As the title suggests, I finally got everything together in my attempt to make some healthy cookies. I used a recipe from the BED book but had to change it as the recipe doesn't strictly adhere to the diet. It uses rice baking mix and along with not knowing what that is or where to find it, I also can't use it because rice is verboten. So I substituted with quinoa flour. Bleck! I also used the suggested stevia powder instead of the liquid drops I like so much better, and will definitely try the drops next time. The saving grace in these cookies is the ghee (which Jason went out and got for me today once I described the severity of my cookie craving) and the almond butter. They're called Norma's Almond Butter Cookies and the recipe was pretty simple. They crumble and fall apart instantly so if anyone has any suggestions as to how I can prevent that from happening next time, please tell me. Otherwise, they need to be sweeter as they taste way too much like quinoa and not enough like almonds. Very, very filling though. I forced down two of them because that's just how badly I need cookies right now. And now I'm rather uncomfortably full, which reminds me that I'm still not very good at the concept of eating until I'm 80% full, leaving 20% for digestion.
Otherwise I was pretty good today. I had a new take on the quinoa instant cereal which I liked much better than my previous attempts. I used another recipe from BED, but this time from her website, and added my soy lecithin 'milk' and a very small amount of black currant concentrate. For snack I had my usual apple & almond butter and then was desperately hungry by the time I got home from work and snarfed down some leftovers and a small serving of the smoked salmon we got at Costco yesterday. Yum!
For dinner Jason made sauteed broccolini and green beans, mashed sweet potatoes with coconut oil and nutmeg, and bought an organic rotisserie chicken from Fred Meyers.
I should mention that I was at a Bridal Event today at Crate & Barrel representing my health club as a trainer. And I don't know why I didn't anticipate this but there was cake everywhere! Little delectable pieces in all flavors and everywhere I turned people were offering them to me. Not to mention the free shots of espresso, the gourmet finger foods, wine and champagne! And I said no to all of it. Wowsers! I had my apple and almond butter while hiding in a corner of the store, but man was that tough. It wasn't hard to say no, it was just hard having it around and knowing how amazing it would taste. Giving myself a huge pat on the back for getting through that gauntlet.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Day 13 - Challenges, Recipes, and This Week's Meal Plan
I've been slacking on writing in the blog, but let me tell you, knowing I'm going to be writing it has been a major incentive to stick with the diet. I fully realized this when I was grocery shopping today and the smell of the fresh-made doughnuts almost made me whimper with longing. Dramatic I know, but so true. I thought about having to write down that I had cheated with a doughnut made it easy to walk right on past the bakery section, within inches of the doughnut case.
It's been almost two weeks and the sugar, chocolate and bread cravings haven't let up in the slightest. It really doesn't help that it's around me constantly. Someone eating a sandwich from the bistro at work, the bread, animal crackers, pasta, etc. at home, and the aforementioned torturous trips through the grocery store. Costco had this huge container of cinnamon rolls just sitting out there dripping with icing...so mean! And of course I think to myself that I wouldn't buy that or eat it normally, but the fact that I'm now not allowed to just makes it worse.
Also, yesterday I had some pretty nasty stomach cramps again. Very painful. I took an extra dose of digestive enzymes and some fiber and they went away, but not for about 3 or 4 hours. I know it's something going on with my intestines but can't figure out exactly what. I'm eating all good foods and my stomach just doesn't seem to like it. Also, it's very difficult for me to take the Pekana remedies an hour before or after eating so sometimes I take them right before on an empty stomach and hope that's ok. Breakfast is the hardest because I get up and eat after I get dressed and ready to go. I guess I could take them as soon as I wake up but then I'd have to schlep downstairs, count out all the drops from each bottle, drink it down and then head back upstairs to finish getting ready. Somehow I just can't seem to remember to do that.
I heard from someone that they would very much like the recipe for the Italian dressing I use on my salads, so here it is:
Italian Dressing
taken from "The Body Ecology Diet" by Donna Gates
1 cup organic, unrefined oil (I use flax seed oil)
1/2 cup raw, organic apple cider vinegar (I use Braggs)
1 tsp. sea salt or to taste
1/8 tsp. white pepper (I use black)
1/2 tsp. dry mustard (don't use)
2 tsp. Italian-blend seasoning
1 clove garlic
* I also add a bit of cumin
Combine all ingredients in a jar, cover tightly and shake vigorously. Adjust to taste. Chill thoroughly.
I make a small amount each time and am hoping to find a carafe I can make the full amount in and have in the fridge when I need it.
Also, here's my menu planning for the week:
Monday
B: Egg scramble (2 eggs, scallions, cilantro, quinoa, sheeps feta) or hot quinoa instant cereal
S: green apple w/raw almond butter
L: salmon salad (spinach, smoked salmon, feta, tomatoes, avocado, scallions, Italian dressing)
S: almond slivers
D: broccoli, green bean & chicken saute
Tuesday
B: egg scramble or quinoa cereal
S: apple w/raw almond butter
L: Millet & Sweet Veggies (BED recipe)
S: almond slivers
D: salmon or cod w/Green Bean Salad (BED recipe)
Wednesday
B: egg scramble or quinoa cereal
S: apple w/raw almond butter
L: Cucumber, Wakame & Red Pepper Salad (BED recipe)
S: almond slivers
D: broccoli, green bean & chicken saute
Thursday
B: egg scramble or quinoa cereal
S: apple & raw almond butter
L: salmon salad or leftovers
S: almond slivers
D: curry w/chicken & quinoa
That's all I have so far. I had such a hard time this week putting together meals and finding the time to eat well that I decided to try really planning out my week and cooking as much as possible this weekend so I have less to do during the weekdays. I was up at 5 every morning this week to train clients at 6, working the rest of my morning shift, then rush home to put Zaden down for his nap, squeeze in a workout while he's down, prepare and eat my lunch, then get him up and hurry back to work for my evening shift, then home late to get dinner ready. Not to mention cleaning the kitchen, getting things ready for the next day, etc. etc. Jason is helping out enormously and even made me dinner a couple of nights. My sweet hubby! It's actually difficult to put down here what a tough week it was, and how exhausted I felt all the time. All I wanted to do was bury my head in a book (my favorite means of escape).
I also wanted to mention that my workouts seem to be much harder than they used to be and I'm assuming this is because of the lack of complex carbohydrates. This is especially true for my once-weekly workouts with Mike and his group. Both classes so far have brought me perilously close to throwing up and I wasn't able to finish. I feel like I did a bit better this last week so maybe my body is adjusting slowly. And I did an intense cardio and strength workout yesterday and felt great. The true test will be next Wednesday though, when I work out with Mike again.
Also, I continue to be more 'spacey' than usual. I notice it when I'm trying to write a client's workouts for their next day and end up staring out into space, unable to focus long enough to put it all together. One thought leads to something totally unrelated which leads to something else and all of the sudden I'm thinking about some random thing I did in Hawaii five years ago. This also can be attributed to the lack of carbs.
I haven't taken an epsom salt bath since those first couple of nights and think I should probably start that back up again. Other than that, I will continue to strive for a balance between work, being a wife and mom, taking care of myself (this diet and working out), and keeping my house in order. It feels very overwhelming at times. As always, any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to put them here.
It's been almost two weeks and the sugar, chocolate and bread cravings haven't let up in the slightest. It really doesn't help that it's around me constantly. Someone eating a sandwich from the bistro at work, the bread, animal crackers, pasta, etc. at home, and the aforementioned torturous trips through the grocery store. Costco had this huge container of cinnamon rolls just sitting out there dripping with icing...so mean! And of course I think to myself that I wouldn't buy that or eat it normally, but the fact that I'm now not allowed to just makes it worse.
Also, yesterday I had some pretty nasty stomach cramps again. Very painful. I took an extra dose of digestive enzymes and some fiber and they went away, but not for about 3 or 4 hours. I know it's something going on with my intestines but can't figure out exactly what. I'm eating all good foods and my stomach just doesn't seem to like it. Also, it's very difficult for me to take the Pekana remedies an hour before or after eating so sometimes I take them right before on an empty stomach and hope that's ok. Breakfast is the hardest because I get up and eat after I get dressed and ready to go. I guess I could take them as soon as I wake up but then I'd have to schlep downstairs, count out all the drops from each bottle, drink it down and then head back upstairs to finish getting ready. Somehow I just can't seem to remember to do that.
I heard from someone that they would very much like the recipe for the Italian dressing I use on my salads, so here it is:
Italian Dressing
taken from "The Body Ecology Diet" by Donna Gates
1 cup organic, unrefined oil (I use flax seed oil)
1/2 cup raw, organic apple cider vinegar (I use Braggs)
1 tsp. sea salt or to taste
1/8 tsp. white pepper (I use black)
1/2 tsp. dry mustard (don't use)
2 tsp. Italian-blend seasoning
1 clove garlic
* I also add a bit of cumin
Combine all ingredients in a jar, cover tightly and shake vigorously. Adjust to taste. Chill thoroughly.
I make a small amount each time and am hoping to find a carafe I can make the full amount in and have in the fridge when I need it.
Also, here's my menu planning for the week:
Monday
B: Egg scramble (2 eggs, scallions, cilantro, quinoa, sheeps feta) or hot quinoa instant cereal
S: green apple w/raw almond butter
L: salmon salad (spinach, smoked salmon, feta, tomatoes, avocado, scallions, Italian dressing)
S: almond slivers
D: broccoli, green bean & chicken saute
Tuesday
B: egg scramble or quinoa cereal
S: apple w/raw almond butter
L: Millet & Sweet Veggies (BED recipe)
S: almond slivers
D: salmon or cod w/Green Bean Salad (BED recipe)
Wednesday
B: egg scramble or quinoa cereal
S: apple w/raw almond butter
L: Cucumber, Wakame & Red Pepper Salad (BED recipe)
S: almond slivers
D: broccoli, green bean & chicken saute
Thursday
B: egg scramble or quinoa cereal
S: apple & raw almond butter
L: salmon salad or leftovers
S: almond slivers
D: curry w/chicken & quinoa
That's all I have so far. I had such a hard time this week putting together meals and finding the time to eat well that I decided to try really planning out my week and cooking as much as possible this weekend so I have less to do during the weekdays. I was up at 5 every morning this week to train clients at 6, working the rest of my morning shift, then rush home to put Zaden down for his nap, squeeze in a workout while he's down, prepare and eat my lunch, then get him up and hurry back to work for my evening shift, then home late to get dinner ready. Not to mention cleaning the kitchen, getting things ready for the next day, etc. etc. Jason is helping out enormously and even made me dinner a couple of nights. My sweet hubby! It's actually difficult to put down here what a tough week it was, and how exhausted I felt all the time. All I wanted to do was bury my head in a book (my favorite means of escape).
I also wanted to mention that my workouts seem to be much harder than they used to be and I'm assuming this is because of the lack of complex carbohydrates. This is especially true for my once-weekly workouts with Mike and his group. Both classes so far have brought me perilously close to throwing up and I wasn't able to finish. I feel like I did a bit better this last week so maybe my body is adjusting slowly. And I did an intense cardio and strength workout yesterday and felt great. The true test will be next Wednesday though, when I work out with Mike again.
Also, I continue to be more 'spacey' than usual. I notice it when I'm trying to write a client's workouts for their next day and end up staring out into space, unable to focus long enough to put it all together. One thought leads to something totally unrelated which leads to something else and all of the sudden I'm thinking about some random thing I did in Hawaii five years ago. This also can be attributed to the lack of carbs.
I haven't taken an epsom salt bath since those first couple of nights and think I should probably start that back up again. Other than that, I will continue to strive for a balance between work, being a wife and mom, taking care of myself (this diet and working out), and keeping my house in order. It feels very overwhelming at times. As always, any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to put them here.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Day 6
Breakfast: Millet puffs, soy lecithin 'milk' made w/water, vanilla, & stevia.
Snack: A few blue corn chips and later, almond slivers
Lunch: The remaining red curry leftovers with quinoa, and leftover soy lecithin 'milk'
Dinner: Pan fried broccoli and green beans with coconut oil, red pepper flakes, and sea salt. Small leftover portion of salmon from last night's dinner at Jakes. So delicious I was rolling my eyes and wishing I'd made 3 times as much. I didn't even need the salmon, the veggies were just that good! I now have a new favorite dish and I'm sure it will come up in my blog many more times. I should give it a nickname. Maybe, Green Yumminess ... or maybe not.
Dessert: An attempt at hot chocolate with thick soy lecithin milk, raw chocolate powder, stevia and vanilla. I think I just made it too sweet and haven't been able to get the taste out of my mouth since. Bleck! Maybe some more experimentation is in order.
In Donna Gates' book, "The Body Ecology Diet" one of her main principles is that you should eat until you're 80% full, leaving 20% of the room in your stomach for digestion. Sound concept, makes total sense. Yeah, I haven't exactly perfected this. All the food I'm making is so tasty I just keep eating and eating, thinking to myself that it's all healthy and I deserve it for putting so much work into it. And now I'm writing about it in the hopes that I can pressure myself into actually doing it. I'll let you know how the self-guilt-trip works out.
Also, my mother requested I note that I've stopped taking the Thorne Research Formula SF722, which is the supplement that aggressively kills yeast in all it's life stages. This was highly recommended by my naturopath, Dr. Renee Schwartz, but is discouraged by Almine. She suggests not taking anything that will kill off the yeast because it's so important the body rids itself of the heavy metals before getting rid of the yeast whose job it is to protect the cells of our bodies from their harmful effects. Makes sense. The real reason I stopped taking it was because I'm supposed to take it 20 minutes before I eat and I never remember. But now I no longer feel lazy and forgetful.
I also wanted to note that I don't feel much affect of the diet yet and am at the 'wonder if it's doing anything' stage. I don't think I've lost any weight, which is fine, and I see no difference in my skin or the state of my sinuses. I do think that my stomach is far less bloated than it usually is at this particular time of the month, and is looking more toned and lean in general. Great news for my post-baby belly.
That's it for today. As always, feel free to post comments or ask any questions!
Snack: A few blue corn chips and later, almond slivers
Lunch: The remaining red curry leftovers with quinoa, and leftover soy lecithin 'milk'
Dinner: Pan fried broccoli and green beans with coconut oil, red pepper flakes, and sea salt. Small leftover portion of salmon from last night's dinner at Jakes. So delicious I was rolling my eyes and wishing I'd made 3 times as much. I didn't even need the salmon, the veggies were just that good! I now have a new favorite dish and I'm sure it will come up in my blog many more times. I should give it a nickname. Maybe, Green Yumminess ... or maybe not.
Dessert: An attempt at hot chocolate with thick soy lecithin milk, raw chocolate powder, stevia and vanilla. I think I just made it too sweet and haven't been able to get the taste out of my mouth since. Bleck! Maybe some more experimentation is in order.
In Donna Gates' book, "The Body Ecology Diet" one of her main principles is that you should eat until you're 80% full, leaving 20% of the room in your stomach for digestion. Sound concept, makes total sense. Yeah, I haven't exactly perfected this. All the food I'm making is so tasty I just keep eating and eating, thinking to myself that it's all healthy and I deserve it for putting so much work into it. And now I'm writing about it in the hopes that I can pressure myself into actually doing it. I'll let you know how the self-guilt-trip works out.
Also, my mother requested I note that I've stopped taking the Thorne Research Formula SF722, which is the supplement that aggressively kills yeast in all it's life stages. This was highly recommended by my naturopath, Dr. Renee Schwartz, but is discouraged by Almine. She suggests not taking anything that will kill off the yeast because it's so important the body rids itself of the heavy metals before getting rid of the yeast whose job it is to protect the cells of our bodies from their harmful effects. Makes sense. The real reason I stopped taking it was because I'm supposed to take it 20 minutes before I eat and I never remember. But now I no longer feel lazy and forgetful.
I also wanted to note that I don't feel much affect of the diet yet and am at the 'wonder if it's doing anything' stage. I don't think I've lost any weight, which is fine, and I see no difference in my skin or the state of my sinuses. I do think that my stomach is far less bloated than it usually is at this particular time of the month, and is looking more toned and lean in general. Great news for my post-baby belly.
That's it for today. As always, feel free to post comments or ask any questions!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Day 5: My First Restaurant!
As the title suggests, we ate out tonight. And at not just any restaurant. At Jakes Bar & Grill in Downtown Portland. Our all time favorite place. Jason's parents took us for their anniversary and we had an amazing time with them and Jason's brother and his wife. It's an upscale place so the pace is much slower and the food took about an hour and a half to actually make it to our table. Well, the dinner did, which was the only portion I allowed myself to take part in.
First the appetizers come, and this was slow torture! Jake's calamari is one of my all-time favorite restaurant foods. And they ordered two plates of it. So I sat there inhaling the amazing smell, trying to convince myself that this was just as satisfying as the actual tasting and swallowing. It almost worked. Almost.
I ordered a simple filet of salmon (no butter, please!) on a caesar salad, which was the closest thing I could find to what fit in the diet. A dressing of anchovies, eggs, etc. can't be all that bad, right? And so tasty. Of course I had them leave the croutons off. I couldn't believe how quickly I got full off this simple meal. I had one very small portion of the salmon and as much as the lettuce as I could eat and still had enough salmon to bring home for a salad tomorrow.
And then, of course, the dessert arrived. They brought Ruth & Michael a special anniversary dessert which was a chocolate truffle cake with strawberry fabulousness sauce and real whipped cream on top. Argh! It really does help that I'm allergic to dairy and that I'm fighting some kind of tonsil infection right now because it was so very tempting to have just one teensy tiny little bite. I was so good! (Pats self on back)
So, no wine, no celebratory champagne, no bread rolls fresh from their oven, no calamari, no amazing mashed potatoes or starchy anything. And my salad was genuinely delicious, so that was nice. We also had so much fun laughing and talking story that it all passed very quickly, once I had my dinner anyway.
The rest of the day is kind of a blur. For breakfast I had my usual egg scramble with quinoa, then almond slivers for a late snack and Jason's leftover curry & quinoa for lunch, more almond slivers later and Jake's for dinner. I came home and tried my new dessert, which my mother so kindly called to tell me about after reading about my chocolate cravings of yesterday. I bought soy lecithin granules, raw chocolate powder, and frozen gogi berries. I put the soy lecithin granules (only type of soy allowed on this diet) and water in my Magic Bullet and blended until smooth, then added some chocolate and stevia. It was actually very tasty! I was too lazy to mess with the frozen berries but I'm sure I'll try them tomorrow. I also tried a little bit of this with millet puffs and some more stevia which was also tasty. That liquid stevia (non-alcohol base) is such a lifesaver.
Well, that's all she wrote. Off for bed!
First the appetizers come, and this was slow torture! Jake's calamari is one of my all-time favorite restaurant foods. And they ordered two plates of it. So I sat there inhaling the amazing smell, trying to convince myself that this was just as satisfying as the actual tasting and swallowing. It almost worked. Almost.
I ordered a simple filet of salmon (no butter, please!) on a caesar salad, which was the closest thing I could find to what fit in the diet. A dressing of anchovies, eggs, etc. can't be all that bad, right? And so tasty. Of course I had them leave the croutons off. I couldn't believe how quickly I got full off this simple meal. I had one very small portion of the salmon and as much as the lettuce as I could eat and still had enough salmon to bring home for a salad tomorrow.
And then, of course, the dessert arrived. They brought Ruth & Michael a special anniversary dessert which was a chocolate truffle cake with strawberry fabulousness sauce and real whipped cream on top. Argh! It really does help that I'm allergic to dairy and that I'm fighting some kind of tonsil infection right now because it was so very tempting to have just one teensy tiny little bite. I was so good! (Pats self on back)
So, no wine, no celebratory champagne, no bread rolls fresh from their oven, no calamari, no amazing mashed potatoes or starchy anything. And my salad was genuinely delicious, so that was nice. We also had so much fun laughing and talking story that it all passed very quickly, once I had my dinner anyway.
The rest of the day is kind of a blur. For breakfast I had my usual egg scramble with quinoa, then almond slivers for a late snack and Jason's leftover curry & quinoa for lunch, more almond slivers later and Jake's for dinner. I came home and tried my new dessert, which my mother so kindly called to tell me about after reading about my chocolate cravings of yesterday. I bought soy lecithin granules, raw chocolate powder, and frozen gogi berries. I put the soy lecithin granules (only type of soy allowed on this diet) and water in my Magic Bullet and blended until smooth, then added some chocolate and stevia. It was actually very tasty! I was too lazy to mess with the frozen berries but I'm sure I'll try them tomorrow. I also tried a little bit of this with millet puffs and some more stevia which was also tasty. That liquid stevia (non-alcohol base) is such a lifesaver.
Well, that's all she wrote. Off for bed!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Day 4
I want chocolate. Someone remind me why I'm doing this? Hurry, quick before I go raid the bag of chocolate chips in my pantry. The damn box of chocolates was still on the trainers desk and the trainers were oohing and ahhing as they ate them. And today has really been my first day of sugar cravings, but boy do I have it bad. I really just like munching on things in the evening after dinner and tonight I really missed it. I know, I know, it's better if I don't munch in the evenings and this is really good for me. *sigh*
Today I had an egg scramble breakfast again, a green apple and skinned almond slivers for a snack (about 1.5 hours apart), homemade miso soup for lunch, some blue corn chips as a late snack at work, then my husband's very spicy, very delicious red curry w/chicken for dinner. I actually ate 6 different times today but one of my big goals with this diet is to make sure I eat when I'm hungry, I am definitely not trying to starve myself or keep calories to a certain level.
My upper back was quite sore today but that was probably from my awesome workout yesterday. I did great doing my cardio today, didn't get tired or lightheaded at all doing 40 minutes of intense intervals on the elliptical. I did take 3 ibuprofen afterwards so I could go back to work for my evening shift and not be miserably sore.
Today wasn't such a struggle for time. I woke up half an hour earlier and that seemed to make all the difference this morning. That and my husband stayed home for awhile and helped get Zaden up, dressed and fed. It felt downright leisurely actually. A good day overall, besides the intense cravings. Now I'm going to bed so at least one floor will be separating me from the bag of chocolate chips.
Today I had an egg scramble breakfast again, a green apple and skinned almond slivers for a snack (about 1.5 hours apart), homemade miso soup for lunch, some blue corn chips as a late snack at work, then my husband's very spicy, very delicious red curry w/chicken for dinner. I actually ate 6 different times today but one of my big goals with this diet is to make sure I eat when I'm hungry, I am definitely not trying to starve myself or keep calories to a certain level.
My upper back was quite sore today but that was probably from my awesome workout yesterday. I did great doing my cardio today, didn't get tired or lightheaded at all doing 40 minutes of intense intervals on the elliptical. I did take 3 ibuprofen afterwards so I could go back to work for my evening shift and not be miserably sore.
Today wasn't such a struggle for time. I woke up half an hour earlier and that seemed to make all the difference this morning. That and my husband stayed home for awhile and helped get Zaden up, dressed and fed. It felt downright leisurely actually. A good day overall, besides the intense cravings. Now I'm going to bed so at least one floor will be separating me from the bag of chocolate chips.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day 3
I wanted to make sure I write about how spacey I've been today and a great example is how I just sat here and stared at my computer screen for the last minute straight. Wow. I think the lack of complex carbs is really getting to me and I'm starting to feel the evil sting of cravings. Someone brought a huge heart-shaped box of chocolates into the gym and put. it. on. the. trainers. desk. Yeah. Where the trainers work. Where we have to sit at the computers and have it winking at us, tempting us, all day! So wrong.
I did not eat any chocolate today. Or any of Zaden's leftover toast, or even his leftover apple with peanut butter. I'm starting to realize just how many calories I'm not consuming simply by not 'cleaning up' after him. I also came home to the delicious smell of a homemade pizza Jason made for he and Z. Now that was miserable and made me realize how much I'm missing hot meals. Aside from breakfast pretty much all my meals have been cold this week. Time to start making some miso soup and maybe have Jason make me a modified curry (his curries are amazing).
Today's meals:
Breakfast
3 eggs w/tomatoes, scallions, sheep milk cheese and quinoa.
Lunch
Large spinach salad w/tomatoes, scallions, sheep milk cheese, wild canned salmon, avocado and an amazing dressing (garlic, italian seasoning, flax oil, apple cider vinegar, salt & pepper). It was so delish!
Snack
A few carrot sticks in hummus while rushing to get to my last client of the day
Dinner
Tasty Bite Channa Masala. Yes, I actually found pre-made food that is in-line with the diet! I was desperately wanting something warm and flavorful but really didn't want to cook. Might have some more hummus and veggies too.
I did an insane workout today with Mike at work and his group of crazy-in-shape guys. For the first time I didn't get through the whole thing. I had to stop a few exercises short because I was afraid I was going to puke. Actually, it was about the 20th time I thought I might puke or pass out so I decided to sit down. Yes, this is fun for me. I absolutely love it, as crazy at that sounds. You'd have to be there I guess. The reason I was having such a hard time was that I had clients booked all the way up until class started and didn't take the time to have my snack. Big mistake. I know better now and will definitely not miss my snack next week.
One thing I haven't mentioned is how thirsty I've been since I started this diet. It's hard to describe because it's not like the normal thirst, it's more like I'm just craving water. All the time. And of course I pee constantly. I'm supposed to drink a lot of water to help with the cleansing so it's all good, I just thought it was interesting. I was also a little constipated yesterday (sorry, TMI) but started taking more of the fiber and digestive enzymes and I seem to be back to normal.
The muscle aches have continued into today so I've taken ibuprofen twice. Once so I could get through Mike's class and again so I could finish training my clients this evening. I also had a few instances where I had difficulty focusing on a client, counting their reps, or remembering what I was just going to say. I'm going to look around and see if there are more ways I can get some healthy carbs into my system so I don't lose what brain power I have remaining. Time to take my Pekana Remedies and head to bed.
I did not eat any chocolate today. Or any of Zaden's leftover toast, or even his leftover apple with peanut butter. I'm starting to realize just how many calories I'm not consuming simply by not 'cleaning up' after him. I also came home to the delicious smell of a homemade pizza Jason made for he and Z. Now that was miserable and made me realize how much I'm missing hot meals. Aside from breakfast pretty much all my meals have been cold this week. Time to start making some miso soup and maybe have Jason make me a modified curry (his curries are amazing).
Today's meals:
Breakfast
3 eggs w/tomatoes, scallions, sheep milk cheese and quinoa.
Lunch
Large spinach salad w/tomatoes, scallions, sheep milk cheese, wild canned salmon, avocado and an amazing dressing (garlic, italian seasoning, flax oil, apple cider vinegar, salt & pepper). It was so delish!
Snack
A few carrot sticks in hummus while rushing to get to my last client of the day
Dinner
Tasty Bite Channa Masala. Yes, I actually found pre-made food that is in-line with the diet! I was desperately wanting something warm and flavorful but really didn't want to cook. Might have some more hummus and veggies too.
I did an insane workout today with Mike at work and his group of crazy-in-shape guys. For the first time I didn't get through the whole thing. I had to stop a few exercises short because I was afraid I was going to puke. Actually, it was about the 20th time I thought I might puke or pass out so I decided to sit down. Yes, this is fun for me. I absolutely love it, as crazy at that sounds. You'd have to be there I guess. The reason I was having such a hard time was that I had clients booked all the way up until class started and didn't take the time to have my snack. Big mistake. I know better now and will definitely not miss my snack next week.
One thing I haven't mentioned is how thirsty I've been since I started this diet. It's hard to describe because it's not like the normal thirst, it's more like I'm just craving water. All the time. And of course I pee constantly. I'm supposed to drink a lot of water to help with the cleansing so it's all good, I just thought it was interesting. I was also a little constipated yesterday (sorry, TMI) but started taking more of the fiber and digestive enzymes and I seem to be back to normal.
The muscle aches have continued into today so I've taken ibuprofen twice. Once so I could get through Mike's class and again so I could finish training my clients this evening. I also had a few instances where I had difficulty focusing on a client, counting their reps, or remembering what I was just going to say. I'm going to look around and see if there are more ways I can get some healthy carbs into my system so I don't lose what brain power I have remaining. Time to take my Pekana Remedies and head to bed.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Day 2
Ok, Day 2 successfully completed. For breakfast I made an awesome 4 egg scramble (I was sharing with my son) with green onions, tomatoes, sheeps milk cheese, cilantro and some quinoa. Today was a carbohydrate day so I tried to add some in every meal. Normally it wouldn't be tough at all to do this but as my allowed carbs are pretty limited it's actually a bit of a challenge. Zaden loved it and so did I, so I'm sure I'll be making it again, probably tomorrow as I'm doing another carb day. Tomorrow is my crazy-intense workout with Mike at work, who's an MMA fighter and puts together the meanest circuits I've ever seen.
About 20 minutes before breakfast I took my Thorne Research supplement which is called Formula SF722 (I think I got that right). My naturopath tells me it's the strongest yeast killer she's seen and kills it in all of it's life stages. Along with breakfast I took my digestive enzyme and fiber pill. I took my Pekana remedies shortly thereafter. You're supposed to take them an hour before or after a meal but I just didn't have the time this morning.
At work around lunchtime I had my snack of carrot sticks and homemade hummus, along with my digestive enzymes. Hello garlic breath!
After my workout, around 3 I had a granny smith apple to tide me over until I could make my lunch.
For lunch (which I ate around 4:30), I had black bean & avocado salad on a large bed of fresh spinach, with some blue corn chips on the side (my attempt at adding carbs to the meal). The dressing was amazing: flax seed oil, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, salt & pepper. Yummy! I'll try to post a picture of it.
By 6:30 (while training clients in my home gym) I hit a wall, big time. I started to feel very achey in my neck, rhomboids, and lower back. Even my hips started hurting, and I was suddenly very tired. This could be due to some early PMS symptoms, general exhaustion or the detox. Otherwise I felt fine all day. I took 3 ibuprofen and once they kicked in I was left with just the exhaustion.
For dinner I threw together another salad just like I had for lunch but with some salmon and leftover cod added. I know, odd combination, but I needed the protein. I took a repeat of the breakfast supplements and am about to go take my Pekana remedies.
I also took my measurements today and look forward to seeing if they start changing. My next goal is to get some good 'before' pictures taken as well.
My biggest challenge so far is organization and time to prepare everything. It's definitely a learning curve and I feel like I'm hitting a wall. More than a little stressful. Especially when I'm feeding a toddler, chasing him around trying to get him dressed, putting his bag together for daycare, etc. etc. I have 3 loads of laundry that are waiting to be folded from Sunday, a very messy kitchen, a living room with toys all over it, and all I care about is that I have food for tomorrow! I definitely need to find some kind of a balance here.
Time to go take my hot epsom salt bath, definitely my new favorite part of the day. And since it was recommended by my naturopath, who am I to say no? :)
About 20 minutes before breakfast I took my Thorne Research supplement which is called Formula SF722 (I think I got that right). My naturopath tells me it's the strongest yeast killer she's seen and kills it in all of it's life stages. Along with breakfast I took my digestive enzyme and fiber pill. I took my Pekana remedies shortly thereafter. You're supposed to take them an hour before or after a meal but I just didn't have the time this morning.
At work around lunchtime I had my snack of carrot sticks and homemade hummus, along with my digestive enzymes. Hello garlic breath!
After my workout, around 3 I had a granny smith apple to tide me over until I could make my lunch.
For lunch (which I ate around 4:30), I had black bean & avocado salad on a large bed of fresh spinach, with some blue corn chips on the side (my attempt at adding carbs to the meal). The dressing was amazing: flax seed oil, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, salt & pepper. Yummy! I'll try to post a picture of it.
For dinner I threw together another salad just like I had for lunch but with some salmon and leftover cod added. I know, odd combination, but I needed the protein. I took a repeat of the breakfast supplements and am about to go take my Pekana remedies.
I also took my measurements today and look forward to seeing if they start changing. My next goal is to get some good 'before' pictures taken as well.
My biggest challenge so far is organization and time to prepare everything. It's definitely a learning curve and I feel like I'm hitting a wall. More than a little stressful. Especially when I'm feeding a toddler, chasing him around trying to get him dressed, putting his bag together for daycare, etc. etc. I have 3 loads of laundry that are waiting to be folded from Sunday, a very messy kitchen, a living room with toys all over it, and all I care about is that I have food for tomorrow! I definitely need to find some kind of a balance here.
Time to go take my hot epsom salt bath, definitely my new favorite part of the day. And since it was recommended by my naturopath, who am I to say no? :)
Monday, February 14, 2011
Day One
This is a record of my new diet, which I've been contemplating for the past 6 months. It's based on Donna Gates' book "The Body Ecology Diet" but I've also used a 2 hour audio guide and pdf by a health guide named Almine. Her guide is called "How to Facilitate the Healing of Chronic and Systemic Disease: A 5 Month Program Incorporating Belvaspata."
The point of the diet is to rid the body of all harmful bacteria such as Candida, as well as heavy metals and mold. The reasons behind my wanting to do this diet are somewhat complex so I'll simplify it as best as I can. I will also be replacing all my mercury amalgam fillings in a few weeks so they can no longer leach poison into my system.
The diet involves some very strict dietary changes on my part, as well as a series of homeopathic medicines called Pekana Remedies. These medicines cleanse the body of heavy metals safely and quickly. Without them this would simply be a diet that kills yeast. The problem with that is that yeast and bacteria are the body's defensive response to the presence of metals in the body. Our immune systems respond to the presence of these toxins by promoting the growth of yeast which then surrounds and encapsulates the metals, buffering our cells from them. They are then stored in our fatty tissues where they can remain for our entire lives. This sounds great but these pockets of metal and yeast then steal large amounts of nutrients from the body that we sorely need. They also create a myriad of symptoms in the body such as illness and chronic pain, tight muscles, etc. Thus, a heavy metal detox is essential, and once this occurs the body no longer needs the overgrowth of yeast and harmful bacteria.
Here are some of the dietary restrictions:
No:
Breads
Gluten
Most grains
Sugar of any kind
Fruit (except granny smith apples, tomatoes, and lemons/limes)
Soy in any form except fermented (such as miso soup)
Oils (except flax and coconut)
Dairy (except ghee and kefir)
Corn or white potatoes
Mushrooms
Red meat
Soy
Caffeine
All of these items either promote the growth of yeast or add unhealthy toxins or hormones to the body. Luckily some of my favorite foods are allowed. Avocado, curries, quinoa, all spices, tomatoes, eggs, wild-caught fish, organic chicken, all vegetables, hummus, and goat cheese. I can eat legumes, buckwheat, amaranth, blue corn chips and many other foods I'm less familiar with.
So, why do this crazy diet?
As a child I was given heavy doses of antibiotics very often to deal with chronic sinus infections and later, acne. I was also given quite a few mercury amalgam fillings which have had about 25 years to leech toxins into my body. I also took Acutane to treat acne as an adult, and later was given large doses of the hormone Progesterone to sustain my pregnancy with Zaden. Since these combined suggest I most likely have a very high amount of Candida and other harmful elements in my system I feel this diet is very important for me.
I have a 20 month old son and since giving birth I've had problems with recurring infections that I believe signal the presence of Candida in my system to a largely unhealthy degree. I would like the option of having another child eventually and would love to have the most pure environment possible for he/she to develop. I'm also hoping that I can avoid having any more miscarriages. (I had 2 before my son Zaden).
My mother has been doing this diet for close to a year now and the changes I've seen in her have been dramatic, to say the least. She's lost about 20 pounds, went from a size 12 to a size 6, and looks at least 20 years younger than other women her age (she's nearing 60). She plays tennis with more energy than I could have imagined possible. Hearing her talk about it was inspiring but when she came to visit a couple of months ago I almost fell over in shock when I saw her. She positively glows!
I also believe that ridding my body of these toxic elements will help me to live disease and illness free for the rest of my life. I've done a large amount of research on the topic and while the dangers of living the way I have are rather horrifying, the possibility of having a body that runs the way it should is enough to push me to make these rather extreme changes.
And of course there are the aesthetic reasons too. As a personal trainer I've always wondered what it would take to get my body to a very lean shape while also maintaining my muscle mass. I'm fascinated by the possibilities and so excited to see how my body changes over the next 5 months. I also have chronic acne and my naturopath tells me I have rosacea. The skin on my face is very red and I even have a few broken capillaries on my cheeks. She believes both will be easily solved by doing this diet.
I had my first successful day on the diet today. Today was a 'protein day' and tomorrow will be a 'carb day'. For breakfast I had 2 scrambled eggs with tomato, green onion, and cilantro, all cooked in coconut oil. I felt like this meal was lacking something and was really missing my usual slice or two of toast. That's going to be a tough adjustment for me. For a snack I had homemade hummus and sliced carrots. For lunch I made a seriously delish spinach salad with wild caught canned salmon, tomatoes, scallions, and sheep milk cheese. I used a recipe from the Body Ecology book for the dressing, which had flax oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, and Italian seasonings. So good! I had another snack later of hummus and blue corn chips (which I shouldn't have had until my 'carb day', but it was so convenient and I was in a hurry. Dinner was pan fried cod and steamed green beans. I got very full from about 6 oz of fish which really surprised me. The dinner didn't adhere to the 80/20 rule which states that 80% of my dish should be vegetables because there just weren't a lot of green beans left after my husband and baby got done with them.
I also had some pretty nasty stomach cramps this morning for about 5 minutes, which I have experienced before with an aggressive attempt at killing the Candida in my system. One dose of digestive enzymes and I was cramp free in about 5 minutes. I haven't experienced any intense sugar cravings yet but I'm sure they'll pop their ugly heads up very soon. Evenings are the worst for me but when I decide to dive into something this thoroughly I generally have no problem sticking with it.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to get another trainer at work to take my measurements and a couple of 'before' pictures of me.
I'd also like to state that from now on I hope to have much shorter posts, keeping track of what I'm eating, how I'm feeling, and my physical changes. If anyone has any particular questions please let me know and I'll be happy to answer if I can.
The point of the diet is to rid the body of all harmful bacteria such as Candida, as well as heavy metals and mold. The reasons behind my wanting to do this diet are somewhat complex so I'll simplify it as best as I can. I will also be replacing all my mercury amalgam fillings in a few weeks so they can no longer leach poison into my system.
The diet involves some very strict dietary changes on my part, as well as a series of homeopathic medicines called Pekana Remedies. These medicines cleanse the body of heavy metals safely and quickly. Without them this would simply be a diet that kills yeast. The problem with that is that yeast and bacteria are the body's defensive response to the presence of metals in the body. Our immune systems respond to the presence of these toxins by promoting the growth of yeast which then surrounds and encapsulates the metals, buffering our cells from them. They are then stored in our fatty tissues where they can remain for our entire lives. This sounds great but these pockets of metal and yeast then steal large amounts of nutrients from the body that we sorely need. They also create a myriad of symptoms in the body such as illness and chronic pain, tight muscles, etc. Thus, a heavy metal detox is essential, and once this occurs the body no longer needs the overgrowth of yeast and harmful bacteria.
Here are some of the dietary restrictions:
No:
Breads
Gluten
Most grains
Sugar of any kind
Fruit (except granny smith apples, tomatoes, and lemons/limes)
Soy in any form except fermented (such as miso soup)
Oils (except flax and coconut)
Dairy (except ghee and kefir)
Corn or white potatoes
Mushrooms
Red meat
Soy
Caffeine
All of these items either promote the growth of yeast or add unhealthy toxins or hormones to the body. Luckily some of my favorite foods are allowed. Avocado, curries, quinoa, all spices, tomatoes, eggs, wild-caught fish, organic chicken, all vegetables, hummus, and goat cheese. I can eat legumes, buckwheat, amaranth, blue corn chips and many other foods I'm less familiar with.
So, why do this crazy diet?
As a child I was given heavy doses of antibiotics very often to deal with chronic sinus infections and later, acne. I was also given quite a few mercury amalgam fillings which have had about 25 years to leech toxins into my body. I also took Acutane to treat acne as an adult, and later was given large doses of the hormone Progesterone to sustain my pregnancy with Zaden. Since these combined suggest I most likely have a very high amount of Candida and other harmful elements in my system I feel this diet is very important for me.
I have a 20 month old son and since giving birth I've had problems with recurring infections that I believe signal the presence of Candida in my system to a largely unhealthy degree. I would like the option of having another child eventually and would love to have the most pure environment possible for he/she to develop. I'm also hoping that I can avoid having any more miscarriages. (I had 2 before my son Zaden).
My mother has been doing this diet for close to a year now and the changes I've seen in her have been dramatic, to say the least. She's lost about 20 pounds, went from a size 12 to a size 6, and looks at least 20 years younger than other women her age (she's nearing 60). She plays tennis with more energy than I could have imagined possible. Hearing her talk about it was inspiring but when she came to visit a couple of months ago I almost fell over in shock when I saw her. She positively glows!
I also believe that ridding my body of these toxic elements will help me to live disease and illness free for the rest of my life. I've done a large amount of research on the topic and while the dangers of living the way I have are rather horrifying, the possibility of having a body that runs the way it should is enough to push me to make these rather extreme changes.
And of course there are the aesthetic reasons too. As a personal trainer I've always wondered what it would take to get my body to a very lean shape while also maintaining my muscle mass. I'm fascinated by the possibilities and so excited to see how my body changes over the next 5 months. I also have chronic acne and my naturopath tells me I have rosacea. The skin on my face is very red and I even have a few broken capillaries on my cheeks. She believes both will be easily solved by doing this diet.
I had my first successful day on the diet today. Today was a 'protein day' and tomorrow will be a 'carb day'. For breakfast I had 2 scrambled eggs with tomato, green onion, and cilantro, all cooked in coconut oil. I felt like this meal was lacking something and was really missing my usual slice or two of toast. That's going to be a tough adjustment for me. For a snack I had homemade hummus and sliced carrots. For lunch I made a seriously delish spinach salad with wild caught canned salmon, tomatoes, scallions, and sheep milk cheese. I used a recipe from the Body Ecology book for the dressing, which had flax oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, and Italian seasonings. So good! I had another snack later of hummus and blue corn chips (which I shouldn't have had until my 'carb day', but it was so convenient and I was in a hurry. Dinner was pan fried cod and steamed green beans. I got very full from about 6 oz of fish which really surprised me. The dinner didn't adhere to the 80/20 rule which states that 80% of my dish should be vegetables because there just weren't a lot of green beans left after my husband and baby got done with them.
I also had some pretty nasty stomach cramps this morning for about 5 minutes, which I have experienced before with an aggressive attempt at killing the Candida in my system. One dose of digestive enzymes and I was cramp free in about 5 minutes. I haven't experienced any intense sugar cravings yet but I'm sure they'll pop their ugly heads up very soon. Evenings are the worst for me but when I decide to dive into something this thoroughly I generally have no problem sticking with it.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to get another trainer at work to take my measurements and a couple of 'before' pictures of me.
I'd also like to state that from now on I hope to have much shorter posts, keeping track of what I'm eating, how I'm feeling, and my physical changes. If anyone has any particular questions please let me know and I'll be happy to answer if I can.
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