Clean July Becomes Clean August

[Lizzard77]

Had a really pleasant day yesterday!  I ate every meal to template except for dinner, I had some butter on my grilled sweet potato because I was out of ghee and couldn't wanna have coconut oil on in (yuck).  My tummy was a little rocked in the evening but after drinking some peppermint ginger tea it settled. 

 

We kind of puttered around the house all day, hubs had had a few too many beers on Saturday night so wasn't feeling his best self (inner smirk at how great I feel on the weekends now) but he did manage to get outside and hook up the pump on the rain barrel so our garden will be watered while we are gone.  I am a bit upset, everything had a late start this year because we had a really cool spring and the veggies are starting to really get going now, just in time for us to leave.  I have a friend stopping by to pick stuff for herself because i don't want the plants to suffer rotting produce staying on them.  But, I want that stuff **stamps foot like 4 yr old**. Oh well, it will all be here when we get back, and by then some of our tomatoes should be coming in.

 

Not only did I put on a bathing suit but I did it in public!  We swung by a friends house to pick up a few things from the other day and they were in the pool, looking all cool and refreshed.  I had my suit on from sunning before leaving and they invited us in.......I hesitated for a moment but then pulled my dress off and hopped in.  I absolutely decided that life is too short to worry about any extra nyomps and not have fun when really, they don't care about my body and are not friends with me for it, they love my person large or small (but shrinking ) Boy that was a freeing realization!  I need to remember to just get over myself sometimes!!!

 

Anyway, back to life as usual.  Ironing a folding items for the hubinator's work trip then boiling the house to get ready for out trip, I hate coming home to a messy house.  Running low on food so meals this week will be a little wonky, oh well it's just food!

[calee]

Calee, sorry to hear about the hot sauce incident. I do know some sauce include soy and sugar (why, please tell me) so they could have bothered you And I would just be patient with the blood pressure pill, you definitely don't want to be uncomfortable or do any harm while trying to do all this good! Blood pressure is such a finicky thing, at least for me it was when I was having problems with it. Our bodies are mysterious things and lucky us W30ers who are taking the time to figure out somewhat of makes them tick. Isn't it nice to know that the hot sauce is probably what bothered you, where as many people would just shrug it off and say oh well, and forget about it till next time they felt bad again. We have the opportunity to weed out what those things are and avoid making ourselves feel bad in the future. Score 1 for us, I say

Lizzard, you're right about us figuring it out. I think I spent a long time feeling bad but thinking it was normal. Who knew?

I'm waiting to see my doctor before trying to self doctor my way off the BP meds. Not worth swelling up. So uncomfortable.

Congrats for realizing life is to short and jumping in the pool. Our nyomps are always so much bigger to us than anyone else!

[percypat]

I'm still in frantic writing mode so just popped in to say hi y'all!  You're all doing marvellously!  I'm doing ok today, have eaten so much lamb in the last two days but that's ok because it's delicious.  Yum cha was a write off though, completely impossible to make it even look like a well-rounded meal.  Why don't they offer any vegetables?  My mum is Chinese and she cooks vegetables!

 

Oh, got straight back on the horse so I guess that's a win.  Now trying to finish this freaking draft so I don't feel guilty about doing a bit of cooking tomorrow morning.

[pjena]

I have not been so clean so far this July.  Nothing horrible, but nothing that is going to get rid of the fluff.  I am going to start giving myself a grade each day and aim to get an A for the month (A's motivate me ).  So far, I am barely squeaking by, but I think this will help me try to make each day as clean as possible rather than just throwing out Clean July all together.  My goal today is to NOT eat any more of the delicious paleo strawberry tart I made last night.  The family can finish it up.  I don't need it.

 

Lee - Paleo Mom's website has the monkey bars.  They have lots of almonds in the form of flour and butter, though, so you may want to avoid them.  They definitely aren't very sweet.  More like banana bread, really.  Luckily, my older son loves banana bread, so he was all over them and didn't even notice that they were healthy!

 

Derval - What a nice compliment!  I don't think body fat measures are accurate.  I once had mine done and was told it was 16%.  There is no way it was that low!  I am not and have never been a stick or athletic figure. Love the picture of you and your daughter.  Beautiful girls and beautiful countryside!

 

Liz - I'm sorry about the ice cream tummy ache!  I went with the ice cream on date night, too.  Shouild have skipped it, though.  It's a lesson I learn over and over.  It sounds better than it is.

 

Annabel - 11 miles?  That's amazing.  My max is 10, but it's been a while.  My knees are too old.

[Terresa]

Calee, thank you!  The trip was wonderful, and amounted to 3 weeks on the road, since we had to do day trips home the first week of holidays to deal with broken kitchen plumbing and unexpected truck repairs (during which I lost my opal ring  ).  The next two weeks off the Island were great(with the exception of a blown tire on the way across BC, and the catastrophic failure of a wheel bearing on the way back, both on the trailer).  Visiting and sight-seeing was wonderful!  Folks kept trying to find things that I could eat, which was sweet and kind of funny, and rather educational for them.     They learned about reading labels and got some shocks.  I ate more fruit than I would have liked.  Still, I lost inches and fat (from the look of my torso), and I am rather proud of myself for not eating anything off-plan.

 

I found that shopping here on Vancouver Island easier than in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba, when looking for compliant foods beyond veggies and fruit.  So I am now feeling quite fortunate in our variety of choices of clean and organic foods here.

 

Today is another birthday in our family, and my 4th ice cream cake to resist.  Two of my favourite vises have always been ice cream and chocolate.

[annabel]

pjena- Thanks for reminding me that 11 miles is still a respectable distance.  I have a marathon coming up in August and I've really struggled to keep my running consistent this spring.  I just can't get excited about spending 3-4 hours running.

 

I called into the shop tonight for some bits and bobs (tinned tuna for me, cans of coke for the builders tomorrow) and desperately wanted something, but nothing looked appealing enough to eat so I came home and cooked a nice W30 compliant dinner (with the possible exception of the Wiltshire ham).  Making it out of the shop without any treats is definitely progress for me.

 

I've had two sweet potatoes today in preparation for the 18 miles I'm running tomorrow. I'm taking an emergency gel with me, but hopefully I'll be okay without it.  Early to bed tonight so that I can finish my run before it gets too hot.

[calee]

Annabel, I too find myself asking if something is "worth it" and come home to make compliant meals.

I think11 miles are amazing!

I'm doing ok. Had a good compliant day. Day 70, Done except for a good sleep.

Tomorrow is a day off! I'm starting with a 7am Pilates class that I'm looking forward to.

[annabel]

Managed to make it the 18 miles, with a few walk breaks thrown in.  I didn't take the gel (and it's hard to know if I should have.)  Absolutely knackered when I got in and no appetite at all.  Drank 2 pints of water right when I got in, had a shower and then opted for a chocolate milk to get the protein and carbs and calories in before dashing off to my course. 

 

Usually I'll do a tin of tuna as soon as I get in, but just couldn't stomach it today. Probably the heat and a bit of dehydration (despite the litre of water I drank after getting home)

 

This is probably the first glass of (cold) milk I've drunk in years, I was having Starbucks drinks till I quit my job there in January.  Ordinary milk might have been a better food choice, but milk is gross  and I need the chocolate to make it palatable.

[Terresa]

So last evening I tried the ice cream.  What a revelation!  It was sickeningly sweet!  Nothing like I remember it and totally not worth eating! So far, I've had no physical problems and no cravings triggered as a result, and I certainly won't be bothering with that again!  So I think it was worthwhile, just so I won't ever feel left out when everyone is having ice cream or ice cream cake.

[Physibeth]

Annabel - Great job on your run! I usually carry coconut water on my hot day/long runs and I find it helps a lot. Have you tried cold sweet potato and chicken post run?

 

Terresa - What a great revelation! I actually have an ice cream maker and love it because it isn't as sweet when you make it yourself. You do need enough sugar to get the right consistency but the stuff from the store is over sweetened in my not so humble opinion.

 

Calee - Sorry you slept badly...hope you enjoyed your day off!

 

Rocking Day 30 over here! 

[calee]

I'm meandering along on day 74. It feels great to stick to compliant Whole foods for my bites. I am testing nightshades. I think raw tomatoes and eggplant are next. I'm not happy that I don't seem to respond well to peppers.

I made my first Ghee last night. I see what everyone raves about!

Snuck a peek on the scale this morning because I have my first doc appointment in 18 months today. That was with a specialist. Today I'm seeing primary for first time since 2010. I guess I'm healthy! I'm 1.5 pounds up in 18 months from my lowest weight since 1974. I'm pleased with maintenance and W Whatever is teaching me how to do it. I'm filled with Paleo gratitude this morning!

[pjena]

Sorry about the peppers, Calee.  That is a bummer.  I have never tried ghee.     I'm guessing the dr will be very impressed, too!

 

Terresa - You're kind of lucky that you didn't really like the ice cream. I still like ice cream. 

 

I'm maintaining my A.  I need to be vigilent this weekend to keep it up.  Weekends are harder than weekdays because there are more temptations. 

[Physibeth]

Calee - Hope the doctor's appointment goes well. I should probably schedule one at some point too. Perhaps after we move in the fall when I have more time/less driving.

 

Jen - Good job with your A so far today. Keep it up! Don't give in to the temptations! Make yourself stop and think really hard before each one about "is it special" and "is it worth it"

 

I think my brother time went pretty well. Mostly compliant eats. Had cheese on a burger, sweet potato fries, and a square of dark chocolate on Wed. Had garlic fries, mariners dogs, bisque sauce, some breadcrumbs, and a square of dark chocolate Thurs. Felt fine after Wed's eats but the baseball food made me feel bloated. Didn't get enough water yesterday either. I'm feeling alright today. 3 days of template eating and then will do proper dairy intro on Monday.

[calee]

Beth, congrats on the good brother time. I think recording small/large victories is important.

I walked home to get my car to drive to the doctor. It feels so strife to be home at 2pm!

[Terresa]

My sandals are lose!  Seriously.  This is just weird.  There are two straps that go across my feet that are not adjustable.  Last year, if my feet puffed up, they would pinch.  This year, there is a bit of room, even when my feet are hot.  Maybe I don't really have wide feet after all?

[pjena]

I don't feel like I'm doing a very good job with Clean July.  Exceptions happen way too often.  And I'm not feeling the fluff lessening.  I am not sure I'm willing to do anything about it, though.  It's frustrating that being 90% "good" doesn't make a difference in how I feel.  How is everyone else doing?

[annabel]

My long runs are interfering with my plans for clean eating.  I just don't have time to eat three meals when I'm out running for 4-5 hours.  I have a pre-WO egg and then I'm not home till after noon and then I don't really feel like eating anything for a few more hours yet. And I've decided that I need the gels, especially in this weather.

 

Serious bread and cereal cravings after my runs recently... I guess I'm not getting enough carbs from sweet potato & veg.

 

But at least I have had some decent success with prepping food ahead of time.

[Physibeth]

Annabel: Can you eat more than a single egg before your runs? That doesn't seem like a lot to run on. Have you thought about those organic baby food purees instead of gels? I also cut my water with coconut water on long/hot runs. Definitely make sure you are getting enough starchy carbs.

 

Jen: I'm sorry you don't feel like you are making the progress you want. Every day is a new chance to do better than the day before though.

 

I feel like things are chugging along fine on my end. Dairy intro in progress. Probably have had too many squares of dark chocolate  but never more than one in a day. Probably shouldn't have bought/opened these potato chips, but I'm also finding that they do have breaks and I get to a point where I don't want anymore.

[calee]

Hi Gang! I ended my Whole 75 yesterday when I ate a handful of French fries with my burger. They were good but nothing I will think about. In the past I lived them because they are at an upscale restaurant. They just isn't have ny charge for me.

I gave myself permission to have nothing I wanted today. Only thing I wanted was a clean template day with no snacks. My reintro today was raw organic cherry tomatoes. 75 days without a raw tomato and they were so sweet to me! These are definitely a treat for me now. Yum!

[Beets]

"It's frustrating that being 90% "good" doesn't make a difference in how I feel. How is everyone else doing?"

I know what you mean Jen. I feel like even minor off-roads result in feeling blah. Maybe this just means I have to stay very very strict. And that thought makes me want to eat chocolate.

Calee, I'm glad that the tomatoes worked out for you!

[pjena]

As so often seems to happen around hear, after my feeling bad for myself day, it seems AF is on her way.  So, feeling extra fluffy might be due to that and maybe I'll go back to at least feeling normal soon.  And, Beets, that thought makes me want chocolate, too!

[calee]

When I ate Primal from January 1st to May 1st it was difficult for me. Following the blueprint allowed for eating 80/20. I was on the 80% side. I didn't experience much weight loss and my treats became more and more. I had that once a month movie popcorn etc for my off plan. And flour once a month. Dark chocolate was a square or two daily. I just wasn't seeing results from the 80/20. W30 rang a cord with me because it encompasses what do to post W. I love the off road idea because it entertains not a long lapse but something occasional that's worth it. I hope that I never forget how beneficial this is for me. I want to finish off July clean and hopefully carry it into August with me. Sometimes it's the "sustaining a plan" where I can get lost.

The only thing that I really need to contemplate is whether to introduce wheat for the celiac test. That said, wheat does not need to include dairy, sugar or alcohol. So much to ponder.

[Physibeth]

Such great musings ladies! Continuing to ponder and experiment is what leads to growth! 

 

Dairy intro seems to have been fine yesterday. Cooked an egg in butter in the morning and had raw cheddar cheese with all 3 meals. Don't feel any worse/better today. Today is a template day. If I still feel no reaction to dairy I'll probably return to using butter instead of ghee in August and allowing myself high quality cheese at no more than one meal a day in August. I really think there is a lot of benefit to high quality dairy. No room for the sub-par stuff. I wonder if I would get in trouble for bringing my own cheese to put on a burger at a restaurant? 

[annabel]

Calee- 6 weeks of wheat is a long time if it's causing you any sort of problems.  I go back and forth on the idea, I'm on the waiting list for a biopsy, so will make a decision when that comes through.  The only real benefit I see to it is the free gluten-free foods, which aren't particularly good for you anyways.  But then, I suppose that if the gluten is actually damaging your gut then even the occasional pasta or bread is probably a bad choice.

 

Beth- As far as I can tell, your body isn't actually using the food you eat pre-WO to fuel your run, so I'm not sure that eating any more would do me much good?  Usually I would get up, have breakfast and then run 2-3 hours later, so it's never really been an issue, it's just the weather that has me up and out of the house before 7.  I did consider baby food instead of gels, but was put off because they didn't have as many carbs and I'd need more of them (and I hate running with a bag).  But definitely both things I should consider more seriously for future races.

[Terresa]

Hi, folks.  I have the flu, so haven't been online much since the weekend.  This is a new experience, since everything that I usually take when ill, like chicken noodle soup, tea with lemon and honey, and chewable vitamin C, are non-compliant.  I picked up compliant vitamin C tablets, and am sticking to hot water, with a wedge of lemon.  I don't have the energy to make chicken stock, so I'm out of luck there, I guess.  The thought of off-roading right now and making myself feel worse just doesn't appeal.