Food/Wellness Freedom...Sign Me Up

[Gramma Susie]

I was in the very middle of my second W30 when a light bulb came on in my head and I realized that I needed a 90 degree turn.  It was so clear to me again that I have found the system for me and it's just a matter of tayloring it to my DNA.  So, I decided to suspend my Whole 30 #2 and, with the exception of not weighing myself until March 14, I am going to move into the next phase and work at finding my sweet spot for food/wellness freedom.  To do that I will combine what I know about my own food sensitivities and what I learned in my first W30 and after these two weeks.  I am also including what I've been learning about fitness through my health club, wellness through the Whole 9, my church, and my other reading. I will be looking at things as follows:

Food

A. my baseline food choices going forward

B. things that are possible to add back going forward, and

C. things that are not negotiable--NEVER eat!

From the Whole30, here is what I'm sticking with for another 2weeks and probably for life:

1. no white carb items (pretty easy except for pizza when family gathers)
2. no sugar or dessert (easy for me)
3. no milk, cottage cheese, ice cream (easy for me)
4. vegetables are 3/4 of my plate
5. healthy fats
6. well sourced food (organic, grass fed, etc.)

From my food sensitivity test in 2012:

1. Absolutely No mushrooms and No shrimp and No gluten no tuna
2. More turkey than chicken 
3. Minimal almond walnut, cashew, tomato

i will be choosing the add backs in the next few days.

I'm thinking about doing an expanded food sensitivity test.

Life Wellness

1. Drink a gallon water/day
2. Continue to work on sleep
3. Moderate alcohol and require a water chaser
4. Less TV and more reading
5. Less sitting and more moving around
6. More giving back and paying it forward to those in need

Fitness

1. put together a weekly weight bearing plan (in the works)
2. put together a weekly cardio plan (in the works)
3. develop and carry out a sustainable option for working out when I'm away from home and not near the health club

My head is spinning with so many thoughts and I'm excited to take my overall wellness to the next level.  Do I have what it takes to make this work?  I'm so hoping I've go this!!!    

[Gramma Susie]

Food freedom Day 1:. My food was in my zone.  I did add back a bit of cream in my coffee.  I know from the food sensitivity test that dairy is not a big problem for me, though I don't plan to introduce cheese again quite yet.  I plan to get full fat grass fed cream tomorrow and use that exclusively with a similar amount of coconut oil in my morning coffee.  I had my normal salad for lunch with canned salmon. No snacking.  My husband and I had a fire in the LR fireplace this afternoon before dinner.  We played cribbage and had a beverage which for me was a bottle of sparkling water with lime.  He had a beer.  I don't plan to add back wine for a several more days since that is a bit of a trigger beverage for me.  I may have sparkling water at times with a splash of gin or I may have a beer, but no wine for now.  Otherwise I plan to comply with W30.

Wellness Day 1: I plan to drink a pint of water before breakfast and drink as close to a gallon as I can get for the day.  It's a lot of work, but it's the right thing to do.  I need to stop by 8 p.m. so I can avoid being up peeing all night.  Leave family room or turn TV off by 8:30 pm and start getting ready to read before bed most nights, including tonight.  I am going to rejoin my book club.  

Fitness Day 1:  Steve and I worked with a trainer today--the 3rd out of 5 sessions we purchased to build our strength.  He's teaching us good technique so we can carry it forward when we're done with him.  I also took a one mile walk before dinner.  

So many things to think about.  I want to plan the work and work the plan.  

[Gramma Susie]

Great sleeping night.  Bed at 9:15 with a book.  I sipped my last water at 8:30, but still got up once in the night.  I will keep drinking water but stop at 8 p.m.  Sleeping by about 11 p.m. And up at 6:15.  Great night!!  

Doing a lot of thinking and need to get some of it down.  What I'm finding is that food sensitivity testing is evolving and not an exact science.  I am beginning to question my IgG test of four years ago and whether I was tested on raw or cooked food.  So, I will stay on top of this to see hpwhat I really know about myself and whether there is or better test, or whether the re intro of W30 is the most reliable way of knowing our sensitivity.  Stay tuned.

Today is a busy day with helping with food for a funeral at 9:30ish and then out to lunch with a friend at 11:30.  I shake my head when I write this stuff because of what it sounds like for people who are working.  I just got to say, Hang in there--retirement is very cool and worth all the effort you're putting in right now.  

As I am reintroducing cream in coffee, I decided to add back a dairy I would like to eat a couple times/week.  Yogurt.  So I had full fat organic yogurt for breakfast with sunflower nuts and shredded coconut.  I'm aware that fat free Greek yogurt has a higher amount of Protein.  Does anyone know about this and whether the other processing required to make it fat free is harmful?  More protein, especially at breakfast, would be very much appreciated.  I'm going to post this question in another area to see what I find out.  

Gone for the day.

[Guest]

You are an inspiration!  I love how you broke everything down and are focusing on whole health!

[Gramma Susie]

Thank you, Georgina, for your kind words.  I am hoping I can keep my enthusiasm. I really want to crack this nut.  It was such a good feeling for almost a year after my first W30 when I was mostly sticking with the plan.  My clothes fit and I had a spring in my step.  I want that back. But, I am not quite able to say I've got this.  It has to be a whole life plan that feels worth the effort and worth the sacrifice. The sacrifice is a relaxed attitude toward food and fitness.  I need to get serious.  As my sister says, Susie--you've got to put your big girl panties on and deal with it. Its one day at a time for sure. I really hope I've got this.

Today was a great day.  Lunch with my friend was fun.  We speak the same language related to health and wellness.  We went to Panera.   I had a cobb salad which came with a green goddess dressing but I had brought my own dressing.  That is a new thing for me.  I wish I had brought my own water.  

Supper was salmon baked in coconut oil, small baked potato and broccoli.  I make olive oil mayonnaise and for fish I just add some dill weed.  

Just going to bed to read hoping for another good sleep.  Praise God for the day!!  Back to team fitness tomorrow.  And tomorrow I also want to record my plan for food sensitivity testing and my workout schedule.

[Gramma Susie]

Here is a link to one practitioners thinking on food sensitivity testing

http://www.cleanandleanrevolution.com/why-i-dont-recommend-food-sensitivity-intolerance-testing-to-my-patients/

On the basis of this and my own experience, study, and thinking, I'm not sure my sensitivity testing (2012) was as accurate/helpful as I thought.  I understand it is most accurate for things one is actually eating at the time of the test.  Another piece is that the particular test I took tested your antibodies on the raw food form of each item, including raw meat.  That's a head-shaker.  

Two items of most concern in my life are dairy and simple carbs.  

1. I was still drinking milk, eating cottage cheese, and eating cheese when I had this done and all came out with very little sensitivity.  However, I've learned so much since 2012 about dairy through the health club and W30 and only plan to add back a few items, all carefully sourced:  grassfed whole cream in coffee, whole fat Greek yogurt for breakfast 1-2 times week, and hard cheeses here and there for flavor and fun.
2. i was still eating some simple carbs back then, but I believe based on that test and my experience, I need to completely give up these items going forward.  One significant experience was in 1998 when I went on a low carb diet and my belly bloating went away completely.  I'd had bloating/heartburn all my life and didn't know why. I thought it was just part of life--maybe everybody's life, we just didn't talk about it back then.   I remember it back even as a teenager in the 1960s.  Everything changed in 1998.  Now, fast forward to 2017, hmmm......I just gotta say--Susie, let it go!!

One thing I'm going to re  intro is oatmeal--steel cut or whole old fashioned (gluten free) oatmeal.  I would like, for variety, to have this 1-2 x/ week for breakfast.  I believe I can do this.  Oats were okay on the food sensitivity test.  But, time will tell.  Thinking I could have it three days in a row and see what  happens.

I had thought I would ask my chiropractor to authorize a Cyrex food sensitivity test, but I'm not so sure anymore.  I think I will instead use this reintro as my guide.  If I run into trouble, I will reconsider.  For anyone interested, I understand the Cyrex test is far more accurate and helpful since it tests foods in raw and processed forms.  But, it can't be taken without a practioner's guidance.

Thats all for now.  Gotta run to team fitness which will completely wear me out, but I know it's good for me.

[Gramma Susie]

Sleeping was okay last night. Not perfect, but not too bad.  Lights out at 10 p.m.  Woke up when Steve came to bed at 11:30, but I went right back to sleep.  With all the water I'm drinking I have to get up at least once at night.  I'm hoping that will settle down.  I may have to quit drinking at  7:30ish.

Freedom Day 2--March 1

Bfast: 3 eggs, coffee with cream and coconut oil.

Lunch: Greens with salmon, flaxseed, olive oil and vinegar and also a bit of roasted walnut oil.  Handful of almonds

Dinner: Whole 30 ground beef base with green beans, coconut oil, red pepper over mashed potatoes and rutabaga 

Ash Wednesday church tonight and then home to read my book.  No TV tonight.  May work on my workout schedule tonight before bed or tomorrow morning.

 

[Gramma Susie]

Sleeping was excellent.  Lights out at 9 and up at 5:30. No bathroom breaks.

Day 3--Food Freedom. The book is ordered and I should be getting it  in the next week.

The team workout today was great.  Hard work on the treadmill, but then weight training in a new way. Two people, a deck of cards, and piece of paper.  List the words spades, clubs, diamonds, and hearts on the paper and assign an exercise like bicycle or squat or pushup or lunges, or whatever you want to each suit.  Put the cards upside down on table or floor where there's room to workout. Each person picks a card and does that number of reps of the corresponding exercise. Do this until all the cards have been used. It took 20 minutes for two of us to go through the deck.  The time went so fast. It wqs a keeper.

Bfast: 3 eggs scrambled with green pepper and onion.  Salsa on top. Coffee with cream and coconut oil.

Lunch:  leftover vegs including onion, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes, with the ground beef mix from last night on top. Handful of nuts.

Supper: Greens with cucumber and salmon and homemade drsg and a handful of pecans.

I have to watch the nuts so they don't derail me.  I'm still not snacking, using nuts as dessert. But it could get the best of me.

Bedtime soon.

 

 

[Gramma Susie]

Sleeping not great again.  I dragged myself to bed at 9:30, but it took me until 11:30 or so to get to sleep.   I was awake a couple times, up by 6:15.   Not horrible, but not great.  It seems hit or miss.

Bfast was cantaloupe, 3 eggs and coffee with cream and coconut oil.

I did some cardio at the health club and then a 20 min sauna.  Sams Club for a few things.

Lunch was salad with cucumbers and roast beef with avocado, olive oil, and vinegar.  A little sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Handful of nuts.

Dinner was how we make compliant spaghetti with Italian sausage from a farmer who pays attention to how she raises her animals.  Very lean.  Processor uses no msg or nitrites or nitrates.  Brown the sausage, add garlic, basil, and onion.  Add sugar free sauce and cook a couple hours.  Instead of pasta we have shredded cabbage, onion, basil, and olive oil.  Cook in mwave a couple minutes. Add shredded greens for the last couple minutes and toss with parm cheese.  Put spaghetti sauce over that.  It is one of our favorites.   AND tonight we had wine with dinner.  It was perfect.  

So hoping for a good sleeping night since I don't have to get up in the morning.  Its Friday so its Dateline.  Don't watch it alone.

 

[Gramma Susie]

Sleeping was awesome.  Went to bed after 9.  Up once but went right back to sleep.  Got up at 7:30. It was a great night. One thing I can think of related to this is I took my magnesium last night and some calcium, too.  I'm going to try that again tonight.

Day 5--Food Freedom--Saturday, March 4

It was a good day. I got a lot done.  I am getting ready for two events.  A couples bridal shower for a niece and my 45th HS class reunion.  I worked on the invitations today.  Something that had been out there for me and I finally got to it.  I made good progress.  I also went to a kettlebell workout at Lifetime.

Bfast: Fruit and coffee w/cream and coconut oil.  Scrambled Eggs with sausage and pepper and onion.

Lunch:  Roasted chicken with coconut oil and olive oil and sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, and onions.  

Dinner (HH) was appetizers and wine.  We had egg salad and salmon spread on cucumbers, carrots, and peppers.  We also had salami and Gouda cheese (organic, grass fed).  One thing I decided to change from before W30#2 was that if we have HH on Saturdays with a fire in the fireplace, our food has to be our supper.  This is part of my effort not to snack.  I'm not snacking to effect a positive situation for my insulin.  So our HH with wine tonight was supper.  

Blessings to all who have gotten this far.  Sleep well.

 

[Gramma Susie]

Another good sleeping night.  To bed before 10, up once, but back to sleep.  I hope I'm on a roll.

Day 6--Food freedom-- a good day.  I feel so blessed.  So far my temptations have been limited.  But, the next several weeks will be riddled with so many tests.  I've been looking at the thread about the sayings that help people stay on track.  Right now I'm just reminding myself how positive and confident I felt after my first whole 30 before I started getting off track.  It went on for almost a year.  I won't forget it.  That's what is keeping me going right now.  Here are my worries in the next several weeks:

1. my workout schedule is getting interrupted because we're taking two of our grandkids for 4.5 days.  To make it more fun for them, we are taking them to Akexandria for most of that time to see my mom and another little cousin who lives up there.   Cooking won't be so bad because I will be in charge of that.  I will have no gym, though, and I have to figure out how to replace my workouts.
2. my sister and husband will be there, too, and once the kids are back to their parents, we will stay a couple more days.  Drinking wine is like a pastime for me with them.  I need to be intentional and moderate this behavior.  
3. We will have a couple days when we get home to be back working out and then to an overnight at a hotel for another grandbabys birthday party.  I won't be controlling the food at this event.  I will have to bring some of my own food.
4. back home for a couple weeks before leaving on a one week vacation to wine country in Portland.  Another workout situation and wine drinking and eating.  

I feel like I could keep listing events when temptation exists for off-roading with food and beverage.  My last 3 weeks have been pretty tame because of my plan to do the Whole 30 again.  Plan ahead and one day at a time.  Those are my two thoughts right now.  

But truth is that life is full of temptation and opportunities for making mistakes and full of opportunities to bring joy.  I'm hoping for the joy.

[Gramma Susie]

So, it's been 2+ weeks since I've posted.  Just been living and learning.  Food is okay.  Pretty good, actually, especially at home.  No chips or bread or processed stuff.  Still not snacking.  Overall I've lost 4 pounds, ~2.5% of my body weight. According to Lifetime, I've lost 2+% body fat, which brings me down toward the top of the range of acceptable.

We've had many social engagements with family and the alcohol has captured me a bit again. I've been drinking water, too; and I have had many days without alcohol.  But, I've also had a couple of experiences, several days in a row that have been about reminiscing and relaxing when my water bottle wasn't in sight.  I had a bit of a discussion with my sister while she was here from TX about our sibling culture and that we both have a desire to moderate the alcohol.  With them living in MN next to us for 9 weeks this summer, we have some groundwork to do toward moderation. And to be completely honest, Mom and younger sister don't drink at all, and our brother is very liberal with his personal alcohol consumption, so we have a range in our family, but still all get along and get together socially. 

Food isn't so much an issue with the TX folks, especially because their children are young hippies and eat whole foods.  However, my brother-in-law being a died in the wool professor of engineering (not food scientist), does not believe in organic because he believes it isn't sustainable for the entire population.  I do appreciate him in our family, but I'm not up for a debate with him about food and just kind of avoid the topic that is very important to me in my real life. 

Socializing recently with our children included pizza for supper in an overnight in a hotel.  It was fairly easy to avoid, but I didn't plan very well for an alternate and ended up eating several hands full of almonds for supper, in the presence of my grandson who has a serious nut allergy.  I was trying to sneak them.  It felt weird.  I'm still in the same place I was after the first W30.  I still feel like a weirdo in so many cases.  I know what has to go and what I would do instead if I were cooking, but I can't cook all the time and impromptu things do happen.  Those were the things that were my downfall before.  It doesn't work for me to just have a piece of pizza or a few chips or one piece of toast.  I need to not have any of it.  Ever.  Or I will be back in the muck.  It's still dogging me. I'm convicted, still early in this run, to stay with the plan and hope to not come apart.  But, tomorrow we are going for dinner to our son's house for an easy supper before watching the kids at their gymnastics class.  Daughter in law said, "we will make it easy and just get pizza."  A day later I offered to bring dinner and all of a sudden we had a kerfuffle over what I will eat, even sending me a tater tot hot dish recipe and wondering if I could eat that on my "diet." I said I would and that I would bring green beans (which I know my grand babies will eat).  It's going to work out, but, I still feel like I have become a problem yet again.

 I'm whining again.  Argh!!  I just want to go about my life doing what is right for me without drawing attention to myself.  I'm not having a smooth transition.

Working out is going okay, but I'm still doing too much sitting, including right now.  So, I'm going to keep going on all this and get back in the saddle today with my book study AND getting  myself to Lifetime for a workout.  Thankfully, that's all for now folks!!