Hi there, my sweet bunnies.
Today I am cleaning the kitchen and keeping my food simple. I am also doing some writing. It seems like working from home is much more work than an outside job because I spent so much more time at my desk than even sleeping.
I should probably work on that a bit.
But first, my kitchen is a priority. It is always so cluttered. It is a nice, big kitchen, but it is too quickly overrun by the messes I make cooking (and the kids packing their lunches). This is why I am constantly cleaning the kitchen. Developing recipes makes a big mess and a lot of dishes. (I am my washing my third sink full of dishes now and have three more to go–and I’m using the dishwasher, too!)
What I really need is an assistant to help me in the kitchen. I love to cook but would love to have someone do the clean up afterwards so I can go right back to concocting the next creation. 
Maybe someday! *dreams hard*
Now what I had yesterday… First of all, here’s the plan I’m following and here is the introduction post to the Mid-Year Resolution Challenge. While you look at what I’m doing, be sure to do your thing. I am thrilled to give some ideas, but I’m not the person you should necessarily look to for dieting advice (I’m not a paid nosh-a-titian). I am, however, here with you to cheer you on when you’re so skinny you will have to watch slipping through the cushions of your couch.
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Saturday, September 15
I ate this:
Breakfast: Thin-sliced salami + unsweetened iced tea
Lunch: Bacon slices + unsweetened iced tea
Snack: Cucumber slices + Diet Coke
Dinner: Egg Salad (Mayo + Mustard + Hard-boiled egg) + Dr. Zevia
Late Night: Cottage cheese + green olives + a few almonds
Notes: I’m taking things back to basics for a day or two to try to see what I might have reacted to. And I knew I’d cut back on diet sodas in my time…
What I learned:
Rest is so important.
Whether it’s 10 minutes in a quiet room to decompress or a quick 30 minute respite with eyes closed, when I’m not getting enough sleep, my day usually doesn’t run as smoothly. It’s been a struggle for me to force myself to go to bed when that happens, but listening to my body’s hunger signals is no good if I’m ignoring its other needs in the process.
I find that I’m more hungry when I am tired than when I’m running on full steam, so I am working to make sure rest is taking a more prominent place in my life. It’s easy to work too hard for too many hours and feel overwhelmed without breaks for myself.
So rest! I need it. I will get more of it, even if it’s 10 minutes alone in a quiet room to exhale.
Glad to see you are drinking tea and not all diet cokes! I quit my favorite diet dr. pepper two years ago, I used to drink 4-6 12 oz a day. Now it is water, tea & coffee. I do like my liquid stevia in the coffee and tea.
Hi, Cindi! Way to go on your changes! In my iced tea I I love adding a bag of mint tea.
It’s all baby steps. I figure if my worst vice is Diet Coke, I’m doing pretty darned good, especially since I’ve kept on plan for over 20 days.
Wow! You’re kitchen is NEATER than mine!
Oh stop! (snicker) I am working on it, but it’s a constant state of unrest. I suppose if mine was clean, I wouldn’t even want to use it…
Jamie, you’re eating good. I am too!! Finally. But tell me, what is wrong with having diet cokes? anything?? Please say no cause I love them!!!
Donna, There could be several issues with Diet Cokes:
1. Phenalalynine, which is the amino acid responsible for those “feel good” woohoos are present in Deit Coke. This means one could experience heightened anxiety as a result of consumption, or experience other side effects like slurring of speech, pins and needles in extremities, poor balance, facial numbness and other side effects attributed to too much.
2. Sweeteners like aspartame stall roughly 25% of users, so unless you’re sure it’s not stalling, it could be.
3. Caramel coloring is not carb-free.
4. The acidic element to the soda isn’t healthy.
Those are typical issues with aspartame so it’s important to measure the risks and make your decisions based on your experiences and research.
oh pooh! I’m sorry I asked!!! Okay, I will finish up what I have and go back to water. Oh by the way — no biggie loss for these last two weeks, but I did lose four pounds. By the way, I had gastric bypass seven years ago today as a matter of fact, and have lost about 160 pounds, and these are my last twenty. So I do adjust a bit on the volume of what I eat, but low carb is definitely working for me albiet slower than most!! Thank you Jamie – you know I adore you!!!
Wow. You are doing so well, Donna! I think you’re the skinny bees’ knees myself.
It is good to know that even big kitchens get cluttered quickly. But that means the fact that mine is small is really no excuse. And three loads of dishes?! Ack.
I too have given up soda (as a sacrifice for Lammas toward my goal of achieving health). I made a promise to myself and the universe but its hard giving up the effervescent joy of soda. I’m thinking I need to give up caffeine altogether actually – but I love the flavor of coffee and nothing but water is pretty boring.
Rest is crucial for weight loss. I am sure you know this — but I can’t emphasize it enough. Having the proper amount of rest puts less strain on your metabolism. You need to reach stage 3 & 4 in order to get restorative sleep. The sleep which actually helps your body heal and recuperate. I know a bit about this because I have sleep apnea and when it was untreated I didn’t get to those states of deep relaxation for years. It is part of the reason I developed type 2 diabetes (studies have shown a tie between sleep apnea and type 2).
And yeah taking just 5 – 10 minutes to focus on your breathing can help on those days that you don’t get the right amount of rest. One should do it anyway because there are so many healing and restorative properties to simple breathing meditation. It’s really good for your brain and body.
Speaking of diabetes – I got good news from my doctor that my exercise and diet are working very well. She called to congratulate me on an A1C of 5.7 without my insulin injector medication. She still wants to keep me on cholesterol medicine but not very much. Soon (I hope) I’ll be med free. 🙂
I am so keeping my fingers crossed for med-free! You have worked so hard. You deserve this! I love your points about kitchens, soda, and rest as well. It’s hard to slow down a little bit, but I’m leaning to do it.
p.s. I just got the Diet Cure and can’t wait to read it!!
Oh, you’re going to love her. She is so wonderful!
I’m glad to see that you are cutting back the diet cokes! I know that helped me when I started the Belly Fat Cure in March 2011. I lost 32 lbs and kept most of it off until I started eating potato chips:( I only eat spinach and potatoes for veggies so it is hard for me:( Good luck:)
Hi, Kay! Way to go on your losses! I will say that Diet Coke has never stalled me; in fact, I think it’s helped with my weight loss.
That said, I know it’s definitely not that way for everyone.
Potato chips are the debil. Try these instead: https://yourlighterside.com/crispy-celeriac-chips/
Hi- I drink Pepsi ONE- which is made with Splenda, not aspertame. Also, the brand Waist Watchers soda and even my local brand ( Price Chopper ) use Splenda…I do prefer it. Pepsi ONE is harder to find, and when we were away this spring I did find a Diet Coke made with Splenda- but haven’t seen it here in my area of NY…
Margaret– I am glad you found what works for you! I am not a Splenda fan because it makes me hungry. For some reason, the more bitter sweeteners like saccharine and aspartame don’t.
Isn’t it weird how different we all are? I still see the Diet Coke with Splenda here in Denver, but they seem to keep it in cans more than in bottles.
Hi, I like Pepsi One also. And I love the diet coke with splenda. I try to limit myself to one soda a day, the rest of the time I have coffee or green tea. Or water. But a soda after work is a reward for me. Not losing very fast, but I’m not gaining either, so that is good. Gotta keep on trucking.
Hello from Slovenia – Europe!
I´ve found this website and immediately subscribed. Great recipes! I´m pleasently surprised how many different delicious dishes can be prepared in a healthy way! 🙂
Today is my twenty-first day of low carb dieting and I have lost 7kg so far. Altogether I´d like to lose 30kg. Still a long way to go…but I´m optimistic…Bye, Katarina
Hi, Katarina! Thank you so much for writing. Congratulations on your amazing losses so far. I am really excited for you, because I can tell already that you’re making this a way of life. The rest of that weight will be gone in no time.
Thanks for taking the time to write!
Hahaha, love being referred to as a “sweet bunny.” I read your blog every day Jamie, it helps to keep me accountable to myself and on track. Thank you for having this web sight! ps: release a cookbook already. You’ll be a millionaire and I’ll stop splattering cooking stuff on my laptop whilst making your yummy recipes. Win win!
You are my sweet bunny. I will do what I can to see this happen. I am tired of losing my own recipes! Ha ha
Hi Jamie,
Ok… I volunteer to be your kitchen assistant and wash up queen! I am great cleaning kitchens! I will help you with yours forever! I will even cook….leaving you all the time tom develop your new recipes! Yes, this works for me! How about you?!!?
I have down sized from a 4250 sf home to a 800 sf condo…with those magnificent views of Detroit! My galley kitchen is about 7.5 feet long…I am experimenting with the plastic bin plan of cupboard tidiness! (in order to ready the valuable storage area at the rear of the cupboards…I use bins that fit perfectly and stack! It works…and keeps things tidy!) the secret is to keep all very tidy and everything in it’s place! I am not fully unpacked, however I still have lots of cupboard space available!d
Breakfast…yesterday, an app for a Spanish frittata caught my eye…so this morning I steamed a half cup of cauliflower and added it to my scrambled eggs….and gently fried the eggs in plenty of creamy butter! And added a glass of vanilla almond milk! I was still hungry…I also drank green tea…then gave in and prepared a cocoa flax muffin.
Lunch wad a Caesar salad and pork sirloin steak…fried well, in butter until crispy! Half way through frying the steakmwas curling up….so I slivered it and threw it back into the frying pan! Drank a vanilla coke…and green tea!
Dinner…I have not thought that far yet…perhaps tuna and onions with red pepper flakes and melted cheese…a lot like a tuna melt…very tasty! Yes, you talked me into it! For I have not pulled any meat out of the freezer and this will be great! Thanks!
I do not know if I mentioned I have gone back to watching the Y & R…just so I make sure I eat lunch! (watching ensures I am home and in the kitchen…cooking!) From tomorrow on, I will pick up m hand weights and move…my weight loss has been so rapid…that I see i have a lot to tighten up! ( I stopped watching over 20 years ago, and the story has picked up the story of Phyllis where I left off! Amazing!)
Regards,
Glad
I love it! Your posts are always so much fun. I also like your method for ensuring you eat lunch. What a great idea! It is so funny how soap operas have a way of being right where you need them–even years later. I grew up watching General Hospital because my mom did.
What? I KNOW the commute will kill me….however, I did just apply for your kitchen clean up position! After all, I do not see any other applicants herein!
Love,
Glad
I can’t even my kids signed up and they live here rent-free… AND they use my computer… AND they get to watch TV in my room… AND I do their laundry…. I make them clean their own bathroom, though. There’s a limit.
Ok…I can do all your chores! And the kids! Easy, peasy, it’s a breezy!
What is the price of gasoline there? We are paying $6.28/ imperial gallon!
So even the commute is far….I will save on gas once there! Last night in Detroit, gas was $4.09/U.S. gallon!
Ok….however, I should have gotten to the second interview stage…..at least!
(I am smiling ear to ear!)
Love,
Glad
We buy Diesel and I think we’re over $3.50, but we also get pretty terrific gas mileage, so it’s worth it.
G’mornin’ Miss Jamie!!! This is the third week weigh in….first week I lost 8 pounds….second week, I gained 1.5 pounds….third week, I lost THAT hateful 1.5 pounds I gained PLUS I lost 3 more pounds making the total for three weeks to be 11 pounds lost!! HALLELUJAH!!!! 🙂 Good luck to all!!! WE CAN DO THIS!!!!! 🙂
Wow, Kathy! Way to go! I am so proud of your perseverance! You are doing so tremendously.
Thanks Jamie!! I couldn’t do it without your recipes & encouragement!!!