Yesterday was my first full day on low carb. The morning began with a workout (more info on that later) followed by 2 boiled eggs and 3 slices of bacon. And coffee. I readily admit I am an addict.
As expected, I developed a headache by mid-afternoon. I also had cravings. I wanted starch, starch and more starch. To deal with the cravings I had a few cups of black tea then started searching for some low carb dessert recipes. I found one that was easy to pull together fast - a no-bake cheesecake pudding type dessert that contained cream cheese, sour cream, whipping cream, vanilla, some spice and some pure pumpkin. It worked like a charm and the craving subsided. The rest of the day I stuck with salad, low carb veggies and a small handful of walnuts.
By 9 PM I was exhausted and feeling very heavy, as if my legs weighed 300 lbs. I usually stay up to 10:30 but by 9:30 I was in bed and asleep. I awoke in the middle of the night to be greeted with night sweats and nausea. This is not a result of the low carb day! It is a result of being 40 and already in the throws of perimenopause.
Thankfully I managed to fall back asleep and awoke at 6:30 without a hint of residual discomfort. I was alert, not hungry and feeling ready to greet the day. As I am on vacation with my hubby, Mike, we decided to go out and enjoy breakfast together. We went to Cora's where I had a western omelet and a side of bacon. It was great but I think I drank too much coffee. By the time I got home my IBS was kicking in (have suffered on and off with IBS since early 20s) and let's just say I paid a nasty visit to Mr. Bathroom. This was followed by lower back ache, leg cramps and tummy aches. Did low carb trigger IBS? Nope. This has been going on for a few months now again as a result of the hormones fluctuating throughout the month. It is especially bad as I near ovulation and of course when Aunt Flo comes calling. I am curious to see if low carb will in fact help reduce all of these symptoms as time goes on.
Today was a no-exercise day for me. I usually workout 3-4 times a week with a break in between days. My workout is fast, targeted and definitely works to tone and reduce inches. Even when I was consuming high, starchy calories I managed to trim down inches. What do I do? A combo of rebounding, weight training and working with a stability ball. The entire workout takes about 25 minutes. I do intend to add an extra set to my routine which will bring it up to an even 1/2 hr but right now I don't feel ready.
Rebounding truly is amazing - just hop on a really well made mini trampoline (not the cheap ones at Walmart!) and bounce away. My workout includes 15 minutes of rebounding in short spurts - 5 minutes at a time. After 5 min of rebounding I do a variety of exercises targeting upper and lower body. I have happily found a routine that really works for me and will be sticking to it. I have been at it for about 6 months now and not looking back!
What I need to get back to though is meditating. I used to meditate for up to 2 hours a day but have really reduced that to maybe a day or two a week for 15 minutes at a time. Meditation always tends to quiet my system and allow me to focus on the tasks during the day. It brings me a feeling of calm and peace. Essential for someone who has been tagged as having a Type A personality. So maybe a meditation before bed today is in order.
So what's next? Grocery planning. I just poached a few chicken breasts which I will keep in the fridge and use up during the week. I intend to use them in stirfrys, caesar salads and chicken salads (sans bread of course). I want to pick up some fresh veggies too to eat raw or sauteed in some butter - especially green beans, mushrooms, garlic and zucchini. Cherry tomatoes are great for quick snacks as well as sliced cucumber. Raw broccoli is also great with a homemade dip.
I will be the first to admit I am not a huge fan of red meat. Eating a steak is not something I truly fancy. Bacon is good, I love ham, and pork tenderloin is great. Even ground beef in moderation is ok. But a slab of steak? Blech! I foresee a lot of chicken breast in my future.
So for now I sign off and get my act together in the kitchen - baked low carb mini cheesecakes are on the agenda !
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