Day 10

Day 10 - So. Cold. Outside.

OK enough bitching.  Whole 30 challenge still going strong.  Something I miss, sugar free gum!  I realize that I chew a lot of gum.  Just to freshen my breath between meals.  But sugar and sugar substitues free means no gum for me.  I know that's a small amount but I'm really trying to do this thing as much to the letter as I can.

Breakfast was Avocado "toad in a hole".  It was delicious!  The other half of that avocado is in the fridge and I will be having that again tomorrow.  Basically you just slice an avocado and fry in some olive oil, add an egg in the middle and cook.  I flipped it once and covered it because I don't like a runny yolk.  Quick and easy.  Had it with some salsa and a mini turkey meatloaf that I had made ahead and froze.

Avocado toad in a hole (not pictured - mini turkey meatloaf I ate it while cooking this!)

Lunch was a salad with grilled chicken, nothing special.  I'm going to have to research and find a new dressing because even though I like balsamic vinegar and olive oil it's starting to get old.  I also had an orange.  I need to get groceries.  I'm running out of fruit!  

No snack.  I forgot to pack one.  I have some almonds in the car and I ate a few of those on the way home :)

For supper I made a big stir fry.  Lots of veggies and shrimp!  I really had no idea what to put in it that was on the plan.  I used olive oil and garlic and lemon.  Once again, some research and I'm sure I could have found some options.  I ordered pizza for the boys because I thought they wouldn't like what I cooked.  The pizza didn't bother me.  I'm really dedicated.  Surpising myself actually.  I was right, the stir fry was a bit bland but good.  Yummy veggies and shrimp it was good but I think it could have been better.  I also had an apple with almond butter for "dessert".  Love that.  

colorful stir fry

All of these spice mixes contain sugar.  I'm surprised, are you?

Day 9

Day 9 - Whole 30 going well.  I was rushed today so I was glad I had some things already prepared for meals.

Breakfast was 2 egg cups (basically scrambled eggs mixed with sauted veggies baked in a muffin tin) that I had made and frozen, spinach and an orange.  I'm kind of in a breakfast rut.  Looking at ideas and recipes to  get some new ideas.  I'm getting used to my black coffee.  It's really not that horrible anymore.

Lunch was leftovers from last night.  Chicken breast and roasted veggies.  So good!

I had a snack of raw veggies and almonds in the afternoon.

Supper was Paleo Pineapple Chili from my freezer.  I also made some steamed broccoli to go with it.  I felt like something for dessert so I made some banana - cherry yonanas. .

I was feeling snacky tonight, so I had a coconut cream Lara bar.  It's Whole 30 friendly.  Very tasty.  Ingriedeints:  dates, dried coconut, cashews, almonds and coconut oil.

I'm not a fan of Winter.  I complain a lot in the Winter.  I love Spring, Summer and Fall, but not Winter.  This one is really bad.  So much snow, and cold.  Tonight I looked at the weather and it is now -28 C and -42 C with the wind chill.  That's cold.  And guess what?  -42 C is the same as -42 F!!  How cool is that?  It's fu*king cold that's what it is.  The good news is it's supposed to be -3 C by Saturday.  Hopefully this is the last cold snap of the season because I'm so OVER it!

Day 8

Day 8 of Whole 30!  Monday blah.  Since I worked on Saturday I only had a one day weekend.  It felt too soon to go back.  Oh well.  Busy day, so it went by really fast.

Thoughts on Whole 30 so far:

1. It's easier than I thought it would be.  Really it is.  I think the fact that it's pretty restrictive makes it easy.  The rules are simple, you just follow them.  
2. Sugar is in so many foods!  Condiments are full of them (including prepared horseradish).  I went to use a club house seasoning tonight, it is a vegetable seasoning and it had sugar in it.  I read every label.  
3. I'm kind of enjoying not tracking or worrying about not tracking.  
4. I really, really want to weigh myself.  But I won't.....

I had eggs, with spinach, sliced avocado and an orange for breakfast.  My husband thought it looked so good that he had it too!  Lunch was a salad with chicken and an apple.  Snack was snap peas and almonds. And for supper I made some amazing roasted vegetables and a grilled chicken breast.  Yum!

before - vegetables, with garlic, olive oil and fresh lemon

after

Then after supper I did the first Turbo Fire video!  Very challenging but I liked it.  Worked up a good sweat and it was fun.  Now I'm off to bed.  

Day 7

Day 7 - Pretty good day today.  I was awake early on my only day off of the week!  6:30, but I was able to go back to sleep for awhile and then laze around in bed till about 9:00.  I got up and decided I wanted something other than eggs today.  Really missing my oatmeal.  I found a great recipe for pancakes so I made those.  The recipe can be found at the civilized caveman website http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/breakfast/perfect-paleo-pancakes/  They seriously have only 4 ingredients!  Bananas, almond butter, cinnamon and eggs.

Perfect Paleo Pancakes:

Ingredients:   3 Bananas

                    3 eggs

                    1/2 cup almond butter

                    2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:
Preheat a skillet to 350 degrees fahrenheit
Combine all of your ingredients in your magic bullet, blender, or food processor and mix well until you have a batter
Grease your skillet with coconut oil and pour your batter making 3-4 inch pancakes
Cook 2-3 minutes per side and then flip for 2-3 minutes
(I cut this recipe by 2/3  so I only used 1 banana, 1 egg, then I just eye-balled the almond butter and cinnamon as I was the only one eating these and that is how many it made)

mine didn't turn out quite as nice as the website, but they were delicious!  

I'm contemplating quitting my gym membership.  I find it's just so busy there now.  When I first joined it was new, and it was always so quiet, but now it's insanely busy there.  And recently all I was going there for was Body Pump and Yoga.  Seriously, this beachbody Body Pump (yes it's a Les Mills program) that I got is the same and I can do it at home.  I have my treadmill and then when Spring comes I will run outside again.  Just thinking about it right now, but I haven't been there since before Christmas so it's a waste of money.  Today I did the 30 minute Body Pump and a 25 minute Body Flow (yoga).  It was great!  I didn't even have to leave the house :-)

Roast beef supper at my parents tonight.  I did really good.  Stuck to my plan.  Lots of food that I couldn't have but it was no problem.  I had roast beef, a big salad and fruit for dessert.  On to day 8 tomorrow!

Day 6

Day 6.  Whole 30 is still going well.  So far no cheats at all.  I am reading labels like crazy and I can't believe the additives in foods!  Especially sugar.  It's in a lot of food.  I worked today.  One of our Grad students brought Starbucks for myself and the girl I was working with.  She didn't know what to get me so she got me a Vanilla Latte.  Oops.  I didn't have it.  I just told her I wasn't having dairy right now.  I felt bad that she bought it for me but I didn't want to cheat for that!

I made grilled chicken, boiled sweet potato and roasted veggies for supper.  The veggies were zuchini, brussel sprouts and peppers with olive oil and garlic.  The veggies were delicious!  I need to roast vegetables more often.

After supper I went to get a few groceries.  Took my time, read labels and got lots of fresh vegetables and fruit.  I bought some blackberries because they were on sale.  Not my favorite fruit but I had a few when I got home and they were so good!  I swear fruit is tasting amazing on this plan!  Maybe it's in my head, who knows?

For a snack tonight I fired up my Yonanas machine.  If you don't know about the amazing kitchen gadget check it out here http://www.yonanas.com/  I used bananas of course and frozen sweet cherries.  Very good.  It really made me feel like I was eating something forbidden, but it was all fruit!

banana - cherry yonanas....yummmm

No exercise today :(  That's 2 days in a row, not good.  Planning to run and do body pump tomorrow.  On with day 7 tomorrow!  (and I'm still dying to weigh myself.....resisting)

Day 5

Day 5!  Whole 30 still going well.  Today I brought a snack of raw veggies and some almonds for my afternoon coffee break and it really helped with the hunger.  Dean, Mitch and I went out for dinner to Moxie's.  I had a small house salad to start.  I didn't realize it had goat cheese and dried cranberries!  Yum!  But not allowed on whole 30.  So I picked them off and ate the salad without them.  I didn't have my glass of wine that I would normally drink on a Friday night, and I ordered a New York steak with double veggies.  It was so good!  I actually couldn't eat it all.  Had an apple (that tasted so fricking sweet!) and now I'm going to bed.  Work tomorrow.  Boohoo

Day 4

Day 4.  Wondering how these every day bloggers do it!!  The word of the day today is ANNOYING.  I had one of those days where everybody and everything annoyed me.  Whole 30 went well.

Breakfast was eggs, spinach and an orange.  And of course my yummy black coffee!

Lunch was some leftovers from last night.  Mini turkey meatloaves, spaghetti squash and some marinara sauce and an orange.

I stopped after work at the grocery  store because apparently both boys were going to be home for supper AGAIN!  I wanted to make hamburgers for them so I needed buns.  I had a hard time in the store, I started to get so hungry (and wanted to buy all the bad food!).  I bought a small container of raw veggies and some almonds to eat in the car on the way home.  It took the edge off.  I may need to incorperate a snack in the afternoon.  I was a bit headachey this afternoon again.  I don't know if it was from the Whole 30 or just from a bad day.

Supper was some leftover Spicy Pineapple chili, with some steamed spinach.  I did steal a few of my sons sweet potato fries.  Which if I had made them from scratch would have been on the plan but they were McCain's from a bag with a few forbiddon ingredients.  I only had a few.  I watched a bit of American Idol, then I ran on the treadmill to get my frustrations out.  I feel better.  And my best friend (who also happens to be my husband) comes home tonight!  Yay!

Right before bed I had a snack of celery with almond butter.  I have never had almond butter before and it was really good.  Nice snack.  Good night.  On to day 5 tomorrow.

Day 3

Thoughts on Day 3.  Not weighing myself for a month is going to be difficult.  I had a headache this afternoon.  Not sure if that is side effect from this plan or just being at work (I had 4 days off and today was my first day back).  Water consumption was spot on.  I have been trying to get in 2 liters at least and I've been way over that all 3 days.

Meals were pretty simple.  For breakfast I had 2 egg cups, steamed baby squash and an orange.  Instead of taking my yummy coffee with the coffee "crack" (sweetened creamer) to work with me I had it before work, black.  It wasn't horrible and I think I will get used to it.  I had water on both my coffee breaks.  Normally I would have a snack on both breaks.  A piece of fruit, or a Fiber one bar.

Lunch was the very same salad as yesterday.  It was so good and kept me full all afternoon too.

Once again I was very hungry when I got home from work.  I had a few almonds and got to work cooking supper.  Both boys were home tonight which doesn't happen very often (my husband is away).  I made them spaghetti and spaghetti squash for me.  I bought a jar of organic, no sugar added marinara sauce and used that.  Steamed broccoli and mini turkey meat loaves that I made last night.  Quick meal and very good!

I had an apple after supper and I really couldn't believe how sweet it tasted!  Amazing.

The recipe for the turkey meat loaves was from http://paleointensified.wordpress.com/category/dinner/

Mini Turkey Meat Loaves

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 1 medium zucchini, shredded or chopped finely
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup chia seeds (or the Hemp Hearts from Costco!)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Feel free to add mushrooms or other veggies are good additions too!

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously spray a nonstick muffin pan with olive oil cooking spray.
2. Gently mix turkey, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, egg, vinegar, mustard, other veggies, pepper
and salt in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Equally divide the mixture
among the muffin cups.
3. Bake until the meatloaves are cooked through or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the
center registers 165 degrees F, about 25 minutes. Let the loaves stand in the pan for 5 minutes
before serving.

Makes 6 servings, 2 loaves each.

Day 2

Day 2 went great!  I am on the last day of my 4 days off work so that definately helps.  I had time to prepare my meals and take my time eating them too.  I go back tomorrow so we will see how that goes.  I have made some things ahead of time though.  I made some egg cups that I froze.  I got the recipe on Pinterest but basically you just make scrambled eggs with various sauted veggies (I put zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, onions and fresh spinach in mine) and put it in greased muffin tins.  Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes at 350 F and that's it!  Great to have some quick breakfasts for those days I'm in a hurry.  Today's breakfast was eggs with mushrooms, zucchini and spinach and a Cara Cara orange (my favorite!).  I ended up having my coffee black.  Didn't love it, but it was ok.

breakfast

After breakfast I ran on the treadmill.  I have not done much running in the New Year.  I was sick with a rotten virus on New Years Eve that lasted a few weeks.  Since I'm planning on running a 10 K in June I better get moving!  

Lunch was a salad with Kale, brussel spouts, cabbage, broccoli, almonds, chicken and strawberries with a olive oil / balsamic vinegar dressing.  It was delicious!

lunch

I did some housework in the afternoon and then picked up a few things at the grocery store as I planned to make Paleo Spicy Pineapple Chili for supper.  The only time today that I did feel hungry was when I was preparing the chili.  I had some raw veggies with a few almonds to take the edge off.  The recipe for the chili is on thehealthydynamicduo.com site.  You have to scroll down a bit to find it.  Lots of great recipes there!  It turned out great.  My son Brett loved it too.  And you know what?  I really didn't miss the beans.  

Paleo Spicy Pineapple Chili

I have lots left over so I'm going to freeze some in small portions so I will have meals for when I'm in a hurry or if the family wants something not on my plan.  Good thinking Kim!  Planning ahead is going to really help me in the next 28 days.  Just a disclaimer here, this diet plan sounds crazy I know but I'm not trying to push it on anybody I'm just trying it for me.  I have an extremely bad addiction to sugar and carbs that I need to work on and this plan seemed to be a good one to try.  Do what works for you.  

Day 1

Day 1 of Whole 30 challenge.  That's right, I'm going in!  Last night I finished reading the book "It Starts With Food" by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig.  It really got me thinking about the food I eat and my relationship with food.  Carbohydrates in particular.  This is going to be hard, I'm not going to lie.  But I have been struggling in a big way with sugar especially and according to this book this 30 day plan will help with cravings.  The science behind this plan is amazing and if it can help me kick start my weight loss again well that's not a bad thing either!  One refreshing thing is there is no tracking or weighing or measuring.  You just eat healthy foods.  Let me tell you what I am NOT going to eat for 30 days.

1. Dairy - Yes this will be hard for me.  I quit drinking milk quite awhile ago but I eat greek yogurt almost every day for lunch.  I love cheese and of course there's ice cream and frozen yogurt.  Don't get me started!
2. Grains - This won't be too bad because I'm not a big bread eater as such but don't get me wrong, I do like my grains.  Almost every morning I have been having a bowl of oatmeal with fruit and almond milk.  Not to mention rice, and quinoa.  This will be interesting.  I will be building my meals around a protein source and a few vegetables instead of adding a starch.
3. Alcohol - No problem.  I usually have one (sometimes 2) glasses of red wine a week.  I can drop that.
4. Sugar and sugar substitutes - WHAT??  This will be a challenge.  I use flavored coffee creamer in my coffee and I love it.  But I can do it.  Today I used unsweetened almond milk and it was ok.  Not great but ok.  I may actually drop that and just drink it black.
5. Legumes - Not too hard for me but I will have to find a good Paleo Chili recipe with no beans.  Chili without beans?  I'm sceptical for sure.  I can do this. 

So by now you're probably thinking "she's crazy, what the heck is she gonna eat for 30 days?"  Well, let me tell you what I'm going to EAT for the next 30 days.

1. Vegetables - I love vegetables!  Supposed to be organic when possible.  No potatoes, only sweet potatoes.  
2. Meat, seafood and eggs - Grass fed meat, wild caught seafood, and free range eggs.  This won't always be possible but I'll try.  
3. Fruit - I love fruit but there's a catch.  If weight loss is one of your goals you aren't supposed to eat a lot of fruit.  Which makes sense, lots of natural sugar.  And if possible should be eaten with a meal. 
4. Healthy fats - Coconut, Avocado, and Olive Oil.  Nuts and nut butters.  Not peanuts, apparently they are a legume.  Who knew.  

Then at the end of 30 days they suggest adding things slowly, like dairy and see how your body reacts.  This isn't a lifetime plan but a way to get your body used to eating good healthy food without additives and sugar and to help with carb cravings, etc.  So we'll see how it goes.  I'm planning to blog every day to chart my progress.  I weighed myself today and took measurements.  You aren't supposed to weigh yourself until the end of the 30 days.  This will be a challenge!  I will try.

How did day 1 go?  Actually not bad.  I was off today.  I got my workout in this morning.  It was -43 C with the windchill factor so I was very thankful to have my Body Pump kit at home from beachbody.com  I have the weights and the videos.  If I can't get to the gym, or if it's really cold and I don't want to go I can do it at home!  I wasn't really hungry but after supper I did have the sweet craving thing going on.  I had an orange.  It helped for sure.  One of the rules is that you really aren't suppposed to eat between meals.

So here I go.  I'm going to try my hardest to make this work.  What could you give up for 30 days?

New Year's goals

Started to get yet another cold on Dec 31st.  I felt ok enough to go out, but I didn't make it to midnight.  I was in bed by 11:30.  We went out with another couple for drinks and appetizers to a new resteraunt in town called "State & Main".  It was really good.  I only had one glass of wine since I was the designated driver (I was sick so I volunteered).  New Year's Day I spent in bed sick.  Not good.  I am the type of person that wants the Christmas decorations down on December 26th but since I was late this year I decided to wait until New Years.  They are still up and it's driving me nuts!  I went to work today but I wasn't feeling great.  So it looks like the decorations will be up till the weekend.  I didn't go to Body Pump today after work, just not feeling up to it.  Hopefully this cold will leave soon!!  I'm not much of a New Year's resolution person but it is a nice time of year to re-evaluate goals.  Fresh start.  So here's a few things I would like to accomplish this year:

1. Get back to goal weight.   As of today I'm 6.7 lbs over goal.  It's not a lot but it has to go!  I will do this.  I also want to make sure I weigh in once a month at WW.  I have slipped a bit on this one, missed a month a few times last year.  
2. Run a 10 K race.  Even though I haven't done a ton of running lately I think I can do this.  There are a few races in June that I want to do:  Bridge City Boogie and Mogathon.  I have started a modified (by modified I mean that I'm not at the "couch" stage so I run more than it suggests) "couch to 10K" plan so hopefully by June I will be ready!  
3. Get stronger.  What this means is to continue going to Body Pump classes and to increase my weights.  I have been stuck a bit and I need to really push it more.  I would love to get more toned this year.  Wouldn't we all right?
4. Blog more.  I got away from blogging once I reached goal.  I wasn't doing weekly weigh ins anymore so it just kind of went to the bottom of the "to do" list.  I am being realistic though and I'm going to strive for 2 times a week at least.  

I am excited about 2013!  Lots of awesome things will be happening.  We are planning another trip to Las Vegas in March.  My husband and I are turning 50 in June!  At 50 years old I will be running in a 10 K race.  We have a family reunion in July.   My niece is getting married in September.  I'm sure there will be lots of other great things in 2013 too.  Bring it on!  but first I need to get over this %$#@ing cold!!

One more thing!!  I would like to ask you to go over to http://www.reducedfatgirl.com/ and vote for me!  That would be awesome.  Thanks in advance :-)