Weight Loss Simulator - Tool

Current 200 lbs

My Goal 135

I thought this was very motivating to see what a difference getting to my goal weight will make.
It lets you customize your model to make it look a bit more like you. Its pretty fun - check it out.


Click on this one with the beach background to try out the simulator for yourself. 

Source: modelmydiet.com via Margot on Pinterest

Calculating Daily Fluid Requirements

I was not home on Thursday or Friday to do my regular progress post. Today is Saturday and I decided to at least step on the scale to see if it had moved one direction or the other. I am happy to say it shows another 2lb loss. Which brings my weight to 200 lbs. Still way too much and I still have a long way to go. Progress should be celebrated along the way.

I also actually drank all 8 - 8 ounces of water yesterday. So my marked bottle system from the previous post works. That is for sure more water than I ever drink .  I probably drank another two cups after the bottle was empty. I have two bottles that I made so today I will use both bottles to continue to track that extra water beyond bottle #1 that I drink.
I found this tip on how to calculate your own daily water requirements from My Food Diary
"There are many different methods for calculating daily fluid requirements.  However, a simple equation to help adults figure their fluid needs is that for every pound of body weight, you need about half an ounce of fluid intake per day.  For instance, if you weigh 140 lbs., simply multiply 140 by .5 to estimate your daily fluid needs in ounces, then divide by eight to estimate your fluid needs in cups per day, rounding up to the nearest full cup.  [example:  140 x .5 = 70 ounces; 70 ounces divided by 8 = 9 cups of fluid per day] 0.5 ounces x Body Weight in Pounds = Daily Fluid Requirement in ounces"
  
Here's my own calculation based on my current weight.  
0.5oz x 200 lbs = 100oz divided by 8 = 12.5  That will be a bottle and a half so I will now use both bottles. 

This was also a good article about why water is important for weight loss. 

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4693137_drinking-water-affect-weight-loss.html

Days Worth of Water - Idea

Its hard to tell if you are really drinking the recommended eight 8oz glasses of water.  So my mom and I used old juice bottles to make these day's worth of water bottles.

We did the lines by measuring 16oz of water and pouring it in to the bottle and making the mark on the side. You continue adding 16 oz of water for each mark. The final mark at the top is your fill to line.

I have been trying this out today. Its almost noon and I have drank almost to the noon mark. Yeah I'm on track for my water intake.

You could buy a fancy bottle with a squirt top and do the same thing but today we are recycling. 

Oopsie Rolls

Photos and collage by Margot Cioccio

I found this recipe at http://yourlighterside.com and my mom and I are giving it a try. I've made these before but its been quite a while.  We decided to double the recipe which may be why our 2nd six got a bit runny. They still all turned out great. We decided we did not fold the mixture as well as we could have.

"Oopsie Rolls (Gluten-Free Buns)
3 large eggs
pinch of cream of tartar (1/8 tsp)
3 ounces cream cheese (Do not soften)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Separate the eggs and add cream cheese to the yolks. Use a mixer to combine the ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff (if you’re using the same mixer, mix the whites first and then the yolk mixture). Using a spatula, gradually fold the egg yolk mixture into the white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and spoon the mixture onto the sheet, making 6 mounds. Flatten each mound slightly.
Bake about 30 minutes (You want them slightly softer, not crumbly). Let cool on the sheet for a few minutes, and then remove to a rack and allow them to cool. Store in a loosely open sack and allow to rest on the counter before use (otherwise they might be too moist). Can be frozen.
Notes: If you are making these to be savory (for burgers) you can add dry mustard and dill or other seasonings to the yolk mixture. If you want a more sweet roll, add a very small amount of stevia natural sweetener to the yolk mixture.
Makes 6 Induction Friendly, Gluten-Free rolls.
Nutritional information per roll: Calories:85 , Carbohydrates: .6 g, Fiber: 0g, Net Carbohydrates: .6g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 7.5"

Today we are having Oopsie Rolls with fried eggs.  

Liquid Sucralose

I just ordered four 1oz bottles of liquid Sucralose from this company.  http://www.puresucralose.com/. For years I have been using powdered Splenda and I will still use it for some things. This liquid Sucralose removes the carbs and calories that add up fast when you use a cup or more in a bake goods. The bulking agent that Splenda uses to make it measure the same as sugar is what adds the carbs and calories.

Here's the information the company has listed with the product. "No Calorie Sweetener QUICK SWEET PURE SUCRALOSE What is Sucralose? * Sucralose is the active ingredient in Splenda® sweeteners. * 800 times as sweet as sugar * Zero Calorie * FDA-approved general-purpose sweetener: o Safe For Diabetics o Safe For Entire Family (including children and pregnant women) * Safe for cooking * Can be used anywhere sugar would be used * High concentration * Less aftertaste than other artificial sweeteners * No carriers or bulking agents such as starch, dextrose, or maltodextrin * Powder: o 1 gram = 1.7 lbs. of sugar o 1 oz. = 50 lbs. of sugar * Liquid: o 1 drops = 1 teaspoons of sugar Splenda is not truly “No Calorie” because it typically contains carbohydrate bulking agents. But our sucralose powder and liquid are truly Calorie-free."

For every teaspoon of Splenda I use I generally count 1 carb per teaspoon. One drop of liquid equals 1 teaspoon and I no longer have to add a carb to my day. I'm pretty excited for this product to arrive, its only coming from San Diago so it should arrive early next week.  

My mom and I will split the 4 bottles and I am excited that she has decided follow a low carb lifestyle. So be watching for new and revised recipes using this product.

Progress Report #5

Look they are now using Splenda!

Starting Point  6/21           7/13                      7/27 
Starting weight 215             205  -10                204 -11
Bust 40 inches                     40  - 0                     38 - 2
Stomach 41inches                37  - 4                    37 - 4
 Hips 46 inches                     42  - 4                   43 - 3
 Thigh 24 inches                   24 - 0                    22 -2
Calf 17 inches                      17 - 0                   16.5 -.5
Arm 15 inches                      15 - 0                   13.5 -1.5
                                       Total Losses          Total Losses               
                                             10 lbs                11 lbs  (1 this week) 
                                            8 inches             13 inches  (5 this week)

So slow and steady wins the race. Still not much of a change on the scale but 5 inches is nice.
I have stuck to plan and I am finding I am hitting that point of having too much energy in the afternoons and evenings. I need to try and get out on my bike and burn some of that off but its been pretty hot here lately.

I've added photos of some items that I did not realized were available made with Splenda. I am going to ask my grocery story if they can stock them.  Since I am not drinking soda its nice to have something besides water to drink.  The Arizona diet teas are available in most places. Which is nice when I'm out running errands or at work or just need a treat to be able to find these.  In general I am drinking water but it helps me to find suitable substitutes for things I have let go of.

I suppose if you wanted this fizzy you could make them with sparkling water.
Might have to try that some time.

                                                                                                           
                                       

Tuna Balls

I have been wanting easy pop in your mouth foods. One idea that I came up with was Tuna Balls.
You could probably add chopped veggi as a variation.  These are simple but tasty and made about 20 balls.

I used:
2 Small Cans of Tuna - Drained
1 Package of Cream Cheese
1T of Brown Mustard
I creamed it all together by hand.
It seemed too gooey so I added 
3T of Almond Flour stir again.
I scooped up gooey balls of my desired sized and rolled them in Parm.Cheese 
I put the finished balls in the freezer to harden. 

I will keep them in a plastic container in the fridge as one on my grab and go options for this week.

These would also make nice party appetizers to take to assure there were things at the party you could eat.