Summer Slimmin' Check-in Week 7: Damage Repaired, Momentum Back

Whew. Adding extra protein mini-meals worked. the 4 pounds I had regained during the "Carb-Wild Week of Family Festivities and Pizza Pig-Out" are bye-bye:

259.6

I wasted SS Challenge time when I lost my way, but I find my appetite is calmer adding those protein snacks (the pudding shake, oatmeal especially, since they're easy to make and eat, so no hassle for me).

I have not been eating at lower calorie levels I'd wanted. I'm eating at about 2000 calories average. My goal this week is to keep it under 1900 and to keep up the nutrition tracking and water (which I had totally slacked off on).

So, this has been the challenge progress (and backsliding):

Starting Weight: 267.6
End of week 1= 265.6
End of week 2= 263.2
End of week 3=264.8
End of week 4= 262.6
End of week 5: 259.6
End of week 6: 263.8
End of week 7: 259.6


So, basically I lost two weeks, cause I'm back to where I was at the end of week 5.  There's only  TWELVE DAYS left in the challenge, I don't see making my goal of 250. But I'm still hanging in and seeing that number as my objective. :)

I did get some help with my water intake in the last couple days when I went and got some cucumbers (Kirby's), fresh mint, and limes, and I added all that to a container and chilled in the fridge for a few hours. It was amazing. If you like Persian mast o' khiar salads (the minty cucumber yogurt salad you get as an appetizer at Persian restaurants), and I'm wild about the stuff, this tastes like it (sans yogurt). Love it. So refreshing this crazy hot summer.

Anyway, more reviews on the WonderSlim (alternate Medifast sorta) I tried along with my regular foods:

Oatmeal: Ya know, there were sooo many reviews about how much better this was than MediFast oatmeal, so like real oatmeal, five-star reviews, that I'm thinking that MediFast oatmeal must be incredibly awful, cause this was passable. Now, if I had been eating the world's ickiest oatmeal and had this, I'd give it 5 stars, too, I guess. I had the apple n cinnamon. It did have a nice apple and cinnamon taste and the rolled oats were REAL and so the texture was nice (if not overcooked, like my first batch. Use less time than the directions and increase as needed). But like so many of the higher protein, lower calorie diet stuff I've tried over the years, there is this aftertaste, this bitterish undertone. So, side by side with REAL oatmeal, it would get no more than 2 out of five stars (and that for the nutrients/low calorie/appleyness). If you compare it to some other diet protein/soy oatmeals I've tried, yes it fares better. I will say it fixes fast, is easy to eat once you get used to the aftertaste, and is filling for its portion. I like it as a side to eggs to quell my voracious appetite in the am, and as a snack between meals. Worth trying, especially if you are an oatmeal lover who has tried other diet/protein oatmeals and found them wanting.

Cheesesteak Macaroni entree: I cooked this stovetop since other reviewers recommended that. I watched it the whole time to avoid overcooking. It was all right. The final serving is about a cup. The "meat" has a slightly odd texture, but not totally offputting (chewy). The pasta was okay. The cheesiness was adequate. It's not something that made me gag and it's not an entree that made me go "Oh, that as fun." It's merely adequate. Although the cheese-addict in me was satisfied by having the cheesy flavor.

I am not sure at this point if I'd reorder this entree. I'd have to wait and see how it grows--or doesn't--on me and how the other entrees strike me. BUT...it does have a nice filling quality given the quantity. I had it with a side of sauteed spinach, a boiled egg, a small wedge of cheese, and had a creamy pudding for dessert. I was full and got plenty of protein. By itself, I would not be satisfied, but I do think adding veggies as sides--or a salad--or adding some extra low-carb pasta would help oodles. If you LOVE cheesesteak, then definitely try it. There aren't that many entree options, and this seems to be one of the more highly regarded WonderSlim ones. I'd recommend it to those who know it's special high-protein diet food and are willing to base their taste expectations on that basis.

Creamy Pudding/Shake: I almost didnt' try this as a pudding, cause the reviews at the WonderSlim site tend to skew towards this as a shake. But I think the problem is that this is NOT puddingy. This is like a mousse consistency--airier and less creamy than pudding. I like it. I took one star off cause it does have a bit of an aftetaste, but I expect this from high protein diet foods, so no biggie, really. Four to 4.5 stars (based on experiences with other lowcarb dieter foods).

Here's what I did: I prepared it with refrigerator-chilled water (really cold), a bit less than 4 ounces,  and let it sit while i ate my soup. Afte 10 minutes or so, this has set quite nicely. I added a tablespoon of Bob's Red  Mill Shredded organic coconut (smells good, low carb, about 30 calories, 3 grams of fat, 1.3 carbs per tbsp) and about 6 ChocoPerfection dark chocolate baking chips (sugarfree, lowcarb). Almost negligible calorie-wise, really. Just for appearance and to give a shot of chocolate. I found it to be a really nice high-protein QUICK dessert after soup (or even salad or a veggie joe bowl with veggies). I definitely will reorder this. I got the chocolate cream, which I will get again. And I want to try it with some fresh berries, too.

Really, don't be put off of it as a pudding. So quick, no blender to clean, slower to eat, which is always good for dieters. And you can pump it up with low-carb or fruity goodness. Mixes easily with a spoon. Nice "moussey" texture (and I like mousse). A tad gritty, but not horribly so. Just differently so. If they could find a way to rid it of the aftertaste, this would be pretty perfect diet fare.

I've also been enjoying the utterly wonderful bounty of avocados and donut peaches (my fave, fave among peaches) out there. Been eating berries and LOTS of spinach. The arugula has been a bit sad, which makes ME sad, in turn. Love that best of all salad greens. Watermelon has been faboo, too.

I'm still only exercising 2x a week, and part of that is that I'm just having my endocrine issues, and there's not much I can do about that.  I just gotta hold on until my status can be worked out with medication tweaking.

So, that's my check-in. Glad to have "backtracked" to the 250's, glad to be back on the momentum wagon, though, as usual, I suck at challenges, since giving it my all just seems to never work out with these things. I'm such a slacker. ; )

Anyway, I wish you all a happy week with losses! Of the fatty kind. And all sorts of beneficial health and joy and love gains!
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