hi sweetie!

Last year, I really wanted to go to Atkins phase 3.

Where you add back 5 carbs.... Then 10... then 15....

Till you find your magic number!

I carefully weighed and measured every bite.

Japanese Sweet Potatoes... my former fave!

What I found out is that I can not have everything I want.

Some Bloggers told me to go for it!

Some told me to stop and think first.

Took me 6 months to get rid of those extra 

10 pounds that I gained.

So my magic number is pretty low!

Now, I read some of the crap online

I once believed with all my heart...

And it breaks my heart to think how much lies,

and filthy crap is out there - about diet and weight loss.

I guess we are (at times) happily desperate, 

and want to believe in the hope it offers.

If a day has gone by in 4 years when someone has not

challenged me about Saturated Fats....or PUFAs (gasp)

EVEN from Nurses and Docs who can see my weight loss - 

And lab values! 

Some of the controversy is just mean-spirited.

Some of it is just to sell books.

Some of it is contrived to stir up controversy.

Some of it is just ignorant parroting of old data.

And some of it is just stupid junk - not worth a second look.

In ten years, new discoveries will have been made, 

and we are all going to be fixated on the next big thing.

And yet, the bottom line is the same:

Eat Real Food, and don't worry too much about it.

Just this week, a guy told me to carefully wipe the fat off

of all the veggies.. and to only use margarine.

And to eat more chicken - less beef. 

Cuz it's better for ya. Whatever, dude.

The theme of the day is EAT REAL FOOD!

Crustless Quiche, anyone?

So now- here's what I stick with.

LoCarb - and some most days Zero Carb

Moderate Protein 60 - 70 grams

Sometimes more... with ZC, it is easy to do! 

Still 4 to 5 grams PUFA a day max 

[Sometimes 6 G's - *gasp*]

Adding MUFA (evoo) 

[I will soon be cooking for others at work,

And EVOO is one thing we can all agree on.]

More MCT [medium chain triglycerides]

In pure form, or coconut oil.

Still higher amounts of longer chain Saturated Fats

Now most of my beef is Grass Fed.

And most eggs are from a pasture.

I do not like the way the animals are treated in CAFO situations.

And the food quality is higher when the 

Animals get better food and treatment.

THEY eat GMO soy - WE eat GMO soy by-products.

No Dairy [except for every now and then]

The dairy was giving me reflux - so out it went!

But the reflux is gone, since I don't eat past 6 or 7 pm.

Good amounts of butter - grass fed and goat butter (yum)

Goat Butter is my new fave! 

And none - to very little - Splenda or artificial sweeteners.

No drinking - except for very special occasions.

And "Friday" is not really a special occasion!

Except for Cruises - every day is "special" on a cruise.

The biggest change lately is my appetite.

Since I had two kinds of flu - about 2 weeks ago,

I eat about half of what I was eating before.

I have no appetite at all, and have to remind myself to eat!

And some foods just don't appeal to me, like they did before. 

Which is a good thing!

pants-ing

Pants falling off is a good thing....I reckon

About time these were baggy on me!

Scales can't be trusted... but I know I've lost something!

But certainly not 15 pounds in 12 days or so!

Last I checked it was more like 7.5

Scales Lie - run away!

The Quiche was sooo good - I can't wait to make it again!

Crustless, of course.

Lots of nice GF beef... kinda lean...

Needed some melted buttah on top!

Just cuz it says SF does not mean it is.

And all that gluten, and slobber - no way!

Walking every day, and keeping all my ducks in a row!

WOW! Great things can happen once you put your mind to it.

a total knock out

 

A patient's family member told me 

That if I were to lose 10 or 15 more pounds,

I would be a "total knockout"!

This guy knows nothing of my previous weight loss.

So I just kinda looked at him, and nodded my head.

And I was thinking.... "He's right!"

2011 and 2013

I have been on LoCarb for nearly 4 years...

And I still love LoCarb with a true passion!

I have never doubted it, or grown weary of it.

I had a year or so when I was lamenting the fact

that I can not eat sweet potatoes like other people can...

And I was really sad about it, too!

 But I didn't blame LC for that.

Having high blood glucose readings (when I go off plan)

came from YEARS of Carb Abuse.... 

And not from my current Carb Restriction.

I flirted with some low numbers, but never really stayed there.

Also, at first, my scales were off by 7 full pounds!

[May it rest in peace — or pieces... I ditched that thing!]

But over all I have stayed basically in the same range-

For nearly 4 years now!

Getting the weight off is hard. Keeping it off is MUCH harder!

There has to be a balance of work, and rest, and food.

Four years ago, I could barely climb the stairs to get home.

I had no energy - probably ate 800 carbs a day!

2 liters of Coke every day without fail...

Fries, Candy - anything my "heart" desired.

Work, eat, sleep - is all I could manage to do.

This was my M.O. for much more than a decade.

As I get older, and more seasoned on LoCarb,

I am no longer interested in trying different things.

I just want to do what works for me.

Not a plan... not a system... not a book or opinion.

My pancreas always forgets what it just read!

I've been stuck in this Body for over 50 years -

Maybe it's time I learned what it needs!

So now, with the new job fast approaching,

Complete with a new work (and workout) schedule - 

I am ready to streamline all my efforts.

And just see where it takes me.

Why have a nice house - but keep a crappy-looking front yard?

Why not clean it up as much as my energy levels allow?

And since I have energy now, that I never had before -

Why not!

I have worked out many of the tweaks of LoCarb for me.

Not too much protein - it just turns to blood glucose.

Remember - I am only 5'2"... WITH shoes on.

No junk, less fake foods, better quality...

Since I got sick last month with the flu, 

I never really got my appetite back.

I eat about half of what I ate before.

MUCH less caffeine, no snacking, no food after 6 pm,

No wine, no cheating - and walk every day!

Still can't out-train a bad diet.

It really is quite simple!

Now.... to make it so...

veteran home

So I spilled the beans about my plans to start working

In a Senior Group Home! Yay! (link)

The second half of the beans — is this...

In 2 to 5 years, I could possibly -

Might hopefully - have learned and saved enough

to open my own Residential Care Home - 

Just for Veterans! 

Since I myself am a Veteran.

I am visualizing a little place on some acreage - 

Maybe a garden, maybe some chickens...

Top Notch Nursing Care with organic home cooked meals!

Meals on Real Plates - not plastic school lunch plates.

You know, the ones with the little dividers.

If a Veteran were looking for a place to live -

For a week, a year, or for a longer time...

Might he or she choose a smaller place -

Rather than a large (sometimes crowded) Nursing Home?

Please note - I am not saying all Nursing Homes are bad.

Some are quite good! But if you ain't got the $,

Sometimes, the situation is less than ideal.

I dunno.... on one hand, we have call lights going off,

Industrial Warehousing of Souls, and Bedlam. 

Did you ever know the origins of that word?

"Bedlam" came from St Mary of Bethlehem in London

Which served as a "lunatic asylum."

Today is means a state of wild confusion, or a madhouse.

On the other hand, in a Residential Group Home,

you have a small staff that is (hopefully) not overworked,

And hamburgers on the grill - maybe a beer (if the Doc says ok)...

Big screen TV with the game on, in a Man Cave for anyone 

who likes that sort of thing.. Maybe a walk outside by a little pond...

Who knows - maybe even in time a place for Cows

And Grass-Fed Beef! 

Maybe a goat or two.

So now all the beans are out of the bag!

THAT 2 step plan is what has occupied all my attention

Since late summer...the very idea that

One day I could have something like this!

Now - to work hard on the details....

AND the working of the plan!

We'll see how it all works out!

Oh - by the way - all the pics are from the internet...

Except the windmill... I took that one!

little ol' lady house

When I first became a Nurse, 

A patient was "old" when they were 70 years old... 

80 was really pushing it....90 was way up there, 

And reaching 100 years old would get you a blurb on national tv!

Not so much these days.... 50 is the new 30!

And people are healthy and working into their 80s.

Still driving. And living alone.

90 is the new 70... or at least - 75!

Almost everyone I know is caring for an aging parent.

Or knows someone who is.

And it is not easy. They say we are just at the start 

of a Tsunami of Senior Care!

Especially when merged with Hospice and Palliative Care.

Indeed we are going to all find creative ways to

help the Baby Boomers as they age.

Look at this random gov stat about old people, 

if you don't believe me!

Therefore, it is with great pleasure that I spill the beans

on my new future career plans and ideas!

[This is just the first part of the beans.

The next part of the beans are soon to spill.]

For the past 3 months, I have been looking into

How to set up and run a Residential Care Center - 

A Senior Group Home! 

If a person did not want a "warehouse" type living situation,

A smaller group home might be just the ticket!

With more personalized attention, 

And home-cooked meals!

I have been attending meetings, discussing options,

And gathering information - every spare minute of every day.

I will soon be taking a position as a Group Home Nurse!

(Fingers crossed, eh!)

It all started when I became totally disgusted at some of

The DEPLORABLE conditions I have encountered 

in my many years as a Nurse...

I said "Certainly I - even I - could do a beter job that that!"

And I set out to do just that.

So that is what the big secret is all summer long...

All the working long hours and long long weeks.

All the In - N - Out Burgers in the Truck - 

On the way from one job to another...

Lots of stress is involved in setting these big projects up.

Lots of change  - and lots of courage!

The news is so profound, that I lay awake in bed at night,

Drawing up plans and thinking of new ideas.

It is invigorating to plan things - 

Especially big projects like this one!

There is so much good out there - 

It will be great to be part of it all!

All the pictures are from the internet - College Network and Wiki.

Except the little ol sad lady... that's Dear Old Mom!

I think she would have approved.

goat butter

Went driving out in the country - looking at houses for sale.

This had cute lil goats all over the place next door.

The "country" here is a 20 minute drive from the big city...

And 10 minutes from the nearest small town.

Ah - that rustic, rural look!

The ad said it was an acre but there is no way...

I thought an acre was bigger... 

especially if you are the one mowing it!

Meyenberg Goat Butter (link) is just like eating 

heavy whipping cream to me -

omg... too good... and not "goat-ee" at all!

I like it better than I like the KerryGold!

Ribs that were very good

Chili that was awesome

Can't eat bottled salad dressings so much... 

WAY too salty...

Since I was sick, I can't eat nearly half -

Actually - about 1/4 of what I was eating before.

I am full after 2 or 3 ribs.

2 eggs... or (not and) 4 bacons

I have had no coffee in weeks - I just drink herbal tea...

And sometimes some Irish Breakfast Tea!

Still no dairy - that's off the list.

No guarana - I was taking way too many, anyhow.

And no wine! I like being in ketosis too much!

And I love the idea of not eating past 6 pm...

THAT helped more than anything.

Got to get all dressed up and go to a couple

of meetings this week - it was awesome!

Felt Like a Boss!

Can't wait to spill the beans on all my new plans!