here we go again...

Karen · here we go again...

WOW!! i have instant access into the journal forum..i dont have to wait 50 posts??? LOL

how cool is this??? I must be in the "in" group even though i take forever to catch on to things like wearing sunglasses..and then never get around to taking pics im supposed to take.

So are sunglasses IN or OUT here?? Do tell? Can i have a BUS for my avatar..or would that be stepping on infringement rights??

i havent slept in days..i have no idea why i am up!

i had a good day of eating today..its been a stumbly bumbly ride lately ...but i will not give up!!

I am currently eating paleo...no tomato throwing please..you can throw some strawberries at me though..i know how to catch them in my mouth!!

Ok..ya know what..i dont even know what i am saying im so tired..but..i have to stay up for atleast another half hour till my teenage son gets home..so i will look around..i am nosy like that...

karen Sunny

Alisa

Hi Karen! Glad to see you've made it over! Big Hug

Don't worry about being paleo. No tomatoes will be thrown (unless you need them for a salad or something Wink

.) I think we're all on different plans, but no one's under compulsion to eat veggies. You can do as you please.

Keep on posting! Sunny

Dean

KAREN!

Karen

WOW! i get party blowers and everything..lucky me!!

Thanks alisa and dean..glad you FINALLY invited me here..i was in the dark trying to grope my way around...i had bits and pieces and was wondering what in the hell happened and where did everyone go? i thought the rapture happened and only the TRUE carnivores got brought to heaven and i got left behind..it was rather frightening...glad to wake up from the nightmare!!

*tickles the busdriver* Devil

Heather

Good post, I'm glad to see you here!
Welcome

Karen

Thanks heather..i see your not wearing sunglasses..are they now optional?? LOL

Heather

Yes, sunglasses are optional here.

Suzanne

Welcome Karen and thanks for the laughs! LOL

Susanne

Karen

i suppose i will have to get an avatar when i have time.

thanks for the welcome everyone!!

Today is going good..

i ate for breakfast
3 scrambled eggs w/1 slice of ham cooked in olive oil
6 strawberries
a few raspberries
9 ozs coffee w/milk

Going to BBQ at inlaws soon

Karen

dang BBQ's..why do i go??

anyhoo..went to inlaws tonight for my fil's birthday party and kinda went off my paleo WOE for a bit..when it rains it pours of course..

started out half way decent..i ate a big salad and a bunch of roast beef and sweet peppers (no bun of course)..but then i figured..ok..ill have just a little bit of potato salad and spaghetti...and i did.. ya know those paper plates with 3 sections..one big and two little sections..well i had on SMALL section of spaghetti..and one SMALL section of potato salad. BUT..once you "cheat" it makes it easier to cheat again of course...so when the homeade banana cake and vanilla ice cream came out..i had a piece and a very small amt of ice cream...ah phooey...who cares..i have the rest of my life right..i cant wait till i can go to parties and PASS on all the "no no's"....

Dave

Karen,

I have found the only way for me is abstinence. That doesn't mean I don't overeat, and indulge too much in things like Low Carb Bars.

But I just can't do the cheat thing.

My GF and I wanted to cheat this weekend, but the trouble is knowing the consequences (that last days) we couldn't work out a meal that would be worth it!
LOL

Seriously, I just can't cheat, it's not worth it for me. Now if I can only control my snacking and overeating! Shock

Karen

ya know what dave..you are Sooo right..once upon a time i didnt allow myself to cheat and i made it 3 and a half months without a single cheat..and like you said..ya sometimes i overate nuts or cheese..but i never once during that time ate anything not low carb..not even at parties. now that i have been "allowing' myself little cheats at parties..they end up being big cheats and i end up at parties 2 or more times a week it seems. i think i will take your advice and just go back to NO CHEATING rule!! cool..thanks..duh..why didnt i realize that!! Bonkers

Susanne

Karen and Dave, you are talking my language! I never never never cheat. As you stated, sometimes I overeat LC stuff, but I never eat anything that is not on my LC food list. Simple. Abstinence is DEFINITELY where it's at for me...no other way to do. You two are great!!

Karen

i finally got my sunglasses pic up!!! LOL..now that sunglasses are optional..i finally get around to it..well..i like it anyway..so im gonna keep it up awhile! if my hair looks weird its cuz it was up in a side pony tail..thats why there is only hair on one side..now that i am looking at it..it looks kinda silly..but i am silly..so whatever!! Hope the avatar doesnt scare anyone..he he...

Dean

Karen,

I like your avatar. Looks Cool

Karen

thanks Dean!!
Happy

Yesterdays eats:

1 banana
Egg salad (2 hb eggs, mayo, paprika, pepper)
1/2 mixed nuts
1 oz raisins
2 chicken legs cooked in olive oil
1 italian sausage
1 cup raw veggies (brocc, cucumber, carrots,mushrooms)
2-3 TB of ranch dressing
3 scrambled eggs
1TB butter
1-2 ozs of cheese
2 cups coffee w/milk

I really dont think the pork agreed with me..i felt really full, had some stomach pain and gurgly noises in tummy for a few hours after eating the sausage. I think it may have been slightly undercooked..hope i didnt get some parasite..that would suck!!

This morning i had almond milk in my morning coffee instead of milk..i decided i am going to try to completely stay off the dairy..i just really dont think it is agreeing with me and have read too much now to thing there is any good in it..especially since i dont have access to raw milk or butter or cheese!! so wish me luck.. one baby step at a time. Today i am going to eat NO dairy...

Alisa

I like the new avatar. Very nice! Yup

Dean

Karen,

That looks like the stuff I used to eat... back in my paleo days!

Ever since I went strict meat, and VLC, I have noticed my GI system has been quiet. Only if I eat carbs (like bbq sauce) does it get a little noisy. Back in my SAD days, I used to think meat and fat caused GI distress... but, actually it was the carbs that caused that.

Good to see you on paleo, though. I lost weight easily sticking to paleo. The only reason I avoid carbs now, is I'm afraid of excess insulin, and all the other stuff related to their consumption. But, I sure was able to lose weight while eating that way. Who knows, maybe a few carbs are not so bad. For now, I will stick to as close to zero, though... wanna see what happens with this whole FFA-adaptation (enzyme switcheroo).

Sorry for hijacking your journal, Karen. Dave sent me over here... said you were hijacking his! Shock

J/K!

Jessica

Cute Avatar! Grin

Sounds like you're finding your way. :) Just keep listening to your body, it will tell you what it needs. :)

(((((Hugs)))))

Jessica

Susanne

Fabuloid avatar, Karen! You look AWESOME, darling!!!!!!!!!!! Cool

Karen

thanks for visiting everyone..hijack all ya want..its no fun talking to yourself.

Well today is my 3rd day of eating CRAP..i have been under soooo much stress with both my sons and i am using food..i feel like crap..i am gonna try desperately to get back to paleo tomorrow..i actually am considering trying all meat for a few days to get rid of these cravings i have because of this stupid bingeing...we'll see...

Karen

i continued eating crappy all weekend..until tonight!! i made a nice paleo dinner for hubby and I!!
I am so glad its monday tomorrow and i dont have to deal with other peoples houses and company like over the weekend. Total paleo for me tomrrow..hold me to it!!

oh..i changed my avatar again..i like this sunglass pic better i think..

Alisa

Okay, I'll hold you to it! Yup

But don't worry. The past is past. I'm glad you and hubby ate paleo tonight. That's a good start.

Here's to a happy, paleo week! Toast

Alisa

BTW, way to go for being so up-front with the food indiscretions. It's so tempting to hide, but you didn't. I admire that! And now that you're back on track, I get to admire your resolve! Yup

Karen

ya well im not resolved just yet alisa! lol

im half way..my foot is in the door..

im eating paleo..then falling..then eating more paleo..

i cant seem to get completely upright here..

i have all these damn cravings now because of the cheating..this SUCKS!!!!!!

Alisa

That's okay Karen... just celebrate the days you do well. It's hard getting back up. I know this all too well. Just keep your head up and keep posting! Sunny

Karen

thanks alisa! im trying to! Life is just getting to me right now! I am sick of the fight with food! I will try once again today to get back on track!

Dean

It's an ongoing struggle. But, the more you struggle with it, the easier it becomes. You will always get lots of support here! So, don't be a stranger! Cool

Susanne

Keep talking about it here, Karen. The more I share my struggle, the easier it gets...because then it loses its power over me.

Have you tried taking L-Glutamine for cravings? Two with a glass of water every hour or two when I am in heavy withdrawal helps a lot - like the last two days for me, for example. I've been striving to get strictly back on plan after a 'relaxed' month. The first day was hell, second day moderate hell, today...no cravings.

The L-Glutamine does something to stabilize your blood sugar and stop the cravings. If you take it and "white knuckle" it for 30 minutes after, the cravings are gone. Really. It's about $3.50 a bottle at WalMart - cheap! Try it!! It's saving my craving ass!! LOL

Karen

HEY susanne,
i have L-glutamine! i used to take it when i was first on atkins. I forgot all about it! i will take that today and see if it helps with the cravings!

We barely have any unpaleo food in the house, so its kinda hard to cheat too much. But my 17 yr old insists on having bread, milk, frozen pizzas at all times. So every day i end up with 1 sandwich or 1 pc of pizza before the day is over..besides that i am eating paleo all day. But the fact that he keeps making pizza and setting it on my counter and the fact that i KNOW the bread is there..its almost like i have NO willpower now to not grab it. I dont know why? When i was on atkins i didnt even want that stuff. Now on paleo its like i am searching for something MORE to eat. This is an adjustment to my eating. I think not having the dairy is what is hard for me. I can't seem to get rid of that dairy 100%. I bet i am allergic to cheese ..they say foods your allergic too you just keep coming back for more and more. I feel like a drug addict and my drug is cheese..isnt that sad??

Ok..today..i am going to try my best to not eat any of the bread or pizza or cheese. Wish me luck LOL

Karen

Dean,
i sure hope your right that the more i struggle the easier it becomes! i sure am struggling right now!! and i feel like crap because of it!! i am needing more sleep, i feel lethargic and just BLAH! It doesnt help that i have been sick for about 2 weeks also. Anyhool...ill keep coming back!! I wont give up..i can't!
karen Happy

Karen

i didnt eat pizza yesterday but i ate mcdonalds..besides the trip to mcd's i did eat paleo all day! im getting there.

Then today i had pizza..i think i am banning it from my house and telling my teenager to find something else to eat besides pizza!! LOL

Susanne

I don't pretend to know anything about eating paleo, but how are the 'cravings' going??? Smile

CarolAnn

Susanne

HEY, Karen!

How's it going? long time, no posty...update us, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Karen

its going really well these past two weeks and i am losing weight..havent had any dairywhite flour products or sugar at all in two weeks. i switched to soymilk in my coffee even!

Here is what i have been eating: meat, chicken, coconut oil, olive oil, flax oil, veggies, fruit, nuts, and a slight bit of potato, beans and rice. oh..and of course..coffee..lol

I am actually thinking of cutting the potatos, beans and rice completely to lose weight easier! I am concentrating now on higher fat too!

I am feeling tons better eating all whole real foods versus stuff like atkins protein bars or diet pop..blech!!

now when i crave a sweet i eat a pc of fruit or i mix up some raw cashews and raisins. This works for me..we all have sweet cravings from time to time!

my skin is looking so healthy too now!!

i am going to be adding 1 tb of cod liver oil starting this week and upping my coconut oil to 3 times a day..

Jessica

Karen, good to hear you're finding what is working for you too.

I do best on a more mixed, but as close to naturre as possible, diet. I've been eating eggs, turkey, lean meat, chicken, salmon, fresh fruits, and some salads here and there. I also eat regular and sweet potatoes with a just a touch of butter for flavor. Also, nut butters, especially almond butter, are great on a fresh banana or apple.

I bought a ton of diet soda awhile back and have barely touched it since adding fruit, potatoes back into my diet. You can't go wrong eating as close to nature as possible, which you are finding out.

There are a ton of herbs/seasonings to add to your food. A great book I think you'd love is "The Garden of Eating" by Rachel Matesz. She has some sample recipes on her site at www.thegardenofeatingdiet.com as well as some good articles. She has this thing called a mocha frosty that is incredibly awesome.

Jessica

Steve

Karen,
stay away from all forms of soy..

It has too many detrimental effects on the body..supressing thyroid function and being loaded with estrogen are just starters..

It is also an incomplete protein source and can cause mineral deficincies.

Nasssssty ,nassssty stuff..

Good to see you back

Dean

Hi, Karen! Sunny

Glad to hear you are finding what works for you!

Keep posting... you are doing great. Thumbs Up

Karen

susanne, dean, steve and jess..thanks for your comments and stopping by my journal!

i have been reading alot of negative stuff about soy lately myself and am thinking of nixing it..my problem is..the COFFEE..i was using soymilk since stopping all dairy! sigh!

i just CANT drink black coffee!! i cant!! i have to have something in it. I have some coconut milk..maybe i will try that in my coffee tomorrow and see if i can live with it or not! ive been putting cocunut oil in my coffee anyway..so it already tastes like coconut..lol

another thing i am considering is buying raw dairy..i miss dairy..lol..its been 2..maybe 3 weeks i have been without it..but after all i read on the weston a price site and in nourishing traditions..i just CANT do the whole pasteurized dairy thing anymore..i just CANT! wonder how much it would cost me to buy just raw butter, raw cream and a slight bit of raw cheese from the farm? i know there is a wednesday drop off of raw dairy near my house from one of the farms a couple hours from here. They drop it off CLOSE by..i gotta find out the costs..i dont know if we can afford it..i could go without the cheese still..i guess..maybe just the cream and butter i can get..or maybe just the cream..there must be some MINIMUM amt you have to buy though..well..i will look into it!

BTW...my 2 yr old cant have any casein or gluten at all..so he has been drinking soymilk, rice milk and almond milk for awhile now. i should probably nix the soymilk..BUT its the cheapest of the 3..sigh!
Can i use my blender to make rice milk and almond milk..anyone know? buying it from the health food store is getting expensive!

Speaking of the health food store...i bought some eggs that were 4 times as much as grocery store eggs..WAY to expensive..maybe as a once in awhile thing i guess..but..i wish i could get a hold of some fresh farm eggs some other way. We have 2 farmers markets around here and i have been going every week..but no eggs..just nuts veggies and fruits and honey...sigh!

i ordered "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" from mary enig..and cant wait to get it..

Steve

KAREN,
Do not give your boy soy..please trust me on this. I read that giving a baby a bottle of soy formula was the equivalent of mulitple birth control pills..I still think it is the reason we are seeing little girls with boobs at an early age and problems with our boys..

raw is supposed to be best as far as dairy,but it is god awful expensive. I called a dairy in Calif and a gallon of cream was $68 plus shipping.

do you have a Trader Joes by you? they have the best egs on the market bar none. they are called Golden Hills eggs and a dozen are only $1.99. They have the darkest ,orange yolks and they are incredible. I eat them raw in some cream and I make 3 minute soft boiled yolks for my boy. They are fortified with omega 3's and have alot of Vit E as well

Also pasteurized is the best option if you cannot find raw. Just dont buy ultra or homogenized dairy. Trader joes has an awesome creme that is organic and just pasteurized.

If you were just to put a small amount of creme in your coffee,do you find it a problem??

I gave up all caffeine a couple of months ago and I'm drinking Teccino and Pero..it's not bad at all and I put alot of cream in it.

and yes you can make you r own almond milk..really easy.
This is from the Candida control cookbook.

1 cup fresh raw almonds
2 cups of boiling water(purified)
1 qt. cold water
2 tbls 100% pure vegetable glycerin
1/4 tsp sea salt

Blanch almonds by pouring boiling water over nuts,soak a few minutes or until skins slide off easily,drain.
Place skinless almonds,cold water and other ingredients into a food procesor or blender. Process to a very smooth liquid.

If necessary strain through a cheesecloth or a fine strainer. Refrigerate.
You can do this with Cashews as well..You can just blend all the ingredients together and no blanching required

4 carbs per 1/2 cup.

the vegetable glycerine is a pretty cool sweetner and cheap, It is found at health food stores. Ask for food grade though.

Does your boy just like water? You can always give him some Emergeny C with a little little glutamine powder in it as well. they have a vareity of flavors but don't buy the sugar free stuff.

Hope this helps..

Karen

ok..i had the coconut milk in my morning coffee and its not too bad! i got the thai kitchen organic coconut milk and stirred it really good. My first cup i had coc oil and coc milk..my second cup i just had coc milk in. Its pretty coconutty tasting and oily..but i can live with it more than black coffee and i really need to get rid of this soymilk in my diet..so i guess this is doable!

i got an email back from the raw dairy farmer..the pick up is maybe 25 mins from my house. It costs $20 a year for membership to the co-op. The prices are pretty steep. It costs $12 per quart for Raw Cream, $14.50 per lb for Raw unsalted butter, And $9-$10 per pound for the raw cheeses, the eggs are $3-$4.50 per dozen depending on size...AND they sell grass fed beef, all different cuts and price ranges and its vacuum packed bags. She said once you pay the $20 yrly membership fee you can order anything you want at any time..no minimum order required, which is nice! So now to decide if i should stay off dairy altogether or maybe order a quart of cream per week and some grass fed beef? i think at those prices i would only get the cheese once in a blue moon and just skip the butter altogether..hmmm..i dont know what to do! i am not in the best financial position for this expensive stufff. maybe i should just stick with the coconut milk in my coffee and take the cod liver oil and coconut oil daily and cook with only coconut oil, palm oil and extra virgin olive oil and just forge the dairy! i just dont know what to do!! Then there is the issue of my teenager wanting MILK! i hate buying him pasteruized milk!! But the Raw milk is $6.25 per gallon!! Maybe i could just buy him a gallon of it every other week and tell him thats all the milk he is getting! Gee and i thought the Oberweiss milk was expensive when we used to get it delivered weekly..lol.

Alrite..i can ramble ALL day long..lol...i gotta just think about what to do..

Karen

steve,

i am convinced..i am getting rid of all the soymilk in my sons diet and not using it in my coffee. i do have a trader joe's about 40 mins from here! i am DEFINITELY gonna go get the eggs for $1.99 a doz..that aint too bad. Maybe i should just buy the unhomogenized, organic cream at trader joes..how much does it cost? what is the brand name on it? i found out the raw cream from the farm is $12 a quart and it is just way too expensive!!

Thanks for letting me know about the almond milk and cashew milk! can i just make that in a regular blender??

Dean

Karen,

I have given up all dairy... except half & half in my coffee... and butter on my steaks. I would have to give up coffee all together if I did not put half & half in it. I pay $1.37 for a quart of half & half at my 24-hour grocery store, one block away... and $5.99 for four pounds of unsalted butter... that's four one-pound packages (with four sticks in each). I get this butter from Costco and keep in my freezer.

I once checked into getting raw dairy from a farm 20 miles out. I even made some butter, using my food processor, from the separated cream. This stuff was very good... but, OMG, it was SO expensive. I don't think it is worth it. I would rather go dairy free (which I may do) than to pay those kinds of prices.

As far as eggs... I get a flat of 30 large white eggs for $1.49. I have used the raw yolks of these eggs in smoothies many times. I put 6 raw egg yolks in my 5-cup blender when making smoothies using "A Taste Of Thai" brand canned coconut milk (good stuff... real thick). I put one whole can into this 5-cup blender, along with the 6 egg yolks, ice cubes and berries, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla & almond extracts. I also put Tropical Traditions expeller pressed coconut oil in these. I order that online, and get the two for one sales they have.

I don't know the advantage of eating "organic". I used to order bulk bison and such... but, now I just get regular cow and chicken meat on sale at the grocery store. Even ordering bulk cow meat turned out to be more expensive than just buying sale cuts at the grocery store. And, I get all the cow fat I want for free from the grocery store. I render this down very easily into tallow. That is the best fat to cook with.

If you are on a tight budget, like I am, special foods may not be as necessary as just trying to eat good animal protein and fat, and things like coconut oil/milk. Whether they are organic or not, these foods are the healthiest, and the best bang for the buck.

Steve

If you have the money to buy "organic" meats , dairy and produce, it does make all the difference in the world.

if you are eating eggs from cooped up chickens(not free range) eating slop and not their natural diet,then of course the quality of the egg and the meat is gonna suck, and the nutrtional value is going to be a lot less.

The problem with all the grocery store items is that all these foods have been altered. Milk is not milk,butter is not butter and the meat is less than nutritionally exceptional.

Look I know we are all doing the best we can and eating very nutritious food is expensive,but I think we all lose sight on what it is that goes into our bodies.

In a perfect world only the most nutritious,natural and non-man made substances should be the only things we eat. We have a hard time here at my house doing that,but for my son I will do nothing less.

I think it is a good thing that we are all losing weight, but are we really making ourselves more healthy? Losing weight but eating substandard and artificial food is hardly a recipe for robust health. That's what eating should be about..optimal nutrition/health.

I've f'ed up over the past few years and now I am one screwed up puppy.
But for me now,when I eat something I ask myself"will this make me healthier?" "is this nutritionally a good food?"

Believe me, from the bottom of my heart,I am not trying to judge or insult anybody.I'm just trying to bring up that eating should be about health,not just weight loss.

Steve

karen,
Trader joes has a store brand organic cream..it is pasteurized only.
and yes you can make the almond milk in a blender,, We do all the time.

Heather

I just want to point out, that the less different types of food I eat, the better off I feel. I seem to get overwhelmed by too many flavors or something. I'm not sure why, it just seems that way to me.

Karen

Dean...i think i might buy that trader joes cream..and start putting cream back in my coffee..nothing else is working out. Also..i think i will just eat the store eggs and splurge on the farm eggs from trader joes every so often!

steve..i hear you..i am eating more and more natural foods..BUT we are on a SUPER tight budget and there is only so much organic and expensive foods i can really afford..so i am doing the best i can and after hubby gets a couple raises i will be all organic and whole!

heather..ya know what? i think i too do better on less variety..too many choices dont do me too well

Karen

Food today:

Huge massive salad w/garbanzo beans, broccolli, cauliflour, carrots, romain lettuce, sunflower seeds, tuna, avacado, tomato and cucumber with Oil and vineger and spices

1 apple

1 plum

2 bratwursts

5 small red boiled potatos with olive oil, mrs dash onion and herb

cashews and raisins

a few walnuts

2 TB coconut oil

almond rice bread with natural peanut butter, honey and bananas on it! mmm

a few bites of liver sausage

12 oz coffee w/ coc milk

12 oz decaf w/half n half (i splurged tonight..lol)

Alisa

Damn, you had an awesome food day! Yup

I'm glad to see you're back around. I worry about you when I don't see you posting. I know I'm off getting into trouble when I'm not here. It looks like you're really getting to a good place, though.

I finally bought a can of coconut milk. I have no idea what to do with it. I actually learned to enjoy coconut oil in my coffee and tea. Such a weird sensation for a little while.

Karen

alisa,
thanks for stopping by my journal..i love the company!
That is so sweet of you to worry about me! awww..how nice!!
I am slowly finding my niche..i think! lol
i have not had sugar in weeks..so thats a good start!!
i am deciding whether i want to go back into ketosis and super low carb for a few months to get some more of this weight off..right now i am SLOWLY losing..i dont know what to do!! hmmm *scratches head*
why cant i just find what works for me and stick to it? lol LOL

Karen

My food today:

3 Omega 3 eggs fried in a pat of butter w/ raw chedd cheese, spinach and herbs

2 sage sausage patties from whole foods (no gluten)

one banana

2 slices ham

a few bites liver sausage

1 pc of beef bologna

2 TB Coconut oil

1 Taco bell 7 layer burrito

1 Taco bell chicken quesadilla

2 cups cofffe w/half n half

WOW!!! my food was SHIT today!! lol..i didnt even eat any veggies..i had dairy..i had crappy taco bell...it was stupid...my day was super busy and stressful and rather than going through the hassle of making dinner i sent my son to get us taco bell..(first time i ate it in almost a year). We NEVER run out for fast food!! this was an odd day!

Dean

Karen,

I did paleo for a long time. Eventually it was just the meat and fruit diet for me. Both of those are pretty quick to grab.

You are doing really well. Don't trip on the slip ups... just get right back on it. And, keep posting EVERYTHING you eat... it REALLY helps!

Karen

thanks for the encouragement dean!!! today was much better!

here is what i ate today:

3 omega-3 eggs fried in a pat of butter with spinach and herb
2 TB coconut oil
2 sage sausage patties (gluten free)
1 banana w/tsp of natural peanut butter
20 pistachios
1/2 cup of cashews mixed with raisins
8 ozs coffee w/half n half
8 ozs coffee w/coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken salad
small plate of Beans, Rice, meat dinner (recipe below)

I made the most awesome dinner..without a recipe..i made it up as i went along..this is what it had in it:

1 lb ground turkey
1 can red beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 jar of Newmans own marinara
1 onion
3 cups of brown rice
salt, pepper
lots of chili powder
a little bit of olive oil

LOL..AGAIN i didnt eat veggies i noticed..it wasnt intentional...i had such a HUGE salad on monday i havent been in a veggie mood since..lol..whatever..who cares?? lol

Karen

ok..add 1 oz of raw cheddar cheese and about 15 more pistachios to my food for today..i just had a "snack"

there is something FUN about opening pistachio shells..it can be addicting actually...My son came home with 8 lbs of pistachios from costco today. i told him to buy ONE 4 lb bag and he came home with 2..i just kinda looked at him like "are you nuts"..lol

Karen

I put some before and during pics in gallery 2 if ya'll wanna take a look..i dont believe i had the courage to post my highest weight pics..EEEK..i hope ya'll can notice the difference!

Shawn

Your pics look great! Clap

Karen

Food for today:

3 scrambled eggs fried in pat of butter w/spinach and herb
2 ham slices
way too many pistachios
raw mixed nuts and raisins
1 TB coconut oil
2 cups coffee w/half n half
1 cup decaf w/half n half
leftover brown rice/grnd turkey/kidney bean dish
12 meatballs w/ spag sauce
broccolli and cheese rice (big bowl)
1 mini snickers (eeek)

YIKES!! after looking this over im embarrassed..YES..i was overeating today!! what a crappy eating day i had..lol

I am now deciding what to do to lose some more of this weight..i have been pretty much maintaining lately..i need to be back on a diet for awhile..im back and forth between doing paleo or atkins right now..dont know which to pick..But i better pick SOMETHING SOON!!! i will end up gaining soon if i dont!! that would suck!!

Susanne

Karen...

Once you've gotten past all the withdrawal/induction type bullshit on ANY of the plans, ultimately, which one was easiest to follow? which one do you think is a way you could potentially eat for the rest of your life? which one do you think you lost best on?

There may not be one answer to these questions, but if I were you, I'd spend some time pondering it before you decided which way to go. I think that trying different plans is good - afterall, why not? it's your life and if you want to lose/keep it off, let's shop the possibilities a little bit.

But I also think that in the end, sticking with one particular plan will make it simpler to lose and keep the weight off. I've messed around a bit in the last 17 months of being low carb, but in the end, what's working best for me basically is the 1972 version of Atkins, which is essentially a very low carb/primarily carnivore lifestyle. I feel SO good.

But you have to find which one works best for you. And then: STICK TO IT LIKE GLUE. That'll give you the success you crave! I sincerely believe that commitment and tenacity on ANY eating plan is the key to success. How to get that? You gotta want it bad enough. I do.

I saw your posts in the Carb Addicts thread. In considering which plan to go with, remember the abstinence idea. Your goal is abstinence from overeating carbs. Which plan is workable for that? Cool

Karen

Thanks for the advice susanne! Last night before bed i thought i had made up my mind to go back to atkins starting today. But then upon waking up i thought about it further and i really dont know if i want to go back into ketosis! Also, i have to cook for my family every night and have a 2 yr old to be concerned about. He is gluten/casein free..so we have been eating the nourishing traditions way lately but without the dairy since he cant have it and i cant afford raw dairy for us! What i am THINKING about is continuing the nourishing traditions way of eating but plugging everythign into fitday and sticking around 1800 cals a day! That what i will do for today and continue thinking further on this!

Dean

Karen,

It sounds to me that the best diet you could be on right now would be paleo. Why not try eating:

meat
eggs
fruit
veggies
half & half with coffee and a little butter (no other dairy)
a few nuts (but watch these... you might even want to avoid them)

Seriously, if you just ate the top four on that list, you would lose weight easily, especially if the meat was a bit lean. I ate that way for four months with no problem, and lost a lot of body fat very steadily. I ate all the fruit I wanted, and it was no problem. Punch it into FitDay. Fruit and especially veggies don't have many calories at all.

If you ate this way for a while, you could avoid conflicts with your family, since they would not mind these choices that much, and you could get away from all artificial foods and get used to eating natural foods.

Switching from paleo to carnivore was so easy. Switching from SAD or even "Atkins" might be a lot harder. I may go back to paleo eating myself, just to supplement animal fat with some carbs.

Karen

i dont know dean..maybe your right! maybe i should simply eat paleo! hmm!

i came up with a plan earlier this morning that looks like this:

Daily intake:
1700-2000 calories
50-65% Fat
70-110 g Carbs
80-120 g Protein
2-3 TB Coconut oil
2 softgel Fish oil OR 1/2 tsp cod liver oil

I went ahead and plugged everything i plan on eating today into fitday and it all falls within the above perimeters! I will show the fitday stats and what i plan on eating here:

Fitday:
Calories 1815
Fat 59%
Carbs 108g
Fiber 17g
Protein 91g

Plan on eating today:
24 ozs coffee
1.5 ozs half n half
2 TB coconut oil
3 large brown farm eggs fried in 2 pats butter
2 med slices bacon
1 pear
1 banana
1 apple
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 TB salsa (on chicken)
2 cups spinach w/1 pat butter
1 oz raw mixed nuts
2 Fish oil Soft gels
SALAD=
1 cup sliced cucumber
3 med slices tomato
1 cup endive lettuce
1 TB Olive Oil
1 TB Flax oil

extra supps:
1 one a day women multi
250 mg magnesium
500 mg calcium

Steve

Karen,
If you feel you may be insulin sensitive,cut back the fruit to only a piece a day. Fructose is horrible for weight loss..

No bananas or melons or pineapple..apples,pears,nectarines and the mighty berry should do it for you.

Eat them with fat, ex.. almond butter and apple,cream and berries,peach with some cheese..

If you are taking in 108 grams of carbs that is 27 tsps of sugar a day..

Kindof alarming eh?

Protein is way to low..You should have your bodyfat measured and take 1 gram per lean bodyweight or protein. You are taking in more carbs than protein.

Your calories from protien are 364 and your carb calories are 432.

High fat and high carb is not a good weight loss diet..Thats why foods like pizza and fetuccini alfredo are the worst things one can eat.

But they taste so damn good.. Cry

Karen

i had a crappy eating day...i went south about 3/4ths of the way through the day!! this sucks!! BUT..i did stick to my plan for cutting down on smoking! i was concentrating so much on the cigarettes and counting them all day that i guess the food just wasnt my priority today! i dont know. I did take a trip to the Whole Foods Market tonight and spent $212

Tomorrow is a new day!

I know my plan sucks..i dont think i can do it!!

Maybe i will just try the paleo Dean and forget all this counting of everything..its too much pressure!!

OR maybe i should just go back to atkins..but i dont WANT to go into ketosis again..i felt like crap for 12 straight days when switching over to ketosis...as it is i am cutting down on the smoking over this next month and will be completely quit by oct 23!! i will be going through cravings and withdrawals for cigarettes as it is!! sigh!!!!! i just dont know..i will sleep on it..i am so depressed about this..i wonder if i will ever lose the rest of this weight? sigh Bonkers

Alisa

Steve

karen,
It 's pretty simple on your plan. Eat a little more protein,and drop the banana...Your plan does not suck..just a little modification and your good to go

How would you feel if you stopped eating around 7:00pm and did not have anything until breakfast? A little self imposed fast???

Karen

so far today i had:

a sandwich made with:
lettuce
tomato
ham
swiss cheese
mayo
Ezekiel sprouted whole grain bread

1 square dark chocolate

2 cups coffee w/half n half

*EDITED to ADD the rest of the food for Saturday

a few veggie chips
1/4 cup dehydrated Veggies
2 cups decaf w/half n half
1 tsp Cod liver oil
1 TB Coconut oil
a few cashews
1/2 pc German flourless 3 grain bread w/ natural peanut butter and a tad of honey

Dinner:
1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh w/mayo and parmesan
Zuchhini, yellow zuchinni, yellow squash, onion, tom in olive oil and butter
Red Boiled potatos w/olive oil, butter and parm and mrs dash

Susanne

Not to derail you....but I would suggest dealing with one habit/addiction/ problem at a time. You are trying to put the brakes on both carb and tobacco addiction - two SUPREMELY TOUGH addictions to quit.

Which one do you think is easier to quit? Which one do you think is more critical that you deal with? which one is most detrimental to your health?

The answers to these questions will not be the same, obviously...just some stuff for you to think about. I guess I'm feeling stressed FOR you trying to quit two at the same time...it would make ME crazy. If I had had to quit drinking and go low carb at the same time, I would have been locked up permanently. As it is, I did them 18 months apart - first booze (which was killing me faster than food), then I addressed my carb addiction. It made it so I had a firm grip on the one problem before I tackled the other, and ultimately SUCCEEDED at both, one day at a time. It's three years later now...still sober and getting skinnier by the day! Cool

If i was God and in charge of your life LOL

, I'd suggest leaving tobacco alone for now. Get thin and feeling good about yourself - then dump the cigies. You may find your tobacco addiction dropping away slowly as you commit to losing weight and begin to feel better about yourself. Who knows? But DON'T drive yourself nuts or you won't succeed at either problem! Heart

Karen

susanne,
luckily you aren't God so i dont have to listen to you LOL

I AM gonna continue with my plan to quit smoking! It costs too much money and i would rather spend the money at whole foods and eat more healthy and be able to buy my coconut oil and cod liver oil too!

Yesterday in my mail i got the book "Eat Fat Lose Fat" by Mary Enig (its the Nourishing Traditions Weight loss version) I have practically read the whole book already! i couldnt put it down!! LOL

Basically in a nutshell...its eating foods the NT way (fermenting veggies, bone broths, soaked grains,beans, and nuts, lots of animal fat, raw dairy etc) She gave a chart for how much coconut oil per day...at my weight she suggests 6 TB of Coc oil each day. WOW!! (2 TB before each meal) PLUS 2 Tsp Cod liver oil per day (or 1 Tsp high vitamin Cod liver oil). Liver 1-2 times per week, Beef or lamb or pork DAILY. Either 2 glasses of Raw milk OR 3 ozs of RAw Cheese per day (for the calcium) There are two phases for the weight loss. The first 2 weeks is 2500 cals per day. Then it drops to 2000 cals per day for the rest of your weight loss time!

I am going to WORK toward starting this NT diet..but i have lots of stuff to BUY and to LEARN! i need to learn to ferment the veggies, make bone broth, etc. The last 2 times i went to whole foods i bought Raw Cheddar cheese (its the ONLY raw dairy product they sell) i am still deciding whether to join the raw milk co-op and i think i might! (since i cant seem to give up the cream in my coffee!) The only thing that kinda stinks is if i want to follow this diet to a T..i will have to quit drinking coffee and replace it with herbal tea..which i am contemplating!! That might be hard!

since i am working on the quitting smoking..i am not gonna be too hard on myself when it comes to the food this coming month or two. I am goint to TRY my best to stay with whole foods and work towards the EAt Fat lose fat "diet". Thats all i can do.

Suzanne

Karen, I have to agree with you. Quit the smoking first. Do the best you can with food.

Steve

Karen,
If I may..stay away from grains and beans..even soaked .
They really are an unecessary food.

I greatly admire Sally Fallon. I have met her and have spoken to her on the phone and I push her ideology.

but grains and beans are a food that will hamper weight loss.

Dr. Mercola who is on the board of the Weston Price foundation and Dr. James Braly both have great books on the "dangers' of consuming grains.

Ron Schmid,a naturopath who is also on Sally Fallons board recommends this dietary breakdown.
1/3 of your diet should be from animal sources(meats,organs,raw milk)
1/3 from green veggies and sprouts(with some sea veggies)
and the other third fruit,other veggies and some grains.

He has a great book called "Traditional foods are your best medicine". It used to be called Native Nutrtition..

but again,if weight loss and health are your objectives,stay away from starchy carbs like beans and grains..they are fattening.

Susanne

I'm glad I'm not God...think what a busy-ass life He has, especially dealing with zillions of whiny, ungrateful humans! LOL

Sounds like you've made your decision - tobacco is the primary thing to work on! We are STILL here for you, no matter what you do. Also sounds like you've got the food plan picked out. You are on your way!!!

Karen

ok..i am losing it!

i havent done good with either my smoking plan or my eating plan yesterday or today..all hell is breaking lose..

i think i have taken on too much and i am too stressed and i am falling apart!

My 17 yr old has Schizo-Affective Disorder (he is both Bipolar and Schizophrenic) he has been put into the hospital 2 times in the past year! He has switched his meds 3 times. Tonight the psych doctor switched his meds. Last time he switched meds he ended up in the hospital for 2 weeks because he went manic and started hallucinating again! He is turning 18 this Friday which means i can no longer sign him into the hospital when he goes crazy. He would have to sign himself in..which he absolutely WOULD NOT do!! i am a wreck about it!

My son Luke is 2 yrs 4 mos old. He has been in Early Intervention Therapy since March. He doesnt talk yet. He walked late, he has sensory issues which makes him a SUPER picky eater. He has black bags under his eyes and is a skinny rail. I dont think he is getting enough nutrition. He is intolerant to casein and gluten which makes it even HARDER to find foods for him to eat. He has an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, a developmental therapist and a nutritionist. They all come to MY HOUSE for therapy every week..on different days..just enough to screw up my whole week. Luke is probably autistic, though i am on a LONG waiting list for a doctors diagnosis!! Luke also is having surgery on Oct 12 in his groin area, due to a hydrocele that formed because of severe constipation for a year. I am so upset about my 2 yr old having to have surgery!! it totally sucks!!

My every waking hour revolves around luke and joey. I have to give joey meds twice a day...and if i ever forgot..even ONCE...theres a high chance it would lead to another hospital stay for him. I think about his medicine so much that i sometimes have dreams that i forgot to give it to him!! There isnt a second in the day that i am not obsessing on whether joey took his meds or when the next meds are due to be taken!! Even ON meds Joey still has some manic episodes every so often and even slight delusions or hallucinations. Every day atleast 10 times a day he pretends he is shooting me with a gun. Today he told me he wanted to eat lukes fingers (in front of my in-laws he said this no less!) i think he is slightly manic right now! He obsesses on weapons alot when he is manic and laughs hysterically if someone on tv gets killed!! Did i mention he went after his father (my ex with a knife and threw a brick through the windshield of the car he was driving)..that was the FIRST incident that landed him in the hospital! He called me on the phone from the hospital telling me that the doctors poisoned all the food and water and were trying to give him shots of heroin!! YES! this is my FUCKING LIFE!!! and it SUCKS!!!!

Luke hasnt had a good night sleep since the day he was born! he sometimes wakes up 10 times in one night! YES..i am completely sleep deprived!! Hes been consipated on and off for a year..mostly on! he pushes and screams and yells and NOTHING COMES OUT!! Then i have to give him suppositories and hold him down to get him to finally poo while hes kicking and screaming and crying thinking i am trying to kill him! IT SUCKS!!!!

My husband is mildy autistic (though we just discovered this after 10 yrs of marriage!!) i always knew something was a little OFF!! After the research for luke me and hubby both came to the realization! Hubby has a hard time communicating, takes things literally, is extremely OVER-SENSITIVE, has a hard time with affection etc.
I am in this ALONE!!! Hubby doesnt UNDERSTAND what i go through with these kids!! He simply isnt capable of understanding! he trys! But really i spend my time crying to MYSELF!!! IT SUCKS!!! I love my husband and he is a wonderful man...but he CANT be there for me with these problems due to his own autism!!!!! YES..THIS IS MY LIFE!!!

So here is me..trying to lose this fucking 100 extra lbs and trying to quit smoking..what a fucking joke!!! i am WAYYYYYY TOOOOOO STRESSED to be able to deal with these issues!!! I am almost ready to give up! I can't handle all this shit anymore!!!

I think i might be losing my mind! Thank God i am starting counseling on oct 5th..maybe it can help me!!

I am sure tomorrow i will regret venting all this..but right now ... I DONT GIVE A SHIT!!! Cry

Karen

ok..first off can unripe bananas make you sick?? the banana i am eating is GREEN..probably weeks from being ripe..anyhooo...(the skin is green..not the banana)

as you can tell from my last post i am not doing well !!

So here i am turning to FOOD to comfort me..big shock right? Wow

So WHAT am i bingeing on?? i just found this sooooo odd!! i am bingeing on...a bowl of Amaranth Flakes with half n half poured on it and cut up unripe bananas in it!! I used to binge on peanut butter chocolate ice cream, reeses, choc chip cookies, hot pockets, mc donalds and sandwiches (on white bread of course)!!! So does this mean i am getting better in some way??? Or have i just lost my mind?

Alisa

Damn, Karen. Just try to hang in there. Seriously. You get points for just making it through.

Please try to take care of yourself! Big Hug

Steve

yes green bananas can make you sick..

Good lord Karen,you got a lot on your plate..

Take care of yourself and your family and just try and eat well and don't stress about food.
old cliche but "eat to live ,not live to eat"

Hang in there

Suzanne

I'm glad you're getting some help for YOU! You more than deserve it. And venting in your journal is a good thing. I had no idea you had so much on you.

We can't do much to help you physically but you can always get it out here. We love you. It's a safe place. Big Hug

Heather

Oh Karen!

I have been through some pretty nasty stuff in my life and I can totally relate. I'm here for you.

Dean

Karen,

You need to get all the personal counseling you can! It WILL help you. You NEED it... and DESERVE it! Take care of yourself, and thanks for sharing. Don't worry about ranting. If it makes you feel better, rant away! You are doing better if you eat paleo, cuz there are comfort foods with paleo. I know, cuz I was the same way... and still am... I turn to food for comfort... gotta turn to something! You will be better off eating more natural foods like fruit and nuts than to eat grains and legumes. I have been there. NOW, I am fucking up big time and turning to DONUTS! I should probably take my own advice and go buy some oranges and grapes or something! I just had 5 fucking donuts today! And, I just went to see a counselor myself today! Cuz I feel like I am losing MY fucking mind! But, you have a lot more issues to deal with. You are a very brave and strong person to deal with all of this! So... hang in there, and please feel free to rant. We are here for you! I wish we could do more.

Heart

Karen

Dean
i think your right! i think i am going to eat paleo..not worry about calories, fitday or that other nonsense..i dont have the time or energy to. i need to keep it simple. Paleo is a HEALTHY way to eat! Why dont you and i do paleo together! i know your good with the smoothie recipes..so share some with me! Lets BOTH stop with all the crap food and start eating some fruit and nuts and smoothies for comfort ..shall we?? i could use a partner if your game!! Let me know! and thanks!

karen

Karen

Thanks to everyone who came here to support me during my difficult time..i appreciate it! i feel somewhat better today..though the first half of today i felt nauseus and very tired..and dont know why! maybe i need some vitamins!

Susanne

I'd say eating amaranth flakes with a green banana is a HUGE improvement over the peanutbutter/chocolate/fast food thingie. Congrats - you've already entered into your new life style and didn't even know it.

I feel for you, Karen. Lots of folks in my family who are obsessive, compuslive, ADD, ADHD, autistic, Asperger's...you name it. As you might imagine, family gatherings suck because no one has any impulse control or any social skills. ROTFL

Somehow we muddle through...or else just don't speak to each other for months (where I'm at right now, and not at ALL sad about it Shock

)

Counselling has got to help. Any possibility of support groups for moms with autistic kids, or for the other conditions/mental illnesses you mentioned? SEEK SUPPORT - just like you do when you come to this forum. If you can't find it locally or have a challenging time getting out of the house (look in to respite care, please!!!!), I'll bet you there are GREAT resources online as well.

Hang in there! Keep talking! We are here for you!!! Comfort

Karen

susanne,
i have recently been assigned a social worker through early intervention that is going to help me with resources. i am probably going to get into some kind of a support group with other parents of kids with similiar issues. I DO need to talk with people who understand and havent had that opportunity! Also i am being assigned a parent liason soon that i can ask questions to and get info from! Up till now i have been going it alone..and its gotten WAY TOO STRESSFUL for me to handle by myself anymore!

My poor hubby has been on the couch the last couple nights. Luke has pretty much taken over our bed and hubby cant fit anymore or doesnt want to because he gets woken up by the crying all night and he need to get sleep for work! sigh!

i tried eating amaranth flakes again tonight and found a little bug in there and almost got sick to my stomach!! i shouldnt be eating them anyway!! i am binging on grains and rice lately i think..oh..and cheese yesterday and today! sigh! i think i mighta gained a few pounds! im afraid to get on the scale!! My face looks puffy!

Joeys 18th birthday is Friday and im havin his party saturday..and i havent even STARTED cleaning..nor do i have any motivation to..so this sucks! I still have to go grocery shopping for the party! i hate having parties...its too stressful..and it doesnt help that my ex-husband, his wife and his whole family will be here! sigh! this really stinks! i am getting depressed i think!!

ok..im such a downer..i need to just go to bed and get some sleep now..

Suzanne

Can you call someone to help you get ready? If not...fuck it. Do the bare minimum and get through it. Big Hug

Susanne

Is there any way to have this party on neutral ground? I don't know...church, fellowship hall, McDonald's play area, park...? and then have it catered (which I know is expensive, but WHAT PRICE STRESS?) or even just buy buckets of KFC and sides and call it good?

I'm getting stressed by association just listening to you and I wish I had time and money to drive there and help you!

I sure as fuck wouldn't want my ex and his new chick in MY house. Screw that.

I'm so glad to hear about the social worker, etc. You are way ahead of all of our ideas on getting help. I hope you can get some sleep too. Maybe respite care at night? I don't know...that's one thing that makes me major psychotic...not getting enough sleep. Yup

Hang in there, Karen....and throw out the damn amaranth flakes and anyone living in the box with them. Ewww..... Comfort

Karen

Suzanne,
The bare minimum sounds good and if everyone done like it..oh well..lol

Susanne,
No, too late for neutral ground! i like the buckets of KFC idea! I might just do that! lol Or just order pizzas!!

Karen

My Food today:

ok dont faint anyone..i know its BAD!! but im being honest here!!

3 coffee w/half n half
3 scrambled eggs with ched cheese in butter
2 mc donalds dbl cheeseburgers
1 medium fry
3 chocolate chip cookies
1 chicken cordon bleu
Broccoli cheese Rice
2 cups broccolli w/butter
2-3 ozs of mixed nuts/raisins
3 cups decaf w/half n half
1 baby butterfinger
a handful of pepperjack doritos
1 slice american cheese

UGHHHH..the stress from this upcoming party..luke not sleeping..and joey being manic the last 2 days..oh and lets not forget my crabby ass hubby who hasnt smoked in 9 days..has got the best of me!! and i probably smoked 2 packs of cigs today too! im out of control!

Karen

My Food Today:

3 cups coffee w/ half n half
3 scrambled eggs w/cheddar ch and butter
2 sausage patties w/cheddar ch
1 banana
1 TB natural peanut butter
1 apple
1 TB coconut oil
1 slice beef bologna
1 oz raw cheddar ch
1 string cheese

YAY..no sugar or fast food today!!

Dean

Karen,

WTG on the eating! You're doing great! It helps to post what you eat, doesn't it? Wink

Susanne

WOW...very good on Thursday's food. Keep it up!

Karen

Yes..it does help to post what i eat. I think today will again be a good eating day! Thanks for the support friends!

Tomorrow i am having joeys birthday party and there will be all kinds of foods here tempting me. I think i will just take a cheat day and not have to worry about feeling guilty or beating myself up!

Dean

Good idea, Karen! You will have enough stress to deal with as is. Good luck with everything tomorrow! Heart

Heather

Dean

If I was "hiding"... I'd be sick as a dog in bed right now... instead, I am feeling better every minute, and can smell some INCREDIBLE BBQ RIBS in my oven right now!!!!!

Ecstatic

Susanne

I love the extremes, Dean...donuts to ribs. Now, about those ribs...I want some!

Karen, how's the day been? are you ready for Saturday's festivities...? There

Karen

Joeys party starts in 2 hours! I am not stressed, surprisingly! hubby really helped out ALOT getting the house ready...what a great guy! i am so thankful! He took alot of the stress off and the house actually got cleaned! wow! As for the food..like i said today is a planned cheat day!

Alisa

Bobi

Hope you and your Joey have a great day! I know you deserve it! Happy

Susanne

HOW'D THE PARTY GO, KAREN? Enquiring minds are lurking and wanting to know! Devil