THE PLAN

Amazingly I have lost another 400 gm, that's almost 1 pound in the last two days. I feel that I might be eating too much because I am hungry at dinner and also tend to snack through the evening. I am not even trying for a ketogenic diet because I eat several prunes, dates or dried figs after dinner. I'd rather be healthy that way than be in ketosis right now.

My focus is PFC or protein, fat, carbohydrate. The acronym is used by Dietitian Cassie.

My plan was to have four to six weeks dairy free. John and I will do it together. I'm not ready to tackle this challenge right now and I doubt John is either so it's on hold until March 10th when I will review the situation. I have some skin problems and John has chronic sinus so going dairy free will be an attempt to see if it makes a difference. There is no point in attempting something so drastic, for us, unless we are ready to do it with dedication.

The main focus of The Plan is food. 

I am intending to eat only meat, eggs, maybe some fish and cheese for my protein. Vegetables will be mostly raw, in salads with whatever dressing appeals on the day although I want to trend toward only using balsamic vinegar or olive oil and lemon dressing or other vinaigrettes. I will also have other cooked, mostly green veggies, and occasionally carrot, potato and kumera, (sweet potato). I am going to allow myself one piece of fresh fruit now and then plus the dried fruit as necessary. I enjoy having smoothies but I'm going to make them dairy free as soon as my current batch of whey powder is finished. 

My 'go to' Smoothie Recipe

50 gm frozen berries, 
100 gm plain Greek Yoghurt, 
50 gm coconut cream. 
50 gm whipping cream, 
10-15 ml cod liver oil
2 scoops or 30 gm whey powder 
1/2 cup water. 

Whizz all together and pour over ice. This is pretty easy to make dairy free but not until I have used up my current batch of protein powder. I won't be using any other type of protein powder. When I change it will basically be a Berry and Coconut Smoothie. I might try it with a raw egg if I can find a good source of farm eggs.

For now I'll continue to have my Keto Coffee in the morning. I am drinking far too much coffee according to what I think is reasonable but I don't want to change yet. 

Morning Coffee

Set up the coffee maker for 10 cups with 2 tablespoons of beans ground to medium. Sometimes I add cinnamon to this.

Prepare the jar for the Whizz stick with 30 gm coconut oil, 50 gm each of coconut cream and whipping cream. When the coffee is made I add in about half the coffee and whizz to combine and get a light froth. That's my current breakfast and I drink the remaining coffee black during the morning. 

I have been making a smoothie for lunch/brunch and sometimes eating a piece of cheese or HB egg snack mid to late afternoon. I eat 'whatever' for dinner with focus on PFC. I've eaten this way for over 10 years now with many breaks and various versions but this seems to suit my lifestyle and personality without setting up unreasonable cravings.

I need to get some daily exercise but since I'm not feeling very motivated I'm not pushing myself. I have noticed that I feel flabby compared with last September when I'd been using the cross-trainer regularly. It's important that I begin to do something about this fairly soon. Walking is the best but I'm still having trouble with my eye...... That's the one with the eyelid that cannot close or blink naturally due to Bells Palsy. I'm hoping to have surgery, which will fix the problem, within the next three months. It will be so nice to be able to garden or walk on the beach again without bother.

EDITED A FEW HOURS LATER.

That was quick.

I called the eye clinic yesterday and did say all I needed was 24 hours notice.

I am now booked in for 12.30 pm tomorrow. 

We are planning a one day trip. 7-8 hours total driving. Two meals on the road. Must take extra water. Goodness knows how long at Waikato Hospital. It could be 3, it could be 6 or 7 hours. We leave home at 8 am latest, preferably earlier. Last time we did this I found the drive home difficult. I must make sure I have enough pain relief.

I have a beef casserole/stew in the slow cooker for tonight's dinner. That will give us left overs tomorrow if we are home early enough but I am guessing we'll want our dinner somewhere along the way.

Just as well today we have money in the bank. Yesterday we were too broke to eat out 

I have a long, slow soak in the bath planned for this afternoon. Soothing music, good book if I can find one and that will be my day of preparation.

That's me for this morning. Catch-up again tomorrow