Weeknight Shrimp Vegetable Toss

This recipe is so easy to throw together and it's what I've been eating. It makes enough for a crowd or just several meals you can microwave later in the week.

There are no real directions... just throw together in your favorite, greased, large Pyrex baking dish!

1 spaghetti squash, cooked

2 - 4 oz cans of mushrooms, drained

1 jar of Alfredo sauce

12 oz broccoli, cooked tender-crisp

3/4 pound of cooked shrimp, with tailed pulled off.

1 tomato, diced - optional

1/2 roasted red pepper, sliced (I used some out of a jar) - optional

Basil and parsley to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until heated through.

This recipe is actually quite good... It reminds me a lot of shrimp pasta. You could certainly add carrots and peas if you are not watching your carb count that closely... This one is a winner! I didn't even bake mine because I wasn't eating it right away.... I just have been nuking it, bowl after bowl!

Low carbing for my coat

Good news! My coat from last year still fits! It is a size 18/20 and thankfully, all of the buttons snap! I was seriously afraid to put it on. I was having visions of it not fitting! Now, it's not a perfect fit and it does kind of split out between my boobs at the buttons

Last October was when I hit my all-time low of 245.0 pounds. That is the lowest that I have ever seen on the scale in my adult life!!!! I have not been on the scale in forever, but I am guessing that I'm somewhere in the 270s or maybe a little more.

I never really know how big I am. I mean, now, in my body today, I feel bigger than I have been, yet I know this is not the case. I'm wearing a size 38C bra that I thought at one time would never fit me and I seriously even considered donating it to Good Will back then.

Today, during my walk, something really sad happened. This has never happened before!!! Usually, when I do feel knee pain (just in the knee that has the wrong angle on it), it's not when I'm up moving around. I usually walk about a mile at least with my dog and today, I literally had to quit mid-way and turn around due to my knee pain. Just a wake-up call that I need to lose this weight sooner than later.

I don't know why I think it's sad. That is victim-mentality. I mean, I had my corrective knee surgery for my knock knees a little too early on the one knee, which left an angle wrong on it.... which will surely lead to arthritis. The last bone doctor I went to, told me that if I really want to help myself, lose some weight.... and I was right around the same weight that I am now when he told me that....

When comfort eating no longer helps

I need to eat right because I love myself... and love myself enough when I do make the wrong choices to get back to making the right ones, whenever possible.... which I guess is all the time and I KNOW this. I have lost a lot of weight in the past when I was working at a freaking bakery and deli, so I know it's just about avoiding the wrong choices and eating the right ones.

I feel like I just want to be "naughty" and eat the wrong ones, but what the fuck is that about? I feel like it's the 5 year old girl who got comfort from eating... and still does... sadly.

As much as I just want to binge and eat everything bad lately, the universe is telling me that it will not bring me happiness. I think that is when my food addiction will finally end... when it quits working.... and it pretty much has, thank goodness!

I still fit into my winter tops from last year, which are size 18/20. I'm on the downward spiral, dammit! Even if I am kicking and screaming!

My mom is on-plan with me, I mean, she is sick of being fat and she is all for the "meat and veggies" plan that we have around here when we are eating right.

Last time I lived with a boyfriend, I would just make all these low carb meals and then end up chowing down the cereal and crackers later, anyway. I even talked about it ahead of time, that I could not have certain things in the house, but it kind of fell the the wayside... and trust me, I was right there, cheering him on when he suggested pizza. Ultimately, I'm in charge of my body... and my future.. and my, everything.....

For me, losing weight is just finally growing up and stopping these childish habits.

On weight loss

Losing weight is scary.... but not losing is even scarier.

Low carb menu

Low Carb Menu for Sunday, September 11, 2010

- Spaghetti squash with ground chuck, no sugar added tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese with a buttered oopsie roll
- A burger and a half on oopsie rolls with hot pepper jack cheese, tomato, mayo, lettuce, onions, mustard and low carb ketchup
- Some raw almonds

Day One: Induction Menu

Low Carb Menu for August 28, 2010

- Slice of home made pizza with pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, green peppers, red peppers, natural pizza sauce on Amy's low carb pizza crust
- Meatloaf with one and a half tomato slices and low carb ketchup
- A piece of tri-tip steak off the grill
- One and half hot pepper jack cheese burgers on oopsie rolls with tomato, a teenie bit of onion, mayo and low carb ketchup

So I asked Doctor Atkins back out and he said YES!

Remember me?

See? This is what I do... I disappear... for a long time....

After my vacation (on my birthday) at the end of June/beginning of July, it was basically just a big, fat carb-fest in the South. We had a ton of fun in the Smokey Mountains and I will post pics eventually, but really, I am disappointed in my attitude post-vacation. The carbohydrates have wreaked havoc on my body. All of my symptoms of pre-diabetes are back full-force, so I have to do this to regulate my blood sugar, if not for smaller pants.

I'm a bad blogger and sometimes, I'm a bad friend. Do you guys ever just disappear for a long time? It's a bad habit of mine.....

I caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror and it looked totally fat. I have just kind of let myself go... I need to get my hair cut and I need to get my eyebrows waxed.... because I am worth it.

The real kicker is that my chiropractor asked me if I weighed under 300 pounds. She was all like, "You are under 300, right?"

First, never #$%#$ ask somebody that! Are you serious? I mean, what if I was over 300? I have been, more than once in my life.... Once in 2001 and once in 2009, but I have been hovering way-too-close to that number. I mean, yeah, it IS just a number, but this lady knows my body. She gives me adjustments every 3-4 weeks. I found it just kind of alarming and eye-opening to say the least. She recommended a 500 calorie diet and some spray on my tongue. She also told my 200-pound mother that she should do the diet, also. See, she just lost 50 pounds on it, so she is quite sanctimonious about for the time being.

I have had a lovely low-carb breakfast and lunch.... my brother just showed up with two large pizzas from a super-yummy pizza joint, but living in this skin is not yummy.... Also, took an almost 2-mile walk with my Dogter, so that was refreshing.

In weight news, I am probably in the lower 280's. On my one-year blogiversary, I was 30 pounds down (306 to 276 or a little less), so that is good to report. I bought some size 20 dresses from Lane Bryant outlet and some size 22 pants and size 22/24 tops. My arms and face are ever-growing.

I do not love my body these days and I find sleeping is harder and so is breathing. I have been waking up already-depressed because I hate my body... and then I find myself fantasizing about food... just as an escape from the fact that I do not heart my body. I have always been a confident girl, at any size, trust me... but lately... I just want out. Hot body, here I come! Bye, bye, big, fat belly!

In good news, my one-year anni of quitting smoking cigs was on 8-8-10 and that is what I am most proud of in the past year.... I honestly used to think that I would probably die a smoker.

How are YOU all doing??

~Angie

Chocolate chips in the night and waking up during surgery

I woke up in the middle of the night, stuffing my face with food. Guess what I found? Half a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. I'm not sure of how many I ate, but I do remember being pissed off that they weren't very sweet. Luckily, I'm pretty sure I didn't have that many.

I didn't remember it until this morning when I opened the refrigerator to see some frozen pound cake out of the freezer. Initially, I started eating this, but must have decided on the chocolate chips... I seriously forgot the chocolate chips were even in there. Some nook of my mind must have remembered. I better throw them away!!!

WHY would I do this to myself? I wonder - is it me being super hungry and by body saying FEED ME or a secret desire for self-destruction?

Well, I do suffer from very strange sleep patterns. I have been known to sleep walk as a child and I have also eaten in my sleep before. Oh, and weirder yet, I woke up on the surgery table when they were operating on both of my knees when I was 12 or 13. LUCKILY, I do not remember it, but I did wake up with my IV in a different place... Apparently I had ripped it out and it took several nurses to hold me down.

I still don't know why it happened, but apparently it's more common than people think. However, the instances that I have read about online where people have woken up during surgery is that they are conscious but unable to move or tell the surgeon that they are feeling it. I would probably prefer to have my situation happen, kicking and screaming and totally freaking out.

After surgery, my anesthesiologist asked me if I walked in my sleep and I told him I did. He said that my body may not go into paralysis as it should in certain patterns of sleep. FREAKY! So that little aspect makes me dread any type of surgery like 100 x more than I did anyway.

Aside from my chocolate chip situation, I've been eating very low carb lately and loving it. When I fuel my body with appropriate foods, I like myself more. When I give myself processed junk, it's more of a self-loathing feeling afterward... not to mention the sickness plus the weight gain. Honestly, though, I would prefer the liking myself feeling to the weight loss any day.

Day 359 Low Carb Menu

Day 359 Menu

- Ham~broccoli~cheddar quiche
- Spaghetti squash with ground beef, no sugar added spaghetti sauce and cheese
- Oopsie roll with butter and Parmesan cheese

Dinner: not sure yet

Move over Rice a Roni!

Menu for Thursday

- Two scrambled eggs, fried in butter
- Half pound burger with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato slice, onion, mayo, mustard and low carb ketchup... on an oopsie roll
- Strawberry shortcake: low carb pound cake, strawberries sweetened with Splenda and too much real whipped cream on top
- Healthy cauliflower risotto*
- Grilled pork chop with low carb bbq sauce dipped in low carb ketchup

*I have been making faux starch dishes for years using cauliflower, and this puts most of the others to shame. Now, I did add in some mushrooms and I used heavy whipping cream instead of half and half. I have never had traditional rice risotto before, but I'm telling you, this stuff is amazing. Also, I used cheddar cheese and added a little extra because I'm a total maniac for cheese. This reminded me much of Rice-a-Roni... You will feel like you have died and gone to San Fransisco!

I have come to expect healthy and yummy recipes over at Healthy Fellow, but it never ceases to amaze me when I come across a recipe that reminds me of a former favorite of my processed food past. When I was a teen and my mom would make Rice a Roni and steak, broccoli and bread, I would literally pass on the steak and load up on extra side dishes... and I always had seconds.... always. Now, I never do... and I just realized that. You would think I would have realized it before. I think part of it is because the quality of the calories I am getting is so much better.... like leaving me satiated.

I'm on a quest to treat my body better. You can move anywhere in the world, but you still have to live in your body. I want to treat it better, slowly but surely.... and I'm getting there.

Low Carb Menu for Wednesday

Menu for Wednesday

- Two hot dogs with cheese, onions, mustard and low carb ketchup on oopsies
- Half pound burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup
- Hamburger/no-sugar-added-marinara/cheesy spaghetti squash bake
- Oopsie roll

"Whether you think you can or can't, you're usually right." ~Henry Ford

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."~Henry Ford again

I have a pill box!

I organized my pill box!

I am taking quite a few vitamins and supplements, including a Women's Multivitamin, Vitamin C, 5-HTP with Valerian root, Fish Oil, Glucosamine Sulfate with Chondroiton Sulfate, Vitamin D-3(10,000) IU, and Calcium-Magnesium-Zinc with Vitamin D.

I also really love shopping at Drugstore.com because they have awesome prices, free shipping with a minimum order, no sales tax, and they have a cash back program for "drugstore dollars" through them. These are dollars off your future orders with them... ALSO, through FatWallet.com, I also get an additional 6% cash back on my purchases through Drugstore.com by using their Cash Back Shopping link. On top of that, drugstore.com does have decent prices to begin with and good sales. Their shipping is very fast and I just love that place.

If you shop online, you should really sign up for FatWallet.com. Just in the past year, I have gotten over $100 cash back from them by using the Cash Back Shopping link. They also have great forums for freebies, coupons, etc. In my opinion, though, Cash Back Shopping is where it's at, as long as you are shopping online anyway... It's kind of like getting your own "affiliate" dollars, in a way. I mean, I do a lot of online shopping, but even if you just do a little... Why not add an extra click to save yourself some dollars?

I don't like the fact that some of my vitamins and supplements contain carbs, but the point of all this is better health, right? I never really realized I took so much stuff, until I realized that I fill up my whole pill box with these supplements. It is a lot of pills, too, because I take more than one of many of the pills.

I would love to know... What do YOU take?? What is in your medicine cabinet? Yeah, I'm nosy..

~Angie

5-16-10

5-16-10 - Menu

- Burger on an oopsie with cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion
- Chicken nuggets with bbq sauce
- French fries
- Apple pie
- Burger on an oopsie with cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion

I know, I know... I screwed up..

However, I kind of had a break thru... somewhat... Instead of just saying, Okay, this whole day is blown, I decided to get RIGHT BACK on track with low carbing instead of waiting a day or a week or a month or years!!! See, I first started attempting to do low carb back in 2001, so it has been quite a journey for me. I guess that as long as we are still breathing, we are still on the journey!! Whether we want to take the reigns or not, we are really the ones calling the shots.

Saturday's Eats

Saturday's Low Carb Menu

- Tuna salad on an oopsie with cheese and tomato
- Low carb pancakes with two sausage patties and no-carb maple syrup
- Grilled BBQ chicken breast (with low home made low carb bbq sauce ala Mom) on an oopsie with cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo
- Half pound hot pepper jack cheese burger on an oopsie with lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard and low carb ketchup

Low carb menu for 5-14-10

Low carb menu for Friday

- Double chocolate coconut protein shake
- Tuna salad on an oopsie with tomato and cheese
- Half pound burger on oopsie with tomato, onion and cheese
- Mashed cauliflower with butter

5-13-10 Low carb menu

5-13-10 Low carb menu

- Korean meatballs
- Cheesy spaghetti squash and broccoli casserole
- Tuna on an oopsie roll with tomato
- Tuna with cheese and tomato on an oopsie roll

These meatballs are okay, but I probably won't be making them again anytime soon. I think they are a little too salty for my liking, but they are not bad.

On 5-12-10, I had a horrible eating day... Real burger buns, burritos and pizza... and none of them were worth it, by the way. I am not even kidding... Once I start eating carbs, it is hard for me to quit. Similar to me and alcohol, which is why I do not drink but one or two times a year if that.

I think that I have an allergy to alcohol or maybe it's just my Native American blood that cannot tolerate as well as the "white man" can. I have actually read reports which claim that if I were to eat a meal, consisting of a burger and a beer, and you were to also eat at same meal (me being the Native American and you being another race), you would digest any alcohol first, whereas my body would recognize the alcohol as foreign and does not digest it right away. I would digest anything else first and then the alcohol, keeping it in my blood stream longer.

Now, in my college Anthropology course, I learned that race is not a biological construct, so this part of it does not make sense to me. Maybe it's the environmental factors, considering that Native Americans did live here for decades without alcohol being readily available, whereas other groups of people have been drinking it for centuries longer than the Native Americans. I always thought it was kind of like a negative stereotype about the "drunken Indian," when it turns out, we are really just not as used to drinking at as the white man. Peyote, on the other hand, is an entirely different story... My ancestors definitely loved to pass the peace pipe.

I think that getting on plan is not as difficult, though, if you were just off for a meal or a day or so...

I went to the chiropractor last night and I feel great. Happy Friday! Have a great weekend, all!

Angie

Low carb menu

Low carb menu for 5-11-10

- Protein shake
- Smoked turkey with cheese, mayo and tomato on an oopsie roll
- Cheesy scrambled eggs
- Two sausage patties
- Low carb pancakes with low carb pancake syrup
- Atkins bar
- Ham on an oopsie roll with cheese, mayo and tomato

I love these pancakes soo much. I didn't really have anything thawed out to cook, so I just whipped these up. They are actually pretty easy to make. I don't have plain soy protein powder, so I just use Designer French Vanilla whey protein powder and they are very good. I also leave out the cinnamon in the recipe because I have found that it has a tendency to make these pancakes a little bit more runny when trying to fry them. Lastly, I use a "heaping" half-cup of cottage cheese because in my opinion, a half cup just isn't enough. The cottage cheese helps to make the pancakes thicker. These look like real pancakes and taste almost like them, too. The texture is not 100%, but they are very good. Oh, one more thing... be sure to add in the 4 tablespoons of oil into the batter and use butter or whatever you like for frying. They are sooo good and that is why I had to make another batch yesterday! I make them using my 1/4 cup scoop per pancake.

Mother's Day and Menu

Low Carb Menu for 5-10-10

- Cheeseburger on an oopsie roll with onion and tomato
- Smoked turkey with colby, tomato and mayo on an oopsie
- A peanut butter cheesecake bite
- Cheeseburger on an oopsie roll with onion and tomato
- Cheesy spaghetti squash and broccoli casserole
- Zucchini coconut flax muffin

Menu on Mother's Day - I went off plan for brunch and honestly... by the time I got around to having dinner, I just ended up eating some low carb leftovers because I was totally over how sugar makes me feel. I am glad that I did go off my plan, actually... because it showed me that I can have a scheduled deviation for a holiday and it's okay... The world does not come to and end and neither does my plan!

I hope that all you mothers out there had a lovely day!!!

Day 4 Low Carb Menu

May 7th, 2010 Menu

- Double chocolate coconut protein shake
- Low carb pancakes with maple syrup and two sausage patties
- Three Atkins bars
- Smoked turkey and cheese on an oopsie with mayo
- Big, fat cheese burger with tomato and onion on an oopsie roll

Do yourself a favor and never eat more than one Atkins bar at a time... Gross!!!

I got on the scale today.... 276.4... Another pound down! I have decided to nix the scale until like next week... but last time I did that, I gained like several pounds so I am almost afraid to get rid of the scale... though I know I need to..... What about you guys? Do you weigh daily or weekly or what?

Low carb menu for Thursday

Low Carb Menu for 5-6-10 - Day Three

- Tuna salad with tomato on an oopsie roll
- Home made beef stew (made with onion, celery, yellow squash, zucchini, green pepper, Roma tomato and broccoli)
- Zucchini flax muffin*
- Half pound burger with tomato an onion on an oopsie
- Two scrambled eggs
- Low carb pancakes with sugar free pancake syrup

*I added an extra egg and a half cup shredded coconut to the batter before I made these... They are soooo good.

5-5-10 Low Carb Menu

5-5-10 Low Carb Menu

• Cheesy spaghetti squash
• Pork chop off the grill with low carb bbq sauce
• Half pound burger with provolone, tomoto and onion on an oopsie roll
• Hamburger cabbage stir fry
• Tuna salad on an oopsie with tomato
• A few peanut butter cheesecake bites

Weight: 277.6

I still have 103.4 pounds to lose, but my BMI is officially out of the 40's and back in the 30's..... Wahooo!! Out of the morbid obesity zone and it only took me TWO DAYS to do it!!!

I really love this way of eating.

<3
Angie

Every day is day one if you think about it

Day One Low Carb Food Menu

• 2 eggs with butter
• home made beef stew (made with onion, celery, yellow squash, zucchini, green pepper and broccoli)
• Two tuna salad sandwiches on oopsies with tomato
• Cheesy spaghetti squash
• Half pound burger on oopsie with tomato and onion
• Three peanut butter cheesecake bites

First of all, thank you all for your comments!!! Not only do I heart them, but they HELP me.... to know that I need to stay on track, know that I can stay on track.... and know that I will stay on track. Also, I find it helpful that you guys seem to "get" what I'm doing. No funny looks from any of you if I go into month-long burger frenzies that leave me with mustard on my lip.

THE GOOD NEWS?!?! Okay, when I got on the scale this morning, 280.4. Yep, I have NEVER been this happy to see a number like this. I got on again to make sure it was right and it flashed over to 279 for a second then read again: 280.4. That is over seven pounds in one day. That can't be right.... but I'm going with it! YES I AM! Yesterday, this scale told me that I was 288.8 and quite frankly, I was afraid to re-weigh yesterday because I did not want to go into the 290's again.

You have to realize though, I was binging on everything and anything in sight. I was literally on the see food diet... I would see food and eat it, with no regard to its nutritional content. WHAT was I thinking?? I was clearly under the addiction of the refined carbs and basically just wanted my next fix, all while ignoring - or putting on the back burner - my then-growing waistline.

Also, I must note (sorry boys) that it is my TOM now, so I am uber-bloated anyway.... and the night before I weighed in at 288.8, I had a big binge, so I'm sure some of that weight was that food alone. Gross. I'm sure the other part of it was water weight, but I am still excited to see the number moving the the right direction.

I actually feel like two totally different people, based on what I eat. I'm either crazy-carb-obsessed, cannot-quit-eating or quite the opposite. WHEN will I realize that this is a true addiction for me?? Processed food??

In case you are wondering my "plan," I'm not really going super-strict induction mode, but I do want to stick with very low carb. I am not the type that can eat a small amount of processed food, so it's best to keep it out of my mouth completely. I am allowing certain foods (tomatoes, a tiny amount of natural peanut butter, onions, whey protein powder and probably a very small amount of almond flour and also flax) into my diet that are not necessarily suitable for induction, but are relatively low carb.

Induction: Day 1 - Confession time!

I got on the scale... and it was depressing... Not moderately depressing, but really depressing.

I know what happens when I eat so much sugar and refined carbohydrates in various binges... weight gain. It does not take rocket science to figure it out.

Well, I'm actually glad that the scale number was VERY depressing, because it means that I'm drawing the line here. No more.

I even thought when waking up this morning, gosh, I feel "heavy..." Like I have extra to carry around.

Before I got on the scale today, I made myself a promise. NO MATTER THE NUMBER ON THE SCALE, I will get you out of the two hundreds. No matter the number, it's gonna go down... I'm gonna lose it all.... 288.8. OUCH. The last time I weighed, it said 274.0. The good news is that I did step back on the scale before getting back over 300. That would have been the third time in my life weighing over 300, and quite frankly, my bad knee just can't take this weight and the rest of me doesn't feel like hauling it around either.

I could not even find the scale when I looked for it, though, so it had been a while of depression, non-caring and basically tuning out of life through binge eating.

Today, I like the scale because it gives me the reality check I need.

I'm going to be back in the 260's before I know it... (Back in October, I was down to 252!!!)

I know that a lot of this is water weight (or so I HOPE!!!) and I know it will drop off quickly and I am officially back in induction, Day One.

I'm back in the morbidly obese zone with a BMI of 41.3, but I literally cannot wait to report that I am back out of that zone... and I promise to myself, I will be soon.

I'm just so mad at myself... but this time, I'm gonna do better.

My Netrition Order - My orders are getting bigger but the shirt size?? Smaller!

My Netrition Order!!!

Qty Item ID Product Price Total
1 121-0001 Sugar Free Syrup, Almond, 750ml/25.4 fl oz $7.49 $7.49
1 121-0004 Sugar Free Syrup, Caramel, 750ml/25.4 fl oz $7.49 $7.49
1 121-0005 Sugar Free Syrup, Cherry, 750ml/25.4 fl oz $7.49 $7.49
1 121-0008 Sugar Free Syrup, Coconut, 750ml/25.4 fl oz $7.49 $7.49
1 121-0029 Sugar Free Syrup, Toasted Marshmallow, 750ml/25.4 fl oz $7.49 $7.49
1 121-0034 Sugar Free Syrup, Peanut Butter, 750ml/25.4 fl oz $7.49 $7.49
1 121-0047 Sugar Free Syrup, German Chocolate Cake, 750ml/25.4 fl oz $7.49 $7.49
1 230-0001 Almond Meal/Flour, 1 lb. $8.99 $8.99
1 40-0032 Thermal packaging (cold packs), varies $2.95 $2.95
1 42-0057 Designer Whey Protein, Chocolate Peanut Caramel, 2 lb. $19.99 $19.99
1 42-0210 Designer Whey Protein, French Vanilla, 2 lb. $19.99 $19.99
1 42-0370 Designer Whey Protein, Double Chocolate, 2 lb. $19.99 $19.99
1 518-0003 Sugar Free Preserves, Mountain Berry, 10 oz $4.99 $4.99
1 64-0011 FlexMax Glucosamine Chondroitin, 160 tablets $24.95 $24.95
1 89-0965 Endulge Candy Bars, Chocolate Coconut Bar, 5 bars $4.99 $4.99
1 89-0979 Endulge Candy Bars, Peanut Butter Cups, 5 packs $4.99 $4.99
1 89-0983 Advantage Bars, Caramel Chocolate Nut Roll, 5 bars $6.69 $6.69
1 40-0601 T-Shirt Eagle Design, Military Green, X-Large $0.00 $0.00
Subtotal $170.95
Shipping - UPS Ground $4.95
Total $175.90

Yep... that is my order from good ol' Netrition!!! I really do love that store. I have placed multiple orders from them and get this.... The last time I ordered from them..... I chose a black free t-shirt in the size of XXL. This one is a size XL!!!!

I have to say, I'm the Queen of Cheap and really, I love to buy most EVERYTHING on sale and locally, if I can... but anyway, I was out of almost ALL of my DaVinci syrup and I haven't had protein powder in the house in months... (WTF have I been thinking???) You probably notice from most of my menus that I try to keep my spending to a minimum... but no longer at the expense of my health! Just know that I do realize that throwing down $175 will leave dent in my bank account but is probably the best money I've spent all year long!

I don't usually have the Atkins bars around my house, but I used to buy them a long time ago.... and I decided what the heck.... I did what Linda Sue suggested and would cut it up into about 16 little slices and just have a few slices of those if the urge hits for a little something sweet... especially when in losing-weight mode.

Also, I'm going to try a new kind of Glucosamine with Chondroitin for my KOA.... The one I have now is Glucosamine Hydrochloride, not Glucosamine Sulfate... which apparently is a big difference.

I almost got on the scale this morning, but I forgot to before I ate... Shoot!

Hope everybody is having a wonderful weekend. Doggy is sad that we aren't going for a walk today because of the rain... I'm making some more oopsie rolls and I think hamburger gravy for dinner.... served over good ol' mashed cauliflower. I love that stuff and I'm actually convinced that you could probably serve this to an unsuspecting family and they would hardly realize the difference... if at all.

What's for supper at your house??

~Angie

Back to my love affair with Atkins

Been in the horrible cycle of fast food, junk food and basically self-destruction. It seems the choices have been happening in the grocery store. Shit food = shit results. I don't care how cheap or yummy the shit is, it's still shit. I would apologize for swearing, but I really need to be apologizing to my poor body. Yeah, so not cool. I have squeezed in several low carb meals, but that is not good enough. Low carb is a lifestyle... not a hobby. It's not just something to do on the weekends.

From now on, I'm going to keep my off plan meals for holidays and that is it. One meal per holiday and that is that.

My dog has kept the walking to a regular and has been pulling me along with her. We walk about 1-2 miles, more days than not. The other day, my neighbor (who I didn't realize was a neighbor) pulled up and said, "You have a beautiful dog... I just love her.... but who is walking who?"

"Oh," I laughed, "she is definitely walking me."

To get on with it, my one year low carb anni is 40 days from now, and I'm back to taking shit seriously. No more excuses.

I'm baking some oopsie rolls today along with a big ol' batch of tuna salad. Tuna was on sale yesterday for 60 cents a can, which is pretty darn cheap... Seems like it's been creeping up to the dollar mark lately.

I'm afraid to even step on the scale at this point, so no update from me there.... but I do know that eating real foods is the only way to go... and I'm going to place an order today for some DaVinci syrups and some whey protein powder. Because I'm worth it.

~Angie

I worked out!

Well, I worked out 14 days in March, so says my sticker-a-day-for-when-I-work-out calendar! How cool is that? And noooo that is NOT an April Fool's Day joke!!! Over 90% of that happened in the FIRST half of the month remains the problem.

I will definitely totally dominate that record in April, 2010!! With the weather finally cooperating, I just got back from taking my dog on a 2 mile long hike, half road, half forest near a lake and a few ponds.... She was totally worn out when we got home!

Usually, I let her run around for about 5-10 minutes in the back yard, but this time, she just came inside with me and wanted to drink some water! She did find some to drink in the woods, but we were both completely pooped.

When food makes you feel nappish, it's a sign.

My menu for St. Paddy's Day

- Tuna salad with tomato on an oopsie roll
- Mashed cauliflower with butter
- Low carb ice cream sundae with whipped cream, natural peanut butter
- Swiss cheese burger with all the fixins on an oopsie roll
- Drive thru dinner disaster
- A few walnuts

Yeah. Dinner made me instantly have to nap. Food is supposed to make you feel refreshed... Not nappish! Yeah, I made the word up. But that is how I felt!

No worries... I'm back on the proverbial horse!

<3
Angie

My low carb menu

Low Carb Menu for Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

- Broccoli cheese soup
- Two burgers on oopsie rolls with swiss, tomato, onion, mustard mayo and low carb ketchup
- Mashed cauliflower with butter
- Parmesan breaded chicken fingers on an oopsie with swiss, romaine lettuce, tomato, mayo on an oopsie roll with low carb honey mustard

Induction: Day One

My low carb menu for Monday, March 15, 2010

- Low carb broccoli cheese soup (recipe by me!)
- Three cheese burgers on oopsie rolls with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup and cheese

Induction day one... Never a breeze... but always worth it. I apologize for my hiatus, but I was not tracking my binge-fest, let alone making it public. Some days were on-plan, but most were not. My waistline shows it.

I'm in control now... and I always have been, whether I've admitted it or not.

They weren't at Christmas

When I think of my relatives who battled obesity, I'm overwhelmed by their courage, determination, and sheer love of life. My aunt (and my namesake) who I never met because she died two weeks after weight loss surgery at the age of 29... and uncle who had countless problems with the duodenal switch with a larger-than-life personality who lived decades longer than docs predicted and always made me smile and feel so loved.... and even my cousin, who had the lap band and later died of stomach cancer.... Sure, they were filled with pizazz, spunk, attitude and certainly they were loved by all...

but guess what? they are gone. They weren't at Christmas last I checked. It's a sad but true reality. And they even risked their very lives to live a normal life... without a fat suit. It just makes me so incredibly sad. Their extra pounds were going to cut their lives short, and they certainly acted on it. They did not sit idle.

This is not a blog against weight loss surgery. In fact, it's come a long way and it does help so many people stay out of an early coffin.... Would my relatives have chosen this if they were against it? Goodness, no. In fact, I worry that one day I will need to have some kind of drastic action like this taken.... I am not trying to paint that picture whatsoever. We all have to find our paths in this crazy world.

We can argue about whether Kevin Smith should have been required to buy an extra seat or whatever, but bottom line... if you are carrying around the extra weight like I am, you are cutting your life short... and to be honest, sometimes, that is kind of appealing to me.... the mad and sweet self destructiveness of it all... MUST be somehow alluring to me, based on the choices I have made.

I was just battling once again in my mind, about what to fuel myself with today. I do need to go to the ATM, and I find myself justifying a trip to the drive thru... which can turn into another trip, another day, another week, another month, another year lost to this extra nearly 100 pounds on me!

I can't do that anymore. One day snowballs into another.

Bottom line, I want to be here longer than that... I don't want my five brothers as my pall bearers, dropping my ass into a box 6 feet under... at least not prematurely!!! I want to be HERE!

Low Carb Menu

Day 7 Low Carb Menu

- 2 hot dogs with diced onions, mustard and low carb ketchup
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- 2 cheese burgers with onion, mayo, mustard and low carb ketchup on oopsie rolls

Day Six Low Carb Menu

- Bacon cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Mock rice pudding
- No bake peanut butter cheesecake
- Half a stuffed green pepper with ground beef, cheese, mushrooms, onions and cream cheese with a little sour cream on top - Thanks to the ever-shrinking Oct for the recipe!
- Sloppy joe on an oopsie roll with deluxe American cheese

Super-Cool Giveaway!

Surely you've heard of the lovely eggface, and she is giving away a super cool BENTO box!!! More details over here www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com

She has an amazing pancake recipe and also some protein ice cream that I've been dying to try... Be sure to check her out... She is the amazing shrinking woman!

<3
Angie

Low Carb BBQ Sauce: Perfect for Outdoor Grillin'

Day Five Low Carb Menu

- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Hot pepper jack cheese burger with mayo, low carb ketchup, lettuce, tomato and onion on an oopsie roll
- Side salad with ranch dressing, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese and onions
- Two BBQ pork sandwiches with onions, tomato and deluxe cheese on oopsies

WOW!!! This low carb bbq sauce recipe is unbelievable. I can't wait for grilled BBQ chicken now! Seriously, you have to try it out! I did not try it for the longest time because I was lacking one ingredient (liquid smoke). Seriously, you will LOVE this BBQ sauce!!! It's totally unreal! My mom whipped some up tonight and it's amazing. I'm kind of picky about my BBQ sauce in general, but this one is top-notch... Sweet and tangy.

Day Four Low Carb Menu

Day 4 Low Carb Menu for Friday, February 19th, 2010

- Swiss cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Tuna salad with tomato and a few diced onions on an oopsie roll
- Low carb peanut butter cheesecake
- Swiss cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Half a piece of mock rice pudding

Day 3 Low Carb Food Menu

Day 3 Low Carb Menu

- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Tuna salad on an oopsie roll
- Pork rib with low carb ketchup
- A few bites of mock rice pudding
- Swiss cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll

Menu for Wednesday - Low Carb Style

Angie's Low Carb Menu: Day 2

- Swiss cheeseburger with mayo, mustard, onion, tomato and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Tuna salad with tomato and a few diced onions on an oopsie roll
- Buttered brussel sprouts and asparagus
- One boneless pork rib with low carb ketchup
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese
- Mock rice pudding *

*This pudding is outrageous and very easy to make.

My BMI is a scary 38.47 right now. I am not going to slip back into the "morbidly obese" zone... that is for SURE! I'm headed to the chiropractor this afternoon and I literally cannot wait. I tried to get her to squeeze me in yesterday, but that was just not happening. Due to my left leg being one inch shorter than my right leg, I need frequent "adjustments," about every month or two. I just started getting them in the past year, and honestly, I do not know what I would do without them. I love that it's a non-surgical approach to wellness. The thought of going to a back surgeon for my leg length discrepancy is quite scary. I just feel less "broken" after she whacks me good. She jokes that she beats people up all day. She is just a miracle worker, I'm telling you. She does not accept insurance, but fortunately, it's only $40.00. That is definitely the best forty bucks I spend all month long! I can tell when I'm really needing an adjustment, whereas before, it was just what I thought "normal" felt like. I think even if you don't have a shorter leg, adjustments may improve your life.

I first went when I could not longer lay on both sides without feeling some pretty severe back/spine pain. Let's just say that she totally "got me good." I have never felt any pain in her office whatsoever, and I'm sure that I'm one of her more severe patients, so if you are a baby about pain like I am, worry not!

When my back is really bad, I often feel shooting pains up and down my legs or even a headache kind of up the back of one side of my head. One time, I went in with that headache and literally walked out pain-free. I just believe in chiropractic medicine about 10 x more than I do pills... and about 100 x more than I do surgery. I am trying to get my mom to go. She has a c-leg and I'm sure that that alone puts a lot of extra strain on her hips and back. I think it's the sort of thing that once you get done, you wondered how you ever lived without it.

Less than three hours 'til my adjustment! I will post the Dx on the next post... just for fun. I usually get at least 5 Dxs.

Getting a chuckle out of my grocery list for today. Two things: burger and heavy whipping cream! Oh the joys of low carbin'!

February 16, 2010 Low Carb Menu

2-16-10 Low Carb Menu

- Tuna patties with low carb ketchup
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Swiss cheeseburger with onion and tomato on an oopsie roll with mayo, mustard and low carb ketchup
- Fried egg sandwich with cheese and mayo on an oopsie roll

February 3rd, 2010 Low Carb Food Menu

2-3-10 Eats

- Slice of baked ham
- A stalk and a half of celery with natural peanut butter
- Low carb ice cream bar
- 2 hot dogs with a slice of cheese, mustard and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Grilled cheese, on an oopie roll, with tomato slices on it
- Oopsie roll with butter and Walden Farms' maple syrup

Saturday's [not-so] Low Carb Food Menu

Menu for Saturday, January 30, 2010

- Two hot dogs with onions, cheese, mustard and low carb ketchup on an oopsie roll
- Two burgers on oopsies with lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard and low carb ketchup
- A slice of cheese pizza and a few bread sticks
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- A piece of sugar free chocolate

Low Carb Menu for Friday, January 29th

Low Carb Menu for Friday 1-29-10

- Tuna salad with tomato on an oopsie roll
- Roma tomato pizza gondolas with mozz, cream cheese and pepperoni
- Cheeseburger with tomato and onion on an oopsie roll
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Chicken BLT with mayo on an oopsie roll
- Low carb almond ice cream bar

Low Carb Menu for Thursday

Low Carb Food Journal for Thursday, January 28, 2010

- Tuna salad with lettuce and tomato on an oopsie roll
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Hot pepper jack cheese burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and low carb ketchup, on an oopsie bun
- One Roma tomato pizza gondola with pepperoni, mozz and cream cheese
- Chicken breast BLT with mayo on an oopsie roll

Low Carb Food Menu for Wednesday

Low Carb Food Menu for Wednesday, January 27

- Tuna salad with lettuce and tomato on an oopsie
- Cheesy spaghetti squash
- Roma tomato pizza gondola
- Slice of baked ham
- Oopsie french toast with maple syrup and butter

Low Carb Menu for Tuesday

Low Carb Menu for January 26th

- Two stuffed Roma tomato pizza gondolas with cream cheese, mozzarella and pepperoni
- Two hot dogs with diced onions, mustard and low carb ketchup on an oopsie bun
- Two BLTs with mayo on oopsies
- A thin slice of hot pepper jack cheese

Exercise: 1 mile brisk walk

It feels amazing to be back on eating low carb. I had my well women exam at the doctor today and the ten pound weight gain in one month at the doctor's office was a huge wake up call for me. I'm not going to just fat out and let it get me down.

In good news, all of my numbers are well within normal range for my blood work... I will be posting my numbers in another post.... for reference more than anything else. I have almost 100 pounds to lose, so I'm taking low carb seriously again. It will be interesting to look at my blood work numbers once I lose a significant amount of weight. Looking in the mirror will be certainly more fun, too! LOL. Really though, the aesthetic aspect of losing weight is nothing compared to me regulating my blood sugar and my knee pain subsiding.

Even with only one day under my belt, I feel so amazing. Inspired. The first day is DEFINITELY the hardest... for me at least. I have read that once you quit the bad carbs, they are out of your system within 36-48 hours, so I'm almost to that point now. I've been moving my body and I'm back to living my life without the cravings of processed crap. The good thing about carbs being addictive for me... is that when I quit them for a while... the cravings also basically go down to zero. It's truly amazing... yet it seems so simple all at the same time.

Low Carb Mexican Chicken Veggie Casserole

Ingredients:
- 3-4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (about five-six breasts)
- Taco Seasoning
- One medium onion, sliced
- One red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 cans of green beans, French cut
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can of Rotel tomatoes (diced tomatoes mixed with green chiles) - do not drain

• Cube chicken in large, bite-size cunks and pan fry in a skillet in butter or oil.
  
• After chicken is cooked through, toss with two tablespoons of taco seasoning and place in greased 9x13 casserole dish.
  
• In the same skillet, sautee the onion and red pepper until just barely tender-crisp.
  
• Drain the two cans of green beans and mix in the casserole dish with the chicken.
• In a medium size microwaveable bowl, soften cream cheese in the microwave for a minute.
• Mix in the can of Rotel tomatoes (do not drain) with the softened cream cheese. Just mix it with a spoon until it's an even consistency. Pour this mixture over the chicken and green beans.
• Spread the cheddar cheese evenly over casserole.
• Spoon the onions and red peppers evenly over cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Top with your favorite low carb mexican toppings!! I used salsa and sour cream, but lettuce, avocados, black olives and hot sauce would all be good on top of this easy. This is easy, relatively inexpensive if you can catch chicken breast on sale and it feeds a crowd...

January 15th Low Carb Menu

1-15-10 Low Carb Menu

- Meatloaf with low carb ketchup
- Spaghetti squash casserole with hot pepper jack cheese
- Two hot dogs on an oopsie roll with mustard, diced onions and ketchup
- BLT on an oopsie roll with mayo
- Green jello cheesecake

January 14th Low Carb Menu

1-14-10 Low Carb Menu

- Two sausage patties, two scrambled eggs with cheese and oopsie french toast with maple syrup
- Turkey BLT on an oopsie
- Meatloaf with low carb ketchup
- Spaghetti squash casserole

You are only defeated if you give up.

Low Carb Observations....

Did you pig out at a buffet to the point of pain? Did you drive through your local fast food place for a little fourth meal? Oh, well! Yeah, I said it. Who gives a crap? Nobody really cares. I mean, the only thing to really suffer is your health.

Nobody cares that I spent fourteen dollars in the past three days on fast food. I'm only screwing myself over when I do this. If I think I'm being "rebellious," that is a load of crap.

I'm done with that roller coaster of fat and sugar. I woke up this morning utterly craving more.... Breakfast at my local fast food chain never sounded so good. Instead, I decided to tell myself to shut the eff up and stick to my low carb plan. I read a couple low carb blogs and a blog of this girl who follows weight watchers... that made me realize that I can say "no" to myself... It's okay if I'm having cravings for EVERY single one of my favorite high-carb foods... all at the same time!!! What goes on between my ears does not mean that I have to add inches to my waistline. I can tell the chubby girl inside me to go her room, that we are NOT deviating from the plan today. No matter what. Period. It feels kind of good. The empowerment also beats the guilty-sick feelings that my trigger foods bring to me.

The good news is this.... you are not defeated when you fall. You are only defeated when you refuse to get back up.

In other words, who cares that I had a bad couple of days? I'm back on track and I can lose weight this week still... this month... this year... this decade.... and by making good choices every day about the fuel I feed my body, I am literally adding on years to enjoy the good stuff life has to offer.

We have a gorgeous sunny day and thirty-eight degrees feels wonderful after that ultra-cold snap. My dog dragged me down the road for a mile and I loved it.

On a personal note, my morbidly obese colleague passed away last night. It's very sad... What obesity can rob from us.

Yours in cutting out the processed crap from our stomachs, minds and obsessions,
~Angie

Day 7: Low Carb Fail

Day 7

- Mockafoni and cheese
- Meatloaf sandwich on an oopsie roll with tomato, cheese, mayo and low carb ketchup
- McDonald's chicken and fries
- Cookies
- Candy
- Popcorn

Gross!

Day Six of 21 Day Low Carb Challenge

Day Six of 21 Day Challenge - My Low Carb Menu

- Cabbage Sausage soup
- Baked pork chop with low carb ketchup
- Two cheese smoked sausages with diced onions, ketchup and mustard on an oopsie
- Two scrambled eggs with cheese, two sausage patties, oopsie french toast, fried in butter and covered in low carb maple syrup
- Low carb pumpkin bake

Day 5 Low Carb of 21 Day Low Carb Challenge

Day 5 Low Carb Menu

- Mockafoni and cheese
- Two smoked cheese sausages with onions, ketchup and mustard on an oopsie roll
- Meatloaf sandwich with swiss, tomato, mayo, mustard and low carb ketchup on an oopsie
- Meatloaf sandwich on an oopsie with onions and mustard
- Pumpkin bake with whipped cream

Loving my doctor

Good news! I finally went to the doctor for hypertension. My blood pressure was very high back in June. I kind of ignored the problem, stayed low carb, and basically have been living in denial ever since. Well, it was a new year's resolution of mine to get back to the doctor and put my health at the top of my list. I do have health insurance, but it's the kind that covers a catastrophe, not the kind that covers regular office visits, well women exams and prescriptions. I know it sounds lame, but one of the biggest reasons that I was ignoring getting myself checked was financial. It's sad, but I think that is quite common in this country. I think that everybody deserves health care, so I just bit the bullet and went to the doctor. I also have this strange phobia about going to the doctor, but that is a whole 'nother blog.

Well, last week, I went to a clinic in a nearby town. I had gone to the place before, back when I was in college and had my dad's awesome health insurance, so I was familiar with it. This already made me feel at ease. Well, my old doc, who I really didn't love anyway, went to work at the prison!

To get on with it, I met my new doctor and I love her already! She took my blood pressure and it was only 110/64! This was amazing. I do not remember my what my blood pressure was back in June of 09, but I know that the bottom number was in the 90's. They checked me three times with multiple cuffs and could not figure out why my blood pressure was so high.

My new, cute doctor told me that it was due to me losing over 40 pounds eating low carb that my blood pressure went down. Anyway, she has me going back for fasting blood work this week because she wants to get my blood sugar and cholesterol tested. I actually excited about it! Before, I was kind of not in the driver's seat (at all) with my health, and it finally feels like I'm getting there.

I have a complete physical scheduled for the end of the month and I will get the results of my bloodwork then. I will definitely be posting the results here!

• Supplements:
  
• Alesse
  
• Triple Flex (glucosamine plus chondritin with MSM)*
• 5 HTP
• Fish Oil*
• Naproxen Sodium*
• Women's Multivitamin
  
• Calcium-Magnesium-Zinc plus Vitamin D

Wow! I'm on seven supplements/meds!! The ones with a star by it are the ones that I take for my degenerative arthritis in my knee.

She gave me an Rx for a higher dose of Aleve than is available over the counter, which is nice for my knee. It will also be amazing for cramps. I'm just so thrilled that I love my doctor. I think we should all get a doctor that we are comfortable with. After all, they are LUCKY to have us as a patient and they should treat us that way. In the past, I have had doctors that seemed in a hurry. I may have read forty pages of my new book when I was in the examination room, but at least I could tell that she gave a crap about me by the end of our time together.

Day 4 of 21 Day Challenge

Day 4 Low Carb

- Meatloaf with low carb ketchup
- Orange dream cheesecake
- Two smoked sausages with hot pepper jack cheese, onions, mustard and ketchup on an oopsie
- Sugar free coconut chocolate
- Pumpkin bake with whipped cream
- Low carb ice cream almond bar

I need to quit being such a sweet-a-holic. What gives? This blog is beginning to look more like a confessional than something that resembles a healthy low carb menu plan. I may have stumbled, but I'm not giving up!

The plan is more meat... more veggies... more healthy fat....

Onward & Downward in Twenty Ten!

Day 3 Low Carb Food Menu -- 21 Day Challenge

Day 3 Low Carb Food Menu ~ 21 Day Challenge

- Buttered broccoli
- Meatloaf with low carb ketchup
- Meatloaf sandwich on an oopsie with a tomato slice, mayo and swiss cheese
- Baked parmesan cheese crusted pork chop with ketchup
- Meatloaf sandwich on an oopsie with hot pepper jack cheese and mayo
- Broccoli and cauliflower with butter
- Orange dream no bake cheesecake

Day 2 Low Carb Challenge

Day 2 Low Carb Menu - Low Carb 21 Day Challenge

- Tuna salad with tomato on an oopsie roll
- Spaghetti squash casserole
- Low carb vanilla ice cream with natural peanut butter and whipped cream
- Meatloaf sandwich on an oopsie roll with Swiss cheese, mayo and a tomato slice
- Pork chop, breaded with Parmesan cheese and low carb ketchup with mashed cauliflower, butter and a little hot pepper jack cheese

Coming off the carbs is not fun. Since we needed fat to survive back in the day, I guess it's a good thing that our bodies want to hold onto fat... which is why going into fat-burning mode [read: ketosis] feels hellish sometimes. But only at first!!! I know it's not permanent... and I can't wait to be completely feeling normal again by eating this way.

How is everybody else doing out there in bloggerland??

~Angie

Low Carb Food Menu - Day 1 of 21 Day Challenge

Day 1 Low Carb Food Menu - 21 Day Low Carb Challenge

- Two eggs, scrambled in butter with two sausage patties
- Chunky chicken vegetable soup
- Tuna salad on an oopsie bun
- Low carb vanilla ice cream
- Spaghetti squash casserole

21 Day Challenge - Back to the low carb basics!

21 Day Challenge!!!

Start Date: Wednesday 1-6-10 thru Wednesday 1-27-10

• At least two servings of veggies daily!!!
• Eat at dining room table in a candle-lit environment (just for me, yeah) with fork and knife, slowly and consciously. Eat without music, television or reading something. Eat consciously, slowly and gratefully.
  
• Low carb desserts are okay...
  
• Some type of cardio daily... I'm going to get back on my bike and enjoy a fun TV show during it.

This challenge comes after a drive-thru binge and candy that left me feeling like crap... More emotionally beat-up and shot-down than anything. I was having such a good day, had a lovely low carb breakfast and by late afternoon, I kind of used food to celebrate...

What was I thinking?

I'm back on track now... I even had a yummy spaghetti squash type dinner and it was amazing.

Back to the basics!!!

Now... who is with me??!?!?

21 Day Challenge - who is with me??

Low Carb Honey Mustard... Come to Mama!!!

Low Carb Menu for January 4, 2010

- Two hot dogs on an oopsie with mustard, low carb ketchup and diced onions
- Parmesan cheese breaded chicken breast with low carb honey mustard, tomato and swiss on an oopsie roll
- Half a chicken breast with more low carb honey mustard
- Low carb vanilla ice cream with natural peanut butter

*This honey mustard is definitely a keeper! I think it tastes better than Wendy's honey mustard, but not quite as good as Bennigan's. Either way, it's a lot of bang for your carb-buck. I have the recipe memorized already and I've only made it twice... It's pretty amazing.

Low Carb Menu for January 3, 2010

Low Carb Menu for January 3, 2010

- Two burgers on oopsies
- Two hot dogs on an oopsie with diced onions, mustard & low carb ketchup
- Burger on an oopsie
- Some mixed nuts (macadamia nut ~ cashew ~ almond blend)
- Low carb ice cream sundae with Carb Smart vanilla ice cream, w/ about a sprinkling of nuts from above and also some low carb caramel dip

This is the first time I have ever tried vanilla Carb Smart and wow... I am going to start measuring out the half-cup serving because it is seriously the best vanilla ice cream I have ever had. Ever. Low-carb or not low carb, this stuff is amazing. No wonder my local grocery stores are always out of vanilla!

I could be eating cleaner and I will... but I just can't beat myself up over it, especially during those first few days doing a back-to low carb. Induction can be a royal b$#%, but the more days I stack up stick with a low-carb lifestyle, the easier it gets. I guess that is much like anything we are addicted to. I really have to treat the nasty carbs really as a substance I absolutely cannot touch. As my low-carb fellow blogger Vadim says, one is too many and 100 is not enough.

It's good to be back....

~Angie

My Ticker!!

My Weight Loss Ticker:

YAY! I have a ticker now.... Check me out!

2009 Reflections and 2010 Goals

I'm back!!!!!!!! Did you miss me??

Without obsessing too much about my deviations from my plan... I basically went off plan for every holiday. I don't feel great about it. I think it has taught me not to go all hog-wild on the holiday. It makes me feel guilty, fat, sick and that is not a good way to spend a holiday. Holidays are not about the food, contrary to popular belief. Well, they have been for me... but they don't have to be!

I have not been on the scale in what feels like an eternity. I can tell I have gained by my tight size 20 talls which were at one point getting baggy on me. Still... I started this year off in a size 24 STRETCH pants, tight 3x or size 26/28 tops and now I'm into a size 18/20 on my coat, and 80% of my tops. I even have a shirt that is a size 16/18 and I still can't believe I fit into that one!

Yesterday, I went to Good Will to shop for long-sleeved shirts at a good price... and I was so thrilled! I tried on 12 shirts and only 2 of them did not fit. One was a 2x and it was way too big. I was thrilled!!! The other was a 2x and it's way tight, but go figure. But I'm thinking the latter may have been a Junior's now that I think about it.

To get on with it, I'm back back back! Please bug me if I try not to post... I was tracking for a while there, but then that kind of slacked off with that too, which is uncool and unacceptable in my world. Which I create, by the way. I know it sounds conceited for me to say that... maybe a big egocentric, but it's true. You create your world too and you know it. It's easy to forget, somehow.

This is what I mean. I was having some end-of-the-year thoughts, as I always do, and usually, it's just another year, but this year, I feel like I have a lot to be proud of. I wondered how I actually did things this year that in the past I have sluffed off on, but I really think it all goes back to me putting the right fuel in my body, so I feel better, which makes me do better with my life in general.

This is what I am most proud of in 2009:
- Started low carb way of life on 5-30-2009 and maintained a loss of 40.0 pounds
- Quit smoking cigarettes on 8-8-09
- Got caught up 100% on my back taxes with the IRS
- Raised credit rating 40 points
- Got a dog

Now, for 2010.... Here are my goals:
- Buy my first home.
- Lose 40 pounds.
- Start 2 blogs - one on finance and one on mental health - two of my biggest passions besides LC
- Watch more movies and documentaries
- Walk dog daily once it's nice outside... and do bike until then.**
- Maybe get a date, but I'm mostly afraid of boys.
- Open etsy shop.

**Seriously guys, my Weatherbug tells me that it's 4 degrees outside, but it feels like negative 7 due to the windchill. This is Farenheit, ya'll! I love Michigan, but something tells me it's gonna be a long winter lol. Oh well, it's days like today that make 40 feel like 70.

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