Getting Ready for Round 2....hope it's a KO

I have settled back home from our road trip.  Today was weigh day and I must admit I was a little nervous but the good news is I did not gain a pound!  I did gain a couple of ounces but I will put that down to normal fluctuation. So I should be starting up again, right where I left off.

Since Round I of this eating plan finished, I have tried to stick to the eating plan. I do very well all day and then dinners come and I have allowed myself to waver eating some dairy, drinking some wine and very occasionally indulging in dessert.  What this has taught me is that once I get to my goal weight it should be easy enough to maintain.

One of the things that has helped keep me on track are smoothies. Frank bought me a Vitamix for my birthday and so it is very easy for me to throw together a smoothie for breakfast or snacks during the day.  

Tuesday is Phase 1.  During this phase you concentrate on fruits and grains.  I made myself this smoothie for breakfast along with a piece of sprouted grain toast.  The smoothie is simply 1 cup Honeydew melon, 1/2 cup blueberries and 2 cups ice.  Throw the in the blender and puree.  Easy, peasy and delicous!!

I go to the doctor today for my annual physical.  Tomorrow, I work the food pantry in the afternoon. Friday we are having lunch with our daughter and son in law.  Saturday we have a funeral to attend and Sunday we have a wedding to attend.  Life should slow down after this weekend and Round 2 of the Fast Metabolism Diet is starting first thing Monday morning.

See you then.

Checking in...halfway through our vacation.

Hi all.

I just wanted to check in and let you know how it is going with my eating plan while on vacation.  I have actually been pretty good.  I packed up tons of stuff to take on the road with us.

Strawberries, Blueberries, Peaches, Plums, Cherries and Clementines along with brown rice crackers to get me through Phase 1 days.

Smoked Salmon, Roast Turkey Breast, Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower and Celery to get me through Phase 2 days.

Phase 3 included all of the above as well as Nuts, Hummus, Guacamole and Hard Boiled Eggs that I brought along.

I had enough snacks for the two of us as well as all the divers on our boat this weekend.  I have been pretty good while eating out as well.  It is easy when there is so much fresh seafood from which to choose.  I have been enjoying myself too though.  Wine occasionally and a Margarita, nachos and quesadilla yesterday afternoon. I haven't got a scale but I am always surprised when I pull something out of the suitcase, put it on and it isn't digging in or strangling me anywhere.

See you again when I get home.  Have a great week.

I made it!!

Today is the last day of this 28 day cycle.  I am so pleased with the results.  Not only the weight loss, 12 lbs total, but also with the how I feel.  I am easing up a little bit for the next two weeks while I am on vacation.

I will still check in occasionally to let you know how I am doing with this eating plan during everyday life.  When I get home, I am planning on another 28 day cycle.

I promised you a meal each day this week so I want to finish up with this spicy, metabolism revving salad.  I had it for lunch today and am serving it up as a side with dinner tonight.  You can find the recipe for this Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad on my other blog.

Have a Super Sunday.....see you soon.

Savoring my Saturday....

I hope your Saturday has been as good as mine.  We had our Wine Tasting PJ party last night that was a lot of fun.  We had tons of appetizers and wine.  I tried to snack on those things that are in the eating plan.  Salmon, shrimp, rice crackers, hummus, veggies, fruit.  But I couldn't resist a little bit of cheese and dark chocolate that was recommended by the sommelier to have along with the wines we were trying.  I am estimating that I consumed probably 4 glasses of wine during the evening.

When we awoke this morning Frank made breakfast.  Pork Sausages and Blueberry Pancakes.  He tried to make special pancakes for me using almond flour and oatmeal but had some technical difficulties.  We are going to have to work on the recipe a bit.  So I ended up having the regular pancakes with pure maple syrup.  Frank makes the best blueberry pancakes!!

We sat around visiting after breakfast and after a couple of hours we all snacked on guac and veggies.  When company left I headed out for a mani/pedi.  I came home and finished the remainder of the Asian Chicken Salad for lunch along with a plum.

We went to 4 pm Mass and then John and Kirsten took us out to dinner for my birthday since we will be up north and they will be in North Dakota on my actual birthday.  I had broiled salmon over a bed of spinach.  It was delicious.  The restaurant wanted to give me a free Sanders Hot Fudge Cream Puff but I declined since I had strayed from the eating plan last night and this morning.

After dinner we headed down to the city for a graduation party.  I was glad I had eaten before hand because there was a lot of yummy fried chicken and brownies floating around that party.

When I got home, I snacked on some hummus and veggies which is the meal I am sharing with you today.  I bought some individual size tubs of hummus and guacamole to take along with us on the trip.  They will be great to take on the dive boat with us.  That, some veggies, a hard boiled egg and some fruit will provide us with a great lunch both days.  I will take some nuts for us to snack on in between dives.  

Phase 3 Friday....woooohooooo

Hi guys,

I have made it to the last weekend of my 28 day cycle for the Fast Metabolism Diet.  Twenty five days down and 12 lbs lost.  I wonder if I will lose another pound over the weekend?  I'm not going to lie.  I am thrilled to death with losing 12 lbs in less than a month.  More importantly, though, I feel so dang good.  I sleep better which means I have more energy during the day.   I am able to put my shoes on without huffing and puffing.  My clothes fit like they are supposed to and not like I am trying to stuff a sausage.  I have NO heartburn and have not had heartburn since I started this diet.

The best thing is that I got all of these benefits without, not even once, being hungry.  Now I have had some cravings but that is not the same as being hungry.  I haven't had to kill myself with cardio each and every day, in fact, the eating plan only wants you to do cardio once a week or twice at the most, on a Monday or Tuesday when you are carb loading.  Should you want to work out on a Wednesday or Thursday, it recommends weight work.  And what does it recommend for the weekend?....fun and relaxation; yoga, a massage, a leisurely stroll or bike ride, stretching, relaxed swimming, playing with the kids, golfing, a walk in the woods....whatever it is that brings you peace and happiness.

The weekends also brings you easy and delicious meals containing  healthy fats, protein and vegetables.  Like this Asian Chicken Salad that I am sharing over at my other blog, A Day in the Life on the Farm.

Have a Fantastic Weekend everyone.  I am having a Wine Tasting Pajama Party tonight with 3 of my friends.  Tomorrow we have a graduation party to attend and will start packing for our trip.  Sunday we will finish up packing and then our adults ( we used to have children but now we only have adults) are coming for dinner since we won't be around to bug them for a couple of weeks.  Instead, we are going to bug their brother.  You can move, son, but you can never get away LOL.

Back to Breakfast on Phase 2

Today I am going to share with you what I had for breakfast this morning.  Phase 2 is the hardest phase for me to have breakfast because you must eat protein and veggies.  No grains, fruit or fats allowed.  Often times on Wednesday and Thursday, I just grab some lunch meat and a cucumber for breakfast but today I made a vegetable and egg white scramble.

You are not allowed any fat on Phase 2 so it is hard to make an omelot because of the eggs sticking to the pan.  So I am just calling this a scramble.  I cooked the onion, peppers and collard greens in a little bit of water to make them tender.  When the water evaporated I added 3 egg whites and let it cook until nearly set, then flipped it over (in pieces) to cook the top.  The whole process took only a few minutes and it was a very satisfying breakfast.

Entering into Phase 2 for the Last Time.....Until the Next Time

Well it is humpday.  I am reaching the end of this 28 day cycle that is the basis of The Fast Metabolism Diet.  It has been successful and easy enough that I am planning on starting a second 28 day cycle upon our return home from vacation.

I promised a post each day this last week of meals I have been enjoying while on this plan.  I shared breakfast on Monday and lunch on Tuesday.  Today, I am sharing a dinner with you that is Phase 2 friendly.

Phase 2 concentrates on protein and leafy vegetables.  You are to abstain from fats, fruits and grains. You are allowed lemon and lime juice.  I created a dinner of brined pork chops and sauteed cabbage for dinner tonight and wanted to share it with you, hence the late post.

You will find the recipe for the brined pork chops at my other blog, A Day in the Life on the Farm, on August 18th.   I am posting the recipe for the sauteed cabbage here for you today.

Rosemary and Garlic Sauteed Cabbage

1 head savoy cabbage, cored and shredded

1/2 small onion, sliced

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 stem rosemary

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

Heat a wok or large skillet over med high heat.  Add the vinegar, rosemary and garlic.  Cook and stir until vinegar is nearly evaporated.  Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil.  Remove the rosemary stem.  Add the onion and cabbage and cook, stirring until onion is softened and cabbage is wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Print Recipe

Final Day of Phase1 for this session

My friend, Paula of Smidgens, Snippets and Bits, and I were talking about how difficult it is to spend so much time thinking about food.  What should I eat?  What time should I eat?  Is that allowed during this phase?  It can sometimes be a pain in the neck.  But then I considered where not being "mindful" about my food had gotten me.  How many times had I not eaten anything for hours after I had gotten up only to grab a handful of cookies at 10 am with my 4th or 5th cup of coffee?  How many pieces of pizza did I eat, not to nourish myself but mindlessly because it was sitting there in front of me?  How many times did I overlook that piece of fruit in the refrigerator while grabbing a piece of cake?

My hope is, that by eating "mindfully",  I get into the habit of eating breakfast upon awakening.  That my body automatically gets hungry every few hours and reminds me to eat.  That I automatically stock up on fruit, veggies, nuts, salsa and hummus instead of chip dip, string cheese, cookies and cakes so that when I open the refrigerator or pantry when hunger strikes these are what I grab.  That by feeding my body and caring for my body, I won't be tempted to graze mindlessly on whatever is within reach.

We will see how I do.  I am leaving after this week for a 2 week vacation in which I am going to relax my vigilance.  I am going to make sure that I have a cooler chock full of all the snacks that I wish to consume so that when I get hungry I reach for those instead of the candy bar at the gas station.  It will be a test of sorts for when I reach my goal weight and am no longer doing the 28 day rotations.

In the meanwhile, I am certainly not suffering.  I have been eating and eating well. Ok...this morning I had salsa and rice crackers for breakfast.  It was quick.  It was easy.  It was satisfying.  And it met all my requirements for breakfast today since it was mango salsa.  Yay.  But there have been tons of great meals that I have made and enjoyed.

Yesterday's lunch was an open faced BLT made with Turkey Bacon.  Who knew Turkey Bacon was so good?  Certainly not I.  I had made Frank's with regular bacon and, after tasting mine, wasn't even the least bit tempted by his.

Tonight we are meeting Amy and Doug for dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  Amy, who is a constant encouragement to me as she very successfully maintains this way of eating, chose the Roadhouse because there are so many choices on the menu that work.  I am planning on having a tenderloin filet, sweet potatoes and veggies.  More than the food, I am looking forward to spending time with Amy and Doug.

Have a Terrific Tuesday everyone.

The Last Week of this 28 Day Cycle

It is hard to believe that I have already completed 3 weeks of this eating plan.  Today is the first day in the final week of the Fast Metabolism Diet, which lasts 28 days.

I am 11 lbs lighter than when I started.  I am sleeping better and I am feeling good.  I have strayed from the eating plan a few times but would say that I have been true to it at least 90% of the time. I am leaving on a 2 week vacation on Monday so, while I will still try to be conscious of what I am eating and make good choices, I am not going to keep strictly to the eating plan.  I will start up another 28 day cycle when I return home.

I have decided, that for this last week, I am going to check in with you each day.  I will share one meal from that day and what, if any, activity was included in the day.  I am starting with a Phase 1 breakfast:  Puffed Rice Cereal topped with peaches and rice milk.  A great start to the day.

I'm hoping that Frank and I can get out for a hike today but he has some things to do around here and then we have a meeting this afternoon.  Hopefully we will have time in between but if not we will go for an after dinner walk to get our cardio requirement for this carb heavy phase of the eating plan.

Have a Marvelous Monday!!

In the final stretch.....

Wow, that was a quick 3 weeks.  1 more to go for this cycle.  I only lost 1 lb this week but I'm not complaining.  I also went off program a couple of times so my body is probably confused.  I am going to finish out this week and then take a little break while vacationing.  When I return from vacation I am starting the eating plan again for another 28 days.

I intend to continue applying the lessons that I learned while on vacation but without being quite as stringent.  My hope is that my weight stays the same while vacationing and then I can concentrate on losing again when I get home.

But that is still a week away so I don't know why I am boring you with my random thoughts LOL. Instead let me show you what I had for breakfast yesterday.

I am calling this my Phase 3 Open Faced Breakfast Sandwich.  I LOVE Phase 3.  When Phases 1 and 2 are getting tiresome, you take comfort in knowing that soon you will enjoy 3 whole days of Phase 3.  

In phase 3 you are allowed healthy fats, protein, grains, vegetables and fruit.  After concentrating on carbs in the way of fruit and grains in Phase 1 and protein in the way of meat and veggies in Phase 2, it feels like heaven to be able to fill your plate with everything.

This sandwich was a great way to start the day and the weekend.  Speaking of weekends, I hope you enjoy yours.  Get out and do something fun for yourself....you deserve it!

Phase 3 Open Faced Breakfast Sandwich

1 slice sprouted grain bread (I used Ezekiel)

1 hard boiled egg, sliced

1/2 an avocado, sliced

1/4 c. salsa (I used Garden Gourmet)

Toast the bread and lay on a plate.  Layer the avocado and egg on the toast and top with salsa. Print Recipe

Adapting the Eating Plan to Real Life

Last night we joined Frank's sister and her husband at a Jazz club for drinks and appetizers.  Knowing that I was not going to be able to resist a couple of bites of this and that and some cocktails, I decided to be proactive and prepared.

I made sure that I drank more water than required during the day.  I stuck closely to the eating plan for my three meals and two snacks during the day.  We had this wonderful Beef and Cabbage soup for dinner before leaving the house.

When we got to the bar, I ordered a vodka tonic and a large water.  I chose this over wine because wine seems to just evaporate from my glass and I end up drinking two glasses of wine in the time it takes me to drink one cocktail.  Frank's sister ordered up appetizers for the table.  We had an order of shrimp with spicy chile sauce and steak bites.  Both of these made it easy to include for my evening snack.  While the shrimp is not on the list for this phase, you are allowed shrimp on the eating plan. Another glass of water before ordering another cocktail followed by a last glass of water before heading home.  

It was a good evening.  The music was lovely, the company pleasant and the food was tasty. I awoke this morning feeling good and the scale is down another pound.  I hope your day is starting out as well. 

A Fruity Treat Perfect for Phases 1 and 3

I am sharing a wonderful recipe that I adapted from Haylie Pomroy, author of The Fast Metabolism Diet, over on my other blog today.  Please stop by there and get the recipe for this delicious Peachy Lemonade that is perfect during Phase 1 or Phase 3 of this eating plan.

I am midway through week 3 of this 4 week program.  The first week I lost weight like crazy, a pound a day.  The second week I lost 3 lbs. which is still pretty good.  I slipped off the diet a little this week but am disappointed that my wieght has not changed at this weigh in.  I am not discouraged because in the first week I didn't notice a weight change until the 3rd day.  I do notice that the bloat in my stomach is less and that my neck and throat area is back to having no fat gathered on it.  Just that alone makes me much more comfortable.

Today I enter into Phase 2 so I won't be enjoying this drink again until Friday.  Phase 2 is all about protein and veggies.  Tonight I am making a Southwestern Beef Soup to have for dinner before we go out with Frank's sister and her husband.  We are going to a jazz club so I am prepared to go off the eating plan for a drink or two tonight with plenty of water before, between and after those drinks.

Tomorrow we have friends coming for dinner.  This is the perfect eating plan for entertaining because you can easily adapt it for everybody to enjoy.  I am preparing a version of my Grilled Steakhouse Salad.  I am using the same marinade as in the original, changing up some of the salad ingredients and making a roasted red pepper vinaigrette for the dressing.  Stay tuned for that post and recipe coming soon to a blog near you.

At least it's not 1 step forward, 2 steps back....more like 2 steps forward, 1 step back

So Sunday, Frank and I drove up to the little town of Frankenmuth, where are daughter and sil had set up a booth at the craft fair.  Our daughter, Nicole, and her husband, Pierre own a company called Petoskey and Pine.  Petoskey and Pine carries Artisinal Soaps and Bath Products, created by the owners, who maintain high standards and only use quality products that are vegan, organic and fair trade.

Sorry, I get off track sometimes.  Anyway, we were hanging around Frankenmuth waiting for the craft show to close so that we could take them to dinner.  I had planned my afternoon snack and was prepared.....or so I thought.  At one point in the afternoon, we stopped in the plaza where a German Band was playing.  We watched, we danced, we sang and then.....I had a beer.  It was a conscious decision and I thought "what harm can 1 beer do?".  

Monday morning the scale was up 1 lb.  I don't know if it was the beer or just a normal fluctuation of weight but it was ditressing none the less and worth taking note of.  The scale is back down today but I'm not showing any weight loss since Saturday.  My normal weigh days are Wednesday and Saturday so we will see what that brings this week.  Either way, I'm down 11 lbs from my start weight.

I guess my point is that life happens.  While trying to maintain this eating plan there are going to be times when you either can't or don't want to.  I am going to be kind to myself and figure if I can stay true to this plan 90% of the time, then that is okay.

Wednesday we have been invited to a jazz bar by Frank's sister and her husband.  They serve small plates and cocktails.  I will have already eaten dinner so I will have my snack while I am there and I will allow myself one or two cocktails, each preceded and followed by a large glass of water.

Then I will try to be very good because on the last Friday of this eating plan my friend, Renee, is having a Wine Tasting Party that she had won and asked if she could have at my house. This has been planned for months. There will be 4 of us and we are having a pajama party after the tasting so nobody needed to worry about driving.  The good thing about hosting it is that I am in charge of the food portion so I can at least stay on track with that aspect of the eating plan.