by Marcia Purse
Day Four
I did not go to the office today because yesterday I was in so much pain all day, and was still in pain when I woke up this morning. Breakfast was another Atkins "Rich Chocolate" shake. Then I went back to bed and slept almost four more hours - waking at 1:45. I had a quick cheese stick to cut immediate hunger, and then made another chicken-feta salad, because the chicken has to be used up. That was followed by about 133 calories of dark chocolate.
Dinner was a hamburger, spinach, cauliflower and an oat bran English muffin - because those muffins have to be used up, too. Still drinking only water with meals. Unfortunately, I was still in some pain for most of the day. Dinner was followed by four York Mints and 2 squares (about 133 calories) of dark chocolate ... so at least you can see I ate LESS chocolate than yesterday, I guess that's something.
I'm starting to be constipated, and I know I am not drinking enough water - will have to improve there. Haven't been able to exercise at all due to pain.
A salad and two more cheese sticks rounded out the day's food. I'm making some progress - but now we are out of lettuce and I'm going to have to cheat on tomorrow's lunch and use a Phase 2 food to get through.
Day Five
Woke up to find the pain in my back, right side and lower right ribs had not gone away. Before going to work, I made an appointment with my excellent chiropractor, whose office is just five minutes away from mine.
For breakfast I found that Mom had purchased Atkins Advantage Chocolate Royale flavor (instead of Chocolate Delight). To my delight, this shake tastes much better! It still isn't as good as SlimFast's Chocolate Royale, but is a great improvement.
Midmorning snack was, as usual, a cheese stick. Good thing I love these! For lunch I had tuna/apple salad, an old recipe of my mother's (see below). It takes only minutes to prepare and is utterly delicious. Of course, apples aren't allowed until Phase 2, but being out of lettuce, I had limited choices. I ate the entire tuna/apple salad in one sitting after my appointment at the chiropractor. She said everything was way out - pelvis, a rib, mid-back and neck. I did feel somewhat better after getting these adjustments, but tiredness was already creeping in. I had a cheese stick and then left for home around 4:15.
When I arrived home, I ate two more cheese sticks and went to bed until dinner. Mom had fixed salmon, cauliflower, leftover spinach - and oat bran English muffins again. Tomorrow I'll have to see how many are left, maybe it's few enough that she can eat them herself! After dinner, the chocolate habit asserted itself - had 8 York Mints (at least I'm out of Special Dark), and very late, a tossed salad. Bedtime "snack" was an Atkins Advantage Chocolate Mocha Crunch Bar - 220 calories and 3 "net" carbs - more on that tomorrow.
Mary Fran's Tuna/Apple Salad
Empty one 6-oz. can or two 3-oz no-drain packages of whatever kind of tuna you like best into a medium mixing bowl. Cut one apple up into small pieces and add to tuna. Add one big glob of mayonnaise (I use lowfat) and a generous squirt or two of lemon juice. Add chopped celery if you're ambitious. Mix it all together and enjoy!
Next Page: Day 6
