Friday 2 November 2012

Eat By Design: Day 30

Yep! You got it! I survived 30... yes THIRTY days of Eating By Design, and it really wasn't all that bad!!


I told my husband that this was day 30, and the last day.  He said we should celebrate, it's not over yet! I have to finish the day out!  It's been a long week.  Not a great week for me either.  With lack of sleep and some long days at work I am pretty tired.  I was resting on the couch, and didnt even realize what time it was, I asked my mom and realized  I had missed crossfit.  I really wanted to go tonight. BOO

My husband is leaving for Nigeria on Tuesday for a month.  So it will be just me, my mom, and the baby.  I won't have anyone to hang out with or drink wine with in the evening, so I may end up getting some extra sleep. IF we can get the baby back to sleeping through the night!  My plan while he is gone is to make up some lost time at Crossfit.

This morning I weighed myself, as I do most mornings right before I get in the shower, and was pleasantly surprised (I actually have been all week).  I have miraculously lost 5lbs out of nowhere. I am pretty sure it will find its way back somehow.  It seems to do that.

What did I eat today?
Breakfast - coffee, scrambled eggs with banana peppers
lunch - roasted veggies
dinner - roasted veggies, chicken with tomato sauce
snack - handful of nuts
treat - red wine and dark chocolate

How Do I feel?
Hahaha! Tired! Glad it is the weekend!

How Do I feel about my 30 day challenge?
Pretty good.  I am giving myself a pat of the back to taking the challenge and sticking to it.  I have had a few things that are not ideally by design over the past 30 days (I'm sure my yam fries were not cooked in olive or coconut oil), and I may have eaten a little more dark chocolate and drank a little more red wine that prescribed, but I still did it. My dark chocolate isn't always as dark as it should be and I've been using liquid whipping cream in my coffee.

I am really glad I did it too. I feel better. My belly generally feels better.  My digestive system still needs some work, but It has only been 30 days and it is working much more efficiently, and I haven't had a gassy bloated belly feeling.  I proved to myself that I can do it, that I can eat healthy, and I can do it without having negative feelings or missing the foods I eliminated.  Sure there are times that I want to eat something I shouldn't, but it is only usually when that food is right in my face.  Although, I wouldn't mind eating a pizza.  I think that is one food I will definitely miss.

What Were My Biggest Challenges?
The first week or so was tough when I was explaining to people what I was doing. but everyone got used to it.  I think the explaining it to people (the best I could) helped me stay on track.  It just kept reiterating the facts/ reasons for me deciding to do the challenge in the first place.

The time.  It is for sure time consuming to Eat By Design.  You have to be prepared.  You have to have meals and snacks ready that you can eat.  When lunch was being catered at work I had to pack a lunch.  You can't really get caught on the run hungry, because it is hard to find an appropriate snack.  You have to give yourself extra time in the morning to scramble those eggs.

(Did I ever tell you that I don't really care for eggs?  Well I dont.  In the past I have had to be in the mood for eggs.  The have to be scrambled, in an omelet or in egg salad.  I will only eat egg salad I make myself too. I cannot stand hard boiled, poached, or deviled eggs.  Egg yolk is just vile, and the texture is even worse!  Over the past month I have gotten over some of my distaste for eggs.  I am eating scrambles every day! Still can only eat them scrambled though. Funny how things change)

Back on track.... my challenges

I thought eating out would be a challenge, but it has not been all that bad.  Everywhere serves chicken or fish with roasted veggies... you just need to skip the sauce.

Which brings me to my last challenge..... sauce.  I love sauce.  I am a dipper.... Ranch, Ketchup, Tartar Sauce, Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce etc.  I miss having sauces.  I tried making mayo so I could make some sauces, but it never worked out.  Please share your mayo recipes with me!!

So What will I do now? 
I will continue to eat relatively by design.  The principles make sense to me.  It fits well into my life. I just need to get my husband and baby on board!  I don't foresee myself changing the way I am eating now.  I have enjoyed the meals I have made, and the recipes I have tried.  I like the way my belly is starting to feel, and I think my body needs some more time to adjust. I would really like to see how I feel in another 30 days!!

So stay tuned.  I won't be blogging daily about eating by design anymore, but I will get back to blogging about my recipes I am trying and my going ons as I did before.

JoJo!!

Thursday 1 November 2012

Eat By Design: Day 29

Wow wow wow!!  Only 1 more day to go!!  Can you believe that it has already been 29 days??  I sure can't!!


Today was a long day.  I was at the chiropractor at 7:30am.  I spent the morning at my school in Claireview, went to the office for a few hours, then off to the west end for a meeting at another school, that lasted until 4pm.  All that driving, especially in this weather, makes for a very tiresome day.  It doesn't help that I was up with Avery again at 4am.... silly baby.  She needs to get back to her good sleeping habits! I'm just exhausted.  4 Nights in a row without a full nights sleep, it is really taking its toll on me.

What did I eat today?
Breakfast - coffee, eggs and salsa
lunch - sphagetti squash and ragu sauce (it was all we had in the house)
Dinner - roasted veggies, rotisserie chicken
Snack - handful of nuts
Treats - dark chocolate, red wine

How Do I Feel?
Other than being exhausted, I feel pretty good.  Today I was yawning all day long, but generally, even when I am not getting great sleep, I am not feeling the fatigue until I come home and sit home, which is great!

My Biggest Challenge today?
Making my lunch.  My Father-in-Law has been visiting us, and so we have been eating out a bit.  I haven't bought any groceries and I haven't done any shopping.  When it came time time to make my lunch I was kind of at a loss.  I grabbed some Ragu (not ideal, but not the worst thing I could have chosen) and poured it over some spaghetti squash and packed it up!!  It was tasty.

See you on day 30!!

JoJo!!

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Eat By Design: Day 27

My Husband said ... wow it's been 27 days already?!?!  Its gone pretty fast!!


Why is it that they baby being up in the night on Sunday has thrown me so out of whack?  I didn't get up to run this morning.  It's not even 8pm and I think I could call in for the night!

I didn't snack today, just had my meals, could that be why I am tired?  When I snacked this evening, but that was more just comfort eating.

Why am I comfort eating? Have I told you how much our realtor in Victoria SUCKS??  My husband called him 5 days ago, and I sent him a text 4 days ago and yesterday, and he has still NOT responded to us.  Talk horrible service with a huge price tag.  We thought about switching realtors, but our place would be off the market for a week, and we just couldn't get into that sort of a situation while making a conditional offer on another house. It gets a little stressful at times when I think we may lose the house.....

What Did I Eat Today?
Breakfast - coffee and scramble with salsa
lunch - spaghetti squash and sauce
dinner - earls - cedar plank salmon (no sauce) with veggies and sweet potato fries (a little treat)
Comfort snacking - dark chocolate and nuts

How Do I Feel?
I am tired.  It could be the night I disturbed my sleep patterns, it could be my stress levels, it could be I didn't eat enough (i doubt that).  It could be my cycle is starting.  It could be a million things!!

My Biggest Challenge Today?
Definitely eating out with the family.  I still managed to have a good meal though.  I just looked at the menu at some of my earls favorites, and kinda wanted just a taste!

See you on day 28.... only 3 more days to go!!

JoJo!!

Monday 29 October 2012

Eat By Design: Day 26

Who knew there was a group/boy band called day 26??  I never did, but when I did a google search for an image, they were all that came up!!


Today was a typical Monday.... work work work.  Last night wasn't so typical though.  Avery woke up at about 1am and decided it was morning and she wanted breakfast?  I love her to bits, but I don't enjoy being awake for a few hours in the middle of the night when I have to work the next day.

Went to Crossfit this evening, and it was a GREAT workout.  When I looked at the website I almost thought about not going (as I have many times in the past).  I sucked it up (so one day I don't have to suck it in) and went.  Surprisingly, it was not as hard as I thought it would be and I really enjoyed it.  Don't get me wrong, it was challenging, and I can already feel my entire body, but it is not as bad as I though!  Good good good.  I love Crossfit. I just need to get my groove back!

What Did I Eat Today?
Breakfast - coffee, red pepper and tomato scramble
lunch - roasted veggies, spaghetti squash and homemade sauce
dinner - sausage, spaghetti squash & homemade sauce, roasted veggies
snack - hand full of nuts, and sausage
treats - small glass of wine (I am weening LOL)

How Do I Feel?
I'm tired from lack of sleep, feeling my workout with a little muscle fatigue,  and I am ready for bed.  Overall I feel pretty good!!

My Biggest Challenge?
I think my biggest challenge today was getting myself to Crossfit, but I did it, and I am glad I did!!

Its time for bed!! 

JoJo!!

Sunday 28 October 2012

Eat By Design: Day 25

25 days, and I indulged a little.... I had a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. BAD ME! LOL


I went to Crossfit this morning, and it was choose your benchmark day.  I did Helen.  Its the same workout I did the last time I was there for choose your benchmark, except today I was on the airdyne bike and not running.  WOW! I suck at the airdyne bike! lol.  Terrbile.  My WOD was bike for 50 calories, 21 kettlebell swings at 35lbs, and 12 pull ups.  I suck at pull ups, I still have my foot in the giant rubber band.  I also realized I'm not very "fit."  That bike almost killed me.

As you all know I am frustrated with my weight loss, or lack of it.  I was chatting to my Crossfit coach about it.  He said it may take some time, but by body composition is probably changing.  We talked about running, and I told him that I know if I started running that the weight would start to fall off.  I know running long distances are not ideal, but he said if I am running 5km, and I am not doing every day, I will be ok.  

I've decided running is what I need to do.  I enjoy running.  I like the competitiveness I build within myself.  I like the quiet time with me and the road.  I am a runner, I was born a runner, and I always will be a runner.  I competed in my first race at 7 years old.  I ran competitively for 14 years.  It seems natural to me.  I know that long repetitive runs are not great for you, but that is not my plan.  My plan for now is 5km.  I probably can't even run 5km right now.  I would be happy if I could make it 2km without stopping!!  Running is also something I can do before work.  I like a workout before work, and I have not yet convinced Crossfit Edmonton to have a 5am class! LOL

So what did I do today.... convinced my husband we needed a trip to Lemons  (aka lululemon) so I (he) could buy some winter running pants, gloves and an ear warmer.  I almost bought some hunter boots while we were shopping, but they were sold out of the smokey grey :-(

My plan is Tuesday/Thursday mornings to start. If I dont crossfit on a sat or sun I will go for a run.  I feel better having a plan, and a plan I know I will have success with!

Oh Yes, I am also giving up red wine, bacon and nuts for the month of November.  I have scheduled a cheat day so I can attend a wine party.

What Did I Eat Today?
breakfast - coffee
lunch - spaghetti squash and sauce, roasted veggies
dinner - crab cakes, snow crab legs, roasted veggies  
treats - red wine

How do I feel?
Better.  I have a plan.  Running always helps me shed lbs.

My Biggest Challenge?
Today I decided to make homemade mayonnaise so I could make crab cakes.  This is not an easy task.  My first batch was disgusting.  My next 2 didnt turn out and the 4th wasnt so tasty.  BAH!  What an expensive experiment! I threw away at least 2 cups of Olive Oil today. YIKES.  We used the last batch anyways to make the crabcakes, I threw in some "slap chopped" red pepper, coconut flour, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper... and they were pretty good!!!

If anyone has a good homemade mayonnaise recipe please share it with me!!

JoJo!!