It’s time to kick off the Summer Mini-Challenge! If you’re participating in the Facebook Group, the Starting Weigh-In Thread is here.
Otherwise simply note your starting weight and body measurements in your MyFitnessPal acccount, and feel free to leave a comment here too if you like. We’re all in this together. 🙂
As we work together through this Summer Mini-Challenge for the next 20 days, I’ll share my own low carb diaries here with you for ideas & inspiration – along with helpful tips & resources to help you get the MOST out of the challenge.
Kicking Off The 20-Day Low Carb Mini-Challenge
If you missed it, here are the Challenge Details. You’ll want to read that, and also see this post on Preparing For The Challenge. There’s a great list for you at the end!
The goal is simple: Eat 20 net carbs max / 70% fat minimum for 20 straight days. No off plan foods, no cheating. Exercise daily (or at least 5x/week) – at your own level. Give up ONE thing or make a “healthy swap” in your diet to improve both your health and your weight loss. That’s it!
Here’s What I Intend To Accomplish…
For the sake of accountability I’ll share my own goals for this challenge, as I’ll be doing it right alongside you! 🙂 As you probably know, I achieved amazing results in our last 90 Day Low Carb Challenge so I am starting this new challenge in a GOOD place.
I’ve been eating a healthy low carb diet consistently for over 100 days straight now, and am at my lowest weight since sometime in my 20’s! I’m 43 years old now. 🙂
I’m actually right at or just below what I THOUGHT was my “goal weight” all along. It turns out this weight doesn’t look the same in my 40’s as it did in my 20’s. 😛 Ha!
I don’t want to get “skinny”… I want to get LEAN and STRONG.
I feel good about where I am and what I’ve achieved through our challenges, but I do still have a ways to go on my health & weight loss journey.
These two photos were both taken on the same day for example:
Two confessions: I was feeling icky & bloated that night. And I was “letting it all hang out” (meaning: not sucking in, lol). Still… I definitely have some work to do around the middle! 😛 The most challenging spot, lol.
A friend and I were just talking the other day about how GREAT we feel and how great we feel like we LOOK now… until we’re sitting down. LOL
I have come A LONG WAY though. It was hard… until I got seriously serious. Here is a picture of me two summers ago, compared to a picture of me two months ago:
So yes – I’m definitely making amazing progress! 🙂
My current weight is 141.8 pounds
I’m not really focused on weight loss for this challenge, and admittedly I’m almost AFRAID I’ll get into the 130’s over the next three weeks. 😛
My main focus is going to be on training HARD, working out DAILY, and really making a difference in the SHAPE of my body – rather than just the size of it. Because sadly, I looked at side by side photos of me in a bikini with a 25 pound difference, and it’s the SAME body… just a smaller version of it, lol.
Obviously I’ll continue eating very low carb and healthy, both to maintain my weight loss and to lose the rest of my body fat. But I’m going to really focus on the fitness, and push myself HARD on that goal.
What I’m Giving Up For This Challenge – And Why
I’m making a “healthy swap” during this challenge by giving up my (*cry* lol) beloved Coffee-Mate Sugar Free Powdered Hazelnut Coffee Creamer. It’s only 1 carb per TBSP and I am losing weight consistently using A LOT of it, but it takes up way too many carbs in my daily “carb budget”… and it’s full of ingredients I want to eliminate.
The creamer wouldn’t be a problem if I only had a mug or two of coffee a day.
But if you’ve been reading along for awhile then you know I consume half a cup of this creamer or more a day! 😯
I’m so hooked… I take it everywhere with me. In the car, on road trips, around the country, out of the country, EVERYWHERE I GO.
I’m not even kidding. 🙄
I may go down to just ONE tablespoon a day, maybe in my bedtime coffee (lol), but otherwise I plan to just use butter and/or coconut oil in my coffee – with the goal to ultimately “go black.”
This is something I’ve been wanting to do for awhile now, and it will be a BIG challenge for me. I do love my creamy sweet coffee. *sigh* Still, it has to go – or at least only be used in moderation. I’m consuming entirely too much of it!
I had EIGHT full tablespoons of it yesterday. Gosh, it might have been 9 actually. I was just thinking there might have been that one coffee I forgot to log.
Confession: they’re not really tablespoons either. They’re heaping tablespoons. I started getting sloppier and creamier with it lately. 😛
It’s become an outright addiction. Plus it’s $5 a bottle… 😯
Confession #2 – I got up at 1am and made a creamy sweet coffee because I realized I couldn’t have it this morning, so I wanted one more – lol.
I seriously just want to cry right now!
That’s what a challenge is for, though. To CHALLENGE yourself. To make positive change. To stop the things you do that you don’t like about yourself, to change something you don’t like about yourself, or to become a better (happier/healthier) version of yourself.
I still feel sad though 😛 lol. I love that dang creamer! *sigh*
We all have our own goals. Those are mine…
Starting today I ditch my coffee creamer addiction and work out harder than ever.
I’m going to lose the last of this fat and TONE UP like a mad woman. 🙂
I would love to hear your goals for this challenge!
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
p.s. Don’t forget to weigh in, take your body measurements, start tracking, and of course check in here or in the group anytime you need to!
There’s a checklist for you at the end of this post where it says “Preparing For The Challenge” that will help. 🙂 *cheers*
Discount Code: LOWCARBTRAVELER
Buy some Hazelnut flavored Coffee to help you get away from the powdered creamer. Also use Heavy whipping Cream in your coffee – it is fabulous! You won’t miss the powdered chemical stuff anymore – I promise!
Be blessed as you are a blessing to us!
Thank you Karen! I’ve used HWC in the past with Splenda, and also with sugar free syrups. I actually prefer butter in my coffee, sometimes with coconut oil too, over just heavy cream alone – so that’s what I’m going with. π
I had a hit of anxiety over it (lol) but I’m on my second cup of coffee already this morning and doing just fine so far! π *cheers*
Here we go!! Official weigh in finally saw me back at my pre-cruise weight, and that was 2 months ago!! Sigh….I really need this challenge!
Good luck getting the coffee creamer monkey off your back. Try the heavy cream…it is delish! A couple times a week I go to Starbucks and get an iced coffee with heavy cream and sugar free caramel syrup….yum! As for my morning coffee….it has to be black. I’m glad I never got used to sweet coffee in the morning. You can do it!!
Congrats, Lori – I bet it feels great to be back down to that lower weight! π
I used to drink A LOT of heavy cream, and it adds up on me too at 1 carb per 2 TBSP. Plus I got grossed out every time it clumped up π lol. I think I’m going to be happy with butter and/or coconut oil in my coffee to start. Here goes!!
Try the hazelnut sugar free syrup. That might help with hwc. Ok, so still working at
it. I am only losing about a half a lb a week, but been working out too. Love to make it a lb a wk. I have been snacking on nuts and Atkins candy…will cut that out.
That should make a BIG difference, Betty! What kind of nuts do you usually snack on, by the way? I find pecans don’t stall me or affect me at all, but some of the other higher carb / higher salt nuts do…
I’m going to stay away from any other sugar free fixes for now, or try. The syrups are flavored with Splenda, which I used before. I’ve made a lot of coffee switchups over the years lol… I’d love to get as “clean” as I can!
Lynn, this post made me feel a little better lol..I also got out of bed last night to eat one last spoonful of peanut butter! So needless to say I need to take a break from it!!
LOL Jill – we all have our “thing” I suppose. That peanut butter can add up on you as fast as my creamer though! I love peanut butter too. π I usually cut it half with coconut oil and make “fudge squares” out of it – to lower the carb count: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/6247/low-carb-peanut-butter-fudge/
Hi,
Ready for this challenge as well, and have some of the same coffee creamer struggles, I like sweet coffee too. But I haven’t tried butter or coconut in my coffee, so may be a new path to try. Thanks for keeping us motivated!!
It’s actually really good. I use a TBSP of real butter in a mug of coffee. It’s rich and flavorful. Even with no sweetener! And I’m used to my coffee SWEET lol. I do use a hand mixer to make it a bit frothy. And it’s not great when it gets cold. π
Good luck in the coffee department…I have finally learned to drink mine black but it was a struggle…I’ll challenge myself this time with less fruit…(it’s so hard not to overeat it in the summer.) and stick with a few berries. I love your pecans and cottage cheese b.t.w. Thanks for all the inspiration!
That’s a great challenge, Teri because fruit is very high in carbs & sugar. You can definitely enjoy berries though, and they are perfect for the month of July! I’ve been picking fresh blueberries & blackberries lately. π They are a good source of fiber and nutrition, so I prefer them as carbs over green vegetables this time of year even. Of course, just like with all foods, you have to weigh & log them. They can add up on you just like anything else! lol
Ok so here we are again. Lol. Day 1 of the mini challenge and I am ready to get it going. I would really like to lose 15 pounds this challenge but I’ll take whatever I can get lol. My goals for this challenge are to:
1. Share my daily meals everyday for accountability for myself and will hopefully give others some meal ideas.
2. No more late night snacking. This is probably my worst habit out of all. I get so excited when the kids are in bed and hubby’s asleep and I have time to unwind but I always always always…did I say always lol look for something sweet to cap my night off. So instead of reaching for my favorite LC sweets (fudge, sf candy) I’ll have sf jello or pecans instead.
3. I need to exercise more. If that means walking at home or around the neighborhood that’s what I’m going to do.
4. Last, I’m going to keep my meals as simple as possible or 3IMAX as Lynn has shared.
With all that being said, I’m ready to get started. Good luck to everyone. βΊ
Hi Justine π
Maybe if you do your exercise at night when you usually snack that would help? I find a cup of hot steamy chicken broth suits me late at night when I’m winding down. Oddly enough the savory broth kills my sweet cravings! That would be a good swap…
I look forward to your comments. Those mushrooms were delicious last challenge!!
Exercising at night is a great idea. My kids will be in bed and it will definitely keep me out of the kitchen lol. I tried the chicken broth at night during the 90 day challenge and I just can’t do it lol…I tried so hard. I think if I keep all the oh so yummy LC snacks out of the house I’ll be fine. It’s only a temptation when I can see it. These next 3 weeks I’m not going to have any LC sweets except for sf jello and of course my 1 cup of coffee a day. βΊ it’s going to be a challenge for sure.
I’m the same way – if I have it, I eat it. π lol
Good Morning and Good Luck to everyone. I weighed this morning but didn’t take any measurements.
I’m giving up my evening wine and will probably whine tonight LOL.
I drink black coffee now for years but used to put tons of milk & sugar in it. I do like the “bulletproof” coffee but … question, is it suppose to be your breakfast, so when I do have it I’m not suppose to eat our morning “cereal” which I really like? In other words I can’t have both, just one or the other?
I won’t be doing much exercising but I am going to try to walk during my lunch break at work, even though it’s HOT, HOT, HOT here in FL. I also have a treadmill at home, will get on that as well.
I’m good with breakfast and lunch but suppers are hard for me because my husband and son like carbs!, potatoes, pasta, rice, bread ….. sigh. Will just do the meat and veggie or maybe just a salad.
Thanks Lynn for motivating us.
Good question, Roye! I drink too much coffee. I discovered that’s the REAL problem lol. So drinking the same amount of coffee with butter in it and/or coconut oil… I felt sick by 11am. π I could only eat half my “low carb cereal” so I finished the other half for an early lunch.
I’ll have to work this out. I’m still feeling my way through it, literally – because my tummy feels weird. π haha
I’m trying not to “whine” but I empathize about your “wine”…
For dinner, make a meat everyone likes and at least one side you like. That’s what I used to do when I had family at home. My kids always liked “loaded broccoli” (with butter, sour cream, cheese, etc) so that worked out well with hamburger steaks, baked chicken thighs, or whatever you’re making.
Yes I read somewhere that when you have the bulletproof coffee it is your breakfast substitute, I guess because of all of the calories. I only drink one cup of the bulletproof, 1 tbsp. butter, 1 tbsp. coconut oil, I put a packet of Truvia and a tbsp. of hwc and froth it. Then if I want more coffee I just drink it black. And I don’t eat anything else for breakfast.
I think if I only drank 1 (or three! haha) coffees a day, there wouldn’t even be a problem here. π …
Roye – Giving up wine was the hardest thing for me (did it back in early April) but I’m staying off it until I get to goal. Then hopefully I’ll allow it back in moderation. It has really helped my weight loss. Good luck!
Thank you Betsy yeah I started having 1 to 2 (mostly 2) glasses in the afternoon/evening when I get home from work. I really started enjoying it and looking forward to it, but when I started trying LCHF (again!) I just couldn’t lose like I had in the past and thought maybe it was the wine. I have to say I think that was the reason I wasn’t losing because now I’m dropping a lb a day like before. I too as staying away until the end of this challenge, that’s only 2 weeks! LOL, Baby steps. I don’t know if I can stay off of it until goal because that is going to take months. Anyway, thank you for your post and good luck to us :).
I’m with Justine on the fruit and sweets. I love cooking and experimenting with new recipes, especially desserts. My challenge will now be using the low carb recipes for desserts and eating less fruit! I know this will be much easier once I go back to school, I’m off for the summer so I’m always in the kitchen.
I will need to find natural alternatives for calcium. Bananas help a lot with my leg cramps and I do not want to take supplements. Anyone have alternative ideas?
I am excited about this challenge!
Hi Jill π Like I said above, fruit is FULL of carbs & sugar. Stick to berries only. And this time of year you can get them fresh off the vine!
For the leg cramps, avocado and chicken broth. Avocado has more potassium than a banana. I love it fried / browned in butter. π Chicken broth replaces sodium and electrolytes which helps with leg cramps too – and it’s so delicious sipped hot out of a mug!
Looks like no more Russell Stover Sugar Free Chocolate and late night snacking for me on this challenge. Also guess I’ll have to add that exercise (Dance Fit here I come). Good luck everyone!
Dance Fit sounds fun. π I may pull out my Zumba DVD’s. It’s been ages, and that was so FUN!
I had to laugh when I read all the posts! Aren’t we all really the same? Lol.
I weighed in still holding at 145lbs this morning and so excited as this is my first time actually following along with everyone in a challenge.
Yesterday I had a really good workout getting ready to start today’s challenge. I cleaned out the weight room! Yes, we have a full room complete with a huge machine that will work anything you want to work. I have no excuse!
My goals are simple meals with lots more exercise and cut back on sweetners. We can do this!!!
Great goals, Marti! π What kind of exercises do you like to do on the machine? It’s great you have access to something like that! I have plenty to work with too. We all do, even if it’s our own body weight π so it’s usually just a matter of making it happen… for me, lol.
Hello everyone!
I’m a newbie to the blog, well I’ve actually have been reading the blog for about two weeks and have been following the low carb diet. This challenge was right on time for me! π I’m not on Facebook, I gave it up about a year ago. But I am on IG and that’s where I found you Lynn π . I just wanted to say Hi, and introduce myself. I’m Kellie, newly 40 and trying to get it together for once and for all! I’ve been overweight my adult life and been on every diet it seems. I finally feel like I’m in the right head space to focus on myself and drop the LBs. I’m a super positive person, and just looking for support and to give support. I can say I’ve lost about 5 lbs since starting the Low Carb lifestyle and feel motivated to keep going. Have a great day!
Welcome Kellie! And kudos for taking control, getting started, and getting on a healthy path for yourself. π Awesome that you’ve already lost 5 pounds and feel so motivated!! This is the BEST thing I’ve ever done for myself, and I know you’ll feel the same. Here’s to awesome results!! *cheers*
Thank you Lynn! I appreciate your inspiration and for your blog!
I am giving up my yogurt or cutting it down to once or twice a,week. I have to switch back to the carb masters which is 4 carbs per serving and not my fave greek yogurt at 9 carbs per serving. I am almost certain that this is a major cause of my stalls
Confession…..I had my planned off meal yesterday
i had a gift card for a nice Italian restaurant
i ordered way too much food. I had a 50.00 gift card
i ordered Chicken Spadini, a mixed green house salad, eggplant parmesan and fried ravioli with marinara sauce. There was bread and butter brought out (of course)
When i saw all that food i knew there was no way i could eat even half of it. I had one small baked,eggplant parmesan (i think i can make this low carb….it’s one of my faves) i small slice of the chicken, a few bites of salad and a couple raviolis….i was stuffed. I cannot eat that much anymore. I asked for take out boxes. I ended up eating two bites of the chicken later and a small piece of the eggplant….i threw the rest in the trash. I only did that because the food was sitting out too long in my car. I hate wasting food…
So that was not so bad but i was still out last night and early this morning i had a chocolate D**n$t. I ate half and a yogurt parfait
i felt very uncomfortable and even nauseous and bloated. I really love eating low carb and i feel so much better when i stay on plan.
There is something about telling myself i am going on a diet that makes me want to have a last meal….This is so crazy…..these mind games we play with ourselves. This has been my downfall for so many years. If i tell myself that i am going to be strict on a diet or weight loss challenge, it triggers me to think that i am maybe gonna starve ( over the next 20 days. Lol) π
As you know i am commited to low carb and even after your challenge ended, i stayed low carb as always.
I am not beating myself up over this. I know that it was emotional eating. (There are other things going on in my life that are causing this)
I am getting back on track now. So i decided the foods that i thought i missed did not taste as wonderful as i imagined and not better than my low carb foods taste or better yet, in how it makes me feel.
i was really upset over a comment someone made to me. I was talking to this lady i met and she asked me, have you lost a lot of weight ir something? I said, yes i have and told her my story. I said why do you ask? I was so embarrassed when she told me that she noticed that i had the loose skin on my upper arms (bat wings) i wanted to cry
She was not being mean but i think it was rude but it made me think that i really need to commit myself to serious toning up of my arms and everywhere, really……sigh
i am going to get my scale today
enough is enough…..onwards and forwards. π (Don’t judge me…..about my chocolate D**** LOL. π )
lol, you know I would be the last person to judge you over THAT. π π I had the same thoughts as I mentioned here on my blog, but decided to wait it out. The main reason being because that salad (the OFF plan salad) had the Sunday before threw me out of ketosis so I had to go through that last week – keto flu – and the idea of doing it twice in a row is what stopped me, lol. Ugh!
I get it. Especially the conversations we have with ourselves. When you REALLY stop to listen to them, it’s almost comical. *almost* lol.
I’ve never been a fan of yogurt, it’s not something I’ve ever eaten or even liked, but it does sound like a lot of carbs for a small amount of food. It is something you just LOVE, or is it more convenient than anything? What about half or even 1/3 a serving mixed with other good low carb foods – like I do with the cottage cheese?
I agree that the comment was rude, but probably not intentionally so. Or let’s hope not. I’m really working on toning as well. I’m not at all happy with how my body looks or how/where things hang – even with so much weight lost. Some of it looked better plumped out. π haha. I worry too about how much it’s aging me. I can really tell that in my face. But I was MORE unhappy so overweight… so there’s that.
Yes those conversations in my mind are funny and i have to stop listening to that *fat* person takung to me and rationalizing with me about going off plan. π i have not had a D*^<t in over two years…..what was i thinking. Haha.
That is a great idea Lyn. I can make a low carb cereal with 1/2 cup of yogurt or less
i love greek yogurt and yes it was convenient and fast. I had it for breakfast everyday with almonds for over a year
now that i tried your low carb cereal and love it, i usually eat that for breakfast almost everyday
the only thing that takes time is waiting for my strawberries to thaw out
when in a big rush, i grab a yogurt. I have to cut way down on that.
I do not drink as much coffee as you do so the SF coffee creamer is not a big deal but i am going to order the SF Torani syrups for my coffee with a splash of coconut milk (unsweetened) or almond milk. I love the Torani SF irish cream flavor for my coffee. Yum
yes my skin looked better plumper but i rather be thinner and work on toning my muscles and save up for a tummy tuck somewhere down the line
i notice the weight loss in my face too. My friend said i look gaunt. I have had some bad criticism on my weight loss too……
you can't win. Those comments can be hurtful when you are overweight and when you lose a lot of weight
i get. " you shouldn't lose any more" or. You look like you've been sick" And " how much more weight do you want to lise?
And…." low carb is unhealthy" Geeeez!
Me and black coffee? NEVER. π
I have a lot of weight to lose still but compared to what i used to weigh i guess i seem thin to those that knew me then. I have a lot of fat yet to lose…..
Same here, and I’m getting some of the same comments, but I have a gross belly fat roll that I am determined to lose – no matter what anyone says. π
I get that, I think people just don’t know what to say half the time, and half the people are just mean. π Others feel uncomfortable when you are doing something positive and they are not, they prefer us to be like them – so it gets awkward when they project their insecurities on us.
Yogurt and Almonds are both higher carb. I use the pecans because they are the lowest carb / highest fat nut – and have never stalled me like some other nuts. Just play around with the combinations and amounts. π
Fat is 70% minimum. What should the min or max for protein be?
Hi Lidjea π The protein should naturally work itself out. You’ll notice that mine does, in my daily food diaries I share here I get more than adequate daily protein. See: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/7006/macronutrients/ for a simple explanation on that. Some proteins are also fats, which is why you can’t go by grams. But your protein should be 20-25% of your total daily calories. Mine isn’t always that percentage, but I always meet the standard protein requirements, because like I said some proteins are also fats.
I’m a new follower of your blog! I can so relate to feeling gross when sitting down. Have you thought about specific exercises for toning up there? Also, how tall are you? We are about the same weight and I’m 5’6. My goal is 130ish. π
Hi Melissa π Yes, I am targeting that area. I share my exercises in my daily food diaries here. If you’re subscribed by email you’ll get those free in your inbox. I usually do 100 reps on my Ab Carver Pro every day, and I’m also targeting my flabby arms with Tricep Dips. π I am 5’4.5″ and VERY short waisted lol, so that makes it all (my belly fat) in a very small space when I sit down, haha.
I’m down 25 pounds from the last challenge, and am entering this mini challenge with 15 pounds to go, although I certainly won’t lose it all in 20 days. I don’t really have anything to give up as I’m eating really clean as it is now. My weight loss is averaging about a pound a week which is frustrating since I’m staying at or under 20 TOTAL carbs (not net). I guess if I have a goal for these next 20 days, it’s to lose as much as I can before my step-daughter and granddaughter come to visit in 20 days from today so she will notice my weight loss. But realistically that’s only about 3 more pounds :-/
I only lose a pound on average per week as well. I’m probably as close to goal as you are, so that’s typical (normal). My advice, and what I’m doing myself right now, if you want to make a visible difference in your body in short time: weight training or strength training (vs cardio). Things like tricep dips, push ups, crunches, lunges, uphill/downhill walking & hiking, etc.
THAT will SHOW, fast, especially when you target the smaller muscles like arms, calves, quads, etc. Everyone has noticed it on me in short time! π