Hello!



I am so happy to be back on the LC track. I did Atkins a few years ago, lost 25 lbs. and then, sigh, you know the rest....



I started LCE about 3 weeks ago and am down 10lbs and am experiencing a little slump. For once in my life I have beek keeping up a regular exericse schedule (walking at least 3 miles, 3-4 days per week). I KNOW the slump is due to my hectic schedule and I need a little help.



This is my 1st year teaching (woo hoo) and I am an extremely busy and frazzled HS English/German teacher. I don't always have time to eat "3 squares" but make an attempt. I need some snacking/portable food advice. What is your staple that somehow makes it into your purse/backpack/glove box (wherever you stash your LC goodies)?

I have a lunch bag and can bring some perishable items, but I am also searching for some things that don't require cooling. The fridge in the lounge is really far from my room. I sometimes bring: cheese, cottage cheese, chicken, peanuts (a little high in carbs, but they were all I had!), salads, and AdvantEdge shakes. Anything you might suggest that I am overlooking? My students always look at me funny when I break out the cheese or chicken during our morning break but I'll bet they are just jealous.



I am also taking 2 trips to Germany this year so I need to think about travel food so I don't go "Nutella" crazy while abroad!



Thanks, glad to be back and missed this site!!!!! Y'all keep me honest and on the right track

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Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans--John Lennon

beef jerky, can/jar of almonds, gosh, it's late at night and that's all my mind can think of! I'm sure you will get lots of ideas here but I wanted to throw my two in

I'm proud of you for getting back on track. I went thru the same thing,only I lost 50, gained it back. Keep up the great work!
Ann

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"The future of life on earth depends on seeing the sacred where others see only the common."
- John Denver, 1991

Welcome back!

Add hard boiled eggs to the list. Sausage is also pretty portable (and widely available in Germany

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Sven
305/218/200
Start Date: 1/1/06

Welcome to low-carb eating.
The food's not bad here.

Sausage, mustard, sauerkraut, white and regular asparagus---Germany does have plenty of LCE options! Ja wohl!!

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Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans--John Lennon

Sunflower seed kernals. I love them! They are lower in carbs than peanuts and a serving is a lot!

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Katie
275/238/150
Restarted 01/08/2007
37 pounds lost!
http://justanotherfatgirl.blogspot.com

I love pepperoni for a snack, either right out of the package, or baked into chips ala George Stella. And macadamia nuts, but they are so expensive, they are a rare treat for me.

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Nita

One of my favorites is the Packs of tuna they make now. No liquid to drain and I can eat it right out of the pack. Sometimes if I am having it for a lunch I add a little mayo and mustard and eat it with my pork skins. If you don't put anything in it you can slip the pack right in your purse with a plastic fork and your set.
Also after you have been doing the LCE for awhile a couple of Russel Stovers Pecan Delights (along with many other flavors) can get you through if you are looking for the sweet retreat....

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Tricia
238/190/150
Love Life, Love yourself, and everything else will be easy.

I was going to say the same thing about the tuna -- very portable, and easy to carry in your purse...

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Tina

P.S. To you Low Carb for life people.....How do you feel about the Low Carb Russel Stovers? I only eat a couple when I need a chocolate fix but I have heard mixed emotions about them good for a low carb diet. I am just back on LCE. It feels good. I went off in November and gained some weight back and now I am committed to getting where I want to be for the summer again and keeping it off.

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Tricia
238/190/150
Love Life, Love yourself, and everything else will be easy.

Tricia, Russell Stover candies have maltitol in them, and that can stall a lot of people, as well as cause severe intestinal distress, cramping, tummy rumbling, and diarrhea. As good as they taste, I avoid them like the plague.

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Nita

Thanks QueenMama, I don't have any of those problems unless I over eat them. One time I ate a whole bag of the candies like m&ms. I cramped so bad I swore I would never binge on russel stovers again. I eat them just a couple when I need a fix and so far no problems like that. I am watching for the stall.... I hope I don't.

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Tricia
238/190/150
Love Life, Love yourself, and everything else will be easy.

Some of the newest research on malitol reports that it metabolizes in the intestinal tract and affects blood sugar/insulin response at that point very much like pure carbohydrate. I imagine it may be a YMMV thing, but this time around I'm avoiding malitol and most sugar alcohols. (Lacitol and sorbital work similarly. Erithrytol (sp?) doesn't, thankfully.) That said, I imagine I'll still use malitol-sweetened sweets for very special occasions, at least when I'm off extended induction (Atkins). And the Russell Stover line are definitely delish!

I can also say that malitol and lacitol definitely trigger cravings for me ... and are partly responsible for my being a "second timer" on Atkins. Grrr.

Okay - and back on track. Congrats on your first year teaching, Snukiputzi! I used to be a secondary English teacher myself (great job with a hard paper load!), but am trying to finish my PhD now before my new job as an asst. professor of English in charge of the English Education licensure program at a small university. So, I know a little bit about the life of a new teacher. Hang in there and really enjoy your kids! They'll make it worth it. At least they do for me.

As for snacks -- man, I always have trouble with on-the-go, non-cooled items. Nuts are a quick fall-back, as long as you can portion-control yourself. I use little snack baggies and measure out an ounce per bag, so I know.

Another favorite is to make cheese "crackers" out of sliced cheese in the microwave. The kraft Deli Deluxe sharp cheddar works *great*. Just cut the slice into 16 little squares, arrange on parchment paper, and nuke for one minute. And tah-dah, 16 little puffy cheddar crackers. They bag up nicely and hold their crunch and freshness for at least 24 hours. Frankly, they're edible 3 days later if you're in a pinch, but are definitely going stale by that point. (I learned this on my conference trip last week. Bleh.)

Other cheeses work, too, and make a variety of different flavored and textured chips. If you can take a couple tablespoons of salsa or ranch dressing as a dip, you've really got a nice, high-fat, satiating snack.

When I have to be in classrooms all day (doing observations for my dissertation research), I also often grill up some chicken in little nuggets with my George Foreman grill. Marinate in coconut milk and curry powder or anything that suits you, grill, cool, and carry about in little snack baggies. Chicken that's been refridgerated will stay cool for a few hours in a lunch bag or even tucked in my computer carrying case. A couple of grilled nuggets and a handful of cheese crackers is a perfect protein/fat snack for me.

I think the wonderful one-minute-muffin (see the cooking board stickies, if you haven't tried this amazing thing), well-cooled, would probably travel quite well, also. I intend to try that next time I need an on-the-go snack.

And I can second the newish tuna in-a-snack-pack - sorta. My DH loooooves these, especially the sweet and sour variety. Now, personally, tuna in all its forms gags me ... I wish it didn't. But it does look like a nice travel option for most people.

Good luck! Looking forward to hearing other suggestions.

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~Kim
75lbs lost in 7 months, first time around
Going ALL The Way This Time!!
305/248.5/150
BP drop!: 145/93 (Jan06) --> 110/71 (Feb06)

Thanks for the input. I am going to watch my intake. I also like the idea of the cheese crackers. I tried the 1 minute muffin. I must have done something wrong. I didn't like it at all. Maybe I put to much of the flax seed meal in. If you have any suggestions for that please let me know.

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Tricia
238/190/150
Love Life, Love yourself, and everything else will be easy.

Hmmmm. Like all foods, the muffin may not suit everyone. Personally, I was really surprised - because I absolutely HATE uncooked flax meal. *shudder* Bleh. But microwaving it seems to take away the raw flavor that I loathe so much. How much sweetener did you use or what flavor did you make? I found that using carmel Davinci's syrup (with an extra drop or two of Sweetzfree liquid splenda to make *sure* it'd be a sweet muffin) and cinnamon was very much like a cinnamon bran muffin. (Now I'm cutting back on the sweetener bit by bit to see if I like it with less. Hee.) I haven't tried a savory one yet. If sweets aren't your thing, maybe try it with some cheese and a sprinkle of garlic or herbs?

One thing to try - if you can have an oz of nuts yet (ie. are on extended induction or the appropriate nut rung if Atkins) - would be to use half flaxmeal and half almond flour. Both make good cake/muffin mixes. If it's the flax you don't like, that might make it better? If you're near maintenence (or allowing yourself other grains), you could also do half Carbquik and half flaxmeal. I havent' tried either, but I'd bet they're yummy.

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~Kim
75lbs lost in 7 months, first time around
Going ALL The Way This Time!!
305/248.5/150
BP drop!: 145/93 (Jan06) --> 110/71 (Feb06)

You know I only put a couple of packets of splenda in it. Maybe I will try it with some flavoring in it.

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Tricia
238/190/150
Love Life, Love yourself, and everything else will be easy.