Food Reviews and Checking- In !

This morning was weigh-in day.  I have joined a low carb group challenge on Facebook and we weigh-in every Monday.  I was late weighing in last week by 2 days  (weighted in Wed) so today really isn't a full week as I have 2 days left to go.  All that said, I am down 2 lbs !  Fantastic!

Something dawned on me over the weekend:  that this just feels so right and so easy.  I have no cravings. NONE.  I feel great. Even with TOM fast approaching I don't have half the symptoms I usually do. Yes, I am bloated and a little moody but that is a relief compared to what I usually suffer.

Knock on wood, not one headache either.  Another superb PERK to this low carb diet.

Now before I get started on some packaged food reviews I wanted to share a little bit of my recent past with you.   Last year I went on a low-fat diet.  I had a trainer, a dietician...the works.  I recorded everything I ate staying at 1500 calories per day. I exercises regularly.  Did I lose weight?  No more than 1/2 lb per week.  That is PATHETIC.  I even had my metabolism tested and it was fine.  My thyroid:  Totally fine !   So nothing was physically wrong with me and there is no reason why the weight was coming off so slow.  And all those "professionals" had no answer at all.   Was I loosing inches? Yes, I was.  That was the good thing but clearly all the exercise was playing a bigger role than the diet.

Recording food intake be it in a journal, by calorie count or counting points (whatever requires me to calculate or record each bite that goes into my mouth!) is just not something I want to do. And I never want to do it again !  Back then, my entire day was consumed with thoughts about what I was eating.  Everything was so bloody rigid and I hated it.  I felt like I was putting in the effort and not reaping many rewards at all.   So what did I do?  I ended it all.  I had no intention of putting myself through all that anal retentive behavior any longer.

Then what did I do?  I read Women, Food and God.

Now anyone who has read Geneen Roth's book will be wondering how I could possibility find myself back on a "diet" after reading a book that states diets don't work.  Well for me, low carb isn't a diet. It is a way of life.  And I don't miss the carbs. I don't feel as if I am restricting myself by removing high carb foods. In fact, my body clearly loves this new way of living.  The no-migraine result speaks volumes.

What I did learn from Geneen's book is how to look deeper into our relationship with food;  that our belief in ourselves, in our lives and our view of spirituality all manifests itself in our eating habits.  Does she go on and on about God? No, she doesn't.  In fact she doesn't believe in God in a traditional way at all.  For me that made a lot of sense too.  It connected with my own belief system.  Her process is about self-reflection and tuning into your and your body.

She also has some guidelines to follow that really make a lot of sense:

1. Eat when you are hungry. (Truly hungry, body hungry not mind hungry)

2. Eat sitting down in a calm environment. This does not include the car.

3. Eat without distractions. Distractions include radio, television, newspaper, books, intense or anxiety producing conversation and music.

4. Eat only what your body wants. (Big difference from what your MIND wants!)

5. Eat until you are satisfied. (This is different than full).

6. Eat (with the intention of being) in full view of others.

7. Eat with enjoyment, gusto and pleasure.

And when the urge to binge comes along ask yourself what it is you are trying to deaden, avoid or ignore.  The answers will come if you give it time.

I love her book(s).  In fact, I have read and re-read them now at least half a dozen times.  It is like a quiet , sacred and private place I can go to when I need that sense of peace and calm. It refocuses my attention and soothes me at the same time.  I am sure I will re-read it again before month's end.

Now on to the packaged food reviews.  Last week I ordered several items from The Low Carb Grocery and they arrived within days.   I will review 2 of the products I tried over this past weekend.  So let's get started

REVIEW # 1 - Big Train Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix

Nutrition Facts Valeur Nutritive
Serving Size   1/4 Mix
Servings Per Container   about 9
Calories   90
Fat   0.5g
Saturated Fat   0g
Trans Fat   0g
Cholesterol   0mg
Sodium   300mg
Carbohydrates   12g
Fibre   5g
Sugars   0g
Protein   11g

All I can say is WOW!  Those these are not fluffy and thick but rather on the thin side, they taste phenomal.  Great texture (smooth not grainy) and a perfect buttermilk flavor.  So good in fact that my kids and my hubby ate them too and thought they were incredible.  One serving = 3 pancakes and about 7 Net carbs when you subtract the fiber.   These should be eaten in moderation to ensure steady weight loss and no stalls if on OWL.  The recipe makes 2 servings but I stored the remaining batter overnight in the fridge and
made the 3 extra pancakes the next morning.
No loss or change to taste or texture.  A+

REVIEW #2 -   Josephs Sugar Free Maple Pancake Syrup

0 Net Carbs!

Nutrition Facts Valeur Nutritive
Serving Size   1/4 Cup
Servings Per Container   6
Calories   35
Fat   0g
Cholesterol   0mg
Sodium   30mg
Carbohydrates   9g
Polyols/Sugar Alcohols   9g
Protein   0g

Ingredients: Water, Maltitol, All Natural Maple Flavor 

Thick, loaded with maple flavor and heaven on low carb pancakes. This one is a winner. No artificial taste and no weird after-taste.  I have tried other brands in the past but this is the best one to date. Remember that you subtract the Sugar Alcohols  (as this is sweetened with Maltitol) from the Total Carbs to get your net carb impact.  In this case the net carb impact is 0 ! A+

And on a final note, I picked up a new blender on the weekend. I was in dire need of something that could really crush ice for my protein shakes.  This one takes your ice cubes and smashes them into oblivion!  No weak motor or lame blades with this guy.  A+ for a great appliance.

So on that note, I bid you farewell for the day.  Stay tuned for further food product reviews, more check-ins, recipes and hopefully some inspiration for you as you live the low carb life along with me!

I have decided to start tracking exercise here too from Sun-Sun for my benefit really so I can look back during the week and see what I have accomplished.

Sun Sept 11/11  -  30 minute interval workout: Walk and Jog DVD, Leslie Sansone

Mon, Sept 12/11 -  upper and lower body weight routine,  20 min rebounding