Moonwatcher's Atkins Diary

[Goldilukes]

I've heard about the syrups but not tried any. You could probably try grated orange zest for the orange flavour in cocoa bark. I have no idea if it has carbs in, but I would think if it has, it would be low. Also peppermint essence - although I have no idea at all if that has carbs in, but you would use a tiny amount as it is very strong. Or... (got me thinking now!) what about finely chopped real mint?

I have just had a piece of the chocolate cake with cream, after a late dinner. I think if I had cocoa bark in the house too I would be tempted to continue on the chocolate theme! Definitely better for me to have just one 'treat' at a time available!

I totally know what you mean about carrying on the choc theme, best to leave for another day

i think there will be carbs but if any small amount plus like you say you wouldn't need much. Loving the idea of chopped fresh mint yummy
how many carbs in your choc cake?

 

[Goldilukes]

Dinner looks nice I often spend around 29 mins browsing the cheese Isle haha. Keep thinking people are watching me whilst I scratch my head, check the packets over and over and rub my chin with the decision making lol
asda Leiths cheeses are lush, the vintage cheddar and Red Leicester are two of the best tasting to date.

 

[moonwatcher]

I totally know what you mean about carrying on the choc theme, best to leave for another day

i think there will be carbs but if any small amount plus like you say you wouldn't need much. Loving the idea of chopped fresh mint yummy
how many carbs in your choc cake?

It's this one here

http://www.minimins.com/atkins-recipes/306199-flourless-3-minute-chocolate-cake.html

The carbs work out at 9 for everything *before* you add the sweetener - will depend on which sweetener you use and how much. I used less than half the amount in the recipe and it was sweet enough for us - taste as you go! It says serves one, but I divide it into two, and as it is so chocolatey it is a good chocolate hit!

Dinner looks nice I often spend around 29 mins browsing the cheese Isle haha. Keep thinking people are watching me whilst I scratch my head, check the packets over and over and rub my chin with the decision making lol
asda Leiths cheeses are lush, the vintage cheddar and Red Leicester are two of the best tasting to date.

Groaning cheese shelf in the fridge here!

 

[moonwatcher]

Morning everyone, well technically afternoon! It seems quiet on here today. The sun I keep reading about on other people's diaries is not doing a very good job of fighting through the clouds here! Lazy morning reading and 'putering in bed as technically this is the last 'extra' day of the holiday! I know we have the weekend to come, but would have that anyway.

Going out later to get our veg plants, ready for an instant veg bed. Looking at the veg plot yesterday evening and it needs a lot of work on it.

Not sure about food today. So far had liquid only plus two small chunks of one of our cheese purchases from yesterday - Rebluchon. Technically as an aged cheese I don't think it is allowed yet (not sure why- will try and look it up later), but the taste... it will be worth a STS for that flavour!

Something with the rest of the chicken I cooked last night is on the cards - have half an aubergine I need to use up, so probably something with that. Will report in later with the full menu!

 

[Atomic pink]

I think a more sedate day today is very much deserved after how busy you have been all week. Actually your industriousness kicked me into action when I got in from work this afternoon and i actually did some weeding and tidying in the garden and have insisted OH cuts the grass tomorrow as you can actually lose our cats in it at the moment :/

The chicken looks lovely. Despite how automatic it usually is to have rice with curry I always found that it was one of the meals that was most enjoyable to de-carb as long as you had different textures on the plate. Roast spiced cauliflower is a favourite of mine and managed to convert my cauliflower-phobic friend at the weekend to it as well

What other cheeses did you get? I like reblochon, although I prefer raclette and tallegio which are fairly similar. I wonder if you could do a sort of tartiflette with turnips or celeriac to make it Atkins friendly. That would be a great use of it. Fried onions, bacon and cheese. You can't really go wrong with that combination can you?

 

[moonwatcher]

I think a more sedate day today is very much deserved after how busy you have been all week. Actually your industriousness kicked me into action when I got in from work this afternoon and i actually did some weeding and tidying in the garden and have insisted OH cuts the grass tomorrow as you can actually lose our cats in it at the moment :/

The chicken looks lovely. Despite how automatic it usually is to have rice with curry I always found that it was one of the meals that was most enjoyable to de-carb as long as you had different textures on the plate. Roast spiced cauliflower is a favourite of mine and managed to convert my cauliflower-phobic friend at the weekend to it as well

What other cheeses did you get? I like reblochon, although I prefer raclette and tallegio which are fairly similar. I wonder if you could do a sort of tartiflette with turnips or celeriac to make it Atkins friendly. That would be a great use of it. Fried onions, bacon and cheese. You can't really go wrong with that combination can you?

We got the usual cheddar, feta, halloumi with chilli, plus some pesto cheddar, caramelised onion cheddar and smoked too. Also some danish blue (which is more green veined really - very pretty) some iberico and some comte. Picked up a couple of nets of babybel cheddar too - not quite in the same league, but handy for picnics! We were quite restrained really.

 

[moonwatcher]

Food etc for Friday 31st May

Oh my. I really should not be let loose in a garden centre or B & Q on pay day! Have bought 24 trailing large South American inpatiens, about 60 begonias, 10 geraniums, 3 fuchsias, 11 alpines, and for the 'instant' veg garden - golden beetroot, lettuces, caulis, cabbages, sprouts, french beans, red spring onions, green and yellow courgettes, pumpkins, plus for the greenhouses - 9 tomato plants, 5 chilli plants, 3 aubergines, 2 cucumbers and 2 melons! There may be some more stuff too!

Really looking forward to getting the veg plot and the greenhouses back in action this year. Am cheating a bit by buying ready started plants, which I don't usually do, but will also grow from seed some radishes, more lettuces, runner beans, butternut squash, maybe turnips? and some herbs, and the raspberries, rhubarb, red currants, blackcurrants and gooseberries are already going strong!

Anyway, on to today's food...

Breakfast - lemony cream cheese egg custard with a little cream

Lunch - peperami, ham, pesto cheddar, cherry toms

At Wetherspoons - after the plant buying marathon - chicken ceaser salad with bacon (picked out the croutons, fingers crossed the dressing was OK-ish)

Drinks - water, two coffees with cream, one earl grey tea and one rose earl grey with unsweetened almond milk (so much nicer than soya milk - no chalky taste, and only 0.1g of carbs per 100 ml) diet pepsi

Snacks - reblochon cheese, two pieces of pork scratching, half an avocado with mayo and lemon juice, maybe some more ham later

 

[Goldilukes]

It's this one here

http://www.minimins.com/atkins-recipes/306199-flourless-3-minute-chocolate-cake.html

The carbs work out at 9 for everything *before* you add the sweetener - will depend on which sweetener you use and how much. I used less than half the amount in the recipe and it was sweet enough for us - taste as you go! It says serves one, but I divide it into two, and as it is so chocolatey it is a good chocolate hit!



Groaning cheese shelf in the fridge here!

Ooh thanks for the link, I do love me some chocolate

 

[Goldilukes]

We got the usual cheddar, feta, halloumi with chilli, plus some pesto cheddar, caramelised onion cheddar and smoked too. Also some danish blue (which is more green veined really - very pretty) some iberico and some comte. Picked up a couple of nets of babybel cheddar too - not quite in the same league, but handy for picnics! We were quite restrained really.

you call that restrained???? Lol I feel guilty if I pick two packs of cheese up for the week.

 

[Goldilukes]

Food etc for Friday 31st May

Oh my. I really should not be let loose in a garden centre or B & Q on pay day! Have bought 24 trailing large South American inpatiens, about 60 begonias, 10 geraniums, 3 fuchsias, 11 alpines, and for the 'instant' veg garden - golden beetroot, lettuces, caulis, cabbages, sprouts, french beans, red spring onions, green and yellow courgettes, pumpkins, plus for the greenhouses - 9 tomato plants, 5 chilli plants, 3 aubergines, 2 cucumbers and 2 melons! There may be some more stuff too!

Really looking forward to getting the veg plot and the greenhouses back in action this year. Am cheating a bit by buying ready started plants, which I don't usually do, but will also grow from seed some radishes, more lettuces, runner beans, butternut squash, maybe turnips? and some herbs, and the raspberries, rhubarb, red currants, blackcurrants and gooseberries are already going strong!

Anyway, on to today's food...

Breakfast - lemony cream cheese egg custard with a little cream

Lunch - peperami, ham, pesto cheddar, cherry toms

At Wetherspoons - after the plant buying marathon - chicken ceaser salad with bacon (picked out the croutons, fingers crossed the dressing was OK-ish)

Drinks - water, two coffees with cream, one earl grey tea and one rose earl grey with unsweetened almond milk (so much nicer than soya milk - no chalky taste, and only 0.1g of carbs per 100 ml) diet pepsi

Snacks - reblochon cheese, two pieces of pork scratching, half an avocado with mayo and lemon juice, maybe some more ham later

Yes pay day and garden centres should be avoided at all costs, I planted an entire garden back at my old home only to leave it all behind I went to town on it as well....never mind, I shan't dwell.

 

[moonwatcher]

you call that restrained???? Lol I feel guilty if I pick two packs of cheese up for the week.

Oh, we could buy (and eat) cheese for England

Yes pay day and garden centres should be avoided at all costs, I planted an entire garden back at my old home only to leave it all behind I went to town on it as well....never mind, I shan't dwell.

Well looking on the bright side it was OH's pay day, so it was his money! Shame about your previous garden. I am quite attached to some of my plants.

 

[moonwatcher]

Your garden sounds like the kind of garden I'd like to have one day. At the moment I've only got space for some herbs! x

Well at the moment it needs a lot of work on it Frona. It amazes me how bad it can get after just a year of neglect. We'll probably just get it done in time for the winter!

 

[Goldilukes]

Oh, we could buy (and eat) cheese for England

I always thought we were not allowed much so went easy but could easily bring back restaurant sized supplies hehehe, there's nothing better than a piece of cheese and a coffee together, tastes amazing!

Well looking on the bright side it was OH's pay day, so it was his money! Shame about your previous garden. I am quite attached to some of my plants.

Haha that's the way to do it I get attached too but.... We planted them around 1 year ago now and I'd hate to up route them out of my selfishness. Went back to the old house to collect post the other day and the magnolia tree I'd planted was in full bloom and looking amazing....grrrrr oh well. I shan't dwell, can feel my blood pressure getting high hahah

 

[moonwatcher]

One of the things I love about Atkins is being allowed cheese in proper portions! Having said that I don't use my 3 - 4 oz every day, but it is good to be able to some days!

We had some sun yesterday afternoon, we really did - even ate in the garden at Wetherspoons. You'd never know it today though. It's back to dull, grey and windy today. We were planning to go into Norwich for a punting trip on the river, but have put that off until tomorrow when it is supposed to be a bit warmer.

So the plan for the rest of the day (overslept big-time this morning!) is bacon, egg, mushrooms and fried turnips in a mo, after a coffee and cream, then hitting the garden to tackle the 'instant' veg plot. Don't know about instant - reckon it will take me several days to whip it back into shape. The paths are very weedy and the greenhouses look like a safe house for bindweed! Looking forward to it though. Happy gardening day ahead!

 

[Atomic pink]

Its much sunnier here today than it was yesterday actually. We appear to have reverse weather!

The cheese haul sounds very good to me. I don't generally go in for the flavoured cheddars but both the pesto and carmalised onion does sound quite nice. I am a fully paid up member of cheese obsessives annonymous. I break out in a cold sweat if the number of different types of cheese in m fridge drops below 6. It is usually into double figures.

Quite shopping spree in the garden centre! I would very much like to have a much nicer, tidier, more organised garden but it just never quite happens. Our garden is quite big for where we live and was horrendeously overgrown when we moved here. In the first year I did alot of work sorting out the bits nearest the house and planting the flower beds but then we got the dog and he liked to lay in tidy flower beds and would steal all the vegetables as soon as they were ready so I sort of lost the will with it. Alot of it still has some very overgrown shrubs. I try and do bits and pieces but OH hates gardening more than I do and generally when I have free time I would prefer to go walking for the day or go to the gym. Trying to do a couple of hours a week at the moment to gradually get it in check but not sure if that's going work.

 

[moonwatcher]

Hope you have a lovely day in your garden moonwatcher xx

Its much sunnier here today than it was yesterday actually. We appear to have reverse weather!

The cheese haul sounds very good to me. I don't generally go in for the flavoured cheddars but both the pesto and carmalised onion does sound quite nice. I am a fully paid up member of cheese obsessives annonymous. I break out in a cold sweat if the number of different types of cheese in m fridge drops below 6. It is usually into double figures.

Quite shopping spree in the garden centre! I would very much like to have a much nicer, tidier, more organised garden but it just never quite happens. Our garden is quite big for where we live and was horrendeously overgrown when we moved here. In the first year I did alot of work sorting out the bits nearest the house and planting the flower beds but then we got the dog and he liked to lay in tidy flower beds and would steal all the vegetables as soon as they were ready so I sort of lost the will with it. Alot of it still has some very overgrown shrubs. I try and do bits and pieces but OH hates gardening more than I do and generally when I have free time I would prefer to go walking for the day or go to the gym. Trying to do a couple of hours a week at the moment to gradually get it in check but not sure if that's going work.

Dogs do love to lie where they can do the most damage don't they?

I've always enjoyed gardening, which is good as we have quite a lot, but for various reasons we did very little in it last year and I must admit the amount that needs to be done is quite overwhelming. I am trying to focus on a little at a time and just accept it will take a while. A bit like my weight loss journey actually!

Today we got quite a lot done. OH chainsawed up another huge pile of laurel logs for the fire and some mini ones for the chiminea. I forked over and also weeded by hand two of the five veg beds and hoed and mixed in a bag of nicely rotted horse poo to each one. Sorry - it's a gardening thing! Then we loaded up yet another van load of hedge to go to the tip tomorrow and stripped down some branches and some home grown bamboo to use in the garden as supports and canes. There is still about a quarter of the hedge to be cut down, and a tree too, but there is a pigeon nesting in the tree, so that will have to wait for a bit. Somehow also managed to fit in two loads of washing and if course, some eating...

Brunch - bacon, scrambled eggs, mushrooms, cherry toms and fried turnips

Dinner - chicken, chorizo, cheddar and blue cheese with a large mixed salad, olives, red pepper, chillies,radishes and mayo. Quick and easy after coming in from the garden, as the chicken was already cooked. Followed this with rhubarb and clotted cream.

Snacks - half a small avocado with mayo and lime juice, three pieces of pork scratching, a babybel

Drinks - water, two earl grey teas with almond milk, two coffees and cream, one can of diet cream soda

Happily worn out - think there will be a few stiff muscles tomorrow!

 

[Goldilukes]

You don't seem to eat a lot like me, do you think I over eat? I've notice on your diary ts nice and steady with nt too many snacks. I love the idea of filling my fridge with loads of different cheeses and hoping to go shopping later today its sunny again here today. Love reading yor gardening stories, mine are on hold at the moment since there is far too much land to keep on top of and we don't even have a lawnmower yet I keep telling other half to borrow next doors sheep but he won't go for that.. They did wander in once with their kids but haven't seen them back since.

 

[Atomic pink]

Sounds like another very busy day in the garden. Please tell me you are having a rest today?? I'm trying to concentrate on the bit by bit approach to my garden but given I end up doing it on my own most of the time I am not sure I'm even keeping up with stuff let alone making much progress. Better than nothing though. Very cute that you are leaving the tree until the pigeon leaves

Lovely sounding salad for dinner last night. I approve of anything that has two types of cheese in it generally

Goldilukes - i am very jealous that you have sheep next door that wandered into your garden! I am more than a little sheep obsessed and would love to have some.

 

[Goldilukes]

Sounds like another very busy day in the garden. Please tell me you are having a rest today?? I'm trying to concentrate on the bit by bit approach to my garden but given I end up doing it on my own most of the time I am not sure I'm even keeping up with stuff let alone making much progress. Better than nothing though. Very cute that you are leaving the tree until the pigeon leaves

Lovely sounding salad for dinner last night. I approve of anything that has two types of cheese in it generally

Goldilukes - i am very jealous that you have sheep next door that wandered into your garden! I am more than a little sheep obsessed and would love to have some.

Yes we are very lucky, we have sheep, cows and horses walking past daily. I love it! Oh and a full on rabbit warren so there's often parents sat up panicking about their babies getting up to mischief and going to far out.

 

[moonwatcher]

You don't seem to eat a lot like me, do you think I over eat? I've notice on your diary ts nice and steady with nt too many snacks. I love the idea of filling my fridge with loads of different cheeses and hoping to go shopping later today its sunny again here today. Love reading yor gardening stories, mine are on hold at the moment since there is far too much land to keep on top of and we don't even have a lawnmower yet I keep telling other half to borrow next doors sheep but he won't go for that.. They did wander in once with their kids but haven't seen them back since.

I'm not sure Goldi - I'm not exactly the poster girl for successful Atkins results, as you'll see in a moment! I don't snack much because I just don't really want to - I find Atkins reduces my appetite after a while. This week isn't typical for meals though, because once I am back at work I will be back to three meals a day. Half term has been two meals a day on quite a few days. On your diary I notice that you're like me, and eat salami/pepperoni/chorizo and cheese quite a bit. I think these can have an effect because of salt tbh. Are you getting enough veggies? If your days are light on veggies it can also have an effect. When I was on Atkins a few years ago a different forum I belonged to then used to have a 'veggie challenge month,' to encourage everyone to eat enough of the right veggies. People who did the challenge recorded good results, and were often surprised at the difference compared to other months, so that may be something to think about.

WI this morning - hold the drum roll, get out the tissues...

Yesterday morning the scales showed 14st 6.8lbs - a drop of 0.6lbs since last week, so I was optimistic for a loss this morning, but oh no - scales today show 14st 8lbs! Exactly the same happened last week, when the scales were slowly going down during the week, and then overnight from Saturday to Sunday went up again! This means that technically I am up another 0.6 lbs since last week, making a gain over the last two weeks of 2.6lbs over the last two weeks.

Right - there are all sorts of possible reasons - I ate a lot of salty stuff yesterday - bacon, chorizo, cheeses... although I also drank loads of water. I did notice that I was very thirsty again overnight - drank 5 full glasses of water whilst asleep. Well, not while I was actually asleep obviously! I had a diet cream soda quite late in the evening and exactly the same thing happened last week when I had a diet flavoured fizzy water in the evening, so I am going to limit the occasional diet drink to earlier in the day only and flush it out during the day.

This morning the scales can 'do one.' Yesterday while I was gardening I noticed how much more I can do compared to last year - I can bend over and crouch down without my stomach making it practically impossible to stay there for more than 30 seconds, I was forking over the veg beds wihout even thinking about it, I can get up and down to do things without it being a major event. I worked for several hours with only a short tea break - instead of 10 minutes work then 10 minutes rest. I cannot have physically gained nearly 2lbs of fat overnight, so this is a blip - probably fluid retention. I must be due a 'whoosh' on the scales soon. I am not going to let a little battery operated set of circuits and lights dictate a miserable day on the last day of the hols!

Off for another visit to the tip now, then popping into the garden centre to get some new secateurs - some plants may fall into the trolley. Who knows? Then home for a few more hours in the garden, in the ... wait for it ... sun!

Have a great day everybody.