weigh down wednesday :: low carb :: week 1

It's been a little over a week since I switched to a low(er) carb diet.

And hip, hip, hooray!! I have finally broken through my plateau!

I am beyond thrilled that this is working for me.

Truth be told, this is the longest period of time that I have lasted on a low carb diet.

I've gone low carb multiple times in the past and, 

sadly, I only last 2 or 3 days before I become "Crazy Dieting Jen".

I normally feel super on edge. Shaky. Emotional. 

And the cravings. They are INTENSE.

Not so this time around.

I credit this to the low carb lifestyle moving beyond the "old school" Atkins program.

Years back when I started Atkins, it was all about meat, eggs and cheese.

And, of course, no more than 20g of carbs during the induction phase.

Now there are multiple variations of the low carb diet.

Atkins. South Beach. The Diabetic Diet. Paleo. The Zone.

There are also now lower carb versions of pasta and bread.

The Paleo Diet uses a lot of almond flour in place of all purpose.

The possibilities of what you can eat on this diet are really endless.

I've decided to take a bit from all the different plans and form them into my own.

Jen's Super Wonderful (and tasty!) Low Carb Diet.

Trademark pending.

I don't have a set limit of carbs I can eat a day.

I do, however, try and keep my total of "conscious" carbs below 50g.

By conscious carbs I mean, the ones that I consciously eat.

You know, bread and sugar and the like.

I don't really count how much is in cheese or different veggies 

(I do stay away from starchy veggies, like potatoes, corn, peas, etc.).

Makes life too complicated.

My goal wasn't for this to be a crash diet, 

but something that I could stick with for a little while and not feel completely crazy or deprived.

I started a Pinterest board full of low carb meal ideas.

Let me tell you, we've moved beyond the ol' bacon & eggs, hamburger patties and steaks.

Doing a bit of digging on the old internet has produced so many good recipes that I can't wait to try.

And, I'm wondering if it's coincidence that on Saturday (my cheat day), when I loaded up on potatoes and pizza and cake, I felt like utter crap by day's end.

My stomach hurt and I felt super bloated.

Every other day this week I have felt wonderful.

Even on super humid days I have had barely any swelling in my hands and fingers, 

which previously was unheard of.

Maybe there's a correlation between me eating carbs and feeling swollen/bloated?

Hmmm....guess we'll see if the same things happens on my next cheat day. ;)

I'm looking forward to continuing this journey and making new and yummy things that make my tummy happy!

As always, look for another update next week. 

peace, love, and all things sparkly.