Random Low Carb Things

In preparation for a serious jump start, I've been doing a lot of reading and reflecting on what my next move will be. Translated: trying to give myself a good swift kick in the ass. I'm reading one of the Protein Power books and seeking the guidance of other low carb mavens. Atkins has always been the yardstick that I measure low carb programs but there are obviously so many programs out there so I'm looking for THE ONE that is the best for me...long term.

Many of you know that I started this low carb thing on Kimkins and the current controversy still has my head spinning. But here's a few items to chew on:

If you are thinking of starting on Kimkins...Don't waste your money. There are too many questions about the safety of the program and the integrity of Kimmer. If you haven't already read more than you can handle on this topic, check out what former Kimkins moderator, Becky has to say at Winning Weight Loss.

Looking for somewhere else to spend your sixty bucks.? Try these suggestions from Princess at Once Upon a Diet.

If you are looking for the sense of community that was the big draw for many on the Kimkins site... join us over at Jimmy Moore's forum at low carb discussion. No drama. No criticism. You'll find answers to your low carb questions, team challenges and lots of free support from all the best the low carb community has to offer.

In fact, going back to the aforementioned kick in the ass... I've joined up over at lowcarbdiscussion.com with the Smokin Aces team for a Biggest Loser type challenge. So far there are three teams and I'm really excited to get started on this 8 week challenge. It will be my first since leaving the Kimkins forums but many of the people are the same. We start on Monday so I'll keep you posted on the progress. If nothing else it will keep me honest and hold me accountable.

I promise to start writing more frequently again. In fact, I'm thinking of starting a new feature called "Off-Topic Tuesday" so I can get some other random things off my chest and not feel like One-Note-Nellie on this whole diet thing.

In the meantime, stay tuned for less of me.

Scalemistress the Slacker

First let me just say that I have no one to blame but myself. But I have indeed become a slacker.

I have not been as diligent as I know I should be and I've let the Oreos in my fridge entice me. I haven't resorted to sandwiches or french fries so I suppose I have something to redeem my slacker tendencies but still...

So the good news is that I went shopping yesterday. I needed some new clothes for a job interview and I'm happy to report that despite my slacker tendencies I'm still maintaining my single digit status and was able to buy some great pants in a size 8. That said, greedy me, would still like to be a 6. And I really would like to shed another 15 pounds to do it. But more importantly, I don't want to let my slacker tendencies slide me right into those double digit sizes.

I think what I really need is some driving force to keep me motivated. A while back I wrote about event driven goals. And the cruise was certainly that for me. But now I don't have that one THING to drive me towards.

Anyone have any ideas?

On other fronts, I do have a job interview tomorrow that I'm really excited about. I hope the job is everything it appears to be and gets me out of my current situation. I've become somewhat addicted to the job boards which could explain some of my slacker tendencies. (or maybe I'm just grasping at straws.)

More than anything I'd say that I'm distracted. Distracted by a job that I'm growing to hate at a company that has been laying people off seemingly at random. Distracted by our financial woes which seem at any moment to throw us into the pit of despair and distracted by a general sense of discontent at the lack of power I have over the previous two.

:sigh:

OK. Pity Party is now over.

Stay tuned for less of me.

8 things about me

Before my trip, Melodie Gale at Short Girls tagged me for 8 things about me. Seems like the whole low carb community has been tagged lately so I will not be tagging anyone else in this... for now.

But here goes...

I have lived nearly all of my life in the New York Metropolitan area (with a brief exception of 4 years in college in Buffalo). And as a result, I have a secret admiration for those who are courageous enough to pick themselves up and leave everything they know to go and live somewhere else.

I'm an amateur genealogist (because I obviously need MORE reasons to be on the computer). I have successfully traced a branch of my husband's family back to the 1300s and King Edward III. I always knew my husband was a prince, but I had no idea....

I love planning events and entertaining in my home. I have worked as an event planner and planned both my 10 and 20 year HS reunion (yes, I'm that old!)

As a kid, I desperately wanted to be a dancer...more specifically, I wanted to be an Ernest Flatt Dancer. They were the dance troop on the old Carol Burnett show. (I'm sure that no one remembers them but me!)

I've never eaten a PB&J sandwich. Really. Peanut Butter, yes. But not with Jelly. In fact, I don't think I had a Peanut butter sandwich until I was in my 20s. (I think I drank coffee before I had a PB sandwich!) My mom doesn't like peanut butter, so she never fed it to me either. But as sacrilegious as it might be, the thought of those two flavors together just doesn't inspire me to run out and make one..... But I do make them for my kids.

I consider myself a pretty staunch Democrat and I take voting very seriously... at more than just the national level. I've always voted but the current administration and 9/11 changed everything regarding my trust in my leaders.

I love to do needlepoint and cross stitch but I'm terrible about finishing projects. As a result I have at least two unfinished projects in a bag in the closet. I just get to that point where you put the finishing detail work on it and I get bored. I'm going to work on that.

I'm a bit of a gadget geek. While other women long for a piece of jewelry or an expensive pair of shoes...I drool over the latest iPhone, digital camera or handheld. (although I do have a bit of a weakness for handbags...but I think if I bring one more home, my husband will divorce me.)

So I guess that's it. 8 random things about me. Do you all feel like know me better now?

Getting Back into Sync

Getting back on track after a vacation is never easy.

After all that great food on the cruise it would be OH, so easy to slip back into old patterns but we all know how that story would end.

So in the week since I've been back, I've done my level best to pick up where I left off. I jumped back into eating (mostly) the right foods and to a regular regime on the Fitness Flyer.

That said, I'm still having a difficult time with snacking and not resorting to too much of a good thing. Don't get me wrong, I haven't resorted to Oreos and Chocolate ice cream. But I am dipping a bit too much into the peanut jar and other assorted lower carb evils.

So, it's back to basics for me. I know that I do better when I write it all down. It keeps me honest. And ever a sucker for a new online tool...today I found My Calorie Counter which is a (fairly) new FREE diet tracking tool which has some really great features in addition to the usual food tracker things. They have a message board, some handy calculators and some interesting articles. But the features I like best are the handy charts and graphs. On a daily basis you can see how you are progressing with your nutritional needs for the day. Or maybe I just have a weakness for cool looking charts and graphs. (Geek...yes, I know!). Whatever the case, check it out if you are like me and find these types of things useful tools in your weight loss quests.

My initial goal of course is to quickly take off the 8 pounds I came home with. With one week since I got home, I've already taken off 2 so there is only 6 to go. And once past that, I'd still like to lose a few more. I don't want to spend my life living on this fence between goal and over goal. I think I'd like to get down to 130 but we'll see how I feel when I get to, say, 135.

Off Topic:
It appears that I may lose my job in the not so distant future. A big re-org has been underway at the company I work for and they are consolidating locations. So I came back from vacation to the news that it will be more of a "when" not an "if" for me and my department.

So far, I'm not terribly worried about finding another job. I have marketable skills and have already been combing the want ads. But I am not looking forward to the stress of job hunting. I truly hate when things that directly concern me are out of my control and hate sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring. (I was horrible at dating too for the same reason!)

Oh, and so she doesn't think I'm ignoring her... before I left, Melodie Gale over at Short Girls tagged me. So I promise to write the 8 things about me post in the next few days (which I know you are all DYING to read!).

I finally feel back in the saddle so... stay tuned for less of me.