Still trying to stick to phase 1 or 2 but...

Starting Weight: 131.0        Weight today: 127.5 lbs     Weight yesterday:  129

Weight Lost: 1.5 lbs  Weight Gained: 1.5 lb     Net Loss: 3.5 lbs     Net Gain: 0 

I slept kinda restless towards the latter half. I kept pinching my belly thinking I probably overate too much when I had supper at work and a BIG portion of salmon with my salad greens. I knew I ate way more past my satiety point. But by the time I actually woke up and got up, I felt my belly smaller again. Maybe I was dreaming about it being big again. And I was pleasantly surprised to see my weight. I even double check just to make sure it was not being inaccurate.

Breakfast (which was actually our family's supper at 430pm before I went to work):
While I served BLT minus the T to my son and hubby, I myself ate leftover zucchini spaghetti with leftover butter-fried chicken (unfortunately this was chicken coated with flour that I prepped for my son and hubby yesterday).  I was hoping the flour was not that much anyway. However, knowing now about sugars (complex or simple) affecting insulin release affecting fat storage, I probably stored fat in that diet. I got hungry by 9pm so I ate my "lunch" at work.

Lunch:
Leftover salmon (this was a smaller portion than I had last night) over salad greens (I probably was able to eat 4 cups of greens) topped with yogurt dressing. That dressing seemed tastier!

Snack (or supper?):
Now this is where I cheated again. My co-worker was eating PBJ and I just got tempted to prepare one for myself as well. I tried to limit my jam to 1 tbsp, but I know the PB was a no-no for Phase 1 or 2 of Harcombe diet. Anyway, I thought, consider this as cheating then go back to Phase 1.  I figure if I limit my cheats to once every 3 days or every week and try to stick to a phase 1 diet the rest of the time, I probably should still lose some weight. I also had coffee to which I added 2 tsp of coconut crystal, which surprisingly tasted very sweet to me. I probably have heightened my sweet taste sensation due to elimination of sweet foods in my diet. I also added just 1 tsp of cream.  This snack is going to put my insulin to work and will most likely cause fat storage. I will not be surprised to find myself heavier next weighing.

N.B. I am typing this while at work, and I am trying not to finish the whole cup of coffee.  I am wide awake now...

Phase 2 is extension of Phase 1 but...

with the addition of some foods. I figure, since I crave milk and cheese, etc., I will just try to "continue" Phase 1 but with intermittent inclusion of foods allowed for Phase 2, such as milk and cheese.

In understanding Phase 2, it is to continue to fight off Candida so I will not have the cravings. It is true that I don't have the cravings anymore, and what makes it difficult is that my family craves these things and is not too receptive of the idea that they will have to miss so much of my baking (they love breads and desserts). also, I have quite a lot of the refined products in my pantry (all purpose flour and sugar) that honestly I don't use much anymore, but I would hate to go to waste. It's not that I have tons of weight to lose anyway. It's the stubborn 10-15 pounds that's remaining. So maybe a healthy dose of anti-Candida foods (like yogurt and fermented dairy products such as creme fraiche) will be enough to ward off any Candida-related symptoms and control cravings. And to effect weight loss still, I will have to minimize my carb intake. so maybe 1 major carb source every few days would suffice.

Starting Weight: 131.0        Weight today: 129 lbs     Weight yesterday:  128.6

Weight Lost: 0 lbs  Weight Gained: 0.4 lb     Net Loss: 2.0 lbs     Net Gain: 0 


Breakfast:  I was too hungry when I woke up!

2-egg omelet with bacon bits and caramelized onions, with tomato salad

avocado with creme fraiche and just a tiny amount of raw honey (about 1/2 tsp)

Snack:
Chicharon

Lunch (served as supper to family before I went to work)
zucchini spaghetti
butter-fried chicken

Supper (at work)
Salad greens with sunflower nuts, hardboiled egg, and a big piece of grilled salmon with yogurt dressing

Back to Phase 1

Rule of Phase 1: No carbs, no sugar,  no caffeeine, no breads, no milk, no vinegar (like in my pickles). Can only have unlimited good fat (animal fat, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, palm oil), meat, lots of veggies except mushroom and potatoes).  Can have brown rice 50 g per day with or without fat meal.

Goal of Phase 1: Candida die-off

Expected Results: Withdrawal symptoms, major cravings

Unavoidable Results: Weight Loss

Starting Weight: 131.0        Weight today: 128.6 lbs     Weight yesterday:  129.6

Weight Lost: 1 lbs  Weight Gained: 0      Net Loss: 2.4 lbs     Net Gain: 0


The past days that I was supposed to be on Phase 2, I was not really following the rules, often mixing in carb with fat meals.  Or I would sneak in a few carb every now and then. My weight basically plateaued.


So three days ago I made the decision to start all over again. And on that day, I binged on carbs - bread and ice cream (to please my husband).


And I started again on Phase 1 two days ago...sort of. Well actually I had some yogurt with strawberries then, but the rest was Harcombe-compatible.

Salmon Fritters
Salad greens with tomato salsa

Yesterday was 100% Harcombe. My usual egg omelet with onions, tomato salad for breakfast, ginisang pechay for lunch, stir-fried chicken with veggies for supper. Chicharon for snacks at work to keep me awake.




BRUNCH:

Salmon fritters

Salad greens with tomato salsa


SUPPER:
I cooked sliced ham with potatoes and cabbage for the family. I only got a small piece of that ham (with the fatty layer next to the skin) but I had a bowl also of beef broth with beef meat (from tail part), with shredded cabbage (instead of noodles, so it is like beef ramen without the pasta).


Cheating: I baked a strawberry-banana-coconut muffin that used coconut crystals (low GI) instead of regular sugar, and I replaced 1/2 c of APF with coconut flour and added  2 more eggs because the coconut flour seemed to absorb to much moisture. I had strawberry-banana jam with 1 piece of strawberry inside the muffin. I baked these mainly for my sons, but since this is my first time experimenting with coconut flour and coconut crystals for baking, I had to try the outcome. It was not disappointing, but I did have a whole muffin. (that would be the equivalent of 20 ml (or roughly 1 T + 1 t) all purpose flour. The coconut flour is made from coconut meat and is more of saturated fat than carb, and has low GI as well, so it is mainly considered low-carb. (At least I really did not have grains). However, I ate the muffin shortly before our supper...so it might have, with the very small amount of carb in it, somehow spiked up my insulin, such that insulin could have started fat storage of my fatty meal....Oh well...


I also ate a few strawberries. So this day actually almost qualifies as phase 2.

P2 D2

Rule of Phase 2: Continue to fight Candida.  Some carbs allowed but no processed sugar,  no caffeeine, wholemeal breads are okay, milk is okay, no vinegar (like in my pickles). Can still have unlimited good fat (animal fat, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, palm oil), meat, lots of veggies.  Can have carbs like potatoes and rice as long as they are consumed without fat (only protein sources like skimmed milk, egg whites, but not meat since most meats have fats).

Goal of Phase 1: keep on fighting Candida and still lose weight

Expected Results: Gradual weight loss

Unavoidable Results: Weight Loss

Starting Weight: 131.0        Weight today: 129.8 lbs

Weight Lost: 0 lbs  Weight Gained: 0.8      Net Loss: 1.2 lbs     Net Gain: 0

I woke up at around 1, got up at 2pm...will go on duty again tonight, so my schedule is again borked...

Breakfast:
Homemade Yogurt with strawberries and coconut crystals (now phase 2 does not allow processed sugars or any processed foods, but I juse can't tolerate yogurt at this point even with strawberries. I just had to add something sweet. Coconut crystals have low glycemic index and I got the raw one, almost like maple syrup. I made sure I used only 1 tbsp for the whole bowl (I used total of 2). I hope the insulin effect is not as bad. As for feeding th Candida with sugar, I figure the yogurt would counteract this.)

Lunch: (I actually cooked this for supper  to eat with my family.)
Salmon loaf ( a no-no, since it contains saltine crackers)
Rice-A-Roni Long Grain and Wild Rice (not advisable to eat "fat meal" with carbs, and fish (the salmon) is considered a fat meal).

I made sure I eat just a little to enjoy this meal with my family. Oh darn, I should have served raw spinach with these! I forgot, as I was getting ready to go to work.

Snack (at work):
1 cup raw milk

Should have waited until that is fully absorbed/digested before I had my supper....

Supper:
A big bowl of salad greens (lettuce, some shredded carrots, sliced cukes, tomatoes, green peppers, vidalia onions) with 2 serving pieces of chicken breast.
My dressing: Patis-mansi infused with ginger root, to which I added lemon juice. I also sprinkled some chicken oil (instead of olive oil) to the meat.


Midnight Snack:
A bowl of strawberries with yogurt (I had to sprinkle salt to offset the tartness because I forgot to bring my coconut crystals).

Phase 2 Day 1

I figured, since the goal of Phase 1 is to detox the body of Candida (and caffeine and sugar), maybe I can start on Phase 2 now...add some carbs a little at a time, with no mixing of  fat meal and carb meal)

Rule of Phase 2: Continue to fight Candida.  Some carbs allowed but no processed sugar,  no caffeeine, wholemeal breads are okay, milk is okay, no vinegar (like in my pickles). Can still have unlimited good fat (animal fat, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, palm oil), meat, lots of veggies.  Can have carbs like potatoes and rice as long as they are consumed without fat (only protein sources like skimmed milk, egg whites, but not meat since most meats have fats).

Goal of Phase 1: keep on fighting Candida and still lose weight

Expected Results: Gradual weight loss

Unavoidable Results: Weight Loss

Starting Weight: 131.0        Weight today: 129.0 lbs

Weight Lost: 0.2 lbs  Weight Gained: 0      Net Loss: 2 lbs     Net Gain: 0


Breakfast:
1 cup of homemade yogurt with strawberries and 1 tsp honey (there should be none, but it just tasted too tart. I figured raw honey's benefits outweighs its tendency to feed Candida, especially when served with gut-friendly live yogurt that i made myself)

Lunch:
Sinigang na Liempo (with eggplants, daikon, sitaw, tomatoes, onions and cabbage)
Deep-fried liempo

Snack: -- such a no-no...laden with sugar and carbs!
Small pc of mocha chiffon cake
1 cup of strawberry milkshake

Supper:
sinigang na liempo

Snack:
Mozarella stick
1 cup raw milk

Note: With all the healthy foods I have been eating with no limits, adding the sugary snacks would just promote fat storage! Argggghhh!  So, this "Phase 2" is not successfully strictly phase 2. Darn those temptations. Fresh strawberries made me want to make milkshake for the family, and of course, it is hard to make that without partaking... oh well...

Another cheat day....

I was planning to restart P1D1, but due to strawberry picking, and the leftover cakes, I cheated again... :

Rule of Phase 1: No carbs, no sugar,  no caffeeine, no breads, no milk, no vinegar (like in my pickles). Can only have unlimited good fat (animal fat, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, palm oil), meat, lots of veggies except mushroom and potatoes).  Can have brown rice 50 g per day with or without fat meal.

Goal of Phase 1: Candida die-off

Expected Results: Withdrawal symptoms, major cravings

Unavoidable Results: Weight Loss

Starting Weight: 131.0        Weight today: 129.2 lbs

Weight Lost: 2.2 lbs  Weight Gained: 0.4      Net Loss: 1.8 lbs     Net Gain: 0


Breakfast: 
Spinach Quiche (cooked 4 eggs with 1 hamburger pattie, chopped, fresh spinach chopped, caramelized onions, seasoned with spices S&P and ground basil). Ate this with tomato salad.


Went strawberry picking.


Lunch:
Same without tomato salad. Hurried lunch due to strawberries that I needed to attend to. Munched on half deviled egg (another no-no since it's got mayo and honey mustard and some vinegar)


Had 1/2 cup of strawberry milkshake (cheating again)


Supper:
grilled chicken breast (2 serving pieces), 2 strip of bacon, with iceberg salad, cukes and green peppers and vidalia onions (no dressing)


Snack at night while canning strawberries:
a small piece of mocha chiffon cake with fluff icing (a no-no!)
half a slice of Florida citrus cake (another no-no)
some homemade yogurt with strawberries (fruits are still a no-no in this diet)


Should I go back to Phase 1 or just proceed to P2???

P1 D4 Not! It's cheating day!

Rule of Phase 1: No carbs, no sugar,  no caffeeine, no breads, no milk, no vinegar (like in my pickles). Can only have unlimited good fat (animal fat, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, palm oil), meat, lots of veggies except mushroom and potatoes).  Can have brown rice 50 g per day with or without fat meal.

Goal of Phase 1: Candida die-off

Expected Results: Withdrawal symptoms, major cravings

Unavoidable Results: Weight Loss

Starting Weight: 131.0        Weight today: 128.8 lbs

Weight Lost: 2.2 lbs  Weight Gained: 0      Net Loss: 2.2 lbs     Net Gain: 0


So no change in weight...mens maybe?

Today is July 4th, the day toe CHEAT!!!! I probably will have to restart counting again tomorrow.

Breakfast: 

1 whoopie pie (I chose the one with the least frosting), and a cup of unsweetened coffee.


Lunch:
half a hamburger with cheese
1 hotdog (no buns)
few chips
1 pepsi
Salad; clam dip
deviled eggs (2 halves)


Snack/Dessert:
a small slice of mocha chiffon cake with 7-minute frosting and few blueberries/strawberries
a bowl of homemade ice cream
half a slice of Florida citrus cake


Late snack:
a small slice of mocha chiffon cake
3 halves deviled eggs
few chips

P1 D3

Rule of Phase 1: No carbs, no sugar,  no caffeeine, no breads, no milk, no vinegar (like in my pickles). Can only have unlimited good fat (animal fat, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, palm oil), meat, lots of veggies except mushroom and potatoes).  Can have brown rice 50 g per day with or without fat meal.

Goal of Phase 1: Candida die-off

Expected Results: Withdrawal symptoms, major cravings

Unavoidable Results: Weight Loss

Starting Weight: 131.0        Weight today: 128.8 lbs

Weight Lost: 2.2 lbs  Weight Gained: 0      Net Loss: 2.2 lbs     Net Gain: 0

Breakfast (Brunch actually, eaten at 2pm):

Tinolang manok with lots of raw spinach and sayote, with tomato salad peppered with green onions flavored with ginger-infused patis.

Supper:
Too full to really eat. I ate 1 fillet of leftover grilled haddock, and 1/2 bowl of ginataang fiddlehead. I cheated a bit by munching on a piece of tater tots.

By about 10p, I was craving for sweets. I ate instead a chicken thigh BBQ.

P1 D2

Rule of Phase 1: No carbs, no sugar,  no caffeeine, no breads, no milk, no vinegar (like in my pickles). Can only have unlimited good fat (animal fat, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, palm oil), meat, lots of veggies except mushroom and potatoes).  Can have brown rice 50 g per day with or without fat meal.

Goal of Phase 1: Candida die-off

Expected Results: Withdrawal symptoms, major cravings

Unavoidable Results: Weight Loss

Starting Weight: 131.0        Weight today: 129.8

Weight Lost: 1.2 lbs  Weight Gained: 0      Net Loss: 1.2 lbs     Net Gain: 0

Breakfast (actually brunch, eaten at 1230p)

Tinolang Manok (1 cup chicken meat, more than 1 cup sayote and spinach, broth) with ensaladang kamatis (1 medium tomato, ginger-infused patis, 1 spring onion).

Lunch (almost like supper, eaten @ 430p)
Grilled Haddock (leftover from yesterday; seasoned with lemon-pepper and salt)
Tomato salad with baby carrots and brocolli florets

Grilled Haddock,
tomato salad with broccoli florets and baby carrots

Supper:
Had shrimp and bacon chowder that my co-worker brought to work. I removed the potatoes. I had 1 cup.
Munched on some leftover haddock fillet that I grilled.

P1 D1

Rule of Phase 1: No carbs, no sugar,  no caffeeine, no breads, no milk, no vinegar (like in my pickles). Can only have unlimited good fat (animal fat, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, palm oil), meat, lots of veggies except mushroom and potatoes).  Can have brown rice 50 g per day with or without fat meal.

Goal of Phase 1: Candida die-off

Expected Results: Withdrawal symptoms, major cravings

Unavoidable Results: Weight Loss

Starting Weight: 131.0 lbs

Breakfast:
2-egg omelet with caramelized onion
Tomato salad

Rest for 30 minutes before drinking water (this is to allow the gastric juices to digest the food without diluting).

Lunch:

Ginisang Pechay with
Slow Cooked Beef

Leftover sauteed shrimps & broiled scallops (only a few pieces; not enough to satisfy my belly);
1 bowl of beef broth with pechay

Had lots of water 30 minutes after lunch.

Snack:

Burong Mangga

Few munches of burong mangga (1/4 of what's in the picture).

Drank plenty of water in between weeding and rototilling the garden.

Supper:
A bowl of chicken tinola (with about 1 cup of meat and 1 cup of sayote with spinach)

Coconut meat and half of the coconut water (not sure if this is allowable as there should be no sugar in P1, but coconut meat is mainly saturated fats and dietary fiber. Coconut water could have sugar (it's sweets!) that has a low GI, so I am equating this to eating greens.

Side Note: My period started today -- that will mean water retention and weight gain.

Had 1 cup of peppermint tea at bedtime.

Slept really really good!