Light on My Feet

The energy level hasn't fully peaked but I am feeling surges. They make me happy! If the peak is anything like the surges, oh boy! I'll be one happy gal!

Things I've noticed... smoother skin, stronger nails, thinning body, especially in the tummy and shoulders, rosey cheeks (on my face), clothes fit! and that's it. Taste wise... still miss my sugar in the coffee. Sweet veggies and fruit are sweeter. Subtle head aches remain.

Cravings continue...  to curb them, cheese and olives together, salami, coffee, apple and nuts. AND 70% chocolate bits. A whole square is TOO sweet! IMAGINE! I wonder what a WUNDERBAR tastes like now??? Oh please don't be ruined!

My one big  gigantic complaint about this way of eating IS... SODIUM NITRATE intake... which leads to another minor complaint, prep. This eating require foresight! Still haven't mastered that, and the consequence... bloating, thirsty and hungry. Cold cuts, bacon... If I want protein, it need to be meat... who has a chicken breast laying around? Or fast fry pork chops (ash's suggestion)? Time and effort will straighten this out. It's just taking a loooong time.

Discovered these CHEESE CRACKERS. They are made from butter, cheese (sharp cheddar), almond and coconut flour, is that it? Hmmm. Anyway, you bake them and WOWIE! They aren't crispy crackers, they are more like dense scones. It satisfies my bread needs. However, Ash says they can spike my blood sugar. Bah humbug.

Times of temptation... rice crispies squares. A darling grade 6 girl offered me one of her squares. It felt weird to say no thank you. I felt like I was insulting her even though I made them! I did thank her for her thoughtfulness.

Also as I get busier... it will get more challening. Convient foods are no no's. Sigh. Then there are parties and get togethers. Eat before you go is crucial.

I believe I am done sharing.

Mindset

For the past 11 days I've undergone mindset surgery! Well not really but things are changing. Some I can explain, other I am wordless (speechless).

My withdraw began on day 5. I had headaches, exhaustion and bloating. However, to add to the mix, I've had PMS and insuffiecient beauty sleep. Egg or the chicken?

The cravings remain ever present, especially in the line of stress. How am I managing... tears. I am amazed at how quickly the cravings pass though. I am curious to know if they will leave completely. Or is it like being an alchololic, you always want. Will I go through 12 steps? Will I need to ask for forgiveness at some point? Please forgive me for baking you those tasty brownies?

I miss three things~  the sugar in my coffee, my afternoon beer and alas, chocolate. I will confess, I have daily mini triangles of 70% chocolate. Funny how a wee triangle is satisfying and SWEET!

If it wasn't for nuts, olives and coffee, I think I may have fallen of the wagon. I am in search of something that assimilates the crunch of a chip and cracker. Miss that. Yes, there's celery, carrots blah blah blah but they aren't cutting it. Good sub but...

I am happy to say the bloating has subsided. Aside from the headaches, the bloating has been the most uncomfortable. I increased my water intake and yogurt intake. This has helped. I'm thinking eggs might be the culprit and will test that.

The biggest change... 5 pounds of whatever has gone. Poof! I feel lighter, trimmer and less pudgy. The bloating hasn't done much for a flat tummy though. Grump. I am not sure what drew me to the scale but man am I glad. I hit a wall of frustration and overall WHY feeling. So the scales telling gave me bump over the grump! How much will I end up losing???

What will taste different? What will happen after the 30 days? Will I go hog wild or continue? I have a piece of homemade German Chocolate cake in the freezer to try. I'd like to continue to see what else changes. While lots can happen in 30 days, 90 is even better.

I am hoping for some energy so I can FIRM things up! I guess it starts by JUST DOING IT. Damn Nike motto! Soooo simple yet do we just do it NO! We hum and ha. NO MORE!

(pic by Em)

Well here's to my 5 pounds vanishing!

Day 3 and the beginning of 4

Well, still nuttin' huney!
I feel the same so maybe that is just shitty and in another few days I'll be feeling fabulous??? I 'complained' to my girlfriends about the ease and what not. They brought it to my attention that I do generally eat well. I slip in the bag of chips (big bag), chocolate bars and what not. But otherwise I don't eat processed food.

But this challenge wasn't just for weight lose or evolutionary changes, it was about growing overall.

When I have cravings, knowing I am staying clear of those naughty tasties, it's over. Done. Where as when I would give in to those cravings... I would search the ailse for that perfect naughty, eat it (devour it) and then wait for the guilt to seep through my blood stream! But by NOT giving in, it's done and over with. No searching or seeping! Will I stop being am impulsive eater and an emotional eater?

By sticking to my guns, commitment isn't so bad. It gives you a sense of power... purpose. Guidelines are good, hairy fairy not so much? But sticking to the rules and being good all the time gets boring but am i doing the right things for excitement? Really is inhaling a wunderbar that exciting? Is NOT doing the laundry a thrill? Perhaps Nike has it right... Just do it! I have been just doing it these past three days. When the thought of .. oh I can do that later, I flat out say no and do it. simple things too.

Having said that, I still have a couple baskets of laundry to put away. Some bumps you struggle with!

All in all, the past three days have been great. I am glad I am doing this.

Breeze or Eat My Words?

This is a breeze.
What are people talking about?
Is the yuk going to hit me like a mac truck tomorrow?

I am grateful.

I ate well today. For breakfast, I upped the spinach and eggs and had some smoothy. Totally yummy. For lunch I made a chicken salad with green onions and a few grapes. Snacks? Apple, some nuts. Didn't really need it. Dinner... salmon, bacon, green onion, pinenuts on spinach. If anything I am eating BETTER or simply EATING! Meal prep is a bit cumbersome. You have to think!

Oooo, I made a yummy saucer summer squash.... butter, nut mix stuffed inside. Divine.

Well I wish I had more to report. Kinda disappointed. Anticlimatic. Ah well! 28 more days!

Day 2

While I am starving right now, I had a good day. No strange or uncomfortable side effects yet. I had a subtle headache and feel tired but my cycle is askew and sleep hasn't been consistent or enough in the past two weeks.
That's it.

The Day Before

Here is sit starving already just thinking of the change in food intake starting TOMORROW!!!! LOL! I have my bone in my hair and my tiger skin cave girl outfit on! Grunt! Me good!
All kidding aside, I am excited! A good cleanse. I have been such a fence sitter that I am using this challenge as a start of more JUST DO IT DAMMIT activities. Throwing prejudices, cynicism and excuse down the abyss! I am forging a new path through starving myself, I mean, eating 'purely'. Like Julie in Julie and Julia. She had self discovery by cooking her way through a recipe book. I am simply stripping myself of the thing I turn to for help and soothing. Good by friend.
What am I to expect?
headaches, drained energy and foggy thoughts for the first 4-5 days.
2-3 weeks in between were described as 'interesting'.
By the fourth week, life is good.
So here I go, off to gorge myself. The Last Supper.
Here's to cleansing, losing some inches and pounds and self discovery!

Paleo and Sarah

I live with a man of extremes, mind you he would deny that fact. This particular extreme began with the discovery of a blog by Art Devany (Divinci). Things spiralled from there. Evolutionary Fitness, Paleo diet... CAVEMAN diet no less! Adds effect to the extreme for me!

For the past two years, Ash has preached against grains, processed foods and what not. I went along with it as I usually do, with some protest and disgust sprinkled in. I 'faithfully' made paleo meals, had veg cut, nuts on hand and what ever else was required. Ash proceeded to lose 50 pound, if not more, which was needed, AND he has kept most of it off. Kudos!
As for me, I tagged along like an annoyed teenager. When there was cake, I ate it. When the craving for chips or chocolate surfaced, I didn't hesitate. I'd get a disapproving parental head shake from Ash but I ate it with great gusto and ha ha I can eat it and you cannot sprawled over my face(though it never seemed to affect him).

With such success, from time to time Ash would plead with me to fully join his quest. His militant ways turned me off even though I saw his fat melt away. He DID look great. For the most part he felt great. More energy. However there were other things going on that hindered the full effects. (Shows how much stress and emotion can alter ones body or behaviour.

Like MOST good things, they come to an crescendo or screaming holt. For us, the past 8 months, if not longer, hasn't been very Paleo. Chips, ice cream and various other tasty treats have entered BOTH of our mouths with reckless abandoment. It's been a great ride but I must say... when I was 'following' Ash through the caves and chasing dinosaurs, I did felt better then than I have these past indulgent months.

I've had too many repetitive heartfelt discussions with friends, damning grumbles about the nazi in my house and how it wiggled into how the kids ate. Paleo and kids... a tough battle. Christ food in general is an issue let alone saying No dear, you cannot have a second or for that matter give me the first piece of cake!

Anyway.. discussions, grumbles... Things are starting to change for me... I whine about being lethargic, grumpy and not a top notch human I should and could be. But yet, I sit on my soft ass doing nothing but reading about others taking the world by storm. Afterwards, I feel great enthusiasm to do soemhting of my own but fall short as I get off the computer chair and make dinner. Poof, inspiration lingers but like a fading drunk buzz at 3 am.

Well a turning point came knockin'... My friend decided to do a 4 day NO sugar or carb "cleanse", so to speak. She struggled but did it. She likes her treats and what not. Her struggle and determination was/is inspiring. You go girl. First NUDGE.

Today, while surfing dude, I found my fingers typing paleo snacks into the google window... A floodgate burst!!! Second NUDGE...

This one Paleo fellow's website lead me to a woman's site and her journey with Paleo. The dominoes started to teeter... ending with Melissa Byerss' blog. A quirky gal throwing the challenge of trying Paleo for thirty days AND was willing to listen to questions or concerns while one trudged through the month. A woman's paleo perspective, a WOMAN challenging "me" to a big withdrawal of all that I love.

So... here I sit hours later. The inspiration didn't stop me from buying Ben & Jerry's but it didn't fade either. As I mentioned, I'm a whiner of sorts with no follow through. SO.... upon carefully sharing my interest in this challenge with Ash. I closed my eyes and held my breath.... I could still feel his excitement. Let's be clear here, Ash's excitement is NOTHING like mine.His is a quiet powerful energy. He said if I do it, he'll do it. I didn't crawl back in my defensive shell, I accepted it, in my head. I wasn't ready to give ALL enthusiasm to him.

Pause........... deep breath. I just finished a modest bowl of the B&J I bought and while it was good...I look forward to trying it after 30 days of NOTHING naughty. I hear things taste either awful or delightful.

The Byers lady wrote something that hit home:
"You never, ever, ever HAVE to eat anything you don’t want to eat. You’re all big boys and girls. Toughen up. Learn to say no. Learn to stick up for yourself. Just because it’s your Mom’s birthday, or your best friend’s wedding, or your company outing does not mean you “have” to eat crappy food. It’s always a choice, and I would hope that you stopped succumbing to peer pressure in 7th grade."
I do say no but at times I feel my politeness and phfts on you Ash, takes over and I succumb. So I will TOUGHEN UP!

The gal in Julie and Julia made a promise to make those recipes in a year... it helped her come back to herself. I hope the same for me through Paleo. I am glad I found a woman's perspective on it.

September 12 or there within the gun will go off and I'll blast out of the carb and sugar bubble into... the unknown!