Take Advantage

[Contessa]

4 hours ago, MadyVanilla said:

Strategies for dealing with heightened emotions:

I love this list.... and I love that you've written a list like this!

One of my strategies during this W30 is to get up, walk around, and talk out loud to myself when I'm in a heightened state.

Yesterday I got really grumpy over a project a coworker had failed to deliver on behalf of our client. I recognized the flinching wish to just go to the cupboard and eat something stupid. So I walked around my house and spoke affirmingly to myself. "Of course it makes sense that you would be upset about this. This sets you back in your relationship with your client. It's understandable. Let's think about ways to correct this and deliver a great report to the client."

Displacing upset feelings with food is a strong "feedback loop" that I'm wearing down on this W30.

Bravo on your progress, it's wonderful to witness.

[ShadowInTheKitchen]

9 hours ago, MadyVanilla said:

it's funny how much my husband likes W30 meals when he doesn't know what they are - he liked the chicken tenders (but would spit them out in disgust if he knew they were coated in cassava flour), I renamed the W30 BBQ-Sauced Chicken to Spicy Chicken and he raved about that (no way would he have eaten it if he was comparing the BBQ sauce to Sweet Baby Ray's)

I get this.  I try to do it too.  

Congrats on the clearer mind NSV, and way to go with the yoga. I can't seem to find the motivation to work out at home, think it's the hardest thing ever sometimes, so koodo's to you.

[MadyVanilla]

18 hours ago, Contessa said:

the flinching wish

Everything you wrote, but this especially.  I know this feeling well.  I like the idea of walking and talking to myself - I can absolutely see myself doing that at home.  I can make a big lap around the downstairs.  

 

14 hours ago, ShadowInTheKitchen said:

I can't seem to find the motivation to work out at home, think it's the hardest thing ever sometimes,

The first part of quarantine, I was going to do Beachbody workouts everyday.  I think I got two done?  Then I started all sorts of different fitness "projects" trying various times of the day.  My motivation is so poor for these things.  But the yoga has stuck - I was taking a yoga class after work 2-3 days a week at a local studio.  At home, I've continued with classes on YouTube at that same transition time of day to evening, just before dinner.  I've found an instructor I really like.  The stars, planets, and chakras all aligned. 

Despite the rain showers and storms in the forecast, the dog and I found a new trail yesterday afternoon.  It was gorgeous, into the woods, wind whipping through the branches above.  We got about a mile in and the deer flies started swarming - OMG.  Deer flies love moving targets releasing lots of Co2 (I was walking fast and breathing heavy!) and are not deterred by DEET.  I made a calculated decision to continue onward as only my arms and face were exposed and hoping to get a good wind once the trail turned.  I got a little respite just enough times to keep my sanity.  I had visions of collapsing into a heap and being eaten alive.  The funny thing is, a month ago I would not have been able to walk fast enough or without taking a break to feel confident that I could manage the bug incident.   It's been a very long time since I've been able to really walk without limping or without needing to sit and stretch at the halfway point.  

My other challenge yesterday was the timing of dinner.  My daughter and her boyfriend wanted to go look at kittens that a friend of mine has - the original time planned would have allowed me to eat dinner at a reasonable time once we returned.  The time kept getting pushed back, though, until finally we went.  It was after 8:00 pm when we got home.  I had planned a quick, easy meal of curry sauce poured over chicken I had cooked earlier.  So it only took a few minutes to heat and eat.  The best part is that I wasn't starving.  I was a little concerned later that I hadn't eaten enough, though, and so I got myself a handful of dry roasted almonds and 4 small dates.  That was the first sweet thing I've had in days, as I eat very little fruit.  It was good, satisfying, and didn't make me crave anything else.  A successful snack.  

Day 13

Energy-9, Mood-8 Pain 0-some very slight hip tightness while doing the cooldown portion of my C25K this am. I'm very pleased by the lack of pain.  I'm going to take it slow and listen to my body.  

I woke up at 5:00 am and laid awake for a few minutes before deciding to get up and go walk/jog.  It was nice and cool this a.m., and good to get it done early.  

M1-The rest of the chicken salad mixed with chopped raw spinach

M2-The rest of the taco casserole with sliced, salted cucumber

M3-uncertain.  Tonight and breakfast tomorrow will be meals out - travelling for my son's first actual baseball game of the season - he's pitching tonight, then we will be staying in a hotel and back home tomorrow.  I'll suggest Chipotle tonight or check out the restaurant on my phone.  I can always fall back on a dry steak, salad, and sweet potato.  

 

 

[MadyVanilla]

Back from the quick overnight.  Lesson learned:  research what's in the area before I go and pack snacks for myself.  We were basically in the middle of nowhere with only truck stops and fast food restaurants in the immediate vicinity.  Given time constraints, we ran through an Arby's for dinner - I got a gyro with no sauce, and dumped it over a side salad with no cheese.  So  meat, onions, lettuce over lettuce and tomato.  But it served the purpose.  Same issues this morning, so it was a Dunkin drive thru for breakfast - 2 eggs with ham in between and an iced black coffee.  I looked up the allergy menus for both restaurants and I'm fairly certain I avoided gluten, soy, and dairy.  There could have been sugar on the meats, I have no idea.  On a positive note, I rolled out of bed this morning and did my typical short morning walk and push-up routine.  And I'm going to take the dog for a long walk later this afternoon.  

I'm really not sure how to handle my last two meals, as far as needing to start over again or not.  I made the best possible choices, but I'm not certain they were compliant choices.  I can extend my W30 in order to get the best benefits.  Maybe I'll do that - I really don't want to have the mindset that I'm starting over.  I have some really awesome NSVs and I'm not feeling any ill effects from those two meals.  If I extend to a W45, then that is sort of like starting over to get 30 days in.  Another big challenge is that I'm going to visit my mom for next week.  She is diabetic and generally follows keto, but likes to use my visits as an excuse to go off-plan.  I'll have to have a conversation with her.   

FWIW, Day 14

Energy-8, Pain-0, Mood-8

M1-2 eggs and ham, black coffee from Dunkin Donuts

M2-Nothing yet - I'm not even hungry and it's been hours since that breakfast.  Maybe I'll have a mini-M2 of chicken broth before I go on my walk, then eat dinner afterward.

M3-Teriyaki chicken made with compliant teriyaki sauce and chicken tenders.  I will chop up some vegetables to make a salad.  I know there's cucumber, tomato, radishes in the fridge and lettuce in the garden.  It's funny, one day away and I can't remember what food I have to eat.  

So I texted my mom to remind her that I was doing W30.  Her response - "Great!  I'll make us a keto cheesecake!"  Ugh....I will survive....

 

[Blueautumn]

9 hours ago, MadyVanilla said:

 

I'm really not sure how to handle my last two meals, as far as needing to start over again or not.  I made the best possible choices, but I'm not certain they were compliant choices.  I can extend my W30 in order to get the best benefits.  Maybe I'll do that - I really don't want to have the mindset that I'm starting over.  I have some really awesome NSVs and I'm not feeling any ill effects from those two meals.  If I extend to a W45, then that is sort of like starting over to get 30 days in. 

 

I just decided that I would be starting over but im not really counting it as starting over. My body has so much work to do and i still have some general habits and mindsets i fall into when i eat certain foods that would ultimately lead me to fail if i tried to do any food freedom after only 30 days. I made it through 25 but have always known no matter what I would probably need a W60 -W90 to even start to feel like really confident in my ability to eat day to day. So that fact that ill be doing another 30 days isnt that big an issue - i just "started over" so i could keep track of the days easier in my log  .

Maybe dont think about it now and near the 30 days take stock on how you feel and how you feel you could benefit from that extra 15 days. It might be worth it to just keep seeing the NSVs or if you dont quite feel as great as you think you might if you kept going. Then maybe it wont feel like such a stress/burden to do the w45.

Ill support you either decision you make!

[ShadowInTheKitchen]

9 hours ago, MadyVanilla said:

I'm really not sure how to handle my last two meals, as far as needing to start over again or not.

You could carry on as though everything you ate was compliant.  If you haven't reached the milestones you were hoping for by Day30, especially as noted in the W30 book, then extend your W30 until you reach the milestones.  You will be feeling so good by then anyways, and will want to do whatever it takes to feel the best you possibly can.    I did Whole40 because although I thought everything my sons made for me on Mother's Day (Day 10) was compliant, I couldn't be 100% sure and I was NOT going to interrogate them about the ingredients they were using. I was prepared to extend it longer if necessary, but didn't need to.  I believe that starting over would be a huge hit to anyone's resolve, and would likely lead to calling the whole thing off.  Besides, imo starting over would have been negating all the work I had done up to the possibility of eating off plan, which seemed a little too negative drastic, and I wanted to keep a positive attitude.  It worked   

Look at it this way: I ate W30 for either 40 days or 40 days minus two meals.  If I started over I would only have credit for 30 days, and I like 40 or 40 minus 2 meals much better!  

Good luck whatever you decide to do, and I hope things go well for you when you visit with your mom.

[MadyVanilla]

11 hours ago, Blueautumn said:

My body has so much work to do and i still have some general habits and mindsets i fall into when i eat certain foods that would ultimately lead me to fail if i tried to do any food freedom after only 30 days.

Yes...me, too. 

 

11 hours ago, ShadowInTheKitchen said:

 I believe that starting over would be a huge hit to anyone's resolve, and would likely lead to calling the whole thing off.  Besides, imo starting over would have been negating all the work I had done up to the possibility of eating off plan, which seemed a little too negative drastic, and I wanted to keep a positive attitude.  It worked   

Look at it this way: I ate W30 for either 40 days or 40 days minus two meals.  If I started over I would only have credit for 30 days, and I like 40 or 40 minus 2 meals much better!  

Excellent point, and this fits with the way I'm really working to re-frame my thoughts into a more positive light.             

 

I never did eat a M2 yesterday, just wasn't hungry.  I really thought I would be starving between the Arby's dinner and the Dunkin breakfast, but I wasn't.  The walk was nice, but I had a recurrence of the pain in my knee and hip that I had been battling prior to W30, and I limped my way through one mile.  So whatever was in those meals did not settle with me.  Dinner was delicious - my first time with the PK teriyaki.  I was hungry by then, but not ravenous.  A few weeks ago, I would have been raiding the pantry for an "appetizer" (cookies??) while I was cooking dinner.  I also had dates and almonds as a snack again last night, just to ensure that I was getting enough calories in yesterday.  That was a lack of trust in interpreting my body signals - I wasn't hungry, but did not believe I would be able to sleep all night because I didn't think I had eaten enough food.  Well guess what?  I slept horribly anyway.  I have insect bites that are driving me insane, so I think that's why.  I wasn't hungry, wasn't in pain. Plus, I was having crazy, vivid dreams.  My husband actually woke me up once because I was yelling at someone to stop following me!  As I'm writing this, I'm thinking I often have these types of dreams after eating Chinese food, and thought it was caused by MSG or soy.  But I'm realizing I had that teriyaki last night - maybe it's tamarind. That seems to be the common ingredient that I don't eat very often.  Something to keep in mind.  

 

Day 15

Energy-7, Pain-0, Mood-8.  I slept in LATE since I didn't sleep well.  When I got up and took the dog out it was hot outside!  Short walk, no pain.  I may take her for a longer walk later today.  I'm not really feeling ill effects from poor sleep since I got up 3 hours later than normal.  

M1-3 eggs, kale sauteed in ghee, topped with mayo.  Black coffee

M2-curried chicken salad with celery and cucumber and tomato slices

M3-I'm thinking about tuna salad...over a salad.  I could walk the dog to the farmer's market this afternoon and get some local tomatoes....that sounds like a really wonderful idea.  With bacon...BLT with tuna...

Today is going to be a lazy kind of day.  I may do a little meal prep, or save it for tomorrow.  Picnic lunch tomorrow, but I'm mixing in some good compliant foods with the non-compliant ones.  I was able to find sugar-free bacon at the store, so bacon-wrapped dates are in my future!  Then Father's Day choice of lasagne for dinner.  I've never been a big fan of it and neither has my daughter, so it's no big deal to make the two of us a W30 chicken piccata.  Also, thinking about foods to pack for my long (8+ hour) road trip to Mom's on Monday.  

[MadyVanilla]

It was such a disappointment to see that my bacon was not in fact sugar-free.  "Less than 2% cane sugar"   ugh.  I think the shopper picked up the right brand, but wrong bacon, as it doesn't say sugar-free on the front of the package.  I did, however, walk the dog to the farmer's market.  It was lovely.  And so affirming.  I felt like a really healthy person, taking a walk to go shop for local tomatoes.  

Day 16

Energy-7, Pain-0, Mood-7.  There were a whole bunch of teenagers strewn out in various locations throughout the entire downstairs, so I tiptoed through so as not to wake them.  I couldn't get to my walking shoes, so took the dog for a short walk in my flip flops.  But the walking streak is now at day 19!  

M1-eggs with riced cauliflower.  Umm, I hope this is good.  Trying to get rid of leftovers before I leave tomorrow.  I didn't buy any cooking greens that could go in my eggs. I could put my egg over salad, though...I think I'll do that.  With mayo.   

M2-picnic lunch.  Curried chicken salad, homemade bruschetta (minus the mozzarella), sliced cucumbers and celery, sliced oranges, grapes.  We will be at a local winery with friends, listening to good music.  I don't expect an issue with turning down wine (same people I went to the pool party with last week).

M3-Father's Day dinner.  W30 chicken piccata, Italian fennel salad.  

Some NSVs that I didn't realize right away:

-I can walk up and down stairs, one foot on each step, even when I first wake up in the morning.  It has been a LONG time since I could do that.  

-I think I reported this with my last set of NSVs, but the general feeling of well-being, contentment with myself.  I really go through a lot of self-talk when I'm faced with and indulge in a tempting food.  The entire script to try to convince myself not to go get the bag of chips from the pantry could win an Oscar.  Then there is the afterword, the self-flagellation of thoughts in an effort to punish myself and keep it from happening again.  The W30 and paleo are the only types of eating I've done in my life that are mentally peaceful.  I haven't put words to that feeling before, but that's what it is - mentally peaceful.  The internal struggle just dissipates when I'm eating wholesome foods.  

[MadyVanilla]

I'm starting with an NSV today - Two people told me I looked fantastic, one said I was glowing at the picnic lunch yesterday.  That made me feel really good!  The picnic was successful, no issues with turning down wine or others' foods and then dinner was delicious.  I made lasagne for half the family, and chicken piccata for myself and others.  My daughter, an extremely picky eater, LOVED the piccata.  So a win there.  

Day 17

Energy-8, Mood-7, Pain-4.  C25K this morning, and I was having lots of tightness in my hip and knee, resulting in pain and limping.  I am missing my yoga - I haven't done it since Wednesday, as the rest of my evenings have been busy.  I need the yoga to keep my hip and knee in line, I'm realizing.   

M1-rest of curry chicken salad and cucumber slices, black coffee

M2-packed chicken piccata, salad, cucumber slices, grapes.  Today is road trip day - about 8 hours on the road to see mom.  I plan to take walk breaks at my stops.  

m3-I think mom is making meatloaf, and there will be vegetables.  I just have to be cognizant of her desire to add substitute sweetners into all her keto recipes.  The next couple of days could be really easy or really challenging.  

[Contessa]

23 hours ago, MadyVanilla said:

I really go through a lot of self-talk when I'm faced with and indulge in a tempting food.  The entire script to try to convince myself not to go get the bag of chips from the pantry could win an Oscar.  Then there is the afterword, the self-flagellation of thoughts in an effort to punish myself and keep it from happening again.  The W30 and paleo are the only types of eating I've done in my life that are mentally peaceful.  I haven't put words to that feeling before, but that's what it is - mentally peaceful.  The internal struggle just dissipates when I'm eating wholesome foods.  

Boy oh boy, do I relate to this! For me, the self-flagellation tends to be worse than the adverse effects of whatever I just ate.

I feel like mental peace is a really important takeaway here. I tend to get pulled into a mental game of "I deserve [xyz]" when I am in a mental dance with an indulgent food. I never think, "Do I also deserve the mental disruption that [xyz] will bring me after I eat it?"

One of the first sections of the Whole 30 "manifesto" It Starts With Food outlines "good food standards" from Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. The very first standard is: "The food that we eat should promote a healthy psychological response" (p. 24). I remember reading that sentence for the first time — it was like a light switch coming on.

Wishing you safe travels today, and easy decisionmaking along the way.

[ShadowInTheKitchen]

On 6/21/2020 at 8:39 AM, MadyVanilla said:

The W30 and paleo are the only types of eating I've done in my life that are mentally peaceful.  I haven't put words to that feeling before, but that's what it is - mentally peaceful.  The internal struggle just dissipates when I'm eating wholesome foods.  

I love this.  I haven't considered it before now, but when I read this it was like a lightbulb switched on in my head.   You are absolutely right, this is a mentally peaceful way of eating.

I hope you enjoy the visit with your mom.

[MadyVanilla]

Ok...reaching for the "healthy psychological response"this week,  Both toward food and toward my mother.  

The road trip was long, but went well.  I ate my packed lunch and was happy to do so.  Dinner was meatloaf made with hemp seed (I need to check compliance on this) and some keto tomtato sauce on top (why not just tomato paste with a little oregano?/)  Keto stuff tastes weird.   a delicious arugula, strawberry, pecan salad topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and mashed cauliflower made with butter, which I did not eat.  When I reminded Mom that I wasn't eating dairy, she got defensive and said, "that's not Keto!" So I explained again.  Then she asked me if I wanted a piece of the cheesecake she made with cream cheese and sour cream...sigh, Mom, that's dairy.  And I told you last week that I wouldn't eat it if you made it...I offered to make chicken piccata for dinner this week.  I'm really going to try to come up with solutions rather than wallow in the issues.  

I told her about my walking upon waking plan - she wanted to walk with me in the morning, which I was good with.  I was awake at 5:00 am this morning, thinking she was also an early riser.  She didn't get up until almost 7:30, then asked me if I had been for a walk.  I told her no I was waiting for her...then sat for a little longer while she made coffee.  Then she wanted to make breakfast, so I said I was going to go for a quick walk while she cooked.  I almost didn't go, feeling guilty about not waiting, but I really want to stick to my plan.  She told me when I got back that it was too warm outside for her anyway.  So I'm just going to get up and go tomorrow morning.  Despite my mental wrestling with guilt and go vs. not go, it worked out fine and I think the rest of the week will be much more smooth regarding this.  

M1-2 eggs fried in avocado oil, black coffee

M2-Hopefully something compliant

M3-Hopefully compliant, a shrimp stirfry that mom plans to make,  I've already told her that sounds good, but that I've recently discovered I'm allergic to soy sauce.  

[MadyVanilla]

Yes, the hemp seeds are compliant.  Good.  They just seemed a strange addition to the meatloaf.  I don't think I've ever eaten hemp before.  

[Contessa]

Sounds like you are doing very well being out of your normal circumstances! 

What was it Ram Dass said... "If you think you are so enlightened, go and spend a week with your parents." Yep. A very relatable quote!

 

 

[MadyVanilla]

Lunch ended up being an omelette with chopped ham, spinach, mushrooms, olives, and onions with a side of fruit.  Dinner was the shrimp and vegetables, sauteed in avocado oil, no soy sauce.  I'm glad my mother has discovered the virtues of avocado oil.  My tummy was rumbling last night though - not enough food, but there are no compliant snacks - (keto cheesecake!  sugar-free jello!  peanut butter fat bombs! fake graham crackers!  keto brownie mix!).  I'm just drinking water and remembering it's just a few hours until my next meal, this is only a few days, and I'm choosing not to eat - I'm not really starving!  What would I do if I couldn't talk to myself???

I was up and out for my walk at 5;30 am.  It was lovely - my mom lives in a beautiful place, just a few blocks from a sailboat-filled bay.  I did my C25K round.  I had intended to do the 60 sec run/90 sec walk round two more times, but I forgot and moved right into the next section, which is 90 sec run/120 sec walk.  It was fine, though.  A little hip and low back tightness at the end during the cool-down portion.  I feel better getting my exercise in early.  But i still need yoga!

Day 19

energy-7, pain 2-during walk/jog, mood-6

I'm not sleeping great-sleeping on the sofa in a warm room.  It's ok, though.  

M1-some form of eggs.  

M2-manage to ingest some meat and vegetables in as close to their natural state as possible.  

M3-see M2.  Maybe Mom will let me make chicken piccata tonight.  She mentioned that she has some brussels sprouts that she wants to broil...

On a positive note, I'm taking a much more proactive and stronger stance about my diet than I have in visits in the past - often I just cave to what everyone else is eating.  For instance, my sister and niece had stuffed french toast for lunch yesterday...it was not hard to resist, but boy did I take pause in thinking about what it would taste like.  In the past, I would just think, "oh well, I'll get back on track when I get home."  Not this time!!!

[MadyVanilla]

It's pretty huge for me to not be derailed by my mom and sister.  I really need to take a moment and savor this and give myself credit.  This has traditionally been one of the things that throws me off track, whether I'm in the midst of W30 or eating paleo.  I always think that because I'm not at home or because they are visiting me for a short time, that I can go off-plan for the short-term and then get right back to it once life returns to normal.  In theory, that's beautiful and perfect.  In reality, the first off-plan meal leads to pretty terrible eating by the end of the week.  And then continued poor choices until I finally wake up months later ready to return to health.  

While I'm feeling a little distress about having to say no to Mom's cheesecake and soy sauce, it feels better to keep myself compliant and while she keeps asking, she's not angry and isn't breaking down into tears wailing about how I don't love her because I won't eat what she wants me to.  And there was no pressure/guilt/self-righteousness, at making a good lunch choice in spite of my sister and niece's choices yesterday.  These few days here are just a few days in my life - I need to continue to make the good choices and recognize that my health has no bearing on my relationships with these people.  

[ShadowInTheKitchen]

It sounds like you’re in control of @MadyVanilla, and doesn’t that feel wonderful?   Good luck as your visit continues.  Reading about all the Keto choices you have available, it just doesn’t seem appealing to me to eat a Keto diet. 

[Contessa]

1 hour ago, MadyVanilla said:

I really need to take a moment and savor this and give myself credit. 

Yes! Glad to hear you remark on this progress. When we can look at the things that tripped us up before, and think, "I am going to try a different choice this time" — that's massive. You're unlocking two powerful channels here . The first is simply realizing that you have choices. The second is making a choice that serves you on a deeper level.  

[MadyVanilla]

Yesterday's lunch was delicious - a big garden salad topped with lobster meat.  Compliant, but no fat.  Dinner was tough and not compliant.  It feels like there have been a lot of days of me doing the best I can in the last week, and this just isn't acceptable.  Everyone wanted hibachi grill for dinner, which involved making an online order and picking it up.  I went with steak and scallops, no sauce, but it came with sauce on the meat and vegetables.  And fried rice.  There was so much fried rice in my container, and so little meat and vegetables.  I made a choice to eat some of the rice because I was so hungry.  I rationalized it by thinking I had the meat and vegetables in the sauce, everything was probably cooked in soy bean oil, and I'm so hungry that rice is not going to hurt me tonight.  I'm not beating myself up over it and I don't feel any ill effects this morning.  In trying to process this situation and think about what I could have done differently, I really don't know, at least not without being a jerk.  I could have refused hibachi because looking at the menu, it was clear it was going to be difficult.  I could have ordered from a different restaurant, but that would have meant a pick up at another stop for my brother-in-law.  I couldn't send the food back to get an order without sauce, like I would if I were in the restaurant.  I didn't think of this at the time, but I could have washed off the meat and vegetables, but that's just weird outside the confines of my own home.  I could have not eaten the rice, and then chalked the rest of it up to that little bit of wiggle room allowed for eating out.  But I ate the rice.  I made the choice.  I'm definitely extending my W30.  

I'm absolutely back on the train today.  I'm continuing on in order to maintain my mindset.  

Day 20 

energy=7, mood=7, pain=0, though a little stiff during morning walk.  Still not sleeping well.  

M1-2 eggs and ham

M3-salad topped with protein and fat

M4-salad topped with protein and fat

One more day here, travel day tomorrow, then home.  

[MadyVanilla]

"Healthy psychological response"  Trying to Keeping this in mind today.  I'm so ready to be home and not have to think so hard about food all day long.  

[MadyVanilla]

Yesterday's M2-my own made-from-grocery-store ingredients salad with avocado and ham.  M3 was a huge delicious garden salad topped with broiled fish.  

Day 21

Energy-7, Mood-8, pain-0 with short walk this morning.  

M1-eggs and ham

M2-a salad and protein of some sort

M3-I'll be home, not sure what I have there but I will find something.  

 

Long day of driving ahead.  It will be so wonderful to be home and back to my routine.  

[Contessa]

I'm high-fiving you from Georgia! Way to navigate some difficult scenarios during your trip. I am pleased to report that we will not have a "keto cheesecake" waiting for you on your return. Wishing you a safe drive.

[MadyVanilla]

Finally home, yay!  Interestingly, there are no compliant places to stop for lunch along my route home.  I got the brilliant idea as I approached a metro area to find a Chipotle and order from my app.  It was a few minutes off-track, but worth it to get a good, compliant and filling lunch.  Once home, there was no easy real food as I suspected would be the case.  If I had been smart, I would have prepared and frozen a meal for myself.  I fried up an onion and potato in olive oil, and added 2 compliant hotdogs.  It was good.  And finally, enough yummy, compliant, and fat-filled food to feel satisfied.  

Looking back over the week, it really wasn't terrible.  My one definite off-plan dance was with the carry-out hibatchi dinner with rice.  It was just so difficult not knowing exactly what I would be eating, and then how it was going to be prepared.  I need the control in my life even under normal circumstances!  Two things that I maintained that are new (and important!) for me this round were journaling and walking every morning upon waking.  

I have already menu-planned and ordered my groceries this morning.  And I have a Thrive order coming later today.  

Day 22

Energy-8, Mood-8, Pain-0 during walk.  No one walked the dog while I was gone.  She woke me up this morning ready to go.  I wanted to do a C25K workout this morning, but I didn't sleep well and I wasn't quite ready to get up when she was.  So a short walk and probably just a longer one this afternoon as it's already hot and humid here.  And I really need to do yoga this afternoon.  

M1-eggs again.  I have no leftovers and no vegetables right now.  

M2-I'm not going to have time to make food, so I'm probably going to get Chipotle for lunch.  Busy day ahead

M3-Sheet pan chicken fajita over garden salad.  

 

[MadyVanilla]

My energy really waned as the day progressed yesterday - I think it's so many days in a row of poor sleep catching up to me.  Probably I need to just stop ingesting caffeine for a few days and see what happens.  M2 was Chipotle, M3 was bacon on sliced tomato and lettuce with 2 dill pickles.  M2 was late, and i thought I could get away with eating a bunch of pistachios for dinner.  But an hour later I wanted something else, so made the BLT.  I was still hungry later in the evening and ate a handful of almonds.  I wanted to snack, it was that same old feeling I used to get-the nagging desire for food, but not being able to come up with just the right thing, and so eating a little of everything.  I really think this is related to being sleep-deprived.  I'm going to take it easy today, hopefully take a long nap this afternoon.  

Day 23 of 60

Energy-4, Mood-7, Pain-0 on the morning walk.  

M1-eggs and spinach

M2-curry chicken salad that I need to make first.  

M3-that chicken fajita salad that I was going to make last night.  

I can't stop yawning, maybe I'll nap now.  

 

 

[MadyVanilla]

Ended up at the beach yesterday - no nap, but it was re-energizing.  Home to make the chicken fajitas.  They were delicious and sad for me that my husband finished all of it.  That was going to be my breakfast this morning!  Probably better for me that he did eat it though, with all the peppers in it.  I was in so much knee and hip pain last night - walking in the sand for a quite a distance and then standing on my feet to cook?  I haven't had that pain in nearly a month, all I wanted to do was sit down.  I'm also wondering if this is a nightshade impact-I've always feared that I may be sensitive to them, and I had ALOT of tomatoes and white potatoes, along with my usual pepper and other spices, over the 24 hours previous.  I don't want to learn that I can't eat tomatoes, peppers, or many spices.  For the time being, I'm just going to be aware - maybe I just overloaded on them.  

I have so much to do today.  Back to work after being off last week, and the house is quite a mess from leaving the husband and teenage son in charge for the week.  I successfully avoided most chores over the weekend by focusing on the outside, beach, and meal prep, but it's back to reality today.  And I'll just feel better once the house is clean again.  I want to get back on my healthy habits checklist, too, for the next few days to help me get back to doing the things that help me stay sane - yoga, drinking enough water, talking to someone outside my house - these are things that have fallen by the wayside over the last week or so (though I was talking to my mom and sister most days last week...).  I've made myself a schedule - I'm always better with a schedule to check off.  

Day 24 of 60

Energy-7, Mood-7, Pain-0.  Today was supposed to be a C25K day, but I was concerned about the pain I had last night and decided a short walk this morning was the best thing to do.  I did sleep better last night, finally.  I've only averaged 5 hours of sleep for the last two weeks according to my Fitbit.  I'm best between 7 and 7 1/2 hours.  Last night I slept 8 1/2.  It's not really showing in my energy level, though! 

M1-Curry chicken salad with celery

M2-Primal Kitchen teriyaki chicken and sliced cucumbers 

M3-Chicken and zucchini.  I just am not a big fan of the Primal Kitchen garlic aioli mayonnaise, so I'm going to use that as a base for my chicken, then roll the chicken in the casava flour "breading" and bake in the oven.  Hopefully, that will be a good way to use that mayo, as I don't want to just throw it away.  Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't.  

I got back to my push-up training this morning.  I added a longer walk to my schedule today, but it's hot and humid outside.  But I do have a good book to listen to...the dog will be happy to go on a walk no matter how hot it is.  I'll probably do it.  And then yoga afterward.  The gyms here have been open for a little over a week now.  I'm thinking about going in to do some barbell work starting July 1...still some time to think about this.