If youโre participating in the 2017 Low Carb Challenge (feel free to join in anytime!) we do weigh-ins every Monday. Hereโs the Week 9 Weigh-In for the Facebook group, or you can weigh in here by leaving a comment below on this post.
Happy Monday! ๐ I hope you had a great weekend. I look forward to hearing what you did, what you ate, and your weigh-in for this week.
I had easy low carb meals over the weekend, so Iโll share those with you.
I also got in a nice (but short!) nature hike with my great dane, Slim yesterday. He was misbehaving ๐ so we had to cut it short, but it was fun to get out for a bit at least. ๐
Below is a complete photo tour of 3 days worth of low carb meals, plus my macros & MyFitnessPal diaries for the last three days too โ so you can see how I logged those meals.
Theyโre all VERY easy meals & the โcasseroleโ I made last night was really good. ๐
p.s. I see now why I was out of pecans by this morning!! lolโฆ
Fridayโs Low Carb Meals
I had a busy work day on Friday so I kicked off the morning with a half cup (60 grams) of pecan halves at my desk. Right off the scale even, lol.
I love that little Ozeri kitchen scale. ๐ Itโs SO convenient. I use it for everything! Itโs cheap โ and comes in other cool colors too.;)
I finally got up and made a โmealโ which was my favorite low carb cereal made with 1/2 cup pecan pieces, 1/4 cup Daisy brand cottage cheese, 4 small strawberries & 17.5 grams of blueberries.
It comes to 6 net carbs and 85% healthy fat, so it has perfect LCHF macros!
For dinnerโฆ I had breakfast. ๐ 3 fried eggs with hog jowl, which is like bacon on steroids! It was delicious, and an easy one skillet meal.
I pulled a long day, with a late afternoon nap, so I was up late that eveningโฆ and had my โcerealโ again โ this time with just strawberries:
Hereโs how I logged Fridayโs meals:
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Saturdayโs Low Carb Meals
Saturday was a long, quiet day at homeโฆ and I spent the entire day WRITING. Iโm working on some whitepapers for my consulting business, so I kept my meals simple all day and stayed focused. ๐
I had pecans at my desk early that morning againโฆ
There was hog jowl leftover from the night before, so I heated that up in the skillet and made cheesy scrambled eggs to go with it for a quick lunch.
My low carb dinner was leftovers from a restaurant meal: blackened salmon with sautรฉed spinach & steamed broccoli.
Itโs about half the salmon I had so around 4 ounces, and I just stirred it all together and dipped it in Alfredo sauce. ๐ That was delicious!
I also had a serving of Halo Top Creamery low carb ice cream that nightโฆ
Hereโs how I logged my meals for Saturday:
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Sundayโs Low Carb Meals
I had my favorite โlow carb cerealโ with just pecans, cottage cheese & strawberries. Sometimes I get lazy and donโt thaw or dice the blueberries. ๐
I had a second breakfast for lunch: bacon & cheesy eggs:
Later in the afternoon I went out with a friend and my great dane, Slim to Lost Creek for a fun nature walkโฆ and grabbed a quick low carb cheeseburger from Hardeeโs on the way. I ordered it plain since I was eating in the car. No dripping that way, lol. ๐
Dinner last night was a thick pan fried pork chop with cheesy veggies. Ricky fried a piece of bacon in skillet with the chops for flavor, so I ate that too. ๐
The veggies are just steamed broccoli & cauliflower topped with mozzarella then crumbled Cello Whisps โ and baked in the oven for a nice crunchy topping. ๐
That was delicious! Itโs not really a โcasseroleโ โ just steamed veggies baked with the cheese & Whisps for something a little more fun that just plain old veggies. ๐
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Hereโs my MyFitnessPal Food Diary for Sunday:
Macronutrients: Simple Explanation Of Low Carb Macros
How To Get A Net Carbs Column in MyFitnessPal
Net Carbs: 15
Total Carbs: 25
Calories: 2004
Protein: 84137 grams
70% Fat / 27% Protein
Water: 48 ounces
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These FUN fitness motivation stickers are handmade by Living Life Rosie and available on Amazon here. You can get them in glossy or matte (glossy is only .50 more, so thatโs what I picked!). She has other really cool handmade items too. I thought that was neat, that she makes them herself. ๐ And just north of me in Kentucky!
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Iโve been collecting fun stuff for my InnerGuide Goal Planner like stencils and doodle markers and motivational stickers. Iโm VERY excited about setting and reaching ambitious health goals this year, and feeling CREATIVE about it! ๐
Oh โ and as for my own weight, itโs still fluctuatingโฆ so Iโm just ignoring it. ๐ LOL. Iโm still not 100% well and having to take over-the-counter meds (sinus, cough, Advil, etc) so I think thatโs the culprit. I just keep eating low carb and resting plentyโฆ
The scales will work themselves out.;)
How are things going for you?
How are you doing with your low carb meals & macro tracking?
Any questions or struggles?
Are you feeling seriously MOTIVATEDโฆ or totally off track?
Donโt forget to weigh in below, or in the groupโฆ
Leave a comment & letโs talk. ๐
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
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Discount Code: LOWCARBTRAVELER
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All is going well. Still 110 but donโt really want to lose anymore. Doctors want me to gain some but that goes against my wants. Plan to ignore them and do my own thing. When you have been overweight since childhood and finally lose it itโs against everything I want to gain any back. Doesnโt make sense to me.
I say do what you FEEL is best for YOU, Ruth. ๐
I have gained 6 lbs. and canโt get it offโฆI was down to 120 and itโs driving me crazyโฆhelp
Hi Peggie ๐ How can I help? How did you gain the 6 pounds, and what kind of problem are you having getting it back off?
It just seemed to pop back onโฆI drink an Atkins Shake in the morning which I have cut outโฆI know 6 lbs. doesnโt like muchโฆ but when your short you can tell it and I โm uncomtable in my clothes
I totally get that โ Iโm short AND short waisted, so I really feel it too. How are you tracking btw? Happy to help!
Iโm not tracking anything I just make sure I eat less than 20 carbs daily
Try tracking just for ONE week so you can figure out the culprit. Ditch the shakes โ try half cup of pecan halves instead (very filling, very high fat, easy!).
Make sure youโre doing at least 70% fat. That alone tends to stall me out โ when I get under that.
I donโt really understand how to go about tracking
Hi Peggie ๐ This is a really simple explanation & illustration: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/7006/macronutrients/ I use MyFitnessPal. Itโs a free app.
You want to make sure youโre doing 20 net carbs max, 70% fat minimum. Just tracking for one week will help you figure out whatโs keeping you from losing โ or causing you to gain. ๐
Im not sure if im reading this rightโฆwere there days you went over your carb goal?
Hi Kenya ๐ My goal is 20 net carbs max, 70% fat minimum. So no โ well except one of those three days I had 21 net carbs, but I donโt sweat little stuff like that over/under.
If youโre referring to the MyFitnessPal Goals โ I ignore those. ๐
I am a week into being back on track. Down 5 pounds. I have powered through lots of cravings including going to Cracker Barrell I looooove. Someone at work picked it. Normal meal is mac and cheese hash brown casserole and fried okra and a biscuit. I read the menu online before we went and got steamed broccoli, side salad and grilled pork chop. Woo hoo for me. I did it. I need to get back into my summer clothes and Iโm gonna do it! Headache was hideous no matter what I tried so I have incentive to stay on track to avoid doing that again.
That keto flu headache is the WORST. ๐ You did great on your meal choices! Thatโs what I do as well โ look up the menu before I go, decide what Iโm going to have there, and stick to it. I always feel SO good for doing that. ๐ It makes for much more *mindful* choices โ so you can actually ENJOY the company youโre with instead of fretting over food. ๐
I know you ignore calorie count, but are yours always that high? I have been drilled to calories, so ignoring them is difficult. I my calorie counts look similar to yours more days than not and worry that I will not lose weight. Are you still losing at this point or kind of in a maintenance mode?
Iโm still losing, Stephanie. ๐ If you look back through some of my daily food diaries here on the blog youโll see that my calories vary from 1100 to over 2,000. It doesnโt seem to matter that much either way, as long as my macros are on point (20 net carbs max, 70% fat minimum).
I go through normal weight loss trends of lose, hold, hold, lose, fluctuate, hold, lose, etc. But those are common for everyone.
Hi Lynn,
Things are going well and I still feel better than I did before I started on this lchf journey. Here are my net carb g/fat % stats starting with Thursday, the day I set up FitnessPal:
Thur: 52/54 Fri: 39/68 Sat 25/64 Sun 21/73 and then today 19/69. It does take a bit of planning in the beginning, but I think Iโm getting the hang of it. This morning I did feel a bit keto-fluish I think, but it would resolve once I ate something. I already feel less sluggish than before and even though thereโs still some chronic pain, it just feels less debilitating. In terms of weight I havenโt loss that much yet, but I feel less bloaty and have lost maybe a pound or two. Now if only I could my bowel to calm down and stop being โirritableโโฆ. ๐
Hi Catherine ๐ Are you eating any bars, or anything with sugar alcohol? If so, that can definitely cause tummy trouble. Otherwise it may just be your body making the transition and will hopefully work itself outโฆ Getting into ketosis is sort of like a โcleanseโ ๐
Hi i started low carb high fat last week i dont have a gallblader and im worried about the hi fatโฆany opinions about it thanks
Hi Maria ๐ I know there are many people doing a ketogenic low carb (LCHF) diet that have had their gall bladder removed. I would do some research on that, and also talk to your doctor of course. I donโt have any personal experience with itโฆ
Iโm down 10 lbs this week. YEA finally the weight is going the right way. I was diagnosed with Graves disease last month, I am having a hard time losing any weight with the trying to get my meds correect and . I have always tried to stay eating low carb but I started going gluten free/low carb a couple weeks ago and it is finally paying off.
Iโm so glad to hear that, Mae! Itโs NICE when you find something that WORKS for you. ๐ Kudos for sticking it out until you found your fix!
Iโm not familiar with Graves disease so Iโll have to look that up. Hopefully theyโll get your meds stabilized sooner than later so itโs one less thing to worry with. ๐
I found these yummy cheese chips at Costco once that looks like you threw fresh grated Parm. Cheese in muffin tins? Ate them with Marinara YUMMY
I love your cereal idea!
I enjoy my โcerealโ meal. ๐ It has great lchf macros! And yes, you can easily make cheese chips at home with parmesan or any kind of cheese. See: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/4232/low-carb-chips/ Easy!
Maria I donโt have my gallbladder either, l buy turkey bacon, turkey sausage, you will be fine!!!
Lynn l have a question, l never count net carbs, just total. Can you please tell me how can l do it? I have the app my fitness pal but l think that I have to pay for premium do have the net carbs right? Thank you!
No Cynthia โ I use the free version of MFP and a free plugin: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/4448/myfitnesspal-hack/ It only works online in Firefox or Chrome though, not on the mobile app or tablet.
Net Carbs is just Total Carbs minus Fiber โ so thatโs pretty easy. ๐
I am still recovering from foot surgery (10 week recovery period). But I can walk with a boot on my foot so Iโm improving. I am so proud to learn that I didnโt gain any weight when on a 6 week โno weight on footโ period. This shows me that I have overcome my stress eating and bored eating. Only 2 more weeks with the :โbootโ. Will be glad to get outside to enjoy the early spring.
Total weight loss is 35 pounds, have 40 more to go. Been a slow loss but have learned so much. Hopefully weight will start falling off again when I can exercise again.
Iโm so glad youโre recovering well, Kathy โ and maintaining your weight loss! Youโve done GREAT so far, almost halfway there. ๐ ๐ That has to be a really good feeling!
Iโm excited about spring tooโฆ and getting out & more active again after being so sick this winter. Hereโs to some FUN outdoor exercise! ๐ *cheers*
I did well my 1st week list 4 lbs. I had tacos for breakfast and lunch Saturday and gained 2 lb, could it have been the corn taco shells? The neat was lean ground turkey
Hi Nell ๐ Yes, the corn taco shells will take you out of ketosis โ which is a diuretic state โ so youโll immediately put on water weight when you eat off plan foods like that. Youโll want to go right back on plan to get back into ketosis again.
I stumbled upon this blog from your Instagram page. One questionโฆIโm 55 yrs old and have been LCHF for over 4 weeks. I havenโt lost an ounce yet. Just yesterday I noticed the Ketostrips are turning pink. Does it normally take that long to get into Ketosis? Iโm 4โฒ 11โณ and weigh 139lbs. Iโm following along with >20gms carbs, 14-16 oz protein and between 80-100gms total fat per day.
Hi Roseanne ๐ Welcome!
You canโt go by grams, because some proteins are also fats, so you have to go by ratios (percentages). This is a very simple explanation & illustration: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/7006/macronutrients/
Keep it super simple and do: 20 net carbs max, 70% fat minimum.
It is not typical to not lose ANY weight in four full weeks, or for it to take that long to get into ketosis, so keep an eye on what youโre eating โ and your macros โ and figure out the culprit. ๐
I donโt have the MyFitness app, but I do track on the Carb Manager app. As Iโve looked back on the last few weeks, I see that I only get between 55-75% of total fat per day, a few days were only 45%. With that being said, I should add more fatsโฆ.nuts? avocados? Butter? Bacon? Not sure where to find more fatโฆ
I like pecans because they are very low carb / high fat โ and donโt stall me. Avocado is great, and itโs even good fried / browned in butter โ as a side. ๐
Salmon instead of white fish. Chicken thighs instead of breasts (more tender AND cheaper too!).
I love to add pecans to a caesar salad even, or you could top a salad with the browned avocado chunks instead of chicken. Lots of ideas!
I struggle with meal planning what to eat on a day to day or week basis definitely need help to start getting healthy!
Hi Brooke ๐
I donโt do much meal planning. Well, none really โ lol. I just wing it! There are TONS of low carb foods to choose from though, whether youโre cooking or eating out. Itโs basically just: meat & greens + healthy fats.
This food list really helped me when I first got started: https://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/atkins-20/phase-1/low-carb-foods You can start there, and add to it as you go, and get used to reading labels. ๐
My name is Annie, I struggle with My weight, I track my morning and noon meals. But on my way to work I crave for sec mcmuffin from McDonaldโs and Carmel frappe. I do my breakfast at night bacon and eggs or I do oatmeal. For lunch I do veggies and some kind of meat. When I get home I do bad. I also get bloated a lot. Please help me.
Welcome Annie ๐
You really do NOT want to mix a LCHF diet with carbs. That can actually cause you to gain weight, not to mention promote certain health issues. Itโs kind of one or the other โ like running your truck on gas or diesel. ๐ Hereโs a simple explanation: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/4606/lchf-diet-explained/
If you can commit to just 5 full days of eating only 20 net carbs a day, youโll find your cravings totally disappear. Itโs also a natural appetite suppressant, so both really help โ and make it EASY to maintain. ๐
Hi Lynn thank you for the link to add the net carbs, but l canโt no do it. I know that l have to do it in my laptop and l went step by step and even add the FIber, but nothing with the net carbs. Iโm using mozilla firefox. Please help!!!
Lynn, sorry l did it, know l can seey net carbs, thank you! !
Iโm so glad you got it working, Cynthia. ๐ What a great plugin, right? Especially for free!
I know, l download the app but the net carbs didnโt appear. So l deleted and lโm using my laptop, thank you so much. You been a lot of help
I still use the app to put things in on the go, but always use my computer to track net carbs & macros more easily. Youโre welcome โ and thanks for the kind words, you made me smile! ๐ *cheers*