I’m feeling much better since I’ve been Low-Carbing it again. Luckily I don’t eat too fancy – a hamburger patty and some veggies is a good dinner for me. I did make something this week that I think will become a staple. It’s chicken cooked in heavy aluminum foil. I took a bone-in chicken breast, some butter, and fresh broccoli and place them on a big piece of foil, rolled up the top and sides to seal the package, then put it in a 350 oven for about 50 minutes. I plan to do this again tonight but I’ll marinate a boneless chicken breast in Italian Dressing (lo-carb, of course) and then cook it with the rest of the broccoli and some asparagus. Should be good. Will try it with fish next week to see how it works and report on it.

Sandra

One thing that I found relatively shocking was that I was placed on the American Diabetic Association diet. The menu we ordered from had the carb count for all the selections. I was blown away when I read that ADA diet patients were allowed to chose 65 or 70 carbs *per* meal! That meant I had around 200 carbs a day. And they wondered why my glucose level was so high?

Needless to say I’m rededicated to following the Low Carb My Way plan for eating which I know allows me to lose weight and keep my glucose levels down – which is one of the three things I have to concentrate on to improve my health. The other two are my cholesterol which is nearly at the place they should be and will improve the more I lose weight. The other issue is my blood pressure which will also improve with my losing weight.

In the hospital it was “fun” to see my weight in kilograms. lol I haven’t seen those type of numbers since I was in grade school. But, when it came to pounds, I was still under 300. I’ll get back to weighing myself each Friday next week. My goal for the end of the year is to be at 265# which my doctor thinks is a reasonable goal. And who knows, I might even be able to do better than that.

Time to put in an order for my groceries for the week. Lots of eggs, bacon, meat, and good veggies.

Glad to be home and, as I said above, time to get serious about my Low Carb way of eating.

Sandra

I’m getting so close to breaking the 300 mark – I hope it’s next week!

Sandra

I had a physical in January and for the most part I’m in pretty good health (according to the test numbers) for someone so overweight and who has diabetes. The one thing that my doctor was concerned about (haven’t talked to him yet, just got the message through his nurse) is that my HDL is 100 and the ADA thinks that anyone with Diabetes should be under that. She said he wanted to start me on a generic statin. I told her that the Doctor and I have had the “statin discussion” before and I won’t take them.

Anyway, it’s time to get back on the wagon and do something. I told a friend that the very high glucose reading I had a few weeks ago was like the Lord giving me a thunk on the head telling me to wake up and do something. In the span of two weeks I’ve got my glucose levels down to where I feel the best and, I’ve lost two pounds! That’s between Friday and Friday – I try not to weigh myself everyday but only once a week which is Friday morning. I’m even feeling like I have a bit more energy. I even went out last weekend shopping for several hours and went out twice yesterday.

My “downfall” has always been things like potato chips and fries. Well, when I was out and went to my favorite “fast food” place I only got a plain cheeseburger with everything on the side. I didn’t eat the bun and the “side” stuff was like having a small side salad. That and a large unsweetened iced tea was my lunch and very satisfying. This is not a normal fast food burger but a very good one that’s just beef and American cheese. I’ve been eating lots more salads and even got the nerve to make some chicken salad. I’ve never considered myself a good cook – but found that I can make really good simple recipes.

One recipe that I’ll put on the Video Recipe part of the blog was done by Jes from Kitchen Table Productions and it’s Pork Chops in Mustard Tarragon Sauce. It was fantastic – though didn’t heat up the next day very well – I think the term is my “sauce broke.” Next time I make it my son will be here for dinner and I’ll only make two chops and put the other in the freezer. Check out the Video section of the blog and pay Jes’ site a visit for more recipes.

I’m going to be back with more – just wanted to get the first post of my “return” and thank all of those who have posted comments before. If you have a favorite “easy” recipe please feel free to post it in the comments or send it to me and I’ll be happy to post it here.

Sandra

One big advantage to going low-carb is that I’m saving money. Even though my grocery bill might be going up – I’m not going to the fast food places as much. I’m actually making breakfast – gotta find some alternatives to just scrambled eggs and bacon, and I’m making my own lunch.

Though I have found a few ways around my needing to go out and get something. One day I was just very busy and found myself out about three times during the day – very unusual for me. I found out that at McDonald’s I could order a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel – without the bagel. I decided I’d rather not do that again – but in a pinch, it is there. Then for lunch I got a jumbo hot dog with everything – except peppers, and ended up feeding the bun to the birds. For dinner I had an Italian Sub – and didn’t eat the bread. Not the best day of eating – but better than I used to do.

And best of all, my blood sugars are dropping like crazy. I might actually be able to make my doctor happy next time I see him.

Once again, thank you for stopping in to see my babblings. I guess it’s time to go over to Jimmy’s messageboard and join in. Isn’t it just the craziest thing to know that perfect strangers are out there reading our words?

If you have a low-carb related blog and would like to exchange links, please use the “Contact Me” page to email me. Thanks.

Sandra

In the news we are hearing about the problems with food. The cost of gas is going up daily which means the cost of everything is going up. I’m not really an alarmist but since moving back into my condo and working to simplify my life I’m also aware of getting all of my life organized, which includes one of my biggest faults – wasted food. When I order my groceries I have the best intent at heart that this time I’m really going to cook that brocolli. But then a week late it goes out in the trash. btw, what is it about blogs that gets you to “tell” on yourself. lol

This weekend I was watching QVC and they had on this great new version of a Food Saver. I soooo wanted to buy it – I mean it was on Easy Pay no less. But, I’ve purchased and donated atleast two – maybe three – Food Savers. I just couldn’t get them to work for me – and when it went into the cabinet it was gone for good. I was proud of myself for resisting. But I still was sold on the idea that I
wanted to preserve some local produce. I had told my son about the Reynold’s Handi Vac and he picked one up. It worked great. I looked at a similar one from QVC and the reviews weren’t the best, so I went to Amazon and looked at the reviews for it and the majority were positive. So I decided that I’d use that. If I get really good at this I might treat myself to the fancy Food Saver but for now I’ll stick with the hand-held Handi-Vac.

My plan at first was quite grandiose. I was going to buy five pounds of green beans at the Farmers Market this Saturday – then I thought better and decided two pounds would be enough. That should be about four 2-person servings and something reasonable to attempt with my first try.

I’m hoping the Handi-Vac will work on meat. I normally have my groceries delivered, which does cost but I know in the end it saves me money – no impulse buying. So this week they have bone-in chicken breasts for half price. This would certainly be a time to buy a dozen or so and then put them in the freezer in packs of two. I also have a great meat market across the street and if the meat freezing works I’ll go over their once a month. Then there is an even bigger meat market on the other end of town where I could go.

Well, I’ll post updates on my experiments over on the Menu part of the site.

It was so encouraging to have Jimmy and Christine suggest to others to start a blog – especially since I have finally made the commitment to including eating better in my “new life” a blog seems like a natural extension. One of the main things about doing a blog is the issue of accountability. For me it’s easy to just think – well, in another month or so I’ll be able to start. By starting the blog and commiting to it I’m really commiting to myself.

Another great thing about a blog is that it gives me a chance to see how many changes I’ve made and how they effect my life and health.

A blog also allows me to keep my low carb information in one place. It’s why I’ve got the video library – so I can find the videos that are important quickly – but yet I do check out the websites they come from for other non-video information.

And having the menu section will make me accountable for what I say I’ll eat – and what I end up actually eating.

And even as Jimmy said about when he started his blog. I don’t know if anyone will find me or read this, but for me, it’s one step I’m taking to change my life.