joining my brother Kevin in a grave at an early age. All I know is I'm a lot better off now than I was just a few years ago and nobody will ever be able to take that away from me. THANK YOU Dr. Atkins for championing the low-carb cause so that people like me could be changed forever the for better!
Monday, September 27, 2010
September 27, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
9:00AM
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
1:30PM
1/3 pound hamburger patty with 1 ounce American cheese, pickle, mustard, and 1 ounce mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:30PM
Grilled chicken breast cooked in butter and garlic with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and Ranch dressing
10:30PM
Pecans
CALORIES: ~2200
TOTAL CARBS: 42g
NET CARBS: 25g
NOTE: I've been taking a fiber powder supplement in the morning over the past week or so and was mixing it with tea or water to get it into my body. But when I was in the store the other day, I noticed they carried some unsweetened almond milk and decided to give it a try. Actually, it's not too shabby and helps make the fiber go down a little easier when I stir it like a madman and then drink. It's a great way to start my menus day. Tonight I had Christine make me one of my favorite flavor meals with the butter garlic chicken with Parmesan cheese and Ranch. It was so delicious, but I always tend to get hungry after eating a meal like that that's not as high in fat. Thus, the pecans a couple of hours later was inevitable. Not a bad day overall.
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
1:30PM
1/3 pound hamburger patty with 1 ounce American cheese, pickle, mustard, and 1 ounce mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:30PM
Grilled chicken breast cooked in butter and garlic with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and Ranch dressing
10:30PM
Pecans
CALORIES: ~2200
TOTAL CARBS: 42g
NET CARBS: 25g
NOTE: I've been taking a fiber powder supplement in the morning over the past week or so and was mixing it with tea or water to get it into my body. But when I was in the store the other day, I noticed they carried some unsweetened almond milk and decided to give it a try. Actually, it's not too shabby and helps make the fiber go down a little easier when I stir it like a madman and then drink. It's a great way to start my menus day. Tonight I had Christine make me one of my favorite flavor meals with the butter garlic chicken with Parmesan cheese and Ranch. It was so delicious, but I always tend to get hungry after eating a meal like that that's not as high in fat. Thus, the pecans a couple of hours later was inevitable. Not a bad day overall.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
September 26, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:30AM
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
12:45PM
1/3 pound hamburger patty with 1 ounce American cheese, pickle, mustard, and 1 ounce mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
9:15PM
2 hamburger patties with American cheese and mustard
CALORIES: ~2300
TOTAL CARBS: 40g
NET CARBS: 24g
NOTE: I've been getting quite a bit of correspondence and comments in recent days from people sharing about the challenges of weight control they have experienced in an effort to help me with my issues. I sincerely appreciate all the input and I'm getting that much closer to finding out what the root issue is happening with me. I'm by no means giving up and this really has nothing to do with my healthy low-carb lifestyle. One of my readers sent me the following e-mail with his story of struggle that I thought was worth sharing:
Regardless of your struggle, know that you are never alone in this battle. The key is to stay engaged and refuse to ever let the circumstances bring you down. I have to fight that hard, but it is so worth getting your head in the right place to be successful at weight management. So, boo birds or not, I'm gonna keep doing what I think I need to be doing to get this under control.
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
12:45PM
1/3 pound hamburger patty with 1 ounce American cheese, pickle, mustard, and 1 ounce mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
9:15PM
2 hamburger patties with American cheese and mustard
CALORIES: ~2300
TOTAL CARBS: 40g
NET CARBS: 24g
NOTE: I've been getting quite a bit of correspondence and comments in recent days from people sharing about the challenges of weight control they have experienced in an effort to help me with my issues. I sincerely appreciate all the input and I'm getting that much closer to finding out what the root issue is happening with me. I'm by no means giving up and this really has nothing to do with my healthy low-carb lifestyle. One of my readers sent me the following e-mail with his story of struggle that I thought was worth sharing:
Jimmy,
This is long but I felt compelled to share my story with you since I read about your recent struggles with the scale.
Been reading your blog now for a while and am writing to tell you hang in there brother!
In September 2006 I started Weight Watchers (WW) at 346 lbs and by May 2007 I had gotten myself down to 250lbs. What got me there was gallons of diet soda and all the prepackaged WW food that in my opinion now is just poison. At the end of May 2007 my weight started to creep up, my ability to stay on the plan was weakening and I was a bear to live with (just ask my wife). Bottom line I think the lack of fat in my diet and all the chemicals I was consuming in all the WW food was making me sick. I got really, really depressed and unbelievably irritable (again just ask my wife). I went back up to around 270 and was convinced to try Atkins when I saw my next door neighbor's success.
So I got on Atkins and almost immediately felt a million times better. I was on induction religiously from September until January but was steady at 260-270 and couldn't seem to go down. I was having a problem with satiety and could get there but only after eating a lot of protein - in hindsight probably too much protein but not enough fat. So in January I started addressing per Atkins recommendations (the supplements he recommends) what I thought was then a yeast problem. Took the supplements and took out cheese which was really, really tough since this was my preferred source of fat. Interestingly I started to get diarrhea almost every day for a while (possible yeast die off) but the weight did inch its way down.
By around April or May at the suggestion of a friend I went off the anti yeast supplements, but added coconut oil - worked my way up to 6 tablespoons a day (2 before each meal as recommended by Dr. Mary Enig from WAPF). I kept inching my way down to 230 in May 2008 and I was really happy about it, but then by May I started to get sick with diarrhea every day. I stopped the coconut oil and the diarrhea went away, however, my appetite came back with abandon.
Out of frustration, from about June until October 2008 I tried the Fast 5 diet, http://www.fast-5.com/, basically fast for 19 hours a day, then eat anything you want during that 5 hour period. I went up to around 250 again but loved the fact that during the 5 hour period i could eat anything I wanted - and I did. Then I got sick again and the diarrhea came back (pretty sure it was the reintroduction of gluten and casein). Felt awful, completely sapped of energy, body hurting all over. I went to the Dr. and the Dr. was concerned because of my blood work that it was cancer. This also coincided with my retina bleeding, which the ophthalmologist was very concerned was an indicator of something else going on given that she doesn't see 41 year old males in her office with a bleeding retina that don't have some other serious condition. Spent way too much time with the oncologist, had a colonoscopy (found that I had diverticulosis and recommended the usual high fiber diet) and an endoscopy and everything was negative. So they sent me on my merry way since they didn't know what to do with me.
Since November 2008 I have basically stuck with the Atkins induction and my carbs would basically come from eating low carb salads and veggies. Diarrhea went away and I felt pretty good but still my weight remained more or less constant between 270-290. In 2009 I worked hard at working in exercise in - weights with high intensity interval aerobic training. I lost some fat but not the weight due to building muscle mass - but I felt great. Then I seriously aggravated an old shoulder injury and had to stop the weights after I tried to work through it for about three months but had to stop as it got progressively worse and was afraid I would end up needing rotator cuff surgery. Some of the weight came back but I still remained at between 270 - 290.
Then earlier this year I had a horrible bout of diverticulitis. Should have been hospitalized but I really think the conventional medicine cure for diverticulitis (antibiotics) is worse for you then the diverticulitis attack. Went off low carb and on a high fiber diet, and guess what, . . . I started to go up again. I got up to around 290-295 and then had another really bad diverticulitis episode despite the fiber. Went back to low carb/low residue diet - easily digestible food eggs, well cooked chicken, hamburger - no veggies at all and got better and my weight went down a little to around 285.
I've come to the conclusion (for now anyway) that my problem is not only one of how my body metabolises food but also how it digests food. I think based on trial and error that I have issues with gluten (although all the tests for celiac were negative) casein and the digestion of fibre/vegetables. So now, I'm feeling pretty good basically on the Atkins induction with some limits based on the GAPS Diet which I found out about from the WAPF folks. For me this means eating gluten free/casein free, limited protein, a good amount of fat and a very tiny amount of fermented vegetables.
Typically I eat 4 eggs cooked in ghee (no casein) with 3 slices of bacon for breakfast, a 4 ounce serving of chicken salad or 4 ounce hamburger patty or meatloaf - both with 2 tablespoons of home made mayo following WAPF recipee and on the burger a dash of mustard and ketchup or BBQ sauce. I then have a 4 ounce serving of homemade yogurt (another source of fat plus the real good bacteria to aid digestion) made with 100% cream (no casein) with two packets of stevia. I have the same thing for dinner and usually will add about a 1/2 cup of fermented veggies - think pickles, sauerkraut, etc. After doing this now for about 6 weeks i'm down to 274 and seem to be on a downward trajectory. By the way my wife eats a bit more food then I do each day and she maintains her weight at around 125 lbs.
Not sure if any of this will help but I wanted to share my story with you since I find your efforts so inspirational and feel i can relate so much to your situation.
Well, keep fighting the good fight and hang in there and on behalf of everyone out there that has the same challenges, thanks for your efforts!
Take care.
Regardless of your struggle, know that you are never alone in this battle. The key is to stay engaged and refuse to ever let the circumstances bring you down. I have to fight that hard, but it is so worth getting your head in the right place to be successful at weight management. So, boo birds or not, I'm gonna keep doing what I think I need to be doing to get this under control.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
September 25, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
9:00AM
Eggs, bacon and sausage
12:30PM
Sample of swordfish dish and beef roast
3:30PM
Cashews
6:30PM
Various samples of venison wrapped in bacon, 2 BBQ wings, chicken shish kabobs
CALORIES: ~2000
TOTAL CARBS: 6g
NET CARBS: 5g
NOTE: More from Euphoria today in Greenville, South Carolina and I was so excited to rub elbows with some of the best chefs in the country! One of them was Bryan Voltaggio from "Top Chef: Las Vegas" last year who was runner-up to his brother that season. He did a demonstration on manipulating textures with liquid nitrogen that was totally wicked. Another chef from Charleston, South Carolina name Mike Lata said he has become so trained to cook foods that are local and in season that if he gets a tomato in March he refuses to serve it to his customers. WOW! We need more people like that serving food in restaurants. Finally, my favorite chef to present was Kevin Rathbun from Atlanta who kept talking about how he uses tons of butter and salt in his recipes because these produce the best flavors. Of course, he was joking about "once on the lips, twice on the hips" because of the fat content, but he said he wasn't trying to make health food. Unbeknownst to him, that's exactly what he's doing! LOL! That swordfish dish was quite tasty! It was fantastic being a part of the Euphoria event this year. I'll be presenting some video from one of the co-founders as well as a song by the other co-founder singer Edwin McCain soon.
Eggs, bacon and sausage
12:30PM
Sample of swordfish dish and beef roast
3:30PM
Cashews
6:30PM
Various samples of venison wrapped in bacon, 2 BBQ wings, chicken shish kabobs
CALORIES: ~2000
TOTAL CARBS: 6g
NET CARBS: 5g
NOTE: More from Euphoria today in Greenville, South Carolina and I was so excited to rub elbows with some of the best chefs in the country! One of them was Bryan Voltaggio from "Top Chef: Las Vegas" last year who was runner-up to his brother that season. He did a demonstration on manipulating textures with liquid nitrogen that was totally wicked. Another chef from Charleston, South Carolina name Mike Lata said he has become so trained to cook foods that are local and in season that if he gets a tomato in March he refuses to serve it to his customers. WOW! We need more people like that serving food in restaurants. Finally, my favorite chef to present was Kevin Rathbun from Atlanta who kept talking about how he uses tons of butter and salt in his recipes because these produce the best flavors. Of course, he was joking about "once on the lips, twice on the hips" because of the fat content, but he said he wasn't trying to make health food. Unbeknownst to him, that's exactly what he's doing! LOL! That swordfish dish was quite tasty! It was fantastic being a part of the Euphoria event this year. I'll be presenting some video from one of the co-founders as well as a song by the other co-founder singer Edwin McCain soon.
Friday, September 24, 2010
September 24, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
9:30AM
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Peanut Butter Supreme QuestBar
1:15PM
Grilled chicken breasts cooked in grassfed butter with garlic and freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6:30PM
Various bites of pulled pork, pot roast, lobster burger, seared tuna, rabbit sausage
1/3 pound hamburger with American cheese and mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter
CALORIES: ~2200
TOTAL CARBS: 33g
NET CARBS: 17g
NOTE: Christine and I had the unique opportunity to take part in an internationally-acclaimed food, wine and music festival just down the road from us in Greenville, South Carolina called Euphoria. Because of the work I do at my blog, they asked me if I'd be interested in covering the event--well duh?! Although I don't drink, I'm always game for trying some amazing food and check out some quality music. This Euphoria event was just the ticket! Tonight they had "Taste of the South" featuring miniature samples of some of the best food served up by local restauranteurs. It was really cool trying all these amazing foods that I wouldn't normally eat (rabbit anyone?). Of course, I asked for my little tidbits of food to hold the bun or leave the starchy foods like potatoes off my plate...they all happily obliged. In fact, as I spoke with most of these top-quality restaurant chefs, they said they are becoming more and more aware of consumer demand for quality ingredients that come from local sources and cooked to meet their dietary desires. Very encouraging! Look forward to tomorrow when there will be more from this amazing festival!
1 cup unsweetened almond milk and Peanut Butter Supreme QuestBar
1:15PM
Grilled chicken breasts cooked in grassfed butter with garlic and freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6:30PM
Various bites of pulled pork, pot roast, lobster burger, seared tuna, rabbit sausage
1/3 pound hamburger with American cheese and mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter
CALORIES: ~2200
TOTAL CARBS: 33g
NET CARBS: 17g
NOTE: Christine and I had the unique opportunity to take part in an internationally-acclaimed food, wine and music festival just down the road from us in Greenville, South Carolina called Euphoria. Because of the work I do at my blog, they asked me if I'd be interested in covering the event--well duh?! Although I don't drink, I'm always game for trying some amazing food and check out some quality music. This Euphoria event was just the ticket! Tonight they had "Taste of the South" featuring miniature samples of some of the best food served up by local restauranteurs. It was really cool trying all these amazing foods that I wouldn't normally eat (rabbit anyone?). Of course, I asked for my little tidbits of food to hold the bun or leave the starchy foods like potatoes off my plate...they all happily obliged. In fact, as I spoke with most of these top-quality restaurant chefs, they said they are becoming more and more aware of consumer demand for quality ingredients that come from local sources and cooked to meet their dietary desires. Very encouraging! Look forward to tomorrow when there will be more from this amazing festival!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
September 23, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:30AM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
12:30PM
Salmon patties with lemon butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 1 Tbs sunflower seeds, 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
7:00PM
100-minute competitive volleyball
9:30PM
1/2 pound grass-fed beef hamburger with 2 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese and mustard
CALORIES: ~2100
TOTAL CARBS: 37g
NET CARBS: 20g
NOTE: Yesterday I asked a philosophical question designed to encourage thinking on an issue that I think is important for people who are livin' la vida low-carb to talk about. Although I am personally having a few issues to work through regarding my own weight right now, the question I posed was merely a way for people to express what is most important to weight management in addition to carbohydrate restriction. Certainly we are all on our own journeys with various challenges that face us from time to time even eating a low-carb diet. And, yes, I'm a prime example of that right now.
That said, I don't think a simple inability to lose weight while eating low-carb means the diet has failed. Although outwardly a person may look overweight, when you look at the health indicators like lipids, blood sugar, and the like, the person could possibly be as healthy as an ox. Obviously if someone eats a low-carb diet and is unable to lose weight, there are any number of issues that could be at play--thyroid issues, eating beyond satiety, high cortisol levels from excessive stress, the list goes on and on! It should not be overlooked that for some of us, it's possible that all the years of inadequate nutrition have indeed pushed our bodies to the brink and all the low-carbing in the world as the one and only means for healing this won't help one bit. That's why I put that question out there yesterday about what other factors are important in addition to low-carb because I think this is a crucial point to ponder in this discussion over how to eat.
I'm the first to admit that I probably need to be exercising more than I am currently. Yes, I am active and enjoy my weekly jaunts of refereeing and in a competitive volleyball league (and I'm pretty darn good at it, too!). But I know that I should be engaging in a more routine bit of physical activity that is deliberate with a purpose in mind. When I lost 180 pound in 2004, I exercised nearly every single day. Perhaps it was that along with my low-carb diet that enabled me to be so successful. I'm not blaming Gary Taubes or anything, but his insistence in Good Calories Bad Calories that exercise plays no role in weight loss may have subconsciously jaded me towards moving away from doing it for that purpose. Maybe, just maybe, for some of us it IS of tantamount importance to get in some physical activity to reach our weight goals. And quite frankly, I've kept myself so busy with everything I do that I've shoved exercise out the window as something that's important to me. My short-term goal is to get back into a regular routine of some sort with the long-term goal of making it a permanent thing if I begin seeing the results I expect.
Today was my first weigh-in in two weeks and I weighed 279.6 pounds. No, I'm not happy with this number, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up either. I don't think some people realize how incredibly frustrating it can be when you're doing all the right things nutritionally and the scale as well as measurements refuse to cooperate. The key is to stay engaged in the process which I have been for many years now even when nimrods try to convince me my healthy low-carb lifestyle needs to be replaced with something else. Uhhhh, no. Livin' la vida low-carb has been a lifesaver godsend to my health and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. It's what worked for me and I am extremely happy with what it has done in my life over the past nearly 7 years. As for my personal issues regarding my weight, I'll keep working on them and one of these will figure out what's hindering my progress.
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
12:30PM
Salmon patties with lemon butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 1 Tbs sunflower seeds, 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
7:00PM
100-minute competitive volleyball
9:30PM
1/2 pound grass-fed beef hamburger with 2 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese and mustard
CALORIES: ~2100
TOTAL CARBS: 37g
NET CARBS: 20g
NOTE: Yesterday I asked a philosophical question designed to encourage thinking on an issue that I think is important for people who are livin' la vida low-carb to talk about. Although I am personally having a few issues to work through regarding my own weight right now, the question I posed was merely a way for people to express what is most important to weight management in addition to carbohydrate restriction. Certainly we are all on our own journeys with various challenges that face us from time to time even eating a low-carb diet. And, yes, I'm a prime example of that right now.
That said, I don't think a simple inability to lose weight while eating low-carb means the diet has failed. Although outwardly a person may look overweight, when you look at the health indicators like lipids, blood sugar, and the like, the person could possibly be as healthy as an ox. Obviously if someone eats a low-carb diet and is unable to lose weight, there are any number of issues that could be at play--thyroid issues, eating beyond satiety, high cortisol levels from excessive stress, the list goes on and on! It should not be overlooked that for some of us, it's possible that all the years of inadequate nutrition have indeed pushed our bodies to the brink and all the low-carbing in the world as the one and only means for healing this won't help one bit. That's why I put that question out there yesterday about what other factors are important in addition to low-carb because I think this is a crucial point to ponder in this discussion over how to eat.
I'm the first to admit that I probably need to be exercising more than I am currently. Yes, I am active and enjoy my weekly jaunts of refereeing and in a competitive volleyball league (and I'm pretty darn good at it, too!). But I know that I should be engaging in a more routine bit of physical activity that is deliberate with a purpose in mind. When I lost 180 pound in 2004, I exercised nearly every single day. Perhaps it was that along with my low-carb diet that enabled me to be so successful. I'm not blaming Gary Taubes or anything, but his insistence in Good Calories Bad Calories that exercise plays no role in weight loss may have subconsciously jaded me towards moving away from doing it for that purpose. Maybe, just maybe, for some of us it IS of tantamount importance to get in some physical activity to reach our weight goals. And quite frankly, I've kept myself so busy with everything I do that I've shoved exercise out the window as something that's important to me. My short-term goal is to get back into a regular routine of some sort with the long-term goal of making it a permanent thing if I begin seeing the results I expect.
Today was my first weigh-in in two weeks and I weighed 279.6 pounds. No, I'm not happy with this number, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up either. I don't think some people realize how incredibly frustrating it can be when you're doing all the right things nutritionally and the scale as well as measurements refuse to cooperate. The key is to stay engaged in the process which I have been for many years now even when nimrods try to convince me my healthy low-carb lifestyle needs to be replaced with something else. Uhhhh, no. Livin' la vida low-carb has been a lifesaver godsend to my health and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. It's what worked for me and I am extremely happy with what it has done in my life over the past nearly 7 years. As for my personal issues regarding my weight, I'll keep working on them and one of these will figure out what's hindering my progress.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
September 22, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
11:45AM
1/3 pound hamburger patty with 1 ounce American cheese, pickle, mustard, and 1 ounce mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 Tbs dried cranberries, 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:00PM
1/2 pound grass-fed beef hamburger with 3 slices bacon, 2 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese, and mustard
CALORIES: ~1850
TOTAL CARBS: 42g
NET CARBS: 40g
NOTE: I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about what's been happening with my weight and I can't help but ask a question that will probably shock a lot of people who have been following my work for years--but here it is:
Is there more to weight management than simply watching your carbohydrate intake?
This is by no means a questioning of the efficacy of low-carb diets because I maintain and will always maintain livin' la vida low-carb is the basis of what constitutes a healthy diet. But for some people who have either damaged their metabolisms from years of poor eating or exposed themselves to environmental conditions that would negatively impact their weight, is it possible they need more than just carbohydrate-restriction to "fix" the underlying problem? I ask this question honestly because I'm curious to hear what people have to say about this issue.
Is it enough to just eat a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb diet and everything is supposed to be hunky dory with your weight and health? Or is there something more that some of us need to be doing or not doing to bring about the necessary changes we desire in these areas? The floor is open to YOU!
1/3 pound hamburger patty with 1 ounce American cheese, pickle, mustard, and 1 ounce mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 Tbs dried cranberries, 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:00PM
1/2 pound grass-fed beef hamburger with 3 slices bacon, 2 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese, and mustard
CALORIES: ~1850
TOTAL CARBS: 42g
NET CARBS: 40g
NOTE: I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about what's been happening with my weight and I can't help but ask a question that will probably shock a lot of people who have been following my work for years--but here it is:
Is there more to weight management than simply watching your carbohydrate intake?
This is by no means a questioning of the efficacy of low-carb diets because I maintain and will always maintain livin' la vida low-carb is the basis of what constitutes a healthy diet. But for some people who have either damaged their metabolisms from years of poor eating or exposed themselves to environmental conditions that would negatively impact their weight, is it possible they need more than just carbohydrate-restriction to "fix" the underlying problem? I ask this question honestly because I'm curious to hear what people have to say about this issue.
Is it enough to just eat a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb diet and everything is supposed to be hunky dory with your weight and health? Or is there something more that some of us need to be doing or not doing to bring about the necessary changes we desire in these areas? The floor is open to YOU!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
September 21, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
9:45AM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
1:45PM
Chicken breast with tomatoes, lemon sauce, and butter, green beans with 1 Tbs butter, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 Tbs dried cranberries, 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
9:00PM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
CALORIES: ~1900
TOTAL CARBS: 70g
NET CARBS: 36g
NOTE: I don't like to make a habit of this, but I got so busy today that a couple of my meals had to be a protein bar. Yes, ideally it would have been better if I made a regular low-carb meal...just didn't happen today. Some days are like that.
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
1:45PM
Chicken breast with tomatoes, lemon sauce, and butter, green beans with 1 Tbs butter, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 Tbs dried cranberries, 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
9:00PM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
CALORIES: ~1900
TOTAL CARBS: 70g
NET CARBS: 36g
NOTE: I don't like to make a habit of this, but I got so busy today that a couple of my meals had to be a protein bar. Yes, ideally it would have been better if I made a regular low-carb meal...just didn't happen today. Some days are like that.
Monday, September 20, 2010
September 20, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
9:30AM
1/2 pound hamburger patties (2 1/4-pound burgers) cooked in 1 Tbs butter with Parmesan cheese and mustard
12:45PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:30PM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
CALORIES: ~2000
TOTAL CARBS: 36g
NET CARBS: 18g
NOTE: When I met low-carb physician Dr. Robert Su for lunch in Virginia Beach last week, he asked me about my breakfast meals and I told him it usually consisted of 3 eggs cooked in some butter or coconut oil for around 350 or so calories. He told me one of the secrets to his low-carb success was eating a big low-carb breakfast of at LEAST 600 calories and then you won't eat as many calories the rest of the day. I've certainly heard this theory before and it stands to reason if you consume a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb meal early in the day that you won't want to eat for a while. He said that you should definitely eat a lunch meal (no intermittent fasting with him!) even if it's something inconsequential for a "meal" like a piece of cheese or some nuts. Then have a supper meal that satisfies your hunger prior to 6PM so you can experience an extended fasting time overnight to produce weight loss. It's an interesting theory that I'm certainly not opposed to trying for a period of time to see how I do. When I can get me more eggs from my local farmer, I may try eating 6 eggs with 2 Tbs butter/coconut oil to get over the 600-calorie mark. Today I did that with the hamburger patties.
1/2 pound hamburger patties (2 1/4-pound burgers) cooked in 1 Tbs butter with Parmesan cheese and mustard
12:45PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:30PM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
CALORIES: ~2000
TOTAL CARBS: 36g
NET CARBS: 18g
NOTE: When I met low-carb physician Dr. Robert Su for lunch in Virginia Beach last week, he asked me about my breakfast meals and I told him it usually consisted of 3 eggs cooked in some butter or coconut oil for around 350 or so calories. He told me one of the secrets to his low-carb success was eating a big low-carb breakfast of at LEAST 600 calories and then you won't eat as many calories the rest of the day. I've certainly heard this theory before and it stands to reason if you consume a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb meal early in the day that you won't want to eat for a while. He said that you should definitely eat a lunch meal (no intermittent fasting with him!) even if it's something inconsequential for a "meal" like a piece of cheese or some nuts. Then have a supper meal that satisfies your hunger prior to 6PM so you can experience an extended fasting time overnight to produce weight loss. It's an interesting theory that I'm certainly not opposed to trying for a period of time to see how I do. When I can get me more eggs from my local farmer, I may try eating 6 eggs with 2 Tbs butter/coconut oil to get over the 600-calorie mark. Today I did that with the hamburger patties.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
September 19, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:30AM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
12:45PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
7:30PM
1/2 pound hamburger patties (2 1/4-pound burgers) cooked in 1 Tbs butter with Parmesan cheese and mustard
CALORIES: ~2000
TOTAL CARBS: 36g
NET CARBS: 18g
NOTE: You'll notice that I'm putting a little tilde in front of the calories number now to indicate that it is estimated to be close to that number. While I strive to offer as precise numbers as I can about the foods I eat, it's virtually impossible to be exactly right all the time. Lest I be accused of trying to fudge the numbers in any way (and I'm not doing that at all), I think stating that it's a rough guesstimation covers my bases. The carbohydrate counts are pretty exact because there's no dispute about how many total carbohydrates and fiber are contained in the foods I consume. It is what it is and my numbers there run well below what conventional wisdom says is healthy and appropriate for brain function, heart health, yadda yadda yadda. Well, somebody forgot to tell my body that which does just fine on less than 50g carbohydrates per day!
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
12:45PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
7:30PM
1/2 pound hamburger patties (2 1/4-pound burgers) cooked in 1 Tbs butter with Parmesan cheese and mustard
CALORIES: ~2000
TOTAL CARBS: 36g
NET CARBS: 18g
NOTE: You'll notice that I'm putting a little tilde in front of the calories number now to indicate that it is estimated to be close to that number. While I strive to offer as precise numbers as I can about the foods I eat, it's virtually impossible to be exactly right all the time. Lest I be accused of trying to fudge the numbers in any way (and I'm not doing that at all), I think stating that it's a rough guesstimation covers my bases. The carbohydrate counts are pretty exact because there's no dispute about how many total carbohydrates and fiber are contained in the foods I consume. It is what it is and my numbers there run well below what conventional wisdom says is healthy and appropriate for brain function, heart health, yadda yadda yadda. Well, somebody forgot to tell my body that which does just fine on less than 50g carbohydrates per day!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
September 18, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:30AM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
9:00AM
120-minute youth football refereeing
12:00PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
5:45PM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
10:00PM
1/2 pound hamburger patties (2 1/4-pound burgers) cooked in 1 Tbs grassfed butter with Parmesan cheese and mustard
CALORIES: ~2100
TOTAL CARBS: 59g
NET CARBS: 28g
NOTE: I was dreading getting up this morning coming back from our trip to Virginia, but I actually woke up before the alarm went off to get ready to referee some Upward football games at my church. Surprisingly, I felt fantastic getting up and not sore from the long drive home yesterday. The games went well as the weather was picture-perfect with beautiful sunshine, a touch of coolness in the air, and a nice refreshing Fall breeze for a great set of games. I love this time of year and enjoyed my day of refereeing and then later watching some college football (although my Tennessee Vols lost again!). Did I mention it's GOOD to be home again?!
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
9:00AM
120-minute youth football refereeing
12:00PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
5:45PM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
10:00PM
1/2 pound hamburger patties (2 1/4-pound burgers) cooked in 1 Tbs grassfed butter with Parmesan cheese and mustard
CALORIES: ~2100
TOTAL CARBS: 59g
NET CARBS: 28g
NOTE: I was dreading getting up this morning coming back from our trip to Virginia, but I actually woke up before the alarm went off to get ready to referee some Upward football games at my church. Surprisingly, I felt fantastic getting up and not sore from the long drive home yesterday. The games went well as the weather was picture-perfect with beautiful sunshine, a touch of coolness in the air, and a nice refreshing Fall breeze for a great set of games. I love this time of year and enjoyed my day of refereeing and then later watching some college football (although my Tennessee Vols lost again!). Did I mention it's GOOD to be home again?!
Friday, September 17, 2010
September 17, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:45AM
Eggs with butter and sausage links
12:45PM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
5:15PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
10:00PM
Peanut Butter Supreme QuestBar
CALORIES: ~2350
TOTAL CARBS: 56g
NET CARBS: 26g
NOTE: It was a good drive back home from Virginia to South Carolina and it felt AMAZING to be home again. I vacuumed as soon as we got home since our four furry feline critters made a mess while we were away and we unpacked, watched some of our DVR'd shows, and then crashed in OUR own wonderful bed. Ahhhhhhh! Home sweet home!
Eggs with butter and sausage links
12:45PM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
5:15PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, mashed cauliflower with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
10:00PM
Peanut Butter Supreme QuestBar
CALORIES: ~2350
TOTAL CARBS: 56g
NET CARBS: 26g
NOTE: It was a good drive back home from Virginia to South Carolina and it felt AMAZING to be home again. I vacuumed as soon as we got home since our four furry feline critters made a mess while we were away and we unpacked, watched some of our DVR'd shows, and then crashed in OUR own wonderful bed. Ahhhhhhh! Home sweet home!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
September 16, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
9:00AM
Eggs with butter and sausage links
5:00PM
Meatloaf, BBQ ribs, pulled pork BBQ, spinach leaves salad with cheese, bacon, egg, pepperoni and Ranch dressing
CALORIES: ~2200
TOTAL CARBS: 12g
NET CARBS: 10g
NOTE: Last full day in Virginia and it's been a good time with family. I've been able to get some work done during the daytime (like creating my new low-carb book reviews blog) and then spending time with Christine's family in the evenings. It was our last night here, so they took us out for dinner to a buffet place where I got a little bit of some of my favorite low-carb foods there. These places aren't ideal, but at least you have choices. We enjoyed seeing them again and our 2-year old niece who is so precious and terrorizing all at the same time! HA! If you've ever been around the "terrible twos" then you know what I'm talking about. It'll be good to get home!
Eggs with butter and sausage links
5:00PM
Meatloaf, BBQ ribs, pulled pork BBQ, spinach leaves salad with cheese, bacon, egg, pepperoni and Ranch dressing
CALORIES: ~2200
TOTAL CARBS: 12g
NET CARBS: 10g
NOTE: Last full day in Virginia and it's been a good time with family. I've been able to get some work done during the daytime (like creating my new low-carb book reviews blog) and then spending time with Christine's family in the evenings. It was our last night here, so they took us out for dinner to a buffet place where I got a little bit of some of my favorite low-carb foods there. These places aren't ideal, but at least you have choices. We enjoyed seeing them again and our 2-year old niece who is so precious and terrorizing all at the same time! HA! If you've ever been around the "terrible twos" then you know what I'm talking about. It'll be good to get home!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
September 15, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
12:15AM
Pepper steak with green peppers and onions, BBQ chicken, pot roast, grilled salmon
9:15PM
2 hamburger patties with cheddar cheese, pickle, mayo and mustard
Green beans with butter
CALORIES: ~2400
TOTAL CARBS: 12g
NET CARBS: 7g
NOTE: Christine and I had a delightful time visiting with Dr. Robert Su today at a local Chinese buffet place. Dr. Su was in the mood for mostly seafood and consumed it with chopsticks. I'm a fork kinda guy and stuck with what I knew both for my utensil as well as food choices. GOOD STUFF! Looking forward to being home later this week. I've enjoyed being with Christine's family, but it's time to get back to the normal routine again.
Pepper steak with green peppers and onions, BBQ chicken, pot roast, grilled salmon
9:15PM
2 hamburger patties with cheddar cheese, pickle, mayo and mustard
Green beans with butter
CALORIES: ~2400
TOTAL CARBS: 12g
NET CARBS: 7g
NOTE: Christine and I had a delightful time visiting with Dr. Robert Su today at a local Chinese buffet place. Dr. Su was in the mood for mostly seafood and consumed it with chopsticks. I'm a fork kinda guy and stuck with what I knew both for my utensil as well as food choices. GOOD STUFF! Looking forward to being home later this week. I've enjoyed being with Christine's family, but it's time to get back to the normal routine again.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
September 14, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:45AM
3 eggs with 2 Tbs butter and 4 sausage links
1:45PM
Salad greens with boiled eggs, bacon, Ranch dressing
Hamburger patty with American cheese, pickle, mustard and mayo
Green beans with butter
CALORIES: ~1650
TOTAL CARBS: 14g
NET CARBS: 11g
NOTE: It's strange trying to get my regular work done while away from home. Although I lugged my desktop computer (an iMac, by the way!) with me to Virginia Beach, it's still odd being in a different surroundings. I love the desk I'm using to work in this nice hotel for the price I paid. And it's been so good having Christine with me again. She wasn't feeling well today because of her time of the month hitting her, so we stayed in all afternoon and evening. I missed supper today, but we'll be going out to lunch with Dr. Robert Su tomorrow for lunch. Last year when we met for the first time I convinced Dr. Su he needed to start his own podcast and now he has one. I wonder what we'll talk about this time? I guess you'll have to tune in tomorrow to find out.
3 eggs with 2 Tbs butter and 4 sausage links
1:45PM
Salad greens with boiled eggs, bacon, Ranch dressing
Hamburger patty with American cheese, pickle, mustard and mayo
Green beans with butter
CALORIES: ~1650
TOTAL CARBS: 14g
NET CARBS: 11g
NOTE: It's strange trying to get my regular work done while away from home. Although I lugged my desktop computer (an iMac, by the way!) with me to Virginia Beach, it's still odd being in a different surroundings. I love the desk I'm using to work in this nice hotel for the price I paid. And it's been so good having Christine with me again. She wasn't feeling well today because of her time of the month hitting her, so we stayed in all afternoon and evening. I missed supper today, but we'll be going out to lunch with Dr. Robert Su tomorrow for lunch. Last year when we met for the first time I convinced Dr. Su he needed to start his own podcast and now he has one. I wonder what we'll talk about this time? I guess you'll have to tune in tomorrow to find out.
Monday, September 13, 2010
September 13, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:30AM
3 eggs with 2 Tbs butter and 4 sausage links
2:00PM
Meatloaf, BBQ ribs, BBQ pulled pork, deviled eggs
8:30PM
3-egg omelet with sausage, bacon, cheddar cheese, green beans with butter
CALORIES: ~2500
TOTAL CARBS: 14g
NET CARBS: 11g
NOTE: I'm in Virginia Beach, Virginia this week until we head back home on Friday, so my calories will be a close approximation. Today was my father-in-law's birthday and we took him out for lunch at his favorite restaurant. It was one of those buffet places and I used to get so tempted to consume the wrong foods at these places, but not anymore. I stick with mostly meats and sometimes veggies...although today it was all meat with some deviled eggs. Love it! Really looking forward to being home again because the instability of my menus while away from home drives me bonkers!
3 eggs with 2 Tbs butter and 4 sausage links
2:00PM
Meatloaf, BBQ ribs, BBQ pulled pork, deviled eggs
8:30PM
3-egg omelet with sausage, bacon, cheddar cheese, green beans with butter
CALORIES: ~2500
TOTAL CARBS: 14g
NET CARBS: 11g
NOTE: I'm in Virginia Beach, Virginia this week until we head back home on Friday, so my calories will be a close approximation. Today was my father-in-law's birthday and we took him out for lunch at his favorite restaurant. It was one of those buffet places and I used to get so tempted to consume the wrong foods at these places, but not anymore. I stick with mostly meats and sometimes veggies...although today it was all meat with some deviled eggs. Love it! Really looking forward to being home again because the instability of my menus while away from home drives me bonkers!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
September 12, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:45AM
3 pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs grassfed butter
11:45AM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil with 4 slices bacon and 1 Tbs Ranch dressing
1:00PM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
7:30PM
3 1/4 pound hamburger patties with American cheese, mayo and mustard
CALORIES: 2737
TOTAL CARBS: 24g
NET CARBS: 9g
NOTE: As soon as I got finished singing in the choir at the second service at church today, I hit the road for Virginia to be with Christine and her family this upcoming week. Traveling is the one time I have difficulty with wanting to nibble and drink on something. I don't know what it is about trips--boredom or whatever--that makes this happen, but it does. I brought a QuestBar to help stave off any cravings for stuff I don't want to put in my mouth and it helped tons. When I arrived at the hotel I'm staying at in Virginia Beach, I checked in and went to my brother-in-law's house where Christine was at for a football party to watch the Cowboys vs. Redskins game. I ate some hamburgers and watched some of the game before I nearly fell asleep around halftime from the long trip. We left and watched the rest of the game from the hotel. It was good to be back with my baby doll again. Should be a fun week!
3 pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs grassfed butter
11:45AM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil with 4 slices bacon and 1 Tbs Ranch dressing
1:00PM
Vanilla Almond Crunch QuestBar
7:30PM
3 1/4 pound hamburger patties with American cheese, mayo and mustard
CALORIES: 2737
TOTAL CARBS: 24g
NET CARBS: 9g
NOTE: As soon as I got finished singing in the choir at the second service at church today, I hit the road for Virginia to be with Christine and her family this upcoming week. Traveling is the one time I have difficulty with wanting to nibble and drink on something. I don't know what it is about trips--boredom or whatever--that makes this happen, but it does. I brought a QuestBar to help stave off any cravings for stuff I don't want to put in my mouth and it helped tons. When I arrived at the hotel I'm staying at in Virginia Beach, I checked in and went to my brother-in-law's house where Christine was at for a football party to watch the Cowboys vs. Redskins game. I ate some hamburgers and watched some of the game before I nearly fell asleep around halftime from the long trip. We left and watched the rest of the game from the hotel. It was good to be back with my baby doll again. Should be a fun week!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
September 11, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:30AM
3 pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
9:00AM
120-minute youth football refereeing
12:15PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:15PM
1 1/2 cups locally-grown squash cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil and 1 Tbs grassfed butter with 3 slices of bacon
CALORIES: 1878
TOTAL CARBS: 30g
NET CARBS: 22g
NOTE: Oh what fun! Now that summer is unofficially over and the school year has started back for the kiddies, it's time for some football--youth football at my church began today and so I was back wearing the zebra stripes for yet another season. I LOVE doing this, although getting barked at by parents and coaches isn't exactly my idea of a cup of tea. But I call a fair game and it's quite a workout keeping up with these rambunctious little munchkins. My first game was kindergarden kids and I'd never seen a forward pass in the five years I've been doing this...saw not just one, but FIVE today and one for a touchdown. INCREDIBLE! It was good to be back out on the field again watching the lives of young people influenced for something positive. Check out Upward.org to learn more about this incredible organization!
3 pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
9:00AM
120-minute youth football refereeing
12:15PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:15PM
1 1/2 cups locally-grown squash cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil and 1 Tbs grassfed butter with 3 slices of bacon
CALORIES: 1878
TOTAL CARBS: 30g
NET CARBS: 22g
NOTE: Oh what fun! Now that summer is unofficially over and the school year has started back for the kiddies, it's time for some football--youth football at my church began today and so I was back wearing the zebra stripes for yet another season. I LOVE doing this, although getting barked at by parents and coaches isn't exactly my idea of a cup of tea. But I call a fair game and it's quite a workout keeping up with these rambunctious little munchkins. My first game was kindergarden kids and I'd never seen a forward pass in the five years I've been doing this...saw not just one, but FIVE today and one for a touchdown. INCREDIBLE! It was good to be back out on the field again watching the lives of young people influenced for something positive. Check out Upward.org to learn more about this incredible organization!
Friday, September 10, 2010
September 10, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:15AM
3 pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
12:30PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:15PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
CALORIES: 2480
TOTAL CARBS: 27g
NET CARBS: 21g
NOTE: Going to see Christine and her family in Virginia next week...like I have said before, I hate being away from home because my menus are so much more unpredictable when access to good food is limited compared to being in the friendly confines of my own house. But I'll do my best.
3 pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
12:30PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
8:15PM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
CALORIES: 2480
TOTAL CARBS: 27g
NET CARBS: 21g
NOTE: Going to see Christine and her family in Virginia next week...like I have said before, I hate being away from home because my menus are so much more unpredictable when access to good food is limited compared to being in the friendly confines of my own house. But I'll do my best.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
September 9, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
11:15AM
1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
4:15PM
2 slices of Smart Carb #1 Julian Bakery bread with 2 Tbs grassfed butter and 3 slices of bacon
7:15PM
100-minute competitive volleyball
9:30PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil with 1 Tbs Ranch dressing
CALORIES: 1920
TOTAL CARBS: 39g
NET CARBS: 10g
NOTE: Weigh-in time again and I lost 1 pound since last Friday. Not shabby and I'm encouraged to see it moving in the right direction even if it is at a slower pace than I'd prefer. Still trying to avoid cheese, sour cream and the like for now to see if that helps make a difference. I'll be out of town next Friday coming back from Virginia that day after spending next week there with Christine and her family. She's been there all week with my sister's situation I shared a few days ago and I'll be heading there after church on Sunday to be there with them. I'm staying in a hotel while there so I can get some work done with my blog and podcast as well as this menus blog. I always get concerned when I'm away from home because my meals are not as predictable as they would be when I can prepare them in my house. Next week will be a challenge, but I'm not gonna let it discourage me from trying my best to keep the momentum going from the past couple of weeks. Wish me luck!
1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
4:15PM
2 slices of Smart Carb #1 Julian Bakery bread with 2 Tbs grassfed butter and 3 slices of bacon
7:15PM
100-minute competitive volleyball
9:30PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil with 1 Tbs Ranch dressing
CALORIES: 1920
TOTAL CARBS: 39g
NET CARBS: 10g
NOTE: Weigh-in time again and I lost 1 pound since last Friday. Not shabby and I'm encouraged to see it moving in the right direction even if it is at a slower pace than I'd prefer. Still trying to avoid cheese, sour cream and the like for now to see if that helps make a difference. I'll be out of town next Friday coming back from Virginia that day after spending next week there with Christine and her family. She's been there all week with my sister's situation I shared a few days ago and I'll be heading there after church on Sunday to be there with them. I'm staying in a hotel while there so I can get some work done with my blog and podcast as well as this menus blog. I always get concerned when I'm away from home because my meals are not as predictable as they would be when I can prepare them in my house. Next week will be a challenge, but I'm not gonna let it discourage me from trying my best to keep the momentum going from the past couple of weeks. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
September 8, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
11:30AM
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
5:00PM
3 pastured eggs scrambled in 1 Tbs coconut oil
10:15PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
CALORIES: 2277
TOTAL CARBS: 15g
NET CARBS: 11g
NOTE: I LOVE IT when people stumble across what "real food" living is all about because the weight and health of people would be so much better off if they choose to consume foods that would have been recognized as food by our grandparents. That's why I'm happy to hear about my blogging buddy Kelly The Kitchen Kop's upcoming online class called "Real Food For Rookies" to help educate what this way of eating is all about. From consuming pastured eggs to grassfed beef like I consume on my menus, I'd argue anyone to tell me this is an "unhealthy" way to nourish your body. It could be argued that this is the way our bodies were DESIGNED to be fed and I'm thrilled to see Kelly championing this cause. Someone else who is carrying the torch for healthy real foods, low-carb living is Gary Taubes who will be releasing his long-awaited consumer-friendly book in December, but here's his lecture "Why We Get Fat" along with some Q&A time from a recent talk he gave during a teleclass full of medical professionals. I can't wait to share my hourlong chat with Gary coming up on my podcast show on Monday, September 13, 2010, too! Exciting things happening on behalf of livin' la vida low-carb!
1/3 pound hamburger with 1 ounce American cheese, pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
5:00PM
3 pastured eggs scrambled in 1 Tbs coconut oil
10:15PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
CALORIES: 2277
TOTAL CARBS: 15g
NET CARBS: 11g
NOTE: I LOVE IT when people stumble across what "real food" living is all about because the weight and health of people would be so much better off if they choose to consume foods that would have been recognized as food by our grandparents. That's why I'm happy to hear about my blogging buddy Kelly The Kitchen Kop's upcoming online class called "Real Food For Rookies" to help educate what this way of eating is all about. From consuming pastured eggs to grassfed beef like I consume on my menus, I'd argue anyone to tell me this is an "unhealthy" way to nourish your body. It could be argued that this is the way our bodies were DESIGNED to be fed and I'm thrilled to see Kelly championing this cause. Someone else who is carrying the torch for healthy real foods, low-carb living is Gary Taubes who will be releasing his long-awaited consumer-friendly book in December, but here's his lecture "Why We Get Fat" along with some Q&A time from a recent talk he gave during a teleclass full of medical professionals. I can't wait to share my hourlong chat with Gary coming up on my podcast show on Monday, September 13, 2010, too! Exciting things happening on behalf of livin' la vida low-carb!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
September 7, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
10:15AM
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
2:30PM
1/3 pound hamburger with pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
9:00PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
CALORIES: 2197
TOTAL CARBS: 14g
NET CARBS: 10g
NOTE: Whew, what a day with my work today! This morning I was working on the last few videos of a Gary Taubes lecture I'll be posting at my blog soon when my e-mail box began getting inundated with alerts about a new study that claimed an animal-based, Atkins low-carb diet leads to quicker death from heart disease and cancer. And, like clockwork, many of my readers began sending me links to this story wanting me to respond. Of course, I was planning on it and I weighed in with my thoughts. Not surprisingly, what they were calling the "Atkins diet" was nothing even remotely close to the kind of menus you see me display here each day. In fact, we don't even know what exactly these people in these cohort studies even ate since it was based on questionnaires and self-reporting.
As I shared in my blog post, we need a large-scale diet trial funded by the NIH to seriously examine the diet question or all of this pontificating will merely continue on for many years to come with no answers for the public. For now, all any of us who know how amazing the low-carb lifestyle is can do is keep sharing the truth with those people who know and love and living out the principles of livin' la vida low-carb. I had a guy I sing with in the choir at my church ask me the other day what book to get so he could learn about low-carb and another choir member was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and said he wanted to talk to me. If you put the information out there for people, eventually they will seek you out when they are ready. Will YOU be ready?
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
2:30PM
1/3 pound hamburger with pickles and 1 Tbs mayo, 1/2 cup green beans with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices crumbled bacon bits, and 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
9:00PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
CALORIES: 2197
TOTAL CARBS: 14g
NET CARBS: 10g
NOTE: Whew, what a day with my work today! This morning I was working on the last few videos of a Gary Taubes lecture I'll be posting at my blog soon when my e-mail box began getting inundated with alerts about a new study that claimed an animal-based, Atkins low-carb diet leads to quicker death from heart disease and cancer. And, like clockwork, many of my readers began sending me links to this story wanting me to respond. Of course, I was planning on it and I weighed in with my thoughts. Not surprisingly, what they were calling the "Atkins diet" was nothing even remotely close to the kind of menus you see me display here each day. In fact, we don't even know what exactly these people in these cohort studies even ate since it was based on questionnaires and self-reporting.
As I shared in my blog post, we need a large-scale diet trial funded by the NIH to seriously examine the diet question or all of this pontificating will merely continue on for many years to come with no answers for the public. For now, all any of us who know how amazing the low-carb lifestyle is can do is keep sharing the truth with those people who know and love and living out the principles of livin' la vida low-carb. I had a guy I sing with in the choir at my church ask me the other day what book to get so he could learn about low-carb and another choir member was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and said he wanted to talk to me. If you put the information out there for people, eventually they will seek you out when they are ready. Will YOU be ready?
Monday, September 6, 2010
September 6, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
10:30AM
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
2:00PM
1/2 pound pulled smoked BBQ pork
8:15PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
11:00PM
2 slices of Smart Carb #1 Julian Bakery bread with 2 Tbs grassfed butter
CALORIES: 1888
TOTAL CARBS: 29g
NET CARBS: 5g
NOTE: When I woke up this morning on a beautiful Labor Day holiday after getting in around midnight last night from my quick trip to Virginia to drop off Christine with her family, I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. I suppose driving a long distance does that to your body and I felt it this morning. But I eventually got that "numb butt" feeling to go away doing some yard work and other stuff around the house...man, it's quiet without my darling wife Christine here. Just realized I didn't eat any veggies in my menus today. Oh well, I'll get some tomorrow. Just another day in livin' la vida low-carb paradise.
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
2:00PM
1/2 pound pulled smoked BBQ pork
8:15PM
1/2 pound grassfed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
11:00PM
2 slices of Smart Carb #1 Julian Bakery bread with 2 Tbs grassfed butter
CALORIES: 1888
TOTAL CARBS: 29g
NET CARBS: 5g
NOTE: When I woke up this morning on a beautiful Labor Day holiday after getting in around midnight last night from my quick trip to Virginia to drop off Christine with her family, I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. I suppose driving a long distance does that to your body and I felt it this morning. But I eventually got that "numb butt" feeling to go away doing some yard work and other stuff around the house...man, it's quiet without my darling wife Christine here. Just realized I didn't eat any veggies in my menus today. Oh well, I'll get some tomorrow. Just another day in livin' la vida low-carb paradise.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
September 5, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
8:30AM
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
12:45PM
1/3 pound hamburger patty with 1 Tbs mayo and dill pickles, grilled asparagus with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups of salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 slices crumbled bacon, 2 hardboiled eggs, 2 ounces sunflower seeds, 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
7:00PM
1/2 pound hamburger with 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 slices tomatoes, dill pickles and 2 Tbs mayo, salad with greens, red cabbage, 1 ounce shredded cheddar cheese, and 1 Tbs Ranch dressing
CALORIES: 2486
TOTAL CARBS: 29g
NET CARBS: 18g
NOTE: It was a strange day. Christine's sister is going through a pretty rough time personally right now due to some extenuating circumstances in her life. Her soon-to-be ex-husband who has been in a really nasty divorce with my sister-in-law committed suicide on Monday. Obviously this has caused mixed emotions to erupt in her and my dear wife felt she was needed by her sister's side. Since she lives in Virginia, it meant I'd be driving Christine there and coming back tonight. My father-in-law met me at an exit right off the interstate just over the Virginia border about 4 hours away so it wouldn't be too bad. But it did make for planning interesting meal times and meals. I broke one of my rules for the dinner menu tonight when I had cheese on my hamburger patty and salad. Oddly enough, there was a slight weight increase on the scale...coincidence? Perhaps it could have been the rise in calories, but I'm not discounting the impact of the cheese which I've been eliminating as of late to see what happens. I'll be driving back to Virginia next Sunday afternoon to spend a week with the family as well before heading back home to South Carolina.
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
12:45PM
1/3 pound hamburger patty with 1 Tbs mayo and dill pickles, grilled asparagus with 1 Tbs butter, 1 1/2 cups of salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 slices crumbled bacon, 2 hardboiled eggs, 2 ounces sunflower seeds, 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
7:00PM
1/2 pound hamburger with 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 2 slices tomatoes, dill pickles and 2 Tbs mayo, salad with greens, red cabbage, 1 ounce shredded cheddar cheese, and 1 Tbs Ranch dressing
CALORIES: 2486
TOTAL CARBS: 29g
NET CARBS: 18g
NOTE: It was a strange day. Christine's sister is going through a pretty rough time personally right now due to some extenuating circumstances in her life. Her soon-to-be ex-husband who has been in a really nasty divorce with my sister-in-law committed suicide on Monday. Obviously this has caused mixed emotions to erupt in her and my dear wife felt she was needed by her sister's side. Since she lives in Virginia, it meant I'd be driving Christine there and coming back tonight. My father-in-law met me at an exit right off the interstate just over the Virginia border about 4 hours away so it wouldn't be too bad. But it did make for planning interesting meal times and meals. I broke one of my rules for the dinner menu tonight when I had cheese on my hamburger patty and salad. Oddly enough, there was a slight weight increase on the scale...coincidence? Perhaps it could have been the rise in calories, but I'm not discounting the impact of the cheese which I've been eliminating as of late to see what happens. I'll be driving back to Virginia next Sunday afternoon to spend a week with the family as well before heading back home to South Carolina.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
September 4, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
11:15AM
2 slices of Smart Carb #1 Julian Bakery bread with 2 Tbs grassfed butter
3:30PM
6-ounce sirloin steak with 1 cup broccoli and 3 Tbs butter
8:00PM
7-ounce sirloin steak, 1 1/2 cups of salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 slices crumbled bacon, 2 hardboiled eggs, 2 ounces sunflower seeds, 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
CALORIES: 2614
TOTAL CARBS: 56g
NET CARBS: 11g
NOTE: I went a little higher in calories today than I wanted to, but I've been working hard to make sure I'm eating ENOUGH of them. Conventional wisdom will tell you that in order to lose weight you need to take in less calories and exert more energy through exercise. Poppycock! While calories aren't totally irrelevant, they're not this grand mecca for determining whether or not someone gains or lose weight. If you believe that, then I highly recommend you read Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes and read what this science journalist uncovered about the real reasons why we get fat. It has very little to do with the dietary fat you eat or with the amount of calories. Think hormones and more specifically insulin--what drives insulin levels up? When you figure out this equation, then and only then will you see the calorie hypothesis as bogus.
2 slices of Smart Carb #1 Julian Bakery bread with 2 Tbs grassfed butter
3:30PM
6-ounce sirloin steak with 1 cup broccoli and 3 Tbs butter
8:00PM
7-ounce sirloin steak, 1 1/2 cups of salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 slices crumbled bacon, 2 hardboiled eggs, 2 ounces sunflower seeds, 2 Tbs Ranch dressing
CALORIES: 2614
TOTAL CARBS: 56g
NET CARBS: 11g
NOTE: I went a little higher in calories today than I wanted to, but I've been working hard to make sure I'm eating ENOUGH of them. Conventional wisdom will tell you that in order to lose weight you need to take in less calories and exert more energy through exercise. Poppycock! While calories aren't totally irrelevant, they're not this grand mecca for determining whether or not someone gains or lose weight. If you believe that, then I highly recommend you read Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes and read what this science journalist uncovered about the real reasons why we get fat. It has very little to do with the dietary fat you eat or with the amount of calories. Think hormones and more specifically insulin--what drives insulin levels up? When you figure out this equation, then and only then will you see the calorie hypothesis as bogus.
Friday, September 3, 2010
September 3, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
10:45AM
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
2:00PM
6-ounce sirloin steak with 1 cup broccoli and 3 Tbs butter
10:15PM
7-ounce sirloin steak, 1 1/2 cups of salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 slices crumbled bacon, 2 hardboiled eggs, 2 Tbs olive oil, salt and pepper
CALORIES: 2115
TOTAL CARBS: 20g
NET CARBS: 9g
NOTE: It's Friday and that means date night with my lovely wife Christine. We've been happily married for over 15 years and realize how important it is to spend time together each week. Otherwise, with my torrid work schedule we'd NEVER get to see each other or do things that we like to do. Tonight we watched the movie Julie & Julia because it had been so highly recommended by many of my readers and we were not disappointed. As a blogger and someone curious about the life of the famous Julia Child, I was thrilled by this film on both counts. If you haven't seen this one yet, then you owe it to yourself to do it! When the movie was over, I asked Christine if she was as hungry as I was. It had been a while since last ate, so we got some food that we both would enjoy. And Christine's been doing super-fabulous on her own low-carb plan these past few months taking off 20 pounds from her body (although she doesn't need to be losing weight). Pretty amazing how the low-carb way of life works for so many. I'm so proud of her.
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
2:00PM
6-ounce sirloin steak with 1 cup broccoli and 3 Tbs butter
10:15PM
7-ounce sirloin steak, 1 1/2 cups of salad greens and spinach leaves with 2 slices crumbled bacon, 2 hardboiled eggs, 2 Tbs olive oil, salt and pepper
CALORIES: 2115
TOTAL CARBS: 20g
NET CARBS: 9g
NOTE: It's Friday and that means date night with my lovely wife Christine. We've been happily married for over 15 years and realize how important it is to spend time together each week. Otherwise, with my torrid work schedule we'd NEVER get to see each other or do things that we like to do. Tonight we watched the movie Julie & Julia because it had been so highly recommended by many of my readers and we were not disappointed. As a blogger and someone curious about the life of the famous Julia Child, I was thrilled by this film on both counts. If you haven't seen this one yet, then you owe it to yourself to do it! When the movie was over, I asked Christine if she was as hungry as I was. It had been a while since last ate, so we got some food that we both would enjoy. And Christine's been doing super-fabulous on her own low-carb plan these past few months taking off 20 pounds from her body (although she doesn't need to be losing weight). Pretty amazing how the low-carb way of life works for so many. I'm so proud of her.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
September 2, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
9:30AM
2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, 2 tomato slices
1:15PM
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
5:00PM
2 slices of Smart Carb #1 Julian Bakery bread with 2 Tbs grassfed butter
7:00PM
90-minute competitive volleyball
9:00PM
1/2 pound grassfed beef
CALORIES:1860
TOTAL CARBS: 34g
NET CARBS: 9g
NOTE: It was a fantastic day today with my low-carb menus and I look forward to sharing my first weight update since changing some things as I discussed one week ago. I'm still successfully adding in the coconut oil to my diet by using it as the oil for cooking my scrambled eggs...OH MY GOSH, this is so incredibly delicious. I didn't think it would be as good as it is, but in the absence of cheese from my diet this has really done the trick. Especially when I "soft" scramble my eggs with the coconut oil. Yummers! I even added in some of the new and improved Smart Carb #1 bread from Julian Bakery which is now soy-free and uses inulin fiber and whey protein. I just wrote about this new bread at my blog today. Soon I'll be testing my blood sugar after eating this bread since the company states it has minimal impact on blood sugar levels. We'll see.
Today also was the beginning of my weekly volleyball at my church again. We took the summer off because it was just too darn hot to play in the heat...even in an air-conditioned gymnasium. But we started back and only had a few players show up. Had a little two-on-two action going for a bit before we went to three-on-three. When you don't have a lot of players, that means more running which I love in volleyball. It's a fun sport that gives me those bursts of running that are fantastic when you are wanting to shed the pounds. And it's exercise without feeling like you are doing something boring--I certainly felt it when we were done and slept like a baby.
Okay, so how did my weight do this past week since I removed basically the dairy products from my diet. I'm pleased to announce I weighed in at 273.6--down 6.8 pounds since last Friday morning's weigh-in. Yes, that's great and all, but I'm not getting too excited until I see this trend continuing on the downward path, noticing my clothes getting looser, feeling the bloating subside, and get back to the way I know I'm supposed to feel on my healthy low-carb lifestyle. This is a great first step, but the journey still has a long way to go. Here's hoping this is the beginning of a fabulous trend in my weight loss pursuits.
2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, 2 tomato slices
1:15PM
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
5:00PM
2 slices of Smart Carb #1 Julian Bakery bread with 2 Tbs grassfed butter
7:00PM
90-minute competitive volleyball
9:00PM
1/2 pound grassfed beef
CALORIES:1860
TOTAL CARBS: 34g
NET CARBS: 9g
NOTE: It was a fantastic day today with my low-carb menus and I look forward to sharing my first weight update since changing some things as I discussed one week ago. I'm still successfully adding in the coconut oil to my diet by using it as the oil for cooking my scrambled eggs...OH MY GOSH, this is so incredibly delicious. I didn't think it would be as good as it is, but in the absence of cheese from my diet this has really done the trick. Especially when I "soft" scramble my eggs with the coconut oil. Yummers! I even added in some of the new and improved Smart Carb #1 bread from Julian Bakery which is now soy-free and uses inulin fiber and whey protein. I just wrote about this new bread at my blog today. Soon I'll be testing my blood sugar after eating this bread since the company states it has minimal impact on blood sugar levels. We'll see.
Today also was the beginning of my weekly volleyball at my church again. We took the summer off because it was just too darn hot to play in the heat...even in an air-conditioned gymnasium. But we started back and only had a few players show up. Had a little two-on-two action going for a bit before we went to three-on-three. When you don't have a lot of players, that means more running which I love in volleyball. It's a fun sport that gives me those bursts of running that are fantastic when you are wanting to shed the pounds. And it's exercise without feeling like you are doing something boring--I certainly felt it when we were done and slept like a baby.
Okay, so how did my weight do this past week since I removed basically the dairy products from my diet. I'm pleased to announce I weighed in at 273.6--down 6.8 pounds since last Friday morning's weigh-in. Yes, that's great and all, but I'm not getting too excited until I see this trend continuing on the downward path, noticing my clothes getting looser, feeling the bloating subside, and get back to the way I know I'm supposed to feel on my healthy low-carb lifestyle. This is a great first step, but the journey still has a long way to go. Here's hoping this is the beginning of a fabulous trend in my weight loss pursuits.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
September 1, 2010 Low-Carb Menu
10:30AM
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
3:30PM
1 ounce grilled chicken, 1 ounce chopped beef, 1 ounce shrimp with 1/2 cup locally-grown squash cooked in 2 Tbs grasssfed butter with 1 slice bacon
9:15PM
6-ounce sirloin steak with 1 cup broccoli and 3 Tbs butter
CALORIES: 1804
TOTAL CARBS: 19g
NET CARBS: 12g
NOTE: I'm coming up on a full week without my cheese or anything else that would mess with the yeasty-beasties as I'll call them in my gut. Still taking the high-doses of probiotics several times a day so we'll see what happens. Jackie Eberstein told me the weight loss may be one of the last things to start happening as I attempt to return my gut health to normal again after the antibiotics. So I'm not holding out much hope with the first few weigh-ins. That's okay, though, because for me it's not really about that. I want the bloating and stomach increase to go away...and slowly but surely it will.
Hopefully you're not drooling too much over that squash photo I posted above, but it was so amazing cooked in butter and with a little bacon, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. YUMMY indeed! I'm having that again soon.
3 scrambled pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil
3:30PM
1 ounce grilled chicken, 1 ounce chopped beef, 1 ounce shrimp with 1/2 cup locally-grown squash cooked in 2 Tbs grasssfed butter with 1 slice bacon
9:15PM
6-ounce sirloin steak with 1 cup broccoli and 3 Tbs butter
CALORIES: 1804
TOTAL CARBS: 19g
NET CARBS: 12g
NOTE: I'm coming up on a full week without my cheese or anything else that would mess with the yeasty-beasties as I'll call them in my gut. Still taking the high-doses of probiotics several times a day so we'll see what happens. Jackie Eberstein told me the weight loss may be one of the last things to start happening as I attempt to return my gut health to normal again after the antibiotics. So I'm not holding out much hope with the first few weigh-ins. That's okay, though, because for me it's not really about that. I want the bloating and stomach increase to go away...and slowly but surely it will.
Hopefully you're not drooling too much over that squash photo I posted above, but it was so amazing cooked in butter and with a little bacon, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. YUMMY indeed! I'm having that again soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
