A New Life Style... Change I Can Live With

Have you ever noticed (if you've ever fought being over weight, I'm sure you have) that in order to lose weight and keep it off you can't just change your menu or your level of activity for a few weeks, you have to change it forever.

At Christmas, Kevin and I were talking about his fight to be able to do three pull ups. You might think it should be an easy thing for a 19 year old to do three pull ups, but add 6'4" and 250 lbs to your imagination... there. You see? Very difficult. He isn't horribly over weight, but what he does pack around on that huge-mongous frame, is too much for him to lift. He has to do these pull ups to be able to sign up for the Marines, and I realized at that moment, that while I don't really want him to go in the Marines, it would be heartbreaking to watch him fail.
As he was telling me that it was almost impossible to lose weight in a house where no one else is worried about it, I made a decision; we would all go on a diet. My daughter reluctantly, my husband kicking and screaming. We've been on this diet before and it worked wonders for us (my DH and I, the kids didn't really participate), we just didn't handle it right, we didn't change our lifestyles to go along with it, we also didn't give ourselves any lee way (no rewards at the end of the week, no deviation from the diet) so although we stayed on it for 3 years, it wasn't sustainable. I'm speaking of the Atkin's Diet. But this time, its the "Pennington Approved Atkin's Diet".

We have cut out virtually all carbohydrates from our diet. Absolutely no refined flours or sugars, but we can occasionally have whole wheat bread or use whole wheat flour as these don't affect your blood sugar (GI) as white flour does. I am learning all kinds of new recipes and thoroughly enjoying stretching my cooking 'wings'!
Derek is still kicking and screaming, he hates not being able to walk to the fridge and just grab something to eat, although I am working on that; I started reading about coconut flour and have decided that I am going to start baking with it. I can make breads that can be munched without guilt, even a lemon zest bread that I can hardly wait to make! We can have all the protein we want, such as cheese and meat, and most vegetables are ok, although corn is off the list for a few weeks yet as well as carrots because of their high levels of natural sugars. The addition I am making to this diet plan (and many low carb diets insist on you doing this) is to reward ourselves from time to time, at least once a week, with a food that we love that we normally can't have on this diet. This way, when I see a baked potato, I won't go gaga a fall of the diet wagon :)
So we've been on this diet for three weeks now, any change? Kevin has lost almost 12 lbs, while I (I cheated a little... at first :) I've lost almost 7. Don't know if DH has lost anything, he doesn't think he should have to do it anyway (his gut says different), and DD Jari isn't really a part of it, although it wouldn't hurt her 'baby' fat either.
If anyone knows any really good low-carb recipes, please don't hesitate to share them :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And since I'm not very good at putting my thoughts into words, I'll let these people handle it :)

A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to the world!
Charles Dickens

Then sing, young hearts that are full of cheer,
With never a thought of sorrow;
The old goes out, but the glad young year
Comes merrily in tomorrow
Emily Miller

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a
better man.
Benjamin Franklin

A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
Edgar A. Guest

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called "Opportunity" and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment.
Sydney Smith

Your Merry Christmas may depend on what others do for you. But your Happy New Year depends on what you do for others.
Anonymous

Every new year people make resolutions to change aspects of themselves they believe are negative. A majority of people revert back to how they were before and feel like failures. This year I challenge you to a new resolution. I challenge you to just be yourself.
Aisha Elderwynv

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth
Martin Luther King

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!
William Arthur Ward

And may we live in a world at peace and with the awareness of God's love in every sunset, every flower's unfolding petals, every baby's smile, every lover's kiss, and every wonderful, astonishing, miraculous beat of our heart.
Anonymous

In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want.
Irish Toast