A Plan, Some Goals, and Determination.

I've made no bones about it that I am on the road to getting healthy. Though I've come to appreciate my body and stopped saying, "EW!" every time I look in the mirror, I have firm resolve to get healthy for my sake and to set a good example for the baby. 

The thing is with nursing and working a lot and having a small human depending on you it can be kind of difficult to remember to take care of yourself (is it just me?). Instead of making a drastic calorie cut or telling myself I'm going to work out for 90 minutes a day (pretty unattainable for me at this point), I've made a few goals that will help me drop the excess pounds and boost my overall well being.

Some reasonable, daily goals:

Water, water, water

I've mentioned before, but I've always been great about drinking water. Lately, I have had more days than not that I realize it's 1pm and I've had maybe 8 ounces. I'm shooting for at least 100 ounces a day, every day, no excuses.

Curbing alcohol intake

Since Rowan is nursing less, I've allowed myself to imbibe a bit more than before...like a glass of wine or two at least once a week. A small glass of red wine after baby's bedtime here and a nice glass of white with dinner there...those calories add up (not to mention that alcohol makes me bloat instantly). I'm limiting myself to one glass of wine per week maximum. 

10,000 Steps

I am a FitBit lover, total step geek, and all around nerd. Though I've had my FitBit lovingly clipped to my underoos for months, I've barely tried to hit my daily goal. Working from home and sitting while nursing make it a bit more difficult to hit that recommended 10,000 steps a day goal but I'm making an effort. 

Cut out/cut down on processed sugar

I know this to be true: when in doubt, eat real food. In the effort of saving time, there are days where I skip my usual spirulina smoothie and grab a cereal bar instead. A cereal bar. So sugar and pretty empty calories that don't do much to fill me up. Or I find myself mindlessly eating store-bought trail mix at 10pm. Rhyno, Type 1 diabetic, has also made a resolve to cut down on processed garbage.

One of my favorite girls, Molly, and I have made a little pact to keep one another accountable for the goals we've set (check out her post about it here). I'm also staying on track with MyFitnessPal and continuing to log every bite (are you on MFP? let's hook up!).

Here's to health!

Baby Talk: Losing Weight & Nursing Babes.

This week should be called "Nursing Talk" really...and on that note, you've been warned.

It's no secret that I'm on a quest to get healthy/lose some weight (unless you're new here and in that case hey gurl/boi, how you doin'?). Since the day Ro-w Row Row Your Boat was born I've lost a total of 54 pounds. I'm really happy that I've been successful in losing a chunk of weight (and I rue the days I ate pizza and drank wine pre-pregancy because I'm paying for it now). I have lost every pound I gained while I carried my babe but now I'm working on losing pre-pregnancy excess weight. 

What I've learned about losing weight this time around? Trying to drop pounds while nursing a baby can be a real pain in the ass. The first couple months I was always hungry, I constantly hit plateaus, and now I have to be careful that I don't go too crazy for fear of damaging my milk supply. A couple months ago I lost 5 pounds in one week...and immediately was met with a fussy babe who was NOT getting enough of the good stuff because my supply had dipped. It's this constant dance making sure to keep my supply up while hoping to see the pounds fall off. 

In researching losing weight while nursing I've come to the conclusion that slow and steady wins the race. I've gotten past the idea that I can lose 20 pounds in a month or that I can eat 900 calories a day. 

Here are some quick tips that have worked for me in losing these 54 pounds and working toward losing the next 50:

Water, Water: All. The. Time.

 Water is my favorite. Everyone knows chugging the clear stuff is awesome for you and I am happy that I instilled this habit years ago. I try to hit at least 80 ounces a day (but strive for my weight in ounces). I'm learning to stop drinking my calories--tea instead of wine, passing on sugary OJ for a cold glass of water, etc.

Gentle Movements

 I'm not someone who has ever had a hardcore workout routine (shocking, right?). I lost 18 pounds in the month before I got pregnant with Rowan and even then I was doing a bit of time on the elliptical (how magical are those things?) and walking the track at my gym at a leisurely pace. It's just about movement with me. I would love to be someone who can train with Jillian Michaels six days a week or someone who runs miles and miles every day. Right now, that's not what works for me. I use my FitBit to track steps and aim for 10,000 a day. Down the road, I'm contemplating investing in my own elliptical since the one at my gym was a beaut and it never felt like a tough workout but blasted calories.

Choose Good Calories & Keep Track

 Firstly, stick to your own calorie count. I firmly believe different people need different calorie numbers. Pre-baby weight loss, I stuck to 1,200-1,300. Now, knowing I need a few extra, I stick to 1,800 a day. It's crazy how quickly those calories can disappear when you watch what you're eating. Sure, I can have a glass of wine with toast (ugh, I love toast) OR I can have a ton of produce with a bit of hummus. I try to fill my 1,800 calories with really high nutrient things like spirulina, tofu, bananas, almond butter, fruit, steamed veggies, and hummus. I use MyFitnessPal's app to keep track of everything and I really love it--it's easy, quick, and I love the social aspect of cheering other people on (are you using MFP? What's your username, boo?).

Eat Clean, But Not TOO Clean

 I believe in treats. There I said it. Since I am nursing, I do try to fill my daily plate with lots of greens, vegan proteins, antioxidants, and "superfoods." Buuuut, sometimes I just want a salted soft pretzel. And I have one with spicy mustard. When I totally deprive myself, I always fall off the wagon. Keeping my plate mostly clean helps keep the pounds off but I allow myself to indulge too. Rhyno and I want to watch movies with the babe and order Chinese takeout on a Saturday night? I'm not killing myself over it. I let myself have that spring roll and a Sprite and sodium-laden soy sauce....but not every day. It's all about balance.

Embrace Your Bod 

The most powerful thing I've done in losing these 54 pounds is embracing my body as is. I've suffered from disordered eating and body dysmorphia my entire life and I can finally say I'm happy with myself. Sure, I wish more of my clothing fit and I wish I wasn't so jiggly but I'm happy. My body is strong and carried a healthy baby and continues to nourish said babe. I've survived grief and the awkward ugly duckling years and loss and nights spent making bad decisions. I'm working on creating an even healthier body but it takes so much stress off to just accept the one I have, too.

What are your best tips for slow and steady weight loss?

The Accidental Vegan.

If you've followed along on this corner of the internet, you know that I'm a full-time vegetarian who's constantly thinking about becoming  a vegan. During my pregnancy with Ro-maine Lettuce (lol) I stuck to my vegetarianism despite some well-meaning dummies constantly telling me that I should be eating "steak, here and there" or that "chicken will create a stronger baby."

I ate tofu and spinach like a muth and I promise that my baby boy is already much stronger than he should be. 

When people heard I was breastfeeding the meat pushers came back out in full force and this time they were slinging dairy at me, too. During my pregnancy I enjoyed about a billion ice cream cones and a daily serving of coconut flavored Greek yogurt.

In the first 6 weeks of breastfeeding I continued to eat yogurt and dump cheese on things and indulged in milk-made foods daily (despite the fact that cow's milk has always creeped me out). After about a week at home we noticed that Ro-bo Cop (I have a million of these) was an incredibly gassy baby...like screaming and turning red gassy...constantly. Our pediatrician suggested trying gas drops and said that it just takes newborn tummies some adjusting before they settle down. We tried different types of gripe water, I burped him mid-feed, we made sure it wasn't the beginning of colic or reflux (thank Cheez-its it wasn't), and we struggled to help him toot so that he'd feel better. After talking with a lactation consultant and our pediatrician I was advised to try cutting out dairy (some baby bellies can't break down dairy proteins they receive through breastmilk. science, man.) and see if things improved. After a week he seemed better, less gassy, and it was easier for him to sleep. We knew it was a dairy intolerance for sure when we gave him milk that I had frozen while I was still eating dairy as a test and his old symptoms returned with a vengeance. So what's a new mom to do? Cut out all the dairy goodness and try not to look back.

Some things I've realized since making the jump (overnight!) to 100% dairy-free:

Finding dairy replacements isn't THAT hard
 When I mentioned cutting out dairy there were a few folks who quickly told me there was no better source of calcium than cow's milk and that it'd be hard to find replacements. Wrong-o. Since I haven't actually had a glass of cow milk in years (just consumed other dairy products) I already knew that was untrue. There's soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, the list goes on. If anything, I think we live in a time where there are more options than ever (could you imagine finding organic coconut milk at a chain grocer like Jewel in the early 1990's? Me either). Take a trip to the "healthy/organic" aisle at a chain grocery store or stop in a health food emporium and BOOM! You have a ton of dairy-free options. Soy ice cream, no-dairy butter, milkless milk, coconut yogurt, anything your heart desires. You just have to do a bit of research and taste-testing to find what you like.

On that note...

Trial and error, dude, trial and dang error
 As with anything, it takes a bit of work to find what you like best and which dairy-free options work best for you. For instance, it took a few tries to learn that I love coconut milk to drink with chia seeds mixed in but I prefer almond milk for baking or using in smoothies. I try to stay away from soy-based options because I think they make me gain weight. Dairy-free cheese can be your personal Everest. Some are amazing, some are revolting. Buy a few different kinds of things and see what you like. I did a vegan month a few years ago (I made it like 13 days at the time) and I went to our health food store and bought everything. For real. I spent a ton of money and bought all sorts of different dairy-free yogurts, egg replacers, plant-based milks, you name it so that I could try different things and see what I liked. It was a bit of a spend at the time but I'm glad I did it because in going dairy-free this time I knew just what to buy.

For the record I love Trader Joe's almond milk, Lisanatti almond cheese paired with crackers,  Daiya "cheese" for melting on/in things, So Delicious frozen desserts & ice creams, and Tofutti frozen pizzas, cream cheese, & sour cream.

Ignore that well-meaning dopes 

I honestly think people are trying to help when they horn in on my diet but it usually comes from a place of personal habit. We grew up thinking cow's milk was the only way to get strong bones, so what do I mean I'm not drinking it? Eggs and fish are the only things that build brain health, why wouldn't I eat them often? It's just antiquated thinking. I feel like there's enough research out there that proves calcium, Omega fats, and a billion other nutrients are plentiful in plant-based foods and hi, take a vitamin for insurance.

As a general note, I would never ever cut things out of my diet if it was going to put my baby at risk. I went dairy-free to help him and I made sure to research his needs, talk to his doctor, and fix my diet so that I am building a healthy baby boy.

It takes a village...to find really great recipes on a budget
Okay, it's only been two weeks and I have an infant so I haven't been able to test a ton of great recipes yet (tofu stir fries have been my dinner BFF) but during 3am feedings I have searched Pinterest for great dairy-free or vegan dishes that are quick and easy. Every damn "vegan slow cooker meals!" pin leads to a chili recipe. I love a good chili as much as the next gal but let's broaden our horizons.

In talking with some friends I've made it my mission to find and share great, healthy vegan recipes that don't take twenty years to make.

When you are cheese tempted, find motivation
 Though I gave up dairy for my Ro-ad Dawg (I could do this all day), I have a passion for animals too and that serves as a huge motivation for me. Up until a few years ago I blindly believed that no one really suffered for dairy. I won't get into it here, but that's untrue. Whenever I'm tempted to order a cheese pizza I do a bit of research. In the middle of the night while up with my bouquet of Ro-ses (too much?) I watch food documentaries like Vegucated, even if it seems weird. I remind myself what goes into that carton of milk and suddenly I want to keep my cookies far, far away.

 Do you do dairy?

 

Pin-Spirational: Cold Remedies.

Welcome back to Pin-Spirational!

The Pin:Knockout Recipe for Colds

The Reason: A couple of weeks ago I woke up one day sick as a dog. Not being in the place to self medicate with Mucinex and DayQuil like I usually do (a terrible habit which I'm trying to ween myself off of) I decided to hit Pinterest for some natural recipes for wellness.

 

The Process:

Gather your supplies.

You'll need apple cider vinegar, a lemon, and some honey (I have two because Rhyno wasn't sure what the difference was). 

Mix up the concoction in a mug and microwave it. After I heated it up, I added a bit of room temperature water to dilute things a bit. This was STRONG. I drank this twice a day before using my Neti Pot and I did notice that things, um, cleared up and drained out afterward.

The Verdict:Undecided. I want to stress that I actually love apple cider vinegar AND I drink warm lemon juice every morning but the taste of this? Woof. Bad. I guzzled it through a straw to avoid damaging my enamel. I did notice a bit of a difference but I was also using a neti pot and sleeping a lot of drinking copious amounts of tea so I'm not sure what it was exactly that made me feel better. It did take me about 6 days to regain health so don't expect any miracles.

Have you tried any great pins lately?

Sick Day.

Things are a bit quiet around here because...I am SICK! (Did you think I was going to say I had the baby early?)

Monday morning I woke up feeling a little "off" and then quickly realized it was a head cold. My baby shower is on Sunday so I am anxious to get healthy quickly! I'm avoiding all cold medicines because I'm positive they aren't good for bebe so natural remedies have taken over my life. I've been drinking lots of green juices/smoothies, hot water with lemon, pregnancy tea with honey, taking my vitamins, and I'm BFFs with my neti pot. 

I've been trying to sleep more than usual (darn pregnancy insomnia isn't really helping with that) and have been making dinners with LOADS of garlic and bell peppers. When I can't sleep, I'm trying to rest. Usually when I'm sick I push myself too hard and then take longer to recover. I have a to-do list a mile long but have been trying to ignore it and just lay down with a glass of OJ and pile of tissues.

Here's to crossed fingers that I am back to 100% by this weekend, I've been looking forward to my shower for months!

What are your go-to natural remedies when you're sick?

Pin-Spirational: Chia Juice.

Welcome back to Pin-Spirational!

The Pin: Make Your Own Chia Drink

The Reason: I started drinking a big scoop of chia seeds in a tall glass of water every morning after reading about all the benefits of doing so from Kris Carr. I've been trying to get Rhyno on board with doing the same since we decided to get healthier before we become parents. I started with stirring the seeds into orange juice but he said they clumped up unless he stirred the whole time (high maintenance breakfast drinker, that one). During a grocery run at Target he picked up some of those Mamma Chia drinks--he loved them, which is great for his digestive health but not so great for our wallets. Those suckers are expensive and rarely do I find a coupon! So I set out to see if there was a way I could get the same gel-like texture at home.

The Process: I apologize in advance for the blurry photos...

Gather your supplies. In this case that means juice of your choice (we only had orange), chia seeds (I used black), a bowl, measuring utensils, and warm water. Easy enough!

 Put 2 tablespoons of chia seeds into a bowl--sorry I didn't use some cute, thrifted, twee bowl. I just used plain, ol' Tupperware.

Pour a cup of warm water over your seeds.

 

Stir it up! Make sure all your seeds are coated with water.

 

  Cover your seeds and leave in the fridge overnight.

The next day, remove your seeds (which will have a total jelly texture) and pour a nice, big glass of your juice of choice. Um, not too big though...I poured too much OJ and then had to gulp some down to make room for the seedlings.

Mix together! Stir it well. I noticed right away the texture is much different when you soak the seeds over night. I typically put a raw spoonful in water and it clumps together and stays at the top of the glass. After soaking, these were pretty evenly distributed and didn't seem to require constant stirring.

The Verdict: A winner! Though next time I might make the juice at home and try different flavors, Rhyno said the texture was spot-on and BOY does this save money! Mamma Chia can cost about $4 or $5 at our Target whereas I can get seeds in bulk for about $5 (and it'll last me weeks) and a carton of orange juice is only a couple bucks. I'm a hoarder of glass containers so this would be easy to pour into a recycled bottle and grab on the go.

Rhyno and I are already dreaming up other flavors to try--homemade grapefruit or cherry juice with a bit of coconut water? Carrot juice with kale? Watermelon juice with a little mint? The possibilities are endless!

Have you tried any great pins lately?

Plus Sized Pregnancy....GULP.

My first public "bump shot" with the statue of a baby giraffe because, why not?

 Pregnant ladies: cute, glowing, not an ounce of unruly fat aside from the basketball-sized bump, wearing shorts or bikinis without a care...right?

Yeah, in posters and in the media and even sometimes in real life BUT not me. Nope.

When I first found out I was pregnant I was elated (still am, don't worry) but still really mentally beat myself up about not getting to, or even remotely near, my "goal weight" before pregnancy. I've tried to eliminate this from my thoughts because at the point I can't go back in time, lose the weight, and then get pregnant again so I've just tried to shift focus to eating healthy (...minus a few hundred cravings for ice cream cones...) and worrying about my vanity later. I have always had this fantasy that by the time I got knocked up I'd be fit and in shape, still taking barre classes with my basketball bump, and wearing cute shorts and tank tops.

Then yesterday Rhyno and I went shopping for maternity jeans and that cold bitch reality shook me by the shoulders and branded "FATTY" on my forehead. 

I've managed to get though the first now 19 weeks of my pregnancy without a complete upheaval of my wardrobe, only buying a few pairs of maternity leggings for lounging around the house and two stretchier sweaters. But the time has come, I have a real baby bump (and not just a "fat bump" as I kept worrying I had before) and my old pants are just not comfortable. We headed out pick up some jeans, dresses, and comfy t-shirts for mom-to-be yesterday morning, I was so excited! I love new clothes! 

Old Navy had exactly one pair of maternity jeans big enough to fit over my hips. After searching the shelves full of pants seeing "2, 4, 6, 8" and nothing for me I did it. I burst into tears and started ugly crying about how apparently women who were already fat before getting pregnant aren't allowed to feel cute or even have remotely cute clothing. Rhyno calmed me down and we walked out with one single t-shirt. We headed to Target where there was also ONE pair of my size maternity jeans. I pointed to the poster of a pregnant woman in shorts an a tunic and whined, "THAT! That's what I should look like, not this fat cellulite-ly mess like I do! And it's all my fault!" 

I have a terrible habit of not caring if I cause a scene around strangers.

After resigning myself to the one pair of jeans, Rhyno took me into and an empty aisle. "I know you're upset but you are beautiful. You are doing a good job." Then he made a bunch of comments about how I could wear shorts around the house "for him" and wiggling his eyebrows. Pervy twist to the conversation aside, it knocked some sense into me that this is not a time in my life where I should be wasting energy on fat thoughts. I've had late night anxiety attacks thinking that I have already risked my baby's healthy by not losing the weight before conceiving him or her. "Pasta and wine were more important than a healthy baby because I'm such a selfish person." The funny thing? I've only gained about 4 pounds so far and now I obsess that I'm not gaining enough (the doc says we're doing just fine and all looks healthy). I think the best thing I can do now is just to chill out and, for once in my life, let go of the fat thoughts for real.

So. I'm embracing it. This is my body. As long as the baby is healthy and I'm healthy, it's okay that I don't have a pregnant body like Mila Kunis or Rachel Bilson. I'm taking care of myself and my baby and trying not to stress about not fitting my pre-pregnancy dream of what I'm supposed to look like. I'm taking bump photos (and posting them!), I'm working with the clothing I have (and maybe even making some myself!), and--most importantly--I'm trying to remind myself about how beautiful this time in my life is and how beautiful I am.

Any tips for dressing a plus sized body with a bump?

Focus on Health.

via

My Kind of Sort of Vegan Life (don't hold me to that).

It's no secret that I am basically obsessed with animals and I am an aspiring, but too lazy, vegan wanna be. I'm a longtime vegetarian but still trying to transition to fully vegan living. I've realized that the 80% vegan is probably where I fall--it's easy for me to stay on track during the week but harder on weekends or when we go out. Real vegans, please don't hurt me.

Instead of jumping in with both feet and throwing away every animal product I have on hand, I've slowed the transition. I've started doing one totally vegan day a week and last year started phasing out animal-tested (ew) cleaning and beauty products in our house. That's still tricky since I'm still researching which companies are evil...um...I mean...which companies still undergo animal lab tests and which don't. 

Anyway, the book above (from the lovely Angela at Oh She Glows). One thing I've come across with some vegan products and cookbooks...the chemicals. Oh, chemical warfare up in my mouth! I want to eat animal-free AND clean so I pre-ordered the OSG cook book and have been drooling over the beautiful, delicious-looking, whole foods recipes. I'm planning to cook some up this week and report back. I've been on the hunt for products that aren't loaded with chemicals (things like Larabars and almond cheeses) because this bod is a temple and I have no business fuming up my temple.

What are your favorite whole foods cook books or products?

What's (home) Cookin', Good Lookin'?

I am about to blow your mind: guess who has come to crave home cooked meals instead of fast food or lunches out? This moi.

I mentioned here that in our quest to get healthy, Rhyno and I have been trying to eat more meals at home. We've been trying to give new recipes a shot and update our old favorites (like buttered noodles) to make them a little lighter (gluten free noodles, subbing a smidge of olive oil for butter, and adding TONS of veggies). 

In addition to the delicious sweet potato cakes we made last week we also enjoyed...

 Gardein "turkey" cutlets with gravy, steamed veggies, and sweet n' spicy mashed sweet potatoes.

Personal quinoa taco casseroles and, shockingly enough, a big side of steamed broccoli. 

In the upcoming week I have even more homemade dinners planned (like fajitas, gluten free spaghetti, and a squash stir-fry). Admittedly, it does take a little extra effort since I've been trying to be religiously tracking every single bite on MyFitnessPal but it's been so worth it. I do find that keeping a variety on our dinner board can be tough (especially since I'm a vegetarian who is trying to go completely dairy free and Rhyno is a Type 1 Diabetic). Pinterest is a life-saver when it comes to trying to drum up 7 different dinners every single dang week. It's also been helping me to bookmark recipes I see on blogs throughout the week and flip through my giant stack of cookbooks while I drink my coffee in the morning.

What's your favorite healthy and home-cooked dinner? 

Straight Tippin'.

So, checking in about my weight loss journey. 

I am super happy to report that (as of last week) I am officially 15 pounds down from January 1st!

Um, I didn't have a good photo for this post so here is a (very rare for me) "selfie" that I sent to my family. I was pretending to dump coffee on my head and looking a little deranged. Because I'm very mature and sophisticated.

I haven't weighed in this week since I did indulge in some pizza on Superbowl Sunday and I want to give myself a couple days to work it off so I don't get discouraged. Even though I'm not at my goal weight or anything, I thought I'd share a few tips from the past month of actually trying to get healthy. (PS: if you also want great tips from someone who is super healthy, my friend Molly is your girl).

1.) Eat at home!

Rhyno and I LOVE to order in and go out to eat. We always have. At our old condo we were only minutes from some of the most delicious Thai, Indian, Mexican, pub, and Italian food. We got into this yucky pattern of ordering in constantly. Once we moved to our house we kept up with the habit, even though our options dwindled significantly. Last year we'd order in at least (and this is embarrassing to say) 4 times a week. 

2.) Water, water

My water intake is going up, up, up. I chug a big mason jar (about 16oz) before every meal and snack. I chug a jar before and after the gym. I try to drink a whole glass before I even get out of bed in the morning (I have a lifelong habit of leaving a glass of water on my nightstand, I can't sleep without it). I still try to drink my weight in ounces daily but when I just can't, I'm trying not to sweat it. 

3.) Distracting myself

 I always wondered how people go through really tough work outs because when I focus too much on what I'm doing I want to give up. And then I do give up. So now when I hit the gym, I put the elliptical on one of the pre-made programs (so it controls the resistance and incline automatically). By doing this I can just zone out to my iPod (which is full of the Nashville soundtrack and Missy Elliot at the moment). I have been MUCH busier at work and it is such a blessing--when I am busy I have less time to mindlessly eat and I fall into a much more solid daily routine.

4.) Making new goals

I've been hitting the gym about two or three times a week (except last week when I went zero times since I was sick as a dog AGAIN). My goal for February is to go to the gym at least four times a week. I love the calorie burn and how awake I feel when I knock out my cardio first thing in the morning.

5.) Get Some Zzzzz's

I have always wished I didn't need any sleep because it feels like such a waste of time (I've been an insomniac since I was a toddler so sleep has never really seemed appealing to me).  I have been trying SO hard to make sleep seem like "me" time. I have been slowly weaning myself of falling asleep with the TV on to help myself fall asleep and stay asleep. I tried quitting cold turkey but I wound up laying in bed wide awake for hours. My new bedtime routine is lotion on my feet with thick socks, a big cup of sleepy tea, the TV with the sleep-timer set on 60 minutes, and a cute sleep mask. I started with the timer at two hours, then an hour and a half, now an hour, soon 45 minutes. I set my alarm for about 5 and am now working on NOT hitting snooze at all.

Cheers to another 15 pounds! What are your best weight loss tips?

Checking In & Wrapping Up.

So the third and final week of the 21 Day Adventure Cleanse is upon us and....I have cut the "cleanse" short. 

I know, I know. I felt like a failure when I decided to step off the raw, vegan ride but I am ONLY allowing myself to leave the party early as to avoid a huge binge of some sort and to keep myself on track. I weighed in on Saturday morning, after nearly two full weeks on the cleanse (minus some very minor cheats that I worked off in the gym). I hadn't lost any weight. Zip, zilch, nada.  Still. 

I've mentioned before that I lose weight very slowly, so slowly that my doctor was positive I had a thyroid problem or something like that until I did a ton of blood panels and we found absolutely nothing wrong with me, just a case of poor genetics I guess. When I stepped on the scale and saw no movement, despite working hard, I felt discouraged. I felt disappointed in myself and wanted to give up. Like, if I'm going to look like this anyway why not eat french fries and spend more time watching TV on the couch? So, I decided to go off the cleanse to take some pressure off. Kind of, sort of.

Kris Carr says to make it work for you and that's exactly when I'm going to do. I really did enjoy the cleanse and I have felt a lot better since starting out two weeks ago. I plan to continue to incorporate a lot of the elements of the cleanse into my lifestyle (dry brushing, wheatgrass shots, fresh juice for breakfast, etc.). On Saturday I decided to start watching caloric intake instead of focusing just on being vegan/raw and I've lost two pounds as of this morning. Maybe I was just stressing myself out too much to lose weight on the cleanse? Maybe I wasn't getting enough calories? Who knows? I plan to continue tracking everything on MyFitnessPal and hitting the gym as many days a week as possible. I'm also going to slowly cut out dairy and processed products, as opposed to dumping everything all at once. I am making it work for me and I plan to use some of the great-looking recipes from Carr's cookbook, while also relying on some (healthy) Guffey household favorites.

Part of the point of sharing my journey even when things don't go as planned is to teach myself to be more aware and to stop being so hard on myself. I'll still be posting weekly about weight-loss progress and my goal to slowly wean off of all processed food.

 Want to encourage one another? Let's connect on MyFitnessPal.

Gains & Challenges.

Just checking in here!

It's the second week of the  Kris Carr 21 Day Adventure Cleanse. I planned to share my weigh in today buuuuuut I'm not weighing in yet. On Saturday being curious got the best of me and I jumped on the scale. I had gained. I had been feeling SO great and the second I saw a heavier number, I felt those negative feelings slinking back in. At dinner I allowed my self gluten-full pasta and later I had a glass of wine. I easily could have gone bananas with the emotional eating but I tried not to. I splurged but not so much that I wanted to crawl in a hole and be ashamed of myself.

So I won't be weighing in until Monday. In the spirit of breaking old, negative patterns I've decided to use this gain to fuel my desire for success instead of letting it drive me to a bag of processed donuts. I know that I could have gone to the gym more and pushed harder while there--I was doing the stationary bike & walking the track. I was sweating but not nearly as much as I could have.

My minimum goal is 10,000 steps a day (I usually hit it around 8pm). On Monday I hit the number above before 5pm.

On Sunday evening, still feeling a teeny bit sorry for myself, I wanted to have a glass of wine and eat pizza rolls. Instead I started prepping for a healthy Monday. I laid out my gym shoes & charged my iPod. I put on my workout clothes to sleep in and set my alarm for 5am. I decided I wouldn't allow myself to use the stationary bike since I don't push myself hard enough when I use it. 

I wound up waking up around 3:30am unable to fall asleep again. I got out of bed, did some work, & then hit the gym right when it opened. I loved being there so early! I found an incline elliptical and hopped on. 

I AM IN LOVE. 

I have been using the machine all week and am burning three times the calories I was before. I do the machine for 30-40 minutes and then ten laps on the track. I already feel like I have more energy and I feel less bloated. My goal this week is to hit the gym three times, next week four, and build up to six.

I am proud of myself for actually physically challenging myself. Usually I'd wuss out, I'm so happy that I've been putting the pedal to the metal and doing this...even if the scale isn't reflecting that quite yet.

Happy Wednesday!

So Far, So Good.

I'm officially in the thick of the first week of the Kris Carr 21 Day Adventure Cleanse!

So what has been going on so far?

Green Juice.

I've been making two tall glasses of green juice every morning (saving one for an afternoon snack). To make two juices I throw in: 2 large cucumbers (washed, unpeeled), a shit-ton of spinach (probably around 4 or 5 cups), and a cup of fresh cranberries (mostly because I had a coupon). When it's all juiced up I pour into a glass and stir in some chia seeds. I actually started making this a habit a few weeks ago. I try to keep myself liquid until noon every day, know what helps with that? WATER.

Oh, water.

Before my wedding (you remember, when I lost 50 pounds only to gain it all back) I was drinking my weight in water every.single.day. In the last couple years I have definitely been lagging on my intake but I have been making a better effort to drink my weight in ounces of water every day. I have noticed a big difference in my energy levels all day. I'm not sure if that's the upped water intake talking or the other healthy habits I've adopted but I'll take it.

 Trying (healthy) new things.

Carr mentioned Maca powder and I was interested. After doing some research on the internets, I found that this stuff has a lot of benefits (you can see some here). It aids in mood, easing menstrual cramps, fertility, stomach issues, skin issues, and can (apparently) make you pretty randy. It's worth a shot because TMI ALERT my cramps every month are cuckoo bananas. I was taking Evening Primrose caplets because those have been said to help but they didn't do much for me. Real talk: this stuff does taste like dirt--it'd probably be best if you toss it in smoothies but I drink it straight up in a glass of water. Maca with breakfast and wheatgrass with lunch. Who am I becoming?

Not Being So Hard on Myself.

I've done tons of cleanses and diets in the past (Body for Life, Jillian Michaels, Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, Hungry for Change, Kaeng Raeng) and I would beat the crap out of myself mentally when I didn't stick exactly to the plan. I think this is what makes me gravitate to Kris Carr. She tells you to be lenient, do what works for you. Don't force yourself to fast once a week if you don't feel like it's possible for you. Don't chug wheatgrass if it makes you vomit. Be good to yourself and silence your inner bully. I've tried to remember this whenever I catch myself engaging in negative self-talk.

 Scoot the Loot (Even if It's Cold).

I mentioned before that my awesome mom got m a gym membership at our local park district for Christmas. I made a goal to go at least three days a week at first and eventually build up to six. The first day of the Adventure Cleanse was a no-go for the gym because we were hit with ChiBeria and everything was closed! Unfortunately our basement--where I keep my rebounder, treadmill, and weights--is a disaster area since it is the only space I haven't cleaned and purged yet. The gym reopened on Tuesday and I have been there every morning between 6:15 and 7am doing a half hour on the stationary bike and then 10 laps around the indoor track. I know that my current workout is someone else's warm-up but who cares? Someday it'll be my warm-up too.

It's About More than Diet and Exercise.

It's about total health. After the gym and shower in the morning I drink hot lemon water with cayenne pepper, do an oil pull, dry brush, run an ice cube over my face, use my Neti Pot, and then drink my breakfast. It is a very finely-tuned machine already and I think I am mastering doing all that at once so it doesn't take nearly the time it seems it would. I know that my current work-from-home situation allows me a bit more time in the morning to get all these healthy rituals complete so I won't say that I know for sure that I will always do all of this every day. But for now I'm really enjoying it. Doing all these little things for myself before 8am every day helps start the morning on the right foot and encourages me to stay on track.

Make Attainable Goals.

 I am the queen of unattainable and somewhat ridiculous goals. I really am. I have said before that I am the person that will say, "My goal is to lose 50 pounds in two months." Maybe I saw someone on TV do it, maybe I heard of a friend of a friend who lost 80 in a month. It isn't attainable for me. I've always lost weight pretty slowly and my body takes time to adjust. In 2014 I am changing my weight goal-setting mindset. I would like to hit my goal weight (100 pounds down) by December 31, 2014. Knowing my past patterns and doing some research, this is attainable. In the meantime, I am making small goals every day that make me feel accomplished when I check them off my mental to-do list. 100 squats, 100 crunches, 100 wall push-ups, 10,000 steps. I've had similar daily goals in the past and it worked well. I do these throughout the day (so if I only have time for 10 squats before a conference call, that's what I do until I have more time). I love working from home for a TON of reasons. One problem though? My step count is ZILCH. Hitting 10,000 steps takes an active effort when I am sitting in my office working the whole day. Last night I had to walk laps around the house at 8pm to get to the number pictured above. Whatever it takes, right?

What Works Best for ME.

 I love that the Adventure Cleanse is a set of guidelines instead of a strict program. There isn't a menu plan per say, just some suggestions. You should be eating gluten-free, caffeine-free, vegan, unprocessed, whole foods with a 80/20 or 60/40 alkaline/acid ratio in mind. Though it is suggested to eat mostly raw foods I have been eating soups for lunches because that's what works for me right now. Again, in the midst of busy work days, it is a quick and easy meal that I don't have to put a ton of time (or money, frankly) into. I choose low-sodium varieties from Amy's Organic but plan to make a big vat of my soup for next week's lunches. Also, I had set out to make different dinners every night but I have been relying mostly on GIANT salads with lots of veggies, a bit of olive oil, and sliced avocado. As long as my chow falls within the gluten-free, caffeine-free, vegan, unprocessed guidelines, I'm not beating myself up over it.

Some other notes: Rhyno asked me if I was planning on doing any "cheat" or "free" meals on the plan (really he just wants to know if we can have tacos on Saturday). I'm still thinking about it. I know having that one meal is good because it helps you not fall off the wagon, I'd like to stay within the guidelines as to not undo any progress. I guess I'll see how tempted I feel. Carr also suggests doing one day of fasting per week (just juices, still getting nutrients). I'm going to try it on Sunday but if it turns me into a monster I'm fine chowing down a Larabar.

 I plan to do a weight loss update sometime next week to allow my body to adjust to my new routine a bit. 

Cheers to another day of living like I mean it! :)

21 Days: Prep & Day One.

In case you missed it: I mentioned here that for the next 21 days I'll be participating in Kris Carr's Adventure Cleanse.

One day in and I'm feeling...pretty good! 

As far as prep work goes, the Adventure Cleanse does require quite a bit. I started planning my little journey out about a week beforehand and began gathering things I'd need (a neti pot, pH testing strips, etc.). I bought a disposable paper calendar so I can write down the menu and what needs to be done each day. Up front: I was lucky because I already owned most of the tools since I'm in love with Ms. Carr. If you decide to cleanse too and are in need of testing strips, supplements, or the like I suggest hitting up Drugstore.com (not an affiliate link or paid endorsement...I actually shop there in real life). 

I started today by taking my pH balance (more about that here). It was 5.5 which is acidic (thank you, last night's wine and spicy pasta!). The goal is to find a more alkaline to acid balance (I'm going for about 80/20 in my diet). I plan to test my pH once a week while on the cleanse, and will probably keep it up after because I'm a science nerd and counted the seconds until the strips arrived on my doorstep because I was SO excited to use them.

After the pH read, I had my first ever experience with a neti pot. It was weird but once I get the hang of it I think I'll love it. I never realized that it was the same as snorting water when you're sick (which is hillbilly but I totally do it). So, basically, I invented the neti pot when I started sucking in bath water when I was a child. Moving on...

Supplements are my best friend. I have always been pretty good about taking vitamins every day. Currently I take a multi-vitamin (just a generic women's version found at Trader Joe's), Folic Acid, B12, Omega-3 oils, and Kombucha caplets. I had my doctor review my vitamins over summer to ensure they were all safe and yadda, yadda. I suggest doing the same if you start taking a new vitamin.

Today's menu:

Breakfast: A big green juice (spinach, carrots, an apple, a cucumber) topped with black chia seeds

Lunch: TONS of romaine and spinach with carrots, topped with unfiltered apple cider vinegar

Snack: Another big, fat green juice and a Larabar 

Dinner: Quinoa with steamed garlic, broccoli, red onion, and a tiny bit of olive oil

I had planned ALL day to have a whole, delicious, wonderful avocado with dinner. They are my favorite things in the world but DAMN IF THEY AIN'T A BITCH. My avocados weren't ripe and, despite trying some trick I found on YouTube, I wasn't able to chow on one. I subbed in oil for a bit of healthy fats.

Since it's been less than 24 hours I can't speak much for the actual results of the cleanse yet but I will say I think this is best for those who want to begin living intentionally. Huh? What? Living with intention. Putting thought into the smallest of details in life. Carr urges you to meditate and chew your food thoroughly and get sleep and just care for yourself...like, a lot. I think that's what drew me to the cleanse. It wasn't about "drop 80 pounds in four days!" (have you seen some of those ridiculous things on Pinterest?). It's about changing how you treat yourself and being kind to yourself. I realized that by making time to meditate for 15 minutes and jump around on our rebounder, I had less time to watch television and sit on the couch. Since I knew I had to chew my food mindfully, I pushed the laptop away and really focused on my meals. I'm hoping this will create a habit of paying attention to the moment instead of multi-tasking every second I'm awake.

I'm looking forward to the next 20 days!

21 Days.

 

I've mentioned before (probably 12,874,953 times) that I adore Kris Carr. Her kind, wholesome recipes inspire me to eat better and do better. After reading her book, Crazy Sexy Diet twice in a row I feel totally inspired and motivated to make positive changes. I know I said before that I would never do another cleanse, but oh well. I'm doing another one.

 

As of Monday (to give me time to shop and prep) I'm going to give Kris Carr's 21 Day Adventure Cleanse a shot. In the past I haven't been great on cleanses but I feel much more positive because Kris Carr's cleanse involves more than eating--she focuses a lot on Neti pots, meditation, and exercise. The diet side of the cleanse is also real food--green juices, quinoa, Buddha bowls, and tons of produce.

 

I'll be updating ze blog with my progress throughout the three week process. I'm oddly excited to give caffeine-free, veganism a real try. My awesome mom also got me a gym membership for Christmas so I'll be including light exercise into the cleanse too. I've failed before but I feel much more positive this time around.

 

Are you on board with the 21 Day Adventure Cleanse?

A Fresh Start and New Year.

2014 is here!

 

A great idea I swiped from my best friend--a jar to keep memories of the great things that happen through out the year. Ours is on our entryway table and cute as a button.

 

After a super fun celebration with friends last night, a smooch at midnight, and an early wake up call (thanks, Violet!) I am loving 2014 so far. I spent the day paying bills, organizing calendars, and cooking up lunches for the week. If every day of this year was like this one? I'd be a happy gal.

 

How's your first day of 2014 been so far?



Letting Go (of Yourself and Your Flaws).

via

I love Operation Beautiful

 

I've written about weight loss time and again--my struggle to find balance and control disordered, unhealthy patterns. Though it terrifies me to put my struggles out there, I feel like the mental aspect of it (which can be the biggest road black) is finally on the upswing...because of five words I said out loud to my husband before falling asleep a few nights ago:

 

"Have I let myself go?"

 

As soon as it left my lips, I knew it was true (of course Rhyno didn't agree). I knew that gaining weight had done more to my body that add pounds. It had zapped me dry of my confidence on all levels. I realized that I've been putting much less effort into myself in the last year and a half while gaining back the weight that I had lost. Gone were the days of putting my hair up in funky styles with bobby pins, now I was shoving my curls into a messy top-knot. Since I out-chunked most of my cute clothing I was sticking to slouchy sweaters and stretch pants. I had let myself go in the familiar sense--the effort just wasn't there for the last year and a half. It isn't fair to me or my husband that I had made my looks and how I presented myself a last priority. Don't get me wrong, I'd dress it up for client meetings and big events but day to day it was schlubville.

 

I'm not saying looks are everything because clearly health is, but I used to really enjoy finding a colorful and fun outfit, pairing it with a couple fun accessories, slapping on makeup (my mascara techniques are the stuff of legends), and letting my curls fly. I had allowed a few extra pounds to override my love for looking and feeling adorable.

 

The next morning, thinking about the question I'd asked Rhyno I decided to let myself go in another sense. Let that naggy voice that says, "Well, you're chubby, why bother trying to pretty it up?" (P.S. Isn't that naggy voice just the biggest bitch?) I am letting go of the negative thoughts about myself and learning to love my body even if I am a work in progress. I'm slowly learning to let go of that naggy, uber-bitch of an inner voice. I know, it's so mega cheese-ball but I've been making an active effort in the last week or so to focus less on the cellulite on my thighs and more on the feet below them with a perfect arch. I smile at myself in the mirror after brushing my teeth because I'm working on getting healthy and losing weight, but I still love myself and my body now. For all its flaws, my body gets me where I need to go and responds to healthy changes as it should. I have all my limbs and digits and I'm able-bodied. That should be good enough.

 

We live in this world where if someone admits that they like something about themselves, they are conceited or boastful. I am wired to focus on the flaws instead of making them positive things. Ew, so over it. I love my shoulders and my crazy curly hair and my eyelashes when I glob them with magic mascara and my lips and my feet. I love my body and am working to make sure it is as healthy as it can be and that change really starts from the inside of your noggin. We've all seen those great Dove ads about seeing yourself differently and we SHOULD see ourselves differently. When my friends talk about their physical flaws, honestly? 99% of the time I can't even see them. You can be a work in progress like I am (with necessary work to be done) without hating yourself or your bod.

 

So basically, long and rambling story short, I was feeling sorry for myself one night and I realized this magical gem: something doesn't have to be perfect for you to be in love with it...and that includes YOU.

 

You are beautiful! I mean it. Now go forth and kick some ass today, you stunner.

 

 



Learning from Mistakes.

via

 

With about three weeks until New Year's Eve I am getting excited about 2014. 2013 has been kind of a bummer year for multiple reasons and I am so ready for a fresh start. Since I am nowhere near my goal weight (with fluctuates and tons of stress in recent weeks, I am only about 7 pounds down from where I started months ago), I am taking advantage of what's left of 2013 to assess my heath-related mistakes.

 

The main changes I've been incorporating into my life as of late?

 

1.) Water. All Day, Every Day.

I know I should be drinking a ton of water every single day. I used to be amazing with this and would take down my weight in ounces of water every dang day. In the last year though, I've fallen behind. In the last week or so I've been training my body to drink my weight in water every day. On the days that I am dreading chugging that glass of the good stuff, I remind myself that the faster I lose weight the less I'll have to drink.

 

2.) Cut the Crap

It's not news to anyone that processed foods are NOT good for you. I have been slowly cutting out the processed things we buy and plan on trying new recipes to take the place of our typical buys (like finding a great whole foods granola bar recipe instead of reaching for a box full o' sugar). Rhyno and I also used to order out for dinner ALL. THE. TIME. In the last month we have really cut down and I have put in a better effort of actually making us dinner. I know that I feel better when I eat wholesome foods.

 

3.) Goin' Mental

A big part of being healthy is all in your brainz. I've been researching articles about happiness and managing stress and dealing with bad news. I feel like I was much grumpier than usual this year (mostly due to, ya know, my hours getting cut at work, my family dog dying, then mine and Rhyno's dog dying, a bad birthday, devastating family news) and I'm done with it. I am focusing on not only being happy but better dealing with the icky stuff in life.

 

4.) Move Your Buns

I have a knack for saying I'm going to start some crazy, intense work out regime and then realizing I can't handle it and feeling badly about myself. Now it's just about moving a little every day and working up to a bigger, better plan. Whether it's a yoga DVD before bed or a walk around my neighborhood with Violet or putting our treadmill to good use while I catch up on episodes of New Girl, I need to MOVE. Every single day. It doesn't have to start off as some two hour long boot camp, just move as much as I can manage.

 

5.) It's About More than Food and Exercise

There's more to getting healthy than all of the above. It's about sleeping better, taking better care of your skin, and being better in general. I've been trying to wean myself off of sleeping with the TV on at night (I know, it's terrible). I've been doing research about Neti Pots (totally got one even if I'm a little afraid of it) and digestive cleansing. Whole being wellness, bro.

 

I'm hoping to make even more healthy changes in 2014 and stay on track to be my healthiest, best self. 

Go Go Juice.

I mentioned before that I am head over heels for Kris Carr. My new favorite lady is a healthy living and happy living guru, and also the queen of juicing (her motto is "Make juice, not war"). Inspired by Ms. Carr, I've been trying new juice recipes here and there with a plan to start incorporating fresh juice into my daily morning routine (adding yet another drink to my liquid breakfast).

 

 

My latest juice was okay by me--Rhyno wanted nothing to do with it. I think when I make him juice, I will HAVE to add some type of fruit.

 

The above photo is:

3 cucumbers (washed, unpeeled)

1 lemon

1 small piece of ginger root

4 broccoli stems

Serves 2

 

I love how light I feel when drinking green juice for breakfast--plus it's full of nutrients. The only downside for me is that you can't really prep it ahead of time. I've read over and over that you should, ideally, make the juices right before you drink them since the produce begins to break down.

 

What's your favorite juice recipe? I'm dying to try more!