Lost 10 pounds in July! . . .

. . . maybe I'll try for 10 more!

I have struggled to maintain a healthy weight my entire life - I'm sure many of you can relate, LOL! I was probably in the best shape of my life in my late 30s, when I could have entered a natural bodybuilding or figure competition. But, alas, injuries, aging, hormonal changes have waylaid my efforts since that time and the weight has crept up once again.

I decided to fall back on a low carb eating plan that has been successful for me in the past and wanted to share it with you. I think it was developed by a woman and I remember reading about it back in the 1980's?? The premise is the same as the high-protein diets -- very simply put, our bodies use carbs as the primary energy source; in the absence of carbs, the body will tap into its fat stores for energy.

The plan is to eat basically protein for breakfast and lunch, then you can include a small amount of carbs with dinner, BUT the critical piece is that you must eat all the carbs at dinner within a one hour period of time. This is so that you have just one insulin spike rather than repeated spikes from eating carbs over several hours. Lest you think I am a saint and have been able to follow this regimen for 31 days straight, let me clarify by saying I have modified this eating plan to include a day of normal eating, which could include dessert!! With my knowledge of metabolism, I felt that this normal day would not only serve as a short-term reward/motivation, but would also "fool" the metabolism with a higher calorie day (so that the body doesn't think it's starving and begin to store fat). I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with this theory. I believe it is true.

So, first and foremost, you should check with your doctor about this or any other weight loss eating regimen. I don't have any medical conditions or take any medications. I also don't eat red meat, but you could easily include this if you wish.

It is a 3 day on, 1 day off plan. A typical day is as follows:

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs with 1 oz. low-fat cheese. I spray Pam in the pan.

Lunch: 4 oz. broiled chicken (no skin) or 1/2 can of salmon mixed with hard boiled egg, chopped celery and teaspoon of salad dressing, either one with dark salad greens (maybe a drizzle of olive oil).

Afternoon Snack: 6-10 almonds or walnuts (roasted, unsalted).

Dinner: My weakness is bread, so . . . Fish or chicken sandwich with sliced tomato, 1/2 cup-1 cup vegetables, small piece of fruit (remember, eat all within one hour!).

Beverages: I drink plain green tea and water throughout the day, usu. one cup black coffee each day, sometimes Crystal Light lemonade. I also chew a couple of pieces of sugarless gum each day, which is helpful.

On day 4 (the day off), I eat what I might normally like to eat, which could include pasta for dinner or a slice of pizza for lunch, a piece of chocolate cake for dessert. Something to keep you motivated! Hope this is helpful to some of you.