JinksE's Forever After

[Physibeth]

I will tell you that as I've not been doing Whole30 (yet) but eating Paleo for 60+ days now that I had been logging most days in LoseIt. Perhaps not as militantly as before, but logging. Know what? I found a lot of days I was way under my calories. Some days I was over, but it all balanced out. I've kind of decided I'm a little sick of logging my food at this point and am taking a break from it in June/July while I do my W30. You are joining me on a June 10th start right?

All that to say that it's possibly your body may need some more healing before it is willing to lose more weight. I really appreciated the post about her weight that Stacy posted on Paleo Parents and I keep coming back to what Nadia wrote about our bodies having their own to do lists. I lost about 10-15 pounds going Paleo, but it has leveled out this month. Some of that might be more off-roading than I was be doing. Or it might just be a plateau. Who knows. I know I feel healthier over all though.

Hope all this muttering helps in some way. ;-)

[Jinkse21]

Thanks Physibeth! I wish there was an easy way to figuring out all this crap! Stupid bodies with a mind of their own! LOL! It gets frustrating but I have to remind myself that I need to listen to my body instead of picking up old habits.

I am definitely planning on doing a Whole30 with AIP on June 10th with you but I will only be doing it until 7/5 as I ended up planning a last minute trip to my parents' after the 4th of July. During that time I will not get on MFP but up until then, I will log my food there to see how keeping my carbs under 50 grams helps with the weight. I'm not really diong it to track my calories though. I want to see if my recent "normal" food choices keep in line with my carb goals.

[Physibeth]

Sounds reasonable. I know I will be offroading immediately after my W30 ends as my brother will be visiting for a couple of days but my plan is to go right back on when he leaves and stay on for the remainder of July and than do very careful re-introductions. I feel pretty confident in my raw grassfed dairy usage and my minimal usage of sugar (I don't have a sugar dragon really) but I want to do introductions of individual grains carefully at home I think. I really suspect that grains hold the secret to my mood swings and foggy brain which I've experienced all of once since going Paleo after I had swimming ramma and pad thai noodles but as I didn't prepare that meal myself it is really hard to know. I've been taking communion each week (tiny piece of pita bread) and that doesn't seem to bother me but it might be so little that it won't.

I truly don't miss grains to be honest, but it would be nice to know for when I'm out and about and socializing even if after these introductions I never prepare them for myself at home again.

[Jinkse21]

The only grains I have really had have been some bread and tortilla chips since I finished my W30. While they tasted really good, I was able to stop and move on. Now, I have not had any pasta for the fact that I don't think I'd be able to stop! I haven't had any grains at home, just in restaurants and at my parents'. Definitely something I will only save for special occasions!

Did you know they make gluten-free Communion hosts??? Are you Catholic? If so, check with your church, they could probably get some for you. I was surprised to hear this!

I decided that if I have time spans of more than 2 weeks where I don't have any possible off-roading challenges, I will be following Whole30 way of eating...it's really just a super-strict Paleo diet, right?

[Jinkse21]

Day 58 - Why Must It Be So Difficult??

Over the last few days, I have been very bad about keeping up with my log. I find that when I stay on top of it, I am so good! I think it's my way of avoiding the fact that I picked up some of my old habits and ate non-compliant foods....if I don't write about it, it didn't happen, right?? When I look back at the time since I ended my first W30, I really haven't off-roaded that much. The major times were my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, Memorial Day Weekend, my birthday....These were special occasions and when I look hard enough, I find that I still managed to stay on track fro the most part. I made guac to eat with carrot sticks (just a few tortilla chips) and took lots of veggies and hard-boiled eggs to my parents' to eat with meals. My biggest demon is alcohol! It seems like it's at every function and I just can't say no. Luckily, I don't feel the need to drink at home, just when I am out and about. The only problem is that it's summertime and that means lots of trips and cookouts with friends on the weekends.

All-in-all, I have done very well considering how I used to eat and drink. I will not beat myself up for eating a piece of bread or drinking a glass of wine because I know I am able to get back on track! No more excuses to not! These challenges are a part of life and no one is perfect.

Last night I decided to cook a lot of food to have on hand because I have been bad about planning ahead of time and having limited choices. I made a taco meat mix using ground lamb and beef with green chiles, mashed cauliflower, cajun shrimp in Ghee, and roasted sweet potatoes. I had plans to make kale and roasted carrots but time got away from me and I really needed to eat...it was after 8:00 and I was famished!

One challenge I still have to work on is my sleep habits! I have gotten back into the habit of turning the TV on when I go to bed and playing a game or two on my iPad (stupid Candy Crush! ). I do set the timer so the TV turns off after about 30 minutes by which time I am fast asleep. But, I have not been going to sleep until after 11:30. Getting up at 6:00 is definitely not giving me anough sleep and I have been falling asleep at work...not good, I know! Sitting in a cubicle, in silence, waiting for calls or emails, and no projects to work on...I think anyone would fall asleep!

Since I am logging my food on MFP for now, I am not going to log it here...hate repetition! For the last 2 days, I have stayed right around my carb goal of 50g/day. I still do not measure anything, especially meats and fats, as I am mostly concerned about keeping my carbs low. I don't want to get obsessed with calorie-counting so I pay little attention to that...just carbs!

[Physibeth]

Did you know they make gluten-free Communion hosts??? Are you Catholic? If so, check with your church, they could probably get some for you. I was surprised to hear this!

I'm not Catholic. My church offers cut up pita bread and broken up rice cakes for a gluten free option. I just have the very small piece of pita bread.

[Jinkse21]

Day 62 - Bad Logger!

 

Okay, so I haven't been so good about logging anything, not even on MFP!    I have been a lurker with a comment here and there.  It's funny how lax you become when you don't log even when you know it helps.  I could probably still tell you everything I did and ate since the last time I logged anything so at least that means I have been keeping somewhat on track.  My motivation has been lacking so I am hoping it comes back by June 10th when I start my Whole24 with AIP!

 

A lot of off-road choices were made this past weekend and I guess I didn't want to log them so it could be like they never happened.  Unfortunately, my body has decided to remind what my food and drinking choices do to it.     Friday, we ended up at a last-minute dinner with friends at Outback for a b-day party...food choices were easy but beverage was not!  3 tall beers there led to the decision to go out with my friends to a bar afterwards.     Not sure how much more I had to drink that night but I was an uber slug the next morning!  Did good with my eating for breakfast and a late lunch.  Dinner wasn't too bad but it was our 5 year anniversary so I wasn't being too strict.  We went to a place called Local 127 which specializes in farm to table type food and they cure all their own meats in-house.  It was delish!  We didn't even eat an entree!  We ordered the chef's choice chautecurie plate for 2 which had smoked trout, souvid chicken, duck confit, and some kind of smoked pork that tasted like prosciutto.  The best part was that we got to order an extra cured dish too...I ordered mixed heart salad (husband was not a fan of this choice...   ).  With that much protein, I didn't feel like getting stuffed with a big entree so I ordered a beet appetizer with goat cheese and other yummy stuff and the greens side dish.  My husband ordered another chautecurie (In know the spelling is not right....) just for him minus the heart salad.  They brought out cornbread which I heard was amazing so I ate one!  Boy, was it yummy!!  I decided to order dessert too because everyone raved about the cheesecake which came in a mason jar.  The filling was on the bottom with a layer of carmelized sugar then something that resembled a crumbled graham cracker crust and fresh whipped cream.  Okay, so maybe this isn't the best place to write about this wonderful food but I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if I was still eating my old ways.  Some wine and a few drinks more and I was ready to go home by 10:30!  I was so tired!

 

I actually slept in until close to 9:00!  I never do this!  Felt nice though!  After looking through the paper, I decided it was time to clean the patio and the patio furniture.  It was such a nice morning, I wish it was done before so I could have eaten my breakfast and read the paper out there.  I got in a little relaxation time before we had to go to a friend's to finalize a long weekend trip in July.  I took salad fixins and avocado but I wasn't sure what they were having and I didn't have my planning cap on nor did I eat lunch before we left (I hate it when I don't think!  ).  Needless to say, everything they had was processed and carb-loaded...and not in a healthy way.  I ended up eating nacho cheese dip with soft pretzel pieces, some veggie dip, some skippy pretzel chips....ugh!  I managed to have a hamburger salad with avocado for dinner and lots of water...hoping to offset the handful of kettle chips I decided to throw on the plate!

 

I am so paying for what I did to myself yesterday!     RA flaring up in left knee, right hip, left shoulder...allergies...tired...not-normal BMs...This is just a reminder why I don't need to eat that crap!  I know I said it would be overy now and then and for special ocassions but it seems like those happen every weekend, all weekend!     Believe it or not, I am still doing better than I did in the past!

 

Oh well....here's to living and learning...at least until next wekeend!  

[Jinkse21]

Well, I'm back to this log after ending my attempt at AIP/W24.  I don't think I was ready for it mentally...maybe it was too soon after finishing my first W30.  The choices I have been making have definitely been a lot better than before and I am happy with the changes I have made.  I feel better, other than the RA crap.  I love cooking again!  I get to experience the farmer's market and specialty stores in a whole new way.  It feels weird walking past a majority of the aisles in the stores but I just think about all the crap that I am not putting in my body now! 

 

I find myself reading articles about what is in foods and how they are made...never thought I'd care about what is in chicken but now I find myself passing up chicken because of all the nasty icky things they do to them.  Pastured chickens or certified organic is on my menu now.  I was very surprised to see that conventional chickens are at the bottom of the protein list.

 

As I look back at things that have changed since I embarked on this Whole30 adventure, I am happy that some things have not found their way back into my cup/plate..

• Diet Coke.  Thought I would die if I never had one again!  Well, I have tried drinking Diet coke 3 different times since the beginning of May.  When I saw "tried" I mean 2-3 sips and the rest went in the trash!  I could taste the fake, nasty aspartame!  ICK!
• Pasta.  As much I loved the taste of all things starchy, I have not had any pasta.  For me, it's a food with no brakes but I don't really know why. I find that spaghetti squash or cauliflower "rice" make good substitutes.
• Potatoes.  Sweet Potatoes have become a weekly staple for me as well as mashed cauliflower so I don't miss potatoes that much...except for the occasional homemade potato salad.
• Fast Food.  I think I have had fast food maybe twice since the beginning of May.  I was never a huge fast food eater anyway but loved the convenience factor, especially when travelling.  After reading the ingredients of a lot of the food I thought was healthy, I just can't bring myself to eat it that often.

While there are things that have left my food life, or at least are slowly diminishing, there are things that I eat/do that now seem like a part of my life...

• Homemade Mayo.  I have only made this once but I haven't really had a need for it lately. It was so easy with my immersion blender!  I may have to make some more soon to go on hamburger patties, deviled eggs, dipping sauces, dressing for my salad...the possibilities are endless!
• Mashed Cauliflower.  So easy to make and so yummy with lots of Ghee and garlic! 
• Homemade Ghee. I can't see paying money for a jar of ghee when I can buy Kerrygold pastured butter to make my own (thanks to Trader Joe's, it's so much cheaper!).  I love the smell in the house when I make it too...reminds of Christmas cookies! 
• Offal.  I have always loved liver and chicken hearts so now I eat them more often!  I have experimented with head cheese and some heart loaf/something or other and goose pate too.  I just love the flavor and texture!  I have a beef heart in the freezer that I still need to gussy up the courage to make.
• Grass Fed Beef.  Other than the price, I that I love GF beef!  It's nice to know that the cows are eating as healthy as I am and have the freedom to roam.  I don't know if it's just in my head or what, but I think I can tell a difference in flavor...it's just so much better!
• Green Tea.  It replaced my Diet Cokes in the morning but there's something to be said about the hot liquid!  I love it's mild flavor.  I can definitely tell the difference when I am having a tea that is not just tea leaves.  I thought I like Celestial Seasonings green tea so I ordered a case from Amazon...got it and realized it had soy lecithen and other ingredients I didn't think were needed in tea.  Boy, did it taste different...I can't drink it!

Overall, I am happy with the changes I have made!  Do I wish I was losing a ton of weight?  Sure!  But I have accepted that it's not an overnight journey...I must take the time to appreciate so many other things in my life instead of being obsessed with how much I weigh.  It will happen but in due time.

 

My Primal journey has just begun thanks to Whole30!

[percypat]

Awesome awesome list  Such fundamental changes and so much to be happy about.  It's not reasonable to expect to be on Whole 30 rules ALL the time - otherwise they wouldn't recommend people don't, right?  (For those that do it - bravo).

 

I really have to have a go at making ghee myself.  Both you and Susan have mentioned the smell - sounds divine.

 

Pasta is food with no brakes for me too ...  Weird because it's so bland when you think about it, but I can eat that stuff with a knob of butter and some parsley all day!

[Jinkse21]

Pasta is food with no brakes for me too ...  Weird because it's so bland when you think about it, but I can eat that stuff with a knob of butter and some parsley all day!

______________________________

Now my mouth is watering!! 

[Physibeth]

Great list! Personally real butter doesn't seem to bother me so I fully plan to go back to regular butter post-W30. Ghee is fine but I like butter better. 

 

It is so great that we can all come through this same experience and have totally different post-W30 lives.

 

I do agree on pasta. The only thing I miss is macaroni and cheese. Once I determine whats the what with grains (didn't really introduce correctly after my initial 30 day paleo challenge) I may order it from time to time at a restaurant.

[calee]

Tonight I looked wistfully at the kerrygold but pushed it aside and got out the Ghee. I've only had Ghee a few times but I like it. Just so pricey.

JinksE, I like the list you made. It really points out the strides you're making towards better health.