Lorna's Diary

[welshbrummie]

I'm back again!
Shocking how easily i fell of the wagon last time, and how long it took me to get back on.
Well i'm back on again and not planning any binges, holidays or forays into alternative diet territory. I'm sticking with Atkins untill i shift the extra 2-3 stone.

Ah! I realise what i just said, What i mean is, I have chosen to eat the Atkins way from now on, and shift the 2-3 stone along the way.

Just read New Atkins New You for the first time and have come to realise why i am still overweight despite low carbing for over a year: Insufficient vegetables and too much protien.

Time to pay more attention, to write things down and start a diary: Here we go.

Day 4 and suffering with a rotten cold, coughing and spluttering but undetered.
I have had 2 coffees and an Atkins daybreak bar for breakfast, still hungry so contemplating an omlett with spinich. (just discovered on this forum that the bars are perhaps not the best way to start the day - ah well, live and learn - i shall stash the other 4 for munch emergencies)

 

[Kat1e]

Hi Lorna, welcome back. If you can post on here perhaps it will help - i know it was really important for my journey so go for it

Hope you are having a good weekend
Xxx

 

[Jim]

Hey Lorna, welcome back love

 

[welshbrummie]

day 12
i've been eating between 20g and 30g of carbs each day and have managed to gain a pound. I'm hoping that it is due to premenstral water retention - even so, surely i'm doing something wrong. I didn't expect a dramatic loss as i had no glycogen stores to shed, but i was hoping for something!

I'm keeping a written daily journal because i'm not online every day,
so i have a record of exactly what i'm eating - and it's mostly home cooked real food.
I've a few new discoveries - celeriac dauphinois; home made coleslaw; stevia.

Another thing that comes to mind to explain the false start is that perhaps i'm overdoing the dairy (i'm using plenty of cream)

Do some people take a while to get going? Should i throw out the scales and carry on? or get on the scales daily and chart my progress? (tho that seems a bit obsessive to me)

Perhaps i need to put in just a bit more effort - I'm prepared to do what it takes because i've been trying to lose the excess 2-3 stone since my second son was born (who is now 3).

So i'm feeling a bit grumpy today result: binged on 2oz almonds, 125 mozerella, and half a pot of xtra thick double cream, doh!

 

[Jim]

Morning Lorna, it'll be ater retention love, seriously that's what it is.

 

[welshbrummie]

I have achieved something i never thought i could:
:clap:
Went away for a hen weekend full of alcoholic madness and carb fest.
My friends put together High Tea comprising of a mountain of cakes, chocolates, dainty sandwiches, croissants, brioche, frenchbread, champagne and cocktails and so on..

not a bit of it passed my lips - i'm so chuffed - i drank only red wine and ate olives, nuts, ham and cheese, berries and cream - everyone else thought i was barmy but im very pleased with myself.
I've been low carbing for a yerar now and have failed to lose any weight because every time there is a holiday or social gathering i have used it as an excuse to gorge on carbs and then spent days (or weeks) trying to get back on track.
Well this time it's different, and even tho i havent counted carbs for a week i'm still in ketosis and still on track.

I dont feel that i've lost weight tho. After my disapointment last week i decided to stay off the scales and plough on - especiallly as i was having a mad weekend (it was a LOT of wine).

Gonna start counting again tomorrow..

 

[ladyfelsham]

I've been low carbing for a yerar now and have failed to lose any weight because every time there is a holiday or social gathering i have used it as an excuse to gorge on carbs and then spent days (or weeks) trying to get back on track.

You have just described my Atkins adventure in one, Lorna! I do so well on Atkins when I focus but I let social and/or boozy things draw me back to carbs, then I shrug my shoulders, decide I may as well do more damage and eat every slice of pizza, every pastry, every cake in sight!

That is so fantastically well done and you have every right to be proud of yourself

Your strength at the weekend really made me realise I can just say NO (a bit more often)

 

[Jim]

Morning Lorna, well done love.

 

[Kat1e]

Well done Lorna on having an excessive but legal weekend. Even if you didnt lose, at least you maintained amd fully back to normal low carb without any cravings. Go girl

 

[welshbrummie]

Thanks guys, i was feeling very virtuous untill i weighed yesterday

a bit disappointed at being a pound heavier than when i started despite being really good, my hope 2 wks ago was that the gain was water retention, but here i am 2 wks later and still no joy.

However, i have decided that i could be overeating dairy - i have considered that possibility a few times in my 12 month low carb experiment and have always denied the idea that i could have an intolerance because i love the stuff.

Having just read Gary Taubes "How we get fat" i'm going to refain from drinking alcohol and eating nuts and dairy for a few days and see what happens..

No booze, no nuts, no cream and only 1oz of cheese per day for the last 2 days.

Shall i try a day without any cheese whatsoever??
Is life worth living without cheese?:wave_cry:
Would i rather stay fat?

Gonna give it a go and see if i still want to live

 

[Jim]

Morning Lorna, cheese was always my downfall, still is I'm afraid, I gain every time.

 

[welshbrummie]

hi jim, thanx for that - recon it must be the case for me - been reading a lot lately about how we havent really evolved to eat dairy - so im going for the full on cave woman menu - what is it you say clean and green?
say, do you know if there are any atkins or low carb groups in birmingham that hold weekly diet club type meetings?

 

[Kat1e]

Hi lorna, agree clean and green usually works. I enjoy my cream and cheese but thinking aout it i dont really use much - "lots" of cheese for me is probably 50g or so. And when i put cream on my berries i usually only have a teaspoon or so. Get all the flavour and fat that way

 

[Jim]

Morning Lorna, I've not heard of any, and when you google it there are no valid results. I think Atkins, unlike other diets tends to be a personal, go it on your own lifestyle. Still, there is this board and all the lovely helpful people.

 

[welshbrummie]

Thanx Jim, i could do with some help actually..
must be doing something very wrong because i cant seem to shift a single pound - i'm beginning to think that there must be something wrong with me - had my blood sugar checked and that's ok, as is blood pressure - dont really want to go to GP because they'll bombard me with loads of "low fat, hi carb, do loads of running" diatribe...

So i'm gonna endevour to write this up daily and include menus- perhaps someone can spot my mistakes, sorry about the long post...

General info:
Im 40 this year, and, far from sedentary, i spend most of my life on my feet, walking around at work or dashing about cleaning up after 2 small boys.

I havent eaten any sugar or starch since xmas, hardly drink any alcohol (and only ever red wine)
Due to lack of results i gave up dairy 4 days ago and have cut my caffine habit from about 4 cups to 1 cup of fresh black coffee per day (essential early morning perk-up)

I dont use any sweetners, diet products or sodas and all of my food is prepared and cooked by myself from scratch (i even roast and boil bones to make my own stocks).
The only processed stuff i have is chorizo, pepperami and pate.

I tend to have plenty of hot drinks during the day (largely herbal teas or hot water), never have any trouble with constipation.

have been using ketostix for over a month and they always show "moderate" ketosis

yesterday
B 4 super thin rashers of streaky bacon and 2 fried eggs
L roast chicken, half avocado, green salad (home made french dressing)
S pepperami, tin of mackerel in oil, small handfull of nuts and seeds
D low carb meatballs, asparagus with butter and green salad (olive oil and balsamic)

Today the plan is:

B 2 eggs & 2carb free sausage and 3 smallish mushrooms, all cooked in lard
L meatballs and a small celeriac,red cabbage salad with a bit of hellmans
D Pork chops and asparugus with butter
s Pepperami, pate&celery

So that's it so far any hints gratefully recieved x

 

[Kat1e]

Hi Lorna,
Really dont think that the food is the problem. As you say cut nuts and dairy in case they are your stallers

Need to think about exactly what's you've been having - didnt you just have quite an alcoholic weekend recently? I know you ate legally but....
Even red wine has loads of empty calories and stalls me
When i drink i eat significantly more as it makes me hungry - i once added up a parties legal food and found the day come in at 3000 cals. Although we dont have to count calories...it doesn't mean they dont count

Also according to dr atkins, definition of a real stall is four weeks, eating completely legally and not losing any weight at all or inches!!

So suggest: no booze, dairy, nuts as you say. Make sure you are having 12-15g of veg carbs. Loads of water. No sweeteners or frakenfoods (so sf or mims etc)

Keep posting your food and happy to see if we can spot anything
Good luck

 

[Kat1e]

Ps assume the pate is low carb?

 

[welshbrummie]

Thanx katie, will just have to be patient eh?

You're right about that weekend tho, i guess i expected to lose straight away after i went back on plan - duh!

 

[welshbrummie]

Fired up today and positive that i'm gonna crack it :clap:

B - scrambled egg & chorizo

L - lowcarb meatball & avocado salad (homemade french dressing)

D - fish & asparagus with butter a tablespoon of pinenuts and 5 walnut halves

s carb free sausage x 2

I've been a bit hungry today tho - quite active at work - lots of walking about.

It has been suggested that i havent lost weight because i'm eating to much so i dont know what to do when i'm hungry - should i stick it out untill the next meal, eat larger meals or have more snacks.

Presumably, if i'm in ketosis and i'm hungry then my body will be forced to utilise my fat reserves for fuel...

 

[coffeelover]

Hi Lorna, Doesn't look like too much food to me. Looks great. Good luck this week.