Yesterday we officially kicked off the Summer Low Carb Mini-Challenge, so for the next 20 days I will share my food diaries with you โ for ideas and inspiration, and also for accountability. I look forward to your comments as we power through this short challenge together! ๐ If you missed it, here are the Challenge Detailsโฆ
Also be sure to see this post on Preparing For The Challenge. Thereโs a great list for you at the end!
I stated my goals for the challenge here which are 1) to exercise daily, and 2) to give up my beloved Coffee-Mate Powdered Sugar Free Coffee Creamer.
Iโve been exercising consistently for the last few months, but my goal for this challenge is to push myself HARDER and really focus on getting in amazing shape this summer. ๐
As for my coffee creamer, I love it. Dearly. And the hazelnut powdered version is only 1 carb per TBSP, which is not bad. Over the years Iโve tried all sorts of low carb variations with my coffee โ heavy cream and splenda, coconut oil & butter, you name it. I love (LOVE) the delicious creamy sugar free hazelnut creamerโฆ
The sugar free coffee creamer isnโt the problem.
The problem is that I drink WAY too much coffee. If youโve been following my low carb food diaries youโve seen that I drink 6-10 mugs a day, which is usually around 8 carbs a day in coffee creamer alone. Thatโs 1/2 cup (or more!) of a โnon foodโ in my diet, not to mention close to HALF my 20 net carbs a day. ๐
Iโve really struggled with this. On the one hand, Iโm losing weight consistently and ENJOY the hazelnut sugar free creamer. A LOT. On the other hand, I want to get as close to โclean eatingโ as I can. And on the third hand (?? lol) I realize itโs a problem/addiction โ not just the amount of creamer, but how much coffee I drink.
I go back and forth constantly. Does it matter? Shouldnโt I have one thing in my life that I enjoy THIS much? Sure, if I could enjoy it in moderation!! lolโฆ *sigh*
The bottom line is: I want to use my carbs more wisely, and trade those 6-9 carbs a day for healthy foods like even more blueberries and spinach. ๐ ๐
When you only have 20 carbs to spend in a dayโฆ you should spend them getting the most nutritional value possible.
On that note, my meals yesterday included healthy foods like: strawberries, blueberries, pecans, spinach, chicken, cauliflower & broccoli. ๐ Iโll share my meals and my MyFitnessPal food diary with you below.
Hereโs what Iโve discovered with my โcoffee swapโ so far:
I like coffee with butter in it. I use salted butter. If you drink black coffee a pinch of salt takes the โbitterโ out of coffee, so black coffee with salted butter has a really nice rich flavor.
BPC (Bulletproof Coffee) is black coffee with a TBSP of real butter and a TBSP of MCT Grade Organic/Virgin Coconut Oil. Some add artificial sweetener and/or heavy cream.
Yesterday I tried just butter, then butter and coconut oil combined, I tested sugar free flavored syrups, just playing around with combinationsโฆ
Drinking the same amount of coffee I usually drink with butter in it and/or coconut oilโฆ I felt sick by 11am. ๐ Thereโs no way I can drink 8+ mugs of coffee a day with butter/coconut oil, lol. Iโll have to work this out. Iโm still feeling my way through it, literally โ because my tummy FELT very weird yesterday. ๐ haha.
So now the question is: Cut back on the amount of coffee I drink? Keep playing with low carb combinations? I did drink less coffee than usual yesterday, only because I enjoyed it less. *sigh* Weโll see how this goes!
Right now I think doing away with my favorite sugar free coffee creamer was a STUPID idea and I feel MISERABLE lol. Grr ๐
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Tuesdayโs Healthy Low Carb Meals
I only had two meals yesterday while playing around with my coffee, but they were both very healthy meals. And of course I stayed full between those two meals and all the calories in my coffees, lol.
For breakfast I made my usual โLow Carb Cerealโ and this time I used: 1/2 cup crushed pecans, 1/4 cup Daisy brand cottage cheese, 4 small diced strawberries and 1/8 cup (17.5 grams) of blueberries = 6 net carbs and 85% healthy fats.
I could only eat half my breakfast, so I finished the other half for an early lunch. That was because of all the extra calories in my butter/oil coffeeโs of course! ๐
For lunch I had leftovers. I am STILL eating the beautiful Chicken & Veggie Oven Stew I made the other day. I made TONS of it, lol. This was actually a very late lunch, more like an early dinner, and my last meal:
The โlow carb bread bitesโ are really easy to make, and you can make them any size. I made them small this time to dip in my stew. I put the recipe in the Preparing For The Challenge post if you missed it. Enjoy!!
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Hereโs My MyFitnessPal Diary For Tuesday
Tracking Macronutrients (Simple Explanation of Macros)
How To Get Net Carbs in MyFitnessPal
Calories: 1557
Net Carbs: 15
Total Carbs: 27
Protein: 97 Grams
71% Fat, 25% Protein
Exercise: Mountain Hike
Fitbit Steps: 3,717
Water: 56 ounces
I did have two coffees with my favorite sugar free creamer yesterday, but thatโs much better than the TEN the day before. ๐ lol. Is that โcheatingโ? Nah, itโs called weaning!
Youโll also notice I had a lower carb count than usual (only 15 net carbs) due to the lack of creamer.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out in regards to weight loss โ and IF I can do it! haโฆ
I did try a combination of sugar free Torani syrups in my coffees too.
I liked butter and English Toffee โ and coconut oil with Peppermint. I even had half a cup totally black! ~ BLAH ~
Iโm STILL sore (two days later!) from the Push Up Bars workout, lol.
I did a short hike last night to get my exercise in anyway, though.
It was a short hike, but all up/down hill so it was a real thigh burner! ๐
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My weight is fluctuating again. Monday I was 141.8 pounds (my lowest weight to date!). On Tuesday I weighed 142.2. Today (Wednesday) I am 142 pounds.
Fluctuations are totally normal of course, which is why itโs best to weigh yourself once a week. It doesnโt always mean you did something right or wrong.
Iโll be interested to see how my weight plays out this week with the โcoffee experimentโ. If I donโt get frustrated and chuck it, lol. ๐
What about you? Did you kick off the challenge STRONG?
I would love to hear about your day, what you ate, what you struggled with, etc. And any thoughts/questions you have, of courseโฆ
I always look forward to hearing from you! ๐
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
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Discount Code: LOWCARBTRAVELER
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It is a challenge to โchangeโ anything in our lives I think. The challenge came at perfect timing for me. I needed a boost (push) to start exercising and it did the trick. Back to basics KISS. Thanks for all you help and guidance. Down a pound the first day. ONWARD!
Awesome, Lynn! ๐ And youโre right. Change is ALWAYS hard. This has made me think back to when I first went low carb and had to switch from โmilk and sugarโ in my coffee. That was a TOUGH transition โ and a crappy week lol.
Coconut oil will cause tummy issues for sure โ if you havenโt been using it in your coffee maybe take it easy and in small steps. Iโm a huge coffee drinker (like 8-12 cups a day) but fortunately have never liked sweet coffee โ rarely even have a latte, etc. And because dairy causes me issues, I end up using coconut milk and/or coconut/almond plain creamers in my coffee. They donโt โwhitenโ my coffee like heavy cream does (yum) but at least itโs not black coffee. If I drank it black, Iโd drink a whole lot less LOL. Iโll be interested to see what you end up liking in your coffee!
Iโm so glad Iโm not the only one that drinks so much coffee ๐ lol. Iโm looking into organic coconut cream at the moment: http://amzn.to/29PhSKL Itโs also 1 carb per 2 TBSP (the same as Heavy Whipping Cream โ HWC) but hopefully it will taste better and not clump up?
I use a combo of heavy cream with sugar free syurp. I just mix up a batch, keep it in the frig, and put it my coffee. NO carbs at all.
Actually, the heavy cream is .4 carbs per tablespoon, or 1 carb per 2 tablespoons. It comes out to 7 carbs per cup. They will ALL say zero carb on the label because itโs less than 1 carb โper servingโ. The sugar free syrup is flavored with Splenda. I was using splenda and heavy cream before (and counting the carbs for both) and I came out with less carbs using the Coffee-Mate Sugar Free Powdered Hazelnut Creamerโฆ *sigh* the math just stinks ๐ lol
This is correct for the cream but I thought the sf syrups made with liquid splenda which doesnโt have carbs because the powdered fillers are left out?
Youโre right Mindy. And good thingโฆ because Iโve been using three different syrups to get through this. ๐ The coffee Iโm drinking now has 2 TBSP of HWC (a large mug) to make it creamy enough โ so itโs STILL one carb. grr lol
Lyn
i really understand your delemma over the choice of coffee creamers
i tried every combination as well. I did not like the hwc or just almond milk or coconut milk in my coffee. I tried half and half but i realized i was getting more carbs and calories by doing all of this
I DO love the Torani irish cream syrup but i still have to use my liquid sf creamer with it
i found the liquid SF french vanilla creamer from Aldisโฆ..it only has 1gm of carbs per serving
maybe we should invent a all natural powdered SF creamer. And patent it. That is what we need. ๐ weโd make millions. Haha
if you ever find a good tasting alternative to the sf powdered creamer Please let me know
i did so many experiments with this and research and nothing works but the carnation sf creamer for me
i love love my creamy coffees too. I cannot survive without it. And i still lose weight with it. But i would love to find a healthier lc creamer that is yummy as well.
Black coffee is never an option for meโฆ.yuk. ๐
Itโs a struggle. I remember how hard it was 5 1/2 years ago when I first went low carb โ switching from milk & sugar. I started with Half & Half and Splenda, and HWC and Splenda. The carbs & calories added up on me. And it was grossโฆ
The Coffee-Mate sugar free powdered creamer was such a great solution at only 1 carb per TBSP and SO creamy & sweet! I was using less carbs per coffee.
I think the problem is somewhere along the way I started drinking A LOT more coffee, lol.
I drink my coffee black now but I used to be a flavored creamer addict. A couple times a month I still get cravings for creamy coffee so I add a TBSP of unsweetened almond milk to it. It doesnโt look creamy but it sure tastes that way.
Coconut oil upset my stomach the first time, too. I found that mixing it with my stick blender with the butter and Torani is better, and the second day I didnโt feel sick at all.
QQ about your MFP updateโฆin the message you said you had a 1/4 cup cottage cheese, but you charged yourself for 1/2c in MFP.
Hi Dianne,
I had 1/4 cup of cottage cheese. I put in โ.5โ as the serving amount, so itโs 2 net carbs for half a serving (1/4 cup). One 1/2 cup serving is 4 carbs. So itโs accurateโฆ it just doesnโt show the โhalf servingโ on my entry. ๐
Iโve been exercising. No problem there.
I made the oven chicken and veggie stew. Itโs delicious. Two problems. First there is no such thing as condensed chicken broth. I used condensed cream of chicken soup. I used thin sliced chicken breast. The recipe took forever to cook. I have to put it back in the oven to cook more before reheating it for dinner. Next time I try it, Iโm going to cook the chicken first.
I showed a picture of the condensed broth in my recipe. Itโs with all the broths and โcooking soupsโ usually toward the top of the soup shelf. I think it would be better made in the slow cooker or crock pot. ๐
I gave up alcohol for the challengeโฆwhich I knew would be very tough given my lifestyle and surroundings and, wellโฆme! But as expected last night I went to bed early (bored) and didnโt have any snacks after an early dinner, meaning I ate less than 20 g of carbs for the day and finally didnโt go over on calories (vodka!!!). I woke up an hour early today feeling good and already lost a bit of weight. I know that the extra calories in booze and the lack of self control that comes with it is whatโs in my way. I also got away from my crabby boyfriend and walked his dog (2 birds one stone) to get a little exercise in.
I could have given up something easier for meโฆbut I chose the hard worthwhile choice that I KNOW will show me what I need to keep doing after this challenge.
Thank you for helping us figure out how to โฆ tame ourselves ๐ And our addictions to food and emotional eating.
This sooo me too!!
This made me smile, Amy โ and made me feel not so alone in the struggle. ๐ I could have thumped myself in the eyeball for choosing the ONE thing I love the most ๐ haha. *sigh*
Impressive redirect, self control, and awesome results โ already! Good for you!!
Itโs only 20 days, right! ๐
I did the same Amy!!!!! Seems like there is always a party we are going too! Itโs so easy to over eat after a couple drinks. I started exercising about two months ago. Iโm stronger, now I need to change my diet. Lynn terry thank you for your open honesty and Sharing your journey with us. You are an inspiration to me. You look wonderful! Thank you!!!! 2 days down 18 to go!!!!
Thank you so much, Terry ๐ ๐ *cheers*
Just my 2 cents worth. Instead of giving up your beloved creamer, why not just cut down to 2-3 mugs per day? All that caffeine couldnโt be that good for you anyway.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
PS. I have been in your group for over a month now and love it!!!!!!!
Iโm really glad to hear that, Sue! ๐
I am thinking about the same thing. I am already drinking less coffee (day two), but I found myself drinking a Diet Coke yesterday and again today. So Iโm really weighing my options here and making sure I donโt just trade one negative for anotherโฆ
I had a great first day. This was just what I needed to get restarted. I was afraid I would be over on carbs because I didnโt realize my ham and cheese had 1 carb each but it all worked out for 17 net carbs. I also exercised 30 minutes. Day 1 was a success and day 2 is going well!
Way to go, Tanya! ๐
Hi everybody, I am from south Africaโฆ So donโt have access to all the products you mention. I am also a coffee addict.. Have mine with butter and coconut oil. In south Africa lowcarb lifestyle is called banting. I have been following a lowcarb lifestyle for almost a year with great results. But alas I am struggling at the moment. I am menopausal and have gained some weight without changing my eating planโฆ So feeling very down and not sure what to do to change. I have never counted calories or followed a specific eating plan apart from cutting out oils,flour,sugar etc. Help me please..
Hi Lindy ๐
My advice is to start tracking. I use MyFitnessPal and this is how I have it set up: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/4448/myfitnesspal-hack/ but there are a lot of apps to choose from. Anyway, start tracking every single meal / snack / drink with a goal of 20 net carbs max, 70% fat minimum. ๐
Iโm post menopausal as well โ and following low carb now doesnโt result in a lot of weight loss unless I drop cals/make it a little lower fat which is sad. ๐ Your body just doesnโt need as many calories is what Iโve read โ low carb or otherwise.
Hi Lynn!
Like you, I have many cups of coffee a day. I measure the coconut oil and butter with a 1/2 teaspoon. I probably never have over a total of one tablespoon of either, and by spreading it out, there are no tummy issues. Just a thoughtโฆMindy
Coffee is my addiction. Itโs true. Iโve said it. The one thing I just canโt give up. Iโve narrowed it down to two big mugs with cream & a couple of drops of sucralose, thank goodness. But itโs not easy, I feel your pain.
Imagine back in the day when Dr. A said abstain from coffee because it raises insulin levels! I lasted about 3 days, lol. ๐
I use the exact same creamer as you โ and yes, I feel I โhave to have itโ. But I only do 3 tbsp a day. Iโve been stuck for 2 weeks at the same weight and measurements so Iโm upping my fat% (currently between 70-75%) to 80% and am going to try to cut the creamer also. I only want to lose 15 more pounds (guess where??? ๐ ) and am getting to the hard part of losing. Iโve lost 14 already and feel great on this diet. The other carb I allow myself everyday is the Emergen-C Electro Mix for extra potassium which has 3 carbs in it.
Mushrooms and Avocado are also GREAT low carb sources of potassium. ๐
I hear ya on the coffee! Iโve been having 2-4 teaspoons of sugar with my coffee daily for a few years now and end up seriously grumpy when i give it up. You know worked for me recently? Giving up coffee completely. Iโve been making plain iced tea instead (which is great with this heat). I may go back to coffee when it cools off for the fall thoughโฆ i do LOVE a warm cup of coffee in the morning, tea just isnโt the same!
This is just what I needed to get my butt back in gear!!! I teeter between 151 & 148lbs constantly!! I so want to get beyond this and start heading down the scale again. You have been my inspiration for 2 1/2 years! Thank you!! 45lbs lost forever!! and counting!!
Wow, Amy โ kudos!!
Congrats on your weight loss success!! ๐
It takes some effort, but it is possible to wean yourself off of creamer. I use half and half, no sugar or sweeteners, and now that Iโm used to it, I canโt drink it with creamers, especially ones that are flavored! Blah!! If you want some flavor, buy flavored coffee. Itโs actually pretty good.
Hi Lyn
Have you tried almond milk or coconut milk in your coffee along with the Torani syrups? I thought of looking for unsweetened coconut cream but not sure if you can buy it like that
I UNDERSTAND you wanting to cut back on the powdered creamer but honestly, i cannot give it up. The coffee curbs my appetite and gives me that mental lift and energy i need. I drink two big 16 oz contigo mugs full a dayโฆ
i think the coffee actually helps my weight loss. It does speed up your metabolism.
it is my guilty pleasure. I guess weaning yourself off the creamer is the best way to do itโฆ..but why suffer if the creamer is not stalling you
i cannot or will not give up my one guilty pleasure It does not stall me so i see no point in giving it up but meanwhile i keep searching for a good alternative to the powdered creamer. I love my coffeeโฆ..:)
Lynโฆ. i tried the BPC once and i got so nauseated and vomitted it all up. (Sorry if TMI)
I c
Try Kerrygold butter with BPC. Itโs super good! The MCT oil is probably giving you tummy trouble. Back off the amount then gradually add to it. Iโm sure hoping I can stick to 20 days. Been doing this WOE for weeks and then totally cheat on weekends. I can do it!!
Hi Megan ๐ I find myself MORE strict on weekends, and eating more green vegetables lol. But Iโve heard a lot of people say they struggle more to stay on plan over the weekends. Is it because your schedule is different than weekdays, or maybe youโre going out / socializing?
Lyn, I cut out nondairy creamer a year ago and it was not easy. I think one reason itโs so hard to give up is because even though it says sugar free, it actually has corn syrup in it.
I still use it every now and then but for the most part I just use heavy cream or half and half
This is my 3rd dayโฆI would KILL for some candy!
They make sugar free candy. ๐ Just go EASY with it โ until you see how it hits you. Only eat once piece, two at the most, or you may spend the rest of the day in the ladies room. ๐ lol. But yeah, look on the candy aisle anywhere โ Walgreens or Wal-Mart both have great selections.
Iโve adopted several of Lynnโs ideas. I love the low carb cereal. I use what I have on hand. Cottage cheese with either pecan or walnut pieces, and fresh berries. This is a quick go to meal for me. I love iced coffee and allow myself one a day made with starbucks decaf and sugar free liquid hazelnut creamer. I live in south Texas and everything is made into a taco. So giving up tortillas is hard tor me. I did find some low carb in the grocery store. But I am going to wait 30 days before putting them back in my diet. Iโm afraid I will overdo it and affect my weight loss.
Hi Lynn,
You are inspiring, & Iโm trying to work up as much motivation as you. I read your blog daily, & totally believe in the low carb way of eating. I feel your pain with the coffee creamer! I, like you love the sugar free hazelnut creamer, but when I look at the ingredients, it makes me cringe! I have also been experimenting with trying to find something similar but healthier for me. At first I used coconut cream along with hazelnut stevia. But I have found something that taste even better that Iโd like to share. Itโs by Califia Farms. Itโs called Coconut Almond Milk Blend. The toasted coconut one is so good, & itโs soy, dairy, & gluten free. No sugar added, 45 calories for 8 oz. & only 1 carb!! You could use as much of this as you like for that! I also add several drops of hazelnut stevia by sweet leaf. Try it out & see what you think. Thank you for your daily inspiration & simple recipe ideas!
I found it! http://www.califiafarms.com/products/almondmilk/coconut-almondmilk And it looks like they carry it at my local Wal-Mart ๐
Wonderful! It taste rich like the other creamer, but it does need a little sweetener and hazelnut extract to make it more like it.
I used to drink sugar or sweetner in my coffee, but a friend of mine told me that if I drank coffee with no sweet stuff for two weeks that I would never go backโฆ.and she was right!!
Now I cant tolerate sugar or sweetner in my coffee at allโฆso glad I tried.
Yesterday was a good day. The hardest thing for me though was that I decided not eat anything after dinner. No snack just water or crystal light. That made for a long evening but gave me a chance to hit the exercise room and boy am I feeling it today! I didnโt realize I was sore until I carried in groceries and walked up the stairs.
Todayโฆgoing good!
Day 1 for me went smooth, but then again itโs always smooth at first lol.
My meals yesterday were :
B: bpc, 2 fried eggs, 2 slices turkey bacon
L: 2 Oscar Meyer smoked sausages
D: cheeseburger w/mustard and pickle plus 1 Oscar Meyer smoked sausage, 12oz diet dr pepper
S: sf iced coffee (coffee, 1 splenda, sf vanilla syrup, hwc)
I didnโt have many veggies but thatโs ok. Some days I wonโt eat veggies and other Iโll eat them all day. I donโt stress it much.
I drank 50oz of water and my net carbs were 8 with my fat being 83%, protein 12%, carbs 2%
I did not exercise yesterday and probably wonโt be able to for a couple days. I have a massive cystโฆTMIโฆlol, on my inner thigh which makes even standing painful. Hopefully itโll pop soon and Iโll be back to normal. โบ
Ouch! That does sound painfulโฆ
I donโt eat veggies every day either. Then some days I eat lots. I figure it all works out. ๐ Plus I now eat berries daily which are also a good source of fiber and nutrients. Great first day!!
I drink more than one cup a day. So I only use 1/4 of a teaspoon of butter and coconut oil in each cup with the salted Carmel sugar free syrup. I know I will at least have four cups of coffee. That keeps me from the tummy upset
I made the LC bread bites and they are delicious! Thanks for the recipe. One of those with a Tbs of SF blackberry jam saved my night! Lol.
Iโm so glad you enjoyed the low carb bread, Marti. ๐ Itโs a favorite of mine, and so EASY to make!
Lyn
i switch to drinking hot flavored teas in the afternoon or evening. I dk not like creamer in my hot tea. I have my two big mugs of coffee with powdered SF creamer in the morning and mid day. Do you like hot tea?
Years ago I transitioned from coffee with milk and sugar to black coffee with no sugar โ it took about 2 weeks but now I canโt bear anything in my coffee, I love the taste of the pure coffee ๐
When I was in the UK I drank 8 โ 10 mugs a day of a particular brand (Nescafe Espresso) that made a beautiful non-bitter americano-style coffee with a crema layer. I loved it so much I brought a case with me when I moved!
However the water here, although it tastes a lot better than UK water straight from the tap, is โdifferentโ and my normal coffee just didnโt taste the same. I ended up switching to making Turkish coffee in a coffee press, which has a lovely flavour but is a pain to keep making during the day. Without even trying, I ended up cutting back to 2 cups of really good, strong coffee a day and drinking flavoured teas (mint is my favourite) the rest of the day. A completely painless transition because, I believe, I wasnโt thinking in terms of โgiving upโ anything.
I like unsweetened coconut cream (the kind that comes in a can) when I crave creamy coffeeโฆitโs full of healthy fats and no breaking out the stick blender.
Hi Teri! Iโm tempted to try the unsweetened coconut cream. I canโt find it in my store, but I did find it here: http://amzn.to/29PhSKL Itโs 1 carb for 2 TBSP (the same as HWC). So Iโm not sure itโll save on carbs, but perhaps taste better and naturally sweet maybe??
Lynn, I donโt know if anyone has suggested this or if youโve already tried itโฆ..but I have put Atkins French Vanilla Shake in my coffee and it tastes pretty good. The whole shake is only 2 net carbs so this could be an easy swap. FWIT.
Supposed to be FWIW ๐
I am a coffee drinker, too. I use heavy cream in mine.