Nadia's PW30. "Let's fix it" journey.

[Nadia B]

Day 50.

Morning everyone! I had the longest sleep in a while and I was dreaming tonight. This hasn't happened in months. Now, the hilarious part. M. has always been buying his breakfast. Always. For years. As 99,9% of his meals. Recently he decided to try cooking his breakfasts. I got the proud text “I just won a Nobel Prize†“I did it, I cooked myself a breakfastâ€. Picture has followed. Now match them

My breakfast: plantain/onions/leftover veal meatballs/leftover ½ bacon strip hash + fried egg + lettuce + cucumbers. Black tea and 1 square of 85% chocolate.

I packed my lunch, but forgot that I have a rehearsal tonight. I hope I'll figure my dinner-on-the-go out or survive 7 hours interval. Today's lunch: yellow chicken curry + green beans + peas/carrot/pepper/tomato/cucumber + peach.

Dinner to follow.

[Derval]

Bwah ha ha, has he been watching too many Special K ads?

Love that polish, what brand/colour is it?

[Nadia B]

Love that polish, what brand/colour is it?

It's Butter London and the color's called Shag. A bit pricey brand but I am a convert.

Bwah ha ha, has he been watching too many Special K ads?

It's M's SWYPO. Exact same s**t he is used to eat every morning. There is an english muffin hiding underneath the cheddar slice. Anywho it's a big deal for a man who doesn't know how peeler looks like nor what do you do with it

[Derval]

I've one of those men too, sigh

[Nadia B]

Day 50. Dinner.

While others post their deadlift PRs, my only achievement of last night is that I've mastered the “donkey kick†move. Basically you do this with left and then change to this with your right. Then you alternate legs VERY quickly and try not to look too stupid at the same time. I am a dangerous woman now, so don't mess with me I love my ballet school. It inspires me to grow and achieve more. It's my happy place.

I got home and wasn't too hungry. 4^th meal is working even when it was far from a real meal, but could be way worse. I planned to go to the market/food store on my lunch break to find something for dinner, but I got a call from my doctor's office saying that they have a free slot for an appointment. I went there and all I could pick up on my way were coffee (4 pm coffee I am so gonna regret it) + two handfuls almonds + sugar bombs dried figs.

I wanted to clear up my fridge, so I defrosted a seafood medley that's been in the freezer forever. I took part of it to make dinner: curried seafood in coconut milk/zoodles + crab/avocado mini salad. It was gooood, but I suspect that my Thai neighbors were not kind enough to put real crab meat into the mix. I had a cup of tea with several slices of sweet potatoes. Was not necessary, really.

[Nadia B]

Day 51.

Had a miserable 6 hours with waking up 4 times. I am never drinking coffee that late (4 pm yesterday) again. Never ever. I made a breakfast: giant yam/chorizo mash + coconut scrambled eggs + avocado + cm coffee. I have never thought of adding cm to eggs. It is absolutely brilliant, thank you pandaclouds.

Then I packed lunch: bok choy/cherry tomatoes + sliced zucchini (zucchaccini?) + Carribean seafood stew + ½ apple and headed to work.

This is how M's attempt to cook a breakfast looked like today. Check out the neatest ketchup dollop ever. Bonus – he made a coffee. First time in years.I see his future in food blogging, no joke. Now it's a two people food log, but I just can't keep it to myself. I am so proud

[Derval]

It's art on a plate nadia!

Well done on your balletic brilliance, you could very gracefully kick someone's ass ( ha ha donkey kicks, geddit) with that move!

[Nadia B]

It's art on a plate nadia!

I know! Homegrown Braque. Find 5 differences lol

[Derval]

Oh man, now I have 5 red circles on my laptop screen, I hope they'll come off!

[Nadia B]

Damn, I got only 4 of them.

[Nadia B]

Day 51. Dinner update.

I rushed home after work to get ready for my ballet class only to find out that I've lost my ballet slipper. I hope that the Cinderella trick has worked and the prince in tights will knock on my door in no time.

I ate salted salmon (almost the whole steak ouch), poached egg and couple olives and I decided to go to the gym and try my luck with whatever class they have. New podcast of EveryDay Paleo got me thinking again about my gym routine. I've been promising myself to try working out on my own. I am being a baby and have troubles with this. I need an inspiring leader and I need a crowd. I think I should give it a try and sign up to EP lifestyle and fitness. I got on time for the Tabata Interval strength training class. It was ok and better than staying home. I tried to remember the “missmary special†that I've seen in Derval's log but got it all confused and ended up randomly wandering between sauna, cold room and steam room. Missmary, if you are reading this by any chance – help?

“Clear the freezer†mission is on, so I had some fish goodie I found there. Dinner: spinach + seabass fillet (I ate second one after) + beetroot/avocado/mushroom pate salad. Tea and banana after. It's always the dinner part I mess up. Being good all day and then do little something that is so unnecessary. I didn't need that banana. At all. I am not sure that I even wanted it that bad. Ok, no stress, working on nuts and meal timing at the moment.

[Nadia B]

Day 52.

Friday! Somehow weeks following long weekends appear to be endless. Lazy breakfast: two coconut scrambled eggs/bits of chorizo/avocado/olives + roasted shiitake/bell peppers with onion jam and mushroom pate. I can't find onion jam recipe without sugar, so I'll keep paying this gentleman at the cannery shop.

M's breakfast pictures keep me happy. If you look from a distance it seems that there is a burger and not a muffin. I think we should make a deal - he cuts everything and I cook, otherwise what a waste of cutting skills.

Friday + payday = Lawrence Market lunch and shopping. It's my little paleoradise. People don't freak out when you ask tons of questions and have ingredients ready for every single product they have. I picked up sausages (not much time for meat cooking this weekend), bacon ends (were on sale), big bunch of fresh basil, giant bag of broccoli (on sale for 2 dollars only), sundried tomatoes and marinated artichokes for this Artichoke Lemon Pesto Chicken Pasta. For lunch I went to my regular spot “Buster's Sea Cove†and have ordered grilled swordfish on pile of veggies. While I was waiting for my order I sneaked…ehm…sampled few bacon pieces and artichokes. Finished with fresh crispy locally grown apple (which was very stupid as apples mess me up actually, but so damn good).

After lunch I got invitation to the warehouse sale of the store I should be banned from. It's called Kitchen Stuff Plus. You get it. How can you say no to a members only 70-90% sale on the items that are already in the outlet? Exactly. I called my Momma and we are going there after work. It's in the middle of nowhere, so I have no time to go home and have dinner. Plan is to 1) either buy veggies for steaming + can of tuna 2) find a way to cook a sausage in the office kitchen. I might stay over at my parent's place too. That's going to be challenging.

Have a great weekend everyone.

[missmary]

I tried to remember the “missmary special†that I've seen in Derval's log but got it all confused and ended up randomly wandering between sauna, cold room and steam room. Missmary, if you are reading this by any chance – help?

lol! Random wandering probably works fine...but here is the protocol: 10 minutes sauna, cold shower, 10 minutes steam room, cold shower, 10 minutes hot tub, cold shower. repeat up to 3 times or until bored and/or light-headed

edit: what? a cold room? we don't have those here, but I bet you could use it in place of the cold shower....is it like a walk-in-fridge? or is there water or steam involved somehow? very interesting...

[Derval]

Or driven out by the noise of people talking loudly as happened to me this morning!!

[missmary]

Or driven out by the noise of people talking loudly as happened to me this morning!!

boo!

[Nadia B]

Thanks, going to try it tomorrow after WO.

edit: what? a cold room? we don't have those here, but I bet you could use it in place of the cold shower....is it like a walk-in-fridge? or is there water or steam involved somehow? very interesting...

Exactly, like a walk-in fridge. No steam, just deadly cold.

[Derval]

Thanks, going to try it tomorrow after WO.

Exactly, like a walk-in fridge. No steam, just deadly cold.

It's called Canada

Har

[Noelle]

M's breakfast pictures keep me happy.

Me, too! And your breakfast pictures are giving me great ideas!

[Nadia B]

Me, too! And your breakfast pictures are giving me great ideas!

Glad to hear! I am sneaking meal ideas here and there all the time.

[Nadia B]

It's called Canada

Har

Yep, they just put a sign "cold room" on the balcony door.

[Nadia B]

Day 52. Update.

Went to the supermarket downstairs, picked up bunches of rapini, baby carrots and a parsnip. Thought about long time untill the night and grabbed a can of salmon and a larabar. Quite content with my upcoming dinner I rushed to the office kitchen to find out that there is no knife there. I torn greens, threw baby carrots as they are, broke (yes broke) parsnip and pinched (retarded I know) sausage with my nails. Cavemen didn't have knives, did they? I picked the fattier sausage, so the cooking juices will make my veggies taste not so plain (no salt in the kitchen either). Happy tummy and off to the kitchen stuff sale learning mantras: idonotneedthis and putitbackrightnow.

I did well, didn't spend too much and didn't eat crap. Got an egg poacher for M and anxiously waiting for the outcome. Ate the rest of baby carrots, larabar and dried cranberries with tea at my parents. I don't even like dried fruits that much, except of prunes. They are too sweet but collective chewing got me this time again. Anyways, good day.

[Nadia B]

Day 53.

Woke up at my parents' place, had breakfast: two eggs + tomato + eggplant and mystery veggies + 2 slices pork roast. Sad breakfast for M. too, depressing is the word actually.

Later I sneaked two pieces of chicken with unknown ingridients (I stopped asking my parents what's in there, they immediately feel guilty that they can't feed me or try to stuff me like Thanksgiving turkey with all the food available) and went to the gym. I finally felt that my energy doesn't drop in the middle of the class. My body started to pull out another trick instead - headache. Somewhere half way my head starts to ache. Annoying. Shed some light, anyone? Don't laugh people, but I had to write down the routine for this sauna miracle from Missmary (waves). Heaven. I don't exactly remember how a drunk person feels, but must be close... One more dumb question - how do you keep track of time spent in sauna or steam room? Ate a can of salmon after and went to stroll around little mall near thd gym while waiting for M. I hate malls, hate them.

Dear Levis, why has you changed you pants sizing and didn't tell me? So not cool. I still bought that pair of my regular size. Now I officially own "skinny jeans" that you have to zip up pretending that your bellybutton touching the back is very comfortable and natural for you. Good side - 70% discount and way of measuring progress without the scales. Got home ready to eat nearly anything. Had pork sausage and random veggies mix (yam/leeks/appleslice/brussels sprouts/zuccini/bok choy). Then I ate a bowl of 1/4 apple/banana/coconut flakes/cocoa/several raisins. Jeans were laying on the couch and I knew what they were trying to tell me.

Tristan and Isolde opera later tonight. Awesome but this means no real dinner. Danger danger. Picturing myself opening a can of sardines in the middle of the II act.

[missmary]

Day 53.

One more dumb question - how do you keep track of time spent in sauna or steam room?

Not dumb at all! I listen to my ipod shuffle (yes, even in the hot tub. I like to live dangerously ), so, depending on how much time I have avaliable, I decide two or three songs is "10 minutes". Oh, and I can't take credit for the magic, my trainer designed this routine for me...I think mostly to keep me busy on a day when he would like me to rest and not work out (I have a hard time with resting...). He's tricky, that one.

Picturing myself opening a can of sardines in the middle of the II act.

lol! love it!

[Nadia B]

Not dumb at all! I listen to my ipod shuffle (yes, even in the hot tub. I like to live dangerously ), so, depending on how much time I have avaliable, I decide two or three songs is "10 minutes". Oh, and I can't take credit for the magic, my trainer designed this routine for me...I think mostly to keep me busy on a day when he would like me to rest and not work out (I have a hard time with resting...). He's tricky, that one.

Hardcore Mm I don't think that iphone will like steam room at all. Anyways, your trainer is a genious and I am hooked.

I know what you mean. Surprisingly eating and resting is harder than not-eating and pushing to the extreme point.

[Nadia B]

Day 54. Like a big girl.

Opera was horrible. I am an opera fan and I couldn't justify the mess that was happening on stage. 5 hours of torture. Partially because I ate small Haagen Daz ice-cream during the first intermission and I felt itchy immediately. Music was amazing regardless.

Cooked breakfast for M and me - scrambled eggs + mushrooms/pepper/spinach/bacon. Banana. I got hungry in 3 hours, which was predictable as I didn't have enough veggies on my plate. I fried an egg and sautéed more veggies. This was my preWO meal as well.

I went to the demo Cross Fit class in the real box. The gym is super fancy for the rich snobs who live in my trendy area (by no means I am one of them). But they have a CF only section fee. I think I want to do it. I want to give my money to these people so they can make me feel like a piece of crap every week, because I suck at everything except legit CF squats (thanks to endless plies at ballet class). Honestly, I felt fantastic as I was laying there in sweat, breathing like a whale on the shore. Absolutely fantastic.

So this is what we did. We practiced double unders (more like trying to do at least one) and thrusters with the Olympic bar. I tried 40 lb, isn't it insane that this weight is not even close to the recommended for females? Then we did our WOD as follows: 50 wall balls, 40 kb swings + 30 thrusters (I miserably went down from 40 to 20 lb) + 20 box jumps + 10 chin-ups (I've done them with the band of shame))). This routine times 2. Every minute we had to do 3 burpees (they have machine that gives signal). We had 30 min to complete the WO.

Forgot my post WO meal. Duh. Went home and had lunch: beef sausage + fried plantain/bok choy/cucumbers.

Went to buy groceries and saw a beautiful rib eye steak on sale. I have a confession to make – I suck at cooking meat as much as I suck at CF. This is why sausages and meatballs are my only variety in this department. I have no clue about the cuts and ways to prepare them. I decided to try again, Google help me. Dinner: I made simple arugula/tomato/cucumber/pepper salad + oven braised cabbage + steak. I followed the timing, but it was still raw inside. I am a medium rare girl. I let it rest after it was cooked as commonly advised too. It looked better than it tasted. It wasn't tender enough. It was just ok. What a disappointment. What am I doing wrong? I have a round eye piece in my fridge. Back in days I tried to make a roast, but it wasn't good either. What do I do with this one? Beef disaster. I had a little bowl of mashed sweet potato/coconut cream/cinnamon after. I have one more steak...can I make something else from this cut? Help me people.

Monday tomorrow? No way.