The Whoosh Fairy

Remember the Blue Fairy from Pinnochio? She has a twin sister, who is known as the "Whoosh Fairy." In case you don't know what she does, I'd be happy to tell you.

The Whoosh Fairy is the best friend of low-carbers. She visits when one least expects it. What she seemingly does is reward those who stick with the low-carb lifestyle, despite all temptations to despair (especially when the scale goes stubborn for a matter of days or even weeks).

Just when one really needs it most, the Whoosh Fairy visits, waves her magic wand, and - Whoosh - the pounds disappear (overnight) in 2, 3, 4 or even 5 lb. increments. (With the fellas, she's sometimes even more generous! Lucky dudes!)

Of course, there's a scientific explanation for the Whoosh, and it has to do with insulin, glycogen stores, muscle vs. fat, and all that jazz. And I could and have explained it in a scientific manner, many a time.

But the Whoosh Fairy is beautifully whimsical, and there are times in life one simply needs the whimsical.

Besides, I prefer to believe in faeries and mermaids and the man-in-the-moon...

Here Comes the Bride - 25 Years Later

It looks like spring has sprung, and I decided to follow suit. Today (Sunday), I again started my 1.5 hour Water Workout, and I ended up by kicking my own caboose (wow, did I!). My plan is to ease into the low-carbing for a day or two, and then slide right into Atkins Induction. When that stops working, I'll again count on my "shake it up to shake it down" routine by rotating or cycling the low-carb ways of eating. All of them work for me - for a while, that is.

As usual, the winter brought its usual struggle of bouncing up on the scale. The bounces kept winning. So I've decided, this year it is my turn to win. I absolutely will hit my final goal (or I will be very close to it). How I will do that - well, we'll find out. Where there's a will, there's a way - and I have the will to do it! I'm going to crack my own personal fat loss code, break the plateau, shake this booty off, enter Onederland - and stay there!

Incidentally, this May 3rd marks the third year since I learned how to low-carb and keep at it. While I had great success for the first 6.5 months, I never hit final goal, despite my best efforts. Third time's the charm, or so they say. :)

Besides, I have another great incentive: This December marks the silver wedding anniversary of the dh and I. I can't believe it myself - where did that time go? The dh and I had a beautiful wedding Mass and a small reception, but we never had a honeymoon. In my humble opinion, after 25 years, 6 children, lots of joys but also many sorrows, he and I should have a honeymoon. For myself, I'd be thrilled for just one week away alone with the hubby, something like the Carribean, Aruba, whatever - just a beautiful island with lots of blue, blue water. So that's my secret hope.

Realistically, it's just a pipe dream, really, since we're not rich people and I really can't see how we'd manage to afford such a trip. Still, I am hoping and planning that we can manage something special for our silver anniversary.

That reminds me! I'm trying to remember where I tucked away my wedding dress (and how in the world could I forget something like that?). I've seen couples who renew their wedding vows and I've seen brides who still fit into their wedding gowns 25 years later. I think that could be my ultimate anniversary goal, eh?

Induction Junction: What's Your Function?

I'm typing in red because it's a RED LETTER day - it's back to Induction for me! With my apologies to Grammar Rock, I have a new spin on its famous old song (Conjunction Junction). Here's my version: "Induction Junction, what's your function? Cuttin' back carbs to get healthy and lean..."

Not only is it true that "Man shall not live by bread alone," but it is very possible and very healthy to live without it!

My personal health issue is simple: Over two years ago, I lost alot of weight and inches (within 6.5 months!), my health greatly improved (for which I will be forever grateful) - but, but, but - I never hit goal weight.

My goal weight is not just a vanity issue. I truly needed to lose another 40-50 lbs. Sometimes I feel embarrassed even thinking about how much more I had to go, which is simply ridiculous of me. All that weight gain was really not my fault; it was all due to a medical condition. But our absurd culture ingrains into our heads the silly idea "It's your own fault," and it's hard to completely overcome it. The truth is that insulin resistance is a nasty thing with which to live, and still the medical world (overall) doesn't recognize the real problem. So one must be very determined to stick with the low-carb lifestyle. As I've said before, the battle really begins in the mind, and that is also where it ends.

Since the embers of my inner fire were recently stirred, I want to keep that fire going. In fact, I want to have (and be) a blazing fire of motivation. It's very true that when we help others, we are also helping ourselves. And since stoking the inner fire of perseverance is entirely up to me, I went looking for the (proverbial) wood to feed that fire.

What I did: I opened up my original Low Carb Journal, and then my old Fitday entries, and it really helped. I do not mean to sound conceited, but I have to admit that in reading all my older entries, I amazed myself. And I asked myself, "From whence did all my determination come?"

It came from being fed up. Fed up with pain, illness, and (gulp) obesity. Fed up with "diets" and exercise that worked (fabulously) for almost everybody else, but never for me. What was I doing wrong? I was determined to fight back - determined in a good but competitive way, determined to win the battle against the raw metabolic deal I'd been dealt.

In again reading the first year of my personal Low Carb Journal, it was almost like reading about someone else's life - almost, but not quite. After all, it was only 2 years ago. It is not that I had not forgotten; I (usually) have a good memory. But the 'impact' of it all had lessened in time. And in the past 10 months, I've been fighting setback after setback.

It's not easy to describe how I felt when reading it all again, but I can say it was worth it - living again all the painful effort to make the menus easy but low-carb (painful only because I was in physical pain), the edgy remarks, "You mean you're never going to eat a piece of bread again? How about a potato? What about spaghetti? Well, you've tried it before - what makes you think you'll do it this time?" (thank goodness, these remarks did not come from my husband); all the effort it took to first get into a public pool and exercise (despite my embarrassment and my exhaustion), and then reading again of my euphoria the day I could walk without a cane...a euphoria that lasted for months. Truly, the results of the initial 6 month, low-carb journey was very much like a miracle.

So, all that has happened in the past 10 months are merely a setback. A temporary setback. So what? Ten months does not a lifetime make. I had yet another setback because I quit smoking (again, for my health) but breaking that habit, as everyone warns, means weight gain. (Sometimes I have to wonder if just breathing makes me gain weight, too.)

One way to overcome the smoking habit is to replace it with a good habit. Induction is one good replacement, and finding a new exercise I enjoy will be another. This weekend, the indoor community pool will close for 2 weeks (clean up time)...so I may start walking the track. Or riding a real bike! (I haven't done that in years!)

As for Induction...I've learned a lot about it through experience.

Back in the day (not so long ago) when I went on "The Woe that Shall Not Be Named" (sounds like Lord Voldemort, "He-Who-Shall-Not-Be Named," doesn't it?), I had first interpreted the direction about using just enough fats "to make it work" in this way: Use "real fats" without going overboard. I was still thinking in Atkins-ease (which really was a blessing in disguise, and which is not "The Woe that Shall Not Be Named"). Therefore, I carefully measured real fats (butter for scrambling eggs, "real" dressing for salad), and I did not use any "low-fat" products.

It was only later that I switched to the "low fat" option. Those were difficult months, because the weight loss was downright weird. However, by learning to 'tweak' the low-carb lifestyle, and by faithfully working out in the pool, I did lose 50 lbs. in 12 weeks. Then it all came to a screeching, painful halt.

That led me to further experiments in cycling fat, protein, or carb grams. I kept exercising, too. I lost a little more weight, but it was ridiculously slow - too slow for a person so far from goal. Eventually, the weight loss came to another grinding halt. At the beginning of the sixth month, I turned to Protein Power - I upped my protein intake a bit, I divided carbs carefully per meal, and I also measured real fats. I then lost the final 28 lbs. out of 100 - and then it all stopped. After that, I entered "Bounceville," and couldn't get out (it was something like the Hotel California!) - how maddening, especially when I was only 20 lbs. from Onederland!

Still, as it turns out, my first interpretation on the use of fats was the correct, healthy one.

Of one thing I am certain: pulling back on the protein grams is not good in combo with "low-fat." All that does is lead to Starvation Mode. Since I kept reading books and website on low-carbing, eventually I discovered that we really do need fat. It's just insane that we're culturally trained to despise the word "fat." Being fat is one thing, eating fat is another. In most cases, including real fat in one's meals means "fighting fire with fire."

I see it this way: In the pioneer days, people knew that one way to fight an approaching raging fire, sweeping the prairie, was to dig a trench around one's house (not too close), and then set a new fire on its other side. (That is, of course, if there was time to dig such a trench.) A ring of fire then went around the house, and when the bigger fire finally hit and consumed the smaller fire, the whole fire then died down. Amazing strategy, isn't it? That is what is meant by the old adage, "Fight fire with fire."

So - the way to fight too much body fat is with clean, consumable fats. Butter, olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil - they're all good. (But stay away from oils like corn and canola. And watch out for those sneaky "spreads" that pass themselves off as butter!)

Sure, there might be times to "cut back" on the fats - but that should not last for more than 2 weeks (ala Stillman's). And by "cutting," I don't mean switching to low-fat margarine, dressings, and that sort of thing. If anything must be cut, it seems the first thing to cut is either the carbs or the proteins. If one's carbs are too low, then up them and drop the protein grams a bit. Cutting back on real fats means simply that - use 1/2 tbsp. instead of a whole one when scrambling eggs. Lightly drizzle meats instead of soaking them.

But don't give up the fat for good, because the good we get from real fats is too good to forsake.

In the meantime, today I restart my personalized version of Induction, with a touch of Lindora and Protein Power (2 or 3 days of all proteins and 'just enough fats to make it work" - to kick my quirky metabolism in the caboose - then switch to 30 total carbs per day, instead of the Atkins Induction Level of no more than 20 carbs a day). After all this time and experience, it makes sense to start at a higher level of carbs and then lower them.

This time, I'm gonna make it!

The Battle of the Bulge Continues

I know just how Tinkerbell feels. I'm stuck, too - but the battle must continue!


Considering my terrible neglect in sharing any of the deliteful designs of my humble life, I was grateful to return to the blog and find a few followers. Shari and Jen, you inspired me to start bloggin' once more. Thank you - and I'll catch up with you dear ones asap...

Quick Update: All this while, I've been hanging on the periphery of the lowcarb world, alternating as always, and still I lost no more inches or pounds. The old body simply won't budge. I admit I am tired of the battle, but then - I honestly don't want to give up.

Then a few weeks ago I quit smoking (again, for the upteenth time) - and though I refused to look at the scale, I could feel the gain. Water retention got me with a vengeance. And, oh, the headaches! Out came the lemon water to fight the swelling. To add insult to injury, Hormonal Flux recently hit, and the resulting blah-bloat joined the party.

I knew I was losing the battle. I had to know the numbers - because if they were scary enough, I'd get mad and do something about it.

So tonight I gave in. Yes, I got on the scale, which likes to beckon me with its siren song. It dutifully (and perhaps gleefully) gave its report - but I will not repeat how I replied to it (because it really was not polite). The bad news is that 25 lbs. added their nasty selves to my frame in the last few weeks.

Frustrated beyond belief, I finally complained to my husband, who started out well enough by remarking, "Well, you've done really great so far. You can do it again." He should have stopped right there, because that's really all I needed to hear. After all, just a little vote of confidence takes me a long, long way. But no, he thought he'd be very helpful by adding, "But you're right - you can see that you've gained weight."

As any woman in her right mind would understand, I was not pleased with my beloved. However, I decided to bite my tongue because an immediate vision of Jabba the Hut (female version), wearing my clothes, literally waddled thru my mind. (Actually, did Jabba waddle? It was more like a grotesque slithering, wouldn't you say?) At any rate, it wasn't a pretty picture.

And then it happened - that old glow of determination, like the dying embers of a fire, suddenly stoked. You can call it being ticked off, mad, extremely annoyed or whatever - but when that glow hits, I take stock of what needs to be done...and then I do it. The only problem is - I've low-carbed in earnest for over two years, and though I lost so much weight, I cannot lose anymore. (And I really do need to!) I can, however, easily gain. What do I need to do - stop eating any carbs? I have to say I didn't like the Zero Carb approach one bit. (That's just me - it works for others who are quite happy with it. More power to them, too!) Other options I've considered: Try calorie-counting? I do that already with Fitday, along with counting everything else.

So, in other words...Now what?

I know the benefits of the low-carb lifestyle. And I chose not to lose them.

Low carbing and some form of exercise just has to do it. Those pounds really must go! The only thing I can think to do is return to Induction - whether it's Atkins, EFGT, or Protein Power. How to decide which one, I'm not sure, since I've done them all. Maybe I'll just close my eyes and say, "Eenie-meenie-miney-mo" and pick one that way. The point is: I have to believe that determination and perseverance will eventually pay off (in spades, no less!).

In any case: What the good-guy character Rick McConnell in the "The Mummy" once said to the Scorpion King is what I say to those extra pounds..."Go to h-ll ---and take your friends with you!" ;>

Ok, enough with being "naughty." (!!!)

Today, because I felt so ill, I wasn't very hungry. But I was very good to myself with proteins, a bit of fats, and a soothing smoothie. For all I know, I had gained 30 lbs. this past month (would that I could lose that much in the same time frame!), so perhaps I'll start dropping the enemy pounds in another day or two. (Except I found out that the one and only smoothie I drank today had a bit of sugar in it, since my 'baby' son, now 11, wanted to pamper Mom - bless his heart - but he forgot that Hershey's syrup is a no-no for me. I thought that chocolate-flavored whey protein was just a bit too sweet, and I was right.)

Ah, well. As Scarlett once said, with stars in her eyes:

"After all, tomorrow is another day." (May I have her determination, without her faults!)

Declaring War: A Simple Low Carb Strategy that Works

"Keeping it simple" with the low-carb lifestyle means no daily fussing over what to eat. I'm not talking about special occasions, where we have no control over planned menus (but there's a strategy for those times, too!). No, my subject is the every-day menu. It's no help to work ourselves into a tizzy, especially if we're just starting, dealing with a stall, fell off plan, etc. All we have to do is keep it simple.

The real secret is in those three little words. I have a few more to share (please take your pick which you like best!): Make it so. Just do it. Stay on plan. Kick the carbs.

Ok, so how to keep it simple? The answer features three easy tips to remember.

1) Eat clean.
Focus on real fats and proteins first, with a small helping of lc veggies for lunch and/or dinner. That means real foods, no lc or 'sugar free' snacks, whether store-bought or homemade, no sugar-free ice cream, and no nitrates, sulfates, or aspartame. An extra tip: For the first two weeks of low-carbing, totally avoid nutmeats. (Nutmeats are good for us, but it's very easy to over-indulge.)

2) Eat to satisfaction, not to the point of being stuffed.
If you're truly hungry between meals, eat a small protein snack with a full glass of cold water or with a cup of tea with half-n-half or real whipping cream, or brewed, natural green tea lemon. [Whatever you do, please avoid starving yourself - that sets up your metabolism for Starvation Mode. Ask me how I know.] Want a sweetener with your tea? Try natural stevia...there's a lot of scary news about aspartame out there (just search the Net!).

3.) Take your vitamins!
(For general ideas on what you will need, please see the sidebar for "Do You Know What Your Supplements Are?")

Due to my own experience, my honest opinion comes down to this: The 'simpler' we keep the menus, the 'easier' we hit our goals for health and fitness. If we get too wrapped up over 'what' we are going to eat for our daily meals, we might talk ourselves right out of our healthy resolutions. Sure, eating is meant to be enjoyable, but who says simple can't be good?

After all, we can save the lc treats for very special occasions - and I mean very special. After all, a treat is supposed to be a rare thing, not a regular indulgence.

Dr. Atkins once said 'just one bite' of a 'treat' is the kiss of death to everything so far accomplished. It can and probably will take one full week - yes, seven days - for our quirky metabolisms to get chugging again. Who needs the agony of self-recrimination? "I can't believe I ate the whole thing." Some people accept what happened, accept the consequences and get right back on track; others have a much more difficult time, falling into the same old traps repeatedly.

I have a simple solution for that one: Imagine a huge skull and cross bones on that 'treat' - and nip that temptation right in the proverbial bud. Then laugh at that stupid 'goodie' and think, "Hah! Lead me not into temptation" - and walk away. We are definitely strong enough to refuse the poison - and we're worth it, too!

Our real aim is proper nutrition to force our whacky metabolisms into working as they should, which means adequate calories (1200 being the absolute lowest for a woman, 1800 for a man), enough fat intake for the thyroid, enough protein to maintain the body's repair systems (so "Ye Olde Metabolism" won't dig into our own protein and muscle reserves, which is bad news), and a lot less carbs to force the metabolism to draw on its fat reserves.

After all, people, this is war! War against Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome or insulin resistance - different names for what is essentially the same metabolic issue. How we plan our lc menus greatly depends on how much we want to win all the battles. The direct, simple approach works beautifully. Even if one battle in the war is longer than we expected, we should have every intention of winning the whole war with flying colors, wild fanfare and lots of trumpets!

For those interested in 'keeping it simple,' I'm happy to share an example of today's menu (which is also quite appropriate for Atkins Induction):

B: 3 hb eggs, 2 slices of fried hard salami, 12 oz. black tea with 3 tbsp. half-n-half

L: 2 cups lettuce, 6 oz. chicken, 2 tbsp. cheddar cheese, 2 tbsp. real bacon bits, 1 condiment pkg of full-fat ranch dressing

D: Ditto lunch plus 1 slice baked bacon

Liquids for the day: 135 oz. water and 12 oz. tea with half-n-half. (Oh, and a few Sugar-Free Rockstars!)

Vitamins and Minerals: Micro-K (Potassium), Vitamin E, Vitamin B Plus (Super B's), Acetyl Carnitine, etc.

Totals:
Calories 1693
Fat Grams 109
Carb Grams 15 total (not net)
Protein Grams 147

For the low-carb lifestyle, those are good numbers...they are not too low, not too high, but 'just right.' (Alright...Say goodnight, Goldilocks!) :>

An Invite to Readers of This Blog - Aka Followers

Having just added the Followers option (top right margin) to this blog, I'd like to invite those of you who regularly check this blog to add yourself as a Follower!

Should you also have a low-carb blog, too, please join the Followers list of Delightful Designs of the Divine Miss M...and I'll return the favor!

In a world wherein the "low-carb lifestyle" is still viewed with a jaundiced eye, those of us who know the great health benefits of low-carbing really have to stick together!

My Renewed Focus on Fitness

As of the first Monday of February 2009, my goal is not only healthy, low-carb menus but a renewed focus on exercise. The last few months of my life didn't allow for any kind of regular exercise. It really didn't, because there were various, legitimate setbacks. That's the way I look at them - just setbacks.

Focusing on EFGT (Eat Fat, Get Thin) had good results - to a degree. That is, I lost 14.6 lbs. total - three times in just a little two weeks. The scale simply wouldn't go lower. In fact, it bounced. Every Saturday, I hit the same number. On Sunday, the scale number bounces right up. No change in the woe, no cheating. And it takes days to get that 3 lb. overnight bounce off. I don't blame EFGT for that problem. No, something else is going on, and it's been going on for well over a year!

Since the end of November 2007, the 'stall-gain' has been my "Never-Ending Story." Well, it's time for that story to end! Not only am I tired of it, I'm sure those who read this blog are tired of hearing about it. Either way, that doesn't seem fair - and you know, it really isn't.

Obviously, the low-carb lifestyle offers all kinds of great health benefits. Slower weight loss, as one approaches goal, is expected. However, no weight or no inches lost or, even worse, stall-gains for welll over a year is plain insulting and downright demoralizing! Some time ago, I concluded this finickety body must have reached a point where it needs increased exercise, even as I alternate it.

Though I reached that conclusion awhile back, I did not want to act on it. That is because I tried the alternate route before (alternating exercises from toning to cardio, etc.) - and it didn't work for me. I hurt myself when switching to toning/cardio exercises, even though I followed instructions at a local workout place. The 'hurt' was not due to incorrectly performing the exercises. Nope - it seems fibromyalgia was the real cause.

Even though I previously worked out faithfully for 5 months, building myself up for the next phase of exercise, it seems I can't handle machines, even set at the lowest weights. Fibro muscles can manage them for awhile but not for long (in my case, within one short week of M-W-F workouts, I was experiencing severe breast tissue pain. Doc says the tissues were inflamed from the toning exercises. It took a month to recover!).

Seeking an alternative, I discovered Callenetics. They don't hurt me. Yep, I feel the muscles stretching, but the next day there is only very mild soreness. That, I can handle. Callenetics are challenging, providing a total body workout that stretches muscles first. There are no pulsing movements but graceful and steady 'holds' of position. Once I finish a set, I find myself totally relaxed and ready for sleep.

That said, I'm not an afecionado of workout DVD's. Maybe it has to do with doing exercises in the house. I prefer to go out and 'do something.' Still, preferences about where to exercise don't matter if I can't get any exercise accomplished!

So one thing at a time. First, I'm going to start anew with my favorite exercise, and alternate it with something different. My ultimate goal is to exercise each day. For now, it might be every other day, to let my muscles rest and repair between workouts. I'm not going to worry too much about time, but my goal is at least 1/2 hour of daily, focused exercise - steady walking, Callentics, or water exercises. I'm also seriously looking into Zumba, because that's my idea of plain, old-fashioned fun!

I admit I don't like the idea of lots of exercise, and I'll say why:

First, I'm a regular Jane, who must take something from her day to get that exercise done. (Believe me, if I could live in a sunny, low-humidity state and swim and exercise in the pool all day, while my personal chef made our family's healthy, low-carb meals, and my nanny watched the kids, and a tutor taught them at home, that would be my equivalent of earthly paradise.)

Second, I do ponder the future and wonder if I will have to not only exercise daily but will eventually have to increase it. That's a scary thought. How will I get the time to do it?

Housework, unfortunately, isn't enough exercise. Walking up the steps a few times a day doesn't quite get it, nor does standing at the sink washing or drying dishes, and that sort of thing. On the other hand, low-carbing and my self-designed Water Workouts now allow me to stand at that sink without pain. Ditto with the steps (even though I still creak at the knees!). And I can walk now, standing straight up - without a cane. No cane, very little pain. I couldn't do that before low-carbing and thrice-weekly Water Workouts. The point is that I refuse to lose all the good I've "gained."

So...alternate the exercise it is! I know, too, that exercise has to get one to the point of a windedness. (Not gasping for air, but just enough so that one can only speak a few words as one exercises. Then you know you're pushing yourself to the right limit.)

Anyway, regular exercise (along with low-carbing) is the goal for this month. I figure 14.6 lbs. in a few weeks is very good, but seeing that scale jump right up 2 more lbs. on February 1st got me plain mad. Mad as in very determined.

As the old saying goes: When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

The Magic Shot: True or Not?

Well, today's news is a thrilling experience for me. It makes me wonder about something called "The Magic Shot."

"The Magic Shot" is the name of a theory regarding weight loss results between first time low-carbers and 'returning' low carbers. That theory states first-time low carbers do wonderfully well as they start out ("The Magic Shot"), but that "returns" - that is, individuals who started lowcarbing, lost some weight, left the lifestyle and then eventually returned to it - don't experience the same success the second time around. In other words, the theory says "returns" will lose the fat but not at the same rate as they did the first time. Hence, first time low-carbers are warned not to blow "The Magic Shot."

I don't know if my 19 day "hiatus" from low-carbing (after living the lc-ing lifestyle since May 2007) applies to that Magic Shot "rule." Perhaps those 19 days was just long enough (but not too long) to convince my metabolism that I was up to no good - for good. If so, I'm glad it's been tricked!

Since re-starting just 2 days ago with EFGT (Eat Fat, Get Thin), I have already lost 7 lbs.! Now that's the sort of loss 'newbie' low-carbers usually experience. However, I can't say that happened to me. Way back when, I did lose an average of a pound a day. In fact, I dropped about 28 lbs. back in May 2007, a loss which I still regard as incredible. Then I hit the infamous 3 (or 4) week "stall."

I've also read that lowcarbers will find that returning to 'regular' or 'normal' eating (while calorie counting) - for a very short time, perhaps a week or two - can reverse "stall gains" or kill plateaus. Maybe that's what did it. Nineteen days of 'normal' eating, and then sliding easily into a 'lower carb" lifestyle of 65 grams might have kicked the metabolism where it needed to be kicked.

Hmmm. All these "if's, and's or but's" can get confusing. But that is also why I'm not afraid to tweak or try something 'new' when it comes to low-carbing, like rotating carbs and fats. Those of us who discovered we need to low-carb for health and fitness have that one thing in common. Still, just because we know low-carbing is our answer does not mean we are metabolic equals. What works for me may work for you, or it may not.

I maintain that low-carbing is not the same for everybody. Some can use one lc plan and stick with it and get to goal, with nary a problem. Some can stick with, for example, South Beach and experience wonderful progress and success. Others could never tolerate the carbs allowed on SB and so follow Atkins or Protein Power. Some of us - like me - have to experiment with various low-carb plans by rotating them, because we get stuck in one place for too long a time. There is the difference between men and women. Everybody knows that men will lose fat quicker than women. Not fair but it's a scientific fact. The differences between two low-carbing women can be just as great as between a man and a woman. We have to find out if we must be tweakers or not. I already know I have to tweak, and it can drive me crazy. I'd much rather stick with one plan. But that is now how my metabolic dice rolled...

So after 19 months of low-carbing (with 12 of those months one mean stall, along with its evil fraternal twin brother - the intermittent stall-gain), I went "off plan" because I was heart-sick, tired, and fed up. I can't say I was calorie-counting during that time, because I was not keeping a food log. I had walked away from all that, taking a total break from my usual low-carb routine, which usually includes weighing myself right away plus faithfully recording activity and menus in FitdayPC.

I can say I did not go overboard with 'normal' eating. However, as mentioned in a previous post, I did eat things I usually avoid like the plague.

Restarting with EFGT seems to be a good choice for me. Of course, it is too soon to tell but I am elated anyway! Perhaps this woe will help me figure what in the world has been going on the past year. Perhaps I need even more fats that I thought I did. Or perhaps it is because I took in most of my proteins, fats and carbs first thing in the morning, lessening the amounts with the remaining two meals of the day. That is because I followed the EFGT recommendation, which goes like this:

In the morning, eat like a king. At lunch (or dinner, as it is also called), eat like a prince. For supper, eat like a pauper.

My daily protein intake is about the same (90 grams, since I decided to try the higher end of the EFGT guidelines. On EFGT, my lowest daily protein gram intake should be about 70). With Protein Power, the recommended protein gram amt. was 120 grams but I have long cycled between 90-120 grams. The highest amount of EFGT carb grams (65) are more than my usual low-carb intake (20-30). Fat grams were 75 and 85, respectively, over the last two days - technically, I should have had much more on EFGT. I think that, when I lower the daily carb grams, I'll up the fats.

Actually, I'm quite surprised at the good results so far. That surprise is not due to the woe, but to the way my metabolism has been misbehaving the last few months. I honestly didn't expect such quick results!

Naturally, I'll stick with it as long as it works (let's hope it lasts for at least a few weeks!). I still have the same goal to lose 8-10 lbs. a month. I would bet money that scale losses will significantly slow down after that (please, Lord, not before). I'll be fine with that if the inches start to defrag themselves and keep defragging. :)

During this quiet time in January, I think I'll again re-read all my low-carb books, too. Every time I go through them, I find gems that didn't apply to me before but may be what I need now.

Know what I mean, sugar-free jellybean?

The Boomerang Diet: A Losing Battle

I see there have been comments to some of my previous posts, so I hope that this update answers a few of the questions received.

First, I should reiterate that, yes, I really lost 100 lbs. from May 2007 to November 2007. (Sometimes, I can barely believe it myself.) After that, it was a roller-coaster, so to speak. I usually stayed in the same lb. range, but I could (and did) easily gain weight all through winter, usually about 10 lbs. up and then down. As I've said before, the gains were not due to cheating. It just seems I've hit 'the plateau' - and how!

Through the summer of 2008, I tried different tips and tweaks, including Zero Carb. The result was a slight drop but then it would come right back. Mentally, I began to call my lifestyle of diet and exercise "The Boomerang Diet." You know how that one goes, right? You stay on plan and then ---you lose, you gain, you lose, you gain. The weight you lost keeps coming back to you, just like a boomerang. Get it?

It seemed my body kept re-setting the number at which it wanted to stay, so that my total fat loss was 95 lbs. I'd get back to 97 lbs. lost, and then the boomerang hit again. Sometimes the boomerang effect was over-kill. The scale wasn't budging downward and neither was the measuring tape.

Going upward - ah, that was way too easy!

From this past October thru December (2008), it was the same story. I fought back like the dickens but, once the early snow began in October, it's been a losing battle (no pun intended). If you read this blog, you know that snow and high humidity get me with water retention, every time. As you can imagine, I was really disgusted when the scale kept going up.

After my late November surgery, I gained 10 more lbs. in one week, just by eating chicken noodle soup and, once or twice a day, regular soda (clear liquids). Water wasn't getting it at that time, and I figured regular soda was better than aspartame-laced soda, but...Talk about carb intolerance and insulin sensitivity! Then I got sick for the holidays and throughout the holidays. I'm only now beginning to regain some strength.

Frankly, at that point, I almost gave up with the low-carbing. I never thought it would happen to me, but it did. After 1 year and 7 months of steady low-carbing, I threw in the towel, although I promised myself it would be temporary.

On Christmas Day, my attitude was plain and to-the-point: "To heck with this," and I decided to stop weighing myself every day, stop lowcarbing for awhile and just eat "normally." When I say 'normally,' I do not mean going wild in the kitchen and leaving a path of empty, tossed bags of carby junk behind me. I just ate like people without Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X do - you know, people who don't have certain health issues. That means I ate a bagel with my eggs and sausage one day, or I added toast another day. I had a cup of mashed potatoes with dinner a few times. I had soup with little bow-tie noodles. Once I had pasta. Another day I had pizza; it wasn't satisfying - that I can say, so I said no more of that. I ate nutmeats when and as I wanted them, and also some baked goods like banana bread. Usually I ate just twice a day. It wasn't alot but it was enough to do some damage. And I did that up until this past weekend, but all the time I was worrying about it.

End result: I gained 10 more lbs. Total weight gain since October 1: About 40 lbs.!

And you know what? I didn't need the scale to tell me. I can feel it. My newer and smaller clothes are uncomfortably snug, my face is rounder, and I feel 'wobbly' and 'jiggly' in places that should not wobble or jiggle.

So enough of that. Sure, I had to have surgery and then I got sick with some nasty virus...those were setbacks. Yes, I've been grieving and worrying, and I still am. Yet I know that those whom I loved and who loved me, and those still here who also love me and who I love, too, would not want me to lose the health I've so far regained.

As of Sunday just passed, I realized that I will not have a defeatist attitude. Instead, this will be my view of the whole situation: I had to let go for awhile, so I could "spit on my hands" and get a better grip.

There is also this reality: Even if I never get to my dream goal, sticking with the 95 lb. loss is much healther than slowly regaining all that weight. Do I want to be in constant pain again, perpetually walk hunched over again because my herniated disks can't stand the strain of all that weight, use a cane and wheelchair again, have high blood pressure again, endure GERDS again, and have to take meds again? No. Never "again"!

So here's my plan. I'm re-starting just like I did in May 2007 but this time, I know a bit more than I did then, like...

-I know how to cycle or 'rotate' carbs.
-I know about drinking clear water, and how much I need to drink.
-I know the lemon water trick, too, and I know the carbs are negligible, especially when one thinks of all its benefits.
-I know that I have to change my exercise routine every 3 weeks, because the body is a smart cookie (oops, sorry) and catches on to energy output and input.
-I know there are certain natural supplements that help me - alot.
-I know many other 'tricks and tips.'
-In other words, I know how to live a low-carb lifestyle and I know how 'shake it up.'

As the old saying goes: Knowledge is power!

The first step is simply to start and to start simply - just by eating low carb. As I regain my strength and even more motivation, I'll restart with my favorite form of exercise - water aerobics! I would love to get in the water every day, but the weather here is not conducive to 'water workouts.' In the winter, I have to make sure my hair is completely dry and give all the body pores time to close before I leave the community center, otherwise I will get sick. That's just the way it is.

If the weather doesn't cooperate, then I'll go to Exercise Plan B: Callenetics. They really do work on stretching and strengthening the muscles! They're also very relaxing. I'll do Callenetics for 3 weeks (and pray that winter passes quickly so I can return to the water), and then I'll rotate to a completely different form of exercise, like weight training.

Yesterday, my woe was EFGT (Eat Fat, Get Thin)...and I lost 2 lbs as of this morning. Today I planned on doing Protein Power. However, after looking at today's food log, I realize it was still EFGT. That's ok...the important thing is that I have started anew.

Who knows? After a few days of EFGT, I may just try Lindora.

How's that for a "shake up plan"?

Another Way to Cycle (with Stillman Plans)

Here's the scoop. During a five-month bout of stall-gains (a term a fellow low-carber shared with me, which means we not only stall but the scale tends to easily bounce up), I knew I had to be patient and stick with my low-carb lifestyle, no matter what.

As far as I could ascertain, my lengthy battle was due to the winter season. I'm quite serious, since there is no other explanation. To add insult to injury, my chronic inflammatory conditions seemed to be the real culprits. The result: Water retention, with a vengeance. I won't go into all the details, but I researched, tried every trick in the low-carb books, and even had to resort to Lasix, a loop diuretic. Since I didn't want to continue on any form of medication, due to side effects and drops in my potassium levels, I looked for additional natural methods to combat water retention and found the lemon water miracle.

By April 14, I had been busy with a writing project, which kept me in front of the computer (and on my duff) over 12 hours a day for two weeks. Although I stayed on plan, the weight was catching up with me - again. So on April 15, I took what I perceive as a drastic measure. I decided to try the Stillman's 14 Day Shape Up Program.

Within 9 days, I had dropped 15 lbs.!

I've been asked how I exactly did it. First, although I didn't plan it this way, I ended up experimenting by kicking off with the basic Stillman's plan, which means unlimited lean proteins, no added fats, and no veggies - nada, zilch, zip.

The reason I did that was to find out if it was true that 'practically zero' carbs plus no added fats means faster weight loss.

Yep, it's true.

The first day, I dropped a lb. The next day, I dropped 5.4 lbs. overnight. Talk about a Whooshie!

Now here's an interesting tidbit: The minute I noticed the loss slowed down on any given morning, that's the day I switched to Stillman's 14 Day Shape Up program. For me, that meant adding one small, plain salad to lunch and dinner. Doing that resulted in a better scale loss the next day, upon which I immediately resumed the basic Stillman's woe.

When the weight loss slowed again, I did exactly the same thing: One day of the 14 Day Shape Up program, then returning to basic Stillman's the very next day.

A few Divine Tips to follow a similar cycle with great success:
-Pull back on caffeine. Although I had completely broken the habit last spring, once winter hit full force, I started drinking hot black tea again. So it was back to weaning myself off caffeine, limiting myself to one 12 oz. cup in the morning.

-Take at least the basic vitamins and supplements, as outlined in my blog entry, "Do You Know What Your Supplements Are?"

-Use very small amounts of virgin olive oil in a spritzer for home-made "Pam" spray; it's a much healther course to use minimal amounts of real fats than no fats.

-Drink up! Drink green tea, hot or cold, or green tea with fresh lemon (good for the liver and kidneys) and, if desired, use stevia as a sweetener. I recently found Arizona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng (which uses Splenda and not aspartame), so I drank that occasionally but mainly focused on plain, cold water. (That is because I completely avoid aspartame, and try my best to also avoid Splenda. Why? It's chlorinated sugar, which means bleached sugar - done to remove carbs - but what is it adding to our bodies? Avoid diet sodas like the plague!) Keeping the body absolutely permeated with clear liquids is an absolute must while on an all-protein cycle.

-Keep the meals basic and simple. Whenever possible, eat small but frequent meals. By small, I mean a few eggs in the morning, 4-6 oz. of some favorite lean protein a few hours later, another lean protein snack 2-3 hours after that, etc. Doing so helps the metabolism adjust, keeps hunger at bay, keeps glucose levels steady, and keeps the mind focused on your goal --- and that's where the real battle of the bulge takes place!

-If feeling a bit shaky or light-headed, immediately eat a small green salad with an unlimited amount of lean protein and your favorite dressing (preferably low carb, high fat). If that is not possible, eat a few slices of real cheese (not processed cheese food) and plenty of water.

-Alternate every other day between whole (preferably organic) brown eggs and Eggbeaters (or egg whites from the organic brown eggs).

-On the days you incorporate a 1 cup green salad, consider using 1 tbsp. of a full-fat salad dressing, not a low-fat version (since low-fat dressings include higher carbs). If you prefer the low-fat version, keep it to "just enough" - don't drizzle the salad!

-Enjoy a 4 oz. sugar-free gelatin cup either between meals or right after them. (Limit: 3 per day)

-Take it easy with the exercise. Stillman's recommended only two 15 minute light exercise routines, morning and evening...like a casual stroll, stretching, that sort of thing. This is not the time to jog, walk miles at high speed, etc. It is a good time to enjoy an easy bicycle ride, do 15 minutes of Callanetics, or other slow, easier exercises.

My plan is to finish the 14 days of alternating between the two Stillman programs, then cycling to the Protein Power Life Plan for two weeks, then back to the two Stillman woe's for another two weeks.

If this works, I'll be at my dream goal before I know it!

The Magical Wish List: Reasons to Low Carb, 1-10

Less than a year ago, when I decided I would restart low-carbing and make it a success, no matter how often my health might set me back, I began compiling a list of wishes, reasons, goals, and successes to keep me inspired! As time goes by, I add to that list. For those new to low-carbing (as well as for those who are thinking about it), the following points came from my original list:

1. I want to look and feel better. That includes getting off all my current meds, avoiding diabetes and other serious health problems, not to mention being able to walk up and down stairs without my heart bursting out of my chest.

2. I want both my husband and I to make it to a healthy old age - together!

3. I want to be able to run (or at least walk really, really fast) or bicycle with our youngest child, who has no memories of a somewhat healthier mommy, as do his older siblings.

4. I want to dance as I once did- cuz, honey, could I dance!

5. I want to be known for myself, not for my weight.

6. I never want to be embarrassed again about any pictures taken of me.

7. Never, ever again do I want to sit in a wheelchair, due to arthritis and fibromyalgia or any health problems, when I need or want to walk some distance.

8. I want to feel like the real me instead of feeling as though life might as well be over for me because I'm always sick and tired. Yes, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired!

9. It would be a novelty to feel some sense of satisfaction each time I do look into a mirror. (Ok, I admit it: Vanity, thy name is Woman!)

10. It would be nice to wear a nice dress and know I am not just "looking neat and clean," but lookin' pretty good.

Low Carb Feasts

When it comes to the holidays, lots of low-carbers get very nervous, and many - thinking they have no real options - prepare to cheat and then get back on track. That's called "setting yourself up" and it's so unfair to do that to yourself! Be good to yourself, will ya?

Low-carbing is so easy when it comes to a generous spread (and so elegantly decadent that others will never even know it's a low-carb feast!). The following are some ideas that provides 2 appetizers, 3 veggies, and 2 or 3 entrees...plus dessert ideas and after-dinner coffee ideas!

Appetizers
--Veggie tray (cauliflower, broccoli, parsnips instead of carrots, celery, and either cheese cubes or olives for the center section).
--Dip: Full-fat ranch or low-fat ranch (depending on what you're doing with your low-carb cycling), or a spinach/ranch dip. Imho, anything that is full-fat and low-carb is just fine!
--Deviled eggs (with real mayonnaise, NOT salad dressing that tastes like it OR with ranch dressing, or ranch dressing mixed with a bit of cream cheese to slightly thicken the mixture. After the egg yolks and mayonnaise or ranch is mixed and placed back inside the egg, sprinkle all of them with paprika, cover, and refrigerate!)
--Italian salad (mixed greens like romaine and iceberg) with cucumbers, a few tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), a few radishes or slices of pepper, and a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing. Tip: Replace real onion garlic and onion with sprinkles of onion and garlic POWDER - which is much less in carbs!
--Low-carb Italian wedding soup! Substitute the high-carb veggies of potatoes and such with celery, parsnips, green beans, fresh or frozen spinach, etc. and at least 1/2 of a "soup" chicken (with the skin on). Or use organic, boxed, full-fat chicken broth. Bring it to a gentle boil and do the egg white trick to make it Italian wedding soup. Serve hot with fresh Romano or Romano/Asiago/Parmesan cheese. Magnifico!

The Main Meal (with Side Dishes)
---Small meatballs (with either a sugar-free apricot glaze made from SF apricot preserves and a bit of lemon, or sugar-free tomato sauce). Use parmesan cheese mixed with crushed porkrinds to replace bread crumbs, and generously add oregano, basil, garlic and onion powder - less carbs that way - for the meat mix. Fry in extra virgin olive oil! Drain on paper towels before adding the sugar-free sauce or glaze of your choice.
--A whole turkey and a Virgina-baked ham (spiral, boneless, no honey or glaze, if possible)
--Home-made gravy made with Thick-n-Thin (not cornstarch)
--Or try "chicken piccatta" (boneless, skinless chicken, dredged thru an egg wash, then coated with parmesan cheese mixed with garlic powder). Saute in melted butter or in PAM (but it's better with butter) or lay in a pan lightly coated with extra virgin olive oil....tightly cover with foil and bake in a 350 F oven. Turn chicken once after 15 minutes, cover again, and finish baking for another 15-20 minutes until a light golden brown.
--Want pasta of some sort? Buy Dreamfield's somewhere on line. (I haven't yet tried it, but I hear the brand is very good)
--Want low-carb, rich and filling bread? The very best is the kind you make yourself, but it IS another option!
--Creamed faux potatoes with cream cheese OR sour cream, and salt, pepper, perhaps garlic powder and a few sprinkles of Parmesan cheese (Faux potatoes made from steamed cauliflower, which is then mashed in the food processor)
--Green Bean Almondine
--Asparagus sauted in evco (extra virgin coconut oil)

Dessert & Beverages
--After-Dinner Ideas: Low Carb Cheesecake (homemade, of course) or Low Carb Pumpkin Pie or "Mousse" or other SF (sugar-free) desserts you can make that don't contain aspartame ingredients. Any of these things (and many others) can also be made into "mini-muffin" or "torte" pans, so that you can offer trays of low-carb goodies!
--Beverages: For you, some ideas include homemade eggnog (made with Splenda and/or SF DaVinci's syrups), or SF Rock Star Energy Drinks or flavored bottled 0 carb/0 calorie water or seltzer water with slices of real lemon! (Please avoid diet soda - in my experience, not only can aspartame blow all of your best menu efforts and make us stall, it eventually can crystallize our organs! Ewwww....)
--Coffee and tea (decaff or not, your choice) can be served with half-n-half (high in calories but low in carbs - perfect for the low-carber and a very rich addition to your menu). Your guests can have it, too - but you want to use either stevia or Splenda for your own sweetener.
--You can make a great low-carb cappucino with coffee (decaff or not, your choice), real whipping cream or (believe it or not) 2 tbsps. of original Cool Whip (it's low carb!), a sprinkle of real cinnamon (not cinnamon sugar), and Splenda or stevia to taste - for yourself and/or your guests, too! Another option: 1-2 tsps. of Sugar Free Davinci's syrup instead of cinnamon...great flavors include hazelnut and amaretto.

Then when the feast is over, won't you have the greatest fun and delight, letting your guests know it was an all-low carb spread????

For those of you visiting others during the holidays, bring a dish or two from which you can eat, and also don't forget to first focus on your allowable proteins, salads, and veggies...get full on the good food first and you won't be so tempted to go off plan! (And don't forget - the dish or two you bring are YOUR appetizer or dessert backups!)

Cycling Tips!

I discovered that it is not easy to overeat on a diet that is 60% healthy fats, 25% proteins and 15% carbs. Sure, I tweak those numbers just a bit to fit my individual needs, but 60-25-30 is a good base "formula."

Cycling (or rotating) various low carb plans works wonders. Since May, I've implemented ideas from Stillman's (low-fat, all lean proteins, very low-carb), Atkins Induction, the PSMF (Protein Sparing Modified Fast, aka Rapid Fat Loss), the Schwarzbein Principle, Protein Power, and Eat Fat, Get Thin.

There's even more that I've studied, including South Beach (which - let's face it - tweaked the original Atkins plan), as well as tips from professional body-builders (like Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle and Fit Over Forty). What I find true in every instance is that every one has their own low-carb philosophy. For example, some M.D.'s think carbs are not even necessary - and they explain why. Others, like body-builders, consider a low carb woe (way of eating) to be anathema...well, most of the time.

What I do is research, research, research and tweak, tweak, tweak because I know that the metabolism catches on very quickly. It's designed to do that...so we have to be one step ahead of it if we need to slim down. (And if we're stalling, we have to think positive and stay on plan. Remember: It's always better to maintain than gain. Unless, of course, you're exercising, in which case you very well may see maintains or even steady gains. Again, that's an exercise gain of Lean Body Mass - not fat.)

These are a few tips I've learned and used, mixing and matching ideas from various sources and adding quite a few of my own:


---Log your menus and count everything - fats, carbs and proteins. Seriously. I know - I didn't want to do it, either. Yet I made myself do it. Am I glad I did! It will make all the difference in the world, months down the road, when you are analyzing what works, how you react to certain foods, how much water you really drink a day, etc. Use "The Daily Plate" or "Fitday" or any one of the free, online food diaries available. I promise, you'll find the time you put into logging goes faster every day. Besides, aren't you worth the time? Darned right you are!

---Keep daily lean protein grams to an amt. between your LBM (Lean Body Mass) and your goal wt. Another good method is to have 2-3 lean proteins at breakfast (2 eggs, 2 slices of lean Canadian bacon – because 4 small pieces of Canadian bacon is considered just 1 serving), 4-6 oz. lean protein serving at lunch, and another 4-6 oz. lean protein serving at dinner. (It's not often people want seconds on protein, but if you're honestly hungry and not just wanting to nibble, have more protein with a good fat - add a drizzle of full-fat dressing or cook your proteins in good fats. It's much better to eat the 2nd helping of protein than to have a 2nd helping of carbs - even good ones!)

---Keep it low carb. You can either start at 65 carbs per day and begin lowering the amt. (especially if you are a diabetic). Some nutritionists find that, for diabetics, 35 carb grams per day is the perfect amt. Or you can start right away with 20 carbs per day (net or total, your choice), and after 2-4 weeks, begin upping them by 5-10 gram increments. Another idea: Start with 30 total carbs per day (7-10 carbs per meal); remain at that level for 4 days, then cycle "up" to 50 carbs per day (and see how your body responds).

---Eat real foods, not convenience foods, like specialty low-carb products (for example, low-carb bars). The most important thing to do is EAT real food and heal the metabolism and hyperinsulinemia.

---Sweep the idea of even low-carb treats completely out of the mind. Treats might be fine for very special occasions, but even then be sure they are low-carb and don't over-do it. Stick with a modest serving, slowly taste it, and enjoy it. And stop right there!

---Experiment with dairy products, if you really want to. Have up to 2 servings of high-calcium milk products a day (but dairy is not a good idea if you suspect or know you have candida albicans, aka “The Yeast Syndrome”). To know serving amounts, carefully read the labels.

For example, shredded sharp cheddar cheese may state that 1 serving is ¼ cup. That means you can have a whole ¼ cup and count is as 1 serving - but be sure to count everything - protein, carbs, and fats. (Btw, 1/4 cup is just about right for your omelet or for sprinkling on a salad).

Other ideas: Have ½ cup of fat-free cottage cheese or regular cottage cheese; have 8 oz. of low-carb milk (also great for the lactose-intolerant, since the sugars have been removed), or a piece of string cheese, or 4 oz. of sugar-free yogurt or even regular, full-fat yogurt. (Some studies indicate that the good yogurt bacteria consume the sugar, so that the glucose impact from yogurt is non-existent). If you find that you are not experiencing fat loss or even gaining (while not exercising, since since exercise gains means muscle gain, and muscle is heavier than fat), then cut out the milk products for 5-7 days and see if the scale goes downward.

In my experience, low-carb yogurt (not low-fat yogurt) is a safe option but cottage cheese (low or high fat) causes maintains or slight gains. Cheese is safe, but don't go over 4 oz. a day, and if you're stalling - eradicate it from the menus until the scale moves down and keeps moving down.

---Cycle fat grams! For example, if your total fat grams have been high and if you're experiencing a stall, keep your fat gram levels between 50-60 daily grams...which is about as low as we should go. On the other side of the coin, if your fats have been too low and you're not experiencing any progress, it's time to up them. Always be ready to cycle fats up but never go way too low - our thyroids need fat to function properly, and we can easily burn them out if we keep the fat levels too low.

---Eat 4-5 mini meals (women), or (for men) 6 mini-meals.

---Use EVCO (Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: It kills yeast, bacteria and viruses! It also facilitates weight loss. The processing method to extract the coconut “oil” is important, so do purchase the extra virgin. And cook with extra virgin coconut oil. (It does wonders for skinless, boneless chicken.)

---Watch your sodium. We do need sodium in our diets, and a sprinkling of salt (sea salt, kosher salt, or potassium salt) over our main course (eggs, chicken, turkey, fish) is enough for the day. However, certain foods have very high sodium content - including but not limited to turkey pepperoni, turkey bacon, low-fat chicken broth or bouillion (cubes included), and regular bacon.

---Avoid aspartame completely! It's a terrible health risk, and it also can stall your wt. loss.

---Avoid nitrates. These are primarily found in processed meats, like bacon and deli luncheon meats (cold-cuts).

---Consume more than enough water ever day. 64 oz. a day (eight 8-oz. glasses) is just a bottom line estimate. The more weight one needs to lose, the more clear water one needs to drink every day. A 100 oz. limit, consumed throughout the day, is the minimum amt.

---Don't be afraid to cycle or rotate various low-carb woes or a combo of low-carb/controlled proteins diets (Atkins, Stillman’s, Protein Power, Eat Fat/Get Thin, etc.) This takes some experimentation and careful logging on your part, but that dedication helps you discover how your body reacts to certain foods, fats, protein and carb amounts.

The Weather and Your Weight

Plateaus...
Halts....
Stalls...

Or “stall-gains” (as one smart lady on a low-carb board once phrased it). Stall-gains can do a real number on your mindset, as I can personally attest. A stall-gain means that, despite your best efforts at low-carbing and exercise, there is no progress on the scale except an upward trend and little or no progress with inches lost, either.

Whatever one calls it, it’s the bane of low-carbing. For that matter, it's the bane of any healthy eating style in which one aims to improve that health and get a little bit (or a lot of bit!) trimmer. But it is never an excuse to give up!

The definition of a bona fide stall or plateau means no loss in both weight and inches for at least 4 consecutive weeks or longer. (We can “halt” or even increase on the scale, while building up LBM – Lean Body Mass - while at the same time we’re losing inches! That doesn't qualify as a plateau or stall; it would qualify for what I call an "exercise gain," but that's a good thing.)

A halt is just what it seems to be: a temporary "halt" of progress on the scale, usually just a matter of days. Those are nothing to worry about!

When nothing else works to break the true and dreaded plateau, there are other matters to research (but that’s a topic for a future article). If it's not the diet or medication or supplements or exercise, the "trouble" could be something I've not yet found seriously addressed in any of the popular low carb resources: the weather.

Based on my personal experience, as well as observing what is happening to most low-carbers during the winter months, I offer the humble opinion that we either slow down or completely halt if we live where ever there is true winter (snow, ice, freezing rain). The halts and the true plateaus inevitably hit everyone at least once when the inclement weather starts. The “stall-gains” seem to be a matter of adding insult to injury.

In reality, however, there’s no insult and no injury done – as long as we’re sticking to the plan. All of the other benefits we’ve already experienced are still ours...so consider it a rest-stop on the low-carb journey. (You may have no choice on how long that rest lasts; your only choice is to stay on plan and wait!)

Btw: On this topic, I am not taking "cheats" into consideration. Cheats, by their very name and nature, explain gains and stalls. However, as a member of various low-carb boards, I’ve observed that there is more inclination to veer off the low-carb plan during the winter.

But why?

It's not only due to boredom, though that's often the case. Suddenly, there are more questions about “falling out of ketosis” or concerns about suddenly increased appetite. We may find ourselves actually wanting more protein, or more fat, or (egads!) more carbs – with the latter being the worst culprit to immediate wt. gain.

It very well may be an instinctual thing to suddenly want to eat more once the winter weather hits. Even though resisting that desire, as I do, the plateaus or bounces (“stall-gains”) may continue.

After literally trying every trick in the low-carb book(s), my conclusion is that the metabolism puts the winter survival mechanism into high gear. That means the metabolism adjusts to keep the fat on the ole bod, in order to help us survive the winter.

Again, that's only a theory (mine) and it’s one I cannot prove, since I don't have low-carb volunteers or a lab at my disposal. Yet it's as good a theory as any.

So what to do?

Stick with it anyway! Using an old maxim but giving it a low-carb spin: We have everything to gain and nothing to lose if we abandon the low carb lifestyle. When we go off plan, we'll very easily gain weight within a day or two (and we’ll keep gaining if we continue veering off the low carb path). We’ll also gain the high blood pressure, the lack of energy, the headaches, the bloated, upset tummies, the GERDS, the over-all “blahs,” etc., etc., etc.!

In other words: When we go off plan, we'll lose every benefit for which we worked all the months before!

Conclusion: It's simply not worth it!

The winter must end eventually...and I choose to greet spring at the same constant wt. (or very close to it) rather than with a substantial regain, not to mention lack of self-esteem, energy that goes with it!

It might be darned hard to wait all these months to break a plateau or see any losses that stick, but I'll be darned if I'm going to give up the race now when I've made 2/3 of the journey!

Not only that, I figure the Whoosh Fairy will have a lot of lost time for which she must make amends. After all, she has not kept to her part of the bargain! (And I fully intend to see she does!) :>

Mind over Matter

It's funny how various things pull themselves together in one's mind, steering one to a particular course of action.

A few positive or negative remarks, the course of the weather, how matters are going at home or work, a certain tune on the radio, the scent of the air that promises something good...all these things, and more, possess the ability to affect our mindset.

Notice I said "possess the ability;" I didn't say they always did affect our mindset.

In the past few weeks, I've been receiving many nice compliments. It's amazing, actually. But that is not what suddenly rejuvenated me. I've been low-carbing since May (after many attempts for the past 10 years!) and never have I had such success.

What motivates me is my mind, which affects the will. Late last winter, I reached a point - a rather low one actually - when I said to Self, "That's it. No more. No more sickness, no more pain, no more inability to even walk through my own house, no more frustration, no more humiliation. I don't care what it takes, but I am going to get better!"

That was my first goal - just getting better. But with that goal was its twin - losing the weight which has piled on, not without notice, and which always had its way with me. I can't relate with those who say the weight piled on and they didn't notice; nor can I relate with those who say they can't control themselves. Self-control was not my problem.

The problem is that I have hyperinsulinemia. As far as I can tell, I've likely had it since entering puberty (which is when I went from slim to slightly chubby to chubby). That was in the 1970's, and who knew of hyperinsulemia then? Even today, hyperinsulinemia is not well-acknowledged, even among health care professionals. In my experience, those who do acknowledge it either say "Fine, try low carb" but they offer no real support or advice or they say one can't actually live the low-carb lifestyle.

Wanna bet?

My low-carb journey began in January 1997, when I came across Dr. Robert Atkin's book, The "New" Diet Revolution. Its opening paragraphs were a revelation to me; the questions he asked (and the answers he provided) were directed at me. Here was a doctor who believed me when I stated I didn't binge, overeat, or otherwise overly indulge in food.

So I began low-carbing. I dropped 15 lbs. in 3 weeks, and then discovered I was expecting. End of low-carbing - for then, anyway.

I tried low-carbing again many times, and I was always determined. Something "bad" always happened to stop me, usually illness. What was wrong with me? Fibromyalgia, for starters. "Mild" lupus, as a specialist diagnosed it ("mild" meaning no renal involvement so far). Chronic bronchitis and asthma, resulting in bouts of pneumonia almost every winter. Symptoms of osteo-arthritis but nothing definitely showed with blood tests. Yet arthritis or the fibro explained the increasing pain in my neck and lower back. My children were still young (from teen to new-born) and, with my husband's grueling work hours, I had no free time for regular exercise. What I didn't know then was that "normal" exercise didn't help.

Docs say push thru the pain and exercise by bicycling, walking, resistance training, and cardio. Yes, I tried it all - and it only made my pain worse.

About a year ago, I finally managed to talk my doctor into ordering an MRI. It diagnosed two herniated disks, with a third one ready to go, and narrowing of the "horse's tail" (the main nerves in the lower back which "trunk" into a "Y" shape, down into the legs.) My doctor's recommendation? "There's a wheelchair in your future...I'd say within 5 years."

That did it. Due to the excruciating pain in my lower back, I was already leaning heavily on a cane. Standing upright was impossible. A bona fide walk of any kind was out of the question; it caused too much pain. There were occasions before and after that diagnosis in which I was forced to use a wheelchair. But I was not going to live like that if I could help it!

It took a few months to find what to do, because trouble always comes in pairs or trios. My mom's health took a turn for the worse; after that two-month emergency, my symptoms became worse. Stress does that to fibromyalgics. It took a few months to recover, both in mind and body. I hit rock-bottom and the only way to go was even further down or work my way out of that black hole of illness and pain.

I chose to go up.

The answer, as I discovered, was not just correct low-carb nutrition, but "cycling" carbs, fats and proteins - along with various natural supplements and water exercise. I don't mean aerobics; I mean gentle stretching and strengthening, like the movements one learns in drama class (called "movement") or ballet. In the water.

Water movement ("exercises") gave me what I consider a miracle. When in the water, I am always moving, always stretching, always conditioning. I don't do an imitation of a talking buoy; I don't jump around, trying to increase my heart rate. The first thing are the stretching and strengthening movements. That's my key to lessening and finally eradicating the pain from fibromyalgia.

The winter is not kind to fibromyalgics and arthritics, because the fluctuating barometer increases inflammation. For me, that means pain, outright water retention and "weight gain," which is not fat but all water. Living in a cold weather state makes it difficult to get into a pool every day, even if one has a local community center. Mine isn't that local; it's a 30 minute drive, both ways. Add to that the time in the pool (1.5 hours, every other day), shower time, complete drying time (otherwise I'll get very sick), and we're talking 4 hours given to "water therapy" - but it more than worth the time!


There were days this winter I simply couldn't make it to the center. Eventually, the bad weather turned those days into weeks...and gradually, the pain, stiffness, and other distressing fibromyalgia symptoms returned. Fortunately, my mind was prodding me - I simply had to get moving in the water again. I had to make the time. It was either that or...well, I decided months ago that the alternative is not an option.

Then spring left its calling card yesterday....the lovely scents on the air and higher temperature of the air allured. I thought of the coming summer, about how far I've come, and how much I want to keep the benfits I have...and keep increasing the benefits, too.

It really is a situation of "mind over matter." The first thing we must make our own is the right mental attitude. Despite setbacks, whatever they may be, never give in and never give up!

So I returned to my Water Workout last night...and I think I'll start using the indoor track or the treadmill on other days. If I can't get to the center every day, then at home I'll do gentle Callanetics and light resistance bands.

Something has to give, and it's not going to be ME!