So super quicky this morning! If you have read my earliest blogs, you know it's all about slow and steady winning the race for me! Little changes that add up in the long tern to a better me!
As many of you know, I have been nursing my osteoarthritic (is that a word?) knee for about a month now. This tells me I have inflammation in my body. What causes inflammation? The wrong foods (SUGAR!!) . While I am pretty good about staying off obvious sugars and processed foods (most of the time) sugar still is a part of my diet. I use coconut sugar in my coffee, and sauces on my foods as well as dark chocolate containing sugar. ..... I'm tackling the small one first. This week's little change is the way I spice my eggs.
Instead of my Sriracha and Iguana sauce (both of which have sugar as the second ingredient, 1g per tsp. and I generously use at least 2 -3 tsp.),
I am using Turmeric and Cayenne which are healing anti-inflammatory spices.
That's it. That is my small step this morning in a healthier direction. What small step would you like to make to become just a little bit healthier?
A little while ago, one of my class goers, Cathy posted an article on my wall about breakfast in America being more like dessert. Click on the "article link above. A shocking read for sure! Boy did this resonate with me big time!!! Breakfast was always my favorite meal!!! So much so in fact, I could (and some times did) eat it for lunch and dinner too! **In my best Oprah voice** "I LOVE Cereal! I LOVE Cereal!"
(SHUT UP!!!! THEY HAVE MARSHMALLOWS IN FROOT LOOPS NOW?!?! )
Seriously!! I LOVE CEREAL!! Capt'n Crunch Berries, Honey bunches of Oats, and Cinnamon Life were on my top favorite list! I also love pancakes! And waffles! And Cheese Dreams!! What are cheese dreams?!!? Cream cheese stuffed french toast, smothered in butter and syrup! Some of my other breakfast go-to's were cream of wheat or oatmeal with white and brown sugar.... Oh, and then they came out with flavored instant.... Be still my heart.
Breakfast was my golden ticket to eat all the sugar I wanted from a kid, well into my thirties and not feel even a little naughty about it. Remember in the 90's when Kellogg's had the cereal diet (a bowl for breakfast, a bowl for lunch, and a sensible dinner?) Oh, I was on ship fast than you could say Ahoy! I have had a love for sugar since the first time it touched my lips. I think this picture says it all! I look drunk and in love! And I totally was!
Just this year, Kellogg's was in a lawsuit because of false claims in their advertisement. sited from cereal settlement dot com, "A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit involving Kellogg, the
company that makes Frosted Mini-Wheats. The Lawsuit claimed that
Kellogg falsely advertised that its Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal improved
kids’ attentiveness, memory and other cognitive functions to a degree
not supported by competent clinical evidence. Kellogg stands by its
advertising and denies it did anything wrong."
Advertisement on any breakfast add (cereal, waffle, or breakfast restaurant) try to make us believe that what they are selling is a "healthy part of a nutritious breakfast".
Um, looks like dessert to me. How about you?
What about the cereal you feed your kids ? Nutritious start to the day, or dessert?
Okay, so maybe these look obvious. But really, the less obvious are just as bad. flaky cereals that don't have the kid cereal look are just as offensive as the ones that do. What about the more adult "healthy " breakfasts? Let's say, a bagel with cream cheese, and a yogurt with granola.
Thomas plain bagel = 6g
Cream cheese = 3g
Yo plait Original Strawberry = 26
Quaker Granola = 12 (but you probably won't sprinkle an entire serving in your yogurt, so lets say 6g at half a serving.
That gives you a grand total of 41 grams of sugar (not including your coffee or juice). Send little Johnny to school with this amount of sugar in his blood stream and it's no wonder your teacher wants to get him checked for ADHD.
Breakfast has historically (at least from the seventies and up) been derived from mass amounts of sugar. I'll take a bear claw please! So to answer Cathy's post asking me what I think, yes, Yes, YES, breakfast should change or at least be called dessert.
On a personal note, I have long since changed my relationship with breakfast. I rarely touch any of the above, and can't remember the last time a box of cereal has graced my cupboards. I stick to eggs, salads, avocado, and occasionally a whole foods smoothie or steel cut oats. That said, one of these days, I am going to try the Capt'n Crunch french toast at our local DOA on 6th AV. I've been saying this for 2-3 years now, but it is going to happen.....someday..... As a dessert, of course!
Monday sucked!!! That's all. It just sucked! (Tuesday was great, but Monday can bite it!)
It also reminded me why I am doing this. I have been fighting my thyroid, estrogen, and a host of other hormones this year that has made it difficult to keep with my goals and healthy life style. Let me rephrase that... and keep it real. I HAVE MADE IT DIFFICULT on my hormones to provide me with what I need to support my healthy life style. I know better. A year of lacksey-daisy fitness habits mixed with regular drinking and crap food have been my own doing. Any imbalances I had prior may have made things more difficult, but certainly not impossible and I caved way to easy.
Chronic fatigue, chronic disease, chronic depression, cancer, alcoholism, liver disease, sugar addiction, and hormonal imbalances all run rampid on both sides of my blood line. The things I have watched my family go through have not only been astronomically devastating, but have been the fuel that feeds my fire to stop the insanity! This is also the reason for my insatiable hunger for learning, researching, blogging, and learning more. So much of what I have seen has been a result of lifestyle and not genetics. It feels like genetics when so many close family members on both sides have suffered so much through many of the same things. The first thing we want to do is blame our genetics and render ourselves doomed. Truth is, culturally, generations before me were taught that fortified, processed foods were part of a healthy diet. Smoking was a healthy form of relaxation. Drinking was also a way to unwind and let go. Exercise was only something you did to look good in a bikini. And then began the diet and weight-loss industry (a whole other blog.. and it wouldn't take you long to find several of them in my blog site).
I grew up like most. My diet was full of Top Romain, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Hamburger Helper, fast food, Chicken pot pies, cheesy lasagna (my fave!) and large meat and potato dinners. Ice cream was a staple in the freezer, and lunch boxes were always stocked with wonder bread sandwiches, Doritos, Twinkies and Oreos. Both of my parents heavily smoked and both drank. If I'm being completely real with you, my son grew up in that same environment until his late teens when I began to change as a result of watching my family in thier later years. He also began to come into his own beliefs about food and nutrition as a teen and is now a vegetarian.
So why am I sharing this? It all seems so personal, but really this is a national crisis. I'm not special. I'm not alone in the way I grew up. This was life for most, and in many ways still is today. We may not glorify smoking, but Vaping has become the "healthier" version that I have literately watched parents influence thier adult kids to try. You can find a vape shop in almost every shopping center selling more flavors than Baskin Robins. Pot shops are now on almost every corner and considered a healthy way to unwind and socialize (and I'm not speaking of medical marijuana), liquor is now sold in Walmart and every grocery store in my state. The (processed) food industry in hugely booming. (Be prepared for the longest ranting, run-on sentence ever.....) And the weight loss industry is quite possibly the most lucrative in our nation, with pyramid multi-level marketing
sales using social media and in-home parties to fuel our nations toxic relationship with food and further destroy our children's' self worth and body images with the constant pressures of having to look like an "after" picture they see on a meal replacement post claiming to be healthier than real, whole foods.... ( Yes! My blood boils when I think about the weight loss industry).
Back to me personally. I said in a resent blog that I wasn't going to beat myself up for this past year, yet I find myself increasing frustrated for knowing better and letting myself go down the rabbit hole anyway. But, yes. I am human and know better or not, I did. It's all part of my journey and it's these times when I'm knocked off my high-horse and humbled, that I remember what I felt like before I ever began this journey of a healthier lifestyle.
Sometimes it can be overwhelming with information overload and the wide spectrum of "diets" that claim to be the real "paleolithic" way to eat, or the ones that remove entire food groups for everyone (allergies or not). With so much misinformation, and a completely dysfunctional relationship with food in our nation, my personal challenge has been to resist the hang-ups with body image and looking a certain way, and instead concentrate on what will make me healthy vibrant, strong and give me the best quality of life, well into my senior years. My one word mantra is sustainable. If it's not sustainable for a life time, I don't do it.
Anyway, let's chat. What motivates you? What are your hurtles? Do you struggle with body image vs. good health? Are they separate? What does sustainable health mean to you ? What changes would you like to see for the next generation? .... Your kids?
The
advantage we have today is we are trying to get back on the right
track.We have mass amounts of information available at our finger tips to
research and decide what is right for us. Slowly our government's food pyramid and food labeling laws
are changing. We see more demand for organic and non-GMO. Local
produce, farmer's markets, and urban farming are on the rise. These are all positives and gives hope to our future generations to take it and run!
Here is how my weekends over the last year typically go:
No workout
No food log
Not a care in the world..... Bring it!
One or two meals out, one of which is always the Matador (our favorite hang-out ~ Tex Mex Tequila bar), where we order happy hour food and a couple of drinks. I consume way more calories than I burn, have a few drinks, and throw caution to the wind.
Summer is especially difficult because almost every weekend there are festivals and events to go to, which offer great junk food, wine and beer. Once you get into the habit of allowing that into your weekends, it becomes the thing you do.
This weekend, I still did not do (purposeful workouts) or food logs, nor did I weigh my veggies or take pics of every meal, but I stayed very mindful and on point with where I want to be, while enjoying the freedom of not logging and weighing.
Saturday (day 6) we went to the Blues Fest in old Town. Before we went we had a late breakfast (brunch) of
2 eggs, and a fresh sweet potato hash that my hubbs made with onion, peppers, and jalapeno. SO GOOD!
We headed down to the Blues fest after brunch, and had an amazing day. Usually we will stop in a Treos and have lunch and a glass of wine or we'll hang out in the beer garden for a couple beers. Not this time. We brought our chairs, some waters, unsweetened coconut water, almonds and apples. My splurge was some toasted coconut shreds that somehow landed in my bag.
When it was time to go home, we didn't stop at the Matador for a bite, we stopped at the grocery store for some filet mignon and veggies. We came home and had grilled filet mignon, sweet potato, and a large salad. It was a beautiful day and our dog loved being out in a crowd chillin' in sun. (this is Honey enjoying some play time and ear rub from daddy)
Sunday (day 7) we had the same breakfast as Saturday and then headed to Seattle to spend the day with our kid (He is turning 23 on Tuesday, same age as I was when I had him... My hubbs had to point out that made me 23 X 2 .... :/ whatever ) We had Honey and Ryan (our son) had Harry. We walked all day (and my knee did okay! Hoping to run some hills by Wednesday!). We had lunch at Stone Way Cafe. I had a veggie sandwich with a side salad and a locally made glass of kombucha and water.That's about what I'd normally order, except maybe I'd order a beer instead of Kombucha (btw, it's amazing how much I'm not missing the beer. Did I just order beer in the past , because that's just what I did? Like mindless eating when watching tv, you develop these little habits that become automatic).
We spent time at Gasworks Park trying to get Honey and
Harry to play in the water, watching drum circles, and mid-evil sword
fighting. It was a beautiful day!
My one not so healthy meal was dinner. We were sun drunk and sleepy, so instead of coming home to cook, we grabbed some street tacos from a local taco truck and called it a night. Later that evening we enjoyed some fruit with plain yogurt, crushed pecans, and a little honey.
So that was my weekend. Over-all I feel really good about all of my choices ( with a little wiggle room, which is important too) and it felt good to treat myself the way I use to, instead of the reckless weekends I've allowed this past year. My goal is to continue this path (especially on the weekends where I tend to fold). That is not to say I plan to be prefect, or never indulge, but it should be an indulgent and not my norm, ya know? That's one of the reasons I am sharing in my blog with all of you. Even if nobody reads this (and most probably don't), it helps keep me honest and accountable. Also, my hope is that others do read this and see some habitual behaviors in themselves they want to change. It's funny how a handful of times doing something can create a habit and we don't even realize. It just becomes our new norm and what we do.
Day 5: ( 14.2 oz veggies) Not super impressive, but I didn't have much of an appetite in the afternoon and evening and I wasn't feeling that committed, so....here it is.
Breakfast: (7.4 oz. veggies)
A meal fit for a queen! 2 c coffee w/ organic half and half, coconut sugar, cinnamon, Egg scramble (1 whole, 1/2 c whites, unsweetened almond milk, spinach, kale, purple onion, jalapeno, tomato, red pepper), 1/2 an avocado, and a 1/4 of Tuscan cantaloupe (my fave!)
Calories = 453
Snack: left-over chicken salad (noshing from the fridge)
Calories = 182
Lunch: (1 oz veggies)
1
banana, 1 c kale , 1/2 c frozen, organic, blueberries, 1/2 T fresh
ground almond butter, 1/2 T coconut oil, 1/2 T hemp seed, 1/2 T chia
seed, 4 walnut halves, 1 T pumpkin seeds, 1 c unsweetened almond milk.
6-7 ice cubes.
Dinner: (5.8 oz. veggies)
3 oz yellow eye rock fish and a salad w/ 2 c mixed greens, 1 c raw veggies, a large handful of mung bean sprouts (great for estrogen issues, btw) , blueberries, raspberries, and Tessemae's Balsamic. We also had green beans, but I didn't eat mine. Appetite was super low for me last night. No picture on this one, because we were on the phone with our son while eating dinner (way more fun than taking pictures of food ;)
Calories = 365
Friday night drink: Fo-jito!! (mock mojito) Yes, still going strong on our 30 days w/o alcohol to reset my hormones.
This was muddled lime and mint w/ filtered water and club soda. Refreshing and YUM!
After dinner: I had a sweet-tooth, so we had a date cinnamon roll from Marlene's. I wish I would have taken a picture (I will next time) . They are made from dates, nuts, and LOTS of cinnamon (no added sugars, but oh, so sweet. OH GAWD, they are good! I get them from the dessert cooler at the Tacoma Marlene's, opposite the salad bar. I don't know how many calories are in these, so I guesstimated about 250 ish.
Fitness: 40 minute walk with Honey + 40 minute shoulder/triceps/core lift (my intent was to run with honey, but I'm still honoring my knee, and today my knee said, no.
Calories burned: 292
This is a snippet of my shoulder/triceps/core workout. For my lift days right now, I'm doing 3 sets of 3 muscle groups. So I did this round above, 3 times. Then I do 2-3 more triplets grouped together for 3 rounds of different exercises for those same muscle groups (hope that makes sense).
So, that was day 5!
Calories consumed : 1833
Minus calories burned - 292
Total for the day : 1541
Day 4 : There it is!!!! 2 pounds, .4 ounces!!!!!! Woot Woot!!! Not obsessing over hitting the exact mark every day. I'm really happy with the amount I'm consuming each day. That said, it feels good to hit the mark on day 4. ;)~
Breakfast: (6 oz veggies)
2 coffee w/ organic half and half, coconut sugar, and cinnamon, egg scramble (1 whole, 1/2 c whites, full of spinach, kale, and chopped veggies) , and 1/2 an avocado.
Calories: 418
Lunch : ( 11.1 oz. veggies)
I was soooo not feeling a salad for lunch, and with it being my house cleaning day, I wanted something with a little less effort. So this is what I had,
1/2 c chicken salad, 1c mixed raw veggies w/ 1 T hummus, and a sweet potato (w/skin) with coconut oil and cinnamon. YUM!
Calories : 530
Snack (1.2 oz veggies)
A quick smoothie before my class that consisted of 1 c kale, 2 T almond butter, 2 T cacao, 1 t honey, 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk, 1 banana, 1 T hemp seed, 1/2 c blueberries, and ice cubes.
Calories: 378
Dinner: (14.1 oz veggies) With a busy day for both of us, tonight was yummy left-overs. Bison meatloaf, stirfry summer veggies, and a large salad w/ Annie's Goddess dressing.
Calories: 475
Fitness for the day was my Shred class! It's always a treat to sweat along side our amazing community, and outside on a such a beautiful day to boot!!
Calories burned = -491
Total calories consumed = 1801
Minus today's fitness - 491
Equals a total of 1310
(this is lower than I like to be, but the heat mixed with cleaning day made it hard to eat more. Ideally I like my range in the 1600's (post workout), but it all evens out. Sometimes I'll be under, and it's a given that there are days I'm over.
Day 3 = 1 pound and 8.3 ounces of veggies
Less than day 1 and 2, but if I would have done the egg scramble with all my veggies instead of a smoothie, I would have been at 2 pounds, 1.9 ounces..... is that right?! Ouch. Even though that stings a bit, the smoothy was all whole foods and really boosted my energy and gave me something different, so no regrets there.
Today's epiphany felt like a win to me! I noticed that in the last 3 days my plate looks different. Instead of protein, veggie, and starch or carb (like garlic bread or rice), it is protein, veggie, veggie. That's not to say, I will never consume bread or grains, but I have found a goal with-in a goal. That is to have 2 servings of veggies on my plate most meals.
I am having the nerdiest kind of fun with all of this. In such a short time, I'm learning a lot about myself, and where I want to be. It's not about dieting, losing weight, or becoming a title (like vegetarian, vegan, or Paleo) but rather getting back to a place of gratitude for everything my body allows me to do and honoring that by giving it what it needs to fuel a high quality life. Yes, I am totally geeking out and loving it!
I do, above all else, believe in balance. I want to be sure anyone reading this understands this is not about setting a goal and half dying to achieve it. It's not about scarfing veggies before bed to make my two pound quota. As you can see, I haven't hit that mark yet, and still consider every day to be a huge win! This is about learning and refocusing my relationship with food, fitness, and myself.
In keeping it real, I somehow shifted to a very careless relationship with myself over the last year. Excess crap food, drinking, and loafing around has been my main existence, with bursts of "Oops! Better reel it in!" moments of 'being good'. I think a lot of it has been changing hormones and that has made it harder to give a shit. I actually did a "dont give a shit vlog"
about 3 years ago (click on the "don't give a shit vlog" link above to view).... and this last year, my "don't give a shit" got the best of me. I share this because I know many of you reading this may experience this and not know why. Hormones are definitely something to look at, but that's a different blog.
Here is day three's food and fitness log:
Breakfast : (2 oz. veggies)
I know, far cry from yesterday, but I think variety is important. So this morning's smoothie, inspired by Dr. Mark Hyman really good! Here are all the nutrient goodies in today's smoothy,
1/2 banana, 2 c kale , 1/2 c frozen, organic, blueberries, 1/2 T fresh ground almond butter, 1/2 T coconut oil, 1/2 T hemp seed, 1/2 T chia seed, 4 walnut halves, 1 T pumpkin seeds, 1 c unsweetened almond milk. 6-7 ice cubes. SO GOOD! Oh, must not for get, 2 c coffee with organic half and half and coconut sugar.
Calories: 471
Lunch: (9.5 oz veggies) - Must eat the left-overs before they spoil!
4 oz. wild salmon, 1 c fresh, sauteed green beans, 1 c brussels sprouts, diced sweet potatoes, and purple onion .
Calories: 392
Snack: (5.7 oz veggies)
veggie plate with hummus
Calories: 105
Dinner: (7.1 oz veggies)
3 oz bison meatloaf, stir fry summer veggies (squash from Laura's garden *Yum! Thanks Laura!* purple carrots, orange peppers, white onion, jalapeno), and a salad (mixed greens, white onion, peppers, cucumber, cherry tomato, green onion, live sprouts, and blueberries) with Tessemae's balsamic.
Oh! And my fitness for today was 1 hour yoga in my studio and a couple of short walks with my dog.
Total calories for today were 1523.
Day 2 = 1 pound 12.5 ounces of veggies! Still not 2 full pounds, but .........
Breakfast (9.6 oz veggies - 3 oz. more than yesterday. Would you like a little egg with your veggies?)
2.5 c of veggies in my eggs included 1 c spinach, 1 c kale, 5 cherry tomatoes, 2 green onions, diced white onion, and 1 jalapeno. It was yummy, but I'll admit, my eggs (1 whole, 1/2 c whites) are disappearing in all the veggies, not that I mind much. Also, 2 c coffee, with organic half and half and coconut sugar.
Calories: 418
Lunch : (7.2 oz veggies - 1.2 oz more than yesterday)
3 cups of veggies included 2 c baby spring mixed greens, and 1 c chopped veggies (broccoli, radish, carrot, green onion, white onion, and live sprout) with Annie's Lemon and chive dressing and 1/2 c chicken salad w/ diced apple, green onion, chopped pecans, turmeric, sea salt, pepper, and a little Just Mayo.
Calories: 438
Snack: (o oz. veggies)
1 banana w/ 1/2 T coconut almond butter. My plan is to stick to fresh ground almond butter where no sugar is added, but this is in my kitchen, so I will enjoy wonderful little jar of goodness till it's gone.
Calories: 200
Dinner : (11.7 oz veggies)
Apologies for the less than attractive food porn not picture. I had already mutilated my chicken before I remembered to blog it. My near 4 c of veggies included, 2c mixed spring greens, 1 c mixed chopped veggies (cucumber, green onion, white onion, radish, carrot, broccoli, orange peppers, and tomatoes) with Tessemae's balsamic dressing, and almost 1 c fresh, sauteed green beans, with 4 oz chicken breast.
Calories: 441
Treat: (0 oz veggies)
Hubbs was craving ice cream, but instead, I made us a fruit parfait.
This sweet treat included, 1/2 banana, blueberries, raspberries, 1/2 white flesh nectarine, strawberries, crushed pecans, unsweetened coconut shreds, 1/2 c plain 2% Greek yogurt, a sprinkle of hemp seed, and 1 t honeyCalories: 438
BIG TAKE-A-WAY!!
While I may have been 3.5 oz away from my 2 lb. mark, I consumed a whopping 9 1/2 cups of veggies!!!! WOW!! My usual diet consisted of approximately 3-4 cups on a really good day. That's amazing to me! I don't expect every day to be this high, but I am aiming for most days to be in this new range. The other thing I discovered in day 2 is when you set a goal like this, it forces you to make better choices just to get all those veggies in, plus, it leaves less room for the not so healthy choices. I am so full of veggies, I am not feeling hungry for the extras.
My fitness for the day was an hour walk with my sweet Honey + a 35 min. Chest/back/Core lift w/ some tug-of-war and play time. Honey reminding me not to take the day too seriously. ;)
Calories burned: -276
Total calories consumed = 1927
Minus workout -276
Equals 1651 calories for the day
Side Note: While I am not doing this for weight loss, I think it's important to show that if I aim for the best health possible (allowing a little wiggle room) a healthy weight will be a by-product of healthy living. So in addition to what I'm eating, I am including calories in/calories out to show that while that is not 'all' that matters, it is a piece of the big picture for good health and a healthy weight.
As a fitness professional, it's important to note, I have not always been healthy. Far from it. I am a product of the baby boomer's era. Born in the 70's, it was a time when women took more to the work force and helped with a second income. Food companies accommodated this trend with quick and easy meals that could be easily assembled after an 8 hour work day for the woman who wanted to have it all. Over the years, this became the most lucrative industry in our country. Boxed macaroni and cheese, Spaghetti O's , hamburger helper....
Our food pyramid taught us that we should be eating mostly bread, cereal, rice, and pasta. Six-eleven servings to be exact. Commercials showed us that a healthy breakfast was a bowl of cereal, white toast with butter and fruit preserves, and a glass of fruit juice.
This is how I ate well into my late 30's. I know many baby boomers who still eat this way and believe that this is a healthy diet. Many people of this era (and myself until about 10 years ago) still believe that as long as they limit the obvious sugars (ie: cake, cookies, ice cream, candy, pastries, puddings, and other dessert foods) they are limiting thier sugar and staying healthy and away from junk food. So, I enjoyed my Honey Bunches of Oats cereal (12g sugar) , toast w/ jam (13.5 g sugar) and a glass of orange juice (22g sugar). That's a whopping 47.5g of sugar to start my day. Snacks, lunches, and dinners weren't much better, plus I loved an occasional candy bar or ice cream treat! Who doesn't?
With the above eating habits in my 30's, I felt like shit. Tired, depressed, no energy or drive to do anything fun, I would get a bad headache and feel emotional and moody around 3 or 4:00 almost every afternoon. I looked older than I was. I was over weight. I grunted when I got up off the couch or rolled out of bed like an old lady expending all her energy on that small task.
In my late 30's I began to educate myself and do better. By 40, I was in the best shape and felt AMAZING!!
I have maintained this status over the years and have been really proud of myself. This last year, my habits have changed. I went out to eat on an average of 3-5 times a week (Fri/Sat dinner, and maybe a Sunday breakfast or lunch), I increased my alcohol intake from social drinking to enjoying wine with dinner after a stressful day at work in addition to weekend social events. I haven't lifted consistently for over a year. I still consume lots of fruits and veggies and have maintained my healthy eating habits on my regular meals when I don't go out, but WOW!! THE DIFFERENCE I FEEL is scary and a path I don't want to return to. With my hormones out of wack this year, I am constantly fighting myself for energy and motivation to do what I know is right.
I still "look" healthy today. I little cushion between my skin and muscles, but over-all, I'm still here in my healthy body. But what I feel lurking in my future if I don't take the reins now and make those healthy choices, scares the shit out of me! My bloodline shows me where I can be in my older years with genetics and lifestyle if I don't choose wisely, continue to learn and give my body what it needs to be sustainably healthy. That is one reason you will never see me taking weight loss product (Advocare, Shakeology, magic wraps, pills, or potions) As I deal with hormonal imbalances and inflammation, I know exactly where I could be if I don't "choose" my path wisely now. Real, mostly unprocessed, whole foods (not meal replacements). Adequate water, sleep and exercise. Supplementation given from my holistic doctor that fits my personal needs (learned through blood tests), not one size fits all, fitness industry supplements you can buy from a health club or MLM distributor. I am a huge advocate of researching and learning through books, podcasts, and long talks with my doctor. As a result I have a ton of knowledge which makes it extra hard to continue to feed myself excuses as to why I feel the way I do.
So, that is my why. My path may not be the path for you, but my hope to inspire you to find your path, learn, and grow. In doing this publicly and being honest and candid with you, this will hold me publicly accountable to myself as well .
This is me this year. While I still have a good base line for a healthy lifestyle, I remember what it was like not knowing anything. It's NEVER too late to learn, feel better and improve our health and quality of life. Equally true, there is never a stopping point. To stop learning and growing, is to stop living. No matter the excuse, there is ALWAYS a choice..... until there isn't...
DAY 1 = 1pound 9.5 ounces of veggies! And that was a challenge. Here is my breakdown.
Breakfast = 6.6oz. veggies
2 c coffee w/ organic half and half, organic cinnamon, and organic coconut sugar
egg scramble (1 cage free/grain fed whole egg + 1/2 c cage free egg whites) with 1 c organic spinach,
1 c organic kale, chopped organic green onion, and 5 halved organic cherry tomatoes, 1/2 c avocado (not a veggie) , and 1/4 Tuscan cantaloupe
Calories = 401
Snack = 0oz. veggies
1/4 c dry roasted sea salt edamame
Calories = 130
Lunch = 6.0 oz. veggies
Chicken salad (Kirkland canned chicken, Just Mayo, diced apple, brown mustard, chopped raw organic pecans, chopped organic green onion, organic turmeric, sea salt, pepper) in a 1/2 of a Ezekiel sprouted pita with cucumber, organic radish, organic shredded carrot, organic live sprouts, and sliced tomato + raw, organic tri-colored carrots, organic broccoli, cucumber, with hummus.
Calories = 434
Pre-workout meal = 1.5 oz veggies
Smoothie: 2 c organic kale, 1 T fresh ground almond butter, 2 T organic cacao, 3/4 c unsweetened almond milk, 1 banana, 1/2 t raw, local honey. Not as tasty as I had hoped.
Calories = 347
Dinner = 11.4 oz. veggies
4 oz. wild sockeye salmon, 1 c brussels sprouts and cubed organic sweet potato (yes, I counted the sweet potato - it may be considered a starch, but it's a starchy root veggie full of nutrients), and a salad with organic mixed greens, organic radish, cucumber, and organic purple onion with 1 T Tessemae's Balsamic dressing.
Calories = 543
My Fitness for today was a 1 hour HITT bootcamp. Took it light as I am healing my knee.
Burned Calories = -285
And of course, no wine with dinner.
Side note: I'm listing all the organic, grass fed, cage free (blah blah blah) stuff not to be annoying, but to show that I am buying organic whenever possible because chemicals, and pesticides greatly effect hormonal balance.
I'm 46, hormonal, and achy. I feel like shit. My hormones are lagging. I have lots of inflammation. My osteoarthritis in my knees are flared up. My muscle mass is down and fat % up. I'm not fat (though my clothes are tight). I feel okay aesthetically in my skin, but I have looked better for sure!!
I saw my doctor last week. Thank God I have her! She is a holistic doctor, not the type to throw 10 new medications my way, give me a cortisone shot for my knee, and put me on the pill for my hormones. Nope! She asked me about my diet. We talked about alcohol, sugar, processed foods, and supplementation.
I admit, my habits have changed over the past year and I am paying for it now. It happens. It's part of being human, so I don't hate myself, or beat myself up over it. But change is necessary if I am to have the life I want and feel amazing and full of energy.
So, what am I going to do about it? I have all the knowledge I need to get back on track (perks of my profession) and I am taking anyone who wants to follow, along for the ride.
#1. No alcohol for 30 days. After 30 days, I will continue to practice better habits. A nightly glass or two of wine with dinner sounds harmless, right?...... Contrary to all those social media memes and magazine "studies", while wine does have heart healthy antioxidants (which you can also find in other foods) it can wreck your hormones and adrenals. My hubbs is joining me on this one, which I love! I am truly lucky to have such a supportive love, friend and life partner!
#2. I BOUGHT A SCALE!! I will add 2 pounds of veggies to my daily diet. I will also up my fruit/berry intake.
#3. Whole foods (organic when possible)! Fresh fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds, wild fish, chicken and occasional grass fed bison. *Limit processed foods. This includes when eating out as well.
#4. Fitness every day. Whether it's 20 minutes of yoga, or and all out HIIT, weight lifting, or steady state cardio, I will do something each day. I will tell you this one will be the hardest for me right now. Usually for me, the opposite would be true, but did you know that my above behaviors have taken away those hormones that feed your drive and motivation to move??? Yup!! True story.
FOOD IS WHAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL
STRONG, VIBRANT, AND HEALTHY,
OR TIRED, SICK, AND ACHY.
Gonna try to blog daily to check in and share how it's going, (struggles and triumphs). If anyone wants to jump in with me, I'd love the comradery! Please note, I am doing this for the health and well being of my mind, body, hormones, and knees. This is not a weight loss goal. That said, I would expect to lean out in the process.
So, there it is and here I go.
