Preparing for a week of Paleo and planning

I know I have been talking about Paleo a lot lately...it is my life right now. While this post is going to be talking about paleo food it is more of a preparing for your week post. I have said repeatedly planning is key. Plan Plan Plan! One of the best ways to get through your week is having as much prepared on a Sunday that you possible can.

I an an extreme planner and list maker. Between working from home, preschool, babysitting, trying to start a small business, and managing my family I have to plan every moment of my day. Oh and exercise! I have to be disciplined and follow a routine or it goes to poo really fast. So planning is essential. So when I decided this was my year, I had to get myself to be a planner for my fitness and nutrition goals as well. I already planned family meals every week but I needed to plan all meals and have handy quick options available in the event that I need to eat on the fly. It is really easy to reach for something that won't help you reach your goals when you are starving and in a hurry {remember past doughnut}. To make sure I won't fail I spend one day a week planning and cooking and organizing. For me this day is Sunday, it tends to be our least active day. This is the day I make our grocery list, get the groceries and prepare foods for the week. This is even more necessary with a paleo diet. There isn't really a bar or protein shake I can grab and go. Everything take some sort of prep unless I grab some nuts and a raw fruit or vege.

My saving grace...planning center! Calendar, meal planner, grocery list pad, note pad for tid bits (and quotes)  and a daily docket planning my day. 

Start by meal planning for the week...

Write down your meals for the week and make your grocery list out of this. Make sure to plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. I like this planner because it has a place for lunch, dinner, and notes. I can remind myself when I need to thaw something or prepare something ahead of time. I also plan meals around the weather this time of year. If it is cold I am not eating salad so on my planner I write the weather down. I recheck this and tweak as needed. I don't want to make chili on a day when it decides to be 60. 

After you get your list done, go shop. Come back and prepare anything that will make your week easier. 

For example today I am making...

Bone Broth, paleo penicillin

Hard boiled eggs (half of which are pickling as we speak)

Hamburger & Sausage bites, perfect for a quick snack or breakfast protein source

Slow cooked Pot Roast, dinner tonight, dinner another night and lunch filler. 

I also would cut up any snack veggies and such but lately everything I get at Trader Joes has been prepared for me (love TJs). I organize my meats based on what days I am making what so I have things thawed when needed and frozen when not. I clear my fridge before we go to the grocery so that I only have what I need in there and old food is not taking up precious space. This also helps me utilize everything we have thus saving money for what could potentially be an expensive lifestyle. We buy exactly what we need for the week and eat what we buy. I always plan one Garbage Day during the week so that we can use up leftovers and aren't being wasteful. If I make something I think we won't finish before it goes bad or there is so much I know we will get sick of it, I freeze the leftovers. For example after shredding this huge roast I will probably freeze about 2 cups of the shredded meat to convert to something later like a soup or tacos. Try to keep your fridge organized and full of foods on your list. Use nice glass containers filled with quick grab foods (like burger bites)

I do buy things I do not eat for my kids. They are transitioning and have to learn a new way of snacking and such, I am not going to just drastically change their lives...subtle changes will have them not even realize their old foods are gone. This picture makes me hungry...

I recommend the batch cooking process. I learned this from Robin Miller who used to be on the food network. She was awesome (and actually ate a lot of paleo foods). She would do this batch cooking and had all kinds of ideas like chopping all of your onions at once and then freezing in portions. We do this I love it. Chop a bag of onions and put 1/2 cup in baggies and freeze. Not only does this make life easy but I tend to use less onion so they last longer. We also do this with mere pois {onions, carrots & celery} which I use a lot in my crock pot recipes. I have also seen a lot on Pinterest pins of batch preparation where you put all of your crock pot ingredients in a large freezer zip bag and freeze. Then on the day you want to cook it, pop it in the crock pot and presto...dinner. Much better option that fast food.  

Also keep your meals simple. Regardless of what your Home Ec teacher told you, dinner doesn't have to be a 5 course meal. I have started making combo meals {i.e.soups, casseroles, one dish things} with everything thrown in or I have meat and then 1 or 2 vege sides. You don't need a main item and 4 or 5 sides. A paleo plate is easy, half protein half fruits or vegetables. You can do this with any eating plan. Keep it simple. 

Planning is key, have I said this before? Planning is key. It is a pain in the a** I get it. There are 100 other things I would love to do but by spending half of my day doing this on a Sunday I free up hours during the week. I save money and feed my family healthy food by skipping the drive thru. I have become such a fan of planning I even got a coffee maker that makes my coffee while I hit my 10 minute snooze button. Silly I know but that 10 min is awesome! There are so many resources out there (and blogs) that can get you motivated for planning as well as ideas. I know I have mentioned this before but join Pinterest (and follow me) it is a great resource and I can find the things I am looking for without hours of combing the internet. I plan most of my meals based on things I find there tweaking them into paleo if I need it. 

Make this planning as fun as possible. I am always scoping out new list pads and fun lists to help me organize. I have the most awesome day planner that is aqua blue and pink and rocks. I also love dry erase boards so the meal planner (purchased at Target) was right up my alley. I was buying 4-5 meal planning pads a year before I found it. Check out apps too. I am more paper and pen visual person but I do integrate my phone as well. We use an app called Out of Milk when we shop. It is easier than toting around a paper and pen at the grocery. So I write things I need on the pad during the week and when I am planning and put the final list in the app. Mr. Minus can just tap the screen to mark things off of the list. It is great. I also use a daily docket you can get here which is a tentative plan and schedule of my day. I know I am pete the repeat but I need this many reminders to keep me in check and on track, I am high maintenance that way {actually I just have no self discipline}.

So get your butt planning and have a successful week!

Week 4 round-up and week 5 goals and Po

I have hit a wall.

The weather effects me this time of year, lack of sunshine, gloomy days and the cold. It makes me want to do 2 things...lay on the couch under a big blanket and sleep or lay in my bed and sleep. The thing is that eating healthy and even exercise do not improve this, only sunshine. I have been regimental about my vitamin D everyday and trying to get whatever light I can but it is what it is.

This week I stuck to my eating guns and threw in exercise when I could, mostly running, and abs everyday. There was one morning when I was ravenous and literally only had time for a doughnut (of which I was getting my oldest for his last junk hoorah) it tasted awful and felt even worse in my mouth haha. The thought of a doughnut now makes me want to hurl. Otherwise it was all paleo with some random cheeses and grainfoods (not gluten)

All in all I wasn't too disappointed, I am still losing inches. I have even received a couple of compliments this week which you know is always inspiring.

This week's stats

• weight -1
• waist -.5
• bust - .75 (they just keep shrinking!)
• hips -.5

So I only lost a pound but the inches keep going down. I am more concerned with that than anything. Which leads me to what I've learned this week.

• Inches really to mean more than pounds
• Gluten is evil & I am a cavewoman
• Feeling good about yourself feels good
• It is time to step things up...

So for starters...Inches really do mean more than pounds. My scale is...inching. I get on it barely moves, it would be really easy to get frustrated if I wasn't taking weekly pictures and my jeans weren't literally falling off of me. I get why people say ditch the scale, and it is a great idea...but I am a numbers girl and while it is silly because these numbers aren't really meaning much I still want to see them. 

I love being Paleo. I feel better, I have more energy and I swear my fibroid is shrinking. I also have almost no congestion, as in that swamp thick crud in the back of your throat. I did however get a harsh dash of it after eating the doughnut and I know it was either the dairy element or the gluten. Either way I won't be turning to either any time soon for nourishment. I am also going to veer my kids toward a more paleo life. They won't be 100% because of school snacks and such but at home we will be all about it. Did I mention Mr. Minus keeps losing weight...frustrating. I have also started to crave protein over carbs when hungry. It used to be if I was starving I would go straight for sugar, now I am like man do I have some chicken or leftover beef! I am a cavewoman haha. But, as I have said before, do what works for you. I may sound like a Paleo advocate (ok I am) but if you found a way of eating that works for you stick with it and own it. I have become a cavewoman you become what you need to suceed. 

I feel good about myself, I took that journey last year but it doesn't mean there aren't times when I am getting dressed and I have to run through 10 outfits until I convince myself people can't see my excess weight. Last night however I had a plan for what to wear on my date night with Mr. Minus...and I wore it. I actually had out 2 outfits and an alternative in mind, just in case. I didn't need any backups...first one on was the one a wore. It was dress I got for my birthday that I was wearing a lot but every time I wore it someone commented on me being pregnant...ugh. This time there was none of that not only did it look great but I felt amazing & better yet our date didn't start out stressful from my being unhappy with my ensemble and we were early to our reservations because I wasn't changing every 5 minutes. So feeling good about yourself in a different way is amazing!

Last Learned thing...It is time to amp things up. I have lost 7 pounds and a pants size. I have tone muscles, I feel them and I feel stronger but I still have a lot of fat covering them. I could continue this way eeking my way to 46 lbs lost but I am not an eeking type person. I like to think I am like a juggernaut get me started and I just gain momentum. So without further adieu here are next week's goals. 

Week 5 goals

• amp up couch to 5k training
• go strict paleo watching portion sizes hidden carbs, drink water!
• finish my very much neglected Jillian Michaels program
• Get sunshine...

So my plan is this. For starters I have been training for a 5k but a friend of mine is doing the Derby miniMarathon and I have signed on to be part of her team (ironically it is YUM...seller of junk foods). They have a great program which really impressed me. I really want to start running our spring miniMarathon again so bad but didn't commit it to my 2012 goals because it is hard to find 30 min to run much less 2 hours. Things are typically easier with a friend so I might just make it happen captain. We may walk more than run but it will still be a fun and I think I talked her into wearing funky running knee socks with me :D 

I am already pretty paleo, but there are still some foods I am eating mainly for convenience that fall along the nonpaleo and more clean options. They are gluten free but not grain free. I am 86ing these from this point on. Things like corn tortillas, polenta etc. I also plan to start adding more high antioxidant foods into my paleo plan. Berries and greens, lots of greens are in my future. This is awesome though because I love greens. Morning, noon, and night...bring it on. I also need to drink more water. Over the years I have dropped my water habit, you could say I am a recovering wateraholic. I just find that even when I am thirsty I tend to ignore it because I am busy or in the middle of something, then like a food craving, it passes. To make sure I get at least a good gallon of water in a day I am filling a pitcher and placing in my fridge every night before I go to bed so I will have ice cold water all day and a way to measure it, I always lose count even when marking it in my journal. I also want to add that this was my first date night since going paleo. It was easy. They had a bacon wrapped shrimp appetizer and I got a steak with asparagus & brussels sprouts. I did have wine but one glass and drank lots of water. Finished with coffee instead of dessert...eating out paleo...nailed it!

I have got to finish my 30 day shred. I have been exploring other options for strength training like p90x, crossfit and even kick boxing but none of these will happen until I finish what I started. I really want to take kick boxing where my son takes Tae kwan do so if I finish my last 2 weeks of shred I should be good to start that. I have my athletic itch again and I need to scratch it. The 30 day shred has helped me gain back a lot of strength I lost being inactive for the last 5 years. I want to finish so I am at a good starting point to get crazy haha. 

Getting sunshine will be easy if the sun is out. I do plan on going outside and standing in the sun for a good 20 min at least on the day there is sun. I have also made a point to open all windows in the house when the sun is out. I typically leave them closed because it keeps the house warmer but I would rather have the light and have to put on a sweater then keep these winter blahs. I almost went to the tanning bed the other day just trying to get rid of this crappy feeling. 

So here is this week's picture. Not much change honestly and my lack of big belly is started to make me see the other areas needing attention...like fat! I don't want to be a skinny fat person, I want to be a skinny fit person. Muscles are sexy. 

Before I end this post I have to talk about my new friend Po. Po is the panda from Kung fu panda. My kids loved the movie and love the show. I like Po. He is a great character (played by the ever awesome Jack Black) but he is also a loyal friend and fierce fighter on the show. He also uses my new favorite word...awesomeness!! He is a bit lazy and eats too much but he also shows that no matter how hard the situation is you have to do the work, there are no short cuts and if you want to be the dragon warrior you have to work at it. We all should strive to be the dragon warrior...

Pantry Purge...

So while evaluating where I needed to take things to ramp it up for next weeks' goals, I realized I never did a post on my week 4 goals. What can I say I am totally slacking at the moment. Life has hit a busy road and I am trying to rearrange it so I have more free time for kids.  It is taking all I have to get my workouts in. However, after some time management and planning I should have plenty of time to blog. Okay enough about that.

So I decided for week 5 I am going to go all in paleo. I have been relatively paleo with some polenta and gluten free items thrown in here and there. Today I am actually purging my kitchen of any and all non paleo items. I am going to eat only paleo with the exception of some raw cheese and cream (for my coffee 1 tbsp a day). I am going to go die hard and keep my carbs really low but above a ketogentic state of eating since I am running 3 days a week. I could go more into ketosis but then you would see how geeky I am about food so I will just let you google it. This isn't going to be too hard because I have already gone through the detox part but I think it will jump start my weight loss again.

I got to thinking I should share my purge with you because we hadn't talked about clearing the closet of food. I HIGHLY recommend the pantry purge. Most diet books/experts will tell you to do this. I think it is hard for most of us because it can be really wasteful to just start pitching stuff. I think it is awful to just throw food away because I am changing my lifestyle not to mention expensive. What I have actually done over the last 4 weeks is transition my pantry to a paleo pantry and essentially now I am left with a few random items I either need to eat or pitch. All open containers and such are getting pitched. I would donate anything not opened and nonperishable but we don't' keep a lot of stock around. I essentially shop for that week's menu and so we eat most everything we buy. I basically have staples laying around taking up precious pantry real estate. They are being evicted. If you have chosen a lifestyle to follow on your path to health & fitness do the same. Ditch the old saddlebag{filler}s and restock with new healthy goal foods.

What I found/purged. I found a lot of sugar in there...a lot. The thing is I don't bake a lot and I only put sugar in my tea and coffee so where did all of this stuff come from. It got pitched. Sugar-esque items I kept were agave and honey. These are better to sweeten with so this will be what I will use with the kids. However, sugar is sugar so I will not be eating these and the kids will get it in moderation. I also found lots of flours from where we used to bake a ton of bread. Some pastas and rice out the door. Otherwise it was pretty good and ended up looking like this...

Leftover spices, cereal for the kids, aforementioned sweeteners. One bag of sugar I am keeping for my soda brewing hubby. Plenty of room for healthy foods! I also found  ton of this...

Protein anyone. I kept putting tuna on the list for the grocery, I think I am good for a while haha.

So if you get some time this weekend spend some quality time with your pantry and fridge. Get rid of foods not on your list or trigger foods. I don't keep a lot of sweets and treats around for the kids because my kids are weird and would rather have fruit or celery. Things I do buy for their sometimes foods are not things I would eat. Since I went through my detox I don't really have any trigger foods anymore. Food is just...well food. It is something I only think about when my stomach makes some noise. I have an appetite when I am hungry and that is it. I eat until I am satisfied not even full...it is pretty amazing actually.

While purging though I found this. Something I should have pitched but decided to bake and eat some. Blackberry Cobbler. In the summer we went and picked berries for my daughter's second birthday. We have used the berries for smoothies and such but they were getting old so I decided to make this. It was really good and I only had a bit which was plenty. I did have a bit of a grain hangover today but nothing too bad.

It was good. 

I know it isn't reveal time yet but today while walking out of the bathroom I saw this so I had to come back and take a picture. I am so happy to get rid of my preggy gut...I have clothes that are getting to the point I can't wear them because they are so big. I actually put on a tee shirt the other day and thought I had found an old maternity shirt because it was baggy at the bottom around my belly. Can you say EEK. I even had to hijacked one of my hubby's belts because I don't own any that are actually made to hold up your pants and I needed my pants held up. Now I need to work on those Wild West grade saddlebags!!

Rewards...

I love this...ah Pinterest, how I love thee. Anyway this small clip spoke quite loudly to me when I saw it. I have always set rewards for myself when I needed to loose a few pounds here and there. They were mostly...food related. Sure I threw in a new workout outfit here and there but typically it was lose 5 lbs go eat mexican. See why this saying is so perfect for me. 

I am not saying don't reward yourself, by all means do. I am only saying to look at your rewards or your dangling carrot. Maybe that is why at times we do use food as a reward...the literal carrot. After all we spend so much time thinking about all of the food we can't have why not go crazy and celebrate. Here is why...

In most cases when you need to lose weight it is because you have thus far lacked the control or willpower to not eat the wrong foods or too much food. So when you resolve to lose weight you have to change your lifestyle. It is a bit like rehab. You have to change your way of thinking, your way of being. You have to change you. It takes time...but relapse is inevitable. So here you work so hard, eat healthy, exercise and BAM 5 pounds are gone. So you go out to have say...Mexican. You eat some ooey gooey enchiladas and chips and salsa (chips and salsa...mmmm) then hey it is a celebration, bring on the margaritas. You leave full, bloated and with your will power inhibited by the Margarita. So what is a bite of ice cream when you get home or some of the kids cookies. You finally crawl into bed. The next morning those 5 lbs are waiting for you on your scale. What happens then? Well some people will chalk it up to water retention or that full gullet and go back to working hard but some will throw in the towel. Me, I was that towel girl. 

Think about this method...for a 5 lbs reward you add 5 super fab songs to your workout playlist. They get your toe tapping and make you want to work out. So then...you hit another 5 lbs because your work out play list is so awesome your met your exercise goal for the week. Wow 10 lbs down you need a new workout outfit because those yoga pants are actually too big. This outfit rocks so hard you want people to see you sweating in it often, so you wash it every night and run down the street feeling amazing while running to your new play list. BAM wow sister you have lost another 5 lbs before you know it, 15 down, so you go grab some new jeans or dress and you and your man (or bff) get all gussied up and go out to a party or movie (healthy snacks covertly in your bag). While you are out you run into a friend you haven't seen in a while and she is like "Hello hot momma!" so you spend the week working even harder and bam 5 more down...see where I am going with this? Rewards can actually reward us. 

Since rewards can either reward us or inhibit us, be smart with your rewards. Also keep them frequent. I like to do mine in 5 lb increments, that way I have the small goals and achieve them quickly.  My rewards can be found on my boards on my Pinterest (you can follow the link to get to it). I also don't just do rewards for weight loss. I also set rewards for other achievements. For example when I finish my couch 25k, I am going to buy myself a cute running skirt to wear when I run the 5k. After completing 30 day shred I am going to buy myself insanity or join a cross fit gym. These are fun things that will keep me on track. My ultimate goal is to buy a new bathing suit when I hit 46 lbs lost. We are planning a beach trip this year and last beach trip I could have been mistaken for a whale. This year I don't want to have to by an outfit for the water and a cover-up. I want to confidently gallivant on the beach with my kids and hubby in a super cute tankini from Athleta!

I suggest you sit down and think about some things your new healthy skinny self would want. Take my running skirt, I LOVE running skirts like in an "oh mickey your so fine, your so fine you blow my mind, Hey Mickey" kind of way. It is really the only way I can wear cute little skirts I am way too old for but I still love haha. There is no way that I would wear one over these thighs right now. The chafing alone during a run is reason enough not to. But after a 5k training plan and sans say probably 20 lbs absolutely. So this reward motivates me in two ways, to complete the plan and to eat well to lose the weight. I want to rock this skirt.

Sit down with your goals, think about creative positive ways to reward yourself as you reach them. I think of new ideas daily and sometimes change mine. When I see something I want on Pinterest or out at the store instead of just going out and getting it I mark for a rewards. Gives me something to keep me good and motivated. 

Dinosaur Eggs...A Paleo Kidventure

So from previous posts you know that I have been working on going paleo. As I have said before do what works for you in your weight loss journey, but paleo is really working for me not to mention Mr. Minus-the-46 losing 9 pounds just from eating paleo dinners and the occasional paleo leftovers for lunch. I have also decided to transition our entire family to a paleo diet. I am thriving, the mister is doing well (ahem...yes I am bitter haha) and my kids also seem to do better when I feed them a paleo meal.

First kidventure in paleo...Dinosaur Eggs. Rawr!!!

We got this idea from Sprout online after the kids told me about seeing them made on tv. Essentially it is a scotch egg without the batter and frying. You can use any ground meat you choose and seasonings you like for this recipe we used sausage from our butcher. I say from butcher because this stuff is relatively lean, I would compare it to pastured pork. So here goes...

6 hardboiled eggs, peeled
1.5 lbs pork sausage (or ground meat of your choosing)
Almond flour or starch.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Next divide the sausage evenly and roll into balls. (note there are 7 eggs & 7 balls. Caveson decided he was hungry and ate an egg...so then there were 6 thus the recipe for 6, plus 1.5 lbs of sausage is perfect for 6)

Let caveson or cavedaughter roll eggs in flour. We used potato starch, it isn't great so I recommend almond flour for sure. While little cave person is coating eggs, flatten a ball like a very thin hamburger patty. 

Place egg in the middle of patty and wrap around egg. Just kind of work it pinching the opening closed. When you are done kind of knead it so that it is good and distributed and sealed shut. 

like this....

Next place on a baking sheet evenly spaced

Bake for approx 25-30 min turning about halfway through. Some may pop open, I just tell the kids the dinosaur is hatching haha. 

Serve alongside caveman spears and flat rocks (polenta). We drizzled home made coleman's style mustard on the caveadults because it is delish! 

You could use premade Colemans but we didn't because it has gluten in it. You could also use regular grain flour but we didn't for the same reason. Polenta isn't really paleo favored but it is gluten free, I was pressed for time & the kids like it. Typically I would have two vegetable sides & planned on making nests out of shredded sweet potatoes (like a thick latke) but didn't have time. Interestingly enough my kids ate more caveman spears than anything. Caveson ate the sausage off of his egg because little stinker already ate a whole egg. Cavedaughter didn't eat anything but caveman spears...I am not complaining lol. 

Hope you give these a try and enjoy. 

Week End Check in - week 3...love handles

This post is coming to you after long and lengthy mental battles...fighting over posting it. I really didn't want to post anything. This week was awful. I didn't work out but one day and in general I was super lazy. But since this blog is about accountability I get to write the bad right alongside the good. Let's get to it!!

So last weeks goals...

• Jillian Michaels Level 2 alternating with couch to 5k (3 days running, 4 days strength)
• Go 100% gluten free
• Clean, purge and organize Master Bedroom

What can I say. I went gluten free and partially cleaned out my bedroom. The exercising didn't quite happen. So why not. Let's skip to the what I learned and come back to the whyfors (as my little hobbits call it)

What I learned. 

• Saying things in a blog post will totally jinx you
• Eating really is 70% of the battle
• My Husband rocks and doesn't at the same time. 
• How bad I really want it...sans hormones. 

Okay so let's start with the first one. If you recall I mentioned not having much PMS but some fatigue...yeah should have kept my mouth shut. It came back with a vengeance. I was exhausted, unmotivated and ate way too much dark chocolate. On top of this my daughter who is 2.5 is refusing to go to bed or sleep at night unless I lay with her. So either I spend 2 hours battling with her or I go to bed at 8. Since I was so tired I chose option 2. So I didn't get a lot of sleep this week which I will attribute to my successful stats. 

Week Stats

Weight - 3 marbles!! 6 total. 

bust - .75

waist - .25

hips  no change 

While I lost weight I don't think my measurements changed much for two reasons, I wasn't toning with Jillian and I took the measurements the day my monthly bill showed up. I could wait a couple of days (after bloating goes down) and retake them but where is the fun in that, I will just have a bigger drop next week and it will motivate me this week. 

Back to the other things I learned. Eating really is 70% of the battle. I used to be of the thought that oh I can eat this or that and just exercise it off. This comes from really not restricting my eating...well all of my life and not putting on much weight for it. If I did creep up a few pounds I could go run a couple of times and it would be gone. I am not that person anymore. Having two kids and turning 30 changed that. I am going to be that person again because maintaining muscle turns you into a fat burning machine. So while I didn't workout at all and completely failed there I stuck to my guns of eating paleo except the one day I ate some serious dark chocolate. It was low sugar chocolate but I ate a lot of it.

So why my husband rocks and doesn't. He rocks because the other morning he was hugging me calling me skinny because he could feel where I had lost weight and was trying to pinch and there was nothing there...this is at my high waist where I always lose weight first. Nonetheless it rocked!! Why he doesn't rock...he has lost 9lbs by proxy...see eating is 70% of the battle...

The last thing I learned was that this time I really have changed and am ready. In the past I would have completely thrown in the towel and chowed on Hooters fried shrimp and all other types of non paleo unhealthy foods. This time the cravings (exception chocolate) just weren't there. It was easy to maintain the paleo-ish eating I had going on. I did have some tests of will power and really just said to myself "is it really worth it". I forgave myself for not working out, I can pick back up next week but I wasn't going to allow myself to completely throw in the towel just to "start all over" again later. I have played that game before and I always lose.

This week's photos.

 This weeks picture

 Comparison week one & current week. 

I love that I am starting to look less pregnant everyday. I have a dress I love so much but every single time I wear it someone makes a comment about me being pregnant. Ugh. It isn't their fault, I am the one with the beer gut! or well left over baby gut. I don't really feel like I am losing a lot in my thighs, they are always the last to go. I will say however that I am going to have to buy a belt. I don't have any jeans that will stay up right now. A belt is cheaper than buying all new jeans. I have smaller jeans, you know it we all hang onto our smaller jeans, I am just too afraid to get them out. I have one pair of skinny jeans I bought after I had my son and I would rock them out...I haven't been able to get back in to them since my daughter. The level of their awesomeness is enough to motivate me every day haha. Soon I am getting those puppies out!

I am working on next weeks goals and will have them up in the next day or so. I would love to hear about how any of you are doing and hiccups or challenges. I have received some feed back from friends and would love to know what is going on in your world!!

Also come follow my on Twitter @supermomsteurer  and follow my pinterest boards...feed my addiction!!

Eating Clean...a book review

Last Spring (2011), after viewing vacation pictures of me on the beach I decided it was my time to get back in shape. I was miserable. I was anxious, stressed, depressed and extremely moody. I felt so bad all of the time I went to the doctor. After hours of research online I decided I either had thyroid disease or cancer. So after a near perfect report with the doctor (except being overweight) I decided it was time to take responsibility for my health again. I came home and joined weight watchers. After a month I had lost....dun dun dunnnnnn 3 lbs. At one point I had lost 7 but they came back. Weight watchers wasn't working for me. I needed something else...enter clean eating. 

I bought the book on kindle for my android phone and read it every moment I had. Essentially I devoured it. I loved it, I ate it up. This book spoke to me. 

The Eat-clean Diet: Recharged  is a very uplifting book not just about a diet or way to eat but a way of life. Tosca Reno was living life like the rest of us. Busy mom, overweight and unhappy. After a divorce she decided to make a change. She joined a gym and started to eat clean. Today she is in her early 50s and gives most 20 somethings a run for their money. Her book is not only informative but uplifting and compassionate to you as a woman. By the end of the book you are thinking HELL YEAH  am going to do this. And I did...

Clean eating is easy. I am not the type of person who can succeed on a diet of weights and measures. I have two small, very active kids. I work from home and also make children's clothes for my Etsy shop. I don't have time to measure and count everything. I needed something where I could eat certain foods and not have to think about it. The clean eating way of life allows that. You eat certain foods (low fat proteins, vegetables, fruits & grains) and avoid others (sugar, simple carbohydrates). You do watch portion sizes (I have a trick for that) but there is no real measuring, unless you are making one of the great recipes in the book. 

A typical day might look like:

Breakfast - 1 egg +egg whites, spinach

Snack - handful almonds, berries

Lunch - tuna of lettuce with lemon & olive oil

Snack - greek yogurt, carrot sticks

Dinner - roast chicken breasts, green beans and sweet potato 

Evening snack (if hungry) protein shake

Essentially you eat 5-6 times a day to increase your metabolic burn. You have protein with every meal and add in healthy vegetables and or fruits. Have some nuts and add in a smidge of healthy fats. Then make sure to drink a few liters of water throughout the day. It is really easy to follow. Essentially you don't eat nonfoods or white poison as she calls them (I love this). In the book she lays out multiple eating plans. There is a strict plan, a basic plan, a family plan, vegetarian plan and even a plan for senior dieters along with corresponding grocery lists. 

This doesn't mean that all fun foods are out. On Tosca's blog one day she said "A treat is just a treat and don't give it anymore power than that" I am paraphrasing I don't remember the exact quote but that line spoke to me and I remember it every day. It is powerful to think that a small block of dark chocolate as being what it is, a treat. I don't have guilt I am not throwing myself into a binge, it is just a small delicious treat. So of course there is room for goodies and you can find clean recipes all over the web for everything from brownies to pies. 

Now a lot of people are anti low carb diet. I have even had people tell me it sounds like South Beach. Well yes & no. First off this is not really a low carb diet. It is a smart carb diet. You can have bread and pasta and rice, but these need to be in a whole form. It isn't a diet about how many sugar free foods or pounds of bacon you can eat. It is about a healthy lifestyle. It is about loving yourself enough to only put the best there is in your tummy. 

Me and the Eat Clean Diet

My transition to eating clean was an easy one. We only buy whole wheat anything in our house. At the time I was putting a nice spoon of sugar in my multiple cups of coffee and taking bites here and there of treat I may have bought for the kids. So even though our diet was relatively healthy I wasn't eating the right amount of protein or the right combinations of foods. After about a week of eating clean I hit the sugar wall (see my previous detox posts for more info) it lasted about 48 hours then I woke up feeling like a super hero. I was a maniac of energy and happiness. That first week I lost 8 pounds...EIGHT POUNDS!! After my first month I lost 15 lbs. I was running most days and felt great. I could easily eat throughout the day without much thought. My method for portion control is easy. I always made sure to eat less than I would typically eat.  So say I put a helping of something on my plate I will take half off. If I typically ate two scoops of pasta I would only put on in my bowl. 

So what changed you might ask why do I still have 46 lbs to lose? Well I want to tell you it isn't because eating clean failed me. It was because I got Salmonella poisoning which completely turned my life upside down. I had a really hard time staying healthy for close to 6 months. After getting the flu I had had enough and started fighting back. First thing I did was start eating clean and started this blog. The rest you can learn about from previous posts. 

While this time around I have not had and huge weight drops I had before. I attribute that to the weight training I do daily on 30 day shred. I have more energy and gusto to do the things I need to get back in shape. I have been transitioning to a more Paleo way of eating but not because I think that clean eating isn't good it is more trying to fight my own health demons. 

One of the best things about clean eating is there are two great magazines that you can get and read every month to keep you motivated. Clean Eating magazine which is full of great recipes, success stories and always has a two week meal plan & grocery list. Then Oxygen magazine which is full of clean eating tips and recipes as well as some great success stories. Tosca also has  multiple books to accompany Her Eat Clean book. I have Eat Clean for families which has some good tips and  recipes. 

So give her book a try and even the diet a try. If you don't want to wait to buy and read the book google clean eating and you can get tons of information. There are great blogs and websites out there. If you do a clean eating search on Pinterest there are always tons of results. You can even follow Clean Eating Magazine on there. They always have some great recipes. 

The last thing I want to say about eating clean is that even though an illness knocked me off track I never gained back the 15 lbs I lost. Even when I was eating pure junk post sickness...never gained a pound. I honestly believe this is because I lost true fat and not just water. I think it kicked up my metabolism enough to keep them off as well. So give it a try...

Week 3 Goals & some stuff

What are you waiting for?

So I am simplifying my weekly goals. I have high expectations for myself but setting 100 goals and only achieving one or two is not helping me out. So I have decided to keep my goals short and sweet. I am limiting myself to 3 goals this week. 2 pertaining to my weight loss one pertaining to my life. So here goes...

• Jillian Michaels Level 2 alternating with couch to 5k (3 days running, 4 days strength)
• Go 100% gluten free
• Clean, purge and organize Master Bedroom

I am really itching to start running again. I know I said I was going to wait until after I finished 30 day shred but I think I can alternate them. I am however going to be rubber band about this and change it if it isn't working or is too much too soon. Don't get me wrong I will not use this as a get out of jail free card or an excuse to not strive for my goals. I do know that pushing to hard to fast can result in an injury from my own past experience. 

So some things I have been thinking about. First off things feel so much easier since I changed my mind. 

I love this because I feel like this is what is different this time. I feel like I was really ready to change, I had run out of excuses. I wasn't going to have anymore kids, my hubby wasn't in school anymore, I wasn't breast feeding, I actually had time and my hubby was on board for diet changes (the kids don't have a choice lol) Will, free time and support...wow triple threat. I also think that my willingness to change brought about the will power I currently have. 

So what is stopping you from making your tomorrow today? What obstacles are you facing. Write them down and then see what you can cross off of that list. See how many are truly valid obstacles and what you can do to hop over them. 

 What do you think her obstacle was? She is a triathlete. A triathlete!! One day when facing the biggest obstacle of her life she said Today is Today. 

Weight loss is hard. I get it, I have been trying to lose weight off and on for the last 5 years. It isn't just about eating right and exercising. It is emotional, it is challenging, it is about change. It is about taking everything you currently do and throwing it out the window. It involves pulling yourself out of this warm and toasty comfort zone and throwing yourself in the the unknown abyss. It is scary. You have to want it. You have to be willing to focus on the person you are going to become not the person you are. You don't have to eat perfectly and workout for an hour at the gym the first day. You have to get up and take the first step. There is a tee shirt I saw on Pinterest that says "The toughest lift is your a** off of the couch" Amen isn't that the truth? It is much easier to sit and watch reruns of my favorite shows or some geek flick on syfy. It is easier to eat whatever, God knows the planning is a pain in the butt...in the beginning. So that first step is a doosey. 

They say it takes 21 days for something to become a habit...so day 22 is a breeze, your new life is committed in your mind and it all falls into place right? HA then why are there relapses in life? Because we never forget the habits of old. I used to tell myself that 3 weeks was all I needed. 3 weeks...I can to it. But really I have found that day by day is where it needs to be.  Of course I visualize myself in the future, but I stay focused on today. Try this, try to do something just today. Try to fit in 20 minutes. I actually said I was going to "try" 30 day shred. I loved it, it was quick and I felt amazing afterward...I am on my 3rd week. yay. Same with milk, any one who knows me knows I can chug a gallon of milk in a couple of days. I have been wanting to break that habit for a while now because of my fibroid and the high estrogen content in milk but the thought of not drinking milk, milk in my coffee or hot cocoa yikes! but one day I put almond milk in my coffee, then in my smoothies and bam before I knew it I was milk free. While I thought about the end result I focused on baby steps. So for dinner tonight, add a salad. Take away those rolls...small changes. Get up and march or do crunches during commercials I mean for an hour show that is going to be at least 15 minutes of exercise. 

I also suggest when you decide to take that first step you take pictures of yourself every week. Because you really aren't going to see those small changes but look at my first and second week pics. I was shocked at the changes. I didn't think I looked very different even though my jeans felt different and since the scale hadn't really moved I thought for sure there wasn't much change. This was incredibly motivating and what do you think this week's pictures did for me. This is only in 3 weeks. My clothes aren't huge, my scale has barely moved but the pictures (which add 10 lbs I might ad haha) speak for themselves. Give it a try...what is the worst thing that can happen. 

The last thing I want to talk about this post is PMS (any guy readers out there this is where you can make a safe exit lol) I touched base on it last post about my fatigue. I do want to say however that I have no cravings for crappy foods like salt, sweet, chocolate (okay maybe some low sugar extra dark chocolate) or fatty foods. I think it is because I am getting everything I need by eating smart. It is also proven that exercise lessens pms symptoms so I will factor that in as well. I do still feel tired but not like I usually do (now that my kids have slept for the last two nights) I have more energy and more vigor. I have yet to have a headache so we will see if that happens and if I am bloated I don't know because my clothes are still fitting fine and are a bit loose (3 inches off of my waist anyone) I will say that I am very interested to see what my weight is post period. I always gain 5-7 lbs pre period which disappears post. Since I haven't gained any I wonder if I will lose any. I will update you on that later. 

So there is my two cents for now! 

Week End Check in - Week 2

Well I had planned on posting a book review next and BAM my week ended. So without further adieu...

I should start this post out with this weeks pics & measurements (spoiler alert...they rock) but I really want to start with talking about this week.

So last week I had 4 goals

• Wake early & complete JM  level 1 workout each morning
• Add 3 days of 30 min walk on treadmill per week
• Stick with cooler 1 plan of clean eating this week
• Read 30 min each night

Of these goals I...well I read almost every night ;) Out of 7 days I did workout 4, doing Jillian Michaels. My treadmill...well not so much. I tell you this because for one the purpose of this blog is accountability. I come here and truly confess. Second reason is because even though I kept falling off of the exercise wagon I stuck to my diet wagon. So while I had a day where I felt lazy or tired and didn't do 20 minutes of exercise...instead of beating myself up over it I forgave myself & I let it go. I ate right and planned to hit tomorrow with gusto, which I did. 

I am like most people, I am an all or nothing girl. I want perfection and when I don't see it happening I tend to just throw in the towel. It is not a right or healthy way of living. I have learned over the years (and after having kids) that it doesn't have to be that way. Most areas of my life I have been able to adjust however when it has come to my weight loss goals I couldn't seem to shake it. "Welp had a rotten lunch, I guess I will keep eating bad for the next 6 months" "well missed 2 days of working, I will just stay here on the couch" I vowed to myself to not be this way in 2012. It is extremely detrimental to your goal. Do you think the olympic athlete settles for that silver medal...I mean that is second place in all of the whole world. Hell no! The next day they are already training and talking to their coaches about how to win in 4 years. So why do we do it and think it is perfectly fine to throw in the towel after one hiccup?

I love this...

It is so true...

So all of that being said what I learned this week. 

• It won't kill me if I miss a workout I just have to keep going the next day. 
• Sometimes reasons are just reasons not excuses (i.e. kids not sleeping, pms)
• A treat really is a treat and not a cheat if you keep portions small. 
• Determination yields results...period. 

My Weekly Stats are:

• Weight  - 2lbs
• Waist - 2inches
• bust - 1 inch
• hips -.25 inch

Not bad for a week with some hiccups. 

Here are this weeks photos. 

weeks 2 & 3 down 2 lbs 

I also wanted to show this. 

The difference in week 1 & 3

Before I end this post I wanted to talk about one of the things I learned. **warning motivation coming** haha. I hope anyway.I want to address the point of sometimes reasons are just reasons. This week brought us the full moon. My kids don't sleep for at least 3 nights around the full moon. This also marked the week before I get my monthly bill. My biggest symptom of PMS is fatigue. These are facts. My kids kept my husband and I up allnight for 3 nights, my 2 yr old still isn't going to sleep before 10pm. If I don't get a good night's sleep I can't get up at 5:50 to work out...even moreso if PMS is factoring in. So if I sleep in an hour and don't work out in the morning chances are it isn't happening. I only woke up early one day this whole week and it was yesterday and I worked out first thing, the other days I just had to work it in. The thing to remember is that a reason is a reason until you allow it to be an excuse. So sure I had the reason why I didn't get up early everyday but I didn't make it an excuse to completely drop all of my efforts. Don't give that reason any more power than it should have. Say "okay I skipped my workout today but I will get back to it tomorrow" then get back to it. Don't throw in the towel completely. You read everywhere that it is 70% diet 30% exercise & things like abs are made in the gym & revealed in the kitchen. This is totally true so if you do skip a day of exercise make sure you tighten up whatever our plan is and eat right. 

So what if your slip up or lacking area is your diet for the week. Well this happened to me one day, actually yesterday. I got stuck having to take my kids to the dentist at 1pm after picking them up from preschool at noon. We weren't going to have time to sit and eat, it was going to be an eat and run moment. We stopped by Chikfila because it is on the way and easy to eat in the car. I was totally famished. I had got up did my Jillian Michaels and then had a peanut butter/banana protein smoothie and then my day took off. I didn't get my morning snack in so when 12:30 hit and it was lunch time I ended up ordering nuggets & fries. I had convinced myself that there was nothing paleo to eat there since everything has a bread product, but failed to talk myself into a wrap that while it isn't paleo it is clean (sans dressing & with fruit). I didn't make a good choice I was entirely too hungry and my primal instincts of eating glucose and fat had kicked in. Now mind you after I had my nuggets and fries (actually only ate half of  them because I wanted protein more than, crazy I know) I was able to think straight and realized I should have ordered the new grilled nugget kids meal with fruit. Did I wallow in that? No. Did I take the rest of the day and eat junk? No. I actually made a really good Paleo Chili for dinner to make up for it. 

I didn't beat myself up or come home and force an hour workout on the treadmill. I recognized it, made a mental note of what to do next time, forgave myself and moved on. If you really want it, it is there. It is in you, you just have to find it. The Will and determination. I know you can do it because if I, Jaime Queen of Excuses, can do it, so can you. 

I will be posting my next weeks goals tomorrow and then the book review. 

Dressed for Success

I don't know if I have mentioned this before but I am a work at home mom. I can roll out of bed, hair sticking up, dragon breath and sit down and work if I wish to, and I have. On days when I go through carpool I could actually throw on a bra some boots and go in my jammies. I am sure that there are a lot of stay at home and working moms who do the same thing in different ways. Wearing sweats or the ever available stretchy slacks & suit pants.

My son said something to me one day that really brought my wardrobe into perspective. He said "mommy you sleep in your clothes" well I don't sleep in my clothes. I have an extensive PJ drawer, I love PJs, but after some thought I realized what he was telling me. My clothes looked like they could be pajamas or that I could sleep in them. Mind you this was coming from Mister I will only wear comfy pants 99% of the time. Anyway! I used to be rather fashionable. I love clothes and fashion. When I worked in the office I had a pretty decent wardrobe ranging from suits to business casual. I was also much...much thinner.

When I got pregnant with my son I had way too much fun shopping for maternity clothes. They were all comfy and I didn't mind showing off my bump (little did I know it wanted to stay). I started working from home when my son was 3 months old. I was still in stretchy & early maternity things. There is where I stayed. If I needed something for a special occasion I went out and bought it. In all honesty I can say that with the exception of the 2x being pregnant I have not felt like I have looked good in 5 years. I felt like I was always trying to hide my weight (as if people can't see it under that over-sized shirt...really?) The most troubling thing about the last 5 years is that 99% of the time I felt fine and comfortable and had even told myself I looked fine. 99% of the time I was wearing some form of jersey or lycra... The other 1% I would spend having fits while completely tearing apart my bedroom in search of that one treasure that would fit my huge hump in the back and front. I have actually skipped being social because of the stress and anxiety of trying to find something to wear.

So when my sweet baby boy made his comment I kind of told myself "you know he is right, you are never going to get anywhere slumming it all of the time" I made the decision at that point that when I got dressed I had two options.


Option 1 - You read everywhere to lay out workout clothes the night before, pack them in your car, hang them on your mirror, whatever is needed to remind yourself to workout. Well seeing that I am at home all day and can bust out a 30 days shred or treadmill jaunt anytime, I decided that on the days that I slept in or planned on working out later I would dress in workout clothing. I am not talking sweats and baggy stuff. I am talking tight running crops and a tank top with a fitted tee over it. This way every time I saw myself in the mirror or looked down I got my workout reminder. So if say the kids were eating lunch and were occupied and I wasn't working at that moment I could hop on the treadmill and watch the afternoon news or Martha Stewart reruns. I know if you work outside of the home this isn't an option but make the habit of walking in the door and throwing on your workout gear, or practice this on the weekends. It works every time and very rarely do I go get ready for bed and not have worked out.



Option 2 - If there is a day where I am not planning on working out for whatever reason or I actually do get up and get my early one in I will make sure that I dress to the shoes, as I like to call it. This means that I wear something I would run errands or have coffee with a friend in. A good pair of jeans, shirt, cardigan and earrings...earrings make me feel special even little casual ones. Sometimes I will even wear a skirt. I am a big fan of Matilda Jane for adults. Their clothes are comfy but look like you made an effort. I wear them a lot. They run a bit on the small side which I like because while they are comfy they are like wearing jeans, you are always aware of how they fit.

Another thing I do is make sure my hair looks nice, even on workout days. A small barrette, cute pony or braid on workout days. Blown out and managed on non or post workout days. Throw on some mascara or light make up and there you go. Feeling amazing without even leaving the house but if you do have to leave the house you look like you give a damn.

This has made a big difference in my desire to lose weight. It is no fun to be late because you are having an all out brawl with your closet while your poor husband, who just wants a date night and some of your attention, is sighing and repeating over and over..."that looks good, you look fine". I have a personal sense of style...it isn't along the lines of InStyle magazine but I like it and it doesn't show when I am overweight. Plus there is nothing better then pulling out a pair of fresh washed jeans and bam those suckers are a little baggy straight from the dryer!!

So give this method a try. Wear something that will make you aware of your current place and where you want to be. Don't wear those baggy suit pants, put on the tighter ones...you will be less likely to hit up the office vending machine. If you are an at home mom like me wear jeans or something that not only makes you feel good but fits so you feel it. Feel great about yourself everyday and dress to show that you feel amazing...because you are amazing. People may even compliment you before you lose a pound. :D


Next post - book review...Clean Eating:Recharged

Protein Shakes...how I love thee

If you follow me on twitter you will see my recent tweets about my daily protein shake. I love protein shakes I have since I was 21 and started working at GNC. They have been a go to breakfast for me for years and when I was pregnant with my daughter it was the only thing I could ingest in the morning. I have always been a mix milk & protein, shake and drink but recently I started getting more creative and now watch out I can't be stopped.

Currently I enjoy protein powder in 2 ways. A shake (think drink shaker not milkshake) & in smoothies. I have a protein shake if I need a snack or pick me up, I have a smoothie for a meal replacement. There are hundreds of proteins out there, whey, soy, egg whites. I recommend that you venture out and find your own personal protein powder that you like. I have tired many in my day and have settled on a few favorites. I personally use a whey protein powder. I do this for two reasons, the main one being I have a rather large fibroid that feeds on estrogen so soy is completely out of the question. The other reason is there have been studies showing that Whey isolate protein tends to lead to fat loss over other proteins. I also like whey because it is smooth when mixed so it gives a yummy creamy texture.

Some items I put in smoothies. (not all at once)

Right now in my kitchen I have whey protein from Trader Joes. I also like Designer Whey & Pure Protein. I always buy one chocolate and one vanilla but I have been reading about all of the amazing flavors out there. I will note that when I do look for a protein powder I look for a short and sweet ingredients list...smaller list less junk.

Now for the goods. Here are my top 5 favorites...

Shakes -
Jack Frost
Chocolate Protein Powder
Milk
Sugar Free Torani Peppermint
Mix, shake enjoy...cool and yummy

Snickerdoodle
Vanilla Protein Powder
Unsweetened Almond Milk
cap full of vanilla extract
packet of truvia
dash of apple pie spice
Mix, shake, enjoy...liquid cookie

Smoothies
Swamp Monster
Chocolate Protein Powder
Milk or almond milk
banana
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 scoop Catie's great greens
ice
Add to blender, blend and enjoy. The color is like swamp water but the flavor is delish my kids beg for this smoothie and it has a whole serving of greens in it. You can substitute and green foods powder. I do recommend that you use a banana whenever using the greens however, it is awful without it.

 Swam Monster, I call it so because the green give it the color of a swamp. 

Peanut butter banana bliss 
Vanila protein powder
almond milk
banana
oatmeal about a 1/4 cup
flax meal 1 tbsp
2tbsp peanut butter
dash vanilla extract.
ice
Blend and enjoy. If using rolled oats they are fine to toss in raw if you have steel cut oats toss on about 1/4 cup cooked. this is an interesting texture...like a chewy smoothie but I like and this one keeps me full a long time.

Berry Cobbler
Vanilla Powder
Almond milk
Catie's vitamin C powder
frozen berry of your choice
dash vanilla extract
dash cinnamon
Blend and enjoy. Add ice if needed depending on our berries. This smoothie is probably very different without the Catie's C. It is a very berry flavored vitamin C supplement. I would recommend adding a packet of truvia because the C powder gives it sweetness.

I hope you try these recipes and like them. A few suggestions, if you are feeling a little full or..ahem clogged up, add flax meal to you smoothies or shake. It will get things moving. If you find you are having problems with water intake add ice and lots. It will melt into water in your body, it doesn't count as a glass of water but every little bit helps. Also I didn't add measurements for the powder or milk because it varies from protein to protein.

Caution I have sunshine coming out of my...

So the few of you who follow this blog and are on facebook have heard my grumples over the last few days while Detoxing. The funny thing about a cold hard detox is that while it literally can make you feel like your dying, when it is over you feel beyond amazing. That was me this morning...after going bed and asleep at 9 and having my two full moon sensitive kids up all night I still woke up feeling refreshed and energized.

Today I was like a maniac. Working, cleaning, playing and well everything but working out DOH. Not that I didn't have the energy or want it was another one of those I couldn't make it happen. Today I blame it on my kids, they kept me up all night so I slept in for an hour. Then they had me build a massive fort in our basement in the area where I work out to make a movie theater. So I am blaming them, low I know. There goes my mother of the year award. haha.

Anyway I wanted to post this just to let you know that while I had a good 3 days of feeling like poo I now feel amazing. I have no sugar cravings and a really good hold on my hunger. I have tons of energy and actually wasted a whole pot of coffee because, well I just didn't really think about drinking any because I was so energized.

I also felt amazingly happy. I am a happy person in general but today I found myself more patient with my kids, more understanding of my husband and everything seemed to click. Even enduring two different melt downs from said up all night party animals didn't phase me and after dinner I ran my hubby dizzy while I cleaned our entire upstairs including the kids rooms.

So I just wanted to stop by and share. Protein Shake post tomorrow!!!

More Detox

This quote is so appropriate right now. I don't want to "relapse" or cheat or ruin everything I have done for a week and a half.

 I have been trying to work on my protein shake post, I really have. I want to get some pictures first. Right now however I am just trying to get through my days. I am detoxing hard. How hard? If I hadn't been here before I would think I was getting the flu. I don't eat a lot of sugar but I do have regulars. Sugar in my coffee, certain crackers...refined grains instead of whole, and milk. I drink a ton of milk which has a lot of sugar in it. Even the skim.

I feel so crazy right now I even considered a video diary but who knows what I might say haha. I am mainly posting this because well I am a baby, I like to whine and everyone here is tired of hearing it and also because if you hit this point in you weight loss, where everything was going well and you felt on top of the world then slowly but surely you hit rock bottom, I am hoping you can come back here to help you through it.

I haven't worked out today, I have barely eaten anything but when I have I have made it count. I just feel awful. Headache, moodiness (ask my hubby), loss of appetite and very lethargic. I don't feel like doing anything but sleeping. It is hard I won't lie and it may make some of you turn and run for the hills, but I know in the next 24 to 48 hours I am going to feel amazing. Energized, new sense of clarity you name it.

My Step-dad asked me why I was going through a detox, what was I doing to cause it. I realized I hadn't really addressed that here either. I am eating a super "tight" clean diet and dabbling in paleo here and there. Before I go any further I want to spit out this disclaimer. Everyone has their opinions on diets and lifestyles, I know I was vegetarian for years. I am doing what works for me, a clean, protein & whole foods based diet. Nothing energizes me like a high protein meal, I am not anticarbs, you need those to function but you have to eat the right ones. I can't stress this enough...do what works for you. It doesn't matter what celebrities are doing, what fitness models are doing or even what I am doing. If it is working for you that is your best plan and course of action.

So my plan. Basically I eat protein with every meal with veges, some fruit and occasionally a high complex carb. Most everything I eat is very low on the glycemic index. I do eat a banana nearly everyday in a smoothie but at this point in the game it isn't enough to sustain my sugar "addiction". While I am not someone who eats sweets 24/7 I am going through withdrawal so I am calling myself that. The one thing I like about clean eating is that there are levels, not phases like south beach but different levels. You can be laid back and eat things like agave or maple syrup even or you can go as strict as steam veges, chicken and distilled water. I am staying very close to the latter. The reason being I am working on building muscle daily so I am essentially eating like an athlete. Regardless of if I was being lax or strict I would still hit this detox. It is hard but so worth it. I can not stress that enough.

The paleo part of this equation is very controversial. I saw people attacking a post on Pinterest pertaining to Paleo. Paleo people are die hards, they eat an incredibly strict pure clean diet. I tried it, it is hard. I read a book by Robb Wolf called The Paleo Solution and it makes perfect sense that we all live this way. I tried it...it is hard, with kids it is even harder. I try to find a balance. For example I had a Paleo lunch...2 eggs poached in tomato sauce (made by me so I know no sugar) and water. Super filling and delish but I can't eat this way everyday so I try to throw in a paleo meal here and there. I feel really good after a Paleo meal, even today during this phase of craptasticness I felt energized. It is just harder for me to be organized to live this way but I do try to incorporate it often.

I want to finish by saying if you have hit a hard point in your goals where you are feeling awful or as if you can't go on, push through...give it a couple more days. Fight to get over this hump because paradise it waiting on the other side of this mountain. Jillian Michaels always says in her workouts to push through that burn you feel on those last reps because that is when change happens. I am pushing through the burn & I hope you do too!!