The Dining Out Dilemma

Soooo....last night was Saturday. Like most Saturday nights, David (the boyfriend) and I ate out. On a diet, dining out can be rather difficult. Before going out, I researched nearby restaurants and the menus. I chose a local restaurant, Amelia's Bistro, and ordered the Alaskan Salmon with lemon spinach without the chic peas and bread crumbs. I looked up the sugar/carb ratio for wine and noticed their was only 1 gram of sugar and no carbs in 5oz (I only had 1 5oz glass). For appetizer, we had cured meats and cheese instead of the bread and hummus they always serve. Even though my sugar and carb intake was very low and almost none, I didn't lose weight yesterday NOR did I gain. My numbers were the exact same as the day before. I guess I should mention that I followed the diets protocol for breakfast, snack, and lunch. My question is why didn't my numbers change even though I took in less sugar and carbs than I would've if I had've eaten the required dinner? The dinner I was suppose to eat was the chicken breast with the mozzarella with spaghetti and pasta sause on the side. Hmmm.

In the book, Jorge says that it's not about how many calories you ingest, it's about the type of calories. But I beg to differ. Clearly, watching the sugar and carb intake definitely aids in weight loss because this helps keep your insulin levels low and steady. Low insulin levels result in less stored fat. But I'd have to say that the amount of calories you take in and burn play a part too, as we've heard for many years. Last night I didn't count how many calories I ate but I know I had more than what was in the dinner I was suppose to have eaten. I left the restaurant "full as a tick". I was overly satisfied and I didn't burn extra calories yesterday. Needless to say, I don't have any regrets. Normally, I finish a night at Amelia's with a huge brownie ice cream fudge sundae with reese pieces and whip cream. I resisted. I did good!

I digress...

I will continue the original protocol for the next 3 days so that I won't let you down on my 7 day journey. I might even go an extra day to make up for last night but I can't make any promises. What I do want to do is continue this low sugar low carb eating lifestyle but add more fruits and vegetables. I need more fiber and chlorophyll (dark green leafy foods) and I might be willing to let go of the whole grains in order to do that....hmmm. Not sure yet. What do you think????

Shedding the POUNDS

Lunch: Grilled Chicken Strips (well I baked mine, no grill available) cheddar cheese, lettuce and 1 Tbsp mayo (I used veganaise-I know, don't judge me!) in a whole-grain wrap; with 5 baby carrots and ranch dressing

And....I lost another pound. Here are the numbers

Day 3 Morning Numbers

Weight: 125.4
Body Fat: 24.5%
Water: 55% (Normal for women is 50-55%. Normal for a men is 60-65%.)
Muscle Mass: 36.9%

Numbers before Diet

Weight: 127.4
Body Fat: 25.1%
Water: 55%
Muscle Mass: ~35%

So I must say that breakfast and dinner are pretty filling. But lunch!.....I need more!!! The sandwich is very tasty. Maybe I need to add more chicken strips. Yesterday, I didn't exercise. I went to work which causes me to walk the streets of Manhattan. Nothing crazy.

Sorry gotta cut this short. Going to the dog park to let Mozy play. See Mozy below :)

High Protein/Fat, Low Sugar/Carb

Dinner: Mozzarella cheese melted over a grilled chicken breast, on 1/2 cup spaghetti with 1/4 cup pasta sauce; and a spinach salad with low-sugar dressing (oil and vinegar)

 
Yesterday was a success. I didn't cheat!...nor did I have any sugar cravings.....HOWEVER, I was a bit hungry about 1 hour 1/2 after lunch. I am used to eating a lot more and more often. I usually snack A LOT between meals. Bad snacks usually (chocolate, chips, you name it). So I'm hoping that my body will get used to the amount of food I'm eating. I will probably increase my protein intake which is allowed just as long as it doesn't increase my sugar and carb intake.

I woke up this morning, released my overnight liquids and stepped on the scale. I'm using a body analysis scale, which calculates weight, body fat, water, and muscle mass. I think I should give exact percentages instead of rounding down and rounding up as I did in my last post so that you can see the shift.

Day 2 Numbers (morning)

Weight: 126.8
Body Fat: 24.9 %
Water: 54.7 %
Muscle: 36.8 %

I lost about a pound yesterday. My exact number of body fat yesterday was 25.1% and today it's lower. Water is about the same. My muscle mass increased! The only physical activity I did yesterday was an hour Pilates Mat class that I gave myself. (Low impact and no sweating involved :). ) Other than that, I relaxed and enjoyed my day off.

So far so good. If this type of diet is of interest to you or if you want more information about a high protein/fat and low sugar/carb diet, I encourage you to watch Fat Head. You can view it on Netflix. It's a very interesting documentary. I watched it last night.
 I leave you with a quote from the book:

"Without lowering insulin levels, it's impossible to lose weight, regardless of calorie intake or exercise intensity." - Jorge Cruise

ANOTHER EATING JOURNEY HAS BEGUN

Yes, I am at it again!...Trying another way of eating. By the way this has nothing to do with my New Year's resolution. I am simply trying to find a way of eating that works for me. The vegan cleanse I did last year was great; however, it has been rather difficult for me to continue a vegan eating lifestyle. Cost is an issue and also convenience. (Shhh...my cravings are an issue too.)

Day before yesterday, I was watching Anderson Cooper and he had Jorge Cruise as a guest. Jorge is the author of Belly Fat Cure. Anytime I hear about something that will get rid of belly fat, it sparks my interest. Being that I can be quite impulsive, I bought the book on iBooks immediately and went to the grocery the next day.

This book helps you count your sugar and carb intake. Jorge says that we should take in 15 grams of sugar and 6 servings of carbs a day. This will DRASTICALLY change my eating habits. Lets just say that I'm used to eating a lot of desserts and pasta dishes. Wish me luck, ha!

Jorge gives two meal charts to go by for 7 days and promises that you will lose 9 lbs in that time frame. The book also teaches you how to continue this eating lifestyle.

Soooo...today is day one!

As of now I weigh 127.4 lbs. ~25% body fat ~55% water weight ~35% muscle mass. I will closely watch these numbers daily to see if I notice a shift. I will not change my exercise habits, which means I will do Pilates ~ 3 times during the week and sporadically take dance classes. I must say that I have been taking the Green Coffee Bean extract for about 2 1/2 weeks now. I haven't seen much of a difference from it, except I get hungry more often. I will continue to take the Green Coffee Bean while on this journey. (That stuff is waaaay too expensive to not complete the bottle, lol.)

Below is a photo of what I ate for breakfast this morning.(Sorry, it's a bit warped.)

Protocol:
 2 or 3 eggs any style with 1 piece of wholegrain toast and butter, 1/4 cup blackberries, and tea or coffee with cream

As you can see I decided to boil my eggs. Instead of butter, I used coconut oil. A habit I developed while on the vegan cleanse. My coffee is black. I never use cream.


Here I go!!!!