256.2 (Randomness...)

Just blogging for the sake of consistency today.  It seems that a daily blurb here helps me stay focused, although I have to say that I haven't been finding it all that bloody hard to stay focused on this task.  That's refreshing.  Every other time I've tried to lose weight, it's been such a fight. Yes, there were up times and moments when I felt empowered, but for the most part, it was drudgery of the first order.  This is... easier.

ON CHEATING:

Well, I have been, I suppose, but it's been pretty damn minimal.  I guess by "cheating" I'm referring to the induction phase of ANA (or "Atkins Nutritional Approach").  I have been having more than 20g carbs a day for the past week, which is why things are a bit slow I suppose.  But I've minimized things where I could.  Yesterday, I made two Johnsonville Brats for dinner. 1g carb each.  I made them into wraps in low-carb tortillas (3g each) with dill relish, onions and brown mustard (0g each).  But these were the first Johnsonville brats I've had in almost 10 years.  It woulda been an insult to not put ketchup on them.  So I went sparingly.  They were really good.  I'm making bacon cheeseburgers tonight, and will use them again.  I need to back off on the cheese a bit, though.  Need to stick with the harder cheeses and not so much fresh mozzarella.  Oh well.

The mocha is now going to be a weekly--not daily--thing, as it should be.  I'm going to make the low-carb version when my sweetie is here with me.  Most likely Sunday mornings.  I skipped it today.

ON SUPPORT:

Well, firstly, it's really nice to have someone doing this with me.  My sweetie, CCK, is doing this at the same time, wanting to shed about 10-15lbs.  It's already working for her, too.  She's done Atkins before, and jumped right back on it.  Her encouragement and support is invaluable to me.  We rant to the Low-Carb Nation store together, and had fun looking at all the (admittedly overpriced) goodies.

Support is also coming in from other places.  Old friends from afar finding out about this from Facebook posts, popping into this blog, people in my sangha noticing the weight-loss unsolicited, then asking how I'm doing it, even my sensei.  They are all encouraging me onwards, even taking the switch back to an animal-based diet into account.  They know I'm doing it very conscientiously, even when at the same time the decision has pained me somewhat.

Support has also popped up at my local Mondo-Mart!  I walked down there this morning to get leafy green salad mix, some avocados and an onion, and was hoping they'd carry the low-carb Heinz ketchup (DAMN YOU KETCHUP!!!)  Nope.  But while walking out the store, I happened to pass by a section that I'd never seen before.  They have a little section of low-carb and sugar-free stuff, including a bunch of things the LCN store carries, and lo and behold: SUGAR FREE KETCHUP!!!  I got that, and a sugar-free dark chocolate bar for CCK and I to have after dinner tonight as a special desert treat.

ON MINDFULNESS AND EATING:

What to say here?  To say that this is a practice in mindful eating is an understatement.  But this is not like the obsessively niggling pain of counting calories.  I mean, I pretty much need only count to twenty.  I can handle that.  I am also finding a new joy in the freedom that this eating approach affords me.  I'm not as focused on food as I had been in the past.  Food for me now is an exercise in simplicity.  I like that.  I like to savor the things I'm eating, not cram them in as fast as I can.  I'm more satisfied with less food now than I once was, but at the same time, I'm not munchy again in 90min.  I'm not constantly thinking about what I'm going to eat next while still chewing something I'm eating now.  That is beyond helpful, and again, very freeing.

ON CRAVINGS:

I crave a whole lot less than I did, that's for sure.  Yes, I still feel the tug of the sweet-tooth, but it's really diminished.  I don't partake in the sangha "tea and cookies" after sitting anymore, even to reward myself for having a "good food day".  My sweet needs are now covered pretty well by a low-carb snack bar.  Bread is still a bit tricky, mostly in the bun department.  I'll be perfectly happy with the low-carb wrap solution for now, but when I return from my Wisconsin visit, I'm going to get down to work on making home-made low-carb hamburger buns.  I've found a few resources on-line that use muffin-top baking pans, and low-carb flour that looks promising.

ON THE DAILY SCALE:

That may be taking a rest.  I think I'm going to switch to a weekly weigh-in.  Sunday mornings.  I'll do it tomorrow, and then when I get back from traveling.

That's all for now.  See you on the flip-side.