Just Thursday

Tonight’s dinner was pork schnitzel – cooked in the oven, steamed green beans with a bacon cream sauce and there was rice and corn for the boys as well.  I made the cream sauce using evaporated skim milk, garlic cloves and cornstarch and stirred in very crispy bacon bits. It was really, really good. The schnitzel was lightly breaded but it was so light that I’m not worried about it and I counted the carbs for it.  I could have done a plain pork chop for myself but I didn’t feel like opening another package of meat to take out one chop.  I’ve been keeping my carbs between 25-50 grams and most times they are under 35, the odd day it goes a bit higher.

I’m experimenting with what the right level is for me. I’ve tried to do as much reading as I can on low carb diets/lifestyles and they all seem to say the thing for a quick weight loss is maximum 25 g but that should only be for a few weeks then I find varying info from under 50 g to 50-100g for ongoing weight loss. It’s not difficult to stay under 50 so I think if I can keep losing at that level and get my head around the fact that this is not a temporary thing, I have to eat this way forever – I think I can do it!  Most of the reading I’ve done says that 150g or more is not recommended for weight loss and definitely not for anyone with any kind of metabolic disorder.

The trick for me has been to make sure that I eat enough at each meal so I don’t get low blood sugar because if I do, all bets are off, and I start to crave any kind of carb that will quickly turn to sugar and make me feel better.  The other part is to find ways to still have meals I enjoy and are not repetitive. Like I said, I’m not at the “food for fuel” stage yet and I don’t want to get bored eating the same things every day and then go crazy because I want pasta – dammit! 

I bought yam noodles today too at Loblaws. Never tried them, but read about them on someone’s blog – wish I could remember whose – and I’ll try those one night this week to see if I like them. Have any of you ever tried them?  Recommendations?

I have not talked about exercise in a long time. I’ve been walking 30-45 min every day either at lunch or when I get home in the evening but I have not been running or doing anything else. My gym membership expires tomorrow and I have no desire or inclination to renew it. I am getting more and more interested in cross fit from hearing about through Guenther, illiterate and CarbTripper but I am very intimidated at the thought of trying it and I can guarantee I won’t go by myself while I feel that way. The good news is that our weather is staying mild and in a few weeks it should be lighter longer and I can run at the park near my apartment after work again and Leigh and I start our Running Room Clinic on March 9. I am really excited about starting to run regularly again and I think I will do better with a group than on my own – I did so much better when I ran with Guenther regularly.

The Spring Chick Challenge is really keeping me focused on my goals and it surprises me because I normally hate challenges!  But whatever works, right?

While I’m on that, I just want to give Stormy a big shout out for all the work she has put into this challenge, her encouragement, her mini challenges and her organization at keeping us all on track. Thanks Stormy!

I’m flirting with the idea of taking up this challenge too…but am a bit scared….I have a couple of days to think about it before I make up my mind. The theory itself is one I believe in, I know a lot of people have lost weight following it, I just need to be sure I want to and can commit to it.  I’m tracking my calories for the next few days (before I let Allan know I want in) so I can see how close I am to my calorie allotment right now (1540 for me , goal weight is 140) because I do not want to set myself up for failure or take on something I can’t stick to.

Yeah, I get it’s a challenge and it’s not supposed to be easy – but at the same time – I don’t need to add more stress to this process.