--poached egg
--string cheese
--salad with greens, avocado, chicken salad, egg salad; toasted tomato soup
--few bites of squash/sausage thing from the other night
--book club feast of: veggie chili; veggies with couscous; green salad with squash, walnuts, and apple; wild rice salad; CHEESE; 3 crackers; a (delicious) small brownie (!)
--oh yeah, and a couple of glasses of red wine

So, book club had lots of good food. I had the eat the brownie and boy, was it good. So worth it, unlike that cookie from the other day. The problem was, once I ate it, all I could think about was wanting more. But I managed. No one needs to eat a pan of brownies.

I definitely ingested some carbs, but other than the 3 forbidden crackers, I definitely stayed within my two 1/2-cup servings of grains per day. In fact, I probably only ate a little more than one serving. However, I definitely ate way more cheese than I should have, and probably more food than I should have in general.

I've been sticking to this okay, but I have definitely eaten a lot this week. I have low expectations for my weigh in on Sunday. Still, I must persevere.

Banality.

I am getting really good at this!

--poached egg
--pear
--chicken hot pot, salad with lettuce, tomatoes, 1/4 avocado, lime
--string cheese
--few spoonfuls of hummus
--small bowl of chicken soup; butternut squash and sausage bake (this was amazing), some mozzarella cheese
--a small bowl of soup at a birthday party: greens, meat, broth, 1 rice noodle
--a bite of a peanut butter cookie
--mug of warm milk

I BAKED peanut butter chocolate chip cookies for the party. They were the real kind, with plenty of sugar. However, I ate no batter. This has never happened before in the history of my cooking. When I got to the party, there were at least 3 varieties of peanut butter cookies. I decided to try one that was not my own. I took a small bite and really didn't like it. If I am going to eat something sweet, it better be awesome (like chocolate with bacon on it) and this was not. I gave the rest to my boyfriend and felt no guilt.

I am definitely doing a lot of prep work at home these days. I wonder if I was a little busier if I would be able to maintain this as strictly as I have been. Next week I'll have some major hurdles and I'm curious to see how they'll go. In just one week I will have a pre-Thanksgiving feast; a houseguest (who enjoys delicious foods) for four days; a pie making party; and Thanksgiving proper. It's a daunting task, but I believe myself to be up for it. I've already decided that I can eat whatever I want on Thanksgiving (though I intend to go for a long run that morning). I will also allow myself to have one dessert (better be a good one) at the pre-Thanksgiving feast.

I love rice.

Okay, trying to make up for yesterday and get back on track...

--one poached egg
--one pear
--chinese chicken hot pot (includes mushrooms, brown rice, and broccoli) with extra spinach on the side
--string cheese
--apple
--more chinese chicken hot pot, with a poached egg and a side of sauteed choi
--some warm milk with a little cocoa powder

I probably ate too much rice today, though I'm not sure. More salad tomorrow!

And on the 8th day, there was bacon.

This day started out pretty healthy.

--1 choco-carrot-raspberry muffin
--1 poached egg, garlicky kale
--salad: lettuce, arugula, chicken, tomatoes, avocado, lime juice, olive oil
--string cheese

Then, I got a call from a friend invited me to a 6 course bacon-themed dinner. With cocktail pairings. Uh oh. But when the call of bacon comes, you've got to take it. I ate:

--some crispy/fried pork belly with sweet potato chips
--pancetta with scallops and pear compote
--sweetbreads with candied bacon and parsnip puree
--rabbit loin wrapped in bacon
--pork cheeks with glazed vegetables
--spoonful of lemon sorbet (it was a palate cleanser)
--chocolate with bacon

I did not eat the peanut butter semifreddo part of my dessert, nor did I eat more than one small bite of bread. With all of that other food, it just wasn't worth it. I am SURE I consumed a lot of sugar, especially in the countless cocktail pairings I consumed, but all in all, I did okay. Plus, I ran 3.5 miles in preparation, so hopefully that balanced it out a little...

Sunday!! One week down!

Okay, this day started out great because I hopped on the scale and found that I lost THREE (3) pounds already! I started a week ago and am already reaping the rewards. This totally energizes me and makes me miss the sweets a little less. This is so worth it!

I was also starving, so I did something dumb and immediately ate two of my choco-carrot muffins. Oops!

--2 choco-carrot muffins
--2 poached eggs, garlicky kale
--another muffin (had to try one!)
--spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and one turkey meatball
--one dark and stormy, carrots with pico
--6 triscuits
--a little of my famous asian chicken/brown rice hot pot

I also tried my hand at baking again, this time with less success. I used less oil and more stevia in those choco-carrot muffins, but I also threw some raspberries in the mix and I don't know if it quite worked. It wasn't quite sweet enough and they were a little too mushy, but still not terrible.

I also got snacky when I got home from an evening meeting, so I ate some triscuits. That would have been fine, but shortly after, my big pot of asian chicken came out of the oven and I just had to eat some of that too. I definitely went over my personal goal of two carb servings a day - but I guess I'm technically still within the three servings guideline put forth by sugar busters. I'm not going to beat myself up about it. Those muffins are mostly carrots with a little oatmeal thrown in!

Race day!

Today I ran a 5k with some awesome pre-teen girls! I ate one of my muffins for breakfast, since it was an easy grab and go item. I was super hungry while we were waiting for the race to start and fortunately (maybe?) I had thought to grab a think thin bar the last time I was at the store. They are supposedly sugar free, but I'd like to do some more investigating to see what exactly it was that I ate.

--choco-carrot muffin
--think thin chocolate fudge bar
--post race meal: 3 egg omelet with mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and a little cheddar
--tea with another muffin (no self control, I know)
--some spaghetti squash with a little butter
--greek salad with chicken, no cheese, and tzatziki, 3 greek fries
--at a party: couple pieces of raw zucchini and some sort of dip, small glass of red wine, small glass of white wine
--cheddar with 6 triscuits

It's also worth noting that I turned down many bagels, bananas, and cookies available to me at the race. Didn't really sound good. I have to remember that sugar is okay if I save it for things that really count. Like last night's pecan shortbread! Still thinking about that one today, so clearly a good choice.

I also went to a party and avoided all verboten snacks. Not really a big deal! Though I do admit to eating 3 of mt boyfriend's fries at dinner. I think that's pretty okay.

War on sugar.

Today was a mixed bag. Take a look:

--peanut butter with flax and 3 walnuts
--radishes and hummus
--spagetti squash, tomato sauce, turkey meatball
--two (generous) spoonfuls of whipped cream
--salad with lettuce, arugula, tomatoes, chicken, lemon juice and olive oil
--sugar busters friendly muffins: whole grain mix (millet, oatmeal, flax), carrots, cocoa, agave, veg oil
--1 amazing cookie sandwich: pecan shortbread and raspberry jam (HOLY SHIT)
--3 steamed asian buns, 2 pork, 1 mushroom

It was my co-worker's birthday and we got a delicious looking peanut butter chocolate pie. I can't believe I didn't eat any! Instead, I had a little bit of (pretty much unsweetened) whipped cream from the top. It was so good but plenty for me and satisfied my craving. Can't believe it!

Then, I got home. We were lucky enough to be having an underground food event in my building. BUT the bad news was that most of the vendors were of the sweet variety. Luckily, I ate a really healthy dinner, so I was ready to splurge a little. I picked one sweet and went for it. It was a small make-you-own sandwich cookie. I asked which option was least sweet and the pecan shortbread was a great choice. Even the raspberry preserves were low sugar. I mean, it was definitely more sugar than I should have had, but not nearly as bad as it could have been. I wanted to try a savory too, so I had the buns trio. It was too carb intensive and super good. I feel comfortable with my decisions.

I also tried my hand at some sugar busters friendly baking. I saw a great recipe on a blog for choco-carrot muffins. They were wheat free (she used buckwheat, but I subbed my famous wheat free, whole grain mix), dairy free (save for eggs), and sugar free. The recipe called for honey, but I subbed about a third as much agave. They definitely could have been sweeter but next time I 'll just use the same amount of agave and add a packet of stevia to compensate. I'll also probably decrease the oil a bit because they were a little greasy for my tastes. Still, delicious.

Nothing exciting about a Thursday, aka I am bad at writing blog titles.

My peanut butter breakfast kept me quite full this morning, and I was grateful for that. I also ate a nice lunch of spaghetti squash. It was so good, but I packed a generous amount so I didn't finish it the first time around. Instead, I saved the rest for an afternoon snack. Is spaghetti squash really low(er) carb? It seems so decadent, I can hardly believe it.


--tablespoon of peanut butter with flax and 3 walnuts
--spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and turkey meatball, 1 radish with hummus
--(finished the above as a snack)
--apple (needed something before my run!)
--squash soup, broccoli, cabbage
--apple with some cheese (evening snack), a few bites of spaghetti squash

I ate a pretty light dinner and I ran 3.5 miles, so I was really hungry when I got home. My neighbor made some delicious smelling pumpkin bread, but I settled for an apple with some cheddar. It was really good!

All in all, a successful day.

Today was hard.

I had felt pretty strong on the no sugar front, but today, the sugar headache came. It wasn't that bad, but I definitely noticed and I might have killed for a piece of chocolate, had I been of a slightly weaker will. Instead, I made another glass of tea, I walked around the office, I tried to distract myself. I ate some more cheese.

I was stuck late at the office for an evening meeting, so I decided to treat myself to Chipotle for dinner. Is this healthy? Hard to say, but I'm not complaining.

--heaping tablespoon of peanut butter with ground flax and 3 walnuts (this is so good!) plus a small glass of milk
--an apple
--tea with milk
--3 small turkey meatballs over a bed of arugula
--more tea (herbal and sort of "sweet")
--a string cheese
--Chipotle salad -- lettuce, fajita peppers and onions, black beans (more than the 4 oz. listed as a serving on the Chipotle website, but less than 8 oz for sure), a little cheese, some tomato salsa, and some spicy salsa. I also added some of that green tabasco, which is my favorite thing ever. Is that full of sugar? I have no idea. Because of that, the dressing was totally unnecessary.
--a few bites of spaghetti squash (maybe 3. I was testing for doneness and wanted a little taste.)
--half of a portion of tofu pudding (about 1/4 cup)

After I make it a full week, I am going to reward myself with a super dark (and modestly low sugar) bar of chocolate. If it's good enough, just a square will do. But first I have to make it a few more days!

Say cheese!

Holy crap, I ate a lot of cheese today!

--a spoonful or two to taste the tomato sauce from my crock pot (okay, but I do prefer making it on the stove)
--one string cheese, one mini frittata
--salad: arugula and chicken and a tiny sprinkling of parmesan, 1 apple
--snacks! 6 triscuits (that's one serving) and cheddar cheese, plus the cheese/sausage off of 2.5 squares of pizza (I didn't eat the crust!)
--delicious dinner at a friend's -- ful medames (beans) with some rice (a moderate portion, though it was white), a half of a small piece of bread (VERBOTEN! but seriously it was a tiny amount), and some raw cabbage.

I had an end of season party with the girls I coach and I didn't eat any of their cookies (TORTURE!), plus I compromised by eating only the "legit" part of the pizza and skipping the doughy, white crust. Honestly, I don't feel like that was the healthiest choice, but it's important to stay as strong as possible with carbs until you pass the 4 or 5 day mark.

I was also babysitting for some friends who are great cooks. They are always kind enough to feed me before I watch the kids and today was no exception. The ful they made was so good (and it was beans, so it's legit) and I had some rice (not a huge amount) and the tiniest taste of bread. I did not eat any halloween candy, despite it being plentiful. And honestly, I didn't want it that badly.

Despite a LOT of temptations, I think I did pretty well. Not perfect, but good enough for me to be happy. Onward.

Back to work.

--2 mini frittatas (1 egg, beet greens -- I make these in muffin cups!)
--apple
--tea with milk
--one string cheese
--turkey meatloaf with kate/chickpeas/olives/lemon
--radishes/hummus
--another string cheese
--3 pecans (seriously)
--kale (a lot!) with tomato sauce and a piece of chicken
--a half serving of tofu pudding, small glass of milk

Yes, I ate kale TWICE today. I mean, that's not that weird for me, as I love kale, but I ate a huge amount of it. I was also feeling very snacky today which explains how much food I ate throughout the afternoon. Still, I held strong -- no sweets or even grains, really. I needed a reward at the end of the day, so I had some pudding with a little milk. I actually put back the second half of my pudding! If you know me, that's something I NEVER do. It was so rich though, I felt like I had enough. Plus I had just eaten dinner, so it's not like I was actually hungry. I just needed chocolate.
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I also prepped some tomato sauce and turkey meatballs in my crock pot before I went to bed. I think planning ahead is going to be crucial.

Sundays are hard!

I was home all day, which doesn't help me not want to eat. I woke up early-ish to run with a friend and needed a little something to get me going; I opted for some peanut butter.

--few spoonfuls of peanut butter
--pear
--2 eggs with greens
--few spoonfuls of hummus
--turkey meatloaf with kale/lemon/olives/chickpeas/sprinkle of cheese
--small glass of red wine
--tofu pudding (tofu, cocoa, stevia, peanut butter, coconut oil). ate about 1/4 the recipe. packed the rest for the week.

So far, so good. I was definitely craving sweets, but probably because I knew I couldn't have any. The pudding helped tide me over. I also stocked up on organic milk -- last time around that was my go-to treat! (Sad, I know.)

I also feel like I am prepared for the week!

OMG -- It's on! (Again!)

Okay, I am doing sugar busters again. After a long summer (and fall) off the wagon, I have regained all of the weight I lost, plus I'm back to craving sugar and being hungry ALL THE TIME. I hope to get back to where I was last winter and I felt awesome, in pretty much every way.

Let's recap the rules:

No sugar (this includes white and brown), no honey, no molasses, no maple syrup.
No white pasta, potatoes, or rice.
No bananas, beets, turnips, parsnips, or corn (of any persuasion).

Red wine is okay, but not beer.

Carbs are okay, but only if they are whole grain (brown rice, quinoa, etc) and even then, only 1/2 c. at a time, twice a day max

Two pieces of fruit per day, max. (But no bananas, raisins, pineapple, or watermelon)

I'm going to mostly avoid wheat, but not kill myself to do so.

I weighed in at 131.5, which is really high for me, but also my body's go to weight when I eat whatever I want and stop exercising. My goal is to get down to 124, for a total of 7.5 pounds lost.