Paleo (first) 30 Day Results

Starting Weight:   213.5
1st Weigh In:       210.4 (-3.1)
2nd Weigh In:      208.8 (-1.6)
3rd Weight In:      208.8 (ZERO)
Final Weight In:   208 (-.8)

Total LOSS:   5.5 pounds

Waist: 1 inch lost
Hips: .75 inches lost

Considering that I drank more alcohol than I had planned on and I ate a blintz...I think I did really well!

I'm really happy with how things are going, I'm feeling great, my clothes fit better and not hungry or cranky anymore so I'm committing to ANOTHER 30 days.

This time with less wine and more vegetables!

But first....a big fat cheat day with a wood fire pizza after my son's first day of Kindergarten!

Next 30 Day Paleo Challenge

• Begins August 19th, Ends September 17th
• Cheat Day September 10th (celebrating my 41st birthday)
• Dairy in Coffee only (one cup a day during the week)
• No Sugar
• Limit Fruit and Nuts 
• two Larabars a week

Paleo: 3rd Week Results

Starting Weight:   213.5
1st Weigh In:       210.4 (-3.1)
2nd Weigh In:      208.8 (-1.6)
3rd Weight In:      208.8 (ZERO)

Total LOSS:   4.7 pounds

I didn't gain or lose any weight last week.

I'm actually pretty happy about this because I cheated and I drank more wine than any one person should be allowed to drink.

The Good News: My in laws are on their way home

The Better News: I'm back on track baby!


My little boy starts school in one week and I'm starting to get nervous.  I just know that I'm going to be a wreak on Thursday but I'll handle it.


This revelation that my lip problem is caused by gluten is kind of disheartening.  On the one hand...I'm very happy to know what is causing it but then, I'm mourning the loss of grains.

I'll learn to live without them....or know to expect a fat, red lip if I do indulge.  The good news here is that my intolerance is NOT life threatening.

Oh...I posted a new recipe on my food blog.

I Had A Blintz and I Liked It!

The weekend away went pretty well.

I drank too much wine....but drank lots of water.

I had some fried food and a cheese blintz and it was really good....but I paid for it later.

See my red swollen lip? This happened 3 hours after the Blintz Incident.

If this doesn't prove that I'm allergic or sensitive to Gluten then I don't know what would.

I ate way more than usual and I'm looking forward to being home and back on track.  

My in laws are leaving tomorrow so all of this drinking should be over too. 

A Wino No More

I told you before that my in laws are in town.

And that I have a very hard time saying NO to alcohol when they are in town.

I also know now that because of my new usual no drinking state....that 2 glass of wine is my absolute limit.

Three is too many.

And they need to freakin go home already.

I've now been roped into an overnight adventure that involves a casino and a buffet.

HOLD ME!

Paleo: 2nd Week Results

Starting Weight:   213.5
1st Weigh In:       210.4 (-3.1)
2nd Weigh In:      208.8 (-1.6)

Total LOSS:   4.7 pounds

I'm very happy to be down 1.6 pounds this week even though TOM was here most of the week and I drank lots of alcohol. I'm more than happy! I'm amazed!

I've been reading Robb Wolf's book The Paleo Solution and realized something very important.

My lip hasn't been red or swollen in TWO WEEKS!

Backstory. Two years ago THIS WEEK....I was stung by a bee on my foot while on vacation in Wisconsin. My lip immediately swelled up like I'd had an injection gone and wrong and was trying out for the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills!

For 10 months...it continued to swell. Almost daily. I cut certain foods out of my diet but it never really did anything. In May 2010, I went to an allergist in Utah and had the full panel. The only thing that came up was that I had an unknown grass allergy but she said that wouldn't cause my lip to swell.

She sent me down to the lab where they took 6 viles of blood to test for systemic diseases. It came back clear. She was baffled.

Over the last year, it has gotten a little better....but would still swell several times a week.

Yesterday, I read a story in the book about a man whose tongue would swell and it disappeared when he started Paleo. 

I'M CURED!  This development alone....has made me so excited and hopeful that this is the solution I've been looking for all of these years! 

Gluten is poison in my body.

Challenging Weekend

I knew this was going to be a challenging weekend.

Saturday was my husband's 30th High School Reunion.  I knew I was going to want a drink (or three) because I was going to be nervous and have to interact with people I didn't know.

I didn't know what food would be served but that part turned out great!  They had a buffet with a great salad, fresh fruit and a small piece of chicken.  It had sauce on it but I scraped it all off.

I had ONE BITE of an fluffy Amaretto Cream Cake.  It was amazing!

Sunday....is where things went....wrong.

We had been invited to my Mother in Law's cousin's house for lunch.  She made some chicken in the crockpot but I didn't know what was in the sauce, she had spanish rice and a salad with tons of pepper in it.  I ate small amounts of everything because I was told NOT eating her food would be rude.

I also drank red wine.

Dinner....we went to my brother in law's house for hamburgers.  I had a patty without a bun and a salad.  There was more wine.

Being around my in laws makes me want to drink.  I know this. I need to learn to say NO...or get a prescription for Valium.

Hopefully...I haven't messed up my weight in tomorrow.  *fingers crossed*

How do you deal with eating in other people's homes when you are trying to avoid certain foods?

Paleo: Week One Results

Starting Weight:  213.5
1st Weight In:      210.4
LOSS:                     3.1 pounds

I was down 4.1 pounds before TOM arrived. I'm up one pound but I know that it's bloat because yesterday was a little bit of a rough day. I keep forgetting that day two is always worse than day one.

I was craving sugar yesterday and vegetables sounded terrible so I just ate fruit and protein. I resisted!!

Feeling much better today and expect to be back on track!

For dinner last night...we ate chicken breasts that I'd marinated in curry powder and coconut milk.  It was soooo good! This will be a weekly recipe for us and now I just need to find a veggie that would complement it well.  Maybe Sweet Potato?

Praise The Lord! Go Paleo!

Jolene (my lovely coach and support from Healthy Discoveries) didn't say anything to me about not weighing myself.  I've seen on some of the paleo blogs that you aren't supposed to weight until day 31.

I've been weighing myself every single day.

As of this morning, I'm down 4.1 pounds! It's only been 6 days!

AND....I'm in complete shock.

This morning I was down 1.4 pounds.  I was really pleased because I ate out both Friday and Saturday, being very careful to be strick with my eating.  Friday night we went to Chipotle and I had a salad with Carnitas, Fajita Veggies and Guacamole.  It was delicious and I didn't miss the rice and beans at all.

Carnitas, Veggies and Guac

Saturday we went to Rodizio's Grill for lunch and I found plenty of Paleo friendly items at the salad bar! I love their beef, chicken wrapped in bacon and chicken hearts with lime on them! So good!

Fruit, Veggie and Eggs

 I was still full until about 7pm...so then I had a packet of Almond Butter with an apple.  I didn't love the Apple Butter.  I really thought I would.  Strange.

ANYWAY....back to why I'm SHOCKED!

TOM (you know...that little gift from Mother Nature that arrives every 28 days or so?) arrived this morning.  A few days early....and he didn't bring his usual baggage.  No migraine.  No cramps.  No bloating and NO CRAVINGS!  This must be the miracle that I've been looking for! 

I'm so thrilled and feeling great! 

Credit

It Could Happen!

Moving right along here...Day 3!

I was not hungry yesterday.  At all.  I had to force myself to eat.  This is huge for me.

When I was making my plan with my coach Jolene....I told her there were two times that I'm going to want to have a drink.


1. My husband's 30th High School Reunion


2. The first week of August when my in laws are visiting.


And now we have been invited to a birthday party at a bar.  My first instinct is to decline the invite because I can't have a cocktail.  But then I was thinking this could be a great test of my will.

I can totally go to a bar and not have a drink.

STOP LAUGHING.  It could happen.  Maybe.

I guess we'll see if I can con someone into watching my kids and find out!

Gluten Withdrawals....

I was doing great yesterday until 2:26pm.

It was like a switch was thrown and suddenly....I was uncomfortable, the world was much too loud and I thought I was losing my mind.

My kids voices were amplified, my apartment was sweltering and I couldn't stop bitching about it on twitter.

I wanted to injure the weatherman who lied to me about rain and I wanted the guy building a gazebo outside to stop the impossible hammering immediately!

I just wanted to curl up in a ball.

Making dinner was....challenging.  It was hot and my daughter wanted to help....oh and now I had a headache.

Finally...at 8:30pm, I curled up in bed and went to sleep.  Finally...relief.

This morning...I feel much better.  My husband cautiously approached me and asked if I was okay.  Apparently, he looked up GLUTEN WITHDRAWALS last night and read that it's similar to the withdrawals of a drug addict.  Same neurotransmitters are effected.  He was considering tying me to the bed.  Silly man!

The dinner that I made last night was great and my husband even said he loved it.  I might be able to convert him afterall!  Portobello Burger with Egg recipe.

Going Paleo

I had a lovely chat with my friend and coach Jolene from Healthy Discoveries yesterday!

I've been doing some research...I wish I'd been this good at homework when I was in school.

Bygones.

We talked about what my obstacles are.

1. Eating Out
2. Love of bread, cereal and sugar
3. Love of wine
4. Not enough water

We talked about body chemistry and how counting calories doesn't work for some people and how I've tried every single diet under the sun and only ONE has worked for me.

hCG worked for me.  It was gluten, sugar, alcohol free.

Hmmmmmm......interesting.

Day one went GREAT!  So great that I forgot to eat lunch.  Did you hear that?  I wasn't hungry and I forgot to eat.  Who am I right now?

I made a yummy dish for dinner that was a favorite during my hCG days but I gobbled it up so fast that I forgot to take a picture.  I'll be making it again in a few days and will share the recipe on my food blog.

I'm so thrilled and encouraged by the fact that Jolene has agreed to mentor and coach me through this.  Knowing that she's there to talk to and offer advice and cheer me on....is making me feel like I can really do this.

She just completed her own 30 day Paleo Challenge and her results are amazing! Read her post here.

That reminds me....I need to take a before picture and measurements.

I'm PISSED!

On Friday....I broke down and weighted myself.  No, I didn't totally get rid of the scale.  My husband wouldn't let me.  It's been sitting in my bathroom taunting me.

As you recall....On June 27th, I decided that the number on the scale was no longer my focus and instead I was going to focus on being healthy and make good choices.

I felt awesome about how things were going.  In those 2.5 weeks....I made great choices and I restarted my exercise routine. I was derailed a little bit by Monsoon 2011 but I still did something...almost every day.

I stepped on that scaled and discovered that focusing on my healthy choices.....gained me 3 pounds!

WHAT???

I'm pissed.

I now weight more than I did when I started the hCG diet.  I've gained back all of the weight and then a few pounds.

This is ridiculous!

I immediately emailed my friend Jolene from Healthy Discoveries and told her I need help.

I'm meeting with her on Tuesday to figure out a plan.

She's my only hope.

Or NOT!

Beware....

I'm doing really well this week!

I've been exercising...even though my beloved lake is nearly out of it's banks because of the Monsoon that has hit Colorado.  Six days of thunderstorms!  Last night, was the worst! I haven't experienced a storm like that since I was a little girl.

I'm tracking my food and haven't had a soda in over a week!

17 days until the reunion!

Looks like I'll be going back to the gym for a couple weeks!  I'm so frustrated with Bally's Fitness.  We sent them a certified letter three weeks ago and then on Monday they charged my credit card for another month!

WTF?

My husband called and they finally agreed to cancel my membership but I have *privileges* until Aug 9.   I feel like going twice a day to get my money's worth!

I really hate businesses that have horrible customer service and we'll NEVER join Bally's again.   They make it nearly impossible to cancel and I think that is so very wrong of them.

Beware.....of Bally's people!

Motivation Part 2

Do you know what's more motivating than seeing a picture of yourself taken from the back?

I video of you shot from the back.  I'm going to burn this outfit, eat some celery and go for a run.

The Video

Good Choices

Okay.  I'm starting over...AGAIN!

I happened to wake up at 6am and without even thinking about it....I reached for my workout clothes and my shoes.

1.65 miles!

And I ran some of it.

Sweaty

I ate really well yesterday and I feel....thinner today.  It's kind of amazing how eating right makes you feel GOOD!

I have to rant for a minute. sigh

My husband (god love him) complains constantly about not feeling...well.  He is always saying that if he doesn't feel better by (insert day here) that he's going to the doctor.

He's been to the doctor a lot lately to talk to him about this symptom or the other.  He always thinks he has cancer.

Well...I then, try to improve things but cooking healthier and changing his eating habits.  And then he complains about the food I've cooked.  I made Watermelon Gazpacho last night and he complained that it was like eating salsa. I thought it was great!

I don't know what to do anymore.

All I know is....I can make good choices for ME and I'm on a roll!

Scale Free

I ran into my friend Jolene from Healthy Discoveries at a party this weekend. Just being in her presence made me make better choices. I only had one glass of Sangria and one bite of dessert.

Jolene is working on something pretty exciting and talking to her about it really got me thinking some things.

While talking to her about being healthy...weight was never mentioned once. We talked about activity and healthy choices. We talked about motivation and the rewards of making those choices.

credit

My life has been ruled by the scale since I was a teenager. It can make or break my day. I'm throwing out the scale!

My focus needs to be on health and not weight. Because weight doesn't tell the entire story!

And it shouldn't determine how I feel about myself.

Starting today....I will work towards making healthy choices and adding more activity to my life.  I will reward myself with things other than food. I will hydrate my body with water instead of coffee and soda.

I desire to be HEALTHY and STRONG!  Which means....I'm going to have to change my twitter handle. HA!

When we pay attention to our desires, our daily energy levels increase. And embracing your desires will sustain your health! ~ Jolene Park

Looking For A Challenge

I was looking for a challenge....and I found this on twitter!

Wanna join me?

Courtney's Summer Challenge: Week 1

Take a walk every day

Bally's Total Fitness SUCKS!!

Several months ago....I talked my husband into getting a gym membership so we could exercise during the winter.  We went with Bally's because it was close by and had some pretty good deals.

It's summer now and we wanted to cancel our Bally's membership since we are now spending more time outside.

We went to the gym and were told to call to cancel.

We called and were told that you CAN NOT cancel over the phone.  You have to write a letter and tell them you want to cancel.

There is no way to verifiy that they have received your letter.  You just have to hope to God someone in Washington D.C. gets your letter and does their job.

This.....is bullshit.

Please people....Never, ever get a Bally's Total Shitness membership!

Pass it on.

UPDATE: They received our certified letter a few days later. We waited and waited for an email or letter from BALLY'S saying that they received the letter and were canceling our membership.


THREE WEEKS LATER...my husband noticed that they charged our credit card for another month.  He called and they finally cancelled our membership.  


I'm looking into what it takes to file some kind of a complaint against them because this kind of practice should be illegal.

I'm Sick AGAIN

If I had a hundred dollars for each time I've started an exercise plan AND then got sick.  I'd be RICH!

Hubby came home from WWDC with an illness....and he passed it on to me because we did a lot of *talking* when he got home.  Yeah....we were talking.

I'm hoping that I can convince him to get my feet some new running shoes this weekend so I can start over on Monday.

6 weeks until the Reunion!  UGH!!

Comcast tech should be here any minute to hopefully fix my internet.  It's been rough...

Mama Needs New Shoes

I Haz No Internet, a photo by Uber Mommy on Flickr.

My internet is all screwed up.

But I did try to do Week 1, Day 1 of the Couch to 5K plan.

I think I need new shoes. Mine are two years old and my knee hurts.

And I was chased by a mad mama duck.

It was gorgeous this morning!