I am starting from scratch! January did not exist!!

I will measure myself tomorrow and since I started walking again I am hoping to see results for the month of February.


I will not have any shakes for a while, they really did not agree with me anyway so I am back to the same problem of getting enough protein in my day according to the book...34 grams per meal is really hard for me..and breakfast is the worst! I almost gag eating just 2 eggs! I hate bacon and sausage..I do like canadian bacon and managed to eat 2 slices with 2 eggs made with some cheddar cheese and I actually enjoyed it, but wanted nothing to do with it the next morning!! So maybe twice a week on that. I did buy some cereal I think it's called HI-Lo and it has only 6 carbs per 1/2 cup and 12 grams of protein so I threw in 1/4 cup of blueberries and 1/4 cup milk and that was breakfast...I am about 22 grams short on the protein but it satisfied me.

Then for lunch I had a salad with blue cheese and chix..for dinner salmon with a cup of veggies...

DO you all think that if I don't eat the 34 grams of protein per meal that I will not lose the weight? Am I spinning my wheels?

Because I was thinking that maybe I should try something else..I am so motivated to lose weight and want to do the right thing and this makes so much sense not just for me personally but the whole theory just makes sense...what are your thoughts on another program?

I personally adore eggs for breakfast, but we're all different. Tmagic, the Eades have a ton of breakfast ideas in the back of PPLP. Have you checked that out? I tend to shoot for a total for the day when certain meals just come in short, so I'm not always super obsessed about hitting 34...though I'm getting used to what I need to do that. When I don't want to do meat or eggs I will make use of things like Greek Yogurt (fuller fat has a nice low carb count, actually, and a good bit of protein). But I frequently follow up with additional protein in the form of a snack later.

Do you hate eggs in all forms? The reason I ask if because I make a wonderul quiche that makes for quick reheating and a yummy breakfast option. Also, I've been known to have chicken or steak for breakfast. I like omelets filled with veggies and cheese.

I'm also now remembering what shake you were trying to use, but some people have had success in the morning with a little protein powder blended with other ingredients...like ricotta or cottage cheese and a little LC fruit. That could have potential for someone with your tastes. And then I've also enjoyed nut butters for days I just can't stomach anything heavier. I've been known to snack a lot instead of a full meal, so you might want too keep that in mind. The rest of your meals sounds great so it would seem your biggest struggle is breakfast. OH, and dare I suggest it, but lots of people on Atkins do something called a "mock danish" made with egg and cream cheese. I'm sure it's not sufficient protein, but if you considered having that with some canadian bacon...or ham...you could be on to something! It's really about getting creative.

As far as another plan, I need to first say that I'm a believer in the philosophies of PP and PPLP, specifically. But you know this is all very personal. From the way your tastes seem to run, you might want to consider SB. Just make sure what you do is PP-influenced, in that you don't give up on trying to find good protein sources!!

I am going to "steal" from Lisa. but I regularly eat a can of sardines for breakfast. They are 26 gm and I am just barely into the 34 gm range per PPLP. I have a half slice of blue cheese and a slice of american cheese on top of the sardines which I heat so the cheese is just starting to melt. Then I have Half and Half to drink so I think the milk/cheese protein gets me up close to what I need. I add coconut oil, two teaspoons about, and more olive oil to what was already in the can with the sardines. All total there may be a quarter cup of olive oil in the dish.

While I eat late and slow, finishing often near 10:30, I then can go until 6PM without feeling hungry most days. I attribute that to the "slug" of fat and almost no carbs.

Lisa...I am sorry, what is SB?

I like both your suggestions and Larrys. I bought a can of sardines but not sure if I will like them, have to give that a try.

Not sure where this week will take me, I am just going one day at a time...

I'm still chuckling at Larry's "steal"...I tend to write just like I talk. If you spoke to me on the phone you'd totally know me from the way I type here.

Anyhow, I just HAVE to say...look at what Larry eats for breakfast and tell me that's not creative! Now mind you, I love blue cheese, but I don't touch American and I really just can't do the sardines. I adore tuna, though...so he's just given me the idea to do a "tuna melt". I would probably do it with cheddar and just skip the bread (but you know, possibly with the right kind of cracker or mock-cracker). I think it goes back to what Larry has said before and I've either quoted or paraphrased...the flexibility of PP is both a blessing and curse. It's a LOT of trial and error, but I happen to love it!

I also happen to agree that concentrating on protein and fat in the morning is the way to go. For me personally I would NOT recommend lowering the protein but upping the carbs for the morning. I found I just couldn't make it to lunch when I did that. But now around 10am I eat something filling and satisfying (like eggs and bacon) and I'm great until probably 2pm or 3pm at the very least...often with a workout at the gym! For me that's huge because I used to be hungry so often AND I was also very tired and hungry at the gym and now I can make it through my workouts beautifully, run errands afterwards and get home 4-5pm and maybe need a snack before we have a late dinner. I have a healthy appetite and have always had a need to eat frequently, so this is really amazing. One night it was pushing 8pm before DH was ready for dinner and because I wasn't gnawing his arm off (haha) he looked and said "What have you done with my wife?" Honestly eating LC and concentrating on fat has truly changed how I live.

Tmajic, you have the right idea to take this one day at a time and try different things. It's all very personal and it takes some creativity but you will hit upon what you like.

SB is South Beach. I suggested it because they concentrate on higher carbs but still with a similar view on the LC approach as the rest of us. I suggested that because of your food tendencies and because I'm realistic. At some point if you still aren't feeling the love, PP may not be right for you. BUT just keep in mind switching is not always the answer...and I think you are showing that by your efforts to restart and try and try again. After all, LCing principles apply to all these plans so whatever you learn now will take you far no matter what.

The thing with PP for me is that I think it's compatible and applicable to ALL plans, which is why I simply made it MY plan. There are some days I eat more like SBers...and some days I eat more like Atkins folks...but every day I keep my PP focus and I can't remember being healthier and stronger.

Well since I type s l o w and cna'tr speel. It took me so long to post that Lisa got it done first.
******* My initial post *******
If I may answer for Lisa, it is the South Beach diet.
WELL....... If you would have told me seven years ago that I would be eating, and LIKING, sardines for breakfast EVERY day, I would asked what you had been “smoking”, “drinking”, etc.

After reading PP amd PPLP, I bought one each of several brands at the grocery store. They sat almost a month on the shelf. I finally said, “are you going to do it or NOT???” So since I do like fish and had tarter sauce, I said open a can and drown it in tarter sauce, which I did. Hhummmmmm. . . not as bad as I had FEARED! I CAN eat them! Then it was a little experimenting to find the right combination to make it really GOOD! The blue cheese was an accident, of sorts. A friend mentioned that he bought the blue cheese crumbles to snack on in the car as he drove to work. I had been trying to find (still have not to my satisfaction) something to snack on so I bought some. One day as I was getting the slice of American cheese out I noticed the crumbles (which I could NOT eat straight by them selves!) and thought, what would they taste like on the sardines? It worked! The blue cheese adds a little tang, but not too much, which I have grown to like a lot.

I heat them in the micro wave at low power - high will have the sardines explode! -for several minutes. I like the cheese to just start to melt. I then chop the whole thing up to mix the oil in well. Surprising to me was that even though they were canned in olive oil the insides of the sardines are really rather dry. So I like to chop/stir them up to get the oil well spread. I add coconut oil and extra olive oil so the sardines are well wet by the oil.

I had first tried Swiss cheese but that does not melt. I also have gone to white American cheese to avoid the artificial coloring added to yellow American cheese. I suppose other cheese might work also, so you could try ones that you like. I also should add that I get boneless, skinless, sardines in olive oil - Eades would like you to have the whole sardine, but they just are too hard to find.

BRAVO!! that is exactly the right attitude to succeed. My only other thought that may be of help is to ask how many calories a day are you eating. Many times eating too few is counterproductive. Dedria broke a LONG stall by adding in some fat - more calories - and started to lose again.

Well, just because you're late to the party doesn't mean you didn't add to the fun, Larry! ROFL

THANK YOU for adding what you did because it was a big A-HA!! moment for me when I read you got boneless, skinless ones AND chopped them up with cheese. So it's like a cheesey sardine casserole. <chuckle> Again, very creative and using ingredients that give you a great nutritional bang for your buck!

I have just started using FitDay as suggested here. Could anyone tell me how to add the fruit Clementine? I couldn't find it in the list and I don't have the stats on it. Also, what is the fat/protein ratio you strive for? Just more fat than protein, or is there something specific to try to attain? Thanks so much.

Hi Laura! I'll let someone else cover the ratio question, but I can easily answer the Fitday question. I'd go to another resource, like calorieking.com for the details on the Clementines and then add a "custom food". I usually have the two windows up on my browser and toggle back and forth doing a copy/paste. Once I have the custom food in place I can access it on my custom foods list, through my favorites if I make it one, or simply by starting to type it.

Are you laughing at me ?!?

Yep!

My sense of smell is sometimes way off base, but I wonder if more coconut oil and no added olive oil would cut the smell that some people cannot get around. Once I got my son to try a taste. His comment, "tastes like fish." So it is most likely the smell that puts people off until they get used to it.

I could never eat cottage cheese and still can't. BUT my mother made what my sis and I called "green jello" with it and it disappeared quickly. So I know that you can "hide" foods that you can't eat alone in other things and it is fine, even very good!

Well, it depends. Are you laughing?? If so, then I'm totally laughing WITH you! hee hee hee

Absolutely! This is an excellent idea. Actually I was just thinking about anchovies and this concept (since I happened to have them in my salad this weekend and can't really stomach them on their own like that). When you cook them down and shred or pulverize them and put them in a recipe, they are salty and nutty, not fishy. Perhaps the same concepts can be applied to sardines.

Whatever the case, this is all very helpful because it inspires us to try new things. I would've never considered coconut oil before this forum. And even though for some cultural cuisine the use of ricotta for dessert is obvious, it's new to me. It's all a matter of perspective.

BTW, I think I've come across a brilliant (if I do say so myself) "sweet treat" especially good for the evenings...

I recently tried Good Earth "Chai Vanilla Decaf" tea. I wasn't sure about the ingredients since I'm not a licorice/anise fan, but I'd heard good things about chai. So I brewed some and added 1/2 Tbsp Davinci SF French Vanilla and 1 Tbsp half 'n half. Let me just say WOW. It was soothing and warm (which is good since it's super chilly in NY right now) and a cup of aromatherapy to boot.

Moral of this story and silly post...try new things! You might be surprised!

Lisa, thank you for the infomation about calorieking.com. Wow, I would have never dreamed that little bitty Clementine would have 9 carbs!!!

FitDay is sure an eye opener! I have inadvertently eaten way too many carbs--maybe that's why I'm at a standstill! Thanks again for recommending this program.

I know, right? Of course anything like an orange I would suspect to be high, but then again, would also think maybe because it's smaller you could manage a little. I've found that for a lot of foods I didn't quite expect. One of the funniest to me is iceberg lettuce. (It's not insane or anything, but higher than other lettuces and with so much fewer nutrients - weird!) And now that my tastebuds are so sensitive, I do taste more sugar in it. But I digress...LOL




Isn't it great? I just love the program because I like to know what I'm eating. I try not to obsess, but it's been a really helpful tool. I can see calories and fat and protein and carbs at a glance and I also keep a diary for information I might like to refer to, plus the daily weight log and body log measurements.

But mostly, it keeps me accountable so that on the days I think I can just have one more of "whatever" I just might think twice, ya know? So glad it's helping you too!

Lisa, this is not LC, but are you in one of those parts of NY that has 10 ft. of snow? That is so mind boggling-I can't imagine and it would be so scarey!!!