The Journey begins with me page 203

[demuralist]

I think if you try drinking a cup of tea it will give you enough caffeine to stop the headaches but not affect sleep. You could try it to wean yourself off of it anyway. Different teas have different amounts of caffeine, but even black tea (most common and most caffeine) has like 1/4th of what coffee has. Green tea has a bit less than black but Rooibus has none, white tea virtually none, and they are high in antioxidants, and according to SSoS author there is science to back up Green Tea as a help with fat loss.

Like the corn plates as snack tray!

So to fill up the plates....for dinner you could add some carrots and maybe some parsnips (you could roast the brussel sprouts, carrots, and parsnips on the same cookie sheet in a hot oven, if you cover it with non-stick foil you don't need to add anything but salt and there is virtually no clean up!)

I don't measure my HWC, but I usually only drink 1 cup (16oz) of coffee, I am pretty sure it is between 2 and 3 T though (I have measured it in the past and 3 is all that fits after I use the Keurig) If you keep up with the rest of the day the way it is, you should be fine!

[Pebbles67]

Green tea is what Schwarzbein recommends. Waaaah, I just love my coffee even black.

[demuralist]

There is no way I am giving up that one cup of coffee, I don't care what program I am on. I gotta draw the line somewhere!

[Pebbles67]

Amen Sister! I am drinking it black this week to try and get rid of dairy / AS bloat, but I am still drinking it.

[demuralist]

You are a stronger person than I am, I like it blonde (HWC) and sweet (stevia liquid)

[athomeontherange]

I do not mind decaf. I will admit my sleeping is better- not perfect though. Now for my secret shame.. 11:30pm, I am still awake just watching TV, tired but not real sleepy. I get this thought in my head that if I do not eat a snack I will be awake all night. It was like a panic.. so I did this..*hanging head*

PB040001.jpg

Yes, I photographed my indiscretion..

I am off to a better start this morning. I was depressed because this morning I saw how these past 6 weeks have affected the weight on the scale. I am determined though. I am moving more today and even though I am VLC, I am checking my fats just to see if I am in acceptable parameters. So, I am measuring and notating. Already I have noticed that I need to use the coffee mugs that came with my dishes instead of my huge ones just to control the amount of cream I consume. I will save the larger mugs for tea. You are right, I need to make and drink tea. I like putting 1-2 reg tea bags and 2-3 herb tea bags in a pot to brew.

Today I go in for my 6 week post op and back to work on the 8th (thursday).

[demuralist]

I didn't realize you were doing VLC. How are you getting away with bananas and apples? One of either of those would put you out of the VLC range wouldn't it? If it was me, I would drop the fruit and keep the HWC (especially going out of summer fruit season and into the cold weather season). And really, low fat and VLC? I think you will be hungry, on a cellular level as well as a tummy growling level. I worry that you would be setting yourself up.

Don't let a one time bad choice (last night's snack) push you into an overly strict regimen.

On another board I am on, one of the most successful posters allows herself 1 carby item a day. Whether it is a banana, or a cookie, or a piece of chocolate, whatever. She says she is actually getting to where she forgets because once she gave herself permission it was a lot less interesting.

At any rate, what ever you decide, I am here to support you, gotta do what you think is best for you.

[Pebbles67]

Not necessarily if she chooses only one each day. That is what I do. A medium apple or banana is about 25g carb. VLC being anything below 50g per day, of course.

[athomeontherange]

I am not trying to go low fat, I just do not want to be a fat party of food everyday. I think of it as VLC/LC I guess. I try to be 50g carbs or below most days but some days I know it will be @ 75g. My thinking is this: If I eat moderate fat and protein and VLC/LC I should see results. Correct?

Its hard not to come down hard on myself after a slip-up. Its the self loathing. I need to practice more self love and forgiveness. I need to be walking more as well, but am still looking for the motivation.

[demuralist]

I was thinking from my food tracking perspective I guess, all the veggies I eat, even though they are non-starchy, still get me over 50g, if I added a banana and or an apple it would take me well out of VLC range. I think that if you are not indiscriminately adding fat (ie. bullet proof coffee) and just getting what is in the protein as well as what ever you have to use to keep it from sticking to the cooking surface, and any that you need to make the veggies edible you are probably in pretty good shape as far as that is concerned.

I know that when I have a slip-up, I tend to get on the super restrictive band wagon. And all that tends to do is to push me further down the abyss. It feels like it is punishment (probably because it is). My current mind set is to get myself on track as often as possible and to let go of those slips. If I can just be kind to myself, I will slowly end up having more days on track than off, and eventually I will just be on track with an occasional/rare treat or indulgence. And it will produce a smaller, less fat version of me.

As to the exercise, I know that in the recent past (within the past 3 years) I had a period of time in which, my eating was on track and it got my sleeping on track, and I actually wanted to move, so I did. It was not forced, and if I didn't do it I was sad, not mad at myself. that is what I am looking for again.