Tracey Haider-Sprague, a homeschooling mother of two, is also the Training Director for Small Beginnings, a Lay Ministry Training Organization in Seattle, Washington where she researches, writes, teaches and counsels. She, along with her entire family, began their low-carb lifestyle in April 2003.
Tracey posts as Mamasita on the Talking Low Carb Forums, where she shares her experiences, preparations, and menus for her
recent camping adventure.
She proves that no realm is impossible to take on as a dedicated
on-plan low carber. And as you'll see, by the end of her sojourn, she'd learned a few
things about herself. Thanks, Tracey... you're an inspiration for us all!
This summer, our family wanted to do more than take in an occasional movie with the kids or rent videos.
Over the last few years, Steve, my husband, would take our two boys camping and fishing, but I would have
to stay home as my father suffered a major stroke and could not be left alone. This year, a dear friend
(and fellow low-carber), offered to look in on him and warm up his meals, so that I could be with my
family and do something fun.
Our whole family has been on Atkins since late April 2003 and we have all had success. My husband has
lost 25 pounds, my son, Andrew, has lost 13, my 75 year old father has lost 20 and I've lost 19. We
were determined to stay on plan no matter what. As the date for the camping trip got closer, I began
to panic inwardly wondering, what on earth, I was going to pack for our meals? In the past, we would
slap some sandwiches together or have buns for our hot dogs and hamburgers. How could we sit around
the campfire without those decadent S'Mores and roasted marshmallows?
Steve (a wonderful man) took the job of making the menu and he and I prepped the food needed. Turns
out we had more than enough food and not once did we stray from the plan. It can be done! Now that
we've done it once, I'm going to keep a list so that next time it won't be such a brain buster.
Here is our menu:
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DAY ONE:
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DINNER:
DESSERT:- Low Carb Sugar Free Milk Chocolate Bar
(Broken into four pieces and shared)
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DAY TWO:
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BREAKFAST:- Steve's Low Carb Pancakes
- Link Sausage
- Log Cabin Sugar Free Syrup
LUNCH:- BBQ'd
Hot Dogs wrapped in Low Carb Bread
- Salad
- Berries
- Estee SF Ketchup
- Ranch Dressing
DINNER:- BBQ'd
Cheeseburgers (without bun)
- Broccoli
- Estee SF Ketchup
DESSERT:- Low
Carb Sugar Free Milk Chocolate Bar
or
- Hot Chocolate
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DAY THREE:
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BREAKFAST:
- Scrambled Eggs
- Bacon
- Atkins Muffins
LUNCH:
- Leftover BBQ'd Chicken
- Hebrew National Salami
- Cheese Slices
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Various snacks
(peanut butter, olives, nuts, berries)
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We barbequed lots of boneless chicken breasts before we left for camp. This way we only had to heat
them up, and there was very little danger of salmonella poisoning.
I also baked some Atkins muffins,
froze them in a Ziplock bag and took them in a cooler. They thawed in time for breakfast. I hard boiled
eggs, sliced up salami, celery, and cheddar cheese putting everything in baggies.
We prepared lettuce
for salads by washing and tearing up Romaine leaves and placing them in a towel lined gallon size
Ziplock bag. I bought cherry tomatoes (so we didn't have to bother slicing them for the salad.)
Steve made the dry portion of his low carb pancake recipe, keeping it separate from the oil and
Sugar Free DaVinci Vanilla syrup in a container. That way all he had to do in the morning, was mix it up
and make the pancakes.
We took a store container of strawberries with us. But be careful don't let them
drop into icy water in the cooler or they'll turn bad really fast!
We took various kinds of nuts in little packages for the kids. Around the campfire, we drank hot
chocolate made from DaVinci SF Chocolate Sauce, heavy cream, and hot water. The kids loved the hot
chocolate and I made mochas for me in the morning when my forty-year-old bones were creaking from
getting up out of my sleeping bag.
At first, as I was preparing the food and Steve was barbequing on our back patio, I was thinking
how much work it all was for just a couple of days of camping. I felt like we had to major on the
minors and think about food, food, food. I have spent my life obsessed with food in one way or
another and it seemed like here was the beginning of another obsession...
But as we camped, I had a little revelation. The food tasted good. The kids weren't begging for the
next meal. And I don't think we ever felt hungry. The work was all worth it so that we could enjoy
camping instead of cooking all the timeor worse yet... cleaning dishes constantly. Yes, take paper
plates and plastic ware!
We swam in a beautiful clear lake, hiked on a path that followed a river, and listened to my
husband play guitar around the campfire. Walking late at night, our flashlights in hand,
we went to the beach to lay on a blanket and looked up at the host of stars in a vast black sky.
We even got to see the Milky Way.
I also got a wake up call on my perspective of myself. As we prepared to go swimming, (something
I usually only do under extreme duress due to the extreme dread of being seen in a swimsuit) I
exited the tent with these familiar words, "Ugh! I am so fat!" while very quickly slipping on a
huge cotton shirt to cover up as much as possible. My two boys heard this. With horrified looks
they said, "You're not fat! You're pretty! Let's go swimming!"
They didn't care what I looked like. They were just thrilled that Mom was actually going to go in
the water with them and their Dad. Now if only I can think like that. To live and enjoy life rather
than being worried all the time about what I look like.
There is one caveat to the beauty of camping in the great outdoors... what many low-carbers
experience the late night bathroom run. It's not ideal to get up in the cold, and fumble around
in the dark when nature is calling... no... screaming in your ears. But it can be done!
I think that once I've learned how to manage this new way of living as a low-carber in many different
situations, it will continue to get easier. Then it will truly be second nature for our family.
 
 
 
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Keto Macaroni and Cheese!
Keto has reformulated their Macaroni and Cheese, bringing it up the
standards of their new spaghetti!
We've got it on special this week for
$3.59.
Click here to order.
And speaking of Atkins products, we currently have 6 flavors of Advantage Bars in stock,
and all 3 of the NEW Atkins Endulge Wafer
Crisp bars available!
Click here to order Advantage Bars.
Click here to order Atkins Endulge Wafer Crisp bars.
Low Carb Success Granola:
We have the
Low Carb Success Granola
back in stock in both flavors, "Cinnamon Nutrageous"
and "Wild Cherry Nutrageous". It makes a great treat for breakfast or a snack! And it's
on special this week for $6.99! Click here to order.
Joe Bread:
With less than 3 grams per slice, you can use Joe Bread to put variety back into your diet! Treat
yourself to a sandwich, or a nice juicy cheeseburger using Joe Bread.
It's on special
right now for $6.79 per loaf! And it is shelf-stable until you open it, so we can ship it to you inexpensively!
Order it now!
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PAGE TWO 
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