10 pound Check-in

I decided I wasn't going to do another check-in until I had lost 10 pounds.  I was beginning to wonder if I ever would.  Thank goodness, I finally hit it this morning.

 

I must admit that I am finding it harder to stay focused this time around. For one thing, the ap that I have been using for years has changed and not for the good as far as I am concerned.  But the good news is that it has forced me to look for a new one and I found a Keto ap!  I think I am going to love it, once I get everything figured out.

 

Of course, none of our recipes are in it yet, so I am having to plug them in as we make them.  I do not always have the time to do that, so I'm not tracking everything like I should.   But eventually I will get everything plugged in and it will get easier again.

 

I won't bore you with a complete list of the meals we have eaten since I last checked in.  We tend to eat a lot of the same things, anyway.  But, for the most part, I have been keeping it Keto.  There was one day that we went out for dinner - an OMAD day and I cheated.  I didn't think it would matter since I was only eating the one meal anyway.  Well, the scales were up the next day.  Not just mine, Ed's weight was also up.  We both had the same thing, so I am willing to bet the meal was super high in salt and it was a water gain.  Especially since it fell right back off once I got back on track the next day.

 

I try to do OMAD on my days off work.  I get up and have my coffee and just push off eating as late as I can.   But on workdays, I usually eat 3 meals a day.  For breakfast, I have an egg, sometimes with bacon or sausage.  Sometimes just the egg.  And occasionally we will throw some strawberries in just to get some fruit into my diet.  Lunch is often soup. and our evening meal is usually a meat & a vegetable.  We have just been keeping it simple.

 

I have also been taking Keto Cheese-it's to work for an afternoon snack.  I know I have shared that recipe before, but basically you just cut cheese into squares and bake them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  They are crispy just like a cracker.  I even made a dill pickle dip to eat with them last week.

 

I am still drinking my coffee black.  Still trying to not drink my diet Mt. Dew.  Although I must admit, I am not 100% there, yet.  I had a couple of nights where I just did not sleep well, and I decided I needed the caffeine so I did drink dew instead of water those days.  Baby steps.  

 

I took my under-the-desk bike to work and am trying to ride it during my breaks.  That really is quite a challenge because my chair is on wheels - so it's like a double workout.  My legs get a workout pushing the pedals and my arms get a workout hanging onto the desk to try to keep my chair from moving.  Next week I think I am going to try to use the stand-up desk more, too.  I believe I will be able to get more steps in if I can get myself to do that.

We took advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday and got outside for another hike with some friends.  We walked a little over 3 1/2 miles.  Hilly miles, I might add.  I'm looking forward to our next chance to get out and hike.  I am off work every other weekend, so hopefully in 2 weeks we have another warm spell and will get to do it again.

 

I am also still riding my indoor bike.  I ride it of an evening while watching TV with Ed.  We have not gotten any outdoor rides in yet.  Come on spring!  I am so ready. 

Anyway,  I guess that's all for now.  I will check in again after I have lost another 5 pounds.  Hopefully I see you soon!

Checking in

Okay, so I have been back on Keto for about a week now and I keep asking myself why I didn’t just do this sooner.  I feel better even though I don't look any different, yet.

I am really having trouble getting my macros where they need to be.   I need to remember to plug my food in before I eat it and then stick to it.  

In addition to eating Keto, here are some things I am doing: 

1.   I am pushing at least 50 oz of water each day.  
      I drink more if I can but make myself drink at least 50.  

2.   I am drinking my coffee black again.

3.   I am trying to omit the diet soda. 

4.   I have been pushing the exercise.   
      I cannot wait until warmer weather, as it is much more fun to exercise outside!

Before I give my totals for the week, I want to mention that yes, I do realize that it’s mostly just water weight.   I know I was retaining a lot of water.  However, now that I have eliminated that excess water and have gotten back into Ketosis, it’s time to start burning this fat.  

So, what did we eat this week?  Well, we did not end up just repeating the food we ate that week in 2019, like I had planned.  We did eat a lot of the same things we did that week, but it did get switched up quite a bit.  Plus, we went out for Mexican one day and I couldn't stay out of the chips and salsa.  (I basically ate OMAD that day though, to try and make up for it)   I also did not log any adult beverages but I did limit them.  

 

Here are my total exercise miles:

We actually got in three hikes.  Granted, they were just three miles each, but hopefully we increase that with time.  The speed should also improve with time.  

The biggest chunk of my miles came from the stationary bike.  I have been riding it almost every day.  I have been trying to ride at least 10 miles on work days and pushing for 30 (or more) on my days off work.   My new Mini Exercise Bike (under the desk pedals) came in on Monday, but we have not gotten it assembled, yet.   I look forward to seeing just how many miles I will be able to push during my work day once I get it over there.  If nothing else, I will try to use it during my breaks.   

And now for the weight loss totals:

I have to say, I do love that Kale Soup, but I have to wonder if it may be what caused me to stall on the weekend.  Of course, it could also be because I worked the weekend and wasn't getting as much exercise. 

Anyway, so I am down 7 pounds.   I was hoping for more, but I'll take it.

Now my goal for next week is to keep my carbs closer to target.  

Keto works! "Cheat-o" does not.

Hey friends!  

Today I am here to say that Yes, Keto works!  But you have got to be committed. 

You cannot eat Keto 90% of the time and cheat the other 10%.  

I am living proof of that.

Yes, I did change jobs.  

I went from a very physically demanding job (30,000 plus steps a day) to a desk job where I SIT for 90% of my 12-hour shift (and get maybe 5000 steps a day).   

But I also went from eating Keto to eating Keto "most of the time” but cheating almost daily.  

Yes.  Those pounds have crept back on.

What have I learned?

You cannot eat Keto (high fat) all day and then cheat in the evening.  

If you eat High Fat all day and then over consume on the carbs in the evening you are going to gain weight - and then some!

So here we are, starting 2023 and I am starting my Keto Journey all over again.  

I have managed to gain my weight back, gradually.  The weight gain started with the pandemic, and it has been a gradual increase since then.

Today when I stepped on the scales, I weighed exactly what I weighed in 2019 when I started Keto.  My goal for 2023 is to get back down to 118 by July, like I did in 2019.

So, join me, if you will, and together we can get our weight back in control.

I sat down and came up with a food plan for the next week.  I went back into MyFitnessPal (Where I logged my daily food intake) and found a week where I lost 8 pounds, and we are just repeating the food we ate that week.

So, tune in next week to see if it worked again! 

I will report my weekly weight loss (or weight gain) and then I will also share with you my food diary for each day of  the week last week.

For me, it is not just what I eat though.  Since I now have a sedentary job, I have also made it a goal to increase my exercise.  I hope to get at least 10 miles on the bike on my workdays, and 30 miles a day on my days off work. (Inside or outside) I must admit, I look more forward to those outside miles.  

Ed and I have also agreed to try to do some walking/hiking - when the weather permits on my days off work.  Let's face it - when there is no overtime, I am only working 3 days one week and 4 days the next (or in other words, I am OFF work 4 days one week and 3 days the next) So we do, potentially, have the days off work to increase our steps to make up for the lack of steps on my workdays. 

I also asked for permission to bring in an under-the-desk pedal exerciser, so I can try to get some exercise as time allows while I am in the office.  I do not expect to sit there and pedal straight through my entire 12-hour shift.  In fact, I really do not know how often I will get the opportunity to push those pedals.  But I figure ANY amount I get is better than the amount I will be getting if I don’t have them there. And who knows?  Maybe someone else will also benefit by using them during the hours I am not at work.

Anyway, Cheers to 2023!  

Check back next week and let's see how this new journey is going.

Did Someone Say Pizza?

Today I found out that instead of going in for two 12-hour shifts tomorrow, I am going in for four 12-hour shifts.  

Hello over-time. 

Since Ed is racing time, trying to get the siding on the house before the weather turns cold - I decided to try and meal prep to get us through the next four days.  Lord knows, when I get home at 7:30 PM after working 12 hours, I am not going to want to cook.  Yes, I know some of my fellow co-workers do, and I feel for you.  But that's not me.  Ed almost always has dinner on the table when I get home.

So today we made PIZZA!  

Keto Friendly Pizza, that is.

"Supreme"  Chicken Crusted Pizza.
pizza sauce, sausage, peppers, onions, bacon bits, pepperoni, olives & mozzarella cheese.

Chicken Alfredo Chicken Crusted Pizza
Alfredo sauce, chicken, bacon bits & mozzarella cheese

I have posted the recipe for this Chicken Crusted Pizza before.  But I just gotta say, if you have not tried it yet, you are missing out! 

You can check out my Chicken Crusted Keto Pizza Recipe Blog Here

Ed and I ate off these two pizzas tonight.  and we probably have enough left-overs to feed us for the next four nights - and then some!  Check this out.

Not one, but TWO 5-cup dishes full of left-overs of each pizza. We will probably grow tired of the pizza before we run out, since it's just the two of us here.

If the thought of a Chicken Crusted Pizza grosses you out .... take a look at this "crust".

I am not entirely sure what my macros are when we eat this pizza, becuase I do not measure everything.  I just kinda-sorta follow the general recipe. I'll add another egg or a little more cheese if I think it needs it.  I just mix it until it has a dough-like consistency. I also do not measure how much sauce, cheese, etc I am putting on the pizza.  But everything in my pizza is Keto Friendly.

I can honestly say, that if you have a favorite pizza topping - as long as it is Keto Friendly, you could make it on this Chicken Crust.  I personally don't think it "tastes like chicken" ....  It's just crust.  

Perhaps our next experiment should be to top it with Cinnamon and Stevia!  😋  

Rachel's 3-minute 3 Carb Chicken

Today, as I was fixing Ed's lunch, I decided I was going to hop on here and share this recipe with you.  I know we all need a quick and easy lunch idea occasionally.  

I cannot take credit for this gem.  It's one my daughter threw together.  She mentioned it to Ed, and he bought the ingredients right away, but it took us a good while to give it a try.  I don't know why, probably because the idea of eating cooked frozen chicken didn't sound very appealing. But I am glad that we finally gave it a try.  We have now made it quite a few times, I might add.

 

I should also mention that you should check the Nutrition Facts when you grab your chicken.  Tyson makes several different versions of the cooked & ready grilled chicken and some of them have more than just 1 carb. 

 

Rachel's 3-minute 3 carb Chicken

Tyson's Grilled and Ready Fajita Chicken Breast Strips 
Real Bacon Bacon Bits
Shredded Cheese
Walden Farms Chipotle Ranch dressing

 

Toss the frozen chicken into your serving bowl and heat in the microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes.  Add the bacon bits and shredded cheese and heat for another 30 seconds - or until cheese is melted.  Top with the Chipotle Ranch Dressing, stir to mix well.  Then enjoy!

With this recipe, you get 1 carb from the chicken, 1 carb from the shredded cheese and 1 carb from the dressing.

3 oz serving:

260 Calories
3 Carbs
13.5 Fat
30 Protein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slow progress is still progress.

Today I decided that it was way past time I posted a new blog.  I was hoping to have some exciting news with my next post but, that's not really the case. 

Progress has been slow.  But, I keep telling myself, slow progress is still progress.  I have pretty much just been maintaining the number on the scale.  I will get down a few pounds, then I celebrate my success and put it back on.  I have got to stop those celebrations!

I do not intend to go down a size, I just want my jeans to fit comfortably again.  I am still wearing the same size I wore when I was at goal, they just do not fit like they should.  So, after I wiggle my way into them each day, I remind myself that at least I have not had to buy bigger ones, yet.    

Since January I have only lost about 5.5 pounds.  (However, I have lost those same 5 pounds countless times.)   

I know there are mixed opinions about the Ketone Sticks, but I recently purchased them again and am back to testing myself daily.  I am trying to figure out what it is, that keeps kicking me out of Ketosis.  I think the Diet Dew may have been a culprit.  So, I have once again cut diet soda out of my life.

I am also working on drinking my coffee black again. I still occasionally squirt a few drops of liquid stevia in it but, eventually I hope to cut that out as well.

By the way, I was right to worry about how my recent job change could slow down my progress.  I do not regret the job change, but I do not get the exercise I did before.  I am currently only getting about 5000 steps in my average 12-hour shift.   Hopefully, I will be able to figure out a way to get more steps in eventually, but right now I do not have time to even think about it.  And they keep telling me that we aren't even into the busy season, yet. 

Soon enough we will begin our bicycling season, though.  One of the perks to the new position at work, is I only work 3 days one week and 4 days the next.  That is going to free up so much time for biking!  Hopefully the lack of steps won't be as big of a deal then.

Back to Keto though.  I tried doing OMAD and Intermittent Fasting but that just wasn't working for me.  By the time I get home from work (7:30 PM) it is too late to be sitting down to devour my entire days' worth of calories.  So, I am back to eating 3 meals a day.

I have also been trying to eat less of the higher fat foods.  For about the last year or so, my normal breakfast was nothing but Sausage or Bacon.  Super fatty!  I am still going to eat up what we have bought, I am just not eating it every single day and do not intend to buy it again. Not until I reach goal, anyway.  So, instead of sausage links, I've just been having an Egg with cheese for breakfast.  So, I am getting 5 instead of 14 grams of fat in the morning.  Remember, when you are in Ketosis, your body first burns up the fat you consume and then it starts to burn your stored fat.  So, I should start burning my stored fat much quicker during my day.  

I have also changed my workday lunch.  For one thing, I've cut way back my cheese; another super fatty food.  I used to say I could live off cheese, but now I eat it much more sparingly.  I will occasionally take leftovers from the night before that might include some veggies/carbs - but for the most part, my lunch has mostly just been a protein.  Chicken Breast, Turkey Italian Sausage, Bunless Burger, Air Fried Pork Chop Bites, etc.   So, for the most part, my breakfast and lunch have little to no carbs.  The evening meal is a meat and a vegetable.  Just whatever Ed feels like cooking.  So, I have been keeping my Carbs in check, trying to really limit my fat and pushing for a protein goal while restricting my calories.

To be honest, I think the reason I've had so much trouble getting back to goal, is I was trying to lose the weight without really getting back into weight-loss mode.  I was trying to lose weight while eating a more relaxed "maintenance" version of Keto.  I wasn't even very good at tracking/logging my food.  That is something else that's changed.  I'm trying to log faithfully, before I eat it, to make sure it's not going to throw me over.

This week, I also decided to count NET carbs, instead of total carbs, just as a test.  If I do not like the results, I will go right back to counting total carbs.  I just think that if I count Net Carbs, maybe I can get a few more veggies into my diet.  

New Recipes for the New Year!

I thought it was about time I finally got around to posting some new recipes.  I am sure Ed and I are not the only ones hitting it hard, trying to get our weight back on track for our New Years Resolution.

I think one of the keys to sticking with a weight loss journey is to keep it interesting.  I like to try new things and when we find something new that we like, I like to share it.

I am sure you guys have already heard about the Fried Pickle recipe using a muffin pan.  I mean, it has been posted all over social media.  But just in case you haven’t heard of it, I am going to start with that one because we took that recipe and ran with it! 

I will only be posting step-by-step photos of one of the recipes because they are all basically the same.  We just changed up the  ingredients.  In fact, I won't even bore you with the full recipe.  

Easiest Ever Fried Pickles

Pickle Chips (as always, check the label to make sure you are getting 0 sugar, low carb pickles)
Shredded Cheese (any flavor, we've used Mozzarella, Pepper Jack, Taco Blend, Italian Blend, Cheddar)

Preheat oven to 400.

Place pickle chips in a single layer on paper towels and dry them off with another layer of paper towels.

Place a small amount of shredded cheese in the bottom of a mini-muffin pan.  Place a dried off pickle chip on top of the shredded cheese.  Top with a little more shredded cheese.

Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes.

Place on paper towels to cool (This also absorbs some of the oil as some cheeses leave them a little greasy.)

But, that’s it!  Super quick and super easy!

When cool, you can dip them in a low carb ranch dressing.

Ok – now use your own imagination and think about what else you can make in a muffin pan with cheese.  We’ve used the Mini Muffin pan and we’ve also used a regular sized muffin pan to make larger “Sliders” as we call them.

Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders

Ahead of time preparations: 

Fry up Ground Hamburger or Turkey into mini burgers or make slightly bigger patties and use a regular sized muffin pan. 

We used a small cookie scoop and it made perfect sized burgers for our Mini Muffin Pan.

You also need to dry some pickle chips.

And bake/fry/cook some bacon (unless you are using the Ready-to-Eat Bacon slices)

Now to make your Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders:

Put a layer of cheese in the bottom of your muffin pan.

Next, place your hamburger patty (or even just a layer of browned, ground beef) on top of the cheese.

Top with a small piece of cooked bacon. 

Add a dried off pickle chip on top of the bacon.  (You can also add onion or any other Bacon Cheeseburger topping you think we've missed)

Then top with another layer of cheese.  

Again, this can be any cheese of your choice.

Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes.  (If you are using a regular sized muffin pan you will have to bake it longer than 15 minutes.)

Unfortunately, I thought they needed to bake just a little bit longer and then I forgot about them, so they were a little burnt.  However, as you all know. I love burned cheese, so I liked them just fine!

To serve, you can dip them in Mustard, Sugar Free Ketchup, Hellmans's Mayo.  Maybe even top them with Lettuce and Tomato.  Or just eat them like this for a bite-sized bacon cheeseburger slider.

Another version we've tried and love:

Taco Sliders

Put a layer of Taco Blend Shredded Cheese in the bottom of your muffin pan.  Add a layer of browned ground beef flavored with taco Seasoning.  (Or cooked shredded chicken, flavored with taco seasoning)   Top with more shredded cheese and bake.

Once baked, served topped with your favorite taco toppings: Salsa, Sour Cream, Quacamole, Queso Cheese, Lettuce, tomato.

Breakfast Sliders

Tired of eggs? Here is a quick and easy, egg free breakfast.  Great for an on the go breakfast, in fact.

Fry up a pound of sausage.  (I like Bob Evans 0 carb sausage)

Then put a layer of cheese in your mini muffin pan.  Top with a layer of browned sausage.   Then top with more shredded cheese and bake for 10 minutes at 400.

Pizza Sliders

Layer cheese, browned sausage, pepperoni, chopped peppers, diced onions, sliced mushrooms (or your favorite pizza toppings) and top with more shredded cheese.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.

Serve topped with low carb marinara sauce and shredded Mozzarella Cheese.

Anyway, as you can see there are endless options for these sliders.  And the thing that makes them so perfect, is they bake in about 10 minutes.  So if you have a little bit of leftover meat from the night before, you can put together a pretty quick and simple keto friendly lunch in no time!

I challenge you to see what awesome creations you can come up with too.  

OMG y’all!

 

I’ve been hesitant to say anything online because I didn’t want to Jinx it. 

But …. 

OMG y’all! 

I was awarded a new job at work.  

 

A desk job!  

But I am so nervous!

For one thing – there is so much new stuff to learn.  Can you really teach an old dog new tricks? 

But I’ve been training now since December 11^th and I am really liking the new position.  Granted, there is a LOT to learn and I probably have not even learned half of it yet.   But, watching these gals and guys that have been training me just do the job without having to think about it, there is hope that maybe eventually I, too, will be able to just do it.   Right now?  Not so much.  I probably over think everything and make it harder than it needs to be.

Granted, I have managed a video store.  And at the bank I was a loan processor.  I also was the Receptionist/Customer Service back-up.   So hopefully I am able to pick up the new job pretty quickly. 

As I said, I am nervous …. But also very excited at the same time.

For one thing.  No more hair-net!  Which means I have to get up a little earlier because I need to do more than just wash my hair and throw it up in a pony tail/bun before work.  But, then again, I am not one that has a super fancy hairstyle.  I don’t mess with hot rollers or a curling iron these days.  Blow dry and go; Long and straight.    

Another thing.  I get to wear more make-up because it’s not just gonna sweat off.  Which means, I need to get up a little earlier!  Are you seeing a pattern here?

But, I no longer come home from work with grease on my clothes, so I get to go to work wearing nice clothes and come home looking close to how I did when I went in.

I can wear my rings again!  Well, I could if they fit, that is.  Unfortunately they do not fit right now.  My hands/fingers are still swollen from blanking.  (a very hands on job)  We talked about splurging and buying me a new wedding band but I think I’d rather just have this one resized.   This one and my diamond anniversary band along with my Mother’s ring.  I just want to wait it out and see if the swelling goes down with the office job before I have them made larger …. If the swelling does go down, I don’t want to have to turn around and have them made smaller again.

In the meantime, my daughter has given me a ring to wear – just to have something on my finger.    

Anyway, back to the job,  The biggest SCARE of the job;  OMG  I hope I do not gain 10 pounds each year, like I did when I worked at the bank.

When I worked at the bank, I was not Keto and I did not weigh every day.   

In fact, I did not step on the scales, period.   I will not make that mistake again.   I may not like what I am seeing, but I do and will continue to step on the scales every day!

These days, I actually step on the scales at night, too.  I have learned that I will almost always weigh 2 pounds LESS in the AM, then I do just before I go to bed at night.

I’m also thinking that since I don’t come home from work totally wiped out , that I just may be able to make myself sit on my exercise bike for at least 10 miles each evening.  

For the past three years I have been on my feet for these 12 hour shifts.  I averaged close to 30,000 steps a day …  grabbing handful after handful of Blanks – most often 20 to 30 oz blanks – and loading them into the carts.   I had to push and mount 2000 pound rolls of paper on the machine and had to push the 2000 pound filled carts off the lift and out to be picked up by the P.I.T. operators.  I should be honest here and say attempt to push.  Many times I’d have some sweet soul working nearby that would see me failing at my attempt to move my cart and come give me a hand.   

Even though the new job is not going to be as physical, it does look like it’s going to be busy work. So hopefully I get more exercise than I think I’ll be getting once I’m on my own.  Right now there are 2 of us doing everything.   But I will be honest, I think it’s going to be more of a mental challenge than a physical one.

Anyway, with the added stress of trying to learn a new job in addition to the Holiday Stress – I decided that I picked a bad time of year to try to diet (or lose weight).  So instead of trying to get this last 15 pounds off by my birthday – I changed my goal to maintain the 5 pound loss.  My goal is to keep my weight at 135 until after the New Year. 

But come January - it is time to get serious.  I’ve given myself babystep goals.

Goal 1 is to hit 129.8 (To get in the "120s")

Goal 2 is to hit 125.

Goal 3 is to hit 120.

The ultimate goal is to hit 115 and then to keep it between 115 and 120. 

 

 

Baby Steps

Well, I thought I'd check back in with an update.

 

I didn't gain the 20 pounds overnight, I guess I can't expect to lose it overnight, either.  So I will just take it in baby steps.  

Anyway, I am officially down 5 pounds so I have 15 more to go.

I have pretty much been sticking to 2MAD (2 meals a day) with IF (Intermittent Fasting) and it is working.  Slowly.  But it is working.  

I have set a goal to be back down to 120 by my birthday.  It won't be easy.  I have Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas to get through before my birthday.  But if I pull it off, I will be able to start the new year with my weight back on track again.

Although, I went back and looked at my weightloss totals the first time around and it took me about 3 months to lose these last 15 pounds back in 2019.   However, I wasn't eating 2MAD with IF.  I think I can drop it quicker this time.  I sure hope so, anyway.

I hate to admit this, but I have added diet soda back into my diet.  It helps me with IF because the more liquid I drink, the fuller I feel.   I drink diet Mt Dew on my breaks at work.  And push the water when I'm out on the floor.  I am trying to make myself drink a bottle between breaks.  I do better some days than others. It depends on what I'm running.  Some machines keep me hopping and I just don't take time to stop and drink the water.  But the more I can drink, the less room I have left for food, right?

I am also back on my Protein Shakes.  I realize this is very dirty Keto.  But they do fit my macros and they also help keep me feeling full.  I don't drink them every day, but as I mentioned above, some machines are just harder to run and sometimes I just feel like I need a little more to keep me going.   And hey, it's working. The scales are finally beginning to move in the right direction again. 

I guess I'm not officially doing true IF; with true fasting I think the only thing you can have outside of your eating window is water, black coffee, tea and other non-caloric beverages.  Giving up my evening meal and trying not to eat after 1:30 pm is my version.  

So on work days, my eating window is about 5:30 am with my first cup of coffee and until about 1:25 pm when my lunch break is over.  

On my days off work I will still have my coffee in the morning, but I usually don't eat anything until noon or after.  Some days I am able to push eating late enough in the day that I can get by with just eating one meal but other times I will eat a light lunch and then an early evening meal.  I still limit my eating window - the hours just shift a bit.

Anyway, I hope I get to hop back on here again real soon to let you know I'm down another 5 pounds.  Actually, my next "baby step goal" is 5.2 pounds.  I want to be 129.8 so I can tell myself I am finally back in the 120's again!

I may pop back before then though, with some new recipes.  We've got a few new ones I've been wanting to share.  

The Struggle is Real

It’s been a couple of months since I made my last post.  So, today I decided maybe I should post a bit of an update. 

Yes, I am still struggling.  

But hey, I follow Ally McWowie on Youtube and she's in the same boat as me.  If you have not, I suggest you look her up!  She's currently doing a "lose weight with me" series as she is stuggling with getting back on track, too.  

Funny thing is, at first, for me Keto worked.  It just did.  I couldn’t figure out why it didn’t work for everyone because it just worked so easily for me.

But then, I cheated.  And I did not get sick. 

When I first started Keto I was under the impression that if you went Keto and then cheated – you would get sick.  So for the longest time, I did not cheat. 

Not knowingly, anyway.  I am sure there were times when we ate out that I ordered something that I thought was Keto, but in reality they probably added something that wasn’t “keto friendly” ...  or, they cooked in the wrong kind of oil, or something.   But for the most part, everything I ate was Keto Friendly. 

But after I cheated and didn’t get sick – cheating became too easy. 

“I had a rough day at work today.”

 “It’s the weekend, I might as well enjoy it!”

“Everything else I ate today was Keto friendly, this won’t hurt too much.”

And so on.  

I had all kinds of excuses to ‘get off track’ and "I’ll get right back at it tomorrow."

But then tomorrow, I’d get off track again.  Eventually, “cheating” became too much of a habit.  The pounds slowly crept back on.

I officially hit the point where I had gained 20 pounds.  So instead of saying I lost 62 pounds on Keto, I actually was down to only having lost 42 pounds!  Ugh! 

So, diet mode gets serious again.   

I’ve been trying to do IF (intermittent Fasting) on my days off work ... or, here lately, my DAY off work.    The past 3 weeks I have worked 60 hours a week.    

So I also have in my head, “Hey, you worked 12 hours 6 out of 7 days this week.  You deserve this!  Just look at how many steps you took – you’ve already worked it off!”

Can you tell which is my day OFF work?

Yes, unless we go for a bike ride, I will readily admit that I do not  move much on my days off work,  I'm in my recliner - playing on my computer or my phone.  Or soaking in the tub.  We might do a bit of shopping  but not enough to get a whole lot of steps in.

But anyway, the point of this blog is Yes.  I have been TRYING to get back on track.  I do slip up. But I am finding that maybe working 60 hours a week is a good way to get me back on track.  I just need to make myself stick to  my Keto Friendly Breakfast.   And my Keto Friendly Lunch. 

This week,  I am going to try and skip my evening meal.  I feel like I need my Breakfast and Lunch to get me through the work day - but when I get home at 7:30 PM, by time I take a bath - It is too late to be eating.  I just need to have a cup of tea or something - and pretty much call it a night.

So - let's see if this plan will work.   Check back and I'll let you know how it's working....

PS  So tomorrow, we have about $50 worth of CHOCOLATES coming in from the grandkids school fund raising event.  I bought about $50 in candy (stupid me) and $50 in kitchen dishes and storage.  Why didn't I just buy all non-food items?  Anyway, my goal is to eat NONE - just let the hubby have them.  

So help keep me on track!  Ask me - how much of that darn candy did I eat?