One way I plan to use zucchini. Grilled, along with some summer squash.
I have had a few friends ask me to keep track of what I’m eating. This is so that I can share like a model sharing citizen of Sharelandia. ( Why a Mid-Year Resolution?) Maybe even the mayor! Or the high grand duchess.
I don’t mind doing that. I will say up front that some weeks might be harder than others due to scheduling conflicts. I also hate promising something and not following through (I owe you HOW many cooking videos now?), but having a page for check-ins, minimally, doesn’t hurt. So let’s do it!
There are 18 weeks in the Mid-Year Resolution Challenge until we get to December 31, so I will try and number the days to specify which day is which. And, because I have had questions about what I plan to do, I am sharing that here, too.
I am also going to put on my stern no-no face and waggle my finger at you while you read my menus and tell you to do your thing. I am freaky happy to provide some ideas, but I’m not the person you should necessarily look to for dieting advice (I’m not a paid food-a-titian). You really are on your own amazing journey, and I’m here with you to cheer you on and hold your hair back when you vomit (Oops. Sorry. That was college).
What I’m doing:
1. I am eating 20 net (or less) carbohydrates per day, following a largely gluten-free, sugar-free eating lifestyle. You can call it Atkins Modified OWL (since no rung is being eliminated necessarily), or Atkins Induction on steroids. You might even call it primal eating, since there is dairy involved, or paleo if paleo allows for artificial sweeteners and dairy. As a recipe developer, a variety of foods available is important since many of my cooking efforts are for readers, many of whom are diabetics and moderate carbohydrate eaters with kids to feed.
2. I log my food at FitDay.com to keep track of carbohydrates, fiber, fat, and calories, and I try to keep my percentages at 65% calories from fat, 30% calories from protein and 5% calories from carbohydrates. I eat only to hunger, and I only kep track of calories as an added data point. If I’m hungry, I eat. I stop when no longer hungry. I log all of my food to remain accountable, and I also use FitDay to calculate nutritional values for the recipes I develop.
3. I weigh in only once a week at TOPS. This is to prevent me from becoming obsessed over the scale and daily fluctuations. Also, because they weigh Mondays, it keeps me accountable on the weekends.
4. I try to exercise at least 3-5 times per week, and I log that activity here at the Presidential Fitness Site. Feel free to join up if you’d like.
Monday, August 27
I ate this:
Breakfast: Bacon and a Hansen’s Diet Rootbeer
Lunch: Cheese Crackers and 6 ounces of Diet Coke
Snack: Bacon and another Hanson’s Diet Root Beer
Dinner: Barbecue Brisket, shredded pork, salad and cubed, baked potatoes
Notes: I drank diet soda today and didn’t eat much, but since yesterday I actually are more, today I’m seriously not as hungry. I know my appetite will kick back in; today I was thankful for the ability to make some easy grab-and-go choices on a really busy day. I didn’t want to eat potatoes, but we were at a friend’s house (Happy Birthday, Gary!) and I needed to try her salad. It was phenomenal, but it set me back some carbs. I ended up with 38 carbs for the day, more than I would normally eat. Still, figuring this is day one, I’m not concerned.
I exercised:
Treadmill: Oops. We got home too late from the party. I will get going on Day 2 again. (I did exercise Sunday night, though).
Today I learned:
I want to make comments, but I won’t. Even though I just did.
That sometimes scary things end up being wonderful things in the end.
I hadn’t been to TOPS regularly for at least 2 years, and I had real concerns there was an entirely new group of people now that I wouldn’t know anymore. I was really nervous about going, so I looked for excuses to stay home, but my daughter didn’t have the flu (she had been warm the day before), and my doggie told me she wanted me to go so she could chew my socks (you could see it in her eyes). I had no choice, so I grabbed my keys.
I walked through the doors of the building and heard the scuffles of chairs in the auditorium and the voices of TOPS members, and I gathered all of my strength to not turn around and vamoose out of the building.
Store bought versus garden-grown zucchini. No contest! Garden grown is huge.
I am so glad I went, though. I was met with smiles and hugs. By the end of the meeting, I couldn’t wait to go back. And while the TOPS doctor’s scale weighs me three pounds heavier than mine does (boo!), I really didn’t do badly (weight-wise) considering how long it had been since I was there last. Everyone was happy to see me, and being able to spend time with people I could hug and laugh with (who are all on this same journey) made the stress worthwhile. And then I think, All of that worrying for nothing. Go me.
I brought a friend home in the form of a vast zucchini from someone’s garden. Think of all of the zucchini spaghetti I can make from that. I am including a side-by-side of a store zuke with the one from G’s garden. Store zukes are ridiculously inadequate when you see how huge a home-grown zucchini is. Another friend at TOPS, seeing me bring this home, told she’ll bring some for me to the next meeting. Yay! I am going to make so many zucchini dishes.
And to think I didn’t want to go to TOPS because I was so worried…
So, I learned that sometimes the scariest things are the most worthwhile for having given it a shot. And they may even result in zucchini noodles for dinner (I’ll share that recipe this week).
How did you do your first day? Sock it to me!
Good for you!! I started the same kind of thing (Atkins induction) around the beginning of July – down 21 lbs since then. Whoop Whoop! You can totally do this! I will check in here on Monday/Tuesday’s also… I just love love love your site, wit, etc. etc.
Weigh to go on 21 pounds down! I am so seriously proud of you! Thanks so much for your kind words. I really am generally sleep-deprived and over-caffeinated and have them mentality of a 12 year old boy, so I am a hot mess.
All I’ve eaten so far today is a larger than normal, 93% lean hamburger topped with pepperjack cheese and sauteed mushrooms….and coffee. For some reason, I am crazy craving red meat. Anyhow, that’s me. I’m not tracking anything officially because tracking makes me *crazy* and crazy makes me binge. I do have a blog but I keep it private because it’s linked to another blog that a lot of family and friends read. I need to find another hosting source so I can go public and incognito 🙂
I am proud of your hard work and totally, 100% respect what works for you! I know how obsessive I can be ablout data, so I totally get not wanting to keep track of every little thing, especially if you’re a pro by now.
I didn’t do well yesterday. My 9 year old son is at a new school and NOT happy about it!!! (He loved his old school, but it wasn’t very challenging academically, so we moved him to a charter.) Anyhow, the stress level in our house is so high right now. I had 2 glasses of wine. Today I will be better. Took a 1 hour walk. Weighed in at 164.4, I’m about 5’7″ and I’d like to get down to 130. I think I may make your Balsamic Chicken for dinner and a recipe I found for twice baked cauliflower! 🙂
I love your honesty. It is so hard when our kids have a rotten day, and it is so easy to feel bad for them since we’ve been there, too. the good thing is that we came out great and so will they! You go mama!
Good for you! I fell flat on my face yesterday due to hubby’s crawfish pasta. We are facing down a hurricane so I’m not beating myself up too much…and I had a very small serving. I really need that zuccini noodle recipe. No pressure. I started today resolved. I made cinnamon toast with flax “bread” a la microwave using the minute muffin recipe–instead of a ramekin, I used a shallow square baking dish…totally worked.
I am making spaghetti from zukes today, so you’ll have your process this week for sure.
First day: dined on your fabulous chicken with balsamic & mushroom glaze or whatever lyrical name you slapped on it, thank you very much (BTW, if you cook the chicken [thighs not breasts, which are moister and therefore more enjoyable] in coconut oil instead of olive oil, it intensifies the coconut flavor, which I really really liked) had some of my low-carb eggplant parmesan (no breading, just paper-thin roasted eggplant from my garden, fresh mozz, parm, homegrown tomatoes, italian spices and pizza sauce), mesclun greens with the most sublime and ludicrously pricey balsamic and olive oil (the girl certainly does know how to allot her luxury funds), some crazy omelette thing the BF cooked with monterey jack and soy chorizo and hot peppers (o frickin’ lordy yum), copious amounts of French Roast, plus popping of the carb candy of the summer, aka a handful of Sungold cherry tomatoes.
Bouncy girl activity: logged 15 minutes of gardening and logged 1 hour and 20 minutes of water aerobics (took two classes. am rehabilitating my poor broken foot, which I over-Zumba-fied in the spring). Am enthused and motivated by your resolution, dear Jamie, for ’tis contagious and i have a goal-oriented bent in me that makes me really want some kind of medal to hang around my neck, some badge to stitch onto my girlscout sash, and a certificate of completion to hang on my wall. Could I make up a certificate, print it out and hang it on my wall and ignore all the requirements the President has outlined to get a legitimate one? Yes. Have I done that in the past? Please, call my attorney, this conversation has strayed.
You deserve a certificate, so why not? I don’t know if you can print one yet. You should see. If not, I hereby appoint you High Duchess of Fantasticness.
You asked and here it is. I ate a Quest bar and had coffe for breakfast. Snack was one string cheese. Lunch: mcDonald grilled chicken salad with a small handful of sunflower seeds and a package of shiritake noodles mixed in. I also ate some pork rinds with it. Snack was an iced coffe (home made, coffee left from morning and mixed with ice cubes, SF vanilla syrup and cream. Dinner was pork tenderloin with green beans, bacon and onion. For after dinner snack I had a piece of SF chocolate. Then I baked the brownies but did not touch them until this morning. I also walked a mile with Jackson, my dog. The end 🙂
My first day was great! For breakfast had my multivitamin, coffee (with cream only, no sugar for this girl hee hee) 2 scrambled eggs with pepperjack and 2 slices of bacon. Followed by a glass of water. I do really try to get the 8 glasses everyone seems to recommend. For lunch had 1 cup of cottage cheese. I don’t know if it is the humidity here in Germany today or what, but I wasnt too hungry either. For dinner I made your recipe with the Balsamic chicken and mushrooms. My goodness, that was so good and filling. And of course my water. For a reward for drinking at least 6 glasses of water today (partially due to the humidity) i am going to reward myself with a glass of diet coke. I try not to drink too much diet stuff…but I love it so haha.
Exercise, Every morning I walk with my husband to work, It is about 3/4 of a mile there, So that makes it 1.5 miles 5 days a week. I also cleaned out my closet. haha. This evening I usually meet my husband half way home, but tonight, I walked all the way to his work again..so that was 3 miles today. Plus I live on the third floor, so I climed 5 flights of stairs. God, I am getting to old for this hahahaha. But presevere I will!!!
The diet stuff is so addicting! It really is. And I know aspartame does horrific things to me. It’s an amino acid, but in excess it’s absolutely horrific.
I am proud of all of your efforts. Go Linda!
Aug 27 – Breakfast was bacon and coffee w/half & half and sucralose. Lunch was a Wendy’s double cheeseburger and a few (really!) of DD’s fries. No, I didn’t have them hold the bun and yes, I know better. Dinner was grilled chicken wings, asian coleslaw and a few glasses of champagne (it was my anniversary). Didn’t exercise yesterday, but I went and sang with the senior citizens in the nursing home, so I’m thinking God removed a few calories for my service. My weigh-in was depressing but it just confirmed what the too tight denim skirt told me on Sunday. I’m pressing on and glad to share the journey with all of you.
I am so glad you checked in, Valerie!
I have been on the same sort of diet that you described- Induction on steroids since July and plan to keep going. Had a rough day yesterday (first one since starting) was so hungry for some reason. 18 weeks is going to go by fast!!! Today have had 2 boiled eggs with mayo, a couple of handfuls of nuts, sliced turkey with cheese and mayo. Our zucchini are done for the year so no more fresh ones but have lots in the freezer so looking forward to your upcoming zucchini recipes.
You’re right. Time is going to go SO quickly, which is why it is so important to make every minute count. I am looking forward to using the zukes, too. Tonight, spaghetti!
I would love to join you too! I am doing low carb/ high fat/high protein. Recently diagnosed fibromyalgia, had migraines all my life. I would eventually like to start exercising, lower back and knees too sore. I see my longterm eating plan as sugar/wheat free, no processed foods….clean eating. Im looking to dissolve about 80 lbs which will put me at about 135. (im 5ft4). Love your recipes!
C’mon in, Jennifer! We’re glad to have you. Those 80 pounds will so dissolve.
Who knew I could change my food habits? Not Me!
Yesterday I wasn’t doing anything much and nor was I hungry so I fasted until about 8 pm when I had a small slice of roast beef and a crisp lettuce leaf followed by half a dozen almonds and a dried apricot.This morning our cupboard is bare … I cannot remember when we last ran out of bacon and eggs. Grocery shopping top of the list today.
For breakfast today I made a salad from the remainder of an iceberg lettuce heart with diced avocado, tomato, onion, finely chopped garlic and grated carrot. I added in the meat from a large drumstick, balsamic dressing and extra olive oil. Normally I would eat like this at lunch ar dinner. To have this kind of meal fro breakfast and feel normal is totally radical. I also added in an extra spoon of Olive Oil because it’s good for me.
My weight has been hovering around the same for a few days. But that’s OK with me as long as I can log a decent loss next week. I’m into my 5th day Dairy Free. That feels normal too. I think I might be getting weird in my old age …delete that.
I am learning from all the fabulous people and discovering that there are people who eat vegetables instead of cereal for breakfast.
It’s been good to read what others are doing.
Blessings
It’s so nice to hear how you are doing, MargieAnne! I am so proud of your hard work.
I’ll jump in! Solely due to the CHALLENGE, I walked this morning! I can do 3 miles no problem. I had coffee and heavy cream (and a little liquid stevia) before hand. Had an all-afternoon meeting with an elder lawyer trying to get a handle on my parents’ affairs (she was great) so at 11 I ate a leftover porkchop. Back home, I was a little hungry, so had an ice coffee (more cream, lol) and few almonds. Dinner tonight will be marinated salmon and a tossed salad. probably a glass of wine. Question…how do you keep your carbs so low? I usually go about 50 Gms. THANKS for the invite to the challenge!
Yeah, Anne! I am so proud of you! I keep my carbs low by eating mostly fat, some protein and some veggies. If you want to shoot me what a daily menu of yours looks like, I’d be happy to let you know how I would eat that.
Here’s my first day.
Weigh in yesterday showed that I have gained 7 lbs. this year. AACK
2 Eggs basted in butter, 3 bacon, 2 coffee with real cream and SS
Lunch: I can’t remember eating lunch
Dinner: 3 oz. grilled beef, sliced tomatoes with mozzeralla,
vinegarette. cheesecake with pecan crust LC,SF.
Relaxing tea with cream and ss.
1/2 oz. almonds
Yummy! Your food looks really nice. I am so proud of you for only being up 7! If you were in TOPS that is about leeway, so you’d be close to safe! That means you’re doing wonderfully and I am really proud of you.
Just got back from Maui, so I will start tomorrow. I am also going to do Atkins induction and already work with a trainer that has helped me improve my mobility drastically in the last year. I have degenerative disc disease which causes sciatica but keep realizing that the more I move the less pain I feel. I just give in to the pain sometimes. The spine doctor told me late May, you have 2 options: back surgery or lose 100 pounds. I’ve lost 30 so far so this group effort is right up my alley! (or spine) hahaha. Thanks Jaime for your honesty and encouragement. I will post my food tomorrow.
Ouch! spinal ouchies! spinal ouchies! I am looking forward to seeing you hit your 100 pound goal and kick any surgery needs out of the window and into a pile of squirrel poo.
I have just learned that I am not eating enough bacon!
Yet, Sunday, I fried two pounds of bacon and felt short changed, for the two pounds of rashers did not render more than 3 ounces of drippings!
I ate breakfast at 4 a.m. Bacon, egg and onion omelet…fried in bacon fat!
Lunch was a wonderful BBQ’d beef burger on a flax seed roll.
Dinner was a protein shake enhanced with green tea!
The best part was my weigh in at the MD’s office…I began induction the first Wednesday of June…and I have lost 23 pounds! Yeah! I am thrilled.
Shopped all afternoon, I wanted to buy a new bathing suit….all sold out! Ok….I will try in greater Detroit, later this weekmwhen I cross the border.
WE are all wonderful and WE are all very fine!
Regards,
Gladys
A new bathing suit. They’re all sold out? wow! It must be the end of the season and everyone’s stocking up for next year. I am really proud of you for losing 23 pounds!
It was the heat wave….June and July we had temps over 100F for days on end!
Understandably they sold out! Detroit’s best radio station was playing Christmas Carols so that we would think “cool” …alas, it didn’t work!
Oh, I am so hungry…I will go and make a whey shake with green tea!…and plan lunch!
Remember, when in doubt, eat bacon!
Regards,
Glad
Christmas carols! That is fantastic. I love it.
What a great help you are to me. I use TraxitAll app for my iPhone. There, I can log walking, dancing, stepper or treadmill or any activity I do. That is a big help to me. What I love is the food choices you are making. Well done. I still find that I eat where board and don’t think about it until AFTER the fact
I love that you keep track of your activity in your iPhone! I am not much of a food planner, so I tend to eat whatever idea pops into my mind to make for the day! At least I am keeping track…
Ok, I’m up for this too 🙂 well done all above by the way, YES WE CAN hahahaha
As I had a very splurgefull week last week I am on my last day of a three day egg and meat fast to turbo me into ketosis followed by a planned two weeks of STRICT induction. I started last year around April on low carb and have lost around a total of 7 kilo’s so far but the going is so slow… I know I should move more but have a lot of back issues tagg-teamed by sleep problems so I often just cannot be bothered 🙁 I do walk almost everywhere I go but as I live in the Netherlands and all is flat I don’t know how much credit to give that ^_^ Today I have eaten 3 boiled eggs and some meat balls and had a load of water and have walked almost three kilometers (in search of a much needed part for the broken electricity cupboard but still) Reading the above I feel inspired and have just put on the oven to prepare me some bacon! YUM! Oh, cannot weigh myself as my loadable batteries have died in the Wii fit board (= my scales) so have to do something about that too, but was only a once a week weigher anyway. Thanks for doing what you do so well! XXX
I am proud of you for all of your walking, for your positive attitude and for hanging in there! Here is to a great day. You deserve it!
your awesome.. keep up the good work.!!! I am on facebook too. We can all help each other. I do a paleo/primal lifestyle as well. you can find me at Primal Girls In Motion.. we are just a few women trying to eat healthy and workout…
Hi, Stephanie! I love it! We have a support group, too, and I can attest that it really makes a difference. Support is honestly key.
Thank you so much Jamie for your blog, and for your honesty and all that you share. I have gained and lost the same 30lb for the past 3 years. Am starting over to try to lose it again once and for all and I find your site so inspirational and supportive. It reminds me that I am not alone in my struggles! I especially appreciated your posting your Julia Ross supplement spreadsheet too – I am following those guidelines now and hoping it will make the difference this time on my emotional eating/weight self-sabotague journey. “End the war within”!
Here is to winning the war one battle at a time, Ellen! I am so glad I can help to cheer you on. That’s what makes this such a dynamic, tremendous community.
Jamie – where has Julia Ross been my whole life??? Gawd! Thanks so much for mentioning her in your post about your plan. I lost a nearly 60 lbs over the last 3 years but for the last year, I’ve been going up and down 20 pounds because I keep letting the carb monster out of the cage.
I just got the Diet Cure and am feeling really hopeful that this will be the answer. I know how to lose… that is not the problem. It’s keeping it off that is the problem for me. I’m so intrigued when I hear that people are actually MAINTAINING. Like really??? That’s possible???
Thanks again. I bought my vitamins and amino acids this morning. Off we go!
Becky
Her books set off so many lightbulb moments in my head. I cannot state enough how much I owe her for getting ME back. It had been a long time.
I started reading your blog, LOVE IT
Funny thing is I started reading backwards.
It is motivating me to get my butt in gear, start tracking and eating cleaner, with less carbs.
One thing…WOW you drink too much diet soda. You have read the studies on diet soda no?
Anyway, to each their own. You’re doing awesome. Keep up the great work, and the awesome blog.
Hi, Kimberly! It is so nice to meet you! I am careful to state that what I do is what I do and I am never going to tell anyone else to follow my lead. In fact, I post that in every one of my daily posts so someone doesn’t dive face-first into a vast of aspartame fizzy deliciousness.
Per the studies, I’ve read them all (I’ve even seen “Sweet Poison”) and I assume the risks while being fully informed. This is my one vice, and while I’m making changes, they won’t be overnight for two reasons: 1. Aspartame doesn’t stall me; and 2. I am addicted to the amino acid phenylalanine.
Thanks so much for sharing your concerns. You rock!
You don’t need to apologize to anyone about what you eat each day. You tell people, up front on your posts, that you are not recommending your choices for anyone else. Just remember you can’t please everyone! I come to your site because of your wonderful recipes not what you personally eat. Please keep up the good work for us and for yourself. You are my favorite site because of your recipes and your wonderful sense of humor. Thanks for everything.