Week 4 - Learning New Things

Well, I am almost at the end of week four.

New things that I have discovered:

1. I am actually sleeping better at night
2. I have not had to take any NSAIDS for my muscle pain…since this blocks lymphatic drainage, I'm trying not to use it.
3. I have not had any headaches, even at work
4. Some days I do not need to eat more than twice with a snack.
5. I'm learning the difference between hunger and thirst and cravings.
6. I still have cravings for sugar, but able to get through them.
7. I am drinking more water, just because…NOT because I have too
8. Not putting numbers on things, like calories or ounces of water, frees me to eat what I want of the good stuff and not worry about the minutia….Its working.
9. The BEST news yet: NO MORE NIGHT SWEATS!!!


Today's (or yesterday's) adventure in cooking included:

Nom Nom Paleo Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker

Bacon cooked in the oven

(guess it was a piggy kind of day!)

Home made Tomato Sauce with Vine tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, garlic, Thyme, and artichokes.

(haha, my own recipe!)

Nom Nom Paleo Magic Mushroom Powder

YUM - I put this on just about everything!

My new Spice Rack!

All made easier by new cooking tools and spices in my cupboard!!!  I need to branch out a bit and I'm happy that I'm more a savory type eater than a sugary type eater, as I think this would be much harder.  I do know that not eating any sugar or processed foods has changed my taste buds and now when I eat fruit that I normally wouldn't eat, it tastes so sweet.  So I use it as my treat and definitely look forward to breakfast where I get to eat my strawberries and blueberries!

So…Onward and hoping that this "honeymoon" of good eating, turns into a happy marriage of good eating. 

Until next time….

3 weeks of change……...

So..today is three weeks in to eating well and working out hard.  Down 11lbs…. And I'm feeling stronger.  I wish the stupid scale didn't dictate how I feel about myself so much.  I mean..I KNOW i'm getting stronger and in shape…and i"m loving doing it.  I'm loving cooking and deciding on meals and even shopping….so then…why do I feel so yucky???  

In KB tonight we swung 10,000lbs…I used the 44lb bell for 227 swings…then I squatted…and I mean REAL squats….for 2000lbs….then we walked 0.2miles with 35lbs racked…whew…I'm tired..and its a good tired.

Things I have noticed:

1. I have more energy and even when I'm tired, I can't really nap

2. My pants fit better

3. My arms are stronger..especially my left arm- its now close to my right arm/shoulder.

4. I'm spending money on good food..BUT not wasting money on fast food.

5. I still pay WAY too much attention to my mid section and what the scale says.

6. I still crave sugar at times, but have not given in.

7. I'm beginning to see/feel the difference between hunger and thirst.

8. I'm OK with sometimes being hungry rather than snacking on things I don't want too.

9. I"m changing the things I "want" so that I can eat everything I "want."

Here is tonight's workout:  If you can read Adam's handwriting…haha

So….this is the start of week 4.  Here's to a great week.  KB class only twice this week due to work…but that's ok…next week will have more opportunities for strength.

signing off for tonight.

thanks for listening to my ramble.

"I just changed what I wanted…."

GW Parkway Classic 10 miler….

So, today was so disappointing and frustrating…but I'm sure I learned a thing or too.  It was 20 degrees warmer than last week….the first five miles….six miles…and almost 7 miles went well….then the cramping started and it was just HOT….Jeez OH PETE where did Spring go???? and how did SUMMER rear it ugly head so early.  On the other hand, it was beautiful and warm and the cherry blossoms were out and the water was beautiful…so I can't have perfect running conditions all the time..Besides..if I had trained, it may just have been a better day.

My stomach cramped for the first time in a long while..but NO huge blow out..so that's ok.  Just wondering if it was b/c I actually ate a real breakfast or was it just the heat?

anywho…7 minutes longer than last weeks and last years 10 miler…BUT I was out there..and I was doing it and because the first 6 miles were good, i'm looking forward to the shorter races I have planned and really pushing it in some 5K's and maybe some 4 milers this summer.

SOOOOOO……back to the Food Journey….all is going well. I managed to stay off the scale this week even though I was anxious to see if I was "eating too much."  I've been assured that I can't eat too much of good stuff…so we will see tomorrow morning.

Enough for today.  I'll check back in tomorrow with a week 2 weigh in…

"I can eat anything I want….I just changed the things I want…."

Cherry Blossoms, blisters and contests, oh my!

Cherry Blossom 10 miler..great run, not a PR…but a fast first half…was headed towards under 2hours, but the cramps and blisters got to me.  Anywhoo….it was beautiful and sunny and cold - perfect running weather.  Just wish the pollen would go away!

 BEFORE…..

and….

After……

 

OUCH!….

So..back to the CONTEST…

Here is the whole ugly truth…..

Body fat = 34.24%…Lets see what I can do with that over the next 60 days.!

I was starving by the time I got home. Had eaten a great breakfast, but too many hours between breakfast and finishing the race.  Did the whole thing with no sugar (banana) for breakfast….and water.  I had enough energy, just pained with cramps and blisters.

Hope to be recovered for next weeks GW Parkway Classic!

Official first weigh in tomorrow. (even though the contest just started, I am been on the eating plan for a week…..stay tuned).

AND..i forgot the picture….

Skinny Jeans Contest - oh My!

Haha..how funny..but something to keep me motivated.  Will get measured on Saturday and then have 9 weeks to lose the greatest percentage of body fat.  Whatever…I"ll probably never be in "skinny" jeans, but it worth the motivation.

My arms are toast from the trainer tonight…..

Here's a picture to keep me motivated…I hope it works.
(ignore the underpants peaking out…clearly..I was not paying attention, nor did I care)

The week of wonder...

Sunday was the day…I cleaned out my cupboards …this is what it looks like when you clean your cupboards of crap, soda, wine, gluten and basically everything that was in there…

I don't exactly know what to fill it with..hmm. Maybe this is where I can put all my New cooking TOYS!!!  Because, well, the rest of the food is perishable!!! so much so that the fridge is full..(sorry, no pictures).

I 'm excited…I think i'm doing well. I had a terrible headache on day one, but since then have just had intermittent periods of being hungry…

The thing is…its very hard to get away from the "weight loss", must "cut calories" perspective and deprivation.  Its kind of freeing to know that you can eat what you want, when you want it, if you eat the right foods.

Total plusses that I see so far:

1. my FARTS are almost non existent - thank you NO gluten

2. My GI tract is loving me.

3. My joints in my hands are loving me

4. I feel stronger and more in control

5. At this point, its new and exciting and still fun

6. I have increased my cook book (simple meals) by 3 just this week

7. I have new kitchen toys

Here is a picture of my first venture into making a whole chicken (Ok, I lied, I made these in Rome, but I have never made one for myself).

Ok, so I don't have picture of the final product..its around..I just can't find it.  this turned out really good.

THEN, I made this..ok..well I don't have a picture of the mayo either..but super easy..and tasty.

And then tonight I made this..in one of my new toys..a  pan with a cover that I can put in the oven and use on the stove top.

I need to learn my oven better.  It took way longer to heat up than the oven would have liked me to believe. It was set for 325, but dinged "ready" at about 250.  Then, I'm pretty sure I cooked it too long because I wasn't sure. I tasted it and it is tasty..just al title more done than I would like, but I will be using it on a salad anyway…so its all good.

AND my favorite part…Kettle Bell class is kicking up and we are going hard and I did 12 assisted pull ups the other day.  I've added a third day to my week for the next 2 1/2 months and hope this will really kick my metabolism into gear (apparently i'm "pre diabetic" even with all the exercise etc).  I'm not as much concerned about weight loss as about getting stronger, fitter and faster…which I'm hoping will include weight loss, but we'll see how it goes.  If I want to do IM Chattanooga, I gotta get my butt in gear.

This is what a KB workout looks like.  Ha ha..I sometimes spend half the class trying to figure it out. Its like its own language.  I thought I would post just one because all my Crossfit friends post theirs and its like total GREEK.  So, this is just for fun. But we did it. Not four times, but three. We ran out of time, but I'll tell you that my arms are shaking and I'm gonna be sore tomorrow!  A good sore, of course.

Which brings me to Tri season.  I'm not entirely excited about it this year. Its is very hard to fit in the workouts (actually, I can go to pretty much zero of the team workouts) and I'm unmotivated to get in the pool or to get on my bike.  But as part of my "be nice to me" year and working on my eating habits and strength, I'm trying to be ok with all of this and just take the 3 races (2 sprints and 1 Olympic) as FUN.  NO stress.  That can come next year!

Night night.