Nutritionist and things...

They say its 80% diet and only 20% exercise. I hate ‘they’. I wish it was all exercise. I wish I could eat whatever I wanted as long as I hit the gym and I hit it hard, but it’s not up to me. And also if it were up to me, no Mondays, ice cream is added to the basic food groups and vegetables make you fat.

Last week I met with a Nutritionist.

I didn’t love it.

I hate being told I am wrong, even when I know I am wrong. I hate being doubted, even when I haven’t give you a reason to believe in me.

I am motivated by doubt, but I don’t like it.

Anyways. I am now working with a very patient Nutritionist. She reviewed my food journal, sent shocks through my body and weighed me. The conclusion. I am a hot mess, with 102lbs of body fat. Gah. What have I been doing at the gym the past 3 months??? Not building muscle. #obvi

She kept my weight a secret (mostly, I saw the number, but ignored it) and went over the test results. I am 40% fat. That’s a lot, like I am morbidly obese. I don’t feel morbidly obese. What do BMIs know anyways??? I have big freaking bones.

Not that it matters, because I am doing something about it, so its ok. It’s ok to start at the bottom, once you’ve found your bottom (regardless of what size your bottom is).

So I’m fat and I don’t want to be. What are we doing about it?

My fitness routine isn’t changing except I am adding a 45 minute walk to lunch hour to get on with the results. I will still do 3 days of cardio and 4 days of weights, plus life. Like running with the boy, walks to the park and sex (is anyone still reading my rambles?).

My diet is getting a complete overhaul. I didn’t think I was THAT terrible. I knew the rules and followed some of them, but it was the other things going on that screwed me. The sugary treats, the Tim Horton’s run and the late night snacking (Eff you DQ).

I eat too many grains. I eat too much sugar (natural and refined). I don’t eat enough protein. And there is some dirty toxin attacking and dehydrating my cells. I am so thirsty.

So I have a page of foods. Its one page and it is all I am allowed to consume. If it is not on the sheet, I can not eat #wordtoyourmother. I am also limited to 2 grains per day and 2 fruits per day (one banana is ALL my fruit for the day. All my fruit in a yellow tube). I MUST consume 3 proteins a day (I get a gold star if I consume more than 3) and one of those MUST be for breakfast.

I can eat all the vegetables I want #yeehaw.

I can’t have any processed sugar.

I made granola. Mmmm…

I have to eat PLAIN greek yogurt and am only allowed milk alternatives.

I have hemp hearts, chia seeds and simply bars.

And that’s it. My first weigh in is April 20^th. Let’s see what we can do, prove the haters wrong and conquer that effing scale.

Wish me luck!

Day 11 - bring it

Ok, workout 2 was a little tougher. I'm a little tender, but it feels good. I had to take Tylenol Before bed last night, because the ache in my legs was unbearable. 

I kept to the calories, I ate less because I kept myself busy... I finally got on top of the baby shower thank you cards (almost a year later, sorry), I sorted out valentines day and printed some pictures (Sidenote: I am all for the ease of smartphones and digital cameras, but nothing is as clear and crisp as film).

We interviewed a third daycare provider in the evening which helped eliminate mindless snacking and limited dinner, because of Toms bedtime.

I'm really working to define and ignore eating out of boredom... So far, so good (says the girl after day two)

Tomorrow is just cardio and I am out of the house for most of the day... Wish me luck!

90 day revolution

Tomorrow is February 1st. It marks 6 months post partum and the first day of my 90 day revolution.

I have been going to the gym since November 1, but haven't seen any results. I go three times a week, but I have to admit I am not committed. I am bored. I find elliptical too easy, but treadmill and running to hard. I wanted to join a gym to have the classes, I thrive in a group setting with structure, but the only gym I can afford has terrible classes at inconvenient times. I have tried to find something I enjoy and will stick too, but nothing holds... I am on week 5 of the couch to 10k program, but I hate it and make excuses to avoid the gym.

I received a GC from my Mother for Christmas and I have been holding on to it, wanting to spend it on something good... knowing she had saved up to put $100 on a prepaid visa for me.

Then I saw an infomercial and got sucked in... Jillian Michaels Revolution and my GC was just enough to cover it. This was happening... it took a week to convince myself to purchase this program. I am one to get sucked into diet/fitness fads and then lose interest when they don't work (my husband always rolls his eyes, when I find something new to cling to, in my defense I have found a lot of success with each endeavour, but never long term... I am committed until it stopped working.)

Fast track to tonight... I am anxious to begin, I need to do this, I am tired of being tired. I have slowly gained back all the weight I originally lost post delivery. I can't wear jeans, my gut is too big. I am sick of feeling like a slob... I want to feel beautiful again. I want to feel confident again. I want to play with my son and not get winded, I don't want to buy an entirely new wardrobe... I need to lose 45lbs.

Thus the commitment to the revolution. February 1 to May 1.  I haven't committed to a full detox (which I would love, but I am still nursing) but I have a list of DO NOT eat foods... I made sure to put all my favorites on it and post it on the fridge for all to see.

It includes... chocolate, cheese slices, chips, cookies, white bread, butter, pizza, burgers, candy, ice cream, fast food, pop, juice... there are more, but I can't remember.

I am hoping to follow the diet plan included in the revolution, but I haven't received the package yet... so I don't know how possible that is. It could be full of seafood and hard to prepare foods.

I have watched several of the workouts online and it seems perfect for me... its the classes and structure I love, but in my home... I can do them while Thomas naps. Right now getting to the gym takes at least 3 hours... from feeding Thomas, changing, dressing and loading everything into the car, driving, parking, unloading, signing into daycare, changing, working out, changing, signing out of daycare, loading up, driving home and unloading... etc. It disrupts Thomas's nap and/or meal... it changes our entire day and some days it is just not worth it.

So... tomorrow is the beginning. I am going to head to the gym with Thomas and do the bootcamp class (which is close to the revolution work outs), I am going to restrict and calorie count. I am hoping for 40+ pounds lost by Richards birthday... and that puts me right where I was before my wedding. Not skinny by any stretch but comfortable.

Then I hope to get pregnant all over again... lol

That's it for today... there would be a doodle, but this old girl can't figure out her new computer.

Love!

PS. Tomorrow I will post measurements and weight (argh)

Update: Thyroid!

I wish this post was going to be about my success on the detox and my triumph over weight gain and hunger, but its not. I gained this week and I am miserable, because of the detox. Although I can't blame only the detox my thyroid is being a complete P.I.T.A. I am so over the treatment and wish they would clear me to have it removed. I am already in a position to be on meds for the rest of my life.

Quick run through: 3 years ago I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism after years of wondering why my body didn't work and a blood clot scare. I was put on Synthroid a synthetic thyroid (T4) replacement. After a few months of fiddling with the dosage I am now at .88mg and have been for a over a year. I get my levels checked regularly (3-4months) and everything (on paper) always 'looks good', 'is normal'. I have been calling my doctors bluff for about 6 months now as I struggle to lose weight, I find myself always cold and my moods uncontrollable amidst a dozen other thyroid (apparent) related symptoms. In October of last year (2011) my goitre returned and I underwent a barrage of tests including, chest scan (?), ultrasound and blood work. Again, my level came back at a normal range for both T4 and T3 (thyroid chemicals... I honestly can't think of the right word) BUT my ultrasound showed an enlarged thyroid and the diagnosis was Thyroiditis. I did an eye-roll and asked what that meant. The basic explanation was a viral infection that is attacking my thyroid and causing it to defend itself, by puffing up in size. It was explained to me that this is (could be) an Auto-Immune disease.

I met with a (useless) specialist who told me I was fine (I told him he was an idiot). I met with my GP who said just to ride it out and let it correct itself, but to keep an eye on it. And I met with a Naturopath who showed concern and wanted to rectify the problem before it got worse. She started me on drops (10 days ago) that are combined to force blood through the thyroid and flush it out. She told me this would fix it (hopefully) and even ease some of the symptoms I was still experiencing. After 5 days of drops my thyroid swelled to twice the size and was affecting my breathing and swallowing, plus it was pushing on my throat... which always makes me gag. Wednesday was a crummy day. She (my naturopath) told me to stop taking the drops for 3 days and start up again at a lower dosage. After 3 days (to yesterday) my thyroid was still swollen... I called her up again and she told me not to start the drops again until my thyroid was under control and if the swelling persisted through Monday to have another ultrasound done. 

In the meantime... on a restricted diet I have gained weight, my skin is a mess and, not to get to personal but, my nipples are SO itchy. I don't know if that is related, but it feels like it could be.

Never too much information... that's what I always say. I also did think about doodling a nipple, but thought that would be tacky. Sorry.

Its Friday. I should be thrilled to hit the weekend and strike another week off of my wedding countdown, but honestly I like the structure of work. I know when to eat, drink and exercise. We'll see how the weekend goes. There is no part of me that wants to continue this detox, but I made a commitment and I am going to stick to it.

Wish me luck!

Love!

UPDATE: I have a NEW endocrinologist (thyroid and metabolism specialist). I just spoke with my GP and I have a new referral; I picked the Doctor this time and I chose a woman based in Toronto. She is the top ranked endocrinologist in Toronto and I can't wait to work with her. As always I will keep you posted. I don't suspect my appointment will be in the next few weeks, but at least things are happening.

Pounds to Lose: 21

On a positive note (which should be a separate blog, but I am feeling lazy) last night was Thursday treat time! Every Thursday, detox or not, I get a treat. Typically I hunker down with a piece of milk chocolate, but since I can't have that during detox Richard took me to KindFoods in Burlington, an all Vegan Cafe/Bakery.

We decided on 'World Peace Cookies with vegan butter cream (I don't get it either). They're gluten-free, diary-free and nut-free. There are no chemicals either. I don't know how they hold it together or how they taste so DAMN good!

They were yummy, but we both had sugar highs. Yes, Richard and I shared them...

shame on you for thinking I ate ALL four.

Symptoms - Why?

Above is ONE picture I took of my thyroid, you can't really see the swelling, but I circled the

swelled area... not sure if this helps anyone who didn't know where the thyroid was.The one

on the left is the actual picture... its the better judge of my neck, because the one on the right

I had to move around and re-size.

Everyone keeps asking me 'Why are you doing this to yourself?' My symptoms this time are bad, but nothing new to report. I have headaches. I feel like a drug addict going through withdrawal. My head throbs and things get fuzzy. I lost all of my patience and my head is congested. My throat is all full of thyroid and I feel nauseous most of the time. I am tired, but not sleepy and I feel drained of all energy. So... why do I do this? Because these symptoms perfectly display the nasty side affects of a sugar addiction. The way I am feeling is because I took away all the crap my body had come to depend on. No I don't like feeling like this, but if my diet was good year round... I wouldn't feel like this during detox and as much as I call it 'detox' all it really is, is eating well; cutting out the crap, the fast food, the easy meals. Its finally treating my body the way it needs to be, to be healthy and happy for a lifetime. I wish I could sustain this mindset forever. I know that in a week I will feel better. I will feel fit and energized. I just have to get over the hump and learn to curve my cravings.

It helps that in 4 days I have lost 5 pounds, which i find very motivating. I want to hit my FINAL goal for my birthday. Its the same goal I have made for the last 3 years. I didn't expect it to take this long, but the journey is the memory and worth every nauseated step.

I feel all profound and smart today.

The other reason why I am doing all this... I want to keep my thyroid. I am willing to do anything and this diet/detox, might alleviate the stress I have put on my thyroid and give it a chance to recover. Who knows?

Love!

PS - My throat is still swollen and my thyroid is still bothering me. I was suppose to re-start the drops today, but I decided to give it ONE MORE day. Tomorrow I will re-start the drops in a smaller dosage.

Pounds to Lose: 20

There is nothing fun about it.

And so it begins. As much as I am excited to be detoxing again. There is nothing fun about this process, thus NO pictures, doodles or funny antidotes. Although I am just so naturally funny I am sure you will find a giggle tucked away in this post somewhere.

Today marked the start of a 6 week detox, which feels like forever, but New Years was 6 weeks ago and that seems like just yesterday, so... hopefully things zip along.

I spent most of yesterday stuffing my face with anything and everything I could get my hands on. I was so full, but determined to get all of the cravings out of my system PLUS things will go bad before I can happily consume them again. I hate being wasteful so I ate it. I ate it all. I feel gross this morning. My head is spinning, my mouth is dry and its hot. I am not sure what that has to do with, but withdrawal shouldn't kick in full steam until Wednesday-ish.

On the menu today... A Rice Protein Shake with mango's, bananas and berries (yum!), a spinach salad with oil and vinegar dressing and organic apple sauce for a snack. I think my entire calories are around 600, but I am trying not to keep track. Its easier that way. I am going to hit the gym today to keep with my Fitness Challenge. I was consciously more active over the weekend keeping up my daily exercise. Now I might be skewing the details, but I spent 3 hours cleaning and moving furniture. I counted it as 30minutes of cardio and felt that was fair.

Ok.
I have a pile of work to do. I am already hungry and I have to pee... I am drinking so much water it hurts. I also have to skip my morning Green Tea... its flavored, contains sugar and has a lot of caffeine. I swapped it out for hot water with lemon.

Wish my luck!

Love!

Pounds to Lose: 25

I need to organize my thoughts...

... bear with me. It might get confusing. I had TWO doctors appointments yesterday and got some very valuable information. First I met with my GP for a physical. Everything looks good and I fully cleared to make a baby. Yay! I have to start on the pre-natals, but I haven't picked them up yet. Not to get ahead of myself... I am not trying to make a baby for a few months, but he suggested I get the vitamins in my system and I agree.

Second I met with my naturopath, whom I adore. We talked about my weight gain, loss, struggles and successes. She is very concerned about my Thyroiditus which could mean I have an underlying auto immune disease, which is exactly what my doctor and the specialist said, only they didn't want to do anything about it. Nicole (my Naturo) suggested an herbal remedy to force the blood flow through my thyroid and hopefully clean it out. She explained it might help my meds work better and decrease the swelling; at this point I am game to try anything. I take 15 drops before breakfast and 15 before dinner. I have to continue this for 3 weeks and then we run the tests again.

She also pointed me down the detox path (as I was hoping she would) I start on Monday (after my martini themed Bridal Shower). It is the same detox I did this time last year and I feel good about it. I am prepared for the struggle and the frustrations, plus my food knowledge is tenfold compared to last time. The best part... Richard is going to detox with me. He has been feeling kind of crummy lately and knows he needs to do something about his diet, although the guy can eat garbage and still look amazing.

I am not going to write it all out again... its exactly the same as this. (and if you're curious about how it went last time check out this, this and this... yow!)

I am back on vitamins and protein shakes; Vitamin B and Rice Protein.

The trickiest part of this new regime is the timing. I have to take my Thyroid meds before breakfast and an hour away from any other meds. I have to take my drops before food, but away from my thyroid meds and I have to take my vitamins with food. (sidenote: How am I suppose to eat breakfast within 30 minutes of being awake? Which I heard is ideal) Its all a little jumbled, but I will get the hang of it. I am so excited to get started.

That's enough for today. Whewf!

Wish me luck.

Oh yea, I also entered the fitness challenge offered by Nicole. I have to do something physical everyday for 29 days (February) at the end of the month I have to submit my schedule and the winner will receive $100 of free product or services from Cornerstone Health Centre. Seems easy to me... I already hit the gym 6 days a week and on rest days I will convince Richard to walk with me.

Love!

PS - She finally did a FULL body analysis (I don't know why we didn't do one before). She determined my body fat percentage (35%) and my muscle percentage (I don't remember) she measured a number of things and was impressed by a few numbers in relationship to my work out schedule... its all in the numbers, and finally no one can call my bluff about working out. It felt good to know I was handling the fitness well and eating the right proteins. I know this is very vague, but she kept the little print out.

Pounds to Lose: 22

Blood Type

Let's get interesting... I finally got my donor card in the mail with my blood type on it. I am an exact match to my Dad so even though he doesn't need blood right now, if he ever does I am ready to help.

What blood type am I? AB+. This is the second rarest blood type in the world, with only 2-5% of us having it. It makes me feel very special and I am thrilled that I am the same as Dad. It feels like a little club just for us. I like to be unique and it explains a lot.

"Blood Type AB - Tend to be very charming and popular. They don't sweat the small stuff and can be seen as spiritual and even at times a bit "flaky". Only about 2 - 5% of the population are blood type AB. There is never a dull moment in a AB's life, so if you find one for a friend, consider yourself lucky! You'll enjoy some exciting times together!
Like blood type A's, AB's react to stress poorly. They are stronger and more active than type A's, but need to pay attention to stress levels so that they don't compromise their immunity.
Sometimes it is difficult to be an AB. AB's don't like to fit in anyone else's "boxes". If they feel too confined, they'll break out of that box and do things their own way. When it comes to food choices and AB must discover when they are more B-like or A-like. For example, dairy foods like milk kefir can be excellent for them or not good at all." Sourced

I think I need to do more reading, but I love learning more about me. I have always been amazed by how my body works... and apparently your blood type is the determining factor in a lot of things. In fact, in Japan 90+ percent of people know there blood type and it isn't uncommon to be asked your blood type in an interview or dating scenario.

Richard is A+ I haven't figured out what that means to us, but both of us being '+' means our children will also be positive AND won't have any issues living in my womb. A negative child and a positive mother can clash and cause birthing issues.

That's it... just a quick post to share my new found knowledge. I am going to keep reading, but if you're interested in percentages check out below.

Love!

Blood Type and RH	% of Population
O Positive	38%
O Negative	7%
A Positive	34%
A Negative	6%
B Positive	9%
B Negative	2%
AB Positive	3%
AB Negative	1%

Post FINAL Naturopath

It was an interesting meeting and because we are all friends here, I intend on sharing the highlight of yesterday, but that comes later.

First...

Yes that is GSP holding my countdown.

And then the meeting... I first met with Nancy. I still don't know her title, as I forgot to ask. She is the one that tested my system against 200+ foods, and chemicals. I wondered how it was going to work and asked a lot of questions (and you say I never do anything for you).

First she explained our bodies carry an electrical current that travels vertically from our feet to our heads. This current can be disrupted by any number of things, but today we were testing foods. Eating a food your body struggles with pulls more energy to a certain area and affects the flow, the digestive system and any other organ in its way. She explained this is why you react differently to different foods.

To test that theory she asks you to hold a large metal cylinder with one hand, while sitting in a chair with your feet flat on the ground. She than prods your other hand with a metal poker that carries the electronic break down of the foods you're testing. At no point did they rub milk all over me and wait for a reaction, its all internal and it doesn't hurt... except the constant pressure on your middle finger, which gets annoying. The results are sent to a computer and shown on a little graph. If the little line spikes above 65 you're intolerant of what is being tested. If it is below you're fine. The higher it is the worse it is for you to consume.

I hope this all makes sense.

Any who... after an hour Nancy had tested 234 things. She had a booklet of results and I had to discuss them with Nicole (my Naturopath). The only real concern she stumbled across was lettuce. I have a severe intolerance to lettuce, which is VERY rare... unless you are Celiac, which I am not (yay). She had to delve into my upbringing, because the only other reason you may have such a huge problem with Lettuce is the pesticide in the lettuce. So maybe i grew up on a farm or worked at on a farm with the constant contact with pesticide, but no. It's still a mystery and they recommended I avoid lettuce, unless its organic.

I never noticed any problem with Lettuce... although any digestive upset after eating lettuce was always attributed to the thing accompanying the lettuce. Sneaky Lettuce.

I left my appointments knowing what I should and shouldn't eat. Nothing will kill me, but its better for my health to avoid.

The other interesting thing... I am NOT lactose intolerant, but have a severe issue with Casine and Whey, the other proteins in milk products.

I am not intolerant to Gluten, but I can't have yeast or wheat... so I can have yeast free rye without concern, but that is a pain to find. I probably won't follow that rule to a tee, but its good to be aware.

The List of 'shouldn't's

Sodium Nitrate (the preservative in deli meats, bacon and sausage)
Dye, Red
Carageenan (the thickener in cheap ice cream, yogurt and soy milk)
MSG
Sodium Nitrite
Dye, Blue

White Vinegar
Yeast - Bakers
Chocolate
Soya Sauce

Red Wine
White Wine
Cola
Rum
Coffee
Root beer
Cocoa

Peanut Oil
Corn Oil
Superheated Vegetable Oil (Anything deep fried)

Cream Cheese
Parmesan
Camembert
Casein
American Cheese
Swiss Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Whey
Cottage Cheese
Cheddar Cheese *tear*
Butter
Yogurt
Brie

Clam
Crab
Shrimp
Red Snapper

Date
Lemon

Whole Wheat
White Flour
Wheat Bran
Spelt

Sugar Cane
Brown Sugar
Beet Sugar
Dextrose

Corn
Mushrooms

Catsup
Sweet Pickles

It seems like a lot, but in the grand scheme of things its not. I just have to be aware of what I am putting into my body, which I should be anyways.

The biggest concern I have (according to Nicole) is the natural yeast in my system. Yeast is a beast and takes on its own life when left alone. I have always had an issues with bladder infections and yeast infections, but never knew why. Turns out my yeast is off the charts. In perspective the average woman is about a 40 on the scale of yeast (I don't know what the number means, so I made that last part up, but it will make sense in a minute, bare with me) My yeast scale is around 82. So its high.

Nicole went on to explain what that means. It means I am always suffering from the aforementioned infections. It also means I crave sweets. Yeast becomes its own being inside your body and it craves sweet things. It needs sugar to grow. Thus my sweet cravings have perpetuated the problem. This much yeast in my body also affects my digestive system, my liver and a few other organs.

Nicole said my biggest concern has to be to get my Yeast number down. In order to do that I have to stop feeding it and give up sugar... in all forms, including fruit. I am also taking an anti-fungal. It is helping to attack the yeast, but it is making me so sick. The headache is out of control and its VERY uncomfortable, but its all for a purpose and i think I am beginning to understand.

I don't do well with restrictions, but i do, do well with the 'why'. Explain WHY I need to do something and I am more likely to do it. If, of course, it makes sense. This makes sense to me.

And the scale continues to drop so I can't complain. Show me results and I will stick to it.

As of today I am 4 pounds away from my 20-10 New Years Resolution. I never thought I would make it this far. As soon as I meet that goal it is on to this years goal. Another 20 pounds and being the lowest I ever have been as an adult.

Whewf! This is a LONG ass post... the funny story will have to wait till later.

Love!

Its Tuesday.

Yup! The countdown has left Facebook, or grown from Facebook on to this blog.

Only a few days left of Mother-in-Law goodness, mere weeks until total independence, and 41762 minutes until NAKED Tuesdays!

And what am I doing to distract myself? Besides making countdowns in every form possible...

I am triumphing over smaller countdowns, like today a countdown ended. The Post-Detox Diet countdown is over today. Technically I can eat WHATEVER I want. I am not going to, because I have no desire to spoil my 6 weeks of hard work, but I could and that is all that matters.

The Post-Detox has gone well... I had a rough week last week and it shows. I battled mother nature, a disgruntled parent, a vigilante bunny made of chocolate and the birthday of a much deserving foodie. I cheated, but I felt the consequence and probably won't do it again. I say 'probably' because we all know I LOVE food and will give in to temptation again, but my cravings have lulled and I feel better about myself. My body is functioning at high capacity and my mind is clear.

I would recommend a guided detox to everyone (and I have).

I am curious about tonight's appointment, in fact I have two. My first is with a 'Food' doctor. She has a 'real' title, but I don't know it. She is going to test my system with over 250 different foods and give me a full break down of my bodies intolerance and possible allergies. I don't know what to expect, but chocolate may be on the chopping block (I teared up, just typing that *sniff*).

I also can't decide if it is all a scam. For 28 years I have been eating food. How can I now have an issue with them? My best guess (because I often argue with myself) is I have always had issues with foods... it would explain all my ailments, but I hate it.

Oh well... I have rambled enough.

29 days... that's it!!

Yay!

Love!

I am sick.

I have been sick for about a week. It started as a sore throat and grew into a congestion monster with fever and dizzy spells. And yea, I am at work.

I did take Friday off to recover, but it didn't seem to work and fell worse today. I have a great job, but I always feel guilty about taking a sick today... we work on accounts and my sick day means double the work for my co-workers and I like them, for the most part. So here I sit... using my lunch hour to type, since going to the gym didn't seem like the best use of time today.

I am sticking to my post detox... its easier than I thought. So easy I sometimes feel like I am cheating. Like right now, I am chowing down on cashews and they're great. Also with this snack was a cup or fresh pineapple. I don't feel deprived. In fact, I never feel deprived at work. I eat when I am hungry and its good. I do feel deprived at home when everyone around me is munching on snacks.... cupcakes... chips... cookies and sauces.

I think I miss cooking and baking the most... I miss being in the kitchen. Its hard to want to do all those things, when you can't eat it or taste it along the way, but I guess that is what got me into this mess... Nicole completely Dr.Phil'd me... with a 'If what you're doing isn't working, change.' She's right, but after 28 years of doing it my way its hard to conform... even more so because I hate being told what to do, but as I said to her as long as the scale goes down I will mindlessly follow direction.

On that note... the scale has gone down, actually it is lower than it has been in almost 3 years AND I am not only 7 pounds away from my overall goal for 2010... late yes, but better late than never.

I am good... sick, but satisfied.

Love!

Day One...

I am getting the hang of this... finally. I actually had a satisfying dinner and am excited about my lunch. I am allowed a small amount of goat cheese everyday (1 ounce). I am going to abuse that right and eat goat cheese ALL THE TIME!

Last night I also quenched my thirst of bread... I found gluten-free, diary-free, sugar-free Millet loaf. It was alright... even good toasted with my scrambled eggs. It felt so good to sink my teeth in. I went to bed full... not just because I was congested, but because I had a full day of food and it felt good.

I think the underlying reason for all these food restrictions is to take food out of my every thought and make it JUST food. I can't focus on my diet because its not worth it... I don't dream about, drool about it or fantasize about it, but I think that's because swimming in a pool of chocolate is WAY better than a pool of gluten-free, sugar-free sludge. I am quickly becoming a person that eats to live and doesn't live to eat... a sad realization, but I am happy to make changes to be healthy.

I even powered through spinning yesterday. I survived the entire class and felt good. I haven't done that in weeks... now if I could just shake this stupid cold I would be good.

Vitamin C is my very best friend and the tropical fruit chewables are just like candy ;)

Another day...

Wish me Luck.

Love!

Or so I thought...

I met with  Nicole (my Naturopath, but I hate typing that word) last night. I am happy to say she was happy with my diet over the last 3 weeks. She was thrilled I stuck to it and was impressed by the diversity of my meal plans.

She followed up all the praise with... now we start the POST detox plan. This will take over the next 3 weeks. Its a lot of the same rules, but this time she has limited my portions AND limited my snacks. That being said I do get fruits back, natural sweeteners (honey, maple syrup) and lean beef. I am less regulated on my daily consumption, but I still can't have sugar, wheat or diary.

So I should feel better BUT I don't, because on top of giving up everything I love... I am sick. I have the worst sore throat I have ever had... and because of the pile of papers at  my desk. I am at work.

Oh yea and I get goat cheese... I don't know how I feel about that yet.

All of this is followed up with an appointment with a food... um... I think she is a food doctor, but I'm not sure. She will test over 250 foods with my system and let me know what I am truly allergic too.

Hmmm...

Wish my luck.

Love!

DAY 22 and its over!

Whewf! I made it... at the very least Richard survived the entire ordeal.

I have a final appointment tonight to see just what it all means and I hope, for my doctors sake, I am not allergic to gluten. I miss bread SO much!

As for the Richard reference... I am lucky to have someone SO understanding.

Day FOUR... started like any other day, but after 4 hours of traffic and a never depleting inbox I was ready to explode on any creature that dared to cross my path. I came home looking for a fight... This is where I have to admit, Richard and I don't fight, but tonight I would make it happen.

He sat casually on the bed... simply playing Call of Duty. At first I said nothing, daring him to ask about my day, but he didn't. He was engulfed in his game, which made things worse. Why wasn't he paying attention to me? I barked at him about ignoring me. Than I barked about his response and when he wouldn't respond I yelled at him for not communicating with me. He sat and smiled as I ranted about everything in my life. I went on to explain I hated my life. I hated every detail of our life and honesty I was ready to walk in front of a bus. I am screaming at this point and still he says nothing. Finally, I told him he didn't love me and stormed out.

After he had fallen asleep I climbed into bed. Our first night without a goodnight kiss and cuddle. I still had steam coming out of my ears over his lack of enthusiasm during our fight.

Day FIVE... after the post was even worse. I wanted a cookie so badly I scoured the Internet for something I could make at home. It couldn't contain wheat, diary or sugar. A daring feat, but after hours of crying at my computer begging for a break I found a vegan recipe that just might work. I had also cried to my follow detoxer Cheryl about being SO HUNGRY. She suggested Rice noodles and Pesto. I hate pasta, but I was desperate. I sent a text to Richard trying to exude excitement about my cookie recipe. His replied described how he was enjoying an Oreo. I was still sucking up after Day FOUR and didn't reply the way I wanted to... instead I cried. I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and spent $50 on specialty crap I needed to make these vegan cookies and this detox friendly dinner. They didn't have regular rice noodle so I got vermicelli noodles. They didn't have any fresh chicken so I go frozen chicken breast... and so on.

I came home ready to try out my new recipes... full of excitement over my new found treasures.

My cookies came out resembling cow pattys... only grosser.

My noodles had balled together, because you don't cook rice noodles the same as REAL noodles. My frozen chicken breast resembled a sponge when it was cooked and after dousing it all in pesto I realized this particular brand of pesto was made with cheese... I can't EAT cheese.

I threw out my cookies after demanding my mother in law taste them and calling her liar when she said they weren't THAT bad.

I marched upstairs to an awaiting Richard with my green ball of goo and sponge chicken. I didn't even make it into the room before I started weeping... uncontrollably. I couldn't be consoled. I couldn't catch my breath. I tried to explain the horror of my day, but Richard couldn't understand me and honestly he didn't hide his laughter all that well. I was a mess. He finally let me sit on his lap and there I sat crying for the next couple hours, before I finally fell asleep with an empty stomach.

This is why I hate detox... this is also why Richard is questioning going through pregnancy with me... poor guy didn't even see it coming.

I am almost done... it all comes to a close tonight and even though I know its going to make me sick... I am eating Oreo ice cream when I get home.

Wish me luck!

Love!

DAY FIVE

Today I am angry and I DARE you to ask where DAY FOUR went.

I think I have peaked on the sugar withdrawal. I have the shakes, I have been sweating ALL day and I am angry at the world. I nearly took on a transport truck on, on the way to work, because he was in my way. I should remind you I drive a hatchback.

My head is throbbing and my patience are virtually NON-existent!

I hate how I feel today and all i want to do today is crawl into bed, alone and undisturbed. I know I will pick a fight with my fiance tonight they may result in my loss of a fiance. Granted all the topics are valid, but I am sure today I lack a thing called 'tact'.

Thank GOD my mother in law to be is out of the house this evening... I can't be held responsible for my actions and all I want right now is CHOCOLATE! I want it and I want it BAD!

I went down to the gym to try and get rid of this bad energy, but I just found myself angry with the stupid cow on the machine beside me. If you are NOT going to do it RIGHT. Get off the machine!!!!!

There aren't enough exclamation marks to make my point.

ARGH!!!!!

This is NOT what I signed up for... I hate my life.

Day ONE

I have finished the first 24hours and I want to say I feel good. I think I feel proud, but not good. I had the predicted headache and was BY FAR the bitchiest I have ever been.

I slept a lot and I am relieved I started this process at home and NOT at work.

The morning shake is disgusting! It's grainy and terrible, not to mention lumpy because my magic bullet does NOT work. That in and of itself makes me angry.

I went shopping and after reading a lot of labels I left the store with a lot of goodies.

My new favorite thing... Cashew Almond Butter. YUM! It's all natural and only contains Cashews, Almonds and Sunflower oil. It's incredibly yummy and with or without the detox will be found in my cupboards.

As for my diet... my first day menu is below.

I feel good today... even though my shake was even worse and my oatmeal (without sugar) was terrible. I am a little hungry, but will be heading down the gym soon.

I woke up this morning 4 pounds lighter than Sunday morning (before the detox) so I LOVE that side of things.

The hardest part I have found so far is the fruit. I can have all kinds of fruit (No grapefruit or oranges), but because I tend to consume only fruits and no veggies my Doctor limited me to TWO fruits and I have to use one in my morning shake of gross.

Ok... this blog is a little bit of a ramble, but that's only because I haven't done much of anything yet.

Oh yea... my other good news. I can eat homemade Guacamole and Hummus. Mmm... I make my own Guac and only like it when I do.

Its...

2 ripe avocados

1 green pepper diced

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 a red onion

salt

pepper
and fresh lime juice.

**Don't forget to leave the pit in to keep it green ;)

My other childhood treasure I have a new appreciation for is raisins. I forgot how yummy they are and the perfect snack. They do count as a fruit, but I am ignoring that little detail.

Ok.. Menu Below.

Love!

Shake:
1 cup Frozen Field Berries (Blueberries, Raspberries and Strawberries)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 scoops of gritty detox powder
4 ice cubes.

Breakfast:
3 Omega Eggs (scrambled)
1/2 green pepper diced
1 small tomato diced
1/4 yellow onion diced
with Sea Salt and Pepper

Lunch:
2 tbsp Cashew Almond Butter
10 rice crackers
3 celery stalks

Dinner:
1 grilled chicken breast
1 sweet potato, roasted with onions and garlic
1 cup spring mix with oil and vinegar dressing

Snack:
10 Cashews
1 cup Fresh Pineapple
3 rice crackers with homemade guac

Where have I been?

I know I have pondered that thought before and it appears I have made a break for the hills and given up blogging completely. Which isn't true... I still blog on the wedding blog, but not everyday and not nearly as much as I would like. Certain people have discussed their distaste of blogging details, I am working on that issue, but until then I am back to the 'fitness' blog, which moving forward is going to be a 'health' blog as I feel like I have succeed in the fitness area of my life. No, I can't run a marathon, but I do go to the gym 5 days a week. I do participate in excerise classes as well as private training. I have the hang of it.

Moving forward I need to focus on my overall health. What sparked this new found excitment?

I went to a Naturopathic Doctor.

I had played with the idea for several years, but never found the time or the money to follow through.

I woke up in 20-11 still upset with my physique and still wondering what is really wrong with my body.

Why did I wait till March? I had to. She is that in demand that I couldn't get an earlier appointment.

I went into the appointment a skeptic. I had watched friends go through this. I had heard the 'diet' plan and I wasn't completely convinced she could help me, beyond the basics of suggesting more veggies and less junk. That I could figure out without paying the sitting fee.

I also decided to do this, because as my wedding grows closer so does my need to be a mother. I want babies and I want lots of them. I am hoping by starting now I will be able to get my body into peak shape before we try to conceive.

Fast-forward through the details, but after a 75-minute appointment I was sold on the alternative medicine. I gave them my credit card and said sign me up!

I sat with the doctor (who was fantastic, but won't be named) and told her my complete history, not just what brought me here, but all the stuff that lead me to being in this shape. We talked about medical history, drugs, relationships, work and family. She took lots of notes and asked a lot of interesting questions. Things that didn't appear to be related, but further along in the conversation made complete and total sense.

She did a small examine to determine my height, weight, resting heart rate and blood sugars. She also examined my tongue which that alone was amazing. While looks at my tongue she asked about ailments I hadn't thought to discuss. She knew all about it through my tongue.

So... what's the verdict? I can't go deep into the doctor speak, but my basic problem is my thyroid, again. It appears the glueten in my diet is blocking the receptors in my brain from commuting to my thyroid.

This is disrupting the functions of most of my organs. She went on to explain that my liver and kidneys are over worked and can't maintain all natural functions including fat burning. (I am paraphrasing and by no means a doctor, but this is what I understand.) She said it is common for a person with thyroid issues to have a glueten intolerance which wreaks havoc on their bodies, because it is in EVERYTHING... at least everything good.

She then went on to ask about my cravings. She knew I craved sweets and not just by looking in my mouth and seeing all my fillings, but by the shape and colour of my tongue. She went on to explain I have a high yeast count. This would explain my history with unexplained yeast infections and sugar cravings. She went on to explain yeast has a mind of its own and will dictate cravings and body function above any other organism.




She said once we regulate my glueten it will get the yeast under control and in turn silence my cravings, making it easier to stick to the low-cal diet.

She went on to tell me about my first step to better health. It all starts with a three day detox. She wants to clear out my system to get a better view of what's really going on. I agree my arteries are clogged with crap. I don't know what it means to eat well. I just don't have the knowledge and coming from an obese family I had no one to teach me.

So starting Sunday (March 20th) I am on a VERY strict detox program. I am not allowed any wheat, sugar, diary or red meat. I have limited fruits and nuts I am allowed. It is going to be tough, but non one said the road to good health was going to be easy. I have spent 28 years shoving chemicals and preservatives into my body. Only a naive person would believe it would be easy to reverse.




This blog has taken on a life of its own... I think that is enough info to get you started. I will be blogging throughout. I expect some bitchy days and apparently some gassy days, but the overall results will not only being a beautiful bride, stunning mother, but an over all health adult excited to age gracefully.

Wish my luck... I know I will need it.

Love!

It's Monday!!

Eliptical: 15 minutes
Running: 25 minutes
Abs: 10minutes
Calories: 677

Yes, I did a lot today, but that was only because the resolutionists were bunging up the machines.

I had a terrible weekend. It was stressful and I passed the time by baking. I made the biggest, baddest, chocolatest cookies EVER!! They were amazing... in fact, they still are amazing, but I am not allowed to consume them until the weekend. I am VERY strict during the week... I let it ALL hang out on the weekend.

That's a little dramatic... on the weekends I don't drink nearly enough water, I don't work-out and I don't track calories. I am still cautious of what I eat and when. I still attempt to drink water. I get caught up on my sleep and prepare for my week of discipline.

It works for me.

And the cookies were amazing... silly boys for getting me all worked up.

I am always up on Monday's, but I will be back down on Tuesday.

I have made a NEW pack... I will NOT dress shop (wedding dress) until I lose the full 25 pounds. I have about 18 to go. I think that is fair, besides I work better with deadlines and what better deadline than walking down the aisle with hundreds (yes, hundreds) of people watching you. I don't want to be a fat bride, that can't have the dress of her dreams because it doesn't fit.

That's it... no funny pictures today... WAIT... my gift to you... here is Richard playing Call of Duty with his friends... hehe!

He really is this cute... :)

Love!

Pounds to Lose: 17

Coconut? Or Bowling Ball?

I have heard this before... the magic of the coconut, but I don't know what to believe. I first heard about the true powers of coconut as an energy drink, perfect post work out. I also learned it has the genetic build up to do blood transfusions IF blood is not available. It happen in the war... or something (not that I am shooluffing off the incredible-ness of that feat, I just don't need it :)

I thought about drinking coconut water after a good sweat, but couldn't get past the texture and didn't find enough articles to back it up PLUS it is hard to find and I am ALWAYS on a budget.

Now the sneaky little coconut has popped up again... this time as a 'cure' for hypothyroidism... the BAIN of my existence. This theory says that the natural build up of coconut oil can aid in treating hypothyroidism and help you loose weight by simply working it into your diet. Sounds good right? Is it true? Am I getting sucked in my another fad? I am such a sucker for a good weight loss scam.

I just want to be skinny so badly and nothing works... not even the traditional diet and exercise. Hmmm...

Now before everyone gets excited... I am not going to shell out the money for MORE pills, but I am going to a naturopath. I am going to ask them hundreds of questions... I want to be healthy, but I don't know how to get there.

Check out the article...

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/dietweightloss/a/coconutoil.htm

What do you think? Am I getting scammed again???

Off to spin...

I love crackers!

Running: 35minutes (15 run + 20 run/sprint/walk)
Calories: 534

I love crackers; like I am IN love with crackers and would marry them, if they'd have me. I could dine on crackers 24 hours a day and never tire of their buttery goodness.

Alas I am not allowed to do so. The diet and impending wedding do not allow a diet strictly built on crackers. I wish some magical creature would develop the 'cracker diet'.

I did indulge this weekend... I wanted to avoid chips, candy and pop. I did so by snacking on trail mix, bananas and crackers. It went alright... I was hungry a lot, but otherwise good.

I even cleansed this weekend and by 'cleanse' I mean drinking a little (a lot) too much and ending up evacuation my stomach... several times. The magic of alcohol... it not only blurs your judgement and makes drinking oil seem like an EASY bet, but it cleans out your system... I spent the next 24 hours running to the lieu to get all the 'gross' out of me. All the while I vowed to NEVER drink (beer) again.

I am NOT promoting drinking... I had one heck of a headache the next day, but it did keep me from gaining everything over the cottage weekend, which is a miracle in and of itself.

Ok... I rambled, sorry.

I ran today. It felt... it felt like running. I did it and I am glad its over.

Love!

Pounds to lose: 20

PS... Don't you WISH there were pictures for this post?!?!