Help Your Immune System

You can't maintain good health if your immune system is worn down from constantly battling what you are putting into your body. Your body doesn't easily or naturally deal with non-natural foods (HFCS, GMO corn and wheat, chemicals, pesticides, preservatives, etc).

How can you expect longevity or good health if you aren't giving your body the fuel it needs to thrive?

Load up on veggies!

Seriously.

Whatever else your diet is - vegetables are an incredibly important resource of nutrition and fiber and dozens of other healing things (Let food by thy medicine!! Do not take that lightly - food can prevent or cause disease, depending on your choices).

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=dailytip&dbid=127

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits/

And you know my stance - get low spray/pesticide free, non-GMO, and organic veggies when possible (those things are just as harmful as eating a snack cake full of chemicals).

I watch friends, family, read blogs and am shocked at how little vegetables people really eat. 

Yesterday was a slow day on veggies for me: red cabbage/carrot slaw, sweet potatoes and beets for lunch... Tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic at dinner.

I was kind of off schedule with subbing and didn't eat my usual huge salad (I usually eat a giant bowl of spinach/romaine for lunch so I didn't get my greens!). But this is not a job I for see doing in the future... Whatever job I DO get, I will have to develop a nice routine so I bring a pre-prepped salad for my day.

But a large portion of my day, every day, it's filled with plant matter. One huge benefit? All that fiber keeps me really full for a very low caloric input. But the real benefit? My body functions well and has all the good fuel it needs to help me maintain my energy, prevent disease, and thrive as best I can.

Protect your life - it's the only one we know for certain that we get.

Namaste <3

Frazzled!

Well - came home from substitute teaching a complete mess. The downtown city schools are pretty unruly. I had to break up a fist fight in a fourth grade classroom and two of my kids just bolted out the door. These kids are as tall as me.

I am burnt out after one day.

Props to teachers. Seriously.

I could barely get the kids to focus on ONE thing and very few of them learned anything. Too many kids in a class room. General disaster area.

Subbing tomorrow, too. DREADING it. Also promised them I'd come back in two weeks to do three more days. Don't think I can....

Came home frazzled and upset. So I worked out - did a little cardio burst and a ten minute arm strength workout. Grabbed a bottle of seltzer to cool down, dying my hair right now (waiting for the rinse off time!), and will try and get some statistics done tonight.

I am glad I didn't turn to food (really glad we don't have any junk in the house ... I might have beelined RIGHT for it when I came home for instinctual comfort, but working out was way better).

My weight is hovering around 124... I don't like that. But it is the result of a kind of off weekend, even those this week has been super clean and on point with paleo (also my cycle is about to start). I feel kind of bloated and gross.

But chug on, do what's right, yeah? Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard.

Namaste <3

What I ate yesterday, Life updates

Eating has been spot on for the last few days - the sugar cravings are almost gone :)

Funny how that works. Eat sugar, crave sugar, eat more sugar, crave more sugar, and so on. Breaking the cycle has to be a purposeful and determined effort!

My food yesterday (just because it's fun and maybe informative to show people how I eat?):

Breakfast: lactose free cottage cheese with FRESH, organic blueberries and strawberries with sunflower seed butter drizzled on top (the berries were on sale at the co-op - so delighted!)

Lunch: pulled pork with hazelnut green beans and mashed sweet potatoes (all leftovers)

Snack: raisins

Dinner: cabbage and carrot salad, beets, brussels sprouts and a bunless grass-fed beef burger

Dessert: coconut milk ice cream (splurge!)

Super delicious and very veggie heavy!

I love, love, love having leftovers in the house. We make a lot of food for dinner, way too much for two people to eat, so that I can eat them for a day or two after. I eat so much better when I have easy access to food (not having to cook from scratch for every meal!).

I have leftover burgers for lunch today or tomorrow from dinner last night :)

So, life.

I passed the typing test - actually typed over double the minimum needed to pass with very few mistakes. So, we will see. I need a job. Bad. I'm kind of freaked out about it. Getting more freaked out every day. But I keep applying for jobs, keep looking, taking tests, putting my name out there. But still freaked out.

I am working the next two days as a substitute teacher. I REALLY don't like subbing, but it's money and I'm not about to turn down money.

So chugging on, as always :) Already did the dog walk for the day, I also walked home from city hall after my test (3.2 miles!), going to do a little yoga to relax and then work on my dissertation.

Namaste, friends.

Cooking Skills

So, one skill I've obtained over the years while focusing on health, nutrition and fitness is cooking! I was always teased as a young woman by my father and family that I had no idea how to cook. And I didn't for very long time. Frying an egg, boiling spaghetti, whatever it was, I really didn't know how to do it. I certainly didn't know how to create flavorful, well cooked meals that would satisfy me or anyone else!

But, years later, I couldn't live the way I do without having some cooking skills. My food is 95% unprocessed, so a lot of it requires cooking unless I want to be eating only raw fruits and vegetables all day. And raw sweet potatoes simply are not appetizing!

To avoid turning to fast food or take out or frozen meals or anything preprepared and frozen and full of chemicals, I had to rely on myself.

Over the years, through trial and error (oh, the error!), I'm a decent enough cook! Learning how to develop flavor was number one, and something I think I understand decently well. But the hardest thing for me was learning how to cook meats and vegetables without over or under cooking them.

I used to panic and stand over a piece of meat, continuously poking it and putting a thermometer in it and worrying, eventually cutting it open to check it's done.

And after a long, long time of not knowing how to cook meat, all of a sudden it feels second nature. Last night, I was sautéing porkchops in the cast-iron skillet. I was running around, making a couple of other side dishes and trying to keep the kitchen clean, ha ha.

I was a little worried, because I wasn't hovering over the skillet like a hawk, waiting till they were perfect. I just use my instinct and pulled them off the heat when I thought they were done, though I had a fear they were overdone since I had been distracted. But they were great! Cooked through and tender and not too chewy. It made me think about how cooking has become second nature to me after over a decade of relying on my own cooking.

The side dishes turned out well, too! I sautéed haricot verts with onions with a little bit of salt and pepper and garlic and lemon juice. I also made mashed sweet potatoes by boiling them in a flavorful broth, blending them when soft with a little bit of that broth and a touch of butter and salt and pepper.

I really, really enjoy making a flavorful and healthy Paleo dinner for me and Chris, it doesn't take a lot of effort or lot of time, especially now that I have the skills I worked on for so long.

Chris is a pretty good cook, as well! The fact that we both like each other's cooking means that we almost never look outside of the house for meals!

It's important!

Lost almost a pound of bloat from the extra salt and sugar I ingested over the weekend, whew.

Ok- off to walk the dog! Also, wish me luck, I'm taking the last part of my test for the city tomorrow!

Namaste <3

Quiet Memorial Day Weekend

The weekend has been super quiet, but going very well. Not participating in any big holiday celebrations (though I did go to a last minute getogether last night where the only food was meat, veggies and fruit- worked for me!!)

I'm actually happy to NOT travel and go-go-go this weekend. Last year was nonstop traveling and gatherings- I got a little tired!!

Chris and I got out for a 10ish mile long bike ride along the Mohawk River: 

This is Lock 7:

I ate so-so so far this weekend but have been diligent about filling up on fresh, colorful veggies BEFORE I make any other food decisions:

Taking the dog on a hike today.

Staying active.

Drinking lots of water (and seltzer!).

Making veggies a priority.

All the things I've learned to do to stay healthy, going to keep doing them.

Namaste <3

Mindfulness and Blessings

“Around us, life bursts with miracles--a glass of water, a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a caterpillar, a flower, laughter, raindrops. If you live in awareness, it is easy to see miracles everywhere. Each human being is a multiplicity of miracles. Eyes that see thousands of colors, shapes, and forms; ears that hear a bee flying or a thunderclap; a brain that ponders a speck of dust as easily as the entire cosmos; a heart that beats in rhythm with the heartbeat of all beings. When we are tired and feel discouraged by life's daily struggles, we may not notice these miracles, but they are always there.” 
― Thích Nhất Hạnh


I trying to keep myself mindful and fully aware that each day is a miracle and I am blessed just to be breathing, no matter what else good/bad is happening around me.

I have a constant, moderate-high level of stress lately. I am worried about my future.

Trying very hard not to let that affect my NOW.

So I must enjoy the simple, beautiful things that are always around me. How lucky I am to have shelter and food and love. How blessed I am to see this pouting face in the morning:

:)

I ate a bunch of sugar the past couple of days (I am NOT immune to the affects of stress, haha, definitely a little stress eating going on) and my weight jumped up a couple of pounds.

So one day at a time - no stress eating tonight, no alcohol. I will eat clean and remind myself THAT is the best medicine!

Namaste <3

Not Going Anywhere - for now!!

Just like it was hard for me to give up calorie counting and daily weighing and completely obsessing about that stuff... it would be hard for me to give up my blog.

And, unlike the obsessive calorie counting, I think my blog is really healthy for me! I don't devote TOO much time to blogging (I still give my other daily tasks/wants/needs priority) but I love reading my blogroll and getting comments on my own blog every day. It keeps me sane, helps me work through my anxieties, and makes me feel totally NOT alone in this struggle!

I just can't help but think I've gotten boring :D

But maintenance IS a little more boring than weight loss - there is no drama! There is just steady weight, daily exercise, clean food, moderated treats. Repeated daily for good health :D

I imagine my blog will change in the future - especially if I am able to get pregnant later this year as I would like to be. That is a WHOLE new world of finding a healthy balance I will have to tackle, and I imagine I won't be perfect at it, haha! And if I am not able to get pregnant, well, I suppose we will have to see what turns life will take then :)

I also will continue to talk a bit about how working on your spirit and mind are INTEGRAL parts of this healthy weight journey... I would not be successful right now if I hadn't purposefully changed some mental patterns that have been holding me back my whole life.

Didn't weigh in this morning, I slept late and rolled out of bed for some coffee and a dog walk.

On the agenda for the day: more job searching, working on my dissertation, a little yoga, more coffee!!

Ok, my friends, till next time when I promise to have my thoughts together a little better, have a more concise topic. I'm in a rambling, stream of consciousness sort of mood lately!

Namaste <3

Update

Well, I wanted to update you. My exam went really well, they grade it right in front of you, and I got a 95! So that should put me really high up in the rankings for a job with the city. I have to take a typing test next week, but I average around 75 words per minute, so I'm not worried about that.

Would just love some income so I can relax a little bit!

No other real news, weight is holding steady around 122, and I am feeling very light overall - relaxed, hopeful, etc. I am being proactive with a lot of things: my health, my schoolwork, finding a job. I have a small hope that this hard work will pay off and life will be okay for a while.

I will say that Jen, a Priorfatgirl, stating that she was leaving blogging can't hit me hard. She was the first weight-loss blog I started reading, long before I ever started posting.

A lot of my favorite bloggers have stopped blogging, a lot of them when they've got in a point if their life when they feel okay and stable. Most of them, I do not think are not devolving and getting unhealthy. They are just moving into another phase of their life and using their time for things other than blogging.

So, I wonder what's right for me. Do I still have things to say? I don't know. People probably don't want to listen for too long about how I've gotten to a good place. Nothing dynamic is happening anymore... I am at peace (for now... Life has a way of throwing wrenches into that feeling!!!) 

Should it be the end of my public blogging story? I don't know! 

Mulling it over :)

Till then- I'll keep writing because it is a nice outlet for me!

Namaste

As Always

From my last post, you might be able to tell that I am keeping myself in a good head space!

Which is good, because life is NOT easy right now, in fact, it is downright scary. Being unemployed (and NOT with unemployment benefits) is not fun. I am applying to jobs like a mad-woman and I have an exam with the city tomorrow.

But staying positive.

NOT letting the stress make me sick in mind or body.

Ate an INSANELY healthy lunch today:

Turkey on romaine lettuce leaves, roasted beets, cabbage and carrot coleslaw, apple and sweet potato quinoa salad (I only buy quinoa once in a blue moon since it is technically a grain... but it doesn't affect my body like wheat does!)

I also picked Chris up on his lunch hour and we went down to the bike path by the river to take a lunchtime walk with Koda:

The river is muddy brown with all the spring run-off! But it was a gorgeous day :)

Back to work - prepping for my test tomorrow and trying to get some work done on my dissertation. I submitted my final grades for my semester today, glad to have it off my plate!!

Namaste, my friends <3

Letting obsessions go...

So, I have been experimenting a little with skipping weigh ins every other day.

It was so freeing to stop tracking my food and calorie counting that it became attractive to let the daily weigh ins slide a little too. I still want to weigh in regularly, but I do recognize that every single day perhaps isn't necessary.

I've been letting go of a lot of my obsessions, my disordered thoughts, etc. I've stopped incessantly talking to Chris about my weight and what I've eaten. My attitude toward my body has been much more accepting. I've been so much more free than I have in years.

I didn't weigh in yesterday. I woke up, decided it wouldn't matter what I weighed that day, I'd still behave just the same- same activity, same paleo food. If the number on the scale wouldn't change my behavior or attitude, I didn't need to know it!

But, I do believe checking in with the scale every once in a while is a really great way to keep a stable weight, so I did weigh myself this morning.

121.4!!

Been a long few weeks since I've seen 121! 

But, still, seeing that lower weight isn't going to change what I'm going to do today. I'm still going for a bike ride (Koda and Chris are off on a crazy hiking adventure I didn't want to go on), still going to eat my veggies and proteins and keep my food clean/whole/paleo.

And, though I really did like seeing the lower weight, I don't feel any differently about my body than I did yesterday. Still really like it :)

Getting a little therapy and reading a few books and making a concerted effort to change my ways of thinking has paid off!

As far as food, exercise, body image, and wheat go, I am so much more relaxed. I've learned to trust myself that this way of living, being active and eating well and finding true moderation and balance, IS how I really want to live. I don't have to obsessively monitor myself to make sure I live that way. I truly believe it's the right way to live and so I do it without second thought.

It's been a long road from obesity to being thin (without health) to finding true physical health to, now ten years after, finding mental health.

It really is a process, a lifelong task. No quick fixes, just hard work and falling down a lot along the way. 

But somehow I ended up where I thought I could never be when I started this all 10 years ago, trying to lose weight: a healthy human being, outside AND inside. It is normal and natural now. I live this way even if no one, not even me, is monitoring the situation!!

And I think it will take a lifetime of work and self introspection to make sure it stays this way. I don't want to lose this physical and mental health I've found. I won't get lax but it is no longer an obsession <3

Still love burgers!

Just without the bun :)

So instead of Paleo taco lettuce wraps, we did burger wraps- just changed the flavors. We kept the meat in crumble form so it was easier to put in the lettuce.

Our dinner:

Romaine lettuce

Grass fed ground beef

Sautéed onions/mushrooms

Pickles

Red cabbage and carrot coleslaw!

Filling up on fibrous veggies and some fatty (the super good fat made from animals that eat grass!) protein?

The best!

It felt really decadent :)

Topped off by banana mango paleo ice cream:

Ok, friends, I'm off to enjoy the weekend. Might post pics if I go somewhere pretty to hike!

Namaste <3

Finding rules that you can live with!

Well, I have learned a few lessons..

Best remedy for anxiety? Being proactive.

I spent last evening tweaking my resume, writing letters of interest, and submitting applications. Maybe no job will come of it, but just trying my best makes me feel better!

I do have an exam on Tuesday to work for the city. Hoping I score high and get put high up on the list!

Not much else - managing my life and stress are the keys to managing my health. I used to "manage" stress with food (never actually worked for more than 15 minutes!!) and made my life and health worse.

Weight is still 122.2 and I'm pleased with that.

Will probably be seeing friends tonight for a game night - another good stress reliever!!! I will be bringing my usual liter of seltzer to drink and won't be drinking alcohol as I already had a few drinks with Chris this week...

Balance :)

I still drink, still have treats, etc. But I space them out... Make sure I have a few days of completely clean and paleo eating before I indulge again! Alcohol no more than once a week. Easy to follow and easy to live with self-imposed rules :)

Finding a healthy system I can find happiness in has been key!

I used to be a little more strict, and it would result in binges. I used to be a little more lax (like, I would drink 2-3 times a week) and it would result in weight gain.

My current rules have kept my weight stable AND do not lead to feelings of deprivation. 

It took a few years to figure out!

OK- Waiting for my car inspection to be over...  Then I will take the dog on a nice, long, relaxing walk.

Namaste <3

Chicken, Wine, Stress

Weigh in: 122.2

I went on a super long walk with Kida yesterday, so long he actually seemed to WANT to go home by the last half mile. Takes a lot to tire that dog out!! But he hates it when temps go over 60 degrees (I would too if I wore that fur coat!).

Today is my last crazy day- dentist and final exam, then I just need to get grades submitted and I am DONE with this class. Didn't love teaching this semester, but it was a job. Now I need a new job (it would be great if ANYONE even responded when I submit an application... Apparently I am unemployable!!).

Ah, well, one step at a time.

Last night's roast chicken came out great:

And we treated ourselves to some wine (we are both pretty stressed- some stuff is going down at Chris' job right now that isn't great). It was a really special wine, tasted like ginger and cinnamon and was really different but super tasty:

Back to the grind, hoping for the best, hoping things work out for us eventually (I'd love ONE month where life doesn't seem to be crumbling around me, where I feel stable and secure just for a little while).

Working hard at NOT turning to food in response to these feelings... Thanks for letting me vent here, it helps a lot!!!

Namaste <3

Farmer's Market

Feeling miles better today- yesterday the after affects of the anesthesia made me very drowsy all day. I ended up taking a nap, and basically laying in bed for most of the day. I did go on a short walk with Chris and the dog, which exhausted me and I fell asleep early.

Back to normal energy levels today!

I went to the farmers market downtown today. It is absolutely gorgeous out. So grateful for that, no matter what else is going on!!

I got local and spray free cabbage, turnips, asparagus, mushrooms, and apples.

We are going to have roast chicken with apples, onions, and sweet potatoes tonight. Chris is also going to make a slaw of organic carrots and the cabbage I bought for us to have a delicious raw salad. 

Yum!

Life (especially finances) is really stressful right now. But like I said a few posts ago, I am doing what I can to manage it and to make my life better. It's all I can do!

Off to walk the dog!

Namaste <3

Results

Successful endoscopy- he took out a little more and will biopsy it, but things look good.

Heard again from nurses and doctors, "oh! YOU were the patient who came in with super low H&H (blood I think?)... What an interesting case!" Haha, that's weird.

I also got called a unicorn by a nurse because nothing is wrong with me (aside from this freak gland thing!) and her paperwork was really easy.

BP: 105/68

Resting pulse: 55

Weight: 122.8

Good, healthy heart and body :)

Optimistic and looking forward to putting this situation behind me.

Now- so hungry and sleepy from the anesthesia. 

Love you all <3

Not sure..

Not sure what I weigh today! I didn't have a scale over the weekend and I definitely had a treat (bread pudding if you follow me on Instagram, haha, but it was preceded by a healthy dinner of salmon with poached egg and asparagus!).

I didn't think it was a good idea to weigh in today. I like my body right now and I don't want to let my head (potential disordered thoughts) ruin that.

Plus I have my endoscopy tomorrow (send me good energy and energy to the surgeon that he gets it all out!) and I will be fasting tonight/tomorrow.

It's a weird time for my body and a stressful week for my head. Giving myself a break!

Today is busy but I packed beautiful clean, paleo food for myself to give my body strength before my fast.

I'll update you tomorrow on results!

Photos from yesterday:

Namaste <3

Good stuff, cabin times

We woke at 6 AM and enjoyed the sun and lake and world intensely for 6 hours... Now we are all dozing on the front porch of the cabin.

Life is good:

Letting go of stress and what-ifs.

Namaste <3

Preemptive strike!

So. Mid-May is looking a little stressful for me. And I am getting a little anxious thinking about all of the upcoming big life things.

What is happening in the next two weeks:

- endoscopy
- mammogram
- dental work
- giving final exam
- submitting grades (within days of final!)
- getting estimate on house for new windows
- exam for a city job
- other job ending (so I will be out of work in a week - which means job search stress goes up)

And then just other normal stupid life things.

I can predict my stress levels will go up significantly in the next week or two, knowing what is coming.

Which means, I can do something ahead of time to make sure that stress doesn't get out of control!!

First step: we are going to take a little getaway! We haven't had much downtime lately with all the extra side work (which I have been SO grateful for, but we have been run ragged for a couple months) and we are going to spend some time at Chris' parents cabin up north.

A little preemptive de-stressing :)

And I am going to make sure I eat exceptionally well and fuel my body with healthy nutrients that can support me through my medical procedures and keep my mind stable.

I will make time to be active and get my extra nerves out physically, so they don't build up on me.

I will take care of myself. I will deal with life in a mature and sane manner ;D

It has been important to note potential trigger situations for me and my anxiety, to not let it get out of control to the point I become a mess. It is important to take care so that I don't fall into old cycles of panic and stress, which inevitably hurt me mentally AND physically (I will definitely overeat when stressed!).

Steps towards becoming a more stable human - stable in mind and body and spirit.

Important work!

Namaste <3

Taquito Temptation

Good news on the scale today: 122.8 pounds! Back where I want to be - bloating went down once I got off the grains again after focusing on clean, paleo food (mostly veggies!) and lots of water.

Last night was our weekly TV night gathering. I knew there would be some sort of treat put out, so I came prepared:

Big old bottle of seltzer, cucumbers, and snap peas.

I was hungry, even after I ate my snack, so when my friends put out the taquitos as party food, I had a hard time resisting. I struggled quietly in my head, telling myself it wasn't worth it, I wouldn't feel good, and just plain old not do it.

It was harder because I was hungry (and man, I do love fried food even though I KNOW it's horrible for my body).

But I did- I felt great because social situations are where I lose my determination and do things that, really, in the end, hurt my body.

And I had just listened to a Jillian Michaels podcast where she said something like, "whatever you put in your mouth, you are either fighting disease or causing it."

So no fried junk for me.

My reward for resisting?

Our friend, who works at a great barbecue place, brought us baby back ribs!

The sauce obviously has some sugar in it, but it's a much better choice than taquitos. So I allowed myself to have two small ribs to satiate my hunger and my taste buds.

I know I was truly hungry because I lost weight/bloat today. The ribs fit into my daily needs (it is hard to say where I am calorie wise, because I am not tracking or even mentally keeping any sort of tally). Still learning to listen to my body and it's needs.

I never need a taquito :)

Ok- off to start my day! I have a few errands to run and have to wrap up some projects. Obviously, a nice long dog walk is in the plans for the day.

Namaste!

Making quality family time active

Down a pound from the weekend - my body was in total grain rebellion and has been holding on to the bloat and the weight like crazy. Two days of clean eating behind me, many more to come. I'll get back to where I want to be. (Not loving the bloated belly look right now... it being my time of the month isn't helping, haha).

So - wanted to share a little slice of life that I think has helped me TREMENDOUSLY in staying healthy, fit and active.

Family activities.

Even before we ended up with Koda and it was just me and Chris in our apartment downtown, in our down time, we would go for walks/strolls/constitutionals/adventures after work. We just love walking around the city/world we live in and soaking it all in.

Quality time is active time for us :) (Obviously, our hobby is hiking, so weekend quality time is active time, too!).

It just has made it easy to get my miles in, to keep my heart working, to keep my body moving when it is lovely, fun, romantic and entertaining to be active.

It is NOT a chore. It is something we look forward to sharing.

Yesterday, when Chris got home from work, we went to the Albany Rural Cemetery (which is absolutely huge and totally gorgeous) and took a long walk with Koda (who had already had a 3 mile walk that day, haha).

Chris and Koda at Chester Arthur's grave

The takeaway?

Make a large part of the sweet times you spend with loved ones active. It is good for your heart/body/mind as well as your loved ones' hearts/bodies/minds!

We spend our fair share of time watching TV or playing on our phones or playing Jenga or having a drink together. Don't get me wrong :) We can be lazy and droopy on the couch as much as anyone else! But now that the skies are blue and the grass is green and the days are warm? We get out there just as much!

I walked around 6 miles yesterday (purposeful going-on-a-walk miles) just because I wanted to enjoy my family! It helps that Koda's third favorite thing to do in the world is go on a walk- number one is to swim and number two is to hike off-leash! I can't let my dog go a day without a long walk... it helps him relax and be at peace.

In other news: shoulder muscle is slowly healing. I had a big yawn yesterday that made me yelp in pain!! I can take a deeper breath today :) Strange injury, but I can tell it is not permanent and should be not noticeable by tomorrow.

Namaste <3

Changing though patterns, Hurt shoulder

Well, my weight is up for sure - I gave it a day before I checked, haha, but going off plan this weekend and starting my cycle this week has me up to 125.

(deep breathing to avoid disordered thinking about the weight)

I have to take the time to rearrange the habitual thinking patterns that are so deeply ingrained in my mind.

It is a worthwhile endeavor.

I am more at peace when I don't allow a weight to affect my mood. Yes, my weight is up. But I already have one day of clean, paleo eating behind me to get back on track. That means that it will be even easier today to eat clean and paleo.

I am doing the right things for my body RIGHT NOW, and that is what matters. This weekend is in the past and I cannot change it, only learn from it!

So, in other news?

Well, as far as general life goes - I am almost done with all the projects from the contract job (which is awesome, as I cannot wait for the paycheck!), I only have one more class to teach and then the final exam. I have been busy but it has been worth it. But I am also a little tired :)

Slightly sucky news: I woke up yesterday with a strained muscle on my back (below my left shoulder blade and wrapping around my ribs, whatever muscle that is!). It was pretty painful yesterday, as in, taking a deep breath hurt me! I took it easy (no working out, just walks) and Chris massaged my back. It is a little better today, as in, I can take a deepER breath, but not all the way. I have a better range of movement.

Doing some careful stretching, will avoid any workouts for my upper body again, go on my walks, maybe do a squat challenge! Otherwise resting my back and shoulder, wanting it to heal completely (no idea how I stretched it).

So onward and upward, doing good things for my body and brain and spirit (even if I falter sometimes, that is always the ultimate goal and what I will focus on in the present)

Addictive Processed Grains

So, on my little weekend update, I mentioned I had cake. That started a bad trend for the weekend leading to me snacking on a piece of pizza at my friend's house last night (in between cake and pizza was a bite of bagel and pretzels).

Nutritionally crap food.

And I am feeling it.

Feeling the IMMEDIATE chemical repercussions - the addictive feelings, the dependence, the desire, the cravings, the bloating, etc.

Grains are not good for me. Processed white flour is the WORST for me.

I should heed Karen's advice - I CAN say no to Grandma (though family dynamics and such - I do find it exceedingly hard to even momentarily make her a little distressed... she's been through a lot and is an amazing lady and is NINETY NINE, hahaha). She would have worried about me not eating enough and asked a few dozen times if I've eaten anything yet, but then the day would have passed and I would have NOT gone on a little carb binge this weekend.

Live and learn!

I tell you again and again - I am not perfect and I will always have lessons to learn. I am living better than I was 10 years ago, 5 years ago, heck - even 1 year ago... but it's not perfect :) Won't ever be, I suppose, but I can always work on getting better.

I've been so busy with papers, grades, reports and projects that I didn't do much yoga/strength training at all last week (just my hour long dog walks daily made it in - Koda would never let me skip THAT).

So today there will be lots of centering yoga. Lots of green vegetables. Lots of water.

Purge the little voice in my head telling me to eat cookies and cupcakes and pizza!

Chris and I are also taking a chocolate break - we did not purchase any chocolate at the store for our weekly grocery shop this week. Focus on veggies, fruit, nuts and lean protein. Chocolate was taking up valuable caloric space in my life, just got to tone it down is all!

Ok - back to work :)

Namaste, my friends <3

Weekend Check In

Sorry I've been quiet!!

Things I've been doing this weekend:

- celebrating my grandma's 99th birthday (ate cake! You don't say no to Grandma!)

- had a campfire with friends~! (drank wine)

- dug THREE projects and worked on the maps/reports

- hanging with the husband, dog, and cat :)

- looking forward to watching Game of Thrones tonight!!

- enjoying myself!

And I have kept myself really busy and really tired. Definitely a little bloated from non-paleo treats yesterday, but, as is usual with me, no regrets - just getting right back to normal!

My weekends are a LOT cleaner than they used to be. There used to be a lot more alcohol and a lot more bad food choices. Some weekends, now, are totally clean and paleo. Sometimes, like this weekend, I go off plan a little. I enjoyed the cake and the wine - but I enjoyed my family and my friends a whole lot more! Making the people the focus really helps :)

Ok - back to working on reports a little before show time!

<3

No Grains, No Gains - Changes in the Family!

No Grains, No Gains - Changes in the Family!

NO GRAINS, NO GAINS: A GROUP A OF PRIMAL/PALEO/GRAIN FREE WOMEN WHO BLOG ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES/LIFE/BENEFITS WITHOUT GRAINS. A GREAT WAY FOR OTHERS (WHO MAY BE WANTING TO LOSE WEIGHT, REVERSE AN ACUTE/CHRONIC HEALTH TREND, AND/OR TRANSITION FROM COMMERCIAL WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS) TO READ ABOUT REAL LIFE WOMEN WHO ARE LIVING THE LIFE AND SUCCEEDING!

The topic for our blog group is about changes in my family since I went grain free.

First, I want to say that my now-husband (then-boyfriend) came along for the paleo ride 100% with me. He strictly followed the Whole30 our first month and has been a total support ever since. He wanted a healthy body that would carry him through a long life with strength and mobility for *himself*. That was so important. I didn't have to drag him, kicking and screaming, along. I didn't have to do any convincing. He wanted a healthy body... and that's one of the many reasons I married him. I couldn't see myself partnered to someone who was slowly poisoning their bodies with crap food.

There is no temptations in our house. There is not one grain or legume or dairy product in our house. The only junk food we have is dark chocolate (which we portion out for the week).

I cannot tell you how easy it made the transition.

I know a LOT of women bloggers who struggle with avoiding temptation because their families don't eat grain-free or even clean. And I give them soooo many props for succeeding in that situation!! But I am glad that is not a struggle I have. I really, truly don't know that I would be successful if my husband ate differently from me... one of my biggest keys to success is having my house set up for clean and paleo eating only.

I want my husband to live as long as he possibly can. I want him to thrive and be healthy in those years. Just like I want those things for myself. So I am glad we are on the same page with eating (also with smoking cigarettes, that's a big no-no for me and he's agreed and hasn't smoked in a long, long time). I want the same for my possible future children.

So - changes in my family? Yeah, definitely. We are different people than when we first started dating (ohh, we loved frozen pizza and going out for burgers!)

I'm glad we grew together AND grew in the same direction. It helps us to stay close. We love to grocery shop together weekly, cook together nightly, and support each other when temptation looms!

Other things that have changed?

Some of my extended family teases me. Tells me I am too thin. Asks why I don't want cake - it's "REAL" food, right? No.

However, my cousin has recently been experimenting with paleo - and that makes me feel great :D 

But, in the end, the biggest support I need is the one I have, my husband and partner in life. 

<3

If you want to see how other women who follow a paleo/primal template have to say about changes in their families since going paleo/primal, give my fellow bloggers a read:

Gwen http://www.skynsurf.com/

Jeanette http://wolfforlife.blogspot.com/

Lynda http://achangeoflife.blogspot.com/

Leigh  http://poonapalooza.blogspot.com/

Karen http://gardengirlkp.blogspot.com/

Clean Spirit this May :)

May is a time of renewal... life is coming back into the world, flowers are popping up, birds are coming home, the woods are turning green again.

I love May :)

I've been doing a lot of spring cleaning, of spirit and home.

We finally spent some wedding money (that I am saving just in case job searching doesn't go well!) and bought a new rug for the living room (the blue room) and chairs for the sun room (you can see behind the dining room) and put up our Japan souvenirs in the dining room and cleaned the HECK out of the downstairs.

My downstairs is FINALLY complete (aside from a floor refinishing that will happen much much later, when I have a stable job).

It feels amazing and fresh!!

I've also been collecting wildflowers on my dog walks and decorating the kitchen table:

I don't know which spawned which, but a clean, fresh, bright, renewed house is closely connected to my spirit!!

I've also been sweating hard, moving furniture, beating rugs out, mopping and vacuuming, etc, etc - good workout to do a deep clean on the house :D 

Busy day ahead - administrative work for my class, prep for my next project, an appointment to talk with a nurse about my upcoming endoscopy, dog walk and potential girls' night tonight :)

Better get to it!

Namaste <3