There are several options for you low-carbers out there – don’t go to any Super Bowl parties … no, no, no – I’m kidding! But, seriously, when you do go to the parties – BYOS! (Bring Your Own Snacks)

Here are some suggestions and one really great recipe that’s incredibly easy to make and everyone will enjoy whether they do low-carb or not.

Come to the party armed with cucumber slices, celery sticks & pork rinds to scoop up dips that are low-carb friendly (including the Hoagie Dip recipe below). If all else fails, I will also use olives, cheese slices & rolled up deli meats.

Bring your own black olives, green olives, pickles, peel & eat shrimp, crab stuffed mushrooms, BLT-stuffed tomatoes, etc. I usually also bring Double Decker Knox Blox as well as Cheesecake Muffins. When you can have all of these yummy goodies – who needs potato chips or pretzels!

Here is my favorite dip because everyone can enjoy it! I’ll be posting my recipes for 2 more Low Carb Super Bowl Party Snacks tomorrow morning! Enjoy!

Hoagie Dip

Use 3 of the following meats – any combination
1/4 lb. bologna
1/4 lb. salami (I use hard salami)
1/4 lb. turkey breast
1/4 lb. ham
1/4 lb. roast beef
1/4 lb. slicing pepperoni

1/4 lb. provolone cheese
1/4 lb. munster cheese (or american)
2 tomatoes
shredded lettuce
heavy mayo

Dice up all the meats, cheeses and tomatoes.

Non-low carb: Mix everything together (including lettuce) with heavy mayo and eat with italian bread cubes as a hoagie dip.

Low Carb: Mix everything but the shredded lettuce together with heavy mayo and pour on shredded lettuce for a hoagie salad ~or~ make as a dip with the lettuce and use cucumber & celery slices as scoops!

It’s recommended (if you can wait that long) to make the dip (without lettuce) the night before and let the flavors meld together. Then add the lettuce right before serving if using as a dip.

Yummmmmm!

Good luck to both Super Bowl teams!

So, I step on and I am down a total of 3.2 pounds from when I woke up on New Years Day and got on the scale to start!  Yippie!

That’s a weight (no pun intended) off my mind!  Imagine my chagrine if I’d stepped on and I’d gained weight!  Especially after starting a blog about how great low-carb is and what it’s done/doing for me!  Talk about embarrassing … but no worries.  I’m sure those posts will come – but at least not today.

I admit that I step on the scales just about every morning at the same time.  I keep track of what the scale tells me – whether I like it or not – in a small notebook I keep right by the scale.

Now that I think about it – I really should take a photo of myself now and keep it somewhere so I can show before and after.  I’ll think about it … I’m not too crazy about that idea, but I’ve always looked back after I’ve taken off the weight and wished that I had.

I’ve done low carb since 1998 – off and on. I have to admit that it’s the best food plan for me – even if I do stray every once in awhile.

Here’s a few things about low carb that I’ve discovered over the last 11 years.

• It’s NOT a meat diet. I eat more vegetables while doing low carb than I ever eat when I’ve strayed.
• Low carb is based on “real” food and not packaged convenience foods. If it comes in a box or has an ingredient I can’t pronounce or spell – I don’t buy it. Real meat – real vegetables – real dairy.
• If you are like me (female and over 40), it’s the best way to lose weight since I don’t want to starve myself and exercise every day.
• I can find something to eat in any restaurant – anywhere. You can’t tell me you don’t get to eat out while low-carb’ing … unless the reason is your will power and not the menu.
• While it’s difficult to be frugal while on low carb, it can be done. It just takes more work.
• It’s the only food plan I know of that expects you to continue using it after you reach your goal weight. Meaning … IT’S NOT A DIET that you quit when you get where you are going.
• Don’t try to force your low carb food plan into becoming a packaged food substitute of your old way of eating.
• Finding a group of people who believe the way I do helps when the going gets tough or I need help with meal planning, etc.

I’m hoping that we can have some fun with this blog! It’s intended to be a place where those that low carb as well as those who are thinking about it can read about someone who’s doing it from Day 1 of Induction and see what types of roadblocks there are out there. They exist and I’ve probably hit all of them before.

I look forward to my journey – you are welcome to tag along!