The Family that Low-Carbs together...

My husband told me today that he has to lose a bunch of weight and get in shape for work. He is around 250 lbs and 6-feet tall. From what I've read, a healthy weight for him would be around 180 lbs, so he needs to lose about 70 lbs. He carries a lot of his weight around his middle, probably from all the beer he drinks ;-)

I suggested that he join me in my soon-to-be low-carb way of eating. At first he balked, but I told him he wouldn't have to figure out his counts and all since I'd be doing all of that for myself, and he said he'd give it a try. His biggest worry is that he'll be hungry on a "diet." I know from previous experience that I was rarely hungry while doing low-carb. He also worries that he'll want to binge on forbidden foods. I'm thinking that if we end up doing Protein Power that having fruits allowed on-plan would help a bit with that.

We're also going to try going to the gym. Bally Fitness is giving out 8-week free memberships for participating in the Discovery Health National Body Challenge. The membership starts January 5, 2008, but hubby wants to start NOW, so he might go pay for a membership somewhere else. Geez, men!

Which Diet? Protein Power

I finally had a chance to do a bit of reading on Protein Power, and I must say, I'm pretty impressed. Like many of the other diets I've researched, it has three phases:

1. Intervention
2. Transition
3. Maintenance

During intervention you can eat 7-10 grams of effective carbs (carbs minus the fiber) at each of three meals, and 7-10 carbs/day for a snack for a total of less than 40 carbs (I believe I read it should be around 30 carbs). You also are supposed to eat a minimum amount of protein at each meal, based on your lean body mass. They don't give a limit for fat. You stay in intervention until you're close to your goal (health-wise or weight-wise).

Dr Michael Eades and Dr. Mary Eades developed this way of eating, and I skimmed through three of their books. One of them is a no-fuss 30-day plan for getting into the way of eating, complete with a menu and recipes. I like :-)

One thing I really do like about this diet is that it's pretty structured. All three books provide lists of protein sources for each meal, along with possible carbohydrate accompaniments which you can then mix and match. For example, you can choose eggs with cheese for protein, and add salsa and a low-carb wrap. The possible combinations keep you under the recommended carbs for each meal.

Another thing I like about this diet is that fruit is allowed. This means that I might actually be able to use this as a way of eating for my whole family. My daughter doesn't need to lose weight (she actually could stand to gain some!!), but my husband and I do. We can all eat the same protein, fat, and vegetables for meals, and we can just add some extra fruit (which she LOVES) and other carbs (brown rice?) for my daughter.

Right now Protein Power is at the top of my list.

Which Diet? To Do List

I am going to the mall tomorrow to find some books on the following plans (already started doing some research):

• Protein Power (Eades & Eades)
• @ Protein Power
• @ about.com
  
• @ Livin' la Vida Low Carb
  
• Natural Health & Weight Loss (Groves) also wrote Eat Fat, Get Thin
  
• @ Livin' la Vida Low Carb
• @ Author's web site

I think that's it for now... I'll look for anything else that might work while I'm at the book store.

Update: I went to the book store, and I couldn't find anything by Barry Groves. So I just ordered his book online. It looks like I won't be able to review it until after I started whatever diet I choose because it won't ship until 1/4/2008!

Review: Lane Bryant Right Fit Jeans

If you're a "full-figured" woman like me, and you have a hard time finding jeans that fit, now may be the time to try Lane Bryant's Right Fit Jeans. And I have some coupons just for you :-)

Save 20% on any Right Fit Jeans order at LaneBryant.com. Expires 1-10-08.
Take $25 off a purchase of $75 or more at LaneBryant.com. Expires 1-10-08.

You may be wondering why I'm reviewing jeans on a blog about low-carb dieting. Well, quite simply, it's because these jeans really do fit my currently-voluptuous figure. They really do.

I first tried on a pair when visiting my in-laws in Connecticut. My husband was with me, and when I came out of the dressing room, I remember saying to him, "Oh... my... god... these jeans actually fit." I usually have a problem with my jeans not fitting in the waist if they fit around my hips and butt. Not with these!

The sizing for the Right Fit Jeans is done based on the ratio of your waist to hip size. My size is red 3, which means that I'm "moderately curvy." In other words, I have a waist, and my hips aren't that much bigger than it. Seriously, I love that I'm a size 3 :-)

I very highly recommend going to a brick and mortar location to try these jeans on; don't just order them online. I measured myself and my size was considerably different using the online size calculator than what I ended up with in the store. But if you already know your size, or you don't mind exchanging the jeans in the store if you end up with the wrong size, use the coupon to get a nice discount. I need a couple more pairs, so I know I am going to use it!!

Save 20% on any Right Fit Jeans order at LaneBryant.com. Expires 1-10-08.
Take $25 off a purchase of $75 or more at LaneBryant.com. Expires 1-10-08.

Review: Bodybuilding.com

I recently purchased a few things from Bodybuilding.com:

• Syntrax Nectar, 2.11 Lbs., Fuzzy Navel
• Anabolic Innovations Liquid Sucralose, 4 Fl. Oz.
• InStone High Protein Pudding, 4 Pack, Banana Cream

So far I haven't had a chance to actually try any of the items I purchased. When I do I will post reviews for them as well.

Bodybuilding.com doesn't have a huge selection of low-carb products, but their prices are comparable to competitor sites for what they do have. And their shipping is lightening fast! Seriously!! I placed my order at 3:09PM on 12/18, and I received it via FedEx on 12/22. Apparently the order was ready to go minutes after I placed the order.

I went to Bodybuilding.com after getting very frustrated waiting for my order of liquid sucralose from another vendor (I'll post a review of that place later; let's just say I ordered it 11/27, and I still don't have it!!!).

If you're interested in trying this place out, use one of the coupon codes below to get a discount:

• Take $20.00 Off Your $300 Order! Use coupon code aff20off300q56wx.
• Take $15.00 Off Your $250 Order! Use coupon code aff15off250t38p0.
• Take $5.00 Off Your $100 Order! Use coupon code aff5off100f9j72.

Which Diet? Kimkins

Over the next few posts I'm going to explore some of the low/controlled-carb ways of eating that I have experienced and some that I have not. I'm still figuring out which one I'd like to use this time around, and I think this will help me narrow it down a bit.

I did Kimkins for a few weeks after reading about it in Women's World magazine over the summer. It appears to be loosely based on Atkins, but with little-to-no fat and very low calories. There are a few options for Kimkins, including what amounts to pretty much all lean protein and a couple of small servings of vegetables, and an all-shake option (which at 800 calories/day max would probably give me the shakes!!). One thing I like about doing low-carb is not having to limit my calories and fat!

I didn't feel great while doing Kimkins (probably not enough calories and fat), and I really have to feel good about a way of eating to stick with it. I know a lot of people have lost huge amounts of weight while doing Kimkins, and I did lose a few pounds on it, but I really don't see myself doing it again. Scratch this one off my list!

My Virtual Model

This is so cool!

I know I'm fat, and I can sort of see it in the mirror, but I have a hard time really seeing just how big I am until I see a picture of myself. Then I get very discouraged and then, "Wow, I'm never going to be thin again!" Boo hoo, poor me. Ppppbbbttt!

Well, with a virtual model I can see not only how giant my butt is when viewed from behind, but how tiny it will be when I reach my goal weight. I loves it!!

I'm not going to reveal my current and goal weights just yet because I want to wait to weight myself on the day I actually start my new way of eating. But you can get an idea of how big I am now, and how much weight I would like to lose by looking at the examples below:




I'm gonna be one hot mama when I hit my goal weight ;-)

Which Diet? South Beach Diet

Over the next few posts I'm going to explore some of the low/controlled-carb ways of eating that I have experienced and some that I have not. I'm still figuring out which one I'd like to use this time around, and I think this will help me narrow it down a bit.

Some of the weight I lost previously was while on the South Beach Diet (SBD). I didn't do it as long as I did Atkins, and I don't remember too much of the diet. So I'm doing a bit more research on this one :-)

Important Note: I am a paid affiliate for the South Beach Diet web site. It is one of many low-carb options out there, and I'm still researching everything. I just wanted to point out that I make a little moolah if you sign up for the web site. This review is not necessarily an endorsement of that diet, just documentation for myself and anybody else who cares to read it. I haven't yet decided which diet I'm going to do this time around!

<--gratuitous plug! ;-)

OK, now back to the really important stuff :-)

The South Beach Diet has three phases (from the SBD web site):

1. Eliminate Cravings and Kickstart Weightloss
2. Lose Steadily
3. Maintain for Life

From what I can tell, the first phase is similar to Atkins' induction phase with a few important differences. There's a list of foods that you can eat during the first two weeks and some rules to follow. The South Beach Diet appears to have the following differences from ANA:

• More emphasis on lean protein sources
  
• More variety in the allowed carbs
• Low-fat dairy is allowed

One thing that I remember not liking about the SBD was that it was too flexible. That's right, I said too flexible! Non-starchy vegetables aren't limited during the first phase of the SBD, which can be a problem for a carb junkie like myself. I do much better at sticking with a WOE if I am given strict limits on certain things (like net carbs!). I like counting my carbs for some reason.

On the other hand, I do like the flexibility of the SBD. And the SBD has menu planning tools and other stuff that might help me set limits on carbs.

The South Beach Diet is definitely still in the running to be crowned "Chrissy's Low-Carb Diet" :-)

Which Diet? Atkins Nutritional Approach

Over the next few posts I'm going to explore some of the low/controlled-carb ways of eating that I have experienced and some that I have not. I'm still figuring out which one I'd like to use this time around, and I think this will help me narrow it down a bit.

Most of my previous weight-loss success was when I used the Atkins Nutritional Approach (ANA). This way of eating (WOE) has four phases:

1. Induction
2. Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL)
   
3. Pre-maintenance
4. Maintenance

I spent most of my time with the ANA in the first two phases, and was quite happy most of the time. My weight dropped quickly, and after a bit of initial discomfort (nausea and tiredness) during the induction phase, I felt great. Induction is the most strict phase, during which I ate only from a list of acceptable foods, and followed a few simple rules. There's a decent two-week meal plan on the Atkins web site. I used eDiets.com because I'm one of those people that needs everything written out for me, but I like to have some control over what I'm going to do.

About once a month I ate something that wasn't "allowed" so I didn't feel deprived. I almost always got a nasty "carbohydrate hangover" after each of those planned cheats. I felt pretty horrible for the next day, and I usually gained about a pound (probably water weight) but then I'd also get a big drop in my weight for the week or two following the planned cheat. I may have to explore this in more detail another time.

One of the things I really liked about ANA was that I could eat in-plan while on the road. I sometimes travel for work, and I am often in my car going from client to client during the day, so I need to have a plan that allows me to eat cheat-free even when I have to pick something up at a drive-through burger joint.

Atkins is one of my top choices right now, simply because I have prior success with it, and it's pretty easy to do. But I'm not making a final choice until after I've done all of my research.

Getting (Re-)Started

A few years back I lost 60 pounds doing the Atkins Diet and then the South Beach Diet. It took about 6 months total, but I lost most of the weight in the first two months. I felt great and looked great. And then I went and got pregnant. Not only did I get a wonderful baby girl out of that pregnancy, but I also gained back all 60 pounds. My daughter is now 2 years old, and I've only lost a little about 30 of those pounds, and I keep letting myself slide so sometimes it's more like 25 or even 20! I really haven't been trying to lose weight, but now I'm tired of being FAT, so I'm making an effort.

In the past 6 months or so I've tried doing low-carb like I had before, but just haven't been able to stick with it. I keep making up excuses for the way I look and feel, and frankly I just need a kick in the butt to just lose this weight. Starting this blog is one way I hope to start making myself follow through. This is actually the second time I've started this blog, and I'm going to make sure this time I actually stick with it. This time I'm doing it for real.

Some of the things I'd like to do with this blog include:

• Keeping myself accountable!
• Documenting my progress and keeping track of what is working and what isn't working
  
• Reviewing some of the many low-carb books I've purchased over the years (and recently)
• Reviewing some of the low-carb products and nutritional supplements I've tried, and will undoubtedly continue to try
• Documenting my experience with some of the various exercise programs I would like to try this time around
  

So wish me luck on my endeavor! I'm looking forward to losing this weight, again! And I expect to keep it off, at least until I get pregnant again :-)