Category Archives: spinach artichoke dip
Day 118: Get-together with the old gang – the low-carb hostess
Weight loss – 24.5 pounds
I skipped breakfast and worked on website projects all morning. We decided we didn’t have time to work on house projects before we were due at my friend Traci’s at 3.
I boiled one and a half dozen eggs to devil for the party, then shelled them and put them together.
When we arrived at the party, I was thrilled to see that Traci had provided some great low-carb appetizer options. Turns out she’s been eating low carb for a couple of years. The spinach/artichoke dip and veggie crudites were great. I drank vodka and Diet Coke, and all in all made it through a potentially high carb get together. Thanks for being a thoughtful hostess, Traci!
Day 74: Breaking the weight barrier – 21 pounds lost; many more to go
Lost: 3.5 pounds Total weight loss: 21 pounds
EUREKA!
I broke the 20 pound weight loss threshold. Since I’m just over ten weeks into it, that averages 2 pounds a week. I can live with ~10 pound loss every month or so. In fact, as Rick always says, no matter how fast or slow I lose, I’m going in the right direction.
I’m debating another cheat day tomorrow. We’ll see.
I had the day off work, but it was a busy day.
We had to be at Rick’s dentist appointment by 8:15, then rushed from there to the memorial service for a dear friend. On the way, we stopped at 7-11, where I picked up a small cheese packet and a sausage biscuit. I gave Rick the biscuit.
After the service, we were invited to a lunch buffet. I put together a salad, then chose some cooked cauliflower and broccoli, a chicken breast, and some roast beef au jus.
I had to talk myself past the pasta salads. They have always appealed to me, and I was thinking, hey, it was an emotionally tough morning, just eat what you want. Then, I thought, no, I WANT to make this plan work, and once I ate the food on my plate, I wouldn’t crave the salads anymore. Amazingly, the chocolate mousse and other desserts didn’t affect me as much.
At 5, the family met in the activity room at the nursing home for my dad’s birthday party. Brandon made a delicious spinach and artichoke dip so we’d have a low carb option. I ignored the pizza and ate the dip, at first with a bit of pita bread, then just with a fork. I ignored the chocolate bumpy cake.
After the party, we went for an unplanned movie outing. I bought a water ($3.50!). I was pretty hungry when I got home, because I hadn’t eaten much all day. I ate some crab dip on 3 pita chips (6 carbs). It took restraint, but the dip was really good and I only needed 3 chips to scoop up a couple of tablespoonsful.
Day 4: Yum, stuffed mushrooms and a crazy day
Today’s weight loss: 2 pounds
Total weight loss since 1/12/2012: 6 1/2 pounds
Yesterday, I got a very late start on breakfast.
My husband Rick and I have my 88-year old dad stay with us every Friday thru Sunday. He suffers from Alzheimer’s and can’t live alone. By the time I got him up, fed, showered, and settled in his room with some fresh clothes, I didn’t get breakfast until 1:30 p.m. There were some major difficulties during shower time…he was unable to get out of the tub and landed on the floor. He wasn’t hurt; he just sort of slowly slipped down to a sitting position. Nonetheless, my husband and I had quite a time trying to maneuver and lift him.
Once that trauma was over, Rick went off to get some groceries to aide in my new keto diet. He’s a very supportive husband and has tried each of the new recipes with me. He is also the grocery shopper and cook in the marriage, so with him on board, my chances of being successfully carb-free are great! As the “not-cook,” I am surprised to find I’m enjoying playing around with some of these wonderful recipes I’ve found online. Maybe this cooking thing isn’t so bad, after all.
So, at 1:30, I experimented with my nuked cheese crackers and enjoyed a relaxing brunch.
Because I ate breakfast so late, I never really had a true lunch. Dinner was stuffed mushroom appetizers, then 2 pulled pork tacos. (See a picture in my last post.)
Rick altered his classic mushroom recipe by using crumbled pork rinds instead of bread crumbs. He also left the sweet spicy hot sauce off (8 carbs a tbsp!), and I dipped mine in a small bowl to get a bit of the flavor without all the carbs.
My energy level is fantastic. I never feel like cleaning the kitchen after dinner, but I spent an hour and a half tidying up last night. It sparkles! I can’t seem to stop moving. So far, I’m a big fan of the keto eating plan!
Yesterday’s meals –
Breakfast: 6 “cheese-its” with avocado/spinach/parmesan dip
Lunch: 4 stuffed mushrooms with 2/3 tbsp of sweet/hot sauce
Dinner: 2 tacos made from Costco pulled pork, provolone cheese shells, grated cheese/onions/Taco Bell hot sauce
Snack: 2 pcs Lindt 79% chocolate and one glass of cabernet
Splurge: 1 diet coke