h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So, it seems like a good idea to relocate our diet thread here. And as it is a fresh Monday morning, the timing is right.

I had a less than stellar weekend, dieting-wise. Went back up a bit over the weekend. The entire last week was a bit of a problem for me. But the fabulous thing about this eating plan is that it is so easy to just climb back on it and proceed full steam ahead. Which is what I'm doing. I feel my motivation coming back this morning.

So, as a recap, I am beginning this thread with a total loss of 36 pounds, 22 of them on JUDDDD. Not too shabby. Certainly enough reason to keep going.

FTTF?

Didn't bother sticking to anything during my three weeks of vacation (today's first day back at w*rk) and I haven't gained! That's good enough for me!

I made today an UD since I thought I'd have too much on my mind what with catching up with my inbox (RL as well as e-mail).

*Enters thread with pedometer and scales, both human and food types, and a bottle of water.*

To recap, down 15 lbs since June 20. Loving the whole "I can have that tomorrow" plan.

Ti, are you planning to do a strict every other day rotation or a set weekly schedule?

I was talking about this to Lady C today. I get into the most difficulties when I have double up days. But I need the same weekly schedule. So I started doing double down days instead. If a double down day makes me too hungry, then I turn the second day into an intermediate day of around 900-1000 calories. That works for me. Not sure it would for anyone else.

I really think the strict rotation would work better and am trying to figure out how to manage it with my schedule.

Unless something comes up that I can't manage, I am going to go with strictly every other day. It's easier for me to stay on track that way. Of course, I don't have to feed Mother every week end either so I don't have that to contend with. Lord C. goes along with whatever I plan and is very, very good about not sabotaging my efforts. The fact that we have fresh veggies out of the garden right now helps tremendously too.

What I'm thinking of doing is changing Mother from Sunday to Saturday every other week. I wonder if that would cause her to get too confused?

I would really like to be on a regular every other day schedule. I know from experience that it works better.

Down day today. I had a quick meal when I went home to get Annie. A piece of leftover Swiss steak from yesterday and a cup of mixed veg. That has filled me up. I think I can make it to bedtime without anything else.

Is it worth a link to the previous thread for anyone who loves to wade through backlog?

To start this thread off: On Monday I posted 9 1/2 pounds lost since starting intermittent fasting five weeks earlier. A whole day later I am half a pound lighter, but that is after a down day, although calling it a down day may be a misnomer as I allowed myself a homemade kofta kebab in a tortilla wrap for supper

I'll try a strict every other day routine, at least until my newphew's 7th birthday in mid September.

Woke up ravenous today (DD) so had to nibble on a stalk of raw green asparagus on the bus to w*rk.

Planning to stay within 500 calories today with chicken, warm veggies, a hard boiled egg, fresh green asparagus, chicken, warm weggies. I'm thinking of buying some fresh pineapple as well to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Titania, your plan for the day sounds very sensible. I had an up day yesterday and took Hyp's advice. I ate pretty much what I wanted and didn't worry about calories or carbs. I watch my fat intake routinely so that isn't a problem.

Today is a down day for me too. I manage to eat three meals on down days--mostly protein and fresh vegetables from the garden. (Cucumbers and tomatoes.) Since I don't have a sweet tooth, per se, I can skip the fruit on a down day. We have cantaloupe ready for snacking in the fridge just in case though. It's time to make some of the Weight Watchers zero point soup again. It's about forty calories per serving and very healthy. I'll post the recipe here if anyone wants it.

For newcomers to this discussion, here is the original conversation.

F96827?thread=4285493

Good idea, Pimms.

Okay, I deliberately eased up on the diet in July and found that I lost a little anyway by switching to a maintenace level on some down days. Now it's time to get more serious about down days again. I've proven to myself that maintenance on JUDDDD works like a charm.

I've been doing low carb down days for about three months and am totally burned out on fish and chicken breasts. So I'm going back to Lean Cuisines on down days. I like to have prepared meals on down days so I actually know how many calories I'm eating without having to calculate anything myself. When I get tired of that I'll start the protein again.

Up days are, of course, up days. I eat anything I please.

Today is an intermediate day for me. I had a good down day yesterday and need to have Friday be an up day this week since I'm having company for dinner on Friday. So, Monday down, Tuesday intermediate, Wednesday up, Thursday down, Friday up. Same old schedule. I'll try to switch to the every other day next week.

I got burned out on smoked turkey, if you can imagine that. Oscar Mayer makes deli meats that are very tasty and allow you six slices for 50 calories. My problem is that I have to go to Wichita to get them. Our store out here is about to go belly-up.

With gasoline nudging $3 a gallon, we plan our excursions to the city very carefully.

I also like the thin sliced whole grain breads, but Lord C. doesn't like them. I may buy a loaf anyway. I have a loaf of the kind he likes so he will be happy with that.

Tip: Keep your bread in the freezer. We keep several different kinds of bread and rolls in the house at any given time. Keeping them frozen extends the life significantly. Never refrigerate bread, however. Too much moisture in the fridge.

Do you find that freezing bread makes it more crumbly? I think hamburger and hot dog buns that have been frozen fall apart easily.
I may try freezing the thin sliced stuff and see what happens. It's worth a try since I don't eat bread on down days at all.

Can anyone tell me why the conversation list on my home page isn't refreshing? I have to click on the original discussion and then go to the thread link to get here.

Can't say I've noticed any crumbliness. We buy potato bread hot dog rolls and use kaiser rolls for burgers. I microwave frozen bread for about 20 seconds just to take the chill off so I can separate pre-sliced rolls.

Can't help you with the conversation list issue.

I regularly freeze bread, and usually heat it up by toasting it...

Conversation list issue is resolved for the moment. Hyp advised me.

Had soup today for lunch........so far so good.

So far so good for me, too. I had nothing until I went home for Annie about an hour ago. Then I had 2 hard boiled eggs and about a cup of Waldorf salad and a few cherry tomatoes. When I get off work, if I'm hungry, I'll have a beef tamale with some refried beans with cheese and onions.

Not sure what I'll have tomorrow for my up day. I haven't had breakfast for a long time, so I may have some for a change. Maybe some oatmeal with cinammon and raisins. Or pancakes with bacon or sausage. I have some pancakes that have been in my freezer for ages and need used up. And I found some sugar free Smuckers apricot preserves that would be good on them. That sounds like a plan. Or.......I could be really brave and defrost a bagel and see if I have gotten over my yeast problem. I love a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast with some crispy bacon smashed down into the cheese. And I still have a whole wheat with raisin bagel stashed away.

I've been yeastless for 4 months now. That should be long enough to give it another try.

I read a tip today on one of the aol sites about eating heavy carbs early in the day and only having non-starchy veggies and protein for your dinner. I don't have a clue if that would help or not.

Bread will dry out in the freezer if not sealed in airtight bag. I'd recommend not leaving it frozen longer than a month. For our freshly made bread we recommend eating within a couple of days, and freezing (sliced) the remainder to defrost as neccessary over the rest of the week.

Personally I don't get too hung up over proportions of protein or carbohydrates in my diet. It doesn't get beyond a down day is heavily restricted calories, an up day is eating normally.

I did have some breakfast, but I chickened out on the bagel. I had a couple of pieces of bacon and an egg wrapped in a yeast-free whole wheat tortilla. Quite tasty and safe.

Now we'll see if the breakfaast makes me hungry all day. Despite what the "experts" always say about needing a good breakfast every morning, I am less hungry if I skip it. Guess I'm weird.

I wouldn't say you are weird. Your neice says the same thing. If she eats breakfast, she wants to eat all day.

I had some of the good bacon from Yoder for breakfast on a piece of wheat bread along with sliced tomatoes.

*Note to those of you not familiar with the area:
Yoder is a near by Amish community that has a wonderful meat market!