Tonight I had my send off, carb laden meal. Out of all the things I could have chosen, I decided mac and cheese was the last big carby meal I had to have. Tomorrow, the real work begins. I decided against Atkins 20 because it was hard the first time around. Atkins 40 gives me a few more options and makes a whole new way of eating seem more doable. I know the site says that Atkins 40 is for folks with less than 40 pounds to lose, but I’m going to try it anyway. I have 55 pounds to lose. I’m not sure I can even get down to 130, but I’m going to try. I figure if for now I reduce my calories to between 1200 and 1500 rather than the recommended 1500 to 1800, I can still lose weight. Especially adding in exercise and plenty of water. For me, this is all trial and error. I’m trying to keep my macros within the recommended range, except for the calorie part. As for counting calories on Atkins, I know many people don’t do it, but the human body needs a calorie deficit to lose fat, period.
I am going to try to keep up with posting here, even if it is a few lines once a week. I’d like to make this blog a record of my journey, of the fails, the wins, and everything I learn in between.
I cleaned out almost all of the foods that are a temptation from the fridge when I got back to my “apartment” this evening. I asked my husband to clean out the fridge back home. Mostly to make room for healthy foods when I am able to get back there. Both to keep our food bill down and my morale up. On Sunday evening, I’ll be cleaning out my “pantry” tossing or giving away the foods I should not be eating on this journey.
I chose Atkins 40 over WW because WW leaves too much room for temptation. It works, yes, but I need something more rigidly structured that has very clear guidelines and pushes clean, healthy eating. I had to laugh today when I told my husband I needed a little more protein for breakfast, to have a good strong start to my day. He suggested bacon. Yes, bacon is allowed in this WOE (way of eating), but I was looking for a healthier choice. Something that would benefit my body in some other way. Full fat Greek yogurt was slotted in. Calcium, protein, and no guilt? Thank you.
It is going to take time for me to get everything just right. To find a way to plan meals without feeling lost and overwhelmed. I don’t want to add in the frozen meals and snack bars. This is a personal choice to eat as cleanly as I can, without a bunch of processed foods with the exception of my Le-vel Thrive shake four days a week. It’s going to be a bit of a challenge with my little kitchenette, but I’m going to be able to do it. I am fortunate to have a full sized fridge!
So for the next four days, the simplified version of my meal prep and plan is as follows:
Breakfast: Thrive strawberry shake.
Snack: Bulletproof coffee.
Lunch: Lemon pepper and dill salmon, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and cauliflower “risotto”.
Snack: Greek yogurt with blueberries.
Dinner: Rotisserie chicken, baked sweet potato, and young green peas with butter.
Total Carbs: 39.4 g; Calories: 1396; Fat: 92 g; Protein: 98 g
So it isn’t a perfect meal plan. I know my carbs aren’t evenly spread out. I’m happy with this first menu, though. I get a little sweet potato in, and I’m within all my macros as long as I eat everything for the day. Sometimes I’m just too tired to eat. The idea is to drink my coffee an hour after drinking my shake. I’ll be able to eat my “lunch” around 11 pm after med pass, and my dinner around 3 or 4 am, saving my yogurt for right after I get home so my tummy isn’t growling while I’m sleeping. If I go to bed even a little hungry, I am more apt to wake up in the middle of the day and eat anything that isn’t nailed down.
I bought a Nintendo Switch a month or so ago so I could play Minecraft with the hubby since my computer is now a potato. I’m thinking of downloading Just Dance to see what it’s like on the Switch. Dancing is always more fun than just marching in place or huffing and puffing while walking in neighborhoods I don’t know very well. That and stretching, more stretching, and even MORE stretching are how I am going to try to lose the first ten pounds. After that, I’m going to dust off the Electra Townie I bought this summer and hit the road. I stopped riding partly from the heat being so bad this summer, but mostly out of unadulterated laziness. My doc said, “Exercise!”
This nurse is gonna try not to be a sucky patient.
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