Saturday night

Saturday night and here I sit alone.  Dean is at the farm.  Could it be Spring is actually around the corner?  Of course they aren't seeding or anything yet since there is a lot of snow on the ground still and there will be for a few months yet.  But the fact that he is out there doing something in preparation for seeding means Spring is coming!  He should be home soon but I thought I would write a quick blog post while I was waiting.

I can't believe I forgot to blog about the amazing thing I made the other night for myself!  It's basically a chocolate chip cookie for one in a single serving.  Microwave then top with ice cream and you have yourself an amazing treat.  I know, I know, it's not Whole 30 or Paleo but it was after my Whole 30 challenge!  The odd thing was I could hardly eat any of it.  I think I ate about a third of it and had to throw the rest away.  I was alone, alone again naturally (remember Gilbert O'Sullivan?  that was the first 8-track I owned...hehehe) anyway it is definately large enough to share.  And there wasn't anyone around to share it with (other than my dogs which would have gladly helped me out but there's the whole dogs not eating chocolate thing so ya) so it went in the garbage.  OK enough of that I will get to the link for the recipe!  It's found at Picky Palate and here's a yummy food porn picture of the finished product.  I didn't add the home made chocolate "shell" but mine looked pretty close to this:

I have to blame thank someone on Twitter for posting this recipe!  Use with caution, it's delicious and make sure there is someone else in the house to share it with!  You have been warned.  Enjoy.  

Also quick review of Safe Haven.  Went last night with my niece.  We both really enjoyed it.  Good story, had some suspense and of course wouldn't be a Nicholas Sparks movie / book without a lot of romance.  Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough were both really good in this move.  If you like a good romance I would recommend seeing Safe Haven.  

Whole 30 wrap up!

Well I did it!  I really can't believe that I did but I did!  A Whole 30 challenge with only one cheat.  On the last Friday before it was over Dean and I went out with friends for supper to the Keg.  I had 2 glasses of red wine.  That's it.  I didn't touch sugar or sugar subtitutes, grains, legumes or dairy.  Pretty much stayed away from alcohol too except that one time.  I had a really bad day at work and a couple of glasses of wine was what was needed.

What did I learn from doing this challenge?  I would have to say the most important thing was how good you feel when you feed your body with healthy foods.  I got so used to reading labels and I was so shocked and surprised how many things I eat on a regular basis had so many "extra" ingredients.  The sugar aspect was another eye opener.  I also used to eat a lot of sugarless gum, I know that's not horrible but I've given it up now and I don't miss it anymore.

What foods did I really miss during the 30 days?  Yogurt hands down!  I eat Greek yogurt almost every day for lunch with fruit.  I really missed that.  It was a challenge to think of things to eat for lunch.  Mostly I ate salads with a protein source or leftovers of supper from the night before.  I did have some frozen yogurt the other day and it didn't bother me, but I had a major after lunch slump.  I was very groggy around 2:00.  Coincidence?  Maybe.  Or maybe it was the sugar in the fro-yo.  I'm not going to give up my yogurt.  I may not eat it every day anymore but I will still be having it.

How much weight did I lose?  I lost 6 lbs.  I'm pretty happy with that number even though lots of people that go on this plan lose more.  Could I have lost more?  Yup!  I'm sure of it.  Near the end I got kind of into eating nuts on a regular basis.  Nuts with lots of calories and lots of fat.  Good fat I know, but still you aint gonna lose weight if you eat lots of nuts.  Definately what I would call a "red light" food for me.  I really shouldn't keep them around.  Like Oprah always says "when you know better, you do better"!!  It even states in the book "it starts with food" that if weight loss is one of your goals with Whole 30 you should limit the amount of nuts and fruit you consume.  I didn't do that.  But that's ok.  I'm still a little bit over my WW goal but I can't believe that almost 1 year later I am within 5 lbs of my goal weight.  I call that a success!!  Maintenence is hard.  I really can't believe how hard it is.  You literally have to be on your game at all times.  The pounds creep up every so slowly, it's 1 or 2 at first and you think, ah no problem.  Then it becomes 5 or more.  When I look back on my numbers I see how slow it came off in the end.  Losing the last 10 lbs took forever!  I think it's all about being on a "plan" "diet" "lifestyle" whatever you want to call it for the rest of your life.  Like my sister (who has now been at goal for 2 years) says, it's pretty much a 95% - 5% mix of being on plan.  Having a treat now and then is ok but the rest of them time you gotta watch everything you eat.  Fact of life.  But it's so worth it.  Trust me.

Exercise.  Funny thing is, I hardly did anything these past 2 weeks.  I ran a few times, did Body Pump a few times but that's it.  It's like I can't seem to do everything at once.  Once I do I'm going to be unstoppable!!  Water slacked off at the end too.  Food intake, exercise and drink lots of water.  The magic 3.  Get these all going at once and it works people!  But it starts with food.  I lost weight the first 3 months on Weight Watchers without being able to exercise at ALL.  I had just had my second ankle tendon surgery.  So there ya go.

10 days till Vegas trip!  Getting very excited now.  We are going to Celine Dion, Aces of Comedy with Kevin James and Ray Romano, hopefully a taping of American Idol, a NASCAR race and although we don't have tickets yet we are planning on going to a Cirque du solei show.  And did I mention lots and lots of shopping?  I'm very lucky to have a husband that LOVES to shop.  Can't wait.

Movie with my niece tonight and I'm going to have frozen yogurt and movie popcorn.  Yes I am.  I skipped supper and I ran today!  Go me :-)

Day 18

Day 18 - Things are going pretty good.  I am sticking to the plan even though I've had MANY temptations.  Yesterday we had a work seminar and there was Tim Horton's doughnuts, muffins and coffee.  I had black coffee that's it.  The doughnuts sat there through the whole 2 hour meeting and I'm not gonna lie they smelled amazing but it's become a thing now, I refuse to quit!  Today they had a "beach party" coffee break.  Haha, very funny a beach party in the Winter.  Anyway, I went thinking they would have fruit maybe?  Nope it was tropical punch and ICE CREAM!  I drank my water and that's it.  This afternoon a disgusting smell was throughout the whole building (thank goodness it was after the beach party!).  It was gross.  I felt really nauseous and still am so I'm not feeling much like eating supper.  I had a banana that might be it.  Bleh.

As people have discovered that I am eating differently I have come accross some that have a lot to say about it.  It's frustrating to me.  Why should people care what I'm eating or not eating?  I guess that is the whole "misery loves company" mentality.  If I'm having a doughnut, then you should have one too.  Weight loss is a tough road.  You meet lots of people along the way that aren't supportive or are jealous of what you are doing.  I find for the most part it's people that need to change their own lifestyle that are the most critical of mine.

I am continuing to struggle with my fitness.  I slipped on the ice on the driveway on Tuesday night and hurt my hip and knee.  Just bruised but I'm still sore.  That's my excuse this week.  I know, still not a good one, but it's all I got.  Winter has to take a hike very soon.  I'm sick and tired of snow and short days.  Looking forward to running outside in the morning in the sun :-)

Day 15

Day 15 of Whole 30!  So I'm halfway there.  I have been doing really quite good sticking to the plan.  And I can't believe I have gone 15 days without sugar or sugar substitutes!!  That is huge for me.  I had some frozen cookie dough in the freezer that I had bought from the Vet students at work for a fundraiser.  It's been in there since before Christmas and I needed the freezer space so I made them yesterday.  It tempted me a bit because they smelled so good when they were baking but I held strong.  The boys will eat them fast so I'm not too worried about them being around too long.  Oatmeal raisin, not my favorite but I've really never met a cookie I didn't like!

I love not tracking.  I hope that when I'm done this plan I will be able to eat similar to this "paleo" style of eating.  It's very liberating to be just eating healthy foods, not worrying about eating the exact amount of the "wrong" things.  Does that make sense?  I realize that deprivation isn't the way to eat for the long haul but the more I read ingredients the more I feel better about my choices these days.  I have found some foods that I didn't eat often but now I'm obsessed with.  Avocados for one.  I love them!  Tonight I had a chicken breast, grilled with lime juice, avocado and salsa on top.  It was delicious.  Spinach.  I put that shit on everything.  I even made Kale chips.  I keep saying they aren't Pringles which is true but they are pretty good.  Salty, crunchy and so damn good for you!  I'm eating so many vegetables which is a good thing.  Fruit tastes so good too.  Loving apples with almond butter, one of my favorite Whole 30 snacks.  I've pulled out the Yonanas machine and it's saved me a few times when I've been wanting something sweet.  No added ingredients in that.  Fruit.  That's it.

You aren't supposed to weigh yourself until the end of the 30 days but I cheated.  I peeked on Saturday and I am down 5 lbs.  I'm happy with that, as I'm anxious to get back to my WW goal weight.  Getting close.  Saturday night we were invited to our neighbor's house for appetizers and drinks.  I had a bite to eat at home which was a good thing because the menu was coconut shrimp, crackers and cheese and flat bread.  Not on my plan.  I had a cup of black coffee that was it.  We then went to a hockey game with 2 couples.  Everyone was drinking but I didn't.  That doesn't bother me at all.  One of the girls was saying she could never do a Whole 30 because she drinks at least 2 glasses of wine a night.  The things you learn about people!  She is in amazing shape and works out like a beast so she obviously has it under control!  Superbowl party was cancelled because the hosts ended up going to Vegas.  I was OK with that.  We watched it at home, had a nice healthy dinner and no temptations (except the cookies!).

Worked out tonight.  I did my Body Pump at home.  Still thinking about cancelling that gym membership.  We'll see.

Day 12

Day 12 - I'm still here!  Doing pretty good.  I will have to admit I have had some hard days, but I have stayed strong.  I'm feeling the need to re-group, do some meal planning and grocery shopping.  Also make a few more meals to freeze and have on hand.  It's been a long week.  Cold outside, snow, busy at work and husband away.  I'm very glad it's the weekend!  Tonight we went out for supper just the two of us.  I had prime rib, salad and double veggies.  Dean had salmon, salad and double veggies.  When our meals came he said he wished he had gotten the prime rib so we cut our entre in half and swapped!  Isn't that what old people do?  lol  Anyway both meals were awesome and I'm really getting into this way of ordering at a restaurant.  They brought fresh buns but I didn't have any.  Salad dressing was a strawberry vinegarette but I'm sure it was loaded with sugar.  I had it on the side and tasted a bit on my fork and it was so sweet, so I skipped it.  I had an apple with almond butter for a snack.

My exercise this week has been terrible.  I think I only worked out 3 times.  I need to work on that.  I have a million excuses but none of them are very good :)

We booked our trip to Las Vegas tonight!  We had flights booked but we reserved our hotel room tonight.  March 5-13 so just over a month away.  I'm getting excited!