I have been trying to be good about doing the low carb thing. I've spent a ton of money on food because my kitchen hasn't been clean enough to cook in. But I'm tired of eating the same old meats. I haven't even lost that much.

I'm frustrated by trying to find low carb products in the stores that are something other than meat. I'm frustrated by myself for not cleaning my kitchen enough to cook there. (I do get to put clean dishes away tonight and finish any that are still waiting. I still have to tackle the "island counter".) I'm frustrated that I haven't been able to force myself to read through either NAD or Atkins Essentials. I'm frustrated that I injured my hand last week and didn 't go swimming like I had planned. I'm frustrated that I haven't started any exercise, including walking my dog. I'M FRUSTRATED!

I'm able to give other people advice in situations like this, but I just don't seem to know how to get myself out of this rut.

Anyone have suggestions?

Thanks,
indieFan

P.S.- This probably belongs in my journal, but I doubt many people ever read it.

A lot of people think this is anathema to say, but I've lost my weight so far without an exercise regime. Not saying it's wrong or right, just stating a fact. Maybe you could let yourself off the exercise hook for now (although doggie still needs walking), and focus on why the kitchen issue is insurmountable for you.

Identify the kitchen stuff you don't use or don't need, get rid of it. Goodwill or whatever. Think about what kind of foods you like and whether you have the tools to prepare them properly. Reorganize and streamline your kitchen so it's less work in the future. Clean as you cook.

Unfortunately it's difficult to tell you let yourself off the hook on reading--if you don't understand why the diet works it's a lot harder to stay on it.

Thanks for the suggestion. I just put it in my wish list on Amazon for my Kindle. That way I can take it with me to my mom's and have it on my PC. ;-)

Based on your Profile, it looks like you have been LC for about a month and have lost about 12 lbs. Is that right? Twelve pounds in a month's time is not an insignificant weight loss. I think you should congratulate yourself!

What cooking facilities do you have available now? Do you have an outdoor grill? A crockpot? An electric countertop grill? Is there another room where you could set up the countertop grill or crockpot?

I set up my crockpot in my living room, while my kitchen was torn apart.

There are always things like tuna salad, chicken salad, and egg salad that are simple to make. (Eggs can be hard-boiled in a crockpot. ) Do you have a way to refrigerate foods?

It is an accomplishment. I've only been doing the low carb thing for just over a month. Medication and/or PCOS are contributing to the weight issues, so I'm happy that I'm down a bit instead of gaining!

Last night I went out to lunch and had a gyros salad. I forgot to tell them no pita bread. I decided to eat it. Today's weight: 226.6. Adverse affects other than the weight: none.

As for cooking facilities, I have a small galley kitchen in my condo which is a big part of the problem. I grew up in a house with a very comfortable size kitchen with enough counter space to do things. Now, I'm lucky if I have 1/2 that space on the island. I don't have a bbq yet. I did see one at Walmart that I liked. I do have a crockpot and a light timer to turn it off when needed. (I'm paranoid about starting a fire.) I also have a panini grill that is adjustable and can cook lamb or steak or fish or anything else. I bought it at William-Sonoma and this was the one recommended as opposed to the Cuisinart one I was looking at. (I forgot the name, but if anyone wants to know, just ask.)

Until a few weeks ago, I had a heat sensor that would set the alarms off in the entire building just from opening the oven door to check on food. It was replaced during the recent fire alarm inspection, though I still have to try the oven out.

I also have a refrigerator that works, although I do want to replace it.

Right now, other than the cleaning, my biggest challenge is making food in the morning before I go to work on second shift. Hopefully that book recommendation will help me with this issue.

I am definitely determined to get the kitchen clean this week. Perhaps I can make that my "must be done" to go to the Angels game on Wed. That gives me three more nights, incl. today to work on it.

Can someone just ask me how I'm doing on the cleaning each morning? It might help me if someone else is taking me to task.

P.S.- Kisal: I love your quote.

Once you have cleaned your kitchen(you can do it), you may consider making some of your meals ahead or cooking enough to last a few days. That way you will always prepared. Knowing ahead of time what types of foods/meals I am going to have each week helps me with shopping for the week and staying on track without any issues.
For example, I already know what I'm having for breakfast this week(and I have already prepared my lunch for the next three days. I am the worlds biggest procrastinator and if I didn't plan ahead I would be late for work everyday and starving through lunch. hth

Do you think you might be depressed?

When I'm feeling down I can't function at all. I don't make my bed and I certainly don't cook.
I've had the same passport application form sitting in front of me for over a year and I can't bring myself to fill it out. I know I need to...but it's like my arms become lead weights when I look at it.

I don't think that I'm depressed, I know I am. That's what the medications are for. (Well, that and overwhelming anxiety.)

Re: Passport Application
I had a passport application filled out for months and finally turned it in about a month ago. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the fees would be increase during that time. :-( Instead of looking at the blank paper to be filled out, try filling out the online version and print that instead. You're already on the computer typing stuff if you're responding to this. ;-)

First off 12 pounds in 1 month is stellar, particularly with PCOS. Sounds like you were doing something right!

I went over to your journal to try and get a bit more insight as to the basis of all your frustration...

Can you tell us WHY your kitchen is such a mess?? I know it's a small galley kitchen but is it a mess because you are remodeling; a mess because of inertia of not being able to clean for some reason such as depression, stress, long work hours, hoarding.....I'm not trying to be funny, I'm just trying to get a handle on what you're saying is going on with you, and it sounds like it's something more than just a small kitchen. Just because you have a small kitchen does not mean you can't turn out tasty meals--like other things...it's not the size that matters, it's what YOU do with it

If you have a frige that works, why do you want to replace it?

Instead of trying to make food in the morning, why not make food ahead of time so that there is ALWAYS something on hand. This is what I do when I know I have a long stretch of call at the hospital--make lots of food before hand so that there is always something to grab and go--no thinking required.

In your journal you also talk about wanting to start exercising, but you're unable to do something as simple as taking the dog for a walk everyday....this inertia sounds similar to the inertia that people feel when depressed...please don't get angry or defensive because I mentioned this, but I see this with many of my patients...the depression makes them feel so overwhelmed that they are unable to even attempt the most simple of tasks. Just asking.

If you are just a procrastinator a trick that I learned when in graduate school (always wanting to put off assignments) is to set a kitchen timer for 15 minutes. Clean for those 15 minutes. When the timer ends, you cant stop. Hey! You've accomplished something. If you want to stop for the day, great! or you can set the timer for another 15 minutes. It's surprising on what can happen in 15 minutes.

Take the dog for a walk. He'll be a much happier companion for you during what sounds like a really trying time right now.

Progress not perfection.

Lisa

(Looks like we were posting at the same time...I type slower)

To respond to some of the questions that hadn't already been answered (and some that weren't asked):

0. The kitchen is a mess because:

• I wasn't doing the dishes immediately.
  I ended up having a 4 week period where I was going to my mom's on my days off to help decorate a cake (cousin's baby shower).
  I come home from work and just want to curl up and watch tv.
  I wake up and just want to curl up and watch tv.
  I wish I had a cleaning person like my mom has had my entire life.

1. I am on medication for the depression and anxiety.

2. I am in therapy once every other week.

3. My work schedule is 2nd shift Fri - Tue. I have Wed. and Thu. off. I will be starting to get the first Fri off each month to be able to go to family dinners. Currently, I go to work at 12pm on Fri, Mon, and Tue. I go to work at 10am on Sat. and Sun. (Not a true 2nd shifter, but I do get the pay. ;-)

4. The fridge is rusting on the top corner. I figure that it is at least 25 years old. Hence, I want to replace it.

5. I took my doggie for a walk last night. Both of us enjoyed it. Even knowing that, I find myself struggling to take her.

6. I've never been a fan of "leftovers", so I need to make something that will not be thought of as such.

7. I miss baking! I was the one that made the wonderfully decorated desserts in the family. What good is it to bake if you can't eat it?

8. I really should look into cooking classes to learn the fundamentals to be able to play with stuff. Of course, that implies that I have money. Too bad I got scammed out of $3k earlier this year. :-(

9. I have no problem with you mentioning the depression. There is too much of a stigma attached to it. People need to learn more about it. ;-)

Thanks for taking the time care enough to ask.

The best way to keep from being bored with what you eat is to pre-plan. Make a list of the type of meals you enjoy...brainstorm. Then plan ahead for a week and have quickie foods in the fridge for when you find yourself at mealtime but too tired to cook.

Chicken salad made with real mayo is a staple in my fridge. Hard boiled eggs to eat alone or chopped in a salad is another. I love chef salads and chicken salad on chopped up lettuce or in a tomato cup so that's usually my lunch.

I try to be more varied for dinner. I find if I make it a point to have fish one night, beef another, chicken another, soup another...it helps. Also vary the vegies.

If I'm feeling particularly lazy, I do my 'Chinese Soup'. The broth is made ahead of time and frozen in single servings. I also stir fry some thinly sliced chicken, cool and then lay out on a cookie sheet and freeze. Then I scoop it into a freezer bag (freezing before bagging keeps it from sticking together in a lump). I always have snow peas in my fridge and you can do the same with any other low carb vegies you like in soup.

When I need it, I pop out one or two single servings and put it in a pan on the stove. Add a bit of frozen chopped spinach, a couple pea pods and some slices of frozen cooked chicken along with a dash or two of toasted sesame oil and simmer until pea pods are crisp tender. Yummy and satisfying. You can also add some thawed and rinsed cubes of fish, shrimp or scallops and let them cook in the heated broth until cooked through. Here's the broth recipe:

42 oz of Swansons chicken broth
22 oz of water
1" piece of gingerroot, peeled and sliced
2 Tbs soy sauce

Take each slice of gingerroot and mash it with the flat side of a meat mallet. Drop into the broth and water mixture along with the soy sauce, bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove ginger root.

Just a quick update:

I told myself that I wasn't allowed to turn the tv on this morning until after I put the clean dishes away. I did that and then washed the remaining few dishes that I still needed to do. After I ate my sausage, I immediately put the fork, knife, and plate directly into the dishwasher.

I've also cleaned off part of the island counter, but I still have a lot to do.

Thanks for everyone's support.

Hey Indie, just sending you a hug I know how you feel - when my ex and I broke up for the first time, OH MY GOD. My house was a nightmare.

It will get better and the more used to LCing you get, you might also find the depression lifts.

Yes this was true for me too. And, the better I got at LC, the clutter problem just seemed to melt away. I'm convinced they are connected for me - depression, clutter, and carb poisoning.

When I started I only had energy in the morning. I used Flylady tricks like the 5 minute rescue and getting ready for the morning, the night before. Also I made food ahead, 4 days at a time. That way I only had to cook every 4 days. Voila, less cleanup! And then over time, that morning energy window grew and grew until now it is all day long.

I read the whole thread and what I thought was, your frustration is just because your enthusiasm and what you envision is so far ahead of your body and skills. There's a lot of new stuff to learn. I bet you could repurpose your baking mastery, in the wonderful world of beautifully garnished food. I made some whole-milk-ricotta gnocchi for friends the other day that was out of this world!