Oh my aching back !!! Is this detox ?!!

Well I thought things were moving along pretty well but then a day or two ago I started to experience body pain again, this time a lot of back and hip pain. I actually think this is a result of detoxing off wheat, corn, sugar , caffeine and dairy!

I keep drinking tons of water to flush out toxins - I am managing but it isn't fun.  Makes doing much of anything physical a challenge.  Keep telling myself "this too shall pass".  I tried to get in for a massage but my masseuse was all booked up. Phase 3 of this plan asks that one day a week you get a massage if possible. Sounds good to me and boy, I think I need it !!

Resetting My Metabolism

Took me several few months to get back here but here I am folks !!  Let me give you a rundown of what has been happening with me.

After sticking to low carb I was pretty successful then hit a major plateau.  Nothing I did kick started my weight loss.  But on top of that I started to feel really crappy.  Not incredible nasty or anything but far from feeling great. Bloating, on and off body pain, mild headaches, lethargy... my RA was getting bad.  My skin was dry. My hair was dry. My nails were brittle.  I looked old.  And as such I decided this wasn't worth it. And to be truthful, I had grown to hate the entire way of eating.

Without a great deal of thought but rather a gut reaction to put an end to my discomfort, I started to add grains back into my diet - so far so good. Or so I thought.   A starch here, a starch there and the weight started to creep back on. BUT I was ok with that cause I was starting to feel better. Again, or so I thought.

All hell broke loose.

Some changes in the works !

Just some updates to share.  I have increased my cardio to incorporate 1/2 hr of rebounding each and every day.  Still sticking with clean-eating and keeping my starchy carbs at a minimum though I do enjoy 1/2 cup of brown rice every now and then.  I am faithfully on gluten-free.  I slipped up recently and wowza, the stomach pain and bloat was unbearable.  I have to say, the pain is a welcome reminder that gluten doesn't jive with me at all. Listen to your body everyone because it is talking to you all the time!

Gluten-Free Banana Muffins

I stumbled upon this gorgeous muffin recipe while surfing foodgawker the other day.  The photo lured me in and once I saw the ingredients list I was hooked.  Clean eating at its best!

Now, as is the norm for me, I switched things up a bit - adding some extra spices and going with my all-time fave Agave Nectar as sweetener but feel free to use raw honey if you prefer.

These muffins are light, moist and taste just like banana bread.  Consider tossing in some mini dark chocolate chips or chopped walnuts too. They would make great additions to this yummy baked treat.

Adios Wheat

I have MANY updates to share with you all including my questioning the name of this blog!

Where to begin... well to start off,  my professional life has been very crazy. The 9-5 day job is keeping me hopping. I am in the midst of a learning curve right now after taking on some new responsibilities and though interesting and challenging, it can tire out one's little brain! I have also been working to set up a new website dedicated to the parents, caregivers, siblings of Autistic children.   A brand-spanking new logo has now been created but the site itself won't launch til fall.  My intention was a spring 2012 launch but I truly need to find more time in life to sit down and give it the design attention it deserves. Lastly, Lemon Drop has been motoring along. I am hosting a great Easter Giveaway too and all followers worldwide can participate so head over there and check it out!

Now on to my personal life. I have been really tightening up on both diet and exercise. So why the question of changing the blog name? Because low carb (as in the Atkins or Dukan Diet variety) really isn't cutting it anymore.  Let me explain...

Roasted Chicken Breasts

If you are like me you are always on the lookout for high quality, tasty and clean protein that is easy to prepare.  There are many days I simply don't have time or energy to stand over a grill flipping chicken breasts or steaks. Yes, the slow cooker is my best friend most days of the week but I am not a big fan of how it cooks chicken. I like my chicken roasted or grilled not poached or cooked in the slow cooker. I want richer flavor and crispy edges.

I have always avoided the oven when it comes to meats. I have a tendency, or did in the past, to roast things into charred oblivion.  Well those days are over.   A simple roasting recipe, 2 chicken breasts, some oil and seasoning.   That's it - foolproof.  Even I can't screw this up!

Low Carb Almond Milk

Low carb, sugar, gluten and dairy free - how perfect is that?  Sure you can buy store bought almond milk but if you are like me and use it to make protein shakes or smoothies at least once a day the cost can add up quickly.

Why not make your own at home?

This recipe makes 4 cups of almond milk and it is rather simple and straight forward.

Parmesan Crisps

Craving chips? Opt for Parmesan Chips instead.  Simple to make, ultra low carb,  salty, crispy and absolutely delicious.

This recipe makes 4 servings and uses 3 cups of shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.  That's it. No other ingredients needed!

Microwave Coffee Cup Scramble

In a rush but need a low carb breaky recipe that takes no time to prepare? Then this one is for you!

I love this recipe for its simplicity and time saving features but most of all for its near zero carb count.

Eggs are a wonderful source of protein. I eat 2 eggs a day usually in the form of 1 whole egg and 1 egg white. So many ways to prepare them: scrambled, boiled, poached...but in the microwave? and better yet, in a coffee mug? Yes, it can be done and it tastes great too!

Crustless Pumpkin Pies

These little individual pumpkin pies ROCK! They are sweet, spiced to perfection and are such an incredible treat for people who tend to shy away from sugary desserts. Is there sugar in them? Yes, COCONUT SUGAR.

If you haven't tried coconut sugar then you need to get on that! It is a phenomenal, natural low glycemic-index sweetener that can be used at 1:1 ratio replacement with regular sugar. Now it isn't super low in carbs at around 5g per 1 tsp. but it is still a nice sugar alternative.

Oh my aching gums !

I started off last Friday with a trip to the dental office.  Supposedly it was for a simple filling and some gum restoration work.  I love how they use the word "restoration" rather than slicing and dicing!  I left with a filling and several nasty stitches plus 3 different bottles of pain meds.

Fast forward to Saturday where I began the process of looking like a chipmunk.  Sunday was worse that Saturday and today things are slowly, and I mean slowly, starting to get better.

No exercise for the next week and only soft foods.  I have been having smoothies upon smoothies, scrambled eggs, greek yogurt - I even drank a bowl of cream of wheat through a straw.  I will admit, I indulged in some cottage pie my man made for me as I rested on the couch with my new best friend - the ice pack.

Surprise: There is NOTHING wrong with you!

The past 2 wks I have been running on adrenalin.  My schedule has been out of whack but each day I am striving to get back into my rhythm.  I managed to step back into the flow and reclaim my mojo yesterday.

Thought I didn't manage to squeeze in all my rebounding yesterday as planned and succumbed to a piece of toast, I did have a good sleep and woke up today feeling energized.  Considering sleep and energy has been fleeting of late this is wonderful news!

What did I do differently yesterday?  I really tried to focus on mindfulness regarding simple tasks. Taking the time to truly engage versus rushing through my to-do list with my mind elsewhere did in fact pay off. I think that may be reason #1 why I slept so well.

I was also inspired by an article in a past issue of Oprah's magazine which I stumbled upon in an attempt to clean up my office. In a What I Know for Sure article, Oprah talks about Sheri Salata. Sheri is/was Oprah's producer and truly a fascinating character. She is also a regular blog contributor on the O website. What resonated with me was the topic of grief...a topic I am all too familiar with but can happily say no longer weighs me down. Sheri's brother, John, passed away shortly before the article was written at the young age of 42.  The article highlighted how Sheri handled his death and it caused me to rethink my yesterdays, my todays and my tomorrows.   I quote:  " I know the reason Sheri was able to give so much in the midst of her own sorrow was that she'd been working seriously on giving love to herself. We can see through the eyes of love only when there's love in our eyes. And to be able to see that way while yet we live is the biggest gift of all."

Today, tomorrow, and always - LOVE YOURSELF.  Don't berate yourself, don't speak harshly to yourself and criticize your downfalls.  As corny as this may sound it is still true:  You are PERFECT exactly as you are.  If you are following this blog because you don't like your body then take some time today to love your body.  Look at eating, exercise and self-care not as a way to change bad into good but rather as a way to honor your body, to give it what it needs to thrive.

Water is your friend, not your foe

Water... is it my arch nemesis ?  I have this love/hate relationship with it.  I camouflage it in tea, coffee, ice in my smoothies but rarely do I sit down and enjoy a tall, cold glass of it.

As most of us know, we are made up of a significant portion of water - some say 90%, some say 70%... whatever the percentage it is up there.  And most of us also know that the drink of choice should be water.  Hydration is essential to survival.  It is also essential to weight loss.

How does it help us lose weight?  Well first of all, it fills you up.  Drink a glass of water before each meal and then check your hunger levels.  You simply won't be able to consume the same amount of food as you would have without the H2O.

Carb Attack !

Confession time: this week I have made fairly lame attempts at exercising and I fell off the low-carb eating plan wagon.  What happened? LIFE.

Work became super busy,  I had nausea (thanks, hormones),  daughter got sick, I was running on adrenalin and my willpower flew out the window.  If I can pinpoint the exact time the bottom fell out of my plans to stay on track I can, with confidence, say that it all began with crackers.  The evil cracker:

Yes, I know crackers are not low carb but they were my last resort against nausea.  I tried ginger tea,  natural supplements, the works...nothing put a dent in it.  So what did mom teach us when we were little?  Eat crackers if your tummy is upset.   I did just that and then all hell broke loose. One cracker turned into 2, into 3, and finally into half a sleeve!

Low Carb Chocolate Peanut Butter Donuts

These are truly incredible. Gluten-free, low carb and delicious! Little did I know that today was also National Peanut Butter Day in the USA so this recipe also has perfect timing.

My daughter is a chocolate and peanut butter fanatic. My son is on a gluten-free diet and as you all know,  I follow a low carb eating plan so these are truly a miracle for all of us wrapped up in one sweet and tasty treat.

Hello Dukan Diet !

First off, I detest the word diet.  I just do.  I am more easily swayed to eat properly when I hear "lifestyle change".  The word diet to me brings to mind hunger, struggle and disappointment.  Old, long held beliefs created by past experiences still effect my emotions; emotions that are triggered violently when I see the word DIET.  Clever little psychological word games.

The bottom line is that regardless of how I want to label it, food plays a huge role in my life and conscious choices of what I eat are high on my priority list.  Each day I continue to strive for a healthier lifestyle  -  this includes loads of self-care, be it meditation, exercise, bubble baths, massages and yup,  a food "diet" that works for ME.

Therefore the word diet did not deter me from buying my latest book The Dukan Diet.  I managed to look past it see the rewards within this book.   It is more of a protein based eating plan rather than a low carb one.  It focuses on eating high quality protein, drinking plenty of water and exercising daily.  It reminds me a lot of the Atkins plan in terms of the phases but without all the high fat content and it allows for more low fat dairy products such as milk and yogurt (both no's no's on Atkins).  Fruits, starchy carbs and  grains are not permitted in the weight loss phases - along with a few other thing such as nuts, cream, butter, etc.  And that, my friends, is why I purchased the book - because of how it focuses on low fat, high quality proteins vs just low carb eating.  Though I enjoy whipped cream, full fat butter and steaks fried in grease there is just no way I want to keep eating that way.  I simply cannot wrap my mind around the idea that eating that much saturated fat can support a healthy body.

I do love low carb though and didn't want to deviate from that way of eating.  I know that South Beach is a similar diet that focuses on low carb and low fat too but for me, The Dukan Diet drew me in.

The diet is broken down into 4 phases:

• Attack
• Cruise
• Consolidation
• Stabilization

In the first phase, you eat only proteins for up to 10 days depending on how much weight you want to lose.  I am just ending this phase now after being on it for 6 days.  You also are to exercise daily and drink plenty of water.

Then you move into phase 2 which you will stay on until you reach your target weight.  It involves a rotating diet of days consisting only of proteins and days consisting of proteins and veggies.  Again, exercise daily and drink water. 

The last 2 phases are all about slowly adding back various foods to your meal plan while stabilizing your weight so you don't gain anything back.  The last phase is the phase you will stay on for the rest of your life and it is pretty simple.  Eat a balanced diet and ensure you eat only protein one day per week.

For each phase you do eat oat bran daily - not a lot but enough to fill you up and keep things "regular" if you know what I mean.

I will not be following the exercise portion as laid out in the book because to me it just isn't enough nor something I feel I need to even add to my routine. The recommended 20-30 minutes of walking daily is no match for my 4 x week weight and rebounding routines and daily yoga sessions.  I prefer to stick to my routine where I continue to achieve great results.

But the diet I will follow.  I love the rotating one day pure protein, one day protein veg.  It just makes sense to me and I can easily handle that.  Plus the push for lower fat cuts of meat, no oils, butters, heavy creams, etc, makes me feel better.  I don't feel laden down with grease! Now I can eat yogurt, low fat milk, etc, without worrying about the carb count which brings me to another highlight of this eating plan  -  NO COUNTING.  That's right, no counting carbs, calories, points, fat grams!  Just eat as much as you want and as often as you want from the list of approved foods depending on which phase you are in at that time.

So there you have it - the Dukan Diet.  You can find a slew of info on the official website , even an online calculator that will provide you, free of charge, with your own high level diet plan showing how long you will need to stay on each phase to reach and maintain your desired weight. 

After 6 days on the Attack phase I feel great.  No cravings, no headaches, no desire to eat everything in site and best of all I am very happy that I have reduced my intake of saturated fats. Tomorrow I start the Cruise phase and looking forward to having veggies!

Low Carb Blueberry Muffins

Craving a breakfast treat that is cakey, sweet but low on carbs?  Voila.  These gorgeous little gems are low carb blueberry muffins made with coconut flour and fresh blueberries.  They are to die for and store well in the refrigerator for easy grab-and-go snacks.

I had one today with a bit of cream cheese along with my steaming cup of coffee and I was in heaven.  They come together in snap and in under 20 minutes you will have a fresh fruit muffin waiting for you.

Now you may look at the quantity of flour and go, WHAT?  Only 1/3 cup for 6 muffins ?  Yes, just 1/3 cup is all you need. Coconut flour acts like a moisture sponge so a little goes a long way.  The key is to get the right liquid to flour ratio so you don't have sopping wet muffins or bone dry ones.  I found that 2 tablespoons of coconut milk (though almond milk will work too) is enough.  The 3 eggs really carry the weight of adding moisture to the recipe.

So if you are ready, let's get started.

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe:  Sugar-Free Coconut Raspberry Muffins


WHAT YOU NEED

3 eggs  at room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

2 tablespoons coconut or almond milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup coconut flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar substitute; I used Erythritol

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

MAKE IT

HEAT oven to 375° F. P

LINE 6 muffin cups with paper liners

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together eggs, butter, milk and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined

IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together flour, salt, sweetener and baking powder

ADD blueberries to dry ingredients and toss until coated

FOLD dry ingredients into wet ingredients

LET batter rest for 5 minutes

WITH ICE CREAM SCOOP,  fill each muffin cup evenly with batter

BAKE 18-20 minutes until tops spring back when touched

LET COOL in pan 10 minutes then transfer muffins to cooling rack

STORE cooled muffins in a ziploc bag or sealed container in the fridge and eat within a wk

ENJOY !

Welcome 2012

I know. I have been bad.  Nearly a month has gone by without a post.  I do apologize. I guess all I can say is life took over, especially the holiday period.   Did I indulge food-wise?  You betcha; but it was all planned.  I intended to take 2 wks off my eating plan and I did just that.  I enjoyed the relaxed foodie atmosphere and the sweets but get this, I got sick of it all and fast.  I felt bloated, lethargic and had major headaches.  So it is safe to say I am back on the low carb band wagon and have been since Xmas.

During the holidays I did maintain my exercising though and last week I added a new workout routine. Check out the December issue of Oxygen magazine for their weight and jump rope combo. It is amazing. In just 2 wks I already see new definition and can feel the strength in my muscles. I love it !

Food-wise, I am moving back and forth each day between slightly higher carbs to lower carbs. I find the cycling affect really kick starts any plateaus and I have noticed it works better for me that just sticking to low carb day in and day out.  Now I don't go crazy.  On my higher carb days I swap the eggs and ham or protein shake for breaky for steel cut oats topped with some slivered almonds, blueberries, coconut milk and sugar free syrup.  It is an especially great breaky prior to a taxing workout and gives me the energy I need to push through to the end.

Now on to New Year's Resolutions.  Have you made any? I have not.  Reason being is that I don't do New Year's Resolutions.  I just keep moving forward each and every day regardless of what year it is.  So this year is no different.  I will continue exercising, eating the right way for me and ensuring I remain at the top of my priority list.

I have added a few new things to my day to day life though because I was simply ready for more; for more of the GOOD STUFF.  Meditation has increased greatly and I meditate twice daily.  Visualization techniques, deep breathing exercise and yin yoga now all play a very significant self-care role in my day.  I also journal more and each day before rising I go through a mental gratitude list. It is a wonderful way to kick start any day.

I also bought a wonderful book and cannot get enough of it. It ignited my new yin yoga practice and has helped me in cultivating more mindful awareness each and every day.  It is titled The Way of the Happy Woman by Sarah Avant.

Lastly, I have changed the way I exercise.  I have managed to stop the chatter in my mind while doing reps or rebounding.  Prior to this change, I would quickly drift off into endless mind-yammering: "what is for dinner, did I get the right groceries, did I sign the kids school agendas today,  am I ready for this afternoon's meeting...."  Well no more.  Reading a recent article in Oxygen magazine really resonated with me.  I believe it was Tosca Reno herself who said if you aren't showing up mentally for your workouts then don't show up at all. What she meant was that for a truly effective workout, you need to FOCUS on your muscles as you lift those weights, or jump rope, or whatever you choose to do.  She is right.  When I pay attention to the movements of the muscles my workouts are 100% better and more effective.   I highly advise you give this a try too if you also catch yourself in the "mind is racing" game during exercise.  If thoughts creep in just recognize that it is happening and redirect your attention back to your muscles.  It takes some perseverance but it is worth it.

In closing,  I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday and are ready for a great year ahead. 2012 will be your best year yet !  Let's enjoy it together  :)

Linda

Giveaway Winner and a New Recipe !

My sincere apologies in the delay for posting the winner of my first giveaway here at A Baker's Journey on Low Carb.

Today I am happy to announce that the winner of the amazing new book You Can Create an Exception Life is blog follower womanbread !

Congrats to you !  I am confident you will find this book enlightening and inspirational. Please email me your mailing address and I will ensure your prize is shipped out this week.  My contact info:  lemondropfoodie@yahoo.ca

I am also very excited to share with you a new recipe for low-carb pancakes.  No need to buy a pre-made mix ! These are super easy to make and absolutely delicious.  If you are eating berries at whatever phase you are following, then simply add a sprinkle of them to the pancakes as they are cooking for incredible flavor.  This recipe will make one serving which is approximately 3 decent sized pancakes.  Top them with your fave low-carb syrup or preserves.

RECIPE: LOW CARB PANCAKES

WHAT YOU NEED

1 egg
1 heaping tablespoon of low-carb syrup. I used Joseph's brand which you can find here: Syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup blueberries 


MAKE IT

IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together egg, syrup and vanilla until thoroughly combined
BLEND in remaining ingredients except berries
STIR until batter has smooth consistency
LET REST for 10 minutes
PREHEAT skillet over LOW/MED heat and coat with butter / oil blend (I use a spreadable butter than contains both butter and canola oil).   Grapeseed oil will also work here well
POUR batter into prepared pan so you have 3 evenly sized pancakes
PANCAKES will rise up when one side is finished baking and should be golden brown underneath
DROP berries onto top of uncooked side and then flip
REMOVE when underside is golden brown

ENJOY!

It's Giveaway Time !

It's been tooooo long! I know, I have been a bad blogger.  So first off, let me apologize to my readers for being offline for about a month.  It wasn't intentional.   I had been away for nearly 2 weeks then got hit with the flu. During that entire time, I really didn't have much to share in terms of my low carb journey.  I have since recovered from the flu and settled back into my groove.  I openly admit that while I was on holiday I did not stick to my plan either in the food or exercise department.  The amazing thing is that I did not gain weight.  In fact, the change almost seems to have boosted my metabolism.  I am now almost 2 full pants sizes leaner (ok,  one and a half) and the inches keep coming off.

I have decided though to avoid the scale.  I just don't think it is the best way to track progress.  Personally I think sticking to your exercise and eating plan and going by how you feel and how your clothes fit is the best way to go.  Why the change in mindset?   Well I caught myself recently becoming a slave to the scale.  I have been that way in the past and never want to go there again. So time for me to change things up!

More changes have occurred as well.   I have increased my weights, added more exercises to my training program and increased my cardio all since starting this journey a few months back.  To me, that is great progress!  I am building muscle, slimming down and increasing my strength and endurance. All is good and flowing along very well.

As a way to re-energize this blog since my last post I have decided to offer my readers a giveaway.  Is it diet related?  Nope, not really.  It is mindset related.

You see over the years I have come to learn one very important lesson:  You will not succeed in anything in your life if you let negative thoughts or influences enter into things.  The key to happiness is all in the mind.  If you think positive thoughts, if you truly love who you are, and if you set no limits for yourself,  you will see GREAT CHANGE.  The important thing to note: you must live in that zone!

Too often we start an exercise plan because we don't like ourselves. What happens is we lose all the weight and you guessed it , still don't like ourselves.  That is a sure fire recipe for disaster because then we wonder why we bothered with all the hard work in the first place.  And yes, boom, back comes the weight - probably even more than you lost to begin with.   Dieting, as many of us know, can be one vicious cycle.

The secret, in my personal opinion, is a combination of healthy mind, body and spirit practices that we incorporate into our daily lives.  Before you jump into any health makeover you need to clean out your junk first !  By working with affirmations, meditations, journal writing, catching yourself in negative self-talk, you will move into a state of positive energy.  Only good can come from this. You will integrate these techniques so much into your lives that they will become habit. And with this foundation the world opens up all possibility.  You won't worry about failing or not being "good enough" because you will know, at your core, that you DESERVE THE BEST IN LIFE.   With this new found knowledge you won't be afraid to step into your life with positive actions that go hand in hand with your positive thoughts; because though thinking and feeling positive is essential, so is action !

If for you the best means having a slim, trim and healthy body then you must first love yourself as you are.  You must care for yourself and ensure you are at the top of the priority list. When you love yourself it becomes second nature that you take extremely good care of yourself. Why wouldn't you? You are important !!!   Believe - this isn't all mumbo jumbo.  It does work but it takes time and dedication.  This is no quick fix but trust me, once you move into that state you will see yourself and this world in an incredibly new light. And then you will find yourself walking the walk.  You will clear out your life clutter (this includes thoughts, people and things... not necessary in that order) , find renewed energy, have incredible self-esteem and you will kick your life up a notch - a big notch. You will raise the bar to what is good for you - what you will accept and not accept in your life.  Like I said, trust me, it works.

All of this brings me now to my giveaway.  I have always been a huge fan of Cheryl Richardson and Louise Hay.  I have an ever expanding library of their works.  Both of these glorious women have had such a significant impact on not just me but millions of others who have taken the time to read their works and listen to their wise words.  Recently these 2 ladies joined together to write a new book titled You Can Create An Exceptional Life.  I have read it (and re-read it) and I feel it is a great kick-off point for someone new to the realm of "the positive mind" but also a wonderful refresher for anyone who feels the need to revisit lessons they may have once put into place but have strayed from over time.  It isn't too "heady" or esoteric. It speaks to the masses in words we can all understand. The guidance isn't extreme or beyond impossible to put into place. It is just straight forward cosmic common sense!

So let's lay a good foundation for success shall we?  You have to start somewhere - let's make it great!   Because I believe so passionately in the messages within this book,  I am offering a brand new copy to my giveaway winner as a way to say thanks for following this blog and also as a way to share a great gift to others - an easy way to implement key strategies that can bring you a truly abundant, joyous and exuberant life.

So if you would like to participate all I ask is that you follow this blog via Google Friend Connect and add a comment below that you are participating in this draw. To follow simply click on the Join This Site button located on the right sidebar and follow the instructions.  One entry per person.  I will announce the winner on December 2nd, 2011.  This draw is open to all my followers worldwide.

I wish you all luck !