TACO SALAD

TACO SALAD

In the bottom is lettuce leafs, with tomato and cucumber chopped, cooked ground meat spiced with taco spicing, grated cheese and topped of with mayo curls.

This was supper tonight good on the taste buds and stomach!

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

I would have loved to say yes there was a WEIGHT LOSS! But no nothing new. But hoping once this plateau breaks it will be a good drop.

BREAKFAST was 2 fried eggs at home with coffee and cream and then I went to a birthday brunch at 10h00. I knew I had to eat something early otherwise I will fall for all the carbs out. At the party I had spinach and egg quiche with tomato, olives, cucumber and feta cheese. The cake was tempting.... but I stood strong :)

I got home at 14h00 and had a few pieces of turkey cold meat wrapped around dots of mayonnaise.

SUPPER tonight was tacos with flour tortillas for my family and I made a taco salad for me. Lettuce, tomato, ground meat taco spiced, cheese and mayonnaise. It was so yummy!

I'm packing again as our family will be leaving early tomorrow morning to go on a camping trip in the "boendoes" with our church for the weekend. People will cook for us and I know there will be lots of carbs as it is a cheaper food. I'm taking along some cucumbers and cheese wedges. As it can stay without a fridge and can be filling when in need.

As there will be no internet I will be back Sunday evening online again. Have a wonderful  few days ahead LOW CARBING. Know that PERSEVERANCE is the only way to reach a goal...... slowly persevering does it too!!!!!!

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

I think I have come into the usual of Low Carbing, it is really getting easier and easier. The food is great! It is even easier to say no to cookies, bread and sugar. The hardest part is the weight loss plateaus every few weeks. It takes so much perseverance for me to push through then. I see a pattern of not loosing for a few days and then suddenly I will loose almost a kilogram in two days and then again the plateau. I look back and am grateful for the 12 and a half kilogram I have shed..... Looking forward to the next 9 kilogram before I reach my goal.

My weight has been up and down the last week. This morning it was very close to my lowest point of 73.6 hoping to pass that tomorrow morning. 

I did go on my morning exercise today. I did a great speed walking with my Nordic sticks. 
Exercise is pure discipline for me..... on my morning walk out this morning I realized how without exercise and eating a healthy diet I'm robbed of energy and a desire to live my life to the fullest. How it steals from who I was made to be..... stealing from my calling.... why I was made and live here on earth.... WOW this was quite the eye opener.... Why taking good care of my "temple" adds to my life... I was made for a purpose I do not want to miss that, I do not want to look back one day and suffer... being disappointed because I could have done more to keep this "temple" and life shining for HIm....

BREAKFAST today was a treat from my daughter a 2 egg omelette with tomato, feta and sprinkle of cheese. With coffee and cream. 

LUNCH was a chicken breast in the microwave with turkey ham and cheese with a dot of sweet chili sauce. I had a mixed salad of cucumber, tomato and pickles on the side. 

Had 2 cubes of dark chocolate for dessert. 

SUPPER was chicken soup. I know in this heat! I had the broth and had to bring it to good use. I added some broccoli, mushrooms and zucchini. NOt the most exciting of suppers but good nutrition for Low Carbing.  

Living a LOW CARB LIFESTYLE

WHAT IS A LOW CARB LIFESTYLE?

I dropped this question on my family the other day. What is a lifestyle? The answers were: "A way of living every day. A way of living portraying certain values and beliefs."

I would say living a LOW CARB LIFESTYLE is: "A way of eating, living low carb without it being a joy stealer. There is freedom and full knowledge living this lifestyle." I would love to hear what your opinion is on what a Low Carb Lifestyle is.

I must say eating Low Carb has been a way of dieting/loosing weight that has been a real pleasure. I love eating meat, chicken, tuna, eggs, cheese and lots of vegetables and salads. I feel satisfied after a meal and never have gone to bed feeling hungry. Off course drinking a teaspoon of real cream in my coffee has been the biggest treat.

Probably the most difficult  thing I have heard since starting the Low Carb journey loosing weight has been: "You will always have a weight problem You will always have to watch your weight. Once overweight always dieting!" Some of this I agree are true as hard as it sounds. I definitely can not go living on my life like I did before I started Low Carbing. My habits and lifestyle had to change. 

HOW CAN I MAKE LOW CARBING A LIFESTYLE?

-I have started writing a recipe book with all the Low Carb recipes I find on the internet, books and blogs that is easy to make and tasty. When supper or lunch come along and I have to make something to eat I'm not jumping up and down in the kitchen like a mad chicken. I have some great ideas. 

-I do menu planning one week at a time. I plan the meals for my family and plan how I will change some of the meals to work for me eating Low CArb. 

-I have been cooking low carb meals for my family too. It has has been testing testing the ground on them to see what they enjoy to help me with easier choices at meals.

-I have been trying to find ways on how to change normal meals/recipes  so I can eat it too. It helps me not to sit down tired at the table after cooking for my family and then just fall eating what they are eating.

-Having friends walking the road with me.... doing low carbing. People that  I can talk too, be accountable too, learning from them asking questions and be encouraged by other peoples lifestyles of Low Carbing.

-Belonging to Facebook pages, blogs and websites where I can ask questions and be encouraged by living a life of Low Carbing. 

-Knowing and understanding the art of low carbing. How much I can eat before going over the cliff. 

-Knowing what my goal weight should be. Aiming for that and breaking my goals into smaller parts that I could reach. This I think could be the biggest challenge Low Carbing.

-Keeping it simple. Keeping my meals simple and sticking to the basic food groups and food.


-When I reach a plateau to persevere, to be open and honest about how I feel and sticking to the basics of low carbing until I see the needle on the scale moving again. 

-Having a digital scale has brought so much into loosing weight. I can see myself loosing a hundred gram at a time. It encourages me and spurs me on. The other side of the coin is my weight does fluctuate a few 100 grams at a time and then I can get discouraged. 

-Looking back at how far I have come....... 

-Having a regular routine of exercise. Sticking to it. 

What have been things that you have done that you thought was or is a great way to live eating LOW CARB and making it a lifestyle?

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

Last night after supper my family broke into a bag of droe wors my inlaws brought us as a gift all the way from South AFrica... I knew eating it late night will influence my weight..... and pigging out on it even more!So this morning there were no good news on the scale.

BREAKFAST was just two eggs with coffee and cream on the side.

Midd morning I was starving and made myself for LUNCH then the bun in a mug and made it into a chicken burger with tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise. Wow it was so good! Having something like a bun holding it with a great filling in between. Must say the "bun in a mug" has add so much to my life. I do not have to miss any bread.

Had an espresso midd afternoon with a shot of cream for a treat.

SUPPER was tuna with mayo wrapped up in seaweed with a quarter cup of black beans with lemon and black pepper.

Going to stay far away from the droe wors tonight ;)
Having lots of water as the weather is so hot. Can only be a good thing.
Didn't go exercising this morning but planning to go speed walking with my Nordic sticks tomorrow morning.

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

Nothing new on the scale standing still but hoping to drop some tomorrow morning. The good news is at least I'm not picking up.

BREAKFAST this morning was mini egg quiches with spicy sausage and cheese I made in the microwave  with cucumber slices (picture included). And lovely coffee with a good shot of cream.

I had a mayor house cleaning today so I had 2 droe wors sticks as snacks late morning to give me all I can get for energy.

LUNCH was left over chicken from the barbecue with left over oven vegetables from yesterday and coleslaw. Had a glass of coke zero to charge up some more energy with 2 cubes of dark chocolate for dessert.

SUPPER was chicken salad with mayo wrapped up in lettuce leafs.

Didn't feel like exercising this morning but went out with my 1kg hand weights and ran, walk working my arms. Knowing and encouraging myself  that it does make a difference in my weight loss and firming up the flab.

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

We had guests over for BREAKFAST. I made the bun in a mug for me and ate it with scrambled eggs and cheese. With my side dish of coffee and cream :)

We came back from church at around three this afternoon and had a barbeque with more guests at our home. LUNCH AND SUPPER was a piece of barbecue chicken, a ground meat kebab and a piece of spicy sausage with oven roasted vegetables of broccoli, eggplant, zucchini,  peppers, mushrooms. I had a big scoop of coleslaw too. I also had a glass of Coke zero, loved the sweet for a change.

My dessert was 2 cubes of dark chocolate with coffee.

Sundays are always a difficult day to stay on track with three meals and snacks as we leave home late morning and often come back late afternoon.

I'm looking forward to the week ahead and want to give it a good go LOW CARBING!

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

Almost lost 1kg in two days!!!!!!! So excited I'm well into being over 12kg down in weight now.

BREAKFAST was 2egg omelette with tomato and feta cheese with coffee and cream.

My dear friend got married today and I was baking up a storm this morning by the time we were ready to leave for the wedding I realized I never had lunch. My sweet daughter quickly put a salad together for me. LUNCH was a lettuce salad with cucumber, pickles, mayo and cold meats. I was eating it in the car on the way to the wedding.

SUPPER was Cordon Bleu Chicken with cheese and turkey ham with salad and a bit of sweet chili sauce.

Having some coffee with cream now as my dessert. ;)

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

Was down 200g more this morning ALL TOGETHER 11.7kg down! Yay!!!!!! My inlaws left last night for South Africa. Today as a family we were just getting our home back to normal after in and out up and down visiting with Oupa and Ouma. Looking forward to life getting back to normal with meals at home etc. I will also have more time now to spend cooking and paying attention to my Low Carb way.

BREAKFAST was a treat by my daughter this morning. Two egg omelette with feta, tomato and onion. Coffee and cream.

LUNCH was a chicken breast with broccoli and coleslaw.

SUPPER was sandwiches for my family and I made the bun in a mug (photo above) with cheese, cold meat, tomato, cucumber and mayonnaise.

No snacks today. I was really full after lunch and we ate supper early.

Didn't go exercising this morning had an early morning event at a friends home and helped her family moving out of town today.

The weather is so hot it helps me to drink allot of water.

I'm hopeful to work on some short term goals to be at my goal weight by Christmas. 17 Weeks till Christmas so I'm setting myself up to loose 9 kilograms coming to about 500g a week...... it seems allot but I'm going to give it a go. ;D

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

I did my morning walk/run this morning with my 1 kilogram hand weights.  Was a good time out as the weather is turning cooler in the morning. Amazing time to be out before the sun rise. The scale is coming down but I'm not yet at my lowest point again yet. Looking forward to be there before the weekend.

BREAKFAST was two eggs with a sprinkle of cheese, coffee and cream.

Had three cocktail sausages for a snack midd morning.

LUNCH was chicken pieces with lettuce wraps, coleslaw and tomato salsa salad. 

Had two cubes of dark chocolate for dessert.

SUPPER was half a tin of tuna, mayo stacked with tomato and cucumber circles.

My inlaws are flying out tonight and hoping that life will get more back to normal with cooking and eating.

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

We were out all day sightseeing with my inlaws.

BREAKFAST was two egg omelette with cheese, coffee and cream.

LUNCH was Turkish carved chicken sharma with lettuce and tomato.

SUPPER was two dried wors sticks with a couple of grapes.

Had a coke lite and another coffee on the road.

Hoping to see good news on the scale tomorrow morning.  x x x

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

Our internet was off last night. It was one crazy day.... my inlaws are still here and it is a full schedule.

The last five days I did go  exercising with interval running or speed walking with my nordic sticks in the morning... this morning I just felt too tiered.....

Yes that bunch of sushi rice rolls kicked my bud I'm almost up a whole kilogram..... amazing that one meal can make such a difference. Now it is pure PERSEVERANCE that needs to kick in again.

In Atkins they say for the first 5 or 6 months you will loose significant weight and then what you have not lost will come off slowly after that...... I'm way post the six month mark and aiming to loose 20 kg in a year.... My weight has always come of slowly even in the beginning. I got into this for the long run...

I'm going forward and hoping to break through again by this weekend. Cheer me on!

I'm amazed at how people are commenting and noticing that I have lost weight. I still look in the mirror and struggle to see significant weight loss. Even the security lady at Ikea commented on how much weight I have lost :) It is all part of the cheering.

BREAKFAST was two egg omelette with half a tin of tuna and sprinkle of cheese with cucumber.

LUNCH was lettuce leafs with turkey ham and mayo rolled up inside. I had a mixed salad of cucumber  tomato, feta and red peppers on the side.

SUPPER was enchiladas for my family and I had some of the chicken with coleslaw.

I knew the sushi rolls was going to make an impact so I skipped snacks in between. I even said no to the most amazing koeksisters my mother in law made.  That in itself was a miracle!

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

As a family we went out to the local down town Basaar today. I knew this morning that I needed all the energy I could get.

For BREAKFAST I had a two egg omelette with tuna and feta cheese with coffee and cream.

LUNCH was at Ikea I chose a mixed green salad with tomato and feta cheese. I had about 4 meatballs on the side.

SUPPER was a big problem:   My dear Korean friend came over with sushi rolls. I had about ten of the  circles....... Oh I know it is going to give me a high kick on the scale. Will see. Hoping to loose it soon as I need to keep going and stay focussed.

My mother in law is going to make us some koeksisters tomorrow..... oeeeeee I need to make a strong pot of coffee and keep sipping not to fall for the koeksisters. ;)

The BIG "P" word

I have never been a good athlete. I have always had great admiration for these marathon athletes.... how they go and go and PERSEVERE in an agonizing stride forward. I have always been great at starting things but not as great on keeping it up. Low Carbing has been a marathon in loosing weight. The scale do not always play his part in weighing me down.... and then my body does not always loose weight when I want it too. 

Going on holiday  with my carb consuming loving family and inlaws has probably the biggest challenged I have faced this far eating Low Carb. They could easy win a price for eating what they want, love and it is all pure CARBS! They do not pick up a gram! I'm amazed that this group of people are not rolling around….

Since the terrible "Cheesecake" ordeal and picking up a kilogram over night I was fully tested and then having to loose it 100g at a time over ten days have been agonizing… I have been tempted to just throw it all in the air and eat my frustrated heart out on SUGAR!

Sticking to the basics of Low Carbing and exercising and seeing the great results had given me a new excitement to keep going to PERSEVERE when I do not feel like it. 

The scale, good news, accountability and friends with me in Low Carbing have helped me to keep on PERSEVERING!

Persevering when bowls of ice cream, spoons of chocolate spread, bowl of chips etc. have been standing around. When my hand reach out to a piece of cake and my taste buds scream YES YES!!!!!! TO SAY NO!!!!!!

Taking it one day at a time... one meal at a time and one choice at a time......

I have been so encouraged by all the compliments my family have been pouring out on me. My husband in church this morning sat next to me and whispered my way how great my legs look :) 

What have helped me to PERSEVERE?

-Weighing myself daily to see how I have been loosing weight. This has helped me to see how different food influence my body and weight. Then cutting back on food that cause weight gain. I do not feel like weighing daily but it keeps me more accountable and there is no way of cheating then. 
-Even though I don't feel like exercising in the morning I force myself up and out the door to go for a run or walk. 
-Keeping my goals in sight. I want to loose another 10kg at least. 
-I have been praying for wisdom. Wisdom to know what to eat and make wise decisions. Also for hope to persevere on this journey. For grace to reach my goals without loosing sight of my goals. Also for balance not to live for food but to stay healthy in my developing a lifestyle Low Carbing. 

What have been things that help you stay on track PERSEVERING?

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

My inlaws are still here and I'm cooking up a storm. It is pure grace that I'm not as fat as a pig..... I'm amazed at how some people can gobble up so much sweets and stay as thin as rakes. :)

BREAKFAST was scrambled eggs with cheese and cucumber. Coffee and cream.

We went to church and got home at three and had a mixture between lunch and supper.

I had a FOOD STACK with fried eggplant in the bottom, left over barbecue chicken, cheese, ranch dressing, red pepper and cucumber sticks...... and I wouldn't comment on what my family had :)

Had a handful of grapes for a snack.

Made myself an espresso with cream for dessert.

I didn't go exercising this morning but alternate in the mornings brisk walking with my nordic sticks and running and brisk walking.  I'm drinking lots of water as the weather is so hot here as it is middle summer.

Hoping for good news on the scale tomorrow morning!

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

Down another 300g!!!!  I'm down 11.5kg!!!!!! Joy joy joy!

BREAKFAST was on the run two egg omelette in the microwave with a sprinkle of cheese with coffee and cream

LUNCH was a big treat from a low carb friend. I was out and came back around lunch. My friend brought me tuna salad with flaxseed bread triangles with tomato and lettuce. Yum!

SUPPER was barbecue chicken, turkish kebabs, a piece of spicy sausage and coleslaw salad.

I feel like I'm on the roll again. Had a non weight loss plateau for a few days but going down again.

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

Nothing more down on the scale.... standing on the same weight. It must be the grapes, have been nibbling on too many cutting them out then!Didn't go exercising this morning had an early morning event with a friend. Going tomorrow morning again.

BREAKFAST was 2 eggs, grated cheese, may in lettuce wraps with coffee and cream.

I was out most of the day shopping with my mother in law. We had coffee at a place AND I SKIPPED THE CHEESE CAKE! :)

We came home at about three and I was starving so I had a hand palm size piece of schnitzel while getting the pizza ready for supper.

SUPPER was the "bun in a mug" dough in a glass oven dish for my pizza base. Yum! I had the whole thing the base was just 3g of carbs.

LOW CARB PIZZA

PIZZA!

This is the base of the pizza:  2T ground almonds, 2T ground flaxseed meal, 1 egg, 1T mayonnaise, 1/2t baking powder, pinch of salt if needed. Mix it all in little bowl and pour into greased oven dish. 

I pre baked the base before topping it of with pizza sauce and toppings. 

This is just before I put it in the oven.

Ready to eat! So good!

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

No more good news on the scale for today. Hoping tomorrow morning will show some more lost. I know my body weight will fluctuate and am hoping to have grace with that as difficult as it might be :)

Breakfast this morning was two egg omelette with feta cheese, cucumber on the side with coffee and cream.

Had a handful of grapes for a mid morning snack.

Lunch was a total pleasure. My family had tacos so I made a taco salad for me. Had lettuce, tomato, cucumber, chicken strips, grated cheese and ranch dressing. Had cabbage salad too. Was a huge salad but so good.

Supper was strips of roasted eggplant with a left over piece of schnitzel chicken and a dot of mayonnaise.

Made a chocolate mousse cake for my family and inlaws.... TALK ABOUT TEMPTATION! I stayed strong ..... going down on the scale tastes better :)

ALL ABOUT TODAY:

I'M RIDING THE WAVE!!!!!!! 11.2kg down!!!!! I have lost 800g on holiday. I am so pleased and so encouraged to keep it going.

Breakfast was two eggs with cucumber slices and cheese with coffee and cream.

I had a handful of grapes late morning for a snack.

Lunch was chicken schnitzel with cabbage/carrot/mayo and green onion salad and slices of eggplant baked in the oven with cheese.

(My inlaws are still here visiting so I'm cooking more than usual.)

Supper was at a birthday party and all I could eat there was a delicious salad with lots of lettuce, tomato and cucumber and feta cheese. It had a delicious dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic. Had 2 cubes of dark chocolate for dessert.

Was a good day eating and I'm hoping to keep going while this wave is rolling :)

Low Carb HOLIDAYING

MY JOURNEY "HOLIDAYING" EATING LOW CARB:

For me holiday is all about time with my family, fun, rest and good food off course. I always dread going on holiday eating Low Carb...it often just turns out to be impossible with food choices on the road.  It really turned out being much better than I thought. 

The first few days into our holiday I was still trying to get over that wicked piece of Cheesecake! 

Last time we were on holiday my goal was not to pick up any weight. I was hoping to loose some weight rather. The whole time we were away on holiday I was concerned on how much I weighed? As my scale was at home…. and there was no way of knowing if I was picking up or loosing. This time I took my scale with! I know it sounds totally obsessive but it was the only way I could be monitoring my weight to see how I was doing. 

It took me a whole week while on holiday before my body started loosing weight again. I must admit it was really hard at the beach with great food, ice cream, chocolate and exotic carbs. I was tempted and tried….. I did all I knew about Low Carb eating but the scale was not budging a gram. It took all my courage and willpower to keep going. 

Every morning I went for a brisk walk with my Nordic walking sticks on the beach front. Slowly my weight started coming down. How encouraging it was to hear my husband and inlaws commenting on how good I look…. AND THAT IN A SWIM SUIT! :) 

I still struggle to look in the mirror and see the big change. Even though I have lost more than ten kilogram I can not see it really. The way my clothes fit has been an indication to me that I am loosing weight. On photos I can see changes in my face and stomach area though. It felt good getting these compliments and wearing my bathing suit without all the cover ups :)

The first while being on holiday we indulged on wonderful watermelon, bunches of grapes, delicious peaches and plums. I ate little bits of fruit but the the bowls of grapes standing around kept me nibbling. I think I overdid the fruit and it showed on the scale. I had to cut back and allowed myself 5 grapes a day. Then came the Coke Zero! I had tall glasses of it as the weather here is very hot. Again my weight did not come down and even climbed. I cut back on the Coke Zero to only 250ml from time to time. 

What a joy when I reach my lowest point again of 76.6! Seeing the weight come off gave me the courage to persevere and say no to temptations. 

My sweet daughter sneaked in a 80% dark chocolate into my hand bag. It was a great treat I allowed from time to time. 

I felt more relaxed with my Low Carb EAting this time around on holiday.  I kept to my regular eggs with tomato, cheese cucumber for breakfast. Lunch was veg. and salad with protein for lunch and supper. I did eat more than what I do at home. My goal was to have a good time but nog pick up weight. 

Working in a cheat was not an option! The cheesecake was a good reminder of having a weight gain of a whole whopping kilogram in one day and then having to loose it over a week ;( A lesson not to easily forget. 

Our holiday was a really good time to test my feet in the normal world Low Carbing and working on it being a Life Style and not just a way of loosing weight. I'm looking forward to getting back into normal life at home giving it all Low Carbing.

Weighing in tomorrow morning to see what the final result would be for the ten days away.  x x