Spiralized Zucchini

For dinner tonight, I spiralized zucchini for the first time. I used the OXO Hand Held Spiralizer, which was super easy to operate. Best of all it's small and goes in the dishwasher.

I cooked the spiralized zucchini in a skillet with a little extra virgin olive oil and garlic salt. After plating, I top it with grated parmesan cheese.

It's not pasta, but it's a great low-carb substitute. And, unlike cauliflower rice, there's no smell!

Eating Low Carb Is Not Easy

Since Tuesday I've lowered my carb intake by half. That means my diet has been higher protein with less fruit and even more vegatables. I know it's only been five days, but this seems to be working. In that short span I've dropped 3.5 pounds.

Granted I've also been taking in 225 fewer calories daily, dropping from a previous goal of 1675 to my current target of 1450. But I've been on this weight-loss journey long enough to know my recent success is primarily due to eating low carb.

Thank goodness for the motivation of having lost weight, because backing off carbs has not been easy. I miss fixing dinners with noodles and pizza shells, which was my go-to for using a lot of vegetables.

After some research, my top low-carb dinners for the past week included cauliflower rice and butter chicken. Here's a shot of my cauliflower rice served with half an avocado and skinless-boneless chicken breast slow-cooked in the crockpot with salsa:

The cauliflower rice was delicious but the smell was almost unbearable. Hubby said it was worth the smell, but I'm not sure.

By far my favorite protein of the week was the butter chicken. I forgot to take a picture, but click here for the recipe. It was super easy to make and turned out incredibly moist with a nice crunch. Keep in mind low-protein diets are also higher in fat.

This week I plan to do something with spiralized zucchini. I've heard it's a nice substitute for noodles. We'll see. At least it shouldn't smell as bad as the cauliflower rice!

Lab Results

My doctor requests a Complete Metabolic Panel as well as a Lipid Panel every six months. My most recent blood draw was this past Tuesday and I got the results today.

All my numbers were great except for a low sodium level. Not to worry and we'll just keep an eye on it. It was suspected it might be due to the diurectic in my statin. But, since I've been on Crestor for decades, I'm not buying that theory. My immediate thought was I'm drinking too much water.

Earlier this year I began drinking two to three times more water. Previously, I never took in the "recommended" amount and decided that needed to change. I was thrilled with the results. Gone was the leg pain I suffered every time I got up from sitting. It was amazing!

But now I suspect I might be over doing it. After getting the results, I immediately did some online research and here's an example of what I found: Risk of Drinking Too Much Water. Interesting stuff, especially the part about – ". . .if you feel bloated or have actually put on weight based on how much water you consumed, that also indicates you drank too much."

Over the last several months I've been bloated more than I remember ever being in my entire life. I've also been putting on weight despite counting calories and working out. May not be related to my water consumption, but it's certainly something to consider. Could it be "too much of a good thing" also applies to water?

Another number that caused me pause was my total cholesterol. It's currently at an all time low of 162. So, for me anyway, bacon is not the enemy. As part of my high-protein low-carb diet, I've consumed more bacon in the last 10 weeks than I did during all of the previous 12 months.

It's been a good day health wise. I even dared to weigh myself this morning to find I had dropped two pounds. Could be short lived, but right now I'm enjoying the moment :)

Intermittent Fasting – Update #4

I'm still fasting longer than I used to before beginning this program, but recently not as long as I prefer. Before our last vacation, I was fasting 15 hours. Since we returned, I've been fasting 13-14 hours. My intention is to get back to a 15-hour fast within the next few days, because that works best for me. I feel better and sleep sounder.

I'd like to report that I've lost weight or inches by Intermittent Fasting, but sadly that's not the case. In fact, I'm currently even more frustrated with my weight. I had my six-month check-up yesterday and found I gained two pounds. (I only weigh myself at the doctor's office.) I know that doesn't seem like a lot, but it means I'm now 8-10 pounds from my satisfactory weight.

What to do? I've dropped my daily calorie count from 1600 to 1400. I'm also eating even more low-carb and high-protein. And there will be no more infrequent sugary treats until I lose five pounds. Plus I'm mentally working on getting myself to take a 20-30 minute neighborhood walk before breakfast. But that's a tough one. I am not a morning person!

I don't know why losing weight as a senior has to be so hard. Whatever happened to simply burning more calories than you take in? I'll say it again. Aging is a lot of work!

Click here to learn more about the benefits of Intermittent Fasting.