paragraphs: Come Travel with Me (Come Travel With Me)
2013-09-28 09:16 pm

Because I feel like crap... Whole 30 & Me aka The Never-ending Quest to Feel Better, Be Healthier

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.
paragraphs: Come Travel with Me (doggie ice cream)
2013-02-09 11:00 am
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I am a diet failure!

I really am.  I have eaten SO WELL all week but have I lost? ANYTHING? NO.  I weighed this morning exactly what I did Sunday....   I tell you what this plateau I am on is ROCK SOLID.  If it was ten pounds less I'd be fine. LOL!!!   I know that a lot of people are into body acceptance, which I totally believe is important, but I am a stubborn sort and don't wanna just yet.  I think it is absolutely true that once you hit the 50's aka post-menopause, weight is harder to get off.  Mind you, for real, I've had no problems at all - no crankies, no hot flashes, nothing.  Just everything...stopped. Lucky me!  But yeah.

Anyway - am considering there may be other factors involved with my body's stubborn determination to keep me right here. Stress would be the big thing which I have plenty of, working as a legal assistant now.  Generally, I love my job, love the often-crazy-pace, but when it doesn't let up and I leave work with so much yet to do that I feel like I should stay late (2.5 hours overtime this week) or come in on a Saturday (um, hell no?) then, well... yeah.  

This week was insane.  I had filings in bankruptcy court - omg, talk about nuts? the rules! the things to do!  Whenever I file anything via Pacer I am always so certain I will screw up!  And then I discovered we did - but - this is the thing - it was not, is not MY job to make sure we have the right things to file. Right? I am the mere typist/filer.  Yet we totally screwed up the notice of hearing (totally fixable, btw) and I am CRUSHED.  And of course my boss says 'don't bring out the horribilizer..." he knows me well. LOL.  But yeah.  Bankruptcy filings, Northern District of Texas FW filings, filings in Dallas court, the appeals court... oh and even an administrative court...  all this week.  There is just so much to do and dear attorneys forget, often, that there is always so much to do AFTER the filings are done. They move on but I have a lot of cleanup online and hard copy-files and such-left to do.  *thunk*

I am whiney about this and yet I love it, my job is mine mine mine, I am awesome at it, my boss told me 'you saved me' - lol - yes I love that - cuz I did - cuz I am awesome....  But DAMN. STRESS!!!

So that and knee still healing and being swollen may be contributing to the problem.  Not sure. Going to keep on soldiering on though with eating 1350 calories a day because well that is a good thing, right. 

Bought a physical book today.  Karin Slaughter, CRIMINAL.   I'm getting drawn back to mystery in a big way these days....my first love, after all.  I have a lot lined up for this year but I am thinking that Fall 2013 is going to see me returning to hardcore mystery. If not before, with my new writing group.  Yeah.    *sitting here nodding*

I hate GoodReads.  Will not be back.  No I will but I am going to make myself a new one with my real name to keep track of the books I read, and keep far, far, faaaaarrr away from the m/m world there.  I miss the days where I was oblivious to readers and their opinions and esp. those who enjoy being vicious and mean.  Seems to be a thing there these days which is sad.  Oh well.  I only quit writing for two days and am back at it.  Never, ever seek out reviews.  Ever ever ever. EVER. 

I am rambling. I need to finish these sci fi edits because I want to send this in, dang it!!!

paragraphs: Come Travel with Me (doggie ice cream)
2013-02-04 09:30 pm
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Day one down... :) 24 Weeks to the Beach!

I have been told I should check in daily to report my success (or not) for at least the first two weeks so here you go.

Today was a success.  Because my body is weird, I actually lost 1.8 lbs. overnight. Given I only started the new eating plan today, that was a fluke, but not an unusual one.  We'll see about tomorrow's weight, then we'll see.

I feel like I ate so much! Certainly more than I have been eating - the last few weeks I've been skipping breakfast, eating Lean Cuisines, too many crackers and toast...   Yeah.  Not eating much, but eating all the wrong things and probably not enough.

Energy level today was really good, which was absolutely fabulous.  Usually, or lately, by 5 I am dripping with fatigue and am passed out in bed by 8:30. Sooooo tired.  Today though, MUCH better.  I choose to be optimistic that am on the right track.  

Okay let's see how tomorrow pans out.   I am hopeful!!!!

paragraphs: Come Travel with Me (doggie ice cream)
2013-02-03 08:55 pm

24 Weeks to the Beach! aka C gets her act together and gets cracking on her health ;0

Like a lot of people, I want to lose weight. Get fit. Feel better.  The start to 2013 has been a rough one for me - a sprained knee and an upper respiratory infection that refuses to go away completely.  Both are better, but dang, evil!  So many people have been sick this winter. I for one am ready for spring and the warmth of sunny skies to chase all this nasty away.

While I was sick and hurt, I tried to be careful about what I ate as I worried I'd gain while so immobile.  Thankfully that didn't happen but now that I am better, I am really tired of soup and Lean Cuisines. LOL. So, thinking ahead to the fact that I'll be hitting the beach later this year (late July!) in Florida, it would be rather nice to get in shape between now and then, lose this annoying 20 lbs. that I don't want, and be ready to greet my next birthday with fierceness and feeling and being awesome.

long winded once more )


So, thinking back to how I lost a huge chunk of weight 7 or so years ago (I've regained 15 from my favorite weight, grrrrr)  I've decided to embark on a new gameplan. There are so, so many diets out there, but going back to basics is what worked before so that is what I'm going to do.  Boringly, lol, I plan to chronicle it here in an attempt to keep me honest

What I am doing is this:  for the next two weeks, until next payday that is, I will be eating the following foods daily:

Breakfast - 2 eggs, 1 pat butter an ounce of freshly-shredded cheddar to make it tasty
Lunch - large salads with either chicken or tuna or salmon, lots of veggies, and my fav Apple Blossom balsamic vinegar from Central Market mixed with fresh olive oil for dressing
Dinner - fish (salmon, swai, etc.), green beans (I love these so much)
Snacks - Fage Greek yogurt (2% fat as I prefer it) with berries, an orange or apple or grapefruit

That is around 1350 calories,  25% carbs, a 35% protein, 40% fat ratio, or 86g carbs, 120g protein, 61g fat.  

No Diet Sodas.  They are free at work which makes it a challenge. Also, sigh, giving up my love for kombucha for the next two weeks. Sob. LOL. Oh well, at 3 bucks a pop, well... yeah.  Tea is better, right? I also reserve the right to drink endless ice tea because I love it.  Other than that I will plan to have hot green tea at least 2 times a day - I have found this wonderful 'Dragonfruit' green tea I love. And lots of water though not too much as I have been known to overkill on that and get myself into trouble. Sigh.  Bad me.  

Other items:  the doc has been trying to get me onto cholesterol meds and I just... meh.  So, I've found an alternative to the evil that is natural - niacin/flaxseed oil/fish oil.  I am going to give that a go. I forgot to get the niacin today though. Bah.

Tomorrow's food will be as follows:

  1. Eggs - Scrambled (whole egg), 2 large free range from my coworker, in butter
  2. Cheese - Cheddar, 1 oz  
  3. Mixed Green Salad - Field Greens, 3 cup
  4. Chicken - Breast, meat only, cooked, roasted, 1 cup, chopped or dice
  5. Cherry Tomatoes- Small - 5 Cherry Tomatoes, 5 tomatoe
  6. Veggie - English Cucumber - Seedless
  7. Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing - Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil
  8. Salmon - Salmon - Grilled Plain, 6 oz.
  9. Beans - Green Beans , 3.75 o
  10. Chobani - Pear Non-Fat Greek Yogurt, 6 o
  11. Oranges - Raw, navels, 1 frui
  12. TOTAL: 1,316 calories - 59g carbs  61g fats 107g protein
And on Saturdays?  I get a splurge meal!  If I want that Kincaid's hamburger by golly, I plan to eat it.   

Am shooting for around 1350 calories a day.  When I lost all the weight before, I had far less than that, closer to 1000 a day. I lost fast, very fast, but not necessarily as healthily as I could. I kinda went overboard, yo, and lost too much. I was cold and weak and gaunt and my butt was too bony for comfort.  So I regained 20. Sigh.  And since I started work full time again, gained a wee bit more. Dammit!  But, I know now where I feel best/look best/not cold or too bony, and that is about 15-20 lbs. below where I have been stuck for a couple of years. Bah!  With so little to lose to get to goal I figure this will take awhile but I have 24 weeks to the beach, and though I don't aim to wear a bikini lol (get real) I still know I can do a lot more to feel and look better.

So here we go!  I hope I am not too annoying with this - and stick with it. :)  I will try!

Exercise - my doc said I could get going again with easy walking which means, sadly, still no dog-walking. Sorry pups but you guys are why I sprained my knee in the first place!  So I'm going back on the treadmill and on the bike. I've got my extra laptop now to do that with and that should work great.

This should be fun, right?  Eating fresh fruits and veggies, high quality meats and seafood, and after the first two weeks, I plan to switch things up a little bit but we'll get to that later. :)

Onward!