These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things:

I was recently inspired to post links to this site for my favorite low-carb treats. These are the things I turn to time and again when I'm trying to stay on track. I used to think I was abnormal because I eat so much of the same things, over and over. But I read in the June 2006 issue of Women's Health (my favorite mag!) that I should keep on with my dietary routine. The article entitled "The Secrets of Success" (author Nancy Gottesman) talks about a National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) study involving women who not only lost at least thirty pounds, but also kept it off for at least a year. These women were asked about their successful habits, and one of them is to "eat more of the same stuff." Dr. Hill said about his NWCR study finding, "These people [who successfully maintain weight loss] are creatures of habit, and they don't deviate.... it works because lack of variety is proven to reduce food intake." So apparently being boring isn't a bad thing!

Okay, as for beverages, I'm a coffee-holic. I've tried coffees the world over, and for some reason, there's nothing better than Dunkin' Donuts coffee. And now they've one-upped the competition - a whole line of sugar-free flavored syrups to add to your favorite brew! Caramel's my fav.

I've also recently discovered Ezekiel Bread. It's not exactly low-carb, but it seems to be just about the healthiest bread you can find. I'll eat a slice every few days just to get some extra fiber. Besides, I really miss toast, and it's not bad when you top it with egg salad and a slice of bacon (my new favorite breakfast).

When I need a chocolate fix, I turn to my freezer. I keep a bar of 85% Cocoa Lindt Chocolate in there and have a square now and then. Because of its high cocoa content, it's packed with flavonoids / antioxidants, it's low in sugar, and so I also rationalize that it's good for me (in moderation, of course).

And my latest trick is to keep low-carb frozen dinners on hand for whenever I don't feel like going to a lot of work for dinner. Smart Ones (the ones that say "Truth About Carbs") are low in calories and carbs, and they taste pretty good, too. One of my quickest ways to backslide is having a night where I don't want to cook, so I turn to whatever's handy, which is usually my husband's stash of chips and ice cream. So before I give into temptation, I can pop in a quick frozen dinner, steam some pre-washed veggies for an extra side, and I've got an instant meal to fill me up and prevent a pantry raid.

I Ran For A Pie

But I didn’t get one. And that’s okay. ‘Cause the prize was finishing another 5K without stopping to walk, and not the apple pies they awarded to those who finished under 24 minutes. I trotted across the finish line after 37 minutes - not even close to pie-worthy, and definitely not my best time, either. But again, that’s okay. I ran it to prove to myself that while I may have backslid in a big way this year, I can still do something I never dreamed of at my heaviest weight – JOG. Granted, there were SO many times I wanted to stop. I just kept telling myself, "At least do a mile. You can do a mile." Then once I made it to the first mile-marker, I said to myself again, "at least run half the race, you can do half." I set small goals for myself throughout the race like that, and before I knew it, I had done two miles and couldn't see the point of quitting once I'd made it that far. I was thrilled with having been able to do it, and I'm thinking of signing up for another one next month.