Ahh, Lesley and Sam, such lovely comments. And Sam - we all care about how each one of us is doing and, I'm sure, will always give as much support as we possibly can, considering our limitations.
I'm trying to give a true account of how this revised (once again!) diet is going but am more than aware that nearly everyone who reads this (barring Mel) is abstaining or thinking of abstaining from food. Hence the apologies from mewhen I mention food. But I do want to keep this as a diary of my ups and downs and trials and tribulations and, of course now my diet regime has changed to one where I eat, then food has to be a part of the diary.
Have I actually said how I'm working the diet yet? I'm not sure I if I have so if I repeat myself, please excuse me.......As I was in ketosis when I stopped the Cambridge Diet foodpacks, I decided I didn't want to lose the fat burning benefits of ketosis so I did a little (well a lot, really) of research on the internet and came up with a way of eating that would hopefully keep the fat burning at a similar rate as on LghterLife and Cambridge. I know the Atkins Diet puts you in a ketosis state but I was really unsure about the high saturated fats that were allowed on his plan. So I have adapted ideas from several sources and come up with a plan of my own that appears to be working at the moment. I'm almost certain I'm still in ketosis although I haven't got any ketostix to check, but I'm keeping to foods that will hopefully keep me there, and I'm not feeling any of the hunger pangs that normally go hand-in-hand with dieting. I just get peckish occasionally.
I'm eating lean meats, poultry, fish, shellfish and eggs, supplemented with loads of vegetables (other than potatoes, peas, sweetcorn and any type of beans) and salads. I'm not eating any bread, pasta, rice or cereals. Basically, low-carbing. If you know Slimming World, then I'm doing the free foods on a red day. I shall only keep this up whilst still in ketosis and have a rethink later down the line. Maybe, then I could actually do Slimming World red days......?
Prior to LighterLife I always had breakfast - normally a muesli or porridge or Special K, so I'm missing having a meal at this time. Not through hunger really, but just psychologically. So on Friday I saw Tesco own-brand Carb Control Chocolate Chip breakfast bars which only contained 2.2g net of carbs and 142 cals so I thought I could easily incorporate those into the diet (other than the cost - £3.99 for 5 bars!). Anyway, I bought a box but couldn't wait 'til the morning to try them so had one Friday evening. It was scrummy and rather filling and I thought I'd hit gold. Until I woke for work yesterday morning, that is - there staring back at me from the mirror was a red mark on my left eyelid. I thought, "No! imagination, it's nothing". So I ignored it and hoped it would go away. We went to the theatre in the evening, I had my glass of wine, came home and I was feeling a little peckish (the theatre and wine does that to me, I'm afraid) so I thought I'd try another bar. WRONG!! I woke this morning with itchy red eyes and it's got worse as the day's worn on.
I've a few packs of LL and CDs left so I've sat comparing ingredients with the bars and the only ones all three contain are milk powder and soya. So where does that leave me? What's my problem? Before LighterLife I've eaten these ingredients - in fact you eat them without realising, as you can tell from reading contents labels.
I AM NOT A HYPOCHONDRIAC. I enjoy feeling well and in fact was only saying to Mum on Friday that I haven't felt so well in ages, and was sure that it was due to the way I was eating - along with the weightloss, of course. We were sitting down with a coffee and sandwich (well Mum had the sandwich) before doing the weekly shop and I was rabbiting away 19 to the dozen. I laughed and said it was almost as if I was on speed. Mum said I was looking really well and was definitely a lot more animated than I have been in a long time. I had got to the point that I was so down on myself that I couldn't even be bothered to hold a conversation. (I think the family relish those days now!!)
So no low carb bars for me now. I went to the library yesterday and took a few books out on low carbing and Atkins to get a few more ideas on how to continue and I'll be noting a few things here. You never know, it may help someone who decides to follow a similar route.
Onwards and downwards (weight-wise).........
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3 comments:
YOu must have triggered some sort of sensitivity to milk powder or soya with the packs. Nightmare.
When I was on Atkins I used to have 1 or 2 rashers of bacon (grilled) an a poached egg for breakfast. No bread or anything. I used to love that breakfast - it used to fill me up all morning and be really satisfying. I agree with you about the going mad on fats while on Atkins so I used to grill and poach as much as possible.
Keep on slogging away Chris. I know you can do it.
Lesley x
Hi Chris,
It sounds as if we are now doing pretty much the same diet. I too am doing the completely cutting out carbs, but at the same time trying to have an awareness for the calorific and fat contents in what I eat too.
For instance, Cheese being allowed on no carb I'm still making sure it's the lower fat healthy option cheese, and same with the meat, although I am picky with meat anyway and as a rule have never eaten fatty meat.
I use the george foreman type grill to cook most meats as the fat drains away easily. I have been down the slimming world route before and understand the Red day theory and you're right, we are doing the free reds and none of the syns, so hopefully towards the end of the diet, as I'd originally planned, we could maintain by using a version of SW or WW.
I'm using a ketostick every morning just to make sure, probably a bit uneccesary to do one every day, but I get a buzz out of seeing it turn purple, it kind of reassures me that I must be losing weight.
I've got a thing just lately for spicey minced beef, it's basically a kind of dry chilli, with loads of onions, mushrooms and peppers and some lovely steak mince, then throw in dried crushed chilli's, chilli powder, garlic powder, mixed herbs, black pepper, dash of worcestershire sauce, few shakes of tabasco sauce and wet it all up a bit with a good squirt of tomato puree. Even Nigel who is eating carbs polished off the second half of it. I love spicey foods and it did clear the sinuses out a bit, but I certainly don't feel like I'm missing out on tasty dinners! (Sorry non-eaters)
So sorry to hear the eyes have flared up again, although maybe now there's a possibility you have narrowed it down to what ingredients are causing it.
You really are a star though, just when you feel good your body forces you to take a step back, but you're sticking with it and facing the challenges head on so good on you.
Take care,
Mel x
Really bad news about the eyes flaring up, especially again after something that you've found you can eat and enjoy. I think you should book an appointment at your doctors and ask them to run some tests for you to see if they can get to the bottom of all the things that you now seem to be sensitive towards/allergic to.
Cath
x
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