Consider your hunger as a signal that you need fuel, not that you have to go out and seek the most fantastic eating experience of your life.

Day four: 170.6 lb. No change from yesterday.

I feel great! I'm fine with the "no change" in my weight.

Instead of thinking there are “good” and “bad” foods, consider them as nutritional or non-nutritional.

This morning, while walking on the treadmill, I was reading my latest copy of Oxygen magazine. In particular, I was reading Tosca Reno's column. Among her infinite words of wisdom, I found this gem (paraphrased by yours truly)...

Everything that passes my lips must help me to achieve my personal goals.

I've been repeating this to myself today. and it has really put things into perspective for me. But I thought to truly embrace this new mantra, I must also do my research. How will the foods that I eat help me to achieve my goals?

Off the top of my head, here is what I want.

1. I want to eat more fruits and vegetables.
2. I want to eat real food.
2. I want to limit my carbohydrate intake to between 50 and 100 grams per day.
3. I want to exercise daily with one day off a week.

And by doing these things...

4. I want to lose 20 lbs.
5. I want to maintain the 20 lb. weight loss.
6. I want to eat in a way that will maintain my health.
7. I want to develop a passion for eating well.

I think that's it for now. Like I said, I will continue to think about these goals and revise/change as necessary.

Never say anything to yourself you wouldn’t say to a young child you love...

Day Four Weigh-In: 170.2

I have lost 4.6 lbs in four days. This is what carbs do to my body, people.

I feel great! I feel smaller. I'm not hungry. I'm listening to my body. I'm planning.

Don’t put yourself down for the mistakes you make with food. Rather, lavishly praise yourself for all your successes, even the tiniest ones.

Day three: 172 pounds. I've lost 2.8 pounds in two days. And I see the bloat leaving my body.



7:00 am
Breakfast: 4 net carbs
2 cups coffee (0), 2 packets Stevia in the Raw (2), 1 tbsp. coffeemate (2)
Atkins Advantage Strawberry Shake. (1)
20 oz. water (0)

9:30 am
Mid-morning Snack: 1 net carbs
2 cups coffee (0), 1 packet Stevia in the Raw (1), 1 tbsp. heavy cream(0)

12:00 pm
Lunch: 3 net carbs
1 carb blocker
Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin (3)
2 hard boiled egg whites (0)
20 oz. water (0)

3:30-4 30 Day Shred Level 2

4:00 pm
Mid-afternoon Snack: 6 net carbs
20 oz. water (0)
Atkins Daybreak Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar (3)
Dry roasted peanuts (3)

6:00 pm
Dinner: 9 net carbs
chicken (0), sweet peppers (free), onion (free), turkey bacon (0), Newmann's Own Low Fat Ginger and Sesame Dressing (5)
1 cup coffee (0), 1 packets Stevia in the Raw (2), 1 tbsp. sugar free creamer(2)

8:30 pm
Evening Snack 5 net carbs
Breyer's Carb Smart Ice Cream Bar

I felt great today. I"m still not getting up early to exercise, but I did workout after school with Jen.
About 28 net carbs for the day.

Fake it til you make it.

Day Two

Weight 172.6 In one day, I've already lost 2.2 lb of water weight that my body retains from carbs.

7:00 am
Breakfast: 4 net carbs
2 cups coffee (0), 2 packets Stevia in the Raw (2), 1 tbsp. cream (0)
Atkins Advantage Milk Chocolate Delight Shake. (2)
20 oz. water (0)

9:30 am
Mid-morning Snack: 2 net carbs
2 hard boiled egg whites (0)
Emerald Cocoa Roasted Almonds (2)

12:00 pm
Lunch: 0 net carbs
chicken salad chicken (0), celery (free), onion (free), mayo (0)
green beans (free)
20 oz. water (0)
1 Carb blocker, snack size peppermint patty, snack size hershey bar, 2 starburst (18)
I got a baggie in my mailbox this morning with these candies for Teacher Appreciation Week. A bit of regret when I ate them, but I'll own it.

2:30 pm
Mid-afternoon Snack: 3 net carbs
20 oz. water (0)
Dry roasted peanuts (3)

6:00 pm
Dinner: 12 net carbs
Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin(6)
2 cups coffee (0), 2 packets Stevia in the Raw (2), 2 tbsp. sugar free creamer(4)

8:30 pm
Evening Snack 16 net carbs
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (I know how many carbs were in it this time. And I still ate it!. Eat it. Own it.)

I felt great today. We're laying off the exercise until our bodies adjust to low carb eating, and I can't say I'm sorry about that.

About 55 net carbs for the day

Failure is not an option. Period.

May 7, 2012

Day One Weigh-in 174.8 lb. At my lowest (after Phase One of Atkins) I was 166.6. That was a month ago.

Plan: Limit net carbs (not from vegetables and 2 servings of fruit) to between 20 and 50 net carbs per day.

(Sidenote: Vegetables and Fruit (up to 2 servings) do not count toward our 20-50 g. of net carbs. They are whole foods, from nature, and should not necessarily be limited (with the exception of high sugar fruit *i.e.bananas* and high sugar/starchy vegetables *i.e.potatoes*). Weight Watchers allows fruits and vegetables for zero points. So do we! ;)


8:00 am
Breakfast: 5 net carbs
2 cups coffee (0), 2 packets Stevia in the Raw (2), 2 tbsp. cream (1)
Atkins Advantage Milk Chocolate Delight Shake. (2)
32 oz. water (0)

10:30 am
Mid-morning Snack: 2 net carbs
2 hard boiled egg whites (0)
Emerald Cocoa Roasted Almonds (2)
16 oz. water (0)

1:00 pm
Lunch: 0 net carbs
chicken salad chicken (0), celery (free), onion (free), mayo (0)
parmesan crisps (0)
half an apple (free)
carrots (free)
16 oz. water
chai and black green tea (0)

3:30 pm
Mid-afternoon Snack: 5 net carbs
Carb Smart Ice Cream Bar (5)

6:00 pm
Dinner: 0 net carbs
Garlic Parmesan Chicken (0)
String Beans (free)

8:30 pm
Evening Snack 16 net carbs
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (16) I would not have eaten this...I miscalculated and thought it was only 5.1 net carbs.

28 net carbs for the day! If I'm counting fruits and vegetables too...44 net carbs.
Day One=Success!

HARDCORE (cause that's how we roll)

And so it begins... Tomorrow is Monday. Mondays are when I begin my new diet plans. Hence, tomorrow I will begin my new diet plan. Over the past several months, my soul sister and I have tried a variety of diet approaches. The most effective one has been a low carb approach. We've done the first phase of Atkins, where you limit yourself to 20 net carbs per day. We've done moderate carb eating, where we limited ourselves to less than 100 carbs per day. Now we have a new plan. Hopefully, a plan that is doable as a lifestyle approach. One through which we can endure, lose weight, and stick with for the long haul. Tomorrow is Monday. Tomorrow begins our hardcore controlled carbohydrate eating. Our plan is simple. Eat between 20 and 50 net carbs per day. (Net carbs = carbohydrates minus fiber minus sugar alcohols) We'll try it for a week. See how much we lose. And adjust accordingly. If we need to go back to closer to 20 g of net carbs per day, we will. If we continue to lose in the 50 net carb range (which of course allows for more flexibility) we will. Wish us luck! Tomorrow I'll post my beginning weight. My food diary. And my thoughts through this journey.