Vacation and Whole30

So I was on vacation for quite some time. About 16 days! It was so amazing. I saw family I hadn't seen in 12 years! We laughed and had so much fun! Tried new things and remembered old times too! 

Here are a few pictures! 

We did Miami (where my family is), Key West for our anniversary, also Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, and Savannah, GA as we traveled home. 

Coconut water from the front yard!

Airboat ride in the Everglades!

Key West sunset!

South Beach

Southernmost point!

Southernmost beach

St. Augustine

On top of the fort in St. Augustine

Segway tour in Savannah GA. Super fun

Paula Deen's restaurant in Savannah!

So I didn't stick to 100% whole30 compliant eating while gone. I had many childhood favorites like my favorite Cuban restaurant Pollo Tropical. I ate a lot of seafood which isn't bad at all. Yellow rice was a downfall. Also doughnuts. I had them twice! One from a gourmet donut shop. See picture! 

The other doughnuts were Krispy Kreme. They were hot and somehow hijacked my cousin's car and got in the house. Haha. 

I had bread at a few restaurants as a treat and a few breaded foods like Aligator Tail with a jalapeño sauce! 

So good!  Past that most everything was decent choices. More cheese than usual. I did turn down sweets a few times (like ice cream once) which is actually a big deal for me but at that moment I just simply didn't want any. I find this to be a success for me in my change of habits with whole30. 

However.... On the way home I told my husband I felt as though I had been torturing myself. I would know some thing wouldn't feel great (maybe bread) and eat it anyhow. I felt unable to be totally compliant on the trip but actually wished at times I was totally compliant so that my energy level wouldn't be down so much. I took workout clothes and never worked out. I believe this was due to my decreased energy from non compliant food. 

So as I got home I was not regretful at all of my decisions. I had had improvements in my habits and decisions and had truly enjoyed some of my Florida favorites. However I was curious to weigh, measure, and get back to compliant food. 

So in 3 weeks I gained exactly 3 lbs even and gained 1.5 inches in my waist and 1.5 inches in my belly but no where else. This makes sense as that is where the inflammation is going first in my opinion. 

I was quite thrilled with these numbers. I've had people say. "I don't want to do whole30 for 30 days then gain back all the weight when I go back to my usual eating". Well. Guess what? You won't go back if you do whole30 correctly. Your habits truly change along with your mindset and cravings. 

I didn't "go back" to eating the way I did before but simply enjoyed my vacation while making decent decisions based on what I learned about how I feel when I eat terribly.

Now I've been back for 1 week. I thought if be about 6 days into another whole30 but I taught a camp this week for high school drum majors and we've had a few other things going on but tomorrow we plan to start on Day 1 again. Who's with me on this 30 day cycle? 

I'm not sure what comes after that next 30 days?

Some people say they do 80/20 but I heard someone say (maybe it was Chris Powell but I'm not sure) that that means you're eating junk 20% of the time. That's a lot. If you eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day that means once a day your eating non compliant. This works for some people but my body demands more from me. My body wants way more. 

Some people do a cheat day but I don't like how I feel if I were to eat non compliant for a day. 

So I'm leaning toward a number of non comoliant food items to allow myself per week. Maybe 2 per week? I'd love input here. Have you tried something like this to maintain whole30 as a lifestyle? I need to read those chapters in the "It Starts with Food" book. 

I can't wait to see how I do!

Whole30 day 40!

II would just like to list out some ways whole 30 has helped me in these 40 days, some things I struggled with, and some ways I hope to improve on my next whole 30 cycle. 

Things I've gained:

-the ability to control cravings

-a new found love for seasonings

-a new ability to get my veggies in every day

-I sleep better

-more energy

-no energy crashes at 2:00

-my endurance in exercise is much better

-lost 13.4 lbs in my 30 days. More since

- lost 14+ inches in my 30 days

-gained a new sense of how I feel beyond the scales

-I'm not satisfied with very small amounts of dairy and sweets. For example 4 M&Ms is all I need. Not a whole bag!

Things I struggled with:

-Planning ahead some days was hard

- I struggled for about a week with leaning on Larabars too much

- struggled to get enough sleep to allow my body to really experience the better sleep. 

- possibly ate too much fruit on some days. 

Things I want to improve on my next cycle:

- get more sleep

- join my exercise routine in from the beginning (I began exercise about half way through my first cycle)

-plan meals ahead better

- pay more attention to my budget for the grocery to be able to compare costs to before whole30

- do a better job of my reintroduction schedule. 

Today was day 40. I've had a few treats since Day 30 but only one at a time surrounded by compliant meals the rest of the day. For example. The day my students on sang at the minor league ball game I ate great all day and then had a cheeseburger at the game but went back to normal the next day. 

Yesterday my husband and I were with his parents and they wanted Shoneys buffet. I was able to resist all the fabulous breakfast carbs and got a side salad and fresh fruit. My willpower has always been pretty good but it's really gotten better since I began whole30. 

I have a vacation in about 10 days. For these ten days I plan to be as conpliant as possible to maybe she's a few additional pounds and inches to feel great when I leave. 

I can't wait to see how much more I can improve. 

For four years I've tried very hard to lose weight with little success. To finally have found something that works that is all natural nutrition is just so exciting. 

Thanks for reading and supporting me!

Whole 30 -halfway done!

So I'm halfway done with whole 30 and I'm finally getting a minute to blog about this fabulous life changing experience.  

First I'll begin by saying that my husband is fantastic and has jumped in with both feet to do whole 30 together which I believe is a huge part of my ability to be successful.  

Day 1 for me was Wednesday April 16th. I spent a few days reading up on the requirements and grocery shopping to get ready. I also prepped my pantry by creating yes and no shelves to make it simple and less tempting. 

I first learned about whole30 through a co worker who did it with her son as a means to help his food allergies. When she first told me about it in Dec I was less than interested. A few other co workers tried it. Honestly here on Day 15 I can't clearly remember what sparked me to do it. I was tried of feeling like junk. I had attempted to reintroduce gluten and gained 15 pounds yep 15!!!! In a month!!!! I decided gluten had to go again so I figured I might as well just do whole30. I began at their website which is amazing. Whole30.com it tells everything you need to know here it is in a nutshell...

- no dairy

-no gluten

- no grains

- no added sugar or artificial sweeteners

- no processed foods w chemicals

- no legumes (except green beans)

- no "paleo" versions of sweets

- no giving into sweet cravings with fruit

- not a single crumb or lick of anything that is off limits for a solid 30 days

Oh and no weighing or measuring yourself (to focus your thoughts on how you feel, not the number)

The whole process is intended to heal your body from inflammation, reset your metabolism and your relationship with food and your body. 

Easter was actually not hard at all. I hosted and mom and I worked together to modify the family traditional meal to make it acceptable (cauliflower is a great replacement for potatoes in a roast)

Serving ice cream to students for a reward all day one day and making cheesecake desserts for a jewelry event were also surprisingly easy. Not even a lick of the spoon (or finger)

So far here's what I've found to be true for me. 

- sleeping better

- clothes fit much better (some that didn't fit two weeks ago fit now)

- I've had fewer heart palpitations (never expected that)

- energy level is beginning to go up

- I had much more energy in my workout tonight

- my sweet cravings are beginning to go away and I actually felt bad tonight for enjoying bananas and strawberries with a tablespoon of almond butter after my dinner. Seriously!

I've craved chocolate a lot (not as much now) I think Easter had a hand in that! My husband however has craved cheeseburgers. We are each different. 

My friend Melissa at work (that introduced me to whole30) encourages me daily and is my personal cheerleader here! I'm so thankful for her!

This week after feeling so much better and seeing results I'm excited to be adding exercise back in to merge with the new eating habits. 

Tonight was Zumba. I saw a difference in my my workout clothes for and had a ton of energy to do the advanced options throughout the class. Last time I went I thought I could die! 

I'm just so anxious to weigh. I actually asked my husband to hide my scales. I was pretty sure I would cheat on the weighing. Haha

I'm so thankful that God gives me the strength to stick to a new plan like this. It may seem drastic or crazy but truly as was stated in the book I'm reading "Made to Crave": I'm eating much like an animal in the wild. Meat, fruits, and veggies. We don't see obese animals running around do we? 

I feel that I've worked for many years to lose weight through exercise and diet. It wasn't working so I try something new and more intense. 

I'm excited for these next 15 days!!!

I highly suggest the books "It Starts With Food" and "Made to Crave" pictured below. Starts with food outlines whole 30 and it's science. Made to crave aligns a weightloss journey to a Christian daily walk with God. Both are awesome and I'm currently getting a lot from each of them. 

Btw: I'll write more about this later but after 30 squeaky clean days I'll reintroduce one group at a time (minus gluten-I know it doesn't work for me) to see which I can have in moderation and which I should avoid. 

One week progress picture: left is Easter (day 5), right is a jewelry training (day 11). I could feel a difference in my belt at that point. 

New beginnings

So a few weeks back (several weeks) I got off track with my exercise when I spent a week in hospital rooms with my husband and his parents. We somehow never got back on track. It's funny how easy it is to make it happen when you're in the routine but one big event can change that 180 degrees! 

I've been gluten free since April 2013. About 2 months ago I got a little sloppy and no longer avoided cross contamination and then two weeks ago I was at a fundraiser for my husbands band at a pizza place. I was going to just eat the toppings. Then I decided it was highly wasteful and not very productive with their small amount of toppings. So I just are pizza and expected to get sick. I did not get sick. So the next day I decided "gluten is already in my system I may as well enjoy a few things I never get to have" that led to weeks of gluten here or there. It's caused some weight gain along with return of symptoms from my gluten sensitivity. Fatigue, not sleeping well, feeling "fluffy", etc. 

So I have a few new things in place to help me get back on track and hopefully be successful. (I know this isn't my first "get back on track post") It's just so hard to stay on track without a solid plan and results to keep me going. 

Here is what I have in place:

My new health insurance is Humana which allows the Vitality program where I can earn points for health checks and exercise and running races etc. The points can then be used to make purchases. Very cool. So I've started that program and want to earn points! 

I had a "vitality check" at work a few weeks ago. It was good. My blood work all looked good and was in range except my triglycerides which may have been falsely elevated because that was the morning after the pizza night. However they were likely too high anyhow. So that along with weight loss are the goals vitality set for me. 

I have linked my vitality to my fitbit and my Humana fit iPhone app to track runs and bikes and walks etc. 

 It makes a cool calendar. Which there is only one day of recorded stuff on here because I just set it up. Can't wait to fill the calendar. 

Next....

Today we started a biggest loser contest at school. Quite motivating!! We have the health dept coming in for 4 of the weigh ins. They give us tickets with our weight. Here is mine...

Yikes!!! I've gained a few pounds. Now I weighed at 291 at home. Of course at school it was after breakfast, after 16 oz of water w my thyroid med, and fully dressed including shoes. Way different from home weigh ins. 

I'm very excited to have this motivation and encouragement. My husband is on board to go along side me which will help today. I'm working to detox the gluten away again and be more diligent again. It truly helps me. I can't believe I let the habit slip away. 

I can't wait to update. Thanks for reading!! Follow me on Instagram @findtheskinny 

Week to week

Well I'm home from church today with a hubby who doesn't feel so great so I'm taking a few minutes to relax and blog. Somehow I still haven't gotten back into my blogging groove. I hate that because I love blogging. I still think Instagram makes for an unintentional replacement from time to time with pictures and quick blurbs. If you don't follow me there do that in order to see much more from me. (@findtheskinny)

So two weeks ago my husband and I had found a good gym routine. We were arriving before the New Years crowd each day I was swimming etc. things were good. Then on Wed of that week we got a call that his dad had been taken via ambulance to the hospital unable to breathe. I won't go into a lot of detail but one hospital transfer,  six days in the hospital (2 in ICU) and 4 doctors later he was released into out patient therapy with a diagnosis of having had three strokes stemming from his carotid artery. His road isn't over. He's scheduled for therapy three times a week for 8 weeks and will undergo surgery in a few weeks to clear the artery. Please be in prayer for his recovery. 

I took a selfie of my fear when I got in the ambulance to ride along on the transport! It wasn't too bad. Max speed of 80. Interesting to see what people do though. I saw one car get on the shoulder but stay at 70 mph. I was scared for them! 

In those 6 hospital days we made efforts such as taking the stairs making good choices in the cafeteria and trying to get sleep. However hospitals create a tough situation. You don't want to miss doctor rounds and when you're seeing three doctors a day for that you find yourself planted in an ICU room for 14 solid hours! You make the best food choices possible. But... When you're tired and stressed and your hospital has ice cream snickers for sale.... (If you're me you'll break down and buy one two times over the 6 days) and there is only so much movement you can get in a 10x10 room with enough cords to trip a bird!

Anyhow. We've had a tough time getting back to our routine since he left the hospital. 

Why is it so hard to go after a week off??? And GREAT!... Now it's been two weeks off!

I gained weight the hospital week. Began losing it this week though. Thankfully! We even travelled for work last week. But believe me the movement increased. Busy schedules and our feet for transportation for 4 days. Loved it! Seriously! I took my gym clothes there with an idea of grabbing the routine back but literally the gym wasn't open when we finished each day and the sidewalks were icy. Slick icy. 

Pic of my hubby and I when we took his students to a celebration dinner in the revolving restaurant on the 25th floor. 

So a bad week followed by a better week. 

My plan this week is to write a weekly schedule down tonight with my hubby. Get his mtgs, pep band nights, appts, etc all written down. Get my mtgs all written down. Then schedule in gym time and make a plan. I'll prep food tonight too. (Im going to out my green smoothie ingredients into freezer bags in the freezer for the week. I sure miss my smoothies!  I'm hoping this week can get us on track. 

I can say that this hospital experience didn't sabotage us like the last one when his parents ended up in two separate hospitals at one time during marching band season. That was next to impossible. I find this experience was improved from last time and with the upcoming stay for surgery if we can plan ahead maybe we can keep our routine. 

I just hope that we don't have to visit any hospitals any time soon (except when our new nephew is born). But if we do I hope the next experience we can be more ready for staying on track. 

My view for the upcoming week is the more "perfect" it is the better. I want to plan the cleanest most perfect week possible. I think it will help the routine settle in faster. 

Any tips for any of these things? please comment!

Also I giant thank you to the friends and co workers who offered to bring "my kind of food" to me at the hospital. If ICU had lasted any longer I would have put in my orders. 

Swimming.

So I have gone back and forth with a goal to do the sprint triathlon in my town in August. I thought of it last year but didn't do it. Now I have plenty of time and this, too, was discussed over Christmas dinner with the cousins. 

We had some awesome laughs over how they write your age on you fifty times and how people on $6000 bikes ride by you at three times your speed etc. my cousin and his wife did one and loved it. They had an open water swim. I can't say that would be number one on my list, especially the alligator waters they were in, but they also tell of how they've heard pool swims are crowded and rough too. Maybe I should just ask to go last. Haha. Anyone reading this with tri insight please chime in. 

There are six cousins: we've all run 5Ks. Some 13.1, some 26.2, now one and his wife a sprint tri. I love that we are all active like that. It's something fun to being to the table (literally) when we all get together a few times a year. 

There's one part of the triathlon that I don't do regularly. Swim. I love swimming. When I was a kid I took swimming lessons beginning at age two and took until they couldn't teach me anymore (several years). My cousins,  brother and I all took lessons privately in small classes and were all well taught. The one thing I NEVER mastered was the dive. Nope. Can't dive. My reflexes send my head up in a split second consistently creating awesome "belly flops". Haha. But I could tread water for hours, could swim a million different strokes, I COULD do the lifesaver dive (it's feet first)  

A forever issue with my swimming was that I hate water in the nose so I also hold it. I've been working on that and have gotten pretty good at blowing bubbles out my nose to keep me from looking like a drowning crazy person. 

So to the gym and swimming laps. A whole different beast. Seriously. Something about swimming a lap makes you feel as though you could drown if you don't pop up and stop halfway for air.  I have trouble actually breathing on the breath stroke. Go figure. 

So I went to the gym on Thursday and swam a little. I always do some pool exercises that a previous trainer taught me that are pretty killer between "lap attempts". Thursday I was doing a lap attempt and was attempting to breath on like every fourth stroke. This caused the panic jump-up-to-breath-I-just-got-water-up-my-nose-lack-of-rhythm issue. Couldn't get it. So I grabbed my kick board and did leg laps (hold the board out in front and only do legs kicks or frog kicks down the pool and back) they really get your heart rate going and work your legs like crazy with no knee impact. I highly recommend them. 

Anyhow an old guy probably in his 70s was the only other swimmer and he was in the next lane. I was frog kicking and suddenly found myself racing him to the end of the pool where he beat me in a photo finish. Haha. Sad day. Not only could he swim laps at more than twice my age but I couldn't even beat him swimming while I frog kicked with a kick board. Haha (probably unrealistic considering he had a two arm advantage. But still)

So Saturday rolls around and I'm back in the pool. I began with my leg exercises and watched as a guy, likely younger than me, swam laps in the next lane. When he took a rest I bothered him to ask if he takes a breath on each stroke on his breath side. He confirmed that's what I was seeing him do and said he was a new swimmer getting ready to join the Air Force and his swimming buddy helped him by telling him to do that. So I gave it a whirl. All the difference in the world! It gave me a rhythm and with a regular breathing cycle in and out on each stroke I was not feeling the panic "need air" feeling. Now that rhythm wasn't perfect and I still have to stop twice across the pool (this is a large pool) but it is better and is now something I can practice and improve on. The guy next to me noticed my smoother rhythm too. I was greatful for his help. 

So there is a tinny tiny light shining at the end of the learning to swim laps tunnel but it's there. I was also excited that 30 - 40 min in the pool burned 307 calories. Yay!!!! Btw I did flip over for one lap doing the back stroke thinking it wouldn't be so bad because breathing isn't the big issue there and oh my stars it's quite the workout that back stroke!!!

So my goal is to be making no more than one stop across the pool by the end of this week and no stops by the end of the next week. That will be so nice to be able to push off on all my starts. Starting in the middle stinks. Haha. 

Running Goals Set!!!

So I decided to add up my miles run for the year. I'm such a slacker: 14.9 miles in 2013 (April -Dec 6 of which have been since thanksgiving). As much as I love running I didn't have a race in front of me and therefore I didn't run. Simple as that. In 2012 I was training hard for my first half marathon when New Years rolled around so Jan-April 2012 I ran 82.8 miles. Big difference!!!! 

Dec of 2011 when I had began training I ran 38 miles in just that month. My best month ever! 2011 total was 72 miles. 

April 2012- April 2013 I didn't run. The full year after my half marathon. I believe it was out of fear since I had heart rhythm issues at the finish line. I think I may be a little crazy on this but I told my husband I'd like to wear a monitor next time I run a half in case I have an episode again. We will see. I'll discuss that with my cardiologist. 

Anyhow so after a good table discussion about races with cousins at Christmas I think I'll be doing the half marathon in my hometown over mothers day weekend.  I have one cousin planning to do it as we'll. maybe more will join in. Or some friends. Not sure but a goal /race ahead of me should get the mileage up again. 

I would like to set a new goal of a years total of miles as well. So hear are the goals below:

May 10th: half marathon

2014: 200 miles total (I'm hoping higher but want something completely attainable and 200 is more than 2011-2013 put together)

I also dedicated a drawer in my dresser today to running things: hats, gloves, socks, earbuds, etc and a workout clothes drawer too. Hoping that helps me have quicker prep time for getting out the door or packing a gym back in the morning. 

Loving how the runkeeper app lets you set goals now for tracking.