R6M1D18 +1.6LDW
I've been at the same weight, basically, for the last week now. I'm 5'7" and at 143.6lbs my daily calories are about 1800-1850. So far, the only exercise I have added is 1 1/2 hours of gymnastics on Wednesday mornings. I think I got this! 24 days until Life Phase but really, besides adding back in a few favourite carbs like rice, pasta, and bread...this is how I normally eat anyway!
I am feeling pretty emotional this week. Tom arrived the other day, I finish up with the support group tomorrow, and my son has his specialist appointment on Friday. It feels like a count down is on! I'll update as I know more but don't be surprised if I'm missing for a little bit this next week. I just need some time to regroup and to get my house in order for the holidays.
Did I mention my grandpa is coming this year!?! He has never spent the Christmas holiday with us! Pretty excited and emotional about that too. He is in his 80s so this might be the one and only time. Keeping it real!
My recipe hunt has turned up many potentials. I look forward to having my mornings to work on them. Enough gathering!!! Time to put them to the test! I just have to be careful which ones I pick to do. Last week I did a flourless, sugar free cookie recipe but ended up eating 10 (which was obviously 9 too many). Steak fixed me up but now I'll proceed with caution. ;)
Cheers
CAT

I know, I know....I'm supposed to be testing out some dinner dishes to post for you all but....today I just HAVE to share this pudding recipe!! There are like a gazillion versions of this if you google it but this one is mine that I modified from about ten different ones. Since I'm still avoiding sugar right now, I chose to use xylitol this time (stevia did not work at all to sweeten in this one). Later, I will try it with either honey, maple syrup, or raw sugar.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

300g avocado (or about 2 ripe avocados)
1/4-1/3 C cocoa powder
1/2 C milk (almond, coconut, or any organic dairy)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3-6 tsp xylitol
8 drops vanilla stevia
1 Tbsp 18% cream or half and half (optional)

Makes 4 servings

Blend all together well! Enjoy!
The Tbsp of cream is only needed if you accidentally did too much cocoa for your taste.

Cheers
CAT

So, 'tis the season here in beautiful BC. I've been drooling over the egg nog in the stores and thought I better do something about it! I haven't tried this yet but will be making it today. I sure hope it works!! If not, I'll try some other recipes and get it right at some point. :) Let me know if you have a good sugar free (that's to say, no artificial sweetener either) recipe.

Egg nog

12 eggs
1 1/2 cups xylitol
1 litre cream
Vanilla
Nutmeg to garnish

1. Bring eggs to room temperature and then separate.
2. Beat yolks with half the xylitol until creamy.
3. Beat whites with other half of xylitol until peaks form.
4. Beat cream until stiff (don't over do this as you'll end up with butter instead).
5. Fold all together and add vanilla to taste.
6. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
7. Serve with a sprinkling of nutmeg.

Adapted from recipe Alcohol free basic egg nog by Mirj on http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Alcohol_free-Basic-Eggnog-Recipezaar

Cheers
CAT

Down 1.8 from my egg day :)
Speaking of eggs...yes, that is what I'm having for breakfast today!
This is my basic go to breakfast and can easily be changed up for variety. I've posted before on how I do an omelet during P2. This is my M1W1 omelet:

2 t evoo 80
3 eggs 214
1/3 C chopped fresh mushrooms 7
1/2 C chopped bell peppers 23
2 T chopped green onion 2
S&P

326 calories, 24.3g fat, 7.2g carbs, 2g fibre, 5.4g sugar, 20.7g protein -based on my Loseit app.

Easy peasy! I just toss the veggies and a pinch of salt in a bowl, add my eggs directly and give it all a gentle whisk (don't over whisk, it's just meant to coat everything). I use a fork, poke each yolk to release the yum and give it all a couple turns in the bowl.
Heat pan to medium heat with evoo on stove top and turn oven broiler on high. I usually move the rack up a couple. Once the oil starts to gather and moves easily in the pan it is hot enough. When cooking with evoo you want to stay in the medium to medium-low heat range. No smoke shows please!
Pour mix over the centre of pan and give the veggies a little shove around for an even distribution. Sprinkle on some pepper and allow omelet to cook to mostly done.
Transfer your oven safe pan to the oven and WATCH CLOSELY. It will take under a minute and you don't want it to burn. As soon as the top is turning brown, you're done! Oven mitt on and get it out of there!
Enjoy!
Once you've perfected the basic omelet start to add things like cheese (Mmmm) and not just regular cheddar (though that's a delicious place to start)...but look and see what else you can try. Feta is awesome with eggs!
Other complementary additions can come after the cooking too. Guacamole and salsa, for example!

I'm sure I will post many more egg recipe ideas over the next while. Those chickens of ours are doing just awesome!!!

In the mean time....I've got 2 recipes in the works ideal for make ahead meals and both with M1W1 in mind! One is a cabbage soup inspired by the classic cabbage rolls. The other a goulash of sorts. I've adapted both from an Anna Olson excerpt that came in the mail (thanks Home hardware!). Since celery (allergies), rice, and wheat flour are off the menu right now, I'm interested to see how my chosen substitutes will work!

Cheers
CAT

Pain!!! I'm in pain!!! Okay so it's not THAT bad. ;) But I am pretty sore today!
I did eat all my calories yesterday so I'm assuming that I have water retention from the workout. Up 1lb. This did put me just over so I'm doing a correction day regardless of the reason for gaining. I figure I better get back my wiggle room so that I'm in a better position by next Wednesday.
My search is on for all the information I can find on diet and nutrition while building muscles. Lots of interesting theories out there and just like weight loss there seem to be many ways to do this. I'll find what works right for me....and of course I will share it all!
Cheers
CAT

I went to gymnastics this morning. Yes, you read that right....gymnastics! They started an adult class and described it as focused on stretching. So I thought great! It's 1 1/2 hours every Wednesday morning. Well!!!! He had us doing cartwheels and handstands (okay so I can't actually do it but I tried), diving somersaults, beam, trampoline (leg drops, face down body drops, and even a back drop aimed at teaching flips!!!), the poles, medicine ball toss with a crunch...can't even remember it all now! I don't even know all the right names for this stuff, lol. It was fun!!! My butt hurts.....
I made sure I had my 3 egg breakfast before going. As soon as I got home I made a high protein drink with green as my base:
3 cups spinach
1 cup almond milk
2 scoops North coast naturals vanilla whey protein isolate
1 scoop chia seeds
1 T milled flax seeds

I blended everything together except the chia seeds. Really puréed it! After I poured it in a cup only then did I stir in the chia seeds. This is because I don't want the seeds chopped up in the blender AND because they make cleaning the blender a real pain.

Cheers
CAT

R6M1D3 No change :) Yes!
I was within 50 calories yesterday. I ate 1942 and was aiming for 1989. I've found that the Loseit app has me about 200 calories higher than the calculator I was using previously and my body seems to love it! Me too as I was worried I would be over restricted once hitting goal. After the last 5 maintenance breaks I've acquired a love for many good foods. Nice to know that I will be able to continue without restriction. 1900-2000 calories a day is lots! Especially in the first week of M without the caution foods. I'll be sticking tight to my count though so I can set this number in. This also means that once I start up an exercise routine (foiled by physical limitations to date but I haven't given up!), I'll be allowed to increased calories even more! Life is good :)
The whole starving skinny person is a myth!!!!
Cheers
CAT

R6M1D2 +0.6 LDW
Not bad after my first day back to eating more! I lost 0.6 from my last day of eliminating and then today was up 0.8. This is pretty typical despite my cheat the other day. Tummy not too happy about it all so I'm adding a digestive aid today.
I'm trying to figure out how to link my calorie count app (Loseit) to my site. It would be nice to share my actual foods with calories and nutrition info on here without having to retype it all. I'll see what I can do!
Cheers
CAT

Last day of elimination! I hit the wall last night and when hubby put the chips and pistachios on the table for our guests...that was it. So up 0.8 this morning but only 0.4 over LDW (really only 0.2 over but I've decided to go with 142 as LDW so I'm sticking with that). Hopefully today will help give back some wiggle room. Either way, I'm not worried about it. I'm paying for the slip with horrible neck pain and a killer headache today! That'll teach me, lol.
All good! Carrying on!!!
Cheers
CAT

Foiled by fennel!!!
I called it yesterday! I was soo done all day that shortly after supper I decided it was going to be my last day on drops. Yesterday's morning weigh in was 142.2 so I'm calling it 142 just because I can. This morning I was exactly 142. It just doesn't seem anymore wants to come off.
I did however stumble upon what I think my have been the problem this last week and a half. I added fennel seeds to my cooking! I saw it in with my spices and I guess my brain just said: spice! I looked up the nutritional value and it looks that I was adding about 2g carbs and some omega 6 to my days. I have kept in the bread sticks this whole round too so there was no compensating for this. I think it's pretty obvious that since I added the fennel I have seen up/down on the scale like crazy (which really doesn't normally happen to me, usually slowing or stalls but ups are very rare before this) so this must have been the cause!
I'm happy at 142lbs so I won't sweat it. Just wanted to spread the word for others that might make this mistake!
Cheers
CAT