So finally after weeks of wanting to get up early and run I did it. I spent most of last night getting everything ready so I could jump up get dressed and head out. I wish I could say it went that smoothly but it didn't. I hit snooze on my phone for 45 min, finally dragged myself out of bed, got dressed gulped some water and headed out...with mismatched socks. See I have to get out to run by a certain time so I am back before the hubs has to leave for work so I was essentially sprinting to get ready and out the door. My ideal scenario would be me getting up with enough time to have my morning tea, some water and mentally prepare. That wasn't happening this morning. I got out there so quickly I swear I was still half asleep during my warm up. Plus I have kind of jacked my husband's old iphone 1 so I can utilize Nike+ (let's not start on my anger about no android app yet) so while I was in my half daze warm up I was battling apps. Apparently I can run music and one other app so it was either the couch to 5k or the Nike+. Ugh. 

So now to the fun part, the running. Wow...let me say that one more time...wow. Who knew that post wake up warm up I would feel amazing. I had lots of energy and it made my run...gulp...easy. You read that right, it was easy. Like I have had 40 red bulls easy. I was so surprised. I don't know if it was the cool air or the morning light or the fact that I had a huge energy reserve from sleeping all night but yes this run was easy. So much so actually that I almost told the C25K program to stick it and ran the entire time. I also felt lighter, much lighter, almost springy, which could be why the run was so easy. Or it could be that I downloaded a new C25K program and started again with week 1 day 1 regardless it was a great run and this program is really good. Now if I could just get all of the apps I want to run running at the same time. 

I may not need it however if I get a Nike+ watch which my brother in law almost has me talked into...

So here is to the morning run and hoping I can do a repeat tomorrow!!!

Untitled...

When I decided to write this post I couldn't really come up with a title. Back....again, Returning...again, Time to blog...again. It seems like the last few months has been so chaotic so insane. Of course the first thing to get neglected is this blog...or my kids (jk) no it is the blog. I think about it often and even come up with ideas but can never find the time to write something of quality. I am sitting here waiting for my husband and son to finish having their man time so I can go to bed and collapse from a day in the sun at the pool so I decided to blog.

To bring you up to speed...

Most of you who read know I was battling feeling like poo a lot. I was convinced I had celiac only to have everything come back negative only to have serious adverse reactions every time I ate wheat. After a chance impromptu trip with my hubby to the beer store (he brews beer) where I had a horrible reaction to the wheat dust in the store I opted for food allergy testing. While I can say I feel the best I have in years I also can essentially eat only meat, vegetables(except a few), fruits (except a few) and dairy. In an hour and a half I had every grain you can imagine, coffee and my dt cokes taken away. I will delve deeper into my new lifestyle in a post I have been working on.

I have also been fighting over the decision to keep at my little side business or throw int he towel. I make children's clothing and honestly I am starting to think the hours of labor aren't really worth the rewards. I love to sew and nothing makes me happier than people liking my little fashions but trying to do this with a day job and kids, hubby and wanting me time is wreaking havoc on my stress levels. I have always been a do-er. I need to fill my time but I am starting to really think I want to fill my time with my kids and getting my life and home organized. Then maybe revisit this again and take it from hobby to profession.

But on the weight loss fitness side I can't complain. I did lose a lot of weight by not eating a thing for nearly a week out of fear (more on that post later) but most of it came back and I am back to the steady weight loss that is healthy. I find that don't eat nearly what I used to eat out of pure lack of need. Food has become more fulfilling and nourishing since my body is healing, more on that in my allergy post as well. I did want to share this.

These two photos are from this year and last year. What a difference a year makes (except my boobs, I can't loose them to save my life!) There is a 30 lb different in these photos. Still a long way to go but have come a long way as well...

That being said lots of ideas coming lots of motivation and some reviews. Stay tuned and thanks for hanging in there with me!!

Finally...the challenge

So about oh a month ago I mentioned doing a challenge on my facebook. I have people that were game and then it never happened. It dawned on me today that in 3 weeks time our pool will open...eeek. Panic ensued and then I remembered the challenge.

So here is what I am thinking...Having a Pool Season Challenge. The details are as follows...

• Pick a cardio routine and complete at least 3 days per week. 
• Pick a strength routine and complete 2-3 days per week. 
• Aim for 5 days a week of total exercise
• Follow your own eating plan
• Use new facebook page for accountability, support, and information. 

This is essentially a self driven challenge where you choose what works best for you and you follow it but use us for accountability and support. Every time you complete a workout go to the Minus 46 wall and post what you did that day and anything else you feel like posting, i.e. Great workout, would have rather sat on the couch, felt like I was training for the Hunger Games...whatever you like. If there is a day you need inspiration come to this page and get motivation. I am going to post a daily motivation to help keep us all going. The ultimate goal of this challenge is to feel amazing in your bathing suit this summer. Refuse to spend another summer feeling awkward or hiding in the water or under a sarong. 

Also feel free to post photos...take a photo of something amazing you saw on a walk or your before and after for the week, anything you like. Heck post all of your losses, your lbs, inches you name it.This is a judge free supportive accountability page. This is a place where you should NEVER feel uncomfortable or insecure. If someone makes you feel that way please notify me immediately and I will ban them from the page. 

I really hope you will join me in kicking the whole insecurity at the pool scenario to the curb and join this challenge. Also if you have a weight loss blog please post!! 

The feel of Deflation

Okay 46ers, a friend of mine has totally motivated me to get my a** back in gear here and everywhere but first...I need to whine.

I got a letter from my doctor yesterday explaining that I am not in fact a celiac. She was besides herself with confidence that I was but the test came back negative and she said my nutrient levels were perfect with the exception of iron and hemoglobin. So why am I whining?

The main reason isn't because because I don't have to read everything I eat, give warnings and give up pretty much everything...no no I am quite happy I don't have to live the life of someone who has a food allergy. I truly empathize for these people. I am upset because once again I have no idea what is wrong with me. I am trying to tell myself I just need to accept that salmonella kills, I lived and my body paid for it. Also that it takes a long time to recover and it hasn't even been a year yet. The problem with this is there is nothing I can do to fix this but wait. Sure I can eat healthy and exercise and hope it shortens the amount of time it will take my body to recover but like most humans I want the quick fix.

So here I am yet again with low hemoglobin and anemic working toward feeling better. I just feel deflated because I thought I had a good answer.

But what I have learned...

• First and foremost listen to your friends (you know who you are)
• next protein makes me feel powerful, grains make me feel weak
• I know my body better than my doctor does and I am happy I don't have celiac but I know grains aren't my friends. 

What are my goals

• Sweat daily doing whatever I have time & energy for that day. This includes my crazy cleaning sprees and kid play time...they count
• Keep the paleo-ish ball rolling. We all feel better and I don't have to read everything I eat haha
• BLOG...more
• Remarry my fitness/weight loss journal 

So to end this somewhat pathetic post I am happy I don't have a strange affliction that affects so many adults, I really feel bad for them. I am sad I don't have a quick way to feel better (I so like to feel great) but happy that it is forcing me to make better choices and live healthier. It also made me think of settling and how I shouldn't settle. So far I have settled for the bit of weight I have lost the baggy clothes but I need to reamp my rear in gear. 

Getting Gluttened

This whole celiac is new to me. I go through periods of feeling relieved because I now have a diagnosis and can start healing, to being in denial, to thinking I am imagining it all. Then I try to convince myself I am a high tolerant celiac and can handle eating small amounts of it, after all I have been eating gluten for a while without huge side effects, right? apparently not.

There are different levels of celiac "reactions". You have people who can eat a bite or two of gluten with no issues and you have people who react if someone mentions the word gluten. I was hoping to be the former but am slowly learning I am the latter. There are two ways I have to avoid gluten, direct consumption and cross contamination. Direct consumption is hard enough, seeking out G free foods, reading every label it is a pain. Cross contamination is a whole other baby. This happens when oh say a knife used to cut gluten bread is used to cut gluten free bread, the G free bread has been contaminated with gluten, traces but gluten nonetheless. Cross contamination can happen in a million different ways. I can fix my kids a regular PB & J and lick PB off of my finger, PB that has touched the bread and get the gluten. I can oh say get a sandwich on gluten free bread where they don't really guarantee no cross contamination where the mayo has most likely been spread with a contaminated knife. Sounds ridiculous huh? I thought so too until today.

Jason's deli has a great GF menu and their GF bread is dang tasty I might add, but they serve it to you in a wrapper with a fat label saying "eat at your own risk because well we can't guarantee this was made with clean utensils and is not contaminated". So I did...and I paid (am still paying). About an hour after lunch I got the "something isn't right" feeling I get when I eat gluten, followed by the overwhelming feeling of needing to vomit or faint which leads to my narcoleptic fatigue ending with noises that sound like my tummy is trying to have a conversation with my hubby, even watching my tummy swell...yes swell and it ends even worse...I will spare you the details.

So why the rant, why am I ticked. Well it isn't at Jason's deli they warned me. It is at myself. One, I asked a gluten free friend what she gets at Jason's and she told me the salad bar, which I loved until I got salmonella and the health department lady told me it was Russian roulette so I avoid it because I am chicken. Two, I told myself that a) I was going to be a low reactive celiac and cross contamination wouldn't hurt and b) I didn't want to make a big deal every time I ate out. Plus I hate when I do exclaim "I have a gluten allergy" and they look at me like I just said **&&^%^&. I don't want to be THAT girl who is like please wash your hands, change all utensils to new and clean, break open a new bottle of mayo yada yada.

However, after today's protests by my body, it is going to have to be that way. My plan was to purge all gluten from my body then test how far I could go before reacting, but it seems like the more I avoid gluten the more sensitive I become. Or it could be that I have felt so bad for so long I never realized or listened to the signs. They were loud and proud today...if I was dictating this into a recorder my tummy would be writing half of it because it is loud and can be heard over the TV...luckily my hubby loves me anyway. It is also slowly growing as I sit here, swelling from being irritated.

I don't get what my deal is about not wanting to be cautious when eating out. If it were my kids I would be a maniac, but for me I just feel like a Diva. I am sure I will get over it eventually and let it go. I have been looking at celiac cards online so I can just hand it to my server without the detailed explanation of why it is imperative I have no gluten in my food. This headache is totally worth it (not the one I am sporting now the headache of being diligent) because I will feel so much better and begin to heal.  I will be a new women and reduce my risk of developing other autoimmune diseases. Plus I day dream of more energy, more energy, which incidentally I had until today's glutening! I am not sure what it was that effected me. A contaminated knife cutting my bread or spreading my mayo, the maltodextrin in my dt coke or did I touch my kids lunch then lick my finger, who knows. All I know is my tummy is peed off at the moment and it is my own fault.

So I will suffer through tonight and start fresh in the morning with the gluten hangover I get as a reminder. Then tomorrow when I get up, I will put on my big girl panties and stop being such a Pansy about speaking up for myself with my food. I don't eat out a whole lot, usually lunch date with the kids but where I thought Hasselbeck was crazy in her book I will have to go re-read for tips on how to eat out gluten free.
So I need to suck it up, be that person and start being more strict at avoiding cross contamination.  I will also lament my favorite junk food treat...chili cheese fritos...I bid thee farewell :(

Celiac and the worst detox ever...

Well ladies and gents here I am trying to get posts going again. I am the worst these days. My small business is picking up which is a big time taker and with the debilitating fatigue I have been having I barely have the energy to think. There there was my Hunger Games read-a-thon but we won't talk about that ;)

So here I am with an update for the 2 readers I know actual read this blog haha. After feeling bad for what has been close to a year following a serious salmonella poisoning that nearly killed me I have finally found what is wrong with me. I have Celiac Disease aka a gluten allergy, an illness that goes largely undiagnosed and is common enough to be found in 1 our of every 100 adults. Most of which is activated after a serious illness...like say um salmageddon. I set out on this journey out of my desperate need to feel good again. I am not that person who enjoys feeling bad or even average. I like to feel like sunshine is coming our of every orifice, I am that annoying person ;) I like to exercise everyday, laugh lots and have the energy to do it all, all of the time. I have had a serious lack of that in my life since getting sick.

I have had a few people asking me how I found out I had Celiac, I love to share this because it can take an average of 7 years for most people to be diagnosed. I can blame it all on the Paleo diet. After 30 days of strict paleo I started reintroducing food and I was met with a serious lack of reaction to anything...then I ate some battered fried fish after fasting all day. It started there and didn't stop. For some reason when I start eating gluten I am like a junkie and it is all I consume. It was like a big snowball effect and it was killing my body. I was constantly in intestinal distress, fatigued and moody and one time I even had what I would call an out right allergic reaction. I realized something was amiss and gluten was a culprit. I had heard of Celiac and it kept coming up in the back of my mind. I have pretty good intuition even if I don't always listen to it.

It took me close to 3 weeks to finally get the nerve to get tested and go see my doctor. Why would I do that you ask? Because me realizing I had celiac and acknowledging it is different that a doctor confirming it. If I know about it I can eat the foods that make me sick and in some sick twisted way pretend it doesn't exist, but the reality of a formal you have celiac is intimidating. Pizza anyone? So I bit the bullet and went because the damage celiac does to your body if you go undiagnosed is more painful than and food I will have to give up.

So how was I diagnosed is another question I get. There are a series of tests, but my Dr. gave me a pretty solid diagnosis based on the blood work she had on file. I have had quite a few blood tests since my poisoning and looking at them she said my nutrient deficiencies are typical for Celiacs. These are numbers she has been perplexed as to why they won't regulate. She went ahead and did the blood panel to test for celiac as well as my normal blood work and an extra blood chemistry to see how my nutrients are faring. I also have to go have a biopsy done of my small intestine (I think) with a gastroenterologist of which I am not too excited about...how exactly do they get that biopsy :/

So what does this mean for me now. ENERGY I hope. Fatigue is a side effect of Celiacs consuming gluten as well as anemia which can cause fatigue. A nasty detox, which I think I am coming out of as I type this. It was nasty did I say that already? I read that there is a peptide in gluten that attaches to the opiate receptors in your brain so you can withdrawal like you are taking drugs. I did, it wasn't pretty but like I said I am coming out of it and already feeling better. I also noticed my abdomen has gone down significantly. It looks like I have lost about 15 lbs when I haven't. I am guessing that my belly was swollen from being irritated.

This also means that I have to be diligent about not eating gluten. Some Celiacs can eat certain levels of gluten without any symptoms other can't even have a smidge without tailspinning into misery. I am hoping I am the former, it means that I can suffer cross contamination without bad results. For now however I am not risking it and am completely eliminating gluten from my life to allow my body to heal which can take about a month. This means reading everything I buy and eat, research research research, and presenting myself as a celiac when dining out. Which is kind of embarrassing but totally worth not having a reaction.

So far my hubby has been amazing. He even found me a g-free pizzeria and the worlds biggest list of mainstream g free foods. I have found some great blogs and tons of pins on pinterest.  It hasn't been easy even for the short time I have been living this way. I have found that almost everything either has gluten in it or is a cross contaminate. All of the chocolate in my house has a "may contain wheat" warning...my favorite taco seasoning has gluten and many other things I am used to eating. Did I mention my hubby brews beer? Really good beer...full of gluten. He has talked about making me a g free so we will see. For now I am happy I can still have pizza, there is a Trader Joe's close (which is super G free friendly) and I have a great support system. I just finished The G Free Diet book which was helpful, especially the part where she gives advice on how to attend food centered functions without making a fuss. Easter is coming up and I want my family to prepare their usual fare, I can always bring something if I need to. It is about the company after all and I don't want Easter to become about my new lifestyle.

I also, out of no where, had the energy and desire to go for a short walk today...it was great. I hope today ifs the beginning of many, many energy filled healthy days!!!

Regrouping and In Progress

Hey all of you 46ers, are you feeling neglected? I know my friend Mandy has called me out a couple of times over my lack of posting. She is totally right! I have about 4 or 5 half written posts saved that I have yet to finish. Alas life has taken a front seat, well that and my small business has had me very busy building inventory. I make children's clothing which is time consuming. You can check out my online shop here shameless plug.

So where do I start. The beginning is the best place correct? Besides sewing I have been purging my life of clutter. I swear for every room I clear I lost weight. I have also been reorganizing my life and running. Not much in the way of weight training and I have been really seeing a difference in my body it is losing the tone I had gained, which wasn't much to begin with.

I will start with these...

Most recent pictures and stats.

Not much change from last time. I am losing tone in my belly from lack of Jillian Michaels ab torture. I need to get back on that. Finding time is such an issue. I don't have any hard number stats for you because I have given up my scale and measuring myself for Lent. No don't laugh, I am serious. I saw my daughter standing on it one morning and she looked at me and said "is that good" it made me ill (she is 2.5). She has never heard me commenting on my weight being bad or good while I am on the scale (that is an internal battle) but she gets it. So I pitched it. I can tell you that I have old jeans I can not wear anymore because they just fall off as I walk. I also have tons of clothing I can wear now and unlike previous years I am dying for warm weather and the clothing that comes with it. I even wore a favorite dress of mine with no one commenting on how pregnant I was (even though I wasn't)

Other than that I started the Whole30 plan but hit a huge speed bump. So with Lent looming over head I joined the 40 bags in 40 days declutter for Lent and decided to also do a Whole40. Apparently giving things up for Jesus is easier than for myself, but that is a whole other post entirely. I have also started taking kick boxing at my son's Tae Kwan Do studio/dojo I don't really know the lingo yet. 

Since I am posting this on a Saturday I am going to restructure my weeks starting them on Sundays, ending on Saturday. 

This week's goals. 

• Kickboxing
• continue couch to 5k
• throw in 2 weight training (aka jillian michaels)
• Whole40

Just because I have been absent doesn't mean I have been slacking or lazy. I have had some set backs and time issues but at any moment I can I jump on the treadmill and I keep my eating tight. Fasting Ash Wednesday sent me on a spiral that ended in pizza and serious gastrointestinal issues. Apparently reintroducing dairy and gluten after being sans both for nearly 2 months is a really bad idea. I convinced that I have a gluten intolerance I never noticed before until I try to eat it now. I can add in dairy here and there with no problems and things like rice or beans are okay too but add in gluten and I am a mess. 

While I will be doing the Whole30 ( I will also be doing daily posts of what I am eating starting tomorrow) I have decided to move my family more gluten free than full paleo. I have been limiting milk for both kids and I am happy to say neither of them have had breathing issues or even snot for that matter. My daughter had a few glasses of milk at my MIL yesterday and got a bit snotty but it didn't last long. Anything to forgo the ridiculously expensive breathing medicine!

I also wanted to share this. I bought myself a little something for being such a good sport haha. 

I got this off of a cute little etsy shop, if you follow my Pinterest boards you have seen it. I love it. It is a cut up tee shirt that ties in the back and has a sweet little bow. It is like my vintage boutique side married my crossfit wanna be tough side. I love this fitness in progress. You may think that I got this to shout to people why I am currently fatter than I would like but really I got it to remember that I am a work in progress. That if I am not happy where I am today I can change that by working hard because I am in progress. I also like that is says fitness in progress, not skinny or weight loss but fitness because while losing weight is the ultimate goal fitness is the way to get there. 

She has lots of really cute versions of this shirt and you can get yours here Ruffles with Love

Check her out, I see at least two more in my future! I would have taken a picture of the back but this is the best shot I could get by myself ahah

So let me know how you are doing in your journey. Follow me on pinterest especially my Minus the 46 board, it is full of inspiration and twitter for silly blurbs @supermomsteurer I may get around to a facebook page eventually but we will see. 

Best Always

Jaimelee