Calorie Warrior

Fighting Weight One Calorie At a Time

Month: March 2014

Attempt at a 3 Week Diet Challenge

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In my weigh-in post on Monday I mentioned starting a 3 week diet challenge. After not losing weight for almost a month and getting pretty pissed blaming myself for not working hard enough I decided to clean up my diet and knock out some of the carbs and sodium.

What the hell am I thinking?

That’s pretty much my thought today. All day I was like, “if I make it till Monday I’ll stop”. I forgot all bout Mondays post saying I would go at it for three hole weeks. Cursing myself now because if I said it I should do my best to stick with it.

I’m having a hard time mainly because I dropped carbs since Monday. My net carbs for the day have been pretty much under 30. More than likely my body is starting ketosis and its got me feeling like crap. There were two things I wanted today in the worst way.

  1. To eat something loaded with carbs. Monday and Tuesday were fine but today I was having major withdrawals. I kept fantasizing about slamming a Kellogg’s 90 calorie cereal bar in my mouth.
  2. The other problem I was having was a total lack of energy. I hit the ground running in the AM and because I didn’t have any appointments until 2:30 I contemplated between cleaning up the house or going for a jog. I still cant get myself back in the gym and the weather was pretty nice for a change for cleaning won. Around 11:30 all I wanted to do was go back to bed . I dragged my ass for the rest of the day and now I’m sitting here at 9:00 ready to pass out.

I don’t plan on doing a full keto diet but I was curious what would happen if I mixed things up and continued eating low call and dropping out the carbs. Well….. somethings working and I’m really exited because I was 246 on the scale this morning. That’s about a half a bound from the lowest I’ve been in the last 8 years. If I weigh myself in on Monday and I break that weight it will be a huge personal milestone.

Keeping a clean diet is going to be the goal for the next three weeks but I’m not sure what angle I want to take this carb thing. I read a little about carb cycling which sounds like a viable option. Id like to bring back the fruits and various vegetables because eating mostly meat, eggs, nuts and cheese gets boring really fast.

Hopefully for the next 18 days I can keep it clean. I’m going to call this the gluten-free-paleo-hybrid-diet.

Here’s a rundown of what I’ve been eating;

Monday-

-Breakfast

  • Coffee
  • Chocolate Protein Shake with Almond Milk

-Lunch

  • 2 Poached Eggs
  • Half Avocado

-Dinner

  • 2 Baked Chicken Thighs
  • Garlic Sauteed Broccoli Rabe
  • Trader Joe’s Kimchi

-Snacks

  • Polly String Cheese
  • Baby Bell Light Cheese

Tuesday-

-Breakfast

  • Scrambled eggs with cheese
  • Side of strawberrys

-Lunch

-Dinner

  • Greek Salad with Gyro meat

-Snacks

  • 2 Baby Bell light Cheeses

Wednesday-

-Breakfast

  • Chocolate Protein Shake with Almond Milk

-Lunch

-Dinner

-Snacks

  • Baby Bell light Cheese
  • Tuna Pouch mixed with Greek Yogurt Guacamole
  • Almonds
  • Polly-o String Cheese

I also started drinking lots of green tea from my Keurig. I’m trying to get used to this so I don’t have to drink coffee every morning. Green tea is supposed to be good for you I think.

Well that about sums up my week so far and I’ll keep the blog updated on anything new. I’ll leave you with pictures of my last two lunches, definitely not #foodporn!

Poached Eggs

Turkey Meatballs and Green Beans

Garlic Parmesan Salmon & Asparagus Foil Pack

Recipes, What I Eat
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Garlic Parmesan Salmon & Asparagus Foil Pack
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 1
  • Calories: 420
  • Carbohydrates: 5
  • Protein: 42
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Print
Very easy to make and so delicious!
Ingredients
  • 6 oz portion of Salmon
  • 7 Asparagus spears
  • 1 Tbsp whipped light butter
  • 1 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 clove garlic pressed
  • 2 tsp of lemon juice
  • Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F
  2. Cut a sheet of aluminum foil large enough for the the asparagus and salmon
  3. Arrange asparagus spears on foil and top with the salmon
  4. Mixed the remaining ingredients in a bowl to make a paste
  5. Smear the mixture on top of the salmon
  6. Cut another piece of foil large enough to cover everything and fold up the sides
  7. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes
Notes
Make sure to completely seal the foil edges so everything stays cooking inside.

 

Garlic Parmesan Salmon Bake Garlic Parmesan Salmon Foil Pack Steps

Takeya Water Bottle Review

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Takeya Glass Water Bottle The Takeya Water Bottle was introduced to me by my cousin who is a full time personal trainer. I’m a dieter that tries to drink as much water as possible and I was getting tired of filling up water bottles, having empty bottles pile up and not to mention the cost of cases of water. I was looking for a simple solution to having a water bottle by my side at all times that was to important to leave behind. I knew I could get a water filter set up if I could just find the perfect bottle to fill. I read tons of Amazon Reviews and bought the most popular competitors bottle but was seriously unhappy. I’ve now owned my 22 ounce Takeya Bottle for almost 3 months and very satisfied.

What’s up with the Takeya Water Bottle?

The 22 ounce Takeya Water Bottle is different from most water bottles because it’s made of glass. The glass is encased with a rubber sleeve that protects it from breaking even if you drop it on solid concrete (I’ve done this). For a glass water bottle it’s pretty rugged and can hold up to some pretty tough daily use. The bottle features a screw on cap with a big mouth opening for gulping your drink. At the top of the bottle is a plastic handle that’s held in place by a ring of glass above it. The handle makes the bottle easy to carry or clip onto a belt or bag.

Pros:

  • BPA free
  • Water tastes better in glass
  • Cool and modern looking
  • Fits into most cup holders
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Large drinking spout for big thirsty gulps
  • Spout large enough to drop in ice cubes
  • Easy to open twist off cap
  • Strong seal that never leaks
  • Comes in a variety of colors
  • Bottle never sweats with cold water
  • Competitively priced

Cons:

  • Hard to clean
  • Sleeve may be damaged on the bottom shelf of the dishwasher
  • Hard to fit on the top row of most dishwashers
  • Handle is somewhat odd shaped and takes time to get used to
  • Sometimes bottle is too tall for tight spots

Weighing the Pros & Cons of the Takeya Water Bottle

As a reusable water bottle this one is very durable and will surely last you a long time. The bottle is stylish and comes in different colors so you won’t attract any strange attention because its anything but weird looking.

The bottle is dishwasher safe but from my experience you shouldn’t put it near the bottom of the dishwasher close to the heating element or it will melt. I can lower my top shelf of the dishwasher to get it to fit. The only problem washing it this way is that the bottle will taste like “dishwasher” for a while. The best way to clean this is probably to get a bottle brush to scrub the inside by hand.

The bottle has a large spout that is great to take big drinks from and makes it easy to drop in some ice cubes or fruit, but if you’re trying to take a swig while you’re walking on the treadmill you’ll probably dump some out on yourself.

The 22 Ounce bottle I have is on the big side, specifically tall. You might have trouble fitting it in some car cup holders that have overhanging dashboards. It may also be to heavy to comfortably bring on a run.

Conclusion

Overall my Takeya Water Bottle serves its purpose. The 22 Ounce bottle is large enough to last me on car rides and I can easily refill it whenever its empty. Even if its annoying to clean I think it’s worth it. I’ve saved tons of money because I almost never have to buy bottle water anymore. Bringing my bottle with me has become second nature and I grab it just as if I would my wallet or car keys. I haven’t forgotten it anywhere or misplaced it yet!

I just picked up a second Takeya Water Bottle in pink for my wife and she’s excited to start using it!

Where to buy your own Takeya Water Bottle?

If you have a nearby Costco I noticed they started selling two packs in random colors combinations.

You can have your Takeya Water Bottle quickly shipped to you directly from Amazon. If you have a chance, see what the other reviewers on Amazon have to say.

 

Baked Turkey Meatball Recipe (low carb)

Recipes, What I Eat
2 Comments

 

Baked Turkey Meatball Recipe (low carb)
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 4
  • Serving size: 3 Meatballs
  • Calories: 322
  • Carbohydrates: 2
  • Sodium: 451
  • Protein: 42
Recipe type: Low Carb
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Print
This is a healthy and low carb meatball option. I like to make a batch of these and eat them as meals during the week.
Ingredients
  • 1 & ¾lbs Lean Ground Turkey
  • ¼ Cup of Egg Beaters
  • ¼ Cup No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
  • 3 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Garlic Clove Minced
  • 1 tsp Parsley
  • ½ tsp Onion Powder
  • ½ tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ tsp Black Pepper
  • Salt to Taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F
  2. Simply add all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl
  3. Mix and fold over until fully combined
  4. Spray baking dish with non-stick spray
  5. Roll out meatballs about 1.5'' each and place in pan
  6. This should yield about 12 balls the same size
  7. Place the meatballs in the oven for approximately 30 minutes
Notes
*Without filler like bread crumbs or oats these will be sticky when you roll them. Don't worry, they still taste great!

Meatballs are delicious and you can mix them with all types of sauces once there done. This is great if you plan on prepping meals because you can store or freeze the meatballs and use them for a quick dish with a side of vegetables or pasta.

 

Turkey Meatball Recipe Photos

Turkey Meatball Recipe Steps

 

 

Monday Weigh-In Week #7

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Its Monday which means another official weigh-in for the start of a new week. Last week was my transition back from vacation and I really wasn’t doing very good both eating and logging calories into MyFitnessPal. Some meals I just entered as a total lump some of calories because I didn’t feel like figuring it out or just didn’t know how. Didn’t have high expectations but I really cant complain.

Start of Week #7 Official Weight – 248.1

Nice!

I broke back into the 240’s on a regular Monday after a lack of exercise and eating great. Maybe this is the start of busting out of this plateau I feel like I’ve been stuck in.

Next Steps for Dieting

After freaking out about weighing the same over the last few weeks I totally picked apart my diet and got obsessive about why I really haven’t been budging. Even though I was going to give my Vitamin D deficiency a chance to work itself over and see the results, if any, I just really want to get this moving. I decided to give myself a 3 week challenge.

3 Week Diet Challenge

After watching my brother eat Paleo last week I realized that I could clean up my diet. I’ve been eating loads of processed stuff with high carbs and sodium. None of these things are good for weigh loss even if I’m restricting my carbs. For the next three weeks I’m going to try and cut down my carbs big time and eliminate anything processed, loaded with sugar or gluten. Three weeks of this should do me good and maybe even keep my system guessing so it continues to be a fat burning furnace.

Vitamin D Deficiency

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I heard back from my doctor about my test results. I originally posted about the weirdness I saw in my Blood Work Protein Levels before I left for California. I was concerned that I had a problem with my thyroid or maybe Celiacs or something. All those results came back OK. My doctor did let me know that my Vitamin D was on the low side so of course I turned to the internet.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D DeficiencyVitamin D Deficiency is a common problem found in many people and it really shouldn’t be ignored. There are some common causes of this deficiency and its very easy to reverse. If Vitamin D Deficiency is left untreated it can also lead to very serious problems in people of all ages. Vitamin D also helps the body use calcium properly.

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

The symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency may be different form one person to another from from research these are some of the most common.

  • Fatigue
  • Achy bones
  • Muscle cramps
  • Joint pain
  • Lack of energy
  • Weight gain
  • High blood pressure
  • Restless sleep
  • Poor concentration
  • Headaches
  • Bladder problems
  • Constipation or diarrhea

What Causes Vitamin D Deficiency

The most common cause of Vitamin D Deficiency is lack of sunlight. That’s right, Vitamin D is actually produce by the body when your skin is exposed to sun light. Vitamin D Deficiency is very common among people that live in areas where it isn’t practical to be outside often. Also sunlight has different strengths in different parts of the world which would make you require an even longer exposure.

Vitamin D Deficiency can also be found in people with diets that lack vitamin D.  This is common in vegetarian diets where food containing vitamin D just aren’t consumed.

Obese people are also known for being Vitamin D deficient. This isn’t only because obese people don’t go outside but actually because they are just to fat. Vitamin D is absorbed from the body by fat cells so if you have a high BMI those fat cells are drawing all of your vitamin D for themselves.

There are other health problems related to Vitamin D deficiency such as kidney problems, Crohn’s disease, Celiacs or Cystic Fibrosis.

Foods With Vitamin D

If your low in Vitamin D you can increase your levels by increasing your intake of Vitamin D through foods that are known to contain it. Here is a list of some foods that have Vitamin D.

  • Fatty fish
  • Fish oils
  • Oysters
  • Caviar
  • Egg yolks
  • Cheese
  • Fortified milk
  • Beef liver
  • Mushrooms

Vitamin D and Weight Loss

If you search around the internet you will read many articles saying YES Vitamin D helps with weight loss, and you will read the same amount that say it doesn’t. Another popular subject you will find is the correlation between obese people and lack of Vitamin D.

There have been a few studies in the last few years that show signs of increased weight loss in people that have had increased levels of Vitamin D while dieting.

I felt the best feedback I could get on Vitamin D and Weight Loss was by reading through some of the weight loss forums like the MFP community.

Majority of what I’ve read from actual people that have been diagnosed with low Vitamin D and had doctors give them supplements to increase their levels have not lost weight. Many of these people have read the things I have in hoped that adding high doses of vitamin D to level them off would help them shed the pounds. I couldn’t find any stories of people that were losing any more or faster than the had been on their original diet plans.

Vitamin D and Me

After reading all the symptoms I could see how this may have been effecting me. My doctor has prescribed me a three months supply of 50,000/IU vitamin D capsules and wants me to report back when I’m finished. I have to take these once a week.

I discussed this with my mom and she says that she was given the same prescription and after a few weeks she felt much more energized. That’s probably the biggest symptom I could see myself having but I just took my lack of energy as the norm.

I guess its also good that this was caught so I don’t risk any of those diseases that can happen after not having enough of the D in my body for so long. I will just keep pushing forward with my diet but I thought this was a good subject to update the site with. If taking this Vitamin helps me lose some weight I will just consider that a bonus!

 

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