Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Work Clothes



I'm starting to enjoy, really enjoy, getting dressed for work. I tend to wear more dresses than pants, it's just so much more comfortable throughout the day!


Busy today- potential girls night get together tonight, as well- more interesting posts from me later!

<3

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Holding Strong at Work

Starting my fourth week of work- cannot believe it is already been almost a month.

Starting out with determination has helped me!

Not one morsel of food bought in the cafeteria or from a vending machine. No drinks have been consumed aside from water and coffee (organic, home brewed!).

Every single day started with a half-hour to 45 minutes of activity (dog walking and a little yoga, usually... Though today Chris took Koda out so I did a cardio/strength workout!).

Also taking 15 minute walks at work 2-3 times a day.

My lunch today:


Sweet potatoes, roasted onions, roast chicken, roasted beets, homemade carrot-cabbage slaw!

So my weight has remained stable (between 123-124... It would be lower if I stopped having a couple beers on the weekend, but oh, I love beer!) and I feel strong and fit!

Stay strong at the office, friends... It's doable and worth it :)

It's hard... The prep is hard, waking up early to workout is hard, denying treats at work is hard. But it's good. I feel good!

Till next time <3

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Dogs, Blueberries, Etc

It's a rainy day here in my city, and it's kind of raining everywhere, for about a three hour radius surrounding us! We decided last night to cancel hiking plans for today, I don't really like feeling like a drowned rat for 8 to 10 hours.. Not my cup of tea!

We did take the dog on a 6 mile walk yesterday- with a new dog friend!


Koda doesn't like to play with other dogs (he prefers to do his own thing) but is learning to coexist peacefully with other dogs. It makes me really happy :) The socialization with other dogs is really good for his brain, I think.

Also went to a family BBQ yesterday, got to see my grandmother who is 99 years old, which is always great, and I really enjoy seeing my cousins and their kids. I did have two beers and ate a little off Paleo, so I'm weighing in at 124 today. I'm okay with that, as it is a direct result of my choices, and I can make better choices today and other days to drop about a pound.. 122/123 is really a great place for me. Easy to maintain if I'm eating well.

Grocery shopping today was excellent - only spent $50 and had a great haul which included local, no spray blueberries... My absolute ADDICTION lately is blueberries! I meant it myself to about half a cup a day, but wow, do I love eating my blueberries in the morning. Blueberries are so thin-skinned and really susceptible to absorbing pesticides, though, so I pay extra for organic blueberries or the local, no spray ones. 

I will reiterate the importance of reducing the amount of chemicals, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics that you ingest through your food. These things mess with your internal organs, your immune system, your hormones, and all the things that make you an efficient and healthy human being.

Take care!! If you put a lot of effort into eating well as far as food types, I urge you to pay just as much attention to food quality.

Ok- off to do a little work out at home, since my walk with Koda this morning had become short due to rain!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Outdoors Yoga

On Monday night, my very good friend called me up because she was going to her yoga class. She usually brings her husband (they have a package at the yoga studio) but he didn't want to go that night, at the last minute. So she told me to throw on some yoga pants and she was picking me up!

It turned out that the class had been moved to a nearby park for outdoors yoga!

It was an hour-long class and the weather was perfect. It wasn't humid, it was warm but not hot, and there was a lovely breeze blowing. The sky was full of beautiful clouds and birds were chirping and kids are playing nearby and we did a lot of yoga off our mats in the grass, and it was just so lovely. It was a challenging class, but not beyond my skill set, so I got a really nice full body stretch and work out, but wasn't to taxing so I got to truly relax and get into the breathing and the calmness.

I'm so much more likely to enjoy exercise when it's outside :)

But, I highly recommend getting outside and doing some yoga with your feet firmly planted in the earth. It is so grounding and so lovely, especially if you pick a great day weatherwise to do it!

Last night, a bunch of us drove out to our friends new place in the country while they were gone, and flocked them (which means we covered their yard and pink flamingos.... tons and tons of pink flamingos). It was a lot of fun:



Do you see the flamingo in the barn? Ha ha :)

So, I've had a lovely few days. Weight is generally stable and I'm feeling pretty good. Money is still tight, and I think it always will be, but we're holding on. The job is going well, I am surprised by how much I like it, and how good I am at it! I've been getting a lot of comments from the people I'm training with that I'm doing exceptionally well and catching on fast and stuff like that. Finally, I'm also getting a lot of comments about my clothes! Lots of compliments and women asking where I got them and people telling me I look really professional. That's what I'm going for-- dressing for the job I want, not the job I have.

So yep- life! People and fun and work and activity and good food and pets and housework and more- the usual :) 

It's a harder balancing act than I thought it would be, but I'm trying to remain fluid and accepting of what is to come.

Namaste <3

Monday, July 21, 2014

Foods with more sugar than a donut

http://www.takepart.com/photos/shocking-sugar-stats/naked-pomegranate-blueberry-juice?cmpid=foodinc-fb

Crazy!

I mean, this is exactly why I don't risk buying processed foods. 

The NAKED juice, yoplait yogurt, nature valley bar, and Dole mixed fruit are crazy high in sugar!

Best to eat whole foods all the time. I know that sounds a little restrictive to a lot of people, but the human body was designed to eat whole foods, not things processed with chemicals and sugars and God knows what else.

Now, that's not to say that I am perfect and never buy or eat processed foods. I sure do. But I am well aware of what they contain, educated on how to read labels and ingredient list, and eat them knowing I am sacrificing a more ideal food for convenience.

But do I do this often?

No way.

Even when I veer a little off Paleo, I still stick with whole, clean foods whenever possible. In fact, I would say that's my main food philosophy, more so then Paleo (though I really believe grains are not the right choice for me), but unprocessed is the #1 goal.

Also... Pet peeve? I just heard a Light n Fit Greek yogurt commercial as I was typing this and they asked the question, "trying to get fit but missing real pleasure? Try our Greek yogurt!" 

UHHHH..

Being fit/healthy and having pleasure are not mutually exclusive. I have more pleasure than I ever thought I could by eating well, real food is tasty, but I didn't know that when I was overburdening my taste buds with an onslaught of sugar and salt that made it so that I couldn't taste anything else...

Grr. Propagating the falsehood that living healthy life is difficult and boring.

But.... Busy life right now so I will have to make this short!! Just wanted to check in and then let you guys know I am well and still on track.

<3

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Being Active as a Way of Life (not an annoying chore!)

Chris was home when I got out of work on Friday, so we took the dog down to the river and took a 5+ mile walk:


Then we went to the movies, and saw The Purge 2 (junk food for my mind hahaha).

Saturday, I took Koda on a long walk while Chris started excavating our new walkway. Our old walkway was too close to the plants and being overgrown. It was also too narrow to actually walk on, and had no level base so it was all wavy and hard to walk on.

I then took the dog to visit my grandma. And when I got home, I joined Chris in the yard work:


I also bought a couple new plants (Russian sage and a rose colored barberry(?)), planted and mulched the new area.

It came out decent!


Tonight (Saturday) we are going on on night bike ride on a bike path with friends.

Tomorrow I am waking up early to do the grocery shopping, and then we are meeting some friends and their dogs with our dog at a lake nearby to go swimming!!

Busy, productive, fun, active :)

Again, living the life I preach. (Side note: weight is at 123 even!!)

Activity is not a chore, but a way of life. Exercise is no longer something I have to fit into my day, it just always is in my day by the way I live.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

No White Potatoes for Me!

So, the Whole30 program might've changed their rules, and are adding white potatoes to the allowed food lists (as long as it's not in chip or fries form).

http://whole30.com/2014/07/new-whole30/

But not for me!

White potatoes make me inflamed, bloated, and actually break out in hives way worse than wheat does. Really white and processed flours can make me break out and get bloated pretty bad, too, but not like white potatoes.

So I'm sticking with the old ways.

I know they said that potatoes and nutrient dense and we should eliminate them while allowing things like taro and sweet potatoes. But since I do get my nutrients from those other starchy root vegetables, I don't feel a need to add white potatoes into my regular diet.

Once in a while, potatoes sometimes to get added into my 5% off plan time. But rarely, as I said, I react the worst to them.

But they are still off plan for me.

Got to do what works for us, as individuals :)

No plan is going to hold all the answers. But going Paleo and doing the whole30 gave me the best ground-floor knowledge I needed to learn how to eat well for my body. It cleaned my slate  completely and I got to figure out what worked great for me. I really appreciated getting back to real simple basics (veg, fruits, nuts, seeds, protein in eggs and lean meat). When I added anything back in, I got to see -CLEARLY- how it affected my body.

And then I couldn't bury my head in the sand anymore and pretend that processed foods were good for me (I would immediately feel lethargic and inflamed after eating them).

But if someone eats potatoes and they feel fine, more power to them. In the end, I am just a fan of the real, whole, clean food. Whatever you eat that makes you feel good and healthy and energetic is great!

Namaste :)

Work clothes, confidence

Same weight (but started my cycle, so being a pound or two heavier is normal!) as before..

But feeling cute at work:


Pencil skirt and heels!! Also, can you notice my smoothie on the counter in my mason jar. No work donuts for me... Just a spinach and berry homemade smoothie (got to practice what I preach).

What a girl I am, though. I never would've thought that I was capable of dressing like this and feeling confident!

Lots of work to get to this point... There was a long time that even when I was at goal weight, I didn't feel good about myself. Losing the weight isn't only work we have to do. It's not even the most important works sometimes.

Sometimes, you can't even lose the weigt till you do the mental work.

Back to the grind :)

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Weight and more working out

Finally weighed in- skipped the last three days (first because I knew I was bloated and yesterday because I was rushing through my morning!): 124.4.

Not the worst. You guys know I'm trying to maintain between 122 and 123. I just have lost a significant percentage of my activity during the day now that the job has started. I used to be active most of the day. Lots of dog walking, Yoga whenever I felt like it, little bursts of strength training throughout the day.

Now I'm sitting at a desk for eight hours. Granted, I have two breaks and a lunch., At which I very purposefully am active by walking around or using the stairs.

But just not the same!!

Going to have to be a little more purposeful.. I need to shake off my tiredness at the end of the day and really get in a purposeful workout (especially strength focused!). I can see myself getting less fit and more soft if I don't put those efforts in.

But still, things are generally well. I like the job, though I do hope I don't have to stay at this entry-level for too long, and the house and the family and my health are all starting to fall into place around the new work schedule.

Got to get dressed!

Namaste <3

Monday, July 14, 2014

Work Lunch and Skirt

Chris and I did a lot of prep for our week yesterday, resulting in this lovely lunch:


Our fridge is now stocked with tons of Tupperware, full of:

Roasted beets
Roasted sweet potatoes
Baked chicken
Coleslaw
Pulled pork
Hamburgers
Cantaloupe
Brussels sprouts
Peas and carrots
Spinach/banana/raspberry smoothie

Want to have an easy time of packing lunches and grabbing snacks!

I drank wine at a birthday party last night, so no weigh in this morning (bloat!)... Will check tomorrow to make sure I'm right on track!!

Wanted to show you my new work skirt that I LOVE- a floral/navy pencil skirt from H&M:



Namaste <3

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Dinner Out

Chris took me out to dinner last night to celebrate my first week at work. He took me to my favorite place right near our house.

It was lovely!

We shared a crab cake appetizer. I had a beautiful entrée. It was one of their specials. It was fresh caught halibut with artichoke hearts and arugula, red quinoa, and a red pepper coulis. Soooo good!! I love to order something really special, really unique, with really beautiful ingredients when I go out. To make those extra calories worth it!! 

We also shared a dessert that was the chefs take on strawberry shortcake, the cake was more of a doughnut type thing. So that was our very much not Paleo part of dinner. Like I said in the post a few months ago, we go out to eat so very rarely, that when we do, staying Paleo is not my number one concern. I'm not the type of person who can't get right back on the wagon the next day if I have a dinner off plan the night before.

So I slept in this morning while Chris woke up very early to head north to do trail work-- I just didn't have the energy!

Going to take the dog on a super long walk and maybe do something else active today, like ride my bike.

Namaste <3

Friday, July 11, 2014

Your tools

Below is a cool article that really encapsulates my belief systems about the importance of keeping your body healthy. I think a lot of people fail at keeping their bodies healthy because they think they're doing it just for the sake of having their body be healthy. Or doing it for specific body shape. 

What they don't realize is that the end goal isn't to have a healthy strong body. The end goal is to have a healthy strong body that can help you live your life to the fullest. That can carry you through this world to experience all the amazing things. To live a long life so you can have those relationships and build those relationships with people you love.

Your body is a tool that you must take care of like you take care of any other tool that's important to your life.

The article:

http://momastery.com/blog/2014/07/06/body-masterpiece/

And when you truly think about it from that perspective, it's so much easier to make those good decisions. Because what is more valuable than your life and your love and those you love?

So, anyway, things are going just as before work. Still packing my lunches and walking stairs. Still weighing in at 123.6 pounds.

But feeling busy and overwhelmed to cram in all those things I used to do with the dog and the cat and the house and my life with missing eight hours in the day for work.

Learning process!

Back to work :)


Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Lunch, stairs, weigh-in

Halfway through the day and still doing good!

Lunch outside (almost no one eats on the patio, nice and quiet!):


Lunch is a funny color- purple because of mashed purple cauliflower! Combined with ground turkey, mushies and onions. Also ate a salad of spinach, romaine and carrots.

Definitely takes time to prep lunch the night before, wash my Tupperware, etc. But it's worth it to me right now. I'm eating super nutritious food and NOT spending money in the cafeteria (they have a great salad bar but it is also littered with tons of temptations and is not cheap).

I will continue to buy my weekly food cheaply from local farmers/shops!!

Did I mention that I'm on the 6th floor and have been using the stairs instead of the elevator at the start of the day, for 2 breaks, lunch hour and at the end of the day??

Terrific exercise!!

Also avoiding the slow, busy elevators to make sure I'm not late :)

Making good decisions now to set myself up for success!!

Also- weighed in at 123.6 today :) Perfect!! I went off Paleo a few times this weekend but all the activity mitigated the damage. Feeling strong.

Now to finish this chapter and get back to work <3

Monday, July 7, 2014

Food at Work

I knew I would have to face temptations now that I am starting a new job in a business setting - candy dishes, baked goods, vending machines, cafeterias, etc.

To my (not very much) surprise, I walked in and on my desk is all my "welcome" paperwork and a TON OF CANDY.

Goodness.

When no one was around, I put it back into the communal candy dish, hahaha.

The trainer also brought in dozens of different cookies for us. I didn't have even a bite of one, even though everyone excitedly offered me some.

I brought my lunch (salad, cooked turkey and veg, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, and two piece of chocolate covered coconut nibbles from the co-op). I ate it outside in the sun on the patio.

So, win for day one at the new job :)

I could NOT give in to temptation on the first day! It would set a horrible precedence for the rest of my time!

Otherwise, the job seems fine. The atmosphere is nice, for a corporate setting. It isn't TOO strict, though you do have to be professional. Everyone was friendly and approachable. Lots of room for movement within the company (it's a big, growing company that is thriving right now).

So, things are fine. Just got to get USED to losing big chunks of my day, doing a lot of prep, and losing quality time with my family. Eh. Such is life!!!! Will work hard for a better job :)

Wanted to share this photo Chris took of me this weekend:


It was actually a little hard for my disordered brain to look at... I have put on a couple of pounds and am not as SKINNY as I was. However, I made a conscious choice that it was important to weigh a little more and make sure my fertility was in a good spot (because it kind of wasn't when I weighed closer to 120).

And I had to look at the picture a lot and force myself to see that, even a little thicker than I was, I look healthy and fit and happy. I look like me, and that should be good enough!!

Don't need any crazy monsters chewing on my brain and getting me back to disordered thinking as I start this new part of my life.

Okay, I will keep you all updated on how I am avoiding the treats at work :)

Namaste <3

Sunday, July 6, 2014

July 4th, Starting New Job

I had a lovely weekend celebrating July 4 up in the Adirondacks with Chris's family. The weather was great, we saw a lot of the extended family, and I enjoyed myself. However, I didn't get a lot of sleep because Koda fussed a lot at night and we all slept in the same room together. He was also up very early wanting to walk around 6 AM, even if we went to bed late.

I am very much looking to a long night of sleep tonight!

I ate off Paleo a few times. But I only had two drinks over the course of the whole weekend, which is a huge win for me. Usually use alcohol as social lubrication, but that, in the end, is detrimental to my mind and body.

I'm starting my new job tomorrow. I am very scared. I am nervous. I'm a little bit stressed. I am relaxing tonight, and already prepped all my food for tomorrow, and will wake up early and bring the dog on a walk before I go to work.

I hope this is the start of a new and rewarding part of life. I hope to start it off right.

I will leave you with some pictures from the weekend:

First dip in the lake-


Flowers on my nature walk-


We hiked up to a cliff to watch the fireworks- 




Koda and I "sharing" the couch for the night-


More swimming!- 


Non-paleo treat-


Last hike before we left-


So I was pretty active! No matter if I eat Paleo or not Paleo or clean or not clean on a vacation, I always, always, always stay active. The eating wasn't crazy this weekend, though, but I am looking forward to getting back to my normal foods prepared by me!!

Namaste <3

Thursday, July 3, 2014

No Grains, No Grains: Favorite Foods

NGNG_edited-1

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!


This month our topic is on our favorite foods, or the foods we eat everyday! I've definitely noticed a trend that people who are very successful TEND to rely on the same foods weeks after week, knowing what their caloric intake is and their nutritional value is. Eating instinctively means that I know I am getting all the vitamins I need, all the fat and protein and carbs I need, the right calorie spectrum, without having to tabulate every little bite.

I've also noticed successful people tend to have a lot of favorites in the vegetable category :) If my list contained junk food, I don't know that I'd be able to maintain my weight! And, I can seriously say now, years later, that junk food is NOT on my list of favorites. I crave fresh, whole foods that grow from this earth!

Ok, if you've ever read one of my grocery list posts, this will look very similar. I buy the same foods every week (with a little bit of variety depending on seasonal availability, affordability, etc).

My favorite foods:

  • First and most important on the list: SWEET POTATOES!! These are very nutritious and the only real starchy food I eat (once in a while we switch it up with acorn squash, butternut squash or spaghetti squash, but sweet potatoes will always be my favorite!). I love cubing them and roasting them with garlic and black pepper
  • Blueberries - I buy these frozen most of the time, because I want the organic berries, and fresh organic berries are stupidly expensive. I eat these almost every day with breakfast.
  • Cantaloupe is definitely my favorite melon!
  • Tomatoes, onions, mushrooms - these are the magic trio I include in dinner every single day in some way! They all have really terrific nutritional properties and I love their very specific tastes/textures
  • Spinach and Romaine lettuce - both for salads, romaine for creating "taco" type meals
  • Asparagus, brussels sprouts and cauliflower are our favorite veggies for dinner!
  • EGGS - incredible versatile, lots of protein, very nutritious. Eat these almost every day.
  • Dark chocolate!! I don't eat only fruits and veggies, of course ;) This is my main way of getting some dessert.
  • Chicken, pork, and turkey - my main meat proteins (bought antibiotic free, hormone free, fed vegetarian diets)
  • Grass fed beef. While I will occasionally buy chicken or turkey that has been factory farmed (because I can't afford the other stuff), I will NEVER EVER buy factory farmed beef. I will only buy grass fed and grass finished pasture raised beef. First, it tastes SO MUCH better. Second, most of the nutrients you get from beef comes from the grass it eats... you are what you eat eats!
  • Salmon - when we have fish, I always try for wild caught salmon. Sometimes it is wild-caught tilapia, though (money, again, haha)
  • Avocados! I love making guacamole or just putting the avocado on eggs or something fresh.
  • Sunflower seed butter - I'm addicted to this stuff!
  • Flax milk... creamy, delicious flax milk. Great in coffee and for making smoothies!
  • Ketchup (I get this organic, no HFCS, just tomatoes, sugar and spices).. I put this on eggs, sweet potatoes, burgers, and eat it every day, hahaha.
  • All the spices in the world - we have a huge spice cabinet: pepper, paprika, cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, ginger, cardamom, various curry powders, garam masala, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc, etc, etc... this is how I make my food taste different all the time, even though I buy pretty much the same veggies and meat every week!
So there we are... my favorites AND the food I rely upon every day.

But I wanted to insert, that if we are taking above favorites, I MUST include the insanely delicious, absolutely perfect Paleo Pumpkin Pie my husband makes for me. I can't even tell it is Paleo, but it is (crust made of nuts and eggs and honey, I think?... filling with pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup?) but he makes it and I freak out. I would have to say that even though I only eat it a few times a year, it is my #1 favorite food on earth :D

The big step, I think, into making a healthy lifestyle, though, is making those foods you eat every day your favorites!! I am excited to eat my spinach and eggs in the morning, I love my sweet potatoes and bunless turkey burgers with a side of asparagus for dinner, etc. I am satisfied with a few squares of dark chocolate for dessert.

If my favorite foods were chocolate cake and fritos, I don't know that I would be HAPPY eating the list above. And being happy with what you eat leads you to being SATISFIED. Satisfaction means you can easily stop eating, because you are not just full, but satisfied, and don't need any more :)

Okay, off to start the day!

Namaste <3




Other members of No Grains, No Gains:

Gwen http://againstthegrain.us/
Leigh http://poonapalooza.blogspot.com/
Karen http://gardengirlkp.blogspot.com/

Go check out how their favorite foods!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Still chugging along

Still here! But life is kind of overwhelming in the kind of way that I just don't have the energy to put it into words.

This is my last week before my full time job starts and I am trying to tie up a bunch of loose ends in my life before I don't have a lot of free time to do that kind of stuff anymore. Also plugging away at my dissertation. Will be sending my chapters in to my adviser soon for advice.

I've been eating very well since Sunday, but my weekend shenanigans affected me more than I thought, and I've been stuck at 125 for the past three days. Not that I am unhealthy at that weight, but I like my body more at 122/123. So continuing with walking and yoga and clean eating and eventually I will get back there.

General stress might be having an effect, too. Very possible I am eating more than usual to cope with it.

Also it has been ungodly hot here, so my walks haven't been as long as they usually are (because my dog wears a thick fur coat everyday, the idiot ;) and I can't push him too far in the heat!).

Will be making lots of changes soon, to cope with the new work week, etc... so we will see what needs to change in order for me to maintain my weight!

Just wanted to check in, tired and busy and hot :)

Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend (I will NOT overeat, Independence Day is not an excuse to gorge!)!