Sunday, June 20, 2010

Then the week end came

So I didn't do so great this weekend but I enjoyed it. We went out to dinner and I had 4 glasses of wine. I loved that part but not so much the dinner. Two bad meals in as many visits. No more Mimi's for us.
I forgot to weigh myself this morning, just as well I am sure I was up. I can feel it.
Today was a bit better but I still feel puffy from all the wine yesterday. I am looking forward to tomorrow. I am working and away from the fridge for the day. Just what I need. 
I will just skip this weekend counting calories, call it my  fluctuation days and start with the Cron O Meter again tomorrow.  I just might figure my calories for the day tonight. I know what I will be having tomorrow already so why not.
We worked in the yard a bit this weekend too. It is looking pretty good. I love looking out the windows and seeing flowers instead of neighbors. No ripe tomatoes yet. Love my garden fresh tomatoes.
Tomorrow is going to be a good day, I am looking forward to it.
Maybe I will even be able to zip my jeans. Then again I might not, so I won't try. Don't want to ruin a good day.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Calorie Restriction Oh yeah

I made it through the third day just fine. I was very tired most of the day, that seems to have gone away. I knew that third day was going to be hard. It wasn't food wize, I did OK there. Stayed right in line.
I didn't even find it hard to not eat the whole melon even though it was the best ever.

I am down 3 pounds in as many days. That is also what I expected since I knew I was carrying some inflammation around. That is what it does to me, makes me round.  I should be inflammation free in a few days.

I weighed 4 pounds too heavy at night when I started, it is now around 3. I need to get that down to 2 and keep it there. A sure sign of too many carbs and inflammation.  It feels wonderful to get rid of inflammation. You might not even know you are, believe me, all overweight people are inflamed. That is how your body keeps itself fat. People call it water weight, well I guess it is but call it what it is, inflammation.

I need to lose 17 pounds, 16 now, so I figured out the calories in 17 pounds. Almost 60k. Yikes, sounds like a lot. For me, if I can manage to have 500 calories less a day it will take 131 days or so to lose all of it. Wow. Sounds like a long time. Remember, I don't and won't use exercise to lose weight. It was food that put it there and it will be less food to remove it. Besides that, with CR exercise isn't a must. I know that because I did lose 90 pounds without exercising. I started at Curves at 141 and didn't lose until I cut back on calories again. That was how I was able to lose the final 10, it was not exercise.
Here I am with my daughter and my Grand kids on Mother's day.  We all surprised her, she loved it.

I am almost 69 years old, :-( , calories for my age and height are 1445 each day. So to cut back by 500 is huge to me. I really don't think I can do it. I will give it a try next week. My plan is to restrict to 1000 3 days then one day of 1400 then back to 1000. I read that fluctuating calories is good for the metabolism. I just hope I can get back down. Remember,  I tried that metabolism diet and that is when all this crap started. I was supposed to eat my maintenance calories to improve it, well it sure didn't.
Food including Pizza
I need to get my day started, I want my flax seeds and apple juice. Yum, weird how much I look forward to this. Tasty way to get my Omega 3's.
Lunch will be grilled chicken, melon and strawberries. Dinner is yet to be decided except I do have pizza fixings that need made. Yep, my CR pizza. I buy a good raw dough, should make my own, I then top that with a pizza sauce, should make that too, then add a huge amount of raw spinach then crumble some Gorgonzola on it. I add fresh tomato slices just before it is done. Wow, yummy. I use a very strong cheese that way you use less.
Now I am looking forward to the pizza. I will let the Cron O meter tell me how much I can have. Love that thing.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

My Raw cat food recipe

I make my cats food. I am completely convinced cats can't digest carbs. Their bodies can't get nutrition from grains and grains make them obese and have other health issues,  just like in Humans.
After learning what they need to live a cat healthy life I found it very easy to make food for them. I have read about grinding a whole animal, which I can not, do so I buy a high quality dark ground turkey and free range chicken thighs, gizzards, liver, and hearts.
They eat twice a day, morning and evening about 1/3 cup of the ground meat mixture, they share a cut up thigh.
My Raw Cat Food Recipe
1 cup bottled water
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 package ground dark meat Turkey
1/2 carton of chicken livers cut up
1/4 package heart, gizzard package cut up
1 tablespoon bone meal
1 tablespoon ground psyllium husk
1/2 envelope Knox gelatin
1 teaspoon kelp powder
1 teaspoon dulse powder
1 Vitamin B complex ground
1 Salmon Oil capsule cut open
1 Vitamin D
1 Vitamin E
1 Grandular supplement
1 Taurine supplement

I mix all the dry stuff with the butter and water and add it to the meat mixture.  I always check the date on the meat making sure it will be fresh for at least 4 days. This recipe lasts 4 days for the two cats.
I freeze the thighs after they are cut and thaw one package in the fridge everyday.
The food should be served warm so I put it in a baggy then put that into a bowl of hot water for a few minutes.
I tried giving them turkey with bones without success. I was afraid they would choke on a bone. They also don't chew very well for some reason. I had to take a huge hunk of meat out of Bob's mouth. Not pleasant. They do need to chew so make sure the chunks of chicken is big enough but not to big they may choke.
I am a novice at this so if you plan on feeding your cats as natural as humans can, please study the subject. This has worked for us, the cats love it.
One day I didn't have time to make the recipe so they were feed a can of a good quality cat food. Nope, they refused it so they were given the meat without the supplements in it. I feel this was OK for a few times and I feel less pressure to have it ready all the time.


 Bob is a character. He does very cute cat things. Every night he drags his toy to Bill so he will play with him. He often is found in very strange places. He is a joy. Bob and Willy are not  show cats, their  relatives are. They are both winners to us.

Willy is very laid back. He is a more typical pure bred American Shorthair. He does play with Bob and a pencil but mostly he just bathes, sleeps, and looks good. He is still a bit skittish but improves every day. They are half brothers with the same father. Both of them born in July 09. Wow, almost one year old already.
Willy is related to our beloved Tally who passed away Dec. 09 at 15 years old. Willy's Momma is a decedent of Tally's Daddy. Amazing that we found him.
They are both very big cats, we are lucky to have them.

Calorie Restriction, moving forward

I had another fab day.
I am pleasantly full right now. Am I or is it a bloated tummy from the whole milk in the coffee again? I am enjoying this cold coffee drink to much. I wonder if I can find something healthy to replace the milk that has a good taste to it. I tried Almond milk tonight. Yuk, no go. Maybe good in something else but not coffee. I refuse to put anything artificial in my coffee so unless I can find something great I will have to give up the coffee. I love my French press and espresso beans.

My calories were good, high again in carbs but not so high I am going to worry about them. For sure they are lower than they have been for months. Calories were around 1250. I just knew my actual meals were not the problem, I continued eating healthy and not too much, it was the candy and other treats I allowed myself. Way to much of them. For now I am not missing them and my head is not filled with poor me I can't have candy, cake, and cookies. It is I am to smart too even want them. My skinny, healthy secret.
I weighed myself before bed last night and again this early am. I was 4 pounds different. Not good. I need to get that back to only 2 pounds different. This just proves to me that I am carrying around inflammation. I feel a bit less of it today. Hope the scale proves it tomorrow. I am still thinking it is the milk in the coffee.
I don't do good with milk.
I need a food high in folate. I checked what they are and found they are all the foods I love. Wonder why I am not getting enough according to the Cron O Meter. Need to work on that one.
Hope my third day is continued success and with some weight loss to prove it.

Second day with Calorie Restriction

The day is going great. I was a bit hungry after my flax seeds and apple juice so I quickly made up some low fat ground beef (all natural). I made 8 patties so I can grab one when I feel the need. I find it much better to have a good protein source ready for me, that way I don't grab for the carbs first. I weigh them to be sure I am not going over my calories.
At 12:30 I am doing just fine. No cravings of any kind but this time of day I seldom had them anyway. Those start about 5pm. I pretty much got rid of them in the past few weeks. It was that bottomless pit that was hard for me to deal with. It is a weird feeling to never be satisfied after a meal. I am hoping I get it back.

The darn TV's have been acting up. The tech guy has been here twice. I suggested a fix to the Greek, which brought a bunch of screaming and nasty words. He refused to even hear me. Grrrrr, he finely stomped around muttering under his breath crap I don't want to hear and did exactly what I suggested. Yep, it worked. He still refused to do it to the other TV because the Tech took off some parts and left with them. He is coming back this afternoon. So, if you have a satellite for TV and it goes black or pixalates don't have it plugged into a surge protector.
My feelings are still hurt and I will try my best to not suggest fixes anymore. Ha, that will be the day. Why, because I am usually right, well 50% anyway.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

First day, the new beginning

I am having such a good start with my Back to CR. I have weighed and counted everything so far. It is really amazing how much I can actually have. I usually am pretty hungry between 3 and 5pm. No different today. I am pretty darn hungry right now. I had 3 nice slices of Organic Canteloupe. Wow, was that good, high in carbs, which is bad and I don't like, but I will watch them for the rest of the day.

I am feeling pretty darn great right now, usually I am very sleepy around 3 and stay that way until 6pm. Another thing I want to improve. So far so good.
Dinner is going to be roasted chicken breast made into tacos with Organic Corn tortillas. I get 2 of them. They will be loaded with cabbage and some yummy hot sauce.
Veggies will be raw brocolli.
Here is my day one Cron O Meter results. I am even going to have that iced coffee treat.  I have always taken supplements to compliment what I don't get from food. In this case it is calcium, vitamin D, and potassium.
Just look at all those darn carbs. I could save 30 by not have the tortillas but won't.  I do need the calories. 1300 is only 100 low from my first week goal. I will stop there if I am not still hungry at 6pm. I have always stopped eating after 7pm. I have been doing that so long now I am never hungry around that time.
I am so looking forward to my iced coffee. I have iced tea a few minutes ago and it just doesn't have the same yum factor. Gotta be the added milk I use in the coffee. Next time I am at the store I will be not buying milk, I am going back to the Almond Milk.
It is 3:30, I am feeling great and very positive. I am on the mend.
If the books I have been reading are right I should drop 10 pounds fast. Inflammation weight. I sure need that, I can feel the inflammation right where I don't want it. Boobs and belly.
Skinny jeans here I come.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Remembering Calorie Restriction

I sure do remember CR and how fantastic I felt, oh how I miss that feeling. I loved the feeling of being in control of my entire life. Amazing how that works.
I want to feel like that again. This crappy stuff I am doing to myself is even messing with my skin.
I read a few posts I made in March, I was surprised to see I was 135 back then. Wish that were the case now. I am 147. Gone are the size 2 skinny jeans. I look at them and wonder how I ever got them on. And they were lose.
I have developed another horrible habit. Coffee, not black coffee that I have always loved and used to drink years ago. Nope, coffee with cream, yes cream. It is soooo tasty. I had forgotten just how sick I get when I have milk and milk products. I still don't have them, just a few tablespoons of cream. Right now I am so bloated my stomach hurts. This one is going to be easy for me to stop. I mix stevia, cream, coffee, and vanilla with ice. I was having 3 or 4 big glasses a day until I realized why my stomach as grumbling. What an idiot I am.
Our tiny Organic road side fruit stand had the best cherries and blackberries today. That means I had 3 baskets of Rainer Cherries and one of blackberries. Yum, all gone. I made them my dinner, lunch too. Sure be glad when cherry season is over. I should stick with the berries.

The kitties will be one year next month. We should have a birthday party. That is Willy over by the door and Bob lounging on the chair. They fight for that spot.


Tomorrow is going to be me back on track. Yep, bet I have never said that before. I want to lose 15 pounds bad.
The Greek has  decided to try to stop eating a loaf of bread a day. He is helping me eat all the fresh fruit from out local farmers. Finally. For some reason he thought fruit only came in pies.
Baking, oh yes, I have been doing that. I have a fantastic recipe for Whole Wheat Blueberry Scones. Wow, good.  I have been making them once a month or so. What is great about Scones is less sugar of course.  What is bad about Scones, we eat all of them in one day. 

Hey, good news, I just might get myself another little part time job doing what I love to do. Write code for web sites. Didn't know that about me did ya. I have been doing it for a few years, never gotten paid for it though.  That will be a nice change. I am still working a few days a week making teeth, love that job too. In fact I really love to work and plan on doing it for several more years, as long as these young people will hire me. So far none of them mind that I am old enough to be their Grandmother.  Well almost.
I wonder how many calories I had in cherries today. Scared to look. I now know it isn't just raisins, grapes and wine that give me horrible cramps in my feet. Cherries do it it. The watermelon didn't seem to bother me but I sure suffered for several hours tonight after I polished off those cherries. What the heck is in them that does this to me? I need to find out. Man those twisted toes hurt. Glad it finally stopped.
I work tomorrow, yea!!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Calorie Restriction, where did you go?

It has been over a week without candy then today somehow it ended up in my mouth again. I didn't even have that ugly sugar craving. Still don't.
I was able to stop after just a few chocolate covered nuts so I bought myself some raisins.
I reasoned this out by telling myself I had eaten plenty of raisins in the past and didn't gain, didn't lose either. So I bought a few pounds. I polished off more than I should before I remembered what the darn things do to me. Why I forget this stuff I have no clue.
Raisins, grapes, and wine all give me terrible cramps in my feet and hands. Very painful and gross looking. They are very twisted, the toes all spread out and the pain in the hands, ouch. This lasts a few hours. What the heck is it?
I am feeling better now that I am a bit more in control. I have started attempting to straighten out my hormones by trying to fix my Leptin levels. I bought a book about it.
The theory behind fixing your Leptin is:
Eat only 3 meals a day, no snacks
Eat 5 to 6 hours apart and never go to bed after eating
No processed foods
Eat a protein at every meal
Cut back on carbs
Exercise
Don't overeat
This is great advice.
And easy to do, so lets get started.

I have decided to try and eat 1200 calories a day and make the meals all the same amount of calories. That should be easy to do.
I still haven't weighed myself and won't until I am happy with myself, completely.
I remember those times, they were not all that long ago. Now why can I remember that and not remember what raisins do to me?
Guess I only want to remember good stuff.
The good stuff was when I was eating, loving and living Calorie Restriction. So that is where I want to be.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Still hanging on

This month has had far to many ups and downs with Calorie Restriction. Guess it is best to say mostly down. If I can't get over this serious sugar pull I just know I will end up sick.(sicker) In fact it makes me feel sick for hours anyway. It is time to kick it, I will.
I did finally finish a WebSite, my design and build. It was great fun, took me far to long too do, but that is too be expected when there is no direction and the site has to flow as you go. I hope the group is happy with it. I think it turned out nice. It should be good for several years to come.
The cats are doing great, they are finally becoming a part of the family. Willy is still a bit skittish but improves all the time. I am getting better at making their food. I am making it fresh twice a week. The recipe has gotten easier to do. They sure love their raw turkey.
I still haven't gotten back to exercising. It is going to happen soon. (maybe)
It just isn't my thing. I did lose 90 pounds without it. I now need to lose 15 maybe even 20. I haven't weighed myself in over a month. That alone tells me how crappy I have been feeling and eating. I am not going to get better any time soon if I don't stop eating the blankiety blank sugar. I never thought this would happen to me. I went through times when I ate too many raisins and dates, those are nothing compared to the crappy candy I am tossing down now. I didn't even gain when I messed up but now, just not the case. My size 4's are a bit snug. I want desperately to get back in the 2's.
Maybe typing this will make me think better about what I am doing to myself. Something has to do it. I need to watch my victory video. Bad!! I know I won't. Makes me sad. Tomorrow will be a better day.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

The Changing Taste Buds

What the heck is going on with me? For over 2 years I have enjoyed foods that I really don't want right now. The first one I realized I didn't want was Stevia, then tea. I have tried it with raw cane sugar and don't even like that. Soon I found myself not even wanting my favorite frozen Blueberries.
Unfortunately want I am doing it eating BREAD, it is sprouted Whole Wheat but it is still BREAD. I had some Irish Soda Bread, Scones, etc, etc, all supposed to be Whole Wheat.
My most recent no no, I am not enjoying my usual huge servings of veggies. In fact I haven't had any in weeks.
I do still manage to get my seed breakfast most days. I sometimes have eggs with, yep, BREAD.
I am having a hard time getting back into good Calorie Restriction. Every morning I have the same talk with myself. "Do it right today". I did manage a no chocolate day yesterday and feel quite good about it today. I am not back using the scale everyday.
What the heck is my reason now? I am not depressed, can't use that one.
My taste buds have changed.
This has happened to me many times before. When I was obese it happened more often. I am not wanting lots of the crap I used to eat, ice cream, wine, pasta to name a few. So today I am going to really try to get myself back weighing and measuring and recording my food.
I just have too.
Damn this coffee tastes good. Yikes, I haven't had coffee in over 2 years either.
I want a Skinny Latte so bad. Good thing I am stuck here all day designing a new Website. Keeps me from poison.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Finally weighed in

I did it, I remembered to weigh before tea.
To my surprise I weigh exactly the same as I did the last time I weighed, right down to the ounce. 135.2. I now know I am eating what my body needs to maintain its weight.
March 1 I will be back to Calorie Restriction. For me that will be reducing my daily calorie intake by 400 calories.
You say that is nothing do ya? My maintain calories, which go by AGE, height, weight, sex, and activity level are 1445. So by reducing them by 400 is 30%. I can do that most of the time. I do have a few days I go up to maybe 1300.
The important part is for me to use the cronOmeter.
Slack time is over.
Well it will be March 1 anyway.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Fixing my Metabolism

I have another week of fixing my metabolism. All is going well, now.
I was sick for a few days this week. I bought some imported organic raspberries that gave me a bit of food poisoning. I wasn't as sick as others have reported, sick enough to feel pretty lousy though. I did work through it.
All is well again.
I have been forgetting to weigh myself in the mornings and refuse to get on the scale after even a cup of tea. It has been over a week of forgetting, seems to become a habit I need to break. There is no way I can tell how I am doing without the scale since most of my days are spent in men's huge pj's. I feel good so I doubt I have had a gain.
I still find it hard to eat more than 1200 calories a day and am not sure I am since the slacker in me hasn't been using the CronOmeter every day like I should be.
We went out to dinner last night, Japanese, I had Chicken Yakatori and some steak thing. Didn't care much for the steak. I did enjoy the plum wine, very sweet stuff but tasty.
The rice was left in the cute little bowl.
I am so ready to get back to my CR and less calories. I just plain feel so much better and with more energy. Weird since food is supposed to give us energy. I also seem to be thinking of food more often now that I am trying to eat more. I also have given up the rice. The beans didn't cut it for me now the rice. Darn, and I have lots of both of them to get rid of.
The rice protein powder is finally gone. I feel no different without it. I did add a tablespoon of sesame seed to my seed mixture, I now have 2 tablespoons of flax seed, 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds, 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds and one tablespoon of sesame seeds. I grind them in the coffee mill and add them to an organic juice. Right now it is Acai juice. It actually tastes great, the protein powder blocked the flavor. Now I find it is sweet. The reason for all the seeds is to balance the Omegas. This way I get both 3 and 6, although I do still get much more Omega 3.
Kitty Update
The kitties are doing better, Willy is finally neutered and wearing a cone.
Bob is off antibiotics, I am trying to repair his immune system. He will be taking probiotics as soon as they get here. I am also giving them a B complex to help them through all the stress. Bob has been to the vet twice a week and he is not enjoying it. He was very upset yesterday. Normally he is a very laid back calm guy, not at the Vets. She wanted to put him on a different antibiotic but I just had to say no. I will get him healthy with food and antioxidants.
Willy was a very wild guy when he came to live with us 3 weeks ago. He now is very calm, lets us pick him up and he even sleeps on top of me. Bad habit, but from wild to this is amazing. He is a real looker. 
We take his cone off so he can bathe, if we don't he gets frustrated and grinds his teeth. So far he hasn't gone for his stitches on his tummy. Why stitches, the vet had to go into the stomach to find a lost testicle, poor Willy. I love this picture of my cone heads.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Metabolism and Calorie Restriction

I have been enjoying Calorie Restriction with the best Optimal nutrition I can figure out for myself, for over 2 years. I love it and have been successful with it but...
I gained a few pounds during a mild depression that started in Sept. 09 and didn't leave until Dec, 09. I did it with sugar of all things, nasty crap.
I didn't want to restrict my calories more to lose the pounds so I decided to boost my metabolism by eating more calories for one month. I am eating what my body needs to maintain 120 pounds. I haven't gained weight and didn't expect to.
My month will be up March 1, then I will go back to my usual 20 to 30% less each day. You might think I would enjoy eating more. Well, I don't. I have added rice to my diet to beef up the calories. I was eating legumes but just didn't enjoy them and they aren't good Paleo food. I was eating only 1/2 cup a few times a week. Rice is higher in calories and tastier, although I did tend to burn it because I always forget it is cooking. It takes so darn long to cook. March 1 I doubt I will be cooking it again so no need to perfect the method.
My goal is to lose 12 pounds then to maintain the loss. I will do this with CR and hopefully I won't gain again so I won't have to worry about my sluggish metabolism.
I did this last year and was successful so I have no doubt I can do it again. As long as it is only one month I can handle it.
My kitties are loving their raw diet. They do prefer poultry, both turkey and chicken over salmon. Good thing for me since the wild caught salmon is more expensive than the hormone free chicken and turkey. They seem to have gotten leaner without all the processed grains in their diet. I know their fur sure is beautiful.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Feeding pets naturally, raw food diet

I have been consumed with learning how to feed our two American Shorthair kitties. They have been with us for one week today. They have adjusted very good to their new environment, located the potty boxes, water and a great place to hide and sleep. Under the bed of course.
My concern is their health.
Our first American Shorthair passed away from heart disease Dec 10, 2009. I am still blaming myself for his health issues. These new kitties will not suffer as he did, I am taking control. My husband has always been the feeder, he can continue his routine with my input. He is not going to argue with me this time. I am determined.
I refuse to eat processed foods for my health so why would I feed processed food to my pets? I won't. They will not be eating grains, the number one reason for over weight and sick pets.
My kitties are eating raw chicken thighs right now. I will be adding the necessary nutrients in them so their diet is balanced for a cat.
I will buy the highest quality human grade cat food I can find for my husband to give them. I will do the raw part. They will be fed 3 times a day.
I was thrilled to see how the little guys took to the raw chicken. It was wonderful to see how they looked like a cat should look when eating. I did cut the thigh up in small hunks  but don't think I even needed to do that. Right now they are getting 5-6 1/2 pieces of raw.
We still have the dry Organic food out just in case they want a nibble. I don't know how much food to feed them yet. I am learning. I do know they don't gorge or barf up all good signs.
The chicken thighs are free range Organic, the same as we eat. When I get the supplements to add to them I will let everybody know what they are.
Please, please don't feed your pets grains. (wheat and corn)
You and they will be healthy and happy.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Calorie Restriction Paleo and metabolism

What is a "want to be skinny lady" to do.
I am stuck at 134 and can't get off.  I have decided to try and raise my metabolism again. I did it last year and was able to lose 10 pounds pretty fast so I am up for it again.
Last year I didn't eat brown rice or dried beans which I will be this time. I need to up the calories by about 400 a day, now that doesn't sound like much, but for me it is. I am not hungry at 1000 to1100 calories. Well maybe if I stay up past 1A.M.
I am used to eating just 2 meals with a snack usually an apple around noon so adding 1/2 cup of brown rice and 1/4 cup navy beans instead of the apple. I want them for the protein. I won't be having any fruit during the day.  Fixing my metabolism will require me to eat more often so I plan on eating half the rice and beans and saving half for the second feeding,. (sounds like a rancher).
Dinner will be my usual great stuff, grass fed beef, organic chicken and wild caught salmon with my favorite veggies. I will up the veggie portion to 3 or 4 cups.  I also like to have raw veggies but I am a seasonal eater and just can't eat raw during the winter, I know weird.
To fill out the rest of the day with calories I will have one  or two omega 3 eggs, fried in a very small bit of butter and later, 2 cups of blueberries with 1/4 cup raspberries for dessert. I really look forward to this treat.

I read that Stevia can spike sugar cravings. I am convinced that is exactly what happened to me last fall. Eating candy which lead to the mild depression which lead to a weight gain. I even stopped working out which changed my body shape.
I am going to work out again starting Feb 1. I am sorta looking forward to it. I refuse to eat more to compensate for the calories used to work out. That is one of the reasons I want my weight and eating under control before I go.
My new plan will be not exactly CR because I can't keep my calories 20% less. In fact I want them to be 20% higher than my BMR. To check your BMR multiply your weight by 10. I want to be 120 so my BMR is 1200. I need 1200 calories a day just so my body can function. I want to consume 1400 to 1500. Wow, that sounds like a lot. I hope I can do it. I will know when my metabolism has improved. I should lose weight again.
I refuse to over eat anything. I will still use the cronOmeter and weigh my food to be sure I am not overeating.  
As far as Paleo is concerned eating brown rice and beans makes perfect sense to me. Hunter gathers must have eaten them. They really are a very nutritious food. I didn't realize I missed them for the past 2 years.
I have switched to the Omega 3 eggs. They are great I can't tell the difference so I have to rely on what I have read about them.
I have found a new source for my free range beef. I hope to buy enough for 6 months soon.  Everybody that eats beef should look for a local rancher or butcher for their own source for grass fed beef.  We enjoy beef about 2 times a week.

Tomorrow is the big day, we are getting the 2 kitties. Everything is ready for them.
They will be eating Organic cat food made with brown rice. No grains for my kitties. This way they shouldn't have the weight and health problems most cats have from eating processed grains in their food.
I am wanting to get them some probiotics too. Anything to keep them healthy. I am pretty sure Tally's health problems was from his cat food. It is hard on me now that I have educated myself about cat foods. Just knowing we might have fed him better makes a huge lump in my chest and many tears.
Such guilt.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Calorie Restriction, Paleo continued

I am in the middle of doing The UltraSimpleDiet. It is a diet from Dr. Mark Hyman. I am eating brown rice and navy beans twice a day about 1 cup each, salmon and chicken once a week, a rice protein shake with seeds and cherry juice for breakfast and a great veggie broth.
I had decided that getting rid of allergens and inflammation right now was a good thing. It has been. I lost 2 pounds, this tells me that I wasn't inflamed much if any. I don't know about allergies to food but I do know a runny nose is gone. I didn't have it all day, mostly a few hours in the morning.  It has been completely gone for a few days. Now I can go back to my regular Paleo and CR diet to see if it comes back. Then I should know what food is causing it.
I read that brown rice and beans are not on the Paleo list of foods. Well guess what, they are going to be on my Paleo list. There are plenty of foods that are on that list that I will never eat. I can't see what is wrong with brown rice and dried beans. What it does for me is allow me meatless meals. I really want a few meatless meals each week. I also find it easy to take 1/2 cup of rice and beans to work. Now I don't have to take cottage cheese which I never like doing in the first place. I really wanted to get completely away from all milk products and now I will.
This past week I stuck with CR while doing this simple diet. It was very easy to do, much easier than with the foods I had been eating. My calories for each day have been around 1000. I hadn't been able to keep them below 1200 for a very long time. Since I am such an old lady I am not supposed to be eating more than 1400 a day to maintain my weight at 130. So at 1000 I am OK and on CR.  I want to weigh 120, it is a better CR weight for me and I do have a small frame, I am 5ft. 6.
I sure cut back on the blueberries. From about 2 1/2 cup a day to 1 cup a week.
I need to figure out a new meal plan once I am finished with the UltraSimpleDiet. The plan is to go right into the UltraMaintenceDiet. Dr. Hyman doesn't suggest counting calories but just how can I not. I gotta, it is me. So I will eat some of the foods he suggests and still keep my calories low.
I bet he wouldn't agree with me..
My weight today, 134.8 and I am back in one pair of size 2 jeans. They must be a big 2, I sure don't fit in my skinny jeans size 2 yet. I will get there again, I am just a few pounds away.

Kitty Update
We finally found an American Shorthair in fact we have decided to buy 2 of the little beauties, both boys. One is a white, silver, the other is a Classic Silver Tabby exactly like Tally.
In fact he is a decedent of Tally's daddy, Maverick.  We were thrilled when the breeder told us that. We pick them up at the San Jose cat show this Sat. They are coming to the show from Oregon.
The Greek is getting all ready. He has two of everything.
So far we think their names will be Jake and Gus. We will see when we first see them.
We are so ready for these two little kitties.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Calorie Restriction, Paleo diet plan for the week

I have been asked to make a post about what I eat on the Paleo, CR and Raw food diet. It is very simple, plain cooking and eating raw. This is a typical week.
Breakfast:
  • 2 tbs. flax seeds
  • 2 tbs. pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbs. sunflower seeds 
  • 1/2 cup organic unpasteurized orange juice
Grind the raw, unsalted seeds in a coffee mill, add to the orange juice or any unsweetened juice. This mixture is thick if you want to drink it, as I do, add some hot water about 1/4 cup of less. This breakfast is about 400 calories. It is a complete omega 3 and 6 food source.

Lunch:
  • 1/2 cup Organic 2% Cottage Cheese
  • Or
  • left over protein chicken, beef or fish 3-4 oz.

Dinner:
  • 4-6 oz lean Organic protein, chicken, beef, or fish.
  • Raw spinach with olive oil and red wine vinegar.
  • Roasted or steamed veggies with Olive Oil and sea salt.

Dessert:
  • 1-2 cups frozen Organic Blueberries
  • 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
  • Stevia to sweeten

Drinks:
  • Flavored green teas all day long
Extra's:

  • I take supplements to fill out my daily needs.
  • I track my nutrients with the cronOmeter
  • I weigh myself everyday.
  • I journal everyday.
Condiments:
  • Horseradish
  • Organic ketchup
  • Olive Oil
  • Lemon
  • Butter, very little.
  • Lots of spices
  • Stevia
This typical food diary, for me, is about 1100 calories and full of nutrition. I am seldom is ever hungry or thirsty. I drink tea for a water source and get the rest from my food choices.
If I am wanting something to eat after 7 I will make it raw celery with a bit of sea salt. yea, I know salt is bad, so is plain celery to me.

This weekly food plan intentionally low in carbs from fruit. If you can handle the extra carbs and calories eat an apple Organic of course.  You could also add  a few eggs  a week.

Supplements:
I take several for various reasons, below are what I think are important.
  • Vitamin D 3 5000 IU
  • Probioatic
  • Vitamin C
  • Calcium
I find I get close to and sometimes over all the Vitamin B's from my food choices, I have it on hand if I want to take a B complex.

My new supplement is Glucomannan, it is a fiber that completely fills me for most of the day. Since it is a fiber you know what else it does. I highly recommend it if you want to feel satisfied for several hours a day or night. I haven't tried it at night yet. If you want to buy it online PM me. I will send a link.  macomarell@gmail.com

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Calorie Restriction with Low Carb

I had another good day with my CR low carb plan. I always took an apple for my lunch at work, today it was a bit of cottage cheese and a ground beef patty. Perfect lunch for me.

I walked into the house later than usual and was pretty darn sleepy and hungry, the darn Greek had some yukky white bread on the counter, he had eaten almost the entire loaf, so I cut myself a small piece. It tasted just awful. I loved it because it did taste awful, so bad that I didn't want anymore of it. I added it to my daily food intake, it didn't cause any damage.
We had Grilled Halibut with raw spinach for dinner. Yum.
I seem to be always hungry after a fish dinner, so I had blueberries, just one cup. I am so much better with measuring again. It did pump up the carbs and sugar but I am still pretty low at 30g in sugar for today.
I was 137.2 this A.M. Yea
I thought the gain might come off pretty fast because of the type of crap I was eating.
Sugar

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Calorie Restriction

I am happy to say I am back weighing and measuring and counting calories. It was very easy to do, I have no idea why I was putting it off for a few months.
I have decided to really try hard at keeping my protein high while keeping carbs and sugars low. Today I did really great 1015 calories, 99g protein, 43g carbs and 22 g sugar.
The only way I can keep the carbs and sugar down is to stop eating apples. I need the 1/2 cup fresh Orange juice for my seed breakfast. I mix two tablespoons  flax, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds that I grind in my handy coffee grinder. This mixture is packed with nutrition that starts my day. It is also packed with calories, about 450 of them.
I usually get a bit hungry around 1, that is when I go for the apple. I am going to try a full cup of 2% organic cottage cheese instead. Of course this is my winter food, summer is always more green stuff.
It worked just great today, kept me full until dinner time.
I had a top sirloin steak and roasted broccoli for dinner, a full day of nutritious food and only 1015 calories.
I didn't miss the blueberries and raspberries until around 11pm, far to late to eat anything. I never eat past 7 or try my best not to.
If I manage this again tomorrow I will be thrilled.
I finally weighed myself. I am 139.4. Yikes. That is a 12 pound gain. It will be gone in 3 months, the same amount of time it took me to gain it.
I need to weigh 120 for my height which is 5ft 6in. I did the test for frame size, I am small framed. I had no idea I have a small frame, guess it was hidden under all that fat. Now I know why I always felt fat at 135, I was, I am.