sun shines

My Wowee Zowee inspired meal replacement shake took a new and delicious turn this morning when it met up with fresh strawberries. Isn't Cro the sweetest to pick up strawberries for me each week just because he knows they make me happy? :)

My chocolate strawberry shake was to die for.

I took JD for a spin around the lawn yesterday evening and got a little sun (yay vitamin D). Cro took me out to Broadripple for dinner and a lovely date night after work. He had also stopped by the grocery before coming home. Yes, a man who grocery shops, cooks, does dishes, feeds me strawberries and loves me lots&lots. I'm a lucky girl!

SatDay [carbs][calories]
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– - - -
BREAKFAST - 18carb/360cal
[1][206] 2oz heavy cream
[3][12] 2 large fresh strawberries
[0][0] 4oz purified water and lots of ice cubes
[6][42] 2 scoops Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood drink powder
[4][100] 1 scoop Jarrow vanilla whey protein powder
[0][0] dash of vanilla extract
[0][0] dash of sea salt
[4][0] 4 packets of Splenda
… blend well

LUNCH - xcarb/xcal
[xcarb][xcal] dunno

DINNER - xcarb/xcal
[xcarb][xcal] dunno

TOTAL - xcarb/xcal

fry day

Yay for today. Today is the day of client deadlines to be met. Which means today will go faster than I want it to. The reward? A great sense of satisfaction for meeting those deadlines and FRIDAY NIGHT! … a reward for the accomplishments of the whole week.

Hmm, we are all rewarded with Friday night whether we deserve it or not, lol. I deserve it though! And I will give the weekend the good loving it deserves all the way to Monday morning.

My Wowee Zowee inspired meal replacement shake ingredients arrived yesterday. In fact the mailman plugged up the entire mouth of my extra capacity mailbox with it. I made the meal replacement shake with the ingredients listed in my menu below. It was gooooooood. I certainly recommend it. Next time I think I'll leave out the flax seed meal (my product was a little gritty) and add less water and more ice but otherwise, it was perfect. I'll bet this would work well as a pudding by adding chia seeds too. Maybe I'll try that sometime. Thanks Harry!

Fryday [carbs][calories]
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– - - -
BREAKFAST - 11carb/424cal
[1][206] 2oz heavy cream
[0][0] 6oz purified water and 3 ice cubes
[6][42] 2 scoops Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood drink powder
[0][60] 1 scoop flax seed meal
[4][100] 1 scoop Jarrow vanilla whey protein powder
[0][16] 1 tsp organic cocoa powder
[0][0] dash of vanilla extract
[0][0] dash of cinnamon
[0][0] dash of sea salt
[0][0] Stevia
… all of the above was my healthy breakfast drink
[0][0cal] green tea

LUNCH - 8carb/300cal
[5][300cal] maybe part of an "unwich" from Jimmy John's
[3][0cal] green tea

DINNER - xcarb/xcal
[xcarb][xcal] dunno

TOTAL - xcarb/xcal

sweet confusion

I have too much work to finish this week to dig in and discover the realities of this ... maybe you guys can help.

With nothing in the fridge nor cabinets to make a quick lunch for work I stopped off at Walgreens to pick up something. I ended up with a box of Atkins shakes, quick glance didn't show the "sugar alcohols" line on the nutritional box, same for a box of Atkins bars. I've noticed that some types of Atkins bars have the dreaded "Sugar Alcohols" line so I avoid buying those now.

On getting to work I wanted to put one of the Atkins shakes in the refrigerator to cool and flipped it over to read the actual ingredient list. A lot of mumbo jumbo that didn't throw up red flags until I got over halfway and there was the word MALTODEXTRIN. Umm, I know Maltitol is a sugar alchohol, is maltodextrin related to that? It makes me sick (angry) that when I try to avoid that stuff it is hidden in the mumbo jumbo. *sigh* If any of you know what maltodextrin is please enlighten me. I'm stuck with it for lunch unless I make a trip out for another unwich at Jimmy Johns.

Thank goodness my healthy drink mix ingredients should be here soon. But not soon enough for lunch today!

On another note ... after a brief search this morning I see that both splenda (non-liquid) AND stevia (non-liquid) contain maltodextrin as a filler?? Maybe I've found the source of my slow loss. :/

A little more searching reveals that maltodextrin has a higher GI than sugar and that it is used by "hard gainers" (people who have trouble gaining weight) to gain. I think I'm going to pick up a turkey lettuce wrap for lunch and maybe take those atkins drinks back to Walgreens.

Lunch solved. :) It's raining so I didn't want to walk out to get a deli lettuce wrap. Then I remembered that there are leftover cold-cuts and cheeses in the company fridge–up for grabs after a client lunch-meeting yesterday. I made a turkey and swiss cheese unwich, no lettuce wrap available but two slices of swiss cheese served well. I'm satisfied and lunch was free!

Thanks guys.

THEIRSDAY's [carbs][calories]
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– - - -
BREAKFAST - 3carb/179cal
[3carb][179cal] LC chocolate muffin
[0][0cal] green tea with stevia

LUNCH - 6carb/659cal
[2carb][94cal ] 1oz American cheese
[3carb][285cal ] 3oz Swiss cheese
[0carb][60cal ] 2oz sliced turkey
[1carb][220cal ] 1oz macadamia nuts
[0][0cal] green tea with stevia

DINNER - 22carb/381cal
[xcarb][60cal] tiny bit of steak
[10carb][51cal] brussels sprouts
[12carb][270cal] LC vanilla ice cream

TOTAL 31carb/1219cal

poke poke

Lots of work to do today, as usual ... I like it.

I didn't go watch the softball game last night. Cro had other plans and I didn't want to go alone (I would have felt like the lonely bird-lady feeding pigeons in the park ... haha, ok not that bad but it would have been lots more fun with a pal to accompany me. Matt doesn't care for sports and Cory has vanished off the face of the earth for awhile. I did poke him on facebook but that isn't a very effective form of getting someone's attention. ;) Other friends are too far outside of Indy to make a short notice drive on a weekday. I will go watch the softball team another day.

I need to make another batch of LC muffins tonight. They serve very well for quick and pre-counted LC sustenance. Ooo, and my chocolate greens and whey should be here soon!

WHENSDAY's [carbs][calories]
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– - - -
BREAKFAST - 3carb/179cal
[3carb][179cal] LC chocolate muffin
[0][0cal] green tea with stevia

LUNCH - 6carb/358cal
[6carb][358cal] 2 LC chocolate muffin
[0][0cal] green tea with stevia

DINNER - 18carb/732cal
[5carb][190cal ] one serving of Dreamfields pasta (low carb)
[0carb][92cal ] 1oz lean ground beef
[1carb][180cal ] 2oz cheese
[12carb][270cal] LC vanilla ice cream

TOTAL 27carb/1269cal

4:44

I think I might watch our company softball team play tonight after work. They could use a few cheers because so far they have been losing (ouch). I can't play–damned MS–but I can enjoy the game. Apparently some funny moments have been happening as the team gets its field legs. Good for business networking too I suppose as long as they don't cleat anyone as they run the bases. I must say there are some odd rules. Each team is required to have a certain number of females on the roster or gets a handicap awarded for each girl they are short. There is something about if a guy is walked and the next person up to bat is female, she gets an automatic walk too. I don't understand it but it sounds a bit flakey.


I walked to Jimmy John's with the guys yesterday. I got an "unwich" and was delighted to see a lettuce wrap sandwich on the menu. Yay for LC-friendly choices. They must sell quite a few because the server was super fast and efficient in putting it together.

I guess I'd better get to work. It's 7am and I'm compelled to be early (I love mornings).

BTW, I've been noticing for the last few months that I often wake to the clock saying 4:44…it's starting to creep me out (I guess I have an underlying superstitious self). Maybe I'll google it.

TOOOSDAY's [carbs][calories]
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– - - -
BREAKFAST - 3carb/179cal
[3carb][179cal] LC chocolate muffin
[0][0cal] green tea with stevia

LUNCH - 13carb/319cal
[3carb][179cal] LC chocolate muffin
[10carb][140cal] atkins bar
[0][0cal] green tea with stevia

DINNER - 18carb/732cal
[5carb][190cal ] one serving of Dreamfields pasta (low carb)
[0carb][92cal ] 1oz lean ground beef
[1carb][180cal ] 2oz cheese
[12carb][270cal] LC vanilla ice cream

TOTAL 34carb/1230cal

who's the boom king?

The holiday weekend is just a memory ... but what a nice nice memory. Enthusiastic like a child, I've already shown the horse riding photos to a couple of people here at work. They ooo'd and aah'd in the appropriate places so I feel placated. :)

I hope you each had a good weekend as well, whether you were in on the blowing-up-stuff American thing or you hail from beyond the states. Our city's 4th of July fireworks celebration was put off until Sunday due to rain. Last night was dry and therefore a continuous series of BOOM BOOM BOOM! *crackle* *crackle* BOOM BOOM *crackle*. People love a celebration in which they are allowed to play with fire.



Today I'm back from two days of winging it regarding the diet. I'm sure I didn't go overboard but I certainly didn't record things either. No loss and that's no surprise. I am going to challenge myself to do whatever it takes to get out of the 180's this month. Encouragement is more than welcome because this s-l-0-w losing is the absolute pits. I think I'm going to order some of Harry's amazing chocolate grass and try having meal replacement shakes now and then. I'm also totally giving up peanut butter for the rest of the month. There, I said it, so hold me to it.

I just ordered these:
Amazing Grass, Kidz SuperFood (I thought the kids version might be yummier, dunno), Outrageous Chocolate Flavor


Jarrow Formulas, Whey Protein, Vanilla Flavor, 2 lbs



Eden Foods, Organic Spicy Pumpkin Seeds Dry Roasted Seeds, 4 oz



MONDAY's [carbs][calories]
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– - - -
BREAKFAST - 3carb/179cal
[3carb][179cal] LC chocolate muffin
[0][0cal] green tea with stevia

LUNCH - 8carb/479cal
[3carb][179cal] LC chocolate muffin
[5][300cal] maybe an "unwich" from Jimmy John's (only ate part)
[0][0cal] green tea with stevia

DINNER - 15carb/449cal
[3carb][179cal] LC chocolate muffin
[12carb][270cal] LC vanilla ice cream

TOTAL 26carb/1107cal

mom & dad (& horses)

Great visit. I'll post more detail at another time but here is a quick recap:

• Dad is doing well, spirits high, body weak but mending, delirium completely gone, lots of personal and spiritual reflection as he pieces together the last 4.5 months in hospitals and being so very close to death (he seriously was about 2 hours from dying if they hadn't transferred him out of that horrific Vincennes hopital and gotten him to St. Mary's in Evansville. The last leg of his hospital stay was at Select Specialty Hospital in Evansville and he has nothing but great things to say about their awesome care and wonderful staff. He actually misses them. My dad is very personable and he endeared himself to the nurses, even played guitar for them at their urgings, told jokes and stories, had each nurse wanting to stop by his room just to sit and chat each day. (This became longer than I intented ... more later!)
• I went horseback riding. The photos are of my mom and of me with her Tennessee Walker Blackjack. She also has an Arabian not pictured. You'd think that sitting atop a 1300lb horse would make me feel small in comparison ... but ugh I have so much more to lose!

FRIDAY's [carbs][calories]
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– - - -
BREAKFAST - xcarb/xcal
[0carb][xcal] a sausage patty
[3carb][190cal] a peanut butter

LUNCH - xcarb/xcal
[xcarb][xcal] one chicken breast

DINNER - xcarb/xcal
[xcarb][xcal] LC ice cream
[xcarb][xcal] peanut butter

TOTAL xcarb/xcal