Beets II Electric Boogaloo

[LadyM]

Gotta love a sore butt. Love your new pic, too--more so now that know it was taken in your happy place.

[Beets]

Thanks, Lady M. This is my first full season as a member of the garden and I'm just loving it.

Yesterday was Day 12 I think.

M1: meatcake, sweet pot

M2: lunch out, gf burger (same as my meatcake but I'll use a different word so it seems different), fruit with mint, salad w vinaigrette, black coffee.

Promised to take my son to lunch after swim class, but then remembered what a PITA it is to eat out on W30. (Especially when you hate asking a million questions.) After searching the internet for paleo friendly places in the nabe where swimming is, I ended up eating near our apt, where I know they use high Q meat and there is an olive oil/no sugar homemade vinaigrette l on the salad. The fruit was fresh and SWEET.

And as always, it's nice when someone else does the cooking and plate gathering, even if you're eating the same thing you've been eating all week.

M3: meat cake, salad w olive oil, lemon, avo dressing. For some reason my mayo keeps failing. Prob a combo of eggs getting older (after 2 weeks??) and not using mayo. But I've had three failed batches. Boo to you, mayo voodoo

I'll try again w newer eggs. Lame. Super lame. *I'm under a mayo hex!* I even hand whisked a batch the other night. It held beautifully for my dinner and then dissolved into a pile of goo.

Been doing my ballet-inspired workouts and I can already see a difference. Amazing. I'm loving it. My husband said I'm standing taller and I obviously feel better about myself. Combo of exercise plus w30 and I'm wearing a pair of jeans I could t zipper three weeks ago. Last week I wore them with a criminally huge muffin top when I ran out of other options. Now, no muffin top. I'm loving how this workout feels all over. Like I feel like I was doing lat pull downs, but it was just "swan arms."

At my bro's house in Jerz today. Packed up my food and bought some grassfed beef knuckles on the way down. Beef broth, baby.

[LadyM]

I'm so glad you're seeing results so quickly this time around!

Have you tried nomnom's immersion blender mayo recipe? It's no fail for me. One egg yolk, one T each of lemon juice and water, one t Dijon, one cup oil, salt to taste. Use the stick blender. Perfect mayo in seconds!

[Beets]

Oh yeah, I do the immersion blender thing. I've made gallons of mayo successfully using the immersion blender but it keeps failing. I suspect my eggs or the fact that I use CO and since it's not warm enough to be naturally liquid at room temp, I have to warm it-like in a very low oven or on the stove while I'm cooking.

Also, I'm avoiding seed spices so can't use mustard.

[LadyM]

OK, so you can totally leave out the mustard, no prob (sorry for mentioning it!), and you really don't need to bring the other ingredients to room temp. Are you using whole eggs or just yolks? I've found that's key. I always end up with salad cream, as they call it in Britain, when I use the whites; just yolks makes it much thicker.

 

Hmmmm. I don't know about the CO. I know Michelle likes avocado oil, but who can afford that? I used a blend of walnut, olive, and MCT oil in my last batch because it's what I had and I wanted to use it up. Didn't taste very good, but I'm eating it anyway. It's the MCT that gives it an off kind of flavor. Why the CO instead of another liquid-at-room-temp oil?

 

I know how you love your mayo--I want this to happen for you!!

[pjena]

I'm glad to hear that your workouts are helping already!  Ballet inspired workout sounds fun.  I'd look into it, but I already don't use my home workout room enough!  Yoga classes take up too much time, I guess, and trying to get outside now that it's warmer.  I should get down there, though, to do some weights every once in a while. 

 

I have a brown thumb.  That's why I joined a CSA.  My mom, though, loves gardening and finds it relaxes her, too.  Maybe someday I'll change my mind. 

[Beets]

Lady M, the mayo worked! I think it was just the eggs. They must've been new enough last week but then lost their mayo-making power. Tried a newer egg and voila. I never found the room temp thing to make a diff, but more of an issue that CO solid below maybe high 60s. It's warm today so the CO is liquefied. And I used a tiny squirt of mustard bc I know it helps w the emulsion process.

Though I seem to recall being able to make it sans mustard last year. I'll try another single yolk batch (I only ever use yolks, I'm also off whites) without mustard so the total amount will be minimal.

I need to re-read my old logs. I know I reintro'd yolk in a controlled manner but I can't remember seed spices. I believe I am ok with them, but not positive, which is why I decided to leave them out.

An eighth of an eighth of a teaspoon of mustard should be ok I think? Of course if my slowly healing ps flares up I'll be seriously pissed at myself.

Jen, I'd also love to get back to yoga. My brother gave me a 10 class gift cert for Chhristmas but, sadly, I've been avoiding going to class bc of my skin. I know it's an accepting environment, etc, but I don't want to spend the whole class feeling self-conscious. And then stand up to see flakes of my skin all over the mat. (It's my mat and prob no one else notices, but it's gross nonetheless!)

[pjena]

Could you wear long yoga pants and even a ls shirt?  My friend had shingles last winter and also felt that was kind of gross for yoga, but wearing long pants/sleeves made her feel better.

[LadyM]

Yay for enviable mayo!!

 

The seed spices is the killer as far as I'm concerned with AIP. I think you'll be fine with just a wee bit of mustard in there, especially if you consume other cooling things such as cucumbers, cilantro, romaine, lime. . . . I veer toward the balancing mandate of ayurveda when faced with the all-or-nothingness of the extreme elimination diets. I mean, W30 is extreme enough in many people's views, but I'm fine until y'all wanna take away my cumin and mustard. In general I avoid the extreme pitta provokers like peppers of all kinds and tomatoes, but as Choc recently pointed out, we've all got our limits--especially without seeing clear benefits!

 

Anyway, fwiw, I say as long as your ps continues to diminish, keep doing what you have to do to make your mayo luscious!

[Beets]

I probably could get away with a liver shirt. I pretty much always wear pants anyway. I haven't done super intense sweaty yoga since before I had kids. I am hoping the arm ps goes away before it gets too warm. Thanks for the encouragement.

Yeah, the seed spices are the worst part. I also looove cumin. It's my go-to.

I tried making a mustard less batch and ended up with goo. Was able to whip it into the already emulsified batch but it's frustrating. All my stuff was a room temp and maybe that just killed it?

[Beets]

Lost track of my days. And then realized since I started on the 1st I can use that as a pretty good clue.

Trying to get out of here for a couple days. I'm taking the kids to Woodstock (Catskills) for two nights. Really looking forward to it, though we will lose our lovely soft ywarm spring air and get two days of cold rain 'n snow.

It's ok. There's a fireplace. (Our friends rent this place a few times a year and I'm so glad they invited us. Wish my husband was coming but I'll take it.)

I was really dreading the whole not drinking thing (the food I'm fine with). But now I won't even have to worry bc my neighbors/friends are off the sauce as well.

I'm almost disappointed I won't get to try out my I can have fun without booze thing.

We are leaving around noon and since both kids were home and tired from a day in the sunshine yesterday, I got not halfway though my list. Always stressful getting out w the kids. But always worth it!

Also wanted to fess up that my "no muffin top" claim from the other day was mildly exaggerated. But, still, improvements are there.

My meals were late today in the midst of frantic laundry folding. And I ate a couple handfuls of raisins. Made me feel sluggish and ick.

M1: brisket, cabbage, kraut

M2: brisket dipped in herby mayo, olives, carrots

M2: carrots, mayo, olives, meatcake

No broth today! And m2 was more of a mini meal. Schedule tomorrow!

[pjena]

Enjoy your get away.  It sounds wonderful.

[Beets]

Made it up to the "country," as my son says. Through soaking rain, so heavy I could barely see, a Siri GPS screw up, and two kids who didn't nap and were arguing the whole way.

M1: burger, cabbage, kraut, broth, slippery elm

M2: (in thermos in car) brisket, cabbage

S: olives, chicken, cukes, kombucha

Hilarious. When we arrived here my friends were joking about partying on kombucha and herbal tea. (They are taking a break from drinking.) The easiest group meal I've ever had while following this WOE.

I arrived just as my friend was unpacking groceries and sautéing chicken and duck breasts and making kale salad. We hit a health food store for sweet pots (left mine in oven, boo). And got kombucha from a spigot.

We are in Woodstock! Of course there is kombucha on tap.

M3 meatcake from home, avocado, cuke, kale salad

This am, as i was heating my brisket/cabbage for the thermos. I was thinking, what can I snack on in the car? And then I remembered I wouldn't *be* hungry between meals. Joy.

-----

Wed am: It snowed last night. There is a fine layer on the trees and grass. Just saw a deer family leave their tracks on the grass. This is no big deal for most people probably, but we are city folk. I am also quite thrilled by all of the lichen-covered trees and mossy rocks. It'll be cold today (30s) but we'll have the wood stove going and the sun is shining.

[LadyM]

Wonderful! SO glad it's easy and restorative. Nature's like that. Love the comment about remembering you won't be hungry between meals. It is so liberating, isn't it? Enjoy!

[pjena]

Yay for kombucha on tap and fun with friends.  Enjoy your time!

[Beets]

A compliant get away with friends! Whodathunkit?

I was, by yesterday afternoon, considering raiding the pantry for cooking wine. My husband couldn't come and it was me vs two way overtired kids.

But I powered through. The spigot kombucha was a revelation. So fresh and sparkly. Not sweet or cloying. It was refreshing. Is this what homemade booch is like? I gotta get on that.

Other topics: I ate well and felt great. Stayed up too late gabbing but I never reached for a bite of cheese or square of chocolate.

I was thinking I'd have normally been mindlessly nibbling on graham crackers yesterday afternoon. But instead I was sticking with the template--aside from a few olives--and heating some beef stew. I'd made bone broth from gf marrow and knuckle bones and it was perfect after being outside in the chilly air for a couple hours.

Yesterday, Day 16

M1: meatcakes, sweet pot, tea

M2: chicken breast, kale salad, avocado

M3: beef stew with white sweet pots, carrots, gingery

Lots of tea, lots of kombucha, a little bit of reading in front of the wood stove, lots of photos of the kids outside.

Almost made it home on time for an online photo class I'm taking. Was ten mins late, which was miraculous. Great class. More serious than other photo classes I've taken, which is where I want to be. We need to write a proposal for a project and "defend" it. I've admired the teacher's work for awhile. She started off taking a lot of self-portraits--remarkable because she was obese. (She's lost a good deal of weight, and photographed the process.)

She, Jen Davis, raises a lot of good questions and deals frankly with lots of body issues. http://bit.ly/1r3A9lo

Aside from that I love her use of light and color. She's interesting and I'm super psyched for the class, Picturing the Domestic.

And yeah! Totally liberating! I found myself wanting a snack just out of habit of eating in the car, usually an excuse to eat crap. But I didn't need to eat. And I didn't.

[pjena]

I'm so glad you had a nice trip!  And that it was almost effortlessly compliant.  Fabulous!

 

HM kombucha isn't sweet and cloying at all.  And it's so easy once you get over that initial hump of figuring it out.  I've been doing it for almost a year now and it's just second nature.  It takes about 10 minutes a week to switch everything up.  Crazy easy! 

[Beets]

Thanks Jen. Behind on my logs, been crazy with kids home and egg hunts and a niece coming tomorrow. Been compliant, but I made the mistake of eating a handful of raisins yesterday. Was just tired from staying up too late and the stress of the trip (packing, bad driving) and fell into the old habitual sugar bump habit.

I'll catch up. Trying to feed myself fat and protein. And drinking lots of water.

[Beets]

Super behind on my logs. I'm not going to try to recreate. Been so busy--egg hunts, Easter, cleaning and tidying for a three-day visit of my niece (12).

My older dog has been waking up a few times at night, my niece needs to sleep in my bed and tosses and turns and rolls into me. Last night she couldn't sleep and asked me to stay in the bedroom while she fell asleep. Fine but it took awhile and I still had to clean the kitchen--and eat dinner!

I went to bed too late. This was after a long day in the Bronx Zoo.

Which is all to say I'm tired and my brain is grasping out for sugar--Easter candy, candy near the register, all I see is snack snacks snacks I can't eat. Not helped by the raisin eating habit.

Last night I made an effort to cook a chicken for broth and prep some veggies. My tired was is making my old sugar energy habit lurk for a long time.

I did this last year--I let my defenses down mid way through the w30 and got into a dried fruit rut.

Busting out. Psoriasis better but not great. Early bed tonight!

[Beets]

Day 26

Ack. Still hanging in there. Sooo tired. Not fulfilling the sleep thing. Through I'm going to bed in ten. Stayed up last night working on photos for the yclass I'm taking. Can barely keep eyes open. Scrounging for food, need to food shop, but didn't eat raisins today!

The photo teacher gave me some glowing compliments on my work today (and she isn't in general generous w compliments) and I was on cloud 9 for hours. A friend had my daughter for the afternoon and it felt amazing to sit and work and then have my online class with no kids from 9-3. I was seriously high.

Been doing my ballet exercises and feeling happy with the progress I'm making, if a little impatient. Feeling quite unhappy w my ps. Getting in touch w the naturopath.

But grrrrrrrr! My mayo is misbehaving again. :'(

[pjena]

You sound like you're doing great!  It's amazing how much we appreciate a rare afternoon kid free!  I'm reading a book right now called All Joy and No Fun about how having kids affects us.  The first chapter is about how hard it is on us to lose the ability to do what we want when we want.  So true! 

[ellig]

You got this!!!

[LadyM]

No doubt being a mom is a huge part of your life's purpose, and what a wonderful reminder this day of freedom, work, and praise has been that you are also an artist who is fed by her work. It's not jus for you; it's also for your kiddos. So important for them to have a mom who is fulfilled and has purpose beyond them.

It does sound like you're doing great in every way (damn that mayo, though!), and so close to the end!

[LadyM]

Grurl, where'd you go? Missing you! Hope things are going well for you.

[Beets]

I am still here!

 

Just not logging because, well a couple things. 

 

1. Sat night I went to a party. I was a little nervous about being in that environment with only a couple days left. And I haven't been sleeping well. I tend to get a little a little hypo manic this time of year. (Trouble sleeping, revved, tending towards self-destructive behaviors). Long story short I drank a little bit of wine. I had been, in the back of my head, giving myself excuses, rationalizing this for days. 

 

I had maybe a half a glass and it was really sweet and awful and I didn't enjoy it. But--I drank it. 

 

I'm such a child sometimes! I read about Jen eating that coconut ice cream (was it?) and my monkey brain latched onto that like, oh well it's ok for Jen who eats so well all the time so I guess it's ok for me too. (Not blaming you at all, Jen. This is totally my childish desire for an excuse for slipping out of the rules.)

 

These were my other lines: I've made it 26 days, what's the difference between 26 and 30? It's just an arbitrary number. I never go out. I never socialize. I never get to see my friends. Wine isn't so bad--it's all the other stuff that's important. 

 

ANyway. I did not wake up and eat a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on sourdough to give myself something more to flog myself with. Big doings right there. I'm a best-in-class self-flogger. When I do something I'm not supposed to do, I will do more of it so I will feel worse.

 

Instead, I woke up and had sardines mashed with lemon and avocado and sauerkraut. The most damaging part of my night was that I stayed up really late and haven't been able to recover my sleep since--thanks to this mild hypomania, and my dog needing to pee at 3:30am three nights in a row! 

 

2. I've been really busy IRL and not screwing around on my computer/phone.  It's funny bc I developed a really bad Twitter addiction over the winter. I wanted to stop for Lent, even though I haven't given up anything for Lent since I was maybe 9 years old. I didn't but I've since stopped looking at it. On one had I've gotten so much done. But on the other hand I feel so much more busy bc I'm actually present. 

 

It disturbs me to think about how many hours of my life I wasted hitting refresh on Twitter. I would just compulsively check it all day long. It now seems completely insane to me. And sad. But, moving on. 

 

I also volunteered for way to many things this spring! PTA, community garden, reading friends' writing projects. Then I have my class--which is the busy I want to be. 

 

Today I'm going into Manhattan with my photo teacher, who asked me (just me!) to tag along with another class to see work by a photographer I admire as it related to my project. 

 

Anyway. I've been compliant since that wine slip up. So I'm calling this my Whole 26+4.