Week #2 low-carb down! I've lost a total of 16 pounds and have lost 8 inches off of my waist in two weeks! The cravings have completely gone. My appetite has returned to normal. and I feel great! I get to add berries and nuts this week! WooHooo! Only 31 pounds to go!
On th couponing front...I cleared my first shelf yesterday. Did I feel bad??? Not at all! Food Lion had the Bic Soleil razors on clearance for $3.99 each, and I had $3.00 off coupons! So, I bought all they had! I had been there week after week and someone else had cleared them out before I even got there so....I grabbed them up. With 3 women in the family, they will be used quickly.
I spent $65 total this week. Saved $125! Still sticking to budget!
Will post my Menu later after the daycare kiddies go home! Have a GREAT day!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Week #1 Of The Low-Carb Down!
Today marks the completion of week 1 on low carb! I have lost a whopping 10 pounds! I have shed the excess water I was having to take medication for and now do not have to take the meds at all! I have more energy and seem to be sleeping better. And the cravings have vanished!
I am eating more now that I ever did before! Seems like I am always putting something in my mouth where before I was skipping meals and snacks TRYING to lose a couple of pounds (never worked).
I found a great mock chocolate "pudding" recipe that has been a life saver for the sugar cravings! Here it is for you!
-2 Tbsp. whipping cream
-1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 packet splenda
-1 or 2 drops of vanilla extract
Mix all the above ingredients until a "mouse" consistency is reached. Enjoy! Only 3 grams of carbs and SOOOOO good for a chocolate or sugar craving!
I am eating more now that I ever did before! Seems like I am always putting something in my mouth where before I was skipping meals and snacks TRYING to lose a couple of pounds (never worked).
I found a great mock chocolate "pudding" recipe that has been a life saver for the sugar cravings! Here it is for you!
-2 Tbsp. whipping cream
-1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 packet splenda
-1 or 2 drops of vanilla extract
Mix all the above ingredients until a "mouse" consistency is reached. Enjoy! Only 3 grams of carbs and SOOOOO good for a chocolate or sugar craving!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Menu Plan Monday
Here is the menu for the week. don't forget to head over to Org.Junkie for lots of new ideas!
*Daycare Breakfast Choices:
-cheerio's/banana/milk
-eggs/toast/applesauce/milk
-waffles/peaches/milk
-grilled cheese/pears/milk
-oatmeal/cantaloupe/milk
*Daycare Lunch Choices:
-PB&J/carrot sticks/dip/apple slices/milk
-pizza/green beans/pineapple/milk
-tuna salad sandwich/corn/fruit salad/milk
-hot dogs/fries/banana/milk
-ravioli/broccoli/peaches/milk
*Daycare Snack Choices:
-oatmeal cookies/juice
-popcorn/juice
-cheese and crackers/juice
-dry cereal/juice
-graham crackers with peanut butter/juice
I will post my Low-Carb Menu in a bit...the daycare kiddies are calling! LOL
LOW CARB MENU CHOICES:
*Breakfast:
-scrambled eggs/ham/coffee
-omelet made with onions, mushrooms and Swiss cheese
-sausage with cheese and slices tomato
-egg salad stuffed celery sticks
-ham with swiss cheese and asapragus
*Lunch:
-Chef Salad
-chicken salad on lettuce cups
-hamburger patty with sliced mushrooms and swiss cheese/ side salad
-hot dogs no bun/ baked turnip fries
-leftover buffet
*Dinner:
-Chicken stir-fry without rice
-BBQ ribs/ green beans/ roasted broccoli
-meatloaf/ mashed cauliflower/ squash
-lemon-pepper chicken/ tomato slices/ side salad
-chicken alfredo served over spaghetti squash/ side salad
*Snacks:
-Hot & spicy pork rinds
-cheddar cheese and pepperoni slices
-celery stuffed with cheese
-pepperoni chips
-vienna sausages
Sunday, July 10, 2011
5 Days In with Low Carb & Shopping Trip
Today is 5 complete days of my new low carbohydrate diet. And I must say that it is going better than I expected. The first 2 1/2 days I CRAVED my daily popcorn fix but nothing else. I did give in on Wednesday and had a snack sized bag (only 16 grams of carbs total), but since then the craving has seemed to disappear.
I have lost 10 pounds in 5 days! The swelling in my stomach,legs and ankles has completely gone away! I have lost 6 inches off of my waist so far! I feel so much better! It's hard to believe that removing high-carb foods has made such a difference!
We did our weekly shopping today. I made sure I bought enough for me to snack on if needed (one thing I learned this past week). Salmon and a lot of fresh veggies were added to this week's list.
We decided to not worry about too much couponing this trip. Mainly what we needed was fresh veggies, meats and dairy. here was our total for the week:
OOP:$115.92
Savings:$22.86
Not our usual savings but as I said, a lot of it was veggies. We stopped at the produce stand and I splurged on tomatoes, green beans, squash, celery, romaine, mushrooms, cantaloupe for Jeff and some onions.
We also picked up oxy clean, fabric softener, low-carb wraps,a variety of cheeses, chicken, ham, milk, heavy cream, eggs, pickles, pepperoni, creamer, splenda, oil, salmon, tuna, deviled ham, and crystal light. There were some snacks for the kids in there also that I got on-sale combine with coupons. All and all not that bad considering that I had everything I needed besides MY needs LOL
I will work on my menu plan tonight and have it posted tomorrow.
I have lost 10 pounds in 5 days! The swelling in my stomach,legs and ankles has completely gone away! I have lost 6 inches off of my waist so far! I feel so much better! It's hard to believe that removing high-carb foods has made such a difference!
We did our weekly shopping today. I made sure I bought enough for me to snack on if needed (one thing I learned this past week). Salmon and a lot of fresh veggies were added to this week's list.
We decided to not worry about too much couponing this trip. Mainly what we needed was fresh veggies, meats and dairy. here was our total for the week:
OOP:$115.92
Savings:$22.86
Not our usual savings but as I said, a lot of it was veggies. We stopped at the produce stand and I splurged on tomatoes, green beans, squash, celery, romaine, mushrooms, cantaloupe for Jeff and some onions.
We also picked up oxy clean, fabric softener, low-carb wraps,a variety of cheeses, chicken, ham, milk, heavy cream, eggs, pickles, pepperoni, creamer, splenda, oil, salmon, tuna, deviled ham, and crystal light. There were some snacks for the kids in there also that I got on-sale combine with coupons. All and all not that bad considering that I had everything I needed besides MY needs LOL
I will work on my menu plan tonight and have it posted tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
How I Plan To Do Low-Carb
I've been thinking about this whole low-carb diet. At first I was so bummed. I mean, I am not a sweets person at all so, going without cookies, candy, etc.. isn't a problem (I don't eat them anyway). But the bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, etc... is where I know I am going to have the problem.
At first I was just dreading it. Thinking about all of the foods I am not going to be able to have. Then I realized that I was looking at it all wrong! Instead of concentrating on the "forbidden" items, I should concentrate on the allowed items. And, maybe try to recreate some lower-carb versions of my high-carb favorites.
For example, this morning I was trying to figure out what I was going to have for brunch (I do not usually eat my first meal until 10am or later). The box of cereal was so tempting and would be quick and easy. But, a no-no now. So I started thinking about my options. I didn't feel like any type of eggs at all! I opened the fridge and pulled out some leftover grilled chicken breasts from last night. Hmmmm, what to go with? I spotted the tomatoes and knew! I made oven roasted tomatoes topped with garlic, basil and melted mozzarella cheese. It was SO Yummy! Like bruschetta without the bread lol. Even my youngest daughter had some and liked it (she is the only other person in the house that eats tomatoes).
Tonight will be easier. Hot dogs with chili, onions and mustard (no bun) and homemade low-carb coleslaw for me. Regular hot dogs with corn on the cob for every one else. Tomorrow I may have eggs for breakfast...may not. LOL
So, I am starting to switch my thinking about what to eat and when. There is no reason I cannot have dinner for breakfast! And by substituting some ingredients I may be able to still enjoy some favorite foods. We will see. I am searching the web for good low-carb inspiration now (:
At first I was just dreading it. Thinking about all of the foods I am not going to be able to have. Then I realized that I was looking at it all wrong! Instead of concentrating on the "forbidden" items, I should concentrate on the allowed items. And, maybe try to recreate some lower-carb versions of my high-carb favorites.
For example, this morning I was trying to figure out what I was going to have for brunch (I do not usually eat my first meal until 10am or later). The box of cereal was so tempting and would be quick and easy. But, a no-no now. So I started thinking about my options. I didn't feel like any type of eggs at all! I opened the fridge and pulled out some leftover grilled chicken breasts from last night. Hmmmm, what to go with? I spotted the tomatoes and knew! I made oven roasted tomatoes topped with garlic, basil and melted mozzarella cheese. It was SO Yummy! Like bruschetta without the bread lol. Even my youngest daughter had some and liked it (she is the only other person in the house that eats tomatoes).
Tonight will be easier. Hot dogs with chili, onions and mustard (no bun) and homemade low-carb coleslaw for me. Regular hot dogs with corn on the cob for every one else. Tomorrow I may have eggs for breakfast...may not. LOL
So, I am starting to switch my thinking about what to eat and when. There is no reason I cannot have dinner for breakfast! And by substituting some ingredients I may be able to still enjoy some favorite foods. We will see. I am searching the web for good low-carb inspiration now (:
Week #1 Of The Low-Carb On A Budget Challenge.
Starting the low-carb challenge today. This is going to be interesting. We did our weekly shopping yesterday and of course, I had to buy extra meats and veggies. Luckily shopping with coupons helped make it cheaper for us. What did I have to buy extra?
* Beef to add to my salads
* 1 package of boneless chicken breast
* Extra Eggs
* Bacon (usually only buy occasionally)
* Roma Tomatoes
* 1 head of cabbage
* Mushrooms
* Pickles (to replace my usual popcorn snack daily)
* 1 bag of stir-fry veggies
That is in addition to what I normally have to purchase. We spent a total of $75 for the week! And, here is the Menu Plans for the week (1 for me and 1 for everyone else). For tons of new menu ideas, please check out Menu Plan Monday's at The Org.Junkie!
Breakfast Choices:
*Cereal/milk/banana
*Banana Nut Bread/milk
*Oatmeal/peaches/milk
*Eggs/toast/applesauce/milk
*Blueberry pancakes/sausage/milk
Low-Carb Breakfast Choices:
*Cheese omelet/coffee
*eggs with swiss cheese, onions and mushrooms/coffee
*Bacon and Eggs
*Tomatoes toasted with mozzarella cheese and basil
*leftovers from the night before
Lunch Choices:
*Sweet & Sour Chicken/rice/milk
*Ravioli/fruit salad/milk
*PB&J/salad/milk
*Hot dogs/fries/apples/milk
*Ham & Cheese sandwich/carrot sticks/grapes/milk
Low-Carb Lunches:
*Grilled Chicken/Salad
*Cheese Steaks without the bun/salad
*Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo using Spaghetti Squash
*Leftovers from the night before
*Chef Salad
Dinner Choices:
*Ribs/Pasta Salad/Green Beans (no pasta salad for me)
*BBQ chicken/mashed potatoes/corn (chicken and salad for me)
*Spaghetti and Meatballs (using spaghetti squash for mine)
*Lemon pepper chicken/rice/green beans (no rice for me)
*Eat-out night
* Beef to add to my salads
* 1 package of boneless chicken breast
* Extra Eggs
* Bacon (usually only buy occasionally)
* Roma Tomatoes
* 1 head of cabbage
* Mushrooms
* Pickles (to replace my usual popcorn snack daily)
* 1 bag of stir-fry veggies
That is in addition to what I normally have to purchase. We spent a total of $75 for the week! And, here is the Menu Plans for the week (1 for me and 1 for everyone else). For tons of new menu ideas, please check out Menu Plan Monday's at The Org.Junkie!
Breakfast Choices:
*Cereal/milk/banana
*Banana Nut Bread/milk
*Oatmeal/peaches/milk
*Eggs/toast/applesauce/milk
*Blueberry pancakes/sausage/milk
Low-Carb Breakfast Choices:
*Cheese omelet/coffee
*eggs with swiss cheese, onions and mushrooms/coffee
*Bacon and Eggs
*Tomatoes toasted with mozzarella cheese and basil
*leftovers from the night before
Lunch Choices:
*Sweet & Sour Chicken/rice/milk
*Ravioli/fruit salad/milk
*PB&J/salad/milk
*Hot dogs/fries/apples/milk
*Ham & Cheese sandwich/carrot sticks/grapes/milk
Low-Carb Lunches:
*Grilled Chicken/Salad
*Cheese Steaks without the bun/salad
*Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo using Spaghetti Squash
*Leftovers from the night before
*Chef Salad
Dinner Choices:
*Ribs/Pasta Salad/Green Beans (no pasta salad for me)
*BBQ chicken/mashed potatoes/corn (chicken and salad for me)
*Spaghetti and Meatballs (using spaghetti squash for mine)
*Lemon pepper chicken/rice/green beans (no rice for me)
*Eat-out night
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