The Plan Days 8 - 11

Day 7 - Remember I made that batch of Almond Butter cookies? Well something in them cause a reaction - maybe the coconut? I had stomach cramps and gained .8 pound. They weren't that great, so I won't mind not getting to eat the rest of them.

Day 8 -  Test Bread - I toasted my bread and smeared on my yummy raw almond butter. Then my stomach started to protest just slightly. But I'm also having my monthly cramping, so which was it? I lost 1.3 pound so think I will retest bread in a day or week or so.

Day 9 - Rest Day - Party Day - Blew it Day. Breakfast was fine, weird, but fine. I had Blueberry/Pear Compote w/ chia seeds. The texture was very strange - like crunch, slimy seeds. I have a 1/2 portion still in the fridge, so I will eat it, but will I make it again? Maybe not.

Lunch was really good - bed of mixed lettuce w/ heated sauteed veggies, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, avocado and cucumber/mango salsa with carrot soup. Very satisfying.

Then Nursing Home week social. I had my snack beforehand to help keep me strong. That was a waste of apple/almond butter. I was tempted by the chicken wings and cookies. And a bite of a cupcake. The cake was way too sweet and I threw the rest out. I usually love the icing, but it tasted really yucky, so only a bite of that. But the chicken wings, I'm not sorry about those. They may turn me into a slug later, but I'll skip the dinner animal protein tonight. I've probably gained 3 pounds. (only gained 1.5).

Day 10 - I had to give a presentation today in a city almost an hour away, so no way to pack my lunch. My program ended right at 12 noon. I hung around with my boss for a little while, then decided to head back down the mountain to do a little shopping. I was looking for a Wendy's because I knew I could get the Apple Pecan chicken salad w/ no blue cheese and no dressing. Could not find a Wendy's anywhere. I was really hungry, I saw the McDonald's  and was headed for Chicken nuggets & fries. Right across the street was an Ingles grocery.

Our Ingles have the absolute best salad bars - so I turned left instead of right, and got a delicious salad w/ a bit of fruit. Felt much better with myself for making a healthy choice. Lost 1.1 pounds.

Day 11 - With the conference yesterday I got off  schedule, so used today as another rest day, and re-tested bread. Did not have any cramping after eating it today for breakfast, had salad & leftover veggies for lunch.

For dinner I made a vegetable Timbale. I had no idea what that was until tonight. A layered vegetable salad, kind of like a lasagna (without the sauce, cheese and meat), but not really. This one called for zucchini, onions, carrots, swiss chard, mushrooms, goat cheese and manchego cheese. I was supposed to use 4-5 oz of goat cheese. I think I'm reacting a bit to the goat cheese, and I only had 1 oz anyway, so crumbled it up to give it just a touch of cheese in the middle.

The picture really doesn't do it justice. Since I haven't been using any salt or dressings, I could really taste the saltiness of the manchego cheese on top. It was delicious.


Bill’s Timbale

• 1/2 head of Swiss chard (use kale if you have thyroid dysfunction)
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 red onion
• 1 1/2 large carrots
• 4-6 oz. soft goat cheese
• 2 oz. manchego
• 8 shitake mushrooms
Preheat oven to 400 F. Use a mandolin or slice vegetables as thinly as you can. Create layers like a lasagna: zucchini, onions, Swiss chard, goat cheese, carrots, shitakes, Swiss chard, carrots, zucchini and top with manchego. Cook for 30 minutes or until top layer of cheese is slightly golden. Makes 6 servings.


Total weight loss - 4.5 pounds. Have gained twice - once on a rest day when I made those almond butter cookies, and after my cheat day earlier this week.

There are 10 days left for the formal part of the program, but I would like to continue eating this way, because I feel so much better mentally and physically. It does take a good bit of planning, but I love looking in my notebook each morning knowing exactly what I'm going to eat for the day.

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