Rethinking the way that I eat!

After all these years of eating smart and mostly clean (I am a firm believer in the 80/20 rule when it comes to eating, you need to allow yourself a splurge once in a while), it's time to rethink and relearn how to eat

As some of you know, for the last several weeks I have not been feeling the greatest. I was constantly tired, had zero energy to get to the gym, was getting frequent headaches and my training was falling behind (I have 2 races in a few weeks and my next half marathon in a month).  I knew that something wasn't right. Previous food allergy tests didn't tell me much... Aside from seasonal allergies, I was allergic to hazelnuts and sunflower seeds.

I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. It was time to find some other answers!

Last week I went to a new Dr to see if we could get some answers. The motto of the doctors at The Wellness Way is "We don't guess, we test".  

And test they did!  After 2 panels of bloodwork and a few other tests and X-rays, I waited patiently for the results.  When I was in the office, thanks to the X-rays, she discovered some inflammation in my intestines and stomach, so we knew that I had some trigger foods that were causing those issues. But we had no idea what!

My gut had some issues and it's time to figure out how to fix it.

Today I got part of the results!  In the end, I am excited to get the results, but now sitting here trying to figure out what I can eat! 

In the end, I had 22 foods that I reacted to. Aside from a vast variety of seafood and other fish, cheese and dairy (mainly goat and cows milk) popped up as well as a variety of beans, pineapple and almonds. 

Wait... Almonds?

Yup!  Almonds. 

No wonder why I've been feeling so crappy!  I pretty much have almond milk in my shakes every morning (with pineapple - EEEK!), 

I use almond butter to make my protein balls, 

I  snack on them almost every day... 

Pre-race fuel is often almond butter and jelly sandwiches!

Pizza without cheese?

No lobster or shrimp?  Thankfully scallops are on the safe list!

As I sit here tonight, I am frustrated at the foods that are on the list, but also grateful that I now have some direction.  I finally feel like I have some control again over how I am feeling!  I am glad that I sought out answers.  I knew something wasn't right and I needed to find some answers.  We still are waiting for a few more tests to come back and then we can develop a full plan of action, but at least I have a place to start!

Yes, it's going to be tough to pretty much relearn how to eat, avoiding those foods that don't agree with my gut. Bottom line, if you think something is off, go with your gut (pun fully intended!) and ask questions, seek answers!  It can make a huge difference!

Time to go find some dinner and start figuring this out!  Dining out is going to be a whole different adventure, that will be a whole new post later!

Here's to a healthier future!!

21 Day sugar Detox complete!

They say it takes 21 days to create a new habit... coincidence that this sugar detox is 21 days?  I think not! Could you go 21 days with no sugar?  This means ALL sugar (with the exception of a few fruits), grains, processed foods and a whole lot more

The day after we came back from Women Rock Chicago weekend, I started my 21 day Sugar Detox adventure.  I knew it was not going to be easy but I also knew that it was something that I needed to do!  Here is what I found out over the last 21 days...

Day 1 - Since I didn't get back from Chicago until late last night, food options were limited for today but I made due with what I had and made it through the day!  Microwaved eggs in a cup were my lifesaver this morning with a little steak added in for good measure!  Who doesn't love steak and eggs for breakfast!

Day 4 - definitely irritable.  unfortunately my 16 year old son was the recipient of the irritability after I got home from gym after work.  Not his fault that I was irritable and I felt bad that I took it out on him.  Trying to plan ahead for the next few days as I was going to be traveling.  Wanted to make sure that I had plan approved foods and snacks so that is was not so tempting to just stop and grab something quick

Day 5 - Long day, but the planned snacks helped!  Dinner was definitely non-conversational but it worked.  Hard boiled eggs, bacon and baby carrots in the hotel room!

Day 6 - Long day, on my feet working a race expo.  So thankful that I can still have my EnergyBits, as they were really needed to help with keeping away the hungries today!  Lunch again was quick , but still managed to stick to my plan for the day! Pumpkin pancakes and bacon are really not that bad cold!

Egg bake breakfast!

Day 7 - Color Run morning, walking with friends, followed by a brunch buffet.  It would tough figuring out exactly what I could have.  I know brunch was not perfect, but I walked away from the buffet without touching the cheesy hash browns that I love, skipping the dessert table and no pancakes or waffles!  Thank goodness for carved meats and chicken, as well as a build your own omelette station!

Day 8 - Monday morning was not working with me!  With the busy weekend (race expo, lots of driving, plus a color run and grocery shopping), even tho I was asleep my 9pm, my body did not want to get out of bed this morning!  Thankfully I did at least some prep last night and had my egg bake waiting in the fridge!

Day 9 - Did ok all day, including figuring out options at the Boy Scout potluck that we had... but got home and to fend off the munchies, I grabbed a few tortilla chips and hummus...  oops!  But I guess that was better than the chocolate torte looking dessert that was staring at me earlier.  (I actually learned later that it was a s'mores dessert, not a chocolate torte so the middle layer that I thought was vanilla pudding was actually marshmallow fluff!  So now I don't feel like I missed anything as the marshmallow fluff doesn't even sound good right now)

sweet potato with bacon and ghee

Day 13 - this morning was the first run I had since starting this program.  I purposely waited until after the Women Rock Half Marathon to start my 21 days, but with my run calendar, it was impossible to avoid all races.  Today was the 5K Run for the Hill of it race out at Bairds Creek.  I ran this last year so I was familiar with the course and the terrain.  My overall pace was comparable to last year (last years course was a bit short so they added some distance to it this year to make it the correct length).  This morning, just a banana and EnergyBits to get me through... and then eggs and (uncured) bacon when I got home!

Day 14 - I really have to say that I have been feeling pretty good through the last 2 weeks!  I really have not had any huge cravings, even though by bag of chocolates from Chicago is still sitting on my night stand.  1 week to go!  Thankfully the family has been supportive of what I have been making for dinner.  There have been a few things that John has suggested for dinner that will have to wait, so I guess next week, we will be having French Onion soup for dinner one night!

Day 19 - I caved tonight!  We were volunteering at the Annual CP Center Auction and the appetizers that the servers were bringing around the room looked too amazing to pass up.  Did learn real quick tho - skip the meatballs, not worth it!  However the grilled chicken skewers were awesome!  The Bruschetta was awesome too, Yes I did have some and it was worth it!  Everything in moderation!

We made it!


Things I learned:
1.  I really don't drink a lot of coffee anymore, but for the first time in years, I can honestly say that I don't miss the flavored creamers etc in it!  I now am convinced that I can take it black, but on occasion I will add some almond milk or coconut milk/cream, just to change it up a little!

2. I really did not miss the sweets.  I picked up a small package of donuts for the guys on Sunday when I was grocery shopping and I really never had the desire to even eat part of one!

3.  At the end of 21 days, I splurged.  Not over the top, but enough that I realized really quick that I need to keep the sugar in check.  Natural sugars in fruit etc is one thing, but chocolate and breads are not my friend!  I was so tired, exhausted to the point that I felt like I needed to sleep for 3 days!

4.  There were several recipes that I tried that are going to make it into the normal rotation of meals (the Ginger Beef with Broccoli and the Buffalo Shrimp were huge winners!) and there were a few that I will never make again (sorry, the mini meatloaf's were NOT received well by my family and no one even wanted to eat the leftovers!)

Summary:

It was not perfect.  I had some slip ups, ate a few things that I should not have, and yes I had a few beers.  In the end, I am glad that I did it!  I proved to myself that I don't NEED the sweets, breads, and other processed stuff that I cut out in the last 3 weeks.  Yes, I missed my Spark in the morning, but that was about the only thing I really missed!

This morning I re-did measurements at the gym and I was happy with the results!
Down a total of about 3 inches between my chest, waist and hips and 3.8 pounds!!  I will take it.

 Aside from that, I feel great and am ready to roll!  I loved the extra energy that I seemed to have and am going to continue with avoiding processed foods when I can, limiting sugar to only natural sugars and trying new recipes!

Are you addicted to sugar?

I challenge you to 21 days!  You can do it and you won't be disappointed!

So what do you eat?

Ok, time to take things into a new direction. Well, maybe not in a new direction, but just shaking things up here a bit.

When I started this blog, it was named as it was, because I was looking to break some of the not so good habits that I had and replace them with new ones, tracking that journey as I went along.  That goal has not changed.  Over the last year, I have still written about some of that stuff, but my main focus had turned to all of the running that I have started doing.  Granted, that has been a HUGE new habit for me and I will continue to blog about my running adventures, but it is time to get back to adding more of the "other stuff" back in.

What exactly that will be it yet to be determined, but you can be assured that I will have fun with it along the way!

Now as I sit here, eating my lunch,  trying to decide what to write about today, it hit me... the one question I actually have people ask me all the time...

"So, what to you really eat anymore?"

I have been asked this question more times that I can count!  The answer?  A LOT!  Yes, I eat a lot, just not a lot at one time (just several times a day!).  This is not something that can easily be covered in one single post, so that brings us to the birth of "What I eat Wednesday"  Each Wednesday, my goal is to bring you a new recipe or food that I have tried, or something else related to "what I eat".

Over the last year I really have taking a look at the way that I was eating, as well as what I have been eating and made quite a few changes.  The biggest of these changes was last year when I started adopting more of a Paleo Diet.  This started last summer and I slowly started noticing more changes.  I wasn't getting headaches as often (I think I recall 1 migraine in the last 6 months), I wasn't getting tired shortly after eating lunch at work and I was sleeping better at night!  Then in November when I switched gyms and started at Fitness Renegades, I decided that it was time to just jump in.  The gym promotes a Paleo lifestyle so it was a great benefit to have an additional support system at my disposal.   There are many websites out there that will dig into the nitty gritty of a paleo lifestyle, but in a nutshell, its getting back to the basics.  Fresh fruits, veggies, meats and seafood.  It was a real learning process for me, and I am still learning.  Now, before you ask, or jump to any conclusions, what I eat is far from "perfect paleo" and I don't think I will ever get to that point.

I have eliminated virtually all bread from my diet - I think I can count the number of times I have eaten bread since November on one hand!  I also have eliminated most processed foods and dairy, I don't remember the last time I had a soda (probably less than 6 in the last year!).  Don't get me wrong, I still have my splurges!  I love dark chocolate and wine and will always find a time to enjoy those, along with a beer from time to time.  Everything in moderation!

One thing that has been a huge benefit for me is that my mom completely changed up her eating habits a few years ago and has been able to give me a ton of ideas on foods to try etc.  Plus is makes it nice knowing that when we get together with my family, I know that there will be options available for me to enjoy so that I don't feel like I am missing out on something good!

So, to answer the question, what do I eat?

Most weekday mornings, breakfast is eggs with whatever fresh veggies are in the fridge.  This week it's been sweet potato, mushrooms, green onions, spinach and 3 eggs.  I generally am never able to really eat right away when I first wake up in the morning, so I cook my breakfast at home and then take it to work to eat a little later.  

 While my breakfast is cooking, it is time to play with the juicer!  More fruits and veggies are juiced together and put into a travel mug to head to work with me for my mid-morning snack.  This particular blend was carrot, beets, green apple, ginger and pineapple.  There are days that I will also add some spinach or kale to the mix or change up the fruits, but this as turned into the pick me up that I need to keep my day going.

Now on to lunch.  Many times lunch at work is leftovers from the night before (if there is anything left) but this week I found huge tubs of baby spinach on sale!  So, I picked up some chicken breasts and cooked off 4 of them on Sunday to put in the fridge to use during the week.  Today's salad was my baby spinach topped with chicken, raw almonds, blueberries, strawberries and avocado, topped with an oil free pomegranate vinaigrette.

There is no going hungry for this girl!  Which is a good thing because with intense workouts that I get at Fitness Renegades and all of the miles that I run, I need all the energy I can get!  There are so many different foods that I have tried in the last few months that I will slowly share with you as time permits!

Now that What I Eat Wednesday has been mad official, it is time for this girl to get some sleep.  The foods that I eat definitely give me energy, but after a 12 hour work day, there comes a time when you just need to call it a day and get some rest!

Until next time...

Breaking the scale

Ok, I am sure that many of us have wanted to break the scale because it didn't show us what we wanted to see, or we thought it was broken because it didn't us tell what we thought it should.  Right now, breaking the scale habit is where I am.  I admit it, I am a peeker when it comes to the scale, have been for many years.  If the batteries in my scale died, I had to replace them immediately.  Last week, at the urging of my trainer, I need to break that habit of stepping on the every morning.  Weighing in at the gym once and work once is more than enough.  No need to stress myself out about the scale any more than that. How am I going to do that?   My morning stop at the scale us part of my morning ritual, just as much as getting dressed and eating breakfast!

I can proudly say that I have survived week one!  In the last seven days, the only time I have stepped on a scale was last Friday morning at work (Biggest Loser weigh in) and then tonight at the gym, witnessed by my trainer.

Why did the scale become such am integral part of my daily routine? Back in my Weight Watchers days, I had convinced myself that it was a way to keep myself accountable.  Did this really work?  I thought so. If the scale was up, it motivated me to eat better, exercise more etc.  If the scale was down, I knew that I was doing the right thing and needed to keep working. However, there is a downside to this.  There are so many factors that can make "peeking" daily a negative.  Most bathroom scales are very temperamental- are you sure it is in the same spot on the floor?  Is the floor actually level? That is just the scale itself.  Are you wearing the same clothing?  Shoes? Is the sodium from last night's Chinese dinner helping you hold on to more water than usual?  In the end, the number on the scale was became the most important thing in my journey.  It was at the forefront of my mind everyday, whether I would admit it or not.

Spinach Artichoke Tart
Original Version

I have learned over the years that the scale is not the only thing that matters in the journey to my ultimate goal - a strong, healthy body... and of course be able to go shopping because nothing in my closet will fit me anymore!  The food choices that I make are just as important as everything else in this journey and we have been working to find more new, exciting recipes to try!  Today was one of those days that we tried something new!  I found the recipe for this Spinach Artichoke Tart that I just had to try!  I actually bought some of the ingredients for it a a few weeks ago, but had to wait until I could get my almond flour from my mom (best deal I could find was through her food coop!)  This morning we finally dove in and made is, and I am so glad that we did!  It was phenomenal!  My apologies for the not so brilliant photo - it was tough to get a good shot before it started disappearing from the pan! I did realize that since I used almond meal instead of almond flour, the crust did not have the same texture as the original  but it was still wonderful.  I actually had 2 pieces with lunch just because I wanted to eat it when it was still warm!  I was going to make a quiche to bring for Easter Brunch, but I think this just may be replacing the quiche!  It was the equivalent of spinach artichoke dip, in a crust!

Oh, before I forget... the scale at the gym tonight?  Yup, down 2 pounds from last week!  Was this because I didn't stress myself out over the scale?  Hard to say.  I guess we will have to see what the next week shows!