LCGP V2 Ruth's Journal

[Ruth]

I'm going to start the project tomorrow. This afternoon I debated postponing it until Fri Nov 23rd, cause I don't have my food planned, but tomorrow is regular LC day, that gives me a few more hours. I have a challenge coming up: Thursday I'll be attending a Christmas "tea" at a local church that is quite famous locally (the tea, I mean). All the goodies will be carby, I wouldn't be able to eat them even if I deferred V2 to the next day, so I'll take the plunge.

I'm going to taste-test dry curd cottage cheese with some DaVinci syrup tonight. Can I make it palatable?

TTFN

[IslandGirl]

dearest Ruth, that's what I have for brekkie on Stillmans' days if I haven't finished my prep or I have almost no time.

It's "palatable" though nothing to write home about. It IS better than skipping breakfast.

I'm "whipping up" (ha!) an extra batch of homemade jerky tomorrow, it keeps me alive on just about any day when hunger hits. That baggie is a lifesaver.

I actually have whipped up a batch (yesterday) of modified (Doreen's base recipe) FoTu Faux-CheeseCake, using tofu and the dry curd, with ginger and cinnamon to make it bearable. Hope they freeze cuz that's where they are :D

YeeeeHaaaaa! Here Goes! :daze:

[Natrushka]

Good luck, Ruth! You're a bigger woman than I, I'm not sure about that dry curd. I bought some a few months ago and it just sat and sat in my fridge :rolleyes: It was actually the first thing I've thrown out since starting LCing.

Will be watching your progess

Nat

[Karen]

Put it in a soup! Chicken stock with diced chicken breast (or not)...beat egg whites with dry curd and swirl it into the soup to form cooked strands. Make it spicy!

Karen

[Ruth]

Week 1 Day 1 Nov 19, Monday Regular LC

Like Do, I'll just post the food & #s here, the full meal deal will be in my regular journal.

Foods eaten:
B:3 egg omelet, 1 cup spinach 2 oz marble cheddar 1 tbsp bacon drippings 14 oz green tea
L:Tuna salad: 1.5 c romaine, 1 c spinach 1 roma tomatoe, 1/2 c cucumber 1 oz yellow pepper 1 can tuna with spices & 3 tbsp mayo
S:Chocolate Mock Danish
D:8 oz ground beef with homemade taco seasoning (no sugar)
2 oz marble cheddar.

Total: 2139
Fat: 160 1443 68%
Carbs: 22 63 3%
Fiber: 6 0 0%
Protein: 152 608 29%

Weight: scale is dead & mailed to Ontari-ari-ari-o for replacement under warranty. I'm on a temporary reprieve from scale obsession. I'll have to go by measurements, which are the same as when my scale last worked, when I weighed 241. I'll use that as my baseline for this project. I'll publish my measurements at the end of the project, not b4!

Thoughts: Well, I didn't feel great this past weekend, IBS strikes again. TOM arrived today :(. My back has been sore, I'm tired and achy and there was the new workout today. Whine, snivel & whinge. BUT I am determined to do this project well, no cheating or lapsing permitted! . I am pumped about the new exercises and hope to be working full time in about 2 weeks.

Plans for my 1st ever Stillman:

Thinking outside the box, I'll have some tuna with lemon juice & pepper for brekkie + psyllium. I'll report to y'all how that subs for my usual omelet. I hope it's not a barforama. Morning snack: .5 cup dry curds with 1 oz shot of DaVinci Baileys syrup. Lunch: 8 oz extra lean ground beef with taco seasonings. Dinner: Lemon spice chicken breast + psyllium. Maybe 1 cup romaine. Lots & lots of water too.
* Menu subject to last minute revisions. ;)

Tomorrow I have 2 back-to-back appts after work, I'll be out Wed & Thurs evenings. It's a busy week for me, but maybe I won't have time to miss the dairy, etc.

Doreen, I have a confession: as I typed dry curds for the 1st time, the phrase that ran through my mind was 'dry turds'. Snicker... LCers sure know about that! I believe I need a life!

Time for lala land, Ruthie

[Ruth]

My 1st ever Stillman and I don't believe that I've eaten enough, although it is 7pm here and there is still time to shovel more in.

I've decided to not eat egg whites, they are on a list of foods cross-related to mugwort/grasses, which I'm very allergic to. Asthma & rhinitis, don't wanna go there. The list is from my allergist. Since I eat lots of eggs on my regular LC program, I don't want to push it by using extra egg whites on Stillman days. The recipes posted in the Stillman thread are inventive and if I need more variety before this project is over, I may just change my mind ;) :p ;)

So it's been a super lean Stillman day. Check out the numbers! 11% fat!!!

Foods eaten:
B: can of tuna, lightly drained with 1/8th lemon wedge juice, Citrus & Pepper seasoning.
L: 6 oz skinless chicken breast cooked in lemon juice & spices
1/2 cup dry curds with 1oz of DaVinci Irish Cream syrup
D: 11 oz cod, grilled with 1/4 lemon juice and citrus pepper seasoning. 1/2 hr later, 6 oz skinless chicken breast, Lemon & spices.

Planning on another 1/2 cup of curds & syrup later.
My regular journal has my thoughts & further ramblings ;)

Total: 978
Fat: 12 104 11%
Carbs: 19 27 3%
Fiber: 13 0 0%
Protein: 199 796 86% Oops, edited to add in psyllium to the #'s
cals/lb = 4.05

[Ruth]

Foods eaten:

B: 3 egg omelet, 1 cup spinach, 1/2 Hass avocado

Large mug, 14 oz, earl grey green tea at work. I have one every day but forget to include it in my journal 98% of the time

Lunch: tuna salad: 1.5 c romaine, 1 cup spinach, can tuna with 4 tablespoons mayonnaise, juice from 1/8 wedge of lemon, spices. This was so creamy & mmm good after Stillman.

Dinner: 3 broiled lamb chops, 3 cups broccoli with 3 tablespoons butter

Bed time snack: 2 cups spinach with 1 tsp olive oil, apple cider vinegar & 1 tbsp Udo's oil (Udo's is not counted in fitday, it is a supplement)

2 tablespoons psyllium in water with splash of DaVinci sf French Vanilla. About 3.5 litres of water. 3 diet soda. I managed to avoid the Timbits at the meeting I attended tonight. Whew.

Total: 2551
Fat: 206 1857 74%
Carbs: 30 53 2%
Fiber: 17 0 0%
Protein: 149 595 24%

Cals/lb = 10.6

20 g carbs from green leafy veg, 6 from avocado, it's green and without it I'd never get close on the calories. Eggs, mayo & lemon juice account for the balance of carbs.

Thoughts & ramblings are in my regular journal.

[IslandGirl]

Not to be a partypooper (it's my turn, Karen :D ), my Ruthie, but more mayo and less avocado will get your calories in...

Also, I believe the "supplement" rule only counts if you don't put your Udo's or flaxseed oil or whatever on food (like spinach salad is food...). Ya have to drink it straight up {SHUDDER} like Do does if you don't want it to count... If you make it a custom food in FitDay, with the same cals and grams as any other oil, you'll make your count.

Moi, I'm looking forward to an avocado or three on the weekend! :lol:

[Ruth]

Originally posted by IslandGirl
Not to be a partypooper (it's my turn, Karen :D ), my Ruthie, but more mayo and less avocado will get your calories in...


What is this, the tough love approach? Are you and Karen going to be a tag team and treat us all with tough love techniques? This mere mortal wants to know what to expect in the next 4 weeks *LMAO*

Jude, you KNOW that I can't sip that Udo's oil, so if I can't have it in a protein shake, I'll put it on salad. And I still consider it a supplement. I certainly don't take it on Stillman days, that would defeat the purpose of stillman. I think it's a silly rule, but I will rethink counting it as an oil on Cal Boost days. :)

When I get a spare moment, I'll run over to check your study journal.... hehe what will I find there?

TTFN, running out the door to chair a meeting, then run to a Christmas tea.

[Ruth]

Busy day & no imagination with my food. I did get some beef jerky made Tues night, that helped me out this evening.

Foods eaten:

B:2 cans tuna with spices and 1/4 wedge lemon juice
14 oz Earl Grey green tea

L: 5 oz lemon chicken, 1/2 cup curds 1 oz DaVinci sf syrup

S: beef jerky diet soda

D: 5 oz lemon chicken, snacked on beef jerky later, total 2 oz jerky

Total: 1129
Fat: 21 193 18%
Carbs: 12 22 2%
Fiber: 6 0 0%
Protein: 214 858 80%
Cals/lb = 4.7

Further comments will be in my regular journal later.

[IslandGirl]

Tuff Luv Tag Team, that's it!

:lol:

and even more indeed, avocado is a FRUIT, discussed in gruesome detail in either Do's journal, methinks? ... somewhere. As are tomatoes and zukes, eh?

I stick to leafy green type things, with the occasional stalk and twig thrown in; cannot go wrong.

DO feel free :wave: to pour your oil wherever ya wanna, but count it except when swallowed in capsules or off a spoon or from the neck of the jar... them's the rules and I'm stickin' to it !

Luv ya!

[Ruth]

Calorie boost day, yay!

Foods eaten
B: 3 egg omelet, 1 cup spinach 1 tbsp bacon drippings
earl grey green tea at work
L: 2 cups spinach, can of tuna, spices and 4 tbsps mayo
Snack: 1 oz smoked salmon - a friend at work brought in their home-smoked salmon - delicious
D: 7 oz extra lean ground beef with sf taco seasoning, diet soda
a little later: 5 cups lightly steamed broccoli with 1/4 cup butter

Total: 2606
Fat: 201 1811 71%
Carbs: 30 56 2%
Fiber: 16 0 0%
Protein: 175 700 27%
cals/lb: 10.85

3 carbs from eggs, mayo, 27 carbs from veg!!! and no evil avocado. :p ;)

Exercise: 2 sets of new strength training exercises

I was hungry this morning, breakfast at 6:45, starving by 11, and was hungry when I got home at 3:30. Too tired to eat, had a 3 hr sleep. I don't dare call 3hrs of sleep a 'nap'. Wasn't too hungry when i woke up.... why is that? My back is sore after the workout. I'm so glad the weekend is here.

[Ruth]

Wasn't feeling good today, IBS attacks so didn't eat much but the calories were there because of dairy!

Foods eaten
5 oz marble cheddar cheese
Mock danish, chocolate
5 oz marble cheddar
Mock danish
1/2 cups raw almonds
diet soda

Total: 2098
Fat: 177 1595 76%
Carbs: 32 80 4%
Fiber: 12 0 0%
Protein: 109 436 21%
Cals/lb = 8.74

Exercise: none

[Ruth]

Foods eaten:

B: 3 egg omelet, 1 c spinach 2 oz marble cheddar
D: 12 oz chicken thighs (boneless,skinless) cooked in spicy peanut sauce. Fauxtatoes (Cauliflower, butter, sour cream)
Diet soda
1/2 cups raw almonds

Total: 2021
Fat: 143 1290 65%
Carbs: 46 117 6%
Fiber: 16 0 0%
Protein: 144 577 29%
Cals/lb: 8.42

Almonds had 8.5 gr fiber, cauli had 7 gr fiber, that brings carbs closer to 30; I aim for 20-30 gr carbs. Lots of carbs in the peanut sauce :(

Exercise: none, except I did get my christmas decorations up :) all I have left to do is decide on which candle holders to use 'cause I've got lots. Oh, and get tablecloths out, but it's a bit early for that ;)

[itsjoyful]

:) hi, and thank you for your post in my journal. i really was struggling, but i think i'm starting to get the hang of it.
the reason i ate what i did was because i was trying to avoid carbs thinking i could only have 25 and they had to be from green veg. i now understand i can have some trace carbs in eggs (yolk) and other things. also, i was confused about butter. i was thinking it was dairy, hence, forbidden. judi and doreen cleared this up, but it was late in the day, and i really wasn't feeling that great.

i really do appreciate tuff luv, and please, don't ever NOT say something. i'd rather know, than play with out knowing.

thanks again,
brenda

[Ruth]

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

[Ruth]

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

[Ruth]

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. ;)

[wadimom]

Originally posted by Ruth
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.



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

[Ruth]

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. :p

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. :eek: 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. :mad: :(

[wadimom]

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

[Ruth]

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.

[Ruth]

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. :eek: 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. :( :mad:

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!!!!

[itsjoyful]

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

[Ruth]

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.

[doreen T]

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

[IslandGirl]

... 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! :wave:

[Ruth]

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 :eek: :eek: :eek: 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

[Ruth]

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.

[Ruth]

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

[alto]

Hi, Ruth. :wave: I haven't talked to you in awhile, but I saw your stats and just had to come in and say -- Did you have a Super Whoosh??? I think you're six pounds lower than just a day or two ago. (Perhaps just catching up with updating your stats) Whenever they disappeared, six pounds is six pounds. That's wonderful.

I also wanted to comment that you give me comfort -- you've written a couple of times that when you get off schedule, the day goes badly. That's my biggest challenge too. It's getting a little easier (and at least if I don't have any non-LC food in the house, I have to really think about it and walk someplace to get Bad Food) but it's still a challenge.

It looks as though you kicked the chocolate mousse habit, though :)

[Ruth]

Hi Alto, and thanks for checking up on me. Yes, 6 lbs are gone, how do you remember the numbers? I sure can't remember other people's numbers!

No whoosh, just the 6 lbs I lost during the 4 weeks of the V2 project and just updating the stats now. :D I'm quite pleased, it is now an even 50 lbs gone! Woooo Hoooo! I really wanted to hit the 50 lb mark before Christmas and I've done it. My family and friends are amazed by my progress. One good friend says, quote: 'Nothing else ever worked for you, but this {LC) is!'
They are supportive and never say anything negative. Lucky me!

Alto, you are definitely not alone in the wonky day/schedule thing. Sleeping in and not having my usual omelet for breakfast is the beginning of a lazy food day. That's exactly what it is with me: laziness. Everything I eat is LC legal, it is just the amounts that are way skewed.... and then to add insult to injury, I usually don't bother to eat any veg.

I've been LCing for almost 9 months now and feel I can do this without too much advance planning, but the amount of planning and effort required to do the V2 group project surprised me. The fact that I was pushing myself to increase my work hours to full-time during this project was a definite factor in my brief appearances on the board.

Alto, I've been reading your journal nearly every day, just no energy to post and tell you how well I think you are doing. Congrats on increasing your water intake and at least planning to increase the veg. Buying the veggies is the first step. When you have had enough of eating tired veggies or throwing them out, you'll get better at the execution of the plan: actually cooking & eating 'em. If you ever try a lean protein only day, you'll find yourself yearning to have vegetables! You won't have to force yourself, can you imagine? LOL

Do you know, I was planning on making one of those tasty but nasty-to-the-weight-loss-effort choc mousse things tomorrow. Your comment has made me re-think that. Maybe I should just get on with some Christmas LC baking for me and my diabetic dad. :p I've got lots of recipes that use cream cheese in other ways ;)

G'nite,

[alto]

Hi, Ruth. I dont remember everyone's stats, but I remember yours. Partly because you helped me when I first came, and partly because we have the same start weight, so you're the embodiment of my Bad Conscience :) I used to restart diets every three months, for some reason -- January, April, July, October. So if I'd kept on the April one, I'd be where you are now :(

It is definitely laziness. Being a freelancer, I can lead a lazy life. I'm not lazy in my work. This past year, I've written a 200,000 word book! I put out a newsletter and a magazine and do the business as well as the editorial work, I moderate a message board (not weight related) and I do odd jobs to pay the rent. I work ten hours a day seven days a week. So I'm not completely lazy. But everything else is a wreck. My apartment is messy, I'm messy, my menus are messy :) I had to laugh about throwing away vegetables. It's a sin, isn't it? But I sin regularly.

Have a great week. I'll bet it's a relief to be finished with the Journal Project, useful as it must have been.

[Ruth]

Last day! OMG, Thank you, this was the last day of the group project.

Food eaten: nibbled on throughout the day:
1.5 cups raw almonds,
2 mock danish
90 grams s/f beef jerky
2 oz cheddar
5 tbspn peanut butter
10 oz roast beef, .5 c gravy/juices

Total: 3144
Fat: 233 2094 67%
Carbs: 75 165 5%
Fiber: 34 0 0%
Protein: 213 852 27%
Cals/lb: 13.38

Winter monsoons today in Vancouver: very windy with driving rain. Since I didn't have the courage to go out in the weather, I cocooned all day. I've got lots more errands today tho' :p
One of those errands to get some crunchy veggies. The lack of veg in my diet is due to lack of veg in the fridge.

[Ruth]

Ok, I promised measurements etc when this project was done:

................Nov 19................Dec 17

Weight..........241 lbs...........235 lbs
Bust...............48"..................47"
Ribcage..........41.5................40.5
Waist.............44...................42.75
Hips...............48.5................47
R&L Thigh......27.5.................27
R Calf............17.25................16.75
L Calf.............17.5..................17
R&L Arm..........15.5................15.25

6 more lbs gone, I'd call this project a success for me, but it was tough to do 2 sets of lean protein day followed by Calorie Boost day. I'll post my thoughts another time.

[Ruth]

Originally posted by alto
Hi, Ruth. I dont remember everyone's stats, but I remember yours. Partly because you helped me when I first came, and partly because we have the same start weight, so you're the embodiment of my Bad Conscience :) I used to restart diets every three months, for some reason -- January, April, July, October. So if I'd kept on the April one, I'd be where you are now :(

........I had to laugh about throwing away vegetables. It's a sin, isn't it? But I sin regularly.



... I'm the embodiment of your Bad Conscience? As in you're being bad and I'm the Good Conscience? As you know from reading the V2 Project journal, I'm part of the Tuff Luv Tag Team so I should have the qualifications to be your conscience. ;) :p

When you look back, you'll be glad you were able to stick with the October 'diet' ...er... WOE plan. October was the perfect timing for you to start your new way of life. You probably weren't ready to reform yourself sooner.

My sins of disposing of tired veggies have happened less frequently while lowcarbing. Before LCing, I sinned lots! LOL

Gotta run & make that breakfast omelet, then lots of errands to do. Have a great day, and remember, no Cokes allowed Alto!

[alto]

Yes, of course, I mean YOU are the good conscience, but also a kind of physical embodiment of what I could have been, etc. etc. Yes, I'll be glad eventually. Years from now :) If I live that long :) :) Seriously, I remember vividly when I quit smoking how furious I was at myself that I didn't do it sooner, because it was so easy. (Easier than this, by far. Quitting smoking was a one-time decision. It's much easier to stop doing something than to actively do the right thing minute by minute through the day.) That lasted two years. Then I forgot how dumb I had been and was just happy that I finally got smart :)

What's a Coke? :)

Have a great day, Ruth.

[doreen T]

hi Ruth,

Congrats on finishing the project, and congrats on the 6 lbs! Awesome :dazzle:

I agree with you that it was difficult to do the 4 alternating days of lean protein fasts followed by the calorie boost with the dairy and green veggie restriction. It was a good challenge though, and I think everybody ultimately learned a few things .. such as you can eat a lot of meat, natural fat and veggies and still not be eating too many calories or carbs, but once you start adding in the nuts, cheese and dairy .... zoom, way over the top.

Alto, great wisdoms there ... I'm especially going to hang onto your parting thought .. the one about forgetting how dumb you were and just being glad that you finally got smart. Thanks :cool:

Doreen