The El Dorado Hills Diet

runforcourage.org

2011-09-30T06:49:00.000-07:00

I just found the runforcourage.org website through the fire department's website. I will be signing up, it will cost me 30 $ to run in Folsom on Oct. the 8th (Saturday.) I am not really in shape for this but, what the heck? Its a good cause. They are raising funds to put a stop to sex trafficking and you know I'm all about spitting in the eye of injustice.

180 degree health

2011-09-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

If you don't read this blog called 180 degree health, I won't blame you, its enough to make anybody's head hurt. Its quite verbose. But, crazy Matt Stone (my name for him, apparently not his birth name, go figure.) does one thing right which is he doesn't accept the status quo for being obviously correct. He does delve into different protocols and often dives in headfirst (all consequence noted and admitted.) This week's series of blog posts is focusing on a couple that have followed what is called RRARF. Its primarily a protocol for repairing the metabolism. I don't do things exactly according to his protocol. I did purchase a copy of the ebook. I read it. And, I went back to my basic simple method of correlating my weight, my food intake, and eating healthy, whole foods. If you are looking for a testimonial to my basic idea that eating whole foods is the way to go, definitely pop over to 180 deg. health and read both today's and yesterday's post, start with yesterday's first. As soon as I gave up weird food, everything got better.

I have also had a tremendous amount of success with some supplements including gymnema sylvestre (cures yeast issues), triphala (repaired my gut with it.) and tapioca pudding (home made please! for your hypoglycemia issues.)

Inspiring

2011-09-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a very inspiring young lady. She is an aspiring olympic athlete. I have watched some of her videos online. Her workouts look extremely tough, definitely beyond my capability at this point. She seems to focus on adding dynamic strength and agility not just endurance. She also keeps a garden from which she gets some of her organic vegetables.

Fall 2011

2011-09-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

Here is my plan, its pretty much more of the same, I just like to reiterate:

1. Journal include:

A. Daily body weigh in

B. Food intake

C. How I felt, any issues to be released using the Renee Method.

2. Weekly WRAP a la Sandra Ahten.

A. Identify potential challenges

B. Create a workout rotation

C. Select my zig zag meals

D. Plan my meals

E. Printout my plan and post it inside my bedroom door next to the calendar.

3. Sundays: Grocery shop.

Pre cut my vegetables.

Pre measure snacks into snack baggies, including nuts, pretzels, dark chocolate.

Batch cook: steel cut oats, quinoa, boil some eggs, lentils, a tomato soup or a chili.

Set the alarm.

Laundry: including your workout clothes be sure you have all 5 outfits washed.

Also, get your tops ironed and nice clothes ready too.

Its not so bad when your plan includes a plan for how to get it done.

Weight Loss Resources

2011-09-22T08:39:00.001-07:00

Well, back to the drawing board. I have gone to the library and picked up some books including Jillian Michaels' "Unlimited."; "The Depression Cure"; "Procrastination: Why you do it. What to do about it now." I also purchased Marianne Williamson's "A course in Weight Loss". I am very interested in giving myself all the assistance and help that I can. Weight loss is not an easy thing for me. Weight does not seem to just fall off my body without a significant amount of mindfulness and intentful living. What I mean by that is that I must set my intent for how I want my days to go including the healthy habits that produce weight loss and make weight loss tolerable. Losing weight hurts. It does not feel good. One of the few trainers that is honest and upfront about this truth is Leigh Peele of "The Fat Loss Troubleshoot." Exercise does not make you lose weight. It does make losing weight easier by improving your insulin resistance and burning some extra calories. That does not mean that all of a sudden you can forget to journal your eats, weigh your food (forget measurements, Leigh goes into the frankly useless measuring cups/spoons here in this You tube video.") Jillian also lays down the law about 'doing the work' in her book Unlimited .

The take away message (which is not nearly as fattening as take away curry.) is that success in all things takes what Sandra Ahten calls a top down and bottom up approach. What she means by that is that it takes both the head and the heart to be on board along with the practicalities of planning to bring the feet through exercise and the stomach through diet all together to produce our desired outcome, whatever that might be. Sandra also talks about using what she calls a wrap, a weekly review and planning session where you examine your upcoming days and plan accordingly. This last part and approach is what got me started on this journey. I started 80 pounds heavier, lost that 80, put on 11, and now I'm working on losing 50.

For me that includes doing a certain amount of work on myself. Learning to set aside fears is not simple or easy. Letting go of anxiety can be a scary thing to do. I do recommend trying and using Renee Stephens free podcasts (especially episodes 1-18) to help with that transition. Just trying to rip a behavior pattern out of ourselves in a judgemental rather than loving manner does not seem to produce lasting change. However, just working on those aspects of ourselves using Renee's method can produce lasting change without the requirement for self hate and or flogging. I don't completely subscribe to the 'eat when hungry' method because I find that I don't eat enough or I eat too much.

It does seem like a big commitment. I do workout most mornings. I do make my own eats a lot of the time. I do like to make portion size baggies of weighed carb rich foods. I don't eat foods on my 'do not eat' list unless I want to put on weight. I do keep a food journal. I do read books about releasing my inner demons. But, even if I didn't have a weight issue, I would still need to release that garbage so the truth is my weight helped point me in the right direction. I do use meditations and yoga to relieve stress. But, even if I wasn't heavy I would do that anyway. I want to lose the weight so that I can run easily. If I were easily slender I would do that anyway. So, the truth is, that there is only a few tweeks that I put in place to help with what Sandra Ahten calls "AIM" which is accountability, information, and motivation. I use my journal to give me information and accountability. I weigh my body on a digital scale to help with information, motivation, and accountability. I weigh my food for information. I use the exercises both physical and mental to help me cope with the discomforts of weight loss. I take a multivitamin and I choose to eat fiber rich fruits/vegetables. I also eat only grass fed beef for the omega 3s. I only have organic dairy products so that I can avoid the less than stellar lipid profile in average dairy products. These things all add up to a more successful weight loss plan and a more tolerable one.

Its true, I could skip the cardiovascular workouts. But, my insulin resistance would worsen, my fitness level would dive, and my depression level would get worse. I could skip my yoga. I would no longer benefit from relaxing my vagus nerve. I would no longer stimulate that fat burning or relieve the pain from muscles staying in a contraction and causing back trouble. I could eat all low quality food and skip fiber. I could choose to be constipated, sure, I could do that. I could bring my progress to a halt all the while telling myself that I was trying. I could do that.

But, why? Why, when cardio makes it easier, when yoga makes it easier, when AM workouts are easier, and a fiber and protein rich diet makes it easier? Why make it harder when it doesn't have to be? Why not get it done so that I can then enjoy the fruits of my labor? Why not enjoy being 15 pounds lighter and embracing my feet feeling good? Why not embrace being able to wear my smaller clothing instead of buying new? Why not embrace feeling good, having lots of energy because I literally set down a 50 pound weight. Go pick up a single 10 pound bag of flour and try to run a lap and tell me that 5 of those doesn't weigh you down.

I want to be that nimble runner with boundless energy. I want to be flexible so that I can embrace the yoga poses in new way. I want to be easily employed because being heavy dramatically reduces your ability to get work.

I'm not saying its without work. Jillian says that you must do the work. Cathe Friedrich says, "Work, work!" Sandra Ahten says WRAP. Renee Stephens says to release the urges and desires to engage in behavior that doesn't make use feel good anymore. Dr. Oz says that its your belly fat that gives you high cholesterol. So, it seems to me that in order to avoid a heart attack, depression, insulin resistance (and thereby diabetes.) that I just need to do these relatively simple things that I would mostly do even if I were slender. I might not weigh my eats if I were slender. But, hey, just how hard is it to let the little scale tare out the dish and weigh it? Is it really that hard? Or is it that I have a little part of myself that is trying to avoid annihilation (fat cells, your days are numbered.) or am I looking for some other satisfaction through food or being fat that really can't be fulfilled through food and is toxic through fat?

The Two Gomers Sub Five Strive

2011-06-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody, I just want to take a moment to comment on the less than satisfactory (to them) performance on this last marathon that the Gomers ran recently. They had a mixed experience including good miles and some very difficult miles. There were hills designed for Sisyphus and there was heat and humidity. All of those things in conjunction with a couple of injuries conspired against them. Their time was not anywhere near their goal of sub five.

However, they did make a PR of 8 minutes faster than their last marathon. I really do believe that was an accomplishment that they have every reason to be proud of. Life and races can be unexpectedly hard. In a race where no one met their goals, the Gomers actually improved over last year's performance!!! This is time to celebrate. I truly hope that the Gomers choose to train for their next marathon and that they don't give up the sport. If they stick to the right shoes, select a course that is not known for horrendous hills, and select a fall marathon, they will have a much better experience. The Gomers have proven, time and time again, that they are capable, disciplined, and tougher than they look. They can do this. They can continue to improve. They might need more than a 20 week training program; maybe the training season needs to be closer to 24 weeks. I know that it takes me longer to feel truly prepared for a major challenge.

The Gomers have the sub five marathon in them. They need a break to do some cross training and to heal. After that, if they come back at it, they will find that they are that much stronger because of this challenge. Their next victory will be that much sweeter because of this experience.

The core successors

2011-05-31T14:07:00.000-07:00

The core lifestyle modifications that seem to work the best for weight loss, at least for me, are:

1. Plenty of yoga: This lowers your cortisol levels and thereby improves insulin resistance and depending on the practice, will stimulate thyroid.

2. Whole foods: avoid weird things that don't look like food. Correlate how food makes you feel, not just in the 7 minutes it takes to eat your meal, but afterwards, does it spike your sugar? does it make you feel good?

3. Reasonable levels of cardiovascular exercise: some helps with metabolism, insulin receptors, and depression. But, it does not make up for junk food.

4. Be kind to yourself. Don't beat yourself up for being human and eating something that makes you feel poorly. This is not a time to raise your own cortisol levels by berating yourself. Its much more effective to reprogram yourself to handle the situation differently in the future. And, don't expect yourself to be perfect the first time, every body requires practice before they play Carnegie Hall.

More, more, more

2011-05-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

It would appear that I am guilty of not eating enough. Leigh Peel's diet ebook set my needs to be about 2200 per day and with a deficit at about 1800. Matt Stone over at 180 deg. is always railing against a diet with a deficit. He focuses very much on eating more, rather than less. Back when I was successful in losing the weight, I was eating pretty much as much as I could and skipping dinners every other day. Then, I went through a period of eating exactly the right amount for a weight loss, I did not gain or lose a single pound. I did that for four months. I was hungry and cold the whole time. So, I decided this year (Jan) to start cycling my carbs/cal again. I haven't really lost much. Its almost June. Gah! Ok. So, I bought Leigh's book last week and I have been reading Matt Stone's blog. They seem diametrically opposed, like thumbs on opposite hands. I have been doing a double low calorie day since the beginning of the year on Sat/Sun. I'm just not as focused as sometimes. I feel stuck, like I'm my own fluffy road bump. So, last week I started eating a little more, more carbs (some fruit, Matt seems to think its ok.) and a little more starch (controlled servings of cheerios.) I don't know that I'm any thinner, I'm retaining some water. I am still skipping dinner every other day. I felt like I was in ketosis last night. I'm focusing on home made meals with a variety of foods. The only processed food I'm having at all is an occasional Joe Joe, which is like an oreo from Trader Joe's post cardio workout. I'm resting well. I am having some dairy, I get some organic milk on my cereal and some days I have whole milk yogurt (plain, with some dried cranberries.) I did have a few rice crackers the other day. Thats where the water is from, cause of all the sodium.

I'm under some stress. I am putting together some new materials for my business. I'm emotionally invested in that. I'm dealing with it by writing out to do lists, practicing yoga, and talking with friends.

I seem to recall that the way I lost weight in the past was to eat a tremendous amount of food, exercise at high intensity, jog/walking, for at least 45-60 min. on an empty stomach and then practice yoga several times a week (lots of rapid breath.) That stopped working for a while when I was ill. Now, after having done that repair to my metabolism last fall, I was hoping that the cycles would work again. But, I'm wondering if I just wasn't eating enough and if I was doing enough of the cardio and the yoga. My rotation seems reasonable. What I don't have (and won't until the business thing is ironed out.) is a Polar that works anymore. I love my Garmin, but it doesn't have the same features as my old Polar. I miss my Polar. A lot.

So, as far as I can tell (just recapping) I need more fats, more vegetables, more healthy protein, more cardio and more yoga. I'm not doing much strength training. Leigh recommends the circuits. I might add one back into the mix. I just didn't feel like I needed more muscle.

So, that rotation would look like this:

Sunday: Rest

Monday: Walk/Run/Walk + short yoga

Tuesday: Steady State Step

Wednesday: Kick Box DVD + short yoga

Thursday:Rest

Friday:Walk/Run/Walk + short yoga

Saturday: Circuit

Dagoba New Moon Chocolate

2011-05-19T07:46:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying a very dark square of chocolate with my breakfast. Chocolate is supposed to be really good for you. I prefer very dark chocolate. This one has a faint taste of chocolate liquer. I don't think any one would eat more than a couple of bites because it is very intense. The best way to eat it is to just let it melt on your tongue. Its not a cheap bar of chocolate, but it is a good bar of chocolate.

I wonder why they named it Dagoba? That seems reminiscent of Star Wars. Do they license that from George Lucas?

I give it 4/5 oven mitts. The after taste is a little strong. The coco is very dark.

Mrs. May's Naturals are soo Good!

2011-05-18T07:14:00.001-07:00

I just had a small package of the Pumpkin Crunch, and they are so very tasty. They are little clusters of pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and a little sweetness from rice malt and cane sugar. They are an easy way to get some extra calories without getting overly full. The little bag I purchased has two servings at 164 calories each, thats 328 per bag. They also have 8 grams of carbohydrate per serving (due to the rice malt/cane sugar.) and 1 g of fiber, bringing them to a net of 7 grams of carbohydrate or 14 per little bag. They also pack a walloping 18 grams of protein! Thats a really good thing. These would be perfect on a hike where you don't want something heavy to carry. They are also gluten free!! According to the package they are Kosher, wheat free, dairy free, vegan and contain no cholesterol.

These get 5/5 oven mitts.

Leigh Peele

2011-05-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

I hope I spelled her name right. Leigh is a diet guru. She has a book and website devoted to the subject. She focuses on diet and exercise. I have purchased a copy of her ebook, The Diet Troubleshoot. I am going to give it a go. The difference for me, is that I am allowing myself some fruit and starch. She recommends a little more carbohydrate than what I normally eat. I had been on a low carb diet for a long time and when I was on induction, I actually gained weight and my body temperature took a dive. After that experience, I increased my carbohydrate intake to 45-60 grams per day. That has been fine. However, I really like having some fruit, it satisfies my soul, steel cut oatmeal does too. Leigh has a wonderful quiz that helps you figure out exactly how many calories are required for you in a day. My number was higher than I was allowing myself to eat. I seem to have underestimated what I needed. Last fall, I did a four month experiment where I weighed/measured all my eats and did everything by the book. I counted my calories. I calculated how much I burned in my workouts with my heart rate monitor. I always aimed for a deficit of 500 calories per day. I neither gained nor lost a single pound. Needless to say, I was bummed because I was actually hungry the whole time. And, my body temperature went down and so did my energy level.

So. I decided at the beginning of this year to increase my workout intensity and to go back to calorie cycling. I haven't really gained or lost from that either. Bummer, right?

Well. Back to the drawing board. Into the fray, once more.

Leigh has come to the same conclusion that I have, which is that workouts don't make you thin. She doesn't recommend high impact while you are trying to lose the weight. I wonder if she counts jogging? I don't know. I like to jog. It really helps with my lower body area.

Matt Stone says "Duck Fiets". Yeah. I say Duck Fiets too. My Fall 2010 experiment did not work. So, I am going to try Leigh's program. Its fairly simple. Moderate calorie deficit. Moderate carbohydrate intake. Keep the protein up. Use fat to slow stomach emptying and to keep your blood sugar even. She is all about staying honest with yourself about what you actually ate. In order to keep myself from dropping too low on the calories, I will embellish my meals with coconut oil. It stokes the metabolism.

So, how does this all break down? Well, for me it looks like this:

PreWO snack: 1/2 c. steel cut oats,

PostWO: 1 c. of berries, 1 c. of melon, 3 oz. of protein or 3 eggs, 2 tbsp. coconut oil, 1 c. raw spinach

Lunch: 1 apple, 1 c. raw cabbage, 2 c. mixed greens, 3 oz. protein, 2 tbsp coconut oil,

Snack: Banana and peanut butter or cream cheese

(This would only be eaten 3x/week on higher calorie days).

Dinner: 1c. cooked napa cabbage, 1 c. broccoli, 3 oz. protein, 1 tbsp. olive oil

Aim:

Lower calorie days: 1576 calories.

High calorie days: 2100 calories.

As for my rotation, well, I'm going to focus on LSB workouts. I'm also going to make a point of getting my yoga most days of the week. Here is my workout breakdown (which must stay fluid to accommodate a varying work schedule.)

Sunday: AM: Cathe Friedrich Steady State Step workout (Like Cardio Hits)

PM: Yoga Today with Sarah Kline

Monday: Long Run, 60 min. no walking

PM: Yoga Class with Gary Bromley

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: Run/Walk/Run 3 min. jog, 1 min. walk 60 min.

Thursday: Cathe Friedrich MMA workout

PM: Shiva Rae Yoga

Friday: Fun Run! Run to peak, then walk it down. + Desi Yoga Solar

PM: Desi Yoga Lunar

Saturday: Rest

I will start this program next week.

Easter, Spring, and Diet Re-tooling

2011-04-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

Sandra Ahten talks about a concept that I believe bears repeating, how much energy do you want to spend on dieting? How much time do you want to spend thinking about eating, what you are going to eat, what you aren't going to eat, what is important to you, what isn't.

Of late, I have had gluten, specifically bread, cravings. I had been off of wheat for about two years. I find that with having given in to my desires for sourdough, that now the thoughts seem to consume me, rather than me being the eater, I am the eaten. I do believe that this kind of issue is what boundaries are made for. I'm not wildly out of control, but I'm not as adherent to my diet goals as I had been. My carb intake has crept up. I find myself making justifications for a little bite. Those little bites add up, and one bite might be 5 carb grams, but over a day, that had 3-4 separate little bites, thats another 15 grams of carbohydrate that I didn't burn off.

I know that one of the most effective techniques for losing weight is maintaining a food journal. If you aren't honest, it doesn't work. It helps you to know what you have eaten and if you have fallen short of the mark in some way.

In the interest of honesty, today has been a good day.

Breakfast? It was a beef patty, green salad with mustard dressing and 1/2 a fiber brownie. I also had 2 slices of sprouted cinnamon raisin bread.

Lunch: I had a lot of green beans, a little round of sour dough, and 1/2 a fiber brownie. I also had 1 little Dove dark chocolate heart.

I intend to skip dinner. I don't always eat dinner as a way to cycle my calories.

I've been drinking Spearmint tea all morning. Its a lovely flavor and supposed to help with PCO hirsuitism symptoms.

The truth is, I must watch my carb intake. I'm thinking I should only have wheat once/week. This boundary takes it off mind, puts it back on the back burner. I am enjoying my fruit smoothies with coconut oil. The coconut oil does give me a boost with my thyroid, my body temperature stays up. I do count the calories. Some people don't count them, but I do. Even if you are burning it, that was still energy available to you, so it makes sense to me to count the calories.

The kinds of foods that occupy my mind are always sweets. I know that crazy Matt Stone over at 180degree health, is on a tare about adding carbohydrate, but I don't think that tooth pain and decay are good things. We really need to be reasonable about these things, if eating something is making you sick, maybe you need to lay off it for a while.

The more I live and learn, the more I learn that eating copius quantities of vegetables and good oils (coconut, olive) seems to be the key. The idea of eat less move more is only half right, I think eat more, move more, rest more, relax more and occasionally a skipped dinner might work. Don't eat the same thing every day. Sandra Ahten has mentioned that eating a different breakfast every day can induce weight loss. Nobody really knows why, it just seems to work.

So, my idea is what if you had a different breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner all week? Would that work too? I don't know if that would be too much work, but right now, I do have the time, so I think I'm going to put in the effort.

Do you have any zany weight loss tips? if so feel free to post them or a link to your blog.

The El Dorado Hills Dieter

Giving up on myself

2011-03-10T16:18:00.001-08:00

Sandra Ahten's blog post this past week was all about not giving up on yourself. I have been listening to the podcast post (free on iTunes in Reasonable Diet podcast.) over and over again on my hike/walk/jogs. I don't want to give up. I am so ready to be back in the game. I'm doing the AM cardio, I even started weighing in again. For some reason, that particular part of the accountability is critical for me. I'm not ready to give up. I think I might have given up a little bit inside this year. I wasn't seeing the loss I had expected. But you know what? I wasn't doing every little thing I could possibly think of, I was doing my workouts and I was calorie cycling. I wasn't getting 60 min. in my THR 6 days/week. I wasn't weighing/measuring my eats. I was allowing more sweets. Maybe, at my age (a birthday looms large in the coming week.) it takes everything not just most of it. I don't want to give up. I want to make progress or at the very least, point in the right direction.

Release

2011-03-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the ticket, the short way, the easy way to weight loss is to release something that has been eating at you for a while. There may be something that bugs you and raises your stress level. Stress is a true cause of weight gain, not the only one, but certainly one of the causes. Cortisol and testosterone and insulin (among others.) are released into the body when you experience stress, either perceived in your current environment or some thing on your mind. I like to use yoga and jogging for my stress relievers. They help me to release whatever might be bugging me, even if only for the time being. Its a good idea to hit that interrupt switch. With a fresh perspective, whatever is eating you might stop being such a big deal after all.

This is the El Dorado Hills Dieter,

Over and out.

AM Exercise

2011-02-23T09:02:00.001-08:00

on an empty stomach used to be something I did all the time. I did it because it was convenient and fit easily into my day. I did it because then my exercise, the hardest part about my day was finished before I even began. I got out of this habit last fall when temperatures fell in the AM to below freezing. I wanted to run when it was warmer. My weight at that time plateaued even though I was eating the right amount of calories (my bmr) and getting a deficit through my cardio workouts. My weight didn't budge a pound. I was really frustrated. In January of this year I started cycling my calories again. I saw a small loss in January of 2 pounds. In February, I put that back on and have recently starting losing again. What was I doing differently? I started exercising first thing in the morning and I added back in one of Cathe Friedrich's Stretch Max workouts after my runs.

According to Dr. Jonny Bowden, the AM exercise on an empty stomach might have been the thing that did it. Here is a link to an article that he has written on the subject. I learned about this from Jimmy Moore of the Livin' La Vida Low Carb show. Jimmy is seeing a significant amount of progress from yoga, strength training, low carb intermittent fasting and exercising on an empty stomach. I'm inspired!

Fiber Brownies

2011-02-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

I make an easy, gluten free, fiber brownie with ingredients from Trader Joe's. I use their GF brownie mix. I add an additional egg. I use Spectrum brand coconut oil. I add 1/2 c. of Psyllium, 1/2 c. of chocolate chips and a 1/4 c. of additional unsweetened coco. I bake as instructed. I cut them into half portions. Each comes to about 16 carbohydrates. It is an excellent post workout snack and is a great chocolate and fiber delivery system. I do melt the coconut oil before using. It must be cool to the touch because otherwise it will curdle the egg.

Do be aware, the brownie mix has sea salt in it, so if someone is allergic to fish, seafood or shellfish they should probably avoid this mix.

Have a wonderful, GF, fiber-ful day!

The El Dorado Dieter

Don't be Stupid

2011-02-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

I love to jog. I love to go outside. I even love the rain. When the forecast is lightening don't go for a run. That would not be smart. Its ok to do some cross training indoors. Really, it is ok. Some times we get so enamored of our training schedule or goals that we lose sight of whats important, living. Its really important because if you aren't alive you won't be able to run a single step so don't be stupid. Run when the lightening is over ok?

Thanks,

The El Dorado Hills Dieter

Soy Free Eggs

2011-02-07T07:28:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about these eggs? Apparently they are soy free. I did not know there was soy in eggs! I work really hard to avoid soy because its full of body-plumping estrogens! I read about this on Jimmy Moore's menu blog. I can't afford the specialty eggs and anything that has fish/shell fish is out for this house, we have a family member who is deathly allergic to anything oceanic. According to the cocofeed website, their chickens are feed a oceanic diet and I don't want to run the risk of someone getting ill in my home from fish. We don't even use sea salt here. It can be a problem.

I wonder if I need to go back to a vegetarian/vegan diet? One without soy? I can see doing a high healthy fat diet without meat. I already avoid dairy, it gives me shiners. I like olive oil and coconut oil. I like vegetables and fruits. Getting calories really isn't a problem. Keeping it low carb is not a problem (providing I'm behaving myself!) The only thing is I do have egg, meat and chicken cravings sometimes. There are mornings where I wake up wanting a pork chop. I wonder if they feed pigs soy? Is there a bunch of estrogens in them too?

What would a low carb, vegetarian diet look like? I do allow myself 45-60 g. of carb per day. Somedays I get more carb because I'm not paying attention. Those few moments in the morning when I first wake up are my weak point. I'm most likely to engage in sleepy eating at that time. But, I am getting off topic here, back to what I was exploring.

A low carb, vegetarian diet? My favorite vegetables are: spinach, green beans, broccolini, asian cabbage, bak choi, celery. I love those bags of lettuce mixes you can buy at the grocery store, pre washed. I like to get my carbs from GF steel cut oatmeal (1/2 c. serving cooked.) or fruit. Lately, I've been eating some Coconut bliss, the dark chocolate flavor. I love it and I eat a 1/2 serving 11.5 carbs.

Should I just switch to grass fed beef? I don't know. I hear a lot of good things about it but man its not cheap. I could eat vegetarian throughout the week and then have 1 beef meal per week. I would not be a vegetarian but it would reduce my soy exposure (if what they say is true, that the animals are being fed soy.)

Today's Songs to run to!

2011-01-26T14:32:00.001-08:00

Of course, how could I go for two whole days without a run or posting my songs to run to? I'm still in a chill kind of run mood but I'm also throwing in some pop and a couple of soundtrack. I'm working the one minute intervals, they just make the time fly. Its true, try it!

Today's list, not in any particular order:

1. If I had you by Adam Lambert (confessional listing here.)

2. Violin by Amos Lee (today's free iTune download)

3. 1,000 faces by Randy Montana (see, I like it free.)

4. Ultra Curve by Cosmic Gate

5. Hold it Against me by Britney Spears (another confessional, ear candy at least isn't fattening.)

6. Marilyn by Larsen B

7. 1973 by James Blunt (I like it, so what if I played it on Monday too.)

8. The Game has Changed by Daft Punk from the Tron soundtrack.

9. End of Line by Daft Punk from the Tron soundtrack.

The podcasts:

1. IronBrandon Show 129

2. Running Stupid

3. B-Had Running

4. Fdip262

5. RVR- Epi80

I don't really listen to everything, it depends on my mood.

Sunny Days!!!

2011-01-26T13:00:00.000-08:00

Keeping the clouds away" Sing it with me now!!! OK, enough of the gradeschool flash backs. It is a super sunny day and I plan to run it away later today. Hey, I rhymed! Sometimes its more than ok to go back and work those early lessons again and to relearn and rediscover things you already know you know but somehow get forgotten in the everyday roar of life. I'm working on the C25k program again. But, hey, you know what? I'm faster now and every time I do those early week intervals I am even stronger because I will push myself to do a hill for just one minute that I can't wrap my brain around doing the whole thing and then I discover I can jog most of it and I might just push myself to run around the next ten steps to finish it. See, it was a mind boggle the whole time.

Diet History

2011-01-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

I have tried lots of different kinds of diets over the years. It started when I was 11 years old and told how fat I was by all the kids at school. They were so mean. I did the low fat diet and went vegetarian at that time. Then, when I was 19 I went vegan for about two years. I had not wanted to eat meat really. Then when I was 21 years old something in my head snapped. I had a craving for beef. I had the first 6 oz. at a steak house and I annihilated it in about 5 minutes. I have been a meat eater ever since. I eat chicken, beef, fish, and pork. I prefer the meats from Raley's, they have the most consistent and best flavored meats. I prefer Foster Farms unsalted chicken, anything else tends to plump me. That said, I do also eat a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and gluten free grains (in moderation.) I prefer to get my carbs from whole fruits and a little bit of grain. Lately I haven't wanted to eat as much meat. I'm leaning more towards a high healthy fat diet with lots of vegetables rather than a high protein diet. In a way I guess its actually a very clean diet. I do tend to eat more carbs than I should so I watch that closely, using portion control on the carbs.

So, here I am considering reducing my meat intake. Not so much for health but rather to keep my focus on healthy fats as my calorie sources. I'm not a body builder, I'm not focused on rebuilding muscle. I don't need the same level of protein that some people need. So what are your thoughts, if any, on a fairly low carb, high healthy fat, vegetable focused diet?

Music to run to

2011-01-19T11:14:00.000-08:00

Its a new day and that means a new list. I am really enjoying James Blunt's new album "All the Lost Souls." Chill tracks always seem to cool me down even if I'm in my last mile of the day.

1. 1973 by James Blunt

2. Same Mistake by James Blunt

3. I can't hear the music by James Blunt

4. Next in line by Meese (is that plural for mouse or moose?)

5. Beautiful is gone by The Ruse

6. Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve (it was just 69 c, can't lose there.)

9. Bang Bang Bang by The Virgin Marys

10. Touch by Natasha Bedingfield

Today's Music to run to!

2011-01-17T15:26:00.000-08:00

A la the Two Gomers, here is today's music to run to list. I really like the freebies from iTunes.

Btw, I am terribly sorry that Steve Jobs is not feeling well, I will be keeping him in my thoughts, I hope that he feels better soon. In the meantime, here is my list:

(Track then artist)

Norway by Beach House

The High Road by Broken Bells

Around my Head by Cage the Elephant

Viva la Vida by Coldplay

Sing me to Sleep by Fran Healy

I am not a Robot by Marina and the Diamonds

Break Me Out by The Rescues

Something Good Can work out by Two Door Cinema

Marilyn by Larsen B

Tron Legacy soundtrack

and for the cool down: Titaptawa by Gandalf

My podcasts:

The Fitness Boost with Scott Smith

Two Gomers

Fdip261: Running Terroir: by Steve Runner

This Running Life with Gordon

IronBrandon Show: 127 by Brandon Wood

Hey, I love the podcasts. I had been an avid listener of Nigel and I'm sorry that he is no longer casting due to a very busy lifestyle. I will miss reports about Foxy.

A week in review

2011-01-16T08:16:00.000-08:00

Over the past week I have had three commercial meals, none of which were planned. The best thing to do in those situations is to look at the menu 'calorie count' and choose wisely. I did excellently well on 3/3 meals, I did ok on one dessert. On Wednesday we ate at Coco's which is a chain restaurant that specializes in baked goods and pies in addition to standard American fare. Having read the menu and discovered that their 'no sugar added apple pie' carries a hefty 500 plus calories, I passed on that in favor of the tortilla soup before dinner instead of a dessert after my meal. I am careful the rest of the time to eat clean home made food and to skip a couple of dinners so that I can use those calories at an unexpected meal or on a treat that I make at home. At Denny's I selected a salad and soup at one meal. At the other meal I selected the bbq chicken, substituting the green beans for the mashed potatoes. That is always a good idea. Potatoes aren't necessarily bad for you but the green beans have a lot of nutrition and will keep your hair from falling out. I personally would rather keep the hair on my head where it belongs, under my hat. I did splurge on a single scoop of vanilla ice cream last night. I skipped the dinner bread with both meals. Thats a savings of 300 calories and about 30-60 carbs that I just didn't need.

One of the things you can do to keep everything moving along is to get enough physical activity. This means different things to different people so you really have to adjust to meet your own needs. In my case that means cardio most days of the week and plenty of yoga to cover my strength and flexibility training.

I don't really know how I did. I will know on Tuesday when I have my next weigh in. I'm taking two low calorie days in a row to prepare for that. I will also keep my physical activity high. Today will be some yoga, tomorrow will be a jog and then a stretching session.

Every week is about planning, ducking and weaving when life comes at you and keeping your wits about you when unwanted calories and carbs present themselves, smelling good but promising of a terrible fat hang over the next morning or frankly even in the next minute.

Destiny

2011-01-02T16:21:00.001-08:00

Have you ever asked yourself a question knowing the answer? For me, life is an answer that I already know. I know that I must fight this body and I must discount the urges my mind is sent to eat things that would only result in feeling worse over time. I know that I must work hard to make a living. I also know that there are things that I enjoy such as running, yoga, and even those really intense Cathe Friedrich videos. I do enjoy some of the healthy food I eat including a good salad, fruit and roast chicken with homemade cranberry sauce. I even enjoy my GF steel cut oatmeal. I don't really like the 'weight loss' feeling and the tiredness that comes with it. I don't really like being where I am but I do know that the alternatives are much worse so I am grateful for what I have. At least I have the knowledge and the answers to my questions. Now, all I have to do is choose which path I'm going to take, the one towards slenderness or the one away from it. Which path are you choosing?

Actually true

2010-12-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

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.

Early!

2010-11-28T09:02:00.000-08:00

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?

Confidence

2010-11-22T17:50:00.000-08:00

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?

Hibernation

2010-11-21T16:26:00.000-08:00

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?

New Target Heart Rate

2010-11-19T14:34:00.000-08:00

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.

Pomegranate!

2010-11-18T16:51:00.000-08:00

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.

Expense, Resources and Cost

2010-11-17T09:47:00.000-08:00

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.

Crosstraining

2010-11-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

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.

Skip the Sugar

2010-11-15T14:36:00.001-08:00

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

2010-11-15T14:19:00.001-08:00

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.

Songs to run to

2010-11-14T09:53:00.000-08:00

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.

S A D

2010-11-11T16:47:00.000-08:00

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?

Fall

2010-10-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

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.

Soothing

2010-10-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

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.

Fall

2010-10-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

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.

Gear

2010-10-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

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?

Halloween

2010-10-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

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.

Today's menu

2010-09-28T06:55:00.001-07:00

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

The New Me

2010-09-20T18:03:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

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.

Inspired by aprovechar

2010-06-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

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?

My Diet Pyramid

2010-05-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

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.

Steak

2010-05-20T07:01:00.000-07:00

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.

Do Not Eat!

2010-04-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

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

Owning all of my choices

2010-04-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-04T07:03:00.000-07:00

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.

Spring 2010: The Diet Adapts

2010-03-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

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 !

Cold Food

2010-03-23T09:10:00.001-07:00

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.

Healthy eating step by step from Bay Books

2010-03-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

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!

Saturated Fat is not evil

2010-03-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

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.

What a fabulous idea! Real Food Challenge

2010-03-02T11:58:00.000-08:00

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.

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

2010-02-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

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!

Vegan and Low carb?

2010-02-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

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.

Coconut

2010-02-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-02T09:36:00.001-08:00

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.

Some low carb and gluten free munchies

2010-02-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

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. . . .

My high fat diet

2010-01-28T16:23:00.000-08:00

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.

Substitutions

2010-01-27T15:59:00.001-08:00

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.

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

2010-01-24T16:29:00.000-08:00

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.

Yoga Day

2010-01-22T18:37:00.000-08:00

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.

Carbs are a condiment

2010-01-20T11:26:00.000-08:00

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.

Jimmy Moore

2010-01-18T16:58:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-18T09:55:00.000-08:00

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.

7 low carb breakfasts

2010-01-13T08:37:00.000-08:00

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.

The beginning of a new year and daily menus

2010-01-12T07:32:00.000-08:00

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

A year of stagnation

2009-12-27T09:29:00.000-08:00

Its time to refocus on the weight loss. I will weigh in one week. I'm working up to it by cleaning up my eats this week. I'm ready to go low carb again. I tried it last year and ended up with a high protein diet which back fired and resulted in a kidney/bladder infection. This year I will be going high fat. I am embracing the high healthy fat lifestyle, aka Atkins. I won't be going as low in carb as the induction. I will be keeping it between 30-60 g. of carbs and I will continue to calorie cycle. I need to be mindful of my PCOS and eating a low carb diet is well known to assist with the root cause of our disorder, insulin resistance. I am happy to report my fasting blood glucose was a cool 81 the last time I was tested. I do need to lose about 50 more pounds and I need to start being more vigilant. I am experiencing a carb craving first thing in the morning. I need to stay mindful of my eating at all times of the day, even when its most challenging. I have reduced the number of my meals to 2-3 a day because it really seems to help my IBS.

My eating plan is relatively loose, but here it is broken down. I'm using broad categories because I really like these kinds of meals. This is not true atkins. Do not be confused. I have arrived at my diet through much experimentation. I need some berries for my exercise performance. The protein is from either whey or rice powder. I do not add sweetener to my frozen blueberries. I just blend it with a little lemon juice. I add protein as I need it in the form of chicken, pork or beef.

TTSat Low calorie
Breakfast: Coconut milk/cream, 2 eggs, 1 pat of butter, and gluten free millet cereal,
Lunch: Vegetable soup with healthy dose of coconut fat

MWF: High calorie
Breakfast: Coconut milk/cream, 2 eggs, 1 pat of butter, and gluten free millet cereal,
Lunch: Vegetable soup with healthy dose of coconut fat
Dinner: Stir Fry with olive oil, blueberrie smoothie with protein powder

Sunday: (Not a low Carb) Refuel:
Breakfast: Gluten free waffles, plain yogurt, berries
Lunch: Gluten free Mac/cheese
Dinner: Roast chicken, wild rice or 1/2 baked potato (see not low carb there.) vegetables with lots of butter,
Dessert: 1 low carb cookie. (relax its just 1/2 or 1/3 a serving)

The idea being I refuel my ability to exercise at top performance throughout the week but I don't beat my insulin receptors into insulin resistance throughout the week, make sense? I think so.

This week is 4DS or 4 day split for those who don't know Cathe Friedrich. Next week? Next month? I don't really know right now. Lets look at my calendar. There are two challenge days, one tomorrow and one in two weeks. I can manage that. Both are just day trips. I've been really happy to discover that Fresh Choice has gluten free options on their menu. How awesome is that? So, I can stop and eat there and be ok. yippee! My workout days off will need to be on Mondays. Thats easy to accommodate too. I'm guessing that its safe to go back on the road soon. No one has seen the mountain lion in a couple of weeks. I will take my cel phone and baton for safety. I will not run in the dark at all.

This next month exercise rotation is designed to learn all of my new STS Cardio discs and to get my cardio back up:

Wk Dec. 27- Jan 2: 4DS
Wk Jan 3-9
Sunday: Yoga,
Monday: off
Tuesday: 4DS HIS
Wednesday: 4DS BC
Thursday: 4DS LIS
Friday: 4DS KB
Saturday: off

Wk Jan 10-16
Sunday: HIIT 1, Yoga
Monday: off (travel to Palo Alto to Stanford)
Tuesday: Cardio Core Circuit
Wednesday: Jog Steady State 30 min. Yoga
Thursday: MMA Kick Box
Friday: Jog Steady State 30 min. Yoga
Saturday: Step Athletic

Wk Jan 17-22
Sunday: HIIT 2, Yoga
Monday: off
Tuesday: Circuit Blast
Wednesday: Jog Steady State 45 min. Yoga
Thursday: MMA Boxing
Friday: Jog Steady State 45 min. Yoga
Saturday: Step Rhythmic

Wk Jan 24-30:
Sunday: HIIT 3, Yoga
Monday: off
Tuesday: Cardio Core Circuit
Wednesday: jog Steady State 60 min. Yoga
Thursday: MMA Fusion
Friday: Jog Steady State 60 min. Yoga
Saturday: Step Athletic

ennui

2009-11-01T15:15:00.001-08:00

The desire for something you don't have. Its wistful. Its ridiculous. Focus on what you can alter. Forget the rest.

My PCOS treatment plan, home style

2009-10-26T16:25:00.001-07:00

Its been about 2 years since I began this journey. First, it was discovering that I was insulin resistant, had PCOS, then learning I had IBS, and now going gluten free. I have lost 80 pounds. I have improved my triglycerides, my blood pressure, menstrual health, and most of my symptoms are now tolerable. I have used western medicine to discover what the issues were and a combination of diet, exercise, and supplements to manage my health.

I have posted my diet/supplements before. I will do so again because over time I have added and modified my program to accommodate new data.

Whole foods Low Carbohydrate diet- as low as possible. I aim for 30-60 g. / day

Dietary considerations

Focus on:
Healthy fats coconut oil, olive oil, and real butter
Abundant in freshly prepared vegetables and low GI fruits
Protein including chicken, fish, grass fed beef and pork.

Avoid:
Almost all grains,
High GI fruits,
Soy and any other excessively estrogenic food.
Root vegetables (they are excessive in starch)
Nuts
Anything processed including meats, nitrites, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, cotton seed oil and MSG.
Protein powders and shakes.
I follow a gluten free diet.
Dairy is optional, if you have dairy only select organic because the lipid profile is different.
Antibiotics if you can avoid them, do so.
Sauces often hide a lot of starch, sugars, and unnecessary

Avoid anything that is a trigger food. I think of cheesy poufs as a gateway drug.

Avoid toxic people. Toxic thoughts. Toxic clutter. Toxic food. Stress releases a lot of hormones including insulin and cortisol.

Weigh/measure your food most of the time, this is the only true way to get an idea of how much carbohydrate and calories you are getting. I err on the side of more calories rather than less most of the time. A few days per week I will lower my calories, this is called calorie cycling and I do it to help my body stay in weight loss mode. It seems to work for me.

Keep a food journal. Its nice to see the trends of when you felt good versus when you felt bad. You can cross correlate (associate) when you felt good with what you ate most of the time. Also, if you are prone to SAD get a solar spectrum light for your bed room.

Exercise:
Cardio for insulin receptor health
Yoga for thyroid and cortisol control

Supplements:

Saw Palmetto- mildly improves my hirsuitism
Bilberry- improves pancreatic function, and treats interstitial cystitis
Evening Primrose Oil- Helps with my ability to tolerate weight loss without feeling like I was getting snapped with a rubber band.
Fish Oil- Helps with hunger pangs, blood pressure, heart disease, depression and reproductive system function
Horsetail- helps with the hair loss on the top of my head
Gymnema- Only used when needed in the event of over exposure to sugars (usually only when I'm out with friends.)
Probiotics- Helps with IBS symptoms
Triphala- Used for the IBS symptoms

Poison oak

2009-10-19T15:06:00.001-07:00

My cat keeps getting into the poison oak. I go to pick her up and get poison oak on me. I get these nasty bumps and it hurts. I take benadryl. Un-fun.

Half way through October

2009-10-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

I have been tested for Celiacs and I was not found to have sprue's disease. However, I have read online that women with PCOS often have gluten intolerance, not true Celiac's disease. Apparently, 85% of us are gluten intolerant. So, I have decided to stick to a gluten free diet. Its not terribly hard for me because I already focus my caloric load on healthy fats, protein, and vegetables. I also eat some fruits. As a low-carber, I also try to avoid sweets anyway. This diet helps support my insulin receptors. I do allow myself one day per week to eat anything I want as a strategy to avoid multiple diet infractions during the week. I have purchased some of the low carb foods but I am not focusing on those products because I believe I can make my own eats that do not focus on grains anyway. Those by default are gluten free. I have given up my oat meal. I won't be eating any of the cookies I make for the holidays and for other people's birthdays. I used to test them. But, I won't be doing that anymore. The pain I had with this IBS was so severe that I am not willing to chance that kind of pain again. Some of the gluten free products I have purchased are tings (too tasty induced sugar cravings), brown rice tortillas from Trader Joe's, Pamela's chocolate chocolate chip cookies (perfect on my Cheat day), some baking mixes (again only on cheat day), and wheat free soy sauce. I also bought some puffed millet. I can still have a little dark chocolate but I noticed that I don't care for the semi-sweet chips anymore, they seem too sweet. I wonder if I will ever get to the point of unsweetened chocolate.

The newly re-tooled EDH Diet

Low carb(30-60g/day)

Calorie cycled

Gluten free diet

Diet break down:

Low Calorie Days:

Pre-WO Attune bar (90 calories, 8 g. carb)

Post WO: 1/2 c. millet, 1/4 c. coconut milk, 2 tbsp. cream,

Second breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled in 1 tbsp. coconut oil

1 cup sauteed mushrooms/spinach (7.4 g carb)

Lunch: 2 cups greens (4 g. carb)

4 oz. protein (0 g. carb),

2 tbsp. olive oil

Dinner: Chicken broth

2 tbsp. butter

High Calorie Days:

Pre-WO Attune bar

Post WO: carb, fats, 1 cup steamed/sauteed vegetable

Lunch: 2 cups greens, protein, fats

Snack: Chicken broth with some fats

Dinner: 1 cup steamed/sauteed vegetable, protein, fats

time to get in gear, lets go!

2009-10-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

Vacation!!!!! I put on maybe like 5 pounds, I"m too scared to get on the scale. I'm getting uber serious about getting this off. I was ready to hike this morning but my ankle is still very tender from taking that fall last week. But, the good news is that diet is 80 percent so I will be good with my diet and be ok. Its worked before, I expect it to work now.

My planned eats for the next week are (not necessarily in any order)

vegetables: broccoli, asparagus, cucumber, celery, mushrooms, bok choy, cabbage, and snap peas, watercress, green beans,

protein: eggs, roast chicken, pork shoulder,

carbohydrates: buckwheat gluten free cereal, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries (frozen and fresh), kefir

fats: coconut oil, olive oil, walnuts,

drinks/smoothies: green tea, chamomile tea (at bed time.) coconut milk, and lemon/lime water.

Some of my favorite meals are stir fried vegetables, mushroom omelets, and green beans with almonds.

Planned activities have been modified because the ankle is not ready yet.

Sunday: off

Monday: yoga Gary Bromley

Tuesday: 3 miles with Leslie Sansone with weights

Wednesday: yoga Kathy Smith Yoga Basics

Thursday: 3 miles with Leslie Sansone with a stretchy band

Friday: off

Saturday: Hike 3 miles outside

I will be eating with the intent of losing weight. I am moving with the intent of losing weight. I am staying in the now with the intent of losing weight, improving my skills and creating a new portfolio. Life is especially good when you embrace each activity as fun and entertainment. Doing the best that I can is an end unto itself. I am still working on clearing out magazines, painting the pony for saddle pals, and getting the house squared away. Even though I've put on some weight, I feel like I have the opportunity and ability to get down to a healthy weight. I feel like there is hope and I'm ready to give being slender a try. I don't really know that being slender will make me happy, but I do know that not being fit makes me unhappy. Lets embrace the possibility of something different.

The next two weeks

2009-09-29T20:53:00.001-07:00

I always give myself two weeks after a vacation before I do a weigh in. My plan is to aim for 30 grams of carbohydrates, eat plenty of vegetables, fats, and some protein. Also, as soon as I can, I will add back in some walking (ankle permitting) and low intensity yoga. I love having some lime juice in my water, very dilute, its very refreshing. Eggs are a daily treat when watching your carbs. I like them scrambled, or as a quiche. Also, I love squash, green beans or Asian cabbage with a little wheat free soy sauce sauteed in coconut oil. Avocados make a salad scrumptious and very nutritious. Jicama is very satisfying, refreshing and low in carbohydrate.

I have been really smart. I haven't had any of those ice cream cones, fried mushrooms or fried zuchinnini. I have avoided the coconut bars. I have also been listening to my body, when I'm not hungry anymore, I stop eating. It is a great tool and can prevent discomfort from over eating tasty food beyond the capacity of your stomach. After all, won't there be food later? If it was so great, couldn't you make it again later? If not, maybe that was as much as you should have.

Life is best when you respect your body on so many levels. Sleep is necessary. Nourishment in the form of food and drink are necessary. Sunlight is usually necessary, either the natural way or with sun lamps. Movement including cardiovascular, strength training, and flexibility training are integral parts of a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining your mental health is also important to your body. Spiritual health matters too. I use my yoga practice to satisfy much of that need. In college I did not respect my body, I ate poorly, I rarely slept, I stressed over grades and a job I was not really suited to, I let people walk on me. Also, having friendships and people that you interact with is also important. Being isolated takes a toll on your body. When any part of your life is contracted and like a pair of shoes which is one size too small, it takes its toll on your body.

Being reasonable about how much time you really have is crucial to how well you live your life. You must pick and choose which battle you want to fight first. The ideas that Eckhart Tolle has written about in "The Power of Now" and "A new Earth" are very helpful. Also, learning to set aside ideas for another time is helpful. If you are thinking about what you are doing at the time, you are much more likely to be productive and effective than if your mind is divided.

Vacation Eats

2009-09-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

Today I had some scrambled eggs for breakfast, some Tings, a cup of potato soup, mahi mahi and vegetables for lunch at Marie Callendar's, and squash, mushrooms, and rice with pan fried grass fed beef for dinner. Over all, I am happy about that. I did ok. I did have 1 bite of a german chocolate cream pie but because I didn't really like it that much I stopped eating. The trick is to not feel compelled to eat something just because it has sugar in it. By keeping it to just the foods that I actually want to eat, I have saved some calories for yummy things like natural mint ice cream from Humboldt Creamery.

2009-09-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

I am now on Face book my profile is under my real name, Alisha Durbrow. Facebook | Alisha Durbrow So befriend me if you dare.

Obsession

2009-08-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

Why is it that food is on my mind so often? I'm either planning what I'm going to eat, worried about what I ate, or anticipating when I will be hungry again. I would like for food to stop being the important part of my day. But, the thing is when you have had blood sugar problems, you can't just not think about it, you have to plan out your day according to when you can eat. You have to pack some eats with you no matter where you are going. You have to be sure that you have enough water and take your vitamins on time. Its crucial because without that kind of planning you eat the kind of food which is fastest to absorb (simple sugars.) and gain weight or you forget to eat and your blood sugar crashes and you have a seizure or pass out. I don't know if you have ever had a seizure but it really hurts alot. I work really hard to keep my blood sugar in check. I am always analyzing what I'm going to eat so that I don't eat mindlessly. I can't just eat what I want to eat. My natural tendency is to eat lots of sugars and the kinds of fats that make me gain weight. I need to watch myself as thought I were a child and make sure I tell myself to eat healthy food.

I want to be more normal but I"m not. How do I shift my focus to other things and still be smart about taking care of myself? I guess having a little 3 by 5 card with the day's eats on it might help. How do you set this aside and still be effective? I don't like eating poorly because it makes me feel so badly. I am really good about avoiding processed meats anymore because the nitrates give me migraines. I am really good about what I put in the shopping cart. I'm also good about using my small kitchen scale to weigh nuts and chips or the natural cheetos. I just don't know why the tendency to eat that stuff is still there. Why is that urge there?

Exercise for your well being

2009-08-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

There has been some recent press regards the efficacy of exercise for weight loss. I find that it helps dramatically with my sense of well being. I don't start out feeling good. About half way through my workout, I start to feel better. It really helps me deal with my mental dementors. Cardio is so helpful. Also, yoga helps me with my sleep. So, we know that it takes a lot of mental work to get through the difficulties of weight loss. For me, my mental out look is dramatically improved with exercise so therefore, my ability to stick to my healthy eating plan is improved through exercise. It is tough enough to lose weight, why would you want to do it without the free, once a day, dose of exercise? While the research is probably true, I don't think its wise to just drop your exercise routine (unless you are over training!) if you find that it helps you deal with life. Also, it helps your body to stay fit. There are many aspects to fitness but cardiovascular fitness is one of them. You need to exercise the heart muscle to keep it fit and able to do what you want it to do. You also need to exercise your other muscles to keep them fit. I prefer a once a week circuit workout and to use yoga for the rest of the week. Thats just me. Thats just my personal preference. Do what works for you.

Treat physical activity the same way you treat your diet. Keep a careful and honest journal of what activities you have performed. Watch how your rotation has an effect on your ability to live life. Pay attention to things like duration, time in THR, whether or not you did intervals, and how many calories you burned. Correlate this with your diet journal which details carbs, protein, fats, and what kind of foods you were eating at what time of day. Again, correlate all of this data with how you feel at what time and also keep track of sleep and stress level. These things matter. This is how you can learn what the right balance for you really is and how to maintain that.

Coffee Mug Cake

2009-08-21T09:25:00.001-07:00

I had some cake for breakfast. It was not bad. And the cool part is, I'm not experiencing any additional cravings because I did not use hardly any sugar in the cake. Awesome! It was my post workout carbohydrate. I am happy with the result.

The only thing is, after my jog this morning I feel really worn out. I'm still recovering from a virus and being sick for two days. I just feel like I've been run over by a train. My bones hurt like hell for two days. I had a nasty GI problem for two days. And, I've been looking very green for a while now. On top of that, I feel tired. I don't feel like doing much. I hardly want to eat. I get hungry and I eat but I don't actually want to. There is no real joy in it. Sigh.

The rest of the day will be spent reading/studying. I might spend some time with my cameras.

I really want to get back into weight loss mode, upbeat, high energy mode, and into my high energy business mode. Its important to me to continue to progress with my weight loss goals. I want to be a healthy size. I've been in this plateau for about 8 months now. I'm ready to move on. Literally, this morning I jogged farther. I'm increasing my distance on the road. I'm back into making all my own food. I even was smart about being sick, I only allowed myself 4 saltine crackers and 1/8 cup of sprite the whole time. I made sure I stuck with organic soup. Unfortunately, that is higher in carbohydrate than I like to eat but as soon as my tummy gets back to normal I will be just all over my healthy diet like white on rice or in my case brown on 1/8 cup of cooked rice!

Lets do it!!!!!!

Fish Pants Part 3

2009-08-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

It only worked for a little while. They are stinky again. I think that I am going to give up. And put the pants in the trash. This is sad.

Fish Oil Pants Part 2

2009-08-19T06:51:00.000-07:00

I have washed the pants in goo gone and extra detergent according to the goo gone bottle directions. Yahoo! It worked! The dawn did not work. The baking soda did not work. The vinegar did not work. The detergent alone did not work. The enzymes for eliminating cow elk odor did not work. But, the goo gone did! Now they smell like orange! Awesome! I still have to work on the dryer. Perhaps, the goo gone on a rag and dried in the dryer will work. Can anyone tell me why dryer is spelled with a y? and not an i? It makes no sense.

The Power of Yoga

2009-08-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the power of yoga and green tea I have lost 1.4 pounds of water weight. Yahoo!!!! Its nice to see the scale go in the right direction.

Feeling foolish

2009-08-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

I went out to lunch yesterday. I put on 4 pounds. Dagnabit. That just confirms that I really can't eat out and lose weight at the same time. Forget it. I don't like eating out that much. I don't. I feel bad. I don't want that feeling anymore.

I want to feel good. I want to be naturally slender. I want to be comfortable in my own skin. When I eat out, I'm none of those things. Forget it. I don't want to be liked that much. I don't. I only go out to eat to be social. I hate that I feel comprimised. I am going to just say no from now on. If they want to hang out they can find me. Or, I can cook and bring food that does not sabotage my weight loss plans.

The cheap way to go organic

2009-08-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

I have a garden. I love it. I get to have tomatoes and peppers. I had more peppers before the wild rabbits ate the entire plant. Its trying to grow back. Its a good thing that I picked them before the bunnies got to it. I think a dear had some of my roses. Those are growing back with red leaves, its really neat looking.

Some people find that eating organic is too expensive. For me, knowing that the lipids in organic milk are different than in non-organic milk is enough. I always buy organic milk. I use it in recipes. I have not switched to completely organic produce, yet. I eat vegetables everyday and I guess it would make a difference over time. I used to know a guy who said that the regular vegetables have less bugs than the organic. That was my point. The body needs to have friendly flora and fauna in the gutt. Its critical to your health. If you can get to eat something thats alive, so much the better.

I have not switched to organic eggs yet. I buy cage free/hormone free/anti-biotic free. I will switch as soon as I have the capital to do so. I like the idea that the chickens who make the eggs that I eat are not pissed off because of over crowding. Sad/mad chickens would have a higher level of stress hormones and I don't need to eat stress hormones, my body makes plenty of it on its own. I don't need any help in that area.

Someone posted the question, "When is it important to buy organic?" I said, "When you can afford it."

fish oil pants

2009-08-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

I left a fish oil capsule in my pants. I forgot. They were laundered. The capsule exploded in the drier. Yucky. I am so sorry, I promise that from now on I will never leave pills of any kind in a pocket. Ever. I had to buy new pants. Those were my work pants. I googled it. I searched. I asked on forums. I searched K-mart, Wal Mart, and the grocery store. I bought a bunch of products. I am starting with coca cola and then today I will use dawn in the bath tub. Oh my. How sad I am. I hope that if any body has had success that they tell me about it.

August/ Sept. Challenge

2009-08-13T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here is my rotation for the next 4 weeks starting on Sunday.

Week 1:

S Jog (Road steady state, 60 min.), Yoga Today (advanced)

M off

T LIC

W Jog (off road), Yoga Gary Bromley (easy)

T Power Max

F Jog, Yoga (easy/intermediate)

Sa Low max

Week 2:

S Jog Yoga

M off

T CW

W Jog Yoga

T Step Fit

F Jog Yoga

Sa Imax 2

Week 3:

S Jog Yoga

M off

T SJP

W Jog Yoga

T SB

F Jog Yoga

Sa Original Imax

Week 4:

S 4-DS

M off

T 4-DS

W off

T 4-DS

F off

Sa 4- DS

FOCUS! Episode #2

2009-08-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

Just eat healthfully. Don't eat what has a bad effect on your body. Don't eat processed food. Do interval workouts. Get your mind off of food. Hard for your cooks and gourmands lol! Do your yoga, its important. Eat plenty of high quality calories. Vary your calorie intake. Be smart. Take your weight daily. It all makes simple sense.

Low Carb, Clean Eats

2009-08-08T08:42:00.000-07:00

I am not always successful in eating only low GI fruits and avoiding the wrong fats/lipids/hormones in foods. Todays weigh in showed that. It was also a reminder that I need to weigh in more often. Sigh.

So, low carb eats are often high in fat. I did the higher protein diet for a while and that did not work for me, it worked against me. I need to watch the base in my diet and aim for alkaline foods. I got a nasty kidney/bladder infection earlier this year on a protein diet and after that I decided to embrace the high fat lifestyle. There are many people who believe that fat is evil. I do not. I ended up with PCO from eating a low fat diet. I ended up morbidly obese eating a low fat diet and exercising. Boo hiss! I used to only do cardio and never did any stretching work well now I know that yoga is key. So, everything I used to know I have thrown out.

The method that has worked in the past is as follows:

1. Weigh measure foods

2. Only eat foods from the safe list (in other words never eat from the do not eat list)

The only way to determine if a food is safe is to eat it. Weigh yourself the day before. Way yourself the day after. If your weight went up then put it on the do not eat list providing everything else was the same (time of the month, calorie intake, exercise, stress level.)

3. Yoga everynight

4. Cardio most mornings

5. Daily weigh in.

6. Affirmations, gratitude/goals journal, re-do, and pod casts for mental/spiritual strength

I don't want my meat suit anymore

2009-08-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

I put on 5 pounds over two weeks. I'm working so hard. I skipped dinner last night. No popcorn or ice cream at the movies. No dinner at all. I had fish for lunch. I just can't take this upward swing of the scale anymore. I did have dim sum but that was over two weeks ago! I'm skipping dinner at least ever other day. I'm eating nuts, vegetables, lean meats, and abstaining from much fruit. I did have some grapes on Thursday. I am increasing my mileage. Why is this happening! Oh help. Maybe its stress. Or water. It might be 1 pound of water but not 5. I"m not puffy at all. I've had so many nights where I was so hungry I could cry, why aren't i thinner? Why is this happening. I just feel like giving up. Why bother with all the work when all I do is getting more and more frustrated? I just don't see the point to me at all. I'm just a resource sink. I don't provide any money around here and all I did was have a failure business, twice! I can't even get a job as an office assistant. There is no point to me at all. God I hate it here. I had a small piece of home made pizza yesterday. My belly feels awful.

ok. back to the drawing board.

1. cut out nuts

2. cut out fried fish

3. cut out cat's cookies

4. cut out raisins/fruit

5. cut out flax muffins (did not work)

6. cut out meals out until I'm at my goal weight.

7. cut out weight training

8. Cut out organic cereal.

9. Cut out people who stress me out.

Add:

1. more oil/small amount of juice

2. use only fish oil instead of eating fish (can't have fish in the house)

3. have chicken bites instead of cat's cookies

4. have cucumber medallions instead of higher glycemic index fruits

5. go back to just using oat meal and taking magnesium

6. how the hell am I supposed to network? Just have a salad and ice water?

7. do yoga instead of weight training

8. just 1/2 cup oat meal

9. The person who stresses me is a blood relative I don't know what to do about that.

God I'm so frustrated. it sucks to hell.

The Adzuki Challenge

2009-08-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

In anticipation of my next foray into new-to me foods, I have purchased some organic Adzuki beans. I will soak them over night then cook them tomorrow. Today is a lower calorie day, so I'm really not hungry anyway. I will use the basic cooking instructions on www.adzuki.com

They recommend soaking them in "ample water" I'm guessing thats probably 2-4 cups of water, then drain them the next day. I will use the 1/2 cup of beans to 2 cups of water method and simmer it on the stove. I will also add some salt and then do at as listed on Maternity Now (I'm not a mother just a cook btw.) for the Adzuki chili, I will skip the added onions as we don't eat those in this house. I will post a picture over at foodpix.

Egoic Attacks

2009-07-31T19:15:00.000-07:00

Ever have that aweful feeling in the pit of the stomach when things don't go your way? When someone is picking on you? Or betrays you? Or hurts your feelings? Or tells you something that you don't want to hear? Tells you something that you thought no one else in the entire world knows, but you? That feeling is your ego landing a blow in the center of your body. Thats the feeling. Its not that you should ever accept abuse, because we do teach people how to treat us and it is our responsibility to take of ourselves. However, just because a situation arrises that does not favor ourselves, that does not mean that we must adopt a defensive posture, a snotty atitude, or fly into a rage either at ourselves or anyone else. There are techniques for learning to deal with our inner turmoil and effectively embracing the inner grown up. The most important part is to relax. Bless the situation. One of the ways people deflect pain is to engage in a behavior which quickly creates a sense of pleasure. Unfortunately, those quick fixes don't fix the real problem and tend to create more real problems. The trick is to learn to teach others to treat you well, understand and appropriately asses the situation, and also, in a relaxed state, decide how you want to behave, not how your ego would behave in a desperate attempt to save face.

We often confuse love with admiration. Love is a feeling that you have or a behavior that we use. It rarely makes any sense. Typically, no one really knows why anybody loves anybody else. We just do. Once you understand that concept, then the need to impress people with our infallibility or to be better than or more interesting than everyone else or just our competitor, ceases to be of the utmost importance. Accepting the help of others is not a sin or an indication of weakness. It is a testament to the strength of your character. When you are able to accept instruction, direction, and help from others, you have finally started to set aside some of the aspects of ego which can be so terribly debilitating.

A bit of confusion can set in when we are children because pleasing our parents with our successes seems to produce love. In reality, any success of a child is the success of the parent. The parent is obligated to give positive reinforcement when the child has done well. Thats how you train anybody, animal or human. Thats how you give them language, culture, and morality. But, when we don't set aside the concept that we must always be right or else we are inferior and therefore not worthwhile, things do fall apart. Once this lesson has been learned, the world starts to make more sense. Not only do you get to learn the other lessons available to you, but you also start to recognize the habits of the ego in others and when it might creep back into yourself. This tid bit of ego recognition is the nose of the camel under the tent, once in for a little nostril the rest of the camel is short to follow and bring down the house of cards known as sadness, fear, anger, and resentment. Usually people are mean to us and cause us pain because they are experiencing an attack of the ego which evokes the ego in us. Once that lesson is in turn understood, the power of caustic words is lessened. One is still, as mentioned above, obligated to disallow continued verbal or physical abuse, but it does lessen the sting.

I highly recommend Eckhart Tolle's book, "A new Earth". He describes the ego and also something else called "Pain Body." These are handy terms to describe a phenomena that all of us have experienced. I found that book to be helpful in letting go of the embarrassment about my body, what my body was going to be, and fear of being seen exercising. All of these feelings had to be let go and I am constantly re-evaluating my response to stimuli/situations in an effort to encourage continued progress in my quest for physical fitness.

Only hurting yourself

2009-07-28T12:54:00.000-07:00

Here is the deal, I know that a person must set appropriate boundaries, I am definitely on board with that, but how do you go about effectively dealing with old hurts that happened a long time ago but are bubbling up now? What gives? Why does this stuff happen when you are losing weight? Maybe its chemical? I don't know.

I'm going to a meditation class tonight. I'm really hoping that helps because for the past week or so I've been having what I call Dementor attacks. I feel just despondent over stupid stuff that just doesn't matter anymore and that I thought I had forgotten about. This old gunk just is not important or relevant at all. I've done the work of forgiving the person who did it at the time (a very tuff bully I had for 4 years.) I've heard that you are sent the lessons that you can handle, but how was I supposed to handle that? I had no skills at the time at all. I just don't get how that was supposed to help me as a person. Also, if we are supposed to learn the lesson of forgiveness I understand that one, but how do you meld both concepts, understanding the bullying individual and not rewarding the bullying behavior? And, why would such a "lesson" be popping up now?

Sticking points

2009-07-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

For the past week or so I have been having flashbacks of a nasty bully I had for 4 years. She followed me, sexually harassed me, called me hateful racial slurs (I'm native.) Generally, she was a brat for a long time, I could not avoid her, the teacher forced me to sit with her. She encouraged boys to sexually harass me. They exposed themselves and threatened me with bodily harm for two hours every day on the school bus. Because I did not want to run the risk of my brother's homeschooling situation being investigated, I never did anything other than verbal response, of course that doesn't work. But, its what I had. At the time I was between 130-168 pounds. The next stage in my weight loss is that pound range. Sandra Ahten has mentioned that sometimes people get stuck in a weight because they have unfinished business with the time of their lives when they were that weight. I thought I was over that. In a way, I have learned that my bully was jealous, inferior, and knew it and the best thing that she could think of to do was to be mean. I know she was sexually active at the age of 11. She used to give her boyfriend blow jobs in the back of the school bus. It was disgusting. Isn't that tragic? I guess its progress to just feel pity now.

I had to look myself in the eye this morning and tell myself that I did not have to go back there anymore and that those horrible people wouldn't bother me anymore if I just let it go. So, as if by magic, I was down two pounds. Weird. And just a little spooky.

The mind is the key

2009-07-24T18:21:00.000-07:00

Lately, the thing I have been using is the idea that "I genuinely do what is best for me." That concept is an idea I heard on a podcast. It seems to be working! I turned down bread and butter (one of my favorite vices.) turned down the horrible fake voices in my head (Victory! One moment at a time!) and I turned down chocolate ice cream. Thats a lot of successes today!

Some of the tools in my mental arsenal include the gratitude journal, setting my daily intent, affirmations, motivational podcasts, online fitness forums, my best friend, and music. I also take those lavender baths when I can. I have read "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle, its helped me a great deal. I play the piano, paint, and play fiddle.

Life is good if you let it be so.

One hour at a time

2009-07-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

Thats how I'm dealing with everything right now. I'm outlining my next hour, putting the most critical item at the top of my list and devoting all of my brain power to completing that task or series of tasks. I think that others probably use this tactic, I'm just not aware of them. I intend to continue to set my intent (lol!) daily. I intend to use my gratitude journal to stay in the positive mind set. I intend to allow myself a 10 minute break (when reasonable) each hour to reassess my progress and re-set my intention for the following hour. In other words, I will be doing my home work "once/hour." I will continue to have a 2 hour home work session once a week. I think that is an incredibly effective tool and I am grateful to Scott and Joi over at motivation to move for suggesting it to me. Thanks!

Powered by the Plateau

2009-07-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

My year has consisted of a 5 pound weight gain and a steady plateau. I have not been as good about the eats as I could have. I believe that it was the little snack here and there of peanut butter cups that did me in. I have accepted this to be true. I have decided to let my occasional sweet tooth to go hungry. Today's eats were very clean. I need to avoid the nuts, they are very addictive, and I would eat them all day without a thought to the calorie or fat content. They always prevent me from losing weight.

I would like to slip into weight loss mode for the rest of the year. My intent, from here forward until I have reached my goal, is to lose body fat by making my own food, eating only my own food, and moving.

I read something the other day (perhaps from Dr. Oz) that one needs 40 minutes of cardio per day to maintain a weight loss. Well, lately, I've not been getting that much time in my target heart rate in each cardio session. I suspect that the combination of 30 minute workouts and the peanut butter cups (which have hydrogenated oils and create insulin resistance) are the culprit this year. Also, I did discover that commercial chickens with their antibiotics do have an immediate effect on my waist line, calories were not significant that day. So, it would appear that the results I had last year doing 60 minutes of jogging 3x a week, adding yoga at night, and doing 3 days of step workouts per week probably makes sense in lieu of the scientific data coming out about how to maintain your waistline.

I really do want to be naturally slender and at my goal weight. Now, I do want to do what is genuinely the best thing for me. I have got to protect myself. Its crucial. I must be my own diet coach, diet guru, and cheerleader because in the end, who else do I have? If not myself?

Todays activity consisted of a 35 minute jog/walk, 22 minutes of stretching, and plenty of household chores. I ate a bowl of steel cut oatmeal for breakfast, had a very low carb berry/olive oil smoothy, and a bowl of vegetables with olive oil for lunch. Dinner is chicken drumsticks, maybe some corn (? maybe not? its fresh) and a salad.

Come on, say it with me, what do you want? To be free!