Wednesday, October 17th was Love Your Body Day. Did you know? I did, thanks to a Facebook (and real life) friend Stephanie. Seeing this got me thinking about myself, the studio, and the women who frequent our classes. Do we love our bodies? How do we show that?
I have struggled with self esteem issues for pretty much as long as I can remember. I was one of the few "mixed" kids in school, so my hair didn't behave the same as my friends' which, at the time, left me feeling unattractive. I was one of those "early developers" in middle school which, at the time, just left me feeling big. I had issues with my knees and ankles which kept me from fully participating in sports and gym which, at the time, left me feeling galumphy and uncoordinated. Not a pretty picture overall, huh?
I held on to all the yuck in my head and really let it get to me as I grew up. Now, did any of that yuck keep me from finding a wonderful mate to share my life with? Miraculously, no. Did the yuck keep me from following a winding career path to where I've landed in my whodathunkit dream job? No. What the yuck has done is keep me from fully enjoying and trusting in myself and my accomplishments along the way.
Love Your Body...hmm.
I am pleased to say that, today, I have the best relationship with my body I've ever had. I know that I'm strong, and fit, and I'm thankful for everything my body does for me on a daily basis. It's not all sunshine and roses in my head, but I'm working on that. I am also thrilled to see the positive body changes happening for the women at the studio. Getting healthy and moving your body is, I think, the first step to a positive body relationship. When women are coming to the studio looking forward to their 30 - 85 minute workouts I know good things are happening inside and out.
What I'm trying to promote at the studio isn't weight-loss though that often happens along the way, but health & wellness. Love Your Body? Yes, that's the goal.
How are YOU working towards Love Your Body status? I'd love to hear (read) your thoughts!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Back To Reality
I know I'm finding this fall transition to be a bit stressful! I've got one child starting his first year of high school (stressful for him and us), 5 disparate schedules to juggle, and a business to run. Yikes! It feels like, even if you don't have kids, there's a certain heightened level of activity or tension in the air as this season kicks off, doesn't it? When I get bogged down I notice a few things:
I don't eat as well
I want to sit when I can
I crave opportunities for slowness
Not the best recipe for a healthy life! I'm busy, so I forget to pack a lunch or take time for a good breakfast. I'm busy for so much of the day that when I have a moment I want to spend it sitting. I'm busy and have so very much to work through in not quite enough time so, if I find a window of opportunity I want to spend it moving as slowly as possible. Or at least I think I do.
What I'm finding this year, amidst all the stress and busy, is that taking those precious free moments to do the opposite of my inclination makes me feel so very much better!
Pack a lunch (10 minutes)
Do some yoga/dance for myself (30 minutes)
Go for a walk (20 minutes)
No one of these fixes take more than 30 minutes. 30 minutes. We all have that much time to spare, no matter how busy we feel, to take care of ourselves. So very much can be done (or not done, depending on your perspective) in half an hour!
- We leave for school at 7:30 or 7:45 am depending on the before school activities on the books. If I step (pull myself) away from the computer in the morning at 7:15 am I can pack up some food (almonds & raisins, 3 oz of turkey breast, and some goldfish crackers) and be able to stave off hunger until I return home with my boys from school at 4:45 pm.
- I teach until noon and, as mentioned above, start the after-school driving circles at 3:30 pm. That leaves me 3.5 solid hours of work time to burn through my to-do list. If I go into a classroom at 2 pm and do 30 minutes of yoga or bellydance, I can come back to The List refreshed and ready to go at 2:30 pm and still have a good hour of (higher) productivity.
- My evening of teaching generally starts at around 6 pm, and at this time of year the sun is still up until about 7 pm. Squeezing in a 30 minute walk before class (perhaps with the family) is a great way to get more a mile under my feet and clear my head before diving back into teaching. If homework stress is high, this is good for everyone!
It may be counter-intuitive in the moment, but taking the time to take care of ourselves in a healthy way has such a strong, beneficial impact on our day, our brain, and the people around us that it would be a shame to let those impulses of sitting, doing nothing, and eating yuck (or not eating at all) to take over.
Busy is, as they say, a state of mind. In choosing to reserve some time for intentionally un-busying ourselves we can fully transform that chaotic feeling into something calm and productive. Try it, and tell me how it goes!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Detox, Life after the Cleanse
It's been almost a full week since I finished the cleanse by adding back my "typical" foods slowly. I still feel really good, and I've (so far) made some significant changes to my eating habits. Like?
Gluten-less -
I added gluten back in at the tail end of the cleanse by having a cupcake made by one dear friend to celebrate my other dear friend's birthday. Complete with icing. And a glass of wine (not at the same time). Go big or go home, right? Well, the cupcake made me a bit wonky, and I experienced quite the crash from my sugar "high". Not to be defeated, I had home-made challa for Shabbat dinner the following night, as well as made-from-scratch apple pie (have I mentioned how much I love my husband? He made both). I was feeling pretty good, didn't have the spike and fall I'd experienced the night before, and went to bed thinking my diet was almost 100% back to normal. But...I woke up with a stuffy nose. No other cold/flu symptoms, just a stuffy nose. A quick text conversation with Mishra confirmed my fear - the stuffy nose was likely a reaction to the gluten.
I've been playing around with this all week and seem to find that bread is the most significant trigger. I tried some goldfish crackers and only had mild stuffiness that didn't last (whereas bread leaves me sniffling for a good 4 - 6 hours). I will continue to eat bread at Shabbat dinner, and the occasional cupcake/cake/pie when there's a special occasion, but beyond that I'm currently avoiding gluten. So, not gluten-free but gluten-less. :-)
Caffeine
Ah, coffee. I've been drinking coffee since those late-night trips to iHop and other cafes started back when I was in high school. It wasn't something I drank at home until moving in with Bill back in 1992 (ouch - old!), since coffee is his main source of fuel. Well, I guess I didn't start drinking it daily until after we had Forest in June of 93 since I avoided caffeine during my pregnancy. In fact, pregnancy was the only time I *have* cut coffee out for any extended period of time. Until now. I'm 6 days past the end of my cleanse and I still haven't had a sip. I don't intend for this to be a life-long farewell, but I just don't *need* it now! I am still working my crazy, 16 hour days full of activity. I'm still only getting maybe 6 hours of sleep a night. But I don't need it! I am enjoying the freedom this gives me, and, I'll admit, I'm a little afraid of what the caffeine might do to me (see cupcake experience above), so I'll have to time out my reintroduction very carefully. I'm imagining breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, or a date night at Cafe SelMarie. These seem like good coffee moments.
The Rest
My skin is apparently glowing, my eyes are sparkling (though that might be the switch to contacts), and I feel really good. I'm still seeking out more veggies, and am making good food choices for protein and carbs in general. My weight is slowly moving down (I'm not weighing myself daily anymore, but my last check put me at 177), and I won't check my body fat % until the end of the month (last check was at 34.4). I really enjoyed the experience and would recommend it (even with the shakes). It really gave me perspective on what I eat vs what my body needs.
Oh, and I still haven't had processed stuff, AND we bought hormone-free meat for the family for the first time. Pretty cool!
Thanks for reading! I hope to continue blogging on a weekly (daily was just too much!) basis, and would love to know what you'd like to read about. Other health "fads" you'd like me to test out? Topics of interest? Throw a comment on here, and follow if you'd like. :-)
Gluten-less -
I added gluten back in at the tail end of the cleanse by having a cupcake made by one dear friend to celebrate my other dear friend's birthday. Complete with icing. And a glass of wine (not at the same time). Go big or go home, right? Well, the cupcake made me a bit wonky, and I experienced quite the crash from my sugar "high". Not to be defeated, I had home-made challa for Shabbat dinner the following night, as well as made-from-scratch apple pie (have I mentioned how much I love my husband? He made both). I was feeling pretty good, didn't have the spike and fall I'd experienced the night before, and went to bed thinking my diet was almost 100% back to normal. But...I woke up with a stuffy nose. No other cold/flu symptoms, just a stuffy nose. A quick text conversation with Mishra confirmed my fear - the stuffy nose was likely a reaction to the gluten.
I've been playing around with this all week and seem to find that bread is the most significant trigger. I tried some goldfish crackers and only had mild stuffiness that didn't last (whereas bread leaves me sniffling for a good 4 - 6 hours). I will continue to eat bread at Shabbat dinner, and the occasional cupcake/cake/pie when there's a special occasion, but beyond that I'm currently avoiding gluten. So, not gluten-free but gluten-less. :-)
Caffeine
Ah, coffee. I've been drinking coffee since those late-night trips to iHop and other cafes started back when I was in high school. It wasn't something I drank at home until moving in with Bill back in 1992 (ouch - old!), since coffee is his main source of fuel. Well, I guess I didn't start drinking it daily until after we had Forest in June of 93 since I avoided caffeine during my pregnancy. In fact, pregnancy was the only time I *have* cut coffee out for any extended period of time. Until now. I'm 6 days past the end of my cleanse and I still haven't had a sip. I don't intend for this to be a life-long farewell, but I just don't *need* it now! I am still working my crazy, 16 hour days full of activity. I'm still only getting maybe 6 hours of sleep a night. But I don't need it! I am enjoying the freedom this gives me, and, I'll admit, I'm a little afraid of what the caffeine might do to me (see cupcake experience above), so I'll have to time out my reintroduction very carefully. I'm imagining breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, or a date night at Cafe SelMarie. These seem like good coffee moments.
The Rest
My skin is apparently glowing, my eyes are sparkling (though that might be the switch to contacts), and I feel really good. I'm still seeking out more veggies, and am making good food choices for protein and carbs in general. My weight is slowly moving down (I'm not weighing myself daily anymore, but my last check put me at 177), and I won't check my body fat % until the end of the month (last check was at 34.4). I really enjoyed the experience and would recommend it (even with the shakes). It really gave me perspective on what I eat vs what my body needs.
Oh, and I still haven't had processed stuff, AND we bought hormone-free meat for the family for the first time. Pretty cool!
Thanks for reading! I hope to continue blogging on a weekly (daily was just too much!) basis, and would love to know what you'd like to read about. Other health "fads" you'd like me to test out? Topics of interest? Throw a comment on here, and follow if you'd like. :-)
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Detox, day 10
11:50 pm...Ah, Day 10, how lovely to see you! I've decided to retrace my steps in terms of how I'm reintroducing foods to my diet, so today brought the addition of grains like wheat and corn. Functionally this only added 28 grams of corn chips to my day because wheat is hard to come by without it being wrapped up with dairy and sugar, and we're not quite at corn-on-the-cob season.
Even though I didn't get to add much new to my day I really feel like what I'm eating is fairly sustainable. I had almonds, raisins, and a banana for breakfast, lentil soup for lunch, hummus and celery for my pre-teaching meal, and stir-fried veggies over white rice for dinner. AND NOT A SINGLE SHAKE!
I am looking forward to tomorrow's additions of eggs and dairy! I hope hope HOPE that my body reacts favorably to the addition as I'd hate to learn that I shouldn't eat eggs and cheese. I love both on their own and together as a pair. Fingers crossed!
I'll have to report my stats tomorrow as I left the notes at the studio. Sorry!
It is nice to be shake-free today. I feel much more "normal", have an appetite, and haven't had to visit the bathroom every 15 minutes. All good things.
I got a couple of comments/compliments today that I look good and seem to be full of energy. At the moment I feel SO tired. Perhaps that's because I taught 4 classes today (2 of them being Zumba).
Tired. Going to bed - I'll write moe tomorrow
Even though I didn't get to add much new to my day I really feel like what I'm eating is fairly sustainable. I had almonds, raisins, and a banana for breakfast, lentil soup for lunch, hummus and celery for my pre-teaching meal, and stir-fried veggies over white rice for dinner. AND NOT A SINGLE SHAKE!
I am looking forward to tomorrow's additions of eggs and dairy! I hope hope HOPE that my body reacts favorably to the addition as I'd hate to learn that I shouldn't eat eggs and cheese. I love both on their own and together as a pair. Fingers crossed!
I'll have to report my stats tomorrow as I left the notes at the studio. Sorry!
It is nice to be shake-free today. I feel much more "normal", have an appetite, and haven't had to visit the bathroom every 15 minutes. All good things.
I got a couple of comments/compliments today that I look good and seem to be full of energy. At the moment I feel SO tired. Perhaps that's because I taught 4 classes today (2 of them being Zumba).
Tired. Going to bed - I'll write moe tomorrow
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Detox, Day 9
11:50...I just drank my last shake. Ah, what a nice sound that has! It is the perfect end to a solidly good day, punctuated by foods like almonds, celery & hummus, lentil soup, veggie stir fry over white rice, and an organic banana. Oh, and an apple (gotta get back on the horse).
The reintroduction of these foods (today brought legumes back onto the scene) doesn't seem to be having any sort of negative effect. I am going to retrace my steps in terms of adding foods back into my diet in the order I removed them even though the official plan doesn't give me guidelines past today. That means I'll add wheat and other grains back in tomorrow, followed by dairy and eggs the next day, and will finish with meats, sugars, and possibly caffeine after that.
A trip to the grocery today (I was out of organic apple juice and bananas) showed me that I won't have to give up as much as I thought for the long haul. I mentioned before that I want to continue to keep artificial colors/sweeteners out of my diet, right? Well, I thought for sure that meant saying goodbye to Goldfish crackers. Not so! Despite their vibrant orange color there's nothing artificial in there! Wahoo!
Today I did start to miss eggs and cheese. I'm really hoping my body handles them both as I'd hate to learn that they shouldn't be a part of my diet long-term. That said, the way I ate today feels totally manageable. I know I'm getting my protein in the shakes and that I need to replace that somehow - I just mean that I didn't feel deprived today or like I had to make crazy food choices. Good to know.
I didn't end up in the studio with time to do my body fat analysis today, so my daily stats are incomplete, but here they are:
Weight: 179.7 (down 3.5 from day 1)
BMI: 28.8 (down .7 from day 1)
We're coming close to a significant amount of weight lost, but I expect it will return as my diet returns to "normal" as water weight is typically in the 5-pound range. No worries - weight loss was just a possible side effect, not my intention for doing this. Now, if I hold onto some of the changes I've made AND take advantage of this new-found relationship with food I just might be able to do something in the weight loss challenge. That'd be cool.
Goodnight, Day 9. You've treated me well.
The reintroduction of these foods (today brought legumes back onto the scene) doesn't seem to be having any sort of negative effect. I am going to retrace my steps in terms of adding foods back into my diet in the order I removed them even though the official plan doesn't give me guidelines past today. That means I'll add wheat and other grains back in tomorrow, followed by dairy and eggs the next day, and will finish with meats, sugars, and possibly caffeine after that.
A trip to the grocery today (I was out of organic apple juice and bananas) showed me that I won't have to give up as much as I thought for the long haul. I mentioned before that I want to continue to keep artificial colors/sweeteners out of my diet, right? Well, I thought for sure that meant saying goodbye to Goldfish crackers. Not so! Despite their vibrant orange color there's nothing artificial in there! Wahoo!
Today I did start to miss eggs and cheese. I'm really hoping my body handles them both as I'd hate to learn that they shouldn't be a part of my diet long-term. That said, the way I ate today feels totally manageable. I know I'm getting my protein in the shakes and that I need to replace that somehow - I just mean that I didn't feel deprived today or like I had to make crazy food choices. Good to know.
I didn't end up in the studio with time to do my body fat analysis today, so my daily stats are incomplete, but here they are:
Weight: 179.7 (down 3.5 from day 1)
BMI: 28.8 (down .7 from day 1)
We're coming close to a significant amount of weight lost, but I expect it will return as my diet returns to "normal" as water weight is typically in the 5-pound range. No worries - weight loss was just a possible side effect, not my intention for doing this. Now, if I hold onto some of the changes I've made AND take advantage of this new-found relationship with food I just might be able to do something in the weight loss challenge. That'd be cool.
Goodnight, Day 9. You've treated me well.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Detox, Day 8
10:15 pm...I have to say that this whole not eating "typical" foods is becoming kind of normal. Yes, I spent the day looking forward to my 9 pm dinner because it would have white rice and veggies beyond broccoli, but the moment-to-moment eating (or rather not eating) felt pretty normal today.
Breakfast was a shake at 7 am, followed by a bowl of strawberries (yay, fruit that wasn't an apple!) at 11 am, then another shake at 4 pm, then 7 contraband snow pea pods (I swear, I always forget peas are legumes. They look so much like veggies!) and a salad (spinach, alfalfa sprouts, red bell pepper, carrots, and cherry tomatoes) at 5 pm. Dinner at 9 pm was stirfried veggies (broccoli, carrots, onions, garlic, peppers) served over white rice, and I just downed shake #3.
I imagine (hope) that hunger will return as the shakes leave, but even so I feel like I'll be able to maintain a lot of the changes the detox process has forced. I do see myself back to choosing fruits and veggies more consistantly to meet my hunger, and limiting the amount of cracker-type food. I'm not sure how I'll feel about dairy when all is said and done, but I do know my relationship with my lattes is over. I really, really like knowing that my body is empty of processed crap! The only way I could drink my lattes was with vanilla syrup (though only 1 pump rather than the FIVE that cafes want to put in there), and I went for the sugar free to cut back on calories. I think, if I were to give myself a drink as a treat, I'll order with sugar-full syrup but imagine those treats will be few and far between.
I also, come to think of it, like that I've gone without refined sugar this whole time. I think I may end up only taking in sugar in baked goods, and I know that I'm ready to get back on the home-baked bandwagon in favor of eating sweets with all the extras that are baked in to packaged desserts.
My energy levels have been good this whole time, and I'm interested to see how they change as I pull back on the shakes. I suppose the moral of the story is to be sure I'm taking in enough protein throughout the day, and that the protein should come from a good, clean source.
Oh, the Farmer's Market opens up in Evanston THIS SATURDAY! It's like the growers and the city of Evanston *knew* I'd be finishing up my cleanse this week and would be ready for a broader base of organic, locally grown produce. Thanks, Evanston!
I owe you some stats for yesterday and today. I'll put them up in comparison to day 1 just so you can get the full picture of the craziness that is my body:
Day 1
Weight: 183.2
% Fat: 34
BMI: 29.5
Day 7 (yesterday)
Weight 180.6
% Fat: 38.1
BMI: 29.2
Day 8 (today)
Weight: 180
% fat: 35.6
BMI: 29
As you can see, the body fat % is like a bouncing ball. Ah, the joys of science!
I had a moderate level of activity today - 1 cardio class (Zumba), 2 low intensity dance classes, 1 meeting, and hours and hours of work at the computer. Not too shabby. There's a chance I'll be with a mama overnight for a birth, so I'm going to end this and go try to get some sleep. Sleep is recommended in my detox booklet, by the by.
I have the option to add legumes and nuts tomorrow, which should be fun!
Breakfast was a shake at 7 am, followed by a bowl of strawberries (yay, fruit that wasn't an apple!) at 11 am, then another shake at 4 pm, then 7 contraband snow pea pods (I swear, I always forget peas are legumes. They look so much like veggies!) and a salad (spinach, alfalfa sprouts, red bell pepper, carrots, and cherry tomatoes) at 5 pm. Dinner at 9 pm was stirfried veggies (broccoli, carrots, onions, garlic, peppers) served over white rice, and I just downed shake #3.
I imagine (hope) that hunger will return as the shakes leave, but even so I feel like I'll be able to maintain a lot of the changes the detox process has forced. I do see myself back to choosing fruits and veggies more consistantly to meet my hunger, and limiting the amount of cracker-type food. I'm not sure how I'll feel about dairy when all is said and done, but I do know my relationship with my lattes is over. I really, really like knowing that my body is empty of processed crap! The only way I could drink my lattes was with vanilla syrup (though only 1 pump rather than the FIVE that cafes want to put in there), and I went for the sugar free to cut back on calories. I think, if I were to give myself a drink as a treat, I'll order with sugar-full syrup but imagine those treats will be few and far between.
I also, come to think of it, like that I've gone without refined sugar this whole time. I think I may end up only taking in sugar in baked goods, and I know that I'm ready to get back on the home-baked bandwagon in favor of eating sweets with all the extras that are baked in to packaged desserts.
My energy levels have been good this whole time, and I'm interested to see how they change as I pull back on the shakes. I suppose the moral of the story is to be sure I'm taking in enough protein throughout the day, and that the protein should come from a good, clean source.
Oh, the Farmer's Market opens up in Evanston THIS SATURDAY! It's like the growers and the city of Evanston *knew* I'd be finishing up my cleanse this week and would be ready for a broader base of organic, locally grown produce. Thanks, Evanston!
I owe you some stats for yesterday and today. I'll put them up in comparison to day 1 just so you can get the full picture of the craziness that is my body:
Day 1
Weight: 183.2
% Fat: 34
BMI: 29.5
Day 7 (yesterday)
Weight 180.6
% Fat: 38.1
BMI: 29.2
Day 8 (today)
Weight: 180
% fat: 35.6
BMI: 29
As you can see, the body fat % is like a bouncing ball. Ah, the joys of science!
I had a moderate level of activity today - 1 cardio class (Zumba), 2 low intensity dance classes, 1 meeting, and hours and hours of work at the computer. Not too shabby. There's a chance I'll be with a mama overnight for a birth, so I'm going to end this and go try to get some sleep. Sleep is recommended in my detox booklet, by the by.
I have the option to add legumes and nuts tomorrow, which should be fun!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Detox, Day 7
10:45 pm...Long day! I am SO ready for bed but I still need 1...more...shake...and to write this post. Other than tired, I'm feeling ok. Here's what I ate today:
3 (soon to be 4) shakes
2 apples
1 Spinach salad topped with - wait for it - an apple
1 small bowl of Brussels sprouts
Here's what I did today:
Taught...Pilates, Zumba, Family Zumba, Bellydance BaseFusion
Lead...Homebirth meetup
Choreographed...1 Zumba song with Anna & Lyna
Watched...Babes with Blades (stage combat theater)
My work day started at 9 am and ended at 5 pm, home for dinner, then out to the theater. I did all of this on my limited food supply and with a smile on my face. I honestly felt fine. Good, even.
I saw Mishra today and asked about my lack of feeling "different". She reminded me that the whole point of the shakes and Detox Support caplets I'm taking is to help me go through the detox process without losing my ability to function. Guess they're working!
I left my Daily Check notebook at the studio, so I'll have to report my numbers tomorrow. I do remember that my weight was pretty close to the same but that my body fat went UP again. Not panicking. Honest.
I had my first real bout of missing food today. Not during the meetup where I served cookies (made from real, natural ingredients), not over dinner where my family ate meatloaf and potatoes and salad (with all sorts of veggies), and not at the play where the nice box office lady offered me candy in exchange for a feedback form. I *really* wanted to eat this evening, after the theater, but didn't have a taste for anything in particular. I honestly just wanted to eat something. Something crunchy, possibly cracker-like. Not for the food, but for the act of nibbling. I didn't hit the pantry. I sat down and distracted myself for a while, then got an apple. I wasn't hungry but the pull to eat was strong. This is the time of day when I'd typically curl up with popcorn or perhaps a bowl of Goldfish crackers. I think it's safe to say that I'm learning a good amount about myself and my eating habits, and that I'm seeing how and what I want to change. That wasn't what I set out to do/learn through this process but I'll take it as a beneficial side effect.
Tomorrow I start the reintroduction process with foods AND get to drop down to 3 shakes for the day. All the fruits and veggies are back on the table, and I can have white rice. The thought of eating a somewhat normal dish of stir-fried veggies is pretty appealing, I won't lie.
3 (soon to be 4) shakes
2 apples
1 Spinach salad topped with - wait for it - an apple
1 small bowl of Brussels sprouts
Here's what I did today:
Taught...Pilates, Zumba, Family Zumba, Bellydance BaseFusion
Lead...Homebirth meetup
Choreographed...1 Zumba song with Anna & Lyna
Watched...Babes with Blades (stage combat theater)
My work day started at 9 am and ended at 5 pm, home for dinner, then out to the theater. I did all of this on my limited food supply and with a smile on my face. I honestly felt fine. Good, even.
I saw Mishra today and asked about my lack of feeling "different". She reminded me that the whole point of the shakes and Detox Support caplets I'm taking is to help me go through the detox process without losing my ability to function. Guess they're working!
I left my Daily Check notebook at the studio, so I'll have to report my numbers tomorrow. I do remember that my weight was pretty close to the same but that my body fat went UP again. Not panicking. Honest.
I had my first real bout of missing food today. Not during the meetup where I served cookies (made from real, natural ingredients), not over dinner where my family ate meatloaf and potatoes and salad (with all sorts of veggies), and not at the play where the nice box office lady offered me candy in exchange for a feedback form. I *really* wanted to eat this evening, after the theater, but didn't have a taste for anything in particular. I honestly just wanted to eat something. Something crunchy, possibly cracker-like. Not for the food, but for the act of nibbling. I didn't hit the pantry. I sat down and distracted myself for a while, then got an apple. I wasn't hungry but the pull to eat was strong. This is the time of day when I'd typically curl up with popcorn or perhaps a bowl of Goldfish crackers. I think it's safe to say that I'm learning a good amount about myself and my eating habits, and that I'm seeing how and what I want to change. That wasn't what I set out to do/learn through this process but I'll take it as a beneficial side effect.
Tomorrow I start the reintroduction process with foods AND get to drop down to 3 shakes for the day. All the fruits and veggies are back on the table, and I can have white rice. The thought of eating a somewhat normal dish of stir-fried veggies is pretty appealing, I won't lie.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Detox, Day 6
10 pm...Well, I'm officially past the 1/2 way mark for the entire cleanse and, more importantly, for the 3 days of lean. I didn't lose any more foods today - still on the 4 shakes (I have 1 more to go) and a diet consisting of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and apples. It really isn't so bad, though dinner last night was a bit grim. It's hard to sit down to a festive Shabbat meal and have a plate of sauteed broccoli seem appealing when your family is feasting on a full meal. My husband tried to make it easier by cooking a meal made up of something I detest (fish...blech), though this backfired a bit in that the smell of the fish made me nauseous. Not my favorite Shabbat supper to say the least.
Today was, as my Shabbat Saturdays tend to be, a very low-key, low-activity day. I was able to stay in pajamas for the bulk of the day, only leaving the house once. I was also able to sleep in - we didn't get out of bed until a luxurious 10:30 am! I think my late start is part of why I'm still due one more shake. :-)
I remembered to bring my fat monitor home from the studio, so here are my stats for today:
Weight: 180.8 (down 2.4 from the start)
% Fat: 36.5 (up 2.5 from the start...odd)
BMI: 29.2 (down 0.3 from the start)
I'm still not sure I'm ready to panic about the fat %, and am planning on just keeping an eye on it over the next couple of weeks. Beyond the stats, I'm still focusing on how I feel. I don't feel bad, but I don't feel wow-bang great either. I am surprised at how little food my body is asking for...I honestly feel like I could have gone the entire day on shakes alone (if it weren't for the aftertaste that I NEED to get out of my mouth). I know they're full of protein and vitamins and such, but shouldn't I *want* to eat?
I do miss nibbling on crackers and such but more for the act of nibbling than for a desire for the crackers. I'm impressed at how fine my body is without coffee (caffeinated or not). I will likely add it back in on the other side but perhaps in a more intermittent way rather than as a daily drink. So far, the food I miss the most is popcorn (popped in the microwave in a plain paper bag and topped with olive oil and Parmesan cheese). I can see choosing to eat less traditional bread/cracker/chip-type foods, and to eat more veggies. When I have felt any sort of food want today and yesterday it was the veggies that I craved rather than the apples. What this cleanse has done for me so far is really helped me listen to what my body wants (even though it doesn't speak up very often) and explore options beyond the easy go-to foods that live in my pantry.
I am also very pleased with my willpower. I haven't felt an urge to bail on the project, even though I am far from loving the shakes. I am able to sit next to my family at meals. I'm able to walk into a cafe with my husband and sip on my organic herbal tea while he orders my formerly beloved latte. I've successfully grocery shopped several times, walking past all sorts of foods I love. I've turned down free samples, even having to defend my reasons to one overzealous juice pusher.
Ugh. Last shake of the day...done. Ugh.
Back to willpower...I'm not sure why it's so surprising to me that I can do this. I set my mind to all sorts of things that are challenging and fight my way through to finishing them, so why should food be any different? Well, it is. I don't know why exactly, but I know it's a fact. I'm hopeful that these 10 days will give me the push I need to (again) take charge of my food and help me get back to a more healthful place with what I put into my body from day to day. I thought it would show me what foods in particular I need to avoid...we'll see if the days following these 3 lean ones shed some light on that subject...but even if that isn't what I get out of the process I'll still have learned some things.
Will I have learned enough to make up for the taste of these shakes? ...well...we'll see.
Today was, as my Shabbat Saturdays tend to be, a very low-key, low-activity day. I was able to stay in pajamas for the bulk of the day, only leaving the house once. I was also able to sleep in - we didn't get out of bed until a luxurious 10:30 am! I think my late start is part of why I'm still due one more shake. :-)
I remembered to bring my fat monitor home from the studio, so here are my stats for today:
Weight: 180.8 (down 2.4 from the start)
% Fat: 36.5 (up 2.5 from the start...odd)
BMI: 29.2 (down 0.3 from the start)
I'm still not sure I'm ready to panic about the fat %, and am planning on just keeping an eye on it over the next couple of weeks. Beyond the stats, I'm still focusing on how I feel. I don't feel bad, but I don't feel wow-bang great either. I am surprised at how little food my body is asking for...I honestly feel like I could have gone the entire day on shakes alone (if it weren't for the aftertaste that I NEED to get out of my mouth). I know they're full of protein and vitamins and such, but shouldn't I *want* to eat?
I do miss nibbling on crackers and such but more for the act of nibbling than for a desire for the crackers. I'm impressed at how fine my body is without coffee (caffeinated or not). I will likely add it back in on the other side but perhaps in a more intermittent way rather than as a daily drink. So far, the food I miss the most is popcorn (popped in the microwave in a plain paper bag and topped with olive oil and Parmesan cheese). I can see choosing to eat less traditional bread/cracker/chip-type foods, and to eat more veggies. When I have felt any sort of food want today and yesterday it was the veggies that I craved rather than the apples. What this cleanse has done for me so far is really helped me listen to what my body wants (even though it doesn't speak up very often) and explore options beyond the easy go-to foods that live in my pantry.
I am also very pleased with my willpower. I haven't felt an urge to bail on the project, even though I am far from loving the shakes. I am able to sit next to my family at meals. I'm able to walk into a cafe with my husband and sip on my organic herbal tea while he orders my formerly beloved latte. I've successfully grocery shopped several times, walking past all sorts of foods I love. I've turned down free samples, even having to defend my reasons to one overzealous juice pusher.
Ugh. Last shake of the day...done. Ugh.
Back to willpower...I'm not sure why it's so surprising to me that I can do this. I set my mind to all sorts of things that are challenging and fight my way through to finishing them, so why should food be any different? Well, it is. I don't know why exactly, but I know it's a fact. I'm hopeful that these 10 days will give me the push I need to (again) take charge of my food and help me get back to a more healthful place with what I put into my body from day to day. I thought it would show me what foods in particular I need to avoid...we'll see if the days following these 3 lean ones shed some light on that subject...but even if that isn't what I get out of the process I'll still have learned some things.
Will I have learned enough to make up for the taste of these shakes? ...well...we'll see.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Detox, Day 5
5:30 pm...Another busy day in that this is my first chance to sit and write. Day 5 is the beginning of the most restrictive section of the 10 and I'm doing well enough. I've had plenty of energy so far and my mood was good and stable until about 30 minutes ago. We came home from shopping (having had to make 2 trips to meet my organic food needs, more on that in a second) and I just had a wave of Not Good. I can't define it much better than that...not sick, not tired, but Not Good. I headed for the couch with my trusty glass of ice water, leaving the task of putting the groceries. Question after question after question about what food goes where and I snapped. I didn't want to hear about food. I didn't want to have to Do anything. I'm hoping that taking a break (I have been working solidly since 7:30 am), having some tea, and drinking my water will help. We'll see.
I don't have much to say about food today, as I haven't had much. 2 shakes, 2 organic apples. Yep. That's it. Since tonight is Shabbat we'll have an interesting meal. Bill and the kids will be eating fish (I don't eat fish. Ever) and potatoes and Brussels sprouts and asiago bread. Bill will have wine, the kids will have grape juice. They'll have apple or cherry pie, and vanilla ice cream. I'll have a plate of sauteed broccoli (organic) and some of the Brussels sprouts (not organic, at either store - do they exhist?) and apple juice and water.
Oh! The grocery experience. So Bill is shopping for us and bags up some Brussels sprouts. I comment that it was cool that he'd found organic sprouts, to which he replies, "no, they're not organic, do they need to be?", to which I reply, "well, yes". So we decide to make a second trip to Whole Foods to find them. This is no small event, as he HATES going to more than one store for groceries. In the juice aisle I find the Dominick's version of organic apple juice and take a look at the ingredient list...first ingredient - water. Second ingredient - Apple juice from concentrate. The juice I've been drinking has come from Whole Foods, and has (or so I thought) apples as the first ingredient, so we decide to wait and buy the juice at Whole Foods since we're going there anyway. The end of the story? There are NO organic Brussels sprouts at Whole Foods and the helpful produce man says he's never seen them as an organic food. The apple juice that I've been drinking, upon closer inspection, is made up of the same ingredients as the Dominick's version, just worded differently (and costs a dollar more). I leave the store with my inorganic sprouts, some more organic broccoli, and my wasted-dollar apple juice. :-( We don't typically buy organic foods because they're beyond what our budget will bear, and today's antics have not left me feeling like this change is one that will be sustained post-cleanse.
I took my daily stats today, though I got to it later than usual. As of 10:30 am, here's where I was:
Weight: 182.0 (down 1.3 from day 1)
% fat: 34.5 (up 0.5 from day 1)
BMI: 29.4 (down 0.1 from day 1)
So there's some fluctuation happening, clearly. I'm thinking, as of right now, that a lot of this has to do with my system struggling to find equilibrium with all the changes I'm putting it through. I think I'll keep doing the daily checks for a week or so after I'm done with the cleanse to see how long it takes for things to level off. I've long been interested in the natural shifts in my weight from day to day or even from morning to night, so this will probably keep me entertained for a while. I won't likely subject the world to my tracking, as I can't imagine it being compelling to anyone outside myself on such a micro level.
I'm still waiting for The Difference to present itself. I did get to a hungry place today. I had my first shake at 7:30, then my first apple at 11 am. My day got away from me and I wasn't able to access food again until 3 pm. Yeah, by then I was hungry. I had my 2nd shake AND an apple. I don't know if I'll have found hunger again by the time we sit down to eat, but it was good to know my body is still/again capable of the sensation.
I'm posting early so I can not worry about the blog during Shabbat - more from me after the sun sets tomorrow...
I don't have much to say about food today, as I haven't had much. 2 shakes, 2 organic apples. Yep. That's it. Since tonight is Shabbat we'll have an interesting meal. Bill and the kids will be eating fish (I don't eat fish. Ever) and potatoes and Brussels sprouts and asiago bread. Bill will have wine, the kids will have grape juice. They'll have apple or cherry pie, and vanilla ice cream. I'll have a plate of sauteed broccoli (organic) and some of the Brussels sprouts (not organic, at either store - do they exhist?) and apple juice and water.
Oh! The grocery experience. So Bill is shopping for us and bags up some Brussels sprouts. I comment that it was cool that he'd found organic sprouts, to which he replies, "no, they're not organic, do they need to be?", to which I reply, "well, yes". So we decide to make a second trip to Whole Foods to find them. This is no small event, as he HATES going to more than one store for groceries. In the juice aisle I find the Dominick's version of organic apple juice and take a look at the ingredient list...first ingredient - water. Second ingredient - Apple juice from concentrate. The juice I've been drinking has come from Whole Foods, and has (or so I thought) apples as the first ingredient, so we decide to wait and buy the juice at Whole Foods since we're going there anyway. The end of the story? There are NO organic Brussels sprouts at Whole Foods and the helpful produce man says he's never seen them as an organic food. The apple juice that I've been drinking, upon closer inspection, is made up of the same ingredients as the Dominick's version, just worded differently (and costs a dollar more). I leave the store with my inorganic sprouts, some more organic broccoli, and my wasted-dollar apple juice. :-( We don't typically buy organic foods because they're beyond what our budget will bear, and today's antics have not left me feeling like this change is one that will be sustained post-cleanse.
I took my daily stats today, though I got to it later than usual. As of 10:30 am, here's where I was:
Weight: 182.0 (down 1.3 from day 1)
% fat: 34.5 (up 0.5 from day 1)
BMI: 29.4 (down 0.1 from day 1)
So there's some fluctuation happening, clearly. I'm thinking, as of right now, that a lot of this has to do with my system struggling to find equilibrium with all the changes I'm putting it through. I think I'll keep doing the daily checks for a week or so after I'm done with the cleanse to see how long it takes for things to level off. I've long been interested in the natural shifts in my weight from day to day or even from morning to night, so this will probably keep me entertained for a while. I won't likely subject the world to my tracking, as I can't imagine it being compelling to anyone outside myself on such a micro level.
I'm still waiting for The Difference to present itself. I did get to a hungry place today. I had my first shake at 7:30, then my first apple at 11 am. My day got away from me and I wasn't able to access food again until 3 pm. Yeah, by then I was hungry. I had my 2nd shake AND an apple. I don't know if I'll have found hunger again by the time we sit down to eat, but it was good to know my body is still/again capable of the sensation.
I'm posting early so I can not worry about the blog during Shabbat - more from me after the sun sets tomorrow...
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Detox, Day 4
9:30 pm...Well, today just zipped right past without much time for documenting its events! I'm pretty ready to call it done and eat my veggie-heavy dinner, but first a synopsis of the day.
I did take my daily stats but I'm home and they're written down at the studio. Doh! I don't remember the specifics (I'll include them in tomorrow's post or as a comment to this one) but I can tell you that I, somehow, went UP in weight and body fat % (and BMI, but again, that's just math). I'm not sure what to make of that...does my body not like rice? That's the only thing I ate yesterday that I hadn't eaten before. I nabbed my chance since yesterday was the last day for it until day 8. Or maybe it just means my system is struggling to adjust to all the changes and holding onto whatever it can for dear life because its afraid I'm starving? We'll see what tomorrow brings. I guess it just provides some added suspense!
I'm not *feeling* terribly different, which is a bit confusing and disappointing. I was prepped to be exhausted or full of energy, but I'm feeling pretty darn normal. It makes me wonder if my body wasn't as burdened by toxins as I thought it might be. Or that I'm over-thinking the process. Or that, confronted with my highly analytic brain the changes are just too subtle for me to lock into. Or that all the hype about the changes folks feel while detoxing are really a demonstration of the placebo effect. Hard to say. I'll put this into the "wait for tomorrow" bucket and see where I land.
Speaking of tomorrow....Day 5. This is where things get REAL. I'll be down to broccoli, kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, apples, and my delicious (hardly, though I've discovered I can down 10 oz of liquid without breathing, and that seems to make it taste better) shakes FOUR TIMES A DAY for the next 3 days. Should be interesting, right?
Oh, thing I have noticed...I'm not hungry. I'm eating because I know I should, and I'm eating a fair amount because I feel like I need to protect myself given my activity level, but I'm just plain not hungry. As under-eating has long been a far bigger problem for me than over-eating I'm not sure this is a good thing. I've planned my detox to have the leanest days match my lighter teaching days (well, sort of. Sunday should be challenging), so I may let myself listen to my body and only eat when/if hungry tomorrow and/or Saturday.
The bathroom situation has calmed down considerably. I've found that taking my caplets at a different time from drinking my shakes seems to minimize my bathroom trips. The liquid expulsion is still outdoing the solid, but solid expulsion has become more significant. Still NOTHING like what I've heard about and everything is still clearly either solid OR liquid, if you get my drift.
So, my food intake for today has been:
2 shakes (10 oz each)
1 banana (organic)
1 apple (organic)
Celery & Hummus (both organic)
2 bowls of lentil soup (all organic)
sauteed pea pods, garbanzo beans, carrots, red peppers, onions, (all organic), with a splash of balsamic vinegar
60 oz water (so far)
20 oz tea (herbal, organic)
I'm planning on heading to bed in about an hour, and am looking forward to another good night's sleep.
I did take my daily stats but I'm home and they're written down at the studio. Doh! I don't remember the specifics (I'll include them in tomorrow's post or as a comment to this one) but I can tell you that I, somehow, went UP in weight and body fat % (and BMI, but again, that's just math). I'm not sure what to make of that...does my body not like rice? That's the only thing I ate yesterday that I hadn't eaten before. I nabbed my chance since yesterday was the last day for it until day 8. Or maybe it just means my system is struggling to adjust to all the changes and holding onto whatever it can for dear life because its afraid I'm starving? We'll see what tomorrow brings. I guess it just provides some added suspense!
I'm not *feeling* terribly different, which is a bit confusing and disappointing. I was prepped to be exhausted or full of energy, but I'm feeling pretty darn normal. It makes me wonder if my body wasn't as burdened by toxins as I thought it might be. Or that I'm over-thinking the process. Or that, confronted with my highly analytic brain the changes are just too subtle for me to lock into. Or that all the hype about the changes folks feel while detoxing are really a demonstration of the placebo effect. Hard to say. I'll put this into the "wait for tomorrow" bucket and see where I land.
Speaking of tomorrow....Day 5. This is where things get REAL. I'll be down to broccoli, kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, apples, and my delicious (hardly, though I've discovered I can down 10 oz of liquid without breathing, and that seems to make it taste better) shakes FOUR TIMES A DAY for the next 3 days. Should be interesting, right?
Oh, thing I have noticed...I'm not hungry. I'm eating because I know I should, and I'm eating a fair amount because I feel like I need to protect myself given my activity level, but I'm just plain not hungry. As under-eating has long been a far bigger problem for me than over-eating I'm not sure this is a good thing. I've planned my detox to have the leanest days match my lighter teaching days (well, sort of. Sunday should be challenging), so I may let myself listen to my body and only eat when/if hungry tomorrow and/or Saturday.
The bathroom situation has calmed down considerably. I've found that taking my caplets at a different time from drinking my shakes seems to minimize my bathroom trips. The liquid expulsion is still outdoing the solid, but solid expulsion has become more significant. Still NOTHING like what I've heard about and everything is still clearly either solid OR liquid, if you get my drift.
So, my food intake for today has been:
2 shakes (10 oz each)
1 banana (organic)
1 apple (organic)
Celery & Hummus (both organic)
2 bowls of lentil soup (all organic)
sauteed pea pods, garbanzo beans, carrots, red peppers, onions, (all organic), with a splash of balsamic vinegar
60 oz water (so far)
20 oz tea (herbal, organic)
I'm planning on heading to bed in about an hour, and am looking forward to another good night's sleep.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Detox, Day 3
7:30 am...I fell asleep a bit easier last night, and had a good solid sleep before waking up easily at 6:30 am. I plan to check in with Mishra, my nutrition coach, to see what part of what I've changed might be contributing to the change in sleep because I *like* this side effect! Today I'm supposed to cut out most grains (rice can stay), though I'm realizing I didn't have anything grain-y yesterday so I'm ahead of the curve on that. Thankfully I still get nuts and fruits today - almonds have become my friend!
Today's teaching/working/living day is a typical one...5 classes (2 Zumba, 1 Dance With Me, Toddler, 1 Bellydance FitFusion, and 1 Rehearsal for Custer St. Fair) and a home visit (Touchpoints parenting consult). I haven't taken advantage of the adjustment to my food plan that Mishra offered up of adding chicken (organic, farm raised, hormone free, expensive chicken) as needed, but today may be the day. I'm planning on trying to grab a nap mid-day just in case I don't have the energy to make it all the way through teaching until 9:30 pm, so we'll see.
Breakfast (7:30 am)
Shake (organic unsweetened apple juice and 1 scoop powder)
Banana (organic)
20 oz water (I realized I've been getting a touch more than I thought with each of my "glasses" - yay!)
**Packing up almonds and raisins to take with me to keep me going until I get home for lunch at 12:30 pm
Here's hoping for a better bathroom day!
9:55 pm...Long Day! I made it through everything on my plate though I won't lie - it was hard. I don't think I ate as much as I should have...
"lunch" - almonds (organic) and raisins (organic), and a bowl of lentil soup (all organic)
"early dinner" - 2nd bowl of lentil soup, 2nd shake, Probiotic & detox support caplets
My "late dinner" is being prepped by my wonderful husband while I type, and will consist of broccoli, red peppers, carrots, onion, and garlic (all organic) sauteed in olive oil (not organic) and served over rice (not organic). I've had about 80 oz of water today, plus 48 oz of tea and the 16 oz of apple juice used for the shakes. The trips to the bathroom have slowed down and are far more manageable, though they do seem to peak right after I have the shake/caplet combo. I'm still seeing WAY more liquid leave my body than solid, though the solids did kick up a notch today. Nothing debilitating and nothing like the crazy voiding I've heard others mention in relationship to cleanses.
My daily stats were a bit disturbing this morning...
Weight - 180.6 (down 1.6 from day 1)
% body fat - 34.2 (up 1 from day 1)
BMI - 29.1 (down .3 from day 1)
I'm not thrilled with the change in the body fat number, but am deciding not to panic yet. This measurement is very much affected by the amount of water in the body, so it may well be that the number will be very different tomorrow. Breathing deep and trying to be patient.
As for how I feel, I'm not quite sure! I did take (and need) a nap this afternoon, but just for an hour. I felt a little low-energy by the time I was teaching my 8:30 class and wonder if I maybe needed a bit more protein this afternoon, though between the shake and the extra bowl of lentil soup I'd have thought I was doing ok.
My brain feels good, though. I don't feel sluggish even when I'm aware of being body-tired. I'm feeling good about my ability to walk past food that isn't in my "plan" for the day. I'm more and more aware of my food challenges and am hoping to find my way clear towards fixing them on the other side of the cleanse.
I'm not entirely sure what else I should be cataloging in these posts, so if there are suggestions out there send them my way!
Today's teaching/working/living day is a typical one...5 classes (2 Zumba, 1 Dance With Me, Toddler, 1 Bellydance FitFusion, and 1 Rehearsal for Custer St. Fair) and a home visit (Touchpoints parenting consult). I haven't taken advantage of the adjustment to my food plan that Mishra offered up of adding chicken (organic, farm raised, hormone free, expensive chicken) as needed, but today may be the day. I'm planning on trying to grab a nap mid-day just in case I don't have the energy to make it all the way through teaching until 9:30 pm, so we'll see.
Breakfast (7:30 am)
Shake (organic unsweetened apple juice and 1 scoop powder)
Banana (organic)
20 oz water (I realized I've been getting a touch more than I thought with each of my "glasses" - yay!)
**Packing up almonds and raisins to take with me to keep me going until I get home for lunch at 12:30 pm
Here's hoping for a better bathroom day!
9:55 pm...Long Day! I made it through everything on my plate though I won't lie - it was hard. I don't think I ate as much as I should have...
"lunch" - almonds (organic) and raisins (organic), and a bowl of lentil soup (all organic)
"early dinner" - 2nd bowl of lentil soup, 2nd shake, Probiotic & detox support caplets
My "late dinner" is being prepped by my wonderful husband while I type, and will consist of broccoli, red peppers, carrots, onion, and garlic (all organic) sauteed in olive oil (not organic) and served over rice (not organic). I've had about 80 oz of water today, plus 48 oz of tea and the 16 oz of apple juice used for the shakes. The trips to the bathroom have slowed down and are far more manageable, though they do seem to peak right after I have the shake/caplet combo. I'm still seeing WAY more liquid leave my body than solid, though the solids did kick up a notch today. Nothing debilitating and nothing like the crazy voiding I've heard others mention in relationship to cleanses.
My daily stats were a bit disturbing this morning...
Weight - 180.6 (down 1.6 from day 1)
% body fat - 34.2 (up 1 from day 1)
BMI - 29.1 (down .3 from day 1)
I'm not thrilled with the change in the body fat number, but am deciding not to panic yet. This measurement is very much affected by the amount of water in the body, so it may well be that the number will be very different tomorrow. Breathing deep and trying to be patient.
As for how I feel, I'm not quite sure! I did take (and need) a nap this afternoon, but just for an hour. I felt a little low-energy by the time I was teaching my 8:30 class and wonder if I maybe needed a bit more protein this afternoon, though between the shake and the extra bowl of lentil soup I'd have thought I was doing ok.
My brain feels good, though. I don't feel sluggish even when I'm aware of being body-tired. I'm feeling good about my ability to walk past food that isn't in my "plan" for the day. I'm more and more aware of my food challenges and am hoping to find my way clear towards fixing them on the other side of the cleanse.
I'm not entirely sure what else I should be cataloging in these posts, so if there are suggestions out there send them my way!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Detox, Day 2
7:15 am...Oh - this shake is NOT tasty! It's gonna be a loooong 10 days, well 9, of drinking this down. I'm not a fan of milk, have never tried almond milk before, and messed up by trying to make the thing have a thicker texture resulting in having a TON of this to drink. Ugh. I'll be more careful with my measurements for my 2nd shake today. And maybe the taste will grow on me?
In other news, I tried to go to bed early (10:30 pm) last night but wasn't able to fully fall asleep until closer to midnight. I don't blame this on the cleanse...I just have a lot going on in my brain these days. I did, however, basically pop out of bed ready to go at 5:15 am. I'm not sure how much my diet has to do with that as I'm only on day 2 and the changes yesterday weren't that drastic, but it was nice all the same. I had an organic banana and a cup of water as I left for my 6 am class. The shake is my "2nd breakfast". Blech.
9:00 am...Remember yesterday when I said I didn't notice an increase in my bathroom visits? Um, noticing! I'm peeing CONSTANTLY today! Like every 20 minutes! Here's hoping that stops right quick! I started to feel a bit nauseous while working at the studio this morning, so I'm nibbling on almonds and sipping organic herbal peppermint tea, which is helping.
Body Check:
Weight - 181.6 (down 0.6 - not significant, and almost surely WATER)
% Body Fat - 32.7 (down 0.5 - down is fine, remember...UP is what I want to avoid on this, as that would indicate a loss of muscle)
BMI - 29.3 (down 0.1 - just math)
10:15 pm...So, I've made it almost all the way to the end of Day 2. By request, here's what I've eaten and when. Keep in mind that I have a CONSTANT struggle with finding/taking time to eat so this schedule is far from a recommendation, but I promised myself and others that I would be totally honest while documenting this process, so here goes...
5:45 am - Banana (Organic), 16 oz water, Probiotic & Detox support caplets
7:00 am - Shake #1 (Organic unsweetened almond vanilla milk, water, ice, shake powder, strawberries), sadly about 20 oz of liquid. Ugh.
11:30 am - Red Delicious Apple (Organic), 32 oz water
2:15 pm - Almonds (organic) and Raisins (Organic)
4:30 pm - Shake #2 (organic unsweetened apple juice, shake powder), more successful this time as it tasted better AND was only 8 ounces to chug down; "baked" (in the microwave) potato with olive oil and salt, and homemade lentil soup (all organic ingredients, made by my wonderful husband), 16 oz water
5 - 9:30 pm - water...lots
10:30 pm - plate-sized salad with all organic ingredients (spinach, alfalfa sprouts, carrots, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, bell peppers); "fried" potatoes (cooked with olive oil), 16 oz water, Probiotic & Detox support caplets
The excessive peeing did slow down this evening (down to about every 45 - 60 minutes) so that was good. I feel tired and I know I could/should have spaced my food out better today.
I'm also aware of the difference between how I'm looking at food and eating today (and yesterday) versus before starting the cleanse. I am realizing how far I've strayed from the food-focus of my weight watcher days. When I was actively working on losing weight I paid close attention to everything I put into my mouth. I didn't eat things that weren't good for me or wouldn't be directly balanced by activity if they were farther from healthy. These days, I pretty much eat what I want/what's in front of me. I'm not too happy about that realization and hope that, after the cleanse is completed, I can find a happy medium where I don't need to be obsessive about my food choices but can default to the good, healthy choices I KNOW are what my body wants. Most of the time. Cake will still happen.
I think I neglected to share something I mentioned yesterday, but it's time to eat (right after I go to the bathroom...again). Tomorrow, then...
In other news, I tried to go to bed early (10:30 pm) last night but wasn't able to fully fall asleep until closer to midnight. I don't blame this on the cleanse...I just have a lot going on in my brain these days. I did, however, basically pop out of bed ready to go at 5:15 am. I'm not sure how much my diet has to do with that as I'm only on day 2 and the changes yesterday weren't that drastic, but it was nice all the same. I had an organic banana and a cup of water as I left for my 6 am class. The shake is my "2nd breakfast". Blech.
9:00 am...Remember yesterday when I said I didn't notice an increase in my bathroom visits? Um, noticing! I'm peeing CONSTANTLY today! Like every 20 minutes! Here's hoping that stops right quick! I started to feel a bit nauseous while working at the studio this morning, so I'm nibbling on almonds and sipping organic herbal peppermint tea, which is helping.
Body Check:
Weight - 181.6 (down 0.6 - not significant, and almost surely WATER)
% Body Fat - 32.7 (down 0.5 - down is fine, remember...UP is what I want to avoid on this, as that would indicate a loss of muscle)
BMI - 29.3 (down 0.1 - just math)
10:15 pm...So, I've made it almost all the way to the end of Day 2. By request, here's what I've eaten and when. Keep in mind that I have a CONSTANT struggle with finding/taking time to eat so this schedule is far from a recommendation, but I promised myself and others that I would be totally honest while documenting this process, so here goes...
5:45 am - Banana (Organic), 16 oz water, Probiotic & Detox support caplets
7:00 am - Shake #1 (Organic unsweetened almond vanilla milk, water, ice, shake powder, strawberries), sadly about 20 oz of liquid. Ugh.
11:30 am - Red Delicious Apple (Organic), 32 oz water
2:15 pm - Almonds (organic) and Raisins (Organic)
4:30 pm - Shake #2 (organic unsweetened apple juice, shake powder), more successful this time as it tasted better AND was only 8 ounces to chug down; "baked" (in the microwave) potato with olive oil and salt, and homemade lentil soup (all organic ingredients, made by my wonderful husband), 16 oz water
5 - 9:30 pm - water...lots
10:30 pm - plate-sized salad with all organic ingredients (spinach, alfalfa sprouts, carrots, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, bell peppers); "fried" potatoes (cooked with olive oil), 16 oz water, Probiotic & Detox support caplets
The excessive peeing did slow down this evening (down to about every 45 - 60 minutes) so that was good. I feel tired and I know I could/should have spaced my food out better today.
I'm also aware of the difference between how I'm looking at food and eating today (and yesterday) versus before starting the cleanse. I am realizing how far I've strayed from the food-focus of my weight watcher days. When I was actively working on losing weight I paid close attention to everything I put into my mouth. I didn't eat things that weren't good for me or wouldn't be directly balanced by activity if they were farther from healthy. These days, I pretty much eat what I want/what's in front of me. I'm not too happy about that realization and hope that, after the cleanse is completed, I can find a happy medium where I don't need to be obsessive about my food choices but can default to the good, healthy choices I KNOW are what my body wants. Most of the time. Cake will still happen.
I think I neglected to share something I mentioned yesterday, but it's time to eat (right after I go to the bathroom...again). Tomorrow, then...
Monday, April 23, 2012
Detox, Day 1
8:53am - so far so good. I got out of bed at 6:45 like normal. I had my first jolt when I came down to prep my breakfast (my kind husband had reminded me to eat something "real" to start my day) and realized I couldn't pour myself a cup of coffee! Ice water first thing in the morning isn't quite the same. So...Breakfast today:
1 8oz glass of ice water
1 fried egg (olive oil, egg - neither of which were organic...oops!)
1 banana (organic)
1 probiotic caplet
2 detox support caplets
I'm currently sipping cup of organic peppermint tea (no sweeteners), so I'm up to 16 of the 90+ ounces of water I'm supposed to drink today.
One of the side effects of doing a detox program is weight loss. That's all fine and well but I want to monitor myself in terms of MUSCLE loss - I don't mind losing weight but I don't want to lose my hard-earned muscle! Here's hoping for the best!
9:15 am Body Check (I'll do this every day):
Weight- 182.2 (this number can fluctuate and will likely go down per the published side effects of the program)
% Fat - 33.2 (this number should go down, NOT up, if there is any weight-loss)
BMI - 29.4 (this number is just the result of math and WILL go down if there is any weight-loss)
I struggled with whether or not to include the body check info...more on that tomorrow.
10:15 pm...The rest of my day went pretty well. I taught 3 classes today (Mondays are my light day) and was able to hit the goal of 90 oz of water/tea. I don't feel like I had to visit the bathroom any more than on a normal day. Maybe some of that will kick in tomorrow?
The rest of my food today consisted of:
Mozzarella string cheese (2 sticks)
Scrambled eggs (2) with feta cheese
Almonds (organic)
Celery (organic) with Organic Hummus
White potato "fries" (baked with olive oil)
1 Red delicious apple (organic)
Peas (organic)
Strawberries (organic)
I did end up with a bit of a headache by evening, but that may be a result of new contacts as much as the change in food/elimination of caffeine since I was already down to only 1 cup of caffeinated coffee per day.
From where I sit right now, I'm glad I'm working with a Nutrition Coach and doing this detox in a controlled, monitored way. Tomorrow will bring more changes - the introduction of the protein shake and the elimination of dairy, as well as a heavier day of teaching (5 classes and 2 personal training clients). Wish me luck!
1 8oz glass of ice water
1 fried egg (olive oil, egg - neither of which were organic...oops!)
1 banana (organic)
1 probiotic caplet
2 detox support caplets
I'm currently sipping cup of organic peppermint tea (no sweeteners), so I'm up to 16 of the 90+ ounces of water I'm supposed to drink today.
One of the side effects of doing a detox program is weight loss. That's all fine and well but I want to monitor myself in terms of MUSCLE loss - I don't mind losing weight but I don't want to lose my hard-earned muscle! Here's hoping for the best!
9:15 am Body Check (I'll do this every day):
Weight- 182.2 (this number can fluctuate and will likely go down per the published side effects of the program)
% Fat - 33.2 (this number should go down, NOT up, if there is any weight-loss)
BMI - 29.4 (this number is just the result of math and WILL go down if there is any weight-loss)
I struggled with whether or not to include the body check info...more on that tomorrow.
10:15 pm...The rest of my day went pretty well. I taught 3 classes today (Mondays are my light day) and was able to hit the goal of 90 oz of water/tea. I don't feel like I had to visit the bathroom any more than on a normal day. Maybe some of that will kick in tomorrow?
The rest of my food today consisted of:
Mozzarella string cheese (2 sticks)
Scrambled eggs (2) with feta cheese
Almonds (organic)
Celery (organic) with Organic Hummus
White potato "fries" (baked with olive oil)
1 Red delicious apple (organic)
Peas (organic)
Strawberries (organic)
I did end up with a bit of a headache by evening, but that may be a result of new contacts as much as the change in food/elimination of caffeine since I was already down to only 1 cup of caffeinated coffee per day.
From where I sit right now, I'm glad I'm working with a Nutrition Coach and doing this detox in a controlled, monitored way. Tomorrow will bring more changes - the introduction of the protein shake and the elimination of dairy, as well as a heavier day of teaching (5 classes and 2 personal training clients). Wish me luck!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Prepping for Detox
Tomorrow, Monday, April 23, I will start my first-ever detox cleanse. Yep. For the next 10 days I'll be changing what I put into my body in the hopes of doing a major reset of both body and mind. Yowza.
I've seen a major shift in what I put into my body over the last 4 years. In August of 2008 I decided I was done being Obese. At 240 pounds (I'm 5'6") and after 2 back surgeries I was threatened with being unable to do something I loved. Bellydance had become a passion for me over the previous years and my weight was contributing to knee pain that could have sidelined me for good. You would think the repeated need for back surgery would have done it, right? Oh well - at least *something* gave me my wake-up call!
Armed with a determination that surprised me, I chose Weight Watchers as my tool for change and was very successful. After my first 20 or so pounds lost I took on Zumba and pushed myself to, over the period of a year and a half, lose a total of 75 pounds (though about 15 of those have returned this year - ugh). The changes in my diet felt manageable and not too extreme at the time. When I look back to my "before" habits now, though, I'm shocked at what was "normal" for me back in the day.
All of that is to say that I'm pretty conscious about what I choose to eat these days. All the same, I've been feeling like there's more in me than I'm comfortable with in terms of chemicals and such. I'm also feeling a need to give myself a fresh start after a really rough year of losses (my beloved grandmother passed away in June, and my 101 year old grandfather (other side of the family) followed suit a few months behind her).
Personal reasons aside, I also want to do this cleanse as a way to help educate the women who come to me for health and wellness guidance. I'll be blogging about my process for all 10 days (trying for a post a day) to give the inside scoop to whomever cares to follow along.
I did go a bit hog-wild this week, eating things I don't normally eat (cookie-dough ice cream...mmm) simply because I knew I'd have to go without for 10 days. Silly, I know, but what's done is done.
So, what's in store for me tomorrow? On Day 1 of my cleanse I will cut out the following:
Meat (though I may need the additional protein to keep up with my intense workout schedule)
Caffeine
Refined Sugar
Artificial flavorings, colors, sweeteners
I'll be sharing how I'm doing with the food restrictions, how I'm feeling physically and mentally, and what changes I notice about my body.
Here we go!
I've seen a major shift in what I put into my body over the last 4 years. In August of 2008 I decided I was done being Obese. At 240 pounds (I'm 5'6") and after 2 back surgeries I was threatened with being unable to do something I loved. Bellydance had become a passion for me over the previous years and my weight was contributing to knee pain that could have sidelined me for good. You would think the repeated need for back surgery would have done it, right? Oh well - at least *something* gave me my wake-up call!
Armed with a determination that surprised me, I chose Weight Watchers as my tool for change and was very successful. After my first 20 or so pounds lost I took on Zumba and pushed myself to, over the period of a year and a half, lose a total of 75 pounds (though about 15 of those have returned this year - ugh). The changes in my diet felt manageable and not too extreme at the time. When I look back to my "before" habits now, though, I'm shocked at what was "normal" for me back in the day.
All of that is to say that I'm pretty conscious about what I choose to eat these days. All the same, I've been feeling like there's more in me than I'm comfortable with in terms of chemicals and such. I'm also feeling a need to give myself a fresh start after a really rough year of losses (my beloved grandmother passed away in June, and my 101 year old grandfather (other side of the family) followed suit a few months behind her).
Personal reasons aside, I also want to do this cleanse as a way to help educate the women who come to me for health and wellness guidance. I'll be blogging about my process for all 10 days (trying for a post a day) to give the inside scoop to whomever cares to follow along.
I did go a bit hog-wild this week, eating things I don't normally eat (cookie-dough ice cream...mmm) simply because I knew I'd have to go without for 10 days. Silly, I know, but what's done is done.
So, what's in store for me tomorrow? On Day 1 of my cleanse I will cut out the following:
Meat (though I may need the additional protein to keep up with my intense workout schedule)
Caffeine
Refined Sugar
Artificial flavorings, colors, sweeteners
I'll be sharing how I'm doing with the food restrictions, how I'm feeling physically and mentally, and what changes I notice about my body.
Here we go!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Why I teach
A friend asked me why I teach. As I teach A LOT of things, this was an interesting question and made me think through something I just take for granted. I've been teaching people things for the last 28 years (and I'm only 40)! It is a normal thing for me to learn something new and then turn around and start teaching that new skill to whoever wants to learn. This results in my not having many things I "just do", but that's ok with me most of the time.
Back to the "why"...I teach because I love how it feels to learn. Let's take Pilates as an example, as it's the newest learner-to-teacher experience I have. I had given Pilates a half-hearted try (2 classes) about 4 years ago. It didn't work for me at that time - I'm a difficult student! Recovering from 2 back surgeries left me very weak in my core and incredibly cautious about doing anything that might cause a flare up in my back. I'm not sure what exactly pushed me into trying it again (I blame my students), but I followed the call and signed up for a 12-class pack at Sixpax in the south loop. That was in October. By December I was all registered for the teacher training. I had to! The way Fayth taught the classes allowed me to connect with my core muscles in a way I had never experienced. Even just going once per week I started seeing changes in how my muscles looked and, more importantly, how I used those muscles when dancing and doing other workout-type activities. Those experiences needed to be shared with my Hip Circle Studio ladies! It honestly didn't occur to me to find someone else to teach the classes in my space - I wanted to help women feel the changes I was feeling.
That's my "why". I teach so I can be a part of helping others grow in the ways I've grown. That is true for bellydance, parenting, fitness - all of it. Coming to this realization only makes me want to teach that much more.
What do you do? What is your "why"?
Back to the "why"...I teach because I love how it feels to learn. Let's take Pilates as an example, as it's the newest learner-to-teacher experience I have. I had given Pilates a half-hearted try (2 classes) about 4 years ago. It didn't work for me at that time - I'm a difficult student! Recovering from 2 back surgeries left me very weak in my core and incredibly cautious about doing anything that might cause a flare up in my back. I'm not sure what exactly pushed me into trying it again (I blame my students), but I followed the call and signed up for a 12-class pack at Sixpax in the south loop. That was in October. By December I was all registered for the teacher training. I had to! The way Fayth taught the classes allowed me to connect with my core muscles in a way I had never experienced. Even just going once per week I started seeing changes in how my muscles looked and, more importantly, how I used those muscles when dancing and doing other workout-type activities. Those experiences needed to be shared with my Hip Circle Studio ladies! It honestly didn't occur to me to find someone else to teach the classes in my space - I wanted to help women feel the changes I was feeling.
That's my "why". I teach so I can be a part of helping others grow in the ways I've grown. That is true for bellydance, parenting, fitness - all of it. Coming to this realization only makes me want to teach that much more.
What do you do? What is your "why"?
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