I got home yesterday, quickly ran out the door for my 33 minute run (to add to my 30 minutes of weights and 40 minute walk) and the whole time I was running in the 77 degree heat, all I could think about was the chili I was going to make for dinner. I had some organic ground beef, veggies, and tomato stuff...that's all I needed.
I still had about 20 minutes to make up to get to my 120 minutes of exercise for the challenge, so after dinner I spent well over an hour pulling staples out of the floor. We just tore carpet out of our bedroom, and the staples remain. It is a lot harder than it sounds!
The chili was so good, I kept returning to the kitchen for spoon fulls while it cooled. Luckily, I saved just enough to have for my lunch today.
Caveman Chili
1 large onion (I prefer sweet onion, like walla walla)
1 green bell pepper
2 large carrots
3 stalks green onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 pound ground beef
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper
Chop onion and garlic. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot/stockpot. When the oil is warmed up, add the onion, garlic, and some grinds of fresh pepper. While the onion is softening, chop up the green pepper, carrots, and green onion, add to pan. Cook the veggies for 5-7 minutes, just till they are cooked, but not totally soft. Add the ground beef, and a few more turns ground pepper. Once the beef is nearly cooked, add the can of diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Fill the empty diced tomato can with water and add to the pot. You may need to add an additional can full if the chili is thick. The chili will thicken up as it cooks further, so you don't want it to be at chili consistency right away. Add the 2 bay leaves, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper. Turn the burner down below medium and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, until all the flavors have incorporated, and it has thickened a bit.
Don't blame me if you end up eating this all at once.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Balls to the Wall Sugar Out Challenge
Ok, the rules for the sugar/fitness challenge have been set. To be fair, I came up with the sugar elimination challenge, and Ann over at I'm a Phoenix, Baby! came up with the fitness challenge. Feel free to join in...Or just see how long you can go without sugar...or if you need a kick in the exercise department ass...or both!
Rules for sugar/refined stuff:
-no sugar except naturally occurring fruit sugar (keep fruit consumption low)
-no foods with added sugar
-no white flour, nothing containing white flour
-no artificial sweeteners
Fitness
-120 minutes of exercise per day. Your choice but at least 60 minutes have to be HARD cardiovascular exercise and 30 minutes have to be weighted. Six days a week. One total rest day.
-Certain intimate activities can be counted as cardio activity wink, wink. (I try to keep my blog PG-13)
-You have to try at least one new exercise or activity each week. This can be a class, a new machine, or a new sport.
General Rules
-no whining
-July 26 to August 31st
-keep track of any changes you notice daily/weekly/overall in your body
-you can cheat, but then you lose.
This challenge formed quickly and unexpectedly, and I realized yesterday that my planned "non-Paleo day" would fall during the challenge. I made a hasty decision yesterday to have pizza for dinner, and have that be my non-Paleo meal. It took A LOT of convincing, hmming and hawing, and texting to the boyfriend, before I found myself faced with a glistening pizza in my kitchen. I read the ingredients. I read the nutrition facts. I wondered if I would get instantly sick, or instantly gain all the weight back, or never eat Paleo again.
What actually happened? Nothing. I ate a few pieces of pizza. I did not get sick, I did not go crazy. It was rather anti-climatic. Some things of note, however: (1) I only ate a few pieces. There was a time in my life (not that long ago) I would eat the whole thing. (2) If I did not eat the whole thing, I would hide the few pieces left so I could have them for breakfast. This time? I put the remaining pizza (over 1/2) in the fridge for the boyfriend to see, and then sat with him a few hours later while he ate it, and was not SAD, or ANGRY, or feeling DEPRIVED.
I woke up this morning, knocked out 30 minutes of my 120 minutes of exercise for the day, grabbed my pre-made (by me) Paleo breakfast and lunch, and went to work. I feel good to have the pressure of a non-Paleo meal gone, and a new challenge to focus on until August 31st.
Rules for sugar/refined stuff:
-no sugar except naturally occurring fruit sugar (keep fruit consumption low)
-no foods with added sugar
-no white flour, nothing containing white flour
-no artificial sweeteners
Fitness
-120 minutes of exercise per day. Your choice but at least 60 minutes have to be HARD cardiovascular exercise and 30 minutes have to be weighted. Six days a week. One total rest day.
-Certain intimate activities can be counted as cardio activity wink, wink. (I try to keep my blog PG-13)
-You have to try at least one new exercise or activity each week. This can be a class, a new machine, or a new sport.
General Rules
-no whining
-July 26 to August 31st
-keep track of any changes you notice daily/weekly/overall in your body
-you can cheat, but then you lose.
This challenge formed quickly and unexpectedly, and I realized yesterday that my planned "non-Paleo day" would fall during the challenge. I made a hasty decision yesterday to have pizza for dinner, and have that be my non-Paleo meal. It took A LOT of convincing, hmming and hawing, and texting to the boyfriend, before I found myself faced with a glistening pizza in my kitchen. I read the ingredients. I read the nutrition facts. I wondered if I would get instantly sick, or instantly gain all the weight back, or never eat Paleo again.
What actually happened? Nothing. I ate a few pieces of pizza. I did not get sick, I did not go crazy. It was rather anti-climatic. Some things of note, however: (1) I only ate a few pieces. There was a time in my life (not that long ago) I would eat the whole thing. (2) If I did not eat the whole thing, I would hide the few pieces left so I could have them for breakfast. This time? I put the remaining pizza (over 1/2) in the fridge for the boyfriend to see, and then sat with him a few hours later while he ate it, and was not SAD, or ANGRY, or feeling DEPRIVED.
I woke up this morning, knocked out 30 minutes of my 120 minutes of exercise for the day, grabbed my pre-made (by me) Paleo breakfast and lunch, and went to work. I feel good to have the pressure of a non-Paleo meal gone, and a new challenge to focus on until August 31st.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Good 'Ole Fashioned Challenge
There is nothing, NOTHING, I can't stand more than inefficiency. Inefficiency can take on many roles, and appear in all different facets of life. One thing I think I'm really good at is finding the best way to do something. For example, I am very big on "process" I need to figure out all the steps of an action, and then I can find the best/fastest/most logical way to perform the action.
For example, grocery shopping. I have my list, I know where everything in the store is, I plot my route (in my head) so I can get everything the fastest without having to double back around wandering up and down the isles. I can't stand shopping with people that wander aimlessly...no idea what they want or need...no idea where anything is...ARRRRRGH! I just want shake these people, and be like "hey, you are wasting so much time!"
End rant. So anyway, one of the bloggers I follow is such an inspiration, she has lost well over 100 lbs, and has kept it off for over a year. She lost the weight FAST, and in the past few months has been struggling with eating. I kept quiet, just kept reading her troubles. So much of it sounded familiar to the way I was prior to Paleo. So I went out on a limb, and bet her that it was the sugar.
We are now entering a good 'ole fashioned challenge, starting on Monday, July 26th. I am competitive, she is competitive, and we are going to give up sugar (except fruits) for 30 days. Now, as part of my 30 day Paleo challenge, I gave up sugar. But, since then I have been lax about letting small amounts of cane sugar and honey back into my diet. Still natural...however, slippery slope. So, I'm giving up Larabars, honey, and cane sugar. She is also working on a fitness challenge for us as well.
I'm excited to see what this challenge does for her, if anything. Mostly to see if my sugar hypothesis is right. I already know what awesome things eliminating sugar does for me. But the fitness challenge...that is the kick in the butt I need. I'm so damn competitive, only challenges seem to work for me as far as motivation.
Whoo hoo! Love me some competition!
For example, grocery shopping. I have my list, I know where everything in the store is, I plot my route (in my head) so I can get everything the fastest without having to double back around wandering up and down the isles. I can't stand shopping with people that wander aimlessly...no idea what they want or need...no idea where anything is...ARRRRRGH! I just want shake these people, and be like "hey, you are wasting so much time!"
End rant. So anyway, one of the bloggers I follow is such an inspiration, she has lost well over 100 lbs, and has kept it off for over a year. She lost the weight FAST, and in the past few months has been struggling with eating. I kept quiet, just kept reading her troubles. So much of it sounded familiar to the way I was prior to Paleo. So I went out on a limb, and bet her that it was the sugar.
We are now entering a good 'ole fashioned challenge, starting on Monday, July 26th. I am competitive, she is competitive, and we are going to give up sugar (except fruits) for 30 days. Now, as part of my 30 day Paleo challenge, I gave up sugar. But, since then I have been lax about letting small amounts of cane sugar and honey back into my diet. Still natural...however, slippery slope. So, I'm giving up Larabars, honey, and cane sugar. She is also working on a fitness challenge for us as well.
I'm excited to see what this challenge does for her, if anything. Mostly to see if my sugar hypothesis is right. I already know what awesome things eliminating sugar does for me. But the fitness challenge...that is the kick in the butt I need. I'm so damn competitive, only challenges seem to work for me as far as motivation.
Whoo hoo! Love me some competition!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
I'm No Scientist...
...but there has definitely been some sort of chemical change that has taken place in my body. It wouldn't be right to say I'm a whole new person, but it wouldn't be right to say that I am the same person. The foods I was eating prior to June 1st somehow had me thrown into a horrible (no pun intended) feedback loop. Those foods did not nourish me. They made me have horrible cravings, and essentially set me up to fail by misusing my insulin.
The funny thing is, I thought I was doing everything right. Move more, eat less. Prior to June 1st, I was keeping my calories under 1,500 and exercising 45 minutes a day on average. I thought I felt good. Until I would get a craving so bad, I HAD to give in, and then I felt like shit. Not only physically, but mentally too because I KNEW better. Usually one craving would lead to another, and another... For some reason, the power of whatever food I wanted was greater than all the knowledge I had. I could always say at the drop of a hat what I wanted to eat, because usually I had been thinking about it for hours or days. I was always looking for an excuse to give myself the foods I thought I wanted. I thought I was messed up, unique, had no will power, and that's why I was fat and my friends were not. Now I see that reason was something chemical within my body. But I am no scientist, so I can't be 100% sure.
All I can say for sure is that I no longer get those cravings. I decided to give myself a "free" day on July 31st (my 2 month Paleo Anniversary) and I cannot for the life of me decide what I want to eat. Everything that I think of to "treat myself" with does not sound appealing to me at all. But. BUT! Most of all, there is a difference in how I perceive non-Paleo foods. I see them as a slippery slope back to the way I was before June 1st. I have never considered the consequences of my eating choices before, even though I knew they were bad. The food ALWAYS won. This. Is. Groundbreaking. This represents a true shift in everything I have known, and that is why I say it is not fair to say I'm the same person.
Now I'm not sure which element of my diet I eliminated (sugar, grains, dairy, etc.) has caused this phenomenon. Honestly? I don't care. As long as I continue to feel like this, and look like this, I have no interest in changing anything. That is why I'm having such a hard time deciding what to eat on July 31st. I don't want the way I feel to change. I don't ever want to go back to food having so much control over me that I would go against my better knowledge of what was good for me just to eat it. That is crazy. Furthermore, no matter how hard I tried, without eliminating the offending food(s) causing that reaction in me, it would be impossible to overcome the urges just by sheer "will power." So all along, all this time, it wasn't me. It was the junk I was putting into my body.
I picked up a book the other day at Borders that is pretty much rocking my world right now, Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. I'm only about 80 pages in, but to sum up what I have read so far...basically everything that we as Americans have been told the past 60 years regarding diet and health has been loosely based on a hypothesis that was never really proved. Essentially, someone 60 years ago decided that there was a link between cholesterol and heart disease (we've all heard that) and therefore lowering your cholesterol decreases your chances of heart disease. WRONG. This same person also proposed that a lower fat diet would help reduce cholesterol levels, and therefore heart disease. WRONG. There have been many studies over the years disproving both of these commonly spread theories, but those studies didn't get any press.
Pretty nuts, huh? I kinda feel like I'm reading The People's History of the United States, except for diet/health. Rocking my world.
The funny thing is, I thought I was doing everything right. Move more, eat less. Prior to June 1st, I was keeping my calories under 1,500 and exercising 45 minutes a day on average. I thought I felt good. Until I would get a craving so bad, I HAD to give in, and then I felt like shit. Not only physically, but mentally too because I KNEW better. Usually one craving would lead to another, and another... For some reason, the power of whatever food I wanted was greater than all the knowledge I had. I could always say at the drop of a hat what I wanted to eat, because usually I had been thinking about it for hours or days. I was always looking for an excuse to give myself the foods I thought I wanted. I thought I was messed up, unique, had no will power, and that's why I was fat and my friends were not. Now I see that reason was something chemical within my body. But I am no scientist, so I can't be 100% sure.
All I can say for sure is that I no longer get those cravings. I decided to give myself a "free" day on July 31st (my 2 month Paleo Anniversary) and I cannot for the life of me decide what I want to eat. Everything that I think of to "treat myself" with does not sound appealing to me at all. But. BUT! Most of all, there is a difference in how I perceive non-Paleo foods. I see them as a slippery slope back to the way I was before June 1st. I have never considered the consequences of my eating choices before, even though I knew they were bad. The food ALWAYS won. This. Is. Groundbreaking. This represents a true shift in everything I have known, and that is why I say it is not fair to say I'm the same person.
Now I'm not sure which element of my diet I eliminated (sugar, grains, dairy, etc.) has caused this phenomenon. Honestly? I don't care. As long as I continue to feel like this, and look like this, I have no interest in changing anything. That is why I'm having such a hard time deciding what to eat on July 31st. I don't want the way I feel to change. I don't ever want to go back to food having so much control over me that I would go against my better knowledge of what was good for me just to eat it. That is crazy. Furthermore, no matter how hard I tried, without eliminating the offending food(s) causing that reaction in me, it would be impossible to overcome the urges just by sheer "will power." So all along, all this time, it wasn't me. It was the junk I was putting into my body.
I picked up a book the other day at Borders that is pretty much rocking my world right now, Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. I'm only about 80 pages in, but to sum up what I have read so far...basically everything that we as Americans have been told the past 60 years regarding diet and health has been loosely based on a hypothesis that was never really proved. Essentially, someone 60 years ago decided that there was a link between cholesterol and heart disease (we've all heard that) and therefore lowering your cholesterol decreases your chances of heart disease. WRONG. This same person also proposed that a lower fat diet would help reduce cholesterol levels, and therefore heart disease. WRONG. There have been many studies over the years disproving both of these commonly spread theories, but those studies didn't get any press.
Pretty nuts, huh? I kinda feel like I'm reading The People's History of the United States, except for diet/health. Rocking my world.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Whew. Sore.
On Saturday I helped a friend of mine do some yardwork. I knew it would be a great workout, plus, I really admire this girl. She is quite possibly one of the most 'driven' people I know, ivy league education, intense athlete (even did an olympic sailing campaign), and SUPER, SUPER modest about it all, and so nice. So, we dug, and pick-axed, and wheelbarrowed, and dumpstered. The whole time I kept thinking how "paleo" this workout was. Doing something for a reason, vs. being a gerbil on a wheel.
I was really curious about her diet/exercise habits (because I think she is in great shape), but didn't know how to bring up the whole, "so, have you ever thought of eating paleo" thing without seemingly like a pushy salesperson. As we were shoveling dirt around in the dumpster, she says, "so my husband and I just joined Crossfit." Almost as if she could read my mind! I got WAY too excited and proceeded to go into a 15 minute diatribe about how much I love Paleo. I got to ask tons of questions about Crossfit, because Paleo and Crossfit are kinda like Bert and Ernie. Where there is one, eventually there is the other.
She told me the kinds of things she did during her first few private sessions, I told her menu ideas that were delicious and husband fooling. Still, not believing how the conversation that I was struggling to bring up in my head became a reality (kismat?). We finished up, I went into the office for a few hours, and decided I would be joining Crossfit in the near future. I'm thinking Septemeber 1st ish?
On Sunday, true to my crazy self, I started thinking, well, I can't go into Crossfit without some sort of base...I don't want to totally suck, so, after I painted the first coat on the kitchen walls, I set up a mini Crossfit circuit. I grabbed a bench (for "box" jumps), a full gallon of paint (for "kettleball" swings), and decided to do push-ups and leg throws (lie on my back, grab a chair behind my head, lift my legs up to 90 degrees and lower them almost to the floor, and back up).
My workout, or "WOD" (ha, look at me) consisted of:
20 "box jumps"
20 "kettleball" swings
20 push ups
20 leg throws
20 "box jumps"
20 "kettleball" swings
15 push-ups
15 leg throws
15 box jumps
15 kettleball swings
10 push ups
10 leg throws
10 box jumps
10 kettlball swings
5 push up
5 leg throws
That took me 15 minutes. I was sweating like crazy, and my heart rate was elevated after, box jump #3...of the first set. Yeah, I can see why those Crossfit people are so ripped. Not to mention this was a crude, crude, version of whatever I imagine takes place inside those walls.
I woke up this morning, and WOW am I sore. I think I can feel every muscle in my stomach, pecs, and back. My shoulders, biceps, and hammies are slightly tight. I love it! Oh, and I'm down another pound this week.
I was really curious about her diet/exercise habits (because I think she is in great shape), but didn't know how to bring up the whole, "so, have you ever thought of eating paleo" thing without seemingly like a pushy salesperson. As we were shoveling dirt around in the dumpster, she says, "so my husband and I just joined Crossfit." Almost as if she could read my mind! I got WAY too excited and proceeded to go into a 15 minute diatribe about how much I love Paleo. I got to ask tons of questions about Crossfit, because Paleo and Crossfit are kinda like Bert and Ernie. Where there is one, eventually there is the other.
She told me the kinds of things she did during her first few private sessions, I told her menu ideas that were delicious and husband fooling. Still, not believing how the conversation that I was struggling to bring up in my head became a reality (kismat?). We finished up, I went into the office for a few hours, and decided I would be joining Crossfit in the near future. I'm thinking Septemeber 1st ish?
On Sunday, true to my crazy self, I started thinking, well, I can't go into Crossfit without some sort of base...I don't want to totally suck, so, after I painted the first coat on the kitchen walls, I set up a mini Crossfit circuit. I grabbed a bench (for "box" jumps), a full gallon of paint (for "kettleball" swings), and decided to do push-ups and leg throws (lie on my back, grab a chair behind my head, lift my legs up to 90 degrees and lower them almost to the floor, and back up).
My workout, or "WOD" (ha, look at me) consisted of:
20 "box jumps"
20 "kettleball" swings
20 push ups
20 leg throws
20 "box jumps"
20 "kettleball" swings
15 push-ups
15 leg throws
15 box jumps
15 kettleball swings
10 push ups
10 leg throws
10 box jumps
10 kettlball swings
5 push up
5 leg throws
That took me 15 minutes. I was sweating like crazy, and my heart rate was elevated after, box jump #3...of the first set. Yeah, I can see why those Crossfit people are so ripped. Not to mention this was a crude, crude, version of whatever I imagine takes place inside those walls.
I woke up this morning, and WOW am I sore. I think I can feel every muscle in my stomach, pecs, and back. My shoulders, biceps, and hammies are slightly tight. I love it! Oh, and I'm down another pound this week.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Housekeeping
First off, I would like to thank this fellow northwest blogger that gave me an award yesterday. I still consider myself new to blogland...and am not really sure how to proceed. There are instructions about what I'm supposed to do with it, yada yada, but I have a very short attention span. I got about half-way through the instructions, tried to link the award to my blog, crashed Firefox, and gave up. I'm sorry nice blogger, please don't take my lack of attention span/computer savvy/blog-know-how as a 'dis.' I really appreciate the award.
Secondly, I would like to thank my biggest fan (she knows why) and answer her request of posting my current (new!) running mix. I get odd looks often for my choice in music, especially when people that hardly know me get into my car and hear my radio station/iPod selection. Whatever. I like cheezy, fun, overplayed hip-hop/rap/pop. Always have. I like turning it up in the car, rolling the windows down, and rocking out.
Violet's Kick-Ass Running Mix Vol. 2:
1. I'm Real (J.Lo feat Murder remix)
2. Let Me Blow Ya Mind (Eve)
3. One Minute Man (Missy Elliot)
4. Blah Blah Blah (Ke$ha feat. 3OH!3)
5. Just A Lil Bit (50 Cent)
6. California Gurls (Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg)
7. Round the Outside (Eminem)
8. What's Luv (Fat Joe/Ashanti)
9. LoveGame (Lady GaGa)
10. Bombs Over Baghdad (Outkast)
Don't judge. Kidding. I judge all the time, so go ahead.
Oh, yeah, and I vaguely remember something about posting 7 things about me as part of the rules for that award thingy.
1. I like what some people (people over 16) would consider horrible music.
2. I judge. A lot. I'm trying to be better about this, and admittance is the first step, right?
3. Despite my name, my favorite color is NOT purple. Although, I do like the color.
4. I love the water. Swimming, sailing, snorkeling, showering, drinking, whatever. Once I'm in, you can't get me out. Regardless of the temperature or wrinkliness of my skin.
5. In matters related to #4, I love fish. In fact, I love fish so much, I do not eat fish.
6. I absolutely cannot take anyone who voted for McCain seriously. Well, anyone with a formal education (H.S. graduate at least) that is. Especially after he chose SP as his running mate. And especially, especially, after listening to SP speak.
7. Strawberries are and have always been my favorite food.
I'm off to Barnes and Noble to see if I can pick up a few books on Paleo.
Secondly, I would like to thank my biggest fan (she knows why) and answer her request of posting my current (new!) running mix. I get odd looks often for my choice in music, especially when people that hardly know me get into my car and hear my radio station/iPod selection. Whatever. I like cheezy, fun, overplayed hip-hop/rap/pop. Always have. I like turning it up in the car, rolling the windows down, and rocking out.
Violet's Kick-Ass Running Mix Vol. 2:
1. I'm Real (J.Lo feat Murder remix)
2. Let Me Blow Ya Mind (Eve)
3. One Minute Man (Missy Elliot)
4. Blah Blah Blah (Ke$ha feat. 3OH!3)
5. Just A Lil Bit (50 Cent)
6. California Gurls (Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg)
7. Round the Outside (Eminem)
8. What's Luv (Fat Joe/Ashanti)
9. LoveGame (Lady GaGa)
10. Bombs Over Baghdad (Outkast)
Don't judge. Kidding. I judge all the time, so go ahead.
Oh, yeah, and I vaguely remember something about posting 7 things about me as part of the rules for that award thingy.
1. I like what some people (people over 16) would consider horrible music.
2. I judge. A lot. I'm trying to be better about this, and admittance is the first step, right?
3. Despite my name, my favorite color is NOT purple. Although, I do like the color.
4. I love the water. Swimming, sailing, snorkeling, showering, drinking, whatever. Once I'm in, you can't get me out. Regardless of the temperature or wrinkliness of my skin.
5. In matters related to #4, I love fish. In fact, I love fish so much, I do not eat fish.
6. I absolutely cannot take anyone who voted for McCain seriously. Well, anyone with a formal education (H.S. graduate at least) that is. Especially after he chose SP as his running mate. And especially, especially, after listening to SP speak.
7. Strawberries are and have always been my favorite food.
I'm off to Barnes and Noble to see if I can pick up a few books on Paleo.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Attention Everyone...Attention!
I have an announcement to make: I'm wearing a skirt.
Ok, I know, that may have been the lamest announcement of all time, but perhaps if I give some background, it will make more sense. I have a small crush on my legs. They may not be the epitome of hot legs, but for whatever reason, I love mine. I love how defined my quadriceps are, and how strong my calves are. My whole life growing up as an overweight kid/pre-teen/teen/adult, I was so ashamed of my belly, and never wore tank tops because of my fat upper arms. But shorts? You bet. My legs were my saving grace. I could wear shorts and feel good about them. I could wear shorts and feel like I wasn't missing out on yet another thing my slender friends were doing.
Until one day I did not. I reached a point in my life somewhere in the past 4 years where I no longer felt good about my legs. I looked down and saw unrecognizable white blobs. Shapeless, dimpled, humongous. Where were my slender(ish) ankles? Where were my defined calves? My knees? Ack! Sadly, this was not a turning point for me. I just wore jeans and sweats and capri's. My office is incredibly casual. In fact, I'm pretty sure one of my co-workers routinely comes in wearing the clothes she slept in, and maybe some flip-flops for good measure. I wish I was kidding.
The past few weeks, and specifically the past 2 weeks, my body has undergone amazing changes. I realized my legs were making a come back. MY LEGS. This makes me happy beyond how good I feel from eating a Paleo diet. This makes me happy beyond the blue skies and sunshine outside. This makes me happy beyond all the comments and support I receive from this blog.
I realized today, that it is my 3 year anniversary at my present job. Never, ever in my 3 years here have I worn a skirt. Until today. Pajama co-worker hasn't even noticed yet. I'm sure when she does, she will get all freaked out and think I have an interview for another job or something. Ah, the dysfunction in this office is asinine. That is a post for another day though. Here are some pics of my hot gams...soon to be even hotter:
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Ok, I know, that may have been the lamest announcement of all time, but perhaps if I give some background, it will make more sense. I have a small crush on my legs. They may not be the epitome of hot legs, but for whatever reason, I love mine. I love how defined my quadriceps are, and how strong my calves are. My whole life growing up as an overweight kid/pre-teen/teen/adult, I was so ashamed of my belly, and never wore tank tops because of my fat upper arms. But shorts? You bet. My legs were my saving grace. I could wear shorts and feel good about them. I could wear shorts and feel like I wasn't missing out on yet another thing my slender friends were doing.
Until one day I did not. I reached a point in my life somewhere in the past 4 years where I no longer felt good about my legs. I looked down and saw unrecognizable white blobs. Shapeless, dimpled, humongous. Where were my slender(ish) ankles? Where were my defined calves? My knees? Ack! Sadly, this was not a turning point for me. I just wore jeans and sweats and capri's. My office is incredibly casual. In fact, I'm pretty sure one of my co-workers routinely comes in wearing the clothes she slept in, and maybe some flip-flops for good measure. I wish I was kidding.
The past few weeks, and specifically the past 2 weeks, my body has undergone amazing changes. I realized my legs were making a come back. MY LEGS. This makes me happy beyond how good I feel from eating a Paleo diet. This makes me happy beyond the blue skies and sunshine outside. This makes me happy beyond all the comments and support I receive from this blog.
I realized today, that it is my 3 year anniversary at my present job. Never, ever in my 3 years here have I worn a skirt. Until today. Pajama co-worker hasn't even noticed yet. I'm sure when she does, she will get all freaked out and think I have an interview for another job or something. Ah, the dysfunction in this office is asinine. That is a post for another day though. Here are some pics of my hot gams...soon to be even hotter:
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Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Unqualified Product Review: Paleo Style
It's been a long time since I've shared some of my favorite things, and um...never since I have been Paleo. The following items have been staples, if not essential in the success I have been experiencing with Paleo.
Avocado
Click on the link for nutrition information on avocados. I always heard they were good for me, and always liked them, but WOW! What a wonder fruit. I have been eating approximately 1/4 to 1/2 an avocado a day since going Paleo (usually sliced on top of my meat/egg/veggie breakfast mixture). Or wrapped in bacon. Or chopped up in a salad. Or...you get the idea.
So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage
Before taking the Paleo plunge, one of my biggest worries was what I was going to do about my morning latte. I do live in Seattle after all, and well, coffee is practically religion here. Black coffee is just too harsh on my stomach, and I absolutely can not go without coffee. Paleo meant no more milk, so I quickly researched some alternatives, and found this...gulten free, soy free, sugar free, dairy free, everything not Paleo free, stuff to add to my coffee. I would not be shunned from the coffee church of Seattle!
Trader Joes Organic Broccoli Slaw- I couldn't find a photo of this, but OMG, this stuff ROCKS. Its just shredded organic broccoli stems and organic carrots, but I love it. It holds up so much better than cabbage does in coleslaw, it tastes better, and has way more nutrients. My boyfriend Dave taught me an awesome dressing recipe (1/2 small white onion, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, dash salt, dash pepper, 1/4 tsp. celery seed) throw all that into a cuisinart, stream in a little olive oil at the end, and Ta-DA! The best dressing ever. I also toss in some chopped walnuts and a handful of raisins to the slaw. It tastes better after sitting for a day or so. I eat ridiculous amounts of this concoction.
Larabars
My biggest fan mentioned Larabars to me one day, and I pretty much put them out of my mind since it seems like everything pre-packaged is out when following Paleo. One day a sale display of Larabars caught my eye in the grocery store. I picked one up, checked out the ingredients, and to my surprise, the only ingredients were fruit and nuts. I can eat fruit and nuts! So I bought one- cherry pie, and proceeded to eat it in the car on the way home. It was good. I wanted to try more flavors. I have since become Larabar obsessed...I look for them at every grocery store. My regular Safeway only carries two flavors- cherry pie and apple pie. My regular Trader Joes only carries 4 flavors...one of which is cherry pie, and another is peanut butter (which I can not eat since its a legume). So I went to Whole Foods and found the motherload of Larabar displays. My favorite flavor hands down is coconut cream pie. I love coconut though. Also, the names on these things are a little bit of a stretch, but hey, I have hardly had any sugar in 6 weeks, so they work for me! I had the banana bread one yesterday, and I like that one a lot too. Also the espresso chocolate, and the chocolate coconut...Mmmmmm...like Homer says to the donut.
Its amazing how much better I feel, and how much better I function on higher quality fuel. Its like my whole life I have been fueling up with Costco 87 octane gas, and then 6 weeks ago I switched to Cheveron Supreme. I used to think those people driving beemers paying more for gas were idiots...I couldn't have been more wrong.
Avocado
Click on the link for nutrition information on avocados. I always heard they were good for me, and always liked them, but WOW! What a wonder fruit. I have been eating approximately 1/4 to 1/2 an avocado a day since going Paleo (usually sliced on top of my meat/egg/veggie breakfast mixture). Or wrapped in bacon. Or chopped up in a salad. Or...you get the idea.
So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage
Before taking the Paleo plunge, one of my biggest worries was what I was going to do about my morning latte. I do live in Seattle after all, and well, coffee is practically religion here. Black coffee is just too harsh on my stomach, and I absolutely can not go without coffee. Paleo meant no more milk, so I quickly researched some alternatives, and found this...gulten free, soy free, sugar free, dairy free, everything not Paleo free, stuff to add to my coffee. I would not be shunned from the coffee church of Seattle!
Trader Joes Organic Broccoli Slaw- I couldn't find a photo of this, but OMG, this stuff ROCKS. Its just shredded organic broccoli stems and organic carrots, but I love it. It holds up so much better than cabbage does in coleslaw, it tastes better, and has way more nutrients. My boyfriend Dave taught me an awesome dressing recipe (1/2 small white onion, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, dash salt, dash pepper, 1/4 tsp. celery seed) throw all that into a cuisinart, stream in a little olive oil at the end, and Ta-DA! The best dressing ever. I also toss in some chopped walnuts and a handful of raisins to the slaw. It tastes better after sitting for a day or so. I eat ridiculous amounts of this concoction.
Larabars
My biggest fan mentioned Larabars to me one day, and I pretty much put them out of my mind since it seems like everything pre-packaged is out when following Paleo. One day a sale display of Larabars caught my eye in the grocery store. I picked one up, checked out the ingredients, and to my surprise, the only ingredients were fruit and nuts. I can eat fruit and nuts! So I bought one- cherry pie, and proceeded to eat it in the car on the way home. It was good. I wanted to try more flavors. I have since become Larabar obsessed...I look for them at every grocery store. My regular Safeway only carries two flavors- cherry pie and apple pie. My regular Trader Joes only carries 4 flavors...one of which is cherry pie, and another is peanut butter (which I can not eat since its a legume). So I went to Whole Foods and found the motherload of Larabar displays. My favorite flavor hands down is coconut cream pie. I love coconut though. Also, the names on these things are a little bit of a stretch, but hey, I have hardly had any sugar in 6 weeks, so they work for me! I had the banana bread one yesterday, and I like that one a lot too. Also the espresso chocolate, and the chocolate coconut...Mmmmmm...like Homer says to the donut.
Its amazing how much better I feel, and how much better I function on higher quality fuel. Its like my whole life I have been fueling up with Costco 87 octane gas, and then 6 weeks ago I switched to Cheveron Supreme. I used to think those people driving beemers paying more for gas were idiots...I couldn't have been more wrong.
Monday, July 12, 2010
I Love Results.
Sometimes (ok, all the time) I set mini goals inside my head for what I would like to accomplish for the week. Sometimes they are weigh-in related, (lose 2 pounds, maintain, etc.), sometimes they are exercise related (run at least 4 times this week, run a mile sub 10 min, etc.) sometimes they are food related (no crap, no crap, no crap etc.). Well, this week I had a goal in my head of getting my ass back out onto the bike path for some running, and to have a 3 pound loss on the scale come Monday (today).
I DID IT. I started re-conditioning last week, and today I woke up to a full on 3 pound loss. I did not dilly-dally around the half weigh (way?) point to my goal, I blasted through, and I now have less weight to lose than I have already lost to meet my first goal.
Oh, and I was trying to think back to the last time I knew when I was roughly around my current weight, and it was four years ago. I haven't been this "tiny" in four years. Coincidentally right about the time I got my first desk job. Funny. And the worst possible desk job at that...working for a fancy food distributor where all I did was talk about food all day, eat samples, and eat more samples.
In fact, true to fat-girl form, I blamed having a desk job as a reason why I couldn't lose weight. I tried going for walks at lunch time. I joined a gym close to work with a co-worker and we went at lunch time. I joined a different gym and went after work. I started running in the mornings. In the summers I would ride my bike to work. I tried giving up meat. I tried giving up artificial sweeteners. I tried eating more fiber. I could never pull it all together at once. When I was on my exercise kicks, I was eating anything and everything. When I was on one of my "giving up this, or that" kicks, I would find ways to cheat, and my exercise was nearly non-existent.
Its so easy to look back now and see all the places I went wrong. No, went wrong is not the right description...all the places I deceived myself. I deceived myself into thinking that a walk at lunch time was sufficient. I deceived myself in every possible way so that I could continue to eat what I wanted. I just wasn't ready. Perhaps I needed those 4 years to teach me a life lesson. There are things that I will NEVER be able to eat again. I know that now, and I'm totally fine with it because I have seen what those things do to me.
I see now that simply pulling tidbits of diet and health information from various sources just lead me to weave a quilt of whatever was convenient for me, and kept leading me back to blaming my desk job. Nothing was going to work for me until I figured out why eating food was so damn important to me, and I was honest with myself. Hindsight is always 20/20.
I DID IT. I started re-conditioning last week, and today I woke up to a full on 3 pound loss. I did not dilly-dally around the half weigh (way?) point to my goal, I blasted through, and I now have less weight to lose than I have already lost to meet my first goal.
Oh, and I was trying to think back to the last time I knew when I was roughly around my current weight, and it was four years ago. I haven't been this "tiny" in four years. Coincidentally right about the time I got my first desk job. Funny. And the worst possible desk job at that...working for a fancy food distributor where all I did was talk about food all day, eat samples, and eat more samples.
In fact, true to fat-girl form, I blamed having a desk job as a reason why I couldn't lose weight. I tried going for walks at lunch time. I joined a gym close to work with a co-worker and we went at lunch time. I joined a different gym and went after work. I started running in the mornings. In the summers I would ride my bike to work. I tried giving up meat. I tried giving up artificial sweeteners. I tried eating more fiber. I could never pull it all together at once. When I was on my exercise kicks, I was eating anything and everything. When I was on one of my "giving up this, or that" kicks, I would find ways to cheat, and my exercise was nearly non-existent.
Its so easy to look back now and see all the places I went wrong. No, went wrong is not the right description...all the places I deceived myself. I deceived myself into thinking that a walk at lunch time was sufficient. I deceived myself in every possible way so that I could continue to eat what I wanted. I just wasn't ready. Perhaps I needed those 4 years to teach me a life lesson. There are things that I will NEVER be able to eat again. I know that now, and I'm totally fine with it because I have seen what those things do to me.
I see now that simply pulling tidbits of diet and health information from various sources just lead me to weave a quilt of whatever was convenient for me, and kept leading me back to blaming my desk job. Nothing was going to work for me until I figured out why eating food was so damn important to me, and I was honest with myself. Hindsight is always 20/20.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Holy Aioli
Summer finally arrived in Seattle. We have had 4 straight days of sunshine, including 2 days above 90 degrees! Summer means BBQ, and potato salad, and watermelon, and floating on the lake.
I saw this great recipe for a potato salad using cauliflower instead of potatoes on Lyn's Escape from Obesity blog. Lyn is currently eating low carb, so many of her recipes easily translate into Paleo. I read the recipe, and the only thing that stood out as needing adjustment was the mayonnaise. Mayonnaise could be Paleo, if I made it myself...
So I began looking up mayonnaise recipes, and after consulting with my in home chef (heh) I came up with a technique that sounded pretty easy. So into the cuisinart went an egg yolk and 3 cloves of garlic. I turned on the mixer and slowly streamed in olive oil. After about 1/2 of the oil was mixed in, I added a dash of sea salt and lemon juice. I turned the mixer back on and streamed in the rest of the oil. The result? A beautiful pale yellow goo...I tasted it, added some pepper, and WOW!
As I prepared the ingredients for the "potato" salad, I cooked up some hamburgers. I had decided on the way home in the beautiful sun, I was going to have me some nice bbq picnic food. I had lettuce for "buns" avocado, aioli, mustard, it would be just like a real burger complete with a side of "potato" salad.
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SO GOOD. In fact the burger with the lettuce and aioli was so tasty, I had it for breakfast today, and dinner today as well. I had watermelon for dessert. I went floating on the lake today. I could be mistaken for a lobster right now. Hello summer!
I saw this great recipe for a potato salad using cauliflower instead of potatoes on Lyn's Escape from Obesity blog. Lyn is currently eating low carb, so many of her recipes easily translate into Paleo. I read the recipe, and the only thing that stood out as needing adjustment was the mayonnaise. Mayonnaise could be Paleo, if I made it myself...
So I began looking up mayonnaise recipes, and after consulting with my in home chef (heh) I came up with a technique that sounded pretty easy. So into the cuisinart went an egg yolk and 3 cloves of garlic. I turned on the mixer and slowly streamed in olive oil. After about 1/2 of the oil was mixed in, I added a dash of sea salt and lemon juice. I turned the mixer back on and streamed in the rest of the oil. The result? A beautiful pale yellow goo...I tasted it, added some pepper, and WOW!
As I prepared the ingredients for the "potato" salad, I cooked up some hamburgers. I had decided on the way home in the beautiful sun, I was going to have me some nice bbq picnic food. I had lettuce for "buns" avocado, aioli, mustard, it would be just like a real burger complete with a side of "potato" salad.
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SO GOOD. In fact the burger with the lettuce and aioli was so tasty, I had it for breakfast today, and dinner today as well. I had watermelon for dessert. I went floating on the lake today. I could be mistaken for a lobster right now. Hello summer!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Big Gains
No, not on the scale...in my fitness. My run today was a HUGE improvement over Wednesday's run. On Wednesday, I essentially ran 4 X 5 min with 1 minute rests in between. Today, I ran 20 minutes straight, and felt SO much better during. I will be back up to 30-40 minute runs in no time.
I'm excited to see how regular exercise combined with Paleo turns out. How will my energy levels be? Will I recover more quickly/be able to push myself harder? Will my appetite return to pre-Paleo times?
This experiment is so much more controlled than any other experiment I have done on my body. I just realized how aware I am now of the things I eat directly affecting me. For example...the other weekend, when I mentioned I ate foods that were a little more on the salty side than I had been eating. I could actually SEE the bloat in my body. It lasted for about 2 days. When I reached my 30 days of Paleo, and I decided to have a few celebratory squares of dark chocolate, I was literally bouncing off the walls for the rest of the day. I went home after work and did housework, then painted an entire room.
Due to the instant reactions my body gives me after eating, I am in a position to really see how adding something like exercise will affect me. Right now? I feel great. Better than great. I slept well, I got my run in, I had my breakfast, I'm drinking my iced coffee, the sun is out, its Friday...I just feel like anything is possible.
I'm excited to see how regular exercise combined with Paleo turns out. How will my energy levels be? Will I recover more quickly/be able to push myself harder? Will my appetite return to pre-Paleo times?
This experiment is so much more controlled than any other experiment I have done on my body. I just realized how aware I am now of the things I eat directly affecting me. For example...the other weekend, when I mentioned I ate foods that were a little more on the salty side than I had been eating. I could actually SEE the bloat in my body. It lasted for about 2 days. When I reached my 30 days of Paleo, and I decided to have a few celebratory squares of dark chocolate, I was literally bouncing off the walls for the rest of the day. I went home after work and did housework, then painted an entire room.
Due to the instant reactions my body gives me after eating, I am in a position to really see how adding something like exercise will affect me. Right now? I feel great. Better than great. I slept well, I got my run in, I had my breakfast, I'm drinking my iced coffee, the sun is out, its Friday...I just feel like anything is possible.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Re-Conditioning
June was the month I devoted much of my time, energy, thoughts, etc. to my new way of eating, Paleo. July is the month I will be devoting my time, energy, thoughts, etc. to my new way of eating AND re-conditioning.
In the beginning of May, I was running 4 miles easily a few times a week, and could run 5 miles (maybe more?) on my longer runs. In June I ran a total of 3 times over the ENTIRE month. I went for a run yesterday, and put in 2 miles before I thought I was going to die.
While this is temporarily discouraging, knowing that not that long ago I was in much better cardiovascular health, something was different about me. As I chugged along the last 5 minutes of my run, I thought about how I had a new body now. I need to train this new body, just like I did the old one.
So, here is the deal: I have committed to 3 people to run the Bridge to Bridge 12K race in San Francisco on October 3rd. That race is roughly 3 months away. The 3 people that I committed to are in FAR superior shape than me. I want to kick their asses. Or at the very least, keep up with them. I have some work to do.
By the end of this month, I would like to be back to my 4 mile runs. By the end of August, I would like to be up to 6 mile runs, and by the end of September, I would like to be running 7-8 miles a few times a week consistently. Considering that less than 2 months ago, I could run 5 miles, this is not impossible. I will be incorporating speed work 2 times weekly at the school track up the road. The sun is out, its time to teach my new body some tricks.
Excuses or results. Choose one.
In the beginning of May, I was running 4 miles easily a few times a week, and could run 5 miles (maybe more?) on my longer runs. In June I ran a total of 3 times over the ENTIRE month. I went for a run yesterday, and put in 2 miles before I thought I was going to die.
While this is temporarily discouraging, knowing that not that long ago I was in much better cardiovascular health, something was different about me. As I chugged along the last 5 minutes of my run, I thought about how I had a new body now. I need to train this new body, just like I did the old one.
So, here is the deal: I have committed to 3 people to run the Bridge to Bridge 12K race in San Francisco on October 3rd. That race is roughly 3 months away. The 3 people that I committed to are in FAR superior shape than me. I want to kick their asses. Or at the very least, keep up with them. I have some work to do.
By the end of this month, I would like to be back to my 4 mile runs. By the end of August, I would like to be up to 6 mile runs, and by the end of September, I would like to be running 7-8 miles a few times a week consistently. Considering that less than 2 months ago, I could run 5 miles, this is not impossible. I will be incorporating speed work 2 times weekly at the school track up the road. The sun is out, its time to teach my new body some tricks.
Excuses or results. Choose one.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
I'm Sorry Horse, I Know You Are Dead
Beating dead horses is what I do. I have a hard time letting things go sometimes. I am working on this, and have made huge gains in that realm. However, my stubborness gets the better of me, and occasionally I have to continue to prove my point, long after the proverbial horse is, well, dead.
This...journey...this blog...this...whatever you want to call it, is not just about weight loss. Its about my overall health. Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and whatever else falls out of whack. I'm smart enough to know that losing weight is not some cure-all to everything that ails me. I do believe that my tendencies to eat more food then I should, or eat foods that have no nutritional value whatsoever are symptoms of problems/habits that need to be uncovered and unlearned. This is a timely process, and there will be set backs.
As I have mentioned before, I do not know what is different about this time, and I will not know for awhile if this time is in fact different. All I know is the effort that I'm putting forth is greater than previous times. I'm building a strong foundation on which to stand tall. I'm not simply searching for a way to lose weight fast, because its not about the weight loss. That's where I kept going wrong before.
I am interested in living. I'm interested in feeling the best that I can possibly feel. I'm interested in body chemistry. I'm interested in being an athlete. I'm interested in not getting cancer or diabetes or any other weight/insulin related diseases. I'm interested in anything that can help me achieve these goals. After 5 months of searching, I found the Paleolithic diet. Call it extreme, call it unsustainable, call it a fad, that is your choice.
Please do one thing for me- do not undermine my attempts at getting healthy because it is not the path you chose. In fact, I'm willing to bet that if you are skeptical of my choices, you have your own issues to deal with. Spend the time you would criticizing others on yourself, and I guarantee you would have no more time for criticism! I know this is the best thing I have done for myself. Should my goal of health take me in another direction, away from Paleo, fine. As long as it keeps working for me. How aware are you of whether or not things are working for you?
This...journey...this blog...this...whatever you want to call it, is not just about weight loss. Its about my overall health. Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and whatever else falls out of whack. I'm smart enough to know that losing weight is not some cure-all to everything that ails me. I do believe that my tendencies to eat more food then I should, or eat foods that have no nutritional value whatsoever are symptoms of problems/habits that need to be uncovered and unlearned. This is a timely process, and there will be set backs.
As I have mentioned before, I do not know what is different about this time, and I will not know for awhile if this time is in fact different. All I know is the effort that I'm putting forth is greater than previous times. I'm building a strong foundation on which to stand tall. I'm not simply searching for a way to lose weight fast, because its not about the weight loss. That's where I kept going wrong before.
I am interested in living. I'm interested in feeling the best that I can possibly feel. I'm interested in body chemistry. I'm interested in being an athlete. I'm interested in not getting cancer or diabetes or any other weight/insulin related diseases. I'm interested in anything that can help me achieve these goals. After 5 months of searching, I found the Paleolithic diet. Call it extreme, call it unsustainable, call it a fad, that is your choice.
Please do one thing for me- do not undermine my attempts at getting healthy because it is not the path you chose. In fact, I'm willing to bet that if you are skeptical of my choices, you have your own issues to deal with. Spend the time you would criticizing others on yourself, and I guarantee you would have no more time for criticism! I know this is the best thing I have done for myself. Should my goal of health take me in another direction, away from Paleo, fine. As long as it keeps working for me. How aware are you of whether or not things are working for you?
Monday, July 5, 2010
The Common Goal
I received a letter from my mom on Friday afternoon that I have been trying to process all weekend. I've pretty much gone through all the major reactions: rage, confusion, denial, apathy, understanding, and forgiveness. Why is it that mom's have just that certain way of getting under our skin? Then of course, if you call them out, YOU are the bad guy. Maybe its just me and my mom that have this special relationship. Anyway...after a 3-day holiday weekend to settle down, and in the spirit of turning lemons into lemonade, I'm taking a higher road.
I will not be giving my mom the silent treatment. I will not be pointing out to my mom all the flaws and hypocrisies contained in her letter. I will not be telling her that shortly after reading her letter and associated "food plan" the papers went into the shredder.
Instead, what I will be doing is taking comfort in the fact that I have been taking a close look at myself for the past 6 months. I have been making more of an effort than I ever have in my entire life to get my shit together. And I'm not just focused on weight loss, although that is a nice perk. Another thing I'm taking comfort in is that I have discovered something that works for ME.
I have been inspired by a few blog posts recently this one and this one and this one specifically. I think the message here is crystal clear and couldn't be more pertinent to my state of mind. The key to success is finding what works for you. Finding what works for me.
So, in addition to all the planning of meals, writing down everything bitten into, drinking lots of water, sleeping well, exercising, and everyday life, I must ignore the haters. Especially the haters that don't have their shit together. Especially the haters that claim to be supportive when they haven't listened to a word you have said. Especially the haters that are handing you another "food plan" for when this one doesn't work out.
Oh, and haters...I lost another pound. (Heh, I said I was taking a higher road...not THE high road.) :)
I will not be giving my mom the silent treatment. I will not be pointing out to my mom all the flaws and hypocrisies contained in her letter. I will not be telling her that shortly after reading her letter and associated "food plan" the papers went into the shredder.
Instead, what I will be doing is taking comfort in the fact that I have been taking a close look at myself for the past 6 months. I have been making more of an effort than I ever have in my entire life to get my shit together. And I'm not just focused on weight loss, although that is a nice perk. Another thing I'm taking comfort in is that I have discovered something that works for ME.
I have been inspired by a few blog posts recently this one and this one and this one specifically. I think the message here is crystal clear and couldn't be more pertinent to my state of mind. The key to success is finding what works for you. Finding what works for me.
So, in addition to all the planning of meals, writing down everything bitten into, drinking lots of water, sleeping well, exercising, and everyday life, I must ignore the haters. Especially the haters that don't have their shit together. Especially the haters that claim to be supportive when they haven't listened to a word you have said. Especially the haters that are handing you another "food plan" for when this one doesn't work out.
Oh, and haters...I lost another pound. (Heh, I said I was taking a higher road...not THE high road.) :)
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Where is Summer?!
Ok Seattle...its time we had a little chat. It's JULY 1st. We are in the Northern Hemisphere. That means SUMMER. Please take note of this and allow the sun in. Thanks.
Onto some real sunny things...a progress update. I decided to weigh-in this morning and see what my cumulative loss from June 1 to July 1 is. I shed that weekend water weight finally, and weighed in at one pound lower today than on Monday. My 30 day Paleo experience has resulted in...wait for it...a...12 pound loss! Not bad.
Also, I found a pic of me that I took the day before starting Paleo, and tried to re-create the same pic this morning.
_Jun+1.jpg)
_Jul+1.jpg)
Pretty crazy, huh? I mean, just look at the difference in my face and neck. Unbelievable.
So yeah, minus a few squares of a celebratory organic dark chocolate (70%) bar and a cashew Larabar yesterday, I've stuck to this Paleo thing 100%. The first 3 squares of chocolate were totally worth it...the second 3 squares made me ill. Lesson learned.
Onto some real sunny things...a progress update. I decided to weigh-in this morning and see what my cumulative loss from June 1 to July 1 is. I shed that weekend water weight finally, and weighed in at one pound lower today than on Monday. My 30 day Paleo experience has resulted in...wait for it...a...12 pound loss! Not bad.
Also, I found a pic of me that I took the day before starting Paleo, and tried to re-create the same pic this morning.
_Jun+1.jpg)
_Jul+1.jpg)
Pretty crazy, huh? I mean, just look at the difference in my face and neck. Unbelievable.
So yeah, minus a few squares of a celebratory organic dark chocolate (70%) bar and a cashew Larabar yesterday, I've stuck to this Paleo thing 100%. The first 3 squares of chocolate were totally worth it...the second 3 squares made me ill. Lesson learned.
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