Sunday, December 26, 2010

Actually true

Sandra Ahten of The Reasonable Diet Podcast is a great inspiration to me. One of the things that she has said on her podcast that has always stuck with me is: "Don't let your thinking protect your eating." One of the things I have had to learn how to do on this weight loss journey is to differentiate between the truth and what I think. You may think that you can't give up a certain food or habit. You may think that you can't develop a new good habit, such as regular exercise, yoga or adding extra vegetables to your meals. The truth is that is just what you think. The likelihood is that your thought is not actually true. If you take yourself out of the equation and ask is it possible for a person to exercise on a regular basis? Is it possible to squeeze some time out of my week to prevent disease and to relieve stress? If the answer is no, ok. But, if the answer is yes, then the truth is that you don't have the momentum and the habit yet. No one starts before they start. Consider that what you think is not actually true and try giving the truth a chance. You don't have to know that you can, you don't have to feel that you can, all you have to do is put one foot in front of the other.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Early!

Consider setting your resolution now and getting started early. This way when you get to Jan. 1, you will be well on your way. That date will help you get through that mid diet slump that always happens and give you the boost that you need to stay motivated. You will be quite literally, ahead of the pack by a month! I'm starting, would you like to start with me?

Monday, November 22, 2010

Confidence

I would be mortified if someone noticed me on my runs. Its true. I like to be as anonymous as possible without being so invisible that I get hit by a car. Life may annoy me sometimes and I may get tired, but I'm not quite done yet. I still have two more goals to meet first. Ok, maybe I have three goals to meet. So, I do wear bright white pants and I avoid anything remotely camouflage like. I also wear a great big sweatshirt and long tee shirt. Why is it that being visible is so scary? I do know the answer but why doesn't that just fade away with time? Doesn't time heal all wounds? If it did, I would be better than I am, wouldn't I?

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Hibernation

Ever notice how you get tired and sleepy more during the winter months? As the days become shorter, the desire to sleep is hard to ignore. I do wonder if people are designed to sleep more in the winter months just like bears? Many of us are drawn to starchy, carbohydrates in the fall. I wonder if we are being driven to fatten ourselves up for a long winter's nap? Or is the lack of a nap driving us to seek sugars?

Friday, November 19, 2010

New Target Heart Rate

I'm linking back to another bloggers post on the subject of THR. I have never really found a correlation between my heart rate and how I feel. Do you remember back when we used the exertion scale? 1-10? Aiming for a level of 7-8 for aerobic exercise? I have purchased and used my Polar heart rate monitor for two years now. Its illuminating because I discovered that there are times when I feel fine at 170 beats per minute and times when I feel tired at 150 beats per minute. Go figure. Apparently, the old equation was for men, not women. Any-who-dy-hoo-hoo, according to this my heart rate zones should be as follows:

206-(.88*my age)= max.
206-28.1= about 177
70 percent= 124
80 percent= 142
85 percent= 150

I had been aiming for 185 at my top which would be 96% of max. I normally see my peaks during interval style workouts, either jog/walking or Cathe Friedrich Imax workouts. I rarely feel great when I'm in the warm up, I usually feel fine about 2/3 of my workouts.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Pomegranate!

You know its fall when the pomegranates are on sale at the grocery store. I love them! But, man are they a messy thing to eat. Be sure to wear clothing that you can throw out when you eat them. I just stand in the kitchen at the counter so that I don't have to get it on anything thats not washable. It makes a tremendously dark blue/red dye that just doesn't seem to want to come out. Its that dye which carries the anthocyanin's, the antioxidants that make the pomegranate such a power house in the health dept. There are many juices that are available on the market now, and I understand that they are a short cut, but I prefer the fresh fruit itself. My Granddad used to have a pomegranate tree in the back yard, and we had them fresh when I was little. Now, I have to pay to play just like everybody else, and its so worth the price. Don't eat the pith, its bitter.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Expense, Resources and Cost

Sandra Ahten brings up a very important concept, that you spend resources on dieting. Sometimes, its easier to just decide that you are not eating a certain food at all, for a while, or during the week. This kind of structure can give you the back bone you need in order to stay in control, rather than the food controlling you. Its just food, why should it have this much power? I've set boundaries for myself. I don't eat certain foods most of the time, including gluten, cheese, and milk chocolate. I can't eat See's in general because I tend to find myself thinking about it all the time. Ice cream has the same effect. For some reason, salmon salads and berries do not. I have made the choice to set these foods aside while I'm in weight loss mode. I'm not sure that I will re-introduce them at a later date or not. I will find out when I get there. Ask yourself this, do I really want to be thinking about this all the time? What parameters and boundaries are the most effective at recovering your power from food? If at all? Some people don't have a problem with any foods, I envy them, I want to be like them, but I'm not them.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Crosstraining

I have been using step aerobics as my primary cross training activity for about 3 years now. I have been listening to podcasters who use other activities as their secondary activity, such as biking and swimming. I'm not interested in using swimming as a secondary activity, that tends to bulk up the upper body and I'm naturally bulky anyway. However, I do have a bike. I just need to get it fixed, new tires and possibly a new chain. I would need to find a local trail where I could ride without getting hit by cars. I haven't ridden a bike in 12 years, I wonder if what they say is true, that you never forget how. I also wonder how much it would cost to get it fixed. This warrents investigation.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Skip the Sugar

Here is a novel concept, obviously used by many a dieter to success, skip all sugars over the holidays. Just eat your normal, healthy diet and don't use these holidays as an excuse to eat what is actually available all year round. Everything that you might want to eat is in actuality available all year round now. Every single morsel can be had at some other time of year. And, the question you need to ask yourself is, do I want to eat this so bad that I have to live with the self recrimination for the beginning of next year? I don't. I think that I would rather make progress than be 're-losing' my holiday pounds.

New Trails

I have gotten to the point where my own neighborhood is no longer offering the same level of a challenge. I'm ready to venture out on trails that I have not used before. Luckily, there are many beautiful places to go for a jog including the American River, Folsom Lake, and a myriad of other trails and accesses. I need to invest in one of those ID pockets for my cel ph./driver's license. I think I'm going to be ok. I won't be running in the dark and I will always let my brother know where I'm going before hand. I'm not fast enough to run with others yet. I think I would need to make a sub 12 min. mile first. I'm not there yet.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Songs to run to

a la the Two Gomers:

Track: "Test Drive,"
Album:"How to Train Your Dragon" sound track by John Powell.

Track: "One Last Message"
Album: City of Ember sound track by Andrew Lockington

Track: "I'll find my own way"
Album: X-Men Origins Wolverine sound track by Harry Gregson-Williams

Track: "Another Brick in Hadrian's Wall"
Album: King Arthur Original Score by Hans Zimmer

Track: "Opening Titles"
Album: John Adams Music from the HBO miniseries by Rob Lane & Joseph Vitarelli

Track: "Ben"
Album: National Treasure Soundtrack by Trevor Rabin

Track: Jai Ho by A.R. Rahman from the Slumdog Millionaire track

Cool down tracks:

Track: La Fiamma Sacre
Album: Amore recorded by Russell Watson

Track: Titaptawa by Gandalf on the Celtic Lounge album

I love sound tracks because they give me momentum when I'm at that 2/3s section of my workout and I need a bit of extra energy without eating a snack or taking a break.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

S A D

Is an acronym for Seasonal Affect Disorder. What that means is that as the fall and winter progress, the subject experiences anxiety and depression with the shortening days. In my family, there are people who have this problem. It can pose a particular level of distress for the dieter. Often people experience an increased craving for carbohydrates and the desire to sleep. Frankly, this sounds a lot like hibernation. Are we 100 percent certain that humans don't experience a hibernative like state in the fall? Its not easy to lose weight coming into hibernation, ask your local black bear, he will tell you that as the days grow shorter he is hungry and finds himself increasingly plumped. As a dieter, our desire is to see the scale go downward, progressing towards our weight goals. It is critical that you don't give into those carbohydrate cravings. The thing with sweets, is that you can never get enough. Having just one bite can lead to eating the whole pie or cake. Its better to just walk away, reviewing in your mind your motivations for weight loss.

Sometimes, sugar is just not your friend. If sugar were your friend, it wouldn't ask you to think about it all the time. It wouldn't insist that you eat with it at every meal. It wouldn't call you up in the middle of the night, saying, "Eat me!!!!" Thats not a friend. Thats a parasite. The less you give in, the less often it will have the strength to insist on you doing what it wants. I'm not interested in some urge being the boss of me. I'm the boss of me. Do you want to be the boss of you? or does that urge get the better of you?

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Fall

I love the fall. Its a wonderful time to enjoy the weather outside. Its cooler. Where I live, its still sunny punctuated with occasional rain storms which keep things more green and beautiful. I really love this time of year. A lot of runners love this time of year because we can really dig into our training. I'm currently working on some very tough hills. I have either a 4 or 2 hills trail that I run in my neighborhood, it depends on which direction I take. With sunrise being later in the day, I have been going out later in the morning. This morning I went for my run after 8 am and it was very cold out there, I really couldn't feel my fingers. I'm still doing a 'Truffle Shuffle' a la the Two Gomers. I wonder what their training for this season will be. I'm working on the Couch to 5k program. The only thing that is really in my way is those hills. They are really intense. I am working on the 8 min. intervals. I can do the first one, then the 5 min. walk, and then after the 2 min. interval at the top of the hill, I just get tired. I know I need to just push through. Really dig deep into my spirit and power through it. Its like the little engine said, I can do it, I can do it, I can do it.


Monday, October 25, 2010

Soothing

without eating.

This morning I experienced car trouble. This was a stressful situation for me because I have had my car for 10 years and I had gotten used to not having a car payment. The prospect of putting the blind fold on and shooting my car between the headlights did not thrill me either.

I opened the freezer, looking for ice cream. I was not hungry. It was not my cheat day. I closed the freezer, saying out loud, "Ice cream won't help me fix my car." Just walk away.

But, here is the thing, even though I am not eating the ice cream my little self on my sleeves needs soothing. I need to soothe myself without eating.

I am so tired of interruptions. My life is not horrible. But, interruptions always seem so jarring. Why is that? idk.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Fall

Fall is tough for dieters and weight watchers. There are 4 holidays in just three months time that are very food centric. Sometimes its not easy setting boundaries. What I like to do is instead of eating foods that in reality are now available year round, I try to focus on my friends. I always have a glass of water with lemon or some tea. I don't eat the crudites because you don't really know whats in the dressings unless you made it yourself. The tip that has always been passed around is eat before you go. I use that technique myself. Something with healthy fats, protein and maybe a vegetable. Even a tart green apple can help (if you can tolerate that much carbohydrate.) The holidays don't have to be the end to your diet or a reason to just give up. If you have one or two parties this week you have some decisions to make, is there going to be a food stuff that you really want to eat? If not, then thats really not an opportunity or obligation to go off your diet. Instead, its an opportunity to engage others in conversation. Maybe this year you don't want to make lots of baked goods. If that is a problem for you consider using this time as an opportunity to stay focused. Try having a sugar free holiday and see if that doesn't help stave off some of those winter blues. If you aren't experiencing sugar crashes you will have more energy to go for walks, even on very cold days, getting outside can make the difference between a successful, on target on diet kind of day and an unsuccessful day that you need to undo in January.

What if you took on your New Year's Resolution now? Thats a powerful thought. Then come New Year's day, you wouldn't be starting, you would be continuing good habits. You could look at that day as a goal weigh in. Wow. Its kind of mind blowing. Taking back the power from the advertising that seems to push every single little sweet thing as though there would never be another pumpkin pie, turkey dinner or cranberry muffin.

Look at your body. What does your body need to be healthy? Is it asking to process sugar? Or are those cravings left over messages from your child self asking for fun? Is it ok to be adult and grown up about these things? Is behaving like an adult really the entre into our own fear of death? Setting aside our child like behaviors won't make the hands of time tick any faster.

Responsibility is not a four letter word. Growing up is only scary if you don't do it. Embrace your inner adult. Its there for you.

ok, I'm getting down off my soap box.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Gear

I am inexorably tied to my workout gear. Just two days ago my Polar F4 announced that it had a low battery, I being the frugal individual that I am have successfully taken it apart, purchased the replacement battery and am prepared to replace it today. This only interrupted my workout rotation by one day. I know, I could have run without it, but I just shifted my rest day around. No harm, no foul. This got me thinking about the gear that I find to be essential for a good, effective workout.

I use my ipod three times a week. My ear hugging ear buds are a non-negotiable. Running podcasts and a great playlist are always along for the ride. I almost always wear my heart rate monitor for cardio. This helps me stay in my zone by being able to see when my heart rate dips too low. It also keeps me from working for too long in the anaerobic zone. I always wear a good pair of shoes, bra and socks. I need my workout mat everyday for stretching time and 3 times a week for yoga.

What do you find to be essential for a good workout?

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Halloween

Poses challenges, including lots of candy/sugar around and its in these tiny little bite size pieces that you could easily forget that you even had them. I do suggest that if you want to eat some candy that you get a full size candy bar. Eat it, enjoy it and log it into your food log. That will oddly give you less sugar and calories than just diving into the candy jar or bowl at work or at a party. Don't kid yourself, kid size candy bars don't give you kid size energy, they just give you a king size stomach and the tummy ache to go with it. A better sweet alternative is an apple with peanut butter. Its yummy, has lots of fiber and is full of pectin too.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Today's menu

Meal 1: 1 c. melon, 1/2 c. steel cut oats, 1/4 c. Trader Joe's mixed nuts (so tasty frozen!)

Monday, September 20, 2010

The New Me

The top down approach (an idea borrowed from Sandra Ahten, to learn more visit her website.) for me includes my mind and spirit. I like to use the podcasts to help me stay focused. I also visit Spark People frequently to stay abreast of what is going on the world of dieting. I also participate in some of the forums over at Cathe Friedrich's website. For my spirit, I do have a meditation practice.

Have you ever heard or read that idea, "Behave as if." I like it a lot. I apply it in different ways and situations to great effect. In the weight loss arena, I have decided to apply it to my weight loss plan.

I am adjusting my diet plan. For the month of August I followed the 4 meals at 400 calories per day style of calorie allotment. That did work. I lost 2.5 pounds. However, come ttotm, I lost my resolve, and they came back. Since then, I have been battling a very high appetite and a low level of energy. I have decided to adjust my eating plan again. For the next two weeks I plan to eat like this:

Pre Workout Snack: 100 calories, 20 carbs.
Post Workout Meal: 500 calories, up to 20 carbs.
Lunch: 500 calories, up to 10 carbs.
Dinner: 500 calories, up to 10 carbs.

My rotation is designed to produce a 1 pound deficit per week.

6 days/week:
AM workout: 500 cal. burn cardio
PM workout: 100 cal. burn flexibility/strength training or low intensity cardio

My new rotation break down:

Sunday: off
Monday: Jog, Yoga
Tuesday: Cathe Step, Leslie Sansone 3 miles
Wednesday: Jog, Yoga
Thursday: Cathe MMA: Leslie Sansone 3 miles
Friday: Jog, Yoga
Saturday: Cathe Step, Leslie Sansone 3 miles

I am also setting boundaries on this thing. I don't want to become obsessed, I just want to be focused and to produce results. I will only allow myself up to 30 min./day to blog/ read about and think about weight loss. Other things in my life (career!) are equally important and must take precedence the rest of the day.

I would like to be back to where I was before the antibiotics started. Thats about 10 pounds from here. Thats my goal for this year. I would like to lose 10 pounds by Jan. 1, 2010.

Delinquent

Its been a long time since I posted a blog. I haven't been posting cause I figure no body is reading this anyway. But, here is the deal everybody needs some accountability more or less on their weight loss journey, I learned that from Sandra Ahten of The Reasonable Diet Podcast. She is a fabulous life coach and her podcasts have proven to be invaluable to me personally. She is the reason I got started on this journey at all. It is not easy to be at this point. I have been in a plateau for over a year and now with stressors in my life, the pounds have crept up. Well, like in 2007 its time to be honest with myself. Its time to put my calories down on paper. Its time to recognize that there are only 3.5 months left to 2010. I want 2010 to be another year of success on this weight management journey.

In the beginning, I thought I wasn't capable of losing weight at all. Then, once I began to lose weight (30 + in the first year.) I thought I would have attained my goal weight by now.

In the middle, at the 210 mark, I discovered IOWL, the C25K program and Cathe Friedrich. I also discovered calorie cycling. That worked really well for another 30 pounds. Then, that stuck until February of 2009. I became ill twice and was put on antibiotics, twice. I put on 8 pounds with the first round. I got that off. Then, I put on nearly 10 with the second round. That started to come off and they changed my medicine again, and voila, it all came back. Well, now I battle constant sugar cravings where I didn't used to have much. Now, I have to watch everything I put in my mouth. I wake up hungry in the middle of the night and force myself to roll over and go back to sleep. Now, every little bite of chocolate puts visible adipose back on my frame. The drive to eat is there before I am even really awake in the morning.

I must get back into my low carb lifestyle. I have over the month of August, successfully given up ice cream completely, even the ice cream fakes, like yogurt/ice milk etc. The self imposed challenge of Sept. 2010 was a bust. I was trying to give up nuts. I have a very hard time with following portion guidelines with nuts. I just love them too much. I also have a hard time with fruit. I used to be able to have a small serving and walk away, not so much now.

I do think it is my medications. But, could it be age? I am older by three years. nah. its just time to cleanse the old bugs and repopulate with good ones.

I can't forgo my jog. I discovered that without the running, I become depressed, and the weight just creeps up again in spite of being within limits on calories or carbs.

My spirit, my soul, my self all want to be slender now. I don't need that old security blanket anymore. But I find my body tired. I find my mind bored. It takes a lot of personal fortitude to even contemplate the physical work, stamina and emotional oomph to lose weight. Its not the bottom up that is so horribly difficult. The trick is staying on top of your behavior, your mind set and not settling into a momentum black hole.




Monday, June 28, 2010

Inspired by aprovechar

I just found a blog that is new to me, but not really new. Its called 'Aprovechar' and I have been inspired. The author is also on a gluten free diet and has lost a great deal of body fat. She is an excellent writer and very entertaining. Aprovechar

I haven't been posting much because I get the feeling that no one reads this. But, maybe I should just in case some person in need of inspiration finds it in the future. Maybe, if I post it, they will come?

Monday, May 31, 2010

My Diet Pyramid

At the top, pointy end, least amount: Sugars (never), refined carbs, starches, legumes.

Second to the top: Whole fruits, unrefined. Unsalted, raw nuts.

In the middle: Protein sources including fish, foul, and any red meat. Plain yogurt (only in moderation.)

Second from the bottom: Leafy greens, cruciferous (cabbage family), herbs,

At the bottom: Fats. Olive oil, coconut oil, cream.

Ok. So try eating like that for a week and get back to me. Let me know how it goes. By the way, don't restrict calories, you can cycle them if you want, but the idea is to stoke the fires of your metabolism.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Steak

Its whats on the menu when you are a low carber. I had steak and eggs for breakfast with a dash of hot sauce. It was so filling and a great way to start the day. I got lucky, it was a slightly older piece of meat and I got it at 97 cents a pound. It was so tender I could have eaten it raw with a fork, no knife needed. So, the next time you ask yourself, what am I going to eat on a low carb diet, just embrace the steak. Love it.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Do Not Eat!

I am constantly working on and refining the 'do not eat list.' I also have a do eat list which consists of foods which seem to aide or help me in my quest for a healthy body weight and physical fitness. My do not eat list is foods that put weight on my body. Seeing the cause in my journal and the effect on my bathroom scale helps me zero in on the culprit or to be honest with myself about what I'm eating. When you have a list you really can't lie to yourself. You know what to eat and what not to eat. Do keep in mind that physical activity, medications, and stress level can also effect the scale. Watch all your factors for a more comprehensive and reasoned approach to your personalized diet. The truth is that once you know what your eating and when you are or are not losing weight, everything becomes very clear. Thats why I really like the daily weigh in, it helps me know what is going on and when to correct it.

My current lists:

Do Eat:
Fats: Coconut oil, olive oil,
Fresh vegetables: leafy greens, cruciferous,
Fresh fruits: berries, avocado, squash
Chicken, pork, or beef
Chicken broth organic, low sodium.
De-caf herbal tea

Do not eat:
gluten
dairy
rice
nuts (sigh how I love thee, let me count the ways!)
balsamic vinegar
pickled foods
ice cream (any kind!)
snacks that come in a bag (a la chips)
caffeine
processed food

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Owning all of my choices

Spark just sent out a journal suggestion. They ask, "When you site back and look at the decisions you've made in your life, are you happy with the route you've paved?" My answer is a resounding yes and no. I was able to try something that most people don't even attempt. I discovered it wasn't for me, at least not in the iteration as it exists now. I also am learning that I am not going to be content in a job that is 'dead end.' That idea has produced this never ending hunger which expresses itself as food hunger but really can't be satisfied with food at all. I am hungry for life and I don't know what to eat (purely metaphorically.)

There are doors that are closed to me because of my being human. I'm not cut out to work 20 hour days. I'm just not. I'm not 18 years old. I need to eat regularly, sleep regularly, and to actually earn a reasonable pay check.

There are personal relationships in my life that trouble me. I'm not always sure what to do or if I should do anything at all. I don't have the rudder I used to have. I always knew what I wanted and I don't have a simple or clear path anymore.

People often say, "We will cross that bridge when come to it." Well. Here is the bridge. Now what? I feel as though I've come across half a dozen forks and I have no idea which way to turn or if I should just turn around.

The intent I will set is that tonight I will sleep well, I will wake rested and assured of what steps to take next. Does that sound good to you?

Going off the carbs

Is that like going off the reservation? I guess so. I've been following Jimmy Moore in his egg-speriment. That is just so inspiring.

Oh, I did an oatmeal experiment. I was able to tolerate a small amount without any sensitivity symptoms! Yippee for 'gluten free' oatmeal.

My diet is going to be pretty much as I have planned it for the last year but the thing is I will be following it. This is the first quarter of the year and well its time to get on with it.

My diet (and I mean it this time, I really mean it.)

Low Calorie Day:

Pre-WO 1 hard boiled egg
Post WO: 1 scrambled egg, 1 tbsp. butter, 1/c berries, 1/2 c. steel cut oats

Lunch: Avocado Salad with olive oil and lemon or
1 cup stir fry vegetables in coconut oil
AND protein 3oz.

Dinner: Sauteed vegetable or
Vegetable soup or
Stir fry with olive oil
AND protein 3 oz.

High Calorie day:
Pre-WO 1 hard boiled egg
Post WO: 1 scrambled egg, 2 tbsp. butter, 1 c. berries

Lunch: Avocado Salad with 3 tbsp. olive oil and lemon or
1 cup stir fry vegetables in coconut oil
AND protein 3 oz.

Dinner: 2 cups Sauteed vegetables 3 tbsp olive oil or
Vegetable soup with olive oil or
Stir fry with olive oil or
AND protein 5 oz.
AND 1 cup berries

Protein: pork, chicken or beef.

I think that is an excellent high fat, lower carbohydrate diet for a person who is very active. Life is good and will only be getting better.


Thursday, March 25, 2010

Spring 2010: The Diet Adapts

I always am experimenting with my diet and altering everything that goes into my mouth and what I'm doing with my exercise plan. In an effort to avoid allergens I am once again, altering my diet. I tried having a whole "cheat day" once a week and it did not work for me at all. I use Fitday.com to help me calculate my macronutrients.

This is what I'm eating:

High Fat: Olive oil, coconut oil, and butter
Low Carb: 30-50 grams per day
Calorie Cycled: 1300-1900 calories per day.

This is what I'm not eating:

Soy
Nuts
Dairy
Grain
Gluten
Legumes

My eats:

Low Calorie day:

Pre Workout: 1 hard boiled egg
Post Workout: 1 scrambled egg, 1 tbsp. butter, 1 c. blackberries

Lunch: Avocado Salad with olive oil or 1 cup stir fry vegetables in coconut oil
and protein 3 oz.

Dinner: Sauteed vegetable or vegetable soup or stir fry with olive oil and protein 3 oz.

High Calorie day:
Pre WO 1 hard boiled egg
Post WO 1 scrambled egg, 2 tbsp. butter, 1 c. black berries

Lunch: Avocado Salad with olive oil or 1 cup stir fry vegetables in coconut oil
and protein 3 oz.

Dinner: 2 cups sauteed vegetable or vegetable soup or stir fry
3 tbsp. olive oil
and 5 oz. protein
and 1 cup of berries

Protein: pork, chicken, or beef

The exercise plan: in 2008 I was successful in my weight loss when I was focusing on cardio and yoga. I have decided to go back to that rotation. At that time I was also aiming for 60 minutes in my THR. That seems like a good plan. Over the winter I had dropped back to just 30 minutes per workout in my THR. I don't think thats enough to lose weight. I'm going to increase my cardio. I had also been doing more yoga. Over the winter, I was doing about 2-3 yoga sessions a week. I think that needs to be closer to 4-5.

This is my new rotation:
Sunday: Long jog or MMA Boxing, 1 hour Gary Bromley yoga
Monday: off
Tuesday: Step, Yoga Today
Wednesday: Jog or HIIT, 1 hour Gary Bromley yoga
Thursday: Step, Yoga (netflix dvd)
Friday: Jog or MMA, Kathy Smith Yoga Basics
Saturday: Step Circuit

Heres to this working !

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Cold Food

Does not appeal to me. The idea of something cold (except for ice cream) in my stomach is a complete turn off. I like to cook from fresh. I got this way living in FL. I used to like drinking cold water but something happened on one hot humid day working in a theme park, I had this tremendous pain in my stomach and I doubled over. This feeling repeated everytime I drank cold water. Ever since, I don't want cold things. I don't want cold chicken. I don't want cold much of anything (except for ice cream.) I don't mind if a salad is cool and crisp. Thats ok.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Healthy eating step by step from Bay Books

I bought this book on sale. I had to do a ISBN search because the title brought up way to many search results from Google. There are a lot of full color photographs. The book is primarily aimed at the low fat dieter. I am a low carb dieter, my aim is a higher fat diet. However, that doesn't mean you can't use books intended for the low fat dieter. Its very simple to add butter, olive oil or coconut oil. Also, sometimes you may be cooking for someone who requires a low fat diet. While it seems to make sense for everyone to be on a low carb diet not every body can tolerate one. There are medical conditions which preclude one following a low carb diet. Also, there are other things to take into consideration, protein while normally embraced on a low carb diet is not always an appropriate part of one's diet, people with kidney stones often avoid a high protein diet because it tends to increase the number of kidney stones they have. I don't eat as much protein as some people do because I don't lose weight as quickly on a high protein diet. I do better getting most of my calories from healthy fats.

Another fun tid bit about "Healthy Eating Step by Step" is that it was clearly written in a different country than the US. The temperatures are given in F, C and gas numbers. Also, in several instances there are subtle lingual variations such as biscuit where a US citizen would say cookie.

I do like this book. If you see it in a bargain bin, you might pick it up. I'm planning to serve the Pearl barkely and Asian Mushroom Pilaf on page 64, the Swordfish Skewers with White bean puree (I will adapt it to chicken) for a party. I plan to also use the brownie recipe on page 105.

Happy reading!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Saturated Fat is not evil

Cool blog about the role of fat in our diet. I am following a high fat low carb diet myself. I found this article to be somewhat vindicating.

Serious Weight Loss

When you are serious about your weight loss goals you throw out the junk food. You just let it go. Yesterday, I dumped two boxes of cookies. I realized that they were not the monetary value (not to mention that now they were stale) that my weight loss goals are to me. Taking care of my health is important to me. I have spent lots of money towards this endeavor and I don't see the point in saving maybe 5 bucks in cheap carbohydrates. I'm leaning towards giving my dark chocolates from Christmas (I still have over half a box.) to a friend. Sound like a plan? I think so.

I'm working on a 50 pound loss. Last year was real rough. Getting started up in the first part of the year was a bit iffy due to travel in February. Also, I didn't have the gumption to get on the scale. I know I'd been heavier on the first but I waited until mid February to weigh in. I know I had been heavier and that I did lose size/inches in February. This weight thing is an ongoing challenge. When I was younger, I thought that once I had lost that weight that would be it, I would be home free. I did not understand that this was a thing one had to maintain on a daily basis with a healthy diet, exercise, and setting my intent everyday. I also have to make sure I have healthy foods available. I can have an issue, especially first thing in the morning, where I'm hungry and I just don't care and I will eat anything, potato chips, chocolates, ice cream you name it and I will eat because its been 12 hours and my blood sugar is low. The key to a successful day starts the day before with a cleaned kitchen and prepared breakfast foods.

These days I am allowing myself a small amount of fruit after a meal. Usually, its a cutie. Today, it was half cup of fresh strawberries. Overall, I'm not finding grain to be my friend. I don't eat much in the way of tubers either such as potatoes or carrots. I do have a fresh eggplant in the refrigerator. I am focusing on green leafy vegetables, cruciferous, and plenty of healthy fats such as olive oil and avocado. I love the avocados on my salad. Watch out for the vinegars, they can have hidden sugars in them. Lemon juice is a safer bet than vinegar.

I am very sore. I don't what did it, either my Cathe Friedrich workouts or the weed pulling or the jogging. I don't know. I do know, I'm experiencing nasty doms in my hamstrings that are preventing me from doing much of anything, including sitting. This week I'm concentrating on a weights/cardio program called 4 Day Split. This will give me three days of rest to work with and time to recover. I will start back up with my jogging program in a week.





Tuesday, March 2, 2010

What a fabulous idea! Real Food Challenge

Very interesting article. I love the idea of going completely unprocessed. I could do it myself. I don't think that my family would do it. My brother and Dad are addicted to refined foods. One goes for a taco run at least once a day. I could eat just vegetables, fruits, oils, and meats. I could, I really could. As a matter of fact its not a bad idea. I wonder if the challenge excluded dried legumes? Such as lentils or red beans. I do have some gluten free millet after my workouts. I also like the dried Bob's Red Mill coconut meat. Its a fabulous snack, gluten free, low carb, and very high in healthy fats.

Go to http://ow.ly/1dmJI to see what I mean.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Inspired by Penny, I'm up on my soap box.

The challenge presented was the quickest, easiest, and most entertaining way to lose weight. And it must be free. Thanks to the internet, many tools are now very inexpensive or even free. In my mind there are several parts to an effective weight loss plan. What you eat, how you choose to add movement and importantly, what you use to help motivate yourself throughout the process. I believe that each aspect can be addressed for a minimal cost thanks in large part to giving podcasters, the internet, and ultimately to Steve Jobs who insisted on something better than the walkman (remember those?)

It has been found that 80% of your success with weight loss is garnered from your diet. What you put in your mouth is pretty much the thing that determines success or failure to lose weight. The trick is discovering what causes you (not your friend) to lose weight, gain weight or prevents weight loss. I, personally, gain weight from fried chicken, Chinese take out, pizza, donuts, and ice cream. Fitday or Spark can help you make the connection from what you are eating to what happens with your body. Even without purchasing measuring cups and a food scale, just writing down what you ate can help you understand what is going on with your body. Also, make a note of when you feel good and when you feel bad. Does eating certain foods give you headaches or indigestion? Does alcohol always make you gain weight, no matter how little calories you ate? Does eating soy slow down your weight loss? Does protein powder make you gain weight? I always put on weight with those foods. You may notice similar kinds of issues but with foods that bother your body, that may be an entirely different list from my list.

Often people whine and complain about the cost of healthy food. After all, Top Ramen is like 10 cents! Well, you just found a very cheap source of calories. The question is, what did it do for you? It filled your belly. How long after that were you hungry again? Did you have to add something to it? Look, I'm not saying top ramen is evil, but consider those inexpensive veggies you can add to your diet, improve the nutrition going into your body, and still not break the bank. Be honest, how much did you spend on coffee? Those fancy coffee drinks are not cheap. But, guess what, cabbage, carrots, and fruit in season is cheap. And, what little money you spend now is much less than the price of doctor visits when you have poor health from being undernourished and obese at the same time. Visit Sandra Ahten's podcast the Reasonable diet or 6 minutes of sanity to learn more about inexpensive diet options. (I'm not paid by her for the 'endorsement', it was free.)

Last night I bought a head of lettuce for $1.29. Its a beautiful red leaf lettuce packed full of nutrition and flavor. If you buy your nuts on sale like I do at Raley's, you can get almonds in bulk for $3.99 a pound. Its not always that cheap, but their nuts are good and fresh. Thats a whole pound! Thats 16 servings. Do the math. Its 25 cents per serving. For the lettuce its about 4 servings which is about 32 cents a serving. (I'm rounding) Add lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper, guess what you just had lunch. You can add protein if you want. Thats up to you.

Exercise: walking or jogging. In theory you can just go out the front door. But, we all know there are potential issues that can crop up. I do have a small kit of things that help me with my walking, hiking and jogging. Other inexpensive options are jump rope or calisthenics. Netflix is an excellent source for workout dvds. Yoga Today.com is a free streaming source for new yoga workouts off the internet. I'm assuming that you have internet access because you are reading this.

Meditation, while more relaxation than activity, helps tremendously with your mental outlook and health. We all need a mood boost and when we aren't using food for emotional support we must get it elsewhere.

My favorite podcasts for motivation are Inside Out Weight Loss with Renee Stephens, The Reasonable Diet with Sandra Ahten, Motivation to Move with Scott Smith and Joy, Pheddipidations, and The Two Gomers run a marathon. All are free. Yippee! I love the free. Well, except you do need a mp3 player, computer, and internet access. So, in a way its free. The content is free. I find motivation on Spark people reading other people's blogs. Those are free!

The tools I use most of the time that are not free:
1. Digital food scale. I got mine on sale, it was $30 at Target. The price varies.
2. iPod Shuffle. Mine says "rapid breath" because thats what I do in yoga. Cool, right?
3. Wrap around ear buds are awesome because your buds don't fly out of your ears when you are jogging.
4. Sweat band (dollar store). I really hate sweat in my eyes.
5. cuddl-dudz workout pants ($15 Target for two pair.)
6. sunglasses (Dollar store)
7. Trainers: shoes from Ross or Sports Authority on sale. I have several pair for different activities.
8. Digital Bathroom scale
9. DVD player for my videos.
10. My circuit step for aerobics.
11 Lots of workout dvds. I may be a Cathe Friedrich addict, I'm not sure.

Maybe the most important things are the ones I don't buy. I don't have a gym membership. I don't have a personal trainer. I don't buy the super expensive name brand shoes. I do buy nice socks. Those matter. But, the truth is if you watch what you eat, journal, and do simple exercise like walking and stretching, the weight will probably come off if the macronutrients are in check. The exercise is just there to buoy your metabolism up and to keep you from being in a plateau. It helps with mood and most people experience a dip in mood during dieting/weight loss. I do.

Thats all for now, tune in next time for the EDH Diet Soap Box!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Vegan and Low carb?

I'm not really interested in going back to a vegan diet. I did that in my teens for two years and it really didn't work for me. However, I am focusing on more fat and vegetables and less protein these days. I have read on some other blogs about people who have embarked on a low carb and vegan diet. It was very interesting to read their ideas of what they think was a low carb diet. It certainly wasn't Atkins as laid out by Dr. Atkins himself. The further into this low carb adventure I go, the more I realize the tremendous importance of a high fat low carb diet. Protein is a free by to a point. Some of us do not tolerate protein very well. I do better with more healthy fats than with more protein. Once you have shifted your focus to healthy fats, its not so hard to get your calories from fats and not from animal based proteins. Many of the low carb vegetables provide the vitamins you need. Coconut fat, olive oil and avocados provide wonderful fats that are very good at helping you with your low carb diet because they satiete the appetite. That is what fat does for you, it turns off the feeling that you are hungry. Adding a slug of olive oil to a low carb soup brings up the calories and gives you what you need to be effective the rest of the day.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Coconut

I love using coconut oil. It really helps me with satiety. I highly recommend it for dieters and people who are both gluten and dairy intolerant. Here is a website with an article on the subject: www.naturalfoodmerchandiser.com
The link sends you to natural food merchandiser which is a cool website. I don't work for them. I hope its ok to add the link.

Italian Vegetable Soup

Good morning, everybody! The sun is shining. Its a beautiful day in my neighborhood.

Here is a recipe from "The Ultimate Healthy Eating Cookbook" modified for gluten free living. If you want, you can just leave the pasta out entirely for a low carb version.

Ingredients:
1 small carrot or
1 baby leek (or another 2 oz. of cabbage)
1 celery stick
2 oz. green cabbage
1 cup cooked green beans
3 3/4 cups of Pacific brand low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup of gluten free pasta,
Salt and black pepper
Fresh parsley

Method:
Slice and dice all the carrot, leak, celery and cabbage. Sautee them in olive oil or butter.
Add the stock and bay leaf. Simmer for about 6 minutes.
Add the cabbage, beans and pasta. Season with salt and pepper.
Cook until the pasta is tender.
Remove the bay leaf.
Garnish with the parsley and additional olive oil to taste.

Options:
Napa cabbage can be substituted for the cabbage.
You can add some hot sauce or hot peppers for heat/flavor.
You can substitute butter or coconut oil for the olive oil garnish.

Notes:
I like rice noodles best. Be sure to soak them according to the package directions. Brown rice noodles can be used.
I like Annie's small shells for 'mac/cheese' just skip the cheese sauce.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Some low carb and gluten free munchies

Try this: peel a cucumber serve with Rice Wine Vinegar and shrimp.

Or: Celery and almond butter

Or: Roasted tomatoes. Those are seriously good. Just cut them in half put them on some foil and roast for about 10 min. in a hot oven. You can sprinkle them with cheese or just with some salt. Use the good tomatoes on a vine, they should smell like a healthy tomato plant. Yumm. . . .

Thursday, January 28, 2010

My high fat diet

Omg! Did she really just say that in public!!!! Whoa! Most of my calories come from fat. My body rebelled against too much carbohydrate and gave me problems. It rebelled against too much protein and gave me serious problems. So, whats left? Nothing but healthy saturated fat. Check out Dr. Aziz's new book on the subject. He gives the green light to saturated fat. I'm going, are you?

I do still calorie cycle, it seems to work for me.

My diet break down is as follows:

Low Calorie day:

Pre WO 1 c. squash, 4 oz. protein, 2 tbsp olive oil
Post WO: 1/3 c. enviro kids cereal, 1/2 c. millet, 1 cup blue berries, 2 tbsp . coconut oil
Lunch: 1 c. spinach, 4 oz. protein, 2 tbsp butter

About 1500 calories

High Calorie day:
Pre WO 1 c. squash, 4 oz. protein, 2 tbsp olive oil
Post WO: 1/3 c. enviro kids cereal, 1/2 c. millet, 1 cup blue berries, 2 tbsp . coconut oil
Lunch: 1 c. spinach, 4 oz. protein, 2 tbsp butter
Dinner: 2 chicken thighs, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup. green beans.

About 1900 calories.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Substitutions

You know when you start a low carb lifestyle that you have to give up certain foods and substitute other foods. A lot of people miss the pasta. I have mentioned this topic before (I think.) Anyway, today I used scrambled eggs. Its seems unlikely, doesn't it? Well, try the classic puttenesca on a bed of hot scrambled eggs, yumm. Or, how about a cream sauce with mushrooms? It would appear that the incredible, edible egg has become the easiest substitution for pasta. Its high in protein, low in carbohydrate and sugar. And its ready in just a couple of minutes.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Gluten Free, how I love thee, let me count the ways.

Hello fellow gluten free foodies!

I decided to dedicate this blog entry to the ever intrepid gluten free foodie. The foodie who avoids gluten for a myriad of reasons may encounter a world of resistance. Never fear, your brain is here to help you and what is more I'm here too.

The basics of gluten free eating is that you avoid foods that have gluten in them. This includes wheat and its bretherin. Anything that contains wheat is not gluten free. There are many food lists online, so I will not exhaustively list them here. What I will do is list what I do eat. Hopefully this will give you an idea of how to navigate the grocery store. In the finer grocery stores there will be a section of "gluten free" products. This is especially true at Raley's and Bel Air grocery stores in northern Ca. I have found their service to be invaluable. They go to the trouble to label the foods with little green signs that say "gluten free" in the natural health food section. The Sacramento Co-op and Elliott's Natural Foods have a good selection of gluten free foods. At the co-op they sometimes have a gluten free brownie in the deli for sale, its not good for the waist line but sometimes "anti-depression Friday" really is Anti-Depression. Watch out for protein powders, often they hide gluten in the form of "dextrose." Any prepared trail mix is suspicious too. Chocolates and candies are risky. Read the label, check the allergens. Look out for yogurt or chocolate milk, sometimes those have dextrose.

What to eat???? Where to eat????

If you start off in any of the deli counters or hot woks across the country, the likely hood that the sauces are full of gluten is pretty high. The average soy sauce has wheat in it. San-J Tamari sauce is wheat free. I use that at home. Dextrose is often found in meat products. This can be derived from wheat or corn. Its safest to buy plain meats, vegetables, fruits, dry beans, lentils, and rice. Watch out for prepackaged foods often there will be the opportunity for hidden wheat. Eating commercial food is not easy. If you are going to a restaurant check the website before you go out. I've had success with Denny's, Applebee's, Del Taco, Fresh Choice, and Carl's Jr. Its easier just to pack a lunch or snacks. Don't trust any dessert when you are out. Oddly enough, the Olive Garden website says that they have a gluten free pasta available, I have not tried it yet. There is often gluten in chocolate sauce or caramel sauce. There is gluten in most baked goods. I do like the Quinoa Macaroons from Mrs. Denson. Soo good!

Gluten free alternatives do abound in the stores and online. Vitacost is a good source online for gluten free groceries and they have very reasonable shipping costs. I like rice pasta, quinoa pasta, and Trader Joe's even has a gluten free brownie mix available. They have a handy list online that you can printout and take with you to the store. I carry it in my little fabric grocery bags. It just sits in the trunk of my car. I never know when I might stop by. I love pork chops, roast chicken, or hamburgers. I get the nitrate free bacon from Trader Joe's. Its really tasty. I haven't found a bread I really liked. The pretzels are fine. I like some of the alternative flours like garbanzo and brown rice. Beware, that brown rice flour must be mixed with either the AP or something else. There are great cook books on the subject, get one to help you out. Don't just rely on the internet.

So, what do you eat? Thats the question I get asked all the time.
This is what I eat most of the time:
Fats coconut, olive oil, butter
Protein: eggs, meat, cheese,
Vegetables of all kinds especially romaine hearts, spinach, asparagus, sugar snap peas, and broccoli slaw.
Fruits like tomatos, avocados, summer and winter squash

I eat the following less often because I'm on a low-carb diet.
Pulses, nuts, drupes and seeds that are not roasted/salted like almonds, peanuts, pistachios, and brazil nuts.
Gluten free pasta, brown rice (rarely, I'm on low carb), quinoa, lentils, beans,
I use dairy sparingly from whole milk, organic cream, kefir or plain yogurt. I prefer coconut milk So Delicious for its carb content, but its not induction friendly.
Gluten free cookies, gluten free chips or cheese puffs (not good for the diet, just a cheat day food.)
Haagen Daz 5 mint ice cream.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Yoga Day

Yoga Day is tomorrow. I have been practicing yoga informally for about 3 years now. I try to get in at least 2-3 workouts each week. They really work well as a long cool down after a jog or as a way to treat insomnia. I use Netflix and get my yoga dvds that way. I use YogaToday.com They are a wonderful resource for free yoga. Sarah Kline is my favorite instructor. I like Shiva Rae and Rodney Yee. Working with yoga has improved my posture, flexibility, the alignment of my spine, and the strength in my core. It has helped me deal with intense emotions and given me a place where I can feel at peace even when the world around me is a scary thing. It has helped restore my body from a car accident. Twenty years later, and I still have scar tissue to work on. I highly recommend this form of martial arts practice for all. Namaste.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Carbs are a condiment

Think of your pasta, rice, rolls, breads, or any other carbohydrate as a condiment. I just had this idea. There may be others who think this way. Its not that you will never have that kind of food. This way of eating shifts everything around. Now my focus is on fats, then protein, then vegetables and if there is room for a condiment like a spoon of brown rice pasta, I might have that in a meal immediately following a cardio workout. In my last blog I addressed my concerns regards not exercising so I will not rehash that here.

For the life of me, I can't understand why anybody would worry about having a low carb, high healthy fat meal. I just don't get it. What about a stir fry with plenty of vegetables like bok choi, mushrooms, and a beautiful oil like walnut drizzled on top ( go ahead be luxurious) is a problem? Why is this so foreign to the mass media? How can a piece of pork be so dangerous? That nonsense about food being stuck in your gut for like 10 years because its protein based just makes no sense either. If you ate your vegetables and had a visit to the restroom, guess what, its not in there (points to tummy) anymore. Ok, enough ranty ranty ranty.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Jimmy Moore

Over at Livin La Vida Low Carb things are exciting because Jimmy's new book 21 Life Lessons has been released. I bought a copy just now at carbsmart.com I really enjoy his podcast, it has been a great help to me in my low carb lifestyle. I don't feel like such an alien listening to that podcast on my morning jog.

There are some people who have been on his show that do not advocate the use of cardiovascular exercise. I have to offer my opinion on this. I was insulin resistant and borderline PCOS with significant symptoms about 3 years ago. I also had depression at the time. I discovered that cardiovascular exercise greatly improves my response to the insulin in my body and elevates my mood. I try to get in at least 30 minutes of time in my THR most days of the week. I aim for 6 days a week but settle for 5 when life or my sore butt gets in the way. Sometimes, I've overdone it on those killer hills outside my front door and I can't walk for a few days. I highly recommend some cardiovascular exercise if you can do it. If not, don't. That may seem simplistic, but it isn't. You may find that immediately following a cardio workout its easier to digest and metabolize your food, as I have found. Just because someone says its ok to give up exercise consider how your body feels and what the optimal amount of activity is for your body, not someone else's.

I meant to keep my daily menus up here, but I've been uber busy.

So here is today's

Breakfast: Millet (low carb and gluten free, awesome!) coconut cream, coconut milk, 2 eggs and butter
pistachios (snack)
Lunch: Huge turkey salad with olives, olive oil, and fresh cauliflower.
PB and 1/4 an apple- I know its not really low carb but because of the serving size it was within bounds.

I'm not hungry at all btw. I will probably have hot tea for dinner cause I'm full.

Almond Custard

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Just take 4 eggs, 1/2 c. of cream or coconut milk, some vanilla, 1 cup of almond meal, wack it in a bowl.
Add a pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, a squeeze of meyer lemon juice, 1/4 c. of sugar, splenda, stevia or small amount of agave nectar, 1-2 tbsp of coconut oil or . Stir it all together.

Put the custard into a buttered 9 inch cake pan.

Bake for about 20 minutes.

It will be a bit soft.

Serves about 4-8 people.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

7 low carb breakfasts

Many people have a hard time dealing with breakfast on a low carb diet. I eat low carb to improve my insulin resistance and PCOS symptoms. Sandra Ahten has suggested, in her podcast, using 7 different breakfasts in a week. For some unknown reason, this seems to help kick start the body into fat loss mode. I think that the body needs a variety of nutrients and when it gets a variety of nutrients through different foods it has the opportunity to relax and lower its out put of stress hormones. Thats just a guess on my part, I do not have any research to back up my idea. Most people associate breakfast with certain foods, there is nothing wrong with having atypical food for breakfast.

Here are 7 good, low carb, and clean breakfasts to try while on a low carb diet. These are not induction recipes:

1. Roasted turkey with eggplant: In other words, use the left overs! Just heat and eat.

2. Nitrate/nitrite free bacon with eggs. This is quick if you cook the bacon in the microwave on low for 3.5 minutes. I have a handy little device that cooks eggs in the microwave in 2 minutes. I love it.

3. Beefsteak tomatoes sliced in half, salted, drizzle with olive oil and roasted in the oven. You can add cheese if you eat dairy.

4. Mushroom Omelet with a variety of mushrooms, I like criminis, shitake, and button. Cheese is not required. Fluff the egg, you can add cream or coconut cream to make it rich.

5. Saute spinach with cream cheese and almonds. Serve it with parmesan crackers (bake parmesan in a hot oven just a couple of minutes and watch closely, you don't want them to burn.

6. Mexican style stir fry: Stir fry beef strips or tofu ( I don't do the soy but some do.) with bok choy and some pre-shredded cole slaw mix, add in a small amount of either pico de gallo or salsa. I also add hot sauce to taste. For extra protein you can add a scrambled egg at the end of the cooking.

Regards salsa: Choose one without MSG, it is thought to induce insulin resistance and thus make you hungrier and also retain fat in your body.

7. Coconut milk and protein powder, I prefer the whey powder from the Sacramento Co-op. Its really clean. But, this won't help you lose weight so watch out for that.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The beginning of a new year and daily menus

My intent is to eat and move in a manner that produces 53 pounds of fat loss. So far this year, I've lost 1.4 pounds. I'm sticking to my general plan.

Gluten free and now mostly dairy free. I do have 2/3 of a pint of Stoneyfield After Dark ice cream left, that is to expensive to just through away. 1/4 of a cup per week should be ok post workout.

Low carb/clean eats: 30-60 g. of carb/day. I do allow myself a gluten free treat on the high days post cardio workout and on regular days I do have a very low carb cereal called puffed Millet from Arrowhead. I do have 1/2 c. of plain yogurt left and some fresh blueberries. Also, I tried the Trader Joe's nitrite/nitrate free bacon but I'm retaining water so I'm probably not going to buy that again even though it was very tasty.

Caffeine free, completely or very close to that. I discovered a while ago, that I get headaches from caffiene, even a little bit. I quit drinking all sodas several years ago, but I gave up caffeine last year. I stopped drinking teas with caffeine. As it turns out, I read online that caffeine retards your liver's ability to dispose of the estrogen in your system. Well, I'm estrogen dominant, that is what caused my PCO symptoms. As the estrogen is built up in the body, if it doesn't find an estrogen receptor it is converted via enzymes into testosterone. The testosterone is what then causes the symptoms including hirsuitism, cysts on the ovaries, weight gain, brittle bones that break, hardening of the arteries and ultimately death via heart attack between the age of 40 and 45. Caffeine also induces insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is also known as pre-diabetes. Insulin resistance is what is thought to cause the PCOS symptoms. Insulin, that is not properly absorbed due to overly abused receptors and a high carbohydrate, low fat diet, is converted into testosterone. As noted before, it then causes tremendous problems in the female body. As a result, I am now considering giving up chocolate as soon as I blast through the chocolate stores I have in the pantry (there isn't much.) I usually only have a small square on my high calorie day. But if the caffeine is as bad a culprit as it appears to be at this point, it may need to go.

Calorie cycle 2 low calorie days followed by one high calorie day
Low cycle: 1200-1500 calories
High cycle: 1800-2000 calories
Daily food/activity journaling: Its easy with Fitday.com to track everything. Also, I intend to post my low carb meals here.
Weigh/measure my eats. I got a brand new digital food scale for this, no reason to leave it in the drawer! Also, I bought an extra set of measuring cups/spoons at the dollar store, I love a bargain.

Diet break down

Low day: Pre workout: 2 eggs poached in microwave with a tablespoon of coconut fat 20 min before workout.
AM Post workout: 1 c. puffed millet, 1/3 c. Enviro kids, 1/4 c. coconut cream, 1/2 c. So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk
Noon: 2 cups salad greens, protein, and olive oil drizzled on top.

High Day: it just adds a fourth meal.
Dinner: 1 cup. vegetables, protein, and olive oil drizzled on top.

I drink 8 cups of water and two cups of decaf tea, usually herbal.

The other components: cardio, yoga, journaling, and podcasts. Currently, my cardio rotation is dependent on the weather. I can't run/jog in the rain. I won't do either with a mountain lion in tow. We had one for six weeks in the neighborhood. I live in a rural area. I use my yoga practice as my over all body conditioning. My job requires significant upper body work that produces doms in that area anyway. I get lower body doms from running hills, step aerobics, and MMA videos. I don't do real fighting, I'm not interested in

My current rotation, break down:

AM
Sunday: Jog, yoga
Monday: off
Tuesday: Jog, yoga advanced
Wednesday: Step Steady state
Thursday: HIIT/dance toning workout
Friday: Step Intervals, Easy yoga
Saturday: MMA