Crying Over Popcorn

I'm in mourning.

Remember that awesome Caramel Corn that I told you about?

My Whole Foods didn't have it (or a spot assigned for it) last time I went to stock up on my favorite Gluten-Free snacks.

I'm going to have to order a box of it because I can't live without it.

 I bought this Kettle Corn as a replacement and ate half the bag before I realized that it wasn't gluten free.  Dang it!

Weigh-In:

I'm holding steady at 209.  Which is kind of amazing because I've been having a love affair with some caramels.  I need to stop buying them.

I'm planning to get really serious about my diet again in about 5 days.  This will involve refusing to go out to eat so that I don't ruin my diet and eat something I shouldn't.

Wish me luck!

Hello My Gluten Free Lover

You know I'm sad about the bread situation.

Although...my friend Christina just left me a Paleo bread recipe that she says is fantastic! I'll try it out and get back to you on that.

I found this Rocky Mountain Caramel Corn at Whole Foods and I'm in love!

I can go to the movies again! I just have to stash this in my purse.

If your Whole Foods doesn't carry it....you can order it here.

Gluten Free Bread

I've been missing sandwiches.

Now, that's not completely true....I've been eating sandwiches. Naughty gluten filled sandwiches and because of this, I've NOT been losing any weight and my lip has been swollen.

I decided that I'd try the gluten free bread from Udi's. I even sucked it up and paid $5.99 for it at Whole Foods.

I brought my bread home and saw that it is supposed to remain frozen.  Weird.  That's going to make a REALLY crunchy sandwich.  Jolene told me to toast the bread.  Oh good idea.

I made sandwiches for me and my children and I was shocked by the size of my bread.

Mine is the little guy

I slapped some turkey lunch meat, swiss cheese and avocado on that little guy and went to town.  It tastes okay....a little different than what I'm used to, but my freakish big hands caused the bread to fall apart.   I had to get the Dyson out when I was done eating.

Not bad.....for gluten free.

Reason Number 28

that GLUTEN is evil.

I've gone 2 months....mostly gluten free.

This last week....has been a gluten nightmare.  I've eaten more of that crap then I care to admit with the last free for all being a never ending pasta bowl because someone sent my husband a gift card to Olive Garden for his birthday.

It was really good and I enjoyed it very much.

But today....two days later.  I'm having the worst migraine.  The kind that requires laying down in a dark, quiet room....except that I have two kids and there is nothing dark or quiet about my apartment right now.

This could be my ultimate reason for really quitting gluten forever.

Without gluten in my life....I went TWO MONTHS without a migraine.  That hasn't happened in 15 years.

Goodbye gluten....FOREVER!

Gluten Binge

My birthday was yesterday.

On Saturday, my husband took me out for any meal I wanted.

I wanted Mexican.  A burrito....with beans, cheese, guacamole and sour cream. 

I also wanted a Margarita.

Then we went to an Italian Festival and I had Sangria and Chianti and a Chocolate Cream filled Cannoli.

There is probably a rule that you shouldn't drink so many beverages that end in a vowel.

Yesterday....I ate the rest of my Mexican meal and then instead of cake, because I don't like cake.  I had a Java Chiller from Sonic.

I have never felt so sick in my whole life.   I was in a gluten coma!

And then I went to a coffee shop this morning and ate a bagel sandwich.  Because I figured if I was already in bad shape...it wouldn't hurt.

That breakfast sandwich was worth it all.  I should have just had the sandwich and skipped all of the other crap.

I'm back on my Paleo/Gluten Free (but with Dairy) plan as of 10am this morning.

This proves without a doubt that Paleo/Gluten Free is the life for me!

I'm A Cheater

Starting Weight: 208
September 1st:   207.4
September 8th:   207
LOSS:                    .4
Total Paleo Loss:  6.5 pounds

I'm pretty happy with this week's results....considering that I celebrated my birthday last weekend with some gluten.

There will be celebrating again this week with Mexican Food and I intend to eat a flour tortilla as big as my head filled with meat and cheese and sour cream!

I will not be having cake. I don't really like cake so I don't see the point of eating it on my special day.

Take That TOM!

Starting Weight: 208
September 1st:   207.4
LOSS:                    .6
Total Paleo Loss:  6.1 pounds

My scale broke the day after my last weigh in....on August 18th.   And then a week later....TOM snuck up on me.  It is so crazy to me since starting the Paleo plan that my PMS and hormonal migraines have completely disappeared.

I was without a scale that whole week and kept eating my yummy Paleo food.  I had no idea if I'd gained any weight...but a few days after TOM left....my clothes felt looser!  I couldn't believe it!

I was really fine with not having a scale.  But my husband was going crazy not being able to weigh himself. Looks like he's a bigger slave to that thing than I am!

He bought a new battery for our scale and I was thrilled to see that I had not gained a single pound!  Then this week...I lost .6 pounds.

I even cheated and ate TACO's this week!

I'll be weighing in on Thursday's from now on.

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!