I woke up too early again this morning – about 2 hours before my alarm. I didn’t nap yesterday either. I usually nap every day, but I just wasn’t able to sleep.
I find when I don’t get enough rest, my scales don’t move. I’ve mentioned that before so we’ll discuss why/how in a post later this week…
Side note, we hit 50,000 Members in the Low Carb Group this morning! That’s a seriously cool milestone. 🙂
My weight hasn’t changed in days. Well, except for very slight fluctuations.
This is totally normal during Week 2 or 3. It’s simply your body adjusting to the initial weight loss. So if you worry that you’re “stalled” the second or third week eating low carb – you’re not. 🙂 That is NOT the time to give up, or make any drastic changes. Just keeping doing what’s obviously working!
NOTE: Only weigh yourself first thing in the morning, right after you pee. Your weight will fluctuate as much as five pounds (or more) throughout a single day, so first thing in the morning is the only true weight.
I lose weight slower than most people for a few reasons. First, because I’m closer to my goal weight. People who have more to lose, lose weight faster. Second because I’ve been eating low carb for a long time – so I didn’t make a “drastic lifestyle change” for this challenge. Someone who just started and gave up soda or sweet tea, they would definitely lose more weight in the beginning than someone who didn’t make such a huge change in their diet. So… don’t compare yourself to others!
Here’s how things have gone for me personally over the last 12 days:
July 1: 157.2 pounds
July 2: 157.2 pounds
July 3: 155 pounds
July 4: 155 pounds
July 5: 155 pounds
July 6: 154.6 pounds
July 7: 154.6 pounds
July 8: 154 pounds
July 9: 154 pounds
July 10: 154 pounds
July 11: 155 pounds
July 12: 155 pounds
July 13: 155 pounds
2.2 pounds (3.2 before the scales fluctuated) may not seem like much to you, but it’s GREAT for me! I normally lose maybe half to ONE pound a week – and not consistently. Losing 5 full pounds in a month is a BIG success for me. So I’m quite happy with my “little loss” so far. But I fully expect my scales to move again in the next couple of days, given this is the typical week 2 “hold” – so stay tuned for an update! 🙂
I share all that with you to encourage you – in case you’re experiencing the same. You’ll see weight loss, then a “hold” then the scales might go back up a bit before they dive DOWN again. Again, that’s totally normal!
Day 12 Low Carb Challenge: My Meals & Macros
I didn’t feel well Sunday morning. Neither did Ricky. Actually he felt sick starting Saturday evening, so we might have had one of those 24 hour bugs or something.
Anyway, I didn’t eat breakfast – just had coffee, and then we had an early lunch. We decided to get take-out from a new local place called The Chef And His Crew which I’m really starting to LOVE! The portions are GREAT and the food is fabulous.
I got jumbo shrimp (grilled & buttered) with sauteed veggies (squash & zucchini). The shrimp meal comes with two sides, so I asked for fresh strawberries as my other side (and saved those for later):
It was delicious! 🙂 Most restaurants have a lot of great low carb options. It’s just a matter of scouring the menu and playing mix & match. I like to look for things like cottage cheese, avocado, strawberries, etc across the menu – even if they’re not listed as a “side item” so I can make healthy substitutes.
They didn’t skimp on the strawberries either. 🙂
Like I said, their portions are GREAT. Those berries last me 2 or 3 “meals”. For example, I had this for an afternoon snack between the early lunch and dinner: 1/4 cup Daisy brand cottage cheese, 1/4 cup pecans, 1 large or 2 small strawberries.
I usually like that for breakfast but it makes for a great low carb snack, meal or even dessert anytime! Especially when strawberries are in season. 🙂
For dinner – are you sitting down?? lol – I decided to cook.
I don’t actually enjoy cooking, or grocery shopping, or cleaning up the kitchen 😛 so when I do cook… it’s something EASY.
For this meal I chose chicken thighs. They are cheaper than chicken breast, and higher in fat – which are both great! This is super simple. Just put a light coat of olive oil on the pan, salt the thighs, add a pat of butter to each, cover with foil, and bake at 350:
I baked these covered at 350 for 45-60 minutes, then uncovered them and turned the heat up to 400 for 15-20 more minutes until they were brown and crisp. Super easy! And they turned out perfect:
I used frozen yellow squash (flash frozen) and frozen broccoli florets to round out the meal. Given I don’t cook often (at all!), frozen vegetables work out well for me because I can cook up the portions I want – and don’t have to worry about spoilage or waste. I do love fresh veggies when I have them, and especially when someone gifts me with something from their garden! But I keep frozen spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and squash in my freezer as my low carb staples – to easily make a quick meal anytime.
I boiled the broccoli, and added butter & salt. I cooked the squash on medium heat in olive oil, salted and browned on both sides. It was a super easy and delicious meal:
My son and my boyfriend were here for dinner, both carb eaters, and they enjoyed the dinner too. 🙂
Here’s my entire MyFitnessPal Diary for the day:
The day totaled up to:
971 calories, 18 net carbs, 26 total carbs,
73% fat / 19% protein
And YES, I got the dreaded notification by MyFitnessPal that my calories are WAY TOO LOW and I’m likely going to suffer great tragedies over it blah blah yada yada. lol. They can be so dramatic sometimes. 😛 I feel like I ate plenty, and had three solid meals that filled me up. So there! lol.
I’ve been skipping that sugar free chocolate (the late night addiction, lol) and I’m making efforts to use less coffee creamer. Two vices that tend to increase my carb count, and have become entirely too BIG of a habit.
I’m also drinking more water lately, but not too much water. Just “plenty”. It’s all about making small improvements, consistently improving your health and your food choices along the way.
I don’t do well with huge drastic change. That’s exactly the reason I chose eating low carb as a means to lose weight and get healthy – because I didn’t have to change my lifestyle to accommodate it. I can still eat out, order take-out, eat low carb when I travel, eat to satisfaction without ever going hungry, etc. I love it!!
Thoughts? Questions? Leave a comment. 🙂
I’d love to hear how YOUR low carb journey is going!
Best,
Lynn Terry, aka @LowCarbTraveler
Margaret Wood-Tsantakis says
Thank you for sharing and all your encouragement. You are an inspiration to me
Lynn Terry says
Thank you so much, Margaret! π *cheers*
It’s comments like yours that make me wake up every day excited to sit down and share my meals and my health journey!
Angela Wills says
Had to click through when I saw a pic of you cooking something! I know you don’t like to cook so I was totally curious if you made it. It all looks so delish. I buy almonds but never really any other nuts but love pecans for sure so I’ll add that to my next grocery list along with cottage cheese. Love the snack ideas the most π
Lynn Terry says
LOL Angela – it’s VERY rare. π haha. But when I do cook, it’s super easy! And yes,I love my “grab & eat” snacks. Those are my favorite – no cooking required. π
Nichole says
Hi,
Oh thank you for this post!! I feel like I have been stuck at the same weight for a couple of days. So it could either be that I haven’t slept very well due to a teething infant or that I am in the second week of this woe. I also got that notification yesterday about not enough calories from mfp. I was like what, I am full leave me alone. π
I look forward to your post about the scales not moving when you lack sleep.
Lynn Terry says
Ahhh teething – I *almost* miss those days, Nichole. π My “babies” are now 18 and 23 years old! haha. Yes, lack of sleep. That’s one I’ve been tracking over the last six months. It consistently affects my weight loss. I have been doing some research on it, so stay tuned – I’ll share. ;*)
And yes, weeks 2 & 3 can really challenge your state of mind with all those fickle scale fluctuations, lol. As for MFP – I think that lady is a bit nutty, and could use a prozac some days. haha! π
Angela Pryor says
Hi Lynn, Well the last 90 day challenge we did I didn’t lose anything so I had my thyroid checked and of course I needed meds. I just got them last week, So far I’ve lost 5lbs doing the Kiss challenge but I also cut out all the artificial sugar. Thanks
Lynn Terry says
Hi Angela,
I’m so glad you saw your doctor and got proper treatment! And even more glad to hear you broke your stall using the KISS (keeping it super simple) method. That’s awesome! π
Jan says
Lynn, check your chocolate creamer, I think it might be 2 teaspoons and not tablespoons. Let me know because I want yours!
Lynn Terry says
Hi Jan π
I am currently using Nestle Coffee-Mate Sugar Free Hazelnut (powdered) creamer. It is 1 carb per TBSP (tablespoon). On the regular Coffee-Mate creamer, it does go by TSP (teaspoons). That’s the reason I selected this one!
You have to be super cautious though, because there are varying labels out there on the shelf with this product (the sugar free hazelnut). Some say 2 carbs per TBSP, some say … ONE. I stock up on every “1 carb” labeled bottle I can find π lol.
I used to use heavy whipping cream and splenda. As much coffee as I drink, that was adding up more than this sugar free Coffee-Mate (as I counted each Splenda – 2 packets = 1 carb). So this was a replacement to lower my carb count.
I’d love to get down to just real cream, or even black. That’s a goal!
Lacey Fox says
Just curious, besides your beloved coffee, what do you normally drink? Mostly water? Diet Coke? I love my morning coffee also, but I drink black. But my main addiction is diet coke. I know it’s not great, but since I’m giving up so many other things I love I feel like I have to have at least one vice that doesn’t add carbs.
Lynn Terry says
Hi Lacey π
I don’t blame you. I drink maybe half a Diet Coke a day, sometimes a whole one. But I used to drink 6-8 regular Pepsi’s a day! π lol. I enjoy mine too, and it doesn’t stall my weight loss. I’m like you, I know it’s not “healthy” but I have to have some enjoyment in my mouth, lol.
Other than that, and my coffee, I’m drinking water now – which was a BIG habit for me to start. I was never a water drinker. I drink maybe 4-6 eight ounce bottles a day, but also eat foods high in water content.
There are a lot of negative comments and articles about diet sodas all over the web, I know – but you won’t get any judgments from me. π I am a work in progress, and in this to become the healthiest happiest version of myself. That includes a lot of hard work and discipline… but A LOT of enjoyment too. π *cheers*
Joyce Smart says
Thank you Lynn,This has really helped me keeping it simple,I really enjoy pecans and skinny cow cheese π Meats and vegetables .It has made me really pay attention to what i’m eating.
thank you
Lynn Terry says
I’m glad, Joyce! That makes my day. π
Simple is GOOD! *cheers*
Stephanie says
I couldn’t find “Net Carbs” anywhere on MFP. I checked every drop down category in the “Nutrients Tracked” section, and it’s not there! How did you add it? Thanks Lynn!
Lynn Terry says
See: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/4448/myfitnesspal-hack/ for the setup. π It’s easy! It only works online in Firefox or Chrome (not the mobile app).
Also see: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/7006/macronutrients/
EDIE WAINWRIGHT says
Looking for a grocery list with the food items listed so I can buy whats needed for the challenge. I didnt see one posted?