On 8/19/09 I started living the LC lifestyle, again. (First time was back in 2004). For motivation I dug out the food & weight tracking journal I used to keep back then. The first thing I notice as read through it is that me and my mom were tracking our progress together and it was so nice to have someone to accompany me on the journey. This time around, I'm on m own and that is one of the reasons I joined the LCE board. Back in 2004 my mom lived with me and we kept each other on track.

Although we both lost weight, when I got sick my mom sided with the doctors who told me low carbing could have caused my illness and she pleaded with me to not go back to that way of eating. Needless to say, I haven't announced to her that I 'm back on the LC wagon. No sense in upsetting her.

The other thing I noticed in the old journal is that I lost very little weight during Induction and then I went on the Atkins' recommended "fat fast" for the metabolically challenged. I didn't really know if this course of action was for me but I figured it could be since I was on blood pressure medicine and was told I was pre-diabetic. This time around I did a few days of regular Induction and then started the fat fast. Today is 8/29/09, 10 days since I restarted Atkins, and I' m down by 5.5 lbs. I've got 4 more days of Induction to go and I'm kinda hungry on the fat fast. I think I'll do regular Induction for at least this weekend and hope I don't gain any weight back.

In the old journal I also see that I bought supplements recommended by Atkins when I started Induction. I didn't have them when I started this time but didn't want that to be an excuse for not starting. This morning I'm on my way to the health food store to get the following that I will take daily:

1. Omega 3, 6 & 9 - 1200mg
2. L-Carnitine - 1500 mg
3. CoQ10 - 300mg
4. Chromium Picolinate- 600mcg
5. Biotin - 150 mcg
6. a Probiotic
7. a multivitamin

In addition to getting the supplements, I need to pick-up something I can eat for breakfast because I'm sick of eating boiled eggs.

Until later...

156/150/135 (5' 4" )

I went to a small birthday gathering tonight and I was doing good until my aunt brought out the potato skins. I told myself I'd only eat the cheesy inside but I ended up eating half of the potato with the doggone cheese. Well , at least I didn't drink any liquor. I only had water. Could have been worse since there was a crap load of carbs on the table. I came home and ate some roasted chicken and a Caesar salad and took the supplements I bought earlier today . I felt pretty satisfied after that.

My not eating the multitude of other carbs was definitely noticed by my ever-observing, doesn't miss a trick, cousin. I was just waiting for her say something smart about what I was eating and she did but I just ignored her and then she went on to 20 questions about my BF not being out with me. I simply ignored her comment. I'm not speaking to him at the moment and don't feel like talking about it to her. I started not to go to tonight because I just knew there would be some tempting treats there. I've gotta get used to going out with the folks in my life who are carboholics but perhaps until I finished Induction I should have stayed home. Kinda glad I am mad at the BF 'cause tonight would have been pasta or piza night with him.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day...

Today was a very lazy day. I didn't get up until after 9:00 am and then got into cleaning mode since I was out practically all day yesterday and didn't get to do any cleaning. I don't eat anything today until around 3pm. I put a a whole chicken in the oven around 1:30pm and when that was done I ate both wings and a leg with garlic string beans. Boy, was it good I had forgotten how great chicken skin tastes!!

I de-boned the cooked chicken and cubed the breast meat. I got almost 2 whole cups...plenty for lunch for the next 3 days or more. I bought spinach and romaine yesterday and will bring salad for lunch for a few days. Don't want to necessarily eat salad for dinner this week if I have it for lunch so I've got to think about what I want to eat for dinner this week. I have shrimp, pork shoulder, kielbasa, whitings and a bunch of chicken. Can't believe I forgot to buy some beef. I think I'll make shrimp and broccoli in a ginger soy sauce for dinner tomorrow. That should be quick.

It is time to start thinking about adding some exercise but I am such a lazy behind. I notice from my last weight loss journal that I didn't start exercising at all until I had lost about 20 lbs. Don't want to wait that long this time but when I look at the treadmill and the rowing machine I see clothes piled on them and don't feel like cleaning them off. I need to get a cleaning person back into my house. Not so much for dirt since that is not really an issue but for clutter...clothes and shoes abound.

I'd have so much more closet space if I didn't have 4 different sizes of clothes. 14s, 12s, 10s & 8's. I 'm glad I finally gave away the 6s. Some 14s are getting big but I hold on to them nonetheless. Why do I do that???? Many of the 8s still have tags on them. That is ridiculous but I was an 8 for almost 2 years before the steroids and that upward climb and I had caught at great sale at Macy's before I got ill. Since I don't buy trendy, but more classic instead, they haven't gone out of style. I'm not giving the 8s up but maybe I can give up the 14s by the end of September.

Tomorrow I have to meet with my team and get a plan together to get this stupid project back on track. I hate to have these kinds of talks. They are so stressful. Stress makes me eat crap I shouldn't and although I am aware of this sometimes it doesn't stop me. I am determined tomorrow not to let the stress "knock me off my square", as my brother says. With a new boss that hates me I just can't afford to have projects fail as I will get the blame...I don't want to join the ranks of the unemployed and it is a real possibility if I don't get this project live in the next few days. Just thinking about it makes me want a snickers bar. I think I'll go make a cream cheese, lemon juice, and Splenda treat and figure out what I'm wearing to work tomorrow...

Just got on the scale and and it says 151.5lbs...did I gain a pound and a half from eating that dang potato skin last night??!!! I'm going to skip the cream cheese treat tonight. And, I've got to stop getting on the scale more than once a week!

Wait a minute...just realized I posted the wrong weight loss on 8/29. I had started Atkins on 8/19 at 156 lbs and was down to 150 lbs yesterday so I actually lost 6 lbs not 5.5 lbs. Now the scales says 151.5 lbs so I gained a pound and half in one day. Bummer.

156/151.5/135 (5'4")

Something to consider is a method I learned from another LC plan was that if you "have to" weigh daily then add your daily weigh together from a 7 day period and then divide by 7 to get your average weight for the week. Compare that to your start weight. It helps to smooth out those bump (ups) in the road. As long as the average is going down with time it is all good.

__________________
Libby

2004 174/142/138

Begin Again 2009

184/162.7/145

Thanks for the tip libaki! I like the averaging idea.

I'm really gonna try not to get on the scale daily because I react negatively to any ups. I actually get pretty down and that can cause me to feel like a failure and give me an excuse to stop doing what I know I should do.

So today I think I did pretty good. This is what I ate:

Breakfast - 2 soft boiled eggs
Lunch - roast chicken breast on romaine lettuce, a few cherry tomatoes, (I can't help but have them even though I know I shouldn't on Induction) some onions, Romano & Parmesan cheese with Caesar dressing.
Dinner - broccoli and shrimp with a ginger soy sauce I made with ginger, garlic, olive oil, a little soy sauce and dried mustard.

I'm not really feeling like something sweet so I don't think I'll do any desert tonight. Also I need to make up for that potato skin on Saturday.

The one thing I am not doing well is getting the proper intake of water. I just don't like water and it doesn't matter what kind it is; filtered or bottled, I just don't like it. I have plenty of Crystal Light but I am trying not to drink so much of it because of the aspartame in it. Atkins says Splenda is alright to have but I think I use too much of it.

I probably drink about 3 cans of "Waist Watchers" Black Cherry soda a day. I absolutely love this stuff!! It is made with Splenda and has no caffeine, which I don't do. I would like to be able to drink a Pepsi or Coke sometimes but the ones they have that are made with Splenda all have caffeine. I'm going to try some Stevia soon in some decaf coffee. I usually use Davinci SF syrups to flavor my coffee but want to see what the Stevia tastes like.

Over the Labor Day holiday I'm going to my brother's house in DC and by that time I'll be able to have one my favorite spirited drinks: a white Russian made with vodka, cream, and Davinci coffee flavored SF syrup. Yummmm... But I must remember what Dr. Atkins said: ""Here's the problem with all alcoholic beverages, and the reason I recommend refraining from alcohol consumption on the diet. Alcohol, whenever taken in, is the first fuel to burn. While that's going on, your body will not burn fat. This does not stop the weight loss, it simply postpones it, since the alcohol does not store as glycogen, you immediately go back into ketosis/lipolysis after the alcohol is used up?"

Lord knows I don't want to postpone this weight loss but maybe I can have just one...

THE WRETCHED PROJECT

It is still off track and now I'm kicking butts and taking names. I am not very liked today. I eat lunch in my office instead of the lunch room and think that it is probably better for me as I didn't have to smell or see all of the pizza and sandwiches everyone was eating or sit near the candy machine. I was stressed to find we couldn't go live with the project today but I just said the serenity prayer and dealt with it. I didn't go beserk and eat any carbs and I feel good about that.. Hopefully this thing will get off the ground tomorrow...

Hang in there. Stress is probably everyone's worst enemy, especially if you are trying to lose weight. I mentioned it in my journal but thought I'd bring it to you, I track my daily food, drink and activities at the website Fitday.com . It really seems to help keep me accountable. It takes a little bit of time to personalize your setup but once your are done daily tracking is a breeze and it runs all kinds of calculations for you including the daily breakdown I post in my journal. I just cut and paste.

Don't get too frustrated by your rate of loss. You are just finishing induction. 4-6 pounds lost over two weeks of induction is a good loss, especially since you don't have that much to lose.

__________________
Libby

2004 174/142/138

Begin Again 2009

184/162.7/145

Thanks for the Fitday tip libaki! It is a great free site. I went there this evening and did the set-up. Wow!!! Iit calculates everything for you as you track your weight loss. Now if I could only start tracking some excercise.

Today we narrowed down the issue with the project and attacked it. I do believe we can go live tomorrow!! Yeah!! I'm glad to have that monkey off my back.

Today I ate:

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs
Lunch: spinach salad with grilled London broil, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes and some of the Asian-inspired ginger soy dressing I made the other day...it was all very yummy!!
Dinner: nothing... yet. Don't know if I'll eat or not. Not really hungry right now but I am sure I will be by 9:00 pm or some other late hour tonight. I am trying not to go to bed with food on my stomach as I do believe that puts weight on me so I better decide if I will eat or not really soon.

Still can't get the water thing down pat. I had a cup of green tea today at around 10:30 am and that was it for the day. Think I'll go drink some water now and put some with Benefiber in it. I also forgot to take a multivitamin today so I need to do that as well. I am very tired today and maybe it is because I didn't take the vitamin.

I wore a size 14 pair of pants today and had to keep pulling them up all day to keep them from dragging the ground. That was a good feeling but I don't know if it is because of weight loss or because the pants are of such good quality. I love those pants and will be sad to say goodbye to them but I think I can be pried away from them if it means I am losing inches. Think I'll go make my lunch for tomorrow.

Last night I did finally get hungry and had 2 hot dogs with sauerkraut.

Today was a repeat of yesterday for Breakfast and Lunch. No Dinner yet and really don't know if I'll eat Dinner tonight. I'm really not that hungry and I was late to work today so I think I should try to go to bed early. I went to bed around 10:00 pm which is my norm. Don't know why but I just couldn't seem to get up this morning. I usually get to work around 7:30 am or 8:00am but today I got in at 9:10 am.

Funny how I'm bored with the boiled eggs for breakfast, and I found recipes for other things to eat, but the eggs are so easy that I keep gravitating to them in the morning. I boil them the night before and just grab in the morning. In my formal journal I see where I ate lots of different low carb types of breakfasts but this time around I seem not to be as adventurous.

I don't seem to be craving any sweets today (except no sugar gum) and that is good. I did really feel like a snickers earlier this week and I know that was because of work stress. So far, I'm hanging in there and about to move on past Induction tomorrow. However, I think I might stay on Induction a bit longer...can't wait to weigh myself on Sunday. I've decided that will be my weigh-in day instead of the daily weigh-ins I was doing.

Today I only brought 1 HB egg to work for breakfast and was so busy I didn't get a chance to eat it. I also brought my lunch: chicken salad with mayo, celery. HB egg & no-sugar relish. I ate it over a bed of lettuce, cherry tomatoes and Havarti cheese. I was so hungry byt the time I ate it that I ate it very fast and I got horrible indigestion.

I was so busy doing last minute work before leaving for the Labor Dayholiday. I'm taking off Friday and Tuesday of next week. By the time I got home I was so tired, I didn't feel like cooking anything so I ate the rest of the chicken salad I had made for lunch on a 1/2 of a slice of LC bread 7 grain bread. (13 carbs).

I feel like I have been eating so little that I should have lost a bunch of weight but I think becuase I am so inactive the weight just seems to stick around. Anyway, tomorrow I'm my way to DC so I need to think in advance and carry some LC things with me which I'll pack tonight. I plan on being very good but will need will power as I know there will be goodies there that I shouldn't be eating....

Your body may be in starvation mode. If that's the case, it's going to hold onto every ounce of fat because it doesn't know the next time it's going to get adequate calories.

Just a little FYI

__________________

I haven't posted since 9/3 . I left town on 9/4 for a wonderful weekend at my brother's in in DC. All was great. I was fairly good on my diet. Then got back to town on Monday and at 2:00 am in the morning I got a call from my mom who was in distress. She was having a stroke!!! I can't even describe how scared for her that I was. I got her to the hospital in enough time for them to give her some kind of stroke meds and she recovered the use of her right side while in the ER. What a blessing!!! God is good all of the time!!! I will be able to bring her home tomorrow. It was quite difficult for me to call my brother and sister and other family since we had all just been together and she was simply fine. My sister had surprised us by coming from Florida and my nephew surprised us by coming from California and now I had to call everyone to tell them what happened but I was so glad to tell them of the end result.

Over the weekend I did have a couple of tablespoons of potato salad that my brother begged me to make (so of course I had to taste it) I had some SF lemon cake and some LC cheddar pumpkin seed crackers (probably to many. The rest of what I ate was typical BBQ fare with no bread...chicken, ribs, burgers, hot dogs and tossed salad. I did consume a fair amount of alcohol (vodka, heavy cream and DaVinci Khalua (sp?) syrup) so I figured I might not lose anything in the last week and I didn't.I am still 150lbs.

I am going to look on the bright side and say at least I know what to do to maintain my weight. :-)

Today I ate:

B - boiled egg
L - Chinese street cart: chicken soup with broccoli no rice or noodles
D - KFC grilled chicken and coleslaw. (that slaw was so sweet I believe it was not at all legal on a LC diet but I ate it anyway since I had pretty much no other carbs today)

I LOVE MY MOMMY!!! and am so grateful she is still here.