~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

[mitzimarie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Hi, Susan!

Thank you so much for your kind words.

I went to the grocery store today, too!

I've been so scared to actually commit to doing this, because I was afraid that I couldn't follow through. But I really do feel stronger already, having you all here with me.

[LooseShoes]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Me, too. I've just had a total lack of focus lately--life's been pretty complicated in every which way you can imagine. But, if I don't take care of myself, then I won't be able to do all that needs to be done.

I'll count today as a practice day, I did exercise for the first time in ages and I ate on plan. Just need to take my vitamins and I'll be good.

Goals:
Exercise at least 4 times a week (turbo jam) and walk at least 2 laps around the park 5 times a week (more on days I don't do turbo jam).
Rung 2-25 grams of carbs per day or less
Drink water
Check in here at least 4 times a week
Take vitamins
Encourage others

Let's get back on track--we all know we feel better when we're eating right and exercising, why is it so hard?

[mitzimarie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Hi, Caryl

Good for you for posting your specific goals! I'm so happy that you have joined us.

OK, folks... I'm thinking that in order to get REAL, I need to let you know how crazy I have become lately... confession time.

I have been REALLY sick of food lately... almost all kinds of food. Can you believe that I, the veggie queen, am sick of veggies? I've been avoiding them. I'm sick of cooking food, and I'm sick of eating it... to the point, that I have been using Atkins Meal Replacement bars so I don't need to cook a meal. Which worked OK... until I started eating 3 of them a day! Also, for a month now, I have been drinking at least 4 cups of coffee a day, loaded with cream and liquid splenda. WTF? I have never been a coffee drinker in my life! While I have been eating a muffin in a minute daily for a few months now, in the past 2 days, I have almost been binging on ground flaxseed meal... in addition to the muffin, I have been making a couple of microwave cookies with the flax, too. I had a 1/2 cup of flax yesterday, and another 1/2 cup today. Luckily, I drank almost 100 ounces of water yesterday, so everything came out all right. However, my stupid @ss has only had 32 ounces of water today! Me thinks I may be plugged up tomorrow.

I have a gigantic Splenda monkey on my back... as big as King Kong. I have been flying through those bottles of liquid Splenda. It seems that the kinds of foods that I have been choosing are just vehicles for my Splenda (coffee, flax muffins/cookies, and MUP). And get this... Prior to my picking up the coffee habit, I NEVER used heavy cream. Now, it's not unusual for me to go through a pint (that's 32 tablespoons) of cream in 3 days. So, it's not even really carb creep that's doing me in... I'm still not going over 50 carbs most days. It's just extremely poor choices in how I spend my carbs, and LOTS of calories.

Whew! All of that was hard to admit. So, so embarrassing. I was so strict for so long, and have just gone nuts recently. Ah, don't get me started on nuts... those are a problem, too! I tried to clean up my act earlier this week, and was clean Tuesday and Wednesday... then fizzled out. Which pisses me off, because in just those 2 days of clean eating, I could tell a difference in my body... I felt smaller in that small amount of time.

Tomorrow I go back to Rung 1, with a ceiling of 30 net carbs. Most of my net carbs will be net veggie carbs. NO Splenda for 2 weeks! NO coffee. NO bars. It's Induction, with extra veggies. I'll exercise at least 4 days a week. I'll drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water.

I haven't tried to do Induction since my re-start in February of 2007. I haven't needed to. I've gotten sloppy, though, and it's time to tighten up.

[Elizellen]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

What a great '5 star' thread
Thank you, Mitzi for your honesty and commitment to ADBB and the Atkins WOE

You are a shining example to us all.

[OzLover]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Well Sunday is here & today is day 1 of back to basics!

~~back to rung 1 & 25 grams of carbs
~~96 oz H20 qd
~~vitamins qd
~~exercise 4x q week
~~no diet soda of any kind

There it is in blue & white. Now I must hold myself accountable!
Glenda

[mitzimarie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Good Sunday Morning, Everyone

Thank you Elizellen, for the encouragment!

Yay, Glenda! Starting off the day with the right attitude... well done!

Well, Sunday mornings are my weigh-in day, and I have weighed and changed my ticker accordingly. After being able to stay at 120 pounds for 4 Sundays straight, I had creeeped back up to 124 at last Sunday's weigh-in. After clean eating Tuesday and Wednesday, I am sure that I lost some of that excess, but put it right back on Thursday through Saturday because I had returned to my poor food choices.

So - my official start weight for this Back to Basics adventure is 124. I have already resisted something that is usually a part of my routine every morning. I usually hit the floor running at 6:00am and start the day with an Atkins shake to "break my fast" and take my medication. This morning, I took my daily medication with water. I don't like water at 6:00am. But I'm doing it.

LOL... I work in a boutique, and we sell t-shirts and notepads that say "Put on your big girl panties, and deal with it". That's what I'm doing.

[partytrouble]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

appetite suppression already kicking in from yesterday....made fried chicken, YUM~~~

[mitzimarie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

appetite suppression already kicking in from yesterday....made fried chicken, YUM~~~

I'll be happy when the appetite suppression kicks in for me.

I just got through eating Brunch - sauteed 1 ounce raw jalapeno and 2 ounces of onion in .5 tbsp of butter, then added 3 eggs and 1 ounce of cheese to make a soft scramble. I enjoyed it, but probably will save that meal for Sunday mornings. As some of you may remember, I don't really like eggs. I wish that I did! They are the perfect Atkins food... so cheap, so versatile... I just don't like them very much.

[qbu]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

OK...I thought about how I wanted to go "back to basics" and figured this is my plan:

• re-read DANDR so I get that kick start again
• back to rung 1 - no more than 25g carbs/day
• water, herbal tea to drink
• if coffee - black, no cream
• NO DIET SODA
• EXERCISE at least 4X/WK--even if it's only the "Last Minute Abs" DVD
• check in here at least 4X/WK
• measure today and then in a month
• weigh today and then in a week

OK...that's basically my "back to basics" plan. It's something I can do. I did it before and now, I'll just start it over again.

I think I got too comfortable with my food choices. I need to be more aware of just how much I'm eating. Portions seem to be a problem lately.

I went grocery shopping and stocked up on induction friendly foods. I'm going to get my food for tomorrow ready later. I'm going to get breakfast ready, have my lunch made, pack a more acceptable snack. I already have a case of water at work, so that won't be a problem for tomorrow. I'm going to make sure I don't have any $1 or change to hit the soda machine at lunch time. That's been a big problem lately. Even my students have been noticing the soda!

And I'm off.......

[mitzimarie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Excellent plan, q!

Tomorrow is a long work day in the boutique - 9:30 till 5. These are the kinds of days where the bars came in handy. I work alone on Mondays, so I pretty much get in bites behind the counter when there are no customers in the store. I'm about to go pan-fry a few boneless pork chops, and wrap those in foil to bring with me tomorrow. Need to go cut up some jicama and cauliflower, too.

[qbu]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

I'll have a long day tomorrow too...I'll work at school and then I'll be going the the nursing home afterwards. I'll leave my house at 6:10AM and most likely get home around 7-7:30PM. That's how it is when I'm working at the nursing home after my regular school day. I was taking Atkins bars with me to "hold me over" until my dinner. I'm going to start taking a more acceptable snack with me. I'll make some hard boiled eggs, slice up some pepperoni, take some veggies, etc. I'm going to try and avoid the Atkins bars. They've been causing cravings for more sweets. I even went out and got some of the sugar free chocolates...reminds me...they need to be tossed today...not induction friendly.

I'm trying a new recipe with spinach for my side dish with dinner tonight...it's a 3 cheese spinach bake. It sounds great! Have to go get that started. I'm sure that can be part of my lunch tomorrow too!

[mitzimarie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

I was taking Atkins bars with me to "hold me over" until my dinner. I'm going to start taking a more acceptable snack with me. I'll make some hard boiled eggs, slice up some pepperoni, take some veggies, etc. I'm going to try and avoid the Atkins bars. They've been causing cravings for more sweets.

YES! They absolutely DO make me want more sweets.

I'm trying a new recipe with spinach for my side dish with dinner tonight...it's a 3 cheese spinach bake. It sounds great! Have to go get that started. I'm sure that can be part of my lunch tomorrow too!

Please let me know how this turns out! The hardest part about Atkins, to me, is the preparation of food... I don't know how to cook, and I don't like to cook. I've got to get over that.

[Carb Addict]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

I can't remember if I told you this but yours is the first journal that I read when I started this adventure in January. I found it a source of encouragement and an affirmation that I could actually have success with this woe! I actually have your words- REALISTICALLY, GRADUALLY, CONSCIOUSLY, FINALLY! - posted on my fridge. I keep them in my head and remind myself that this is a process and that I can do it. I have seen your many posts and you are a great source of encouragement to everyone. It seems only fair that we can now rally the troops and support you and get back to those basic elements of Atkins.

This new thread is great! I have to admit that I have not struggled with this diet so far except for boredom with the food but I am still relatively new to this all. I do want to set some goals though and keep at it. I know that struggles will come- I am a bit of realist. I have to keep my fluid levels up and somehow get my fibre up where it needs to be. I also want to get more active. I will keep an eye on this thread and see how it evolves!

[mitzimarie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Carb Addict!

Thank you so much, friend. Thank you for taking the time to write, and for expressing an interest in this new thread. I appreciate it!

[qbu]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

The 3 Cheese Spinach Bake turned out very good. It was very easy to make. Here's the recipe:

Three Cheese Spinach Bake

2 (10oz) pkgs frozen, chopped Spinach – defrosted & liquid squeezed out
½ cup + 2 T unsalted butter, divided
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup of heavy cream
8 ounces cream cheese
¾ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

Heat 2T butter in medium pan. Sautee onion til tender. Add drained spinach and garlic. Heat everything together for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Preheat oven to 350°.

In same pan you used to sauté the onion and spinach, heat the heavy cream, cream cheese and ½ cup butter until all the cream cheese has melted. Add the fresh grated Parmesan cheese and stir until you have a wonderful sauce. (If it gets too thick, add a little more heavy cream). Pour the Parmesan cheese mixture over the spinach; add salt & pepper to taste. Stir until the spinach and parm mixture have completely blended. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top and bake in preheated 350° oven for 10-15 minutes until the top cheese layer is melted and bubbly. Pull out of oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

8 servings.
Each: 413 calories; 40g fat; 10g protein; 6g carbs; 2g fiber; 4 net carbs.