Moonwatcher's Primal/Calorie Counting Adventure!

[moonwatcher]

Did have an ounce of nuts last night - checked with a sneaky look on the scales this morning and have dropped a teeny bit, so it doesn't look as if two days over optimum cals have done any damage (not yet anyway!). This is a very strange feeling since doing the metabolism reset. It is what happens to 'normal,' non dieting people, but to me in the past, two days over my cals even by a small amount would have usually seen a noticeable gain. I am still quite amazed that since the reset I can eat more calories and still lose weight. This seems to be backed up by the naturally lower carb nature of primal based eating, so fingers crossed for the coming months.

OH's blood sugar levels, both first thing in the morning and two hours after eating, have dropped by an average of 6-7 units (sorry can't remember exactly what the units are at the moment). They still need to come down some more, but so far so good. He has a first follow up with the nurse on Friday and she said she didn't expect to see much of a drop in his figures by then, so she could be in for a pleasant surprise!

We are both sleeping better and I have noticed a huge difference in the pain from my knee (cartilage damage after falling on to it about 2 and a half years ago), so I presume there is a connection there to the new way of eating. Could be the increased fat, less inflammation, maybe it is the dark chocolate (she said hopefully!)

 

[Mis-behave]

That's good news about your OH and the drop in his blood sugar levels .. I also think it's the dark chocolate that helps with creaky knees , maybe helped by the extra fat

 

[Emmaline]

I was just about to say the same! The weight loss will of course also help with your knee problem and sleep as well as I had the same sorts of problems myself.
Great that it's having a good effect on OH sugar levels.... my nurse on the last check was gobsmacked at the results of my tests since and even said I could almost be classed as non- Db.

 

[moonwatcher]

That's good news about your OH and the drop in his blood sugar levels .. I also think it's the dark chocolate that helps with creaky knees , maybe helped by the extra fat

I was just about to say the same! The weight loss will of course also help with your knee problem and sleep as well as I had the same sorts of problems myself.
Great that it's having a good effect on OH sugar levels.... my nurse on the last check was gobsmacked at the results of my tests since and even said I could almost be classed as non- Db.

I'll keep taking the chocolate then! Good going there on the sugar levels Em. We have basically ignored the official diet sheet, which suggested low fat and higher carb levels than we were happy with.

My knee pain had been quite bad for the last month. Looking back the main change in that time seemed to be eating more rice, as OH had finally decided he liked risotto! I will have a read around to see how 'inflammatory' rice is. Whatever the reason, it has been loads better, all of a sudden, the last three or four-days.

 

[moonwatcher]

Bleugh! Was feeling better until this afternoon but now seem to be non stop coughing or wheezing, dizzy etc again. Am watching a little bit of TV and then off to bed at 10.00.

Food was a bit over on cals but not bad...

Breakfast - two scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, cooked yellow pepper strips and half a small avocado (460 cals)

Mid morning (was hungrier after breakfast than usual) Tesco finest greek yogurt with 10g nuts and half teaspoon coconut sugar (211cals)

Lunch - bowlful of home made sweet potato and coconut soup with chipotle, lime and smoked garlic, followed this with some pate I had in the freezer (mainly pork, with a small amount of potato starch, so thought I would use it up) with four Mrs Crimble's crackers (these definitely aren't Primal but I burnt the flaxseed crackers I made!) (439 calories)

Dinner - roast beef and gravy with mashed cauli (plus knob of butter), carrots and three pieces roast parsnip, three gluten free yorkies made using eggs, cream, butter, arrowroot and coconut flour (it should have been two, but I forfeited the chocolate from later to have a third!) (687 cals)

Drinks - water, milk in teas (26 cals)

Totals for today: calories 1823/1750, carbs 69

 

[Mis-behave]

Did the Yorkshire puds work? If they did pls can I have the recipe

 

[moonwatcher]

Did the Yorkshire puds work? If they did pls can I have the recipe

They rose well and the flavour was good. Even though the recipe uses 4 eggs they didn't have the 'omelette' taste and texture They didn't have the crispy edges, although maybe cooking them at a higher temperature for less time *may* give that. I doubt it though. I used to make the gluten free ones from the Doves website, but as they use rice flour and corn flour they are out now. *Sighs!*

Here is the link to last night's original recipe..

http://prettyinprimal.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/yorkshire-pudding-its-primal-yo.html?m=1

Me being me I changed it a little! I swapped the almond flour for arrowroot, and swapped about a quarter of the cream for milk. I also made individual yorkies (12 in a muffin pan) instead of one large one
so they only needed about 20 mins in the oven. If you like yorkies they are worth a try to see what you think.

 

[moonwatcher]

This cough just will not go away and I am truly fed up. I was so looking forward to a week for half term of a real relaxing week off. Since the health scare in the summer hols, every holiday has been taken up with something else physical and/or emotional and I haven't felt as if I have had a holiday at all. This week feels the same. I am so tired from all the coughing, tired of (or because of) the dizziness, emotional (spent half of yesterday in tears, which is not like me at all, and could also be partly down to the concussion, but that doesn't really help.) Feeling very low.

Well, that is my moaning over for now. Waiting for the workman to come and replace our bathroom heater at the moment. OH will be in soon and has to go out again to take some of my brother's stuff to the auctioneer. Think I will light the fire soon and curl up on the sofa with the cat again.

 

[Atomic pink]

Really pants that the cough isn't shifting and is ruining half term. Now you really needed the break. Hope the last half of it improves.

Very good news on your knees and OH's glucose levels. Hopefully shows that it was a positive choice. Food is looking lovely. Quite intrigued by the coconut Yorkshire puddings. I had thought about trying them with cassava flour but wasn't sure the texture would work with something like Yorkshire pudding. Definitely need to try them though given your positive reports.

 

[moonwatcher]

Really pants that the cough isn't shifting and is ruining half term. Now you really needed the break. Hope the last half of it improves.

Very good news on your knees and OH's glucose levels. Hopefully shows that it was a positive choice. Food is looking lovely. Quite intrigued by the coconut Yorkshire puddings. I had thought about trying them with cassava flour but wasn't sure the texture would work with something like Yorkshire pudding. Definitely need to try them though given your positive reports.

Yes, try the yorkies. I did miss the 'crispyness' but once on the plate topped with gravy they really helped to make it a 'proper' roast dinner. We had them warmed with lemon juice and a bit of cream the next day too. I might try some with tapioca flour when I get it.

 

[moonwatcher]

No heater repair man - the letter actually said Weds 5th March! As she implied when I rang last week that it would be done this week I didn't check the date. Three weeks without a bathroom heater. Yippee!

Yesterday's (Tuesday 18th February) food

Breakfast - tesco finest greek yogurt with coconut palm sugar (154 cals)

Mid morning - five squares of Green and Blacks spiced chilli dark chocolate (92 cals)

Lunch - home made veg soup (leftovers from yesterday's roast beef dinner, mashed into the leftover gravy), an ounce of smoked pork sausage, three slices of German style ham spread with cream cheese and mustard and rolled up (379 cals)

Mid afternoon - two reheated yorkies with a squirt of lemon juice and a little cream, (336 cals)

Dinner - home made beef mince chilli with sweet potato wedges, roast in coconut oil with basil and lime juice, guacamole, soured yogurt with chillies and a tomato salsa, all topped with an ounce of grated cheddar (750 cals)

Evening - 6 pieces of Green and Blacks mint dark chocolate (115 cals)

Drinks - water and green teas, milk in a couple of earl grey teas (20 cals)

Totals: calories - 1846/1750, carbs 109

Too many calories and definitely too much chocolate! On the other hand, the chocolate was enough to keep me away from other alternatives which would have been a lot worse, and the carbs were still lower than 'before primal'

 

[Emmaline]

Horrible not having heating in the bathroom MW.. I do love to warm mine up especially as it faces north and is cold even in really hot weather.

Don't let that cough go on for too long without getting to the docs... nasty dose going round and very infectious too... hope you soon get some relief.

The yorkies sound great .. must give them a try.

 

[moonwatcher]

Horrible not having heating in the bathroom MW.. I do love to warm mine up especially as it faces north and is cold even in really hot weather.

Don't let that cough go on for too long without getting to the docs... nasty dose going round and very infectious too... hope you soon get some relief.
.
The yorkies sound great .. must give them a try.

Yes our bathroom faces North West so tends to be cold too. Can't believe they need three weeks! May give them another ring tomorrow to see if I can improve on that. Not feeling like the confrontation today!

Pretty certain the cough is viral this time. Today is first day I've not had a bit of a temperature, so hopefully my body is doing its job on it.

 

[moonwatcher]

Food for yesterday, Wednesday 19th February

Breakfast - toasted buckwheat muesli with milk and a little cream (317 cals)

Morning snack - one slice of ham (30 cals)

Lunch - chilli leftover from Tuesday night, with one and a half ounces of chilli cheddar grated on top (456 cals)

Dinner - peppered smoked mackerel fillet with cauli mash, green beans and pepper sauce (584 cals)

Afternoon and evening - two pieces G&B mint dark choc and three pieces of the spiced chilli one (93 cals)

Drinks - water, milk in earl grey, vanilla chai and rose garden teas, one coffee with cream (157 cals)

Totals for today: calories 1637/1750, carbs 71g.

Calories down a bit, but that will help to make up for being over the last few days.

 

[Atomic pink]

Cold bathrooms are no fun, what a shame it wasn't yesterday it got fixed

Chilli and cheese sounds nice. What is the green and blacks spiced chilli chocolate like? I bought a bar the other week as I saw it reduced to 99p in the organic supermarket but haven't got round to trying it yet.

 

[moonwatcher]

I like it - a bit too much I think! The previous chilli chocolate I tried was just chilli added, but this has other spices too, which helps to give it a more 'rounded' flavour. It's 60% I think, so technically not Primal, but if that is one of my 20% 'cheats' I don't think I'm doing too bad!

 

[moonwatcher]

Food for today Thursday 20th February

Breakfast - gluten free toasted buckwheat muesli, milk and cream (that's the last of the muesli gone) (273 cals)

Lunch - home made creamy spiced leek and cauliflower soup, with one ounce of smoked sausage chopped in (248 cals)

Mid afternoon - one piece of flourless chocolate cake with a little cream, three pieces of G&Bs spicy chilli chocolate (327 cals)

Dinner - three Debbie and Andrew gf sausages with leek, butternut squash and sweet potato stew with lemon and moroccan spices (642 cals)

Drinks - water, one coffee with cream, milk in teas (vanilla chai and earl grey) (133 cals)

Totals for the day: calories 1623/1750, carbs 97g

 

[moonwatcher]

OH has just got back from his first fortnightly follow up appointment with the nurse and she is absolutely amazed at his results... Blood sugar at previous test was 17.5, today was 9! That is nearly halved in a fortnight on Primal! She was very pleased, because so often people just don't bother to make any changes. I did point out he had my planning and cooking to thank!

We are about to celebrate with a small piece of flourless, sugarless chocolate cake with blueberry compote!

 

[Mis-behave]

Whoop!! Whoop! Go primal fantastic news !

 

[moonwatcher]

Whoop!! Whoop! Go primal fantastic news !

Yep, brilliant. Better than I expected in that timescale too!

Food for Friday 21st February

Breakfast - using up some gluten free nut cornflakes now - once they are gone that should be the end of my non primal breakfasts. Crunchy nut cornflakes with milk and a little cream (200 cals)

Mid morning - one slice of German ham, later - three pieces of G&Bs chilli spiced chocolate (80 cals)

Lunch - herb, tomato and onion omelette with cream cheese and smoked salmon, with roast turnip wedges (390 cals)

Dinner - pork loin steak fried with some steak spices, cauliflower cheese (522 cals)

Snack - flourless chocolate cake with cooked blueberries, a little coconut sugar and a drizzle of cream (297 cals)

Drinks - water, milk in an earl grey and a rose garden tea, large cup of coffee with cream (166 cals)

Totals for the day: calories 1665/1750, carbs 55