Food eaten:
B: 3 egg omelet, 1 cup spinach 2 oz marble cheddar, 1 tbsp bacon drippings
Large green tea ~ work
L: 6.5 oz tuna 4 tbsp mayo, spices 1 cup spinach 1 cup romaine
1.5 oz yellow pepper
Snack: .5 cup raw almonds, 1 h/b egg
D: 10 oz boneless/skinless chick thighs in spicy peanut sauce
3.5 cups string beans, 3 tbsp butter

Total: 2722
Fat: 200 1798 67%
Carbs: 60 144 5%
Fiber: 24 0 0%
Protein: 181 724 27%
Cals/lb: 11.34

Comments in regular journal

Foods eaten:
B: 10 oz cod broiled with lemon juice and spices; 1 tbsp psyllium in water
Green tea at the office
L: 5 oz lemon garlic chicken breast;
D1: 5 oz lemon garlic chicken breast; 2 tbsp psyllium in water
D1: 6 oz inside round steak broiled with steak spices
2 cups herbal tea and of course, lots of water.

Total: 823
Fat: 21 186 24%
Carbs: 24 16 2%
Fiber: 20 0 0%
Protein: 145 581 74%
Psyllium: 20 carbs - 18 g fiber - 2 ECC
Cals/lb: 3.429

Exercise: nada, this is my rest day.

Thoughts: Stillman day, I enjoyed Stillman more today than I did last week. Karen made a comment in my regular journal that she found Stillman days 'calming'. Cravings are reduced, hunger is down. Karen says Stillman helps with her AS and cigarette cravings! So I paid more attention to my body today. No cravings for AS, and this has been a HUGE problem for me for months. Very little hunger. I definitely noticed the calming effect.

I'd better go plan my Cal boost day, see ya'll tomorrow

Week 2 Day 3 Wed Nov 28 Calorie boost, no dairy, veg carbs only

Foods eaten:

B: 4 thin slices bacon, 3 egg omelet, 1 cup spinach, spices, cooked in bacon drippings; large green tea at office
L: 1 can tuna, spices, 6 tbspns mayo, 2 cup spinach, 1 cup romaine;
S: 3 thin slices well cooked bacon
D1: 3 broiled lamb chops, each with diff spices: garlic powder; basil & onion salt; cumin & curry. I'll use more spices next time.
D2: 4 cups steamed broccoli, 3 tbsp butter
Water - lots.

Total: 2482
Fat: 205 1843 75%
Carbs: 27 53 2%
Fiber: 14 0 0%
Protein: 137 549 22%
Cals/lb: 10.34


Exercise: Standard strength building & weight training routine; 30 mins;

Week 2 Day 4 Thurs Nov 29 Low Fat Protein

Foods eaten:

B: 6 oz julienned cold steak
L: 7 oz boneless skinless chick breast dusted with chinese 5 spice powder;
D: 6 oz b-less s-less chick breast sprinkled with Watkins chicken seasoning; 1 cup dry curds with 2 oz sf Davince French Vanilla syrup;
2 tbsp psyllium in water in the evening 14 g carb, 12 are fiber

Total: 1175
Fat: 30 268 24%
Carbs: 17 21 2%
Fiber: 12 0 0%
Protein: 207 828 74%
Cals/lb: 4.9

Exercise: mild: grocery & christmas shopping;

Reg journal has thoughts, navel gazing etc.

Hi Ruth!

Just stopping by to see how you were doing with the project and I see you're doing great.

Just wanted to add my thoughts to 'calm' Stillman days. I never thought of it that way, but it seems to affect me the same way. My hunger is WAY down and no sweet cravings.

To your continued success,

Lorrie

Hi Lorrie,

It was Karen who originally commented that she found Stillman days 'calming' and as we know, she's insightful! I certainly find it calming. It is a much simpler day than reg LC days. Isn't it great how we all learn from each other and can share so easily when we're a world apart! I'm going to listen to my body more carefully on lean protein days and may adopt it once a week on an ongoing basis.

I just got back from a LC feast at Karen's. Mmmmmm everything was good, from appies, including Rachel's 'toe food' dip, Sarlye's egg rolls, Island Girl's pickled radishes to prime rib, veggies and egg nog tiramisu; lc fudge made with tofu & some strange little cream cheese, jello powder and coconut things that looked like marzipans. We all made a dive for those cause they looked like candy. It's the kid in us, I guess. No photos this time, I took a camera but forgot to use it. It was wonderful to meet Engineergirl and Marlaine for the first time. Rachel is looking slim and sleek

Gotta catch up on the menus and numbers:

Week 2 Day 5 Fri Nov 30 Cal boost

Foods eaten:
B: 2 thin pieces of bacon, 2 oz homemade beef jerky
L: Tuna spinach salad; 2.5 c spinach, 1 can tuna, 1 oz PC Lyon sauce 4 tbsp mayo
D: 10 oz xtra lean ground beef with taco seasonings
4 c steamed broccoli with 5 tbsp butter

Total: 2396
Fat: 178 1603 69%
Carbs: 25 49 2%
Fiber: 13 0 0%
Protein: 166 664 29%
Cals/lb: 9.98

Thoughts: I took a vacation day, slept in and didn't start eating until 1pm. Big mistake because at 10 pm I was steaming broccoli in a frantic effort to stuff some cals into me.
** This is the first time on cal boost that I've really lost my appetite and now I finally understand what you've gone through, Doreen. I'm usually a piggy and never lose the appetite but this day was different. I never thought I'd be indifferent to food.

Week 2 Day 6 Sat Dec 1 Reg LC

Foods eaten:
B: 2 oz cheddar cheese, snacked on some raw almonds
L: 2 chocolate mock danish
Snacked on more almonds, total .75 cup
D: 7.5 oz ground beef with taco seasoning, 2 oz cheddar melted on; .30 LC mousse recipe

Total: 2504
Fat: 212 1906 76%
Carbs: 39 86 3%
Fiber: 17 0 0%
Protein: 128 514 21%
Cals/lb: 10.43

Thoughts: this was a disorganized day, slept in and didn't feel too great so meals were completely unstructured. The first reg LC day after 4 days no dairy: I dive into the cheese, altho I was very restrained today, only 2 oz compared to 4 oz last week.

Week 2 Day 7 Sun Dec 2 Reg LC

Foods eaten:
B: 3 egg omelet 1 cup spinach 2 oz cheddar, spices, 1 tbsp bacon drippings
no lunch, snacked on almonds, .20 of lc mousse recipe; that's all I felt like eating + I was saving myself for the feast.
Numbers for above:
Total: 1450
Fat: 127 1145 79%
Carbs: 28 57 4%
Fiber: 14 0 0%
Protein: 61 244 17%

D: Potluck meal at Karen's: I'm not even going to try to put this into Fitday. Everything was scrumpdilicious.

Thoughts: I was all dressed and ready to leave for church when my body let me down: an attack of IBS that lasted 2 hrs; slept for a couple of hours afterward and nibbled on almonds rather than make a lunch. It could have been worse, but it was so disappointing, this is the third weekend in a row for IBS and I don't want to play this game anymore.

Hi Ruth!

Just caught up with your posts. I'm so jealous that you're able to meet others from here!!! I would love to be able to do that! Sigh......

Wanted to let you know I tried the lemon chicken and I loved it! I even added a little more water and an egg white to give it a little more ooomph on Stillman day and it was delicious!

Thanks for sharing!

Lorrie

yeah, I'm really blessed by living in Vancouver. I love the mild winter weather. Not to mention some great LC friends I've made through this site. The dinners at Karen's are always wonderful and memorable.

Ain't that lemon chicken great? I'll have to try your variation, just not tomorrow. I doubt I'll be organized and awake enough to do more than sprinkle a few spices on my chicken. (I pop it into the oven b4 my shower in the am). I haven't been feeling too great the last few days & have slipped on this project.

I'll go start a new post to share my woes, menus and numbers.

Week 3 Day 1 Mon Dec 3 Reg LC

Foods eaten:
B: 3 egg omelet, 1 cup spinach 2 oz cheddar, 1 tbsp bacon drippings
L: tuna with 3 tbsp mayo on 2.5 c spinach & 1 c romaine
S: 2 oz homemade beef jerky
D: 8 oz roast beef
Evening: taste tested some 'sugar plums' I was trying to make - modelled after the ones Karen served at her dinner party. this is the start of my problems to come.

Fitday:
Total: 2606
Fat: 203 1824 71%
Carbs: 31 55 2%
Fiber: 18 0 0%
Protein: 170 681 27%
Cals/lb: 10.86

Exercise: .5 mile on treadmill, usual back strengthening exercises

Week 3 Day 2 Tue Dec 4 Lean Protein

Foods eaten:
B: can of tuna, spices
L: 9 oz chicken, spices
Nibbled on some 'sugar plums' I took into work for my buddies to try. BIG mistake.
D: I seem to have eaten the rest of the sugar plum stuff right out of the bowl (they weren't rolled into balls yet) over the course of a couple of hours. Cravings were totally out of control. I didn't even try to put this into fitday. I don't want to know!
I've been feeling really tired for a week now and slept for about 3 hrs in the late afternoon.

Week 3 Day 3 Wed Dec 5 Cal Boost

B: 3 egg omelet, 1 cup spinach, 1 tbsp bacon drippings, spices I really miss the cheese in my omelet
L: tuna with 5 tbsp mayo, spices, on 3 cups spinach
4 pm: .5 c raw almonds, then slept for 3.5 hrs. Yikes, will I sleep tonight? Woke up and had another .5 cup almonds. Not sure what I want to eat, will probably steam some broccoli and cauliflower.

Yes, Judi, cauli is not a green veg, but I figure that in the field it has green leaves on it and this is good enough for me tonight, considering how I've been feeling & the struggles the last few days.

The numbers, including broccoli about to be steamed:

Total: 2043
Fat: 168 1513 75%
Carbs: 50 87 4%
Fiber: 28 0 0%
Protein: 103 414 21%
Cals/lb: 8.51

Tonight I considered giving up on the project, but I don't really want to do give in to the cravings & unwell feelings. I want to get back on track tomorrow for lean protein day and see no point in agonizing over the mistakes of the last 2 days, just need to get back to it. No guilt, it happened. Sigh.

See, I take my own advice about not beating one's self up over mistakes and poor choices.

Exercise: .5 mile on treadmill, usual strength exercises.

Edits: revised numbers for Dec 5. Found that there were 3 cups of broccoli about to spoil, so ate it all and no cauli. Saved by the broccoli!!!!

i'm so glad you decided not to give up. believe it or not, having your participation is motivation for me to continue too. i love being part of a group that is embarking (and continuing) on a challenging task.
regards,
brenda

Hi Brenda,

Thanks for the encouragement. It is great to be doing this project together, 'cause then I don't feel alone in my struggles. When I read your journal of the last few days I could certainly empathize. We are not going to quit, we WILL see this project through to the end

I read all the project journals daily but don't seem to have the time to respond. I've been increasing my hours at work, such that I believe that I can now go back to full-time hrs, BUT I have been correspondingly tired and need naps (sleeps really) in the afternoon in order to get enough rest. My muscles are sore, but not as bad as I would have expected for working 7.5 hrs. Dr visit tomorrow, we'll see what she has to say.


Week 3 Day 4 Thurs Dec 6 Lean Protein

Foods eaten:
B: can of tuna & spices.... blech
L: 12 oz chicken breast, s-less, b-less; 1 cup dry curds with DaVinci syrup; split into 2 meals
Sn: at 5:30, strong cravings for crunchy so had approx 1 cup raw cucumber.
D: 9.5 oz sole (cooked) with lemon juice & spices

Total: 1084
Fat: 13 118 12%
Carbs: 7 24 2%
Fiber: 1 0 0%
Protein: 221 882 86%
Cals/lb: 4.52

The cucumber snack when I arrived home after a whole day at work (only my second since mid-july) and shopping after work too, was a life saver. I badly wanted some raw almonds or crunchy peanut butter. Carbs....those nasty carbs calling my name. I settled for the oh so crunchy cucumber which saved my butt. I was able to hold on until I cooked dinner. I'm looking forward to an expanded diet for cal boost day.

I had my doubts this past week too. Oh well, we're past the halfway point. Plus .. health problems haven't been so co-operative, have they? Glad you're trying, and you can only do the best you can.

Just looking at your menu .. dry tuna on the Lean Protein days .. ugghh! Seeded "country-style" dijon mustard is nice, and adds a little moistness too. I've been thankful for a batch of home-made chicken broth I made last week, just from bones and wing tips and scraps ... it stewed away for hours in the crockpot while I did housework and laundry. I used green onion tops, the wilted tops and leaves from celery, bay leaf and whole peppercorns. Strained and the fat skimmed off ... I've given it a zero carbs, minimal fat.

A little extra magnesium is good for sore muscles. I'm taking 800mg a day for my fibro. (500mg is in the cal-mag that I take, plus an extra 300mg). It's not a cure, but it helps. Do you take baths?? (vs showers) ... good old fashioned Epsom Salts are wonderful, and yes they do work .. plain epsom salts, which you can buy cheaply at Walmart and Zellers ... is pure magnesium sulfate crystals. Great for the skin and the magnesium is so soothing for achey muscles.

Hope you feel better soon,

Doreen

... to pass on greetings from Ruth, after our lounge in the hot tub (hmmmmm, think they'd notice if we threw mag salts in there?)...

Ruth is having a fine time visiting over here on the Island and will be reporting back soon!

Hi Doreen,

I'm finally getting around to updating my V2 journal. Thanks for the suggestion about the grainy dijon for the tuna. Must remember to get some. (I hope to incorporate a LP and CB day once a week on an ongoing basis).

You know, I usually take 1000 mg magnesium a day, in addition to 630 mg of calcium. 200 mg mag at breakfast & dinner, the rest at bedtime. On December 8th I realized my bedtime magnesium was missing. The way I handle the large amount of prescription meds, vitamins & supplements I must take daily is this:

I prepare 2 weeks worth of pills at once: morning & dinner time pills are put into 1 small 'kinder surprise egg'; bedtime pills into a different coloured kinder egg. Sadly for the last 3 weeks my bedtime mag didn't get put in the egg & as a consequence I have been horrendously backed up in the digestive tract I've been most upset about this error of mine. Discomfort and slowed weight loss haven't been much fun. So I'm back to the usual dose & my body has been re-adjusting. A few IBS problems while I was away in Victoria but everything has settled down now.

I believe that I need the extra magnesium because of my long history with calf muscle cramps - the mag helps greatly and of course keeps the bowels moving

I have also been a long fan of epsom salts, however I'm not a fan of soaking in bathtubs, just a fan of hot tubs. Lying down in a reg bath tub bothers my neck so I don't do it. About once a week I'll have an epsom salt bath for my legs and lower back. The upper back just doesn't get soaked, it's not worth the neck pain.

I'm gonna run & start another post to update my project journal

Week 3 Day 5 Fri Dec 7 Cal boost

Food eaten:
B:4 scrambled eggs, 2 side orders of bacon (6 thin slices) 12 oz coffee; this was breakfast from the office cafeteria; green tea later.
L: spinach salad: 2.5 c spinach, 4 tbsp dressing, 2 slices bacon, 2 h/b eggs
D: 7 small chicken wings with Louisiana hot sauce, a la Marlaine. Yummy! 1 cup broccoli steamed

Fitday:
Total: 2712
Fat: 192 1730 69%
Carbs: 16 42 2%
Fiber: 6 0 0%
Protein: 185 739 29%
Cals/lb: 11.3

Week 3 Day 6 Sat Dec 8 Reg LC
Food eaten: nibbled off and on all day, no real sit-down meals:
2 oz cheddar cheese, 1 cup raw almonds, 8 tbsp peanut butter (arrggh!) 1 oz home made beef jerky; 10 chicken wings

Total: 2684
Fat: 214 1922 72%
Carbs: 55 122 5%
Fiber: 25 0 0%
Protein: 159 638 24%
Cals/lb: 11.2

Week 3 Day 7 Sun Dec 9 Reg LC

Food eaten:
B: 3 egg omelet, 1 c spinach 2 oz cheddar, 1 tbsp bacon fat
L: 8 chicken wings, 1c spinach 1 c romaine with 1 oz bacon, 1 oz olive oil & sundried tom dressing; 4 oz cream cheese with AS and cocoa
Sn: 30 grms sugar free jerky (but not fat free)
D: 10 oz salmon, 6 crab legs;1 cup cauli; 4 spears asparagus

Total: 3195
Fat: 219 1967 65%
Carbs: 24 65 2%
Fiber: 8 0 0%
Protein: 252 1008 33%
Cals/lb: 13.31

Felt like I ate like a piggy, especially when I arrived at my brother's boat and supper was just ready. Salmon that they had caught & froze this summer, Yum. Crab that had been alive the day before, yum yum.

Week 4 Day 1 Mon Dec 10 Reg LC

Food:
B: 3 egg omelet, 1 cup spinach, 2 oz cheddar,1 tbsp butter
L: Tossed salad (romaine, cuke, tomato, scallion) 1/3 can albacore tuna 2 tbsp mayo, spices
D: At Perikli's restaurant with Judi (Island Girl)
Saganaki (fried cheese flamed with brandy)
roast lamb with a heap of greek salad; coffee

The numbers below don't reflect the fried cheese, cause I can't remember what kind of cheese. (And I did ask, but my memory is fleeting).

Total: 1903
Fat: 144 1300 70%
Carbs: 44 127 7%
Fiber: 13 0 0%
Protein: 110 440 24%
Cals/lb: 8.06

Week 4 Day 2 Tues Dec 11 Lean Protein

Food eaten:

16 oz b-less sk-less chicken tenders, cooked = 12 oz with spices eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lots of water and herb tea

Total: 555
Fat: 12 108 20%
Carbs: 1 3 1%
Fiber: 1 0 0%
Protein: 104 414 79%
Cals/lb: 2.35

Week 4 Day 3 Wed Dec 12 Cal boost

Food eaten:
B: omelet: 3 eggs, 1 cup spinach 1 oz feta cheese 1 tbsp butter, herb tea;
L: chicken caesar salad: 4 oz chicken breast, 3 c romaine 4 tbsp caesar dressing .5 oz asiago cheese, 2 coffees with 2 oz light cream (bro's birthday lunch at Malone's)
D: 2 oz beef on skewers, 1/2 chicken wing with sweet bbq sauce, about 6 oz assorted cheeses (brie, cheddar, jalapeno jack)

Total: 2043
Fat: 165 1487 73%
Carbs: 21 65 3%
Fiber: 5 0 0%
Protein: 119 478 24%
Cals/lb: 8.66

As a dairy free cal boost day this was a disaster that I never recovered from, but I did enjoy myself as much as possible. (The disaster is that I did not do the following LP & CB days). The complimentary birthday dessert was passed around the table: chocolate ganache: I resisted it while encouraging the rest of the family to try it, they shouldn't miss a ganache! Birthday boy can't have too many sweets because he's insulin resistant. We had a late lunch and then big bro & I had an attack of the runs so we didn't have dinner before going up to the annual christmas party/reception for the winter residents at the hotel marina. Lots of fun and of course pitfalls like the sweet bbq sauce on the chicken wing. I avoided the fruit, nanaimo bars etc but ate the cheese.... it has a wonderful binding effect that I couldn't resist, considering the earlier events.

I've no regrets about eating the dairy during the project. The second day in a row with IBS symptoms, I was away from home & wanting to enjoy myself. I consider it a success that I managed to eat low carb, even tho I didn't adhere to the project rules.

Week 4 Day 4 Thurs Dec 13 s/b LP but was Reg LC

B: 3 scrambled eggs, butter and 1 oz cheddar cheese
1 cup dry curd cottage cheese with s/f syrup
L: travelling home on ferry: 1 oz cheddar cheese, 1.5 c raw almonds
D: 8 oz pot roast with 5 oz gravy; no vegs in house yet;

Total: 2198
Fat: 156 1402 65%
Carbs: 62 146 7%
Fiber: 25 0 0%
Protein: 155 619 29%
Cals/lb: 9.31

Well, I'm eating reg LC but have fallen off the V2 project. Tired & not feeling well.

Week 4 Day 5 Fri Dec 14 Reg LC

Back to work today, full time from now on I'm happy about this but haven't had the time to prepare for a LP day like I'd hoped to so I'll just do Reg LC til the end of V2 project (sigh).

Food eaten:
B: 3 egg omelet, 1 c spinach, 2 oz cheddar, spices, 1 tbsp bacon fat.
L: 1 can tuna, 5 tbsp mayo, spices on 3 c spinach.
D: 8 oz pot roast pacifica with 6 oz gravy (will post recipe soon)
SN: 1 cup almonds

Total: 2460
Fat: 189 1702 70%
Carbs: 52 130 5%
Fiber: 20 0 0%
Protein: 151 603 25%
Cals/lb: 10.42

Week 4 Day 6 Sat Dec 15 Reg LC

Another one of those weird Saturdays where I sleep in and don't eat normal meals. Nibblies spread throughout the day:

90 gr s/f beef jerky
2 chocolate mock muffins
1.5 c almonds
8 tbsp peanut butter

Total: 2577
Fat: 212 1911 74%
Carbs: 73 144 6%
Fiber: 37 0 0%
Protein: 129 515 20%
Cals/lb: 11