Things to Watch in Week 3

I found a post today on the forum by curlygirl Amy that really came at the right time. I know that I've been guilty of relaxing a little too much, and not measuring accurately. I also eat red meat and have been drinking far too many shakes of late. But by far the worst thing, I think for me at least, has been the artificial sugars in such things as Da Vinci SF syrup. I really think they are keeping me out of ketosis, and increasing my hunger even if just a little.

1. Keep a food journal e.g fitday and make it public!
2. Are you adding extras like low carb tortillas, calorie countdown milk, etc. that are not on the list! KISS
3. Eating too much cheese? (for best loss - skip the cheese!)
4. Have you eaten beef recently? (it tends to hang around in your gut longer) Stick with fish & chicken.
5. Have you eaten ham recently? (can be salty - may cause water retention)
6. Are you using shakes as snacks instead of as meal replacements?
7. Do you have carb creep? (people tend to be stricter in the beginning and then get more lax so tighten up your menu)
8. Are you eating lots of processed foods? (they are saltier than food you make yourself - keep it real!)
9. Are you eating too many little extras (SF Jellos, yogurts, etc.)? They are on the list but if you eat ALL of them every day, your weight loss probably will slow down!
10. How are your portion sizes? Are you eating big portions because you truly are that hungry or just because that's what you are used to eating? Start weighing your food.
    
    You've made it this far so the plan is probably working well for you. Now is the time to be tightening up your menu and cutting out all the little extras.
    
    

Are You Drinking Enough Water?

For all of us who might not drink the amount of water/liquid that our bodies need - here's something to think about:

Another Reason for a Stall is Not Drinking Enough Water. Adipose tissue, ie. fat, is mobilized through a process called hydrolysis. As the word suggests, hydrolysis requires plenty of water. Insufficient amounts of water in your body will hinder effective breakdown of fat. If you're exercising, or if your environment is warm and/or dry, you need to drink more water. If you are in active ketosis, you need to drink more water to flush the ketones out of your system. How much is enough? A bare minimum recommendation is 64 fluid oz (that's 8 - 8 oz glasses) of water a day. Some experts suggest you should divide your current weight in pounds by 2; this number is how many ounces you should drink each day, but no less than 64 oz.

There is no disagreement on the need to drink sufficient amounts of fluids every day, but there are some arguments that it's not necessary to drink only plain water. If you choose to not drink large volumes of water, you should ensure that you are consuming adequate fluid in the form of calorie and carb-free liquids. Note that coffee is neither calorie nor carb free. Three small 6 oz cups of coffee yield 12 calories and 2.4 carb grams. Add in the cream and packets of sweetener .........hmmm. Teas and herbal teas are generally close to zero carb, as well as diet sodas and mineral waters. Be careful that some diet sodas contain citric acid as a flavouring, as this has been known to stall some folks. It's best to strive to drink as much plain water as possible; at least half of your day's intake, more if possible.

~from http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips/tips008.html