The Secret to My Dieting Success...

Okay, let me first start by admitting that I'm not a workout-aholic. I do not enjoy working out and I have never experienced this myth called a 'runners high'. When I get done with a hard workout the only thing I want to do is curl up in a cold corner and weep.

I'm a good cook. Oh, scratch that, I'm an EXCELLENT cook (at least that's what my family tells me and I am forced to agree). I like to eat, make no mistake about it.

So between these two things I find myself in a constant state of yoyo dieting/exercising. Between having five babies, working full time and having too many hobbies to juggle, I can't seem to get down to the weight I want and stay there. I got really close last year...and then found out that I was pregnant.

This time is different. No really, it is. I've found an exercise program that I've been sticking with for over two months. It's called T-Tapp and it works you from the inside out. I can feel muscles in places I've never had muscles before, it's totally crazy. I usually do the 50 minute workout (and supplement with pushups, planks or something like that). If time is extremely tight I do the 15 minute workout - no matter how busy I am there really is no excuse not to at least plug in 15 minutes.

As I've mentioned before, I'm doing the low carb thing. I've done this diet before and it worked but now I'm getting even better at it. I just whipped up a batch of cloud bread and will have a nice fat turkey and cheese sandwich for lunch later. Last night I made tacos -- with the miracle of black bean chips it was a delicious meal high in protein and veggies and low on carbs. Tonight I'm making chili relleno casserole. I've never made it before but if it turns out (and I remember) I'll post the recipe here. I've also got an idea for an Italian spaghetti squash concoction. Sometimes I make what I call 'muffin tops' and I swear they taste like cinnamon apple muffins but with a fraction of the carbs. For breakfast sometimes what I do with those is make a sandwich with sliced strawberries and whipped cream. Tastes better than french toast, I promise. I'll post that recipe below.

The other thing I do - and I'm pretty convinced that this is key - is once a week I bake something sweet (with erithrytol or stevia - usually from this blog) and snack on it all week long. This gives me the willpower to stay away from the crap that my husband brings home from the bakery (grrrr).

I'm finding my groove -- and I'm thinking that this is something I can probably do forever, perhaps loosening the reigns a teeny tiny bit once I'm where I want to be. Just enough to enjoy an occasional piece of birthday cake or a few mixed drinks or something...

I have to say, the results have been amazing. I began dieting shortly after having my baby but I wasn't really going at it very strongly until January. I had lost about 20lbs after having her, but I still had about 40lbs more to go (I wanted to get to 20lbs less than my pre-pregnancy weight). I've lost another 20lbs since January and I have another 20lbs to go...

I weigh myself every single morning -- no exceptions. Now I know this doesn't work for everybody but it keeps me accountable. I have a tendency to want to bury my head in the sand and if I eat an exceptionally large meal (even if it's low carb) I don't want to see it on the scale the next morning so I hide from it. By weighing myself every morning I hold myself accountable. It's when I don't that I gain weight.

But here's the rub. We've all heard that the numbers on the scale don't mean as much but that is just not true. If you're 190lbs you're overweight (unless you're over 6ft tall or a man, of course :P)  What I'm trying to say is don't lie to yourself. If the numbers on the scale tell you that you are fat just own it and do something about it. When they say that the numbers don't mean as much they are referring to when you reach your healthy weight range, within 20lbs of your goal weight. Okay, stay with me here - I'll explain: Yesterday I weighed myself and was feeling bummed because I had gained 2 1/2 lbs. I grumbled and felt horrible. But Mondays are the day that I measure myself. I measure my waist, arm, leg, hip and belly. I document them every week so I can keep track of my progress. Well, wouldn't you know it, I somehow lost more inches this past week than I had in a single week since I've started. So that 2 1/2 lbs that showed up on the scale was not something to fret about after all. And that is why you need to both weigh yourself and measure yourself.

I guess what I'm saying is pay attention to the scale and make it hold yourself accountable. But also take your measurements because that is where the real progress is made. Since January 14th I've lost 3" in just my waist alone. It's been just over two months and I think that's pretty cool :)

So anyway, here are my tidbits of wisdom (thus far):

1. Low carb eating needs to be a lifestyle that you can embrace. Dieting doesn't work - unless you want to live a lifetime of you getting to your goal weight only to stop eating well and balloon back up and have to start all over again. Personally, I'm sick of that.

2. Find a workout that you can do almost every day. Stop making excuses and get off your but. Diet is 70% and working out is 30%. No, don't buy into the hype that if you work out you can eat whatever you want. Don't even go there.

3. Use the scale to hold yourself accountable but pay more attention to the measuring tape because that is the true tale of your success.

4. Energy drinks are my friend. I'm not going to lie.

And, hey, what works for me may not work for you. But this is my blog and if you find something that works for you then start your own! hahahaha


Muffin Tops
3 eggs
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
3 T cream cheese
2 T butter
1 tsp vanilla
cinnamon
1c Erithrytol
1tsp applesauce (unsweetened)

Separate the egg whites and put aside. Mix together other ingredients. Then beat the egg whites and cream of tarter until they turn into stiff peaks (really stiff!). Fold together with yolk mixture (don't over mix!) and then spoon them onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake on 300F for about 30 minutes or so. Store in an airtight container for a few hours and they will become spongy.

They're yummy by themselves or with whipped cream and strawberries too...I bet some melted 100% cacao chocolate (with erithrytol and butter) drizzled on them would be good too...okay that's something I'll try soon!

Low-Carb Creamy Lemon Basil Chicken with Spaghetti Squash

Yes, I'm back on the diet thing. Well, I really shouldn't call it that since I've pretty much made it a lifestyle. I don't wanna brag (yes I do, I really really do) but I've lost almost 40lbs since having the baby. Granted, it's been seven months so I'm not sure if that's super impressive, plus I still have at least 20 lbs to lose but I'm still pretty happy about it.

Anyway, I've discovered a couple things that completely rocked my world. #1 is a little miracle called 'Cloud Bread'. I'm not going to post the recipe here because it isn't mine but you can Google it and you'll easily find it. I'll post my own sweet variation of it in another post but for now let me stay on track. The #2 miracle I've discovered it spaghetti squash. I know most people have already discovered it but OH EM GEE! What a low-carb lifesaver that stuff is! I don't know why I've been such a big chicken and wouldn't try to make it before. Super easy to make and it scratches that pasta itch quite nicely.

So allow me to share a recipe that I cooked up in my head (and then cooked up on the stove). This stuff tastes like a huge carb-fest but I swear it's not! It's amazing creamy pasta yummy comfort food that won't leave you feeling sluggish and guilty, I promise!

Low-Carb Creamy Lemon Basil Chicken with Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

½ can french fried onions

lemon

¾ stick of butter

1 pint of heavy cream

2 chicken breasts

Fresh basil (a handful will do)

2T pimientos

2T shallots

2T minced garlic

1T red pepper flakes (add more if you want more bite)

Small spaghetti squash (I only used half of it for this recipe and let the girls snack on the other half with some butter and cinnamon)

Preparation

Pour 3 cups of water into a slow cooker. Puncture the spaghetti squash in several places and cook in slower cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours (or cut in half while raw and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until outer shell is soft). Discard the seeds then scrape out spaghetti squash. Put aside.

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Crush french fried onions. I used a gallon sized freezer bag, then added the chicken to the bag and shook it to coat the chicken.

In a large skillet on medium heat, melt the butter. Add red pepper flakes, shallots and pimientos. Sauté for approximately 3-5 minutes. Add chicken, basil and ¼ of the lemon.

Once the chicken is cooked through, add the heavy cream and spaghetti squash. Add another ¼ of the lemon (unless you really like lemon, then feel free to use more!).

Let it simmer until slightly bubbly.

Catching Up...

Oh wow, it's been a VERY long time since I've blogged. Obviously a lot has happened...let me fill in a few gaps.

For the fourth of July we decided to take a trip to Yellowstone National Park. I asked my doctor if it would be okay since I was 33 weeks pregnant and he didn't see any reason why I shouldn't do that. Well...while I was up there I began noticing signs of labor. I kept an eye on it and made sure I knew where all the hospitals were within a 100 mile radius at all times. There were a few touch and go moments but I managed not to have the baby while we were up there.

However...on July 4th I got the call from my son. My granddaughter was born!!! Baby A was 5lbs 8oz. Such a tiny little peanut :)

When we got back to Colorado I went to the doctor right away. It turned out that I was in labor -- and I was only 33 weeks! Yikes! They admitted me to the hospital and there I stayed...until 35 weeks when they let me go with strict instructions to not do anything for another week. So bedrest it was...you have no idea how hard it is to do absolutely nothing until you have to. It's pure torture for somebody like me!

At 36 weeks to the day my water broke. I drove myself to the hospital (because that's how I roll...lol). It was my longest delivery -- took 12 hours! This is how my husband labored with me:

 At 2:35am on July 27th I delivered my daughter, another Baby A - a very healthy 7lbs 4oz! 

Well...at first she was healthy. After a few hours it became obvious how jaundiced she was. I sobbed my eyeballs out because it meant ANOTHER week in the hospital. But at least she was allowed to stay in my room instead of the NICU.

Then FINALLY we were allowed to go home!!

It's been a whirlwind ever since. She's an excellent sleeper and I couldn't ask for a happier baby. Guess I'll sign off with this post with a photobomb :)

Baby A - five months 

Baby A 3 months

Baby A 7 months

 Baby A 4 months

C & N with Niece A and Auntie A

Me and Baby A (my daughter...not granddaughter)

Baby A 7 months :)