5 Weeks and Cheating, er...Counting?

First, I'd like to apologize to the readers out  there for the lack of updates. I have mentioned before that I am in my first semester of a graduate program, and it currently has me swamped with final assignments. In fact, I am currently writing to you from the library, with whom I have developed a very serious relationship with. (I know, I know...I'm slightly pathetic.) Regardless, I have overcome the obstacle of eating poorly at school and have packed a healthy lunch with my each day that I have spent 9, 10, 11, 12+ hours on campus.

I will admit to you that I cheated on Sunday morning (I hope you aren't too shocked or appalled by me!) when I went out for breakfast at Cora's to celebrate a friend's Birthday. Essentially, every food that I consumed was against the rules. My boyfriend and I shared two meals, the "April 89" fruit stuffed crepe, and a old-fashioned bacon & egg breakfast.

Cora's Construction Breakfast

I did the responsible thing, by not having custard with my half-crepe. I also only had 1/3 of the breakfast plate. (1 egg, 1 piece of toast, 1 slice of bacon, 1 slice of sausage, etc.) Honestly, this was exactly what I needed. I seriously was ready to kill for a piece of toast with peanut butter and jam. However, I was worried that I wouldn't loose weight this week, or worse, that I would GAIN a few pounds...

Well the results are in folks...I still lost 4 pounds this week! This has brought my total to 32 pounds in 5 weeks! I'm also only 3 pounds away from the weight I hoped to be at by Christmas!

While I hate cheating, this was an eye-opening experience. I did indulge in some of my favorite foods, but I did it responsibly. I also continued to follow the diet strictly, allowing for my body to continue to burn fat. This is inspiring because it shows me that even if I slip up here and there (and let's face it, that's going to happen at Christmas) it's not the end of the world. I can get back on the diet waggon and continue my weight-loss quest.

And now that I've given you the update, it's back to the books...

1 Month Update & Tip!

So, it's officially been one month since I've been on this diet. I really can't believe it! I won't lie, it feels like a lot longer, but I am very proud of the progress I've made. I have officially lost 28 pounds! Averaging just less than one pound per day is definitely an accomplishment!

I hope that whoever is out there reading has been inspired by my experience. I know that most people don't have to be as drastic as I have been the past month, but even making small changes and taking an active role in monitoring what foods you put in your body makes a huge difference!

I want to give you an example of keeping an eye on your intake. My boyfriend has been SO amazing and supportive this past month, eating dinner with me every night. However, when I make seafood, he does not join me because he despises it. I should also mention, that he is not trying to loose weight the same way that I am. So, last night when I made myself salmon, he indulged in a can of Chef Boyardee.

Those types of pre-packaged, canned food are something that I would turn to when I wanted something quick and filling when I was short on time. Plus, they're delicious. However, last night I actually looked at the nutritional values of one can. Following up on my previous post about carbs...there were 31 grams listed. That is the equivalent of 7.75 teaspoons of sugar! That doesn't even include high fat and sodium contents.

So, new diet outlook: instead of simply turning to simple foods, be conscious of what you're putting in your body! Indulge in treats, but don't go to food just because they are easy to prepare. That old saying, "if it's too good to be true, it probably is", is very fitting!

An Attempt at an Alternative...

The following idea was given to me while I was watching NBC's "The Biggest Loser" this past week.

(Side bar: this show is fantastic motivation for anyone who is thinking about beginning or has already begun building a healthier diet & lifestyle!)

One of the winner's of a previous season gave a tip for enjoying American Thanksgiving. Make mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. I am a HUGE potato-lover, and mashed potatoes are something I have dearly missed this past month. So I thought I would give it a try.

Start with a medium-cauliflower, and break it up into florets.
Steam or microwave cauliflower until it is soft.
Mix the cauliflower with whatever you normally make mashed potatoes with (butter, milk, cream, etc.)
**Optional: add garlic powder, cheese, salt & pepper to taste if you like
Blend with a handheld or regular blender to the texture you prefer.

Since I cannot have butter, milk or cream, I had to mix the cauliflower with water. I added some garlic powder to taste and blended with a handheld blender. They weren't half bad...but they were no potato. My boyfriend really liked them, saying "My brain thinks potato, but my mouth says cauliflower". He said it was a nice option to add into our dinner repertoire.

Personally, I wasn't overly impressed. But I think that if I could have mixed them with milk or butter they would have been great. I also think I could have mixed them a bit longer for a better texture. This recipe is definitely a work in progress, and I will update if I make positive improvements!

There are some other healthy recipes on "The Biggest Loser" website. Check it out here:
http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/

A Lesson in Carbs

"Every 4 grams of carbs = 1 teaspoon of sugar"

This tidbit of information was given to me by a youtube video from a Matol consultant, who explains the program and explains the reasons behind limiting carbohydrate intake. Check it out below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnVdgxO6DXU

The reason I wanted to post this video is because it really breaks down the way that carbohydrates, as a result of their high sugar content, are problematic for weight loss. Carbs are present within most foods, even ones that you might not think of. Checking the nutritional content of all of my non-natural foods has become standard.

Most of the time, most people don't realize how much they are consuming. As an example, I will focus on salad dressing. The high-calorie, creamy dresings that taste so good (think thousand islands, ranch, french, etc.) are often chalk full of carbs, and therefore, sugar.

I have made home-made dressing, but the best "off the shelf" dressing that I have found so far is Kraft's Fat-Free Italian dressing. It's nutritional value is actually better than the "Calorie-Wise" version of this product. For all those out there who prefer to buy their dressings than make them at home, make sure to keep track of the carbs listed on the bottles, and limit the amount that you use!

Hey, Badda-Boom, Badda-Bing!

I mentioned that the past few days have been posing difficulties to me in terms of following the diet. I was asked to go to lunch with a friend of mine, that I don't get to see very often. I have declined all offers to eat out since beginning this diet, I haven't even step foot in a restaurant or cafe (other than my place of employment) for 27 days! But, I knew that I had to bridge the restaurant frontier at some point, so despite my hesitations, I decided to go.

We went to East Side Mario's, a place famous for it's unlimited Caesar salad, fresh bread and pastas. Of course, I could not have any of these menu items. I arrived first, ordered a glass of water and started perusing the menu as I waited for my lunch companion. I was hoping to order a salad, and had brought my own special salad dressing, but the options were not as appealing as I had been hoping for. I decided on an Atlantic Salmon, that was salted with sea salt (perfect), served with garden salad, roasted seasonal vegetables, and pasta. I asked that I have all veggies instead of the pasta.

I am supposed to be eating a Matol protein food for lunch, but since I was eating out, I followed the model the best that I could. The seasonal vegetables turned out to be roasted zucchini, carrots, and peppers. I didn't eat the carrots, because they are not a vegetable that is recommended by the program as they are extremely high in sugar.

All in all, I think I did a great job at this lunch. It was a great experience because it showed me that I can find healthy options for special occasions where I will be eating out in the next month.

Getting Back Out There

The past few days have been filled with opportunities for me to cheat. (Spoiler alert: I didn't...) So I've been forced to incorporate my new food rules into every-day scenarios.

Thursday, I was invited to a get-together at one of my professor's houses. Our class only has 7 students and our professor was kind enough to host us, and cook for us. I was immediately concerned when she said she would be serving "appetizers". Appetizers, especially those that are served around the holiday time, are chalk full of carbs and sugar. Although we were not asked to bring any food, I prepared a veggie platter and dip. I explained that it was self-serving when I arrived, but the whole thing was gobbled up by the other guests! (Hint, if anyone out there is throwing a holiday get together: people LOVE veggies and dip!)

I have to say, that it was difficult staying away from the delicious looking (and smelling) food that was served, but I was happy that I stayed away from it all. There's going to be lots of opportunities for me to indulge in treats over Christmas, but the key is to stick with the healthy options that are served. And for those who serve dip, it's better for everyone if you look for a low-carb or low-fat option. You can't tell the difference, and they're often much better for you!

A Tasty & Healthy Treat

So, I wanted to dedicate a post to something new that I've been turned on to. It's something so simple, that I didn't even think about it when I was on a mission to find some sweet treats for an after-dinner snack.

Drum-roll please....J-E-L-L-O!

The treat that everyone loves as a kid is actually a great option for anyone trying to avoid sugar, but still satisfy a sweet tooth. While regular jello has sugar and carbohydrates, no-sugar added jello has none!

I'm thinking that this can become one of my festive treats...I'm going to play around with jello and see where it takes me!