My Daily Menus

[Moochiecat]

Re: My Daily Menus

Good girl for eating your breakfast! lol
And I thought your day looked pretty good!

I have no idea about the ketostix as I don't use them, and I'm not sure how long before something would show up. In the grand scheme of things a low carb wrap is not so horrible (having a chunk of chocolate cake would be horrible). Do you carry a copy of the wallet sized Acceptable foods list? Here's a link to it:
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3286
Basically if it ain't on the list, don't eat it.

And yes, you pee less as time goes by. fun, isn't it?

Re: the spices
Most of us choose a carb calculator (fitday) to count things and stick with that.
It's not necessary that you know the exact micromanagement total of what you took in for the day. As long as you are within acceptable ranges, you're doing good. It's good to be aware of what the carb count of spices are, and by all means count them, but don't get too obsessed with the numbers being perfectly exact.
I ate for two weeks without Fitday and without even knowing the protein/fat/carb ratio to shoot for. I just followed the Rules and the Acceptable Foods list. When I did find fitday, and entered everything from those two weeks in, I was pretty much bang on target, give or take.

I use the handful=cup method as well, and I double check that once in a while to make sure I'm not out of whack.
Induction was not meant to be the whole diet, so choosing cups it just gives people a guideline to go by.
Again, remember these are vegetables...and these are the lower carb veggies to boot so if you should go overboard a little, it's not the end of the world, as the first rung of OWL is more veggies.

[LookingForward]

Re: My Daily Menus

Thanks again! By the way Moochiecat, your progress pictures are AMAZING and INSPIRING!!!!

Today's menu (well I guess it's technically yesterday!)
LINK

I did kind of skip breakfast, again shame on me! But I didn't wake up until late (9:30ish) so hopefully it's not TOOOOOOO bad.

[Elizellen]

Re: My Daily Menus

I did kind of skip breakfast, again shame on me! But I didn't wake up until late (9:30ish) so hopefully it's not TOOOOOOO bad.

Here's that Moochiecat again

[Elizellen]

Re: My Daily Menus

Seems a little heavy on the protein to me, maybe slightly less pork would have rectified your ratios?

[Moochiecat]

Re: My Daily Menus

lol Elizellen...with your graphic of me waggling my finger...

Well...everything can't be changed overnight, and she's a big girl and knows what she needs to be doing!

Yesterday I was supposed to be in at work for inventory at 7 a.m. I woke up at 6:16!!!
Gaaaaaahhh!!!
I got up, showered, wash/dried my hair, got dressed AND had a few bites of breakfast, and made it in on time. If you've got things ready to go in the fridge, there's really no reason why you can't have a mouthful or two. Or take it with you and eat it on the commute in.
Ok..that's the last 'Eat Yer Breakfast!' lecture from me.

[LookingForward]

Re: My Daily Menus

Menu for 1/27: LINK

I love the wagging finger graphic!

Before you get onto me, I stayed up most of the night last night, and so I woke up VERY late today, so that's why all of my meal times are extremely shifted.

I hear you, Moochiecat, no excuse not to eat breakfast! I'm a believer, I just need to find my discipline and establish my habit. I haven't been skipping breakfast due to lack of time, I've skipped it because I don't feel hungry. I just never have felt hungry in the morning until about 2 hours after I've been awake. It's hard to overcome my own aversion to eating when I'm NOT hungry. But I do get it and will make it happen.

Today I introduced myself to spaghetti squash for the first time. Roasted it with a couple tablespoons of butter for 45 minutes at 350. Oh my GOSH! What kind of heaven is this where I can eat such DELICIOUS food on a DIET while watching the pounds melt away?? I can't believe how good it is, and I just keep asking myself WHY hadn't I tried it before? I am so happy to see how much healthier I'm eating, how many more veggies I'm consuming ON Atkins than I ever did before it. It's amazing how many people out there just don't understand what Atkins is all about and how many misconceptions there are. When I mention Atkins to my family, I inevitably get the worried or scolding looks and reactions.

I DID overdo my non-salad veggies today. I didn't intend to, at ALL, I just got wrapped up in my zeal for my new-found friend spaghetti squash and ate a whole cup rather than the half cup I intended. I should've then omitted the green beans, but I wanted them so bad, and they were already cooked and waiting. It's such a turn-around for me for my VEGGIES to be my guilty pleasure that I can't help but laugh! Since my carbs are still OK, do you think it's a big deal to have had more non-sald veggies and less salad veggies for one day? I can't bring myself to feel bad about it, since it was VEGGIES.

[Moochiecat]

Re: My Daily Menus

I wouldn't freak out about the salad veggies as long as you didn't go over by, like 2 cups, or something.
REmember that when your two weeks of Induction are over you can move to the first rung of OWL, and add in 5 carbs more of veggies. So work at staying within the limits until you're at that point.
Induction serves a few purposes and one is to help us learn to control our portion sizes...so keep that in mind.
You're doing good!

[LookingForward]

Re: My Daily Menus

This morning my ketostix shows very pale, at level "small", when I've been consistently at or above moderate. Do you think this could be because I went over on my non- salad veggies yesterday??? I hate to think such a small amount of extra VEGGIES could knock me nearly out of ketosis! Could this be due to my higher water intake, that the concentration of ketones in my urine is simply less because of all the water, yet the level of ketosis is not really that changed? Is there a way to know? Is there something you would recommend I do in response to the reduced reading on the stick?

I've been on induction now for 25 days, today is day 26. I have sooooo much weight to lose, that I've thought it made sense to stay in induction a good bit longer, not only to jump start my weight loss, but also to give me a lot more time to get used to the foods, the portions, the rules, and establishing good habits. Is there any problem staying in strict induction for a lot longer than 14 days? Is there an upper limit to how long one should stay in induction? Moving to OWL, would weight loss definitely slow down?

Thanks again.

[Moochiecat]

Re: My Daily Menus

The shade of the ketostix has more to do with how hydrated you are than anything and whether you see a trace of pink or it's full on purple, it means the same things...ketones are present.
Whether these ketones are from the fat on your belly or from the fat in the mayo you just ate is anybody's guess.
My recommendation is to ditch the stix as sometimes they don't read anything because they are faulty. Save your money and buy yourself a nice head of cauliflower or some cute earrings...lol Seriously!
Give this a read...it's from our FAQ area (actually, take a cruise through there when you have the time)
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ead.php?t=6725

And yes, you can stay on Induction for a while if you have a substantial amount of weight to lose. I stayed on it for about five or six months then added more veggies in as per the first rung of OWL and stayed there for a long time as well.
When you are around 15-20 or so pounds of your goal you definitely want to be heading up the rest of the ladder though, so you are prepared to maintain this way of eating for life once you hit goal.

You've read this, right?
http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5090
As you lose your weight, because there is less weight to lose, your loss will slow down....but that only makes sense, right?
This is where patience, trust and dedication come into play.

[LookingForward]

Re: My Daily Menus

Today's menu

Thanks so much Moochiecat, I'll definitely be reading the info you pointed me to. I'm surprised about the ketostix! But that's more of a relief than anything, for sure.

A couple things about todays' menu:
1. I had no idea how to record the steak accurately. It was a porterhouse steak, weighing a little less than a pound when raw. There was a TON of waste via the fat and bone. Fitday wasn't very clear, so I took a best guess and just entered the raw weight, including bone and waste.

2. I got half way through drinking a 12 oz. can of 7-up PLUS Island Fruit when I looked at the label. I THOUGHT I HAD READ IT when I bought them at the store, that's why I bought them, after all! It IS Splenda-sweetened, yet it has 3g carbs, 2g of which is listed as SUGARS. I guess that makes sense, since the second ingredient is apple juice. UGH. Dare I even ask if this is legal?? I had such HIGH HOPES, since it's sweetened with Splenda (and actually tastes good, unlike every other diet soda I've ever tried). I want one infrequently (these sat in my fridge for 2 weeks before I wanted one). Input VERY appreciated on this.

Thanks again for all the help!

[Moochiecat]

Re: My Daily Menus

If you're going to have a 'lunch' of just spaghetti squash, put some butter on it so the fat will counteract the carb rush of the veggie-only lunch.
Try and have protein/fat/carb combos with your snacks/meals...or at least a protein/fat combo so it sustains you longer.

Re: 7-Up.
Do you really need to ask if this is legal if it has apple juice in it?
Is apple juice or apples on the Acceptable Foods list?
If you want a fizzy drink you could buy fizzy water and a fruit flavoured sugar free Torani Syrup and make your own, so maybe give that a shot.

[LookingForward]

Re: My Daily Menus

Today's Menu

You know, the spaghetti squahed WAS roasted with butter, I just forgot to add it when I logged it in Fitday. Is there a rule of thumb for the minimum amount of fat you want to combine when you have a carby food?

Cursing that 7-up (actually myself!) Not sure what I was sniffing the day I bought that, I remember reading and reading the label and being so happy I could buy it. Thank god I read the label half way through my first CAN instead of after having a case of it!

I went about 7 hours between finishing lunch and starting dinner today. I didn't mean to, my day just flew by. Just wanted to mention that I realize I didn't do so well with the timing today.

Torani + Fizzy Water sounds great. Have you done it, any idea what ratios are good?

Thanks again.

[Moochiecat]

Re: My Daily Menus

There's no rule of thumb about how much butter per veggie to use. Just have what tastes good to you.

Some days are more organized than others. If you find you are going several consecutive days with long gaps between meals, then you need to re-evaluate your routine, but once in a while, we all have unorganized days. That's life.

I haven't tried the torani and fizzy water thing...I was never much of a soda person but I've heard of others doing it. I have no clue about the ratios...you'll just have to play around a bit with it.
I can't find much variety in the sf Torani around here, gosh darn it. I have chocolate and Vanilla Bean and thats really all there is. We used to have two low carb stores in our city but they shut down. I found a place I can do special orders at, but all they can get in is the big bottle and what if I don't like it when I get it? I'm stuck with a big bottle!

Anyway...I digress...lol

Hey..when is weigh-in day?

[LookingForward]

Re: My Daily Menus

I've splurged and bought several syrups from coffeeauthority.com. Hopefully I will like them! They weren't TOO expensive to ship (at least if buying 3 or more bottles), and they had a few different brands (Torani, Davinci, Monin and one more). One thing I liked too was they just an unflavored sugar-free syrup, so basically liquid splenda! That was VERY exciting to me, as I HATE wasting carbs on Splenda. I just looked and it's called "Monin Sugar Free Sweetener".

Weigh day is Wednesday. Last Wednesday I was at 263, so I've cheated since then and stepped on the scale (and changed my sig to match). Ooops! I've just been so eager to see the results, and it's always been good news! But Wednesday I'll do the official weekly weigh-in and let you know how it's going.

Today's Menu

The fizzy water with syrup was really good. Tasted VERY much like the evil 7-up. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Moochiecat]

Re: My Daily Menus

Menu's looking good!