Week Four. I’m impressed with how consistent I’ve been with this Low Carb Challenge. This is the most serious I’ve ever been about my weight loss goals – and it’s showing!
I mentioned before that I was “plump” the last two summers, and that this will be my leanest summer yet…
I have a photo for you below to show you the difference. 🙂
I had a hit of anxiety yesterday about all my new clothes that won’t fit, or already hang off of me. But I’m also digging out clothes I haven’t been able to wear in a long time. I have some organization to do with all that… then I aim to find a great seamstress to take in some of my favorites!
Here is my Low Carb Food Diary for Day 22 of the “Get Lean For Summer!” 90 Day Low Carb Challenge. It’s not too late to join us if you haven’t already! 🙂
Day 22: Monday’s Low Carb Meals
My low carb breakfast was more food than usual. I’m feeling hungry again! 🙂 I mix this all together into “low carb cereal.” It’s 1/2 cup pecans, 1/4 cup Daisy brand cottage cheese, 4 small diced strawberries… and today I added a chopped up Peanut Butter Granola Atkins bar too. (8 netcarbs and 78% healthy fats)
For lunch I just had quick low carb snack (because I couldn’t be bothered to make lunch, lol). It was turkey with colby jack cheese & pickle. Simple! 🙂
I was torn on dinner. I finally decided to cook. I had a package of Johnsonville Smoked Sausage (polish kielbasa). I love these – 2 carbs per 2oz serving, no fillers & delicious!
I fried those up with sauerkraut, and boiled a big pot of broccoli & cauliflower to go with it. I flavored the veggies with butter & salt – and I just realized I didn’t add the butter to my food diary below. 🙄
I had another single serving of the sausages & kraut before I went to bed too. I cooked the whole package of smoked sausage, and the whole bag of each: broccoli and cauliflower, so I have lots of leftovers to enjoy. 🙂
Here’s My MyFitnessPal Diary for Monday:
Macronutrients: How & What I Track
How I Get Net Carbs in MyFitnessPal
Net Carbs: 23
Total Carbs: 33
Protein: 57 Grams
74% Fat, 19% Protein
Exercise: Ab Carver Pro, 70 Reps
FitBit Steps: 3,017
Water: 40 ounces
I’m really pleased I got my Ab Carver workout in yesterday. 🙂 I’m going to do it again today, and hopefully get a good walk in too. It was too hot to take Slim out yesterday (he melts in the heat, lol). It’s going to be another beautiful day in Tennessee (around 80 degrees) so I’ll have to get out early or late with him…
Before and After Weight Loss Picture
I mentioned I hit my lowest recorded weight in over a decade, and that this will be my leanest summer yet. The last two summers I plumped up, and my weight loss was a real roller coaster: up, down, up down, lose it, gain it back, lose it again. 😛
Yesterday a picture of me showed up on my Facebook Memories. It said “One year ago today you were chubby.” 🙄 It didn’t really say that (lol) but wow – I looked at that photo for a long minute… and it made me realize just how different I feel!
I’ve been losing slow and struggling with my goals lately, so seeing a true comparison was a real eye-opener! The photo on the left was exactly one year ago (April 2015). The photo on the right was taken last week – in the same shirt, which I now have to knot on the side to wear!
The difference is only about 20 pounds. On the left, I’m pushing a size 12 to it’s limits. On the right… a very room size 10. 🙂
This was NOT my highest weight, just a comparison of last April and Now…
How are things going with you?
Leave a comment below, and let’s do this together. 🙂
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
p.s. You can subscribe by email below to get my Daily Food Diaries throughout the Low Carb Challenge sent straight to your inbox. That way you’ll never miss great (easy!) low carb meal ideas. 😉
Great job. You look so much younger and your skin looked so much healthier.
Thank you, Ronda! 🙂
Lynn – WOW – hard to believe that was just a year ago! Thanks for showing what is possible if one works at it and sticks with it! Hope you and Slim got more steps in today! The mornings are beautiful! I’m inspired for today………….\
Thank you, Joni! 🙂 I knew (!) that I felt really different this spring vs last… but seeing that photo was a serious eye opener! I could have done so much better. I could have looked this way then, instead of bouncing up and down the last two years. 😛 I’m just happy I’m finally doing it NOW. 🙂
The weather is amazing here this week. Slim is resting up while I finish some paperwork, then we’re hitting our downtown walk for some fun adventures!
You look fabulous. Only 20 pounds??? 20 pounds is a lot!!!! Be proud of your accomplishment. You’ve worked hard to get here.
Ah, no – the difference between those two pictures is only 20 pounds. Which IS a big difference! 🙂 I’ve lost over 50 pounds total, so that’s just last Spring to this one. 🙂
How tall are you?
Hi Sandra,
I am 5’5″ … with shoes on. 🙂 Probably 5’4 1/2
I currently weigh around 149 pounds. My highest weight was close to 200. You should see the “summer before” pictures. Ack 😛 There are some before & after (during!) pics here too: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/9378/my-weight-loss-journey/
Hi Lynn, you look terrific! Well done! I recently purchased the ab carver and I am up to about 50 reps (the last 10 reps are killer!). Anyway, my shoulders and arms get really sore, do yours? I’m worried I’m doing it wrong but I think I’m doing it like the YouTube videos show. Just wondering if you get the same thing. Of course, my abdominal muscles get a little sore but that’s to be expected. Maybe its just that my upper body is not muscular at all and it will take time for my muscles to adapt?
Hi Linda 🙂
It’s very common for women to have less upper body strength (compared to men). I really feel it in my upper body too, and my underarms and triceps even.
Do make sure you’re arching your back up, not down. Hmm, tuck your abs in and hunch your back just a little – did that make sense?! 😛 haha. You don’t want to arch your back the other way, which is easy to do, and make sure your toes stay on the ground.
But yes, I have ZERO upper body strength – which is what I love about this cool little gadget! I did 70 yesterday, but I’d love to get to 100/day consistently. That’s my goal!
20 pounds definitely makes a difference and you can really see that in the pictures. Great job!! As much as I dread looking at pictures of me I’m actually looking forward to seeing what a difference 90 days makes for me. 🙂
My meals yesterday:
B: bpc, 1/4 c chopped pecans, 1oz cream cheese, 2 small strawberries
L: Philly sub w/o bread (chopped steak, mozzarella, pickle)
D: 2 Oscar Meyer smoked sausages, cucumber salad ( 1/2 c chopped cucumber, 1 tbl mayo, 1 tbl feta), boiled egg
S: 2 LC peanut butter fudge (they were the last of the batch I made…so of course I had to finish them lol)
My net carbs were 12 and my fat was 85%.
You’re doing SO great, Justine! I love seeing your meals. 🙂 It makes me miss my cucumber & feta salad!
It really is shocking to see such a difference in yourself. I mentioned that a few times this past week, how the transformation felt and looked odd – and was hard to accept. I could FEEL myself thinning out. It’s strange, but also the best feeling!!
Aww thanks Lynn!!! I really appreciate all the inspiration and encouragement you send give. 🙂
Btw…I could eat that cucumber salad every day. Lol. I love it and so do my kids so I’ve had to buy stock in cucumbers lol.
And yes it is strange to know and feel the weight loss, and then seeing it in pictures is a whole other experience. It’s awesome and you’re awesome and go you!! 🙂
You look great. You look younger now. It’s amazing. Just think of what you will look like by the end of summer. Or even NEXT summer.
You are doing so great with your meals
I see you didn’t get a snack in—-that’s what i strive to do
I get hungry between meals or late evening after dinner
Last night i had SF jello
And later i cup of turkey broth…..that helped
And drinking lots if water between meals helps too.
Your posts are very inspiring. Thank You
I am so relieved and happy. I am down one pound today
It must have been water weight i gained.
So now it’s gone.
I am buckling down
I have a lot more to lose. 🙂
Yay! One pound makes a BIG difference. It does to me, I know. It also really motivates me. 🙂
I do love a hot cup of broth in the evenings. But I did snack last night – I had another serving of the sausages & kraut at bedtime. I toss and turn if I go to bed hungry. 😛 I’m hungry now actually. My lunch was too low calorie… time for an early dinner! ha, and I just looked at the clock: 2:38pm lol
I cannot wait to see me at the end of this summer. 🙂 I am on a roll! I must MUST must maintain this momentum. I’m so anxious to see what the happiest, healthiest version of me looks and feels like. 🙂
I noticed how different I look too. This time last year I was really grieving and struggling over my loss of Molly: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/5528/the-stages-of-grief-on-my-plate/ This year… well, I might have a reason to be smiling bigger lately. 🙂
Aww. That was sad about your Molly. I have a dog too. I understand. I lost one after nine years with my ” lucky” it was so sad too
I am an emotional eater too. I catch myself sometimes still but i realise now the difference in real sugar hunger emotional eating and stop myself now.
You look fantastic though….lean and tan and yes, you look very happy…..:)
Thank you. 🙂 Yes, starting last Fall I dealt with my “meltdowns” differently. Instead of eating, I started pounding it out on the pavement – with super fast paced walks. Good for both me AND Slim, and much more satisfying than binging.
Binging just makes me MORE miserable, lol. The walks paid off. My calves are FIRM – haha, lots of bad moments last Fall. 😛
I had a strange but good moment yesterday evening
I glanced at myself in my dresser mirror
I could see the image coming back of the person i used to be long ago (a bit older now)
I have not seen”her” since the seventies
I miss her……the thinner me
But she is coming back now. 🙂
Isn’t that a GREAT feeling?! I am starting to see the me that I was before I moved to this crazy little town – the tan, tone late 20’s me that hiked & swam daily. Except… happier, with a bigger smile. 🙂 Just a hint of her, but it’s exciting. And serious motivation!!
It was a great and surreal moment for me for sure. The image i see of me now is hard for me to believe ot wrap my mind around. When my good friend saw me lately she was so shocked at my transformation and kept going on about it…..i said Really? It is still hard to believe that what others see is not the image i have of me. But that glimpse in the mirror yesterday motivated me to keep going for ny goal
Funny i found a journal from the beginning of my weight loss, a little over two years ago and i had written down my weight loss goals. I just realised that i am only 30 pounds away from my original goal
I know i can do it now. I am motivated again. Your challenge has helped me get back on track again and not be complacent or comfortable in being skinny fat and slacking with my woe now and then and again. No way am i going backwards
And this time i am not doing it for anyone but myself.
I was so miserable before and depressed. I dont even know how i ended up getting so obese. All the sugars and starches….sodas fried foods. Fast food junk food..i was eating all the wrong stuff and too much of it.
I have a reason to smile now too…
I’m so glad. 🙂 Smiling is nice! I can relate to much of what you said, being miserable and depressed, slacking, etc. Being motivated and excited about goals is such a great feeling!!
Lynn, I didn’t post my weigh in here on Monday, but as of today, I have lost 10 pounds in one month. I am so psyched. It really is motivation to continue onward!
That’s awesome, Maribeth 🙂 Fast progress!!