Whole30 Round #2 Results

Happy February!

I hope everyone enjoyed the Super Bowl yesterday.

I thought it was very uneventful.  Sad even.  It was like the Broncos collectively all had their worst game ever.  Like they were all drunk even.  It was weird.  Every time they showed Peyton close up you could tell from the look on his face that even he didn't know what was going on.

Like it was voodoo witch craft or something.  I was hoping for an exciting, close game so I was very disappointed to say the least.

You know what I was not disappointed in?  My Whole30.

January 31st marked my 30th day.  So that means this past Saturday was my first "normal" Saturday in this fine year of 2014.  And you know what I ate?

Rice.  Yeah, that's it.  I had some rice.  I had some yellow curry and instead of forgoing the magic grain, I decided to go crazy and eat some for dinner.  And that was the only naughty thing I ate for Saturday.  It didn't affect me that much.  I was a little more full than usual and I remember feeling sleepy (because I was so full) but other than that, it wasn't a big deal.

And then came Sunday.  And not just any Sunday.  SUPER BOWL SUNDAY.  We went to a friend's house for the big event and as you can imagine there was food everywhere.  And you know what I ate?

Some smoked pork, carrots, pea pods, broccoli, grape tomatoes, and fruit salad.  Oh yeah, I also had a small dollop of dip from the veggie tray.  And that's it.  And you know what?  I did it without thinking.  Well, that's not quite true.  I remember standing at the food table, surveying all my choices and as I looked at each food my brain automatically labeled it as a yes or no.  And then I took all the yes items.  And I did not feel like I missed out on anything. 

This is so different then my first Whole30 last year.  Do you know what I ate after I finished that Whole30?  I ate everything.  No lie.  I remember just feeling like I needed to eat everything.  I believe McDonald's and pizza rolls both played a vital role that time.

So what made this time different?  I have no idea.  It could be that I'm getting married later this year and I'm very motivated by that event.  It could be that I'm sick of feeling sick when I eat certain food.  It could also be something as simple as allowing white potatoes during my Whole30.  Or what I'm hoping it could be is that I do enjoy this lifestyle.  It's hard but I honestly do enjoy it.

All I know is that it's February and my menu for the week is very paleo indeed.  I'm definitely not sticking to the strict rules of the Whole30 because like they said in their book:
It Starts With Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways

This isn't a way to eat 365 days out of the year.  And I totally agree with that.  There is no way I could personally sustain a Whole30 for longer than 30 days.  Heck, I technically didn't even do a "real" Whole30 because of the allowance of potatoes but I don't care.  The last 30 days apparently worked for me and I'm ecstatic. 

I lost 7.4 pounds.  As for pics and measurements, those coincide more with my Drop 2 Sizes challenge so I'll post those further along.  I kind of didn't care about the physical outcome (meaning weight and measurements) with my Whole30.  I did it to get myself back on track after the holidays and I feel like I was 100% successful on that front.

So what now?

I guess I'm transitioning into a paleo/primal thing but I don't want to label it either way.  I'll continue to leave grains out for the majority of the time.  If I do eat them, you can bet they will absolutely be gluten free.  I definitely will keep refined sugar out.  There are too many great alternatives out there not to.  As far as legumes.  I'm not too diligent about that one.  I'm not a big bean or peanut butter person to begin with.  I bought sunflower butter last week and I believe that might be my replacement for the rare times I want peanut butter.  And the only time I really eat beans is with chili.   And I make that maybe once or twice a year during the cold months.  So I'm really just not going to sweat it.  And then there is dairy.  My fiance does not do well with dairy so I'll leave that out when I cook.  As for me, since he's not eating it that will pretty much mean I'm not since I cook for the both of us.  And I have no problem with that.

This week I'll have at some point: tomato soup, a big salad to which I'll add meat, beef stir fry with vegetables, apple cinnamon muffins made with almond flour and the inevitable scrambled eggs.  Man, I love some good scrambled eggs.

I also will drink my coffee with unsweetened almond milk which I like just fine.  And beef jerky will make an appearance in the snack department as will an apple or 2.


And I'll just take each day and food choice one day at a time.

Drop 2 Sizes: Week 1/ Whole30 Day 23

Happy Friday everyone!

So I went to my back guy last Friday and it was painful indeed.  But necessary painful.  Seriously, the guy is my savior.  Whatever he did put me smack dab back on the road to recovery.  As for working out, he had me wait a few days and then said I could start my program.

So I did.


Day 1:  Monday, January 20th, 2014

Let me start with some info on the program.  There are 3 phases each lasting 4 weeks.   Weeks 1-4 are Phase 1, weeks 5-8 are Phase 2, and weeks 9-12 are Phase 3.

I'm on Phase 1.


Each phase consists of a Strength 1 workout,  a Strength 2 workout, and Metabolic workout.  So as you can imagine the strength workouts are for lifting and the metabolic workout is for getting that heart rate up!  Each week you are to do 3 lifting workouts (alternating between Strength 1 and Strength 2) and 1 cardio workout. 

This week I have done both Strength 1 and Strength 2 for Phase 1.

Strength 1 workout:

equipment:  dumbbells (I used 8 pounds)

I have to admit something first.  As with any new workout DVD, I usually sit down and scrub thru it first to see what I'm getting myself into.  I want to see what the moves look like and what kind of equipment I need to get out before I start.  And as I sat watching this workout I was doubtful.  I thought it looked a little tame compared to some other stuff I have done.  However, I was surprised when I actually did the workout.  It was hard.  Full disclosure:  I haven't worked out in some time and I did take that into consideration but still, I was pleased that even though I am a little out of shape, it still packed a punch.

Anyway, the strength workouts actually come with 3 sections:  Foam Rolling, Warm-Up, and the actual Workout.  You're supposed to do all 3 combined which equals to well over an hour of workout time.  For my first day of strength training (Strength 1) I just did the Warm-up and the Workout which came in just under 60 minutes.  The workout consists of usually 3 sets of different strength moves which you do circuit style with 60 second rests in between.  And then for the last few minutes you'll do a few circuits of hard cardio (think HIIT).  And that's it.  It's really straightforward.  (Examples of moves:  squats, step-ups, shoulder presses, rows, planks, combination of any of these) Some of the moves are difficult but if you work out enough, you'll know how to modify them but some of them I just suffered thru (hello plank twisty moves, I'm talking to you).  But by the end, I was sweating, my limbs were tired, and I felt like I got in a good workout. 

Strength 2 workout:

equipment:  dumbbells (8 pounds), high step or bench

So when it was time to do Strength 2, I opted only for the Workout portion and just did a little warm-up first on my own.  The workout was around 38 minutes.  Again, it was circuit style with 60 second rests in between.  And I was pleased with this workout as well.  She does a lot of moves where you get a lot of bang for you buck.  You know, compound moves (example:  reverse lunge with a one arm row thrown in).  So while you're doing one exercise, you're usually working out quite a few areas.   Again, a good workout.

I will be doing the metabolic workout this weekend so I will check back in with my review on that.


On Day 1 I did as the program asked and took pics of myself in a "goal" outfit (jeans).  I went so far as to take pics of myself in 3 different pairs of jeans.  I put on a size 10, 12, and 14.  The 14s are what I'm currently wearing but I could stand for them to be a little loser in the thigh and waist area.  I just want as much info as possible for when it's results time.  I also took a pic of myself in a too tight workout outfit.  I figure, why not?

I also got my starting weight. 

I have 3 weeks until I am supposed to do another jeans check and then I'll take more pics and post everything for the world to see.

Now, about that Whole30.  I don't know why but this time I'm loving it.  Honestly.  And because I took my starting weight for the Drop 2 Sizes, I can tell you that I am down almost 7 pounds.  Nice, right?  But honestly, I feel amazing.  Here's the thing, I ABSOLUTELY have a problem with gluten and dairy and soy.  And wouldn't you know, when I don't eat them I feel awesome.  Especially gluten.  Gluten is enemy #1 for me.  Yet, it still shocks me how good I feel when I don't eat them.  And then what baffles me more is when I convince myself that it's ok to indulge in them and then am completely beside myself when I start feeling horrific.  The only explanation I can come up with as to why I do that is I'm insane.  So even though my 30 days is up in a week, I'm going to continue to do my best to keep them out.  I'm looking at you gluten.   I don't want to put a label on how I'll be eating.  I just know there will be certain things that will NOT be consumed by yours truly.   

As for my Whole30 results when the time comes:  I'm a little disappointed in myself because my "data" for my Whole30 is all sorts of messed up.  When I started I couldn't find my "official" measuring tape so I used a really old one that I've had forever.  I ended up finding my "official" tape but now I cannot find the other one anywhere.  And the one I used to take my measurements is so off from my "official" tape it makes my starting measurements obsolete.  And on top of that, I forgot to take starting photos.  Just completely slipped my mind.  Oh well.

That's enough rambling for today.

Carry on.

Drop 2 Sizes: Week 1

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season.  I sure did.  I took some time off of work, hung out with friends, opened some presents, talked with family, and did a lot of nothing.

It was a good time.

But, like I promised.  I'm beginning the Drop 2 Sizes DVD/book program today.

Here's the short of it:

It's a 12 week program that aims at just getting you to lose 2 jeans sizes.  There's no focus on scale weight at all.  In fact, the author, Rachel Cosgrove, suggests you not even look at the scale which I'm going to try to do!

It's 3 days of strength training and at least 1 day of metabolic training per week with lots of healthy eating.  The book has daily menus that you can either follow or use as a guide.  It's nothing too out of the ordinary.  (I'll be using the daily menus as a guide because I also committed to another Whole30 during the first 30 days.  So it's Day #1 for both.  Just thought I'd sneak that bit of info in there ;)

Whether you follow the diet provided to a "T" is up to you.  But remember, food choice is important.  There's no doubt about that.  And the author suggests following her protocol 90% of the time in order to see results.

What is protocol you ask?

Here are the rules:
1.  Eat breakfast FIRST THING, then every 3-4 hours.
2.  Eat a high quality protein with each meal.
3.  WHOLE FOODS.  No processed food.
4.  Drink your water folks.  She recommends 64oz.
5.  Take a multi-vitamin, omega 3, and vitamin D supplement.
6.  Drink a recovery shake before, during, or after your workout.
7.  TWO servings of vegetables at each meal.
8.  Do this 90% of the time.

Seems pretty straight forward right?

So here we are at Week #1/Day #1 and the book suggests we focus on mind-set this week.  So, I will be trying to keep all the negative thoughts out of my head for this week.  You know, not saying things like "I can't".  Seems like such a small thing but I've read good research that indicates it's pretty powerful stuff.  So, worth a try in my book.

Today is also my first "jeans check".  That means tonight, I'll be slipping on my pair of GOAL jeans and taking a lovely picture.  (These checks are scheduled every 3 weeks).   I'll also be taking my official starting measurements. 

And then finally, tonight is my first workout.  I'm a little apprehensive.  Only because it has honestly been some time since I've done a proper strength training workout and I'm pretty sure my muscles are going to be aching tomorrow!!  Oh the joy :)

Today's Menu:
B:  breakfast casserole (eggs, bacon, vegetables, more vegetables, a little more vegetables and some coconut milk)
S:  almonds
L:  roasted butternut squash soup
D:  roasted ham, broccoli, and green beans
R:  recovery drink (pea rice protein, almond milk, frozen fruit) - probably be having this during or after my workout.

Whole30: Days 22 - 28 and Final Thoughts

Today is Day #29.

ONE MORE DAY TO GO.

This last week has been the hardest.  I went from feeling amazing to feeling like I'm crawling thru mud.  It's completely due to me not eating enough.  Don't worry - that is all explained in the novel that is below.

But first -

What I ate:

Breakfast:

egg casserole:  spinach, mushroom, onion, sausage, coconut milk (I generally made a variation of a breakfast casserole for each week)

Lunch/Dinner: 

chicken pot pie soup:  chicken, coconut milk, mushroom, peas, carrots, red pepper, onion, garlic, shallots, chicken broth

sirloin steak with mushroom gravy and sweet potato fries

bacon, lettuce and tomato wraps (in lettuce)

plain old scrambled eggs

salad, raw vegetables, chicken, oil and vinegar

apples (BONUS:  apples taste like candy to me now.  CANDY!)


And while I haven't officially completed my Whole30, I'm going to go ahead and give my thoughts on this whole process.

I'll be honest, it was both good and bad.  For me, it was a seesaw of good and bad.  Some days the bad outweighed the good.  And some days it was worth it.  And honestly, it still changes from day to day. 

I'll go over the good first:

1.  How can eating wholesome foods be bad?  Short answer:  it can't.  So 30 days of eating a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts and grassfed meat was pretty awesome.

2.  You get a sort of pride when you eat healthfully.  And when you're doing it 100% of the time for THIRTY days.  Well, they should make a t-shirt for that because I think it's an amazing accomplishment.

3.  In an effort to mix up my menu, I turned to foods I never have cooked before.  Trying new vegetables is always a plus in my book.  I tried kale, parsnips, and turnips to name a few.  Some were more successful than others.

4.  I learned a few things about my eating habits and how I can tweak my pre-Whole30 diet to be a little better.

5.  Consciously cutting out sugar is a good idea.  When you're mindful about not using it, you find that it's really not that big of a deal and you're really better off eating less of it.

6.  My body shrunk.

And now, the bad:

1.  It was, of course, hard. 

2.  I didn't feel I actually needed to do it once it was underway.  In January of this year, I did my elimination diet and this was basically the same thing.  EXCEPT, I only took out gluten.  This took out the entire grains category.  I already know I have problems with gluten, dairy, soy, and a little bit with corn (it makes me have crazy cravings).  And after I learned all of my new food limitations I was already eating with those in mind.  I rarely ate out, got fast food, or ate anything processed.  I had been doing that for 6+ months and I had such a handle on it, this just felt redundant to me.

3.  I felt deprived.  Mainly because of #2.  I already had my food problems identified and I knew how to manage them and eat around them.  I read the book, I understood their reasons for taking out certain foods, but once I got about 3 weeks in, I really, REALLY felt like I didn't fully agree this process was right for me.  I do agree that if I had been an individual who had been eating a Standard American Diet then this shock would be necessary, but I'm not that person.

4.  If I didn't know how to cook and didn't have my previously learned knowledge about cooking dairy free and gluten free especially, I would have been screwed.  I get why people quit.  You HAVE to get creative to keep things interesting.  Unless you're the type of person who likes to eat just a protein and veggie (and believe it or not some do), you'll get bored and you'll get cranky.  Quick.

5.  I also didn't agree with the not using Whole30 approved foods to make fan favorite dishes (you know, dessert, pizza, pancakes etc.).  I feel the best thing I learned from my first elimination diet was just this.  I taught myself how to make dishes that were "normal".  In fact, I tried hard to modify my favorite dishes to keep them in the rotation.   I often felt like an "outcast" because I couldn't eat normal foods.  When people invited me over, I was happy I could bring something that looked and tasted normal - and little did they know it fit into the strict confines of my diet.  Furthermore, this one thing is mainly the reason I have continued eating this way this whole year.  If I want pizza, I have a great grain free crust that really hits the spot.  It has 3 ingredients in it.  And I top it with the best ingredients I can find.  If I hadn't taught myself how to do this, I would rely on getting a gluten free pizza from a restaurant.  And just because something is gluten free does NOT mean it's healthier.  I'm sure it's laden with soybean oil, processed cheese, and all kinds of other not good stuff.

6.  I did not eat enough.  Plain and simple.  This happened to both myself and my boyfriend.  I don't know the science behind it but the last week my energy dropped like a brick.  And I realized, I wasn't averaging enough calories to even have my body function normally.  This is actually both good and bad.  It's good because it shows you how hard it is to overeat on wholesome foods.  They are so filling and much lower in calories than say, a Big Mac.  But at the same time, it was bad because I found it hard to eat ENOUGH calories to even get me through my workouts.  I'll admit this last point is driven by the deprivation I was feeling.  I'm sure I could have stuffed my face with anything to get my calories up, but the bad thing was I didn't want to eat.  At all.  I just started to hate eating food.

and lastly ....

7.  I think it sets you up for a binge.  Especially because of reason #5.  I'm actually afraid of this.  I went to the forums to see how many people were dealing with this and guess what, there are TONS of posts about being afraid.  And rightly so.  Never before this year have I wanted to just throw caution to the wind and eat ... well ... everything.  I've written before about how this year I've had such a handle on my eating.  I don't feel that way right now.  I feel like if I allowed myself, I could have 2 weeks solid of just eating.  I've already made a firm plan for the upcoming weekend to help me with this.  I'm allowing myself pizza.  It's the one thing I think both of us really want so on Saturday (we finish tomorrow) we're having pizza.  And yes, we're both afraid that it'll be like opening up pandora's box.  However, we've agreed that no matter what happens, come Monday, we're starting back up again with our healthy eating habits. 

CONCLUSION: 

While it appears I had mostly negative things to say about this I'm happy I did it, although I probably won't be doing it ever again (as written).  But I've been wanting to do it and I did it.  And most importantly, I finished.  So of course that makes me happy.  I also learned a lot about how my body reacts to certain foods.  What keeps me full longer and what doesn't.  I learned about some new veggies which is awesome.  On the down side, I kind of feel like I messed with a good thing.  I was in a great place with my eating, weight loss and such.  I had a handle on my cravings, on my food choices and my overall relationship with food.  This was truly a learning experience.  And in case you're wondering, yes, I would recommend people try it out.  It may be the thing for you.  And again I would like to stress, while at times it seemed it wasn't for me, I never would have known unless I tried it.  Such a weird thing isn't it?  I'm spouting that It made me unhappy but I'm supremely happy I did it and made it all the way through despite my personal findings.  See what I mean?  Seesaw.

I said I wouldn't be doing this again but only not as written.  I have tried to read up on grains and there is validity to what they say about grains but I've also read the counterarguments.  I, personally, don't think wheat is ever a good idea but there are other whole grains out there that I wouldn't be opposed to eating on occasion (basically rice).  Cutting out gluten permanently for me was honestly not a big deal.  The beans argument also isn't a big one for me.  I actually rarely eat them, however, I won't purposefully not eat something tasty and healthy if it has beans in them.  And dairy.  I don't eat it every day or even once a week.  It's one of those once in awhile things for me and it will continue to be that way for me.  And alcohol, again, I'm not a big drinker but every now and then I like to have a hard apple cider or a glass of wine.  And finally sugar.  There is no argument from me.  Sugar is not good and I definitely will try my best to keep it out as much as possible and choose my battles when it comes to indulging.  As far as processed ingredients, they have been out and will stay out!

So there you have it. 

Again, I encourage everyone to give it a try.  And if you need ideas for recipes give me a shout.  I have a ton.

Also I'll post my before/after pics and measurements once I'm officially done.  Also I have some thoughts on the weight loss aspect of this program because I feel like most people do it for that ;)

Today's Menu:
B:  egg casserole:  spinach, mushroom, onion, sausage, coconut milk
L:  chicken pot pie soup:  chicken, coconut milk, mushroom, peas, carrots, red pepper, onion, garlic, shallots, chicken broth
D:  maybe some sashimi!

Whole30: Days 15 - 21

According to the timeline, the tiger blood feeling is supposed to come at Day 16. 

What is tiger blood?  Well, the best I can figure, it just means you feel like you are awesome.  Like nothing can touch you.

It didn't come at Day 16 for me, but they clearly also tell you that your miles may vary.

I believe I got my tiger blood transfusion Monday (Day 21).  And I waited thru Tuesday to confirm that the transformation was complete.  Seriously, it hit me like a ton of bricks.  Well, a ton of good bricks.  I had more energy than I knew what to do with, food thoughts were a thing of the past, and I felt like I could wrestle a bear and win.

And that's really all I have to report about this last week.  What's funny is all of that anger I had, all the pining for conventional food seems like months ago.  My brain now can't seem to grasp why I ever would have those feelings or cravings.

I've said it before and I'll say it again ...

Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't look around once in awhile...

Wait, no.  That's something else. 

What I was meant to say is that the human body and brain are AMAZING.  And what's crazy to me is how much food can affect both of those systems.

Before I started these 30 days, I scoured forums and blogs to find information about this part of the phase.  I wanted to know exactly what I could do to get to this point.  And fast.  Nobody wants to suffer through the ugly to get to the good.  However, everything I found written said kind of the same thing.  It was days and days of the bad or the uncomfortable and then BOOM.  The good.  I was looking for some sort of transition and I couldn't find it.  Now I know why.

There is no transition folks.  It just happens.  And it may happen for you on Day 12, Day 16, Day 21, even Day 30 or later.   So basically, you'll eat these foods, you probably will have some food grumpies, you'll feel like giving up, then BOOM.  The end.  You feel great and it's all worth it.

That's all I have to say about that.

Food:

Breakfast:

parsnip casserole:  parsnips, sugar free bacon, coconut milk, seasonings

apples and almonds

veggie scramble:  eggs, vegetables of choice

Lunch/Dinner:

chili:  ground beef, yellow/orange/green peppers, onions, tomatoes, seasonings

baked drumsticks, green beans, cole slaw (broccoli slaw, mayo, vinegar) and deviled eggs

eggs and bacon

sashimi:  salmon, tuna

steak and eggs with tomato slices

Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 45

Another week. Another weigh in.

I am -2.8 pounds for the week.

Things I've learned this week:

1.  The human body is amazing.  As is the brain.
2.  The Whole30 is really hard.
3.  My dog sleeps an awful lot.

#1 is a 2-parter.

First the body:

I've been going to physical therapy the past couple of weeks.  Since March, I've had what, at times, feels like a debilitating pain in my hips and pelvic bones.  Well, I know now that is where the pain was coming from but it took 2 specialists, 2 medical guesses, and months of online research from yours truly to find the right person who could point me in the right direction.  Anyway, I went yesterday and she had to put my pelvic bones back into place.  Seriously.  This is why I say the human body is amazing.  I mean, yeah, it can do that whole Wolverine healing thing, but have one tiny little thing out of place and it feels like you're dying.  She had to rotate and pull my hips back into alignment.  Yes, this was as painful as you'd think.  However, the moment she was done, I immediately noticed that pain was gone.  And not just pain in my hips, back pain, and neck pain too.  However, it will take daily exercises and me keeping my hips in place to keep the pain away.

Now the brain:

That sucker is one powerful thing.  It doesn't matter how strong you are physically, the brain is always stronger.

Which leads me to #2.

The brain is why the Whole30 is hard.  As you know, I've been doing my Whole30.  Today is Day #18 and I'm still going strong with keeping to the rules.  But it's not easy.  My brain is rebelling.  I'm starting to think I know what addicts feel like.  And it's sugar.  I'm positive it's the sugar.  My brain is telling me that I want it.  And it's telling me I want it like I've never wanted it before in the form of foods I've never really wanted before.  I feel like a 2 year old.  I've told myself "No, you can't have it" - therefore, that's all I want.  Honestly, it's the most annoying feeling on earth.  It's not painful or anything.  It's just this mind numbing thought that sits there in the forefront of my mind on a daily basis.  And it won't go away.  Or at least it feels like it won't go away.  Now, I'm not trying to deter anybody from trying a Whole30 or from a leading healthier life, I'm just telling you how my week has been.  From what I've read online in forums, this feeling takes some time to go away.  And it's this feeling that makes or breaks someone during these 30 days.  Don't worry, it's not going to break me.  It's just really freaking annoying.

And #3.

My dog.  Seriously, it's like all day every day.

And that's what I've learned this week.  For some positive notes on these things, my physical therapy, while painful, is helping.  More than anything it offered me mental relief to know what was going on with me.  The Whole30, while also painful, is providing some serious results in both myself and my boyfriend.  My body shape is changing in a good way.  I put on a bathing suit last night to see if I could notice anything and I was very pleased with myself.  It looked like I had been crazy working out (hint:  I haven't).  I wasn't all muscular or anything I just looked more toned if that's possible.   I won't even get started on my boyfriend.  It's like every day his body is changing.  Like turning into hot guy on the beach changing.  Yes, I hate him for it.  I hate all males for that ability.  But I'm happy for him because he works really, really hard.  He works out hard, he eats what I make him and he is committed to do this with me because I need the support.  Also, it's motivating.  And finally, my dog.  I don't care if she sleeps.  She's the light of my life.

What I did this week:

1.  I earned about 3 AP.  I made my house sitting plan and I tried to follow it.  I just was not prepared for the lack of sleep that I was getting.  My last night there, I was so determined to workout that I got in my one (and only) workout.  It was a GREAT workout but I was in so much pain the next day at work.  Not muscle pain but pain from the sleep deprivation.  That workout was Wednesday night.  I got home Thursday, went to bed as early as possible and here we are.  I gave myself permission to take today off as well because I feel like I need it.  Seriously, if I agree to house sit for them again someone hit me in my head.  I was miserable the whole time.  Maybe that's why I found my cravings extra hard this week.  Makes sense.

2.  I ate 187 points plus.  Again, off my pace of 200 points for the week but I ate until I was full every time.  I promise.

3.  Water.  Still good here.  The key is to take my "sippy cup" with me everywhere.  I forgot it when I went to house sit and so my first day there I couldn't figure out why I felt so bad.  It was because I hadn't had enough water.  I promptly corrected it.  I never thought I would get to a point where I love my water.  Apparently it's happened.

4.  What I ate:  sticking hard and fast to the Whole30 rules.  I eat meats, vegetables (no white potatoes), no sugar of any kind (or artificial substitute), and fruit.  I made a vegetable quiche like thing for breakfast.  A wonderful vegetable soup with ground beef.  Had some sashimi (I do miss regular sushi).  Eggs and bacon made an appearance and so did some watermelon.  Here's the thing, I might be having a hard time with my brain telling me I want sugar, but the food I'm eating is super good.  And while I'm eating it, I'm enjoying every moment immensely.  It's just in those "quiet times" that it gets tough.

And that's it for this week.

Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!

Whole30: Days 8 - 14

I am officially halfway thru my Whole30 as today is Day #16.

Well, this past week both my boyfriend (who is doing this with me) and I had some pretty interesting conversations regarding our Whole30s.

We got angry.

Yup.

Angry.

The first week I had my cravings for a Milky Way - they weren't super fun but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.

Enter the second week.

According to the Whole30 timeline, days 8-15 are the moments of: "Boundless energy! Now give me a damn Twinkie"

I've read this timeline many times hoping to gain some insight into what I should expect and while I had this info beforehand I still had no idea why I was so angry.

We were angry because we wanted to eat ... whatever.  We wanted anything that we couldn't have.  My boyfriend just kept saying, "I just want to put slices of bread into my mouth".  We kept talking about quitting just so we could have some random food.  We didn't have any dreams about food but rather very serious conversations about food.  Very serious, angry conversations.

Actually if you were a fly on the wall I'm sure these conversations would have been hilarious.  It's like we were fighting with ourselves for agreeing to do this 30 days.

Then I woke up yesterday (Day 15) and everything was a little calmer.  I didn't feel so angry.  I wasn't completely calm, there was still a little wave of something under there.  But it was nice not to start yelling at him about how unfair life was.  We also started to notice body changes.  My boyfriend just commented yesterday about how he "hasn't been this skinny since high school".  Seriously folks, he started out looking pretty good but now he's got muscles starting to ripple everywhere.  Especially the abs.  I'm actually excited to see what he will look like at the 30 day mark.  I'm gonna be one lucky lady.  As for me, I'm definitely changing but I can't really tell where as I started out more fluffy than he did.  Definitely the stomach area - the poof has shrunken.  I guess the waist in general feels smaller.  When I put my hands on my hips yesterday I noticed that it felt different (in a good way).  My face looks slimmer as well.

Then I woke up today.  And, thank God, today is also better.  It's like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's no big deal getting there.  Like seriously, I don't see any problem whatsoever getting to day 30.  In fact, I'm looking forward to the future now that I have some info about what works for me and what doesn't.  You know what works for me?  This way of eating.  My digestion is phenomenal.  I don't really remember any moment in my adult life when I have ever said that.  Also I'd like to think my energy is up but I really can't tell yet.  I've been house-sitting for a friend since Saturday and I haven't really slept yet.  I don't EVER sleep when I'm there because he has 2 dogs that like to bark constantly.  I mean constantly.  Giant dogs that bark like there is an intruder so every night it just jerks you awake because it's that scary kind of bark like something is wrong.  And when I say all night, I mean all night.  I did not want to house sit for him.  I said no so many times because  I knew this was going to happen.  But he persisted and won.  Sigh.  Anyway, another thing I love about life right now is that I'm never starving.  I'm never desperate for food.  I was also this way eating how I ate pre-Whole30 (gluten free, dairy free, soy free with whole foods).  It's one of my most favorite things about going the whole foods route.  Without the processed stuff, you really just feel satisfied and in control of your food choices.

Now, even with all these wonderful things, do I think it's possible to eat this way every day forever?  No.  Perfection is not possible (no matter what type of diet you have) but eating this way the vast majority of the time?  Absolutely.  But only because I like cooking and I'm creative and pretty good at it.  I only say that because, personally, I get really bored with food.  I need variety in order to stay interested.

What have I been eating?

Breakfast:

Paleo breakfast casserole: sausage, onion, eggs, coconut milk (canned), sweet potato

Lunches/Dinner:

Tomato Bisque Soup:  tomatoes, onion, carrot, celery, homemade chicken broth, coconut milk (canned)

Hamburger Mushroom Stroganoff:  grass-fed hamburger, mushrooms, coconut milk, seasonings served with cauliflower rice

Filet Mignon with mashed sweet potatoes, grilled onions and grilled asparagus

Eggs and Bacon

Spinach Salad with clementine slices, carrots and apple cider dressing

Amongst other things ...

Next time we meet, I'll be done with week 3!

Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 44

It's that special, precious time again.

It's Friday.

Man I love Friday.

So lets kick off this post with the weigh-in.

Drumroll please ....

Weigh-In: +0.8

Oh fluctuation weight loss how I love thee.  I feel amazing today ladies and gentlemen.  My clothes are hanging just a tad, I woke up pretty easy today, and I feel like I am going to have a kick-ass weekend.

Good times.

What I Did:

1.  I earned about 12 AP.  I did four of my Jillian Michaels workouts (my workout week started Saturday the 13th so I still have one workout to go for "the week")  They were:  30 Day Shred, Ripped in 30, No More Trouble Zones, and 6 week Six Pack.  Tonight will be my fifth workout and it will be Banish Fat Boost Metabolism.  Haven't done this one before so I'm excited!

2.  I ate 199 points plus.  (note:  I never eat my AP or even account for them online.)  I usually shoot for around 205-210 so I was under for the week but I wasn't hungry.  Everything I've been eating has been so filling.  I don't know if this is a good or bad thing yet.

3.  I still am doing well with my water.  In fact, I feel worse when I don't drink enough!  You know what that is?  That's called progress.

4.  What did I eat?  I'm still doing my Whole30 and today is day 11 - so I'm still sticking to proteins, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and healthy oils.  If you check out my Whole30 update you'll see specifically some of the stuff I've been eating.  But so far this week I've made:  tomato soup, hamburger mushroom stroganoff, and a really awesome breakfast casserole.  And I've been indulging in apples, watermelon, baby carrots, almonds and sunflower seeds.  I can say that YES I do have moments where I would like to eat candy or even just a side of rice but all in all, it's not too bad.  The feeling crazy good part is a pretty nice reward to sticking with it.

This weekend is going to be yet another challenging experience.  Starting Saturday, I've agreed to house sit for a friend who lives on the other side of Los Angeles.   It's always hard not to be in my own home w/ my own kitchen and have all my lovely cooking utensils and appliances but I'll manage.  I'll just adjust my menu to not require any super fancy kitchen stuff.  

I also have to account for working out over there since I'll be there for the next 5 days.  Thankfully Jillian doesn't require much in terms of equipment so I'll just grab my yoga mat and some dumbbells and be done with it.  If I have time tonight, I'm going to rip all of my DVDs onto my ipad - that will save me having to lug my laptop around as well.

And the silver lining in this house-sitting debacle, they have a washer and dryer in their home.  I am not fortunate to have one in my apartment, so I will be fully enjoying the luxury whilst I'm there.

And that's it for me.

I hope you all have a fun filled weekend.  I plan on hitting the beach, doing some laundry, cooking up some awesome food, working out, and hopefully some relaxing.

Coming up:
I still haven't posted my starting pics and measurements so that's coming soon.  I think I will do it at the 3 week (or so) mark so I can put up some comparison photos and numbers too.  These days the numbers on the scale don't get me nearly as excited as the numbers on my tape measure going down so here's hoping.
 

Whole30: Staying the Course AND Serving my Country

I had my first challenging day with my Whole30 yesterday.

I had jury duty.

Ugh.

This is my first time ever being called for jury duty. 

I would not mind doing jury duty at all except my employer does not pay me for doing my civic duty.  And the average trial in Los Angeles is 5 to 7 business days.

Yeah, that would be 5 to 7 days of work that I would just not get magically paid for.  I could use my vacation time for this but 1.  who REALLY wants to use their precious vacation time for something stressful like jury duty and 2.  I have already paid for a vacation that is happening in September which will use up what vacation I have left.  

I don't know about any of you but that's a lot of money to just give away.  And the $15 a day that Los Angeles provides (starting on the second day natch) doesn't really cover much. 

But I digress.  This is NOT a post about the injustice of my employer (or probably most employers) not paying me for jury duty.  Wait, one more complaint.  Government employees give unlimited days of jury duty paid.  UNLIMITED.  They should just be required to cover all jury duty requirements.  End complaint.

This is a post about what to do when life throws you a curveball.

So I had jury duty yesterday.  And since I've never served before, I had no idea how I was going to survive food wise.  So instead of hoping that things would swing my way, I planned on having to provide for myself.

So what did I do?

I PLANNED!

I pretty much knew I would NOT have access to a kitchen so anything I took had to be good sitting in my purse.  And since I was using public transportation to get to the courthouse, I had to make sure it wasn't too bulky.

I knew I couldn't take full meals but snacks were completely doable.  I figured if all else failed, I would eat my snacks and just wait til I got home to eat a big meal.

And that's what I did.

I packed an apple, 2 larabars, a bag of baby carrots, almonds and a bottle of water.

When I got there, I found a cafe right outside of the jury assembly room.  So, I went in there during one of our breaks and I kid you not, not a single thing in there was compliant.  Actually not a single thing in there was even healthy.  It was bags of candy, bags of chips, sodas, pizza, hotdogs, nachos ... you get the picture.  It was like a little gas station in there. 

I also checked out the menu for the cafeteria in the courthouse and again, nothing.  If I wanted an iceberg lettuce salad with tomato only maybe I could have found that but otherwise, everything was a no go. 

Now, we DID get an hour and a half for lunch, and downtown Los Angeles has great restaurants within walking distance, so in all fairness, I'm sure I COULD have ventured out and found something.  But I'm so glad I packed my snacks.  I ended up only needing the apple and one larabar.

I'll be honest, I was SO STRESSED about getting picked for a panel and losing my pay that I wasn't really that hungry. 

And while it was one the longest, most stressful days I've had in awhile.  I managed to make it thru 9 hours and not get called.

Service done!

Today's Menu:
B:  paleo casserole:  eggs, sausage, onions, sweet potato, coconut milk
L:  tomato soup, almonds, apple
D:  mushroom stroganoff, cauliflower rice

Whole30: Days 1 - 7

Today is Day #8 for my Whole30.

What can I say? 

So far so good.  I don't want to jump the gun here but it honestly hasn't been that bad.  I have obviously had some cravings.  I'd imagine that everyone who tries this has them.  But it hasn't been anything I haven't been able to handle.  I do tend to text my boyfriend some days - and the text will consist of 2 words.

Milky Way.

My cravings are still for that elusive, mysterious Milky Way. 

But other than that candy bar, I haven't really been dying to eat anything.


The weeks before I began, I took the time to prepare.  I talked to my boyfriend about potential meals, things he would want, things I would want, things that I would need to take the time to learn how to cook.  I had menus scribbled down for moments of inspiration and recipes galore waiting in my email.  I already had the dairy/gluten free cooking thing down so everything else seemed to fall in place.

The day before I began, I did a ton of grocery shopping and cooking.  Actually, it's what I usually do every weekend.  On a typical week, we go shopping around midnight (yes, midnight) on Friday night to get the bulk of our groceries.  That way on Saturday and Sunday it's just running to get the smaller items that are in specialty stores.  And then on Sunday, I cook.  If he can help me he does (he's a whiz at chopping) but usually I just take a few hours out of my day and cook away.  And the best part?  Since I cook, he cleans.  Can't beat that deal.

I then package everything.  We have a his and hers side of the fridge.  That way, come Monday when I'm rushing to get to work, I just go to my side and grab something and I'm good for breakfast and lunch.  And when I get home, dinner is waiting.  When I cook a meal I tend to make sure it'll last for at least 2 meals a piece.  Doing this really helps cut down on cost.  I don't know how some people can afford to cook a new meal every single day. 

Since we don't eat any of our meals together Monday thru Friday (completely opposite work schedules), it works for us.  He can eat whatever he wants, in whatever amounts he wants.  If he wants to supplement food, he goes to the grocery store and buys fruits and veggies to cook on his own. 

And then usually on Wednesday after work, I'll cook an additional meal that usually satisfies both lunch and dinner to pad the food we already have to get us to the weekend.  I really like to limit the amount of time that is spent cooking because lets be real, every meal needs to be prepared in the kitchen to make sure you're following the guidelines.  Again, I've been doing this for the both of us since January of this year so I'd like to think I've got it down pat.

What also helps is that back in May, I started ordering meat from U.S. Wellness.  I wanted us to start eating the majority of our protein from grassfed/finished sources regardless, so that was just kind of a lucky stroke since they also offer Whole30 approved bacon and other sugar free meat options.  To be honest, these items are really, really hard to find in grocery stores.  And after cost comparison shopping for these items at grocery stores, the prices really do stack up well. 

So that's how this whole gambit is running in my household. 

I started my exercise regime last Saturday (the 13th) and haven't had any problems with stamina or anything.  Actually, I didn't even really give it a thought.  I also took my measurements and before pictures on that day.  And as far as weight goes, I'm breaking the rules and weighing myself.  And so far, I have nothing out of the ordinary to report.  I've held steady everyday and am in an increase right now due to my upcoming time of the month.  My clothes also are holding steady. 

But lets talk about how I feel for a second.  Oh, I'd say I feel pretty good.  Like really good.  I'm not ready to go out and fight a bull or anything.  But I think something can be said for when you eat wholesome foods.  It just gives you an all around good feeling. 

Now for what I need to work on:  I need to get more sleep.  I know I'm supposed to be logging the hours while doing this but I'm not quite there yet.  I'm going to do my best this week to set my bedtime earlier and stick with it.  I'm going to try for 11pm.  That will give me 8 hours of shut eye. 

And now for what we ate:

Week #1:

Breakfasts:

Quiche Muffins:  onion, tomato, mushrooms, sausage

Sweet Potato Hash:  onion, yellow pepper, orange pepper, sausage, sweet potatoes

Lunches/Dinners:

Creamy Chicken and Artichoke Soup:  chicken, artichoke, red pepper, onion, carrot, celery, onion, coconut milk (canned)

Balsamic Marinated Skirt Steak:  (marinade = balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary) + sauteed zucchini and mushrooms

Pan Fried Salmon and Peach Salsa:  salsa = peach, tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, apple cider vinegar, cucumber

Grass Fed Hamburger Patty:  on grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and side salad with balsamic


And that's it so far.  7 Days down, 23 to go.  Next thing you know, I'm going to be halfway there!

Today's Menu:
B:  paleo casserole:  sweet potatoes, eggs, coconut milk, sausage, caramelized onions
L:  beef medallions, portabello mushrooms, peppers, on spinach salad
D:  hamburger mushroom stroganoff, cauliflower rice

Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 43

Happy Friday everyone!!

I trust everyone had a fantastic week.  Since I had the day off of work on Monday I had a short work week therefor my week was very awesome.

Now lets get down to business - since I did not weigh in last Friday my report today will be the difference between week 41 and today.

Drum-roll please ....

Weigh In:  -0.6 pounds

hoorah!!

The last we met, I had mentioned a sneak peek at my scale revealed a larger than usual gain.  And I believe the number I reported was 7 pounds.  Well look at what I did with some crazy clean eating.  I was able to offset my awesome holiday weekend bloat AND edge in a loss for the week!  

What did I do exactly?

Lets take a look shall we?

1.  I earned 0.5 AP.  :)  I did that one 5 minute workout over the holiday weekend.  Don't worry.  I have a big exercise post coming up either tonight or tomorrow.

2.  I don't know my total points for the week because I did not track Friday thru Monday.  However, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I ate around 26-28 points per day.

3.  My water started slipping just a bit but I picked it up by the end of the week. 

4.  What did I eat?  Well starting July 4th  and thru the weekend, I loosened my reigns and splurged a little.  Or maybe a lot would be a better word for it.  Yes, I'm definitely going with a lot.  I ate out at restaurants, I ate at barbecues, I had plenty of cocktails.  Some of the food was what I usually eat, however, MOST of it was not.   A few examples:  I had doritos, Baskin Robbins ice cream, and candy bars at the movie theater!! I even had fast food for the first time this year during that time frame.  I had a Big Mac and guess what?  While I was eating it I made note to my boyfriend that while it was REALLY good, I didn't think it was THAT much better than the version I created.  I was pretty happy about that discovery.  That being said, McDonald's french fries are awesome and I bow to their greatness.  (Sidenote:  This fast food item was the LAST thing I ate before I took that "sneak peek" at the scale and that's why I was not too shocked to see that 7 pound swing - - hello sodium bloat!).  The bad food pretty much made up my menu Friday - Monday.  Then I started my Whole30 Tuesday.  And then I made:  pan fried salmon with peach salsa, balsamic marinated skirt steak with zucchini and mushrooms, creamy chicken and artichoke soup (this was my version of the one served at the Cheesecake Factory - just a tip:  if you ever go to Cheesecake Factory and the soup of the day is their chicken and artichoke soup, get it.  you won't regret it).  My version is dairy free, sugar free, and grain free to meet my Whole30 requirements - and STILL was so amazing.  The boyfriend even made it his #1 favorite soup that I've made thus far.  :)  What else?  I also made a sweet potato hash with italian sausage and quiche muffins.  All of my dishes complied with my Whole30 rules and were pretty awesome.

 So a pretty good week.

I'm still on my Whole30.  Today is day #4.  I've had a few sugar cravings but nothing I can't handle.  Really the only thing I keep thinking about are Milky Way candy bars.  Which is odd because I don't really eat them.  Ever.

Have a great weekend!!

Today's Menu:
B: sweet potato hash + italian sausage
L: chicken and artichoke soup
D: balsamic steak + zucchini + mushrooms + apple (for dessert)

Vacation Plan Part 1: My Whole30

I haven't done one of these in awhile.

Behold!

My Vacation Plan.  And this one is so fancy it's a two-parter :)

Now that I'm off of my "time off" and I'm feeling both great and gross (great because I took a break and gross because, well, I took a break), it's time.

It's time to shift things into high gear because I have a vacation looming in 8 short weeks.

This year my boyfriend and I are traveling back east to go on a beach vacation with some members of my family.  And since it's a beach vacation, we want to try to look our best.  Simple enough right?  It's not my MAIN reason for wanting to lose weight it's just what I like to call a kicker.  Just a little something in the not too distant future to give you motivation to gear up for whatever challenge you have in mind.  You know, something to "kick" things into motion.

I like to think there are 2 main components to being healthy, getting in shape, looking good, losing weight - whatever you want to call it.  Eating healthy and exercising.  So today's portion of the vacation plan is going to center around what I believe to be the most important aspect of weight loss.  Well, not just weight loss but in overall health.

FOOD.

I truly believe food is 80% of the equation of weight loss.  Hell, I'd even agree that number could be even higher.

It's no secret that I think eating whole foods is the way to go.  I've spent this whole year trying to eat only whole foods and heal my gut of some food intolerances I've discovered.  I've actually been quite successful on that front.  For instance, gluten no longer has an immediate detrimental effect on me.  When I say immediate, I mean like in 20 minutes after exposure.  Now it's more like 12 hours.  Oh the effect is still detrimental, but still, it's progress and I'm very happy about it.  It actually has opened up my social life quite a bit.  I used to be scared to go to a restaurant with friends due to the fear of something sneaking into my meal.  Now I feel a little more confident.  Dairy also has gotten better.  I can have it on occasion and within reason.  Soy is still weird.  I think it's more of an allergy but only in certain forms.  I haven't narrowed this one down completely.  I'm not sure I ever will unless I get tested.  I'm not too concerned because I don't eat that much soy anyways.  I really try to stay away from all that GMO madness. 


That all being said, this past 4th of July weekend, my diet managed to include ALL of those things.  I was able to eat them but not without side effects which included:  insidious weight gain, bloating, indigestion, brain fog, gastrointestinal effects, and mild depression.

Yes, gluten actually makes me feel really really bad about myself.  Weird right?  Sometimes I don't even believe that it happens but trust me, it does.

THAT is why I think food is so important.  If food can cause all of those crazy side effects imagine what can happen when you nourish yourself with nothing but the BEST of food.

Which brings me to my Vacation Plan Part 1:  My Whole30.

What's a Whole30?  A very, very short explanation is this:  certain foods can make you feel bad and you shouldn't eat them.  So the Whole30 is a 30 day challenge to eliminate those bad foods to see how awesome you can feel.  For the real deal explanation, read this.

What can you eat?  meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruit, and good fat.


So basically if it isn't one of those things, you're not eating it.

Why am I doing this?

Months ago I bought a book called It Starts With Food .  I like to read a lot about food and nutrition and for whatever reason this book resonated with me.  It's written by the folks who created the Whole30.  As I was reading the book, I was already on my elimination diet, but for whatever reason I kept putting off starting my own Whole30.  I don't really have a reason other than I was scared.


I was already not eating so many foods the thought of eliminating more made me nervous.

It wasn't until I connected with some friends via Facebook who were participating in their own Whole30 challenges that I committed.  In fact, I knew 2 months ago that today was going to be the day I started my Whole30.  So this isn't some spur of the moment decision.  I've actually been planning this for quite some time.

So for the next 30 days it's NO:
sugar (real or fake), dairy, legumes, grains (all including corn), alcohol, processed food of ANY kind, white potatoes, carrageenan, sulfites or MSG.

NOTE:  (If this sounds like something you'd be interested in doing please note that there are some exceptions and specific food instructions so read the full explanation in the link above for clarification.)

 There are also some other points to the plan that don't involve food.  You're not supposed to weigh yourself or take your measurements.  Some may disagree with me but I'm not going to follow the weigh-in rule.  I really enjoy my weekly weigh-in blog posts.  I like the weekly feedback so I will continue with my weekly Friday weigh-ins.

As for measurements, I'll post my starting measurements and pictures in part 2 and won't take them again til the end.

I will also continue to log all of my food in Weight Watchers and calculate my points.

After my 30 days are up, I still will have 24 days until I leave for vacation.  While the Whole30 isn't meant to be a forever kind of plan, the literature suggests that it might take you longer than 30 days to see the effects of this new-found nutrition.   What kind of effects?  Well, tiger blood is mentioned in there somewhere.

For real.

Tiger blood just means that you're going to feel awesome:  more energy, more stamina, great workouts, looser clothes, and cravings should be gone.

In fact, there is a written timeline of what you might experience during your 30 days.
 
So if in 30 days I'm not there yet, it's a definitely possibility that I might extend this challenge.  But I don't want to make any sort of commitment just yet.  I just want to get through the next 30 days.

And yes, in case you're wondering, while I'm very excited, determined and motivated for this particular challenge, I'm still scared.

Today's Menu:
B:  quiche muffin (mushrooms, onion, tomato, sausage)
L:  mushroom soup
D:  broiled salmon + peach salsa