Carolyn

So, my sister and I have decided to do this program called Whole 30. This is paleo-rooted, she found it first on Reddit, and after reading in depth about it, I decided this would definitely be a good thing to do. I am sick of the pain in my foot, I am tired of being tired, I am worn out by the deep moods that I can't/won't talk to anyone about, etc. etc. etc. Reading about the way what we eat can (and does) affect how we feel, well, makes sense. I've not felt myself lately. At all. Sure sure during work I am awesome, super-power Cee, but outside of work? I am not feeling at all tiptop. A lot of things have been bothering me lately, things I can't change (such as growing older, for instance, my kids being gone, not being needed like I used to be and I am SO a person who likes being needed). I feel very closed in and unknown. But other things I know I can change. But how? How? How how how???? Well the first and easiest way is making a lifestyle change - and I basically have done this in the past and was very successful so yeah. It is time.

I feel out of control. I hate that. I can't do it anymore, not if I can change things and maybe put an end to some of the stuff what needs letting go. Recently, I've seen my daughter strip all the crap out of her life and she has lost over 35 pounds. I am stunned and so happy and amazed. She did it by eating completely whole foods, no grains, though she is vegan (a vegan who eats eggs). She is amazing. I am so proud of her, so glad she has found what she needs to feel better about herself, etc. Well I can't be Vegan but Whole 30 I can do. :)

( So tell me more about Whole 30, Cee! )

So what is Whole 30? It is 30 days of eating clean. That is no sugar, no starches (except sweet taters), no legumes, no white potatoes, no flour, no artificial sweeteners, no dairy... And most importantly, I suspect (for me), no grains. No bread. No pasta, etc.

This is the website, which explains it better: Whole 30

So this is what I am eating now, for the next 30 days!

Vegetables (except corn), all meats (bacon, etc. must be nitrate free), nuts, vegetables, coconut oil, butter in the form of ghee (making it tomorrow!). Coconut milk is a big part of it too... Can have coffee, tea, no sweetener though. Fruit, wonderful fruit! Important emphasis on good fats, and a high percentage of that. EDIT: AND OLIVE OIL! All the olives! Nom nom nom.

This girl does NOT believe in low fat. At all. Lies, ALL LIES.

To prepare for this I got a box, put in it all those things that were not refrigerated, and threw away the rest. Everything. ALL of it. EVERYTHING BAD AND HURTFUL is GONE.

So anyway! Today was the first day and I figure what I should do is write about what I am doing, how I'm feeling, etc. We'll see how it goes. I started the day by weighing (meep - need to lose 15 or even 20) and measuring (double-meep), and put my scale and the tape measure away for the next month. Then I made myself some tea, and drank it without sweetener.

Breakfast: 3 eggs cooked with ghee (ever tried ghee? it is another name for clarified butter - clarification removes the dairy for the most part) and spinach. Really filling whereas eating 2 eggs cooked with nothing leaves me starving.

Lunch: No nitrate hot dog. This sucker was HUGE!!! LOL. It looked like a big.... never mind. Frozen grapes, and a small salad.

I was out of coffee and nothing will do for coffee during this except for Avoca Coffee, a local roaster. So I went and got two bags of their best and ordered a coffee black and plain. At home I can put coconut cream in it (get a can of coconut milk from the Asian foods section, not the lite or low fat, (remember I do not believe in low fat) and put it in the fridge. The cream will rise to the top and can be scooped into the coffee. I can't wait to try it tomorrow!

Snack because Dinner was taking FOREVER: a handful of salt-free nuts

Dinner: lime chicken and a sweet potato (um, was supposed to have green stuff but I was so FULL). The chicken was marinated in a combo of lime, lime zest, cilantro and coconut oil. SO GOOD!!!! The sweet tater had butter on it (plain butter is not supposed to be eaten but I need to make the ghee - you make it with unsalted, high quality butter). This was a garnet sweet potato but I do prefer regular ones.

I have no idea how many calories and I am not caring. Am feeling good, not hungry at all. Today was easy but it was the first day. Even drinking tea and coffee without sweetener was okay. Oh and no sodas either BUT there is a marvelous brand of seltzer water that is flavor without sweeteners - grapefruit, plain and my favorite, coconut flavor!

Oh and technically one is supposed to eat three meals a day. Nothing inbetween. I do like that because those who say 'eat every 2-3 hours'? No can do, not with my work. And I am fine with that.

So let's see if this helps. Let's see if I feel better without all the crap, the grains, the processed foods, etc. Let's see if the stabs of agonizing pain stop, I sleep without needing Tylenol PM, if my mood lightens, I feel like getting out and being with people (which I don't right now, honestly...not good company imo), etc. etc. etc.

Tomorrow if it isn't raining, going to hook up the sled dogs and go for a spin around the neighborhood, and also try to pick up a geocache or two while we are out. Looking forward to that.

Until tomorrow... I srsly plan to right every night how the day went, what I ate, etc., but short posts. Definitely short posts.

Seventeen days until Long Way Home is finally out, whee!! Yes of course I am counting down the days. Sillies.

This was a quiet weekend. Lots of reading to do, went shopping for a couple of recipes - the baba ganoush sucked and got thrown out, but the 'pasta-less total-vegan lasagna' is cooking happily in the crockpot. For the first time, we finally had that lovely 'hint of fall' in the air so the back door has been open and the pups have been in and out, though have been in when I think they should be out. LOL. Dorky dogs. I honestly am so very grateful it is October. Yay for summer being over! Although, July's trip to the UK definitely was the big bright time, making this summer awesome.

Merlin - yes, I loved it! Watched it twice, am absolutely enamoured of the 35mm. It truly makes a huge difference. It is kinda funny though, seeing places where Nick and I tromped around ourselves - especially the woodsy scenes which for us were filled with the sounds of kids kids and more kids. Bradley James has, I gotta admit, completely stolen me with this episode. Thought he did a fabulous job with all the little moments, both serious and tender, the scary scenes (WHEE! SCARY!) and the funny scenes. I loved the buddy moments between him and Merlin, also, and he and the knights. I like how this character finally is acting like a King-to-be. :) Looking forward to next week!

Supernatural - yes, I loved it! But I am keeping my mouth shut about everything because it doesn't matter anyway. LOL. Next week should be interesting.

Writing - talked with the editor about horror in m/m fiction and she likes my idea I have so am going forward with planning that, to be my project for Nano. ZOMBIES!!!!!!!!!!! LOL. This should be fun!

Here's the lasagna as it starts to cook. I think we'll be eating this for a few days. LOL.

lawsontl asked me to share my Cream Cheese Muffin recipe and so decided to make a post. This recipe is actually a recipe that is not mine, but is a really popular recipe from low carb cooking sites. So I am not the creator! But, I have tweaked it to make my tastebuds happy by adding pureed fruit, yum!

First, here's pictures so you know what I am yammering about! The first is after the batters are poured into their muffin tins. Strawberry (red!) and blueberry (blue!). The two other muffins, cream and brown, are my leftover cinnamon ones. One can also add lemon juice for lemon cheese cake muffins. Or make them plain, and top with whatever jellies (sugar-free in my case) you have handy. Yummy!



And here they are in the oven, fresh and hot:



And a close-up!



( and here is the recipe! )

And in other news, my daughter found this little girl trotting down the street, close to getting hit. No collar tags, but a pretty collar, with a bow, and she is well-fed, and smells like she just had a bath. Tiff will post pictures of her tomorrow and take her to our vet--hopefully she'll have a microchip. Fingers crossed--she is super-sweet, and surely would've been hit. Of course, my pups are being kept in my room. Shelby would chomp her up in one go. Cute isn't she though? We'll find her home, I hope. Someone around here is freaking out I am sure.



PUPDATE: She is a 1 year old undocked tail Yorkie, no microchip, just home from a groomers (will be calling around shortly thanks a suggestion), nails fresh-clipped. Daughter said she only barked 1 time, this morning when Tiff fetched her from upstairs to take her to the vet's. We have a taker for her, one of the vet techs, if we don't find her home. Poor little girl woulda been smashed! Safe now, so we'll do the flyers tonight.