12kg gone but looks like 15kg or more…

This past week we both lost 1.5kg – strangely! We did nothing different – maybe no treats? Very pleased anyway. So in total I have lost 11-12kg and DH 12kg and we have been on this diet now for 3 months. Pretty good going! Hopefully the fat-burning keeps up – I am so interested to see how my body responds long term. I have noticed that I am losing fat in places that I haven’t even lost fat when on a normal low fat diet – really cool.

What is interesting is that I am fitting into clothes that I don’t usually fit into until I am at least 7kg less that I am now! So I am definitely gaining muscle which is heavy and losing fat – so the scale is giving me a higher reading than my measurements. This is ideal – you should be ignoring the scale as it is better to be HEAVY and SLIM not LIGHT and THIN – you want loads of heavy muscle to be a fat burning machine!

We have ordered an exercise bike as it is getting too cold to swim – it is a fab one that works with our ipads so we can download routes and follow a whole fitness programme, ride international routes and watch tv while we cycle lol! Check it out – http://www.mifitness.co.za/products/dkn-am5i-exercise-bike .In addition, I want to start following the Primal Blueprint exercise routine – push-ups, sit-ups etc.

I did try an awesome baked cheesecake recipe which comes from the Atkins Cookbook – delicious!!!!!!! I will post the recipe soon x

Recap

I was just writing this email to a friend who wants to start LCHF and thought it would be good to post the same here…it is a quick recap / look at starting LCHF as well as some tips and hints….

My only advice is…if you go this route you have to be committed and stick to it to really see results. You have to CUT OUT ALL SUGAR and CARBS – NO cheating, otherwise it will not work and you will put on all the weight you lost and more as soon as you eats carbs. This really is a lifestyle change / way of life…

In the beginning, I found it useful to make Oopsie breads and almond bread (think I put recipes on blog) – to make up for the no bread thing…

Now I don’t really make it that often – only as mock base for pizza. Also, make yummy foods – makes all the difference…steak with cream mushroom sauce / garlic butter fillet & veggies / asparagus and hollandaise sauce, roast lamb & veg / salmon / butter chicken and cauliflower rice / goulash and cauliflower mash / roast chicken and roast veggies etc etc…make dinner YUMMY!

Only snag – all these nutrient rich foods come with a cost – My grocery bill has gone through the roof with this way of eating eish…No cheap carbs to fill up on anymore. Yes, you will eat less, but it is still all pricey food especially if you buy organic eggs, nuts etc.

Make sure you are eating enough FAT otherwise you will get hungry. Use cream in your coffee not milk / butter on veg / olive oil / cheese / olives / nuts to snack.

You WILL get hungry the first few weeks as your body weans off carbs. You then feel a different hungry as your blood sugar / insulin levels stabilise – quite nice really…I LOVE not feeling bloated and stuffed after every meal!

EAT if you are hungry – a piece of cheese / cheese rolled in ham / a boiled egg with mayo / biltong / nuts (almonds, macadamias, walnuts or brazil) etc.

Drink enough water to help you lose weight and use your thirst as a guideline – I aim for 2 litres a day.

If you are feeling really deprived, you can use a little xylitol – but I would avoid any sugar replacement while you are weaning off sugar and carbs. Artificial sweetners are really bad for you so no diet cokes etc. It is best if you go cold turkey while you get used to no sugar.

You can indulge in a block or two of 70% dark chocolate now and then…

As soon as you are well established – takes a few weeks, you will notice you don’t get as hungry and feel like you can even go without a meal…

We usually eat as follows:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with feta / bacon / avo OR omelette OR boiled eggs, avo, cheese, ham OR Full fat Greek Yoghurt with berries, coconut, sunflower seeds. Macadamias, walnuts.
Lunch: A big ass salad with all the trimmings and avo, cold meats/ chicken breast / salmon / left over chicken etc OR left-overs from previous supper
Supper: Something scrumptious – a meat, sauce and veggies…
Treat: Block dark chocolate OR coffee with whipped cream OR whipped cream with berries

We only drink water / sparkling water with lemon and coffee with cream / whipped cream and tea…

Good luck!!!

Easter treat

So of course on the Easter weekend, which is usually all about chocolate and has been since I was a little girl…for the first time in 37 years or so, there were no easter eggs for me lol. So of course, I had to find a low carb alternative as a little treat…

What a perfect time to try out the low carb CHOCOLATE BROWNIE recipe I have been drooling at. And it was 100 times more delicious than I had expected! DIVINE! It hit the spot perfectly and there was enough for four people to have a yummy treat two days in a row as pudding. Plus, on Easter Sunday, I woke up, made the perfect cappuchino and grabbed a little bit of chocolate heaven and didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty!

Here is this heavenly recipe:

LOW CARB CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

1 cup ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Xylitol
180g butter
100g bar good quality dark chocolate
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
4 extra large eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 180 deg. Butter a rectangle cake pan. Stir together almonds, baking powder, salt and Xylitol; set aside. In a microwave bowl, on high, melt the butter and the chocolate, stirring frequently. Add the beaten eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended. Stir in the dry mixture, mix well, then stir in the pecans. Pour into the prepared pan, spread evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool on wire rack, cut into squares.

Note: 1.8 net carbs per square if cut into 48 squares. But I only cut into 18 so approx 5g carbs per square…worth it as a special treat if you are feeling deprived. VERY nice served with whipped cream!!

These are so delicious, you can happily make them to serve to guests or to take to a tea party or as a desert anywhere, anytime. We shared them with ou house-guests and they could not believe there was no added sugar or flour in the mix apart from the dark chocolate…yum.

On the weight loss front, we only lost 500g this week…hope it was not because of these brownies lol!!!