~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

[Sherri]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Thank you Joy!
I so agree with you. I too, as long as I keep my food boring, I can stay in control of my woe. I have basicly ate the same way for the last 4 years. If I step anywhere out of my comfort zone when it comes to food, I get in trouble. Sweetners are trouble for me. It opens a whole new door of choices that I can not control.
Here is some info I would like to share with you all. I recieve a news letter from Jillian Michaels everyday. If you don't mind, I will share it all with you each day.
Mitzi, I totally understand about cycles and patterns in our Atkins Lifestyle. I am now in the beginning of a good cycle. I'm going to work hard at getting to goal with this one.
Like Joy said, keeping it boring, that's the key for me too.
Me too Heidi, I love this thread! Thanks Mitzi for starting it.
I plan on posting here more often and sharing info as I get it. You all give me the support I need to carry on, Keep'en on!
Wishing everyone a great Low Carb Friday, TGIF!
Love ya, Sherri





Get the Dish on Fish
Over the past few years, there has been a lot of talk about consuming fish and whether the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids outweigh the dangers of the mercury levels that are being detected in various species from waters around the world. Well, the word is, fish is still a good catch!

The FDA and EPA maintain that their 2004 consumer advisory, "What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish," remains current, and they recommend that that women and young children continue to include fish and shellfish in their regular diets. According to the report, fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet and can contribute to heart health as well as to children's proper growth and development.

It is suggested that adults eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Good options include:

• Shrimp
• Canned light tuna
• Salmon
• Pollock
• Catfish

Additionally, albacore tuna, also known as white tuna, contains more mercury than "light" tuna, so it is suggested that you eat only as much as 6 ounces of albacore tuna each week, as opposed to 12 ounces of the fish that are lower in mercury. Children should be served smaller portions of fish in general.

Are there any fish you should steer clear of? Yes, actually. The FDA currently recommends that you do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish because they contain dangerously high traces of mercury. You should also be aware of advisories about the safety of fish caught in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. For more information, visit www.fda.gov.
Finally, don't lose sight of the fact that fish is an excellent source of protein and healthful omega-3 fatty acids. When preparing fish, stick to grilling and baking. Avoid frying fish or adding creamy or buttery sauces. If you enjoy going out for Japanese food, sashimi is the healthiest option — you can also order your favorite rolls without rice to avoid unnecessary carbs. Monday's Tip: Fight Back With Exercise

[ValidRouge]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

That's awesome, Sherri! You are a poster child for sure. I know with my own recent struggles, the reason I keep doing it is for the healthy body I have. Not just what others SEE, but the way I FEEL inside when I'm only eating those foods that my body does well. They are very boring foods. But, I'm slowly learning that food (for me) needs to be boring. If food is too exciting, too thrilling, then I overdo it. If drugs were boring and people didn't get a thrill out of them,...they wouldn't do it either. That's what food is to me. No thrills, no addiction.

So, I eat the same old boring mashed cauliflower with eggs fried in rendered pig fat every morning, a big salad dressed with olive or walnut oil and a chicken leg quarter for lunch, and dinner is the meat of the day (usually a roast in the slow cooker or some slab of something my husband cooks on the grill) and a big portion of veggies again (cooked in olive oil).

That's it. Boring. Sane.

[hrgillespie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

It's always so refreshing and uplifting to come in this post and read everyone's encouraging words and tidbits of wisdom! I'm so glad that even though I'm not the greatest at posting regularly you are all here and we kept this post going! I'm with Mitzi in that I'm in a good cycle right now and hoping to stay there for a very long time! Feeling good .... eating good .. exercising good!!!!! Ahhhhh Life is just Good!!!!!

Heidi

[Sherri]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Good Evening Everyone,
I went to my doctors today and he gave me a clean bill of health. He reafirmed that I healed myself from the Type-2 Diabetes doing Atkins. I have the healthiest blood chemistry that I've ever had in my life. I was also 2 pounds lighter today than my last visit in May. I'll take it.
I'm back on track with my woe after breaking my 142 day sweetner fast on the 4th of July. What a slippery slope that was. I could sure tell the difference in how I felt with and without the sweetners. I'll choose without anyday. Today is day 2 for me and would like to reach 143 days in December.
It's so nice to have a doctor that supports Atkins Lifestyle. I've been seeing my doctor for over ten years. He has seen me at my heaviest and unhealthiest. Now he see's me at my healthiest and it's such a lift in my spirit to know that i'm adding years to my life doing Atkins. A fantastic feeling. I'm still my doctors Atkins Poster Child.
As long as I strive to move forward and not allow the past to step on the heals of my present and future, i'll be just fine. Atkins is truly the healthiest lifestyle there is!
Sherri

[pamelainaustin]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

FINALLY today I was able to update my ticker for the first time since May 21st

I have been doing really well for the last couple of weeks and have dramatically increased my veggie intake and cut back in frequency on some of the higher rung foods. I find that I enjoy them more when they are a "treat"--bought some gorgeous blackberries today that are just begging to be mixed with some Greek yogurt and chopped almonds ...


Still slacking on the exercise but when it is 103 with 80% humidity just breathing is exercise--I did do 20 lunges (10 on each side) and some wall pushups during lunch today plus helped DH mow the yard this evening so I guess that counts for something.

Mitzi, I was so happy to read what you said about cycles--it does seem SO much easier at certain times than others to stay on track and it makes me feel less like a wuss to read that you are like that too. I just wanna stay on the cycle I am on now

Pam

[ValidRouge]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Mitzi, I'm glad you aren't so stressed out. I went on a run last night, first time in a very long time. 20 minutes HIgh Intensity intervals. It was brutal, but I did feel good afterward.

[mitzimarie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Good Evening, Everyone

Whew! I've been busy lately, and have trouble bugeting my time. I'm glad to see that people are still posting here occasionally. That's great! I like having a place for us to land when we need it.

I find that I go in cycles... good for a while... then crappy for a while. I've been in a good spell, lately. I'm relieved that since I have given up trying to get down to 120 again, and just focused on maintaining at my goal weight of 125, I have had quite a reduction in stress. And I'm so happy that I have been able to keep the steel cut oats and blueberries in the morning. I have it every day and I LOVE it. Even Barry (DH) has been eating it every morning with me.

Exercise hasn't been that great, cause I worked the crazy hours in the boutique Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday, but I did get a great run in yesterday, and will be driving to the track again tomorrow. Woo hoo! Now if I can just make myself be as consistent with the pilates and upper body work. I love pilates and ab work, but for some reason, I have to MAKE myself work out with dumbbells... just not my thing, but necessary. Today would have been a perfect opportunity to get the upper body work in, but I didn't do it.

TGIF for tomorrow! I'll probably bring Daniel to get a new booksack and lunchbox. Already got his uniforms and shoes, and school supplies are purchased through the PTA and delivered to the classes for us, so they will be waiting for him. He starts school a week from today.

[qbu]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Thanks, Joy! I've been lacking in the veggie area lately. That has to change. I actually feel better when I eat more veggies, so yesterday when we went grocery shopping, I stocked up again. It's nice that there are plenty of fresh veggies this time of year. What I actually need to do is hit the local farmer's market.

Exercising---well, yesterday planned on it, but woke up with a nasty migrane and then had errands to run. So no formal exercise yesterday. Today...again, still have the migrane, so no exercise.

Eating has been on track, water is on track.

[ValidRouge]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Awesome job, qbu!!!

I'm still doing the same old same old. Pushing the veggies, a mentor of mine told me to "lead with the VEGETABLES" and reminded me that 3/4 of my plate needs to be veggies, 1/4 meat and fats/oils as condiments. 25-35 grams of fiber daily.

So I'm back that. Exercising consistently again. Tomorrow I start to add some HIIT cardio on two days/week.

[qbu]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Wow..I didn't realize how long it's been since I've checked in.

We've been busy. I was offline for quite a while because of painting and moving rooms around, but back now!

We painted every room except our bedroom and bathrooms. Basically did a "clean sweep" of our entire house. Amazing the amount of stuff you collect in a house in 14yrs.

I weighed again today...lost 3lbs since last week! A total of 7 lbs. Guess all of the heavy lifting and moving around of stuff has paid off! Must be that since I haven't exercised formally for quite some time.

Things have still been busy. We're still getting things back in order, but did manage to have some fun this weekend.

We went to a wedding on Saturday. Our neighbor's daughter got married. She was only 8 when they moved in! I felt so old! But, there was also a positive. Her 18 yr old brother gave me a great compliment. He and I were talking and he said, "Every time I see you, you're getting skinnier and skinnier. You look really great." (Nice to hear when I was feeling a bit down about how things were going and then this AM weighed and found I lost 3 more lbs!)

We went out with friends on Sunday for dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse. That was nice.

Yesterday, we went to the Philadelphia Zoo for the day. It was in the 90's and very humid! We walked around the zoo for about 4.5 hours. Don't know how much water I drank in that time, but it was a lot!

Today I did more organizing and moving of "stuff".

I guess the "Believe in yourself...magic will happen" really does work!

[OzLover]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Hope everyone is having a great weekend & eating plenty of veggies! I've got garden fresh zucchini & summer squash in the steamer!

Pasta salad got the best of me last Saturday. Got right back on track along with pushing the fluids. Got back into ketosis on day 4. I am amazed that it was pasta salad that took me down~~~I had been thinking of Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake for several days & didn't pursue the thought. But the smell & texture of the salad just put me over the edge. I'm grateful it was a short excursion!!

[pamelainaustin]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Mitzi,

That is a great pic of Daniel, you can tell he is in his element. Hopefully, he will adjust to having to get up earlier for school, I can remember hating the summer coming to an end when I was his age.

The steel cut oats sound yummy--I have some but I have not cooked any of them yet, I am still trying to stay on track on my current rung--had some Fage yogurt with sliced strawberries and chopped up almonds for lunch today and it was so good but I consider it a once or twice a week treat. I have lost the lbs. I gained back while I was sick but am just stuck on 182 even though some of my clothes seem looser. I think it is the heat and humidity

Like you, I do better on work days since I am busy and don't have any food to choose from except what I bring with me. The drug reps are always showing up with Krispy Kreme donuts or pigs in a blanket but I don't even get near the treats and my office is far from the break room so it is not too tempting.

Glad you are back on track!!

Pam

[mitzimarie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

A mentor of mine told me get back to "leading with vegetables". I've not been eating enough of them. It's very easy to fall back into bad habits of too much meat, not enough veggies.

Amen! Every once in a while, I do fall into the bad habit of not enough veggies. It always helps when I consciously make an effort to get them in. And wow, Joy, another thing in common with the dirtbiking!

Thanks for all of the encouragment, Betsy and Heidi. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that Daniel goes back to school 2 weeks from today! (August 7) We get out early, and go back early down here... not sure why, as it's hot as h*ll this time of year. In a way, I'll be glad to get him out of the house , and in another way I dread the responsibility that comes with school. I've been trying to get him turned around with going to bed earlier and getting up earlier, but it's still going to be a rude awakening when it really happens.

Haven't been posting details with my menus and numbers lately... got kinda burned out on it. I haven't done Fitday in a few days, and I got so sick of Induction food, that I'm eating Maintenance style now, but it's been OK. I'm feeling pretty skinny today, and weighed in at 126, so I'm a happy camper. Twice over the past week, I've eaten steel cut oats with a little butter, cream, drop of splenda, cinnamon, and blueberries - OMG! This is one of the best things I have ever eaten. I enjoy it immensely, and feel happy that I seem to be able to tolerate it. I've decided not to kill myself with deprivation just to stay at 120... if I can hover around my original goal of 125, I'm content. I've got a lot of things going on right now, and I need to reduce stress where I can. At least after the success of that Induction week I just went through, I know that I can do that again if things start to get out of hand... it works.

Tomorrow is the day that I start covering for my niece and SIL at the boutique, while they are at Market in Atlanta. I'll being doing that through Tuesday. That means long days, and I've been tired lately... been having the TOM from h*ll, and have been going through some medical testing for female stuff... next installment of that is on 8/5. I'm ready to have all of that behind me.

Ok, friends... carry on. I will check in, in the evenings after work. I'm thinking that my eating will be spot on, as I am trapped with the food that I bring with me while I'm there. I've already got things ready to go for tomorrow morning, so I should be covered. Be well!

[ValidRouge]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

hey mitzi, my DH and DS are not into sports except for dirtbiking! We have even more in common LOL

Still eating good. A mentor of mine told me get back to "leading with vegetables". I've not been eating enough of them. It's very easy to fall back into bad habits of too much meat, not enough veggies.

[hrgillespie]

Re: ~*~ Back To Basics ~*~

Great pic Mitzi he looks alot like you!!!!! ( minus the mud! ) LOL my son is an avid dirtbike rider and racer as well so I know first hand how much fun that is to clean up after! As far as the eating and activity level goes they are all just so very different. Just keep on loving him and he'll grow up to be a wonderful man!


Heidi