Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

[LooseShoes]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Monday check in:
Goals:
1. Diary my food every day!6/7no
2. No chocolate at all this week. Can't seem to stop if I have any.6/7no
3. Exercise in addition to walking at least 3 times this week3/7--yes!
4. Keep net veggie carbs at 20 per day or more 5/7no

In addition, I want to
5. Try a new recipe yes
6. Post to my challenges 4 times this week yes
7. drink 100 oz a day of water to flush out steroids--this week yes

Not a great week challenge wise, but I'm still progressing and that's what it's about.

Extra Credit:

This is my first holiday season I've been through with Atkins, so I'm not sure what my favorite recipes will be yet. I am going to try making cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes and thinking of making the Mockaroni with cheese. Desserts are something I'm going to have to check out. I've stayed away from most of them so far, but need to have something legal I can eat. I think I'll try the mock danish with chocolate and maybe the MUP that I've seen. Gotta have something pumpkin for Thanksgiving! There's also some kind of cheesecake I've seen rave reviews for, so I'll try that, too. There will be 3 low carbers at the table this year. I'm betting the other two will cheat, but I don't want to and am planning to succeed.

[Alexa]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Hey everyone

Aya and Sunny - thanks about the veggie challenge! I love it! Great one to try next time.

Looseshoes - Well done on the restraint!

Sunny - I hear you on the sister! I hope you're feeling better.

I've been away for some of the last week and have been absolutely dreadful. Big time cheating going on with me and I am still not back on the wagon. Various reasons for this but basically it is my fault and I am really lacking control.

My update for last week:
- No splenda (should be possible as just chucked it all) I ate some at my parents house - which probably prompted the chear (4/7)
- No cocoa (ditto) (4/7)
- Continue with the veggie challenge goals (17g veg per day) stopped counting (4/7)
- Limit the dairy to half cup yoghurt, 3 tbsps cream, 3oz cheese per day (7/7) managed this at least

Goals for this week:
- Get on the wagon! Glue self to it!
- Continue with veggie challenge goals (17g veg per day)
- Limit dairy to half cup yoghurt, 3 tbsps cream, 3oz cheese per day
- No cocoa/splenda (home now so should be possible)

[LooseShoes]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Sorry, Alexa! Glad you're back on the wagon. Funny how being around family can give us permission to cheat. I do better eating more veggies, too. I was way too busy Sat & Sun and didn't get in enough, either.

You can do it--come on, you know you can reach goal by Christmas if you really want it!

[Aya]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

MONDAY CHECK-IN (11/05/07)
#1: I will not eat after dinner, and where possible, dinner should be before 7pm. (6/7)

#2: I will record ALL food eaten each day, keeping cals under 1500 and carbs under net40g per day (7/7)
#3: I will do cardio five to six times per week, 30 min sessions or more. (7/7)
- Pilates Bum and Legs workout once times per week. (Not Done)
- Billy Blanks Bootcamp (Don't laugh, it's fab!) twice per week. (No)
- Abs, hips and bum weights at gym three times per week. (2/3)

#4: I will not eat more than one serving of nuts per day; one serving of hard cheese per day; and one serving of soft cheese per day. (7/7)
#5: I will take measurements and weigh in on Mon and Fri but won't get despondent and ruin an entire day after a bad weigh-in. (Done.)

Well, I weighed this morning with a feeling of dread because of my yo-yo pattern that I can't seem to break, and was pleasantly surprised to have stayed the same, even though I had battles last week to curb my appetite. I never cheat but portions sometimes are out of control... which is actually cheating, isn't it? Exercise seems to be getting better, less dread of it.

Will post again in a bit with the challenge!

And I echo Titian and everyone else who said this challenge's accountability and support is so helpful. Thanks all! You all really help me to keep going!

[hopejoy]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Drink 120 oz water/day
be strict with diet... no cheats keep doing what I'm doing...
workout 5 days/ week aerobically at least 30 mins per day (doing 1 hr now)
and wt train 3 days/week in addition to above (that's new... fear wt training will create temporary stall... oh well, gotta go through it sometime!)
take suppliments daily
push myself harder everyday! alternating with rest!
learn fit day!

Hi all, Just checking in... so far the thing I've really stuck to is the first 2 and the suppliments. As for pushing myself... I'm just basically just trying to get out there! I did walk 3 miles today with my doggie though, so am happy about that. Not sure when I'll start wt training... must've been smoking crack again... (you know I'm kidding right?) learn fitday? yeah right.
So, on a possitive note: Am back down to my siggy wt today 174 so have lost my vacation/fires wt. I'm so happy about that! Tom came for a visit yesterday... such a pest that Tom! But whooshi's usually come when he leaves... so packing his suitcase right now, but his plane won't leave until Wed or Thursday. He flies standby.
Okay, have a great night!
liz

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Hey folks! Monster of a day and I just sat down and drowned my troubles with a jar of peanut butter. (For reference, I have seven older brothers and two older sisters). I had an appointment at UVA this morning and as I was coming in the door with an arm load of 'stuff' the phone was ringing off the hook. It was my sister-in-law telling me that my second to oldest brother (79) had been transferred to UVA (Charlottesville, VA) and was about to undergo brain surgery. He was fine yesterday, and had a big write up on the front page of today's paper for the benefit concert he promoted to buy 600 kids toys & clothes for Christmas. I threw my stuff down and got back in the car (forgot all my meds) and headed back over the mountain. By the time I got there, they had done another MRI and found a mass in his lung, so they did a lung biopsy, first. Three doctors; three opinions. The first neuro guy said he had an egg-sized tumor on the right front brain and two small ones on the back left. Enter the next neuro after the MRI--he said that he thought none of them were tumors, but infection that had spread from his lungs to his brain. After the lung guy got finished with the biopsy, he said he was almost certain that everything was tumors/cancer which had metastasized. He will know more in two days when they get the results of the biopsy.

Then, my youngest brother's cell phone rings and it is my niece, my oldest (83) sister's daughter, calling from Crossville, Tennessee, to tell us that our sister is in the hospital there with a tumor in the front right brain and an aneurysm in the back of her brain.


I'm so far behind on my meds, I won't be able to catch up. I don't know whether I'm coming or going. It's been a long time since I drowned my troubles in food. Good thing none of us ever drank!


Sunny

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Week 4 Check-in

I didn't do so hot this week. My biggest challenge has been to have legal food with me when I am going to be away from home for hours at a time. I do pretty well for the most part, but yesterday, after packing a legal lunch for my appointment at UVA, 80 miles round-trip away, I was hit with an unexpected trip back over there, where I couldn't eat until very late and didn't get home until very, very late. I was just coming in the door when I got the call about my brother and quickly ran out the door and went to my older brother's house to ride over with him. I even have an emergency food stash in my trunk, but I didn't have my car with me. I forgot to take my essential meds, as well. I was in so much pain, that I just lost it and ate way too much at the restaurant (all legal) and then ate a bunch of peanut butter when I got home. (oops! I just realized that yesterday was Monday and that late meal (after 7:00 p.m. and peanut butter binge will be counted next week. I still have to count the small amount of peanut butter I ate on 2 different days) It seems, no matter how much I prepare, stuff just comes out of the woodwork to bite me in the butt! Sorry to be so whiny, but I am in a lot of pain and having spasms from missing my meds.

1. I will eat three well balanced meals a day and nothing in between. I will not eat anything after 7:00 p.m. each night. 7/7 100%


2. I will eat no nuts and no peanut butter. 5/7 no points



3 I will be cheat free for the duration. 6/7 no points



4. If I have to be away from home, I will have legal food with me at all times, so I don't get too hungry. 7/7 100%

20 of 40 points


5. I will post on the challenge a minimum of four times a week, reporting my progress. (except during and the week after surgery (Oct. 17) check ü



6. I will weigh in on Friday and Monday without fail. check ü


7. I will continue to drink 128 ounces of water per day. check ü


8. On November 28, or sooner if released by my docs, I will begin my exercise program once again, starting slowly and increasing as health permits. N/A

a. Walk Away the Pounds video 3x per week (warm-up only first week)
b. lift 3x per week. (start again with 2-pound weights)
c. recumbent stepper 3x per week (start w/ 5 min., increase by 5 min. each week)
d. Walk outside, weather permitting, several days per week.

9. I will fit into my winter white wool suit and awesome red dress by the end of this challenge. N/A



Signed: Sunny Smile

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Extra Credit Week 4

Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream cheese Frosting

Mix:
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
24 packets Splenda (16 tablespoons) (or ½ cup DaVinci SF syrup and 6 packets Splenda)
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Then mix:
1 cup mashed pumpkin (I use canned Libby's)
2 eggs
½ cup oil

Mix dry into wet and pour into sprayed 9x13 inch pan. Bake 350 for 30-40 min. Let cool then frost. Really good next day!!! If they last that long!!!

Cream Cheese Walnut Frosting
4 oz softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon maple or walnut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 2 teaspoons vanilla)
6 packets Splenda OR SF vanilla syrup to desired taste and consistency.

Mix all together till smooth then add 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts and spread on bars!

18 bars at roughly 3.5 carbs each and 2.5 if you use the DaVinci and Splen

[Aya]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Oh Sunny, how horrible this all is! And you're still posting, doing your challenges, through all the pain and shocking news! You must be bionic woman! I'll be thinking of you and your family and hope that everything goes as well as can be hoped. Please keep us posted.

[Aya]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

This week's challenge is actually going to be bad for the diet instead of good
I've already decided to try Sunny's yummy-sounding bars.

Okay I have to cheat because this is only my 2nd Thanksgiving and last year my husband had to work so it wasn't a memorable day. He has to work this year too, though, so I'll whip up some low carb goodies for our dinner. I'm cheating because I don't have a recipe of my own but have one that looks SO GOOD that I'll definitely be trying it soon.
It's off SugarFreeSheila and I recommend you have a look at the whole page.

Sheila's Even-Husband-Can-Do-It
Peanut Butter Pie
From Sheila's Super-Simple Low-Carb Desserts cookbook!
82 net carbs for entire recipe - compare to the 350 grams of carbs you'd expect from using high-carb ingredients!


12 ounces peanut butter
8 ounces cream cheese, microwaved 30 seconds to soften
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup Splenda
1 cup heavy cream, whipped for topping

You can begin with a pie crust, or save carbs by skipping it. (For crust: I
sometimes throw together ½ cup of almond flour & ½ cup of walnut flour with ½ cup
butter, ¼ cup water, ½ cup Splenda. Bake 10 minutes at 350º. 30 net carbs &
simple!)

Mix thoroughly together peanut butter & cream cheese. Mix in heavy cream &
Splenda. Once completely mixed, spoon contents in pie tin. Cover & chill overnight.
Add whipped heavy cream before serving!

[LooseShoes]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

I"m so sorry, Sunny! I hope your sister and brother are doing better. My internet was out for the last day, so I haven't been able to get on.

Take care of yourself and your siblings. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[Aya]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Hi guys!

Well, well, guess what? I had such a fab day today Atkins-wise. Made a new lunch of turkey salad, blah-blah, got to the end of the day and had eaten very little, felt great. My husband had been asking me to make him this cake we first ate in Geneva together, Opera - do you know it? Layers of decadent espresso syrup/buttercream/ganache/glazing - you name it. I've been gathering the mountain of ingredients for ages, feeling too nervous to make it just because of the length of the recipe alone. So today at 4pm I began the great task. All went brilliantly, was feeling a little elated because I was having fun, sipping tea, succeeding and not licking a spoon. Come 8pm, I'd whipped up his dinner in between and was still in the throes of making this thing. 9pm...9.30...he's so excited he's making regular trips to the kitchen, I'm getting weary but happy to be almost done. I say to myself, isn't it great that I can make this mammoth thing and not even want to eat it?
The last step on the recipe says, "Trim the edges to reveal the layers." I do this, the trimming amounts to quite a lot, bits of cream and syrup and glazing and ganache. I stick a little bit in my mouth. Then another. Ended up eating it all, plus a whole piece of Opera cake, thinking, "This way, I will have indulged myself and won't need to cheat again." Bad, huh? But I feel like I've done it, it was absolutely divine, and now I need to gym and work hard to get to next Monday and see a loss. That's my challenge. Thanks for listening. It was actually my first cheat on illegal stuff. Goodnight...
BAD BAD BAD CAKE!!!

[Alexa]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Sunny - I am so sorry to hear about your troubles. I'll be thinking of you and your family. It is amazing to me that you stay so strongly committed to this WOL with these things going on. You must have an iron will.

I am changing this weeks goals (for the remainder of the week) to:
- do proper induction
- exercise everyday

Because I have been stumbling, falling and generally making a mess of this for too long and drastic restorative action is required.

[TitianWasp]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Sunny, we're all cheering for you. Gotta keep fighting the good fight, and think of how lucky you are to have a sister to help out.

I have been pretty good this week. Drinking coffee unrestrictedly lately - though it appears to not be giving me any trouble. Been exercising more too. I think the exercise and the calories are my real tough spots - though luckily once you really get in the habit of exercising, it kind of self-motivates. The more you have, the more you want.

I am going to try a light snack at work right before I drive home so that I am not so hungry when I actually make dinner. Last night I had my chicken with veggies, then a diet jello, and then a slice of deli ham. If I had just stuck with a small serving of chicken and veggies, I think I'd be in better shape today.

It's all about focus, Alexa. When we've got our mind on the goal, we're good, perfect even. Once we're distracted, all manner of shenanigans can occur. But you did the right thing - you refocused and you got back up on the horse. Keep going!

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers! No more word on my brother, but my sister's doctor is taking the watch and wait position.

That trip into the peanut butter jar sure did set off cravings! I need to never do that again. As always, it wasn't worth what I went through the next day with cravings and temptations. I finally had to go to bed early to keep from doing it again.

Aya: I sure hope you are not paying the price today for yesterday's actions. This is an ongoing learning experience and will always be.

Alexa: You sound like you are getting back your control. I know you can do it.

Muffy: It sounds like you are doing better and are learning what your pitfalls are for sure. With not having much to lose, I think exercise will be key for you. Coffee may not be a problem for you.

We are missing a few people and we might have to go out and hunt them down!

Sunny!